Juli Inkster, captain of the U.S. team for next summer's Solheim Cup tournament, is the headliner at a rally Thursday, where you can show off your own prowess at miniature golf.

LPGA GOLFERS AT RALLY THURSDAY

Pro golfers Juli Inkster, Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel will be at Capital Square on Thursday, Aug. 11, for a rally marking the one-year countdown to the 2017 Solheim Cup tournament to be held at Des Moines Golf and Country Club next August.

Inkster is captain of the U.S. team; Lincicome and Pressel competed on the winning team in 2015. Every two years, the best female golfers from the United States and Europe compete as teams, vying for the coveted cup in a series of 28 matches.

The rally starts at 11 a.m., then the party will flow out to Cowles Commons for mini golf and lunch. It's a day of inspiring speeches and autographs, with free lunch from local food trucks and a chance to win tickets to the 2017 Solheim Cup. Organizers encourage you to wear red, white and blue. Learn more and order tickets to the tournament here. Ticket sales this month will result in donations to United Way of Central Iowa's "Read to Succeed" program for children.

1 Home and 3 Bathrooms: Big Results from Modest Makeovers

We kept this project economical by retaining some elements, replacing others, and making some ingenious adjustments to the existing layout. What a difference! ... Read More �

Taste the ethereal side of beef with 801's carpaccio, paper-thin slices of filet mignon lightly trimmed with capers and Parmesan.

COOL DISHES FOR HOT NIGHTS

By Wini Moranville

On a hot summer night, it's tempting to just stay home and crank up the air conditioning. But if you do that, you'll miss out on these local favorites that will never taste better than right now.

Beef carpaccio at 801 Chophouse: Who ever thought beef could be refreshing? It is when it's prime filet mignon sliced paper-thin, then served simply with Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings, capers, arugula, olive oil and a grilled lemon for extra spark (801 Grand Ave.; 515-288-6000).

Louis salad at Splash: On a hot evening, dip into the cool and casual atmosphere of Splash Raw Bar; after a round of oysters served on ice, go for the Louis salad, a classic refresher with gulf shrimp, blue crab, tomato, hard-cooked egg and Louis dressing (303 Locust; 515-244-5686).

Bruschetta at Centro: This hearty knife-and-fork version of bruschetta brings Italian toast, chopped fresh tomato and basil, garlic, red onion and fresh mozzarella. I love ordering this, plus one of Centro's fabulous meat-and-cheese platters, and calling it dinner (1003 Locust St.; 515-248-1780).

Spicy egg salad at Cool Basil: This dish is most certainly not for everyone, but I adore it. Strips of curiously fried eggs (at once crisp and fluffy) arrive with tomatoes, sliced onion, ground chilies and cilantro. The light sauce brings those sweet-salty-tangy effects you get from a fish sauce, lime, and sugar dressing. It's more than the sum of its parts (1250 86th St.; 515-225-8111).

The Jenny salad at Flying Mango: So, you want something heartier--but still chill enough for a hot night? Go for this generous salad, with sliced, smoked beef brisket served with mixed greens, apples, red onions and peanuts with a honey-mustard dressing. (4345 Hickman Road; 515-255-4111).

For dessert, don't forget Alba's one-of-a-kind house-made ice creams. Current flavors include miso caramel, buttermilk, strawberry fields, Vietnamese coffee, cucumber granita, honeycomb and roasted banana. Nobody does ice cream better (524 E. Sixth St., 515- 244-0261).

Wini Moranville covers food and dining for dsm. Follow her at All Things Food - DSM Wini Moranville.

Put a corn dog on the end of that stick, maestro Giunta, and you'll be ready for the fair.

FOOD ON A BATON? SYMPHONY PLAYS FAIR

For the first time in more than 20 years, the Des Moines Symphony will perform on opening night of the Iowa State Fair. The family-friendly, patriotic performance will take place on the MidAmerican stage Thursday, Aug. 11, at 6:30 p.m. Broadway star Hugh Panaro will sing classics of the American songbook, and barbershop quartet Vintage Sound will perform a special tribute to Meredith Willson's Iowa classic, "The Music Man."

Jay and Daisy, Scott and Zelda ... who else might you imagine at the Gatsby Gala?

'IT'LL BE SUCH GOOD FUN, OLD SPORT'

The 1920s still roar, at least once each year when the Gatsby Gala fundraiser returns to support Des Moines' iconic Salisbury House & Gardens, built in the '20s and more enduring than either the Charleston or the Lindy Hop.

Revisit that gilded era Aug. 20, from 6 to 10 p.m., with an evening of dancing and dining in black-tie attire (or in fashions inspired by the Roaring '20s). The Max Wellman Quintet performs the music, local restaurants and caterers provide the food, and organizers promise a selection of "speakeasy-approved libations."

Admission is $150 ($100 for adults under age 35). For tickets or more information, click here. To reserve a table for eight ($1,500) or for four ($750), call 515-274-1777.

Cellist Ashley Sidon is artistic director for the free Zenith Chamber Music Festival.

CHAMBER MUSIC IN & OUT OF CHAMBERS

The Zenith Chamber Music Festival, created last year, returns

Aug. 16-20 with world-class musicians in a series of free concerts.

"Zenith brings classical music out of the traditional concert halls and into the community for an exceptionally accessible and memorable experience," says artistic director Ashley Sidon, a music professor at Drake University.

The series features musicians from symphonies in Cincinnati, Seattle and Houston, as well as Iowa artists. Each evening's performance is unique, balancing traditional classical music with klezmer, jazz and other diverse musical styles. Scheduled performances are:

Aug. 16, 7:30 p.m. - Salisbury House.
Aug. 17, 6 p.m. - Jasper Winery.
Aug. 18, 12:30 p.m. - Capital Square.
Aug. 19, 7:30 p.m. - Des Moines Art Center.
Aug. 20, 7:30 p.m. - Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University.

For more information, visit drake.edu/zenith.