Calendar

WHERE YOU WANT TO BE IN JANUARY

January 18

GO: Leningrad Cowboys Go America will be screened on Wednesday, January 18 and Saturday, January 21 at Stray Cat Film Center, 1662 Broadway Boulevard, KCMO. COWBOY SONGS Digging into the cultural debris of the nineties is a good way to wait out an era when Taylor Swift makes a clean sweep of all top ten spots on the Billboard chart. The more you do, the more you realize that the seeds of the Lollapolized artistic upheaval were sewn in the eighties underground.

Take the most bizarre moment in the history of the MTV music awards (no, not the one involving Swift and that other guy), when a band called the Leningrad Cowboys took the stage with the Red Army Choir to play “Sweet Home Alabama” to a worldwide audience of 250 million people—more than last year’s Super Bowl. The band wore bright yellow-striped suits, comically oversized pompadours and elf shoes with points that protrude a foot from the tips of their toes. Behind them, seventy-odd members of Boris Yeltsin’s army band stood in olive drab, singing along to a Neil Young diss track while one woman in a bright red beehive who appeared to have escaped from a B-52s video danced along.

A thirty-episode podcast about the cultural context behind this moment could exist—it would probably start with Leningrad Cowboys Go America, which screens this month at Stray Cat Film Center. The largely forgotten 1989 film by Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki birthed the Cowboys, who are improbably still touring today. The film is a comedy that actively steps around obvious jokes, instead drawing its humor from surreal imagery, like a group of hungry band members eating onions on a curb or the band’s only fan, the village idiot, coveting a pair of loafers.

Leningrad Cowboys is presented as part of Stray Cat’s Bargain Bin Film School series, where the movie is being billed as “the best Jim Jarmusch movie Jarmusch never made.” This is mostly true. The Ohio-born indie filmmaker didn’t make this particular absurdist deadpan comedy, but he does play a used car salesman in it. The movie is half road trip, half musical interlude with the band learning about “rrrock n rrrrrroll” on their way to accidental stardom in Mexico. —MARTIN CIZMAR

January

WHAT YOU WANT TO DO THIS MONTH 01

Chiefs vs Broncos

January 1, Noon

In spring 2022, the Seahawks traded quarterback Ciara’s Husband to the Broncos after years of his kvetching about getting a chance to operate in an open offense. Ciara’s Husband has been terrible, with his pre-season promotional videos going viral in the bad way. Odds are looking good for the Chiefs, with a hopeful win to lift spirits during the New Year’s Day hangover. January 1. Noon. GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Uptown Nights

January 6–8

Guest conductor Byron Stripling has been called a “powerhouse trumpeter gifted with a soulful voice and a charismatic onstage swagger.” In this show, he transports audiences back to the heyday of jazz, performing with nostalgic reverence that mirrors a sound more apt for Harlem clubs with legends like Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. January 6–7, 8 pm; January 8, 2 pm. The Kauffman Center.

Elvis Birthday Bash

January 7, 8 pm

Come celebrate what would’ve been the King of Rock ‘n Roll’s eighty-eighth birthday with an assortment of impersonators performing all the hits. Grab your aviators, jumpsuit and probiotics and join the rockabilly party. January 7. 8 pm. Knuckleheads.

The Fountains and Pines of Rome

January 13–15

Guest conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong and New Zealand-born violinist Geneva Lewis will take audiences on a tour of the other famous fountain city, Rome, with Mozart’s youthful and joyous concerto, which was written while the composer was still a teenager. January 13–14, 8 pm; January 15, 2 pm. Kauffman Center.

Kansas City Restaurant Week

January 13–22

The fourteenth annual Kansas City Restaurant Week returns this January. This ten-day dining event features special multi-course menus and deals from hundreds of KC’s best restaurants. This provides the perfect opportunity to indulge, with exclusive menus from hot new restaurants and tried-andtrue old favorites. January 13–22.

