Earlier this year, the venerable Crain’s Chicago Business wrote a feature story focusing on corporate retreat spots within 200 miles of Chicago.

Douglas/Saugatuck, aka the Art Coast of Michigan was no where on that list, despite the fact that Saugatuck is 146.2 miles from the Loop.  Why? Perhaps the area needs a B2B alternate branding idea?  The Fresh Coast is already working– maybe parlay that into fresh ideas?  We digress…

Before we get to the merits of having a retreat destination such as the Fresh (Ideas) Coast of Michigan (see?  kinda has a ring to it), let’s look at the value of retreats themselves, and why they are even still done.

Pre-Sarbanes-Oxley, retreats were sometimes derisively called boondoggles, and perhaps rightly so. Lavish locales and venues, lack of focus — aside from alcohol and non-work related exploits were all part of the package.  >>Insert your own story here (or better in the comments) of the bad /wasteful behavior you yourself have seen 😉 <<

Early in Howard Schultz’s engagingly written book, Onward, he describes why he came back to lead Starbucks, and how he needed to get his leadership team back on-board with his vision.  An early retreat helped galvanize the troops and refocus them on the true mission of Starbucks.

Can a retreat really create that kind of foundation for collaboration and leadership?

Rather than directly answer that question, let’s step back and look at LinkedIn, where a lot of business discussions revolve around “purpose driven” marketing– that is — how companies that focus on bettering the world, their employees, their communities– actually perform better.  Check out this story on the discussion at Insights2020 at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas: it puts forth that very premise. These are the kind of discussions that are enabled in part by out-of-office venues.

Further to the point of perspective, LinkedIn did a study with TNS focusing on the different mindsets people have in their professional and their personal lives.  That line is getting more and more blurred with the evolution of today’s digital/connected world.  In light of all this, “going off the grid” is considered a luxury anymore.

In the context of our professional colleagues, what better way to think out of the box than literally getting out of the box (office) to experience each other’s unique points of view? That is the ultimate definition and value of diversity.

A better way to understand that diversity also happens to be a good place to start in planning a retreat.  Several personality assessment tools exist, but one of my favorites is the Birkman assessment.   According to them:

“Your Birkman feedback will impact every relationship in your life by allowing you to understand how your motivations, behaviors, and perceptions are unique to only you. This profound self and interpersonal knowledge has countless applications to home and work life…Comparative and group reporting is exceptionally useful for talent selection, conflict resolution, team building, and employee on-boarding.”

Having an assessment as pre-work serves as an ice-breaker to better understand each other’s personal styles and further enable collaboration.  Implicit to this process is the fundamental piece of having a clear objective for the retreat itself.  That objective could be as simple as creating better collaboration and communication.  The subsequent strategies to accomplish those objectives become the activities that are part of the retreat, which brings us to the choice of our locale.

Crain’s initial premise of establishing a radius from your workplace (in the case of within 200 miles of Chicago) fulfilled adherence to a financial governance criterion.  But, it was remiss in not considering the Fresh (Ideas) Coast of Michigan, aka the Douglas-Saugatuck area, especially considering the diversity of activities that are at one’s disposal.

Let’s consider a few team building concepts:

Steps up Mt. Baldy– make it into a group challenge!

Golf Scramble

Apple Picking

Kayak Race

..Beach Volleyball..Dune Races.. you get the idea.

After all the team building, the brainstorming discussions, and shared meals… last but not least, consider accommodations that will make your colleagues comfortable and in the mood to collaborate.

What better way to build a virtual neighborhood than renting houses in a quaint village like Douglas, MI?  In addition to RWP, there are several lovely cottages within a few block radius.

Onward!

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Rather than be accused of plagiarism- that title and this story- come directly from an article in this morning’s Wall Street Journal (ed. note- this article was originally posted in 2016, pre-COVID19, and has been updated).

The WSJ article struck us as such a fun companion piece to our blog on #SummerBirthdays, in which we alluded to the idea that as we age the experiences get grander. WSJ’s article seems to back that claim, stating, “A full 75% of adults 45 and over have taken, or plan to take, one of these “celebration vacations,” according to AARP research released this year.”

