New York Times recommends hotspots in Ann Arbor, citing 'urban sophistication'
From Zingerman’s famous Reuben sandwich to Mark’s Carts cozy courtyard, some Ann Arbor destinations are gaining national recognition today.
The New York Times cites the new Mark's Cart's food courtyard as a cool place to visit in Ann Arbor.
Thomas Boulan, Photographer
“It is the urban sophistication of this town,” the Times reports, “that keeps many University of Michigan alumni from leaving long after they have graduated.”
For entertainment, the article suggests checking out The Ark, State Theater, the University of Michigan Museum of Art or some of the local scenery.
“Visit the architecturally stunning Michigan Law School quadrangle, which could easily stand in for Harry Potter’s Hogwarts,” the author suggests.
Zingerman’s Deli, Angelo’s, Mark’s Carts and Cafe Zola are listed as some the best places to grab a bite to eat.
After checking out a football game in the Big House, the article advises to “head to the more civilized Main Street” and avoid the student-heavy South University and South State Street.
"[It's] the place Bob Seger, who grew up in Ann Arbor, is actually singing about in the song 'Mainstreet,'" according to the article. See the full list of suggested Ann Arbor hotspots here.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
Top Cat
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 6:37 p.m.
Geez, it was a nice article. Just sit back and bask in the glow. How could they miss Arbor Brewing though?
Patti Adler
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 5:59 p.m.
MANI OSTERIA is the hottest new restaurant in Ann Arbor and the NYTimes is sooooooo way behind the times! Check out Maui on 341 Liberty for the best genuine Italian style wood-oven pizzas, and a range of moderately priced and sophisticated small and medium sized plates! You will not regret it!
say it plain
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 1:40 a.m.
You go Patti Adler! I haven't tried Mani Osteria yet, but if this NYT fluff piece can single out the blah overpriced overpretentious Logan for praise (is a requirement that these travel writers actually eat at the places they recommend lol? The way this piece reads makes it seem that it's not necessarily anything more than a list of what some local guide might have said about where to go!), then I wouldn't take being left off the list as any sort of slight ;-)
Dog Guy
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 5:26 p.m.
Some Ann Arbor group oozing "urban sophistication" must have contacts in the NYT newsroom.
chipper
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 2:30 p.m.
It's a great article that I hope will bring some visitors to Ann Arbor. I'm disappointed, though, that they said to look at Dominick's but not eat there! It's one of my favorite spots for lunch.
Original Ann Arborite
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 5:19 p.m.
They did mention the Sangria! :-)
sun runner
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 2:04 p.m.
How did this comment thread turn into a lament for the "Good Old Days" and nitpicking about song lyrics from 1977? I am one of those University of Michigan graduates who came here for school and, 13 years later, I'm still here because I love this area and it has more to offer than my hometown near Cleveland. Can't we just be pleased Ann Arbor was featured in the New York Times travel section and that such a feature may result in more tourist dollars being spent in our city? A little "economic stimulus" in the form of what amounts to free advertising is not a bad thing.
Jeff Renner
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 1:26 p.m.
"Just don't step on the brass inlaid "M" in front of the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library — lore has it that freshmen who step on it will earn an F on their first exam." Does U of M give F's now, or is this an error? A failing grade was an E back when I was a student. Of course, grades were written on clay tablets then.
a2dancelady
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 5:08 p.m.
Have always wondered how that rumor got started. My UM Class of '53 donated the brass "M" but I don't think we donated the rumor at the same time!
Vivienne Armentrout
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 1:18 p.m.
Somehow the slide show did not make it into this portion of the coverage. It is worthwhile, fun to try recognizing everything. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/10/09/travel/20111009-hours-annarbor.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/10/09/travel/20111009-hours-annarbor.html</a>
Gordon
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:48 p.m.
Glad to see / hear A2 temp & permanment citizens taking a compliment so well. Thank heaven a few of you will move on. The compliment forgot to explain the process of A2 separating the wheat from the chaff. Take the compliment, learn from it, & city council has nothing to do with it. University / College towns are usually mor interesting & dynanmic then those without. Try & keep your feet on the ground.
jwsina2
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:38 p.m.
