Winter?

Aerobics Potluck

For 51 weeks a year, we do aerobics and other exercise faithfully, and in all the ways that it's good for us. But today was the day for Marie's classes to come together, do 30 minutes of aerobics and 30 minutes of Pilates, and then have a potluck lunch! We all feel that we are friends, and in fact were busy greeting those whose schedule varies so we haven't seen them for a while.

First, the exercise:
Then food and conversations. I was terrible: everyone brought wonderful home-made things like chicken salad, noodle dishes, deviled eggs, artichoke dip, spicy shrimp, cookies, scones... But I went to Trader Joe's and got grapes, a cheese log, and crackers. I feel bad. Next year I promise to bake!



I have a lot more photos -- but I tried to be selective.

Ann Arbor Theaters

Ann Arbor preserves two really retro theaters. The State Theater now shows movies only in what was formerly the balcony of a large campus-area theater, and has lost much of its original size and style to the redo. The sightlines are terrible: every seat has an awkward view.

The Michigan Theater, in contrast, represents years of preservation efforts, including repainting the overwrought ornateness of gold decor and installing all-new plush velvet seats. The Michigan shows not only first-run films, but also is home to concerts, film festivals, and other civic events. Its theater organ still rises from inside the floor at full theater-organ volume.

Thus, as in these photos, from the corner of State and Liberty one can see two theater marquees of the most impressively antique variety.