Category Archives: Iowa

January 18, 2013 · 11:52 pm

Cheaper Book of Mormon tix available by lottery in Des Moines!

Des Moines Performing Arts/The Civic Center

The Book of Mormon is arriving soon in Des Moines – and I bought  tickets long ago for Feb. 2 (commonly know as Groundhog’s day but in this household as Dirck’s bday.) But according to the newly branded Des Moines Performing Arts/Civic Center (still commonly known as the Des Moines Civic Center),  some cheap tickets ($25 vs. the $60 or so I spent) will be available by lottery. Not sure what’s up with that but interesting…see the new website: http://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org

The Book of Mormon

LOTTERY ANNOUNCED – READ MORE

Nine 2011 Tony Awards® say it’s the Best Musical of the Year. Vogue says, “It’s the funniest musical of all time.” And The New York Times says, “It’s the best musical of this century.” It’s THE BOOK OF MORMON, the Broadway phenomenon from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez. The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart calls it “So good, it makes me angry.” Contains explicit language.

There will be a pre-show lottery at the ticket office, making a limited number of tickets available at $25 apiece. Entries will be accepted at the Civic Center Ticket Office beginning two and a half hours prior to each performance; each person will print their name and the number of tickets (1 or 2) they wish to purchase on a card that is provided. Two hours before curtain, names will be drawn at random for a limited number of tickets priced at $25 each, cash only. Only one entry is allowed per person. Winners must be present at the time of the drawing and show valid ID to purchase tickets. Limit one entry per person and two tickets per winner. Tickets are subject to availability.

More Info

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January 11, 2013 · 12:43 am

One more reason to visit Dubuque

Downtown Dubuque, Iowa, Oct 2008.

Dubuque has been high on my list for a return visit lately and here is one reason, (see below) mentioned by Lynn Hicks in the DMRegister yesterday. Last I heard, there wasn’t much in the Millwork District yet but that can and will change – certainly if Des Moines’ East Village is any indication. Dubuque has long been one of my favorite Iowa cities to visit – as I noted in my latest travel story on Iowa…for Delta Sky magazine, in which I recommended: the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium; Fenelon Place Elevator, a funicular built by a banker in 1882 to travel from his office downtown to his house atop a bluff; The Redstone Inn, among several inns located in elegant Victorian mansions; the 170-year-old  Hotel Julien Dubuque, now a boutique hotel after a $30 million renovation; contemporary Main Street restaurants like L. May Eatery; and the   old school beer-and-burger joint, Paul’s Tavern, where stuffed  Big Game animal heads are mounted on the wall.

Here’s Lynn’s blurb:

Is Dubuque hipster heaven? MSN.com has named the city’s historic Millwork District one of 10 industrial neighborhoods that are becoming “hip hangouts.”

Other neighborhoods mentioned included the Warehouse District in Cleveland, Brooklyn’s Red Hook area, Manhattan’s Meatpacking District and Dogpatch in San Francisco.

MSN.com called the Millwork District “a work in progress.” The area was once the nation’s largest manufacturing district for windows and doors, the website said. It now has about a million square feet of vacant warehouse space. City leaders have tapped into federal and state money to develop a sustainable neighborhood, creating bicycle and pedestrian-friendly streets and attracting housing, art galleries and venues and community gardens.

One of the projects under way in the district is a $29 million rehabilitation of the CARADCO building, a 186,000-square-foot millwork factory that will contain 72 residential units, commercial and retail space and room for nonprofits and arts and culture initiatives.

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December 31, 2012 · 1:31 am

2012 in review – Thank you to my most “active commenter”: Dad

Some strange stuff worth reading here – who knew I had readers in Afghanistan? (Although I could have guessed my most “active commenter” was….”Dad.”)  Thanks to one and all!
Happy 2013! Betsy

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 20,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 5 Film Festivals

Click here to see the complete report.

