AnnArbor.org

Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester, Milan, Saline, Ypsilanti

Monday, March 08, 2010

Celebrate Independent and Experimental Film at the Ann Arbor Film Festival

The Ann Arbor Film Festival is the longest-running independent and experimental film festival in North America. Founded in 1963 by University of Michigan professor George Manupelli, the AAFF started as a vital forum for filmmakers outside of the commercial film industry to share their art with audiences. Today the festival continues its founding spirit as a premier showcase for bold, visionary, experimental and high-caliber films. Pioneers in the world of film and art have shown early work at the AAFF, including Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, Kenneth Anger, Gus Van Sant, Barbara Hammer, Devo and George Lucas, along with thousands of other influential filmmakers.

Click here for more information, including hotel specials and after hours information.

Ann Arbor, Downtown Ann Arbor, U of M Campus

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Hole In The Wall Nightlife

A hole-in-the-wall bar has poor signage. A lot of them smell kind of bad. When you mention a hole-in-the-wall bar to your friends, some stare at you blankly while others will make a face like you just brought gummy vitamins to a potluck. Hole-in-the-wall bars aren’t necessarily dives, but they can be one and the same. The bar stools are held together with duct tape, the bartenders are ornery, and a thin layer of God-knows-what clings to every surface. These are the bars that it probably took you a little while to find and when you did, took a little while to feel comfortable in. Every town's got them, and the regulars can spot a tourist from a mile away.

Here’s a quick primer to help you get started on finding and appreciating some of Ann Arbor's and Ypsilanti's best hole-in-the-wall bars. Let's just hope they never renovate these dumps.

The 8-Ball Saloon (208 South First, Ann Arbor) is Ann Arbor’s most infamous hole-in-the-wall. There are no special days of the week here, but enough variations from night to night to make it interesting. The 8-Ball is like the Blind Pig’s coatroom, but a coatroom where you wouldn’t want to leave your jacket. The Pig rests above the 8-Ball but because it doesn’t have any bathrooms, patrons descend into the 8-Ball to take care of business. This allows 8-Ballers to mingle with the Blind Piggies each night. If a shoe-gazing band is in town or Reggae Fest takes place, the 8-Ball will absorb the spillover and become unique for that night. It’s always an interesting social experiment.

That’s not to say the 8-Ball doesn’t have its own charms. It has cheap, cheap beer ($1 bottles of PBR on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday), complimentary popcorn, an internet jukebox, pool tables (free Sun-Tues.), dart boards, pinball, air hockey, board games, and dirty hipster eye candy, if that’s your thing. Sure, it smells like stale beer and decades of cigarette smoke, but they recently reupholstered the booths and you won’t get a better scowl from any bartender in Michigan than you will here.

Circus (210 South First Street, Ann Arbor) is one of four theme bars in the old Ann Arbor Central Roller Mills building. The theme is evident. A stuffed lion jumps through a blazing neon hoop behind the bar while the bartenders work under a makeshift big top. Behind the stage is a giant Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey mural painted on the wall. Funhouse mirrors and the (fake) heads of circus animals hang all over the place.

Circus is at its best on Bluegrass Wednesday. Live bluegrass bands play in front of the giant circus mural, as one of the most diverse crowds of any Ann Arbor establishment enjoys $1.25 cans of PBR and free popcorn. Old drunks from Old Town, white guys with dreadlocks, fellows wearing white hats and white sneakers, girls with orange skin, girls with translucent skin, tattoos, crosses, flannel shirts, puffy jackets, UGGs, Crocs, a guy in a suit, and a guy in coveralls - they mingle and dance together and everyone is in a great mood. There’s free pool, Big Buck Hunter, and Golden Tee.

By 11 p.m. the place is packed with pompadours, dreadlocks, shaved heads, weave, Yukon Jack hats, young executive haircuts, and bandanas bouncing unselfconsciously in front of the band.

The Elbow Room (6 South Washington, Ypsilanti) has a mix of great theme nights and live music unmatched in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. It also competes with the 8-Ball for the dirtiest bar in Washtenaw County. The architect of the Elbow Room is owner/bartender Andy Garris who has assembled an eclectic staff to work in downtown Ypsilanti. It has a magician as a doorman. Folk singer/songwriter and onetime Starbucks Pick of the Week Chris Bathgate works part-time as sound man and sometimes barback. Nina Cislaghi, front woman for the hardcore/metal band Bloodlined Calligraphy serves drinks during happy hour five days a week.

The Elbow Room offers a number of popular nights including Elbow Deep (Ypsi’s premier gay night), Tiki Tuesday, Thursday night MoFo Karaoke, as well as a wide range of live music and events. They’ve got one pool table that gets a lot of action and some video games and pinball, but it’s the personal connections you’ll come back for. It doesn’t take long to become a regular and before you know it, Andy will be handing you your favorite drink before your eyes even adjust to the low light. Happy hour is underrated and the Elbow Room is where I picture my dad feeling comfortable at 4 p.m. on a Monday.

From Concentrate, by Richard Retyi. Read more here.

Ann Arbor, Downtown Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Downtown Ypsi

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Inside Aut Bar

The /Aut/ Bar in Ann Arbor has become a gathering place for the city's gay and lesbian community. However, it's also beloved by straight folk too, who come for great food and friendly atmosphere.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Michigan Theater

Executive Director Russ Collins talks about Ann Arbor's down town center for fine film and the performing arts, its history, programming and role in the wider community.

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Zingerman’s U

The Zingerman's brand is often synonomous with the Ann Arbor area. What began as a humble delicatessen in 1982 has since grown into a $30 million artisanal empire that includes a creamery, a bakery, a restaurant, a deli, a market, a coffee roasting outlet, a candy manufactory, as well as steady catering and mail order business. And along with its yummy foodstuffs Zingerman's also exports its philosophies and practices to other businesses for a fee. In a very expensive nutshell, the company has made a name for itself with its strict adherence to exceptional quality, subscribing to standards that most of its competitors don't even bother trying to aspire to.

