Care for a little Higgs boson with your pint of stout? Once a month U-M's Museum of Natural History plays host to the Science Cafe at Conor O'Neil's. Mixing libations with inspiration, this highbrow happy hour introduces locals to university researchers while addressing the latest scientific hot topic. Think of it as a way to strengthen and lose brain cells at the same time.

What Mark Maynard does from 9-5 is important but not nearly as interesting as what he does the other 16 hours a day (beside sleep). From The Shadow Art Fair to a popular blog to planning a bike-powered film fest to a local talk show that features a puppet stand-in, Maynard personifies Ypsilanti's do-it-yourself creativity. You might even call him the ultimate marionette about town.