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A larger-than-life textile exhibit from the Mexican artist Marcela Diaz was particularly enjoyable, and included a comically large hammock woven from coconut fibers. Head upstairs for the American Indian art collection, with artifacts like ration ticket bags and medicine pouches from the Ute and Sioux tribes, as well as work like the pictograph-based “Horse Sense (for advice and council)” by the New Mexican artist Jaune Quick-To-See Smith.Įl Museo Latino ($5 admission) features Hispanic and Latino art and history and also serves as a cultural center. They’re not exactly for shoppers on a budget, however: Some run well over $100, so I picked up a locally made bar of eucalyptus and rosemary soap from Benson Soap Mill ($6). I was even encouraged to peek into a large area behind the showroom to watch some items being sewn and assembled. The Omaha-based brand, which got its start on Etsy, makes its products locally. My first stop was at Artifact, a store that specializes in handmade aprons and tote bags. I bought a book of 10 rides ($12.50) at a local supermarket, and set out to see the city. I also made good use of the public bus system, which I found to be a reliable way of making short trips. One difference with Turo is that there are frequently limits on the number of miles you can drive your rental (300 in my case) - be careful not to exceed your maximum, or you’ll pay an extra fee. Luckily, Stephanie was an old hand and she made the pickup and drop-off of the car seamless. The high rates from the national agencies made me get past my trepidation of renting from a total stranger, and I picked a Hyundai Accent from a woman named Stephanie for $33 a day. This was the first time I had used Turo, a service that operates something like Airbnb and lets private citizens list and rent out their own cars online. She and her partner, both musicians, gave me some recommendations for activities in the area, and let me use their driveway for the car I’d rented through Turo. My Airbnb host, Orenda, was accommodating when a flight cancellation led me to arrive a day later than expected (my private room with bath was $41 a night). And it’s worth a visit for any curious traveler who, like me, is keen on saving money.
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I’m not talking about surface area: Omaha, in addition to its famous zoo, has a progressive sensibility that places its good restaurants, live-music scene and diverse entertainment options on par with cities many times its size.
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What surprised me during a recent four-day trip was how big the city seemed. Remembering my name and saying hello was maybe a small gesture for Alex, but as an out-of-towner, I was impressed.īut I wasn’t really surprised that the locals were friendly in Omaha, the biggest city in Nebraska, located about halfway between Sioux Falls, S.D., and Kansas City, Mo. Alex and I chatted, and I shared some tamales I’d bought from a market vendor. The voice belonged to Alex O’Hanlon, whom I’d met just a couple of days earlier at a donation-based fermentation workshop she had led at City Sprouts, a local organization with a large community garden that promotes health and seeks to improve food quality in the community. “Hey! Lucas, right?” I heard a voice as I walked around the Gifford Park Neighborhood Market, a compact but lively farmers’ market that was a quick walk from the room I was renting on Cass Street in Omaha.