ISSUE 297 August 2021
A L W A Y S
Close to Home
The Highlander gains landmark status BUILDINGS
Hall Mall’s Fall
Remembering Iowa City’s quirkiest corridor
Poolside Service
The Highlander Hotel gains landmark status
Still Cleaning Up
One year after the derecho
Empty Halls
Remembering the Hall Mall years
The Bohemian
An old beauty begins anew
Equity and Representation A focus on what’s forgotten in historic preservation
Still Rebuilding
F R E E
La Vie Bohème
A Cedar Rapids beauty begins anew
One year after the derecho
These Walls
The future of historic preservation in Iowa
THE MIDWEST’S
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1400 Inspiration Place SW | Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 319.362.8500 | NCSML.org/BrewNost
It’s everyone’s story. What would you do to be free? Go on this extraordinary journey through two World Wars, life under Communism, and the pursuit of a better life in America. Faces of Freedom features more than 7,000 square feet of historic artifacts, interactive environments, riveting storytelling, and more.
NCSML.org
1400 Inspiration Pl SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 319-362-8500
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THANK
you "Best Home Improvement Company in the CRANDIC"
www.andrewmartinconstruction.com
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ADULT programs
Let's Talk Books: Comedy 2021 Summer’s FUN, reading should be too! Our goal is simple – let’s see if Iowa City can help us celebrate 125 years of stories by reading 125,000 books this summer! Track your reading progress online at srp.icpl.org to help us reach our community wide goal!
Tuesday, August 10
7:00-8:00pm | Online event Register at calendar.icpl.org
TEEN programs
For students in grades 7-12
Sketching in the City*
Monday, August 2 | 1-2:30pm | Ped Mall
Watch a Creative Bug class beforehand and meet to sketch in the Ped Mall. Materials will be provided.
Cupcake Contest*
Monday, Aug. 16 | 1-2:30pm | Ped Mall
Compete to decorate the perfect cupcake which will be judged by Aashika Gadkari, High schooler and owner of iCake Bakery in Iowa City. All supplies provided.
125,000 Books! (319)356-5200 8 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
KIDS programs Celebrate the Chinese Qixi Festival with Ying! August 4 | 2pm
Kit available for pickup July 28-August 3
The Qixi Festival (August 14) is a Chinese festival celebrating the meeting of the cowherd and weaver girl in mythology. Create your own moveable papercraft that tells the story of their meeting.
srp.icpl.org
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 9
STEP AFRIKA! DRUMFOLK
Quixotic, Hancher Illuminated – August 28 Step Afrika!, Drumfolk – September 11 Bill Nye – September 27 Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project – September 29 Waitress – October 22–23 Boston Pops on Tour, Lights, Camera…Music! Six Decades of John Williams – October 27 Bill Irwin, On Beckett – November 5
WAITRESS
Hermitage Piano Trio – November 12 CLUB HANCHER
Jazz at Lincoln Center Quintet Let Freedom Swing – November 18 Storm Large, Holiday Ordeal – December 4 Straight No Chaser – December 9 Brunch with Santa – December 11–12 MUSIC BY SARA BAREILLES (“LOVE SONG,” “BRAVE”)
MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP PEPPERLAND
An Officer and a Gentleman – January 19 Roomful of Teeth – February 16 Mark Morris Dance Group Pepperland – February 18 Castalian String Quartet – February 20 The Philadelphia Orchestra – March 9 Damien Sneed A Tribute to Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul – March 10 Danish String Quartet – April 1
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER QUINTET LET FREEDOM SWING
The Band’s Visit – April 6–7 Steve Kroft – April 13 KIDS CLUB HANCHER
Jazz at Lincoln Center Quintet Let Freedom Swing – April 23 Kronos Quartet At War With Ourselves – 400 Years of You – April 30 Las Cafeteras – May 7
TICKETS ON SALE AUGUST 16 $10 STUDENT TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR MOST SHOWS
Discover more at hancher.uiowa.edu Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events.If you are a person with a disability who 10 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Hancher in advance at (319) 335-1158.
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NEWS & CULTURE FROM IOWA CITY Since 2001 littlevillagemag.com
16 - Ad Index A Ford Exhibition at the Highlander Hotel in 1975. Courtesy of Sheila Boyd
18 - Letters 22 - Interactions 23 - Brock About Town 32 - Photo Review 36 - The Highlander 38 - Derecho Stories 42 - The Bohemian 44 - Hall Mall 48 - Matthew Gilbert 50 - Bread & Butter 54 - A-List 58 - Events Calendar 73 - Astrology 75 - Album Reviews 77 - Book Reviews 79 - Crossword
36
38
44
The Highlander, a ’60s supper club
Recovery continues for CR
Former Hall Mall tenants
Checking In
Hell & Back
Rentertainment
built on the outskirts of IC, has
homeowners, nonprofits and
remember the weird, creaky,
evolved into a hip, historic hotel
businesses affected by the
distinctly Iowa City second-floor
(with an awesome pool).
2020 derecho.
shopping district.
Thanks to last month’s new supporters:
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Little Village (ISSN 2328-3351) is an independent, community-supported news and culture publication based in Iowa City, published monthly by Little Village, LLC, 623 S Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA 52240. Through journalism, essays and events, we work to improve our community according to core values: environmental sustainability, affordability and access, economic and labor justice, racial justice, gender equity, quality healthcare, quality education and critical culture. Letters to the editor(s) are always welcome. We reserve the right to fact check and edit for length and clarity. Please send letters, comments or corrections to editor@littlevillagemag.com. Subscriptions: lv@littlevillagemag.com. The US annual subscription price is $120. All rights reserved, reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. If you would like to reprint or collaborate on new content, reach us at lv@littlevillagemag.com. To browse back issues, visit us at 623 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, or online at issuu.com/littlevillage.
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LittleVillageMag.com/Support
NEWS & CULTURE FROM IOWA CITY Since 2001 littlevillagemag.com
EDITORIAL
PRODUCTION
Publisher
Web Developer
Issue 297, Volume 30
Arts Editor
Adith Rai
August 2021
Genevieve Trainor
adith@littlevillagemag.com Cover by Chad Rhym
genevieve@littlevillagemag.com Digital Director
Eastern Iowa’s oldest buildings are
Managing Editor
Drew Bulman
always under threat, whether from
Emma McClatchey
drewb@littlevillagemag.com
neglect, demolition or derecho.
emma@littlevillagemag.com
Fortunately, there are visionaries Photographer & Videographer
fighting to preserve, rebuild and
News Director
Jason Smith
revitalize historic structures. In
Paul Brennan
jason@littlevillagemag.com
this issue, LV highlights several of these stories. Plus: A review of
paul@littlevillagemag.com Marketing Automations Art Director
Malcolm MacDougall
Jordan Sellergren
malcolm@littlevillagemag.com
jordan@littlevillagemag.com SALES & ADMINISTRATION
Mammita’s Coffee in Iowa City.
Meet this month’s guest contributors:
Staff Writer & Editor
President, Little Village, LLC
Kevin Boyd lives in Historic
Avery Gregurich is a writer
Izabela Zaluska
Matthew Steele
Northside, chairs the Historic
living and writing at the edge of
izabela@littlevillagemag.com
matt@littlevillagemag.com
Preservation Commission,
the Iowa River in Marengo.
and won the Iowa City Public Copy Editor
Marketing Director & Copywriter
Library’s 2020 Local History
Mike Kuhlenbeck is a freelance
Celine Robins
Celine Robins
Trivia Quiz.
journalist and National Writers
celine@littlevillagemag.com
celine@littlevillagemag.com
Union member based in Des Sarah Elgatian is a writer,
Moines, Iowa.
Spanish Language Editor
Advertising
activist and educator living
Angela Pico
Nolan Petersen, Matthew Steele
in Iowa. She likes dark
Zoe Pharo is a recent graduate
ads@littlevillagemag.com
coffee, bright colors and
of Carleton College and a
long sentences. She dislikes
freelance writer, with a special
meanness.
focus on food and agriculture.
Calendar/Event Listings calendar@littlevillagemag.com
Creative Services Website design
Corrections
Email marketing
Jay Goovin is a sexy husband,
Chad Rhym is an Iowa-based
editor@littlevillagemag.com
E-commerce
dad-joke dorkus, loyal buddy,
photographer and Sociology
Videography
shameless storyteller and
Ph.D. student at the University
creative@littlevillagemag.com
all-around interesting dude
of Iowa.
August Contributors
that never got his application
Kevin Boyd, Audrey Brock, Lev Cantoral, Jav Ducker, Sarah
CIRCULATION
completed for Jeopardy!. He
Elgatian, Jay Goodvin, Tiffani Green,
Distribution
always tells folks that you
Avery Gregurich, Mike Kuhlenbeck,
Brian Johannesen
can’t spell routine without
Jo Mercurio, Zoe Pharo, Chad
Joseph Servey
rut so set your heading in a
Rhym, Bill Steber, Tom Tomorrow,
Terrance Banks
different direction whenever
Sam Locke Ward
Charlie Cacciatore
you can.
distro@littlevillagemag.com SOCIAL MEDIA
Tiffani Green is an Iowa CityOFFICES
based writer and Little Village
Instagram @LittleVillageMag
Little Village
columnist. Her food column,
Twitter @LittleVillage
623 S Dubuque St
The Takeaway, features
Iowa City, IA 52240
reviews of local take-out restaurants.
Little Village Creative Services 132 1/2 E Washington Suite 5 Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 855-1474
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LittleVillageMag.com
Top Stories Daily news updates, events, restaurant reviews and videos at LittleVillageMag.com.
Iowa Democrats talk politics, hint at future campaigns at a party for
Gov. Reynolds promises Iowa will ‘act as a counterweight’ to the Biden
Rep. Christina Bohannan By Paul Brennan, July 3
administration at rightwing Christian summit By Paul Brennan, July 16
There was a happy, upbeat atmosphere at state Rep. Christina Bohannan’s
“Our nation is at a crossroads,” the governor told the audience of
combination 50th birthday party and campaign fundraiser at The
approximately 1,200 at the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, which
Celebration Farm on Friday night. But that didn’t stop the evening’s honoree
also featured Mikes Pence and Pompeo. “This current administration speaks
from acknowledging an unhappy fact at the beginning of her speech
about unity while promoting a radical social agenda backed by extreme
welcoming party-goers: “This has been a tough year for Iowa Democrats.”
liberal activists and corporations.”
Improv, politics and nonprofit law collided to create a small scandal in
Video: Amid a flourishing Iowa skate culture, locals
Cedar Rapids By Izabela Zaluska, July 27
look to improve the Iowa City skatepark Video by Jason
“Taylor, this is Brad Hart,” began a voicemail from the Cedar Rapids mayor
Smith, story by Izabela Zaluska, July 6
to CSPS’s director regarding a planned Improv Incubators benefit event, set
Love for Iowa City’s nearly 20-year-old skatepark hasn’t
to feature Hart’s political opponent Amara Andrews. “It’s complete bullshit,
faded. If anything, it’s only increased as skateboarding, from
and if you don’t know that you have violated your 501(c) (3) status, you
Des Moines to the Tokyo Olympics, experiences a cultural
should not be in the role you’re in.” The conflict got intense, but the show
renaissance. But IC skaters also recognize improvements
went on (kind of).
are needed to make the park smoother and safer, and have begun discussions with the City of Iowa City on proposed
WATCH Interview: Ellie Zupancic and Peyton Meiers
six-figure renovations.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the very latest news, events, dining recommendations and LV Perks: LittleVillageMag.com/Subscribe 14 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
uscatine WEEKEND
AUGUST 13 &14 cool down
Beat the summer heat and shop our unique stores in Downtown Muscatine! In-store specials, refreshments & more!
AUGUST 26
Live music, food trucks, beverage tent and fun for the whole family along Muscatine’s beautiful Riverfront!
AUGUST 28
Local businesses will host 12+ of the Midwest's best breweries so you can sip, sample and shop your way through town. Enjoy delicious craft beer samples from your very own 5 oz. souvenir tasting glass. *Event Ticket Required www.ShopsWithHops.com
Check out our events calendar often for upcoming events!
Let’s Stop HIV Together
Get tested for HIV to know your status regardless of whether you believe you are at risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once. TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH. GET AN HIV TEST TODAY. Learn More at StopHIVIowa.org LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 15
THANK YOU TO THIS ISSUE’S ADVERTISING PARTNERS This issue of Little Village is supported by: Adamantine Spine Moving (31) Arnott & Kirk (79) Artifacts (27) The Art of Music School (55) Ascended Electronics (58) The Club Car (60) Cedar Rapids New Bohemia/ Czech Village co-op (28-29) - Vault - Goldfinch Cyclery - RAYGUN - The Daisy - Parlor City Pub & Eatery Chomp (7) City of Iowa City (18) City of Muscatine (14) CIVIC (26) Coralville Public Library (6) CSPS (29) The Dandy Lion (51) Daydreams Comics (23) The Englert Theatre (12) FilmScene (9)
Goodfellow Printing, Inc. (60) Hancher Auditorium (10) Honeybee Hair Parlor (53) ICCA (64) ImOn (69) Iowa Abortion Access Fund (52) Iowa City Downtown co-op (25) - Critical Hit Games - Beadology - RAYGUN - Record Collector - Release Body Modification -The Konnexion Iowa City Public Library (8) Iowa City Northside Marketplace (72-73) - Home Ec. Workshop - Russ’ Northside Service - John’s Grocery - R.S.V.P. - Pagliai’s Pizza - Dodge St. Tire
- Marco’s Grilled Cheese - High Ground - George’s - The Haunted Bookshop - Hamburg Inn No. 2 Iowa City Burger Haul (58) Iowa Department of Public Health (14) Iowa Public Radio (64) Johnson County Health Path Clinic (4) Kick-it 3 (51) Kim Schillig (55) KRUI (68) Linn County Conservation (71) Mailboxes of Iowa City (55) Martin Construction (5) Merge (64) Micky’s Irish Pub (53) Multicultural Development Center of Iowa (26) Muscatine Art Center (21)
Musician’s Pro Shop (68) National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (2-3) New Pioneer Food Co-op (66) Nodo (69) Oasis Street Food (65) Perez Family Tacos (69) Phoebe Martin (63) Public Space One (20) Red Vespa (71) Ricardo Rangel, Jr., Realtor (61) Riverside Theatre (28) Sanctuary (26) Shakespeare’s Pub & Grill (60) Summer of the Arts (78, 80) Teddy’s Bigger Burgers (70) Whitedog (76) Wig & Pen (74) Willis Dady Homesless Services (31) Willow & Stock (53) World of Bikes (61, 68)
Little Village magazine print readership 25,000-40,000 per issue LittleVillageMag.com readership 200,000 monthly article views 74,000 unique monthly visitors
RECENT READER SURVEY DATA MEDIAN AGE: 37 25-34: 26% 35-44: 22% 45-54: 17% 55-64: 14% 65+: 10% 18-24: 9%
AVERAGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN 1.85
MEDIAN PERSONAL INCOME: $55k 26%: $40k-60k 18%: $60k-80k 17%: $100k+ 17%: $20k-40k 12%: <$20k 11%: $80k-$100k
GENDER
EDUCATION Masters: 34% Bachelors: 31% Ph.D: 18% Some college: 9% Associates: 7%
AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS LIVING IN EASTERN IOWA
Female: 63% Male: 34% Nonbinary/other: 3%
28
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A Y S A L W
LittleVillageMag.com
E F R E c. Nov. 4–DE ISSU E 288
1, 2020
Letters LV encourages community members, including candidates for office, to submit letters to Editor@LittleVillageMag.com. To be considered for print publication, letters should be under 500 words. Preference is given to letters that have not been published elsewhere. Spotlight Local Nonprofit and Retail Friendship community Project creates a ‘family’ of English language learners. pg. 12
A L W A Y S
Nonprofit dance, counseling and social groups helped one Iowa city teen beat the odds. pg. 22
F R E E
cSPS, NcSML and AAMI join forces to bring new public art to cedar Rapids. pg. 36
ISSUE 274 Nov. 5–DEc. 3, 2019
2019 local nonprofit & retail spotlig ht
GIVE GUIDE A local holiday nonprofit and retail spotlight issue COMING NOVEMBER 2021 Contact ads@littlevillagemag.com
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In Memoriam: John Rapson
I’m tearing my house apart looking for a piece of paper. The hunt delays the grief. That paper led me to take all of Ira “John” Rapson’s classes and to gratefully leap when he called me back into his ensembles years after graduation, playing first in jazz vespers, then in Hot Tamale Louie and now his swan song, Esteban and the Children of the Sun. I don’t know who I would be without those experiences. John had a belief in me that I have yet to live into. I am spinning out about a piece of paper that I will never find. I take a break. Social media has never failed to send me down a rabbit hole, and I want to get lost in distraction. I send messages to current bandmates and to friends from the first class I took from John in 1997. For our final exam, we assembled and rehearsed our jazz combo and performed at Sanctuary Pub. Three of us are still here in Iowa, the
Jo Mercurio, Waters Edge Photography
F U T I L E W R AT H
S A M LO C K E WA R D
other three far flung to Virginia, NYC and the Netherlands. I recount to them the paper as I remember it. On a single page, John distilled his philosophy of education developed over years of teaching his son Sam to play frisbee. The part I’ve been carrying in my heart is John’s conclusion that the teacher is the student. Our pianist Joseph McKinley replies, “Those were happy days for me. Great memories. John smacked some jazz discipline into me in a way that had never happened before. He definitely helped me become a better player. I was always inspired by his knowledge, openness and the genuine care he had for his students. I was amazed when I discovered, years later, the jazz piano monster he had become. My mind was blown.” This becomes a common theme, knowing John as a tremendously caring teacher and finding out years later what an absolute musical legend he was also. We were so young, late teens and early 20s, similar in age to John’s children at the time—yet we were still collectively shocked to realize that our teacher was the age we are now. Are we living as deeply and as well as John was at our age? Michael Davies was our drummer. We named ourselves Davies after him although none of us can remember why. He recalls, “My overarching memories were that John genuinely cared about his students, both while we were in college and after. I also appreciated how much exposure he gave us to a wide range of music. He really opened my eyes to what more was out there.” This is another refrain: the way John illuminated the equal worth of multilinear musical paths and the spectacular ways in which they can converge. Our trumpeter, Alicia Rau, performs and teaches in NYC. She remembers John for his
The City of Iowa City is a great place to work! Find us online, stop by City Hall, or contact our HR office for the latest job openings and info on how to apply.
