DOWNTOWN IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT MAGAZINE | FALL + WINTER 2016-17
hitting the town
dress like a local
take a peek
public space one
new to the neighborhood Page 8
outfits straight from the street Page 16
inside the homes of downtown residents Page 21
a creative community grows Page 27
THE
OF REAL ESTATE. PERFECTED.
S
pend an evening in downtown Iowa City and you’ll see the local arts scene and diverse culture of this great city are alive and well. From the museums, art galleries and restaurants to the concert halls and theatres, this is a college town that takes pride in supporting its local artists. Alan Swanson, Adam Pretorius and Tim Conroy know this well. They’ve all been heavily involved in this community throughout the years. Though they each offer their own artistic talents, together they make up the A-Team and have perfected their own very specific art form: The Art of Real Estate.
THE ART OF REAL ESTATE ALAN SWANSON ADAM PRETORIUS TIM CONROY 319.321.3129 506 E. College St. • Iowa City, IA
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ATeamListens.com Licensed to sell real estate in the state of Iowa
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CELEBRATING
25 YEARS
of classic women’s style Join us for an Open House
November 19th
life’s too short to be uncomfortable 109 S. Dubuque Street • 319.339.0410
Curated Eyewear from Around the World
Frames + Lenses Starting at Only $149
Eyewear. Contact Lenses. Eye Exams.
Online Pricing. In Person Service.
www.SeeWellLookGreat.com
www.WearFocus.com
Now Open at 218 E Washington Street Across the street from Englert Theatre and Java House
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IN THIS ISSUE OF D O W N T O W N
DOWNTOWN IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT MAGAZINE
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK 8 New and incoming downtown businesses
WHAT TO WEAR
18
DOWNTOWN LIVING
21
PUBLIC SPACE ONE
27
ON THE BOOKS
31
Outfits from your favorite shops
EDITOR | KATE CONLOW ART DIRECTOR | FRANKIE SCHNECKLOTH
Residents open up about life downtown
WRITERS AND EDITORS
A look at what’s happening at the north side nonprofit
ALEA ADIGWEME, BRITTANY BORGHI, KATE CONLOW, FRANKIE SCHNECKLOTH, ABBY THOMAS
DESIGNERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS ZAK NEUMANN, FRANKIE SCHNECKLOTH, TIM TARANTO
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
Get to know three downtown digital tech companies
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BEST BITES 13
ICDD STAFF
Sustenance for the cooler months
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | NANCY BIRD
CITY STYLE 16
Recommended reads from IC residents
CALENDAR 32 Don’t miss these seasonal events
IN CONVERSATION
An experimental physicist and a visionary jeweler connect
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A look at what the locals are wearing
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS BETSY POTTER
RETAIL DIRECTOR | NATE KAEDING SPECIAL EVENTS AND SPONSOR RELATIONS ASSISTANT MARY BESLER
DOWNTOWNIOWACITY.COM FACEBOOK: /DOWNTOWNIC INSTAGRAM: @DOWNTOWNIOWACITY TWITTER: @ICDOWNTOWN COPYRIGHT ©2016 BY IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY THE IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. A PORTION OF THIS PUBLICATION HAS BEEN UNDERWRITTEN BY M.C. GINSBERG.
ON THE COVER: A view of the Jefferson Building from the balcony of Magda Montiel Davis’s eighthfloor condo in the Park@201 building on the Downtown Iowa City Ped Mall.
Feather your nest! spectacular gifts + exceptional jewelry
Richard Hess
207 E Washington 319.351.8686 open daily www.iowa-artisans-gallery.com
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WE’VE CHANGED THE NANO PUFF JACKET FOR GOOD win for performance
It’s not easy to lighten the environmental impact of a trusted technical piece like the Patagonia® Nano Puff® Jacket without sacrificing performance, but it’s part of Patagonia’s mission to try. So they challenged their partners at PrimaLoft to help. The result is new PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Eco. Lightweight, compressible and warm even when wet, it’s premium synthetic insulation with 55% recycled content and zero loss in performance. It’s so good it’s now used in all Nano Puff® styles.
win for the planet
By using PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Eco in all Nano Puff® styles, Patagonia will keep 2 million plastic bottles from the landfill this year alone. But a breakthrough like this is too important not to share. Beginning in 2017, PrimaLoft will replace all of its Gold Insulation, anywhere it’s used, with the new 55% recycled Gold Eco. That’s a huge leap forward not just for the outdoor community but for any industry that uses synthetic insulation Photo: Mikey Schaefer
Photo: Mikey Schaefer © 2016 Patagonia, Inc.
138 S. CLINTON STREET WWW.SHOPACTIVEENDEAVORS.COM
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From Past to Present... PHOEBE MARTIN
is your Iowa City native with extensive real estate knowledge in Iowa City and surrounding areas.
phoebe martin / skogman Ardenia
1972
1978 City Hig h Sch
o ol
Henry Sabin Ele mentary
1990
2530 Corridor Way, Suite 302
6
Cell: 319-541-8695 phoebe@skogman.com www.phoebemartin.skogman.com
P ho ebe Mar tin PC-6000052648
DOWNTOWN | FALL + WINTER 2016-17
e back. fees may apply. se FALL + WINTER 2016-17 |
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new kids on the block
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
From a cult burger shop to an urban garden boutique, these new and soon-to-open businesses are adding to an already dynamic downtown.
MOSS
LULULEMON ATHLETICA
TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES
12 E. WASHINGTON ST.
281 N. LINN ST.
105 S. DUBUQUE ST.
mossymoss.com
facebook.com/lululemoniowacity
tenthousandvillages.com/iowacity
If you’re like us, you might start jumping up and down at the news that Downtown Iowa City has become home to a dedicated flower and plant shop. Since 2012, Anne Armitage and Alan Peterka have been cultivating fans at their store Bark & Bloom in Cedar Rapids’ NewBo Market. At the urging of their customers, they decided to open Moss, an “urban garden boutique” offering succulents, lush houseplants, and terrariums, as well as classes, planting services, and other gifts and decor.
This international retailer has made a name for itself by creating high-quality, stylish athletic apparel for both men and women that fits so well and feels so good on, you’ll want to wear it even when you aren’t working out. We’re also big fans of Lululemon’s free community yoga classes, which are held Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. and are instructed by teachers from various Iowa City yoga studios.
If Ten Thousand Villages sounds familiar, it’s because for the past two years the fair-trade retailer has opened a pop-up store in Iowa City during the winter holiday season to sell a curated collection of home goods, clothing, accessories, and other items. Now they are settling into a permanent storefront on the Ped Mall where they will continue to carry their variety of global, artisan-crafted gifts.