The end result is often products that are outstanding examples of their particular variety of robust yet delicate coffees, tender pie crusts filled with pricey lard, cheese made from an antiquated recipe no other creamery in the world uses. Quality is emphasized and underscored so much that the resulting product can seem inaccessible, even intimidating, to the fledgling connoisseur.

It's okay: there's an app for that: a program at Zingerman's to educate the eager gourmand!

As Zingerman's has carefully cultivated a reputation for sourcing hand-selected products with the finest flavors its very learned experts can find, they have also fostered alongside it a culture of training and education. You see, it is not enough that you know (or at least, believe that you know) that the products they carry are some of the best anywhere in the world, you must understand why.

To wit, the company has created an environment for gourmet learning, whether it's hands-on classes where the curious can make their own Zingerman-like creations or at educational tastings, where amateurs and aficionados alike are taught to identify key characteristics in comestibles (along with the proper vernacular to describe them).

"An educated customer is really our best customer," says Allen Leibowitz, Managing Partner of Zingerman's Coffee Company. "The more people know what makes a product better the more they will appreciate the product."

The Coffee Company just moved to its first public outlet last November, taking a space in the same Ann Arbor industrial complex as Zingerman's Creamery and Bakehouse. It sources coffees from all over the world, roasts the beans, and sell them wholesale. Much like its neighbors, the Coffee Company's operations are open for viewing: customers can watch the coffee as it's roasted. "It's an education destination," Leibowitz says of the arrangement.

At the Coffee Company, Leibowitz offers classes and tastings to educate consumers on the finer points of fine grinds. In "Comparative Cupping" (a coffee enthusiast's term for coffee tasting), customers sample coffees from the four major growing regions, which helps them develop the technique and vocabulary for tasting. "Some people don't have a lot of experience describing the things they taste," explains Leibowitz. "We do a blind cupping of the four different coffee "food groups" [the growing regions] at the end of the class, and there's probably a 95% identify rate. Not only can people identify the region but they also develop the vocabulary to describe which is which and why, and which is their favorite and why."

Another tasting class called "Brewing Techniques" takes one identical roast and brews it 4-5 different ways. The reason they go to such lengths to educate their customers is simple: "You can get coffee at a lot of places, so why get coffee here? We want people to be able to say why they taste the difference."

His sentiments echo those of every member of the Zingerman's team, any of one of whom could be described as a food geek. There's an obvious excitement and enthusiasm in their voice as they share their knowledge with others.

"Our general take is that this is our life; we're doing this because it's our passion," Leibowitz says of the Zingerman's ethos. "It's crazy, it's fun, we all pretty much love what we do, that's why we're here."

Next door to the Coffee Company is the Creamery, lorded over by John Loomis, Managing Partner and cheesemaker extraordinaire. Almost every weekend through May he holds Mozzarella-Making Saturday.

"We chose Mozzarella because the problem with most cheeses is that they're 'Add this, wait four hours,' then 'add this, wait two hours," explains Loomis. "It's difficult to build a class around. But the principles for making mozzarella are the same as any cheese. This gives us an opportunity to teach people how cheese is made and have them give a hand in doing it without committing three days."

Even still, the typical process for making mozzarella takes about eight hours, so the classes use a slightly sped-up system. At the end of this two-hour class, participants will have learned how to go from raw milk to cheese and also how to texture three different kinds of mozzarella.

"People are fascinated by the process," Loomis says. "It's what got me into cheesemaking. You've got all these different cheeses with all these different tastes and they all start with the same ingredients."

Loomis talks in detail of the chemistry of cheesemaking, about fats and proteins and water retention, the seasonality of certain milks, the history of Camembert, and Zingerman's signature "Great Lakes Cheshire," made from a recipe that no other cheesemaker in the world currently uses. Think of it as Cheesemaking 101, with Loomis as the nutty, heesy professor.

Loomis has very specific intentions in his tastings and cheesemaking classes: "I want people to not be intimidated by cheese. We tend to put certain food way up on this pedestal as something people should be afraid of. How am I supposed to eat this?' If you want to put M&Ms on your cheese I don't care; it's up to you. I want people to get over the mystique with it."

Loomis encourages people to not be shy. "There are no stupid questions," he says, though he is also realistic about teaching the craft. "If they're cheese experts when they walk out of there, I've wasted 25 years of my life! But they're at least going to walk out with a basic understanding and they're going to have fun."

If you really want to get interactive, Zingerman's Bakehouse is probably the best place for you. BAKE! is the hands-on teaching bakery operated by the Bakehouse. It offers roughly five themed baking classes per week, ranging from pizza to pies to pastries. (In fact, the pizza, pie, baguette, and croissant classes are their most popular.)

Shelby Kibler is the Principal of BAKE!, and has held the position for the last two and half years. "Teaching is what I most enjoy to do," Kibler says. "I feel like we really have a positive impact on people's home baking and that's very satisfying, exposing people to baking in general."

Kibler has been a passionate baker since childhood, and worked in the Bakehouse for several years before bouncing around across the U.S.. Ultimately he was lured back to the Zingerman's realm. "I missed the system of values Zingerman's has," he explains. "At Zingerman's all of our objectives include education for other people as well as ourselves; to teach and to learn constantly. From the partners on down everyone's dedicated to both learning and teaching. It is exciting to work somewhere that has that in their values."

BAKE! not only offers small group classes, but also private classes, and BAKE-cations - intensive two and four-day "fantasy camps" for bakers taught by Kibler. "It enriches your life to teach something you're good at," he says. "It means you have to develop a wide set of skills, recognize what you're doing - the 'whys' of what you're doing instead of just the 'hows'. This school is a nice spot for the constant education of the public and ourselves."

