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Monday, May 11, 2009
For a Hearty Midwestern Appetite, Ann Arbor
From The Chicago Tribune, by
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.