Author: Jennifer Furner

I had my first sip of coffee when I was in third or fourth grade. We were at my grandfather’s house on Sunday morning, like we were every Sunday morning. When we entered the house through the dining room, we shouted hello to my relatives awaiting us in the living room while Mom set her purse down on the table and Dad went into the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee. I don’t remember what prompted me to follow him. But I remember standing in Grandpa’s carpeted kitchen next to the gold-speckled linoleum countertops and my dad offering his coffee cup. I slurped a tiny drop of the black liquid into my mouth and winced. I didn’t want to swallow, but I didn’t want the taste to stay in my mouth any longer. In the end, it didn’t matter. The aroma lingered on my tongue the rest of the morning, making me nauseous.

They say you have to get used to coffee in order to enjoy it; you have to learn to love it. Throughout school, I thought this was the stupidest thing I ever heard. Why would you continually force yourself to drink something that is disgusting just so you can, what, fit in with mainstream adult America? I didn’t see the point.

Over time, I did learn to love coffee. And it wasn’t easy. But I love coffee now, couldn’t imagine my life without it. I love the smell and the taste. I love the morning ritual of brewing a pot and sipping the steaming hot liquid that helps me transition from sleep to wakefulness.

While in some cities, there’s a Starbucks on every corner, I’m happy to say that is not the case in Grand Rapids. There is an abundance of local, independent coffee shops that are all unique in their own way.

So when I’m downtown and in the mood for coffee, the first place I consider going is [MadCap](http://madcapcoffee.com/). It has big windows that look out onto one of the main streets of the city, so it’s the perfect place to enjoy the view and people watch. It reminds me a lot of Italian coffee shops; the serve my cappuccino in the same little white teacups and use the foam to draw designs in the espresso. It’s bright and open and simplistic, and I feel comfortable there.

Another coffee shop I may consider is [Lantern](http://lanterncoffee.com/). It’s newer—only two years old. It looks like a small shop when you enter, but then you can go down the couple of steps after ordering at the counter, and there is a warm cozy hideway with plush furniture and antique (you guessed it) lanterns hanging on the exposed brick walls. In this coffee shop, I forget about the bustling city and whatever else may be on my mind and I can really relax and enjoy a delicious cup of joe.

But in the spirit of this blog project, I figured it’s time for me to venture out and try one of the city’s other superb coffeehouses.


The Bitter End is a coffee shop I’ve always wanted to try. I’ve heard a lot about it from my college roommate and her Physician Assistant-to-be friends years ago when they would study there. It’s a rather popular spot for students—very close to the downtown campus of GVSU and open 24-hours for all-night caffeine fueling. I myself was always better at cramming in the comfort of my own home, and as an English major, writing papers was more of a solitary activity, so I never had much excuse to visit the coffee shop. Until now, of course.

Upon entering, I could see why it might make the perfect study spot. There are lots of four-top tables, perfect for groups or large textbooks. Along the walls are smaller, more private tables with their own library lamps which create an academic mood. The faint music from crooners gone by plays overheard, but very quietly, so as to not disturb focused readers but only relax them.


The décor itself is rather eclectic. It has a 1920s Great Gatsby vibe. Their website has an unexplained picture of Gertrude Stein and her lover Alice B. Toklas, but if you know anything about the expatriate Americans in Paris in the ‘20s (which I do), you know that Gertrude Stein’s apartment was practically an art gallery; all its walls were full of paintings from up-and-coming artists of the time like, oh, you know, Picasso.


At the Bitter End, they have definitely followed in Gertrude’s footsteps, covering the walls in countless pieces of art. Even if you forgot your homework, there’s still plenty to look at in this little coffee shop.


The menu is huge for a coffee shop—probably the biggest I’ve ever seen. So if you’re the type of person who likes flavored drinks, then this is probably your heaven. Me, I always go for the cappuccino, and they brewed a pretty good one.

Of course, now I’m kicking myself that it took me so long to enter through Bitter End’s doors, but now that I have, I’ll definitely be back again.