Which is precisely why Kibler came back to Zingerman's after so much time and travel. "I am proud to be associated with Zingerman's. This is a company I can totally stand behind."

by

Nicole Rupersburg, from Concentrate

-Jolly Pumpkin Cafe and Brewery

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Ann Arbor’s Craft Beer Scene

If you think the selection of micro-brews is starting to become bigger than that of macro brews, you're not too far from the truth, especially in Ann Arbor.

The college town is welcoming its sixth craft brewing establishment with the Wolverine State Brewing Co., (opening Spring, 2010), making it the municipality with the most microbrews or brewpubs in Michigan.

"Certainly the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area is a great place for Michigan craft beer," says Scott Graham, executive director of the Michigan Brewers Guild. "I think there is a lot of room for more growth still."

The four people behind Wolverine Brewing are in the process of turning a former appliance store on Stadium Boulevard into a microbrewry. Wolverine will introduce a new concept to the existing microbrewery scene: they'll be brewing only lagers, and will focus on trying to create the best microbrew lager in Michigan.

"We feel like we can complement all of the great ales you can get at Jolly Pumpkin, Ann Arbor Brewing Co and all of the great brewpubs," says E.T. Crowe, a co-owner of Wolverine Brewing.

That sentiment is one of the keys to Ann Arbor's success at foster craft brewing, according to Rene Greff. The co-owner of Ann Arbor's first microbreweryy, Arbor Brewing Co., says clustering businesses like this allows them to grow off each other. Plus, it helps that Ann Arbor's populace has many of the attributes common with microbrewery consumers, such as high levels of education, lots of disposable income and being well-traveled.

"Ann Arbor has the perfect demographics for microbreweries," Greff says.

Writer: Jon Zemke

Take a Beer-Cation! Visit these fine Ann Arbor area brewpubs and microbreweries (don't forget to bring a designated driver):

Ann Arbor:

-Arbor Brewing Company

-Blue Tractor

-Grizzly Peak

-Wolverine Brewing Company (opening Spring, 2010)

Ypsilanti:

The Corner Brewery

Milan:

Original Gravity Brewing Company

Or, try them all and more Michigan beers at the

Michigan Brewers Guild

Summer Beer Fest, happening this July at Riverside Park in Ypsilanti.

Ann Arbor, Milan, Ypsilanti

Monday, January 11, 2010

Ann Arbor’s Green Transportation Company

Running on recycled cooking oil from local restaurants, the BTB Party Bus provides an affordable and effective means of getting around downtown Ann Arbor.

Monday, January 11, 2010

The Gallery Project

The Gallery Project is an independent art gallery run as a collective on Fourth Street in downtown Ann Arbor.

Monday, January 04, 2010

Ann Arbor Restaurant Week: January 17-22

Back by popular demand: Ann Arbor Restaurant Week, January 17-22. Presented by Ann Arbor's Main Street Area Association, Ann Arbor Restaurant week gives restaurant patrons one week of one price dining, with over twenty of Ann Arbor's best downtown restaurants participating. Dinner is a three course menu for just $25, with some restaurants offering two-for-one pricing. Lunch is priced at $12 and is an open format; restaurants will be offering a menu of their choice, many offering two-for-one pricing. A complete list of participating restaurants and their menus is available at www.annarborrestaurantweek.com.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience dining in downtown Ann Arbor! While you're there, be sure to check out downtown's many independent shops, galleries, salons and music venues. What better reason to get out of the house in the middle of January?

Remember to make reservations early at participating restaurants. This event is made possible by the generous sponsorship of two Gold Level sponsors, Gordon Food Service and Valley City Linen Additional support provided by Frog Holler Produce, Ann Arbor, and R. Hirt, Detroit.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Pack Your Eating Pants for a Taste-Full Tour of Ann Arbor

Did you know there are over 200 restaurants in Ann Arbor's downtown area? Deciding where to eat can be daunting, but Savor Ann Arbor can help! Savor Ann Arbor provides custom walking and driving tours of the Ann Arbor area for groups of all sizes. Tours can be arranged around your schedule, and tailored to suit your needs.

Tours are led by Ann Arbor resident Marcie Greenfield, who has been eating her way through town since 1974. She'll feed you with interesting facts, history, and insight - and some of the best food Ann Arbor has to offer.

"Ann Arbor is a great foodie mecca," she says.

To schedule a tour or for more information, contact Marcie Greenfield at Savor Ann Arbor.

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Thursday, October 29, 2009

An Epicurean Adventure in Ann Arbor

What makes the Ann Arbor Area a dining destination? For one, there's variety: from brew pubs to ethnic eateries to elegant restaurants and comfort foods, the area offers something to please any palate. So where do you start? That's for you to decide, but in case you need more direction, read on to find out how Chicago Tribune reporter Christopher Borelli spent three days gorging in Ann Arbor.

Day 1
8 a.m. I begin my gastronomic Ann Arbor weekend with a light breakfast at Zingerman's Delicatessen, a warm-up breakfast to my actual breakfast later that morning. A spacey young guy who talks extremely slowly and wears a tweed hat takes my order: a bowl of polenta with golden raisins and honey and a house-baked bagel covered in fennel seed with a light smear of the tangy cream cheese from Zingerman's Creamery. The deli has the crowded feel of a club that has welcomed too many into its fold; I am wedged between the artisan pretzels and the smoked-salmon case. I break free and read descriptions of sandwiches for a few minutes -- smoked Montreal meats, variations on New Orleans' muffuletta, Berkshire pork shoulder on an onion roll -- then head next-door to Zingerman's coffeehouse (an actual house) and read the newspaper and eat a golden mountain of polenta.

