Grand Rapids – Michigan Sweet Spot

Local, Fresh, Safe Curbside Grocery Pickup at Louise Earl Butcher on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids If you’re looking for meat in Grand Rapids, there’s no shortage at my favorite butcher. Louise Earl Butcher, in the heart of the Wealthy Street neighborhood, is remaining open as a necessary business during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have supplied Grand Rapids locals and Michigan restaurants alike with fresh, quality meats, dairy and groceries for four years. Normally, in addition to the made-from-scratch fresh sausages, smoked deli meat free-range eggs, and all-natural cuts from lamb, beef, pork and chicken, they also host dinner parties, themed butcher dinners and classes on terrine and sausage making, butchering and more. They supply some specialty items such as offal, or organ meat, for special recipes and occasions, which are used for anything from liver-burgers to raw-diets for beloved pets. They often supply pickled snacks such as cornichons and peppadews, deli items like potato and kale salads and baked items as well. They are recently featuring family-style meals prepared in house and often have a featured produce selection, which can be verified via the Louise Earl Facebook or Instagram page.

*Louise Earl Butcher also features a wonderful selection of carefully curated foods, many of them locally sourced.* (photo by Rhiannon Hudson)

Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, the butcher shop is currently offering curbside pick up. Patrons may call the shop to place an order. Louise Earl Butcher staff will call back once weight and price are totaled for your grocery list, at which point you may pay over the phone with a credit card. Upon arrival, guests are encouraged to call the shop number (calls are often made out from employee personal numbers to facilitate an open line for the shop’s landline), and an employee will run outside to drop off the order on a table outside. While Louise Earl Butcher is unable to currently host people inside to look at the beautiful case display, they are happy to bring groceries outside, and without physical contact, in order to ensure safe and responsible social distancing measures.

Meat and eggs are sourced from farms within 60 miles of the shop and are visited weekly by the owners and staff for pick up. It is clear upon visiting and interacting with Louise Earl Butcher that they are diligent, thorough, and care about their community.

Here are some of the ways you can check them out!

· Website: https://louiseearlbutcher.com

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LouiseEarlButcher/

· Instagram: LouiseEarlButcher

· Address: 1106 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids, MI

· Phone: 616.930.3602

#grlocal #grfresh #covid-19necessarybusinessopen #curbsidepickupgrocerygr

PHOTOS AND ARTICLE BY RHIANNON HUDSON

Fresh snow, a perfect way to wake up on a sunny Michigan winter morning.

Snowfall has been disappointing here in Grand Rapids, Michigan the last few years. However, last night made up for a lot of that. This is what we woke up to this morning. I broke our snowblower blasting away at the heavy, wet snow, but luckily my awesome neighbors came to the rescue and helped us out.

On another note, today I noticed that Grand Rapids, MI was named the number one city to raise a family in the United States by Forbes Magazine… and ArtPrize was recently named one of the “Top 5 Festive Events in the World that You Don’t Want to Miss” by Time Magazine. It is so wonderful to see this state getting some love from the media.

Jess Tomaz is featured here on a visit from Brazil at Cascade Yoga Studio.

Man do I love to get in a great yoga session, especially in the winter. If you live in the metro Grand Rapids area, yoga options are abundant for you. Here are some of my favorites, please feel free to add to the list in the comments section if I missed anyone.

Cascade Yoga Studio 616.464.1610 Located on the southeast side of Grand Rapids, off Cascade Road, Cascade Yoga Studio features a wide variety of classes and a cozy, peaceful atmosphere.

Funky Buddah Yoga Hothouse 616.459.9642 This is a newer yoga studio located in the heart of Easttown. It almost immediately became wildly popular, probably due to the upbeat, fun and energetic experience yogis enjoy there.

The Yoga Studio 616.776.0836 Carolyn Heines is the founder of Grand Rapids first yoga studio. She is also my first yoga teacher. I had been having back problems and in one session she showed me how to correct the problem. That made me a lifelong believer in yoga.

Seva Yoga 616.458.2541 I haven’t been here yet, but have heard rave reviews about this place.

LuluLemon East Grand Rapids 616.458.5126 Free yoga classes

Peacelab Yoga 616.745.0310

From The Heart Yoga 616.336.9642 Owners Behnje Masson and Rick Powell are the owners of this yoga studio in the Cherry Hill District and have an awesome reputation.

