Grand Rapids Magazine - February 2019

CELEBRATING CITY LIFE

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Wedding ‘I dos’ and don’ts

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Tips and tricks to help prepare for that special day

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Contents FEBRUARY 2019 / VOL. 55 / NO. 02

FEATURES 30 / ‘More than a history lesson’ With growth on the horizon, Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives stands as a catalyst for social justice.

BY SAM EASTER

38 / Wedding ‘I dos’ and don’ts Tips and tricks from Grand Rapids newlyweds to help you prepare for that special day.

BY PASHA SHIPP

30 4 GRMAG.COM \ FEBRUARY 2019

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contents FEBRUARY 2019 / VOL. 55 / NO. 02

departments BACK & FORTH 8 / From the Managing Editor, contributors and letters

70 / Pints of interest: Chocolate-infused beer 78 / Cocktail hour: DIY wedding cocktail inspiration

10 / Social media, GRMag.com sneak peeks, previews and more LIFE & STYLE 12 / Noteworthy items include Beer Month GR, Winter Games and Valentine’s Day culinary inspiration.

14 / GR’s Top 5 wedding photo sites

80

20

“By placing these small natural objects in glass jars, my eyes were able to notice the details of each object, how they related to each other and their inherent qualities.”

— Shilin Hora

18 16 / Reading room: “Women on the Move: The Forgotten Era of Women’s Bicycle Racing” by Roger Gilles

OUT & ABOUT 84 / February highlights 85 / Calendar 88 / Comedy & nightclub venue listings and highlights 92 / Museums & attractions listings and highlights

17 / Health & wellness: Dance: a practice of intuitive movement

94 / Snap shots 96 / After thoughts: Veverly Austin of Girl, Get Your Fight Back

18 / Public Thread ART & DESIGN 20 / Art gallery profile: Shilin Hora’s “Seed Museums” at GVSU

CAUSE & EFFECT 80 / 70x7 Life Recovery

16

24 / Art gallery listings and highlights 26 / Trendy wedding beauty inspiration

ON THE COVER: Planning a wedding is a major undertaking. As the big day approaches, it can be difficult figuring out how to prioritize everything. We asked some local newlyweds to share their best tips and tricks; see page 39 for their advice.

FOOD & DRINK 58 / Dining review: Leo’s 60 / Restaurant listings for West Michigan 64 / Chef profile: Charles Golczynski at Mokaya

64

92

Photography courtesy Emily Capisciolto.

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Imagine yourself with a new smile

Call us today to learn how you can have the Healthiest and Most Beautiful Smile in All of West Michigan!

Thankyou

FOR VOTING US GRAND RAPIDS “BEST DENTIST” FOR 7 CONSECUTIVE YEARS!

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Dr. Thomas J. Lambert D.D.S. 3300 Grand Ridge Dr NE | Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525 | Phone 616.364.6490

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back & forth CONNECT WITH US

Take the stress out of weddings

W

WHILE THE FROSTY DAYS of winter aren’t quite over, spring is right around the corner and bringing wedding season right along with it.

So, this month, Grand Rapids Magazine stepped in with a little bit of guidance for Grand Rapids’ brides- and grooms-to-be.

With wedding season, for many, comes quite a bit of stress. As GRM contributing writer Pasha Shipp put it, “As wedding season approaches, countless couples start obsessing over fonts, hunting for the perfect centerpieces and debating about who gets to attend their ceremony.”

Sound familiar? If so, look no further than this month’s feature, “Wedding ‘I dos’ and don’ts.”

Pasha spoke with a few Grand Rapids wedding planners and newlyweds for some insight on

how to navigate some of the challenges of getting hitched.

And those still looking for that perfect look for your special day may find some inspiration on page 26, where GRM contributor Julie Bonner Williams got the scoop on what’s trending this wedding season from a few of GR’s own boutiques, salons and makeup artists. Plus, you can find our favorite spots around the city to give you a stunning bridal portrait backdrop on page 14.

A tribute to Black History Month, GRM contributor Sam Easter got in touch with George Bayard III of the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives, which paints a picture of decades of racial injustice in Grand Rapids but, in his words, is “about more than a history lesson.” While Bayard noted GR has come a long way, it still has a long way to go from here — and the museum, almost a metaphor for social change in GR, has plans to grow alongside the city.

Still not ready for spring just yet? Visit the calendar section for plenty of winter fun. Downtown Grand Rapids’ World of Winter festival, Feb. 14-17, is sure to keep the snowy spirit alive, along with Disco on Ice on North Monroe (Feb. 15), Muskegon’s Snowfest (Feb. 2) and the 14th annual Winter Beer Festival, which kicks off Feb. 22 at Fifth Third Ball Park.

Whether you’re still embracing the cold or have your sights set on the warmer days ahead, there’s plenty for all to enjoy this February in West Michigan.

Sarah Tincher Managing Editor, Grand Rapids Magazine

This month, we asked some of our contributors, “What do you love most about your job?”

Sam Easter,

Pat Evans,

Pasha Shipp,

WRITER

WRITER

WRITER

“ROOM TO GROW,” PAGE 30

“A CHOCOLATE LOVER’S DREAM,” PAGE 70

“WEDDING ‘I DOS’ AND DON’TS,” PAGE 38

“The ability to meet so many people and tell their stories has been an amazing piece of my life.”

“I love the variety. I get to interview all kinds of di˜ erent people and learn about really interesting and unique subjects.”

“Writing and reporting doesn’t really feel like a job. It’s a way to learn more about the world while making it better.”

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY THINKSTOCK

Q&A:

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2017-18 Readers Poll

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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 …

GRAND RAPIDS IS home to plenty of picturesque sites for your engagement and bridal party photos. For our top five favorites and more, visit page 14 and grmag.com.

39th annual Dining Awards: Grand Rapids Magazine’s annual Dining Awards are back to celebrate the city’s Top 10 Restaurants, Restaurant of the Year and Best New Restaurant.

Order up a poke bowl at Poke Toki, the newest venture from chef John Chang.

Visit grmag.com

For a case of ’70s nostalgia, visit The Commons, a new restaurant in Heritage Hill. Visit grmag.com

What’s your ideal first date in Grand Rapids?

Our social media followers respond:

30% Grabbing coffee

15% Dinner and a movie

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

At grmag.com Our weekend picks will keep you busy throughout the month.

Don’t miss out on “Mamma Mia!” this month at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.

NEXT MONTH’S QUESTION:

24% A walk through the city

31% Meeting for happy hour

Is a hot dog a sandwich?

We want to hear from you There are tons of ways to reach us. By mail: Editor, Grand Rapids Magazine, 549 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 201, 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:

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK (FAR RIGHT & FAR LEFT); COURTESY POKE TOKI (TOP CENTER); CHARLSIE DEWEY (LOWER CENTER); THINKSTOCK (BOTTOM RIGHT)

On the radio

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Covering Grand Rapids Since 1964 www.grmag.com

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EDITORIAL EDITOR: Tim Gortsema

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MANAGING EDITOR: Sarah Tincher COPY EDITOR: Tom Mitsos CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jaye Beeler, Ann Byle, Ira Craaven, Sam Easter, Pat Evans, Kara McNabb, Mark F. Miller, Torrence R. O’Haire, Amy Ruis, Tylee Shay, Pasha Shipp, Julie Bonner Williams, Tricia van Zelst EDITORIAL INTERN: Allison Arnold

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Grand Rapids Magazine (ISSN 1055-5145) is published monthly by Gemini Media. Publishing offices: 549 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 201, 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.

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

noteworthy INTERESTING TIDBITS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Now you’re cooking!

Enjoy an evening out and spruce up your chef skills this Valentine’s Day with a cooking class.

• The Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave. SW, offers two love-inspired classes, “That’s Amore: A Romantic Evening in Italy” and “Valentine’s Day Love Potions.” ($60-$90; downtownmarketgr. com)

The sixth annual Winter Games, part of the Meijer State Games of Michigan, will return this year with sporting events taking place over three weekends at various West Michigan venues throughout February, with the main weekend of events being held Feb. 15-17. The Olympic-style sports festival is open to all Michigan residents and includes a variety of sports, from speed skating and skiing to archery and fencing. For more information on events, visit stategamesof michigan.com.

• In addition to the daily classes offered at Sur La Table, 2500 Burton St. SE, there is an assortment of Valentine’s-themed classes offered during the month of February, such as “Girls Night Out: Galentine’s Day Fondue Party,” “Valentine’s Day Macarons,” “Family Fun: Valentine’s Treats” and “Date Night.” ($55-$85; surlatable.com)

• Chef Jenna Arcidiacono at Amore Trattoria Italiana, 5080 Alpine Ave. NW, hosts a free cooking class each month centered on a different theme or recipe. (amoretrattoriaitaliana.com)

• The Local Epicurean, 1440 Wealthy St. SE, offers regularly scheduled classes, such as its “Pasta 100 Series” and “Chocolate Lunch for Two,” among others. ($49+; thelocalepicurean.com)

Epicurean classes are designed for the adventurous foodie in all of us.

— ALLISON ARNOLD

— ALLISON ARNOLD

Celebrate Beer City

B

eer Month GR will take place Feb. 15-March 15, featuring numerous events and activities for beer enthusiasts. Around 50 restaurants are expected to participate in Cool Brews. Hot

Eats., offering food and beer pairings throughout the month. Over 140 Michigan breweries will be featured at the 14th annual Winter Beer

Festival at Fifth Third Ballpark from Feb. 22-23. Taste your way through the large selection of Michigan craft beer and food while enjoying live music and entertainment, ice sculptures, and fire pits to stay warm.

Stay up to date on all of the events at experiencegr.com/beer-month.

— ALLISON ARNOLD

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY EXPERIENCE GRAND RAPIDS (BOTTOM); JEANNE QUILLAN (LEFT); EMILY WAID PHOTOGRAPHY/THE LOCAL EPICUREAN (RIGHT)

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

GRAND RAPIDS’ TOP 5

Bridal photo sites

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

GRAND RAPIDS IS HOME TO all sorts of picturesque sites that could be the perfect backdrop for your engagement and bridal party photos.

For those looking for a natural setting, the scenic, 264-acre Blandford Nature Center, 1715 Hillburn Ave. NW, features gorgeous wooded areas, streams and meadows, 4 miles of trails, the Blandford Farm and historic buildings in the Heritage Village.

The Blue Bridge, a 19th-century railroad bridge later converted to a pedestrian walkway that stretches across the Grand River between the GVSU Eberhard Center and a walkway that leads to Campau Avenue, is the quintessential GR photo op, with views of the city skyline in the background.

With 158 acres of breathtaking sites, including five indoor theme gardens, nature trails, a boardwalk and sculpture park, there are endless photo opportunities at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE. Fallasburg Park, located at 1124 Fallasburg Drive NE in Lowell, offers 287 acres of scenic space, featuring nature trails and picnic areas, a covered bridge crossing the Flat River and an iconic shelter house — perfect for a rustic, yet elegant, backdrop.

Spanning across the Thornapple River, the historic, 125-foot Ada Covered Bridge, located in the 2-acre Leonard Park at 7490 Thornapple River Drive SE, is a lovely setting bursting with vintage charm.

Left and above: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Top left: The Blue Bridge

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READING ROOM

Roger Gilles credits his wife, author Sue Stauffacher, for the inspiration behind his new book “Women on the Move: The Forgotten Era of Women’s Bicycle Racing” — and it all started in the bathroom of Big O’s pizza café.

As she washed her hands, Stauffacher took note of a vintage postcard for Sweet’s Hotel (now the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel) that featured Tillie Anderson, or Tillie the Terrible Swede, a female bicycle racer who had come to Grand Rapids in the 1890s, the peak of women’s bicycle racing.

Stauffacher went on to write a children’s book, published in 2011, titled “Tillie the Terrible Swede: How One Woman, a Sewing Needle, and a Bicycle Changed History,” which recounted the tale of Tillie Anderson in picture-book form.

Research for Gilles’ book centered on Alice Roepke, Anderson’s great-niece, who owned the bicyclist’s scrapbooks and was intent on keeping her legacy alive. During a bike-riding book tour with stops between Grand Rapids and Chicago, Stauffacher and Gilles met Roepke in person; she wanted a full-length biography of Anderson.

“My wife said she was a children’s book author. I was standing there and had a sabbatical coming up, so I said maybe I could do it,” said Gilles, director of the Frederik Meijer Honors College at Grand Valley State University. “My only qualification was that I like sports history and sports statistics. In those days, bicycle racing was recorded in statistics that were buried in newspapers.”

Women’s professional bicycle racing took the United States by storm from 18951902 — just seven years of crowds, newspaper coverage and fame. But after 1902, the women and the craze faded into obscurity.

Until now, thanks to Gilles’ exhaustive research into the stars, culture and craze of women’s cycling. His research includes information on the women who raced and how they changed American views of women as competitors and top athletes.

For Gilles, “Women on the Move” came to be about more than Anderson; it’s about an era that has long been forgotten but helped changed the way America viewed women.

“These “T hese women should be known to all cyclists and women athletes as pioneers,” Gilles said. “They “T hey were accused of racing for show instead of competitiveness and were judged on their looks. Modern women athletes have struggled with these things, as — ANN BYLE well.”

“They were accused of racing for show instead of competitiveness and were judged on their looks. Modern women athletes have struggled with these things, as well.”

— Roger Gilles

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN (TOP & BOTTOM); COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PRESS (CENTER)

Women race into history

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health & wellness

BY KARA MCNABB

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM GEBBEN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN (TOP & BOTTOM); COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PRESS (CENTER)

A practice of intuitive movement HIGHER FUNCTIONING doesn’t just happen; it’s a practice, whether that’s in work, sport or in relation to yourself or others.

Dance, or intuitive movement, happens to be a practice for me that cultivates presence.

Presence, to me, means being able to stay connected to my centered self, rather than a place of fear, worry, the past or future, or some other emotion that pulls me away.

In this practice, I often find insight, clarity or relief.

According to Cynthia Winton-Henry, cofounder of the international dance organization InterPlay, “Between the beginning and end of a dance, we form a little world.”

In an intuitive dance practice, we form the world we feel and form the world we want.

Seven years ago, I encountered the strangest dancer I’d ever seen. He didn’t conform to what dance should look like, as prescribed by the normalized American form, nor in a way that tried to gain acceptance. Instead, he moved however his body wanted to move. This moment inspired me.

Over the years, I’ve let myself dance in “weird” ways. Not in rhythm to the beat, maybe with my hands, with my eyes closed, in slowness, silence or even stillness and, mostly, however the music or ambiance moves me.

I’ve recorded these dances in my living room and, in playback, began to notice how my movement reflected what I was feeling.

I noticed joy, insecurity, rigidity, peace and more.

I’ve had teachers who integrate somatic movement, and again, noticed the insight that came when paying attention to the patterns of my movement.

Once this became a practice of awareness, I began to notice how it also became a practice of release. After a breakup left me swirling in pain, talking and journaling did little to move the grief. In dancing with the emotion, however, it began to let go.

As I’ve incorporated more of this work with clients, it’s helped with insight into personality patterns and expressing relationship desires.

Jenny Bremer (left), Erica Erlewwine (center) and Kara McNabb perform somatic movement.

It’s helped build self-esteem and confront fears.

Here’s one way you can try it. T hink of something that evokes fear. Maybe it’s a conversation with a co-worker, leaving a marriage, physical pain or getting stuck in a small space.

Let your body move as the fear. Perhaps your dance is a series of stiff, tense movements.

Maybe your dance moves you away or toward something, quickly or slowly, in big postures or small. Now try moving in the opposite of what came naturally. What happened?

This is just one example of how dance can be a tool for change. When we use our body to move differently, we create and strengthen new neural pathways, and in this dance with self, we gain presence.

“Between the beginning and end of a dance, we form a little world.”

— Cynthia Winton-Henry

— Kara McNabb is a traditional naturopath at Continuum Healing and member of The Wellness Collective GR. Follow her on Instagram at @grandrapidsnaturopath.

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

Upcycling for the greater good

Public Thread founder Janay Brower sorts through donated material.

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND PASSION always have been a part of Janay Brower’s work. Before starting Public Thread, she worked for the city of Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids Area Coalition to End Homelessness, doing systems change and public policy work. But despite the work she was doing, Brower wanted to find a way to foster deeper systemic change.

So, in 2016, she launched Public Thread, a sustainable business producing small-batch cut and sew products with a multifaceted mission in mind.

T he apparel industry is the second-largest industrial polluter behind oil, Brower said, and it represents the third-largest group of materials in Kent County landfills. In an effort to divert textiles from landfills, Public T hread uses materials that would otherwise be headed for the landfill and re-imagines their use, repurposing them into one-of-a-kind handmade items such as laptop cases, travel bags, purses and wristlets.

Public T hread started by working with breweries, collecting grain bags and repurposing them into tote bags. “It kept evolving and allowed us to continue to explore,” Brower said.

Public Thread began to form partnerships with other businesses such as Steelcase and Padnos, using leftover materials such as textiles, banners and seatbelts (which she said make great bag handles).

“I want to build a system that can support a number of businesses and build those partnerships,” Brower said. Public Thread works with a number of businesses, not only repurposing scrap material but creating products for companies, as well. Through the company’s Banners to Bags program, for example, businesses can submit their banners and billboards to be turned into bags for future use.

But Brower’s mission didn’t stop with the environment; rather, she aims to support the community and “disrupt the current textile industry with creativity and collaboration,” paying her employees a living wage — something that’s often hard to find in the clothing

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

“I want to build a system that can support a number of businesses and build those partnerships.”

— Janay Brower

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

industry. Plus, she operates on a workerowned business model.

Public T hread’s commitment to justice is evident on every level, from its business model and partnerships to its focus on the environment and people, and even down to its packaging. Don’t expect your newly purchased wristlet to be wrapped in a bag with tissue paper, although Brower said she’ll wrap it in a scrap piece of material if you really want.

While it seems like a no-brainer to adopt a similar business model centered on people, the environment and justice, it’s more difficult than it may seem. When companies can send manufacturing overseas and pay extremely low wages, they can not only charge less for products but can produce more and make more profit. Paying living wages and operating on a sustainable business model doesn’t always fit this mentality.

“I’m trying to compete on value,” Brower said, explaining she can’t compete with

Demi McNeal works on a crossbody bag.

the traditional apparel industry based on price alone. Brower is focused on honoring employees, which means competing with large companies by creating high-quality products while cutting production costs, rather than wages.

Brower has thought about the idea of becoming a nonprofit but said she realized Public Thread needs to be a for-profit business in order to create systemic change. “In the end, it’s not about charity, it’s about justice,” she said. As a business owner, Brower is able to employ local talent, pay living wages and keep thousands of pounds of material out of the landfill, all while setting an example for what is possible.

“We need models, places that show us how to do these things,” Brower said. As people begin to realize the impact they have as consumers, and businesses begin to realize that a sustainable business model is possible, she hopes the system will start to — ALLISON ARNOLD change.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

TRENDS / PEOPLE / INNOVATION / PLACES

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‘Feel the voice of nature’ Michigan native repurposes nature in multimedia art exhibition.

A

t just 8 years old, Shilin Hora discovered her reverence for nature. She would spend hours noticing the smallest intricacies of the earth, peeling moss from sidewalk cracks, admiring the canopies beneath trees and crafting terrariums.

“I remember carefully landscaping miniature gardens inside Ball canning jars with lush green moss and fresh soil,” Hora said. “By placing these small natural objects in glass jars, my eyes were able to notice the details of each object, how they related to each other and

Shilin Hora

their inherent qualities.”

Hora, who currently resides in Chicago but grew up in St. Joseph, reflects on her elementary years as brimming with self-guided outdoor adventures — from peach groves and grape vineyards to forests and sand dunes, Hora spent ample time outdoors. Homework assignments included leaf branch sculptures, sand drawings and seed studies.

Later, Hora attended Grand Valley State University and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in printmaking and sculpture, then spent a few years working at Kendall Col-

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN (BOTTOM); COURTESY AMILCAR PEREZ (TOP)

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

“My vision for the ‘Seed Museums’ exhibit is that this collection provokes a (thought) about nature and how we use it. I hope the beauty of the work will inspire conversations and actions toward conservation or preservation of nature.”

