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18B - The Michigan Daily - Weekend lagaaie - Thursday, April 11, 2002
MICHAEL Gss - AT MILEENRoa
A STEPPING STONE
A2 A GREAT TRAINING GROUND FOR LIFE'S FINER THINGS
The Michigan Daily - Weekend Maazlin
There are few cities in the Midwest
that measure up to Ann Arbor.
Aside from Madison, our fair
city, compared to any other Big Ten col-
'tege town, is the best around.
Columbus is large, but lacks character.
West Lafayette is in the middle of
nowhere. Evanston is a Cambridge
wannabe. And everyone in East Lansing
is grain-fed. Or so the theory goes.
Ann Arbor is simply different. Instead
of strip malls lining the main drag, we
have an Art Deco theater and used book
stores. Instead of going to Taco Bell for
late-night munchies, we go to the
Fleetwood Diner. Instead of going to an
Olive Garden for a romantic Italian din-
ner, we go to Gratzi or Bella Ciao.
Instead of Applebee's, we have real
neighborhood hangouts, like Ashley's
Pub and the Brown Jug.
Bottom-line: We live, work, study and
party in a real city. Although Ann Arbor
can be very isolating at times, the best
thing about this city is that it looks out-
side its borders for inspiration and self-
improvement. We have great architec-
ture, vibrant neighborhoods and estab-
lishments that have history and tradition.
And Ann Arbor is a stepping stone to
better things in life. Our critics say that
we're stuck-up, arrogant and trapped in
six square miles surrounded by reality.
But is that something to be ashamed
of? No. We should celebrate it.
One of Ann Arbor's greatest fans, pub-
lic radio personality and writer Garrison
Keillor aptly described Ann Arbor's resi-
dents - including its students - during
a live broadcast of "A Prarie Home-
Companion" in December:
"People in expensive scruffy clothing,
talking like socialists, in expensive
restaurants."
While Keillor's description may paint
Ann Arbor as superficial city, propped
up by a pretentious and pompous facade,
it is a training ground for the real world
- a cross section of society with all of
its problems crammed into a city with
110,000 people.
If you're an in-stater, Ann Arbor is a
great training ground for social mobili-
ty and provides a large number of
options for choosing a path in life. It's a
place where you can learn to enjoy a
good single-malt scotch, inventive
vegan food or an excellent microbrew.
It's a place that is a stopping-off point
for the world's greatest orchestras and
speakers. It's a nexus for debate, philos-
ophy and issues. It's a place to hang out
and a place to be serious.
Yes, there are better places than Ann
Arbor. No doubt. But it is places like Ann
Arbor that prepare people to enjoy those
better places and the finer things in life.
That.is what makes Ann Arbor so great.
- Michael Grass is the Daily'food
and drink critic. He can be reached via
e-mail at mgrass@umich.edu.
*BEST BUSINESSES
Art Supplies:
Michigan Book & Supply
Athletic Shoe Store: Running Fit
Bank/Credit Union:
U of M Credit Union
Bicycle Sales: Two Wheel Tango
Books: Border's
Bowling Alley: Colonial Lanes
Cab Service: Yellow Cab
Camera/Photo Shop: Ritz
Caming Gear Shop: Bivouac
Car ealer: Howard Cooper
Compact Disc: Border's
Computer Store:
Computer Showcase
Copy Store: Kinko's
Customer Service:
U of M Credit Union
Dry Cleaner: Gold Bond Cleaners
Florist: Normandie Flowers
Furniture Rental:
Instant Furniture Rental
Furniture Store Art Vai
Gift Store: Middle Earth
Grocery Store: Meijer
Haircut: Noggins
Hardware Store: Stadium Hardware
Health Club:
One on One Athletic Club
Hotel: Campus Inn
Jewelry Store: Schlanderer's
Laundrymat: Mr. Stadium
Liquor: Campus Corner
Men's Clothing: Bivouac and
Urban Outfitters
Moving Company:
Two Men and aTruck and U-Haul
Musical Instrument Store:
Herb David Guitar Studio
New Local Business: Cosi and
Sushi.come
Outdoor Apparel: Bivouac
Packaging Store: Mailboxes Etc-
Place to Go for Piercing: Earport
Place to Pamper Yourself:
Oasis Hot Tub Gardens
Public Golf Course:
Leslie Park Golf Course
Realtor: Oppenheimer
Shoe Store: Footprints
Sporting Goods: Bivouac
Store Display Window:
hie
Middle Earth
Tanning Salon: Tanfastic
Test Prep: Kaplan
Textbooks: Ulrich's
Thrift Clothing: Retro Threads
Travel Agency: STA Travel
Used Compact Discs:
Wazoo Records
'U' Fan Apparel: Steve & Barry's
Women's Clothing:
Urban Outfitter's
* BEST
ENTERTAINMENT
Concert: (past ear) John Mayer
Dance Spot: Necto
Live Music Club: Blind Pig
Local Band: Donkey Punch
Local Festival: Art Fair
Movie Theater:8Michigan Theater
Radio Station: 89.9
Video Store: Liberty St. Video
* BEST OF DATING
Date Movie; Amelie
Inexpensive Date: The Atb
Pickup Bar:
Rick's a d Scorekeepers
Picku Line:
Most Common: "Hi"
Most Creative: "Is your name Sarah?
