
Meet Your Maker: Crafting Wine from Vine to Glass

Grand Rapids in a Glass: 10 Iconic Cocktails

Prohibition — “the noble experiment” — was a complete, counterintuitive failure. The hooch got dirtier, the crime messier, the consumption higher. Even Congress, the arbiters of such bogus legislation, had their own bootlegger, “The Man in the Green Hat”, who snuck whiskey, moonshine, scotch and more to members of office. Surprise, it didn’t stick.
For whatever reason, the creators of Sonic the Hedgehog decided his favorite food of all time would be chili dogs. He seemed to subsist on nothing but the stuff, which I have to blame for my young self’s constant craving for hot dogs. Strangely, watching Popeye eat spinach didn’t have quite the same effect.
To pour a glass of Perrin Brewing Co.’s Clear Coast is to perform a mind trick. Apart from the microscopic bubbles popping in and out of existence, the seltzer looks more like water than water. And yet it does water one better, with a secret ingredient: alcohol. This here’s LaCroix gone wild.
Cracking open a Bud Light bottle is a lot like stepping into a pair of old slippers. They’re comfy and familiar, but kind of stink. You wouldn’t bring them out around company. While domestics serve their purpose, microbreweries have improved upon cheap beer’s blueprints, creating remarkable beers that are still light, approachable and affordable. That said, they’re not always easy to find. When the wall of craft beer towers like the library of Babel, it can feel like a safer bet to grab that six-pack of Blue Moon. Old habits die hard, but here are some suggestions from around Michigan to ease the transition from macro to micro.
When you’re down to the last dollars of a paycheck or just looking to offset your weekend spending binge, you don’t have to resort to ramen. Knowing the dirt-cheap spots in town can be a real lifesaver, as long as you know where to find them. We’re here to help, with a short selection from the many affordable joints hidden around West Michigan.
The art of the deal never rests. A true penny-pincher knows how to save any day of the week (except maybe Saturday) and finds joy in the hunt. But if you’re not so keen on spending an hour before every meal scouring websites for today’s specials, we’ve done the work for you. You can print this guide off and keep it on your desk, fantasizing over dinner plans throughout the afternoon.
Maybe you have the day off. Maybe you just dropped the kids off at soccer practice and need a break. Maybe you’re leaving work a little early for an afternoon “meeting.” Whatever the case, happy hour is there for you.
Linear’s own Cliff Ensing treated us to a bounty of cocktails, on menu and off, while reminding us that Linear’s happy hour (3-6 p.m. every day) is one of the best around. Half off signature cocktails, draft beers and wine glasses is not so bad! You didn’t really mean you were going to the gym more often this year, did you?
Tucked away on Lyon Street, neighborhood establishments like Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket Baking Co. and Lyon Street Cafe serve the many denizens of Heritage Hill and Midtown. All business owner Kameel Chamelly didn’t have on his roster was a full-service restaurant.