Santa Claus isn't the only one who's been making a list and checking it twice. Here in the workshop of Business Publications Corp., home of dsm magazine and the Business Record, our elves have been assembling this year's Book of Lists. It's a remarkable publication, a real business resource if you want to know who does what in this town.

We're celebrating its arrival with a party Thursday, Jan. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the atrium of Capital Square. Stop in for networking and be one of the first to receive a copy when we distribute them at 6 p.m., plus find out who readers of the Business Record selected as the Most Influential Business Leader and the Most influential Board of Directors. The Book of Lists includes businesses across 70-plus industries, a community calendar, market research and more. The event is free and open to the public—and that most certainly includes you!

Here are five food and drink discoveries I made in the past year. Each has significantly enhanced the way I eat and imbibe:

• Barrel-Aged Beer: 2018 marked my late arrival to the craft-beer party, and my most cherished find of all is barrel-aged beers. A small glass of these rich, creamy and complex brews is my favorite way to linger into the evening. You can most always find a barrel-aged option at El Bait Shop, Django and Cheese Bar. Related story: Beer is the New Wine.

• Irish Gin: 2018 was also the year that I learned that boutique Irish gin was a thing, and that Fever Tree craft tonics made a lot of difference, too. I’ve even persuaded Ingersoll Wine & Spirits to carry Gunpowder Gin, pictured above, one of Ireland’s best (of the exports, at least).

• The Grateful Chef (Rediscovered): I broke up with this meal-prep service when they moved across town. Then I decided that a long-distance relationship would be worth it for the healthy fresh-forward, chef-prepped food. These days, I’m all in. Read the full story here. 

• Kathy Eckhouse’s Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks: I’ve loved all the recipes I’ve snagged for dsm magazine but this year, but when Kathy Eckhouse,  co-owner of La Quercia cured meats, showed me her six-ingredient, 20-minute recipe, it particularly spoke to the way I love to cook at home: great ingredients simply prepared for inspired results.

• Rustichella d’Abruzzo Pasta: Once I enjoyed the egg-enriched (all’Uovo) varieties of this pasta, it’s been hard to enjoy any other. It’s made all the difference in my French- and Italian-inspired cooking. Full story here.

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

The year 2018 may not go out with a bang, but with some pops. The Des Moines Symphony’s annual New Year’s Eve Pops concert this year features the music of Broadway with the Tony-nominated Callaway Sisters: Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway sing showstoppers from "West Side Story," "Chicago," "Funny Girl," "Wicked" and more backed by the Symphony's full orchestral power. Showtime at the Civic Center is 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31. Tickets and more info are just a click away, here.

"Finding Neverland" comes to the Civic Center for a short, intense run this week, Dec. 27-29, with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets, $36–$110, can be purchased here.

As presented, playwright J.M. Barrie struggles to find inspiration until he meets four young brothers and their beautiful widowed mother. Spellbound by the boys’ enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to write a play that will astound London theatergoers. With a little bit of pixie dust and a lot of faith, Barrie takes this monumental leap, leaving his old world behind for the Neverland of Peter Pan, where nothing is impossible and the wonder of childhood lasts forever. Care to join him?

Are you among the 18-or-so people who still haven't seen "Triple Espresso," the three-man comedy show that cycles through the Temple Theater every year or so? After seven lengthy engagements, it has become a Des Moines institution, like steak de Burgo with laughter, and the current run continues through Jan. 13. Created in Minneapolis in 1995, the show has entertained over 2 million people in 60-plus cities in six countries in three languages. Tickets for the local production range from $25 to $50. Get them at dmpa.org. We hear of enthusiastic repeat visitors, but no reports yet of audiences joining in favorite lines, as with the "Rocky Horror Picture Show." Give it time.

Catch it while you can: You have until Jan. 6 to visit the Des Moines Art Center's exhibit of work by Neo Rauch, one of the best-known artists from the Leipzig school in Germany. His psychologically complex paintings have been widely collected and written about for more than 20 years. "Neo Rauch: Aus dem Boden / From the Floor" is the first exhibition of his drawings in the United States.

Rock's one and only Kiss includes Des Moines on the band's farewell tour, playing the Iowa Events Center Sept. 3. For other fun opportunities, explore 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.