*For more information about the Bitter End, visit their [website](http://www.thebitterendcoffeehouse.com/).*

When I was in high school, I was a majorette in the marching band. I’ll pause for a moment to let you laugh. I’m not ashamed. I loved baton twirling and I loved band. Sorry I’m not sorry.

Anyhow, for one of our halftime shows, the band performed the swing hit “Sing, Sing, Sing.” The majorettes and color guard combined forces, along with some male band members, to do a choreographed swing number. This was my first introduction to swing dance. I loved it so much that I talked a friend of mine into learning more swing and performing at our end-of-the-year talent show. I’ll pause again to give you another opportunity to laugh. Again, I feel no shame.

YouTube didn’t exist back then, so we somehow acquired a VHS tape of a swing-dancing couple that we watched over and over again. We spent many afternoons teaching ourselves how to swing dance and customizing our own routine. That’s where my love affair with swing dancing began. The fast turns, the flips, the kicks, the organized chaos of it all–I was hooked.

I know I am not alone in my love for swing dancing. A good portion of Grand Rapids loves swing dancing, too, believe it or not. And they come out and show it every Tuesday night in the summer.

Steve Zaagman, founder of the Grand Rapids Original Swing Society (also known as G.R.O.S.S.—yeah, they could have picked a better acronym), started teaching swing dancing in a college cafeteria in 2003 to a small group of students, according to *[Grand Rapids Business Journal](http://www.grbj.com/articles/75827-grand-rapids-original-swing-society-brings-unique-activity-to-downtown).* Over time, that group grew exponentially and transformed into G.R.O.S.S.

In 2012, G.R.O.S.S. organized a dance that broke the Guinness Book World Record for the largest number of people swing dancing in unison (765 people), according to [MLive](http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/12/its_official_grand_rapids_is_a.html).


I’ve wanted to attend one of these Tuesday night dance parties for as long as I’ve lived here. My husband, God bless him, has never been much for dancing. He has humored me from time to time, learning a few steps in our living room in preparation for a prohibition party and purchasing us dance lessons as an anniversary gift. But he does not feel the passion for it that I do, so I haven’t really had a partner/an excuse to experience it…until this blog project came about, that is.

So Tuesday night, we got in the car and drove downtown. They were supposed to be dancing on the Blue Bridge this week, so I drove across the Fulton Street bridge first to scope it out and see if anyone was out there. Boy, were there people out there. The bridge was packed.


I was super impressed that so many people in the city have learned to swing dance and enjoy dancing together every week. It’s inspiring to see so many people share their love of dancing openly for all to see. What’s really great about G.R.O.S.S. is that they encourage all ages and all experience levels to come out. So some people you could tell have been dancing for a while and some people are just starting out. And if you have zero experience with swing dance, then you can come early, and they’ll teach you a few moves.

What I saw was a lot of young people out there on the bridge—high school and college students. Older adults might expect that “kids these days” spend their time causing trouble or loafing in front of the television, but they aren’t doing anything like that. They’re out in the city, they’re active, they’re learning something new, and they’re having fun.


And from what I saw, it seems like that’s what G.R.O.S.S. is all about—having fun. It’s an easy, affordable way to get out on a Tuesday night, get some exercise, and hang out with fellow Grand Rapidians.

*Photo Credit: Brenda Pauley Bargenquast*

*To learn more about the Grand Rapids Original Swing Society, visit their [website](http://www.grandrapidsoriginalswingsociety.com/).*

There is a neighborhood just to the east of downtown called Heritage Hill. It is full of historic homes dating back to the mid 1800s. Slated for demolition in the 1960s, the neighborhood banded together to save and restore these important beacons of the city’s past. The houses have been restored appropriately to ensure accurate representation of their original grandeur. Most of them serve as residential single-family homes but some have been split into rentable apartments.

