My only point against them is that I really wanted bread or breadsticks served once we were seated. Maybe that's only feasible at big chain restaurants.
If you've ever read my blog you know I have the impossible goal of eating at every place in the metro. Thanks to a friend, we headed to Mezzodi's on Fleur for lunch today. A cozy yet cool interior surprised me; funky lamps and wall decor, and instead of normal rectangular booths, they were half-circles. The lunch menu included a good selection of soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta and chicken dishes. Unfortunately, I wasn't in a pasta mood so I ordered the club with fries. Their half sweet potato/half normal potato fries were delicious and so was the club which was served on South Union focaccia bread. Even better, the prices were mostly under $10. My total bill was $11.50 including the tip.
My only point against them is that I really wanted bread or breadsticks served once we were seated. Maybe that's only feasible at big chain restaurants.
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Haters gonna hate. You may not believe this, but there are some people who actually thing Des Moines is boring. They clearly don't read my blog or the blog Des Moines is not Boring.
Point in case, free flicks at the Des Moines Art Center. Once a month, the museum busts out a massive inflatable screen and invite one and all to bring a blanket and bottle of wine to enjoy a movie under the stars. Lucas and I went with another couple making for a great little double date. We even commented that we didn't feel like we were in Des Moines. The weather was beyond perfect for July and the lawn was the perfect setting for the 1940s classic The Philadelphia Story starring Kathryn Hepburn and Carey Grant. I would guess about 150-200 people joined us for the black and white movie taking us into a messy love pentagon. So if you're in the mood to get out n about, don't use Des Moines is boring as an excuse. Be open to new things and keep your eyes open. (Juice is a great place to check out events.) I got to check off another Des Moines restaurant from my list. This time it was The Rooftop in the East Village. I didn't even know it was there; I thought the rooftop area of Bricks was part of Bricks. I got the french dip sandwich with fries. It was great. The view and ambiance from the rooftop is also pretty great. You get a bit of a breeze and a glimpse of the Principal Building. I'm glad we stopped in here randomly.
OK, so it wasn't exactly my wedding, but it's probably the only Indian wedding I'll ever attend so close enough. The wedding events actually lasted for a full week, but I was only able to attend the ceremony and reception on Saturday. It was a beautiful event at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago. The ballroom was amazing, the food was amazing, the traditional Indian outfits were amazing, and of course celebrating this life-changing day with one of my dearest friends was also amazing. Sure, I couldn't understand much of anything during the ceremony because I don't speak Hindi. Thankfully, the bride and groom took their white friends into consideration and printed English programs to explain the blessings, prayers, and rituals. I learned two big cultural differences in Christian weddings and Indian weddings. First, at no point during the ceremony or reception did the bride and groom kiss. Kissing in public doesn't quite fit with the modesty of the Indian culture. Second, once the Bollywood music started bumpin, everyone tore up the floor as individuals, never as couples. There was not one slow song played. No complaints here!
Celine is our new 2012 Hyundai Sonata. Her shimmering navy blue exterior, long lines, and sharp black and camel interior make for one sleek ride. Unfortunately, the two vehicles Lucas and I have been driving are older and repairs keep coming up. Instead of continuing to dump money into them we decided to trade one in to buy something new. It's amazing how little vehicles are worth once they get older than five years. We picked the Sonata based on safety, affordability, style, and fuel efficiency. Her estimated mileage is 28 mpg city and 35 mpg highway. That is more than double what Lucas could get on his truck. So while the monthly payment is a little higher, the gas bills will be cut in half - saving us money overall. Happy birthday America! I know our country is far from perfect, but I can say I am proud to be an American. There are few other countries in the world that offer the freedom, opportunity and quality of life we often take for granted. Thank you to all the men and women in uniform who protect and serve our country. Thank you to all those who still believe in our country and in their own little ways (volunteering, teaching, recycling, paying taxes) make our country the great place it is. Thank you to all those who believe our country can still be better and strive to do that through political activism, serving on boards and commissions, and calling for change. Lucas and I spent the Fourth of JUly with his family in southwest Iowa. We first hit up the parade in Creston. Seeing that I was born in Creston and lived there for a fulfilling nine months, it is possible that I have been to one before. However, since I clearly can't recall that and neither can my parents, will say this was my first time. The parade was pretty standard with the exception of a ton of old-school tractors. Those were pretty cool to see. After the parade, we headed farther southwest to the 500-person town of New Market. This was for sure my first time at its parade, as well as the tractor pull. It was my first time to New Market ever. To all my city slicker friends, yes, a tractor pull sounds like the ultimate hick event, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have fun. Those little tractors were pretty impressive and got moving pretty good. We finished the night with fireworks. For a town of 500, it was an amazing 25-minute show that really lit up the sky. None of that one-firecracker-every-two-minutes stuff here. There was a constant stream of low-flying fireworks combined with the massive circle/weeping willow type high-flying fireworks. Overall, it was a great day celebrating all things American. |