Ode to Eden

 With Miss Ruby's 1st birthday just around the corner, we decided to pop in to Eden the other day to get some gift ideas. The selection of children's toys/ books/ accessories is second to none in the Des Moines area. It's the place I always direct people who are looking to buy an interesting gift for someone!

 They sell luxurious gifts for Mama (& Papa) as well!! Stocked with goodies from Lollia, Kiehl's, Tokyo Milk, Diptyque, Voluspa, L'Occitane....in addition to an eclectic mix of music, reading materials, jewelry, and cleaning supplies, there truly is something for EVERYONE.

We love you, Eden!! We'll be back xx

City Bakery

There's a new brunch spot in town...nestled away in Des Moines' East Village is the new City Bakery. The only advertising I was aware of was through friends' Instagram photos (which is a solid enough recommendation in most cases).

Little did I know that the brains (& bakers) behind our beloved La Mie were also the folks behind this quaint little establishment. And it's no surprise, really.

While the menu items are similar upon first glance, there are a few new additions that you won't find at their sister bakery. Like pizza & french press coffee(!!), for example. Even some of the old favorites have been revamped with new ingredients.

It's nice to know that the next time we feel like having brunch at La Mie and don't feel like like battling the crowds that we have another place to go. At least until the rest of Des Moines finds out about this place xx

An Evening with Hanwell

 Last night, we journeyed to a sweet little place known as the Sugar Grove Vineyards & Gathering Place just outside of Newton, IA. We came to see the band Hanwell perform, but made sure to soak up the sights & sounds of the country while we were out there. It's nice to get out of the "big city" every once in awhile...

 

We were just recently introduced to Hanwell (now that their lead singer, James, is playing with Parlours), but they're fastly becoming a favorite local act. Make sure to catch one of their high energy performances if you get a chance!

 

If only every Summer night could be more like these... xx

The Butterfly Garden

 Last night, our little fam went on a stroll along one of the trails at Saylorville Lake and came across this butterfly garden. We saw tadpoles, a snake (!), & flowers pretty enough to eat, but unfortunately, no butterflies as advertised.

Just trying to enjoy as many nights like this as we can while the bugs are still minimal and the heat index isn't unbearable. Oh, Iowa...

Parlours Weekend Pt. 2

Parlours headlined the first set of Ankeny Unplugged shows this past weekend with a stellar performance, as usual. The series features four different local musical acts every Saturday night throughout the month of June.  

Ruby finally made it out to her first Parlours show to see Daddy on drums. I'm pretty sure she loved it.

This event comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. This year's line up is SOLID and the offerings are as well--food, drinks, vendors, etc. Plus, it's family friendly.

Make it to one of these shows if you're in the area! xx

Parlours Weekend Pt.1

 We've had a whirlwind weekend with not one, but TWO Parlours shows! Both gigs were completely different, yet equally entertaining. Good times were had. The band has been playing lots of new jams as there is a full length album on the horizon...stay tuned, y'all.

 I was asked to put a little something together to beautify the merch table. As we're heading into the summer months, I was inspired to create a vintage picnic setup. Gingham table cloth. CDs prominently displayed on a pie plate. Stickers & buttons on a tiered serving tray. Mason jars filled with more buttons & candy for the taking. Add a basket, some thermoses, a camera...oh yes, there were also some beautiful new shirts & tote bags.

I love LOVE doing this sort of thing. And how great does this look in front of the Wooly's chalkboard wall?

Wooly's just might be the greatest thing to happen to Des Moines since...Fong's Pizza, perhaps? Well, I don't know what. We've been waiting for a long time for a place like this though. Great size, great location, overall great venue. Looking forward to making many more memories in this space.

Parlours Weekend Pt. 2 coming soon... xx