We recently attended Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thieve at the playhouse. The show is in the…read morebig theater. We ordered the tickets online before hand. Entry was easy with a quick scan of our QR code. The was a wide selection at the concession stand and the cast was great.

We saw Red Riding Hood. It was all we expected from community theater, and not a lot more…read more It was fun. Not excellent or outstanding, but that's reflected in the ticket cost. Heads up - the play was 70 minutes long and the chairs were fine, but I wouldn't want to see a 2.5 hour play without bringing a bit of extra cushion. Still - a fun afternoon's entertainment. Our anniversary is the week after New Years, so we were grateful to see ANY live theatre to celebrate.

The Val Air Ballroom is such a trip. It literally feels like you are walking back into the '70s in…read morethe venue's lime green color palette and style. They also have some far out features like an old school box office (which didn't seem to be in use when we were at our show), a phone booth, and a cute mural of retro musicians. The venue itself was pretty good as far as lighting, seating, and audio go. The event we attended was a comedy show (Jay and Silent Bob), and it was in late June. Being in late June/almost July, it was HOT outside and the venue didn't seem to have very good or any air conditioning that we could feel. Very sticky night. The show we were at was a seated event, so luckily not a lot of movement, but we were still sweating! I could not imagine a concert or show that people are dancing and moving around all night. I think if you see a show posted at the Val Air Ballroom that interests you, definitely consider checking it out. Just be sure to pay attention to the weather that day and dress accordingly (shorts/tanks would have been great for my show!)

Great venue for a show in this once upon a time ballroom that gives roller rink vibes without the…read moreblacklight decor. Some limited seating is available but expect to show up early to grab it. Not sure if it is a typical policy but the show we went to didn't have reentry, so once you are in you can't go back out until you are ready to leave. My only gripe today was I was on the floor standing by a group who apparently hadn't seen each other in a while because they were really excited about talking and catching up during the show. I get this happens but I haven't experienced something inside this bad. But sound and lighting was great. Beers were more than we were used to ($10/domestic tallboy) but I guess that's just life anymore.

MCC is simply the best. We have taken our two children there for seven years as have had nothing…read morebut an incredible experience. MCC is like family to us! It's so wonderful having a place we completely trust and are thankful to send our kids to. I love the Montessori philosophy and inquiry based learning methods. They do such a great job supporting children's natural curiosity while also teaching independence, responsibility and important life skills. I've been so impressed with how's much my kids have learned and how's much fun they have! They love their teachers, they do so many fun activities and never seem to get bored. I'm also impressed with how often the activities in the room change, and all the cool arts projects they bring home! The owner and all the teachers are truly the best people; kind, nurturing, patient with a solid sense of humor. We're so lucky to have MCC in our lives!

Overall I like this daycare. I've taken my son here since he turned 2 and plan on continuing until…read morehe has to enter Kindergarten. While, they're not as strict as other Montessori daycares, I find that a good approach. Children are meant to be children and they discover with play. Applying strict rules to everything restricts kids imagination but that doesn't mean that they are not given structure. As far as I've seen, they keep the kids active during the summer, and whenever weather permits during the winter. I like that they don't have TV and their playground is great. They are right across from a park so they go there during the summer sometimes. The only thing Im not too happy about is when I've called to let them know about something, I feel like i'm always rushed by the person at the other end.

We had never attended this event so we decided to give a 1 day pass a try. I really liked that they…read morehad multiple stages, a wide variety of food and craft vendors, and bleachers where we could sit because we didn't bring our own chairs. And it wasn't overly crowded so you could easily see the stages/bands. Conveniently located off a bike trail, we rode in to avoid any potential parking and traffic issues. Bike valet was available for free so we didn't have to worry about our bikes at all. The event was well run as the sound was good and bands stayed on schedule. Plus the lineup was full of talent. A little spendy in our opinion, but not as bad as some other local options and what doesn't feel spendy right now.

