History

MELODY DWORAk & ANDREW SHERbURNE

ounting to 100 is not just a milestone for a five-year-old learning numbers. We alt-magazine editors and contributors also take pride in counting that high. We sometimes wondered if our baby would ever make it this farmost small organizations dont survive past three yearsso 100 feels like a great time to recognize and celebrate the talent that got us here. For this alt-literary trip down memory lane, former editor Melody Dworak scoured the archives to select a top story for each year, hoping to honor both the writer and the history this small city has seen. These stories were chosen for their cultural significanceboth for their timelessness and for their ability to speak directly to a moment in time. Knight Time, March 2010, pp. 12-13, Stephanie Catlett This profile on J. Knight, open mic coordinator at the Mill, captures the local legend and his steadfast support for the local music scene. Knight has been encouraging new musicians to take the

The Honor Roll

Iowa City stage since 1981 and Catlett passionately describes the love he brings to his calling. Love Songs cover spread; June 2009; pp. 8-13; Jay Diers, Andrew Sherburne, Paul Sorenson, and Erin Tiesman Iowa City was finding its feet as the newest UNESCO City of LoVe SoNgS June 2009 Literature, Eastern Iowa was still feeling the aftermath of the 2008 floods, the Hawkeyes were having their best to out-of-state money and political interests as football season in decades and neighborhood those in California. In the Love Songs spread, Dierss schools dominated local politics. The June issue stands out for its cover- photography captured the joy and tenderness age of a divisive expressed by those whose love and commitissue: the April ment had just been legalized; Sherburnes ruling by the Iowa chronology of civil rights-granting outlined Supreme Court Iowas progressive history; and features by that marriage Sorenson and Tiesman covered two ordinary maintained only issues, faith and wedding planning, from this for heterosexuals extra-ordinary angle. is unjust and unequal. That day IA Confidential, parts 1-3, Julyin April, I walked September 2008, Adam Witte around beaming Also a year with several well-written, e n c o u n t e r i n g informative and touching features, IA kNight tiMe March 2010 strangers beaming Confidential stands out among the 2008 for the same articles as a historical cartoon covering the reason. Iowa was cooler than California. weird, wild and wacky past of the Iowa City Unfortunately, the 2010 election taught us area. With research assistance by Iowa City that Iowa voters had the same vulnerabilities Public Library Information Services Librarian BI-CURIOUS Little Village experiments with a twicemonthly schedule, which lasts from issues #2-12.

Through the Years

How Little Village made it to 100. 1993 University of Iowa student Aaron Wolfe starts Icon, an alt-weekly dedicated to the arts and culture of Iowa City. 1998 Yesse! Communications, based in Indianapolis, buys a majority stake in Icon. 2001 Icon publishes its last issue on Jan. 25. Yesse! says Icon never turned a profit, and on Feb. 9, Icon closes its doors.

12 FEbRUARY 2011 | LITTLE VILLAgE

ISSUE #1 ISSUE #3 Five months First mention of after Icon closes, binge drinkers former staffer vs. city council Todd Kimm besome things gins publishing never change Little Village along with Icon alums Beth Oxler, Andria Green and Steve Horowitz. The name Little Village came from Oxlers husband, rocker Dave Zollo, who thought it would be cool to reference an old Sonny Boy Williamson song. It was.

ISSUE #8 Cover Story: Local Elections. Politics (local and national) have appeared 10 times, making it the most popular cover theme in Little Villages 100 issues.

ISSUE #17 In a Jazz Fest feature, cofounder Steve Grismore warns of tough times: [If ] you dont buy a t-shirt, hat or poster, dont come back next year. It wont be happening.

ISSUE #19 Portending the future in a report on the closing of Sals Music Emporium, owner Sal Leonhart casts blame on technological changes such as downloading music from the Internet and burning CDs.

HONOR ROLL
Remember these?
Read the full articles, scanned and archived, at LittleVillageMag.com/bestof

Candice Smith, Witte brought to life mysteries from the 1800s that were both fascinating and entertaining. Fear This, July/August 2007, pp. 11-12, Michael Lawrence If the Aughts were to be described by only one emotion, fear would likely trump hope. In a post-9/11 world undergoing two wars, Virginia Tech shooter Cho Seung-Hui reminded us that April of our own Gang Lu, who in 1991 used a .38 caliber revolver to kill five people before committing suicide as the police arrived. Lawrence, who now lectures at Columbia College of Chicago, discusses fear in Iowa City on both lighthearted and more serious levels. What is it like to flirt with someone only to realize the person is an instructor or student of yours?
Fear thiS

July-August 2007

How safe is it to walk under the downtown balconies on a party night? How justifiable was the universitys kick-him-off-campus, publish-his-home-address reaction to a student who came to Macbride Hall wearing a ski mask that April? If you were here in 2007, you might remember the scare from mysterious email threats...you might also remember thinking it bizarre and ridiculous that someone might wear a ski mask for an entire lecture. Indie-cent Exposure, March 2006, pp. 12-13, Adam Greenberg Awwwww, our first story on the Mission Creek Festival. As mentioned in the introduction to this piece, we like it when a good thing keeps going. Too many creative and ambitious ideas die from lack of leadership or sustainability (i.e., funding), and the Iowa City area is truly lucky that the Mission Creek leadership continues to expand its network. In addition to a list of partners, the executive committee members Andre Perry and Craig Eley have pulled the following crew together to rock the 2011 programming, marketing, sponsorship and advising:

Nathan Gould, A.C. Hawley, Drew Ingersoll, Tanner Illingworth, Brian Johanessen, Todd Olmstead, Pete McCarthy, Joe Tiefenthaler, Chris Wiersema and Mikko Wolf. Big ups to everyone carrying Mission Creek into its sixth year! The childless music lovers (as well as babysitters) in this town thank you.

ia coNFiDeNtiaL
July-September 2008

iNDie-ceNt exPoSure
March 2006

PASSING THE TORCH Little Villages first publisher, Todd Kimm, hands the magazine off to publisher Alissa Van Winkle and editor Melody Dworak.

RELAUNCH After a six-month hiatus, former designer Andrew Sherburne heads a revival of the magazine.

ISSUE #29 Cover Story: Celebrating 30 years of Iowa Citys groundbreaking Emma Goldman clinic.

ISSUE #30 Thomas Dean profiles the ped-mall statue of an Iowa City legend: Never got out of town, huh? Must be a loser. But I cant think of anyone who would dare call Irving Weber a loser.

