My Michigan

Petosky, MI

About a year ago one of my family members was moving from California to either Michigan or Florida. I quickly found myself creating lists of reasons why a move to Michigan would be the perfect choice. I guess I wasn’t the only one looking into the many assets our great Mitten State has to offer. A recent article from Thrillest.com ultimately decided that Michigan was ranked the greatest state out of all 50. Many of us here in Michigan already know that. On the same note the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau asked folks on social media to create a Pinterest page dedicated to all the things people love about Lansing summers. I was able to create this page: I #LoveLansing Summers. I think it’s natural to have pride in the location you’ve decided to live in, raise a family in, work in and vacation in. Michiganders love their state.  We love the great lakes, the urban cities, the national forests, the four seasons, and the people.

Here’s just a short list of some of my favorite Michigan places.

Lansing, MI view from the Boji Tower

1. Lansing, MI

The Grand River at Francis Park

This is home. This place has such a stronghold on my heart that it’s hard to explain how much I adore it. The people here are amazing. The sense of community is intoxicating! The changes that have taken place in the last 30 years are hard to comprehend. Each year this little big city expands and grows much for the better. I look forward to seeing where we will be in another 30.

2. Traverse City

Golfing at Traverse City

I hadn’t spent much time here as a child but my husband’s family did. As an adult we make a trip to Traverse City almost every year. From the camp grounds to the quaint city there is something for everyone. We’ve spent time picking red raspberries and eating cherries from a roadside stand while meandering through the peninsulas. We’ve golfed at scenic golf courses. We’ve sat at the beach and camped at the campground. There are Cherry Fests and Film fests that draw in thousands a year.

Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City

3. Sleeping Bear Dunes

Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan

This can almost be rolled into the Traverse City section but since it was rated by GMA in 2011 as the most beautiful place in America, I thought I would give it its own vote. As a child I would take trips here with my grandparents who had an RV at Duck Lake. As an adult I’ve traveled to these majestic sand mountains during the summer and also winter. Some may not know but they allow sledding on these hills in the winter and it was one of the best sledding I’ve ever done.

Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan

4. Porcupine Mountains

Lake in The Clouds the view from Porcupine Mountains, MI

As a child my family would travel the 12 hours to Lake Pomeroy and camp for almost two weeks. From there we would take day trips to waterfalls, Lake Gogebic and, my favorite, Porcupine Mountains. I was able to take my older kids to this beautiful wilderness area and we enjoyed ourselves greatly despite the steady rain.

The Presque Isle River that run through Porcupine Mountains into Lake Superior.

5. Holland, MI

Windmill Island Holland, MI

This was another location my family would head to when I was a child. We would take the 1.5 hour drive to the Holland Beach and spend the whole day there. My sister in law recently moved there with her family and we usually take 3-4 trips to Holland a year now. We’ve explored Tunnel Park, Windmill Island and the adorable city.

Tunnel Park in Holland, MI

I’m sure everyone has their favorites too. It’s honestly extremely difficult to pick only a handful. I hope everyone enjoys your summer wherever you decide to spend it!

All images are ©Ariniko Artistry 2015.

Ariniko is a greater Lansing photographer who specializes in community enrichment through family portraits, business photography and event photography. To find more examples of her work check out her website at www.ariniko.com.

