dsmWeekly: February 25, 2020

Never been to a dsm unveiling party? Click the image for a video glimpse of what you've been missing.

NEW ISSUE UNVEILING PARTY IS MARCH 3

We don't usually make you wait this long, but the unveiling party for the March/April issue of dsm magazine is Tuesday, March 3 (not the last week of February, as is typical). Our hosts are the crew at Royal Flooring, who are eager for you to see their new location, 11801 Hickman Road in Urbandale. We'll be there from 5 to 7 p.m., with brief remarks and distribution of the new issue at 6 p.m. Stop in anytime and join us for refreshments and a look at flooring products and so much more, including cabinets, countertops, appliances and window treatments. Please mention the party date to your friends; it changed after our January issue was printed, so it is listed incorrectly there. We hope to see you on March 3.

Jenny Quiner owns Dogpatch Urban Gardens. Photo: Audra Gaines Mulkern with the Female Farmer Project.

HOW TO SHOP LIKE A CHEF

By Wini Moranville

This Friday, Feb. 28, is the fourth annual CSA Day. The initials stand for Community-Sponsored Agriculture, a program in which consumers pledge to support a local farm by purchasing a share in the farm’s seasonal output. Usually for a CSA subscription, the consumer will obtain a box of produce each week in a growing cycle, either directly from the farm or at a designated pickup spot.

According to Jenny Quiner, owner of Dogpatch Urban Gardens, the end of February is when most people enroll in a CSA subscription, so CSA Day was created to remind people to preorder their subscriptions at this time. By doing so, consumers can help farmers obtain the revenue they need for the upcoming growing season.

CSA Day also raises countrywide awareness about the program. Quiner encourages supporters to “sign up for a share on Feb. 28, and use the hashtag #CSAday to join the online conversation.”

Quiner, who grows produce for some of our better local restaurants, including St Kilda, Table 128, the Cheese Bar, Harbinger, and HoQ, offers salad subscriptions; each week’s box includes fresh, organically grown salad greens plus two other items to add to the salad, such as seasonal vegetables (e.g., radishes, turnips, beets, carrots, tomatoes, peppers), or microgreens, eggs, herbs or fresh fruit. Find out more on her Dogpatch Urban Gardens website.

If you’re looking for some more hearty vegetables to complement your salad subscription, Quiner pointed the way to other farmers in the area who offer CSA subscriptions. These include Blue Gate Farm, Wabi Sabi Farm, and Grade A Gardens.

Wini Moranville writes about food, wine and dining for dsm magazine and dsmWeekly. Follow her on Facebook at All Things Food–DSM.

The 102nd season of theater at the Des Moines Community Playhouse was announced Monday night.

PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES NEW SEASON SHOWS

"Chicago" is the first in a series of stage musicals in the 2020-2021 theater season announced by the Des Moines Playhouse last night, in a schedule that includes drama, comedy and children's shows. The season's major productions:

"Chicago," Sept. 11-Oct. 4
"The Sound of Music," Dec. 4-20
"Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express," Feb. 5-21, 2021
"Kinky Boots," April 9-May 2, 2021
"Calendar Girls," June 4-20, 2021
"Disney's Beauty and the Beast," July 9-Aug. 1, 2021

For details about specific shows, including the children's theater season, click here. Season tickets go on sale March 17, online at dmplayhouse.com and at the Playhouse ticket office.

It's coming, but if you can't wait for summer, get a preview at the Reveal party, where this year's artists will be announced.

ARTS FESTIVAL 'REVEAL' PARTY THURSDAY

Everyone loves the Des Moines Arts Festival, but it's so hard to wait an entire year from one to the next. That's why the Reveal party, which is this Thursday, Feb. 27, is such a treat―it's a tantalizing taste of the festival in the dead of winter. The fun starts at 5 p.m. at the old Franklin Junior High School, 4801 Franklin Ave.

The highlight comes at 7:30 p.m. when the 180 artists selected for the Arts Festival are identified and you get a preview of their work on a giant high-def video screen. There's plenty to do before then: raffles, films, food and opportunities galore, from learning to dance to crafting a specialty cocktail. Admission is $125. Click here for tickets and more information.

K. Renee's furnishing flair will be on display downtown in a pop-up showroom at Capital Square March 2-6.

K. RENEE POPPING UP IN CAPITAL SQUARE

We were excited to hear that K. Renee is heading to our downtown neighborhood: The West Des Moines luxury retailer will operate a pop-up home furnishings showroom March 2-6 in Suite 250 on the skywalk level of Capital Square.

K. Renee is creating the pop-up to generate interest among the growing number of downtown residents and professionals. “We know that many of those who live and work downtown haven’t had time to explore” the store’s West Des Moines location, says K. Renee partner Julie Ross. “So we’re bringing a taste of our … showroom to them.”

The company promises the suite will be made into a “fully furnished home optimized for urban living.” We don’t doubt it, as K. Renee has long specialized in offering an expertly curated collection of modern and transitional furnishings and decor. Their West Des Moines location also includes an upscale women’s clothing boutique.

The showroom will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and then from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Capital Square is located at 400 Locust St. For more information, contact info@krenee.com or visit krenee.com. And click here to read a story in the current issue of dsm magazine that features a midcentury modern house K. Renee transformed into a contemporary showpiece (pictured above).

The Carion members don't just tap their feet to the music; they throw their whole bodies into it.

A CONCERT LIKE NONE YOU'VE SEEN

Why do the singers get all the fun, adding lively dance moves into their acts? The instrumentalists, on the other hand, generally sit in chairs or maybe march in parades or at a football game.

Des Moines' Civic Music Association is about to change that stodgy stereotype by presenting chamber music in motion, performed by an innovative ensemble from Denmark. The Carion Wind Quintet has memorized the music and banished chairs and music stands, freeing them to add a dimension of spontaneous movement and choreography to the concert experience.

We're intrigued. Carion’s fresh approach to chamber music has brought acclaim for their performances in Europe’s most prestigious classical music festivals. You can hear and watch them here at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 29, in Drake University's Sheslow Auditorium. Click here for tickets ($30-$75) and more information.