— Shilin Hora

“Seed Museums” is on display at the West Wall Gallery at Grand Valley State University.

FEBRUARY 2019 / GRMAG.COM 21

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art & design TRENDS / PEOPLE / INNOVATION / PLACES

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

lege of Art and Design. Her undergraduate fine arts experiences fostered her craft of collecting and recording.

“In 1999, my obsession with collecting botanical materials and bringing them indoors started in the GVSU ravines,” she said, explaining that the studio doors at the back of her class opened up into the ravines, and luckily, her professors allowed her to use the outdoor classroom during class hours. “I lived out there. I would work out there during class, take naps there, eat out there, sketch, paint, draw, collect,” Hora recalled. “I learned to observe with intention, and it was here that I discovered the voice of nature. It changed my life.

“T he joy, healing and satisfaction that I received from being in nature and my desire to share this obsession has made me the artist I am today.”

Now, Hora’s work has come full circle, with her exhibit, “Seed Museums: Viewing and Using Nature,” which opened at GVSU last November.

Inspired by self-guided outdoor adventures and 19th-century Wardian cases that were used by exploring botanists to import plants to Europe, “Seed Museums” comprises a collection of massive plexiglass displays, the largest being 33-by-451/2 inches, which are custom built with reclaimed barn wood as the framework. Each display contains dried seeds placed behind the plexiglass in an arrangement that empha-

sizes their unique qualities. Other mixed media used to create these pieces includes antique threads, intaglio etching on handmade papers and litterfall.

“My wall-hanging ‘Seed Museums’ is an innovative blend between natural history specimen collection and fine art museum display, meant to inspire the explorer in all of us,” Hora said. “My vision for the ‘Seed Museums’ exhibit is that this collection provokes a (thought) about nature and how we use it. I hope the beauty of the work will inspire conversations and actions toward conservation or preservation of nature.”

Although it’s quiet and subtle, Hora said she hopes that viewers of the “Seed Museums” will come to hear and see all nature has to offer.

“Nature is kind and respectful, it doesn’t hit you across the head,” she said.

“It is gentle, thoughtful and waits until you are still. I hope viewers hear and feel the voice of nature.”

“Seed Museums: Viewing and Using Nature” will be on display at the GVSU West Wall Gallery through March 1.

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art & design TRENDS / PEOPLE / INNOVATION / PLACES

Local art galleries COMPILED BY TRICIA VAN ZELST

1/ FLAT RIVER GALLERY & FRAMING: Artist cooperative shows work in a variety of mediums, plus gifts, framing and workshops. From Feb. 1-March 31, visiting artist Linda Laughter will be exhibiting oil and acrylic paintings inspired by nature. A reception is 1-3 p.m. Feb. 9.

219 W. Main St., Lowell, 987-6737, flatrivergalleryandframing.com.

2/ URBAN INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS: Innovative, contemporary exhibits and installations. Feb. 15-June 16, UICA shines a spotlight on the lives of refugees and forced migration in the exhibit, “Or Does It Explode?” by artists Manar Bilal, César Dezfuli, Brian Sokol and Maranie R. Staab. The multimedia show turns statistics into individual portraits of migrants as they navigate their lives in new countries. Reception 5:30-9 p.m. Feb. 15. 2 W. Fulton St., 454-7000, uica.org.

Pearl St. NW, 451-2787, kcad.edu/gal leries.

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

2/ UICA’s exhibit highlights the lives of refugees and migrants.

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

Thru Feb. 15, “Presence • Distance” by David Kohan. Feb. 28-April 5, Student Show; reception 2-4 p.m. Feb. 28.

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

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.

Forest Hills Fine Arts Center: Artist-in-residence program offe s exhibits by local and regional artists during the school year; also exhibits

by Forest Hills Public Schools students and staff. Feb. 7-28, featured artist Stephen Schousen; reception 6-7 p.m. Feb. 13. 600 Forest Hill Ave. SE, 493-8965, fhfinea tscenter.com.

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

Franciscan Life Process Center: Changing exhibits by local artists.

Cascade Art Gallery: Work by regional, national and international artists, plus multimedia art, print collection, glass, sculpture, jewelry, custom framing and gifts. Feb. 6-March 2, “Massive Canvases.” 2840 Thornapple River Drive SE, 949-4056, facebook.com/cascadeartgallery.

Gallery 154: Eastown gallery shows local and national multimedia art, gifts and jewelry. 1456 Lake Drive SE, 454-2154, gallery154.com.

GRCC Collins Art Gallery: Exhibits by visiting artists, faculty and students. Feb. 8-28, WMCAT Student Exhibition. 143 Bostwick Ave. NE, 234-3544, grcc.edu/artgallery.

GVSU Art Galleries: Student artwork and exhibits by renowned artists. Allendale campus: Thru March 1, “Strange & Magical Beasts: Etchings by Tony Fitzpatrick” at Kirkhof Center Gallery. 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, 331-2563. Pew Grand Rapids campus: Thru March 1, “Seeds Museums: Viewing and Using Nature

by Shilin Hora” at Eberhard Center.

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.

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

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. Feb. 12-March 2, Annual Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Regional Exhibition 2019. 17

Guardian Gallery - Grand Rapids: Thru Feb. 28, “Franciscan Artists Group Show.” 654 Davis St. NW. Guardian Gallery - Lowell: Thru Feb. 28, “Bountiful Beauty” by Kathleen Mooney.

11650 Downes St., 897-7842, lifepro cesscenter.org.

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.

3/ Calvin College Art Gallery’s exhibit “Was God Dead?”

LaFontsee Galleries: 2D and 3D works by gallery artists, plus fram-

Feb. 1-Mar. 31

1/ Paintings by Linda Laughter at Flat River Gallery are on exhibit.

ing and restoration services. Grand Rapids location (includes Urban Craft Boutique with gifts, accessories and home décor): Feb. 15-March 23, “Hold Dear: Objects to Collect and Cherish”; reception 5-8 p.m. Feb. 15. 833 Lake Drive SE, 451-9820. Douglas location: 410 W. Center St., 451-3850. lafont see.us.

Leep Art Gallery: Work by a variety of visiting artists. Thru April 3, “Changing Seasons” by Carole Hunnes-Nielsen. Pine Rest Postma Center, 300 68th St. SE, pinerest.org/ leep-art-gallery.

LowellArts: Changing exhibitions of works by Michigan artists.

Thru Feb. 9, “Who’s Who: LowellArts Members Exhibition.” 223 W. Main St., Lowell, 897-8545, lowellartsmi.org.

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.

Terryberry Gallery: Local and international art. Thru Feb. 28, “Self Love” by Esan Sommersell and DeAnthony Carter; reception 5:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 1. Lower level, St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom Ave. NE, 459-2224, scmc-online.org/visit-terry berry-gallery.

Van Singel Fine Arts Center: Changing exhibits by local artists.

Thru March 3, “Mostly Michigan” by Karen VanDam Michmerhuizen. 8500 Burlingame Ave. SW, Byron Center, 878-6800, vsfac.com/programming/ art-gallery.

Check websites for hours of operation.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY LINDA LAUGHTER (TOP); MANAR BILAL (LEFT); SANDRA BOWDEN (BOTTOM)

3/ CALVIN COLLEGE CENTER ART GALLERY: Student, faculty and alumni work, plus exhibits by visiting artists. Thru Feb. 23, “Was God Dead? Biblical Imagination in German Expressionist Prints” features selections from the collection of Robert and Sandra Bowden in partnership with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Also thru Feb. 23, “Elaine Tolsma Harlow: Solo Exhibition”; reception and gallery talk 6-9 p.m. Feb. 21. Calvin College Covenant Fine Arts Center, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE, 526-6271, calvin.edu/ centerartgallery.

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY LINDA LAUGHTER (TOP); MANAR BILAL (LEFT); SANDRA BOWDEN (BOTTOM)

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Cutouts with sheer netting are trending this season. (Renee Austin Wedding gown worn

by Paige Vizard.)

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art & design TRENDS / PEOPLE / INNOVATION / PLACES

“We’ll curl the hair, then just flow fingers throug it for a wavy curl, (then) by the earlobes or temples pull the hair up.”

— Alana Saindon

From buckles to braids, brides are discovering new ways to sparkle on their special day.

Finding your

signature style

BY JULIE BONNER WILLIAMS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

BRIDES IN SEARCH OF their “something new” need to look no further

Alana Saindon, owner of Style Up Hair Studio, styles bride Brittany Potter (top left) and wedding party member Kelly Schaut (above).

than Grand Rapids’ own boutiques, salons and makeup artists: the styles from this year’s runway and hair shows are here.

With the bride at the center of attention, choosing a wedding gown that reflects the bride’s style is paramount. And there’s great news for this year’s brides: the styles are easy and beautiful, with sleek lines, elegant detailing and long overskirts that can be removed for dancing at the reception.

According to Maggie Feil, owner of Renee Austin Wedding, 1555 Plainfield Ave. NE, walking down the aisle is always about the individual tastes and style of the

bride, with the barn-wedding trend bringing about a country chic wedding style and the return of ballroom weddings ushering in elegance. Yet, where all style roads meet is in the fabrics and details, as brides are opting for crepe and mixing fabrics.

“We’re seeing more and more clean lines. Crepe is what everyone is looking for — a lot of mixed fabrics. Four years ago, everything was lace. Now, everything is mixed fabrics, not just a full-lace gown,” FEBRUARY 2019 / GRMAG.COM 27

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art & design TRENDS / PEOPLE / INNOVATION / PLACES

To find the right makeup olors for the bride’s skin tone, Allison Bower looks at each client’s complexion to determine if she has warm or cool undertones before choosing a color palette.

Above: Makeup artist Allison Bower, owner of Indigo Rush, airbrushes model Claire Meyer.

Lower right: Mixing fabrics is a top trend for wedding dresses this year. Opposite page: Shoes at Renee Austin Wedding feature trendy colors and details such as buckles.

Feil said, adding, “Lots of skin, too, lots of cutouts. What you’re seeing on the girl’s skin is a sheer netting in nude color.”

While gowns go for sheer beauty, veils are having fun. Today’s bride is wearing a cathedral veil: long, tulle and off the face.

As simple as that may sound, Feil said veils are bringing a personality of their own this year.

“Veils are fun now because they’re doing drop crystals on the veil or handpainting on the veil,” she said. “T he handpainted veils tend to be floral, and they’re painted by the (veil) designers.”

Satin and lace aren’t the only ones sitting on the bench this season. Necklaces also are making the unpopular list, with necklines providing all the detail. Chandelier earrings are the bride’s go-to jewelry.

Modern brides also are bucking tradition by giving boring, no-personality white cloth shoes the proverbial “swipe left.” What’s in?

Trendy colors, and — wait for it — buckles!

With the ideal dress, veil, earrings and

shoes, there’s one more feature a bride wants to be perfect on her wedding day: her hair. For that spot-on look, brides have their favorite stylists on-site when the dress is already on and the veil is next.

According to Alana Saindon, owner of Style Up Hair Studio, 4005 W. River Drive in Comstock Park, brides are asking for unique braids and casual updos.

“Braids are very popular; fishtail braids, Dutch braids,” Saindon said, adding a halfdown style is among the most requested.

“We’ll curl the hair, then just flow fingers through it for a wavy curl, (then) by the earlobes or temples pull the hair up.”

The “in” hair accessory this year? Keep it fresh. Flowers are in — especially fresh daisies, baby’s breath and greens.

Brides select a wedding dress, shoes, accessories and the hairstyle that will perfectly complement it all, often after hours perusing bridal magazines and online sites like Pinterest. Yet savvy brides also keep the camera in mind. Wedding pictures and

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videos call for makeup colors and styles that work well in photos — after all, those wedding pictures will be around the rest of your life.

“I look at what’s happening and take what’s beautiful, but I tend to go with a very natural, glowing look. T hat’s something that’s going to last through the years,” said West Michigan makeup artist Allison Bower, owner of Indigo Rush, 2782 W. Morgan T rail NE in Rockford. Bower, who has a client list including CNN and WOOD-TV, said, “I like soft pink on the lips, I think that’s always in style. I go for berry trends, peachy-pink colors, because that looks the most natural. I go on trends that photograph beautifully.”

To find the right makeup colors for the bride’s skin tone, Bower looks at each client’s complexion to determine if she has warm or cool undertones before choosing a color palette.

“(With) African-American brides, a raisiny color would be really beautiful, a color with depth to it. With Latinas, a color with berry undertones. With darker skin colors, you want to go with colors that are complementary to skin color and eye color,” Bower said, noting she also uses a lot of soft brown hues when working with darker-skinned women.

Confidence is always beautiful. And the bride who’s ready when the music begins and all are looking at her, knowing she has the look she desired for this very important day, will have that extra GR sparkle.

“We’re seeing more and more clean lines. Crepe is what everyone is looking for — a lot of mixed fabrics. Four years ago, everything was lace. Now, everything is mixed fabrics, not just a full-lace gown.”

— Maggie Feil

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BY SAM EASTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY THINKSTOCK (BACKGROUND)

G

‘MORE THAN A HISTORY LESSON’

GEORGE BAYARD III WANTS room to grow.

T he Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives is a blink-and-you’llmiss-it storefront on Monroe Center stuffed with relics of black culture and black struggle — like buttons from Jesse Jackson’s 1988 bid for president, or a box of the old “Darkie” toothpaste brand, complete with a jarring caricature.

It’s practically hidden from passersby, squeezed between soaring condos and offices. But, according to Bayard, the museum founder, that’s not for long. He imagines

aloud: a big, new museum with an auditorium and galleries of local and national black history. There could be other exhibits for black contributions to boxing, movies or entertainment.

“T his building is great, and we know we’re going to be here at least another two years, but it’s just not large enough to do everything we want to do. It’s a building that — it’s just limited,” he said. “There’s nothing like having your own building.”

At that moment, it was easy to feel skeptical. The carpet looks worn, and the space

itself is no bigger than a very modest storefront. Bayard said the new museum project will cost between $8 million and $10 million, which, in this space, seems like an impossibly heavy lift.

But, in early November, Bayard said about $4 million in “verbal” commitments had been pledged by private donors, foundations and businesses (he declined to say whom) for a location just south of the downtown area.

And then, on Nov. 30, a breakthrough: Bayard said he could finally share publicly

With growth on the horizon, Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives stands as a catalyst for social justice.

Top: Civil War-era photos of a black solider and his family.

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Right: GRAAMA curator George Bayard III Above: Artists Georgia Farr, Charlene Campbell and Erica Millbrooks are among the artists selling their pieces at the archives. Opposite page: Erica Millbrooks’ “American Beauty”

that there are “meaningful discussions” between museum officials and the Inner City Christian Federation for the museum to occupy part of a mixed-use building near Division Avenue and Wealthy Street.

Bayard is hopeful the museum could have a new home in just a few years.

It’s big news because leaders and friends of GRAAMA say the museum is about more than a history lesson. Museum leaders describe emboldened racism in national politics, with one pointing specifically to displays in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 — where white nationalists marched openly and clashes left a young woman dead.

Michael Curtis, the president of GRAAMA’s board of directors, has watched those events unfold. The solution, he said, is dialogue — the kind the museum provides.

“As with most people, as we sit down and honestly talk about this, we have to … (have) an honest dialogue and approach it from each other’s perspective,” Curtis said. “(In) this country, unfortunately, this has been a long process.”

In Grand Rapids, it goes back more than a century. T odd Robinson, a professor of history at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas, tells the story compellingly in “City Within a City,” a detailed history of Grand Rapids’ equality struggle. The Ku Klux Klan marched through the streets in the 1920s; white business owners often charged black customers five times whites’ price for coffee. After World War II, the community was afflicted by the same racist housing issues that plagued cities around the nation, as Grand Rapids’ white suburbs grew wealthy and prosperous.

Racial divides perhaps peaked in the riot of 1967, with hundreds arrested across

“As with most people, as we sit down and honestly talk about this, we have to … (have) an honest dialogue and approach it from each other’s perspective. (In) this country, unfortunately, this has been a long process.”

— Michael Curtis

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“We have a lot of social justice issues at bay right now. We also are trying to improve police and community relations right now.

(But) you do sense a little bit of (emboldened racism) when you’re out and about now, due to the political climate. And so, I think the museum is pivotal, and there couldn’t be a better time for it to be front and center in our community.”

— Chris Sain Jr.

three days of strife, causing more than $3.7 million in damage in today’s currency.

Inequality persists today. In 2015, Forbes ranked Grand Rapids the second-worst metro area in the U.S. for black success, behind only Milwaukee. A 2016 measure of Kent County’s homelessness tracked almost exactly the same number of black and white people without their own roof — despite the county’s white population outnumbering the black community roughly 8 to 1, according to the next year’s census estimates.

And Grand Rapids still is grappling with how to move past four incidents in recent years where black youths age 14 and younger were handcuffed by police officers.

T hose incidents have drawn widespread attention — from the state ACLU to The New York Times. “(T he museum) brings everything full circle, to be honest,” said Chris Sain Jr., first vice president of the local NAACP chapter.

“We have a lot of social justice issues at bay right now. We also are trying to improve police and community relations right now.

(But) you do sense a little bit of (emboldened racism) when you’re out and about now, due to the political climate. And so, I think the museum is pivotal, and there couldn’t be a better time for it to be front and center in our community.”

GRAAMA already is winning accolades, snagging a nod at ArtPrize as an outstanding venue. Bayard said it’s part of a local resurgence in the black community, a kind of renaissance that extends from the museum to black-owned businesses like Forty Acres — a new soul food restaurant on Wealthy Street — a sense that good things are yet to come.

“I think there’s a new mindset with the African-Americans here that, in regards to entrepreneurship, there are now doors opening where they can step out and try something successful,” Curtis said, “and GR they’re not afraid to do that.”

Above: Chris Sain Jr. (right) talks with ABO fraternity members Dawyne Johnston and David Jigo at Grand Rapids Community College. ABO strives to provide its members with a positive social network of students who have goals of becoming responsible community leaders.

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“This building is great, and we know we’re going to be here at least another two years, but it’s just not large enough to do everything we want to do. It’s a building that — it’s just limited. There’s nothing like having your own building.”

— George Bayard III

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Fran Dalton near the corner of Division and Burton

FRAN DALTON SAID SHE REMEMBERS when the South Division corridor in Grand Rapids was like a mini-downtown — full of life and economic activity.

Division Avenue once was designated part of U.S. 131, which brought traffic that created a vibrant corridor of shops, restaurants, hotels and housing.

Traffic was rerouted in the 1950s, however, soon leading to an economic downturn that city leaders thought could be solved with popular “urban renewal” redevelopment projects.

Buildings and residences downtown and along South Division Avenue were demolished to make way for newer and better, and though the rest of Grand Rapids has experienced booming growth, neighborhoods along South Division have been excluded from much of that investment.

Dalton, a longtime staff member of the Garfield Park Neighborhood Association, and other community members now are working with the city to restore the cor-

BY JUSTIN DAWES PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

ridor’s viability, focusing along the South Division Avenue area, from Wealthy to 28th streets and between Buchanan and Madison avenues, which is one of the city’s corridor improvement districts.

Unlike previous efforts, the plan this time is for “development without displacement,” according to Courtney Magaluk, the city senior project manager leading planning for the project.

Synia Jordan, owner of Samaria J’s Salon Suite, 701 Grandville Ave. SW, is particularly sensitive to the issue of gentrification.

Her grandmother’s restaurant, Chicken Shack, which stood at 569 S. Division Ave., was a victim of urban renewal, or as Jordan contemptuously refers to it: “displace the Negroes.”

Jordan said she often visited her grandmother, Synia McBride, who lived above the restaurant she ran for 40 years. After a long legal battle with the city, the building and many others were condemned

and demolished.

“T hey displaced the whole community there,” Jordan said. “T hey already knew what they were going to do. T hey knew they were going to take the whole neighborhood.”

T he week she was supposed to move out, McBride died in her sleep — “of a broken heart,” Jordan said.

T o Jordan, her grandmother’s work and legacy, which could have been passed down to her children, was stolen.

