The Score Serves West Michigan Some Beach Volleyball Fun | By Meaghan Igel

Eat Healthy By Matthew Russell The Biscuit 450 Washington Ave., Holland, thebiscuitcafe.com, (616) 396-1005 The Chinese Five Spice Rice Patties definitely stick out on the menu at The Biscuit-they're not easily categorized. They're not easily forgotten, either. The uniqueness of this dish isn't its only strength, though. Apart from being full of gluten-free, healthful brown rice, these gems are served with fresh fruit, which takes the five-spice combination of clove, cinnamon, pepper, fennel and anise to a sweet and tangy new level. Food Dance 401 East Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, fooddance.net, (269) 382-1888 You might expect a sandwich with a name like "Hippie Stomp" to come with a side of directions to the nearest drum circle. Truth is, when you crunch into the house-made garden vegetable almond spread, alfalfa sprouts, tomato, cucumbers and avocado between slices of Food Dance's 3-grain bread, you won't want to go anywhere other than back for another bite. The owner of Food Dance is fixated on finding fruits, vegetables, meat and eggs that come from local farms, bringing the health benefits directly to your table. The Green Well Gastro Pub 924 Cherry St. SE, Grand Rapids, thegreenwell.com, (616) 808-3566 Salads aren't just for health-conscious masochists, especially at The Green Well Gastro Pub. The Blackened Chicken Chopped Salad (pictured above) brings locally grown greens, vine-ripened tomatoes and onions together with the southwestern flair of avocado, sweet corn and black beans. Topped with blackened chicken breast, tortilla chips and poblano dressing, this dish is just as tasty as it is healthy. Osta's Lebanese Cuisine 2228 Wealthy St. SE, East Grand Rapids, ostaslebanese.com, (616) 456-8999 The owners of Osta's Lebanese Cuisine were faithful to the recipes of their homeland when they created the restaurant's menu. It's lucky for West Michigan that they brought with them moudardara, a lentil, rice and onion sauté that contains the protein, vitamins, complex carbohydrates and fiber which the people of the Middle East have been depending on for centuries for their sustaining energy. The dish is served with caramelized onions and a Lebanese Salad of romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber and parsley, hand Tossed in Osta's homemade extra virgin olive oil and lemon vinaigrette dressing.

Having a local neighborhood sports bar where you can watch sports is one thing, but better is a neighborhood sports bar where you can play sports — as in form a league, compete in tournaments and win prizes. That's the mentality behind The Score Restaurant and Sports Bar's three beach volleyball courts, cleverly nicknamed "The Shore at The Score." During the summer months, the restaurant hauls in nearly 350 cubic yards of sand to create a complex fit for an entire summer's worth of tournaments. "I am really excited about this season," said Branden Monroe, marketing manager at The Score. "We have such a diversity of teams — from beginners to pros — that everyone will feel comfortable playing. It's a great way to have fun, stay in shape, and soak in some sun." Want to join in? The early registration deadline for season two (which runs July 11 through Sept. 15) is June 27. You can form teams of Women's 2's, Co-ed 2's or Co-ed 4's in Level A (advanced — not for the faint of heart!), Level B (intermediate) or Level C (recreational). Set up a few serves, catch some sun, and have some fun while improving your skills at The Score.

The Score Restaurant and Sports Bar, 5301 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids, thescore-restaurant.com, (616) 301-0600

Snap Fitness workout facilities offer members a cheap way to keep their wallet fat and their bodies fit. The Watermark Country Club, Stonewater Golf Club and the 4 Mile/Alpine (coming this summer) locations offer a $39.95 package that gives members many advantages and varieties of working out. Not only can members work out in the facilities 24/7, this package includes a free fitness assessment with a personal trainer. Online tools make eating healthy and working out easy with customizable plans. Zumba, yoga, pilates, spinning and turbo-kick classes are another addition to the packages. "We're not a gym," said Kim VonKeanel, manager of five Grand Rapids locations. "At a gym, you sign up and they say ‘there's the treadmill.' At Snap Fitness, we care about our members. We want them to get results." With an unlimited tanning package, members can not only show off their toned bod, but their tanned one, at summer bashes. The bashes are free for members and create a friendly competition between different locations that get together for the all-day affair, allowing members to connect and get to know the trainers in a different setting — another perk, VonKaenel says, of the cheap package.

Every once in a while, I feel the need to switch it up with my exercise regimen. P90X, swimming and lifting weights at the gym are good workouts, but I quit them all. They are boring (especially swimming; holy s**t, is that a snooze). One workout I always go back to, though, is rock climbing.

No one ever thinks they can climb until they actually do it, and I understand. Before I started climbing, the only thing I knew about it was that you had to live near mountains and be intensely strong/athletic. Once I stopped being stupid, however, I learned that neither was true. Rock climbing is as much about balance and body placement as it is about muscle. You can pump iron in an Ed Hardy t-shirt all day, but if you're an idiot oaf — which, if that sounds like you, you are — you'll never make it up a wall.

To get started, just talk to a staff member at any of the gyms below and they'll hook you up:

GVSU Climbing Center
Located in the GVSU field house on the Allendale campus
GVSU is great for top-roping, and its wall features a cave.
First-timer cost: $13.00
gvsu.edu/climbingcenter, (616) 331-3226

Higher Ground
851 Bond Avenue, Grand Rapids
Two full rooms are dedicated to the best bouldering features in GR. A third room is top-roping and boasts a 23-foot climbable roof.
First-timer cost: $23.00
higround.com, (616) 774-3100

Inside Moves
639 76th St., Byron Center
27+-foot walls and 8,500 square feet of climbing space — both the tallest and largest in the GR area.
First-timer cost: $22.00
insidemoves.com, (616) 281-7088

Climb Kalamazoo
136 South Kalamazoo Mall
30-foot walls within 10,000 square feet of climbing space make for one of the best climbing experiences in West Michigan.
First-timer cost: $ 30.00 
climbkalamazoo.com, (269) 385-9891

Eclectic Fitness | By Audria Larsen

Not quite surfing, stand-up paddle surfboarding — or "supping" — is all the rage with celebrities and mere mortals alike. Basically, you stand on a special, surfboard-like craft, wield a paddle and say hello to solid core strength, toned gams and a dose of fun. Head over to Macatawa Boat House at Holland State Park for $15 an hour rentals and lessons. A recent study from Michigan State University asserted that dog owners get more exercise. "That's part of why I got Daisy," said Ella Swift, an all-around active gal and outdoor sports coordinator for films. "I was already a runner and it's easy to come up with excuses." Daisy needs a minimum of 20 minutes of hard exercise a day, getting Swift out in all weather, walking and running. Check out Norman F. Kruse Park in Muskegon, which offers a one-mile stretch along Lake Michigan Beach, just for dogs and their owners. Disc golf is another way to get outdoors and work a few muscles while having fun. Earl W. Brewer Park in Grand Rapids offers steep inclines, challenging obstacles and plenty of greenery. Play a few rounds after lunch, and get yourself moving.

Top 5 Fitness Tips | By Samara Napolitan

Fitness tips from Rachel Riley, who plays Juliet in Mario Radacovsky's Romeo and Juliet, showing this month.

1. Take pilates classes
2. Take yoga classes
3. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and park your car further away in parking lots, therefore you walk more.
4. Eat lots of small, healthy, nutritious meals throughout the day. Avoid big meals and overeating.
5. Stay away from processed food and food that has high fructose corn syrup.

Eco Trek Fitness | By Kelli Kolakowski

You don't need to be a gym rat to hang with Cari Draft. The Eco Trek founder/owner invites anyone with the will to take on a challenge, no matter the weather, to one of her outdoor workout sessions. "We have people of all ages and all fitness levels come out," Draft said. "You don't have to work out before you work out with us. We encourage people of all shapes and sizes to come out. The youngest person we had who was able to keep up on the trails was 11, and the oldest was 72." Each session is a 75-minute outdoor workout incorporating strength training, cardio and flexibility, and no two sessions are alike. Draft, or one of the other series leaders, head multiple sessions at specific locations, such as a park or trail on the lakeshore, in Coopersville, Northeast, Southeast, or Southwest Grand Rapids and North Muskegon, along with several others.

Draft also puts together special sessions like rock climbing, kayaking, snowshoeing, and bicycling. This month marks the fifth anniversary of Eco Trek and, to celebrate, Draft has added a series in Traverse City. "We're definitely growing," she said. For more information, visit ecotrekfitness.com.

Like this? Don't miss "Yoga Heats Up."

