Take a look at what’s happening in Dexter, Michigan
during the month of Januray!

Click Here to view a calendar which features all of the Events
and Activites occuring in the Village of Dexter!

Related Link
Ann Arbor Community Events and Entertainment | Click here
See what else may be going on in our area in January

Located within Ann Arbor Charter Township and adjacent to the city of Ann Arbor, the community of Barton Hills MI was originally named “Huron Farms” and was established by the Detroit Edison Company in 1913. The company acquired land on both sides of the Huron River and built a series of dams for electric power production. Land owned by the company was also used for agricultural purposes, including farms, dairy cattle, and fruit orchards. Since the area was too hilly for farming it was promoted by company executives as an “exclusive residential community” for company executives and thus the picturesque community of Barton Hills was born.  It is just 4 miles to UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH and 8 miles to ST JOSEPH MERCY HOSPITAL, 3 miles to Amtrak and 30 miles to Detroit Metro Airport.  The newest high school, Skyline, is about one mile away.

Barton Hills, less than 1000 households, has the highest per capita income of any other location in Michigan. Community events include Hayrides, Picnics, and Golf Tournaments.  The Barton Hills Village manages the water, ordinances and general community maintenance.  Membership in the Barton Hills Country Club is optional for residents.

Restrictions attached to each deed originally stipulated that the homes must be designed by a registered architect.  Thus, each home is unique, many are secluded in woods and some are on Barton pond or golf course. The pond is part of the Huron river tributary.  Homes here range from hundreds of thousands to multi-million dollars.  This prestigious community is perfect for anyone looking for a natural sanctuary just a short drive from Ann Arbor. 

Currently you’ll find three homes listed for sale in Barton Hills MI ranging in price from $899,000 to $1,025,000.  Choose from serene wooded views near the Barton Hills Country Club, a Barton Pond overlook, or a prairie style home on a large lot with park-like setting.  Please visit the Ann Arbor MLS for more information on these Barton Hills MI Real Estate listings.  Contact Kathy Toth and Team for more information. 

The Chelsea Community Foundation recently donated $25,000 to help fund the creation of a new lifeline service offered by The Western Washtenaw Area Value Express (WAVE).  The Lifeline Service Van Program will offer rides by appointment to services outside of Western Washtenaw County such as medical, human-service, employment agencies, grocery stores, and enrichment activities.  For instance a Chelsea resident may be brought to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital for dialysis.  This is the first service of it’s kind.  Riders would likely be charged a fee for the ride - $10-$15 for seniors and those with disabilities and perhaps double for others.  The $25,000 grant will provide for one year of service during an initial evaluation period. 

WAVE currently provides a same day, door to door van service for rides within Western Washtenaw County for seniors and disabled people.  They also operate a bus service between Chelsea and Ann Arbor.  The community believes the new service for rides outside the Western part of the county will be just as important.  The WAVE board will evaluate and decide next year.  Stay tuned!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here is to 2009 and the change that it will bring. As the holiday season comes to an end, treat yourself and your family or friends to a “Fun Thing to Do in Ann Arbor”. Below, find highlights for a few of the events that I found interesting for the month of January. Try something new and exciting, then let me know how it was!

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1/4/2009 (The Ark)
NEIL WOODWARD
Neil Woodward has performed his Warm Winter Night concerts at the Ark for most of the past 30 seasons, presenting his original compositions and evocative antiquities from Great Lakes and North American folklore.

Hours: 7:30pm
Cost: $15

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1/10/2009
OUTRAGEOUS MARKETING AUCTION: KICK START YOUR BUSINESS
This event promises to have dozens of auction items to boost your business in a tough economy. Auction items include internet marketing and free publicity strategy tools, coaching, and personal development to catapult your business.

Hours: 9am-2pm
Cost: $45-$65

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1/10/2009
RUBBERBANDANCE GROUP - SPECIAL FAMILY PERFORMANCE
Fusing the urban energy of break dance with the fluid elegance and technique of ballet, Monteal’s Rubberbandance Group has exploded onto the international dance scene. Their UMS debut appearance features Elastic Perspective, a suite of dances that are audacious settings of hip-hop to mostly classical music. It’s a joy to watch.

Hours: 1pm
Cost: TBA

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1/13/2009
A TOUR OF THE MENLO SOFTWARE FACTORY
Imagine an enviornment without cubes, walls, doors or offices in a one hundred year old brick Kerrytown loft in Ann Arbor. One big room full of just the right size teams working on six to ten software projects at a time. It’s noisy, a bit messy, and no one has they’re own private space. This is the Melo Software Factory, and they are opening their doors to the public for a tour of their unique workspace.

Hours: 5:00 pm
Cost: FREE

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1/16/2009
2009 MLK SYMPOSIUM STUDENT EVENT
Janelle Monae will be performing “Girl From Another Planet.”

