My Thanksgiving Weekend In Grand Rapids>>>>

[jholbrook]

Greetings Everyone!

I thought I'd share a few photos taken this past weekend while I was in Grand Rapids, MI.

I got up Friday after Thanksgiving and drove to Grand Rapids, MI to my ex-wife's home to pick up my son. When I got there he was playing with his cat.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/johncat.jpg

I asked him if he'd like me to take some photos of his cat, and he said "sure!" First, kitty had to get cleaned up for his photo shoot:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/kitty3.jpg

Strike a pose kitty!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/kitty4.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/kitty2.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/kitty1.jpg

After the big photoshoot, we headed out for dinner, watched a movie, then went back to my hotel for a good nights sleep.

The next morning after breakfast, we decided to go for a swim at the hotel pool:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/gr10.jpg

Wrist shot!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/poolwrist.jpg

After that, we got cleaned up and headed down town. Our first stop was to the Van Andel Museum:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/museum.jpg

After the museum, we decided to explore the downtown area. Not much happens in downtown Grand Rapids on the weekends, so it was very quiet and easy to walk around:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/gr8.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/gr1.jpg

I decided to give my new Navitimer some wrist time - no need to wear my Red Sub downtown.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/naviwrist2.jpg

Grand Rapids was at one time the furniture capital of the US - most residential furniture was made in Grand Rapids. Several large office furniture manufacturers like Steelcase are still headquartered there. Most of the buildings downdown were at one time furniture factories. Some of the streets are still cobblesone:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/gr9.jpg

Before long we came upon one of my favorite attractions downtown - the Amway Grand Plaza hotel:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/gr4.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/gr5.jpg

Some of my favorite restaurants in Grand Rapids are located in the Amway Grand including the 1913 Room, Cygnus 27, and Benthams. It had been some time since I had been in the Amway Grand, so John and I decided to walk in the lobby and have a look:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/gr6.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/gr7.jpg

I remembered that there was a Rolex Authorized Dealer not far from the Amway, and got some directions from the front desk - it was only a couple of blocks away. What I didn't know is that next door they had a watch repair store:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/gr2.jpg

You just don't see too many of these around anymore in the US. We went inside with the hope that perhaps they had some vintage watches for sale....alas none were found, so we went next door to Herkners - one of two Rolex AD's in Grand Rapids:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/gr3.jpg

Well, that pretty much brings us to the end of the photo highlights from the weekend - we had dinner, saw another movie, went to church and lunch the next day, did a little shopping and I was back on the road for Dayton. I hope you enjoyed the photos! John and I had a great time haning out together.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Grand%20Rapids%20Thanksgiving/john1a.jpg

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Thanx,

for the pics John. Never saw this town before.

Are you travelling to the Daytona 500 next year?

I will be there with 3 friends on Sunday. Maybe we can start a photo session there?

[jholbrook]

Originally posted by Toppits
Thanx,

for the pics John. Never saw this town before.

Are you travelling to the Daytona 500 next year?

I will be there with 3 friends on Sunday. Maybe we can start a photo session there?

I'm hoping to go to the 24 hr.s of Daytona, but no plans for the Daytona 500.

BTW, I'm from Dayton...not Daytona. :tongue:

[ehemaliges mitglied]

Hi John,

nice pics - shot with the new Canon ?

The world is a small place - my uncle lives in Ada, MI, close to Grand Rapids and you "forgot" to mention that the famous furniture company "Herman Miller" has its headquarter there.

So I assume the drive from Dayton is pretty much like going from GR to Chicago, more or less 4 hours - right ?

Anyway - I can remember having been at some of the places you showed but I also remember that it can get damned (please feel free to replace it with the "f"-word :D ) cold in the winter.

Thank you.

Greetings, Juergen

[ehemaliges mitglied]

I know. Thats in Ohio but you travel a lot. ;)

I went to the Rolex 24 Hrs in 2004. It wasn´t that exciting and we left early in the evening.

I hope the D 500 is more interesting. Took me 5 hours to get the tickets when they started selling them over the internet.

[Hannes]

Did I ever tell you that I hat cats? :D
But I love your country

Anyway - Thanks for the pics.

[Der Stahlmann]

nice Kitty cat =)thanks for the Reort :gut:

[jholbrook]

Originally posted by Magic
Hi John,

nice pics - shot with the new Canon ?


Actually they were! Love that camera!



The world is a small place - my uncle lives in Ada, MI, close to Grand Rapids and you "forgot" to mention that the famous furniture company "Herman Miller" has its headquarter there.

So I assume the drive from Dayton is pretty much like going from GR to Chicago, more or less 4 hours - right ?

Anyway - I can remember having been at some of the places you showed but I also remember that it can get damned (please feel free to replace it with the "f"-word :D ) cold in the winter.

Thank you.

Greetings, Juergen

You are correct that it takes me roughly 4 hours ( a bit more) to make the trip...not bad at all. And you are correct that it gets darn cold there. Lake effect snow.... 8o

[jholbrook]

Originally posted by Hannes
Did I ever tell you that I hat cats? :D
But I love your country

Anyway - Thanks for the pics.

LOL! You and my wife both! She has cat alegrgies so we don't own any. :tongue: