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Hello Iowans i'm from San Francisco and out of sheer randomness applied for a job in Des Moines. I just heard it's a charming place to live. I received a job offer at Blank Children's Hospital.
i'm not really sure how serious i am about Des Moines. but i'm totally open to it!
so, iowans sell your city!
or, in contrast, tell me why your city sucks. it's good to hear all sides.
i'm also considering Philly which is totally opposite.
how is the crime in DM? what do u guys do for fun? can you get edible and decent chinese food? where do Des Moinians go for a weekend getaway? how's the weather? tornadoes?
what areas would you recommend for a young 23 year old? is DM a pet friendly city? do you have greenery. a nice park? urban park?
I wonder what links Capitalcityguy will post, lol. Des Moines, best city for frozen pizza!
If you can join the herd, you may like it. If you consider yourself an individualist, you may not and will prefer SF.
It's a nice town with some good offerings for its size, but can also border on cult-like.
Another thing, you will get identical replies from basically everyone about how you should move to Des Moines. "Mid-sized" cities are typically a certain way. I'm sure on the SF board, you see people giving out reasons one may not like it...that doesn't happen in mid-sized cities, they want the whole world to move there.
Hello Iowans i'm from San Francisco and out of sheer randomness applied for a job in Des Moines. I just heard it's a charming place to live. I received a job offer at Blank Children's Hospital.
i'm not really sure how serious i am about Des Moines. but i'm totally open to it!
so, iowans sell your city!
or, in contrast, tell me why your city sucks. it's good to hear all sides.
i'm also considering Philly which is totally opposite.
how is the crime in DM? what do u guys do for fun? can you get edible and decent chinese food? where do Des Moinians go for a weekend getaway? how's the weather? tornadoes?
what areas would you recommend for a young 23 year old? is DM a pet friendly city? do you have greenery. a nice park? urban park?
thanks
How do you feel about snow, ice, cold, ridiculous wind chills, slush, grey skies, freezing rain, and blizzards? I would never consider moving anywhere with winters like we have here (I am moving away from Des Moines soon. It's not an issue for everyone like it is for me, I know! I am just feeling the depression start to sink in because I HATE fall and all the leaves changing color, etc. I need to live somehwere that doesn't have a real winter.)
That being said, I do consider Des Moines to be pretty pet friendly. There are many dog parks all over the metro, with a new central one opening soon at Gray's Lake. The metro also has a pretty elaborate system of walking/biking trails that can get you anywhere in the city. Park and Recreation - Parks Trails - Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau
I have trouble giving recs for where someone I don't know should live. Everyone has their own idea of waht they want in housing, so it is hard to say. I would guess maybe downtown or Sherman Hill area (near downtown)
I can't vouch for a lot of Chinese food as I find it a bit boring...I prefer Thai or Vietnamese! But there is a pretty good variety of all forms of Asian food (Japanese, CHinese, Sushi, etc). Des Moines has a good variety of restaurants, really.
A weekend getaway would be Omaha, Kansas City, Minneapolis (all within 2-3 hours) or Chicago (a bit farther, 5 hours I think?).
Tornadoes and other severe weather does happen. I have never seen a tornado myself, though I have seen the damage they can do. It's not a constant threat, though. We can get extreme heat in the summer and extreme cold in the winter. It's not unusual to need a jacket in the morning and the A/C by afternoon this time of year. (or even the heat on in the house then the AC later in the day)
There are a good amount of festivals and events throughout the year here, too, like the Art Festival, the 80/35 Music Fest, etc.
We also have the "joy" of being first in the nation for caucuses so the campaign for president never stops. If you are into politics, that is a good thing. If you are not (like me) you will get sick of the TV and radio ads, newspaper ads, phone calls, and people knocking on your door asking for your vote. (It feels like it has been going on constantly since about 2007 UGH)
I'm sure I will get slammed by a certain poster here for saying this, but I had a good friend move from Des Moines to Philly (about 18 months ago). They have said many times that even though Philly is bigger, it is really similar to Des Moines in a LOT of ways. Either place you choose, the cost of living will be much better than where you are now.
