Monthly Archives: May 2011

Two Des Moines sandwiches battle to become ESPN’s “Greatest Sports Sandwich in America”

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Two Des Moines sandwiches – Jethro’s BBQ’s “The Adam Emmenecker Challenge” and Manhattan Deli’s “Zach Johnson – No. 3 Hoagie” – have been nominated to compete as the “Greatest Sports Sandwich in America” via ESPN’s Fanwich contest. Both colossal sandwiches are a part of ESPN’s nationwide Facebook contest, whose mission is to find the best sports-inspired sandwich named after an American sports legend.

The sandwiches are the creations of two local eateries, Jethro’s BBQ and the Manhattan Deli, and both are unique in their ingredients and in their sports inspirations.

1) “The Adam Emmenecker Challenge” includes five pounds of sandwich and fries, which consists of: a huge pork tenderloin, Angus steak burger, slabs of Texas brisket, applewood bacon, fried cheese, buffalo chicken tenders, melted cheddar cheese, white cheddar sauce and a spicy pickle. (Not even Adam Richman of “Man v. Food” could take down the sandwich in the allotted 15 minutes.)

The sandwich is named after Adam Emmenecker, a Drake University basketball legend from 2004 – 2008 who was named the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year and MVP of the 2008 MVC Tournament.

2) The “Zach Johnson – No. 3 Hoagie” is a fresh deli hoagie sandwich packed with ham, hard salami, pepperoni, provolone, hot pepper cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo and oil dressing.

The legend behind the sandwich - Zach Johnson, a former Drake University golfer who became the 2007 Masters Golf Tournament winner. (He beat out Tiger Woods to win his green jacket.)

Currently, “The Adam Emmenecker Challenge” has 1892 votes and is ranked number one and the “Zach Johnson – No. 3 Hoagie” has 814 votes and is ranked number three.

Whether you’re a golf fan or a basketball fan (or just a fan of Des Moines like me!), vote for these two sandwiches to show your support of the delectable, local fare in Des Moines! Cast your vote before June 6 by visiting the ESPN Fanwich page.

Dwollapalooza held thanks to Zaarly connections

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Two great things about Des Moines, the startup community and the local music scene, collided last night at Dwolla headquarters thanks to Tikly, Dwolla, Zaarly and Jason Walsmith of The Nadas.

A listing was put up on Zaarly, a website that helps you buy and sell things from the people around you, by Jason Walsmith of The Nadas offering live entertainment. Dwolla, a Des Moines-based startup company, decided to jump at the chance of a personal concert with Jason Walsmith. After a blog post by Dwolla, a few pushes on Twitter and Facebook, and only a few hours,  Dwollapalooza was born. Dwollapalooza was held yesterday from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Dwolla’s office in downtown Des Moines.

“I think Zaarly offers a very interesting way to make connections between artists and people who love music,” said Emma Peterson, communications director at Authentic Records. ”What I’m excited about is the ability to add a gig at a non-traditional show time. Or, let’s say you want to have a party on Friday and would love to have some talent present. Zaarly some live music, you never know who may have a few hours free and would be happy to play your living room. The potential for Zaarly and the music scene blows my mind.”

At Dwollapalooza Walsmith performed for an audience of 20 + people for around 45 minutes. The concert was soo personal that Walsmith interacted with the crowd, took song requests and even joked that it was his first time playing in the Midland Building, his first time playing surrounded by Dwolla’s idea-filled white boards and one of the most intimate performances that he’s ever given.

“I thought Zaarly sounded cool, and seemed like another way to connect with fans in a surprising and barrier-breaking way,” said Walsmith. ”My favorite part about Dwollapalooza was the spontaneity of the whole thing. With a few key strokes we booked a gig and created a buzz that rippled through our social media circle of friends and beyond exponentially.”

With the power of social media, the talent of a great local musician, the willingness of Dwolla to provide the show and the concept of Zaarly, Dwollapalooza was a success.

