Revisit the Ahwahnee

PBS is showing their great series on the Grand Lodges of the National Parks, in preparation for Ken Burns' telling of the story of the National Parks, which begins today.

I just turned it on, and there was the Ahwahnee.

Thought I'd do a reprise of my post on it from August.

Let's all meet there next summer.

Some More Des Moines Love

I love Des Moines. I love people from Des Moines too. Some of them have sent me really nice emails about my quickie post yesterday on the East Village.

Honestly, I set out to write a city guide featuring all my favorite spots. But the one that was posted on the design*sponge blog was so thorough and done so well, it wasn’t necessary.

I still wanted to post my pictures of the neighborhood though. I’m such a fan of Jennifer’s store eden, and have wanted to blog about it for a long time.

There’s always something new to see in town. We had so much fun that day, laughing at the t-shirts in Smash, and soaking up the colors in the sun-drenched From Our Hands gallery.

So, you fellow Des Moines fans, I’d love to share some more thoughts with you, since you visited my hastily written post. You deserve better.

I grew up in Carroll; so going to Des Moines in the early 60s was major. The escalator at Younkers downtown was a miracle. And there was a bookstore awaiting you after the ride on Iowa’s first set of electric stairs! A bookstore in a department store – where I once bought a travel poster from Holland to hang on my bedroom wall, making me as cosmopolitan as the girls I studied in Seventeen magazine. Some of the same brands in the shopping directory in Seventeen were carried by Younkers. Seeing Bobbie Brooks or Pandora labels in person was my version of a celebrity sighting.

When the downtown store closed in 2005, I was so sad that I couldn’t bear to go to the sale of store fixtures. How I regret that now. It could have been me on the front page of the Des Moines Register, quietly exiting with the fabulous “Electric Stairs” sign in tow. The woman who got it said she just walked right up to it and took it down, with no competition. I long now for even a teacup from the tea room.

I like to search the web for memories of Des Moines that match mine. If you do too, check out this site featuring midwestern discount stores of the 60s. This person is waaaaaaay into remembering. Could the topic be any more specific? You gotta love it though. Great photos like the Kresge’s on the corner downtown.

photo from wtv-zone.com

The first time my mom took my brother and me to the State Fair, we somehow ended up on the channel 8 news, interviewed by Russ Van Dyke. We went to a taping of Floppy. I ate my first McDonald’s hamburger that day. I marveled at the magic of pre-applied condiments.

Another visit took us to the Cowles (or was it Cole’s?) Furniture store. We had to go there. Who wouldn’t want to? Every day during Bob Williams’ Dialing for Dollars TV show, an ad told us if we came there, we’d get a button that said “Just Browsing” and no clerks would bother us.

How great is this? I wish I still had one of those. I’d wear it everywhere. I cannot find one person who remembers this, and not a word about it on the internet. I cannot remember if it was Cole’s or Cowles, like the media company. Please tell me you remember, someone.

photo from DesMoinesBroadcasting.com

After just browsing, we stopped at the Howard Johnson Motel restaurant to have their fabled peach ice cream. This was the first time I ever saw a motel swimming pool. We certainly didn’t have these in Carroll. The very idea was cool on so many levels.

I sat eating my ice cream, wondering where these kids splashing in the pool were from; surely they knew many things I didn’t. Des Moines no doubt seemed like small potatoes to them, if they were cool enough to travel so far that an overnight stay was required. Whoa.

So…I could go on. Des Moines was a brass ring to me growing up. I listened to KIOA all the time pretending it was my hometown station. Hours of my life were logged at Merle Hay Mall back when it was the mall in Iowa, accept no substitutes. No Ft. Dodge or Ames for me, thanks. Country Cobbler shoes or nuttin.

I headed off to Iowa City for college in the 70s to become completely all-knowing. Des Moines was still there, but paleeeze, I had bigger fish to fry. Headed to Minneapolis after college and stayed for 20 years. Travelled to lotsa big cities, thanks.

Funny thing, I ended up back in Iowa. My husband and I decided to explore Des Moines one day about five years ago. I hadn’t been there for a long time. We loved it. We had lunch at the Drunken Goat and shopped at the stores in that area.

We drove around and marveled at the great houses and diverse neighborhoods. I loved it that the Fleur Cinema was still there, but sad that not much else of that area was the same.

We went back many times, wandering through downtown, the East Village, the Drake neighborhood, Waveland, Valley Junction, every nook and cranny we could find. Sherman Hill enchanted us, we felt like we were in a Chicago neighborhood as we strolled the streets there. Beaverdale charmed us too.

photo from DesMoinesArtCenter.org

And the Art Center? Don’t get me started. It’s my favorite museum anywhere, and I’m a museum junkie. I love the story of the Des Moines Fine Art Association, and how the museum came about. I love the location of it, and the fantastic way it sits on Grand Avenue, all nonchalant with its Eliel Saarinen, I.M. Pei, and Richard Meier architecture.

One summer day we visited the museum, and then shopped at the outstanding museum gift shop within, where I bought some handmade earrings and a bracelet made by local artists. We then went to grab a bite in the café. I told our cute waitress that I was impressed by the jewelry in the shop. She told me she made some of it, and of course it turned out she made the very bracelet I bought. I now have such a nice memory of that day when I wear it.

Again, I could go on. So much to say about the city’s publishing tradition, Vets Auditorium, the neighborhoods, Terrace Hill, the downtown library, the eating places like Babe’s, the mid-century architecture, much more.

