Page 4 -The Michigan Daily/New Student Edition-City-Thursday, September 9, 1993 Main Street offers many attractions by J.B. Akins Daily Staff Reporter All Aboard!! Getready forthe ride ofyourMichigan career. You are about to embark on an unforgettable journey through the Main Street area of downtown Ann Arbor. Upon arrival in downtown Ann Arbor, you will discover an establishment where the founder's grandchildren graciously serve the clientele; a boutique where you'll encounter the latest in contemporary fashions; and a gallery for that one-of-a-kind gift. You can stroll along tree-lined sidewalks, pausing for refreshments at an outdoor cafe. Or choose from an abundance of restaurants to suit your every taste from a bountiful breakfast to a luxurious dinner. "The Main Street area is a unique shopping area with a blend of many shops that offer personalized, down-home service and competitive prices -too," George Kempf said. Kempf is the president of the Main Street Area Association (MSAA) and manager of a downtown men's and boys' clothing store. There aren't many students at the University who haven't heard of Ann Arbor's unique downtown. But unfortunately, there are too many students who have never ventured to see the many wonderful shops and restaurants that make downtown Ann Arbor one that other cities envy. Main Street is about five blocks down from the Michigan Union. Some students cite this distance as the reason they have never shopped there. "Downtown is too far. I also don't know what's there," engineering senior Aaron Sprague said. 'There are more convenient places closer to my home," engineering junior James Weldy said. However, some students have been to Main Street and recommend the area to others. "You first-year students need to come to downtown. There are lots ofgreat sales," University graduate Natalie Grantham said. "I had never been to downtown as an undergraduate, but now I shop here all the time." Let me tell you what's in downtown Ann Arbor. There are clothing stores selling items that range from men's and children's fashion to karate and wilderness apparel. There are art galleries and architecture finns. There are banks and bars. There are bookstores and realtors. Also, there are many specialty stores. You name it and you can probably find it in the Main Street area. The restaurants are too numerous to name them all. They range from Chinese to Italian and from Greek to German. "Downtown Ann Arbor has one of the only doughnutshops in town," LSA senior Lisa Bodley said. Here's one last piece of advice about the fancy restaurants, "Have mom and dad bring you to the nice restaurants downtown," said Rich, manager of a downtown clothing store. "There's one restaurant that will give you a beeper when you make your table reservations so that you can leave and go shopping. When your table is ready, they'll beep you," he added. The MSAA promotes a variety of special events during the year to encourage people to shop and frequent the downtown area. The organization also sponsors First Friday celebrations the first Friday of every month. During these celebrations, the area businesses stay open late, have sidewalk sales and provide free entertainment. So when you arrive in Ann Arbor in the fall, make downtown your first stop. See you soon! Ann Abor provij by Jessie Halladay Daily Staff Reporter So you're heading to Ann Arbor in anticipation ofthat wonderful donn food you will be receiving. And you think to yourself, what am I going to do? Well, you'll order pizza. But contrary to what seems to be the popular college belief, pizza isn't your only alternative to crusted over lasagna or nasty pork stir-fry. There are a lot of RESTA URA NTS great restaurants, and a few sub-par ones to choose from when youjust can't stomach the usual dorm fare, Let's get this pizza stutt out of the way and then get on to something more challenging A' favorites include Cot- tage Inn and Pizzena Uno'.. Cottage Inn will provide you with thin crust (my personal favorite) or deep dish ata fairly reasonable price and they will deliver I heir erusts are great. Uno's has a more exotic ty pcfi pizeca, as w cli as various Itahan dishes. Enough of that, now let's get serious about our choices. Ann Arbor is a great place to get Chinese food. By far the best place -and deal - in town is Dinersty. The crowds that are always present should tell you that the food is wonderful. If you're into cheap and tasteless there is always Magic Wok. This place is all