The focus of two events in Washington Tuesday will be what Iowa and the Midwest have to offer. Dan Kaercher will be presenting a program on Hidden Treasures of Iowa and then Flavors of the Heartland in Washington. During his years as Editor-in-Chief of Midwest Living Magazine and a host on Iowa Public television, he traveled across Iowa to find attractions and getaways to share with Iowans, “It’s not only important, it’s smart. There is so much that we overlook that’s close to home and we don’t have to spend a fortune. Somebody made a joke to me once: who needs mountains, they just get in the way of the scenery and they’re hard to drive around. We have a beautiful state here. We have woods, and lakes, and rivers, and historic towns, and all kinds of things to explore. And we’re all Iowans, and we should be proud of being Iowans. And you can just kind of reinforce that by exploring either just on day trips or weekend trips, they’re called staycations you know, but close to home exploring around your own state, it just makes sense.”

At 12:15 p.m. he will hold a public program about the hidden treasures of Iowa.

At 6 p.m. he will have an event at Cafe Dodici titled Flavors of the Heartland with a four-course meal inspired by his cookbook. Part of the proceeds from the dinner will benefit the LET’s Center for the Healing and Creative Arts. To reserve a spot for the dinner contact Cafe Dodici.