“It was taken away, and we want it back,” she said.

GAINING TRUST Beginning in 2017, Magaluk said the city met for several months with an advisory group of about eight residents and stakeholders from the corridor before issuing a request for proposal for full plan work.

She said it has taken some time to form relationships and build trust with the community members, which she thinks stems

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

F

TAKING BACK SOUTH DIVISION

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in part from others bursting in, starting projects and then leaving.

She said diversity within the planning committee and among facilitators has been important in initiating those relationships.

The city hired six area residents as community ambassadors to help bring people to the table. Chicago-based consultant Naomi Davis, whose business focuses on ecofriendly rebuilding of blighted, colonized and/or gentrifying black communities, has led some of the meetings.

Magaluk said Jordan and other steering committee members aren’t shy about voicing their opinions regarding racial and other issues and indicating when certain engagement styles are not working.

PREPARING FOR THE PLANS T he goal is to implement a plan that creates new development and opportunity tailored specifically for existing residents and business owners, Magaluk said.

T he area’s population is highly diverse compared to the rest of Grand Rapids: about 43 percent Hispanic and 34 percent black, the rest white and mixed.

Dalton and the other community members would like to keep it that way.

“We want to make sure that our neighborhood stays a diverse neighborhood and has a place for everybody,” she said. “T his should be some place that all of our neighbors want to come, not avoid.”

T he displacement issue is being taken seriously, Magaluk said, but there are ways new investment can happen safely.

She said some developers already have shown interest, and nonprofits have been working to create affordable housing in the area.

Residents would like some focus on areas that have seen nearly no development, such as the Division Avenue and Hall Street intersection, and other areas along the Silver Line bus route.

They’d also like a local grocery store and more neighborhood restaurants.

Magaluk said developers willing to invest and catalyze growth should feel relatively comfortable because the community already has mapped out its vision for the area.

Jordan said people want to live, work

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

“We want to make sure that our neighborhood stays a diverse neighborhood and has a place for everybody. This should be some place that all of our neighbors want to come, not avoid.”

— Fran Dalton

and walk within their communities, just as her grandmother did in South Division’s previous life.

“My grandmother had it going on,” she said. “She was way ahead of her time.”

TAKING BACK THE COMMUNITY Jordan wants residents to feel empowered to create their own businesses, become property owners and, ultimately, be the people making decisions about their community.

While some residents already have utilized naturally existing incubators like the 28th Street flea market, Magaluk said the next step is helping them with business plans and equitable financing. Jordan wants to ensure black businesses are involved in every step of the development process.

Dalton said she believes reactivating the old business association will provide leadership that will be key to growth from within.

“Our idea was really to go in and not only help them do an area-specific plan but, hopefully, build the leadership and capacity for them to carry it forward,” Magaluk said.

Leonard Van Drunen, co-chair of the business department at Calvin College and a steering committee member for the project, purchased and renovated a former adult novelty store — one of several in the area — at 2007-2009 S. Division Ave. for future lease.

In the meantime, it has served as a popup headquarters for the project.

T he community ambassadors hosted an event in October that Magaluk said brought several hundred people to sample food from about 10 area restaurants.

“We’re taking what used to be basically an eyesore in the community and kind of turn it into a new active space and point of engagement on the plan,” she said.

She said she thinks continuing to implement ideas will energize and motivate residents going forward, especially when they see the success that can result.

Jordan said she would like to see more talk of the project within the community.

Many residents are not aware of what is happening, she said, so she is working to GR spread the word.

Synia Jordan, with Samaria J customers Mildred Burris and Lanita Godwin.

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY THINKSTOCK

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BY PASHA SHIPP

Tips and tricks from Grand Rapids newlyweds to help you prepare for that special day.

Wedding ‘I dos’ and don’ts

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY RICK GOLTOWSKI (RIGHT); THINKSTOCK

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY THINKSTOCK

AS WEDDING SEASON approaches, countless couples start obsessing over fonts, hunting for the perfect centerpieces and debating about who gets to attend their ceremony.

And as wedding appointments and to-dos start stacking up, it might be tricky to determine what you should prioritize and what you might be able to skip. We spoke to some of Grand Rapids’ own newlyweds and wedding planners to learn what was important to their wedding day experience and how to navigate some of the challenges of getting hitched.

Sara & Mike Onken

Weekend retreat Creating a weekend itinerary is one way to ensure that you have plenty of time to catch up with friends and family before, during and after the big day. Sara Onken got married last September and did just that.

“We chose our location based on the fact that we had a lot of friends and family that had to travel in for the wedding, and we wanted to spend the weekend with them,” Onken said. “We had been to a lot of our friends’ weddings recently and realized that we didn’t have a whole lot of time with the bride and groom when we

“We wanted something that we could bring the entire group of friends and family together and have enough time with them that we’re not just saying, ‘Hi, thanks for coming,’ but that we are spending additional moments with them.”

— Sara Onken

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Communication is critical Kemi and Patrick Johel tied the knot on a Friday evening in September 2017. T he couple exchanged “I dos” at Douglas Walker Park and celebrated at T he B.O.B. in the company of 90 of their friends and family members afterward. While it’s more typical for couples to marry on Saturdays, the Johels picked Friday for a reason.

“We got married the Friday after Labor Day on purpose because we were hoping

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY JAMIE AND SARAH PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP); THINKSTOCK

were there, and we were traveling to their wedding. So, we wanted something that we could bring the entire group of friends and family together and have enough time with them that we’re not just saying, ‘Hi, thanks for coming,’ but that we are spending additional moments with them.”

Onken and her husband Mike hosted their guests at Pinewood Camp for the weekend. T he couple was able to spend ample time with friends and family, and the guests had plenty to fill their days.

“We chose a camp-themed wedding so that way all of the guests could stay in one location if they were interested,” Onken said. “There were a few that decided to stay off the camp, but we had over 100 people stay the entire weekend, and then we had over 200 people attend the wedding. T he guests could hang out at the lake, they could go kayaking, they could do all camp activities like rock climbing and archery and stuff.”

Depending on where you host your weekend festivities, you may be expected to front costs you didn’t see coming.

For Onken, that meant providing items for guests that the camp didn’t.

“What was different about the camp wedding is we had to bring everything in; there was nothing there,” Onken said. “We had to buy a bar for the bar or use folding tables. So, we went and bought a bar that we could repurpose in our home.

“We had to go out and get a bunch of food for lunches, and we had to bring in the kegs and wine from the bar that we got them from,” she continued. “We had to think through how to logistically get everything there and the timing of it.”

Onken’s recommendation? Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to create the perfect atmosphere with meticulously curated décor. Guests might take notice, but it’s probably not worth the headache.

“I think that we went a little too in-depth on the details that were noticed by guests but weren’t as necessary as I had thought,” Onken said. “Every little thing doesn’t always have to be perfect or figured out because it all happens so fast — you don’t get to see everything that day anyway. And yeah, the guests may notice, but they won’t notice if it’s not there, too.”

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that would cut our numbers down,” Patrick said. “Keep the numbers down just for the sake of cost and also just for us having to walk around that day — you have to make sure you say hi to everybody.

“We could do that really quickly and then enjoy the rest of the night,” he continued. “We had time to eat and relax.”

And when it comes to vendors, Kemi recommended diligent communication.

Had she not contacted a vendor when she did, there may have been an issue with the delivery of the desserts.

“I think checking in with your vendors very close to the wedding to make sure that they remember that your wedding is coming up is huge,” she said. “I called them two days before the wedding or the day before to make sure they had our doughnuts ready for our tower. I don’t know if they thought it was the week after, or they had messed up what we had ordered, but it was a huge saving that I double-checked.”

Kemi also suggested getting a feel for vendors before you sign on the dotted line.

Make sure you feel comfortable working with them in preparation for the wedding.

“I tried to keep in mind, ‘Are these people that I trust to actually pull this thing off, or do they seem like they have their act together?’” she said. “T here are some people that you can get a vibe on. T hey’re not responsive to things, or they just seem kind of scattered. That’s not the person that you want in charge of your wedding day.”

“I do” on a dime

Kemi & Patrick Johel

“I think checking in with your vendors very close to the wedding to make sure that they remember that your wedding is coming up is huge.”

— Kemi Johel

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY SHERYL THOMAS (TOP); THINKSTOCK

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY JAMIE AND SARAH PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP); THINKSTOCK

Planning a wedding is no small feat.

It certainly isn’t cheap, either. For Caleb Lawson and his husband Brandon, having a beautiful, fun wedding that didn’t break the

bank was the goal. T he couple married in October 2017 at Gallery Divani surrounded by just under 100 of their closest friends and loved ones.

“Brandon did a lot of organizational work,” Lawson said. “I went through and took care of a lot of the details. I designed all the invitations myself.

“We were very, very involved in our wedding and didn’t really have a whole lot of other people helping with things that typically might be handled by other people,” he said.

With the high cost of weddings, it’s no wonder why some newlyweds look back wishing they skipped things here and there.

Instead of wishful thinking, Lawson cut back on things that he didn’t feel were necessary for the celebration.

“We had the cupcakes, but we didn’t actually feed anyone,” Lawson said. “We didn’t worry about having really expensive wine or beer or anything. We had the house wine, a couple of beers on draft and the cash bar. Having top-shelf liquor was not something that we prioritized.”

Sure, you put a lot of time, energy and, of course, money into your big day, but there’s no guarantee it will go perfectly according to plan. Lawson said getting worked up over glitches won’t do you any good. And he should know, something rather unexpected happened at his wedding.

“T he power went out about 15 minutes before the ceremony was supposed to start, so we didn’t have any music at the ceremony, and music is incredibly important to me,” Lawson said. “I spent a lot of time picking out the songs and deciding what to do with that, and we ended up not being able to use any of the music that we picked out.

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“We were very, very involved in our wedding and didn’t really have a whole lot of other people helping with things that typically might be handled by other people.”

— Caleb Lawson Brandon & Caleb Lawson

DIY at your own risk In the age of DIY, it’s not unusual for couples to raid craft stores and spend countless hours on Pinterest. Lindsay McLaughlin, lead coordinator at Paper Hat Weddings, warns brides not to get too craft happy.

“T hey think that they can DIY and buy all of their decorations and that it’s going to be cheap,” she said. “Especially with things like your chargers or your centerpieces or your candles or lanterns or any kind of décor.

“You get so excited once you get engaged, and you are just running rampant through Hobby Lobby trying to pick things and deciding that you’re going to buy all of this stuff because, ‘It’s going to be cheaper to buy than to rent it,’” she continued. “Or, you think that you’re going to buy it and then you’re going to sell it at the end. A lot of times when you end up DIYing a lot of your decorations, they end up costing more in the end.”

Instead, McLaughlin suggested renting.

You’ll save yourself the headache buying and assembling all your decorations, and you won’t have to stress yourself out by trying to sell everything later.

“I would really recommend looking for a rental company or talking to your florist and asking if they do rent candles and other things and pricing that out with how much it would be for you to purchase it yourself,” McLaughlin said. “Because a lot of times, that’s a big thing that seems very obvious and like it would be very easy, but it ends up

being more expensive.”

Priorities in order With so many different things happening simultaneously at a wedding, couples might find it difficult to determine what they should prioritize. Sarah Brittan, coowner and designer at Grand Occasions, tells couples to focus on the things that are special to them.

“A lot of our couples are going to say photography because that’s the piece that’s going to last you forever,” Brittan said. “Photography, videography — that’s your memories. T hat’s what you’re going to look back on, that’s what you’re going to show people.

“Other couples may have their friend do the photography and then focus their budget on food,” she added. “Focus on what is important to the both of you.”

While Brittan encourages couples to allocate money for the things they’re most interested in, she also reminds them not to shortchange their guests. After all, what is thousands of dollars spent without loved ones joining in the celebration?

“Prioritize your guests,” Brittan said.

“They’re coming, some of them, from out of town, some of them are getting babysitters, they’re spending this day to celebrate you guys, so think about them in the timeline.

If you take an hour to get pictures and that means your guests have to wait another hour for dinner, give them some appetizers.

“Prioritize them and how they can enjoy the experience, too.”

GR

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY EMILY CAPISCIOLTO

“T he night before, me and Brandon sat down and just decided whatever happens, we’ve done the best we can and whatever goes wrong, goes wrong, and we’re just going to make the best of it.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY EMILY CAPISCIOLTO

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY EMILY CAPISCIOLTO

Caleb and Brandon Lawson prioritized their list: sweet treats from Cakabakery, but not a full meal.

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WEDDINGS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GINGER BAKES BY GINGER HERMAN

GR A ND R A PIDS MAGA ZINE

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TIPS AND TRENDS FOR THE 2019 WEDDING SEASON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GINGER BAKES BY GINGER HERMAN

WRITTEN BY EMILY BODE

WARNING: do not read this on an empty stomach.

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WEDDING GUESTS ARE THERE FOR the bride and groom but let’s be honest, dinner and dessert are a close second.

The wedding reception menu, from hors d'oeuvres at cocktail hour to the late night pizza station, has expanded past meat and potatoes with a side of sheet cake. While there is plenty to budget and plan for, choosing your caterer is one of the most important decisions after the ceremony. According to WeddingWire, plan on spending half of your budget on catering and venue alone. This is not to deter the newly engaged but to bring to light what to consider when planning this part of the wedding day. Keep reading for tips and upcoming trends to have you covered before anyone can ask, “Who wants cake?”

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Tips

1. Write down your top reception priority. Decide with your partner what your top priority is for the reception. It will help both of you align as a team and stick to a budget. Good practice for the rest of your life with each other, yes?

You don’t have to be a foodie to have a successful wedding meal but you do have to consider your guest list. There are as many appetites as there are guests. Share your budget with potential caterers from the beginning. The more details and questions prepared before meeting a caterer the better they can devise an ideal menu within the intended budget.

Wedding planning can be overwhelming with all of the details and advice from others. Make sure you and your partner are aligned on the highest priority item.

It’s your day after all! If everything else didn’t go to plan, what is the most important thing you want to go right?

After “I do,” of course.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY GINGER BAKES BY GINGER HERMAN (TOP); TIFANI LYN PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTTOM)

TAKE IT FROM THE PERSON WHO SPENT the span of her engagement saying, “We’ll worry about the dinner menu later.” DO NOT worry about the dinner menu later. Later will quickly turn into the day of the event. You don’t want to wonder how the meal is going or where it is while juggling the dress-heels-veil combo on your way to the reception venue. There are plenty of ways to be pleasantly surprised on your wedding day — a sweet letter from your beau before walking down the aisle, perhaps — without the additional stress of keeping guests happily fed and full. The dinner menu might be a backburner item to you and your partner, but it’s a priority to guests celebrating this milestone with you. “64 percent of wedding guests said that food is one of the most important things they pay attention to at weddings,” according to a recent WeddingWire survey. It is hard to celebrate with a room full of hangry people. Here are three tips for your wedding dinner menu to go off without a hitch:

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY GINGER BAKES BY GINGER HERMAN (TOP); TIFANI LYN PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTTOM)

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2. Ask detailed questions before booking your venue. The more prepared you are before meeting with a potential venue, the more they will try to accommodate. Most venues book weddings one year to 18 months out. Some have on-site catering or a preferred vendor list they require couples to work with. Other venues are open to hosting a caterer of your choice. Have a list of questions for the venue coordinator about

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3. Make the menu personal. Add a personal touch to the meal. You and spouse-to-be met over tacos? Have a taco truck! Not a cake person? Go for donuts or your favorite seasonal pie. Not interested in plated dinners? Choose a family-style menu. Let your guests share in the experience through cuisine that expresses something special about your relationship. Make an expensive or unique recipe into an appetizer during cocktail hour if the main course needs to remain traditional due to budget, guest list, or venue requirements. It’s a personal touch that won’t eat up your budget.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIFANI LYN PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP); GINGER BAKES BY GINGER HERMAN (BOTTOM)

kitchen set-up, meal timing, menu options, beverage service, and other catering-based questions before you book. If you can choose your own caterer, ask the venue which one’s other couples have used in their space. Having a caterer who is already familiar with the set-up will make the meal move smoothly.

• Book tastings at least three months prior to the event if the venue provides on-site catering.

• Interview potential caterers as soon as the venue is booked if the venue doesn’t provide on-site catering.

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They offer a full-service restaurant with a variety of menu and beverage options for appetizers, plated dinners, and themed buffets. Being located within walking distance to shops, breweries, and the beach makes continued celebration effortless and transportation-free. The Library at The Boulevard Inn is a good choice for an intimate ceremony and receptions ranging from 10 to 30 guests with an inviting atmosphere, stately interior, and lake bluff views.

Block rooms at The Boulevard for the convenience of having all events on-site for the entirety of your stay. Wedding parties can enjoy scenic views of Lake Bluff Park and historic downtown St. Joseph from spacious suites. Suites feature separate bedrooms and a living area with a full-length mirror to get ready for the special day or for mid-event downtime to gather."

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIFANI LYN PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP); GINGER BAKES BY GINGER HERMAN (BOTTOM)

THE BALLROOM AT MCKAY THE BALLROOM AT MCKAY IS A HIDDEN GEM AT THE cornerstone of Grand Rapids’ vibrant downtown on the second floor of the historical high-rise, the McKay Tower. Centrally-located at the triad intersection of Pearl Street, Monroe Avenue, and Monroe Center Street. Since 2013, the Ballroom has hosted receptions to celebrate memorable wedding festivities with fresh elegance. The interior of the Ballroom offers twentysix-foot grand ceilings, opulent chandeliers, and original marble walls and columns. Adding to the grandeur is a large wood parquet dance floor, an enhanced lighting system that transcends the space, and a rooftop lounge photo session for bride and groom and photographer overlooking the city skyline. Wood mahogany Venice chairs and over 30 color options of floor-length linens are included to customize the space according to personal style. Multiple floor plans to preferred caterers are flexible to encompass a range of tastes and guest lists up to 200. The Ballroom can transform to a thoughtful and understated space for more intimate affairs with experienced guidance and service of in-house venue and event coordinators.

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“A more casual trend has presented itself with wedding couples. People are making things more personalized and being really thoughtful about their guest list, with whom and how they want to celebrate it.”

NICOLE WEICHELT, THE VENUE COORDINATOR AT THE BALLROOM AT MCKAY IN GRAND RAPIDS.

Trends

1. Casual is cool The growing trend for weddings is a more informal and casual affair. “A more casual trend has presented itself with wedding couples,” explains Nicole Weichelt, the venue coordinator at The Ballroom at McKay in Grand Rapids. “People are making things more personalized and being really thoughtful about their guest list, with whom and how they want to celebrate it.”

The celebration is there without the

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIFANI LYN PHOTOGRAPHY

TRENDS ARE A GOOD STARTING POINT for the newly engaged and overwhelmed. They may come and go but current inspiration and fun ideas can be a good stepping stone in the right direction for those new to the wedding planning journey. However, let’s forget about the trend where stuffing cake in each other’s mouth in front of a room full of family and friends is acceptable, shall we? Here are 5 food trends for the upcoming season that won’t make a mess:

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pomp and circumstance that can quickly turn your wedding into someone’s you don’t recognize. This trend is also good leverage with your partner who is still trying to convince you it’s a good idea for them to wear Converse tennis shoes with their suit.

2. Ancestral fares Couples are looking to their ancestry and home country for menu inspiration this season. Coming together as one through courses that highlight family traditions while celebrating familial differences and similarities.

This trend can also be accomplished with the style or experience of the meal. Family style is growing in popularity for an experience encouraging communication between guests sharing from the same plates.

Buffet style gives guests course options

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and requires fewer servers on hand.

Sit-down style with plated dinners is a common route giving guests the opportunity to express allergies or food intolerances privately on the RSVP card before the event. Whichever the preference, having an experience in addition to the eatables is playing a large role at the reception this season.

3. Food trucks and tavern-style seating The food truck trend will continue to rise in popularity. Food trucks in Grand Rapids have almost doubled in the last year thanks to the pilot food truck and trailer ordinance by the Grand Rapids City Commission introduced in 2016. This means more menu options, unique cuisine, and delicious food for couples wanting an inexpensive and fun way to “break bread” with wedding guests. There’s also a rise in tavern-style seating due to the tables nature to bring people closer together. It encourages conversation and camaraderie during mealtime. The large and spacious tables — whether rustic or chic — are perfect for family-style meals, creating increased interactions between guests.

