Sunny Sipping

I have a new outdoor activity for you to add to your summer to-do list: drinking wine. With the Wine Loft's newly completed outdoor patio, this indoor pastime has just shuffled outside for some of that fresh air and vitamin D your mother's always bugging you to get more of.

The idea for a patio at the E. Michigan Avenue location has been in the works since the lease for the building was signed in 2008, and after waiting for the proper permits and consulting with local Grand Rapids architect Mark Tomasik, their outdoor patio vision has become a concrete reality.

Sitting out on the patio won't get you any bragging rights in the form of exclusive drink specials, but you still have the people-watching and sun-bathing market cornered over your indoor counterparts.

While the outdoor patio is now officially open (and will be until October, assuming we don't get any freak snow storms before then), a special celebratory/grand opening festivity is lined up for July 31st. Their "Summer White Party" will take place on this day, granting $2 off any drink special to customers wearing their best solid white outfits.

This $2 off deal continues for the whole month of July to white-garbed drinkers, so feel free to get some use out of those white leather jeans before the "never wear white after labor day" rule kicks in.

The patio can also be booked for private parties, business meetings, bachelorette shindigs and whatever other reason you may have for 35+ people to gather and enjoy a glass of wine.

The Wine Loft is located at 161 E. Michigan Ave in downtown Kalamazoo, and starts serving up their palatable plethora of wines at 4 p.m, nightly.