A special dialogue on "AfroVenezuelan Women: The Triple Discrimination of Race, Class and Gender" with Dr. Rojas, a political scientist whose areas of expertise are in gender & politics in Venezuela & processes of conflict mediation. Her dissertation examined how feminist organizations engaged the Venezuelan government to advocate for women's rights. 

Dr. Ines Rojas currently teaches courses on international organizations & human rights at the University of the Andes in Merida, Venezuela, where she is an Associate Professor in the school of Modern Languages. The Pioneer-ICIU International Dialogue Series engages Des Moines’ public & business professionals in dialogue on global issues & Iowa’s personal & organizational connections abroad. Visit ICIU's International Issues Forum page for more information on this series. This dialogue is sponsored by Iowa Council for International Understanding, Pioneer Hi-Bred, Drake University's Center for Global Citizenship and the Des Moines Public Library.

Join us on Tuesday, March 30, from 5:30 - 8pm! Enjoy inflatable rides by TJ Party Rentals, crafts, balloons, temporary tattoos, and more, Star 102.5, will broadcast live & have a coloring contest for a FREE bike from Rasmussen Bike Shop. All activities are located on the lower level and are free to Valley West Mall customers. For more information call Guest Services at 225-3632.

Featuring the original plays:“To Grandmother’s House We Go” – by Greg Freier, Directed by Dave Brooks.  A New Jersey family squabbles on the way to a grandmother’s house for winter holidays.

“We Appear to Have Company” – by Greg Freier, Directed by Dave Brooks.  Comedy. A clown starts World War III.

Enjoy a story with a garden theme, music and movement. Accompanied by an adult caregiver, children ages 1-3 are invited to dance, sing, and play, as they enjoy the company of children their own age. This very special morning always ends with a treasure hunt in the dome. Children 1-3 are $1.00, regular admission rates apply for other children and adults.

Historic East Village is holding their annual Gala event March 30, at the beautiful Iowa State Bar Association. This "can't miss" event features live & silent auctions of amazing gifts & once-in-a-lifetime experiences, food from East Village restaurants, wine, beer & live jazz. The fun starts at 6 pm. The Gala provides the primary funds used to help Historic East Village continue to grow and shine as one of the city's jewels and achieve our mission to lead the preservation, support, and development of the East Village community. Advance tickets are $40 & available online. All advance purchase tickets will be held at will-call. Tickets are $50 at the door.

What’s the big deal about tiny science? Join SCI and museums across the country in exploring science, engineering and technology one-billionth of a meter small during Nano Days, March 27-April 4. We’ll gave special car demonstrations all around SCI to get hands-on with amazing nanoscale science!

Calling All Kids - Join us for a FREE easter egg hunt in the Bass Pro Shop store in Altoona! Just check in at the table in the lobby & off you go on the hunt. Each egg has a special prize inside!

DAYS/TIMES:

Saturday, March 27: 2pm-3pm

Sunday, March 28: 2pm-3pm

Saturday, April 3:  2pm-3pm

Sunday, April 4: 2pm-3pm

While supplies last...limit of 5 eggs per child.

Canstruction, a charity committed to ending hunger, is making a significant contribution to the fight against hunger across Iowa. Canstruction's 14th annual Central Iowa competition will be held at the Science Center of Iowa on March 27 and on display throug April 4. This event is hosted by the American Institute of Architects, Iowa Chapter. Eleven teams of local architects, design professionals, engineers and students from area schools will design a build sculptures using canned food as their primary building material. Awards will be given by a variety of local celebrities. The public is encouraged to visit the displays and bring a canned food donation. Receive $1 off the price of admission with a 3 can donation. All proceeds benefit the Food Bank of Iowa.

Basil Prosperi Restaurant in the skywalk at 801 Grand will provide the setting for 8 different Italian cooking classes conducted by Alessandra Meschini, a native of Italy who now lives in the metro area. The classes are: March 25: Ravioli April 8: Pasta sauces (carbonara, primavera & three-cheese) April 15: Calzoni April 22: Eggplant Parmigiana April 29: Green lasagna May 6: Three sweet tiramisus May 13: Fettuccini with a rib ragu May 20: Antipasti All classes begin at 6:30pm & are limited to 20 participants. Class cost $30 per person. For more information: 401-7005 or www.cookingwithalessandra.com.

Come visit the Easter Bunny and get your photo's taken at Southridge Mall.

Challenge your intellect...
Challenge your friends...
Expand your mind! It's all about the team!
With $5 pitchers and mixed drink specials all night! For further information: www.desmoinessocialclub.org.

