And my Heart turns violently inside my chest...

A couple of weeks ago I went home to Grand Rapids to take in the magic of autumn in West Michigan.  G, A, and I ventured out to Robinette's for cider, donuts, pumpkins, and wine tasting.  We wanted to tackle all of the fall cliches in one day.

G and A

Several hours later, still sloshing with cider and shaking crumbs of cinnamon sugar off of our clothes, we found ourselves sitting around G's dining room table (fun fact: Once upon a time the Gambles had the same table as the Grotenhuises do).*  Another A had joined our ranks and for the first time in a very long time I was at peace.  We sat there, making stupid jokes and chastizing one another for ditzy comments or absurd proclamations ("Eat your WORDS!"-G to A for no real reason).

I had left home, expecting to experience the glamor and excitement of Chicago.

In all honesty, I thought the girls around that table were far more glamorous than anyone I had shared the red line with in the last two months.  I was more excited at the prospect of hitting up a family friendly apple orchard than I get about wandering around the Loop.

My brother recently blogged that there are places that are great to visit and there are places that are great to live in.  He is absolutely right.  There are hundreds of thousands of people that love living in Chicago.  W is one of them, God bless her, but for me, this move has been largely disappointing.  I am currently doing everything within my power to move back to Michigan.

I can still see how Chicago can feel like home... for other people.  It has everything anyone could need, but for me, I need to be back in my Michigan cocoon.  It doesn't have my friends (save for W), my family, or my heart.  It is all too easy to get lost in a city like Chicago.  Here, one person doesn't matter unless they have millions and are starting their own TV network (looking at you Oprah!).  Grand Rapids is undergoing a major revitalization.  I can contribute to that.  I want to contribute to that.  I miss open roads, stars, crack fries, and even awkward patriotic salutes at Mojo's.

I have spent more time in prayer over the last two months than I probably ever have in my life.  If nothing else, I have learned to really value my relationship with God throughout this transition.  I lost the comforts of home that blinded me to how much I need to rely on God.  Moving here stripped away all of the distractions I had at home.  I know that that seems counterintuitive, but its true.  I lost my comforts and my routines.  I learned to rely on God's peace, and on his providence. 

God is good.

I am coming home.

InternExtern

For the past twelve weeks I have been serving as the research intern for the Grand Rapids Children's Museum. 

Tuesday will be the last day I race up the back stairwell to the office in hopes of grabbing the parking pass before the other interns. 

It will be the last time I curse myself for trusting the 90 degree temperature outside as an indicator that I will not need a sweater in the 64 degree office. 

It will be the last time I walk out of my office and see three little puppeteers performing an improvised masterpiece for their grandfather just outside the office door. 

I know that I have lamented this internship before.  It sucks knowing that I just committed 140 hours to a job that doesn't pay.  And while I subscribe to the belief that all experience is good experience, I just can't see where researching the ways in which play benefits child development will help me down the road. Those factors aside, I will miss that place.  The employees at the Children's Museum really love their jobs, even Sandra in accounting and Jack the IT guy.

I will miss the mid-afternoon theatrical displays put on by the Grand Rapids Hobo players in Veteran's park, just outside the museum windows.  I will even miss being offered sips from overflowing pimp cups, in exchange for my spare change as I sidestep saxophone cases and haggard old men sleeping on the pavement.

Perhaps I will still wander down there once in a while, just to eat my classic veggie from Grand Central Market in front of the outside mural.

Local, the Best Flavor of All (pt. 2)

I am currently working on a personal website for my WRT 351 class (web design).

One feature I have on the site is: Where Can I Find Stephanie?

To answer that question, Robyn and I traversed the city last night taking shots of our favorite places.

Best Beer in GR? HopCat.  Also- Crack fries and Smoke free... Hummina hummina!

Best meeting place? Rosa Parks Circle.  Also- Ice Skating in the winter.  "Where do you want to meet up?"
"Rosa Parks, we'll go from there..."

