Posted October 01, 2025in Film Review
Think the horror genre has a monopoly on fear? Oh, dear reader, how wrong you are. Prepare to have your pulse racing with these non-horror horror movie masterpieces. Far from the typical terrifying fare, each film is a genre-defying tale into the heart of dread. The following eight movies demonstrate,
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Posted October 01, 2025in Des Moines Forgotten
With trick-or-treating returning on Halloween night in Des Moines after 87 years, I am going to take us on a deep dive into the lore, rumors and old wives’ tales that may have contributed to the creation of “Beggars’ Night.” You have likely heard many of them before: razor blades
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Posted October 01, 2025in Joe's Neighborhood
“Let’s go to Vienna!” “Let’s go to Sarajevo!” “Let’s go to Belfast!”… says my wife. And my go-to response? The very first loving words out of my mouth? Are… “NOOOOOOOOO WAY!” You see, my wife wants to see the world. I get it. We spent all our working years and
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Posted October 01, 2025in Center Stage
A trio of diverse shows anchor the October performing arts scene in central Iowa. From fairy tale endings with many a twist to an introspective juke box musical to a richly textured story of coping with family trauma, the offerings promise rewarding live theatre experiences. For anyone who has aged
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Posted October 01, 2025in Collections & Hobbies
Geocaching is a hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. It is a real-life treasure hunt that can be played across the globe. Using GPS or a smartphone, participants search for geocaches in various locations. You could find the cache in a tree, behind
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Posted October 01, 2025in People & Pets
Sylvie, a miniature goldendoodle, looked longingly into my eyes as she jumped up to sit on my lap during our People and Pets interview. Since I couldn’t pet her and take notes, she settled in by my feet instead. Owner Megan Fjetland says Sylvie is charming and likable. “She loves
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Posted October 01, 2025in Lunch With...
Gloria Henriquez is a military nurse turned restaurateur. She also heads up the Iowa Latino Hospitality Council (ILHC) — a spinoff of the Iowa Restaurant Association (IRA) and Iowa Hospitality Association. We asked her to lunch recently and met at her Peruvian café Tullpa on Merle Hay Road. Over bowls
Read More →The 2025 Iowa Blues Challenge at Lefty’s Live Music takes place Oct. 5 starting at 1 p.m. The competition decides who will represent Iowa in the 2026 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Musicians include Berdo & Jones, The Chuggaluggers Band, Weary Ramblers, The Other Brothers, The Crawling Kingsnake, Izzy Starchild
Read More →“Roofman” R | 126 minutes Based on an unbelievable true story, “Roofman” follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), a former Army Ranger and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname Roofman. After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys
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Posted October 01, 2025in Food Dude
The art of smoking animal flesh came late to Iowa. The Hawkeye state’s climate produced so much ice that our forebearers built ice houses to preserve our perishable foods. Smoking was a southern thing out of necessity. Before electric refrigeration, preservation required ice, salt or smoking, and salt had limited
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