Grand Rapids Magazine - August 2019

INSIDE: HIGHER EDUCATION CELEBRATING CITY LIFE

*

OUR TOP 5 PLACES TO SHOP FOR YOUR LITTLE ONES

IMPROV COMEDY

EL GRANJERO www.grmag.com

Abbie Cooley, a sophomore at Calvin University, shares how she made it through her freshman year.

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colleges helping students Universities assist incoming students’ transition to college

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Most valuable of all, Sam’s mentor was there to guide her along her path, showing her that going to Western means never going it alone.

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k n a h o T yu

FOR VOTING US GRAND RAPID’S “BEST DENTIST”

FOR 7 CONSECUTIVE YEARS!

Best of

Best of

Best of

Best of

Best of

Best of

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2012-13 Readers Poll

2013-14 Readers Poll

2014-15 Readers Poll

2015-16 Readers Poll

2016-17 Readers Poll

2017-18 Readers Poll

2018-19 Readers Poll

Contents AUGUST 2019 / VOL. 56 / NO. 08

FEATURES

24/ Podcasting in West Michigan The art of podcasting has grown in popularity.

BY MEGAN SARNACKI

28/ Diplomas not dropouts Colleges and universities are looking at how they can help incoming students achieve the success they came for.

BY TERRI FINCH HAMILTON

32/ Keeping Grand Rapids laughing After a couple of decades, the city’s improv community is growing into its own.

BY SAM EASTER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT NAGER

28 4 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

contents AUGUST 2019 / VOL. 56 / NO. 08

departments BACK & FORTH 8 / From the Managing Editor, contributors and letters 10 / Social media, GRMag.com sneak peeks, previews and more LIFE & STYLE 12 / Noteworthy items include Grand Rapids’ pop-up dog park, Friesian Gastro Pub and Target Axe Throwing 13 / GR’s Top 5 places to shop for your little ones 14 / Reading room: “Saint Peter and the Goldfinch,” by Jack Ridl 15 / Health & wellness: Up your wellness game with Michigan produce

17

ART & DESIGN 16 / Art gallery listings and highlights

“What I love about brunch is that it works well for so many occasions; you can dress it up or keep things casual.” DEIDRE REMTEMA

17 / Set your table with style 22 / Artist profile: Rad Women FOOD & DRINK 54 / Dining review: Ando Sushi + Bar

22

89 / Calendar listings 92 / Museums & attractions listings and highlights

54

56 / Restaurant listings 58 / Chef profile: Mercedes Lopez-Duran of El Granjero Mexican Grill

72

96 / Comedy & nightclub venue listings and highlights 98 / Snap shots 100 / After thoughts: Nardos Osterhart

64 / Cocktail hour: Tropical cocktails done right 68 / Pints of interest: Brewery Vivant broadens horizons

OUT & ABOUT 88 / August highlights

88

CAUSE & EFFECT 72 / LIVESTRONG at the YMCA ON THE COVER: Abbie Cooley shares her story about making the transition from high school to college.

Photography by Matt Nager 6 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

PROMINENTLY REPRESENTING THE FINEST IN GRAND RAPIDS REAL ESTATE FOR OVER 30 YEARS

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back & forth CONNECT WITH US

School is in session

I

It’s back-to-school season! The recent college admissions scandal has put the high stakes of getting into a prestigious university front and center, but what happens once your child gets into the school of his or her dreams? For some students, the newfound freedom of adulthood can be hard to balance with a tougher academic workload, hindering their chance of making it to graduation.

Find out how two Grand Rapids universities are stepping in to make sure students succeed instead of dropping out on page 28. You also can pick up some tips on how to help your student transition without becoming a dreaded helicopter parent.

If your kids’ return to school has you down (or just the end of summer in general), consider booking a date night to check out one of the city’s many improv shows. River City Improv and Pop Scholars celebrated anniversaries this year, and the groups reflect on how improv and comedy have expanded in Grand Rapids over the past two decades. We also hear from newcomer The Comedy Project, a comedy theater and training center.

In this issue, we also feature a handful of local podcasts exploring everything from pregnancy and parenting a newborn to West Michigan murder mysteries. Be sure to download a couple of episodes for your commute or a lazy Saturday at home.

Finally, food! We’re enjoying the bounty of Michigan’s vast agriculture fields and wanted to share ways to enhance your health with Michigan produce. Find out which foods can help keep you hydrated and use our suggestions for how to pair different items for a healthy meal. You also can spotlight local produce by styling your table around your favorites. Check out “Set your table with style” on page 17 for suggestions.

And if you are heading out to dinner, try El Granjero Mexican Grill. This family-owned business is a West Side staple with its traditional Mexican fare. We spoke with Mercedes LopezDuran about how she went from dishwasher to restaurant owner.

As always, get out and enjoy the city!

Charlsie Dewey Managing Editor, Grand Rapids Magazine

Q&A: This month, we asked some of our contributors, “Where did you attend college and what did you study?”

Marie Havenga

Torrence O’Haire

Deidre Remtema

WRITER

COLUMNIST

WRITER

“UP YOUR WELLNESS GAME

“TROPICAL COCKTAILS

“SET YOUR TABLE WITH STYLE”

WITH MICHIGAN PRODUCE”

DONE RIGHT” PAGE 64

PAGE 17

“I graduated from GVSU, where I focused on linguistics and aesthetics in the Liberal Arts Department – so I have a degree in making pretty things sound good in print.”

“I went to Kendall College of Art and Design and have a BFA in interior design.”

“I graduated from Aquinas College with a major in English.”

8 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY iSTOCK

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back & forth CONNECT WITH US

Inside Grand Rapids Magazine Stay connected with Grand Rapids Magazine in print, at grmag.com and on social media.

Coming up next issue …

Stock up on great kids clothing with our Top 5 places to shop for your little ones on page 13.

Wise Men Distillery opened earlier this summer in Kentwood, offering vodka, rum, gin, white whiskey and apple pie moonshine. Visit grmag.com.

Our annual arts preview Grand Rapids offers countless opportunities to experience an array of theater productions from blockbusters like Broadway Grand Rapids’ “The Lion King” (Nov. 20–Dec. 1) and “Hamilton” (Jan. 21-Feb. 9) to smaller productions from Actors’ Theatre and Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids. Find out which shows are taking the stage this season.

Now you can eat raw cookie dough without any worries about getting sick. Dough Life offers raw cookie dough in a cup at RiverTown Crossings. Visit grmag.com

What back to school item were you always most excited to shop for?

Join Managing Editor Charlsie Dewey at 9:45 a.m. Thursdays, as she presents the Weekend City Guide with Shelley Irwin on WGVU Radio FM 88.5 and 95.3.

On TV Managing Editor Charlsie Dewey joins Shelley Irwin each month on WGVU’s Community Connection program to discuss what’s inside Grand Rapids Magazine.

Our social media followers respond: NEXT MONTH’S QUESTION:

5% Backpack

30% School supplies

25% Lunch box

40% Shoes

What season is the best time to enjoy Grand Rapids? a. Spring b. Summer c. Fall d. Winter

We want to hear from you There are tons of ways to reach us. By mail: Editor, Grand Rapids Magazine, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Email: letters@grmag.com. Be sure to include your name, address and daytime phone number. Or follow us online at grmag.com or Facebook: @grmag Twitter: @grmagazine Instagram: @grmagazine on social media: 10 GRAND RAPIDS \ AUGUST 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY iSTOCK (LEFT AND BOTTOM); WISE MEN DISTILLERY (TOP RIGHT); DOUGH LIFE (CENTER RIGHT)

On the radio

Back to School

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JUSTIN ABDELKADER

Covering Grand Rapids Since 1964 info@grmag.com

PUBLISHER: John Balardo Justin always Jason knew that he wanted to be a ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Hosko

EDITORIAL

professional hockey player. But did he have what it takes? Sometimes he wasn’t sure. Still, he decided to work really hard — on the ice

SHOOT FOR THE GOAL

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H FOR T SHOOT

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THE JUSTIN ABDELKADER STORY

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Grand Rapids Magazine (ISSN 1055-5145) is published monthly by Gemini Media. Publishing offices: 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331 Grand Rapids, MI 49503-1444. Telephone (616) 459-4545; fax (616) 459-4800. General e-mail: grminfo @grmag.com. General editorial inquiries: editorial@grmag.com.

Periodical postage paid at Grand Rapids, MI and at additional mailing offices. Copyright ©2019 by Gemini Media. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Grand Rapids Magazine, 401 Hall St., SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 495031444. Subscription rates: one year $24, two years $34, three years $44, in continental U.S.; Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and U.S. possessions, one year $35. Subscriptions are not retroactive; single issue and newsstand $4.95 (by mail $7.50); back issue $7 (by mail $9), when available. Advertising rates and specifications at grmag. com or by request. Grand Rapids Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited contributions.

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 11

life & style PEOPLE / TRENDS / BOOKS / FASHION / FITNESS

noteworthy INTERESTING TIDBITS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

BY RACHEL AZURE

Target practice AX THROWING HAS BECOME popular all over the nation, and Target Axe Throwing, 3641 Plainfield Ave. NE, offers the new activity in Grand Rapids.

For $100, a group is in store for a session of thrills, hurling an ax at a target and receiving points based on

Playground for your pup

where it lands. Every lane is fenced

EVEN CITY DOGS need a place to run

in and expert coaches are present

and play, so a pop-up dog park was

the whole time, so even nervous

opened at 210 Market Ave. SW near

patrons can have a fun, safe time.

Founders Brewing Co. This property was

In fact, when nervous guests try

previously abandoned, but it now holds

ax throwing, “more often than not,

an 8,000-square-foot puppy paradise.

these people end up having the best

The dog park has double-gated

time and look forward to coming

entrances, dog waste stations, rock

back again for more,” said Ryan

seating and separate areas for small

Hiltunen, general manager. It is

and large dogs. It’s only a temporary

the perfect activity to get everyone

amenity, so people and their dogs are

excited at a bachelor/bachelorette

encouraged to take advantage of the

party, birthday party or an office

park while it’s there.

bonding event.

‘Eclectic’ dining Open seven days a week, including for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, Friesian Gastro Pub, 720 Michigan St. NE, is bringing a new style to Grand Rapids.

When managing partner Craig Jones was asked what word best describes Friesian, he said, “Eclectic describes our design, our food menu and our beverage program. We have everything you would hope to find in a gastro pub with a modern twist.”

These combined elements fit right in with the comfortable neighborhood feel of Michigan Street while still presenting something new and fun. In addition, Friesian has an outdoor rooftop deck and back patio, perfect for soaking up the remaining summer sun.

12 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY iSTOCK(TOP LEFT); TARGET AXE THROWING (RIGHT); FRIESIAN GASTRO PUB (BOTTOM)

A NEW RESTAURANT RECENTLY OPENED along the Medical Mile.

life & style PEOPLE / TRENDS / BOOKS / FASHION / FITNESS

GRAND RAPIDS’ TOP 5

Places to shop for your little ones Grand Rapids is home to countless amazing shops and boutiques. When it comes to your little one, though, you always want to make sure you’re getting the best products in town. Whether it’s for a new bundle of joy or a gift for a mom-to-be, it can be overwhelming to find the perfect thing. Here are our top five picks for places to shop for your little one: The shop Rebel supports lots of laughter and

If you’re looking for toys, Aunt

lots of color, and its infant clothes definitely

Candy’s Toy Company is the

represent that well. Rebel believes normal

place for you. At this family busi-

is boring, so its clothes are filled with quirky

ness, you’ll find toys for people

quotes and designs to match your baby’s

from 0 to 100. It truly offers a

adorable personality. Items include swaddle

little something for everyone.

blankets, onesies, headbands, teethers and

The store’s goal is to bring fami-

more. 1555 Wealthy St. SE

lies together and to give parents the tools to create a wonderful

Hopscotch Children’s Store focuses on

childhood for their kiddos.

locally crafted, sustainable, organic prod-

63 Courtland St., Rockford

ucts for your little one. It carries games, toys, baby gear, cloth diapers, children’s gifts and more. With a focus on educa-

Pink Lemonade

tion, you’ll be able to pick up unique ways to get children learning — and playing, too! The bath, body, mealtime and wearable items also will help families with the rest of their routine. 909 Cherry St. SE The mother-daughter team at Pink Lemonade offers unique children’s brands, gifts and toys. From moms to grandmas to children, you can find a little something for everyone at this boutique.

If you’re pressed for time, it also provides

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY PINK LEMONADE

customizable gift baskets for any occasion!

Prepare to fall in love with Pink Lemonade’s sweet and pretty style. 703 Bagley Ave. SE Reservoir has a wide selection of clothes for children and babies. Its products are sustainable and American-made, focused on blending city style and country living.

With the wide range of styles, you’re sure to find the perfect fit for your child.

1144 Wealthy St. SE AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 13

life & style PEOPLE / TRENDS / BOOKS / FASHION / FITNESS

READING ROOM

Poet Jack Ridl is here to stay POET JACK RIDL SITS in a bentwood rocker as a fire dances in the fireplace. He lifts a coffee mug as Vivian, his Spinone Italiano dog, saunters through the living room, and says, “I have no problem with mortality, I just don’t want to leave here.”

The “here” is the home he shares with both Vivian and his wife Julie, where great poets like Billy Collins and Li-Young Lee of his daughter, artist Meridith Ridl, are showcased gallery-like on the walls above

Perhaps the most evocative poem in

antique trunks and among towering stacks

this most recent collection is “My Brother

of books. This is the haven Ridl calls home,

— A Star,” in which the poet reveals a pain-

the scene where he commits poetry.

ful event from his childhood: his father’s

It’s the three-season room overlooking a shade garden rich with ferns where Ridl,

“I like to write a poem that’s immediately accessible but, later, may take a deeper look, (because) something’s going on there.”

Jack Ridl

announcement that his awaited sibling had died after birth.

75, often finds himself settling in to write,

In the poem, Ridl, as a child, envisions

relaxing in retirement after 37 years as a

playing basketball with the brother he’d

professor at Hope College.

hoped to have. Today, he credits that imagi-

It was in that three-season room that

nation with being a bridge over that loss and

Ridl composed his poem, “Saint Peter and

grief then and the indomitable force behind

the Goldfinch,” which provided the title for

his writing life today.

his most recent book of poetry, his seventh

When, or if, the poet — for whom the Jack

published collection, released in April. At

Ridl Hope College Visiting Writer Series is

first glance, the poem is a wonderful blend

named — ever does “leave here,” his legacy is

of imagery; upon reflection, it begins to

sure to be multitiered, including not just his

change colors and reveal deeper meanings:

seven poetry collections, three chapbooks

Saint Peter’s refusal to bow his head at the

and two co-written textbooks, but also the

sight of the goldfinch is, Ridl points out,

nearly four decades of students whose lives

because he is enraptured by its beauty.

he touched.

“It’s a whole, big transition of his being

“Three years ago, two students I’d worked

willing to come down here and live,” Ridl

with won book awards. Ninety-some (for-

explained. “I like to write a poem that’s

mer students) are published. Another stu-

immediately accessible but, later, may

dent has a collection of short stories, he

take a deeper look, (because) something’s

sold two of those stories to films — he said

going on there. I usually try to write a poem

he learned to write in poetry class — so I

that’s as clear as can be. It rewards people,

done right by him,” Ridl said.

I hope, who enjoy implications.”

14 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

Poet Jack Ridl (above) and his latest publication “Saint Peter and the Goldfinch” (left)

— JULIE BONNER WILLIAMS

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY DANIEL MOEN (LEFT); JACK RIDL (RIGHT)

have come for a stay, where the works

health & wellness

BY MARIE HAVENGA

Up your wellness game with Michigan produce WHETHER YOU’RE SHOPPING the farm-

Cherries

ers market, roadside stands or picking your

“Cherries pack a huge antioxidant punch,”

own, this month’s harvest boasts bountiful

Christensen said. “They protect our cells

health benefits.

from free radical damage and also have

“Produce in Michigan is huge,” said

an anti-inflammatory compound that can

Colleen Christensen, a Spectrum Health

reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness.”

registered dietitian. “We have such an abundance, but people don’t understand how to use it or why they should be eating it.” Here’s your produce primer:

Added bonus? Cherries won’t spike your blood sugar the way other fruits do.

Pairing: Throw cherries and Greek yogurt in the blender after a workout or run. Or slice into chicken salad for a tasty protein

Blueberries

— an antioxidant-rich lunch.

Nothing screams “Michigan” quite like blueberries. They’re not only tasty and versatile;

Tomatoes

they also flaunt fabulous fiber. Not able to

“They’re a really great source of lycopene

keep up with your recommended daily water

— another super powerful antioxidant,”

intake? Blueberries boost hydration, too.

Christensen said.

“They’re also a great source of antioxidants, which can help protect your cells

Tomatoes also provide hydration, so you can lug your water bottle less.

from free radical damage, which can con-

Pairing: BLT sandwich. The tomato/let-

tribute to many health conditions and

tuce combination provides added summer

accelerated aging,” Christensen said.

hydration. “You can eat your water,” Chris-

Pairing: Blueberries, Greek yogurt and gra-

tensen said. “I love to put a fried egg on my

nola for breakfast. Or toast slathered with

BLTs to pack a little bit more protein punch

Greek yogurt, topped with blueberries to reig-

or avocado slices for healthy fat, which can

nite your energy level after going all night

help you feel full.”

without food. Your body and brain prefer carbs as a wake-up food, according to Christensen.

Apples

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY iSTOCK

No matter the variety, apples are fiber- and

“Cherries pack a huge antioxidant punch. They protect our cells from free radical damage and also have an anti-inflammatory compound that can reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness.”

Colleen Christensen

Broccoli

water-rich and can help you feel full with-

This miniature “green tree” is an excel-

out empty calories.

lent source of vitamin C and helps with

“Feeling full can help prevent you from

immune function, iron absorption and col-

snacking throughout the day,” Christensen

lagen production, essential for connective

said. “It really condenses what you eat.”

tissues, skin, bone and joint health.

“It’s also great for vitamin K, which is essential for bone metabolism and proper blood clotting,” Christensen said.

Pairing: For maximum iron, try a broccoli/ almond salad or broccoli sautéed with spinach.

Pairing: Apples with peanut butter.

Apple nachos (warm apple slices) topped with peanut butter and granola.

For more creative Michigan produce pairings, visit Christensen’s website: mitten dietitian.com.

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 15

art & design TRENDS / PEOPLE / INNOVATION / PLACES

1/ “Natural Wonders of the

Forest” by Christi Dreese is at Terryberry Gallery.

Local art galleries COMPILED BY TRICIA VAN ZELST

1/ TERRYBERRY GALLERY: Local and international art. Through Aug. 23, “Live in Color” is a collection of oil paintings of scenic West Michigan and mixed media abstracts by Christi Dreese. A reception is 5:30-7:30 p.m. Aug. 2. Lower level, St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom Ave. NE, 459-2224, scmc-online.org/visit-terry berry-gallery.

2/ GVSU ART GALLERIES: Student artwork and exhibits by renowned artists. Allendale campus: Aug. 23-Nov. 1, “Art of Today: Contemporary Collections from Chicago” includes more than 40 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, sculptures and mixed media artworks. 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, 331-2563. Pew Grand Rapids campus: Permanent exhibit: “Mathias J. Alten: An Evolving Legacy” at George and Barbara Gordon Gallery. DeVos Center, 401 W. Fulton St., 331-3638, gvsu.edu/artgallery.

GRCC Collins Art Gallery: Exhibits by visiting artists, faculty and students. 143 Bostwick Ave. NE, 2343544, grcc.edu/artgallery.

Heartside Gallery: Folk, outsider and intuitive art by self-taught Heartside residents. 48 S. Division Ave., 235-7211 ext. 103, heartside.org.

Aquinas College Gallery: Work by students, faculty and visiting artists.

Art & Music building, 1607 Robinson Road SE, 632-8900, aquinas.edu/art/ gallery.

Holland Area Arts Council: Changing exhibits of art. 150 E. Eighth St., Holland, 396-3278, hollandarts.org.

Calvin College Center Art Gallery: Student, faculty and alumni work, plus exhibits by visiting artists. Calvin College Covenant Fine Arts Center, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE, 526-6271, calvin.edu/centerartgallery.

Design Quest Gallery: Furniture store exhibits art in a gallery setting.

4181 28th St. SE, 940-9911, design quest.biz.

Fed Galleries @ Kendall College of Art and Design: Work by contemporary visiting artists, students and staff. 17 Pearl St. NW, 451-2787, kcad. edu/galleries.

Flat River Cottage: Fine art, jewelry, antiques and home décor; also, paintings by Kathleen Mooney. 317 E. Main St., Lowell, 897-8601, flatriver cottage.com.

Flat River Gallery & Framing: Artist cooperative shows work in a variety of mediums, plus gifts, framing and workshops. Aug. 1-Sept. 28, “Picardo Artist Gallery”; reception 6-8 p.m.

Aug. 1. 219 W. Main St., Lowell, 9876737, flatrivergalleryandframing.com.

Forest Hills Fine Arts Center: Artistin-residence program offers exhibits by local and regional artists during the school year, also exhibits by Forest Hills Public Schools students and 16 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

ICCF: Inner City Christian Federation headquarters displays art in various media. 920 Cherry St. SE, 336-9333, iccf.org.

2/ “Clown Suit” by Jane Hammond is part of an exhibit at GVSU.

staff. 600 Forest Hill Ave. SE, 4938965, fhfineartscenter.com.

Fountain Street Church Keeler Gallery: Art exhibits in a variety of mediums by visiting artists. 24 Fountain St. NE, 459-8386, fountain street.org/art.

Franciscan Life Process Center: Changing exhibits by local artists.

Guardian Gallery - Grand Rapids: Through Oct. 25, “Colors of Nature” by Kristen Thornton. 654 Davis St. NW. Guardian Gallery - Lowell: Through Oct. 28, “Capturing the Light” by Valentina Gregorieva. 11650 Downes St., 897-7842, lifeprocesscenter.org.

Gallery 154: Eastown gallery shows local and national multimedia art, gifts and jewelry. 1456 Lake Drive SE, 4542154, facebook.com/gallery154.

Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University: Work by students in graduate-level programs and special community projects. 17 Fountain St. NW, 451-2787, kcad.edu/galleries.

Kruizenga Art Museum: Art from Hope College’s permanent collection and visiting exhibitions. Through Aug. 3, “Still Listening: New Sculptures by Todd Erickson.” 271 Columbia Ave., Holland, 395-6400, hope.edu/kam.

LaFontsee Galleries: 2D and 3D works by gallery artists, plus framing and restoration services. Also, Urban Craft Boutique with gifts, accessories and home décor. Aug. 9-Sept. 6, “Eye Opener: Alternative Views of Summer”; reception 5-8 p.m. Aug. 9. 833 Lake Drive SE, 4519820. lafontsee.us.

LowellArts: Changing exhibitions of works by Michigan artists. Through Aug. 17, “Livin’ Is Easy” by Justin Bernhardt, Lisa Mull, Kerry Rolewisz, Craig Cossey, Mariel Versluis and Olivia Timmons. 223 W. Main St., Lowell, 897-8545, lowellartsmi.org.

3/ Dennis O’Mara’s artwork is on display at Leep Art Gallery.

MercuryHead Gallery: A variety of work by local artists; also gifts, photo restoration, digital printing on canvas and framing. 962 E. Fulton St., 456-6022, facebook.com/mercury headgallery.

Merizon Studio: Art, mirror and glass design, custom framing and limited-edition prints by Armand Merizon. 9087 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Caledonia, 485-5752, merizonstudio.com.

Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts: Innovative, contemporary exhibits and installations. Through Aug. 18, “Breaching the Margins.” Through Sept. 8, “All That Glitters” by Mandy Cano Villalobos, “Michigan Emerging Graduate Artists (MEGA) 2019” and “Composite: High School Artists Juried Exhibition.” 2 W. Fulton St., 4547000, uica.org.

Van Singel Fine Arts Center: Changing exhibits by local artists. 8500 Burlingame Ave. SW, Byron Center, 878-6800, vsfac.com/program ming/art-gallery.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY CHRISTI DREESE (TOP); GIFT OF WILLIAM LIEBERMAN (LEFT); DENNIS O’MARA (RIGHT)

The Artist’s Studio: Studio and gallery with work by Jim Starkey and Rose Ellis; also, custom framing. 40 Monroe Center NW, 454-6650, face book.com/theartistsstudio1.

3/ LEEP ART GALLERY: Work by a variety of visiting artists.

Through Oct. 1, “How I See Things” by Dennis O’Mara includes art from a variety of mediums, such as oil and pastel paintings, sculptures, relief prints, saltwater etchings and wood-door etchings. The gallery is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Pine Rest Postma Center, 300 68th St. SE, pinerest.org/leep-art-gallery.

life & style PEOPLE / TRENDS / BOOKS / FASHION / FITNESS

Set your table with style Food from Blueberry Haven and a fashionable table make summer sweeter.

BY DEIDRE REMTEMA PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY SWEET

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 17

life & style PEOPLE / TRENDS / BOOKS / FASHION / FITNESS

Deidre Remtema (orange) and Tiffany Balk (blue) work together to create a beautiful brunch tablescape. The featured brunch items all include fresh Michigan blueberries.

WHETHER IT WAS SUNDAY DINNER, Christmas or our closest cousins coming over to hang out, setting the table was a family affair in our house.

Our family often set the table with Depression glass dishes handed down from my great-grandmother in pink, yellow and green — mixing and matching them depending on the occasion. My mom, being a creative and an amazing seamstress, always had

18 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

a variety of fabrics to choose from for the tablecloth, so every meal felt unique.

For my own dining room, mixing old and new has carried on as a tradition I love! Our dining table is an antique, while our chairs offer a modern (easily wipeable!) silhouette, and we set the table with a mix of white china and pops of color. Linens and glassware are a great way to change up the table depending on the season.

Blueberry maple syrup

Blueberry bellini

Cinna-berry pancakes

Blueberry coffee

Blueberry and peach salad

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 19

life & style PEOPLE / TRENDS / BOOKS / FASHION / FITNESS

Asparagus quiche

Then comes the meal, and a beautiful table is only enjoyable if the food is amazing.

I invited my friend Tiffany Balk, owner of Blueberry Haven, to share some of her local eats this season. Blueberry Haven is a shop and online store based out of Grand Haven that specializes in using Michigan blueberries in all its products. Balk came up with the idea for the shop out of the desire to send a friend a gift from West Michigan.

“Why not blueberries?” she thought.

Brunch is a great meal to show off Michigan blueberries and all the yummy recipes they enhance. Balk’s perfect brunch includes cinna-berry pancakes with blueberry maple syrup, sausage, blueberry and peach salad, tomato and asparagus quiche, blueberry scones, blueberry Bellini, blueberry coffee and orange juice.

If that sounds delicious but you are short on time, don’t worry, you don’t have to make everything from scratch. Baking mixes such as cinna-berry pancakes and blueberry scones are perfect for making at home and are available at her shop or online.

What I love about brunch is that it works well for so many occasions; you can dress it up or keep things casual. It’s a great time of day to gather with friends and family, with or without kids, inside or outside, whatever the day calls for.

When the gathering is over, if there is any food left, brunch dishes make fantastic leftovers. So, set the table with love, joy, beauty and blueberries this season.

Bon appétit! GR

20 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

Blueberry scones

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Save big during our only sale of the year with discounts on designer jewelry and original designs. This rustic diamond necklace will be half off! Come early, most jewelry is 20-50% off August 17-24.