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L E T T E R S an exhibition combining science and speculation to explore humankind’s complex relationship with the moon and our centuries-old fixation with space travel
HAVE AN OPINION?
Better write about it! Send letters to: Editor@LittleVillageMag.com
innovative teaching. “I feel so blessed to have been in his wonderful orbit, an orbit that continues to shape and spin around all that he has reached. I still tell the story of the final exam for my first jazz combo class in college back in 1997. We didn’t take a test sitting at a desk; we prepped and performed a jazz set at the hippest local jazz club. Classic Rapson—making class ‘classy.’” John’s commitment to his students never wavered. Dan Padley, my bandmate in HTL and now in Esteban, took his first class from John 12 years after me. He shared, “I wouldn’t be the musician I am today without John. I treasure that our relationship grew from him as my teacher, to my advisor, to my collaborator and most importantly to my dear friend. He was well loved, and will be greatly missed.” Nobody has a copy of the elusive paper, but all their stories nourish me. John’s beautiful obituary is published while I struggle to gather these thoughts. Reading about his professional accomplishments and personal joys brings me the peace I was seeking. I read the line that awakens my purpose for this piece: “John … would notoriously remind his audiences to support local establishments and to tip their wait persons well!” John consistently treated the person in front of him at any given moment as the most important person in the world. He honored each individual’s story with dignity and fascination. This final lesson from my teacher is one that I will have countless opportunities to practice every day. Imagine if we all did so together. A celebration of life for John Rapson will be held Aug. 8 (location and other details TBD).
at PUBLIC SPACE ONE 229 N. Gilbert • IC publicspaceone.com Tues 6-8p • Thurs 10a-12p Fri 3-6p • Sat 12-3p Sun 2:30-4:30p
20 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
Tara McGovern is the vice-president of HTLIC (501c3), a nonprofit organization with the goal of bringing projects like Rapson’s “Hot Tamale Louie” and his final work, “Esteban and the Children of the Sun,” to audiences across the country and supporting Iowa artists in generating new musical collaborations across traditions. She is looking forward to taking part in performing Rapson’s final work on Oct. 3 at the Englert.
Atomic bomb damage in Nagasaki. The National Archives UK
76th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings World War II veterans were still
living when our family moved back to Iowa in 1993. In each conversation with one of them, I asked about the Aug. 6, 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan and the Nagasaki bombing three days later. To a person, they felt the bombings were warranted, agreeing with President Harry Truman’s decision to drop them. As they aged and died, a couple changed their minds. We have come to accept what President Ronald Reagan and Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev said in Geneva, Switzerland 36 years ago, “A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” Since then, the U.S. rushed to undo arms control measures. Under President George W. Bush, we withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Under President Trump, we withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (Iran Deal), the New START Treaty and the Open Skies Treaty. Hard work of arms control and compliance with Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty seemed to have been abandoned. On the 76th anniversary of the atomic bombings, we are heartened by the June 16 meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The leaders released a joint statement, “Today, we reaffirm the principle that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” They pledged to launch a bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue to lay the groundwork for future arms control. We can only hope this time it sticks. —Paul Deaton, Solon
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LITTLE VILLAGE HAS RETURNED!
FRIDAKAHLO
Through the lense of Nickolas Muray May 29 - August 22, 2021
With vaccines taking hold,
Photographs captured by Nickolas Muray provide an intimate look at his lover, Frida Kahlo, one of Mexico's most prolific and well-known artists. Exhibition organized by Nickolas Muray Photo Archives and circulated through GuestCurator Traveling Exhibitions.
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I N T E R A C T I O N S Amid a flourishing Iowa skate culture, locals look to improve the Iowa City skatepark (July 6) Iowa City deserves a new skatepark. The skateboarding scene is one of the best, if not the best, in Iowa and is in a prime location for many outof-towners to come and experience the skatepark. A new skatepark in a college town is also a good aspect about it. There is plenty of room for a bigger and better skatepark. One that better suits all skill levels and just an updated skatepark would be a lot better for everybody who goes to the place. College is about making friends and/or connections, and a new skatepark would just be another place to do so with people of similar interests. —Raymond L. Give them bathrooms and a water fountain! —Stevie T.
/LittleVillage READER POLL: How many people in your town are you actively not speaking to? 37.8% 0
35.6% 1-4
4.4% 5-9
22.2% 10+
My family and I just moved to Iowa City from Omaha, NE in October of last year. My son (and possibly my other two kids soon) just started skating
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this week, so of course I just started skating again after 12 years off-deck, and my experience here has been a bit crunchy. We’ve had issues finding places to just practice the basics like hopping off and onto curbs, even just flat, low traffic places to push, stop and revert. Day one, after scoping out spots for a while, we carved out a small spot at the top of the farmer’s market ramp with no cars but mine and got bounced out within 20 min, literally. We’ve since found a few spots that are pretty gnarly, choppy concrete and crumbling corners, where we can get our chops up a bit, but I’ve already had a handful of experiences with dogooders reminding me that basically we’re not really welcome anywhere. I’m familiar with the general atmosphere, it’s not like there’s not a bit of it practically anywhere you go. The worst part, though, is being treated like we basically “have our place,” but then
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DAILY LOVE LETTERS FROM LV: LittleVillageMag.com/Subscribe
B R O C K
A B O U T
T O W N
Move-in week is typically considered a nuisance. After all, nobody likes sharing the road with a bunch of 20-year-olds who have no business piloting a scooter, let alone a U-Haul, and there is something fairly depressing about the knowledge that the relative peace and quiet we’ve been enjoying for the last few months is about to come to an end. Take it from someone who lives next door to a sorority house: nothing makes you feel like an old fogey quite like finding a used condom in your hostas. However, before you get all doomand-gloom, I highly recommend you take a folding chair and some
snacks and set yourself up outside the Pink Palace for a few hours. Last weekend, I watched two roommates argue about whether to put a Pride flag or a Black Lives Matter flag up in their living room window, which was adorably Iowa City, and a guy fall down a flight of stairs while holding a box of kitchen implements, which was actually really sad. Other highlights included a couple who were trying, and failing, to sneak a bunch of plant food and grow lights into their apartment, and a girl who thought she could fit an entire apartment’s worth of stuff into her mom’s Subaru, which brings me to my favorite thing about move-in week: free furniture. Now, I don’t know about you, but when I see a box of someone else’s stuff on the sidewalk, I’m interested. Who am I, a Rockefeller? However, it is possible to preserve one’s dignity while shamelessly sponging off of college sophomores.
AUDREY BROCK
Tips are as follows: • Don’t waste your money on Ikea products. Anything you’ve seen in their catalog will be available in the Dumpster behind Studio 13 before the end of the summer. • Scratched nonstick pans can release cancer-causing chemicals, so it’s best to avoid them, along with any dinged-up knives, which might have been used to murder someone. That’s not necessarily unhealthy, it’s just bad karma. • If you’re over 25, the most futons you can have at one time is two. I know they’re absolutely everywhere, but resist the temptation to fill your apartment with them, like some kind of flea-ridden padded room. Happy shopping!
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 23
I N T E R A C T I O N S that place is an aging park that doesn’t even have lights or a water fountain. It’s lame enough that this stigma towards the community still exists like we’re all a bunch of destructive vandals and skeezy pushers (which couldn’t be farther from the truth; the skating community has always been one of the most welcoming, accommodating and positive in my experience), but to be relegated to a practical ghetto is extra harsh. While it’s awesome to see the folks there making the best of it and still doing their thing despite the conditions, which is an incredibly tell-tale hallmark of the community, eventually the city has to decide, do they want us there or not? If they’re not going to at least give us a place of our own where we can cut our teeth, pursue what makes us happy and maybe even fill a water bottle and take a dump not in the river, then they’re going to have to get used to the idea of seeing us in their streets and on their lots. It would be super cool to have a corner where folks can practice pushing and braking without snaking the folks at the copes, maybe even a four-sided platform with a short curb and a red curb. It would also be tight to see another local shop open up so that we’re not equally relegated to shopping in the mall. —Tristan R. Iowa’s dirty water is getting worse (July 7) The federal government does very little to control the pollution it is subsidizing.
CH-CH-CH CHANGES
M
y life is forever changed by the incredible honor of leading this publication for the last 11 years, almost to the day, and it is changing forever AGAIN as my family and I relocate to Olympia, Washington, where I will continue to assist with accounts and keep building Little Village Creative Services. And who knows what else. It’s a new chapter! To the Iowa City community: You have given me everything I ever hoped or dreamed for. My highest hope of all was to keep this thing alive, and I can honestly say I put everything ublisher Outgoing p le I had into not ee St t at M being the last publisher of Little Village. Now, it is truly the proudest moment of my professional life to be handing this post over to Genevieve Trainor, who their self is everything and more. Everyone knows my secret is to surround myself with people way better and smarter than me, and nobody is more representative of this than Genevieve is. To the best and smartest team, and all who ever were: You taught me so much. There were many things I learned at your expense, I know. Thank you. To everyone I didn’t get to say goodbye to: I’ll be around, promise! The lisher love will never die. Incoming pub ainor Genevieve Tr ––Matt Steele
Be famous. (Kinda.) Little Village is looking for writers. Contact: Editor@LittleVillageMag.com 24 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN
Magic the Gathering. Video Games. Warhammer. Warmachine. RPGs. Board Games. X-Wing. Dice. LotR. HeroClix. Miniatures. GoT. Blood Bowl. L5R. Pokemon. Yu-Gi-Oh. Kidrobot Vinyl. Retro toys. Pop vinyl & plushies. Gaming & collectible supplies. Huge Magic singles inventory plus we buy/trade MtG cards. Weekly drafts, FNM, league play, and frequent tourneys. Now buying/selling/trading video games & toys! Bring in your Nintendo Gameboy, NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Sega, WiiU, Xbox 360, PS1-2-3, & other used games, consoles, action figures, and toys for cash or trade credit! Fun atmosphere and great customer service!
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The Clean Water Act specifically exempts agricultural runoff from its regulations. Does Right or Wrong even mean anything anymore? —Erin Brockovich (shared on Facebook, July 8) 80% of land in Iowa is used for farming, and it’s polluting waterways—but this doesn’t just affect Iowa’s water. Iowa is in the Corn Belt region, which is the largest source of the nitrate & phosphorus pollution, causing a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico the size of New Jersey. —The Oxygen Project (shared on Facebook, July 8) Lack of clean water is an environmental justice issue too, as it disproportionately affects poor people, from drinking to recreation and fishing. —Sylvia S. Bears bare all at this adult-only, LGBTQ-friendly campground in ‘middle of nowhere’ Iowa (July 12) I had no idea there was this much fun in Coggon! —Allison S. I went to a rave there years ago. Some neighbors complained about the noise. The owner did his best to keep things going but eventually relented and shut down the music under threat of arrest. Then a friend and I did a bunch of ketamine and listened to music in the car. Good times. —Kristofer P. ‘No major changes’ needed to SROs, CRPD says, despite data showing racial disparities in student arrests (July 14) A very attractive option for the school district, to free the district of liability due to student altercations by handing the task to those who will not be held liable for any of their actions, especially against minors! —Randy P.
Improve Diversity in STEM
“Local police chief sees nothing wrong with racial biases.” —Alex K. Letter to the editor: A plea for Hickory Hill Park (July 14)
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/LittleVillage READER POLL: What time of the year in Iowa City is best? 14.3% When the students return
85.7% When the students leave
Thank you for writing this. For some reason, the proposed 16 or 17 homes on what would be the single-loaded section of road (the corner very close to Hickory Hill Park) looks bad and seems wasteful. It makes me wonder if the City would do better to pay the value for those lots to the ACT or the developer to increase the size of HHP. It would reduce the length of road and would save money on infrastructure. —Sharon D. Y’all remember when they kicked out all the Section 8 people from the southeast side? Iowa City has become a land value pit. Long as they profit, they don’t care what losses people take. Don’t get me started on the rent price hikes. —Jesus S. Iowan facing Jan. 6 charges claims he ‘got taken’ by QAnon, is granted pretrial release (July 15) White privilege alert. An insurrectionist can go inside the U.S. Capitol, allegedly run toward a Capitol police officer during a melee/fracas deep fried in a riot and not have to await his trial in jail? He gets to wait on the trial at home with his wife? And, wait. There is more. He had a knife on him at the time? What kind of [shit] is this? —Black Iowa News
GIVE US MONEY? VENMO @littlevillagemag PAYPAL lv@littlevillagemag.com
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I N T E R AC T I O N S I hate when I travel across multiple states over some dumb shit I read on the internet! —Ryan D.C. I think maybe the judge “got taken.” —Pam H. Narrator: He was not, in fact, touching the White House. —Michelle H. Gov. Reynolds promises Iowa will ‘act as a counterweight’ to the Biden administration at rightwing Christian summit (July 16) Iowa: Nice Fascism. —Joe L. Rightwing Christians. Because Jesus talked about rich people being blessed and judging others’ sins and kicking refugees out of the country … I guess. —Travis R.
—Jason A.
