Many of you may not know this but I have a plant and gardening expert on my team!  My assistant, Whitney Bouma, was transitioning away from full-time work after she became a mom and I was lucky enough to snag her to be my part-time assistant.  Whitney is a botanist by training, the former Director […]

I always get excited about new restaurants! Especially family-owned and inspired restaurants that feature an amazing menu from fresh ingredients.  Lola’s Fine Kitchen opened earlier this year in Ankeny’s Prairie Trail District.  The food is inspired from the family’s roots – Asian cuisine with Pakistani and Filipino flavors combined to make amazing, mouthwatering dishes.   Lola’s is also known […]

Labor Day marks the unofficial end to summer, but there are hopefully a few weeks left to soak in the good weather before the cold creeps in! This list will show you how to treat yourself to all my local favorites while you enjoy the final weeks of summer.  For a little beautification pick up a bouquet […]

I’ve always loved plants and flowers and I know they have a lot of benefits to people.  But I didn’t realize to what a great extent until I stumbled across The Potager!  Founded by local bioregional clinical herbalist, Rachel Berndt, the Potager truly harnesses the power of plants through a variety of different services.  Rachel offers herbal workshops and […]

Design trends in your home can be a fickle thing. What’s in one month, can quickly be out the next. But I do know that there are some tried and true improvements and updates that are a win-win, whether you are just looking to spruce up your living space OR you want to make your […]

 One of the best parts of moving into a new home is getting to decorate it!  There are a lot of options out there for sourcing unique, vintage pieces for your home but there is one Des Moines shop that has absolutely nailed it. CK Design Co opened a little over a year ago and features […]

The City of Des Moines is celebrating National Parks and Recreation month with yet another awesome activity to participate in: 31 Parks in 31 Days.  Starting July 1 through July 31, if you visit all 31 designated parks in Des Moines and share a photo on their social sites with #tourdmparks2018 you will be entered to win $1000!!  What […]

Completing a home inspection is a crucial step in the purchase of your new home and honestly it can make or break the experience and ultimately the purchase.  Making sure you have a good home inspector is the first step to making sure your inspection is a breeze.  I have compiled a list of what […]

Spring is an amazing time of year.  Everything is waking up after a long and cold winter slumber. Trees are turning green, flowers are blooming and people are enjoying the outdoors.  And nothing says spring more than the smell of lilac trees.  It is, hands down, one of the most wonderful fragrances!  Even if you don’t have any lilacs in […]

Throughout the summer I will be documenting a few of my favorite parks around town! Greater Des Moines is bursting with amazing public parks and I want to make sure I’m sharing my favorites for others to know! This week’s Friday Find is Ironwood Park in Altoona …aka Pirate Park. With a pirate theme, you […]