Are you living the American Dream? Most of us have a pretty good idea about what the American Dream is. In case you don’t, we looked it up: If we carry this definition further, we find that many Americans see homeownership as an important part of that dream. Let’s look at some recent statistics. Existing home sales in May […]
The post Seeking the American Dream of Home Ownership appeared first on Benchmark Mortgage Blog.
Does it make more financial sense to buy or to rent? Is the American dream of home ownership still alive? That depends. Let’s explore renting vs buying a home and the effects on family wealth. Recently, the BH&J Buy vs. Rent Index seems to conclude that renting is surpassing buying as the better choice. Is […]
The post Renting vs Buying a Home and Accumulating Wealth appeared first on Benchmark Mortgage Blog.
The holiday season is always a crazy time, but that’s no reason not to take advantage of the great housing market, and make some new holiday memories in a new home. Benchmark is committed to a smooth and easy mortgage process, keep these simple do’s and don’ts handy as you start your home buying process […]
The holiday season is always a crazy time, but that’s no reason not to take advantage of the great housing market, and make some new holiday memories in a new home. Benchmark is committed to a smooth and easy mortgage process, keep these simple do’s and don’ts handy as you start your home buying process […]
Whether you need a unique gift or a bit of inspiration for an upcoming dinner party, you’ll find what you need — and much more — at Art of the Table. This award-winning specialty food, beverage, and tabletop retail store is a Grand Rapids institution that has been delighting local foodies since 2003.
In the process, owners Amy and Steve Ruis helped to transform a corner of the city that was steeped in history but had become run-down and neglected over the decades. The couple joined forces with other Heritage Hill neighbors and purchased and extensively renovated the historic building that now houses Art of the Table. Together, Art of the Table and neighboring business Wealthy Street Bakery have created 40-plus jobs and revitalized this area of Grand Rapids. Art of the Table is a true grass-roots success story.
Inspired Ingredients
Have you tried natural Koeze peanut butter yet? It’s made right here in Grand Rapids – an you can pick up a jar at Art of the Table. You’ll also find more than 200 locally made food items, including cheese, wine, beers, vodka, salsa, chocolates, and more.
The folks at Art of the Table believe that every meal can be memorable and special — without the chef having to fuss for hours to make it so. Art of the Table puts the freshest, most-inspired ingredients at your fingertips so you can craft extraordinary meals and have plenty of time to enjoy them.
Beautiful Tables
The Art of the Table folks also believe that a truly special dining experience should be a treat for your eyes as well as your palate. The store carries a full array of colorful placemats, napkins, candles, and creative tabletop accessories to give your everyday table the Wow factor. You’ll find one-of-a-kind art, potholders, candles, and serving pieces to use in your own home or to wrap up as the perfect gift.
Taste for Yourself
If your looking for inspiration or simply looking for something fun to do on a Thursday or Friday afternoon, head to Art of the Table between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. to sample some of their most delectable offerings. Check out the tasting schedule at http://www.artofthetable.com/calendar/events/. At any time of the day, though, you’ll find plenty to please your palate when you visit this inspiring culinary destination.
The Grand Rapids Public School System is continuing the operation of its school-based health centers throughout the summer.
The centers will be open to students, regardless of their school district and will be able to see clients ages 10 to 21. For younger students, parents should contact the clinics to inquire about availability. Same-day appointments for health concerns, including illnesses or injuries, are available, as are mental health services.
If the family has insurance, it will be billed for treatment, but the visit will be free for families who have no insurance. If no prior consent is on file, parents or guardians must be present during all visits.
The centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday at Union High School, Ottawa Hills High School, and City High School. Before visiting the health centers, parents or guardians should contact the center to set up an appointment.
Available services include physicals, sports physicals, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, immunizations, counseling, lab testing, and treatment for minor illnesses and injuries. The centers are staffed with medical and mental health professionals to see to students’ needs.
The first of these school-based health centers opened in 1999 at Union High School. The existing health centers have received a number of grants over the years. In 2006, the Child and Adolescent Health Center Grant was awarded to the school district for Creston and Ottowa Hills high schools. In 2011, five-year grant from the Michigan Department of Community Health.
In the years since the centers opened, tens of thousands of visits have been made and thousands of students have benefited from the services provided thanks to partnerships with the Michigan Department of Community Health, Kent School Services Network, Cherry Street Health Services, and Spectrum Health.
Call 616-791-6593 to reach Union High School’s health center to check for appointment availability. Union High School is located at 1720 Plainfield Ave. NE. Ottowa Hills High School’s center is located at 2055 Rosewood Ave. SE and can be reached at 616-776-5110. To reach Creston High School’s center, call 616-776-5120. The center is located at 1720 Plainfield Ave. NE.
Residents of Grand Rapids are always on the lookout to save money. However, when buying a home or worrying about a big purchase, plenty of people don’t have the best credit score. While true, there is plenty of misinformation out there. With this in mind, here are the top five credit score myths dispelled for Grand Rapids residents.
Avoid using cards at all: In reality, if you use your cards all the time and pay off your bills, you will help your score. Sadly, some consumers take the wrong advice and end up trouble. Remember, if you have the discipline, you need to use your credit cards for monthly expenses. Then, you will watch your credit score increase.
Closing unused or old accounts will help your score: All-too-often, in a rush to improve one’s credit score, consumers will often close old and unused accounts. This is a massive mistake! Instead, if a customer doesn’t use a given card, he or she should simply place it in the sock drawer. Then, one should use the card once or twice a year to ensure that the company doesn’t close the account. When doing so, you can keep your credit score intact.
Arrange charge-offs: If a person doesn’t pay his or her credit card or other bill for a few years, it may be wise to let it go. Sadly, people will usually call up the credit card and negotiate a payment plan or settlement. While it may feel like the right thing to do, it will hurt the credit score of a consumer. Instead, at this point, one should hold out.
Apply for credit all the time: When applying for a loan or credit card, one will see a slight ding on their credit score. In the long run, this is not too harmful. On the other hand, when a consumer has five or six inquiries, he or she will hurt their score temporarily. While not a long-term problem, if a person wants to obtain a mortgage, he or she should try to cool it on the applications.
Available credit is not relevant: The more credit a person has, the better score he or she will possess. For this reason, one should not fear large credit lines.
With these five credit score myths dispelled, a consumer can keep his or her score high. Then, when looking to borrow money, one won’t overpay on their loan.
If you’re a resident or visitor in the beautiful city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and you need to enjoy a quick, wet break from the summer heat, the Department of Parks & Recreation is proud to announce its list of splash pools, pads and water playgrounds that will help you cool down this summer!
From June 13 to September 1, 2014, three pools will be located in different parts of Grand Rapids: one in Briggs Park, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, and Richmond Park. Each of these three pools have distinct opening and closing times, but remember all of these pools will be closed on Sundays and Independence Day (Friday, July 4, 2014):
Briggs Pool: Monday through Thursday 12:30-6:00 P.M.; Friday & Saturday 12:30-7:00 P.M.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Pool: Monday & Wednesday through Saturday: 12:30-7:00 P.M.; Tuesdays 12:30-6:00 P.M.
Richmond Pool: Monday 12:30-6:00 P.M.; Tuesday through Saturday 12:30-7:00 P.M.
Each of these pools will have open swim fees for both residents and non-residents:
Youth under the age of one will enter free, regardless of type of residency;
Resident Youth between the ages of one through seventeen must pay $1.00; non-residents must pay $4.00;
Resident Adults age 18 and up must pay $2.00; non-residents must also pay $4.00.
In addition, both punch-card fees for multiple swimming and family pool passes for up to six family members starting at $80 (for Grand Rapids residents only) are available. Free swimming lessons are also available at each of the three outdoor pools; session times must be consulted at the We Are GR city publication.
