2017 Fall/Winter Downtown Magazine

DOWNTOWN

IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT MAGAZINE | FALL + WINTER 2017-2018

fresh faces

exhibit a

continuing ed

inked up

new neighbors in the district Page 9

Iowa City museums to keep you busy Page 14

learning continues at The Center Page 19

peek into these tattoo parlors Page 29

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IN THIS ISSUE OF D O W N T O W N

EDITOR & ART DIRECTOR

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

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CLOSER LOOK: DOWNTOWN CULTURE

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IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT MAGAZINE

FRANKIE SCHNECKLOTH, LITTLE VILLAGE CREATIVE SERVICES

WRITERS AND EDITORS EMMA MCCLATCHEY, KELLI EBENSBERGER FRANKIE SCHNECKLOTH

DESIGNERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS

IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT MAGAZINE | FALL + WINTER 2017-2018

New and incoming downtown businesses

University of Iowa Museums to keep you busy during the winter

ZAK NEUMANN, FRANKIE SCHNECKLOTH

BEST BITES 25

ICDD STAFF

A guide to progessive dining in downtown

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | NANCY BIRD DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

TATTOO PARLORS

BETSY POTTER

Local artists leave a mark

NIGHTTIME MAYOR | ANGELA WINNIKE

CALENDAR 32

SPECIAL EVENTS AND SPONSOR RELATIONS ASSISTANT

Don’t miss these seasonal events

IN CONVERSATION

CHRIS HUNTER

ART MANAGEMENT (COSIGN & UICCU BENCHMARKS) | THOMAS AGRAN DOWNTOWNIOWACITY.COM FACEBOOK: /DOWNTOWNIC INSTAGRAM: @DOWNTOWNIOWACITY TWITTER: @ICDOWNTOWN COPYRIGHT ©2017 BY IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY THE IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. EDITORIAL, ART DIRECTION, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND DESIGN BY LITTLE VILLAGE CREATIVE SERVICES.

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ON THE BOOKS

Recommendations you can rent from the library

LIFELONG LEARNERS

Seniors stay sharp with classes at The Center

CITY STYLE

Top picks from downtown retailers

17 19 23

Mark Lynch dishes about downtown real estate

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ON THE COVER: Top picks from downtown retailers for Fall + Winter weather. Shop more on Page 23

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Are you a startup, entrepreneur, traveling digital nomad or just looking for a place to work?

Two convenient bank locations in downtown Iowa City.

Access to more than 90 ATMs in the corridor and thousands of MoneyPassÂŽ Network ATMs nationwide.

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Member FDIC

It’s that simple.

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The best deal is FREE!

Find out more at:

Download Libby - the new, one-tap app for books

INTRODUCING THE

icpl.org/24-7

Download the new, easy-to-use magazine app

IOWA CITY’S FIRST HIGH RISE ROOFTOP RESTAURANT

VUE ROOFTOP OPENING LATE OCTOBER

HOTEL NOW OPEN! Iowa City, Iowa 328 S. Clinton St. | Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Tel: (319) 248-6100

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Complimentary high-speed Internet access 143 guest rooms and suites Refrigerator, microwave oven and coffee-maker Indoor pool, whirlpool, and fitness center Cook to order breakfast in the Garden Grille Flexible event & banquet space for up to 220 guests Indoor/Outdoor Dining on the 12th Floor at Vue Rooftop

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new kids on the block

WELCOME TO THE 'HOOD These fresh faces bring new game to town

WILLOW & STOCK 207 N LINN ST www.willowandstock.com

Owners Amber Neville and Angela Barnett have brought a freshness to the Northside Marketplace with Willow & Stock, their locally-sourced floral shop. This eco-friendly florist opened early September 2017 and offers fresh flowers and plants including single stem flowers as well as wrapped and pre-arranged bouquets all delivered via bicycle in the immediate downtown and campus areas.

Willow & Stock sources their products as often as possible from right here in the Midwest.

They also offer customers biodegradable packaging and a vase recycling program to promote reuse and the overall reduction of waste.

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new kids on the block

SHAMAN GROCER 114 ½ E. COLLEGE ST. STE. 5 www.shamangrocer.com

Shaman Grocer, a veteran-owned lifestyle store, is the newest addition to Iowa City’s iconic Hall Mall.

Originally opened in Cedar Rapids in 2016, owners Craig W. Barkley and Jennifer Murphy were drawn to the eclectic vibe of the Hall Mall and made the move to downtown Iowa City in early summer 2017. With a focus on curating local artists and responsibly sourced items, Barkley and Murphy, also artists themselves, offer pottery, incense, essential oils, glass jewelry and household items including herbs, soap, books and other items designed to enhance a conscious lifestyle.

Visit them upstairs in the Hall Mall for high-quality sustainable goods that are both beautiful and functional.

