January 22, 2013 · 6:21 pm

Now this is tempting…a getaway weekend in Dubuque from Travel Zoo

Travel zoo must have read my mind – or more likely my emails and blogposts because they’ve sent me a good weekend getaway deal offer for a place I’d like to go – and maybe you would too. See below

The Deal

Experience the charm of downtown Dubuque’s historic Old Main District and stay at one of its top hotels for more than 50% off regular rates. For $99 per night February-April, two people can indulge in upgraded suite accommodations at the Hotel Julien, which was voted the No. 1 hotel in Dubuque by TripAdvisor readers. This deal also includes $20 to spend at the on-site modern American restaurant.

For an added dose of luxury, a $199-per-night package boasts an overnight stay in a suite along with two signature massages at the hotel’s full-service Potosa Spa, and a $20 dining credit.

Select the Premier King Suite with an open living room and private bedroom, as well as a kitchen with granite countertops and full-size appliances. Or choose the Luxury Queen Suite with a private bedroom with two queen beds and a separate living room with sleeper sofa.

The Hotel Julien, established in the mid-1800s, has hosted the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain and Al Capone. It overlooks the Port of Dubuque on the Mississippi River and is within walking distance of an array of shops, restaurants and bars.

Other nearby attractions to explore include the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, the Diamond Jo Casino and the “Field of Dreams” movie site, a timely destination for an early spring getaway.

Terms and Conditions
Once the room is reserved with the hotel, hotel cancellation policy prevails, and cancellations or changes must be made seven days prior to arrival. Hotel-imposed penalties may apply. Any unused promotional value credit will be forfeited upon checkout. Up to two additional adults in the Premier King Suite and up to four additional adults in the Luxury Queen Suite are allowed and are priced at $10 each per night. Up to two children 17 years of age and younger are free. Parking is complimentary. Pets are not allowed. This deal cannot be combined with other offers. Taxes and gratuity are additional. Voucher must be used in 1 visit.

$99 – Luxury Suite at Dubuque Riverfront Hotel, Reg. $209
By Wendy Wollenberg  |  Source: Hotel Julien
As the state’s oldest city, Dubuque, Iowa, “has reinvented its Mississippi River waterfront as a lively destination,” praises Midwest Living Magazine. In the heart of this bustling district is the historic Hotel Julien, where an exclusive $99 getaway for two includes an overnight stay in an upgraded suite and a dining credit for more than 50% off regular prices.
Why we love this deal
  • Offer is valid daily February-April — ideal for a weekend getaway
  • Guests receive $20 to spend at Caroline’s Restaurant, known for “American cuisine with a twist” — with menu items from artichoke fritters to lobster mac n’ cheese bake
  • Suites have separate living rooms and kitchens with granite countertops
  • This recently renovated historic hotel has hosted many notable guests including Abraham Lincoln, “Buffalo Bill” Cody and Mark Twain and is said to have been a hideaway for Al Capone
  • Spa packages that include two 50-minute massages are $199 (reg. $349)

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January 22, 2013 · 12:46 am

Tour the international space station – by internet

 

My dad provided me with this post fodder – an internet tour of the International Space Station. It’s a brave new world.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/doN4t5NKW-k

and here’s a list of possible dates to see it over Iowa….


THE FOLLOWING ISS SIGHTINGS ARE POSSIBLE FROM MON JAN 21 TO TUE FEB 05

SATELLITE LOCAL DURATION MAX ELEV APPROACH DEPARTURE
DATE/TIME (MIN) (DEG) (DEG-DIR) (DEG-DIR)
ISS Tue Jan 22/06:41 AM 5 18 10 above NNW 10 above ENE
ISS Wed Jan 23/05:52 AM 2 15 15 above N 11 above NE
ISS Thu Jan 24/06:37 AM 4 27 11 above NW 17 above ENE
ISS Fri Jan 25/05:48 AM 3 20 20 above N 11 above ENE
ISS Sat Jan 26/05:00 AM < 1 12 12 above NE 11 above NE
ISS Sat Jan 26/06:33 AM 4 53 15 above NW 33 above E
ISS Sun Jan 27/05:44 AM 2 33 32 above N 21 above ENE
ISS Mon Jan 28/04:56 AM < 1 15 15 above ENE 13 above ENE
ISS Mon Jan 28/06:29 AM 4 60 18 above WNW 19 above SE
ISS Tue Jan 29/05:41 AM 2 73 73 above NE 21 above ESE
ISS Wed Jan 30/04:53 AM < 1 14 14 above E 14 above E
ISS Wed Jan 30/06:26 AM 4 23 18 above WSW 11 above S
ISS Thu Jan 31/05:38 AM 2 29 29 above S 12 above SSE

ONLY DAYS WITH SIGHTING OPPORTUNITIES ARE LISTED

This data last updated on 21 Jan 2013 17:35:25 GMT

A silhouette of the ISS shown orbiting above the Earth. This image is suspended within an orange and purple shield, with the words 'International Space Station' above the image, and laurel leaves beneath. ISS insignia

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January 20, 2013 · 4:02 pm

Haiku for Sushi/Asian food in Des Moines!

