The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 5, 1985 - Page B2 7
Greektown in Detroit
creates ethnic oasis
By JANICE PLOTNIK
One can stand only so many dorm
meals and Domino's pizzas before the
mind begins to fantasize that there
must be better things out there to eat.
And when the cravings get too bad,
why not go way out?
Come on, got for it! Go to Greece.
NO, NO, no. A plane ticket is not
necessary. All it takes is a car and a
quarter tank of gas to get to Detroit's
Greektown.
Greektown is an entire block of
Greek restaurants, bars, and video
arcades. So maybe video arcades
aren't Greek. Big deal!
Greek music wafts out of doorways
down the always-crowded block, and
cries of "OOOoopah!" sound every
few minutes as a steaming plate of
flaming cheese is brought to a table at
any of Greektown's many fine
restaurants.
The block's most popular
* restaurants, The Parthenon and
Hella's are famous for their
spanakopita (spinach pie) and gyros.
And of course, any eatery on this strip
guarantees the greatest baklava this
side of the Pacific.
A FEW restaurants off the main
strip are also considered part of
Greektown, the most famous being
Nikki's pizza right under the People
Mover construction. They have the
best deep-dish pizza in the area.
Trapper's Alley, the newest attrac-
tion of downtown Detroit, can add
more hours of entertainment. It's a
four-story shopping center built in an
alley. The bottom floor houses
markets - fish markets, meat
markets, and delis - to name a few.
The second floor promises to do the
greatest damage to the checkbook. It
is chock full of women's and men's
clothing stores. Even tennis pro Mar-
tina Navratalova opened a shop with
her favorite equipment here.
TAKE THE elevator to the third
floor for an array of ethnic edible
delights. There's Mexican, Italian,
French, and many more. Finally,
when all of the shopping and eating
becomes exhausting, the short ride up
to the fourth floor with the bars is a
welcome excursion.
Just a short cruise from Greektown
is the source of Detroit's skyline - the
Renaissance Center. Five tall tubes
house the multitude of expensive
shops, revolving restaurant and bar,
and numerous offices of suburban
residents. There is also a hotel there,
but Detroit River-shore rent is not'
cheap.
In addition, Detroit has some of the
finest clubs for any taste. The Soup;
Kitchen, which features jazz, Leider-
nacht, a new "new-wave-punk" bar,
and The Old Detroit saloon are a few
to look out for.'
Cceiy 1'oto by ALISA BLOCK
By JANICE PLOTNIK
Bored with classes? Then grab a jacket, pass
"go " and collect $200, and take a shopping trip
through Ann Arbor.
On campus, get the flavor of New York ritz and
glitz for moderate and high prices, depending on
your personal taste, or wander down the block for
the rags-to-riches look from a second-hand store.
Bivouac, Benetton, and Jacobson's all carry
men's and women's clothing and are great for
those ever-so-fashion-conscious students who are
willing to pay a little extra for that up-to-the-
minute look.
And for those who like Ivy League button-down
shirts, penny loafers like mom used to wear, and
Izods, South University has a horde of stores.
For women the Bagpiper and Mary Dibble have
the green, pink, and blue look with pullover
sweaters and matching skirts to help you blend in-
to any sorority rush.
And for the guys, Marty's, just across the
Diag on State Street, has the same color assor-
tment in sweaters and slacks.
Just a jog off-campus and often a bargain is
Kline's on Main Street. Stocking everything to suit
a freshman for the first winter away from home,
Kline's also has a small but nice selection of
women's apparel.
For a little trip back in time to cheaper, more
exotic clothing, check out State Street's second-
hand clothing stores. Cat's Meow, Ruby Tabu,
Vintage Clothing, and 53rd and 3rd (named after
the Ramones song), are stocked with everything
from Madonna-lookalike garments and '50s prom
dresses to Bermuda shorts and Hawaiian shirts.
Cat's Meow also features new clothing by the
Reminiscence line from New York.
IF THE "M Go Blue" fever strikes as the
Saturday home football game approaches, head
over to Moe's or Stein and Goetz. Both have a host
of Michigan paraphernelia, like sweatshirts, pen-
nants, mugs, and t-shirts. Buy them for the whole
family.
