#065: Ben is bob lob law, blah blah. La ti da, blah blah. Lob law boob lob, log blog. La ti da, blah blah. Lob law boob lob, log blog. La ti da, blah blah. Lob law boob lob, log blog. La ti da, blah blah. Lob law boob lob, log blog (see: .
What's your name?
Ben How old are you?
25 What educational institutions did you attend while in Grand Rapids?
East Grand Rapids and Forest Hills Public Schools and Calvin College Where do you now live?
New York, NY Why did you leave Grand Rapids?
Graduate school. What would Grand Rapids have to gain in order for you to return?
I love GRR just the way it is. Do you love or hate the Devos family?
This is such a weird question, right? I think of Rich Devos as Judge Doom from Roger Rabbit. Your favorite bar/hangout in Grand Rapids?
DAAC and Above-the-Rim Bar and Grill. What is your most amazing memory of Grand Rapids?
This is very difficult to answer. Immediately, the summer of 2002 yields the most positive memories. While waiting to move into a building on Division St., which is now the DAAC and Scavenger Hunt, I essentially camped out in a house with three other friends. I had nothing in my room but a mattress. I spent the day time building bleachers at Houseman field, evenings causing a ruckus and weekend seeking out swimming holes. Kava House or Common Ground?
KAVA HOUSE! East side or West side?
Middle side. Division Ave! What do you miss about Grand Rapids?
Paying less than $200 for rent.]]>
#064: Megan is a graduate of both Grand Rapids Christian High School and Grand Valley State University. Currently, she is working on her Masters at University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. Megan is also honing her karaoke skills cowboy-style in hopes to come back and take DJs Lounge by storm.
#063: By day Michelle manages a law office and by night serves up cocktails to old money theater patrons, prissy bitches, and randoms. She is looking into starting a contracting company for green solutions and will soon be extending her art degree with an Interior Design certification so she can make wallpaper, light sculptures and sound tracks for rooms.
#062: Jon-Paul went to Davenport University for his associates in Marketing then attended San Diego State, until 9/11 when he joined Army Special Operations which he have served with for the last 4 years. Jon-Paul also attended the Defense Language Institute where he learned Mandarin Chinese. He just returned from my year tour in Iraq and will continue to finish his BA in International Business with focus in Asian studies.
#061 Kendal is 25 and attended Union High School. She currently lives in Ravenna, Ohio. Kendal hates sushi, but loves HEARTS!
#060: Sarah is 32 and a graduate of Ottawa Hills Highschool. She left Grand Rapids and attended Depaul University in Chicago and is currently working on her PhD in sociology at Loyola. Sarah is way into Nick Cave and also likes to listen to Teagan and Sara, as well as Van Morrison. Her Grand Rapids roots run deep - as evidenced by her experiental knowledge of Monroe Mall Punk Rock Hills
Where do you now live?
Chicago area
#059: Kelly is a graduate of Ottawa Hills High School, as well as Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. She is currently studying at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Kelly loves music and watching CSI. She secretly wants to be an assasin, but realizes its conflict to her being a seminary student.
Where do you now live?
Philadelphia
#058: Miles is a twenty-something currently living in Columbus, OH. He is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where he was a program manager at their radio station WCKS. Miles currently plays music under the moniker Marvin the Robot and was recently featured on NPR.
Where do you now live?
Columbus, OH
Why did you leave Grand Rapids?
My mother was sick, and needed some one to run her business. I really couldn't afford my rent at the time either. I’m no tutor, but I was kind of amped to get back to the more urban Columbus environment. Little did I know, that most of what I loved about Columbus either burned down, moved away, or vanished in some other manner.
What would Grand Rapids have to gain in order for you to return?
A year without winter, or a job that pays a living wage, a 24 hour eatery that’s within walking distance of wherever I’d live, or some one who’d make out with me.
Do you love or hate the Devos family?
I don’t think I’ve actually met any of them, so I’ll reserve judgment
Your favorite bar/hangout in Grand Rapids?
