john-tebeau-art-dev

Dominick’s of Ann Arbor, and Why I Love It

Dominick's of Ann Arbor
Dominick’s of Ann Arbor

Dominick’s on a perfect fall day, first year of college, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Clean breeze, almost painfully bright yellow leaves shining hard with deep blue sky behind. Law Quad buildings look like some plutocrat stole them from Oxford and dropped them right there on campus. I’d walk through the Law Quad, all solid and quiet and staid, strains of the Faber College (see: House, Animal) theme flowing through my naive little noggin. The song was written by Elmer Bernstein, by the way. Very collegiate. To be “played with all the confidence of youth” the note at the beginning of the score points out.

Across the street on the far side of the Law Quad you find an unusual and delightful sight. An oddly built, porch-forward, cottagey-looking maroon and green wonder called Casa Dominick’s. It’s a bar and pizza place, nestled right there on a residential block, surrounded by wood frame houses and leafy trees. I love it. Going to Dominick’s makes me a better person.

Sit out back, in the marvelous patio area and you get a beautiful beer garden vibe. Giant trees, a handmade fountain with a pedestaled cherub perpetually peeing and no music but voice and laughter. And the place closes at 10 p.m. SHARP, so douche-baggery is kept in check. Above this area, off to the far left, is a perch: the balcony of an adjacent house where old Dominick DeVarti himself would survey his empire, like Caesar or the pope.

Dominick's Back Yard
Dominick’s Back Yard

Sit up front (on the upper porch or the lower, take your pick) and overlook the Law Quad, your view happily obstructed by thousands of leaves from the trees that front the property.

Colleen on the Upper Deck
Colleen on the Upper Deck

Sit inside (only when it’s cold or raining!) and you’re in a time capsule. The place had barely changed since I’d say 1975. Posters from the earliest Ann Arbor Film Festivals cover the walls. Earnest BW photos of furry, artsy 1970s students abound. And up there on the front wall? An old poster advertising the 1971 “Free John Sinclair” concert at Crisler Arena which featured John & Yoko. Damn. Sinclair, a local radical, got a 10 year prison sentence for having two joints on him. Ten for two. What bullshit. But it’s History, and at Dom’s, you’re in it.

Free Sinclair by Mouse Studios © 1971
Free Sinclair by Gary Grimshaw © 1971

Dominick’s, may you live forever and never change. I love you just the way you are. That’s why it’ll be an upcoming Great Good Place, soon to be on display at the Ann Arbor Art Center.

A panoramic view of Dominick's interior
A panoramic view of Dominick’s interior

30 comments

I just want to tell you that I am new to blogging and seriously loved this web site. More than likely I’m likely to bookmark your site . You amazingly have terrific articles and reviews. Thanks a lot for sharing with us your blog.

I just want to mention I am just all new to blogging and absolutely enjoyed this page. More than likely I’m planning to bookmark your site . You surely have terrific stories. Thanks for sharing your web page.

Some times its a pain in the ass to read what blog owners wrote but this site is rattling user friendly ! .

Feb 2, 2018 • Posted by John Deere Technical Manuals

An intriguing discussion will probably be worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you simply write regarding this topic, it will not certainly be a taboo subject but usually consumers are not enough to communicate on such topics. An additional. Cheers

Feb 5, 2018 • Posted by http://brandsfavor.com

I think this is among the most important information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. But wanna remark on some general things, The website style is wonderful, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers

Howdy, precisely turned into enlightened of your blog page by means of Google, and found that it is truly useful. I am destined to be aware for brussels. I may be grateful if you continue this in the near future. A lot of people could be benefited from your posting. Cheers!

Feb 5, 2018 • Posted by http://www.columbusgis.com

Thank you so much for giving everyone an extremely brilliant possiblity to check tips from this blog. It is often so enjoyable and as well , full of amusement for me personally and my office peers to visit your web site really thrice in a week to read the new things you will have. And of course, we are at all times fascinated concerning the fantastic knowledge served by you. Selected 1 facts in this post are ultimately the best we have had.

I can not consider how much in this I did not understand. Thank you for writing this info. I am certain to come back on this page to seek out whenever there is any new content.

Feb 5, 2018 • Posted by http://consultarnumero.com

I was suggested this blog by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re amazing! Thanks!

My husband and i ended up being very delighted Jordan managed to complete his inquiry through the ideas he got out of the web site. It is now and again perplexing to simply always be offering helpful tips which often people may have been trying to sell. And we all already know we now have you to appreciate because of that. The entire explanations you made, the simple web site menu, the friendships you can make it easier to promote – it’s most sensational, and it’s really letting our son and us feel that the situation is excellent, which is certainly quite pressing. Thank you for everything!

Merely a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding style and design .

I like what you guys are up too. Such clever work and reporting! Carry on the superb works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my site :).

You made a number of nice points there. I did a search on the subject and found the majority of people will agree with your blog.

I truly wanted to write down a small comment in order to say thanks to you for all the fabulous ways you are giving out on this site. My rather long internet look up has now been compensated with really good content to go over with my neighbours. I would repeat that many of us readers actually are really endowed to be in a superb network with many outstanding people with very helpful points. I feel rather blessed to have encountered your web pages and look forward to really more entertaining times reading here. Thanks once again for everything.

I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get got an shakiness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again as exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this increase.

I think this is one of the most significant information for me. And i am glad reading your article. But want to remark on few general things, The web site style is ideal, the articles is really excellent : D. Good job, cheers

I gotta bookmark this web site it seems very helpful extremely helpful

Thanks for sharing superb informations. Your site is so cool. I’m impressed by the details that you have on this site. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found simply the information I already searched everywhere and just could not come across. What an ideal web-site.

Feb 8, 2018 • Posted by http://blackfloortiles.com

Of course, what a splendid website and revealing posts, I will bookmark your website.All the Best!

Dead indited articles , thanks for information .

Feb 10, 2018 • Posted by http://gocollegestudents.com

I have not checked in here for a while because I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂

Only a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw great design and style .

Fantastic beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your website, how can i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear concept

There is apparently a bundle to know about this. I believe you made certain nice points in features also.

hello!,I like your writing very so much! share we keep up a correspondence more about your article on AOL? I need an expert in this area to solve my problem. May be that is you! Taking a look forward to peer you.

I would like to express thanks to the writer just for bailing me out of this incident. Right after surfing around through the world wide web and obtaining techniques that were not pleasant, I thought my entire life was well over. Living minus the strategies to the difficulties you’ve sorted out by means of your entire short article is a crucial case, and ones which may have in a wrong way affected my entire career if I had not encountered your site. Your own competence and kindness in touching all the things was excellent. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t come across such a step like this. I can at this time look ahead to my future. Thanks very much for your professional and result oriented help. I will not be reluctant to propose the blog to any individual who should have tips about this situation.

I have been surfing online more than 3 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all web owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be much more useful than ever before.

I in addition to my buddies ended up looking at the excellent information from your web site and so immediately developed a terrible feeling I had not thanked you for those tips. Those boys appeared to be certainly excited to read through them and have in effect surely been taking pleasure in these things. Thanks for being simply helpful and also for opting for this form of notable subject matter most people are really desirous to know about. My very own honest apologies for not saying thanks to earlier.

You have remarked very interesting details ! ps decent website . “Ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no fibs.” by Oliver Goldsmith.

Awesome and really interesting post here. I very much enjoy sites that have to do with losing weight, so this is perfect to me to discover what you have here. Keep up the great work! how to lose weight fast

Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.