I laughed that the author referred to milestone birthdays, as that hit a nerve.  When I first met my husband (who has a January birthday)– he and his group of friends celebrated their birthdays every year– in a BIG way.  (Such a foreign concept to me– a Summer Birthday boy– who experienced birthdays sporadically). Going away, renting houses, organizing activities.  Since a little thing called work and life got in the way of that onslaught of constant celebrating, we came to terms with the concept of milestone birthdays– that is– only celebrating the big ones: 30, 40, 50…with corresponding grandness. I would never begrudge someone a cake on their day.  😉

Celebrating those milestone birthdays becomes that much more special.  Keith Blanchard further supports the idea in his WSJ article:

If getting older is supposed to make us increasingly depressed, we never got the memo. (Or we couldn’t read the tiny type). Turns out we grow about 5% happier with each decade we’ve lived, according to a University of Chicago study, and a lot of people my age are starting to indulge that happiness by traveling ambitiously, with friends and family, for big milestone birthdays or anniversaries.

Boy, did my friends get the memo:

Consider my bestie, Doug, who whisked us off to Puerto Vallarta, where we stayed at the incomparable Casa La Villita.

Traveling together when you’re older really cements your friendships.

For our other dear friend, Trace, her partner Joanna, organized a Spanish fiesta that was unlike anything any of us had ever experienced.

And while we were there– in addition to beaches, sightseeing, and enjoying sabroso meals, each one of us organized a fun activity.  Mine was a golf scramble.  Even if you don’t play golf, scrambles (best ball) are a great way to team up and experience nature (aka each other 😉

But– these trips don’t have to be as elaborate as a multiple hour plane ride away.  The Douglas-Saugatuck area of Michigan offers so much, and it’s close to we who are fortunate enough to live in the Midwest.  Renting a house (or two) sets the foundation for taking advantage of all that the area has to offer. 

I myself celebrated my milestone birthday at Lake Trail Lodge – in grand style:

And just a year later, we celebrated Brian’s special milestone in Greece:

(Ok, ok, a little license with this one 😉

Suffice it to say, we don’t plan on doing any long distance travel during this pandemic. Correspondingly, we are hearing from our guests that they are choosing to stay with us in Michigan– a relatively short drive vs flying somewhere. And we are seeing reservations into November this year- the first time ever!

A Saugatuck destination may not be Europe, but it does offer something for everyone. Just consider our blog post on “three perfect days.”  If you would like advice on how to organize events like a Golf Scramble or an area scavenger hunt, just reach out to us!

Here’s to celebrating life’s milestones– no matter your age– with experiences and sharing them with loved ones!

 

In our last blog, we rhetorically asked if enlightenment was about the journey or the destination: the age old chicken or the egg? To try to hone in on a potential answer, let’s look to movies (ok, “films” for those cultural-elitists among you 😉 ) to help illuminate some answers. As the saying goes, art does imitate life.

We’ll begin our movie/travel tour with Stella.

A recently divorced, intelligent and beautiful Mom, Stella “lost her groove” somewhere along the way. I think at some times in all our lives, we can relate to Stella. Sometimes, the sheer reality of a new destination inspires some very radical shifts in self-perception and actualization. How long it lasts depends on our own strength of character and dedication to caring for our own self.

Although Stella’s journey & destination of personal discovery is a (glamorous) reflection of real life, “destination-based” comedies can also cleverly teach us the value of being a fish out of water  and getting a glimpse of our own reflection as well (ok, that reflection is in a fun house mirror, but still…)

To wit, how many of you ever saw Chevy Chase’s film, Funny Farm?  One of his lesser known comedies, the story focuses on a couple who purchase a quaint country home in a Norman Rockwell-esque Vermont town.  The thinking being that a new setting will “fix” them. A saying my friends always use: “wherever you go, there you are” comes to mind. That is– your baggage follows you.

Immediately upon closing, the eccentricities of the locals reveal themselves to be less than charming and downright hostile. The postman alone is a sociopath. I won’t give away the ending but after the all the hijinks are said and done, Chevy and his wife come to appreciate the eccentricities in their new community (and themselves).

 

 

Is it always a prerequisite that comedies resolve themselves in a serious way with clarity and insights?  No, but the ones that try and succeed only with a saccharine sweetness still manage to crack us up.  Who remembers what the beef was between John Candy and Dan Aykroyd in Summer Camp? Does it matter?  …Oh yes!  It does– when you consider that beef to be the “Old ’96er”:

“It’s processing nicely.  Continue.”

