I will be in Des Moines for one week next month

Their zoo is quite nice.

Voila

What about where to cruise for hot trade?

I haven't been to Des Moines in 40 years so.....

There's at least two gay bars. Blazing Saddles is a more pub-like atmosphere, with a small dance floor in a side room. The Garden is the big gay dance club. There might be others but it's been a couple years since I last spent time in Des Moines.

Blazing Saddles is in a part of town called East Village, near the State Capitol, where you'll find some of the hipper restaurants, shopping etc. You can definitely do some good eating in Des Moines.

I would go to the art museum and look at the Francis Bacon painting of the screaming pope. I never could figure out how that ended up in Des Moines.

I have no idea r6, but Des Moines translates to "of the monks".

The downtown looks nice.

For restaurants, try Harbinger, Alba, and Lucca. Many people will tell you to go to Centro, which is OK, but far too overrated in my book. Bubba does southern food very well if you're into that. The Blazing Saddle (everyone here just calls it the Saddle) is a place to have a drink after work. The Garden is the local gay dance club and generally caters to a younger crowd.

The Art Center is ok. Not sure about art galleries. The local artists don't really appeal to me.

Make sure to treat yourself to a pork tenderloin sandwich. Delicious!

...and stop by the neighborhood Kum & Go for an unironic and useful hat with built-in bottle opener!

Are there lots of corn-fed midwestern hunks?

Male model Ryan Bertroche is from Iowa. Worked for Mariano Vivanco. To me, he looks like the epitome of corn-fed, midwestern, hot-trucker Iowa bro (who probably doesn't read a lot of Proust or Balzac). You'll probably bump into more guys like him in Des Moines.

You can take the guy out of Iowa...

...but you can't take Iowa out of the guy.

r15 Sure you can.

You're right, R16. Halston defied the odds.

If it’s a gay bar, shouldn’t Blazing Saddles be Flaming Saddles?

Deplorable capital of the Midwest.

The best part of Des Moines is the airport, with a ticket for a departing flight.

Des Moines means “some of these Moines.”

God, even that picture looks boring, OP

Des Moines is boring and white bread.

The only thing I can suggest is that you get in the car and jet up to Ames, IA. It's a 30 minute drive, but Ames has the Iowa State campus and a nice downtown that's fun to walk around. In fact, if it were me, I would consider staying in Ames and commuting to DesMoines for the week.

Agree with R23. Iowa State’s enrollment is 60% guys. Lots of eye candy there.

Ugh. Des Moines may be boring, but it's a cosmopolitan metropolis compared to Ames.

The T-rooms at the Greyhound bus station are always a fun place to meet people!

Ames looks cute R23.

Went to my very first gay bar in Des Moines, summer of '74. It was called the Mailbox.

Met a beautiful blond hippie with the body of an acrobat. Took me to his beautiful old apartment. He was playing the Minnie Riperton album. First time I ever fucked anybody. In the morning, he just reached into his chest of drawers and pulled out another white dago T and off he went. He was beautiful. Life was so simple.

It's the Hartford of the West!

Damn, that's all for Des Moines?

Even Omaha got like 300 posts.

I talked to a cat from Des Moines

He said he ran a cleaning plant

That cat was clanking with coins

He must have had a genie in a lamp

R9 I love Centro. Zombie Burger in the east village is good too. The temple theater brings in great groups. Screw the haters. I love DMI.

I condole you, OP

He got three oranges

Three cherries

Three plums

I'm losing my taste for fruit.

Watching the dry cleaner do it,

Like Midas in a polyester suit.

Be sure you pronounce the city the French way--"Day-MWAHNN"--while you're there. The locals will be so impressed with your knowledge!

r35 Then hurry over to duh-TWAH, Michigan.