Best Art Museum? Um, the GRAM.  Fabulous.  (However, GR is full of galleries and spaces for people to display their Art.  Love this city.)

Best Local Book Store? Schuler's features great local writers and music, as well as a large used book section and hard to find books.  Also, any place that sells wine by glass and books is okay by me.

Best Orange Chicken? Xo.  No one know how to pronounce this place's name, so we like to call it "ecks-oh".  Great Chinese food, great Thai food, great atmosphere.  Patio and Oberon.  Life is good.

Best Sandwiches in GR? The Cherry Deli.  Too bad the girl that works there is awkward and mean.  She almost didn't let me take this pictures:

(Actually that's the nice girl, the mean one went in the back)

Best Coffee/Tea House? The Sparrows.  Oh hey Robyn! Bubble tea? sure.

Best City in Michigan? Grand Rapids. My sweet little city on the river.  

Love this town.

Local... the best flavor of all!

March 16: 64 degrees in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Nothing but sunshine and blue skies today.

In case you aren't familiar with March in West Michigan, the average temps are usually in the upper 30's to lower 40's. It is not bizarre for us to have snow right up through Easter.

Fortunately, that was not the case today. I spent the afternoon happily roaming the East Hills neighborhood of Grand Rapids with A. We lunched at the Electric Cheetah where they have the best chicken salad in all of America (I'm quite the connoisseur of chicken salad, so take my word for it).

(I did not take this picture)

We criss-crossed Cherry, Wealthy, and Fulton, stopping to peruse the locally owned shops, run by the friendly folks of Grand Rapids.

(UrbanExchange)

(Lamb...duh)

The more we wandered, the more I thought about how much I truly love this city.  Grand Rapids is truly ingrained deep down inside of me.  There is so much happening in this city.  SO much.  Soon summer time in Grand Rapids will be upon us.  Summer festival, ArtPrize, Celebration on the Grand, the State Games, and countless other fabulous events will take place. 

This Friday will be Google Flash Mob day.  GR is a strong contender in becoming the first test city for Google fiber.  This will be such a great opportunity for my city full of artists and entrepreneurs.  

Can I really leave the story of Grand Rapids just as I am getting to the good part?  I don't think I could forgive myself...

Naturally A and I concluded our afternoon by splitting a Monster Cookie from Marie Catrib's:

(Ms. Catrib herself, "We love you, pass it on.)

I love this place.  Le sigh...

She's got you high...

I was reading the paper this morning over my bowl of Corn Chex and coffee. (I like to read the editorials and letters to the press. Grand Rapids is full of elderly embittered Dutchmen who hate all new things coming to the city. They voice their distaste by writing to the editor.)

Anyway... Mr. Rob Bliss was featured as a guest columnist today. He is definitely a music student, not a writer, but he expressed fantastic sentiment and said what I've been saying for years about my city.



I love Grand Rapids. I love that everything is becoming a little landmark. I love that it is being turned over to my generation. I love that people my age want to better this city. I'm excited to see where the city goes, as the community embraces the arts and becomes a medical mecca for the state.



The last few years have been tough on Michigan. My state was once a manufacturing powerhouse. I drive by empty assembly plants every day on my way to work. They are now the skeletal remains of what was once our claim to fame. Thousands of people lost their jobs and their homes as our industrial state disintegrated.

We didn't prepare ourselves for this inevitable shift.

I don't want to sound cold, or insensitive, but this change is going to be cathartic. Michigan is no longer tethered to the automotive industry. We are in a position to diversify the state. There is so much here to see, love, and explore. Its almost like we get to start over.



Grand Rapids is in the forefront of that. We have the fabulous GRAM, wonderful restaurants, the medical mile, a developing nightlife, ArtPrize, $1 beer nights at the Griffins Games, and so many places designed to be the area's best kept secrets.



I wish I could take Grand Rapids with me when I go.