4. Desserts with a twist No need to scour the internet for plastic cake-toppers that look nothing like the newlywedded couple. Confectionary treats of all shapes and sizes are encouraged and celebrated.

Everything from glazed donuts to frosted cupcakes, seasonal pies to semi-naked cakes, and all the sugar in-between will fill dessert bars this wedding season. The

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way to a person’s heart is through their stomach, yes? Unique treats like macarons, yogurt parfaits, chocolate-covered fruits, and ganache wedding favors are another way to include sweet personal touches for guests.

5. Late night meal station If you ignore all other tips, trends, or advice do not

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GINGER BAKES BY GINGER HERMAN (TOP PHOTOS); TIFANI LYN PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTTOM)

FROM OUR SMOKER, TO YOUR SPECIAL DAY.

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let it be this one. Arguably the meal that soaks up all libations and reduces the chances of post-event chaos, a late night meal is a trend that should never go out of style. Pizza, miniature burgers, fries, or tater tots will do. It needn’t be fancy just filling. Not only will guests thank you but if you spent the main course catching up with out-of-town guests or kissing to clinks from the crowd with your partner, it will save your empty stomach too.

As the upcoming wedding season approaches consider these tips and trends for a delicious menu that will have your guests raving about the celebration for years to come. Whether you’re newly engaged or know someone who is, keep these in mind when scheduling venue walk-throughs and caterer interviews.

Write down the priority, have questions prepared, and keep it personal. A wedding is a kick-off to a beautiful marriage, start with a fête of food, family, and friends and you can’t go wrong.

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London mule, a Moscow mule made with Knickerbocker gin instead of vodka, was refreshingly smooth and light. The Sazerac — a mix of Sazerac rye whiskey, absinthe, Peychaud’s bitters and simple syrup — was on the strong side, but not too strong to drink, and had a hint of spicy, citrusy flavors.

We opted to share the beef skewers ($11) to start the meal, and we certainly weren’t disappointed. T he marinated and grilled beef tenderloin tips, separated by slices of red bell pepper and served in a merlot demi-glace, were tender and had an excellent sweet and savory flavor profile.

Above: New Zealand rack of lamb Right: Executive chef Bernard Lucas Opposite page: Alaskan king crab legs

LEO’S, CENTRALLY LOCATED in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, has been a staple in the city’s restaurant scene since 2004. T he repeat Grand Rapids Magazine Dining Awards honoree features a diverse selection of upscale fare from both land and sea, with an emphasis on fresh catch specials and other seafood dishes.

The beverage menu features a colossal wine list, broken down by region and type, available to order by the bottle, as well as a notable selection of wines by the glass, local microbrews, premium spirits and signature cocktails.

T he restaurant is routinely bustling with energy, yet the staff is consistently welcoming, knowledgeable and prompt.

During a busy Friday evening visit with a friend, we chose to sip on a London mule ($9) and, with some help from our server, the Sazerac ($10) to start. T he

Next, we opted for the Western Isles Scottish salmon ($31) and the New York strip ($35). The grilled, Oscar-style salmon, topped with Maryland jumbo lump crab and béarnaise sauce, was perfect. The fish and crab tasted fresh, featured rich flavor and were melt-in-your-mouth tender. The perfectly tangy and savory béarnaise sauce was almost unnecessary but a welcomed bonus that complemented the salmon nicely. T he 14-ounce Black Angus steak, which also was served in a merlot demi-

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

Plated perfection

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dining review

BY IRA CRAAVEN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

The grilled, Oscar-style salmon ... was perfect. The fish and crab tasted fresh, featured rich flavor and we e melt-inyour-mouth tender.

glace, was cooked to perfection, which my guest was pleased to note is difficult to find, with a juicy pink center and nicely charred exterior.

While the portions are quite generous, leaving us with leftovers to take home, when our server brought out a tray of mouthwatering dessert samples for us to see, we couldn’t resist the tiramisu ($8.95).

Topped with chocolate shavings and cocoa powder, this creamy treat was to die for.

We came back for a second visit on a chilly Wednesday evening, and my friend and I found two cocktails that piqued our interest: Key lime ($10) and pomegranate ($10). T he Key lime, made with Stoli vanilla vodka, triple sec, a splash of sour and fresh lime, was a bit on the strong side — definitely a sipper. The pomegranate, on the other hand, was fruity and refreshing.

With Van Gogh pomegranate vodka, Pama liqueur and lemonade, this drink was perfectly mixed and satisfying.

For an appetizer, we shared the seafood cake duet ($10), two deliciously arranged cakes made with lobster shrimp and Mary-

Leo’s Address: 60 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids Phone: (616) 454-6700 Website: leosrestaurant.com Dining ratings: Food: **** Service: **** Beverages: *** Atmosphere: **** Price: $$

Must try: Western Isles Scottish salmon Not so much: Key lime

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

Exceptional Above Average Satisfactory Poor

¢ $ $$

Inexpensive (under $10) Moderate ($10-$20) Expensive (Over $20)

(Prices based on average entrée.)

land jumbo lump crab — one served with house remoulade and the other with a lemon garlic aioli. We preferred the lemon garlic aioli dressing, which nicely complemented and enhanced the flavor of the seafood.

Moving on to the main course, we chose the seafood Newburg ($32) and Leo’s surf and turf ($43). T he Newburg was a decedent dish prepared with generous portions of shrimp, Maine lobster meat and Maryland jumbo lump crab simmered in a sherry-cream sauce and served in a puff pastry.

This plate was beautifully rich and creamy.

T he sherry-cream sauce was divine and paired well with the puff pastry.

The surf and turf was presented with a 6-ounce Black Angus filet mignon, Maine lobster tail, sour cream-chive mashed potatoes and asparagus. Much like the New York strip, the filet mignon was served with a merlot demi-glace and cooked to absolute perfection. The meat was flavorful and slightly charred, as it tenderly fell apart in our mouths. T he lobster tail was a bit too chewy but buttery and delicious nonetheless. The potatoes were incredible, and the asparagus had a perfect slight crunch.

For dessert, after being presented the tray of options, we picked a seasonal item, eggnog cheesecake ($8.95), which was freshly prepared with homemade eggnoginfused cheesecake baked in an Oreo crust and topped with fresh whipped cream, sprinkles and chocolate sugar star cookies, served with chocolate and cranberry sauces. T his dessert was a perfect end to our delicious meal. The sauces paired well with the rich dessert that was gobbled up in seconds.

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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 77).

DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS 1 Bun Restaurant — Build-your-own hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie dogs and sloppy Joes — all served on hot dog buns. Closed Sun. 2140 S Division Ave, 279-2943. Face¢ book. L, D

Cygnus 27 — Stunning view from 27th floor of the Amway Grand Plaza. Menu features Mediterranean and Latin influences.

Full bar. Closed Mon. 187 Monroe Ave NW, 776-6425. amwaygrand.com/dining/cygn $$ us-27. Brunch (Sun), D (Tue-Sat)

Bangkok Taste Cuisine — T hai fare with lunch buffet and kids menu. No alcohol.

Closed Sun. 15 Jefferson Ave SE, 356-5550. bangkoktastegr.com. L, D ¢-$

Divani — 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 $-$$

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. brickandportergr.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

Divani

Sun. 188 Monroe Ave NW, 454-3580. the bullsheadtavern.com. L (Mon-Fri), D $-$$

Charley’s Crab — Fresh seafood in a fine dining atmosphere with views of the Grand River.

Gluten-free menu. Beer and extensive wine list. Sun brunch 10-2:30. Open daily. 63 Market Ave SW, 459-2500. muer.com/charleyscrab. 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 bar. Closed Sun. 190 Monroe Ave NW, 4516131. thechophousegrandrapids.com. D $$ City Built Brewing Co. – Taproom featuring a variety of craft beer. Plus, Puerto Ricaninspired appetizers, small plates, entrées, soups and salads. Closed Mon. 820 Monroe Ave NW, 805-5755. citybuiltbrewing.com.

L, D $ Cinco De Mayo — Offers the usual Mexican

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 T hu and Sat. Menu features appetizers, deli sandwiches.

Outdoor beer garden. Open daily. 235 Grandville Ave SW, 776-1195. foundersbrewing. 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, 3562000. thebob.com/gillysrestaurant. 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-spo rts. L, D $ Grand Rapids Brewing Co. — Organic brews, hard cider, wine and spirits. Farm-to-table

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

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 ¢-$

Bobarino’s at The B.O.B. — Grill on second floor of T he 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, 356-2000. thebob.com/bob arinospizza. L, D ¢-$

– Lounge — Soups, salads, sandwichCitysen es, 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-rap ids. 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 ¢

Angel’s Thai Café — Extensive T hai fare.

Menu includes your-choice stir-fry option.

Vegetarian friendly. No alcohol. Open daily.

136 Monroe Center NW, 454-9801. angelsthai ¢-$ cafe.com. L, 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. bistrobella vita.com. L, D $-$$

fare plus carnitas and steak asada. Full bar.

Open daily. 114 Monroe Center NW, 719-2401. cincodemayo1.com. L, D $

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menu includes sharable plates, sausages, soups, salads, sandwiches, entrées. Open daily. 1 Ionia Ave SW, 458-7000. grbrewing company.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 ¢

ALIGN YOUR INVESTMENTS WITH YOUR VALUES

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. grandwoods lounge.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 T ue-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, 458-7875. Facebook. L, D ¢

Call Ted Vogt and Carol Dehen about the potential benefits of a socially responsible portfolio.

616-949-0900 866-949-0907

J.D. Reardon’s — Restaurant and lounge at The Boardwalk offers American, southwest, T hai and more. Banquet facilities. Outdoor seating. Full bar. Open daily. 940 Monroe Ave NW, 454-8590. jdreardons.com. L, D ¢-$

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

J. Gardella’s Tavern — Massive full bar and gargantuan menu includes hearty appetizers, salads, burgers, entrées. T hree floors of seating. Closed Sun. 11 Ionia Ave SW, 4598824. jgardellastavern.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, 356-2000. thebob.com/judsons steakhouse. 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, 258-8115. downtownmarketgr. com. L, D $

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC All investing involves risk including loss of principal.

No strategy assures success or protects against loss.

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food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

- 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. leosrest $-$$ aurant.com. L (Mon-Fri), 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. ¢ thelittlebirdgr.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. lucky ¢-$ lucianos.com. L, D Luna Taqueria y Cocina — Upscale Latin American menu pairs with locally sourced meat and produce. Full bar. Closed Sun. 64 Io¢-$ nia Ave SW, 288-6340. lunagr.com. L, D

235-7669. onetrick.biz. 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. osteriaro ssa.com. L (Mon-Fri), D ¢-$ Palace of India — Indian cuisine with a sizeable menu that includes vegetarian selections. Lunch buffet 11-3. Open daily. 138 E Fulton St, 913-9000. palaceofindiarestau rant.com. L, D ¢-$ Parsley Mediterranean Grille — Appetizers, salads, soups, pitas, combos. Catering available. No alcohol. Open daily. 80 Ottawa Ave NW, 776-2590. parsleymg.com. L, D ¢-$ Reserve — Wine bar offers extensive bythe-glass selections and culinary options to match, including charcuterie. Closed Sun. 201 Monroe Ave NW, 855-9463. reservegr. $-$$ com. L (Mon-Fri), 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. roambysanchez.com. B, L, D $

Marcona on Lyon — “Modern” Mediterranean cuisine, including appetizers, grilled skewers, falafel and more, as well as vegetarianand vegan-friendly options. Full bar. Closed Mon. 623 Lyon St NE, 828-1228. marcona onlyon.com. 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, 5513563. rockwellsrepublic.com. 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, 776-6426. amwaygrand.com/dining/ru ths-chris-steak-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) New Hotel Mertens — French-inspired, upscale dining on restored historic site of original, early-20th-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 $-$$ 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,

Reserve

FSan 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, 7748272. sanchezbistro.com. B, L, D $-$$ Six.One.Six — Features new French cuisine in a cosmopolitan setting. Fine wines and cocktails. Alfresco dining overlooking the Grand River. Open daily. JW Marriott, 235 Louis St NW, 242-1448. ilovethejw.com/din ing/six.one.six. B, L, D $-$$ 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. slows barbq.com. L, D ¢-$ Social Kitchen & Bar — Refined comfort

food, sandwiches, pizzas, extensive cocktail menu. Vintage décor, patio. Open daily.

Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave SW, 7244464. socialkitchenandbar.com/grand-rapi $-$$ ds.html. Brunch (Sat-Sun), L, D

SpeakEZ Lounge — Casual pub setting with eclectic menu, including vegan and glutenfree. Creative starters, soups, salads, entrées (after 4 pm). Full bar. Open daily. 600 Monroe Ave NW, 458-3125. speakezlounge.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 ¢-$ 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. wheelhousegrand rapids.com. L, D $-$$

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

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/the-kitchen-by$-$$ wolfgang-puck. L, D

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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

WEST SIDE Ando Asian Kitchen & 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. andoasiankitchen. com. 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 ¢ 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

Benjamin Moore® 2019 COLOR OF THE YEAR!

FButcher’s Union — Meat-and-whiskeycentric gastro-pub. Full bar. Outdoor seating available. 438 Bridge St NW, 551-1323. butchersuniongr.com. Brunch (Sun), L, 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. elsombrerorest ¢ aurantmi.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. har ¢-$ monybeer.com/harmony-hall. L, D

Metropolitan AF-690

“Comforting, composed and effortlessly sophisticated, Metropolitan AF-690 exudes beauty and balance,” said Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore Director of Strategic Design Intelligence. “It’s a color in the neutral spectrum that references a contemplative state of mind and design. Not arresting nor aggressive, this understated yet glamorous gray creates a soothing, impactful common ground.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

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. the ¢ holidaybargr.com. L, D

Rylee’s

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. jolly $ pumpkin.com. L, D The Knickerbocker – New Holland Brewing — Craft brewery featuring a variety of locally sourced shared plates, sandwiches,

MONDAY - SATURDAY 8AM-8PM SUNDAYS 10AM - 5PM

1234 MICHIGAN ST. NE GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49503 616.451.0724

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food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

Crafty in the kitchen

CHARLES GOLCZYNSKI Title: Chocolatier Location: 638 Wealthy St. SE

A

t Mokaya craft chocolate boutique, it’s deliciously obvious that chocolatier Charles “Smitty” Golczynski knows chocolate is a medium for magic. A look around his cocoa-scented patisserie reveals a stunning landscape of chocolate beauties. T he green turtle truffle, with a stained glass-like shell, looks too pretty to eat. T he double chocolate crunch bar, sculpted into a mythological god, glints with edible gold luster. A cosmic black and green bonbon bar imparts a gooey white chocolate matcha ganache with honey caramel. The vanilla marshmallow buttercream orb mottled with robin’s-egg blue is a pillowy soft wonder.

“It looks like a little T iffany store in here,” said Golczynski, who opened Mokaya in June 2016 with his son, Max, Mokaya’s general manager and social media curator.

The name Mokaya hails from a pre-Mayan tribe from southern Mexico who created a drink from cacao long ago.

In small-batch perfection, Golczynski single-handedly makes more than 50 varieties of bonbons. “Every one of them is individually hand-painted, and that is kind of our shtick,” Golczynski said. “It’s the artistry that sells it, but it tastes even better.”

Lending to Grand Rapids’ Beer City, USA, moniker, Golczynski crafts a sixpiece flight of beer-infused chocolate truffles and caramels so lovingly named Brewery Vivant Farmhand Butter Caramel, Grand Rapids Brewing Co. Rosalynn Bliss White Chocolate, and Founders Porter Dark Chocolate, just to name a few. T hrough a wonky bit of science and state Department of Agriculture regulations, Golczynski created a new technique to infuse alcohol into caramel that’s so amazing that his mentor and certified executive pastry chef Luis Amado introduced Golczynski’s technique to some of Europe’s best chocolate makers.

Next, Golczynski embraced bold beautiful wines, offering wine-filled truffles and bonbons, then a four-piece distillers collection brightened with top-tier Grand Rapids distilleries, Long Road Distillers and Gray Skies Distillery. Now, Mokaya’s dark chocolate syrup is in high demand by area coffee shops, including Outside Coffee Co.; Sparrows Coffee, Tea & Newsstand;

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

Mokaya chocolatier Charles Golczynski whips up deliciously handcrafted works of edible art.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

“Chocolate has many different flavor profiles. Companies around the world are producing chocolate with beans from one specific area or even a single farm. My suggestion is to choose chocolate from South America. Although all South American countries produce wonderful, full-bodied chocolate, my preference is Ecuadorian or Venezuelan.”

— Charles Golczynski and Squibb Coffee & Wine Bar. T he recipe for his barely boozy bonbons closely adheres to state regulations, which require only a scarce amount of alcohol to remain in the truffles. “Vanilla extract has more alcohol than my truffles,” said Golczynski, who has to cart the whole kit and caboodle to a state lab for testing.

“So, I had to get good at this.”

“Come on back, I’ll show you how to do it,” he invited. “Back here, it’s all science.”

In the back, Golczynski keeps two kitchens. One’s for baking because he personally bakes every single yummy thing that goes into his confections, including whoopie pies, marshmallows, dark chocolate tarts with Italian meringue, lemon curd, pots de crème and more. And his second kitchen, recently expanded into the adjacent storefront, is Golczynski’s chocolate workspace. It’s meticulously spick and span, complete with four stainless steel tempering machines for his couverture chocolates: Valrhona, a French premium; Callebaut, Belgium’s finest chocolate; San Francisco’s Guittard Chocolate Co., established in 1868; and his absolute favorite, “Felchlin of Switzerland, which is perhaps the finest chocolate in the entire world,” Golczynski said.

Golczynski begins by tempering his couverture chocolate, which is the process of melting, cooling and resetting the chocolate to coat truffles, fill bonbons and glaze petit fours. All this tempering creates a silky, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness that can also help preserve the confection. When teaching Mokaya’s chocolate classes, Golczynski starts with ganache — a mixture of melted chocolate and cream that can be used as a dessert glaze — to roll and coat with cocoa powder for classic French chocolate truffles or to whip to make mousse for cake fillings.

Mokaya’s Dark Chocolate Ganache (Yields approximately 50 rolled or dipped truffles) 1 cup heavy cream (1½ cups if using for cake glaze) 16 ounces (1 pound) dark chocolate, preferably 65-72 percent, finely chopped 4 ounces unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder Heat cream in sauce until edges start to bubble. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter, and wait 3 minutes before whisking until smooth. Place in airtight container and refrigerate. Let sit for at least 1 hour.

Scoop ganache with spoon, roll between palms, then roll in cocoa powder or dip in tempered chocolate.

Once he’s prepared a big batch of bonbons, Golczynski reaches for his supplies and tools, numbering 36 tubes of colored cocoa butter, spray guns, compressors and a 3D backdrop. “It looks like an artist studio because I’m the artist,” Golczynski said.

“By hand, we’re decorating them. It can get kind of technical because it can take two days to make one batch.”

Beyond chocolate bonbons and truffles, Golczynski offers chocolate dinners and Sunday brunches featuring chocolate in every course — drool over the likes of chocolate goat cheese dip, bison chocolate chili, elk meatballs with chocolate mole sauce, and white chocolate macaroni and cheese. This year, he plans to open Mokaya for lunch, serving his chocolate favorites with a savory twist, and plated chocolate desserts in the evening. “In our new space, we’re all about a good time,” said Golczynski, who is constantly collaborating with local chefs and eateries such as Brewery Vivant, Donkey T aqueria, Louise Earl Butcher and chef Tommy FitzGerald.

When the big chocolate holidays — Valentine’s Day, Easter and Christmas — roll around, Golczynski elicits help in the kitchen from Max, his daughter Isabelle, and his wife T amra to churn out thousands of handcrafted bonbons. But Golczynski’s biggest Valentine goes to his wife, his dream-maker.

