Garden Gate Cafe

(Written in January)

Today I visited the most adorable cafe and met the most energetic sweet people.

Perhaps it's because I have a head cold of huge proportions.

Or perhaps because I am in a sugar coma.

Whatever the reason, I cannot seem to make any of the words I want to say about this place make any sense or do it any form of justice.

So I am going to ramble out a blog post for you.  Sorry, all of you are my therapy.  I cannot post it until February 1st when the magazine goes live but I'll include a link at the end of this so you can read what ends up being printed.

And so I give you....

Garden Gate Cafe

I had heard about Garden Gate Cafe but did not recall why.  When I looked up their facebook page I noticed friends who liked them and when I asked a mom's opinion I knew would give me the honest truth about the place, she admitted she just wanted to get there but hadn't made it there yet.  I knew the place would involve cupcakes...but that's all I knew.

Wednesday dawned bright and sunny and found me squinting in the bright sunshine.  My head was a foggy pounding sinus headache mess.  I consciously was making an effort to think full complete thoughts but they kept getting lost in the fogginess of the my head cold.  I wasn't sure what sort of first impression I would make, but I didn't think it would be my best ever.  Especially when I drove past the place twice looking for a parking spot and finally had to park in the parking ramp (when you visit there, do that.  Just park in the ramp.  Notice I said WHEN because you must go here.)

Upon entering, I was taken back to happy spring time.  I walked in and physically relaxed.  This is my sort of place.  Instantly they greeted me and offered me something to drink, I said water was just fine but really, their tea mugs were so adorable and the tea bags enchanting.  I should have chosen tea.

Learn from my mistake.

I wasn't there to take photos but I just had to.  The above photo is of Shann who quit her job as a Dental Hygienist to work for Nancy at the Garden Gate Cafe because she loves this place that much.  Nancy and Shann did not even know each other before working together.  "I have always dreamed of baking and nothing is better than lovin' on people with food. Food draws people together."

Shann spoke the words of my heart.

Shann had on the most adorable rolling pin apron.  She told me Santa took good care of her this year.  As he should have.  She was as kind as could be, wishing me a speedy recovery before she rushed off to the kitchen but not after sitting down to chat with me.

Here is a sampling of their food....

Katie, our photographer who I consider a friend and am so grateful to know, was thrilled to have so many options to photograph.  Usually we are left alone to talk amongst our selves and sometimes to feel as intruders.  Not so here.  She was snapping photos to her hearts content and I was making new dear friends as I sat at the table and chatted with Nancy, the owner.

How did this energetic woman sitting across from me go from being an educator to owning a cafe?

Nancy went to visit her daughter who had a boutique in Chicago.  Nancy looked around and said, "Yes.  This is what I want to do."  Six months later she and her husband, Doug, opened an antiques store in Schoolcraft, Michigan.  They were still teaching and working the store and within a year they had moved from a tiny shop to a house in town to sell their antiques.

Because if you are into antiques Shipshewana, Indiana is really the place to be, they closed the shop in Schoolcraft and opened a store there.  Not long after that, the little cafe across the street from their shop closed and Nancy thought, "Hmmm, a cafe sounds fun."

So she opened a cafe.

Nancy is a ball of energy.  I am quite convinced this woman can do whatever she puts her mind to and would have all kinds of fun accomplishing it.

How cute are their lights????

They describe their food as "Like Grandma used to make, but better."

Their slogan is - Garden Gate Cafe, Where the food is great and the fun never ends.

Nancy just bubbled in her joy over her cafe.  She shared with me how they deliver lunches to neighboring businesses and corporations by way of little red wagons.  They have special cupcake and cookie decorating times for the kids.  They hold parties after hours for groups and showers and birthdays.  They donate cupcakes regularly.

Looking for ways they can be involved and help their community is important to Nancy and Doug.  They are currently selling their beautiful farm in Schoolcraft (that has hosted weddings and has an antique shop) to spend their time and energy in downtown Kalamazoo. Nancy lived in downtown Kalamazoo in 71 and she says she has never seen downtown so alive. 

The cafe sings of friendliness and warmth.  You can't buy that.  You can't fake that.  This group of women love their work so much it seems like an extension of themselves.  The college students and others who they hire to help their bustling business (they cater weddings regularly) have to have a certain spark.

They sent me home with lunch - on the house, anything I wanted.  They had given me so much of their time so I chose something they had all ready to go in the case.  A chicken ranch wrap.  

It was a great choice.

