Des Moines Chat Thread (Denver: 2013, hotel, neighborhood)

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by Meemur

Probably too cold for you, ElleTea, but it was 72 in the sun and the winds did die down from about 1 - 3. I know because I did exterior touch-up painting and checked since it's later in the season than I normally do such work. Usually about Oct. 10 is the last day I can paint before the rainy season.

I also planted some spring bulbs today and put some mothballs in with them to keep them from becoming squirrel food. That worked in Ohio, anyway.

I'm sort of surprised at how many leaves are still on the trees and the lack of fall colors. Is everything behind due to the late hot spell? Wouldn't the leaves normally be at least half down now? I'm not complaining! It just seems odd.

I was in Burlington yesterday to see my parents and have a final Napoli pizza. It wasn't as woram there, maybe 62, but it was hot in the car driving there and back. With the sun so low in the southern sky, it was pretty much right in my face the entire trip.

The leaves are a bit late. I am not complaining. I think leaves should be one color...green!

[Meemur]

What makes Napoli pizza special? How close is it to the Ikea store? I plan to make that road trip before winter sets in and I'll have lunch there.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by Meemur

What makes Napoli pizza special? How close is it to the Ikea store? I plan to make that road trip before winter sets in and I'll have lunch there.

IKEA store? Um, I would guess the closest one to Burlington IA is probably Schaumburg IL LOL
That is about 3 hours

Burlington is in SE Iowa. Pop of about 23,000. Nothing of interest there other than the Mississippi River and my favorite pizza ever. Napoli's has been there since 1972 and it is family owned by a Greek family with a homemade recipe. it's SO GOOD! I bought a Napoli tshirt

[atler8]

Thanks for clarifying here about the "Ikea Store". My jaw dropped when I read that earlier in reference to Burlington. LOL!
Burlington is the largest city in Iowa that I've never visited. The next largest would be Muscatine but I have the bases covered for everything else in the state that has over 10,000 for a population.
Given my love for the Great River & it's woods & bluffs, I regret missing those 2 cities to this point in my life. I think that Burlington's Snake Alley would definitely be a highlight of a visit there.
At this point though, my fantasy musings about retirement often lead me to think about a home with a great bluff top view in Dubuque.
And given the presence of a couple of dear friends there along with the noticeable vast improvement in the City of Des Moines since I left that metro in 1979, Des Moines would be close behind as a second choice.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by atler8

Thanks for clarifying here about the "Ikea Store". My jaw dropped when I read that earlier in reference to Burlington. LOL!
Burlington is the largest city in Iowa that I've never visited. The next largest would be Muscatine but I have the bases covered for everything else in the state that has over 10,000 for a population.
Given my love for the Great River & it's woods & bluffs, I regret missing those 2 cities to this point in my life. I think that Burlington's Snake Alley would definitely be a highlight of a visit there.
At this point though, my fantasy musings about retirement often lead me to think about a home with a great bluff top view in Dubuque.
And given the presence of a couple of dear friends there along with the noticeable vast improvement in the City of Des Moines since I left that metro in 1979, Des Moines would be close behind as a second choice.

Snake Alley is pretty cool. One of my favorite things to do was take visitors for a drive down it. It is definitely unique.

The town now is SO hard to get around. They have closed so many streets and built awkward ways to get around some of the closed intersections. Several streets downtown are also just closed permanently at the railroad tracks...and that is a pain in itself. Yesterday I was reminded of the annoyance of a coal train stopped on the tracks blocking Main Street for a good 15 minutes.

I could NEVER live there again. And, there really isn't a reason to go back. It was nice to have one final visit.

[atler8]

When they tore through Burlington to build the souped up xpressway version of U.S. 34, did that cause similar grief with street closings that are permanent?
I always hate to see a scar ripped through a city in that manner.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by atler8

When they tore through Burlington to build the souped up xpressway version of U.S. 34, did that cause similar grief with street closings that are permanent?
I always hate to see a scar ripped through a city in that manner.

Hwy 34 has been the same through Burlington my entire life, so I don't know. I do know that before I was born my parents lived in a house in the path of it, they were forced to sell and move.

Most of the street closings have been due to railroad crossings.

[Meemur]

Oh . . . my mistake! I have in my notes that Ikea is in Burlington, but I probably meant to write Bolingbrook (IL).

Well, perhaps I'll visit there one day and have Napoli pizza.

I'm still learning the state . . . I'm looking forward to some road trips next spring.

[atler8]

What part of the state are you in now & what sort of attractions, scenery, etc. most interest you?

[Meemur]

I'm near (not in) Ankeny. I'm learning the bike paths and will x-country ski this winter if there's enough snow and my back and knees continue to heal from the move. It was not the brightest idea to haul the couch out on my own to the street. I'm not a 30-something. I forget that sometimes.