The tales told in films from DreamWorks Animation are some of the best in contemporary cinema.
An unexpected friendship between a hapless, young Viking and a dragon; a surprising romance between an ogre and a princess; and the unexpected adventures of animals who have spent their entire life in New York’s Central Park Zoo, suddenly thrust back into their native habitat, all are told in How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek and Madagascar.
But the drama of the Bridge scene in Kung Fu Panda or the intensity of the Calling the Guardians in Rise of the Guardians wouldn’t be as dramatic or intense without the music illuminating the action.
As good as it is to see in the theater, it’s even better when the music is LIVE.
Justin Freer
DreamWorks Animation and CineConcerts bring DreamWorks Animation in Concert to Grand Rapids for one-night only at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, in DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW.
Guest conductor Justin Freer leads the Grand Rapids Symphony in a live performance of favorite moments from some of DreamWorks Animation’s most beloved films.
“DreamWorks has brought such delight to families around the globe with their vibrant characters and adventurous stories,” said Freer, President of CineConcerts as well as Producer/Conductor of DreamWorks Animation in Concert.“What carries us through these charismatic experiences is the inspired and fitting music. To be able to showcase the music in a movie-like environment is an entertainment memory we hope lasts forever.”
Enjoy years of inspired animation and iconic music scores by Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, John Powell, Alexandre Desplat, Alan Silvestri, Danny Elfman and many others. Relive moments from Puss in Boots, Monsters vs. Aliens, The Croods and Mr. Peabody and Sherman as scenes from the films are projected in HD onto the big screen, and the Grand Rapids Symphony does the rest.
DreamWorks Animation Live Entertainment Head Eric Stevens says, “We are excited to bring the stunning music of our composers to life on stage to be showcased in this great and fun event for music and movie fans of all ages.”
The studio has released a total of 32 feature films, including sequels for films such as Shrek, and How to Train Your Dragon.
Tickets for DreamWorks Animation in Concert start at $18 and are available at the GRS ticket office, weekdays 9 a.m. -5 p.m. at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616-454-9451, ext. 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)
Tickets are available at the DeVos Place box office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
“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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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.
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.
Van Andel Arena has been celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and the party is set to keep going. The venue is inviting the community to celebrate at the Halloween Open House on Sunday, Oct. 23 from 12–4 pm.
The event is free and open to the public as a way for Van Andel Arena to show gratitude for the support of the community over the past 20 years.
Plenty of activities and freebies are planned for the Halloween-themed event. The first 5,000 people through the doors will enjoy a free hot dog, popcorn, and Pepsi, and the first 2,000 people will be given a treat – a 20th birthday cupcake.
Other activities to enjoy are costume contests, a live DJ, trick-or-treating and bag decoration stations, Halloween photo stations, self-guided tours of the building, ticket giveaways, and more, including a chance to take a slapshot on the ice, shoot hoops on the basketball floor, and have your picture taken with a Zamboni.
The event will be a fun-filled, family-friendly day and guests are encouraged to show up in costume to get into the Halloween spirit.
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.
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.
This month the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is partnering with the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum (GRCM) to offer reciprocal membership benefits for the month of October.
Through this partnership, GRPM members can visit the GRCM and receive free general admission. GRCM members in return can visit the GRPM and receive free general admission, free planetarium shows and free carousel rides. GRCM members will also be able to visit the new traveling exhibit Whales: Giants of the Deep at GRPM member pricing of $2 between October 22 and October 31, as well as visit Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! free of charge between October 29 and October 31.
“October is a great time to be a member of the GRPM!” said Kate Moore, Vice President of Marketing and Pubic Relations for the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “The GRPM partnered with the Children’s Museum in May this year, and with such a great success and partnership, we decided to do it again.”
“We love to partner with the Grand Rapids Public Museum on reciprocal memberships – there is so much for our members combined between the two organizations!” said Adrienne Brown, Marketing and Events Manager of the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum.
For more information on the reciprocal membership benefits or to become a member of the GRPM, please visit grpm.org.
Before the advent of humankind, whales roamed the oceans unfettered by humans and dangerous, man-made noises. It is said that back then, a whale in the Pacific Ocean could hear a whale singing in the Atlantic Ocean. What a world that must have been.
Sadly, those days are long gone and we have become far removed from our huge mammal friends. But the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) wants to change that. The GRPM’s Whales: Giants of the Deep exhibition’s unique blend of science, storytelling, and innovative interactivity gives visitors the opportunity to discover more about the world of whales.
Featuring two fully-articulated sperm whale skeletons, including an impressive 58-foot male, Whales showcases amazing and rare specimens from New Zealand’s Te Papa Museum’s whale collection, one of the largest in the world. Visitors will see life-size and scale models of whales common to the South Pacific as well as contemporary whalebone treasures such as weapons and chiefly adornments.
They’ll also learn about whale biology, the extraordinary evolutionary journey of whales from land to sea, and the history of whaling in New Zealand.
Children can even crawl through a life-size replica of the heart of a blue whale, the Earth’s largest living creature.
Interactive, immersive, and featuring the latest in international cetacean research, Whales: Giants of the Deep is an experience that brings adults and children eye to eye with some of the world’s most elusive creatures.
Here are some of the exhibition highlights:
See life-size and scale models of whales common to the South Pacific, including a beaked whale skull and a massive 58-foot, fully-articulated sperm whale skeleton.
Learn about the intricacies of whale biology, the history of whaling in New Zealand, and efforts being made by scientists and others to protect whales from threats of entanglement, shipping and sonar use, and the continuation of whaling practices in some parts of the world.
View casts of fossil whale ancestors, which show the evolutionary journey of whales from land to sea, as well as contemporary whalebone treasures such as weapons and chiefly adornments.
Encounter whales through video portholes, be transported into their underwaterworld via two immersive projections, and enjoy a moving film experience that tells the stories of three whale-riding traditions in New Zealand, including the famous story of Paikea featured in Whale Rider.
See ancient and contemporary works of art and hear stories from people of the South Pacific illustrating the powerful influence these creatures have had on human culture.
Tune in to a range of whale sounds and discover how scientists and amateur trackers identify individual whales on their migration through the Pacific Ocean.
Gain a true appreciation of the physical and behavioral traits that enable whales to make a living in the challenging and dynamic marine environment.
Walk among the giant—and not-so-giant—articulated skeletons of an astoundingly diverse collection of whale specimens, and then explore the evolutionary paths that gave rise to this unique group of mammals.
Beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 22, Whales: Giants of the Deep tickets will be $2 for member adults and children, and $13 for non-member adults and $8 for non-member children. Admission to Whales: Giants of the Deep includes general admission to the Museum. Get tickets here.
Come to the Special Opening Party, Saturday, Oct. 22 from 9 am to 2 pm.
Visitors of all ages will have first access to the exhibit at this party coming eye to eye with some of the world’s most elusive creatures. Featuring two fully-articulated sperm whale skeletons, visitors are able to see life-size and scale models of whales common to the South Pacific, discover how scientists identify whales on their migration process and interact with a life-size replica of a blue whale, the world’s largest living creature.
Tickets to this event will include admission to the exhibit, as well as hands-on activities and performances including live animals from the John Ball Zoo, performances by traditional Maori dancers, admission to Dynamic Earth in the Museum’s Chaffee Planetarium and lunch.
