East Side Day One: Ann Arbor
Being born and raised a Spartan, taught from birth to hate the Wolverines and everything connected to them in any way is, sans the terrorist killings, rather like “the troubles” in Ireland. Michigan State is the best and only way. Blind devotion is required of true believers. It’s us or them. What we do is right. What they do is not and cannot be. There is no middle, it’s winner take all and it’s deeply and earnestly personal. At least that’s what I thought until the time I actually became a student at MSU. It was not a “friendly” rivalry if we lost. And then I stopped caring about sports. And if you don’t care about sports, the whole notion of demonizing a university or avoiding the town surrounding it makes no sense. After finally visiting Ann Arbor when I was in college, I realized that choosing MSU over UM as a place of higher learning may have been a profound mistake on my part (but really, probably not). Student body aside, Ann Arbor is far superior to East Lansing in almost every way.
For that reason, in part, and because it’s on the way to Dearborn and Detroit, spending the afternoon in Ann Arbor became today’s practical activity. After last night’s research and discussions the plan was to go to the natural history museum on campus (free and has dinosaurs), look around campus, check out the art museum if there was time, then have lunch at Zingerman’s Deli. It was a good plan and we stuck to it.
We left home around 9:30 and got to Ann Arbor in a couple hours’ time. Blessed with too much digital technology, it didn’t take long to find our way to the museum. The University of Michigan Museum of Natural History is showing its age a bit, but since that age is in the millions of years in some cases, it’s not such a big deal. The hall of evolution and the Michigan wildlife gallery are like miniature versions of that grand old dame in New York City, the American Museum of Natural History. There are dinosaur skeletons and stuffed birds and mammals in abundance. Occupying a very manageable three floors, it’s easy enough to spend an hour or two there without feeling overwhelmed or understimulated. The price is right even if the drive is a little far from home. If you have kids you probably should take them there before they’re 34 years old.
From the museum we attempted an amble through campus but were stymied by a biting wind. Thoughts of walking through town and out to Zingerman’s began to sound unappealing so we returned to the car and drove there.
Parking in Ann Arbor, even when school isn’t in session, isn’t that great. We drove around a little while looking for free parking, which we never did find. I guess most college towns with a big university are like that, but I predict fellow rural ‘Ganders on a trip would find that to be an annoyance.
Zingerman’s was packed for their second unexpected lunch rush. It was my first visit there and it’s really something to behold. The reason it’s something to behold is because it’s singular to the area. In New York or San Francisco you can find at least a handful of similar places, old Jewish delis selling sandwiches piled with meat, fragrant dark loaves, and a variety of stinky cheeses. In Mid-Michigan those simply do not exist.
After ordering there are many different prepared foods on offer to buy: oils and vinegars and canned goods. All the employees are beyond friendly and very eager to talk if you give them the chance. It’s not so often you see so many people so into their jobs.
The deli is currently in the midst of a remodeling project which forces you to walk outdoors to get back inside to the seating area and the cash registers. We sat upstairs beside a sunny table and didn’t have too long to wait for our sandwiches. Here’s the verdict: the Reuben was ok, but mostly underwhelming. I’ve had better and much, much better. I’ve also had worse, but I for sure would not travel to Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor just to have a Reuben. It comes with too much hype and too hefty a price tag. The other sandwich we had was made with curried turkey and served on sweet cranberry bread. That was a more interesting, more recommendable choice. The menu is about 10 pages long, so the choices appear endless. But honestly, for a sandwich to be worth $12 it not only has to be outstandingly delicious, it also has to be enough for at least two meals. Zingerman’s will leave you feeling stiffed, or else it will leave you feeling like you’ve just been to a big urban deli and paid New York prices. You’d get more in New York. But go there at least once. And if you’re privileged, go there to buy your loaves and spreads and cheeses. You’ll love it. One thing was extraordinary - the dill pickles. They were fermented rather than just brined in vinegar. It turns out to make a huge difference, like kimchi or sauerkraut. The good stuff is leaps and bounds ahead of the average stuff.
After lunch we walked around Kerrytown, popping in to various shops and booksellers. It’s a great place to spend an afternoon and has enough things to see and do to keep you busy for a while. I guess it might feel small after a while, but similar to Seattle, the things it has are mostly good things. We had coffee at Mighty Good Coffee Roasting. Go there. Good espresso, cool atmosphere, clear attention to quality and Midwestern hipsters, who are a lot less abhorrent than their coastal inspirers. I bought a wool cycling cap from them because I felt I couldn’t not have it.
