Oval Beach, Saugatuck MI
Oval Beach, Saugatuck MI

If you try real hard, I’ll bet you can feel the sand between your toes, smell the fresh air blowing off the water and hear the surf pounding the shore. It’s no wonder Oval Beach was voted as one of the best beaches in the world.

Supposedly, we’re going to get blasted with arctic air and a snowstorm tomorrow… I hope not, but just in case, I’ll be thinking of summer, sun and sugar sand Michigan beaches.

By the way, I saw Clint Eastwood’s new movie, Gran Torino this weekend. It was shot in a decaying urban Detroit area. I loved the movie, in fact it’s one of my all time favorites. But after seeing it, I wished that there were more positive images of the Detroit area represented in the media. Yes there are parts of Detroit that are like this, but the majority of Detroit is an interesting, unique city with tremendous talent and people with a survivor spirit. I go there a lot on business and love the diversity and openness of the businesses and people there. Nothing ever stays the same and that goes for a depressed economy, I truly believe that our state is on its way back.

The Van Andel Arena

I think it’s great that we have the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. The arena draws huge acts and it’s really easy to go see them, with cheap, easy parking nearby. In the last few years, I’ve seen bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phil Collins, Prince, Sarah McLaughlin and Nine Inch Nails at the arena. Last time I was downtown, I was thinking about how unique this city is. It has some incredible resources for a city of this size, yet is easy to navigate, safe and fun. Just another reason why I love it here.

One of the Many Sculptures in the Park
One of the Many Sculptures in the Park

I can’t decide if I like the Frederik Meijer Gardens more at Christmas or in the summer. What I can say is that it’s a beautiful place to visit any time of day, and any time of year. If you’re still looking for that perfect Christmas present, they have a gift shop with reasonably priced gifts that are unique and special.