Watch for daily specials on Facebook & Instagram

BLACK STAR FARMS

Tu-Fr 10-5 Sat 12-4 616-459-5075 978 Cherry St SE, Grand Rapids MI metalartstudioinc.com Remember to park free in our lot!

art & design TRENDS / PEOPLE / INNOVATION / PLACES

Rad Women take over GR A new grant brings more public art downtown.

“The artists were paid, and they all got to pick the rad woman that they most associated with from the book.”

Kim Van Driel

22 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

THE RAD WOMEN public art initiative, based on Kate Schatz’s book, “Rad American Women A-Z,” features activists, musicians, athletes and more — all women.

From Fulton Street to Fountain Street and beyond, utility boxes emblazoned with the portraits of these figures dot the downtown area. There are 27 in all — one for each noteworthy woman and an additional box to introduce the project. It all started after Kim Van Driel, director of public space management at Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI), gifted Schatz’s book to her niece.

“We had kind of messed around with the idea of our electrical and our mechanical boxes downtown and doing something unique,” Van Driel said. “So, when I was flipping through the book, I thought it was a natural fit to paint the mechanical boxes — one for each rad woman — and then be able to team up with local Michigan, female-identifying artists to paint the rad women.”

To set the plan in motion, Van Driel connected with Hannah Berry, owner of Lions and Rabbits, to source 27 artists for the job.

“The artists were paid, and they all got to pick the rad woman that they most associated with from the book,” Van Driel said.

“Then, they got to take the outline that the illustrator from the book created and redo it in their own artistic version on the box itself.”

Out of 26 rule-breaking, history-making, odds-defying women featured in the project, which is scheduled to stay active for a few years, one stood out for artist Valerie Wahna.

“I found out about Temple Grandin through her TED talks a few years ago, and when I saw she was part of the rad women, I was thrilled,” Wahna said. “Her lecture was all about seeing; her mind sees the world in pictures. That was what drew me to choose her as a person to paint because as an artist, you think visually.”

Because the utility boxes are scattered throughout the city, the team called in reinforcements to make the path a little easier to follow. Grand Rapids Running Tours, another woman-owned enterprise, was recruited to organize tours.

“We also have a bunch of printed material, so you can take a tour on your own as well and follow the path,” Van Driel said.

“Then, we’ll have the app that you can download and listen to and take a tour on your own time.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIKA TOWNSLEY

Top left: Local artist paints U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor Bottom left: Local artist painting utility box Top right: Tennis legend Billy Jean King

You are invited!

Grand Rapids students to showcase musical talents at The B.O.B. Students will also share updates on their progress towards solving community issues.

- What -

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIKA TOWNSLEY

Supporting women through art can be a transformative thing. For Berry, creating economic opportunities for artists and seeing them celebrate their talent is truly rewarding.

“For me, it’s meaningful to give the purpose to these artists, igniting their souls for their true passion,” she said. “I just think people getting to see these women paint these other women is so powerful.”

And more public art initiatives like this one are within reach. DGRI launched the Activate This Place placemaking grant this past spring to push creative projects to the forefront.

“It’s available for anyone that wants to apply that has an idea for placemaking and public space activation to happen within downtown,” Van Driel said. “Anyone can do these things as long as they have an idea. Usually what happens is they don’t know where to go or how to fund these ideas, so that’s why this grant was put in place.”

Visit grandrapidsrunningtours.com to schedule a tour or download the GR Walks app.

— PASHA SHIPP

Top: Angela Davis Bottom: Hazel Scott

Top Team Project and Top Music Talent will each win $1049.00.

- When -

- Why -

#GRSummerProject is an initiative created to provide funding, resources and mentors to Grand Rapids area students to help them implement changes they want to see in the community.

Facebook grsummerproject.org.

Friday July 20, 2019 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Deadline to submit your music or sign up is 7/13.

Grsummerproject.org

- Where H.O.M.E. at The B.O.B. (First Floor) 20 Monroe Ave NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503

- Who West Michigan community members

www.wittetravel.com

3250 28th St SE, Grand Rapids • 616.942.5112

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 23

PODCASTING IN WEST MICHIGAN

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

George Aquino, host of The Spontaneous Table, with interviewee, Nigel Barker

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

W

hether you relish in the rush of downloading a new episode each week or bask in the idea of starting your own show, the art of podcasting has grown in popularity. According to a recent report from Edison Research’s The Infinite Dial 2019, more than 90 million Americans tune in to their favorite podcasts each month, and as the number of episodes increases to over 29 million, the variety of topics are endless.

But while podcasting offers entertainment and education, it also provides people with a digital reach to a community of like-minded individuals. This concept of digital connection has sparked an interest in a group of West Michigan locals who have recently turned their passions into podcasts. Ranging from birthing plans to ghost stories, these six local podcasts deliver an assortment of themes for all West Michigan natives to contemplate and discuss.

Podcast: The Spontaneous Table Host: George Aquino Focus: Food, travel and culture How to Contact: georgeaquino@mac.com

Ever overhear a fascinating conversation at the table next to you and want to join in? For George Aquino, vice president and managing director of AHC+Hospitality, that is exactly how he wants each listener to feel during episodes of “The Spontaneous Table.” “I meet so many different people in my day-to-day life, but a lot of times, you just get to know them on the surface level,” Aquino said. “This podcast allows me to dig deeper and really find out more about their

persona and what drives them. It’s really quite gratifying to hear these stories and these amazing people that are right here in West Michigan.”

Beginning in March 2019, “The Spontaneous Table” is sponsored by WKTV and ranges from topics on food and beverage to travel and culture. With guests such as chef Jenna Arcidiacono of Amore Trattoria Italiana and West Michigan author Lisa Rose, Aquino said the podcast allows listeners to learn how different life experiences and backgrounds make people strive for success. “We have to look beyond the surface of people and be more engaged in the conversation. We need to understand there is just so much more we can learn from others.”

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 25

Podcast: Ask The Doulas Hosts: Kristin Revere and Alyssa Veneklase Focus: Motherhood, childbearing and family life How to Contact: info@goldcoastdoulas.com

Intended to capture the heart of West Michigan’s art culture, the podcast “Light Conversations” began in January 2019 at Light Gallery + Studio with art critic Holly Bechiri as its host. Erika Townsley, coowner of Light Gallery + Studio, said this podcast shines a light on the breadth of talent right here in West Michigan. “It’s an awareness of what’s happening in Grand Rapids and how many different people are active in the community. Artists can share where they’re coming from and give a little bit more insight into the work they do and why they do it,” Townsley said.

Bechiri hopes listeners not only feel inspired by every story but also empowered to learn from each artist. “Their approaches to art can often be really helpful to our own approaches to life. Their problem-solving skills can be directly applied to how we solve problems in our own lives,” Bechiri said.

Hosted by the co-owners of Gold Coast Doulas, Kristin Revere and Alyssa Veneklase, “Ask The Doulas” started in October 2017 and covers weekly topics relating to pregnancy, birth and family life. Because Revere understands how busy families are, each podcast is transcribed into blog form on the Gold Coast Doulas’ website and maintains a concise timeframe.

With the longest episodes kept under 40 minutes, Revere loves that this podcast allows her to strategize the importance of local connection. “We really like to have people in our studio, take a photo with them, and have it be more personal and focused on the West Michigan community,” Revere said. “This is a great way to bring in experts and just have a conversation with them, while also supporting other businesses in the community and growing strong relationships.”

Podcast: Happy Hour Hustle Host: Kim Bode Focus: Small businesses, nonprofits and integrated communications How to Contact: kim@834design.com

Featuring topics on marketing and communications, nonprofits and small businesses, the podcast “Happy Hour Hustle” originated in December 2017 with Kim Bode, owner of 8THIRTYFOUR Integrated Communications, as its leader. As a business owner for over 13 years, Bode hopes this podcast provides listeners with the resources she wished she had when she began her career. “When you start out running a business, you think you’re doing everything yourself, but you’re not alone,” Bode said.

“It’s a community engagement piece. We’re constantly chatting about how important it is to get out there and get involved.”

Because the podcast is titled “Happy Hour Hustle,” one of the first questions always asked is “What’s your drink of choice?” According to Bode, these types of questions allow her to incorporate layers of humor into every episode. “We want to highlight the hustle, but we want to also have fun,” Bode said. “You will laugh at me — and you totally should — but my drink of choice is red wine with ice in it. I’m basically an 80-year-old woman. Everybody else has way more interesting drinks than I do.”

Co-owners of Gold Coast Doulas, Kristin Revere (left) and Alyssa Veneklase, record their podcast, “Ask the Doulas.”

26 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY THE PEOPLE PICTURE COMPANY

Podcast: Light Conversations Host: Holly Bechiri Focus: West Michigan artists and art culture How to Contact: matthew@lightgallerygr.com

Brian Kelly (below) has interviewed many members of the community including Michelle McKormick (top left), Super Dre (top right), Brian VanderArk (bottom left) and Joel Potrykus (bottom right).

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY FULL EXPOSURE/BRIAN KELLY

Podcast: Full Exposure Host: Brian Kelly Focus: Candid conversations with well-known members of the community How to Contact: brian@briankellyphoto.net

As a professional photographer for over 20 years, Brian Kelly credits his podcast “Full Exposure” to the countless candid conversations that develop during photo shoots. “There’s a lot of reasons why people are insecure about having their portrait taken,” Kelly said. “You’re somewhat vulnerable when you’re with the photographer, but I’ve found that through that process there’s always an exchange of trust and connection that’s made that turns into a really interesting conversation.”

Originating in February 2019, this podcast aims to discuss the hustle and determination of successful entrepreneurs and includes a diverse lineup of guests, such as supermodel Ansley Gulielmi, The Verve Pipe lead singer Brian Vander Ark and Founders Brewing Company’s Graci Harkema. “I just find people endlessly interesting to talk to,” Kelly said. “The whole premise of my podcast is that my guest comes to my studio here in Grand Rapids, and the first thing we do is take a portrait of them.

You get to really be a fly on the wall and see through the guests that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. You can create your own path and life can be fun no matter what your circumstances are.”

Podcast: You’re Killing Me, Grand Rapids Hosts: Dara Garvin and Kenny Cutler Focus: True crime stories and ghost hauntings throughout the city of Grand Rapids How to Contact: yourekillingmegr@gmail.com

While working at The Winchester, Dara Garvin and Kenny Cutler developed a special kinship over their shared love for true crime stories. But it was not until the summer of 2018 when Garvin and Cutler were walking through a graveyard that they started wondering about Grand Rapids’ dark side. By January 2019, the pair developed a podcast centered on murder mysteries, creepy hauntings and ghost stories all based in the Grand

Rapids area. “Even though Grand Rapids may seem like a city with a small-town vibe and a safe community feel, you never really know what could happen nor do you really know your neighbors and what they could be up to,” Garvin said.

Not only do they enjoy giving people an insight into Grand Rapids’ spine-chilling local lore, but the pair said researching these stories also has provided them with a new outlook on urban life. “It just opens your eyes to things in the city that you drive by every day,” Cutler said. “We don’t really strive to go outside of Grand Rapids, and it’s not necessarily a good thing, but we’re not close to running out of stories.”

— MEGAN SARNACKI AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 27

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Colleges and universities are looking at how they can help incoming students achieve the success they came for.

By Terri Finch Hamilton Illustrations by Jacqui Oakley Photography by Matt Nager

Abbie Cooley, sophomore at Calvin University, shares how she made it through her freshman year.

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 29

Abbie Cooley plays NCAA basketball for Calvin University.

person. I’m very organized. But my first semester was chaos. I’m not used to not having a grasp on things. I was getting close to snapping. I’m so glad I had people to help me figure it all out when I did.

“First semester, I thought, ‘I don’t know how I’ll do this for four years.’”

Brophy said she hears that a lot.

“The group that often suffers the most are the kids who did well in high school,” she said. “They haven’t developed study skills because they found high school easy. It’s a new experience to have to study for a test.

hea Brophy had a tough time as a freshman at Calvin College. She stopped going to classes. She struggled with social life. She got kicked out.

They let her back in, though. Now, 27 years later, she’s co-director of coordinated care and first-year advising at Calvin’s Center for Student Success.

In one of those laughable ironies, it’s her job to help make sure today’s freshmen have an easier time than she did.

“I’m probably one of the only people running the department that once kicked them out,” Brophy said. “If this program had existed when I was here, my first year would have gone differently.”

At colleges all over Grand Rapids — and the country — “student success” has become a buzzword. Freshmen meet with success coaches and discover all sorts of help at centers for student success.

As the number of high school students continues to shrink, colleges face stiffer competition for students.

Admitting them is just the first challenge.

They want them to thrive — and stay.

“There’s a huge conversation now about 30 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

the first year,” Brophy said.

Her efforts saved Abbie Cooley’s freshman year. Cooley, about to start her sophomore year at Calvin, thought she was ready for college life when she started a year ago.

She had taken almost all Advanced Placement classes her senior year of high school in Castle Rock, Colorado.

College? No problem.

“I didn’t realize how academically challenging Calvin is,” Cooley said. “I had no family here, and school was difficult.” Just when her classwork heated up, practices started for the women’s basketball team.

“Suddenly,” she said, “it was chaos.”

When Cooley had a mini-meltdown in front of Calvin’s athletic director, he sent her to Brophy at the Center for Student Success.

“She calmed me down and told me everything would be OK,” Cooley said. She laughed, “I’m a little dramatic.”

Cooley discovered she was taking too many challenging classes at once. Brophy rearranged her schedule and pointed her to tutoring help in statistics and chemistry. She taught her new study skills and helped pinpoint her best learning style.

“It was huge,” Cooley said. “I’m a Type A

“The sooner they realize that it’s a different ballgame in college when it comes to academics, and they have to learn to do things differently, the more successful they’ll be.”

Calvin started its Center for Student Success three years ago, bringing several student support services under one roof and making it a campuswide responsibility to help students succeed.

Each Calvin student is assigned one campus person as support. It could be an academic adviser, residence hall director or professor.

“The goal is for every student to have one

“I didn’t realize how academically challenging Calvin is. I had no family here, and school was difficult.” Abbie Cooley person they trust,” Brophy said.

If a faculty member notices a student hasn’t been attending class, “They don’t get a cold call from the registrar’s office,” she said.

“They get it from somebody they know.

“I barely attended class, and nobody reached out to me. No professors. No resident directors. Now, there’s a sense of community responsibility.”

Calvin is seeing results. The school saw an immediate increase in retention when it launched these efforts, Brophy said.

“More students returned for their second year,” she said, and there was a double-digit increase in retention for minority students.

Student success efforts started heating up last year at Grand Valley State University, too.

GVSU piloted a Student Success Network last year that matched freshmen with a faculty partner — a go-to person they meet for coffee, check in with regularly and can ask even the dumbest questions. No judging.

They’ll roll the partnership out full scale this year, matching each of the 4,000 students with a faculty partner.

Area university officials agree: They’re offering students a lot more help these days.

“We recognize the huge investment students are making — it’s our duty to help them succeed,” said Brian Hatzel, director of faculty initiatives for student success at GVSU. “When I was an undergrad at the University of Florida, it was sink or swim,” he said.

“Only the strong survived. The mentality is different now. We believe everybody can persevere with the right guidance.

“It’s a fine line. We offer support, but students, they have to seek it themselves. It’s not total hand-holding.”

But Hatzel said there’s nothing wrong with a little hand-holding at this life-changing time.

“They’re away from home for the first time,” he said. “Maybe they’ve never lived in a room with anyone else. Which of the 200 clubs should they join? The 7 a.m.-4 p.m. schedule they’ve known forever suddenly doesn’t exist anymore. It can be really overwhelming.”

GVSU freshmen attend a four-day orientation called Transitions that helps prepare them for all of this, from where to find food to how to access mental health services.

“Like any new environment, you’re drinking through a fire hydrant, trying to take it all in,” said Valerie Guzman, associate director of student life at GVSU and a

coordinator of Transitions. “You might get a couple of sips of what’s coming at you.”

So, GVSU offers a steady stream of programming throughout the year, timed for when freshmen need it most. When students typically get homesick. When they get their first tests and papers back and freak out over their grades. During flu season.

Along the way, they provide lots of opportunities to make new friends.

“Research shows the single most important thing students can do is establish a network of human connection,” Hatzel said.

But they have to put down their phones.

“So much of the first year is finding your place, finding your friends,” Brophy said. “I see a lot of students turning to social media, video gaming and Netflix bingeing instead of taking part in the social programming.

“If you have a group of supportive peers, you’re less likely to feel anxious.”

Today’s freshmen “grew up with iPhones in their hands,” Guzman said. “How do you make friends in real life, in person? That might not come naturally to students.

“We can plan extracurricular events, but how do we reach them? Twenty years ago, we’d put up a poster and students would show up. Two years ago, we could send an email. For this generation, we have to put it in a tweet. We have to understand where their communities are."

So, mom was right about putting down your phone.

Other than that good advice, it’s time for parents to back off a bit.

“I coach parents as much as I do students during the first year,” Brophy said. “Some students are eager to move away from parental support. Others find it hard to move away.

“It’s a journey, a gradual path toward independence. The goal is for the student to be a functioning adult.”

That means when the inevitable struggles of college life pop up, she said, parents should let the student handle it.

“If you’re worried about a professor or their campus job or a roommate problem, and your instinct is to have that conversation for your student, don’t,” Brophy said.

“We see that happen on a regular basis.

That’s not helping them. The goal is to

empower the student.”

Ditto, Hatzel said.

“A lot of parents are used to having a lot of oversight,” he said. “You can’t call me and ask how your son is doing.”

Legally, you can’t.

Students are covered under The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.

“We don’t want to shut out parents,” Hatzel said. “We need them, just like the students still need them.”

GVSU gives all parents a comprehensive Family Guide that lists every campus resource a student might need.

“We hope it’s sitting on the coffee table, so when your student calls you with a problem, you can flip through it and say, ‘Call these folks.

It sounds like they can help,’” Hatzel said.

College these days comes with a pretty strong safety net.

“We all want to maintain enrollment,” Hatzel said, “but more than anything, we really want to see students succeed.” GR

Editor’s Note: As of July, Calvin College was renamed to Calvin University.

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 31

32 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY RIVER CITY IMPROV

Keeping Grand Rapids laughing After a couple of decades, the city’s improv community is growing into its own.

BY SAM EASTER

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 33

“We’re trying to push people to get some formal training, and kind of really work on the craft and honor it and grow it to make it better.”

AMY GASCON

to kind of be like the restaurant scene, I think, or at least people are trying to make it that way,” Allen said, imagining audiences picking among a night out to see sketch comedy.

“You don’t just go to three restaurants in town. It’s like, all right, there are 50 or 100 really good restaurants. What are you in the mood for tonight?”

The blossoming of Grand Rapids’ comedy community has been decades in the making, its improv scene, in particular, lagging until it was boosted by nationally known acts like “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” which had its first U.S. run from 1998 to 2007, and buoyed by a growing understanding of what improv actually is. As more performers have joined the community, so have more fans.

But it took a long time to get here.

Rick Treur is one of the founding members of River City Improv, which held its 25th-anniversary show in February. He’s been around for much of the comedy scene’s recent history and recalls helping start the group after doing improv as a student at Calvin College. But back in the early 1990s, that

River City Improv cast

34 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY RIVER CITY IMPROV

IN ANDY ALLEN’S DECADE of Grand Rapids improv, his favorite joke has him on stage, faux strapped to three friends. One of them is playing a skydiving instructor — the rest hapless students — and they’re ready to hop out of a plane, tangled elbows, missed cues all the way to the ground.

“And the code words that the skydiver instructed us to do was jump on ‘no’ and pull on ‘don’t,’” he said, laughing as he remembered. “So, ‘Are you ready?’ “No!’ It’s just one of my stupid favorite moments.”

Allen is one of the founding members of Pop Scholars, an improv troupe that has been around for 10 years in Grand Rapids’ growing comedy scene. Local comics like to poke fun at the city’s constant insistence that it’s “growing.” “It’s not like Chicago’s like, ‘Hey, in case you didn’t know, there’s good tapas food here,” fellow Pop Scholars member Matt Sterenberg said. But they all describe a community that’s deeper and more diversified than it’s ever been.

“There’s just so much happening … it’s going

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE BUCK

was no easy feat, he said, recounting hanging posters for upcoming shows, asking friends to invite their friends and trying to build an early Rolodex to grow their audience.

The group’s first venue was at 10 Weston St. SE, just a short walk from the Grand River in what is now Heartside. Performing there was, to put it delicately, a unique experience.

“We would have to hang up lights that were just essentially floodlights that we clamped onto some pipes. And we hooked up some speakers so we could use like a sound system and play music, and the venue had like these old radiators in it, so like halfway during the performance, all the pipes would start packing, would radiate heat,” Treur remembers. “It was this intimate space, and it would get super hot in there, and we’d have to open the side door. It was on this alley that just smelled of garbage or something, but it was just — in some ways, I just loved the rawness of that venue.”

Despite the jokes about Grand Rapids’ growth, the comedy scene has indeed grown precipitously since then. In particular, the last 10 years have seen a flurry of new groups and comics in the local scene — like Pop Scholars and The Comedy Project. To hear Treur tell it, that’s part of a slow process that has raised the community’s profile year after year. With more exposure comes more interest comes more performers comes more exposure.

“We realized that we have strength in numbers. We have variety in numbers. We have a lot of ladies PMSing at the same time in numbers,” the Grand Rapids group Funny Girls, founded in 2015, said of its early days on its website. “We got busy writing sketches and getting to know each other.”

One of the newest additions to the scene is The Comedy Project, a comedy theater and training center tucked off Leonard Street on the West Side that offers a range of shows — “Battle Bots” improv and “Something Rad” sketch comedy among them — plus classes on comedy writing, improv and acting. Amy Gascon, the theater’s training center director, said she’s seen the local comedy scene grow by as much as 50 people in recent years, and The Comedy Project is poised to be a bright new star in that growing constellation.

“We’re trying to push people to get some formal training, and kind of really work on the craft and honor it and grow it to make it better,” she said. For beginners, that is as simple as learning “yes, and” — the basic improv credo that demands a comic say yes to a goofball premise, add their own twist and keep the scene moving.

A recent show at The Comedy Project.

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 35

And for theater leaders, it stands to be something of a community center for local comedy. Joe Anderson, the venue’s artistic director, said he sees it as an engine to boost the local comedy scene, bringing in more interest and a more diverse cast of performers (the comedy scene right now is overwhelmingly white, multiple comics noted).

“The model is certainly most similar to Second City,” Anderson said, referencing the comedy stage and training center founded in Chicago. “It’s professional shows being put on by local professionals.”

But comics say one of Grand Rapids’ biggest strengths is that its scene differs so starkly from Chicago. Sterenberg, of Pop Scholars, said he remembers watching a brother and a friend slog through a long process that starts with taking classes at one of the local theaters before slowly climbing the scene’s ladder toward artistic credibility. Only once a comic has enough capital in that world, he said, do they get the same kind of opportunities they can get in Grand Rapids.

“In Grand Rapids, it’s a little bit more of the Wild West,” he said. “If you want to rent out a theater or if you want to do some things, you kind of have to make your own way a little bit.

Ultimately, it’s going to be whether or not you get people in the door and — you know, that’s not that important to some people. They just want to perform.”

The Comedy Project offers improv shows and training.

And although comics like to joke about where the scene is headed, they’re all optimistic. Hopefully, Gascon said, local acts will get big enough that they don’t have to explain themselves in terms of their most famous counterparts — no more will they have to be a local take on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” or a West Michigan “Saturday Night Live.” They’ll be big enough — and well-known enough — that they’ll be able to just be themselves.

“I think it’s — you know, we really like doing our thing, and we’re just going to keep doing it until people tell us to stop or until one of us passes away in a tragic train accident or something like that,” Allen said. “If people keep coming, we’ll keep doing it.” GR 36 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE BUCK PHOTOGRAPHY BY XXXXXXXXXXX

“In Grand Rapids, it’s a little bit more of the Wild West. If you want to rent out a theater or if you want to do some things, you kind of have to make your own way a little bit.” M AT T

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Asian inspiration ROBERT SONG, OWNER OF MARU SUSHI and Grill in the Uptown neighborhood, opened Ando Sushi + Bar in 2016 on the city’s West Side, next door to New Holland Brewing’s The Knickerbocker.

The modern Asian-fusion restaurant features a blend of Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean food.

Inside, Ando offers a big-city vibe with a full bar and a clean, polished dining area.

The restaurant also has a four-season seating area that opens up during the warmer months, as well as designated patio seating outside along Turner Avenue NW. Our first visit took place over the lunch hour midweek. The restaurant was sparsely populated when we arrived just before noon but would begin to fill up over the next hour.

My dining companion and I started our meal with miso soup ($4) and the Ando lemonade ($2.95). For entrées, I ordered the spicy yellowtail roll ($8) and the shrimp bibimbap ($15), while my friend ordered the Papa Crema roll ($14).

Served in a stone bowl, the bibimbap is

Miso soup

a heaping serving of shrimp, cauliflower, broccoli, red pepper, seasonal mushrooms, bean sprouts and a sunny side up egg Pikachu roll

served with spicy slaw. The steam crawled from the bowl’s edges upon its arrival at our table, and I couldn’t wait to dig in. This dish was fantastic, and I will definitely be going back for another helping in the future.

The rolls were very good, as well. The spicy yellowtail delivered on its spicy promise. My dining companion, not normally a sushi eater, was venturing outside her comfort zone with the Papa Crema, which is and cream cheese. She said the garlic eel sauce was a nice pairing, enhancing the roll’s overall flavor. She also enjoyed the fried sweet potato that surrounded the dish. She called it a surprising yet perfect addition to the plate. It brought a light crunch to the otherwise heavy roll and was deliciously paired

Ando beef ramen 54 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

with the garlic eel sauce, too.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRYAN ESLER

filled with smoked salmon, crab, avocado

dining review

BY IRA CRAAVEN Left to right: Bangkok Mule, seaweed salad and mochi trio.

For dessert, we tried the sweet bun ($6)

a soup served in a large stone bowl. Decon-

and the lemon sorbet ($5) – both of which

structed, it is comprised of marinated bul-

delivered the perfect sweetness and end to

gogi beef, mountain vegetables, baby bok

our meal.

choy, mushrooms, scallions, toasted nori

Ando’s presentation elevated the experi-

and crunchy onions. Combined, it is a fla-

ence and added to the overall ambiance of

vorful dish that offers a number of crunchy,

our dining experience.

smooth and zesty experiences, featuring

On our second visit, we got to experi-

a different taste each time a spoonful is

ence the four-season dining area with the

extracted from the bowl. It’s also a good

large windows open. Hearing the hustle

alternative for those not brave enough to try

and bustle of downtown Grand Rapids just

Ando’s superb sushi rolls.

Ando Sushi + Bar 415 Bridge St. NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Phone: (616) 608-0789 andosushi.com

after 5 p.m. on a warm Wednesday only added to the aforementioned big-city vibe.

Our group of four started the meal with some drinks: the Scarlett Fizz ($9), the Bangkok Mule ($9), Saugatuck Brewing’s

Ando’s presentation elevated the experience and added to the overall ambiance of our dining experience.

Lager of Love ($7) and a Mohua sauvignon blanc ($7 happy hour price).

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRYAN ESLER

Food: **** Service: **** Beverages: *** Atmosphere: **** Price: $$

Speaking of those, each roll offered

The Scarlett Fizz, featuring Soho Lychee

unique and enjoyable tastes. The Crouch-

liqueur, cranberry and sparkling cava, was

ing Tiger featured rolled panko fried

a crisp, clean, refreshing drink — a delight-

shrimp, cream cheese, crab salad and

ful summer offering.

topped with shrimp, avocado, fantasy

The Bangkok Mule, a variation of the

sauce, eel sauce, wasabi aioli, masago and

Moscow Mule, was made with Grey Skies

scallions. The fantasy and eel sauces really

Distillery’s spiced rum, mango, Thai basil,

make this roll flavorful. The Pikachu is

lime and ginger beer. While the Moscow

similar to the Crouching Tiger, but the rolls

Mule still reigns supreme, this was a nice

were coated in homemade crunchies that

departure from the traditional choice.

made this dish electrifying.

The Lager of Love, an easy-drinking light

The Ocean’s 11 was unique in that it

lager, is the definition of beer with a pur-

came with its own salad. The rolls (alba-

pose. It has a distribution deal attached that

core, radish sprouts, kampyo, cucumber,

raises funds for local LGBTQ support orga-

pickled daikon, topped with salmon, avo-

nizations based on every pint purchased.

cado, gochujang sauce and cilantro oil)

For appetizers, we opted to try the gyoza

were served with a spicy salad (mixed

($7), steamed or fried dumplings (choice

greens, carrots, cucumbers and aspara-

of pork or vegetables) served with ando

gus). The salad was a bit too spicy for our

dressing. We went with the fried pork,

liking, but it’s sure to satisfy those looking

which featured a great flaky crust and a

for a bit of heat.

savory and filling inside.

Dining ratings:

For dessert, we tried the Mochi Trio

We also ordered a seaweed salad ($7),

($8), which is three different ice creams

tossed with toasted sesame seeds and

— passion fruit, pistachio and coconut —

thinly sliced cucumbers. This dish was

wrapped in uncooked phyllo dough, cov-

delicate and tasted fresh.

ered in “matching” sauces and garnished

Must try: Pikachu

Not so much: Nothing

Guide to ratings: **** *** ** *

Exceptional Above Average Satisfactory Poor Inexpensive (under $10) Moderate ($10-$20) Expensive (Over $20)

For entrées, we tried three sushi rolls,

with sautéed pistachios, mango and dried

¢ $ $$

the Crouching Tiger ($16), Ocean’s 11 ($15)

cherries on the side. A caramel sauce on

(Prices based on average entrée.)

and the Pikachu ($17), as well as a bowl of

the plate is perfect for sliding the ice cream

Ando Beef Ramen ($14). The beef ramen is

through on the way to your mouth.

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 55

food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

dining listings A GUIDE TO RESTAURANTS IN GRAND RAPIDS AND BEYOND

The recommendations

and reviews in the listings are the opinions of the editors.

Restaurants are included by virtue of overall quality. We have created symbols to area restaurant amenities, which are defined in a legend at the end of this listing (page 71).

DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS Angel’s Thai Café — Extensive Thai fare. Menu includes your-choice stir-fry option. Vegetarian friendly. No alcohol. Open daily. 136 Monroe Center NW, 454-9801. angelsthaicafe.com.

L, D ¢-$ Bangkok Taste Cuisine — Thai fare with lunch buffet and kids menu. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 15 Jefferson Ave SE, 356-5550. bangkoktastegr. com. L, D ¢-$ Beijing Kitchen — Hunan, Szechuan and Cantonese cuisines. Lunch and dinner specials. No alcohol. Open daily. 342 State St SE, 458-8383. beijingkitchenmi.com. L (Sun-Fri), D ¢-$ Bistro Bella Vita — Big-city casual; fresh French and Italian cuisine, locally sourced and prepared over a wood fire. Mammoth martini bar, nice wine selection. Open daily. 44 Grandville Ave SW, 222-4600. bistrobellavita.com. L, D $-$$ Bobarino’s at The B.O.B. — Grill on second floor of The B.O.B. offers everything from wood-fired pizza to upscale entrées. Lunch menu has deli sandwiches, salads, burgers. Full bar. Outdoor seating. Closed Sun. 20 Monroe Ave NW, 3562000. thebob.com/bobarinospizza. L, D ¢-$ Brick & Porter — Appetizers, burgers, salads and sandwiches and a nice selection of entrées; 20 beers on tap (“the darker, the better”). Open daily. 47 Monroe Center NW, 226-6928. brickand portergr.com. Brunch (Sat-Sun), L, D ¢-$ Bull’s Head Tavern — Large selection of appetizers, soups and salads. Entrées include pasta, fish, chicken and steak along with burgers and sandwiches. Full bar. Closed Sun. 188 Monroe Ave NW, 454-3580. thebullsheadtavern.com. L (Mon-Fri), D $-$$ Charley’s Crab — Fresh seafood in a fine dining atmosphere with views of the Grand River. Glutenfree menu. Beer and extensive wine list. Sun brunch 10-2:30. Open daily. 63 Market Ave SW, 459-2500. muer.com/charleys-crab. L (Mon-Fri), D $-$$ The Chop House — Aged prime beef, seafood, pork and lamb chops, chicken and more.

Downstairs is La Dolce Vita dessert and cigar 56 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

bar. Closed Sun. 190 Monroe Ave NW, 451-6131. thechophousegrandrapids.com. D $$ City Built Brewing Co. – Taproom featuring a variety of craft beer. Plus, Puerto Rican-inspired appetizers, small plates, entrées, soups and salads. Closed Mon. 820 Monroe Ave NW, 8055755. citybuiltbrewing.com. L, D $ Cinco De Mayo — Offers the usual Mexican fare plus carnitas and steak asada. Full bar. Open daily. 114 Monroe Center NW, 719-2401. cinco demayo1.com. L, D $ Citysen Lounge — Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers and small-plate creations. Beer and wine; happy hour 4-7 pm. Open daily.

CityFlatsHotel, 83 Monroe Center NW, 6081725. cityflatshotel.com/location/grand-rapids.

B, L, D ¢-$ Cottage Bar — Longtime favorite since 1927. Famous Cottage burgers and fries, signature chilis and more. Full bar. Closed Sun. 18 LaGrave Ave SE, 454-9088. cottagebar.biz. L, D ¢ FDivani — European-inspired food includes small plates for sharing and a variety of entrées.

Full bar. Closed Sun. 15 Ionia Ave SW, 774-9463. divanigr.com. D $-$$ Flanagan’s — Downtown Irish pub features imported beers, entrées with Irish influence. Frequent live music. Closed Sun. 139 Pearl St NW, 454-7852. flanagansgr.com. L, D ¢ Founders Brewing Co. — Spacious taproom, serpentine bar and live music Thu and Sat. Menu features appetizers, deli sandwiches. Outdoor beer garden. Open daily. 235 Grandville Ave SW, 776-1195. foundersbrewing.com. L, D ¢ Friesian Gastro Pub – A cozy neighborhood eatery offering comfort food items with an eclectic twist. Menu items include handhelds like the harissa hot chicken sandwich and vegan Rueben, as well as entrées including ramen bowls and Korean short ribs. Full bar. Patio and rooftop deck. Open daily. 720 Michigan St NE, 825-3001. friesiangr.com. L, D. $

Gilly’s Smokehouse — Twelve rotating craft beers from The B.O.B’s Brewery paired with smokehouse fare, including smoked beef brisket, Amish chicken, pork butt and more. Closed Sun-Mon. 20 Monroe Ave NW, 356-2000. the bob.com/gillysrestaurant. D ¢-$ Ginza Sushi & Ramen Bar — Wide selection of authentic Japanese cuisine, sushi, ramen, poke bowls, hibachi dinners, appetizers, soups and salad. Open daily. Catering available. 1015 Michigan St NE, 272-4116. ginzasushiramen.com. L, D $ GP Sports — Sports bar and restaurant. Menu features create-your-own pizzas and burgers, salads and sandwiches. Open daily. Amway Grand Plaza, 187 Monroe Ave NW, 776-6495. amwaygrand.com/dining/gp-sports. L, D $ Grand Rapids Brewing Co. — Organic brews, hard cider, wine and spirits. Farm-to-table menu includes sharable plates, sausages, soups, salads, sandwiches, entrées. Open daily. 1 Ionia Ave SW, 458-7000. grbrewingcompany.com. L (Sat-Sun), D ¢-$ Grand Rapids Garage Bar and Grill — “AllAmerican grub” includes burgers, nachos, sandwiches, soups and salads, full bar. Live entertainment Fri and Sat. Open daily. 819 Ottawa Ave NW, 454-0321. garagebargr.com. L, D ¢ Grand Woods Lounge — Eclectic menu with upscale comfort foods. Live entertainment, pool tables, spacious full bar. Year-round alfresco dining with fireplace. Open daily. 77 Grandville Ave SW, 451-4300. grandwoodslounge.com.

L, D ¢-$ Heritage Hill Pizza — Offers traditional, stuffed and specialty pizzas. No alcohol. Open daily with a few tables for dining in. 340 State St SE, 742-4773. grandrapidspizza.net. L, D ¢-$ The Heritage — GRCC culinary students prepare gourmet dishes from steaks to vegan. Menu changes weekly. Wine and beer. Open Tue-Fri during school year. Applied Technology Center, 151 Fountain St NE, 234-3700. grcc.edu/heritage.

L, D $-$$ Hong Kong Express — Szechuan and Cantonese. All-you-can-eat lunch buffet. No alcohol.

Open daily. 150 E Fulton St, 235-2888. L, D ¢-$ Jamaican Dave’s — Chicken, goat, oxtail, beef, fish and vegetarian fare in Jamaican style. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 530 S Division Ave, 4587875. Facebook. L, D ¢

J.D. Reardon’s — Restaurant and lounge at The Boardwalk offers American, southwest, Thai and more. Banquet facilities. Outdoor seating. Full bar. Open daily. 940 Monroe Ave NW, 454-8590. jdreardons.com. L, D ¢-$ J. Gardella’s Tavern — Massive full bar and gargantuan menu includes hearty appetizers, salads, burgers, entrées. Three floors of seating.

Closed Sun. 11 Ionia Ave SW, 459-8824. jgardel lastavern.com. L (Mon-Fri), D ¢ Judson’s at The B.O.B. — Award-winning steakhouse offers steaks, seafood and chops. Notable wine list. Closed Sun. 20 Monroe Ave NW, 3562000. thebob.com/judsonssteakhouse. D $$ Juju Bird — Chicken-centered restaurant featuring comfort foods like buttermilk fried chicken, as well as sandwiches and “birdie cones.” Open daily. Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave SW, 2588115. downtownmarketgr.com. L, D $ The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck — Comfort fare and global classics in a casual atmosphere overlooking the Grand River. Menu includes appetizers, gourmet pizzas, salads and entrées. Full bar.

Open daily. Amway Grand Plaza, 187 Monroe Ave NW, 776-3230. amwaygrand.com/dining/thekitchen-by-wolfgang-puck. L, D $-$$ FLeo’s — Fresh seafood, soups, salads and more in elegant yet casual atmosphere. Early dinner menu 4:30-6 pm Mon-Fri. Closed Sun. 60 Ottawa Ave NW, 454-6700. leosrestaurant.com.

L (Mon-Fri), D $-$$ Linear — Riverfront eatery featuring seasonal menu with fresh modern American fare and outdoor-seating options; plus, a display of rotating works by local artists. Full bar. Closed Mon. 1001 Monroe Ave NW, 200-4343. linear restaurant.com. L, D ¢-$ Littlebird — Café-style restaurant featuring made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch, including a full coffee menu, house-made sodas and egg creams, and pastries. Full bar. Open daily. 95 Monroe Center NW, 419-4168. thelittle birdgr.com. B, L, D (Tue-Sat) ¢ Lucky Luciano’s — Fifty gourmet pizza options, whole or by the slice. Takeout, delivery available.

Serves beer and wine. Open daily. 15 Ionia Ave SW, Suite 140, 356-4600. luckylucianos.com. L, D ¢-$ Luna Taqueria y Cocina — Upscale Latin American menu pairs with locally sourced meat and produce. Full bar. Closed Sun. 64 Ionia Ave SW, 288-6340. lunagr.com. L, D ¢-$ Marcona on Lyon — “Modern” Mediterranean cuisine, including appetizers, grilled skewers, falafel and more, as well as vegetarian- and veganfriendly options. Full bar. Closed Mon. 623 Lyon St NE, 828-1228. marconaonlyon.com. L, D $-$$

MeXo — Features tequila/mezcal bar and a modern touch on classic pre-Hispanic foods of Mexico. Full bar. Open daily. 118 E Fulton St, 828-4123. mexogr.com. B (Sun), L, D $

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse — Classic American steakhouse in the Amway Grand Plaza. Serves alcohol. Closed Sun. 187 Monroe Ave NW, 7766426. amwaygrand.com/dining/ruths-chrissteak-house. L, D $$

Mojo’s Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant — Lively downtown spot opens for dinner at 5 pm Wed-Sat. Appetizers, sandwiches, salads, flatbread pizzas, full bar. Shows start at 8 pm Wed-Fri, 7 pm Sat. Closed Sun-Tue. 180 Monroe Ave NW, 776-9000. mojospianobar.com. D (Wed-Sat) ¢-$

San Chez Bistro — Spanish fare focusing on tapas-style small plates; sides and entrées. Wine and beer list includes Spanish varieties and sherry. Open daily. 38 W Fulton St, 774-8272. sanchez bistro.com. B, L, D $-$$

MudPenny — Coffee bar with all-day breakfast, sandwiches, burgers and salads. Catering available. Closed Sun. 570 Grandville Ave SW, 2595353. mudpenny.com. B, L, D ¢

FSix.One.Six — Features new French cuisine in a cosmopolitan setting. Fine wines and cocktails. Alfresco dining overlooking the Grand River. Open daily. JW Marriott, 235 Louis St NW, 242-1448. ilovethejw.com/dining/six.one. six. B, L, D $-$$

New Hotel Mertens — French-inspired, upscale dining on restored historic site of original, early20th-century-era New Hotel Mertens. Seafood, pasta, entrées and small plates. Local wine options. Open daily. 35 Oakes St SW, 551-1713. newhotelmertens.com. Brunch (Sat-Sun), B (Mon-Fri), L (Mon-Fri), D $-$$

Slows Bar-B-Q — Detroit-based restaurant offers extensive menu, including barbecue, sandwiches and sides. Michigan and national craft beers on tap. Open daily. Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave SW, 454-1588. slowsbarbq.com. L, D ¢-$

One Trick Pony Grill & Taproom — Eclectic menu with vegetarian, Mexican and European cuisines. Dine alfresco on street-front patio.

Full bar. Closed Mon. 136 E Fulton St, 235-7669. onetrick.biz. L, D ¢-$

Social Kitchen & Bar — Refined comfort food, sandwiches, pizzas, extensive cocktail menu.

Vintage décor, patio. Open daily. Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave SW, 724-4464. socialkitchenandbar.com/grand-rapids.html. Brunch (Sat-Sun), L, D $-$$

Osteria Rossa – Casual Italian-inspired cuisine with Michigan roots from executive chef/owner Chris Perkey. Wood-fired pizzas, handmade pasta. Full bar. Closed Sun. 16 Monroe Center NE, 988-9350. osteriarossa.com. L (Mon-Fri), D ¢-$

SpeakEZ Lounge — Casual pub setting with eclectic menu, including vegan and gluten-free.

Creative starters, soups, salads, entrées (after 4 pm). Full bar. Open daily. 600 Monroe Ave NW, 458-3125. speakezlounge.com. L, D $

Palace of India — Indian cuisine with a sizeable menu including vegetarian selections. Lunch buffet 11-3. Open daily. 138 E Fulton St, 9139000. palaceofindiarestaurant.com. L, D ¢-$

Stella’s Lounge — Award-winning stuffed burgers, plus vegan and vegetarian items. Full bar, known for its whiskey selection. Open daily. 53 Commerce Ave SW, 742-4444. stellasgr.com. L (Fri-Sun), D ¢-$

Parsley Mediterranean Grille — Appetizers, salads, soups, pitas, combos. Catering available.

No alcohol. Open daily. 80 Ottawa Ave NW, 7762590. parsleymg.com. L, D ¢-$ FReserve — Wine bar offers extensive by-theglass selections and culinary options to match, including charcuterie. Closed Sun. 201 Monroe Ave NW, 855-9463. reservegr.com. L (MonFri), D $-$$ Roam by San Chez Bistro — The San Chez Bistro team introduces global street food, including cuisine from China, Morocco, Spain, France, Poland, U.K., Indonesia and more. Full bar. Closed Sun. 250 Monroe Ave NW, 288-9129. roamby sanchez.com. B, L, D $ Rockwell Republic — Diverse menu emphasizes local ingredients from sushi to comfort food.

Upper-level outdoor seating. Full bar. Open daily. 45 S Division Ave, 551-3563. rockwells republic.com. D $-$$

Tavern On The Square — Tapas-style fare, plus house specialties. Patio seating. Full bar, happy hour 3-7 Mon-Fri. Open daily. 100 Ionia Ave SW, 456-7673. Facebook. L, D ¢-$ Wheelhouse Kitchen and Cocktails — Eclectic American bistro fare with seasonal recipes using Michigan ingredients. Large bar and porch. Open daily. Arena Place, 67 Ottawa Ave SW, 226-3319. wheelhousegrandrapids.com. L, D $-$$ Z’s Bar & Restaurant — Sports-themed eatery known for its BBQ ribs. Soups, salads, sandwiches, entrées. Carry-out available. Open daily.

168 Louis Campau Promenade NW, 454-3141. zsbar.com. L, D ¢-$ Zoko 822 — Basque-inspired cuisine, featuring Northern Spanish and Southern French small plates, served family style; plus, “grab-and-go” lunch serviced through the Bodega 822. Full bar Continued on page 60 AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 57

chef profile

BY JAYE BEELER

Dishes and generosity aplenty

MERCEDES LOPEZ-DURAN Title: Co-owner Location: 950 Bridge St. NW

58 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

AT EL GRANJERO MEXICAN GRILL, Mercedes Lopez-Duran welcomes regulars, newbies and millennials in the only way an abuelita knows: sweetly, warmly and deliciously. The patrons come in waves for Lopez-Duran’s traditional Mexican meals, a chat, gossip and buckets of her freshly diced salsa to cart home with tortilla chips warm from the fryer.

“You grab your tortillas as a family and dig in,” said Lopez-Duran, who married a Michigan man in 2005 and relocated to Grand Rapids with her children. A hard worker and fast learner, she began her culinary start as a dishwasher. “All the time I was working, I was learning,” said LopezDuran, who earned a spot on the line cook brigade until she decided to buy the joint.

She purchased the restaurant with her daughter, Paola Mendivil, nearly 12 years ago. The restaurant focuses on authentic recipes; for instance, the molcajete has a long history, going back thousands of years.

The dish is named after the lava rock mortar and pestle that it is served in.

Lopez-Duran busily grills the green nopal slices, queso fresco squares, fat green onions, spiced chorizo patties, chicken breast and skirt steak, creating an aromatic and visually stunning dish reminiscent of the Mexican landscape and sky.

“The food in Mexico City is so very colorful,” said Mendivil, sipping a tall frosty glass of horchata — a milky rice drink with cinnamon and caramel syrup. “There are pink tamales, blue tortillas, blue and purple corn, orange and pink peppers, yellow squash blossoms, green tomatillo salsa verde and mangos with chili powder.”

Lopez-Duran bases her dishes around

authenticity, freshness and a big heap of fun because she is always dreaming up new ways to tickle your taste buds.

Her cumin-spiced ranchero sauce is so much more than a cooked tomato salsa or enchilada sauce and pairs beautifully with bistec ranchero, enchiladas, huevos rancheros and tacos.

She prepares cactus in countless ways — scrambled with eggs for breakfast; fresh salad-topping tlacoyos; grilled for tortas; and with arrachera steak skirt.

Her desayunos (breakfasts) are virtually indistinguishable from lunch or dinner. The toppings — fried eggs or grilled meats, followed by a dollop of red or green salsa, onions, cilantro, queso fresco and sour cream — signify a real event. The huevos rancheros — the enduring farmhand breakfast — satiates with corn tortillas, fried eggs, house rancheros salsa and refried beans chilaquiles verdes.

A small tortilla warmer with corn or flour tortillas always is delivered to the table.

Tortillas are sourced locally from El Milago.

At El Granjero, they are cut into wedges and fried until lightly crisped and browned — demonstrating that at El Granjero, everything matters.

A sparse, almost cantina-like dining room is filled with Lopez-Duran’s collection of Mexican memorabilia — oldfashioned toys, miniature Mexican pottery, ceramics and small rag dolls — displayed in shadow boxes.

It’s a family affair at El Granjero, LopezDuran’s daughter, Daniela, who lives in Mexico City, is a graphic artist and designed the logo and menu, while Mendivil’s husband Alberto is the restaurant’s kitchen manager.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID SPARKS

El Granjero Mexican Grill offers more than the food on your plate.

“What are you hungry for?

I will make you happy.”

Mercedes Lopez-Duran

Rajas con Crema

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID SPARKS

(makes 6 servings)

What puts El Granjero above the crowd is Lopez-Duran’s generosity. Everything comes in heaps, mounds and vast bowls of flavor and fragrance. She also dispenses her vast knowledge in generous portions — mentoring, sharing her skills, time and TLC with her kitchen team.

A few of those former employees have opened their own restaurants, such as La Huasteca, Fiesta Mexican Grill and Tamales El Kora. Like family, these former employees visit and invite Lopez-Duran to their marriages, baby showers, graduation open houses and call on her when they need help catering an event.

“What are you hungry for?” Lopez-Duran asked before she is off to the kitchen to prepare exactly what you need. “I will make you happy.” GR

8 fresh poblano peppers 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 white onion, sliced 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup Mexican crema ½ cup milk 1 cup corn ½ teaspoon epazote ½ cup shredded cheese, preferably Chihuahua, Monterey Jack or Mexican manchego Tortillas for serving Optional: 2 shredded chicken breasts (place chicken in a saucepan, cover, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 10-12 minutes until cooked. Transfer to a bowl, cool slightly and shred chicken with two forks.)

Top: El Granjero dining room Bottom: Mercedes Lopez-Duran prepares Rajas con Crema.

Preparation: Roast the whole poblano chile peppers on all sides over an open flame, let flame blacken the outside skin of the peppers so it’s easy to peel; use tongs to turn the chile over all sides. Remove from flame so they’re not burnt, put in a plastic bag so they continue to steam. Let sit for a few minutes.

When peppers are cool, use your fingers or a damp towel to strip off the blackened parts.

Once the blackened outer skin is removed, open the chiles and cut into long strips. Discard the stems, seeds and inner veins.

In a pan at medium heat, cook sliced onions and garlic with oil. Add the poblano peppers. Add salt. Add the Mexican crema and milk. Gently stir to coat the chiles. Add corn, epazote and salt to taste. Let cook for several minutes until the chiles are completely cooked through and the sauce is bubbly and a little reduced. Reduce heat and slowly add the cheese, whisking until fully smooth.

When serving, add more cheese. Option: add cooked shredded chicken breast, stir and coat in the creamy sauce. ¡Buen provecho!

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 59

food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

Continued from page 57

boasting over 45 selections of gin. Open daily.

822 Ottawa Ave NW, 828-1118. zoko822.com.

Brunch (Sun), L (Mon-Sat), D $-$$

WEST SIDE Ando Sushi + Bar — Asian fusion eatery featuring small plates, bentos, rice bowls, raw bar, noodles, soup, salad and more. Wide selection of wine, plus local, domestic and international beer. Full bar. 415 Bridge St NW, 608-0789. andosushi.com. L, D $

zas, barbecue and more. Open daily. 417 Bridge St NW, 345-5642. newhollandbrew.com/knicker bocker. Brunch (Sun), L, D ¢-$ Long Road Distillers — Craft, small-batch distillery featuring variety of house-made snacks, sandwiches and entrées. Open daily. 537 Leonard St NW, 228-4924. longroaddistillers.com.

Brunch (Sat-Sun), D ¢-$ Maggie’s Kitchen — Mexican fare in café setting, cafeteria-style ordering. No alcohol. Closed Sun and Mon. 636 Bridge St NW, 458-8583. Facebook. B, L, D ¢

Blue Dog Tavern — West Michigan craft brews on tap. Good selection of tots, dogs and burgers.

Open daily. 638 Stocking Ave NW, 608-6050. bluedogtaverngr.com. L, D ¢

The Mitten Brewing Co. — Vintage baseballthemed nanobrewery pairs handcrafted beers with gourmet pizzas. Open daily. 527 Leonard St NW, 608-5612. mittenbrewing.com. L, D ¢-$

Broadway Bar & Grill — Neighborhood bar known for burgers and holiday decorations, especially at Christmas. Outdoor grilling during summer. Hours change seasonally. 740 Broadway Ave SW, 454-0565. Facebook. L, D ¢

Monarchs’ Club — Starters, sausages, hot dogs, panini, Italian beef sandwiches and Grand Rapids Stackers. Michigan beer on draft.

Open daily. 646 Stocking Ave NW, 233-9799. monarchsclubcornerbar.com. L, D ¢

Butcher’s Union — Meat-and-whiskey-centric gastro-pub. Full bar. Outdoor seating available.

438 Bridge St NW, 551-1323. butchersuniongr. com. Brunch (Sun), L, D $

One Bourbon — Trendy, two-level restaurant serving creative shareable plates, burgers, hot sandwiches and entrées. Full bar features more than 120 whiskies. Closed Sun-Mon. 608 Bridge St NW, 608-5766. onebourbongr.com. D ¢-$

El Granjero — Mexican fare from steak and shrimp to menudo on weekends. No alcohol but tasty virgin coladas. Open daily. 950 Bridge St NW, 458-5595. Facebook. B, L, D ¢ El Sombrero — Offers “the original” wet burrito.

Weekly specials. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 527 Bridge St NW, 451-4290. elsombrerorestaurant mi.com. L, D ¢ Fratelli’s Kitchen & Bar — Italian cuisine based on family recipes from Sicily with a “modern twist.” Full service bar. Open daily. 443 Bridge St NW, Suite 2. 389-4963. fratellisgr.com. L, D $ Harmony Hall — West Side brewpub with a German beer hall atmosphere serves pizza, sandwiches, salads and appetizers. Open daily.

401 Stocking Ave NW, 233-9186. harmonybeer. com/harmony-hall. L, D ¢-$ The Holiday Bar — Established in 1905, menu features appetizers and sandwiches. Seating includes 40-foot horseshoe bar, tables and a beer garden in warm months. Open daily. 801 Fifth St NW, 456-9058. theholidaybargr.com. L, D ¢ Jolly Pumpkin Pizzeria & Brewery — Dexterbased brewery offers salads and sandwiches in addition to pizza. Kids menu available. Open daily. 428 Bridge St NW, 419-4676. jollypumpkin .com. L, D $ The Knickerbocker – New Holland Brewing — Craft brewery featuring a variety of locally sourced shared plates, sandwiches, soups, piz60 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

O’Toole’s Public House — Pub grub includes appetizers, sandwiches and burgers served on a mountain of fries. Open daily. 448 Bridge St NW, 742-6095. otoolesgr.com. L, D ¢-$ Pearl Street Grill — Bright, contemporary restaurant features diverse menu in downtown Holiday Inn. Full bar. Open daily. 310 Pearl St NW, 235-1342. higrdt.com/dining/pearl-streetgrill. B, L, D $ Salvatore’s Italian Restaurant — Sicilian and southern Italian fare. Separate sports bar; patio seating. Food, beer and wine available to go.

