Tag Archives: gray’s lake des moines

May 13, 2013 · 3:14 pm

Zumba by Gray’s Lake in June in Des Moines!

First there was Yoga in the Park at Gray’s Lake in Des Moines – now there’s Zumba by the Lake (same location on the southeast lawn) this summer on Saturday mornings in June for 45 minutes starting at 8:15 a.m. (followed by Yoga from 9-10 which runs May 25 through Sept. 28). This might get me to return to Zumba, for a month at least.  Although I love the 9 a.m. Saturday morning Body Jam class (another dance-based cardio workout class) the Walnut Creek Y, it kind of conflicts with our Saturday morning trips to the farmers market in downtown Des Moines because the market is really crowded when we get there at about 10:30-11 a.m.

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March 14, 2013 · 11:14 pm

Brews along the bike trails in Des Moines

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 Farmer John's

Looks like there will be ample opportunity to try some fresh brewed beer along various Des Moines bike trails this year – although I’m not a big fan of that sort of thing. Brew pubs are bursting out all over the city including:

  • Exile Brewing Company, in a cool rehabbed building/”beer hall” (maybe they’ll have Weisswurst, those sickly grey-colored sausages I remember from Munich beer gardens. I do see “german food,” aka veal schnitzel, homemade country sausage, braised red cabbage, wholegrain mustard on the menu!) near Meredith in the western Gateway. 1514 Walnut Street.
  • Confluence Brewing (located just south of Gray’s Lake, presumably named for being near the confluence of two downtown rivers – the Des Moines and the Raccoon) 1235 Thomas Beck Rd. (Interestingly, you have to enter your birthdate to prove you’re over 21 to get on the brewpub’s website. Never seen that before.)
  • 515 Brewing (on University, just west of 73rd street,  along the Clive/Greenbelt Trail in Clive) 7700 University Ave. (see below)

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February 13, 2013 · 2:52 pm

Talented team to feed masses at DSM’s Riverwalk soon. walking tours too.

Good to hear that the talented Lisa and Michael LaValle will team up with talented George Formaro to run the food stand at the Hub Spot along Des Moines’ Principal Riverwalk , off Court Avenue west of the river, starting this April. The food sounds equally promising – with locally-sourced items like LaQuercia prosciutto, Maytag Cheese and Zanzibar coffee to be sold, not to mention a “Zombie Burger” cart – a spin off of Formaro’s popular East Village restaurant. Lisa has been the longtime chef at the Des Moines Art Center and is an all round nice person. (Our kids went to school together.) Here’s more info from the Des Moines Register! And here’s hoping the Riverwalk becomes as popular as Gray’s Lake with outdoor enthusiasts. We regularly ride our bikes on a trail through both – now we’ll have a new place to get a snack downtown.

The Hub Spot at the Principal Riverwalk, which is nearing completion, is on the west side of the river, near the Polk County office building.

The Hub Spot at the Principal Riverwalk, on the west side of the river, near the Polk County office building.

And what’s this about Carl Voss, another person we’ve known for decade, offering walking tours of downtown Des Moines in the spring? And kayaking on the Raccoon River?

The Des Moines Art Center

 

 

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