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Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Good morning to you! 
I love music. And I love art. And for much of my childhood, I could get the best of both worlds by listening to albums and gazing at the artwork. Cassettes were the primary music source of my era, but I cherished albums. Admittedly, I have a classic rock preference, so that certainly influenced my top album cover choices I share today.
The Beatles, “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967). This album kept my attention with John, Paul, George and Ringo standing in front of 60-plus celebrities including Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, Marlon Brando and Sonny Liston.
Pink Floyd, “The Dark Side of the Moon” (1973). This image has become synonymous with the band. Millions of T-shirts prove it.
KISS “Destroyer” (1975). Ken Kelly was commissioned to draw this cover of Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter standing on top of rubble in front of destroyed buildings engulfed in flames. What better defined the teenage angst of the 1970s?
Fleetwood Mac, “Rumours” (1977). Photographer Herbert W. Worthington captured Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood with an awkward pair of toilet-chain balls dangling between Mick’s legs in this album cover. Tacky. Yet still classy.
Meat Loaf, “Bat Out of Hell” (1977). Sister Bernard should have known she was in for trouble when Jimmy Degen brought this album to play in fourth grade. If the cover art didn’t give it away, the lyrics to “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” certainly did.
Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler” (1978). Mom had this on 8-track and, like most 8-tracks, the cover sticker was worn and tattered. Didn’t matter on this one. The image of the riverboat gambler perfectly portrays the hit song and Rogers.
Blondie, “Parallel Lines” (1978). The visual parallel to the black and white lines is stunning, bringing Debbie Harry to the forefront where she belonged. This was the essence of cool in its day.
Yoko Ono, “Season of Glass” (1981). I am not into Yoko Ono’s music, if you call it that, but the cover art for her first album after the assassination of husband John Lennon is striking. A glass half empty or half full? Lennon’s blood-splattered glasses? Wow.
Van Halen, “1984” (1984). Using a baby angel with cigarettes is uncomfortable and unsettling and downright entertaining. It is so simple yet so perfect for Eddie Van Halen and the crew at that time.
Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the U.S.A.” (1984). At the time, this image seemed to personify America. Then we learned what the message was about. Springsteen continues to make his political statements today. Born down in a dead man’s town, indeed.
Nirvana, “Nevermind” (1991). An underwater, naked baby reaching for a dollar bill on a string. You can’t go wrong with babies on rock album covers. Or maybe you can. Three decades later, the Nevermind baby, who was by then an adult man, sued the band.
Johnny Cash, “American IV: The Man Comes Around” (2002). I bought this CD when it came out, and it was the first Johnny Cash music I had owned at the time. Black and white. The final album for the aging legend. The perfect tribute to the Man in Black.

How about you? Which of your favorite album covers did I omit? Send me a note and let me know.

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

See more of Shane Goodman's columns here.

 
News headlines

FROM KCCI: When and where you can watch Fourth of July fireworks. Communities across central Iowa will light up the sky with fireworks shows over the next several weeks. Check out the schedule below for fireworks displays from Yankee Doodle Pops on July 3 to Ankeny SummerFest on July 13, with more after each Friday night home game for the Iowa Cubs. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Tattoo artist already charged in Clive sexual abuse case, now charged in Marshalltown case. A central Iowa tattoo artist already facing charges for allegedly sexually assaulting two women at a Clive tattoo shop is facing the same charge in connection with an alleged assault in Marshalltown. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Polk County releases highly anticipated water quality report. A highly anticipated central Iowa water quality report shows that many of the threats to Polk County's water system stem from human activities. The Polk County Board of Supervisors released the Central Iowa Source Water Resource Assessment (CISWRA) at its meeting Tuesday morning. The report was commissioned in 2023 and provides an analysis of water quality in the Des Moines and Racoon Rivers. ... READ MORE

 

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Hot and dry conditions continue into Friday. Storms in western Iowa Friday night spread across the state Saturday.

For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage.