ZOMBIE BURGER
JIMMY JACK’S RIB SHACK
MERGE
229 S. DUBUQUE ST.
201 S. CLINTON ST.
156 S. DUBUQUE ST.
facebook.com/zombieburgeriowacity
jimmyjacksribshack.com
facebook.com/MERGE-Iowa-City
Since opening in Des Moines five years ago, the “post-apocolyptic chic” Zombie Burger has developed a cult following as the restaurant has expanded throughout Iowa (another location is also opening in Coralville). With a menu featuring burgers like “The Walking Ched” and booze-optional milkshakes like “Zombie Bride Wedding Cake,” we’re pretty sure this fast-casual spot will quickly attract hordes of hungry Hawkeyes.
For years, the east side Jimmy Jack’s has been attracting diners with its housesmoked meats and addictive barbecue sauces, and now the barbeque shop has brought its menu downtown. Co-owner Jack Piper says they decided to open a second location because “everyone for the past five years has had one request: ‘When are you going to open another Jimmy Jack’s?’”
Downtown Iowa City is becoming a center for technology innovation in Iowa, and MERGE, which opens in early 2017, intends to fill a crucial gap in the state’s manufacturing network by providing prototyping and fabrication equipment and expertise. A collaboration with the University of Iowa and backed by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, it will bring together entrepreneurs, technology professionals, graphic artists, and students to provide resources across Iowa.
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new kids on the block
illustration by Tim Taranto
DISCERNING EYE & FOCUS
CREATIVE MELLEN
EL PATRÓN
218 E. WASHINGTON ST.
24 S. CLINTON ST., STE. B
109 E. COLLEGE ST.
discerningeyeoptical.com
creativemellen.com
elpatroniowacity.com
When this Iowa City optician and eyewear boutique moved a block down Washington Street to the storefront formerly occupied by Chait Galleries, the location wasn’t its only change. Inside Discerning Eye’s new space will be another store called Focus, which will offer modern frames and lenses at affordable prices. Think: Warby Parker, only instead of shopping online, you get the inperson service to go along with the fly specs.
With so many businesses on street level, it’s sometimes easy to forget that just one story up, makers and creatives are putting Iowa City on the map. One such business is Creative Mellen, a multi-disciplinary design studio that works with clients—ranging from global companies to local start-ups—to grow their brand identities by developing engaging digital, print, and other media.
We were pretty excited when we heard that El Patrón, one of Iowa City’s newest restaurants offering Mexican-inspired cuisine, was creating their own tequila. Collaborating with the master distiller at Patrón Tequila, they offer their own single-barrel-aged añejo tequila and plan to debut a reposado in the near future. We recommend the tequila neat or in one of their potent margaritas.
OPN ARCHITECTS
CORTADO
LE GOURMET
24 ½ S. CLINTON ST.
26 S. CLINTON ST.
201 S. CLINTON ST.
After years of working at cafes and coffee shops in cities across the globe, owner Yochai Harel decided to open his own place in Iowa City. Located where Austin Burke once was, the space has been completely remodeled, with exposed brick, white walls, soaring ceilings, and a long bar. In addition to espresso drinks and pour-over coffee, this Europeanstyle cafe offers breakfast pastries and madeto-order salads and sandwiches for lunch.
Tucked into the north corner of Old Capitol Mall, this inviting walk-up counter is part Korean bakery, part breakfast and lunch stand. In addition to ready-to-go breakfast pastries and desserts, they have a menu of made-to-order American classics like the angus beef burger, and more traditional Korean dishes like tteok-bokki, their daily rice porridge, and the bulgogi burger.
opnarchitects.com
First established in 1979, this Midwestern architecture firm is known for its beautiful, innovative, and functional designs. Case in point: the recently completed Hancher Auditorium. We’re also excited about the ICDD and Think Bicycles bike parklet that OPN designed. In addition to Iowa City, OPN has offices in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, and Madison, Wis.
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201 S. CLINTON ST
(319) 338-7858 • www.oldcapitoltownctr.com 10
Blick Art Supply • All About Phones • Glassando Hills Bank & Trust • Silver Spider • Horizon Wireless Sunkissed Tanning • Four Seasons • GNC Beat the Book Store • Chipotle Mexican Grill • Advanced EyeCare • CVS Pharmacy • Sushi Kicchin • Erbert and Gerbert's Sandwich Shop • Noodles & Co • Buffalo Wild Wings • China Star • iWireless • I Love Pho • Candy Nails Le Gourmet • TSpoons • Cookies and More • Sweets and Treats • Seoul Grill • UI QuickCare • Gazette • Bubble Pop Ichiban • Hawkeye Fan Shop • Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack
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technically speaking
Digi Know? We asked three downtown digital technology companies for their elevator pitch to let you know who they are and what they do. 1
3
Sculpt
MetaCommunications
105 E. COLLEGE ST. wearesculpt.com
201 E. WASHINGTON ST. metacommunications.com
The Elevator Pitch It’s no secret that social media now drives many of our conversations and is an important tool in disseminating news. Sculpt is a marketing agency that helps companies and organizations (many of which are entrepreneurial and Iowagrown) connect with their customers by tapping into the full potential of social media platforms. In order to market their clients, Sculpt builds online communities around brands, facilitates conversations among social media users, and creates stories and other digital content.
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The Team If you envision a social marketing agency as a place filled with Millennials holding titles you haven’t heard of yet (i.e. community manager), you’d definitely be thinking of Sculpt. Founded four years ago by University of Iowa graduate Josh Krakauer, the company has since grown to employ many digital natives.
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The Daily Grind The team at Sculpt works with clients ranging from digital startups to well-established grocery chains on projects that align with employees’ interests and passions. Operations manager Emily McMahon says that at Sculpt, “our days are filled with everything from hard cider and dogs, to interior design and educational technologies.” The Elevator Pitch If Dropbox, Adobe Cloud, and Google Drive combined into one central platform, they might come close to becoming ProofMe. An offshoot of MetaCommunications. ProofMe has produced a namesake product that offers real-time editing, proofing, and collaboration capacities for just about any type of file: from a Microsoft Word document, to an InDesign project, to a video.