CEDAR RAPIDS NEW BOHEMIA / CZECH VILLAGE
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John Lundell announces he won’t run for a fifth term as mayor of Coralville (July 21) He put Coralville in huge debt and ruined the credit rating, he paved paradise to put up a parking lot and he is diversity tone-deaf.......about time. —Kbd L. Riverside Theatre restores something much missed to the community with ‘The Winter’s Tale’ (July 22) “Truly celebratory” were my words exactly. Spot on. —Madonna S. Good to see some action on that stage again! I’ve been using it for sun tanning, which is also enjoyable, but doesn’t draw quite the crowd that this should. —Bonsai B. Criticizing Chuck Grassley for opposing ‘anything that moves us forward,’ Abby Finkenauer launches a run for Senate (July 22) She’s definitely an underdog, but she has my full support. Iowa deserves a real patriot representing us in the Senate. —@901Gregory on Twitter I don’t take sides before a primary, but if she wins, I sincerely hope she runs a better campaign than she did in 2020. —@normalice0 She couldn’t keep her House seat, why would she ever be able to win a Senate seat? —Zach H.
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 29
I N T E R AC T I O N S
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UNION LA PRINTED BY
State Sen. Liz Mathis announces bid for Ashley Hinson’s 1st District seat (July 27) Excellent news! Smart, visionary, inclusive, insightful woman who would make Iowa proud again. —Marty J.F. Liz is OBVIOUSLY the better choice for Iowa. And humanity in general. —Katy G.H. One of the things that’s cool about Liz is that she actually had journalistic chops. Not so much Hinson. —Shawn H. [Reply to “not speaking to” poll]
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Lol y’all trying to get me in trouble. No comment. —@SoultruBanks on Twitter Improv, politics and nonprofit law collided to create a small scandal in Cedar Rapids (July 27) We’ll have a new mayor next year because Brad Hart’s behavior is inexcusable. The remaining choices are two women. One who supports Trumpism, and one who has always stood against it. I pray my city chooses wisely. —@swalker06 on Twitter Gov. Reynolds scorns CDC guidance as ‘not grounded in reality,’ blames immigrants for rising COVID infections (July 29)
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Blaming immigrants hits the bottom even for her—I think she needs to read more history or the latest book of Kristin Hannah, The Four Winds—she needs to understand she is dragging this state down with her rhetoric. —Margaret B. Her actions are reprehensible. History will judge her very harshly. In the meantime, vulnerable Iowans suffer and die. —Robyn F. Bob Ray would roll over in his grave. There’s a fabulous Republican governor of Iowa. —Debbie B.S. Ray was an exceptional governor. There was not the political polarization there is today and both major political parties had respect for one another and reached across the aisle to forge legislation for the good of the state. Now it appears that decisions are made by major donors. —Sherry D. ‘Somebody knows something’: $10k reward brings new attention to Iowa City woman’s 1996 cold case murder (July 29) I knew her. This shocked and freaked me out when this happened. —Aaron A.
Our Governor is now openly citing Fox News as a source of her information. That explains a great deal. —Bruce B. DAILY LOVE LETTERS FROM LV: LittleVillageMag.com/Subscribe
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LVREVIEW Clinton Street during the Iowa City Downtown Block Party, Saturday, July 14. Jason Smith / Little Village
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LVREVIEW Sand volleyball courts in front of the Old Capitol. Opposite page, clockwise: Musician ADE performs; a very hot drag show; silent disco on Clinton Street; a flouncy fashion show; Karen Meat performs. Jason Smith / Little Village
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LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 35
Community
Iowa City: The Highlander
There Can Be Only One! It feels like everyone has a memory of The Highlander, a stomping ground for athletes, presidents and local families alike. BY KEVIN BOYD
I
was a little nervous during my first meeting as a member of Iowa City’s Historic Preservation Commission a few years ago. After we voted to adjourn, I breathed a sigh of relief—I hadn’t made a motion at the wrong time and didn’t seem to screw anything up. And then a former commissioner asked if he could talk to me. The anxiety came rushing back. “You are Bob and Leona’s grandson, right? How’s your grandmother doing?” I was relieved, and I knew what he’d say next: “My first job was at the Highlander.” These types of conversations have been familiar to me for as long as I can remember. My grandparents, Bob and Leona McGurk, were among the original owners of the Highlander, a mid-century mecca for Iowa Citians looking to let loose for a night. Later my parents, aunt and uncle joined my grandmother in owning and operating it. The Highlander Supper Club opened in 1967 in what was then the outskirts
36 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
The Highlander today, enjoying local landmark status. Chad Rhym / Little Village
of Iowa City, adjacent to the newly completed I-80 intersection with Highway 1. Supper clubs were popular Midwest restaurants where guests would dine out for a special occasion or just a Saturday evening out. A few years after the Highlander opened, the owners completed their plans for a full-service facility that
included the club, an inn, a coffee shop, a convention center with meeting rooms, ballroom space, a lounge, hotel rooms and an indoor pool. For decades it was the home of to-dos large and small, including I-Club events, celebrity golf tournaments, car shows, weddings, bridal showers, retirement parties and birthday
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celebrations. It seems like everyone has a memory of the place; when people find out my relationship with the Highlander, the stories come pouring out. “I waited tables there in college; we had a fun crew.” “My parents got married there.” “My spouse and I had our first date there, and then we got engaged there.” “I met Hayden Fry in the Supper Club.” “My parents always took us there when they came to visit me in college, and I could bring just one friend.” “I was the front desk clerk who got to check in some famous person.” “My first job was banquet setup.” “I swear I had the best dance moves on that dance floor.” “Oh, those cinnamon rolls. That’s epicurean salad.” The Highlander is the newest Iowa City Historic Landmark, joining such special places as Old Settler’s Cabins at City Park, Grant Wood’s house on Court Street,
the Old Economy Advertising Company/Union Brewery on North Linn Street and Old Brick. As the Historic Preservation Commission chair, I’m excited that Angela Harrington, the current entrepreneurial owner of Highlander Hotel, asked the commission and the City of Iowa City to designate the building as a local landmark. Some longtime residents might find it odd that a place that peaked during their lifetimes has become “historic.” Some newer residents might be discovering the gem in Iowa City’s northeast corner for the first time. I’ve got my own set of memories from the Highlander. It’s where I learned what it meant to own a business. When I was young, I remember asking my grandma if she got a parking spot right up front—she owned the place, after all. She told me in a way that a grandma does, “No, I park in the back, so our customers can have the best spots.” It meant that home football weekends were work weekends for my parents, starting with early Friday morning I-Club breakfasts. It meant during the week of the Amana VIP
A reputable pool adorned with astroturf, and the hotel entrance canopy. Behlen
The Highlander sign looking northwest and the Supper Club Lounge in 1975. Courtesy of Sheila Boyd
Golf Tournament—Iowa City’s own version of the Masters, which attracted the likes of Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Arnold Palmer and Gerald Ford to Finkbine Golf Course—that my folks would leave for work before I was up and not come home until after I was asleep. But we always got some goodies from the week; my gym bag was an Amana VIP gym bag well into my 30s. As dignitaries came through, I’d anxiously await my parents arriving home, worn out but happy to tell us what it was like to meet former President Ford. I remember special lunches with my grandma in an otherwise empty Royal Scott coffee shop. My Cub Scout den made pizza in the kitchen. And birthday parties, even in December, were poolside. The pool bar menu even had a grilled cheese named after me when I was a kid: “Kevin’s Favorite.” Technically, when it comes to historic preservation, something can start to become historic when it reaches 50 years old, so the Highlander fits the bill. But more importantly, it preserves a place that feels like part of our community’s history. That history is just a little closer to home for me. It keeps that sense of place for those who tell me what it meant to them— those first jobs, special dates, weddings, pre-football I-Clubs, post-football meals and poolside parties. While the building has changed over the years—for example, the long, steep steps that used to go to my grandma’s office are now stairs to a stylish penthouse suite overlooking the giant indoor pool—I still get the same feeling when I walk in from under the portico. The place looks better than ever, with Harrington creating a chic-meets-shag, retro-revival atmosphere. The artwork and murals are lively. The rooms look fun and inviting. The old ballroom looks stately and ready for new events. Uniquely Highlander features are still there, such as the mural and autograph wall that used to be my grandfather’s office. So if you haven’t ventured out to the Highlander Hotel yet, go relish in some old memories or make some new ones. Next time I’m there, I might even special-order a grilled cheese.
Manufacturing Company Spaces Newsletter, 1974
Kevin Boyd lives in Iowa City’s Northside, chairs the Historic Preservation Commission and won the Iowa City Public Library’s 2020 Local History Trivia Quiz. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 37
Community Cedar Rapids Post-Derecho
Bend with the Wind Three stories of resilience amid destruction. BY GENEVIEVE TRAINOR Home of Katrina Benning and Jeremiah Hopkins
found a contractor willing to sign on—but it took until June for the third-party engineer the contractor brought on to produce a quote. Now the ball is back in their insurance company’s court (a company that their bank required they use as a condition of their mortgage acceptance, Hopkins said). To make matters worse, their insurance premium has gone up 63 percent over last year (previous yearly increases have hovered around 4 percent). “It’s been a wild ride,” Benning said. “I would say that yes, we’re stronger than ever. We’ve gone through hell together. I can’t imagine facing this with anyone else. … I would not have been able to get through this with anyone but him.” Both Benning and Hopkins’ eldest daughter lived in flood-impacted homes back in 2008, so for them, the derecho experience dredged up past trauma as well as creating new. “You just have to laugh at a lot of shit,” Benning said. The family is currently living in a temporary home in Marion. The insurance company covers the rent, but other expenses are on them, includ-
When Katrina Benning and Jeremiah Hopkins bought their 1959 home on the edge of Bever Park in Cedar Rapids six years ago, both had been homeowners before. But this was their first home together. Their blended family, which brought together her two children and his four in what Benning called “kind of a Brady Bunch situation,” fit nicely in the spacious home. They loved the custom features, the beautiful backyard and the “wooded, secluded feeling” it had. “We were both Westsiders as kids,” Hopkins said.” But we’ve really come to love the Southeast side.” When the derecho hit on Aug. 10, 2020, one of the largest trees in their beloved backyard fell directly down the middle of the house. Another fell along the side, taking out the chimney. Altogether, they lost at least six trees. “It went from completely shaded to no shade at all,” Benning said. Now, almost all of the walls are torn out, and much of the floor is gone as well. All of the custom finishes and features of the home have been gutted. And, while they’ve seen their neighbors and other community members wrapping up repairs or at the very least knowing a timeline for completion, they’re facing down yet another demand from their insurance company to send yet another adjuster out to the property, this time a large loss consultant. Over the course of last fall, they had at least six different contractors out to the property. Many of them said the damage OVER THE COURSE OF LAST FALL, THEY HAD AT LEAST SIX was the worst they’d seen from DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS OUT TO THE PROPERTY. MANY OF THEM the storm; those that didn’t get back to them almost immeSAID THE DAMAGE WAS THE WORST THEY’D SEEN FROM THE STORM; diately to say the job was too THOSE THAT DIDN’T GET BACK TO THEM ALMOST IMMEDIATELY TO big just ghosted them entireSAY THE JOB WAS TOO BIG JUST GHOSTED THEM ENTIRELY. ly. Finally, in November, they
Chad Rhym / Little Village
38 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
ing pet deposits for their three cats, the costs of moving and, of course, their mortgage. They’ve been in the rental since November; prior to that, they were living in a far-too-small house that was immediately available last August. Even where they are now is 1,600 square feet less than the 30th St home that they still have no idea when they can return to. “We’ve been fortunate,” said Hopkins, speaking both of their current accommodations and of the outpouring of support they received from friends and coworkers immediately following the storm. Someone set up a GoFundMe, others brought food and supplies, still others showed up with their own chainsaws to help him in the yard. But not knowing takes its toll. “It’s a grief cycle,” Benning said, adding, “We both are going through different stages at different times … so we are able to help ground each other.”
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Chad Rhym / Little Village
Catherine McAuley Center, 1220 5th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids The work that the Catherine McAuley Center does in the community, from education for recent immigrants to stability and support for women who have experienced trauma, is invaluable. Their services are so desperately needed, in fact, that last year, they outgrew the 4th Ave location where they’d been since 1993 (their second space) and moved into a 5th Ave building four times its size—on July 13, 2020. Exactly four weeks later, the derecho hit. “Two of three wings (the wing that housed Women’s Services residents and the one where educational programming is delivered) sustained significant roof and water damage in the derecho on both the first and second floors,” Executive Director Paula Land said in an email. “While we were still adjusting some procedures in the new space and were not at full capacity due to the pandemic, we had just begun to open our doors for services at the time.” It took the CMC until January of this year to complete the repairs. They prioritized renovations to the Women’s Services wing; residents were able to return in November. And the fact
that they’d only recently moved turned out to be a boon in terms of their immediate needs. “The Sunday following the derecho, we had an incredible team of volunteers and staff turn our former facility into a
temporary shelter for refugees and immigrants who lived in the apartment complexes that were badly damaged on the southwest side,”
Chad Rhym / Little Village LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 39
Community
Land said. “We made the decision at 8 a.m. on Sunday and had 24 people sleeping there that night.” Even in the CMC’s trickiest moments, they were able to find ways to continue to be a light for the community. They continued of-
covered by insurance, they were able to put the generous funds that came in straight back into the work, covering the operating costs of the temporary shelter, disaster case management and more. Although their ability to provide full services onsite remains limited by the pandemic, they are hopeful that things will fall fully back into place soon. “We already knew the populations we serve are resilient, but we learned that we as a staff and organization are also resilient,” Land said. “We be-
“THE SUNDAY FOLLOWING THE DERECHO, WE HAD AN INCREDIBLE TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF TURN OUR FORMER FACILITY INTO A TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS WHO LIVED IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT WERE BADLY DAMAGED ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE. WE MADE THE DECISION AT 8 A.M. ON SUNDAY, AND HAD 24 PEOPLE SLEEPING THERE THAT NIGHT.”
fering educational services online; they were able to make their food pantry available even before repairs had been made; and they even opened up their third, undamaged wing to serve as an off-site learning center for middle and high school students to do their online learning while storm-damaged schools were undergoing repairs. There was no break in their case management services. The community support that flowed back to them made it clear how much they are valued for the work that they do. “The community surrounded us with support,” Land said. “We had truckloads of supplies donated from Des Moines, people donated washers and dryers for the shelter and countless others brought food and supplies for the shelter and other clients. The United Way and Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation offered grants that helped us cover the increased need that were immediate and accessible. NewBo City Market and the Olympic hosted a NewBo Derecho Show event as a fundraiser for us. Financially, we had more than 700 new donors, with donations coming in from more than 40 states! With most of our supporters being in Eastern Iowa, that shocked us, how word spread.” Since all of the repairs were
came a stronger team and learned we can lean on each other to get through the challenging times and that we need to take time to stop and reflect, to celebrate and find the positive.” Scott’s Furniture Stripping, 560 10th St, Marion Scott Bezek has been refinishing furniture in Marion for over 30 years, but he’s owned the building on 10th St for just 14. The space has a wild history—it started out as a Seventh Day Adventist church and has served over the years as a fire station, a jail, a print shop in the 1860s for the still-extant magazine now known as the Bible Advocate, a tea shop and an antique store. But the building has spent most of its time as a refinishing shop. From the 1920s through the 1980s, the space was a furniture repair shop known as Eckert’s. By the time Bezek bought the building in 2007, that type of business wasn’t typically allowed in the downtown area—but an exception was made because of the long use history of the building. Likewise, the county eventually agreed to re-classify the second floor of the building for Bezek to live in, as his predecessor had also done. Until the derecho hit and he found himself living in his van instead. Full sheets with shingles came off the roof of the Marion Heritage Center & Museum to one side of Bezek’s shop, cutting his roof in half. He lost his chimney. “There was a 100-foot tree between me and the floral shop next door; we watched that tree fall,” Bezek said of the day of the storm. “It was so large it blocked the street. Parts are still there. It’s the city’s tree, but they don’t have any way to move it because it’s so big.” But for Bezek’s business, the rain that followed was as big of a problem as the windstorm. He was anxious to protect his clients’ pieces that were in the shop at the time—at one point, he was up for a couple of days straight as the rain filled totes and buckets and he emptied them. “It was hell,” he said. Then the repairs began. “Since we couldn’t find any construction workers, we kind of had to become construction workers,” Bezek said, joking that surely if you can rebuild furniture, you can rebuild a shop. An added benefit is that since he’s a self-contractor, he’s allowed to be in the building. In both this shop and another building Bezek owns on 7th Ave, he is
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using this opportunity to restore the spaces to a more original, historical look—right down to the rafters, literally. They repaired the masonwork and used old, original bricks. But early on in the process, he trusted the wrong contractor, a company he later learned had registered their business name five days after the storm hit. He sunk a lot of money in and got very little return. Bezek suspects, from their work on the 7th Ave building, that they had never repaired a flat roof before. “Not a lot of things went right,” he said. Ultimately, Bezek spent a quarter of a million dollars over three
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Chad Rhym / Little Village
to four months in labor costs, Dumpster fees, materials and the like. And he put in countless hours of his own time, as well. “I would’ve never dreamed that the tear-out would be so labor intensive and so expensive,” he said, also noting, “I would’ve thought we would’ve saved money doing so much of the work ourselves.” Despite his initial negative contractor experience, he acknowledged that “you pay professionals for a reason.” While there’s still a lot of work to be done on his 7th Ave space— since he’s in the process of renovating anyway, he’s also putting in an
IT STARTED OUT AS A SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AND HAS SERVED OVER THE YEARS AS A FIRE STATION, A JAIL, A PRINT SHOP IN THE 1860S FOR THE STILL-EXTANT MAGAZINE NOW KNOWN AS THE BIBLE ADVOCATE, A TEA SHOP AND AN ANTIQUE STORE. BUT THE BUILDING HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS TIME AS A REFINISHING SHOP.
accessible bathroom—his furniture repair shop is almost complete. He has an appointment in the first days of August for the inspectors to come, hopefully allowing him to remove the “condemned” sign from the door and reopen the shop to the public. His customers have been gracious
and patient throughout. Many were happy to have their pieces stay with him because their own damage and repair timelines made taking them back difficult. And they all told him to take his time, that they were in no hurry. At the moment, the only new work he’s accepting is stripping jobs. But things should return to some semblance of normal soon. “Hopefully when they come through [next week], I’m sure that we can open up,” Bezek said. Genevieve Trainor believes in community resilience. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 41
Community
Chad Rhym / Little Village
Cedar Rapids: The Bohemian
New Bohemian The 128-year-old Matyk Building has lived many lives, but its current form—a marriage of art and food—feels like the perfect fit. BY TIFFANI GREEN
T
he building that sits at 1029 3rd St SE in Cedar Rapids has roots almost as deep as the city itself. It was erected by the Matyk family, immigrants from Czechoslovakia, in 1893, only 44 years after the city was incorporated. The building began its life as a dry goods store, with the family living upstairs. The family operated the business until the late ’40s, when it became the home of Mid States Distribution, a consumer electronics store. The structure has had several lives over the years, including being the early home of the NewBo Bike Collective. But if, like me, you were in your late teens in the early 2000s, you probably
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remember 1029 3rd St most vividly as the Candleworks Building. This phase of the building’s life began when it was purchased by Lynette and Michael Richards in 1999. At the time, Lynette was a counselor at Metro High School, and Michael had invented soy candle wax and founded Soyawax International. The building served as an arts space for Lynette’s students, Soyawax’s marketing offices and the couple’s home. As Candleworks, the building
played host to performances that ran the gamut from plays to hip-hop shows. As a teen and young 20-something, I attended art shows and watched my friends’ bands play. As a young mother, I attended an art and music performance that LV’s very own Jordan Sellergren organized for us and our friends’ young children. The space gave many people a launching pad for creative endeavors that lasted beyond their high school years. Such was its influence that the building and WATCH Graffiti its performances were featured in a documentaVerite V. ry, Graffiti Verite V. Los Angeles filmmaker Bob Bryan shot footage of a four-day Metro High School hip hop workshop that took place in the Candleworks space. Like most of Czech Village, Candleworks was a victim of the 2008 flood, taking on 12 feet of water. In the aftermath of the disaster, aided by a grant from the city, Lynette and Michael undertook a painstaking restoration of the building, removing the white paint from the exterior to reveal the original red brick and limestone, adding new steel support beams and giving the building a new façade. The Bohemian is the result of a 20-year labor of love reflecting the couple’s travels and love of art. It’s an eclectic, glamorous rabbit warren housing over 100 pieces of art gathered from 20 states, seven different countries and spanning three centuries. The space functions as a restaurant, venue and gallery and is divided into different zones, including a wine cellar accessible via a reclaimed spiral staircase, an atrium, a French salon and the main floor Matyk Café, named for the building’s original owners. And there isn’t a television to be found, encouraging visitors to take in their surroundings and engage with those around them. True to their long history, Lynette and Michael are keeping things local when it comes to the restaurant’s offerings. The chef and sous chef are both veterans of CR restaurants: Head chef Josh Lafferty has worked in the kitchens of community favorites such as Riley’s, Butcher Block and White Star and sous chef Ian Trask was formerly the head chef at Daniel Arthur’s. The menu was inspired by dishes the owners tried as they traveled up and down the Mississippi River: items such as brisket, ribs and pulled pork, with creative twists added by Lafferty to make them the Bohemian’s own. Meats are smoked on site and nearly everything is made in house, with Lafferty and Trask creating the recipes for the signature sauces themselves. The restaurant’s vendors and suppliers are local, too. Produce comes from area farms such as Abbe Hills, Echollective and Jupiter Ridge, and herbs are grown by Lynette and Michael themselves. The 1st Avenue Wine House helped curate the wine collection, and the bar will feature Iowa beers. The venture also remains a family affair. Three generations of the Richards family work there, including Michael and Lynette, their two sons and a daughter-in-law and their granddaughters. The restaurant is using a fast-casual service model, in which customers order at a window and then their food is delivered to the table. And now for the food. My original plans for trying the Bohemian for the first time included ordering dinner and a
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Chad Rhym / Little Village
cocktail and enjoying it languidly on the rooftop patio with a friend. These plans were foiled by the infernal heat, worries over the Delta variant and a digestive system in full revolt over the number of heavy takeout meals I’ve consumed during the pandemic. So I revised my plans and picked up a side dish and a dessert to accompany our already planned dinner. I chose the mustard Brussels sprouts and the peach bourbon bread pudding because they were versions of things I already knew I loved and I thought they’d hold up to commuting 30 minutes and being reheated after we’d prepared the other parts of dinner. I was able to place and pay for my order online via the Toast app, a convenience I really appreciated since it meant I could order from my office and it would be ready to pick up by the time I arrived at the restaurant after work. You enter the Bohemian through
the door at the building’s right side, beneath the rooftop patio. Once inside, you pass through a set of red double doors and are greeted by signs pointing out the locations of the bar and ordering window and one encouraging curious visitors to ask for a tour. To pick up my order, I merely gave my name and was given my order. In pandemic times, I especially appreciate a streamlined takeout process. As I had hoped, the food was no worse for the wear after my 30-minute commute. The Brussels sprouts were enormous—seriously, I may call back and ask who supplied them—and they were cooked to the perfect degree of doneness. The honey mustard glaze was sweet and tangy, and there was enough of it to thoroughly coat the Brussels sprouts (but not so much that you couldn’t taste anything else). The perfectly balanced dish accompanied the tuna steaks we’d made for dinner as if they’d been meant to be eaten together. The bread pudding was like no version of this dish that I’ve had before. First of all, it was the size of a very generous cake slice, probably three by four inches in size and about two inches thick. I got one each for my boyfriend and myself, but we easily could have split one and still eaten it
for two days. The peach bourbon glaze was poured over the top and soaked down into the pudding, and there were roasted marshmallows on top. It was another deftly balanced and super tasty dish. I had feared that with all those sweet ingredients, one would overpower the others or the whole dessert might be a bit too sugary for my taste, but everything was in proportion. The flavors were all discernible and complemented one another. The texture was also excellent: decadent but not too dense. I look forward to returning and getting to try many other items on the menu, as these two things offered an excellent preview of what the kitchen is capable of. The Bohemian lives up to its name by bringing together diverse elements—art from all over the world, design elements from different eras and the marrying of food and hospitality with the arts—into a colorful and joyful whole. It would require dozens of visits to take in all the details of the space and hear all the stories behind them, so each experience will be a new one. The Bohemian and the Richards are citizens of the world and deeply rooted in this community, and they have found a beautiful way to express that through food, art and loving stewardship of this Cedar Rapids landmark. It seems fitting for a building that has lived many lives but never forgotten its past. Tiffani Green is an Iowa City-based writer and Little Village columnist. Her food column, The Takeaway, features reviews of local take-out restaurants. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 43
Community
Chad Rhym / Little Village
Iowa City: The Hall Mall
The Upstairs Underground An iconic Iowa City haunt is fading away. Can its spirit live on in Keokuk? BY JAY GOODVIN
“I
came up with the Hall Mall name,” Kirk Stephan said through chuckles as he recalled opening what would become Iowa City’s original incubator of small businesses in the early 1970s. “I wanted to have a longer one, but it turned out that advertisers charged more money the more letters you had!” More than a century ago, the Schneider Building in downtown Iowa City was home to Schneider Brothers Furniture, Carpet and Rugs. By the ’60s, its second floor office space (114 ½ E College St) housed lawyers, lenders, a stenography business, the Johnson County Democrats and offices for the now-enormous asphalt company L.L. Pelling. Meanwhile, Iowa City was crawling with folks who lived and breathed the arts and sought spaces to sell their wares, ink clients, make music with friends and shop. Stephan opened a jewelry shop, Emerald City, in the space he dubbed the Hall 44 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
Mall, followed by other countercultural vendors. “The hippies started moving in and all those other guys started moving out!” Stephan said. From the sounds, smells and sights to the creative people who gathered there, the Hall Mall became a decades-old homage to local weirdness and art. Some Hall Mall occupants (Daydreams Comics, White Rabbit) went on to become downtown institutions in their own right. “It’s very much a living, breathing building,” former manager Joe Murphy said. But the COVID-19 loop we’re still living in hasn’t been kind to brick-and-mortar retail, including the Hall Mall. In December 2020, amid the woes of a pandemic economy, Murphy relinquished leasing and management of the Schneider Building—including the Hall Mall and TCB Pool Hall on the ground floor—to Iowa City-based Barker Companies. Asked about their plans for the space, Barker said only that they’re in a transition period and uncertain about its future. “I’m glad to say that I was there for part of it,” Murphy said, remembering “a lot of giggles” in the Schneider Building over the years. Stephan certainly laughed many times while he talked of his Hall Mall days. “Red Rose was the second shop to open up, with used clothing,” Stephan recalled. “There was a sandwich and soup place, and a man named Bear opened a zoo! One day he disappeared and, well, the monkeys went monki-fied!” A few years after opening Emerald City, Stephan left to live in Belize, where he stayed for over a decade. But when he returned to Iowa City, he opened his next store right back in the same place. “I never expected to see the Hall Mall go so long,” he admitted. “It’s the end of an era. So many great people. I would love to hear from any of them.” “I loved meeting [previous] tenants that would come back and talk about their shops and what was in each unit when they were here,” Murphy reminisced. “And where else
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Clockwise from top: Dawn’s Beads in the 1990s. Courtesy of Dawn Harbor; Ericka “Wildgirl” Dana with Bob Dorr in the
doorway of Feral Curio Co., looking north at Ebony Hair and LowBrow Cafe, both 2005. Rich Dana; A needlepointed sign indicating children can GTFO and other pics of That’s Rentertainment, Ross Meyer
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Community
Daniel Davis, the Hall Mall’s final tenant, in front of his practice space. Jordan Sellergren / Little Village
are you going to hear opera lessons while someone gets a tattoo now?” Opera singer Megan O’Brien launched a business teaching voice lessons called O’Brien Studios in the Hall Mall in May 2012. “I walked across the UNI graduation stage and the following Monday I was open!” she said. She was able to attract a group of students quickly, she said, transitioning almost immediately from student to small business owner. She felt more at home in the Iowa City scene than she did during her time in New York City. Murphy and O’Brien connected right away, bonding over their shared Irish heritage. “Joe helped you embrace the Hall Mall, and I felt embraced,” O’Brien said. “I loved hearing people try to sing while Javier would be doing tattoos next door!” O’Brien experienced a wake-up call last year when Javier Silva suddenly moved his business, Silver Rooster Tattoo, out of the Hall Mall, relocating to North Liberty. She’d just purchased a condo and her business was flourishing, but she decided to leave the Hall Mall as well when her lease expired in 2020. “The studio is more than a success story. It was where I became the singer I am today. I really want to see Javier succeed, too.” Now working from a room she remodeled in her condo, O’Brien teaches singers from all over the country from her computer (although she always gives priority to local students). “I’m feeling very nostalgic … I’m still succeeding,” she said, but acknowledged, “I did feel freer when I would sing at my studio in the Hall Mall.” 46 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
O’Brien and the renters of the “upstairs under- all that peace and love in those days I spent there. ground” ultimately conceded defeat, including Almost a sexual feeling and tension in the air to Daniel Davis, owner of a practice space in unit be honest. Just a community of people, man. We #10. all hung out together—customers and owners.” “I’m going to keep doing this until I’m too Ryan wanted badly to own a business when old, but June 1 [2021] is the last day of the Hall he finally took his own plunge in the early ’90s. Mall,” Davis said. “All my friends had their own business, so I Murphy called Davis’ space “one of the bright spots” of the Hall Mall. “He really embraced it “THE HALL MALL WAS THEE and made it special,” he said. “I’ll miss being up MOST GENUINE PART OF IOWA there cleaning at night and hearing a cover of a CITY. I THINK OF ALL THAT song I know coming from Dan’s place.” Jim Mondanaro, owner of the Schneider PEACE AND LOVE IN THOSE Building since 1991, said he has fond memories of seeing shops outgrow their space in the Hall DAYS I SPENT THERE. ALMOST Mall over the years. A SEXUAL FEELING AND “It truly was Iowa City’s incubator,” TENSION IN THE AIR TO BE Mondanaro said. “I remember places like Daydreams, the Peaceful Fool and Dawn’s Beads HONEST. JUST A COMMUNITY being up there. Everyone had their niche. I’ve al- OF PEOPLE, MAN.” ways been for people growing and success. The —BOSTON MIKE RYAN Hall Mall was how you passed the baton when it came to growing some of Iowa City’s businesses.” wanted one too! So, I opened a pet store in the Currently, the historic building’s second level Hall Mall,” he said. Lifelong allergies to “anyis empty, and its future is up in the air. However, thing with hair” determined his wares. “Iguanas, some of the greatness that was hatched there lives snakes and then the birds would just fly up to on in the hearts of former tenants and patrons. customers, which they loved. We even started the “Electric Head was just one little room in practice of having customers wash their hands 1995 when it opened,” said Scott Warren, once before handling the animals. Now all the pet an artist there and now owner of Rubber Monkey stores have those signs hanging up around here.” Tattoo in Wilton, Iowa. “At one point the Hall Ryan was also not shocked to hear what the Mall seemed to be halfway full of tattooing and current vacant spaces are like at the former Hall piercing.” Mall. “It’s like King Tut’s tomb. It was really “It was a bizarre mishmash of individuals up golden at one point, and people picked at it over there,” Warren remembers fondly of the Hall the years and now it won’t ever be the same.” Mall scene in the 1990s. “A family from Africa Now, Iowa City’s upstairs underground incuowned a shop, there was an occult bookstore, bator has spawned another Hall Mall-esque con[an] old hippie lady named Ginger with funky cept about 100 miles south. clothes, cartoonists … It was like-minded people when it came to business and passionate about doing it their way. I wanted to dive in headfirst.” Scott now lives and operates in small-town Muscatine County in a far different atmosphere from where he cut his teeth. “I do frequently miss the good old days. I was young and very lucky to be there. ... It makes me sad, but it’s not surprising,” he said of the last few tenants moving out this year. “I like all the dank, grit and grunge that came through that place. I feel like Iowa City has lost a lot of that character and its characters.” Mike Ryan, a.k.a. Boston Mike, owned Serpentine Motion pet shop in that same era and became the local authority on all things that slithered and molted. Pete Joy, owner of Puck-E-She-Tuck Emporium, “The Hall Mall was THEE most genuine part Keokuk’s take on the Hall Mall, standing in front of Iowa City,” Ryan wrote in an email. “I think of of Joystix Rockade. Courtesy of Pete Joy
