The 100 Years Club Installment #81: Apple Meets Corn (My Trip to Iowa)

Hardcore New Yorkers generally don’t visit the “I” states.

Of course, like many New Yorkers, I’ve been to Illnois (Chicago).

I’ve also been to Indiana because I had a college boyfriend there, but Iowa and Idaho have never been on my “must-do” list.

Until this summer.

My social media sidekick, Kelli, has become a friend, and when she invited me to visit her in Iowa, I said, “Why the hell not?” (which is one of my mantras for my Hot Woman Summer).

I’ve had good experiences in the past, both working and playing with people I have multi-dimensional relationships with, and Kelli is no exception! The key is just time-blocking and setting boundaries.

It was a productive AND fun visit.

Although we are a couple of decades apart in our birth years, we are both:

1. Podcasters and social media lovers
2. Moms
3. True crime fans
4. Music fanatics with eclectic tastes
5. People who talk to strangers (as evidenced by our exploits)
6. Lovers of quirky shit, including antiques, tats, and themed venues
7. Fun and flexible people who respect other people’s opinions and avoid drama

Among the things I loved about Iowa are the diversity of Des Moines, the fantastic food and beverage options (both fine dining and dive bar), the historic hotel with its own speakeasy, and the friendly Midwest vibe (which was different from my experience in Minnesota).

The airport leaves a lot to be desired, and I was a tad freaked out by the tornado warning on Monday night, but otherwise, it was a near-perfect and inspirational time.

The lessons YOU can take away from my two-day excursion are:

• Don’t be afraid to travel to someplace you might not otherwise consider
• Do a little research about that place. Fun facts abound!
• Embrace the local food, culture, and experiences
• Talk to strangers along the way (but avoid serial killers and scammers; as true crime fans, Kelli and I are both pros in this category!) We were “adopted” by a 30+ person group of Nebraska golfers, who treated us to dinner. Then we met a drone operator who had lost his wallet, and we invited him along for our adventures. At the airport, I sat next to a woman who was returning from a writers’ retreat, and she encouraged me to join a Facebook group of fellow creators. Equally memorable (in a different way) was a young drunk girl at the country bar who declared that she wanted to be on my podcast and spent much of the evening clinging to me like some version of the cool mother she wishes she had
• Simple souvenirs are great reminders of fun times. I bought a postcard and a sticker, both of which were super-easy to pack
• People you work with can also be friends. Just be sure to set boundaries and be honest when fun gets in the way of results

I may actually return to Iowa at some point (because I missed the State Fair and this vintage stereo store, which wasn’t open when I was there).

And I’m working out extra hard now to treat myself to another one of those amazing breaded pork tenderloin (BPT) sandwiches at Smokey D’s BBQ.

You can view the video highlights of my Iowa excursion here.

Next stop…the East Coast. Back to my NYC roots, with a little Midwest vibe in my heart.