ImageIf I was really clever, I’d write this post as a haiku – but bit much to ask on a Sunday  morning. I don’t know why it never occurred to us to try Haiku – a sushi/Asian restaurant in a strip mall near us at the western edge of Drake University. (Maybe because it’s in a strip mall near us at the western edge of Drake University). And when our friend Art suggested it – he’d had a good lunch there, I believe – I remained skeptical. But it was really good. We had several very inventive dishes – a sushi appetizer (my favorite was Leo’s Treat  Tempura- crabmeat, shrimp, avocado, asparagus & cheese),  a very interesting Haiku Salad with spring greens, seaweed, chopped squid, crabmeat, crispy Tempura bits in a sweet-tangy dressing.  Our  entrees were refreshingly lightly seasoned and sauced stir fries. The heavy use of panels of blue light in a darkened dining room with black furniture was a bit jarring at first but our table – at least – ultimately decided it created a soothing atmosphere. We arrived at 6 p.m. on a Saturday and the place was almost empty but was full when we left 1 1/2 hours later (to catch a movie.)

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January 19, 2013 · 9:56 pm

Joffrey dances to Frank in Chicago!

Pleased to see that my next trip to chicago coincides with performances by the Joffrey Ballet – a program called American Legends that includes “Nine Sinatra Songs” sung by Frank Sinatra and choreographed by Twyla Tharp. The other three pieces looks promising too! (one choreographed by Jerome Robbins)…a little less happy about how expensive the tickets are. I think I’ve lived in Des Moines too long – getting used to the cheaper prices here. The performances are Feb. 13-24 (with a few gaps)…

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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 17, 2013 · 2:48 pm

Dining at The Pharmacy in Nashville

2013nashvillephoto(21)On our last night in Nashville, we ate at The Pharmacy in – you guessed it – East Nashville. Its menu is limited primarily to burgers, brats, fries – and the ones we tried were very good (a cheese burger with three types of cheese, prepared medium rare, with a sweetish-potato batter perhaps bun; a brat loaded with not-too-tangy sauerkraut on a bun that didn’t hold the loaded brat well but was tasty; well-cooked sweet potato and regular fries – especially good when we requested a hot batch to replace the lukewarm batch originally served to us.) The place had a fun neighborhood vibe – waiters wearing plaid flannel shirts, lots of wood and stamped tin, indie music in the atmosphere.
We didn’t have the energy to go return to the Five Spot (see photo) nearby for dance night – which didn’t start until 10:30 or, we gather, really get going until midnight. But I was tempted. Who are these people partying into the wee hours of Sunday and Monday night? Musicians perhaps. My husband noted that there was live music in the food courts at Nashville airport when he got there midday yesterday (none that I saw/heard at 9 a.m., alas) and he’s never seen so many people walking through an airport with guitar cases. cool!

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January 15, 2013 · 12:32 am

Tennessee hill and horse country, Arnold’s Country Kitchen, belle Meade plantation

I explored the horse country south of Nashville which was pretty and rolling, with long stretches of land fenced off with a big house, sometimes a lovely colonial brick plantation in the distance. Franklin is an old town about 20 minutes outside Nashville. Pretty buildings but felt very much like a bedroom community. Reminded me a bit of Alexandria va. It was also too cold to walk,around. In Columbia I went west and picked up a portion of the famous Natchez trail scenic parkway which was scenic but off season so not as scenic…. It was odd to be on this pristine two lane highway with no other cars. Felt like I was on some sort of test track.

I got off at highway 46 which turned out to be the most scenic of the roads I went on, winding through horse farm country and a few incorporated towns (I have now been to Sawdust, Tennessee! And there even was a possum hollow there. But not much more.) I passed through a pretty village with lots of antique shops and galleries ( and a historic plaque referring to Thomas Hart Benton. Not sure if it’s the famous Kansas city artist.) I think it is called leipert’s fork village.

