Ann Arbor: My Kind of Town
A few weeks back, my family made its annual pilgrimage to Ann Arbor for a football game, hanging out around campus, eating at our favorite local places (Zingermans’ and Cottage Inn, in particular. Missed Pizza Bob’s this go round) and doing a little boozin’ and movin’ (sans kids) at the Blind Pig. Good times. I think my boys actually want to move to Ann Arbor, loving fall at U of M (my favorite season) and all that comes with it. The leaves were beautiful, the air crisp and clean and the campus bustling and full of energy. And then, of course, there was the trip to the Big House. We saw the Wolverines dominate the Purdue Boilermakers, which was a beautiful thing as Michigan seeks to recover from its two disappointing losses at the beginning of the season. Maybe someday Carin and I will go back as adjunct professors for a term and take in Ann Arbor life as adults. Maybe…
Anyway, here are a few pics from our trip that capture the essence of the Ehrenberg’s Ann Arbor experience:
The Ehrenberg men on Hoover walking to the Big House
Andrew and Ethan loving the game (with Daddy intently focused on the field)
Chad Henne leading the charge
The boys playing football in the diag after the game
The family in the wake of a stylin’ Zingermans’ breakfast
Now I’ve written before about the unique institution known as Zingermans’: in short, it represents a seemingly unattainable combination of excellence in product, service, as an employer and as a citizen of the Ann Arbor community and the world at large. It is truly remarkable, and I have long had the utmost respect for its founders and all who are associated with its success and mission. So while we were at the store on Kingsley, I spied one of the founders, Ari Weinzweig, and decided to say hi. Ari is, as far as I’m concerned, “The Oracle of Ann Arbor.” Some may trek to Nebraska to see Warren; I choose a shorter jaunt to see Ari. We had a great conversation that has continued via email, and my amazement with Ari and what he and his partners have built over the last 25 years continues to grow. This was one new element of my Ann Arbor visit that was truly special.
I am looking forward to not one but two trips to A-squared next year, one for my wife’s 20 year college reunion (no kids) and our annual trip with the boys. Win or lose on the gridiron (though wins are clearly preferable), I can’t wait.
