Grand Rapids

I wish we could have stayed one more day in Grand Rapids. Like Peoria, we were also in this city less then 48 hours, it all went by too quickly. The arena and our hotel were right in the center of downtown, so it was great because there were beautiful buildings, shops and great restaurants all in walking distance. Our hotel was AMAZING! I think its by far the nicest hotel yet. We stayed at the Amway Plaza, and I lucked out on my room because I got a junior suite!! My room was very fancy- I felt like I was royalty in European country or something. And my bathtub....wow....it was huge! I enjoyed a nice lavender bubble bath one night fit for a princess! The two bad things I didn't like in Grand Rapids was; first- it was freezing cold!! Like ice beating wind on your face! And second- a very stupid, but important thing- I couldn't find an egg and cheese breakfast bagel for breakfast the morning we left town!! I searched 4 different coffee/ cafe places, running around town like a crazy eyed breakfast bagel girl, and nothing!! I was craving one so bad! :) After the fourth place I gave up and settled for oatmeal. I did do some shopping in between shows on the second day. My friend, Kathleen, and I ended up getting the same pair of purple rounded toe pumps! That is one of the things I'll really miss about being on this tour...it's so fun to shop in big packs of girls, everyone in the store shopping you know because the whole dressing room migrated on the break to the boutique around the corner.

I did my first real PR gig in Grand Rapids. I had to talk to and take pictures with this girl who won a walk on role in the Nativity scene in the show. It was silly, but super easy and it was fun to talk to someone about being on stage who had never been! I guess this girl won a radio contest for tickets to the show and a walk on part....funny huh?

I also had my first baton visitor come to see the show in Grand Rapids. I was telling some of the girls that day that I had someone coming to see the show that night. They had asked who and I casually mentioned that someone I worked with in baton.....and I couldn't even finish my sentence before all sorts of questions came up! They wanted me to demonstrate (even though clearly I had NO baton) and they were asking me all these crazy questions. Anyway, now the cat is out of the bag and the girls are bugging me to load a video on you tube. Anyway, Kyle Kieser, came with a good friend and watched the show.....it was great to catch up on what was going on in the baton world. It's going to be so nice to see people along the way in all different parts of the country- Kyle was the first of many baton visitors. It's nice to know that you so many different friends all over the place! :)

This view is outside the the hotel....there are actually rapids in Grand Rapids,

who would have thought!

My friend, Kathleen, and I out in front of the Van Andel Arena....we waiting for many minutes in the freezing cold wind to wait till the light-up board got to our sign!!