And, Goldie’s bit as squatter Gwen in “HouseSitter”  taught me a lesson in “fake it till you make it” using that gorgeous house to channel the life she wanted.  I recall a great Ted Talk about acting as if— it’s all about confidence in oneself.

Yep.  Movies are the best at magnifying the human experience, which are at times funny and others– dramatic.  Which leads us to the final 3 movies we’ll consider that are based on character development inspired by destinations. For me, these movies are my favorite types because they lead with heart but also lighten up with comedy.

Countdown:

3) Love! Valor! Compassion

Although some have called this the gay version of the Big Chill, this movie was unique in that it characterized the complexities of relationships and friendships in a way that some people never see. Historical in the sense that it dealt with a not-so-distant past in which HIV was a death sentence (and in many parts of the world it still sadly is).  It doesn’t represent all gay men (people) of course, but it does underscore that– with the backdrop of a summer weekend trips to the cabin in upstate NY– everyone faces similar life challenges and learning opportunities.

2) The Four Seasons.

Not the hotel chain.  Not the Vivaldi classic (although the music does set the tone for the film). This gem from the early 80s follows 3 couples who vacation together, and the natural tensions that arise in the friendships, including a divorce and integration of a new “friend” into the equation. Can you say “awkward”? But don’t worry, it all works out.

 

1) Saving the very best for last.  IMHO, the sterling standard of all “destination” themed movies, On Golden Pond stands above all.  It covers the gamut of issues and emotions: aging, estrangement, abandonment, …and love.  The inspired setting is a character in and of itself, and I believe, a source of healing that ultimately drives the conclusion of the story.

I love this movie (film).

In the end, my wish for your destination in your travels is that your drama is minimal, your comedic episodes are painless, and your growth is boundless.

“Traveling — it leaves you speechless, then it turns you into a storyteller.”

Namaste

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What are people thinking when they say they are going “off the grid”?  Although lack of connectivity is being seen as the new luxury, the roots of the desire are related to what I believe is our innate inner desire to see inner consciousness and clarity.  Said another way, to get out of our robotic daily routines and challenge our senses in off-the-beaten-path adventures and experiences– the Jack Kerouac in each of us.

Growing up, my parents’ answer to this quest was simple: camping. On those long, cross country trips– most of which were driving, we were disconnected to everything, only having each other, and the locations, for entertainment (/enlightenment?). And, yes, that driving did involve the iconic, classic seventies station wagon and pop-up camper.

Somehow, our popup never looked so stylized as the staged image above. Where were the copious amounts of dirty laundry, cans of Off!, comic books strewn all over, and open boxes of cereal (my brothers and I each had to have own flavor)?  I *owned* Boo-Berry.

Coupled with the mess of three boys,  my parents had to deal with all of the stories that came from those trips: the time my brothers took me on a boat ride in Maine and left me on a deserted rock island (I was the one who allowed it– I wanted to chill on my own), the time my Pop forgot he had a shotgun in the trailer when were stopped by the Canadian border patrol, and the time I was “chased” by a Grizzly bear in Jasper National Park.   It’s enough to ask if Art does imitate Life:  How did they get the idea for Bobby and Cindy to get lost in the Grand Canyon?  Was Clark’s station wagon really that ugly?

All of that drama to ostensibly get off-the-grid, and achieve a higher order of clarity.  How could parents do that with all the stress of constantly looking for their kids, and all without today’s luxuries of mobile phones and GPS?  In the 70s, our version of GPS was the AAA Triptik.

There was such an element of adventure to go the AAA office with Mom and see (and hear) the agent and his/her squeaky highlighter map out our travel plan across flip page after flip page– giving the special “go this route for scenery, that route for expediency”.  We always opted for the former, which sometimes put us either in places straight out of the Deliverance, and other times in utterly amazing locales we otherwise would have never discovered (an example of that for my brothers would have been any chance to go to the Reptile Gardens).

Speaking of AAA, it’s interesting that they are working on staying relevant, having released a new study revealing that more than one-third of Americans will take a family vacation this year.

