Posted December 18, 2013in Belly Up To...
Like that last present tucked away in the shadows behind the tree on a waning Christmas morning — quietly waiting to be discovered — I unwrapped what turned out to be an exciting surprise gift in the form of Michelle’s Lounge on the northeast side of the city. Following the
Read More →Leslie Hall “Songs in the Key of Gold” Yarn House I admit to never having “got” Leslie and the Ly’s. I’m probably just old enough to be out of the proper demographic, but Hall’s schtick has always struck me as striving for irony a little too hard. This aesthetic, which
Read More →Courtesy of Beaverdale Books Review by Sally Wisdom Simon and Schuster Oct. 1, 2013 $28 304 pp. Graeme Simsion’s “The Rosie Project” will appeal to readers who would never touch a “romance” novel but enjoy a good romantic comedy movie. Quirky Australian genetics professor Don Tillman narrates the novel in
Read More →This past Thursday, Des Moines’ music scene lost a couple of great, passionate folks behind the scenes, as Dec. 12 marked the last day at work for Becky Migas and Chewi Lockhart. The diminutive Migas, who was the events committee chair for the Des Moines Music Coalition and oversaw 2012’s
Read More →Somewhere in America a giddy tween-ager is right now being handed his or her first cell phone along with that parental warning: “Remember, once you post something online it is there forever.” Thankfully forever now has a pit stop, and it’s an application called Snapchat. While I won’t profess to
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Posted December 18, 2013in Joe's Neighborhood
“Bless me father, for I have sinned, it has been several decades since my last confession.” Primarily out of laziness, and perhaps a lack of creativity, I had a fairly reliable list of sins I would confess to the priest at St. Mary’s Church in Iowa City. I usually warmed
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Posted December 18, 2013in Food Dude
After food inflation in 2007 and the stock market bust of 2008-09, Des Moines’ café culture dug in. Chains, other than Jimmy John’s and Pizza Ranch, concentrated on dollar menus and slowed expansion, even in the booming western suburbs. Signs of a bounce back began appearing last year with new
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Posted December 18, 2013in Cover Story
(Editor’s note: Early in December of 1977, when Michael Gartner was editor of The Des Moines Register, he walked over to the desk of writer Bob Hullihan and said, “How about writing me a Christmas classic for the holidays?” “Sure,” he said. And he did. This is it.) The waterbug
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Posted December 18, 2013in Locker Room
In this day of fast-paced motors and high-adrenaline maneuvers, it’s peaceful to slow down with a more primitive practice from simpler times. Instead of putting on boots and trekking your way through the drifts this winter, walk above it all, like a snow-charming deity. Experience the almost-lost mode of transportation,
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Corn stars
There are 30,000 cars packed in the parking lot, and cars are lined up for miles to get in. The weather is dicey, but the people have still dressed up for the event. They have arrived from all over the country to watch, and there are live broadcasts for those
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