Hello Iowans i'm from San Francisco and out of sheer randomness applied for a job in Des Moines. I just heard it's a charming place to live. I received a job offer at Blank Children's Hospital.
i'm not really sure how serious i am about Des Moines. but i'm totally open to it!
so, iowans sell your city!
or, in contrast, tell me why your city sucks. it's good to hear all sides.
i'm also considering Philly which is totally opposite.
Glad to hear you're interested in Des Moines. I have some friends who recently moved here from Los Angeles, and they're having a wonderful experience getting to know the city.
It's very, very, very different from the west coast, so you'll need to be prepared for that. There will be some definite culture shock. But also don't let that scare you off. The Midwest is a fabulous place to live!
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how is the crime in DM?
Don't even worry about it. There are a couple bad areas, just like every city, but I doubt very strongly that you will have any major problems.
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what do u guys do for fun?
Most of the same things you do for fun! There aren't going to be as many big-name concerts and festivals and things as there are in San Francisco, but there's plenty of shopping, both downtown and in suburban malls, there's an excellent arts presence in the core city, and there's decent nightlife in the Court District downtown. I'd say you'll have access to something like 85% of what you have in San Francisco. And remember we also get a fairly extreme winter here, so that gives you a whole different list of things to do.
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can you get edible and decent chinese food?
Most of our Asian restaurants are Vietnamese and Thai (and yes, it's edible and very good!). You'll also find quite a few sushi joints. A Dong, Thai Flavors, Saigon Cafe, Cool Basil, and Zuzap are local favorites. For sushi, the big ones are Miyabi 9, Appare, Taki, Haiku are the big ones. You can also do hibachi at Taki, Appare, and Ohana Steakhouse. And there's always PF Changs, Panda Express, HuHot, and various chinese buffets.
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where do Des Moinians go for a weekend getaway?
All easy for a weekend: Omaha, Kansas City (probably the major weekend city for Des Moines, just 3 hours south on I-35), St. Louis, Chicago, Iowa City, Milwaukee, Madison, and Minneapolis are all within 6 hours. Also doable are northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Dells, Lake Okoboji, Rochester, Sioux Falls, Cedar Rapids, and the Quad Cities.
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how's the weather? tornadoes?
Hot and SO HUMID in the summer, very cold in the winter, and glorious in fall and spring. We have tornado warnings every once in a while, but most people have never even seen one in person. There so rare and isolated, it's not something to worry about.
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what areas would you recommend for a young 23 year old?
Downtown, Sherman Hill, Waveland/42nd St, and Windsor Heights into eastern Urbandale are (I think) the nicest places to live in Des Moines on a realistic budget.
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is DM a pet friendly city?
Far as I know, yes. My dog seems to like it anyway. The suburb of Urbandale has extensive trails running through most of its neighborhoods. Perfect for dog-walking.
Most of our Asian restaurants are Vietnamese and Thai (and yes, it's edible and very good!). You'll also find quite a few sushi joints. A Dong, Thai Flavors, Saigon Cafe, Cool Basil, and Zuzap are local favorites. For sushi, the big ones are Miyabi 9, Appare, Taki, Haiku are the big ones. You can also do hibachi at Taki, Appare, and Ohana Steakhouse. And there's always PF Changs, Panda Express, HuHot, and various chinese buffets.
If I eat Chinese, I like Saigon Cafe (though I think they are Vietnamese but there is Chinese on the menu), Shanghai in Waukee, and Phoenix, also in Waukee. Taste of China on the corner of Beaver and Douglas is a good fast food place, as is China House near the Fair Grounds. One I do not care for that many seem to like here is Tsing Tsao. I have tried it a few times and just did not think it was good.
China Garden in West Des Moines used to be a BIG fave, we used to eat there every Sunday! (One of the few places that the sopus are all vegetarian...Phoenix is another. Even the hot and sour is veggie) But they have really gone downhill in recent years. I would no longer recommend them.
A Dong and Thai Flavors are 2 of my fave restaurants in the metro. I've heard great things about Fawns's on E University but haven't gone there yet. Has anyone tried Haiku? That is another I'd like to try.
There are also several places to get pho here. Several friends are really into that.
Not Asian, but India Star is the best Indian Food.