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proofMe 201 E. WASHINGTON ST. proofme.com
INNOVATIVE IOWANS Meet two companies, both founded by University of Iowa alumni, that are solving 21st-Century problems through pioneering digital technologies. FALL + WINTER 2016-17 |
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The Space If you’ve visited downtown at night, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with MetaCommunications’ glowing second-floor space in the Park@201 building, where they moved two years ago. As the company has continued to grow, they have opened satellite offices in Austin, Texas, and St. Petersburg, Russia, but they say their location in Iowa City has been a huge draw in attracting talented employees. The Daily Grind A lot of companies have found that MetaCommunications’ customized workflow software enhances employee productivity and saves money (millions of dollars in some cases). On any given day, staff in Iowa City are working with brands like Crate & Barrel, IKEA, Sony, Ralph Lauren, National Geographic, and more.
The Users ProofMe was made to make digital collaboration easier for professionals in publishing, design, photography, video, and many other fields. Companies like Reebok, Delta Airlines, and Samsung are catching on to the ease and functionality of the platform. ProofMe is also intended to be accessible to freelancers and small businesses, so they offer a free version, with optional paid upgrades.
TELEPHARM
telepharm.com | 105 Iowa Ave., #231 TelePharm was originally created by Roby Miller as a solution to serve rural Eastern Iowa communities that had seen their local pharmacies close over the past decade. The company’s technology allows pharmacies to digitally connect with
The Elevator Pitch Whether you’re a freelance designer that works from home or a project manager at a large corporate office, much of daily workplace communication happens digitally. At MetaCommunications, they are reimagining the possibilities of digital communication and collaboration for marketing and creative professionals through streamlined workflow, project management, and file sharing software.
customers in more remote locations. Over the past four years, TelePharm has extended its reach and services across the United States, and it was recently sold to an Ohio-based healthcare company.
The Daily Grind A small, dedicated team of engineers mans the helm of ProofMe with one big goal: to become the global standard for digital content creation. With 27,800 users in 37 countries and counting, it seems like the minds behind this Ped Mall business may very well be on their way to attaining what they’ve set out to accomplish.
MAZIRA
mazira.com | 316 E. Court St. Mazira evolved out of a collaboration between Amanda Johnson, Ross Johnson, and Anith Mathai at the UI John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center. Now located in the IC CoLab, Mazira has created a digital platform that handles, processes, and
analyzes vast amounts of data and documents for businesses large and small. They’ve also debuted an e-discovery platform that offers an easy, cost-effective way to search and sort a wide range of digital document types.
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- new & old comics - graphic novels - all ages comics - independent comics - pop culture novelties - sports / gaming cards - comic supplies
SPECIAL EVENTS
November 19 & 20
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cedar Rapids Convention Complex
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January 15, 2017
Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center TheGazette.com 319-368-8618
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best bites
HEARTY HELPINGS Winter pub pies at Clinton Street Social Club (pictured) or the Essex burger with mushrooms, Brie, and roasted bell pepper aioli at Short’s Burger and Shine make for cozy dinner choices. For an elegant but filling dining experience, try Joseph’s Steakhouse ribeye with Maytag blue cheese. Be sure to pick off every last morsel of goodness from the St. Louis-style pork ribs at Pop’s Old N’ New BBQ or the dry-braised spicy chicken wings at Bashu.
Cures for the Cold When the sun barely shines and it’s frigid outside, turn to these dishes and drinks for a dose of comfort and heat.
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best bites
SEVEN SOUPS, BECAUSE COLD
^
HOMEY BRUNCH BETS
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; treat it as such with these creative takes on morning classics. Feast on cinnamon roll French toast at Bluebird Diner or fill up on Irish eggs benedict with English muffin, corned beef, poached egg, and hollandaise at Micky’s Irish Pub. Brown sugar and oatmeal pancakes with maple or mango syrup at El Banditos (pictured) are sure to start any weekend morning off on the right foot.
Slurp down the house special pho at I Love Pho, or go for the French onion soup at Pullman Diner or the Tuscan tomato soup at Bread Garden Market (have the deli make you a grilled cheese if you’re feeling really hungry). Formosa’s loaded miso soup is a great dinner
option, and Donnelly’s Irish beef and vegetable stew served over mashed potatoes (pictured) never disappoints (for a complete winter feast, add a side of the sweet potato fries). Ramp up the spice with Thai Flavors’ green curry, or beef rib soup at Seoul Grill.
HOT BUNS!
5 BOOZY DRINKS TO SOOTHE YOUR SPIRITS
With pastrami, corned beef, and coleslaw on rye, the grilled C&P from Nodo (pictured) will bring you back to summer potlucks; if you’re looking for something more tropical, try their gooey ham, mango, and mozzarella sandwich. Other bets for hot sandwiches: the muffaletta at Mama’s Deli and Catering, the prime rib dip at the Hamburg Inn No. 2, and of course the falafel pita at Oasis.
Whatever wine Brix Wine and Cheese Shop is currently featuring—from a Côtes du Rhône, to a California cabernet, to a German Riesling—it will be delicious. Try a new seasonal beer from Iowa breweries like Exile and Peace Tree at Iowa Chop House (pictured). Or dream of a south-of-the-border vacation while indulging in a spicy black pepper margarita at Saloon. For something instantaneously warming, have a hot toddy at the Dublin Underground with one of their Irish whiskey offerings, or order hot sake at Takanami.
< COZY UP WITH THESE WARM BEVERAGES Get your morning buzz with the Cero Miedo—a 4.5-ounce glass of espresso, molasses-cayenne-honey syrup, and cream—at Prairie Lights (pictured). For the purists, Ethiopian single origin, pour-over coffee at High Ground Cafe is key. For something festive, try a seasonal latte (pumpkin or peppermint) at Java House or a hot matcha green tea at Bubble Pop.
SEASONAL SWEETS L’automne rum-raisinpumpkin crepe at Crêpes de Luxe or rice pudding at India Cafe are tasty, globally inspired treats; Molly’s Cupcakes’ pumpkin spice cupcake (pictured) or Aspen Leaf Frozen Yogurt’s caramel apples are also delicious. Or get creative at Yotopia’s build-your-own hot chocolate bar.
NOTHING SAYS COLD-WEATHER COMFORT LIKE CARBS Be sure to try the decadent four-cheese mac at Atlas World Grill, or pasta and meatballs like Tony Soprano’s grandmother made at Basta (pictured) on Sundays. Tried the gnocchi with crab and a side of cornbread at One Twenty-Six? Or Hearth’s butternut squash in filo with mascarpone and sweet garlic cream? The biryani—aromatic rice cooked with nuts, saffron, dried fruit, and meat or veggies of your choice—at Masala gets a thumbs up, as does the house-made fettuccine with truffle at Baroncini.