10 a.m. Having had my warm-up breakfast, I walk a few blocks to Cafe Zola for the real breakfast. On the way, I stop to look at an example of a local phenomenon, the Fairy Door -- miniature doors built into random buildings. At Zola, I ask about them. The rumor is that real fairies built them, my server says, her eyes wide. A 2-second Internet search on my iPhone reveals it's the work of a local artist named Jonathan. Still, the challah French toast at Zola is to be worshiped, made from Zingerman's braided challah, charred, eggy and sweet.

11:30 a.m. Students are huddled in the windows of every coffee shop. The day is overcast. I pick Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea and nuzzle into a mug of ginger lemon tea. It has a spicy burn, but the dab of honey mellows my harsh. There's a high school across the street. A woman stands outside the gates at lunchtime and puts down her bags and slips into a sandwich board. It reads, "Talk to me about socialism." Remarkably, when class breaks for lunch, a number of students stop and ask her about socialism.

2 p.m. In the Kerrytown Market, a block from Zingerman's, I have lunch. I begin with a Seoul Dog at Kosmo. It is a hot dog wrapped in bacon, deep fried, covered in mozzarella and grilled kimchi. I take a bite and put it down, sparing my aorta. Two feet away is Monahan's Seafood, a market within the market but with tables. Mike Monahan, one of the founders of Zingerman's (but no longer a partner), is behind the counter. His fish and chips are rich and crisp, but the oyster poor-boy -- on a baguette from a local Japanese bakery, with pickled veggies at the bottom -- is as delicately fried as a New England clam roll.

8 p.m. I head back to the deli for a Montreal Reuben, which is peppered, hot, on house-made rye. My cider is the color of squash. My pickle is big and perfect. I consider that it might be wax.

Day 2
11 a.m. After a morning walk through the farmers market -- organic everything, basically -- I head for Zingerman's Bakehouse and my afternoon Italian cookie class, which is in a non-descript office park. I learn a few things: They make better Boston Brown Bread than my grandmother; I'm incapable of using a pastry bag; and Gail, my cooking-class partner, has taken "more baking classes than anyone on Earth." Our instructor, his face frozen in a look of amusement, his jackboots covered in a Rorschach of flour and anise seed, walks us through biscotti and amaretti. Gail gets on my nerves.

4:15 p.m. Shouted down by the burger people.

5:30 p.m. Let me tell you about Dominick's. The restaurant's dark wooden-beamed porch and stained-glass windows and posters of old hippies past recall a time when Ann Arbor was the Berkeley of the Midwest. On days when the University of Michigan football stadium ("The Big House") is bursting, when its 100,000-plus attendees spill into the streets and snarl traffic for miles, you can hear the distant roar at Dominick's, which is miles away. I've been here a few times over the years, and each time a large man with beady eyes sits in front and sips beer and wipes sweat from his head. Beside him is a stack of books with titles like "The War of the Austrian Succession." I nod to him, then get in line. Built into the floor is a tiled sign reading "Wait Here." I wait, then order a Constant Buzz ($21.04). It is truth in advertising, a strawberry slush that includes tequila, triple sec, gin, rum and vodka.

7 p.m. For dinner, we drive a couple of miles out of downtown and find Zingerman's Roadhouse, whose chef, Alex Young, has become a multiple James Beard Award nominee. I spend 10 minutes examining the menu, which reads like a roll call of traditional American cooking, every corner of the country covered: oyster hash and deep-fried pork chop and Sprecher's root beer from Wisconsin and buttermilk-fried chicken and Texas cabrito (goat) and six kinds of macaroni and cheese. The hush puppies (in a nod to UM) use blue and yellow corn. Ari Weinzweig, the owner, in a black T-shirt, sleeves rolled, pours water.

Day 3
11:30 a.m. We head back to the Roadhouse. Ari is there again, pouring water, weirdly attentive for a guy worth a gazillion. I order Hangtown Fry, a variation on oyster hash, made with bacon. It's not on the menu; it's a northern California dish, a mining tradition. But they bring out something very close and full of smoke. The extent these people go to attend to your wishes is nuts. I am eating a bagel when the server comes over to give me a black napkin. The white one might flake on my black sweater. We joke and ask her if they will do anything. Yes, says the server, not joking. She explains that they once ran out and got beer and Red Bull at a supermarket for someone. My friend is allergic to potato, yet his plate has a potato. The server steps back in horror and grabs the plate, then asks him: Do you want to nibble on the part not touching the potato while you wait?

2:30 p.m. We drive to Zingerman's Creamery for a tour. It is as hot inside as Washington in July. The cheesemaker pops fresh mozzarella into his hand, squeezes it through his fingers until a ball forms, then snips it off and holds it aloft. Everyone sighs .

4 p.m. Nine miles away is the Dexter Cider Mill, which is 123 years old, the cider press made of a dark oak stained by hundreds of thousands of apples. Behind the wooden barn, a wheelbarrow holds the apple mash, squeezed of its juices. We grab a bag of hot sugared doughnuts and a couple of foam cups of hot cider and sit on a log, watching the Huron River hustle past.

9 p.m. We wrap up with a Zingerman's Roadhouse special dinner. Once a month, a theme is chosen, a guest chef selected. These dinners are fascinating, and huge -- a $45 dinner based on the history of Greek-Jewish food in America, a $45 dinner about the little-known story of black chefs in the White House. This night I attend a Vampires Ball. The food is Irish, every dish a play on a spooky Celtic legend, Chef Alex telling of sauces "churned with a dead man's hand," stepping from his kitchen to remind us that the butter on our Irish soda bread should be so thick that it "touches your gums before the food does."

At the end of the night, my stomach distended, I fall into a coma. Irish folklorist Kevin Danaher, large and smiling and bleary-eyed, sends the guests off with a proverb. It doubles as a nice reminder of the lure of Ann Arbor -- and of comfort food itself:

"Easy to halve the potato where there's love."