Hours: 8pm
Cost: $12-$15

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1/16/2009
THE FUTURE OF NASA
William R Farrand Annual Public Lecture will be focused on the future of NASA.

Hours: 7:30pm
Cost: FREE

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1/18/2009 (The Ark)
JUSTIN ROBERTS & THE NOT READY FOR NAPTIME PLAYERS
Justin Roberts and his band, the Not Ready for Naptime Players, dish out intelligent and whimsically rocking music for kids and their parents. Roberts started out in the Minneapolis indie rock band Pimentos for Gus.

Hours: 11:00am
Cost: $12.50

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1/21/2009
STAR GAZING: FIELD ASTRONOMY
It’s been 400 years since Galileo first used a telescope to gaze upon the stars. This winter we want to bring the stars to you. Advanced registration required.

Hours: 7-8:30pm
Cost: $2 per child, $5 per adult

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1/21/2009
STAR GAZING: FIELD ASTRONOMY
It’s been 400 years since Galileo first used a telescope to gaze upon the stars. This winter we want to bring the stars to you. Advanced registration required.

Hours: 7-8:30pm
Cost: $2 per child, $5 per adult

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1/25/2009
LECTURE: THE SHOW OFF
Character driven comedy at its finest. Dept. of Theatre & Drama’s Leigh Woods, Professor of Theatre Studies, speaks out about American Playwright and director George Kelley, one of the famed Philadelphia Kelley’s and his comic masterpeice “The Show-Off.”

Hours: 2pm
Cost: FREE

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1/9/2009 - 1/10/2009
RUBBERBANDANCE GROUP
Fusing the urban energy of break dance with the fluid elegance and technique of ballet, Montreal’s Rubberbandance Group has exploded onto the international dance scene since its founding in 2002. Choreographer Victor Quijada is a total original - started out as a B-boy in Los Angeles’s underground hip-hop circle before working with Twyla Tharp and Eliot Field. This UMS debut appearance features two different full-evening works: Elastic Perspective (2003, performed on Friday) and Redux Phase II (2008, performed on Saturday). Elastic Perspective is a suite of six dances that are audacious settings of hip-hop to mostly classical music. Redux Phase II explores the loss of time and self in our “virtual” universe.

Hours: 8pm
Cost: TBA

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1/30/2009 - 1/31/2009
32CD ANN ARBOR FOLK FESTIVAL
The 32cd annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival returns with an outstanding lineup of traditional and contemporary artists. Friday’s headliner is Jeff Tweedy with Old Crow Medicine Show and many more.

Hours: ?
Cost: $30-$45

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1/14/2009 - 1/28/2009
WINTER WEDNESDAY-MORNING HIKE
Join renowned botanist and author Ellen Elliot Weatherbee on invigorating forays interwoven with plants, habitats, and the effects of cold on natural enviornments. Dress for winter weather.

Hours: 9:00am-12:00pm
Cost: $76-$95

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Above was a sampling of the activities occurring in our community during the month of January.  There were almost 60 different things to do in the Ann Arbor area this month.  There are many events for adults and children alike, please be sure to check out one of the many shows at The Arc this month, there are some that sound really amazing.  Have a great New Year!

To view the Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau,
click here and choose your own criteria and dates.

The proposed Washtenaw and Livingston commuter rail Line (WALLY) is slowly moving again. The project stalled out after the release of a feasibility study with estimated start up costs slated at around $32 million. High start up costs would be largely related to infrastructure improvement. The proposed commuter rail line would extend from the City of Howell to Ann Arbor with seven total stops (Howell, Genoa Township, Hamburg Township, Barton Road, 8 Mile Road in Whitmore Lake, Ann Arbor and U of M). Daily trains would run on tracks owned by the Great Lakes Central Railroad who early on committed to providing 10 bi-level passenger cars. WALLY was originally proposed as an alternative to adding a third lane on US 23, slated to cost over $500 million.

Although the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority replaced the WALLY Authority due to unclear funding commitments and non-committal from Livingston County, the study continues to move forward. The Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS) is still finishing up environmental clearance work at all seven stops. This is a federal process so there is no proposed time line for a finish date. A $96,000 grant was received recently which will help to fund a transportation survey about potential commuter habits in Livingston and Washtenaw Counties.

If the project were to go forward service would not be immediate in all seven locations - transportation authority officials conservatively hope to see WALLY operating by 2010. After three years of service the would become eligible for federal transportation funding.

With the combination of fabulous amenities, a bustling community and culture, incredible educational institutions, and a vibrant business center, our hometown of Ann Arbor is often named one of the best places to live and retire.  If you’ve been thinking about relocating to Ann Arbor or purchasing your first home here, now may be a great time.  Mortgage rates in the last week have plummeted to all time lows!  For those with good credit or some equity in your homes, you have an excellent chance to take advantage. 

