Grand Rapids Magazine March/April 2023

BY FRANK MADISON

BY ANN BYLE

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRYAN ELSER

Bennetts Wallabies greet visitors to John Ball Zoo.

every issue

8 editor's letter

113 dining guide

GR's restaurants.

128 gr gems

MLK honored by local architect.

people + places

12 city

Party like you're Irish.

13 guide

New restaurants serve up Asian flair.

14 issues

A fond farewell to UICA.

15 profile

Words of faith through poetry.

18 spotlight

Local filmmaker's work screens at Sundance.

20 voice

Couple combines talent to produce colorful art.

look + feel

24 style

Young artist designs and sews distintive clothing collection.

26 wellness

Home gardening nourishes body and mind.

28 expert

Knowledge is key to cancer prevention.

29 home

A bathroom renovation begins.

food + drink

70 table

Fine dining for a special night.

74 on-the-go

Fine wine, charcuterie.

76 cheers

Coffee by day, cocktails by night.

77 create Vegan breakfast.

78 must-try

The city's best Italian beef sandwich revealed.

79 top picks

Five burgers on a budget.

80 experience

Discover cocktails without the hangover.

Editorial

Managing Editor: Lisa Enos

Digital Editor: Lisa Enos

Contributors: Allison K. Bannister, Ann Byle, Kelsey Dunneback, Pat Evans, Margaretha Heidel, Frank Madison, Jason Roth, Pasha Shipp, Gil Stansell, Manish Thakur, MD

Design

Creative Director: Lindsay Richards

Art Director: Mark Dryer

Senior Production Artist: Stephanie Daniel

Contributors: Allizon K. Bannister, Mike Buck, Bryan Esler, Amanda Kamppinen, Gabriel Rose, Stacy Feyer-Salo, Tylee Shay

Sales

General Inquiries: advertisingsales@grmag.com

Account Executives: Nick Irwin, Maddy Gill, Haylee Mozug

Office Assistants: Kerry Gerwatowski

To Order Reprints: Receptionist – (616) 459-4545

Production

Production Director: Jenine Knox

Senior Production Coordinator: Jill Berry

Production Artist: Jonathan Boedecker

Advertising Coordinators: Helena Hill, Amanda Kozlowski

Graphic Designer: Jim Bibart, Kathryn Dave

Web

Digital Director: Nick Britsky

Digital Development Manager: Matthew Cappo

Digital Development Specialists: Jim Bowser, Marissa Jacklyn, Luanne Lim, Kevin Pell

IT Director: Jeremy Leland

Circulation

Audience Development Director: Gerilyn Wilson

Circulation Manager: Riley Meyers

Circulation Customer Service: (866) 660-6247

Marketing

Marketing & Events Manager: Jodie Svagr

Marketing & Events Coordinator: Jaime Presnail

Marketing & Events Intern: Crystal Baker

Communications & Events Lead: Cathleen Francois

Marketing & Events Interns Crystal Baker, Elassia Elias

Administration

Director Of Business Operations: Kathie Gorecki

Publishing and Sales Coordinator: Mikala Bart

Assistant Office Manager: Natasha Bajju

Senior Accounting Associate: Andrew Kotzian

Accounting Associate: Samantha Dick, Austin Schmelzle

Turn and face the change

Changes. They are all around us. In the way we educate and the way we consume everything from information to medicine, adjustments are constantly being made to our society, hopefully for the better. One such advancement is in the way we educate.

Consider the early days of this country when our ancestors built homesteads, their children by their sides. Learning to read and write was done largely at home. Then, the burgeoning economy called for its next crop of workers to be better educated and the children were sent off to the local one-room schoolhouse. More than just a few generations later, we’ve come full circle. With parents busy working outside the home, education is shifting once again, and schools are now teaching children the ways of the outdoors.

In this March/April issue, Ann Byle takes us to some local schools that are forging new ground in that area.

Many of you will be pleased to know that Pat Evans is back, with a review of one of the best steakhouses around. He also goes in depth with the folks at John Ball Park Zoo on the new pygmy hippopotamus exhibit and reminds us that, due to changing habitats, keeping animals in captivity is a necessary part of preserving a number of species.

Did you know that there are five distinct regions across the globe whose populations have remarkable health and longevity? Learn all about this and more as Alison Kay Bannister walks us through the health benefits of gardening.

Recognizing the importance of getting back to nature and that we have to live in harmony with it is a welcome change we are experiencing all around. Discovering that plants previously demonized by prior generations can have healing effects and actually be helpful when used in prescribed doses is another.

Did you ever think – just five years ago, even – that cannabis shops would be popping up all over the city? Frank Madison takes us on a tour of some local dispensaries to educate the cannabis-curious what to expect when visiting one of the establishments.

While some are learning how to get a new type of buzz on, Kelsey Dunneback takes us on a mocktail crawl through the city’s clubs and restaurants that are catering to the sober-curious.

This issue also puts a spotlight on two notable Ottawa Hills alumni, Jash’d Belcher and Marshall Purnell. Though a generation apart, both are testaments to the Grand Rapids Public School system and what can be achieved through hard work and perseverance.

As always, there’s plenty of food news, reviews, interviews and photographs to peruse. Sorry, I just had to. April is National Poetry Month. We go into that a bit, as well. Happy reading!

Lisa Enos Managing Editor, Grand Rapids Magazine

Grand Rapids Magazine, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Email: lenos@grmag.com. Be sure to include your name, address and daytime phone number. Or follow us online at grmag.com or on social media: @grmag @grmagazine @grmagazine

Next issue

The area's top doctors.

FEATURED

This month’s featured contributors are Mike and Tori Buck of M Buck Studios, who have done more than 9,000 photo assignments for the magazine over a period of 26 years.

LE: Is there any one photo assignment that stands out as particularly rewarding or memorable?

M Buck Studio: There are so many amazing shoots we have done for the magazine, it would be so hard to pick just one assignment that was memorable.

Here are a few of our favorite moments we have had:

• Meeting and flying with Fred Meijer on his private plane to the foundry in New York to take photos of the Davinci Horse statue that is now part of the permanent exhibition at Fredrick Meijer Gardens. He even gave out free “purple cow” ice cream cone cards.

• Meeting Mr. Marriott on the helipad of the JW Marriott for the opening of the hotel and spending the day photographing the events and the gala.

• Covering the opening of the First ArtPrize, it was such a great event.

• Meeting and taking photos of the America’s Top Model photographer Nigel Barker. It is always fun to meet a person who has the same career and a person you admire. He was here for the dedication of the AHC Hotels.

people+places

Spiritual words

» PLUS: IRISH REVELERS

NEW RESTAURANTS WITH AN ASIAN FLAVOR

GR FILM PRODUCER GOES TO SUNDANCE

ART ON PAPER

PHOTOGRAPH BY M BUCK STUDIO

Local poet Emily Stoddard.

Irish on Ionia

Celebrating St. Paddy’s after a three-year hiatus.

The street festival “Irish on Ionia” is expected to draw 15,000 revelers to a threeblock stretch of Ionia Ave. Saturday, March 18. Featuring Irish-themed food, drinks and entertainment, it’s expected to be the largest St. Patrick’s Day event in Michigan.

With all the hoopla that HopCat has devoted to sponsoring this celebration, the origin of this day of indulgence begs some exploration.

Did you know St. Patrick wasn’t Irish at all? Nor was his given name Patrick. He was born “Maewyn Succat” in Roman Britain in the 4th century and, following a raid of his family’s estate by Irish marauders, taken to the Emerald Isle at age 16, where he spent six years as a slave to a Druid master.

Forced to shepherd animals alone at night, as the legend goes, God spoke to him in a dream, inspiring him to escape. Patrick journeyed 200 miles to the coast and made his getaway on a ship. Back in Britain at his family home (reckoned by scholars to have been anywhere from South Wales to Scotland), he dreamed of a written message from the very people who had enslaved him: “Come to us, O holy youth, and walk among us.”

Heeding the message of the dream, Maewyn Succat made his way to a monastery in the city of Auxerre (France) and became a disciple of St. Germain. He became a priest, and was given the Christian name, Patricius. He returned to Ireland during the reign of Pope Celestine – not to drive out snakes (there were none), but – as the Second Bishop of Ireland, succeeding Saint Palladius. He died on March 17, 561 A.D.

St. Patrick’s Day began as a religious feast day to commemorate his death. Until the 1700s, it was a somber religious occasion; a day to abstain from work and attend Mass, celebrated almost exclusively in Ireland. Over

Blooming butterflies!

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park invites visitors to watch delicate cocoons transform in an observation station at the Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibit, March 1 - April 30.

More than 800 moth and butterfly chrysalides will be delivered each week throughout the duration of the exhibit. These unique specimens from around the world will transform and take flight inside the five-story, 85-degree Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. More than 60 butterfly and moth species in total make up this exciting and colorful exhibition of thousands of exotic butterflies. Price of the butterfly exhibit is included with admission to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

time it evolved into an occasion for people observing Lent to set aside restrictions on food and alcohol consumption to partake in the Feast of St. Patrick.

So, there you have it: The reason we indulge (and some over-indulge) on St. Patrick’s Day…let the shenanigans begin!

Irish on Ionia starts Saturday, March 18 at 10 a.m. Among the live musical performers are Celtic band Crossbow; a husband-andwife Celtic Folk duo called Ironwood; an Irish pub band called the Leprecons and some baroque pop-rock from Wakefire A Giant Leprechaun as the festival emcee, performances by the Motor City Irish Dance Company, Irish circus troops, live bagpipers and a slew of DJs round out the entertainment.

Other Irish Bands in Grand Rapids in March are Flogging Molly, Saturday, March 4, 8 p.m. and Dropkick Murphys, Sunday, March 12, 7 p.m. Both bands will perform at GLC Live at 20 Monroe.

Paws, Claws & Corks

The Humane Society of West Michigan presents the 11th annual Paws, Claws & Corks fundraiser at DeVos Place’s Steelcase Ballroom March 15,  6 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy samples of fine wines, microbrews, and bites from some of Grand Rapids’ best restaurants as they bid on exciting auction packages and adventures, all for a good cause! More info at, www.hswestmi.org/events.

GUIDE

Asian inspiration

Grand Rapids is experiencing an infusion of Asian cuisine.

BY LISA ENOS // PHOTOS BY TYLEE SHAY

There are a slew of new restaurants dotting the GR landscape, many – if not most –serving Asian fusion cuisine. A standout amongst them, not only because of the bao buns on the menu, but because of the craft spirits and beer they serve and the stellar 443 Bridge St. NW location, is Broad Leaf Westside. This progressive craft brewery offers award winning gin, cocktail slushies, burgers and so much more. It’s the third bar/restaurant for the team that brought us Brewery Vivant and Broad Leaf Brewery & Spirits in Kentwood (which also serves some fine Asian fare). For those unfamiliar, bao buns (or simply “bao”) are steamed doughy creations made of wheat flour and filled with savory or sweet fillings. Broad Leaf’s pork belly bao with pickles and a spicy sauce recently served as a fantastic happy hour snack to go along with my favorite new beer, a golden stout called Peppermint Element. If it’s a stiffer drink you’re after, the Ferris Muleler is the best mule I’ve had yet in GR.

Dim sum and then some

In the space formerly occupied by Foo Yen, 2230 Wealthy St, in East Grand Rapids, which offered an extensive menu of traditional Chinese food, Pink Piggy promises to fill its shoes and then some. In addition to wellknown traditional Chinese fare, the menu offers a load of trendy boba teas, Vietnamese coffee, Malaysian MILO and a host of menu items that deviate from the norm. For example, the scallion pancakes are served with a Peruvian-inspired creamy cilantro dipping sauce. Other eclectic items include lumpia (Filipino style spring rolls), Piggy Rangoon (sans the imitation krab), house special potstickers (delicious and the owner’s mother’s recipe) and some curiously monikered sandwiches served on bao buns called “Piggy Pillow Talk.” The menu also features cold Beijing noodles and a half-dozen or more familiar chicken entrees: sweet and sour, orange, sesame, General Tso’s, Kung Pao. The EGR establishment’s menu includes a decent selection of braised beef and pork offerings, as well.

For the love of fusion

With a name like Noodle Pig, is it any wonder that when this ramen restaurant, located at 601 Bond Ave. NW in the North Monroe Business District, opened its doors to the public, it sold out so quickly it had to shut its doors for a beat to regroup? This beloved noodle shop offers sitdown service and noodles to-go, but if you want them to-go you have to answer a couple of ques-

tions first. One is, “Are you going to eat them right away?” If the answer is no, then you’ll be asked, “How far are you going to travel before eating them?” This info is used to determine how the order is packaged to preserve the integrity of the meal. You’ve got to love that commitment to quality. Ramen noodles are not meant to soak in the broth for too long, lest they lose their desired consistency. For some traditional Japanese ramen try the Shio 42. To experience fusion at its finest, the shop boasts as its flagship dish, “Zessan Tonkotsu, where Japan meets the Midwest.” My personal favorite is the Mexican inspired Pork Pozole. All noodles are house made and the various dishes can be spiced up for those who like it hot.

Fire! Fire!

While many lovers of Italian cuisine may be saddened to see Osteria Rossa go, a new hibachi style steakhouse that took over the 16 Monroe Center NE location promises to provide restaurant goers with a new experience in downtown Grand Rapids.

Nagoya Hibachi Steak House & Sushi offers the type of spectator driven food preparation that has generally been relegated to the outskirts, near the shopping malls. The word, “hibachi” literally means “fire bowl” in Japanese and refers to a method of preparing food in a ceramic vessel filled with wood or charcoal. In modern restaurants electricity is generally used to heat the grill, but the name stuck. If you’ve never been to a hibachi restaurant, the setup is pretty neat. Guests are seated around a grill that serves as a stage, of sorts. A chef offers each guest a feast for the eyes, as well as the taste buds, with performances that can include cracking an egg over a metal spatula in midair, and always, as the name suggests, includes plenty of dazzling flames.

Broad Leaf Westside favorites Kimchi Arancini (above) and Fried Chicken Sandwich and the Ferris Muleler (left).

ISSUES

Leaving a legacy

UICA closes after nearly five decades of support for the local arts commuunity.

BY PASHA SHIPP

As one of the most prolific contemporary art institutions in Grand Rapids prepares to close its doors, I sat down with people from the community to hear how the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (UICA) has left a lasting impact on their lives. These are their stories.

world know, ‘This is what contemporary art looks like through the lens of West Michigan.’

Tommy Allen Local artist

“While we have plenty of options where one can showcase their work, whether it’s in a coffee shop, a local gallery, or even in a pop up space, one of the things that UICA brings to the table that none of these bring is an incredible pedigree on one’s artist resume, but also the ability to transport one’s work out of the market, not just to bring artists in, but showcase our artists we have here as a way to let the

“It was in 2000, I believe, that I had a solo show at the UICA. Around that same time, UICA celebrated their 30th anniversary and asked me if I wouldn’t mind producing the show. I produced the show in such a way that I really made sure the performances or whatever we were looking to do that night happened within the space that people were congregating and not on the stage. That stage that we had there was exclusively reserved in that moment to showcase a drag queen performing, to close out the festivities of the evening. To the best of my knowledge, as I look back on this as a queer person, I really believe it was the first time in the history of Grand Rapids that drag moved out of the bars and out of the clubs and into the public space. While UICA has always been about showcasing contemporary art, we can also showcase individuals within contemporary art who may have been left out of the conversation for so many years.”

“Being an undergrad in fine arts and as a volunteer at the UICA, I got to work side-by-side with artists and help them install work. Being able to see that up close was pivotal in allowing me to figure out my niche of what I was good at in terms of being an advocate for artists, learning how to install, showing work in the best possible light. UICA ended up being the catalyst that allowed me to move

Michele Bosak Curator, UICA

in the direction of museum studies and curatorial work because I had that one-onone experience and that firsthand access to working with artists in the organization.

“The UICA has never censored artist voices. We have a lot of spaces that don’t show work that’s as provocative or even just gives artists a platform to show or talk about or display their authentic selves. Those spaces kind of seem to dry up over time, or especially in a space like West Michigan and Grand Rapids in general, I think there is a lot less tolerance. Having a space in Grand Rapids where artists could be fully supported and given that freedom to try out new things is going to be missed.

“When are we ever going to see a Kehinde Wiley in Grand Rapids again? Who knows; maybe. It’s just like, ‘Wow,’ this is happening here at the UICA that started off as this grassroots bunch of artists just needing a space and a community. There have been groundbreaking, blockbuster artists and experiences that you don’t find anywhere else in Grand Rapids.”

“I think the UICA had regional and even national clout, where to be part of that, whether it be through the curatorial board or whether that be through an exhibition, was enriching to participate in not only a community-based dialogue, but also a national dialogue.

“They were very much aware of a need to amplify under-recognized voices, and I’m not necessarily sure that there are a lot of organizations within Grand Rapids that were or are doing that kind of work, unless that’s their mission. Underrepresented artists don’t get the attention they need, and the UICA was getting that.”

I was trying to find a place that felt like home. It was the UICA that really felt like, ‘Oh, this is home.’ I felt embraced and welcomed, and like there was a community of like-minded people. I found my tribe there.

“They patron design in the same way that they patron art, in that they allow creatives to do what they do. They give a lot of trust and freedom to them to produce their best work. I’m really proud of the work we’ve done for the UICA over the years. One of the events I’m most proud of is Live Coverage. We designed it from, I think 2004 was the first year that we did it, and then we did a poster and identity for it for probably another 12 or more years. It was a really exciting event, and it was just so amazing for them to give a lot of trust to us to be creative.

“The other thing that I think is interesting about the UICA, and it’s important to note, is that it really had a lot of involvement with students. It had this whole program called ArtWorks that was long-term mentorship of students. Many of Kendall’s top students went through the ArtWorks program. To see the way those students thrived and blossomed through ArtWorks and through involvement with the UICA was really amazing, and that’s something that the city is going to need to find a way to replace.

John O’Neill Creative director, Conduit

“I was a student at Kendall. It’s probably around 1998 that I had my first interaction with the UICA– it was in a small bank building where the current art museum is. Like so many people in Grand Rapids,

“In 1977, the UICA was created because the arts community felt there was a need; there was a void. The UICA filled that void until now. Without the UICA, there’s still that need, and I am confident that the creative community will find a way to fill that void because nothing else fills its shoes.”

Mandy Cano Villalobos  Local artist

“They were very much aware of a need to amplify under-recognized voices."

Mandy Cano Villalobos

Poetry reveals passion for faith

BY ANN BYLE // PHOTOS BY M. BUCK STUDIO

Emily Stoddard spent her 20s running, running, running. She graduated from college, built a rewarding yet hectic career, married and divorced, and remarried. Poetry took a back seat to all the activity going on in her life.

“I had to be so polished in my work with clients, but I had forgotten that I had to be crappy for a while to get back into the writing process,” she said. “I was moving so quickly, but I realize now that I couldn’t have written then. Writing is the slowest thing I’ve done.”

Ten years ago, the now 39-year-old received the gift of a lifetime. Her husband gave her a writing retreat for Christmas. She attended Poets on the Coast, several days on the coast of Washington State, immersed in the world of poets, writing and reading poetry.

“That weekend restarted the process,” said Stoddard, who lives in the Cannonsburg area. Now, a decade after letting herself begin to write poetry, she has had her debut book of poetry published. Divination with a Human Heart Attached released in February with Game Over Books, endorsed by the very poets who taught at Poets on the Coast that first year she attended.

Poet Susan Rich says the “important and elegant debut collection holds my attention from the first poem and does not let go.”

Fellow poet Kelli Russell Agodon calls it a “stunning debut collection” and Stoddard’s poems, “graceful and fierce.”

Close to forty poems comprise Divination with a Human Heart Attached. Many are steeped in Stoddard’s Catholic faith tradition, including several based on Petronilla, Saint Peter’s daughter about whom he prayed that God would paralyze on one side because of her beauty, according to the apocryphal book Acts of Philip. Other poems hint at the biblical parable of the prodigal son, the crucifixion, communion and more.

“The book officially released on Fat Tuesday, which is perfect for a book that is a lot about Lent, Passion Plays, Ash Wednesday,” said Stoddard. “Aspects of this book wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been married to a lapsed Baptist. We walked into St. Peter’s Basilica and he asked, ‘What’s with the flaming bird?’ I had to explain it was the Holy Spirit.”

Her poem “Five for Silver, Six for Gold” expands on that experience, ending with “I’m a good daughter, but I’d rather be a heart bursting into flames.”

Stoddard’s poems often begin with an image, perhaps in a dream, or a sound or

Tell me it is only human— to wish for someone to believe in the myth of you.

– from More & More by Emily Stoddard

PROFILE

phrase “falling in my ear.” Actually, she said, “I didn’t want to write this book and resisted it completely. I wanted to write a book of nature poetry but those phrases and images were pointing me right back to my Catholic faith.”

She recalls dreams and seeing things that had a lot of symbolism related to Petronilla including sets of keys, which is her emblem, and the number 531, which marks her feast day of May 31. “I wrote them down for a future book, but realized that if I resisted writing this book, I wouldn’t be honoring my instinct and what was showing up in my life. I wanted to say that I had listened well,” Stoddard said.

Stoddard submitted the manuscript for Divination with a Human Heart Attached to about a dozen contests in which she was a finalist or semifinalist. Finally, Game Over Books, an indie publisher in Boston, offered an open reading period to which she submitted her manuscript. This time, in 2021, she was chosen for publication.

The book, she said, has an overarching theme of inheritance. “I looked at what we inherit through our traditions and belief systems, what we may want to disinherit, and how we reconcile all this with our spiritual inheritance,” Stoddard said.

Her poems also connect to genealogy, nature, infertility, women’s places in the church and more. Stoddard comes from a long line of Methodist ministers and missionaries, including a minister who served here in Grand Rapids and one who became the first Methodist missionary to Australia.

“I was always fascinated with my strange intensity about religion — I wanted to be a

nun — but in my 20s I discovered that so many others in my past were equally as intense,” she said.

Stoddard points again to Petronilla. Peter’s prayer that she be paralyzed could be a prayer for infertility, an issue Stoddard herself has faced. And the saint also symbolizes, to Stoddard, what is happening even today to so many women in the church.

“Peter’s prayer was that Petronilla not be allowed to carry on her name, that her character be hidden, which is chilling because that is still happening to so many women when the church covers up abuse,” said Stoddard. “She is sort of a missing piece to the conversation we’re having about women in the church. I hope I let her have her space. I love having Petronilla as a different kind of witness from Mary Magdalene or Mary, Jesus’ mother.”

Stoddard continues to write poetry and essays, with a new project dealing with neurodivergence, a topic close to her heart.

“I was diagnosed in my 30s as ADHD. I was one of those kids who was very intense, interested in a lot of things, had to go go go. It’s interesting how so many of my ancestors had to go, go go as well,” she said. “My dad and I visited New Zealand where many of my extended family live, and one of them said, ‘I always want to know what’s over that next hill.’ I too have that driven curiosity.”

Contest data for poets

“Contests are really the door into publication for poetry,” said Emily Stoddard. Yet that entry is often denied to poets who face barriers related to time, access, or energy. Stoddard created the Poetry Bulletin to offer easy access to information on the wide variety of publishers, submission guidelines, fees and compensation.

“If you’re a single mom with only two hours to write, you shouldn’t waste your time and money figuring out where to submit,” she said.

She offers information on which publishers offer royalties and/or advances and which ones promise only author copies of the finished book as payment, yet still charge $30 to read a manuscript. She provides contest names, dates and lists of publishers dedicated to fair and inclusive publishing.

“I want equity, transparency and access for all poets. You’re not going to get a diversity of voices when you can’t even knock on, much less get inside, the front door,” she said of a poetry ecosystem that has no agents submitting manuscripts on authors’ behalf and no querying process.

She’s started suggesting ways to make publications more equitable, as well as opened a way that donors can provide funds to help poets pay for contest entry fees.

For more information, visit poetrybulletin.com.

Local event

Date: Wednesday, March 29

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Schuler Books, 2660 28th Street, Grand Rapids

Emily Stoddard will read from her poetry debut Divination with a Human Heart Attached. Books will be available for purchase and for the author to sign.

“I was always fascinated with my strange intensity about religion — I wanted to be a nun — but in my 20s I discovered that so many others in my past were equally as intense”

Emily Stoddard

people + places / spotlight

SPOTLIGHT

Sundance success

Dreams do come true for Executive Producer.

BY LISA ENOS

Like many of us who grew up in the region, Jash’d Belcher used to go to Studio 28 to watch movies. Once the largest multiscreen cinema complex in the world, in its heyday there were 20 screens chock full of the latest films Hollywood had to offer.

“I remember looking at all those posters when I was a kid and wondering what an Executive Producer did,” said Belcher, who had just about enough time to meet for a chat earlier this year between a photoshoot and a trip to the airport. The accomplished filmmaker was on his way to the 45th annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, where his curiously titled film, “To Live and Die and Live,” would hold its premiere.

The “Holy Grail” of independent film festivals, judges review about 13,000 films for consideration each year before allowing less than one percent of those to achieve the rank of Sundance accepted.

“Just getting in makes you a winner,” Belcher remarked, and said he was looking forward to being around other filmmakers and talented people. His film was selected to screen as part of Sundance’s “Next” program, which provides a showcase for what the festival calls “Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to story-telling.”

“To Live” follows protagonist, Muhammad, who has returned to Detroit for his stepfather’s funeral, but his own battle with addiction (which he hides from the world) drives him to immediately fade away into the sultry, late-night, drug-saturated afterhours of the city, and an equally intoxicating romantic relationship.

“I am grateful and honored for the opportunity to be part of an amazing work of art and to share it with the world, to foster conversations about mental health and addiction,” said Belcher.

Veteran film critic Todd McCarthy said: “Stylistically, ‘To Live and Die and Live’ is cut

down to the bone, with the essential action being conveyed but with a vital terseness that both frustrates and keeps you on your toes.”

Reviewing for Variety, Dennis Harvey states: “Produced by Forest Whitaker, Qasim Basir’s opaque yet atmospheric drama finds an ostensible Hollywood success reluctantly yanked back to his Michigan roots.”

According to Belcher, the film was shot entirely on location in Detroit, and the creative visionary behind the film is Detroit native director Qasim Basir.

