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| DES MOINES-- RIVERWALK |
We arrived in Des Moines in early October to relax for
a few days, and spend some special time with our son, Ben. The
weather was in the 70s and sunny. We stayed downtown at the
Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel, using Marriott free night
rewards. It is an old hotel with small rooms, but the location is
convenient.
It was a good opportunity to get to know the downtown
area. It's a pretty, sleepy city with a population of 203,500—the
biggest shopping store is Walgreen's. The traffic is light, even
during rush hour. The scenic Des Moines River, with it's Principal
Riverwalk and bridges, made for some enjoyable hiking and biking.
The Iowa State Capitol is perched on a hill overlooking the city.
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Original Dome Skylight
The World Food Prize Hall of Laureates |
One of the downtown gems is the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates and the surrounding gardens. It is located in the
restored century-old Des Moines Public Library, one of Iowa's
greatest historic buildings. (The downtown library moved to a new location in 2006.) Since 1986, the World Food Prize has
honored outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions to
improving the quality, quantity or availability of food throughout
the world. The hall, which was officially dedicated to the World Prize Foundation in 2011, is now open to the public on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
It has a very impressive original dome skylight—each of the 10,000
pieces of skylight glass were inspected, cleaned and repaired during
the renovation. There are many lovely rooms to visit with interesting
works of art from all over the world.
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| Sherman Hill Historic District |
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| Sherman Hill Historic District |
The Sherman Hill Historic District, with its
Victorian mansions from the 1870s, is also worth a visit. It is
about a mile from the city center. Also, if you are lucky enough to
be in Des Moines on a Saturday morning (May thru October), don't miss
the downtown Farmers' Market which is ranked #2 in the nation by The
Daily Meal website.
Ben and I had lunch at Baru at the Des Moines Art Center, 13th & Grand Ave, which is close to his
apartment, and a favorite destination for him and Erica. The dining
area includes a pleasant outside patio, surrounded by water. I
enjoyed the quiche and salad.
We also visited the downtown Hessen House Bierhall,
101 4th Street, which offers the old world German charm as
well as a choice of over 21 imported beers. Don't miss the unique and
tasty appetizers: sauerkraut balls, reuben rolls, and a peasant plate
with German cheese and sausage.
Last spring Ben purchased an 80 year old home that
needed major renovation. He is just finishing the drywall
and expects to be moving in soon. He is fortunate to have learned so
much about construction through his work with Habitat for Humanity.
As usual, Bens' hard work and dedication pays off.
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| Sherman Hill Historic District |
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| Sherman Hill Historic District |
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| Sherman Hill Historic District |
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| Sherman Hill Historic District |
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| Hessen House |
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