Here in the former "Furniture City" of Grand Rapids for a few days with my kids and wife (business for her) before a serious Third Coast and Upper Peninsula adventure. Pretty cool town. The kids and I spent a good three hours-plus in the Van Andel Museum Center, on the banks of the Grand River. I'm not a big fan of general interest museums, but this was really well done. A circa-late 1800s Main Street Grand Rapids is beautifully recreated, with print shop, apothecary, gun shop and more. Dioramas of Michigan natural habitats, a great color silent film following the course of the Grand River all the way to Lake Michigan (all footage seemingly shot from a helicopter zooming along fairly close to the surface); great Native American crafts; a special exhibit of paintings and antiques from New England; a vintage carousel to ride on; a massive, fully functional mechanized bell tower-ish clock with all the exquisite inner workings revealed; the story of the Furniture City; and a lot more stuff, including a film from 1960 about the destruction of the landmark, original city hall for "urban renewal."

They're still in the throes of it here, as downtown seems to be about two-thirds gobbled up by construction projects, but there's a reason the battle for urban vitality continues: there's a lot worth saving here. Plenty of vintage buildings remain among the bland modern stuff necessary for offices, conventions and government. Walking around, you hope those newly-rehabbed condos in old, fancy brick buildings on Monroe Square get filled up, and that the many empty storefronts come to life.

Coming out of the museum, we walked back across the river on one of two pedestrian bridges near our hotel, and stumbled into the Amway Grand Plaza, the swank hotel in Grand Rapids. James Watt stayed there. Bush I, Maggie Thatcher and Alexander Haig, too. Came across DeJonge Studio in a shopping plaza of the hotel, where David DeJonge sells portraits. You'll see a few familar faces, such as Newt Gingrich, Antonin Scalia, and JC Watts. He doesn't do too many notable Dems, but he does do families, and veterans and medical professionals, among others. DeJonge has moxie; that's how he got his big break.

Somewhat wilting, back in the 86-degree humidity, we strolled into downtown and found a delightful chill-out spot Cafe Solace on Fountain Street. A full-deal casual restaurant, and coffee bar with fresh baked-there goodies, a library and some great comfy couches to curl up on and read. They're famous for their chocolate chip cookies, which were written up this very day in the local paper. The green tea chai was excellent, and the chef and his wife used to host a local cable public access show called "You're The Chef," where 'jes folks would come on and cook up one of their best dishes while, perhaps, their kids wreaked havoc. Sounds like something the cable food channels ought to consider. Or how about a reality cooking show?

Later, in the evening, the whole family went down to "Blues On The Mall," a Wednesday night summer concert series sponsored by a local radio station. Half the town was out, and it made for great people watching. Plenty of phreaks, goths, punks, serious white trash and misanthropes, plus some more normal looking folk, too. We scored some great pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, and the kids frolicked in a fountain and later got their arms painted (ice cream cone, lizard). The music was pretty hysterical. If you ever get a hankering to see a guy who who has totally mastered the mannerisms of a rock guitar god, but has barely a shred of originality or soul, Anthony Gomes is definitely your main man. The long hair, the poses, the utterly derivative fretboard histrionics, the endless 9th chord vamping, the obligatory thumb-thumping bass solo - all sound and fury, signifying nothing. Dunno exactly why, but I spotted the keyboard player chewing someone out on his cell phone backstage after the first set. He got more space for his licks in the second set. Here's the deal: anytime a guitarist sounds like the second coming of Jimi Hendrix - he's most assuredly not. Except for that lil "Funk-a-billy" ditty, Anthony, your show was a stone cold snore.

Too bad we missed Lil' Ed and The Blues Imperials last month.

We wandered around and passed several street musicians; a really sweaty kilted fellow playing the bagpipes, a desultory duo on guitar and stand up bass, and then I actually heard some blues; two guys on tenor sax and a guy playing alto by the veteran's memorial statue right where Monroe meets Fulton. Sounded like the World Saxophone Quartet there for a few hot minutes.

Beware Western Michigan: the Mystery Blogger is on the loose!

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at July 13, 2005 07:18 PM

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