Lansing the Mighty Phoenix

When I first took up my city of Lansing walk about, the city had taken a turn for the worse. General Motors had just closed the door on multiple factories, leaving a huge hole in the Lansing economy. After walking through this city for three years (from 2010 to 2013) I began to notice an uptick in many parts of the city that were desolate at the beginning of the walking project. Last week I was able to tour one of those buildings.Back in 2010 I attended an Ignite Lansing event inside the Knapp’s building. It was unoccupied at the time and perfect for this event which likes to expand the notions of usable space. Creating an energetic and exciting event within a space that hasn’t been used in a long time didn’t come without its problems. There were rumors that when the electricity was turned on many of the toilets and faucets within the building began to flood. There was evidence of vagabond squatting within the building as well as many unsafe areas that needed to be blocked off. Fortunately the woman’s bathroom was functioning; however the men had to use a port a potty located outside. On the night of the Ignite event I somehow found myself with a group of explorers who invited me to travel to the roof of the building. I didn’t say no. I have long been intrigued by old buildings and found the experience exhilarating. I remember thinking that it was a shame such a building sat empty and decaying.Soon after the Ignite event another rumor began that the Eydes, who owned the Knapp’s building, were planning to renovate it. Four years later the first tenants moved in and as part of the Lansing Maker Week, The Runway, a fashion incubator, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony and an open house. After four years I was able to get back inside the Knapp’s building where everything broken and old had been replaced with shiny and new. The Sales area of the Runway Jeff Henry, Business Consultant for The Runway, shares the pertinent information about this new fashion incubator with guests Melanie Rand and Norma Sanchez who were out and about during their lunch hour. Candice Pizzo, owner and designer of Alex + Jayde Designs, receives visitors during The Runway’s open house. 

Celebrating Freedom

The twins posing in the street in front of the Capitol Lansing, Michigan Fourth of July parade
© Ariniko Artistry

Last year we had family out for the fourth of July and we skipped heading into Lansing for any festivities. To be honest in 2012 when we attended both the parade and fireworks display some freaky things happened that made me not want to come back. Although the parade was fine in 2012 it was hot out making sitting through the parade almost painful. This year it was almost a tad, a smidge, an iota chilly. Luckily my husband led us to the perfect, sunny, photographic location.

Lansing, Michigan Fourth of July parade
© Ariniko Artistry

We sat directly in front of the closed off parking ramp on Allegan. Every photo I took was back dropped with the Capitol and a gorgeous Mid Michigan blue sky.

Lansing, Michigan Fourth of July parade © Ariniko Artistry

Lansing, Michigan Fourth of July parade
© Ariniko Artistry

Lansing Lugnut’s Car Lansing, Michigan Fourth of July parade © Ariniko Artistry

 

Zap Zone Lansing, Michigan Fourth of July parade © Ariniko Artistry

In 2012, although there was a good enough attendance, the participants within the parade seemed thin. By that I mean each group had only a few people representing them. There was a huge difference this year where each specific group had a large crowd with them and almost every group interacted with the crowd by handing out candy or some such thing. We came home with flags, coupons, magnetic clips and even packets of orange Kool-Aid with directions to create Kool Aid playdough from Lansing Charter Academy and Windmere Park Charter Academy. The New Citizens Press Community Action Network Inc. and its Stop the Violence campaign which also partnered up with Mike Karl and The Homeless Angels had over 125 in their group. As they passed by it was hard not to join in with their encouragement to “Keep the peace, stop the violence”.  Within their midst was Yvonne LaFave and her Go Green Trikes carrying  the Quality Dairy (Pine St.) water donation to keep the group hydrated. They later donated the remaining water to Livity Inc which is a nonprofit fighting to rid the Capital city of poverty and hunger.  These types of activities are what really make Lansing amazing.

Lansing, Michigan Fourth of July parade © Ariniko Artistry

In 2012 we came into Lansing late and our normal spot was full. We then decided to park in Old Town and walk to our normal location by the Lansing City Market. I’m not sure if it was the heat or something else but there was a strange feeling to this night. It seemed there were large groups of people who could at any moment cause trouble. Many of the members of the groups were visibly intoxicated.  At one point we thought we even heard a gunshot. Although we were walking quite fast we were unable to fully make it to our desired location. As the first fireworks began to light up the sky we found ourselves stuck under the Shiawassee St. Bridge.  The photography from this location was terrible. We then decided to go onto the bridge.  Again we found ourselves in the middle of two separate groups, sizing each other up. At one point the mayor and Capt. Daryl Green raced to where we were standing, dramatically looked around and then took off in a car. Once we got home to safety it came to our attention that someone had been shot very near to where we were at. The whole situation left me feeling unsure about ever returning to watch fireworks in Lansing.