 
Pollen tracker
 
Tree pollen: None
Grass pollen: Very High
Ragweed pollen: None
 
 
The 2025 results: CITYVIEW's Best of Des Moines®
 

Best Local Fancy-Pants Bar

1. Winchester Public House

2. The Cork 50131

3. Hello, Marjorie

 
See all of the results
 
 

Woebegone Wednesday
Kevin Liu announced he will close Mandarin Noodle House in Johnston. That was the last place in town with a traditional Chinese menu, including the tza jiang mien pictured. Liu opened MNH in 2017 after 21 years at The Mandarin in Beaverdale. Trained in China, Liu introduced Des Moines to Beijing duck and many other classics. Ravi and Girija Menneni, who owned India Market in Urbandale, plan to open a new, South Indian restaurant in the Mandarin Noodle House space.

The way of old hoods. James Beard Best Chef Award winner Annie Kim announced that she is closing her Young Joni in northeast Minneapolis last month. She could not agree to new lease terms after she led a run of top cafes to the hood (Boulangerie Marguerite is a block away), which was a Polish neighborhood a century ago. This is a sadly old story: An old declining neighborhood is discovered by young creative types for its low rents. Restaurants, theaters, clubs and galleries follow, and the hood becomes so cool that developers buy up old buildings (the original Grain Belt Brewery in this case) and convert or replace them with apartments. The rents go up and the young creative tenants are forced out. Annie Kim was just the latest casualty. Sound familiar? Remember the Court Avenue of Kaplan Hat, The Butterfly, Ye Old Spaghetti Works, Comedy Club, Jukebox Saturday Night and several, mostly gay dive bars? They are all long gone now for the same reasons.

Deals today
• Haiku (1315 31st St., Des MOines) lets kids 11 and younger eat free with adults on Wednesdays. Hot sour soup and egg rolls are comped today with lunch entrees.  

• 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. 

• Curbin' Cuisine (1325 S.W. Oralabor Road, Ankeny) offers traditional gyros for $7 Wednesdays. 

• Wine bottles are half price on Wednesdays at Trostel's Greenbriar (5910 Merle Hay Road, Johnston). The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines) also has half priced bottles on Wednesdays. 

• G Mig's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction) offers a special lasagna dinner today with salad and garlic bread for $19.25.

• 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.

• Tacos Mariana's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) and The Station (3124 Ingersoll) have specials on tacos today. 

• Village Inns offer free pie with entrees on Wednesdays. 

• 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., Des Moines) and barbecue ribs evening at G Migg's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction).

• Panka Peruvian (2708 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has live jazz Wednesday. 

• Chuck's (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines) offers $5 off pizza on Wednesdays.

• Curbin Cuisine (1325 S.W. Oralabor, Ankeny) has $7 gyros on Wednesdays. 

• 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.

• Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) has fried chicken specials tonight.  

• Kwik Stars' Wednesday special is eight pieces of fried chicken for $10. Their fried chicken is ridiculously good for a convenience store.  

• On Wednesdays, you can get any burger, wrap or sandwich with fries for $10.99 at Tito's Lounge (3916 N.W. Urbandale Drive, Urbandale). 

• Jethro's have $9.95 BPT sandwiches, including a side of choice, on Wednesdays.  
 
• Hy-Vee grills are offering a cheeseburger and fries Wednesday special for $8.

•  Price Choppers have sales on strawberries, cherries, nectarines and peaches all at $1.88/pound through Monday.

• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) begins a week-long sale on southern peaches at $1.49/pound and tomahawk ribeyes at $16.99/pound. 

• The Lamplighters play at Either/Or (6222 Grand Ave., Des Moines) tonight at 6 p.m.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

 
 
Featured in the current issue of CITYVIEW
 

FILM REVIEW
‘Friendship’ is equal parts unsettling and hilarious

By David Rowley

“Friendship”
R | 100 minutes
Director/Writer: Andrew DeYoung
Stars: Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara

As adulthood unfolds — spouses, careers and responsibilities consume our time — forging new friendships feels less like an inevitability and more like an absurd social experiment. Andrew DeYoung’s “Friendship” leans into that absurdity with the unhinged comedic brilliance of Tim Robinson, delivering a cringe-worthy, laugh-out-loud exploration of male connection (or the lack thereof). Equal parts hilarious and unsettling, the film is a reminder that it is still OK to laugh at people who just can’t get it right — no matter how hard they try.  ...