Use your ticket for lunch between 11 am and 1:30 pm to eat lunch at the Museum. Lunch will include hot dogs, chips, fruit with a drink and dessert.
Non-members: Receive incredible savings for the Opening Party! Purchase a one year family membership plus 4 tickets to the event for only $80 (saving $57). To purchase a membership package call 616.456.3977.
Members are $10 for adults and FREE for member children. Non-member event-only tickets are $18 for adults and $13 for children. Limited tickets available.
The Isle of Capri — even the name sounds romantic!
To stay on the island would be lovely (and cost a king’s ransom), but for a much smaller sum, you can take an all-day tour. The driver met me in the lobby of my hostel and brought me to the harbor in Sorrento, where the boat captain and the rest of the guests were waiting. We climbed aboard Blu Toy, a medium-sized dark blue powerboat, and whizzed off across the azure sea. I sat out on the large cushioned bow next to a young Irish couple on their honeymoon, a happy synchronicity, as that’s my next country destination when I leave Italy.
We motored for about 15 minutes, then Captain Sebastian and his first mate Piero dropped anchor, handed us foam noodles and sent us off into the sea for a swim, which was great, as at 10 am it was already hot. The cool sea water felt superb. When we climbed back aboard, we headed for Capri, past Mt. Vesuvius and the isle of Ischia, swinging into a couple of caves near the shore, and then up to and through the two famous giant rocks, an icon for Capri.
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We wound around several giant yachts and anchored in Marina Piccola, the little harbor, which apparently is much more quaint and scenic than the larger main harbor. A small beach stretched out along the shore, densely populated with bikini-clad bodies, bright umbrella and rainbow blow-up rafts. We motored in to shore in a rubber dinghy, and climbed the stairs to a restaurant for lunch. It’s Italy, so of course we eat pizza.
The town of Capri is up a hill, so we took a little bus. It was standing room only, on a very zig-zagging road about one lane wide, so it was interesting to see how two buses going in opposite directions pass each other (barely). Disgorged onto a busy street full of souvenir shops and tourists (in August, the busiest month of the year), across from a drop-dead gorgeous view of the bay dotted with yachts. I spied a stand selling lemon ice in fresh squeezed orange juice and ordered one up. It was the most refreshing drink I’ve ever tasted, all sweet and sour and cold.
I wandered down the street, which soon narrowed into passageways lined with the more upscale designer shops, fun to look in the windows though I didn’t go in – white linen dresses and suit coats, $150 Dolce & Gabbana baby shoes, sparkling jewelry which probably sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars, shops for celebrity budgets.
Flowers blossomed everywhere, bright pink against the blue, blue ocean and blue, blue sky. I wandered past 5-star hotels, knowing I could live and travel for a month on what people pay to stay there for two nights. Would I mind staying there? Um, no. But do I need to, in order to be a happy traveler. Not at all.
We had four hours to explore the island, or we could go back to the beach or boat to swim; I had planned to go back after about three hours but took a wrong turn — a good one it turns out — as I ended up by some stairs where for 1 euro you could enter a garden with the best views on the island (or so the sign said) but it turned out to be true. The gardens were edged with an iron fence overlooking the cliffs leading down to the bay, where you could see the iconic rocks and tons of boats speckled around them. Breathtaking!
It’s fun to take your time and wander away from the crowded spots, up stairs, down paths. Sometimes you see the inner workings of a place that way, like how packages are delivered.
When I got back to the harbor, the dingy took me out to the boat, where most of the other people were already swimming or drinking beer, and I immediately doffed my tank top and skirt and jumped into the sea to cool off. Aaaahhh!! Soooo nice!!! The only thing that got me out was an ice cold drink.
On our way back, we stopped to see another couple of grottos — there’s a green grotto, a white grotto and a blue grotto, and we also stopped to swim again, and snorkel. Then we headed to Sorrento, the sun still hot on our backs, and said our farewells. As I’ve mentioned, I don’t go on a lot of tours, but this one was totally worthwhile.
My driver back to my hostel had a bus instead of a car, and I was the only passenger. He spoke English and we chatted — he gave me a restaurant recommendation, and he also told me I should get a job as a tour guide and meet an Italian man, that they’re very romantic.
I love Italy!
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
Carvers: Grand Rapids’ Finest Meats, will officially open for business on Friday, Oct. 7, becoming the newest tenant inside the Grand Rapids Downtown Market Hall. Carvers is an all-new locally-owned butcher, and the latest venture of Fish Lads owner Jeff Butzow.
“Our mission with Carvers is to bring the same high-quality products to local tables that people have come to expect from Fish Lads,” said Butzow. “We’re working hard to source the very best products in a sustainable way, and at an approachable price point.”
Customers will find cases fully stocked with a variety of high-end meats (beef, pork, poultry, lamb, etc.) at an approachable price. Beef options will include a full line of 100 percent grass-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef as well as high-end Kobe options. Heritage Kurobota pork, pork belly, unique house-made sausages and organic, free-range chickens will also be available year-round.
“We want to be the experts that customers rely on to select the best cuts of meat for their needs,” said Butzow. “We are full-service butchers that source the best products, help select a cut, and provide tips on preparation and cooking.”
Carvers has a full-service kitchen with made-from-scratch items including a $5 burger feature, chicken wings and pastrami and corned-beef sandwiches. Carvers also features a full-service deli, where customers can customize their own grab-and-go sandwiches and salad bowls, made to order by deli specialists. A rotating daily feature menu will give guests a constantly revolving taste of innovative approaches to meat and side dishes in addition to some well-loved classic dishes like weekend steak and egg breakfasts. Carvers will also serve breakfast sandwiches for those looking to grab a bite on their way into the office.
“Jeff is bringing the same level of passion and expertise to Carvers that has led to his tremendous success with Fish Lads,” said Downtown Market President/CEO Mimi Fritz. “The addition of a full-service kitchen gives people a way to taste the products and adds a whole new variety of hearty menu options in the Market Hall.”
A fully stocked deli case features hand-sliced, all-natural, nitrate-free deli meats, available to take home or in a made-to-order deli sandwich on Field & Fire bread. Other deli case specialties include house-made salads, pâtés and terrines. Paying homage to Butzow’s northern Michigan roots, Carvers will feature a variety of house-made pickled foods, including pickled eggs, pickled bologna, and kimchi. Carvers also stocks a variety of pre-cooked and ready-to-cook options including ribs, meatballs, meatloaves, stuffed pork loins and gourmet burger patties, for those who want to enjoy Grand Rapids’ finest meats but don’t have time to cook.
The area’s witches and warlocks, princesses and ninjas will be heading down the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation’s annual Pumpkin Path Saturday, Oct. 8 at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The event runs from 4 – 6 p.m. and features area businesses and organizations handing out treats and items to those who come by. The event is free to the public. For more, check out the story.
Celebrating the harvest
The City of Kentwood wraps up its famers market season with a very special event this Saturday, Oct. 8, a Harvest Celebration. Music and games will be part of the activities with the market’s usual vendors in attendance as well. Produce, flowers and homemade goods are some of the items you can expect to find. The event is from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Kent District Library Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. The event is free to the public.