about imitation Chinese wannabe. If you have more exotic tastes and you are hankering for a falafel, there are several places that could fit the bill. Shahrayar on Maynard has a great at- mosphere as well as good, fresh food. They have a wide selection of Middle Eastern delicacies, including the best hummus in town. But if you want a terrific falafel, you've got to head to Jerusalem Gardens. They're cheap and fresh but don't go at peak lunch hour if you don't have time to wait. There are a wide selection of places to which you should get the folks to take you. Most of them revolve around the Main Street area. The Real Seafood Company,Palio, Gratzi andThe Prickley Pear are all quality restaurants where you can expect good food and decent service. The ultimate parent place is the Gandy Dancer, which is housed in the old train station. 'here are also your standard deli- type places. Ihe most well-known, as well as competitive, are Amer's and Lingennan's. Both have great sand- wichesbutare usually pretty busy. Check out the #44 at Amer's. Fab! If you are looking for Mexican, for- get it. Despite the recent influx of Mexi- can restaurants, the selection is no better than before. So I hope you don't feel you have to limit yourself to pizza or, even worse, dorm food. And don't pay attention to the rumors about which cafeteria has the best food, it's all terrible. But hey, you'll get used to it or you'll be calling for extra care packages. by Jon Altshul Daily Staff Reporter In Milwaukee, they drink beer. In Louisville, they drink mint juleps. And in New York, they drink manhattans. In Ann Arbor, they drink coffee. Brimming with sweet java at vir- tually every street corner, the city is a veritable Mecca for the rich Co- the people. However, while some coffee shops brim with ambrosia blends, others should be avoided like the plague. Here are a few insights tc get you started: Fino's (in the Union). Some- where Juan Valdez is smiling. The coffee is Nirvana and the service is superb. The blend is perfect -:not too bitter, not too sweet - ta perfectly black. It wafts across the palate in a spectacular aromatic ex. plosion, delighting the senses while it revitalizes the cerebrum. The Southern European ambi- ance, replete with hanging plants and a sprawling sun patio, adds to its exotic, though centrally located can dor. Fino's caters mostly to upstar1 singles posing as bookworms inA hopes of catching a glance at a r tential mate. "Finocombinesthestar- lombian bean. From Amer's on Church to Gratzi onLiberty and State, the quintessential smoke-filled,jazz- pumping, philosophy-talking coffee shop is as much a staple of Ann Arbor as football Saturdays and dol- lar pitcher Mondays. They are temples of wor- ship for some, of- fering post-mod- ern decors andex- otic baked edibles tocomplementthe diverseplethoraof frothy beverages. Morethansim- ply pretentious venues for under- weightPh.D. can- didates, Ann Ar- bor coffee shops ultimately tran- scend the elitist stereotypes that plaguejavaestab- lishmentsinlesser burghs. Essen- tially, Kafka-hat- ers need not fear - everyone is welcome here. Eachbistrohas it's own distinct personality and c l i e n t e l e. Katherine Rosma Espresso Royale coffee houses. T for starving artist types, Rendez-Vous for bookwormish greeks and Fino's for procrastinating romantics. It seems every student has their own coffee shop to which they be- come inextricably associated. Like the "Cheers" faithful, dedicated pa- trons have their own table and their own unique repertoire with the man- agement. Like choosing a roommate or de- ciding on a major, picking a cafd for your four years in Ann Arbor will be one of the most difficult decisions you'll have to make. It will become your second home - a haven for hangout and a den for debauchery. Shop around, drink the brew, try out U in, an LSA senior, puts in some quality ti he coffee shops abound, but be sure tor dard pretensions of a coffee shop with the down-homeness of a tradi- tional student hangout," explains Rony Guldman, LSA junior an. admitted caffeine addict. Amer's (on State). Though the service is only ho-hum and the blend is a wee bit more mellow than the Fino's offering, Amer's on State is quickly becoming legendary. Vj its luscious deli, art deco floor - terns, and modest beverage prices, Amer's is a can't miss. Usually too noisy for studying, but perfect for talking trash with. a close buddy, the restaurant is ideal for veteran caffeine indulgers. Talk is cheap