Lansing, Michigan Fourth of July
© Ariniko Artistry

However after a year off I was willing to try again. Our original idea for this year’s Fourth of July was to attend the Lugnuts game. This would provide the safety needed to feel comfortable in the city, enjoy some baseball and be in the perfect spot for fireworks. Then again you can wait too long and not be able to get tickets. The next idea was to just find the perfect photographic location so I can get some good shots. With this in mind we headed to the top of Sparrow Hospital parking ramp. We had parked on the top-level a few months ago and found that the view was phenomenal.  We honestly didn’t even know if we could park there but as we drove in we found ourselves in a small parade heading into the ramp. We parked lower down for a fast get away and began our hike up 5 levels of stairs. At the top we found a very large group of people waiting for the light show. There were numerous security folks keeping the peace and all in all a family friendly environment. And as I had thought, the view was spectacular. We enjoyed watching the panoramic view of the horizon as consumer level explosions shot into the sky. It was great for people/car watching as well. We quickly settled in at a space by the wall so I could take photos and the kids took out the chairs and the bucket of popcorn I’d made just before leaving. Just after 10:00 p.m. the first city display shot off. This was the perfect spot!

The View from Sparrow Hospital © Ariniko Artistry

The city of Lansing fireworks © Ariniko Artistry

The show was great. Then we waited patiently for the Lugnuts game to finish, their lights shut off and their fireworks to begin. And we waited. And we waited. I started texting people I knew were at the game and found that at the bottom of the 14^th there was still no score.

The cars leaving after the city fireworks
© Ariniko Artistry

From our eagle eye location we could see the traffic and decided we would wait the game out. Forty minutes later the news came in via Facebook that the Lugnuts had won. The lights went out over the stadium and we sat through a second fireworks display. It was a gorgeous night and even though those fireworks were farther away there was something really memorable about seeing the moon resting to the south of the Lansing downtown skyline and the baseball game fireworks filling the sky to the north.

© Ariniko Artistry

By the end of those fireworks the traffic was flowing smoothly and we had no trouble getting home. As we pulled into our driveway we were greeted by nature’s own fireworks; millions of fireflies flitting and glowing all over the tree line. This was really the perfect ending to a perfect day of celebrating our independence.

 

Winter Walk

Lansing River Trail by Aurelius Rd. ©Ariniko Artistry 2014

I did something silly today. I weighed myself. It was such a foolish stunt to try so soon after Christmas and two weeks of being pretty much snowed/iced in. I guess the silver lining is it’s not as high as it usually is this time of year. I’m really thankful for those 200 miles of walking I did last September to finish my City Saunter project right about now! I have realized that since I completed my walking project I’ve really missed the walking I was doing. I’m not sure why I didn’t keep it up. Today’s weigh in plus a new lens waiting for me at the East Lansing post office was the perfect incentive for a nice winter walk. I decided to walk the Lansing River Trail starting at the trail head south of Kalamazoo St. It’s one of my favorite locations and not too far from my house.Snow covered Bridge on Lansing River Trail ©Ariniko Artistry 2014

I was very happy to find that the parking area was plowed and there were three other cars there. I am often amazed by Lansing’s exercising community. After dressing for the adventure, placing my lens in my pockets (I like winter because of the extra pockets!) and ducking into the strap of my camera, I pulled up my mapmyrun app on my phone (boy this is feeling a lot like a City Saunter) and started down the path.  Unfortunately the cleared path was short lived and soon I was trekking through a foot of snow. It must have been a Lansing Township lapse because the trail cleared off again and remained that way for the rest of my walk. Today was still quite chilly. The expected high is 17 but I think the wind chill is still pretty close to zero. I would have been just fine except I had forgotten to put on long john’s and I kept taking my gloves off to take photos. Even so, I was able to walk 3 miles in the woods on the river trail. Frozen Branches on Red Cedar River  ©Ariniko Artistry 2014Frozen Branches on Red Cedar River ©Ariniko Artistry 2014