Me and My Brother
Care Ballet kicks off its season with the Brothers Grimm classic “Hansel & Gretel.” No more than an hour in length, Care Ballet’s productions are a perfect way to introduce youngsters into the world of dance. The fall production is Saturday, Oct. 8, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 9, at 3 p.m. with all shows at the East Grand Rapids Performing Arts Center, 2211 Lake Dr. SE. Tickets are $10/students and $15/adults and can be purchased through www.careballet.org.
Madame Overdone (Ariana Martineau) discusses her call girls with Lucio (Liam Purtle) in Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure.” Photo courtesy of GVSU University Communications.
For Good Measure
The production for this year’s Grand Valley State University’s Shakespeare Festival is the Bard’s darkest comedy “Measure for Measure.” The story tackles the twin evils of power and corruption with outrageous humor, giving hope to the hopeless and courage to the powerless. His city caught in a moral free-fall, the Duke of Vienna hands over power to Lord Angelo, who enforces long-dormant codes of chastity with zealous fervor. When Isabella, a pious young nun, pleads for the life of her condemned brother, Angelo’s response is surprisingly sensual — revealing a web of desire, deception, and hypocrisy that infects every corner of society. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 6 and 7 and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9 at GVSU’s Louis Armstrong Theatre, located on the Allendale Campus at 1 Campus Drive. Tickets are $14/adults, $12/alumni/seniors/faculty/staff, $6 students/groups. Call 616-331-2300.
Gerald Arpino’s “Light Rain” will be one of three works presented Oct. 7-9 by the Grand Rapids Ballet as part of its MoveMedia; Made in America program. (Supplied photo)
Two for the Money
Two other performances highlighted earlier this week are the “I Love the 90s” show set for Saturday, Oct. 8, at Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton. The show is in celebration of the Van Andel’s 20th year with ticket prices at $35 and $20. The show is at 7:30 p.m. For more, click here.
Also the Grand Rapids Ballet kicks off its season with “MoveMedia: Made in America,” Friday- Sunday, Oct. 7 – 9, at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre, 341 Ellsworth Ave. SW. Showtimes re 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. For more, click here for the story.
“Ditch Lily Drawing,” by Nathan Lareau, is in the ArtPrize 8 Top 20. It is under the installation category. (Supplied photo.)
ArtPrize can often seem overwhelming, with 170 venues and almost 1,500 entries, sometimes it seems as though viewers can only run a quick hand over individual works as so many more beckon during the three-week run.
But the Frederik Meijer Garden & Sculpture Park’s always unique, often astounding, contribution to Grand Rapids’ annual explosion of art is not only a “must see” venue of the event, but it also has a longevity not offered by many of the venues – the show will continue through the end of the year, making it a “must see again, at leisure” opportunity.
Meijer Gardens’ exhibition, “Almost Home: Grand Rapids in Focus,” continues free to the public through the run of ArtPrize 8, Sunday, Oct. 9. It will then continue on display through Dec. 31, available with admission.
In recent years, the Gardens have offered an international snapshot of the modern art world brought home to Grand Rapids. This year’s exhibit still offers a closely curated spectrum – 13 artists and artistic visions – but there is a consistent theme of homemade, homegrown familiarity in the milieu.
“Each artist has a special connection to the city and has offered an original reflection on it,” Joseph Becherer, chief curator and vice president of exhibitions and collections, said in supplied material. “All sculptures and installations were created specifically for this exhibition, reflecting the social and historical, industries and enterprises, the natural and the creative forces that helped shape Grand Rapids.”
The artists in the exhibit include married couples, fathers and sons, longtime local artistic forces and relatively newcomers to Grand Rapids’ artistic home front.
Two that attracted my attention in my first – all too rushed – sweep through the gallery were Nathan Lareau’s simple yet exquisitely complex “Ditch Lily Drawing” and Anna Campbell’s complex yet exquisitely simple “Chosen Family, Chosen Name, Separatist, Safe Space, Ex-Pat, Invert, Homophile, Homestead”.
For “Ditch Lily Drawing,” Lareau uses the clean, simple lines of dried daylily stalks in all-white mosaic that, when carefully illuminated by shadow-inducing spotlights, ceases to be individual objects from nature and becomes a single, textured objets d’art which somehow reminds one of both Michigan’s cornfields in winter and some distant, cold, almost barren, otherworld.
Lareau, born and raised in rural Michigan where the lifecycle of daylilies are familiar, studied and now teaches at Aquinas College. In his artist’s statement he says: “My background in percussion has cultivated a fascination for rhythm and pattern and leads me to seek out examples of such in the physical world. The daylily possesses these elements not only through its time-measuring name, but also the visual rhythm of its growth.”
Campbell’s mixed media installation “Chosen Family, Chosen Name, Separatist, Safe Space, Ex-Pat, Invert, Homophile, Homestead,” in contrast, uses a variety of seemingly incongruent if not conflicting objects – a polished tabletop with a seemingly random spread of small glasses, a piece of children’s clothing hanging lifeless, roped gateways usually associated with entry or rejection at a nightclub.
Campbell, who is new to Grand Rapids and teaches art and design at Grand Valley State University, says in her artist’s statement that “this work is an assemblage of diverse strategies and terms that LGBT and other marginalized people have used over generations to mark the labor of making and naming home.”
My first impression, at first glance, sees the focal point as the glasses: most are grouped together or at least in some pattern (a family, or group, at home?), while several are separate, either seeking entry to the whole or willingly accepting a different path.
I look forward to spending more time with the work, at leisure, after ArtPrize’s run and finding other nuances.
— K.D. Norris
What’s Next:
Artist in Conversation talks on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m. with Ron Pederson and Campbell; Sunday, Oct. 23, at 2 p.m. with Darlene Kaczmarczyk and Lareau; and Sunday, Oct. 30 at p.m. with Norwood Viviano and Joyce Recker. There will be a gallery walk and talk Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. with Becherer.
A new exhibit titled, “Michigan Impressions,” by local artist Kathleen Kalinowski opens at the Leep Art Gallery Oct. 5. The exhibit is at the Postma Center on the Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services campus in Grand Rapids.
Kalinowski is known for her representational landscape paintings with impressionistic color and brushwork. Much of her work consists of plein air painting, directly from nature, a prelude to her larger studio paintings. She has been working as a professional fine artist for more than 25 years using oil and pastel as her mediums.
She paints the landscapes of her native Michigan in all seasons and favorite places from her travels. Her home and studio is just north of Grand Rapids, in a rural area close to farms, rolling hills, and plenty of rivers and streams. She often finds water as her inspiration including the shorelines of the Great Lakes, northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.
“Painting is my passion, it is who I am,” said Kalinowski. “Whether working on location or in my studio, my experience has taught me to trust my intuition when seeking inspiration.
“I look to capture the sense of the place, the relationship of elements, and quality of light, atmosphere, and color harmonies to create a visual poetry that I seek to express in my work. My hope is that the viewer will be left with a feeling of being present within the artwork and gain another understanding of how beautiful our world can be.”