The pair previously collaborated on “A Boy. A Girl. A Dream,” an ambitious film set on the night of the 2016 presidential elections that was recorded in one unbroken take,

in four different locations! The film was snatched up by distributor Samuel Goldwyn Films at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

Given the subject matter and depth of  his previous films, it was no surprise to find out that Belcher’s favorite filmmaker is Spike Lee and that Lee’s 1992 Academy Awardnominated “Malcom X” ranks high on his list of favorite flicks. An epic biographical drama about an influential Black Nationalist leader from Lansing, the film chronicles Malcom Little’s early life in Michigan to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam. Lee was already a veteran filmmaker when he made the film. His first film was made as a student at Morehouse College, a private, four-year, allmale historically black college in Atlanta.

After graduating from Ottawa Hills High School in 1994, Belcher followed in Lee’s footsteps to also attend Morehouse College and now ranks among a plethora of notable alumni, which includes Samuel L. Jackson and MLK Jr.

Belcher put down roots in his college town for about eight years and made a name for himself in the world of public relations. He eventually made his way to New York City and then L.A., and has worked with some of the top producers (Datari Turner and Jamie Foxx), record executives Russell Simmons (DefJam Records) and celebrities like Tommy Hilfiger, Missy Elliot, Usher and the Fugees.

When the call came from his mother that she had a terminal illness, Belcher dropped everything to tend to her in her time of need and returned to Grand Rapids. The self-described serial entrepreneur didn’t let his creative energy go to waste. He turned to the food and beverage industry, with such endeavors as the French Quarter Bar and Restaurant in the Heartside District (now closed), and Love Lounge, which shut its Wealthy St. doors in 2011.

It wasn’t long before Belcher turned his entrepreneurial attention back to filmmaking, having learned throughout the years that an Executive Producer brings in the investors, and is heavily involved in the marketing and event planning. It’s all the same, regardless of the industry.

“I used to look at the posters at the theaters and wondered what an executive producer was and now my name is on the poster,” said Belcher. “Dreams do come true with hard work and perseverance.”

“I remember looking at all those posters when I was a kid and wondering what an Executive Producer did."

Jash'd Belcher

Tickets to the first screening of “To Live and Die and Live” sold out in five minutes and the film premiered to a sold out crowd of 500, making it an undeniable Sundance success.

Colorful critters and creatures

A passion for art leads to creative products.

BY PASHA SHIPP // ARTWORK BY J6R6

Rachel Six and husband Jason are the minds behind J6R6 – a stationery and lifestyle brand based in Grand Rapids that launched in the summer of 2021. Their passions for fine art and graphic design coalesce to form a collection of cards, stickers and paper products featuring a colorful assortment of creatures and critters.

The creative couple shares their story:

GR Mag: So, tell me about J6R6 – how did it come to be?

Rachel Six: We met in college. Jason was in commercial art and design, and I was in fine art. I didn’t do anything with it for forever. It really started after my dad passed away. I was like, ‘I need to start doing what I really want to be doing, otherwise it’s just not going to happen.’ That was a wakeup call. I started just painting for fun and people really liked the work.

Jason Six: It was a couple of years ago she was painting some stuff that inspired me, and then that’s where J6R6 kind of started to really become something. I bring the creative direction to the table producing J6R6, and she does all the painting. I mean, you would not have any of this work without Rachel painting it, and you wouldn’t have any of the designs without me designing – it takes us both.

GR Mag: What’s your process for creating the pieces and offering them in different formats?

Rachel: I paint everything in India ink. It’s similar to watercolor, meaning it paints like watercolor, but you can use it opaque or transparent, and it’s permanent, where watercolor can get muddy. I can build up all these colorful layers and get this glow. It’s really shiny and pretty. I like it because I’m all about the color. From the painting, Jason digitizes it and then he designs with that. We use local printers; everything’s made in Michigan, so that’s pretty exciting.

GR Mag: What do you enjoy painting most?

Rachel: I love painting insects and I think it’s because they’re something nobody really likes. I love how you can break it down into these abstract pieces because they are something people overlook. You can have a lot of fun with the details in there, and they’re so colorful.

GR Mag: Why is J6R6 meaningful to you?

Rachel: I think it’s more the collaboration process. I’ve always wanted to have my own business. I’ve always been very entrepreneurial; I get that from my dad, who had his own business.

Jason: For 20 years, I’ve been doing graphic

design and then I morphed into having my own business, and I was meant to do that. I like having my own business, but I wanted my wife to have her own business. I really like working with her. I mean, it’s not easy, but I wouldn’t want to work with anybody else. If we can grow a business together like we are raising a child together, it’s pretty awesome. The design is not as important. It’s letting her artwork take front and center. It’s always about the artwork.

Rachel: I want color in the world, I want happiness, joy. I love to paint the animals ‘cause I love the faces. I want it to be a fun expression or something sweet.

"I want color in the world, I want happiness, joy."

Rachel Six

J6R6 stationary is available in 28 Michigan locations, including John Ball Zoo and Frederik Meijer Gardens.

In the past year, much has changed. Just as we began to emerge from what seemed to be the worst of the pandemic, new challenges surfaced — from an increase in gas prices to rising inflation and higher interest rates. Amid those shakeups, a once blazing-hot housing market cooled almost in an instant, leaving sellers and buyers in dramatically different

Plan for the Future with Tips from the Experts

positions compared to just a few months earlier.

If we’ve learned anything in the past year, it’s that change will be ever-present in our lives. Our best tactic for dealing with it is to remain resilient, seize opportunities when they present themselves, and seek advice from those tasked with staying on top of the latest shifts.

One of the silver linings that’s come with

the housing market U-turn is that buyers are finally able to participate in the game without fierce competition and frustration. If you’re considering buying your first home, now may be a better time than you might think. The expert in this section offers observations and advice to help you make informed choices and proceed with confidence.

Q: What opportunities do first-time homebuyers have in the current housing environment?

A: While interest rates have doubled since their all-time lows of 3-3.5 percent, the pace of home-buying has subsided, providing first-time homebuyers an opportunity to work through the process with some breathing room. With fewer homes for sale and fewer buyers, there’s time to see multiple homes, complete an inspection, negotiate, and think about the largest purchase buyers will likely make in their life.

During the height of the buying craze, homebuyers found themselves competing

with 20-30 different offers, with most offers being well over the asking price. Today, many homebuyers won’t face as much competition and will have an opportunity to negotiate.

Many first-time homebuyers don’t have a large down payment, and saving $20k for a 20-percent down payment while keeping up with rent and other bills can be challenging. Government loans requiring a much smaller down payment — as low as 3.5 percent of the purchase price — are an appealing option.

look+feel

KEEPING YOUR MIND AND BODY HEALTHY

Garden therapy

» PLUS: CREATIVE CLOTHING COLLECTION

KNOW YOUR CANCER RISK

BATHROOM RENOVATION BEGINS

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALLISON KAY BANNISTER

Reap what you sew

Hannah Vierheilig loves to sew her own designs.

BY LISA ENOS // PHOTOS BY GABRIEL ROSE

When I heard about a young Grand Rapids woman who liked to make her own clothing, I never imagined the level of creativity or craftsmanship I would find presented in this wunderkind’s prolific collection. I had to learn more.

LE: So, tell me about yourself.

HV: My name is Hannah Vierheilig, I’m 19 years old and I love to sew.

What’s your creative process?

HV: I think my creative process starts with an inspiration or idea and then an inescapable urge to make whatever I have envisioned. Once I have thought out the actual process of making a project, I start with a vision board– usually, sketching, measuring, remeasuring and creating pattern pieces.

LE: Do you make your own patterns/ design the clothes yourself?

HV: A big part and pride of my work is the fact that I create and design all of the patterns myself. This is also a big step factor in my growth of sewing and clothing design because of the intricacies and challenges that come with pattern making.

LE: At what age did you start sewing/ making clothing?

HV: When I first started sewing I was about eight years old and I had taken a sewing elective class where I fell in love with the craft.

LE: How did you learn? Did you have any mentors?

HV: My teacher and mentor Mrs. Jo McGavin taught me how to work a sewing machine and the many techniques that go with it. But I am self taught in clothing construction and design. I have watched countless YouTube tutorials and learned even more from my coworkers at my job.

LE: Where do you draw your inspiration from?

HV: I draw inspiration from mainly my emotions when I create my pieces. For example, the tic tac toe jacket came from a place of nostalgia around the holidays when

Vierheilig draws inspiration from Vivienne Westwood and Betsey Johnson for her unique designs.

my family was all together and it reminded me of the games I used to play with my siblings and cousins when we were younger.

LE: Who are your favorite fashion icons, designers or influencers?

HV: Another big inspiration and influence on my designs are my favorite fashion designers- Vivienne Westwood has always been a huge one and Betsey Johnson as well. Both of these designers really create unique combinations of feminine and masculine elements that I hope to reflect in my work as well.

LE: Do you have a website, pop-up shop or place that people can view or purchase your clothing? Or an Instagram?

HV: My work and sewing progression can be viewed on my instagram @hv.stitches.

"My creative process starts with an inspiration or idea and then an inescapable urge to make whatever I have envisioned."

Hannah Vierheilig

How does your garden grow?

Cultivating wellness from the ground up.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY ALLISON KAY BANNISTER

There’s an ancient proverb that says: “Life begins when you start a garden.” That’s clever. Of course it does, as the very act of planting a seed and nurturing its growth is creating life. Though this may have cued mad scientist laughter in your head, there’s more to gardening than just the gratification of shouting “It’s Aliiiive” to the rooftops. As that old saying suggests, your life could begin if you start a garden. How? Let’s look at all the ways that gardening can contribute to overall well-being.

Uprooting yourself from the couch

If you’re a follower of National Geographic, you may have heard of the Blue Zones: five distinct regions across the globe whose populations have remarkable health and longevity. Dan Buettner and his team uncovered what they call the Power9®, which is a set of distinct commonalities that these groups mostly share. Among those is to “move naturally.” These groups’ lifestyles are integrated with daily activities that get them the physical exercise they need without anyone over their shoulder shouting “feel the burn!” No gyms, no 5Ks; just moving with intention and consistency.

Gardening fits into this concept well, because it involves tasks that need to be done that are also beneficial to the body. From lifting, squatting, digging, raking and climbing, not to mention sweating and soaking up some Vitamin D, it’s easy to get so immersed in gardening that it doesn’t feel like a workout at all. But it is. Just remember to get a good stretch in before and after, keep a bottle of water nearby, and apply sunscreen generously. Protective gloves and lightweight clothing can shield you from ray, thorns, and critters, as well.

Tending to your mind

Gardening can be an exceptional form of therapy—and it’s affordable, as long as you don’t become a super-fan and spend your entire paycheck on seeds, supplies, tools and cute little gnomes. (That’s been known to happen.)

Getting your hands in the dirt, plus the repetitive movements involved in weeding, pruning and harvesting have a meditative effect. Working in the garden slows you — and your thoughts and breathing — down, making it an activity that can bring you greater calm and lower your stress levels.

There are challenges to gardening, too, whether it’s pest and disease control, dealing with weather conditions or just figuring out how to keep your plants from wilting and withering. Both researching and troubleshooting stimulate brain function — and learning something new is never a bad thing. There’s a satisfaction and a confidence boost to it all, too; not just in solving problems, but in the end product. After all, you grew something!

Nourishing your body

Growing your own fruits and vegetables, or even just maintaining an herb garden, has benefits as well. Having a “plant slant” to your diet is another one of the Blue Zones’ Power9®. For some, access to fresh produce is a barrier to eating healthier, while, for others, it’s more a matter of actually using what you buy at the farmers market. When you grow your own food, there’s not only the convenience of having it right outside your door, there’s also less likelihood of it going to waste; not after all the effort you put in.

You’ll also know exactly what’s in your food, what’s been put on it and the kind of environment it’s been exposed to—and you won’t need preservatives, since you can usually just harvest your produce when you need it.

Growing your own garden allows you to experiment with new flavors and get more variety in your diet, too. “Eat a rainbow” is a

Growing your own garden allows you to experiment with new flavors and get more variety in your diet, too.

mantra among those promoting a balanced diet. Growing a variety of colors, from orange peppers to spinach; yellow squash to tomatoes, will provide you the spectrum.

And, in addition to giving yourself more access to plants to integrate into your meals, it can prompt you to explore new recipes, as you Google “what to make with a bushel of tomatoes” or whatever your surprise yield is this year.

Feeding your soul and spirit

The rewards of gardening extend even further, if you consider the community you can build when you start gardening. Many a budding gardener has greened their thumb by talking with others about their successes and failures. Joining a group of other enthusiasts is not only a great way to increase your knowledge, it’s also a path to finding your tribe—yet another Blue Zones principle. A group with whom to socialize and share, that also encourages healthy behaviors, is paramount to better living and greater life expectancy.

There’s also the nurturing aspect of gardening. When it’s still the depths of winter in Michigan, starting seeds indoors not only gives you something to look forward to, it also can provide a sense of purpose. And, you may have guessed, “purpose” is also part of the Power9®. While it might not be at the top of your reasons to wake up in the morning, doting over seedlings, watering and caring for your plants, and maintaining the overall hardiness of your garden reaps plenty of emotional rewards.

Sustaining the life around you

When you plant a garden, especially if you’re selective about what you grow, you’re contributing to a thriving ecosystem. Whether it’s growing native plants—those that are already commonly occurring in your region—or planting other species that are beneficial to birds, bees and butterflies, the right garden can help vulnerable wildlife survive.

While a pristine lawn was once a point of pride for homeowners, that attitude has shifted as more information arises about the detriment that all of this grooming, weed prevention and pest control can have on the environment—and your own health if you’re using harmful chemicals that are intended to kill vegetation. Opting for natural products and approaches is better for you and better for the creatures, great

and small, that inhabit your property.

That’s a lot of goodness all from one activity! If you’re intrigued and wondering how to begin, consider starting small. Plant a windowsill herb garden or try a few easy-to-grow vegetables in containers on the patio. This not only eases you into the idea without too much investment, it’s also ideal for those who rent their homes or don’t have a lot of space. Herbs that aren’t too fussy include thyme, parsley, chives and mint. While carrots, radishes, cucumbers and zucchini tend to be some of the more carefree vegetables to grow. And, don’t forget wildflowers, which you can practically cast to the wind and expect something to crop up.

You don’t have to start from seed, either. Dip your toes into the idea by purchasing established plants from your local greenhouse. Once you see how that goes, you can always graduate to propagating seeds the next season.

For those who have the option and are ready to jump right in, find your spot. It will ideally be an area of ground that receives full to mostly-sun — about 6-8 hours per day. If you’re wondering where that might be, look no further than your own front yard. Many gardeners have converted lawn space to growing space, with the added benefit of less grass upkeep and more fruitful output from the chosen area. A little protection, such as a permanent or removable fence, will dissuade some nibblers, but anticipate a little disruption from your neighborhood furry friends. It’s all part of it.

Then, look for a gardening group to join and local experts to follow. If you have setbacks, you can always ask your newly found tribe for guidance!

For further reading on wellness and longevity, check out bluezones.com. If you’re in the greater Grand Rapids area, ask to join the group “West Michigan Gardening Friends” on Facebook. And, subscribe to MIgardener’s YouTube channel for expert advice on a range of relevant topics.

Happy gardening!

Opting for natural products and approaches is better for you and better for the creatures great and small that inhabit your property.

Let's talk about an uncomfortable topic

This discussion with oncologist Manish Thakur could save your life.

BY MANISH THAKUR, MD

When it comes to colorectal cancer, cancer that develops either in the colon or rectum, there is good news and bad news. The overall number of colorectal cancer cases has been declining for decades for those aged 50 years and older. However, the number of cases among younger adults is on the rise, increasing at a rate of roughly 2.2% each year.

Having a family history of colorectal cancer can put you at a higher risk of developing the disease. But researchers believe that low-fiber high-fat diets, consuming highly processed foods, smoking, heavy alcohol use, obesity and a generally sedentary lifestyle are also contributing to the increasing number of cases among those under age 50.

Talking about colorectal cancer is challenging. Rarely does anyone have a conversation with co-workers about a change in bowel habits. Nor is rectal bleeding a popular topic at the family dinner table. So, here are a few facts that may be helpful.

Who is more likely to develop colorectal cancer?

Your risk of developing colorectal cancer is higher if you have a relative who has had cancer or polyps. Inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis also increase your risk, as do the lifestyle factors previously listed.

What are the symptoms?

In its earliest stages, colorectal cancer may have no symptoms. As it progresses, you might experience a change in bowel habits that continues, blood in or on your stool, diarrhea alternating with constipation, abdominal pain that doesn’t go away, and weight loss.

What is the best way to detect it?

The ‘gold standard’ for detecting colorectal cancer early is a colonoscopy. Admittedly, no one enjoys the colon cleansing preparation of laxative medications and diet restrictions that are necessary for the procedure. But twenty-four hours of discomfort is still a good trade-off for detecting a cancer that can be fatal.

Can colorectal cancer be prevented?

Like all cancers, there is no 100% way of preventing the disease. But many medical experts believe that exercise, a healthy weight, better food choices, decreased alcohol and smoking as well as routine screening colonoscopies can reduce your risk.

What treatments are available?

Once diagnosed, treatment generally depends upon the stage of the disease. A pre-cancerous polyp can be removed during a colonoscopy. Early-stage cancers are surgically removed with or without additional chemotherapy. Advanced or metastatic disease is treated with chemotherapy. Finally, newer treatments using immunotherapies are being tested in clinical trials and may benefit certain groups of patients.

Manish Thakur, MD, is a board-certified physician specializing in hematology and medical oncology at Corewell Health.

Exercise, a healthy weight, better food choices, decreased alcohol and smoking as well as routine screening colonoscopies can reduce your risk.

Bye-bye little pink tiles

A real estate agent-turned-buyer's guide.

BY MARGARETHA HEIDEL

As a seller out East, I had just enjoyed a weekend of selling my apartment and didn’t expect the heartache that was to come in finding a home in Grand Rapids. I figured the big dollars from our overpriced NYC pad would go far here, but that was not the case.

First of all, there was so little on the market to choose from! We looked at what we could with our terrific real estate agent, Mark O’Gorman from Greenridge. We lost a bidding war; I flew back and forth. We asked friends and family. Spent time in total panic. Nothing.

We pictured ourselves ending up on someone’s couch…or worse…renting and having to move again. I could weep now, thinking of it.

Then it happened, while back East another home came on the market. The perfect place: charming background, and the East Grand Rapids location close to the schools was not to be believed! What’s with the affordable price?

“It needs a little work,” Mark said. “Nothing that can’t be readily accomplished. You understand, you are in the business. Anything you do to this place will be phenomenal!”

I bid on it like someone sending out a homing pigeon and we made it to the top of the heap.

I hadn’t seen it yet in person, so I flew the next day. The Amazing Race, episode 4.

Coming from a long real estate background, I pride myself on being able to see what most people can’t when walking through a property; the “bones,” if you will. But that 4x4 pink tile in the upstairs bathroom… I tried to embrace it in the name of all things cool and “retro,” but coupled with the dirty yellow floor tile and the hideous bathroom curtain, it sent me into a tailspin!

Despite the tile (and other hadn’t-beentouched-in-30-years details), I decided to confidently tell my absent-because-of-thekid-and-dog husband that this house was no problem, a fixer-upper that was SO doable. I told him he will LOVE it! I also confidently ignored his OCD which is sizable because, of course, we will renovate right away!

Fast forward through the crazy sell-thenbuy process and trucking across the country in our UHaul…

We moved with only a couch, a dining set

and a few personal items and set ourselves up in the fixer-upper for what we believed would be a month or so until we got a contractor. First mistake. As IF you just get a contractor and start renovating a place out of thin air!

The selection process of finding a company is not a small task. Then there’s the whittling down of what you thought was your list of “must haves” to a doable bottom line, and you reinvent your scheme the whole way.

Then there’s dealing with family members who got to the house and didn’t see your vision, only the fact there were no lamps and nothing to sit on. A special nod to various relatives who provided random items that were on the way to Goodwill. They helped with the initial vision a great deal!

Let’s pause here for a moment so that you don’t make the same mistakes I did. Get as much info as you can about renovating if you’ve never done it before, even if you are in a related field and think you know. Don’t oversell the place to relatives who haven’t seen it yet, especially the ones who are going to have to live there. And definitely be prepared for any ribbing you get from

those who can’t see past the secondhand furniture and hum the theme song from “Sanford & Son” every time they enter the house.

Re-enter Mark, who recommended Bruce Heys Builders for the project. Thank God for Mark, or this story may have ended differently! Think of Clarence, the angel from “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Yes, he’s that good!

Bruce brought over Travis Blom, who is now our GC on the project. I knew we would work well together when the idea of installing a barn door to mask the kitchen from the front entrance was mentioned. Travis and I poo pooed it at the exact same moment!

Travis has helped a lot. He’s that serene duck (whose feet are spinning nonstop underwater), keeping us informed and involved and he even helped me to say goodbye to the 4x4 pink tile. No point in trying to keep it and make it “retro.” Travis, in another “barn door” moment, let me off the hook.

Stay tuned for part two, when we move on to a newer trend – terra cotta!

Even after trying to embrace the pink tile as cool and retro, it's coming down.

AN EXPERT'S GUIDE TO NAVIGATING DISPENSARIES IN THE CITY.

ARE YOU

CANNA CURIOUS CURIOUS

BY FRANK MADISON

YOU’VE HEARD RECREATIONAL CANNABIS IS LEGAL IN MICHIGAN,

but maybe it’s been a while since you experimented with the jazz cabbage? Your college days are behind you. Kids, professional life, and adulting have meant time off from the alligator cigarettes. Still, you have a nagging desire to see what all this talk about ‘Dank Sinatra’ is about.

If “Reefer Madness” and years of prohibition have made you a little wary of the devil’s lettuce, but legalization has reawakened your interest in the India hay, read on.

If you’ve wanted to try out the stickiest of the icky, but just don’t know where to legally buy the giggle grass, or you’d like to say hello to Merry Jane but aren’t sure at what provisioning center you’d feel most comfortable, this guide is here to help.

So, dear reader, let’s satisfy that latent, lingering desire for the dank cheeba, and say, “Yes We Cannabis!”

If it’s been a while, and you’re not sure what to bring, be sure you have your updated ID with you, as you can expect every dispensary will require it to tour their shops.

Without further ado, and in no particular order, here is one man’s guide for the canna curious, offering some direction to provisioning centers conveniently located close to where you reside, no matter if you live on the north, east, south or west side of Grand Rapids.

OLSWELL

LLocated at 1940 28th St. SE, Olswell is situated at the entrance of a residential neighborhood in what was formerly a doctor’s office. The building has since been updated with a sleek, modern look. A black brick exterior carries over into a clean, well-lit interior. Set just far enough back from nearby 28th street, the location feels very private, and quiet. The building’s resemblance to a townhome distinguishes Olswell from other retail provisioning centers.

The herbal coaches at Olswell seemed very knowledgeable and are required to take classes and be trained on the health aspects, various components of cannabis (e.g., CBD, CBG, terpenes, THC, etc.), differences in manufacture, absorption and more. The overall ambience

of the experience felt more customer focused than transaction focused.   My friend, who has rarely tried cannabis, appreciated the recommendations and generous amount of time the herbal coaches spent with us in explaining different products, and identifying low dose edibles for her.

While I’ve found most pricing to be somewhat comparable from shop to shop, you’ll find plentiful discounts, and deals available at Olswell. Products range from vapes, edibles, to flower, tinctures and topicals. You can also pick up items designed to help your pet.

If you’re not familiar with all the new products coming to the cannabis space, want to support local businesses, or are well versed in the sin spinach, but looking for a consult on something specific, give Olswell, on 28th St. a try.

PHARMHOUSE WELLNESS

P P

harmhouse

Wellness boasts that they are the only 100% locally owned and operated cannabis dispensary in Grand Rapids. If you live closer to the southeast side, this is the provisioning center for you. The budtenders are knowledgeable, eager to make recommendations and reflect the kind of personal touch found when shopping at a small business.

The Pharmhouse building is distinguished by an atypical exterior, not resembling a retail storefront in the slightest. Originally a private residence on a residential street, there is no buzzing security door upon entry. Art covers the walls and there’s a “no pressure” atmosphere.

Customers are welcome to check out the intimate display area inside, but many choose to order online and wait outside for a budtender to deliver their order, or answer questions. There’s not a lot of space inside, so consulting with a friendly budtender from your car, or ordering online for curbside pick-up are good options.

If you’re apprehensive about showing your face at a provisioning center, it’s okay. Years of being threatened with arrest over Beelzebub’s Bok choy will do that. Curbside delivery might be a good option for you.

Selections at Pharmhouse are carefully curated, rather than bought in bulk, which allows the dispensary to offer high dose products at an affordable price.  According to Pharmhouse staff, “as a former caregiver, and believer in the medicinal use of cannabis, our owner is very aware of the medicinal properties of cannabis and offers discounts for medical cannabis card holders.” Pharmhouse is one of the few dispensaries who continue to hold a medical cannabis license and offer delivery for medical card holders.

When asked what makes Pharmhouse different, the budtender explained, “Pharmhouse’s community involvement, product offerings, and attention to the needs of individual customers, set us apart from larger dispensaries who may not focus so much on those things.”

NATURE’S RELEAF I

If you live on the northwest side, Nature’s ReLeaf, located on Leonard next to Shakedown Street, might be a good place to check out. The Nature's ReLeaf storefront brings an updated, trendy appeal to the neighborhood, and its location next to Shakedown Street fits right in. The storefront looks like a modern retail facility, however it is a family-owned dispensary.

Justin, a budtender at ReLeaf,

explained how staff “takes pride in taking as much time as necessary to help customers individually.”

This provisioning center feels very secure. Customers present their ID through bullet proof glass to an associate and are then permitted to enter the interior retail space accessed through a secure door.

My friend who is a very infrequent cannabis user, was impressed by our budtender’s knowledge in explaining different products, their effects, what to try, and what to watch

out for. She appreciated his recommendation in suggesting a low dose edible with a mixture of CBD and THC, and if concerned with being “too high” (as can happen with some edibles) taking CBD, which lessens the effects of the THC.

The atmosphere was relaxed, and the retail area intimate, with vapes, edibles and flower available at comparable to competitive rates.

If you find yourself on the northwest side and want to check out the funky fern, ReLeaf might be the right option for you.

SKYMINT

LLocated on Division Ave. just south of 28th St., Skymint is the largest dispensary business in Michigan, with 24 locations throughout the state.

Skymint offers the typical features one would expect from a retail dispensary, where IDs are checked, followed by entry to the shopping area where products are displayed.

Skymint’s approach differs from other provisioning centers in a few ways. The retail area is very well thought out and has the feel of a boutique with an open floor plan. Skymint does product placement very well. All products and pricing are clearly listed, displayed and easy to understand.

