dsmWeekly: March 13, 2018

Program presenter Amy Blankson offers guidance on balancing overall health and the use of technology.

WOMEN'S SUMMIT EYES LEADERSHIP, HAPPINESS

The local group Metro Women Connect presents a forum titled "The Future of Happiness in the Digital Age: Leadership Strategies to Enhance Performance and Well-Being." The event is scheduled from 8 to 11:30 a.m. March 21 at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.

As an expert on the connection between happiness and technology, the author and leadership consultant Amy Blankson will unveil five strategies that successful individuals use to find a sense of balance between technology, productivity, and well-being in the Digital Age:

Discover the impact of distraction on your productivity and happiness.
Establish positive technology boundaries to shift from a mindset of inattention to one of full intention.
Learn healthy habits for tech use to maximize flow and engagement.
Understand how your technology use affects your perception as a leader.
Increase your flow and engagement by using brain-training techniques.

Tickets ($75) and more information are available here.

Fresh and flavorful Indian cuisine is the hallmark of a lunch buffet at Paradise Biryani Pointe in West Des Moines.

LUNCH OF THE MONTH: PARADISE BIRYANI POINTE

By Wini Moranville

Generally, I'm not a fan of buffets. However, the mini-but-mighty lunch buffet at Paradise Biryani Pointe is one I'll gladly return return to whenever I'm in the Jordan Creek area.

For $9.95 Tuesdays through Thursdays and $10.95 Fridays through Sundays, you can spoon up as much as you want of the five or so appetizers and the 10-plus main dishes. A couple of simple desserts (including a choice of ice creams from a scoop-it-yourself cooler) and plenty of puffy, tuggy naan bread complete the feast.

I've learned that tandoori chicken and chicken tikka masala are almost always on the buffet, while most of the other Indian dishes rotate in and out. On my recent visit, I spotted those standbys along with chicken biryani, goat curry and a good number of vegetable-based dishes, including sambar (a lentil-based vegetable stew) and cabbage and beet root poriyal (roughly, a stir-fry).

Everything was fresh and flavorful, but for me, it was all about the condiments. The six bright, colorful sauces, which you can generously ladle from deep, cooled pans, make everything on the plate come alive. Standouts included a creamy coconut chutney, the vibrant-green mint chutney, a tangy tomato chutney, peanut sauce and raita, that ever-popular cooling agent made of cucumbers, yogurt and a handful of seasonings.

With tablecloths under glass and a simple but color-splashed decor, the strip-mall venue is pleasant, though probably not the kind of place you'd take your mother for a birthday lunch. But if you, like me, seek vivid and varied flavors among the sea of restaurants that trade on predictability, this is your spot.

Paradise Biryani Pointe is at 6630 Mills Civic Parkway, No. 3102; 515-225-2024; dsmparadise.com.

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

Composer Augusta Read Thomas, left. Pianist Christopher O'Riley, right.

BEETHOVEN'S SEVENTH SYMPHONY

The Des Moines Symphony continues its 80th season with a concert featuring Beethoven's celebrated Seventh Symphony at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 25 p.m., both performances at the Des Moines Civic Center.

The concerts will open with the world premiere of "BRIO for Orchestra" by Augusta Read Thomas; then pianist Christopher O'Riley, host of the NPR program "From the Top," returns to Des Moines to present Beethoven’s vigorous "First Piano Concerto." The Symphony offers these program notes about the compositions.

Tickets are $15-$65 (student tickets are less) and are available online through dmsymphony.org (up until two hours prior to performances) and at the Civic Center Ticket Office. Single-ticket prices are subject to a $5 increase on the day of the concert.

Charles M. Blow, Rev. Traci Blackmon and David Yepsen will be speakers in a symposium on moral behavior in a polarized culture.

BAUM SYMPOSIUM NAMES KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

The 2018 Herb and Karen Baum Symposium on Ethics and the Professions will examine the key moral responsibilities of members of America's civic body in light of the current political climate. Scheduled for Thursday, March 22, through the morning of Saturday, March 24, the free symposium at Drake University will feature keynote lectures by New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow, pastor and racial justice organizer Rev. Traci Blackmon, and Iowa political fixture David Yepsen. The symposium also includes a diverse program of guest speakers and panel discussions, featuring thought leaders from a variety of professions and academic fields. Sessions will focus on topics related to media, politics, business, education and activism. For information about the speakers and for times and other program details, click here.

Ambassador Mary Kramer, shown here in on IPTV, will be the concluding speaker in the Women's Leadership Lunch series.

WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP LUNCH SERIES SET

The Wallace Centers of Iowa have named speakers for next month's Women’s Leadership Lunch series at the Wallace House, 756 16th St. in Des Moines. Each lunch will feature a local leader describing how she identified a need and stepped up to create change. Dates and speakers:

April 3: Manisha Paudel, equity coordinator for the Des Moines Civil and Human Rights Commission.
April 10: Lee Schott, Women at the Well prison ministry.
April 17: Molly Hanson, executive director of Iowa Rivers Revival, co-founder of Women for Water.
April 24: Mary Kramer, former state senator and U.S. ambassador.

Held in the spring and fall, the Women’s Leadership Lunch series leads to greater understanding and awareness of current issues in the community, connection to local resources, and inspiration from area leaders.
Reservations required. Admission is $20 ($70 for all four). For tickets or more information, click here.

Despite the chill today, Spring really is just around the corner.

GRAND VIEW TO HOST COMMUNITY GARDEN

Spring starts next week. Seed catalogs are already dog-eared and orders have been placed. Now Grand View University wants to help its neighborhood gardeners grow.

The university is starting a community garden on space adjacent to the campus, with a season running May 1 through Nov. 30. Water will be provided. The size of the plots will depend on demand. Gardeners need to bring their own seeds, tools and supplies. Call Rob Barron at 515-263-6195 or email for more information.

Lyle Lovett returns to perform at Hoyt Sherman Place Aug. 31.

LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD ...

Hoyt Sherman Place announced this week that Lyle Lovett and his Large Band will return for one performance Aug. 31. Tickets go on sale March 23 at 10 a.m. Explore other entertainment options with a pair of easy-to-use online calendars. We at dsm magazine and the Business Record maintain this calendar with handy filters so you can see just the types of events you're searching for. For even more categories, check Catch Des Moines.