With Halloween around the corner, we offer up a few haunted attractions to get you in the mood. So read on…if you dare.
Forest of Fear
Celebrating 15 years of haunting is the South Kent Jaycees’ Forest of Fear. Located in Caledonia at 8758 Paterson Ave. SE, just south of 84th Street, the outdoor attraction features a one-third mile path haunted by the undead, people you don’t want to meet in the dark and all sorts of other ghastly creatures. The attraction is open Friday and Saturday starting at dusk with the last ticket sold at 11 p.m. Tickets are $15 person with a a $5 per person Fast Pass available. For more information, visit, forstoffear.com.
Moonlight Manor
Moonlight Manor, 5420 Fieldstone Drive SW, Wyoming. Dusk until 10 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Oct. 30 and 31. $5 cash donation. Ages 10 and over
The Haunt
The Haunt is hosting its Sweet 16 and you are invited. Located at 2070 Waldorf NW, The Haunt is a 20,000-square-foot compound of fear…we mean fun…yeah, fun. Stumble through “Abandoned,” an outdoor attraction in which your only guide is the moonlight or holler your way through a half mile of heart-pounding haunted hallways. The Haunt states “chances are you’ll find your way out. But you won’t be the same.” The Haunt is open at dusk on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and will be open Oct. 31. Tickets are $21 with a speed ticket available for $31. For more information, visit the-haunt.com.
New Salem Corn Maze
It’s all sweet and innocent during the day at the New Salem Corn Maze, but the witches and zombies come out when it turns dark. Located at 4516 24th St., Dorr, the New Salem Corn Maze offers three different activities, the Witch’s Woods, the Haunted Corn Maze, and the Zombie Attrack, where the tables are turned and you get to hunt the Zombies. Haunted attractions are open Friday and Saturday from dusk until 11 p.m. and Oct. 31 from dusk until 10 p.m. Tickets are usually $20 per activity with special pricing for the more you do, such as $30 for two activities, $40 for three, and $50 for four. (Note the Witch’s Woods has two trails.) Daytime activities are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with ticket pricing being $7/per person and free/three and under. For more information, visit witchesofnewsalem.com.
Make your escape
Not a fan of creeping through dark woods to get the whatever scared out of you? Well for a different twist on thrill, how about using your wits to race against the clock to discover hidden clues and unlock challenges and secret compartments to get out of a locked room. You can head to the Great Escape Room Grand Rapids, located inside The Masonic Temple, 233 E. Fulton St. Prices vary with discounts for groups of 10 or more. Visit thegreatescaperoom.com.
Incorporating green living practices into your daily life may be easier (and more fun) than you think. Here are just a few of Metro Health’s favorite ideas:
Go Vegetarian Once a Week (Meatless Mondays)
One less meat-based meal a week helps the planet and your diet. For example: It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You will also also save some trees. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rain forest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed. Find some meatless recipes featured by our Farm Markets and learn how to make your favorite recipes more heart healthy.
Rethink Bottled Water
Nearly 90% of plastic water bottles are not recycled, instead taking thousands of years to decompose. Buy a reusable container and fill it with tap water, a great choice for the environment, your wallet and possibly your health. The EPA’s standards for tap water are more stringent than the FDA’s standards for bottled water.
Make a Rain Barrel
Do your part to conserve water by taking a Rain Barrel Workshop. Rain barrels are effective in storm water usage and water quality. They can even help lower your water bill during those long, hot summer months.
Buy Local
Consider the amount of pollution created to get your food from the farm to your table. Whenever possible, buy from local farmers or farmers’ markets, supporting your local economy and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas created when products are flown or trucked in. Click here to learn about the Metro Health Farm Markets.
Plant a Garden
Planting a garden is a great way to enjoy fresh produce at home! We are proud to supply our Metro Café with fresh produce and herbs from the Metro Health Garden. We also partner with the United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM) and the City of Wyoming to provide a Community Garden in a neighborhood where there is great need and limited access to healthy food. Watch for information about our gardens and tips on making your own garden come to life.
Community Clean-Up Day
Metro Health Village is home to a number of walking and biking trails and Frog Hollow Park, making it a great escape for the whole family. So every spring, we host a day to spruce up Metro Health Village, making it ready for another season of family fun. Please join us – this may be the most fun you ever had picking up trash! (High school students can also earn Community Service Hours by participating.) Check Metro Health’s Live Healthy Calendar to learn more.
The scenic route from Kenmare to Killarney includes winding roads through the Killarney National Park as well as rain and sun and rain again, mist and clouds, green green hills and even greener moss, soft as a blanket.
The lakes you pass are worth a stop. I could have stayed and gazed at the views for days.
For a break from the car, I took a long hike to Torc waterfall, and spent a couple of hours on a rocky, muddy trail, up and down, mostly all to myself. You can park a 10-minute walk from the falls, but I preferred the scenic hike. At first the sun shone, the sky was blue, but by the time I got to the falls, the sky was gray and starting to sprinkle. The rest of my hike was through the rain, and I was glad I’d dressed for it.
It was one of my best Ireland experiences — like a fairy forest, all covered in moss — and I even saw a fairy ring, a short hollowed-out tree stump, where you could easily see fairies taking up residence. The ground was carpeted in lots of green shamrocks kissed by raindrops, too.
Ross Castle is a popular stop in Killarney. On my way into the castle, the sky was blue; an hour later it was gunmetal gray, but beautiful both ways. The only way to see the castle is to take the tour, which is quite interesting — one tall tower with a floor for dining, one for sleeping, one for parties. There’s a stone bench for a toilet with a slit to the outside a few floors below, where they hung their clothes over the waste as it produced ammonia which kept the lice out. No heat save a fire, it must’ve been so cold.
These castles were mostly protection against cattle raiding from other clans. A hole gaped in the floor, where boiling oil and rocks could be dumped on intruders’ heads and in the walls are slits for arrows and guns.
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My friend Soraya from Australia asked to meet up with me in Killarney as she was off on a journey of her own, so we toured Muckross house together. It’s a huge old house with beautiful furnishings, but when they described living conditions — especially how cold it was — it doesn’t sound like a very pleasant place to dwell. As we walked the manicured grounds near the lake, the rain suddenly came in torrents. Even with rain jackets and umbrellas we got soaked, especially when our umbrellas blew inside out. When you hear about Ireland getting a lot of rain, you can believe it.
Nearby Muckross Abbey is worth a stop as well and you can catch one of the popular horse drawn carts called jaunting cars, run by local jarvies.
When the sky dried up a bit, we drove drove around the lake to the “Meeting of 3 Waters,” where you could take a short walk to a little cottage cafe for tea. The path was moss and heather heaven, the forest a blanket of green and lavender. The little stone bridge where the waters meet was very picturesque too.
On drier days, you can take a boat across.
Killarney itself is a bustling tourist town with more hotel rooms than any other Irish town or city, save for Dublin. It’s also full of shops, restaurants and pubs, and we enjoyed a couple of hearty meals, as well as some lively Irish music. A little girl of about 4 got out and danced an Irish jig for the crowd. Personally, I prefer smaller, less commercial Kenmare, but Killarney has a lot to offer, and is a great jumping off point for the Ring of Kerry.
About Lynn Strough
Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.
“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”
All images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales
From Nov. 5, 2016, through May 29, 2017, visitors to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 Pearl St. NW in Grand Rapids will experience the sights and sounds of space exploration through live performances, easy-to-use interactive exhibits and state-of-the-art projection and audio technology.
The SPACE: A Journey to Our Futureexhibition immerses visitors in the discoveries of the past and introduces them to today’s explorers who are shaping our destiny in the universe. Ride a lunar module simulator on a journey to the surface of the moon and visit a simulated scientific base camp on Mars.
Although SPACE is geared to young people ages 9 to 17, visitors of all ages will enjoy learning about space exploration.
The 12,000-square-foot exhibition is one of the largest touring space exhibits ever developed. Over the next four years, it will visit Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cleveland, Denver, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
U.S. Senator Gary C. Peters will open the exhibit Nov. 10 at 7 pm.
Altars are on view Thursday, Oct. 27 to Tuesday, Nov. 1
Bring the whole family to the Grand Rapids Public Library — Main, 111 Library St. NE in Grand Rapids on Sunday, Oct. 30 and learn about the Day of the Dead holiday. You can explore the altars, decorate sugar skulls, have your face painted and do a craft. The day will include bilingual story times, live music, food from El Granjero, Lindo Mexico and Pan de Muerto provided by Panaderia Margo.
Family Day Schedule: 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm | Main Library
1:30 pm | Live music with Cabildo | Ryerson Auditorium | Level 3
2:15 pm | Bilingual Story Time | Reading Room | Level 3
2:45 pm | Live music with Cabildo | Ryerson Auditorium | Level 3
3:25 pm | Bilingual Story Time | Reading Room | Level 3
Ongoing | Face Painting | Children’s Library | Level 2
Grand Rapids Pops presentsE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial with a full-length screening of the entire movie, coupled with a live performance of the film score Nov. 4-6 at DeVos Performance Hall.
For the two or three people out there who’ve never seen E.T., the film tells the tale of a gentle alien who is accidentally stranded on Earth. Discovered and befriended by Elliott, who brings his new friend to his suburban California home, E.T. soon falls ill. But with the help of his brother and sister, Elliott manages to keep E.T. hidden from the government long enough for the visitor to return home.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was a huge hit when it was released in 1982. The film by Steven Spielberg quickly surpassed Star Wars as the top-grossing film of all time until it was topped 11 years later by Jurassic Park. The three films all have two things in common: All three are Spielberg films and all three have film scores composed by John Williams.
“He is my hero,” said Grand Rapids Symphony Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt, about the five-time Oscar-winning film composer of more than 100 film scores.
Williams uses the ethereal sounds of harps, celeste, other keyboards plus some polytonality, to suggest the separate but intertwined relationship between Elliot and E.T.
Grand Rapids Symphony’s Principal Harpist Elizabeth Wooster Colpean has been studying and practicing her part — some 90 pages of music — since May. Williams gives the harpist at least four or five major solo passages, including two scenes that are nearly an entire harp solo.
“I’ve noticed in the years I’ve watched John Williams’s films that he often uses the harp in very unusual ways,” Colpean said. “What makes these particular scenes challenging is three-fold: rhythms, technique and the fact that it’s so exposed.”
Grand Rapids Symphony Associate Conductor John Varineau leads the Grand Rapids Pops performance of the score that won Williams his third Oscar and his second for Best Original Music.
The inspiration for the 1982 film, which launched the career of actress Drew Barrymore, was an imaginary friend Spielberg created after his parents’ divorce in 1960. It has inspired young people of all ages ever since.
The final scenes of E.T. proved to be a milestone in Williams’s career and 40-year association with Spielberg. During the recording process, after Williams made several unsuccessful attempts to match his score to the film, Spielberg turned the film off and asked Williams to conduct the music for the scene as he would in a concert. Instead of the usual practice of recording the soundtrack to coincide with the final edit of the film, Spielberg re-edited the finale to match the music.
One of the most popular and successful American orchestral composers of the modern age, Williams’s films also include such dramas as Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan as well as comedies including Home Alone and The Witches of Eastwick. Besides his five Academy Awards, Williams has received 50 Oscar nominations — most recently for Star Wars: The Force Awakens — making him the Academy’s most-nominated living person and the second-most nominated person in its history.
In January 1980, Williams was named Conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, after which he hired Bernhardt as a guest conductor for the Boston Pops. Though Williams retired in December 1993, Bernhardt continues as a recurring guest conductor for the venerable orchestra.
Bernhardt will be back in Grand Rapids for the Wolverine Worldwide Holiday Pops with five performances featuring the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus, Youth Chorus, and Embellish Handbell Ensemble, December 1st to 4th in DeVos Performance Hall.