Customers are free to explore the open floor plan on their own, offering a freer shopping experience. Where many centers feature an associate who stands behind a counter filled with various products (which might feel a little daunting for timid customers), the open floor plan at Skymint allows customers to wander around and check out various products.

Where choices can seem endless and a little overwhelming at other centers, items at Skymint are so carefully laid out, they require little guidance or explanation.

If you are someone who would rather search out the magic dragon on your own (with an associate close by when needed), you might stop in and see what Skymint has to offer.

GAGE L L

ocated on the northeast side of Grand Rapids, close by the IMAX and Celebration Cinema, Gage has the look and feel of a typical retail chain. Gage is a multistate operator based out of Toronto, Canada, with outlets across the US. The retail floor space is large, the staff is friendly, and if you’ve shopped for cannabis out of

state, you can find products with which you’re already familiar.

After browsing a few edibles, flower and vapes, we were quickly greeted by a friendly staff member who competently explained various products. We were able to move through the process very quickly at Gage and ended up picking up a low dose cannabis infused beverage that we hadn’t seen before.

Fear no longer, go ahead and check out the wide array of ganja, seek out a “medible” to munch, try some of the funky fern, dip into the dope, mine for the green gold, procure whatever variety wacky tobacky, Indian hay, magic dragon, or sin spinach you’re canna-curious about and discover which provisioning center is right for you.

JOHN BALL ZOO

EXISTS AT THE INTERSECTION OF WILDLIFE AND SOCIETY.

ettled into the hills deep on the northwest side of Grand Rapids, it’s sometimes easy to forget about John Ball Zoo.

Last year, John Ball Zoo drew 600,000 visitors, and yet more than 200,000 came from outside Kent County. Once the zoo opens on March 24, CEO Peter D’Arienzo said this year’s goal is to reach 700,000 or more visitors — and there’s a good reason for the optimistic growth outlook.

This spring, John Ball Zoo is set to open its new pygmy hippo exhibit, the first exhibition space the zoo has built immediately adjacent to the entrance. It is one of fewer than 20 zoos working on the pygmy hippo survival plan, helping ensure the species’ survival in the wild.

“We’re moving animals down to the front of the zoo, where they haven’t historically been,” said Tim Sampson, curator and dive safety officer at John Ball Zoo. “But having an exhibit of this caliber when you walk in, you’re impacted by the animals as soon as you come in the gates. And there’s future plans to add more down the road.”

BY PAT EVANS

PHOTOS BY BRYAN ESLER

Bennetts Wallaby

The two pygmy hippos, one coming from Pittsburgh and another from Canada, will hopefully become a breeding pair in the future. Along with the hippos, the exhibit will also feature a pair of white storks and sitatunga, a hoofed animal from similar areas in Africa as the hippos. Eventually, the zoo could add additional hoof stock and fish.

The exhibit will feature a large day room for the hippos, as well as a sizable outdoor yard. It will even include a shower the hippos can activate when they want to be wet. The way the exhibit is set up will allow visitors to be face-to-face with the hippos and will also set up a perfect view for when the hippos get the “zoomies,” similar to how dogs behave with excess energy.

For those who think zoos are inhumane, it’s important to note there’s no going back. D’Arienzo said the long answer would conclude zoos shouldn’t exist, but in short, they’re here and incredibly important to support for the betterment of the Earth.

“Zoos exist to save animals from extinction,” D’Arienzo said. “We save wildlife through restorative conservation work, that’s the key word. We’re not a wildlife sanctuary, we’re not a nature conservancy. John Ball Zoo exists at the intersection of wildlife and society.”

There are approximately 2,800 animal exhibitors registered with the United States Department of Agriculture but less than 10% of zoos are accredited with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

John Ball Zoo is one of six accredited zoos in Michigan, along with Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek; Detroit Zoological Park in Royal Oak; Potter Park Zoological Gardens in Lansing, Saginaw Children’s Zoo in Saginaw; and Sea Life Michigan Aquarium in Auburn Hills.

At John Ball Zoo, there are more than 2,400 animals representing more than 200 species, ranging from big cats and bears to frogs and insects.

The zoos are focused on ensuring animals are safe and happy and as close to their natural state as possible. For example, John Ball Zoo has an animal enrichment manager charged with ensuring every animal is stimulated and their mental health needs are met.

AZA accredited zoos are key in helping restore wildlife populations that reach endangered levels. John Ball Zoo participates in 50 survival plans and, in a lot of ways, it’s not directly involved with the animals. Instead, AZA zoos also work to create conditions for the animals to thrive.

“It’s not about protecting what’s left, it’s about how to create conditions for them to thrive,” D’Arienzo said.

Habitat destruction is the top reason driving species toward extinction. John Ball Zoo is part of a clean burning stove project to save the Red Panda, a species in Nepal with dwindling numbers in the wild.

The Nepalese cut down wood to stay warm and cook food, and D’Arienzo said the Nepalese cannot be blamed because they are simply surviving. Beyond destroying the Red Panda’s habitat, particulate matter inhalation is also the No. 1 killer in Nepal.

“If we can provide clean burning stoves, people want them because it burns efficiently, they use 10-times less wood, and because it uses less trees, it’s saving the habitat,” D’Arienzo said. “We want to drive

Pygmy Hippo Photo Adobe Stock Geoffreys Spider Monkey

North American Porcupine

awareness that solve an environmental issue. We do our work through sustainability, we protect the environment, wild places and wild animals.”

In Africa, John Ball Zoo participates in a program that pays locals to disarm and gather animal traps. The locals turn the traps into art, in which the organization pays more for the art than meat or parts from the illegally caught animal could fetch.

In Michigan, the zoo works to help save the Poweshiek skipperling, a oncecommon butterfly in the Midwest that has seen numbers dwindle to likely just a few hundred in the wild. This winter was the second the zoo helped house caterpillars for

the species, with more than 500 wintering in the zoo.

John Ball Zoo is also working to help encourage breeding among its big cat species. There are two tigers, inexperienced when it comes to breeding, and  the zookeepers are allowing the tigers to figure out how to make a cub.

Likewise, the zoo brought in a female snow leopard earlier this year to join a male leopard as they approach breeding age. The species was greatly affected by the COVID19 virus and a large number of captive snow leopards did not survive. Sampson, the zoo’s curator, said the two leopards that could eventually breed are really important to the

global snow leopard population.

Also inside the zoo walls, D’Arienzo said it strives to be a sustainability leader at national and international levels.

“The new pygmy hippo exhibit puts an exclamation point on the zoo’s sustainability dream,” said Allmon Forrester, John Ball Zoo director of facilities, planning and sustainability. “John Ball Zoo has long been a leader in the zoo world in terms of sustainability, but the hippo exhibit is the first time the zoo is really making a public statement,” he said.

“Here at the zoo, we’ve been building ‘green’ a long time, but we’ve never put a plaque on the wall,” said Forrester, who was

Toco Tucan

Magnificent Tree Frog

Meerkat

recognized in 2018 as Conservation Member of the Year by the Aquarium & Zoo Facilities Association. “We’ve changed the paradigm to tell our story better.”

The real push began with the meerkat exhibit, which was finished in 2020. The exhibit is the first zoo in the world to receive a SITES Gold certification. The certification recognizes landscapes, site infrastructure and spaces demonstrating sustainability in planning, design, construction and maintenance.

Beginning now with the new exhibits at the front, the zoo will continue to push toward a more sustainable future.

“What we want to do with the whole

front entry, we want to be more bold,” he said, explaining how LEED was an incredible challenge when it started more than two decades ago and is now nearly standard. Now, it’s moving toward the Living Building Challenge.

“It was started by the guys and glass in the LEED world who were big into that, and it wasn’t going far enough,” Forrester said. “In general, LEED helps reduce damage and LBC tries to restore damage that’s been done.”

LBC limits the products that can be used, those that harm the environment, like PVC pipes. For the hippo exhibit, John Ball Zoo built a 35,000-gallon filtration system without PVC pipes.

Forrester detailed the work John Ball Zoo is doing to reuse stormwater, rather than sending it out to the Grand River and up to Lake Michigan. While the zoo has to work with the city to fully realize its goals, it hopes to eventually use the water to flush toilets and even use it in the hippo exhibit to be water neutral.

“Is it a wise use of dollars? Probably not, but if we can get people to think about why we would take water, throw it back out there only to grab it back, then we can fall on the sword,” Forrester said. “Maybe there are simpler things about how we think about gray water. It’s so available and cheap, no one thinks about the effort to reuse

Cotton Top Tamarin Koala

water, but 20% of the world’s fresh water is around our state, let’s protect it as much as we can.

“I consider myself a meat and potato tree hugger, not a granola tree hugger. We care about the nature and the outside, so instead of having everyone overregulate, how do we encourage better choices?”

The distinctive push to be more mindful with water is to help show visitors how important water is to the world and how

conservation of the natural resource is vital.

“It’s how water connects us all and what does it mean to wildlife and the human condition,” D’Arienzo said. “We live in the Great Lakes State, there is so much water while there are so many places that don’t have enough water. But it’s not just about having water, it’s the quality of the water.

“We’re trying to connect the dots that if it’s good for wildlife, it’s good for society. We’re all sharing this giant blue ball and it

matters what we do with it. We try to give specific examples of simple choices that improve the state of wildlife, and at the same time be economical.”

The new exhibits are geothermal powered, and the John Ball Zoo storm water system saves 38 million gallons per year. The entire 10,000-square-foot pygmy hippo exhibit is heated and cooled by the geothermal power.

With the pygmy hippo exhibit nestled

Crested Screamer

Ball Python

Chilean Flamingo

Capybara

in the front of the zoo, the zoo also worked to lower the slope of the 800-foot gain heading toward the rest of the exhibits, which Forrester said they wanted to make more accessible to the public.

D’Arienzo said while achieving the zoo’s mission of restorative conservation, they also work to provide Grand Rapidians with quality of life.

“It’s a safe place to have wholesome fun and learn about wildlife,” D’Arienzo said.

Back to the zoo’s visitors and the more than 200,000 who come from outside of Kent County: D’Arienzo said in a world where so many pieces of an economy are outsourced, a zoo can be a community asset and economic driver. It’s a total of $92 million in economic impact to the Grand Rapids community.

“Investment in the zoo is an investment in the community,” D’Arienzo said, adding that when there was a national competition for Amazon’s second headquarters, a “monstrous” questionnaire was sent out with a “Tell us about your zoo” section.

“A company’s employees want to work in communities with things to do,” he continued. “All great cities have great zoos. The zoo is a physical location, it has ripple effects, direct and indirect activity. If we build an exhibit, every major exhibit we set a target to be in the top 10% of zoos. We have to give a reason for people to come.”

Regionally, it’s easy to compare John Ball Zoo to the Indianapolis Zoo, Detroit Zoo and Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, and those are the zoos D’Arienzo said he is ready to compare his organization to. And in the grand scheme of tourism, John Ball Zoo adds to the overall density of attractions in West Michigan.

Afterall, more people go to U.S. zoos than the combined crowds of baseball, hockey, football and basketball games each year.

“We have this density of amazing things, and when you get a high enough density, that’s when you get someone else’s attention, that’s why the aquarium project is important,” D’Arienzo said, speaking of the potential aquarium project that could end up next to the Grand River downtown. “If we grow enough density, then it isn’t just about the zoo or aquarium to draw a family for a vacation from, say, Texas. But it’s the zoo, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids Whitewater, Meijer Gardens. It’s, ‘Let’s go to the zoo, stop at the beach, grab a beer.’

“That drives the economy.”

Grizzly Bear

Get outdoors

OUTDOOR LEARNING

OFFERS UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

BY ANN BYLE

Mud. Trees. Wildlife. Milkweed. Invasive species. Building fires, studying streams, getting dirty. Weeklong camp experiences, day camps and overnight trips. All these and more are part and parcel to outdoor educational experiences at schools around Grand Rapids.

School districts such as Northview Public Schools with its five-year-old Field School and Forest Hills Public Schools with Goodwillie Environmental School, which began in 1999, have created outdoor educational spaces that blend the best outdoor learning practices with traditional educational objectives. Grand Rapids Public Schools has the CA Frost Environmental Science Academy Middle and High School, which has students engaging with the outdoors at every grade level and in every subject.

PHOTOS BY BRYAN ESLER

CAMP ROGER

Camp Roger, a nonprofit day camp and summer camp, hosts about 275 school field trips each school year on its approximately 200 acres on Belding Road, adjacent to both the old Pando ski area and Pickerel Lake properties. Roughly 11,000 students from most school districts in the greater Grand Rapids region, as well as homeschool students from across the area, take advantage of the trails, woodlands, pond, and adventure course. In addition, 2,500 kids attend a week-long summer camp each year. Camp Roger also runs Camp Scottie in Howard City, which offers day camp and summer camp programs.

“Our mission is to get kids outdoors to learn more about themselves and the people and world around them,” said Scott DeYoung, director of outdoor education. “We delight in doing that for all people and all schools.”

Camp Roger, which began back in 1913, has three components: the adventure course, with its zipline, high ropes, and climbing tower; team building activities to foster creative problem solving; and outdoor education on topics such as wetlands, invasive species, the water cycle, and animals and their habitats. The organization also hosts adults for team-building activities and retreats.

Walk through the classroom space and see tables filled with turtle and tortoise shells, animal furs, bones and skulls, a beehive, rocks, sticks and more. One winter day a group from Rockford Christian Preschool sat in a circle on the floor, bedecked in all manner of outdoor wear, tired and dirty from a morning out in the woods.

“There is a long history in writing, music and

art of celebrating the beauty, mystery and wonder of the world, but over the last 25 years there is a lot of scientific research on the benefits of being outdoors,” said DeYoung. “Those who spend time outside instinctively know about these benefits, so it’s interesting to see the scientific community test those things and see them as well.”

Physical benefits include increased physical stamina, lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, improving sleep and strengthening the immune system. DeYoung points out a recent study that indicates better eyesight in adults who spent time outside as children.

Emotional benefits can be seen in reduced stress, anxiety, anger, improved mood and self-esteem and increased confidence.

“Educators know that anxiety and depression levels are high, so now more than ever it’s important for kids to get outdoors and use their minds and bodies in different ways,” said DeYoung.

Visit Northview’s Field School during the hour-long outside time and it’s clear these kids are delighted to be out of the inside classroom. Field School is a first-through-sixth-grade program with 140 students, with grades 1-4 held at the East Oakview and West Oakview campuses, and the 5-6 program at Highlands Middle School.

EAST OAKVIEW

Several East Oakview students are checking out the milkweed plants scattered around the field. Others are exploring the small stand of trees on the edge of the property. A pair of sisters are perched in a tree. Some are just running. All are eager to talk about Field School, and every one of them has boots and snow pants caked in mud, snow, and dirt.

Matt Fenech teaches the 3-4 class at East Oakview. “We go with the flow and take advantage of learning opportunities as they arrive,” he said. “And many times, our learning has been led by their discoveries.”

One such opportunity arrived when they noticed a killdeer nest right where a new road into the school was to be created. The kids researched the killdeer, discovering it to be an endangered species. They wrote letters to the superintendent asking that the road project be reconsidered, created posters about killdeer, and were delighted when the superintendent consulted with the DNR about the tiny bird that builds its nest in gravelly areas and whose habitats are disappearing.

When it came time to build the road, the killdeer had found a new site for its nest, but that doesn’t negate what the students learned about working together to protect endangered wildlife. The vast field that is their outdoor campus is also now home to about 50 milkweed plants, the primary food source for the endangered monarch butterflies.

Students spread the milkweed seed pods hoping they would take root. Now they meticulously count the plants and keep track of the orange, black and white butterflies and their caterpillars.

“We go with the flow and take advantage of learning opportunities as they arrive.”

Matt Fenech

CA FROST ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE MIDDLE/ HIGH SCHOOL

At C.A. Frost, Dave Kraff’s students are growing plants native to Michigan, taking them from seed to small plants, called plugs, which they plan to sell. They harvested seeds from native plants at The Highlands, a former golf course adjacent to Blandford Nature Center that is being restored to a natural landscape.

Kraff’s classroom is full of bulk flats of newly planted seeds. The goal is to grow 5,000 plugs comprised of milkweed, bee balm, black-eyed susan, gray-headed coneflower, blue vervain, common boneset, Canada goldenrod and New England aster— all native to Michigan.

He has led his environmental science students into the three acres of woods on the six-acre campus of the school located on Covell Avenue on Grand Rapids’ west side. They’ve built a trail through the woods, organized a school recycling program, investigated local lichens as bioindicators of air quality, and were instrumental in daylighting 300 feet of what they named Frost Stream, once part of an underground drainage system.

“The lens through which I view education is place-based, hands-on scientific investigation,” said Kraff, who worked as a research project manager with GVSU at the Annis Water Resources Institute before replanting himself in education. “I don’t like being indoors all day long. The more I can come up with interesting things to explore and investigate, the more we do.”

CA Frost is one of Grand Rapids Public Schools’ theme schools, which meets all the needed educational objectives while offering a wide variety of science-based electives and inserting science-based curriculum throughout the usual classes such as math, English, and social studies.

“Getting out of the building is important,” said CA Frost principal Brad Lundvick of the students who attend.

GOODWILLIE ENVIRONMENTAL SCHOOL

Goodwillie Environmental School principal Jason Yelding agrees. “Experiential learning is critical to not just passing tests. Rarely in real life do you have to pass a test, but you do use analysis and critical thinking skills. At Goodwillie we have the same learning standards, just taught differently in ways that seem to have students really well prepared for leadership roles and collaboration. These skills translate well into life later.”

Several sixth graders spent a recent recess candling (looking for cracks) and washing eggs gathered from the chicken coop, an outbuilding next to the main school building on 2 Mile Road east of Honey Creek Avenue. Students raise the hens from chicks, caring for them daily and traveling back to school on weekends to do so. They gather eggs, care for hurt hens, and sell the eggs, deciding this year as a group to not raise the price of their eggs despite the rise in prices at grocery stores.

“Working with the whole child is so critical,” said Yelding. “What’s unique about these teachers is that they are open to exploring new ways to engage with and inform students.”

“

All this goes a long way toward helping them understand the world beyond themselves."

Jason Yelding

He points to leadership skills, collaborative skills, and the ability to take another person’s perspective into consideration as benefits to the experiential, outdoor learning going on at Goodwillie, as well as creating students who have had a unique experience prior to traditional high school. “All this goes a long way toward helping them understand the world beyond themselves, which can be an ongoing challenge,” Yelding said.

Outdoor learning continues well beyond the school boundaries for all these schools. Field trips abound, occasionally even to Camp Roger. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, South Manitou Island, canoe trips, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and more, all designed to expand collaborative opportunities and build relationships, not to mention study different habitats and see new terrain.

“There are so many benefits to being outdoors, even in your own backyard or the park closest to your house,” said DeYoung of Camp Roger. “Being outdoors trains you to recognize the great beauty and diversity in the world. The more time children spend outdoors, the more they will love it.”

In a world in which technology and screens are ubiquitous, outdoor learning offers a counterpoint. Not that tech is

ignored as students use technology in research, study and collaborative learning. As Yelding says, “We can’t live off the grid for two years, then expect the kids to be able to access a Google doc.”

But life lessons are learned outside every day and in every way. “Learning in an outdoor setting doesn’t stop on a snowy day, a rainy day, or a hot day,” Yelding said with a laugh.

Nova Conway, a 4th grader at Field School, summed it up: “We learn from our mistakes. If we forget our snow pants, we’re cold.”

Kids learn to build lean-tos and teepees at Goodwillie.

Camps:

Camp Blodgett

616-949-0780

offices at 528 Bridge St. NW, camp in West Olive

Camp Henry

616-459-2267

5575 S Gordon Ave, Newaygo

DeVos Family Center for Scouting and Adventure Point

616-785-2662

3213 Walker Ave. NW, Grand Rapids

Indian Trails Camp for those with a wide variety of disabilities

616-677-5251

0-1859 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, Grand Rapids

Little Pine Island Camp & Retreat Center

616-784-1401

6889 Pine Island Dr. NE, Comstock Park

YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin

888-909-2267

1095 N Briggs Rd., Middleville

Schools:

CA Frost Environmental Science Middle High School

616-819-5900

1417 Covell Ave. NW

Camp Roger

616-874-7286

8356 Belding Rd., Rockford

Field School

616-363-6861

Northview Public Schools administration building

Goodwillie Environmental School

616-493-8633

8400 Two Mile Rd. NE, Ada

Parents’ Guide to COLLEGE

StudentCentered Outlook

By Terry Jacoby

Well, let’s see what happens.

Siri offered a website of the 12 best colleges for single parents and students with children.

Alexa suggested Glasshouse Christian College in Beerwah, Australia. And in 52 seconds, Google provided 1,750,000.000 results and a list of the best colleges for students with children in 2023not exactly what we asked (Ferris State and U-M made the list, by the way).

Sorry, parents. It’s not going to be that easy.

May 1 is “National College Signing Day” or “Decision Day,” a day when photos and hashtags and declarations about college decisions inundate social media, web sites and local newspapers. It can be a day of great joy and excitement, but also one of relief. It’s months, even years, of trying to figure things out, weighing all the options, considering the pros and cons and then signing on the dotted line.

So, where do parents start?

Well, the best place to start is early - way before the starting line.

Parents need to encourage their future college student to seize the moment and be relentless in their pursuit of the right fit. Don’t wait until halfway through your junior year to start the process. Understand what colleges and universities are looking for in a potential student - remember, you don’t just get to pick what school you want to go to, you also have to be accepted. Parents can research some of these areas - such as what extracurriculars stand out - so the student can start adding

things to their potential college resume. Getting good grades is just as important as a freshman as they are as a senior. And it’s never too early to preach (or suggest) strong study habits early in their child’s education because it will not only help get them into college, but help them succeed once they get there.

Another to-do early in the process is encouraging some soul searching before making a list of colleges. Parents should ask their teenager what they like about high school and what they don’t like. Would they be a better fit at a huge university or a smaller school? Do they have a special interest such as the arts where they might prosper more from going to a school that specializes in areas they are passionate about. What are some “must haves” they want in a school and also some “never in a million years.”

Parents should explain to their child what they can and cannot expect from them related to the financial contribution to their education - that’s very important. Also, research and explain the long-term costs of student loans and how that can be a major challenge when

starting out on their own (paying a $500/ month loan when making $15 an hour at your first job can be a bummer).

Also, research information that will be useful and can be factored into the equation such as career opportunities, pay scale, job growth and potential, even locations where these types of jobs can be found.

Ultimately, parents need to remember they are guides in the process. Their opinions and input obviously matter but the final decision is ultimately not theirs to make (even if they are paying the bills). Parents can even ask their child how they can help. Let your child decide how much input they want - the answer might just surprise you.

Parents should want their child to pick the school they feel most comfortable at and where they want to be - not where their parents want them to be.

And don’t stress about finding the so-called perfect college, because in truth, there is no perfect college, but hopefully there are a few colleges that appear to be a best fit for your child. And remember, the ultimate decision is theirs – and make sure they know that.

Wouldn’t it be great if parents could just Google or ask Alexa or Siri “what is the best college or university for my child?”

Ferris State University

Undergraduate Enrollment Information: 231-591-2000, ferris.edu

PARENTS’ GUIDE TO COLLEGE

Ferris State University is a mid-sized four-year public university known for its quality of instruction and large selection of academic programs, ranging from associate to doctoral degrees.

The university aligns its practices and resources to support its core values of collaboration, diversity, ethical community, excellence, learning, and opportunity. Ferris State’s mission is to prepare students for successful careers, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learning. Through its many partnerships and its career-oriented, broad-based education, it serves our rapidly changing global economy and society.

Students have exceptional access to faculty thanks to the university’s low student-faculty ratio and small class sizes, which promote engaging instruction, oneon-one career advice, and professional connections. Courses are taught by credentialed, dedicated instructors with real-world experience in their fields, and include relevant, adaptive hands-on coursework.

Ferris is committed to ensuring students build real-world skills and work with alumni and industry and professional leaders for program direction and networking. The school also requires internships in most bachelor’s or more advanced degree programs.

More than any institution in the state, Ferris State has connected with Michigan community colleges, creating partnerships on multiple campuses and expanding its online offerings to allow students to complete coursework at local community colleges toward a Ferris degree. ■

THE STATS Year founded: 1884 //

Current enrollment: 10,072 // Studentfaculty ratio: 16:1 // Number of undergraduate degrees offered: 169 //

Number of master’s degrees offered: 19 //

Number of doctoral degrees offered: 4 //

Subject matter expertise: Business, computer systems, criminal justice, design, education, engineering technology, health care, heavy equipment, hospitality, HVACR, information security, nursing, optometry, pharmacy, public health, social work, welding. // In-state/Out-of-state tuition: $13,825

1201 S. State St., Big Rapids, MI 49307

Kendall College of Art and Design

17

Enrollment Information: 800-676-2787, kcad.ferris.edu

PARENTS’ GUIDE TO COLLEGE

KCAD offers a world-class art and design education that’s complemented by Ferris State University’s resources and support systems. And while Ferris is known for its career-oriented majors, at KCAD you’ll find that the career-oriented and the creative intersect in powerful ways.

KCAD’s immersive creative learning environment offers a wide range of specialized degree programs in design, fine art, and art history. Students in these programs receive a quality Ferris education while getting the expert instruction and personalized support they need to transform their creativity into a marketable skill set — and, from there, a dynamic career.

Located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids on a resource-rich campus, KCAD students’ educational experiences are more hands-on than those typically found in creative degree programs within other larger universities.

KCAD’s faculty, meanwhile, are accomplished artists, designers, and scholars who become mentors and role models, leveraging their deep professional experience to help students make the most of their education.

At KCAD, the classroom extends beyond campus into West Michigan’s thriving art and design community, where its strong relationships with arts organizations, industry-leading companies, and nonprofits help provide students with transformative, real-world learning experiences and invaluable professional network connections. KCAD is designed to move you forward. ■

THE STATS Year founded: 1928 // Current enrollment: 565 // Student-faculty ratio: 7.5:1 // Number of undergraduate degrees offered: 15 // Number of master’s degrees offered: 5 // Subject matter expertise: Collaborative Design, Digital Art and Design, Drawing, Fashion Studies, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interior Design, Life Sciences and Pre-Medical Illustration, Painting, Photography, Product Design, Sculpture and Functional Art, Architecture, Design and Innovation. // In-state/Out-of-state tuition: $23,892 // Percentage of students on financial aid: 90%

Fountain St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

WHATEVER IS NEXT

For Grand Valley students, next is opportunity and innovation. Next is global, connecting and uniting us. It’s local, shaping the spaces in which we work and live. It’s a commitment to progress. Next is where minds are free to imagine what could be. At GVSU, next is now. And whatever’s next for you, we will empower you to reach higher so you can get there.

gvsu.edu/next

Grand Valley State University

1

Enrollment Information: 616-331-5000, gvsu.edu

PARENTS’ GUIDE TO COLLEGE

Grand Valley State University prepares its more than 22,000 students for whatever is next so they’re ready for both a fulfilling career and a life of impact.

