dsmWeekly - May 22, 2024

Half-price pizza at Centro can make any Monday a little more fun. (Photo: Duane Tinkey)

Your guide to the best happy hours in Des Moines

By Lily Allen-Duenas

While Eatery A might be the first place that comes to mind when you’re thinking about happy hour in Des Moines, there are lots of other spots around town that are worth a visit. Why not try a new spot, especially when it offers a daily special? Consider this your handy guide.

Monday. I recently heard someone list their top five favorite foods as “pizza, pizza, pizza, pizza and burgers.” If you’re a fellow pizza lover, enjoy half-price pizza and Peroni beers at Centro every Monday from 4 p.m. to close.

Tuesday. There’s no better deal in town than The Walnut’s Tuesday specials with $2.50 draft beers all day. Besides the perennial Kona Big Wave, all the other draft beers are from Iowa breweries, including Backpocket, Toppling Goliath, Exile and Confluence. Seriously, a craft beer for $2.50 is a steal! Plus, Tuesdays are the only day you can score their mahi-mahi tacos for $12.

Wednesday. Even though Malo has new owners, the happy hour specials are staying nearly the same. You can expect half-price margaritas and sangria 3 to 6 p.m. every weekday, but on Wednesdays, that deal applies all day. So if you’re craving a pineapple margarita or a rosé sangria, Wednesday is the day to go.

Thursday. Feelin’ jazzy? On Thursdays at Noce, the jazz is on the house, from 7 to 10 p.m., and the happy hour specials run from 6 p.m. to close. Drink specials include $5 green tea shots, $6 select house wines, $7 well cocktails and $8 specialty cocktails.

Friday. There’s no shortage of happy hour options at the end of the week, but some are better than others. And as the saying goes, “If you know, you know.” So you should definitely know about Coa Cantina, which offers half-off margaritas, Palomas, draft beers and select appetizers from 4 to 7 p.m. Django serves $5 select appetizers like duck frites and Brussels sprouts, as well as discounted oysters and shrimp cocktails, $5 select wines and beers, and $6 classic martinis from 4 to 6 p.m. Louie’s Wine Dive offers $7 rotating selections of wine and bubbly, as well as $7 beignets, available from 3 to 6 p.m. Lastly, the East Village’s Up-Down has $2 pizza slices from 5 to 8 p.m. on Fridays.

Saturday. Similar to Fridays, it can be difficult to scope out a spot that offers Saturday happy hour deals. But The Bartender’s Handshake offers the same 2-6 p.m. happy hour deals every day of the week, including weekends, with $6 for various classic and creative cocktails and $6 wine glasses of red or rosé. If you’re feeling peckish, try the $6 pepper poppers. Fridays and Saturdays also feature late-night specials from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., with $2 PBR and High Life, $2 amaro, $2-off house cocktails and $2 pretzels.

Sunday. Celebrate happy hour all day at Blue Sushi and Sake Grill, where the whole menu of sashimi, maki, nigiri, and vegan sushi is discounted. Drink specials range from $4.50 beers to $6.50 house wines and $8.50 cocktails.

Whether you're a sushi lover, craft beer enthusiast or cocktail aficionado, the city offers ample opportunities to unwind without emptying your wallet. So cheers to exploring new venues, revisiting old favorites and, of course, enjoying responsibly!

Napoleon Douglas and an 18-piece band hit the stage this weekend at Noce.

BEST BET

This week, Des Moines hits all the right notes

Jazz is America’s original classical music. But its improvisation can seem daunting if you haven't listened to much of it.

Fortunately, the local singer Napoleon Douglas and the Nate Sparks Big Band are giving newbies and aficionados alike a good reason to visit Noce at 7 p.m. Saturday. With his smooth baritone and immaculate style, Douglas often puts his own spin on the sound and style of the jazz legend Nat King Cole. "I really resonate with the messages and stories in his music," Douglas said. "This world can be nasty and terrible, but there's an ounce of love in there. I can see the beauty in it."