For smaller children or those not interested in swimming, splash pads and water playgrounds are located in sixteen locations in and around Grand Rapids, including Aberdeen Park, Mary Waters Park, and in surrounding locations like Lamar and Oriole Park in Wyoming, Michigan. For those located in the City of Grand Rapids, two of these water playgrounds and splash areas —those in Aberdeen and Mulick Park— will be open daily from noon to 6:00 P.M.; the other five locations are open daily from 11:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Even more so, those that would like to hit the beaches beyond Grand Rapids can choose from over twenty beaches in the West Michigan Area, notably Millenium Park and Versluis Park inside the city.
With pools, splash pads, and succulent beaches, your Grand Rapids summer is more than complete!
Founders Brewing Company is run by a group of beer enthusiasts who have the following philosophy: We are not here to win a popularity contest. We are here to brew finely crafted beers that appeal to people who have a refined taste for them and perhaps are ready to rebel against the tastes of the masses.
Founders Brewing Company is one of the most recognized brewers in the United States. They are constantly rated highly by beer experts organizations and have won many medals.
Recently, the brewery has announced that they will release a new ale, Mosaic Promise. This is an ale brewed with a single malt and a single hop. The brewery will donate all proceeds from the ale to Artprize, a major art competition to take place in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The brewery is the official one of the competition for the next five years. Last year they released a beer called Inspired Artist Black IPA. They plan to release a new beer for each of the five years.
The art competition is a major one that is decided by public vote. It is meant to “promote critical dialogue and collaboration through new, creative ideas among a large, diverse population of people.” The brewery has remarked that experimentation is key both in the field of art and the field of brewing. Both are creative processes that are shared with the public.
A massive number of people, over 400,000, are expected to attend the next Artprize competition.
The following are some features of Artprize:
Anyone who is over the age of eighteen can participate. Artprize is independently organized. The artists and venues who participate connect through the organization’s website. Two grand prizes and eight category awards are offered. Half of the prizes are decided by the public, and half are decided by a jury of art experts.
The brewery has also partnered with Artprize to create Artprize on Tap. For members of Artclub, people who donate to the organization, this perk is a way of staying connected with Artprize. Held on the third Wednesday of every month, members get to sample the brewery’s beer and food.
One of the most delicious trends in new restaurants has made its way to Grand Rapids: the food truck! Cities all across the country have been enjoying delectable eats from food trucks, and we now get to partake in the mobile yumminess. One food truck in particular, A Moveable Feast, is setting itself apart as a frontrunner in the food truck industry.
Started in 2013 by a native Michigan couple, A Moveable Feast strives to bring fresh, gourmet food to citizens at various locals throughout the city. One of the great aspects of the food truck is the ease at which it moves around the city, thus allowing a greater number of residents to easily sample the delicious meals made on board. While the truck can be found at various locations and events throughout the city, Tuesday through Friday they typically set up shop outside the Grand Rapids Art Museum for lunch.
One downside of operating out of a food truck is inclement weather. If the weather turns ugly, A Moveable Feast is unable to operate. The best way to determine if the truck will be open is to keep an eye on their Facebook page. The business frequently posts updates concerning unexpected closings, as well as special events they will be attending. This makes it easy to locate the truck when you are in the mood for some fresh, local food.
And the owners do use as much locally grown food as possible. Their dedication to supporting local farmers allows them to customize their menu for whatever items are in-season and available each day. In addition to locally grown food, the company also strives to ensure they are purchasing food items from businesses that utilize responsible and humane practices. Shopping with this set of criteria gives customers the unique experience of an ever-changing menu, which means you should never grow tired of the same old items being offered each and every day.
If you are feeling hungry while you are out and about, be sure to check out A Moveable Feast. This is not the food truck for you if you are looking for a simple hot dog. If you are looking for delicious, fresh, locally grown food, though, this is the food truck you have been waiting for!
