Filmed in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor has quickly become one of Hollywood’s favorite movie locations. This past weekend, the star studded Scream 4 opened across the country. Much of the film was shot right here in Ann Arbor and there were star sightings all over town. In 2008, a 40-42% tax credit was created and began drawing filmmakers to Michigan, specifically Ann Arbor, and continues to bring in revenue and give many local businesses an economic boost. There are currently 43 applications for films to be shot in Michigan, with many choosing Ann Arbor as a backdrop.

Just approved and set in Ann Arbor are 2 feature films, Awol and Five Year Engagement. Awol is the story of a real life soldier during the Vietnam era, the cast has not yet been revealed. Five Year Engagement stars Emily Blunt and Jason Segal and had a few scenes shot in February, with more scheduled for June.

Movies filmed in Ann Arbor and opening soon:

• Meet Monica Velour – Starring Kim Cattrell and Dustin Ingram.
• Ides of March – Directed by and starring George Clooney.

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Sunday, April 3rd from 4-5pm on Main Street

Come join the fun and excitement at the 5th anniversary of the FestiFools parade in downtown Ann Arbor. FestiFools is a high-energy, whimsical parade of giant papier-mâché puppets that are handcrafted by students and the community alike. Created by Mark Tucker, a professor of art at the University of Michigan’s Lloyd Hall Scholars Program, and former LHSP student Shoshanan Hurand, the main goal of this event is to bring non-art students and community members together to create and showcase art in public places. This annual parade is a huge success and has gained the support of the city of Ann Arbor, the community, and the University of Michigan who recently gave the event a permanent, 2500 square foot studio and 2 art classes devoted specifically to the event.

Want to get involved? Public help is welcomed and encouraged! You can make and enter your own puppet and add to the diversity of this unique parade. This year, local Girl Scouts have created 4 puppets that represent Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. Volunteers are always welcome to help with making the puppets, from January to April, and on the day of the parade to don a mask and hype up the crowd, animate a puppet, set-up beforehand, or clean-up afterward.

This annual parade is definitely an Ann Arbor favorite for all ages, so mark your calendar and come out for the fun. It all happens right on Main Street, between Washington and William from 4-5pm. We hope to see you there! And as always, should you have any Washtenaw County real estate needs, be sure to give us a call at 734-761-3060 or email us at info@bouma.com.

One of the best things about living in Ann Arbor is Restaurant Week, which runs from January 16-21 this year. Ann Arbor is home to a wide variety of fantastic restaurants and this is your chance to try out that new place you’ve been hearing about, or visit your old favorite spot and enjoy a delightful meal at a low fixed price. Lunches are $12, with many places offering 2 for $12, and are one to three course meals. Dinners are $25 for three course meals and most offer a choice of selections for each course. Regular menus are also still available if the fixed price special isn’t your game.

Participants in this winter’s Restaurant Week are:

Downtown Ann Arbor Restaurants

• Arbor Brewing Company
• The Arena
• Argiero’s
• Bandito’s California Style
• The Black Pearl
• The Blue Nile
• Blue Tractor
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Friday night, Ann Arbor‘s sixth annual Deals of the Year awards dinner (hosted by AnnArbor.com Business Review) brought area business leaders together. They noted that local successes are helping lead Michigan out of the recession. They were also optimistic that Ann Arbor will continue to serve as an example of economic vibrancy for the region, state, and country. The event highlighted business decisions that have had the most impact in the region over the previous year.

As he opened the awards portion of the program, Stephen Forrest, University of Michigan’s vice president for research, recalled how 18 months ago, the “economy of this nation was in a free fall.” He noted that in Michigan, the “economy was limping along, to say the least. Eighteen months later, we are seeing recovery here.” He credited local entrepreneurs as the primary drivers for that recovery.

“Michigan,” Forrest reminded the crowd, “really did build the American economy in the 20th century. “It can do it again, and I think it’s on this path.” (more…)

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Peace Corps, which occurred right here in Ann Arbor. After hearing a late night campaign speech by Senator John F. Kennedy on the steps of the Michigan Union on October 14, 1960, University of Michigan students began a grassroots efforts, leading to the creation of the organization envisioned by Kennedy in his call to service. The celebration will continue with events in Ann Arbor and around the country throughout 2011.

The anniversary celebration marks 50 years of promoting peace and friendship around the world. It will also serve as a platform for connection with millions of people who may not know about the Peace Corps, as well as reconnecting long-time supporters. The objective of the 50th anniversary celebration is “to utilize (the celebration) as a platform to support the agency’s mission and legacy by honoring our past, demonstrating our effectiveness, and inspiring the next generation of volunteers through education and engagement.” This further supports the three primary goals of the Peace Corps: helping the people of interested countries in meeting their needs for trained men and women; helping promote a better understanding of Americans by the peoples served, and helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the parts of Americans. (more…)

Autumn is officially upon us. The beautiful fall foliage in Ann Arbor is breathtaking, but it can also can mean occasional headaches for homeowners. Those with smaller lots, or fewer trees, will benefit from the city’s decision to replace curbside leaf pickup with weekly collection from compost carts (purchased from the city and stored on the owner’s property). But a new program offered by the Arbor Environmental Alliance (AEA) could better serve those with more spacious lots and a greater number of trees.

AEA will pick up leaves and organic waste, curbside at your home, three times between October 15th and December 15th. The leaves and other organic material collected by AEA will be composted, and used in projects generated by AEA. Additionally, trees will be planted by AEA to offset emissions generated by pickup. The cost for three pickups is $90, which is approximately the same price as two of the city’s compost carts.
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Marie Antoinette said, “Let them eat cake,” and in Ann Arbor the place to do just that is at Cake Nouveau. Owner Courtney Clark (familiar to many from the Food Network and TLC) is an award-winning French pastry chef. Earlier this year, she found herself needing more space for classes and a showcase storefront, so she has relocated to 1924 Packard Street.

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Saline, Michigan, located just southwest of Ann Arbor, was named by the French in the 18th century for its salt springs. Now an affluent city of over 8,000 in Washtenaw county noted for its great schools, Saline has been frequently recognized by CNN Money as one of the best places to live and retire. It is is also the site of two popular festivals, the Celtic Festival in July and the Oktoberfest in late September.

On September 26, Saline will host the sixth annual Harvest of Arts Oktoberfest. German activities, music, food and drink will all be available from 9am – 11pm, with children’s activities from 10am – 4pm and a beer garden from 11am – 11pm.

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From July 30 through August 5, Ann Arbor played host to the National Training Institute’s (NTI) annual trade show. The trade show is designed to attract vendors seeking to provide information about their services and products to the electrical industry. The University of Michigan campus was “home for a week” to over 2,000 NTI participants and, according to Mary Kerr (president/CEO of the Ann Arbor Convention & Visitors Bureau), NTI participants were expected to infuse over $5 million into Washtenaw County.

This was the second NTI convention to be held in Ann Arbor. This is in large part because of the University of Michigan’s strong record of union support, which creates a conducive environment for the NTI programs and course offerings. The group also has many “training partners,” companies and organizations that contribute various forms of support to ensure NTI’s success. UM is already set to host the National Training Institute’s 2011 meeting, as well.

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