Throughout Ann Arbor there are tons of places where you can find wonderful hidden spots of art. On Liberty and State is a great wall mural of poets and just down the street from that is an alley of hidden local art. On Miller Rd under the train tracks is a great mural as well. It all just adds a little spice to the Ann Arborites life. There are so many colors and wonderful things to look at while traveling through downtown Ann Arbor. Even while shopping the boutqiues and walking up and down the sidewalks theres always something interesting to take a  glimpse at; from the people to the buildings to the art that surrounds them!

Open until 2am, Club Necto is a dance club located on Liberty that has a DJ  every night spinning a specific blend of hits to match the nights theme. It has a full bar, VIP area, coat check, 2 dance floors, dance stages, indoor sitting areas, and 2 patios for summer nights. You can even host your own party here by reserving a dance floor for personal parties or benefits.

Check them out on twitter @necto for updates and theme night anouncements.

“It’s good for you… any time”

You can’t help but think people got it right when you see them enjoying any of the patio seating downtown Ann Arbor comes loaded with… especially on a warm summer day!  Best known for their breakfast and lunch only menu, Afternoon Delight is located on the corner of N. 5th St. and Liberty right in downtown.

Located on Liberty St. in downtown Ann Arbor is Encore Records. One of only a few right downtown. You can come here to buy and trade music… perfect for a real music fan of vinyl, CD’s, and cassettes of many, many genres! It offers plenty of nostalgia, such as old concert DVD’s, a collection of music oriented books, classic editions of popular music magazines such as Rolling Stone, SPIN and RIP, and various other items like posters of bands and artists. Local bands can head in and drop off flyers for upcoming shows or show-goers can stop in and grab the latest flyers for a night out in Ann Arbor.

Running Tues-Sun until Sun Jul 11 Ann Arbor will be having its  Annual Top of the Park Summer Festival. Top of the Park is a free, family-friendly outdoor event consisting of movie screenings like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Westside Story, Avatar, and Fantastic Mr. Fox for the youngsters. Plus, live music nightly with a variety of big named local bands such as the Howlin’ Diablos and ‘After Dark’ which offers a live DJ after 10:30pm.

Located on S. Ashley in downtown Ann Arbor, Lucky Monkey has been voted by Current Magazine Best Tattoo and Piercing shop on 4 seperate occasions and Best Piercing by the Metro Times Magazine in 2008. Appointments and walk-in are all welcome, so head over to Lucky Monkey Tattoo for hours of operation and view artist bios and portfolios.

The Ann Arbor Arts Center is located on W. Liberty in downtown Ann Arbor. The center is responsible for the Kerrytown mural, and decorating local businesses, it offers various art galleries and exhibits and is open for volunteering.

A better way to learn music…

The Ann Arbor Music Center (AAMC) has students of all ages who are serious about furthering their musical careers and knowledge. It is open 7 days a week and hosts both private and band classes, working many instruments (bass, guitar, drums, paino, vocal, saxophone, etc…). Instructors are carefully chosen according to their skill and creativity and experience level. Also provided are summer day camps to practice instrumental and performance training, head to the website now to sign up!

The weather’s getting gorgeous so it’s time to grab seating on the patio and enjoy your drinks outdoors! Up and down Main Street and throughout Downtown Ann Arbor, you will find patio seating for cafes, restaurants, and pubs. One favorite you’ll find down Main St. is Melange Bistro at 314 Main, an upscale dining & lounge offering tasty martini’s and a weekend DJ.

On one side of Melange you have Rush Street, and on the other is Connor O’Neills Irish Pub, head over Sundays for karaoke or Wednesdays for Music Trivia! Explore the website for more event info, view a drink menu, or book a banquet room.

Carillon Chocolates, formerly the Chocolate House of Ann Arbor, is fairly new to Ann Arbor, but offers a classic touch. Next door to Prickly Pear with an outdoor patio, you can sit with an ice cream or expresso or go inside and sample a variety of different handmade chocolates, pastries, and cakes. The shop offers gift baskets and certificates for those loved ones and special occasions.