Dodgeball, kickball, flag football. All sports of our long-lost childhood until now, thanks to the Grand Rapids Sport and Social Club. GRSSC is a co-ed sports league that offers young fun year-round to the young adults of the area. "We're not a business networking club or a speed-dating service — we are just a fun social club, and I think that's why it works — no pressure, just pure fun," said creator Chris Wessely. GRSSC started off with 30 players three years ago. Today, there are more than 200 people playing various seven-week seasons of exhilarating sports. Wessely and his crew ensure that everything runs flawlessly, and they strive to foster "a playground where people can just relax and be themselves." After burning off the calories for an hour or so, everyone is invited to a particular bar or restaurant that GRSSC has partnered with for the season. "I wanted to offer a way for people to make new friends, stay active, and become more acclimated with the city and the local businesses within it," Wessely said.

It's essentially a win-win situation for everyone. Players get to form new friendships while burning lots of calories, and local businesses see increased patronage.

So what's new for GRSSC this year? Well, in addition to staples like Dodgeball and Kickball, five new co-ed sports leagues will be added. Keep an eye on the GRSSC website (grssc.com) to find out when you can sign up for Corn Hole, Ultimate Frisbee, Golf-Scramble, Bowling or Broomball. Wessely is also planning a tubing trip, sand volleyball tournament and more. If you're looking to socialize, make new friends and sweat like crazy, then check out the Grand Rapids Sport and Social Club and sign up for the next league.

Biking | By Nick Manes

Few things say summer like switching your primary mode of transportation from cumbersome and expensive automobiles, to a zero-emission, fitness-inducing bicycle.

In the Grand Rapids area, one of the best ways to get acquainted with the local biking community is the ongoing Wednesday Evening Ride. This group meets every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. in the parking lot at 120 S. Division. A route is then decided upon and the group departs. Generally speaking, the ride finishes at a local watering hole (often Founders) for a bit of "hydration." Consult the "Wednesday Evening Rides" group on Facebook for additional information. There are also a number of bicycle advocacy groups working in the area. One of these is the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition, which has a goal of changing GR into a safe bicycling community and promoting the benefits of health, recreation and environment that come from cycling. The safety issue is at the forefront for GGRBC Board Member Josh Leffingwell.

"[The] biggest thing is convincing people that riding on the street is not dangerous," said Leffingwell, who bikes as his primary form of transportation. In the southwest region of the state, the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club serves as a great resource for riders. Similar to the GGRBC, the Club works to promote best bicycling practices in the area, as well as facilitating group rides and regional tours. For those leery of city riding there are multiple trails that lead all over the state. One of the best is the White Pine Trail, which connects Grand Rapids with Cadillac. The trail begins at Riverside Park, and is paved all the way up to Sand Lake — nearly 23 miles north. For bikers in the Lakeshore/Kalamazoo area, the Kal-Haven Trail is a great option. The Kal-Haven Trail is a 33.5 mile long trail that links Kalamazoo to South Haven.

Throw on your mud-kickers and some bug spray and head out to one of the dozens of disc golf courses in West Michigan for some full-body cardio. Pick up a putter, midrange and distance driver from Spinski's Disc Golf (7641 S. Division Ave., Grand Rapids) and ramble down to one of the world's most oft-visited disc golf courses, Earle W. Brewer Park (399 84th St., Byron Center). This booze-friendly county park offers four different courses of varying skill levels in an idyllic setting featuring flung plastic saucers and professional grade metal chain baskets that make the stick course at Riverside Park seem classically tawdry in its goose-poop splendor. Speaking of Riverside (2300 Block of Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids), bring your waiters and aim away from the muck of the Grand River on either the old course or the newer metal basket-ed course on the north side. For a real treat, hop over to Fallasburg Park (1124 Fallasburg Park Dr. NE, Lowell) for 18 pro-holes of tree-lined hell. Feel sure of yourself? Join the Professional Disc Golf Association through one of several local clubs and throw in a league setting-you'll feel a bit more legit and a bit less like a drunkenly stoned hippie praying to his expectorant weed god in the rough. For more courses and a detailed account of each, visit pdga.com/course_directory or dgcoursereview.com for some great course pictures and ratings.

Photo: Jon Clay

Even the least seasoned drinkers know that one mustn't resort to water in the quest for a fitter, trimmer drunk. If your heart is set on an Irish Car Bomb or a White Russian and you just cannot look at your "winter cuddle" in the mirror any longer, there are brilliant ways to integrate your exertion with your inebriation. Just pay no attention to the 60-calorie "beer" behind the curtain, and get thee to a brewery. With a proper regimen of bar-friendly exercise, you'll be the sveltest guy in a lampshade in no time.

