Entertainment

North Star Reach breaks ground on 105-acre camp for children with health challenges

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August 6, 2014

Children with serious health challenges must often spend a lot of time thinking about their limitations. Thanks to a new, 105-acre camp that just broke ground in Pinckney this week, about 1,500 of those kids will get a chance to focus on what they can do — including how much fun they can have. "They're so used to hearing 'you can't do that because of your illness.' At camp it's always, 'you can do that,'" says North Star Reach Marketing and Communications Specialist Marji Wisniewski. "They make friends and meet kids just like them. And that's important. They are being cured of their illness at their hospitals, but it's at camp where they heal." Beginning in the fall of 2015, North Star Reach will host fall and spring weekend camps and weeklong summer camps for children with children with cancer, heart disease, ventilator dependency, organ transplants, sickle cell disease. Many will be referred from their healthcare providers, as North Star Reach has partnered with 13 hospitals for the project. So far, $21,000,000 of the $26,000,000 needed to construct the many buildings of North Star Reach and to maintain operations for the first two years. "We're going to have a complete medical center on site, a beautiful dining hall and rustic cabins," says Wisniewski. "Everything is 'state of the art rustic,' meaning it has everything these children with special needs need to have, but they won't have to think about it. For them, they're just going to camp." The Pinckney camp is a provisional member of SeriousFun Children’s Network, which was founded in 1988 by Paul Newman. North Star Reach will be the ninth such camp in the U.S. In addition to 20 to 25 staffers, North Star Reach will rely on a number of volunteers to complete their programming. More than 100 volunteer opportunities will be available each week. For more information on volunteering or taking part in the capital campaign, people may visit NorthStarReach.org. Source: Marji Wisniewski, North Star Reach Writer: Natalie Burg

Latest in Entertainment

Transformer hides out in Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

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Arts and Culture

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July 16, 2014

Move over Violin Monster, Transformer Joslyn Paige is taking to the streets. Excerpt: "Paige says that he has spent about $800.00 on his ‘transforming’ costume that even moves electrically when he transforms into the vehicle. Judging by the video kids love him. The 28 year old Paige chatted with the Detroit Free Press about his life as a human Transformer. Paige tells the Press that at the end of the day his knees hurt and that his best day of tips was around $700.00. Not bad for a street performer…I wonder how much he would do in say, New York City?" Read the rest here. Watch him here.

Relive the glory of Totally Awesome Fest via Internet video

By Newsroom

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Arts and Culture

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June 18, 2014

For 10 years now, Ypsilanti has been home to a sprawling DIY festival of art and music that takes over local venues, businesses and homes. It is known as Totally Awesome Fest and if you haven't had the privilege to attend, well, here's your chance to see what all the hubbub is about. Watch it here.

Beer Grotto plans second tasting and retail location in downtown Ann Arbor

By Natalie Burg

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Arts and Culture

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June 18, 2014

As the first Beer Grotto prepares to open in Dexter next week, owner Sam Short is already working to open the craft beer and wine retail and tasting concept's second location on S. Ashley in downtown Ann Arbor. "It's an ideal location, right across the street from Grange, and all of these other wonderful businesses," says Short. "And more importantly, the building is just so unique. We don't usually have a patio arrangement, but we're changing our concept slightly so we can serve out on the patio." The 1,500 square foot space won't be seeing too much renovation on the exterior, as preserving on the building's historic integrity is an important factor for Short. On the inside, however, decades of former renovation work will be peeled back to take the interior back to some of its original features. "We want to maintain some of the spectacular historic elements of building," Short says. Similar to the Dexter location, the Beer Grotto will offer beer and wine for purchase as well as tastings, with seating for enjoying a beverage at the store, including the patio, which will be unique to the Ann Arbor store. Wine and 48 beers will be on draft for customers to take home in growlers. Short intents for renovations to begin in the next two to three weeks with the hope of opening by mid-September. He plans to hire 10 to 15 employees to operate the Ann Arbor Beer Grotto, and will open at least one more Michigan location this year in Lansing. Source: Sam Short, Beer Grotto Writer: Natalie Burg

OpEd: Detroit and Ann Arbor, Partners In Film

By Elliot Wilhelm

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Arts and Culture

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June 4, 2014

This week the Cinetopia International Film Festival brings over 50 films to both Ann Arbor and Detroit, making it a truly regional effort. Elliot Wilhelm, director of the Detroit Film Theatre and Curator of Film at the Detroit Institute of Arts, talks about his personal connection to our fair city while encouraging you to make a personal connection with his.

