We celebrated the best of the best last night at the Val Air Ballroom. CITYVIEW’s Best Of Des Moines event was an incredible display of more than 1,000 guests — our largest attendance to date — who represented the people, places and events that CITYVIEW readers deemed as “the best.”
This was our 17th year for this type of event and at least 28 years for our readers’ poll. Earning the title Best Of Des Moines by CITYVIEW readers is an incredible honor, which is obvious by the many Best Of Des Moines certificates proudly displayed in stores, restaurants, bars and offices.
This year’s Best Of Des Moines poll consisted of 271 questions that provided voters with the opportunity to fill in the blanks with open-ended responses. A total of 13,765 votes were cast this year. As I often point out, that’s more votes than a lot of city council or school board elections receive.
The poll was divided into six categories: Eats, Culture and Recreation, Shopping, Health & Beauty, Nightlife, and Best of the Rest. We highlighted each of the category winners with video presentations amid rousing applause, whistling, screaming and yelling — and I loved it.
Events like this would not happen without the financial support of some wonderful sponsors along with focused work from the staff of CITYVIEW and Big Green Umbrella Media. I also owe a special thanks to the event’s Pinnacle Sponsor, Wellabe.
As we have done today and in the past, we will feature the poll results from one category each day in the Daily Umbrella, starting today. You can also find all the results from the poll in the February issue of CITYVIEW magazine — which is available at more than 800 metro locations — or you can view it online at www.dmcityview.com.
You may have heard that the best is yet to come. That may be true, and I truly hope it is. In the meantime, we can celebrate the best right now.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com
See more of Shane Goodman's columns here. |
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FROM KCCI: Investigator calls for search warrant related to Jodi Huisentruit case to be unsealed. MASON CITY, Iowa — An Iowa private investigator is asking a judge to unseal a search warrant in relation to the disappearance of a Mason City TV anchor 30 years ago. Jodi Huisentruit disappeared in June 1995. She was supposed to anchor the morning news one day but never showed up....READ MORE
FROM WHO-TV: Polk County to open a welcome center for immigrants and refugees. DES MOINES, Iowa — Polk County is renovating a Des Moines building to create a welcome center and resource hub for immigrants and refugees, called Global Neighbors. The center will be located at 1900 Carpenter Avenue, just east of Drake University. ...READ MORE
FROM WOI: Casino moratorium bill fails in Senate, allowing regulators to move ahead with Cedar Rapids casino. Senate committee members said they did not believe there was enough support from Senate Republicans to advance the bill. ...READ MORE |
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Clear Mortgage meteorology
This afternoon will bring us very light freezing rain or drizzle. Uneventful Thursday and much of Friday. Light freezing rain and light snow are possible Friday night into Saturday.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
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| Read the latest CITYVIEW | | | FEBRUARY 2025
CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines issue
Read all the Best Of Des Moines results in the February CITYVIEW, distributed to racks starting today. | | | READ MORE |
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Woebegone Wednesday
Bennigan’s, an iconic chain of the late 1970s to 1990s, is making a comeback from its 2008 bankruptcy disruptions. Parent company Legendary Brands is actively recruiting new franchisees. It's also offering up a new concept restaurant, Bennigan's On the Fly, described by Legendary Brands as "a more flexible, hybrid franchise concept designed for smaller, high-traffic locations offering Bennigan’s signature favorites in a compact footprint." They are aiming for "non-traditional venues, including host kitchens, retail spaces and licensed locations like airports."
RIP grand dame. Natalie Dupree died in mid January. If you don’t know of her, you never lived in the American South. “The Grand Dame of Southern Cooking,” as Southern Living long proclaimed her, Dupree was a founder of Southern Folkways Alliance, probably the most respected organization in America that touts food as its mission. She brought many Les Dames d’Escoffier societies to America — that is probably the most respected organization in the world that touts female food professionals. Her books and TV shows were likened to Julia Child’s. Her butter biscuit recipe was considered the epitome of its kind by authorities such as John T. Edge. (WAPO, Charleston City Paper, New Yorker)
Bargains today
• Wine bottles are half price on Wednesdays at Trostel's Greenbriar (5910 Merle Hay Road, Johnston).
• Barntown's (9500 S.E. University Ave., West Des Moines) Wednesday specials are a pound of chicken tenders with fries and two sauces for $11.99, plus $13 core pitchers of beer.
• Wednesday is Biryani Festival at Chowrastha (5910 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines). Buy two and a third is free.
• Wednesdays bring steak night to Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines). Steaks are cooked to order with salad, potato and bread, $14.99.
• Angry Goldfish (2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) offers hot beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy for $11.50 on Wednesday.
• Kids eat free with every paying adult on Wednesdays at Chuck’s (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines).
