You don't have to be a bulldog to take advantage of the Drake area. (Yes, there's more out there than drinks at Peggy's and late-night slices of Paul Revere's pizza, although if you want to re-live college, that's a good start.) The neighborhood is hosting its second annual Dogtown Fest Saturday, complete with live bands, a hair show, bike show, flaming hula hoop show, a beer garden and kids events. In advance of the big party, here are some things we - and others in town - love about the Drake neighborhood.
1. Running down Kingman Boulevard, either as part of the IMT Des Moines Marathon on Oct. 17, or on your regular morning jog.
2. Giggling at the witticisms on the sign outside the University Library Cafe, 3506 University Ave. "As a recent Drake grad, I love The Library. Particularly their quirky signage and their nachos." - Pamela McNew, 25
3. Hoopdance (hula hoop) classes at Harmony Yoga + Wellness, 2300 University Ave. (formerly known as Firehouse Yoga), Saturdays from 11:15 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.
4. The 24-hour McDonald's, 3002 Forest Ave. (Thanks, college kids.)
5. Sending a beautiful, budget bouquet. "Irene's Flowers has always been able to fill in the blanks with nice flowers when I'd walk in and say, 'I need flowers for a girl - for $30.'" - Bill Chamberlain, 32
6. Cake shakes or a hearty breakfast (or both, eaten at night) at Drake Diner, 1111 25th St.
7. Out-of-this-world coffee, offbeat events (retro arcade night, anyone?) and sweet social media discounts for those who follow, like or check in with the cool baristas at Mars Cafe, 2318 University Ave. Bonus: During Dogtown Fest, Mars is hosting a free latte art demo/throwdown.
8. Tamales at La Rosa, 2312 Forest Ave. Like a dozen tamales. At once. Get in our bellies, tamales.
9. Volunteering with Lutheran Services in Iowa, lsiowa.org.
10. Bringing our own six-pack to Woody's Smoke Shack, 2511 Cottage Grove Ave., for a brisket and a square of delish, fresh-baked cornbread.
11. Drake University's free Bucksbaum Lecture Series at the Knapp Center. (Azar Nafisi, author of the national bestseller "Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books," speaks Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.)
12. The new Dogtown branding and neighborhood signs. Step up your game, Beaverdale.
13. Pretending we're alumni for Relays weekend, April 28-30. Go, Bulldogs! (Actually being an alum earns bonus points.)
14. Grabbing a gyro for lunch at Gazali's, 1205 25th St. "Gazali's is awesome because they have authentic Greek food and a lot of healthy options, fast service and friendly people." - Calee Himes, 25
15. Seeing a movie at the old-school Varsity theater, 1207 25th St., or renting something you can't find in a Redbox at Best Place Ever, 1159 24th St.
16. The Drake neighborhood farmers market (4-7 p.m. Wednesdays through Sept. 29 in the parking lot of First Christian Church, 25th Street and University Avenue).
17. Eating like we're the guy in "Man v. Food" and challenging our friends to an Adam Emmenecker sandwich eating contest at Jethro's, 3100 Forest Ave.
