2 NOVEMBER 2014
NOVEMBER 2014 3
features NOVEMBER 2014 VOLUME 10 ISSUE 4
8
One with nature Rural Kalona couple lives with the land
20
8
View from the top Inside the penthouse at Park@201
30
Big ideas for small spaces
36
Gifts outside your door
39
When the ball drops
30
Iowa City writer lives large in 400 square feet
Ideas for shopping local this holiday season
Plan your New Year’s party with help from the 5 Ws
41 Gaia’s greatness Iowa City resident creates public peace garden
on the cover ideas and inspiration from area homes
4 NOVEMBER 2014
David Hasan has decorated his penthouse apartment with elegant furniture, but keeps a minimalist style so as not to distract from the view.
NOVEMBER 2014 5
ideas and inspiration from area homes
editor’s letter
Editor TRICIA BROWN Contributing writers
Sometimes, you just “know.” And sometimes, you have no idea. Take, for example, following a tried and true recipe. You just know it’s going to be good every single time. On the other hand, when your husband makes a new soup of his own creation, you really have no idea. But then the corn, potato and ham chowder rocks your Sunday night. Another case in point: The Arnold-Wielert home featured on p. 8. I have ridden my bike past their house many times over the years. I would see it sitting up on the hill, overlooking the prairie, and I just knew we had to get our cameras inside. My intuition was correct, as you will see. However, take a look at the unassuming, run-of-the-mill Iowa City apartment building on p. 36. What Nana Nkweti has done in just 426 square feet will blow your mind. Kind of like the corn, potato and ham chowder. A note worth mentioning: This issue marks the end of our 10th year of publication. Thanks for reading room for a full decade. Here’s to the second!
NORA HEATON HOLLY HINES Photographers REGGIE MORROW DAVID SCRIVNER JUSTIN TORNER Designer AMANDA BOYD To place an ad: 319-887-5436 To recommend a spectacular or unique home to be featured in room, send an e-mail to magazines@press-citizen.com Content is the sole and exclusive property of the Iowa City PressCitizen and cannot be used without its written permission. © 2014 Iowa City Press-Citizen
6 NOVEMBER 2014
NOVEMBER 2014 7
Little dream on the
prairie Couple embraces natural beauty inside & out
8 NOVEMBER 2014
The living room has no TV, instead attention is drawn to the outdoors.
BY NORA HEATON PHOTOS BY REGGIE MORROW
J
enean Arnold and Jan Wielert’s living room contains twin pairs of binoculars on an end table, a copy of “Peterson’s Field Guide to Birds” on a wooden chest, a stromatolite rock on the mantle — and a spectacular view of the natural world. But it may be more accurate to say that the natural world holds their home and nestles it into the breast of the prairie.
NOVEMBER 2014 9
Jenean has been an art collector all her adult life and knew the home she retired in would need lots of wall space to display it.
About 10 years ago, this vibrant, flourishing prairie near Kalona was a field of alfalfa. When Jenean and Jan bought the property and built their home, they invited the prairie to thrive in their back yard. Planting prairie seeds, mowing to kill invasive species and slowly nurturing native ones. They still keep a “nursery” next to their driveway, where they can monitor small seedlings that are not yet ready to be planted. Jan and Jenean built the prairie — but it doesn’t belong to them. Instead, their lives belong to the prairie. Their home does its part to honor the prairie, too. It is custom built with Frank Lloyd
10 NOVEMBER 2014
Wright’s designs in mind. In particular, Jenean said, Wright believed a home’s transition from the indoors to the outdoors should be seamless. Jan and Jenean’s home provides the sense of being a few steps away from the outdoors at all times. Most rooms have a door leading outside. Doors on the second floor lead to a roomy balcony running along the side of the house, starting along the living room, curving around the corner past the kitchen toward the bedroom. The balcony is stocked with flowers, bird feeders and firewood for the fireplace in the living room. It is peaceful and open, overlooking the prairie and ➤
“There’s a solitude out here. The only things you’re encountering are natural. The sound of the toad is beautiful. The frogs can often be deafening.”