Every spring, a group of these homeowners open their doors to the public for touring. Slews of locals and out-of-towners wait on sidewalks and front steps to don blue disposable boot covers and shuffle across the refinished hardwood floors of these beautiful, elegant, and impressive manors. Elaborate chandeliers, ornamental crown moldings, and intricate stained glass patterns of days gone by are complimented with modern luxuries like granite countertops and copper fixtures. The words in everyone’s heads and on everyone’s lips are “dream home.” Ever since I moved here, it has been a dream of mine to buy and restore one of these treasures.


Of course, historic building always have their quirks. Some are physical, like rusted pipes or creaking floors. Some are more of an abnormal nature. It is rumored that Heritage Hill is the most haunted neighborhood in Michigan.

A friend of mine lived in one of the houses. It was a creepy looking building for sure. Rust-red brick gave way to green scalloped siding halfway up the house. A heavy wooden door that took two hands to pull open guarded the entrance, and inside, a dimly-lit foyer was empty except for a grand staircase of dark wood; antique oil portraits of Victorian strangers hung on the walls.

This friend swore that a ghost lived in his bathroom. It made things clatter and rattled the door while he relaxed in his bedroom. I’m not inclined to believe in ghosts, and nothing supernatural ever happened when I came to visit. Yet, when I was over, I put the call of nature on hold, and when I left, I stared at my feet and ran down the historic steps, ripping the door open with both hands as I bolted towards my car.


The Heritage Hill neighborhood is peculiarly quiet and peaceful, even though it is adjacent to a bustling and boisterous downtown. And while I always enjoy walking through the tree-lined streets in the warm summer sun and admiring these stately dwellings, I always sense something eerie lurking not too far behind.

I, too, lived in one of these historic homes for a spell. The house I lived in was built in 1907 and hadn’t yet received its dream home renovation. It was mostly rented out to college kids. I lived there with three other girls, and the house clearly had its quirks. It had a narrow stairway, creaky floors, and you had to walk through one of the bedrooms to get another bedroom.

Like I said, I don’t believe in ghosts. So when I would wake up in the middle of the night and my lamp would be turned on when I knew for sure that I had turned it off before going to sleep, I would use the rationale that lightswitch was faulty. And when I heard banging while taking a shower in the ancient claw-foot bathtub, I would tell myself they were just the sounds of a 100-year-old house settling.

These are my explanations. But who knows if they were the right explanations? In houses that old, you can never be too certain what is hiding behind the walls.

*For more information about the Heritage Hill neighborhood, visit their [website](http://www.heritagehillweb.org/)*

Here’s the thing. I love libraries.

But I don’t really read that much. I definitely don’t read as much as someone with her Master’s in English should.

I’ll go to the library and I’ll check out ten books at once. And then I’ll return them late, have to pay a fee, and I probably didn’t even read a third of what I checked out.

It’s embarrassing. But I keep doing it. It’s something about the routine of it that comforts me. It’s like a treat. It soothes me the way drinking a chocolate shake or watching a romantic comedy would. It relaxes me.

This is especially enjoyable to do in the Main Branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library system. It’s unlike the other libraries around. It is the perfect combination of old and new. I can awe at its beauty and then hide in its stacks.


The original structure of the main branch is called the Ryerson Building and is named after the man who donated the building for the library, thus giving it a permanent home; the library was previously housed in City Hall but opened in its new residence in 1904.

The grandeur of its historic façade and the heavy wooden front doors protect a lobby of marble columns, alcove ceilings with crown molding, and decorative tiled floors. An ornate hardwood circulation desk sits in the corner opposite of a countertop of self-checkout computers, providing the charm of history with the convenience of modern day.


Marble steps lead upstairs to the magazine room and a large reception hall used for talks and panels on a variety of subjects. These rooms still emulate the vintage décor of the original building with tall iron windows and opulent moldings. I am not a magazine reader, but I make an exception for this beautiful reading room, which makes me feel like I’m studying for my PhD at some Ivy League School.


While the Ryerson portion of the library is beautiful and breathtaking, it was not nearly big enough to house the entire collection as it grew. So in 1967, a whole other building was attached to the back of the historic structure to make room for the many volumes. This building is comprised of five floors from subjects that vary from fiction for all ages to city archives to a whole collection on furniture designs, paying homage to our “Furniture City” background.


The building and its addition have gone through a number of renovations since then to make the library comfortable for patrons and impressive to passersby. If you ask me, the way it is now is perfect. It’s my favorite place in the city to blow a couple of hours meandering through the stacks and plucking books off the shelves.

*For more information about the GRPL Main Branch, visit their [website](http://www.grpl.org/)*

The first and only time I’ve seen *The Matrix* was at a friend’s lake cabin the summer after my freshman year of high school. A group of us sprawled out on a set of bunk beds and watched this technologically impressive movie on a 14-inch tube television in the middle of the day.

I remember, when it was finished, being confused about the movie’s message, but also in awe because I knew even then, at a mere 16 years old, it was an important movie.

Over the years, I’ve quoted its iconic lines (“I know kung fu”), referenced it in scavenger hunt clues (“follow the white rabbit”), and laughed at its parodies, patting myself on the back for having seen the movie and therefore able to understand the joke. But did I ever think to sit down and watch it again? No.

Now, thanks to Downtown GR (and this 30 days of GR project, I suppose), that is no longer true. On Friday night, there was a free outdoor showing of the movie at Ah-Nab-Awen Park (the same location as [Jazz in the Park](http://jenniferfurner.com/day-3-jazz-in-the-park/)), and since I hadn’t yet attended a “Movie in the Park” event, I decided to give it a try.


Downtown GR is an organization committed to supporting the city of Grand Rapids. Every year, they contribute more and more free events and amenities for the people of the city to enjoy. It’s an organization that essentially makes Grand Rapids “sparkle” by making it more beautiful, more approachable, more playful for everyone.

This is the third year for Movies in the Park. They host a movie every two weeks free of charge for anyone who wants to attend. They often have pre-movie entertainment that’s related to the feature presentation; in this case, they had kung fu demonstrations and a costume contest. Food trucks, still a novelty practice in Grand Rapids, line up in the grass offering all sorts of delicious movie snacks.


Husband and I showed up to the park around 8pm. Despite the drizzling rain and the movie not starting for another hour, the lawn was already crowded. We planted some lawn chairs in an empty square of grass and made ourselves comfortable.

Lucky for us, the rain eventually cleared out. With the help of the clouds, it soon became dark enough for the movie to start. Husband uncapped some bottles of beer and I got out the popcorn we brought with us as the movie began.

Anytime I watch a movie anywhere other than the couch, it feels more festive. Going to the theater or watching a movie at a drive-in often feels like a special occasion. And coming downtown on a Friday evening with a bunch of strangers to watch a movie together outside was no exception. The breeze blowing gently, bats flying overhead, the river rushing next to us, the lights of the city twinkling in my peripheral vision were all sensations I haven’t experienced in another movie environment. It added an extra layer of fun and whimsy onto the movie-watching experience.


But I think what makes Movies in the Park even more unique is that the movies they select to show come with a side of nostalgia.

None of the movies are new; most of the movies are iconic. Other showings this year were *Dirty Dancing, Dazed and Confused, E.T.,* and *Hook.* The last showing, happening in two weeks, is *Ghostbusters.* People want to watch these movies over and over again. They want to remember the first time they saw them; they want to remember the past. And when we watch movies like that together in a unique place, we revisit who we were then and we make new memories to think back on in the future.

When Neo bent himself backwards and dodged bullets, there was uncontrollable cheering and clapping. We all knew it was coming and we anticipated that iconic moment. We rejoiced that we could watch it happen again together.

Now when I think about *The Matrix*, when I quote it or reference it, I may still remember my 16-year-old self on the bunkbeds at my friend’s cabin, but I’ll definitely remember my 31-year-old self sitting in the park enjoying the film with my fellow Grand Rapidians.