I have always loved the serenity of a winter walk. I love to cross country ski and would head out to Lake Lansing North and ski the trails. There are not nearly as many people out this time of year and many times you are the only one. On this walk I only past two others, both runners. For much of this walk I was alone. On the way back I actually became numb and the cold no longer bothered me. I found myself wading into the deeper snow for better photos and even stopping and listening to the sounds. Even though there weren’t any people out there I found quite a few animals out and about. At one point I was hearing this loud rustling sound and couldn’t figure it out. Finally I looked up and there were squirrels in the tree tops scurrying about.Squirrel in trees on Lansing River Trail by Aurelius Rd. ©Ariniko Artistry 2014

I also found woodpeckers and ducks.  Woodpecker in tree on Lansing River Trail by Aurelius Rd. ©Ariniko Artistry 2014Ducks in the Red Cedar off the Lansing River Trail by Aurelius Rd. ©Ariniko Artistry 2014Duck in the Red Cedar off the Lansing River Trail by Aurelius Rd. ©Ariniko Artistry 2014

A friend of mine who recently moved to Ludington posted on Facebook the quote: “No such thing as bad weather…. just bad gear.” I think I would have to agree with him. We live in a gorgeous land, where we have different environments all the time. I think it’s a shame not to enjoy them.Red Cedar off the Lansing River Trail by Aurelius Rd. ©Ariniko Artistry 2014

City Sauntered Top Ten Unusual or Unexpected Finds (Part 1 of a 3 Part Series)

I believe in every interview I had while doing this project I was asked what was my most unusual or most unexpected find. Now that the project is complete I can actually put these lists together. This will be the first and I will have two other “top ten” later on. These are just randomly listed so there isn’t any meaning to the order.  

1. Theo Fulton Park: I remember when I did this walk and was about to give up on this neighborhood having anything really interesting. Then I found this park. Recently, I was having a conversation with Kathie Dunbar and she talked about this park and asked if I knew about it. She led off with the thinking that I didn’t know about it. But as she described it I knew exactly what she meant and was able to even show photos of my experience there.

Gorgeous stairs that lead right to the water’s edgeTo the westTo the East

2. People living under overpasses or in the woods:In 1998 I worked for the Mid Michigan Red Cross as an after-hours worker. My duty was to place people who were homeless, just getting out of jail or visitors without an overnight stay in a shelter. If there wasn’t one available I was able to offer a hotel room. From what I remember there was a new law that made it illegal to sleep on the streets. I would have police officers drop homeless people off at the office because they wanted to offer these folks the chance to find a place to stay instead of jail. I have always known there were people who chose the streets over shelters. I had women with small children that refused to go to a shelter because of fear their child would be sexually assaulted, especially if that child was a boy. However, as I walked through the city it was still surprising to find mattresses, blankets and tents.

3. The plethora of Urban Gardens on the Eastside of Lansing:This was a pleasant surprise. I loved finding all the urban gardens throughout the city. Another area that really had some great gardens was Barnes St.

4. A military presence on Logan (MLK), Grand River, Filley and Sheridan Rd. area.:

I grew up in this area but I don’t ever recall so many military personnel in this location. It was a bit Close Encounters of the Third Kindish. I am also thinking it had something to do with Emergent being in this area. I could be wrong though. I didn’t ask a lot of questions.

5. How little access and usage there really is on the Grand & Red Cedar Rivers:

This isn’t a new idea to use our rivers as an attraction. I am still uncertain why so many buildings have their backside facing the rivers, why we don’t have easier access points or that we no longer offer any boat rentals in the area. I remember Potter Park renting canoes. I also remember a River Festival that had a boat parade down the Grand River in downtown Lansing.

6. How many “rural” areas there are within the city limits:

In every direction of the city there was some sort of rural area. From corn fields, to wooded plots, to unpaved roads to vast open fields, Lansing has some really non urban spots. The north side would have very small, bungalow type houses sitting on an acre of property. There’s a strip of houses on the west side that have sprawling, riverfront property. It was also surprising how many farm houses were still present.

Church Hill Downs area

Jones Lake Area

Off Northrup on the south side

7. The walkway from Judicial Building to the Capitol:

It stretches from Martin Luther King Blvd. to Capitol St. and is pedestrian only. 

8. Scott Sunken Garden (and everything in this area)This hidden gem of an area still amazes me. If you figure out how to park at Cooley Garden you can check out the Sunken Garden, the Women’s Historical Society, and the R.E. Olds plaques. It’s worth the walk.