The highlight of the day was a superb lunch at the famous Arnold’s Country Kitchen in Nashville, It’s a humble looking red cinder block building but inside it was full of people at 1:30 pm and I went thru the cafeteria line and got fried chicken with three sides ( great mashed potatoes) and a flattened grilled version of a corn muffin. This is the classic “meat and three” found around town.

I squeezed in a tour of the belle Meade plantation which was very different than the Laura plantation I Louisiana. It was a horse plantation and a brick colonial with limestone fronting and columns, not creole like Laura. Had a very long drive back to hotel in cold rain. Nashville traffic can be a drag.

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January 14, 2013 · 6:08 am

Nashville Cowboy Church, east Nashville shopping, RFD tv, 5 Spot

I had a Nashville day from start to finish and it was so much fun, even if there was torrential rain for much of the day. First stop, some Christian gospel music at the Nashville cowboy church held in a theater in a worn out strip mall near our hotel. Surely I was the only Jew in the room. But some fine music by, among other Johnny cash’s sister Joanne and Ernest Tubb’s nephew. I could have done without the forced prayer and prostelizing at the end but comes with the territory.

From there a completely different Nashville in the emerging east Nashville neighborhood where I had some of the best scrambled eggs ever, made with with gruyere and cream and hand cut bacon, thick slabs. Then I spent maybe two hours I one of the best craft/art galleries I have been to in a long time, art and invention. Fantastic assortment of jewelry, textiles, ceramics,glassware, exquisite little paintings of that when combined looked beautiful).

FROM there I went next door to another row of little shops in houses goodbye girls and hello boys – test vintage clothes and then to a mid century modern vintage/antique stoe next door, Wonders on Woodland. i now I have restocked my Xmas gift closet.

We went to a party at RFD tv (which means rural free delivery…a national AG cable tv station) and toured their studios. Fun. And tonight we ended by listening to great live rockabilly By Heath Haynes at the 5 spot club in east Nashville. Loving this trip.

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January 13, 2013 · 6:08 am

Marche artisan foods, opryland hotel, prince’s hot chicken shack, family wash live music. Nashville!

Very full day in Nashville where we arrived at about noon ( we could have arrived about two hours earlier if we had opted for a 45 minute connection at ohare…which we could have made, as it turns out.) we spent much of our time driving around in a light drizzle ( but hey it was almost 70 degrees!) trying to get our earrings. We had an excellent lunch at hipster hangout Marche artisan foods, ( photo below) cheerful, unpretentious, good food in east Nashville. Then we drove around the touristy section of the downtown district but couldn’t find a place to park. So we drove onto the gulch glitzy new lofts, the west side (end?) near vanderbilt university and then to fancy belle Meade (expecting Nicole Kidman to drive out of one of the mansions) and then down to the Loveless Cafe (see photos below), which was as I remembered it from 24 years ago but less remotely located ( alas, development nearby.)

We are in the enormous Gaylord opryland hotel and very pleased to have a room that actually looks out on the real world, not like the countless other rooms looking out at a simulated indoor world of gardens and mock courtyards. Then room is spacious, great beds, linens. No complaints ( though this is never a place I would have picked to stay. We are here because Dirck has a conference.)

Dinner was at prince’s hot chicken shack, a beloved hole in the wall with very spicy chicken (the mild was hot so can’t imagine what the higher levels do to your mouth) and very slow service. But quite a scene and good people watching. A mix of black people presumably locals and a few white college kids and tattooed people and tourists like us. !next stop, live music at the Family Wash, a fun place in east Nashville that I am guessing is a former laundromat. We heard an excellent set by a guy anted Cary Ott who sounded at times like James Taylor, Jeff tweedy, Bruce Hornsby and even boz Skaggs but mostly like himself. The signature shepherds pie looked great but we were too full of hot chicken to try it. But I did have an excellent local beer…chase pale and Dirck had yazoo.

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January 12, 2013 · 2:44 am

Off to Nashville…with umbrella

Nashville

Heading to Nashville tomorrow with my umbrella and a variety of clothes since the weather promises to be interesting. The high was 70 today and it’s in the 60s over the weekend but by Monday the high is 38. Go figure.  The lows start at 61 and drop by Monday to 28. There is one consistent feature: rain.

70°F Observed High 1:25 pm

61°F

Cloudy

Chance of rain:
20%
Wind:
S at 12 mph

Sat Jan 12

T-Showers69°61°

T-Showers

Chance of rain:
60%
Wind:
S at 15 mph

Sun Jan 13

Rain / Thunder61°33°

Rain / Thunder

Chance of rain:
80%
Wind:
NW at 12 mph

Mon Jan 14

Showers

38°

28°

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