Hello Iowans i'm from San Francisco and out of sheer randomness applied for a job in Des Moines. I just heard it's a charming place to live. I received a job offer at Blank Children's Hospital.
i'm not really sure how serious i am about Des Moines. but i'm totally open to it!
so, iowans sell your city!
or, in contrast, tell me why your city sucks. it's good to hear all sides.
i'm also considering Philly which is totally opposite.
how is the crime in DM? what do u guys do for fun? can you get edible and decent chinese food? where do Des Moinians go for a weekend getaway? how's the weather? tornadoes?
what areas would you recommend for a young 23 year old? is DM a pet friendly city? do you have greenery. a nice park? urban park?
thanks
I'm a recent transplant from Des Moines to Minneapolis, just for a frame of reference:
Crime - virtually non-existant compared to larger cities, but there is a crappy side of DSM where you'll find more of it.
Fun - Not much, comapratively. Although, they do have awesome festivals, a killer farmers market, a couple of malls, one newer shopping center, a casino, decent parks and camping, and a neat downtown.
Chineese Food - yes. MSP has crappy chineese food, and I miss Des Moines terribly in this regard. Although there are good thai/viet places, for chineese you might consider Shang Yuen on Merle Hay/Hickman or Shanghai in Waukee for some good bets. There are plenty of straight chineese/non-buffet places around. Hell, there's even a place that does a Chinese food/pizza hybrid.
Weekend Getaway - In state there is Okoboji, Panorama, Rathbun, Iowa City, Ames, Cave attractions in NE Iowa. Des Moines is also central to Omaha, the Twin Cities, Kansas City, and arguably Chicago/Milwaukee and St. Louis. Plus, there are usually good air fares for direct flights to Vegas.
Greenery - Yes. Almost too much of it.
Parks - There's water works and Grays Lake, and numerous other city parks nearby. There's a sculpture garden in Downtown. These all pale in comparison to larger cities, but they aren't worthless either. People tend to enjoy themselves.
Generally speaking, Des Moines is a very laid back, friendly, and open-minded city. Its easy to fit in if you spend time adjusting and get on board with Iowa/Iowa State football. The area generally has great food in abundance, and many are pleasantly surprised by the local wineries, sweet corn (yeah - its true), and beef/pork products. There is a small fine dining scene as well as the local hole-in-the walls that serve some of the best damn food ever. That being said, other cities have a lot of this in higher quantity. However, I've found that short of Seattle or New Orleans, the charming character in larger cities is lacking.
One thing you may want to consider,though. Winters are exceptionally brutal. The Des Moines area does NOT deal well with this, and the roads are usually treacherous for about three days after a major winter storm. I usually dealt with this by working at home, or finding a bar somewhere. Summers are almost unbearably hot and humid. This is no problem, though, as most people just stay inside or go swimming to beat the heat. Fall and Spring are great, though, and Iowans usually take full advantage of the good weather.
In short, Des Moines is a great place, but some people feel the need to seek a larger urban environment. Having lived in both, I would really like to return do Des Moines as soon as the economy picks back up, provided that they make smart development decisions and re-gentrify some of the decaying parts of the burbs (much like they have already done in downtown).
I actually don't think Des Moines is friendly. I can understand to someone who grew up there, how it is. Same high school friends, college friends, etc. I wouldn't call it "laid-back" either (there is a more serious vibe in Des Moines than most cities, could be attributed to the insurance industry.)
There's basically 3 kinds of Des Moines nightlife.
A. Most Des Moines nightlife generally consists of people trying to relive their high school years with the exact same people, minus the letter jacket. I have seen letter jackets before on people way beyond high school. Maybe sprinkle in some "work friends" in the mix. West Glen has a strong high school vibe.
B. The "Des Moines is New York" downtown or east village art/wine/sushi crowd. They have their own building now, most of their events are private or pay-to-enter so you don't see them too much really. Yes, there really is an "East Village" in Des Moines, just like New York.
C. The "rowdy" types, some hoodlums you'll see downtown, MMA fighters wearing affliction only, or young obnoxious guys in khakis and polo button-downs who just graduated college.
