Our Town

A seldom-traversed area of campus, Kerrytown holds much more for students than simply Zingerman’s Delicatessen. During the late fall season, the well-known Farmer’s Market offers seasonal selections such as pies, pastries, wreaths, honey and jams. The market is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be open from May 1 to Dec. 24 each year. Beginning in January, the market is only open Saturdays at the same time, until April 30. It is located on the corner of South Fifth Avenue and Detroit Street. Nearby, the Kerrytown Shops feature a two-story mall with 20 different stores and restaurants, such as Sparrow Meat Market, and Vintage to Vogue home accessories .

Bellanina Day Spa is hard to miss with its purple-brick walls at 201 N. Fourth Ave. The full-service day spa offers treatments to customers including massages, makeup consultation, steam treatment, an oxygen bar and waxing. Prices vary based on treatment, but a 30-minute neck and shoulders massage is priced at $45, and eyebrow shaping is about $17. The spa also sells skin care, massage, sun protection and bath and body products, as well as gift certificates.

 

State Street

One of the newest additions to the shopping experience on State Street is Henrietta Fahrenheit, a hip indie fashion boutique in Nickels Arcade. The boutique, tucked back in the arcade, offers hand-made items from record purses, to clothing, to jewelry crafted out of aluminum beer cans. The store also offers a range of handmade greeting cards and home decorations. Open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays, the boutique is a unique alternative for gifts — either for yourself or for others.

Just as Henrietta Fahrenheit is the newest addition to the State Street stores, Buffalo Wild Wings is the newest addition to the restaurant family (see page 12B). Tuesday nights are popular at the restaurant/bar, with chicken wings priced at 35 cents, and lines sometimes extend out the front door. Located at 205 S. State St., the restaurant is often open until 2 a.m.

Just a few doors down, RussaYog offers an alternative version of yoga that claims to improve strength and flexibility by incorporating a rope into the routine. Using the rope, gravity is manipulated in order to achieve positions different from basic routines. RussaYog claims this leads to improvements on a physical, mental and contemplative level. Classes are offered every day at the studio, located at 215 S. State St., just above Mr. Greek’s Coney Island. Each class is one hour, the drop-in fee is $10 and chai is also included in the session. Individual half-hour sessions are priced at $20.

 

Downtown

Downtown Ann Arbor is perhaps the best place to find unique weekend activities. Improv Inferno, which opened Sept. 10, features weekly shows and games, in addition to improv classes. This weekend’s activities include Hypnotist Kevin Leping at 8 p.m., the Damnation Game at 10 p.m. and the X Show at midnight. All the three shows will run on both Friday and Saturday nights. The club is located at 309 S. Main St. and improv class information can be found at www.improvinferno.com.

On Friday nights, the Heidelberg’s Club Above, turns into a salsa fiesta with its Latin Salsa Night. During the first hour, 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., the club offers free salsa lessons, though cover is $7. After 10 p.m., the floor opens up for salsa dancing, but no partner is required. Club Above is located on the second floor of the Heidelberg bar, at 215 N. Main St.

 

South University

South University Avenue is often a popular weekend spot for the usual bars and clubs, but with new restaurants like Sadako Japanese Restaurant, South University is beginning to offer more options. The restaurant, which opened in September, offers an extensive sushi menu, including the restaurant’s own specialty rolls. In addition to sushi, other appetizers are available, like edamame (soybean pods) as well as larger entrees. Sadako now joins the ranks of Sushi.come and Totoro a nearby sushi restaurant for students.

If you haven’t had a chipati yet, you’re missing out on a University experience. Located just off of South University, Pizza House offers a large selection of chipatis and other pizzeria-type dishes. Like Big Ten Burrito, Pizza House caters to the late-night campus crowd. Its famous chipatis — warm pita bread with a salad-like meal inside — and milkshakes draw many visitors. After 18 years in Ann Arbor, Pizza House is a staple of the late-night eateries. While waiting in long lines for Rick’s, located just across the street, bar-goers can stop in and have a pre-party snack. Pizza House also caters to large parties as well.

 

South Campus

Yost Ice Arena offers open ice skating every day of the week at its Noon Skate, from noon to 12:50 p.m. on weekdays. Wednesday nights are open to the public from 8 to 9:50 p.m., and Saturday nights are also open from 7 to 8:50 p.m. Student admission is priced at $3, and skate rental is $2. The arena is open year-round for skating, with varying hours based on season. In addition to the open skate opportunities, skating lessons are also available for $60.

Of course, Big Ten Burrito continues to thrive as one of the most popular late-night eateries for post-partygoers and insomniacs alike. Recently, the restaurant began selling burritos in the Michigan League, as well as at Pierpont Commons on North Campus. Reasonably priced at about $5 for a basic burrito, the small store is open until 4 a.m., catering to the night owls on campus.

You’ll need to burn off all of those carbs from Big Ten Burrito, and where better to do so than at the renovated Intramural Sports Building, next to Yost Ice Arena? Opening this fall with its new facilities, the building now offers a rock climbing wall and renovated cardio fitness and weight room areas, including new equipment. The facility is located at 606 E. Hoover Ave. and is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Admission is free to students and faculty.

 

Nearby Attractions…

The Purple Rose Theatre — Located about 30 minutes away in Chelsea, the Purple Rose Theater is a local theater owned by actor Jeff Daniels. Currently playing at the theatre is “The Mystery of Irma Vep.” Call (734) 433-ROSE.

Bleu Room — One of the newest attraction’s in Detroit’s club scene, Bleu has been rumoured to attract Detroit’s A-listers, like Eminem. (313) 222-1900.