4 Days to Football and Reasons #12, #11, and #10 to Love Ann Arbor

There are just 4 Days Left Till Kick-off, but we're running a little behind on the Countdown. So with 4 Days Left, you’re gonna get three reasons a day to Love Ann Arbor until we get caught up! So, here's #12 in our continuing Series of 100 Days to Football and 100 Reasons to Love Ann Arbor.

#12 – Red Hot Lovers

As a Chicago guy, I’m fairly particular about my hot dogs. The hot dog is not just something you buy in a pack of 12 and throw causally on the grill. No the hot dog is a meal that must be prepared with proper reverence, seasoning, temperature, and accoutrements. Hell, even in Chicago I’ll only go to a single dog shack for my Vienna Beef All Beef Sausages. And no, that's not a double entendre. So for me to say I’d eat at Red Hot Lovers for breakfast lunch and dinner means something. This is the best Chicago style hot dog anywhere outside of Chicago, and frankly it’s better than several places inside Chicago. Here, proper reverence for the highest form of pork product is shown. They’ll load your dog up with onions, tomatoes, celery salt, hot peppers, pickles, relish, and mustard. But it you want ketchup, you have to desecrate your hot dog on your own, you savage bastard. Pictures from Chicago’s golden 70’s, 80’s and 90’s hang all over the joint. Columns from former great columnist and sports writers are at every booth. For me, it was a home away from home, and that’s why it's #12 in our Countdown and Reason #12 to Love Ann Arbor.

#11 – State Street

via farm1.static.flickr.com

The heart of Ann Arbor for Michigan students. Even though you explore more and more of Ann Arbor as you get older, this is the center of your Ann Arbor world for your first two years. There's everything you can possibly need, plenty of eye candy, books, food, drink, well.... everything. So much of Ann Arbor and campus is accessible from State Street, and more importantly, it delivers you to Hoover Street on game day. Whether it's game day, moving day, a summer afternoon, or any day during the school year, State Street is always buzzing with people and excitement. That's why it's #11 in our Countdown and Reason #11 to Love Ann Arbor.

#10 – Blimpy Burger

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via farm3.static.flickr.com

Two photos because you've gotta have the snow bears. The greatest caloric intake imaginable. Doubles. Triples. Quads. Quints. Hell yes I'll have onions and a fried egg. Onion rings. God this place is horrible and wonderful at the same time. It tastes so good going down, but can hurt so bad going out. No matter how many times I go there, I never learn. It's sooooo good. That's why it's #10 in our Countdown and Reason #10 to Love Ann Arbor.

If you've got suggestions on places you'd like to see, email me with a photo or a description and we'll get your favorite hangouts in the countdown as well. I'll also try to get a link on the sidebar in the coming days that allows you to see all 100 Reasons to Love Ann Arbor.