Tickets
See the movie that won four Academy Awards — including Best Original Score — at 8 pm Fridayand Saturday, Nov. 4and5, and at 3 pm Sunday, Nov. 6 in DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
Tickets start at $18 and are available at the GRS ticket office, weekdays 9am to 5pm at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)
Tickets are also available at the DeVos Place box office, weekdays 10am to 6pm or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
Full-time students of any age are able to purchase tickets for only $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Passport program. This is a MySymphony360-eligible concert.
Experience the magic of film during a night of friendly competition from professional, amateur and student filmmakers from around the state.
The Saugatuck Center for the Arts (SCA) (400 Culver Street) is hosting its 4th annual film festival, the Saugatuck Shorts Film Competition on November 5th at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $10/students and $20/adults. For more information, or to purchase tickets, please visit sc4a.org or call 269.857.2399.
The jury-selected films compete for cash prizes. The audience at the competition will select their favorite film of the night, and the film with the most votes will receive a prize of $1,000.
“The competition is unique in that it requires a Michigan ‘flavor’ in the submission,” said Kristin Armstrong, SCA Executive Director. “For instance, a film could be shot in Michigan, include Michigan in the storyline, have a Michigan filmmaker or actor – something that adds a note of Michigan to the entry.”
This year, actor, producer and director Joel Paul Reisig will co-host the event. Reisig has produced such films as Horse Camp, Rodeo Girl,Small Town Santa, AHorse for Summer, American Scream King and many more. Reisig graduated from Hope College and is a entrepreneur who, in addition to his other job titles, also conducts seminars and workshops on “Be Your Own Hollywood.”
The money raised from the competition will go to benefit the SCA’s year-round free and low-cost programs.
The SCA has long included film as an art medium in its programming; it hosts a yearly Children’s Film Festival and in 2011 the locally produced and focused film Everyday People debuted to a sold-out audience. Most recently, the SCA served as the venue for WGVU Public Media’s Hometown Stories project.
The Saugatuck Shorts Film Competition event will air on WKTV television.
Over the years the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) Viewing Park — at 4820 Kraft Avenue SE, just north of 52nd — has become a popular spot for area workers to take a lunch break or for families to pack a picnic and enjoy a free afternoon spotting planes. The park is like catnip to aviation enthusiasts and photographers. And in July 2015, Grand Rapids Kids Magazine voted the park the “Best Kept Secret in Grand Rapids”.
As its popularity has grown, so has the need for an updated facility. Now the Airport Viewing Park is getting a makeover.
GFIA, in partnership with the Cascade Community Foundation (CCF), broke ground Oct. 24 on the Airport Viewing Park Project, a $1.12 million renovation that will add a pavilion, permanent restrooms, new seating areas, expanded parking spaces and more.
Courtesy of Gerald R. Ford International Airport
“We have heard over the years how enjoyable this viewing park is to our community, and we are happy to invest in our Airport Viewing Park to make it even better for future generations,” said GFIA Acting President & CEO Phil Johnson.
The Airport contributed $675,000 to the project, with the balance funded through CCF’s “Community is Our Middle Name” Capital Campaign.
“We are grateful for the community support that was essential to the success of the Cascade Community Foundations ‘Community is our Middle Name’ campaign,” said campaign co-chair Sheila VanZile. “The project couldn’t have happened without the significant support of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and their amazing team.”
After construction is completed, parking spaces will nearly double from 57 current spaces to 102 in the renovated lot. Additionally, there will be four bus parking spaces to accommodate school and tour groups. Guests will have more than double the seating of the old park with new picnic tables and benches, and a permanent restroom, new signage and more trash receptacles are being added.
Mathison & Mathison Architects designed the new Viewing Park, and contractor Owen Ames Kimball is the construction team.
The Airport Viewing Park should remain open during construction, but parking will be limited and – should closings occur – they will be posted via the Airport’s social media accounts. More photos and information on the project can be found here.
Halloween has not even passed but the holiday craft show season has been in full swing for about two weeks.
The shows are great for gift inspirations or just hang with friends and checking out the goodies. Below, we have compiled some local and popular area shows you might want to consider visiting if you have the chance.
Oct. 29
Christmas Bazaar: Breton Ridge, 2772 Pfeiffer Woods Dr., Grand Rapids. 9 am – 3 p.m.
Nov. 4 — 5
Beneath the Wreath, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $5. www.juniorleaguegr.com
Jenison Christian School Fall Arts and Crafts Show: Jenison Christian School, 7726 Graceland, Jenison. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. www.jenisonchristian.org
Nov. 5
Arts, Crafts, and Bake Sale: St. Paul’s Church, 2560 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. More than 20 exhibitors with breakfast and lunch.
Nov. 11
Holiday Gift Show and Lunch: Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, 701 W. Cloverdale Rd., Hastings. 11 am-3 pm. Seating times are 11 a.m. – noon; 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.; 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Call 269-721-4190
Nov. 11 — 12
West Michigan Potters Guild 33rd Annual Fall Show and Sale: The Cultural Center at St. Nicholas, 2250 E. Paris Ave. SE, Grand Rapids. Noon – 9 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday. www.westmichiganpottersguild.com
Nov. 12
Byron Center Fine Arts Boosters Annual Craft Fair: Byron Center High School, 8500 Burlingame Ave SW, Byron Center. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Entrance fee: $2. 616-878-6600
Nov. 12
Christmas Holiday Craft Show: St. Mary Magdalen Breitenstein Center, 1213 52nd Street SE, Kentwood. 10 am-3 pm. www.stmmagdalen.org
Nov. 12 – 13
Immaculate Heart of Mary Holiday Craft Show, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., 1935 Plymouth Road SE.
3rd Annual Winter Bazaar: Hopkins District Library, 118 E. Main St., Hopkins. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. www.hopkins.llcoop.org
Nov. 27
Grand Valley Armory, 1200 44th St. SW, Wyoming, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Nov. 28 – Dec. 20
Holiday Walk and Market: W.K. Kellogg Manor House, 3700 E. Gull Lake Dr., Hickory Corners. Fridays and Saturdays, noon-5 pm. $7/adult and $5/senior & student. 269-671-2416
Nov. 29
Wyoming Band Boosters Craft Shows: Wyoming High School, 1350 Praire Parkway SW, Wyoming. 9 a.m. – 3 pm.
Dec. 3 – 4
Holiday Artists’ Market at Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, 41 Sheldon Blvd. SE, 5 – 9 p.m.
Dec. 4
Kentwood Community Church, 1200 60th St. SE, Kentwood, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., more than 90 crafters, bake sale, lunch, with Purchasing with a Purpose room.
Dec. 6
Rogue River Artisans Fine Art & Craft Holiday Sale: Lowell High School, 11700 Vergennes, Lowell. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. www.lowellholidayartshow.com
The Nov. 8 presidential election is just around the corner. Voter turnout across Michigan is expected to be well above average – meaning the polling locations will be very busy places for most of the day.
City clerks from East Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Wyoming are providing the following tips to make Election Day go smoothly:
Avoid peak times: If possible, you may want to vote from 9 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 4 p.m. when the lines are usually shorter.
Be informed: The ballot is very long and has two sides, with more than 90 candidates running for 22 offices as well as ballot proposals to consider in most precincts. You can download a sample ballot at www.michigan.gov/vote by looking up your voter registration and then viewing your ballot. This will allow you to look everything over ahead of time and do any research you would like. If you print the sample ballot to record your choices and bring it to the polls to record your votes onto an official ballot, be sure to keep it in your purse or pocket until you are in the privacy of the voting booth.
“We often find the bottleneck in the precinct is that all the booths are full and people have to wait until a booth is open for us to issue their ballot,” said East Grand Rapids City Clerk Karen Brower. “Knowing ahead of time which offices are being decided and reading over the language on the proposals means less time in the voting booth and better moving lines for those waiting.”
Be prepared: Make sure you know where your polling location is so you don’t wait in line at the wrong precinct only to have to go somewhere else. If you’re not sure if you’re registered, or to find your polling location, check www.michigan.gov/vote or call your local government office.
Poll workers will ask you to show photo ID or sign an affidavit stating you don’t have an ID. If you have your ID with you, having your ID out of your wallet and ready to present can help make things go quicker.
“Knowing where your polling location is before Election Day will make it a lot easier when you go to vote,” said City of Kentwood Clerk Dan Kasunic. “The website makes it easy to find your polling location. You would hate to show up at the wrong polling location and wait in line to only be told you need to go to another location.”
Consider voting absentee: Absentee ballots are available now at your local municipality office. Ballots can be mailed until Saturday, Nov. 5. On Monday, Nov. 7, you can vote in person at your local clerk’s office until 4 p.m. Michigan law allows you to vote absentee if:
You are 60 years of age or older
You expect to be absent from the community in which you are registered for the entire time the polls are open on Election Day
You are physically unable to attend the polls without the assistance of another
You cannot attend the polls because of the tenets of your religion
You have been appointed an election precinct inspector in a precinct other than the precinct where you reside
You cannot attend the polls because you are confined to jail awaiting arrangement or trial
“I would highly recommend voting absentee to anyone who qualifies,” said City of Wyoming Clerk Kelli VandenBerg. “Absentee voters will avoid potentially long lines and will also be able to spend as much time as needed to read through, understand and vote for each question on the ballot without feeling rushed.”
You can receive your ballot early and vote prior to Election Day. All absentee ballots are kept sealed in their envelopes at your clerk’s office until Election Day when they are opened and fed through official tabulators so that your votes are counted. You can download the absentee ballot application form at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/AVApp_535884_7.pdf or stop by your local municipality.
If you have any questions about voting, registering to vote, polling locations or anything else, contact your local clerk’s office – Wyoming Clerk office is 616-530-7296 and Kentwood Clerk office is 616-554-0730 or visit www.michigan.gov/sos.
As West Michigan hunters head back to the woods, Metro Health Hospital will host a free Hunters Screening on Saturday, Oct. 22.
Metro Heart and Vascular and trauma services team members will be on hand for the session, which runs 7:30-11:30 a.m. in the main lobby of the hospital at 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW. Various screens will be done to determine risk for heart attacks and other cardiac issues.
“Hunting is more than just sitting in a tree stand. It’s important to check up on your health before heading after that buck,” Dr. Matthew Sevensma of Metro Heart and Vascular said. “Walking miles to your tree stand, climbing, tracking if necessary and then hauling back that perfect deer can really stress your body if you are unaccustomed to the exertion.
“While you don’t need to be in peak physical condition, you will want to be sure your body can handle the level of activity necessary to keep you safe while you are out in the field.”
In a study conducted by Michigan’s Beaumont Hospital which was published in 2007 in the American Journal of Cardiology, 25 middle-aged hunters, 17 of whom had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, were fitted with heart monitors.
During deer season, all but three exceeded the maximum rate they had achieved on a treadmill test. Dragging downed game raised heart rates to the most dangerous levels, but several men experienced jumps into the red zone simply from spotting or shooting at a deer.
According to study co-author Dr. Barry Franklin, the strain hunting puts on the heart is attributed to three factors: hunting’s strenuous nature, the epinephrine (or “excitement”) response upon seeing game and environmental stresses, including cold weather and altitude.
Franklin also notes that many hunters in the study exhibited life-threatening heart-rhythm irregularities (aka cardiac arrhythmia) that had not been apparent on EKG readouts during laboratory treadmill tests. This was a disturbing finding. Heart arrhythmia is the trigger for cardiac arrest.
Sevensma advised:
Avoid hunting alone
Let a friend or relative know where you are hunting and when you expect to be back
Bring a cell phone in case of emergencies
Practice tree stand safety
Know the symptoms of a heart attack: shortness of breath, cold sweats and chest pressure or pain and/or pain that radiates to your shoulders, arm, jaw or back
Space is limited and registration is required. The screen will include a number of tests, including:
An EKG to determine cardiac risk
Cholesterol test
Body mass index
Blood pressure screen
Glucose test, which requires an eight-hour fast in advance
The world’s longest running play, TheMousetrap, is coming to the historic Strand Theater, now called Larkin’s Other Place, at 315 W. Main St., Lowell, MI on Oct. 28, 29, 30 and Nov. 4, 5 and 6.