Music and Movement: Yoga with Rachel Rachel Finan teaches classes Mondays 7:30pm – 9:00 pm downtown, payment is a donation.

The Studio Yoga 616.531.3026 This is a multi-style yoga studio on the south side of Grand Rapids.

Sadhana Yoga Small classes in a home studio on Grand Rapids’ Northeast side.

Vida Yoga located in Grandville (Thanks for updating me on this Viki)

Yoga Heat located in downtown Grand Rapids (Thanks for this update too)

This list is by no means complete and does not include all of fitness clubs in Grand Rapids that include yoga classes.

Chinese Lantern Launch in Grand Rapids, MI — The Chinese lantern launch was magical.

Last night there was a Chinese lantern launch in Grand Rapids. It was an ArtPrize entry and one of the most magical, joyful, lighthearted and beautiful experiences I’ve had in some time. Thousands of lanterns lit the night as participants launched their lanterns.

I couldn’t help but feel how much Grand Rapids has changed since I moved here. I really love this place.

ColorRunGR — No sharp focus for this photo… By the time I took this at the Grand Rapids Color Run, there was already powder all over my camera lens.

When I heard about the Grand Rapids Color Run, I figured this would be a good event for my first 5k. The race is billed as the Happiest 5k. Sounds good to me. Especially since I knew there was No Way I would be able to run the entire distance. I really didn’t know what to expect, other than during the race, non-toxic colored powder would be thrown at the participants by volunteers. Sounded good to me.

The event sold out quickly and there were over 10,000 runners of all ages and fitness levels. Some people walked the entire time, others were serious runners. It was well organized and the powder washed out of my hair and clothes easily.

I’m hoping there will be a 2013 Grand Rapids Color Run, if there is, I’ll be recruiting a team to go with me. A team that is serious about having some fun, wearing cool team t-shirts, and not too serious about running the entire distance, although I’m planning on being able to do that by then. Here’s a link to the website by the Color Run folks so you can check out their other events and hopefully join in the festivities next year.

Chicky Pies — These little chickens wouldn’t let me get very close.

You know, I do have a disproportionate number of posts about chickens. I get such a kick out of the way they strut around like they are the boss of the world and then run away… like chickens when you get too close. These little stinkers were doing just that with me when I took this picture in the farmlands of Ada. Just after I took this, they skittled off through that doorway.

My mother’s parents were farmers. I have fond memories of being around their animals, walking through fields (and watching for snakes, it was Missouri after all), picking tomatoes and catching grasshoppers with my three brothers and cousins. In the evening my grandfather would load us all into his pickup and we’d tour the fields, check on the cows and then come home and listen to him play the fiddle. I’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating, he only had one arm, if you look him up on YouTube, he’s Leonard Smith, the one armed fiddler. My grandmother was his rock and she was one of the kindest people I’ve ever met in my life. I’m lucky they were around until well into my adulthood.

Having a grandfather with one arm who could do anything on his own, except tie his shoe, taught me to be independent and to try a little harder. One time, I was at a national fiddling contest with him where he was a competitor. He hadn’t been up to play yet and a dude came up to him on the side with an arm and said “could you help out a man with a disability?” as he held out a cup begging. I don’t remember what this guy’s disability was, but I do remember thinking that I was so very proud of my grandpa for making the most of his life and getting past this huge challenge he had to cope with. It also made me incredibly grateful for the simple things in my life.

Dr. Samuel Noordhoff — Dr. Noordhoff Receiving Sir Harold Gilles Lecture Award in London

Dr. Noordhoff first came to my attention from his son in law, Dr. Robert Lamberts. He wanted me to know about the amazing award Dr. Noordhoff had recently achieved, and more than that, about the good works he has accomplished over his lifetime.

Every two years the British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) honors physicians who have made the most significant contribution to plastic surgery over their career, with the Prestigious Sir Harold Gilles Lecture Award delivered at the annual meeting. Grand Rapids’ plastic surgeon Dr. M. Samuel Noordhoff was selected for this year’s award. The foundation for this success in plastic surgery was laid here in West Michigan. Dr. Noordhoff had all of his training in general surgery and plastic surgery in Grand Rapids at Butterworth Hospital.