And who’s planning those vacations?  Is it Mom or Dad? A “Great Wolf Lodge” study seemed to reveal that Dad is now taking the reigns from Mom– which brought a rather funny (yet typical) argument between Mom and Dad blogs about– essentially- who is working harder. I think the answer is that Great Wolf Lodge is the one working hard– on driving up their attendance, IMHO.

Maybe the Great Wolf Lodge has a point, though. Just look at the difference in how the toy companies are changing the roles in the family:

Yep, Lego’s now has a “hip” stay-at home Dad (and notably, a cool, handi-capable teen).  But, is it even fair to say that the Mom or the Dad, or the stay-at-home-parent is the one who is doing all the “off the grid” planning?  In our family, one of us is the creative/idea generator, while the other one tends to be the structured planner.  And we’ve learned to morph and adapt at even those roles, as the situation requires.  We are challenging ourselves to be more conscious, even in the planning aspects of those off-the-grid experiences which will lead us to enlightenment (?).

In the next blog, we’re going to take a deeper dive into what actually happens once we get to those destinations that come from the vacations– is it about the destination, or the process of getting there?  Isn’t that always the question?

 

 

 

This is going to be the first Mother’s Day I’ve ever had without my Mom here with us, but I promise to keep this post as light as she was.

One of the best things about being lucky enough to have had a mom like mine was knowing her as an adult. Although a traditional Catholic girl, Mom did get comfortable enough in her later years in telling me about her youthful adventures, such as summers spent in Saugatuck. I’m not sure if I remember all of the details of  one particular story, but it goes something like this: she and her friends wanted to go dancing at the now defunct Dance Pavilion:

 

 

 

But, there was a little issue of cash– or lack of it.  Cash for what?  A dress for dancing, the room she and her friends rented, and for– get this– a 3-sizes-too-large uniform for a job to pay for the uniform, the room and the dress (think about that circular reference for a minute).

That job came in the form of the Coral Gables, an institution that still remains.  Her description of herself trying to hold up the constantly falling “fat lady” uniform skirt while slinging hash still cracks me up.  This all was in order to fund her exploits (she would stop me here and correct that word to “experiences”, as well as to underscore that she was only interested in dancing)…hmmm did Mom (and Uncles Don & Thom) inspire the Kinks?

 

 

 

 

I’ll leave out the part of her skipping out of the room she and her girlfriends rented– something about an unsavory landlord– and get back to focusing what was always her favorite part of any vacation: being on or near the water. And for that, nothing was as good as Oval Beach:

Flash forward a few years, my mom would meet, marry and build a life with my Dad for 52 years!

 

 

 

It was only later in her life that Mom would rediscover the Art Coast of Michigan with Brian and me. We were able to spend a week in Fennville a year before our wedding, together with Brian’s mom (Momma Nonna), at a cute cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan. Although the intent of the week was to plan for the wedding, true to form, Mom spent the bulk of her time fixated on the Lake, philosophizing on the mystery and beauty of life and nature.

When she eventually set foot on our dear friends’ Michael and Doug’s Red Gate Farm– the site of our wedding– she walked the grounds barefoot stating that the place had healing properties. (Michael’s own wonderful Mom, Joyce, had– in fact– imparted her own magical energy at RGF). Hearing Mom say that and seeing her and Momma Nonna Linda, enjoy the area so much gave a testament not only to our wedding but that we shared something so special with our Moms.

 

 

 

Mom would have loved RWP as it perfectly suits her nautical sensibilities — as well as houses a few of her favourite things including her prized 150 year old Wedgwood and her sometimes-missing-but-always-valued “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” sunglasses, which now serve as a fancy Christmas ornament. And of course, for Mom’s love of the water how appropriate that she is interred in a lovely lighthouse– a perfect way for her lightness of being to continue to shine.

 

 

 

And the morale to this story– kind reader– as I’m sure you’re all aware: cherish the times with your Moms and mother figures in your life. We’re fortunate to still have Momma Nonna in ours and also my other “Mom”, Bryna– the woman who climbs mountains, rows, and yes goes swimming at our wedding (reception).  I love Moms– for all of their character, color, love, and LIGHT!

 

 

 

Happy Mothers’ Day, all of you amazing ladies!

…and..don’t forget to dance

In pure homage to United’s wonderful Hemispheres feature (I’ve been a reader for years), I wanted to reimagine what they would say if they were to paint a picture of 3 days on the Art Coast of Michigan. So, here goes!