That concluded our time in Ann Arbor, city of bookstores. Still having plenty of afternoon ahead it was decided that we could kill some time indoors at IKEA in Canton. We took a strange roundabout way to get there over snowy back gravel roads. IKEA was as IKEA always is - voluminous and domestic. This one has two floors so it felt even larger than usual. We left with only a pair of cutting boards.
Finding it still wasn’t time to meet Wendy in Dearborn, but feeling hungry, I made what would become one of the best decisions of my entire trip (of the whole year in fact!). I had the computer take us to Hamido, a well-reviewed Middle Eastern restaurant. Delicious smells filled the parking lot as we entered and inside all the tables were packed with feasting families.
Once we got seated, we quickly settled on the three person dinner platter. To say it was more than enough food is a gross understatement. First came pickled radishes and peppers followed by hummus and a salad. The hummus was outstanding, possibly the best I’ve ever had. Before we had much chance to enjoy it, the platter arrived.
On a bed of rice were versions of all the grilled meats the restaurant cooks. Chicken and beef shawarma were mounded next to kabobs of the most delicious steak chunks, all grilled to perfection. As if that weren’t enough, there were also stuffed grape leaves and balls of falafel. My joy in eating was beyond words and I declared this my birthday dinner, observed. We couldn’t finish even half of the spread, so we took it with us to Wendy’s for the night.
Wendy is Mom’s friend and roommate from he Ecuador trip a few years back. She lives in Dearborn in a house by herself that is populated with all manner of objets d’art. The back room is devoted to Mexico. The kitchen has chickens. And in the holiday season, the living room was stuffed to the gills with Santa Claus figures. There wasn’t a millimeter of available space on the hearth for any more Santas than were already on display, but if there had been, even more of then would have been out.
We sat in the living room chatting with coffee. Wendy is a natural spinner of yarns and clearly someone who has had some practice crafting a tale. We got on famously. Her stories about her dad were right out of David Sedaris book, which probably means David has the soul of a brassy middle aged lady rather than Wendy having the spirit of a slight aging gay male humorist.
Tomorrow is our day in Detroit and at the Henry Ford Museum. Wendy will be our guide and it’s already clear that will be a huge boon to the quality of the experience. Want to get to know something about a city in the most efficient way? Have a friend with a similar outlook on life as you live there and take you around. You’ll learn fast and enjoy it more than if you wander aimlessly by yourself. Eastern Michigan is treating up well.
For that reason, in part, and because it’s on the way to Dearborn and Detroit, spending the afternoon in Ann Arbor became today’s practical activity. After last night’s research and discussions the plan was to go to the natural history museum on campus (free and has dinosaurs), look around campus, check out the art museum if there was time, then have lunch at Zingerman’s Deli. It was a good plan and we stuck to it.
We left home around 9:30 and got to Ann Arbor in a couple hours’ time. Blessed with too much digital technology, it didn’t take long to find our way to the museum. The University of Michigan Museum of Natural History is showing its age a bit, but since that age is in the millions of years in some cases, it’s not such a big deal. The hall of evolution and the Michigan wildlife gallery are like miniature versions of that grand old dame in New York City, the American Museum of Natural History. There are dinosaur skeletons and stuffed birds and mammals in abundance. Occupying a very manageable three floors, it’s easy enough to spend an hour or two there without feeling overwhelmed or understimulated. The price is right even if the drive is a little far from home. If you have kids you probably should take them there before they’re 34 years old.
From the museum we attempted an amble through campus but were stymied by a biting wind. Thoughts of walking through town and out to Zingerman’s began to sound unappealing so we returned to the car and drove there.
Parking in Ann Arbor, even when school isn’t in session, isn’t that great. We drove around a little while looking for free parking, which we never did find. I guess most college towns with a big university are like that, but I predict fellow rural ‘Ganders on a trip would find that to be an annoyance.
Zingerman’s was packed for their second unexpected lunch rush. It was my first visit there and it’s really something to behold. The reason it’s something to behold is because it’s singular to the area. In New York or San Francisco you can find at least a handful of similar places, old Jewish delis selling sandwiches piled with meat, fragrant dark loaves, and a variety of stinky cheeses. In Mid-Michigan those simply do not exist.