Kalinowski is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America, a member of the Oil Painters of America, American Women Artists, Great Lakes Pastel Society, Plein Air Artists of West Michigan and Grand Valley Artists. Her award winning work has been accepted into prestigious juried regional and national exhibitions and is in numerous private and corporate collections.
The exhibit will be on display at Pine Rest Postma Center located at 300 68th St. SE from Oct. 5 until Jan. 3. The Leep Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 616/222-4530 or go to www.pinerest.org/events.
Gerald Arpino’s “Light Rain” will be one of three works presented Oct. 7-9 by the Grand Rapids Ballet as part of its MoveMedia; Made in America program. (Supplied photo)
Grand Rapids Ballet artistic director Patricia Barker, recently discussing the company’s season opening MoveMedia program of three 20th Century works created in America, was asked how one restages modern dance works which defy easy description – music has its scores, drama its screenplays; but dance?
“Tribal memory,” Barker answered, explaining that while notes, video and living memory exist, revisiting works such as Gerald Arpino’s “Light Rain” – one of three works on the “Made in America” program – begins with previous presentations of the work but is always influenced by the unique strengths and personalities of the company and its dancers.
If the brief interaction with the works offered in the ballet’s free to the public Inside Look live rehearsal and discussion Sept. 28, the unique personalities of the dancers as well as the unique visions of the three choreographers will be on full display Oct. 7-9 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre.
Grand Rapids Ballet artistic director Patricia Barker discussed MoveMedia; Made in America program at a free to the public Inside Look live rehearsal and discussion Sept. 28. (Supplied photo)
“MoveMedia: Made In America” features work ranging from classical to neo-classical and contemporary, and will include George Balanchine’s 1935 “Serenade” (the first work by the famed Russian emigre after moving to America) as well as Arpino’s “Light Rain” from 1981, and Paul Taylor’s “Company B,” a truly Americana homage from 1991.
With a deeper appreciation of what some call “contemporary” modern dance, “Light Rain” is the work I am most anticipating experiencing.
Created to showcase the new young dancers of the Joffrey Ballet on its Silver Anniversary, Arpino described his work as “my gift to these talented youngsters … I am inspired by their modes and rituals, their passions.” The work features a contemporary original score by Douglas Adamz and Russ Gauthier.
And it will, undoubtedly feature the unique personalities of the Grand Rapids Ballet’s “tribe”.
What’s Next:
The Grand Rapids Ballet, as part of ArtPrize 8 and through Oct. 9, is hosting a UICA-commissioned “in-process” mural by Louise “Ouizi” Chen and photography by Grand Rapids Ballet dancer Isaac Aoki; it will also present its Michigan Dance Festival on Oct. 15 and the ballet’s Junior Company presents “Peter Pan” Oct. 21-23.
For more on the Grand Rapids Ballet’s season, visit
With his home repair show and “Dancing With the Stars,” it is hard to imagine that Robert Matthew Van Winkle, a.k.a. Vanilla Ice, has any time to do much else.
But the rapper best known for the nineties song “Ice Ice Baby,” has been touring the past few months in the “I Love the 90s” show featuring himself and Salt N Pepa with the Spinderella, Kid N Play, All 4 One, Rob Base and Tone Loc.
And since the Van Andel Arena was open in the nineties — Oct. 8, 1996 — the “I Love the 90s” show is perhaps the perfect one to celebrate the arena’s twentieth anniversary. So the arena will be reliving the nineties on Saturday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 p.m.
The entire night will have a 1990s theme to celebrate the Van Andel Arena’s 20th anniversary including a special $20 ticket price and 1996 concession stand prices.
Van Winkle made it big in the early 1990s with “Ice Ice Baby,” but by 1994 had taken a break from the music industry to become the No. 6 ranked sit-down Jet Ski racer earning a Kawasaki sponsorship.
In the mid-1990s, Van Winkle began to study real estate and started working on the side renovating and selling houses. In 2009, he started filming the reality television series “The Vanilla Ice Project,” which is on DIY Network. The show is now in its sixth season and lead to Van Winkle writing a book “Vanilla Ice Project — Real Estate Guide.”
Vanilla Ice with MC Hammer
Van Winkle continues to do a number of different things, including acting, along with performing. Most recently, he can be seen on the current season of “Dancing With the Stars” where in his first dance he performed a cha cha to “Ice Ice Baby.”
No word on whether he will do that cha cha at the Oct. 8 performance, but he will perform his hit “Ice Ice Baby.” Other nineties hits on the playlist are “Push It,” “Let’s Talk About Sex,” “Shoop,” featuring Salt N Pepa with Spinderella; Tone Loc’s “Funky Cold Medina;” Rob Base’s “It Takes Two;” “ and All-4-One’s “I Swear.”
Tickets are $20 and $35 and available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com and by phone at 1-800-745-3000.
The countdown is on for Zeeland’s Pumpkinfest — celebrating community, family fun and fall activities for over 30 years. The theme for 2016 is “Pumpkinfest In Disguise.”
The two-day event features a number of free and low-cost events that can be enjoyed by all ages, and it all happens Friday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 8 — a departure from Pumpkinfest’s traditional three-day schedule.
For the second year, Pumpkinfest is partnering with the Holland Area Arts Council to coordinate a community art-centered project called Pumpkinfest Avenue Art, and the community is welcome to join in to express their creative talents.
On Friday, Oct. 7, Dessert on Us — a celebration of community and a complimentary donut and cider — replaces the event formerly known as Dinner on Us. A sweet treat, combined with an evening of family activities, including the Kids Tractor Pull, hayrides and KidzFest events, will make for a see and be seen community event that you won’t want to miss.
Then, on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 3 pm it’s time for the Pumpkinfest Parade featuring marching bands, horses, walking groups, tractors and, of course, floats featuring this year’s theme. The parade route is: West on Main Ave. from Centennial St. to State St., South on State St. to Central Ave., East on Central Ave. ending at Maple St.
Pumpkinfest also features a fun place for kids to be creative, learn and play at KidZfest. Within the KidZfest area, families will discover bounce houses, petting zoos, stage performances, pony rides and more. KidZfest will be located on Church St. just south of Main Ave.
Fans can purchase event merchandise, including collector’s edition longsleeve and short-sleeve Pumpkinfest t-shirts as well as insulated travel mugs at the Pumpkinfest Information Tent, located at 130 E. Main. Profits from merchandise sales are used to support future Pumpkinfest activities.
Pennsylvania-based pointillism artist Brian Delozier made the Top 100 for his 2-D ArtPrize Eight entry “Dot Nation” — a 3-by-17-foot banner that consists of 7.3 million colorful dots. The piece took 1,600 hours over the course of eight months to complete. You can see the piece at 99 Monroe Ave. NW.
More than 180,000 votes were cast in the first seven days of ArtPrize Eight.
“I am thrilled to be competing in ArtPrize this year and overjoyed to make the Top 100,” said Delozier. “Dot Nation is an ode to the unexpected events that shape our lives. This piece is my biggest accomplishment to date and no words or pictures can describe how challenging yet rewarding a process it was creating Dot Nation.”
Delozier has limited mobility due to a serious accident that left him paralyzed in 2002. Several years after Delozier’s accident, he went to Hawaii where he discovered pointillism and his passion for creating dots. Since then, Delozier has created dot art that consists of hundreds of thousands of dots, with some of his pictures having more than 600,000 individual dots.