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Vote for Des Moines Social Club’s $50K idea via Pepsi Refresh

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Des Moines Social Club (DMSC), a non-profit organization that “uses arts as a catalyst to create unprecedented community engagement,” has been selected as a part of the Pepsi Refresh Project.

The Pepsi Refresh Project’s goal is to award $20 million in grants to support local businesses, non-profit organizations and even individuals who have ideas that are creating a positive impact on the world. These organizations submit their community-changing ideas, and Pepsi chooses a select few that are voted upon. The projects with the most votes at the end of the voting period wins. Each month, up to $1.125 million in grants can be awarded, and the Des Moines Social Club is in the running to receive $50,000 of the grant money.

What would the $50,000 grant support?
The $50,000 would support the organization’s weekly programming (which fosters the art, culture and theater scenes in Des Moines) and the necessary funding to create a permanent residence for the Club.

How does the Des Moines Social Club win the $50,000?
By getting a large number of votes during the month of May. Here’s how to vote:

  1. Log on to the Pepsi Refresh website.
  2. Create an account (they’ll ask for your name, e-mail, and birth date) or login using your Facebook account.
  3. Vote! During the month of May you can vote once per day for the DMSC.
  4. Bonus points: Vote and share your experience on your social media networks – Facebook, Twitter, ect.!

It’s that simple!

So, why should I vote for the Des Moines Social Club?
“We do a lot,” said Jessica Miller Director of Marketing for the Des Moines Social Club. “Where else can you watch a play, drink a beer, buy local art, compete in trivia, perform, play ping pong, see a live talk show, take a class, laugh at improv, hear a concert, and network — all under one roof? We are not a real club. Everyone is welcome. We definitely filled a void in the community. We gave people a space and it organically became a success.”

A vote for the Des Moines Social Club is a vote for Des Moines. To Miller, it’s a no-brainer why someone should vote.

“Number one, it’s easy. Number two, none of your pocket is required and number three, every vote matters.”

Have you voted to refresh Des Moines yet?

Nitefall on the River hits the Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheater

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From singing mummies to a past American Idol contestant, the 2011 Nitefall on the River series has music for just about everyone. From the beginning of May until the end of July a wide range of different acts will perform as a part of Nitefall on the River, a yearly concert series at the Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheater. Nitefall on the River provides concertgoers a relaxing evening along the river, a beautiful backdrop of the Des Moines skyline and an array of talented musicians.

After going to a few different Nitefall on the River concerts last year, I’ve learned a few things about attending the shows. Here are my tips for maximizing your concert experience:

  1. Before getting to the show, check out the musical acts website, download a few of their songs and get to know the band – you’ll feel more connected and you might even find yourself humming along to the beats or requesting your favorite song.
  2. While there aren’t many “bad spots” at the Amphitheater, I’d go early and stake your claim on a nice spot. Whether you’re rocking a lawn chair or a blanket, you’ll want to have your options open.
  3. It can get pretty hot at the concerts before the sun goes down and a little chilly after the sun sets, so make sure that you wear layers and pack a sweatshirt, just in case. Bonus tip: If you’re going to enjoy an ice-cold beverage at the show pack a koozie too!
  4. Food and beverages are available at the show. Food options include: BBQ, Hot Dogs, Gyros/Pita from $3 – $6 each and beverages include: Fat Tire, Skinny Dip, Ranger, Coors Light, Mikes Hard Lemonade ($5 each) and water, Pepsi products for $2 each. Cash and major credit cards can be used to buy concert tickets at the door and drink tickets, but you’ll have to bring cash to purchase food.
  5. Even though children 10 and under are free with a paid adult, that doesn’t mean that you should invite all of the children you know. Last year I (unfortunately) sat next to a clan of small children – it didn’t seem like a good time for either the parents or the children.
  6. To save some time and a few bucks order your tickets in advance by visiting Midwestix.com or by calling (515) 244-2771. If you want to wait until the day of the show you can still purchase tickets at the door with cash or credit card.
  7. If it happens to rain the day of the show, don’t worry because there are two different rain locations available – People’s Court and the Val Air Ballroom. Check the Des Moines Register’s website and the Nitefall on the River Facebook page for these updates.
  8. Make sure you follow @nitefalldsm on Twitter and like Nitefall on the River on Facebook to get the most up-to-date information and the inside scoop on free ticket giveaways.