MIDWESTERN FINANCIAL GROUP 103 E. COLLEGE ST www.midwesternfinancial.com

After each working independently in the industry for more than 6 years, UI graduates Joseph Jay and Patrick Campbell teamed up to bring a more personal touch to the field of financial advising. New tenants of the Old Opera building overlooking the Ped Mall, Campbell and Jay offer their clients the vibrant urban setting of downtown Iowa City from their modern and professional secondstory perch. Midwestern Financial Group eschews the structures, products and commissions of large investment firms in favor of cultivating relationships with clients and delivering outcome-oriented results for their investors.

BLAZE PIZZA ENCORE LIFE

201 S. CLINTON ST #167 blazepizza.com

119 E. WASHINGTON ST

THE ENCOUNTER CAFÉ 376 S. CLINTON ST

This newly opened café, located along the south perimeter of the district, serves up omelets, panini, smoothies, coffee and more in an effort to support local charities and projects. Owned and operated by the Sharon Bethel Menonnite church, the cafe plans to donate all profits to charity in hopes of truly giving back to the community. The Encounter Cafe uses locally sourced ingredients—like coffee from Capanna Coffee in North Liberty, eggs from Farmer’s Hen House and dairy products from Kalona SuperNatural—as another way to provide community support.

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Opened in April 2017 by recent Tippie College of Business graduate Shanru Meng, Encore Life is a Bubble Tea cafe serving not only bubble and milk teas, but dessert as well. Prior to opening, Meng spent countless hours testing healthy and delicious alternatives to classic tea recipes. Most bubble tea is prepared using a powdered mix and artificial flavors, but it was important to Meng to use real ingredients to create a healthier version. Look for organic tea leaves and milk and real fruit used behind the counter and be sure to order one of the teas served in a glass bulb—talk about instant Instagram likes!

Taking over a space in Old Capitol Town Center formerly occupied by the UI School of Music, Blaze Pizza made its entrance to the downtown dining scene in August as students returned for fall semester. Backed by athlete LeBron James, this nationwide pizza chain uses an assembly line format to make pizza from scratch with healthful ingredients. Hungry diners can expect to wait less than three minutes for their pizza to bake.

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L I T T L E V I L L AG E C E D A R R A P I D S • I O WA C I T Y

NO NEWS IS BAD NEWS READ • SHARE • SUPPORT

Local Independent Media LittleVillageMag.com

T. S. Eliot Collected Poems October 2017 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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new kids on the block

HILTON GARDEN INN VUE ROOFTOP RESTAURANT 328 S CLINTON ST hiltongardeninn.com

As the temperature dips this season, Iowa City’s first high-rise rooftop bar and restaurant will open for business and with heaters and firepits, patrons will be able to enjoy the outdoor patio well into the season. Situated on the 12th floor of the new Hilton Garden Inn hotel and boasting both an indoor and outdoor space, the 6,000-square-foot Vue Rooftop restaurant will provide guests with a stunning bird’s-eye-view of the Iowa City landscape and a world-class dining experience. The hotel and associated restaurant are owned and operated by Kinseth Hospitality based in North Liberty, IA, which currently operates 65 hotels and five branded restaurants in 11 states.

BAO CHOW

PEAR DECK

201 S CLINTON ST

201 S LINN STREET www.peardeck.com

The menu at Bao Chow tops out at just seven items, but the selection of deliciously authentic Chinese bao is more than enough to feast on. Opened by friends Yanyi Zhu, Connor McGuire and Todd Jones in September 2017, this bao-centric restaurant stands out as a unique choice in downtown Iowa City. Bao is a classic Chinese dish made of steamed, leavened dough and filled with ingredients ranging from sausage and egg to bok choy and mushrooms. Whether you're a bao newbie or a seasoned pro, you're sure to find something to satisfy.

A 4-year-old educational tech company based in Iowa City recently joined the bustling downtown ecosystem. In their new offices on the third floor of the Hotel Vetro building, Pear Deck employees stay busy developing software and apps that focus on real-time engagement and student interaction for teachers in one-on-one classrooms. Founded by former teachers, the Pear Deck platform is based on real-life experience in the classroom and uses varied formats to be sure all types of learners are reached. Every teacher in the Iowa City Community School District has access to Pear Deck software and over 260,000 teachers across the globe use the software in their classrooms.

PIZAN PIZZA

113 IOWA AVENUE pizanpizza.com

PiZan Pizza opened late May 2017 bringing fast, made-to-order craft pizza to the streets of downtown Iowa City. Customers can create their custom pizza, choosing from a range of crust, sauces, cheeses and locally sourced toppings. Your pizza is tossed into a piping hot oven and within a few minutes, your pie is ready to eat. Sample a suggestion from their menu, or go crazy and make your own combination. Gluten-free crust and vegan cheese are avaiable for those with dietary restrictions. If hunger strikes after a few brews next door at Joe’s Place, rest easy; a window connecting the two businesses allows customers to order and receive pizza without ever leaving the bar.

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Image © Pascale Monvoison

Velvet Coat

118 E College St. Iowa City, I A 52240 downtown 319 887 7151 500 E Locust St. Des Moines, I A 50309 east village 515 244 630 8

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F Pascaeaturing le M Jewelonvoisin ry

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closer look

IOWA CITY MUSEUMS

These downtown cultural destinations make for perfect cold-weather entertainment

OLD CAPITOL MUSEUM

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA MUSEUM OF ART

21 OLD CAPITOL - THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA oldcap.uiowa.edu

11 MACBRIDE HALL - THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA mnh.uiowa.edu

125 N MADISON ST uima.uiowa.edu

Serving as Iowa’s first capitol, the former seat of government is Iowa City’s only National Historic Landmark. It was converted for use as a state historical museum in the 1970’s and painstakingly restored. Built from Iowa limestone with historic interiors, gallery spaces and period-decorated rooms, the museum is home to changing humanities exhibits as well as hour-long tours of the building.

Travel back over 500 million years of natural heritage through permanent exhibits about the natural world. The William and Eleanor Hageboeck Hall of Birds boasts the inclusion of nearly all species recorded as residents or seasonal visitors to Iowa with over 1,000 birds on display. The Mammal Hall houses a rare giant panda from China, a complete skeleton of a 47-foot Atlantic right whale and many other animals collected by University of Iowa students and faculty members from expeditions around the world.

Since the flood of 2008, the University of Iowa’s Museum of Art has been operating without a permanent home for their expansive collection.

Partnering with the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, IA, UIMA stores and showcases the majority of the collection there. The rest of the museum’s permanent collection is featured in the UIMA@IMU Visual Classroom and Black Box Theater at the Iowa Memorial Union. Look for fully curated semesterbased exhibitions in the Black Box Theater and works on paper and other rotating selections from the collection at the UIMA@IMU Visual Classroom.

HISTORY The Old Capitol Museum contains the Senate Chamber where Iowa’s First General Assembly founded the University of Iowa in 1847, and the Supreme Court Chamber where justices of the Iowa’s highest court judged state-level trials until 1857. The building housed almost the entire University in its first decade, and functioned as administrative offices until the 1970s.

HISTORY Founded in 1858, the University of Iowa Museum of National History is the oldest university museum west of the Mississippi River and was established after a faculty request for specimens and space to support educational endeavors.

HISTORY

VISIT

VISIT

VISIT

Brush up on your history with a docent-led tour; admission and tours are free. Schedule a tour anytime Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m.

Spend a chilly afternoon indoors with the animals!

Admission is free. The museum is open TuesdaySaturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m.

Take in some art; it's free! Stop by Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 12-5 p.m.

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Originally opened in May 1969 through the generous gift of Owen and Leone Elliott’s extensive collection of twentieth-century works, the UIMA will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2019.

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theft by finding diaries, david sedaris

I listened to David Sedaris read his book Theft By Finding, and I loved it like I do all of his work. I checked out the audiobook from the Iowa City Public Library’s Overdrive application, which allows library users access to books in both electronic and audio format. In Theft By Finding, Sedaris revisits his diary entries from the 1977-2002.

The book is like reading Facebook posts by your funniest friend; I laughed out loud at his absurd social interactions but was also touched by his deeper insights and the words he wrote about his mother. Iowa City and the Cedar Rapids airport even get a mention. evicted: poverty and profit in the american city, matthew desmond

Public library lover Devin Redmond has been a teacher for over 20 years in the Iowa City Community School District and has spent the last nine as a teacher librarian at Coralville Central Elementary. The Iowa City Public Library is Redmond's favorite place in downtown Iowa City, even on a Friday night.

Read on for her recommendations old and new pulled from the shelves of the public library.

hunger, roxanne gay

Roxane Gay visited the Iowa City area last year as a part of the 2016 Iowa City Book Festival where she was awarded the Paul Engle Prize. I did not hear her speak and now realize, after reading her memoir Hunger, that I missed out being in the same room as one of the most significant women of this generation. I was astounded by the courage and vulnerability Ms. Gay showed in her writing and sharing her story of learning to live in her body and love herself after a forever haunting event. Whether or not we have experienced similar pain or walked in like shoes, we will be better after reading this book. We will be kinder and more decent to each other and ourselves.

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Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City is one the best and most important nonfiction books I’ve read. I mention its Pulitzer Prize distinction to let you know it’s that good, but to point out it’s still extremely readable and accessible to anyone interested in the injustices and unfair treatment taking place in housing situations.

Matthew Desmond lived his writing. He immersed himself in the lives of eight families living in trailer parks and in inner-city Milwaukee, WI to tell their stories and hopefully influence our understanding of the poverty and economic exploitation taking place in America. Please don’t miss this crucial piece of writing.

on the books tell me three things, julie buxbaum

I’ll tell you three things about Julie Buxbaum’s book Tell Me Three Things. 1: It was a prize from the Iowa City Public Library for finishing their summer reading program.

They stock a cart full of paperbacks in all genres and you choose one!

This book was my choice. 2: The Young Adult story takes place in present day Los Angeles.

Jessie and her dad move from Chicago after he marries a filmmaker he met in an online bereavement group. As Jessie navigates life in her new city, she gets an anonymous email from someone she goes to school with, and it’s this continuing “screen relationship” that helps her find her way, not just in the rich, snotty high school she attends, but also in figuring out how to live without her mom. 3: Is this book silly and cheesy in parts?

Yes, and you’ll be reminded of all the John Hughes movies you’ve watched. Will it revive twitterpated feelings you had for your high school or current crush? Yes, and you’ll giggle thinking about them.

Should you read it? Does it have a message worth your time? Absolutely yes!

Will it revive twitterpated feelings you had for your high school crush? Yes, and you'll giggle thinking about them.

cooking the books

Cold weather makes for the perfect time to get lost in a book. Crack open one of the season's newest releases and spend the next few months cooking up a storm. Sweet takes eager cooks on an adventure in baking, through decadent confections and desserts. Smitten Kitchen Every Day offers easy success to home cooks, and Christopher Kimball's new Milk Street promises to turn your cooking into a pleasure rather than a chore. New releases available at Prairie Lights Bookstore.

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LIFELONG LEARNERS: Some of Iowa City’s most curious students are members of the Senior Center

BY EMMA MCCLATCHEY

TUNED IN: The Center's New Horizons concert band meets weekly to practice and perfect pieces for local performances.

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TAP IT OUT: The Center's Tap Cat class offers seniors a chance to brush up on their rhythym.

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T

here’s only one building in Iowa City that hosts a barn dance, Wii bowling league, band and choir concerts and seven different yoga courses. That center is the Center–that is, the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center on South Linn Street.

Once a postal office, the 25,000-square-foot facility has held the local senior center since 1981. With a parking ramp and skywalk attached, the Center is home to a fitness room, library, billiard room, art studio and dozens of multipurpose classrooms hosting everything from Bananagrams, quilting and book clubs to classes teaching Spanish, meditation and how to use an iPad. “It changed the image of a senior center in my head,” said Emily Light Edrington, the Center’s community outreach specialist. “It’s really a place for the community to gather and build relationships while maintaining their health and well-being and improving their quality of life.”

Downtown Iowa City vibrates with energy, and the Center’s members and visitors only add to it. Many will attend a class or event, then take a jaunt down the street for lunch or dinner. Some programs take place off-site at downtown hubs such as the Iowa City Public Library (which will host 12 classes this fall, including a photo scavenger hunt and several genealogy courses).

Groups of Center members can be found weaving through local art galleries as part of the Downtown District’s October, March and June Gallery Walks.

Some courses require the purchase of materials from Prairie Lights, the Old Capitol Mall and, most recently, Daydream Comics, which will offer a 25 percent discount to Center members participating in the new Comics and Graphic Novels class.

Edrington said the senior presence “balances the youthful atmosphere that we have downtown and raises visibility for older adults in the community.”

“Young people will often see seniors as this homogenous group and internalize negative stereotypes about aging,” Center Coordinator Linda Kopping added. “That’s one of the big things we want to change thinking about.”

Iowa City residents 50 years or older may become Center members for a yearly fee of $40 ($75 for nonresidents. An income-based scholarship program is available and widely applied). Center membership has its perks – access to member-only courses, a keycard to get into fitness center, discounts on parking – but most programs are open to all local seniors. Many don’t even have a minimum age requirement.

“I always consider the Senior Center to be a community center with a focus on older adults,” Edrington said. “We have kids as young as four

singing in the same choir as people who are 85, and everywhere in between.”

One of Programming Specialist Michelle Buhman’s favorite programs is the Death Café, an intergenerational group that meets once a month for frank conversations about mortality.

“Once you recognize the fact [everyone is going to die], you make the most of every day,” Buhman said.

“You’d be surprised at the amount of laughter that comes out of those discussions.”

While many of the programs are meant to promote exercise, discussion and fun, others provide practical services invaluable to many senior citizens. Completely free and open to the public, these include Medicare counseling from volunteers trained by the Senior Health Insurance Information Program or SHIIP; legal counseling from local volunteer attorneys; free tax assistance; Alzheimers support; and several one-on-

“There’s no expiration date on your ability to learn.”

– Emily Light Edrington,

Community Outreach Specialist

one technology courses.

The essential ingredient in most programs is volunteers. The Center utilizes around 600 volunteers a year, a growing portion of them University of Iowa students. Many contribute tech support or work together with older leaders to create content for Senior Center TV, which broadcasts senior center events, courses and member interviews on public access television.

Students of the UI’s Death and Dying course have for years joined seniors in the Center’s Honoring Your Wishes workshop, in which participants record their wishes with regards to potential medical situations, well beyond a typical “do not resuscitate” request. UI Philosophy students may also mix with the Center this fall in philosophy-based programming such as a Thursday René Descartes course.

“I think it provides the students a great opportunity to work with adults they may not have in their lives,” Edrington said. “There’s a lot of disconnection in that way, I think, for a lot of folks who don’t have close relationships with grandparents, for instance.”

Professional instructors are among the volunteers as well, from biologists to artists to visiting writers from

HOW TO… TAKE A HIKE: Trailblazer's Hiking Club stretch their legs on their weekly outing

FIND A CLASS

The Center has a dizzying number of groups, classes and events. To view a full list of programs and the Center schedule, visit icgov.org/senior.

BECOME A MEMBER

Anyone 50 years of age or older can join the center at any time.

Benefits include: An access card to get into the building, fitness rooms, billiard room and computer lab. Participation in member-only classes and events Discounted parking in the Tower Place Parking Ramp Iowa City residents pay $40 (with $25 per additional household member) and non-local residents pay $75 ($45 per additional household members).

To apply, go to icgov.org/senior or contact Linda Kopping at linda-kopping@iowa-city.org.

VOLUNTEER

Have an interest? More than likely, you share it with The Center.

the UI’s International Writing Program. Architect Steve Stimmel, a graduate of Iowa State University, will lead a class on the architecture of Iowa City on Oct. 26.

“Our volunteers donate to the program and they thank me after they’re done doing their job,” Buhman said, incredulous. “Instructors from out of town are drawn back because people here want to learn and want to be engaged and share what they learned. They find that common interest in history or architecture, science or math, whatever they like.”

“It’s not your average college class,” Kopping added.

This year, Center staff hope to increase diversity by growing existing programs such as the English Language Discussion Group–popular amongst the UI’s international students–and their LGBT-focused events, including the National Coming Out Day Potluck on Oct. 11. The new Intergenerational Social Group, organized by older adults and college students, will encourage friendships between youth and seniors.

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Whether learning a new skill or forging new friendships (or more-than-friendships: The new 50+ Single Group was a raging success last year), Center programs combat the sense of stasis many feel after retirement.

“When you’re at work, you have a ready group of people to talk with and interact with, and that goes away when you retire,” Kopping observed.

“What we’re doing is helping people stay active, healthy and happy for a longer period of time.”

Edrington reinforced this thought. “Retirement is your opportunity to explore new things without your brain power being tied up in a job,” she said. “There’s no expiration date on your ability to learn.”

In the future, Kopping said she hopes the Center can establish remote locations around the county to serve an even broader audience. In the meantime, they’re making the most of their historic downtown Iowa City location, where there is a flurry of activity every day of the week.

“It’s a big building,” Kopping said. “But sometimes it’s just too darn small.”

Lead a group, or become a volunteer librarian, quilter or technology mentor, working oneon-one with seniors on everything from internet navigation and Facebook to photo management and smartphone use. You can also be a video producer with SCTV. The Center is in special need of volunteers for the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide. Orientation and training begins in October; January to April, you’ll help seniors and lowincome individuals receive free tax services they urgently need.

If you’d like to propose a new class, contact Emily Light Edrington at emily-edrington@iowa-city.org.

DONATE

Friends of the Center is the senior center’s donor network. If you’d like to join or donate to Friends, call Linda Kopping at (319) 356-5225 or Ashley Lindley at (319) 356-5216.

You can set up monthly donations or pledge a specific amount.

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city style

BUILD YOUR LOOK |

Downtown retailers offer a variety of clothing, accessories and home-good options to outfit your wardrobe or home for the cold-weather.

clockwise from top left: gingham blouse, Revival; jean skirt, Dulcinea; patterned socks, Dulcinea; silk blouse, Domby; cross body purse, Textiles; rabbit fur hat, Catherine's; boxy turtleneck, Textiles; bag, Catherine's; velvet slippers, Catherine's; sweater, Velvet Coat; glasses, Discerning Eye; velvet boots, White Rabbit; cropped jeans, Domby; knit hat, White Rabbit; tank, WhiteRabbit; sweater, Domby; faux fur vest, Dulcinea; winter gloves, Textiles; silver pumps, Velvet Coat; felt hat, Active Endeavors; cotton bralette, Revival

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city style

clockwise from top left: fleece jacket, Active Endeavors; tee shirt, Tailgate; sneakers, The Full Kit; jeans, The Full Kit; sweatpants, Active Endeavors; journals, vintage stamps, pen, r.s.v.p.; Flow magazine, r.s.v.p.; ceramic bowl, Moss; woven sari basket, Ten Thousand Villages; Himalayan salt lamp Om; Turkish bath towel, Revival 119; books, Prairie Lights; ceramic tea pot, AKAR; potted plant and stand, Moss; vintage blanket, Artifacts; varsity jacket sweatshirt, Tailgate; flannel shirt, The Full Kit

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best bites

EAT ALL DAY LONG

MORNING LUXURY If you’re longing for a luxuriously slow morning away from home, downtown restaurants and cafés are the ideal way to start your day.