The Schuab House, the Lake Drive House, The DAAC, GVSU, Vertigo, Gia, Yesterdog, Division Ave, Four Friends, Mulligans.
What is your most amazing memory of Grand Rapids?
They’re all pretty amazing I have to admit.
Kava House or Common Ground?
Depends on who’s working where. I’m rooting for the coffee shop next to Yesterdog.
East side or West side?
Tough choice. The west side is beautiful, the grocery stores have some ethnicity to them, and the Park/Zoo is right there.
The east side is where the party is at though. ]]>
#057: Sean Vincent is 33 and currently living in St. Louis, MO. He is a graduate of Creston High School and currenlty works at Whole Foods. Sean Vincent likes listening to Slick Rick, Brian Eno, My Bloody Valentine and Talib Kwali. He also likes watching Billy Madison.
Where do you now live?
st. louis
Why did you leave Grand Rapids?
for cultural expansion and geographical knowledge
What would Grand Rapids have to gain in order for you to return?
better weather
Do you love or hate the Devos family?
dont know them at all
Your favorite bar/hangout in Grand Rapids?
putt putts
What is your most amazing memory of Grand Rapids?
playing music onstage for the first time.
Kava House or Common Ground?
kava
East side or West side?
north east side yo...
What do you miss about Grand Rapids?
just family and friends (cheap rent too) ]]>
#056: Angel is 20 and a graduate of Creston High School. She is currently living in Scottsdale, AZ. Angel likes learning to cook, rapping in "spanglish", crotchrockets and watching "Sponge Bob Square Pants". She also enjoys modeling and dancing.
Where do you now live?
Scottsdale AZ
Why did you leave Grand Rapids?
Weather and Family
What would Grand Rapids have to gain in order for you to return?
Better clubs
Do you love or hate the Devos family?
Never met them but i would luv to get the chance, ive heard alot of good things about them
Your favorite bar/hangout in Grand Rapids?
It was tuscanos
What is your most amazing memory of Grand Rapids?
My x boifriend and me used to hang out at Martinlutherking park and pretty much just being kids again
Kava House or Common Ground?
Never heard of em'
East side or West side?
South East
What do you miss about Grand Rapids?
How every made you feel like you were part of the family and the night life, the rec centers, YMCA and the list goes on ]]>
#055: Wade is 32 and a graduate of Creston High School and Grand Valley State University. He is into religion, dark chocolate and is an aspiring wine snob, but lacks the funds.
Where do you now live?
San Jose, CA
Why did you leave Grand Rapids?
A job in Youth Ministry in CA moved me here
What would Grand Rapids have to gain in order for you to return?
More progressive churches that would hire out queer youth ministers
Do you love or hate the Devos family?
They have done lots of good in GR and some of the family are great and some are well, other
Your favorite bar/hangout in Grand Rapids?
Diversions
What is your most amazing memory of Grand Rapids?
Walking on the riverwalk and bridges downtown
Kava House or Common Ground?
Kava
East side or West side?
East
What do you miss about Grand Rapids?
Family and good people, but definately not the weather
]]>
#054: Stefan is 26 and currenlty living in Omaha, NE. He is a graduate of Creston High School and is into punk rock [and apparently was into it when there were hills on Monroe, evidenced here.]
Where do you now live?
i know live in omaha, nebraska. it is the latest in a series of moves and looks to be the most permanent as we have purchased a house here.
Why did you leave Grand Rapids?
my wife currently works for northwest airlines and did when we lived in grand rapids. we have moved around quite a bit since we got married, and all the moves were related to positions in her company, so, job-related.
What would Grand Rapids have to gain in order for you to return?
nothing much, basically, either my wife would have to leave me either by passing away or divorcing me, or get a position at the airport there/get a different job there. i was actually satisfied with grand rapids, but before i got married i had lived in philadelphia PA for several years and was glad to be back in michigan.