Chinese Ink Teacher Workshop with Artist Hong Chun Zhang

January 14, 1 pm

Artist Hong Chun Zhang has used gongbi, or Chinese fine style ink painting, to explore topics such as gender, cross-cultural identity and social justice in her work for over twenty years. In this class at the Nelson-Atkins Museum, participants will observe two Chinese ink painting styles used by the artist and try out the techniques themselves. The class will also visit the exhibition, “Found in Translation: Explorations by 8 Contemporary Artists” to view Zhang’s featured piece and learn more about the inspirations and techniques she uses in her work. January 14. 1 pm. Nelson-Atkins Museum.

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Bobby Watson Quartet

January 15, 7 pm

KCK native and jazz legend Bobby Watson performs for the “Winterlude” series. Working for nearly thirty years, he has become one of the most sought-after composers and jazz musicians, even composing music for the soundtrack of A Bronx Tale, Robert DeNiro’s 1993 directorial debut. The saxophonist and composer returns to his hometown to play some of his signature modern jazz. January 15. 7 pm. Yardley Hall.

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Monster Jam

January 14–15

Sometimes you want to go to the opera. Sometimes you just need to watch oversized Matchbox cars tumble over each other in the dirt. And that’s okay. Life is about balance. January 14, 1 pm and 7 pm; January 15, 1 pm. T-Mobile Center.

Hadestown

January 17–22

When Hadestown first premiered on Broadway in 2019, it gained widespread critical and commercial acclaim, winning eight Tony Awards. The musical is a modern retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, in which two poor lovers escape their nightmarish reality and show others the way to freedom. January 17–20, 7:30 pm; January 21–22, 1 pm and 7:30 pm. Municipal Auditorium Music Hall.

Wagner’s Flying Dutchman

January 20–22

Violinist Maria Ioudenitch was born in Russia but raised in KC. She returns to KC to perform Samuel Barber’s lyric Violin Concerto, a swelling and motion-filled production. Guest conductor Kevin John Edusei leads the

Lauren Quin: My Hellmouth

January 19–June 18

The Atlanta native artist Lauren Quin got her MFA from Yale in 2019 and has been showcasing in exhibits around the U.S. since, appearing alongside other tastemakers in the art world. Her large abstract oil paintings are built from a form that she calls the tube: thick strips of color that take after prisms and overlap to form various patterns. Near the end of her process, she layers paint, quickly carving new abstract forms before the paint can dry to form something completely new. January 19–June 18. Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art.

orchestra in the overture to Richard Wagner’s masterpiece story of love and redemption in The Flying Dutchman. January 20–21, 8 pm; January 22, 2 pm. Kauffman Center.

Oran Etkin: Open Arms

January 22, 7 pm

Multi-instrumentalist Oran Etkin has started the “open arms” project as a monthly release of singles and music videos recorded around the world with other master musicians in places like Zimbabwe, Brazil and France. He continues to collaborate and form musical connections that showcase the transcendent, communal nature of music. January 22. 7 pm. Polsky Theatre.

Zerograd (Zero City)

January 23, 7 pm

This surrealist satire of communism is hailed as “part Kafka, part Agatha Christie and part Monty Python.” The story follows an everyman engineer who arrives in a remote city where nothing makes sense but everyone acts as if it does. As he tries to get back to familiar Moscow, the film gets more absurdist—he runs into bizarre characters that seem to be more fitting for a Wes Anderson film than in Soviet-era Russia. January 23. 7 pm. Stray Cat Film Center.

A Voice for Nature

January 24, 7:30 pm

Part of the National Geographic Live series and sponsored by the Kansas City Zoo, Dutch photographer Jasper Doest captures unique stories of wildlife, including a rehabilitated flamingo and hot springs-loving monkeys. Through his unique storytelling images, Doest aims to remind audiences of the beauty and fragility of nature. January 24. 7:30 pm. Kauffman Center.

Black Panther in Concert

January 25–2, 7 pm

Marvel’s Black Panther became an international box-office hit, with audiences connecting to the inspiring messages of Black excellence, tradition and determination set in a superhero world. The film will be shown along with the Kansas City Symphony’s live performance of Ludwig Göransson’s Oscar- and Grammy-winning score. January 25–28. 7 pm. Kauffman Center.

Refuge

January 25—February 12

This unique bilingual show features an original score and dynamic puppetry to tell the story of a young migrant who must travel through the harsh and magical desert in hopes of a new life in America. January 25–February 12. Times vary. Unicorn Theatre.