Delivery and catering. Open daily. 654 Stocking Ave NW, 454-4280. salvatoresgr.com. L (MonFri), D ¢-$ FThe Sovengard — Midwest meets Scandinavian spirit, with a focus on seasonal and local sourcing. Restaurant and outdoor beer garden in a historic West Side building. Open daily. 443 Bridge St NW, 214-7207. sovengard.com. D $ Two Scotts Barbecue — Authentic barbecue smoked in-house daily with homemade sides and sauces. Features draft root beer and weekly specials. Catering and food truck available.

Closed Sun. 536 Leonard St NW, 608-6756. twoscottsbbq.com. L ¢-$ Westside Social — “Reimagined” Americanstyle tavern with locally sourced, house-made appetizers, burgers, seafood and other entrées.

Full bar. Happy hour specials available Mon-Fri.

Open daily. 2802 Lake Michigan Dr NW, 4535877. westside.social. L (Tue-Sun), D ¢-$

UPTOWN Bombay Cuisine — Traditional Indian dishes with spices and flavors from northern India. Full bar. Open daily. Takeout available. 1420 Lake Dr SE, 456-7055. eastownbombaycuisine.com.

L, D $ Brewery Vivant — Beer and food in tradition of French and Belgian country dishes. Housed in a renovated funeral chapel. Most dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. Open daily.

925 Cherry St SE, 719-1604. breweryvivant.com.

L (Sat-Sun), D $-$$ Brick Road Pizza — Traditional, gourmet and vegan pizzas (gluten-free crusts available); also soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches. Sun Brunch Bar. Full bar. Closed Mon. 1017 Wealthy St SE, 719-2409. brickroadpizza.com. L, D ¢-$ Brown Butter Creperie & Café — Locally sourced, made-from-scratch sweet and savory crepes and liege waffles. 1436 Wealthy St SE, 288-5038. brownbuttercrepes.com. B, L, D (Wed-Sat) ¢ Chez Olga — Caribbean and Creole fare. Veggie/ vegan options. Takeout available. No alcohol.

Closed Sun. 1441 Wealthy St SE, 233-4141. chez olga.com. L, D ¢-$ The Commons — 1970s-themed restaurant with “retro comfort food.” Full bar, including craft beer and ’70s-inspired cocktails. Takeout available.

Closed Mon. 547 Cherry St SE, 458-2704. L, D $ Curry Kitchen — Authentic Indian cuisine. Daily lunch buffet. Kids menu. Takeout. Open daily. No alcohol. 961 E Fulton St, 242-1300. currykitchen gr.com. L, D $ Danzón Cubano — Authentic Cuban fare, including vegetarian and vegan options, as well as locally made and Cuban sodas. Full bar; happy hour specials Mon-Thu. Open daily. 1 Carlton Ave SE, 988-9788. danzoncubano.com. L, D $ FDonkey Taqueria — Authentic Mexican food, including tacos, tostadas, botanas and tortas in a former 1920s service station. Full bar. Open daily. 665 Wealthy St SE. donkeygr.com. B (SatSun), L, D ¢-$ East West Brewing Co. — Traditional Americanstyle beers. Fresh, made-to-order Americanstyle food and seasonal vegetarian menu items from local vendors. Open daily. 1400 Lake Dr SE, 288-5250. eastwestbrewingcompany.com. L (Fri-Sat), D ¢-$ Eklectico Greek Kouzina — Scratch-made traditional Greek entrées, gyros, desserts and more. Catering and take-out available. Closed

Sun. 2401 Eastern Ave SE, 591-2132. eklectico greekkouzina.com. D ¢ Electric Cheetah — Eclectic menu with an emphasis on locally grown fare and creative combinations. Beer and wine available. Open daily.

1015 Wealthy St SE, 451-4779. electriccheetah. com. Brunch (Sun), L, D ¢-$ Elk Brewing Co. — Brewery with rustic industrial interior. Menu includes innovative sandwiches and snacks. Open daily. 700 Wealthy St SE, 238-5227. elkbrewing.com. L (Fri-Sun), D ¢ Erb Thai — Thai fare; will accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free, no MSG. No alcohol. Open daily. 950 Wealthy St SE, 356-2573. erbthaigr. com. L, D ¢ FForty Acres Soul Kitchen — “Authentically American” southern comfort food, featuring po’boys, grits, gumbo and more. To-go catering available. Closed Mon. 1059 Wealthy St SE, 4816971. fortyacresgr.com. L, D $ Gojo Ethiopian Cuisine & Deli — Authentic dishes including vegetarian options. Watt (stew) dishes served with injera flatbread. Carry-out available. No alcohol. Closed Sun and Mon. 421 Norwood Ave SE, 459-3383. gojoethiopian cuisine.com. L, D $

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The Green Well Gastro Pub — Menu features comfort fare with a flair, emphasizing local ingredients. Full bar; more than 20 rotating draft beers, many from local breweries. Open daily.

924 Cherry St SE, 808-3566. thegreenwell.com.

L, D $-$$ FGrove — Earth-to-table concept focuses on three- and four-course offerings. Vegan menu available. Full bar. Open daily. 919 Cherry St SE, 454-1000. groverestaurant.com. L, D $$ Hancock — Nashville hot chicken restaurant with sandwiches, fried chicken, an assortment of Southern picnic sides, salads and desserts.

Also serves breakfast. Open daily. 1157 Wealthy St. SE, 805-4232. hancockgr.com. B, L, D ¢-$ Harmony Brewing Co. — Custom brews with a full bar, wine and wood-fired pizzas. Sandwiches served 11 am-4 pm. Open daily. 1551 Lake Dr SE, 233-0063. harmonybeer.com. L, D $ Jonny B’z — Beef, turkey and veggie hot dogs available, as well as burgers, sandwiches, wings, ribs and kids menu. Full bar. Closed Sun. 701 Wealthy St SE, 551-1108. jonnybz.com. L, D $ Kelvin & Co. — Urban barbecue restaurant offering meats smoked fresh daily, handcrafted sides and vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. Menu items include brisket, chicken and pork sandwiches; meat, including sausage and wings. Open daily. 1450 Wealthy St SE, 833-5358467. kelvinandcompany.com. L, D. ¢ AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 61

food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

Little Africa Ethiopian Cuisine — Hearty vegetable stews; sauces and fixings served on Ethiopian flat bread. No alcohol. Cash or checks only.

Closed Sun and Mon. 956 E Fulton St, 222-1169.

Facebook. L, D ¢

Carolina Lowcountry Kitchen — Coastal South Carolina-inspired fare, including seafood, chicken, pork, beef and greens. Full bar. Open daily. 2213 Wealthy St SE, 805-5231. carolinalck. com. D $

Maru Sushi & Grill — Large menu of Japanese cuisine with a twist, from sushi to hibachi grilled items. Vegetarian options. Full bar. Open daily.

927 Cherry St SE, 458-1900. marurestaurant. com. L, D $-$$

Derby Station — Sophisticated pub grub with full bar featuring an array of specialty beers.

Open daily. 2237 Wealthy St SE, 301-3236. derbystation.com. L, D $

Matchbox Diner & Drinks — Breakfast all day, deli sandwiches, burgers, appetizers and seasonal entrées. Also, milkshakes and malts. Carry-out available. Open daily. 1345 Lake Dr SE, 774-8641. matchboxdiner.com. B, L, D $ The Pub at Paddock — “Happy hour all the time” with elevated pub fare. Full bar. Closed Mondays. 1033 Lake Dr SE, 356-2627. thegilmorecol lection.com/pubatpaddock. D ¢-$ FTerra — Eastown eatery features food from local, ethically raised and sustainable sourcing.

Specialty cocktails, Michigan craft beers, wines from small wineries. Open daily. 1429 Lake Dr SE, 301-0998. terragr.com. Brunch (Sat-Sun), L (Mon-Fri), D $-$$ Wealthy Street Bakery — Breakfast pastries; sandwiches, salads and soup; pizza available after 4 pm. Beer and wine. Kids menu. Closed Sun. 610 Wealthy St SE, 301-2950. wealthystreet bakery.com. B, L, D ¢-$ Wikiwiki Poke Shop — Fast-casual seafood restaurant featuring customizable poke bowls, plus oyster bar and rotating specials. Carry-out available. Closed Sun. 1146 Wealthy St SE, 288-5646. wikiwikipokeshop.com. L, D ¢-$ The Winchester — Locally sourced menu includes sharable plates in century-old space. Craft brews on draft. Full bar. Open daily. 648 Wealthy St SE, 451-4969. winchestergr.com. B (Sat-Sun), L, D ¢-$ Yesterdog — Specializes in the “good old-fashioned hot dog.” Cash or check only. Catering available. Open daily. 1505 Wealthy St SE, 3360746. yesterdog.com. L, D ¢ Zivio — Modern European tavern and grill serving Bosnian cuisine melded with Turkish, Greek and other Central European countries cooking traditions. Salads, wraps, gyros, dinner entrées.

Full bar. Open daily. Catering available. 724 Wealthy St SE, 608-3534. ziviogr.com. L, D $$

EAST GRAND RAPIDS Big Bob’s Pizza — Neighborhood pizza parlor in EGR’s Gaslight Village also offers appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, subs. Full bar. Open daily. 661 Croswell Ave SE, 233-0123. bigbob spizza.com. L (Tue-Sun), D ¢-$

62 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

José Babushka’s — Starters, salads, burritos, chimichangas, flaming fajitas, tacos and special plates. Full bar. Open daily. 2232 Wealthy St SE, 272-4472. josebabushkas.com. L, D $ Olive’s — Seasonally inspired menu of creative fare and comfort foods featuring local produce and meats. Full bar. Alfresco balcony. Closed Sun. 2162 Wealthy St SE, 451-8611. eatatolives. com. L, D ¢-$ Osta’s Lebanese Cuisine — Large selection of Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine. Serves beer and wine. Takeout and catering available.

Closed Sun-Mon. 2228 Wealthy St SE, 4568999. ostaslebanese.com. L (Tue-Fri), D ¢-$ Rose’s — Dockside dining on Reeds Lake with varied menu, including pastas and wood-fired pizzas. Three-season porch. Serves beer and wine. Open daily. 550 Lakeside Dr SE, 458-1122. thegilmorecollection.com/roses. L, D $

ADA/CASCADE/LOWELL Ada Pour House — Fresh, locally sourced ingredients with a twist on comfort food. Salads, sandwiches and entrées, including fish and steak. Craft beers and wine. Closed Sun. 6749 E Fulton St, Ada, 920-7941. pourhouseusa.com.

L, D $-$$ Aryana Restaurant & Bar — Comfortable dining room in Crowne Plaza Hotel offers breakfast buffet, lunch and dinner selections from a seasonal menu and a full bar. Open daily. 5700 28th St SE, 957-1775. hiaryana.com. B, L, D $-$$ Big Boiler Brewing — Brewpub features a wide selection of original beer and cider. Plus, new American cuisine, including burgers, fish, sandwiches and kids menu. Open daily. 318 E Main St, Lowell, 987-3155. bigboilerbrewing. com. D $ Cascade Roadhouse — Relaxed atmosphere with a diverse menu of traditional fare. Full bar.

Closed Sun. 6817 Cascade Rd SE, 259-7439. cascaderoadhousemi.com. L, D ¢-$

Cork Wine & Grille — Contemporary dining with indoor and outdoor seating. Seafood, steaks, burgers, fish, sandwiches, salads. Extensive wine list, specialty cocktails. Open daily. 5500 Cascade Rd SE, 949-0570. corkwineandgrille.com.

L, D $-$$ Dan’s Diner — Formerly Pal’s Diner. Retro-style diner with both classic and upscale breakfast and lunch options; breakfast served all day. Full bar. Closed Mon. 6503 28th St SE, 719-0304. dansdinergr.com. B, L, D ¢-$ Emonae Korean BBQ — Korean delicacies and tabletop grills allow patrons to grill meats and veggies to their liking. Soups, chicken, beef, pork, vegetarian, seafood. No alcohol. Delivery available. Closed Mon. 6246 28th St SE, 6493984. emonaekoreanbbq.com. L, D $-$$ The Euro Bistro — European bistro fare includes entrées, small plates, salads, wood-fired pizzas.

Takeout available. Full bar. Closed Sun. 6450 28th St SE, 719-2017. eurobistrogr.com. L (MonFri), D $-$$ Flat River Grill — Casual atmosphere in turnof-century building. Comfort food, wood-fired pizzas. Full bar plus The B.O.B.’s House of Brews beers. Alfresco dining on patio. Open daily. 201 E Main St, Lowell, 897-8523. thegilmorecollec tion.com/flatriver. L, D $-$$ Ju Sushi & Lounge — Sushi and sashimi, Japanese hibachi, tempura, soups, salads and entrées in elegant surroundings. Full bar, huge sake selection. Takeout, catering and banquets.

Open daily. 1144 East Paris Ave SE, 575-5858. jusushi.com. L, D ¢-$$ La Laguna — Authentic Mexican dishes including shrimp, wraps, salads, kids menu. No alcohol. Open daily. 6250 28th St SE, 805-8821.

Facebook. L, D ¢-$ Little Bangkok — Extensive Thai standbys, plus some unique items. Kids meals available.

Serves beer and wine. Closed Sun. 850 Forest Hill Ave SE, 808-3153. littlebangkokgr.com. L (Mon-Fri), D ¢-$ Main Street BBQ — Wood fire used to smoke ribs, brisket, chicken, sausage and pork. Rubs and sauces are gluten-free. Also serves sandwiches, wings, salads and soups. Catering.

Takeout/delivery at 1539 Plainfield Ave NE. Full bar. Open daily. 210 E Main St, Lowell, 987-3352. bbqlowell.com. L, D ¢-$ Marco New American Bistro — French country casual offers small, medium and large plates for dinner fare; salads, sandwiches and mains for lunch. Full bar. Takeout menu. Closed Sun. 884 Forest Hill Ave SE, 942-9100. marcobistro.com.

L, D $-$$

Mynt Fusion Bistro — Thai, Korean and Chinese. Renowned for its curries. No alcohol.

Closed Sun. 800 W Main St, Lowell, 987-9307. myntfusion.com. L, D ¢-$ Noco Provisions — Laid-back, regionally inspired comfort cuisine. Outdoor seating on the patio. Full bar. Open daily. 4609 Cascade Rd SE, 747-0300. nocogr.com. L, D $ Nonna’s: The Trattoria — Fresh, European-style pastries, salads, soups and entrées made from scratch. Breakfast and lunch served seven days a week. Pizza available during lunch Tues-Sat. Brunch specials available Sat-Sun. 584 Ada Dr SE, Ada, 920-7028. eatwithnonna.com. B, L, D (Tue-Sat) ¢-$

NORTHEAST GRAND RAPIDS 7 Monks Taphouse — Beer bar with more than 50 taps and gastropub food, including pretzel bites, burgers, salads. Open daily. 740 Michigan St NE, 265-5417. 7monkstap.com/grand-rapids. L, D ¢-$ Birch Lodge — Menu includes wet burritos, sandwiches, burgers, gyros, fish baskets. Daily specials. Full bar. Open daily. 732 Michigan St NE, 458-1918. Facebook. L, D ¢

Golden Wok — Chinese cuisine with some Hunan-spiced dishes. Sunday specials. Full bar.

Open daily. 1971 East Beltline Ave NE (Knapp’s Corner), 363-8880. goldenwokgrandrapids.com.

L, D ¢-$ Gravity Taphouse Grille — Menu items pair with craft beer suggestions. 64 craft beers on tap.

Open daily. 3210 Deposit Dr NE (East Beltline at I-96), 719-4944. gravitytaphouse.com. L, D ¢-$

Blue Water Grill — Entrées include steaks and fish, wood-fired pizzas. Nice wine selection. Lakeside views, outdoor patio. Beer, wine and cocktails.

Open daily. 5180 Northland Dr NE, 363-5900. thegilmorecollection.com/bluewater. L, D $-$$

Graydon’s Crossing — Global pub serves traditional English pub food and world-inspired dishes. Full bar with large selection of microbrews and imported beers. Open daily. 1223 Plainfield Ave NE, 726-8260. graydonscrossing. com. L, D $

Noto’s Old World Italian Dining — Elegant décor, extensive classic Italian menu. Special wine cellar dinners. Lounge menu features lighter fare.

Closed Sun. 6600 28th St SE, 493-6686. notosold world.com. D $-$$

Bud & Stanley’s — Extensive menu includes Mexican specialties, pasta, burgers and more.

Daily specials. Takeout available. Serves alcohol. Open daily. 1701 Four Mile Rd NE, 361-9782. budandstanleys.com. L, D ¢-$

Jaku Sushi — Japanese and Korean fare, including a large selection of sushi; plus, bento, bibimbap, hibachi, katsu, udon and more. Open daily.

2289 East Beltline Ave NE, 649-0407. jakusushi. com. L, D $

Osaka Steakhouse & Japanese Restaurant — Asian fare, including sushi, hibachi, shabu-shabu and more. Full bar. Open daily. 4977 28th St SE, 419-4628. Facebook. L, D $

Charlie’s Bar & Grille — Well-rounded menu features dinners from ribs, steaks and seafood to kielbasa and kraut. Also, Mexican fare and sandwiches. Full bar. Closed Sun. 3519 Plainfield Ave NE, 364-0567. charliesbarandgrille. com. L, D ¢-$

Kitchen 67 — Large menu uses Michigan ingredients and includes Brann’s sizzling steaks, sandwiches, salads, small plates, pasta and more. Full bar with craft beers. Open daily. 1977 East Beltline Ave NE, 272-3778. kitchen67.com. L, D ¢-$

Sapporo Ramen & Noodle Bar — Fresh, traditional Japanese “soul food” with an innovative twist. GF options available. No alcohol. Takeout available. Closed Mon. 5570 28th St SE, Cascade, 608-6657. sappororamenbar.com. L, D¢-$ Schnitz Ada Grill — Schnitz Deli by day, casual fine dining by night. Full bar, happy hour 3-6.

Closed Sun. 597 Ada Dr SE, Ada, 682-4660. schnitzadagrill.com. L, D ¢-$$ Shepards Grill & Tavern — Bar food with flair, from appetizers to sirloin. Open daily. 6246 28th St SE, 350-9604. Facebook. L, D ¢-$ Thornapple Brewing Co. — Brewpub features a wide selection of original beer, cider, wine and spirits brewed in seven-barrel brewing system. Plus, artisan pizza, appetizers and dessert. Brunch on Sun. 6262 28th St SE, 288-6907. thornapplebrewing.com. L (Sat), D $ Trailhead Café — Family-owned and -operated café with specialty breakfast items, plus gourmet burgers, wraps, sandwiches, salads, soups and more. 1200 East Paris Ave SE, 284-3664. trailheadcafegr.com. B, L ¢ Vintage Prime & Seafood — Intimate setting with upscale menu that includes prime steaks and fresh seafood. International wine list. 5500 Cascade Rd SE, 949-0570. vintageatcork.com. D $$ Zeytin — Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine.

Full bar, beer and wine lists. Takeout. Open daily. 7437 River St, Ada, 682-2222. zeytinturkish restaurant.com. L, D $

Cheer’s Good Time Saloon — Menu offers something for everyone in a log-cabin environment. Takeout available. Full bar. Open daily.

3994 Plainfield Ave NE, 363-1188. cheersgrandrapids.com. B, L, D ¢ Cheshire Grill — Sandwiches, soups, salads, creative burgers. Open daily for breakfast (served all day) and lunch. No alcohol. 2162 Plainfield Ave NE, 635-2713. cheshiregrill.com. B, L, D (Tue-Sat) ¢-$ Creston Brewery — More than a dozen housebrewed beers on tap at all times; plus, seasonal menu, featuring chicken, pork and beef entrées; tacos, burritos and quesadillas; soups and salads. 1504 Plainfield Ave NE, 805-4523. crestonbrewery.com. L, D ¢-$ Flo’s Pizzeria Ristorante & Sports Bar — Pizzas, sandwiches, salads, Italian and Mexican entrées, full bar. Big screen TVs; takeout available. Open daily. 1259 Post Dr NE, Belmont, 7851001. flossportsbar.com. L, D ¢-$ Fred’s Italian Restaurant — Longtime favorite offers Italian fare, including fresh pasta and gourmet pizza. Full-service bar. Closed Sun. 3619 Plainfield Ave NE, 361-8994. fredsitalian. net. L, D ¢-$ Fuji Yama Asian Bistro — Hibachi grill tables or eat in dining room with Chinese, Japanese and Thai selections. Full bar. Open daily. 1501 East Beltline Ave NE, 719-1859. fujiyamabistro.com.

L, D ¢-$

La Huasteca — Homemade recipes, vegetarian options. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 1811 Plainfield Ave NE, 447-7733. Facebook. L, D ¢ Lai Thai Kitchen — Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese fare. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 1621 Leonard St NE, 456-5730. laithaikitchen.net. L, D ¢-$ Licari’s Sicilian Pizza Kitchen — Specialties include thick-crust Sicilian pizza and stuffed pizza with a crispy crust. Also pasta, entrées, calzones and desserts. Full bar. Open daily. 2869 Knapp St NE, 608-6912. licarispizzakitchen.com. L, D $ Lucy’s Café — Family café offers breakfast, lunch and baked goods. Crepes, omelets, deli sandwiches and build-your-own breakfast plates. Open daily. 1747 Plainfield Ave NE, 591-3149. lucys cafegr.com. B, L $-$$ Mai’s Thai — Thai fare for takeout only. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 820 Michigan St NE, 4513441. maisthaigr.com. (Mon-Fri), L, D ¢ Mill Creek Tavern — Comstock Park eatery offers appetizers, soups, sandwiches, full dinner options. Full bar with separate dining room. Closed Sun. 3874 West River Dr NE, Comstock Park, 784-3806. millcreektaverngr.com. L, D ¢-$ Ming Ten — All-you-can-eat Japanese/Chinese buffet, sushi bar, hibachi grill and American selections. No alcohol. Open daily. 2090 Celebration Dr NE (2nd floor), 365-3989. mingten restaurant.com. L, D ¢-$

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 63

cocktail hour

BY TORRENCE R. O’HAIRE

To get your tropical gears turning, here are a few favorite recipes:

Tropical cocktails done right

Piña Colada

Revisiting those picturesque drinks for the dog days of summer.

1 ounce aged rum — Flor de Caña is a great inexpensive go-to 2 ounces fresh pineapple juice ½ ounce brown sugar syrup (equal parts sugar and water) ½ ounce fresh lime juice Place all ingredients in a blender with about a half-cup of ice cubes. Blend on high until fairly smooth, then pour over fresh ice in a tumbler.

Garnish with a pineapple slice and an umbrella, of course.

Piña “coladaquiri” Infusion 1 bottle Flor de Caña Silver Rum 12 ounces unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted until golden on a sheet pan in the oven 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks 1 vanilla bean (optional, but amazing) Place infusion ingredients in a large vessel and allow to infuse for a week. Strain, bottle and keep in the refrigerator. It will be gone long before it goes stale.

Cocktail 2½ ounces pineapple coconut rum 1 ounce fresh lime juice ¾ ounce brown sugar syrup Combine ingredients in an ice-filled shaker tin. Shake like hell and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and a tropical-looking flower. Repeat until winter.

WE CAN ALL GO THROUGH the mental montage of the hottest part of summer, sitting in the inflatable pool in the backyard, giant neon sunglasses and in our hands a hurricane glass of something bright red with a pineapple slice and an umbrella. I think I have a polaroid of myself in that same repose — somewhere.

That hurricane glass (the real name for that footed, hourglass-shaped vessel in which you see so many blender drinks served) has become awfully divisive: partly reminiscent of beach parties and 1960s tiki funk and partly reminiscent of terrible technicolor hangovers after a night at TGI-whatevers in college. But setting aside one’s physical aversion to coconut rum, it’s high time we spread the gospel of those classic tropical drinks.

They’re fun, they’re stylish, they’re gloriously kitschy, and if you’re good at making them, they’re delicious. That last bit is the trick – between mass market mixers and cheap chain restaurants, people have come to expect nothing from tropical drinks, so they fall into that category of either you like them as is (i.e. artificial, sickeningly sweet and toxically colorful) or you don’t. As with so many other genres of cocktails, though, you can learn how to make them deliciously, without the syrups, colors and stomachaches of the 1980s and ’90s.

The easiest lesson in making these cocktails shine is to focus on ingredient quality. They’re not dumping grounds for weird cheap stuff you’ve had forever – the blender won’t hide your sins. They’re also not excuses to buy that goofy blue stuff on the bottom shelf at the liquor mart. Use good spirits and mix with good, real ingredients.

A piña colada is a perfect, easy example. There are dozens of cans and packets of piña colada mix, but you’ll be blown away when you use real, unsweetened coconut cream, fresh pineapple juice (or even fresh pineapple chunks if you’ve got a decent blender) and a really good-aged rum.

Speaking of blenders, go easy. Everything you drink doesn’t need to look like it came from 7-Eleven. To be honest, if I decide to use a blender (which is rare), I use far less ice than you’d think, mostly to

64 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

Piña colada

super mix and speed chill the cocktail, then pour over fresh ice in the glass. If a cocktail is mostly blended ice, then frankly it’s mostly water, plus it’s too cold – both factors diluting the flavor. Lacking a blender (or the will to use it), I just shake the bloody hell out of the drink and strain it into the new glass. Easy.

— Torrence R. O’Haire, of The Starving Artist, is a chef, entrepreneur and restaurant consultant specializing in wine, spirits and cocktails. He also founded the Grand Rapids Cocktail Guild.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY iSTOCK

1 ounce coconut cream (not coconut milk)

food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

Nick Fink’s — Mexican fare and burgers in historic tavern. Draft beer, wine, sangria and cocktails.

Closed Sun and Mon. 3965 West River Dr NE, 7849886. thegilmorecollection.com/nickfinks. D $

Rio Grand Steak House & Saloon — Texas-style barbecue ribs, steaks and more. Full bar. Open daily. 5501 Northland Dr NE, 364-6266. riogrand steakhouse.com. L, D $-$$

Poke Toki — Build-your-own bowls featuring a fusion of Hawaiian, Japanese and Korean cuisine. Catering available. Closed Sun. 5150 Northland Dr NE, 729-4414. poketoki.com. L, D $

The Score — Restaurant and sports bar with large menu, more than 100 beers on tap. Open daily. 5301 Northland Dr NE, 301-0600. thescore-restaurant.com. L, D ¢-$

Palio — Ann Arbor-based eatery with an expansive menu of Italian fare. Full bar and happy hour.

Open daily. 545 Michigan St NE, 719-0660. palio grandrapids.com. L, D $-$$

Sheshco Grill — Mediterranean cuisine, including surf, turf and vegetarian options. No alcohol.

Open daily. 2121 Celebration Dr NE (Knapp’s Corner), 364-0600. sheshcogrill.net. L, D $

Reds At Thousand Oaks — Large menu features sandwiches, salads, artisan pizza and entrées.

Extensive wine list, craft beers, full bar. Patio with fire pits and covered deck. Open daily. 4100 Thousand Oaks Dr NE, 447-7750. eatatreds.com.