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VISIT NORTHSIDE MARKETPLACE 1
PAGLIAI'S PIZZA - 302 E. BLOOMINGTON ST Old-school, family-owned joint serving thin-crust pizzas made from family recipes
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JOHN'S GROCERY - 401 E. MARKET ST A unique mix of the traditional corner grocery and world class beer, wine and liquor store
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DEVOTAY - 117 N. LINN ST Cozy nook for classic & inventive Mediterranean small plates plus cocktails & wine.
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HOME EC - 207 N. LINN ST Home Ec is a fabric, yarn and craft supply boutique that offers classes, workshops, and community
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HIGH GROUND CAFE - 301 E MARKET ST Hip, airy coffeehouse with a contemporary vibe offering salads, panini, wine & beer.
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HAUNTED BOOKSHOP - 219 N. LINN ST The Haunted Bookshop, carries 45,000 used books and thousands of new toys, puzzles, and games for all ages
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OASIS FALAFEL - 206 N. LINN ST Eatery serving kebabs, gyros and Middle Eastern street foods in laid-back, counter-serve digs.
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NORTHSIDE BISTRO - 203 N. LINN ST Neighborhood bistro serving decadent dishes with flavor influences from all over the world
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RSVP - 140 N. LINN ST Purveyor of pretty paper products and sundries
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BRIX CHEESE SHOP AND WINE BAR 209 N. LINN ST Unique cheeses, wines, soups, salads, sandwiches, and snacks on site or take-home
MOTLEY COW CAFE - 160 N. LINN ST A full service restaurant featuring local ingredients with a regularly changing seasonal menu
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BLUEBIRD DINER - 330 E. MARKET ST Bustling diner serving Midwestern soul food
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ON WILL: Grayers blazer, James Perse hoodie and t-shirt, Citizens of Humanity jeans, Frye boots. ON BROOKE: Thrifted sweater, Walmart leggings, leg warmers from middle school, her grandmother’s shoes.
WILL LIU, 48
Professor of Counseling Psychology, UI College of Education Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
My style is more urban and L.A.ish. That’s where I grew up, and the area’s got the city and it’s got a little bit of beach inflected into its fashion. I’m particularly influenced by style in downtown L.A., which is a mixture of influences from different cultural groups. People there are fashion risk-takers, so the style is fun and it doesn’t take itself very seriously. My wife and I appreciate all sorts of different kinds of fashions, but we’re looking for things that fit us, that are comfortable, and that we can pull off with our age. We visit bigger cities a lot, but we 16
also have friends in town who own stores and tend to stock the clothing we often see elsewhere—that makes it easier to buy things in Iowa City. I like clothes that are casual and comfortable without being sportswear, and a store like Scout carries a level of clothing that I appreciate. I think the pricing, for most men, feels very high—it’s $200 for a pair of jeans or something—but if you’re used to seeing that price at an upper-end menswear store, it’s well within the range of things you would buy. The nice thing about menswear is that there are “staple products” that you can wear year in and year out. I think that some men get scared off—that being very trendy means that you’re constantly buying clothes.
And I think with a place like Scout—or any upper-end men’s store—it’s trendy, it’s edgy, but it’s relevant from year to year; there’s a timelessness to it. BROOKE KIMBROUGH, 20
UI undergrad in English and African-American Studies Hometown: Detroit, MI
I think my style is old-school. I collect my parents’ and my grandparents’ clothes, which usually possess some kind of meaning for me. My grandma, who passed away two years ago, didn’t understand why I wanted her clothing because my sisters were very much not interested. But I would see something that she wore in 1982 and think, “that’s amazing.” When I would get stuff from
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city style
EXPRESS YOURSELF People from all different backgrounds with a range of interests and tastes in fashion pass through downtown every day. We spoke with three Iowa City residents, who opened up about their personal aesthetic, what influences their style, and why. BY ALEA ADIGWEME
ON TODD: Carhartt jacket, shirt from The Full Kit, vintage vest purchased in London, Kohl’s pants, Ted Baker hat, Ettore Sottsass watch.
her, she would be really excited to see me have it on. I love fall. I used to think that dressing myself for the colder seasons meant coordinating with the colors of fall—the browns and earth tones—but I’ve really gotten into wearing a lot of brighter colors, too. Today, I had an exam and just got back from a debate tournament, so I’m re-entering society and moving a little bit slower, and my outfit is a little more darker colored than usual and just—slow. These shoes are my grandma’s. The sweater’s from a thrift store in Michigan. The leg warmers—I think I got these when I was in middle school. I went to a performing arts school and we had uniforms. We always had to find ways to FALL + WINTER 2016-17 |
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get through the loopholes, so mine were leg warmers. TODD THELEN, 50
Owner, Artifacts Hometown: Parkston, SD
I’m more of a fall person, so in the fall, I actually get the chance to dress up more than in the summer. In the fall, it’s a lot of wool, vintage Pendleton. I like jackets with patches on the elbow, so I guess that’s a little conservative, but then I like to mix it up a bit. I love color, but I’m completely in a blue phase right now, which has nothing to do with my personality, but I like these intense indigos. I would describe my style as classic mixed with vintage. Though I love going to Full Kit. Their shoe line is great.
Once a year, my husband and I take a major trip, and we hit all the shops for clothes. The upscale, speciality Carhartt store that we saw in London just blew my mind. My jacket is from there, and it was the only place authorized to sell the line featuring the heart pattern. We went to Japan last year and, unfortunately, the sizes there don’t really work for me because I have really long arms and legs, but there was just some incredible stuff coming out of there. I mean, I’m not that edgy, and I try to be age-appropriate, but just looking at it. What we did get to do in Japan was go shopping for watches. I got this amazing Ettore Sottsass—he’s always been one of my favorite designers.
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what to wear
BUILD YOUR LOOK |
Downtown stores offer a variety of clothing and footwear options for anyone to put together their perfect outfit.
clockwise from top left: Fat and The Moon Deodorant Cream and Aloe Lotion, Dulcinea | Sage & Sky; Kling Faux Fur Coat, Revival; Stay Home Club Sweatshirt, White Rabbit; Gråf & Lantz Felt Backpack, Catherine’s; Loeffler Randall Clog Boots, Velvet Coat; Hobo Wristlet, Textiles; Frame Denim Split Hem Skinny, Domby
clockwise from far left: Florsheim Belt, Ewers Men’s Store; Camo Crewneck Iowa Hawkeye Sweatshirt, Tailgate Clothing; Embroidered Stocking Cap, Raygun; Kühl Jacket, Active Endeavors; Levi’s Skateboard Denim Jeans, The Full Kit; Vans Boots, The Full Kit; Dopp Front Pocket Wallet, Ewers Men’s Store
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Velvet Coat
500 E Locust St. Des Moines, I A 50309 east village 515 244 630 8
Š Loeffler Randall
118 E College St. Iowa City, I A 52240 downtown 319 887 7151
Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here for good! A nonprofit, fair trade retailer, Ten Thousand Villages is an exceptional source for unique handmade gifts, jewelry, home decor, art, and sculpture representing the diverse cultures of artisans worldwide.