Performed by the LowellArts Players, the classic who-dunnit play by the foremost mystery writer of her time, Agatha Christie is set at the Monkswell Manor Guest House where a group of strangers is stranded during a major thunderstorm, one of whom is a murderer. The suspects include the couple who run the house, a spinster, an architect, a retired Army major, a magistrate and a strange little man. A policeman no sooner arrives when a murder occurs.
The play is offered as Dinner Theater with a cash bar on all dates. Dinner theater begins at 6:30 pm on Friday and Saturday evenings (Oct. 28 & 29 and Nov. 4 & 5), show-only tickets are available with a 7:30 pm start time. Sunday Matinee Dinner theater begins at 1:30 pm (Oct. 30 & Nov. 6), show-only tickets are available with a 2:30 pm start time. Advanced tickets are required for Dinner Theater. Show tickets are $14 to $18. Dinner is an additional $13. Purchase tickets online here or by calling 616.897.8545, or at the LowellArts office, 149 S. Hudson St., Lowell, Tues-Fri 10 am-5 pm.
The Mousetrap first opened as a short radio play broadcast in 1947 called Three Blind Mice, in honor of Queen Mary and the play has run continuously in London for 60 years. The murderer’s identity is divulged near the end of the play in an unusual twist ending.
By tradition, at the end of each performance, audiences are asked not to reveal the identity of the killer to anyone outside the theater to ensure that the end of the play is not spoiled for future audiences.
LowellArts has been connecting regional artists and audiences through visual and performing arts in the greater Lowell community since 1977. Annual programming includes The Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concert Series with 10 live outdoor concerts on the Flat River Thursday nights throughout the summer. The Fallasburg Fall Festival for the Arts outdoor two-day art fair showcasing the works of over 100 artists with over 25,000 attendees. Three multi-weekend community theater productions by the LowellArts Players. And, six visual arts exhibitions including the LowellArts Holiday Artists Market and the West Michigan Art Competition.
As Halloween is just around the corner, Schuler Books gets everyone ready with a visit from “American Witches: A Broomstick Tour through Four Centuries!” author Susan Fair Thursday, Oct. 20.
Fair will be at the store, located 2660 28th St. SE, at 7 p.m. In her latest book, Fair explores the history of American witches, which is way wilder than what most people can even imagine. From bewitched pigs hell-bent on revenge to gruesome twentieth-century murders, “American Witches” reveals strange incidents of witchcraft that have long been swept under the rug as bizarre sidetones to history.
Pumpkins and treats
It’s a celebration of everything fall as the City of Kentwood marks is Fall Festival Saturday, Oct. 22.
From 10 a.m. – noon there will be all kinds of family fun events including hayrides, a bounce house, pumpkin races, face painting and other games all at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Rd. SE.
This is the second year the Fall Festival takes place at the same time as the Trunk or Treat, which is happening at the same location. Area businesses and organizations will have decorated their car trunks and will be passing out treats. Participants are encouraged to dress up and vote for their favorite decorated trunk. Also River City Cup & Cake will be on hand with coffee and hot chocolate available. For more, click here.
Digging in
“Things aren’t always as they seem,” said Grand Rapids Civic Theatre guest director Jason Marlett. “Stanley believes his life is unfairly destined to be full of bad luck. It isn’t until he is taken out of his home environment, his comfort zone, that he begins to see life a different way. You might say he starts digging deeper into his past and present – his destiny. It’s no coincidence this storyline is built like an onion, layers and layers of hidden meanings, messages, and treasures”.
Louis Sachar adapted his novel “Holes” with his story coming to life on the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre stage Oct. 21 – 30. To stay true to the storytelling, production designers tackled two significant lighting and set design challenges. The first is how to create a stage full of holes? The second is creating a unique time period transformation. Three stories from separate time periods in history are combined in “Holes” to create one story. It is important for the audience to react to the changes without feeling awkward because while in the past we continue to reference the present, and no matter where we are in time, we never forget where the story is ultimately headed.
“Holes” is playing at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division, October 21-30 and is recommended for ages 8 and older. Please note, this play does contain violence. For tickets and other information, click here
Returning to Neverland
Peter Pan comes to life in Grand Rapids Ballet School Junior Company’s rendition of the classic story. Choreographed by Junior Company Artistic Director Attila Mosolygo, this one-hour performance includes pirates and mermaids and the vividness of a child’s imagination.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23 at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre, 341 Ellsworth Ave. SW. Tickets are $18. For more information, click here.
Refinery Smoke, Dress, July 2008: Untreated woven metal gauze, cow leather, cotton, Groninger Museum. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios
Say yes to the dress
It you have not heard, the designer behind some of Lady Gaga’s fashion, Iris van Herpern, will have an exhibit featuring her work at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, 101 Monroe Ave. NW.
The exhibit, “Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion,” features 45 haute couture outfits carefully selected from 15 of van Herpen’s collections designed from 2008 through 2015: 18 pieces from the designer’s most recent lines and a selection of her shoe designs, and 27 pieces from van Herpen’s solo exhibition at the Groninger Museum, Netherlands.
The exhibit runs Oct. 23 – Jan. 15 at the museum. For more information, click here.
Friday, Oct. 21, has been named Wonder Woman Day in honor of the first female superhero who marks her 75th anniversary. Wonder Woman has been named the U.N. Honorary Ambassador for empowerment of woman and girls. An event celebrating the special day has been planned in New York and to top off the event Gal Gadot and Lynda Carter will be present. In fact, expect to see more of Carter on television as she is scheduled to appear as president in a few upcoming episodes of “Supergirl.”
Even the post office is celebrating the 75th anniversary with a new line of forever stamps featuring Wonder Woman.
And expect to see a few Wonder Womans wandering Grand Rapids this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21 – 23, as the Grand Rapids Comic-Con roles into town at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW.
Looks like there is a full list of events and celebrities. For those “Hunger Gamse” fans Bruno Gunn will be attending along side Robin Shelby from “Ghostbusters 2.” Also attending are Denise Crosby, best known for Security Chief Tasha Yar on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and most recently seen in “The Walking Dead,” and Sean Maher of “Firefly,” “Arrow,” and “Con Man.” Also two red Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Steve Cardenas and Austin St. John, along with several of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and other celebrities are scheduled to attend this year’s Grand Rapids Comic Con.
There will be lots going on in the exhibit hall from demonstrations to various products and items for sale. Artists will be on hand to talk about their work, sell prints and for autographs.
There will be two exhibitions, one from the Wes Shank Museum, featuring items form Shank’s private collection of props from vintage science fiction movies, and the Hall of Heroes Museum, from Elkhart, Indiana, that will have several items on display including the motorcycle from “Ghost Rider,” the screen used ring worn from the 2011 “Green Lantern,” along with displays of the Golden Age Marvel and DC comic books and lots of superhero toys form days gone by.
There will be gaming, discussions, photo ops and presentations by celebrities and lots more. For a complete schedule, visit grcomiccon.com.
When 2017 rolls in in a few months, The Golf Club at Thornapple Pointe will have new owners but beyond that customers will see little else change at the popular public golf course located at 7211 48th St. SE.
Earlier this week, Watermark Properties announced it has formed a new legal entity to operate Thornapple Pointe and will take over on Jan. 1.
“It really is going to be business as usual,” said Chris Sobieck, who is the current general manager and PGA professional at Thornapple Pointe. Sobieck has been with Thornapple Pointe for 16 years and will continue to serve as its general manager along with overseeing Watermark’s golf and sports operations.
“Other than the ownership changing, everything is going to keep going like it has been,” Sobieck said. Thornapple Pointewill remain a public course and banquet facility under the new ownership, and will operate separately from Watermark’s private course model.
Owners of Watermark Properties or The Golf Club at Thornapple Pointe knew each other, according to Sobieck. Neither were looking to sell or buy but as things fell into place, it became a positive situation and made sense for everyone, he said.
The Golf Course at Thornapple Pointe is the first public golf course in the Watemark Properties portfolio. The company owns four private golf courses, Cascade’s Watermark Country Club, Caledonia’s StoneWater Country Club, Jenison’s Sunnybrook Country Club, and Grand Rapids’ Thousand Oaks, along with seven restaurants including the stand-alone Gravity Taphouse Grille.
According to a statement from Watermark Properties, “Thornapple Pointe is regarded as one of the best public golf courses in West Michigan and has been very successful providing a championship caliber, daily fee course in great condition. It has continually improved its offering over the years and provided outstanding service and professionalism with a commitment to excellence. Because of its success, Watermark has no intention of making any changes to its operations.”
“Our owners have a deep commitment to seeing golf continue to grow and thrive in West Michigan,” said Watermark Properties CEO Craig Smith, who added that nationally the sport of golf has had some struggles in terms of growth. In West Michigan, golf has continued its popularity with a number of options throughout West Michigan available, Smith said.
“With the addition of Thornapple Pointe, it strengthens our commitment to the golf community in West Michigan.”
Smith said the company hopes it is sending the message that Watermark Properties not only wants to provide a variety of options to the golfing community but that they are enjoyable, affordable, and offer great conditions for all levels.
Designed by Ann Arbor-based William Newcombe & Associates, The Golf Club at Thornapple Pointe was built in 1997 and overlooks the Thornapple River. The course has received positive reviews on Golf Advisor with “Golf Magazine” stating that it is a “unique 18-hole championship track incorporates Star Wars technology into every round and has literally taken golf in this area to another level.”
Positano and the Amalfi coast are gorgeous, no question about that. But they have price tags to match. So what is a budget traveler to do? After a little research, I discovered that you can stay in tiny Piano de Sorrento and take buses and trains that link the pricier towns together at a fraction of the cost. And even better, I got to stay in a super affordable hostel in an old Monastery, with bells chiming, lovely staff and some of the nuns still hanging around.
Sisters Hostel is only a few minutes’ walk from nice swimmable beaches, and little trattorias, where you can dine to your heart’s content, on pasta, fresh seafood, fig torte… You can still get a $5 pizza fresh out of the oven at family run places, where Mama and her daughter will serve you while Papa, who resembles a benign Godfather, looks on…
A short walk to the train station, and an even shorter train ride, will take you to Sorrento, where you can catch a scenic bus along the coast down to Positano and Amalfi. My bus was full, but that didn’t stop dozens more people from climbing aboard and squeezing in, so I followed suit. It was standing room only, so I stood, jam-packed in the aisle on the most winding road I’ve ever seen with sheer drops down to the sea dotted with what looked like toy boats. I could see the driver — he was talking on the phone, holding the phone to his ear with his right hand, while driving that huge bus on those snake-like roads at the edge of precipitous cliffs.
And then he started talking with his left hand, as Italians are prone to do. Um, wait, if his right hand is holding a phone to his ear and his left hand is fluttering about in the air speaking sign language…who’s steering the bus? On top of all that, the older Italian woman next to me kept trying to show him a magazine. But we made it to Positano.
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Positano is positively beautiful, with colorful buildings spilling down the steep hillside to the sea. Stop on your walk down from the bus stop for a frozen lemon slush, the ice cold sweet and sour taste is divine. Lots of fun clothing, jewelry, ceramic and shoe shops, along with art galleries and stands, line the way.
And the beach, dotted with neon umbrellas, beckons you into the azure sea for a swim. The water is the perfect temperature, cool enough to be refreshing, but warm enough to feel like silk. I floated and swam, got out, heated up and did it again. The views from the water are astonishing — rainbow houses stacked like blocks form a giant triangle up the steep hillside.