Do you love or hate the Devos family?
i have no strong feelings ablout them personally, although my mother had an experience with one of the women in that family that didn't exactly give me a good impression of them.
Your favorite bar/hangout in Grand Rapids?
used to be the reptile house, now billys or mullys
What is your most amazing memory of Grand Rapids?
too many to list.
Kava House or Common Ground?
neither really. i'm more of a morningstar kind of guy.
East side or West side?
grew up on the EAST side baby, but i got some love for the west side too.
What do you miss about Grand Rapids?
mostly friends and family. that, and that the bars are open till 2 am (omaha they're open till 1 am., and on sundays most aren't open at all.) ]]>
#053: Nadia is 33 and has traveled the world consistenly for the last few years, most recently with a stint in Salt Lake City. She attended several different universtities; University of Michigan, George Washington University, University of Montana - Missoula, San Francisco State. Nadia enjoys good music and attending live conerts.
Where do you now live?
Just returned from Salt Lake City
Why did you leave Grand Rapids?
In pursuit of more sun and bigger mountains
What Grand Rapids have to gain in order for you to return?
more sun and bigger mountains and more single
people my age
Do you love or hate the Devos family?
never met them...
Your favorite bar/hangout in Grand Rapids?
fairly undereducated in this area, but Cambridge
house is nice because they have a Ms. Pacman
game
What is your most amazing memory of Grand Rapids?
Oy, this is a tough one... Most amazing? How
about most amazing memory of west mich? A
couple of years ago visiting a friend at his condo on
the lake in Holland and it was sunny and beautiful
and the water was blue blue blue and the sand is
perfect and I thought what an absolutley perfect
place to be--if only the water was above 42 degrees.
Kava House or Common Ground?
Again, not enough knowledge, never been to either.
East side or West side?
East side if only by default as I grew up on the east
side.
News 8 or 13?
13 because a friend in high school is now a
reporter on 13.
]]>
#052: Amy is 26 and currentlly living in Chicago, where she received her MBA from University of Chicago. She is also a graduate of both City High School and Grandville High School, as well as Butler University in Indianapolis, IN. Amy enjoys reading and listening to music, cooking and playing the oboe.
Where do you now live?
Chicago
Why did you leave Grand Rapids?
Too few opps for non full time musicians who want to play with professional level players. Enjoy diversity, culutural opportunities and accessibility of a larger city (walking, good public transportation)
What would Grand Rapids have to gain in order for you to return?
Urban communities - walk to everything. Improved public transport.
Do you love or hate the Devos family?
No opinion. But all cities need families with money to help build things.
Your favorite bar/hangout in Grand Rapids?
Left before I was 21 - used to hang out at Four friends coffee house downtown.
Kava House or Common Ground?
Common ground - my sister takes me there when I visit.
East side or West side?
West side.
What do you miss about Grand Rapids?
Lack a anonymity - feeling of a small community ]]>
#051: Jaqualine is 27 and currently lives in Chicago. She enjoys observing people, flossin', rockin' and arts and crafts stuff.
Where do you now live?
I live in chicago
Why did you leave Grand Rapids?
I left Grand Rapids because it was Grand Rapids. It is very depressing there and it did not motivate me. Cultural and Creatively there is a definite lack. The people look all the same. It is too small for me. There is not enough opportunity there. There is not a lot do do at night. Boy I
could go on and on.
What would Grand Rapids have to gain in order for you to return?
Grand Rapids could not change enough for me to bring me back. Sorry.
Do you love or hate the Devos family?
I have no opinion On the Devos family. I am not dutch though so perhaps if I was I made side more with love.
Your favorite bar/hangout in Grand Rapids?
I use to like hanging out at The Intersection and Mulligan's. I usually hung out in East Town.
What is your most amazing memory of Grand Rapids?
My most amazing memory was going to The Festival downtown when I was little and also playing in the leaves in the fall.
East side or West side?
East side
What do you miss about Grand Rapids?
I miss bottle returns and the nature aspect. Mostly, drinking
in nature.]]>