Ann Arbor, Dexter

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Ann Arbor’s South Main Street: One of the “Ten Great Streets for 2009”

The American Planning Association has named South Main Street in Ann Arbor "one of the 10 Great Streets for 2009." American Planning Association Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners and planning play in creating communities of lasting value.

“Anyone who has visited South Main Street can tell you what a unique and energetic place it is to walk, shop or eat—it is the gathering place of the Ann Arbor community,” said Main Street Area Association Executive Director Maura Thomson.

The American Planning Association singled out South Main for its forward-looking planning and development aimed at helping lower the city’s carbon footprint. Among other things, the city is increasing housing density, preserving historic buildings and increasing transportation choices along South Main Street.

When you visit Ann Arbor, make sure to check out South Main Street, just one of the many great places in the area.

For more information accommodations in Ann Arbor, click here. To begin planning your trip, click here.

Friday, October 02, 2009

Hollywood Stars Give Ann Arbor Area Rave Reviews

Last summer, the Ann Arbor area was full of stars: Drew Barrymore, Ellen Page, and Jimmy Fallon, just to name a few. They came to make the movie Whip It, and they left with a lasting impression.

Says Barrymore, "I felt like it was a blessing we got to shoot there." She was particularly fond of the area's after hours scene.

"On Saturday nights, I would go to the 8 Ball in Ann Arbor and have a cold PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) and I loved that . . .We went to see rock bands or we'd go to bars or play pool or bowling."

Whip It''s star, Ellen Page (Juno), also gave the area glowing reviews: "I'd live there in a second," Page said. "I'd go shoot there in a second; I'd encourage a film to go shoot there."

Page was particularly impressed by the area's options for recreation.

"All over (the area), you drive 15-20 minutes and there's some awesome place to hike," she says. "From the bottom of my heart, I absolutely loved it, and I say this all the time."

Whip It, in theaters now, is Drew Barrymore's directorial debut. The film also stars Juliette Lewis, Saturday Night Live's Kristin Wiig, and hip-hop artist Eve.

-Marianne Gosz Klinker

Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

The Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor

Do you believe in fairies? If not, a visit to Ann Arbor's several fairy dwellings is sure to change your mind! Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Paddling down the Huron River

Sometimes it's called an "urban paddle." Learn more about canoeing and kayaking on the Huron River in Ann Arbor. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Ann Arbor for Students and Parents

News flash: Parents and students have different ideas on what constitutes a rockin’ weekend.

So while Johnny and Jenny “study,” hit an all-night kegger and scarf down fried veggies at Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger (whose motto is Cheaper Than Food), here are some extracurricular activities to keep the grownups busy in this quintessential college town:

Taste some ‘Top Chef’ cuisine

Eve Aronoff recently got bounced from Bravo’s “Top Chef” competition, but she’s still cooking at her intimate, upscale eatery, Eve.

“This is a really strong food community; people are passionate about things being local,” said Aronoff, 40. The Cordon Bleu-educated chef opened her eponymous restaurant six years ago in Ann Arbor’s historic Kerrytown district.

Many of Aronoff’s ingredients are local, but her flavors span the globe. One item her customers won’t let her take out of the constantly changing menu: “Inspired Nachos,” delicious fried wontons stacked with avocado, black beans and goat gouda.

Eve’s prices are out of reach for your typical ramen-eating college student, but on Thursday nights she offers complimentary appetizers at the restaurant’s wine bar.

“A DJ plays really interesting music, and it’s a fun chance for the cooks in the kitchen to experiment,” Aronoff said. “It’s ideal for a college budget.”

The Wright stuff

Spend a few memorable nights in Ann Arbor’s most architecturally significant home: the 2,000-square-foot Palmer House, designed in the early 1950s by Frank Lloyd Wright.

“It’s one of the half a dozen or so houses of his you can stay in,” said Jeff Schox, a University of Michigan graduate who, along with his wife, Kathryn, bought the home from its longtime owners in March. They began renting it to overnight guests this summer.

The home is classic Wright: no 90-degree corners, views of the natural surroundings from every room and furniture designed by the architect himself. Sleeping up to five people in three bedrooms, the home sits on two acres of a “beautiful wooded area, very serene, by Nichols Arboretum,” Schox said. “It’s a 20-minute walk to downtown or a five-minute car ride.”

Nightly rates range from $299 during the week to $499 on football weekends.

From "Big House, Big Times" by Lori Rackl, published in the Chicago Sun Times September, 2009.

Ann Arbor, Downtown Ann Arbor, U of M Campus

Monday, August 31, 2009

In Search of Green Beer

In most places, green beer means St. Patrick's Day. In the foodie paradise of Ann Arbor, Mich., it means Earth-friendly microbrews.

Downtown, Arbor Brewing Co. has won awards for microbrews as well as environmental responsibility. Matt and René Greff's company opened in 1995 following Matt's "beer epiphany": All-natural brews had fuller flavors.

Though perfecting an organic beer, the Greffs say their current beers can't be labeled organic. Although the malt is organically grown, most of the hops aren't. Controversies about the label "organic" have mad recent headlines, but organic is not the only way to go green. "We try to make the brewing process as eco-friendly as possible," René Greff said. Instead of sending spent grain to a landfill, they give it to local farmers for use as livestock feed and compost. How much? "Over 3,000 pounds a week."

A water recovery system routes water used to cool beer after boiling to a holding tank. As it cools the beer, the water gets hot--ideal for cleaning equiptment and for making the next batch of beer.

Having gone "local, natural, and sustainable" at home long ago, the Greffs began applying that ethos in 2007 at their brew pub/restaurant.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

By Robin Tierney

Friday, August 21, 2009

The Palmer House: Experience a Piece of Architecture History

Frank Lloyd Wright's Palmer House, built for Bill & Mary Palmer in Ann Arbor during the early 1950's, is one of Wright's last residential masterpieces. It's also one of the few Wright homes in the country available for rent.