Day 1

You arrive into the area by land, sea or air. Land: a 2.5 hour drive from Chicago or 3 hours from Detroit. Sea: a romantic high speed ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon, 50 minutes to Saugatuck. Air: you arrive in style at the Grand Rapids airport before being whisked away to RWP.

Driving up the Blue Star Highway from the south to Randolph Street, you first pass by several interesting local businesses, including the Saugatuck Antique Pavilion– which has an impressive amount of mid-century modern artifacts, the next-door Saugatuck Brewing Company– which hosted the Stanley Cup for a visit last Fall, the Douglas Dunes Resort, and the Farmhouse Deli & Pantry— purveyor of gourmet sides and deliciously prepared meals.

 

You make mental notes to make time for each, but the one stop you will make is Demond’s “SuperValu” (sic) on the corner of Blue Star and Center Street– for weekend provisions. This is not Dean and Deluca, folks, so manage your expectations.

Your shopping list:

• Fresh Blueberries (this time of year they’ll be from Mexico, but do taste like blueberries)
• Ground Starbucks French/Italian Roast
• Bacon
• Heavy cream
• Quart of Milk (pancakes)
• Pancake Mix
• Michigan Pure Maple syrup
• Port wine (and any other wines/ spirits)

The kind people at Demond’s offer to load your groceries, but you politely decline joking to yourself that this may be your only workout this relaxing weekend. You slip out of back of the parking lot, past the colorful local diner/bowling alley (appropriately named ‘Alley’s) and come out onto Center Street.

Heading east down Center Street- the heart and true main street of Douglas- you are struck by the quaint quintessential American small town feeling. Bright Shops, restaurants, galleries and the one post office (where is Sam Drucker?) are bustling with activity and you again make mental notes to return later (and you will!).

You pass the local favorite Everyday People Cafe (aka EDPC, your dining destination for that evening) as you continue heading east to Water Street. There you have your first glimpse of water — Lake Kalamazoo (or the Kalamazoo river or Wade’s Bayou, depending on with whom you speak).

 

Your heart skips a beat at all the sights you’ve just seen as you turn right onto Water Street to Randolph. You now realize you took the long way around and you’re happy you did because now you have a great perspective on your new hometown-for-the-weekend.

Turning right onto Randolph, you see the second little house on your left which you recognize as RWP!

Pulling into the drive you survey the lush grounds and unload the groceries. Once into the house, you and your housemates debate who gets which stateroom– the Whaleback on the first floor, or the Lookout on the second. Both have their distinct advantages, but both have the same hotel-quality mattresses (you know, the kind that guests ask the concierge where they can buy them).

 

 

Once groceries are put away and luggage stowed, you and your party make adult refreshments in “to-go” cups, and prepare for an on-foot tour of the neighborhood. Heading out the front door, you turn right to again face the water and overlook it as you walk along the hill of Water Street to Bayou. There you head down the road to the dock, where you may or may not decide to rent kayaks to do a quick tour by water, depending on your arrival time and fortitude.

Once your water interlude has finished, you again walk up Bayou which becomes Center Street (the same street you earlier drove down). This time you do stop in at Everyday People Cafe (EDPC)– to put your names in for dinner later.

 

 

You read this blog, so you’re well advised to do this because you know that Friday night is the night here — the one at which all the locals congregate as though they are a pack of lions and this is the only watering hole for miles. Just kidding. Kind of. But you like that kind of energy and bustle, because if you didn’t, you would march right across the street to try equally good but much more subdued, but nontheless popular Wild Dog Grille to put your name in.

Continuing on that side of the street you amble your way to the Button Gallery— which is hosting a Spring Exhibit 5/7/16 – 6/1/16 featuring Kathleen Kalinowski Fine Art spring landscapes (one of which is featured at the top of this blog).

You did it. You bought that gorgeous water landscape that caught your eye. And to celebrate you’re going to start with a glass of Champagne (Prosecco) at EDPC (Wild Dog). Because you’re so close to RWP, you stop back home to drop off your painting and freshen up knowing that it’s only a two block walk back to the restaurant. You congratulate yourself that no one has to be a designated driver tonight- even if everyone is only having 2 drinks- because you’re all walking!