Then they sent me home with three cupcakes.  The Cherry Almond one I am writing about in the magazine - a cherry explosion of moist yumminess with the comforting after taste of almond -, a cupcake filled with Bailey's, and a cupcake filled with peanut butter (swoon).  Just for good measure they sent me home with one of Doug's (Nancy's husband) famous chocolate chip cookies.

I spent the morning with my body half turned away from them, not wanting them to catch my nasty head cold.  But when I left they rubbed my arm as a dear friend would and wished me well.  I felt filled with warmth as I left their cozy country cottage cafe and walked toward the parking garage.  I can not wait to return.

How cute is THIS hanging on the wall?

Garden Gate Cafe

230 South Kalamazoo Mall

Kalamazoo, Michigan

49007

269-532-1692

Open Seven days a week except closed on Sundays in January and February

10 am to 4 pm

Offering a full Gluten Free Menu

Gluten Free food is prepared at Gluten Free Sensations in Three Rivers, Michigan

Cupcakes - Cookies - Whoopie Pies and Muffins

Lunch and Brunch served

HUGE variety of soups

And....while I was there THREE separate men walked into the cafe to order food.  Evidence that this place makes good good good food - like Grandma's, but better. 

Garden Gate Cafe Facebook Page

Friendship Farm that is now for sale.

Read the finished article in Women's Lifestyle Magazine of Greater Kalamazoo

HERE

You can pick up a FREE magazine at many Kalamazoo locations.  I choose Biggby. 

PS

A week later, sick as could be still, my mom and I went here for lunch.

We were greeted warmly, even though they were very obviously in a rush. 

The wagons went out to deliver lunch.

Huge displays of cupcakes were getting ready to be sent out.

My mom and I ordered two lunches to split between the two of them.  I ordered tea.  My mom ordered coffee.  I think my tea would have been phenominal if my mom hadn't continually said, "This coffee is sooooooo good."

The little adorable cup and pot are tea. The mug is coffee. I oohed over the colors.

The slice of something? Red Velvet whoopie pie to try.

My mom and I split a salad and a chicken salad sandwich on pretzel bread.

Had I just had the salad, I would have raved over it.  I would have gone on and on and on about how yummy it is.  But I ate the sandwich and I nearly cried when it was done.  That sandwich was divine.

The salad was super wonderfully delicious too.  It makes me wish I hadn't tried the sandwich.

Except the sandwich was that good.

We got a few cupcakes to take home because we were stuffed.

The sprinkle ones were beer cupcakes. 

One may wrinkle their nose at that but I seriously believe those cupcakes helped make me well.

Seriously.

The other is a peanut butter one and a chocolate cherry one (that one was for S1 at home alone while we were out.)

My only sadness of this day is, well, two fold, I was still sick and so foggy in the head.  Second, no photos of my mom and I.  How did we do that????

The place got packed! And oddly enough, the photographer I work with at the magazine showed up with her husband and son for lunch too!  She was impressed too!

Visit there.  Pronto.

Garden Gate Cafe and their staff simply can not disappoint.

Ugh! Computer Frustration...

With my new job at the Women's Lifestyle Magazine of Greater Kalamazoo, which I love, I was given an official email.

I don't know why, but this made me all giddy and official feeling.

It's the little things in my life that do this.

Except, I could not log in to my email for anything.

I set up emails at the library.  I help people continually on the computer.  I know enough to know I don't know much but I like to learn new things.  I am one of those weird people who would actually enjoy taking computer classes at the Apple store.  Seriously.

So I was frustrated I could not log on to the web page.  When I could log onto the web page, I could not log into my email.  I sheepishly had to ask my editor for help.  I received a password different then the one I had been using.

I finally logged in.

I cheered. Literally.

Because I have been swamped busy (hugest understatement, those words there), I went in early to work at the library to get a feel of my new email host and work on my signature and screen look - you know, fun things like that.

I am one of those crazy change passwords type people too.  So I changed the password of the new email.

And promptly was locked out of my email.

The photo I used in this post - not emotional enough.  There was no "if you forgot your password link" or anything.  When Alicia arrived at work and I had to put my computer away after typing in my password any way I could have thought I would have ever miss-typed it - twice, because you have to type it twice - I was very near tears and rattled off my problem to Alicia who, of course, could not help me but was sympathetic.

When Alicia asked me to help someone on the computers, I groaned in pain.  My computer had had to be rebooted twice already and my frustration at not getting into my own email was a heavy pit in my stomach.  But I felt a little more genius like when I figured out the patron's issue had got it fixed in no time flat.

Late that night, I pulled out my computer again and attempted to log into my work email.  I read up on the system to see that the administrator had to correct my mistake.  Unable to do more, I began an apology email to my editor.