“T he biggest thing really — and this doesn’t come up a lot — is my wife has afforded me an opportunity to live out my dreams,” Golczynski said. “For a while, I wanted to open a little chocolate store. I didn’t know if it would work, but I knew it would make me happy. And we’ve turned our Mokaya into a tremendous business success.”

— JAYE BEELER

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food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

608-6756. twoscottsbbq.com. L

soups, pizzas, barbecue and more. Open daily. 417 Bridge St NW, 345-5642. newholland brew.com/knickerbocker. Brunch (Sun), L, ¢-$ D

Westside Social — “Reimagined” American-style tavern with locally sourced, housemade appetizers, burgers, seafood and other entrées. Full bar. Happy hour specials available Mon-Fri. Open daily. 2802 Lake Michigan Dr NW, 453-5877. westside.social. L (Tue-Sun), 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. longroad ¢-$ distillers.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, 4588583. Facebook. B, L, D ¢ The Mitten Brewing Co. — Vintage baseball-themed nanobrewery pairs handcrafted beers with gourmet pizzas. Open daily. 527 Leonard St NW, 608-5612. mittenbrewing. ¢-$ com. 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 One Bourbon — T rendy, 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. one bourbongr.com. D ¢-$ 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-street-grill. 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. salvatores gr.com. L (Mon-Fri), 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,

¢-$

UPTOWN Big Willy’s Italian Beef — Authentic Chicago cuisine, featuring Italian sausage, Polish dogs and Chicago dogs, as well as Italian ice drinks. Open daily. 1450 Wealthy St SE, 288¢ 5824. bigwillysitalianbeef.com. L, D Bombay Cuisine — Traditional Indian dishes with spices and flavors from northern India.

Full bar. Open daily. Takeout available. 1420 Lake Dr SE, 456-7055. eastownbombaycui sine.com. L, D $ FBrewery 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 — T raditional, 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. brickroadpiz za.com. L, D ¢-$ The Mitten Brewing Co.

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. T akeout available.

No alcohol. Closed Sun. 1441 Wealthy St SE, ¢-$ 233-4141. chezolga.com. L, D Curry Kitchen — Authentic Indian cuisine.

Daily lunch buffet. Kids menu. T akeout.

Open daily. No alcohol. 961 E Fulton St, 2421300. currykitchengr.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-T hu. Open daily. 1 Carlton Ave SE, 988-9788. danzon cubano.com. L, D $

Donkey Taqueria — Authentic Mexican food, including tacos, tostadas, botanas and tortas in a former 1920s service station.

Full bar. Open daily. 665 Wealthy St SE. don ¢-$ keygr.com. B (Sat-Sun), L, D East West Brewing Co. — T raditional American-style beers. Fresh, made-to-order American-style food and seasonal vegetarian menu items from local vendors. Open daily. 1400 Lake Dr SE, 288-5250. eastwest brewingcompany.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. eklecticogreekkouzina.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 — T hai fare; will accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free, no MSG. No alcohol.

Open daily. 950 Wealthy St SE, 356-2573. erbthaigr.com. L, D ¢ Forty 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, 481-6971. fortyacresgr.com. L, D $ Gojo Ethiopian Cuisine & Deli — Authentic dishes including vegetarian options. Watt (stew) dishes served with injera flatbread.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

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Carry-out available. No alcohol. Closed Sun and Mon. 421 Norwood Ave SE, 459-3383. gojo $ ethiopiancuisine.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

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. $-$$ thegreenwell.com. L, D OGrove — Earth-to-table concept focuses on three- and four-course offerings. Vegan menu available. Full bar. Open daily. 919 Cherry St SE, 454-1000. groverestaurant. $$ com. L, D 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 $

food restaurant featuring customizable poke bowls, plus oyster bar and rotating specials. Carry-out available. Closed Sun. 1146 Wealthy St SE, 288-5646. wikiwikipoke shop.com. L, D ¢-$

The Winchester — Locally sourced menu in-

cludes 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 oldfashioned hot dog.” Cash or check only. Ca-

Compassion

Forest View Psychiatric Hospital provides mental health services to individuals with compassion while respecting their dignity in a safe and supportive environment.

Take the first step, help is a call away.

800-949-8439

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 ¢ 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 $-$$

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

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 $ 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. wealthystreetbakery.com. B, L, D ¢-$ Wikiwiki Poke Shop — Fast-casual sea-

We offer free confidential assessments and referrals 24/7.

DEPRESSION ANXIETY EATING DISORDERS SUBSTANCE USE 1055 Medical Park Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

ForestViewHospital.com

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food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

tering available. Open daily. 1505 Wealthy St SE, 336-0746. yesterdog.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. bigbobspizza.com. L (Tue-Sun), 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 $ Derby Station — Sophisticated pub grub with full bar featuring an array of specialty beers. Open daily. 2237 Wealthy St SE, 3013236. derbystation.com. L, D $ 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, 456-8999. ostaslebanese.com. L (T ueFri), D ¢-$ Rose’s — Dockside dining on Reeds Lake with varied menu, including pastas and

El Arriero Mexican Grill

wood-fired pizzas. T hree-season porch.

Serves beer and wine. Open daily. 550 Lakeside Dr SE, 458-1122. thegilmorecollection. $ com/roses. L, D

SOUTHEAST GRAND RAPIDS/ KENTWOOD 7 Mares — Authentic Mexican dishes including breakfast. No alcohol. Closed Mon. 1403 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 301-8555. Facebook. B, L, D ¢-$$ Al-Bos Eurocafe-Bakery — Authentic south­ eastern 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 T ex-Mex menu, including wet burritos. Full bar. Curbside service. Open daily. 16 28th St SE, 245$ 0494. beltlinebar.com. L, D Big E’s Sports Grill — Sports lounge serving pizza, classic American appetizers and other entrées. Full bar includes a variety of Michigan-made beer and cider. Happy hour specials available Mon-Fri. Open daily. 2321 East Beltline Ave SE, 608-8825. bigessports ¢-$ grill.com. L, D Brass Ring Brewing — Small-batch, stylespecific brewery in the Alger Heights neighborhood. 2404 Eastern Ave SE, 460-1587. brassringbrewing.com. L, D $

Cabana Tres Amigos — Authentic Mexican fare including vegetarian selections. Full bar. T akeout available. Open daily. 1409 60th St SE, 281-6891. cabanatresamigos. ¢-$ com. L, D Cantina Mexican Grill — Menu offers extensive Mexican specialties. Full bar. Drivethru window. Outdoor patio. Open daily.

2770 East Paris Ave SE, 949-9120. cantina mexicangrill.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. daddy ¢-$ petesbbq.com. L, D East Garden Buffet — Cantonese, Hunan, Szechuan cuisine. Daily buffet. No alcohol.

Open daily. 6038 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 6988933. 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. elarri eromexicangrill.com. L, D ¢-$ El Globo Restaurant — Authentic Mexican fare; weekly specials. No alcohol. Closed Mon. 2019 S Division Ave, 734-6869. Facebook. L, D ¢-$ Florentine Pizzeria Ristorante & Sports Lounge — Italian fare with American and Mexican choices and thin-crust pizzas. Full bar. Open daily. Towne & Country Shopping Center, 4261 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 455-2230. florentinespizza.com. L, D ¢-$ Ganders — Features American cuisine with a twist and Michigan products, including craft brews. Open daily. 4747 28th St SE (inside DoubleT ree Hotel), 957-1111. facebook.com/ gandersgr. B, L, D ¢-$$ 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

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. hall streetbakery.com. B, L, D ¢-$ India Town — Indian fare including vegetarian and vegan. Lunch buffet Mon-Sat. No alcohol. Open daily. 3760 S Division Ave, 2431219. indiatowngrr.com. L, D ¢-$

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

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 $

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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. thelast ¢ chancetavern.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 — T raditional Mexican, eat in or drive-thru. 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. mik ¢-$ adogr.com/main. L (Mon-Fri), D Nu-Thai Bistro — Appetizers, soups, T hai salads, fried rice, seafood, duck, curries. No alcohol. Open daily. 2055 28th St SE, 4520065. nuthaibistro.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, 288-6976. baaaaaaaa.com. B (Mon-Fri), L, D ¢-$

Happily Ever After starts here

Pal’s Indian Cuisine — Authentic Indian food, including lunch buffet 11-3. No alcohol.

Open daily. 2915 28th St SE, 957-2271. palsin diancuisine.com. L, D $ Pho Anh Trang — Vietnamese, Chinese, T hai cuisine. Daily specials. Catering. Open daily. No alcohol. 3633 Eastern Ave SE, 2469966. L, D ¢-$ Pho Soc Trang — Wide selection of Vietnamese offerings. No alcohol. Open daily.

4242 S Division Ave, 531-0755. L, D ¢-$

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

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. shanghaiichiban.com. L, D $-$$ Shiraz Grille — Authentic Persian cuisine: fire-grilled kabobs, vegetarian options. Full bar. Closed Mon. 2739 Breton Rd SE, 9497447. shirazgrille.com. L (Fri-Sun), D $-$$

HONEYMOON & DESTINATION WEDDING SPECIALISTS

3250 28th St SE, Grand Rapids | 616.942.5112 | vacation@wittetravel.com | wittetravel.com FEBRUARY 2019 / GRMAG.COM 69

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pints of interest

BY PAT EVANS

“(Breakfast Stout) has a lot going on, and we want the chocolate to complement rather than stick out from the coffee and malts.”

— Jeremy Kosmicki

THE BEER INDUSTRY has turned practically everything into an ingredient, but few have proven as delicious as chocolate.

Chocolate being delicious isn’t a surprise, but it is a relatively recent ingredient in beer. Even at the turn of the millennium, few breweries were making beers with chocolate, led by a few English breweries and Oregon’s Rogue Ales. For years, the German purity laws of the Reinheitsgebot — which limits beers to water, barley and hops — restrained brewers.

While the rules certainly have their merits and make delicious beers, if brewers always adhered, many of the delicious beers we’ve come to know and love still would be beyond most drinkers’ wildest imaginations.

Luckily for Grand Rapids, Founders Brewing Co. was a fairly early adopter for big, flavorful chocolate beers. One of the most perfectly nuanced chocolate beers around is the Founders Breakfast Stout, as it plays so beautifully against the coffee also in the beer.

“In Breakfast Stout, it’s not in your face; it’s a little more subtle,” said Jeremy Kosmicki, Founders’ brewmaster. “T hat beer has a lot going on, and we want the chocolate to complement rather than stick out from the coffee and malts.”

The chocolate in Breakfast Stout falls back a little, as it’s added in during the hot part of the brewing process, boiling out the sugar and leaving a more delicate chocolate flavor.

Founders also includes the more in-yourface types of chocolate flavors, like Big Lushious, a beer Kosmicki used as an example. The beer, brewed in 2014, was a raspberry chocolate stout. T he chocolate was added post-fermentation, so the sugars weren’t eaten by yeast and kept it nice and sweet. There also was Lizard of Koz, brewed for his sister in 2016, complete with chocolate, blueberries and vanilla.

For the most part, chocolate is kept to stouts and porters, where the darker malted grains used in the base beer highlight the already dark beers. T hese malts have slightly burnt characteristics and already showcase flavors familiar to palates reminiscent of chocolate and coffee.

There’s even a malt called chocolate malt. Still, some brewers, like with coffee, have gotten experimental with success, adding chocolate to brown ales and even paler beers.

“Chocolate just plays along with those and balances the burntness with sweetness,” Kosmicki said. “It’s a nice counterbalance. Plus, chocolate is fairly easy to use and a familiar flavor with so many levels possible, from fullon dessert to keeping it subtle and in the background.”

Brewers can use cocoa nibs to get the accent of chocolate without added sugar, or they can go big and add full chocolate bars, extract or syrups of any makeup — it’s all about experimentation. Chocolate will stay near the top of great beer additives, but there’s no telling what else comes next.

“Beer is always evolving,” Kosmicki said.

“Brewers continue to push the envelope, so who knows what someone might try next. I’ve been surprised plenty before.”

— Pat Evans wrote the book “Grand Rapids Beer.” He also writes nationally on beer and spirits.

Three beers to try > Atwater’s Decadent Dark Chocolate Ale: A brown ale at 5 percent ABV that utilizes chocolate extract for a rich, rounded chocolate experience.

> Cranker’s Brewery’s Aphrodisiac Chocolate Pomegranate Imperial Stout: A 2017 Great American Beer Festival Silver Medalist in chocolate beers, this stout melds fantastic flavors.

> Mitten Brewing Co.’s Big Fella: A big imperial porter brewed up with chocolate is full of chocolatey goodness and a good choice to stay warm this month.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN HUVER (TOP LEFT); LOGOS COURTESY ATWATER BREWERY (BOTTOM LEFT); CRANKER’S RESTARUANT & BREWERY (BOTTOM CENTER); THE MITTEN BREWING CO. (BOTTOM RIGHT)

A chocolate lover’s dream

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food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

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, 246-7000. Facebook. B, L, D ¢ Thai Express — T hai specialties, spiced to customer specification. No alcohol. Closed Sun. T owne & Country Shopping Center, 4317 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 827-9955. thaiex ¢ pressgr.com. L (Mon-Fri), D Thai Fusion — T hai 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. tokyo grillsushi.com. L, D ¢-$

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN HUVER (TOP LEFT); LOGOS COURTESY ATWATER BREWERY (BOTTOM LEFT); CRANKER’S RESTARUANT & BREWERY (BOTTOM CENTER); THE MITTEN BREWING CO. (BOTTOM RIGHT)

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 ¢-$ 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. blueginger kitchen.com. L, D ¢-$

tizers, 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 SunMon. 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 T hai 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 Dominicanthemed, family-friendly atmosphere. No alcohol. Closed Mon-Tues. 334 Burton St SW, ¢-$ 350-9123. micasagr.com. L, D 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, 5309700. monellis.com. L, D ¢-$ Tamales Mary — T amale-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. spec trumlanes.com. B (Mon-Sat), L, D $

NORTHEAST GRAND RAPIDS

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 ¢-$

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 ¢-$

Frankie V’s Pizzeria & Sports Bar — Appe-

Birch Lodge — Menu includes wet burri-

tos, sandwiches, burgers, gyros, fish baskets. Daily specials. Full bar. Open daily. 732 Michigan St NE, 458-1918. Facebook. 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 $-$$ 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 ¢-$ 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. charlies ¢-$ barandgrille.com. L, D Cheer’s Good Time Saloon — Menu offers something for everyone in a log-cabin environment. T akeout 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 house-brewed 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 ¢-$ Erb Thai Xpress — T hai fare for takeout only. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 820 Michigan St NE, 454-0444. erbthaigr.com/erbthai_ xpress.html. L (Mon-Fri), D ¢ Flo’s Pizzeria Ristorante & Sports Bar — Pizzas, sandwiches, salads, Italian and Mexican entrées, full bar. Big screen T Vs; takeout available. Open daily. 1259 Post Dr NE, Belmont, 785-1001. 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. freds italian.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. fujiyamabis ¢-$ tro.com. L, D FEBRUARY 2019 / GRMAG.COM 71

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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. goldenwok ¢-$ grandrapids.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 ¢-$ 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. graydonscross $ ing.com. L, D Gus’s Original — Appetizers, salads and soups, stone-oven pizzas, gourmet sandwiches; coffees and ice cream bar. Outdoor seating. No alcohol. Open daily. 3123 Leonard St NE, 805-5599. gussoriginal.com. B, 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

Comstock Park, 784-3806. millcreektavern ¢-$ gr.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. mingtenrestaurant.com. L, D 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, 784-9886. thegilmorecollec tion.com/nickfinks. 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

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. paliograndrapids.com. 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, 4477750. eatatreds.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, 2723778. kitchen67.com. 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 ¢-$

La Huasteca — Homemade recipes, vegetarian options. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 1811 Plainfield Ave NE, 447-7733. Facebook. L, ¢ D

Rio Grand Steak House & Saloon — Texasstyle barbecue ribs, steaks and more. Full bar. Open daily. 5501 Northland Dr NE, 3646266. riograndsteakhouse.com. L, D $-$$

Lai Thai Kitchen — Vietnamese, T hai and Japanese fare. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 1621 Leonard St NE, 456-5730. laithaikitchen.net.

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. the score-restaurant.com. 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 $

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 $

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. lucyscafegr.com. B, L $-$$ 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,

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 $ Twisted Rooster — Classic dishes with unexpected twists. Full bar features local beers/wines. Open daily. 1600 East Beltline Ave NE, 301-8171. twisted-rooster.com. L, 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, 2598828. vandermill.com. L, D (Mon-Sat) $-$$

NORTHWEST GRAND RAPIDS Amore Trattoria Italiana — Regional Italian dishes using local products and Italian imports. Italian wines and liqueurs. Housemade desserts. Banquet facility. Closed Mon. 5080 Alpine Ave NW, 785-5344. amoretrat $ toriaitaliana.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, 805-3363. 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. empirechinesebuffet2.com. L, D ¢-$ Franco’s Pizza — Italian entrées, stromboli, pizza and subs. T akeout available. No alcohol. Open daily. 2103 Alpine Ave NW, ¢-$ 361-7307. 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. fricanospizza.com. D Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet — PanAsian cuisine, including Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian and American. No alcohol. Open daily. 785 Center Dr NW (Green Orchard Shopping Center), 785-8200. hibachigrillsu premebuffet.letseat.at. L, D ¢ Home Team Grill — Sports-themed eatery with a selection of local, domestic and international beers. Open daily. 4322 Remembrance Rd, 551-3457. hometeamgrill.word press.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

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genießen ( E NJ OY )

A CLASSIC THAT DEFIES PREDICTABLE.

Alpenrose Prime Rib has developed a reputation throughout the region.

Succulent and savory, the experience of this dish remains unparalleled— drawing farm-to-table vegetables together with a roast that’s been slow cooked to perfection. We could go on with descriptions, or you could see for yourself. Experience this and a few more of our favorite things.

alpenroserestaurant.com

The corner of 8th and Central Holland, MI | 616-393-2111

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food & drink RESTAURANTS / PEOPLE / REVIEWS

ese, Mandarin and Szechuan fare. Daily specials. No alcohol. Open daily. Green Ridge Square, 3330 Alpine Ave NW, 785-3888. ¢-$ threehappinessgr.com. L, D

Tillman’s — Chicago-style chophouse in former warehouse district. Known for steaks but something for every taste. Full bar. Closed Sun. 1245 Monroe Ave NW, 451-9266. till mansrestaurant.com. L, D $-$$ Walker Roadhouse — Diverse menu with interesting twists on classic fare. Full bar.

Closed Sun. 3272 Remembrance Rd NW, 7919922. thewalkerroadhouse.com. L (Mon-Fri), D $ Zoko 822 — Basque-inspired cuisine, featuring Northern Spanish and Southern French small plates, served family style; plus, “graband-go” lunch serviced through the Bodega 822. Full bar boasting over 45 selections of gin. Open daily. 822 Ottawa Ave NW, 8281118. zoko822.com. Brunch (Sun), L (MonSat), D $-$$

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. riverfronthotelgr.com/ dining/the-landing-restaurant. B, L, 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, 2004343. linearrestaurant.com. 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. mrgyros drivethru.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. perrinbrewing.com. L, D ¢ Stan Diego Baja Taco Kitchen — Baja California-inspired menu, featuring a-la-carte taco menu, chorizos, tamales, handcrafted margaritas and kids menu. Full bar. Open daily. 355 Wilson Ave NW, 591-9806. standi egogr.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 — Canton-

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. pourhouse usa.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. bigboil erbrewing.com. D $ The Blue Moose Sports Pub — Farm-totable sports bar features a food menu made with locally sourced ingredients. Open daily. 6240 28th St SE, 734-6333. Facebook. L, D ¢-$ Cascade Roadhouse — Relaxed atmosphere with a diverse menu of traditional fare. Full bar. Closed Sun. 6817 Cascade Rd SE, 2597439. 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. cork wineandgrille.com. L, D $-$$

Dan’s Diner — Formerly Pal’s Diner. Retrostyle diner with both classic and upscale breakfast and lunch options; breakfast served all day. Beer, wine and vodka. 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, 649-3984. emonaekoreanbbq. com. L, D $-$$ The Euro Bistro — European bistro fare includes entrées, small plates, salads, woodfired pizzas. T akeout available. Full bar.

