Grand Rapids Michigan Holiday Traditions

Posted on December 21, 2009 by Terry & Bonnie

Grand Rapids Michigan Holiday Traditions

Holiday traditions to celebrate the winter solstice are common

to every culture around the world. The transition from the shortest,

darkest day in mid-winter to the longest day of light at the beginning

of summer are a common theme to our world.

Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids

celebrates the light by showing the traditions of many countries

and cultures around the world. Besides the forty one gorgeous

Christmas Trees that are decorated as they would be in their native

regions, they also display Kwanza, Jewish, and Buddhist traditional

decorations. New this year is Tet Nguyen Dan, the Vietnamese

celebration of the lunar New Year; pronounced day wen don,

it literally means, “the first morning of the first day.”

Meijer Gardens is celebrating the completion of a $7.6 million

renovation and expansion that was awarded a silver level LEED

certificate in energy and environmental design. The renovation

and expansion was centered around the cafe, visitor areas, office

and storage spaces. The new cafe has a stunning Dale Chihuly

blown glass sculpture of colored glass flowers hanging from

the ceiling.

We have put together a few photos we took at the gardens

recently, so you can see some of the holiday decorations from

near and far. The gorgeous Christmas trees are all 12-15 feet tall

and loaded with beautiful ornaments. This is just a sampling of the

Christmas Traditions displayed here:

[slideshow id=2594073385393193256&w=500&h=375]

Our Holiday Wishes for Peace & Goodwill to all of you!

_____________________________________________________________________________

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!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

OUR FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM

Roselle Park Ada Michigan Grand River Natural Habitat Refuge

Posted on November 6, 2009 by Terry & Bonnie

Roselle Park Ada Michigan Grand River Natural Habitat Refuge

Roselle Park in Ada Michigan along the Grand River is 247 acre park

that is a dedicated Natural Habitat Refuge. On a rainy Saturday a few weeks

ago, we stopped and took a few photos. It was cold and windy but

the fall colors were great. We walked on one of the trails along the Grand

River. A very peaceful place to visit. Dogs on leashes are welcome.

These silos were left from the previous owner of the property. The one with

the stars on top has been made into a 9 story observation tower.

View from the observation tower toward the Grand River

On the walking trail along the river.

The Grand River is the longest river in Michigan. It starts near Hillsdale MI and

winds it’s way north then west, eventually emptying into Lake Michigan.

This photo above is just north of the confluence of the Thornapple River at Ada MI.

Additional Articles on Roselle Park:

Roselle Park Nature Preserve on the Grand River

Roselle Park Flood Stage Spring 2009 Video

Roselle Park 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!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

OUR FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM

Live Music June 26th, 2009 Schuler Books ~ Grand Rapids Michigan

Posted on June 24, 2009 by Terry & Bonnie

The Fainting Generals will be featured at Schuler Books & Music

on Friday, June 26th, 2009 at 7:30 pm. They will perform at the

28th Street Store.

The Fainting Generals is a Grand Rapids based band, that bills itself as:

Garage / Surf / Glam & The World’s Best Franklin Pierce Tribute Band.

For a little background, taken from their MySpace page, linked to above,

Franklin Pierce was a US commander of troops in the Mexican-American

‘War. The Irish troops under his command were treated so badly by

Pierce, they defected to the Mexican Army and fought against the

US forces.

If you haven’t got a anything special planned for Friday night, this

might be a great band to check out. They could be your new favorite,

at the very least, you would have an air-conditioned place to get out

of the heat, get an iced latte at the cafe and read a good book.

DOWNTOWN’S SCHULER BOOKS & MUSIC:

Live Music with Une Voix – An elegant piano duo

6:30 pm to ??

Westbrook Realty – Grand Rapids Real Estate

East Grand Rapids Michigan ~ Reeds Lake Clothesline Art Festival ~ June 20th, 2009

Posted on June 16, 2009 by Terry & Bonnie

From 9 AM to 5 PM, East Grand Rapids Michigan will transform its

Lakeside Park into a feast for the art lover. The annual Reeds Lake

Clothesline Art Festival will be held at John Collins Park and on

Wealthy Street, Saturday, June 20th, 2009.

This juried art fair, run by Grand Valley Artists is a local favorite for

the lakeside venue and the wonderful selection of jewelry, photography,

glass, pottery, painting, watercolors and more. This year the festival

is celebrating their 44th anniversary.

There is public parking in the ramp near the Regatta Plaza, which

is a short walk from the site and in the middle of the Wealthy

Street merchants and restaurants in Gaslight Village.

Held rain or shine.