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Pete Joy, known as PJ, is from Keokuk, a city in the extreme southeast corner of Iowa. But he made several trips to Iowa City over the course of his life, and that included many stops to the Hall Mall. “I’d frequent Iowa City about every week with friends to skateboard, catch a show at Gabe’s, visit the Hall Mall and just hang out,” PJ said. He felt welcomed like a local, he said, by the crowd he was seeing week after week. “My favorite part was the eccentric people associated with [the Hall Mall]. True geniuses in their own right.” Today, PJ is the proud owner of Joystix Rockade and the Puck-E-She-Tuck Emporium above it on Main Street in Keokuk. “Upon purchasing the Emporium, I had a strong feeling and intuition to recreate the Hall Mall and felt that it would serve a need and purpose for those eccentric shoppers and shop owners to come together like the Hall Mall did for IC folk,” PJ said. Joystix Rockade, on the bottom floor, boasts a large inventory of hard rock and metal music pumping on a constant loop. The sounds of vintage pinball games manage to penetrate through the guitars and drums, while several generations of classic arcade games get a workout from retro gaming aficionados. PJ gets visitors from all over the Midwest and the rest of the country just to see the Rockade, he said. His live bands and homemade pizza are also getting killer reviews. He built his business in Keokuk due to “hometown pride and wanting to contribute to the community and youth,” he said, choosing the old Horn Building at 714 Main St, original home (in the late 1800s) of Keokuk’s YMCA. PJ employs Keokuk high schoolers, who seem to have found their niche in the space. One of the Emporium’s largest features, Callie-Co Geodes & More, offers local geodes, crystals, jewelry, stones and general good vibes. There are amps and a selection of guitars at
Muddy River Music down the hall, past a mural of Keokuk inspired by Van Gogh’s Starry Night. RKO Loco boasts vintage denim, wool hoodies, coats and hats. Geez Disc Golf & Skate Shop sells premium brands. The Emporium catches on to the Hall Mall edge Iowa City townies know and love, and it’s operated by owners and employees with the same scrappy spirit. “I long to empower those who love a dream and to offer services to the surrounding area but haven’t been provided the opportunity,” PJ said. “I believe the Keokuk area has a large untapped amount of those people and the Emporium is where the potential can be unlocked.” •
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“Cigarettes, incense, heat and reverberation.” That’s what Luke Tweedy, who now runs Flat Black Studios in Lone Tree, remembers about his time in the Hall Mall. More than two decades ago, he ran the short-lived Uncle Melonhead’s Clear Spot “antiques and oddities shop” in the Hall Mall (“sold all my good stuff but had no place to find more ... especially because of the specific aesthetic I was going for,” Tweedy said in an email). In 2006, he and partner Cortnie Widen launched the now-iconic White Rabbit up there. “Although we were only there for around six months or so, without the Hall Mall, it would not exist today. It is a wonderful proving ground,” he said. Looking back, Tweedy says, “I have mourned the death of the Hall Mall and Mill recently, and with every little weirdo spot that dies, Iowa City loses something that makes it special.” If you ever frequented the Hall Mall, the memories are probably all around you: tattoos from the ’90s, the old hemp sandals tossed in the back of your closet, the VHS copy of Halloween
II you forgot to return to Rentertainment—the lump of nostalgia that catches in your throat when you think of bygone days. But the entrepreneurial spirit cultivated by the Hall Mall is very much alive. “The reason the Hall Mall worked was anybody could afford it, and there were other people around trying,” Tweedy said. He compared the ethos to Cedar Rapids’ NewBo City Market: “Although very different, there are some core elements that are the same. For example, you need the draw of multiple businesses to make it work.” That upstairs underground kingdom was a safe harbor for startups into which talented folk poured more hours than can be calculated. Their energy has endured and spread outward. Take Davis’ practice space. In 2014, Davis saw a problem with how Iowa City was supporting local bands. So he went to work on it. A stream of musicians have been uplifted there, and Davis was the driving motor for those six and a half years. Now, Davis estimates that there are well over 1,000 iPhone and Zoom recordings from his corner of Iowa City’s musical history. And he has promised to continue what he has built in the Hall Mall, to keep working for the benefit of Iowa City’s musicians. The Hall Mall space will be less smoky, noisy and creaky moving forward. But thanks to Davis’ perseverance, we’ll be able to hear some of the sounds of the Hall Mall forever. In that sense, it is still very much open. Jay’s a sexy husband, dad-joke dorkus, loyal buddy, shameless storyteller and all-around interesting dude that never got his application completed for ‘Jeopardy!’. He always tells folks that you can’t spell routine without rut so set your heading in a different direction whenever you can.
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Community Q&A
Who Tells Your Story Matthew Gilbert on wielding the power of local government to tell stories, save buildings and bring equity to Iowa history. BY MIKE KUHLENBECK
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atthew Gilbert’s great grandfather, Dr. Lee Burton Furgerson, is an Iowa legend. He was one of the first Black doctors in Waterloo. He contributed to the Iowa Bystander, the state’s leading Black publication. He joined prominent civil rights attorney Milton Fields and Judge William Parker in co-founding a Black bank in 1947 called Blackhawk Savings and Loan Association. In the late ’80s, the building that housed that bank was demolished. “They tore it down and turned it into a parking garage,” Gilbert said. “What’s in place of it is a mural, but it doesn’t speak to the story.” “We talk about the power of place and the power of belonging, and often Black and brown people don’t really have that experience, even just walking through their own neighborhoods.” Gilbert is a licensed attorney, the chair of the Economic Development Committee for the Des Moines NAACP, president of the nonprofit Iowa Center for Opportunity Resources & Equity Inc. and CEO of MRG & Associates LLP, among other nonprofit, private sector and public service positions. But Gilbert’s dedication to Iowa history is put to work on the Waterloo Historic Preservation Commission, where he feels a responsibility to preserve more than just architecture. “More importantly, [we’re] helping communities find a voice at the table when it comes to planning and the protection of buildings, properties and neighborhoods,” he said in an interview with Little Village. “It’s really important to help Black and brown Americans
understand and see themselves as a part of American history.” Some answers have been edited for length and clarity. How did you become involved with historic preservation efforts? The history of Iowa has been
such a huge part of my life and my journey of discovering who I am. A lot of my family has been very integral as pioneers of Iowa’s history, especially through civil rights here in Iowa. Part of it was a passion and a love, and another part of it was being trained with the skill sets to really navigate this arena for the voices that are often unheard.
Matthew Gilbert in front of the Walnut Street Baptist Church in Waterloo, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Courtesy of MRGTM
What are some of the things you have learned since joining the Waterloo Historic Preservation Commission? One
of the first things I learned is how much influence and power certified local governments (CLGs) really have. Secondly, I learned that I have to be an advocate in this role, otherwise I’m doing many communities a disservice. Being an advocate really means showing up, not just for my own interests but to show up for the interests of those who may be unable to show up ... making sure I found a gateway so the community had a sense of historic preservation literacy and language, but is also “in the know” about what’s going on, good or bad.
What would you like to tell the readers of Little Village about the significance of historic preservation efforts and why it can help lead to a more just and equitable future? This
historic preservation movement is
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not new, but there is new thought capital that is being added to historic preservation, especially after going through a pandemic and then the racial reckoning that we’ve been having since the murder of George Floyd. To really find a more inclusive narrative, the historic preservation movement is paying more attention not just to the buildings but who the buildings serve, what the buildings’ uses are. Sometimes it’s ugly when it comes to city planning, local government. White wealth and privilege oftentimes shows up in the tax
subsidies on the public side and it shows up in philanthropic or generational wealth on the private side. What ends up happening is we’ll take private wealth, mix it with subsidies, and we’ll spend all that money to restore and preserve the building—the structural elements— but leave no money for the underlying programming. I’m thankful to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the AfricanAmerican Cultural Heritage Fund, because there’s been a lot of shift to not just caring about the structures but also how the structures are being
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used. Now it’s challenging developers and government officials to think deeper when it relates to historic preservation projects. What are some of the historic sites and landmarks you are involved with that you’re passionate about? The histor-
ic Walnut Street Baptist Church in Waterloo is an exciting architectural structure, and also a potentially big catalyst opportunity for the city. The property is already listed on the National Register, but for a
of that project. In 2019, a colleague of mine, Amanda Loughlin out of the Kansas City area, worked on an Iowa Civil Rights inventory between 2017 and 2018 and was able to put together a multi-property designation application which proved to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Parks Service that there is a significance for Iowa’s civil rights history. We need to tell not only the story of places, we need to tell the story of events and the story of significant people that were involved with this
“SOME OF THE STANDARDS AND PRACTICES AROUND SURVEYING PROPERTIES STILL PERPETUATE EXCLUSION OF BLACK AND BROWN HERITAGE, ESPECIALLY HERE IN IOWA. WE’VE ALLOWED CITIES AND GOVERNMENTS AND DEVELOPERS TO TEAR DOWN BUILDINGS WITHOUT REQUIRING THEM TO DO SOME LEVEL OF CULTURAL OR HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT.” 10-year period was unoccupied until a developer in the area came in and wanted to see the property preserved. They’ve been putting together efforts for the last two years and brought me in to navigate some of the community discussion. Another project is the FurgersonFields landmark designation. Dr. [Lee Burton] Furgerson and attorney [Milton] Fields were prominent African-American leaders in the Waterloo area. Dr. Furgerson passed away in his early 40s, so he didn’t get a chance to see his legacy all the way through. As a result of that, they wanted to name a park after Dr. Furgerson, who shared an office with Milton Fields. … What we’re doing is storytelling, because that story is so deep, especially for the Waterloo and Black Hawk County area. I’m excited about getting that park designated as a national landmark to tell the story of Furgerson, Fields and [Judge William] Parker. What is the status of that effort? We’re still at the early stages
history. It offers us a broad approach to identifying multiple properties, whether it be recreational properties or structural properties that relate to this history. … Often these are grassroots efforts, such as the Dunsmore House, which is one of the first structural buildings in Waterloo. It has gone through a bit of damage and destruction. We want to coordinate a shared group to plan the reuse and purpose of this property. What do you consider to be some of the biggest barriers in trying to achieve this movement in historic preservation?
It starts from local policy and development practices. Sometimes we are in favor of demolishing buildings before we have even done a historic analysis of the property. It’s easier for a city council to sign off with a developer who comes in with a big bag of money and says, “Hey, I want to do this,” and the council says, “Yeah, we like that idea. Bring us your money,” before they do the inventory and the heavy-lifting it
requires to understand more about buildings and structures in a particular locale. Some of the standards and practices around surveying properties still perpetuate exclusion of Black and brown heritage, especially here in Iowa. We’ve allowed cities and governments and developers to tear down buildings without requiring them to do some level of cultural or historical assessment. We do environmental studies before we build on a property for liability purposes, so we could approach this the same [way]: to make developers hire local historians to help them better understand the narratives and require them to report that as part of their underlying project. The process of nominations and designations is a hard one and expensive that requires extensive resources. Having this historic land as well as the current lack of capital, communities are restricted from preserving their own history and taking advantage of opportunities for more equitable developments. We can use historic tax credit incentives, but for smaller and locally driven projects, it’s really difficult. Beyond just the grassroots work that folks like myself are drumming up, there is still a lack of outreach and education around preservation and its impact and what programs and resources are available. A lot of communities, especially Black and brown communities, have yet to understand the significance of preserving their history. The other barrier keeping this stagnant is the lack of diverse representation with developers and local government. It’s really hard to navigate cultural heritage and resources when you don’t have those cultural human assets that help support your narrative and amplify your voice. Are these barriers a statewide issue, or does it vary from city to city? I definitely think it is a statewide issue, because we have a hard
time preserving our cultural resources and assets in Iowa, especially African American history and culture. It doesn’t just belong in a museum. People have to see it, live it, be part of it. We often put a namesake on a building while offering no cultural value otherwise. On the local level, it’s really hard to get excited about a project and in turn have to convince the community to shoulder a heavy debt burden to see the project through. At the state level, we not only need incentives like grants, but we also need intentional efforts to carve out specifically designated areas and zones throughout various communities to be designated for preservation. That doesn’t happen at the state level. We’re not doing a good job preserving our cultural contributions—today, yesterday or at any point. The challenge with that is we face things like a pandemic where we have to go through so much loss of life. We’re not just losing lives, we’re losing these stories, these narratives. We’re losing this history. Iowa can’t wait. With an aging population, we have to tell these stories now, and we have to make sure these stories are in the hands of our youth. If they see themselves in these stories and continue to carry them forward, the storytelling element really brings the significance of a building full-circle. What would you recommend for people who are interested in getting involved with historic preservation efforts such as the ones you have worked on? First off, I encourage you to stay informed,
reading and digesting content and stories like this one from Little Village. It’s so important and I’m glad you are doing this regularly. Secondly, it’s important for you to make a commitment to advocacy and action. I also encourage you to find your certified local government, find out who is leading the commission or that organization and reach out to them to let them know your interests in this work. There are a ton of opportunities to get involved, just not a lot of resources that are at the forefront of the public. So tap your CLG so you can understand where some of those resources might lie. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 49
Bread & Butter
LittleVillageMag.com/Dining LV Recommends
Mammita’s Coffee 224 S Linn St, Iowa City, 319-569-1067, mammitascoffee.com
M
ammita’s Coffee and Flowers by Jacqueline in Iowa City may have mastered the art of multitasking. It is part flower shop, part coffee study spot and part lunch destination; all of them are good. The many-roomed shop is located on S Linn Street, right next to Mailboxes of Iowa City and near the downtown public library. Mammita’s officially opened its doors in February, replacing the Futon Shop, which occupied the spot for many years. Much of their early support came from friends and members of owner Jacqueline “Jackie” Milian’s church, LIFEchurch in Coralville, who helped to clean the space and donated equipment. Family also pitched in, and Milian’s mother, Theresa, gave her the initial investment she needed to open Mammita’s. The menu is impressive and breaks the mold of the classic coffee shop. Instead of scones and muffins, Mammita’s offers a wide array of Mexican pastries and desserts. The
Zoe Pharo / Little Village
selection includes tres leches cake, flan and conchas—a soft and sweet bread with a sugary topping that resembles the surface of a seashell. Milian aims to recreate many of her childhood recipes and the feeling of spending time at the home of her grandmother, the original Mammita. Their Latin-infused drinks—Horchata and
50 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
Dulce de Leche Lattes—are some of their most popular, and sandwiches can be paired with plantain chips, like those Milian ate growing up. Breakfast and lunch are both fair game at Mammita’s. In my excitement at scanning all the options on the menu, I ended up with a spread that could have qualified as either: a Cuban Burrito, Pastelito de Guava and Cheese and Horchata Frappe. Behind the counter, Anthony (who said he was a customer before he was an employee) and Isabel were both very welcoming, and before I knew it my food had arrived at my table. The first item I tried was the burrito, and it did not disappoint. Generously laden with pork, rice and beans and cheese, the “special sauce” was the real showstopper, tasting both tangy and creamy. Coffee has never been my thing, and somehow I made it through college without developing a dependence. However, the Horchata Frappé could convert me. It was sweet without being overwhelmingly so, spiced perfectly and refreshingly iced on a hot day. And it paired well with the pastelito, with its flaky crust and guava filling. (My housemate, who is a true coffee drinker, and for whom I ordered a macchiato to-go, also gave her approval.)
