Opened in September 2013, the Grand Rapids Downtown Market is growing and changing all the time. With an indoor Market Hall open seven days a week, an outdoor farmer’s market open on summer Saturdays, a teaching kitchen, an incubator kitchen and fun, free public events, the Market is a food-lovers’ paradise.
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March. The month of St. Patrick’s Day, four-leaf clovers, the arrival of spring and all things green and alive! For me, this year it is also a month of new adventures, new neighborhoods, new chapters and new beginnings!
A year ago, I realized a long-time dream of moving to Northern Michigan! With no set plan, other than a general idea that I wanted to be near Traverse City, I began searching Craig’s List for rental properties had enough space to welcome visiting family and friends.
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After two successful years in Shelby Township, Michigan By The Bottle Tasting Room recently opened its second location in Royal Oak on Woodward Ave., just south of Webster.
With the opening of the original Shelby Township location in December 2012, MBTB Tasting Room became the first establishment in the state to unite multiple previously unaffiliated wineries in a single tasting room. The Royal Oak location opened in December 2014.
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Just after the first of the year, I decided it was time to get back out there trying new experiences around the state of Michigan! When I launched Promote Michigan more than 10 years ago, I took this quest seriously — engaging in an aggressive “try something new every month” campaign. It worked, and for a while I even blogged about it pretty consistently — I even contemplated a book recapping the experiences (which still isn’t out of the question).
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One of the greatest gifts I received this holiday season was a pen pal from Mexico. Her name is Jazmin and she lives with her family in a small village, on $96 a month! Less than my average grocery bill (per week) and often less than what I drop, without hesitation, for a meal and a bottle of wine at any number of restaurants around Michigan. Imagine living on less than $1,200 a year! I pay more than that a month for rent and utilities here at the Blog Cabin. How’s that for an eye opener!
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The Perry Hotel has been welcoming guests since 1899, when Dr. Norman J. Perry built it—just four years after Petoskey was incorporated as a city. He operated the hotel until 1919, when it was purchased by Drs. John and George Reycraft. They intended to convert it into a hospital, but the city’s leaders felt there was such a demand for a year-round hotel that they convinced the brothers to build their hospital in another location.
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The northwoods of Michigan were meant for alpine skiing. Vertical runs veer downward past towering evergreens and hardwoods, with picturesque vistas spread out for miles in every direction.
Some 40 ski areas – with collectively more than 900 runs – proudly call Michigan home. Here, skiers of all abilities make tracks on the fresh powdered slopes in this wintery playground.
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Grand Rapids-born Chris Van Allsburg has been writing and illustrating children’s books for more than 30 years, collecting awards – including the esteemed Caldecott Medal – for his distinctive works like The Polar Express. In all, Van Allsburg has written and illustrated 15 books, as well as illustrating three others written by Mark Helprin.
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With its blend of fresh water and creative talent, Michigan’s craft beer industry is taking the state and the country by storm. Ranking fifth nationwide in breweries — already over 130 and counting — the Great Beer State is a burgeoning market for unique brews.
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As winter settles along Michigan’s shoreline, festive harbor towns welcome holiday shoppers seeking unique gifts.
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The long-anticipated opening of the null Taphouse at Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales production brewery has been a welcome addition to the Dexter community.
“This tasting room has been in the works for decades,” says Ron Jeffries, Jolly Pumpkin co-founder, co-owner and Brewmaster. “We’ve always wanted to have a great place for people to enjoy the beers that we brew on-site and we’re excited to unveil this new space which will allow us to do just that.”
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The earliest known picture postcard was a hand-painted design – posted with a “Penny Black Stamp” in London, to the writer Theodore Hook in 1840. The Penny Black was the world’s first adhesive postage stamp – issued on May 1, 1840. Displaying a portrait of Queen Victoria, it was primarily back in color and was one cent – thus, it became known as the Penny Black.
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The Gilmore Car Museum once again made history as it celebrated the Grand Opening of the new Cadillac-LaSalle Club Museum and Research Center on Sunday, September 28, 2014.
Located on the grounds of the Gilmore Car Museum, this 10,000 square-foot building is dedicated to maintaining and exhibiting collectible Cadillacs and LaSalles, with the focus of the new museum and research center being to protect, promote and share the exciting history of these premier automobiles as well as their impact in the United States and worldwide over the past 100-plus years.
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