So it's December and State Street and South
University have become a little boring. Hop on the
Ann Arbor Transit Authority bus in front of the
Union and take the two-mile journey up the road to
Briarwood Mall.
Any shopper can suit up for any occasion at
Briarwood's many clothing stores, or find the per-
fect something in the card stores, restaurants, and
cookie counters. Briarwood has a little bit of
everything, but the mall is especially popular on
Tuesday nights when always-broke college
students can get a bargain at the $1 "Tuesday
night at the movies."
Every day, Lord and Taylor and Hudson's offer
great garments for those with a little extra green
in their wallets or a little credit from home.
For a chic look for that weekend party, walk
over to T. Edwards and pick up the latest fashions
from Guess?, Ton-Sur-Ton, and Furrina-Selvy.
But remember. . . the latest fashions don't come
cheap.
Any leather-lovers out there? Check out Merry-
Go-Round. It's heavy on the leather, and definitely
the place for parachute pants with a zillion and
one zippers on the legs.
When you need to fool the folks and look
collegiate, Ganto's, Marty Walker, and Anton's
have the everyday look, with a mix of the preppy
and the trendy.
Ann Arbor history
dates back to 1824
Sports enthusiasts shift into gear in parks
By KATIE WILCOX
In the spring of 1824, two young
men arrived on the land which they
would later name after their wives.
The area was a huge arbor - a
multitude of trees, a clear river,
and a gently-rolling natural
clearing - just what the two men
were looking for.
JOHN ALLEN and Elisha Rum-
sey were the ambitious men
looking to establish a name for
themselves and to profit by
building on the $1.25-per-acre land,
for sale from the government.
Allen, who played a bigger role in
Ann Arbor's growth, was the oldest
son of a prominent Virginia
family, but bad investments by his
father and his own restlessness
sent him walking. He arrived in
Ann Arbor at the age of 28 and
$40,000 in debt.
Rumsey, from New York,
decided to make his way out West
at about the same time, and soon
thettwo men met and formed a
partnership.
They quickly named the town af-
ter their wives - Ann Allen and
Mary Ann Rumsey - and the ar-
bor of great burr oaks.
FARMING WAS the major
vocation of the small town,
although roads, mills, and shops
soon became common.
Land contracts and deeds in-
creased the demand for lpwyers,
and the first court case was heard
in 1827.
In 1829 the first newspaper, The
Western Emigrant, was published,
and the population broke 1,000 two
years later.
ANSON BROWN, postmaster in
the early 1830s, built "Lower
Town" where Broadway and
Plymouth now meet. Despite
protests by the area's residents, he
schemed to build a huge road from
Detroit to Chicago through his
land. Allen and Rumsey were so
upset they refused to pick up their
mail at Brown's post office.
The growth of "Lower Town"
ceased to be competition for cen-
tral Ann Arbor in 1834 with
Brown's sudden death from
cholera.
It was a boon to the city when the
Catholepistemaid of Michigania
moved into the center of town in
1837 from Detroit. It was hailed as
an avenue to bring culture and
higher education to the farming
community. It was also re-named
the University of Michigan.
The first students arrived in
1841, just three years after the first
brewery was built.
THE EXTENSION of the rail
line from Detroit in 1839 prompted
a new spirit of growth. Before, rain
and snow made roads impassable
much of the year.
Allen had earlier tried to combat
this problem by petitioning for a
canal system to connect his town
with the outlaying areas, but the
plan was defeated by the state
legislature because of the already-
approved railroad. Allen then
jumped on the bandwagon and
became a major stockholder.
Ann Arbor still operated as a
village until 1850, and annual taxes
were a whopping 621/ cents, or one
day's work for the Commissioner
for males over 21.
After Ann Arbor became a city,
public meetings were held for
property taxpayers to vote on ex-
penditures over $200.
THE DECISION to establish a
police force in 1891 was a result of
the city council's vision of their
town as a model of morality,
sobriety, and orderly conduct.
The infant police force began
with six men, but was reduced to
three because of the cost. From
1871 to 1911, the police department
owned one bicycle, but rented a
buggy for emergency runs.
The department's first
automobile was a Prohibition win-
dfall - a Model-T Ford confiscated
from a bootlegger.
THE FIRST city hall was built in
1907 after the population had top-
ped 14,000. It was across the street
from the present city hall, built in
1963.