Closed Sun. 6450 28th St SE, 719-2017. euro $-$$ bistrogr.com. L (Mon-Fri), D Flat River Grill — Casual atmosphere in turnof-century building. Comfort food, woodfired pizzas. Full bar plus The B.O.B.’s House of Brews beers. Alfresco dining on patio. Open daily. 201 E Main St, Lowell, 897-8523. the gilmorecollection.com/flatriver. L, D $-$$ Holland & Fitz Delicatessen — Deli sandwiches with in-house baked bread featuring corned beef hash and pork shoulder. Breakfast and kids menu. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 7277 T hornapple River Dr SE, Suite B, 9207090. hollandandfitzdelicatessen.com. B, L, D $

FJu Sushi & Lounge — Sushi and sashimi, Japanese hibachi, tempura, soups, salads and entrées in elegant surroundings. Full bar, huge sake selection. T akeout, 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 T hai 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, Low¢-$ ell, 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. Take-

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

Ju Sushi & Lounge

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gut essen (E AT WELL)

out 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 Ning Ye — Family-owned restaurant serves Chinese and Korean fare. No alcohol. Open daily. 6747 E Fulton St, Ada, 676-5888. ningye.info. 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 FNonna’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 T ues-Sat. Brunch specials available Sat-Sun. 584 Ada Dr SE, Ada, 920-7028. eatwithnonna.com. B, L, D (T ueSat) ¢-$

PERFECTING FAR MORE THAN SCHNITZEL. Bringing the piquant delight of a Bavarian mustard, Chef Helmut reimagines this traditional salmon dish with a bit of his heritage and a strong German flair. Alpenrose serves only the freshest salmon, complementing our fish with the robust flavor of bacon and the sweet enchantment of Chef’s cream sauce.

Join us to experience this and a few more of our favorite things.

alpenroserestaurant.com

The corner of 8th and Central Holland, MI | 616-393-2111

FNoto’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, $-$$ 493-6686. notosoldworld.com. D Osaka Steakhouse & Japanese Restaurant — Asian fare, including sushi, hibachi, shabushabu and more. Full bar. Open daily. 4977 28th St SE, 419-4628. Facebook. L, D $ Sapporo Ramen & Noodle Bar — Fresh, traditional Japanese “soul food” with an innovative twist. GF options available. No alcohol. T akeout available. Closed Mon. 5570 28th St SE, Cascade, 608-6657. sappororam ¢-$ enbar.com. L, D Schnitz Ada Grill — Schnitz Deli by day, casual fine dining by night. Full bar, happy hour 3-6. Closed Sun. 597 Ada Dr SE, Ada, 6824660. schnitzadagrill.com. L, D ¢-$$

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

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, 2843664. trailheadcafegr.com. B, L ¢ FEBRUARY 2019 / GRMAG.COM 75

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Vintage Prime & Seafood — Intimate setting with upscale menu that includes prime steaks and fresh seafood. International wine list. 5500 Cascade Rd SE, 949-0570. vintage $$ atcork.com. D Zeytin — Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine.

Full bar, beer and wine lists. T akeout. Open daily. 7437 River St, Ada, 682-2222. zeytin $ turkishrestaurant.com. L, D

GRANDVILLE/HUDSONVILLE/ GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP Bangkok Taste — Thai fare. No alcohol. Closed Sun. 674 Baldwin St, 667-8901. bangkoktaste. com. L, D ¢-$

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. thegilmorecollection.com/bost wick. L (Sat-Sun), 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. villadungeon.com. L (Fri-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. bouldercreekgolf club.com/restaurant. L, 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. elburritoloco4.com. 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 $

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. villadun ¢-$ geon.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

Hudsonville Grille — Varied menu includes Mexican favorites and breakfast. Full bar, catering and banquet services. Closed Sun. 4676 32nd Ave, Hudsonville, 662-9670. hud ¢-$ sonvillegrille.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 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. hudsonvillewinery.com. L, D ¢-$ 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 Rush Creek Bistro — Diverse menu in clublike 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 $

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, 863-3300. marinadespizzabistro. 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. ramonas table.com. 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’ pota-

toes fare in lodge-like surroundings. Full bar.

Open daily. 6555 Belding Rd NE, 874-5553. ¢-$ timbersinn.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. annashouseus.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, 454-3098; 2650 East Beltline Ave SE (Centerpointe Mall), 956-7901; 777 54th St SW, 532-5662; 34 Squires St, Rockford, 866-4306. arniesres taurant.com. B, 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, 285-7800. branns.com. L, D $ First Wok — Mandarin, Hunan, Szechuan cuisine. Full bar. Open daily. 2301 44th St SE, 281-0681; 6740 Old 28th St SE, 575-9088; 3509 Alpine Ave NW, 784-1616. firstwokgr. com. L, D $ Herb & Fire Pizzeria — Fast-casual atmosphere with Italian accent. Signature and create-your-own 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; 2183 East Beltline Ave NE. hopcatgr.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. thepitahouse.net. L, D ¢ Real Food Café — Fresh, locally sourced traditional favorites, scrambles and madefrom-scratch baked goods; plus, soups,

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YOUR DAY IS JUST AS

Special to us! sandwiches and salads for lunch. Cash only.

Closed Mon. 2419 Eastern Ave SE, 241-4080; 3514 Plainfield Ave NE, 361-1808. Facebook.

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. sun $ dancegrill.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. Open daily. 455 Burton St SW, 248-9099; 1024 Bridge St NW, 475-8000; Downtown Market, ¢-$ 435 Ionia Ave SW. tacosgr.com. L, D 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, 7355520; 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, 7845011. vitalessportsbar.com. L, D ¢-$

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 O — GRM’s 2017 Restaurant of the Year F — GRM’s 2017 Dining Award Winner Additions, corrections and/or changes: Please email stincher@geminipub.com or write to Dining Guide, Grand Rapids Magazine, 549 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

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cocktail hour

BY TORRENCE R. O’HAIRE

A classic punch bowl is a great sight, but depending on the size of your party, it can be drained pretty quickly and requires regular upkeep (and if it’s an outdoor wedding, it might require you picking leaves out of the punch). Instead, save a bunch of pretty bottles, wash them and fill them with your mix. Keep them on ice for guests to pour into glasses as needed.

The best thing about these ideas is the convenience of time. As long as you’re not adding a carbonated mixer, these batches can be made a week in advance and will last at least a week after your party. With this, you can knock an item off your to-do list when you can get to it, and you don’t have to risk a lot of waste if you make extra; just save them for the next day’s cleanup crew or a relaxing movie night the following weekend.

AS SOMEONE WHO STARTED his career as the same bored, black-tied bartender watching fathers of the bride get blackout drunk on nonalcoholic beer that they didn’t realize was nonalcoholic (yes, this really happened), I’m happy we’re starting to find value in smaller, more personal DIY wedding parties. With this shift, I love to share some tips and ideas for downsizing and upscaling your wedding bar!

As with any party, it’s important to keep consumption in mind. T he idea of a self-service bar helps save in effort and expense, but I recommend against putting out bottles and mixers — it’s far too easy for guests to accidentally drain your stock and end up passed out in the bushes. My favorite ideas involve portioning drinks out to both ensure people feel welcome and well provided but also can regulate their drinking well.

A visit to a homebrewing store and $50 can buy you a case or two of empty glass soda bottles, crown caps and a cap applicator. These make really fun options for cocktails; pre-fill them with a punch, cap them and provide an ice tub full of homemade sips. Some homemade label stickers will personalize it further.

Don’t have a homebrew store nearby?

T ry Mason jars. Divide a large batch of punch between a few dozen jars, screw on the lids and keep them chilled until service.

A final reminder: make your punch ahead of time in its full volume and taste it for balance. T oo sweet, and guests will get sick of drinking it very quickly. Too strong, and everyone will be trashed by dinner. Make sure there’s a balance of acid and enough water to dilute it to something “sessionable” — you want your guests to comfortably enjoy two (or three).

On the next page is a recipe that will fill 25 7-ounce bottles (approximately 3 liters). It’s simple, and best of all, it’s easily changeable with flavors and spirits you like. Citric acid is available online or at a homebrew store; you can use lemon juice instead of the water, but if you use the acid, it makes the cocktail last weeks longer in storage. Play around on the “small scale” to get the flavors you want and then increase the volume for your event.

— 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 THINKSTOCK

DIY wedding cocktails

A final eminder: make your punch ahead of time in its full volume and taste it for balance.

Too sweet, and guests will get sick of drinking it very quickly.

Too strong, and everyone will be trashed by dinner.

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY THINKSTOCK

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY THINKSTOCK

The Destination Wedding 40 ounces Long Road Distillers aquavit 10 ounces Lazzaroni amaretto 9 ounces Mandarine NapolĂŠon liqueur 1 ounce Angostura bitters 5 ounces demerara sugar syrup 35 ounces water 28 grams citric acid Combine all ingredients into a large vessel and stir well. Decant into bottles and chill completely before serving. This can be served as is, poured over ice or topped with sparkling water (or even Champagne). If the plan is to serve it over ice or topped with sparkling water, reduce the water content in the cocktail recipe to 25 ounces.

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cause & effect PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE IN WEST MICHIGAN

Building a

new life 70x7 Life Recovery helps turn ‘cycle of incarceration’ into ‘cycle of restoration and hope.’

By Ann Byle | Photography by Johnny Quirin

N

akajabu Sims’ probation officer told him that he was the poster child to see if 70x7 Life Recovery really works. Turns out, the nonprofit does its job well.

T hanks to 70x7, Sims, who has felonies and prison time on his record, is making huge steps toward caring for his family and working at a job he enjoys.

“I had wanted to change my life for a long time but was still straddling the fence. There is something about easy money from selling drugs and doing anything illegal,” Sims said. “I sat down and realized I’d wasted enough time, and that one day, I was going to wake up and realize I was too old to sell drugs or work. I didn’t want to be that guy.”

Sims began attending the classes provided by 70x7, where he met Joe Howard III, the owner of a Junk King franchise who has spent time in jail.

“Naka was in the class, and we hit it off,” Howard said. “He approached me on the break and gave me a card. And then followed up with me about a job.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance. We want those diamonds in the rough; we want someone who has been through a struggle and who can appreciate an opportunity when he sees one.”

— Joe Howard III

Junk King owner Joe Howard III (left) with Nakajabu Sims, a former inmate who got a job at Junk King through 70x7 Life Recovery.

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70x7 relationship manager Sarah Rhein (right) with Deborah Sutton, a 70x7 Take Charge participant.

Sims admits to some light stalking following a job interview with Howard. He wanted that job, and he got it. He now works full time at the full-service junk removal business.

“He’s one of our best guys. I want more Nakas,” Howard said.

Sims is just one of the roughly 300 people served each year by 70x7 Life Recovery, whose mission is “turning the cycle of incarceration and its consequences into a cycle of restoration and hope.”

T he program started as a ministry of Holland’s Ridge Point Church in 1996. It began as a 12-step program for addiction recovery, in 2005 shifting its focus to serve those who had spent time in jail or prison. 70x7 became a nonprofit in 2007 and began exploring expansion in 2014. In October 2017, the Grand Rapids office of 70x7 was created when it merged with Criminal Justice Chaplaincy, founded in 1980 by the Christian Reformed Church in West Michigan.

The Grand Rapids offices are located in Kentwood Community Church’s Wyoming location, 2950 Clyde Park Ave. SW. The church rents the office and meeting space for the six staff members and Life Recovery classes, which are required of those who participate in 70x7.

New Day Staffing was created in 2008 to offer on-site employment services specifically for 70x7 clients seeking to enter the workforce. It currently works with 23 employers eager and willing to offer jobs to those who have been incarcerated. Howard’s Junk King is one of those employers.

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cause & effect PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE IN WEST MICHIGAN

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Howard said. “We want those diamonds in the rough; we want someone who has been through a struggle and who can appreciate an opportunity when he sees one.”

Of the 300 “returning citizens” who come to 70x7 Life Recovery each year, 90 percent are men and 10 percent are women, according to Executive Director Ben Rosa. Referrals come from parole and probation officers, word of mouth, churches and Friend of the Court. Once a referral is made, 70x7 sets up an intake interview and enrolls the client in classes that teach life and job readiness skills over a two-week period. Once classes are complete, the client is assigned a mentor and works with New Day Staffing to find work.

“We are looking out for the whole person, and we understand each person has emotional and relational needs,” said Rosa, who also has spent time in prison. “Every day, we make hundreds of decisions, but a person in prison makes less than 50 decisions a day. When they come out, they have to make all these decisions and they have to make them all right. We are scared sometimes of people who have been in prison, but they are afraid, too.”

70x7 CEO Tim Koning recounted the story of a client who had been hired for a job and worked on Friday but didn’t show up to work on Monday. His mentor found him at his house and asked why he wasn’t at work. T he client said he figured they wouldn’t

Top: Ben Rosa, 70x7 executive director, speaks with Kent County Correctional Facility inmates during a 70x7 outreach luncheon. Bottom: Ben Rosa (right) with Grand Rapids Police officer Dan Myers.

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want him back. That mentor drove him to work and that client still works there.

“It really takes a village for people coming out of jail or prison,” Rosa said. “We partner with mental health professionals, court people, the police, Friend of the Court.”

REFERRAL PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES Kent County Friend of the Court refers at least one or two offenders a week to 70x7, sometimes more, through its Responsible Parent Program, an employment assistance program designed to assist parents who are court-ordered to pay child support but can’t afford to pay it.

“70x7 has really been a good resource for us,” said Dan Fojtik, director of Kent County Friend of the Court. “Before 70x7, we had a hard time placing people with felonies. Employers don’t often want to take that on, but 70x7 bridges that gap for us. We really like it because it helps people keep on track, and those who participate are pretty serious about getting their lives together.”

For Deb Martis, case manager for RPP, 70x7 offers much-needed job prep for clients. “Many haven’t worked in a while,” she said.

“I feel like 70x7 is one of our best partners.”

Martis also was Sims’ case manager when he got out of jail.

“She saw me in a different light,” Sims said. “She reached out to me and is still reaching out to me. I want better for myself so I can take care of my household.”

Other 70x7 programs include Reentry Networking Lunches held monthly at Oakdale Park CRC Ministry Center. The free event offers fellowship for ex-offenders and families, a connection point for church people to get to know them, social service agencies to meet and offer information and resources, and mentors to share a meal with their mentees.

T ake Charge is a life skills and support group for women involved with the justice system. Thursday meetings take place at Calvin Christian Reformed Church and include networking time and a presentation on topics related to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. T ake Charge runs three times a year for 12 weeks at a time and features speakers from groups such as Safe Haven Ministries, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Promises of Hope and Arbor Circle.

Participants help with setup and refreshments, take turns

“We are looking out for the whole person, and we understand each person has emotional and relational needs. Every day, we make hundreds of decisions, but a person in prison makes less than 50 decisions a day. When they come out, they have to make all these decisions and they have to make them all right. We are scared sometimes of people who have been in prison, but they are afraid, too.”

— Ben Rosa

giving inspirational readings and quotes, and share information about community resources. The 20-25 women who participate in each 12-week session are referred by probation or parole officers, substance abuse treatment and housing programs, Kent County Jail work release programs and other partners.

“T his group gives women the knowledge, skills and support needed to take charge of their lives and emerge healthier, stronger and more confident,” according to 70x7 relationship manager Sarah Rhein, who oversees the program.

MOVING FORWARD 70x7’s plans this year include starting Stronger T ogether, a support group for families of the incarcerated. Stronger Together would help families with emotional support, educate them on the legal system and choices to be made, and help them make connections.

“T here is a gap in this community that isn’t being filled, and Stronger T ogether will fill that gap for people with a significant other who is incarcerated,” Rhein said.

“We want to minister to the family, prepare them to navigate the correctional system and prepare them for the person who will come out of prison,” Rosa added.

70x7 has a $2-million budget for the Kent and Ottawa county offices, with funding coming from New Day Staffing, churches, foundations and individual donors.

“It’s a lot easier to open your heart to starving children; it takes a special heart to donate to this kind of ministry,” Rosa said. GR

Want to get involved?

70x7 Life Recovery is looking for volunteers and donors with a heart for those coming out of the correctional system. The nonprofit is looking for: > People to take a risk and start to understand what 70x7 is about. As a business owner, CEO Tim Koning hired those coming out of prison, but it didn’t usually work out. He discovered the missing links when he connected with 70x7 and now hires its clients at busi-

nesses he still owns. “It feels risky, but when you get involved you realize these are just regular people. We can make a tremendous difference in their lives and this is so joyful,” he said. > More experts in life skills for the Take Charge women’s program. These women, an underserved group, need a supportive environment and information on budget management, parenting skills and other areas.

> Citizens to become better educated on the needs of the formerly incarcerated and “the need to give them a soft landing and integrate them back into society,” Executive Director Ben Rosa said. The national recidivism rate is 67 percent, Michigan’s is 28.8 percent and 70x7 Life Recovery’s recidivism rate is just 4.6 percent.

For more information and to donate, visit 70x7liferecovery.org.

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out & about WHERE TO GO / WHAT TO DO

p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $12 adults, ages 14 and under free. showspan.com/wmg.

A FEW GREAT THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH! STAGE & FILM Feb. 19-24 “ON YOUR FEET!”: Broadway Grand Rapids presents a musical about pop musicians Emilio and Gloria Estefan.

7:30 p.m. Tue.-Thu., 8 p.m. Fri., 2 and 8 p.m. Sat., 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sun. DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $43-$78. broadwaygrandrapids.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS Feb. 8-10 WEST MICHIGAN GOLF SHOW: Info about equipment, courses and resorts; retail displays; Treetops Resort $25,000 Par 3 Challenge; free swing lessons. 2-9

Don’t forget to mark your calendar!

FEB. 1 - FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY HOP:

FEB. 9 - ROCKFORD CHOCOLATE STROLL:

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.

See Special Events

Seventh annual downtown stroll collecting chocolates and unscrambling a festive phrase. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Downtown Rockford. rockfordmichamber.org.

See Special Events

MUSIC Feb. 7 SCMC JAZZ SERIES: St. Cecilia Music Center hosts Joey DeFrancesco and The People. 7:30 p.m. 24 Ransom Ave. NE. $35-$40. scmc-online.org.

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MATTHEW MURPHY (TOP LEFT); THINKSTOCK (TOP RIGHT & BOTTOM)

february events

Feb. 22-23 WINTER BEER FESTIVAL: Fourteenth annual event celebrates Michigan’s craft beer industry with more than 140 participating breweries and 1,000 beers. 5-9 p.m. Fri., 1-6 p.m. Sat. Fifth Third Ballpark, Comstock Park. $50 Fri., $55 Sat. mibeer.com/winter-festival.

FEB. 14-MARCH 2 - “WHEN CALLS THE HEART”: Master Arts Theatre presents the story of a young woman who becomes a teacher on the Canadian frontier and falls in love with a Canadian Mountie.

See Stage & Film

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

Calendar Editor, 549 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 201, 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 10th of the month.

SPECIAL EVENTS Thru Feb. 3 - Michigan International Auto Show: Hundreds of sedans, trucks, vans, hybrids, SUVs and sport cars. 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Thu.-Fri., 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.5 p.m. Sun. DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $12 adults, $5 ages 6-14. showspan. com/mas.

Thru Feb. 24 - Ice Skating at Rosa Parks Circle: Outdoor ice skating in downtown Grand Rapids. Open daily, weather permitting; see website for times. 135 Monroe Center NW. $3 adults, $1 age 17 and younger; skate rental free. facebook.com/rosaparks skating.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MATTHEW MURPHY (TOP LEFT); THINKSTOCK (TOP RIGHT & BOTTOM)

Feb. 1 - 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.

Feb. 2 - Great Lakes Fly Fishing Show: Great Lakes Council of Fly Fishers International presents vendors and demonstrations. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. DeltaPlex, 2500 Turner Ave. NW. $10 adults, $5 kids 12-17, kids under 12 free. ffiglc.org/16th-annual-fly-tying-expo.