*For more information about Movies in the Park, visit their [website](http://downtowngr.org/mitp/)*

Today I dropped off my visiting friend at her family’s house in Holland. Instead of taking M-6 back to my home in Kentwood, I decided to make a detour and go north towards the city. When driving towards Grand Rapids on 196-East, after passing the Lake Michigan Drive exit 75, for the briefiest moment, I am granted a beautiful overlook of the skyline of the city.


Senior year of college, I would drive from my fast-food job in Grandville back to my apartment in the city late at night. My crappy car had no air conditioning, so I rolled down the windows; the night breeze flooded the car and whipped my hair around my ears. The loud wind and the cool air helped me relax after a long day. And then I rounded the corner after passing the Lake Michigan Drive exit, and my beautiful city appeared almost out of nowhere, bright with its night lights. I gasped in awe and then sighed relief. I was home.


Even now, the sight still takes my breath away. It appears to me as the Emerald City must have appeared to Dorothy in *The Wizard of Oz.* It’s a magical place of possibility, and I’ll happily skip towards it to discover its treasures.


Photo credit: [City of Grand Rapids](http://grcity.us/police-department/Office%20of%20Film,%20Music%20and%20Special%20Events/Pages/default.aspx)

*This lookout is at a curvy part of the highway where traffic is often heavy. Please use caution as you admire the view.*

When you’ve lived in one place for a while, it’s easy to fall into a routine of go-to places. If I’m feeling like ordering Chinese for dinner, I have one specific place I order from because I know that I like it and it’s close to me. I hear there are a lot of good quality Chinese restaurants in the Grand Rapids area, and I might consider giving them a try someday, but after a long day when I don’t feel like cooking, I’m going to call on the old reliable.

As I mentioned in [Day 4’s entry](http://jenniferfurner.com/day-4-beer-city-usa/), I have a favorite couple of breweries that I frequent. Every now and again, we’ll shake things up and go to Grand Rapids Brewing Company, or if we find ourselves near the lakeshore, we’ll stop in at Oddsides on our way home. But most of the time, Founders, Harmony, and Vivant are our mainstays.
But this 30 days of Grand Rapids is about discovering new treasures in my city, so last night I tried the Mitten Brewing Company for the first time.

Mitten opened in 2012—I can hardly believe it’s been here for three years and this is only the first time I’m trying it. It’s on the northwest side of the city, which is not a neighborhood I have much excuse to visit anymore since I live in the southeast. Mitten is housed in an old fire engine house from the late 1800s—one of 11 historic firehouses in Grand Rapids built at the turn of the century. The brewery owners have renovated it themselves, updating the utilities for 21st-century use, but leaving the historic characteristics of the building, such as exposing the original brick and leaving the outside façade alone.


While it’s technically a sports bar, in that the taproom is basically a shrine to Tigers baseball, it doesn’t feel like a sports bar. The memorabilia on the wall is elegant and simplistic. There are a good number of televisions that outline the restaurant but they aren’t distracting. Paying homage to the historic value of the building, they use vintage baseball posters and pennants to decorate the space and even offer original Tiger stadium seats to lounge in if you have to wait for a table.

And we did have to wait for a table on a Wednesday evening, which I figure means that there is plenty of community support for this brewery. We wandered up to the bar and I was impressed with the long tap list for what appeared to be a rather modest space. Friend, Husband, and I all got different beers and then passed them around to each other for tastings. After every sampling sip, we all “mmm”-ed in agreement.

Most breweries offer beer flights, where you can get five to six beer samplings, and while Mitten offered beer flights, it was the pizza flights that intrigued me. For a very decent price, you could choose up to six pizzas to “sample.” The menu said it was enough of feed four, and we had three in our party. We ordered the Deluxe, the Hawaiian, the Pesto Chicken, the Thai Cobb, the Chipotle Barbecue, and the special which was sausage and peppadew peppers. Each of us got eight squares of pizza to eat, and we were stuffed and happy by the time the board was empty.