NOVEMBER 2014 11
12 NOVEMBER 2014
an incredible view of the sky. Jan puts the balcony to use, standing outside to watch the weather and its changes. If he sees a storm coming, he’ll phone it in, Jenean said. “If you hear a call from southeast Johnson County, it’s him,” she said. Jenean said their home has allowed Jan to become a “sky spotter.” Jan said he’s always been one. Having grown up on a farm in northern Illinois, he’s used to being able to see horizon-to-horizon — or, as he says, “270 degrees.” Many of the details Jan shares sound like fact-based assertions indicative of a scientific mind.
NOVEMBER 2014 13
He’s a retired geologist, and elements of his profession can be found throughout the home. In particular, one of the most prevalent decorating touches is Anamosa Limestone, from the Stone City quarry where Jan previously did fieldwork. The stone tile lines the living room and marks a walkway from the balcony steps in the back yard to the front driveway. There’s even a framed Grant Wood print of the quarry downstairs. Some details of the home, like the limestone, are rooted in its design. Jenean and Jan built their home with the help of local architect Bill Nowysz. Jenean, who lived in Iowa City since 1969, knew of Bill’s work on many “unusual and expensive” homes in the Iowa City area. She called him to ask if he would be willing to work within their budget. Bill was willing, she said, and also welcomed the challenge of building a beautiful home on a smaller budget. One of the initial hurdles the couple encountered was finding a site. The couple lived in an east Iowa City neighborhood since the early 1980s. They hoped to build their retirement home closer to the natural world, and searched for a suitable place in Iowa City for months with no luck. Eventually, Jenean said, Jan had the idea of checking with a Realtor in Kalona. They found the site, then an alfalfa field, and got to work.
Much of the furniture in the home is mission oak style, including the dining room table and chairs.
14 NOVEMBER 2014
Now, the home seems perfectly suited to their needs. The seamlessness between the indoors and outdoors fits their conservation interests well. The fireplace, an important part of the home’s design, served as a beautiful focal point of the living room. There is also plenty of space to display artwork. Jenean has collected art all her adult life, and needed space to exhibit art, like a personal gallery. Non-display areas throughout the home are also filled with artwork. Waving her hand at some framed prints leaning against the bedroom wall, Jenean said, “These are being auditioned.” Many of the pieces displayed have personal meaning or stories. Traversing the hallway
NOVEMBER 2014 15
The home’s kitchen was remodeled this summer. Each year or so, Jan and Jenean complete another project in the home or yard.
Jan Wielert, left, and Jenean Arnold in their home.
16 NOVEMBER 2014
between the living room and the bedrooms elicits a collection of narratives. Some of the pieces, for instance, are done by local artists, or artists who have shown their work at the annual Holiday Thieves’ Market at the Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City. One of these artists, John Rundle, is a personal friend, Jenean said. They host him when he visits Iowa City for the Thieves’ Market, and each year he offers a small glass art piece as a thank you. Now, four shelves of these colored glass pieces are displayed prominently near the front door. Pieces by artist Jane Gilmore — one of them titled “Fern in the Ferns” — have a backstory involving a pet cat in a costume contest. Sylvia Schuster, another featured artist in the hallway, is from Iowa City and New York City — making her what Jenean calls “semi-local.” Other pieces originate within the family. A piece of 3-D art in a glass case in the hallway was created by Jenean’s daughter. And much of Jenean’s artwork is on display, as well. On a ledge beside the stairs are six small squares of art, fiber pieces that Jenean created. Each is colorful and a little abstract. The three on the right are shapes that resemble houses, and the three on the right resemble windows. Jenean describes those on the right as “structures,” and those on the left as “views through structures.” And of course, the artfulness in nature can always be observed through the nearest window.
Cookware is stored on the island to make efficient use of space in the kitchen.
NOVEMBER 2014 17
“There’s a solitude out here,” Jan said. “The only things you’re encountering are natural. The sound of the toad is beautiful. The frogs can often be deafening.” Interacting with the life on the prairie is an ever-changing experience, as each year brings new plants, insects, birds and other animals, Jenean said. One can easily imagine Jan on the balcony, marking tallies in a household bird log and Jenean quilting under a fall sky, retreating each evening inside their home, falling into slumber amid the sounds of nocturnal life on the prairie awakening. ■
18 NOVEMBER 2014
The lower level of the home includes a den with a television and a guest bed.
