Last evening I had the pleasure of attending the Member Opening for theRichard Avedon exhibit at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Nigel Barker- (a judge on America's Next Top Model and Photogra
pher) delivered a very insightful lecture about the life and work of Avedon, who was a mentor and inspiration for Barker.
The exhibit was sponsored by the generous patrons who have put Grand Rapids on the map with other cultural events, and GR was out in force. The exhibit runs through January 4, 2009 and features 80 amazing photos of the famous and the unknown.
Daughter Kirstin is a volunteer at GRAM and had a Peace Corps friend in town for a visit. So Jon and I attended while Kirstin tended to her duties. Here's Kirstin (in the black dress) tending to the crowd waiting to meet Mr. Barker.
I'd not been to an Art Museum opening before. It was a nice event. I ran into many more people that I knew that I suspected I might and it had quite an excited feel to it.
The photos are amazing! With very neutral backgrounds that make the photos about the subject rather than the location, he manages to really capture the essence of his subjects. Even if you think you're not familiar with Avedon's work, if you click on the link at his name, I'm sure that you'll recognize many of his very famous, groundbreaking photos.
What a cool thing to have a treasure like GRAM here. It's a LEED certified building-the first museuem to boast that in the world. They are bringing in world class exhibits and really making a wonderful contribution to the quality of life in West Michigan.
If you find yourself within driving distance of Grand Rapids, you will want to make a point to visit this exhibit. Call me if you come to town, we could have coffee and I could give you "THE GRAND TOUR".
Grand Rapids, what a great place to call home!
I'm pretty excited today, there's good news in Grand Rapids, MI. According to the Today show, Best Life Magazine has issued their Top 100 best places to raise a family and Grand Rapids is #35! The only Michigan city ranked higher is Ann Arbor at #30.
Best Life is confirming what we knew in 1989 when we selected Grand Rapids as our new home town. At the time, I was in the restaurant business in Bay City (a place where at least at that time, quantity was more important than quality). We were in GR for a food show and as we sat at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel looking out over the Grand River at the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum we thought... wow, this would be a great place to live and raise the family.
A little over a year later, I started in Real Estate in Grand Rapids, and our belief turned out to be 100% accurate.
It doesn't matter what you are looking for, West Michigan/Grand Rapids has it. Art, Culture, Sports, great public and private schools, Lakes, Bike Trails, Restaurants, short commutes without gridlock, less than 1-hour to several State Parks on Lake Michigan, lots of colleges and universities, outstanding health care, and an economy that has certainly taken some hits, but given the number of cranes in the air downtown, is going to come out just fine in the end.
For a look at the wide range of activities available in this TOP 100 town, click here for my link list. We also have a community calendar so you can pick what you want to do when you come here to check out your new home town.
If you'd like the Grand Tour, let me know. I've provided it to many transferees over the last 19-years, and would be happy to show you around.
When you're ready to move up to a Top 100 city, I'd be happy to help you find your perfect new home in your exciting new hometown.
Do you enjoy an intimate, outdoor venue for concerts? Prefer a beautiful garden setting to an amphitheatre where you're so far away that the artist looks like an ant, and the jumbo-tron doesn't do it justice?
Oh have a got a venue for you! Fredrik Meijer Gardens 6th Season was announced over the weekend, and it's a great line-up to be presented at a wonderful facility.
Cake
June 4, 2008
Cake's quirky blend of funk, soul, pop, jazz and alternative rock are filled with lyrical word play, pop-culture references and syncopation.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
June 12, 2008
Big Bad VooDoo Daddy boasts a modern swing vibe and big band sound - renowned for their impeccable performances and 40s era zoot suits.
Robert Randolph Revival
June 16, 2008
The Grand Rapids Press named Robert Randolph & The Family Band the best performance of our 2007 series.
Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi - Soul Stew Revival
July 9, 2008
Slide guitarist Derek Trucks blends a variety of genres including jazz, rock and blues. Multi-talented Susan Tedeschi crafts elements of classic blues, rock, R&B, folk and gospel.
Lyle Lovett In Concert
July 10, 2008
A Meijer Gardens favorite, Lyle Lovett returns for what is sure to be another blockbuster event.
Sara Evans
July 24, 2008
Multi-platinum country superstar Sara Evans performs a collection of twangy retro and mainstream contemporary country songs.
Los Lonely Boys & Los Lobos
August 7, 2008
The Brotherhood Tour, featuring Los Lonely Boys with Los Lobos features musical molds built on rock, blues, jazz and Latin genres.