Angel Olsen

January 27, 8 pm

St. Louis native Angel Olsen is an indie singer-songwriter whose bubblegum voice and emotional lyrics have surprising influences of vintage country and twangy guitar on hits like “Shut Up Kiss Me” and “Unfucktheworld.” January 27. 8 pm. Liberty Hall.

Shen Yun

January 27–29

The performance behind the inescapable fliers is coming to KC. Boasting a dance presentation of “five thousand years of civilization reborn,” the Shen Yun performance includes ornate costuming, high-tech backdrops and a powerful orchestra to tell the story of Chinese tradition and heritage. January 27, 7:30 pm; January 28, 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm; January 29, 1:30 pm. Kauffman Center.

Nick Swardson

January 28, 6 pm

Perhaps best known for his role on Reno 911!, Nick Swardson has become one of those recognizable but not-big-name comedic actors that you have to look up on Wikipedia while you watch. Most notably, he has been a part of Adam Sandler’s production company and is now touring the U.S. with his aptly titled “Make Joke From Face” tour. January 28. 6 pm. Uptown Theater.

Philharmonia Fantastique

January 29, 2 pm

This animated film follows a magical sprite who makes “violin strings vibrate, brass valves slice air and drumheads resonate.” Blending traditional and modern animation styles with orchestral accompaniment, the performances boast the importance of collaboration and diversity. January 29. 2 pm. Kauffman Center.

Flood

January 31–February 19

This absurdist tragic-comedy will run its full production and world premiere since the onset of the pandemic cut its first run short. The play centers around an unhappy wife who just wants to have tea with her artist husband who is completely devoted to building his masterpiece. Meanwhile, the waters outside their apartment continue to rise, threatening change and perhaps tragedy. January 31–February 19. Times Vary. KCRep Copaken Stage.

FEELING PRESSED

A new class will give you the same training baristas get on their first day pulling espresso shots.

BY MARTIN CIZMAR

HAVE YOU EVER DREAMED of finding an open barista job, going through a multiround interview process and completing a rigorous training program—only to quit and return to your regular job, but with the precious knowledge of how to make a professional-quality cup of coffee?

I’ll admit to having this exact fantasy. According to Holly Bastin, I’m not alone, which is why she’s started offering a class called Coffee Geek Out with Holly that’s designed to be like your first day behind the bar at a coffee shop. (Instead of staging an elaborate ruse to apply for a barista job, you pay $65.)

“We spend two hours and I take them through exactly what I would take a professional through as an introductory espresso training,” Bastin says. “It’s done assuming you’ve never made espresso before and starting there. Tasting it and understanding the nuances and how little things make a big impact. Understanding

TRIPLE SHOT

Realistic budget “If you are genuinely wanting to make cafe-level quality drinks, I’m sorry but it costs money,” Bastin says. “That’s just how it works. You can do it economically. There’s a big spectrum in there.” She says an Aeropress with a Prismo attachment can make real espresso with crema for $70, but the viscosity of the espresso won’t be quite right and it doesn’t have the versatility to do different drinks. A traditional espresso machine that makes cafe-quality drinks starts north of $500.

Grind, grind, grind “The big thing is the grinder,” Bastin says. “Everyone fixates on the espresso machine cost, and they think of the grinder as an afterthought when the grinder is the thing that’s really going to make or break the cafe quality from the jump.” Espresso is a delicate balance of time, temperature and the particle size of the coffee grounds. Getting it right requires “dialing in” the size of the grind on your home machine. “That’s the main variable that we mess with as professionals—we start with the grind.”

Be prepared to give up After learning how hard it is to make consistently great espresso, you may be inclined to just go pay a professional. “So far, it seems like [Coffee Geek Out attendees] really appreciate what their barista is doing a lot more,” Bastin says.

how easily you can screw up your coffee and how to make it real good.”

Bastin knows all that. She’s a veteran of the barista competition world who started working as a barista way back in the late nineteen-hundreds. Her first gig was at Espresso Vita near JCCC in Overland Park, which was bought by the venerated PT’s in Topeka. PT’s trained Bastin up and brought her into the world of coffee wholesaling.