It was also Trivia Night, something I’ve always wanted to experience. Since none of us at the table had ever participated in a trivia night, we decided to just sit back and listen to the questions rather than have the stress of actually competing. It added a level of entertainment to the evening. When we weren’t immersed in our own conversation, we could watch the Tigers game, bop along to the music, or brainstorm answers to trivia questions. It was a great place to just hang out and have fun.

There are already a lot of breweries in GR, making it difficult for one to stand out over the others. I clearly have my favorites. Yet Mitten does stand out in the crowd as its own unique establishment. I think it’s safe to say that Mitten Brewing will be added to my list of mainstays from here on out.

*For more information about Mitten Brewing, visit their [website](http://www.mittenbrewing.com/)*

When I was a child, I wanted to adopt every animal I saw, no matter if that animal already had an owner or not. Throughout my childhood, I had two hamsters, two lizards, one turtle, one bird, two cats, and countless fish. I dreamed of carrying around a monkey on my shoulder and housing a killer whale in my backyard swimming pool. I loved animals.

I think children especially connect with animals. They want to take care of them, nurture them, love them. It’s a basic human need, to be connected with animals. As we get older, though, we get a little more sensible and more responsible about what kinds of animals we can take care of. But I feel like that love, that connection doesn’t ever really die. People often have pets and claim that those pets are valued members of their family.

I suppose that explains why people love zoos so much. It brings us back to that love, that connection we feel for all animals, not just the sensible ones who make good pets. There seems to be a zoo in every major city, and Grand Rapids is no exception. In my 13 years of living here, I have been to John Ball Zoo on many occasions, and it’s a great park. It is small enough to see everything in a couple of hours but big enough to house some interesting animals. It’s got a lot of trees that are great for shade and give it a secluded feel to help you forget about the nearby city and focus more on the natural habitat where these animals would otherwise be found.


It’s been a while since I’ve visited, I will admit. But this week, a Grand Rapidian-turned-Seattleite who happens to be a dear friend of mine is visiting, and she said she had never been to the zoo, so what better excuse to revisit a city staple than to take a first-timer?

When rediscovering the zoo, I found that what makes John Ball Zoo different is how interactive it can be. It helps that my visiting friend has a seize-the-opportunity attitude, so when I asked her if she wanted to go pet the farm animals or enter the cage where they keep the budgie birds, her answer was always in the affirmative. These exhibits allowed us to get up close and personal with the animals. I actually got caught in the middle of a three-way goat head-butting. These animals are so used to people being around that they went about their normal business right next to the visiting humans. They weren’t scared of us; in fact, they hardly seemed to notice us.


Is it healthy for animals to react this way towards humans? I would say it’s not UNhealthy. Humans and animals having a trusting relationship, even if it may be unnatural, seems positive to me, especially when those animals rely on humans to take care of them.

And from what I can tell of the John Ball Zoo Keepers, they do an excellent job of not only taking care of the animals but interacting with them as well. We made it to the aquarium just as staff were feeding the penguins. A woman sat in the habitat with handfuls of fish, feeding the penguins who crowded in front of her. Every now and again, she would toss a handful of morsels into the water for the others to fight over. When a little boy asked her if she knew which penguins were which, she easily identified each by its name with a finger point: Fernando, Herbie, Octavia. One little penguin played with her boot when she stuck it in the water, swimming around it and nibbling on it; the penguin maneuvered itself on top of the boot, and the staff person flicked the penguin up in the air. The penguin splashed into the pool and then swam back over to the boot to be flung again.

This human and these penguins have a relationship with each other, a healthy relationship that involves trust. The penguin who played with her boot trusted her to not kick him in a way that would injure him; he could trust the staff person to play with him without causing him harm.


When I was visited the zoo a couple years ago with my cousin, we were watching the chimpanzees relaxing in their habitat. All of a sudden, one chimpanzee got up, grabbed a piece of poop from the ground and came running in our direction. Well aware that apes are known for flinging poop, we backed up from the railing with fear in our eyes. Luckily, the chimp didn’t have very good aim, and the feces went more up in the air than out at us.

“That poop was meant for me,” we heard someone say behind us. We turned around and there was a staff person standing there. “I gave him a shot earlier, and he’s still mad at me about it,” she continued.

The way she phrased this seemed odd to me, as though she was normally friends with the chimp but now he was upset with her and not talking to her and flinging poop at her. But she was confident the chimp would get over it and they could be friends again. Perhaps even the chimp knew that the zookeeper was only trying to help and not harm him. Their connection seemed to resemble the same connection shared among human friends.

John Ball Zoo really celebrates these human-animal relationships. They appreciate their animals and respect them as individuals with personalities and emotions. And the zookeepers are really passionate about what they do and want to educate the zoo’s visitors about who these animals really are. Visiting John Ball Zoo helps you connect again to that desire to love and nuture all animals.

*For more information about John Ball Zoo, visit their [website](http://www.jbzoo.org/)*

I furrowed my brow and tapped my lips with my index finger as my eyes scanned the chalkboard. A clean-shaven man with dimples flashed a knowing smile at me, like he’d seen my type a thousand times. “I can help you decide. What kind of beer do you like?” Assuming he had mistaken me for a novice, I moved my finger from my lips to the air in front of my face. “Oh, no, this is not my first rodeo,” I assured him. I knew all the beers on the list. There were just too many good choices, and I couldn’t pick one.

Grand Rapids is Beer City, USA. That’s the title that was given to us two years in a row by [Beer Advocate](http://www.beeradvocate.com/). When they stopped holding that public-voting contest, we were still the reigning champions, so we’ve adopted it as our own for now until the end of the time. And with 14 breweries within city limits, I think it’s a rather fitting title.

It’s been interesting to see Grand Rapids transform into a tourist hub for beer lovers from all over. Founders, once a small intimate taproom, is now a sprawling setup with three bars and a massive outdoor beer garden. There is no day or time when you can count on it being empty. It is always full with locals and visitors alike.


Photo credit: Experience GR

I’ve never been a fan of crowds, but for Founders, I make an exception. On a nice summer day when I just want a beer and I can stand out on the patio listening to music and watching people, I don’t mind parking a mile away or waiting in line for a drink. Founders is my happy place.

Even with the crowds, Founders stays surprisingly quiet and laid-back. It still feels like the neighborhood bar. A lot of the bartenders have been serving there for years, so it makes you feel like you know the people there, even if you don’t really. Inside, the taproom is expansive and the ceilings are tall, so even when it’s full of people, it still feels open.

When going to Founders, you know you’re getting the best quality of everything. The beer is always good and it’s always varied. Founders provides a list of regulars but there’s always something new written up on the chalkboard for me to try. The food is delicious. Their sandwiches are huge and unique, but a lot of times I splurge on the hot crab dip because it’s gooey and comforting. And the atmosphere, as I’ve said already, just can’t be beat. There’s no better place to kick back and relax than at Founders.


But Grand Rapids is Beer City, so I can’t give all the credit to one place when there are so many other top-notch craft breweries to explore.

Another favorite of mine is Brewery Vivant in Eastown, which specializes in the Belgian tradition of brewing. The first time I visited Vivant was on my 29th birthday. When my husband suggested we go to a pub for my birthday dinner, I was somewhat disappointed that he didn’t think of something a little more fancy or special. But Vivant quickly won me over with its atmosphere, its food, and its one-and-only Farmhand Ale. It turned out being one of my favorite birthday dinners ever. Vivant is still our go-to location for special occasions.

The taproom used to be a 100-year-old funeral chapel. The original church lights and the large stained-glass window retain the character of the original purpose, as do pew-like benches which form booths along the wall. With my troubled Catholic background, drinking in church sounds like a dream come true. Large wooden tables fill the middle of the room, encouraging strangers to eat and drink in close proximity to each other.


