SOLACE Spring & Summer 2008

SPR I NG & SUMMER 2008

the sweetness

Pr emi er desti nation gu i de to west mic h igan

of summer

3 floors of fascinating exhibits 76-foot whale skeleton, Egyptian mummies, The Furniture City and much more.

Catch a show in the Planetarium!

Ride the 1928 Carousel!

Visit the Cusiosity Shop and Museum Caf

Ask the hotel concierge for special offers and information on major traveling exhibits.

Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm; Sunday Noon to 5 pmClosed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day

General Admission: $8 Adults, $7 Seniors, $3 Ages 3-17

2 7 2 P E A R L S T R E E T N W G R A N D R A P I D S , M I 4 9 5 0 4 - 5 3 7 1 6 1 6 . 4 5 6 - 3 9 7 7 G R M U S E U M . O R G

Founded 1854

Just Across the River!

Come Explore One of the CitysMost Exciting Attractions -

Trinchero Family Estates

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2 Solace spr i ng & summer 2008

ConTEnTs

To market, to market

Worth reading

The ultimate food fight

Packing a picnic, Michigan style

Conscious eating

West Michigan arts scene

Food-inspired art

Sweet morsels

Guest Editorial

Savor: A Guide to Dining

Calendar of Events

Solace Scene

Profile: top chefs

Michigan oasis

Going local

West Michigan brews

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Life Inspired

Features

Every Issue

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VoLu m E 1 n um bEr 2 Food & dr In k An Amway Hotel Corporation Publication

Editorial Director dottie rhodes

Creative Director Gwen obrien

Editor Alyssa roggie Allen

Design Plenty Creative

A m wAy HoTEL Cor Por ATIon Corporate Director of Marketing Chad Leroux

Advertising Coordinator ryan slusarzyk

on TH E CoV Er Photography dean Van dis

Food Styling Chef scott Hunter

Solace Magazine is published two times per year by

Plenty Creative on behalf of Amway Hotel Corporation.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole

or in part without the expressed written consent of both

Plenty Creative and the Amway Hotel Corporation. For

advertising information, please call 616.776.6459.

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8

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10%

Cert no. SGS-COC-003358

80 Ottawa Avenue, Suite 240 Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Tuesday, Thursday: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

www.artistry.com

escapeto The Artistry Beauty Institute & Spa

where you can experience one of the leading

prestige beauty brands in the world, ARTISTRY.

Located only two blocks away, the contemporary

loft space is designed to allow you to lose yourself

in the simple pleasures of total relaxation and

complete rejuvenation.

Book your escape now at 787-6699. See hotel in-room directory for full treatment menu.

ABI_Solace_alt_fin2.indd 1 9/5/07 7:46:10 AM

4 Solace spr i ng & summer 2008

LETTEr From JoE TomAsELLI

Dear guest,welcome to Solace the magazine created to be your guide as you discover all the wonders of spring and summer in michigan. As president of Amway Hotel Corporationthe operator of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, the Jw marriott Grand rapids, and the downtown Courtyard by marriott I welcome you to our properties.Great food and wines are a passion of mine, so I am very pleased to introduce you to the unparalleled culinary offerings of our hotels in this magazineour Food and Drink issue. No doubt you have heard that the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is home to The 1913 Room, Michigans only AAA Five Diamond restaurant. Its a distinction we are proud of, and we encourage you to experience the dinner of a lifetime there during your stay. But you might not have heard about the latest addition to our family of restaurants, JW Marriotts six.one.six, which has garnered much critical acclaim since its opening in 2007. They are just two of our 11 restaurants and lounges, and I wholeheartedly recommend any one of them to you.

Inside these pages, you will learn about exciting local and global food and drink trends, as well as meet some of the interesting and talented people who call Grand Rapids home. Make the best use of Solace during your stay, and be sure to take it home with you so can enjoy it long after your stay with us.

