Gusto Pizza, Des Moines: Delicious & Family Friendly

Have you been to Gusto Pizza in Des Moines? If you haven’t, you need to! We paired our trip to Gusto with an iCubs baseball game.  The games are such good family fun, if you’ve never been. We’ve been to several now and each time we’ve gone, we’ve done a tailgate meal because well…it’s a baseball game! This time, however, we decided to grab supper at a restaurant near the field instead.

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Friday in Franklin County: Koerner Whipple & Fireside Gifts

 

Fireside Gifts is located within Koerner Whipple Pharmacy!  And, Koerner Whipple Pharmacy has been a business on main street in Hampton as long as I can remember.  Originally, Koerner Drug opened in the late 1950’s and then Bruce joined in 1974 to make it Koerner Whipple Pharmacy!  They are both a fantastic asset to our community!

Koerner Whipple Pharmacy can meet all your health and beauty needs, along with your sweet tooth!
Koerner Whipple Pharmacy can meet all your health and beauty needs, along with your sweet tooth!

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Friday in Franklin County: The Wood Cellar

 

I have a confession to make! I’m addicted! I’m addicted to the decor from The Wood Cellar in Hampton! It’s the truth, my husband is pretty positive that I own stock in their business, and I always ask for gift certificates to the store (or the Orange Possum) for gifts! Whew, I feel better admitting that outloud! 😉

History of The Wood Cellar

The Wood Cellar is a main street staple in Hampton.  November of 1990 is when Guyla Pohlman and her husband opened their doors!  Originally they were vendors at craft shows with their handmade furniture and people were constantly asking them if they had a shop!  Well, that is the beginning and 26 years later…the rest is history!

 

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High Trestle Trail & Trail Etiquette

This past Sunday, my mom asked me if I wanted to join her for an afternoon bike ride on the High Trestle Trail. I had never been, it was a gorgeous afternoon, and the bridge has been on my Iowa Bucket List for quite sometime now! So, I took her up on the offer!

High Trestle Trail

The trail is gorgeous!  It’s a beautifully paved (cement) trail!  We parked at Slater and biked to the bridge and back, which was about 20 miles total!  The trail itself, is a good balance of sun and shade, and slightly rolling, which makes me a happy lady!  The few tunnels and small bridges along the route make it visually appealing!  There are also quaint bars and smoothie shops located along the trail in both Madrid and Slater!  While we didn’t patronize those places, they look wonderfully quaint!  I love that the communities along the trail have embraced it and are catering to the public!

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Grab a Brew at Rustic Brew in Hampton, Iowa

Grab a Brew at Rustic Brew in Hampton, Iowa

A good coffee shop can sometimes be hard to find.  Thankfully, that isn’t the case in Franklin County because of the Rustic Brew!  I got to know the ladies there VERY well when I worked only a few doors down the street…probably too well, but I don’t regret it! 😉  However, I’ve known owners Kathy & Joel Heuer since I was in high school and love what they’ve done with this main street coffee shop!

Developing Rustic Brew

After working in a law office for 24 years, Kathy felt it was time for a change.  She also knew how much Joel liked brewing beer, so it seemed natural to purchase the shop which was “Mary B’s” at the time and take it over and transform it into the Rustic Brew.  They decided to not only take over the coffee shop, but also add a microbrewery with Joel doing the brewing.  Opening in January of 2013, they now offer a variety of different items including specialty coffees, smoothies, beer, retail items, and delicious homemade foods!  They also have a room for parties and business meetings.  They host class reunions, baby and bridal showers and also do light catering.

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Friday in Franklin County: Chapin Station

Friday in Franklin

Have you ever found a treasure in the most unsuspecting place? Well, that’s exactly what Chapin Station is!  Tucked into the tiny town (actually unincorporated) of Chapin, you will find this unique shop!  Randy and Holly Coffee are the owners of this diamond in the rough in Franklin County!  So, what is it?  It’s a shop that offers a mix of vintage and new decor, rescued and repurposed furniture, antiques, primitives, chippy, rusty, galvanized, architectural, and industrial for your home!

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Friday in Franklin County: AmericInn of Hampton

Friday in Franklin

As you age you watch the community around you evolve and grow. Part of those observations for me is remembering when the AmericInn of Hampton was built. Now, it’s a staple in the community!

On July 3rd of 1998, the AmericInn of Hampton was opened by previous owners.  They saw a need in Hampton and jumped at the opportunity!  I remember, at the time, it was a huge deal that Hampton was getting a chain hotel that was locally owned.  Now, the hotel is owned by Bharat Patel who is very involved in the community and continues to keep the hotel updated!americinn 2

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Friday in Franklin County: Franklin County Fair

 

I’m proud to say that I live in the county that I was born and raised.  I left after high school, got my college education and was gone for a few years before coming back.  Part of my childhood was spent at the Franklin County Fair!  As a young child, my parents were always in charge of a food stand on the grounds.  When I was in middle school, my dad was on the fair board.  So, pretty much from the age of 3-27, I spent a week in July working at the Franklin County Fair.  I have the fondest of memories of the fair and since it’s fair week I figure it is the perfect feature for Friday in Franklin County!

The Franklin County Fair

The Franklin County Fair is held in Hampton, Iowa each July usually and runs Wednesday through Sunday.  However, you have to make sure to start the fair off with the parade on Tuesday night!  The biggest and grandest parade in the county, the fair parade features a large variety of floats!

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