If you’re hungry, plenty of restaurants wait nearby, most of them with a view… As I was taking a photo of my wine glass with the umbrellas and the sea in the background, one of the young employees called out, “Wait!” and he brought me a little bowl of peanuts with a small silver spoon and arranged it near my wine glass for my picture.
Suddenly, while I was swimming, a storm blew in. And I do mean suddenly! One minute it’s sunny and lots of people are frolicking in the water, the next minute thunder is rumbling and a huge gray line of clouds is rapidly advancing on us, waves kicked up and umbrellas tipping over.
I stumbled out of the sea (it’s very rocky and sharp on the soles of your feet), and as I struggled to slip my shirt on, my lounge chair blew over. Dozens of us raced up the beach towards the row of restaurants. Huge jags of lightning streaked from heaven to sea, but the sky only dropped a few specks of rain. As hordes of tourists swarmed up the narrow zigzagging streets that climb the hill, I figured the bus would be packed, with everyone leaving at once.
I was right, the street was lined with dozens of people waiting. Luckily, despite the thunder and lightning, the rain held off. I happened to be standing next to a lovely lady from South Africa, and we kept each other company, comparing travel notes, while we waited a half hour for the next bus. We could tell not everyone would fit on — the bus was coming from Amalfi, and the seats were already full. When the bus stopped and the doors opened, the crowd surged forward, a mini-stampede.
Complaints were heard in English, with American accents, “Hey, wait! We’ve been waiting here 45 minutes, you just got here, that’s not fair!” as newcomers pushed ahead to the front of the line. Cultural differences — in America you get skewered for line-cutting, here it’s a way of life. My South African friend and I pushed ahead with the rest of the Italians, and although we stood for the whole hour ride to Sorrento, at least we got on the bus.
And just in time, it appeared, as the heavens opened up and the rain poured down. It grew even darker and the winding road looked like a slick black snake. Heat wrapped around us, and motion sickness threatened, but I managed to keep it in check. The drive took longer than it should have, as a middle-aged German couple couldn’t figure out which stop was theirs, so they kept ringing the stop button over and over, then not getting off. But eventually we made it, just in time for me to catch the last train back to Piano. (Sorry, no windstorm disaster photos.)
It’s another hour ride further down the coast to Amalfi from Positano, though I have to say to me, Amalfi is not as nice; it’s much more commercial and more expensive. The beach is kind of a carnival, basted with tons of bodies, but people looked like they were having fun. It depends on what you’re looking for.
About Lynn Strough
Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.
“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”
All images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales
GRCC’s and GVSU’s French programs both received a grant to put together the Tournées Film Festival which begins next week and will take place on both campuses — at GVSU’s Loosemore Auditorium and GRCC’s Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center Auditorium, Room 168, ATC. Films may contain adult content.
Admission for all films is FREE.
Here’s the lineup:
Valley of Love (2015) Wed., Oct. 26, 6:15 pm, GVSU Loosemore Auditorium
Phantom Boy (2015) Thurs., Oct. 27, 7 pm, GVSU Loosemore Auditorium — Meet the director!
Le Grand Homme (2014), Fri., Nov. 4, 7 pm, GRCC ATC Auditorium
Tournées Film Festival is made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the
French Embassy in the U.S., the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC), the French American Cultural Fund, Florence Gould Foundation and Highbrow Entertainment.
All participants are welcome. Those in need of accommodations for films showing at GRCC, please contact Language and Thought at 616.234.3544; for films showing at GVSU call Modern Languages and Literatures at 616.331.3203.
“Tuna, more cowbell,” coaxed Samantha Martin as the proud, white cat raised her paw, looked Martin straight in the eye and then put her paw back down. “No cowbell for you,” the feline’s face seemed to convey.
At least not right at this moment.*
Tuna and her cohorts, the Amazing AcroCats were in Grand Rapids Oct. 16 and 17 for three performances at the Wealthy Theatre in Eastown. The troupe comprises regular, down-to-earth house cats rescued by Martin and trained to perform tricks of their choosing.
As Chief Executive Human, on any given day Martin oversees the well being of about 14 performing cats — and sometimes an abundance of kittens. On Martin’s cue, the cats perform tricks with skateboards, roll balls over parallel ropes, play the piano, strum the guitar and even read signs.
With a background in animal training, Martin has a natural affinity for animals, especially felines. She uses clicker training techniques to build better relationships and solve behavioral problems. Her career as animal circus master began in the ’80s with an act called the Amazing AcroRats. After a few years, she realized she wanted to do something more challenging when she decided, why not cats?
Kittens in the studio!!!!
“Cats have a reputation for being notoriously difficult to train,” said Martin. “But I love a challenge.”
To Martin’s delight, she discovered that cats are highly trainable. The training method differs from that of dogs — cats prefer real treats (chicken, salmon) versus a paltry “good kitty!” after performing a trick.
There’s much more to the show than music and acrobatics, and each cat has an amazing rescue story. One was found behind a dumpster. Others were abandoned as tiny kittens. All are well cared for and loved by Martin and her colleagues.
“We’re devoted to promoting cat-training awareness,” Martin said. “We support feline adoption and rescue across the country. We usually travel with foster kittens and cats. Right now, we don’t have any as we’ve adopted the last group out.”
Martin brought some of her AcroCats came to WKTV’s studio on Saturday to share some tricks and tips on why it’s important to train your cat.
Samantha Martin and WKTV’s Bill Jung. Love the ears, Bill.
In the studio with Martin was Smudge, a kitten who came on board with a sibling just yesterday. Already he is in training to become an AcroCat.
“I start training them as soon as they can eat solid food,” said Martin. “I observe to see what each cat likes to do and then build upon that using clicker training.”
Already Smudge is exhibiting some great paw action. Surely he has a promising future.
*Seconds later,Tuna did more cowbell. What a tease.
“Our enemy’s remain at home, abroad and in the skies beyond our world.” –Hank Henshaw
Saturday morning in Hall H was packed with Warner Brothers taking center stage, but the rest of the day didn’t let up with two major anniversaries and stars galore.
Star Trek celebrated their 50th Anniversary and we were all shown the new trailer for Star Trek Beyond which is now currently in theaters. After the trailer, the cast members came on stage. We had the opportunity to see William Shatner, Jeri Ryan, Michael Dorn, and Scott Bakule.
The cast was asked questions from the audience. Who’s their favorite Captain? Well that would be Kirk first and Bicard second. What’s their favorite piece of technology from the show? Michael Dorn mentioned the Next Generation iPad, Jeri loved the Transporter, and the Communicator holds a special place in William Shatner’s heart.
The next anniversary in line was Aliens 30th. Director James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Michael Biehn and Paul Reiser joined on stage as the audience was shown clips from the movie. During the dialogue amongst those on stage, Sigourney Weaver talked about her belief in the reality of the Alien Queen and did not want to know how the machine worked.
One gentlemen in the audience took the 30th anniversary as an opportunity to propose to his girlfriend because it was their favorite movie to watch together. Obviously she said yes.
While the anniversaries were fun, the panel that followed added so added some extra power with Entertainment Weekly: Woman Who Kick Ass. The panel was full of powerful women and included Moren Baccarin (Gotham), Melissa Benoist (Supergirl), Nathalie Emmanuel (Furious 7), Lucy Lawless (Ash vs. Evil Dead), Tatian Maslany (Orphan Black), Connie Nielsen (Wonder Woman), and Many-Na Wen (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). It was really cool to see all of those kick ass women in one place.
The women were asked about their proudest “kick ass” moments. Ming-Na Wan said, “When Agent May beats the crap out of three big guys.” Morena Baccarin mentioned “shooting Deadpool”, and Melissa Benoist said surviving a punch in the face by a woman who knows jujitsu.
Saturday continues to be just as exciting and jammed packed. “Your mission, should you choose to accept it…” is to stay tuned to see what Marvel had in store for us. As a spoiler I will mention Black Panther.
“Vengeance has consumed you. It’s consuming them. I’m done letting it consume me. Justice will come soon enough.” – T’Challa
With the news of that food trucks were descending on Kentwood for its Bags & Bites event this Saturday, Mike and I made the decision to taste test some of the items before the trucks arrived.
Unfortunately, finding a food truck after owners have spent two and half weeks at ArtPrize proved to be a little difficult. We also were too lazy to get up at 6 a.m. to go visit River City Cup & Cake which usually can be found at the Amtrak station. However the owner of River City Cup & Cake, Lorin Tate, who is a Kentwood resident and Kelloggsville graduate, was gracious enough to stop by the studio.
He makes a mean hot chocolate (sorry folks, I do not drink coffee or tea). Unfortunately, Lorin had sold out of all his pastries, so I would wait until Saturday.
Still I wanted to try one more food truck and our choices narrowed down to driving to Allendale for Patty Matters or heading to Two Scotts Barbecue’s brick and mortar home at 536 Leonard St. NW, Grand Rapids. The minute I said “Two Scotts,” Mike was quick to make the “executive” decision.
Two Scotts is only open from 11 a.m. — 3p.m. We were planning to get there around 11:30 a.m., but a friend said to be there before it opens as the place is known to run out. We managed to walk through the doors at 11:07 a.m. and the place was starting to jump. When we left about an hour later, the outside patio was filling up and the parking lot was packed with cars circling in hopes someone would leave.
I wanted a menu item that would be on the food truck. The order taker was quick to tell me the menu is usually the same with offerings varying depending on location.
With Two Scotts you can either get your pulled pork, pulled chicken, sliced brisket, burnt ends or sausage as a sandwich or just the meat with homemade pickles and bread. I opted for the burnt ends sandwich ($10) making it a combo (add $3) that included a drink and side because I wanted the homemade tater tots.
We grabbed some sauce, I tried the house, verde, and an orange sauce that tasted like it had mayo. After I sat down, I noticed the tips already had sauce on them so I really did not need any of the sauces I picked but I tried them anyway — they were all yummy and I really could not pick a favorite. As for the sandwich, well burnt ends do not make for a great sandwich. (Something Mike, with a laugh, pointed out.) So after a couple of bits, I discarded the bread, speared the pieces with a folk and dipped them in the sauces. The meat melted in my mouth, and to be honest, I have not had meat taste that good since my husband took me to a really nice steak place.
I was so happy about the burnt ends, I almost forgot about the tater tots, which were a crunchy delight. I popped them like candy as we sat and chatted about the week. And since I essentially had meat and potatoes, I was full for the entire day.
So if you are headed to the Kentwood Bags & Bites at the Kentwood City Hall (5900 Breton Rd. SE), Two Scotts is definitely one to try. I’m thinking of snagging some for my husband’s dinner since he’ll since be at work when my daughters and I head over. As for me, well I am planning to hit either Patty Matters, offering up an array of burgers, or Gettin’ Fresh, for its burger with bacon grounded in. And of course, hopefully get my hands on one of those River City Cup & Cake pastries.
On Tuesday afternoon, Lorin Tate stopped by the station after making his morning runs with his traveling business River City Cup & Cake. Unfortunately for Joanne and I, but a measure of the truck’s success on the road, Lorin was clean out of pastries. However, he did make a mean mocha and filled my mental appetite with insight into the food truck business.
For starters, food trucks have a lot of room to move around inside! And it makes sense, it’s a one-man restaurant that needs all of the amenities of a kitchen. Space might be limited but it’s packed together like a well-played game of Tetris, everything in the right place. They also aren’t cheap – Lorin’s espresso machine by itself cost $15,000 – and they can struggle to run in the winter due to the water pipes freezing. If you can’t store your food truck in a warm garage during the cold months, better shut it down all season.
Once the mocha was finished, I topped off the rest of Joanne’s hot chocolate as it was just a little too rich for her. I didn’t know there was such a thing as ‘too rich’ when it came to hot cocoa. I guzzled it down. With how delicious the fresh brewed coffee and hot chocolate was, I’m bummed the pastries weren’t available. Guess I’ll just have to stop by the Amtrak early in the morning!
