(Photo by cbrittj via Flickr)

Too often, Des Moines doesn’t get the respect it deserves for being a cool city. For decades we were the butt of jokes, and deservedly so — the town was bleak and uninteresting up until three or four years ago. Something seemingly changed overnight: vibrant nightlife, restaurants, shops and creative subcultures began to emerge and thrive.

Adam Nagourney of The New York Times recently took note of Des Moines during his journey to Iowa to cover the parade of presidential candidates. (And in the travel section, no less!) I was thrilled to see shout-outs in the article for some of my favorite DSM hang-outs: Azalea, a spectacular downtown restaurant, and Smash, a t-shirt shop in the gentrified East Village area.

I’m proud to call Des Moines home, and excited to grow Lava Row here.

Read: In the Spotlight, Ready for Its Close-Up by Adam Nagourney (New York Times)