No one does Christmas quite like the Frederik Meijer Gardens. Their Christmas & Holiday Traditions from Around the World exhibition features over 300,000 lights, strolling carolers, horse drawn carriage rides, and more than 40 international trees and displays. Create some memories and check it out with someone you enjoy!
Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes sure does know how to rock. I saw him at Rothbury this year. It was the second time I saw them in concert and the festive summer atmosphere at Rothbury made a great backdrop for the performance.
The Black Crowes’ producer Paul Stacey, who was also the interim guitar replacement for Marc Ford, uses the guitar effect pedals that local innovator, Jon Gundry makes at his company ThroBak Electronics, based right here in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
It seems appropriate to feature a picture from my friends’ Jon and Peggy’s house. They REALLY get into Halloween. I had a hint this was the case when Peggy told me in mid-August she couldn’t wait for Labor Day to be over so she could start putting out her Halloween decorations that she had been unpacking.
Each day new evidence of the impending holiday would show up. Ghosts dancing in a circle in the front yard, a dummy hanging by a rope from a tree, wanted signs as you wind your way up the drive, Get OUT!, No Tresspassing signs in front of the house, crime scene tape and a chalked off body in the driveway, spider webs… and that is just what’s in the front yard.
As Peggy was making preparations, sometimes Jon was unsettled with the process. Like the time he was getting ready for work during early morning hours and walked in on the Angel of Death shown in this picture. Peggy had stashed him away in the upstairs bathroom and hadn’t mentioned it to Jon. I can understand why he admits to screaming when he was confronted with this in his half-awake state.
This photo is the entry way to their home, welcome to the Frights. And, Happy Halloween!
As a child, I remember running on the beach and feeling totally free. I saw this little girl chasing after the seagulls in Manistee and all those memories came back to me. Of course after I took this shot, I had to help her out and chase the seagulls too.
I just got back from a weekend in Manistee and was amazed at both the beauty and how few people were there. Here’s a link to the area I took this off Lakeshore Beach Drive. The first time I saw Manistee was about three years ago and I was blown away by what a hidden treasure this place is. There’s still time to soak up some summertime beauty, sun and waves up north, why not head to Manistee? It’s only two hours from Grand Rapids, check it oouuuttt!
I’ve been pretty lazy with my blog this summer so I thought I’d better make this post a good one since it’s been so long. I took this on the way to my friend’s wedding party (Congratulations Amity & Lance!). It was so beautiful that day driving though the backroads on the way to Fremont.
I’ll tell you what’s going on, someone’s enjoying Pekadills in Whitehall, MI. YUM! I absolutely love this place. First of all, the food is great; second of all they have a garden area out back that is totally relaxing to enjoy that great meal in; and lastly, Whitehall is a nice little lakeshore town with one of the best boat launches around. Here’s a link to Pekadills website. And another link to Whitehall.
I love going to Pentwater because in about 80 – 90 minutes (from Grand Rapids), I can escape to a place that feels like I’m way up north in a little seaside village with lots of cute little shops. Today, I’m even going to help you go shopping and explore the town. Here’s some of of my favorite places in Pentwater, they are all located downtown on Hancock Street:
Air Fun Kites: Lots and lots of unique kites and flying things for the air!
House of the Setting Sun Art Gallery: A wonderfully relaxing little gallery of fun by Renee Berggren Connoy.
Gardener’s Folly: Interesting, fun and unique things for your home and garden.
Blue Mermaid Gems: Really cool, reasonably priced jewelry supplies.
Bitchin Kitchen: If you love cooking, you’ll love all the gadgets and stuff here.
Oldewick Post: Coffee’s and gifts.
Then after a fun day in Pentwater, take a scenic drive back to Grand Rapids on B-15 and go through Hart. Of course, that means dinner at the Mexican restaurant locals flock to from miles around, La Fiesta (located at State and Main in Hart.)
Okay, so there you have it a fun day trip from Grand Rapids. Here’s a google map link to Pentwater… maybe I’ll see you there!
Lots of my friends have been asking for more, more, more details about The Rothbury Music Festival this year. So I will give them to you! The best way I can describe Rothbury is “unexpected.” By this I mean, there’s just nothing to compare it to. The whole experience is over the top, maybe that’s why more than 50,000 people attended this year, that’s up about 20,00 from last year.
One example is at the Speak EZ Stage and bar. It’s hidden in Sherwood Forest, in fact, I didn’t even know about it until my son Ryan told me about the stage. The Speak EZ is tucked back in the woods and has a burlesque look and feel to it. Artists perform at this stage with everything from burlesque to experimental art. I took this photo as an impromptu show was being set up for a performing, experimental artist… more on that later, I took photos.
Memorial Day weekend marks the start of summer as far as most Michiganders are concerned. This is what we’ve been waiting for all winter long, the sugar sand beaches, beautiful cloudy skies, warm wind blowing off the water and clean air that feels and smells like it does when you live on a peninsula surrounded by fresh water. Today I feel like I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
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