Ann Arbor: Big House, big fun
Even if you miss the kickoff, you’ll find a lot to howl about in Wolverines’ hometown
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — College football season kicks off this month, and gridiron grudge matches are a good excuse for parents to make a campus visit.
kinIf you’re among the 110,000 headed to University of Michigan’s Big House this Saturday to watch the Wolverines take on Notre Dame, you’re in luck. Ann Arbor — or A2 as the locals call it — isn’t just home to the country’s largest college-owned stadium. It’s also a great getaway, about four hours from Chicago, with lots to see and do over a long weekend.
(Lori Rackl/Sun-Times)
(Lori Rackl/Sun-Times)
But good luck getting sightseeing suggestions from your college-age kids. News flash: Parents and students have different ideas on what constitutes a rockin’ weekend.
So while Johnny and Jenny “study,” hit an all-night kegger and scarf down fried veggies at Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger (whose motto is Cheaper Than Food), here are some extracurricular activities to keep the grownups busy in this quintessential college town:
Taste some ‘Top Chef’ cuisine
Eve Aronoff recently got bounced from Bravo’s “Top Chef” competition, but she’s still cooking at her intimate, upscale eatery, Eve.
“This is a really strong food community; people are passionate about things being local,” said Aronoff, 40. The Cordon Bleu-educated chef opened her eponymous restaurant six years ago in Ann Arbor’s historic Kerrytown district.
Many of Aronoff’s ingredients are local, but her flavors span the globe. One item her customers won’t let her take out of the constantly changing menu: “Inspired Nachos,” delicious fried wontons stacked with avocado, black beans and goat gouda.
Eve’s prices are out of reach for your typical ramen-eating college student, but on Thursday nights she offers complimentary appetizers at the restaurant’s wine bar.
“A DJ plays really interesting music, and it’s a fun chance for the cooks in the kitchen to experiment,” Aronoff said. “It’s ideal for a college budget.”
The Wright stuff
Spend a few memorable nights in Ann Arbor’s most architecturally significant home: the 2,000-square-foot Palmer House, designed in the early 1950s by Frank Lloyd Wright.
“It’s one of the half a dozen or so houses of his you can stay in,” said Jeff Schox, a University of Michigan graduate who, along with his wife, Kathryn, bought the home from its longtime owners in March. They began renting it to overnight guests this summer.
The home is classic Wright: no 90-degree corners, views of the natural surroundings from every room and furniture designed by the architect himself. Sleeping up to five people in three bedrooms, the home sits on two acres of a “beautiful wooded area, very serene, by Nichols Arboretum,” Schox said. “It’s a 20-minute walk to downtown or a five-minute car ride.”
Nightly rates range from $299 during the week to $499 on football weekends.
Check out a cider mill
Visiting cider mills is a popular autumn outing in Michigan, and one of the best of the bunch happens to be in nearby Dexter.
The oldest facility of its kind in the state, Dexter Cider Mill has been churning out cider the same way for 120 years. Up to five varieties of locally grown, hand-picked apples go into the oak rack press, making each batch unique. On weekends, the mill’s bakery sells apple pies and strudel from scratch and offers tastings from the Sandhill Crane Winery.
The cider mill is open from late August until mid-November.
See a show in Chelsea
It’s been almost 20 years since Hollywood star Jeff Daniels started the Purple Rose Theatre Company in his tiny hometown of Chelsea, just west of Ann Arbor.
Each of the actor-playwright’s works — including his most successful play, “Escanaba in da Moonlight” — has debuted in this 168-seat not-for-profit theater, which puts on new plays and classics throughout the year.
“Escanaba,” the final installment of Daniels’ Yooper trilogy set in the U.P. town of the same name, will make its world premiere here Sept. 17. Tickets cost $20-$38 during the 14-week run.
Shop till you dropThe Greek scene is big in Ann Arbor, but the retail scene remains staunchly independent. Sure, you’ll find a few chain stores, but they’re vastly outnumbered by a plethora of quirky book shops and funky boutiques like Found, where recycled goods get a second chance at life as whimsical jewelry and other objects of art.
A mind-boggling array of decorative paper and stationery makes up the bulk of the inventory at nearby Hollander’s. The upstairs sells high-end kitchen gadgets and will start doing cooking demonstrations this fall.
Both shops are located in the cobblestone streets of the Kerrytown district. That’s where you’ll find a fantastic farmer’s market full of Michigan produce and lots more every Saturday year-round.
Snap up some bargains for your college daughter at downtown’s Orchid Lane Warehouse, where the fair-trade clothing, bags, art work and jewelry are all priced at $15 or less.
Take in some tunes
Probably the most beloved musical venue in town, the Ark is a 400-seat club specializing in folk and roots music. Live performances take place here nearly 300 nights a year. At 8 p.m. Monday, the Scottish folk-pop legends the Proclaimers take the stage (tickets cost $20).
Violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman performs at 4 p.m. Sunday (tickets $10-$80) at the university’s Hill Auditorium.
Satisfy that sweet tooth
Good luck resisting the siren song of the succulent cupcakes that decorate the window display at Cake Nouveau.
This is where pasty chef extraordinaire Courtney Clark, a contestant earlier this year on “Food Network Challenge: Last Cake Standing,” creates everything from elaborate wedding cakes to malted milk shake cupcakes selling for $2.50 a pop. Clark attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before moving on to edible art.