ISSUE #40 On the eve of the last last call, Noah Seila remembers Mumms, one of Iowa Citys great dive bars: its not a place to compose any sort of deep relevant lifeaffirming crap-its a bar for scars (good or bad) and the stories behind them.

ISSUE #54 ISSUE #52 Little Village creIn an article ates its first web on the presence...a Newport Road contro- MySpace page. versy, farmer Hey, it was cool back then. Mike Dooley explains the use of Gadsden flags (of Dont Tread On Me fame) in his protest of road expansion plans: Were defending our homes just like the colonial Americans.

ISSUE #57 A reader survey names the Ped Mall Iowa Citys Best Third Place. Rod Sullivan, in his nomination, writes, [it] is inherently democratic. It is a public place, open to anyone...the air is filled with smells, music and conversations.

ISSUE #69 Little Village unveils a new look, colorful 32-page format, offical website and 12-month frequency. Sherburne writes, A community is a place. It is a people. It is a conversation...with our 69th issue were rejoining the collective consciousness.

FEbRUARY 2011 | LITTLE VILLAgE

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History

MELODY DWORAk & ANDREW SHERbURNE

of my undergrad life and I thought back to that every time I would approach a writer about contributing. Being published for the first time feels amazing. I encourage anyone reading this who has that writing craving to give it a shotno matter how long of a shot it feels like it is. Uptown Bills Small Mall, August 2004, pp. 7-10, Adam Witte Whatever Uptown Bills is business, organization or missionthere will be broken hearts in this town if ever it were to close for real. Moving further south of downtown was worrisome enough when the Gilbert Street staple no longer hung its sign in the window. This profile provides new residents a great introduction to Uptown Bills and its key players, community leaders and disability rights advocates.
uPtowN biLLS SMaLL MaLL
August 2004

www.LittleVillageMag.com

iS Sex too Sexy For iowa city?

April 2005

Is Sex Too Sexy for Iowa City?, April 2005, p. 8-11, Melody Dworak 2005 marked a transition in leadership for Little Village. Editor Todd Kimm had passed the red pen to Alissa Van Winkle in the fall and I came on board as her assistant editor. The earlier half of the year was strong in event and music writing, and this article stood out among the pack for its cultural investigation into the dwindling sexuality business in the area. IC Feminist sex shop Rubys Pearl shuttered its doors within one month of Coralville strip club Dolls, Inc., and the timing forced the questions, How progressive is this area when it comes to sex positive feminism? What are the collective limits? On a personal note, this was the first piece I published with the magazine, the one that probably changed the next five years for me. The night I saw it in print was the best night

Victim of Victims Rights, May 2003, pp. 8-15, Denise V. Powers Will there be a day without rape? is like asking if there will ever be a day without racism. When a Hawkeye football player can have sex with a potentially unconscious woman, go to court, and only have to serve up to 30 days in jail, you really have to wonder what parts of the system are failing this woman. (And if he thinks its okay to have sex with a potentially unconscious VictiM woman, chances are oF VictiMS the system is failing rightS May 2003 him, too.) In 2003, media attention fell on a Hawkeye basketball player and the sexual assault charges raised against him. Powers bravely describes her own experience with sexual assault and explores the question, What really is best for the victim? Fight for your Right to Hack, May 2002, pp. 6-9, Michael Conner Yes, Little Village did indeed publish an article about hackingit wasnt only a big topic in the 90s. Where the current conversation focuses on big business, provider profits, consumer demand and equal access, Connors article highlighted the fear factor to regulating the internet. To quote Conner, utopistic hopes for a democracy of information [had] been supplanted by fears of the power of this tool to cause harm. In the post-9/11 world, everything from snail mail to email was considered a cause for concern.

TURNING 100 Matt Steele takes over publishing duties, expands the Little Village website and begins periodic 40-page issues.

By The Numbers
ISSUE #95 First 40page issue includes a profile on local casette label NightPeople, with online mp3 mixtape companion. ISSUE #98 Reflecting on why he writes about his time at war, Jesse Albrecht explains: It helps to throw the memories a bone.

ISSUE #70 Delayed one week by the flood, Little Village still publishes despite the loss of its office space.

ISSUE #77 Celebrating Iowa Citys new City of Literature status, Little Village dedicates the month to our love of books.

ISSUE #79 The Hip Hop issue asks: Is Iowa City homegrown hip hop the victim of the town having too much culture already?

ISSUE #84 In a special Green Issue, Little Village hands out grades on Iowa Citys eco record. The verdict? A B- cummulative GPA.

ISSUE #90 Little Village celebrates the Iowa City music scene and publishes a first-of-itskind Mission Creek Festival Guide insert.

14 FEbRUARY 2011 | LITTLE VILLAgE

HONOR ROLL

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Play It Again, September 2006, p. 10, Doug Roberson The Black Angel, October 2006, p. 11, Kristin Hatch

What Dreams Have Come: The 21st Century (So Far) in Cinema, January 2010, p. 14, Scott Samuelson Flooded Expectations; April 2010; pp. 6-7, 23; Pam White Fight For your right to hack
May 2002

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The Return of Ana Mendieta, May 2005, pp. 10-11, Atom Burke Portrait of a town as an old Jukebox; December 2005/January 2006; pp. 8, 15; Dave Lazzarino

Finding Art; April 2010; pp. 8-13, 16-17; Dawn Frary

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Iowas Best Ambassador to the World, July 2001, pp. 10-12, and Gregs Lean Years, August 1-15, 2001, pp. 10-14, Rick Zollo Iowa City is no Sillicon Valleywere more of a Creaticon Prairie, where our business is all forms of the arts, and sometimes our paycheck is love. Throughout these 100 issues, the focus on art, literature and music has always been at our core. Why? Because we have people like Greg Brown fueling that core. Interviews with ambassador Greg Brown are not easy to come by, and in 2001, LV published an interview Zollo conducted with the influential musician. In his responses, Brown describes what it was like to be an Iowa musician, storytelling in the unknown interiors of America. Melody Dworak's favorite part of being an LV editor (2005-2010) was learning from contributors. She has grown from each and every experience she has had with them, and has immense appreciation and respect for the talent in this town. Andrew Sherburne began designing Little Village the month after he moved to town in 2004, and spent the last two years as publisher. He can't think of a better way to get to know a city.
iowaS beSt aMbaSSaDor iN the worLD
July 2001

