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November 11, 2014

Andy Classen is a professor of trumpet and jazz studies at Drake.

Calling All Jazz and Golf Lovers

By Belle Du Chene

If you're a golfer, you're no doubt suffering withdrawal from putting on the greens, but that doesn't mean you can't have one last hurrah--even if it is in an auditorium and not on the course.

A special composition that pays tribute to Waveland Golf Course, called "Waveland Suites," will be performed by The Turner Jazz Center Orchestra Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Turner Jazz Center at Drake university.

Andy Classen, a professor of trumpet and jazz studies at Drake, composed the piece. The concert will feature a number of his original works.

Tickets are $15 for all ages and can be bought here. For more information about the orchestra, click here. You can also learn more about Classen here.

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The Coda Lounge at Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel offers comfortable seating for guests.

Soft Seating

By Wini Moranville

One of the first things I noticed in my recent preview of RōCA was the soft seating--that is, comfy divans and cushioned low chairs--in the front lounge area. It's just so ... sexy.

Eschewing the hard-edged feel of high-top bar tables, these soft, low settees invite everyone to get a little more relaxed, comfortable--and in some cases, a little closer. It's also a big-city trend; I noticed soft seating a couple of years ago in Chicago, most notably at The Girl and the Goat, where one huge corner couch angled against a giant low coffee table invited everyone to become better acquainted.

In Des Moines, I first admired soft seating at Dos Rios Cantina and Tequila Lounge; the couches make a lovely place to sip those craft margaritas. When the Coda Lounge at the Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel underwent a swank remodel a few years back, soft seating became the focus. It's a lovely place to grab a drink before or after a Des Moines Civic Center show. RōCA completes a trio of local restaurants tapping into a trend I'd enjoy seeing more of in town.

Coda Lounge, Renaissance Des Moine Savery Hotel, 401 Locust St.; 244-2151. Dos Rios Cantina and Tequila Lounge, 316 Court Ave.; 282-2995. RōCA: 208 Court Ave.; 282-3663.

Celebrate the start of the holiday season at the Botanical Garden's champagne and chocolate event.

An Excuse to Eat Chocolate?

By Belle Du Chene

Friends of the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden will present Celebrate Champagne and Chocolate Nov. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, 909 Robert D. Ray Drive.

Hundreds of holiday flowers, including amaryllis, paperwhites and hellebores, will set the scene for the second annual Holiday Exhibition. Guests can expect champagne, wine, beer and a signature cocktail, as well as a chocolate from Chocolaterie Stam and hors d'oeuvres by Trellis restaurant. The Garden Shop will be open for holiday gift shopping.

Tickets are $75 and can be purchased here or by calling 323-6290. Complimentary valet parking is included.

Take a minute to view this terrific video by Jacob Moyer and hear how key leaders took the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden from conception to creation and what the expanded and renovated facility means for our city.

fyi: Mark Your Calendar

Tonight dsm will join the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines to congratulate this year's Sages Over 70 from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Temple for Performing Arts. Tickets are $50 per person or $25 for young professionals; purchase them here. If you can't attend the event, you can still honor the Sages by donating to the Sages Over 70 Fund here.
"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" plays
at the Des Moines Civic Center Nov. 18-23. The Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber family musical retells the biblical story of Joseph. Buy tickets here or by calling 800-745-3000.
Lutheran Services of Iowa (LSI) will hold its Empower Luncheon to benefit Refugee Community Services Nov. 20 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Valley Community Center, 4444 Fuller Road, West Des Moines. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased here.

Joe Doemeier has 30 years of experience in the art, custom framing and installation business.

P.S.: The Art of Hanging Art

Nervous about hanging that new work of art you just bought? Or moving some of your most beloved pieces to a different spot? Joe Domeier can put your mind at ease. Domeier, owner of Installation Arts, installs, moves and delivers artworks. The former owner of The Art Store, Domeier has 30 years of experience in the art, custom framing and installation business. One of his tips for hanging art: Level the work by shifting the top back and forth, not the bottom. If you level the frame by moving the bottom, gravity will eventually win out and it will be crooked in a day. Dormeier can be reached by email or by calling 360-1747.

Belle Du Chene is senior editor of dsm magazine.

Wini Moranville, author of "The Bonne Femme Cookbook: Simple, Splendid Food That French Women Cook Every Day," is a food, wine and travel writer who covers the dining scene for dsm magazine. Follow her at All Things Food DSM - Wini Moranville and catch her food segment on Fridays at 6:40 a.m. on KCWI-23's "Great Day" morning show.