The 2,000 square-foot home with its collection of Wright-designed furniture, the Teahouse, and the two-acre beautiful sylvan setting is Ann Arbor's most architecturally significant residence.

This is the first opportunity for you to stay and experience this piece of architecture history. The home is also available for small retreats and events.

For more information, visit The Palmer House website.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Ann Arbor Hot Spot: Farmers’ Market

The Ann Arbor Farmers' Market, located in vibrant, eclectic Kerrytown, is where the local chefs go for their produce. You’ll often see local culinary celebrities, such as chef Eve Aranoff, shopping there.

Ann Arbor has a farm-to-table tradition and one of the joys of summer is seeing the beautiful produce brought fresh to the market.

Read the rest of this article here.

The Ann Arbor Farmers' Market is held year-round on Saturdays from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. The market also takes place on Wednesdays from May-December.

For more information about the Ann Arbor Farmers' Market, click here.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Ann Arbor’s Frank Lloyd Wright Palmer House

Frank Lloyd Wright designed this exceptional house in Ann Arbor at the height of his career. It was finished in the 1950s and owned by the Palmer family until recently. New owners, Kate and Jeffrey Schox, are making it available to rent for visitors looking for a unique vacation destination. Also available for events. For more information, visit the Palmer House website. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Logan: An American Restaurant

Chef Thad Gillies, his brother Ryan and Kevin Hobart, sommelier, own and operate this Ann Arbor-based bistro, offering exclusive wines and an eclectic menu, all with an American twist. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Ann Arbor’s Planet Rock

Planet Rock in Ann Arbor is an indoor climbing gym with walls to challenge all ages and abilities, for those who want health and fitness up to the most competitive rock jocks. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Ann Arbor, Westside

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair

"What's going on in here?" is the question they get asked most often. Here's a brief glimpse into the Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair store and 826 Michigan. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Motawi Art Tiles Made in Ann Arbor

By Judith Wylie

Artisan-made tiles with early 20th century Arts and Crafts themes and images by Frank Lloyd Wright make it easy to bring fine art into any room in the home.

Brother and sister partners Karim and Nawal Motawi of Motawi Tileworks began making clay art tiles in their garage in the early 1990s. Karin is the trained ceramic artist and her brother is the operational guru who has also learned to develop glazes, make molds and fire kilns. Together they are creating what they call "New Arts and Crafts Pottery." Their names are Arabic, as their father is from Egypt.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Golf Digest Ranks Ann Arbor Golf Course Best in Michigan

The City of Ann Arbor’s Leslie Park Golf Course (LPGC) continues to earn high honors, most recently from Golf Digest magazine. The course was named the “Best Municipal Golf Course” in the state of Michigan. LPGC also earned four-and-a-half out of five stars on Golf Digest’s 2008-09 list of “Best Places to Play.”

“It’s a mark of distinction to be named ‘Best Municipal Golf Course’ in the state and to have earned four-and-a-half stars on Golf Digest’s list of ‘Best Places to Play’,” said Doug Kelly, City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Director of Golf. “This validates that we’re not only meeting, but exceeding our customers’ expectations of creating an excellent and memorable golf experience for everyone to enjoy.”

Originally designed by E. Lawrence Packard and opened in 1967, LPGC underwent a two-year renovation by Arthur Hills in 1994-95. It’s regarded as a championship course at 6,752 yards; a par 72 with a slope rating of 128.

For more about Leslie Park Golf Course and other courses in the Ann Arbor area, visit the Golf section.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Ann Arbor’s Own Top Chef

Ann Arbor has its very own Top Chef! Chef Eve Aronoff -- chef and owner of Eve-the Restaurant in Ann Arbor's Kerrytown district -- will compete this fall on Bravo's "Top Chef: Las Vegas." Aronoff, 40, was classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, but her contemporary cooking style is known for its bold, exotic flavors and eclectic international influences that range from Cuba and Africa to Vietnam. Her intimate restaurant, opened in 2003, features a seasonally changing menu, an outstanding wine list and a casually sophisticated ambience. She is also the author of her own cookbook. To learn more about Eve-the Restaurant, click here.

Monday, May 11, 2009

For a Hearty Midwestern Appetite, Ann Arbor

From The Chicago Tribune, by Christopher Borrelli

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The first time I heard that people lived in Orlando, I couldn't shake the idea: Where would such people sleep? The Magic Kingdom? There's a government? A mayor who doesn't wear a mouse head and pose for pictures?

This is an occupied territory. Not a city.

To that list, add Ann Arbor.

If you've ever lived in this bucolic college town (population 114,000), gone to school here (at the University of Michigan), worked here (home to Domino's Pizza and Borders world headquarters) or dreamed of living here (Ann Arbor routinely lands on those Best Places To Live lists), you might take umbrage -- but never has a nice Midwestern town been so dominated by a delicatessen.

This is Zingerman's Delicatessen, a red-brick wedge of a building on a cobblestone street. As I learned recently, with all the classes and special dinners and tours and gorging it offers, one can spend days at Zingerman's -- the way one might spend days at Disney World and barely see Orlando. Or rather, one can spend a weekend, going from Zingerman's to Zingerman's Roadhouse to Zingerman's Bakehouse to Zingerman's Creamery and also Durham's Tracklements, Kosmo's lunch stand -- to the many like-minded establishments here that emphasize quality comfort food. What I'm proposing, basically, is a food trip for those who can't afford a food trip to San Francisco. Here, the dream is reality, the makings of a va-HomerSimpson-cation, an entire trip around the eating of excessive amounts of corned beef, Guinness-based gelato, burgers coated in pimento cheese, and waffles made with grits.

To read the rest of this story, click here.