If the article helps to bring one company to the Washtenaw County, then we all benefit somehow. Be nice!
jwsina2
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:43 p.m.
Too quick on the "Enter" button again...ugh! Need coffee!
jwsina2
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:34 p.m.
If the article brings one company to the Washtenaw County...that's a WIN for all. Be nice!
jwsina2
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:42 p.m.
TYPO -- hate that!
KJMClark
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 10:36 a.m.
OMG, they say we have *art* in Ann Arbor! And they even pointed out that it's not just from downtown, or Washtenaw County, or whatever. It's a really great small city - so why are there almost nothing but detractors on AA.com? I suspect the "respect and be nice to other commenters, but feel free to write *complete trash* about the town, the elected officials, and the staff" official commenting policy has something to do with it.
KJMClark
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 12:42 p.m.
Actually, without UM, Ann Arbor would be the state capital. They don't teach much local history, do they?
B2Pilot
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 11:33 a.m.
Ann Arbor is nothing like it was when Seger was growing up here - Not even close! and the last 10 years we have seen this build up of tenet housing downtown instead of business's. Look at all the vacant store fronts down town! Heck you used to be able to park for virtually free behind the old Klines store on main st. and spend the day shopping, not anymore! The city 'Leaders' decided they did not like that and have taken the city in a different direction. With out U of M A2 would be ghost town!
pbehjatnia
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 9:48 a.m.
Aaaaawwww shucks. Another 'great' Ann Arbor article. We are the hotspot for paper plate vendors and Bob Seger. Geee whizzzz. I bet there's a politician or two who will quote this article in their campaign and claim owbership of it ala Gore and the Internet. And you will all vote for them cuz ya like your egos scratched. Yayayay! Go tem! Go vote for ineffective city government and eat your paper plate cuisine while you listen to Seger yodel. And remeber: you are cool cuz some chick from the NYT says so.
macjont
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:09 p.m.
No, you have it backwards. She said so because we are cool!
David Briegel
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 5:06 a.m.
There were two clubs in the 100 block of Ann St. Clint's Club and The Derby. If you were around then you knew where all the clubs were. If you were interested. Bob and most of us knew!
Laurel
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 1:20 a.m.
Ummmm, didn't Seger say it was about Ann Street and not main street??? He says so in this interview: <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/5035003-421/seger-songs-tell-a-story.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/5035003-421/seger-songs-tell-a-story.html</a> NYT needs to get with the Times and shame on Ann Arbor dot com for not correcting the error in their article!
treetowncartel
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 5:50 p.m.
Who wants to go to Fire lake?
Peter Baker
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 4:20 p.m.
This wasn't an "investigative report" on the meaning of 40 year old song, it was a travel fluff piece. Relax.
Laurel
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 3:18 p.m.
@KMJ, it is common practice for a musician to make their art receivable to a general audience by changing small details. Down on Ann St. would not be as well received in other states or cities as Main Street, that's common sense. Multiple versions of songs exist very typically when an artist sings about a specific place or city. Local radio stations will play a version that gives them a shout out and listeners love them. It's not about Seger, it's about responsible journalism, something Americans know little about.
Jatra
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 3:17 p.m.
Wow, someone needs a beer on "whatever" street. Ann, Main, Catherine, State, take your pick.
Laurel
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 3:12 p.m.
This entire article is trivial in nature, and thus so is every comment. Attack me and call me what you will. Says a lot more about your character than mine. If this article were done as a project for school the 'reporter' would lose credit. Should we really hold people to lower standards in their real life professions than in the training for those professions?? No wonder this country is in such a state of crisis!
KJMClark
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 10:28 a.m.
"Kind of pedantic"? It's a little more than kind of - the song is named Main Street, the chorus repeats Main Street a half dozen times, and the song never mentions Ann. Laurel wins a point for trivia, but she should take up her "argument" with the songwriter. What was he thinking??? Why didn't he get it right and sing "Down on Ann Street"??? So much for his fact checking, huh?
Sam Smith
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 3:36 a.m.
So what club was on Ann Street? Anyone?
Jake C
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 3:11 a.m.
