Exploring Iowa- La Mie & The Des Moines Art Center

I was inspired by a web sight, Only in Iowa.  

There are posts on interesting things to see and do in Iowa,

ranging from historical sites, restaurants, hiking, waterfalls, parks, and many more categories.

Mark Twain said it well.

As an art major in college, I was interested in going to the Des Moines Art Center.
It had been many years since I had been there.

We woke up early on Saturday, and prepared for our road trip.
Before we departed, Doug looked on-line and found a restaurant near the art center.
The plan for these mini excursions is to explore new places and try different foods.

It was a great choice!

Our breakfast stop.
LA MIE,

In French, "la mie" refers to the soft part of bread, called the crumb.

Doug and I walked inside, and didn't quite know where to go.

The bakery was packed, and a serpentine line formed around this massive pastry display.

This place was busy, and now we know why!

Fabulous pastries! 

Is this Paris or Des Moines?

La Mie Bakery 
was full of fresh melt-in-your mouth selections.

We chose a couple of pastries while we were waiting in line to order 

a dine-in breakfast. 

A lady behind us served as our "interpreter" (not for language, but protocol),

as this was our first visit.

I was interested in the Salmon Tartine.

She explained what it was, and that cinched the deal for me. 

My pastry was apricot filled, while Doug's was layered with chocolate chips.

A beautiful case of lunch selections!

I wanted to get out of my comfort zone,
and order something I hadn't tried before.

Doug is happy!

Breakfast is served.

Doug ordered the Sausage & Mushroom Omelette.
It was very good!

I ordered the Salmon Tartine.

A tartine is an open-faced sandwich with a spread on top.

 In France, a tartine is usually with some kind of fancy bread and a fancy, 

complex spread (sweet or savory).

(from answers.com)

There were many layers of flavor on this bread;
smoked salmon, red onions, avocado, sprouts, and hard boiled egg.

I definitely made a great choice.

 We peeked into a couple more stores in this strip mall.

Doug loved this one!

Cheese!

On to the
Des Moines Art Center.

The not-for-profit Des Moines Art Center
engages diverse local and international audiences with the art of today
through its museum and school,
adding to the cultural record through collections and programs.
www.desmoinesartcenter.org

The Des Moines Art Center
 is an art museum with an extensive collection of paintings, sculpture, modern art and mixed media.
 It was established in 1948 in Des Moines, Iowa.

A large main gallery rotates through several exhibitions throughout the year, most of which are featured from one to three months at a time. These shows include solo shows by internationally recognized artists, travelling shows from other institutions, and group shows organized around a theme. The rest of the museum space highlights the permanent collections in various ways, including small spaces for short-term print and photography shows, a video gallery, and long-term installations organized both chronologically and thematically. Included on the grounds are outdoor sculptures and a rose garden. An external reflecting pool is surrounded on all sides by the museum.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Des_Moines_Art_Center

Here are just a few samples from the collections at the center.

 This is a Rembrandt.
Self Portrait in Velvet Cap 1638

 Andy Warhol
The American Man-Watson Powell
1964

 Doug with Parrot in Mirror?

Memories for Doug, as he went to Egypt a few years ago.

 Claude Monet
1886

 Georgia O'Keeffe
From the Lake No. 1
1924

  Henri Matisse
Woman in White
1946

Pablo Picasso
Head of a Woman
1943

A view of  the courtyard and reflecting pool.

Doug and I are looking forward to many more road trips as we
Explore Iowa.

Happy Birthday to Esther!

My sister-in-law celebrated her birthday in April.

I made a special cake for her and Doug.  They celebrated their birthdays 

about a week and a half apart.

I wanted a light cake that would also remind us of spring.

The weather this year went back and forth from winter to spring to winter...

and so on.

I wanted spring colors, so I made a 

Strawberry,

Lemon,

Blue

layer cake.

I mixed them up according to the package directions on the box.

Lemon.

Strawberry

A white cake mix tinted

Blue.

Bake and let cool.

I built the layers with strawberry, lemon, then blue.

I used a prepared white frosting.

I recruited my Sous Chef, Aiden.

Aiden unwrapped 9 packages of Kit Kat bars,

the white chocolate kind.

Then, I used a knife to cut each bar into the four pieces.

It is easier to assemble.

"Glue" the Kit Kat candy to the sides of the cake with frosting.

Tie the cake with a pretty spring ribbon.

Aiden is finishing the top of the cake 

using colorful Sixlet candy.

I added a silk flower that had been rinsed off and dried.

Happy Birthday, Esther!

Celebrating Doug & Esther's birthdays.

Vernon, Dave, Esther, and Doug.

Pretty slices of a very flavorful cake.

Esther and I.

I had a surprise cake for Dave.

The cake mixes provided 6 layers of cake, so I decided give 

a cake to Dave.

It looked great the night I frosted it.

By the following morning, the cake had cracked and formed 3 distinct sections.
It was like a 4 on the Richter Scale.
(That is where walls crack.)
I did look it up.
He was a great sport about it, and said it still tasted good!

We had a lovely time visiting, eating cake, and celebrating birthdays.

I think you can have your cake and eat it too.