Sneak Peek: Long Road Distillers in Grand Rapids

I got an exclusive chance to visit the future home of Long Road Distillers recently, and meet with co-owner Kyle to talk about what the first neighborhood distillery in Grand Rapids will offer.

The building is located at 537 Leonard St NW, which is, as the name would suggest, one of the longest roads in the Grand Rapids area. The entire inside of the building is currently under construction, as they work on clearing out what used to be there (a clothing store & some apartments) and making room for their vision.

 Long Road Distillers will focus on creating a product which is truly local, from sourcing ingredients from local farmers to milling their own grain right in the distillery building. They'll have six fermenters on site to continue the process, with the crowing jewel of the operation being their main still, which is currently on order from Müller in Germany. Kyle let me see a photo of the still's design, but they're keeping it mostly under wraps until the big reveal when they open. I can say that it's a work of art though! The Distillery will feature a giant glass wall at the back of the bar, which will provide a great view of the 15-foot still, so you'll be able to appreciate it as you sit and sip what it's created.

Along with working on putting together a "Mug Club" of sorts, Long Road Distillers has a few more tricks up their sleeves which will offer great opportunities for the community to get involved with what they have going on. One option will be to "buy" a cask of whiskey, and stay with it throughout the ageing process. You can drop by and sample your whiskey as it works its way through the aging process, developing its flavors and depth. Another option will be to purchase kits intended for aging your own whiskey. You'll be able to age it anywhere from three weeks to six months, and taste it along the way to determine when it's ready to drink!

Kyle stands near where the bar will go.

Long Road Distillers will serve simple fare out of their kitchen to accompany their spirits, but want to keep their main focus on producing drinks. They're planning on partnering with some neighboring restaurants to allow for a wider selection of food though. It's great to see local businesses come together in ways like this! Along with a variety of seating in and around the bar on the main floor, the second story will allow for overflow seating, as well as event space that will be available. There are even plans for an outdoor deck area to be added down the line!

I asked Kyle what types of spirits they would be focusing on, and it sounds like they'll have something to satisfy everyone's taste buds! Kyle & co-owner Jon came up with the idea of opening their own distillery over a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey, so you can bet they'll be featuring some of their own varieties of that! They're also planning on doing some experimenting with gin, with lots of ideas for new & different varieties. Did you know that traditional martinis are made with gin? Long Road Distillers will be encouraging people to try this traditional drink with their specialty gins, and I'm sure they'll come up with some great flavor combinations! They'll also have a variety of vodkas, infused with flavors from local produce, and have the goal of creating their own perfect vodka that you can drink neat and warm, and it will still taste perfect.

The second story, which will provide overflow seating,
event space, and offices.

So when will you be able to stop by Long Road Distillers and try their offerings for yourself? They're hoping for a November opening date as of now, but be sure to visit their Facebook page or Website and sign up for email alerts so you'll be the first to know! That way you can impress your friends by bringing them in for a drink before this place explodes onto the scene, and maybe even start aging your own cask of whiskey with their help!

A Restaurant That Has Become an Obsession

Our where to eat this week is being brought to you by yours truly (ahem, thats me, Kelly) :). Usually we have a restaurant’s representative write to you about their restaurant, but I just had to take the time to tell you about one restaurant that I just can’t stop eating at. Really, I’m beginning to think it’s becoming a problem.

San Chez in Grand Rapids always intrigued me. I used to walk by all the time and be mesmerized by the cracked egg stickers plastered on the windows. I would think to myself “What is this place?” Finally one Sunday last March I stopped thinking this and decided to try it out with some friends. Best decision I ever made.

As you walk in the front doors you have 3 options. You can turn immediately to your left into the café, walk a little further forwards and take a left into the take out area, or take a right into the Tapas Bistro. Upon my first entry I went to the immediate left. After being seated, we were greeted by the extremely friendly staff and ordered a pot of French press coffee. I LOVE French press coffee- in fact, I think love is an understatement. So really from the beginning, they had me hooked. I ordered the French toast which came out in a piping hot skillet and tasted like heaven in my mouth.

Fast forward 11 months -- I have ordered just about everything off of the menu by now, and there has not been one item that I do not like. My absolute favorite though is the Chicken and Apple Panini. You wanna talk about a good sandwhich? This is it. I am telling you, I talked about it the whole rest of the day after I ate it- no joke. Made with Grilled chicken tenderloins with bacon, apples, pecans and organic greens topped with Swiss and Manchego cheeses, homemade pesto and horseradish alioli—seriously it can’t get much better.

San Chez is not just good eatin’, they practice responsibility within the Grand Rapids community as well. Their website says it best, “Before San Chez, a Tapas Bistro opened its doors in November 1992, owner Dan Gendler incorporated the importance of community service in his original business plan. He believed that we must view our community as importantly as we view our profitability. Years later, that commitment remains strong.”

I highly recommend the next time you are in Grand Rapids you stop by San Chez located on the corner of Fulton and Commerce Ave. You can order off of their breakfast and lunch, drink, tapas, dessert, or childrens menu, and none of the food will disappoint. They also cater cocktail parties with their tapas size portions and are sure to be a hit with any crowd.