30 year fixed rates have been consistently been advertised at lower than 5 percent.  This is a great opportunity to save hundreds on your mortgage if your current rates are upwards of 6-6.5%.  Your current lender or mortgage broker can provide you with details. For those first timers just entering the game, you’ll also have the added benefit of a current real estate buyer’s market.  There is a larger supply of available homes and a healthy amount of pricing competition.

Ann Arbor recently made CNN Money’s 100 Best Places to Live and Launch List at #42 thanks to a strong high-tech industry and an eco-friendly community.  Our special town offers so many things to enrich lives - arts and culture, fabulous restaurants, a great environment to start a business, a strong sense of community, and much more - it is such a wonderful place to call home. 

Thinking about a home in Ann Arbor?  Please use our complimentary Ann Arbor online MLS Search

OK, without my Health, Ann Arbor Real Estate does not Matter, Right?

          http://www.motionbox.com/videos/0a9fdfb0181ee6c487

Every cell in our bodies requires energy ― whether it’s delivering nutrients to our brains, pumping oxygen from our lungs to our muscles during power walks, or producing infection-fighting white blood cells deep in our bone marrow. Our body converts calories in food to energy (blood sugar) to perform these and many other functions. So I admit - I am in need of a cooking make over. Thus, the cooking class.

My husband and I took a cooking class which is more vegan than we realized. I got to try almond, soy and rice milk.  This was like a Napa wine bar experience. (Ok, so Larry was not in love with soy.)  Jan cooked during all the classes and we sampled diligently.  Yes, and kale was a new experience.  I even bought some kale at Plum market.  (Don’t ask if I ever cooked it.)

There are many of you making resolutions about diet and losing weight. We just got a head start and had a great time learning new recipes. My family is home for the Holidays and yes, I am trying out another soup recipe today.  We love soups.  My bread maker is on over drive.  I just wish I could evoke the smell for you.

If you are in the neighborhood, drop by for supper.  We can give you a bird’s eye view of the Chain of Lakes or tour you through our area.  Most of the lakes are in Pinckney. (See the bottom of the page for all area tours.)  We welcome you and would be happy to give you a boat tour in the summer or hey, while Kevin is home, you can ice fish any day!

Cheers and Best wishes,

Kathy
 

Related post:
Hello To You From The Beautiful Chain-of-Lakes

Nothing beats University of Michigan court side action in Ann Arbor.  Every time the ball was thrown my direction I was glad the players stepped in and caught the ball, because they throw hard and fast.  Some pictures uploaded are from my Storm  phone and more will follow, but until they get uploaded, here is the video rehash.  I wish you could have been in my seat.  What fun to see them score 76 - 59. Some great 3 pointers were scored.

Michigan Beats Florida Gulf Coast in video recap here.

It was great to take a break from the Ann Arbor Real Estate Market for some good old-fashioned fun with the 6 of us in the family.  The kids are home from college so it is nice to spend some time with them – doing things with them.  OK, back to getting ready for the New Year.

Today from 4-6 pm Ann Arbor community members will be meeting to discuss ideas on solutions for national health care.  This series is part of an initiative by President-elect Barack Obama to seek community input about important national issues.  Ann Arbor is one of 4,200 locations around the country that was chosen to provide local input for such issues.  This is part of an experiment in grass-roots politics and policy making to provide recommendations to the president elect. 

What: Community forum about national health care issues

Where: Friends Meeting House, 1420 Hill Street between Lincoln and Olivia

When: 4-6 pm Sunday, Dec 28th

This community health care forum is a chance for Ann Arbor residents to reach out and participate in the future of our country.  Do you have ideas for a new direction in national health care?  This is your chance to become a voice that will be heard - to help shape the new landscape.  Ultimately who knows what those in power will do with our recommendations, but for now it appears they are listening.  Perhaps our small voices can help.

The Purple Rose Theatre was alive last night with a Jeff Daniels tradition.  He plays his original songs on guitar. This year he invited his daughter, son Ben, and wife Kathleen on stage to participate.  Since many of the songs are written from real life events, their participation was very special.  Jeff said he wept openly when Ben Daniels declared he wanted to be a musician.  Ben’s song “Fake Your Smile,” performed as a duo with his dad Jeff, was quite good.

My favorite replay this year was “The RV Song.” A couple new ones to me were ”Happy Birthday to Kathleen” and “Tiny Shoes.”  Again, the personalization is hard to imagine but understanding the song’s birth is part of what makes the experience so special.  Apparently, the kids had friends over to change clothes for a prom and friend Billy Hayes’ shoes ended up in Jeff’s closet and then his suitcase.  So for a black tie awards affair on the red carpet in Spain, out came Billy’s size 9.5 shoes to be worn in concert with the tux they brought for the special occasion.  Jeff wears a size 12 shoe so he stuffed his poor feet into the tiny shoes and walked on stage to receive the award.

The proceeds from 11 Holiday performances are donated back to the Purple Rose. CD’s are available in the lobby at $20 non-autographed and $30.00 with autographs.  For tickets, call (734) 433-ROSE.