It starts with the opportunities offered through more than 300 areas of undergraduate and graduate study. Outstanding faculty members are focused on individual student achievement, and unique learning opportunities abound from student-directed research projects to inthe-field training and a study abroad program that’s one of the best in the nation for participation.

GVSU also helps shape students’ futures through a philosophy that emphasizes critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and cultural understanding, preparing students for life in a fast-changing world.

State-of-the-art facilities promote academic achievement and a fulfilling living experience. The main campus in Allendale is home to modern classrooms and labs, outstanding fitness and sports facilities, a comprehensive library, and more. Just 15 miles east, the Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus and the growing Health Campus put students in the heart of Grand Rapids’ central business district as well as along the Medical Mile.

The combination of cutting-edge facilities and academic rigor leads to success on Grand Valley’s campuses, where the graduation rate is consistently one of the highest in the state. ■

THE STATS Year founded: 1960 //

Current enrollment: 22,406 // Studentfaculty ratio: 17:1 // Number of undergraduate degrees offered: 96 //

Number of master’s degrees offered: 42 //

Number of doctoral degrees offered: 3 //

Subject matter expertise: Business, engineering, health care, education // In-state tuition: $13,952 // Out-of-state tuition: $19,856 // Top three awards/ recognitions: One of U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Colleges. One of the Princeton Review’s 2022 Best Colleges: Region by Region. One of Money magazine’s Best Colleges for Your Money 2022.

Campus Dr., Allendale, MI 49401

Kalamazoo College

1200 Academy St., Kalamazoo, MI 49006

Undergraduate Enrollment Information: 269-337-7166, kzoo.edu

Nationally renowned and globally oriented, Kalamazoo College is the home of the K-Plan, an individualized and integrated approach to the liberal arts and sciences. The K-Plan combines exceptional scholarship, study abroad, career development, civic engagement and independent research in a flexible curriculum that allows students to make the most of their unique interests and gifts. At K, administrators and faculty embrace our motto—“More in Four. More in a Lifetime.”—by offering students more opportunities to explore, more faculty and staff mentorship and support, and more preparation for meaningful careers that make a positive impact on the world. Wherever students want to go in life, their K-Plans can take them there. ■

THE STATS Year founded: 1833 // Current enrollment: 1,369 // Student-faculty ratio: 11:1 //

Number of undergraduate degrees offered: 31 majors, 22 minors, five special programs, and 13 concentrations // Subject matter of expertise: Nationally known for the K-Plan, which integrates an open curriculum with study abroad, experiential education, career preparation, and independent research. // In-state/Out-of-state tuition: $58,614 //

Percentage of students on financial aid: 98% // Top awards: Named a Best Value College by the Princeton Review; Fulbright Top Producing Institution; listed among the 44 Colleges that Change Lives.

Aquinas College

1700 Fulton St. E, Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1801

Undergraduate Enrollment Information: 616-632-2900, go.aquinas.edu

Graduate Enrollment Information: 616-632-2900, aquinas.edu/apply-now

Aquinas College is an inclusive, nationally ranked liberal arts institution and is considered a top performer on social mobility. Students are taught directly by faculty, 76 percent of whom have the highest degree in their field. Faculty and staff provide close mentorship and guide students to internships and service opportunities. Aquinas has 40 student organizations and 30 varsity sports. Ninety-four percent of its graduates are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.

THE STATS Year founded: 1886 // Current enrollment: 1,400 // Student-faculty ratio: 10:1

//

Number of majors and minors offered: 100+ // Subject matter of expertise: Nationally ranked liberal arts college in the Catholic and Dominican tradition, with a global perspective, emphasis on career preparation, and a focus on leadership and service. Education students pass the MTTC at a rate of 90 percent, and 100 percent of graduates in nursing and chemistry are employed within six months of graduation. AQ has the first undergraduate program in sustainable business in the nation and provides abundant internship opportunities. Financial aid and scholarships are available.

It’s YOUR ME! g W x

Northern Michigan University

Enrollment Information: 906-227-1000, nmu.edu

PARENTS’ GUIDE TO COLLEGE

Located on the shores of Lake Superior amongst the natural beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Northern Michigan University has been fueling students’ quest for knowledge and adventure since 1899. NMU is a dynamic four-year, public university that has grown its reputation based on its award-winning leadership programs, cutting-edge technology initiatives and nationally recognized academic programs.

With a student body of 7,000 students from all over the country, NMU offers nearly 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, plus a doctorate in nursing. More than 75 percent of NMU’s 300-plus full-time faculty members have doctorates or the highest degree in their fields, and a hallmark of the NMU experience is that full-time faculty members teach at all levels - freshmen through graduate courses. Its 1,100 employees view helping students succeed as not only a university priority, but a personal goal.

NMU’s 360-acre campus features 52 facilities including a university theater, a number of award-winning laboratories, a newly-updated university center, a solely-dedicated technology and occupational sciences building, and a three-structure sports and recreation complex, including the Superior Dome, the world’s largest wooden dome. In addition to a rich physical campus, the diversity of the surrounding geographical terrain serves the NMU community as an extensive outdoor classroom.

Northern’s hometown of Marquette is located along the southern shore of Lake

THE STATS Year founded: 1899 // Current enrollment: 6,900 // Studentfaculty ratio: 20:1 // Number of undergraduate degrees offered: 170+ //

Number of master’s degrees offered: 28

// Subject matter expertise: biology, nursing, outdoor recreation, environmental science, medicinal plant chemistry, indoor agriculture, construction management, theatre and dance // In-state tuition: $13,248 // Out-of-state tuition: $18,996

// Top three awards/recognitions: No. 4 Best Online College in Michigan, Top 10 Military Friend

School, Top 20 Safest Campus in the Country.

1401 Presque Isle Ave., Marquette, MI 49855

Future-focused degrees, and so much more.

You might have heard that Davenport University offers more than 60 high-demand degrees, and that 90% of our graduates are employed within six months of graduation. But that’s not the only reason we stand out.

Our small, safe campus features apartment-style residence halls with private rooms. We also have more than 36 athletic teams, including 21 NCAA Division II teams, plus all kinds of clubs and activities. With 100% of our incoming freshman students receiving scholarships and an average student/teacher ratio of 13:1, our students get the resources they need to succeed.

Check us out at davenport.edu/newstudent or call us at 800.686.1600

Davenport University

6191 Kraft Ave. SE • Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Undergraduate Enrollment Information: 800-686-1600, davenport.edu/go

For more than 150 years, Davenport University has stood apart from other universities because of its unrelenting focus on ensuring its graduates rise to the top of the job market. Its unique approach to education offers students a careercentered curriculum featuring more than 80 certificate and degree programs, and empowers them with real-world experience.

Davenport’s academic programs meet today’s demands and anticipate tomorrow’s needs. They’re so confident in their curriculum, they offer several career guarantees, ensuring students earn a position in their field or are given the opportunity to come back and earn a graduate degree at no cost.

Davenport’s innovative approach and commitment to quality will help you get where the world is going — and arrive ahead of the pack. ■

THE STATS Year Founded: 1867 // Current Enrollment: 5,000+ // Student-Faculty ratio: 13:1 // Number of Undergraduate Degrees Offered: 37 // Number of Master’s Degrees Offered: 23 // Subject Matter of Expertise: Business, technology, health and urban education // In-state and Out-of-state Tuition: $26,550 // Top Three Awards/Recognitions:

Davenport was voted the No. 1 safest campus in Michigan and among the top safest universities in the country by YourLocalSecurity. com. The NCAA has named Davenport among the top 10 universities in the country for student-athlete academic performance. Davenport was named the 2020 Michigan Performance Excellence Award recipient by Michigan Performance Excellence (MIPEx).

Calvin University

3201 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Enrollment Information: 708-987-5561, calvin.edu

Calvin University is a top-ranked private, liberal arts university located in Grand Rapids. With a vibrant Christian community and a commitment to academic excellence, Calvin provides a unique educational experience that prepares students for lives of service and leadership. The university offers more than 100 majors, minors, and programs, with a focus on hands-on learning and real-world experience.

Students have opportunities to study abroad, engage in research, and pursue internships that help them apply to real-life situations the things they’ve learned in the classroom. The 11:1 student-faculty ratio ensures all students receive individualized attention from dedicated professors. Beyond the classroom, students can get involved in a wide range of activities, from sports and music to service and leadership programs.

At Calvin University, students are challenged to think critically, live faithfully, and serve wholeheartedly. ■

PHOTOGRAPH BY AMANDA KAMPPINEN

Pampered like royalty

The Chop House keeps true to the fine dining experience.

BY PAT EVANS // PHOTOS BY STACY FEYER-SALO

It’s no question the world of dining is quickly evolving to more casual atmospheres within the restaurants.

A precious few of the city’s dining establishments are keeping true to the fine dining experience, and perhaps the most notable example in town is The Chop House, 190 Monroe Ave. NW.

For a restaurant that’s been a staple in the downtown Grand Rapids dining scene since 2004, that fine dining pazazz is well-established and it’s not likely to go away anytime soon. The restaurant was opened with “elegant mid-20th century steakhouse” mind, so that is where they keep it.

“Of course, it will always start off with a great product, we’re always looking for top quality beef or top seafood,” said Brittany Gray, general manager of The Chop House in Grand Rapids. “We also want to make sure we have an amazing staff, because service is part of an amazing meal. When you’re here, you’re pampered like royalty.”

The Chop House is owned by Mainstreet Ventures, an Ann Arbor-based restaurant group that has a variety of concepts across the state. There are also The Chop House locations in Ann Arbor; Toledo, Ohio; and Charleston, West Virginia. Other Main Street restaurants in Grand Rapids are Palio and Real Seafood Company, 141 Lyon St. NW, which opened last year near The Chop House.

The restaurants all have an air of yesteryear, a touch of classiness that makes a diner feel like they’re having a special night. The Chop House particularly provides customers a dimly lit dining room, shielded from the lights of the street.

While Gray acknowledges the setting and price can provide a place for celebratory dinners, be it a big birthday, anniversary, or a big promotion, she also said they know they can serve as a place to feel at home.

“We’re here to create memories, people come here for special occasions and to create those memories,” Gray said. “But we also want them to feel comfortable coming for a casual dinner or sitting at the bar. It might sound weird, but we want to be that neighborhood steakhouse.

“It’s a warm place to be. It’s tying everything together, having great quality food, service, attention, and the ambiance.”

A recent visit to The Chop House faced the new-found challenge of a dairy allergy in the group. Sitting at the bar, the bartender expertly guided the diner through the menu, well aware of what dishes posed a problem for a dairy allergy, while suggesting others that could have minor substitutions.

Also refreshing was one of the more substantive non-alcoholic cocktail and beer menus seen in Grand Rapids.

“We’re here to create memories, people come here for special occasions and to create those memories.”

Brittany Gray

The Fruits de Mer features Florida black grouper, jumbo sea scallops, shrimp, champagne lobster sauce, potato puree and shaved asparagus salad.

“When I first proposed it, there weren’t a ton of them around, it hadn’t quite turned into the trend it is now,” Gray said. “But we have dry managers, dry staff and I’m not a big drinker. So, we’re seeing more and more options other than soda. We did really dive into that.

“And now, through how successful it’s been, the company has started to implement it in other restaurants.”

The non-alcoholic bar menu helps showcase a key aspect that Gray said she hopes diners realize when eating at The Chop House. While there is a certain amount The Chop House remains tied to the past, it won’t stay so stagnant diners miss the trends.

“Grand Rapids is booming, especially the restaurant scene, so you have to have a delicate balance on staying up to date with the trends and staying true to who we are,” Gray said. “Customers know what they’re getting and what to expect, but we’re also trying out new ideas and trying to stay relevant because the city is doing so well and there are so many new concepts and great spots.”

While there is a growing number of restaurants in town, particularly downtown, there is a communal aspect to the industry, Gray said. It is not unusual for Reserve, across Monroe Avenue from The Chop House, to need a product and run across the street, or vice versa.

“I feel like we all work well together and support each other,” Gray said. “We borrow, we lend. We team together when you have those big conventions and events.”

Even with a sister restaurant so close, Gray said expectations for last year were blown away.

“We expected sales to go down with the company opening a restaurant nearby, but we had a record year,” Gray said.

Part of the great 2022 was capitalizing on the return of conventions and business returning to downtown.

Still, there is an effort to cater to companies that might be cutting budgets with tough economic times potentially on the horizon, or not that far in the rearview mirror. Acknowledging The Chop House might lose some customers in those budget cuts, Gray said there’s a new focus on providing businesses with a more affordable option: heavy apps during a cocktail mixer, a business-sponsored social hour of sorts.

Beyond the shift in offerings for

“It’s a warm place to be. It’s tying everything together, having great quality food, service, attention, and the ambiance.”

Brittany Gray

businesses, The Chop House will continue to come up with new offerings for the general customers as well. The restaurant is rolling out a chef’s table, which will take a reservation and provide customers a blind, five-course menu.

Must try dishes

• The cheesy popovers served to every diner are incredible. Made with tapioca flour, as well, so they are gluten free.

• Oysters and shrimp are fresh, a perfect start to precede a meaty main entrée.

• Pan Seared Diver Scallops might be the best thing on the menu.

• Australian Rib Lamb Chops are divine when cooked perfectly.

• Steak of preferred cut, highly recommend the bone-in New York Strip

• Great sides are the brussels sprouts with Dijon and bacon lardons; the creamed corn with diced jalapeno peppers; and the garlic smashed potatoes

“Each course, you don’t know what you’re going to have,” Gray said. “We ask questions ahead of time, what you love, what you don’t, any allergies? Guests are looking for that fun and unique experience.

“We’ve merged that with our signature dinners, we did the most of those last year than the entire company.”

The signature dinners are regular events at The Chop House that feature a five or six course meal, with wine or bourbon pairings, or sometimes mixed up with courses paired with a beer, cocktail or wine.

Whether it’s a specific vineyard or distillery highlighted in designed pairings, or a dinner curated with varying drinks in mind, Gray said the featured dinners help further connect guests with staff.

“Those have been wildly successful,” Gray said. What’s great about it is our traditional menu has its staples and customers know what they’re going to get, but those aren’t necessarily the space for chefs to be creative and show off their skills. These dinners give them the opportunity to try out recipes.

“It gives guests the opportunity to interact with the chefs and talk with vineyard representatives.”

Along with well-known beverage producers, Gray said The Chop House will continue to look for more local companies to highlight their offerings with special dinners.

The Chop House's prime steaks are USDA Prime beef. Only 2% of all beef raised is graded Prime for its superior marbling and texture. All prime meat is aged 28 - 34 days.

“We’re constantly looking at other local businesses and purveyors to highlight for dinners and features,” Gray said. “We’ve featured Eastern Kille spirits and Pebble Creek Mushrooms. We’re always hoping to feature a distillery or brewery, or this local meat that is out there phenomenal. We want to highlight community partners and products; those are the best to highlight.”

Aperitivo to go?

Wine while you wait!

BY LISA ENOS // PHOTOS BY AMANDA KAMPPINEN

The pandemic turned out to be the proverbial blessing in disguise for some. Not that Aperitivo was struggling beforehand, by any means, but in that some restaurants were just in a better position to capitalize on the idea of takeout food, which became a make or break necessity during that time.

For some purveyors of fine wine and food the restrictions on indoor seating were the straw that broke the camel’s back, but for a business that serves as both a retail store for fine wine and charcuterie ingredients as well as one that makes easily boxable food, like sandwiches and appetizers, Aperitivo stood a pretty good chance of weathering the storm. Some restaurants had to rethink their whole layout and process, while others made the switch almost entirely effortlessly, Aperitivo being one of them.

Owner Amy Ruis who is also owner of a specialty gourmet shop that also sells tchotchkes for entertaining called Art of the Table, found herself in a unique position to expand Aperitivo to the folks who needed fine food and beverage items to go. She describes herself as a mother of two. The two being Art of the Table and Aperitivo.

Located inside the Grand Rapids Downtown Market, 35 Ionia Ave SW, which has a dedicated parking lot, finding a spot for the car is never a problem for those on the go, whether it’s stopping by on the way to a dinner, a potluck luncheon or any other occasion that requires a “brought” food item, it’s a convenient locale. Even if it’s a little out of the way, it saves so much time to have someone else make that one-of-a-kind

cheese tray. Besides, where else are you going to get those fancy olives, or the bottle of hard-to-find imported wine?

And for those not on the go, the space is ample and airy and the open floor plan and finger food cuisine is perfect for parties of one or two or twenty or more. The bar is modern and the small kitchen makes delicious made-to-order charcuterie boards, sandwiches, and other hot and cold appetizers on the spot. Named for the Italian word for “pre-dinner drink,” it’s also a perfect meeting spot after work for “just one glass” while you order food to take home.

It’s hard to pinpoint a favorite at Aperitivo, as the menu is always changing. There were some delicious bacon wrapped figs (or was it fig-wrapped bacon?) on the menu last Christmas. As the literature states, Aparitivo serves “a little of this, a little of that and an interesting beer or glass of wine to compliment your choices.”

Whatever it is, you can rest assured that, whether it’s made with prosciutto, pepperoni or peppadew, it will be of the finest available variety around.

Aperitivo is the perfect meeting spot after work for “just one glass” while you order food to take home.

ON-THE-GO

Above: Photographer Amanda Kamppinen says the Italian sandwich is magnificent. She paired it with a glass of Ercole Piedmonte DOC Rosato.

Right: Tinned fish appetizer, Monger's Choice charcuterie board and the Italian sandwich

food + drink / chee s

CHEERS

Sip coffee + Sip cocktails, hooray!

Sleek urban lounge takes drinks to new Heights.

BY LISA ENOS // PHOTOS BY TYLEE SHAY

Alger Heights has long been a great place to combine a Saturday trip to the hardware store with a stop at Ken’s Fruit Market after meeting a friend for breakfast at Real Food Café. But as a late-night spot, there weren’t many options.

A new restaurant located at the intersection of Eastern Ave. and Alger St., Sip Coffee & Cocktails, has changed all that. Combined with The Old Goat and Brass Ring Brewery, the up-and-coming bar and restaurant district now has a trifecta of must try go-tos, a hat trick if you will, all in the same block!

The café aspect of ‘Sip’ has been going strong since October (2022). Their Bold and Gritty brand coffee is straight up bomb and

in my humble opinion – is the absolute best new coffee house in town; on par with Madcap, even (high praise). So, if you’re a fellow coffee snob, you can rejoice in the fact that there’s a new place to enjoy the “go juice.”

Where do the cocktails come in? Well, this café by day/bar by night establishment has more recently been granted its liquor license, so, of course you can order yourself an Irish coffee, but that’s not where it ends.

The cocktails on the menu run the gamut. There are frilly fruities for people just dipping their toes into the cocktail scene, like the Purple Peach I had the last time I was there. Then there are some heavy hitters, like the Blackberry Old Fashioned, for us serious boozers. I kid… I fall somewhere in the middle. Seriously, who doesn’t like an Old Fashioned?

The wine list is well curated, with one or two strong options for each type of wine. I noticed a nice Malbec on it, and a table full of 30-something women seated next to me, who looked like they were celebrating something, were enjoying a bottle of Avalon Cabernet. I also noticed a sparkling brut from Motu Viget, a Grand Rapids based heritage wine and spirits company on the menu and a Rodney Strong. All good choices.

The place had a real big city vibe, like somewhere I’d been in New York City’s East Village in the nineties. The music was

pumping (unlike morning, when it was understated and cheerful). The tasteful flower-filled vases on the stainless steel tables and the striking wall art by Claire Fisher make it a great spot for your next Hinge meet and greet; strong drinks, great food and, given the uniqueness of the place, plenty to talk about.

I sat there by myself on a Friday night. People on dates poured in. As the place became more crowded, I offered to move from a two-top table to one of the many bar/counter seats. The staff, who are knowledgeable and cordial, but not overthe-top chatty, wouldn’t have it.

A pleasant server named Katy took her time and talked me through the food menu, which consists mainly of dips and a variety of flatbreads. I wanted to try a vegetarian option because I’m trying to reduce my meat intake, but was guided to a staff favorite, the chipotle chicken flatbread ($16).

The cocktails are top notch and, Katy assured me, mixed with only the finest house-made ingredients. I went for one made with Long Road Sovereign Gin for $14.

It wasn’t long before my pizza (er, I mean flatbread) arrived. The rectangular shaped

creation was ample in size, and the bread was the perfect consistency. It was soft, puffy (not doughy) and definitely not too crisp. Pro tip: Order it with extra zesty sauce.

Pickled red onions have been finding their way into everything from hot dogs to salads as of late. I picked some out of another dish in which they didn’t belong just last week (at an otherwise great restaurant I won’t name), but the pickled red onion atop the chipotle chicken flatbread was the exact right ingredient. It paired nicely with the creamy sauce and feta cheese, and, cutting through the richness, offered that bit of tang that makes you keep taking bites.

The flatbread is listed on the menu as a “shareable.” I unashamedly ate the whole thing, it was that good. So go on, invite that Hinge date and split the tab – or don’t. As I found out, Sip Coffee and Cocktails is the perfect place for a table for one.

Sip Coffee and Cocktails is open Monday through Saturday but closes each day from 1 - 4 p.m. to make the transition from classy coffee joint to hip nighttime spot. Hours and/or menu items are subject to change. Check sipalgerheights.com for updates.

Chipotle Chicken Flatbread and Pineapple Orange Creme cocktail.

Meatless March with the ‘Freagin’ Vegan’

A healthy, hearty, Buckwheat Berry Breakfast; quick, easy and delicious.

BY GIL STANSILL // PHOTO BY STACY FEYER-SALO

Fun fact: Buckwheat isn’t wheat, it’s a gluten free seed that lends a chewy texture and nutty flavor to this delicious breakfast.

A little about the Freagin’ Vegan: I started eating vegan for health reasons and kept eating vegan because the food is next level amazing, tasty as all get out, healthy and I feel great.

Long story short, I didn’t want to take medication when I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, so, I changed my diet and haven’t needed any medication since why. The diabetes has been managed 100% through diet and this recipe is one of my favorite reasons

I also don’t have shoulder pain from bursitis anymore, after 20 years of dealing with that. And I lost 55 pounds, but who’s counting? Food as medicine, who knew?

This is one of my favorite breakfast recipes. Dense in micronutrients, filling, and it’s meat and cheese free. The exceedingly health conscious will appreciate the lack of salt, oil and sugar as well.

*With the above in mind, I am not a doctor, and none of the above should be considered health advice.

Ingredients

½ cup buckweat oats (choose raw buckwheat, not kasha, which is toasted)

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

¼ teaspoon organic cinnamon

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons raw almond or cashew butter (look for butters with one

Instructions

ingredient, either almonds or cashews. Many butters add sugar and oils).

1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, blueberries, blackberries,

1 medium apple, chopped

2 tablespoons chia seeds

Approximately 1 cup walnuts

1. Place buckwheat and almond milk in medium sized saucepan. Mix in cinnamon and vanilla extract. Heat on medium high until mixture just begins to boil. Reduce heat to low and heat for 6 minutes.

2. Add apple, almond or cashew butter and chia seeds. Mix together with buckwheat, at low heat, for about 1 minute (add additional almond milk as needed, buckwheat should have a creamy oatmeal consistency and not be too dry).

3. Add fruit, mix, top with nuts and enjoy!

May be refrigerated, eaten cold or re-heated. Serves 2

Where’s the (Italian) beef?

BY JASON ROTH // PHOTO BY AMANDA KAMPPINEN

Thin-sliced beef, slow-cooked in savory, spicy gravy (don’t call it au jus!) piled onto a thick bread roll, dunked into that same savory gravy, then topped with a spicy giardiniera blend of pickled veggies, and voila! You have the Italian beef sandwich, a Chicago staple and a masterclass in delicious dining.

Hungry yet?

While adding cheese to the sandwich is considered a sin in Chicago, in this Grand Rapids writer’s opinion, get it with provolone.

The stance one adopts when eating the sandwich is known as “the hunch,” as it’s no simple task to contain all the messy goodness.

When ordering, you have the option to have the sandwich lightly dipped in the gravy or

completely soaked, also known as “baptized.”

The origin of the sandwich is a bit hazy, but Chicago’s Al Ferreri is widely considered to have invented the sandwich– as we know it today– in 1938 at his famous restaurant, Al’s Beef, still in business today as Al’s #1 Italian Beef.

But where to find this signature Chicago “sammich” in Grand Rapids? Not a ton of options.

I first fell in culinary love with the Italian beef sandwich at the late, lamented Windy City Grille, an unfortunate COVID casualty. With the beloved grille gone, where to find my favorite sandwich in town? Calamity!

Luckily, my research unearthed a new favorite Grand Rapids Italian beef sandwich. It can be found at a West Side hidden gem, The Monarchs’ Club. Founded in 1925 as a speakeasy, the building was defunct for many years until it was rebooted in 2006 into its current incarnation, an unpretentious – yet high-quality– corner bar and restaurant.

General Manager Alecia Fanning (aka “Mr. Manager”) explained that Monarchs’ Club owner Frank Lehnen was inspired by his visits to his Chicago-based brother to bring this Chicago staple sandwich to Grand Rapids. What sets the Monarchs’ Club sandwich apart from the rest of the paltry GR herd? Fanning revealed that their kitchen uses Vienna Brand meat and spicy giardiniera. They utilize the gravy that comes with the Vienna meat, but then add their own mysterious blend of secret ingredients to kick their sandwich up several notches past the competition. On to another key ingredient: the bread! Originally the Monarchs’ kitchen used Gonellas bread, but at some point Gonellas changed up their recipe, and the bread failed to hold up to the brutal soaking a good Italian beef sandwich demands, dissolving into a soggy mess. The Monarchs’ crew switched the bread to the sturdier ACE Bakery swiss roll.

The sandwich has proven to be a hit for the bar. It’s simple to make, just heat the meat in the gravy, steam the bread, put it together, dip it, top with giardiniera. “It’s about as easy as making a hot dog,” said Fanning. So don’t delay, go to Monarchs’ Club and get yourself a sammich! Provolone cheese and extra giardiniera, highly recommended. And if you’re getting a drink and feeling adventurous, ask for the infamous “Gravyback” shot. I dare ya!

