It’s safe to say Grand Rapids has cemented its place as a growing, up-and-coming city. Of course with big-city culture comes big-city prices. Sure, it’s satisfying to splurge on gourmet $15 burgers or $6 tacos — it’s also easy to let it break the bank. Never fear: The Cheap Bastard is here to save you some dough.

Now in its fifth year of laughing for the health of it, LaughFest returns to Grand Rapids March 10-20. The annual event benefits Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a free, supportive community for families and others coping with cancer, grief and emotional health.

• Grand Rapids
• LaughFest

How many do you suppose know the first ever recorded flight in Kent County took place from the roof of Nick Fink’s bar in Comstock Park? Or that Grandville Avenue was created by a wayward cow that took the long route back to the barn? I’m not making any of this up. These stories, among others, have been recently brought to light thanks to the efforts of Norma Lewis and her latest book Lost Restaurants of Grand Rapids, released late 2015.

• Norma Lewis
• Lost Restaurants of Grand Rapids
• nick finks

While it’s been 35 years since his death, Alfred Hitchcock is still the critics’ darling. If you browse any “greatest films in cinema history” list you’re bound to find Psycho and Vertigo peppered alongside others.

Like the saying goes: You can take a comedian out of Michigan, but you can’t take Michigan out of a comedian. Fifteen years after moving from the Great Lakes State to sunny Southern California, stand-up veteran John Heffron has a deep-seated appreciation for his childhood home and its unique seasonal challenges.

If you’re not the gym type but have been looking to change your lifestyle, you’re probably realized there’s no shortcut to a fit bod. But to help nudge you along, Revue tracked down some experienced personal trainers and fitness experts and asked them how to get off the couch and stay motivated.

Take advantage of the frigid, white weather by tackling the great outdoors.

When the alarm vexingly sounds at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning, the natural instinct is to remain in the warm cocoon of blankets. But as the alarm pierces the silence, members of the Gazelle Sports’ Run Camp skip the snooze. They know what they have to do: Get up, do a few quick stretches, grab a quick bite and head out the door. Their tribe is waiting.

A good chunk of the 212 Michigan runners that finished the New York Marathon in Nov. came from West Michigan. Most all of them have stories. Why do they do it? Maggie Wilkinson finished in three hours 45 minutes, averaging 8:37 a mile.  She’s the mother of four, a high school math teacher from Middleville, the wife of Sam, a triathlete and 3rd grade teacher.

Yoga is often depicted as a slow, soothing workout – a stress reliever. But when it comes to achieving weight-loss and toned muscles, the yoga movement has proven itself as a viable exercise regimen. One way to guarantee an intense sweat session: Hot yoga.