Mine either. We have so much in
common already."
Place for a First Date: The Arb
Place for a Rendezvous: The Arb
Place to Break U : The Diag
Pace to Meet a d ew Mate: Class
Public Place for Sex:
The Graduate Library
Rejection Line:
Most Common: "Ummni...no."
Most Creative: <Laughter>
Restaurant for a Date: Gratzi
Unusual Date Idea:
Ice Skating at Yost
* BEST RESTAURANTS
All You Can Eat: Mongolian BBQ
Bagels: Einhtein's
Bar Drinks: Good Time Charley's
BBQ: Mongolian BBQ
Breakfast: Angelo's
Brunch: The Gandy Dancer
Burgers: Blimpy Burger
Burrito: Pancheros
Cheap Beer: Brown Jug
Cheap Eats: Jimmy Johns
Chinese Food: China Gate
Chipatis: Pizza House
Coffee: Starbucks
Cookies: Mrs. Field's
Deli: Zingerman's
Dessert: La Dolce Vita
Dinner: Pizza House
Fries: Pizza House
Greasy Spoon: Fleetwood Diner
Greek Food: Parthenon
Happy Hour: Good Time Charley's
Hot Dog: Red Hot Lovers
Ice cream/yogurt: Stucchi's
winrners
a~t
The Grad is a student fave for sex and studying.
Indian Food: Raja Rani Place to
Korean Food: University Cafe Place to
Late Night Munchies: Pizza House Professo
Lunch: Jimmy Johns Residenc
Mexican: Sabor Latina Sorority
Micr°breW. Arbor Brewing CoiBany Speaker
Mid-eastern Food: Sports T
Jerusalem Garden Sports T
New Restaurant: Susi~come Student1
Outdoor Eatery: Dominicks and Blue
Overall Restauraut: Pizza House Student
Overall Bar: Scoreepers Thing Al
Pizza: Pizza House Tailgating
Place For Folks to Treat:
Gandy Dancer
Restaurant for Large Groups: * BES
Pizza House
Restaurant Service: Apartme
The Ga:dy Dancer Daily Co
Romantic Restaurant: The Earle Ben Goyde
Salads: Pizza House Excuse f
Seafood: Real Seafood Company Disk/Ha
Sports Bar: Scorekeepers Excuse f
Steak:Chop House common:
Subs: Jimmy John's Hangover
Take-Out: Pizza House Most cre
Vegetarian Food: Seva The girl tf
Wings: Mr. Spots like cat fo
Mr. Spot
Philadelphia Style Steak
and Hoagie Shop
* BEST OF
THE 'U'
Voted Best Buffalo Wings 12 years
running by the Michigan Daily
Readership Poll
Associate Editors: Caitlin Nish,
Andy Taylor-Fabe
Writers: Keith Dusenberry, Michael
Grass, Will EI-Nachef, Jim Schiff
Photo Editor: David Katz
Photographer: Emma Fosdick
Cover Photo: David Katz
Arts Editors: Lyle Henretty, Luke
Smith, Managing Editors, fell
Dickerson, AssociateEditor
Editor in Chief: Jon Schwartz
Athlete (Female):
Athlete (Male):
Mike Cammalleri
Bathroom: In the
Union
Blow-off Course:
Psychology 111
Campus Event:
Football Saturday
Campus
Tradition: Naked
mput The all you can eat E
Center: Fish Bowl
Co-op: Michigan
Course: Psychology 111
Dorm Cafeteria: Bursley
Frat to Party With: Phi Kappa Psi
Lecture H2: 1800 Chem
Library: Graduate Library
F
EMMA
BBQ all-star.
810 South State Street
One block north of Yost Ice Arena
747-SPOT
Pick up or delivery all day!
We accept personal checks, Mastercard & Visa
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