For more information about San Chez, visit our website.

Stay warm in the storm!

Kelly

Public Museum’s Voigt House German Fest Offers Authentic Autumn Celebration “Under the Tent”

The Grand Rapids Public Museum's Voigt House Victorian Museum will host their annual German Fest October 3-4 under the tent on the front lawn, one stop on the Heritage Hill Tour of Homes. Visitors will enjoy toe-tapping German music as well as a selection of authentic libations and food including wiener schnitzel, bratwurst and apfel strudel prepared by Austrian native and Museum Chef Hans Dokl.

The Oktoberfest celebration will take place noon - 8 pm Saturday and noon - 6 pm Sunday at the Museum located at 50 College St. SE. Admission to the tent is free. Heritage Hill Tour of Homes ticket holders and Museum members may tour the Voigt House free of charge and those without tour tickets may pay regular admission prices ($3 for adults, $2 for seniors and children) for a guided tour of the historic home. Built in 1895 by prominent businessman Carl Voigt and now a property of the Public Museum, the Voigt House offers a fascinating glimpse into everyday life at the turn of the century. The home has been preserved with its original furnishings, carpets and silk wall-coverings, and is filled with personal possessions of the Voigt family. The opulent three-story home, its gardens and carriage house remain one of the more outstanding landmarks in the Heritage Hill district. The Voigt House Victorian Museum is open to the public on select days and times, for special events such as this.

George Balanchine’s iconic ballet, Prodigal Son, opens next week for its only Grand Rapids appearance!

The Grand Rapids Ballet Company brings George Balanchine’s powerful ballet Prodigal Son to the stage for its only Grand Rapids appearance. The performances will be held at the intimate Peter Martin Wege Theater. George Balanchine was one of the 20th century’s foremost choreographers; a pioneer of ballet in the United States and co-founder and Ballet Master of the New York City Ballet. Inspired by the parable in the Gospel of Luke, Prodigal Son debuted May 21, 1929 and the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt in Paris and featured a score by Sergei Prokofiev. This provocative re-telling is more dramatic and emphasizes the theme of sin and redemption ending with the Prodigal Son’s return. This legendary work has been performed by such ballet luminaries as Mikhail Baryshnikov and Damian Woetzel.

To earn the rights to perform this prestigious ballet the George Balanchine Trust must deem a ballet company technically and professionally qualified to present Balanchine’s work. A repetiteur designated by the trust then visits to personally help stage the production. “It’s quite an involved process and as Michigan’s only professional ballet company, we are proud to bring Michigan this masterpiece.” Gordon Peirce Schmidt, Artistic Director.

Paul Boos is the repetiteur who staged the ballet for the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. Mr. Boos danced with Balanchine’s New York City Ballet for 13 years and has also staged Balanchine’s ballets throughout the world, most notably staging Prodigal Son for the Kirov Ballet in St. Petersburg and recently for the K-ballet in Japan. About the Grand Rapids Ballet Company Paul says, “Attila’s sensitive and pure acting skills were a daily revelation in rehearsals as the Son and Kateryna’s cool serpentine quality is perfectly suited to the Siren.”

Also on the program are two original creations, the joyous Holberg Suite and the passionate Vers La Flamme. These works, created for the Grand Rapids Ballet by Gordon Peirce Schmidt, celebrate the beauty of life and perfectly compliment the themes of the Prodigal Son. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to see this amazing program in the intimate Peter Martin Wege Theatre.

GRCM Coming To the Rescue!

Opening today, the Grand Rapids Children's Museum is coming To the Rescue Sept. 16-Nov. 15 with heroes, helpers and tons of exciting ways to play it safe! To the Rescue is a GRCM original safety exhibit with special programming to help kids discover what it’s like to be a rescue worker. Lil’ Red Fire Truck #5 and the Rescue Helicopter are back and ready to save the day with costumes, sirens, lights and more! Join in all of the fun while the little ones dress up as firefighters and other heroes, slide down the escape slide and take a turn at the wheel. Children can pretend to fly at the helicopter control panel, and then use the life raft to rescue the dogs in the water below! Plus, visitors can play the Tic-Tac-Toe safety game, identifying fire hazards in the fire safety house. New this year, the To the Rescue Med Center is open for business! Children can dress up and role play as paramedics while they administer first aid to their puppet “patients.” Using play bandages, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs and more, children can examine, diagnose and treat their puppet friends back to health.

Every Friday in September, children can participate in a bike safety course from 10 am - noon. Check out the “What’s Happening Calendar” available at www.grcm.org for more information on exciting To the Rescue programs that will help kids learn how to play it safe.

Tony Award Winner Opens at Civic Theatre this Friday, Sept. 18!

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre: September 18 - October 4

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is proud to be the first community theatre in the country to bring the orthographic musical musings of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to the community stage. Our audience will witness six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser.