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December 2, 2012 · 12:08 am

where to stay along the Mississippi in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota

One of the worst nights we’ve had was staying aboard a boat that doubles as a hotel of sorts along the Mississippi River in Dubuque Iowa. It seemed like a good idea but the quarters were cramped and strange; the boat was docked beside not only a busy road but a railroad track so it was noisy; and we were the only people aboard. Given that this boat was among the recommendations listed for where to stay along the Mississippi in a 2009 issue of a Minneapolis based mag, I’m not sure how the other recommendations will be. But here they are just in case:

– Golden Lantern Inn, Red Wing, MN

– Tritsch House B&B, Alma, WI (this is a really nice little river town!)

– Alexander Mansion, Winona, Mn.- Wilson Schoolhouse Inn, LaCrosse, WI

– The Hancock House, Dubuque

– Mont Rest, Bellevue, Ia. (long been curious about this place)

– Tatanka Bluffs, Redwood Falls, MN

– Belle Rive, Lanesboro, MN

– Oakenwald Terrace. Chatfield, MN

– Woodland Trails. Hinckley, MN

– Inn at Sacred Clay Farm, Lanesboro, MN

– Solglimit, Duluth, MN

– Blue Heron, Ely, MN

– Loon Song Bed and Breakfast, Park Rapids, MN

– A.G. Tomson House. Duluth, MN

– Covington Inn, St. Paul, MN

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November 7, 2012 · 3:30 am

Watching US election results in Arequipa Peru

Well it would help if we understand Spanish. But hey, we just found CNN in English so we are all set. But there is a certain cognitive dissonance to be watching American election results in this very ancient city in Peru.. We are in an 18th century hostal in the old section of Arequipa, in a room with thick stone walls, worn wooden French doors, wrought iron grills on the windows, thick red bricks by the bathroom. our room opens up into a small stone and tile courtyard with lots of potted plants. Oh god, CNN is talking about how close the vote is in Iowa. This is nerve wracking.

Arequipa is absolutely charming. The Plaza des Armas is gorgeous with a huge white stone cathedral with snow capped mountains looming behind it and two story arched colonnades lining the rest of the square. Oh god, james carville says Obama will likely carry Florida and win the election. Back to Arequipa, the creamy white sone facades of the churches and even the banks are stunning, many opening into lovely courtyards. Then some buildings are painted in deep shades of blue, red, mustard
including la casa de melgar hostal where we are right now. We had an excellent dinner two blocks away at Zigzag, which specializes in meat and fish served sizzling on black volcanic stones. I had rack of lamb. Dirck had chunks of pork, beef and alpaca. yes alpaca. No guinea pig this time.Tomorrow we sight see…first stop the monasterio de Santa Catalina, whose thick stone walls line a long block. Cannot wait. Love this place. Reminds us at times of places in Spain and Italy yet it feels very Distinctly South American…especially Peruvian. Here are some photos of our hostal. Oh my god elizabeth warren won. I am soooooo happy!

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November 1, 2012 · 4:26 pm

New in Iowa City – Iron Hawk restaurant for all things pork

The Tenderbites ($7) at Iron Hawk are breaded pieces of pork loin served with a choice of barbecue sauce, chipotle ailoi and ranch.

The Tenderbites ($7) at Iron Hawk are breaded pieces of pork loin served with a choice of barbecue sauce, chipotle ailoi and ranch. /

It’s hard enough already deciding where to eat in Iowa City – so many options, so little time. But here’s another restaurant to add to the “to try” list courtesy of Family Living, the Iowa Farm Bureau publication (that, full disclosure, my husband edits): Iron Hawk Restaurant serves pork from a local family farm in nearby Kalona. There’s pork burgers and pork marinara sandwiches, pork loin appetizers, even pulled pork atop pizzas.  And of course that Iowa staple, a pork tenderloin sandwich. Seems like good timing since pork is so popular these days at restaurants. (We ate it all over New Orleans).

