Happy Lunar New Year! My family loves Chinese food and ramen any time of year, but a cold January day seems to really bring out our cravings for it. With that in mind, I’d like to tell you about three family-owned Chinese restaurants we love in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. I think you will love them too!

We all have a favorite restaurant. Favorite restaurants can be places of refuge and connection - nourishment for both the body and soul. While I have many favorite restaurants around the world, I’m eager to tell you about a wonderful new place I’ve discovered recently that both warms my heart, promotes self-care, and has amazing, inventive food. While I hesitate a bit to let everyone in on the secret, this place is seriously too incredible not to share.

The Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden is currently featuring a unique and beautiful art exhibit called Light Bloom by HYBYCOZO. The exhibit, which is spread throughout the gorgeous gardens, features intricately crafted geometric shapes which allow both sunlight (by day) and an interior light (by night) to cast a wide net of exquisite shadows around the geometric shapes. The effect is simply magical, particularly after sunset. Be sure to visit the garden before March 30, 2025 to see this wonderful exhibit!

Des Moines is a beautiful city with enough population to bring in major concerts, events, and restaurants, but small enough to feel like a large small town. I always enjoy going to Des Moines. One of the things I enjoy there is trying new (to me) restaurants.

DC has some fantastic restaurants! When I travel. part of the fun is trying new restaurants or local foods. I enjoy trying new foods or the same old, same old prepared differently.