dsmWeekly: August 28, 2018

We've all had days when we've felt like this, right? Learn the story behind this and other ceramic marvels in the new dsm magazine.

REMINDER: NEW ISSUE PARTY TODAY, RAIN OR SHINE

Please join us to celebrate the September/October issue of dsm magazine, making its debut at an unveiling party in West Des Moines today (Tuesday, Aug. 28).

Our hosts are the financial planning specialists Foster Group, where the party will last from 5 to 7 p.m. at the firm’s headquarters, 6601 Westown Parkway.   Drop in anytime. The event will be outdoors, weather permitting, with a big sheltering tent available. Indoor space is available if the weather won't listen to reason (Iowa weather can be obstinate). Inside or out, we'll enjoy small bites crafted by food trucks on-site, plus an array of beverages.  

Guests may vote for any of three local nonprofits that will benefit from Foster Group donations in proportion to the votes, which can be cast by dropping your business card in bowls when you arrive. Participating charities are Anawim Housing, JOPPA and Habit for Humanity. Also innovative at this unveiling, guests who take photos and use the hashtag #PopFizzFosterGives will see their photos appear on a 7-by-12-foot LED board.

Want even more reason to attend this party? Three words: "take-home gifts."  

Brief remarks and distribution of the new issue are scheduled for 6 p.m. These unveiling events are always a good time—plenty of mingling, meeting friends and making new ones.

Lager is set to make a splash Saturday as the sparkly focus of a festival dedicated to this most popular of beers.

INAUGURAL 'LAGER FEST' SET FOR SATURDAY
By Wini Moranville

If you’re a casual (versus craft) beer drinker, chances are you’re drinking lager. Indeed, according to local beer authority Jeff Bruning, 93 percent of beer consumed in the U.S. is non-craft beer, and a vast majority of non-craft beer is lager. Budweiser, Miller, Coors, Heineken? All lagers. Corona, Stella, Modelo? Lager, lager, lager.

A partner in the Full Court Press spate of beer-centric restaurants, Bruning wants us to know that there’s more to lager than the aforementioned best-sellers. To this end, the inaugural Lager Fest will be held at Hessen Haus this Saturday, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Bruning says that until recently, some craft breweries veered away from producing lagers, in part because they take longer to make than other types of beer: Lagers are conditioned under very cool temperatures for four to 10 weeks, and result in an effervescent, crisp, sweet and smooth beer.

These days, however, more breweries are making craft lagers. "They come in many different styles and colors, including pitch black," Bruning says. He believes that that Lager Fest will be an accessible way for non-craft lager drinkers to make inroads into the craft beer movement.

Admission is free. Beer tickets, each good for 10 8-ounce pours of beer, may be purchased for $30. Lagers on tap include those from Des Moines, the U.S., England and Germany. Food will include Hessen Haus’ regular menu, as well as wood-fired pizza from Mullet’s. The Bolzen Beer Band will provide the entertainment.

Hessen Haus is at 101 S.W. Fourth St.; 515-288-2520; hessenhaus.com

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

With an eclectic mix of merchandise, She Home & Gift is the latest boutique retailer to stake a claim in the East Village neighborhood.

NEW SHOP, NEW SIPS, NEW GAMES & A CHICKEN

This past week has been one of those with fun bits of news hitting us from multiple sides. To keep you in the loop, here's the scoop for shoppers, beer drinkers, distillery buffs and recreational athletes, plus anyone who just wants to stay in the know:

She: When we checked out She Home & Gift, which opened in the East Village earlier this month, we were immediately impressed by three things: the well-curated and exclusive collection of goods you won’t find elsewhere; the creative and engaging way the merchandise is displayed; and the infectious enthusiasm of owners Gina Owen and Sheila Sayre. The store at the corner of Locust and East Fourth streets offers decorative objects especially suitable for downtown living spaces, including lamps, artwork, a sophisticated array of barware, and French-inspired accessories. You’ll also find carefully selected personal care items, B’s Knees candles, chocolates and jewelry. For a look at the store, view this short video on the shop’s Facebook page.