• Rangemasters Training Center (10520 Hickman Road, Clive) has a Wednesday ladies day special of $13 per person for live firing range and one target. $10 handgun rentals or BYOG.
• Bordanaro's (6108 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) has a Wednesday-Thursday only special on carryout pizza. They start at $6.50 for a 10-inch cheese pie. Each ingredient added is an extra charge, but this pretty much adds up to half-price pies.
• It's lasagna day at Maxie's Supper Club (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines), breaded pork tenderloin day at Eastside Eddie's (3517 E. 26th St.), and barbecue ribs evening at G Migg's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction).
• Panka Peruvian (2708 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has live jazz Wednesday.
• Tonight is Gulf Night at Waterfront with specials on shrimp, red snapper, and perhaps swordfish and mahi mahi.
• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) begins a week-long sale today with an emphasis on Super Bowl parties. Avocados are $1.99 for a bag of six, jumbo (16-20 per pound) shrimp are $3.99/pound, King crab legs are $24.99 pound, and chicken wings or baby back ribs are $2.99/pound.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
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The 2025 results are in!
CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | Results of the 2025 Best of Des Moines Poll are now available. Find them in the February issue of CITYVIEW, on racks starting today, or read them online. | | | Read all the results |
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| Featured home for sale | | | |
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Grimes, IA 50111
Are you in search of a modern townhome that exudes luxury? Look no further! This stunning, like-new home is situated in the desirable N.W. side of Grimes, within the 44 West community, close to DCG High School. As you arrive, the 2-car attached garage and quality cement board siding will catch your eye, along with the lush, irrigated green lawns. ...
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| SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction | | | 518 S.W. THIRD ST., ANKENY
SALE DATE: 2024-10-28
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SQUARE FEET: 5,104 | | | More transactions |
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Featured in the current
issue of North Polk Living magazine | | | Celebrating 150 years
Polk City enters sesquicentennial year.
By Lindsey Giardino
As Polk City approaches its sesquicentennial celebration in 2025, the town is preparing to honor its history and the stories that have shaped it over the years.
To commemorate the city’s 150th anniversary of incorporation, the Big Creek Historical Society is inviting the community to share their family stories. This initiative is open to everyone who lives in town — and even those who have moved away.
“Why you moved to Polk City, what your connection to the town is, what involvement your family has had here — things like that,” says Rosemary Taylor, a dedicated community member and active participant in the Big Creek Historical Society. “It’s anything they want to tell us so we can create a book of family histories.” | | | READ MORE |
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FROM ESPN: Michael Jordan's son arrested, charged with cocaine possession ... READ MORE
FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Two-Time Major Champion Simona Halep Announces Retirement From Tennis ... READ MORE
FROM Yahoo Sports: Ichiro Suzuki snubber still unknown after BBWAA releases batch of remaining Hall of Fame votes ... READ MORE |
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1994: White supremacist convicted of killing Medgar Evers. On February 5, 1994, white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith is convicted in the murder of African American civil rights leader Medgar Evers, over 30 years after the crime occurred. Evers was gunned down in the driveway of his Jackson, Mississippi, home on June 12, 1963, while his wife, Myrlie, and the couple’s three small children were inside. ...READ MORE
1777: Georgia constitution abolishes primogeniture and entail. On February 5, 1777, Georgia formally adopts a new state constitution and becomes the first U.S. state to abolish the inheritance practices of primogeniture and entail. Primogeniture ensured that the eldest son in a family inherited the largest portion of his father’s property upon the father’s death. The practice of entail, guaranteeing that a landed estate remain in the hands of only one male heir, was frequently practiced in conjunction with primogeniture. ... READ MORE
1826: Millard Fillmore marries Abigail Powers. Fillmore lasted one term as president. At his successor’s inauguration, held outdoors in the freezing cold, Abigail became ill with pneumonia and died a short time later. ... READ MORE
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| Birthdays and notables | | | Happy Birthday Steve Grasso!
These celebrities were born on this date: Kevin Gates, Bobby Brown, Darren Criss, Jeremy Sumpter, Alex Brightman, Luke Newton, Michael Sheen, Davis Cleveland, Alison Hammond, Tiwa Savage, Duff McKagan, Queen Mary of Denmark, Sara Evans
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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The answer to the last riddle: What was the bartender charged with after taking liquor home? EM -BOOZ-ELMENT! - Irving Stone, Randy Lagerman. Or, "Barceny" (larceny)! - Carolyn Rogers. Or A bar offender. - Gail Tomlinson
Today's riddle: Why does it cost big bucks to get a new rocket off the ground?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or West Des Moines/Jordan Creek, Waukee or Norwalk Living magazines, contact:
Martha Munro
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 314
Mobile: 515-321-5246
martha@iowalivingmagazines.com
Add webmaster@dmcityview.com to your address book to ensure delivery.
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