I was trying to figure out the best way to portray my embarrassing situation, along with feeling the guilt over knowing one of those who help me was trying to be away from work on an extra special family time when I decided to try to log on...just one more time.

I used my originally given password...and it logged me on.

To say I was joyful would be an understatement.

My husband, who had just arrived home from Bible Study, took one look at me and said, "You figured out your email, didn't you?"

Yes, yes I did.

I don't know how it worked, I am nervous I'll lock myself out again, but sheesh, in this moment, it sure feels great.

And yes, I have logged on to it about five times today just to make sure I can. 

Anything like this happen to you before?  How did you handle it?

Women's Lifestyle Magazine of Great Kalamazoo

While you are our and about this weekend in west Michigan, stop to pick up the latest FREE Women's LifeStyle of Great Kalamazoo magazine that is out JUST this week. 

I am really loving their cover this month.

When you get it, you will flip through the magazine and see some fun articles on documenting your life through facebook, style, getting your home de-cluttered, getting prepared for fall, etc.  It's a fun read!

On page 18 you can read about Salt of the Earth restaurant in downtown Fennville.  I can't wait to try to glaze my carrots in honey, I'm a huge glazed carrots fan.  This place was really cool and the back story of all the work they put into the food is amazing.  The food smelled so incredibly mouth watering yummy.

But I can't tell you how the food tasted.

They made the food, plated the food, our photographer took photos of the food and then we Never. Got. To. Eat. The. Food.  So wen you read the article, I can't tell you what the food tasted like.  They did send us each home with a loaf of bread that we ate for dinner.  The bread tasted good, but with fancy breads, it wasn't a hit with the boys who couldn't even begin to chew the crust. 

When I left Salt of the Earth, I drove to Crane's and bought myself blueberry strudel pie and two dozen donuts.  THAT place has AMAZING pie.  And when S1 bit into a donut, his eyes got big.  "Have you tried one?" he asked me.  "No," I said, not letting on I had just eaten pie before picking him and his brothers up from school.  "You need to," he told me.  And so I did.  And they were amazing.  Have I mentioned Crane's is amazing?????

On page 24, you will read my article on the Schreiber Caregiver Conference. That was tough to write.  It's a deep subject and honestly, dementia scares me.  It always has, then I read the Notebook and then it really really scared me.  Over this winter, my grandma had a stroke that effected both sides of her brain and my mom and aunt have been her caregivers since.  Writing this article made me think of them.  Jennifer Howard's heart is with this organization and this is a conference anyone should check out. 

On page 30, I get to introduce Kalamazoo to Mom's in Tow. I really do not think I could tout how wonderful I think Mom's in Tow is.  Seriously.  Jenny is a blast to talk to.  They have organizations all over West Michigan (Grand Rapids and Holland originally).  Because they are mom's, they care about children's safety but they work hard to organize get together's for mom's.  And their cards that you get for being part of their group give you amazing discounts at store's mom's visit regularly.  The whole idea on Mom's in Tow simply fascinates me.  Jenny sums it up best when she says, "Mom's in Tow, in a nutshell, is moms connecting to other moms and saving money while doing it.  Moms are looking for community.  Moms in Tow helps bring us together so we are not so lonely and can help each other in the new world of motherhood."

I absolutely loved talking with Jenny White and I really cannot say enough good things about Moms in Tow.  Welcome to Kalamazoo!!!

Women's Lifestyle Magazine of Greater Kalamazoo is blessed greatly to have an amazing photographer working for them.  Katie takes such amazing photos and brings such an artistic edge to them.  I get the biggest kick out watching her "line up a shot".  If you need a local photographer, look no further than K. Redmond Photography. She took this amazing "professional" photo of me for the magazine....

Yah, the girl's got talent.  

And she is so sweet.  So amazingly sweet.  I look forward to working with her every time she emails me and says, "Hey, meet me at such and such for pictures for this article."  

Working with the magazine on this month's issue was so much fun for me.  I enjoy writing these pieces much more than I imagined I would.  I hope to bring you the "back stories" of the articles along with the articles themselves every month - won't that be fun?

What articles do you like to read in a local town paper?  I really want to know!

You can read the entire magazine online.  But you can also click the "Get a Copy" button to find where to pick up the Women's Lifestyle Magazine of Greater Kalamazoo in the West Michigan area.  (I suggest Biggby's...but that's just me. :) ) 

Meet Kristin Alkire and Hear About My New Job

Earlier this summer, I was asked if I would be interested in writing for a local magazine.

