Diversity Rules Magazine

made with shrimp, scallops, mussels, salmon, and potatoes in a delicious saffron broth. This is one of the items I always look for on a menu when I travel and is wonderful on a cool fall evening. It's the per- fect sharable entrée and this me was no different. We had to order extra bread to soak up the broth. We didn't mind consuming that many carbs at din- ner because we were booked on the Haunted His- tory of Kalamazoo walking tour organized by Para- normal Michigan. The nearly two-hour tour snakes you around downtown to some of the city's most haunted loca ons and buildings. You don't get to go inside the buildings unfortunately, but the knowl- edgeable tour guide recants stories of paranormal ac vity that has taken place throughout history, in some cases da ng back to the 1800s. A er a wonderful night's rest back at the Radisson Plaza Hotel, head to Air Zoo, one of the most unique a rac ons in the Mid-West. The Air Zoo is a Smithsonian- affiliated muse- um containing over 100 air and space ar facts. The experience begins with some of the earliest forms of flight including a Cur s Pusher from 1911. Guests journey on a chronological history of avia on, up un l the modern age and space era. Some personal favorites included the Lockheed SR-71B Blackbird, McDonnell F-4E Phantom 2 and the Grumman Cou- gar. This is the perfect place for LGBTQ families as well. The staff and volunteers at Air Zoo have un- dergone extensive di- versity training and are welcoming to all! A er Air Zoo, head to Henderson Castle, a magnificent mansion completed in 1895 by Frank Henderson, a suc- cessful Kalamazoo busi- nessman. The Queen Anne style house was designed by C. A. Gombert of Milwau- kee, Wisconsin and con- structed for $72,000, a lo y sum for the me. The castle is known as the Jewel of Kala- mazoo and was voted one of the top historic inns in America. Guests can stay at the inn or visit for one of their popular murder mystery dinners. Hen- derson Castle also offers Sunday Brunch, A ernoon Tea and is available for private events. Before heading out on the town, grab dinner at Theo & Stacy's, a family-owned Greek restaurant originally established in my hometown of Flushing, New York, before reloca ng to Kalamazoo in the 1970s. The menu contains tradi onal Greek favor- ites including Mousaka, Grape Leaves and Gyro's but if you want to sample a bit of everything, try the Greek Combo Plate. No trip would be complete without visi ng the lo- cal LGBTQ establishment. Club Vortex is technically located in Blue Dolphin restaurant, but on Saturday evenings, the restaurant converts into the ho est spot in KZOO. Devin and I arrived a bit early to get the lay of the land and meet some of the locals. The owner of the club introduced himself to us and asked us if we wanted to be the spotlight danc- ers of the night. The evening's theme was wigs & heels and even though we had neither, the locals s ll made us feel welcome. It was an unexpected memory that made this trip so much fun. To book your Kalamazoo gayca on, visit www.Orb- itz.com/Pride Enjoy the Journey! Diversity Rules Magazine | Dec 2021 | 7

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