Today the Kempf house, built in
1853 by Reuben and Pauline Kem-
pf, is the headquarters for local
historical activities. The city's
Historic District Commission has
regular meetings there, and it is a
public museum.
The Greek Revival-styled home,
which is being restored inside to
look like its original owners left it,
originally was the center of Ann
Arbor's cultural life. Choirs,
singing societies, opera produc-
tions, and a music studies school
were all organized at the home on
South Division.
By KAREN KLEIN
You planned to spend Saturday in
the library but the sun is shining, your
roommate borrowed your calculator,
and it's supposed to rain on Sunday.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of
activities in Ann Arbor to keep your
mind off Monday morning's biology
exam.
Grab a tennis raquet, basketball, or
frisbee and join a friend at any of Ann
Arbor's 104 parks. Both Fuller Park
(1519 Fuller Rd.), on the way to North
Campus, and Burns Park (on Wells
and Baldwin), have tennis courts for
use on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Fuller's courts are open the latest, un-
til 10p.M.
GALLUP PARK (on Huron Park-
way near North Campus), stretches
out over 65 acres and winds around
the Huron River. The Huron is too dir-
ty for swimming (though some do it
illegally), but canoes, paddle boats,
and windsurfers can be rented inex-
pensively. Or rent equipment from
the Outdoor Recreation Center housed
at the North Campus Recreation
Building (NCRB). They stock all the
basics for camping (tents, sleeping
bags, stoves), backpacks, and cross-
country skis for cheap rental prices
ranging from $1 to $5.
Island Park (off Ellsworth, toward
North Campus), is a hot spot for ducks
and an excellent place to bring a book
or wander across the stone bridge to
the gazebo boathouse. There is a dirt
road behind the park that is perfect
for an uphill run and the view from the
top is breathtaking. Most importan-
tly, Cedar Bend, at the top of the hill,
is a primary make-out spot for Ann
Arbor teenagers.
If you want an alternative to dirty
rivers head out to Bass Lake with the
sailing club. They provide free tran-
sportation from the Pound House on
Hill Street and it costs less than $30 to
join. Members have access to the boat
house and a fleet of 4-70's.
FOR CROSS-COUNTRY skiing or
hiking, Stinchfield Woods in Dexter is
perfect, and Ann Arbor clubs travel
there frequently. Other good ski areas
closer to campus are Huron Hills and
the University's Radrick Farms.
For summer recreation, both Huron
Hills and Radrick Farms are affor-
dable golf courses ($11 to $13),
although students can only play at
Radrick Farms as a guest of a
teaching assistant or a professor.
There is also the Blue Course on
Stadium Boulevard, where a day of
golf is only $6.
Then there are the three University
Daily Photo by DAN HABIB
Three Ann Arborites take a leisurely paddle down the Huron River.
recreational sports buildings: the
NCRB, Intramural Sports Building
(IM), and the Central Campus
Recreation Building (CCRB). All
have indoor pools to suit any taste.
THE IM BUILDING overflows with
tradition, and the pool is inlaid with
old mosaic tiles. The NCRB has a
more modern pool with a wooden deck
built right off the glassed-in pool,
which also has the best hours-until 9
or 10 p.m., while the CCRB and the IM
pools have very limited public swim-
ming hours.
The IM building is the only one of
the three facilities without an indoor
track, but all have saunas and offer
classes in water safety, martial arts,
health and fitness, and weight
training. The CCRB track, pool, and
weight room are generally the most
crowded, but are usually the most
convenient.
If you prefer organized sports to
clubs, the intramural program at the
University includes standards like
rugby, softball, lacrosse, and
volleyball, plus a host of other
favorites, each with various levels of
competition. Check any of the campus
recreation buildings for a complete
list of sports.
In town, the YMCA and the Ann Ar-
bor Recreation Department offer
classes in sports, arts and crafts,
cooking, and dance. In addition, there
are at least 10 good dance studios in
town, and the music school offers
dance classes for credit.
Perhaps ice skating is more for you.
Yost Arena on State Street (behind
the IM building) has public skating
daily.
When the hustle and bustle of the
city and school becomes too much,
Nichols Arboretum is your recreation
spot. The Arb is a combination of
wooded trails, rolling hills, flat, greenl
picnic spots, and the Huron River
flows along one border.
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