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Destination Des Moines

Posted on by Econogal

Des Moines, Iowa is a great place to visit. On a recent trip we enjoyed perfect weather which allowed us to enjoy several parks as well as street boutique shopping. Anyone thinking of vacationing in the central part of the United States should consider this charming city for their destination.

Iconic Capitol

The capitol city of Iowa has a lot to offer. History buffs will enjoy touring both the capitol building and the surrounding grounds. As you can see from the pictures in the slide show, the building is currently undergoing a face-lift. The restoration project is in full swing. But from an aircraft above as well as when driving, one just notices the shining gold dome.

My favorite park is on the grounds of the capitol. The eclectic nature of the various monuments appealed to me. At first glance I thought the memorials were limited to the fallen Iowans of the various wars. There is even a tribute to those soldiers buried in Iowa who fought in the Revolutionary War. This memorial showcases the original colonies. Thus a great visual teaching tool for young visitors to the area.

But, the tributes are far-reaching. One of the most attention attracting monuments from a distance is Shattering Silence. This tribute to a landmark slavery case involving Ralph Montgomery is appropriately located closer to the Iowa Court of Appeals. For more information on the historic decision, click here.

Other key memorials include a gift from Japan and multiple trees planted. The Iowa government has produced a map of the grounds. I wish I had found this map prior to my visit. Click here for the map. I recommend printing the PDF version found on the link.

Downtown

Our downtown Des Moines stops included the East Village Shopping area, Papajohn Sculpture Park, and the Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden. Each offer metered parking. But only the Test Garden offered much shade. There are plenty of places to walk along the river as well.

East Village

I love old-fashioned shopping along city streets. More of the businesses are Mom and Pop stores. Furthermore, clothing boutiques allow you to express yourself. Unlike the chains, service tends to be a bit more personalized too.

East Village has much to offer. Boutiques like Aimee and Matilda Muse were fun to pop into. Clothing from casual to dressy filled the racks. Alongside the clothing stores were two great places for those who like to cook.

First was Kitchen Collage. This shop had everything you could imagine needing in a kitchen. Knives, cutting boards, dish towels, place mats and hundreds of gadgets. I bought a tool to turn my zucchini into noodles. Kitchen Collage would be an ideal place to shop for wedding gifts.

At the other end of the block is Allspice. This locally owned store is a must visit for cooks. In addition to a wide array of spices, the store offers olive oil and vinegar blends. The service here, like the other stops in East Village, was top-notch. I have already used the pickling spices I purchased. To visit Allspice online, click here.

Papajohn Sculpture Park

The Papajohn Sculpture Park commands attention. The large pieces have plenty of room. But they still have a larger than life appearance. My favorite is the spider. However, the attention stealer is titled Nomade. The art piece is 12,000 pounds of stainless steel painted white. The artist, Jaume Plensa hails from Spain. You can view more of his work by clicking here.

Many families rambled across the park on the day we visited the area. This is a great place to let kids stretch their legs while absorbing this contemporary style of art. However, proper respect of the artwork is essential. The sculpture park is open from sunrise until midnight. The operating hours for the adjacent museum can be found by clicking here.

Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden

Just across the street from the Papajohn Sculpture Park is the Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden. We were fortunate to visit Des Moines on a Friday. Because the test garden is only open on Fridays from noon until 2 during the warmer months of the year.
The test garden had a small crowd waiting at the gate for the guides to arrive. This was a key destination for many visitors. A series of steps leads down into the garden. Reservations were not required. However, groups of ten or more can arrange for guided tours. Our group was half that size. So no guided tour. But I found the master gardeners friendly and informative.

Garden Highlights

A ring of crabapples surround a fountain courtyard in the center of the garden. The shady spot offered tables for those working nearby to bring their sack lunch. Visitors needing a break could sit at the tables and soak in the view. The trees were planted 20 years ago. In the ensuing years a canopy has formed creating the shady oasis in the center. The guide I talked with indicated sun-loving plants were set out underneath the trees in the early years. As the trees matured, shade loving plants took the position at the base of the crabapples. Now there is deep shade. The trees and the fountain more than suffice to anchor the courtyard.

A pathway winds around the edge of the test garden. They types of plantings varied with the amount of sun. One corner had a vegetable and herb garden. The bell peppers were huge!

Readers of the magazine easily recognize various features in the garden. The planters and benches are picturesque. The groupings of plants were inspiring. But what I found most helpful were the identification labels. These labels named both the annuals and the permanent flowers and trees. If I lived and worked in downtown Des Moines, the Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden would be my lunch spot every Friday during the summer.