For a light and easy start to your morning, begin at Bread Garden Market with an avocado toast made to order or try NODO’s deceptively delicious egg sandwich. If you require something a bit heartier for your first meal, head over to Bluebird Diner for their Krakato’d hashbrowns alongside any of their main plates or Hamburg Inn No. 2 for a true diner breakfast; you’ll be set til the afternoon. Stretch out the morning with a visit to Prairie Lights to pick up the weekend edition and peruse the paper over a warming drink at Cortado.

Before heading home for the afternoon, swing by Cookies and More for a classic bakery treat.

best bites

^Z'marik's Kritharaki

AFTERNOON DELIGHT

^Tapas at Devotay

DRAWN-OUT

You’ve fueled up on coffee at home, now fill up your afternoon hours with eating and drinking and cap off the day with a matinee movie.

DINNER

Opt for a dinner that winds through town instead of choosing just one downtown destination. There are plenty of options making it easy to choose your own adventure.

In search of lighter fare? Brix Cheese and Wine Shop is a snacker’s paradise, offering an assortment of delicious cheeses, cured meats and crackers perfect for a grazing lunch. Be sure to pair it with one of their stellar wines from around the world. For something with a bit more substance, order the Kritharaki at Z’Marik’s Noodle Cafe.

It’s exactly the sort of noodles you’d make for weekend lunch at home, except you don’t have to dirty any dishes. Savor the simplicity. The lofty vibe at Moonrakers will give you a new perspective on downtown dining. Be sure to try their wood-fired tandoori chicken wings and the handcut fries.

Start with a pre-dinner cocktail at the Joseph’s Steakhouse bar.

Their knowledgeable bartenders will execute a well-crafted drink to start the night off on the right foot. Travel through the heart of the Ped Mall and continue your northbound stroll opting for a snack at local-foods-small-plates landmark Devotay. After you're finished, head just one block further to Pagliai’s Pizza. Order a Palace Special for throwback vibes and watch the workers in their paper hats make quick work of the flood of orders from the dining room. You saved room for dessert, right? The clear choice is Basta's budino which will provide a new appreciation for classic chocolate desserts. Close down the evening with a glass of Italian red wine seated at the bar at Baroncini. It's the perfect place for a nightcap.

With the rest of the day stretched out in front of you, maybe an afternoon matinee with movie theater treats sounds right.

FilmScene it is. Or, maybe your afternoon is better spent in conversation with your pals. Head to George’s Buffet where everyone will be comfortable and a pitcher of LaCrosse is just the ticket.

^Slinging old-school pizzas at Pagliai's

MIDNIGHT FEAST < Iowa City Yacht Club Grilled Cheese

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If you're a night owl, there's a wealth of late-night dining and drinking options to put on your list.

For photo proof of a fun evening out, start at the Deadwood which is home to downtown Iowa City's only photo booth. Continue your evening out on the town with a

cocktail and some music that's sure to please at The Mill. If you miss the kitchen hours at The Mill, circle back to the Iowa City Yacht Club for a selection of grilled cheese sandwiches named after music legends that will definitely hit the spot.

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Curated Eyewear from Around the World

www.SeeWellLookGreat.com

_________________________

Eyewear. Contact Lenses. Eye Exams.

Frames + Lenses $165

Online Pricing. In Person Service. www.WearFocus.com

218 E. Washington St Iowa City, IA 52240 319.338.6800 Across the street from Englert Theatre and Java House.

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1 Hour of Free Ramp Parking in Downtown Iowa City Just $2 to park in a designated ramp for 3 hours! (first hour free, then $1 per hour after)

Free to download.

Capitol St. (adjacent to Old Capitol Mall) Dubuque St. (adjacent to the Sheraton Hotel) Tower Place (on Iowa Avenue) Court Street Transportation Center

Use the app wherever PassportParking signs are displayed, including more than 2,000 on and off-street City spaces, and more than 800 University spaces.

City operated locations include all metered spots, in addition to the Chauncey Swan and Harrison Street Parking ramps.

www.icgov.org/parking

www.icgov.org/parkingapps

Discount applies at:

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Passport Parking. Now you can pay for hourly parking from your smartphone.

