I really like Ann Arbor, so you won’t usually find me bitching about its pretentious, richy-rich, trendy, and snobby ways. Leave that kind of cynicism to these guys. Sure, I like Ypsilanti just fine, but I also like the idea of living near (and, someday, perhaps in) a city with safe and clean streets, art, good restaurants, arty film options, great book stores, good coffee shops, nice parks, etc., etc.
But this fairy door thing is really freakin’ stupid.
As has been discussed in this AAIO post and elsewhere, so-called “Fairy Doors” have started to appear at stores in the main street area. Above is a picture of one at Sweetwater’s, a coffee shop that I would go to more often if they had wifi access in there.
(Slight Update):
This is where I found this picture in the first place; if it doesn’t show up in your browser, check there.
Okay, I guess this is just something kind of stupid and cute. Whatever.
But then today, in today’s “The Talk About Town” column in The Ann Arbor News comes this conjecture/threat:
Who knew, when fairy doors started appearing outside businesses in Ann Arbor’s Main Street area, that they might become a tourist attraction? Ann Arbor’s Helen Bucella-Costa e-mailed her sister-in-law the link to our story on fairy doors. Now that the sister-in-law and a niece are visiting from New Jersey, there’s a fairy door tour on the itinerary. To prepare for their visit, Bucella-Costa contacted The News asking for known fairy door locations.
“It’s wonderful,” says Bucella-Costa. “This could turn into something like the (painted) cows in Chicago. “It’s even better than the cows because it appeals to people’s imagination, too.”
Good Lord, that’s all we need: busloads of sisters-in-laws tromping up and down Main Street, studying their maps to the fairy doors, stooping over to see the oh so cute little non-doors, laying on the concrete to get their pictures taken next to them (“Move to the left, Helen– your head is blocking it all out”). Maybe there will be little mini fairy doors (??) for sale right next to the mini versions of those cows in Chicago (or, God forbid, those weird Herky the Hawkeyes that were in Iowa City a couple years ago) at one of those “fine art” stores in the mall. Gosh, I can’t wait.
Spoiler:
THERE ARE NO FAIRIES, PEOPLE!
>>”It’s just a fun thing that kids and adults seem to gravitate toward,” says Wright.
If they’re losers!
Hey, if it means more tourist dollars for the MI economy, fine with me.
Obviously you have no fun in your life…cut some slack here. It’s a novel idea, generating tourism dollars to from what I’ve heard is a dying town. It’s causing no one any harm except you and some other dull folks sense of fantasy for some reason. Look at the artistry involved and the time commitment that was donated. Get a grip. Not all entertainment needs to be electronic or obscene. Children love it. Didn’t you believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy? Wasn’t it exciting when you did? Yeah, it may come to an end when you grow up, but let the young and the young at heart enjoy it. Keep your pessimistic, creepy feelings to yourself. The world is bad enough. Go back to your form of entertainment/fantasy. Hope it’s innocent.
Dude, you need to lighten up. It’s whimsy and no one really thinks it is real..except maybe a few kids. Your view on life is bleak. I hope you are not an artist because you lack inspiration. And it is generating foot trafffic and hopefully money to the area. Obviously, you aren’t a business person either. What are you, an engineer?
I’m a fairy hunter.
And if you think my views on this are bleak on the fairy door thing, you oughta visit Ann Arbor is Overrated. I look cheery relatively.
Hi Steve, Thanks for trying. It dosnt seem to be working though. If anything people seem to be holding even more strongly to the belief that we exist. For a long time we Fairies have been left alone. Not any more. We keep the doors locked, but they rattle them anyway. Can you imagine openning your front door to be greeted by an emence grinning face! It’s enough to give you hart failure. I finaly couldn’t take it any more, so I did a flat swap. My place in Anarbor for a place in Oregan. The couple staying in my place are very nice. He is a Compost Fairy and she is a Mosquito Nimph. a nice mixed race couple. Any way thanks for trying.
Blessings etc.,
E