Ann Arbor, Downtown Ann Arbor, Dexter

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Ann Arbor Named one of the Best Midwest Food Towns by Midwest Living Magazine

From www.MidwestLiving.com:

Some of us build whole vacations around food. Travel experts call it culinary tourism. We just call it eating well--restaurants with pancakes or prime rib so good you want second helpings on the way home.

Rarely has a city's culinary reputation been so intertwined with one restaurant as is Ann Arbor's with Zingerman's Deli. What began in 1982 as Michigan's best place to get a Reuben has grown into a mini-empire of deliciousness, with a bakery (Jewish rye), creamery (homemade cream cheese), coffee roaster (single-origin Brazilian peaberry), mail-order catalog (sour-cream coffee cake) and sit-down restaurant (smoked chicken mac 'n' cheese). Make no mistake. We love Zingerman's.

But we also love how Zingerman's has invigorated the larger food scene in Ann Arbor (population: 350,000). Bob Sparrow, owner of Sparrow Meat Markets and Produce, says that eliminating chemicals and using fewer, fresher ingredients means you can actually taste the cherries and duck meat in his gourmet sausage.

For years, University of Michigan students and faculty have sipped beers and lattes at downtown's sidewalk cafes. The city retains that college-town vibe, but the dining scene has grown up. You'll find fried local squash blossoms at Vinology, a ginger-glazed salmon burger at Logan and tender gnocchi at Gratzi.

Read the full story on Midwest Living's website.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Ypsilanti’s Dreamland Theater

by Megan Pennefather

Now it's time to get out of that infernal head of yours. Just go with it for a minute. Get far out of your head, then let it all go.

Imagine taking a roller coaster ride after a couple doses of NyQuil. Keep your hands inside the car at all times and feel the swirl, let the breeze just twist all up and down until your stomach drops and your head spins.

You're out of your head now, which is good. Sometimes you have to get out of your head if you want a really heady experience.

Welcome to Dreamland Theater in Ypsilanti. The signposts up ahead all point you toward that unfettered and whimsical part of your psyche. You know, the one you threw into storage when you decided to major in accounting rather than tour with your noise rock band.

Dreamland is here to bring it all back. It's sticky sweet childhood memories chased with a strong shot of grownup psychoanalytical panache.

Oh, and there are puppets. You probably need to know about the puppets. There are lots of them. Big ones, smaller cloth ones, downright freaky ones, an exquisite winged one made from metal utensils. They hang on the walls as art, animate onstage in avant-garde performances, delight little kids on Sunday afternoons and sometimes hang like parasitic twins from the necks of human actors.

Dreamland Theater, in its Washington Street abode since 2006, has been making puppetry a cutting-edge art since founder Naia Venturi started it in 2002. She makes all those puppets herself, a craft she learned after a childhood of watching her artist mother make hand puppets for her.

"It's been my dream to have a space like this," says Venturi, an Ann Arbor native who still attends to a day job as a bio-engineer. "I thought it would be really cool to have people do art without it being part of the art industry."

If one thing's clear about the enigmatic Dreamland Theater, it's not a part of any industry. Or linear structure. Or anything.

Partial article from Concentrate. To read more about Dreamland Theater, head to Concentrate.

Ypsilanti, Downtown Ypsi

Friday, May 01, 2009

Ypsilanti’s Tower Inn Cafe

The Tower Inn Cafe near Depot Town, Ypsilanti is known as one of the best Greek restaurants in the greater Detroit area. This video comes from Fox 2 Detroit's "Cheap Eats" series.

Ypsilanti, Depot Town

Friday, May 01, 2009

The Common Grill in Chelsea

The Common Grill is one of the most popular restaurants in Chelsea! In this video, Craig Common executive chef, successful restauranteur, and cookbook author Craig Common reveals how he stays inspired and keeps customers coming back for more.

Chelsea, Downtown Chelsea

Friday, May 01, 2009

The Gandy Dancer, Ann Arbor

Executive Chef Loren Halprin of the Gandy Dancer restaurant near downtown Ann Arbor talks about some delicious offerings from the kitchen.

Friday, May 01, 2009

Haab’s Restaurant in Downtown Ypsilanti

A family favorite for four generations, Ypsilanti-based Haab's is a destination of choice for great steaks, chicken in a basket and other comfort foods. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Ypsilanti, Downtown Ypsi

Monday, April 20, 2009

Visit Original Gravity Brewing Company in Milan

Brad Sancho is a mechanical engineer-turned-brewer who's betting that his little brewery, Original Gravity, will draw home-brew aficionados as well as Joe Six-Packs from near and far.

Housed in a 4,400-square-foot building at 440 County St. in Milan, the business features a network of stainless steel tanks, piping and boilers designed to turn grain, hops, yeast and water into heady palate-pleasers.

Despite a struggling economy, high prices for grains and hops, and fierce competition among behemoth brewers, Mr. Sancho, 33, hopes to tap part of a craft beer market that generated $5.7 billion last year - a year in which the microbrewery segment grew by 21 percent.

Just inside the Monroe County line, his little business will be able to brew about 217 barrels a year, or about 7,000 gallons of whatever kind of beer he or his customers fancy.

Planning an event in Ann Arbor? Let us help! The Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau can assist you in planning the optimum instructional and/or recreational experience for attendees of your event and their families. Our professional meeting planning staff is at your service, at no cost. We cover all the bases — from preliminary planning to post-event evaluation.

We offer these services:

Submit a lead (Request for Proposal) to area hotels in all of Washtenaw County specifying planner’s meeting needs. This saves time in calling the appropriate hotels, checking availability/rates, phone tag and repeated explanation of requirements, (One Stop Shopping).

