My Vintage Journeys: THREE DAYS IN DES MOINES, IOWA

Thursday, October 24, 2013

THREE DAYS IN DES MOINES, IOWA

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.

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.

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, 13^th & 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 4^th 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.