The University of Mmm.

Bellanina B&B

Jen and I spent the weekend staying at a B&B (Bed & Breakfast, although there was an evident lack of “& Breakfast”, so it was actually a weekend stay at a giant B) called the Bellanina Spa and Institute. The place is situated over the Bellanina Day Spa (the storefront having moved just a block down the street to larger digs) in a great 100+ year old Michigan House in Kerrytown.

Kerrytown in Ann Arbor

Kerrytown, well known for its trash hobo and patchouli dippin’ hippy population, is actually a nice part of Ann Arbor that I doubt many but the patchouliest of hemp wearers would venture into (the Co-Op Organic Market’s lavender-infused-soy-hot dogs are mad heady, brah) if they were a student at the University of Michigan. That being said, it’s nice that the location is just far enough off the beaten path to be fairly peaceful at night, but within walking distance of campus by the morning. I highly recommend staying here if you get the chance to randomly be passing through Michigan on your way to, oh I don’t know, let’s say, a Beef Jerky Outlet or something.

The empty parking lot right across from us has a nice little farmer and crafts market on the weekends when the weather’s nice, and the dreadlock rasta are in full effect. There’s actually a lot of good stuff for sale here. I ended up picking out some monkeybread to snack on and some chocolate bell peppers to bring back home with me that I had never seen before. I was told that they have a slightly sweeter taste than red bell peppers, but don’t hold your breath that they are even to close to a bar of chocolate. Notably absent were the henna tattoo artists and hemp jewelry artists, although I wouldn’t have been surprised to see them running shop here.

Chocolate Bell Peppers

I could really see the appeal of living right there, shopping out for fresh produce that’s likely grown within a 50 mile radius. DC has their own farmer markets, and is rated as one of the best places in the country for farmer’s markets, but there was something that was super alluring about talking to friendly Michigan people and the laid back atmosphere of the Kerrytown Farmer’s Market that just complete appealed to me.

MmmBread

Michigan Tomatoes

Hippy Honey and Jams

Take your time and check out the vendors if you stop by through here. There are a ton of things to buy, and you get to help support one of the most economically distressed states in the country.

Kerrytown Farmer's and Crafts Market

Oh, and apparently the school has a killer football team or something. Go Blue?

Just as a non-food side note, the game against the Western Michigan Broncos was actually pretty good. As Jen and I were getting to our seats during the game, there was a high school marching band out on the field putting up a pretty good performance. I genuinely admired the University of Michigan for being so charitable and letting one of the high school bands open up as the pre-game entertainment.

That is, until I later found out several hours that it was actually the marching band from Western Michigan.

Whoops.

Ah well at least I didn’t feel like I offended anyone. From what I understand, it’s a school full of drunk idiots, anyways. Not to be confused with my former home Virginia Tech, which is also school full of drunk idiots.

At least our mascot at VT isn’t the Drunk Brunco. Wow. Talk about classy.

Western Michigan's Mascot, Hoofy, doing what he does best.