"Sure,"I shrugged.  But the more I thought about it, the more excited I got.

Like, to the point of nearly bursting.

So when they decided to let me write on a trial run, I was a wee bit more than ecstatic.  If you don't believe me, just ask Jake.  I may have been unbearable.  Cute, I hope, but unbearable.

My first interview couldn't have been sweeter.

In the blazing heat, she drove to my house so I could keep the boys at home.  She sat in my sweltering dining room and drank coffee - um, how could I not like her? She drinks COFFEE - and an hour later, when she went to leave, I felt the stranger that arrived at my door had left a friend.

So much so, that when she went to shake my hand I was thinking hug - but honestly, who hugs in 100 degree heat? - so there I was, arm in the air, bringing it down to a dramatic hand shake.

And while I was sitting at my table, in my house, with my four boys packing for the beach, I was trying to think, "be professional. be professional. be professional."

Sometimes, professional is over rated.

I sat down to write about our meeting.  But I just couldn't keep it to the short amount of words that they asked for.  There was too much to share.

And so, here on my blog, I will give you the article that did not get published.

Kristin Alkire left her kids at home with her husband and drove out to a little non air conditioned farmhouse on a day that was slated to reach 104 degrees because that is just the type of person she is.

Kristin has been teaching Biology at Otsego High School for the past 11 years and is also the Department Chair of the High School Science Department. She was nominated for Look Who’s Talking by a fellow colleague, Holly McCaw, who wrote, “Science isn’t usually the hot subject among students, but they love her and rave about how she makes it all fun and interesting and she’s inspired many students. I recently interviewed our school’s Top Ten students and I would say half of them mentioned her in who they would like to thank or who inspired them.”

The 2011/12 school year started on a high note for Kristin.  Kristin was one of the recipients of the 2011 Yale Educator Award.  To receive the award, a student from Yale must nominate one of their former teachers. “I feel very honored to have received this award,” Kristin was quoted as saying on the school website,  “What makes it really special, though, is the fact that Marisa Kaugars nominated me for the honor.  She is an absolutely incredible young woman and it means so much to me that she took the time out of her busy summer to complete the nomination.  This award is really more of a reflection of Marisa than it is on me.”

As she sips her coffee, Kristin laughs.  “The funny thing is, I didn’t want to be a teacher!”  Both her parents are retired teachers and while she loves them and admired their work, she wanted to be her own person.  She began her college education at Hope College as pre-med.  But it didn’t take her long to switch to teaching and she has never regretted her choice.

At the end of the 2011/12 school year, Kristin was nominated as the Teacher Honoree.  “I stood up to tell them I hope they all have the opportunity to do what they love because it means a lot to do what you love, but I just ended up crying”, she admits.

Having played basketball for Hope College, she coached basketball and track for Otsego.  But this year she and her husband (who teaches 8^th grade science at Hamilton) resigned from their separate coaching commitments.  “It was a difficult decision,” she shared, “But we just needed more family time.”

Kristin and Nathan celebrate ten years of marriage this year and are busy with their four year old daughter, Zoe and one year old son, Brendan.  I asked this 32 year old how she keeps up with all she has going on.  “It’s challenging.  Thankfully I have a great level of understanding with my husband because he is a teacher as well.  I try to always be productive, trying to utilize my time as best I can.  My parents are retired and a great help.  I have a great support system.”

“The relationships you develop with the students, who I call ‘my kids’, do make a difference,” she explains. “Education is tough right now because there is a lot of negativity so I go back to making connections with my students and focusing on making a difference for them.”

But, if you click the link ( http://digital.zoompubs.com/publication/?m=2516&l=1 ), you will read the article that DID get published.  You will see an ancient old photo of me that I surely hope will not scar you.  And you will SEE Kristin.  The photo of her is amazing....

She is amazing.

To follow the Women's Lifestyle Magazine of Greater Kalamazoo, just like them on facebook.  You can find copies of the magazine FREE in many areas around the Kalamazoo area.  My good friend Korene found one for me already and dropped it off at the library.  She is a dear.  But maybe she just needed some Biggby coffee...they are a pick up site for the magazine.

To check out the work of the photographer (who I will officially meet this week), like her facebook page or follow her on twitter.

I thought this could be fun for you and I.  Because now I can keep introducing you to amazing people and places in my local area.  Really, this is going to be way fun part time job - I think - if they keep me on.

But don't you worry, Sue and I will still be doing Praise and Coffee Magazine.  As if we could stop doing that....

Thanks for being excited for me on this new adventure!