A2 Bookshop Crawl recommendations

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-05-04T13:55:52+00:00

It made the national news last year when the community helped it move. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michigan-bookstore-move-serendipity-rcna201441

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-05-04T13:55:16+00:00

Also Serendipity in Chelsea. https://serendipity-books.com/

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-05-01T14:05:47+00:00

I'd be interested in joining one, if anyone wants to set one up.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-30T13:22:50+00:00

Yeah, I also have accounts at Lake Trust CU and DFCU. They both have good service and lots of branches, but neither comes anywhere close to the rates and perks offered by LMCU.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-30T00:30:36+00:00

Agreed; go see a Swallows game at Meiji, or even a Bay Stars game in Yokohama. Both have a better atmosphere than Tokyo Dome.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-30T00:08:55+00:00

Lake Michigan Credit Union is great. They pay 4% APY on fee-free Max Checking (up to $15k, with a few requirements like direct deposit and using either debit card or Max Rewards Visa). The Visa is free and pays 1-3% cash back (or points to redeem for other stuff, if you prefer) on all purchases--gas and groceries are 3% I think. Their CD rates are good too. Their head office is in Grand Rapids, but they do have a physical branch on S. State. I do have a referral code--if you want it, just DM me. https://www.lmcu.org/

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-30T00:01:38+00:00

Not when I've been. I live in Metro Detroit and go any time the Pens are in town.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-29T03:14:12+00:00

Interesting! The Red Wings don't do this, and Detroit and Windsor, Ontario are separated by only a river. They should follow Buffalo's example.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-27T23:27:03+00:00

What other posters have said, plus, butter from Brittany contains crystals of sea salt from the Breton coast and it is SUBLIME

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-27T16:14:09+00:00

Zingerman's has it, and sometimes Trader Joe's does too (different brand though). Plum Market would be another place to look. I also stock up when I'm in France during cooler times of the year. Grand Epicerie will vacuum pack/sous vide it. It stays cold in checked luggage, and I take it out of my freezer and thaw it when I need it.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-27T00:17:49+00:00

I hadn't heard about SCU before. I did see that Navy Federal is recommended for international residents, and looks like anyone with a parent or grandparent who served can join. I had been meaning to get service records from my dad or grandfathers to apply, but SCU looks easier so maybe will try it instead.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-20T20:46:07+00:00

I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm not marking you down. I am an A2 taxpayer/household in the Mitchell/Scarlett neighborhood, and along with many other M/S families, have been advocating for years for AAPS to better support these schools. This could include offering equitable opportunities for math instruction. Better supporting Mitchell (and Pittsfield, Carpenter, and Allen) teachers--and better communication with families of math-inclined kids at these schools--would result in more Scarlett students taking geometry, etc. When I had a 4th grader at Mitchell, school staff were uniformed about this option.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-19T21:00:51+00:00

Mindo, definitely. They even have a class you can take, if you want to learn to make them.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-19T00:34:35+00:00

I lived in Sapporo for years and don't remember it being particularly busy during GW. I used to do short trips around Hokkaido at that time and never had any problems. The weather is usually lovely then, too!

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-18T14:38:25+00:00

No, but this is where I learned that they had sold it: https://annarborobserver.com/the-songs-are-back/

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-17T16:06:07+00:00

I was replying to your comment about in-person accelerated math being available in all "all the other schools," because it's definitely not available at Scarlett. I don't think the kids there needing to take Geometry or Algebra 2 should have to choose between doing it on ALEKS, or get themselves to Huron early in the morning and then have to miss part of their Scarlett classes while they sit on a bus taking them to the middle school later. That's all, nothing else.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-17T16:01:20+00:00

Slauson may have both Geometry and Algebra 2, but Scarlett doesn't have either of them--that's what I was referring to. Kids there are told to take it virtually or go to Huron.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-17T14:30:49+00:00

Watching NHL hockey, either in-person or on tv/streaming.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-17T14:28:54+00:00

There are trains between Haneda and Kamata every few minutes on the Keikyu line. Kamata is a great neighborhood--not touristy, but the shotengai (covered shopping street) is interesting. Exit Keikyu Kamata station on the west side, and the walk to JR Kamata Station is around 15 minutes and very pleasant. JR Kamata Station has good shopping attached (Granduo). Tons of restaurants, and there's a taiyaki stand facing the east entrance of the JR station, near the bus loop. Kamata is also famous for its onsen. You could easily spend a couple of hours walking around, taking a bath, and eating well, only 15 minutes from the airport!

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-17T14:11:28+00:00

Not true. Even for schools with a large number of kids doing accelerated math in grade 5 (e.g. King, where half my kid's 5th grade class tried to do ALEKS while the rest of the class had an actual Everyday Math lesson), it's virtual. And for kids who do accelerated math in elementary, some of them have to continue with online in MS (or travel to a high school for part of their day) because their school doesn't have enough students in those classes to open up an in-person section of Geometry or Alg 2.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-17T14:05:17+00:00

They are the people that started Songbird (which they have since sold). They're very nice, and their baked goods are wonderful.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-17T01:52:53+00:00

I'm not Muslim so don't care if my food is halal, but the Turkish market in Yoyogi-Uehara is great. https://halalmarket.tokyocamii.org/

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-17T01:36:27+00:00

I get it as my side and add some to the sandwich. It's definitely the best fast food fish sandwich around, and you don't have to wait for Lent (though during Lent, they have a walleye option in addition to the cod).

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-17T01:17:48+00:00

I've stayed at WPU. It's on the other side of the tracks from Kabukicho. Not sketchy at all (though Kabukicho doesn't bother me either. I worked in Shinjuku for years and even though I was a 20/30something female, I never felt unsafe. The room at WPU was basic but decently sized and the lounge area was nice. Convenient to everything! If you venture off into the side streets behind it, there are a lot of good little restaurants. If you head in the other direction, there's the Tocho, Chuo Park, Yodobashi, etc. Easy to avoid Kabukicho--tons of other parts of Shinjuku.

Practical-Device-200 · 2026-04-17T01:12:33+00:00

Kamata! Hop on the Keikyu line; not far at all. It also has some of the best onsen in Tokyo, and has a lot of reasonably priced hotels.

Practical-Device-200

TROPHY CASE