I’m pretty sure the British woman who speaks to me through my GPS has no idea where she is going in Des Moines. She keeps getting me lost and then I have to turn around. We aren’t on very good terms and I bet the fact that I’ve told her to STFU* and called her a bitch a few times doesn’t help matters. She is probably retaliating against me and telling me to “Turn Left” at the very last minute on purpose so I will be forced to take a detour. I have started to catch on to the downtown area quite a bit though and with a little bit of guidance from the Brit Bitch and my own general knowledge I managed to find the following spots today:
- Downtown Des Moines Farmer’s Market: I already wrote about it. Click here to read that post.
- My hotel: That is always a good thing when you can find your way back to your hotel!
- Gray’s Lake Park: What a super cool spot to go for a jog! I saw people jogging, biking, kayaking, paddle boarding, sail boating, and doing yoga all around this lake. I always try to squeeze in a run when I travel so I can say “Oh yeah I’ve jogged in name-your-city-or-state-here. Its a short list, but its growing.)
- A Grocery Store (I wanted to buy a pack of bottled water to rehydrate and have extra at the hotel room. So much cheaper than hotel bottled water. And I’m in a suite so I have the luxury of a mini fridge to keep things cool.
- Palmer’s Deli & Market: Its Sandwich Saturday y’all! You didn’t think I forgot, did you?!?!? Of course not and I’m going to tell you all about it after I finish my list of places I’ve found with our without the GPS.
- Pappajohn Sculpture Park: Right smack in downtown Des Moines, it takes up an entire city block and had a variety of sculptures. There is no pizza at this park. Just an FYI in case you were slightly curious, as I was.
- My hotel: Again. You are a sure winner when you can find your hotel.
So after the farmer’s market, I went for a jog. After the jog, I bought some water. After the water, I went to the deli. After the deli I headed to the sculpture park with lunch in tote.
Palmer’s Deli makes a mean sandwich!! And pasta salad! I got the Cowboy specialty sandwich: roast beef, red onion, cheddar and pepper jack cheese, with western dressing on marble rye. I asked the guy making my sandwich about the “western dressing” and he said “I think its French dressing.” Hmm. French dressing. On a sandwich. That sounded weird but I figured if it sucked no one would ever order the Cowboy and it wouldn’t be on the menu. So I went for it. I think it really was French dressing. And I was surprised at how good it combined with the other flavors on the sandwich. Plus I was pleased that it was French dressing … in Des Moines. Since I’ve been saying Des Moines in French all weekend. It was meant to be.
Half of the Cowboy Sandwich from Palmer’s Deli & Market
Joyeux Tartine Samedi from Des Moines! (Happy Sandwich Saturday from Des Moines!)
* For those who are not aware, STFU stands for Shut The Fuck Up. Its just a nicer way of saying it and I hope my British Bitch inside the GPS understands that I’m trying to be nice to her.
