dsmWeekly: June 8, 2021

Domestic Bones, a new hand pie pop-up spot, serves flavors including ham, three-cheese and spicy chicken sausage.

NEW EATERY OFFERS A DIFFERENT TAKE ON PIES

Writer: Karla Walsh

When you hear “pie,” you probably think of Thanksgiving pumpkin or that picnic-perfect apple creation. Kimberly Dunn, owner of the new Des Moines-based savory hand pie pop-up company Domestic Bones, is on a mission to expand your pie horizons.

Her flavors range from ham and three-cheese and spicy chicken sausage to vegan samosa and vegetable pot hand pie. Dunn cooks out of The Mickle Center shared-use commercial kitchen and now sells at pop-ups at Peace Tree’s tap room (317 E Court Ave.) and at the Iowa Food Co-op.

“I use high-quality ingredients; many of them organic. For me, it is all about the filling, yet the most frequent feedback I get is about the flaky crust,” Dunn says.

The idea for the eatery came during the pandemic. While working at a grocery store, Dunn realized "life is too short to be doing something that I no longer love." As she was trying to plan her next step, Dunn knew it was going to be in the food space. She had spent the previous 15 years working in the natural foods industry, including at Whole Foods Market in West Des Moines.

“I asked around as I was trying to find a niche in the Des Moines market that wasn’t being filled," Dunn says. "Megan [McKay], the owner of Peace Tree Brewing, said she was looking to serve food in their taproom, and semi-jokingly hinted that hand pies would hit the mark.”

The more Dunn let that idea simmer, the more she loved it. Recently, Dunn went from full-time to part-time at Whole Foods, and plans to lean even more into making pies and more. Dunn also makes aprons with sustainable fabrics, which will soon be available for purchase on her website.

Keep up with future Domestic Bones events at domesticbones.com, on facebook.com/domesticbones and on Instagram @domesticbones.

The Iowa Brewers Guild announced the return of the Iowa Craft Brew Festival, which will take place on Aug. 7 at Water Works Park in Des Moines. Photo: Iowa Brewers Guild

IOWA CRAFT BREW FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES DATES

Beer lovers, rejoice! The Iowa Craft Brew Festival, put on by the Iowa Brewers Guild, is back this year, on Aug. 7 from 12–4 p.m. at the Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park. More than 60 Iowa breweries will be at the event, bringing a selection of more than 300 craft beers, ciders and meads.

The festival will feature live music from reggae band The Sheet and Mike Vallely & The Complete Disaster. Food will be available from a selection of Central Iowa food trucks.

General admission tickets are $40.VIP admission is $55 and includes access to limited release offerings. Designated drivers get a sweet deal as well: $5 for festival access, but no drinks. Free parking is available adjacent to the festival grounds. Find more information here.

Molly Spain is beginning work on "Critical Mass," a 360-degree mural at Mainframe Studios. Photo: Mainframe Studios

WORK ON NEW MAINFRAME STUDIOS MURAL BEGINS

The exterior of the Mainframe Studios building is looking a little brighter. Molly Spain, a local artist who works out of the studios, is beginning work on a 360-degree mural called "Critical Mass," which will wrap around the five-story building at 900 Keosaugua Way.

Organizers at Mainframe say "not only will Molly’s mural add vibrant color to the Des Moines landscape, but it will help identify Mainframe’s physical space as a place where visitors are inspired to find creativity." Mainframe Studios commissioned the work last year as part of its capital campaign to finish renovating the space, making it the largest nonprofit creative workspace in the nation.

Last week, the Lauridsen family announced they will match contributions, dollar-for-dollar, up to a million dollars for a total campaign goal of $2 million. These funds will allow Mainframe Studios to renovate its final floor and achieve its financially self-sustaining business plan. As of March 2021, Mainframe Studios has four of its five floors renovated and a total of 131 studios.

Stay up to date on the mural project on social media or on Mainframe Studios' website.

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR SAGES OVER 70

Do you know someone who has made a considerable impact on the Greater Des Moines community? Now's your chance to honor him or her. We are accepting nominations for our Sages Over 70 award through June 30. The nominee needs to be age 70 or older and should fit several of the following criteria:

Has consistently demonstrated leadership through the decades.
Has contributed and still contributes to the betterment of the community, even if behind the scenes.
Has been a role model/mentor to others.

Fill out the form here. Read about our 2020 honorees here.

Grace Htee was around 4 years old when this photo was taken of her family in a Thai refugee camp.

DAUGHTERS FOLLOW IN THEIR MOTHERS' FOOTSTEPS

Writer: Rachel Vogel-Quinn

Moms have it rough. Our culture agrees on that much. But raising kids in an unfamiliar country? That’s another level of tough.

According to the American Immigration Council, 23.2 million female immigrants were living in the United States in 2018, making up 14% of the total female population. They are more likely to live in poverty and less likely to have health insurance compared with U.S.-born women, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

But these facts don’t tell the full story. More than 1 in 4 female immigrants have earned a bachelor’s degree. Many more are working to fund their children’s education.

For these women, children are both a responsibility and a support system. Their daughters, especially, serve as interpreters, guides and confidantes.

Read "In Their Footsteps" from our Inclusion magazine here.

Hope Ministries offers free food to anyone through its Hope Cafe. Photo: Hope Ministries

IOWA STOPS HUNGER
HOPE CAFE REOPENS WITH FREE MEALS

Hope Ministries reopened its Hope Cafe dining hall for free on-site community meals last week—the first time since the pandemic began. Connected to the Hope Ministries’ Bethel Mission men’s shelter (1310 Sixth Ave.), the dining center has provided to-go meals for the past year to adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines.

“We love serving our community in this way, providing not only free meals but also an encouraging and uplifting environment for our meal guests," says Hope Ministries President/CEO Leon Negen.

Hope Cafe is open every day of the week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Find updated hours and more information online.

Iowa Stops Hunger is a Business Publications Corporation initiative to bring awareness and action to food insecurity in Iowa.