What elevates this sandwich above the rest? Vienna Brand meat and spice giardiniera.

The Monarchs' Club brings this Chicago staple to Grand Rapids in the most delicious way possible.

More burger for the buck

Try these burgers that won't break the bank.

BY LISA ENOS // PHOTO BY TYLEE SHAY

We’ve all seen the spike in food prices over the past several months. In spite of that, I was pleased to find that there are places where one can get a decent cheeseburger for less than $9 (exclusive of tax). This list is not meant to supersede our readers’ survey best burger, nor is it a comprehensive list of every burger under $9 in Grand Rapids. It’s simply a list of the places I’m aware of that serve a pretty darn good burger for the price.

2. Bud & Stanley’s

It is still possible to get a burger, fries and a beer in Grand Rapids for less than $8. Where? At Bud & Stanley’s, 1701 4 Mile Rd. It’s been a while since I’ve ordered this combo, but I used to make it part of my weekly routine when I was feeding hungry youngsters. Kids can substitute pop for beer to make it a cheap night out for the fam. The domestic draft that comes with the combo can be upgraded to a craft brew or premium beer for an upcharge of $1.75. Is it the best burger on the face of the planet? That’s for you to decide, and at this price… why not give it a try? Note: This fabulous bargain is only available on Monday nights. The rest of the week, it’ll cost you more than 800 pretty pennies.

3. Elbow Room

This is a hard one, but coming in at number three is Elbow Room on Fuller. These big burger baskets are served with your choice of fries or coleslaw, and they’re only $9, all the time. I always get mine with ketchup, pickle, mayo, lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese, or put more simply, “everything but onions.” They also have swiss or American cheese if cheddar is not your thing, and the combo comes with a zesty pickle spear. These burgers are tasty, filling and, at the price, they are truly a bargain.

4. Black Napkin

Black Napkin on Diamond and Fulton eked into this lineup with its tasty, albeit a bit thin, smashburger they call “The Classic.” It comes with the usual accouterments (American cheese, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, mustard). The burger alone cost $9. It was really very scrumptious, and enough food for me, but depending on your level of hunger, you might want to try a double for $12 (which knocks it out of the bargain category). The food came up quick. The service was friendly, but the highlight of this experience was the house made soda. I ordered the Golden Cola. I’ll definitely be returning for more of the above.

5. Nonla Burger

1. One Stop Coney

The absolute best burger in town for the price, in my humble opinion, is at One Stop Coney on Fulton. I went there during peak time - lunch hour. My visit to this happening spot started out right. I got a parking place right outside the door and I didn’t even have to fumble with the MOTU app. The meter outside was one that still takes quarters and, lucky for me, I had one. There were two men behind the counter, one who greeted me right away. Amply crowded with people enjoying burgers at about four or five tables, and some people sitting at a counter by the window, too, it had a real city vibe. After a very short wait, I was cordially asked what I wanted. I ordered the deluxe cheeseburger for $7.50 and since I’ve rated it number one on my list, I don’t have to tell you how I felt about it, but I will anyway; I fell in love. The $4 Belgian fries were a nice accompaniment, but I honestly didn’t end up needing them. This burger was big enough to fill me up and I was back to my car before the meter expired.

The One Stop Coney Deluxe Cheeseburger is delicious and budget friendly.

Nonla Burger is a standout on Bridge Street, which is otherwise laden with places for adults to imbibe. This family-friendly fast food restaurant with high ceilings, a colorful interior and overall festive ambiance was all abuzz when I visited on a Saturday afternoon. It was like visiting an American fast food chain overseas, full of hip people dressed for an outing (if you’ve ever been to a McDonald’s in Montmartre or Piața Romană you’ll know what I’m talking about). The cheeseburger was good. It was topped with a special pink sauce that I will probably forego in future. I’d love the same sauce on another “sando,” I’m just picky about my burgers. This was by far the best priced burger I sampled, coming in at $5.25. The hand cut fries were no less than amazing. The kids’ cheeseburger combo meal comes with a cheeseburger, fries and a drink for just $6.95. There are arcade games to keep you and the little ones busy while you wait. Unfortunately, my food was ready before I got to finish a round of Ms. Pac Man.

Mocktail movement

BY KELSEY DUNNEBACK // PHOTOS BY AMANDA KAMPPINEN

If you’ve ever woken up after a night of drinking and thought, “I’m never doing that again,” you’re not alone. Cutting out alcohol is becoming more normalized than ever before.

Until recently not drinking meant choosing either to not go out with friends or surrendering yourself to being questioned about why you’re abstaining. Also, non-alcoholic options of the past have been limited, and those not imbibing left with sugary sodas or lackluster water as the only other choices at the bar. As a part of the sober-curious movement, a new thirst for mocktails has emerged with a vengeance. Highquality mocktails are popping up at almost every restaurant and/or cocktail bar around the country, and Grand Rapids is no exception.

With so many spots embracing the mocktail, I set out to explore the sober-curious lifestyle and test some of the city’s best nonalcoholic drinks. For the sake of this experience, I stuck to establishments with dedicated non-alcoholic menus and cocktails crafted with a variety of juices, syrups and tonics for a more refined interpretation.

Max's South Sea Hideaway bartender, Tehran Peffley-Routt, crafts a signature mocktail "Call Me in the Morning."

Unboozy beverages are here to welcome you in.

Roam by San Chez

My first stop was Roam by San Chez, which boasts a global take on street food and offers a variety of different choices to entertain your food and drink palette. While out to dinner with my sister, I ordered the Rosemary-Elderflower Spritzer, made with rosemary and elderflower simple syrup, lemon, soda water, and Butterfly Pea Tea. This delicious-sounding combination was cited as a favorite by our waiter, who noted that he was glad to see the city offering more alcohol-free options, to be more inclusive of those who may not be able to drink. My mocktail spritzer arrived with a delightfully sophisticated look, in a dreamy purple ombre hue that included a large, blue-tinted ice square and was topped off with a fresh lemon slice. At first sip, it was refreshing and light, without the obvious bitter alcohol taste accompanied with standard cocktails. Initially, I thought I might feel as if I was missing out by drinking a mocktail, but instead I was struck by how it still made for a festive night out, just sans alcohol.

Max’s South Seas Hideaway

After dinner at Roam, we headed out for one more drink to end the night. While normally we would have just popped over to the next closest bar, I had to be more strategic about the choice, wanting a place with a mocktail menu available. We made our way over to Max’s South Seas Hideaway- a place I’d heard had selection of realistic-tasting mocktails. When we sat down, I was directed to their “Zero Proof” menu online, where ten different mocktails awaited me. From Mahalo Mint, with effervescent, light mint and lime, to Call Me in The Morning, with salted plum, coconut and pineapple juice served in a pineapple, I was happy to see a wide range of non-alcoholic options available.

A tiki bar, Max’s atmosphere is an experience in and of itself. My chosen

mocktail, 5

a tall glass with a creamy coconut color, garnished with an aloe leaf, and was tasty enough to feel like I was sipping my drink beachside. Sitting at the bar, I watched the bartender craft my mocktail, giving it a proper shake and attention to its presentation– something that made me feel like, despite the lack of alcohol, I was still a part of a special experience.

Sipping my drink made with lemon, Chinese 5 spice, pineapple, and coconut cream, I pondered the appeal of alcoholic

drinks in the first place. Outside of the relaxing side effects, there is something exclusive about drinking alcoholic cocktails; with the barrier of age and needing to show your ID to secure one at a bar, it can feel like a private club that signifies a level of maturity. The rise of more thoughtful mocktails delivers an elevated appeal beyond kiddie cocktail or Shirley Temple. This new wave welcomes a broader range of sober-curious people, with an openness to just give the drinks a try.

Roam's RosemaryElderflower Spritzer (right), and three mocktail options from Max's - Island Passion, Call Me in the Morning and Pomegranate Pina Colada (below).

Buffalo Traders Lounge

My next opportunity to experience a mocktail was at a happy hour with a friend after work. I selected Buffalo Trader’s, a cozy art-deco inspired cocktail lounge on Fulton St. that includes a zero-proof selection of drinks. I was curious to see what mocktail options would be offered in a place that largely relies on alcohol to exist in the first place. There was a small, but differentiated, assortment of non-alcoholic options from Little Saints CBD, which included an interesting mix of espresso and ginger mule to Tor’s Tonics, a West Michigan startup, that is a “refreshing herbal tea wellness tonic.”

With an option on the menu for a custom zero-proof drink, I asked them to surprise me, and they delivered. A tall glass with a mix of grapefruit juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, club soda and other flavors came my way, topped with a dehydrated orange to round out the pretty package. This was an easy-drinking, citrus-y taste and was great to be able to sip alongside my friend’s espresso martini over conversation.

Chartreuse Sisters

My last stop for a mocktail was at Chartreuse Sisters, a French American Fusion Patisserie Café located on Wealthy St. that just opened in January. Nestled among the menu of fresh pastries and coffee drinks are a few mocktails. I selected The Owls Are Not What They Seem, which they shook up behind the counter with Lyre’s orange sec, cranberry juice, maple syrup, Brix Jamaican Ginger Beer and garnished with a dried orange wheel. My drink was a bright, dark pink color and was delightfully fizzy to the taste thanks to the sharp ginger beer, a surprising favorite among the mocktails I tried. I set out to do some shopping and strolling along, mocktail in hand. I appreciated the fun shopping companion to spice up the day.

Maybe you’re looking for a break to focus on your health, still want a fun drink during pregnancy, or just looking for moderation versus eliminating alcohol altogether. Along with health benefits of trading out some cocktails for mocktails, these nonalcoholic treats have an added benefit of saving some money, with most mocktails coming in around $5 to $9.

With a larger trend towards a sobercurious lifestyle, mocktails can be a fun alternative to alcohol consumption. Grand

Rapids has truly embraced the sober-curious scene, with even more spots I didn’t get a chance to visit that carry an extensive nonalcoholic cocktail list. Long Road Distilling and One Twenty-Three are two of many establishments now giving those who are interested in the sober-curious lifestyle plenty of places to still enjoy drinks in the city.

Alt City NA Bottles and Beer

Thanks to Alt City NA Bottles and Beer, a new Leonard St. store that offers nonalcoholic mix-ins and bottles to test and get creative with, you can even make your own DIY mocktails at home. Cheers!

Buffalo Traders' Better Spritz and Creme Soda (above); Chartreuse Sisters, Alyson & Mallory Caillaud-Jones (left); and a selection of non-alcholic spirits at Alt City NA Bottles and Beer (below).

West Michigan is home to United Bank, and has been for more than 130 years. Being a local bank is more than just location — it’s about having a shared interest and goals for a thriving community. United Bank’s team is committed to understanding the diverse needs of each business it serves, and finding solutions with fresh ideas that drive success and meet goals.

United Bank is a trusted business partner, delivering real solutions to the unique challenges its clients face every day.

It offers a comprehensive suite of business and treasury management services that simplify your banking, allowing you to focus less on your banking and more on your business. Member FDIC.

Team members include (seated, L-R): Nolan Rauser, Lindsey Younglove, Breanna Chase, Robin Beckwith, Terri Prince, and Jack Verville; and (standing, L-R): Nicolette Happie, Alex Crow, Stephanie Wilson, Carrie Seifert, Tammy Karas, Randi Claybaugh, and Kara Vugteveen.

Anna’s House, celebrating its 20th anniversary, prides itself on being an establishment where anyone is able to enjoy a delicious meal, no matter their dietary needs or preferences. This is an exciting milestone for Anna’s House. Since opening its Plainfield restaurant, nine more locations have been added across Michigan. Its highly anticipated 10th location will open its doors this spring in Milford. The newest location will deliver the same “Anna’s House Experience” found in all its establishments.

With so many restaurants looking to eliminate human contact in this technology-driven era, Anna’s House takes pride in knowing it’s taken the opposite approach. It believes in hospitality offered by real people, ensuring guests have a wonderful breakfast, brunch, or lunch experience.

Anna’s House is grateful for the support that’s helped make it a Michigan destination. The team is excited to continue pursuing Anna’s mission of “Saving the world from an ordinary breakfast!”

FACES OF WEST MICHIGAN

2023

HEMATOLOGY

THE FACES OF CANCER & HEMATOLOGY CENTERS OF WESTERN MICHIGAN

GRAND RAPIDS, HOLLAND & MUSKEGON I 800-411-7999 | CHCWM.COM

With more than four decades dedicated to caring, Cancer & Hematology Centers of Western Michigan has grown to include over two dozen oncologists, five centers, and regional practices. That makes CHCWM the most extensive physicianowned oncology practice in Michigan.

CHCWM’s malignant and benign hematology team offers comprehensive services among their many subspecialties.

Physicians Brett Brinker, Erin Pettijohn, Colin Hardin, Andrew Sochacki, Latha Polavaram, Frances Wong, and Michael Zakem lead the hematology team, assisted by their crucial

advanced practice providers.

“We’re incredibly proud to offer state-of-the-art care for patients with both benign and malignant hematologic conditions,” Dr. Erin Pettijohn says. “Our team provides the specialized knowledge required to properly diagnose and treat complex blood disorders by utilizing cutting-edge molecular and genetic testing, multidisciplinary tumor boards, and exciting new clinical trials. We believe every patient deserves to receive care that’s thoughtful, compassionate, and supportive at all stages of their journey.”

FACES OF

Grand Rapids Cannabis Co. has broken ground on a 10,000-square-foot licensed adult use cannabis packaging and distribution facility with a co-located 2,500-square-foot recreational marijuana dispensary. The one-of-a-kind facility, slated to open this year, is centrally located in the heart of Grand Rapids on Oak Industrial Drive.

As an independent, fully automated packaging facility, Grand Rapids Cannabis Co., along with sister company Kush Design Studio, will work with Michigan cultivators and dispensary owners to create high-quality, privately-labeled

consumer packaged goods to be sold in the Michigan cannabis recreational market. The facility will offer a variety of automated packaging solutions, while also offering sterilization for cannabis decontamination, helping to ensure safe and clean products without sacrificing quality.

“We’re proud to call West Michigan home,” says Michael Myers, managing partner. “I was born and raised in Grand Rapids, so it was important for me to open this unique, state-of-the-art facility in my hometown.”

Dr. Matthew S. Phinney happened on a career in health care while playing rugby with the Canadian National team. On a rugby tour to New Zealand, he injured two discs in his neck during a match. The damage was so severe, he was ruled out of any competition by team doctors and was told his career as a rugby player was essentially over.

The limited ability of conventional medicine to understand and treat his injury left a strong impression on him. It wasn’t until he returned to his home in Victoria, BC, that a chiropractor was able to help him restore function in his body and get him

back into competition. That’s when Dr. Phinney decided to pursue a career in health care.

Dr. Phinney has committed himself to lifelong learning. He reads, attends seminars, and pursues clinical excellence by keeping up with information that might give his patients a winning edge when it comes to their health and their life. He’s dedicated to helping all individuals, businesses, organizations, and community groups that want to experience improved health, vitality, productivity, and performance. His concern for others drives his pursuit of excellence in his work and in service to the community.

FACES OF

What makes a good construction company great? Its people. By hiring the best in the industry, CarbonSix Construction and Carbon Builders continues to build one of the most sought-after, growth-oriented construction services firms, and it’s based right here in West Michigan.

CarbonSix is a family-owned firm with a strong culture rooted in its “6C Values” of Commitment, Creativity, Community, Communication, Collaboration, and Culture. Its clients cover markets such as commercial, retail, industrial,

municipal, education, and health care.

The impact of its people-centric approach is driving CarbonSix to exceptional growth. Expansion began in late 2022 with the addition of a Detroit regional office. The company has plans for further expansion to southwest Florida by mid-2023.

The future is bright for CarbonSix Construction. The company is truly helping communities and clients create elements in West Michigan and beyond that are “Carbon Built.”

True to its name, Vision Real Estate Investment starts with the end in mind. To that end, its team of passionate real estate professionals has brought a creative and innovative approach to commercial real estate in West Michigan.

The company’s Vision for Development is to provide longterm, forward-thinking assets to its investors. Its Vision for Brokerage is to offer honest advice, sound guidance, and experienced insight to help clients reach their real estate

goals. Its Vision for Property Management is a commitment to developing a better workplace for tenants and tailoring a unique management plan that allows owners to experience a true partner in the management of their asset.

Vision’s portfolio includes 1.7 million square feet of owned and managed commercial real estate, through which it aims to create experiences worth sharing and help make this region one of the best in the nation to live, work, play, and do business.

You can depend on First Companies’ team of construction leaders to guide your next project from ideation to completion. Today’s construction environment is full of hurdles, whether it’s the uncertain market, labor and supply shortages, or competitive demand for space. First Companies will help you navigate every challenge, ensuring a successful outcome.

First Companies is proud to be a leader in construction,

real estate, development, and property management. Their track record of on-time, in-budget projects is backed by partnerships with highly regarded local partners. As a second-generation family-owned business, they know what it means to be fully invested in your projects and your people. At First Companies, their mission is to create, locate, and manage spaces where businesses thrive. It’s time to get started! Learn more at firstcompanies.com.

Dermatologist Dr. Kristi Hawley realized there was a need in West Michigan for a comfortable, comprehensive space that offers top-notch, cutting-edge care for medical, cosmetic, and surgical needs, and values the individual person — prioritizing their needs over everything else. She’s proud to be joined by Dr. Nathan Nartker, a compassionate physician who shares the same values and goals.

“Our No. 1 focus is the needs of our patients and community. We take pride in partnering with our patients

to assist in improving their quality of life and finding personalized solutions that fit their lifestyle and desired outcomes. Nothing brings us more joy than having the privilege of being by their side along their skin-health journey,” Dr. Hawley says.

Dr. Hawley and Dr. Nartker are accepting new patients and have minimal wait times. Come and experience the joy and warmth their patients feel after visiting an office where they’re truly cared for.

DIGITAL INNOVATION

43 EAST 8TH ST., STE. 250, HOLLAND, MI 49423 | 616-402-3824 | TARYN@TWISTHINK.COM

Twisthink is a professional services firm that partners with companies to develop innovative digital strategies and solutions. With skills in innovation and growth strategy, product strategy, user experience design, hardware and software development, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, Twisthink can engage at the front end, helping organizations determine where to win and how to play — and then take them all the way to the full design and development of smart solutions.

Currently based in Holland, Twisthink recently announced they will be relocating this year to downtown Grand Rapids in the Grand Rapids Innovation Park. Accelerating the adoption of digital transformation and elevating Grand Rapids as a technology hub are both driving forces in their choice to relocate. They’re excited to bring greater innovation, strategy, and tech capabilities to the region and create meaningful impact here, throughout the state, and globally.

Built on a foundation of quality services, innovative programming, world-class equipment, and excellent customer service, MVP Sports Clubs has been providing fitness, sports, and wellness to West Michigan since 2005.

MVP’s six local facilities span Grand Rapids, Holland, Jenison, and Rockford. Offering a wide range of programming for all skill levels, MVP serves nearly 30,000 members annually. Their full-service athletic clubs offer more than 80

complimentary group fitness classes weekly, state-of-the-art cardio and strength training equipment, indoor and outdoor aquatics, court sports — including tennis and pickleball, and supervised kids care. Additionally, MVP Athletic Clubs now offer a series of Well-Fit classes specifically created for their senior members who are ready to improve their wellness.

With offerings available for everyone from youth through active adults, MVP is proud to be West Michigan’s leader in fitness. Visit mvpsportsclubs.com to learn more.

Mentavi Health CEO Zachariah Booker has experienced firsthand the frustrating backlog of traditional mental health diagnosis services. Convinced that there had to be a better way, Booker co-founded Mentavi Health to help struggling patients and bring new hope to those affected by mental health challenges.

Springboarding off the success of ADHD Online, Mentavi Health broadens the depth of its assessment to focus on overall

mental well-being, including addressing anxiety and depression. This approach leverages a network of psychologists and clinicians across the United States who strive to remove barriers to mental health care through virtual diagnostic assessments and an online collaborative care model.

“When people understand what’s going on,” Booker says, “they can manage their lifestyle that much easier, and enjoy the journey that’s ahead of them.”

Dr. Zach Nowak brings the most innovative treatment approaches in chronic pain management to West Michigan, and practices with a high level of compassion.

Central Michigan University’s College of Medicine attracted Dr. Nowak to move to Michigan from Idaho, where he had completed his bachelor’s degree. After earning his medical degree at CMU, he moved to the state’s east side, where he completed his residency and fellowship. As an avid skier and cyclist with family nearby, West Michigan appealed to Dr.

Nowak and soon felt like home for him and his family. The philosophy at Haven Spine+Pain is to create a personalized pain management treatment plan around the patient’s goals and priorities. Dr. Nowak offers an array of minimally-invasive procedures and multimodal pain medication therapies to help reduce pain. Haven provides concierge-like service for patients and referring providers through a streamlined referral process. You’ll find everything you need at havenpain.com.

Established in 2007, TruKitchens is a boutique kitchen and bath dealership specializing in custom kitchens, bathrooms, home remodeling, outdoor kitchens, and custom closets. They service clients across the entire state of Michigan and have completed projects throughout the United States.

TruKitchens’ design process allows them to work successfully with clients, builders, and interior designers to ensure projects are completed on time and on budget. Their top-ofthe-line products and extensive industry knowledge translate

into a depth of resources and custom solutions for any project. The TruKitchens team is a unique blend of dreamers and kitchen design professionals. They’re passionate about excellence in design, and understand that the marriage of beauty and functionality equates to the highest-quality final product. With a full spectrum of design expertise, commitment to a seamless process, and a talented team of designers and installers, they’re certain that if you can dream it, they can do it.

Paul Burd and his team at Alfresco Landscapes have set the standard for landscape design and installation in West Michigan for more than 30 years. Burd studied horticulture and landscape architecture at Michigan State University, and after designing for Frederick Meijer Gardens and co-owning several landscaping businesses, he started Alfresco. Since its inception, Alfresco has accumulated a premier portfolio full of meticulously manicured lawns and wonderfully reimagined outdoor spaces unique to every client.

Alfresco provides every client with the highest-quality landscaping design through inventive solutions and relational customer care. They create spaces that reflect the unique personality of the client, and achieve results that both reveal and enhance natural beauty.

From concept to cleanup, Alfresco has knowledgeable professionals at every step of the process. Their dedication to their trade results in landscapes that showcase Alfresco’s expertise. With Alfresco, your ideal landscape is closer to reality than you think.

With United Bank, you get a team that truly invests in you. They understand the unique challenges in West Michigan, and spend time getting to know you and your business. They’re partners who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work alongside you to find solutions to meet your goals.

Focused on local economic development, United Bank is an advocate for the diverse needs of a thriving business community. It serves a variety of needs including commercial

real estate, lines of credit, equipment loans, and more. With flexible terms, competitive rates, local decision-makers, and a quick approval process, they’re dedicated to making West Michigan the best it can be. Member FDIC.

Team members include (seated, L-R): Tyler Burke, Joe Crittendon, Tim Tyler, Brian Klaver, and Andy Bassford; and (standing, L-R): Sue Rankin, Paul Kramer, Jason Smith, Brian Kelly, and Doris Drain. Not pictured: Cody Fontaine.

THE FACE OF

MEDICAL SERVICE FOR THE UNDERSERVED

Exalta Health is a faith-based nonprofit clinic that serves people who are uninsured, underinsured, and refugees. It utilizes an integrated health model, which provides medical primary care, dental primary and preventive care, vision care, behavioral health care, and spiritual counseling and support.

Dr. Daniel Armstrong has been Exalta Health’s dental director for 10 years, and has been an integral part of what the clinic is and does; he provides general dentistry services

to the patient population of Exalta Health. After graduating from Grand Valley State University, Dr. Armstrong received his dental training at the University of Michigan.

Supporting Dr. Armstrong and all the other team members are a board of directors chaired by Doyle Hayes and Ed Postma, the president of Exalta Health.

Your support of Exalta Health — through prayer, volunteerism, and donations — helps a community that deserves quality care.

ADHD Online has built an industry-leading mental health assessment for diagnosing ADHD. Working with the best providers to break down barriers that stand in the way of better mental health, and employing virtual diagnostic assessments and multitiered therapies, ensures their patients have the support they need to thrive.

The ADHD Online team holds itself to rigorous clinical standards as they employ a proven model of separating assessment from treatment. With the thoughtful and

intentional use of telehealth, their nationwide network of clinicians not only streamlines care but increases access to mental health services in communities across the country. “ADHD online is raising the standard for telehealth care,” says Michelle Ripper Lewis, RN, BSN, and vice president of patient engagement. “Our commitment to our patients and their well-being will help people nationwide take control of their lives across a spectrum of mental health needs.”

The team at Rockford Property Management understands that providing property management and real estate services isn’t just about physical space. It’s about the people who live, work, shop, and eat inside buildings. It’s about the conversations and interactions that take place within a structure’s walls. And it’s about the conversion of space into place.

With more than 3.5 million square feet of managed space and a team that’s deeply entrenched within the communities

where they work, Rockford Property Management knows exactly what it takes to create strong companies and meaningful, sustainable connections. Centered by hospitalitydriven culture and an unending commitment to providing the highest level of customer service, the team is fully equipped to deliver world-class property management, facilities management, and asset management support. The result is an unparalleled experience for residents, tenants, and clients.

FACES OF

Greenland Advanced Oral Care strives to “bridge the medical and dental communities.” Dr. Robert G. Greenland, a cancer survivor, specializes in oral oncology, as well as patients with difficult medical backgrounds who need dental care and oral prosthetics. He also specializes in dentures and esthetics.

GAOC partners with local oral surgeons to provide implants in-house and ensure same-day prosthetic delivery. This is a unique opportunity for patients, who can have oral surgery and prosthetic delivery all in one location.

After graduating from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Dr. Greenland attended the Advanced Prosthodontics residency program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. During his residency, he focused on advanced dental reconstruction technique and theory, material science, dental oncology, and cleft lip and palate team care. He completed a fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, in the maxillofacial prosthodontics & oral oncology program.

With 44 years of residential real estate experience and more than $1.2 billion in personal sales, John Postma proudly forges lifelong relationships with his clients through expert professionalism delivered with honesty and integrity. A recipient of numerous awards, Postma paves the path to homeownership with detail-oriented real estate standards and exceptional client relations. His experiencebacked approach to residential real estate streamlines the homeownership process, and he provides unlimited

reassurances, resolutions, and resources during some of the most important and memorable moments of his clients’ lives.