Following the request of the magazine, there are no photos of the test garden in my slide show. Visitors are allowed to take pictures for their own use. But not for any commercial use. Therefore, I am providing this link to the test garden website.

This is just a taste of what Des Moines has to offer. The city deserves a repeat visit and a longer stay to further explore its treasures. Consider this great place for your next vacation destination.

Wintertime Santa Fe

Posted on by Econogal
Inn of The Governors
Street view of Indian Market
Indian Market at Santa Fe Square
Dried flowers in balcony boxes
Dried Flowers fill the Boxes
Dried arrangements in large pots
Dried Arrangements Welcome Guests
The Santa Fe square without crowds
A quiet winter day

I traveled to Santa Fe for the three-day weekend. It was the first trip in the heart of winter. I have visited Santa Fe many times but always in warmer weather. However, the day time temperatures were spring-like with highs in the mid-fifties.
There were some differences. Fewer tourists translated into some restaurants closed for a week or so. Some of the stores had shorter hours. The number of sellers at the Indian market on the plaza also seemed diminished. A perfect time to visit from my point of view.

Inn of the Governors

The last few visits to Santa Fe I have used the Inn of The Governors as my base. This independently owned hotel prides itself on service. The owner applies the Total Quality Management Theory of Dr. Edward Deming and it shows. In addition to great service, the hotel is centrally located with easy access both to the Plaza, Canyon Road, and my favorite shopping spots.

I fell in love with the Inn of the Governors back in 2010 when I was staying at another hotel just a few blocks away. Each morning I ran an 8 mile circuit since I was training for a marathon. The Inn of the Governors has boxes of flowers hanging from the balconies. Each time I reached those flowers I had less than a mile left. As you can see in the pictures, the hotel uses dried flowers in the wintertime to achieve this same welcoming look.

Dining

Even though some restaurants take a few weeks off in January, there were great places to eat. One of my favorite Italian restaurants is in Santa Fe. Osteria D’Assisi is about six blocks from where we stay. It was too cold to eat on their outdoor patio this visit but we enjoyed a wonderful meal listening to live piano music. I love eating here.

Just a block away from the hotel is Café Pasqual’s. Reservations will be needed if you want to eat at this restaurant featuring organic ingredients and community tables. I chose a traditional chicken mole enchiladas while my travelling companion enjoyed salmon that tasted like it was just caught. The space is small and inviting with great service.

Another busy spot is Del Charro, which happens to be connected with Inn of the Governors. This popular watering hole and restaurant is always packed. Movie crews often use Del Charro in their filming. The prices are very reasonable with set daily specials. I loved my chicken fajita but saw quite a few hamburgers being served. This is a great place if you feel compelled to watch a game on TV as Del Charro has multiple TV’s throughout their rooms.

Art

In addition to great food, Santa Fe is known for its art. In addition to a plethora of museums, travelers on a tight budget can appreciate the many artists by strolling through galleries. Canyon Road can be overcrowded in the warmer months, but was very accessible on my wintertime trip. This road lined with art galleries winds uphill towards the mountain. However, the hill could be slick if a snowstorm hits.

The best part about art in Santa Fe is the multitude of mediums. Paintings can be found in oils, acrylics, watercolors and mixed. Furthermore, Santa Fe takes art to the next level. Water fountains, metal sculptures, bells from recycled material, furniture, traditional bronzes and many other art forms are present. At one museum I even watched video art for the first time.

Seret and Sons

My main goal this trip was to find a decorative gate to use with the exterior wall that will be built this spring. So my first stop was at Seret and Sons, just one street over from The Inn of the Governors. The Seret family specializes in unique furniture, but they also have a yard of ornamental doors. I found a pair of teak doors that will serve as the gate to my side yard. Again, the service was fantastic.

Since my goal was accomplished so early in the trip, the rest of the time was spent soaking up the glorious weather and wandering in and out of shops, galleries and a wonderful bookstore. Needless to say books were purchased and reviews will take place in the future. Just across from the bookstore is a neat shop called Sequoia.

Sequoia

Sequoia is named for the owner, a designer/artist working with iron, natural woods and stones to create beautiful furniture and artwork for the home. I loved many items in the store and one came home with me. Sequoia, the artist, another master of customer service, is someone I hope to do much business with in the future.

Santa Fe in the wintertime can be great for the serious shopper. The crowds are much smaller than at their peak. Fortunately for me the weather cooperated. Sunny skies and temperate days gave way to nights just chilly enough to use the fireplace in our hotel room. If you haven’t been to Santa Fe, consider a visit. This historical city tops the list of my favorite weekend escapes.