Opening October 8 105 S. Dubuque St. on the Ped Mall Use this logo for reductions only, do not print magenta. Do not reduce this logo more than 35%. Magenta indicates the clear area, nothing should print in this space. You may reduce the logo to 30% without the tag and strap lines. Color of Wood Block Motif critical match to Pantone 1805. Letters print Pantone Process Black.
tenthousandvillages.com/iowacity facebook.com/tenthousandvillagesiowacity
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1 Hour of Free Ramp Parking in Downtown Iowa City
Need a parking spot?
Try ParkMe! The ParkMe app provides real-time parking information for automated ramps in Iowa City: - See how many spots are open in a particular facility
Just $2 to park in a designated ramp for 3 hours! (first hour free, then $1 per hour after) Discount applies to: Capitol St. (adjacent to Old Capitol Mall) Dubuque St. (adjacent to the Sheraton Hotel) Tower Place (on Iowa Avenue) Court Street Transportation Center for more info www.icgov.org
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- Find out payment options - Parking facility locations, map, and phone numbers - Mark the location of your vehicle in case you forget! Visit www.parkme.com or download the ParkMe app
DOWNTOWN | FALL + WINTER 2016-17
BIRD’S-EYE VIEW From her apartment in the Park@201 building on the Ped Mall, Magda Montiel Davis enjoys a panorama of Iowa City.
AT HOME DOWNTOWN With nearly 700 apartments and condos, Iowa City’s downtown attracts residents with a wide range of backgrounds, ages, and occupations who share a common love of living in the heart of it all. Meet a few of the people who call this place home. BY BRITTANY BORGHI | PHOTOGRAPHS BY ZAK NEUMANN
Sometimes, when Magda Montiel Davis looks out at the downtown skyline from her eighth-story apartment in Park@201, she’s thinking about how much she loves the blend of country life and city life that she feels in Iowa City. Other times, she’s thinking about Fidel Castro. Montiel Davis moved from Miami to Iowa City full-time to attend the Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa three years ago and is currently finishing a memoir about her experiences as a Cuban-American running for Congress in the state of Florida—and being endorsed (and kissed!) by Fidel Castro. The writer had been visiting
Iowa City since 2002 when she attended her first Iowa Summer Writing Festival, and ever since then, she has fallen in love with the region and the state. Montiel Davis knew she wanted to live downtown when she moved Iowa City full-time, in part because she needed to be in close range to the university’s English Philosophy Building, but also because she wanted to be close to all the literary and cultural events that take place downtown. Having the ability to run from her apartment to Hot House Yoga to a reading at Prairie Lights and back again all in one afternoon makes Montiel Davis
NO PLACE LIKE HOME Edris McCarthy’s apartment above Catherine’s Boutique has been in her family since her grandfather started renting it in 1914.
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“It’s different in downtown Iowa City—that’s what kept us here. It has something—like a Bermuda Triangle effect—that just keeps you in.” -Neda Shirazi
LIVING IN BIG CITY STYLE Neda Shirazi recently moved downtown with her husband and son. Having lived in many large international cities, she loves being in a more urban setting.
feel connected to the community in a way she never felt in Miami, she says. Montiel Davis even loves walking through the crush of undergrads roaming the Ped Mall on Friday and Saturday nights—she says she’s happy to see students celebrating and partying after a long week, and she enjoys feeling like a part of that celebration. “I think if we have past lives, I think I was in Iowa,” Montiel Davis said. For Sicily boutique owner Neda Shirazi, being a part of that downtown energy is the main reason she moved herself, her husband Shahin, and their son Darian, 8, to a condominium in the Plaza Towers. She and her husband came to Iowa City from Tehran—a city of more than eight million people—15 years ago, settling into a modern house on the north side of town. But Shirazi, who had spent considerable time in New York City and other major metropolitan areas, always eyed the Ped Mall as the spot she really wanted to be. When the family decided to put their house on the market earlier FALL + WINTER 2016-17 |
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this year, Shirazi knew it was time to make a move for her dream condo and found a three-bedroom that fits all three Shirazis perfectly. “I got back to my city life. I have a big balcony, I can grab a glass of wine, and I can just hang out there and watch all the people downtown. Since we moved here, this is a vacation for me. I’m in New York City, kind of, compared to living in the woods for 10 years,” Shirazi said, jokingly. Shirazi and her husband are planning to eventually move to California for her husband’s medical practice, but she said living in their Ped Mall condo is enough to make her consider staying in Iowa City for another 15 years. “It’s different in Downtown Iowa City—that’s what kept us here,” Shirazi said. “It has something—like a Bermuda Triangle effect—that just keeps you in.” Perhaps no one in Iowa City is better equipped to speak to that sense of connectivity than Edris McCarthy. The 88-year-old woman grew up in the apartment at 7 S. 23
AT THE HEART OF IT ALL Montiel Davis’s colorful eighth-floor apartment is situated right on the Ped Mall, connecting her to the vibrant Downtown Iowa City scene.