Bread & Butter
LittleVillageMag.com/Dining
Zoe Pharo / Little Village
I sat in the cozy inside porch, which looks out onto the street and is separated from the main café area. Tables were set for two, with flowers on each, and the whole set-up felt very homey, complete with a fireplace and signs that read
52 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
“Welcome” and “But First Coffee”—ideal for studying, meeting friends or a first date. If you step through a door to the left of the café, you enter a fragrant room with another cash register. Here, Mammita’s sells arrangements
and bouquets for events, including weddings and quinceañeras—similar to the California flower shop that Milian’s parents ran for 25 years. Only later did I discover that there is a beautiful patio space out back, which is also tucked away from the street, with ample space to socially distance and shade cloths overhead to provide protection from the sun. This was a later addition, part of adapting to COVID-19. Having opened during a peak in the pandemic, Mammita’s remains set up to give people options, according to their comfort level. Their website allows for online ordering for in-store pick-up or delivery, which is available via Grubhub and CHOMP. If you choose to dine in, you have the choice of indoor and outdoor seating. As I left, I had the chance to meet Milian’s mother, Theresa. She came out of the kitchen in an apron, taking a break from making their signature breakfast burritos. When I asked if she wanted people to know anything about the shop, she said to “trust in God.” At its core, Mammita’s is a family operation, rooted in faith and a feeling of coming home. —Zoe Pharo
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Culture
Jav Ducker / Little Village
A-LIST Cedar Rapids: The Olympic
The Once and Future Olympic How a Cedar Rapids businessman rebirthed a vision. BY GENEVIEVE TRAINOR
O
nce upon a time in Cedar Rapids, there was an Olympic Theatre. Located at 1124 3rd St, the records of the History Center show that it was built as a private home, but became the Olympic in 1912, remaining under that name until 1939. “The building showed silent flicks early on and then often showed Czech films during the 1930s,” the History Center shared in an email. Over the decades, it became the Strand Theatre, then the Community Theatre, then the Community Theatre of Cedar Rapids Inc. In 1990, it evolved into the See Dar Rabbits Jazz & Blues Society. But in 1993, the dilapidated building was torn down. Fast-forward another 25 years, and enter 54 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
Steve Shriver. The Cedar Rapids businessman (Ecolips, SOKO Outfitters) had recently moved Brewhemia, the coffee shop he runs with his wife Andrea, into the lower level of 1202 3rd St. The building had recently been home to the Chrome Horse Saloon and its upstairs neighbor, Third Street Live. But in 2014, an early morning fire damaged the building significantly. It was a four-alarmer, something that fire department Public Information Officer Greg Buelow told the Gazette at the time was “a very rare event.” The staircase to the second level performance space was destroyed completely, along with other significant damage. The Chrome Horse found a new home across the street at 1201 3rd St, but no comparable music venue replaced Third Street in the Cedar Rapids musical landscape. And Shriver, a passionate advocate for the New Bohemia neighborhood and self-described “serial entrepreneur,” found it difficult to see the building remain unused. “It was painful to see such a historic place sit empty for so long after the fire,” he said in an email. So a few years after Brewhemia and then the restaurant Caucho had moved in downstairs at 1202 to repurpose the former Chrome Horse space, Shriver decided to take on the former Third Street Live as well. “Each of my businesses fit a community or
Bobby Rush. photo by Bill Steber
Bobby Rush w/ Kevin Burt and Big Medicine, Olympic South Side Theater, Cedar Rapids, Friday, Aug. 27, 7 p.m., $30-75
industry need, and I saw an opportunity to rehabilitate this amazing space and have it serve the community.” Shriver hearkens back to 1202’s own history in his utilization of the space: Along with a few more mundane tenants, prior to Third Street it had been Shades Night Club in the 1990s and, in the first half of the 20th century, had for around 50 years been community social hub ZCBJ Hall (Západní Česko Bratrská Jednota; in English, Western Bohemian Fraternal Association), the History Center said. ZCBJ was an offshoot of the Czech-Slovak Protective Society, according to the venue’s website—that CSPS building being just down the road at 1103 3rd St.
LittleVillageMag.com
But Shriver decided to pay homage to a different piece of history when he chose a name for his new venue: the Olympic South Side Theatre. Naming it after the nearby space where the famed 19th century vaudevillians had one of their last performances was no accident. Shriver, a musician himself, is eager for the Olympic to come into its own as an arts venue with full programming, not just hosting private events. “I’m … super passionate about art and music,” Shriver said, “so blending those into the programming is very fulfilling.” The new Olympic is about to take a dive into the deep end of that effort. The space hosts a regular Thirsty Jam and has programmed a few local bands, but later this month, blues legend Bobby Rush will take the stage, with local blues legend Kevin Burt opening. It’s the Olympic’s first show of this scale. “Like every other event venue, we were extremely limited on the events we could hold, if any at all,” Shriver said of opening last year, mid-pandemic. “In addition people were very conservative in their social lives. We are just glad to have that (hopefully) behind us.” Shriver said that the 500-capacity space has “worked well to serve the community while still allowing indoor social distancing.” The Aug. 27 performance by 87-year-old twotime Grammy winner Rush will be a useful test case for the Olympic, to see if it can fulfill the vision that Shriver has for it. “Our goal is to create a sustainable legacy event venue,” Shriver said—one that maintains a good public–private balance. He wants to book weddings and events when they’re available and fill the dates in the off-season and in-between with community events, live music and more. This year is a mix of newly scheduled events and reschedules from 2020. “Being entrepreneurial, we will follow and cater to wherever the most demand comes from,” he said. Inspired by venues like CSPS and by old theaters such as the Englert and the Paramount, Shriver found the renovation and design process of the Olympic South Side to be organic. “Our goal was to create something super versatile, while being respectful of the building’s history and existing finishes,” he said. That built-in, vigilant flexibility is the niche that Shriver hopes the Olympic will fill in the community. But he also notes that, “The location, size, history and customer experience of the Olympic really set us apart from the others.”
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Genevieve Trainor believes the more music venues, the merrier!
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typo! NotNot a a typo!
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EDITORS’ PICKS: August 2021
EVENTS: August August 2021
via Willow Creek Theatre Co.
Planning an event? Submit event info to calendar@littlevillagemag. com. Include event name, date, time, venue, street address, admission price and a brief description (no all-caps, exclamation points or advertising verbiage, please). To find more events, visit littlevillagemag.com/calendar. Please check venue listing in case details have changed.
Willow Creek Theatre Co. Presents: ‘[title of show],’ AUG. 12-22,
The Treehouse, Iowa City, $15-25 Perhaps the CRANDIC’s newest theater company, Willow
Creek stayed cautious all through the pandemic, even though they’d only just gotten off the ground when it hit. Now that things are safe(r), they’ve been having folks out to their performance space, the Treehouse—they’ve had comedy, cabaret, a 12-hour sketch event, and now it’s musical time! Their take on the popular self-referential four-hander runs two weekends, Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Students are $15, general admission is $25. On Stage Friday, Aug. 13-Sunday, Aug. 22
Monday, Aug 16 at 7 p.m. Daniel
at 7:30 p.m. Riverside Theatre
Van Kirk: The Together Again Tour,
Presents: ‘The Comedy of Errors,’
Thew Brewing, Cedar Rapids, $25
Lower City Park Festival Stage, Iowa City, Free
Saturday, Aug. 21 at 8 p.m. Improv Incubator: Salute to Schools,
Saturday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. SCWPro Presents Hawkamania 18th Anniversary, Wildwood BBQ & Saloon, $10-55 58 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
CSPS, Cedar Rapids, $10-13
AROUND THE CRANDIC
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM
OPEN CALLS! Greater Des Moines Music Coalition is accepting submissions from Iowa musicians for their Artist of the Month spotlight series. Visit desmoinesmc.com/artistofthemonth for more. The City of Cedar Rapids and Advocates for Social Justice are calling for submissions for a mural, approximately 2,772 square feet, on the tower of the Five Seasons Parking Ramp (400 1st Av NE). The mural should celebrate the diverse Cedar Rapids community and call attention to social and racial justice. Selected artist will receive $30,000; installation goal: fall 2021 or spring 2022. Submissions of original short plays accepted through Aug. 15 in SPT Theatre Company’s search for writers for its 2021-22 season of Tales from the Writers’ Room. Submit two to three short plays or spoken word pieces that are each under three minutes long, feature one to five characters, could be produced with almost no budget and demonstrate your unique sense of humor and point of view. Send in Word or .pdf format to myspttheatre@ gmail.com. Community Foundation of Johnson County has opened up applications for their 2021 round of grants for non-profit orgs in Arts, Culture & Humanities; Education; Environment & Animals; Human Services; Public and support. Grants up to $10,000 will be considered. Apply by Aug. 15 at cfjc.org/grants/apply. Submit by Friday, Aug. 27 for Public Art Matching Funds from the City of Iowa City. Available for art projects (visual, audio or performance based) located in Iowa City and accessible to the general public. Maximum request: $2000. Projects must be installed/completed by June 30, 2022. Brink Literary Journal is accepting submissions through
El Trueque Iowa
Societal Benefit; Health; and/or those seeking operating
SATURDAY, AUG. 28, Latino
Fest,
Ped Mall, Iowa City, 12 p.m., Free The Iowa City Latino Fest returns this year with per-
formances from local musicians and traditional dance groups. Dance demonstrations and instruction will be offered as well, along with food vendors with Mexican and Central American cuisine. Volunteers are still welcome!
Aug. 31 on the theme of Currency. Work may be submitted in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Celebrate!
and cross-genre evocations. “Currency is money but it is about so much more than transaction,” their call states. “It
Thursday, Aug. 5 at 6 p.m. One
Saturday, Aug. 14 at 2 p.m. West
signifies acceptance. It proclaims agreement.”
Iowa Gala Watch Party, Walker
Fest—Battle of the Bands and Drum
Homestead, Iowa City, $20
Royale, West Music, Coralville, Free
2022-23 exhibition calendar for its Hanson Gallery. All
Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 12-15
Saturday, Aug. 21 at 1 p.m. Drink
artists over 18 in Iowa or adjacent states are welcome to
106th Annual Meskwaki Powwow,
Local Festival, Benz Beverage Depot,
apply by Aug. 31.
Meskwaki Settlement, Tama OR
Cedar Rapids, $30
Clear Lake Arts Center is seeking proposals to fill the
Meskwakipowwow.com Lincoln Highway Arts Festival is returning for 2021. Apply by Sept. 10 to the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council. A $75
Friday-Sunday, Aug. 13-15 Iowa
fee gets space for a 10 x 10 tent; two artists may share a
Arts Festival, Downtown Iowa City,
tent at no additional cost.
Free LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 59
EDITORS’ PICKS: August 2021
AROUND THE CRANDIC
The Scene on the Screen Wednesday, Aug. 4 at 10 p.m. Late Shift at the Grindhouse: ‘The Big Boss,’ FilmScene—Chauncey, Iowa City, $7 Friday, Aug. 6 at 8:15 p.m. Drive-In Movie: ‘Pitch Perfect,” Coralville Public Library, Free Saturday, Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. CRBT Movies on the Riverbank: ‘Trolls World Tour,’ McGrath Amphitheatre, Cedar Rapids, Free Saturday, Aug. 7 at 8:30 p.m. ‘Moana,’ Summer of the Arts Free Movie Series, Iowa City Municipal Airport, Iowa City, Free Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 10 p.m. Late Shift at the Grindhouse: ‘The Sore Losers,’ FilmScene—Chauncey, Iowa City, $7 Friday, Aug. 13 at 10 p.m. Late Shift at the Grindhouse: ‘Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday,’ FilmScene— Chauncey, Iowa City, $7 Saturday, Aug. 14 at 8:07 p.m. ‘The Monuments Men,’ FilmScene in the Park, Iowa City, Free Sunday, Aug. 15 at 12 p.m. National Theatre Live: ‘King Lear,’ FilmScene—Chauncey, Iowa City, $16-20
SATURDAY, AUG. 28, ‘Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon,’
Park, Iowa City, 7:45 p.m., Free
Wednesday, Aug. 18 at 10 p.m. Late Shift at the Grindhouse: ‘Fist of Fury,’ FilmScene—Chauncey, Iowa City, $7
FilmScene in the
I won’t claim that Ang Lee’s 2000 masterpiece is the greatest movie ever made. We all have different opinions, after all. But it truly offers something for everyone, with its mix of action, romance, adventure, fantasy, humor and more. And those myriad offerings aren’t lazily smashed together, but delicately woven into a brilliant narrative that privileges story while giving no short shrift to sumptuous spectacle, either. The performances (Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi) are each golden nuggets from actors at the peaks of their careers. And—OK, you know what? I will say it. Don’t miss this free screening of the greatest movie ever made.
Friday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. Drive-In Movie: ‘Grease,’ Coralville Public Library, Free Saturday, Aug. 21 at 8:30 p.m. ‘Aquaman,’ Summer of the Arts Free Movie Series, Riverfront Crossings Park, Iowa City, Free Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 10 p.m. Late Shift at the Grindhouse: ‘Before the Night is Over,’ FilmScene— Chauncey, Iowa City, $7
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A celebration of Steven Allen Carlson’s life will be held Saturday, August 14, from 3:00 until 5:00 p.m. at the Kirkwood Room, 515 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City. Brief remarks will begin at 3:15, followed by a time for people to share their remembrances. Light refreshments will be served, and his photography will be on display. Steven Allen Carlson was born August 2, 1946 in Hamburg, Iowa, the son of Oscar Allen Carlson and Doris (Munsinger) Carlson. He was a 1964 graduate of Fremont Mills High School. Steven received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Iowa in 1969. Steven was employed by Hy-Vee for 42 years, first at Clarinda, and later at several Iowa City stores. He managed the Hy-Vee Waterfront Store’s dairy department for many years. He was an avid vinyl record collector and managed a used record store in downtown Iowa City for several years. Steven volunteered for ICARE (Iowa Center for AIDS Resources and Education) and was active in the LGBT community. His passions included photography and writing, and he was a talented pianist. His photographic exhibits included venues in Des Moines, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Steven Allen Carlson died December 27, 2020, at age 74, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Stanley. Memorial contributions may be made to Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) at pflag.org. Online condolences may be sent to lensingfuneral.com
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 61
EDITORS’ PICKS: August 2021
AROUND THE CRANDIC
SATURDAY, AUG.
Get Lit Around the Region
21, Iowa
City Queer Home CookOUT Tour,
High Ground Cafe, Iowa City, 4 p.m., Free In cele-
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM
Thursday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. LaTanya McQueen in conversation with Rachel Yoder, Prairie Lights, Online (prairielights. com/live), Free (registration required) Friday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. Community Poetry Night, Mount Vernon Creates, Free Saturday, Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. Friends of the Coralville Public
bration of the release of the anthology Home Is Where You Queer Your Heart, Foglifter LGBTQ+ literary arts press has coordinated a tour to the hometowns of contributing writers. Iowa City is the final stop. Participating readers include TR Brady, Melissa Febos, Jessie Galloway, Timmy Beezhold, Romeo Oriogun, Miah Jeffra, Donika Kelly, Darius Stewart, Christopher Nelson and more. The anthology includes poems, essays and stories curated over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 presidential election, highlighting themes of chosen family and community.
