Got your Labor Day plans set? I do. I’ll be spending the holiday in exactly the same way I have spent it for the last three decades – at the homestead with my extended family in South Haven. Chilling at the South beach, reading a novel, and listening to the waves? Check! Stocking up on [...]
It’s a blue-sky day. The beach is calling your name and the only thing you want to do is sit in your hammock near Lake Michigan and read a book. The problem is, you can’t find the perfect spot. The trees are too close together and branches are blocking the view of the Lake. [...]
Going home, is a 5-hour drive from Grand Rapids. It’s manageable, but not always the most convenient trip for a weekend visit or doctor’s appointment. Fortunately there are other ways to get home. Flying from the Ford Airport or taking the Amtrak are two popular options, but my favorite alternative to driving is a trip [...]
You can’t talk about West Michigan without talking about the Lake. When I moved to Grand Rapids from the east side of the state for college, I was ecstatic to learn that I was only 20 minutes away from the beach. In these last couple of years, I’ve explored many beaches, including Holland, Grand Haven, [...]
This past school year, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Cook Arts Center for one of my Spanish courses. Cook Arts Center is a program of Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities. I participated in their after-school program, helping with a ceramics class and drumming class. They have a variety of free arts programs, ranging [...]
Attending college over 5 hours away from my home in Wisconsin, it was important for me to find a community I could thrive in and feel like my best self. After living on campus at Calvin for two years, I was excited to branch out into Grand Rapids and become a part of it. When [...]
Art installations as far as the eye can see, eight days filled with music, and people who have traveled from all over the country. What do these have in common? You can find them at Electric Forest Festival. Thousands of people travel to West Michigan over June 21-24 and June 28-July 1 to experience the [...]
Last year on a lazy Friday night, I found myself tagging along with some friends to Holland to repair a dirt bike. Oh the adventures you find yourself in while in college. On our way, we drove past a giant barn on the side of the road. When I saw it, I commented on how [...]
My freshman year at Grand Valley State University, I chose to go in blind for a roommate match in the dorms. I was lucky enough to get matched up with someone that I now call my best friend. We came from different cultures, had different interests, and grew up in completely different types of towns. I am [...]
You can feel the energy when you’re close to electric people. I felt it a few weekends ago when I found myself in a room of entrepreneurs at Grand Rapids Startup Weekend. The event, which is put on by Techstars, a startup accelerator, and was sponsored by Google for Entrepreneurs, invited anyone from the community [...]
I can make it through my morning and day without my usual cup of coffee. But, by “making it through” I mean have a pounding headache and want to fall asleep at my desk at least three times. I have accepted my addiction to caffeine, and in fact, embraced it. I brew it every morning, have at least a cup [...]
One of the best decisions I made as a freshman at GVSU was joining “Pals.” Pals is a student organization that connects underprivileged youth with college mentors that can provide them with extra attention and fun activities that they may not get otherwise. I was assigned to young girl who lived downtown, and while at [...]
It’s true. It’s cold here. And wet. And slippery. And sometimes a snowflake journeys thousands of feet from a cloud only to land right between your scarf and coat collar. Winter is upon us. And by upon us, I mean that in every sense of the word. On our cars, on our heads, on the [...]
Growing up, “yes ma’am” and “no sir” were expected phrases when speaking to everyone, carbonated beverages were ALWAYS “soda”, and “y’all” was the only proper way to address a group of people. I was born and raised in Michigan, but the two biggest influences in my life were southerners. My parents grew up in the [...]
We often speak with people living in places like California, Arizona, and Florida that cite West Michigan's winter as the first objection to relocating to the area. But the truth is, every state has an "indoor" season. In Arizona, you spend the summer going from air conditioned house, to your (remote started) air conditioned car, [...]
While I consider myself a West Michigan native, my parents certainly are not. They spent their childhoods and a good part of their young adult life down south in Louisiana. So, even though I may have grown up in the north, there was certainly a constant Southern influence in the house. The South is well known for its hospitality and it’s hard to be a great host without serving great food. Anyone who [...]
As all of my friends went back home this summer, I found myself alone in a city I didn’t know and looking for something to do. I’ve always enjoyed volunteer work, and I thought it would be a great way to meet people and get involved in the community I would now be calling home. [...]
Growing up in West Michigan is quite the experience; you could get a completely different perspective from 10 people that grew up 30 minutes apart. For me, the first thing that comes to mind when I think about growing up here is my small hometown, Stevensville, and the outdoors. Whether it be long walks, days [...]
The first time I found myself at Tuesday Swing Dancing in Rosa Parks Circle was during the afterglow at West Michigan Intern Connect, a networking requirement of my summer internship; and the first experience hooked me. It was certainly nerve wracking to stand at the edge of Rosa Parks Circle, in the middle of downtown, surrounded by people, many of [...]
Wolfgang’s. For many Grand Rapidians, a necessary pilgrimage. Among students, the restaurant enjoys mythical status as the place you can get a $4 early bird special, that is, if you can peel yourself out of bed in time. It’s common for little herds of Calvin students make the pilgrimage together, emerging from dormitories into the [...]
Next to California, West Michigan boasts the second most diverse agricultural output of any place in the U.S. We get to enjoy the corn and pumpkins, soybeans, apples, and, most important to this blogger, blueberries. Late July is the season to pick, and with a girlfriend who’d never gotten the chance and a free Saturday [...]
Like so many others in this day of Google maps, I have a mountain fascination. I envision taking my travel guitar, large hat, and vintage suitcase to a log cabin for a getaway with my friends. I want to snap a picture of high-altitude scene and find that perfect filter on Instagram. Maybe do some [...]
I recently volunteered for the April 21st event, Runway On The Rapids, benefiting the Multiple Sclerosis Program at Mercy Health St. Mary's. It featured a high-trend fashion show, elegantly executed at the JW Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids. The event was sponsored by many local companies, including Meijer, ADAC Automotive, and JW Marriott. There were [...]
On April 8th, I had the privilege of representing Hello West Michigan and the region to over 500 collegiate athletes at the GVSU Lubbers Cup Regatta. When I started my internship, I didn’t know what a regatta was, but I quickly discovered the sport of rowing, and was fascinated by the speedy boats, called “racing [...]
I had the privelege of attending a performance of Ragtime The Musical at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, one of the oldest and largest community theatres in the nation. The cast of this production did an outstanding job executing such a powerful storyline, centered around various groups of individuals intersecting as they try to succeed in America. Set at [...]
Michigan is known for its breathtaking summers, bright fall colors, and stark, white winters. Truly encapsulating every season to its fullest potential, West Michigan is a hot spot for those who love the outdoors, strong community relations, and beautiful areas to raise a family. Having spent my entire life in West Michigan, I know firsthand [...]
The Essential Service award seeks to recognize the important role of service workers in our community and the role they play in our economy. Without these people who faithfully fulfill necessary roles, our economy would suffer greatly. Award recipients will be recognized at a special Economic Club meeting in January and is sponsored by Michigan [...]
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