Update Dec 1: Turns out we weren’t post-pandemic after all, but we are gradually learning to live with Covid. Every road trip or adventure is planned with risk in mind. Hopefully the world can wrestle this virus to the ground soon.
Wild Lights Festival at Blank Park Zoo
Four of us “girls” travel together whenever we decide on where and when. We’ve been anxiously waiting for vaccinations and good weather so we could head back out into the world.
Our first adventure was at Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines. The Wild Lights Festival sponsored by MidAmerican Energy was beyond excellent. Lighted animal sculptures throughout the zoo were beautiful and the overall project was brilliantly imagined.
We spent several hours at the zoo during the day, enjoying our first trip in over a year and delighting at the sights and sounds of a nice family zoo. Then we checked into our room at the Hampton Inn near the Jordan Creek Town Center Shopping Mall in West Des Moines. We’ve stayed there before and were quite comfortable, AND there’s an Applebees a few dozen steps across the parking lot.
At dusk, we returned to the zoo for the main event and we were not disappointed. The best time to view the sculptures is at dark, but you want to arrive a little beforehand to get your bearings. The best photo images are before dark unless your phone has extraordinary effects that you have mastered. 🙂
We had the best time walking through the zoo in the dark, following the same path as we had a few hours previous, but discovering all the beautiful art pieces in every direction. Oooohs and Ahhhhs doesn’t begin to describe it.
On to Pella and the tulips bakery
The next morning we packed up, had a very leisurely breakfast in an empty breakfast area (They had pretty good pandemic choices!) and then pointed the car eastward toward home. The day’s plan was to stop in Pella, Iowa to see the tulips in full bloom with fewer people than will be at next week’s Tulip Festival.
Pella did not disappoint. There were plenty of people for sure, but nothing like the crowds on Parade Day. We were seated pretty quickly at the Windmill Cafe (always worth a wait) and had lunch. Hundreds and hundreds of tulip photos taken by the 4 of us before and after lunch, and several stops to poke into the shops to see what was new in the world. That alone was worth the trip.
Sidewalk line-up for the Jaarsma Bakery
Two required stops in Pella are: 1) Bakery 2) Butcher. We sort of did both. We stopped at the butcher to grab cold cans of Diet Coke to fortify us for the half block line outside the bakery. It was nice to chat with the people around us while we waited. They were enforcing the 6 ft rule and masks, but even before Covid, you wait in line to enter either of the bakeries on the square. Diane had a list of things to procure – her friends at home desired coffee cake and almond cookies. I just wanted a bite or two of sugar, fat and salt so I wasn’t sure what I was actually waiting for – just knew it would be good.
Once inside the bakery, we searched the coffee cakes for the flavors on the shopping list. Cherry was all gone but I spotted a pecan and thought I had arrived in heaven. I love love love pecan pastry and so I had my purchase in hand.
On the way home we were comparing the wonders of Pecan coffee cake from Pella with Pecan Kringle from Racine, WI. Yesterday I voted for Kringle since it’s been a favorite craving since our sailing days. But then today I had Pella pecan coffee cake for breakfast and I have a new vice.
I’m going to share links for the Jaarsma Bakery Coffee Cakes AND the Racine Kringle so you can try them both. The Amazon link is a paid ad and the Jaarsma Bakery site is not. Both pastries are AMAZING!
Here’s the Pecan Kringle Amazon link:
Amazon has Pecan Kringle from Racine, Wisconsin!
And the Jaarsma Bakery site:
Jaarsma Bakery, Pella, Iowa