An Artsy Day in Grand Rapids

Although I had visited Grand Rapids at the beginning of April, I made somewhat last minute plans to visit again at the very end of the month. The reasons are many and some are a bit convoluted, but I've never regretted a single trip I've taken! This was a brief trip -- I flew in late Friday night, and left absurdly early on Monday morning.

From my arrival late Friday until Sunday morning, I was grateful to partake in the hospitality of my friend J. We spent much of Saturday exploring Grand Rapids, doing things that are not necessarily kid-friendly, which explains why I was experiencing this fun stuff for the first time, seeing as my typical GR visits are very kid-centric.

First order of business on Saturday was a delicious and fun brunch at the home of our friend S. From there we headed into downtown Grand Rapids, where our first stop was Bang Blow Dry Bar, as we both have thick and relatively difficult-to-care-for hair, so having someone else wash and style it is a wonderful treat. When we left we practically looked ready to participate in a beauty pageant! Our next stop was Grand Rapids' best known coffee shop, Madcap. I was a bit disappointed in my seasonal drink - an iced coffee with various extras added...I should have stuck with a traditional cappuccino. However, J loved her fancy tea.

Looking glamorous while enjoying our caffeinated beverages.

From there we strolled around various shops, my absolute favorite being 6.25 Paper Studio, a beautifully curated stationary and gift shop. I could have easily spent a couple of hundred dollars there, though I managed to keep my expenditure slightly lower than that. 

At 6.25 Paper Studio

I also enjoyed this mural, which was painted for Artprize in 2014.

We also popped into the shop at the Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts, which had cool art - both large and small - on sale.

Then we headed home to relax a while before heading back out, this time to the Richard App Gallery, where our friend S was having her 40th birthday party. It's a great location for a party, what with all the colorful art to look at!

The party was good fun, and included a couple of creative touches. Because the party included many different friends, we each had to wear a name tag to help us get to know one another. The name tags were paint samples with wonderful names and one had to choose a moniker which reflected one's mood.

Of course I picked the "refined amber" color, though no amber is this color!

Coffee & Chocolate

Located in a large and nicely repurposed garage in an alley in the unassuming DC suburb of Hyattsville, Maryland, Vigilante Coffee may look like an unlikely place for an excellent cup of coffee. While I have only been able to visit the cafe twice, I enjoyed both immensely. On my inaugural visit I was struck by the airy space and sun streaming in through the huge garage doors in the front and a skylight in the back. The cappuccino I savored was certainly one of the best I have ever enjoyed, which is understandable given that the coffee is roasted right there in the cafe.

A friend and I returned to Vigilante for a coffee and chocolate tasting that the cafe and its owner Chris Vigilante co-hosted with chocolatier Puja Satiani.

We were treated to three pairings.  Our three coffees were all quite different - the first was a very strong iced coffee, the second was a smooth cup of high end coffee brewed in a siphon or vacuum coffee maker, and the last was one of the cafe's innovative specialties, a Vigilante Julep, which is an iced coffee prepared with mint and basil. The three chocolates, all beautiful small truffle/ganache-type of concoctions, were a 70% dark (my favorite), one made with coconut oil and bits of coconut, and one with a basil ganache. 

It was interesting to learn about both of these local businesses, and to chat with the owners, both of whom were lovely people. While it was an incredibly enjoyable afternoon, an earlier start would have been preferable, as I could not reasonably finish all three coffee drinks between 4-5pm on a Sunday afternoon. Let's just say I was quite wired all evening!

With the arrival of fall, Puja has created and released her seasonal fall collection, which includes Dark Chocolate Fleur de Sel Caramels, Pumpkin Spice, and Dark Chocolate Peanut Caramels, and sounds amazing. Her products can be ordered directly from her website, and she offers free shipping to DC, Maryland, and Virginia for orders worth more than $40.

(Source: pujasatiani.com)

If you ever happen to be in Hyattsville during the hours of 7.30am and 4pm, I highly recommend seeking out Vigilante for some outstanding coffee.

Vigilante's offerings available in their Hyattsville cafe.

The Borough of Brooklyn, Part II

Another day began with brunch, as a Sunday in the city should. In looking around online, I had found a restaurant that sounded perfect to me, and - indeed - it was. L'Albero dei Gelati is a cozy spot with wonderful food, superior coffee, a great selection of cakes and cookies that appeal to those of us who prefer desserts which aren't overly sweet, and luscious gelato. I also appreciated that the cafe offered almond milk in its espresso drinks for those who prefer that to cow's milk.