Library: Book Sale in the Ramp!, Coralville Public Library, purchase by freewill donation Sundays, Aug. 8-29 at 12 p.m. Write, Memory: Embracing the Poetic Through the Lyric Essay w/ Hannah Bonner, Iowa City Poetry, Online (iowacitypoetry.com), $100/series Saturday, Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. Free Comic Book Day 2021, E Washington St between Daydreams Comics and the Englert Theatre, Iowa City Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. Spoken Word Night, The Hype Bar & Grill, Cedar Rapids
Digital is real. With over 2.3 million article views in 2020, LittleVillageMag.com’s growing audience is more than just a number—115,000 unique monthly visitors are ready to shop, dine and support local. For advertising, web design, e-commerce and digital marketing support, contact Little Village today: Ads@LittleVillageMag.com (319) 855-1474
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EDITORS’ PICKS: August 2021
AROUND THE CRANDIC
LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM
Wednesday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. SotA
Friday, Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. CSPS
Music on the Move—Kevin BF Burt,
Presents: Shawn Holt and the
City High, Iowa City, Free
Teardrops, NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, Free
Friday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. Rock the Block 2021: Surf Zombies, NewBo
Saturday, Aug. 21 at 5 p.m.
City Market, Cedar Rapids, Free
Music4Life 10th Anniversary Iowa City Music Auxiliary Fundraiser,
Friday, Aug. 6 at 6:30 p.m. SotA
Music4Life, North Liberty,
Friday Night Concert Series—
Donation
Dave Zollo & the Body Electric, Weatherdance Fountain Stage,
Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 6 p.m.
Ped Mall, Iowa City, Free
SotA Music on the Move—Dave Zollo, Lincoln Elementary, Iowa
Twin Wizard, via the artist
Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 7 p.m.
City, Free
Stages: Hannah Frey, Englert Theatre, Online (englert.org),
Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m.
$5-10
Stages: Sinner Frenz, Englert Theatre, Online (englert.org),
Thursday, Aug. 12 at 6:30 p.m.
$5-10
Mission Creek Summer Sessions—
SATURDAY, AUG. 14 ,
Grey Area,
Anthony Worden & Chuy Renteria,
Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m.
Willow Creek Park, Iowa City
SotA Music on the Move—Dave Zollo, Peninsula Neighborhood,
Saturday, Aug. 15 at 5:30 p.m. The
Flat Black Acreage, Lone Tree, at
12 p.m., $30 It’s the most welcome return of Grey Area this month, albeit slightly abbreviated. Live music is circumscribed to just 1 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. on Saturday, but attendees are still encouraged to camp overnight on Friday to get a full experience. Among the highlights to expect are Sinner Frenz, Twin Wizard, Dead Rider, Condor and Jaybird, Karen Meat and Awful Purdies. DJs will be playing music before and between live sets, including on Friday night. Beer and food will be available for purchase. No outside alcohol permitted. Campers can arrive as early as 5 p.m. Friday.
Melodic Meanderings
Iowa City, Free
Feralings with the Ben Schmidt Trio, Raven Wolf Productions,
Friday, Aug. 27 at 5:30 p.m.
Williamsburg, $10
Uptown Friday Nights: The Unincorporated w/ Hex Girls,
Wednesday, Aug. 18 at 7 p.m.
McGrath Amphitheatre, Cedar
Stages: Aseethe, Englert Theatre,
Rapids, $5
Online (englert.org), $5-10 Friday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. Bobby Friday, Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m. SotA
Rush w/ Kevin Burt and Big
Friday Night Concert Series—
Medicine, Olympic South Side
Crystal City w/ Brass Tower, the
Theater, Cedar Rapids, $30-75
Deleters, Weatherdance Fountain Wednesday, Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. SotA
Wednesday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m.
Music on the Move—Kevin BF Burt,
Stages: Claire Nunez, Englert
Halfloves w/ treesreach, Penny
Lucas Elementary, Iowa City, Free
Theatre, Online (englert.org), $5-
Peach, WWWW, Gabe’s, Iowa City,
10
$10
Stage, Ped Mall, Iowa City, Free
Saturday, Aug. 28 at 8 p.m.
NEWS YOU CAN TRUST.
90.9
FM
NEWS | STUDIO ONE
910
Stream online: IowaPublicRadio.org or the IPR app. 64 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
AM
NEWS
Your Opportunity to Engage with Arts and Culture CulturalCorridor.org
Masabacha with Beef or Mushroom Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
2 tbsp butter or oil ½ yellow onion, finely chopped 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp cumin/coriander 1/2 tsp paprika 1/4 tsp cayenne 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1/8 tsp cinnamon 1 lb ground beef OR 1 lb chopped mushrooms of your choice (approx. ¼” pieces) 1 tbsp tomato paste 1/4 C water Optional garnishes: olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, plain Greek yogurt, parsley and/or cilantro
Method 1.
Add the butter or oil to a skillet and sauté the onions until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2.
Mix together the salt, pepper, cumin/ coriander, paprika, cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon and stir the spice mix into the skillet. Cook for 1 minute.
3.
5.
IF USING MUSHROOMS: Add the mushrooms and tomato paste/ water mixture to the skillet at the same time. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 10 minutes, until mushrooms are tender.
6.
Plating: Spread a layer of Oasis Street Food hummus to the edges of a bowl or plate. Scoop the masabacha into the middle of the hummus. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, tahini, lemon juice and/or plain Greek yogurt.
7.
Optional: A few parsley or cilantro sprigs on the top can add some color and a little spritz of herby freshness to each bite.
In a separate bowl, stir together the tomato paste and water.
4. IF USING BEEF: Add the beef to the skillet and cook until browned, then add the water and tomato paste mix. Let simmer until thickened.
319.358.7342 info@oasisstreetfood.com 206 N. Linn St. Iowa City, IA 52245
EDITORS’ PICKS: August 2021
DES MOINES LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM Upcoming Events Thursday, Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. Project Silence No More Fourth Annual Mental Health Awareness Concert ft. the Nadas, Terra Park, Johnston, Free Friday-Sunday, Aug. 6-8 Hinterland Music Festival, Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater, St. Charles, $80-389 Saturday, Aug. 7 at 5:30 p.m. Des Moines Water Lantern Festival, Des Moines Water Works, $45.9955.99 Saturday, Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. El Perro w/ Druids, Spirit Mother, Mad Alchemy, Gas Lamp, Des Moines, $12-15 Thursday, Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. Music in the Garden: Kevin Burt, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Des Moines, Free-$10 Saturday, Aug. 14 at 4:30 p.m. Des Moines Roll Out
Emma McClatchey / Little Village
Trail Skate, North Walnut Creek Trail, Des Moines Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. Squeeze: The Nomadband Tour, Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines, $39-89 Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. Emily Blue, Gas Lamp, Des Moines, $10 Friday and Saturday, Aug. 27-28 Kosmic Kingdom
SATURDAY, AUG. 7, Iowa
Festival,
Craft Brew
Lauridsen Amphitheater, Des Moines, 1 p.m., $40 Iowa Brewers Guild brings the party to a new location at Des Moines Water Works, offering plenty of room to distance. Sample hundreds of varieties of beer as well as ciders and meads from breweries across Iowa in your commemorative sample glass. Food trucks available; music includes Mike Valley & the Complete Disaster. General admission for imbibers is $40; designated driver tickets available for just $5. This is a rain-or-shine, 21+ event.
Music Festival ft. Liquid Stranger, LSDREAM, Rusko and more, Sleepy Hollow Renaissance Park, Des Moines, $50.79-179.03 Saturday, Aug. 28 at 11 a.m. Exile Music Fest ft. Eufórquestra, Courtney Krause and more, Exile Brewing Co., Des Moines, $25 Sunday, Aug. 29 at 6 p.m. Widow7 w/ Faultmine, Timmy Taylor, Lefty’s Live Music, Des Moines, $10
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LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 67
QUAD CITIES
Pit Lord, via the artist
EDITORS’ PICKS: August 2021
FRIDAY, AUGUST 20,
Lopiez Anniversary Show,
Lopiez, Davenport, 6 p.m., Free Presented as part of Alternatng Currents, The second anniversary show for Lopiez Pizza
features five bands who play various forms of rock, including Pit Lord, Inthewhale, Druids, Radkey and ending the night with punk band Road Soda. The celebration will be outdoors and all are welcome. Food will be available for purchase. Upcoming Events
Business Model Canvas Workshop Thursday, July 29, 6 p.m. Grey Area 2021 Sat., August 14, Lone Tree LCBS Presents Czech Village Blues 2021 Pantry Tour with a Health Coach Tue., August 17, 7 p.m. From Business Model to Business Plan Workshop Tue., August 24, 6–8 p.m. LITTLEVILLAGETICKETS.COM ARE YOU AN EVENT ORGANIZER? Start selling tickets today–– it’s free!
tickets@littlevillagemag.com
68 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 5-7 Bix Fest,
Thursday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. ‘The Atlas’ Release
Downtown Davenport, Free
Party, Rozz-Tox, Rock Island Free
Friday, August 6 at 8 p.m. Kinogarten Film
Thursday-Sunday, August 19-22 Alternating
Series: ‘Transit,’ Rozz-Tox, Rock Island, Free
Currents Fest 2021, Downtown Davenport, Free
Friday, August 13 at 2 p.m. Friday the 13th: The
Friday, Aug. 20, 8pm David Allen Coe, Michael
Festival, Bass Street Landing, Moline, $25-30
Moncada and Whiskey High, Rust Belt, Moline, $29-39
Saturday, Aug. 14 at 4 p.m. MoTown Craft Beer Festival, Moline Centre, Moline, $39-59
—Sarah Elgatian
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LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 69
EDITORS’ PICKS: August 2021
WATERLOO • CEDAR FALLS LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM Upcoming Events Wednesday, Aug. 11
Saturday, Aug. 14 at 8
at 11 a.m. 5th Annual
p.m. Brother Trucker,
Big Tent Event,
Octopus College Hill,
Peoples Community
Cedar Falls
Wylde Nept, via the artist
Health Clinic, Waterloo, Free
Friday, Aug. 20 at 5:30 p.m. RiverLoop
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, AUG. 6-8, Iowa
Irish Fest,
Downtown Waterloo, Free-$28 Go for the music; stay for the Whiskey & Yoga workshop! The
finest collection of Irish bands stateside has seen descend on Waterloo for the Iowa Irish Fest, including local favorites Wylde Nept and Blame Not the Bard as well as the legendary Young Dubliners and many more. The fest offers something for everyone, from a children’s learning area to the ShamRock N Run 5k to a cultural village with blacksmiths, weavers, sports and art. And then there’s the series of whiskey workshops, available at an extra charge of $25 each (all participants must be 21+). All children 15 and under are admitted free to the fest, as are military, veterans and first responders (with ID). The standard three-day pass is $28. Tickets purchased for the 2020 event will be honored for 2021. Sláinte mhaith!
70 August 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297
Friday, Aug. 13 at
Rhythms w/ the Avey
9:05 p.m. Hex Girls
Grouws Band, RiverLoop
w/ Penny Peach,
Amphitheatre, Waterloo,
Vahnevants, Octopus
Free
College Hill, Cedar Falls
Thursday, Aug. 26 Cinema on the Cedar:
Saturday, Aug. 14 at 4
Hairspray (in conjunc-
p.m. 9th annual Stem
tion with Pride Fest),
& Stein: Beer and
RiverLoop Amphitheatre,
Wine Fest, RiverLoop
Waterloo, Free
Expo Plaza, Waterloo, $35-45
Friday and Saturday, Aug. 27-28 Cedar Valley Pridefest, Downtown Waterloo, $15
Miss Kiki?
Send Questions! Kiki can’t answer them if you don’t send them, sweetie. littlevillagemag.com/dearkiki
Questions about love and sex in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids area can be submitted to dearkiki@ littlevillagemag.com, or anonymously at littlevillagemag.com/dearkiki. Questions may be edited for clarity and length, and may appear either in print or online at littlevillagemag.com.
THE IOWA CITY POLICE LOG A coffee table book
ON SALE NOW LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/POLICE-LOG LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 71
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AST R O LO GY
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The next two months will be a propitious time for you and your intimate allies to grow closer by harnessing the power of your imaginations. I urge you to be inventive in dreaming up ways to educate and entertain each other. Seek frisky adventures together that will delight you. Here’s a poem by Vyacheslav Ivanov that I hope will stimulate you: “We are two flames in a midnight forest. We are two meteors that fly at night, a two-pointed arrow of one fate. We are two steeds whose bridle is held by one hand. We are two eyes of a single gaze, two quivering wings of one dream, two-voiced lips of single mysteries. We are two arms of a single cross.” VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo spiritual author Don Miguel Ruiz urges us not to take anything personally. He says that if someone treats us disrespectfully, it’s almost certainly because they are suffering from psychological wounds that make them act in vulgar, insensitive ways. Their attacks have little to do with what’s true about us. I agree with him, and will add this important caveat. Even if you refrain from taking such abuses personally, it doesn’t mean you should tolerate them. It doesn’t mean you should keep that person in your life or allow them to bully you in the future. I suspect these are important themes for you to contemplate right now. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “People who feel deeply, live deeply, and love deeply are destined to suffer deeply,” writes poet Juansen Dizon. To that romanticized, juvenile nonsense, I say: NO! WRONG! People who feel and live and love deeply are more emotionally intelligent than folks who live on the surface—and are therefore less fragile. The deep ones are likely to be psychologically adept; they have skills at liberating themselves from the smothering crush of their problems. The deep ones also have access to rich spiritual resources that ensure their suffering is a source of transformative teaching—and rarely a cause of defeat. Have you guessed that I’m describing you as you will be in the coming weeks? SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Professor of psychology Ethan Kross tells us there can be healthy, creative forms of envy. “Just as hunger tells us we need to eat,” he writes, “the feeling of envy could show us what is missing from our lives that really matters to us.” The trick is to not interpret envy as a negative emotion, but to see it as useful information that shows us what we want. In my astrological opinion, that’s a valuable practice for you to deploy in the coming days. So pay close attention to the twinges of envy that pop into your awareness. Harness that volatile stuff to motivate yourself as you make plans to get the very experience or reward you envy.
