Grand Rapids Part II

The more I travel, the more to-do lists I have acquired. The biggest waterfall in every state, every national monument, park, historic site etc. I think I'm also starting to collect Frank Lloyd Wright houses. Grand Rapids has the Meyer May house which was a treat. I felt sort of cool when they asked the tour attendees who had visited FLW houses and which one and I was able to tell them about the Rosenbaum house in Florence Alabama.  Rosenbaum House    They had not heard of it. The Meyer May is a lovely house – I think it was actually more livable than most of the FLW houses I have been in. As always, there was the lovely art glass. Interesting fact – there was one plain glass picture window and that was the fanciest window of the time. Back at the turn of the century, making large plate glass windows was difficult – the art glass windows were much cheaper to make.

Not a good picture, but you can see the art glass

Frank designed everything in the house - even the kitchen sink

In Michigan, there is a large chain of stores called Meijer. They are like Walmarts (but I think they pay their employees better). They originated in Grand Rapids. Frederick Meijer created the Frederick Meijer Gardens which is the second most visited site in Michigan ( after the Henry Ford museum over in Detroit). While they have quite extensive gardens, the main draw is the sculptures. I was quite pleased that I was able to actually name some of the pieces and/or artists. I am a most cultured person evidently.

There was an exhibit celebrating Auguste Rodin's 100^th anniversary of his death. Seems sort of macabre to celebrate somebody's death – perhaps a better word would be remembrance. They had several of Rodin's sculptures on loan but they also had two actual Rodin sculptures in their collection.

I ponied up the $4 for a tram ride through their sculpture garden because if a tour is offered, I will always take it. You always learn something. Now, if I can just remember what I learn. Oh well.

Leaves are finally beginning to change

This is Eve, one of the Rodin statues

A Keith Haring - tram was moving too fast to get a good picture

Leonardo Da Vinci wrote out the plans to create this large horse for the city of Milan, but it never happened.  Fast forward to modern days time and somebody (don't remember the details) took the plans and created the horse.  It is massive.