Get your geek on at Blue Moon during Pub Trivia! Gather your friends & enjoy 7 rounds of trivia, great prizes & awesome drink specials from 8 -10 p.m. every Tuesday through April 27th! Can DJ Cubbie & the geeks at Select Entertainment stump you? All night enjoy $2.50 draws, $3 bottles, $4 bombs and $3 Captains - but please, save some brain cells for the trivia! And if you work up an appetite, we're offering hot gooey, 12-inch pizzas for only 6 bucks!

The Easter Bunny will be in Center Court to visit with boys & girls. Ride the Bunnyland Express train for only $1! Bunny’s hours are Monday-Saturday 10am - 8pm & Sunday 11am - 6pm. Valley West Mall will be closed Easter Sunday.

Cheer on Iowa's Best Singers! Vocal Hero is a $10,000 singing competition with a $5,000 grand prize. Tuesdays through April 20, Finish Line Show Lounge @ Prairie Meadows. All contestants must have previously qualified to participate. For more information: www.prairiemeadows.com.

The Gallery Show of Timothy Florer will be on display during the month of March at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 1115 Grand Avenue in West Des Moines, Room 113 in the east lobby, as part of its Fine Arts Program. The display is open to the public during office hours and during worship services, Saturdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. and Sundays, 8:30 a.m. – noon. His medium is black and white photography; on display will be works from his first two books: Rural Iowa Ruins and Against The Current. Tim began a serious endeavor into fine art black-and-white photography in 2000. Since 1974, Tim sold life insurance and annuities in rural Iowa and in his travels, he witnessed the decline of rural structures and small towns. He felt the need to capture images of these structures before they became extinct. This mission evolved in 2002 into Tim’s first book, Rural Iowa Ruins. Using the same format, Tim’s second book, Against the Current, was published in 2003; a photographic study of the Upper Mississippi Valley. Tim has had solo shows on the west coast and Midwest, and his works are on display at major corporations and museums. He has been the featured photographer in The Iowa magazine 2005 calendar. He is also the co-founder and director of the 4-H Camera Corps.

The Great Frame Up is hosting a special fundraising exhibit for HOPE International thru March 31st to help rebuild Haiti after the devastating earthquake. Talented local artists have joined with The Great Frame Up to create a special art exhibit to benefit Haiti. Proceeds from the sale of the originals in the collection will go directly to HOPE International for Haiti and a local charity. This is a wonderful art exhibit with proceeds benefiting Haiti. Local artists featured who have donated their artwork for the event include Jill Wells of Indianola, Bill Gordon of Clive, Jane Robinette of Urbandale and many others.

Robyn O'Neil: The World Has Won. A Final Bow Was Taken is a survey exhibition devoted to the Omaha-born, Houston-based artist's work.

First Steps Dance classes are designed to introduce children to the fundamental skills of dance at a cost and time commitment that is minimal to parents. All classes are led by Jennifer McCullough, an instructor who has taught dance for over 12 years. Let your child learn basic dance movements in a non-threatening, recreational environment! Beginning Tap Class NEW! Bring in the Noise!!! Students are introduced to the fundamentals of tap and the foundation of rhythm. The focus is on basic technique and terminology. Students develop body awareness and the ability to express themselves through movement. The program fee covers all 6 weeks of instruction and a long-sleeve t-shirt. Basic children’s tap shoes are available for purchase at The Theatrical Shop in Valley Junction, Mark’s Dancewear in Johnston, or on-line through many retailers. Date(s): Mondays, February 22-April 5 (no class on March 15) Time(s): 6-6:30pm Program #: 10761 Time(s): 6:45-7:15pm Program #: 10762 Location: Raccoon River Park Nature Lodge Ages: 4-6 Fee: $30 PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!