Kind of a pedantic point, Laurel. In that article, Seger says it was about a club that was on Ann Street, located somewhere off Main Street. Maybe it was a door or two down, maybe it was 3 blocks -- do you have a source for exactly what nightclub he was writing about, since even he doesn't remember? It's kinda like complaining that Pacific Rim or Logan shouldn't be considered "Main Street" restaurants since they're actually on Liberty or Washington, even though that's basically a pointless distinction.
Laurel
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 1:47 a.m.
Imagine: real investigative reporting with fact checks and all, rather than just spoon feeding and summarizing other articles from poorly written/researched reporters. I expect that from a Stranger In Town, but in our own, things are Still the Same.
john doe
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 1:13 a.m.
Ive never heard of the cavern club before, even though i grew up in Ann Arbor, but i know for a fact bigger names have played at the blind pig which wasnt even mentioned. I do love the article though.
Jake C
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 3:38 a.m.
Big names aren't everything. I'd been to dozens of nightclubs and concert venues before, but my jaw still dropped the first time I walked into the architectural marvel that is Cavern Club... and then Gotham Club... and then Millennium Club... and then Circus Club (for the same $5 cover). The musical acts and crowd size don't often live up to this venue's potential, but Cavern Club truly is a really cool place to see a sweet musical act. Whereas Blind Pig hosts lots of big-name "relatively unknown" bands, but is basically just a big rectangle with a stage and a bar. I know it has its own strengths, but as a fun place to visit as a weekend-visitor, I'd take the Cavern/Millennium/Circus Club any day if I wasn't a huge fan of whoever was playing at Blind Pig.
LA
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:54 a.m.
The full article is GREAT! What a nice write-up. I've lived here 36 years and never knew that about Bob Segers song! Cool!
Jatra
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 3:36 p.m.
LA I want to be happy with you and enjoy the article but.... Laurel is right. Because the NYT said Main St., not the corner of Main St. and Ann St. it is in fact no longer "Cool!" for you to find out that Main Street has an Ann Arbor connection. You hear that LA? Not cool, not cool at all! Now let your rage at trivial popculture inaccuracies flow (then we will shift our energy to defending humanitarian causes)!!
Laurel
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 1:36 a.m.
Except for the fact that they perpetuated the misconception that many, including the New York Times has about Seger's song. It would have been nice if they had done some real objective reporting here and taken a moment to correct the original article's error. It was about Ann st, not Main st. Learn your music history folks. (I posted a link to an interview where Seger addresses this directly below in another comment for those who'd like to see)
1bigbud
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 9:55 p.m.
How do i say "Marks Carts" are Snooobs (Snobs R Us) We went to see the Place last weekend Very Very upset with the carts or Vendors I guess i wanted more but not much more Like good customer service from some of the vendors .But that was not going to happen $$ Give us your Money take a hike $$ We won't Be Back And i know you don't care
Jimmy McNulty
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:49 p.m.
I'm not sure what vendors you purchased from, but I can say that every time I visit, the folks from Humble Hogs and San Street go out of their way to 1) make a great product, and 2) provide great customer service to ensure that you return. Give them another chance.
sh1
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 11:20 a.m.
ALL the vendors were rude or snobs? In that case, maybe you need to look within. I've never had that experience there.
Jake C
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 2:21 a.m.
Can't say I've been to Mark's Carts on a weekend, but I guess you've had a dramatically different experience than I have. I've been to MC at least two dozen times and my only complaint has been that I've had to wait maybe 5 or 6 minutes for something to be cooked from scratch instead of getting it off a warming tray. I've been given tons of free tasting samples, I've been given some "extra helpings" because the cart owner though a pirogue looked a little on the small side, or it was near closing and they could only make one fried paella-ball (instead of the usual two) so I got it for free. That said, I usually go over lunchtime, and I've been going there since MC opened. I don't know what the "weekend crowd" is usually like, and I have to imagine that some of the people who come in after drinking on a Friday or Saturday night could be a bit of a "handful" and affect the service that the subsequent patrons get. Not excusing bad customer service, but just trying to put things in perspective. By the way, I'm intrigued by your writing style, is it intended to be read as off-meter slam poetry?
leaguebus
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 9:32 p.m.
Good NYT article. Finding Logan and Pacific Rim meant Ms Conlin did her homework on Main Street.