Arriving a bit early to EDPC, it’s as bustling as you were told, but the crowd is festive and fun.  After checking in with the host, you and your party decide to head to the rear Patio Wine Garden to grab that glass of Champagne (/IPA) you promised yourself.  Opening the doors, the scent of neighboring lilac trees perfume the air– there is no mistaking what season it is.  Your senses continue to awaken with the sound of live Jazz from the trio in the corner of the patio– a Miles Davis rendition of “My Favorite Things.”  Indeed.

Just as you’re finishing your cocktail, the hostess comes — almost on cue– to escort you to your table. You’re seated in the front– original dining room in a quaint booth with crisp white butcher block paper over white linens.

Everything on the menu looks fantastic, and here’s what you order:

• Drunken Shrimp Sambuca– seared shrimp in a shallot-garlic-sumbuca cream sauce wrapped in puff pastry;
• You then have your individual side salad– delicious fresh greens and carrots.  You order the sweet Balsamic AND creamy Gorgonzola on the side and mix them to your preference.  Delicious, particularly with the accompanied buttered seasoned rolls.
• For your main dish, it’s a tough choice but you ultimately choose the seared tuna with wasabi pea crust.

Having had that gourmet dining experience, you all have one last evening walk down Center Street before retiring to RWP for a relaxing conversation over a glass of Port on the rear patio chairs and glider.  Fireflies start to illuminate the garden as you all recap the events of the day!

Day 2

As you awaken to the morning sun pouring in and Robins (Michigan’s state bird) sing-songing their morning greetings, you are up before everyone else, so you opt to walk a few blocks again down Center Street to the local coffee shop– Respite.  Aptly named, as the coffee is a delicious respite to the norm.

Returning to RWP, your compadres already started breakfast.  Bacon is in the oven (on the broiler pan wrapped in foil, baking at 400 degF), and the griddle is out ready for the pancake batter. Plunk! Plunk!  The fresh blueberries are dropped into the batter just after it is poured on the griddle (a line cook taught me that once– allows for the perfect berry pop, but also to make plain ones for those who don’t like berries).

All efforts thanks to the chefs (and the well stocked kitchen).

After breakfast you all head directly over to the Eighth Street Farmer’s Market in Holland, Mi (only 20 minutes away).  Music, food (seriously?!), and amazing flowers, herbs, and plants (you’ve never seen a Japanese Maple this gorgeous for the fifth of the cost of what you would pay in a nursery in your home town).

 

*** Ray’s Tamale King is your lunch and you wait in a long line for it, but it is totally worth it.  ****

After a long morning of experiencing the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the Farmer’s Market, you make your way back to RWP.  Your housemates take a “disco nap”, but you are energized and decide to get a workout in at the BlueStar Community Gym.  Although it looks kinda like a Chipotle from the outside 😉 , you are actually impressed with the cleanliness and modern equipment– endorphins!

Rejoining your crew at RWP, you all freshen up and get ready for JD Souther at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts (you are a fan of Yacht Rock and educate everyone that JD wrote and co-wrote songs for the Eagles, including “Best of My Love”, “New Kid in Town”, “HeartAche Tonight”). You grab a quick burger at Wilde Dog Grille (EDPC ) before the show!

Day 3

Today is a beach day, so after a self-imposed continental breakfast at RWP, you grab folding chairs in the front closet of RWP, and stop at Farmhouse Deli and Pantry to grab a picnic lunch.

A day at Oval beach is the perfect end to a perfect weekend.

As you return to RWP to clean up and pack, you sign the guestbook as you concurrently look at your calendar to plan your next stay!

 

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What is it about whales that fascinates us?  Where does one begin?  For me, I’ve always loved majesty of these amazing creatures and apparently so does our culture which waxes and wanes with stories, art and pop culture.

Perhaps the most famous whale of all, Moby Dick, painted these creatures out to be fearsome more than anything.

Art further fed into this notion of Whales as villains.. or least aggressors.

Maybe these whales had a point about fighting back.  According to an April 16, 2016 NY Times article, by James Nestor “in the past 150 years, humans have killed off about 70 percent of the sperm whale population.  Around 360,000 remain.  That number is expected to decline, perhaps precipitously, as the ocean warms and acidifies.”  What a horrible thought.