Olson-Larsen Galleries will host an opening reception for a group show of artwork by Blair Benz, Karen Chesterman, Mary Koenen Clausen, Peter Feldstein, and Jeanine Coupe Ryding. This event is free and open to the public. The exhibition will be on display through April 3. Butterflies, moths and flowers populate the intricate charcoals of Blair Benz. Benz achieves impossible depth and richness in his small still lifes, which sometimes include landscape elements. His work has been shown in the Gallery of Art in Eugene, Oregon, the Iowa Artists Exhibit at the Des Moines Art Center, and the Midlands Invitational 2000 at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha. Karen Chesterman’s recent oil paintings feature hints of unreadable script, Asian symbols and geometric elements. These components both contrast with and complement their backgrounds—the rich, vibrant color fields Karen creates using layers of thin oil paint. Karen’s works hang in Midwestern galleries, private collections, and institutional collections in banks, hospitals, and corporate offices, including those of American Republic Insurance and Kirke Financial Services in Des Moines. Mary Koenen Clausen’s collages are complex and contemplative. Figures composed of mismatched heads and bodies float among animals, icons, musical notes, and foreign texts on backgrounds of thickly layered paint. She was part of the Iowa Artists show at the Des Moines Art Center in 1991 and has been in group shows in Kansas City, Boston, and New York as well as at the Davenport Art Museum and Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. The most recent series of Peter Feldstein’s inkjet prints feature layers of abstract shapes that appear to be moving and morphing into new configurations. Peter writes that his images “provide an anchor for reflection upon, and hopefully understanding of, my place in my macro community.” Peter’s work has been exhibited at The Center for Creative Photography in Tuscon, the Walker Art Center and the Rhode Island School of Design. In Jeanine Coupe Ryding’s woodcuts, layers of colors, patterns, and shapes are arranged into rhythmic compositions. Her most recent series emphasizes natural imagery such as vines, flower blossoms and leaves. Her prints are in the collections of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Des Moines Art Center, New York Public Library, Amoco Corporation, Marshall Fields Company, and Hallmark, Inc. All exhibition works can be viewed at www.olsonlarsen.com on the EXHIBITS page.

Center’s Dome will be filled with brightly colored bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, alliums, hyacinths and a variety of unusual bulbs, February 15-March 31. The garden design is inspired by There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe and will include a giant shoe, porch swing and children’s toys. Easter lilies will be incorporated for the holiday and children can visit with the Easter Bunny and live animals including bunnies, chicks and ducklings on March 20. Visitors to the Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center in 2010 will be welcomed with a new horticultural and educational experience as the gardens transform throughout the year, all inspired by popular children’s stories, including Dr. Seuss, Charlie Brown and Eric Carle books. “Story Time in the Gardens” includes seven plant bed changes in the Dome – many bringing the stories alive with life-size props – educational activities, theme-related gift shop items, Riverwalk Café menu choices and special events, all inspired by children’s books. The theme continues into the Show House, with four unique, seasonal designs, and outside to the Herb Garden which is open May through September. Please visit the Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center throughout the year to see each new garden. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is a family-friendly environment with plenty of free parking and wheel chair accessible. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is open daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is one of the most popular cultural attractions in Iowa, providing educational, recreational, and community resources to thousands. More than 150,000 visitors visit the Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center to see over 200 different kinds of tropical and household plants in the Dome. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is operated by Des Moines Water Works.

Schedule too busy for a 13 week course? Come try our new and exciting mini courses. A wide variety of materials are used in each course to create one complete work of art. The possibilities are endless! Each course meets for TWO Saturday sessions. Ages 6-8 and 9-12 African Masks - February 13 and 20 Gnome Homes and Fairy Houses - February 27 and March 6 Papier Mache Animals - March 27 and April 3 Impressionistic Landscapes - April 10 and 17 Puppet-Making - April 24 and May 1

“The Dolls of Japan: Shapes of Prayer, Embodiments of Love is sponsored by The Japan Foundation. Japanese dolls reflect the customs of Japan and the aspirations of its people, possess distinctive regional attributes, and over the centuries have developed in many diverse forms. Dolls also provide a showcase for traditional Japanese craft products, such as textiles. In “The Dolls of Japan,” dolls are grouped according to particular events in the Japanese calendar, their method of manufacture, their design and regional characteristics. Included are Japan’s representative dolls, including Hina ningyo (Girls’ Festival dolls) and Gogatsu ningyo (Boys’ Day dolls), which have their origins in ancient customs; dolls connected to traditional performing arts like noh, bunraku and kabuki; regional dolls from throughout the country; and “creative dolls” produced by contemporary craftspeople.

The exhibit traces the history of ACT, Inc. – originally known as American College Testing Program – to a meeting of co-founders E.F. Lindquist, a University of Iowa professor and national expert in educational measurement; Ted McCarrel, UI Director of Admissions and Registrar; and 16 state representatives who met in Iowa’s Old Capitol on the University of Iowa campus on Aug. 21, 1959. That event founded the American College Testing Program, now known as ACT, Inc. The display includes a timeline of major events in ACT history and artifacts from ACT’s past including test documents and components from early test scoring machines. Visitors can also view an audio-video display with recordings from early leaders describing how the organization evolved.