Hoppy National Beer Day! Best Double IPA, Imperial IPA beers for hopheads - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Hoppy National Beer Day! Nope that's not a typo: hoppy beer is what makes hopheads happy! They crave beers bursting with bitter, pine-resin, citrus-spice hop notes. The hoppiest tipple is an IPA (India Pale Ale). And the coup de grace is Double IPA or Imperial IPA. Here are the best double and imperial IPA beers. All are Michigan beers, oh frabjuous day! <---That's me and my pub hub pal at Odd Side! Hoppy National Beer Day! Best Double IPA, Imperial IPA beers for hopheads - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Satanists erect anti-Christmas demonic nativity scene at Michigan State Capitol

A Satanist group put up an anti-Christmas demonic nativity display at Michigan's State Capitol. West Michigan Star 105.7's Tommy Dylan reported on the Satanic Temple of Detroit's "Snaketivity Scene," Dec. 17. The Satanists call their counter-nativity display "Knowledge is the Greatest Gift" as per theFacebook page.



The Michigan State Capitol Commission approved the Satanists request to erect their holiday display, based on first amendment rights, and pending promises to abide by on-grounds display rules.  Satanists erect anti-Christmas demonic nativity scene at Michigan State Capitol

Halloween 2014 Spooktacular trick-or-treat fun in Pentwater, Michigan

Pentwater, Michigan is West Michigan's place to be this Saturday October 25, 2014. It's the 7th annual Halloween Spooktacular! Enjoy a lollapalooza of trick-or-treat and fall-themed fun for the whole family. Check Pentwater's Spooktacular page for updates. Here's what to expect.Halloween 2014 Spooktacular trick-or-treat fun in Pentwater, Michigan - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

 

ArtPrize Frustrations and Fails, Artprize 2014 Disappoints

Well, we just visited ArtPrize 2014 (a public-juried art show/contest downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan). I go every year because I love art. But this year, ArtPrize signally failed to impress. There were very few large, 3D pieces. The prime locations--bridges, Grand River, museum lawns, B.O.B.--had few, if any, pieces. The B.O.B's parking lot, always a hot spot crammed with fascinating pieces was mostly food trucks and DJ stands this year. I feel like I called this last year, when I enumerated the fails of ArtPrize.  ArtPrize 2013 Frustrations and Fails.



I got a Smartphone this year and was supposed to be able to vote (one of my biggest peeves of ArtPrize is the need to vote by phone). But the app didn't even work. Also, I just learned that some of the prizes are awarded by a panel--thus negating the concept of "public-juried" as we've always been led to believe ArtPrize was. It's kind of  like the beefs with the electoral college vs. popular vote in elections. And that small panel seems to have a bias, or at least a very different idea of what constitutes art, than the general public. Take Gon Kiron, the fire breathing dragon from Detroit. That entry WAS ArtPrize 2013. It was always featured in media, newscasts, articles, etc. People came to ArtPrize specifically to see Gon Kiron. Downtown

merchants have Gon Kiron artists to thank for the huge influx of business. It was big, loud, interactive, hands-on, loved by all ages and tons of fun! It was probably expensive for operators to feed that thing all the propane it  needed for nightly fire shows that people mobbed the BOB (I can attest to standing room only) to see.



But it didn't even place in the top 25. I think these problems led to fewer high-quality entries. Artists don't want to bother putting lots of energy and time into a piece when judging is so (I'm sorry to say it) incompetent. If coordinators don't fix some of these problems, they turn this around and change some of the glitches, I predict that ArtPrize will fizzle out. And that would be heart-breaking.

Travel Guide to Best Michigan Beaches, Waterfronts

It's no secret I love my native state of Michigan. I've grown up practically in Lake Michigan. Our license plates used to read 'Water Wonderland' and indeed Michigan is known for beaches and water sports. A friend who hails from New York, quipped when she saw Lake Michigan for the first time--"This is a lake?? More like a small ocean!' And better than an ocean, our lakes are freshwater instead of salt. Besides our monumental Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior, Michigan boasts hundreds of smaller inland lakes. Here's a travel guide for to Michigan's ten best beache rated for swimming, boating, water sports, camping, cleanliness, sand quality, safety, accessibility, water temps, DNR services, amenities. Most are located on Lake Michigan. Eastern Michigan--Lake Huron--has more industry, rock bottom and fewer swimable beaches.

  Ludington: Ludington has an interesting beach configuration. If you turn off from US 31 at US-10 and go west you eventually hit Lake Michigan. At that point, you have Ludington's beautiful city beach with shady, grassy picnic area. You can also turn north there and drive along the lake to Ludington State Park. It's located along the Au Sable River which empties into Lake Michigan and connects to Hamlin Lake.

  Silver Lake: A summer resort nestles on Silver Lake, which forms a sort of junction with Lake Michigan. It's famous for splendid dunes, gobs of water sport and gorgeous water.


  Pentwater: Pentwater is a tiny community with a back-in-time feel. It's getting more built-up and touristy, but still retains that vintage lake resort air Michigan is famous for. Gone are several of our favorite historical establishments and in their place massive, expensive condos, but we still love it. Be sure to check out the main street antique mall.


  Grand Haven: My hometown boasts the best waterfront layout on the Big Lake (what us old-school locals call Lake Michigan). Washington Street (the main drag) boasts Victorian homes and 1920s store facades. It walks you to the Grand River channel waterfront. Dewey Hill, across the river, forms a natural staging area for our Musical Fountain. Follow the river along our boardwalk to our historic pier, catwalk, lighthouse, foghouse and state park. Or turn the other way for marinas, Pere Marquette locomotive and on the Spring Lake just over the bridge.


  Manistee: Explore trendy shops, antique stores, vintage booksellers, brew pubs and eateries on main street or drop down a few steps to the boat-lined riverwalk. It wends along the Manistee River and out to Lake Michigan. Manistee boasts some of our awesomest dunes!


  Petosky: Named for the legendary Petosky stone (Michigan's state stone) Petosky combines upscale, cosmopolitan with charming beach themes for a delightful community.


  North Muskegon: Had I written this article 30 years ago, Muskegon's beaches would have topped my list. Unfortunately, Muskegon was hit pretty hard by unemployment upheaval of its major industries. It does have some nice beaches--Pioneer Park, the oval and North Muskegon. The USS Silversides, a WWII submarine, is docked in the channel.

Remember, "if you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you" in Michigan! Oh and don't miss the old lighthouses--most every Lake Michigan beach has one!

Father's Day Activities In and Around Detroit

Downtown and Metro Detroit are great places to celebrate Father's Day. There are venues for every taste and hobby. From sports to history to technology to arts, Detroit has it all. Here are suggestions for Dad. From motor musters to Motown! (Please excuse the typo in the first graph of this article--it snuck past my grammar check).  Father's Day Activities In and Around Detroit

Holland Tulip Time Kicks Off, Just in Time for Mother's Day

Tulip Time is the nickname for the annual Holland, Mich., tulip festival, celebrated the second week of May. It kicked off Saturday May 3 and runs till May 10 for 2014. Tulip Time events make great Mother's Day activities, especially if you can't get together on Sunday. Bring moms, wives, grandmothers, aunts, step-mothers, mothers-in-law, godmothers, girlfriends and daughters for a Mother's Day they'll treasure.



What's Tulip Time? Only one of the loveliest events in Michigan! There are three parades, including Volksparade (Folks Parade), Kinderparade (children's parade) and Muziekparade (a music and dance parade). Read on Holland Tulip Time Kicks Off, Just in Time for Mother's Day