Category Archives: Grand Rapids Michigan Attractions

Our ArtPrize Photo Tour Grand Rapids Michigan Sept 24, 2009

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Our ArtPrize Photo Tour Grand Rapids Michigan Sept 24, 2009

We took a few hours to browse the Art Prize venues yesterday, Thursday,

Sept 24th, 2009 in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan.  We saw some fabulous

pieces of artwork and we also some we just didn’t get.  I am sure it is the same for

everyone, as we all see the world through our own private  filter.

We took a few photos to share with those who won’t get a chance to see this art

extravaganza in person.  Some of the artworks have to be seen in person to

appreciate the scale and subtleties. some are in-your-face, some are really,

really out there, and others are really just for fun.

We registered to vote, toured the Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts,

the Blue Bridge, Cathedral Square, Rosa Parks Circle and the Waters Building.

We had a  wonderful lunch at the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s Terrace

Restaurant overlooking Rosa Parks Circle.  What a great spot to people

watch and we even had a few art prize entries stroll past.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyGGB77tpnY&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]

We hope to get back to see a lot more artwork. With 159 venues and over

1200 artists, it is quite a task to see them all.  Hope you enjoy our tour!

Copyright 2009 All rights reserved

_____________________________________________________________________________

The authors of the this blog write about Grand Rapids Real Estate,

the Greater Grand Rapids MI area, and what it is like to live in West

Michigan. Grand Rapids Michigan is a vibrant, growing metropolitan

area with a diverse business community, great medical research & services,

numerous universities, plus lively arts and entertainment of all kinds.

We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

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Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry   616-292-7263

OUR FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM

Library Card + Michigan State Park = Reading in the Great Outdoors

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Library Card + Michigan State Park = Reading in the Great Outdoors

That library card is worth a free pass to a state park this year in Michigan

until September 25.  Check with your local library to see if they have signed

up for this free state park program.  There are also free hammocks as long

as supply lasts.

Glen Lake MI from Look Out Point

I would love to take a good book to the beach and read for a few hours

with the waves lapping, and my hammock swaying in the breeze.  In fact,

I have a new mystery thriller that probably need to be read in the open air,

a lot less scary. When my imagination and the plot thickens, I can look up

and see a serene scene to bring me back to reality.

Or you could just wander the beach and soak up the beautiful

Michigan scenery. Either way, it is a great offer !

Copyright 2009 All rights reserved   Photo of Glen Lake by Bonnie Westbrook

_____________________________________________________________________________

The authors of the this blog write about Grand Rapids Real Estate,

the Greater Grand Rapids MI area, and what it is like to live in West

Michigan. Grand Rapids Michigan is a vibrant, growing metropolitan

area with a diverse business community, great medical research & services,

numerous universities, plus lively arts and entertainment of all kinds.

We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

ar125812212017642 Foto Friday – What Were They Thinking? ar125812218972939 Foto Friday – What Were They Thinking? ar125812225271331 Foto Friday – What Were They Thinking?

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry   616-292-7263

OUR FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM

Celebration on the Grand ~ End of Summer Free Concerts ~ Sept 10-12, 2009

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Celebration on the Grand ~ End of Summer Free Concerts ~ Sept 10-12,2009

Taste of Downtown, Family Festival (w kids activities), & Fireworks

Labor Day weekend has a lot in store for families here in Grand Rapids.

Celebration on the Grand is hosting free outdoor concerts, Sept 10-12.

Free Performances by:

Thursday, September 10th, 2009 – Rosa Parks Circle

Friday, September 11, 2009 – Rosa Parks Circle

Ah-Nab-Awen Park

Saturday September 12, 2009

Monroe Center – Grand Valley Corvette Club Car Show

Rosa Parks Circle

Ah-Nab-Awen Park

3pm – Family Festival includes Face Painting,

Temporary Tattoos, Crafts Games

Dusk – Feature Film on an outdoor big screen ( weather permitting)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

The authors of the this blog write about Grand Rapids Real Estate,

the Greater Grand Rapids MI area, and what it is like to live in West

Michigan. Grand Rapids Michigan is a vibrant, growing metropolitan

area with a diverse business community, great medical research & services,

numerous universities, plus lively arts and entertainment of all kinds.

We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

ar125812212017642 Forest Hills Michigan Top Best Buy Homes Jan 2011 ar125812218972939 Forest Hills Michigan Top Best Buy Homes Jan 2011 ar125812225271331 Forest Hills Michigan Top Best Buy Homes Jan 2011

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry   616-292-7263

OUR FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM

Day Trip to Grand Haven Michigan Pier

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On a beautiful day in April, we went on a day road trip

to Grand Haven Michigan, which is about 30 miles from

Grand Rapids.  Grand Haven is on Lake Michigan, it has a

great beach.  If you won’t take my word for it,  it was

named one of the Top 5 Beaches in the United States by

Good Morning America-Travel Mom and has hosted the AVP

Pro Beach Volleyball Tournament throughout the summer

months,  due to the quality of its sand beaches.