9. How really difficult some places were to walk:Aurelius Rd was one of the worse streets for walking. From the lack of sidewalks south of Mt. Hope to the I-96 over pass with knee-high ledges preventing a fall, I think this area truly needs some updating. I am so thankful that Mid-MEAC and AARP grouped up for the walkability audit. It’s really worth the effort with 17% of Lansing residents not owning a car.
10. Village Summit: The little micro community center set in the middle of a beleaguered neighborhood. I first found myself here with Lunch with a Purpose. We spent an hour cleaning and organizing games, toys, clothes and books; all donations to help those that needed them. This house, bought with retirement money from two local teachers who didn’t want to see the house fall into the wrong hands, became the epicenter of hope in this area off Washington and Barnes. They provide lunches for the kids during the summer. They offer computer access for parents searching for jobs. They built multiple urban gardens to help feed the neighbors. They built a community where there was truly a need for one. 

Still Telling My Story

I like this. I really, really like this. I am sitting at 1133 South Washington Ave.; the newly energized AA Creative Corridor (that’s another blog), with my photographs from a three year journey on the walls. I have friends, family and even strangers that stop and read through each of my placards for the photos on display. I get feedback and questions. I have really great conversations with the people who pass through. What I really like is the relaxation of this new part. Before, when I talked about City Saunter the question always came up; “how much more do you have to walk?” This suspension of completion always irritated me. I know it makes perfect sense to ask, but I felt like because the project was unfinished it was dismissible. I would feel exhausted thinking about how much work I still had to do. Now that all the walking is complete, I get to analyze it. I get to theorize it. I get to share it. I really enjoy that part. I’ve found through this analysis part that there are many aspects to this project and it’s often hard to settle on just one as the most significant.

There’s the photography. I loved that I was able to use my journey to solidify my love of photography. I also love that it is through the photographs that I get to share Lansing. For the few moments you take to look at the photographs, you LIKE Lansing, you really like Lansing. It’s gorgeous and fun and exciting from the perspective of this exhibit. I enjoy bringing that to people.Then there’s the process; the how I worked my way through all the streets of Lansing. I didn’t systematically walk the streets. I used events, and volunteering and familiarity to branch out across the city. This allowed me the chance to get into a lot of different aspects of the city as a venue. I remember a few years ago Lori Lanspeary the Leisure Marketing Manager for Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau invited me to Lugnut’s stadium for her birthday because “I was helping her do her job and she wanted to thank me”. I hadn’t even met her! It was these type of piggy backing that allowed me the greatest opportunity with this project; meeting amazing people that were also trying to make Lansing amazing. We all #lovelansing.

Then there was the actual walking part. A woman just came in today and after checking out the exhibit looked at me and said, “You look amazing.  I mean you did all that walking”. She then took me to the photo that LSJ took of me in February 2011. My face is much rounder in that photo than what it is today. I think she was a bit embarrassed but I understood what she meant. I was walking a lot; 535 miles to be exact! From September 4 to October 4 I walked 197 miles. On October 3^rd alone I walked 29 miles and biked about 5 more. It was 10 hours of exercising! There is no way I could have ever done that before. Twenty Nine Miles!! I have it colored in orange on the map at the gallery; I’ll show it to you!I’m sure there are other aspects to this project that I haven’t even gotten yet. There has definitely been this “opening of doors” effect that still astounds me, especially as I sit here in gorgeous REO Town, in an historic building, diligently working on the next aspect of this journey.Come down to 1133 Washington Ave this week to catch an encore presentation of the City Saunter Exhibit. I’ll be here from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. every day this week. There’s no need to knock, the doors will surely be open!