The next day Joanne and I scooted out to Two Scotts Barbeque. Yes, I know, their restaurant on Leonard isn’t a food truck, but their food truck will be at Kentwood on Saturday and we made sure to order what would be on that food truck. We’re always thinking.
Two Scotts has a slight history with me, a year and a half ago I moved into a house about a stone throw away from the barbecue joint. Whenever I wanted barbecue, which is pretty much all the time, I would stop by to see if they were open. With hours slated from 11am-3pm, I struck out every single time. This was my chance to finally the famed joint.
It did not disappoint.
The brisket sandwich called to me and I threw in an order of homemade tots as well. The brisket was flavorful and went down quick – I think I ate it in 30 seconds or so – and the tots were INCREDIBLE. Even if you aren’t a fan of smoked meats, you absolutely need to stop in for their homemade tots. The outside crunched and the inside melted in your mouth. Simply delectable.
Two Scotts, I think we need to make this a weekly thing.
Citizen Journalist Rob’s Potion
Waiting can be one of the most difficult things, especially for more hyperactive people like me, and when you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, it can be a time of dread. Most of the time, in these waiting situations, I often look for something to do like drink or eat to pass the time. So, you could imagine my excitement and curiosity when I spotted a food truck while waiting for the Megabus to take me back to my hometown Chicago.
If you are not familiar with the Megabus pick up location, it’s a parking lot diagonal from the old Amtrak station with very little around that could occupy a wondering mind. River City Cup & Cake sat in the parking lot as a beacon of adventure during my time of waiting. The food truck combined two of my all-time favorite things in the world all wrapped into one catchy name on the side of a truck. Who could possibly deny the insatiable combination of a cup of coffee and a piece of cake? Besides my friend John, of course, who somehow detests both. Truly one of a kind.
As a latte and cupcake/pastry lover, I found the River City Cup and Cake to be inviting with its bright color and simple, but very cool, logo . The espresso sign was magnetic to my soul.
A line had already begun to form as many of us waiters found this to be the best location to wait for our bus. While I can’t remember exactly which cupcake I had, I do remember it was good, baked with the fluffy and buttery flavor that one would expect from a really good cupcake and the latte was also very good. I also remember the customer service being outstanding with an owner who was engaging with his clientele and seemed to be an owner/operator who really enjoyed what he was doing.
I would highly recommend that when you see this vehicle, RUN TO IT!! Get yourself a cup & cake and enjoy. I know I did when I saw it parked in the parking lot while volunteering at WKTV on Tuesday.
Crestwood Middle School’s new Collaboration Center looks more like a modern professional meeting room than a place seventh-graders complete school work.
Tables are situated for group work; a huge projector screen stands next to walls that serve as whiteboards. An artistic panel serves as a partition for a living-room style area. Small white boards called huddle boards connect to tables for students to scrawl notes. Six TV screens hang on the walls to display what’s projected on the big screen. Everything is outfitted for technology.
“This will have the best up-to-date technology a district can have,” said Superintendent Mike Zoerhoff. “We are trying to give our kids space to be innovative and not be held back by the constraints of a room.”
Crestwood’s Collaboration Center opened a year and a half ago, serving as a pilot for centers in schools district-wide. East Kentwood High School and the Freshman Campus will have centers as well as Pinewood and Valleywood middle schools. Elementary schools, beginning with Bowen, Brookwood, Southwood and Townline, will have redesigned media centers that blend features of a traditional library with the Collaboration Center concept. Centers are modeled after spaces at Steelcase University Learning Center in Grand Rapids.
The projects are funded through the $64.8 million bond passed last November. The plan for technology is ongoing to keep up with district needs and ever-evolving tech innovations over the next 10 years, Zoerhoff said.
Seventh-grade student Madison Catching, while working in the Collaboration Center with her class, glanced at the TV screen above the table where she worked on on a laptop. On the TV was an example of a writing prompt related to her language-arts assignment. “If we are back here and we can’t see (the large screen) we can look up here to see,” Madison said.
Teacher Erika Vann books the room regularly for her class because she loves the learning environment.
“I like how large it is,” Vann said. “The kids can move around. I don’t have to say ‘Shhh.’ They can talk.”
They also are savvy with the technology, and working on it while working together comes naturally, Vann said. “I tell them, ‘You are going to be doing this all your life. Collaboration is a part of everything.'”
Principal Don Dahlquist said the center is perfect for cross-curricular learning and projects that take on a new level of innovation. Even physical education teachers use it. “It really allows the teaching staff to be creative,” he said.
Funding for Safety, Security and Technology
Since the bond issue’s approval the district has purchased eight new buses, eliminating double runs and adding video camera for increased safety and security. Twenty-eight buses will be replaced over 10 years.
Parking lots were resurfaced at Endeavor and Townline elementary schools and exterior lighting was replaced.
More than 750 laptop computers were purchased district-wide. The plan is to purchase more than 5,000 Chromebooks over 10 years.
Artificial turfs were replaced at Falcon Stadium and Pat Patterson Athletic Field.
Projects planned for summer 2017 include a site plan renovation at East Kentwood High School to improve traffic flow and entrances.
Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!
Want to honor a deceased loved one — a person or a pet? Consider building an altar at the Grand Rapids Main Public Library for Día de los Muertos.
Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is celebrated in Mexico between October 31st and November 2nd to remember deceased loved ones and honor them. Contrary to U.S. funerals, which are mainly somber affairs, Day of the Dead is a festive occasion and colorful holiday—a celebration of lives who have passed on.
Building an altar is an integral part of celebrating the holiday. Traditionally, families will build altars in their homes during the weeks leading up to November 1st. These are often quite beautiful creations, constructed with love and care.
There are no hard and fast rules about how the altar should be made; just create it from your heart. Make something that looks attractive and is meaningful to you. Altars are also meant to welcome returning spirits, so they include both personalized and traditional elements—including several dating to the Aztecs—that will guide an honoree on his journey from the land of the dead.
Whether simple or sophisticated, Day of the Dead altars and ofrenda all contain certain basic elements in common. Here are the ofrendas that you will typically see on a Día de los Muertos altar:
Candles – Candles are lit to welcome the spirits back to their altars.
Marigolds – These yellow-orange flowers, also called cempasúchitl, symbolize death. Their strong fragrance also help lead the dead back to their altars. Marigold petals may also be sprinkled on the floor in front of the altar, or even sprinkled along a path from the altar to the front door, so that the spirit may find her way inside.
Incense – Most commonly, copal incense, which is the dried aromatic resin from a tree native to Mexico. The scent is also said to guide the spirits back to their altars.
Salt – represents the continuance of life.
Photo of the deceased – A framed photo of the dead person to whom the altar is dedicated, usually positioned in a prime spot on the altar.
Pan de muerto – Also known as “bread of the dead”, pan de muerto is a symbol of the departed.
Sugar skulls – As symbols of death and the afterlife, sugar skulls are not only given as gifts to the living during Day of the Dead, they are also placed as offerings on the altar.
Fresh fruit – whatever is in season—oranges, bananas, etc.
If you’re interested, please download an application today (aplicación en español). Altars can be built on October 26 and will be on display from October 27 to November 1 at the Grand Rapids Public Library Main Branch, 111 Library St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI.
Deadline for reserving space is Wednesday, October 19 at 6:00pm.
Now in its 9th year, the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival has established itself as Michigan’s premier tasting event, measured by 1,600 wines, beers, ciders and spirits. From the connoisseur who lives and breathes for the finer things in life to the novice looking for an introduction to the world of food and spirits, this Festival will deliver a grand experience that is sure to please every palette. This is the weekend you won’t want to miss.
WHERE:DeVos Place, Downtown Grand Rapids — with over 100,000 square feet (nearly 3 acres).
COST: $15 – Thursday (and advanced ticket sales for Friday & Saturday); $20 – Friday & Saturday. 3-Day Pass – At $40, this option allows admission each day of the Festival and is intended for those who want to get the most out of their tasting experience. Online sales end Thursday, Nov. 17 at 5pm (Box Office sales for the pass end at 10pm on Thursday, Nov. 17).
Attendees must be 21 years of age and older. ID is required for admittance.
On the menu
NEW! GR MIXER:
Blending together award-winning spirits and mixers into craft artisan cocktails, the region’s noted mixologist and distillers will serve up hands-on workshops guaranteed to educate and entertain. These complimentary 15-minute workshops will amp up your bartending skills, just in time for holiday entertaining with family and friends. Held in the new craft cocktail concourse along the river, each workshop limited to the first 12 people who step up to the bar at the scheduled times.
Bartenders from six-one-six inside the JW Marriott are also planning an exciting “Chopped”-style competition during their Pairing (see below) aimed to perfectly match cocktails with prix fixe menu.
Held in the Secchia Lobby, running along the western edge of the Steelcase Ballroom, overlooking the Grand River.
THE ELITE WINE COLLECTION:
Located in the center of the Vineyard, inside the Steelcase Ballroom at DeVos Place, this special collection of wine has been selected by our consulting sommeliers and importing specialists as the “best of the best” top shelf vintages, chosen from among 1200 assorted wines. These high-end wines require a minimum 10-ticket ($5) tasting fee due to the cost of the product being served. Each of these wines have at least a 90-point value in a recognized wine rating system and are regarded as among the most elite wines of the festival according to industry experts. No need to invest hundreds of dollars in a full bottle—the Elite Wine Collection allows you the opportunity to sample these wines for a minimal cost.
BEER CITY STATION:
The Festival’s popular beer area returns to the Exhibit Hall C on the Main Floor of DeVosPlace off the Grand Gallery. Step into the world of creative craft beers, imported and domestic brews, hard ciders and foods that pair well with both. Meet the American craft brewer—the small, independent and traditional producers who display passion and excitement for their unique beverages. New products, as well as traditional favorites, will be offered for sampling.
CIDER ROW:
Tap into the Cider Row at the Festival, featuring almost 20 cider producers from Michigan and nationally-known brands. Hard cider is among the fastest growing craft beverages, on a national scale. It is fermented to produce a range of flavors – from dry to sweet. Featured in the Beer City Station in Exhibit Hall C off of the Grand Gallery.
FLAVORED MALT BEVERAGES:
This sector of the beverage industry is taking off with hard iced tea; sodas—such as root beer, orange, cherry, lemon and other fruit flavors; seltzer waters and carbonated caffeinated products. Featured in the Beer City Station in Exhibit Hall C off the Grand Gallery.
GROWERS CHAMPAGNE FLIGHTS:
Add a little extra class to your glass with an intimate tasting with Bradford Hammerschmidt from Imperial Beverage. These special flights offer champagnes you will not find anywhere else in the Festival. Each of the champagnes will be paired with specially selected cheese and crudités. Flights offered Saturday at 4pm and 7pm only. The cost is $40 per person. Reservations may be made online, or on site – space permitting.
PAIRINGS:
Select restaurants partner with distinguished wineries and breweries for special Pairings – gourmet multi-course meals served on-site in a casual yet intimate “bar top” setting. Tickets are $45-$65 each and may be purchased in advance online or at the Festival on a first-come, first-served basis. This year’s restaurants include: Ganders, San Chez, six.one.six, Reds at Thousand Oaks and Wolfgang Puck’s The Kitchen.
ULTIMATE DINING OPPORTUNITIES:
Additionally, chefs from about a dozen of the area’s top restaurants prepare and serve small plates of their culinary specialties.
RENDEZBREW:
The Coffee, Cordials and Dessert Café will be open in the Grand Gallery for the duration of the Festival. Start your Festival experience, or make it a nightcap, with unique pairings of coffee, lattes and cocktails crafted for your enjoyment with a variety of cordials, indulgent sweets and other treats.
SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS:
Esteemed individuals from the culinary world host demonstrations on the Meijer Food Stage. Complimentary beverage seminars, held classroom-style in the rooms off the Grand Gallery, give attendees an in-depth look into the world of wine, beer and spirits. Cocktail workshops are also offered for a unique hands-on experience for those wishing to learn tricks of the trade from top leaders.
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM:
Students from Ferris State University, the Culinary Institute of Michigan at Baker College in Muskegon, the Secchia Institute of Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College and Grand Valley State University work alongside industry leaders for a premier educational experience.
OFFICIAL PROGRAM: Download the official Festival program here.
Sweaty bodies. Women flapping fans. It was standing room only on the train to Pompeii, temps hovering around 100 degrees. I’m wishing I brought my day pack with a water bottle, the small fan my Japanese Air B&B host gave me as a gift, and my umbrella for shade instead of my small purse, but it’s too late now.
On the good advice from my hostel host, I already had a tour ticket so I didn’t have to wait in line. If you go to Pompeii, definitely pay for a tour — it brings a place that would otherwise be a lot of dusty roads, stones and bricks to life. Our very nice and smart young guide, an archeologist by degree and experience, gave a great tour and she handled the large group like a pro.
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We learned about where people lived, how they lived, their bath houses and their lead plumbing, which led to mental illness and short lifespans.
We were shown how their road systems worked, using stones for people to walk across above the roads where the waste flowed, that were placed just the right distance apart for carriage wheels to roll through, and how little chips of white stone were embedded between the large paving stones, to glow like reflectors in the moonlight.
We were told about the red light district, with “arrow” carvings in the road to lead the sailors to the brothels, about the public meeting places and the “fast food” restaurants.
Row upon row of vases, sculptures and other antiquities line shelves at the site, like some form of ancient self-storage units, giving you a glimpse into the possessions of the people of Pompeii.
Our guide wisely told us to buy a bottle of water for a euro at the ticket office before we set off, as there were none for sale after the tour started. Once you had a water bottle, you could refill it at various fountains throughout the site — don’t worry, the lead pipes have been replaced.
I’d heard about Pompeii as a child, but it turns out there are several different cities that were buried by the volcano — Pompeii is just the biggest and most well known. It was buried in ash, whereas Herculaneum was buried under lava. So the people of Pompeii were actually killed by falling debris and suffocation from the ash. Quite horrific.
After the tour, we were allowed to stay as long as we wanted, to go to the arena for a special exhibit of the plaster casts of many of the victims. They were able to drill holes into the hardened ash, and pour plaster down into the cavity around the bones where the bodies had decomposed and left spaces, then carefully chip away the ash to leave plaster casts of bodies in frightening positions — sad, scary and macabre all at once.
When the tour split up, the guide gave me her map, and three young women from the group came up to me and asked if they could share it. “Sure,” I said, and a fourth woman came along as well. The three were from Lebanon, and one of them was living in Canada, near Toronto. “Not far from Michigan, where I”m from,” I pointed out. The fourth, who was traveling on her own, was Italian but grew up in Canada and had lived in Windsor — just over the border from Michigan — but has been living in the UK for the past three years. Small world, we all agreed.
The site at Pompeii is huge, about a half-hour walk from one side to the other. Besides the plaster cast exhibit, on the opposite side there was another, very well-preserved house with a newly restored fresco. It was worth the long, hot trudge over the dusty uneven roads. I’d drank about four bottles of water by then but this was Italy, so there were no toilets in all of the archeological sites. I was absolutely thrilled when one appeared at the exit right when we left the last house with the frescoes. Just something to bear in mind.
Right outside the exit, a lovely little very Italian restaurant appeared. The three girls from Lebanon said they needed to catch a bus, inviting me to visit them in their home country as we parted ways. The woman living near Cambridge and I decided to stay for lunch. They had a fixed-price menu for 15 euro that included either spaghetti with clams, or gnocchi with tomato sauce and basil, a seafood plate with calamari, anchovies, shrimp, and octopus, a basket of bread, a mixed salad, some little fried bread balls with tiny pieces of seaweed in them, and coffee or a slice of chocolate cake for dessert — a very good deal for a tourist hot spot.
We had a lively conversation about education — she’s a teacher — and it’s Italy, so there is no pressure to give up your table. The restaurant was filled with funny statues and bottles and fishing nets, an eclectic mess, and the old guy in charge (probably the owner) fussed over us. We caught the same train though she got off first, promising to friend me on Facebook, a great way to stay in touch with fellow travelers.
You meet the nicest people on the road! It was a fun and educational day at Pompeii.
About Lynn Strough
Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.
“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”
All images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales
Metro Health Hospital has announced it has come to a settlement agreement with a former employee that includes a one million dollar judgment in favor of the hospital.
In the consent judgment received and filed by the Kent County Circuit Court last month, Laura Staskiewicz agrees to the one million judgment against her and dismisses her complaint against Metro Health Hospital thus ending the countersuit filed by Metro Health against Staskiewicz.
In April of 2015 of Metro Health and President and CEO Michael Faas of illegal and unethical conduct in connection with the potential sale of Metro Health to an out-of-state for-profit company. That sale, involving, Tennessee-based company Community Health Systems, has since fallen through.
Staskiewicz eventually voluntarily dismissed all of her allegations against the organization and Faas. In a press release, hospital officials noted that Metro Health did not pay any money to Staskiewicz to give up her claims.
Metro Health countersued Straskiewicz for damages caused by her release of confidential and misleading information about the organization. Straskiewicz agreed to the one million judgment against her to settle the case, according to the press release.
“I am pleased that the truth in these matters has been revealed,” Faas said in a released statement. “We are focused on the future and growing Metro Health. Serving patients has always been and will always be our top priority.
I would like to thank our Board, leadership team and the many employees who invested a great deal of time and energy to defend Metro against these claims. Aggressively defending ourselves was not the easy thing to do, but it certainly was the right thing to do. Our reputation in the West Michigan community is critical to our mission of improving the health and well-being of our patients,” continued Faas.
The Staskiewicz judgment is the second seven-figure judgment awarded to Metro Health against former employees in the last several years. Both million dollar judgments awarded Metro Health damages incurred in defending itself from false claims.
“This is beyond a complete and total vindication, it’s also an indication of how we will defend the integrity of Metro from frivolous, vicious and unfounded attacks,” said Doyle Hayes, chairman of the Metro Health board of directors. “We cannot tolerate baseless claims that take away focus from our mission of improving the health of our community. Senseless attacks against the organization are attacks against the entire community.”
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre gets ready for its upcoming production “Holes.” (Photo courtesy of GRCT)
This fall, Civic Theatre season asks the question; How much of a persons’ destiny depends on fate and can that fate be changed? From Septembers’ emotionally charged “Good People” to the upcoming adventures in “Holes” this theme is explored – or in the case of “Holes,” dug into!
An interview with Civic Theatre guest director, Jason Marlett
Jason Marlett (Photo courtesy of GRCT)
Jason, what is this show about?
The simple, easy answer is a coming of age story about friendship and uncovering truths. Stanley Yelnats, a boy who has bad luck due to a curse placed on his great, great, grandfather is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention camp, for a crime he didn’t commit. Every day, Stanley and his friends are forced to dig holes that are 5×5 and cover every inch of the desert. However, things aren’t always as they seem.
Stanley believes his life is unfairly destined to be full of bad luck. It isn’t until he is taken out of his home environment, his comfort zone, that he begins to see life a different way. You might say, he starts digging deeper into his past and present – his destiny. It’s no coincidence this storyline is built like an onion, layers and layers of hidden meanings, messages, and treasures.
We have had a blast exploring the significance in the character’s names, for example Yelnats is Stanley spelled backward: Stanley Yelnats – why? The story also explores how friendships can lead to life transformations, the power fate plays in defining our character, and the undertones of how cruelty and history impact us every day. Wow, that sounds intense! There is a lot going on during this show, it is a full-on tale filled with adventure.
How closely does this play follow the 1999 Newbury awarded young adult novel?
Louis Sachar adapted his novel so this is his story coming to life on stage.
Does that means audiences can expect to see acts of violence?
It’s strange to even say this but yes, violence will be carried out on the stage because it is an important element to the story. Even stranger is my telling you, if you have a child sensitive to violence DO NOT BRING THEM TO THIS SHOW! Wow, you would think a director would encourage attendance but there are very physical fights, gun shots and a death.
Rehearsal of Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s “Holes.” (Photo courtesy of GRCT)
How do you keep your actors safe during these scenes?
Fortunately, in addition to the title tech director, Steve Schwall is also a stage combat instructor. He spent about 10 hours with cast to carefully choreographing safe fights and falls. He was busy; there are a lot of falls. He was also able to show the safe handling of firearms and safe lanes for weapon props to move in between actors. With stage violence each actor has to approach it as a partnership, with both partners helping each other to execute and trust enough to set a believable scene.
Fighting aside, what was the most difficult to produce?
“Holes” is full of mysteries that aren’t limited to the plot. Lighting and set design presented a few obstacles. Production designers tackled two significant challenges in order to create an environment that supports the storytelling. The first, how are we creating a stage full of holes? I mean, we have set changes throughout the show, so we can’t just have a bunch of holes hanging around in a living room. So, that was fun and handled perfectly I might add.
The second is creating a unique time period transformation. Three stories from separate time periods in history are combined in “Holes” to create one story. It is important for the audience to react to the changes without feeling awkward because while in the past we continue to reference the present, and no matter where we are in time, we never forget where the story is ultimately headed.
Can you share any secrets with us, what should the audience keep an eye on while watching the show?
The Yellow Spotted Lizards! Keep a lookout for them because where they go, so goes trouble. These lizards have quite the reputation, if they bite you – YOU WILL die, or will you? Things are not always what they seem in “Holes” – it blurs between reality and fable. But those Lizards, they hold a lot of power.
Okay, I am interested by why should others see the show?
This cast is sharp, and they have developed rich and full characters. This show is going to leap off the stage, maybe just like a yellow spotted lizard. Is there one under your seat? You’d better check.
Just like clockwork, with Autumn comes the fall colors. When the leaves change, we’re gifted with some of the most beautiful sights in West Michigan. You’ll want to make time in your busy schedule to drive, bike or walk through some of these amazing works of nature.
We have a little extra time as the colors have been delayed due to the unseasonably warm weather we’ve had lately.
South
Pierce Cedar Creek Institutein Hastings has 661 diverse acres where you can see all of the fall colors. Go for a walk or a hike with the whole family and see animals, plants and more, in addition to the colorful leaves. Outdoors education is their passion, so if you have any questions, make sure you take the time to ask.
The crisp air and beautiful fall colors are just what you want while wine tasting, and the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail has you covered. Check out the beautiful colors that line the trail as you stop at one (or more) of the 20 wineries and nine tasting rooms. The wineries (and the colors) are close enough to visit for just a day, a short weekend or an extended visit.
Blueberries at DeGrandchamp Farms
12 Corners Vineyards in Benton Harbor has a beautiful tree line along their vineyard. It provides a look at some of the fall foliage of the area. Next time you’re at 12 Corners Vineyard for some wine, make sure that you explore the vineyard and the fall colors while they’re both looking wonderful.
DeGrandchamp Farms in South Haven is having their Cranberry Harvest Day on October 15th from 10am to 4pm. You and your family can go out on their tractor pulled cranberry bog wagons to see the harvest process. Keep an eye out for those fall colors! When you get back, have some cranberry treats and caramel apples at their market.
Lemon Creek Winery in Berrien Springs is a great place to stop by on your fall color tour! Guests are welcome to adventure into the orchards and vineyard to pick apples and grapes or sip on some of their award-winning wine while enjoying the beautiful colors of fall. They will also be offering an opportunity for home winemakers to purchase juice and grapes from their harvest.
The Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance loves to see the fall colors explode through their town. Awarded Tree City USA since 1996, Marshall’s wide variety of trees will certainly get you in the fall mood. A walk through the historic town and the various nature areas will prove why they have been Tree City USA for 20 years.
The City of Hastingsinvites cyclists of all ages and skill levels to come out and enjoy the beautiful autumn colors in the countryside surrounding Hastings. Foodies, art enthusiasts and leaf-peepers alike will find plenty of opportunities to indulge at the Annual Arts & Eats Tour on October 15th and 16th. This includes a self-guided driving and bike tour of the scenic back roads and out-of-the-way places in Allegan and Barry counties.
The Southwest Michigan Tourist Council knows all about color tours in the area. They recommend that you check out the West Michigan Pike, which is the first continuous paved road in West Michigan from the Indiana state line to Mackinaw City. It’s a great way to combine fall colors with unforgettable beaches.
Central
Country Dairy in New Era is in a great area for a color tour. Located right on the Hart Montague Bike Trail and the rolling hills of Oceana County, Country Dairy is the perfect place to stop by on your color tour for some food or take one of their own tours to see the sights.
Also in New Era, Rainbow Ranch has several hundred acres of wooded land for horseback riding. When the leaves are changing, the trails are absolutely gorgeous. What better way to see the fall colors than on horseback?
Double JJ Resort in Rothbury is hosting their Fall Color Weekend and Open House on October 15th and 16th. The event will feature the resort’s 1200 acres of forested property, comprising a wide assortment of maple, poplar and oak trees. The weekend promises a dramatic sight of autumn gold, scarlet and rust colored leaves.
At 12 Corners Vineyards
The Mecosta County Area has gone above and beyond the call of duty and put together a detailed color tour itinerary for you to enjoy. The thorough guide will take you all around the area to see the changing colors. They even have one designed to see the colors along the Muskegon River via canoe or kayak. They really have put together something wonderful, and you can view it here.
Gather your family and friends to experience the vibrant fall colors at the Depot-to-Depot Fall Color Tour from Muskegon to Whitehall! This self-guided tour happens on October 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th from 10am to 4pm. Pick up a map at either the Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau or the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce to get started.
North
Jutting north between the azure arms of Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay lies one of Northern Michigan favorite fall color tours. The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula stretches 19 miles and is home to nine distinct wineries. Along with wine tasting, enjoy the fall scenery, beautiful beaches, exquisite restaurants, and historic lighthouse. You can’t beat award-winning wines with an awe-inspiring view.
Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire has 4,500 acres of property that is the perfect base camp for a fall fun getaway. Set in the middle of all things Northern Michigan, they are centered around some of the best fall driving tours in the state. If you want to get even closer to the colors, try one of their color tour chairlift rides, which operate every Saturday during the fall color season. These chairlift rides will take you to the top of Schuss Mountain to see Mother Nature’s annual color show.
Heart Lake Cottages in Gaylord is perfectly nestled on the shoreline of Heart Lake. Each of their six cozy cottages are newly renovated and accommodate two, four or six people. Make this your headquarters as you travel through Northern Michigan, looking at the amazing changing colors throughout the area. And when you get back to the cottage, the quaint grounds and gardens are the perfect backdrop for your evening.
Art Gallery of Algomais offering a Fall Color Painting Tour this fall. These tours include a guided tour of the gallery’s exhibitions and a mini-painting lesson inspired by the beautiful fall colors. The tour includes painting materials and is a unique way to get out and see how beautiful this season is. In the end, you’ll be able to take home your painting to display even when the colors aren’t orange, brown and gold.
Ride the boat over to Beaver Island to see the vibrant fall colors surrounding the island. The boat ride itself, run by the Beaver Island Boat Company out of Charlevoix, is a breathtaking trip as you dock in Paradise Bay in the welcoming autumn colors. Once you’ve arrived, stroll the streets with a cup of cider and learn why island life is so unique.
Draft horses at Black Star Farms
This October, Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay is hosting daily tours of their 160 acre estate. Visit the vineyard, inn, horses, orchard, and, of course, the forests with their fall colors. Afterwards, make your way to their tasting room and cafe for some wine and farmstead cuisine.
Hotel Walloon on Walloon Lake knows that now that summer is gone and fall is here, that means color tours begin. Their favorite color tours include M119’s Tunnel of Trees, fall chairlift rides, M-22’s Color Tour and more. They’re centrally located between all of these experiences and many more, making them the perfect home base for your Northern Michigan color tour experience.
Enjoy a panoramic view of three counties and all the fall colors at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville. As you ride the chairlift to the top of the mountain, you’ll be greeted to live music and the beauty of Northern Michigan’s fall color season. Stop by every Saturday in October from 11am to 1pm to take in the sights and sounds of the mountain.
Northern Michigan hotels want to ensure that your fall color trip is a huge success. To help with this, they have the Holiday Inn Express Mackinaw City, Days Inn Mackinaw City, Holiday Inn Express in Petoskey and the Apple Tree Inn Hotel, which are all conveniently located near many of the best places to see the fall colors. Travel down highway 131 and I-75 to see all of the changed leaves or visit nearby cities for fall themed events.
Arnold Mackinac Island Ferryon Mackinac Island has colorful fall savings for your next color tour. Enjoy discounts on round-trip fares through October 31st. Adults are $15, children 5 to 12 are $8 and bikes are $8. Children 4 and under ride free! The island is a great place to stay and see the fall colors. Ride the ferry over and bring your bike up for a long weekend with these fall discounts.
The Portage Point Innin Onekama has a Fall Color discount to entice you to get out and see West Michigan. Now through November, receive 10% off published rates. Guests can stay on the picturesque Portage Lake before hopping onto M-22 to see one of the most beautiful routes in America.
On the Isle Royale Queen III
Traverse Cityoffers some of the best places for fall colors. Visit the nearby dunes, bluffs and islands where autumn is in full swing. The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula stretch across 20 miles, surrounded by orchards, vineyards, forests and villages. This is the perfect morning or afternoon drive to see the fall colors and beautiful views of the bay.
Look no further than Charlevoix to experience Northern Michigan’s fall colors. During the month of October, fall colors are at their peak. The surrounding countryside is full of gently rolling hills and an abundance of foliage that is sure to satisfy that fall color trip you’ve been waiting for. After a day of exploring Northern Michigan, stop into downtown Charlevoix for dinner, a craft beer, or a tasty treat.
Mozart’s Symphony No. 35, also known as the Haffner Symphony, began life as a serenade to be used as background music for the ennoblement (i.e., having nobility conferred upon) of Sigmund Haffner, a well-to-do bigwig back in the 1770s. It eventually morphed (with the help of Mozart) into the Haffner Symphony, which was first performed on March 23, 1783, at the Vienna Burgtheater.
On Friday, October 21 at 8 pm with John Varineau conducting, Rick Britsch on horn, Erich Peterson on horn and Daniel Hass on cello, the performance will begin with a gracious earlier symphony written when Mozart was seventeen and had just started working for the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg. As a special treat, Israeli cellist Daniel Hass, winner of the 2016 Stulberg International String Competition in Kalamazoo, will make a guest appearance.
Thanksgiving should be a time for fun family feasts, but even thinking about putting it all together can be enormously stressful.
Perhaps this is the first time you’re preparing the feast. Or maybe baking the perfect turkey has always eluded you. Whatever the stressor, Grand Rapids Downtown Market has cooking classes that will help you master the art of Thanksgiving meal making.
Here are just a few classes to help you out.
Turkey Basics
Wednesday, November 2 from 6-8:30pm
In this class, you’ll learn some tricks to make the holiday a lot easier: how to properly brine, carve and roast a turkey; master gravy for those super creamy mashed potatoes; cook classic cranberry chutney; and prepare an easy stuffing that’s not soggy or boring.
There are not too many better rivalries than East Coast vs. West Coast. In this class, you’ll decide which coast you like the best by creating culinary classics that represent both sides. You’ll make classic chowders, roasted chicken with salsa verde or orange harvest topping, and see if Washington apple pie can win out over Boston cream pie.
Thanksgiving Cocktails and Desserts: Beyond The Pie
Wednesday, November 16 from 6-8:30pm
Celebrate the indulgences of Thanksgiving with two favorite excesses: cocktails and desserts. In this class, you will make the best hot buttered rum batter this land has seen, shake an entire egg in a New York Flip cocktail (it tastes amazing), and learn how to make a cranberry walnut pear tart.
Learn how to master an easy-to-make pie crust! You’ll roll, mix and stretch for a beautiful custard pie, blue ribbon pecan pie and an award-winning apple pie. You will head home with three full pies to share with your loved ones.
Have you ever stopped to think about how ‘plugged in’ we are as a society that everyday life events are missed right in front of us? I’ve passed countless people looking at their phones instead of paying attention to their surroundings. I’ve seen the videos of people too immersed in their phones to notice they’re about to walk into traffic or take an unplanned dip into a pool; things that are blatantly obvious if only their eyes were watching life instead of watching their phone.
One time while sitting at a restaurant, I overheard a father telling his teenage son that if he continued to stare at his phone instead of being a part of the dinner conversations, than he would be left at home during the next night out. We are now so plugged in that my 5-year-old niece recently noticed a landline phone for the first time and asked what it was. She lives in a world where there are only cell phones!
Technology is a great tool that can oftentimes be misused or abused. Facebook, like the internet as a whole, is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family but it can quickly turn into a time suck. On average most people send about 50 minutes a day on Facebook alone. Add in other social media outlets and that number quickly climbs to over 2 to 3 hours, depending on age.
Well, we could organize burn parties and destroy all the technology! Okay… maybe that is a bit extreme, and bad for the environment, but we can add minor changes in our days. Type in a quick google search and there are many articles out there that discuss just this idea. However, I’ve already done the homework and condensed them down. Below are some of my favorites:
1.) Digital Diet: Specifically a social media diet. FOMO – The Fear Of Missing Out – is real thanks to a constant influx of social media. Turn off alerts on your phone to help limit the amount of time you’re online or delete the App entirely. On top of quieting your alters, try limiting the amount of posts you make. If you usually post multiple times per day, maybe tone it down to one or two. Facebook started as a way to stay in contact with family and friends, not to be a digital diary to spew your innermost thoughts. Well, at least in my opinion is isn’t.
2.) Chose a day to limit technology: Tech free Sunday? Mellow Monday? I’ve done this in the past and found Sunday works best for me. I enjoy morning coffee while reading an actual, physical newspaper. Afternoons are filled with family games or maybe a hike at a local park. Chose a day that works best for you even if you can set aside only part of the day. I have found my productivity to expand exponentially on my technological days off.
3.) Device hub: New house rule, no phone in the bedroom. It sounds harsh, doesn’t it? Try it and you might just thank me. Studies have found that consuming technology up to, or in, bed is bad. You sleep better when you back away from the tech world. Try and give the digital world up at least 30 minutes before bed. It’s a great way to reconnect with a loved one at the end of the day. I’ve tried it myself with my husband and we found it mutually beneficial and enjoyable as we both clearly have each other’s attention and focus. Your loved ones deserve your attention at the end of the day, not your phone.
4.) Eat without electronics: It sounds like such a simple concept, to eat a meal without a phone check, but people struggle with it all the time. No email, no social media, and no taking a picture of your meal and posting it online. Just eating and being mindful of what you’re eating. Same goes when you’re with friends. We all have that one friend who can’t make it 10 minutes without looking at their phone for some reason or another. Heck, unfortunately it seems this behavior is becoming the norm instead of the exception.
I have one friends that is really good about being in the moment. If we are out grabbing a coffee or getting a meal, she often shuts her phone off. Yes, she turns her phone completely off! It was shocking the first time I saw her do it but quickly realized how important it was that she was giving me all of her attention. When’s the last time you’ve had that with someone?