Saturday night’s show is just one of the great jazz shows you can catch around town this week at Noce and elsewhere. Check out the Community Jazz Center website for a full lineup, which includes the following two highlights:

Patricia Holly and the Jamie Poulsen Duo (6-9 tonight): Louie's Wine Dive on University Avenue has been hosts jazz musicians on its patio on Wednesdays and Sundays this May.

NOLA Jazz Trio (5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday): This trio is part of the seven-piece band led by vocalist and clarinetist Jeff Kane. Check out the music, along with great food and drink, at the Latin King.

Steve Berry and Gina Gedler (7 p.m. Friday): We’d go see these two at Noce just to bask in their charisma. The fact that they’re singing catchy Burt Bacharach tunes, well, that’s just icing on the cake.

The Week Ahead

Downtown Neighborhood Association (5-7 tonight): Head to this social at Principal Park to network and learn from industry experts about what it takes to bring entertainment to downtown Des Moines.

CelebrAsian (11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday): The city’s best-named festival (from the folks behind the annual Pho King Cook-Off) livens up Western Gateway Park with music, dancing, cultural exhibits and food. So. Much. Tasty. Food.

George Strait, Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town (5:45 p.m. Saturday): The country legends visit Jack Trice Stadium in Ames for fans of new country, old country and all the country in between.

Willie Nelson (7 p.m. Saturday): The one-of-a-kind Texas legend returns to Water Works Park for a Field Daze concert at the Lauridsen Amphitheater.

Decoration Day (9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday): Learn about the post-Civil War origins of Memorial Day during a ceremony and procession at Living History Farms.

COMMUNITY
Fore charity: The Principal Charity Classic returns to the newly restored course at the Wakonda Club next weekend. PGA Tour Champions, businesses and families can enjoy the new course and new amenities while raising money for Iowa children’s charities. There will be an expanded Family Zone within the driving range full of kids' activities and player meet-and-greets. Adults can watch the action from a few new fan hubs, including the Busch Light Beer Garden at the 14th hole and Sustainability Grove overlooking holes 7, 8, 10 and 15, complete with food trucks and phone charging stations. Ticket packages are available online.

ARTS & CULTURE
Upcoming exhibit: The multidisciplinary contemporary artist b. Robert Moore delves into the Black experience through the eyes of an Iowa native in “Iowa Artists 2024: b. Robert Moore” at the Des Moines Art Center. The solo show spans three rooms with art in various mediums, including upcycled materials, to showcase vulnerability and joy in Black identities. The show opens with a reception at 5 p.m. June 21, with remarks from Moore plus desserts from Tangerine Food Co. and coffee from BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages.

Young entrepreneur Rita Musa helped take a traditional lemonade stand to a whole new level. (Photo: Duane Tinkey)

COMMUNITY

Squeeze the day: Local lemonade sellers scale up

By Mathany Ahmed

Eight-year-old Rita Musa, like other kids her age, found inspiration while scrolling through TikTok. She spotted a lemonade stand.

Her brother Ahmed, 25, spotted an opportunity. With his business acumen and her youthful energy, he figured they had the keys to success. They set up their first booth during the Drake Relays in 2022, in the parking lot of Platinum Kutz, a few blocks from the stadium.

They aimed to offer customers an elevated experience with a recipe inspired by their family’s roots in South Sudan, where traditional lemonade isn’t as tart as most American versions.

Within two hours, they sold out. Within two months, they expanded their business to the downtown farmers market, where they were selling 500 pouches of lemonade every weekend. The demand prompted the family to transition from pouches to cans, with an eye-catching design to represent the family. Its vibrant colors and patterns mimic the siblings’ mother’s traditional dresses from South Sudan, where civil war prompted the family to flee to the United States 24 years ago. The Musas donate 7% of their lemonade profits to support refugees. And one day, they hope to expand the business in South Sudan.

In the meantime, they’re pleased with the venture’s growth so far. Packaging the lemonade in cans smoothed out the production and opened up new opportunities for wholesale and retail. Since launching the cans in October, they’ve sold more than 3,000 to local food trucks and events. The Musas are marketing to local grocery stores next.

Right now, you can find the duo selling at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market, and chances are you’ll spot them at other pop-up events downtown too. Just look for the bright pink and yellow cans.