Cinetopia Film Festival: Regional Ambitions, Financial Realities

By Patrick Dunn

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General

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May 21, 2014

Over the years there have been several attempts to create a regional film festival, one that bridges the gulf between Ann Arbor and Detroit. With 50 films screening in Tree Town and 40 in Motown, the third year of Cinetopia might just be the film festival "to bring them all and in the darkness bind them."

Ann Arbor Film Festival gets a critical analysis

By Newsroom

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Arts and Culture

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May 14, 2014

There isn't another film festival in the U.S. - heck, North America - that's like the Ann Arbor Film Festival. Though its experiemental programming may not make it a popular event destination for mainstream filmgoers there is little doubt that it features some of the most interesting, challenging and offbeat films screened anywhere. Not surprisingly, the 52nd fest's offerings get a critical review that is, unequivocally, positive. Excerpt: "But just what is experimental cinema? These days, based on the selections of Ann Arbor and other festivals of its kind (such as Images, Crossroads, Migrating Forms, and Views from the Avant-Garde), it’s a combination of work that resembles “classic” avant-garde film, as in hand-processed, abstract, or structuralist 8 or 16mm film; irony-toned video art; works of editing from archive; or non-narrative nonfiction. Sometimes these types overlap, but they also don’t necessarily hang together in a cohesive way, either. What they do more or less all share is a general lack of commodifiability—and the artistry and dedication that attends this status—which is precisely why it’s crucial that those festivals, microcinemas, and local scenes continue to intervene. " Read the rest here.

Encore Hookah to bring gathering place to Ypsilanti this summer

By Natalie Burg

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Arts and Culture

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April 16, 2014

Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor area residents will soon have a new place to relax and enjoy each others' company. This summer, Encore Hookah will open at 622 N. Hewitt. "The location we chose is perfect because we loved being in a central location where we could accommodate to local residents as well EMU and U of M students," says Encore Hookah's Heather Sinawe. The hookah lounge won't be the Sinawe's family's first business venture in the area. After owning an Italian restaurant in Ann Arbor, the family decided to stick with their love of the service industry by sharing one of their own interests consumers. "Hookah is something we enjoy smoking while relaxing and wanted to share the phenomenal experience with the Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor communities including our family and friends in surrounding areas," Sinawe says. In addition to hookahs, Encore Hookah will provide free wifi access. For customers on the run, the business will also offer orange heads, or hookahs to-go made out of an orange, so the experience can be enjoyed at home. Renovations are currently underway with this summer as a target date for opening. Updates can be found on Encore Hookah's Twitter and Instagram channels. Source: Heather Sinawe, Encore Hookah Writer: Natalie Burg

Cinetopia Film Festival to link Ann Arbor and Detroit through movies

By Newsroom

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Arts and Culture

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April 9, 2014

Where political leaders fail, art organizations hope to succeed. AnnArbor and Detroit have long maintained their separate cultural bubbles. Russ Collins and Elliot Wilhelm (of the Michigan Theater and Detroit Film Theater respectively) hope to bridge the I-94 gap by bringing world-class cinema to both cities under a single film festival: Cinetopia. Excerpt: More than 100 screenings of 45 films are planned. "We will be expanding the Cinetopia Film Festival to at least five screens in Ann Arbor, and at least four screens in Detroit," the event site says." Read the rest here. Check out the Cinetopia website here.

Big House to host Real Madrid-Manchester United soccer match

By Newsroom

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Arts and Culture

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April 9, 2014

You'd think in a nation where half the elementary school kids play soccer that we'd embrace the sport the rest of the world loves so deeply. For a brief moment this summer - August 2nd to be exact - Ann Arborites can get a taste of the that action. Excerpt: "This match promises to be an exciting event for players and fans alike. Tour matches of this nature provide great preparation for the team as we look forward to the 2014/15 season," said Manchester United Group managing director, Richard Arnold. "This will be the team's first ever match in Michigan and playing at the iconic Big House will be a memorable experience for all involved. United has over eight million followers in the US and I look forward to welcoming many of these fans to this historic fixture."" Read the rest here.