NOVEMBER 2014 19
CONCRETE, David Hasan’s penthouse condo in the Park@201 building in downtown Iowa City offers a spectacular view.
20 NOVEMBER 2014
GLASS & DOGS MINIMALIST DECOR, GLASS WALLS COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER BY NORA HEATON PHOTOS BY REGGIE MORROW
avid Hasan’s penthouse condominium has three prominent themes: concrete, glass and dogs.
D
The concrete and glass are simply a part of the design. The living space towers atop the 14-story Park@201 building in downtown Iowa City, featuring polished concrete floors and three nearly 20-foot-tall glass walls that provide an amazing view miles in every direction. The dogs in the penthouse are David’s addition. Where he goes, they go — with unbridled enthusiasm. If it weren’t for the dogs, the place might be mistaken for a show room. David, a neurosurgeon at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, keeps his home beautifully composed, immaculately clean
NOVEMBER 2014 21
Duke the Bulldog enjoys both sunshine and shade inside the condo. He is one of three canines who inhabit the space with their owner.
22 NOVEMBER 2014
and intentionally uncluttered.
cated sofas and seating around a glass coffee table, but the rest of the furniture sits along the perimeter, close to the windows.
The dogs — Duke the Bulldog, Henry the half-Chihuahua and Jake the Griffon — go to doggy day care until 5 p.m., and the apartment sits undisturbed and pristine throughout the day. But when they return home, bursting through doorways together like a three-headed beast, the showroom becomes romper room.
Unlike the living room in a typical home, with chairs arranged to face a TV, fireplace or other focal point, the furniture in David’s apartment faces mostly outward. The focus of his home is what’s outside it: the view.
The space is incredibly elegant, furnished and decorated in David’s chosen minimalist style. The living room holds sophisti-
The views are endless, stretching past Iowa City and to nearby towns. Most immediately, they overlook the Pedestrian Mall.
NOVEMBER 2014 23
From the condo’s loft is a pleasant view of interesting shadows created by the main level furniture.
24 NOVEMBER 2014
David has experienced the Iowa City Jazz Festival from his living room, has seen the Ped Mall speckled with color during art and food festivals, and has spent time people-watching on days with no occasion whatsoever, aside from simply having a few minutes to relax. David describes the view as “watching a TV, but better.” The more than $10 million Park@201 building was built by the Moen Group as a sophisticated high rise, and was completed earlier this year. It’s a tall and slender building in the middle of downtown Iowa City, and virtually all walls are made of glass.
NOVEMBER 2014 25
The view works both ways, too. The very edge of David’s home is visible from the street, and the beautiful furniture along the windows is impressive. In the corner, David has placed two chairs, one black and one white. The seats of the chairs have a scoop shape, but the backs are shaped like faces. With the backs facing the windows, these sculpted faces meet the gaze of any pedestrian looking up. All furniture is purposefully placed. David said he prefers furniture to also function as works of art. Along another wall, an orchid is placed on a low glass table. The table is bookmarked by two white sculptures, each depicting a pair of hands. Flowers brighten the white, gray and black tones in the kitchen and dining room.
26 NOVEMBER 2014
Each object in the home is carefully selected and deliberately
placed. David said the aesthetic he hoped for was ultra-modern and minimal, to complement the view of the busy town below. “If you put out a lot of furniture, it would distract (from the views),” he said. The home also has a loft, where David has placed practical furniture and electronics. A leather recliner sits near one of the windows, facing out. Along with additional seating and a few more beautifully-designed glass
tables, the loft has a treadmill and television.
enjoying the hustle and bustle of the city.
ified to show off the beauty of Iowa City in its entirety.
Even the bathroom is artfully designed. Instead of more typical tile walls, the shower walls also are made of glass. The effect is access to the view while still affording privacy in the shower.
After David moved in, he steadily added furnishings while considering the possible purposes of the home. Aside from creating an aesthetically-pleasing and comfortable space for himself and his guests, David said he hopes to lend his home to fundraising events for various causes.
“Here you have the true appearance of the town, not just the campus,” he said. “The view in the evening is astonishing. It’s a different canvas.”