KT Tunstall
August 11, 2008
KT Tunstall's sonic mesh of heartfelt pop, rootsy electric blues and alternative folk earned her a Brit Award (UK equivalent to a Grammy) for Best British Female Solo Artist.
Keb Mo & Robert Cray
August 13, 2008
Keb Mo and Robert Cray have both graced the Meijer Garens Amphitheater before, but never together. This promises to be an amazing evening of music.
Keb Mo & Robert Cray
August 14, 2008
Keb Mo and Robert Cray have both graced the Meijer Gardens Amphitheater before, but never together. This promises to be an amazing evening of music.
Jeff Daniels with Kelly Jo Phelps & Steppin' In It
August 28, 2008
Jeff Daniels, Kelly Joe Phelps and Steppin' In It - performing together for the first time at the Meijer Gardens Amphitheater.
As you can see, it's a very interesting, eclectic mix of artists. Tickets go on sale to Garden's Members in early May, to the public in mid-May.
You can bring a picnic, buy food there. Alcohol is available (but you cannot bring your own). Lawn chairs (of the short legged variety) or blankets make the tiered bowl very comfortable. There's not a bad seat.
A couple years ago Karen and I saw a double bill: Arlo Guthrie and Judy Collins. Man, what a night. Almost all of our favorites (excpect Alice's Restaurant) brought back fond memories of our early years together.
Time to get more information at Meijer Garden's Website, and get out your calendars.
Summertime fun in Grand Rapids, MI!
Photos and information from Frederik Meijer Gardens
Three video clips of a fun afternoon that Karen and I had on Friday. The Butterflies are one of the many annual events that make Meijer Gardens such a wonderful place. There are concerts in the summer, sculpture throughout the gardens, beautiful landscaping of every description, and great gift shop, a wide variety of classes, special exhibits (like The Thinker spent the summer looking out at an amazing pond and waterfall while the Detroit Institute of Arts was refurbishing his normal home). If you've not been, it's worth the trip from wherever you are!
Another great night at the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center-a fairly new venue in the Grand Rapids area that's presenting some fun shows in a LEED Certified environment.
Our most recent outing were with friend/clients who are always a fun time. Dinner at Bonefish Grill and then on to the show. (Oh by the way, dinner was the best rainbow trout EVER!
The auditorium is 1200 seats (and they are comfortable too). There's enough leg room that even at 6'4", people can easily get past even if I were to choose not to stand. That rarely happens!
By day, and some nights, it's the showcase home for the many performances by ensembles of the Forest Hills Public Schools. But each year they have a season of touring shows. Last seaon we saw Art Garfunkel and The Birdcage Factory (an amazing troupe of Cirque type acrobats).
This week it was Blast. A cast of energetic, amazingly talented, young adults drumming, dancing, playing, marching. Based on the very popular Drum Corps/ Marching Band activities, the show is all music all the time. No dialogue, no character development, just great sounds, great visuals.
I feared that they'd blow my hair back but the sound level was great! Each of the cast members can play just about any brass or percussion instrument available.
We did 8-years of marching band as Jared and Kirstin went through high school, and this was just enough of a taste to re-ignite my former addiction. I had some fond memories float back through from our many years. Good times!
If you get the opportunity and like the pagentry and color of a great marching band, see the show.
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The process of buying or selling a home doesn't have to be difficult. Let me provide information on the process, the community, available properties, mortgage and home inspection professionals.
Like most people, I wear a wide variety of hats. I am Eric the father, Eric the grandfather, Eric the Realtor, Eric the Elder (at Westminster Presbyterian Church), I am Eric, Member of the Board of Directors of the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors (GRAR) and Board Liason and Member of related Committees and Task Forces.
I enjoy each of the hats I wear, and am thankful for the many opportunities to be of service to my family, clients and community.
We've made our home in the Grand Rapids area since 1989, after visiting GR for a Gordon's Food Service show (I owned and operated restaurants in my prior life). Sitting at the Grand Plaza Hotel downtown, we concluded that Grand Rapids would be a great place to live, and raise our family. Click here if you'd like a more detailed version.
It was a great decision. My kids are now adults, and I am more able to take part in all the amazing activities that call Grand Rapids home! Here's a listthat I maintain of as many of the cultural, athletic, museum and university calendars as I can find. If you're involved in an organization and would like your events added, please e-mail them to me! I also maintain a LINK LIST to many of the same organizations web sites.
My kids are grown (I'm never sure how to refer to them in this context) and are scattered around the globe. Step-son John is in the Air Force & has completed his 2nd deployment in Iraq. With his wife and sons, they make there home at the Grand Forks AFB.
My son, Jared has finished his Masters Degree from the College Conservatory of Music at the Univesity of Cincinnati. He regularly substitutes with orchestras throughout the mid-west, plays a variety of Jazz and Big Band gigs. He also is part of a brass ensemble that plays for weddings, cocktail parties etc.
The end of July 2008, I will welcome home my daughter who has been a Peace Corpsvolunteer living in Petrosani, Romania. She's taught English language in two schools to middle school aged kids and was involved in several health care education groups as well. It was a 27-month co
mmitment. Thankfully I was able to visit here in 2007 for a couple weeks. Here's a photo of Kirstin and Me in Budapest Hungary.
My photo album from the trip (which included stops in Bucharest, Romania, Budapest and Heviz, Hungary and Vienna, Austria) is at Flicker.com.
I had not been to Europe before so it was an amazing 14 days. We toured castles, museums, opera houses, cathedrals. We saw the Mozart Requiem performed on what would have been his wedding anniversary in a beautiful church built in 1715. We enjoyed a wonderful and interesting variety of foods and beverages. Rode on trains and buses and subways. Found out that 9-hour international flights have no more leg room than domestic flights. (but we did discover the joy of flying on Lufthansa airlines. Every flight exactly on time, every employee we encountered was helpful and friendly.
We found amazing, helpful people everywhere we went. We'd be looking at our map and scratching our heads and someone would step up to see if they could be of assistance. One lovely, older gentleman actually accompanied us to the train station in Budapest (because it can be fairly confusing and there are no signs in English). We were treated warmly everywhere we went.
While I'm not sure what's next for Kirstin, I'll be happy to spend time in her company, hear stories, laugh a lot. I'm reminded how very lucky I am when I look at the lives of my children.
As a full time Realtor since 1989, I've been through the ups and downs of many different markets. Every day homes in and around Grand Rapids are selling! Inventories are bountiful, interest rates are amazing, it truly is a great time to buy!
Specializing in total customer satisfaction since 1989. Residential single family homes, condos, new construction in the greater Grand Rapids (which includes: Grand Rapids, Ada, Kentwood, Cascade, Rockford, Grandville, Lowell, Caledonia, Wyoming, Walker, Comstock Pa
rk and the surrounding areas) area since 1989.
Member of the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors, Michigan Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, Grand Rapids Association of Realtors Board of Directors.
Member of the GRAR Sold Data Task Force
GRAR Liaison to the West Michigan Regional Forms Committe
Client Comments about Eric Webster:
"Experience matters--and Eric's got it! We interviewed several Realtors before putting our house on the market, and we were impressed with Eric's knowledge of the area. He also understands that many buyers use the Internet to search for homes and makes sure that his listings take full advantage of the power of the web. He was in touch with us almost every day so we always knew what was going on. In a tough market, we sold our house in 6 weeks!"
Tony and Jocelyn Josephson
"We had the pleasure of working with Eric Webster as both a buyer and a seller. We first met Eric when we were looking for a home and he was representing the seller of the house we purchased. We were so impressed with his professionalism and the outstanding materials he had developed for the seller that we then listed with Eric to sell our current home. Eric had our home on the market within a few days and we had an offer within 13 days! Throughout the process of buying and selling homes, Eric answered all of our questions promptly. We would recommend Eric to our friends and family--our experience with him was great!"
Wayne and Kate Oom
"Wanted to drop you a note, thanking you for the outstanding job that you two did in not only marketing, but selling my house in Bailey's Grove. As you know, it was a beautiful home, but located in a very competitive and saturated market. Your marketing program was powerful and effective. Plus, your patience and assistance through a somewhat challenging closing process was greatly appreciated. "
Phillip T. Catalano II
"I have recently completed the sale of my house in Lenwood Hills. I listed with Eric Webster. I was very pleased with his work.
The real estate market was seriously glutted at the time. He worked diligently with newspaper publicity, on-line presentation, open houses, and direct mailing, consummating a sale in spite of the problem.
All activity was conducted with skill, courtesy and sincerity.
I gladly recommend him to anyone who has property to sell, and wants an efficient and thorough agent to represent them."
Lois Roepcke
"From the first e-mail Eric returned in a timely, professional manner, we knew he was the sharp knowledgeable Realtor who would lead us from Pensacola, Florida to our perfect lake home here in Grand Rapids. His helpful, yet patient manner made us feel like we were his "Top Priority" each time we called.
We wholeheartedly recommend Eric Webster for any future real estate transaction.
Mike and Carole Ustick
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