Over 170 artists from all over the country. Some will be old favorites,

others will be new to West Michigan. If art tickles your interests, or

you have a blank spot looking for that special piece….come out on

Saturday, June 20th, 2009 to East Grand Rapids Clothesline Art Fair.

Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty

Kent County Bike Rodeo Held at Ada Park

Posted on June 8, 2009 by Terry & Bonnie

June 13th 2009 ~ Kid’s Bike & Safety Rodeo

Located at Ada Park 1180 Buttrick Avenue in Ada Township,

Michigan, the Kent County Sheriff’s Department is hosting

a Bike & Safety Rodeo from 10 am to 1:30 pm Saturday,

6-13-2009.

The event is open to children 12 and under, able to ride a

2 wheeled bicycle. Bring your own bike and helmet.

10 am to noon – Bike inspections, an obstacle course, helmet

checks, and bus and fire safety will be covered.

Awards, raffles, and a free cookout lunch will begin at noon.

Bike parade will be at 1 pm led by Sheriff’s Dept motorcycles.

Kent County Sheriff Dept. Community Policing Unit,

701 Ball Ave NE, Grand Rapids Michigan, 49503.

Donations of $5 per child will be given to the Kent County

DARE program and the Community Policing Units.

Call 632-6220 for information

Westbrook Realty ~ Grand Rapids Real Estate

Rogue River Blues Summer Concerts 2009 ~ Rockford Michigan

Posted on June 8, 2009 by Terry & Bonnie

Starting June 9th, you can relax by the river with various Blues

Bands in Rockford, Michigan this summer. Bring a blanket and enjoy!

The Rockford Area Arts Commission and the City of Rockford are

presenting the Huntington Rogue River Blues Series for 2009,

sponsored by Huntington Bank. This popular series brings great

local live music to Garden Club Park downtown Rockford by the

river most Tuesday evenings this summer.

Rogue River Dam Rockford Michigan

The Place: Garden Club Park Stage located along the White Pine Trail near the Dam.

The Time: 7:00-9:00 pm

The 2009 Summer Concert Schedule:

Tuesday June 9, 2009 – Weezil Malone Band

Tuesday June 16, 2009 – Lynn Thompson Band

Tuesday June 23, 2009 – Root Doctor

Tuesday June 30, 2009 – James Reeser and the Backseat Drivers

Tuesday July 7, 2009 – Tomas Esparza Blues Experience

Tuesday July 14, 2009 – Steve Hilger Blues Band

Tuesday July 21, 2009 – Harper

After the Blues

Tuesday July 28, 2009 – Organissimo (Jazz)

Tuesday August 4, 2009 – The Concussions (Surf)

Tuesday August 11, 2009 – Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys (Honky Tonk)

Source: Rockford City News

Westbrook Realty ~ Grand Rapids Real Estate

Discover West Michigan ~ A Small Museum Tour

Posted on May 21, 2009 by Terry & Bonnie

Tri-River Small Museum Tour Runs from May 2 to Sept 14, 2009

This venue would be perfect for a touring car club or just curious people

getting to know their area. We have lived in West Michigan for over

35 years and we have not visited any of these small museums. I’ll bet

they hold a lot of local history, which is often fascinating.

The Tri-River Small Museum Tour starts on May 2nd, 2009 and runs until

September 14, 2009.

This tour is a network of small museums, connected by their proximity

to the Grand, Thornapple, and Flat Rivers. There are 18 stops on

this tour and it includes a chance to win a cash prize on Sept 15, 2009.

Punch cards can be obtained from the first museum visited. Cash prizes of

$200, $100, and $50 will be given out for the most museums visited. In

case of a tie, there will be a drawing to determine the winners.

Averill Historic Museum Barns in Ada, Michigan

A partial list of the Tri-Rivers Historical Museums:

Ada Averill Museum – Ada Michigan

Alton Historic Church Museum – 2780 Lincoln Lake Lowell, Michigan

Belding Historic Museum – Belding, Michigan

Bowne Township Museum – 84th & Alden Nash Alto, Michigan

Freeport Museum – Masonic Temple 127 Warren St Freeport, MI

Oakfield Pioneer Heritage Museum – 11009 Podunk Ave Greenville, MI

Pine Forest Museum – 402 East Home St Edmore, Michigan

A complete list can be picked up at any of these museums, local

government offices, and many local area businesses.

Many museums will be offering special events during the tour dates.

Take an interest in our local history, most of these museums operate on

donations and volunteer efforts to stay open.

Westbrook Realty ~ Grand Rapids Real Estate

photo of Averill Museum Barns by Bonnie Westbrook

Grand Rapids Real Estate

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Grand Rapids Michigan Holiday Traditions