Dining

Coney:

National Coney Island

Locations vary, www.nationalconeyisland.com. Whether it’s a Hani Deluxe at 3 a.m. or eggs and coffee at 10, Coney always comes through in the clutch.

Italian:

Olive Garden,

Locations vary, www.olivegarden.com. The Never-ending Pasta Bowl is just the right recipe for the depressed Michigan economy.

Mexican:

Mexican Village,

2600 Bagley St., Detroit,

(313) 237-0333. No trip to Detroit is complete without refried beans and rice.

Greek:

Pegasus Taverna,

558 Monroe St., Detroit,

(313) 964-6800. OPA!

Pegasus offers the finest saganaki around.

Thai:

Bangkok Cuisine,

Locations vary, www.bangkokcuisine.com. Huge portions and reasonable pricing gives Bangkok Cuisine the nod. Just be careful with the spices.

Sandwich Shop:

Jimmy John’s, Locations vary, www.jimmyjohns.com. From quick delivery to great subs and giant pickles, Jimmy John’s covers all the bases.

Appetizers:

Applebee’s, Locations vary

www.applebees.com. Before, during or after the game, Applebee’s is the place for apps.

Steakhouse:

Outback Steakhouse,

Locations vary,

www.outback.com.

Outback brings the thunder from Down Under.

Burgers:

Burger King, Locations vary,

www.burgerking.com. OU students support The King, now available in Shots.

Coffee:

Starbucks, Locations vary,

www.starbucks.com. Was it the free coffee on Election Day or the great service? Either way, Starbucks comes through with a jolt.

Vegetarian:

Inn Season, 500 E. 4th St., Royal Oak, (248) 547-7916. Unlike other “healthy choice restaurants,” Inn Season provides a range of options from pizza to Mexican.

Ice Cream:

Coldstone, Locations vary,

www.coldstonecreamery.com. If you want ordinary ice cream, stay away. If you want the full ice cream experience, check out Coldstone.

Pizza:

Jets, Locations vary,

www.jetspizza.com.

Either at 2 a.m. or dinner time, the thick, bready, goodness that is Jet’s hits the spot.

Chinese:

P.F. Changs, Locations vary

www.pfchangs.com.

Generous portions and peaceful atmosphere abound at P.F. Chang’s.

Sushi:

Sumo Sushi

Sumo Sushi offers an American take on traditional Japanese cuisine, including udon, teriyaki, and tempura in addition to the sushi they offer. According to the website, they cater to sushi newbies as well as vegeratians and kids.

One of the biggest draws to Sumo Sushi is the atmosphere, which is very casual.

“The rolls you get here, you can get at any sushi restaurant,” server Cortney Labbe said. “I would have to say the atmosphere we create is really what sets us apart from other restaurants.”

The restaurant has a young server base and no dress code, according to Labbe, lending to the casual atmosphere.

-Rory McCarty

Bars

Sports Bar:

Buffalo Wild Wings, 1234 Walton Road, Rochester, (248) 651-3999,

buffalowildwings.com. With 45 TVs it’s nearly impossible to miss a moment of the big game. Drink specials include $3 domestic beer and well drinks along with $2 Pucker shots that start at 10 p.m. 

Martini Bar:

Goodnight Gracie, 224 S. Sherman Ave., Royal Oak, (248) 544-7490,

www.goodnightgracie.com.

Sip on a smooth martini while listening to jazz at the original Royal Oak location. Drinks are half off from 5-7 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Hookah Bar:

Lava Hookah Lounge, 45655 Hayes Road, Shelby Twp., (586) 532-5282. Nothing like your local Smoker’s Choice, Lava Lounge provides nearly 11 hookah flavors and nine mixed flavors including Red Bull, Pina Colada and Mango. If you’re not in the mood to smoke, their extensive food menu includes American and Middle Eastern dishes.

Bar with Live Music:

JD’s Key Club, 1 North Saginaw, Pontiac, (248) 338-7337. JD’s is always 18 and up with an all-request dueling piano show featuring a variety of music anywhere from the 60s to something you’d hear on 95.5.

Best Happy Hour:

T.G.I. Fridays, 2443 N Squirrel Rd., Auburn Hills, (248) 340-9771. From 4-7 p.m. and 9 p.m.-close, T.G.I. Fridays drink specials hit the spot with students. Long Island Ice Teas and Margaritas run $4, premium pints and bottles run $3, domestic beers run $2 and there is $1 off premium spirits. A $2.50 daily drink special changes each day.

Microbrewery:

Rochester Mills Beer. Co.

Rochester Mills Beer Co. wins again this year with its combination of American cuisine with a twist and broad selection of handcrafted beers. Housed in a former Rochester knitting mill, “The Mills” retains its historical integrity while giving customers a relaxing ‘anything goes’ bar atmosphere. There is also private seating available for parties or guests wanting a quieter meal. The exposed brick walls and hardwood floors are dotted with televisions and pool tables.

Owned by the Pleszure Food Group Co., “The Mills” has also become more eco-friendly since the addition of another Pleszure friendly restaurant: Mind, Body, and Spirits where cooking oil is recycled for use as biodiesel and the brewery has also ventured into organic craft beers.

The menu’s traditional fare of soup, salads, brewery favorites, sandwiches and brick over pizzas is also augmented with a veggie burger (borrowed from its sister restaurant), seasonal options and gluten-free options like the seafood pasta primavera.

— Kay Nguyen

Place to Celebrate 21st Birthday:

Coyote Joe’s, J.D.’s Key Club

With over 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor dancing and drinking space, Shelby Township’s country bar Coyote Joe’s is unlike any other bar in the metro area, mostly because of the music. The DJ mixes hot new songs (while the videos play on the screens throughout the bar) for line dancing and free style. But the biggest names in country sometimes grace the stage.

Twenty-five big screen TVs keep you entertained and there’s always something to watch whether you’re shooting pool in the back bar, bellied up to the main bar waiting for the Coyote girls to kick up their heels right in front of you, or doing some boot scootin’ yourself on the dance floor.

Among the channels is the one tuned to the mechanical bull. Riding the bull should be on the “to do” list for Coyote Joe’s, especially for birthday girls and boys, bachelorettes and anyone else out for a wild time. The bull is also popular on Thursdays when ladies ride free, have no cover charge and get dollar drinks until 10 p.m. For more information visit www.coyotejoes.com.

 — Colleen J. Miller

Music and Culture

Best Local Getaway:

Frankenmuth, Frankenmuth might be about 70 miles and an hour drive from Oakland University’s campus, but that didn’t stop OU’s students from choosing “Michigan’s Little Bavaria” as the best local weekend getaway. Frankenmuth can fill a student’s summer with the many different festivals the town offers, like the World Expo of Beer, Bavarian Festival and Oktoberfest.

Art Gallery:

Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. With over 100 galleries, the United States’ fifth-largest fine arts museum can always be rediscovered.

Theater:

AMC 30, 44681 Mound Road, Sterling Heights

Sit back and relax in one of the 30 theatres and enjoy an IMAX experience. Save money by going on the weekdays when tickets are $5, but the prices go up to $10 on weekends.

Bowling Alley:

Classic Lanes, 2145 Avon Industrial Dr., Rochester Hills. Reasonable prices, cosmic bowling and a proximity to Ram’s Horn make Classic Lanes a good late-night hangout.

Concert Venue:

DTE Energy Music Theater, Sashabaw Roa

d, Clarkston.

Chill out in the summer and listen to cool music at this outdoor venue.

Media

TV Station:

Channel 7 ABC, Students tune in to watch everything from the cult favorite “Lost” and (admit it) “Dancing with the Stars.”

TV Morning Show:

Good Morning America

GMA provides a healthy dose of news, talk, weather and special interest stories each morning with Diana Sawyer.

TV News Source:

Channel 7 ABC, Channel 7 Action News is “on your side” with the latest in sports, entertainment, traffic and weather reports from Jerry Hodak.

Newspaper:

Detroit Free Press

Detroit’s largest daily newspaper delivers another best-of nod.

Best Scandal:

Kwame Kilpatrick, In early 2008, the Detroit Free Press published intimate text messages between Kilpatrick and his chief of staff, Christine Beatty detailing an affair between them. In March of 2008, Kilpatrick was charged with official misconduct, perjury and obstruction of justice. 

Local band:

Yours Truly, The Decks, The Madison Opera

Local band Yours Truly consists of Nico G. and Greg Klein and their guitars. The guys strip it down to just the sound of their instruments and their voices in an acoustic rock manner.

Complete with acoustic covers of “Wake Up” by Coheed and Cambria and “Love in This Club” by Usher, these guys also currently offer several original tracks on their Myspace.

