February 18, 2015 by justin
in Art News
“Field, Road, Cloud: Art and Africa,” at the Des Moines Art Center through April 19, takes its title from the works of Alfredo Jaar, an artist from Chile, one of the whitest nations on earth. That alone challenges politically correct academic criticism that rejects showings of African art in contemporary
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February 18, 2015 by justin
in Locker Room
Don’t let the word “amateur” fool you — the guys who will be stepping into the ring are some of the area’s best boxers and kickboxers. On Feb. 21, 7 Flags Event Center will host the Combat Championship Series, and, like gladiators entering the Coliseum, one thing is for certain:
Read More →Next week’s photo: This week’s winner: “Also open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 8 days a week.” -Patrick Graham Runners-up: “Inside you will find great deals like ‘buy one for $9.99 or three for only $39.99.’ ” -Paul G. “When we say
Read More →Raccoon River Brewing Co. announced earlier this month it will be closing its doors on March 7. The restaurant and brewer has been in business for 18 years and is located at 200 10th St. in the historic Clemons Building, which will be sold. The property’s prospective owners have plans
Read More →The haunting World War II stories of a French girl and German boy are told in parallel in Anthony Doerr’s beautiful and best-selling novel, “All the Light We Cannot See.” Blind 12-year-old Marie-Laure LeBlanc flees Paris with her father when the Nazi occupation of the city begins. Her agoraphobic great
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February 18, 2015 by justin
in On The Tube
“The Odd Couple” Thursday, Feb. 19 (CBS) Like CBS’ recently canceled “The Millers,” “The Odd Couple” (a remake of a ’70s sitcom, kids) is a case of a killer comedic cast (Matthew Perry, Thomas Lennon, Lindsay Sloane, Wendell Pearce and Yvette Nicole Brown) saddled with an annoyingly laugh-tracked, numbingly beige
Read More →Angle “Definitive Bedtime Stories” Independent Des Moines does not have a great hip-hop scene. It is not for a lack of trying, it is just difficult to grow a scene organically with no major label backing and no breakthrough commercial talent, ala Slipknot or The Envy Corps. There is,
Read More →The Des Moines music landscape has been running a bit gun shy during the past couple months as a number of venues — House of Bricks, Hull Ave. Tavern and El Bait Shop — have either closed or dramatically cut back on their music. Those jitters have been given new
Read More →My suggestion to Michael Gartner with his piece on Steve Deace and Douglas Burns article showing outrage at prayer: Remove the log from your own eye before you tell someone to remove the splinter from theirs. Gartner ignores another liberal intrusion on private property rights, and calling One Iowa a
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February 18, 2015 by justin
in Food Dude
In Iowa, chili cook-offs have become a rite of winter. Country clubs, churches, taverns and hospitals all hold them. Last week, one transported me to another time and place. The Altoona Fire Department hosted such an event to raise money for state-of-the-art medical rescue equipment. The firehouse was filled with
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