This month, my favorite place in the 515 is home.

Home is my place of comfort and joy and yes, that includes the two homes I own, but home is where my people are. And I am lucky that my physical and people homes are in sync.

Favorite Things in the 515 - La Cuscatleca, 2580 Fleur Dr. The best view in Des Moines while dining that isn’t The DSM Embassy Club is at the greatest pupusa place in DSM. It is inside a 50's style diner and overlooks all of downtown. If the view wasn’t enough, the pupusas are out of this world. It is the most delightful combination of things you aren’t expecting that it is somehow perfectly DSM.

The absolute best people in the trades in Des Moines helped make The Draper what it is, here are 3:

H&M Construction-Tommy and Ricardo did the most amazing work, my living room has a concrete floor. It’s gorgeous, and makes a lovely ballroom.

Gilcrest Jewell-If you know, you know. Denise is a flooring genius. Call her if you need floors.

Kevin Lindberg-A wizard of grass & landscaping.

August is always a struggle. It’s the thick of the summer duldrums and that nagging feeling it’s your last chance to extract your full measure of joy from summer. If you are a parent, teacher or someone whose life follows the school calendar, you know it is also pure mayhem. The market changes due to who is home buying and the transition creates a temporary slowdown in the quantity of buyers and then bounces back post Labor Day.

I have been so fortunate to connect with a number of women owned businesses in our Des Moines metro on this front and will be featuring them in some future photo shoots.

It’s already July and the summer concert scene in Des Moines is in full swing. Up next, is an event that is very near and dear to my heart, 80/35. I have long loved 80/35 for being a truly urban festival and am looking forward to seeing how the new venue keeps the vibe.

It’s June, and one of the loveliest months in Des Moines, Iowa. We consistently rank in the top cities for festivals and it is because of the breadth of our arts, culture, food and music scene.

Don’t miss the Des Moines Arts Festival this month. This year they are hosting 190 of the nation’s top artists I’ve looked at the International food court vendors this year and even if you aren’t purchasing art, the food alone is worth the visit.

One of the beautiful things about introducing Adam to DSM, has been witnessing his continual surprise at the exceptional quality of the DSM dining scene.

If you know someone who might like to own a home in a targeted DSM neighborhood, I have extensive knowledge of the program and clients that can speak to the benefits. The tax abatement, the instant equity and the new construction worry free vibe is wonderful for the next generation of homeowners.

I attend a lot of concerts, some due to my son being a musician of course, but mostly because live music is like church for me. I love the community of live music and a live show makes me feel alive.

In my quest to get to know all of the 515 and curate a must experience list for clients and people interested in Des Moines, I came across the Des Moines Embassy Club. Located on the 34th floor of the Ruan Center at 666 Grand Avenue, the Embassy Club boasts the best views in Des Moines.