 
Read more
 
Featured home for sale
 
Post listings here for $50. Contact jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com for details.
$325,000

921 N.W. Calista Drive
Grimes, IA 50111

Welcome to this delightful two-story home nestled on a quiet cul-de-sac in Grimes. The main level features a cozy living room with a fireplace, kitchen, and a dedicated dining area with a sliding door that leads out to the deck—perfect for relaxing or entertaining. Upstairs, you’ll find three bedrooms, including a generous primary suite with a walk-in closet and 3⁄4 bathroom. ...

  
See the listing here.
 
See more homes for sale
 
SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction
 
1013 S.E., 14TH ST., DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2025-02-27
SALE PRICE: $580,000
SELLER: GUTIERREZ VILLASENOR, JOSE FELIX
BUYER: MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY
ACRES: 0.538
SQUARE FEET: 9,196
 
More transactions
 
Featured in the current
issue of Norwalk Living magazine
 

Celebrate Norwalk
Enjoy the Fourth of July with a hometown parade and fireworks.

By Rachel Harrington

Norwalk has a history of hosting one of the larger Fourth of July parades in central Iowa. This year, residents will once again celebrate the national holiday with a flourish of red, white and blue, a grand parade and fireworks. The events are sponsored by Norwalk Hometown Pride and the Lions Club.

The Fourth of July parade is organized by Norwalk Hometown Pride. Jackson Zeigler, co-vice chair of the community organization, along with Chair Tina Robinson, has worked diligently over the past two months.  ..

 
Read more
 
Sports headlines
FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Coco Gauff out at Wimbledon after stunning upset by Dayana Yastremska. World No. 2 Coco Gauff is out at Wimbledon after losing to Dayana Yastremska in a stunning round-one upset. Yastremska defeated Gauff in straight sets, 7–6 (7–3), 6–1. It is Gauff's second first-round exit at Wimbledon in three years. ... READ MORE
 
FROM ESPN: Penn to ban trans athletes, ends case focused on Lia Thomas. The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to ban transgender women from its women's sports teams to resolve a federal civil rights case that found the school violated the rights of female athletes. ... READ MORE
 
FROM YAHOO SPORTS: Fever upset Lynx in $500K championship game without Caitlin Clark. For all the talk about how much money Caitlin Clark makes for the WNBA, her Indiana Fever teammates made some cash for themselves on Tuesday. The Fever defeated the favored Minnesota Lynx 74-59 in the championship game of the WNBA Commissioner's Cup, earning a $500,000 prize pool plus a smaller cryptocurrency sum for each player. They did it despite missing Clark for a third-straight game due to a groin injury. ... READ MORE
 

1776: Continental Congress votes for independence from Britain. The Second Continental Congress, assembled in Philadelphia, formally adopts Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence from Great Britain. The vote is unanimous, with only New York abstaining. ... READ MORE

1937: Amelia Earhart disappears. On July 2, 1937, the Lockheed aircraft carrying American aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Frederick Noonan is reported missing near Howland Island in the Pacific. The pair were attempting to fly around the world when they lost their bearings during the most challenging leg of the global journey: Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island, a tiny island 2,227 nautical miles away, in the center of the Pacific Ocean. ... READ MORE

1964: President Johnson signs Civil Rights Act. On July 2, 1964, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs into law the historic Civil Rights Act in a nationally televised ceremony at the White House. ... READ MORE

 www.history.com

 
Birthdays and notables
 

Happy belated birthday to Jason Parkin, who was born on July 1.

These celebrities were born on this date: Margot Robbie, Lindsay Lohan, Ashley Tisdale, Alex Morgan, Derrick White, Caitlin Carmichael, Vince Staples, Gus Halper, Larry David, Danny Griffin, Geoff Wigington, Elizabeth Reaser

SUBMIT: Send your local birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

 
Morning chuckle

The answer to the last riddle: Why did the baseball player become a jeweler? HE WAS GOOD AROUND DIAMONDS. - Gail Tomlinson

Today's riddle: How do you protect a jewelry store at night?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

 

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or the Johnston Living magazine, contact:

Andrea Hodapp
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 322
Mobile: 515-883-0523
andrea@iowalivingmagazines.com

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