David said the glass shower walls help him stay awake in the morning, too. Instead of looking at bland tile, he said, he can break up his morning routine by
With its spectacular views, David’s home is uniquely qual-
The inner walls of the home are lined with art as well. A profile of Abraham Lincoln rests prominently on a pillar in the living room. The hallway and bathrooms feature modern
The condo has a loft that includes another living room area and a bedroom.
NOVEMBER 2014 27
Shadows from the window frames create fun lines on the kitchen’s concrete floors during the day.
28 NOVEMBER 2014
paintings of geometric shapes, colorful and clean. The entryway has a framed series in which a picture of a flower is depicted in four different colors. Also near the entryway is a large framed photo of David walking through the Ped Mall with his three dogs gathered around him, partaking in their favorite pastime of adoringly circling around their master. The photo, originally taken this summer by a Daily Iowan photographer, was enlarged and framed for David as a gift. Meanwhile, Duke, Henry and Jake wander contentedly through the home, ignoring the views. To them, the most spectacular thing about the Park@201 penthouse is the man who lives there. â–
The home is decorated with utility in mind. A TV mounted on the wall opposite the kitchen means David can catch a show while preparing food.
NOVEMBER 2014 29
Nana Nkweti carefully measured her apartment and selected items to fit each space.
SMALL SPACE BIG IDEAS Making 426 square feet a masterpiece BY NORA HEATON PHOTOS BY JUSTIN TORNER
F
or Nana Nkweti, living in a small space presents a challenge and a gift.
Two years ago, Nana moved into a tiny onebedroom apartment on the north side of Iowa City. Although she knew her stay in Iowa City would be temporary while she studied at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and worked on her manuscript, the apartment would be home for now.
30 NOVEMBER 2014
Nana compartmentalized the “everything else� room into a library and living room, intentionally pairing mismatched items as though they were meant to go together.
NOVEMBER 2014 31
Her goal was a cheerful, fullyfunctional space conducive to writing. Her constraint: only 426 square feet. Accustomed to arranging words on a page, Nana turned a composing eye to her new space. The result is welcoming and beautiful. Here’s how she did it.
MAKE “TETRIS” A VERB The apartment has a small bathroom, a bedroom just big enough for her bed and clothes, a kitchenette multi-tasking as a hallway, and one “everything else” room. “I managed to compartmentalize this room into a library, office, dining area, living room,” Nana said. “It took some measuring and attention to scale.” The room in question, capably juggling its functions, looks amazing. Every inch is spoken for, and all compartments full. The “library” is a large bookcase covering most of a wall. The shelves mostly contain books, but the bottom two are for storage, holding paperwork in file folders and odds and ends stowed in baskets. The living room begins at the adjacent wall, where a couch with vibrant, mismatched throw pillows rests under a large win-
32 NOVEMBER 2014
dow. A small, pretty glass coffee table sits in front of the couch on a soft zebra-print rug. The corner space is occupied by an end table. The office is located on the next wall. It has a simple, utilitarian desk covered in decorative fabric. A small bookshelf sits in the corner. Most of the paperwork associated with Nana’s work is filed away in folders and kept in the library shelves across the room. The last wall serves as a dining area. It’s a small card table with
two chairs in a nook of space between a hallway closet and the end of the kitchenette. The square foot or two of space between the second chair and the kitchenette is the dining room for Nana’s Persian cat, Couscous, whom she adopted in August. Couscous eats from a striped bowl with “diva” printed on the side. Just above her food and water tray, a tiny framed picture of a cat dressed as Audrey Hepburn in her classic “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” pearls hangs on the wall.
The room, though small and packed with furnishings, feels neat and tidy. Nana recalled “tetrising things in,” a process she described as going through the room with a measuring tape and searching thrift stores and Ikea for beautiful and functional furnishings that would fit her small space. “For instance, I measured that wall space,” Nana said, pointing to the dining table. “That’s 27 inches exactly. I needed a table smaller than that, suitable for two people.”
In the office area, a simple desk is covered in decorative fabric. Nana created a vision for the large room so it could serve multiple functions.
She accomplished most of her “tetrising” this way: identifying the desired purpose of the space, measuring it, deciding on the type of piece that could function within the space, then searching for the right piece on a budget.