L, D $-$$

Thai Chef — Knapp’s Corner restaurant has large menu, including duck, seafood and vegetarian options. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 1971 East Beltline Ave NE, 570-0032. Facebook. L, D $

Rezervoir Lounge — Full menu of appetizers, pizzas, sandwiches and entrées, some with Cajun flavor. Serves alcohol. Open daily. 1418 Plainfield Ave NE, 451-0010. rezlounge.com. L (Tue-Sun), D ¢-$

Vander Mill — Seasonal menu with locally sourced ingredients. Starters, salads, entrées and large plates served family style. Hard ciders on tap. Open daily. 505 Ball Ave NE, 259-8828. vandermill.com. L, D (Mon-Sat) $-$$

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NORTHWEST GRAND RAPIDS FAmore Trattoria Italiana — Regional Italian dishes using local products and Italian imports.

Italian wines and liqueurs. House-made desserts. Banquet facility. Closed Mon. 5080 Alpine Ave NW, 785-5344. amoretrattoriaitaliana.com.

D (Tue-Sat) $ China Chef — Family-style restaurant with Szechuan-style entrées and Hunan choices. No alcohol. Open daily. 4335 Lake Michigan Dr NW, 791-4488. chinachef49534.com. L, D ¢-$ China City — Chinese cuisine; lunch prices all day. No alcohol. Open daily. 1140 Monroe Ave NW, 451-3688. L, D ¢-$ DeHop’s Brewing Co. and Café — Specialty and build-your-own burgers, “authentic Mexican” tacos, salads and sharable appetizers. Closed Sun-Mon. 363 Cummings Ave NW, Walker, 8053363. dehops.com. D $ Empire Chinese Buffet II — All-you-can-eat buffet. Seafood buffet Sat-Sun. No alcohol. Open daily. 4255 Alpine Ave NW, 785-8880. empire chinesebuffet2.com. L, D ¢-$

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food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

Franco’s Pizza — Italian entrées, stromboli, pizza and subs. Takeout available. No alcohol. Open daily. 2103 Alpine Ave NW, 361-7307. D ¢-$

SOUTHEAST GRAND RAPIDS/ KENTWOOD

and thin-crust pizzas. Full bar. Open daily. Towne & Country Shopping Center, 4261 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 455-2230. florentinespizza.com. L, D ¢-$

Fricano’s Pizza Restaurant — Famous for its thin-crust pizza. Pasta dinners with sauce that made its way to the retail market. Full bar. Closed Sun. 5808 Alpine Ave NW, 785-5800. fricanos pizza.com. D ¢-$

7 Mares — Authentic Mexican dishes including breakfast. No alcohol. Closed Mon. 1403 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 301-8555. Facebook. B, L, D ¢-$$

Ganders — Features American cuisine with a twist and Michigan products, including craft brews. Open daily. 4747 28th St SE (inside DoubleTree Hotel), 957-1111. facebook.com/ganders gr. B, L, D ¢-$$

Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet — Pan-Asian cuisine, including Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian and American. No alcohol. Open daily.

785 Center Dr NW (Green Orchard Shopping Center), 785-8200. hibachigrillsupremebuffet. letseat.at. L, D ¢ Home Team Grill — Sports-themed eatery with a selection of local, domestic and international beers. Open daily. 4322 Remembrance Rd, 5513457. hometeamgrill.wordpress.com. L, D ¢-$ Hunan Chinese Restaurant — Full menu of Chinese options. No alcohol. Open daily. 1263 Leonard St NE, 458-0977. hunangrc.com. L, D ¢-$ The Landing — Casual atmosphere with views of the Grand River. All-American favorites and monthly specials. Full bar. Open daily. 270 Ann St NW (Riverfront Hotel at U.S. 131), 363-9001. river fronthotelgr.com/dining/the-landing-restaurant.

B, L, D $ Mr. Gyros — Family-owned restaurant offers Mediterranean specialties. Drive-thru, takeout, delivery and catering available. Closed Sun. 2260 Alpine Ave NW, 791-6660. mrgyrosdrive thru.com. L, D ¢-$ Perrin Brewing Co. — Comstock Park craft brewery/taproom menu includes tacos, salads, burgers, panini and more. Kids menu available. Open daily. 5910 Comstock Park Dr, 551-1957. perrin brewing.com. L, D ¢ Stan Diego Baja Taco Kitchen — Baja Californiainspired menu, featuring a-la-carte taco menu, chorizos, tamales, handcrafted margaritas and kids menu. Full bar. Open daily. 355 Wilson Ave NW, 591-9806. standiegogr.com. L, D ¢-$ Swan Inn Restaurant — Home-cooked meals, huge breakfasts. Cygnet Lounge offers cocktails and nibbles. Open daily. 5182 Alpine Ave NW, 784-1245. swaninnmotel.com. B, L, D ¢-$ Three Happiness Restaurant — Cantonese, Mandarin and Szechuan fare. Daily specials. No alcohol. Open daily. Green Ridge Square, 3330 Alpine Ave NW, 785-3888. threehappinessgr.com.

L, D ¢-$ Walker Roadhouse — Diverse menu with interesting twists on classic fare. Full bar. Closed Sun. 3272 Remembrance Rd NW, 791-9922. thewalker roadhouse.com. L (Mon-Fri), D $

66 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

Al-Bos Eurocafe-Bakery — Authentic southeastern European cuisine. Menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta, entrées and kids options. Daily specials. Open daily. 2930 Shaffer Ave SE, 325-2800. al-bos.com. L, D ¢-$ Asian Palace — Chinese and Vietnamese fare with extensive menus for each. No alcohol.

Closed Mon. 141 28th St SE, 534-7770. Facebook.

L, D ¢-$ Beltline Bar — Americanized Tex-Mex menu, including wet burritos. Full bar. Curbside service.

Open daily. 16 28th St SE, 245-0494. beltlinebar. com. L, D $ Brass Ring Brewing — Small-batch, style-specific brewery in the Alger Heights neighborhood. 2404 Eastern Ave SE, 460-1587. brassring brewing.com. L, D $ Cabana Tres Amigos — Authentic Mexican fare including vegetarian selections. Full bar. Takeout available. Open daily. 1409 60th St SE, 2816891. cabanatresamigos.com. L, D ¢-$ Cantina Mexican Grill — Menu offers extensive Mexican specialties. Full bar. Drive-thru window. Outdoor patio. Open daily. 2770 East Paris Ave SE, 949-9120. cantinamexicangrill.biz. L (Sun-Thu), D $ Daddy Pete’s BBQ — Slow-smoked ribs, pulled pork, brisket and other meats. No alcohol. Catering available. Closed Sun and Mon. 2921 Eastern Ave SE, 818-5522. daddypetesbbq.com. L, D ¢-$ East Garden Buffet — Cantonese, Hunan, Szechuan cuisine. Daily buffet. No alcohol. Open daily.

6038 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 698-8933. L, D ¢-$ El Arriero Mexican Grill — Extensive menu offers specialty dishes, à la carte selections. Mexican and domestic beers, margaritas. Open daily.

2948 28th St SE, 977-2674. elarrieromexican grill.com. L, D ¢-$ El Globo Restaurant — Authentic Mexican fare; weekly specials. No alcohol. Closed Mon. 2019 S Division Ave, 734-6869. Facebook. L, D ¢-$ FireRock Grille — Guests can cook signature dishes on 500-degree lava stone. Offers soups, salads, sandwiches and entrées. Full bar. Brunch on Sundays. Open daily. 7177 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 656-9898. firerockgrille.com. L D $ Florentine Pizzeria Ristorante & Sports Lounge — Italian fare with American and Mexican choices

Golden Gate — Chinese fare with all-inclusive lunch combination plates, some hot and spicy choices. No alcohol. Open daily. 4023 S Division Ave, 534-7087. Facebook. L, D ¢ Gursha Ethiopian Restaurant — Authentic Ethiopian dishes, traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Buffet lunch and dinner on Sat. No alcohol. Open daily. 4301 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 350-0009. Facebook. L, D $ Hall Street Bakery — Breakfast pastries; sandwiches, salads and soup served for lunch and dinner. Beer and wine. Kids menu. Closed Sun. 1200 Hall St SE, 214-7604. hallstreetbakery.com.

B, L, D ¢-$ India Town — Indian fare including vegetarian and vegan. Lunch buffet Mon-Sat. No alcohol.

Open daily. 3760 S Division Ave, 243-1219. in diatowngrr.com. L, D ¢-$ La Taqueria San Jose — Authentic Mexican fare in a casual, takeout setting. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 1338 S Division Ave, 284-2297. Facebook.

L, D ¢ Last Chance Tavern and Grill — Appetizers, soups, burgers and sandwiches and a huge selection of Michigan craft beers. Open daily. 1132 Burton St SE, 719-4270. thelastchancetavern. com. L, D ¢ Le Kabob — Soups, salads, sandwiches, large choice of entrées and combos. Kids menu. Carry-out available. No alcohol. Open daily. 3122 28th St SE, 272-4135. L, D ¢-$ Mi Tierra — Traditional Mexican, eat in or drivethru. No alcohol. Open daily. 2300 S Division Ave, 245-7533. Facebook. L, D ¢ Mikado Sushi — Sushi and sashimi à la carte. Dinners offer full range of Japanese cuisine. Lunch specials. Serves alcohol. Closed Sun. 3971 28th St SE, 285-7666. mikadogr.com/main. L (Mon-Fri), D ¢-$ Nu-Thai Bistro — Appetizers, soups, Thai salads, fried rice, seafood, duck, curries. No alcohol.

Open daily. 2055 28th St SE, 452-0065. nuthai bistro.com. L, D ¢-$ The Old Goat — Creative cuisine from Electric Cheetah owner Cory DeMint includes appetizers, entrées, sandwiches and salads. Kids menu.

Full bar. Open daily. 2434 Eastern Ave SE, 2886976. baaaaaaaa.com. B (Mon-Fri), L, D ¢-$

THE PAINT STORE RIGHT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Pal’s Indian Cuisine — Authentic Indian food, including lunch buffet 11-3. No alcohol. Open daily. 2915 28th St SE, 957-2271. palsindiancui sine.com. L, D $ Pho Anh Trang — Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai cuisine. Daily specials. Catering. Open daily.

No alcohol. 3633 Eastern Ave SE, 246-9966.

L, D ¢-$ Pho Soc Trang — Wide selection of Vietnamese offerings. No alcohol. Open daily. 4242 S Division Ave, 531-0755. L, D ¢-$ Pietro’s Italian Restaurant — Regional and contemporary Italian cuisine. Tuscan wines, desserts and cappuccinos. Kids menu. Takeout available. Open daily. 2780 Birchcrest Dr SE, 452-3228. pietrosgr.com. L, D $ Shanghai Ichiban — Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Food prepared tableside by hibachi chefs in Japanese area. Serves alcohol. Open daily.

3005 Broadmoor Ave SE, 942-5120. shanghai ichiban.com. L, D $-$$ Shiraz Grille — Authentic Persian cuisine: firegrilled kabobs, vegetarian options. Full bar.

Closed Mon. 2739 Breton Rd SE, 949-7447. shiraz grille.com. L (Fri-Sun), D $-$$ Sushi Kuni — Japanese and Korean cuisine, Asian fusion fare. Traditional Japanese tatami room for groups. Serves alcohol. Closed Mon. 2901 Breton Rd SE, 241-4141. sushikuni.net. L, D ¢-$$ Taquería El Rincón Mexicano — Wide variety of Mexican breakfast, small plates, dinner dishes and soups, including several vegetarian options.

No alcohol. Closed Mon. 2055 28th St, 2467000. Facebook. B, L, D ¢ Thai Express — Thai specialties, spiced to customer specification. No alcohol. Closed Sun. Towne & Country Shopping Center, 4317 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 827-9955. thaiexpressgr.com. L (Mon-Fri), D ¢ Thai Fusion — Thai cuisine and fusion specials with good selection of starters and salads. Kids menu. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 3097 Broadmoor Ave SE, 301-8883. L, D ¢-$ Tokyo Grill & Sushi — Tatami rooms, sushi bars.

Hibachi, teriyaki, Udon, tempura. Sake, Japanese and American beer and wine. Open daily. 4478 Breton Rd SE, 455-3433. tokyogrillsushi.com.

L, D ¢-$ Village Inn Pizza & Sports Grille — Longtime favorite for pizza, pasta, burgers, chicken, Mexican. Daily specials. Mon-Fri pizza lunch buffet.

Full bar. Open daily. 2215 44th St SE, 281-1444. vipizza.net. L, D ¢-$

Continued on page 70

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pints of interest

BY PAT EVANS

Brewery Vivant broadens horizons

The inside of Broad Leaf features shipping containers repurposed into areas such as the kitchen, bar and various seating nooks.

68 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

Cult Pils - lager beer

It’ll take time. When it first opened earlier this summer, the Broad Leaf brewing space had yet to be set up and the beers still were made at Vivant. Eventually, however, the goal is for them to be distinctly different, although beers from both ventures will be available at each location.

Broad Leaf offers an accompanying food menu.

The brewery converted old shipping containers into a kitchen. Guests can order food at the container window and head up to the bar for drinks.

At the heart of Grand Rapids, Brewery Vivant helped shape the beer culture that birthed “Beer City.” Out in Kentwood, Spaulding said the location will spend some time familiarizing the neighborhood with what its mission is and what makes craft beer special.

— Pat Evans wrote the book “Grand Rapids Beer.”

He also writes nationally on beer and spirits.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID SPARKS

“This gave us an opportunity to do something. It has the core essence of our family, but it’s more casual and we wanted it to be its own thing.”

Jason Spaulding

AN EVER-EXPANDING COLLECTION of warehouses led Brewery Vivant owners Jason and Kris Spaulding to open a new taproom this summer.

Recognizing a large part of what makes Brewery Vivant special was its East Hills charm and home inside a former funeral chapel, the Spauldings decided on calling the new locale something else, Broad Leaf Local Beer, before further dubbing it Vivant’s “weird cousin.”

Since Brewery Vivant opened in 2010, the Belgian- and French-inspired brewpub has grown significantly, and with it the storage space to contain all of its empty packaging, cold barrel-aged beer, sour barrels and cold beer fulfillment — all housed at separate warehouses.

As they searched for a place to consolidate under one roof and save on transportation costs, a perfect spot was found in Kentwood. Just one small hitch, it needed a retail element.

“This gave us an opportunity to do something,” Jason said. “It has the core essence of our family, but it’s more casual and we wanted it to be its own thing.”

Brewery Vivant is a critical piece of the West Michigan beer scene, gathering steam as it introduced area beer lovers to the idea of Belgian- and French-style beers and pairing them with elevated food. While the brewery specializes in those styles of beer, it’s not to say the brewers aren’t keen on making other styles, especially the new trendy styles, like hazy IPAs, which Vivant tends to handcuff.

At Broad Leaf, Jason said the leash is loosened, and they’ll be able to experiment plenty. With Vivant already pushing fun experimental limits in its boundaries, who is to say what can come when the world of beer styles is opened?

“Hazy, juicy IPAs are something I’m interested in, the blending of hops, how they layer and take on different properties, it’s just fascinating to me, but it doesn’t fit the farmhouse ale trajectory,” he said.

“This frees us up to look at all those things, having a different brand and exploring other beers we’re interested in.”

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food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

Continued from page 67

Wei Wei Palace — Chinese seafood restaurant features Cantonese cuisine, dim sum and barbecue. No alcohol. Open daily. 4242 S Division Ave, 724-1818. weiweipalace.com. L, D $ Yummy Wok — Cantonese, Hunan and Szechuan dishes. No alcohol. Open daily. 4325 Breton Rd SE, 827-2068. Facebook. L, D ¢-$

SOUTHWEST GRAND RAPIDS 84th Street Pub & Grille — American fare from pizzas to steaks. Full-service bar. Kids menu.

Daily specials. Open daily. 8282 Pfeiffer Farms Dr SW, 583-1650. 84thstpub.com. L, D ¢-$ Blue Ginger Asian Kitchen — Noodle-based Thai dishes, chicken, seafood, beef and pork entrées, curries. Vegetarian options. No alcohol.

Open daily. 5751 Byron Center Ave SW (Bayberry Market), 261-8186. bluegingerkitchen.com.

L, D ¢-$ Far-East Chinese Restaurant — Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean dishes. Carry-out and catering available. No alcohol. Open daily. 3639 Clyde Park Ave SW, 531-7176. Facebook. L, D ¢-$ Frankie V’s Pizzeria & Sports Bar — Appetizers, subs, stromboli, pizza, pasta, burgers and Mexican. Outdoor patio. Full bar. Open daily. 1420 28th St SW, 532-8998. frankievs.com. L, D ¢-$ Golden 28 — Szechuan, Hunan, Mandarin, Vietnamese cuisine. No alcohol. Open daily. 627 28th St SW, 531-2800. L, D $ Kitzingen Brewery — German-style appetizers and entrées, plus kids menu and some American classics. Selection of wine and locally made German craft beer. Closed Sun-Mon. 1760 44th St SW, 805-5077. kitzingen-brewery.com.

L, D ¢-$ Lindo Mexico Restaurante Mexicano — Fresh food with “real Mexican flavor.” Kids menu.

Serves alcohol. Open daily. 1742 28th St SW, 261-2280. lindomexicogr.com. L, D ¢-$ Little Bangkok — Extensive Thai standbys plus some unique items. Kids meals available. Serves beer and wine. Closed Sun. 2359 Health Dr SW, Suite 140, 929-2306. L (Mon-Fri), D ¢-$ Main Street Pub — Varied appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches and entrées. Full bar. Open daily. 1730 28th St SW, 532-2510. mainstpub. com. L, D ¢-$ Mi Casa Restaurante — Fresh, authentic Dominican appetizers, dishes and seafood, plus weekly specials, in Dominican-themed, familyfriendly atmosphere. No alcohol. Closed MonTues. 334 Burton St SW, 350-9123. micasagr. com. L, D ¢-$ 70 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

Monelli’s Italian Grill & Sports Bar — Southern Italian cuisine. Sports bar plus family-friendly dining room with fireplace. Open daily. 5675 Byron Center Ave SW, 530-9700. monellis.com.

L, D ¢-$

Pike 51 Brewing Co./Hudsonville Winery — Craft brewery and winery under one roof. Appetizers, salads, sandwiches and entrées. Open daily.

3768 Chicago Dr, Hudsonville, 662-4589. hudson villewinery.com. L, D ¢-$

Noble — Breakfast favorites along with vegan and gluten-free options, handhelds, burgers and small bites. Open daily. 1851 44th St SW, Wyoming, 530-8750. eatnoble.com. B, L $

Rainbow Grill — Breakfast, soup and sandwiches, daily lunch specials, chicken, fish and other dinner staples. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 4225 32nd Ave, Hudsonville, 896-0033; 4158 Chicago Dr SW, Grandville, 534-8645. rainbow grillmichigan.com. B, L, D ¢-$

Pete’s Grill & Tavern — Casual bar and grill with tavern burgers, Detroit style pizza, sandwiches and entrees. Open daily. 2588 84th St SW, Byron Center, 878-9582. petesgrillandtavern.com.

L, D $ Tamales Mary — Tamale-centered Mexican restaurant featuring 15 types of tamales, plus other Mexican dishes and daily buffet specials. No alcohol. Open daily. 1253 Burton St SW, 288-5007. tamalesmarygr.com. L, D ¢ Woody’s Press Box — Complex includes two bars, patio and bowling. Sandwiches, pizza, Mexican and more. Full bar. Open daily. 5656 Clyde Park Ave SW, 530-2400. spectrumlanes. com. B (Mon-Sat), L, D $

GRANDVILLE/HUDSONVILLE/ GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP Bangkok Taste — Thai fare. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 674 Baldwin St, 667-8901. bangkoktaste. com. L, D ¢-$ The Dungeon — Mexican food and American favorites. Specialty burgers. Full bar with Michigan craft beers. Kids menu. Open daily. 3594 Chicago Dr SW, Grandville, 538-1360. villadun geon.com. L (Fri-Sun), D ¢-$ El Burrito Loco — More than 70 Mexican selections, plus a few American options. Daily food and drink specials. Full bar. Open daily. 4499 Ivanrest Ave SW, Grandville, 530-9470. elburrito loco4.com. L, D ¢-$ GrandVilla — Steaks, all-you-can-eat fish, specialty burgers, daily specials, salad bar. Kids menu. Full bar. Open daily. 3594 Chicago Dr SW, Grandville, 538-1360. villadungeon.com.

L, D ¢-$ Hudsonville Grille — Varied menu includes Mexican favorites and breakfast. Full bar, catering and banquet services. Closed Sun. 4676 32nd Ave, Hudsonville, 662-9670. hudsonville grille.com. B, L, D ¢-$ Osgood Brewing Co. — Craft brewery serves shareables, specialty pizzas, sandwiches, pasta and salads. Kids menu. Open daily. 4051 Chicago Dr SW, Grandville, 432-3881. osgoodbrewing. com. L, D ¢-$

Rush Creek Bistro — Diverse menu in club-like surroundings. Weeknight and happy hour specials at full-service bar. Open daily. Sunnybrook Country Club, 624 Port Sheldon Rd, Grandville, 457-1100. rushcreekbistro.com. L, D $ Sonder Eatery – Focused on fresh foods including greens, sandwiches and shareables. Items include deviled eggs, chicken and waffles, sloppy Joes and more. Full bar. Daily specials and weekend brunch.

Closed Mondays. 3380 Chicago Dr in Hudsonville, 616-202-6379. sondereatery.com. B, L $ White Flame Brewing Co. — Small production brewery with taproom. Sandwiches, wraps, appetizers and a couple twists on the classic macaroni and cheese. Open daily. 5234 36th Ave, Hudsonville, 209-5098. whiteflamebrewing.com. L, D ¢-$

ROCKFORD AREA Bostwick Lake Inn — Menu includes steaks, pork, fish, chicken, mac and cheese, pizzas, sandwiches, soups and salads. Large deck. Full bar.

Open daily. 8521 Belding Rd, 874-7290. thegilmore collection.com/bostwick. L (Sat-Sun), D $-$$ Boulder Creek Restaurant — Golf Club restaurant has varied menu. Golf course views from inside or deck. Serves alcohol. See website for seasonal hours. 5750 Brewer Ave NE, Belmont, 363-1330, ext 2. bouldercreekgolfclub.com/res taurant. L, D ¢-$ Cedar Springs Brewing Co. — German-style brewery features American pub and traditional Bavarian menu. Open daily. 95 N Main St, Cedar Springs, 696-2337. csbrew.com. L, D $ Grill One Eleven — American-with-a-twist menu, full-service bar and lounge. Open daily.

111 Courtland St, 863-3111. grilloneeleven.com.

L, D $-$$ Honey Creek Inn — Pub setting offers beyond pub fare and daily specials. Closed Sun. 8025 Cannonsburg Rd NE, Cannonsburg, 874-7849. cannonsburgvillage.com. L, D ¢-$ Hot Box BBQ — Smoked brisket, pork, ribs, chicken, brisket and more. Closed Sun. 110 Courtland St, Rockford, 951-7160. Facebook.

L, D $

Marinades Pizza Bistro — Wood-fired pizzas, salads, pastas, sandwiches. Michigan craft beer.

Catering. Open daily. 109 Courtland St, 8633300. marinadespizzabistro.com. L, D ¢

First Wok — Mandarin, Hunan, Szechuan cuisine. Full bar. Open daily. 2301 44th St SE, 2810681; 6740 Old 28th St SE, 575-9088; 3509 Alpine Ave NW, 784-1616. firstwokgr.com. L, D $

Ramona’s Table — Gourmet sandwiches, salads, soups, burgers, small plates, homemade desserts. Farm-to-table specials. Michigan beers, wine. Kids menu. Open daily. 17 Squires St Square NE, 951-7100. ramonastable.com.

L, D ¢-$

Grand Coney — Classic diner offering custom hot dogs, traditional breakfast items and comfort foods. No alcohol. Open daily. Downtown location open 24 hours. 809 Michigan St NE, 776-5580; 5121 28th St, 930-3596; 6101 Lake Michigan Dr, Allendale, 895-9999. thegrandco ney.com. B, L, D ¢

Rockford Brewing Co. — Located alongside Rogue River. Menu features wings, salads, gyros, burgers, as well as gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Handcrafted brews on tap. Open daily. 12 E Bridge St, 951-4677. rockfordbrewing. com. Brunch (Sun), L, D ¢-$ Timbers Inn — Appetizers to meat ’n’ potatoes fare in lodge-like surroundings. Full bar. Open daily. 6555 Belding Rd NE, 874-5553. timber sinn.net. L (Wed-Sun), D ¢-$

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Anna’s House — Breakfast, sandwiches, baked goods and exceptional desserts; dinner menu, too. No alcohol. Open daily. 3766 Potomac Circle, Grandville; 3874 Plainfield Ave NE; 2409 East Beltline Ave SE, (866) 672-6627. annas houseus.com. B, L $ Arnie’s Bakery & Restaurant — Breakfast, burgers and sandwiches. Menu includes extensive gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options.

No alcohol. Open daily. 722 Leonard St NW, 4543098; 2650 East Beltline Ave SE (Centerpointe Mall), 956-7901; 777 54th St SW, 532-5662; 34 Squires St, Rockford, 866-4306. arniesrestau rant.com. B, L, D $ Bagel Beanery — Bagel and coffee cafè offering healthy whole grain and sugary sweet bagels, breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Magnum coffee. No alcohol. Open daily. Catering available.

455 Michigan St NE, 235-7500; 2845 Breton Rd SE, 245-4220; 5316 Clyde Park Ave SW, 2499500. bagelbeanery.com. B, L, D ¢ Big E’s Sports Grill — Sports lounge serving pizza, classic American appetizers and other entrées. Full bar includes a variety of Michiganmade beer and cider. Happy hour specials available Mon-Fri. Open daily. 2321 East Beltline Ave SE, 608-8825. 710 Monroe Ave NW, 512-5716. bigessportsgrill.com. L, D ¢-$ Brann’s Steakhouse & Sports Grille — Famous sizzler steaks, small plates, sandwiches, salads, gluten-free and vegetarian choices, bar munchies. Full bar. 401 Leonard St NW, 454-9368; 3475 Fairlanes Ave SW, Grandville, 531-6210; 4157 S Division Ave, 534-5421; 5510 28th St SE, 2857800. branns.com. L, D $

Herb & Fire Pizzeria — Fast-casual atmosphere with Italian accent. Signature and create-yourown pizza options, flatbread sandwiches and salads. 3180 44th St SW, Grandville, 773-1443; 2121 Celebration Dr NE, Suite 250, 773-1895. herbandfirepizzeria.com. L, D $ HopCat — Crafted brews with some 50 beers on tap and 150 bottled. Full bar and creative fare, including sharables, signature crack fries, burgers, wraps and more. Open daily. 25 Ionia Ave SW, 451-4677; 84 W. Eighth St in Holland, 9659780; 2183 East Beltline Ave NE. hopcatgr.com.

L, D ¢-$

9099; 1024 Bridge St NW, 475-8000; Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave SW. tacosgr.com.

L, D ¢-$ The Omelette Shoppe — Fourteen signature omelettes, selection of quiches and baked goods.

No alcohol. Open daily. 545 Michigan St NE, 7265800; 1880 Breton Rd SE, 726-7300. omelette shoppe.com. B, L ¢ Uccello’s Ristorante, Pizzeria & Sports Lounge — Italian specialties, including pizza, entrées, burgers, sandwiches. Full bar. Open daily. 122 Monroe Center NW, 773-1687; 2630 East Beltline Ave SE, 954-2002; 3940 Rivertown Pkwy SW, Grandville, 249-9344; 4787 Lake Michigan Dr NW, Standale, 735-5520; 8256 Broadmoor Ave SE, Caledonia, 891-1100; 19 N Main St, Rockford, 866-0666. uccellos.com. L, D ¢-$ Vitale’s Pizzeria — Multiple locations serving pizza, pasta and more from family recipes.

