After meeting at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, Rainbow Kitten Surprise (RKS to fans) has gone from recording music in their dorm rooms to becoming a festival favorite. In 2022, they are embarking on their first national tour since the start of the pandemic, 50 shows of which are already sold out. For […]
Lily DeTaeye
Posted inCentral Iowa
Invasive species, meet your match: Goats clean trails and charm residents in Clive
Dealing with invasive species is an issue that Iowa parks and recreation departments are all too familiar with, but the City of Clive is engaging in a clever approach to rid the Greenbelt Trail of pesky plants: goats. The Greenbelt Goats were introduced to the city in late 2019 to help minimize garlic mustard and […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Five questions with Loretta Stone, real dragwife of Des Moines
If you’re familiar with the Des Moines drag scene, you’ve probably run into Loretta Stone. The Perry native lived in New York City for 10 years before moving to Des Moines to become a Midwestern drag icon. Whether you’re catching her emceeing at The Blazing Saddle or hosting her variety show at The Garden, get […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
A new natural playscape is coming together in Urbandale, designed for year-round, adaptable recreation
Earlier this month, Jan Herke, director of Parks and Recreation for Urbandale, stepped onto a wooden play structure in Barrett Park. “I can’t wait to climb this today,” she said. Phase I of the city’s Natural Playscape project had just been completed, but Barrett Park, at the southeast corner of 156th Street and Waterford Road […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Five questions with Luke Pettipoole of the Envy Corps
Des Moines music fans know the Envy Corps as an alt-pop band from Ames that has over time become a festival staple. This summer is no exception. In the recent lineup announcement, 80/35 festival revealed that the Envy Corps will take the stage there for the fifth time. I talked with the founder of the […]
Posted inBook Reviews
Book Review: ‘This American House’ by Jason Loper and Michael Schreiber
As a woman in her mid-20s who has dedicated her life to the arts, owning any sort of house feels like a fantasy, much less one with as much historical significance as the Meier House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Monona, Iowa. But even for a person who doesn’t know much about architecture or […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Celebrate National Pancake Day at these Des Moines Restaurants
It’s almost Shrove Tuesday! Or maybe you know it as Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras. Whatever you call it, you’re probably familiar. This year, I’m choosing to celebrate Shrove Tuesday’s secular cousin, National Pancake Day. (Ahh, yes. Now you’re familiar.) It’s important to mention that there are actually two National Pancake Days every year, but […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Five questions with Mabel Gladly of Chicago disco-pop group Glad Rags
It’s no secret that the Windy City is home to many great indie artists of all genres. And being only five hours away, Des Moines gets to experience a lot of those artists when they hit the road. That’s the case with Glad Rags, a self-described art-pop collaboration of some of Chicago’s top musicians. The […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Iowa Craft Brew Festival releases tickets for 12th annual event at Water Works Park
Beer-lovers, rejoice! The Iowa Craft Brew Festival is back for its 12th year in 2022, and tickets are on sale now. The Iowa Brewers Guild, the organization responsible for putting on the festival, made its first real mark on the state when it lobbied to raise the alcohol limit for Iowa-brewed beers from 6 percent […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Des Moines’ Beaverdale Books brings back Local Author Fair, featuring six Iowa writers
Des Moines locals know Beaverdale Books as a cozy place to discover Iowa authors, and events like the Local Author Fair helped them earn that reputation. Beaverdale Books is hosting their first Local Author Fair since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday, Feb. 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. Six authors will be […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Des Moines Public Works offering residents five free ‘tiny trees’
There are weeks of winter still to trudge through, but anyone in Des Moines looking to add trees to their property can start planning for spring, because Des Moines Public Works is taking orders for its Tiny Trees program. The program, which was launched in 2017, provides up to five free ready-to-plant saplings to Des […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Murder takes center stage at the Des Moines Playhouse with a treat of a Christie tale
Accents, set design and murder, oh my! I spent a cozy evening at the Des Moines Playhouse with my partner and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon enjoying the absolute delight of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. On opening night, about 10 minutes to curtain, the theater was almost packed. This was encouraging, as […]