MAKE “MARTHA” AN ADJECTIVE Nana, whose family compares her to Martha Stewart, enjoys reading home decor magazines and likes the composition element of arranging a room. Bus-
tling about the small room, straightening for symmetry or adjusting for askewness, Nana says, “I’m just being Martha,” or “I’m always in Martha mode.” Perfectionism isn’t a requirement of a well-organized space. But it seems to help that Nana has a persistent desire to interact with her surroundings. For the past two years, Nana has explored ways to make the most out of her furnishings and décor. In the corner of her living room, a set of stackable stools mas-
NOVEMBER 2014 33
querade as an end table, holding figurines. When Nana has more guests than available chairs, she pulls out these stools for additional seating. On days when the apartment sees only Nana and Couscous, they are stacked away on end table duty. Nana sits at her desk or relaxes on the couch; Couscous might join her on the couch or rest independently on the room’s other permanent seating, a fuzzy pink armchair that Nana calls “the throne.” Nana is selective about the items she brings into her space, recalling how her mother once told her she “curates” her home. But she is able to fit a remarkable amount of artwork and other meaningful objects
34 NOVEMBER 2014
into a room. Without much wall space, most of her art pieces are small sculptures, placed on bookshelves or tables. If she finds a piece she loves, she can also find a way to create a space for it. For instance, Nana received a set of beautiful door knockers as a gift from her sister. Bronzecolored and shaped like people, the knockers are artful and stylish — so much so that Nana prefers to keep them inside her home rather than on the outside of her door. She found some ribbon to match the colors of the room and tied the knockers to the curtain rod, where they dangle over the fuschia drapes and frame the window.
MAKE “IDENTITY” THE MOST IMPORTANT NOUN Nana came to Iowa City to write and is working on a collection of short stories. They vary greatly in subject matter, from an African zombie story to one set at Comic Con, a national comic book convention. Thematically, she said, she writes about a sense of identity. “Most of my characters are hyphenated Africans like myself,” she said. Places and their cultures hold a great influence over the way Nana expresses her sense of identity in her home. She grew up on the East Coast, and lived in Brooklyn the 16 years before her move to Iowa City — but she also is of Cameroonian descent, and much of her art collection is African, whether gifts from family or mementos purchased during her travels. Many pieces were purchased in South Africa when she visited during the World Cup. A vintage typewriter sits on an end table and a quill on her desk, paying homage to Nana’s career as a writer. A self-proclaimed geek, her bookshelf holds a toy robot and a framed drawing of Uhura from Star Trek. Nana harmoniously mixes mismatched pieces, because the ideas they represent already have found a harmony in her own sense of identity. Every furnishing or piece of decor within Nana’s space has a physical and emotional purpose — to fulfill a function and to make her smile. ■
Nana’s Persian cat, Couscous, even enjoys a decorated space of her own. Above her food dishes is a tiny framed picture of a cat dressed as Audrey Hepburn in her classic “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” pearls.
NOVEMBER 2014 35
Make holiday gifts yourself with supplies from a local shop, such as Home Ec Workshop in Iowa City.
Frenzy-less Unique ideas for shopping local By Nora Heaton
W
HEN IN LASTMINUTE HOLIDAY SHOPPING FRENZY, ONLINE RETAIL GIANTS AND NATIONAL CHAINS CAN BE ALLURING. BUT WITH A LITTLE EXTRA TIME, YOU CAN FIND THOUGHTFUL ALTERNATIVES TO GENERIC GIFTS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST BY SHOPPING AT ANY ONE OF IOWA CITY’S ECLECTIC AND INTERESTING STORES.
36 NOVEMBER 2014
Quirky and artsy gifts Accessories or décor with a quaint or quirky feel can make great gifts. This type of gift also can work well for casual friends or work acquaintances. If you can get a general sense of a person’s style, it’ll be easy to find an attractive fashion or home accessory. If you have an idea of their sense of humor, several local shops carry little books or knickknacks with tongue-in-cheek witticisms.
A book from Silver Spider will start a conversation, then be a fun read for the recipient. Possible stores: White Rabbit Gallery, Silver Spider, Revival. Gift idea: If you’re planning to give your gift at a party, search Silver Spider for a fun and interactive party game, or a humorous photocentric book on an odd topic. The recipient and others can play the game or browse the book at the party, then bring it home to keep for future entertainment and a conversation starter.