Full bar. 6650 E Fulton St, 676-5401, vitales ada.com; 5779 Balsam Dr, Hudsonville, 6622244, vitaleshudsonville.com; 834 Leonard St NE, 458-8368, theoriginalvitales.com; 3868 West River Dr NE, Comstock Park, 784-5011. vitalessportsbar.com. L, D ¢-$

Peppino’s Pizzeria and Sports Grille — Italian/American menu. Full bar. Open daily. 130 Ionia Ave SW, 456-8444; 1515 Eastport Dr SE, Kentwood, 554-8880. peppinospizza.com.

L, D ¢-$$ Pita House — Sami’s gyros, Middle East specialties. No alcohol. Open daily. 1510 Wealthy St SE, 454-1171; 3730 28th St SE, 940-3029. thepita house.net. L, D ¢ Real Food Café — Fresh, locally sourced traditional favorites, scrambles and made-fromscratch baked goods; plus, soups, sandwiches and salads for lunch. Cash only. Closed Mon. 2419 Eastern Ave SE, 241-4080; 3514 Plainfield Ave NE, 361-1808. Facebook. B, L ¢ Red Geranium — Breakfast and lunch favorites, omelettes, pancakes and burgers. No alcohol.

Open daily. 6670 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 6569800; 5751 Byron Center Ave SW, 532-8888. redgeraniumcafe.com. B, L ¢ Sundance Bar & Grill — Southwestern-infused cuisine, margarita bar. Open daily. Waters Building, 151 Ottawa Ave NW, 776-1616; 5755 28th St SE, Cascade, 956-5644. sundancegrill.com. B, L, D (Mon-Sat) $ Tacos El Caporal — Mexican fare, with menudo Sat and Sun. No alcohol. Open daily. 1260 Burton St SW, 246-6180; 1717 28th St SW, 261-2711. B, L, D ¢ Tacos El Cuñado — Fajitas, tacos, burritos and other Mexican fare. No alcohol. Locations are individually owend and operated. 1342 Grandville Ave SW, 452-1266; 455 Burton St SW, 248-

Dining Guide Legend Grand Rapids Magazine has created these symbols to area restaurant amenities as a service to our readers.

B — Serves breakfast L — Serves lunch D — Serves dinner ¢ — Inexpensive (under $10)* $ — Moderate ($10-$20)* $$ — Expensive (over $20)* * Prices based on average entrée.

— Reviewed in this issue — Chef Profile in this issue — New listing — GRM’s 2018 Restaurant of the Year F — GRM’s 2018 Dining Award Winner Additions, corrections and/or changes: Please email cdewey@geminipub.com or write to Dining Guide, Grand Rapids Magazine, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 71

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2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS

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Katie K Team

K

atie K is the founder and principal partner of the Katie K Team at Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids North. Her team consists of Tanya Craig, lead listing agent; Molly McManus, buyers agent; and Barb Soljan, office manager.

The Katie K Team has been consistently among the top agents in Grand Rapids and West Michigan, and ranks in the top 1 percent of agents statewide.

Their clients, who quickly become part of the Katie K Team family, appreciate all they do for them during and after

the process of buying or selling a home.

They negotiate the best deals, have the largest network of buyers, and market properties effectively.

“The Katie K Team’s professionalism, knowledge of current market conditions, and supportive and caring way make navigating the emotionally trying times of selling a home in this challenging market a blessing,” said Brian and Melinda Breslin.

KELLER WILLIAMS GRAND RAPIDS NORTH 3237 Platinum St. NE Grand Rapids MI 49525 616.575.0119 katie-k.com

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2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS Roger Ackerman Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Sandra Beelen RE/MAX Lakeshore Holland

Juanita Buskard Buskard Group Real Estate Grandville

Tyler Addington RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Dwight Berens RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Todd Buskard Buskard Group Real Estate Grandville

Peter Albertini Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Judith Bibbings Keller Williams Realty Southwest Michigan St. Joseph

Michelle Bussey Keller Williams Realty Southwest Michigan St. Joseph

Mirzet Alic Century21 Affiliated Grandville

Mark Blashkiw Blueprint Properties Grand Rapids

Lisa Campa ART Realty LLC Zeeland

Kevin Allen Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

James Blehm Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Micah Childress Five Star Real Estate Grandville

Dustin Amerson RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Wyoming

Brandi Block Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Laura Cole Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

John Bodien Greenridge Summit Grand Rapids

Karol Cooley Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Blake Boehm Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Patricia Cornelius Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

John Boggiano Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

Tanya Craig Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Mary Boll Greenridge Cascade Grand Rapids

Andrea Crossman Beacon Sotheby’s International Realty Holland

Brice Bossardet Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

Elizabeth D’Alexander Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Donna Anders

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate, Andres Team 3000 E Beltline Ave NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525 616-447-7029 donnaanders@bhhsmi.com www.teamanders.com

Robert Antonini

Coldwell Banker Schmidt Family of Companies 2301 East Paris Ave SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-974-2000 robert.antonini@cbgreatlakes.com www.thewestmichiganlife.com Ryan Arnt Keller Williams Realty Southwest Michigan St. Joseph Lisa Baars Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids Ross Bacon RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Brad Baker Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Jesse Baragar Baragar Realty Grand Rapids Brian Bartholomew RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Ginger Baxter Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids Elly Beal Greenridge Cascade Grand Rapids

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Mark Brace

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate, Brace Homes 3000 E. Beltline N.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49525 616-447-7025 markbrace@bhhsmi.com www.bracehomes.com Scott Bradford RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Daniel Bradley Yoder Real Estate Grand Rapids Kristine Brady Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids Timothy Brasseur Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Sheree Broussard Greenridge Summit Grand Rapids Tammy Budzynski Keller Williams Rivertown Grandville

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Heather Davis Century 21 Affiliated Holland David Debruyn Greenridge Kentwood Kentwood Mark Deering RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Kathleen Dennison Lighthouse Property Management Grand Rapids Thomas Deur Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Angela Devereaux Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel Hoppough Greenville John DeVries RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Wyoming Ashley Dietch Hello Homes GR Grand Rapids

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2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS

Brad Ditmar Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Laura Featherston Greenridge Summit Grand Rapids

James Garrison Keller Williams Realty Southwest Michigan St. Joseph

Mark Dubridge Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

Gerald Feenstra RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Michelle Gaudreau Greenridge Caledonia Caledonia

Veronica Duffield Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

Todd Fencil RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Wyoming

Kyle Geenen Coldwell Banker Holland

David Dusenberry Coldwell Banker Schmidt Family of Companies Whitehall

Erin Fester Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Sandi Gentry RE/MAX Lakeshore Grand Haven

Bridget Eklund Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Willie Friend Ii RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Jennifer Gesik Sheldon Property Group West Olive

Darin Elliott Greenridge Ionia Ionia

Bradley Fuzak Keller Williams Realty Lakeshore Holland

Barbara Glashouwer Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Laura Ensley Five Star Real Estate Cedar Springs

Chuck Gallagher Greenridge Downtown Grand Rapids

Michelle Gordon JH Realty Partners Ada

Paige Etheridge Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Tom Garbow Eastbrook Homes Grand Rapids

Cheryl Grant Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Patrick Fase Greenridge Summit Grand Rapids

Trevor Garbow Eastbrook Homes Grand Rapids

Andrew Grashuis Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Arija Wilcox Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids 1555 Arboretum Dr. S.E., Suite 101 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-293-9261 wilcox@grar.com www.wilcoxgrproperties.com

A

rija Wilcox’s Mission is to improve the quality of her client’s lives.

Paired with an exceptional team, including Joe Turner and Jimmy Scott as exclusive Buyer’s Agents, Wilcox GR Properties has become one of the top producing teams for Keller Williams Grand Rapids East -- with over $170 million in sales, and more than 26 years of combined experience and expertise in Residential Real Estate.

Wilcox GR Properties works in a broad range of properties, from urban condos to single family homes, ranging $40K to $1.6M in value. Representing properties from Grand Rapids to Grand Haven,

08.19 GRM Real Estate All Stars.indd 76

Caledonia to Rockford, as well as lakefront homes on Torch Lake and Lake Cadillac.

Wilcox GR Properties also specializes in New Development Sales.

Most recently with the success of RiverPoint of Ada, along with future developments at The Meadows of Forest Hills and The Cove at Dean Lake, by Graystone Homes.

Wilcox GR Properties has a broad knowledge of available inventory as well as what is coming on the market, providing an advantage to their buyers in this competitive market.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS Kendall Grashuis Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Michelle Harmon Key Realty|West Michigan Grand Rapids

Kimberly Hensley RE/MAX United Rockford

Amanda Green Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel Hoppough Greenville

Brandi Harr Reeds Realty, Inc. Grand Rapids

Ryan Hesche Greenridge Lowell Lowell

Nancy Gregus Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Nathan Harr Reeds Realty, Inc. Grand Rapids

Joshua Heyboer Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Loraine Griffin Keller Williams Realty Lakeshore Holland

Brenda Harris Five Star Real Estate Norton Shores

John Holkeboer Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Diane Griffin Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids Hugh Griffith Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Gayle Harvey

ARG REALTY 2103 Plymouth Ave Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-477-3563 gayleharvey@gmail.com gayleharveyhomes.com/

TM

Wendy Holstege Keller Williams Realty Lakeshore Holland Scott Holwerda Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

Jean Groenhof Keller Williams Realty Lakeshore Holland

Laura Hayden Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel Hoppough Ionia

Cathleen Hoppough Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel Hoppough Ionia

Michele Hanmer Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Caledonia

Marilyn Hazard Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Mark Hoskins Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Rockford

Edward Hansen Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Summer Heeringa Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

Josh Howard Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

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2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS

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Benjamin Iwema RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Hope Kolker Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Joshua May RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

David Jablonski Five Star Real Estate Grand Rapids

Chris Konyndyk RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Kevin McCarty Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

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Joshua McCracken Greenridge Lowell Lowell

Kamie Jakeway Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Rockford

Scott Koop Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Travis Moelker RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Sandra Johnson Greenridge Caledonia Caledonia

Patty Koval Greenridge Wayland Wayland

Alan Moore Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Jason Lash The Lash Group Wyoming

Cheryl Morehouse Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

Jennifer Lavallee Midwest Properties of Michigan Belmont

Dan Morissette Keller Williams Realty Southwest Michigan St. Joseph

Paul Leason Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

Mara Musser Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Caledonia

Corey Lee Greenridge Lowell Lowell

Amy Nagel Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Kevin Lee RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Ingrid Nelson Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Anthony Lewis RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Jerry Nienhuis Keller Williams Realty Lakeshore Holland

Jacob Lietaert Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Lisa Novosad Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Christopher Linda Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Ryan Ogle Blu House Properties Grand Rapids

Rachel Major Keller Williams Rivertown Grandville

Michael Oostendorp Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Christian Huyge

Polaris Real Estate 660 Cascade W. Pkwy. S.E., Suite 120 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-889-8800 christian@polarisns.com www.polarisrealestate.com

Katie Karczewski

Keller Williams Grand Rapids North 3237 Platinum St. NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525 616-291-3552 Katie@katie-k.com www.katie-k.com Michael Karel RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Wyoming Timothy Katerberg RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Susan Kazma Real Estate One Success Grand Rapids Tammy Kerr Century 21 Affiliated Douglas Joseph Kilner Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids Don King Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids Keith King Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

08.19 GRM Real Estate All Stars.indd 78

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2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS

Brooke M. Krebill-Slocum

B

rooke Marie Collective believes that “Every Move Has a Story.” We care about your unique story and want to help you navigate the entire home buying and selling process with confidence and respect. You can count on our driven, competent, knowledgeable team of specialists to advocate on your behalf with integrity, passion, and moxie. From fervently marketing to negotiating fiercely with class, Brooke Marie Collective is here to help you succeed.

TM

Christian Huyge

B

uying and selling a house can be both a stressful and exciting experience, but Christian Huyge of Polaris Real Estate has the seasoned expertise to reduce the stress and elevate the exciting.

Huyge managed foreclosure properties for a large bank before taking his vast network of service providers and knowledge of construction and financing to start his own real estate firm.

“As most agents track their success on dollars sold, I track mine with clients helped,” he says.

KELLER WILLIAMS – BROOKE M. KREBILL-SLOCUM

POLARIS REAL ESTATE — CHRISTIAN HUYGE

1555 Arboretum Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616.881.6327 • Brookemariecollective.com

660 Cascade W. Parkway SE, Ste. 110, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-889-8800 • polarisrealestate.com

Linda S. Pell

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inda S. Pell grew up in West Michigan: It’s her home, her way of life, and her passion.

“Gratitude is the word that describes the loyal clients and great customers that I have had the pleasure to work with over the past 24 years,” says Pell, whose specialties include residential homes and water properties — selling each with a woman’s touch. “Each day consists of learning, new adventures, and meeting new people. My career is sprinkled with humility and appreciation while helping people achieve a piece of the American Dream.”

KELLER WILLIAMS – LINDA S. PELL 1555 Arboretum Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616.813.1436 • grandrapidsliving.com

7/15/19 11:13 AM

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2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS

Amie Oren Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Linda Otis

Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids East 1555 Arboretum Dr. S.E., Suite 101 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-450-3193 lotis@kw.com www.lotis.kw.com Beau Otis Greenridge Cascade Grand Rapids Kim Paavola Greenridge Caledonia Caledonia Richard Page Keller Williams Realty Lakeshore Holland Eldon Palmer Midwest Properties of Michigan Belmont

Linda S. Pell

Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids 1555 Arboretum Dr. S.E., Suite 101 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-813-1436 lindapell@kw.com grandrapidsliving.com Linda Perez Keller Williams Realty Lakeshore Holland Mary Perham-Nelson Greenridge Grandville Grandville Scott Perschbacher Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Brenda Pratt Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Ryan Servatius Century 21 Affiliated South Haven

Lisa Quist Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Adam Sims RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Kelley Rahilly Greenridge Cascade Grand Rapids

Brooke Sines RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Peter Rahm Keller Williams Realty Southwest Michigan St. Joseph Randy Reeds Reeds Realty, Inc. Grand Rapids Phil Ribbens RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Wyoming John Rice Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Caledonia Richard Rico Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Stephen Robrahn RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Jamie Rodriguez Windpoint Realty Grand Rapids

Janet Romanowski

GreenRidge Realty, Romanowski Homes Inc. 2213 Wealthy Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-318-0065 janet@romanhousekey.com www.romanhousekey.com

Jacob Peterson RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Julie Rossio Keller Williams Grand Rapids East Grand Rapids

Steven Pettit Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Trish Round Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Jeff Platko Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Kersh Ruhl Coldwell Banker Schmidt, Realtors Holland

Randy Poll Greenridge Summit Grand Rapids

Mike Rundhaug Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

John Pols RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Wyoming

Lindsey Schab Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel Hoppough Greenville

John Postma RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Tony Scholten RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Wyoming

Tanya Powell-May Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Tammy Schuiling Greenridge Summit Grand Rapids

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Brooke Krebill-Slocum

Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids East 1555 Arboretum Dr. S.E., Suite 101 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-881-6327 brooke@brookemariecollective.com www.brookemariecollective.com Mike Smallegan Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Jodi Smith Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Frederick Smith RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Andy Smith Five Star Real Estate Grandville Carol Sneller Sneller Real Estate Allegan Brandon Snellink RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Katie Southwell Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Thomas Sprich

Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids East 1555 Arboretum Dr. S.E., Suite 101 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-485-0952 tomsprich@grar.com www.home4saleingr.com Henry Steffes Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids Katie Stein Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Dale Stuckey Greenridge Summit Grand Rapids Stephen Stuckey Greenridge Summit Grand Rapids

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS Marcy Swanson Five Star Real Estate Grand Rapids

Amy Vissman Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Chad Sytsma Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Steven Volkers Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

Laurie Tamburrino Coldwell Banker Schmidt, Realtors Grand Rapids

Marilyn Wagner RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Emmett Terbeek Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Amy Weller Keller Williams Rivertown Grandville

Doug Todd Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids

Zach Wendt Keller Williams Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids

Mark Troy Compass Property Management Wyoming

Mike Werkema Century 21 Affiliated South Haven

Jessica Tucker Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Heather Vanderveen RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Ashleigh Vanduinen-Leistra RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Lindsay Vanduinen-Scully RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

Arija Wilcox

Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids 1555 Arboretum Dr. S.E., Suite 101 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-293-9261 wilcox@grar.com www.wilcoxgrproperties.com Greg Williamson Greenridge Cascade Grand Rapids Madeline Witt Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Kevin Yoder Yoder Real Estate Grand Rapids Robert Young Midwest Properties of Michigan Belmont

Scott West

GreenSquare Properties 2618 E Paris Ave SE, Suite A Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-550-4016 swest@GreenSquareGR.com www.GreenSquareGR.com

Michael Vanderwoude Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate Grand Rapids David Vanderwoude RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Wyoming

TM

M. Zawacki Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Meagan Zerfas Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING NAMED A TOP MORTGAGE PROFESSIONAL!

Dave Vankeulen Greenridge Lowell Lowell Brad Vanoostenbrugge RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Ty Vanwingen Greenridge East Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Rachael Veldkamp RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Bradley Veneklase Urban Soil Realty Grand Rapids Emily Verwys Five Star Real Estate Grand Rapids

Josiah Samy NMLS: 961783

Jodi White

NMLS: 441914

Tim McAleece NMLS: 473999

Steve Axdorff NMLS: 486542

REAL PEOPLE REAL MORTGAGES

Kyle Visser Keller Williams Realty Grand Rapids Grand Rapids

mercbank.com/mortgage

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

TM

2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS — MORTGAGE BROKERS

Chris Alicki Heartland Home Mortgage LLC Grand Rapids

Dale Hamill Lake Michigan Credit Union Grand Rapids

Jason Lovell Union Home Mortgage Holland

Jonathan Arnold Inlanta Mortgage Ada

Pete Humphreys Independent Bank Rockford

Tim McAleece Mercantile Bank of Michigan Grand Rapids

Steve Axdorff Mercantile Bank of Michigan Grand Rapids

Martha Ibarra Lake Michigan Credit Union Holland

Tim Meduna Treadstone Mortgage Grand Rapids

Seth Bellas Churchill Mortgage Grand Rapids

Jason Jenkins Union Home Mortgage Grand Rapids

Angela Milanowski Independent Bank Sparta

Becky Bosch Union Home Mortgage Holland

Marcia Karas MiMutual Mortgage Grand Rapids

Wade Monsma Treadstone Mortgage Grand Rapids

Bob Brill Independent Bank Comstock Park

Pamala Kemp Consumers Credit Union Grand Rapids

Dan Moralez Northpointe Bank Holland

Brendon Chapin Huntington Bank Grand Rapids

Stephen Kik Lake Michigan Credit Union Grand Rapids

Louis Moratti Northern Mortgage Grandville

Brad Cook Lake Michigan Credit Union Grand Rapids

Carolyn Kruithoff Treadstone Mortgage Grand Rapids

Marlo Morgan Lake Michigan Credit Union Grand Haven

Darcy Critchel Huntington Bank Grand Rapids

Ben Langenau Lake Michigan Credit Union Grand Rapids

Mike Morozowich Apollo Home Mortgage Greenville

Chris DeRuischer Churchill Mortgage Grand Rapids

Jennifer Leavenworth Lake Michigan Credit Union Grand Rapids

Rick Murray Old National Bank Grand Rapids

James Eerdmans American Realty Property Mgmt Grand Rapids

Dave Lehner Michigan Mortgage Muskegon

Josh Nawrot Northern Mortgage Grandville

Travis Gregg Huntington Bank Grand Rapids

Marisol Linstrom Northpointe Bank Grand Haven

Almin Nuhagic Flagstar Bank Grand Rapids rendan ’Dri ll Treadstone Mortgage Grand Rapids Tamara Pearson Independent Bank Grand Rapids Melinda Pettinga Chemical Bank Holland Kevin Polakovich Treadstone Mortgage Grand Rapids Tim Richie Lake Michigan Credit Union Kalamazoo Melissa Rincones Towne Mortgage Company Grand Rapids Josiah Samy Mercantile Bank of Michigan Holland

08.19 GRM Real Estate All Stars.indd 82

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS

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ARG Realty — Gayle Harvey

G

ayle Harvey had a calling early in life, and that calling has become her life’s work, passion, and mission. “As a little girl walking to St. Stephens every morning, I would peer through the windows of some of the most beautiful homes on Gladstone, Cambridge, and Plymouth SE. I guess you could say I have always loved real estate,” she says.

Today, she doesn’t just look at beautiful homes — she helps put people in them through hard work, experience, and dedication to her clients’ needs. “I believe everyone should have an opportunity to own property,” says Harvey, who started her real estate career in 1996. She quickly earned the “Gold Club” status award, the “Platinum Club” status award, and after exceeding sales of $50 million, was presented the “Achievement of Excellence” award.

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But for Harvey, who specializes in both residential and commercial properties, real estate isn’t about awards.

It’s about helping people realize their dreams.

“People are the importance of real estate,” she says. “Buying or selling your property is an emotional process and it is very important you work with people who have a proven track record that you trust. It is also important to know that we as real estate agents and realtors all work together.”

Harvey has been with ARG Realty for the past 10 years and has established her own proven track record with sales in excess of $100 million. She also does corporate relocations with interim housing; has written numerous articles regarding the housing crisis and reverse mortgages; and offers home information seminars designed to give clients important infor-

mation so they are armed with the facts about buying and selling.

“I believe my background in sales, coupled with my experience in marketing and knowledge of the area, allows me to continue to be a successful agent,” she says. “I have a team in place in the Grand Rapids and Detroit areas ready to help people realize their dream of buying a new home or selling a home.”

ARG REALTY – GAYLE HARVEY 22827 Michigan Ave. Dearborn, MI 48124 616.477.3563 gayleharveyhomes.com facebook.com/gayle.harveyhomes

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

TM

2019 REAL ESTATE ALL-STARS — MORTGAGE BROKERS

Neil Siebert Prime Lending Grand Rapids Chris Slating Mortgage 1, Inc. Grand Rapids Julie Smith Treadstone Mortgage Grand Rapids Bob Smith Chemical Bank Grand Rapids Dave Stellin Lake Michigan Credit Union Grand Rapids Jamie Stocks Union Home Mortgage Grand Rapids Michael Strohauer Huntington Bank Kalamazoo Mallory Strotheide Treadstone Mortgage Grand Rapids Zachary Tebos Lake Michigan Credit Union Grand Rapids Gregg Teegardin Dart Bank Grand Rapids Wendi Traxler Prime Lending Portage Luther Trook Lake Michigan Credit Union Grand Rapids Jenna VanderMolen Lake Michigan Credit Union Wyoming Seth Vanderwey Churchill Mortgage Grand Rapids Rick Veldman Benchmark Mortgage Grand Rapids Scot Veneklase Treadstone Mortgage Grand Rapids Jennifer Verlin Lake Michigan Credit Union Comstock Park Jodi White Mercantile Bank of Michigan Holland Jake Williams Lake Michigan Credit Union Wyoming

08.19 GRM Real Estate All Stars.indd 84

7/15/19 11:13 AM

THE EXHIBITION

cause & effect PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE IN WEST MICHIGAN

Nonprofit program LIVESTRONG at the YMCA helps cancer survivers rehabilitate after cancer treatment.

BY ANN BYLE

AUTHORS NOTE: After nearly four years of reporting on local nonprofit organizations — from cat rescue to dirt bike racing, from foster care to neighborhood organizations — LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is a nonprofit I experienced firsthand. A breast cancer diagnosis in summer 2018 meant two lumpectomies, radiation and LIVESTRONG.

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LIVESTRONG AT THE YMCA may be the last program you want to experience, but it’s the first place you want to be if you’ve had a cancer diagnosis.

LIVESTRONG, a nonprofit program offered at all Grand Rapids YMCAs, provides three months of free physical fitness training specially designed for those who

have experienced chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and all that cancer can throw at its victims. Groups of no more than eight attend the 75-minute program twice a week.

“One of the greatest things about our program is that it provides a space where survivors can come together with the common goal of pursuing health, moving more

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY Y-USA

Stronger than yesterday

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA helps cancer survivors rehabilitate and live better lives.

easily and regaining strength,” said Chelie Simmons, who coordinates LIVESTRONG at the Wolverine Worldwide Family YMCA and trains and certifies instructors for all the area YMCAs. “There’s also the emotional component of belonging to a group of people who understand what your body has been through and the depths of how tired you are,” Simmons said. “The best support we can provide is to be a place where participants can bridge the gap between pre-treatment and posttreatment life.”

LIVESTRONG locally There are 35 active instructors at the six YMCAs in the Grand Rapids area — Wolverine Worldwide, Mary Free Bed, David D. Hunting, Lowell, Visser Family and SpartanNash — and 12-week sessions are offered six to eight times per year at each branch. Times vary according to each branch based on participant needs, with most programs offered in the early morning, lunchtime or evening.

Joy Uddin was finishing breast cancer treatment almost six years ago when a friend told her about LIVESTRONG. She looked into it and, a few months later, began the program. She then volunteered for several months and, in fall 2015, took the training to become a certified LIVESTRONG instructor at SpartanNash, the first YMCA in West Michigan to offer the program.

“It’s so good to see the strength and resilience of the human spirit to fight on,” Uddin said. “I was only halfway through the 12-week program as a participant when I saw members who were fairly deconditioned from treatments showing improvements in walking, confidence in using the equipment and how they felt overall.”

I attended LIVESTRONG from February through April 2019 at Wolverine Worldwide in Belmont. My instructors, Terry Williams and Leesa Christophel, were friendly, caring and eager to see us improve. And I did! Endurance, flexibility, balance and strength all improved through the weeks of weightlifting, bike riding, rowing, stretching and even pounding on exercise balls with drumsticks. A nutritionist and an expert in lymphedema spoke to us. I was one of three in our group, though one dropped out early due

to another illness and the other dropped out later due to reconstructive surgery. We bonded through laughter, honest discussions about breast cancer and exercise.

LIVESTRONG instructors, who undergo specific program certification in addition to their national fitness certification, are trained to understand the implications of cancer treatment and what that means for fitness training.

“We have a heightened awareness of chemo and radiation as far as bone structure and appropriate loading,” Simmons said. “We tailor the program to what the person can do and to avoid injury, and we temper everything we do in relation to that person’s treatment and diagnosis.”

In practice, this means knowing that chemo and radiation can tax the bone structure and that the risk of osteoporosis can come sooner; that ligaments, tendons and muscles need to be treated respectfully; that each person, even with the same diagnosis and treatment, has a different experience and reacts to medications differently.

“We offer safe and effective programming to meet each survivor where they are in their post-treatment bodies,” Simmons said.

Simmons also makes sure her instructors are healthy. “When working with those with an illness, there can be vicarious trauma; I always want our team to be well-rested and in a healthy space. I encourage them to exercise self-care.”

LIVESTRONG nationwide There are 287 associations (groups of YMCAs such as those in Grand Rapids) in 42 states offering LIVESTRONG, with more than 67,000 cancer survivors attending since it started at a national level in 2007. The local YMCAs have seen an increase in LIVESTRONG attendance since it was first brought to Grand Rapids in 2013. Almost 900 have gone through the program as of June 2019.

“We are responding to the tremendous need because the number of survivors is increasing dramatically,” Simmons said.