Eventually, we planned to move there, to a downtown loft. The city had everything we wanted, and was constantly growing and changing. But then he unexpectedly got a job that required a move to eastern Iowa, to Cedar Rapids.

Ok, well, that’s a big town too, it’ll be ok. Ok.

Surprise, surprise surprise. Cedar Rapids and Des Moines are quite different. We noticed this right away when we went downtown in CR on a Saturday morning expecting to have some coffee and a long walk. People don’t really do that here.

There are quite a few things people don’t really do here that they do in Des Moines. That would be another topic for another post.

I’m not bashing CR, it’s just not the same kind of progressive, hip, vibrant, and friendly place I’ve always found DM to be. I have a history there, and it never fails me.

It never fails itself. It’s one city that’s very aware of its past, and honors it while moving forward in the best possible ways.

Bravo, capital city of Iowa.

photo from rothcpa.com

Des Moines: East Village

We're just running all around the great state of Iowa lately.

A few weeks ago we went to see Little Feat at the Hoyt Sherman Auditorium in Des Moines.

Before the concert, we made sure we had time to wander around the East Village,

a neighborhood we've been hanging out in for several years. It's great to see how it's grown.

The beautiful remodeled buildings house all sorts of creative shops, restaurants and lofts.

(Found Things, which I wrote about earlier, is in this neighborhood.)

Wander through the amazing plumbing store and then head down the street to eden,

the first store we discovered in the neighborhood years ago.

We called it the soap store. Lots and lots of great soap!

But much more than that--Eden carries brands and products you won't find at any other store in Iowa. It's a must if you like things that smell fantastic and do great things for your skin.

LIke Kiehl's, Diptyque, and Tocca.

Jennifer Hansen opened the store in 2003. She and her husband are just about ready to move into a bigger spot around the corner they've redone themselves.

Jennifer told a little story in one of her email updates recently:

People often comment about how eden has a great European feel. I've never been abroad, but I love that idea and the organic, bohemian vibe that is created in my mind when I think of Europe.
You may have noticed a little business card under the glass at our counter at eden. Here's the story behind that...
A few years ago my mom was going through some of my grandparents things (my grandpa had recently died) and ran across some of their travel memorabilia....passports and a few token treasures. One thing my Grandma saved from her travels was an old business card from a store in Paris where she bought perfume. I cried when my mom called me to share the news.
The store was called eden.

Paris is calling me.
I must see if eden is still there...around the corner by the opera house.

In addition to all the luscious treats, Jennifer's eden offers handmade treasures too.

The toys, strollers and baby care goods are excellent!

Stop in and say hi to Jen, she's full of info about the city too.

We enjoyed a stop at the fantastic Gong Fu Tea.

Around the corner is the beautiful From Our Hands gallery.

Ann Harmon, the owner, has gathered sculpture, glass, pottery, and paintings from many

midwestern artists in this colorful space.

The t-shirts at Smash were a highlight!

Seriously, did you know Iowa was this cool?

**For even more info, Grace at design sponge has a great city guide (by Annie from yolksy) about it too--it went up a day or so after our visit.

Sisters' Garden and Bloom

What's not to love about a shop in a setting like this?

As you pull up to Sisters' Garden and Bloom in Kalona, IA, the little clothes on the line greet you. Hi little clothes.

I told you about a spring visit to Sisters earlier.

But it's truly one of those places that's never the same twice, so you have to go back, often.

Each time I go, I discover a new treasure and marvel at the creativity

of Barb, the owner. It was her fall open house weekend, and it was great to see how beautiful everything looked. The yard was filled with teeming displays of pottery, pumpkins and outdoor art.

My soulmate.

He seemed to be waiting patiently for me to bring him home with me for Thanksgiving.

He looks like he knows I'll be burning the gravy.

The gorgeous setting, literally next to a cornfield, makes everything look better.

I'm so glad Barb's been collecting the white pottery so I don't have to.

I recovered from that addiction recently.

However, I did cross-addict to this color.

The pink and white tempted me too.

Pottery arranged by color is my favorite -- shopping the outside displays was like being at a beautiful flea market.

The bride and groom clones were a clever way to show off this fantastic Mad-Menesque dining room set.

When I spotted this, I held my breath until I found the price tag.

"SOLD"...of course. OK, big savings for me there.

Inside one of the two shops/houses is a city-worthy collection of vintage fashion.

The displays and price tags themselves are works of art.

Locally handmade soaps.

A trip upstairs unveils more funky surprises at every turn.

Doesn't that view look like a painting?

It's real, it's Iowa, folks.

Amen.

Barb's appreciation of vintage graphics is apparent.

Mad Men alert #2! This blue fabric was gorgeous. And sold.

Again, I saved $$!

Stacks of old prescriptions! Wonder if any of these are MJ's?

These would be great in collages etc.

The back porch is a place you feel like lingering.

Finding this book, one of my favorites, was one of those moments

at Sisters that I love. It's just fun to know someone besides you loves something so random,

and found the perfect display spot for it.

Sipping hot cider and enjoying a piece of homemade pie made it easier to

wander around the yard, as if that incentive was needed.

One more trip inside, upstairs in house #2.

Yet another example of Barb's gift for displaying her finds.

Bye for now, Sisters, I'll certainly be back.

If you can't go in person, visit Barb's shop here.

Some of the enchanting music that plays at the shop will greet you at the website too.

ps You might see something you need to get yourself for Christmas.

I'm doing that now to get myself in the mood for buying for others.