City Saunter Gallery

I realized I might not have officially put this out there. I have been sitting at 1133 South Washington Ave since finishing my final walk October 4. Each day I get my kids ready for school and onto the bus then I get ready and drive into Lansing to watch over my exhibit. It has really been a lot of fun! This space also houses Good Fruit Video, UnoDeuce Multimedia, I’m A Beer Hound and Soulful Earth Herbals. Each time I come into “work” I enjoy this group more and more. They are all entrepreneurs, putting their heart and soul into their work. These businesses are the perfect examples I sought out on my walks and here I am amongst them.  If this ends up being my final days here I want to express how much I’ve enjoyed it! If something else grows from this experience I will truly feel I have been blessed. Again, I would like to thank all the people and businesses that offered sponsorship to get me here! I hope you’ve had time to stop by and see what your donation created. I will forever be thankful for this experience and I am still shocked when people thank me. It’s been a symbiotic relationship for sure!

Sincerely,

Ariniko

Too Festive to Falter

On a day like yesterday the sauntering must go on. It wasn’t out on city streets, however, this time we traveled by car to the lovely Fenner Nature Center. Yesterday was their annual Applebutter Festival. It runs today from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and with sunny weather with a high of 66 degrees I would think there is no better place to be.  With at least three separate places to park there is no need to stress. Some are a walk from the actual festivities but on a weekend like this it should be quite enjoyable. They’ve stretch the festivities out a bit by moving the applebutter cooking pot out “through the meadow” which is down one of the main trails.If you attend the Maple Syrup Festival then it’s where the syrup is collected from the Sugar Maples. Back at the center you can enjoy apple tasting (my favorite thing to do. There’s an apple that tastes like a banana!). Please watch for the bees. If you don’t swat they won’t sting but with the apples all cut up right there I had bees flying into my face. There is live entertainment, Boy Scout troops sawing logs, facepainting and pumpkin carving areas. Inside is the typical Greater Lansing Potter’s Guild making pottery, natural products and lace weaving. They’ve moved the little store to the back area where they use to do demonstrations and have animal pelts. It’s a much more open area. Downstairs there are the normal food; popcorn, donuts, cider and ice-cream sandwiches. Bring bills not quarters. The little bake sale area was sorely missed. My street sauntering might finally be over but with a place like Fenner and days like we’re having there is no reason to stop the fall trail sauntering.

A new 18 acre prairie area! 

In Summary

I have been finding it very difficult to begin, let alone finish this blog post. How does one write a post that summarizes a three year project? It started out as a simple walking project. Somewhere along the journey it changed. I changed. It started as a show and tell; look at Old Town, now let me tell you about it. Here’s Hawk Island, let me tell you about it. Somehow, though, you let me get personal. You let me tell you about my deceased brother and our adventurous childhood in north Lansing. You let me express my heartache that comes with a grandmother aging out of her matriarchal position in a family.  You let me tell you about people I admired. You let me express great excitement with events and festivals. You put up with all the photos of my twins.

You followed me as I traveled through your streets, around your neighborhoods, and into your businesses. When I began to get attention from media, or a photograph was purchased, or I was asked to join in on something great, you cheered me on. Then as I was coming to the end I needed support for my gallery, and you all came through on that too! I sit here in a gorgeous turn of the century space with 32 framed pieces of art on the walls, four of which have little sold signs under them. I have my LSJ article framed as well as the Capital Gains article written by my friend Suban. I also have a pile of The Lansing City Pulse sitting on a table with my photo on the cover.

So let me tell you about Lansing. Lansing is my home. It’s filled with people I love, admire, trust, respect and believe in. It has mom & pop and farm to table. It has urban gardens and Land Bank restorations. It has local celebrities that aren’t afraid to wear a pair of red and white striped socks or don a suit to be auctioned off for charity. It has sports teams and races (dirty, marathon, or colorful). It has green enthusiasts (Sweaty Mouse, Mid-MEAC, Walk & Bike Lansing) and the Blues (Blues Fest, The Root Doctor). There is such an excitement for entertainment and fun that holidays are invented and created here; Plaidurday, Capital City Dragonboat Races, Vacant, Peace of Lansing. There’s an entrepreneurial spirit here that pairs up alongside the corporate world creating this wonderful ebb and flow.  It houses a captivating Capitol building that spurs conversation and debate. This is Lansing, Michigan sitting dead center in the palm of my right hand that I forever will clutch to my heart. Thank you Lansing!  #lovelansing