Dubuque—which she affectionately calls “7 South”—that is above the storefront now housing Catherine’s Boutique. McCarthy’s grandfather, Joseph Rinella, moved to 7 South in 1914 and then bought the building in 1925—it’s been in the family ever since. When McCarthy’s parents were married, they moved into the space at 7 South; in 1932, they had the second floor turned from a loft into an apartment, and the interior retains that design to this day. McCarthy remembers her childhood in Iowa City fondly, and she stayed in town to attend nursing school at the UI. McCarthy went on to have a long and storied career, first as a nurse and administrator at the Chicago Department of Public Health and then serving for 24 years at the Veteran’s Health Administration in Los Angeles. McCarthy worked until she was 80 years old before moving back to Iowa City as part of a longterm plan and promise to her mother to return to Iowa City to live, as long as the apartment wasn’t sold. And Iowa City is lucky to have her. McCarthy filed more than 5,000
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volunteer hours with the DeGowin Blood Center over the last six years, and she was recognized for her achievements in a ceremony with Governor Terry Branstad this summer. McCarthy is about to take on more volunteering responsibilities as a visiting nurse and said her secret to having as much energy as she does is to “keep generating it,” something she can easily do in Downtown Iowa City. If McCarthy is a definitive part of Iowa City’s historical legacy, UI seniors Amy Pedersen and Bryn Bogert hope to represent its future. The couple, who have been engaged for the last two years, live in a bright, white apartment tucked above the Fieldhouse bar on the Ped Mall. The couple used to live on the north side, but Bogert had always been in love with the architecture around downtown, and when their current apartment opened up, they jumped at the chance to sign the lease. The space has proved to be a major part of Pedersen and Bogert’s lives, too. The students are both English majors (Bryn is picking up a linguistics degree,
too) in the creative writing track, and the central location of their apartment made it the perfect spot for them to host intimate poetry readings for friends and strangers alike. They’ve been able to get new freshmen, established community authors, and even their own professors to come read and listen to other writers in their living room, where, Bogert said, “The metaphorical walls broke down— and the literal walls were under some strain, too.” “You learn a lot about people when you can’t get far away from them,” Bogert added. Both Bogert and Pedersen will graduate this academic year and are interested in staying in Iowa City as a couple—they both feel optimistic about their opportunities for full-time employment in the city after graduation. That, and they’d love to keep their reading series going in the City of Literature. “I’d really like to stick around,” Pedersen said. “If we can, we will.”
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DOWNTOWN’S DIGS Iowa City’s downtown is home to many apartments and condominiums that cater to a variety of people and incomes.
670 TOTAL
RESIDENTIAL HOUSING UNITS exist in the Downtown District
Rent for efficiency and one bedroom apartments ranges from
$650 - $1100 PER MONTH
20% OF APARTMENTS in Iowa City’s downtown are affordable, low-income units.
The Ecumenical Towers, part of the Johnson County Livable Community initiative, are an affordable housing option to those aged 62 and older. Situated just east of Linn Street on Washington Street, the towers are comprised of 81 apartments, with easy access to services, facilities, and the Senior Center as well. Source: 2014 Johnson Co. Auditor’s Office; 2016 ICDD
LIVE-WORK SPACE Jason Deppe, owner of Saloon Tequila Bar, lives above the restaurant on College Street in a remodeled apartment with his dog Alfred.
www.sheratoniowacity.com | phone: 319-337-4058
210 S. Dubuque Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240
www.hotelvetro.com | phone: 319-337-4961
201 South Linn Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240
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A Space to Create Public Space One, the north side nonprofit, is home to numerous artistic endeavors that engage with many different mediums and minds. We caught up with the arts organization’s co-directors to find out more about what it means to “go public with creativity,” and what’s in store for PS1’s future. BY ABBY THOMAS | PHOTOGRAPHS BY ZAK NEUMANN
WELCOME TO ALL Public Space One is a place where anyone can come and be creative. Dreamwell Theatre, the Center for Afrofuturist Studies, and other initiatives are all housed within the nonprofit.
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On the north side, right up the alley from some of Iowa City’s best, is a hidden gem. Down a flight of stairs, in the basement of the Wesley Center, lives the allin-one art organization known as Public Space One. “We want it to make Iowa City a place where people want to live and be artists,” says Public Space One (PS1) co-director, Kalmia Strong. So far, that’s exactly what PS1 has done. In 2003, when a group of graduate theater students working under the umbrella of “the James Gang” (a local
nonprofit incubator) sought a community space that championed creativity, they started PS1. Since then, the organization has evolved from a mostly student venue above the Deadwood, into an artist-run, comprehensive community space. It is a gallery where both national and local artists show work, a press co-op where community members learn printing and bookmaking processes, a venue where touring hardcore bands perform, a place where long-term collaborative projects evolve, and, most importantly, a space 27
that maintains the original James Gang mantra to “go public with creativity,” as co-director John Engelbrecht puts it. Engelbrecht and Strong, who have been involved since 2008 and 2010 respectively, are the current co-directors of PS1. Engelbrecht came to Iowa City for graduate school and after hosting his M.F.A. show at PS1, realized the town was the perfect place to continue creating art. Strong was interested in the non-collegiate environment that PS1 brought to the art community, after also coming to Iowa City to pursue her graduate degree at the University of Iowa. “I was drawn to being part of a grassroots arts community outside the institution of the university,” says Strong. Between the two of them, they manage everything that happens at PS1. The two are also highly involved in the programming that happens on a weekly basis and, of course, maintaining and honoring the mission of the nonprofit organization. “It’s a place for people to connect who see art as an important part of daily life,” says Strong, “and it’s an anti-hierarchal art space that is accessible to whoever is interested in art—not just people with an M.F.A. or to someone who has had expensive training.” Each creative initiative taking place at PS1 offers Iowa City community members the opportunity to collaborate, create, and enjoy each other’s unique ideas. Here’s a brief over28
view of a few initiatives going on. GALLERY At PS1, a volunteer gallery team—comprised of community members in a range of career backgrounds—curates both individual and group exhibitions and events with a non-commercial mentality. With over 100 exhibits since 2009, the gallery has hosted a variety of installations that balance different styles of art and levels of expertise, but all of which are socially engaging, innovative, or experimental. To further support the arts, PS1’s Free Studio Residency program offers local artists and makers a small, private studio and access to the facility. PERFORMANCE The collaborative nature of PS1 means that it is open to both those using the space regularly, and those who merely need a venue to express themselves for one evening. University of Iowa improv groups like Janice, Great White Narcs, and Paperback Rhino frequent the PS1 stage. The space has also hosted feminist arts showcases, independent music shows, and theatrical performances by Dreamwell Theatre, a local nonprofit theater company.
MAKING A MARK This page: Kalmia Strong co-directs PS1 and also leads workshops at the Iowa City Press Co-op. Next page: The gallery at PS1.
“Public Space One was one of the reasons I liked Iowa City and decided to move here. I love taking workshops with my fellow artists.” —Emily Jalinsky
COLLABORATIONS PS1 is also involved in many collaborations with other Iowa City organizations.
