2013 Holiday To Do List

While it’s a little tricky to see through the glare of the window, this tiny shed in Sac City, Iowa houses the world’s largest ball of popcorn. Fun fact: this 2,175-population town is home to the Noble Popcorn Farms, “one of the finest popcorn growing areas in the world” according to the company’s website…

We’ve all been there. You need a gift for someone, but don’t know where to turn. You could head to Target or order something off of Amazon. But why not take the time to support…

It’s been a bit of a crazy year—both personally and from a travel perspective. I’ve traversed across the Midwest and explored new areas of the south in my trusty old Acura (RIP, old friend) and…

In my opinion, there’s no better way to embrace the spirit of the season than to support an Iowa-based maker. When I travel, I make a point to eat a local restaurants and support small…

Before I moved to Des Moines, I had never been to a state fair before. Sure, I grew up just one state east in Illinois, but we lived close enough to the city that agricultural contests and friends in 4H were never part of my reality. Then I relocated to Iowa and was introduced to the Iowa State Fair.

If you head south of Fairfield, through Keosaqua and along rustic Route J40, you’ll find yourself in the heart of Bonaparte, Iowa. I’d be lying if I said I was expecting to be charmed by this tiny, riverfront town.

But at this point, charmed may be an understatement…

Lately I’ve gotten way behind on blogging some of my roadside adventures, but in honor of Memorial Day, it seemed fitting to share this one.

In my travels west of Des Moines, I’ve often breezed by I-80 exit 86 without even knowing about the Freedom Rock…

olio (ˈō-lē-ˌō) a miscellaneous mixture or collection I am a lover of spontaneous adventures and, in my personal opinion, there is no better time for adventuring than the summer. This year I made what I would…

One of my favorite ways to experience a new community is through its food. And that’s just as true when I’m at home.

A few weekends ago—on our trip to pick apples and visit the future birthplace of Captain Kirk—a friend and I found ourselves in Cedar Rapids at lunchtime. While I’d admired it from afar, I’d never visited the newly built NewBo City Market in the New Bohemia neighborhood of Cedar Rapids. So naturally it seemed the perfect place for a quick bite to eat…

I’ve seen the sign off of I-80 countless times—Brooklyn: Community of Flags. But, for whatever reason, I’ve never been curious enough to stop. That is, until recently…

Together with neighboring Kimballton—home of the Little Mermaid—Elk Horn, Iowa is the largest rural Danish settlement in the United States. So it’s no surprise that the small town is also home to the country’s only working Danish windmill…

Yes, you read that correctly! I’m writing a book called Iowa Supper Clubs, which will be available in bookstores near you on August 17, 2020.

Of all of the events that occur in Des Moines throughout the year, the Downtown Farmers’ Market is by far one of my favorites. Even before I worked at the market, I always made an…

After touring John Wayne’s birthplace and exploring Clark Tower, our stomachs were growling so we decided to celebrate the unseasonably warm November weather with an ice cream cone at Frostee’s…