And the whaling industry (yes, it’s an industry!) actually dates back to prehistoric times, and  hit a high in the Northeast Atlantic in the 18th century.  In Nantucket– whose present day “coat of arms” is a harpooned whale-it was a highly lucrative deep sea industry.

A Conversation With Whales— the article mentioned above– is a beautifully written op-ed piece in the New York Times, with an accompanying virtual-reality film, “The Click Effect.”  I watched it on my iPhone and was mesmerized.

The highlight of the article is that James did a series of free dives (that is, without oxygen tanks) to commune with these amazing creatures, and from these efforts, he learned a lot more about them.

I held my breath and swam deeper, 10, 20, 30 feet.  I heard a thunderous crack, then another, so loud they vibrated my chest.  Below my kicking feet, two sperm whales emerged from the shadows, each as long as a school bus.”

..As we kicked down deeper, within just a few feet of the mother whale’s gaping mouth, the click patterns changed, becoming slower, softer…The whales were probably introducing themselves.  They were saying hello.

Apart from the awe of simply the idea of being as close as Pinocchio,  was the knowledge that the author imparted:

Sperm whales’ brains are the largest ever known, around six times the size of humans’.  They have an oversize neocortex and profusion of highly developed neurons called spindle cells that, in humans, govern things like emotional suffering, compassion, and speech.

Interestingly, we fund so much exploration outside of the earth in a search for intelligent life, when in fact, our own oceans are teeming with it.

We chose to name the first floor suite the Whaleback room, in homage to these incredible, misunderstood beings.  Beings that I hope will thrive for another millenia– in all their glory.  Perhaps the NY Times article is the beginning of a deeper understanding, dialogue, and solution?

 

 

 

 

 

Regardless of your religion- or lack thereof- there is something wonderfully representational as Easter as the symbol of renewal- fresh as Spring.  The awakening of the senses at this time of year is heightened from many perspectives- geography, history, culture, innovation- to name a few.

Innovation you say?  Consider this- before social media with channels such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Yelp..LinkedIn ❤ – how would we have ever been able to establish a digital identity for RWP, and in the process, meet the wonderful LeAnne Mawby Sowa (@artsygirl)?  LeAnne revealed not only that her great grandfather, Dudley Smith built RWP, but that he also built it in 1910! We had been told 1926 when we became stewards for RWP in 2015.

“Innovation” and renewal also because in 2006 (we think!), local business leaders and entrepreneurs Danny, Greg, and Mike took RWP down to the studs and rebuilt it on the great bones that had been established–to fortify and modernize it, while maintaining its core character.  As a side note, Danny, Greg, and Mike are prolific in renewing Douglas-Saugatuck with both residential homes and their incredible business, the Dunes Resort.

What’s amazing about the area also known as the Art Coast of Michigan is that these stories aren’t unusual.  Our dear friends, Michael and Doug, took a storied early 20th Century mob hideout that had been overrun with raccoons, and turned it into present day Red Gate Farm. Awakened, renewed– sense a theme here?  🙂

Although all this innovation– in the form of awakening and renewal– is happening right here in SW Michigan, one thing that is consistent with Easter and Spring renewal is the perennial parade– of new colors coming from nature and people.  And that aspect is wonderfully reassuring, particularly in turbulent times,such as present day. What’s old is new– but in a familiar and comforting way.

Unique to the Douglas – Saugatuck area is a smalltown, throwback feeling of yesteryear.  How many small towns still hold parades at every holiday that involve all the residents? Again, as much as the Art Coast of Michigan is keeping up with the times and being relevant, we recognize that part of the relevance is maintaining some stability and charm as a beacon for what could be, and what is.  A community celebrating simple things such as honoring the past, while looking to the future.

As you’re either celebrating Easter– or simply Spring awakening– on this Sunday, I’d encourage us to all reflect on the good things that abound in our world: renewals, innovation, values (in the sense of equality of human–and animal– rights), and yes, Style!

Until Next Time!

 

Few sports are as romanticized, misunderstood, grueling, steeped in history, or simply all-encompassing as is rowing (aka “crew” depending on from where you hail). With the forwarding of the clocks this past week, it brought me back to my days in high school when we would go from being on the water at sunrise to being plunged back into darkness at the same hour.  Yes, the hours were early, and that was by design– both natural and manmade. To celebrate my personal heritage, I “erged” everyday this week, challenging my stroke rate on every piece.  All of that made me long to be back on the water, and incredibly nostalgic at the same time.