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BEER GARDEN
Mon-Sat 11am-midnight Sunday noon-midnight
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Poet Walt Whitman bragged that he was “large.” He said, “I contain multitudes.” One critic compared him to “a whole continent with its waters, with its trees, with its animals.” Responding to Whitman, Sagittarian poet Gertrud Kolmar uttered an equally grandiose boast. “I too am a continent,” she wrote. “I contain mountains never-reached, scrubland unpenetrated, pond bay, river-delta, salt-licking coast-tongue.” That’s how I’m imagining you these days, dear Sagittarius: as unexplored territory: as frontier land teeming with undiscovered mysteries. I love how expansive you are as you open your mind and heart to new self-definitions. I love how you’re willing to risk being unknowable for a while as you wander out in the direction of the future. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Poet Ezra Pound wrote a letter to novelist James Joyce that included the following passage: “You are fucking with my head, and so far I’ve been enjoying it. Where is the crime?” I bring this up, Capricorn, because I believe the coming weeks will be prime time for you to engage with interesting souls who fuck with your head in enjoyable ways. You
By Rob Brezsny
need a friendly jolt or two: a series of galvanizing prods; dialogs that catalyze you to try new ways of thinking and seeing; lively exchanges that inspire you to experiment. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Blogger Mandukhai Munkhbaatar offers advice on the arts of intimate communion. “Do not fall in love only with a body or with a face,” she tells us. “Do not fall in love with the idea of being in love.” She also wants you to know that it’s best for your long-term health and happiness if you don’t seek cozy involvement with a person who is afraid of your madness, or with someone who, after you fight, disappears and refuses to talk. I approve of all these suggestions. Any others you would add? It’s a favorable phase to get clearer about the qualities of people you want and don’t want as your allies. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I gave my readers homework, asking them to answer the question, “What is your favorite rule to break?” In response, Laura Grolla sent these thoughts: “My favorite rule to break is an unwritten one: that we must all stress and strive for excellence. I have come up with a stress-busting mantra, ‘It is OK to be OK.’ In my OKness, I have discovered the subtle frontier of contentment, which is vast and largely unexplored. OKness allows me not to compete for attention, but rather to pay attention to others. I love OKness for the humor and deep, renewing sleep it has generated. Best of all, OKness allows me to be happily aging rather than anxiously hot.” I bring this to your attention, Pisces, because I think the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to investigate and embody the relaxing mysteries of OKness. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Filmmaker Federico Fellini had an unexpected definition of happiness. He said it was “being able to speak the truth without hurting anyone.” I suspect you will have abundant access to that kind of happiness in the coming weeks, Aries. I’ll go even further: You will have extra power to speak the truth in ways that heal and uplift people. My advice to you, therefore, is to celebrate and indulge your ability. Be bold in expressing the fullness of what’s interesting to you. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Look for a long time at what pleases you, and longer still at what pains you,” wrote the novelist Colette. What?! Was she making a perverse joke? That’s wicked advice, and I hope you adopt it only on rare occasions. In fact, the exact opposite is the healthy way to live—especially for you in the coming weeks. Look at what pains you, yes. Don’t lose sight of what your problems and wounds are. But please, for the sake of your dreams, for the benefit of your spiritual and psychological health, look longer at what pleases you, energizes you, and inspires you. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): If you deepen your affection for butterflies and hummingbirds, I will love it. If you decide you want the dragonfly or bumblebee or lark to be your spirit creature, I will approve. You almost always benefit from cultivating relationships with swift, nimble and lively influences—and that’s especially true these days. So give yourself full permission to experiment with the superpower of playful curiosity. You’re most likely to thrive when you’re zipping around in quest of zesty ripples and sprightly rhythms. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Life is showing you truths about what you are not, what you don’t need, and what you shouldn’t strive for. That’s auspicious, although it may initially feel unsettling. I urge you to welcome these revelations with gratitude. They will help you tune in to the nuances of what it means to be radically authentic. They will boost your confidence in the rightness of the path you’ve chosen for yourself. I’m hoping they may even show you which of your fears are irrelevant. Be hungry for these extraordinary teachings. LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV297 August 2021 73
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LO C A L A L B U M S
Star Demon & The Sky Goddess Jimmie’s in the Basement SPEAKUPRECORDS.BANDCAMP.COM/ ALBUM/STAR-DEMON-THE-SKY-GOD-
Submit albums for review: Little Village, 623 S Dubuque St., IC, IA 52240
kinda-stoned whisper. Melodicleaning guitars and cosmic-keyed synths provide the landscape, the fuzzy consistency lending itself to a tonally diverse set of tracks. It’s all in here, from the prog-punk of “My Spaceship,” to the drifty campfire folk of “Moon With No Sun” and “Song For Earth Girl,” to the late-’90s Americana revivalism of “I Know Your Love.” The faux-sitar melody that holds “Land of A Thousand Eyes” together is that good-natured type of gaudy, like keeping that A Christmas Story lamp burning in your living room window all year long. “Midnight Queen” is as sinister as this collection gets, but even it, by the end, pulls itself into a theme from some space western soundtrack. When the “Sky Goddess” finally arrives, it’s clear that Jimmie’s in the Basement thinks that the
Strong Like Bear In the Future Only the Rich Will Live Forever STRONGLIKEBEAR.BANDCAMP.COM
T
he dystopian cyberpunk delight of Carmen Cerra’s cover art is the first thing you’ll love et’s just accept it. Not one of about Strong Like Bear’s June us is going up to space this release, In the Future Only the summer on some billionaire’s Rich Will Live Forever. The world untaxed vanity spaceship. That’s is more organic than the man; the why last month Jimmie’s in the walls have tendrils or veins, the Basement were kind enough to land is made of bodies—but he give us their record Star Demon stares out with & The Sky Goddess. Put an organic eye out by the Ottumwathat’s distracted, based label Speak Up THE FAUX-SITAR MELODY THAT and a bionic eye Records just over a HOLDS “LAND OF A THOUSAND EYES” that seems better month after Vol. 1, their TOGETHER IS THAT GOOD-NATURED able to see. expansive 20-song deThe album but, Star Demon & The TYPE OF GAUDY, LIKE KEEPING THAT tracks will leave Sky Goddess continues A CHRISTMAS STORY LAMP BURNING you just as their honest work of IN YOUR LIVING ROOM WINDOW ALL twisted, with a imagining what it might California lope sound like to be able to YEAR LONG. that sounds inortravel the cosmos at will ganic, yet necwhile standing beneath music on Mars swirls. A lot. And essary for survival. The band told a shrinking American sky. Too far that the guitars there are capable the Ames Tribune that they turned a reach? This band doesn’t really of deep, bone-shaking distortion. to a heavier, stoner rock-tinged think so. Also, they shred there. The album, sound initially as a joke, but as We are given little information at times, reaches for the heights they processed the pandemonium about this record, except that of a cassette tape that has returned of the past couple of years, it it was recorded in “a basement after travelling great distances on turned out to be the best way to somewhere on planet Earth.” And a spaceship’s dashboard. Do they get those heavier emotions out. from its liftoff on “Star Demon,” ever reach it? What are Bezos Still, the instruments—the drums, this album burns a different kind and Branson really looking for up especially—sound like they’re of fuel. The only crystal clear there? Can there really be love in trying desperately to escape, like objective the group seems to be space? You can just forget about this isn’t the world they signed up after is capturing that ever-elusive asking your Alexa. for, like they’ll do what it takes and fatally pedantic “sonic mood.” With Star Demon & The to survive, but they don’t have to (“It’s rock & roll for the basement Sky Goddess, Jimmie’s in the like it. of your soul” reads the album’s Basement is pretty damn sure that Track three, “Three Wizards,” Bandcamp description.) when the sky is already falling, teases this. Lyrically and musiThe tour guide throughout Star it’s best to just roll the tape. You’ll cally, it’s exactly what you would Demon & The Sky Goddess relays expect a track of that title would their messages of love and satellite be glad they did. —Avery Gregurich be. But there’s an impatience, communication with a breathless,
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something unsettled and anxious. Not bored, but bound. It becomes incredibly evident on track five, “The Queen of Halloween,” a deliciously on-point tune where the vocals are impeccable and the vibe is pristine. Right around 4:20 (yes, I know, but really), the drums kick up a fuss. They are just not having it, and it’s perfection. Who are these Ames-based Iowans who list themselves on Bandcamp as “pop rock” but have the temerity to get angry and serious and then call themselves out on it musically? Not who you expect them to be, that’s for sure. This is at its core a fun album. Strong Like Bear is as silly as they are serious, layering wacky vocals on tracks like “Kiss the Sunshine” and “Blinkin’ On the Curve”; playing with sounds as though stoner rock is a new toybox they just opened that they’re determined to explore every corner of. They get the tone, and they’re not insincere, but they’re adventurers, not locals—and they’re constantly in conversation with each other as they navigate the territory. The weirdly experimental closer “C.M.N.S.” raises a million questions about where they’ll turn their skills next, and its hairpin turns are a testament to the band’s years together and its members’ deep synchronicity with each other. It’s wonderful writing, angry and eerie, sounding for all the world like the protagonist on the cover come to life—stitched-together pieces from myriad sources somehow able to join into a viable whole that has learned to survive. If you’re a fan of stoner rock (raises hand), you’ll find something familiar here. But ultimately, it won’t put you in the mood for more. It’ll make you want to listen to more Strong Like Bear, however different yet subtly the same. And that’s the best any band could hope for. —Genevieve Trainor
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LO C A L B O O KS
Rachel Yoder Nightbitch DOUBLEDAY
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think I need to open with an admission of guilt: I am not a parent. I have been a nanny, a preschool teacher, I’ve worked in youth housing—this is to say, I have helped to raise children of all ages, but I am not a parent. So while reading Nightbitch I found myself wondering, “What if all mothers turn into mythical creatures, a secret they keep from the rest of us?” I have always had this reverence for people whose bodies open up and brand new bodies come out. It makes sense to me that those bodies hold secrets. For those unfamiliar with the phenomenon Nightbitch has already borne (a movie deal before publication, even!), a quick synopsis: Artist turns stay-at-home mom transmogrifies into a dog as her identity fades into motherhood and away from self. It is obviously more than that. First and foremost it is weird. I read passages aloud to whoever was near me and for those outside the literary world, the response was, “So, this is the type of thing you read?” This struck me as one of those phrases people employ when they don’t know how to respond, like “interesting.” But Nightbitch is interesting. It is one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. For at least half of the book no characters have names, dialogue isn’t demarcated in any way, the mother is, significantly, only called “the mother.” No capitals, no fanfare—just “the mother.”
Submit books for review: Little Village, 623 S Dubuque St., IC, IA 52240
She learns, though, that when something must be done, it can be done, and that she has more power inside herself than she realizes. Of course, she learns this as the Fishtastics are on a school trip to perform at Hancher Auditorium. Black Reinhardt’s loving illustrations of that local landmark make this book one that kids used to visiting there will surely cherish. But the universal themes, the Tess Weaver; ill. Jennifer gorgeous colors and the friendly Black Reinhardt characterizations make it a story Fishtastic! that all kids everywhere can enjoy. HANCHER AUDITORIUM/UNIVERSITY The tale itself is straightforward OF IOWA PRESS and accessible. Both Etta’s frustration and the loving support of ou may think you know her friends are palpable and comwhimsy, but unless you’re forting, each in their way. Etta’s already a fan of Jennifer Black sadness never veers into jealousy Reinhardt’s illustrations, you or resentment; her journey is her haven’t seen the half of it. The own challenge and she bears her Iowa City illustrator pulls out heavy emotions in ways that are all the stops for the visuals acuseful for children to explore. companying Iowa City author Special mention must be given Tess Weaver’s charming picture to the layout of the pages. The story and the OFFERING A PRAYER IN SOLIDARITY WITH OTHER pictures weave together with MOTHERS, AUTHOR RACHEL YODER ADDRESSES THE CULT a masterful OF MOTHERHOOD AND PRODUCTIVITY. use of space, and the visual storytelling is as compelling as the narrative. one way of being a god.” book tale of a theater school of Fishtastic! is perfectly paced and Fanciful and strange and sefishes. Inspired by the sculptures balanced. ductively violent (I want to give installed recently along the walkThe real star of the show, a content warning for one scene ways that patrons travers to reach though, without question, is Etta’s of violence against a domestic Hancher Auditorium, Fishtastic! pincushion hat. Attached with animal), it is unfair to say that joins the ranks of wonderful work a thin string tied in a bow, the Nightbitch is only about mothcommissioned or inspired by the simplicity, necessity, and deft diserhood, as not even motherhood theater, and seems poised to have tinctiveness make it the must-have is only about motherhood. just as wide a reach. accessory of the year. Honestly, I Nightbitch is about identity and Published in April, the story want one. It’s the only thing the aging and the meaning of life in a explores the question of what small fish wears, while her peers body. It is (as it accurately self-demakes magic and how we know are all bedecked in her extravascribes in a meta moment) about whether we have it or not. Etta, gantly designed costumes. It’s the “feral femininity.” the school’s costume designsort of precise detail that elevates What I liked best, though, was er, keeps desperately trying to a children’s book from cute to the absolute humanity in moments breathe air like her friends. She’s delightful. like this: “This must be what it never seen her designs sparkle in Pick this up for any 2- through means to be an animal, to look at the stage lights—and, more funda7-year-olds in your life, or any another and say, I am so much that mentally, she feels like she’s not fans of Hancher, or any fish aficioother thing that we are part of one “good enough,” since she lacks nados. It will become beloved. another. Here is my skin. Here is the one thing that sets her schoolyours.” mates apart from all the other fish —Sarah Elgatian in the sea. —Genevieve Trainor Part horror-confessional, part dadaist satire, Nightbitch is amazingly accessible. Offering a prayer in solidarity with other mothers, author Rachel Yoder addresses the cult of motherhood and productivity; of those perfect happy mothers who are impossibly put-together and also always involved in pyramid schemes; and the great isolation that comes from being a stay-at-home mom. Mothers aren’t allowed to be unhappy, to seek fulfillment outside of the home; the work they do “isn’t real work”; they couldn’t possibly be less than happy. “How could we possibly long for something beyond our offspring? … It’s almost as if having a child does not sate a deep yearning but instead compounds it,” the mother writes in an epistle. But it’s complicated. “At times she terrified herself, wondering if she was a god, if being a mother was
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AUG -
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The Beaker Brothers
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Sweetie and the Toothaches ft. Chase Garrett Friday Night Concert Series
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F R O N T-T O - B AC K M U S I C 1
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The American Values Club Crossword is edited by Ben Tausig. LittleVillageMag.com
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ACROSS 1. Clueless writer/director Heckerling 4. City on the Gulf of Mexico 9. Nickname for an instrument with a slide 14. Sweetie 15. Caught wind of 16. Insider terminology 17. Li’l silicon brain 18. Actor Flynn who, if he’d married actor Peter, could’ve been a palindrome 19. Cosmic payback, in slang 20. Amnesty for having
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a bike lock 64. Competition with etymologies 65. Take the wheel 66. “I regret to report ...” 67. “So what? ___ buttons!”
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performed with Reel Big Fish, e.g.? 23. Snack for a grooming monkey, maybe 24. Problem in the hiring process 25. Very tiny thing made of super hella tiny things 27. Places where Professor Skrillex might teach? 33. Emulate a flatbed rollback car carrier, say 34. Bond villain with an advanced degree 35. Small map in a 25-Down
36. You might be punished for breaking it 37. Music by the Kinks (when brother Dave isn’t the songwriter)? 40. Shout when you need to briefly stop playing street hockey 41. Jazz harpist Dorothy 43. Desert succulent 44. DuVernay who directed Selma (for which she joined the list of 30-Down) 45. Keep a stockpile of Ledisi and Mary J. Blige albums, in
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case of emergency? 48. Animals I root for on nature shows 49. Part of UAE 50. Lays out flat, briefly 51. Alfonso Cuarón movie rescored by Brian Eno? 58. Meet and greet, e.g. 59. What would‑be Instagram influencers try to gain 60. Movie featuring ads for Spatula City and Gandhi II 62. Bird that famously made Trump flinch 63. Connector that looks like
Chuck Schumer’s name 29. How to Build a Girl author Caitlin 30. “America, Fuck Yeah” for Best Original Song, et al. 31. “Get outta here!” 32. Wander off 34. Accessory with a whiteboard 38. With 22-Down, London theatre 39. Barbecue leftover 42. Prickly shrub 46. Pole seen in siege scenes 47. Tool for people who count with their fingers 48. Pilot pal of Finn and Rey 50. Word repeated after “here” 51. Is Paris Burning? costar Montand 52. Part of an udder 53. Impulse 54. Jessica whose surname means “dawn” in Spanish 55. “This is a whole ___” 56. Kind of market when people post “haha stonks go brrr” memes 57. Quaker pronoun 61. Group that may be chosen or precious
DOWN 1. Network that is not shy about cramming Disneypromoting content into its shows 2. Messy hair situations 3. Nonspecific-yet-actuallyvery-specific person 4. Property, per Proudhon 5. Prefix with dynamic or space 6. Guitarist Johnny who’s played with like four dozen bands 7. Genre with 20-minute songs and epic organ solos 8. Covers for a late entrance, say 9. “Get outta here!” 10. “So You’ve Settled for ___” (Missouri tourist pamphlet on The Simpsons) 11. Once Upon a Time creature 12. ___ de plume (writerly aliases) 13. Crete is spelled with two, in Greek 21. Intent LV296 ANSWERS 22. See 38-Down F E L T CH A T T E D Y A RD A L E E H E NR Y V I O L A Y 25. Book that J E T SW I NN I P EG ME R E covers a lot of I N S T A POS E N A K E D T OR S I FM L S I M ground? A R I F L AME S A T L A N T A 26. The word I S E P E R A ON S J OA N M I D CU E HOP P Y would use instead B R A V E SM I LWA U K E E of “cheers” in BOOK S U E S V E E A L OE B RR F L O B I T “Let’s cheers!” R AMS C L E V E L A ND A C E S V U R U T O L D E R 27. Significant A CC E S S K E Y L O T T E stretch NOON H AWK S S T L OU I S T A P S E R E A D E R E RMA 28. Letters after S T Y E S A S H I M I Y N E S
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