“Diagnosis is coming earlier; the blanket of being a silent sufferer has been lifted, and the cancer community is encouraging conversations around survivorship. Our goal is to identify and walk with survivors.”

From a larger perspective, LIVESTRONG

fits within the YMCA mission of providing services for all individuals within the community by helping develop smaller communities.

“LIVESTRONG is a small community within the larger YMCA community, which is within the larger Grand Rapids community,” said Adam Shilling, executive director of membership and programs. “At the heart of the community is addressing the social determinants of health. We provide a place where cancer survivors can go and be around other survivors, learn and grow together and, in many ways, heal together.”

Funding for the program comes from individuals who support specific YMCAs and from larger grants. Each session costs about $2,500, which covers instructors, memberships for the three-month period and program materials. Funds also are needed to train LIVESTRONG instructors.

Local YMCAs have been working with Mercy Health Lacks Cancer Center and Spectrum Health’s Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion, as well as affiliated and independent physicians and surgeons. Anyone 18 and older living with cancer or beyond cancer is eligible with no limit on recency; physical/medical clearance is required.

“Cancer is a lifelong struggle; it stays with you and you have to deal with it at different phases of life. The beauty of LIVESTRONG is having different people of different ages, stages and walks of life,” Shilling said.

For Uddin, who went from participant to instructor, “LIVESTRONG has brought much to my life. I hadn’t ever set foot in a YMCA prior to participating in the program; now my husband and I exercise there, I am a LIVESTRONG instructor, made friends there and have met wonderful people who attended the LIVESTRONG program.”

“The beauty of LIVESTRONG is that we are able to provide a space to find joy, to experience your body in a life-giving way, to feel and to feel alive,” Simmons said.

My LIVESTRONG experience was so positive. It felt good to move my body and see that body in a positive way instead of just a place for cancer to breed. I encourage my fellow survivors to participate in LIVESTRONG as a safe place to physically restore, emotionally heal and practice positive self-care. You’ll laugh, work out a little anger, cry and grow. GR

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 87

out & about WHERE TO GO / WHAT TO DO

august events

MUSIC AUGUST 17-18 GRANDJAZZFEST: Eighth annual free jazz festival featuring local and national musicians. 12:30-10 p.m. Sat., 1-7 p.m.

Sun. Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center NW. grandjazzfest.org.

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SPECIAL EVENTS AUGUST 9-11 HISPANIC FESTIVAL: Hispanic Center of Western Michigan’s 42nd annual festival includes entertainment, food and activities celebrating Latin American heritage. Begins 5 p.m. Fri. Calder Plaza, 300 Monroe Ave. NW. Free. hispanic-center.org/hispanic-festival.

AUG. 5-10 - KENT COUNTY YOUTH FAIR: Activities include

tractor/horse/pony pulls, theater, dance, karaoke, music, talent show, carnival and food. Kent County Fairgrounds, 225 S. Hudson St., Lowell. kcyf.org.

See Special Events

SPECIAL EVENTS AUGUST 7-18 RESTAURANT WEEK GRAND RAPIDS: More than 75 local restaurants offer fixed-price lunch and dinner menus ($15, $25 or $25+). experiencegr.com/ restaurant-week.

AUG. 8-10 - COWPIE MUSIC FESTIVAL: Eclectic live regional

bands, food, beverages and crafts.

Camping available. Shagbark Farm, 7500 Alaska Ave. SE, Caledonia. cowpiemusicfestival.com.

See Music

AUG. 8-24 - “SUPERIOR DONUTS”: Circle Theatre presents the story of an older man who owns a run-down doughnut shop and the black teenaged employee who wants to change the shop for the better.

Aquinas College PAC, 1703 Robinson Road SE. $26-$30. circletheatre.org.

See Stage & Film

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY WEST MICHIGAN HISPANIC FESTIVAL (LEFT); GRANDJAZZFEST (TOP RIGHT); EXPERIENCE GR (BOTTOM RIGHT)

A FEW GREAT THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH!

To list your event send calendar information to Grand Rapids Magazine, c/o

Calendar Editor, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, email caleditor@ geminipub.com, fax (616) 459-4800. High-resolution photos welcomed. To meet publishing deadlines, information must be received two months prior to monthly magazine issue by the first of the month.

SPECIAL EVENTS Through Aug. 4 - Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival: National festival honors the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard with parades, music, carnival, picnic, kids activities, car show/cruise, ship tours and fireworks. coastguardfest.org.

Through Aug. 18 - Summer of Brunch Food Truck Rally: Food trucks at the Fulton Street Artisans Market every Sunday. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

1145 E. Fulton St. facebook.com/grfoodtrucks.

Through Aug. 27 - Summer Night Market: Hosted by Fulton Street Farmers Market every Tue. 5-8 p.m. 1145 E. Fulton St. fultonstreet market.org.

Through Aug. 28 - Dancing on the Grand: Live music and dancing every Wed. 7-9 p.m.

Waterfront Stadium, 101 North Harbor, Grand Haven. facebook.com/dancingonthegrand.

Through Aug. 28 - Kickin’ It at Calder: Grand Rapids Food Truck Association hosts food trucks every Tues. and Wed. 11 a.m.-1:45 p.m. at Calder Plaza. 300 Monroe Ave. NW. facebook. com/grfoodtrucks.

Through Aug. 29 - Happenings on Harvey: Themed community nights with shopping, kids activities and food every Thu. 6-8 p.m.

Harvey Street, downtown Hudsonville. Free. hudsonvillechamber.com.

Through Aug. 29 - Holland Street Performers: Musicians, acrobats, face painters, balloon artists, jugglers, magicians perform along Eighth Street in Holland. 6:30-8:30 p.m. every Thu. Free. downtownholland.com.

AUG. 10 - A GLIMPSE OF AFRICA: Inaugural family-friendly,

free festival celebrating African cultures through fashion, art, food, dance, music and more. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center NW. bit.ly/GlimpseOfAfrica.

See Special Events

and food. Kent County Fairgrounds, 225 S. Hudson St., Lowell. kcyf.org.

Aug. 5-10 - Michigan Pirate Festival: Re-enactors, time-period cannon demonstrations, activities. Loutit District Library, 407 Columbus Ave., and Harbor Island in Grand Haven. michiganpiratefestival.com.

Through Sept. 19 - Relax at Rosa: Outdoor lunchbreaks with live bands and food trucks.

Noon-1:30 p.m. every Thu. Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center NW. downtowngr.org.

Aug. 7-18 - Restaurant Week Grand Rapids: More than 75 local restaurants offer fixed-price lunch and dinner menus ($15, $25 or $25+). experiencegr.com/restaurant-week.

Through Sept. 29 - Fulton Street Artisans Market: Weekly market with local handmade art. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every Sun. 1145 E. Fulton St. grartmarket.com.

Aug. 8 - Walker Standale Family Fun Night: Free family activities and movie. 5-9 p.m.

Walker Community Park, 700 Cummings Ave. NW. walker.city.

Through Oct. 4 - Food Truck Fridays at Riverside Park: Grand Rapids Food Truck Association hosts food trucks every Fri. 5-9 p.m. 2001 Monroe Ave. NE. facebook.com/ grfoodtrucks.

Aug. 9-10 - Coopersville Car Show and Summerfest: Annual celebration with car cruise beginning at 6 p.m. Fri. and car show on Sat., plus pancake breakfast, entertainment, arts and craft show. coopersvillecar show.com.

Aug. 1-3 - Rockford Summer Sidewalk Sales: Participating stores in downtown Rockford offer discounts and activities. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thu., 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. facebook.com/ heartofrockford.

Aug. 2 - August in Ada: Free rides, games, crafts, food and entertainment. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Ada Township Park, 1180 Buttrick Ave. SE, Ada. adabusinessassociation.com.

Aug. 2 - First Friday Gallery Hop: Participating galleries, shops and eateries stay open 6-9 p.m., presented by Avenue for the Arts. South Division Avenue between Fulton and Cherry streets. avenueforthearts.com.

Aug. 3 - Art in the Park: Fiftieth annual juried fine arts and crafts fair with 300 artists. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Centennial Park, 250 Central Ave., Holland. hollandfriendsofart.com.

Aug. 5-10 - Kent County Youth Fair: Activities include tractor/horse/pony pulls, theater, dance, karaoke, music, talent show, carnival

AUG. 23 - ALABAMA:

Country rock band performs 50th anniversary tour. 7 p.m. Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. $32-$127. vanandelarena.com.

See Music

Aug. 9-10 - Holland Sidewalk Sales: More than 100 merchants offer shopping discounts. Also, street performers, food booths and more. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. Downtown Holland. holland.org.

Aug. 9-10 - Vintage Fest: Sixth annual event includes vintage vendors, classic cars, live music, carnival games, stage shows, outdoor movie and food booths. 4-9 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat. Franklin Corridor, Grandville. grand jen.com.

Aug. 9-11 - Hispanic Festival: Hispanic Center of Western Michigan’s 42nd annual festival includes entertainment, food and activities celebrating Latin American heritage. Begins 5 p.m.

Fri. Calder Plaza, 300 Monroe Ave. NW. Free. hispanic-center.org/hispanic-festival.

Aug. 10 - Art on Center: Galleries along Center Street in downtown Douglas feature artist receptions and live music. 6-8 p.m. Free. sau gatuck.com/events.

AUG. 24-25 - MINI MAKER FAIRE: Sixth annual science fair/

invention festival with more than 150 makers including robotics, alternative energy and more. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW. grandrapids. makerfaire.com.

See Special Events

AUG. 25 - MILLENNIUM MEADOWS MARATHON:

Marathon, half-marathon and 6-mile races. 7 a.m. Millennium Park, 1400 Maynard Ave. SW. $40-$80. face book.com/millenniummeadowsmara thon. See Sports

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 89

out & about WHERE TO GO / WHAT TO DO

Aug. 10 - Eastern & Alger PopUp Market: Alger Heights hosts monthly market with local artisans and vintage dealers. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Eastern Ave. and Alger St. SE. facebook.com/easternal gerpopupmarket.

Aug. 10 - A Glimpse of Africa: Inaugural family-friendly, free festival celebrating African cultures through fashion, art, food, dance, music and more. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center NW. bit.ly/ GlimpseOfAfrica.

Aug. 10 - Grand Haven Sand Sculpture Contest: Teams, families and individuals are judged and awarded prizes after contest on beach. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Grand Haven City Beach. grandhavenchamber.org/sand-sculpture-contest.

Aug. 14-18 - Michigan Fiber Festival: Shows, competitions, workshops, shopping, live music and food. Allegan County Fairgrounds, 150 Allegan County Fair Drive. michiganfiber festival.info.

Aug. 15 - Saugatuck Sidewalk Sales: Merchant sales, music and activities. Butler Street in downtown Saugatuck. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. saugatuck.com.

Aug. 15 - Sweet Summer Night: Zeeland hosts free outdoor movie at dusk with popcorn and cotton candy. Elm & Main streets, downtown Zeeland. cityofzeeland.com/409/Sweet-Summer-Night.

Aug. 15 - Taste of East Grand Rapids: Food from local eateries, plus live entertainment and kids activities. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Gaslight Village in East Grand Rapids. $1. gogaslight.com.

Aug. 15-18 - Danish Festival: 55th annual celebration includes arts and crafts fair, parades, food booths, live music, car show. Greenville. danishfestival.org.

Aug. 16-17 - Grand Haven Sidewalk Sales: Area merchant sales and entertainment. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. Washington Avenue between Harbor Drive and Third Street. visit grandhaven.com.

Aug. 16-18 - Yassou! Greekfest: Ninth annual cultural festival with live music, dancing, crafts and food. 3-10 p.m. Fri., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 330 Lakeside Drive NE. grgreekfest.com.

Aug. 17 - Art on the Riverfront: Annual outdoor juried art show features painting, photography, pottery, jewelry, glass, wood and metal. 10 a.m.5 p.m. Grand Haven City Marina, 101 N. Harbor Drive. visitgrandhaven.com.

Aug. 17 - International Festival of Holland: Inaugural festival celebrating people and cultures of Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia and the

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Americas with dancers, musicians, storytellers and artists. Kollen Park, 240 Kollen Park Drive; Holland Civic Center Place, 150 W. Eighth St.; and downtown Holland. cityofholland.com.

Aug. 17 - White Party: Fundraiser for West Shore Aware with open bar, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, auctions, entertainment and dancing. 6:30 p.m.

Laketown Conference Center, 6069 Blue Star Hwy., Saugatuck. $100. westshoreaware.org.

Aug. 19-24 - Hudsonville Community Fair: Live music, midway, tractor pulls, monster truck show, 4-H shows, kids activities. 8 a.m.11 p.m. 5235 Park Ave., Hudsonville. $5 adults, kids under 12 free. hudsonville-fair.com.

Aug. 21-24 - AQS Quilt Show: American Quilter’s Society presents workshops, contests, materials and supplies from 300 vendors, plus hundreds of quilts on display. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Wed.-Fri., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $14, $5 ages 13-18, kids 12 and under free. quiltweek.com.

Aug. 22 - Cascade Township Metro Cruise Warm Up: Food trucks, live music by Soul Syndicate, kids activities, dunk tank and show cars. 4:30-8:30 p.m. Fowling Warehouse GR parking lot, 6797 Cascade Road SE. Free. cascadetwp.com.

Aug. 22 - Rock, Roar and Pour: John Ball Zoo hosts live music with the WhatNots, craft beer and animal encounters. 21+ only. 6-9 p.m. 1300 W. Fulton St. $20. jbzoo.org.

Aug. 23-24 - 28th Street Metro Cruise: Fifteenth annual cruise with 16 miles of cars on 28th Street between Cascade and Grandville.

Plus food, entertainment and vendors at Roger’s Plaza, 972 28th St. SW, Wyoming. 4-10 p.m. Fri., 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat. 28thstreetmetrocruise.com.

Aug. 23-25 - Polish Festival: Celebration of Polish food, music and beer, with polka entertainment, kids activities, vendors. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri. and Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center NW. Free. polish heritagesociety.com.

Aug. 24 - Burning Foot Craft Beer Festival: Fifth annual celebration with dozens of participating brewpubs and craft breweries, plus music and food. 3-9 p.m. Pere Marquette Beach, Muskegon. $50 adults, $20 designated driver. burningfoot.beer.

Aug. 24 - Made in MI Pop-Up Marketplace: Downtown Market hosts monthly outdoor market with artisan gifts, local treats and goodies. 9 a.m.4 p.m. 435 Ionia Ave. SW. madeinmipopup.com.

Aug. 24-25 - Mini Maker Faire: Sixth annual science fair/invention festival with more than

150 makers including robotics, urban farming and sustainability, alternative energy, crafts, food and educational installations. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW. $12 adults, $7 kids, $4/$2 for members; two-day pass $15/$10, $7/$4 for members. grandrapids.makerfaire.com.

Aug. 25 - Allegan Antiques Market: Monthly market features 400 exhibitors inside and outside, rain or shine. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Allegan County Fairgrounds, 150 Allegan County Fair Drive. $4. alleganantiques.com.

Aug. 29-Sept. 2 - Michigan State Fair: Midway, equestrian pavilion, livestock, entertainment, farmers market, arts and crafts, circus, kids activities and more. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Thu.-Sun., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon. Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi. $8 adults, $6 kids 2-11. michigan statefairllc.com.

Aug. 30-Sept. 1 - GrandCon: Family-friendly board gaming convention with vendors, cosplay, seminars and celebrities. 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Fri.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $50 weekend, $35 Fri. or Sat., $20 Sun. grand-con.com.

SPORTS Aug. - West Michigan Whitecaps: Professional minor league baseball team is a member of the Midwest League and Class-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. Home games: Aug 7-9 vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods. Aug. 14-16 vs. Great Lakes Loons. Aug. 17-20 vs. Lake County Captains.

Aug. 24-27 vs. Fort Wayne TinCaps. Fifth Third Ballpark, 4500 West River Drive NE, Comstock Park. $9-$17. whitecapsbaseball.com.

Aug. 3 - RunIT 5K: Hosted by White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. 9 a.m. 124 W. Hanson, Whitehall. $25. whitelake.org/event/ runit-5k-runwalk.

Aug. 3 - TriMillennium: Sprint and Olympic distance triathlon with duathlon and aquabike options. 7:30 a.m. Millennium Park, 1415 Maynard Ave. SW. $70-$160. miltri.com.

Aug. 9-10 - The Fred Running Relays: The Fred 200-mile relay from Belmont to Cadillac in 36 relay increments along the White Pine Trail, plus The Ed 100-mile relay and the Lena 50-mile relay. 6:30 a.m. 6325 Belmont Ave. NE. fredmeijerwhitepinetrail200.com.

Aug. 10 - Hey 5K Run/Walk: Tenth annual run through downtown Muskegon benefits Muskegon Community Radio 88.9 FM. 8 a.m.

Union Depot, 610 W. Western Ave. $20-$30. runsignup.com/race/mi/muskegon/hey5k runwalk.

Aug. 11 - Go Rogue Rockford: 3.5-mile run and 3.5-mile kayak race. 9 a.m. Rockford Foot Depot, 235 N. Main St., Rockford. $65. gorogue rockford.com.

Aug. 17 - Mitchell’s Run Thru Rockford: Twenty-first annual 5K run/walk and kids run raises money for Duchenne muscular dystrophy research. 8:30 a.m. 19 N. Main St., Rockford. mitchellsrun.org.

Aug. 17 - Skirts in the Dirt: Sixth annual women-only mountain bike race and trail runs.

8:30 a.m. Wahlfield Park, 6811 Alpine Ave. NW, Comstock Park. skirtsinthedirt.com.

Aug. 18 - Gaslight Criterium: Twelfth annual circuit bicycle race in East Grand Rapid’s Gaslight Village. Start and finish lines at Wealthy and Bagley, East Grand Rapids. 7 a.m.6 p.m. eastgr.org.

Aug. 18 - Michigan Titanium: Full, half- and Olympic triathlons, relays, aquabikes and duathlons. 7 a.m. Versluis Park, 3650 Versluis Park NE, Plainfield. mititanium.com.

Aug. 24 - Grand Rapids Mud Run: 5K course with obstacles, slide and mud for individuals and teams. Kids Mini Mud Run for ages 6-11 (1.5K). 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. kids. 1200 60th St. SE, Kentwood. $49 adults, $25 kids. grandrap idsmudrun.com.

Aug. 24 - Margarita Madness 5K: Run/walk for adults 21 years old or over with celebration margaritas. 5 p.m. Riverside Park, 2001 Monroe Ave. NE. $25-$50. margaritamadness5krun. com/grand-rapids.

songs by Elvis. 7:30 p.m. Fri., 2 p.m. Sat. 30 N. Division Ave. $12-$20. grct.org.

The Force Awakens.” 6-11:30 p.m. 555 Monroe Ave. NW. downtowngr.org.

Through Aug. 6 - “Shakespeare in Love”: Hope Summer Repertory Theatre presents the story of young Will Shakespeare suffering from writer’s block and a young admirer who will stop at nothing to appear in his next play. 7:30 p.m.

DeWitt Theatre, 141 E. 12th St., Holland. $26$30 adults, $22-$27 seniors, $15 kids under 18. hope.edu/hsrt.

Aug. 16 - Movies in the Park (East Grand Rapids): Free family-friendly movie, “Trolls,” at dusk. John Collins Park, 650 Lakeside Drive SE. eastgr.org.

Through Aug. 7 - “Elephant & Piggie’s ‘We Are In a Play’”: Hope Summer Repertory Theatre presents a musical based on the children’s book by Mo Willems about two friends’ adventures. 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. DeWitt Theatre, 141 E. 12th St., Holland. $15. hope.edu/hsrt.

Through Aug. 8 - “West Side Story”: Hope Summer Repertory Theatre presents the classic love story set in the gang-ridden streets of New York City. 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. DeWitt Theatre, 141 E. 12th St., Holland. $35-$40 adults, $28-$32 seniors, $15 kids under 18. hope.edu/hsrt.

Through Aug. 9 - “The Old Man and the Old Moon”: Hope Summer Repertory Theatre presents the tale of a man who must abandon his duties of lighting the moon to search for his missing wife. 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. DeWitt Theatre, 141 E. 12th St., Holland. $35-$40 adults, $28-$32 seniors, $15 kids under 18. hope.edu/hsrt.

Aug. 16-Sept. 1 - “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”: Mason Street Warehouse presents the story of an heir to a family fortune who wants to eliminate the relatives who stand in his way. 8 p.m. Tue.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. 400 Culver St., Saugatuck. $54 adults, $51 students. masonstreetwarehouse.org.

Aug. 20 - Grand Rapids Ballet: Dancers perform a variety of classical and contemporary ballets. 7 p.m. Meijer Gardens outdoor amphitheater, 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE. Free with admission. meijergardens.org.

Aug. 24 - Movies in Eastern Park: Free familyfriendly movie at 9 p.m. with pre-movie games, dancing, entertainment at 7 p.m. 758 Eastern Ave. NE. bit.ly/MoviesInEasternPark.

MUSIC Through Aug. 8 - Celadon Summer Concert Series: Free family-friendly concerts. Aug. 1, Deerfield Run. Aug. 8, Macy Krew Music. 6:309:30 p.m. Celadon Outdoor Amphitheater, 2050 Celadon Drive NE. facebook.com/ celadonconcerts.

Through Aug. 10 - “Unnecessary Farce”: Mason Street Warehouse presents a story about an embezzling mayor, his female accountant and two undercover cops. 8 p.m. Tue.-Sat., 2 p.m. Aug. 4 and 10. 400 Culver St., Saugatuck. $41.50-$57.50. masonstreetwarehouse.org.

Through Aug. 8 - Kentwood Summer Concert Series: Free Thu. night concerts; also food trucks. Aug. 1, Brena. Aug. 8, Melophobix. 7-8:30 p.m. On the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Road SE. kentwood.us.

Aug. 4, 18 - “Romeo and Juliet”: Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company presents a tragic romance. Aug. 4, Jenison Center for the Arts, 8375 20th Ave., Jenison. Aug. 18, Loutit Library Courtyard, 407 Columbus Ave., Grand Haven. pcshakespeare.com.

Through Aug. 12 - Jazz at Millennium Park Meadows: West Michigan Jazz Society hosts free jazz concerts 6:30-8:30 p.m. every Mon. Aug. 5, Paul Keller. Aug. 12, Bob Nixon/GRJO. Grant Pavilion, Millennium Park, 1415 Maynard Ave., Walker. wmichjazz.org.

Through Aug. 3 - “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”: Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s youth production about a young girl’s adventures when she follows a rabbit down his hole.

2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 30 N. Division Ave. $12$20. grct.org.

Aug. 8-18 - “The Mouse That Roared”: Holland Civic Theatre’s teen production. 7 p.m. Thu.Fri., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sat. 50 W. Ninth St., Holland. hollandcivictheatre.org.

Through Aug. 13 - Jenison Music in the Park: Free concerts 6-8 p.m. Tues. Aug. 6, Echo 45.

Aug. 13, Main Street Dueling Pianos. Rosewood Park, 1899 Rosewood St., Jenison. grandjen.com.

Through Aug. 3 - “Going Going Gone”: LowellArts Players present a story about four sports journalists in the press box at a major Los Angeles baseball game. 223 W. Main St., Lowell. lowellartsmi.org.

Aug. 8-24 - “Superior Donuts”: Circle Theatre presents the story of an older man who owns a run-down doughnut shop and the black teenaged employee who wants to change the shop for the better. 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 5 p.m. Sun. Aquinas College PAC, 1703 Robinson Road SE. $26-$30. circletheatre.org.

Through Aug. 13 - Rogue River Blues: Rockford’s Tue. evening concerts showcase jazz, blues and folk. 7-9 p.m. Garden Club Park along Rogue River. Free. rockfordmichamber.com.

Aug. 25 - Millennium Meadows Marathon: Marathon, half-marathon and 6-mile races.

7 a.m. Millennium Park, 1400 Maynard Ave. SW. $40-$80. facebook.com/millennium meadowsmarathon.

STAGE & FILM

Through Aug. 4 - “All Shook Up”: Grand Rapids Civic Theatre presents a musical comedy loosely based on Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and “Midsummer Night’s Dream” with

Aug. 9, 23 - Movies on Monroe: Free outdoor films. Aug. 9, “Mean Girls” and “10 Things I Hate About You.” Aug. 23, “Space Jam” and “Star Wars:

Through Aug. 14 - WLAV Summertime Blues: Free outdoor music concerts every Wed. Aug. 7, Davy Knowles. Aug. 14, Albert Castiglia. 6:30 p.m. DeltaPlex parking lot, 2500 Turner Ave. NW. wlav.com.

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1/ “Changing America” explores African American history at the Public Museum.

Museums & attractions 1/ GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM: Special exhibitions: Through Oct. 13, “Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863, and the March on Washington, 1963” chronicles African American history with artifacts such as anti-slavery newspapers from the 1800s and buttons from the 1963 March on Washington. Local stories and oral histories also will be incorporated, in addition to community programming. Through Sept. 8, “TOYS!” Permanent exhibitions: Streets of Old Grand Rapids; Newcomers: The People of This Place; West Michigan Habitats; Grand Fish, Grand River; and Be Curious.

Also, restored 1928 Spillman carousel.

Special events: See Mini Maker Faire in Special Events. $8 adults, $7 seniors, $3 kids 3-17. 272 Pearl St. NW, 929-1700, grpm.org.

2/ DEER TRACKS JUNCTION: One hundred-acre farm with elk, whitetail deer, Tibetan yaks and reindeer; evening wildlife safari tours; hands-on farm with goats, pigs, donkeys, rabbits, yaks, parakeets; bottle-feeding stations; play area; and ice cream shop. Open daily.

General admission: $10, kids 2 and under free; safari tours and bottle feedings extra.

7850 14 Mile Road, Cedar Springs, 863-3337, deertracksjunction.com.

3/ GRAND RAPIDS CHILDREN’S MUSEUM: Hands-on permanent and traveling exhibits for kids 2-10. Special exhibit: Through Jan. 20, the traveling exhibit “Amazing Dinosaurs” includes an array of hands-on displays with touchable dinosaur fossils.

The exhibit is included with admission.

Permanent activities: Think Tank, Kidstruction Zone, Little GR, Bubbles!, Wee Discover, musical instruments and more.

Toddler Time 10 a.m.-noon Tue. Family Night 5-8 p.m. Thu. ($1.75). Closed Mon. $9, $8 seniors, kids under 1 free. 11 Sheldon Ave. NE, 235-4726, grcm.org.

Blandford Nature Center: Special events: Aug. 2, Free First Friday. Aug. 3, Yoga in the Highlands. Aug. 8, Mindfulness in the Meadow: Family Edition. Aug. 23, Bands at Blandford: Josh Rose and the Founding Fathers, and Riverside Raconteurs Storytelling Bonfires. Aug. 30, Bands at Blandford: Molly. Permanent attractions: 143 acres of trails, heritage buildings, farm. Mary Jane Dockeray Visitor Center open Mon.Sat. Trails open daily dawn to dusk. $3. 1715 Hillburn Ave. NW, 735-6240, blandfordnaturecenter.org.

Coopersville Farm Museum: Museum honoring farming and rural life. Special exhibits: Aug. 1-Sept.

28, Quilts and Their Stories. Special events: Aug. 3, Family Day. Aug. 5, Talent Show. Aug. 6 and 20, Acoustic Jam Night. Aug. 7, Kids Day. Aug. 7-10, Tractor Show. Aug. 31, Kids, Crafts & Critters. Permanent attractions: Tractors and other farming equipment; also Eclipse windmill. Open Tue., Thu., Sat. $4 adults, $2 kids 4-12, kids 3 and under free.