IC + Books 4 EVA cover spread; February 2009; pp. 10-23; Maggie Anderson, Andrew Sherburne, Paul Sorenson Closing Arguments; May 2009; pp. 10-13, 20; David Henderson Green Is Not Just a Color cover spread; September 2009; pp. 12-21; Maggie Anderson, Lorin Ditzler, Andrew Sherburne, Erin Tiesman, Whitney Warne We Are Such Stuff as Dreams Are Made of (Were Also #1); November 2009; pp. 8-9, 20-21; Yale Cohn

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The Status of Peace, March 2004, pp. 8-10, 16; Jimmy Moore Athens, America; October 2004; pp. 8-10; excerpts from the novel by Larry Baker

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Does Peace Have a Fighting Chance?, March 2003, pp. 8-13, Jimmy Moore Emma Goldman Clinic Marks 30 years of Radical Wellness, August 2003, pp. 8-12, Vicki Krajewski 555 Fun Things To Do, September 2003; pp. 8-15, 22; Adam Witte

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Derby Does Iowa, June 2008, pp. 12-14, Kevin Koppes Farewell, Mr. Higgins: Remembering Ron Prosser; July 2008; pp. 4-5, 11; Thomas Dean Border Dispute, October 2008, pp. 8-11, Mike Brownlee

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Elegy for the Old Capitol Dome, January 18-31, 2002, Thomas Dean I Have an MFA in Poetry, May I Take Your Order? February 2002, pp. 5-8, Laurel Snyder Welcome Back, Students: Does Iowa City hate you? October 2002, pp. 8-13, 23; Michael Antonucci

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Reel Time December 2006/January 2007, pp. 16-17, Riva Geller Breakin Up is Hard to Do; May/June 2007; pp. 10-11, 22; Kristin Hatch Fly, Mate and Die July/August 2007, pp. 13-15, Stephen Schmidt

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The Final Moments, September 1-15, 2001; pp. 7-11; Adam Witte Notes from the Underground, Nov. 1-15, 2001, p. 10, Laura E. Crossett, Bill Ayers reads from his new book Fugitive Days Why Afghanistan? December 1-15, 2001, pp. 5-9, Brendan Wolfe

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Thai Superwoman, May/June 2006, pp. 6-7, Gloria Williams Kickin It for Free, July/August 2006, pp. 4-5, Thomas Dean

YOU CAN FIND ALL OF THESE ARTICLES ONLINE AT littlevillagemag.com/bestof

FEbRUARY 2011 | LITTLE VILLAgE

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Beats

MeLoDY DWoRAK

Homegrown Beats

Photo courtesy Seth Walters

earching for homegrown hip hop in Iowa City anymore is like combing the desert for the Yeti. Now, granted, this is coming from a white girl who doesnt go out much anymore, but Iowa City has seen surges of hip hop elements in these past 20 years that beg us to askthe month GZA/The Genius graces the Englert Theaters stageWhere has all the homegrown hip hop gone? The thing about college kids is they only want to hear whats popular, said Zach Lint, better known as Coolzey andto townies as one of the core members of the Sucka MCs. I just dont think any hip hop person in Iowa City is going to be able to have a big draw on a constant basis unless they make a name for themselves somewhere else. Ghostface Killahs or Just Ghosts?

ing up and down screaming for more. Now, local music-scene history note: emcees Juan Hooks, Austin Auto Galante and Justin Cousin Cox were the Committee before bringing additional instruments in to form the Bad Fathers, so this history extends to the original incarnation. The band told Little Village by email that it was most active between 2000 and 2006, having left town for a sunnier (and more expensive) Los Angeles in 2007. We did really well in Iowa City, Bad Fathers vocalist Justin wrote. I know some

forced to transform themselves and their environments into something creative, to just stay sane. Perhaps Iowa is too nice a place to live, that hip hop is not needed as an outlet. Young Youth Rockin the Gold... The two surges homegrown Iowa City hip hop can claim happened in the late nineties and between 2002 and 2006. Its impossible to talk about Iowa Citys homegrown hip hop without mentioning producer Tack-Fu. Tack (Timothy Tack) started making tapes in the ninetiesand formed the 85 Decibel Monks circa 2002but is one who hasnt moved away since.

We hit the roof that most bands of any type-in Iowaeventually hit.
-Jethro, Bad Fathers In the early nineties, United Action for Youth (UAY) supported the hip hop aspirations of then-high schoolers Josiah Jay Fields and Agon Mizelle, who werent originally from Iowa but moved here and lived with it. Iowa was a drag, Josiah says. He said he and Agon bonded at Southeast Junior High because they were the only ones around that cared about hip hop. Josiah was from California and Agon from New York, he said, so they felt they knew something about hip hop that Iowans were clueless about. It wasnt until Josiahwho with Agon was making the Mighty All-Stars of Shit tapes met the Sucka MCsof the Cold Stone Shit tapesthat he saw any sort of scene developing. I was buying a lot of underground tapes, went into Record Collector, hunting for tapes, Josiah said. The only people seriously doing that were Tack-Fu, Coolzey, Sucka MCs, Agon and myself. He said Coolzey called and said he didnt like Josiahs tape until he got to one song, which was enough to invite him to hang out with the rest of the Sucka MCs. Jay was a pretty tireless source in the hip hop scene, threw down so many beats and freestyled all the time, Coolzey said. Graffiti,

The Sucka MCs were actively performingwith 10 solid members and 20 to 30 satellite membersfrom 1999 to 2003, Coolzey said, before most of the members either got married or graduated. He doesnt think of himself as a Bad Fathers perform in March at the Picador hip hop artist really, more of an allaround musician who doesnt like defining himself by genre. As of this printing, other bands did too. Iowa Citys central lohe last performed at the Picador in Grism, with cation makes it a really great place to tour Grace Sinclair of Petit Mal and two members from. The people who were receptive to our muof Lipstick Homicide. They had kinda a grunsic took it and ran with it, added Jeff Rion, ge-punk sound. It was a far cry from hip hop. The hip hop a.k.a. Jethro, the bands producer. But I feel shows in March at the Picador consisted of we hit the roof that most bands of any type in Iowaeventually local emcee David the hit. There just isnt a Saint (David Santiago Is Iowa City homegrown large enough marSmith) and local prohip hop the victim of ket or an industry in ducer Clancy Everafter the town having too place to support mu(Clancy Clark) on sicians full time. Wednesday, March 11, much culture already? Justin said they and Iowa emigrants the moved to L.A. for their careers, the warmth Bad Fathers the following night. The Bad Fathersa band that throws and...because its not Iowa. The original rhymes on top of skater spazz-punk members had lived here too long to not succumb came back to play for a 100-plus crowd that to the itch to try something different. Many of the interesting people who grow Thursday. It had all the energy of a thumping hip hop show, complete with rafter pull-ups, up in Iowa City cant wait to leave, said and left one inebriated female literally jump- former Iowa Citian and hip hop lover Agon Mizelle via Facebook. Perhaps [an] urban setting is key [to hip hops presence]. There 10 April 2009 | Little Village is so much stress in the big city, that one is