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October 31, 2012 · 11:16 pm

take me to Spillville Iowa for some crazy clocks

Clocks

Inside view of the museum

I was writing a travel story about Iowa for a in-flight magazine last week and it dawned on me that I need to get to Spillville Iowa sometime. It’s a tiny town in northeast Iowa not far from one of my favorite cities – Decorah – and it has this interesting museum full of massive wooden clocks handcarved by two Czech Bohemian farmers during many a long winter during the early 1900’s. One clock pay homage to Charles Lindburgh’s historic flight, another – the apostle clock – features the 12 apostles who appear on the hour! Can’t miss that. Adding to the oddity, this is also the house where Czech composer Antonin Dvorak lived briefly in 1893 – long enough the compose a well-known string quintet there. The museum has an exhibit of some of his stuff. Interesting combo…

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October 26, 2012 · 11:24 pm

More on Dubuque

The Redstone Inn

More on Dubuque – I forgot my friend Kathy sent me this info in September:

I just spent the night in Dubuque for a business trip and a downtown bed and breakfast was recommended, the Redstone Inn:

http://www.theredstoneinn.com/

It is a 15-room renovated Victorian hotel, pretty and nicely maintained. Very nice breakfast (small buffet with fruits, yogurt, pastries, breads, cereal, coffee, juices, etc.), plus a custom-made omelet and sausages. Free water, coffee and snacks in the rooms, and a mini-fridge. The price was good for a weekday business rate. (The cheapest room is $75 weekday, and they advertise a business rate.)

Downtown Dubuque seems to have been gussied up some since the last time I was there, and though we got out of our meeting too late for dinner, there were several restaurant/bars that looked promising (Crust, an Italian kitchen — http://www.crustdubuque.com/, the Bank “gastropub” — http://www.thebankdbq.com/bank/default.asp). We ended up having sandwiches at Paul’s Tavern, an old-time burger-and-beer bar with a lot of stuffed animals on the wall! I gather it is a Dubuque institution.

Made me wish I could stay in town awhile longer to check out some of the stuff. There is also the(casinos, a riverwalk, waterpark, aquarium, brewery along the riverfront.

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October 25, 2012 · 10:14 pm

Take me back to…Dubuque

4thElevator2.jpgThis old Mississippi River town – Iowa’s oldest city – has long been one of our favorite places to visit in Iowa but I realize as I’m writing a travel story on Iowa that my Dubuque knowledge is a little rusty. There are so much revitalization going on it’s hard to keep up with all the hotspots designated as historic districts. I’ve heard tell about the majorly restored Julien Hotel – although it’s hard to think about staying anywhere other than a beautiful inn in a restored Victorian mansion (our usual is The Redstone) and I’ve also heard about a bunch of restaurants along Main Street, namely L. May Eatery and Pepper Sprout. I’d also love to return to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium which I think has expanded since I was last there.   And I never miss a chance to ride the charming Fenelon Place Elevator downtown (see photo above)!

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October 18, 2012 · 1:51 pm

Iowa destination dining: The Northside Cafe in Winterset

Outside the revamped Northside Cafe in Winterset, Iowa

Once upon a time there was an old beloved cafe in the central Iowa town of Winterset called the Northside. A charming place with high ceilings, a stamped tin ceiling, a long wooden counter with swivel seats, booths with softened vinyl, old photos, and an old-fashioned sign above the counter that flipped every few seconds to advertise another local business (“Lenny’s auto: instant financing”). The food was nothing to write home about but I took out-of-towners there to soak up the scene. (Did I mention the Northside was the setting for a scene  starring a love-struck Clint Eastwood in the film “Bridges of Madison County?”).

There was also, about 10 years ago in Des Moines a beloved cafe called Chat Noir,which served creative fare inspired by New Orleans, France  and other Euro spots in a funky old house in the historic Sherman Hill neighborhood. After a strong run, it closed and we still miss it. But now it is back…sort of. The new owners of the Northside are the former owners of Chat Noir. During a Saturday lunch at the Northside earlier this month, we recognized familiar faces ( one of the twin sisters who are the cafe’s co-owners) and several favorite dishes (the muffuletta, the crab and shrimp bisque) but many new things. And the vibe is familiar – welcoming and hip but not too. Plus a new small town coziness. It’s like a mash up of theNorthside and Chat. We loved it and we will be back. When you go try the pulled pork sandwich (not goopy with sauce but instead dry smoked pork), the bisque, sweet potato fries, cold-pressed  ice coffee, fresh apple pie. Yum.

Address: 61 East Jefferson Street, Winterset, IA 50273
Phone: (515) 462-1523

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