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Iowa City Expo for Comics and Real Eclectic Alternative Media (ICE CREAM), produced with Mission Creek, brings together a variety of artists who create and design programming around comics, zines, art books, buttons, patches, and more. The newest major project at PS1 is the Center for Afrofuturist Studies (CAS), started by Iowa Writers’ Workshop M.F.A. candidate Anaïs Duplan. This artist-residency program focuses on artists of color whose work engages with the futures of marginalized people. The four artists joining PS1 this fall and winter will each put on a public event (such as an artist talk or gallery show) and one youth arts workshop for students in southeast Iowa City in collaboration with The Dream Center, a local nonprofit. Around two-dozen members contribute to and create in the Iowa City Press Co-op community print studio, also located in PS1, which offers equipment, work space, and a plethora of low-cost workshops to anyone in the greater Iowa City community. Memberships include access to the shop, a discount on the workshops, and, of course, a welcoming community. PS1 board member and leader
of the shop committee, Emily Jalinsky, has been involved since she moved to Iowa City in 2014. “Public Space One was one of the reasons I liked Iowa City and decided to move here,” says Jalinski. “I love taking workshops with my fellow artists. I love going into the print shop and experimenting with equipment and supplies I’ve never tried before.” WHAT’S NEXT? Over the past decade, Public Space One has brought life and creativity, as well as a wide range of experiences and thoughts, to Downtown Iowa City. For Engelbrecht, the future of PS1 is simple. “In the next three years we want to see PS1 become a sustainable, long-term Iowa City institution while fundamentally staying the same,” Engelbrecht says. Strong’s vision for the growth and evolution of PS1 echoes her co-director’s. “My personal hope is that, however we grow, it is in a way that reflects the ethos of the organization—open and accessible, experimental, and community-driven— and helps make Iowa City a good place for artists to live and work.”
ART FOR ALL AT PS1 Here are a few of the free or low-cost workshops and events happening at PS1. Tuesday, Oct. 25; Nov. 1, 8, 15 STRATEGIES FOR STRUCTURING SPECULATIVE SPACE: A GENERATIVE DRAWING WORKSHOP 6-8 p.m. | $95 Over this four-week, generative drawing workshop, participants explore drawing strategies. Open to anyone with some drawing experience. Thursday, Oct. 27 SEW GOOD! SEW FUN! 5:30-8 p.m. | Free Come together with other community members to sew and share ideas and tips. All levels and experience welcome. Gatherings are every other Thursday evening. Friday, Oct. 28 INTERMEDIA SHOWCASE 6 - 10 p.m. | Free The annual showcase of work from participants in the University of Iowa Intermedia program. Saturday, Oct. 29; Nov. 5, 12 COPPER ETCHING: MARK MAKING & COMPOSITION 3-6 p.m. | $125 In this three-session workshop, participants learn the basics of creating and printing an intaglio copper etching. All skill levels are welcome. Friday, Nov. 11 CENTER FOR AFROFUTURIST STUDIES LECTURE 6-7 p.m. | Free Join CAS artist-in-resident Devin Cain, a Chicago-based filmmaker, theorist, teaching artist, and writer, for his lecture “The Dichotomy of African and Western Cosmology.” His work explores the invisible realms of being and the subjects bound by them. Monday, Nov. 14 FEMINIST VOICES FALL 2016 7-9 p.m. | Free Feminist Voices is a biannual arts showcase, a time for people who channel their feelings and experiences regarding gender and sexuality into art to have the spotlight, and for everyone to celebrate that art. Friday, Dec. 9, 16; Saturday, Dec. 10, 17 DREAMWELL THEATRE’S PRODUCTION OF DEAD MAN’S CELL PHONE 7:30-9:30 p.m. A work about memorializing the dead, and how remembering changes us. This play tells the odyssey of a woman “forced to confront her own assumptions about morality, redemption, and the need to connect in a technologically obsessed world.” To confirm dates and times, or learn more about PS1’s workshops and events, visit publicspaceone.com.
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< Prairie Lights Books & Café 15 S. Dubuque Street, Iowa City, IA 52240 319-337-2681 prairielights.com bookstore opens 10 am daily café opens 9 am daily
Curious George, 75th Anniversary Edition by Margret & H. A. Rey $17.99 (hardcover) Houghton Mifflin Harcourt an 30
city a i ow
landmark
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on the books
Curl Up With a Good Book Four Iowa City residents and business owners give their seasonal book recommendations. Find them at the three Downtown Iowa City book stores, or via the Iowa City Public Library. YOUNG ADULT FICTION Feathers By Jacqueline Woodson
COOKBOOK Ad Hoc at Home By Thomas Keller
“Feathers features a strong, female main character learning her own strengths. Woven into the story’s implicit background are many relatable themes—classroom bullying, accessibility and ableism, racialized conflict, differences of religion, a distant war, adult sorrow and its effect on children—but the story also speaks to the reader about learning to love and draw meaning from poetry. Written for ages 9 and up, it’s appropriate for discussions among adults, children, or both. The book is also short (just 118 pages) and easy to sneak into tight schedules. And it’s ultimately uplifting. Not like ‘and against all reason, it turned out alright’ uplifting; like, you put the book down feeling that you, personally, can lift something up.”
“Thomas Keller is the king of American fine dining; however, this book focuses on simple family-style cooking. I love Ad Hoc because it is a great reference point for a multitude of classic dishes. All the pastry recipes are to die for, but the star of the book is definitely the roasted chicken recipe. It’s the perfect dish for a cold winter day.” —SEPEHR SADRZADEH, EXECUTIVE CHEF AT PULLMAN BAR & DINER
NONFICTION | Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube By Blair Braverman “Blair Braverman, a graduate of Iowa’s Nonfiction Writing Program, takes us deep into the heart of the arctic in this finely wrought and deeply affecting
—NIALLE SYLVAN, OWNER OF THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
GET LIT
Here are two projects by local writers happening in the heart of the UNESCO City of Literature.
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memoir. Through tender yet ultimately unflinching portraits of the remote north and the people she encounters there— people whose lives become intimately bound to hers, from the endearingly eccentric shopkeeper of the small Norwegian village that will become her second home, to the teachers who first introduce her to the beauty and exhilaration of dogsledding—she proves herself a gifted reporter with keen psychological insight.” —INARA VERZEMNIEKS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
POETRY Dragons By Melissa Dickey “To be honest, I didn’t want to read a book about motherhood. I wanted to read a book to stop thinking about motherhood, my own child far from home for the first time, but the delicious shape and feel of this book—like all of Iowa City-based Rescue Press books—was irresistible. In Dragons, Melissa Dickey quickly reminded me that the subject of a poem isn’t really ever the subject of a poem. The quiet, humble voice haunting this book beautifies the hum of cruel fragility undermining every act of love. Dickey’s sparse, lyric language illuminates love itself as a place where we never quite get what was promised, but one that we go back to again and again.” —NIKI NEEMS, OWNER OF RSVP
RESPONSE: THE CONVERGENCE OF POETRY, HANDWRITING, AND EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE
THE FAIL SAFE PODCAST
Originating with a fascination for the way life becomes art, Niki Neems, owner of r.s.v.p., has produced a series of letterpress note cards featuring handwritten work by 22 contemporary poets, many of whom have ties to Iowa City. Response is a collaborative literary art project, offered as a reaction to the slow disappearance of the handwritten mark, posted letters, and books. The note cards are available for purchase at r.s.v.p.