It also has 2 lighthouses, connected by a lighted catwalk

which runs along the pier to the shore.  Grand Haven is a

Great Lakes port, home to a large charter fishing fleet, the

US Coast Guard Lake Michigan Group, which coordinates all

Lake Michigan Coast Guard activities.  In fact, Grand Haven

is officially nicknamed, Coast Guard City USA.

 Grand Haven State Park is also a popular destination for tourists,

because it is on fabulous Lake Michigan.  We are so fortunate to

live so close to a natural wonder, Lake Michigan, one of the

largest fresh water lakes in the world.  On a balmy day in

April, it is so serene.  The same scene in stormy November

or January can look totally different.  We get warnings on our

weather channels about wave heights and swimming in

dangerous rip tide conditions all summer.

But on a day trip to Grand Haven in April, all we have to

concern ourselves with was lunch.  Which we had on the channel

at the Snug Harbor Restaurant while we watched the boats

going up and down the channel out to the big lake.

 

Grand Haven has lots to offer, whether you come for a vacation,

the Annual US Coast Guard Festival, or just a day tripper, like us.

 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iemIL4twKYc&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids Real Estate

Copyright 2009 All rights reserved

Great Lakes 2nd Annual Irish Music Festival ~ Fifth Third Ballpark ~ Grand Rapids Michigan

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Wearing o’ the green would be appropriate for attending the

Great Lakes Irish Music Festival held at Fifth Third Ball Park,

this Saturday August 22, 2009  11:00 am – 9:20 pm. 

Gates open at 11:00 am and the first entertainment hits the

stage at noon.

Of course there will be Irish food available for purchase, bangers

and beer, for starters, plus other delectable Irish delights.

 

The musical entertainment will be performed by international acts:

Quinn’s School of Irish Dance, Stephen’s Green, The Elders,

Brendan Nolan and the Screaming Orphans.   Michigan’s Fenian’s

Players will once again take the stage to regale the crowd with

ballads and the spoken word.

 

There will also be Irish markets and  workshops devoted to Irish music,

history and it’s language that will be available for participants.  A

Children’s Area will be provided by the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum

from 12:00pm-4pm for the wee ones entertainment.

 

An added attraction at Fifth Third Ballpark this year is Art in the Park,

an non-juried art fair running from noon until 6 pm, where you can buy

artwork to take home.

 

Admission for this one day event is $12 for adults, children 3-12 $1, and

those babes under 3 get free admission.  Parking is $5 per car, $10 for

buses and RVs.

 

Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate – Westbrook Realty

Copyright 2009  All rights reserved

The Caribbean Festival ~ St Cecilia Music Center August 20-26-27-28 2009

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St Cecilia Music Center presents their 2nd Annual Caribbean Festival

at The St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom NE Grand Rapids Michigan.

Most of the events are free of charge to the public.

 

beach scene w palapas

 

The list of events is as follows:

Artists Reception – Thursday August 20, 6-9 pm

Featuring Caribbean Art and Food

Musical Performances by Pa’lo Hondo and Ozzie –Free to the public

 

Artists Exhibit  Aug 20- Sept 30

Terryberry Gallery at St. Cecilia Music Center Mon – Fri 9am-5 pm

 

Performance Events – August 26, 27, 28    6-9 pm

Featuring Caribbean art, poetry, folk dance and food

 

Lecture – Wednesday August 26  6-9 pm

Los Munequitos: The Caribbean in the political art of cartoons, 1898

Grand Rapids Public Library – Free to the public

 

Dance & Poetry – Baile, prosa y poesia – Thursday August 27, 6-9 pm

 

Caribbean Food Tasting & Exhibit – Friday Aug 28, 6-9 pm

Fussion – Thurs, Sept 18, 6-8 pm  Free to the public

 

Closing Ceremony – Awards, Dance and live music performance

Thursday Sept 18, 6-8 pm  Tickets $ 10

 

For details, Call St. Cecilia Music Center  616-459-2224

Online tickets

 

Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate – Westbrook Realty

Copyright 2009  All rights reserved

Photo of Beach scene by Bonnie Westbrook

Kids Can Watch Whitecaps Baseball Free ~ Monday August 17th, 2009

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West Michigan Whitecaps Baseball is one of the best things

about summer in Grand Rapids.

And they just made it a little bit better!  On Monday August 17th,

the Whitecaps management is offering free tickets for up to 4 kids

(12 and under) when accompanied by an adult.  You must purchase

a reserved seat adult ticket ($9.50) and the kids, yes, up to 4 kids

can get reserved seat tickets for free.

They must be purchased at the Whitecaps Ticket Office at 

Fifth Third Ballpark, no phone or online sales.   