Photo credit: Grand Rapids To-Do

We recently patroned Vivant on a lovely summer evening, and discovered that they have added a beautiful covered patio as well. We got the beer cheese with pretzels and the duck nachos, our standard go-tos. I really enjoy their excellent fries that come with a delectable aioli for dipping.

Another great local brewpub is Harmony Brewing, but my reasons for loving this bar are more sentimental and personal. Don’t get me wrong–they have amazing pizzas and they brew some great beer. They have a great outdoors seating area, just like the others. But what I love about this pub is the time I’ve spent here with friends having deep and drunken discussions about life and love. Whenever I enter her doors, these memories wash over me and I feel at home.


Photo credit: Rapid Growth Media

And that’s what a good bar should be–a place where you feel like you’re home. It’s a feeling I get at all these pubs. When people come from out of town for our world-class beer, I welcome them in like I’d welcome someone into my home. Whenever I hear someone who sounds like an out-of-towner, I lean over and say, “Do you need some suggestions? I’m a local.” I love to brag about my city, and the breweries are the best places to find avid listeners.

*For more information about these great brewpubs, visit [Founders website](http://foundersbrewing.com/), [Brewery Vivant’s website](http://www.breweryvivant.com/), and [Harmony’s website](http://harmonybeer.com/).*

The West Michigan Jazz Society has been hosting free jazz concerts on Monday evenings for 15 years now. My husband and I have only been attending for three, and it’s become a beloved tradition of our summer.

It’s a routine that I always tell people about. Word of mouth is how we found out about these concerts originally, so I pay it forward every chance I get. I’m surprised how many people I run into who have no idea it exists.

What I love about these concerts is how laid back they are. People bring lawn chairs, tables, and baskets full of food and wine and beer. It’s more like someone opened up their backyard and let all the neighbors come over for a big picnic.

When we first started going, the concerts were held at the band shell outside the entrance to the zoo. It was then called Jazz at the Zoo, or as my husband and I affectionately called it “Jazzoo.” (Later, the jazz society started calling it that, too, but I like to think we started the trend.) There were big trees that provided shade, and it was tucked away in a little alcove, like it was our little secret (along with hundreds of other people).

This year it moved to Ah-Nab-Awen Park on the river next to the Gerald R. Ford Museum. Regular attendees, including me, were disappointed by this announcement. There weren’t any trees there—how would we stay cool in the hot summer evenings? There wasn’t a lot of parking—finding a spot would be a nightmare. The park is on a hill—where will we set up our lawn chairs?

I went to the first jazz concert this year expecting the worst out of the new location. But it turned out to be the best-case scenario. There is plenty of shade, there is plenty of parking, and there is plenty of space to set up my lawn chair. And better yet, now there’s even a view.


At the most recent concert, the lead singer told us that the Native American “Ah-Nab-Awen” means “resting place” in English, which is a most appropriate title for that park on Monday nights. Mondays have the connotation of being miserable; after a nice relaxing weekend, people go back to their stressful work lives. But no one is stressed on Monday evenings at Ah-Nab-Awen with the smooth sounds of jazz and the soft breeze blowing off the river. I kick off my shoes and lean back in my chair. It’s a nice way to take the edge off of the beginning of the week.

While I rest, I enjoy people-watching. As I sip my beer and tap my toe, I watch children twirl around in circles until they get dizzy and fall down on the squishy grass with a smile. A regular elderly couple gets up every now and again and bops along to the swing beat with a routine they’ve learned at dance class. A little girl wanders over to a man who has a golden retriever in his lap and asks if she can pet the puppy. She pats the dog’s head timidly while it laps up wine in a forgotten plastic tumbler in the cup holder of the folding chair.


Jazz in the Park will cure anyone’s case of the Mondays.

*For more information about the West Michigan Jazz Society, visit their [website](http://www.wmichjazz.org/)*