Hosted by Rachel Yoder, a local writer and founding editor of draft: the journal of process, The Fail Safe podcast brings in established authors to talk about creative failure. Produced in collaboration with The Iowa Writers’ House, the podcast aims to illuminate the writer-at-work, while also encouraging those who wish to write. Guests on program have included Garth Greenwell, Roxane Gay, and Christine Sneed.
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calendar
FA L L + W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 -2 0 1 7 2016 EVENTS WITCHING HOUR FESTIVAL | Nov. 4 - 5 SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY | Nov. 26 SANTA SATURDAYS | Nov. 26, Dec. 3, 10, 17 DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY TROLLEY | Nov. 26, Dec. 3, 10, 17 DOWNTOWN HUNT FOR THE ELVES | Nov. 26 - Dec. 24 THE LIBRARY FRIENDS FOUNDATIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ANNUAL ARTS AND CRAFTS BAZAAR | Dec. 3 RETAIL OPEN HOUSE | Dec. 3 DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY MARKET | Dec. 10
2017 EVENTS ONE BOOK TWO BOOK FESTIVAL | Feb. 24-26 TOP CHEF | February MISSION CREEK FESTIVAL | April 4-9
ARTS + CULTURE HIGHLIGHTS Oct. 25 Esperanza Spalding The Englert
Oct. 25 Joe Mande | The Mill Oct. 30 A$AP Ferg
Blue Moose Tap House
Nov. 2 Yelawolf, Bubba Sparxxx Blue Moose Tap House
Nov. 6 Fargo screening FilmScene Rooftop
Nov. 19 Greg Brown The Englert
Jan. 20 Lindy West | The Englert Jan. 20 - Feb. 12 A View from the Bridge Riverside Theatre
March 1 Antonio Sanchez, Birdman Live The Englert
April 4-9 Lady Macbeth and Her Pal, Megan Riverside Theatre
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SCREENING ON THE FILMSCENE ROOFTOP
LIGHTING UP DOWNTOWN
THE HEAD AND THE HEART ON THE ENGLERT STAGE
Modern Performance in a Historic Venue Washington Street, Downtown Iowa City www.englert.org @englert
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Iowa City’s Nonprofit Cinema on The Ped Mall, Downtown Iowa City www.icfilmscene.org @icfilmscene
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in conversation
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS AND ART INTERSECT?
IDEAS COLLIDE
Mark Ginsberg (left) and James Wetzel (right) talk about art, science, and coneflower sculptures (pictured below) on the roof of M.C. Ginsberg.
Mark Ginsberg, through his work at M.C. Ginsberg Objects of Art, is committed to finding out what can happen when ideas from a range of disciplines intersect. Many are familiar with his street-level jewelry store; fewer know that above his sales floor are experimental labs, multiple 3D printers, and even a hydroponic urban farm. Through his work, he has collaborated on projects in fields ranging from comparative literature, to education, to theoretical physics. One person Ginsberg has joined forces with is James Wetzel, an experimental physicist who teaches at Coe and Augustana Colleges, and does research at the University of Iowa. Wetzel also owns Ob Design Group, located in downtown’s Jefferson Building, and he is working on two research projects— one at CERN in Switzerland, the other at Fermilab in Illinois—where he is searching for a particle called the Majorana Neutrino and developing technologies to see particles. Recently, Wetzel and Ginsberg got together to talk about muons, Shakespeare, and what can happen when we’re open to the possibilities of stepping outside our fields of work. James: I was getting a bachelor’s in physics in 2004 at the University of Iowa, and I also wanted to get a certificate in entrepreneurial management. Part of that program required interviewing an area entrepreneur, so I emailed Mark because I was interested in his involvement in the Iowa City Jazz Fest and Summer of the Arts. I’m a musician, and I was attracted to what Mark had done because he did more than just jewelry and retail. One of the things I read long ago was how people get trapped in silos, and you find that, especially if you’re in a field like mine or Mark’s, when you try to do something different, you run into people who think in silos.
J: If you visit Fermilab, there are these massive sculptures as you drive into the entrance that Robert Wilson, the first director of the lab, designed. Wilson was a physicist and you find these guys that were the best in their field—Richard Feynman, Einstein—and they were artists, too; they didn’t just do the math.
Mark: I think we sometimes suspend ourselves, or become static in our own fields because we don’t ask for outside insight or collaboration. We’ve decided that medicine belongs in a certain silo, physics in another silo, and Shakespeare should never intersect with DaVinci—just think if they had.
rays called muons that are coming through us all the time. They don’t do anything, but they are constantly going through our bodies. I wanted to bring this reality to people, so they could experience muons and be able to see them. We had these photo detectors, and instead of using them in physics experiments
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M: What I found through my work with jewelry and bench-making techniques was that the skills intersected with other disciplines. The people with skillsets needed to build a model weren’t just those who studied medicine, physics, or engineering, they were those who actually studied the craft of making jewelry—soldering, welding, casting, hand-fabricating—and the neuroopthamologist or the experimental physicist didn’t necessarily have the knowledge, but once they understood the process of fabrication it made them better designers and better at their jobs. J: I’m always trying to do artistic things as a creative outlet, and there are these cosmic
underground, I wanted to take one of these, hook it up to a scintillator, and every time it detected a muon, it would blink to show people that something happened—to show them how often muons fly through us. M: The idea was to show that we are not alone, and even though we are talking about objects that we can’t see—quantum physics— everybody experiences quantum physics without knowing it. J: I had that idea and I brought it to Mark, and it simmered for a while. Then Mark said let’s put it together, and another collaborator, a sculptor named Bounnak Thammavong, came up with the coneflower idea. M: It was out in a field next to the water, so it made sense to do something that looked like it should be in the field. J: The coneflower is a beloved Iowa flower, and it was great that they put the sculpture among a bed of coneflowers.
M: It’s the kind of interactions that led to the coneflower sculpture that are amazing, and if we keep blocking those by working in silos, then I think we chill our own growth—whatever successes could have happened as the result of intersections are going to be cut off.
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