Take advantage of the nice weather, bring a lawn chair, blankets, bug spray, sunglasses, some cash and enjoy the 2011 Nitefall on the River concert line-up:

  • Wednesday, May 4 – Slightly Stoopid w/ The Meat Puppets
  • Thursday, May 5 – Here Come the Mummies w/ Shelly Fairchild
  • Friday, June 3 – Hairball (Doors at 7PM)
  • Thursday, June 9 – Big Head Todd w/ Toots & Maytals
  • Monday, June 20 – Natasha Bedingfield w/ Kate Voegele & Andy Grammer
  • Thursday, June 23 – Christina Perri – (Tickets on Sale: 5/6 @ 10am)
  • Friday, June 24 – The Nadas
  • Thursday, June 30 – Toad the Wet Sprocket
  • Friday, July 1 – Umphrey’s McGee (Doors at 7PM)
  • Wednesday, July 6 – Matisyahu w/ The Wailers
  • Friday, July 8 – Yonder Mountain String Band (Doors at 7:30PM)
  • Thursday, July 7 – Gin Blossoms
  • Thursday, July 21 – Lee DeWyze
  • Thursday, July 28 – Keller Williams

 

Five 5K’s: Race #1 – “Megan Koepke’s Catch the Spirit 5K”

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First off, I’ve never been a runner and I’ve always wondered why someone would think that running, of all things, would be considered a “fun” activity. Before I started training to meet my 2011 goal, the last time I ran ( a mile or more) was in eighth grade. But, as I sat down to make my 2011 New Year’s Goal I knew that running would be something that would push me to my limits, as well as help me tackle my goal of keeping healthy and active in 2011…so I figured, “Why not, it can’t be that bad!” – I can give this whole running thing a shot. So, for my 2011 New Year’s Goal, I decided that I was going to run five 5K’s this year.

My 5K goal is all about supporting the community and local organizations, and growing as a person, mentally and physically, along the way. So, I’m happy to announce that I’ll be running my first 5K this week! On Wednesday, May 4, I’m running the “Megan Koepke Catch the Spirit 5K” in Waverly, Iowa, which benefits Children’s Cancer Connection’s Camp Heart Connection, a yearly camp for children battling cancer and their siblings.

Megan Koepke, at Camp Heart Connection.

Megan Koepke, who the race is named after, attended Camp Heart Connection from 2000 – 2006 and she loved camp. Many of the counselors, campers and staff would call her “Queen Megan,” as she was seen wearing a feather boa and tiara on a regular basis. She was full of life and laughter. Unfortunately, Megan lost her battle with cancer and passed away at the age of 12.

“After Megan’s first experience at camp, we felt like we were part of a very large support network and extended family,” says Rhonda, Megan’s mom. “It was so wonderful to allow all of our daughters a ‘normal’ camp experience, a time to not worry about our lives with cancer in it. We were fortunate to also be able to put together our own fundraiser for the camp program at Megan’s school.”

For the past 5 years Megan’s friends, family and the Waverly-Shell Rock Junior High School have held a 5K Run/Walk, which winds around the scenic Cedar River and then returns to the Junior High School, a meal and a carnival to celebrate her life.

Since I will be in Waverly on Wednesday, I decided that this 5K would be a good race to run for my first 5K experience! While I’m a little nervous for the race itself, I’m excited to kick off my five 5K’s by supporting this great race and cause.

Des Moines Runners – I’m still looking for a couple of races to run/support. Have you run any 5K’s in Des Moines that you would recommend? Please leave a comment below and let me know of your favorite races around the Des Moines area.