“Hobby” gifts
Antique and vintage gifts
Some people in our lives will appreciate “niche” gifts, which speak directly to their favorite hobby or a particular interest. Sports fans, book and movie lovers, history buffs or gamers might be interested in the newest update or accessory for equipment they already own, or a book or DVD that offers a new take on a subject they love.
Antique and other second-hand shops carry a variety of merchandise. The point isn’t simply to find a used version of an item your friend might like; instead, focus on items that are made more charming by the fact that they are second-hand or tarnished by frequent use. People who would most enjoy an antique or vintage gift will appreciate its uniqueness.
Possible stores: The Haunted Bookshop, West Music, Game Geeks. Gift idea: The Haunted Bookshop has inexpensive and clever literary gifts that can be mixed and matched. Choose a finger puppet, magnet or card depicting your bibliophile’s favorite author. Collecting some small pieces in a meaningful way will show thoughtfulness, and they’ll look great on the recipient’s bookshelf.
Possible stores: Sweet Livin’ Antiques Art & Records, Artifacts, Suzy’s Antiques & Gifts Gift idea: If your gift recipient is a skilled musician, she might like a pretty vintage music box sculpted to the shape of her favorite instrument. Include some inexpensive vintage postcards or prints, and wrap up the package with a fun bow or scarf to add some flair.
Artifacts in Iowa City is one place to shop for vintage or antique gifts.
Give a “hobby gift,” like a bookmark or finger puppet of the recipient’s favorite author from Haunted Bookshop.
NOVEMBER 2014 37
Knitters gather for conversation and class at Home Ec Workshop in Iowa City. Home Ec carries craft supplies and offers monthly classes.
“Experience” gifts Some people on our gift lists don’t need more stuff — they enjoy holidays more for the quality time. If you have a family member or dear friend who you don’t see as often as you’d like, incorporate quality time into your gift by planning an exciting outing or a relaxing afternoon to be spent one-on-one.
Give an “experience” gift to Pagliai’s Pizza in Iowa City.
38 NOVEMBER 2014
Possible businesses: The Englert Theatre or Hancher Auditorium for arts and culture events; a locallyowned restaurant such as Pagliai’s Pizza; Brush and Barrel. Gift idea: Plan an evening out at Brush and Barrel, a social painting studio. An instructor will guide you and your gift recipient through creating your own painted interpretation of a featured piece of artwork, as you chat and sip wine. At the end of the evening, you can both keep your own paintings, or swap them.
Homemade gifts Homemade gifts show the recipient that you value them enough to put in some extra time and thought. Search through Pinterest for ideas, then comb through arts and crafts supply stores to get materials. Artistic or crafty gift-givers can create an illustrated family tree or crochet a fun fashion accessory. Wordsmiths or musicians can pen a personalized poem or song. Whatever medium you choose, a personalized gift can be simple and still hold great meaning. Possible stores: The Arts & Crafts Place, Dick Blick Art Materials, Home Ec. Workshop Gift idea: Ask a handful of family members or friends within a particular circle to tell you their favorite shared memory or story. Compile these stories in a blank sketchbook or journal. You can decorate the book with colorful fabric from Home Ec. Workshop and easy-to-use scrapbooking materials from Dick Blick Art Materials. ■
NYE party BY NORA HEATON
THINK OF 4 WS — WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE — FOR YOUR NEW YEAR’S BASH
T
he New Year is fast approaching. Whether you’re looking for a night of glitz and glamor or a laid-back gathering of good friends, why not start the year off right and host the party yourself? There are plenty of ways to host a great holiday party while keeping your budget and serenity intact, said Cynthia Betts, founder of Special Events and a professional event planner for the last 37 years. Cynthia plans weddings and other events in the Iowa City area as well as across the Midwest, and offers these tips to plan your own successful bash. You might have a specific vision of what you’d like your holiday party to be like. If not, you can use the “5 Ws” to narrow it down: Who, what, when, where and why. WHO? Who do you want to celebrate with? Your extended family or closest circle of friends? A larger collection of co-workers, neighbors, friends and acquaintances? A group of guests that already knows one another will naturally keep the conversation going. Guests from different social circles might appreciate some games or entertainment to break the ice. No matter who you invite, a feeling of welcome and intimacy is essential, Cynthia said. “We get caught up in making things ‘bigger and better,’” she said. “That’s not always the case. I think a dinner group of six or eight is a wonderful group.”
