dsmWeekly: March 20, 2018

Looks delicious: Grilled vegetable and haloumi burger with romaine lettuce.

GET A TASTE OF A LIFESTYLE AT VEGANFEST

Interested in learning more about veganism? The third annual VeganFest—"the biggest veg event in Iowa," organizers say—will be this Saturday, March 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Valley Community Center, 4444 Fuller Road in West Des Moines. Admission is free.

The event includes vendors offering $1 sample bites and larger portions for under $8. Speakers throughout the afternoon will discuss a range of topics including "health, food justice and compassionate veganism," according to promotional materials. Kids' activities will be provided by the Des Moines Children’s Museum.

VeganFest is produced by VegLife Des Moines, a nonprofit orgranization "working to make the metro more veg-friendly," says boardmember Paola Perez-Sackett. "We are a source of information for events, recipes, restaurant tours, grocery tours, cooking classes, etc." Learn more from VegLife on Facebook and the group’s website.

This sushi selection and bento box combo from Sakari Sushi Lounge arrived in just over a half-hour via UberEats.

INTREPID WRITER'S TRIAL RUN WITH UBER EATS

By Wini Moranville

The restaurant food delivery service UberEats made its Des Moines debut last week, so I gave it a go. Here’s what I found out:

Who’s in? UberEats will deliver food from a number of local restaurants that have signed on. Depending on their operating hours, available restaurants include Sakari Sushi Lounge, Eat Thai, Hagar’s Manhattan Deli, Big City Burgers and Greens, Fong’s Pizza, SpicePots, Cool Basil, the Iowa Taproom, Vivian’s Diner and Drinks, Gazali’s, Abelardo’s Mexican Restaurant, Crème Cupcake and Desserts, the Royal Mile, and other mostly local, mostly casual restaurants.

For my experiment, I chose Sakari Sushi, because it was nearby and I felt the food would travel well.

Timing: The transaction was as seamless as I’ve come to expect with Uber. Here’s how it rolled:

11:48 a.m.: Downloaded the app. This took about 72 seconds.
12:03 p.m.: Placed my first order with Uber Eats. This took 14 minutes: 13 for me to choose what I wanted to eat and 45 seconds to actually place the order. The estimated arrival time was 12:33.
12:30: It dawned on me that the "arrival" time is the time that the car will arrive at the restaurant and pick up the food, not the time that it will be delivered to me. I was getting perilously close to being hangry. Duly noted for future orders.
12:32 p.m.: One minute early, the app notified me that the food had been picked up at the restaurant and would be at my door in eight minutes.
12:38: Like clockwork, the car pulled up at my door.

Results: The food was fresh and thoughtfully packaged. Cool food was cool, and warm food was warmish—I did end up reheating the soup and the vegetable main dish, since the microwave was so handy.

The cost: The cost of the meal ($24 for two of us), plus tax ($1.44), plus a booking fee of $5.99. I tipped the driver in cash, though you can do this via the app after the order is delivered.

The bottom line? I could see this becoming a habit.

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

Apollo and Venus are all spiffed up for a party at Hoyt Sherman Place (clothing apparently optional). Their skin, hair and fabric all share a fresh glow in this detail from the painting that languished in the shadows under centuries of darkened varnish and the grunge of time.

MASTERPIECE MAKES ITS LONG AWAITED DEBUT

At a free public reception tomorrow (Wednesday, March 21), Hoyt Sherman Place will unveil the recently restored "Apollo and Venus," painted some 400 years ago by the Flemish master Otto van Veen. This treasure from Hoyt Sherman's collection was painted in oil on a wooden panel slightly larger than 3 feet by 4 feet. Get a preview and the inside story of the painting’s discovery and restoration in this article from the current issue of dsm magazine.

Hoyt Sherman’s galleries will open at 5 p.m. tomorrow, with presentations scheduled at 6 p.m. and the unveiling reception from 6:30 to 7 p.m.

Midnight is an awkward hour when one travels by pumpkin—and not first-class pumpkin but pumpkin coach.

CINDERELLA IN TOE SHOES, NOT GLASS SLIPPERS

Ballet Des Moines presents the classic fairy tale "Cinderella" in two performances at the Des Moines Civic Center March 31. The professional dance troupe will be accompanied by 100 local student dancers as well as by musicians.

"The Des Moines Community Orchestra is graciously and generously donating their time and talents to provide live music, which enhances the entire performance experience, for both dancers and audience members," says Laurel Knox, executive director of Ballet Des Moines.

This perennially family-favorite ballet is always a delight, with beauty, romance, comedy and a bit of wickedness to be overcome by a girl and her fairy godmother. Performances are at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Tickets, starting at $28, are available at the Civic Center box office or online at dmpa.org.

Jackie Norris will provide a glimpse into how she's successfully pursued her passions through her professions.

GET LUNCH AND GET INSPIRED

Our favorite annual speaker series, Chrysalis Conversations, kicks off March 28 with Jackie Norris, whose talk will be "The Possibilities Are Endless." She certainly has lived that concept; The president and CEO of Goodwill of Central Iowa has a long list of impressive accomplishments in public service, education and government, including serving as Michelle Obama's chief of staff, President Barack Obama's Iowa campaign manager, a teacher here and in Rome, and executive director of the Points of Light Corporate Institute. Read more about Norris in this article from the dsm archives.

On April 25, Rowena Crosbie, president of Tero International, will share insights from her new book, "Your Invisible Toolbox: The Technological Ups and Interpersonal Downs of the Millennial Generation." She'll provide practical advice on that generation's approach to work and life. Then, on May 30, you can hear how Jennie Baranczyk, Drake University's women's basketball coach, expects and exhibits accountability in all areas of her life. To learn more about how Baranczyk has brought the Bulldog women's program to a new era of glory days, read this story from dsm.

Each talk will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wakonda Club. Tickets are $40 per person and include lunch. For more information or to buy tickets, go to the Chrysalis website.