12B - The Michigan Daily - Weekend, etc. Magazine - Thursday, November 29, 2001 v 9 v w w Launch Boards provides quality gear for A2 skaters The Michigan Daily - Weekend, etc. Magazine UndisCovered 2nd Sabor Latino captaizes on what Taco Bell isn't By Chris Lane For the Daily In Tony's Hawk's autobiography, Hawk Occupation: Skateboarder, nearly two chapters contend with the frivolous popularization of skateboarding as an "extreme" or death wish sport like bungee jumping. But since the now renamed "X-Games" is an annual event on ESPN2, there is a huge market once again for the fringe sports. Despite the timing of Launch Boards' Nov. 3rd grand opening, perish any thought of the bandwagon. Launch may become the only retailer in Ann Arbor with a staff that doesn't want to sell you the trend. Snatching up the prime vacancy left by Underworld Comics on South U., Launch Boards finally gives Ann Arbor a closer alternative to Modern Skate and Surf on Washtenaw Ave. A sweet loca- tion and competitive prices on complete decks for $115 should give Launch's fingers some green. Mail-order compa- nies like CCS or Skate Shack actually charge less, but tack on shipping fees and are notorious with a capital notori- ous for delays and out of stock mer- chandise. To their credit, Launch has a variety of deck selections from companies that are committed to the sport. The big deal rides from California like Element, Consolidated, and Hook-Ups line the main wall. But the locals get shelf space, too. Choices from Daykare may catch your fancy since they're coming straight out of Ann Arbor/Ypsi/ Brighton. Launch also has a strong set-up base that might include Indy trucks and Habitat wheels. All the gear needed for grinding the Dennison curbs or clearing the B- School four set. In terms of snowboards, the sturdy picks like Burton and Allian are not yet on the floor, but will be soon. Because of a late start, Co-owner and manager, Chuck Nagy, told the Daily that the snowboard section is "not quite where we'd like it to be." Bindings, however, like Tech-9 and Switch, and a fair share of goggles are already on display. Clothes and shoe grabs are at the moment small, but still respectable. Volcom, We, Vans, 4ce, and Savier cur- rently take up about three racks and a quarter of a wall. Nagy assures that the store will also carry staple skate shoe companies DC, eS and Emerica. Nagy also said that the store would carry girls clothing, as well. Although, the twenty-something male dominates the popular image of skateboarding and snowboarding, the skate/snow parks that have recently popped up betray that image. When asked about customer base of Launch, Mike Tedrow, an LSA junior and Art Library handrail bomber, said that in only two weeks he had seen a broad base of Ann Arbor come into the store. Nagy added that many "older guys" had shown an interest in bringing back the long boards of the '70s. Immediately before answering that question, a man came in asking for a specific graphic on a deck for his young daughter. Nagy said he would try and find it. One of the most recognizable fea- tures of any skate shop is a friendly, laid-back environment. Launch has this number dialed. A huge cardboard cutout of Brit-ripper Geoff Rowley welcomes you in with metal. The Clash provides the soundtrack. A local video of Flint skaters plays behind the regis- ter. Chairs and a TV with a Dreamcast ALYSSA WOU/D aily Engineering junior and Launch Boards employee Eric Hardin (left) shows LSA senior Greg Larkin (right) some merchandise. sit conspicuously in a corner, open to all. Engineering junior Eric Hardin, who skateboards and snowboards said Launch "won't be just another place to shop." Rather, the staff hopes for a place where kids can hang out, watch skate/snow videos, meet up, practice and learn tricks, etc. The staff even plans to sponsor local skaters for a Launch Boards team. I I 10,01" $10 Rush Tickets on sai the day of the perform before a weekend even Office. 50% Rush Tickets on sa 90 minutes before thee Performance Hall Box0 de 10 am - pm ance or the Friday t at the UMS Ticket le beginning event at the Office. Joshua Redman Quartet and Brad Mehldau Trio If you ask them, the staff of Launch will tell you the real goal of the store, in addition to selling merchandise, is to create a better environment for the Ann Arbor skate scene. It is an optimistic goal, considering that skateboards can- not even be used for transportation on campus, according to DPS. "The skate scene here is big, but it's invisible. It's not unified," Nagy said. Hardin agreed, "There's nothing to bring kids together. Hopefully, the shop will bring people together and promote the scene." It is fitting that one must descend below street level to enter Launch Boards. Skateboarding