“Instead of allowing my injury to become a barrier between me and pursuing art, I have used it to fuel my passion,” said Delozier. “I’ve met so many amazing people this first week of ArtPrize, and I hope that people who see Dot Nation will become inspired to follow their passions and become excited about art.”
“We are truly honored to have Brian’s work on display at 99 Monroe for this year’s competition,” said Jessica Geerling, Director of Marketing for Vision Real Estate Investment. “Brian has a unique story that I think a lot of people can connect with, and we encourage everyone to stop by 99 Monroe to view this incredible piece and learn about Brian’s story.”
“Dot Nation” will be displayed at 99 Monroe Ave. NW through Oct. 9. Voting ends Saturday, Oct. 1 and his ArtPrize vote code is 62794. Delozier’s work has appeared in art competitions across the country. For more information about Delozier and his work, visit briansdots.com or facebook.com/briansdots
About Brian’s Dots
Brian Delozier, owner and founder of Brian’s Dots, is dedicated to spreading his love for art throughout the world. Brian discovered his passion for pointillism after a serious ski accident in 2002 that left him with limited mobility. Today, Brian’s Dots has appeared in art festivals across the country including the Parallax Art Fair in Manhattan, the Uptown Art Fair in Minneapolis and the Northern Tampa Art Festival. To learn more about Brian’s journey, visit briansdots.com.
Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan (DRCWM) is commemorating its 30th year with a soirée called Thirty & Thriving — Celebrating the Vision, and the community is invited to attend October 20 at 6:30 pm at The B.O.B.-Eve, 20 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
DRCWM’s celebration will be hosted by local luminary, the Honorable Sara Smolenski, whose brother Hon. Michael Smolenski served as the first board president of DRCWM. Three individuals, responsible for transforming the idea of a center for conflict resolution into reality, will be honored with Local Peacemaker Awards: Rev. Vernon Hoffman, Calvin College Professor Emeritus, Dr. Henry J. Holstege, Jr. and Dr. Robert Riekse.
Judge Sara Smolenski (photo courtesy of feedwm.org/)
The DRCWM is a non-profit community dispute resolution center serving seven counties in West Michigan. The organization provides mediation services on a sliding scale, mediation training, restorative practitioners, and restorative practices training.
Last year, the DRCWM served 1,302 individuals and mediated 429 cases in a wide variety of areas, 74% of which mediated to full or partial agreement. Mediation helps participants to resolve conflicts on their own timeline, in a private setting, on their own terms. The mediators are volunteers trained pursuant to the Michigan State Court Administrator’s guidelines.
Spearheaded by its executive director, Christine Gilman, DRCWM began its restorative justice program at Lee Middle School in the fall of 2013. The services target students, staff and the community. A recent $50,000 from the Steelcase Foundation enabled the organization to expand its restorative justice program to Lee Middle School in Wyoming, Kelloggsville Middle School and Wyoming High School over the next two years.
Some of the students that have participated in the restorative circles process at Wyoming Public Schools will share their experiences at the celebration, and guests will hear firsthand how effective the program really is.
Noel Webley
Noel Webley and his Jazz Friends will keep toes tapping as guests enjoy a scrumptious dinner catered by the B.O.B., a cash bar, an opportunity to mingle and network, and have an opportunity to win exciting prizes in a raffle.
Tickets are available for $45 at drcwm.org. Proceeds will support the organization’s restorative justice school programs which have helped students to avoid hundreds of suspension days through restorative circles.
For more information contact: Christine Gilman, Executive Director DRCWM at 616.774.0121x 101 or 616.581.3582. Or email her at cgilman@drcwm.org.
Crystal Mountain has a number of events and unique activities for you to enjoy the fall color season, plus the beautiful views of the Betsie Valley and nearby Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore make it one of Fodor’s Travel’s 15 Best US Resorts for Fall Getaways (2015). Michigan’s Gold Coast along M-22 (just 20 minutes from the resort) was the first mention in Travel + Leisure’s list of ‘America’s Best Fall Color Drives.’
And there are plenty of ways to take in the scenery on-mountain, like chairlift rides each Saturday from 11am to 1pm and…
Peak2Peak Mountain Bike Festival, Oct. 15
Now in its 11th year, the Founders Peak2Peak Mountain Bike Classic features a 10.5-mile course through and around the single tracks and slopes of Crystal Mountain with three waves — beginner (1 lap), intermediate (2 laps) and professional/expert (3 laps). Chairlift rides, live entertainment, family fun activities and games, food and Founders beer will be available in the festival area at the base of the slopes throughout the day — admission is free to spectators. Register for the race at endomanpromotions.com.
Crystal Spa Days, Oct. 1– Nov. 6
October is not only a wonderful time to enjoy the crisp autumn air and vibrant colors but special pricing on a menu of 50-minute services at the award-winning Crystal Spa. Nearly a dozen services are available from $69 (Sunday through Friday) and $79 on Saturday.
Spooktacular Saturdays offer a haunted trail and family fun Oct. 15, 22, 29
The last three Saturdays in October you can ride the Loki quad chairlift up the mountain and follow the lanterns back down a Spooky (but family friendly) Trail from 7 pm to 9 pm ($7 per person, kids 6-and-under free). Spooktacular Saturday (2 pm to 6 pm) will lead up to the evening’s haunted hike featuring wagon rides, a petting zoo, caramel apples, pumpkin carving and more.
What happens when you want to cook a meal from a 1903 cookbook, only to find that your local supermarket does not carry the bladder of a wild boar?
If you are author and avid outdoorsman Steve Rinella, you embark on a yearlong quest to hunt or scavenge the ingredients you need to complete your feast.
In 2003, Rinella discovered one of the greatest cookbooks ever written, “Le Guide Culinaire” by renowned French chef August Escoffier. Known in his day as the “King of Chefs and Chef of Kings,” Escoffier’s cooking methods revolutionized French high or haute cuisine and used many ingredients that are not readily available to us today, such as sparrow, black bear, eel, pigeon and stingray. Rinella’s quest would take him to the far-flung corners of the country, hunting, fishing and scavenging the ingredients he would need to create a forty-five course feast from Escoffier’s tome that would be served over a three-day period to his family and friends.
“The Scavenger’s Guide” chronicles this adventure in enjoyable, easy-to-read (and sometimes hard to stomach) format. As someone who has never gone hunting, killed an animal, and to be honest, doesn’t even put the worm on the fishing hook, I found this book to be a reminder that we are never far removed from our food source. Although graphic in spots, the book will appeal to outdoorsmen and foodies alike. Rinella only kills what he intends to eat and the book is seasoned with respect for nature, the camaraderie of family and friends (including a vegetarian girlfriend) and the love of good food. A book that will at the same time leave you sated and curious to know what pigeonneaux crapaudine really tastes like.
The stink bugs are coming! The stink bugs are coming! (Oh, wait. They’re already here.)
Well, just don’t you panic — it’s that time of year (you know, like shedding season for Fluffy and Fido), when the little buggers look for a warm place to hibernate for winter — in your home. Can you blame them?
Wait! Who? What?