I was raised in a town south of Detroit (please do NOT cue the Journey music), and as tall, but scrawny 6th grader, I was recruited into a CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) rowing program in my hometown of Wyandotte, Michigan.

In a lower-to-middle class town like Wyandotte, a sport like rowing might seem incongruous with the high barriers to entry (a shell alone can cost up to $30K).  Actually, the sport was part of our shared DNA, as it had been seeded in the area as early as 1839 with the Detroit Boat Club and 1875 with the Wyandotte Boat Club.

Rowing was a compliment to our location on the river– just at the top of Lake Erie in between a long island named Grosse Ile and Canada– a perfect buffer to a rower’s source of dismay: white caps. (That was actually more theory than reality in my experience).   According to Wyandotte Boat Club’s history, those early rowers “put in long hard days at the steel mill and boat works and rowed to relieve the tensions of the day.” That line made me laugh in awe at the thought of guys slaving all day in a sweatshop only to go and do London Mile after work!  Not exactly my idea of tension relief. But in our area, it was a family sport, and it was a community sport.

What I discovered was that rowing was/is an intense experience of pushing yourself to the limit using every muscle and every bit of oxygen and adrenaline just to be able to see the backs of your nearest competitor. What a rush.

This from Wikipedia (my 10th grade research teacher would kill me for sourcing Wiki, but ya know):  “Rowing is one of the few non-weight bearing sports that exercises all the major muscle groups, including quads, biceps, triceps, lats, glutes and abdominal muscles.  In fact, racing a 2K is as physically demanding as playing 2 basketball games back to back.”

On side note, we laughed at one crew once that had “Eat My Wake” written on the back of their jerseys.  We read that tag line the entire day down the course (think about it).

On a poetic note, there is nothing quite like the synchronized rhythm of 8 eight (or 4 or two or one) timing so perfect that each blade goes in the water at precisely the same time and angle.

It wasn’t until we started traveling to out of state regattas– at  Midwest prep schools like Culver Military Academy  or encountering elite East Coast prep schools on the Schuylkill River (for context, lookup the famed Boathouse Row) for the Stotesbury or Dad Vail regattas– that I began to notice that styles and customs were quite a bit different from those which I knew.  You didn’t bet money with a competitor– you bet your jersey on the race.  And although I certainly didn’t sport a mullet >>ever<<, I also had never seen a Princeton cut in person. No, my only point of reference for the look and attitudes I encountered was from one of my favorite movies, Chariots of Fire.  I admired and somewhat longed for what I perceived to be  the perfect balance of style and substance. From these regatta experiences, my own sense of style evolved.

To make a parody of me and my new found aesthetic, someone from my hometown gave me a copy of this ==>

Although I certainly didn’t identify with the “Mummy and Daddy”isms of the book, I did love the elements of style that have carried whimsically over to today’s RWP.

The history of rowing for me is a very personal one– one that contributed both to my competitive and creative spirit.   It’s also a sport for *everyone*– even back in the 80s, it was common to see women’s crews alongside mens.  And in the present day, my best friend, Kyle’s Mom (and my honorary Mom), Bryna, picked it up at 58 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island!  To quote “Mom”:

“I started rowing at 58 (not 70!) and still am not good (editor’s note: debatable 😉 ).  My club should have offered more lessons back then which they do now (ed. hurray!  They learned) but hard to teach an old dog new tricks!  My major challenge now is getting in and out of the scull… not very graceful!  Do they let you row if you wear diapers??” 

Yuk, yuk, that’s Bryna– hilarious, and self-deprecating.  But she is a force. She once climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.  And she refused assistance getting onto the altar under the chuppah years ago at Kyle and Bridget’s wedding, telling the rabbi, “I don’t require any help!  I climb mountains!”  She could have added, “and I row!”

For my part, I’m excited to join a local club we have here in Chicago on the river, but as we look to the Kalamazoo Lake/river– just out to the door from RWP–  check out that the dock would be a perfect spot to launch.  That water is like glass!  Etes-vous prets?  🙂