photo by krisdecurtisIt's hard to believe we're already leaving Iowa tomorrow! We've had a wonderful time hanging out with family, seeing some old friends, eating at some of our favorite restaurants, and just enjoying being in such old familiar surroundings again. It's sad to see how much of the state is still devastated by the effects of the flood, and it's hard to get our minds around the fact that the music school (where we met, fell in love, and each spent many hours over the years) is unusable and may be slotted for demolition soon.
On a more positive note, though, here are few highlights of our gastronomic tour of Iowa:
Christmas dinner with my family! Despite a few mishaps by canines who shall remain unnamed, the amazing turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and cranberry cider and apple crisp and pumpkin roll more than made up for having to bust out the steam cleaner for the carpets a time or two.
Miguel's: a bar in Cedar Rapids that makes some of the best pizza I've ever had. They only take cash and they don't deliver, but it's oh so worth it.
Lou Henri's: our favorite Iowa City breakfast spot (which also serves lunch). Delicious eggs, pancakes, banana bread French toast, everything. Eclectic hippie college-girl waitresses and local art for sale on the walls.
India Cafe: a small, cozy Indian buffet that has a more limited selection than many of the northern Virginia mega-buffets, but still has the best naan we've had anywhere.
Tommy's Restaurant: a greasy spoon I never hit while I lived in Cedar Rapids, but which was the favorite hangout of one of the old men I knew when I worked in assisted living. He wasn't wrong: we enjoyed a huge, greasy, delicious breakfast for cheap (breakfast platters start at $3.99).
We wish we'd had time to hit:
Thai Spice: our favorite Thai restaurant, which makes (among other things) a mean yellow curry.
The Sanctuary: wonderfully cozy pub that has live music and a bar on one side, and a nonsmoking restaurant with fireplaces on the other. Delicious pizza and all kinds of other delicious late-night food, plus extensive cocktail and beer lists.
The Wedge: unbelievably delicious gourmet takeout pizza, unbelievably affordable, and generous with even the more expensive toppings (like pine nuts).
The Atlas: fresh, local food that's not necessarily health food (see the buffalo chicken wrap); the best tomato bisque I've ever had; and the world's most incredible mojitos. Not that I could have indulged...
On a less-than-fun note, our passenger-side window got stuck down on a 20-degree day, necessitating Matt's taking the door apart (in the cold) and running it up with a battery charger, McGyver-style. Very smooth. At least it happened when and where it did, and he was able to get the window up, and it looks like it will only cost around $40 to replace the switch.
Next, we're excited to drive up to Wisconsin and spend a few days with Matt's family! We feel incredibly lucky to have two such wonderful (and flexible) families to share the holidays with, and these are particularly special to us since they're our last ones to feel like "the kids"...this time next year, we'll be the parents!
On a more positive note, though, here are few highlights of our gastronomic tour of Iowa:
Christmas dinner with my family! Despite a few mishaps by canines who shall remain unnamed, the amazing turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and cranberry cider and apple crisp and pumpkin roll more than made up for having to bust out the steam cleaner for the carpets a time or two.
Miguel's: a bar in Cedar Rapids that makes some of the best pizza I've ever had. They only take cash and they don't deliver, but it's oh so worth it.
Lou Henri's: our favorite Iowa City breakfast spot (which also serves lunch). Delicious eggs, pancakes, banana bread French toast, everything. Eclectic hippie college-girl waitresses and local art for sale on the walls.
India Cafe: a small, cozy Indian buffet that has a more limited selection than many of the northern Virginia mega-buffets, but still has the best naan we've had anywhere.
Tommy's Restaurant: a greasy spoon I never hit while I lived in Cedar Rapids, but which was the favorite hangout of one of the old men I knew when I worked in assisted living. He wasn't wrong: we enjoyed a huge, greasy, delicious breakfast for cheap (breakfast platters start at $3.99).
We wish we'd had time to hit:
Thai Spice: our favorite Thai restaurant, which makes (among other things) a mean yellow curry.
The Sanctuary: wonderfully cozy pub that has live music and a bar on one side, and a nonsmoking restaurant with fireplaces on the other. Delicious pizza and all kinds of other delicious late-night food, plus extensive cocktail and beer lists.
The Wedge: unbelievably delicious gourmet takeout pizza, unbelievably affordable, and generous with even the more expensive toppings (like pine nuts).
The Atlas: fresh, local food that's not necessarily health food (see the buffalo chicken wrap); the best tomato bisque I've ever had; and the world's most incredible mojitos. Not that I could have indulged...
On a less-than-fun note, our passenger-side window got stuck down on a 20-degree day, necessitating Matt's taking the door apart (in the cold) and running it up with a battery charger, McGyver-style. Very smooth. At least it happened when and where it did, and he was able to get the window up, and it looks like it will only cost around $40 to replace the switch.
Next, we're excited to drive up to Wisconsin and spend a few days with Matt's family! We feel incredibly lucky to have two such wonderful (and flexible) families to share the holidays with, and these are particularly special to us since they're our last ones to feel like "the kids"...this time next year, we'll be the parents!
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