Monthly Archives: July 2013

Nana

If you are driving into Chicago from the east, Nana is a great dining choice.  The location of Nana is easy to drive to and is right before hitting Chicago downtown traffic jam.  Although it is situated at the south side of Chicago, near the corner of 33rd street and Halsted street, the area feels very safe, and parking on streets is very easy.  You can just take 35th street exit off highway I-90/94(Dan Ryan Expressway).  It takes less than 10 minutes off the highway.

Nana serves local, sustainable and organic dishes in the American comfort food style.  I love breakfast and Sunday evening fried chicken there.  It is a great place to take a break before you head into downtown Chicago or before you leave Chicago.

Vitamix

In spring 2012, after eyeing on a Vitamix blender for several months, I received a surprised birthday gift from my husband.  It was a Vitamix 5200.  Although I consider kitchen appliances the most unromantic gifts on earth, I am very happy to own my Vitamix 5200.

I have several other blenders from various manufactures.  I make juices from fresh and frozen fruits frequently.  When I made my first cup of juice with the exact same usual ingredients from Vitamix 5200, I immediately tasted the difference.  The juice was very smooth and delicious.   I would not have considered my juices from other blenders coarse and tasteless if I have never had juices from Vitamix blender.

It is amazing how sharp the blades are.  Every blending takes less than 30 seconds.  Cleaning the unit is super easy and takes less than 1 minute.   I have own my Vitamix for over a year.  I am still very happy with it.  Even though the price tag is high, it is worth of the investment.  It helps me to eat more whole fruits because Vitamix makes it so easy to make delicious juices.

Grove

I love this restaurant. Everything is always perfectly prepared. The dishes are clean, simple and creative. The presentation of every dish is usually very pleasing to the eyes. The tastes are refresh and overly delicious. You definitely want to go for the “Taste Of Grove”. It gives you the three-course choices from each course section of the entire menu. It is always hard to make the decisions for the three courses.  You just have to visit the restaurant again for the dishes you’ve missed.

Grove uses locally grown products whenever is possible.  The chef is very conscious of seasons.  The menu changes based on the availability of different produces seasonally.  The attention to the details on cooking and preparing dishes makes this restaurant the best in Grand Rapids Michigan.

Rakowski Family Farms

Another good source for free range, non-chemical eggs is Rakowski Family Farms.  This farm now has a permanent indoor shop at the Fulton Street Farmers Market.  When I have no time to drive out to Grassfields Farm, I purchase my meats here.

Grassfields Farm

Grassfields LLC is located about 25 miles west of Grand Rapids.  It is a fifth generation, family owned and operated farm.  It is the best source for organic meats, eggs, milk and cheeses in Grand Rapids area.  Although not everything is certified organics, the animals are free range and no extra chemicals are used.  I love to visit their farm store on Saturdays.   When you pull up to the dirt road driveway, you can often see ducks leisurely taking a walk.  I usually order my Thanksgiving turkey and half pig in summer.  When you have tasted a naturally well cared turkey, you will never go back to eat another mass raised enterprise birds.

You can get Grassfields’ eggs and some frozen meats from the Horrocks Market store on Breton road right off 44th street.

Organic blueberry

As my usual Saturday morning routine, I headed to the Fulton Street Farmers Market after breakfast.  I was really happy to see the first crop of the organic blueberries available at the Blueberry Heritage Farms stand.  My husband loves blueberries.  I bought a two-pound box.  It was very fresh and delicious.  Although organic blueberries are not cheap, the benefits of the blueberries are worthy.  Blueberry is one of the best nature immune system boosters.

This year Blueberry Heritage Farms charges $11 for two pounds of blueberries and $40 for ten pounds of blueberries.  I usually purchase and freeze at least 20 pounds of blueberries annually.  It is quite a treat during the bitter and cold winter days.  Another good source of getting organic blueberries is from any Meijer grocery store.  Right now, a pint size box of the organic blueberries costs less than $4, and it is about 3/4 pounds.