The guys will be performing at the Crofoot on Saturday, March 28 at 9 p.m. For more info on Yours Truly go to www.myspace.com/yourstrulyhw.

— Amanda Meade

Shopping

Mall:

Somerset, 2800 Big Beaver Road, Troy, (248) 643-6360.

Michigan’s most upscale shopping mall gives OU students the best in fashion, food and fun just a jaunt down I-75.

Retail store:

Target, Locations vary,

www.target.com.

With the best in convenience and fashion at an affordable price, Target is the place to go for recession-era shopping.

Jeans:

American Eagle, Locations vary, www.ae.com.

With a vintage flair that will never go out of style, AE jeans are the standard for timeless fashion.

Shoes:

DSW, Locations vary,

www.dsw.com.

With so many in-season choices at reasonable prices, it’s very easy to find oneself in DSW for much longer than expected.

Accessories:

Claire’s, Locations vary,

www.claires.com.

If you’re the type that has more fun getting ready than actually going out, Claire’s is the place to be.

Thrift shop:

Salvation Army,

Locations vary,

www.salvationarmyusa.org. With a world of variety available at ridiculously low prices that go toward a good cause, the Salvation Army is the mecca for hipsters and fashionistas alike.

Used bookstore:

Textbook Outlet, 2592 N. Squirrel Road, Auburn Hills, (248) 377-2884. If textbook prices have you headed for the bread lines, Textbook Outlet is the place to be for homework necessities and OU gear as well.

Self

Mani/pedi:

Le Nail, Locations vary, (800) 992-9500.

Great service and reasonable prices make Le Nail the top choice for all of your   pampering needs.

Fitness center:

Lifetime Fitness,

Locations vary,

www.lifetimefitness.com. When you want to feel good physically and financially, Lifetime is there for fitness at an affordable rate.

Tattoo:

XS, 105 East Second Street, Rochester, (248) 656-5740.

When you’re looking for a tattoo shop, you want cleanliness and quality. XS delivers on both counts.

Piercing:

Claire’s, Locations vary, www.claires.com.

With locations seemingly in  every mall, Claire’s is ready for you whenever inspiration for new piercings strike.

Yoga studio:

OU Rec Center

You don’t have to look far to find the best in yoga, the Rec Center provides convenience and relaxation.

Local music store:

Rock-a-Billy’s

CD sales are down, but Rock-A-Billy’s owner Bill O’Keefe isn’t letting that slow Saturday mornings at his Utica record store. Rock-A-Billy’s is focusing more on vinyl these days, which are flooding from the milk crates that they use to attempt to organize them. T-shirt sales are also up, literally, as the place is so packed with stock that the shirts get displayed above CD racks and along the walls. Not with just new apparel, but carefully hunted, unique shirts that may never have been officially released. Thriftiness enables him to sell them at a reasonable cost.

From solving the world’s problems over music, to giving dating advice to teenagers, to holding free shows in the back of the store — it’s a place for people to get together over a common interest.

“You gotta be a little bit of something to a lot of people,” O’Keefe said.

On Saturday, April 18, Rock-A-Billy’s will be participating in the second annual Record Store Day, a celebration of the independent music store culture. There will be free shows and limited and rare editions made available. For more information go to www.rockabillys.com.

— Colleen J. Miller

Athletics

Best Mascot:

The Grizz

(Oakland University)

Really, what competition did he have? Hooper? Get Real. The Grizz’s blend of gaiety and ferocity make him one of the most underrated mascots in the country.

Best Sports Team:

Red Wings, Fresh off winning Lord Stanley’s Cup in ’08, the Wings are once again on the cusp of claiming the regular season Western Conference crown and positioning themselves for another run at the cup.

Best Stadium:

The Palace of Auburn Hills,

 3 Championship Drive, Auburn Hills, (248) 377-0469. It may look like a hatbox from the outside, but its structure makes for easy navigation, and there’s not a bad seat in the joint. The downside: $9 Budweisers and $5 Dippin’ Dots.

Worst sports team:

Detroit Lions

You may think that the historic 2008 0-16 record season may have been the last of the Detroit Lions’ many indignities over the past decade, but alas, Oakland University students overwhelmingly voted the Lions as metro Detroit’s worst sports team. Word from the Ford family is that help is soon on the way. The Lions have two first-round picks in the upcoming 2009 NFL Draft, including the first pick overall that is rumored to be star Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford. Let’s just hope and pray that they don’t opt for another wide receiver.

— Tim Rath