Here's Your Weekend Hookup!

February 17 & 18, 2017

Color the Wind Activities at Lake Arts Center - KITE FESTIVAL CANCELLED, OTHER ACTIVITIES STILL SCHEDULED - Clear Lake Arts Center, 17 S. Fourth St, downtown Clear Lake (641-357-1998). Indoor art show and sale will be from 4pm-9pm and 10am-4pm Saturday at the Sukup Performing Arts Wing and Hanson Gallery at the Arts Center. Friday night will also feature a 'Meet the Kite Pilot Reception' from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Meet the people behind the kites - the designers, technicians, engineers and pilots. It will include music by Dan Mark, appetizers and a cash bar. This event is FREE to the public. A creative Kid's Art Activity will be offered from 10:30am to 12:30pm on Saturday at the arts center.

February 17-19, 2017

J2K Tournament - North Iowa Events Center, 3700 4^th SW (641-424-3547). Mason City Youth Hockey; Mites, Squirts, Peewees, Bantams . www.masoncityhockey.com

February 18 & 19, 2017

Rex Taylor Auction - North Iowa Events Center - Olson Building 3700 4^th St. SW. Rex Taylor consignment and household auction. Two day sale: Saturday 9:00am-5:30pm; Sunday 10am-5pm. http://northiowaeventscenter.org/events/events-calendar/

February  18, 2017

Roller Skating - Roller City, 600 2^nd NW (641-423-2000). Morning Skate: 10am-12pm - A slower pace geared towards younger families, $10 per family. Afternoon Skate: 1pm-4pm - The most popular session for parties and larger groups, $6 per skater. Night Skate: 7pm-10pm - Most popular skating session with Jackpot Dice Game and much more, $7 per skater. www.myrollercity.com

February 18, 2017

Kids Club - Charles H. MacNider Art Museum, 303 2^nd St. SE (641-421-3666). Kids Club is a FREE class designed for kids ages 5-12, that offers exciting opportunities for children to discover, explore and create art. Time: 9am-11am. http://macniderart.org

February 18, 2017

'For the Love of Stebens' - Music Man Square, (308 S. Pennsylvania Ave) (641-424-9802) A Valentine's Day gourmet gala to support Stebens Children's Theatre will begin at 6pm, featuring appetizers, wine-and-beer tastings and desserts including crepes. There will also be a trivia contest, live and silent auctions, a photo booth, music by B.J. Huffman and time to socialize. Auction items include dinner parties, tickets to sporting and entertainment events, and an afternoon of boating on Clear Lake, gift packages put together by each class at Stebens, gift certificates to area restaurants and more. Ticket cost $30 in advance or $35 at the door. A table of 10 is $220. Proceeds go toward production expenses, royalty fees, workshop expenses and student scholarships. http://www.stebensct.com/ 

February 18, 2017

Roller Derby: River City Dames of Anarchy - North Iowa Events Center, All Season Building, 3700 4^th St. SW (641-494-4831). Doors open at 6pm with play beginning at 7pm. Tickets: $12/per person. northiowaeventscenter.org/

February 18, 2017

Films in February: Mustang - Charles H. MacNider Art Museum, 303 2^nd St. S.E. (641-421-3666). Featured film following the struggles of five young girls coming of age in Northern Turkey. This film is rated PG-13. Sponsored by Dean Genth & Dr. Gary Swenson. Admission is FREE and opened to the public, popcorn will be provided. Films are shown at the Charles H. MacNider Art Museum's Salsbury Room on Saturdays in February at 2pm. www.macniderart.org

February 18, 2017

Say YES to the (Prom) Dress- Central Gardens of North Iowa (Pavilion Building), 800 2^nd Ave N. Donations of prom (and homecoming) dresses are needed for a fundraiser for the upcoming play “Our Town”. Jody Hamilton is hosting this fundraiser to collect prom (and homecoming dresses), shoes, jewelry and also men’s formal wear. Dresses will be resold at $50 each with proceeds going to Central Gardens. Dresses, men’s formal wear and accessories can be dropped off at the Clear Lake High School Counselor’s office or at Central Gardens. Central Gardens hours of collection will be Wednesday – Feb.1, 8 & 15 from 3pm to 5pm; Thursdays- Feb. 2, 9, & 16 from 3pm-5pm; and Sundays Feb. 5 & 12 from 1pm-5pm or by appointment by calling Jody at 402-213-4225. Shopping time: 10am-4pm.

*Color the Wind Kite Festival (February 18) has been cancelled due to warm weather conditions and thinning of the ice**

February 18 & 19, 2017
Indoor Archery Series – Mohawk Archery Club, 840 12^th NW (641-430-5498). 300 Round, lines starts Saturday at 10am & 1pm; Sunday at 1pm. www.mohawkarchery.org

February 19, 2017

Jazz Coalition Big Band - Mulligan's Bar & Grill, 2791 St. SE (641-422-9888). From 6pm-9pm enjoy live jazz music while eating dinner or having a drink. No coverage charge.

Some Of Our Favorite Places Featured In The Cooking Channel

Courtesy: Des Moines Register

Des Moines restaurants set to star on TV this week

AARON YOUNG

A downtown Des Moines staple is one of four area restaurants set to be featured on a television show later this week.

The High Life Lounge, located at 200 S.W. Second St., will star on the Cooking Channel’s “Cheap Eats” on Thursday.

In each episode of the series, host Ali Khan has just 12 hours and only $35 to find the best deals for breakfast, lunch, a snack and dinner. Khan enjoys lunch at the High Life Lounge while also making stops at the University Library Cafe, Strudl Haus and Eatery A.

“It is great to receive national media attention for doing what we do every day,” Jeff Bruning, co-owner of the High Life Lounge, said in a press release. “We strive to offer a great value and unique experience to each of our guests, every day in all of our restaurants.”

The High Life is a 1960s-style corner tavern.

University Library Cafe (3506 University Ave.) is a longtime Drake neighborhood institution. Strudl Haus (1951 Indianola Ave.) is an Austrian cafe, bakery and wine bar. Eatery A (2932 Ingersoll Ave.) uses local ingredients to create Mediterranean- inspired cuisine.

HGTV films at Urbandale consignment shop

Urbandale consignment shop Do Overz will appear in an episode of HGTV’s “House Hunters” in “six to nine months,” according to a video posted last Friday on the business’ Facebook page.

“We just wanted to share the exciting news, you knew it would happen sooner or later: We have HGTV in the store today, they are filming for ‘House Hunters,’ ” Do Overz staff member Christy Ross said in the video.

Wrapped in bacon, these little smokies take snacking to the next level at High Life Lounge.

Happy Valentine's Day, Courtesy of Oscar Wilde!

With help from our very literate friend, Rod Pump: 

On this day in 1895, Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest opened in London. He wrote the first draft in just 21 days, the fastest he’d ever written anything. The play tells the story of a man named Jack Worthing, who pretends to have a younger brother named Earnest. Jack uses the imaginary Earnest as an excuse for getting out of all kinds of situations, and even pretends to be Earnest when that suits his purposes. At the same time, Jack’s friend Algernon Moncrieff also begins impersonating the imaginary Earnest. When two women fall in love with Jack and Algernon, they both think they are in love with a man named Earnest. It comes out in the end that Jack and Algernon are themselves actually long lost brothers.

Wilde said that The Importance of Being Earnest expressed his philosophy that “we should treat all the trivial things of life very seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality."
Wilde showed up at a rehearsal for the play a few days before the opening, wearing his trademark green carnation pinned onto a three-piece maroon suit. After watching the actors for a few minutes he said: “Yes, it is quite a good play. I remember I wrote one very like it myself, but it was even more brilliant than this.”