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4kLito

The Michigan
Theater: Flicks
and ambiance
you won't find
elsewhere.

With lots to do
for young
professionals,
Ann Arbor is
more than just
frat parties and
football games.

JULIE WIENER STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY DANIEL LIPPITT

48

Around TO
ii-Squar

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bought Ann Arbor was
just about frat parties,
football games and the
Art Fair? Think again.
This town of 125,000
isn't just for college
kids. Now that the
days are getting longer
and the undergrads are
packing up for summer
vacation, Ann Arbor is
even morealluring for the post-
graduate crowd.
Once you've parked the car,
you can ditch it for the evening,
since all Arm Arbor hotspots are
within easy walking distance of
each other. Whereas during col-
lege you hung out on South U.,
the older-and-wiser head for the
northwest neighborhoods: name-
ly, Liberty, Main and Washing-
ton.
The enormous, ornate Michi-
gan Theater, at 603 E. Liberty,
has a great balcony and has es-
caped being divided into small-
er screens. A repertory theater,
it hosts film festivals, foreign .
films and other flicks you won't
see at a suburban movie chain.
You can pick up a free copy of
Current magazine there, Ann Ar-
bor's entertainment monthly list-
ing nightlife options and other
goings-on.
Look down Liberty to State,
and you'll notice the marquee of
the State Theater, which also
sometimes screens offbeat flicks.
But since its first floor was sold
to Urban Outfitters, the theater
space has become smaller than
the Michigan.
Bookstore browsers, beware
—you may never leave the State
Street-Liberty area. Borders
Books and Music, which has its
international headquarters in
Ann Arbor, has the usual super-
store offerings, along with a nice
cafe.
But if labor relations is an is-
sue for you (this corporation has.
been accused of alleged union-
busting) or you're simply looking
for ambiance, head around the
corner to 315 South State Street,
Shaman Drum — an indepen-
dent bookstore with a knowl-
edgeable staff, large selection of
literary magazines and good ar-
ray of academic tomes. Both
stores host frequent readings.
Within a block are two
labyrinthine secondhand book-
stores with enormous collections
and great prices: David's Books
(622 E. Liberty) and Dawn
Treader (514 E. Liberty). Also
check out Schoolkid's Records
(523 E. Liberty): the prices are
steep but the music selection is
truly impressive (great jazz sec-
tion, says Lynne Konstantin).
Food on State Street: by Zanz-
ibar (safari decor and great

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