Send out invitations early, if you can. A week or so before the party, it’s perfectly acceptable to send a brief, friendly reminder text or email to those who haven’t RSVP’d. WHAT? What do you want to offer your guests? What kind of food or entertainment should people expect? It’s easy to over think plans in this category, but they needn’t be too complicated. The most prevalent tradition of the American New Year is the midnight celebration, and there are countless ways to up the ante. To find ideas, Cynthia directs her clients to Pinterest. Just searching “New Year’s party ideas” will call up pins for food, decorations and entertainment. There, you can find instructions for clock-shaped cupcakes, or directions for setting up a homemade photo booth where guests can jot down their New Year’s resolution on a small sign and pose with it for a snapshot via laptop webcam. Live musical acts are expensive to book on major holidays. Cynthia suggests hiring high school or college student musicians. Ask around for someone who might be looking for extra money and practice. Instead of burdening yourself with an elaborate menu, Cynthia recommends catering as an option. Many local businesses are suited for catering events of all kinds, even small and casual parties. Make a list of some of your own favorite restaurants, then call or check their website for catering prices within your budget.
NOVEMBER 2014 39
WHEN? When do you plan to have the party — and when do the different arrangements need to be made? Any New Year’s Eve party already has a set date, so you’ll only need to decide on a time and you’re ready to send invitations. The more difficult part of the “when” question relates to your planning. If possible, start four weeks early, Cynthia said, and break down tasks week-byweek. Your first set of tasks mostly will be those that involve others. New Year’s is a busy time, and people begin planning early. Allow plenty of time when inviting guests, securing any outside help or entertainment you’ll need, and contacting a babysitter, if applicable. Next, look at the tasks that can be completed over time, and break those down, too. If you have a particular theme or color scheme that you want to use for decorating, take several quick shopping
40 NOVEMBER 2014
trips throughout the month. Other tasks, such as putting up decorations or baking desserts, can be spread throughout the week or weekend before the party. Try to do as many tasks in advance as possible. The day of the event, Cynthia recommends allowing yourself at least an hour before the party’s start time to get ready. When your guests arrive, you’ll be refreshed and ready to entertain. WHERE? Where will you be having your party — and what do you need to make it a beautiful setting? The space is key for planning, Cynthia said. The amount of space will determine how many people you can invite and what entertainment you can reasonably accommodate. Many decorations also can be made quickly at home or purchased inexpensively. In a New Year’s Eve party with a theme of “time,” you might scavenge through Goodwill for old watches or
clocks to use for decorations. WHY? Why is your event important to you or your guests? Are you hosting a party to begin or continue a family tradition? To spend quality time with friends you see less often than you’d like? Whatever your reason, keep it in the back of your mind and remember it when something fails to go according to plan. “You have to stop a minute and look at it,” Cynthia said. “Is it going to matter a couple weeks from now? If not, let it go. Take care of it in the best way possible and just get on with it. Often, guests won’t even notice small mishaps. “Sometimes it could be better than what you had planned,” Cynthia said. “Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Other than that, you have to pray like the dickens. I’ve done that, too.” ■
Gaia’s Peace Garden, located on on Bristol Drive in Iowa City, is open to the public to enjoy.
Gaia’s
GARDEN PUBLIC INVITED TO USE GARDEN, HELP WITH UPKEEP BY HOLLY HINES PHOTOS BY DAVID SCRIVNER
NOVEMBER 2014 41
Four-year-old Jessica Kardos plays with shells at Gaia’s Peace Garden, a privately-owned space open to the public to enjoy.
IF YOU GO » What: Gaia’s Peace Garden, a community garden. » When: Morning through evening. » Where: 2066 Bristol Drive in Iowa City. » Contact: bfrankecorev@gmail.com.