www.LittleVillageMag.com

HoMeGRoWn BeAts
students, coming and going, taking only an intellectual interest in the anthropology of hip hop, but going no further. Who knows. Rize Above
NEAR LINN AND MARKE T

scratching beats...what it takes to make a community is a bunch of people doing that. Six-Step to Freedom? Josiah said that it took a few years after that before other elements of hip hop culture started popping up, namely graffing and breaking. For a period in 2001, a breakdancing crew would battle Wednesday nights at the Sports Columnone of the b-boys, Andrew Matseshe, worked there as a bouncer. I feel like hip hop could thrive in Iowa City, and it has, Agon said. I remember sneaking through train yards with graf artists on numer-

Hip hop everywhere seems to be going through either its awkward teenage years or a mid-life crisisdepending on the lifespan the cultural movement will eventually claim. RJD2 decided to find his inner pop/rock, and according to a recent MTV.com article, Kanye West needed T-Pains help to prevent his new album, 808s & Heartbreak, from sounding like an adult contemporary one. So why should homegrown hip hop in Iowa City buck the trendthe trend of hip hop not being hip hop? Perhaps hip hop does not need to take root in Iowa City either, says Agon. There is enough culture of its own there. Justin of the Bad Fathers said, Living in Iowa City was a blessing for meall the funk and jazz jams and such. The poetry readings. I learned so much. Is Iowa City homegrown hip hop the victim of the town having too much culture already? Animosity (Derek Thorn) of the Uniphonics is still in town and rhyming, albeit David the Saint on the stage at the Picador on top of a funk and jazz backdrop. ous occasions. I remember freestyling with The band plays April 10 at the Picador, for all some pretty serious emcees. I have had more those interested in seeing the experiment. Deejays and producers can take liberties the than a few breakdance battles in Gabes, and have seen deejays back-queue records with single-instrumentalists dont have the capacity for, mixing and sampling allowing for much expert precision. greater flexibility between genres. Clancy is one of the most underGraffiti, scratching beats...what rated and best Iowa City producers, it takes to make a community is Josiah said. I think hes phenoma bunch of people doing that. enal. Adding, If youre not from -Coolzey one of the major entertainment areas, you can just be yourself...Clancys The mere presence of these different ele- really got an Iowa sound. That Iowa sound is not one persons prodments of hip hop culture wasnt enough to creuct, however, and word is that a crowd is ate a cohesive scene, however. When you look at the history of Iowa City stirring. The current elusive tendency of this hip hop, it always had a divide and a slight scene makes that word hard to verifybut some rumors must be indulged. Word is theres tinge of bitterness, Josiah said. The emcees werent in with the breakers someone named Tyrell whos talented and still werent in with the graf artistsit just wasnt around, looking for the opportunity to again be active, and someone named Mike, who might a mutually supportive community. I remember going to a breakdance com- even be on stage somewhere soon, and maybe petition in West Branch or West Liberty or just maybeTyrell will meet Mike and something like that, there was a strong sense Mike will meet Brandon. And theyll spit, and of communitya lot of Mexican immigrants theyll throw down beats, and Iowa City will and poor rural whites, who seemed to really have its new hip hop heroes. take to breakdancing, and stick to the core hip hop, Agon said. Perhaps the community was Melody Dworak is the editor of Little Village. tight-knit there, and Iowa City has too many

Photo courtesy Matt Butler

April 2009 | Little Village

11

bake It Yourself

MELODY DWORAK

Naughty or Nice? We bake. You decide.

he holiday feast is the perfect centerpiece for friends and family to gather around to celebrate, providing opportunities for conversation, shared experiences and showing off mad kitchen skillz. Revelers shouldn't have to avoid the celebration in order to avoid the caloric celebrating. But for some, the decadence is the celebration. Summer's bikini season would be an unwelcome time for fudge, after all, and everyone has a favorite dish an aunt, mother, father or grandmother makesa dish that sometimes requires a third helping to fully honor the familial chef behind it. Instead of the self-flagellation approach to holiday treat management, why not revel both in the hedonistic and the healthful options for holiday entertaining? We've selected a few devil-made-me-do-it treats as well as some of the sin-free variety to help guide your celebration planning. To be like permaculture practitioners and master the energyin/energy-out equation, check out Nice Nice Baby by LV Active Life columnist Kelly Ostrem. Body consciousness doesn't have to start on January 1.

Pumpkin Cheesecake a la Satan

NAuGHTY NeeDs: 1 15 oz. can pumpkin 3 8 oz. packages of cream cheese 5 large eggs 1 cup sugar 2 tsp vanilla 2 chocolate crusts Ganache topping: 8 oz. chocolate chopped up finely 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream 2 Tbsp unsalted butter YuMMYLisCiOus exTrAs: chocolate covered coffee beans whipped cream ground cinnamon THe HOW TO: Those whose dessert follows a dinner of dressing-less salad, or those on the 12,000-calorie-per-day Michael Phelps Diet, can try this take on the traditional pumpkin pie. The cream cheese will be easier to work with if its allowed to soften. Place the three blocks of cream cheese in a bowl and beat till creamy. Gradually beat in the sugar and add the eggs one by one after the sugar looks like its been evenly distributed. Then beat in the pumpkin and vanilla. Once this mix is done, pour it into the two pie crusts and place the pies in an oven

}:)

A Date with Prosciutto

}:)

that has been preheated to 350 F. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the filling looks firm. Chill it to room temperature then chuck it in the fridge so it can set completely. Most people would just stop here, but we can take the decadence further. A ganache glaze can be made from chopping up the chocolate super finely (for even meltability) and placing it in a metal bowl. Heat the butter and cream in a saucepan over medium heat, bringing it just to a boil. Pour over the chocolate bits and wait five minutes then whisk till smooth. Ideally, this step would take place the morning after the cheesecake was put in the fridge to setbecause now the ganache has to cool on top of it all. If you want to make clean-up easy, use a wire rack and baking sheet under your cakes when youre at the ganache-ing step. There will be drip! Gently pour on the ganache, wait a bit, then decorate with the chocolate covered coffee beans if desired. Put back into the fridge. Twenty-four hours after your cheesecake adventure has started, its ready to serve. Keep the whipped cream ready so guests can have another devilish option. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top and the pumpkin treat is complete. Melody Dworak