and the huge bay windows Since 1982, Ann Arbor's Wholistic, Metaphysical Bookshop r (:raz V Wisdom Bookstore if_. .. . _i:i 17 W PETER MATTEWS/Daily Two fellas enjoy the fare at Jerusalem Gardens. The Gardens are a great place for a fabulous falafel. SZE-HUAN WEST 7{ t f in Sze-LhuaCh fHunan, M1ndaruru 2i1iaie, aknd VeCetaria rt Dishes DINING-- C OCKT'AILS-CARRY-OUT Clubs cater to different tastes in mi r by Nina Hodaei Daily Staff Reporter In case you didn't know, there's more to the national music scene than Athens, Seattle, Chapel Hill or Minne- apolis. Granted, Ann Arbor hasn't car- ried the name value that these others have, but there's a lot going on here as well. From a diversity of bars and con- certclubs that attractgreat national tour- ing acts, to a fairly active local music .'. <,<... ,R flcauilogy Al, , n t arge d&Wisdom .. &r i -'5 - c e E. .. .. :.- . . . I. Q Jd )i (uis Hr: . h Eyesight/ iridology ESP/Psychic Phenomena Feldenikeai Matthew Fox Fiction Folklore/MyVthology Food Combininsg Fastinig/Ras. Foods/juicing Gay- Fito G;ay 'on-Fictnion Goddess d& the Feinine {-: z it"(at af, .g >l., ,4.rft& j )ic, ..., us1 . Nric-i5'ue 1 t f:' Lfetcr. lmuo4g Lsin .Fiction ~ ,. Lesbian N ~, 1Fiction LostAncs..tt(iilizattins Lav.e A& R, iaiis,sships Mac~robi i. ,s Media Meditation Meher Baba Men's Literature Mental Health Richard Moss TVhomsMerton Atuk t assaiss<., C':id v tl sas ands hi sic 'rt,. ,_A ,,. mei:Iu4 Si;,. ..t oafno-_s: ~ilsycat Puli'='J A.,.- -- Psychic Developmoent Psychology & Therapy Recently Published Titles Recommnended Titles Self-Help/Personal Growth Raj iseesh Ram Dass Reincarnation Reference Ritual Magic Rolling Rudrananda jane Roberts/Seth Sai Saba saints & NI 'ev , -at -- .5 riudoll'Ste ,.: Sufismn Symnbols & Symsbology Tai ChiAjkido/Martial Arts Taoism [arotoDivination Forls Theosoph yi Blavatsky/Baiky Tibetn Buddhism Chogyam Trungpa Transpersonal Psychology TravelW ildernessiNomadics Unexplained Phenomena U.S. Culture/Lifestyle Videos Alan Watt, Wlist4icbfea'' Ft r:.iKt -~s Y :;hasad Zen * in 199.Sze-Chuan West... TH E E TRul NE WVS' choice good recipe." V o.ted .st Ch inu restaufanit in test of Ann Arbor by You, ile student. * In i9%$fze-Chuar West.-" He n ai u: >the a < for oriental dining. S _ IT E PLACE FOR FNITIES AND / * In 1993, Sze-Chuan West... The McCarthy Menu for TV 2 Eyewitness News said Sze-Chuan West had a 7F/ scene that constanMly produces some exceptional ULl',.. athiu-c's more to this little town in the Midwest than would first meet the -y C. lThere's : thing going or; every night of the U., - when it coies to music. A lot ci the bars focus on a particular sound, arid package their music to a particulai audience, so you need to know wheic to look for your fill of good tunes. The Blind Pig is one ofthese famous institutions in Ann Arbor. Attracting the likes of Ni ana (before they made it big), I lelrnet, . Love lBattery, Bob Mould and even a surpise gig by Pearl Jam all in the past couple of years, the Pig has consistently i ? d way to driw popu- yay to u i, TCu itS int m a te ing he wek.Iliebes artyet is that you oN have ~o be . Ic ener, so you shouldin ' ti i :.. ii:s o. t on the good 21 to enter. The Michigan Theater reels inlarg national tours that have simply ou grown the size of playing at the Pig Rick's. Recently, bands likeMudhone Sugar, and the Psychedelic Furs pe formed here. The lack of moving spa' (it's actually still a functioning old-tim movie house) doesn't provide the est environment to see a show, but does give Ann Arborites the chance t see performers thatnecessarily wouldn come here otherwise due to space strictions. I lillAuditorium is Ann Arborslar' est concert venue (aside from Cris] Arena, which housed the likes ofR.E and the Grateful Dead back when actually was used quite frequently as concert stadium). Larger nation* that come to the Detroit area will s times stop off here as well. Bands lik SoulAsylum, JesusJones,LivingColo and the Replacements played at Hill5 the past couple of years. If rock and blues isn't exactly yo cup of tea, there are still a lot ofchoic in the area. The Ark is a nationall renowned folk concert venue bringin in acts like Jonathon Richmar Suzanne Vega. It showcases top-note entertainment and helps sponsor th yearly Ann Arbor Folk Festival, whic usually brings together the biggest pe loniiN i e folk 111ic industry uk !~_ 111th (yeah. righpt). Several of the coffeehouses, EspressoRoyaleCafd, Rendezvous and Leonardo's on North Campus v I