Cute small town with a river that is so cool to see from the bridge overpass…read more We walked the down town area in less than 10minutes so it is very small but it is well kept and maintained. They have a cute coffee shop near the river and a few antique shops and clothing boutiques. The houses look so unique and crafmans style homes with charming front porches. It was very quiet on a Friday morning just saw 4 people walking. Would love to come back on a Saturday morning and see how it is then.

You can't judge a book by it's cover or marketing. Bits of Manchester appear inviting but if you…read moretake a good look you can see the carelessness in how it's administered. Residents in Manchester are subjected to inconsistency and inequality by local government, law enforcement and organizations apparently regardless if your are single person or family. Property valuation is unpredictable appearing random and capricious. If you want to take advantage of short sells make sure you have a new survey, all current documentation and a lawyer to clarify the story from truth. Recently making the change from village to city, Manchester hasn't figured out how to grow up into it's possibility. Maybe in 5 or 10 years it will be a good place to live and invest in again.

Ann Arbor Book Festival is one of the city's best events, and it will take place May 9 to May 18,…read more2008. It always includes visits by scores of authors, discussion panels, and a lot of book related events. I think the writers' workshop is a recent addition. The antiquarian book fair draws dealers from around the state and from outside the state. This year there are opportunities to have your story ideas critiqued by professional writers, have breakfast with panelists and authors, and hear writers read from their work. You can take a tour to see the houses where famous authors slept, when they lived in Ann Arbor, including Robert Frost, W.H. Auden and Aurthur Miller. There will be more going on than can be fit in one review. Check out the web page for more info.

Coming up the weekend of May 18, this has been a growing and improving event for several years…read more Check http://www.aabookfestival.org/index.htm for full details -- there's lots to do whether you are an author, a serious reader, or a casual reader.

Aptly named "Alley Art," artist Monte Fowler did a wondrous job turning this boring alley into his…read moreown art haven. The mural runs on both sides of the alley almost completely through the block. From the website photos you can see that it's very involved, intricate work. What makes this alley so special isn't just that it's had hundreds of hours of work done to it. Because of its high profile, many local artists, both tag artists and otherwise, have added their two-cents to the alley as well. There's a sub-alley that goes parallel to liberty that's completely covered with chewed bubblegum. There's plenty of stencils, as well as poems, stories, and other small pieces of art over top Folwer's work and on the cement. What also makes this alley worth a look is the musicians/performers that hang out here, panhandling. (If you're not scared of those sorts!) There's a flute player, an accordion player, and a horn player that frequent the alley. As well, there's a man dressed like Michael Jackson circa Thriller that dances in the alley with a boombox... not surprisingly, playing MJ's tunes. He's my absolute favorite. Give him and the alley a visit!

Actually the artist who designed and then painted all the murals in art alley was A2 native artist…read moreKatherine Tombeau (not Fowler) and a bevy of friends...so the citation below is incorrect and Fowler should NOT be claiming someone else's work as his own...LAME!!!

The alley is must visit place in Ann Arbor. The alley located at the East Liberty Street. Very…read moreclose to University of Michigan. The Alley entrance has three Dimension graffiti art. The walls, ceiling, and the floor. Great place for photo opportunity. The art is every day changing. Some art may be repainted over each other. Our visit also saw many paintings their new art. You can buy the paint can on the street and start your imagination art.

This is an interesting place. Graffiti artists showcase their talents or express their feelings…read moredrawing on both sides of the alley and also on the floor. I saw some interesting pieces. They are aesthetic, beautiful and there are some goofy stuff -funny and intriguing. It is an ongoing project. I saw young people with spray paint adding on new ideas. It's a fun place to walk around, read the art, and take pictures.

Here since 1957, this memorial is dedicated to Spanish-American War veterans from the area. The war…read moretook place in 1898 in Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Carbibbean and in Philippines and Guam in the Pacific. In the end, Spain relinquished sovereignty over Cuba and ceded Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippine Islands to the United States for $20 million. 475 men from Kent County fought in the war. 60 died. The caption on the statue reads, "Presented to the city of Ypsilanti, Michigan by the members of Company G, 31st Regiment, Michigan Voluntary Infantry, War with Spain." It then lists the names of the commanding officers as well as each of the non-commissioned sergeants, corporals and privates who served. Unfortunately, I was not able to get a good photograph of it. The statue sits in front of a Domino's pizza pick up location and as the soldier faces to the East, it was impossible to capture it without facing directly into the Sun. [Review 11124 overall, 897 of 2019.]

Much more Mike Myers than the City Of Garth if you know what I mean…read more Wayne is a sleepy little suburb that reminds me of the 1970s located way out in the West part of the Detroit area in a part of town that most people don't really move to or even stay in for too long. It's very cold but that's not why it's quiet, because some of the northern suburbs are booming and bustling. Out here right next to Westland it's a bit like some of the less populated areas of Buffalo. Reminds me of the WNY southtowns. There's good pizza and some cute little local businesses but things are on the downturn and even the mall here is often empty.

Alley Art #2 (named as such because no one has claimed authorship to the murals just yet) is very…read moresimilar to the Alley Art project in Liberty st. by artist Monte Fowler, except that there's no Michael Jackson impersonator dancing there, and it's smaller. Located on University Ave. next to S3 Safe Sex Shop, it's worth a look on the merit of the art itself (check out my photos). The muralist seems to be unlike Fowler in that the art has an Eastern influence. It's for this reason I'd suggest taking the pictures with a grain of salt, and checking out the art for yourself! If that doesn't persuade you, then what else are you going to do on a Sunday afternoon that's free?

Hard to miss this 212 foot tall tower on the campus of the University of Michigan. They do offer…read moretours but not in the late afternoon when I was here. Instead, you can sit in the courtyard and listen to the carillon ringing. The Burton Tower was built in 1936 as a memorial for University President Marion Leroy Burton, who was president from 1920 to 1925. The carillon itself it the world's fourth-heaviest and has 53 bells weighing 43 tons. It has a concrete shell with a limestone facing. [Review 11121 overall, 894 of 2019.]

Overlooking State Street in downtown Ann Arbor,Michigan is the landmark Burton Memorial Clock Tower…read morelocated on the campus of The University of Michigan.It houses a grand carillon built in 1936 as a memorial for University President Marion Leroy Burton (presidency: 1920-1925). This beautiful carillon is the world's fourth-heaviest, containing 53 bells and weighing a total of 43 tons.It stands at 192 feet it is used for housing education offices. The high-rise tower was designed in an interesting mixture of art deco and art moderne architectural styles The design was greatly influenced by Eliel Saarinen. . . . . #universityofmichigan #burtonmemorialclocktower #burtonclocktower #seetheusa #photografxworldwide #waynesalvatti #michigan #annarbor #uofm #goblue #marionleroyburton #carrillons #belltowers #M #annarbormichigan #ilovemichigan #iloveuom #wolverines #bells #elielsaarinen #architecture #architecturalphotography #historicallandmarks #uofmcentralcampus