 

fireworks Evanston close up2

The Whitecaps appreciate the support they get from local fans and

realize many families are feeling the pinch of less money for

summer fun activities.  See Whitecaps Blog Article here.

So, if you have been waiting for the right opportunity to see a

Whitecaps game this summer, this could be it.  They will be playing

the South Bend Silver Hawks at 7 pm Monday, August 17th.

Play Ball!

 

Grand Rapids Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty

Copyright 2009 All rights reserved

Golf Vacation Day at Spring Lake Country Club ~ Spring Lake Michigan

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There are so many golf courses in Michigan, over 900 public courses,

ranking third in the nation in public golf courses and over 400 member

clubs to play.  We are crazy about golf in Michigan.

With courses like Spring Lake Country Club, it is easy to see why.

Spring Lake Country Club is an old course, founded in 1911, and it is a

private, member owned facility.  From the longest tees, it is 6525 yards.

 

“Going green” is taken seriously at Spring Lake CC.  In May of 2005,

they received the honor of being named a Certified Audubon Cooperative

Sanctuary, only the 14th course in Michigan to be recognized.  In 2007,

SLCC was named #1 for total number of bird species counted on the course

in the Great Lakes region and 3rd in the entire country for the Audubon

International North American Bird Watch Open, held in May each year.

 

Spring Lake CC is seriously into Junior Golf.  Don’t be surprised to

see a few future PGA professionals hail from this course.  Last year

they had 180 Junior PGA Golfers (aged 7-17) in their Annual Junior

Golf Tournament held in August.

 

We were invited to play this fabulous course last week by our friends,

Charles and Joann.  We had a beautiful day to play golf and enjoy the

aesthetics of this picturesque golf course.   Spring Lake CC is heavily

wooded, and indeed,  we saw several oak trees with trunk girths of

15-20 feet or more. 

75-80 degrees, sunny and a slight breeze off the Lake (Spring Lake is

open to Lake Michigan) is a perfect Michigan summer day.  And we

couldn’t think of a better way to spend it.  Because Spring Lake is

connected to Lake Michigan, it is a prime resort area and has many

elite homes on the lake.

We are sharing our photo montage of Spring Lake Country Club.

Grab a cart and ride along!

 

 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTsK7IknFR0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6]

 

Spring Lake Country Club

18496 Fruitport Rd

Spring Lake Michigan 49456

616-842-4200

 

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids Real Estate

Copyright 2009 All rights reserved

Photos by Bonnie Westbrook

Playing L. E. Kaufman Golf Course in Grand Rapids Michigan ~ June 2009

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Kent County Michigan Amateur Golf Championship Tournament

here on July 11th & 12th 2009

This is the kind of real estate I prefer to all others, especially on

the weekend.  No hassles, just blue sky, green grass, and an

18 hole challenge.

I didn’t play particularly well today, but the course was in good shape, and

I had 3 new friends to share the morning round.

I took a few pictures so you can see a sampling of what this course looks like.

It is hard to believe to you are about 10-15 minutes away from downtown

Grand Rapids.

1st t

The First Tee – water on the left & right.

 

2nd hole(1)

The fifth hole from the right of the fairway, yes I made par.

 

2nd

The 2nd Green

 

18th

The 14th Tee – better hit it straight or you will be in the woods.

 

18th green

The 18th Green

 

18th green w deer

Another player is out near the green, wonder if he found a stray ball.

 

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids Real Estate

Copyright 2009 all rights reserved

photos of LE Kaufman Golf Course by Terry Westbrook

Free Friday Summer Concerts ~GRAM on the Green ~ Grand Rapids Michigan

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Grand Rapids has musical action on Friday nights this summer. From

June 19th through August 28th,  The Grand Rapids Art Museum is

offering  live music on the Rosa Parks Circle Stage.  An indoor/outdoor

event that will flow from the Art Museum galleries to the Peter

Wege Plaza and Maya Lin’s Ecliptic Park.

The GRAM will be offering special viewings, art-related talks, food

at the Cafe Terrace and demonstrations during the summer nights

in Grand Rapids.   Free to GRAM members, $5.00 for non-members, and

all park and plaza activities are FREE.

So come to downtown GR for a Friday night music and art infusion,

beginning at 5pm.

Live Music Line-up for Summer 2009

 

  • June 19…….The Concussions (high energy surf music)
  • June 26…….Grupo Aye (salsa music)
  • July 03………DJ SuperDre (minimal techno/hip hop)<?li>
  • July 10………Organissimo (organ trio)
  • July 17………La Famiglia (hip hop fusion)
  • July 24………Side Pocket (fusion and sophisticated R&B)
  • July 31………Nobody’s Darlin’ (bluegrass music)
  • August 07…The Groove Merchant (original cutting edge urban beats)
  • August 14…Pangea (steel drum band)
  • August 21…Power Play (classic funk and rock)
  • August 28…Ensemble Al-Asdeka (middle eastern fusion)

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    Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids Real Estate