Cafe di Scala - A fine Des Moines area restaurant, Calabrese-Style, in the heart of Historic Sherman Hill. 644 18th Street, Des Moines, IA • Reservations by phone only: 515-244-1353
 
 

Sherman Hill

Sherman Hill Home Tour: Join Scala For Lunch!

September 14th, 2011

Once again, our neighbors in Sherman Hill have come through with a very enriching set of homes they’re featuring in this year’s home tour. We’re very excited for the 7th consecutive year to be able to serve lunch from 11-2 on September 17-18 and 24-25. Below is the menu for the Home Tour service followed by some information about the home tour cross-posted from Patrick Van Nice’s Blog….

Menu for the Sherman Hill Home Tour Lunch

Alchemilla House in the Sherman Hill Neighborhood of Des Moines, Iowa

DesMoines, IOWA (September 12) – Sherman Hill, one of Des Moines’ oldest neighborhoods, announces the 35th Doors to the Past walking tour of historic homes Sept. 17-18 and 24-25. New to this year’s walking tour is Hilltop Talents at the Mickle Center! It will feature live music and items created or collected by Sherman Hill residents, including art, antiques and other specialty items. The Des Moines Women’s club will be providing brown bag lunches and beverages so you can sit, relax, and refresh.

The tour has become a Des Moines’ staple, featuring 10-12 historic homes built in the 19th century. The walking tour allows visitors to tour homes at a leisurely pace as homeowners and volunteers guide walkers through homes, describing the history and architecture of each structure. The homes are in various stages of restoration, giving visitors a unique view of the neighborhood.

A district rich in history, Sherman Hill has evolved dramatically from its beginnings in the early 1870s. An initiative to restore the area and many of the buildings back to their original glory began in the 1970s, and Sherman Hill was officially listed in the National Register of Historic Districts in 1982.

Sherman Hill Home Tour Poster

Today the restoration continues, as many of the buildings are still being rehabilitated to their original forms. Sherman Hill is home to more than 150 homes and apartment buildings, representing Victorian, Queen Anne, Italianate, Classic, Stick and Flemish styles of architecture.

Dates:                                     Sept. 17-18 and 24-25
Time:                                      10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets:                                   $15/weekend or $20/both weekends
Students: $5
Children 12 and under: FREE
Advance tickets are available at a discount price of $10/weekend or $15/both weekends: Purchase tickets at www.HistoricShermanHill.comor at the advance ticket locations listed below.
*Group discounts are available.
To purchase advance tickets, visit the following locations:

Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave, Des Moines, Iowa 50314
Gateway Market, 2002 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312-4922Dahl’s, 3425 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312-3976

Dahl’s, 1819 Beaver Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50310-3899

Dahl’s, 5003 Ep True Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50265-2852

During the tour, tickets can be purchased and picked up at Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave. For more information, contact Kim Pfannebecker at 636-443-3347 or kim.pfannebecker@gmail.com.

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The Great Scala Gift Card Giveaway

December 6th, 2010

Since it’s the holiday season and all, we’ve decided to give back.  This time, with a fist full of gift cards.

This Friday, we’re going to be super generous, and for two hours only, we’re go ing to let people purchase a $60 Cafe di Scala gift card for only $40, or a $120 gift card for only $80. We’re only doing this from 4pm-6pm, this Friday, December 10th.  One day only. So if you work downtown, stop in before you head home and pick up a few gift cards.  To sweeten the pot even more, we’ll hold a drawing for a $25 gift card for anyone who shows up to buy a gift card on Friday.

You can use it yourself if you want, or you can give it to your friends, employees or co-workers.  Cafe di Scala is located at 644 18th Street in Des Moines’ Historic Sherman Hill.  You can learn more about our proud menu here, our award winning wine list here, and our private events here. See you Friday and spread the word to your friends and family!

Sherman Hill In Photos

October 27th, 2010

One of our favorite parts about Cafe di Scala is the charm and beauty of the neighborhood surrounding us.  If you love our restaurant, then please take some time some day to get to know Sherman Hill.  The next time you come in to the cafe, just walk the streets for about a half hour before your reservation and you’ll be amazed at the beauty that we’re surrounded by on a daily basis.  We hope to use this blog as an occasional showcase of what Sherman Hill has to offer.

The following photo album is from Larry A. Bradshaw’s fantastic site, Living Downtown Des Moines:

Sherman Hill is a Gem: Come to the Home Tour

September 16th, 2010

One of the great pleasures of our experience at Cafe di Scala is the Sherman Hill Neighborhood and the wonderful people and homes that surround it.  If you’ve only been to our restaurant, but only just scanned one of Des Moines finest neighborhoods from your car, you’re truly missing out.  The Sherman Hill Historic Home Tour is a unique way to view our lovely neighborhood from the inside out.

Sherman Hill is a gem. From centuries-old Victorian era homes to real history with Hoyt Sherman and the Wallace House, this neighborhood beams with history – the stories told in the power of the columns, brick fortresses framed by a veritable forest of centuries-old trees.

And the neighbors — who could forget them? These are people who took this neighborhood back from blight and revitalized and restored the historic character of the homes and buildings. Today it stands as a shining example of what can happen when good people respect history — and one another. These are people of true character.

*****

“Doors to the Past-Tour of Historic Sherman Hill” the annual tour of our historic neighborhood will be held September 18, 19, 25, and 26th, 2010. Tour hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Cafe di Scala will be open for lunch from 11-2 on the days the home tour is going on. According to the Historic Sherman Hill website:

This year’s tour will showcase many historic homes, apartments or condominiums over the two weekends and includes Hoyt Sherman Place and the “Uncle” Henry Wallace home. Many of this year’s homes have never been on the tour – while others were on tour before or during major restorations. Some properties will be open both weekends and additional properties will be open that are retail shops, including Classic Hats for Men, Vines to Wine, Gateway Market,  A Dong, and Café Di Scala to name just a few.

The walking tour is an inside look at homes, condominiums or apartments, many built in the 1880s and early 1900s. Guests will enjoy a wide variety of décor, from ornate Victorian to Turn-of-the-Century, roaring Twenties to new built within the last few years. Property owners provide a personal tour detailing renovations and preservation projects, both inside and outside.

Tickets are $15 at the door and $10 if purchased in advance on the association’s website.

Come and help us celebrate the beauty of our neighborhood!

 
Cafe di Scala - A fine Des Moines area restaurant, Calabrese-Style, in the heart of Historic Sherman Hill. 644 18th Street, Des Moines, IA • Reservations by phone only: 515-244-1353