Pub 43 (43 S. Division, Grand Rapids) hides classic bar games and stiff drinks. Shuffleboard and pool are great for a warm-up, but be sure to stretch before attempting the more formidable Jenga tower. Switch your beer from hand to hand to keep limber, and don't be distracted by the dirty words on the blocks: that's how losers play.

More advanced players can check out the cavernous Westwood At The Crossing (5760 West River Rd., Belmont). Easy access to the White Pine Trail makes it a pleasant bike ride away from the city — a definite plus since $10 pitchers of Founders Reds Rye are so easy to put away. Game options are myriad, but avoid the many dart boards unless you are serious. These targets are for BYO darts only, and competition is fierce. The rest of us can use the horseshoe pits out back and enjoy the free pool on Tuesdays. Rugger's Up and Under/Boomerangs (711 W Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo) is another hotspot. Well-priced Michigan draft beers are the lubricant for rowdy sports-watching, and live bands on weekends are another entertainment draw. With darts, pool, foosball and shuffleboard, this is a great all-around bar for games. After a work-out, retire to the open-air tiki bar for some much-needed fluids.

Beer Runs | By Kelly Quintanilla

We've heard that sometimes people travel further than the distance between a couch and a fridge to grab a cold beer — we're talking miles. Several Revue staffers investigated this phenomenon by shuffling our feet across the ground in a forward motion in the Schmohz Achilles Ale 5K, held at the Grand Rapids brewery last month. If you didn't get a chance to enter before the race sold out (they serve beer at the aid stations!), fear not. There are plenty more opportunities for you to drink your way to a finish line.

Grand Rapids Marathon/New Holland Brewing Company Beer Runs
First Tuesday, June-November, 6 p.m.
3-6 miles
$5; includes a NHBC pint, beer specials, door prizes and a t-shirt for participants who run four of the races
newhollandbrew.com
June and November races begin at NHBC's Holland pub; others held at HopCat (Grand Rapids), Vitale's (Comstock Park), The Corner Bar (Rockford) and Derby Station (East Grand Rapids)

Michigan Brewing Company 5K Beer Run
Saturday, June 18, 6 p.m.
3.1 miles beginning at MBC's Webberville pub
$25 or $120 for team of 6; includes a t-shirt, lunch and silent auction
michiganbrewing.com

Can Do Run
Saturday, August 20, 10 a.m.
4.8 miles beginning in the parking lot of Bilbo's on Stadium Drive in Kalamazoo
$15; includes door prizes and beer can replica awards for top finishers; knee-high socks are encouraged
candoactive.com

Portland Main Street's Annual Big Beer 5K Run
Saturday, October 15, noon
3.1 miles beginning in downtown Portland
$20-$25; includes a t-shirt. Winners receive trophy beer steins; Oktoberfest costumes are encouraged
portlandmainstreet.org

Fans of the hit show "The Amazing Race" now have the chance to see if they have what it takes to withstand the rush of adventure racing. On July 9, a fast-paced, adrenaline-charged multi-sport race called the Grand Rapids Urban Adventure will take over downtown GR. Similar to "The Amazing Race," there will be co-ed or same-sex teams of two that will travel a mystery course through downtown Grand Rapids via biking and running. With four hours to complete the course, strategy and navigation skills are just as crucial to this race as speed. There will be hidden checkpoints and challenges along the course, and racers have an opportunity to rappel off a building or climb a rock wall for extra points. The race was created by Michigan Adventure Racing LLC, a group of adventure racers and mountain bikers. "We'd like the race to help people feel good about downtown Grand Rapids and living in West Michigan," said Mark VanTongeren, race director.

VanTongeren said they also want to get people more involved in adventure racing and mountain biking. "We want to encourage people, even those not in very good shape or used to competitive events, to give it a try," he said. This event is supporting Degage Ministries and the Western Michigan Mountain Biking Association's "Grand Loop" initiative which, starting in 2012, will develop a series of unpaved and paved bike trails in Grand Rapids. The race will start at the B.O.B. and cost $80 for each two-person team. Prizes will be handed out to the top five teams. Register online at grurbanadventurerace.com.