NAuGHTY NeeDs: dates goat cheese (see the Robiola recipe for a naughtier substitute) La Quercia prosciutto toothpicks THe HOW TO: A very nice, easy, hedonistic appetizer is dates with goat cheese wrapped in prosciutto. New Pioneer has Medjool dates right now, and there is a wonderful Iowa prosciutto called La Quercia. Cut the dates in half (pit them if necessary), scoop in some goat cheese; slice the prosciutto in long strips and wrap each stuffed date with a strip, then stab each one with a toothpick. It's helpful to soak the toothpicks in water first, because the next step is to broil them for a few minutes, until the cheese bubbles. Sometimes people put an herb in the mix too, like a basil leaf. This approach works well with figs too. If you're thinking of wine with it, then a delicious white wine would go well. A really good Savignon Blanc, or I like an unoaked Chardonnay (Chablis, if from France). My rule with wine: if it is a good wine, it goes with most things. If it isn't, it doesn't go with anything. Scott Samuelson is a film critic and a sometimes-cook at Simone's Plain and Simple

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December 2009 | Little Village

www.LittleVillageMag.com

FOR THE FOODIES

Nice Nice baby

While a 50-minute walk seems like a hard trade-off to cancel out a single cookie, just remember that the walk isnt the only time you burn calories. A person burns calories every second of the day (even when sleeping). Here are a few ideas to burn a few calories* more quickly and actively to help out in those naughty moments. burn 100 Calories Do push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups or jumping jacks hard for 10 minutes Jump rope for 10 minutes Shoveling snow for 15 minutes Dance for 20 minutes Wash dishes by hand for 30 minutes Bowl for 30 minutes Cook for 40 minutes burn 150 Calories Go sledding for 20 minutes Use a snow blower to clear your sidewalks for 30 minutes Shoot a basketball for 30 minutes Play with kids (or pets) for 40 minutes Walk for 50 minutes Hatha yoga for 60 minutes burn 200 Calories Play ice hockey for 30 minutes Play touch football for 30 minutes Play Ultimate Frisbee for 30 minutes Jog for 35 minutes Ice skate for 35 minutes Ski for 35 minutes Kelly Ostrem * Calorie counts based on a 160lb person. Times are rounded.

Sweet Potato Ginger Cupkins

NiCe NeeDs: baked sweet potatoes 1 Tbsp olive oil for 3 potatoes mini phyllo dough cups crystallized ginger pieces salt & pepper to taste

0:)

Hedonism, Iowa
NAuGHTY NeeDs: Reicherts Dairy Air's Robiola di Mia Nonna (DIY'd near Knoxville) Cedar Ridge LaCrosse (DIY'd near Swisher) fresh loaf of French bread

}:)

THe HOW TO: Probably the nicest calorie-wise among these recipes, this treat is a Melody Original and was envisioned after walking down the frozen dessert aisle at Hy-Vee and thinking, I want to put something in those cups! The Athens brand of mini phyllo shells pack a whopping 35 calories into two shells, and the baked sweet potatoes contain so much flavor on their own that not a lot of oil or seasoning has to be added. The naughtiest thing in these things is the sugar on the crystallized ginger, which adds a gentle sweetness to the heat of the ginger and the savoriness of the sweet potato mixture. So how to make them? Bake the sweet potatoes at 400 F for 40 to 60 minutes, depending on their size. They'll be soft and easily mashable when they're done. Peel off their skins and add them to a bowl to do your mashing. Add one tablespoon of oil for every three sweet potatoes, just to give it a leg up on the savoriness and smoothness. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside. Follow the instructions for baking the phyllo dough cups. Add a tablespoon of the sweet potato mix into the cups and then stick a piece of ginger in it to top it off. Back into the over for about eight more minutes and you're done. Ideally these should be served while they're still warm. MD

THe HOW TO: If you get the bread fresh from New Pioneer Co-op while you're shopping for the LaCrosse and the robiola, then this treat does earn some Nice points for being all from Iowa. The LaCrosse is Cedar Ridge's estate-grown white wine that fits the Naughty bill because you can't just drink one glass.

100%
IOWA

And although Lois Reichert racks up the Nice points for her ber-goat friendly dairy and herding practices, this cheese put the fat back in low-fat goat cheese. Rumor has it that Anthony Bourdain will be giving it a mention in the upcoming Midwest episode of No Reservations. Fans know him as King Hedonist, relishing in animal fat sacrifice after animal fat sacrifice. Sacrificing the fat this cheese does not. The robiola looks like frosting in the right lighting, having a sheen to it I've never seen on a cheese. It almost sparkles like fresh snow on a moonlit walk home after bar close. It's a cheese you want to play with with your fingersdon't let the knife do the spreading. I've had moisturizing body washes this smooth. Oh, and the bread is just the delivery device. Skip it if you don't need anything to soak up the LaCrosse. MD

oNe MoRe NiCe tReAt oN pAge 25 >>

December 2009 | Little Village

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SEND CDS FOR REVIEW TO: LITTLE VILLAGE, PO BOX 736, IOWA CITY, IA 52244

NAUGHTY OR NICE?

>> DeCeMBeR fRoM pAge 23 and screaming when they hit the stage of the Picador on the 3rd. And speaking of screaming, local band Supersonic Piss opens the show. Their increasingly tight, blistering set is one of the best things going in local music right now. Lwa is also on that bill, presenting you the first of two somewhat rare opportunities to see them this monththeyll also play at the Mill on the 15th as a part of the Tuesday Night Social Club. An enigmatic two-piece band, Ive seen sets by them that range from intimate, haunting ambiance to harsh analog noise. Theyve opened and/or toured with some the best bands in their genrelike Yellow Swans and Wolf Eyesand I consider them a must-see band every time they schedule a show. Due to sickness, they had to cancel their last show, so if you were planning on seeing them in Novemeber as a part of the Naked Lunch show, nows your chance. The other show thats a must-see this month is a friendly musical chairs of sorts between Sam Locke-Ward and Alex Body at Public Space ONE on December 11th (disclosure: I volunteer at PS1, but did not book this show). The crazy-prolific Locke-Wards newest project is The Boo Hoos, a wild romp through rock songs with a lounge-singer aesthetic. Locke-Ward wears a suit and tie, plays no instruments, and flails about while his backing band (featuring members of Petit Mal and Lipstick Homicide) rips through a set of 12 to 15 songs in around 30 minutes. I saw him play a bar the size of a postage stamp in Omaha, Nebraska a few months ago, and the place nearly collapsed in drunken mayhem. At PS1 the show will be much drier, but no less exciting. Meanwhile, Alex Body (of Bongrider fame) has been working his solo project all over town recently, and its good. Working some

synths, a loop pedal, and a microphone, Body creates his own, very dark, very twisted versions of pop songs. Hes been known to use strobe lights, so epileptics beware. Finally, the two will get together as a part of the Miracles of God, a country-punk extravaganza that only happens in Iowa City about once or twice a year, by design. They played last December and it was phenomenal. Of course, there will be a ton of ways to ring