Feb. 2 - Love, Wine and Chocolate: Wine tasting and chocolate. Noon-4 p.m.

Robinette’s Apple Haus and Winery, 3142 Four Mile Road NE. $8. robinettes.com.

Feb. 2 - Snowfest: Muskegon’s annual winter celebration includes cornhole, snow volleyball, chili cook-off, kids activities and evening pub crawl. Begins 9 a.m. Western Avenue between T hird and Fourth streets. jcimuskegon.org/snowfest.

Feb. 2, 9, 16 - Polar Plunge: Benefits Special Olympics Michigan at three locations. Feb.

FEB. 19, 26 - A FEBRUARY AFFAIR: SIGHT AND SOUND REDUX: Live painting by artist Marlene Boonstra and music by classical violinist Gail Salvatori. Meijer Gardens. meijergardens.org. See Music

2, Grand Rapids. Feb. 9, Greenville. Feb. 16, Holland. somi.org.

Feb. 8 - Grown Up Play Date: Grand Rapids Children’s Museum fundraiser, Clue Murder Mystery Party, includes games, music, appetizers and adult beverages. 7-11 p.m. 11 Sheldon Ave. NE. $35. grcm.org.

Feb. 8-10 - West Michigan Golf Show: Info about equipment, courses and resorts; retail displays; T reetops Resort $25,000 Par 3 Challenge; free swing lessons. 2-9 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $12 adults, ages 14 and under free. showspan.com/wmg.

Feb. 9 - Rockford Chocolate Stroll: Seventh annual downtown stroll collecting chocolates and unscrambling a festive phrase.

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Downtown Rockford. $10 or $30/4. rockfordmichamber.org.

Feb. 13-17 - Grand Rapids Boat Show: Powerboats, pontoons, ski boats, deck boats, runabouts, canoes, kayaks and other familyfun boats, plus brokers, marinas and boating services. 2-9 p.m. Wed.-T hu., 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sun. DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $12 adults, $5 ages 6-14. showspan.com/grb.

Feb. 14-17 - World of Winter: Winter festival includes ice sculptures in downtown Grand Rapids, plus outdoor events, music and promotions at local businesses and restaurants. downtowngr.org.

Feb. 15 - Disco on Ice: Includes music and food trucks. 7-10 p.m. Monroe North Lot, 555 Monroe Ave. NW. experiencegr.com.

Feb. 15-March 15 - Beer Month GR: Savor

FEB. 21-23 - WOMEN, COMMUNITY & ENVIRONMENT SERIES: West Michigan Environmental Action Council hosts networking, panels/workshops, film, awards ceremony and keynote speaker. See Lectures & Workshops

Everything we make is from scratch!

FEB. 23 - GRCC GIANTS AWARDS & BANQUET: Grand Rapids Community College salutes AfricanAmerican individuals and organizations for their contributions to the community. grcc.edu/giants. See Special Events

Eurocafé - bakery 2930 Shaffer Ave. SE Kentwood, MI 616-325-2800 Find us on Facebook!

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out & about WHERE TO GO / WHAT TO DO

the Craft: Collaborative celebration with local breweries and restaurants offering dishes paired with beer or created with beer, plus Winter Beer Festival and other events. beermonthgr.com.

Feb. 16 - Plaiderday Chili Crawl: Zeeland hosts chili cook-off between 10 downtown businesses with sales and specials. 2-5 p.m.

Downtown Zeeland. $20-$25. feelthezeel. com.

Feb. 16 - Winter Bridal Show: West Michigan Wedding Association hosts wedding vendors and bridal show. Noon-5 p.m. DeltaPlex, 2500 Turner Ave. NW. grbride.com/bridal-events.

Feb. 16-27 - Celebration of the Arts: A Juried Sacred Art Show: Hosted by First United Methodist Church. Feb. 15, Artists’ reception.

Feb. 17 and 20, gallery walk-throughs. Feb. 17, Grand Rapids Symphonic Youth Choir, Mandala. Feb. 24, Diane Penning and Paul Langford, piano-vocal duo. Gallery open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun-Thu., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri-Sat., 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 27. 227 E. Fulton St. Free. thecelebrationofthearts.com.

Feb. 21 - Youth of the Year Luncheon: Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids honors community youth. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. 235 Straight Ave. NW. Free; donations accepted. bgcgrand rapids.org.

Feb. 21-23 - Michigan Landlord & Real Estate Investor Conference & Expo: National speakers, breakout sessions and exhibits. DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. Free; registration online. rpoaonline.org.

Feb. 22 - Great Wine and Food Symposium: Four hundred international beers and wines, gourmet food, live music; presented by WGVU. Ages 21 and up. 7:30-10 p.m. Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW. $50, $40 WGVU members. wgvu.org.

Feb. 22-23 - Winter Beer Festival: Fourteenth annual event celebrates Michigan’s craft beer industry with more than 140 participating breweries. 5-9 p.m. Fri., 1-6 p.m. Sat. Fifth Third Ballpark, Comstock Park. $50 Fri., $55 Sat. mibeer.com/winter-festival.

Feb. 23 - Coopersville Outhouse 500/Chili Cook-Off: Winter festival with parade and race of decorated outhouses, polar plunge, 5K run/walk, chili cook-off, live music and kids crafts. Begins 10 a.m.; cook-off 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Main Street in downtown Coopersville and Coopersville Farm Museum, 375 Main St. coopersvillefarmmuseum.org.

Feb. 23 - GRCC Giants Awards & Banquet: Grand Rapids Community College salutes African-American individuals and organi-

zations for their contributions to the community; benefits Milo Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund. 6 p.m. DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. grcc.edu/giants.

Feb. 23 - Mardi Gras Kidney Ball: National Kidney Foundation of Michigan hosts masquerade ball with cocktails, dinner, entertainment and auctions. 6 p.m. T housand Oaks Country Club, 4100 Thousand Oaks Drive NE. nkfm.org/events/mardi-gras-kidney-ball.

Feb. 28-March 3 - West Michigan Home and Garden Show: More than 350 exhibitors of home products and services, 14 feature gardens and five seminar stages. 3-9 p.m.

Thu., noon-9:30 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun. DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $12 adults, $4 ages 6-14. showspan. com/wmh.

SPORTS Feb. - Grand Rapids Drive: National Basketball Association G League team is primary affiliate of Detroit Pistons. Home games: Feb. 1 vs. Westchester Knicks. Feb. 2 vs. Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Feb. 8 vs. Wisconsin Herd.

Feb. 12 and 14 vs. Greensboro Swarm. Feb. 20 vs. Erie Bayhawks. DeltaPlex, 2500 T urner Ave. NW. $5-$30. grandrapids.gleague.nba. com.

Feb. - Grand Rapids Griffins: Grand Rapids’ American Hockey League team is primary affiliate of Detroit Red Wings. Home games: Feb. 6 vs. Manitoba Moose. Feb. 9 vs. WilkesBarre/Scranton Penguins. Feb. 10 vs. Chicago Wolves. Feb. 15-16 vs. San Antonio Rampage.

Feb. 20 vs. Rockford IceHogs. Feb. 22 vs.

Texas Stars. Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. $19-$40. griffinshockey.com.

Feb. 2 - Groundhog Marathon: Seventh annual full marathon (six loops of approx.

4.4 miles on certified course) and half-marathon (three loops). 8 a.m. Millennium Park, 1400 Maynard Ave. SW. $93 half-marathon, $103 full. groundhogmarathon.com.

Feb. 2 - Professional Bull Riders: Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour. 7 p.m. Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. $17.50-$127.50. van andelarena.com.

Feb. 3 - State Games of Michigan Winter Try-Athlon: Luge, speedskating and crosscountry skiing for all ages and levels. 10 a.m.4 p.m. Muskegon Winter Sports Complex, 462 Scenic Drive, Muskegon. $20-$50. state gamesofmichigan.com/winter/tryathlon.

Feb. 9 - Valentine’s Dash 5K: Race on trails and roads in Kentwood; also, Valentinethemed costume contest. 11 a.m. Kentwood

Library, 4950 Breton Road SE. $25-$35. kent wood.us/valentinesdash.

Feb. 11 - WWE RAW: World Wrestling Entertainment. 7:30 p.m. Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. vanandelarena.com.

Feb. 15-17 - Winter Games 2019: Sixth annual Meijer State Games of Michigan winter event hosts all ages and abilities competing in 20 Olympic-type games at multiple venues, indoors and out. stategamesofmichi gan.com.

Feb. 16 - Freeze Fest Disc Golf Tournament: Best shot doubles tournament; benefits Kentwood Parks & Rec Youth Programs.

9 a.m. Jaycee Park, 1088 Gentian Drive SE. $40/team plus canned food donation. kent wood.us/parks.

STAGE & FILM Thru Feb. 2 - “Spinning Into Butter”: Calvin T heatre Company presents the story of racism at a seemingly idyllic New England school. 7:30 p.m. Lab Theatre, Calvin College, 3201 Burton St. SE. $15-$20 adults, $5-$10 students. calvin.edu.

Thru Feb. 9 - “Burnt Part Boys”: Actors’ T heatre presents the story of a group of friends traveling to the coal mine where their fathers were killed. 8 p.m. T hu.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Spectrum T heater, 160 Fountain St. NE. $28 adults, $24 seniors and students. actorstheatregrandrapids.org.

Thru Feb. 9 - “Night Watch”: Holland Civic T heatre presents a dramatic thriller. 7:30 p.m. T hu.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. 50 W. Ninth St., Holland. $10-$18. hollandcivictheatre.org.

Feb. 1 - That Movie Shindig: Hudsonville hosts monthly movie night. 21+ only. 7 p.m.

T erra Square, 3380 Chicago Drive. $3. hud sonvilleevents.com/that-movie-shindig.

Feb. 8-10 - MOVEMEDIA: Handmade: GR Ballet presents its contemporary dance series with works from the heart and soul.

7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Peter Martin Wege T heatre, 341 Ellsworth Ave. SW. $48$52. grballet.com.

Feb. 8-17 - “Wonderful Town”: Grand Valley Opera T heatre presents the story of two sisters trying to make it big in New York City. 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Louis Armstrong T heatre, Haas Center for Performing Arts, 10749 S. Campus Drive, Allendale. $15 adults, $13 seniors, $7 students. gvsu.edu/ theatre/2018-2019-season-186.htm.

Feb. 10 - “Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf”: Documentary film screening. 2

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p.m. Meijer Gardens, 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE. Free with admission ($14.50). meijergar dens.org.

Feb. 10, 24 - Chiaroscuro International Film Series: Free film series promotes cultural diversity and awareness. Feb. 10, “T he Cakemaker.” Feb. 24, “T he Happiest Day in the Life of Illi Maki.” 2 p.m. UICA, 2 W. Fulton St. uica.org/movies.

Feb. 14-March 2 - “When Calls the Heart”: Master Arts T heatre presents the story of a young woman who becomes a teacher on the Canadian frontier and falls in love with a Canadian Mountie. 7:30 p.m. Thu.-Fri., 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sat. 75 77th St. SW. $17 adults, $15 seniors and students. masterarts.org.

Feb. 15-March 2 - “Women of Lockerbie”: Muskegon Civic T heatre presents a story inspired by the Pan Am plane crash in Lockerbie, Scotland. 7:30 p.m. T hu.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Beardsley Theater, 425 W. Western Ave., Muskegon. $22 adults, $20 seniors and students. muskegoncivictheatre.org.

Feb. 18 - Gungor, The Brilliance and Propaganda: Hope College concert series. 7:30 p.m. Dimnent Memorial Chapel, 277 College Ave., Holland. $15 adults, $5 students. hope. edu.

Feb. 19-24 - “On Your Feet!”: Broadway Grand Rapids presents a musical about pop musicians Emilio and Gloria Estefan. 7:30 p.m. Tue.-Thu., 8 p.m. Fri., 2 and 8 p.m. Sat., 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sun. DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $43-$78. broadway grandrapids.com.

Feb. 21-24 - “God of Carnage”: Performance staged, directed and acted by GVSU theatre students about two sets of parents discussing a previous altercation between their children.

7:30 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box T heatre, Performing Arts Center, Allendale Campus. $7. gvsu.edu/thea tre/performance-studio-series-13.htm.

Feb. 21-24 - “The Moors”: Aquinas College T heatre presents a dark comedy about two sisters and their governess. 8 p.m., 2 p.m.

Sun. Aquinas College PAC, 1607 Robinson Road SE. $12. aquinas.edu/theatre.

Feb. 22-23 - Footlight Festival: Holland Civic T heatre presents a variety show. 7:30 p.m. 50 W. Ninth St., Holland. hollandcivic theatre.org.

Feb. 22-March 17 - “Mamma Mia!”: Grand Rapids Civic Theatre presents the story of a young woman about to get married who is introduced to three men who could be her father; set to ABBA songs. 7:30 p.m. Wed.-

Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. 30 N. Division Ave. $22-$39 adults, $20 students and children. grct.org.

223 W. Main St., Lowell. $12. lowellartsmi. org.

Feb. 23-24 - “Who Am I? A Butterfly Ballet”: GR Ballet’s Junior Company presents the story of a newly emerged butterfly. 10 a.m. Sat., noon and 2:30 p.m. Sun. Meijer Gardens, 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE. $8, $5 members. meijergardens.org.

Feb. 7 - SCMC Jazz Series: St. Cecilia Music Center hosts Joey DeFrancesco and T he People. 7:30 p.m. 24 Ransom Ave. NE. $35$40. scmc-online.org.

Feb. 28-March 3 - Disney on Ice: “Frozen”: Ice skating production of the Disney movie, plus appearances by other characters. 7 p.m.

T hu.-Fri.; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sat. and Sun. Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. $15$120. vanandelarena.com.

Feb. 28-March 10 - “Bad Jews”: Jewish T heatre Grand Rapids tells the story of a family’s dispute when a grandfather dies and leaves a treasured family heirloom. 8 p.m. T hu. and Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Spectrum Theater, 160 Fountain St. NE. $25 adults, $23 seniors, $8 students. jtgr.org.

MUSIC Feb. - Park Theatre Tribute Concerts: Feb. 2, T he Who’s Who: A T ribute to T he Who. Feb. 9, June’s Got the Cash: A T ribute to Johnny Cash. Feb. 16, Marrakesh Express: A T ribute to CSNY. Feb. 23, Bowie Live: A Tribute to David Bowie. 7 p.m. Park Theatre, 248 S. River Ave., Holland. $18-$25. parkthea treholland.org.

Feb. 1 - Choral Fantasy: West Michigan Symphony performs works by Vivaldi, Mozart and Beethoven accompanied by the Chamber Choir of Grand Rapids and guest pianist Alessio Bax. 7:30 p.m. Frauenthal T heater, 425 W. Western Ave., Muskegon. $24-$60, $10 students. westmichigansym phony.com.

Feb. 1 - LaLa LaLa: Indie rock concert; also, Sen Morimoto. 8 p.m. Calvin College Fine Arts Center, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE. $15, $10 students. calvin.edu.

Feb. 1-2 - “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”: GR Symphony performs the score while the full-length movie plays onscreen.

7:30 p.m. Fri., 2 p.m. Sat. DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $18-$90. grsym phony.org.

Feb. 2, 8 - The Block Concerts: Feb. 2, Classical pianist Alessio Bax. Feb. 8, Sybarite 5.

7:30 p.m. T he Block, 360 W. Western Ave., Muskegon. $25 and up, $10 students. the blockwestmichigan.org.

Feb. 2, 9, 23 - LowellArts House Concerts: Feb. 2, Hawks and Owls. Feb. 9, Kathy Lamar and Robin Connell. Feb. 23, Natchez T race.

Feb. 8 - WYCE Jammies XX: WYCE 88.1 FM hosts annual local music awards with more than 25 bands playing on multiple stages. All ages welcome. 5:30-11 p.m. T he Intersection, 133 Grandville Ave. SW. Free; $10 suggested donation. sectionlive.com or wyce.org.

Feb. 8-9 - Tchaikovsky Festival: GR Symphony performs music by the Russian composer. 8 p.m. DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $18-$90. grsymphony.org.

Feb. 8, 22 - Alley Door Club: Jazz, blues and folk in downtown Muskegon. Feb. 8, Pop Fiction. Feb. 22, Westside Soul Surfers. 6-10 p.m. Frauenthal T heater, 425 W. Western Ave., Muskegon. $10. frauenthal.org.

Feb. 9 - An Evening with Sean Panikkar: Opera Grand Rapids presents tenor Sean Panikkar performing a solo selection of opera arias, contemporary songs and popular melodies accompanied by pianist Rohan de Silva. 7:30 p.m. Betty Van Andel Opera Center, 1320 E. Fulton St. $25 adults, $5 students. operagr.org/sean-panikkar.

Feb. 9 - Larry Joe Campbell and Friends: Stand-up comedians, improv and music.

7:30 p.m. Frauenthal Theater, 425 W. Western Ave., Muskegon. $25-$65. frauenthal.org.

Feb. 9, 16 - GRFA Acoustic Saturday Night Concerts: Grand River Folk Arts concerts. Feb. 9, T BD. Feb. 16, Juke Joint Handmedowns. 7 p.m. Wealthy T heatre Annex, 1110 Wealthy St. SE. $15 adults, $12 seniors and students, $10 members, $5 kids under 12. sites.google.com/site/grfolkarts.

Feb. 9, 24, 28 - SCMC Acoustic Café Folk Series: St. Cecilia Music Center concerts.

Feb. 9, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn.

Feb. 24, T he War and T reaty. Feb. 28, T he Milk Carton Kids. 7:30 p.m. 24 Ransom Ave. NE. $30-$50. scmc-online.org.

Feb. 10 - Grand Rapids Symphonic Band Concert: 3 p.m. Grandville High School PAC, 4700 Canal Ave. SW. $10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 students, $25 family. grsymphonicband. org.

Feb. 10 - Jazz in the Sanctuary: Pianist Xavier Davis. 3 p.m. Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St. NE. $15, $10 college students. fountainstreet.org/jazz.

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Comedy & nightclub venues COMPILED BY TRICIA VAN ZELST

1/ RIVER CITY IMPROV: The Grand Rapids-based comedy improv team performs its 25th anniversary show at 8:03 p.m. Feb. 9. No two shows are ever the same because the skits and games are based on audience suggestions. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for students and kids. Calvin Covenant Fine Arts Center, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE, 752-8570, rivercityimprov.com.

2/ Comedian Janelle James

2/ DR. GRINS COMEDY CLUB: Caribbean-born comedian and writer Janelle James performs Feb. 21-23.

Showtimes are 8 p.m. Thu.; 8 and 10:30 p.m. Fri.; and 5:30, 8 and 10:30 p.m. Sat. Tickets are $5-$15. Also, Feb. 7-9, Jimmy Pardo. Feb. 14-16, Dave Landau. Feb. 28-March 2, Greg Fitzsimmons. The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave. NW, 356-2000, thebob.com/drgrinscomedy.

3/ 20 MONROE LIVE: On Feb. 2, Michigan-based rock band The Verve Pipe celebrates 20 Monroe Live’s second anniversary with a concert at 8 p.m. All ages welcome. Tickets are $20-$85. 11 Ottawa Ave. NW, (844) 678-5483, 20monroelive.com. will perform Feb. 21-23 at Dr. Grins Comedy Club.

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.) ; stand-up comedy at Dr. Grins. 20 Monroe Ave. NW, 356-2000, thebob.com.

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, flanagansgr.com.

Founders Brewing Co.: Large taproom features live music Thu. and Sat., plus Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra on the first Sun. of each month. 235 Grandville Ave. SW, 776-2182, 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, grand woodslounge.com.

J. Gardella’s Tavern: Dance club Fri. and Sat. nights on third floor with DJs. 11 Ionia Ave. NW, 459-8824, jgardellastavern.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.

Feb. 9

1/ Grand Rapidsbased comedy group River City Improv team will perform at Calvin Covenant Fine Arts Center.

Mulligan’s Pub: Bar and music venue in Eastown. 1518 Wealthy St. SE, 451-0775, face book.com/mulliganspubgr.

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.