Foundry Distilling and Alchemy Lounge: The distillery and its resident lounge opened Saturday at the Foundry in West Des Moines. Fun feature: Patrons can sign up to create barrels of whiskey with their own distinctive flavor notes. Prefer your drink in a glass rather than a barrel? The sleek Alchemy Lounge is open from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday evenings.

Smash Park, a 47,000-square-foot site for sports and recreation at 6625 Coach Light Drive in West Des Moines, opens in September, with a bar, restaurant, pickleball courts and backyard games. Smash Park will produce events, from yoga to dodgeball, and will be available as an event center for private parties, large or small.

The Chicken, a new tavern featuring sandwiches and other chicken-centric chow, has drawn attention from cyclists along the Great Western Trail. It's the latest hatchling of Full Court Press, the operation that successfully keeps beer at the center of its menu offerings at multiple sites. Motorists will find the Chicken at 4221 Orilla Road. For cyclists, head south toward Cumming. It's out there.

These protesters' message couldn't have been more clear, and it appears they drew a pretty good crowd during Prohibition.

SPIRITED MUSEUM EXHIBIT EXAMINES PROHIBITION

Almost a century ago, Iowa was drier than any drought. The state, along with the rest of the nation, was immersed in "the Noble Experiment" of Prohibition.

From 1920 to 1933, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution made it illegal for Americans to manufacture, sell or transport "intoxicating beverages." That pivotal period of history is captured in a new traveling exhibition called "Spirited: Prohibition in America," which comes to the State Historical Museum Sept. 1-Oct. 20.

"Almost a century has passed since Prohibition, and this traveling exhibition provides visitors the opportunity to discover its impact across the country," says Susan Kloewer, administrator of the State Historical Society. "Iowa’s own Prohibition story intersects with this controversial time in our country's history, and museum visitors can explore this topic further through an Iowa-focused display highlighting Iowa's story."

Visitors will learn about the role of liquor in American culture, the cultural revolution of the roaring ’20s, the rise of organized crime, the spread of morality campaigns, and the development of alternatives to booze, such as Dr. Welch’s Unfermented Wine, "near beer" and good old Coca-Cola.

Along with the exhibition, the museum will present a program Sept. 13 about liquor-by-the-drink laws in Iowa, a screening of "Whiskey Cookers" and a "History on the Rocks" program with Central College historian Lori Witt. For more information, click here.

Shake 'Em Up is both a name and a promise for this group of musicians, to be featured at this weekend's Jazz Festival.

DES MOINES JAZZ FESTIVAL FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

The Des Moines Social Club and the Civic Music Association will present the third annual Des Moines Jazz Festival Friday and Saturday, Aug, 31 and Sept, 1, in the Des Moines Social Club’s Prairie Meadows Courtyard.

The lineup is headlined by the all-female New Orleans group Shake 'Em Up Jazz Band on Saturday, and the Bobby Watson Quartet on Friday, featuring Kansas City sax legend Bobby Watson, Jr. Both days begin with local opening acts (schedule below).

Admission is $10 for Friday, $20 for Saturday, and $25 for a two-day pass, all available here. Organizers encourage attendees to bring their own lawn chairs, but chairs are available to rent for $5 per day. Food and beverages will be for sale at the festival as well. The lineup:

Friday, Aug. 31, 5-10 p.m.
5:30 p.m., NOLA Jazz Band
7 p.m., Grand Ave. Ruckus
8:45 p.m., Bobby Watson Quartet

Saturday, Sept. 1, 1-10 p.m.
1 p.m., Doors Open
2 p.m., Johnston High School Jazz Band
3:15 p.m., Undertones
4:45 p.m., Heath Alan Band
6:15 p.m., Christian Howes
8 p.m., Shake ‘Em Up Jazz Band

"Love Never Dies," a sequel to "Phantom of the Opera," played for years in London and toured Europe before its current U.S. tour.

LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD...

Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Love Never Dies" brings the phantom of the opera back to haunt some new territory at the Des Moines Civic Center for six days, Oct. 16-21. 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.