is once again lift- ing its shredded palms, bruised hips, and unique athleticism to the surface of the mainstream, while somehow retaining that underground, fringe status. Launch captures this spirit by committing its counters, racks, and walls to more than just the trend. Rest assured, the contemporary equivalents of Nash and Variflex will remain at Toys 'R' Us, and Launch will do everything it can to not be "extreme." A look at the underside of U of M www.universitysecrets.com "Don't let your H A I R get ahead of BARBERS ESTABLISHED 1939 615 E. LIBERTY OFF STATE 668-9329 M-F 8:30-5:20 SAT UNTIL 4:20 By Michael Grass Weekend, Etc. Food and Drink Critic Back in 1998, two guys in my Spanish 101 class did their cultural project on Mexican food. Although they were supposed to make the food themselves, I spotted them the night before at Panchero's buying a massive amount of quesadillas and tacos. I snickered during their presenta- tion, as they blamed the inadequa- cies of their visual aids on that they got up at 6 a.m. to start cooking and were "tired." So we were fed cold, rubbery food that morning in class. Not that big a deal because you can rarely expect much from take-out Mexican. Back then, there were only two places close to campus to get Mexican/Southwestern/Tex-Mex food: Panchero's and the East University Ave. Taco Bell. You could also get delivery from Tio's, but the wait during the dinner rush was always long and the walk to their Huron Street location was not worth it. -Then, the campus Taco Bell appropriately fell victim to culinary Darwinism and withered away - Panchero's was the only game close to campus. While I will always enjoy Panchero's for a late night snack when I'm on that side of campus, there's a new place in the State Arbor Airport, and ten times better than the drive- thru swine feed you'll get if you "run for the border." Sabor Latino, which opened this semester, takes the place of the vacated Park Avenue Cafe and Raw Juice Bar, and is the restau- rant's second location in Ann Arbor (the other being downtown at 211 N. Main St.). If I'd have to rank Tio's and Sabor Latino, both restaurants tie for" first place. One restau- rant does not surpass the other; each has their SABOT LATINO (SECAON O ZTCI A1 S'TIT ST AKA-OOYN $. -1' I t 7 4- 7795 "I ESIONS specialty.E Tio's is best known for its deliv- ery and its hot sauce tasting events. The food is standard fare; it's a good place if you want quesadillas, tacos, etc. without the effort of walking there. Sabor Latino, which only has take-out and sit-down, has daily specials which are always a good bet. Street area that brings a fresh atti- tude to Mexican food. Listen up campus (especially the Daily's Sports staff), Sabor Latino Taqueria, at 211 S. State St. is a lot closer than the Taco Bell by the Ann boasts a selection of Mexican drinks, like horchata, jumex and jar- ritos. You won't see any Taco Bell hard shell tacos here. In fact, you won't see anything that resembles a drive- thru here. It's nice to know there's a new place on campus that serves quality Mexican food, without the drive-thru indigestion. On top o about the f makes thec the best un on State Str Perhaps Besides soda, restaurant doubles raw juice bar and Municipal f that, there is something ood at Sabor Latino that dining experience one of ndiscovered dining spots reet. it's the family recipes, maybe it's the quality of the ingredients or the generous portions. Dinners run about $8-$9. Try the ranchero steak dinner, enchilada dinner or tamale dinner. But you can also order a num- ber of a la carte items to make your own combination. Quesadillas are $1.95 each and com- bined with a burrito, taco, tostada or burrito supreme, you can theo- retically have a com- plete meal for around $6. Sabor Latino opened a second restaura the as a also Jazz greats, Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau, team up for a concert which features the two ensembles in separate sets, as well as ajoint performance to close the evening. Handel's Messiah Ring in the sounds of the Christmas season with the UMS Choral Union and Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra performing Handel's beloved oratorio, Messiah. Kirov Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre Valery Gergiev conductor Alexander Toradze piano PROGRAM Debussy La Mer Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 in g minor Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 in e minor, Op. 64 +J E U1s TICKET OFFICE LOCATED IN THE MI LEAGUE, Tur s 764 .253 8 | HOURS M-F 10AM-6PM, SAT 10AM-PM C A valid student ID is required. Limit two tickets per student, per event. Rush Tickets are not Soctt offered if an event is sold out. Seating is subject to availability and box office discretion.