5.) Make it simple: So, you can’t make it through a stop light without checking the phone? Take the necessary steps to make it more difficult to reach the phone during the car ride. For me, my phone goes in my purse which goes in the backseat of the car. The gentlemen reading this probably don’t have a purse, but a briefcase works the same was as does putting the phone in the center console. Out of reach, out of mind.
With the phone out of reach, I’m more mindful of my surroundings, like the soccer mom in the van coming across the lane because she’s busy texting and driving.
6.) Inform others: Let others in your life know you are cutting back. Don’t send me a message on Facebook if you need my immediate attention, call or text me. If you don’t have my number, maybe we should work on becoming better friends first. Are you planning on not answering your phone during certain hours? Make it known! I do this with my best friend who happens to love the idea. When my friends is working third shift, she can can keep me updated about her day while knowing that I’m not being disturbed by alerts. Thank goodness for the ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature on my phone. I keep it on daily from 11pm to 9am.
Give a few of these ideas a try over the next week or two and see how it goes. You might discover how much you’re truly plugged in without realizing it. Disconnecting will give you something real back into your life. Disengaging from technology might take the stress down a little bit as you’re able to better concentrate on the task at hand. Whatever it is that you find, I hope you find a little bit of ‘real’ that you may have been missing in the digital world.
Deidre owns and operates Organisum: Technology Services, a business serving the West Michigan area. In her free time she likes to hike & bike local trails with friends and family when she isn’t pinning, instagram’ing or Netflix’ing.
Theresa Tran understands the fears of the immigrant voter. Her parents are Vietnamese refugees, and she circulates in the Asian Pacific Islander community, listening to stories. Feelings of uncertainty, the awkwardness of not fitting in, and even tales of intimidation. APIA Vote – Michigan is looking to change that. By getting the Asian Pacific Island American community to register and to understand the voting process. It is critical that all voices be heard, according to Tran, and she is working hard to ensure just that. Your country, your right, your vote!
Alan Headbloom hosts Feel Like You Belong, a show filmed at WKTV focused on sharing the life stories of immigrants, expatriates, and refugees to the United States.
Just in time for the hunting season, EP Adventures latest hunting video is set to air on WKTV
“Stars & Stripes,” is a video featuring 14 hunts, each of which is dedicated to a different member of the armed services, will air on the station Friday, Oct. 14, at midnight and Saturday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m.
The show spans across an entire year, so there is no one hunting season, but rather several. The military do not do the actually hunting, per se, but the hunts are dedicated to them.
According to EP Adventures’ website “The EP Staff would like to thank all of the men and women of our armed forces this hunting season, and we are dedicating each hunt to them. There would be no hunting without freedom, and because of our entire armed forces we have the privilege to enjoy great hunting in this wonderful country. This video is dedicated to all who protect this nation, both foreign and domestic.”
Archery season in Michigan is already underway, running through Nov. 14 with the second archery season running Dec. 1 – Jan. 1. Regular firearm season is Nov. 15 – 30 with muzzleloading running Dec. 2 – 18. For details on the various hunting seasons, visit the DNR’s website.
EP Adventures is made up of a group of hunting friends who include Scott Wiseman, Gina Wiseman, Michael Endres, Jacob Elliott, Bryan Lape, Brayden Lape, Mike Lucchesi, Scott Haney, Brandon Cunnihgha, Rick Karel, Rusty Ackley, Dough Vandewater, Aaron Albrecht, Mathew Schmidt, and Nate Brown.
EP Adventures has a series of videos, each focusing more about the hunting action with some tips offered from time to time. For more about EP Adventures, visit epadventures.com.
West Michigan filmmaker Chris Penney and actor Sophia Maslowski visited our studio to talk about Penney’s eighth feature film, Two Guns and a Body Bag, which premieres at Celebration Cinema WoodlandThursday, Oct. 20 at 8 pm. Tickets are on sale now on Celebration Cinema Woodland’s website.
I thought I had seen it all when it came to restaurants since in my past life I was an entertainment editor. But the Load A Spud Potato Bar was a new one for me.
And it makes sense. After all, you have Subway that makes customized sandwiches and Qdoba that does the same with tacos and other Mexican-style cuisine. Also, when you think about it, potatoes do make a perfect base for just about any taste combination you could imagine.
Load A Spud Potato Bar, which is based in Grand Rapids, has six locations with one right in Kentwood at 1710 44th St. SW, just east of the Kalamazoo Avenue and 44th Street intersection. Enter in and the place is immaculate. Posters of various potato combinations and boards of potato quick facts adorned the walls. Centerstage was the potato bar itself.
The first thing we were told is that there are 20 different potato combinations or you could create your own. The most popular combinations are the Meat Lover’s, with chicken, bacon, ground beef, and steak; the Steak and Cheese, seasoned steak and cheese topped with A1 Sauce; the Cheese Broccoli with melted cheddar cheese and broccoli pieces; and the Taco featuring seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomato, onions and taco sauce. For $5 you can get a potato with any cheese or any veggie or with butter and sour cream only.
I opted for the Gyro ($7.99) which had gyro strips, feta cheese, onions and tomatoes. I also added lettuce and broccoli. The only hiccup I ran into was that Load A Spud puts butter on all of its potatoes, otherwise “it is going to be a very dry potato.” I am not a butter person, meaning I rarely put butter on anything. I agreed to just butter — the restaurant has several kinds of butter including a sour cream butter — and to be honest, I could not taste it. So the next time I go, I’m going butterless.
I did opt for the yogurt sauce — it’s a gyro so you must have yogurt sauce — and my traditional Diet Coke. Once fully loaded, Mike and I found a seat and dug in.
It was good. The favor combination of the meat and onions with the potato was a nice mix. However, a third of the way in, I fell into the majority of Load A Spud’s customers — I couldn’t finish the meal. The meal comes in a carry out container, so you can snap a lid on it and take it home for snacking later or tomorrow’s lunch. I actually had more at dinner with my daughter snacking on it as well and we still had about a third left.
My entire meal came to $9.53 and considering it ended up becoming three meals, I certainly got quite a bang for my buck.
My first experience with a baked potato bar came at a high school graduation party four years ago. The potatoes were baked, covered in tin foil, and ready to be dressed in the amenities laid forth on the bar. Bacon, cheese, ham, lettuce, spinach, green peppers, onions, sour cream and lots of butter were jovially added and I pondered to myself about the lack of a consistent potato bar in my life.
Fast forward four years to Joanne and I walking into Load A Spud Potato Bar at the corner of 44th Street and Kalamazoo. It had been far to long, but alas, me and my long-lost flame were about to be reunited once again.
As we entered the restaurant, potato facts lined the walls. No, seriously, there are facts about potatoes and the nutrients they provide all over the inside of the restaurant. Did you know that a potato has as many calories as a large apple? Or that nutritionists have shown that potatoes are low in calories and are an excellent source of carbohydrates? They are high in vitamins and contain no fat or cholesterol.
The wall of facts made me feel good about myself and the large quantities of food I was about to throw down the gullet. That’s all that matter in a restaurant, right? To make you FEEL good about what you’re about to eat. Load A Spud get’s an A+ for the feels.
To give you an idea of what Load A Spud is all about, it’s much like a Subway or Qdoba but uses a potato as its base instead of bread or a tortilla. This is no skimpy potato either. We’re talking a full pound that is then mashed together at the bottom of a bowl and topped with ingredients.
About those toppings, because a potato is a high quality base, there’s a lot of treble that can be added on top. In fact, Load A Spud has 20 signature combinations including a taco potato, shrimp alfredo potato, pizza potato, gyro potato, and many more. These signature combinations can then be further customized by a choice of four separate butters – regular, house (with cilantro), garlic, and sour cream – and a bevy of vegetables.
I decide to give the jerk chicken potato a whirl at $6.99 and added garlic butter, spinach, lettuce, red onions, green peppers, broccoli, colby jack cheese and tomatoes. I took the ‘load’ part in Load A Spud very seriously.
The meal was placed into a large bowl with a microwavable top just in case you couldn’t finish and needed to bring it home to heat up for later. How difficult could it be to finish a one pound spud and an assortment of goodies on top? Turns out, pretty dang hard. I shoveled the food into my mouth with no regards for Joanne or my own dignity. I dug into the spud with vigor and passion. As my stomach began to send the signals to my mind and mouth to stop destroying the bowl in front of me, I took a step back to see the damage inflicted upon my prey. My eyes bulged and my heart sank, how could it be that I hadn’t even finished off half of the meal? What is this sorcery!?
My mind quickly recalibrated and realized that what I had in front of me was now a meal for another time. One potato, one invoice, two meals.
Because of the positive feedback to having food trucks at its summer concert series and Fourth of July event, the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department has decided to host a Cornhole Tournament and Food Truck Rally Saturday, Oct. 15.
“Since the food trucks and the Parks and Recreation Department had such a busy summer schedule, we decided to plan something for the Fall instead,” said Parks and Recreation Marketing and Events Coordinator Laura Barbrick. “We thought it might be fun to have another activity to draw an audience, so we came up with a combination Cornhole Tournament and Food Truck Rally.”
The event runs from noon to 4 p.m. at the Kentwood City Hall Lawn, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Live music will be provided by Just Cuz and Barbrick noted that just like the concert series, guests are welcome to bring their own beer or wine to the event.
Seven area food trucks have signed up for the event so far. Those trucks are:
Big Baby’s Bar-B-Que: Just as the name implies, this truck offers barbecue: chicken, spare ribs, rib tips and Big Baby’s Gourmet sausages along with baked beans, cole slaw and potato salad. Full rack of ribs is $23 with prices going down from there.
Blue Spoon Catering: Operated by Goodwill, this food truck offers a wide variety of menu options from a classic Tex-Mex to its signature “Kabob Bash” menu. There is also unique side dishes such as vegan black bean hash, tomato bruschetta, and the truck’s signature spinach and artichoke dip. Menu option prices range from $3 to $9. Special dietary options are also available.
Gettin’ Fresh: This truck features a bacon burger and beer brats from Bob’s Butcher Block in Jenison. Bob mixes the bacon right into the ground beef. Also availabe are turkey pesto panini and Italian beef panini along with Nantucket breads, an assortment of salads, a variety of snacks such as the Nantucket Soft German-Style Pretzel and assorted desserts.
Patty Matters: This truck offers a variety of gourmet burgers such as the Señorita Cha Cha with a chorizo patty, cheddar cheese, chipotle aioli and back bean salsa wrapped in a tortilla and grilled along with traditional burgers such as the All American classic a burger with American cheese, mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle. Also available are variety of sides such as sweet potato fries and potato bombs and deserts such as salted caramel pretzel bars.
Rix Stix Pronto Pups:This truck offers Pronto Pups, hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and French fries for $3 to $5.50. Combos that include chips and drink are $8 and $9. Also available are deep fried Twinkies (two for $5) and deep fried Oreos (six for $5).
River City Cup & Cake: We’ll call this the desert truck as it offers a variety of sweet treats such as cookies, brownies, Danishes, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, chocolate croissants, and an apple frangipane tort. Also available is a variety of coffees, teas, hibiscus and hopps sodas. Note, nothing at this truck is more than $4.
Two Scotts Barbecue: This truck offers pulled pork, sliced brisket, pulled chicken, burnt ends and sausage in both “Just Meats” and sandwich offerings. There is also St. Louis ribs and jumbo wings. A Scott #3 Combo features three meat choices, two sides, bread, pickles and a drink for $16. Sides range from pimento mac and cheese to cheddar biscuit and homemade tots. And of course there are plenty of sweet treats.
The event is free and open to the public. There is a $20 fee per team (of two players) to participate in the Cornhole Tournament. If you are interested in participating in the tournament, you can register online at www.yourkprd.org or call 616-656-5270. Prizes will be award to the winning teams. There will be some other yard games as well.