Dr. Noordhoff is recognized worldwide for helping children and adults in underserved areas receive holistic care for cleft palate and craniofacial deformity. Much of this assistance has been with his own time and money. In 1989, he formed the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation to transform lives where there was a lack of medical resources. Since then he has established the Chang Gung Craniofacial Center in Taiwan, recognized as one of the leading centers for cleft lip and palate care in the world. His “Love Makes Whole” team has traveled to 11 countries, and completed 56 cleft missions serving Vietnam, Kenya, Nigeria, Cambodia, the Philippines, China, Myanmar, the Dominican Republic, Laos, Indonesia and Mongolia. The Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation team has also trained 115 seed craniofacial medical practitioners from 14 countries.

Unless helped, children born with cleft palate and craniofacial deformity face a lifetime of discrimination, shame, problems with speech and inadequate nutrition. Repair of defects can take several surgeries, with multiple medical specialties involved.

When I talked to Dr. Noordhoff about his accomplishments it was important to him that I give credit to the team of plastic surgeons, business manager, Kim Ma, and Mr. Yung-Ching Wang who was instrumental in the funding which launched the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

This post has been a long time coming. Let me tell you how much I love Marie Catrib’s. When I meet someone new in town, I tell them about Marie Catrib’s…when I’m super duper hungry and want something healthy and delicious, I go to Marie Catrib’s… when I meet someone special for a delicious home cooked meal with tons of flavor, Marie Catrib’s… when I don’t feel like cooking and want great carry out… you get the picture. In fact, I’m eating Marie Catrib’s right now!

In all the years I’ve been going there, with all the meals I’ve had, I’ve never been disappointed. Not even once. Marie Catrib’s has a great selection of gluten free, vegan and vegetarian meals that will make you wonder why anyone needs gluten or meat in their diet when they can eat like that. In fact their gluten free bread is the awesome. Marie Catrib’s also offers up a delicious roast beef sandwich and the salmon surprise is something everyone should try at least once. Then there’s the desserts, my favorite is the chocolate crumble, it tastes like a brownie made like fudge and rolled in toasted oatmeal crumblies. Every time I go to Marie Catrib’s I tell myself, “not the chocolate crumble this time” and darn it, I buy one any way, I just can’t help myself.

Besides the delicious food, the atmosphere keeps me coming back. The staff is just so kind and genuine it’s obvious they consider everyone who walks through the door as friends and family. The locally owned and operated restaurant is run by Marie’s son Fouad and manager Egan. Sadly, in 2013 Marie passed away. They believe in using locally grown and raised food whenever possible, and it shows in the fresh flavors.

Here’s some helpful links: Marie Catrib’s website and menu. I just had to add this below movie, the day after Valentine’s Day, I stopped by Marie Catrib’s and the soldier in the below movie was pacing around and said to me “You might want to stick around, something cool is going to happen.” Then he told me he had been at Fort Bragg and for a long time and was going to surprise his girlfriend… they gave me permission to post this.

So, can you guess where I took this photo? I gave you a huge hint when I said it was a favorite place… I took this on a walking trail at the Frederik Meijer Gardens with my friend Patti. The Frederik Meijer Gardens is a great place for walks, it’s scenic, smells nice and just plain makes you feel good.

One thing though, you might forget the time so make sure you leave before they close. We totally blew the closing time and would have been locked in if it hadn’t been for a wedding there.

Chihuly's A New Eden Exhibit at the Frederik Meijer Gardens — This is my favorite of the 25 Chihuly exhibits at the Frederik Meijer Gardens

Ever since the Chihuly exhibit came to the Frederik Meijer Gardens, I’ve noticed that it seems to eventually come up in conversation with my friends and business associates. The reason everyone is talking about this exhibit is that it’s unique, stunning and beautiful. The exhibit was to end in September and is now being held over until October 31, 2010.

The Chihuly exhibit, titled A New Eden, features 15 sculpture sites with most of them outside and a continuously playing presentation about Chihuly in the Hoffman Family Theater. Dale Chihuly is said to be the most sought after artist in the world, working primarily in glass. This is his 2nd exhibition at the Gardens.

It was hard to pick my favorite from all the sites, but if I had to pick, it would be of the area shown in this HDR photo that I took during my 3rd visit (and I’ll be back for more!).

Frederik Meijer Garden’s hours are:

Mon and Tues: 9 am–9 pm
Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat: 9 am–5 pm
Sun: 12 pm–5 pm

You can learn more at their website by clicking here.

If you can make it, I’d highly recommend this exhibit (just in case you can’t already figure that out!)

Post & HDR photo by Ann Teliczan

Tag: Grand Rapids

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