dsm is pleased to announce this year's
Sages Over 70 honorees: Charles "Chuck" Betts, J.C. "Buz" Brenton, Donald "Don" Brush, Judy Conlin, Patty Cownie and Stan Reynolds. In partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, dsm will honor these leaders at a special Sages Over 70 event Nov. 11, 5-7 p.m., at The Temple for Performing Arts. They also will be recognized in the November issue of the magazine. Please join us in congratulating them!

If you haven't already started planning your dining adventure--and searching for looser-fitting pants--for Restaurant Week, you'd better start. This year's event, Aug. 15-24, will include 32 of the city's top restaurants offering two lunches or one three-course dinner for only $25. That gives you a perfect opportunity not only to revisit an old favorite but also to check out a restaurant you've been thinking of trying--but haven't yet.

In addition to having the chance to unleash your inner gourmand, you also could win a trip for two to Bermuda. Donated by the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, the package includes airfare, lodging and more. Click here for details. Read about Restaurant Week 2014 in dsm magazine here. See a full list of participating restaurants here, and click here to check out Restaurant Week menus.

By Belle Du Chene

Jody Gifford, the new executive director of Ballet Des Moines, admits that moving from a 20-year career in journalism to the dance company "looks like a pretty big leap--no dance pun intended. But my skills and background in the communications field are a huge asset to an organization like Ballet Des Moines."

A Marshalltown native, Gifford has been hooked on ballet ever since seeing her first performance in high school. "We have (in Des Moines) this incredibly beautiful art form that begs to be seen and talked about," she says. "I was hired, in part, to help start that conversation using my ability to tell a story."

With two daughters (ages 8 and 6), Gifford looks forward to this year's "The Nutcracker" Dec. 11-14 as part of a family tradition. But she is "positively giddy" about "3 + One: A Triple Bill" Oct. 24-26 for its non-traditional storyline. "It's perfect for a wide range of audiences, from the first-timer to the ballet aficionado," she says.

This season's lineup also includes "The Wizard of Oz" on April 4, 2015. For more information on the season, click here.

By Wini Moranville

I've probably tried around 90 percent of the patios in this city, and I've come up with a clear favorite: the cute patio and lawn at Woody's Smoke Shack.

There's just so much to appreciate about this barbecue spot, starting with the expert smoked meats that nobody doesn't love. A rack of the insanely good ribs, plus two sides and a slice of pie, easily serves two hungry diners for around $30. You can get out of here for much less if you order smoked meat sandwiches. Bonus: You can bring your own beer and wine; there's no corkage fee, ever.

 

Ribs and sides at Woody's.

With its thoughtful décor and landscaping--and plenty of shade--the patio itself is über-pleasant: Choose from wrought-iron tables atop the stone-tiled terrace or wooden picnic tables on the grassy lawn. Dine on a Wednesday, and you can groove to

live music--lively but never intrusive.

And then there's the pie. All kinds of fresh summer

fruit pies, all made in-house from scratch, with flaky, true-to-Iowa crusts. The night of our visit, diners were lining up for peach, rhubarb, black raspberry and cherry pie, and our slice (rhubarb) was so good, we unequivocally forgave them for not having any ice cream to top it. Truly, you won't need it, because it's just that good.

Woody's Smoke Shack is at 2511 Cottage Grove Ave.; 277-0005.