It's also very male-dominated. Most bars regardless of downtown or suburbs when they get busy are completely male-dominated. 3 to 1 for example would be baseline, they don't regulate the ratio in Iowa how they do in bigger cities. For a woman, this could be a good thing, but could also be annoying, the excessive attention.
Keep in mind, most people in Iowa (even Des Moines) are married by 24-26, so what's leftover isn't always the best. And, most people have kids in their early/mid 20s already, another thing you'll have to deal with.
Also wanted to address the political thing: If you like politics and want to be involved in that, it could be good for you. It actually gets more political than DC during caucus time. Personally, never been a fan of this, and it makes people get very catty & annoying (either party). The average "political-minded" person in Iowa is arguably more fascinated with politics than anywhere else. Given the fact that Des Moines is the state capitol, only magnifies this.
Hello Iowans i'm from San Francisco and out of sheer randomness applied for a job in Des Moines. I just heard it's a charming place to live. I received a job offer at Blank Children's Hospital.
TAKE. ME. WITH. YOU.
I'm so ready to get the f out of this city and back to Iowa y'all can't even imagine.
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Originally Posted by leafalafel
i'm also considering Philly which is totally opposite.
lol
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Originally Posted by leafalafel
how is the crime in DM?
The worst parts of DM are comparable to Western Addition or maybe some parts of the Mission, though nothing as bad as like 16th & Mission, let alone the Tenderloin or Hunter's Point.
To put it another way, San Francisco has had 5,808 violent crimes this year, or a rate of 7.21 per 1000 residents. Des Moines has had 1072, or 5.27 per 1,000 residents. SF has had 48 murders this year. DM has had 6. On a per residents basis, SF's murder rate is .06 per 1000 and DM's is .03 per 1000. Both are fairly low.
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Originally Posted by leafalafel
what do u guys do for fun?
Mostly the same things you can do here in SF, except that there aren't nearly as many street fairs and the theater scene isn't quite as vibrant as here. But then again, apart from LA and New York, where is? Des Moines still has plenty of opportunity to get out and see a show, a concert, a movie, some art, or what have you, and if you need more Chicago and the Twin Cities aren't too far away.
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Originally Posted by leafalafel
can you get edible and decent chinese food?
Other people have covered this one already. As far as I know DM doesn't have a Chinatown per se, but you'll find neat little gems here and there. You just have to get out there and look.
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Originally Posted by leafalafel
where do Des Moinians go for a weekend getaway?
Locally, the various lakes and state parks such as Okoboji, Rathbun, Ledges, etc. Further out, there's the Loess Hills in NW Iowa, the driftless area in NE Iowa along the Mississippi, and all sorts of neat little towns and events. Keep your eyes and ears open and there will always be something going on within an hour or two of you, and often quite a bit closer. And if you miss big city life, as mentioned before, there's always Chicago and the Twin Cities. And maha.
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Originally Posted by leafalafel
how's the weather? tornadoes?
Yes. But on the flipside, no earthquakes.
Des Moines has actual seasons, unlike here where the seasons are "cloudy and rainy", "cloudy and not rainy" or "hot and crazy sunny until about 5:30 PM and then cloudy". Iowa summers are hot and humid, winters are cold, windy, and snowy (or worse, icy). It will take some adjusting; you have to actually plan for weather when you go out, rather than just bringing a hoodie or sweater and assuming you can put it on or take it off as needed. Spring and especially fall, however, are wonderful.
I grew up a couple hours from Des Moines, so I'm used to crazy weather. I love storms, snow, the whole shebang. To me, the weather here is boring. I get incredibly sick of the constant cloud-free sunshine this time of year, even though practically everybody else in town seems to love it. But YMMV, especially if you're from here and are used to it.
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Originally Posted by leafalafel
what areas would you recommend for a young 23 year old? is DM a pet friendly city? do you have greenery. a nice park? urban park?
Pappajohn sculpture park compares nicely to Octavia Green, except that it's larger and I don't think they change the artwork up every year like Octavia.
There are plenty of other parks as well along the river and throughout the town. I think nrogers covered that part pretty well.
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i'm from San Francisco and out of sheer randomness applied for a job in Des Moines. I just heard it's a charming place to live. I received a job offer at Blank Children's Hospital.
maha.
