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Ada, Michigan has been near and dear to my heart for a very long time. I love Ada for it’s small town feel with some really great places to visit and do business with.

It amazes me that a small village can have so many fabulous places to go out to eat at, with the majority of businesses being local and family owned. Some of my favorite locally owned restaurants in Ada include:

  • Nonna’s Cafe: featuring European cuisine in an intimate, homey atmosphere. My favorites include the quiche, which is the best I’ve ever had, and their latte’s, which are responsible for me staying up half the night way too often. Located at 591 Ada Drive SE, Ada MI
  • Zeytin Turkish Restaurant: featuring a cozy, semi-casual atmosphere and Turkish cuisine. My favorite experience at Zeytin is to score one of their cozy booths with Turkish pillows and chow down on the grilled chicken kabobs. Located at 400 Ada Drive, SE, Ada MI.
  • Schnitz Ada Grill: a deli by day and grill at night, this has been a long time favorite of many. I love to hang out on the outside upper deck in the summer and people watch. Located at 597 Ada Drive, Ada MI
  • Vitale’s Ada: a great sports bar, with best Italian lunch buffet that I’ve ever had.

Downtown Ada is located just a few minutes away from Grand Rapids and well worth the short drive.

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This sundog in Ada, MI made the subzero drive on icy roads worth it.
This sundog in Ada, MI made the subzero drive on icy roads worth it.

As I was driving along this morning wondering why on earth I was braving the packed icy roads in subzero weather, I looked up and saw this sundog. It was funny because I was listening to the radio and the announcer was talking about what a miserable day it was and seeing this totally changed my perspective of the morning.

This has been the coldest, snowiest winter I can remember in Michigan, but as long as I can keep my house warm (and not go broke doing it), I’m going to snuggle up and enjoy the winter.

Michigan Sweet Spot Crabapple tree blooms
Beautiful spring crabapple blooms at Ada Park.

A couple of days ago I saw on facebook that Betsy Ratsch, from Betsy Ratsch Pottery, had commented on the amazing crabapple blooms in Ada Park on Buttrick. I decided to blast on over there and see what all the commotion was about and was sure glad I did. First off, there was this wonderful crabapple perfume permeating the park, topped off by beautiful blooming trees everywhere.

As I was leaving this dude with a guitar walked by and told me that he comes there just before sunset because the light is so pretty and “it beats playing at home.” Well played sir, well played.

Michigan Sweet Spot
You never know what you’ll find on an early morning walk. Permission is granted to use this photo as long as it links back to MichiganSweetSpot.com.

Ever notice how the world looks different in the morning? The sun shines a little prettier, the air smells fresher and the birds sing louder? One early morning my buddy Amy and I were walking on a favorite trail in our neighborhood and spotted spider webs everywhere. We were both surprised at how busy the spiders had been overnight. The picture below, gives a hint at the scope of their work. I need more morning walks now that spring has started to sprung. For a comprehensive list of trails in Michigan, check out the MichiganTrailMap website here.

Even the trees were loaded with spider webs.
Even the trees were loaded with spider webs.
Michigan Sweet Spot Spider webs
Spider webs coated everything that morning, including the fence along the river. Permission is granted to use this photo online, as long as it links back to MichiganSweetSpot.com.
Backroads in Ada, By Ann Teliczan

Even thought I HATE crawling out of bed early in the morning, once I’m up, I’m always glad I made the effort. The morning I took this photo is a perfect example of why. The only thing that would have made the picture better is if I had been the person running down the road and getting some exercise.

This is a typical Michigan fall morning, but I just happened to take it on the backroads in Ada, Michigan.