2A - Friday, September 21, 2007 AY: FRIDAY: ire Here The Extremist The king of cocktails For $36, you might expect a massive drink, maybe one of those big, ridiculous-looking cocktails, but The Tsar martini at Caf6 Felix - the most expensive cocktail on Main Street - is just a martini. To say it's just a martini, though, borders on blasphemy. It's the equivalent of saying Michael Jordan was just a basket- ball player. The martini itself is simple: three ounces of vodka, a half- ounce of dry vermouth and a twist of lemon pressed around the edge of the glass. If you do the math, this works out to a little more than $10 per ounce. Is it worth it? Yes. The vermouth alone is special. Imported from Italy, Stock Dry Vermouth provides a nice base for this special beverage, adding a subtle hint of sweetness and fla- vor to the gentle concoction. The vermouth isn't why you'd ever buy this drink, though - especially not for $36. The magic of this wonderful drink derives from its wonderful vodka, Rega- lia Gold Russian. RegaliaGoldisn'tnormalvodka by any means. The bite found in any other vodka is missing from this brilliant booze. If you're inclined to chug a $36 drink, this vodka isn't about to stop you. The finish provides a fasci- nating contrast. At first, it has a sweet taste with a hint of the lemon twist, but then it begins to taste like warm buttered toast. It leaves the slightest vodka taste lingering on your tongue for min- utes after each sip. The vodka comes from a state- run Russian distillery in the old city of Yaroslavl, near Moscow. It's distilled using a 300-year-old recipe, still using wheat grown in the "black soil" region of Russia. After a five-stage purification process, Regalia Gold lies in a white-gold vat for six months "to gain nobility and to acquire reju- venating properties," the compa- ny's website says. The bottle itself looks like a crown, better suited for a safe at Buckingham Palace than a shelf behind a bar. Its golden cap is let- tered with Russian script. The vodka is so exclusive that Cafe Felix has just one or two bottles at any given time. The bar can't get cases from a distribu- tor, said Andy Mohr, a bartender at the restaurant who mixed the drink yesterday. The drink, added to the menu a month ago, is described best on the menu: "The Tsar - Not for peasants; Regalia Gold Russian vodka served with a lemon twist, no exceptions." DAVE MEKELBURG The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com h itidiigan BaihJ 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com KARL STAMPFL DAVID GOH Editor in Chief Business. Manager 734-647-3336 734-764-0558 stampfl@michigan:daily.com goh@michigandaily.com CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom Officehours:Sun. Thurs. 11a.m.- 2a. 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Chelsea Hoard Production Manager Margaret Lim Finance Manager FINA NCE ASSISTA NT MANAGER: Daniel Cheung The Michigan Daily(SSN745-967)7is7pubished MondaythroughFridayduringthefallandwinter terms by studentsat the University of Michigan.One copy is avalable freeof charge toallreaders Additiona copiesmay be pickedupattheDaiy'sofficefor $2.Subscriptionsforfaltermstarting in September viaUs .mailOre$0sWinter term Januarythrough Apris$11,yearlong(September through Aprilis $175.University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscriptionrn teOn-campus subscriptionsforfalltermare$.SubscriptionsmustibeprepaidTheMichiganaly isamemberof The Associated Pressand The Associated CollegiatePress. The Tsar, the most expensive mixed drink on Main Street, costs $36 and is made with vodka from a distilery run by the Russian government. CRIME NOTES Freezer stops freezing, starts shooting sparks WHERE: Central Campus Recreation Building WHEN: Wednesday at about 11:05 a.m. WHAT: Someone called cam- pus police to report that a freez- er started shooting sparks and stopped keeping things cold, the Department of Public Safe- ty reported. DPS, which does not deal with repairs, referred the caller to maintenance. CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Failed car burglars resort to bike theft WHERE: Lot M-18, 1600 E. Medical Center Drive WHEN: Wednesday at about 11:50 p.m. WHAT: Two men not affili- ated with the University were arrested for trying to steal a bike attached to the back of a car, DPS reported. The men were reported attempting to break into cars. Talk on Hindus and Christians WHAT: A lecture on the similarities and differences of the two religions WHO: Center for South Asian Studies WHEN: Today at 5 p.m. WHERE: 1636 School of Social Work Building Meeting for rhythm gamers WHAT: A mass meeting for students interested in playing Dance Dance Revolution WHO: DDR Club WHEN: Today from 8 p.m. to midnight WHERE: Pinball Pete's CORRECTIONS . An article in last Wednes- day's Daily (Want safe sex? ft's going to cost you more) said the Deficit Reduction Act affected Medicare calcu- lations. It changed Medicaid calculations. " A piece in last week's issue of the Statement (Postcardfrom New York: A Midwesterner on the subways) incorrectly stated that Far - Rockaway is in Brooklyn. It is in Queehs. " A column in yesterday's Daily (Pre-public service) said erroneously that Gerald Ford was speaker of the House hefure becoming president. le was I-ouseminotrity lead- er and was then appointed vice president after Spiro Agnew resigned. . A story in yesterday's Daily(Srtudenrs to march on La. town today) incorrectly indicated that the only Uni- versity students traveling to Jena, La. to protest yesterday were menbers of Dy Any Means Necessary. In fact, students representing a vari- ety of campus groups made the trip. Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@ michigandaily.com. The Coop, a bookstore at Harvard University, is under fire for refusing to let students write down ISBN numbers and prices to compare prices, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported. "Halo 3," which comes out on Tuesday, is expect- ed to sell about 3 million copies in its first week on sale, according to an analysis by a business consulting firm. >>FOR MORE, SEE PAGE 4A McKinley Towne Centre, a building development on Liberty and Division streets that houses Google and other companies, is expanding down Liberty Street, The Ann Arbor News reported. Encore Recordings, a record store, and Orchid Lane, a clothing store, will likely be forced to close. . . Injured student Thief swipes taken to hospital baby clothes WHE.RES nith d ar WHERE: University Hospital WHEN: Wednesday at about 5:30 p.m. WHAT: About $100 worth of baby clothing was stolen from the hospital gift shop at some point during the day, DPS reported. wn r: ooun .uaa WHEN: Wednesday at about 5:45 a.m. , WHAT: A student called DPS to request an ambulance for an injured female student, DPS reported. The student wad taken to the University Hospi- tal emergency room. The Rensselaer International Scholars Program Experience global business at the same time you're studying it. Join us at the Career Fair on Monday, September 24. Barcelona, Rome, Shanghai, and Warsaw A career-building opportunity I 40% of your Master's of Science completed I Give uis 10 weeks and we'll give you a serious competitive advantage. Contact a Program Manager: (860) 548-5600 isp@ewp.rpi.edu www.ewp.rpi.edu/isp Full and part-time advanced degree programs offered at multiple campuses. More than 100gradate programs available including options to earn a Ph.D. 0 C XI M i..'''. III 1''''' (Nix1 N ' ''', XEXir M ''''