I awoke Saturday morning - like many other mornings this winter - to see snow falling quickly but peacefully from the sky. While I wasn't looking forward to driving through it, I was very much looking forward to what I was driving to. My friend and I set up a lunch date for Court Avenue Brewery downtown. The entertainment district wasn't completely dead given the weather; there was a decent crowd at the brew pub. My CABCo sandwich, which is their take on a French dip, was very tasty and the french fries hit the spot. (To be fair, I have eaten here before, which is why I am briefly including them.)
Next, we were off to Jasper Winery to meet a few other friends for a cupcake/wine/beer pairing. This was my first time as Jasper for such an event. For $15, we got two samples of wine and two of beer plus two cupcakes and some candy. It was a great afternoon chatting, drinking and eating. I would have easy forgotten about the snow except for the fact that Jasper's building has two walls of floor to ceiling windows. Still, sitting next to the big fireplace made the modern space feel very cozy. After two hours and polishing off our flights, we headed home to prepare for the next event.
Our evening started out with a drink at The Hub Spot on the Riverwalk. It's been on my to do list since it opened late last summer. I have a special place in my heart for The Hub because my husband and I took our wedding photos there last spring when construction had just finished. Now, the triangular-shaped, glass building on the riverfront is a chic bistro ready to quench your thirst. Starting April 1st, they will serve food again and have extended hours. Right now, they are just serving drinks and closing at 8:00pm. We were the only ones there and took our time ordering. We each got something different: glass of wine, mineral water, coffee and cappuccino. We all had a different game plan to prepare for the Des Moines Symphony. The Civic Center is just two blocks away from The Hub, and even in the cold, was an easy walk.
I attended two of the Symphony's shows two years ago. I thought they were great then, and this time was no different. This show paid tribute to the music of George and Ira Gerswhin. The show incorporated photos, videos, sound clips, interviews, and special guests to tell the story of the Gershwins rather than to only play the music. It was extremely entertaining. My husband, who had never been before, was very impressed. We were not the youngest people there but pretty close. I would say about 25 percent did not have gray or white hair. Maybe the younger folks were at the Iowa Wild game, which was going on at the same time just up the road.
We kept the classy feeling going by ending the night at Coda in the Renaissance Savery Hotel. I am so thankful my friend suggested Coda. Somehow, I had never heard of this little gem, and I like to think I know a thing or two about entertainment in Des Moines. We took the skywalk to the swanky lounge, ordered a drink and appetizers and were able to hold a conversation without screaming over blaring music. My husband, in his not-so-old age of 29, can't stand loud bars. So when we didn't have to squeeze past belligerent 21 year olds to find a seat at a dirty table and not be able to hear ourselves think, he was about as close to heaven as he could be. We ordered a cheese pizza and the spinach cream corn dip, which was amazing. The chill, up-scale ambiance was refreshing and surprisingly unique for the metro. With all the proposals for new development on Court Ave, I really hope to see another lounge like Coda pop up to entertain everyone who isn't 22 looking to get schwasted.