Postma is honored to have played a role in generations of client real estate achievements, and he welcomes every opportunity to assist the families he serves as they progress from first-time, single-family homes to well-earned retirement retreats. In his free time, Postma enjoys giving back to the community by serving on several nonprofit boards.

Since its inception in 1984, Sentinel Pointe has been the premier retirement community in West Michigan. Each apartment is well-appointed and includes all of necessities for a happy retirement, including a full kitchen and spacious living areas.

Sentinel Pointe’s Tree Top dining room provides daily specials in a country club dining atmosphere. Sentinel Pointe makes retirement living easy — just walk down Main Street

to grab a bagel from the bistro, have your hair done, or enjoy some live music. With most transportation provided, life can continue no matter what your circumstances may be.

Sentinel Pointe includes the things that make life easy and enjoyable, from group adventures to themed parties, meals, and housekeeping services. You’ll find a lifestyle that promotes openness, and encourages retirees and employees to engage both their minds and their hearts.

FACES OF

Benji Salon & Spa was established in May of 2022, and thanks to the talent and skill of its stylists, massage therapists, estheticians, nail techs, and lash artists who have come to make Benji their home, it has grown exponentially over the past eight months.

The dynamic team at Benji is truly the best at what they do. They have a passion for spoiling their clients; they want to do what they can to help ensure their clients live their

best life and are the best versions of themselves.

Benji has more than 20 stylists, a fully staffed spa with massage therapists and estheticians, full-time nail techs, lash technicians, and makeup artists. Over the next few months, more services will be added, so keep an eye out for the exciting new ventures they’ll be starting in 2023. Whatever your beauty needs are, you can find what you’re looking for at Benji.

Beacon Hill at Eastgate is a premier retirement community located in the heart of the Eastgate neighborhood in Grand Rapids. It’s known for its high standards for both social and clinical services, as well as its excellence in hospitality.

Led by President and CEO Jeff Huegli, Beacon Hill is home to more than 400 residents in independent living, assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing, and employs over 225 people. Beacon Hill serves its residents by remaining

true to its core values: Christ-inspired compassion, service, collaboration, generosity, and integrity.

Throughout his 20-year tenure, Huegli’s vision hasn’t changed. His goal is to “ensure that Beacon Hill is a joyful place where the combination of ambience, activities, meals, the gardens and campus, our location in the Eastgate neighborhood — all of it — adds to the tremendous emotional contentment that resonates with our residents.”

FACES OF

As managing partners and co-founders of Michigan Software Labs, Mark Johnson and Josh Hulst are key members of the leadership team. Their expertise lies in designing and developing custom software, and providing oversight of client projects. For more than 11 years, Michigan Software Labs has served clients by developing custom mobile, web, and Internet of Things software for clients ranging from locally-owned businesses to Fortune 500 companies. With a thriving team culture, the company has received both

the Inc. Best Places to Work Award and 100 Best Workplaces by Fortune magazine. It was recently named one of Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing companies.

Whether you have a custom software project or need advice for growing your business using software, Michigan Software Labs can help. The company has specialized teams for software development, software UX design, and project management, and while it continues to expand nationwide, it remains committed to serving the local community.

W Talent Solutions, previously Hire for Hope, is comprised of passionate, talent-change agents who use behavioral analytics to help companies design and recruit winning teams. An executive search firm, it specializes in the relentless pursuit of top talent and is focused on helping clients find the best executive leadership and subject matter experts by utilizing top evidence-based selection practices, behavior analytics, and intensive vetting processes.

Founded with a mission to better the community, W Talent

Solutions donates 10 percent of its profits to community partners that help women experiencing domestic violence.

Founder Ashley Ward, a board member on Grand Rapids’ Downtown Improvement District, has been recognized as a 40 Under 40 Business Leader and one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan. Tasia Allison serves as the firm’s managing director and specializes in executive search, organizational development, and leading W Talent Solutions’ recruiting and talent consulting teams.

Charles Zhang has confidently led his wealth management group, Zhang Financial, to the summit of the independent advisory world. His impressive educational background includes an MBA from Northwestern University, executive education from both the Harvard Business School and Columbia University, an MA in economics, and an MS in financial services. In addition, he holds prestigious designations in the financial industry, including a CFP® and a ChFC®.

With his combination of knowledge and expertise, as well as upholding the highest fiduciary standard, it isn’t hard to see why Zhang has been widely recognized as one of the best advisers in the nation. Barron’s has named Zhang the No. 1 financial adviser in Michigan for a staggering 10 consecutive years. Forbes has named him one of the 10 best wealth advisers in the country, and he’s the highest-ranked fee-only adviser on the list. See zhangfinancial.com/disclosure for full ranking criteria.

For any additions or changes: // Please email lenos@grmag.com or write to Grand Rapids Magazine, c/o Dining Guide, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Downtown GR

ANGEL’S THAI CAFÉ

Extensive Thai fare. Menu includes your-choice stir-fry option. Vegetarian friendly. No alcohol.

Open daily. // 136 Monroe Center NW, 454-9801. angelsthaicafe.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

APERITIVO

A wine bar with a small menu that includes cheese and charcuterie plates and monthly sandwich specials. The retail section includes tinned fish, which can be enjoyed on-site with pickled veggies, cultured butter and Field & Fire bread. It is located within the Grand Rapids Downtown Market. Open Daily. // 435 Ionia Ave SW, 259-7045. aperitivogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

BANGKOK TASTE CUISINE

Thai fare with lunch buffet and kids menu. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 15 Jefferson Ave SE, 356-5550. bangkoktastegr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

BEACON CORNER BAR & COASTAL FARE

Owned by the group behind San Chez and Roam, the restaurant offers up seafood from the three coasts: East, West and Michigan. // 38 W Fulton St, 383-3800. beaconcornerbar.com. Dinner, $$-$$$

BEIJING KITCHEN

Hunan, Szechuan and Cantonese cuisines. Lunch and dinner specials. No alcohol. Open daily. //342 State St SE, 4588383. beijingkitchenmi.com. Lunch (Sun-Fri), Dinner $-$$

2022 DINING AWARD WINNER

BISTRO BELLA VITA

Big-city casual; modern French and Italian cuisine, locally sourced and prepared over a wood fire. Mammoth martini bar, nice wine selection. Open daily. // 44 Grandville Ave SW, 222-4600. bistrobellavita.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

BLACK NAPKIN

High quality burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries and homemade sodas. Takeout only, Tuesday-Saturday. // 966 E. Fulton St. Lunch, Dinner $

dine

OUR STAFF'S GUIDE TO THE AREA'S BEST EATERIES

BOBARINO’S AT THE B.O.B.

Grill on second floor of The B.O.B. offers everything from wood-fired pizza to upscale entrées. Lunch menu has deli sandwiches, salads, burgers. Full bar. Outdoor seating. Closed Sun. // 20 Monroe Ave NW, 356-2000. thebob. com/bobarinospizza. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

BRICK & PORTER

Appetizers, burgers, salads, sandwiches and a nice selection of entrées; 20 beers on tap (“the darker, the better”). Open daily. // 47 Monroe Center NW, 2266928. brickandportergr.com. Brunch (Sat-Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

BRICKYARD TAVERN

Located inside the historic Boardwalk Building, BrickYard Tavern offers a varied menu with items including a selection of burgers, sandwiches and entrées such as beer-battered salmon and chips, fish tacos and rib eye. Enjoy cocktails and 24 beers on tap. Open daily. // 940 Monroe Ave NW, 805-3280. brickyardtaverngr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

BROOKLYN BODEGA BAGEL & DELI

Bringing the bagel shops and delis of the East Coast to the third coast. Whether a bagel, egg and cheese or a hearty turkey sandwich, Brooklyn Bodega has it. Open Monday-Saturday // 10 Jefferson Ave. SE, (616) 7244275 Breakfast, Lunch $

THE CHOP HOUSE

Aged prime beef, seafood, pork, lamb chops, chicken and more. Downstairs is La Dolce Vita dessert and cigar bar. Closed Sun. // 190 Monroe Ave NW, 451-6131. thechophousegrandrapids.com. Dinner $$$

CITY BUILT BREWING CO.

Taproom featuring a variety of craft beer. Plus, Puerto Rican-inspired appetizers, small plates, entrées, soups and salads. Closed Mon. // 820 Monroe Ave NW, 805-5755. citybuiltbrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

CINCO DE MAYO

Offers the usual Mexican fare plus carnitas and steak asada. Full bar. Open daily. // 114 Monroe Center NW, 719-2401. cincodemayogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

CITYSEN LOUNGE

Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers and small-plate creations. Beer and wine; happy hour 4-7 pm. Open daily. // CityFlatsHotel, 83 Monroe Center NW, 6081725. cityflatshotel.com/location/grand-rapids.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

COTTAGE BAR

Longtime favorite since 1927. Famous Cottage burgers and fries, signature chilis and more. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 18 LaGrave Ave SE, 454-9088. cottagebar. biz. Lunch, Dinner $

DIVANI

European-inspired food includes small plates for sharing and a variety of entrées. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 15 Ionia Ave SW, 774-9463. divanigr.com. Dinner $$-$$$

DUBLIN HALL

Tapas-style fare, plus house specialties. Patio seating. Full bar, happy hour 3-7 Mon-Fri. Open daily. // 100 Ionia Ave SW, 456-7673. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FIELD & FIRE CAFÉ

This farm-to-table breakfast and lunch spot offers allday breakfast items like breakfast burritos and skillet meals as well as lunch items including sandwiches, soups, salads and toasts. It also offers an array of pastry items including croissants, muffins and tarts. On weekends brunch is available. No alcohol. Open daily. // 820 Monroe Ave NW Suite 100, 616-608-4533. fieldandfire.com. Breakfast, Lunch $-$$

FLANAGAN’S

Downtown Irish pub features imported beers, entrées with Irish influence. Frequent live music. Open Daily. // 139 Pearl St NW, 454-7852. flanagansgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $

FORTY PEARL

A wine bar serving oysters, cured meats and cheeses, baked goods and sweets, soups and salads, shareables, sandwiches, rice bowls and entrées like salmon, seared scallops and Cornish hen. Open daily. // 40 Pearl St. NW, 608-7741. fortypearl.com. Lunch, Dinner $$$

FOUNDERS BREWING CO.

Spacious taproom, serpentine bar and live music Thu and Sat. Menu features appetizers, deli sandwiches. Outdoor beer garden. Open daily. // 235 Grandville Ave SW, 7761195. foundersbrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $

FRIESIAN GASTRO PUB

A cozy neighborhood eatery offering comfort food items with an eclectic twist. Menu items include handhelds like the harissa hot chicken sandwich and vegan Rueben, as well as entrées including ramen bowls and Korean short ribs. Full bar. Patio and rooftop deck. Open daily. // 720 Michigan St NE, 825-3001. friesiangr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

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GINZA SUSHI & RAMEN BAR

Wide selection of authentic Japanese cuisine, sushi, ramen, poke bowls, hibachi dinners, appetizers, soups and salad. Open daily. Catering available. // 1015 Michigan St NE, 272-4116. ginzasushiramen.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

GRAND RAPIDS BREWING CO.

Organic brews, hard cider, wine and spirits. Farm-totable menu includes sharable plates, sausages, soups, salads, sandwiches, entrées. Open daily. // 1 Ionia Ave SW, 458-7000. grbrewingcompany.com. Lunch (SatSun), Dinner $-$$

GRAND RAPIDS GARAGE BAR AND GRILL

“All-American grub” includes burgers, nachos, sandwiches, soups and salads, full bar. Live entertainment Fri and Sat. Open daily. / 819 Ottawa Ave NW, 454-0321. garagebargr.com. Lunch, Dinner $

GRAND WOODS LOUNGE

Eclectic menu with upscale comfort foods. Live entertainment, pool tables, spacious full bar. Year-round alfresco dining with fireplace. Open daily. // 77 Grandville Ave SW, 451-4300. grandwoodslounge.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

HERITAGE HILL PIZZA

Offers traditional, stuffed and specialty pizzas. No alcohol. Open daily with a few tables for dining in. // 340 State St SE, 742-4773. grandrapidspizza.net. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE HERITAGE

GRCC culinary students prepare gourmet dishes from steaks to vegan. Menu changes weekly. Wine and beer. Open Tue-Fri during school year. // Applied Technology Center, 151 Fountain St NE, 234-3700. grcc.edu/ heritage. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

HONG KONG EXPRESS

Szechuan and Cantonese. All-you-can-eat lunch buffet. No alcohol. Open daily. // 150 E Fulton St, 235-2888. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

JAMAICAN DAVE’S

Chicken, goat, oxtail, beef, fish and vegetarian fare in Jamaican style. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 530 S Division Ave, 458-7875. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

THE KITCHEN BY WOLFGANG PUCK

Comfort fare and global classics in a casual atmosphere overlooking the Grand River. Menu includes appetizers, gourmet pizzas, salads and entrées. Full bar. Open daily. // Amway Grand Plaza, 187 Monroe Ave NW, 776-3230. amwaygrand.com/dining/the-kitchen-bywolfgang-puck. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

KNOOP ROOFTOP BEER GARDEN

Upscale rooftop beer garden offers Dutch and German inspired cuisine with a modern touch. Madefrom-scratch shareables, small bites, hand-crafted cocktails and scenic views of downtown Grand Rapids. // 131 Ionia SW, 8th Floor, 616-456-6200, canopygrandrapidsrestaurants.com/knoop/ Dinner $$-$$$

LEO'S CONEY ISLAND ON TAP

An east side favorite located in Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids serves up classic Coney Island favorites, cocktails and beer on tap. Perfect for before and after a movie at Celebration. // 122 Oakes St SW Suite 100, 805-3780, leosconeyisland.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LEO’S SEAFOOD

Fresh seafood, soups, salads and more in elegant yet casual atmosphere. Early dinner menu 4:30-6 pm MonFri. Closed Sun. // 60 Ottawa Ave NW, 454-6700. leosrestaurant.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $$-$$$

2022 DINING AWARD WINNER

LINEAR

Riverfront eatery featuring seasonal menu with fresh modern American fare and outdoor-seating options; plus, a display of rotating works by local artists. Full bar. Closed Mon. // 1001 Monroe Ave NW, 200-4343. linearrestaurant.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LITTLEBIRD

Café-style restaurant featuring made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch, including a full coffee menu, house-made sodas and egg creams, and pastries. Full bar. Open daily. // 95 Monroe Center NW, 419-4168. thelittlebirdgr.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Tue-Sat) $

LUNA TAQUERIA Y COCINA

Upscale Latin American menu pairs with locally sourced meat and produce. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 64 Ionia Ave SW, 288-6340. lunagr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

2022 DINING AWARD WINNER

MARGAUX

A contemporary French bistro. Fine wines and cocktails. Alfresco dining overlooking the Grand River. Open daily. // JW Marriott, 235 Louis St NW, 242-1448. ilovethejw. com/dining. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

MAX’S SOUTH SEAS HIDEWAY

A tiki-themed restaurant that includes a raw bar, hot appetizers, salads, sides, land and sea dishes, and vegan options. Appetizers include ceviche and puhahana rock shrimp, and entrées include a poke bowl, citrus-glazed faroe and an island lobster roll. Full bar. Open daily. // 58 Ionia Ave SW, 551-0016. maxstiki.com. D $$-$$$

2022 DINING AWARD WINNER

MDRD

Overlooking the Grand River from its location on the 27th floor of the Amway Grand Plaza, this restaurant serves modern Spanish cuisine including tapas and paella. Reservations available. Closed Sun and Mon. // 187 Monroe Ave. NW, 776.6425. amwaygrand.com/dining. Dinner $$$

MERTENS PRIME

French-inspired, upscale dining on restored historic site of original, early-20th-century-era hotel. Steaks, chops, seafood, pasta, entrées and small plates. Local wine options. Open daily. // 35 Oakes St SW, 551-1713. mertensgr.com. Brunch (Sat-Sun), Breakfast (Mon-Fri), Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $-$$

MEXO

Features tequila/mezcal bar and a modern touch on classic pre-Hispanic foods of Mexico. Full bar. Open daily. // 118 E Fulton St, 828-4123. mexogr.com. Breakfast (Sun), Lunch, Dinner $$

MOJO’S DUELING PIANO BAR & RESTAURANT

Lively downtown spot opens for dinner at 5 pm Wed-Sat. Appetizers, sandwiches, salads, flatbread pizzas, full bar. Shows start at 8 pm Wed-Fri, 7 pm Sat. Closed Sun-Tue. // 180 Monroe Ave NW, 776-9000. mojospianobar.com. Dinner (Wed-Sat) $$-$$$

NOODLE PIG

Unique ramen noodles made in-house with fresh, highend ingredients and served with nutrient-rich broths. // 601 Bond Ave NW Suite 102, 327-2922, www. noodlepig.com. Dinner $-$$

ONE TWENTY THREE TAVERN

Part of Studio Park, One Twenty Three Tavern offers starters, small plates and handhelds, large plates, and a kids menu. Offering elevated American fare, including a fried chicken sandwich, jackfruit carnitas, meatloaf, veggie meatballs, quinoa bowl and more. Full bar. Open daily. // 123 Ionia Ave SW. 123tavern.com. Lunch, Dinner $$$

PALACE OF INDIA

Indian cuisine with a sizeable menu including vegetarian selections. Lunch buffet 11-3. Open daily. // 138 E Fulton St, 913-9000. palaceofindiarestaurant.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PARSLEY MEDITERRANEAN GRILLE

Appetizers, salads, soups, pitas, combos. Catering available. No alcohol. Open daily. // 80 Ottawa Ave NW, 776-2590. parsleymg.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PIND INDIAN CUISINE

A fine-dining Indian restaurant offering traditional dishes, such as tandoori, biryani, chicken tikka masala, malai kofta and samosas with gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. No alcohol. Open daily. // 241 W Fulton St, 805-4767. pindgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$$

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REAL SEAFOOD COMPANY

Contemporary seafood restaurant that offers premium fresh fish and seafood from the waters of New England to the Great Lakes. // 141 Lyon St NW, Grand Rapids, (888) 456-3463, realseafoodcorestaurant.com. Dinner $$$

RESERVE WINE & FOOD

Wine bar offers extensive by-the-glass selections and culinary options to match, including charcuterie. Closed Sun. // 201 Monroe Ave NW, 855-9463. reservegr.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $$-$$$

ROAM BY SAN CHEZ BISTRO

The San Chez Bistro team introduces global street food, including cuisine from China, Morocco, Spain, France, Poland, U.K., Indonesia and more. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 250 Monroe Ave NW, 288-9129. roambysanchez. com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

ROCKWELL REPUBLIC

Diverse menu emphasizes local ingredients from sushi to comfort food. Upper-level outdoor seating. Full bar. Open daily. // 45 S Division Ave, 551-3563. rockwellsrepublic.com. Dinner $$-$$$

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE

Classic American steakhouse in the Amway Grand Plaza. Serves alcohol. Closed Sun. // 187 Monroe Ave NW, 776-6426. amwaygrand.com/dining/ruthschris-steak-house. Lunch, Dinner $$$

SAN CHEZ BISTRO

Spanish fare focusing on tapas-style small plates; sides and entrées. Wine and beer list includes Spanish varieties and sherry. Open daily. // 38 W Fulton St, 774-8272. sanchezbistro.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

SANDY POINT BEACH HOUSE GR

Originating in West Olive, dishes include “traditional beach house favorites,” such as prime beef burgers, fresh halibut, steak and frites, and roasted chicken and mussels. Full bar. Open daily. // 822 Ottawa Ave. NW, 828-1118. sandypointbeachhouse.com. Brunch (SatSun), Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

SLOWS BAR-B-Q

Detroit-based restaurant offers extensive menu, including barbecue, sandwiches and sides. Michigan and national craft beers on tap. Open daily. // Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave SW, 454-1588. slowsbarbq.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

SOCIAL HOUSE

A casual pub serving American-style food. Menu features a variety of offerings: starters such as veggie, meat and cheese shared platters, goat cheese fritters, spicy tuna wontons and avocado toast; soups and salads; burgers and sandwiches; and pizza. Full bar. Closed Mon. // 25 Ottawa Ave. SW, 551-1412. socialhousegr.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$$

SOCIAL MISFITS

An interesting concept mashing waffles with other foods. The waffles, whether sweet or savory, can be accompanied by creative cocktails. The business also introduces Great Lakes Coffee Roasters to town. // 43 W. Fulton St, 2724984. thesocialmisfits.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

SPEAKEZ LOUNGE

Casual pub setting with eclectic menu, including vegan and gluten-free. Creative starters, soups, salads, entrées (after 4 pm). Full bar. Open daily. // 600 Monroe Ave NW, 458-3125. speakezlounge.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

STELLA’S LOUNGE

Award-winning stuffed burgers, plus vegan and vegetarian items. Full bar, known for its whiskey selection. Open daily. // 53 Commerce Ave SW, 7424444. stellasgr.com. Lunch (Fri-Sun), Dinner $-$$

TERRA BAGEL

A quaint place to grab a bagel, a schmear and some coffee. The sister restaurant of Terra Bagel and Terra GR in Eastown. Open Daily // 40 Pearl St. NW, terrabagels.com, 616.465.4343 Breakfast, Lunch $

TUPELO HONEY

This southern kitchen & bar serves southern food and traditions rooted in the Carolina Mountains. // 140 Ottawa Ave NW STE 100, 239-7158, tupelohoneycafe. com. Lunch, Dinner, Weekend Brunch $$

TURNSTILES

Bodacious bar food in a music-themed atmosphere. Cocktails, drafts, and the largest selection of nonalcoholic beverages in GR. Nightly live music with no cover. Free on-site parking. // 526 Stocking NW. turnstilesgr.com. 616-330-LIVE. Lunch, Dinner $

WAHLBURGERS

Celebrity-owned (by Mark Wahlburg and brothers) burger joint offering up a fast-casual experience. // 10 Ionia Ave NW, 616-719-1788. wahlburgers.com. Lunch, Dinner, $$

Z’S BAR & RESTAURANT

Sports-themed eatery known for its BBQ ribs. Soups, salads, sandwiches, entrées. Carry-out available. Open daily. // 168 Louis Campau Promenade NW, 4543141. zsbar.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

West Side

BLUE DOG TAVERN

West Michigan craft brews on tap. Good selection of tots, dogs and burgers. Open daily. // 638 Stocking Ave NW, 608-6050. bluedogtaverngr.com. Lunch, Dinner $

BROAD LEAF WESTSIDE

Progressive craft brewery and distillery. Award winning gin. Cocktail slushies. Burgers and an Asian street food inspired menu. Large outdoor beer garden. // 443 Bridge St NW, 254-0105, broadleafbeer.com. Lunch (Fri.-Sun.), Dinner $$

BROADWAY BAR & GRILL

Neighborhood bar known for burgers and holiday decorations, especially at Christmas. Outdoor grilling during summer. Hours change seasonally. // 740 Broadway Ave SW, 454-0565. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

BURGER THEORY

Bright, contemporary restaurant features diverse menu in downtown Holiday Inn. Full bar. Open daily. // 310 Pearl St NW, 235-1342. higrdt.com/dining/ pearl-street-grill. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

BUTCHER’S UNION

Meat-and-whiskey-centric gastro pub. Full bar. Outdoor seating available. // 438 Bridge St NW, 551-1323. butchersuniongr.com. Brunch (Sun), Lunch, Dinner $$

CONDADO TACOS

Stylish Bridge Street Mexican restaurant serving build your own tacos, tequila, margaritas and more. Come as you are! // 449 Bridge St NW, 734-6815, condadotacos.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

DRIP DROP COCKTAIL ROOM

Upscale, plush craft cocktail lounge with a NYC ambiance. // 445 Bridge St NW Unit 2, dripdropcocktailroom.com. Snacks, Cocktails $$

EL GRANJERO

Mexican fare from steak and shrimp to menudo on weekends. No alcohol but tasty virgin coladas. Open daily. // 950 Bridge St NW, 458-5595. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

EL SOMBRERO

Offers “the original” wet burrito. Weekly specials. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 527 Bridge St NW, 451-4290. elsombrerorestaurantmi.com. Lunch, Dinner $

FRATELLI’S KITCHEN & BAR

Italian cuisine based on family recipes from Sicily with a “modern twist.” Full service bar. Open daily. // 443 Bridge St NW, Suite 2. 389-4963. fratellisgr.com.

Lunch, Dinner $$

THE HOLIDAY BAR

Established in 1905, menu features appetizers and sandwiches. Seating includes 40-foot horseshoe bar, tables and a beer garden in warm months. Open daily. // 801 Fifth St NW, 456-9058. theholidaybargr.com.

Lunch, Dinner $

(866) 315-7678

abdow.org

The Best of Mid-Twentieth Century Modern Architecture

The Alden B. Dow Home and Studio engages the imagination and elicits emotional responses in all who experience this powerful statement of Mid-Twentieth Century Modern architecture. Planted into an encompassing pond, the Home and Studio is alive with reflective light, soaring roof lines, diverging angles, brilliant color and the perfect balance of enticement and tranquility. It truly is an “oasis of architecture and inspiration.” Schedule your visit for architectural tours, educational programs, Michigan history and much more.

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JOLLY PUMPKIN PIZZERIA & BREWERY

Dexter-based brewery offers salads and sandwiches in addition to pizza. Kids menu available. Open daily. // 428 Bridge St NW, 419-4676. jollypumpkin.com.

Lunch, Dinner $$

THE KNICKERBOCKER –

NEW HOLLAND BREWING

Craft brewery featuring a variety of locally sourced shared plates, sandwiches, soups, pizzas, barbecue and more. Open daily. // 417 Bridge St NW, 3455642. newhollandbrew.com/knickerbocker. Brunch (Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LONG ROAD DISTILLERS

Craft, small-batch distillery featuring variety of housemade snacks, sandwiches and entrées. Open daily. // 537 Leonard St NW, 228-4924. longroaddistillers. com. Brunch (Sat-Sun), Dinner $-$$

MAGGIE’S KITCHEN

Mexican fare in café setting, cafeteria-style ordering. No alcohol. Closed Sun and Mon. // 636 Bridge St NW, 458-8583. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

THE MITTEN BREWING CO.

Vintage baseball-themed nanobrewery pairs handcrafted beers with gourmet pizzas. Open daily. // 527 Leonard St NW, 608-5612. mittenbrewing.com.

Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MARU

Asian fusion eatery featuring small plates, bentos, rice bowls, raw bar, noodles, soup, salad and more. Wide selection of wine, plus local, domestic and international beer. Full bar. // 415 Bridge St NW, 608-0789. andosushi.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

MONARCHS’ CLUB

Starters, sausages, hot dogs, panini, Italian beef sandwiches and Grand Rapids Stackers. Michigan beer on draft. Open daily. // 646 Stocking Ave NW, 2339799. monarchsclubcornerbar.com. Lunch, Dinner $

NONLA BURGER

Nonla Burge offers both traditional, 100% beef hamburgers and Vietnamese-inspired cuisine. // 449 Bridge St NW Suite 102, Grand Rapids, nonlaburger. com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

ONE BOURBON

Trendy, two-level restaurant serving creative shareable plates, burgers, hot sandwiches and entrées. Full bar features more than 120 whiskies. Closed Sun-Mon. // 608 Bridge St NW, 608-5766. onebourbongr.com. Dinner $-$$

O’TOOLE’S PUBLIC HOUSE

Pub grub includes appetizers, sandwiches and burgers served on a mountain of fries. Open daily. // 448 Bridge St NW, 742-6095. otoolesgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

SALVATORE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Sicilian and southern Italian fare. Separate sports bar; patio seating. Food, beer and wine available to go. Delivery and catering. Open daily. // 654 Stocking Ave NW, 454-4280. salvatoresgr.com. Lunch (MonFri), Dinner $-$$

TWO SCOTTS BARBECUE

Authentic barbecue smoked in-house daily with homemade sides and sauces. Features draft root beer and weekly specials. Catering and food truck available. Closed Sun. // 536 Leonard St NW, 608-6756. twoscottsbbq.com. Lunch $-$$

WESTSIDE SOCIAL

“Reimagined” American-style tavern with locally sourced, house-made appetizers, burgers, seafood and other entrées. Full bar. Happy hour specials available Mon-Fri. Open daily. // 2802 Lake Michigan Dr NW, 453-5877. westside.social. Lunch (Tue-Sun), Dinner $-$$

Uptown

BASALT

Modern Tex-Mex cuisine with a relaxed atmosphere. The menu focuses on breakfast tacos, quesadillas and tortas. Closed Mondays. // 1450 Wealthy St. SE, 719-2146. basaltgr.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Thurs-Sat) $

BREWERY VIVANT

European style craft beer and food. Spirits, wine and cider are also available. Locally sourced menu. Housed in a renovated funeral home chapel with a large patio and geer garden. Open daily. // 925 Cherry St SE, 719-1604. breweryvivant.com. Lunch (Fri.-Sat.), Dinner $$-$$$

BROWN BUTTER CREPERIE & CAFÉ

Locally sourced, made-from-scratch sweet and savory crepes and liege waffles. // 1436 Wealthy St SE, 2885038. brownbuttercrepes.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Wed-Sat) $

CANTINA LOS AMIGOS

Cantina Los Amigos features tacos, chicken flautas, birria stew, stuffed plantains, other authentic Mexican fare and vegan friendly! // 1 Carlton Ave SE suite A, 988-9791, cantinalosamigos.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CHEZ OLGA

Caribbean and Creole fare. Veggie/vegan options. Takeout available. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 1441 Wealthy St SE, 233-4141. chezolga.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE COMMONS

1970s-themed restaurant with “retro comfort food.” Full bar, including craft beer and ’70s-inspired cocktails. Takeout available. Closed Mon. // 547 Cherry St SE, 458-2704. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $$

DONKEY TAQUERIA

Authentic Mexican food, including tacos, tostadas, botanas and tortas in a former 1920s service station. Full bar. Open daily. // 665 Wealthy St SE. donkeygr. com. Breakfast (Sat-Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FORTY ACRES SOUL KITCHEN

“Authentically American” southern comfort food, featuring po’boys, grits, gumbo and more. To-go catering available. Closed Mon. // 1059 Wealthy St SE, 481-6971. fortyacresgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

GOJO ETHIOPIAN CUISINE & DELI

Authentic dishes including vegetarian options. Watt (stew) dishes served with injera flatbread. Carry-out available. No alcohol. Closed Sun and Mon. // 421 Norwood Ave SE, 459-3383. gojoethiopiancuisine.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

THE GREEN WELL GASTRO PUB

Not your run-of-the-mill New American fare. Full bar with more than 20 rotating draft beers, many from local breweries. Open Tue–Sun. // 924 Cherry St SE, 8083566. thegreenwell.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

GROVE

Fresh, farm-to-table unique takes on American fare in a presentation unlike most experienced before. Multipletime Grand Rapids Magazine Dining Award winner. Open Wednesday-Saturday // 919 Cherry St SE, groverestaurant.com, (616) 454-1000 Dinner, $$$

HANCOCK

Nashville hot chicken restaurant with sandwiches, fried chicken, an assortment of Southern picnic sides, salads and desserts. Also serves breakfast. Open daily. // 1157 Wealthy St. SE, 805-4232. hancockgr.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

HARMONY BREWING CO.

Custom brews with a full bar, wine and wood-fired pizzas. Sandwiches served 11 am-4 pm. Dog-friendly patio. Open daily. // 1551 Lake Dr SE, 233-0063. harmonybeer.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

KCM

A Japanese/Korean fusion restaurant specializing in sando (Japanese cut white bread sandwiches or open-faced toast with meat, egg salad or other filling); curry and other rice bowls; tonkatsu (Japanese deep-fried tenderized pork loin, tenderloin and shoulder cutlets); chicken katsu; and kimbap (Korean-style fish and vegetable hand rolls wrapped with seaweed). Open Tues.-Sun. // 209 Diamond Ave. SE. kcmgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

LITTLE AFRICA ETHIOPIAN CUISINE

Hearty vegetable stews; sauces and fixings served on Ethiopian flat bread. No alcohol. Cash or checks only. Closed Sun and Mon. // 956 E Fulton St, 222-1169. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

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MARU SUSHI & GRILL

Large menu of Japanese cuisine with a twist, from sushi to hibachi grilled items. Vegetarian options. Full bar. Open daily. // 927 Cherry St SE, 458-1900. marurestaurant.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

MATCHBOX DINER & DRINKS

Breakfast all day, deli sandwiches, burgers, appetizers and seasonal entrées. Also, milkshakes and malts. Carry-out available. Open daily. // 1345 Lake Dr SE, 774-8641. matchboxdiner.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

QUARANTINO’S

Detroit-style pizza restaurant offering unique pizza options finished with Satori Wisconsin Parmesan. Vegan and gluten-free options are available. No alcohol. Closed Sun and Mon. // 1444 Lake Drive SE, 734-6833. quarantinosgr.com. Dinner $$

THE PUB AT PADDOCK

“Happy hour all the time” with elevated pub fare. Full bar. Closed Mondays. // 1033 Lake Dr SE, 356-2627. thegilmorecollection.com/pubatpaddock. Dinner $-$$

TERRA

Eastown eatery features food from local, ethically raised and sustainable sourcing. Specialty cocktails, Michigan craft beers, wines from small wineries. Open daily. // 1429 Lake Dr SE, 301-0998. terragr.com. Brunch (SatSun), Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $$-$$$

WEALTHY STREET BAKERY

Breakfast pastries; sandwiches, salads and soup; pizza available after 4 pm. Beer and wine. Kids menu. Closed Sun. // 610 Wealthy St SE, 301-2950. wealthystreetbakery.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE WINCHESTER

Locally sourced menu includes sharable plates in century-old space. Craft brews on draft. Full bar. Open daily. // 648 Wealthy St SE, 451-4969. winchestergr. com. Breakfast (Sat-Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

YESTERDOG

Specializes in the “good old-fashioned hot dog.” Cash or check only. Catering available. Open daily. // 1505 Wealthy St SE, 336-0746. yesterdog.com. Lunch, Dinner $

ZIVIO

Modern European tavern and grill serving Bosnian cuisine melded with Turkish, Greek and other Central European countries' cooking traditions. Salads, wraps, gyros, dinner entrées. Full bar. Open daily. Catering available. // 724 Wealthy St SE, 608-3534. ziviogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$$

East Grand Rapids

BIG BOB’S PIZZA

Neighborhood pizza parlor in EGR’s Gaslight Village also offers appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, subs. Full bar. Open daily. // 661 Croswell Ave SE, 233-0123. bigbobspizza.com. Lunch (Tue-Sun), Dinner $-$$

BOWDIE’S CHOPHOUSE

An upscale steakhouse “perfect for date nights, business dinners and late-night cocktails.” The restaurant serves various items: starters; soups and salads; shareables; and entrées, including chicken, salmon and steak. Full bar. Open daily. // 2237 Wealthy St. SE, 805-5044. bowdieschophouse.com. Dinner $$$

CAROLINA LOWCOUNTRY KITCHEN

Coastal South Carolina-inspired fare, including seafood, chicken, pork, beef and greens. Full bar. Open daily. // 2213 Wealthy St SE, 805-5231. carolinalck.com. Dinner $$

GASLIGHT KITCHEN ASIAN CUISINE

Asian restaurant specializing in Chinese-American dishes. // 2128 Wealthy St. SE, 454-8677, gaslightkitchen.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

JOSÉ BABUSHKA’S

Starters, salads, burritos, chimichangas, flaming fajitas, tacos and special plates. Full bar. Open daily. // 2232 Wealthy St SE, 272-4472. josebabushkas.com.

Lunch, Dinner $$

OLIVE’S

Seasonally inspired menu of creative fare and comfort foods featuring local produce and meats. Full bar. Alfresco balcony. Closed Sun. // 2162 Wealthy St SE, 451-8611. eatatolives.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PERA PIZZARIA

Pera Pizzaria features several different Mediterranean style pizzas, shish salads and a surprising pizza made with Nutella. // 2224 Wealthy St. SE, 805-4810, perapizzeria.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PINK PIGGY

A casual contemporary boba and Asian fusion restaurant for dine-in or takeout. // 2230 Wealthy St. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., 805-3949, pinkpiggy.online. $-$$

ROSE’S

Dockside dining on Reeds Lake with varied menu, including pastas and wood-fired pizzas. Three-season porch. Serves beer and wine. Open daily. // 550 Lakeside Dr SE, 458-1122. thegilmorecollection.com/ roses. Lunch, Dinner $$

Northeast GR

7 MONKS TAPHOUSE

Beer bar with more than 50 taps and gastropub food, including pretzel bites, burgers, salads. Open daily. // 740 Michigan St NE, 265-5417. 7monkstap.com/ grand-rapids. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

BIRCH LODGE

Menu includes wet burritos, sandwiches, burgers, gyros, fish baskets. Daily specials. Full bar. Open daily. // 732 Michigan St NE, 458-1918. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

BLUE WATER GRILL

Entrées include steaks and fish, wood-fired pizzas. Nice wine selection. Lakeside views, outdoor patio. Beer, wine and cocktails. Open daily. // 5180 Northland Dr NE, 363-5900. thegilmorecollection.com/bluewater. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

BUD & STANLEY’S

Extensive menu includes Mexican specialties, pasta, burgers and more. Daily specials. Takeout available. Serves alcohol. Open daily. // 1701 Four Mile Rd NE, 361-9782. budandstanleys.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CAFÉ MAMO

An American restaurant inspired by grandma's garden. Classic Midwestern dishes paired with tasty wine in a warm, comfortable setting. Open daily. // 1601 Plainfield Ave. NE, 350-3430. mamohsp.com. Brunch (Sat-Sun) Dinner (Mon-Sat) $-$$

CHARLIE’S BAR & GRILLE

Well-rounded menu features dinners from ribs, steaks and seafood to kielbasa and kraut. Also, Mexican fare and sandwiches. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 3519 Plainfield Ave NE, 364-0567. charliesbarandgrille. com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CHEER’S GOOD TIME SALOON

Menu offers something for everyone in a log-cabin environment. Takeout available. Full bar. Open daily. // 3994 Plainfield Ave NE, 363-1188. cheersgrandrapids.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

CRESTON BREWERY

More than a dozen house-brewed beers on tap at all times; plus, seasonal menu, featuring chicken, pork and beef entrées; tacos, burritos and quesadillas; soups and salads. // 1504 Plainfield Ave NE, 805-4523. crestonbrewery.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

DETROIT WING CO.

Serves classic wings, boneless wings and chicken tenders with 19 house-made sauces. Its menu also includes mac n’ cheese, poutine, coleslaw, cornbread muffins and cheesecake. Detroit Wing Co. was founded in Detroit. Open daily. // 2004 East Beltline Ave. NE, 214-8331. detroitwingco.com. Lunch, Dinner $

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FLO’S PIZZERIA RISTORANTE & SPORTS BAR

Pizzas, sandwiches, salads, Italian and Mexican entrées, full bar. Big screen TVs; takeout available. Open daily. // 1259 Post Dr NE, Belmont, 785-1001. flossportsbar.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FRED’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Longtime favorite offers Italian fare, including fresh pasta and gourmet pizza. Full-service bar. Closed Sun. // 3619 Plainfield Ave NE, 361-8994. fredsitalian. net. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FUJI YAMA ASIAN BISTRO

Hibachi grill tables or eat in dining room with Chinese, Japanese and Thai selections. Full bar. Open daily. // 1501 East Beltline Ave NE, 719-1859. fujiyamabistro. com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

GAIA HOUSE CAFÉ

A neighborhood vegetarian café offering items like the Mean Green Burrito and Gaia cookies, as well as freshpressed juices and specialty coffees. Open Wed-Sun for take-out only. // 1553 Plainfield Ave. NE . Visit on Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch. $

GOLDEN WOK

Chinese cuisine with some Hunan-spiced dishes. Sunday specials. Full bar. Open daily. // 1971 East Beltline Ave NE (Knapp’s Corner), 363-8880. goldenwokgrandrapids.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

GRAVITY TAPHOUSE GRILLE

Menu items pair with craft beer suggestions. 64 craft beers on tap. Open daily. // 3210 Deposit Dr NE (East Beltline at I-96), 719-4944. gravitytaphouse.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

GRAYDON’S CROSSING

Global pub serves traditional English pub food and world-inspired dishes. Full bar with large selection of microbrews and imported beers. Open daily. // 1223 Plainfield Ave NE, 726-8260. graydonscrossing.com.

Lunch, Dinner $$

JAKU SUSHI

Japanese and Korean fare, including a large selection of sushi; plus, bento, bibimbap, hibachi, katsu, udon and more. Open daily. // 2289 East Beltline Ave NE, 6490407. jakusushi.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

KITCHEN 67

Large menu uses Michigan ingredients and includes Brann’s sizzling steaks, sandwiches, salads, small plates, pasta and more. Full bar with craft beers. Open daily. // 1977 East Beltline Ave NE, 272-3778. kitchen67.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LA HUASTECA

Authentic Mexican restaurant offering burritos, tacos, enchiladas, flautas and more. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 1811 Plainfield Ave NE, 447-7733. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

LAI THAI KITCHEN

Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese fare. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 1621 Leonard St NE, 456-5730. laithaikitchen.net. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LICARI’S SICILIAN PIZZA KITCHEN

Specialties include thick-crust Sicilian pizza and stuffed pizza with a crispy crust. Also pasta, entrées, calzones and desserts. Full bar. Open daily. // 2869 Knapp St NE, 608-6912. licarispizzakitchen.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

LUCY’S CAFÉ

Family café offers breakfast, lunch and baked goods. Crepes, omelets, deli sandwiches and build-your-own breakfast plates. Open daily. // 1747 Plainfield Ave NE, 591-3149. lucyscafegr.com. Breakfast, Lunch $$-$$$

MAI’S THAI

Thai fare for counter service only. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 820 Michigan St NE, 451-3441. maisthaigr. com. (Mon-Fri), Lunch, Dinner $

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MILL CREEK TAVERN

Comstock Park eatery offers appetizers, soups, sandwiches, full dinner options. Full bar with separate dining room. Closed Sun. // 3874 West River Dr NE, Comstock Park, 784-3806. millcreektaverngr.com.

Lunch, Dinner $-$$

POKE TOKI

Build-your-own bowls featuring a fusion of Hawaiian, Japanese and Korean cuisine. Catering available. Closed Sun. // 5150 Northland Dr NE, 729-4414. poketoki.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

PALIO

Ann Arbor-based eatery with an expansive menu of Italian fare. Full bar and happy hour. Open daily. // 545 Michigan St NE, 719-0660. paliograndrapids.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

REDS AT THOUSAND OAKS

Large menu features sandwiches, salads, artisan pizza and entrées. Extensive wine list, craft beers, full bar. Patio with fire pits and covered deck. Open daily. // 4100 Thousand Oaks Dr NE, 447-7750. eatatreds. com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

REZERVOIR LOUNGE

Full menu of appetizers, pizzas, sandwiches and entrées, some with Cajun flavor. Serves alcohol. Open daily. // 1418 Plainfield Ave NE, 451-0010. rezlounge. com. Lunch (Tue-Sun), Dinner $-$$

RIO GRAND STEAK HOUSE & SALOON

Texas-style barbecue ribs, steaks and more. Full bar. Open daily. // 5501 Northland Dr NE, 364-6266. riograndsteakhouse.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

RIVER NORTH PUBLIC HOUSE

A “family-friendly” pub serving a variety of shareables, burgers and sandwiches. You’ll also find entrées, including Knapp Mac & Cheese and grilled sirloin tip steak. Full bar. Open daily. // 2115 Plainfield Ave NE, 288-7888. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $$$

THE SCORE

Restaurant and sports bar with large menu, more than 100 beers on tap. Open daily. // 5301 Northland Dr NE, 3010600. thescore-restaurant.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

SHESHCO GRILL

Mediterranean cuisine, including surf, turf and vegetarian options. No alcohol. Open daily. // 2121 Celebration Dr NE (Knapp’s Corner), 364-0600. sheshcogrill.net. Lunch, Dinner $$

THAI CHEF

Knapp’s Corner restaurant has large menu, including duck, seafood and vegetarian options. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 1971 East Beltline Ave NE, 570-0032. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $$

VANDER MILL

Seasonal menu with locally sourced ingredients. Starters, salads, entrées and large plates served family style. Hard ciders on tap. Open daily. // 505 Ball Ave NE, 259-8828. vandermill.com. Lunch, Dinner (MonSat) $$-$$$

Northwest GR

AMORE TRATTORIA ITALIANA

Regional Italian dishes using local products and Italian imports. Italian wines and liqueurs. House-made desserts. Banquet facility. Closed Mon. // 5080 Alpine Ave NW, 785-5344. amoretrattoriaitaliana.com. Dinner (Tue-Sat) $$

CHINA CHEF

Family-style restaurant with Szechuan-style entrées and Hunan choices. No alcohol. Open daily. // 4335 Lake Michigan Dr NW, 791-4488. chinachef49534.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CHINA CITY

Chinese cuisine; lunch prices all day. No alcohol. Open daily. // 1140 Monroe Ave NW, 451-3688. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

DEHOP’S BREWING CO. AND CAFÉ

Specialty and build-your-own burgers, “authentic Mexican” tacos, salads and sharable appetizers. Closed Sun-Mon. // 363 Cummings Ave NW, Walker, 805-3363. dehops.com. Dinner $$

EMPIRE CHINESE BUFFET II

All-you-can-eat buffet. Seafood buffet Sat-Sun. No alcohol. Open daily. // 4255 Alpine Ave NW, 7858880. empirechinesebuffet2.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FRICANO’S PIZZA RESTAURANT

Famous for its thin-crust pizza. Pasta dinners with sauce that made its way to the retail market. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 5808 Alpine Ave NW, 785-5800. fricanospizza.com. Dinner $-$$

HIBACHI GRILL & SUPREME BUFFET

Pan-Asian cuisine, including Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian and American. No alcohol. Open daily. // 785 Center Dr NW (Green Orchard Shopping Center), 785-8200. hibachigrillsupremebuffet.letseat.at. Lunch, Dinner $$

HUMMUS & FALAFEL

MIDDLE EASTERN GRILLE

Located near the Allendale campus of Grand Valley State University, eatery serves “healthy and tasty” Mediterranean food, including hummus and falafel starters; salads; lentil soup; sandwiches, entrées and more. Closed Sun. // 10897 48th Ave., Suite B100, Allendale. hummusandfalafel.org. Lunch, Dinner $

HUNAN CHINESE RESTAURANT

Full menu of Chinese options. No alcohol. Open daily. // 1263 Leonard St NE, 458-0977. hunangrc.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE LANDING

Casual atmosphere with views of the Grand River. AllAmerican favorites and monthly specials. Full bar. Open daily. // 270 Ann St NW (Riverfront Hotel at U.S. 131), 363-9001. riverfronthotelgr.com/dining/the-landingrestaurant. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

MR. GYROS

Family-owned restaurant offers Mediterranean specialties. Drive-thru, takeout, delivery and catering available. Closed Sun. // 2260 Alpine Ave NW, 7916660. mrgyrosdrivethru.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PERRIN BREWING CO.

Comstock Park craft brewery/taproom menu includes tacos, salads, burgers, panini and more. Kids menu available. Open daily. // 5910 Comstock Park Dr, 5511957. perrinbrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $

STAN DIEGO BAJA TACO KITCHEN

Baja California-inspired menu, featuring a-la-carte taco menu, chorizos, tamales, handcrafted margaritas and kids menu. Full bar. Open daily. // 355 Wilson Ave NW, 591-9806. standiegogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

SWAN INN RESTAURANT

Home-cooked meals, huge breakfasts. Cygnet Lounge offers cocktails and nibbles. Open daily. // 5182 Alpine Ave NW, 784-1245. swaninnmotel.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THREE HAPPINESS RESTAURANT

Cantonese, Mandarin and Szechuan fare. Daily specials. No alcohol. Open daily. // Green Ridge Square, 3330 Alpine Ave NW, 785-3888. threehappinessgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

WALKER ROADHOUSE

Diverse menu with interesting twists on classic fare. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 3272 Remembrance Rd NW, 791-9922. thewalkerroadhouse.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $$

Southeast GR

7 MARES

Authentic Mexican dishes including breakfast. No alcohol. Closed Mon. // 1403 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 301-8555. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

AL-BOS EUROCAFE-BAKERY

Authentic southeastern European cuisine. Menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta, entrées and kids options. Daily specials. Open daily. // 2930 Shaffer Ave SE, 325-2800. al-bos.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

ASIAN PALACE

Chinese and Vietnamese fare with extensive menus for each. No alcohol. Closed Mon. // 141 28th St SE, 5347770. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

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BELTLINE BAR

Americanized Tex-Mex menu, including wet burritos. Full bar. Curbside service. Open daily. // 16 28th St SE, 245-0494. beltlinebar.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

BRASS RING BREWING

Small-batch, style-specific brewery in the Alger Heights neighborhood. // 2404 Eastern Ave SE, 460-1587. brassringbrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

BROAD LEAF BREWERY & SPIRITS

Pub fare including snacks, meat and veggies on a stick and entrées like drunken noodles, burgers, tempeh and more. Open daily. Brunch on Sun. // 2885 Lake Eastbrook Blvd. SE, 803-0602. broadleafbeer.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

CABANA TRES AMIGOS

Authentic Mexican fare including vegetarian selections. Full bar. Takeout available. Open daily. // 1409 60th St SE, 281-6891. cabanatresamigos.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CAFÉ DE MIRO

A café offering Kurdish, Armenian and Greek foods. The menu consists of traditional Mediterranean breakfast and side dishes, such as skillets, scrambles and acai bowls; pastries; toasts; soups; sandwiches; salads; Turkish coffee; tea; desserts; and more. No alcohol. // Breton Village Shopping Plaza, 1878 Breton Rd SE, (616) 719-1462. Facebook. Open daily. Breakfast, Lunch $

CANTINA MEXICAN GRILL

Menu offers extensive Mexican specialties. Full bar. Drive-thru window. Outdoor patio. Open daily. // 2770 East Paris Ave SE, 949-9120. cantinamexicangrill.biz. Lunch (Sun-Thu), Dinner $$

DADDY PETE’S BBQ

Slow-smoked ribs, pulled pork, brisket and other meats. No alcohol. Catering available. Closed Sun and Mon. // 2921 Eastern Ave SE, 818-5522. daddypetesbbq.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

EAST GARDEN BUFFET

Cantonese, Hunan, Szechuan cuisine. Daily buffet. No alcohol. Open daily. // 6038 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 6988933. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

EL ARRIERO MEXICAN GRILL

Extensive menu offers specialty dishes, à la carte selections. Mexican and domestic beers, margaritas. Open daily. // 2948 28th St SE, 977-2674. elarrieromexicangrill.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

EL GLOBO RESTAURANT

Authentic Mexican fare; weekly specials. No alcohol. Closed Mon. // 2019 S Division Ave, 734-6869. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FIREROCK GRILLE

Guests can cook signature dishes on 500-degree lava stone. Offers soups, salads, sandwiches and entrées. Full bar. Brunch on Sundays. Open daily. // 7177 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 656-9898. firerockgrille.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

FLORENTINE PIZZERIA RISTORANTE & SPORTS LOUNGE

Italian fare with American and Mexican choices and thin-crust pizzas. Full bar. Open daily. // Towne & Country Shopping Center, 4261 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 455-2230. florentinespizza.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

GANDERS

Features American cuisine with a twist and Michigan products, including craft brews. Open daily. // 4747 28th St SE (inside DoubleTree Hotel), 957-1111. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

GURSHA ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT

Authentic Ethiopian dishes, traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Buffet lunch and dinner on Sat. No alcohol. Open daily. // 4301 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 350-0009. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $$

Dr. Bryton Mansfield

HALL STREET BAKERY

Breakfast pastries; sandwiches, salads and soup served for lunch and dinner. Beer and wine. Kids menu. Closed Sun. // 1200 Hall St SE, 214-7604. hallstreetbakery. com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

INDIA TOWN

Indian fare including vegetarian and vegan. Lunch buffet Mon-Sat. No alcohol. Open daily. // 3760 S Division Ave, 243-1219. indiatowngrr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LAST CHANCE TAVERN AND GRILL

Appetizers, soups, burgers and sandwiches and a huge selection of Michigan craft beers. Open daily. // 1132 Burton St SE, 719-4270. thelastchancetavern.com. Lunch, Dinner $

LE KABOB

Soups, salads, sandwiches, large choice of entrées and combos. Kids menu. Carry-out available. No alcohol. Open daily. // 3122 28th St SE, 272-4135. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MI TIERRA

Traditional Mexican, eat in or drive-thru. No alcohol. Open daily. // 2300 S Division Ave, 245-7533. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $

MIKADO SUSHI

Sushi and sashimi à la carte. Dinners offer full range of Japanese cuisine. Lunch specials. Serves alcohol. Closed Sun. // 3971 28th St SE, 285-7666. mikadogr.com/main. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $-$$