>> tReAtS fRoM pAge 15

0:) Vegan, Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cooookies

NiCe NeeDs: 1 3/4 cups oat flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 cup sugar brown sugar 1/2 cup turbinado sugar 1/3 cup canola oil 1 Tbsp flax meal 1/4 cup soy milk 1 tsp vanilla 3/4 cup chocolate chips THe HOW TO: Triple Nice points for this recipe being friendly to vegans and gluten-sensitive folks. But are still using sugar in this recipe, so were not Naughty-free. Aside from using the fiber-friendly oat flour in place of more traditional baking flour, this recipe follows standard cookie baking procedure. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in one bowl. In another, stir the flax meal into the soy milk before adding the sugar and mixing some more. Next add your oil and vanilla and beat everything thoroughly (another moment where it'd help to have an electric beater) until the oil has emulsified with the other wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing well, and fold in the chocolate chips. You don't have to worry about greasing the baking sheets, but do make sure the oven has been preheated to 375 F. Use a spoon to drop cookie dough balls on to the sheets and bake 10 to 12 minutes. This recipe was tested to much success by my former roommate, Erin Mills, and is based off of a recipe she found on the Post Punk Kitchen's website, ThePPK.com. To my recollection, the cookies delighted everyone no matter the dietary choices or needs. MD

LWa has opened and/or toured with some the best bands in their genre like Yellow swans and Wolf Eyesand I consider them a must-see band every time they schedule a show.
in the New Year this December as well, and while many places havent yet announced their plans, I do know that Dead Larry and Five in Hand will playing the Yacht Club. Auld Lang Syne! Craig Eley is a music writer, promoter and American studies grad student, usually in that order. Got news on the music scene? Write to him at craig@missionfreak.com.

December 2009 | Little Village

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Veggie Holidays

MeLoDY DWoRAK

Tofu: The Other Holiday Meat

hile traveling West on my way to can salmon in Alaska, I stopped in Tacoma, Washington, to stay the night with my aunt and uncle. My cousin had just graduated high school and the graduation party spread was available for post-driving snacks. I excitedly munched the baby carrots and dipped the cut cauliflower and broccoli florets in the dairy-based dip. Mmmmm, I said. This feels just like Christmas dinner! Now, naturally the presence of distant-byland relatives lent something to my feelings of holiday nostalgia. But the perplexed look in my uncle's furrowed brow begged me to explain further. Well, you know, since I don't eat meat and all, began my attempt, I basically eat raw vegetables and dinner rolls at Christmas. That seemed to solve the initial confusion, and I have to say that I myself was surprised that these non-traditional foods reminded me of holiday meals. But it's a fact: My Christmas dinners back home in Omaha were comprised of cut veggies, mashed potatoes sans gravy, some potato chips and, if I'm lucky, potato dumplings with untainted ribbons of sauerkraut. For all the vegetarian-haters reading this, please let me clear the air. I do not hate nor judge my fellow humans who choose to be omnivores. My status as a vegetarian started in April 1998 when I had a crush on a boy whose ideas I admired, and one of those ideas happened to include not eating meat. I fell for the meat-production-is-bad-for-humans rationale and the I-love-animals logic. Meat is also more expensive and harder on the planet. Plus, my friends are doing it! I figured I was making my junior year history teacher proud; the basis of my newfound vegetarianism had all three essential impetuses when studying human culture: political, economic, and social. Ten years later, I'm learning just what kind of social impact my vegetarianism has had on my life. Avoiding meat was easy. I thought it was nasty to begin with. Biting into what I imagined were a chicken's tendons made me want to vomit as a kid, and my mom always used so much ground beef in spaghetti sauce that there was more meat than marinara. The
10 December 2008 | Little Village

boy, the migrant workers and the environment Omaha's Wikipedia entry. (It feels as if my were more like public excuses for my behav- childhood there has now been validated.) The ior rather than ethical reasons. Before I offi- parish is third on the list of Catholic churches cially became a vegetarian, my favorite meal that the entry uses as evidence of the area's was a bread sandwich. (Replace the two slices cultural diversity, the Czech diaspora being of bologna with two slices of bread and forget the ethnic group it served. the condiments.) The cultural diversity of South Omahaand I didnt have to fight temptation because I the once-autonomous town's very existence was never tempted. I owes everydid bond with others Did Donna Reed ever consider thing to meatwho didnt eat meat, packing and vegetarianism growing up in getting and giving adthe industry vice about adapting to Denison, Iowa? that now domthe lifestyle, learning inates U.S. agvegetarians arent alone riculture. The in this world. Socially and culturally, vegetari- Omaha stockyards are within walking distance anism has led me to a community whose mem- from the house I grew up in. Established in bers are typically white, post-punk neo-hippie the 1880s, they closed the year I left for colleftists who dream of traveling abroad and lege, 1999, and their stench permeated the air worship other cultures for their otherness. My I breathed. vegetarianism gave me that community, but it I smell death in the air, I would say. also took one away. Did Donna Reed ever consider vegetarianism growing up in Denison, Iowa? Did any immigrants rounded up in the Postville or The Dumpling Incident Marshalltown raids swear meat off in resentThe little Catholic parish on 22nd and U ment? Doubtful. It takes a special impetus to streets that I belonged to while growing up make the vegetarian lifestyle worth sustainhas staked its claim to Internet fame in South

