Starbucks: Iowa vs. California

Starbucks arrived in Iowa not too long ago (~5-6 years).  In fact, the day it opened, the line stretched across way too many blocks in Downtown Des Moines.  The ridiculousness of the whole thing even prompted one of the late night shows (Letterman, I think) to feature a shot of the under-caffeinated Iowans waiting hours for a cup of coffee.  I believe the headline was :  And, in other news, a Starbucks opened in Iowa!  Now, we have a lot.  Thank... Read More

Los Angeles

Every time I land at the Des Moines International Airport after a trip, I think to myself, “Why do people live here?”.  On Monday, this thought was exacerbated by the bajillionth blizzard of the season and the accompanying crosswinds daring to blow the plane back to where it came from.  I wouldn’t have minded. Apparently, Los Angeles was “chilly”, but I spent the weekend basking in the relative warmth.  Walking?  No... Read More

Surprisingly, They Aren’t Planning Their Wedding…

My sister and I tend to meet weird/interesting people when we’re together.  I’m not so sure that this is a good thing, but it does make for some interesting stories.  Beyond the weird conglomeration of semi-famous people sitting near us one night, my favorite, new “acquaintance” in LA is most definitely my sister’s “F%^$ YOU!” bar friend (that’s being generous).  Let me explain: The scene:  A bar... Read More

Adding Up the Frequent Flier Miles…Except, Not…

So, guys, I really out did myself this time.  I planned a trip (with my sister’s help) a whole 6 hours in advance.  I’m catching a flight to Los Angeles tonight and will return home on Monday.  The weather here has been cold and awful, but I’ve heard that LA isn’t much better.  But, let’s be honest here, LA is LA, and Iowa is, well, Iowa…  Read More