A tour of Hotel Renovo

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend a Des Moines blogger brunch at the newly opened Hotel Renovo in Urbandale. First, I want to say a huge thanks to Chelsea for planning the event. I haven't had the chance to meet many of the bloggers in my area, so it was great get to know these fabulous ladies. Now, let's talk about how gorgeous this place is! (Get ready for picture overload!)

Iowa wineries: Penoach Vineyard and Winery

For anyone who knows me well, they know I love a good glass (or two... or bottle...) of wine. So when my mom invited Adam and me to go to a local winery to hear a live band last summer, I wasn't about to say no. My first-ever winery visit was to Penoach Winery in Adel (a small suburb of the Des Moines region), and it has since become my favorite place for local wines.

The events are simple, yet so fun. Twice a month from May through September, the winery has a live band and a tent set up for guests to park their picnics under. You can bring in all the food you want (some people bring in literally tables full of food!), but they also usually have a food truck as well. Outside drinks aren't allowed because obviously they want you to buy their wine, but for just $15 a bottle you can have any flavor they have, chilled and ready to go. They also have a tasting station so you can sample a few kinds before you order a whole bottle. One of my favorites is the Rustic Red.

For food that night, my mom stocked up on some of our favorite wine-pairing appetizers, like gourmet cheeses, ham and turkey, focaccia, olives and crackers. Honestly, if I could eat these items for dinner every night, I probably would! I love picking out our favorite foods and packing a cooler for the winery. It's so much cheaper than eating out, but it's just as fun because you get to be around other people and listen to live music! The best part about this night was seeing a group of 50- to 60-year-old women dancing to all the 80s tunes — one woman was so into it that she stripped her jacket off and threw it in the air!

The winery itself is absolutely adorable. It's located outside the city on a gravel road and a large acreage. The owners live there in a gorgeous two-story white house, and they sell the wine out of a little barn in the backyard. The bands perform on a patio attached to the barn, and the guests are seated in an open grassy area next to the vineyard. It's such a beautiful area that I love to just walk around and take it all in.

If you live in/around Des Moines, Penoach is definitely a place to add to your bucket list!

P.S. 10 free things to do in Des Moines, 5 happy hour specials in Des Moines and my own summer bucket list

A guide to summer concerts in Des Moines

One of my favorite things about summer in Des Moines is the live music that seems to be happening around every corner, at every bar, winery and concert hall you can think of, which is why I decided to make a little guide to some of my favorite spots to see live bands in the area this summer.

My favorite place is Simon Estes Amphitheater in downtown Des Moines. In my opinion, it's one of the coolest music venues in the city, and the rates are super affordable. They don't typically have huge-name artists, but Grace Potter, Eric Hutchinson, and The Ting Tings will all be performing this year along with a bunch of others. The photo above is from Fitz and the Tantrums last summer (amazing!). This venue is a great place to check out artists who are on their way to getting huge, and it's all open seating on a grassy area overlooking the river, so it's beautiful (plus you can even sit across the river or on the bridge and listen for free).

For a more relaxed setting, there are several wineries and breweries that have live music events throughout the summer. Some of my best memories from last year were taking a picnic basket and chairs to the wineries and listening to local bands while sipping new wines. It's so relaxing, beautiful and just a lot of fun. My preferred winery is Penoach, which has an amazing variety of wine and offers pizzas and tastings with some of their concerts. Another great one is Jasper Winery. It has different food options in case you forget to pack your own, but the lawn fills up fast so it's best to get there early.

And then there's Wells Fargo Arena. This year we've got Kenny Chesney, Ed Sheeran, Dave Matthews Band, Nickleback, Shania Twain with Gavin DeGraw, and Taylor Swift on this year's lineup. Now those are some big names. Adam and I already have tickets to see Ed Sheeran, and my sister and I surprised my mom with tickets to see Shania Twain. These shows can get a little pricey, but they always seem to be worth the money.

Finally, the amazing Iowa State Fair. Ten days of entertainment, beer tents, livestock and anything you can eat on a stick. It's definitely an experience everyone should have at least once in their lives, although my favorite part has always been the concerts. Year after year the fair manages to bring in some amazing headliners, and this year is no different. Casting Crowns, Justin Moore, Def Leppard, Reba (as in McEntire), Carrie Underwood, Alabama, The Fray with Andy Grammer, and Meghan Trainor are all on the 2015 schedule. I've already got tickets to see The Fray and Andy Grammer, and I am SO excited.

It's going to be a beautiful, musical summer here in Des Moines :) Where are your favorite concert venues? Will you be getting tickets to any of these shows? Let me know in the comments!