DOWNTOWN | FALL + WINTER 2017-18

A TOWN THAT BLEEDS INK

BY KELLI EBENSBERGER

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ZAK NEUMANN

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owa City is a hub for artists from all walks of life, practicing in every medium imaginable. But there is one art form that we carry with us our entire lives, etched quite literally into who we are: tattoos. And even though downtown Iowa City may seem small, it is bursting with talented artists and welcoming shops.

At the eastern end of the downtown blocks, Iowa City Tattoo (385 E. College St.) serves as a studio for three artists, Matt “Coop” Cooper, Jeffry “Old School Jeff” Betts, and Anne Marsh. Formerly Nemesis Tattoo for more than a decade, the group has operated as Iowa City Tattoo for the past two years. With each

artist specializing in different styles, customers are bound to find a good fit at this shop.

Marsh, the newest of the crew, joined the shop after apprenticing under Cooper more than seven years ago, proceeding a short-lived apprenticeship in Montrose, IA. Marsh’s signature American traditional style is popular with people looking for bold lines and selective color palettes.

“Think of it as a more complex Sailor Jerry style,” said Marsh.

She also enjoys doing black and grey realism tattoos, especially botanical and zoological images.

“It’s great when someone comes in

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and says ‘I want a tiger in this style, but I’ve seen your work and I trust you.’”

Marsh is an Iowan through and through, having grown up in Des Moines and getting her degrees in painting and biology at the University of Iowa.

“I had a romantic notion of making a new version of Grey’s Anatomy,” said Marsh in regard to her initial desire to be a biomedical illustrator. “But then I realized…someone already did that.”

Focusing most of her time to drawing work for customers and flash sheets for the expansive wall at the shop, Marsh has guestspotted at Fish Ladder Tattoo Company in Lansing, Michigan and designed materials for Iowa Abortion Access Fund. Iowa City Tattoo hopes to partake in more community partnerships, as it did earlier this year through a month-long promotion to raise funds for Planned Parenthood.

Just west of Iowa City Tattoo is the notorious Pedestrian Mall, and on the edge of that lies another shop bursting with talented artists. Black Angel Tattoo (109 S. Linn St.) borrows its name from the infamous and reportedly cursed sculptural

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gravestone in Hickory Hill Cemetery.

One would be hard pressed to find a local tattoo artist more talked about and recommended than Nikki Powllis.

Black Angel Tattoo is directly across Linn Street from Release Body Modifications, both of which are owned by artist Steeve Easley. Born and raised in Iowa City, Powllis apprenticed under the late local legend Ray “Stingray” Parrish. Powllis began tattooing in an empty space at Release, but in 2015, when the space across the way housing the Mayfair Boutique became available, Easley jumped at the chance.

While many people know Powllis for her precise line work and realist shading, she’s no stranger to color. Her watercolor pieces can be seen throughout town, and her colorful and dynamic paintings decorate the shop. A passion she’s pursued since 2010, Powllis says her painting is pretty removed from her tattoo work, functioning as a personal project in exercising a different medium and style.

Powllis tries to take time out of the year to guestspot around the country, forging relationships with other talented artists and loyal customers.

“In Iowa City, artists have to be versatile. ” – Javier Silva, Artificer Tattoo

DOWNTOWN | FALL + WINTER 2017-18

INKED UP: (from left to right) Nikki Powllis mid-tattoo at Black Angel; Anne Marsh filling in details at Iowa City Tattoo; Javier Silva in his Hall Mall perch.

“After a guest spot at a shop in Michigan, two guys who I had tattooed drove all the way down to Iowa City just to get another. It felt really great,” Powllis recollected.

Black Angel also hosts visiting artists, most recently featuring Josh Hernandez, a West Coast floater often found in San Francisco, Seattle and Portland. Next on the docket is Boy Hamish, a New Mexico artist who does a lot of fantasy-scapes and portrait work, who will be visiting the first few weeks in November.

Powllis is usually booked out months in advance, but the shop still takes walk-ins thanks to the addition of a second artist, Andy October in January of 2017. They’re used to working with tattoo virgins regularly. Powllis fondly remembered a very nervous first tattoo: “A guy once passed out three times before I could even put the stencil on. He made it through the tattoo perfectly fine, though.”

Home to another prodigy of the late “Stingray” Parrish, is Artificer Tattoo (114

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E.College St.). At the summit of a staircase often unnoticed on the Pedestrian Mall is a set of studios and offices known as the Hall Mall.

And tucked into one of the many nondescript doorways but identifiable by the music spilling out into the passage is Javier Silva’s studio.

He has been the owner of the studio for a year, which serves as a space for himself and fellow artist Eric Vance, but Silva has been tattooing in the area since 2008.

Similar to Powllis, Silva apprenticed under “Stingray” Parrish, and though he’d been drawing since he was a child, he never thought he would be an artist professionally. While working as a bouncer and attending University of Iowa for computer programming, Parrish approached Silva after several customers had brought in Silva’s drawings to be tattooed on them.