The Orbit Room: Regional and national music acts, occasional stand-up comedy. Open floor, seated balcony. 2525 Lake Eastbrook Blvd. SE, 942-1328, orbitroom.com.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ICM PARTNERS (TOP); TINA DERUSHA (BOTTOM)

The Intersection: Four-bar concert venue hosts nationally known bands. 133 Grandville Ave. SW, 451-8232, sectionlive.com.

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Timeless Beauty ...

Pop Scholars: Four-person comedy team performs improv show at 8 p.m. Feb. 15. $12.

Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy St. SE, pop scholars.com.

The Pyramid Scheme: Heartside pub and live music venue. 68 Commerce Ave. SW, pyramid schemebar.com.

River Rock at The Grand River Hotel: Live music Fri. and Sat. and jazz brunch Sun. 270 Ann St. NW, 363-9001, thegrandriverhotel.com.

Rocky’s Bar & Grill: Dancing every Fri., featuring DJs and live acts. 633 Ottawa Ave. NW, 356-2346, facebook.com/rockysbarandgrill.

Stella’s Lounge: Drink features and live DJs every Fri. and Sat. 53 Commerce Ave. SW, 7424444, stellasgr.com.

Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill: Live music acts and DJs, plus Comedy Tuesdays. 760 Butterworth St. SW, 272-3910, Facebook.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY THE VERVE PIPE

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ICM PARTNERS (TOP); TINA DERUSHA (BOTTOM)

Rumors Nightclub: Gay bar and dance club.

69 S. Division Ave., 454-8720, rumorsnightclub. net.

Since 1968 ...

4353 Three Mile Road N.E. | Grand Rapids | 616-363-6400 | kappeslandscapes.com

For Photos, Sneak peeks, Event news, Special offers and much more!

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3/ The Verve Pipe

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Continued from page 87 Feb. 10, 24 - Hempy Keyboard Series: Piano concerts presented by Saugatuck Center for the Arts. Feb. 10, Annie Jeng. Feb. 24, Margarita Shevchenko. 2 p.m. 400 Culver St., Saugatuck. $15 adults, kids 18 and under free. sc4a.org.

Feb. 11 - The You & Me Tour: An Evening with Drew and Ellie Holcomb. All ages. 7 p.m. Wealthy T heatre, 1130 Wealthy St. SE. $36-$41. grcmc.org.

Feb. 12 - Shad: Hip-hop rapper. 8 p.m. Calvin College Fine Arts Center, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE. $15, $5 students. calvin.edu.

Feb. 13 - Kentwood Winter Concert Series: Bello Spark. 6:30-8 p.m. Kentwood Library, 4950 Breton Road SE. Free. kentwood.us/ winterconcerts.

6:30-9 p.m. Meijer Gardens, 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE. $58, $53 members. meijer gardens.org.

Feb. 22 - Romantic Coffee Concert: GR Symphony presents a concert of classical music at 10 a.m. with coffee and pastries at 9 a.m. Royce Auditorium, St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom Ave. NE. $16, $5 students. grsymphony.org.

Feb. 22 - “The Romantic Concert: Bella Italia!”: GR Symphony presents music by Rossini, Bottesini and Mendelssohn. 8 p.m.

Royce Auditorium, St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom Ave. NE. $26, $5 students. grsym phony.org.

Feb. 23 - Alan Jackson: Country music singer. 7:30 p.m. Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. vanandelarena.com.

Feb. 14 - Kelly Clarkson: Pop singer-songwriter performs Meaning of Life Tour. 8 p.m.

Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. $22 and up. vanandelarena.com.

Feb. 24 - Sacred Sounds of St. Mark’s: Michigan State University Chorale. 5 p.m. St. Mark’s Episcopal, 134 N. Division Ave. Free. stmarksgr.org.

Feb. 15 - Hope College’s Great Performance Series: Minita Gandhi in one-woman show “Muthaland.” 7:30 p.m. Knickerbocker T heatre, 86 E. Eighth St., Holland. $23 adults, $17 seniors, $6 kids 18 and under. hope.edu.

Feb. 24 - Underground Concert Series: Jazz musician and multi-genre drummer Gayle McKinney. 3-5 p.m. LaFontsee Galleries, 833 Lake Drive SE. $20-$25 adults, $10 students, kids 12 and under free. lafontsee.us.

Feb. 16 - Dr. Dog with The Nude Party: Altrock concert. 8 p.m. Calvin College Fine Arts Center, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE. $25, $10 students. calvin.edu.

Feb. 16 - Symphony with Soul featuring Black Violin: Classical Boom T our: GR Symphony performs with violinists Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste, fusing hiphop and classical music. 8 p.m. DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $18-$90. grsymphony.org.

Feb. 17 - John Mellencamp: Rock singersongwriter performs. 8 p.m. DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. $81 and up. devosperformancehall.com.

LECTURES & WORKSHOPS Feb. - Downtown Market Cooking Classes: Feb. 2, Chinese New Year: Dumpling Workshop. Feb. 10, Valentine’s Day Love Potions. Feb. 14, T hat’s Amore: A Romantic Evening in Italy. Feb. 22, Ruin Your Resolution Workshop. 435 Ionia Ave. SW. downtown marketgr.com.

Feb. - FLPC Art Workshops: Feb. 18-19, “Great Finishes and Acrylics” by Kathleen Mooney. Feb. 21, “Painting Snow Scenes in Watercolor” by Eric Michaels. Franciscan Life Process Center, 11650 Downes St. NE, Lowell. lifeprocesscenter.org.

Feb. 19 - Adrianne Lenker with Luke Temple: Folk singer. 8 p.m. Calvin College Fine Arts Center, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE. $25, $5 students. calvin.edu.

Feb. - Grand Rapids Public Libraries: Adults: 56th Annual Ann Arbor Film Festival T raveling T our, Black Family History Series, Basic Knife Skills, Music in the Stacks, DIY@GRPL: Book Planters, Taste of Soul Sunday, And the Oscar Goes T o…, book clubs, computer/technology instruction. Kids: After the Bell on Thursday, ST EAM Ahead Storytime, CHAOS Lab, Evening Explorers, Block Party, Mindstorm Saturdays, story times. grpl.org.

Feb. 19, 26 - A February Affair: Sight and Sound Redux: Live painting by artist Marlene Boonstra and music by classical violinist Gail Salvatori; plus drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Feb. - Kent District Libraries: Adults: Cardmaking Workshop for Adults, Decoupage Personal Barn Quilts, CreativiT ea, KDaLe T our, book sales, book discussions, com-

Feb. 18 - Monday Night Jazz: Monthly West Michigan Jazz Society concert with Edye Evans Hyde. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Casino Club, 3260 Salerno Drive NE. $10, $5 members. wmichjazz.org.

puter/technology instruction. Kids: T een Zone: Scratch Art, Cabin Fever Cupcakes, Dot Mandala Lids, Heart to Heart Craft Party, KDL Lab Experience, story times. kdl.org.

Feb. 1 - First Friday 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.

Feb. 1 - UICA First Friday Studio Night: Pastel Portraits Inspired by “Warm Water.”

6-9 p.m. 2 W. Fulton St. Free with admission ($5), members free. uica.org.

Feb. 5 - GVSU Writers Series: Faculty reading with Chris Haven and Gale Marie T hompson. 6-7:30 p.m. Multi-Purpose Room, Pew Library, 10582 S. Campus Drive, Allendale. gvsu.edu/writing/grand-valleywriters-series-12.htm.

Feb. 7 - Ada Parks Program: Winter Night Sky and Star Watch. 7 p.m. Roselle Park, 1010 Grand River Drive NE, Ada. $3 adults, $2 kids. adamichigan.org/township.

Feb. 7 - Aquinas College Contemporary Writers Series: Ashley Hope Perez. 7:30 p.m.

Wege Ballroom, Aquinas College, 1700 E. Fulton St. aquinas.edu/contemporary-writ ers-series.

Feb. 7-9 - Faith and International Development Conference: Calvin College annual conference with theme “Beyond the Savior Complex: Working and Serving T ogether.” 3 p.m. T hu., noon Sat. Calvin College, 3201 Burton St. SE. $15-$50. calvin. edu/events/fidc.

Feb. 9 - KCAD Continuing Studies: Kendall College of Art and Design course: 10 Small Paintings in a Day Workshop. 1-4 p.m. 17 Fountain St. NW. $109. kcad.edu/cs.

Feb. 13 - GRCC Diversity Lecture Series: Bakari Sellers, CNN political analyst, lawyer and activist. 7 p.m. Fountain St. Church, 24 Fountain St. NE. Free. grcc.edu/lecture.

Feb. 13 - Music and Movies at The Block: Three movies, snacks, cash bar and discussion of music and movies. 7 p.m. The Block, 360 W. Western Ave., Muskegon. $8. the blockwestmichigan.org.

Feb. 14 - Creativity Uncorked: Grand Rapids Art Museum hosts social evening and art workshop “T he Art of Calligraphy.”

Ages 21 and up. Registration required. 6:459 p.m. 101 Monroe Center NW. $40. artmus eumgr.org/learn/creativityuncorked.

Feb. 15-18 - Great Backyard Bird Count: Birders of all skill levels count birds for a

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minimum of 15 minutes in local areas and submit info via eBird app. gbbc.birdcount. org.

WE

GRAND RAPIDS

Feb. 21 - Johnson Center Workshop: “Grantwriting for Success” by Tamela Spicer. 9 a.m.4:30 p.m. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, 201 Front Ave. SW. $229. johnsoncenter.org/ event/workshop022119.

Feb. 21-23 - Women, Community & Environment Series: West Michigan Environmental Action Council hosts networking, panels/workshops, film, awards ceremony and keynote speaker state Sen.-elect Stephanie Chang. $35 adults, $28 members, $10 students. wmeac.org/women-and-theenvironment.

Feb. 22 - Art and Science of Aging Conference: Fourteenth annual GVSU conference with theme “Revisiting Relationships: Intimate, Intergenerational and More.” 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Richard M. DeVos Center, 401 W. Fulton St. $45, $35 seniors and students. gvsu.edu/gerontology.

GR|MAG offers original daily stories not found in print – visit grmag.com today for the best of Grand Rapids arts, entertainment, food & drink, culture, lifestyle and news.

Feb. 24 - GRAM Workshop: Grand Rapids Art Museum presents Pewter Embossing.

Ages 18+. Registration required. 12:30-3:30 p.m. 101 Monroe Center NW. $30. artmuseum gr.org.

Feb. 25 - GR Audubon Club: “Climate Watch” by John Considine. 7:30 p.m. Aquinas College Donnelly Center, 1607 Robinson Road SE. Public welcome. Free. graud.org.

Feb. 26 - Paczki Class: Polish doughnut cooking class. 1:15-3 p.m. or 6:15-8:30 p.m. Franciscan Life Process Center, 11650 Downes St. NE, Lowell. $25. lifeprocesscen ter.org.

VISIT GRMAG.COM

Feb. 27 - Passport to Adventure: Calvin College presents travel film series: “Cuba’s Secret Side” by Karin Muller. 7 p.m. Calvin College Fine Arts Center, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE. $6 adults, $3 students. calvin.edu/ academic/call/passtick.htm.

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Blandford Nature Center: Special events: Feb. 2, Family Story Telling. Feb. 5, 12, 19 and 26, Nature Buds - Winter Edition. Feb. 9, Drop-in Snowshoe Hike. Feb. 16, Open Forge: Blacksmithing. Feb. 14 and 16, Snowshoe With Your Sweetie. Feb. 23, Henna Workshop. Feb. 23, Backyard Sugaring.

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, bland fordnaturecenter.org.

Coopersville & Marne Railway: Closed for the season; reopens in March. 311 Danforth St., Coopersville, 997-7000, coopersvilleandmarne.org.

Coopersville Farm Museum: Museum honoring farming and rural life. Special exhibition: Thru March 30, Handmade Wooden Tractors. Special events: Feb. 5 and 19, Acoustic Jam Night. Feb. 23, 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, coopersvillefarmmuseum.org.

Thru May 12 1/ Original illustrations by Patricia Polacco are on exhibit at Muskegon Museum of Art.

Deer Tracks Junction: Closed for the season.

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

COMPILED BY TRICIA VAN ZELST

1/ MUSKEGON MUSEUM OF ART: Special exhibitions: An exhibition of original artwork by author Patricia Polacco pays tribute to the teachers in her life. “A+ for Educators: Illustrations by Patricia Polacco” runs through May 12. Also, thru Feb. 7, Postcard Salon. Thru Feb. 17, “Conduct Becoming: A Survey of Distinction.” Thru March 10, “SONS: Seeing the Modern African American Male” and “Ad Man: Joseph Gray II.” Closed Mon. $10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 college students, kids 16 and under free.

296 W. Webster Ave., Muskegon, (231) 720-2570, muskegonartmuseum.org.

2/ GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM: Special exhibitions: Thru April 28, GRAM celebrates its 10th anniversary at its current location with “A Decade at the Center: Recent Gifts and Acquisitions.” The exhibition includes 19th-century paintings, modern furniture, vintage photographs, Renaissance-era engravings and contemporary art.

Special events: Feb. 9, Art, Love and Chocolate Tour. Sunday Classical Concert Series: Live performances 2-3 p.m. every Sun. Feb. 3-April 7. Free with admission. Drop-in Studio: 1-4 p.m. every Sat. This month’s theme: Drypoint Prints. 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, artmuseumgr.org.

3/ FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS & SCULPTURE PARK: Special exhibitions: Feb. 1-Aug. 25, “A National Treasure: Fred Meijer, His Collection and Legacy” celebrates the local philanthropist and his dedication to bringing significant sculptures to Grand Rapids. Special events: Feb. 2 and 16, Animal Adventures: Surviving in the Wild. Feb. 9, Winter Family Day. Thru Feb. 26, Cozy Tales for Chilly Days. 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

3/ Meijer Gardens celebrates Fred Meijer with a new exhibition.

Downtown Market: Open daily with culinaryrelated products at more than 20 local businesses and restaurants, plus cooking classes (see Lectures & Workshops) and private rentals. Special events: Feb. 2, Nature Day at the Downtown Market. Feb. 14-16, Downtown Market Ice Bar. 435 Ionia Ave. SW, 805-5308, downtownmarketgr.com.

Felt Mansion & Gardens: Summer home of millionaire inventor Dorr E. Felt features 1920s architecture. 6597 138th St., Holland, 335-3050, felt mansion.org.

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum: 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 Children’s Museum: Handson permanent and traveling exhibits for kids 2-10.

Special events: See Grown Up Play Date in Special Events. Special activities: Thru Feb. 17, Just Fort Fun. Thru March 3, Dentist Fang. Permanent activities: 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. $8.50, $7.50 seniors, kids under 1 free. 11 Sheldon Ave. NE, 235-4726, grcm.org.

Grand Rapids Public Museum: Special exhibitions: Thru April 28, “Expedition: Dinosaur.” Thru Sept. 8, “TOYS!” Special events: Curiosity Labs every Sat. 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. Open daily. $8 adults, $7 seniors, $3 kids 3-17. 272 Pearl St. NW, 456-3977, grpm.org.

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY PATRICIA POLACCO (TOP); PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS & SCULPTURE PARK (BOTTOM)

Museums & attractions

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, 355-1057, cityofholland.com/degraafnature center.

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ROCKFORD, MICHIGAN • 866.462.LIFT • SHORE-MATE.COM 2/ “Elephant Whirlpool” is at Grand Rapids Art Museum.

Holland Museum: 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., 796-3329, hollandmuseum.org. Also, Cappon House: 228 W. Ninth St. Settlers House: 190 W. Ninth St. The Armory: 16 W. Ninth St.

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Kalamazoo Institute of Arts: Special exhibitions: Thru March 3, “do it.” Thru March 10, “Watanabe: Japanese Print Envoy.” Thru May 5, “The Expressionist Figure.” 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.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY PATRICIA POLACCO (TOP); PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS & SCULPTURE PARK (BOTTOM)

John Ball Zoo: Closed for the season; reopens in March. 1300 W. Fulton St., 336-4300, jbzoo.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, meyermay house.steelcase.com.

Nelis’ Dutch Village: Park closed for season, shops open Mon.-Sat. 12350 James St., Holland, 396-1475, dutchvillage.com.

Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium: Shows use Digistar production and surround sound. This month: “One World, One Sky - Big Bird’s Adventure,” “Escher’s Universe,” “Dynamic Earth,” “Ice Worlds,” “Under Frozen Skies,” and “The Queen Light Show: From Mercury with Love.” $5, $4 with admission to the museum, members free. Special events: Concerts Under the Stars: Feb. 7, Frankie and Myrrh.

Feb. 28, Bronze Wolf. $15-$18 adults, $12-$15 members. Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW, 456-3977, grpm.org/planetarium.

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out & about SOCIETY / FACES / PLACES

Joe and Diane Babiak

Marti and Chip Oosdyke Naomi Rogers, Beth Gumina and Deborah Kuzma Chris and Cassandra Patterson

Carol Tillotson and Nancy Burnside

Catherine Cooley and David Williams

CAPTURING THE ACTION AROUND TOWN:

snap shots

Kelly Meeuwsen, Stacey Boumann and Sara Stevens

Kristin, Mike and Mark Dreyer

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK (BOTTOM); JOHNNY QUIRIN (TOP)

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF WEST MICHIGAN hosted its Raising Hope dinner at Frederik Meijer Gardens on Nov. 28 to highlight CCWM’s community work and behavioral health programs.

It’s a Black Tie Event, a fundraiser for Derek’s Place, was held Dec. 8 at the Downtown Market. Derek’s Place fights the stigma associated with addiction, homelessness and mental health by bringing hope and providing a safe space for those affected.

The Ray Park Foundation Sportsman’s Christmas Gala was held Dec. 6 to support opportunities for youth to learn about hunting, fishing and wildlife management.

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Chris Kunze and Mary Bursma

Bob Minnema and Larue Slezak

Traci Holbrook and Kaylea Bosch

Greg and Helena Hughes, Craig and Lin Johnson, and Helene and Tom Wagnor

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK (BOTTOM); JOHNNY QUIRIN (TOP)

Tom VanSpronsen and Jen Lindgren

Josh and Elizabeth Berghuis

Hannah and Steve Newell

Molly Rinckey and Paul Henderson FEBRUARY 2019 / GRMAG.COM 95

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after thoughts

Q:a

As Veverly Austin chases her dreams, she motivates and inspires others to follow their own along the way.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHNNY QUIRIN

V

everly Austin started Girl, Get Your Fight Back Inc. a decade ago with the goal of empowering women to take control of their destiny and purpose. The following year, Austin was planning a fashion show for GGYFB when she heard of a family struggling from the effects of breast cancer. After deciding to donate some of the proceeds from the fashion show to the family, Austin was determined to increase breast cancer awareness in the black and Hispanic communities. And so, Rock’n the Runway was born, offering breast cancer survivors the chance to walk the runway with the confidence and support they need to thrive.

Veverly Austin Enterprises comprises Girl, Get Your Fight Back; Rock’n the Runway; Confident Living; and Confident Wear boutique.

Her work is centered on boosting confidence and well-being.

Austin, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, earned an MBA in human resource management from the University of Illinois and a master’s in Urban Ministry Leadership from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary.

WHO INSPIRES YOU? I am so inspired by women who have been knocked down or even knocked out but got up, kept it moving and continued after their goals and dreams.

PROUDEST MOMENT? When I expanded my online clothing boutique because I was so scared to jump out and just do it. I pushed past my fears.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT? My biggest passion is teaching others how to identify their purpose and passion, and develop strategies to get there. This is how Confident Living was developed. Organizations bring me in to motivate, inspire and help with goal setting, coaching and to build confidence in their team while encouraging self-care.

FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND A SATURDAY IN GRAND RAPIDS? Grand Rapids is changing and growing so rapidly that now Saturdays have become excursions for my family.

BEST PART OF YOUR JOB? I’m doing what I absolutely love, creating my own path and leaving my imprint on the lives of those I encounter daily. I get to go home feeling fulfilled every day.

BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? “You can have it all, but you can’t do it all.” Basically, don’t be too proud to ask for help.

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