^Look at that picture.  It’s a Black Forest Latte.  And read on, because I’m about to tell you where I got it.

Today I’m going to do something that I haven’t done in a while – A REVIEW!  Yay, this is exciting.

A little while ago I had the opportunity to take a last-minute mini vacation to Lansing, Michigan to visit my Aunt and Uncle… Who, by the way, love to spoil their relatives.  So I was in for a lot of treats (note – that latte was one of them).

On this particular visit, they took me to the Grand River Cafe, which is connected to Archives Books, a used book store with quite of bit of charm.   The pictures I’ve taken are from the cafe (AMAAAAAZING experience), and Curious Book Shop, the sister store of Archives (which has a separate location a few minutes away) – I’ll highlight my favourite moments from these visits as you scroll through the pictures.

First stop – Grand River Cafe!  I didn’t get many pictures in there, mostly because I was too busy eating, and I hadn’t planned to review this location.  However, I couldn’t post about this trip without mentioning it – So I’ll just tell you a few things.

First off, WOW.  Awesome atmosphere, great menu, great service, and GELATO!  Also, there’s a waterfall, lots of comfy chairs, free WiFi, and a fireplace.

Here’s a couple pictures of my chocolate butterscotch dessert, my Black Forest Latte, and my cousin’s latte, which was also very beautiful. 🙂

Are you a book lover, or do you have one in your family?

I do.  His name is Dad.  🙂

I couldn’t help but think, as I walked into this place, that he would love it there.  As you walk in, the smell of old books and well-loved pages greets you, and walking through the store, I couldn’t help but think of my dad turning the pages of some of our favourite stories, reading to us as kids.  The atmosphere of the store invites the picture into my mind of him standing there, bent over a book with his glasses perched on the end of his nose, with a kleenex sticking out of his back pocket, carefully flipping through the pages.  I can almost see him in these pictures… Even though he wasn’t there.  It just seems like he belongs in them.

Is there someone that you can see standing in these images?

If I had to summarize, I’d say Curious Book Shop is one of those places that fills you with memories of days gone by and invites you to scroll through the pages of your favourite stories.  It’s full of gems for the book lover, and full of memories for their loved ones.  I enjoyed visiting very much – and watching my aunt, my dad’s sister, flip through pages of well-loved novels made me smile.

Here’s a few pictures from my experience there. (Please note the Pride and Prejudice orchids in the vase.)  🙂

Lovely.  If you ever get the chance to pop in, you should – It’s a unique experience, tucked into the city of Lansing like a bookmark, marking your favourite page.

Back soon!

–Naomi