From then on, his skills have flourished.

“In Iowa City, artists have to be versatile,” he said, stating that he’ll doing everything from

portraits to cartoons to mandalas (“all the craze right now,” Silva joked) but his favorite works are black and grey horror tattoos. The secret to catering to such a large swath of customers and requests?

“Always strive to be better, never get complacent, and don’t let yourself burn out.

Artists need to find hobbies unrelated to drawing.”

Silva’s own side passions include woodworking, knife making and fishing.

Whether you’re looking for your first tattoo, a full back piece, custom work or recreations of a cherished image, Iowa City has an amalgam of options to satisfy any need. In a town that leaves a mark on everyone that passes through, let these talented local artists and shops leave a mark on you.

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calendar

DON'T MISS THESE EVENTS...

NOT YOUR MOTHER'S CRAFT FAIR December 9 Merge facebook.com/notyourmotherscraftfair

HOLIDAY RETAIL OPEN HOUSE December 2 Downtown Iowa City downtowniowacity.com

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY November 25 Downtown Iowa City downtowniowacity.com

November 10 Blue Moose Tap House

Noname

Terrence Blanchard December 1 Hancher Auditorium

The Nutcracker December 1-3 The Englert

Lungs

December 1-17 Riverside Theatre

Downtown Iowa City downtowniowacity.com

NYE Masquerade ONE BOOK TWO BOOK FESTIVAL February 23-25, 2018 onebooktwobook.org/

TOP CHEF February downtowniowacity.com

DOWNTOWN HUNT FOR THE ELVES November 25, December 2, 9, 16

December 31 Gabe's

Burlington Street Bluegrass Band December 27 The Mill

Detroit

January 19-February 11 Riverside Theatre

Camille A. Brown & Dancers

Downtown Iowa City downtowniowacity.com

January 27 Hancher Auditorium

Cloud Gate Theatre of Taiwan

THE LIBRARY FRIENDS FOUNDATION'S ANNUAL ARTS AND CRAFTS BAZAAR December 2

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Brother Ali

Downtown Iowa City downtowniowacity.com

DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY TROLLEY November 25, December 2, 9, 16

Downtown Iowa City eastsideartistsiowacity.wordpress.com

November 10 The Englert

November 18 The Englert

Downtown Iowa City downtowniowacity.com

EASTSIDE ARTISTS SHOW DECEMBER 8-10

Chase Garrett's 8th Annual Blues & Boogie Woogie Piano Stomp

GINGERBREAD HOUSE COMPETITION December 10

SANTA SATURDAYS November 25, December 2, 9, 16

Downtown Iowa City downtowniowacity.com

ARTS & CULTURE HIGHLIGHTS

February 25 Hancher Auditorium

MISSION CREEK April 3-8, 2018 missioncreekfestival.com

MOTOWN: The Musical March 1-4 Hancher Auditorium

Apples in Winter March 2-18 Riverside Theatre

DOWNTOWN | FALL + WINTER 2017-18

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in conversation

DOWNTOWN REAL ESTATE: The Iowa City Downtown District works with property owners, the City of Iowa City, financiers, architects, and realtors to help identify complimentary future tenants and investment opportunities and fill vacancies. Nancy Bird, Executive Director of the Iowa City Downtown District, serves to support incoming tenants and provide leads to local property owners.

MEET MARK LYNCH: COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AGENT The public auction of the Union property this summer has brought downtown real estate sales to the forefront. We speak with Mark Lynch, commercial realtor for Skogman Realty to take a closer look at the nature of the downtown market. Lynch is one of many partners that supports filling downtown vacancies.

How does the recent sale of the historic Swisher Building property effect the market?

In general, public auction of an historic property is the preferred option where courts and the legal system is concerned. It provides all interested parties a fair chance at the property, removes the possibility of manipulation, and gives everyone an opportunity for due diligence. Looking specifically at this recent example, the Swisher Building sold for considerably less than what we have seen sell on the market. There was a lot of excitement associated with the sale and that Steffes Group did an incredible job marketing the building; but of course the ultimate goal is to sell the building for the highest price possible. I believe investors would have paid more for the building if once they had an accepted offer they had time for due diligence.

Without having a due diligence period, an investor does not have the best information possible. Without the proper information it creates more risk for an investor. Every real estate investment has risk, but typically the higher the risk the less an investor is willing to pay.

As an agent, how do you fill vacancies in our downtown?

I try to bring high-quality tenants to landlords whether they are local or national to create a good mix of everything. The cycle for commercial business is typically longer than residential. You need to nurture interest in properties over months and with bigger brands, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more of a recruitment process. The downtown market can be hard to get into, and it will likely only get harder as interested national tenants are able to pay prices that are more attractive to landlords.

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