A colleague and friend had asked me if I would be willing to write up a little article on Iowa for her organization's newsletter. I had the option of writing anything I wanted about living in Iowa or Des Moines and that really got me thinking. When I was younger, I wanted nothing more than to get out of this city, and this state. I was sure that I was missing out on all the excitement of living in a big city and constantly complained that there was nothing to do.
Over the years, as I've spent time in some of the larger cities, I've realized that Des Moines is actually a pretty nice place to live. There is constantly something going on but without the price and hassle of a big city. I can take in a baseball game for less than a movie. Now sure, the players don't play in the big leagues, but an afternoon at the ball park is really what baseball is about for me. I can check out some incredible world class art for free at the Des Moines Art Center or spend a day at the zoo checking out all the animal life.
The restaurant scene here in Des Moines has finally grown up. Working downtown (20 minutes from my house) I'm surrounded by great restaurants that don't take hours or reservations to get into. Good sushi, no problem, and without the high prices of other cities. Great variety, certainly. A New York Times article during the recent presidential campaign said that Des Moines had one of the best restaurant scenes in the country for a city this size. Per capita, we eat well.
But the big thing that I love about this city is that it feels small in many senses. I'm not constantly overcrowded. I can go walking on any of the numerous trails in the city without running into a lot of people. I can eat in any of the restaurants in town on a Friday night without more than an hour wait. I can get anywhere in town in 20 minutes or so. I live in a very nice neighborhood at a very affordable price. And there is more than enough to do. I can take in live music pretty much every night. I can shop at a farmer's market every night in the summer. But more than anything I can live well at a reasonable price. I love this city. I've gone from feeling like I'm missing out to realizing that they only thing I'm missing is high prices and hassles. This is a great town and this week I'm remembering that.
2 comments:
I never thought I would see this! I'll show mom.
It took me a while but sometimes I have a grown-up moment or two. :-)
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