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.
We are all connected! I've known that for a very long time, and every thought we think, every action we take has an impact on the world. An awesome responsibility, an amazing realization.
I had an e-mail before Christmas from a good friend/client who remember that I was involved in the recycling of Band Instruments, refurbishing them and giving them to students who had been identified by their band director as a student who had the desire, but not the funds to play in the band. My client had a co-worker who was active with the Grandville Band Boosters (and Grandville has a long tradition of an amazing band program), which is also the school where my son, Jared, did his student teaching a few years ago.
So I talked to Jim, (from Grandville) and found that they were planning a fund-raiser for their program that involved premiering a wonderful movie about the impact that instrumental music programs can have on the lives of young people.
(Click on the movie poster to go to the website for the movie).
In addition to raising dollars for their program, Jim was looking for a place to donate musical instruments, and part of their appeal to the community will be to try to fill a semi-trailer with usable band instruments.
It just so happens that I knew that there was a campaign within the Grand Rapids Public Schools to raise $500,000 in cash donations (or instruments) to replenish their inventory so that every student who wants to play, can. I did an earlier post about this campaign. Click here to see it.
So if you're around the end of January, plan to attend this great movie screening. If you don't live in the Grand Rapids area, I'm confident that there is a student who lives near you who really w
ants to be in the band, and you could help. Reach out to the band director in your school, they'd love to match you with a student to help. OR, you could help support the Grand Rapids campaign. Here's how: Susan Heartwell is the director of the Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Advancement Foundation, I'm confident that she'd be glad to hear from you.
One additional request: If you reach out in your community, or in Grand Rapids to help meet the need, please post a comment here on what you did, and how it felt! Like so many areas, one side of the equation could have their life changed by the kindness and generosity of another, on the other side of the equation, there is a sad band instrument sitting in the basement gathering dust, wondering what it did to be so neglected and unloved.
You can MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
This movie is being played all over the country. Check their site for a location near you!
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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 have worn a wide variety of hats. I am Eric the father, Eric the Realtor, Eric the former Elder (at Westminster Presbyterian Church), I am Eric, former Member of the Board of Directors of the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors (GRAR) and Member of several 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.
I've made my 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, I concluded that Grand Rapids would be a great place to live, and raise my family.
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!
My kids are grown (I'm never sure how to refer to them in this context) and are scattered around the country. 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 welcomed home my daughter, Kirstin, who has been a Peace Corps volunteer living in Petrosani, Romania. She 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. Now she's living and working in West Michigan, and it's so great to have her close enough that we can see each other and stay connected.
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
Click the QSC link to see how Eric's clients rated their buying or selling experience with Eric.
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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