Home Repair Services in Grand Rapids, Michigan is a great resource for homeowners. They offer many different classes to educate homeowners on remodeling and finance. The mission of Home Repair Services is to strengthen vulnerable Kent County homeowners because strong homeowners build strong communities. They believe that home ownership encourages personal responsibility and builds value, dignity, and pride. These are essential components for community vitality.

I'm not sure what it is about Asian food, but I LOVE it.  My brother has the addiction too, so we usually go out to lunch weekly.  Over time I have became quite the connoisseur of Asian restaurants around the Grand Rapids area.  Here is a collection of some of my most notable places.

Shanghai Ichiban-  Atmosphere is the name of the game here.  Beautiful decor, sculptures, and even an indoor Koi pond welcome you.  The restaurant is divided into two areas, one is Japanese hibachi and the other is Chinese.  The Chinese side is a typical nice restaurant experience.  The Japanese hibachi is where this place shines.  The chefs cook the food in front of you and perform various tricks with cooking utensils, fire, napkins, etc.  It's entertaining and the food is delicious.  Hibachi is a bit more expensive, but totally worth the experience.

Ok, so I am waaaay behind on posting this one.  Festival was almost two weeks ago, but this girl has been very busy.  Either way, so what is Festival of the Arts all about?  Well art, of course, but food is a big part of it too.

Festival is a three day event that always takes place in early June.  It is a celebration of local art.  There are multiple stages set up and musicians of all sorts can be found.  The variety ranges from rock bands to folk to gospel.  Dancers perform, adults and kids alike.  Artists set up shops and sell their goods.  There are a bunch of activities for the whole family.  And then there's the food.  There is no better place to go if you want meat on a stick or various types of ethnic food.  It is a fun and exciting weekend where everyone is welcome to join in the festivities.  Please check out my photos below.

Alger Heights is generally the area between Eastern and Kalamazoo, and Burton and 28th street.  My favorite thing about this neighborhood is the architecture.  All of the houses are so varied in style and full of character.  Most of the homes in this area were built between the 1920s and the 1940s. 

Driving past, you'll see brick, arches, leaded glass windows, and other nice architectural details.  No two homes look alike.  The residents must realize they have cute houses, because many have equally cute yards to match.  I always see people outside and walking around in this neighborhood.  With so many shops close by, it has great walkability.  Heritage Hill aside, this is one of the more interesting and well maintained older neighborhoods in Grand Rapids.

Food wise, this is one of the best Mexican restaurants in the Grand Rapids area.  In Wyoming, this place gets lost in the midst of the many restaurants on Rivertown Parkway.  It is tucked away in a small strip mall near Walgreens, on the SW corner of 44th and Ivanrest.  The atmosphere is a little lacking at this location, but the food is fabulous.

There is a large selection of items on the menu.  My personal favorite dish is the Texas taco salad.  Anything prepared "Texas style" comes with a trio of grilled chicken, steak, and shrimp.  Combine this with awesome guacamole and a crispy shell, you have Mexican food at its best.  To top it all off, they serve 44oz margaritas! I like places like El Arriero, La Cantina, Beltline Bar, and The Dungeon, but El Burrito Loco tops them all.  There are also locations on Alpine and near Knapp's Corner.  Check one of them out!