Specifically, it’s the brown marmorated stink bugs that are raising such a stink in lower Michigan. Remember last fall, when we were asked to report any sightings of these guys in our homes? Yeah, me neither, but apparently Michigan residents were asked to report sightings, and apparently there were enough sightings to warrant an official decree: marmorated stink bugs are well-established as a nuisance pest in homes in the southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
It makes sense when you think about it. The little guys want to stay warm during the cold months and don’t worry, they promise to leave in the spring if they can find their way back out. If they do make it back out, they’ll look for plants to eat and lay their eggs outside.
Seriously, there is no cause for worry. They are not nesting, laying eggs or feeding on you, your pets or anything in your house. I repeat: They are harmless to pets and humans. They just want a warm place to rest their sweet little mandibles.
Don’t panic. We said that upfront, but it bears repeating.
Look for gaps around window air conditioners or holes in window screens and block them off — these little stinkers love these easy access points.
The easiest, non-toxic way to dispose of them is with a couple inches of soapy water in a bucket — the soap prevents them from escaping the water. Yup, just sweep ’em into the bucket and they will drown in the soapy water, which you can then dump outside. Or you can do the same with a Shop-Vac — add the soapy water to the canister before vacuuming them up with the Shop-Vac. (You may want to use an old, junker vacuum for this purpose because the bugs may live up to their name and “stink up” your vacuum.)
The map above shows where reports have been made to the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network of brown marmorated stink bugs in the Lower Peninsula since Sept. 25, 2015.
(Call me crazy, but I posit that if these guys didn’t go around stinking things up, nobody would have been the wiser.)
Welcome to another chapter in the ongoing series by our world traveler, Lynn Strough. This week, Lynn roams Rome.
Rome, the Eternal City — it was known that way even among the ancient Romans, because the Roman people thought no matter what happened to the world, the brightness of Rome would burn forever.
One of my Travel Angels, Beth, made it burn even brighter, when she booked us into the Waldorf Astoria with her travel points, high up on a hill, a true room with a view. It’s a great city to share with a friend.
There’s so much to see and do in Rome, it’s hard to know where to start. The Trevi Fountain is undergoing restoration, hence it’s dry, but it’s still worth a look. They say if you throw a coin into the fountain, you’ll return to Rome. I threw one in 20 years ago, and here I am, but what does it mean that the fountain isn’t flowing?
Beth was smart and got tickets on line to the Colosseum, so we got in quickly, despite long August lines, and spent an hour or two with an audio tour learning that they don’t really know that Christians were thrown to the lions there, although gladiators did duke it out to the death, and lions and bears and other beasts participated, including 50 bears that came out of a fake whale once. Apparently the Colosseum was a site of many a spectacle, and the elite as well as the lower classes were allowed in, albeit in very different seating positions. Seeing the Colosseum in the rain was a treat, quite atmospheric, like a trip back in time. And then the sun appeared and I got some blue sky shots as well.
From there, we visited the Forum, a busy place in peak season and afterwards, treated ourselves to gelato — you really can’t eat enough gelato in Italy, in my opinion.
On the recommendation of a friend, we toured the Basilica of San Clemente, which is a layer cake of churches (our friend Sue calls it the lasagne church). It’s a church on top of a church on top of a church. Intriguing, although kind of spooky on the bottom layer. Sorry, no photos allowed inside.
We wandered past lines of people waiting to get into the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel — I’d already been there years ago, and Beth decided it wasn’t a priority for her. But if you do go to Rome and want to see them, I highly recommend that you buy tickets ahead on line, especially if you’re there in the summer.
After a peek at the exterior of the buildings we headed for a stroll through Trastevere, a lovely neighborhood full of old buildings glowing in the afternoon sun and we stopped at one of the small trattorias for lunch.
One of my favorite things to do in Rome is to simply walk. Put away your map and wander, up this narrow street, down that alleyway. You’ll see lots of beautiful architectural details and some of the local non-human inhabitants. You’ll spy interesting graffiti and who knows what all else.
Heading back towards our shuttle stop, we passed the Pantheon, so we stopped inside. It’s a place not to miss. The signs all say “silence please,” and a recording announces it in six languages, while hundreds of tourists keep talking. But despite the commotion and crowds, you still get a sense of the grandeur and spirituality of the place.
I’ve only scratched the surface of things to do in Rome — there are countless museums to peruse, gardens to wander, piazzas to linger in, bridges to cross and of course, bargain shopping for the kitsch, as well as high-end haute couture for the rich).
We only had a few days, but spend more time if you can, and enjoy the people, the food, the beauty and the history that is Rome.
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
South Kent Community Expo takes place from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, at the East Kentwood High School, 6230 Kalamazoo Ave. SE. More than 80 vendors are expected to be at featuring an array of services and products available in Kentwood, Wyoming, Gaines Township and Cutlerville. There will be fire and rescue demonstrations along with cultural events hosted by the Kentwood Public Schools. The event is free to the public. For more information, click here.
ArtPrizing
The Round 1 voting for Artprize ends at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, with the top five entries in each of the four categories – two-dimensional, three-dimensional, time-based, and installation – moving on to the Round 2 voting which starts at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, which is the day the top twenty will be announced. Those interested in learning more about the juror’s selections can do so through the Critical Discourse program at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at the ArtPrize HUB, 41 Sheldon Blvd. SE. The ArtPrize Eight Grand Prize Jurors—including Michelle Grabner, artist and professor at School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Paul Ha, director at the MIT List Visual Arts Center; and Eric Shiner, senior vice president at Sotheby’s—also will discus the current and future state of contemporary art exhibitions.
The Burns Edition
Actor’s Theatre gets its season underway with Ann Washubrn’s play “Mr. Burns, A Post Electric Play.” After the collapse of civilization, a group of survivors share a campfire and being to piece together the plot of The Simpsons’ episode “Cape Feare.” Explore how pop culture becomes the myths and legends from which new forms of performance are created. The show runs this weekend and next at Grand Rapids Community College’s Spectrum Theater, 160 Fountain St. NE. All shows are 8 p.m. Thursday – Saturday. Tickets are $22 – $28. For more information, visit actorstheatregrandrapids.org.
The Greatest Show on Earth
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus returns to the Van Andel Arena with a show that promises to be “extreme.” Performances includes the Human Cannoball, high wire act The Daring Danguir Troupe, Taba and his Exotic Big Cats, The Mighty Ibarra and the Wheel of Steel and amazing trampoline and bicycle feats from The Incredible Concrete Jungle. Oh, and of course there will be plenty of clowns. Shows are 7 p.m. Thursday – Saturday, Sept. 29 – Oct. 1; 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1; and 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2. Tickets start at $12. For more information, visit, vanandelarena.com.
If the shoe fits
Broadway Grand Rapids currently presents Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” through Sunday at DeVos Performance Hall. The timeless classic features some of the most recognizable Broadway tunes such as “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible” and “Ten Minutes Ago.” Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday – Saturday, Sept. 29 – Oct. 1; 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1; and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2. For more information, visit broadwaygrandrapids.com.
If it’s September 29, then it’s National Coffee Day
(Curiously, there is no information on why or how Sept. 29 became so blessed.)
