Foto Friday – Parrot Heart Sculpture

Foto Friday – Parrot Heart Sculpture

Parrot on Heart Jim Dine Sculpture Meijer Gardens

 

Parrot Heart Sculpture by Jim Dine at Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Just one of the hundreds of sculptures at Meijer Gardens, this heart with

parrot perching on it is one of my favorites.

 

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

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Foto Friday – GR arts Murals

Foto Friday – GR arts Murals

GR Mural

Grand Rapids is into art in a big way.  If you are familiar

with our city, you know we have murals downtown. 

Cool murals thanks to ArtPrize, and forward thinking businesses

and artists.  This mural was an ArtPrize 2010 entry on the Kendall

School of Design building on Division Ave at Pearl.

 

ArtPrize 2011 is gearing up to display 1500 works of art in our fair

city in September.  Are you in?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

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Foto Friday – January Series Beats Winter Blahs

Foto Friday – January Series Beats Winter Blahs

Covenant-FineArts_Center

The January Series hosted by Calvin College is one of January’s

bright spots on the winter scene in Grand Rapids Michigan.  Famous

authors, public figures, sports celebrities, and many, many other speakers

are brought in every year for the public’s  education and entertainment.

The above photo was taken last Friday at the Calvin College Covenant

Fine Arts Center waiting for Ensemble Galilei to perform.  What a treat!

 

The January Series runs until the 25th of this month, so check out the

remaining speakers for yourself.

 

An added bonus to this local feature is the archives, where many

 speakers from the past have been recorded, so you can browse the

list and listen anytime it is convenient.

Copyright 2011  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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Foto Friday – Christmas Railway Garden Meijer Gardens 2010

Foto Friday – Christmas Railway Garden  Meijer Gardens 2010

Did you ever have the thrill of constructing a train set with a model village

to run your track through?  I have visited a few but never had the fun of

constructing my own.  Elves have made an awesome model railway village

in the Meijer Garden Conservatory that runs past quite a few West Michigan

landmark buildings.   The model train runs through the Victorian

Conservatory and the “Special Exhibit” Rooms.  The model Railway Garden

village is constructed of only natural materials.  It is decked out in African

Violets, orchids from the Gardens large collection, numerous ground covers,

small fir trees, tree bark, rocks and moss to give a green and magical feel

to the model railway village.

See if you can recognize the buildings before you scroll down to read

the description.

FountainStChurch

This is the iconic Fountain Street Church famous for liberal speakers and

bringing the outside world to West Michigan since 1924.

Ada  covered bridge

The Covered Wooden Bridge in Ada Michigan is represented here.

Fulton_St _power_plant

This odd looking building is the Steam Power Plant on Fulton Street in

downtown Grand Rapids.  This still functions, supplying steam power to many

downtown buildings.

BigRedLighthouseHolland

The Big Red Lighthouse in Holland Michigan.

GothicChurch

Gothic style Church – my guess is Immanuel Lutheran on Michigan Avenue hill?

[There are over 1200 churches in Grand Rapids, so help me out if you know]

FallasburgCoveredBridge

The Fallasburg Covered Bridge over the Flat River in Lowell Michigan.

GrandRapidsHome

An arts & Crafts Style Grand Rapids Michigan home, typical of many homes

built here in Grand Rapids in the early 20th century.

We hope you enjoyed the brief tour through the Christmas Railway Garden

Village at Meijer Gardens this year.  It will be on display until Jan. 9th, 2011.

In addition, horse drawn carriage rides, carolers, 40 theme Christmas trees,

and other holiday specials will be happening till the end of this year.

There will also be extended holiday hours on December 21, 22, 23,

27, 28, 29 and 30. The entire facility will be open until 9 pm.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

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Foto Friday – Grand Rapids Michigan is a Winter Wonderland

Foto Friday – Grand Rapids Michigan is a Winter Wonderland

Yes, we have snow in Grand Rapids Michigan already. It came right after

Thanksgiving this year and looks like it is here to stay.

Snow frosted fir trees

Lots of people smitten with the mitten (people who love our winter weather)

have  been waiting for snowfall to start their winter activities, such as snow-

mobiling, snow skiing, snow boarding, cross country skiing, sledding, and

even just making snow men and snow angels!

Come on over, the snow is here and the hot chocolate is ready!

Foto Friday: Grand Rapids Michigan’s Mirror

Foto Friday: Grand Rapids Michigan’s Mirror

Grand Rapids MI Buildings

Looking west from Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids, this is

what you see sometimes, when the light is just right.  There is nothing

between the large mirrored building and the street.  The large old gray

building is a reflection.  It is actually just behind the camera on the right.

From this angle the mirrored building almost appears as a large film screen

showing a building against a cloudy sky.  Kewl, huh?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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!

search for Grand Rapids homes Find Grand Rapids Home Value Grand Rapids Relocation Guide

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry   616-292-7263

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Foto Friday – ArtPrize 2010 Art for All Ages

Foto Friday – ArtPrize 2010 Art for All Ages

Connect the dots ArtPrize 2010

ArtPrize 2010 has taken our city to a new level of art appreciation.

People are out looking at the exhibits and enjoying the festival

atmosphere, while getting an education in contemporary art.

You don’t have to be an art critic to enjoy this event!

Photo by Bonnie Westbrook

More ArtPrize 2010 Photos

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!

search for Grand Rapids homes Find Grand Rapids Home Value Grand Rapids Relocation Guide

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry   616-292-7263

OUR FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM

Foto Friday – Having Fun at ArtPrize 2010

Foto Friday – Having Fun at ArtPrize 2010

ArtPrize 2010 Wooden cone Hi

ArtPrize 2010 has Grand Rapids  residents and visitors out on the

streets taking in the more than 1700 art exhibits around the city and

at Meijer Gardens.  You might expect an art extravaganza like this in a

large cosmopolitan city, not nice Midwestern  Grand Rapids, Michigan.

We previewed some of the larger outdoor pieces on Sunday before

the big opening Wednesday night.  We hope to see a lot more art in

the next few weeks.  If you are considering a trip to our fair city,

this is a perfect time.  ArtPrize 2010 will run until October 10.  Anyone

who attends can vote for the winners.

Photo: Shout Hole by George Schmidt -Van Andel Museum grounds.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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!

search for Grand Rapids homes Find Grand Rapids Home Value Grand Rapids Relocation Guide

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry   616-292-7263

OUR FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM