This post was inspired by Rich Jacobson's blog post of February 27, 2007 "Blogging for Hire", Paying For Someone Else's Voice.

I just got back from one of my favorite luncheon spots, Marie Catrib's restaurant & bakery . This eclectic diner had a very unassuming entry into the crowded Grand Rapids, Michigan restaurant market approximately two years ago.  I didn't hear about the restaurant on the radio or evening news.  It wasn't featured in a magazine article nor did I receive coupons inviting me to "check out" the newest local sandwich shop. 

The manner in which Marie Catrib's restaurant emerged onto my radar was through a conversation with a fellow broker.  Somehow our musings touched upon food; it was close to lunch time.  She asked me if I had ever gone to Marie Catrib's.  I had never heard of this place with such a strangely delightful name.  I bookmarked a notation in my mind to investigate further.

A couple of months later, curiosity got the better of me & I persuaded my husband to head downtown for lunch at Marie Catrib's.   As we neared the turning lane of the intersection, I spotted some interesting lettering on the half wall that surrounded a corner of the restuarant.  It read "East Hills Center of the Universe".  I felt it in my gut that this was going to be a unique experience...after all the signage on the brick wall had just informed me that I was in for an "out of the world" experience.

Marie Catrib herself delivered!  Literally...she greeted us and welcomed us warmly as we walked in backdoor.  Marie Catrib, a native of Lebanon and her son decided to open her restaurant with food that celebrated her Middle Eastern heritage Now remember that this in Grand Rapids, Michigan...Dutch Country USA!  According to Marie, her food is "care-free-food".  She makes everything from scratch.  Talking to her on one of my visits, she described her daily schedule which starts by coming into the restaurant in the early hours of the morning to bake for the day...her only day off is Sunday to...in her words "Do laundry, go to church and that kind of stuff".  Her presence literally beams and radiates joy...Marie comes to life here...you can feel her vibrancy as you walk in the door!

Marie Catrib believes in supporting her community.  Imaginative vegan dishes and salads are inspired by locally grown produce.  Her newly famous richly baked, scrumptuous chocolate pudding is made from duck eggs supplied by local farmers.  The on-site bakery carries fresh baked goods...I'm a baker, so I know when you try to pass off something that's freshly baked and it really isn't.  The salads and sandwhiches are hearty and filling. No, you won't find regular hamburgers here, but you will find stuff you'll find it hard to get elsewhere in Grand Rapids like Kibbe, Tabbouleh Salad, Marie's inspired soup & sandwich creations, hearty goodness rolled into her homemade granola and an uncommon selection of delectable dessert. 

While I don't go to Marie Catrib's everyday, it's one of the few restaurants that I've ever felt inspired to write about.  No, No, No....Marie does not pay me to do this!  I do it because, it's such a treat to find something that is for real. That's the reason why my broker friend urged me to give this restaurant a try; she insisted that I would not be dissapointed.  It is also the reason why this relatively new restaurant was just featured in the prestigious Grand Rapids Magazine and awarded by the people of Grand Rapids Michigan, the Causal Dining Award of Excellence!

Authenticity matters!  Marie Catrib's succeeds because they deliver what they promise.  Real Food..not manufactured versions disguised to mimic it, great service, plentiful selections and consistent service.  On a recent weekend morning during a snowstorm, Marie indicated that people came for breakfast and waited over an hour to find seats! I know why they came and will continue to come. In a world of abundance, differentiation is priceless.  Grand Rapids is a city with seemingly more restaurants than people!  People wait in line for tables in this crowded eatery, not because they can't go to any of of hundreds of restaurants that serve soups, sandwiches, salads and desserts but because they know that when they visit Marie's, they are in for an authentic experience.

That's how I see Blogging, particularly real estate blogging.  The consumer can go ANYWHERE to find out the latest mortgage rates, home prices, tips to create curb appeal, real estate advice, etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum.  A search on Google for Grand Rapids Real Estate Brokerages logs up 1+ Million Hits!  It's instructive that the number of blogs which turn up are far fewer...for now.  However, my point is this...it is clear..or it should be that the world is begging, yelling, screaming, pleading for authenticity. Why are we choosing not to heed them?

  The value of the authentic will continue to increase...because unfortunately it is becoming scarcer and rarer.  That's why I am not overly concerned about Bloggers for Hire.  It's an industry that definitely has a place and an appropriate audience. (In case you were wondering a search on Google for "Bloggers for Hire turns up 23,000 hits already) But then again, I'm not interested in being a McDonalds...I prefer to plate up an "uncommon experience".  When you visit my Blog, you can be assured that Lola will be dishing it up...just the way she sees it and creates it from the core of who she is.  She hopes you enjoy the fare! 

Marie Catrib's restaurant is located on 1001 Lake Drive, SE. Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Phone: (616)454-4020

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