When In Rome...

For many California natives, traveling to Michigan may be akin to traveling to a foreign country, complete with strange accents. And yet, it's a really fun place to visit! To encourage you to visit AND to help ease the transition, I present to you, my brief guide to visiting Michigan:

1. People in Michigan are extremely friendly. Don't gawk at the cashier who wants to engage you in conversation for 10 minutes about her sister's visit to San Francisco in 1975. Say things like "excuse me" and "thank you" and "isn't this weather beautiful?" and "have a great day" to perfect strangers. You'll fit right in!

2. Things are cheaper in Michigan. Try not to let your jaw drop when you see newly renovated condos with hardwood floors and exposed brick for $69,000. Or pay $2.70 for that same Carmel Macchiato you're used to getting for $3.05.

3. You will be overwhelmed by the number of domestic cars. A favorite game: try to count how many Prius cars you see in a day.

4. If you happen to visit anywhere outside of Detroit or Ann Arbor, you will likely overhear conversations extolling Republicans (particularly the one currently running our country), championing mega-churches, bemoaning the lack of prayer in school and blaming "immigrants" for any given societal ill. Despite all this, Michigan is still a Blue State and there are a small, but mighty, group of us that are working really hard to keep it that way.

5. Believe it or not, there are lots of things to do in Michigan. Visit the zoo, go to the symphony, attend a play, walk through botanical gardens, swim at the beach. And yes, you can swim at the beach.

6. And, finally, remember that any place in Michigan can be located by pointing to your right palm. If you don't know where something is, put up your palm and someone will point the way.

Happy Travels!

Back to Blogging

Last week we traveled to our hometown of Grand Rapids, MI for a warm, sunny vacation. So much for blogging about our travels in the Bay Area, huh? While attending a tasting of Australian wines at a lovely local art gallery, the propreiter of the wine shop asked about our blog. Apparently my mother has been spreading the word far and wide. And here we were, not blogging. How embarrassing! So, here is my promise that we will tell you all you need to know about visiting Grand Rapids... and fill you in on our other summer activities, as well.

And, if you're ever in Grand Rapids, make sure to visit Art of the Table. The locally owned shop has fine wine, beer (sold by the bottle!) and lots of kitchen goodies. Better yet, it is the cornerstone of the recently revitalized Wealthy Street corridor. If you visit, make sure to grab a treat at the adjoining Wealthy Street Bakery!