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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
ThirdCoast Digest: ‘Edible Ann Arbor’
In this ThirdCoast Digest write-up, travel writer Kevin Revolinski muses at the attitude of staff and the delicious burgers at Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger. He also gives kudos to the diversity of products available at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, the 'whimsical' atmophere of Frita Batidos, the farm-to-table experience at Grange Kitchen & Bar, the many beers on tap at Ashley's Pub, and of course Zingerman's (or 'Zingermanville, as he calls it). He mentions many other Ann Arbor institutions within the article as well: 'Everything is walking distance, it seems. From the campus art museum, to a farmer’s market, to a microbrewery, and off to dinner and a concert.' Whether you're from Ann Arbor - or looking to visit, this is a great article to read if you're wondering what you've missed - or where to start.
'...it’s not just all about food and drink in Ann Arbor. But it certainly could be. When in Ann Arbor, eat as the Ann Arborians do – very well.' ~Kevin Revolinski
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Quirky Meets Candy: The Rocket in Ypsilanti
Ypsilanti's cool novelty and candy store aims to provide visitors with an experience that transcends mere shopping. Courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Outoor Recreation in the Ann Arbor Area
There's no shortage of options for outdoor recreation in the Ann Arbor area. Outdoor enthusiasts will be impressed with our wide variety of parks, golf courses, bike trails, and more. When you visit Ann Arbor, you can hike in a State park, have a boating adventure on the Huron River, and hit the links at many impressive and unique courses - and do it all again the next day when you plan an overnight stay.
The City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County offer many options for parks and recreation - click here for a complete list. If golf is your game, be sure to check out Leslie Park Golf Course - named one of the country's best municipal golf courses by Golf Digest in 2009. Adventurers will also enjoy kayaking the "Urban Jungle:" start your paddle at Ann Arbor's Argo Park and get ready for a scenic adventure through natural and urban scenery.
For more ideas, check out our Plan a Visit section.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Ypsilanti’s Auto Heritage Museum
Featuring Ypsilanti's automotive history and incorporating Miller Motors Hudson, the last Hudson dealer in the US, the Ypsilanti Auto Heritage Museum provides a fascinating and comprehensive insight into the area's auto legacy.
Monday, March 08, 2010
The Ann Arbor Art Fair, July 20-23
The popular Ann Arbor Art Fair will be held in downtown Ann Arbor from July 20-23.
For more than 50 years, artists with amazing talents and unsurpassed skills have come to the streets of Ann Arbor in July to exhibit at the Ann Arbor Art Fairs. The Fairs are an impressive sight to see: no matter what direction you take, no matter where you look, you’ll discover colors and sights that will energize and captivate.
For more information, visit www.artfairs.visitannarbor.org.
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.
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:
-Jolly Pumpkin Cafe and Brewery
-Wolverine Brewing Company (opening Spring, 2010)
Ypsilanti:
Milan:
Original Gravity Brewing Company
Or, try them all and more Michigan beers at the
Summer Beer Fest, happening this July at Riverside Park in Ypsilanti.
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.
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
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.
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.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Ypsilanti’s Cafe Culture
There's nothing corporate about these Ypsilanti cafés! Check out one, or all of these coffee cornerstones. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Puffer Reds in Downtown Ypsilanti
Puffer Reds is a specialty store in downtown Ypsilanti, featuring men and women's clothing, unique, hard-to-find athletic shoes, and cds. It's a one-stop shop for all things hip-hop!
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.
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.