375 Main St., Coopersville, 997-8555, coopers villefarmmuseum.org.

Rapids Ballet in Stage & Film. Permanent attractions: Modern and contemporary 30-acre sculpture collection, Japanese garden, tropical conservatory, children’s garden, nature trails and boardwalk, café, gift shop. Open daily. $14.50 adults, $11 seniors and students, $7 kids 5-13, $4 kids 3-4. 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE, 957-1580, meijergardens.org.

DeGraaf Nature Center: Eighteen-acre preserve with Interpretive Center, indoor pond, animals, SkyWatch. Knee-High Naturalist classes for kids 3-5. Center open Tue.-Sat. Trails open daily dawn to dusk. Free. 600 Graafschap Road, Holland, 3551057, degraaf.org.

2/ Deer Tracks Junction is home to ani-

mals large and small.

Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park: Eighty-acre park with giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, alligators, kangaroos, lemurs, prairie dogs, ostriches and antelopes. Plus, safari rides and opportunities to feed animals. Special events: Aug. 1-2, Baby Animal Days. Aug. 8, Jr. Detective Day in the Jungle.

Open daily. $14 age 12 and up, $12 seniors, $10 kids 3-11, kids under 2 free. 8313 Pratt Lake Ave. SE, Alto, 868-6711, boulderridgewap.com.

Coopersville & Marne Railway: Restored 1920sera railway with EnterTRAINment Excursions. 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. every Sat. except Aug. 10. $14 adults, $13 seniors, $12 kids 2-12. 311 Danforth St., Coopersville, 997-7000, coopersvilleandmarne.org.

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Downtown Market: Open daily with culinary-related products at more than 20 local businesses and restaurants, plus cooking classes and private rentals. Special events: Aug. 9, Cars and Coffee Grand Rapids. Aug. 15, 3rd Thursdays. See Made in MI Pop-Up Marketplace in Special Events. 435 Ionia Ave. SW, 805-5308, downtownmarketgr.com.

Felt Mansion & Gardens: Summer home of millionaire inventor Dorr E. Felt features 1920s architecture. Self-guided tours 1-5 p.m. Sun.-Wed. $15 adults, $12 seniors (free on Mon.) and students, kids 12 and under free. 6597 138th St., Holland, 335-3050, feltmansion.org.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: Special exhibitions: Through Aug. 25, “A National Treasure: Fred Meijer, His Collection and Legacy.” Special events: Aug. 2, 9 and 16, Fridays at the Farm.

Aug. 11, Summer Sculpture Walk. Aug. 17, Japanese Tea Ceremony in the Teahouse. Aug. 18, Inside the Japanese Teahouse. Aug. 31-Sept. 1, National Dahlia Show. See Meijer Gardens Summer Concerts and Tuesday Evening Music Club in Music and Grand

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum: Special exhibitions: Through Sept. 2, “Extraordinary Circumstances: The Presidency of Gerald R. Ford.” Permanent exhibitions: Highlights from Mr. and Mrs. Ford’s lives, plus featured online exhibits.

Also, DeVos Learning Center. Open daily. $8 adults, $7 seniors, $6 college students, $4 ages 6-18, kids 5 and under free. 303 Pearl St. NW, 254-0400, fordlibrarymuseum.gov.

Grand Rapids Art Museum: Special exhibitions: Aug. 24-Feb. 2, “Billy Mayer: The Shape of Things.”

Through Aug. 11, “Self, Symbol, Surrogate: Artist Portraits from GRAM’s Collection.” Through Sept.

1, “Maya Lin: Flow.” Through Sept. 8, “Melanie Daniel: Only Four Degrees.” Special events: See Creativity Uncorked in Lectures & Workshops. Drop-in Studio: 1-4 p.m. every Sat. Closed Mon. $10 adults, $8 seniors/students, $6 kids 6-17, kids 5 and under free; free admission 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue. and 5-9 p.m. Thu. 101 Monroe Center NW, 831-1000, art museumgr.org.

Holland Museum: Special events: Aug. 6, Museum on the Move: Lost Holland Walk. Aug. 12, Free Admission Monday. Aug. 16, Museum on the Move: Fire Walk. Aug. 20, Museum on the Move: Local Ladies Walk. Permanent exhibitions: Local history and Dutch galleries with artwork from the Netherlands from the 1600s-1900s. Also, Spark!Lab. Open Wed.-Sun. $7 adults, $6 seniors, $4 students, kids 5 and under free. 31 W. 10th St., 7963329, hollandmuseum.org. Also, Cappon House: 228 W. Ninth St. Settlers House: 190 W. Ninth St. The Armory: 16 W. Ninth St.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY TRICIA VAN ZELST (TOP); DEER TRACKS JUNCTION (LEFT); AMAZING DINOSAURS (OPPOSITE PAGE)

COMPILED BY TRICIA VAN ZELST

3/ Amazing Dinosaurs is at the Children’s Museum.

John Ball Zoo: More than 2,000 animals representing 230 species, plus aquarium, petting zoo and gift shop. Special events: Aug. 17, Princess Day. Aug. 24, Monarch Day. See Rock, Roar and Pour in Special Events. Open daily. $13 adults, $10 seniors and kids 2-12, kids under 2 free. 1300 W. Fulton St., 336-4300, jbzoo.org.

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts: Special exhibitions: Through Aug. 18, “Orna Ben-Ami: Entire Life in a Package.” Through Aug. 25, West Michigan Area Show and “L’esprit: Exploring Wit and Beauty in French Prints.” Through Sept. 22, “Moments of Peace: Watercolors by Sunghyun Moon.” Special event: Aug. 2, Everyone’s a Member Day with free admission, class discounts, gallery shop discount and Art Hop. Closed Mon. $5 adults, $2 students with ID; members and kids 12 and under free. 314 S. Park St., Kalamazoo, (269) 349-7775, kiarts.org.

Meyer May House: Restored Frank Lloyd Wright 1909 prairie-style house includes original furnishings. Open for guided tours 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Tue. and Thu.; 1-4 p.m. Sun. (last tour one hour before close). Free. 450 Madison Ave. SE, 246-4821, mey ermayhouse.steelcase.com.

Muskegon Museum of Art: Special exhibitions: Through Aug. 18, “Replay: The Exhibition.” Through Sept. 1, “Lights, Camera, Rock ‘n Roll: The Music Photography of Paul Jendrasiak” and “Guitar with Wings: The Photography of Laurence Juber.”

Through Sept. 8, “Rising Voices: The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realists.” Special event: Aug. 1, Lecture by Bennett Prize Winner Aneka Ingold. Closed Mon. $10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 college students, kids 16 and under free. 296 W. Webster Ave., Muskegon, (231) 720-2570, muskegonartmu seum.org.

Nelis’ Dutch Village: Dutch theme park with rides, petting zoo, wooden shoe carving, Delftwaremaking demonstrations, costumed employees, shops and restaurants. Special events: Aug. 21, Ice Cream Social and Grandpa’s 85th Birthday.

Open daily. $13 adults, $12 seniors, $11 kids 3-15.

12350 James St., Holland, 396-1475, dutchvillage. com.

Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium: Shows use Digistar production and surround sound. This month: “SpacePark360: Infinity,” “Secrets of the Sun,” “Subatomic,” “Under Scorching Skies,” “The Little Star that Could,” and “Dark Side: The Light Show.” $5, $4 with admission to the museum, members free. Special event: Aug. 1, Double feature: “The Queen Light Show” and “Dark Side: The Light Show.” Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW, 456-3977, grpm.org/planetarium.

TreeRunner Adventure Park: Self-guided highwire forest adventure includes ziplines, Tarzan swings, rope bridges and swinging logs, plus Junior Park for kids 4-7. Training included with admission. Special events: Aug. 8, Beach Bash Glow Night. Open Fri.-Sun. $39 adults, $35 kids 7-13, $20 kids 4-7. 2121 Celebration Drive NE, 226-3993, treerunnergrandrapids.com.

Veen Observatory: Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association hosts various events. Special events: Aug. 10 and 24, Public Night from 9-11:30 p.m. ($3 adults, $2 kids 5-17, kids under 5 free).

Aug. 24, Telescope Clinic. All events subject to weather; call 897-7065 for updates. 3308 Kissing Rock Ave. SE, Lowell. graaa.org.

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Through Aug. 16 - Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck: Music by area musicians every Thu. and Fri. night. Aug. 1-2, The Vega Quartet.

Aug. 8-9, Encore! Aug. 15-16, The Akropolis Reed Quintet. 7:30 p.m. Saugatuck Women’s Club, 303 Butler St. $20 adults, $5 students, $100 season. saugatuckmusic.org.

Through Aug. 16 - Holland Summer Concerts: Live music 6:30-8:30 p.m. every Fri. Kollen Park, 240 Kollen Park Drive. Free. downtown holland.com.

Through Aug. 18 - Cook Carillon Concert Series: Concerts every Sun. at 8 p.m. Aug. 4, Sue Bergren. Aug. 11, Lisa Lonie. Aug. 18, Julianne Vanden Wyngaard. GVSU Allendale Campus, 1 Campus Drive. gvsu.edu/music.

Through Aug. 21 - Saugatuck Music in the Park: Free family-friendly music in Saugatuck 7-9 p.m. every Wed. Wicks Park Gazebo, Water Street. saugatuck.com.

Through Aug. 22 - GRAM on the Green: Free outdoor music concerts with dancing, food trucks and cash bar 6-9 p.m. every Thu. Aug. 1, Blushing Monk. Aug. 8, Hannah Rose & the Gravestones with KJ and the Good Time Family Band. Aug. 15, Jake Kershaw. Aug. 22, Cameron Blake with Samuel Nalangiria. Grand Rapids Art Museum Terrace, 101 Monroe Center NW. artmuseumgr.org/calendar/gram-on-the-green.

Through Aug. 27 - Tuesday Evening Music Club: Local and regional musicians perform every Tues. at Meijer Gardens outdoor amphitheater. Aug. 6, The Hip Pocket and Soul Syndicate. Aug. 13, The River Rogues Jazz Band and Sam’s Swing Band. Aug. 27, Ralston & Friends. 7 p.m. 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE. Free with admission. meijergardens.org.

Through Aug. 28 - Concerts in the Park (Holland): Free lunchtime concerts every Wed. Aug. 7, Coty Bouchard. Aug. 14, Greg Nagy. Aug. 21, Molly. Aug. 28, Bri Baron Band. Noon-1 p.m.

GDK Park, 8th St. between Central and River Avenues. downtownholland.com.

Through Aug. 29 - Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts: Free concerts 7 p.m. every Thu. Aug. 1, Roosevelt Diggs. Aug. 15, Desmond Jones. Aug. 22, B-Side Growlers. Aug. 29, Natchez Trace and The Adams Family.

Riverwalk Plaza along Flat River, downtown Lowell. lowellartsmi.org.

Through Aug. 29 - Music at the Point: Spring Lake Heritage Festival hosts free concerts every Thu. 7-8:30 p.m. Mill Point Park, 612 W. Savidge St., Spring Lake. slheritagefestival.com.

94 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

Through Sept. 18 - Meijer Gardens Summer Concerts: National acts perform in outdoor amphitheater. Aug. 1, The Beach Boys. Aug. 7, CAKE. Aug. 8, Sarah McLachlan. Aug. 9, Styx.

Aug. 11, Foreigner. Aug. 14, JJ Grey & Mofro and Johnny Lang. Aug. 15, Stray Cats. Aug. 23, Michael Franti and Spearhead. 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE. meijergardens.org.

Aug. 16 - Beers at the Bridge: Fifth annual free summer concert series. 6-9 p.m. Ada Covered Bridge/Leonard Field, 7490 Thornapple River Drive SE. adamichigan.org.

Aug. 16 - Chris Stapleton: Country singer performs All-American Road Show tour. 7 p.m.

Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. $80 and up. vanandelarena.com.

Aug. 1 - Between the Silos: Wildwood Family Farms summer concert series presents Kari Lynch Band. 7:30 p.m. 7970 Snow Ave. SE, Alto. $18-$24. wildwoodfamilyfarms.com/2019-concert-artists.

Aug. 17 - Elton Rohn: Tribute band for Elton John. 8 p.m. Park Theatre, 248 S. River Ave., Holland. $18-$30. parktheatreholland.org.

Aug. 1 - The Family Tree of the String Quartet: Saugatuck Center for the Arts presents intimate morning concert with The Vega Quartet.

10-11:30 a.m. 400 Culver St., Saugatuck. Free. sc4a.org.

Aug. 17 - Moose Fest: Radio station 107.9 FM presents annual country music party on the lakeshore. Heritage Landing, Muskegon. Free; tickets available at local businesses. 107mus. iheart.com.

Aug. 2 - Picnic Pops: Grand Rapids Symphony presents family-friendly concert: Nashville: The Songwriters, Their Stories, The Symphony.

7:30 p.m. Cannonsburg Ski Area, 6800 Cannonsburg Road NE, Belmont. $5-$20. grsymphony.org.

Aug. 17-18 - GRandJazzFest: Eighth annual free jazz festival featuring local and national musicians. 12:30-10 p.m. Sat., 1-7 p.m. Sun. Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center NW. grandjazzfest.org.

Aug. 5, 19 - Summer in the Studio: Saugatuck Center for the Arts concerts. Aug. 5, Chris Blisset. Aug. 19, Jaime Marvin. 8 p.m. 400 Culver St., Saugatuck. $15. sc4a.org.

Aug. 7-10 - Unity Christian Music Festival: Multiple stages, youth events and kids activities.

Main stage artists include Skillet, Switchfoot, Holly Starr and Jason Fowler. Heritage Landing, Muskegon. Wed. free; $45 one day, $65 two days, $90 three days. unitymusicfestival.com.

Aug. 8 - Walker Standale Summer Concert Series: Free family-friendly entertainment with Sounds Familiar. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Walker Community Park, 700 Cummings Ave. NW. walker.city.

Aug. 8-10 - Cowpie Music Festival: Eclectic live regional bands, food, beverages and crafts.

Camping available. Shagbark Farm, 7500 Alaska Ave. SE, Caledonia. cowpiemusicfestival.com.

Aug. 9 - Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss: Country singers. 7:30 p.m. Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. $27-$213. vanandelarena.com.

Aug. 12, 19 - Circle Theatre Summer Concert Series: Aug. 12, Edge of the Millennium: Top Hits of 1999. Aug. 19, Imagine All the People: Songs That Inspire. 7 p.m. Aquinas College PAC, 1703 Robinson Road SE. $18. circletheatre.org.

Aug. 13 - Twins of Evil: Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson: Singers perform Hell Never Dies tour. 7 p.m. Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. $36-$97. vanandelarena.com.

Aug. 22, 24-25 - Shoreline Jazz Festival: Sixth annual Muskegon festival features Alexander Zonjic and guests. Concert 7:30 p.m. Thu. at The Block, 360 W. Western Ave. Festival with jazz performers: 1-9 p.m. Sat., noon-8 p.m. Sun. at Heritage Landing ($40 Sat. or Sun., $70 both days). shorelinejazzfestival.com.

Aug. 23 - Alabama: Country rock band performs 50th anniversary tour. 7 p.m. Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. $32-$127. vanandelarena.com.

Aug. 23-24 - Breakaway Music Festival: With headliners Big Gigantic, Louis the Child, Kaskade and Wiz Khalifa. 4-11 p.m. Fri., 3-11 p.m.

Sat. Belknap Park, 30 Coldbrook St. NE. $40 daily, $75 two-day. breakawaymichigan.com.

Aug. 26 - Why Don’t We: Pop group performs “8 Letters” tour. 7 p.m. DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $39-$99. devosperformance hall.com.

Aug. 27 - JoJo Siwa: Nickolodeon and YouTube singer performs D.R.E.A.M. tour. 7 p.m. Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. $37-$258. van andelarena.com.

LECTURES & WORKSHOPS Aug. - FLPC Art Workshops: Aug. 1-3, “Painting Costumes and Clothed Figures” by Katriel Srebnik. Aug. 12-16, “Light and Shadow: Painting the Emotional Landscape” by David Sharpe.

Aug. 15-17, “Keep It Simple and Strong” by Keiko Tanabe. Aug. 16-17, “Intuition and Design to Create What’s Next” by Stanka Kordic. Aug. 19, “Acrylic Explorations” by Kathleen Mooney. Aug. 30-31, “Watercolor Sketchbook Workshop” by William

COME

party WITH US

Mancuso. Franciscan Life Process Center, 11650 Downes St. NE, Lowell. lifeprocesscenter.org.

Aug. - Grand Rapids Public Libraries: Adults: book clubs, computer/technology instruction.

Kids: Summer Reading Challenge, Lego Block Party, story times. grpl.org.

Aug. - Kent District Libraries: Adults: SuperPartyWonderDay, KDaLe Book Club, Apple Users Group, book sales, book discussions, computer/technology instruction. Kids: Summer Reading Challenge, Outdoor Discovery: Animal Communication, Teen Zone: Escape Room, Paint a Mug, Pint Size Polkas, Ruff Readers, Pokémon Club, story times. kdl.org.

Aug. - Summer Swing Dancing: 7-9:30 p.m. every Tue. in downtown Grand Rapids. First 30 minutes is instruction. Aug. 6 and 20, Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center NW. Aug. 13 and 27, Ah-Nab-Awen Park, 220 Front Ave. NW. grandrapidsoriginalswingsociety.com.

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Through Aug. 1 - Balletmore Summer Dance Season: Diverse class options include ballet, lyrical and pointe technique for all ages of kids to adults and include beginner and seasoned dancers. 4:30-8:30 p.m. Tue. and Thu. 2335 Burton St. SE. $375. balletmore.com.

Aug. 8-9 - Global Leadership Summit: Cornerstone University hosts workshops and networking. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Christ Chapel, 1001 East Beltline Ave NE. $189. cornerstone. edu/why-cornerstone-university/events/glob al-leadership-summit.

Aug. 9 - Creativity Uncorked: Grand Rapids Art Museum hosts social evening and art workshop “Mixed Media Symbolism.” Ages 21+.

Registration required. 6:45-9 p.m. 101 Monroe Center NW. $40. artmuseumgr.org/learn/cre ativityuncorked.

Aug. 23 - Contra Dance: Grand River Folk Arts Society hosts instruction and dancing. 7 p.m.

701 Fifth St. NW. $10 adults, $8 members, $5 students and seniors. sites.google.com/site/ grfolkarts.

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AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 95

out & about WHERE TO GO / WHAT TO DO

1/ I Prevail

Comedy & nightclub venues COMPILED BY TRICIA VAN ZELST

1/ 20 MONROE LIVE: 2,500-seat venue hosts live music, entertainment and special events. On Aug. 9, Michigan rock band I Prevail performs “The Trauma Tour.” The show starts at 7:30 p.m. All ages welcome. Tickets are $33 and up. 11 Ottawa Ave. NW, (844) 678-5483, 20monroelive.com.

2/ RUMORS NIGHTCLUB: The gay bar and dance club hosts Sunday night drag shows at 10:15 p.m. with house divas and rotating performers. On Aug. 11, the Drag Queen of the Year Competition begins at 10:15 p.m. 69 S. Division Ave., 454-8720, rumorsnightclub.net.

Back Forty Saloon: Line dancing and live country bands Fri. and Sat., DJs Thu. 48 W. Fulton St., 742-4040, thebackfortysaloon.com.

Billy’s Lounge: Eastown bar and music venue hosts live music with emphasis on blues. 1437 Wealthy St. SE, 459-5757, billyslounge.com.

The B.O.B.: The Big Old Building houses multiple entertainment options: live music Fri. and Sat. at Bobarino’s; DJs and dance floor at Eve on Fri. and Sat.; live music at House of Music and Entertainment (H.O.M.E.); and stand-up comedy at Dr. Grins. 20 Monroe Ave. NW, 3562000, thebob.com.

Dr. Grins Comedy Club: Nationally acclaimed comedians perform Thu.Sat. Aug. 1-3, Brad Wenzel. Aug. 8-10, Andy Woodhull. Aug. 15-17, Shane Torres. Aug. 22-24, Rachel Feinstein.

Aug. 29-31, Matt Holt. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Thu.; 8 and 10:30 p.m. Fri. and Sat. Tickets are $5-$15. The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave. NW, 356-2000, the bob.com/drgrinscomedy.

2/ Rumors Nightclub 96 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

Flanagan’s: Irish pub with live music from local bands on Fri. and Sat.; also live Irish music on Thu. and Sun. 139 Pearl St. NW, 980-0705, flana gansgr.com.

Founders Brewing Co.: Large taproom features live music Thu. and Sat., plus Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra on the first Sunday of each month. 235 Grandville Ave. SW, 7762182, foundersbrewing.com.

Grand Rapids Brewing Co.: Restaurant/taproom with live music Fri.-Sun. 1 Ionia Ave. SW, 458-7000, grbrewingcompany.com.

Grand Woods Lounge: Restaurant/bar with dance floor hosts DJs and live music Fri. and Sat. 77 Grandville Ave. SW, 451-4300, grandwoodslounge.com.

The Intersection: Four-bar concert venue hosts nationally known bands.

133 Grandville Ave. SW, 451-8232, sectionlive.com.

J. Gardella’s Tavern: Dance club Fri. and Sat. nights on third floor with DJs.

3/ The Comedy Project GR 11 Ionia Ave. NW, 459-8824, jgardellas tavern.com.

Mixology: Lobby lounge overlooking downtown GR and Grand River has live music Fri. and Sat. nights and live jazz brunch on Sun. JW Marriott, 235 Louis St. NW, 242-1500, ilovethejw. com/dining/mixology.

Mojo’s: DJs and dance floor on second level Wed., Fri. and Sat., with dueling pianos show on main floor Wed.-Sat. nights. 180 Monroe Ave. NW, 776-9000, mojospianobar.com.

The Pyramid Scheme: Heartside pub and live music venue. 68 Commerce Ave. SW, pyramidscheme bar.com.

River City Improv: Comedy improv team performs monthly Sept.-May. Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy St. SE. rivercityimprov.com.

River Rock at The Grand River Hotel: Live music Fri. and Sat. and jazz brunch Sun. 270 Ann St. NW, 3639001, thegrandriverhotel.com.

Mulligan’s Pub: Bar and music venue in Eastown. 1518 Wealthy St. SE, 4510775, facebook.com/mulliganspubgr.

Rocky’s Bar & Grill: Dancing every Fri., featuring DJs and live acts. 633 Ottawa Ave. NW, 356-2346, facebook. com/rockysbarandgrill.

One Trick Pony: Grill and taproom hosts live music 8-11 p.m. Thu. and Sat. Reservations accepted. 136 E. Fulton St., 235-7669, onetrick.biz.

Stella’s Lounge: Drink features and live DJs every Fri. and Sat. 53 Commerce Ave. SW, 742-4444, stellas gr.com.

Pop Scholars: Four-person comedy team performs monthly improv show Sept.-May. Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy St. SE, popscholars.com.

Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill: Live music acts and DJs, plus Comedy Tuesdays. 760 Butterworth St. SW, 272-3910, Facebook.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY DANA TARR (TOP); ALC MUNRO (BOTTOM); THE COMEDY PROJECT AND TOM DEVETTE (MIDDLE)

3/ THE COMEDY PROJECT GR: The new comedy theater group in the West Side’s business district has weekly improv, sketch comedy and variety shows. The company also has a training center for improv, comedy writing and comedy acting, and hosts private events. 540 Leonard St. NW, Suite B, 369-7469, thecomedyproject.com.

GRAND RAPIDS

Save the Date

September 14 - 15 Discover the best products for babies and children from dozens of vendors at MSA Woodland!

Get your tickets today at

grbabyandbeyond.eventbrite.com

Follow us on social for event updates, giveaways, and more! @grbabyandbeyond #grbabyandbeyond

out & about SOCIETY / FACES / PLACES

Jackie Sirianno and Eddie Tadlock

Melisa Phon and Gem

Kate Pew Wolters and Miranda Krajiniak Jeff Sorensen and Ashley Diersch

Morgan Shaffer, Sarah Abbel and Danielle Dewitt

Rachel Hurd and Mike Niemchick

Lindsay Balcazar and Shelley Shepard

Christina Pontius and Schnapps and Amber Pontious and Hungry Howie

Rachel Wadke, Hannah Huizenga, Bethany Clark and Megan Murray PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHHNY QUIRIN AND MICHAEL BUCK

Kira Dykema, Jenni Hinsley and Melonie Mouw

98 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

Sarah Brodhead and Jamie Counterman

Jane Timmer and David Abbott

Teri Dobson and Marie Arrington

Individuals at UICA’s Off the Wall spring fundraiser.

CAPTURING THE ACTION AROUND TOWN:

snapshots

Keri, Mayla and Will Ellis

Sammy Brouwer and Wesson

Tom and Zoe Stavrou

PET OWNERS and their fur babies were invited to Grand Rapids Harley Davidson on May 18 for Pet Tales Rescue’s Pints for Pits fundraiser. Pet Tales Rescue is a volunteer-based foster organization helping abandoned pets find new homes.

The UICA held its annual Off the Wall spring fundraiser May 23, highlighting musicians, artists, singers and dancers with opportunities beyond the traditional “gallery atmosphere.”

Ele’s Place’s Healing Hearts Breakfast on May 29 at Frederik Meijer Gardens tugged on the audience’s heartstrings, raising money to help grieving children and teens through programming and activities.

AUGUST 2019 / GRMAG.COM 99

after thoughts

Q:a

Nardos Osterhart breaks out of her comfort zone and faces her fears through comedy.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

MEETING NARDOS OSTERHART or seeing her perform, you wouldn’t guess the reason she got into comedy was to conquer her fear of public speaking. As a nurse by day, Osterhart began moving into more administrative work that required her to speak in front of large crowds, which always made her nervous.

She and her husband loved watching comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and going to see local standup, and Osterhart thought if she had their confidence, she could probably be better at her job. Somewhat impulsively, she reached out to Dr. Grin’s at the B.O.B. and was given a slot. With no material, Osterhart got to work on some jokes.

It took a few tries and a lot of honest feedback from her patient husband before Osterhart felt confident to try her act in public. From there, she received lots of laughs, and she fell in love with performing. That once farfetched dream brought her countless opportunities, and Osterhart even won the title of the Funniest Person in Grand Rapids in 2013.

This summer, you can catch Osterhart on Aug. 10 at the Glimpse of Africa Festival at Rosa Parks Circle.

Did you ever see yourself as a comedian? I pictured myself as a published author, but I never saw myself as a personality that would be on stage. I thought I was way too reserved and way too introverted for that. Yeah, never in a million years.

Coolest experience in comedy so far? I got to open for Tig Notaro, and Tig is just one of those comedians that I really look up to.

What do you like to do in your spare time? I just love hanging out with my family. I’ve had the recent privilege and opportunity to travel, some with my family and some without, and I gotta tell you, there’s nothing like home for me.

100 GRMAG.COM \ AUGUST 2019

All that Glows beaut y event Thursday, September 19th | Bengtson Center Let’s Celebrate! Dr. Bengtson, Dr. Alfonso and the entire Bengtson Center team invite you and your friends to a FUN & Educational evening that focuses on you, our guest.

The evening will feature all things beauty, body and skin care and is the event of the season…one you won’t want to miss!

RSVP by calling 616.588.8880 or visit bengtsoncenter.com/events b e n g t s o n c e n t e r .c o m

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