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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.
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.