August 28, 2013 by justin
in Joe's Neighborhood
Thirty-three is an auspicious age. Even if you’re not going to be kissed by Judas, it seems to carry its own baggage. You know exactly what I mean, right? We all take out the yardstick to measure ourselves at different times of our lives. “Where am I professionally?” “What do
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August 28, 2013 by justin
in Belly Up To...
One of the best things about Court District carousing — aside from the scenery, and we’re not talking about the pretty lights — is the history. The old architecture of the buildings and the stories that come with each brick and bar stool are likely lost on the 20-something crowds
Read More →O’Brother “Disillusion” Triple Crown Records Ambient acts can sometimes be difficult sells. They don’t tend to produce tracks that are easily digestible by a radio audience, and their propensity to meander through songs can often lead to listener fatigue if you’re not actively doing something besides just listening to the
Read More →Courtesy of Beaverdale Books Review by Julie Goodrich Mulholland Books 6/4/13 $26 375 pp. Lauren Beukes’ first two books, “Moxyland” and “Zoo City,” were tragically overlooked. For those of us who caught on early, the enormous success of this gritty suspense novel is no surprise. Damaged characters slink into your
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August 28, 2013 by justin
in Civic Skinny
The 17-member Iowa Judicial Nominating Commission met last week to interview the 22 persons who want to succeed Larry Eisenhauer on the Iowa Court of Appeals. It sent three names to Gov. Terry Branstad, who will pick the judge from among those three. The three are Assistant Attorney General Jeanie
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August 28, 2013 by justin
in Food Dude
The last 10 years brought a sushi renaissance to Des Moines. I realized the depth of our town’s craving for raw fish and rice at a food court this summer. A child who looked to be about 4 years old was throwing a full-fledged tantrum, pushing things over and kicking
Read More →We’ve been nothing short of foolish for not mentioning it before now, but congratulations are due to central Iowa’s own musician/artist/renaissance man Chad Elliott for being the 2013 Iowa Blues Challenge Champion. Elliott will move on from here to Memphis this January to compete in the International Blues Competition. Give
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August 28, 2013 by justin
in Political Mercury
There’s a term in China and India for men like me and U.S. Senate candidate David Young: bare branches. We’re single, never-married, with no kids — branches on a family tree with no leafs or splintering twigs. Bare. Nothing. Lineage dead-enders. Young is 45. I turned 44 last week. Young,
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August 28, 2013 by justin
in Cover Story
Noodles have stabilized Iowa’s diet since our ancestors first cleared fields and planted seeds. Their simple paste of flour and water has stretched food dollars through 200 winters, a Civil War, two World Wars and a Great Depression. Today there are more fancy names for this once humble food than
Read More →If there is one thing technology is not, it’s cyclical. Once it becomes outmoded, technology is more or less immediately forgotten. Bulky computer monitors, floppy discs and audio cassettes are but a few tech innovations that can only be found in landfills, never to return. Still, the last few years
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