WOTV commercials from 1991

There's some good ones. I'm still hunting for a good copy of the commercials for Fables and Fun Factory...

Oil painting in Lake Michigan Dr. Mr. Burger

Remember this.... ?

Randomly saw this on a truck while walking around.  I did continue to listen to WLAV's "underground radio" even after they moved it over to AM. Which I guess would have probably been the most recent time I've listened to AM radio. 1996?

Wealthy Theatre, 1995

A somewhat depressing pic of Wealthy Theatre, December '95.

Santa parade

Monroe Ave. decked out for Xmas, Late December 1964

Beautiful. Random observations... Division was a one-way. Monroe Ave was a street before they converted it to a walkway and then back to a street. Those giant, red glowing signs on top of buildings! The Pantiland Hotel down at the end, which the Amway Grand Plaza would later be added onto. There's Herpolsheimer's, later to be City Centre/Mackie's World/Police station.

The Great Daryl Nathan Christmas jam!

Trying to think of some good holiday stuff to drop in here and this clip first came to mind!
This might require a bit of explanation for for folks unfamiliar with the GR phenomenon known as The Great Daryl Nathan.
I was one of the original production crew behind "The Great Daryl Nathan Entertainment Show" that mystified viewers of GRTV public access back in the mid 90s. If you were around GR back then, you very likely already know what I am talking about. The guy created quite a buzz while he was on. I'd go so far as to say he was the closest thing GRTV had to a celebrity.
I really NEED to do a dedicated entry about Mr. Nathan when I get back around to it, but this will have to do for now.
This particular clip was one of two Christmas Specials I produced and it's a little different than most of Daryl's shows.
At this point, it seemed like Daryl was ready to part ways with GRTV and wasn't fully into it. His songs were mostly without lyrics and he didn't dress up with his signature snazzy suit and long, flowing hair.
I recruited a few friends to come in and be "dancers" and they really delivered!
Also, you may notice an abundance of Josta cola! A decked out Josta truck dropped off a pile of the stuff to GRTV that afternoon and we were all buzzing on Josta for a couple months!
A real grass-roots effort, this show. Some of the holiday decorations on the set a friend of mine had apparently "borrowed" from a local Taco Bell earlier that day.

Now get ready for some holiday spirit, GR mid-90s style....

Interestingly-named places to buy fish in Grand Rapids!

I always take notice of this little place on Leonard and Plainfield both because of its appearance and its name.
The Flying Bridge Fish Market seems really retro-looking to me with all the wood and groovy signage...

So... "Flying Bridge?"

At first, I thought the name was just weird and random but the oracle of wikipedia says:
"A flying bridge is a (usually open) area on top of, or at the side of, a ship's pilothouse, or closed bridge, that serves as an operating station for the ship's officers in good weather or when maneuvering in port, where good views along the ship sides are important. It is also a raised, usually second story cockpit on a smaller boat, such as a sport-fisher."

Anyway, it looks cute and old and one day I will check it out.



Then there's this place a little ways down Plainfield that I'd totally overlook by its appearance...

But then you notice the unfortunate name...  "Sanitary Seafood."

I'd really like to try some fried fish at the Flying Bridge, word is it's pretty awesome!

I'm also really curious to find out if the seafood at Sanitary Seafood is truly sanitary.

I don't know, that's kind of a bold claim, guys! :)