42 NOVEMBER 2014
S
urrounded by vegetable plants, herbs, flowers and glittering rocks, 4-year-old Jessica Kardos knelt down and lifted a seashell to her ear. “I like to listen to the ocean in these shells,” Jessica said. Seashells are just one of many natural treasures that can be found in Iowa City resident Blair Frank’s community garden, called Gaia’s Peace Garden. Frank, who owns the chemicalfree garden located on Bristol Drive, treats the property like a public park and allows anyone to
visit and roam there. He also allows people to harvest food and herbs there on request and participate in its upkeep. The one-acre property includes a labyrinth, a berry patch, a fire pit and areas for children to play. The property also boasts numerous medicinal herbs, such as Comfrey and St. John’s Wort, a butterfly garden, indigenous prairie land and an orchard where paw paws and persimmons grow. Frank, a retired nurse and pastor, said his wife, Mary Kirkpatrick, bought and planted the garden in
2008. He said he and Kirkpatrick want the garden to be a serene, welcoming place for the community and that they drew from concepts in the book “Sacred Economics,” by Charles Eisenstein while developing it. “Basically, it’s the care of the Earth and care of people and sharing the abundance,” he said. Kirkpatrick said she was inspired to create the garden because she wanted to expand permaculture practices she was using in her yard. She based its design, in part, on the Findhorn Foundation
Gourds at Gaia’s Peace Garden were bountiful this fall.
“BASICALLY, IT’S THE CARE OF THE EARTH AND CARE OF PEOPLE AND SHARING THE ABUNDANCE.” -MARY KIRKPATRICK
conscious living community in Scotland. She said she wants the garden to be a place where she and others can relax and find joy. “There was kind of a community aspect right from the very start,” she said. Frank recently expanded parts of the Peace Garden, including the labyrinth, and plans to add new areas next spring including bee hives and a pond with a waterfall. He said he thinks gardening practices he uses in the Peace
Garden aren’t limited to his property, and that his garden seems to be part of a growing trend in the Iowa City area. The Iowa City nonprofit Backyard Abundance, partnering with Iowa City Parks and Recreation, has begun developing an expansion of Wetherby Park’s Edible Forest Maze and plans to expand the Discovery Garden at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center next spring. The North Liberty Community Pantry is developing a community garden initiative that will begin offering food and education to members of the community
NOVEMBER 2014 43
through the pantry next year. Tina DuBois, executive director of the pantry, said there’s a growing trend across the nation of people producing their own food through gardens and edible landscaping, and that North Liberty is no exception. “I think this is an important part of what’s happening across the country,” she said.
Blair Frank stands on the labyrinth at Gaia’s Peace Garden, a one-acre chemical-free garden he created on his property for the public to enjoy.
44 NOVEMBER 2014
The community garden in North Liberty will include fruit trees, perennials such as rhubarbs and grapes, a pollinator area and annual plants such as peppers and tomatoes, DuBois said. She said staff also will offer educational opportunities, such as classes on container gardening.
Food from the garden will be available to pantry visitors and children participating in the North Liberty Summer Lunch and Fun program. DuBois said the community garden during its first two years will be funded by about $77,700 from a matching grant through The Wellmark Foundation and private donations. She said the pantry is seeking donations and has collected about $15,000 so far. Backyard Abundance Director Fred Meyer said during the past several years he’s received an increasing number of inquiries about developing edible landscapes and community gardens in yards and public parks.
He said he’s noticed a trend of people becoming more interested in using their front yards for practical purposes, such as growing food and perennial plants that offer environmental benefits. “People are really interested in what to do with their front yards,” he said. Meyer said Backyard Abundance often holds meetings in the Peace Garden, a space where people likely are more attuned to creative thinking than an indoor environment. “It’s a wonderful space just to go and visit and relax,” he said. Jennifer Kardos, 4-year-old Jessi-
ca’s mom, began hosting classes for a group of about 10 students from Hickory Hill PlaySchool in the children’s area at the Peace Garden this year. She said the kids helped grow strawberries, pumpkins, beans and other foods, and that the process of growing veggies seemed to make some kids more open to eating them. Kardos said the Peace Garden is a spot where her own children can dig for potatoes and help with composting. For her, the garden is “a calm, soothing place” where she can bring her kids and escape from the weariness of daily life. “I think it’s a very healing place,” she said. ■ Indian corn was among the fall crop at Gaia’s Peace Garden in Iowa City.
NOVEMBER 2014 45
46 NOVEMBER 2014
NOVEMBER 2014 47
48 NOVEMBER 2014