So, with school out and some last Christmas shopping to get done, Jenn and I decided we needed a little vacation, and that is what we took over the weekend.

Friday I went to the staff meeting, and then Rudy J’s with everyone (for the last time) after which Jenn and I left. We arrived in Kentwood around 2:30 for our 2 night stay at the AmeriSuites Grand Rapids – Airport. I was rather tired so I took a nap, but Jenn ordered a pizza to tide her over as she didn’t get Rudy J’s (her choice, I offered but she didn’t want to wake up early). When I got up, we decided to go find some food, so we drove down 28th street, the Bay Rd. of Kentwood. We drove and looked at the offerings and wound up several miles down at US-131, which is quite a ways down from where we started. So, we got on 131 and went up to downtown (yeah, that makes alot of sense) and looked at Spectrum for Jenn some, then got on I-96 and went back toward the hotel. We again headed down 28th and decided on BD’s Mongolian Barbecue, it was a very good choice. We also stopped at Meijer for a few things we had forgotten or just hadn’t thought of, and partly just to browse. They have a much greater selection than the Meijers around here. That was about it for Friday, we watched some TV and sat around, but nothing very exciting.

Saturday we got up around 9:30 to go try the free breakfast, it was better than most: sausage, scrambled eggs, bagels, waffles, english muffins. They weren’t keeping up with it real well though, there was no waffle batter left and the eggs were overcooked and getting cold. It was free though. After showering, we headed up to Howard City, to see the city we would probably have moved to, had we not seen it. Wow. To call the town a little hickish would be an exaggerated compliment to the trailer park, bar, and dollar store that somehow managed to get on the map. It’s not horrible, I suppose there is still a chance, but we are definitely exploring other options now. After that, we went to downtown Grand Rapids and went to the VanAndel Museum. Lots of cool stuff there, from the whale to the $1000 bills, a piece of meteorite, and wildlife exhibits of Michigan. We even got some astronaut ice cream.

Following that fun, we drove back toward Kentwood and stopped at Panera for lunch. We headed back to the hotel for a nap, then went out to the mall to finally get in some Christmas shopping. We went through the entire Woodland Mall finding nothing, so we headed over to the slightly crummier CenterPointe Mall. We still were finding nothing, and decided that the bar back in Woodland could be a good idea. Right after this decision, we found the first gift.

We went back to Woodland, and went into Bar Louie. Jenn had the Pom Peche Martini, and I the Riptide, and we shared some loaded tater-tots. While sitting there, I saw Dragon’s Milk on tap, and we tried that too, freaking awesome beer, and made in Holland, MI too. So following our refreshment break, we went on to find the remaining presents we needed, and head back to the hotel for some time in the hot tub, followed be a failed attempt at a good nights rest.

Sunday we woke up at 10 ish, packed, and headed out right at checkout (which is 11, we left around 10:59, really). We weren’t realy hungry so got on the freeway and started our way east, getting off in Lansing so Jenn could show me around. We ate at IHOP (my first time, as was it my first time at every restaurant we stopped at this trip) which was pretty good. We then headed to Perry, because we have a connection to the village, then headed home.

So, that was our weekend. We had fun.

That’s all for now, a smaller update before the weekend.

nick