My experience with Cirque Wonderland was not a positive one, and it has been frustrating to process…read moreover time. What was presented as a welcoming and inclusive space did not always align with my personal experience there. When I spoke up about my concerns, I felt they were dismissed or minimized, which made it difficult for me to feel heard or supported in the space. This came after I shared that I experienced what I perceived as confrontational and inappropriate verbal behavior from a neighboring business owner at the time. I was told the cameras in the building were not working at that time, which added to my discomfort with the situation. I rented a room in the space for four years, prior to its expansion. In April 2023, I was told via phone call that a change in my massage clientele to better fit the space would be something to consider to fit the gym more, or that it might be best for me to leave. Later , I received an email stating it would be best for me to leave, along with a move-out timeline. I asked to have a conversation in person or by phone to try to come to a more mutual agreement, especially since I was there regularly, but that request was declined. I then received formal communication via email, which felt abrupt and uncomfortable, and reinforced my concerns based on my experience about how situations like this were handled compared to what I had understood when I first joined the space. In private conversations, I've heard perspectives that echoed some of my concerns around a disconnect between stated values and lived experiences. I understand that others may have different experiences, and I can only speak to my own. One example of that disconnect, from my point of view, was messaging like "any body can do aerial" not always feeling fully reflected in practice, particularly when some policies felt like they created barriers for people with different needs in my experience. For me, what started as a business misalignment became more personal over time. I'm sharing this to bring awareness and to encourage better alignment between values and action. I also always wondered why they seemed they were the only aerial arts place in des moines when they werent I do want to acknowledge that there were coaches I appreciated working with, including Bonnie, who I felt did embody the values that were expressed. This is being shared in the hope that it encourages reflection. My experience was disappointing, both as a business owner and as a person navigating the situation. TO CIRQUE AND FELICIA IN RESPONSE TO THEIR COMMENT AND RESPONSE Thank you for your response. I understand that your perspective may differ. What I've shared reflects my personal experience , my records and how I was approached and was impacted by those interactions at the time. I'm not interested in continuing this conversation privately, as I've already attempted to have direct discussions in the past without resolution.

I signed my girls up for the intro classes so that they could get a feel for what they're…read moreinterested in and to learn the basics. Right away I was impressed by the background of the owner--one of the first people to bring circus and aerial arts classes to Iowa. Clearly this person has a passion for sharing the art form. After day one my kids were hooked and couldn't stop talking about how much fun they had. I love that class sizes are kept very small, and that the structure of membership and future classes leave a lot of room for scheduling flexibility. I am super excited that my kids found something that they want to keep doing--something that leaves so much room for personal growth and experimentation!

I have been with Brekke Dance Center for 6 years. The instructors are awesome!! All levels of dance…read moreare taught as well as all age groups starting with preschool. Class sizes are small. If you are looking to dance anywhere, try Brekke Dance you will glad you did

From the owner: Come take your first class for free! We provide excellence in dance education for all!read more

I feel bad not liking this place. In theory it should be great. The space is great with lots of…read morehightop tables, U-shaped bar and not one but two pool tables. Plus they have a ton of TVs so you can see the game from any seat. It's close to where I live so we checked it out again despite some subpar experiences. So for those reasons I will give it 4 stars. However, I always seem to leave irritated and wishing we hadn't stopped by. The bartenders get the job done but just the basics of getting what you want but not necessarily checking in. There were what I am assuming to be a handful of regulars, so that must suit them fine. Beer was cold to that was good but more than we are used to spending. We got the pretzel bites which came out cold with cheese in its original single serve plastic packaging. Which is fine, we ate it. We just thought it would be served warm. And since the bartender kind of disappeared we couldn't ask for it to be heated up.

Went here after arriving from out of town. After standing at the door for several minute, without…read moreany instructions we sat ourselves. The menu was about a fourth of what the website showed. Then, nob can to take our order. At the 10 minute mar, my husband went up to the bar where the bartender was continually vaping behind the bar. She then told us we had to order at the bar. Did not know that. Then, her friend came in with a dog that sat on the bar next to many people's drinks. Gross! Terrible experience. luckily the food was ok.