Arts, Beats & Eats is the last excuse for all Michiganders to go out and celebrate our short-lived summer time during Labor Day weekend.

City of Pontiac has hosted this event for the last 3 or 4 years. Its like a big block party around the Phenix center. There are "arts". Some artists display and sell their works. Paintings, sculptures, photography, jewelry and other artsy stuff. Its like Ann Arbor Art Fair on only one block of street. There are "eats". About 50 vendors set up tents to sell street foods. There are "beats". 5 stages host different styles of performers. R&B, Jazz, Rock, Country, Acoustic, and Pop. Chakakan was the celebrity show this year.

Michiganders LOVE this kind of stuff. There were over a million people going for the first day on Friday. Somehow either it was my negativity or the very predictability of any events in Michigan. Lets see....Ann Arbor Art Fair in mid July, Woodward Dream Cruise in mid August and Arts, Eats & Beats over Labor Day weekend. And then it will come a very LONG winter of 6 months. Until next year we will do it all over again. Aww, this kind of dejavu BORES me and my every nerve.

So I scheduled myself over Labor Day weekend. Thinking it would be pretty legitamate not to go.

"But I thought you said you will start your vacation days on Saturday," Hubby said with a very disappointing tone of voice, "....Arts, Eats & Beats is at the weekend."

DAMN. Hubby tried to remind me a week prior to the event. I have really tried hard not to disappoint him over the years. One year Hubby took me to a county fair. OH MY GOSH. Lets say it was a TRUELY cultural shock. Another year Hubby kind of asked me if I would be interested to go to downtown to see hoe down. DO I LOOK LIKE I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HOE DOWNS? Hello, have we met?

I simply CAN NOT comprehend the essence of the "fun" most Michiganders would enjoy. Hillbilly fun. God I am glad that I DID NOT marry someone from Wyomine or Montana.

"I'm sorry honey," I said, "My boss said she needed someone to work and will pay me OT. I want to save some money for my dental bills." HA. "Saving money" always works for Hubby. "Besides, we will not miss out on Chakakan's concert anyway. It will be on Sunday night." Yes! I thought.

"But..." Hubby was still trying to say something.

"What did you say honey?" I asked. "NOTHING...." he said.

MIGHT AS WELL!

I remember when Hubby told me Michigan is considered the "midwest", I was giving him a "are you crazy" kind of look. Michigan is still in the eastern time zone. That is when New Yorkers get up at 0600 for work, I am doing the same in Michigan too. How "midwest" could it be?

Man, WAS I WRONG. I have seen people wearing cowboy boots and hats when they are not cowboys. It is their sense of "fashion." People drive trucks when they do not work on the farms or the construction business. Michiganders like driving big vehicles. And yes, we DO have farms. And its not even far away from where I live. There are green roof and red wall barns.

There are more "irish pubs" than martini bars. More "the cable man" dress like guys than preppy ties and suits. More outdoor block parties than summer night orchestras. People eat more ribs than sushi. Caucasians are still majority ethnic group. And I have not seen any asians move into my neighborhood for the last 8 years since I moved here.

No wonder Madonna had to leave.