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Dont PAss tHe tuRKeY

ingif your people are doing it, then youre mastication as I spat the dumpling out. This year, they were basted in turkey juice. doing it. To any omnivore I'm sure that sounds deFamily documents tell how my greatgreat grandfather was born in Bohemia, lightfulto me, it was traumatic. I can't reCzechoslovakia, immigrated to the United member if the tears flowed right away or if I States when he was nine years old, and worked ran into the other room first. I generally have a policy of not crying in the packing house in public, and I know I sometime after he grad- I'm learning just what shut down and couldn't uated Eighth Grade. My kind of social impact my answer the few aunts aunts and uncles have and uncles who asked hosted Czech exchange vegetarianism has had What's wrong? students, my cousin is on my life. I don't think I said a moving to the Czech thing to anyone the rest Republic in January, and all the granddaughters between the ages of five of the time I was there, or if I did, I doubt it and 22 sang a Czech hymn at my grandfather's amounted to more than muffled grunts and downtrodden affirmations signaling I was funeral this past October. Four generations in my family attended the still present. It was sudden shock and instant grade school run by the parish. My grandma depression. I didn't belong to the family anyand grandpa had 10 kids, all of whom went more. My ethnic existence was now in questhere, and half of them stayed in South Omaha, tion. had three to seven kids of their own, and sent most of us to the school, too. I was the sec- Not Complete Without the Meat ond of the fourth generation to graduate from Innovation in cooking and food preparation Eighth Grade there. The parish was the corneris a blessed thing. Cooking becomes less burstone of my Czech existence. densome and more fun, new ingredients add Each spring we gathered as a family to bake a splash to the palate, and monotonous dishes kolaches for our parish's Czech festival, and experience resurrection. I imagine the act of each Christmas we'd gather to bake Czech adding cooked animal flesh or byproduct to a braided bread, houska (picture challah with communal dish was originally thought of as a red and green cherries drifting on a zigzag new kick, and a celebration of affluence and glaze). Holiday meals also featured a tradiability. Why live like turnip-eating peasants tional Czech dish, one that made my taste buds when tonight we can have our kill in each bit whorl around: dumplings and kraut. of our meal? One year, not too long after I moved to Iowa Well, I happen to like turnips, but I someCity for school, I found myself back in Omaha how doubt I would have had much of them if for Christmas dinner, moving in the line from I ate meat. I firmly believe that cooking vegyoungest to oldest of the 40-some grandkids etables without the meat yields more complex and looking anxiously over the rows of bakflavorssuperior flavor, even. Meat and its ing dishes and patient desserts, always looking stewing juices treat vegetables like immigrants forward to the carb-erific comfort of dumpto the dish, assimilating them until they have lings swimming in sauerkraut. little identity of their own. Meat treats vegAccording to my grandma's recipe, potato etables like the enemy, dividing and conquerdumplings are made with mashed or instant ing them so that they cannot create the flavor potatoes, a large handful of farina, some exbonds necessary to succeed in combat. tra flour, and an egg to keep it all together. The Turkey juice cannot simply be brushed ingredients are blended and rolled into a long aside. Turkey juice must be taken seriously. I strip, which is then cut into one-inch pieces. am accustomed to bacon in the green beans, Boil those pieces for about 10 minutes and then sausage in the wild rice, and gelatin in the let them stew in a slow cooker so they soak in marshmallow fluff. These are all expected disthe sauerkraut's vitamin bath. The dumplings' appointments. It's kind of like asking Santa for skins come out shiny, juicy and chewy, and a pony and getting a toy horse instead. they were the food I looked forward to most at But at least you can pretend to ride it! every big family gathering. I imagine a hopeful parent telling the disapI used to go back for seconds of just dumppointed child. At holiday meals catering only lings, and I once ate 20 dumplings in one to omnivores, at least vegetarians can pretend night. (I tried to tell myself they were smaller to be happy. portions than usual.) When I sat down to take my first bite of that Christmas dinnerthe first bite, of course, was a bite of a dumpling NO tuRKEY cONtiNuEd ON pAGE 19 >> my excitement instantly turned to unintended

December 2008 | Little Village

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www.LittleVillageMag.com

VeGGIe HoLIDAYs

>> NO tuRKEY fROm pAGE 11

own, oven-mitt-wearing hands. It helped to have someone I cared about Food Is Love share my excitement, however; otherwise I'm Last Thanksgiving was the first holiday not sure I would have gone through the effort. where I experienced being full. My boyfriend For some reason, fasting on Thanksgiving and I went down to celebrate with his family seems less socially isolating than having an in Fort Madison, Iowa (his first Thanksgiving entire tofurky to one's lonesome. Potlucks serve as a conduit for communal as a vegetarianI had to warn him about the sausage in the rice). Over 40 members of his experiences; one shares a story through sharing the dish they made. extended clan came to This recipe came feastpotluck style Turkey juice cannot from aunt Lucy, or at his uncle's marina simply be brushed aside. My mom made this along the Mississippi. for us every year beWe brought some Turkey juice must be fore she passed away, dishes, too: a broccoli one might hear, and casserole with melted taken seriously. the foods history will gruyere, and a tofurky be documented in with the accompanying roasted veggies, basted with herbed olive ones memory. That recipe ensures the family line a place of love and honor in the commuoil. While waiting for all parties to arrive, at nity. They wont be forgotten; theyll continue long last I was feeling an excitement unknown to exist when theyre gone. When it comes to my hometown, I am since the Dumpling Incidentthe holiday meal would again sate my soul. By all means gone for more than 360 days of the year. The am I a utilitarian vegetarian when it comes to unintentional fasting on Thanksgiving and a large group. I ask no special favors and never Christmas now seem like a big part of why gohave, but last year I took my appetite into my ing back always felt dreadful. For 10 years, I

thought the distance I experienced at holiday meals came from having nothing to say. But last year with our tofurky and broccoli casserole, I had plenty to say: ooooooooh, this food is sooo good!! Being stuffed after the plentiful vegetarian harvest had its drawbacks. However, I can't say I prefer previous experiences either. Never again will I be satisfied with a baby-carrotsand-potato-chip Christmas. I think this year, my boyfriend and I will be packing the dog, the cat, the presents, and the turnips and the tempeh. I learned how to make this tempeh chorizo after having it at a restaurant and wanting it everyday... I'll say. It goes really well with this vegan gravy my friend made for me once... Melody Dworak once saw a cow lying in a pool of blood across the street from where she grew up. It broke loose on its way to the slaughterhouse and was shot by a cop after it flipped over a neighbors dog. She noted it was five times bigger than she was before she walked up the street for her Catholic gradeschools spring concert.

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Sew what?