But more than bearing witness, our audience will be asked to participate! During each Spelling Bee performance, four audience members are needed on stage to participate in the bee with the rest of the cast! If you think you have good spelling skills and want to test your vocabulary prowess, sign up in the Civic lobby prior to each performance. Selected audience members will compete with characters Olive Ostrovsky, Leaf Coneybear, Chip Tolentino, Marcy Park, William Barfee, and Logainne Schwarzandgrubenierre as Vice Principal Panch gives you words to spell and Rona Lisa Peretti, Realtor and former bee champion, serves as commentator. "it adds an element of surprise to the show. Every night is different," added Director Penelope Notter.

Whether you play the role of audience member or choose to participate as a Spelling Bee contestant, you'll love this hilarious tale of overachievers' angst. The show's Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Join us for this musical comedy that chronicles experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime.

Public Museum Announces Evening Hours, Special Package Pricing During Leonardo da Vinci Exhibit

Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion brings to the Public Museum the largest exhibition of full-size machine replicas constructed according to da Vinci’s famous codices. On display September 5 – January 3, will be over 40 machines – 30 of them fully operational – including a revolving crane, an armored car, a robot, a bicycle, a printing press and a machine gun – built by a group of scientists and skilled craftsmen in Florence after an in-depth study of the master’s manuscripts. Visitors will be encouraged to touch and set the machines into motion, combining a fascinating hands-on experience with an exploration of the principles da Vinci employed to create each machine.

To make the exhibit more accessible, the Public Museum will extend its hours into the evening one week each month. Normally closed at 5 pm, the Museum will be open from 5 - 9 pm for da Vinci di Notte (Leonardo at Night) September 14-18; October 12-15; November 9-13 and December 28-31/January 2. The special evening ticket package includes Museum admission, special exhibit admission, a planetarium show, unlimited carousel rides and a pasta meal for just $12 per person. (Member price is $6.) A cash bar will also be available. The Public Museum is a collector of treasures, a motivator and resource for life-long learning, and a community partner in the pursuit of insight and understanding.

"Get Lost at Robinettes" this Autumn as you explore their new Corn Maize!

With no UFO sightings reported in Michigan this year, the mystery remains as to how an extraterrestrial-like design has taken shape in a Grand Rapids cornfield, bringing the maze craze to the Peninsula State. The Robinette's Apple Haus family unraveled the mystery when they opened the area’s first MAiZE, an intricate network of twists and turns carved into 6½ acres of corn, on September 8.

The Robinettes and maze designer Brett Herbst – the world’s leading designer of 600+ corn mazes worldwide – hope to challenge the wits of those seeking to find the one exit from their mind-boggling puzzle – a unique source of good farmin’ fun for adults and children alike. Though the correct pathway can be walked in about 25 minutes, most wandering maze-goers will require about one hour to travel through more than three miles of twists, turns and decision points. As a tribute to its location, the maze is designed in the shape of and apple and says, “Get Lost at Robinettes”. The MAIZE will give Michigan residents the change to “get lost” now through Oct. 30. Hours of operation are Monday thru Thursday, starting at 11am with the last entry at 5pm; Friday, starting at 11am with the last entry 8pm; Saturday starting at 10am with the last entry 8pm, and Sunday starting at Noon with the last entry 5pm. Weekday field trip hours are available by reservation.

Ways to Enjoy the MAiZE In an effort to ensure that the MAiZE experience offers something for everyone, the public will find a variety of ways to experience the maze: Open both day and evening, The MAiZE caters to school field trips during the day and has created discounted field trip opportunities for groups of 15 or more and an agricultural “passport” that integrates education into the maze experience and helps guide students along the correct pathway. A series of “passports” are available for church groups, girl and boy scouts, corporate groups and the general public. Each containing ten questions that quiz the user on one of a variety of subjects, those who answer the questions correctly will receive clues that guide them along the correct path to the exit. The MAiZE is a great activity for birthday parties, corporate outings, and group rivalries.

Other things at Robinette’s are horse-drawn hayrides on the weekends, ice cream, fresh donuts, apples, Michigan-made food & gifts, local artwork, lunches, mountain bike trails, and wine tasting.

Free Community Open House with the Grand Rapids Ballet Company

The Grand Rapids Ballet Company invites everyone to see what Michigan’s only professional ballet company is all about during a FREE Community Open House! People of all ages are welcome to try a class in one of the four large dance studios or sample a performance in the beautiful Peter Martin Wege Theatre during the event on August 29 from 12 - 4 pm.

The open house focuses on the many ways that people of all ages can enjoy programming with the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. Throughout the day visitors are invited to watch a variety of performances by the Company Professionals and Students, try some of the beginner classes, and learn about volunteering, upcoming performances, and more. Grand Rapids Ballet Company staff and instructors and will be on hand to answer questions, teach classes and give tours.

The Open House takes place at the Grand Rapids Ballet Company’s Meijer-Royce Center for Dance, 341 Ellsworth SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. For more information on the Community Open House or any of the Grand Rapids Ballet Company’s programs, visit grballet.com or www.wmta.org.