NU-THAI BISTRO

Appetizers, soups, Thai salads, fried rice, seafood, duck, curries. No alcohol. Open daily. // 2055 28th St SE, 4520065. nuthaibistro.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE OLD GOAT

Creative cuisine from Electric Cheetah owner Cory DeMint includes appetizers, entrées, sandwiches and salads. Kids menu. Full bar. Open daily. // 2434 Eastern Ave SE, 288-6976. baaaaaaaa.com. Breakfast (Mon-Fri), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PAL’S INDIAN CUISINE

Authentic Indian food, including lunch buffet 11-3. No alcohol. Open daily. // 2915 28th St SE, 957-2271. palsindiancuisine.com. Lunch, Dinner $

PHO ANH TRANG

Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai cuisine. Daily specials. Catering. Open daily. No alcohol. // 3633 Eastern Ave SE, 246-9966. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PHO SOC TRANG

Wide selection of Vietnamese offerings. No alcohol. Open daily. // 4242 S Division Ave, 531-0755. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

PIETRO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Regional and contemporary Italian cuisine. Tuscan wines, desserts and cappuccinos. Kids menu. Takeout available. Open daily. // 2780 Birchcrest Dr SE, 452-3228. pietrosgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

SIP COFFEE & COCKTAILS

Café by day with breakfast bites that transforms into a bustling nighttime cocktail lounge, serving flatbread and appetizers. Open Monday through Saturday, hours vary. // 806 Alger St. SE, 805-3517 $$

STEAK & SPICE BY CURRY KITCHEN

Authentic Indian cuisine. Daily lunch buffet. Open daily. No alcohol. // Located inside the Plaza Hotel Grand Rapids at 5700 28th Street SE. 957-1775. currykitchengr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

SUSHI KUNI

Japanese and Korean cuisine, Asian fusion fare. Traditional Japanese tatami room for groups. Serves alcohol. Closed Mon. // 2901 Breton Rd SE, 2414141. sushikuni.net. Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

TACON MADRE

Mexican hamburgers, Tacos, tortas, quesadillas, and more with and a variety of proteins (pastor, Barbacoa, birria, tripe, Chicharron, Trompo and more) to choose from. Aguas frescas and other authentic Mexican specialties. // 3501 Division Ave. S. Wyoming, 5700322, taconmadre.com. Lunch, Dinner $

TAQUERÍA EL RINCÓN MEXICANO

Wide variety of Mexican breakfast, small plates, dinner dishes and soups, including several vegetarian options. No alcohol. Closed Mon. // 2055 28th St, 246-7000. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

THAI EXPRESS

Thai specialties, spiced to customer specification. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // Towne & Country Shopping Center, 4317 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 827-9955. thaiexpressgr.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $

THAI FUSION

Thai cuisine and fusion specials with good selection of starters and salads. Kids menu. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 3097 Broadmoor Ave SE, 301-8883. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

TOKYO GRILL & SUSHI

Tatami rooms, sushi bars. Hibachi, teriyaki, udon, tempura. Sake, Japanese and American beer and wine. Open daily. // 4478 Breton Rd SE, 455-3433. tokyogrillsushi.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

VILLAGE INN PIZZA & SPORTS GRILLE

Longtime favorite for pizza, pasta, burgers, chicken, Mexican. Daily specials. Mon-Fri pizza lunch buffet. Full bar. Open daily. // 2215 44th St SE, 281-1444. vipizza.net. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

WEI WEI PALACE

Chinese seafood restaurant features Cantonese cuisine, dim sum and barbecue. No alcohol. Open daily. // 4242 S Division Ave, 724-1818. weiweipalace.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

Southwest GR

84TH STREET PUB & GRILLE

American fare from pizzas to steaks. Full-service bar. Kids menu. Daily specials. Open daily. // 8282 Pfeiffer Farms Dr SW, 583-1650. 84thstpub.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

ALEBIRD TAPHOUSE AND BREWERY

Community-focused brewery offering creative sandwiches along with a variety of burgers and entrées, including summer chicken and pea ravioli. Open daily, lunch on weekends. // 2619 84th St SW, 288-7888. alebird.com. Lunch, Dinner $$$

BLUE GINGER ASIAN KITCHEN

Noodle-based Thai dishes, chicken, seafood, beef and pork entrées, curries. Vegetarian options. No alcohol. Open daily. // 5751 Byron Center Ave SW (Bayberry Market), 261-8186. bluegingerkitchen.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FAR-EAST CHINESE RESTAURANT

Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean dishes. Carry-out and catering available. No alcohol. Open daily. // 3639 Clyde Park Ave SW, 531-7176. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FRANKIE V’S PIZZERIA & SPORTS BAR

Appetizers, subs, stromboli, pizza, pasta, burgers and Mexican. Outdoor patio. Full bar. Open daily. // 1420 28th St SW, 532-8998. frankievs.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

GOLDEN 28

Szechuan, Hunan, Mandarin, Vietnamese cuisine. No alcohol. Open daily. // 627 28th St SW, 531-2800. Lunch, Dinner $$

3 GATOS BREWERY

German-style beers with Brazilian bar food. Closed Sunday and Monday. // 1760 44th St SW, 307-2215. 3gatosbeer.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

LINDO MEXICO RESTAURANTE MEXICANO

Fresh food with “real Mexican flavor.” Kids menu. Serves alcohol. Open daily. // 1742 28th St SW, 2612280. lindomexicogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

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LITTLE BANGKOK

Extensive Thai standbys plus some unique items. Kids meals available. Serves beer and wine. Closed Sun. // 2359 Health Dr SW, Suite 140, 929-2306. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $-$$

MONELLI’S ITALIAN GRILL & SPORTS BAR

Southern Italian cuisine. Sports bar plus family-friendly dining room with fireplace. Open daily. // 5675 Byron Center Ave SW, 530-9700. monellis.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

NOBLE

Breakfast favorites along with vegan and gluten-free options, handhelds, burgers and small bites. Open daily. // 1851 44th St SW, Wyoming, 530-8750. eatnoble.com. Breakfast, Lunch $$

PETE’S GRILL & TAVERN

Casual bar and grill with tavern burgers, Detroit style pizza, sandwiches and entrees. Open daily. // 2588 84th St SW, Byron Center, 878-9582. petesgrillandtavern.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

WOODY’S PRESS BOX

Complex includes two bars, patio and bowling. Sandwiches, pizza, Mexican and more. Full bar. Open daily. // 5656 Clyde Park Ave SW, 530-2400. spectrumlanes. com. Breakfast (Mon-Sat), Lunch, Dinner $$

Ada/Cascade/Lowell Area

ADA GARAGE BAR & GRILL

High quality bar appetizers, mac and cheese, chicken tenders, burgers and a variety of entrees. Plus there's always a $2 draft, a $3 well and a $4 glass of wine every day. // 518 Ada Dr SE, Ada, 682-3002, adagaragebar.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

BIG BOILER BREWING

Brewpub features a wide selection of original beer and cider. Plus, new American cuisine, including burgers, fish, sandwiches and kids menu. Open daily. // 318 E Main St, Lowell, 987-3155. bigboilerbrewing.com. Dinner $$

CASCADE ROADHOUSE

Relaxed atmosphere with a diverse menu of traditional fare. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 6817 Cascade Rd SE, 2597439. cascaderoadhousemi.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CORK WINE & GRILLE

Contemporary dining with indoor and outdoor seating. Seafood, steaks, burgers, fish, sandwiches, salads. Extensive wine list, specialty cocktails. Open daily. // 5500 Cascade Rd SE, 949-0570. corkwineandgrille. com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

THE EURO BISTRO

European bistro fare includes entrées, small plates, salads, wood-fired pizzas. Takeout available. Full bar. Closed Sun. // 6450 28th St SE, 719-2017. eurobistrogr.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $$-$$$

FLAT RIVER GRILL

Casual atmosphere in turn-of-century building. Comfort food, wood-fired pizzas. Full bar plus The B.O.B.’s House of Brews beers. Alfresco dining on patio. Open daily. // 201 E Main St, Lowell, 897-8523. thegilmorecollection. com/flatriver. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

JU SUSHI & LOUNGE

Sushi and sashimi, Japanese hibachi, tempura, soups, salads and entrées in elegant surroundings. Full bar, huge sake selection. Takeout, catering and banquets. Open daily. // 1144 East Paris Ave SE, 575-5858. jusushi.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

LA LAGUNA

Authentic Mexican dishes including shrimp, wraps, salads, kids menu. No alcohol. Open daily. // 6250 28th St SE, 805-8821. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

2213

Wealthy St. SE

Romanowski Homes, Inc. Greenridge EGR St. East Grand Rapids, MI 616-318-0065 romanhousekey.com

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LITTLE BANGKOK

Extensive Thai standbys, plus some unique items. Kids meals available. Serves beer and wine. Closed Sun. // 850 Forest Hill Ave SE, 808-3153. littlebangkokgr.com. Lunch (Mon-Fri), Dinner $-$$

MAIN STREET BBQ

Wood fire used to smoke ribs, brisket, chicken, sausage and pork. Rubs and sauces are gluten-free. Also serves sandwiches, wings, salads and soups. Catering. Takeout/ delivery at 1539 Plainfield Ave NE. Full bar. Open daily. // 210 E Main St, Lowell, 987-3352. bbqlowell.com.

Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MYNT FUSION BISTRO

Thai, Korean and Chinese. Renowned for its curries. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 800 W Main St, Lowell, 9879307. myntfusion.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

NOCO PROVISIONS

Laid-back, regionally inspired comfort cuisine. Outdoor seating on the patio. Full bar. Open daily. // 4609 Cascade Rd SE, 747-0300. nocogr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

NONNA’S: THE TRATTORIA

Fresh, European-style pastries, salads, soups and entrées made from scratch. Breakfast and lunch served seven days a week. Pizza available during lunch TuesSat. Brunch specials available Sat-Sun. // 584 Ada Dr SE, Ada, 920-7028. eatwithnonna.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Tue-Sat) $-$$

NOTO’S OLD WORLD ITALIAN DINING

Elegant décor, extensive classic Italian menu. Special wine cellar dinners. Lounge menu features lighter fare. Closed Sun. // 6600 28th St SE, 493-6686. notosoldworld.com. Dinner $$-$$$

OSAKA STEAKHOUSE & JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Asian fare, including sushi, hibachi, shabu-shabu and more. Full bar. Open daily. // 4977 28th St SE, 4194628. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $$

SABOR MEXICANO

Burritos, tortas, quesadillas, quesabirrias, tamales (pork or chicken) and tacos served the authentic way, menu items for kids and more. // 109 Riverside Drive in Lowell, 987-5027. Lunch, Dinner $

SAPPORO RAMEN & NOODLE BAR

Fresh, traditional Japanese “soul food” with an innovative twist. GF options available. No alcohol. Takeout available. Closed Mon. // 5570 28th St SE, Cascade, 608-6657. sappororamenbar.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

SCHNITZ ADA GRILL

Schnitz Deli by day, casual fine dining by night. Full bar, happy hour 3-6. Closed Sun. // 597 Ada Dr SE, Ada, 682-4660. schnitzadagrill.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

SHEPARDS GRILL & TAVERN

Bar food with flair, from appetizers to sirloin. Open daily. // 6246 28th St SE, 350-9604. Facebook. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THORNAPPLE BREWING CO.

Brewpub features a wide selection of original beer, cider, wine and spirits brewed in seven-barrel brewing system. Plus, artisan pizza, appetizers and dessert. Brunch on Sun. // 6262 28th St SE, 288-6907. thornapplebrewing.com. Lunch (Sat), Dinner $$

VINTAGE PRIME & SEAFOOD

Intimate setting with upscale menu that includes prime steaks and fresh seafood. International wine list. // 5500 Cascade Rd SE, 949-0570. vintageatcork.com. Dinner $$$

ZEYTIN

Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine. Full bar, beer and wine lists. Takeout. Open daily. // 7437 River St, Ada, 6822222. zeytinturkishrestaurant.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

Grandville/Hudsonville Area

BANGKOK TASTE

Thai fare. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 674 Baldwin St, Jenison, 667-8901. bangkoktaste.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

EL BURRITO LOCO

More than 70 Mexican selections, plus a few American options. Daily food and drink specials. Full bar. Open daily. // 4499 Ivanrest Ave SW, Grandville, 5309470. elburritoloco4.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

HUDSONVILLE GRILLE

Varied menu includes Mexican favorites and breakfast. Full bar, catering and banquet services. Closed Sun. // 4676 32nd Ave, Hudsonville, 662-9670. hudsonvillegrille.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MICHIGAN MOONSHINE DISTILLERY

A distillery with starters, sandwiches, salads and sides with a barbecue theme. Many of the items include Bobby Q sauce. Closed Sun. and Mon. // 4005 Chicago Dr SW in Grandville, 259-1000. michiganmoonshine.us. Dinner $$

PIKE 51 BREWING CO./ HUDSONVILLE WINERY

Craft brewery and winery under one roof. Appetizers, salads, sandwiches and entrées. Open daily. // 3768 Chicago Dr, Hudsonville, 662-4589. hudsonvillewinery.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

RAINBOW GRILL

Breakfast, soup and sandwiches, daily lunch specials, chicken, fish and other dinner staples. No alcohol. Closed Sun. // 4225 32nd Ave, Hudsonville, 8960033; 4158 Chicago Dr SW, Grandville, 534-8645. rainbowgrillmichigan.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $-$$

RUSH CREEK BISTRO

Diverse menu in club-like surroundings. Weeknight and happy hour specials at full-service bar. Open daily. // Sunnybrook Country Club, 624 Port Sheldon Rd, Grandville, 457-1100. rushcreekbistro.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

WHITE FLAME BREWING CO.

Small production brewery with taproom. Sandwiches, wraps, appetizers and a couple twists on the classic macaroni and cheese. Open daily. // 5234 36th Ave, Hudsonville, 209-5098. whiteflamebrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

THE WIN TAVERN

A family-friendly restaurant offering fresh ingredients and cooked-to-order meals, including starters and salads, burgers, sandwiches, and steak and onion meals. It also offers a Sunday breakfast from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. with a build-your-own hash bar and more. Full bar. Open daily. // 7628 Georgetown Center Dr, Jenison, 734-6724. thewintavern33.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $$

Rockford Area

BOSTWICK LAKE INN

Menu includes steaks, pork, fish, chicken, mac and cheese, pizzas, sandwiches, soups and salads. Large deck. Full bar. Open daily. // 8521 Belding Rd, 8747290. thegilmorecollection.com/bostwick. Lunch (SatSun), Dinner $$-$$$

BOULDER CREEK RESTAURANT

Golf Club restaurant has varied menu. Golf course views from inside or deck. Serves alcohol. See website for seasonal hours. // 5750 Brewer Ave NE, Belmont, 363-1330, ext 2. bouldercreekgolfclub.com/ restaurant. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

CEDAR SPRINGS BREWING CO.

German-style brewery features American pub and traditional Bavarian menu. Open daily. // 95 N Main St, Cedar Springs, 696-2337. csbrew.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

GRILL ONE ELEVEN

American-with-a-twist menu, full-service bar and lounge. Open daily. // 111 Courtland St, 863-3111. grilloneeleven.com. Lunch, Dinner $$-$$$

HONEY CREEK INN

Pub setting offers beyond pub fare and daily specials. Closed Sun. // 8025 Cannonsburg Rd NE, Cannonsburg, 874-7849. cannonsburgvillage.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MARINADES PIZZA BISTRO

Wood-fired pizzas, salads, pastas, sandwiches. Michigan craft beer. Catering. Open daily. // 109 Courtland St, 863-3300. marinadespizzabistro.com. Lunch, Dinner $

ROCKFORD BREWING CO.

Located alongside Rogue River. Menu features wings, salads, gyros, burgers, as well as gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Handcrafted brews on tap. Open daily. // 12 E Bridge St, 951-4677. rockfordbrewing.com. Brunch (Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

TIMBERS INN

Appetizers to meat ’n’ potatoes fare in lodge-like surroundings. Full bar. Open daily. // 6555 Belding Rd NE, 874-5553. timbersinn.net. Lunch (Wed-Sun), Dinner $-$$

THIRD NATURE BREWING COMPANY

Located near the White Pine Trail and the Rogue River, Third Nature Brewing is a rustic brewery and taproom offering “comfort foods” such as pizzas and hot sandwiches, as well as healthier options like power bowls and salads. Open daily. // 7733 Childsdale Ave. NE in Plainfield Township, 616-512-9314. thirdnaturebrewing.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

THE TOASTED PICKLE

Handcrafted unique sandwiches, soups, salads, cocktails and more. // 17 Squires St Square NE, 884-0498. thetoastedpickle.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

Multiple Locations

ANNA’S HOUSE

Breakfast, sandwiches, baked goods and exceptional desserts; dinner menu, too. No alcohol. Open daily. // 3766 Potomac Circle, Grandville; 3874 Plainfield Ave NE; 2409 East Beltline Ave SE, (866) 672-6627. annashouseus.com. Breakfast, Lunch $$

BAGEL BEANERY

Bagel and coffee cafè offering healthy whole grain and sugary sweet bagels, breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Magnum coffee. No alcohol. Open daily. Catering available. // 455 Michigan St NE, 235-7500; 2845 Breton Rd SE, 245-4220; 5316 Clyde Park Ave SW, 2499500. bagelbeanery.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

BRANN’S STEAKHOUSE & SPORTS GRILLE

Famous sizzler steaks, small plates, sandwiches, salads, gluten-free and vegetarian choices, bar munchies. Full bar. // 401 Leonard St NW, 454-9368; 3475 Fairlanes Ave SW, Grandville, 531-6210; 4157 S Division Ave, 534-5421; 5510 28th St SE, 285-7800. branns.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

ELECTRIC CHEETAH

Eclectic menu with an emphasis on locally grown fare and creative combinations. Beer and wine available. Open daily. Cascade location closed on Sun. // 1015 Wealthy St SE, 451-4779; 6450 28th St. SE, 265-5301. electriccheetah. com. Brunch (Sun), Lunch, Dinner $-$$

FIRST WOK

Mandarin, Hunan, Szechuan cuisine. Full bar. Open daily. // 2207 44th St SE, 281-0681; 6740 Old 28th St SE, 575-9088; 3509 Alpine Ave NW, 784-1616. firstworkgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

GRAND CONEY

Classic diner offering custom hot dogs, traditional breakfast items and comfort foods. No alcohol. Open daily. Downtown location open 24 hours. // 809 Michigan St NE, 776-5580; 5121 28th St, 9303596; 6101 Lake Michigan Dr, Allendale, 895-9999. thegrandconey.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

HERB & FIRE PIZZERIA

Fast-casual atmosphere with Italian accent. Signature and create-your-own pizza options, flatbread sandwiches and salads. // 3180 44th St SW, Grandville, 7731443; 2121 Celebration Dr NE, Suite 250, 773-1895. herbandfirepizzeria.com. Lunch, Dinner $$

HOPCAT

Crafted brews with some 50 beers on tap and 150 bottled. Full bar and creative fare, including sharables, signature fries, burgers, wraps and more. Open daily. // 25 Ionia Ave SW, 451-4677; 84 W. Eighth St in Holland, 965-9780; 2183 East Beltline Ave NE. hopcatgr.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

MORNING BELLE

This “garden-themed” brunch spot is part of Meritage Hospitality Group. Its menu features breakfast entrées; lighter options, such as salads and grain bowls; glazed doughnut waffles; specialty beverages, such as freshly squeezed orange juice and breakfast cocktails; and more. Limited bar. Open daily. // 1600 East Beltline Ave NE, 301-8171; 434 Bridge St NW, 855-6907. morningbellebrunch.com. Breakfast, Lunch $$

MR. BURGER

Breakfast, burgers, chili dogs, sandwiches, homemade soups and desserts. // 2101 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, 4536291; 950 44th St. SW, 538-0363; 1750 44th St. SE 4558604; 5181 Northland Dr. NE, 363-3888; 2300 28th St. SW; 538-4439; 5835 Balsam Dr., Hudsonville, 6625088. mrburger.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

MUDPENNY

Coffee bar with all-day breakfast, sandwiches, burgers and salads. Catering available. Closed Sun. // 570 Grandville Ave SW, 259-5353; 496 Ada Dr SE, 2595353. mudpenny.com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

PEPPINO’S PIZZERIA AND SPORTS GRILLE

Italian/American menu. Full bar. Open daily. // 130 Ionia Ave SW, 456-8444; 1515 Eastport Dr SE, Kentwood, 554-8880. peppinospizza.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$$

PITA HOUSE

Sami’s gyros, Middle East specialties. No alcohol. Open daily. // 1510 Wealthy St SE, 454-1171; 3730 28th St SE, 940-3029. thepitahouse.net. Lunch, Dinner $

REAL FOOD CAFÉ

Fresh, locally sourced traditional favorites, scrambles and made-from-scratch baked goods; plus, soups, sandwiches and salads for lunch. Cash only. Closed Mon. // 2419 Eastern Ave SE, 241-4080; 3514 Plainfield Ave NE, 3611808. Facebook. Breakfast, Lunch $

RED GERANIUM

Breakfast and lunch favorites, omelettes, pancakes and burgers. No alcohol. Open daily. // 6670 Kalamazoo Ave SE, 656-9800; 5751 Byron Center Ave SW, 532-8888. redgeraniumcafe.com.

Breakfast, Lunch $

SUNDANCE BAR & GRILL

Southwestern-infused cuisine, margarita bar. Open daily. // Waters Building, 151 Ottawa Ave NW, 776-1616; 5755 28th St SE, Cascade, 956-5644. sundancegrill. com. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Mon-Sat) $$

TACOS EL CAPORAL

Mexican fare, with menudo Sat and Sun. No alcohol. Open daily. // 1260 Burton St SW, 246-6180; 1717 28th St SW, 261-2711. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner $

TACOS EL CUÑADO

Fajitas, tacos, burritos and other Mexican fare. No alcohol. Locations are individually owned and operated. // 1342 Grandville Ave SW, 452-1266; 455 Burton St SW, 248-9099; 1024 Bridge St NW, 475-800. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

TAMALES MARY

Tamale-centered Mexican restaurant featuring 18 types of tamales, plus other Mexican dishes and daily buffet specials. No alcohol. Open daily. // 1253 Burton St SW, 288-5007; 1551 Wealthy St. SE, 724-4269. tamalesmarygr.com. Lunch, Dinner $

THE OMELETTE SHOPPE

Fourteen signature omelettes, selection of quiches and baked goods. No alcohol. Open daily. // 545 Michigan St NE, 726-5800; 1880 Breton Rd SE, 7267300. omeletteshoppe.com. Breakfast, Lunch $

UCCELLO’S RISTORANTE, PIZZERIA & SPORTS LOUNGE

Italian specialties, including pizza, entrées, burgers, sandwiches. Full bar. Open daily. // 122 Monroe Center NW, 773-1687; 2630 East Beltline Ave SE, 954-2002; 3940 Rivertown Pkwy SW, Grandville, 249-9344; 4787 Lake Michigan Dr NW, Standale, 735-5520; 8256 Broadmoor Ave SE, Caledonia, 8911100; 19 N Main St, Rockford, 866-0666. uccellos. com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

VITALE’S PIZZERIA

Multiple locations serving pizza, pasta and more from family recipes. Full bar. // 6650 E Fulton St, 676-5401, vitalesada.com; 5779 Balsam Dr, Hudsonville, 662-2244, vitaleshudsonville.com; 834 Leonard St NE, 458-8368, theoriginalvitales.com; 3868 West River Dr NE, Comstock Park, 784-5011. vitalessportsbar.com. Lunch, Dinner $-$$

Local architect honors MLK with poetry, monument

Proud GRPS alumni recalls poem about Martin Luther King, the moment he grew up.

BY LISA ENOS

April is National Poetry Month and this year (2023) marks 55 years since the assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.

Just before MLK Day in January of this year, Grand Rapids Public Schools circulated a video interview of one of its prominent alumni, an architect by the name of Marshall Purnell.

Purnell earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture & Urban Planning, and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan before going on to teach design at the University of Maryland. He eventually became a partner at the firm Devrouax and Purnell Architects and Planners, PC in Washington D.C.

As the Design Principal of Devrouax & Purnell Architects Planners, some of the projects Purnell helped spearhead include (and this list is by no means exhaustive):  the $850 million Washington Convention Center, the $700 million Washington Nationals Baseball Park and the Washington NBA and NHL venue Verizon Center.

A notable highlight of the 1968 Ottawa Hills High School graduate’s career is his appointment as the first African American architect to serve as the national president of the American Institute of Architects. He’s given countless lectures around the world and is the author of at least two books.

He described his most rewarding project as a designer in the emotional GRPS interview: working on the Martin Luther King memorial.

“I just couldn’t believe they were paying me to do it,” he said, and recalled a sequence of events when he was 17 years old that changed his life.

"I was in high school when he died, April 4, 1968... He died on a Thursday," said Purnell referring to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

“The assignment for Friday was to have written a memory selection, you know, a poem. You had to write an original poem.

“That night I wrote this poem through my tears,” said Purnell. He went into English class the next day and recited it.

Some lines from the poem include:

“He died today, yes he died today, Yes, for you and me he died Now I have a dream, as glorious as his, That American has at last opened its eyes. Oh God, let us believe in this dream. More important, let us make it come about”

The poem concludes with:

“For in this dream I visioned the sands of time, And time has just about run out. The king is dead.

Long live the king.”

The teacher was impressed.

There was a march scheduled in downtown Grand Rapids that weekend.

“Thousands of people in the street , and I was asked to read my poem that I wrote,” Purnell told the interviewer.

“And when the Sunday paper came out showing this picture of the whole event, I was the one on stage at the mic. And they had reprinted, I think, three or four of the stanzas that I wrote in my poem,” Purnell said.

The son of professional jazz saxophonist Curtis Purnell, Marshall turned his attention to sports in high school and helped his team win the state championship as a point guard on the Bengals basketball team.

When his photo appeared in the Grand Rapids Press on Sunday, April 7, 1968, the caption beneath the photo read: “Ottawa Hills Athlete Marshall Purnell Reads His Tribute to Dr. King.”

“I tell people that’s the day…that I grew up,” Purnell said. “That’s the day that I understood the power of the spoken word. That gave me the confidence when I went to college to not have to worry about coming back, getting a job…I knew that I could make it in this world.

“I’m a proud GRPS alumni because it gave me a basis for success.”

Marshall Purnell reads his poem about Martin Luther King (April, 1963).