We all savored our meals and coffee, plus the gluten-free almond chocolate cake I needed to have for dessert. Afterward we hit the pavement, checking out cute neighborhood shops while walking to DUMBO (aka "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass"). 

Brooklyn street corner

At one point on our walk we passed a large Brooklyn Heights office building outside of which we noticed a number of reporters and news vans; upon asking, it turned out that Hillary Clinton had recently rented an office in that building, and the media was waiting to see whether she might announce her candidacy for President that day. In the end, she did it via video, thus those reporters were waiting in vain.

Once we reached the East River, we sat down to rest our feet, to soak up the spring sunshine, and to enjoy the view. With the Statue of Liberty on our far left, the Manhattan heliport (incredibly busy!) to the left, Manhattan right in front of us, and the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges to our right, and many people out soaking up some vitamin D in the spring sunshine, there was plenty to observe.

We continued on our way to a chocolate shop, Jacques Torre. I was still stuffed from brunch, so I ordered only a single chocolate truffle, while the relatives gained sustenance from the very rich and slightly spicy hot chocolate. After stopping in a bookshop named The Powerhouse Arena, we headed  to the closest subway stop, yet were sidetracked when we noticed a vintage Danish furniture store, where we stared and gasped at many of the price tags.

Spotted at The Powerhouse Arena

Spotted on a wall somewhere on the streets of Dumbo

Upon returning home, clearly a tad tired from two days of walking and city touring, I took a nap - one that was meant to be a half-hour long, yet stretched to several hours. I cannot recall the last time I'd napped for such a long time, but must confess it was incredibly relaxing. And good thing, as my trip was not yet over!

Easter Weekend: Markets, Friends and Hiking...and More Friends

My Easter weekend was rather non-traditional, but it provided plenty of fun and enjoyment. On Saturday a friend and I went to two farmers' markets: at one we bought plenty of eggs (farm fresh!), and at the other we visited a friend's coffee stand (delicious!). In the afternoon I baked muffins, then visited a friend and her two-week old baby (adorable!). Later two friends and I met for dinner (arctic char - fantastic!) to rather belatedly celebrate my birthday.

On Easter Sunday I decided that Jesus would definitely want me to be healthy, so I attended my regular yoga class, and in the afternoon joined friends for a hike at Maryland's Gambrill State Park, and later even enjoyed a short stroll near Seneca Creek. It was my first visit to Gambrill, and I was impressed by the large rock formations and the views into the valleys surrounding the mountains. (Thanks to B. for photos!)

Rocks in Gambrill State Park

Sunscreen season has certainly begun - I was in a rush on Sunday, and had forgotten to apply any. Luckily I spent only a bit of time in the direct sun, but even on Monday a short break outside the office meant I could feel the sun warming my fair Baltic skin a tad too much. Pollen is also here full force, but happily my seasonal allergies have been barely noticeable since I stopped eating gluten and cut back on dairy a couple of years ago.

Bluebells

Redbuds near Seneca Creek

On Easter Monday I dragged myself back to work (not having the luxury of any national holidays around Easter the way many European countries do), and then in the evening drove to singing. We always rehearse in the home of one family, and when I walked in, I was surprised to see a couple of visitors from Latvia sitting at the dining room table. One of the visitors sang with us for several years while he lived in the DC area for work. It was wonderful to see them again, and we relished a great evening of singing and catching up. Our time together, however, was marred to a certain degree by discussions concerning Russia's recent land-grab in Crimea, the continued Russian activities in Ukraine, and what Putin's future intentions might be. It is not an understatement to say that quite a few Latvians - both in Latvia and abroad - are afraid of what the future might hold.

Thus, I leave you with this video of Latvians celebrating a traditional (i.e. pagan/pre-Christian) Easter in Latvia last year. Watch through or skip ahead to about minute 2:00 to hear a folksong sung by my group. For the life of me I couldn't get the video to imbed into the blog, but the link is here!

The song is called "Rīgā iešu es, māmiņa" (translated: I will go to Riga, mother). In today's political climate, the last verses are particularly appropriate:

Vij’, Dieviņi, zelta viju
Visgarām jūras malu.
Lai nenāca sveša salna
Šai zemē ziedu rauti.

Rough translation: May God weave gold around the shore so that foreign frost cannot enter our land to freeze the flowers.