Mural by Joe Adams, Main Street, Ames, Iowa

In 2007, I moved to Ames from Greenville, North Carolina. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t fall in love with Ames until 2012, when I met my husband, Aaron. PA (Pre-Aaron), I was more of a complainer (still one of my big flaws) and found fault with Ames like some people find buried treasure.

In retrospect, I don’t know why, exactly, I did this. I mean, I guess have some inklings: I was homesick for the South; I was pretty boring (as my mom says, only boring people get bored); etc, etc, etc. It’s also kind of cool to complain about where you live, which can be a little gross and a bit arrogant, truth be told. So many of us fall under the “I live in the middle of nowhere” spell. News flash: everywhere is somewhere.

BUT (and this is a big but), the flip side to “the middle of nowhere” perspective can often be a defensive “if you don’t like this place, you can leave” attitude, which is way more insidious and harmful, especially when in response to critiques of inequity. Speaking truth to power, calling out oppression, and asking public and private spaces and institutions to be better and do better is not garden-variety complaining about no place to get decent bagels, for example. Not at ALL. Every community, every space, each of us must listen to our fellow community members, look in the mirror, and hold ourselves accountable to making our places better for every person who lives there.

I digress.

In 2012, I met Aaron, and if you know Aaron, you know Aaron is not a complainer. He doesn’t gossip, he doesn’t whine, and he’s a pretty content guy. On our first date, he took me kayaking in town. On our second, dinner and a dive bar. Then hikes, then picnics, then Saturdays spent driving around the state to visit small towns with interesting stories. I fell in love with all of it - Ames, Iowa, Aaron.

What’s Good in Ames

I say all of this as insight into this list about what’s good in Ames. This was a collaboration of my own memories and those of my friend Kyle Renell, the Ames artist whose conversations inspired the McFarland Park series. Like me, Kyle moved to Ames several years ago and has also become enamored with our community. (And just like every AQ48 list I’ve compiled - this doesn’t pretend to be comprehensive. So please, comment and let us know what else needs to be here.)

I’ll start with Kyle’s list and end with mine.

“The parks system. It’s extensive and a testament to the City of Ames’ forward thinking on the environment. I haven’t visited all of Ames’ parks, but by far McFarland is my favorite and I return there frequently to walk and reflect. I even have a favorite tree I visit!
Shopping on Main Street. I can usually find whatever I need or want somewhere along Main Street. My top two faves:

o Morning Bell Coffee Roasters. I’m a coffee nerd and to have a roaster right in downtown with staff members who greet you by name, it’s heavenly.

o One of my mainstays is Cooks’ Emporium. During COVID, it’s become my go-to source for everything I need for at-home gourmet cooking.

Artist Jamila Johnson presenting her work at the Black Arts and Music Festival, Ames Public Library. 2020. Photo credit: Ames Public Library

The Arts Scene. There’s something for everyone in Ames, from the classics like the Brunnier Art Museum, ACTORS, and Town and Gown, to the funky, like Reliable Street. There’s nothing like strolling around the ISU campus on a crisp fall day and looking at all the public art to feed your soul. For events, pre-COVID, there were things like Maximum Ames, the Music Walk, the Octagon Arts Festival, and the ACAC Studio Tour. Give Ames some time and post-COVID, the art scene is sure to explode.
Cyclability. I love being able to get just about anywhere via foot and bicycle and leaving the car in the garage!
Accessibility to great food ingredients. Ames is definitely NOT a food desert, whether you want to cook at home or go out to a restaurant. As a vegetarian, at the top of my list are the Farmers’ Market, Farm 2 Folk, and Wheatsfield. But I’ve been thrilled to see those other NUMEROUS food merchants step up to the vegetarian plate and provide good choices. For dine-in, The Grove is a great classic breakfast place and even vegetarians can find yummy dishes at Corn Bred BBQ. My current favorite is Lockwood Café at Reliable Street for delicious crepes and great coffee. For drinks, the options are great, with Alluvial and Torrent Breweries and Della Viti topping my favorites list.”