If astrology is a method of divination based on the positions of stars and planets used for predicting and explaining human events, then gastrology must be a method of divining dining destinations based on cosmic culinary cravings. Read on for your hunger horoscope. ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19) Oak Park, Des Moines Energetic, influential, confident and […]
Dawn Frary
Posted inRecreation
Like all of us, ‘birds suffer from lack of being seen.’ Good thing Iowa has a century-old bird club.
Founded in 1923, the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union (IOU) has endured for a century as one of Iowa’s most prominent organizations dedicated to avian wildlife. Through organizing field trips to participating in the Christmas Bird Count to partnerships with the Iowa Audubon and Iowa Young Birders, the IOU wants people to care about birds. “I’m not […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Would you stay overnight at the Villisca Axe Murder House?
On the morning of June 10, 1912, the Villisca, Iowa home of prominent business owner Josiah B. Moore and his family was eerily still. That stillness gave way to a terrible discovery that would shake the small rural community in southwestern Iowa to its roots and live on as one of the most mysterious crimes […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Field Trip: Explore Iowa’s Great Lakes region
Iowa’s northwestern Great Lakes region — sometimes referred to simply as “Okoboji” — offers endless summer fun for salty sailors and land-lovers alike. Take in a drive-in movie, visit a classic car or maritime museum, or simply spend the day sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing or swimming until the sun goes down. Distance from […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Field Trip: Experience the trails, camping, canoeing and more at Lake Macbride
Lake Macbride State Park and the Macbride Nature Recreation Area (MRNA) cover nearly 2,700 acres north of Iowa City, offering endless opportunities…
Posted inCommunity/News
Field Trip: Explore the trails, caves and springs at Backbone State Park
Spanning 2,001 acres in northeast Iowa, Backbone State Park was dedicated in 1920 as Iowa’s first state park. It is an otherworldly paradise named for its…
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Photo gallery: BUSTLEWORSHIP’s vintage creations
“Playing dress-up should be an everyday occurrence,” says Jensina Endresen, Iowa City’s queen of vintage furs and proprietress of BUSTLEWORSHIP. Born in 2012, BUSTLEWORSHIP’s mission is to breathe new life into closets everywhere through the re-use and re-design of vintage materials. “I have a deep commitment to artisanal restoration and reuse,” says Endresen. “And I […]
Posted inFood & Drink
On the Table: A visit with Iowa City herbalists Wild Rose Apothecary
Most people go to great lengths to rid their yards of plants they deem to be “weeds.” These so-called weeds are invasive and unattractive and might as well just be wiped out, right?
An Iowa City herbalist group, Wild Rose Apothecary, is looking to change that perception; it’s their mission to inform weed-haters that wild-foraged herbs like dandelions, cleavers, plantain and chickweed actually have a place in our homes.
Posted inCommunity/News
Do a good deed with your New Pioneer dividend
Do you like good, clean, organic food? Does supporting local charities and businesses give you the warm fuzzies? Are you a New Pioneer Co-op member who has received your annual dividend check recently and would like to use it to make a difference in your community? Then you might want to cover your ears.
Posted inCommunity/News
Photos: Have you considered investing in a local farm? Local fair shows the payoff
The basic premise of a CSA is this: Patrons become members of a CSA by purchasing a share of a farm. In return for paid membership, they receive a weekly box of fresh food straight from their local farmer. The mutual advantages to this are countless but the most obvious benefit is, perhaps, reassurance. Not only does a CSA membership guarantee fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs, honey and occasionally meat and dairy products to the consumer, but it also insures that farmers are able to support both the community and themselves.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Earth & Fire: Photos from the annual firing of Shumpei Yamaki’s anagama
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR. In the middle of an Iowa cornfield, during one of the hottest months on record, Shumpei Yamaki has a fire burning. It is a fire of creation, one that burns the earth without destroying it, transforming the mud and clay into something else instead. Combined under the right conditions, earth and […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Good Eggs
As the weather warms and backyard gardens begin to sprout, locals are asked to consider a very basic question: Where does our food come from? To some, there’s an easy answer, which is “the grocery store.” It is, however, a bit more complicated than that. Eggs often have a starring role on many shopping lists, […]