I deeply appreciate the masterful skills represented in each of our kitchens, as well as those throughout downtown Grand Rapids and West Michigan. I believe that West Michigans restaurant gems can hold their own with any big-city dining experience. So I invite you to venture out and enjoy the cityand of course, find a great place for your next meal.

Joseph Tomaselli Amway Hotel Corporation President & Chief Executive Officer

5Solace spr i ng & summer 2008

lets go. out.

downtown grand rapids. downtowngr.org

Explore. Shop. Dine. Enjoy. With so much to do and see in downtown Grand Rapids, going out means having fun. From the new Grand Rapids Art Museum to the fabulous shopping just outside your door to the rich and inviting nightlife, one thing is certain. When youre here, boredom is just not in the picture.

for a free copy of our downtown map, please visit your concierge

6 Solace spr i ng & summer 2008

GuEsT EdITorIAL mArIE CATrIb

photography by Mitch Ranger

Marie Catribs of Grand Rapids 1001 Lake Drive SE mariecatribs.com (About 1 mile from your hotel)

Marie Catrib and her son, Fouad, say their East Hills neighborhood bakery and delicatessen (called Marie Catribs) is driven by quality, sustainability and creativity. We recently asked Marie to talk with us about her love of food, people, and community.

I live here because Grand Rapids is a beautiful little, big city at the same time. The people are really wonderful and genuine, and they show very deep appreciation for what my son and I are trying to do here.

My first experience with cooking was not good. When I was back home in my country (Lebanon), my mom and grandma cooked, and I didnt have to do anything. But when I got married and came to this country, I had to cook. For the first few months of my married life, my ex-husband used to take the garbage out three times a day. I always wondered, What does he have in there? because it was disaster after disaster after disaster. So I wrote to my dad and asked him to write down everything my mother cooked. After awhile he got tired of writing it down so he sent me a cookbook. It just took me a little practice.

To me, food is when you are happy you celebrate with food, and when you are sad you celebrate with food. So food goes with everything in life.

I like to use locally grown food because it feels good. It feels like you are respecting the people who are growing it, and then we get respect from our customers. Life is give and take. They give to us, we take, and our customers turn around and give us back.

I want Marie Catribs to be an open place for people who want to come and have the feeling of a home and a family. A couple had their baby on Monday and they brought him here on Wednesday so I could meet him. I couldnt believe it. It really touched me deeply and made us feel like we are a part of their family.

7Solace spr i ng & summer 2008

8 Solace spr i ng & summer 2008

LIFE InsPIrEd sHoP

To market, to market

CarrybagArt of the Table $34Made of durable polyester and fully collapsible, with a soft rubber handle and sturdy bottom. artofthetable.com

Why choose paper or plastic for your next trip to the market, when you can shop with style and scruples with these reusable bags.

wheelskstudio $130Made of 100% organic cotton, this chic tote was designed and hand made by Grand Rapids artist Shelly Klein. kstudiohome.com

noel Coal small CoalKate Spade New York $155Printed in an oil-based paint with a gradation of the signature Noel mark pattern. Made in a heavy, cotton canvas material. katespade.com

reusable market ToteMethod $15 (free with purchase)Compact and stuffs into its own interior pocket, making it easy to keep in your purse or briefcase. 100% polyester with non-toxic inks and responsibly produced. methodhome.com

wave bagLafontsee Gallery $40100% recycled from rice and feed bags originally used for transporting goods in Asia. Holds double the volume of a standard paper grocery bag. lafontsee.us

bird Graphic Print ToteLuna Boston $35Canvas tote features a modern piece of art screened onto one side. Fully lined interior in fun cotton print. lunaboston.com

Envirosax: Flora bag 5Tobi $10 Lightweight and waterproof polyester. Holds up to two plastic bags worth of groceries. tobi.com

photography by Dean Van Dis

Experts now say that both paper and plastic bags cause harm to the environment. Consider this: Americans use more than 10 million paper bags every year and 14 million trees are cut down every year for paper bag production. Worldwide, about 4 billion plastic bags end up as litter every year. Tied end to end, the bags could circle the earth 63 times. Source: The Washington Pos