Obtain written proposals from area hotel properties, coordinate and present bids to meeting planner and/or site committee or have hotels respond directly to the meeting planner.
Arrange citywide site tour/inspections including hotel properties and meeting facilities.
Provide assistance with spouse tours, group activities and excursions. Supply contact information for local event planning organizations that specialize in these activities.
Registration assistance on-site at conventions and meetings (up to 4 hours free).
Arrange for an information table at an event, conference or meeting for guests to receive information on dining, directions, recreation or pleasure (up to 4 hours free).
Provide printed promotional materials on city events, visitor attractions, and accommodations, including visitor guides and maps.
Arrange for VIP letters of welcome from state and local dignitaries, mayoral welcome at opening ceremonies (upon availability), and local media coverage.
Provide a conference wrap-up critique based on the number of rooms utilized per hotel.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

The Shadow Art Fair

Ann Arbor is known for its Summer Art Fairs held every July, but have you heard of the Shadow Art Fair? It's a juried event that allows local artists to exhibit and sell their works in a comfortable, friendly, and supportive setting. This one-day, 12–hour event is held two times a year at The Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti. Local music, featured brews, and other special activities add a distinct flavor and sense of community to this creative showcase. The next Shadow Art Fair will be held Saturday, July 18 from noon-midnight.

Ypsilanti, Depot Town

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Arbor Brewing’s Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti

Mmmm. Beer. Check out the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti and get a taste of some of the area's best local brews! Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

The New University of Michigan Museum of Art

The University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) has re-opened--with a $41.9 million upgrade that includes a complete renovation and a new wing. In this video, museum director James Steward and architect Brad Cloepfil talk about the project. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Find Yourself at Home in Ann Arbor

The Ann Arbor Area boasts all kinds of accommodations. We offer luxury hotels, economy hotels, and unique bed and breakfasts. Click here to view a complete listing of accommodations in and around Ann Arbor. If you're unfamiliar with the area, read on to learn more about where our hotels are located.

Downtown Ann Arbor: Downtown Ann Arbor is an ecclectic mix of restaurants, galleries, shops, and nightlife. The area is also very walkable.

University of Michigan Campus: Staying on or near the University of Michigan Campus puts you near hospitals, research facilities, performing arts buildings, dormitories, and more.

Ann Arbor's East Side: Accommodations on Ann Arbor's east side are close to U.S. Highway 23 and a short drive to Michigan Stadium.

Ann Arbor's North Side: Ann Arbor's north side is also near U.S. Highway 23 and is close to the University of Michigan's North Campus.

Ann Arbor's South Side: Accommodations on Ann Arbor's south side are near I-94 and easily accessable from Detroit Metro Airport.

Ann Arbor's West Side: Ann Arbor's west side accommodations are also near I-94 and a short drive from downtown Ann Arbor.

Chelsea: Chelsea is located about 16 miles from Ann Arbor's city center. The area features Jeff Daniels' Purple Rose Theater and the Chelsea Teddy Bear Company. Chelsea is also close to Waterloo Recreation Area.

Toys and Teddy Bears! Visit this attraction in nearby Chelsea, sure to bring out the kid in you!

Chelsea, Downtown Chelsea

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Forbes Names Ann Arbor “Top College Sports Town”

Excitement in the nearby stadium is likely, but a great quality of life outside it is a sure thing.

The University of Michigan is most famous for its football team, the Wolverines, who play in the packed confines of the Big House, a stadium that holds 106,201 fans. Of course, with the way the Wolverines played this past season (their record was 3-9), it's surprising that many people flocked to the stadium every Saturday.

Loyalty might explain it, though maybe it's just fans' motivation to visit Ann Arbor before and after the football game. Who can blame them? The small city of 114,000 boasts top-flight restaurants and bars, a symphony and ballet, as well as museums and concert halls hosting national-level entertainment.

And what full-time residents also know: Ann Arbor has great public schools, low crime and affordable housing. Not surprisingly, it all adds up to the highest rank on our list of best college towns. It beats out Palo Alto, Calif., home to Stanford, and Madison, Wis., home to the University of Wisconsin.

Whether for quality of life, business development or investment, it's easy to understand the draw of college towns. The cities have a reputation for their wealth of arts and cultural events that spoke out from the university. Even though a college town like State College, Pa., or Charlottesville, Va., may not have the population of New York or Los Angeles, the strength of the university attracts top-flight entertainment options.

"Oftentimes people think you need a bigger city to support the arts, but it really depends on who is there," says Andrew Schiller, president of NeighborhoodScout, a Rhode Island-based demographics and real-estate research firm. "My mom and step dad retired from Long Island to Ithaca, a quintessential college town. They get to see the Russian ballet and symphonies; they get big-city amenities without the crowd or the stress."

Behind the Numbers
To create our list of the best college towns, we started with the top 50 finishers in the Director's Cup, an award issued through the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics to schools based on their performance in every sport. Football and basketball are important, but for the sports fan, part of the college-town experience is access to top teams in track, water polo, soccer, baseball, tennis and other non-marquee sports.

From there, we looked at quality of life measures, since wins and losses aren't everything. Using Coldwell Banker's Home Price Comparison Index, we looked at the price of a four-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,200-square-foot home in each market and compared it to the median income.

Article by Matt Woolsey, from Forbes.com

Ann Arbor, U of M Campus

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The Sidetrack Bar and Grill in Ypsilanti’s Depot Town

Huge beers, deep fried pickles, and one of the best burgers in the country, according to GQ magazine. Check out how this restaurant (which has recently been chosen as a set for the upcoming movie Betty Anne Waters, starring Hillary Swank) makes it all come together. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Ypsilanti, Depot Town

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti: Multicultural Hospitality

Staff at the newly renovated Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest explain how they've translated hospitality for their Japanese visitors. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.

Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti

Monday, February 23, 2009

Blimpy Burger on Food Network

The Food Network's Guy Fieri features Ann Arbor's own Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.