I’m a big fan of Snookie’s Malt Shop in Des Moines and if you happen to be passing through town, Frostee’s is a very close second with a large selection of sweet treats and food for extremely affordable prices.
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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…


Unless you spend an inordinately large amount of time along Des Moines’ southern riverfront or happen have the same running route as I do, you’ve probably never noticed the tiny log cabin just off the parking lot of Principal Park. I first happened upon it a few years back while taking advantage of the downtown trail systems training for a half marathon, and since then it’s been one of my favorite hidden gems…


One of the best things about Bentonsport, Iowa—aside from the Village B&B—is it’s size. The unincorporated community has a population of about 40 and even if you’re moving pretty leisurely, you can make a lap around the whole village in less than half an hour.
While there’s a pretty small chance of you missing something on your exploration of Bentonsport, I wanted to put together a small walking tour of some of my favorite places…


Chicago may be known for its deep dish, but for a family of transplants (particularly mine) from the East Coast, the search for good New York style pizza is a serious and often tedious one. So when I was home for the holidays my father laid out his latest plan—a pizza crawl, similar to a pub crawl but with slices of pizza from different restaurants across the city…


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…


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When we travel, food items are some of my favorite things to pick up for gifts or souvenirs. So it makes sense that when the holiday season rolls around, my gifts for foodies in my…


If you would have told me a few months ago that one of the world’s most incredible handmade clock collections is located in a small northeast Iowa town, I’m not sure I would have believed you. But after stumbling upon Spillville’s Bily Clock Museum I was blown away.


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.


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During my semester in Spain, a good friend and I stumbled upon Demasié, an adorable café not far from where we were both attending school. The tiny restaurant quickly became one of our favorites and we spent countless hours there chatting over café con leches. Since then, its become one of the Spanish routines I miss most…


It’s no secret that Iowa is full of offbeat attractions and over the years, I’ve visited quite a few. But somehow I’d always missed out on Matchstick Marvels in Gladbrook, Iowa.


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…