MELODY DWORAK

Well-Crafted
D
ecember 12 is a day where locals can not just Buy Iowa, but they can also Buy Iowa City. For the sixth time, do-it-yourself craft fair What a Load of Craft! rocks out that daythis time in a new location, the Johnson County Fairgrounds, 4261 Oak Crest Hill Road. The Picador is hard to leave behind because they have been so supportive and helped us make this event large enough to require a venue change, said WALOC co-organizer Grace Locke Ward. Its bittersweet to move on, but we believe the added vendors and attractions will be enough to get people to make the drive and stay and hang out for the day. Locke Ward co-owns the athome sewing business Skirt with her business partner and longtime friend, Susan Junis. The two began crafting together in 2000, started selling their wares under the Skirt name around 2004, and hatched the idea for an Iowa City DIY craft fair that came to fruition in May 2006. The first WALOC was held in the Hall Mall and started the tradition of live bands, local art and handmade goods where the money a person pays for an item goes directly to the person who made it. I love having a direct interaction with the people that wear what I make, said JoAnn Larpenter-Sinclair, a three-time WALOC vendor. Part of my motivation is the joy that comes from seeing someone wear what I have made, as well as having a means to pay for materials, so I dont feel so guilty about buying fabric and beads and paintart supplies are so expensive, thats why so many artists are starving! Larpenter-Sinclair crafts vintage-influenced jewelry and other accessories, selling under the name Pretty Kitty. Design from the 1950s and 60s play a heavy role in influencing her art, and she looks to old movies, catalogs and magazines for additional inspiration. DIY craft culture has become a way for people to take the means of production into their own hands, says the WALOC website, Whataloadofcraft.com. It allows people an alternative to the big box, to own one-of-akind handmade items produced locally and to the dominant processes and materials. I see [crafting] as taking this back and making it a feminist statement, said Junis. She also recognizing its limitations. Theres still this small part of me that thinks Im not breaking down any barriers. The women of Skirt use their sewing medium for a variety of subject matter. Sometimes its just a squirrel with a gun but often extends to more dissent- or resistance-centered images like Molotov cocktails. Once they made a quilt that showed a gun pointing at a blindfolded girl. They said it was a commentary on the concept of blind justice, and was
Susan Junis shows off her wares at the WALOC number 3.

Grace Locke Ward officiates as two craft death match competitors lock pinkies at WALOC 2008.

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December 2009 | Little Village

made by the same person who is selling it to you. For some DIY crafters, handmade items take on greater importance when considering how they are home made. The feminist part of the movement recognizes how the public sphere has been traditionally biased towards academy-endorsed arts, which have been dominated by men. Historically womens creative endeavors have been societally relegated to the domestic sphere and have endured denigration by fine arts communities. Crafting for some is a continuation of the fibre art genre, initiated in the 70s by feminists as a challenge

inspired by an incident where a police officer shot a young girl during the officers pursuit of a suspect. They made the quilt for an art show at the Anarchist Bookfair in Montreal. More people will look at that kind of quilt rather than buy it, they said, adding that the cute stuff just sells more. Larpenter-Sinclair said her beliefs in feminism and buying locally influenced her deci-

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WHAT A LOAD OF CRAFT!

sion to be part of WALOC. I do love that so many women have reclaimed traditional womans work and made it their own, and that it has given so many women an artistic outlet, said Larpenter-Sinclair. I really love that the culture of making things by hand is still appreciated and alive. Both Larpenter-Sinclair and the organizers agree that the Iowa City community supports this kind of work, as evidenced by the need for WALOC to expand and the success of the downtown DIY consignment shop, White Rabbit. Locke Ward and Junis also strive to keep the punk rock feel of the event alive. Local music personalities Kevin Koppes of the Tanks and Coolzey of Public Space Records will be co-emceeing the events Craft Death Match, competitive rounds of crafting to the backdrop of heavy metal selected by Iowa Citys Killed by Death. New this year, Nemesis Tattoo is sponsoring a kids coloring contest, the Red Avocado and Cookie Doe are selling eats and treats, and PATV will be screening holi-

Oh, Craft!

iowa City east Side artists may be the craftiest collective in town. Comprised of over 20 local artists, ICESA will hold its annual holiday event from December 11, 10am-8pm and December 12-13, 10am-5pm at the Masonic Lodge on 312 E. College St. downtown. But other than simple dates and numbers, the collection offered for sale would be difficult to define for the likes of an in-season catalogue. We all make it happen together, said Laurie Haag, publicity coordinator for the event and program developer at the UIs Womens Resource and Action Center. These are not silly craftswere serious people with serious art. [The event is] a little bit more user-friendly than other gallery showsbut were all serious artists. Haag says that the group has been around for about 15 years and chooses its around 20 permanent members (by jury) based on a rubric of quality and diversity. Were careful when we invite people so we dont pick too much of the same sort of things, Haag said, further explaining that even though ICESA have a number of people who do textiles, they all specialize in a number of different types. Same goes for the woodworkers on board or print artists like Haag (who focuses on digital photography). The mix also extends beyond the art itself ICESA membership is all over the place, aged 30 to 70-something. Although Haag says it skews toward the older end, (much of the group is retired, thus can devote more time to the craft), several are school art teachers or other community professionals like Haag. And yes, prices range tootheir hundreds of gifts range from $1 to $1,000, good for the deserving loved one and obligatory present alike. Paul Sorenson

The feminist part of the movement recognizes how the public sphere has been traditionally biased towards academyendorsed arts, which have been dominated by men.
day films. And yes, there will still be beer, but not the kill-me-now cocktails patrons came to expect from the Picador. Those who cant make it that day have other options to buy Iowa City-made arts and crafts. Besides finding handmade items at downtown businesses like White Rabbit, Revival and Modela (which is in the back of Decorum), Iowans can use Etsy.coms buy-local search option. Over 75 artists and crafters in Iowa City have Etsy sites through which they can sell their wares. Its not exactly the same as in-person neighbor-to-neighbor exchanges that can happen at WALOC, but it offers 364 more days to buy local. Melody Dworak is editor of Little Village and cant sew without managing to prick her thumb.
December 2009 | Little Village 13

More Handmade Fun

Two art and craft fairs not enough? The University of Iowa Fine Arts Councils annual Holiday thieves art market is December 5-6, 10am-5pm at the Iowa Memorial Union. Not to be left out, local craft boutique Home Ec. Workshop is throwing Craft and Fancy, a Homemade gift Sale on Saturday, December 5 from 10am-5pm.