Your coffee addiction? Well, you can probably thank Baba Budan for that. I say “probably” because there are differing views on the origins of the bean. In one version, back in 1670, Baba Budan strapped seven coffee seeds onto his chest and smuggled them out of the Middle East. (Seeds being beans, really.) He brought seven beans because the number 7 is considered sacred in Islam. The first plants grown from these fateful seeds were planted in Mysore. After that, the bean spread quickly to Italy, to the rest of Europe, to Indonesia and the Americas. The rest is history.
That’s all fine and dandy, but someone had to discover what made the bean so irresistible in the first place, right? So, here’s another legend for you: a 9th-century Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi (yes, he has his own Wikipedia page) noticed that his flock “became energetic after eating the bright red berries.” Of course, he had to try them for himself and was pleasantly surprised by the burst of energy he experienced. He then brought some of the berries to a local monk, who disapproved of their use and threw them into a fire. And thanks to that jerk of a monk, we now know that heat roasts the beans with aromatic results. The roasted bean was plucked from the fire and soaked in hot water. Voila! Coffee.
Cool beans, for sure, but the important thing is that Thursday, September 29 is National Coffee Day, and there are several sources of great deals on coffee in Kentwood, Wyoming and Grand Rapids.
Here’s where you can cop a free — or greatly reduced price on a — cuppa (and other goodies):
Ferris Coffee, 227 Winter Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, is celebrating with an ArtPrize Latte Art Throwdown on Sept. 29. Baristas from all around the Midwest will compete in this single elimination, bracket-style throwdown. The grand prize? The coveted La Marzocco – Linea Mini. Go herefor details.
Krispy Kreme is giving away a free 12-oz cup of coffee and you also get a free Original Glazed Doughnut to go along with it. Click here for a list of locations.
Dunkin’ Donutsis celebrating by offering medium hot coffee for only 66 cents (it’s their 66th year of serving up donuts and coffee) — go here for more info and locations.
Starbucksis celebrating National Coffee Day by donating a coffee tree for every brewed cup of México Chiapas coffee you buy on Thursday, September 29. “Today’s cup can help a farmer’s future.” Go here for a list of locations in the area.
Eight O’Clock Coffee — Log on to www.EightOClock.com to receive a free sample of Coffee Thins, while supplies last. The thins are edible treats crafted from 100% whole coffee beans.
There are probably other hidden gems that have deals, too, so feel free to explore. But you only have Thursday, Sept. 29 to find them.
Brewery Vivant will be the presenting sponsor at Grand Rapids Fork Fest this year and LocalFirst is excited for the brewery/restaurant to participate in this festival of local food and beverage entrepreneurs.
This year the popular event returns to Romence Gardens, 265 Lakeside Drive, NE. The event is set for Oct. 20 from 5 – 9 p.m.
Brewery Vivant is a great advocate for this event because the owners truly embody what Fork Fest is all about. They believe a great business exists because of the support of its local community and, therefore, has the opportunity to be an active extension of that community.
Fork Fest is a great platform for Vivant to showcase its message: When food and beer are paired together, it can elevate both to a new level of enjoyment. For example, a great pairing at Brewery Vivant can be found in one of the pub’s staple brews, Farm Hand, a French-style farmhouse ale, with the kitchen’s divine duck nachos. The bright acidity of Farm Hand perfectly complements the richness of the duck.
One beer Brewery Vivant owners are particularly excited to bring this year is Pumpkin Tart: a farmhouse pumpkin ale brewed with real pumpkin and spices. Its ability to pair with autumn desserts and entrees will astound Fork Fest attendees.
More than 40 West Michigan’s restaurants, farms, grocers, bakeries, breweries and more will be participating in the 6th Annual Folk Fest. New this year will be an on-site butchering demonstration by Louise Earl Butcher.
All samples are included in the ticket and a cash bar will be available. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 the day of the event. For more information, visit the LocalFirst website.
Photo courtesy of W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary website
October is a special month at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, with three events designed to be enjoyed by visitors of all ages who want to learn more about birds.
Get to know the Sanctuary’s ambassador birds of prey at Birds of Prey Liveon October 1st from 1-2:30 pm. The Sanctuary is home to a number of birds of prey, including owls, hawks, and bald eagles, who are injured and cannot survive in the wild. Visitors of all ages can participate in a variety of games and activities. Admission for members is $5/adult, $4/senior or student and $3/child, and for non-members it is $7/adult, $6/senior or student and $5/child.
On October 12th, from 9-10:30 am, join experts on an autumn morning bird walk to see the birds of the Sanctuary at the monthly Birds and Coffee Walk. Following the walk, participants can enjoy a cup of bird-friendly coffee during a discussion of the morning’s finds. These Birds & Coffee Walks are held every second Wednesday of the month (Upcoming: October 12th, November 9th and December 14th). Admission is free for members, and is $5/adult, $4/senior or student and $3/child for non-members.
As part of the regional Arts & Eats tour, visit the Bird Sanctuary to see beautiful local art on October 15th and 16th. This is a great opportunity to get to know artists in the area, as well as explore the grounds of the Bird Sanctuary. The Sanctuary will be open on October 15th from 9 am to 5 pm, and on October 16th from 11 am to 4 pm. Admission is free.
All of these events will be held at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, located at 12685 East C Ave, in Augusta, Mich. To learn more, visit birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu, call 269.671.2510 or email birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) will open its doors free of charge to families affected by autism and other sensory-processing challenges on Tuesday, October 4th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Visitors will receive free general admission on this night to explore the Museum’s three floors of core exhibits at no cost.
Visitors will enjoy a sensory-friendly museum environment, special ArtPrize-themed activities and a free planetarium show. The Museum and the Chaffee Planetarium will adapt sounds, lighting and activities within the current exhibits to create a low-sensory experience for all.
“We are excited to be able to offer a night at the Museum to those with autism and family members to experience our exhibits in an environment comfortable for them. This allows more community members that wouldn’t usually be able to visit the Museum an experience to create lifetime memories from our sensory-friendly exhibits and artifacts,” said Dale Robertson, President & CEO of the GRPM.
The Museum is able to host this Sensory Friendly Museum Night thanks to a sponsorship from Behavioral Health.
The GRPM offers fun, hands-on learning opportunities for all ages through a variety of core and traveling exhibits. Visitor favorites include the Streets of Old Grand Rapids, an immersive exhibit that transports visitors back to 19th century of downtown Grand Rapids; and West Michigan Habitats that showcase the vast wildlife found in West Michigan.
We finally made it into Hall H a little after 10am after camping out all night on Saturday. I planned on staying in Hall H all day because the line up was capital A-mazing!
Warner Brothers kicked off the day with a lineup that included Wonder Woman, Justice League, Suicide Squad, The Lego Batman, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Kong: Skull Island, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I would expect nothing less than the incredible lineup we got with Warner Brothers.
On top of the great lineup, the morning was hosted by none other than Conan O’Brien!
The presentation began with a fantastic trailer for Wonder Woman that was followed by O’Brien introducing the cast. Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, and Director Patty Jenkins were on the panel to talk about the movie. Gal Gadot summed it up nicely when she mentioned that it took “a lot of hard work and patience.”
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After Wonder Woman came a surprise guest, the cast for Justice League. While they couldn’t stay long – they were headed over to the film set – they stayed long enough to show the trailer and talk to the crowd. Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, and Director Zack Snyder were in attendance.