After ordering there are many different prepared foods on offer to buy: oils and vinegars and canned goods. All the employees are beyond friendly and very eager to talk if you give them the chance. It’s not so often you see so many people so into their jobs.
The deli is currently in the midst of a remodeling project which forces you to walk outdoors to get back inside to the seating area and the cash registers. We sat upstairs beside a sunny table and didn’t have too long to wait for our sandwiches. Here’s the verdict: the Reuben was ok, but mostly underwhelming. I’ve had better and much, much better. I’ve also had worse, but I for sure would not travel to Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor just to have a Reuben. It comes with too much hype and too hefty a price tag. The other sandwich we had was made with curried turkey and served on sweet cranberry bread. That was a more interesting, more recommendable choice. The menu is about 10 pages long, so the choices appear endless. But honestly, for a sandwich to be worth $12 it not only has to be outstandingly delicious, it also has to be enough for at least two meals. Zingerman’s will leave you feeling stiffed, or else it will leave you feeling like you’ve just been to a big urban deli and paid New York prices. You’d get more in New York. But go there at least once. And if you’re privileged, go there to buy your loaves and spreads and cheeses. You’ll love it. One thing was extraordinary - the dill pickles. They were fermented rather than just brined in vinegar. It turns out to make a huge difference, like kimchi or sauerkraut. The good stuff is leaps and bounds ahead of the average stuff.
After lunch we walked around Kerrytown, popping in to various shops and booksellers. It’s a great place to spend an afternoon and has enough things to see and do to keep you busy for a while. I guess it might feel small after a while, but similar to Seattle, the things it has are mostly good things. We had coffee at Mighty Good Coffee Roasting. Go there. Good espresso, cool atmosphere, clear attention to quality and Midwestern hipsters, who are a lot less abhorrent than their coastal inspirers. I bought a wool cycling cap from them because I felt I couldn’t not have it.
That concluded our time in Ann Arbor, city of bookstores. Still having plenty of afternoon ahead it was decided that we could kill some time indoors at IKEA in Canton. We took a strange roundabout way to get there over snowy back gravel roads. IKEA was as IKEA always is - voluminous and domestic. This one has two floors so it felt even larger than usual. We left with only a pair of cutting boards.
Finding it still wasn’t time to meet Wendy in Dearborn, but feeling hungry, I made what would become one of the best decisions of my entire trip (of the whole year in fact!). I had the computer take us to Hamido, a well-reviewed Middle Eastern restaurant. Delicious smells filled the parking lot as we entered and inside all the tables were packed with feasting families.
Once we got seated, we quickly settled on the three person dinner platter. To say it was more than enough food is a gross understatement. First came pickled radishes and peppers followed by hummus and a salad. The hummus was outstanding, possibly the best I’ve ever had. Before we had much chance to enjoy it, the platter arrived.
On a bed of rice were versions of all the grilled meats the restaurant cooks. Chicken and beef shawarma were mounded next to kabobs of the most delicious steak chunks, all grilled to perfection. As if that weren’t enough, there were also stuffed grape leaves and balls of falafel. My joy in eating was beyond words and I declared this my birthday dinner, observed. We couldn’t finish even half of the spread, so we took it with us to Wendy’s for the night.
Wendy is Mom’s friend and roommate from he Ecuador trip a few years back. She lives in Dearborn in a house by herself that is populated with all manner of objets d’art. The back room is devoted to Mexico. The kitchen has chickens. And in the holiday season, the living room was stuffed to the gills with Santa Claus figures. There wasn’t a millimeter of available space on the hearth for any more Santas than were already on display, but if there had been, even more of then would have been out.
We sat in the living room chatting with coffee. Wendy is a natural spinner of yarns and clearly someone who has had some practice crafting a tale. We got on famously. Her stories about her dad were right out of David Sedaris book, which probably means David has the soul of a brassy middle aged lady rather than Wendy having the spirit of a slight aging gay male humorist.
Tomorrow is our day in Detroit and at the Henry Ford Museum. Wendy will be our guide and it’s already clear that will be a huge boon to the quality of the experience. Want to get to know something about a city in the most efficient way? Have a friend with a similar outlook on life as you live there and take you around. You’ll learn fast and enjoy it more than if you wander aimlessly by yourself. Eastern Michigan is treating up well.