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Suicide Squad, which is currently in theaters, took time on Saturday to pay a visit to Hall H.
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After the Suicide Squad cast made their appearance, we were shown the trailer for The Lego Batman movie and we had the opportunity to see Chris Mckay and Will Arnett. Then we saw the trailer for King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Charlie Hunnam came and spoke for a little while. When asked how he prepared for such a role, Charlie Hunnam said he tried not to think about it too much.
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Next on tap was Kong: Skull Island! Tom Hiddleston (Loki!), Brie Larson, John Goodman (Roseanne and Speed Racer), Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchel and Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts appeared onstage. The movie was filmed in three countries and we were given the first glimpse of the trailer at Comic-Con.
And to end our morning in Hall H, we were shown the trailer for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The movie is a story inside the universe of Harry Potter. After the trailer, we were introduced to Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, and David Yates.
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The first part of the morning certainly had an amazing line up of guests and trailers! “Your mission, should you choose to accept it…” is to stay tuned to see what happens the rest of the day in Hall H! As a spoiler I will mention Star Trek. Until next time…“Live Long and Prosper.”
When I was a kid, I read a lot of biographies – explorers, sports heroes, presidents. Somehow, reading about those outstanding individuals of the past gave me pride and hope for the future. Dave Dempsey’s new biography of William G. Milliken evoked that same kind of feeling.
Milliken became Governor of Michigan in 1969, when then Governor George Romney left for Washington to take a post in President Nixon’s Cabinet. Milliken was subsequently elected to three consecutive four-year terms when he retired in 1982, he had served longer than any previous individual as the state’s chief executive. These were not easy years. Riots had scarred Detroit, the automobile industry was battered by foreign competition disrupting the state’s economy, and the battle to protect the environment was just beginning.
Through it all, Milliken acted with confidence, optimism and a spirit of conciliation. He stood, and still stands, as an example of the decency and civility that raises politics from the level of mud-slinging to the high plain of public service. Like all good writers, Dempsey uses many specific examples to paint a clear picture of Milliken’s general character. He describes the time when the Governor and his wife were taken on a hiking tour to film the television program “Michigan Outdoors” and 60-year-old Gene Little was lugging a huge TV camera on his shoulder. Dempsey lets one of the hikers, David Smethurst, tell the story:
“. . . we walked on and on. Pretty soon Gene is huffing and puffing. We stop more often for him. I walk ahead with Ned and Mrs. Milliken and look behind. Gene is still slogging along, but the Governor is now carrying his TV camera . . .I made up my mind about the Millikens that day. Good people make good leaders.”
The book is filled with these firsthand observations from friends of the Governor and his political adversaries, from newspaper editorials, journalists and reporters. Dempsey has done an excellent job of weaving this material into his text which provides a broader historical perspective. It’s like being there and then stepping back to reflect on the impact of major events form the time period. Often he lets Milliken speak for himself as in these words from his first speech as the acting Governor:
“[I hope my administration] is known for its compassion, its idealism, its candor and its toughness in pursuit of public ends.”
This high standard is the Milliken legacy something we citizens can hold up with hope and pride for our future political leaders.
Coming to Grand Rapids October 16 and 17 are the Amazing Acro-Cats, a Chicago-based troupe of real rescued house cats. These fabulous felines perform a plethora of feats with their fancy footwork: they jump through hoops, ride on skateboards, ring bells, rolling barrels, walk the high wire, climb on ropes and more. Anyone who has tried herding cats will appreciate the time, love and patience that goes into training these kitty athletes.
But wait! There’s more. The only all-cat band in the entire world — Tuna and the Rock Cats — purrforms as the finale. You don’t want to miss this.
One of the four “cat shows” in the U.S., the Amazing Acro-Cats and their human staff are devoted to promoting cat-training awareness and supporting feline adoption and rescue across the country. Their mission and goal are to show cat lovers how to improve their relationship with their furrever friends through positive reinforcements that yield long-lasting and beneficial behaviors.
The troupe of former orphans and strays travel from city to city in a custom cat bus and form partnerships that encourage fostering and finding homes for cats and kittens.
This cane was from a Gerald Ford Republican Party Presidential campaign that took place in Grand Rapids 1976. The handle says “For President” and the year “76t.” The cane was owned by Henry J. Danielski, a World War II veteran of the 82 Airborne Division and an old friend of Gerald Ford’s from when they grew up in Grand Rapids together. Danielski ran into Ford at a campaign event where he was limping due to a long-term war injury. Ford gave him this cane to help him walk. Danielski’s son later donated the cane to the Grand Rapids Pubic Museum.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today the new mini exhibit Voting! Making it Count will open Oct. 1. Tying into the 2016 presidential election, this exhibit will showcase voting related artifacts of the GRPM Collections from the 1800s through the present day.
Voting! Making it Count will display a historical timeline of voting machines beginning with a wooden voting box that was used in the 1890s by the Grand Rapids Typographical Union, continuing with a standard voting machine that utilized levers for votes invented in 1898 and used through the 1960s, a ballot container from the 1930s and 1940s used by the 1st Ward 9th Precinct in Grand Rapids, a Douglas Collapsible Voting Booth used from 1945 until the 1960s in Grand Rapids, and a CES Votomatic Electronic Voting Machine that was used in the 2000 presidential election.
Other artifacts in this exhibit will include bumper stickers and buttons from various U.S. presidential elections, a Gerald R. Ford Presidential campaign cane, and campaign gloves, gavels and tags.
Admission to the mini exhibit Voting! Making it Count will be included with general admission to GRPM. This exhibit will be on display from Oct. 1 – Nov. 13, 2016, coinciding with the 2016 Presidential Election taking place on Tuesday, November 8.
The GRPM continuously showcases several mini-exhibitions, or pop-up exhibits, each year. They are modeled after pop-up stores, and are intended to be shorter in duration, tie into national and current events and showcase the GRPM’s Collections on a routine basis to the community. For further details, visit grpm.org.
Enjoy years of inspired animation and iconic music scores by Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, John Powell, Alexandre Desplat, Alan Silvestri, Danny Elfman and many others. Relive moments from Puss in Boots, Monsters vs. Aliens, The Croods and Mr. Peabody and Sherman as scenes from the films are projected in HD onto the big screen, and the Grand Rapids Symphony does the rest.
There’s so much to see and do in Rome, it’s hard to know where to start. The Trevi Fountain is undergoing restoration, hence it’s dry, but it’s still worth a look. They say if you throw a coin into the fountain, you’ll return to Rome. I threw one in 20 years ago, and here I am, but what does it mean that the fountain isn’t flowing?
We wandered past lines of people waiting to get into the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel — I’d already been there years ago, and Beth decided it wasn’t a priority for her. But if you do go to Rome and want to see them, I highly recommend that you buy tickets ahead on line, especially if you’re there in the summer.
Heading back towards our shuttle stop, we passed the Pantheon, so we stopped inside. It’s a place not to miss. The signs all say “silence please,” and a recording announces it in six languages, while hundreds of tourists keep talking. But despite the commotion and crowds, you still get a sense of the grandeur and spirituality of the place.
About Lynn Strough