Early January is the right time to do the classes because it’s a dead time in most coffee shops. In much the same way that the first two weeks of the year are always the busiest at the gym, they are reliably dead at coffee shops.

“Nobody has money and they just made resolutions and they’re giving up coffee altogether,” Bastin says. “That happens every January for the first half of the month—and then they come crawling back.”

Above, Bastin shares three things to consider when it comes to making espresso at home—all covered in greater detail in Bastin’s class. .

GO: Coffee Geek Out with Holly classes are on Friday, January 6 and Friday, January 27 at PH Coffee on Lexington Avenue in the Pendleton Heights neighborhood.

CURATING A BEAUTIFUL LIFE

The Boxxy Crossbody, $500

Small, practical handbags with a boxy square shape are seemingly everywhere this season.

Like many bag trends before them, the shape and style of the bag is relatively simple. Designers like Prada released some classics, like a brushed leather handbag from 1995 in their spring 2023 show that quickly became a street-style favorite.

Late KC native Kate Spade’s namesake brand has followed suit with their new collection of box bags, which mirror the popular style seen in designer shows in Paris, Milan and New York.

The newest line of Kate Spade totes and purses includes simple

BOX FOR THE BAG leather designs in bold colors—much like the Prada bags re-released in colors like baby blue and bright olive green. Some favorite hues of the Kate Spade small leather totes are bubble gum pink and burnt orange, which mirror the simple design and colorful pops favored in streetwear style this season. Our favorite piece from this trend is the Boxxy Crossbody from Kate Spade ($500), which plays on the geometric style of its square shape with embellished puffed squares in bright red, pink, yellow and orange. It’s definitely a statement piece that has the perfect mix of invogue design with surprising, whimsical elements. —MOLLY HIGGINS

RINGS TRUE

Brandon Dearing almost died in a bladesmithing accident. Now, he shares his hard-won knowledge.

BY MOLLY HIGGINS

FOR BLACKSMITH BRANDON DEARING, working with his hands is in his blood.

A third-generation craftsman, Dearing grew up in the country and, as a child, worked on small projects like knife making alongside his woodworker father, who makes antique reproductions.

When he was fourteen, Dearing began taking knife making lessons from a local bladesmith, which helped expand and diversify his skillset. As Dearing grew older, he developed skills in woodworking, leatherworking and blacksmithing. “The people that are in blacksmithing have devoted their lives to it,”

Dearing says. “They’re very generous with their time teaching people, and I just think that’s really cool because I’ve been a beneficiary of that. I love being able to pay that forward with other people as well.”

However, Dearing’s life changed in November of 2019 when he was bladesmithing and nearly lost his shop—and his life.

On a frigid winter day, Dearing made a small fire to keep warm while working in his uninsulated shop. Embers set fire to his clothes, and he was engulfed in flames.

“I had seen my dad lose everything in a shop fire and he had to start his business from scratch,” Dearing says. “So I knew how difficult that was. I was just determined in my mind I was not going to let that happen.”

In the chaos of the fire, Dearing ran into the blade he was sharpening that was locked in a vice. The impact caused the knife to bend. Doctors told him if it had gone in a half-inch above, it would’ve stabbed into Dearing’s heart and killed him. Working with the power of adrenaline in what Dearing calls a “really intense minute and a half of my life,” he pulled the blade out of his chest and continued trying to put out the fire with water from a nearby frozen pond. Luckily, Dearing’s neighbor saw the fire and rushed him to the hospital, where he later underwent two skin-graft surgeries.

After that traumatic event, Dearing switched focus and began learning how to hand-make the tools that blacksmiths use, like hammers and tongs. His business, Hand and Hammer, was born.

“I love the ability to make things on my own and give them to somebody and put my mark on it,” Dearing says. “I just really like being able to create a product that is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Dearing now teaches blacksmithing classes. He says it’s exciting to be able to pass on knowledge like his teachers did for him. Recently, he began working with metals, and he even created his own wedding ring.

Along with his blacksmithing classes, in the summer, Dearing hopes to begin silver and goldwork classes catered to people getting married so they can create their own rings for the big day.

“I just love the idea of being able to make your own ring, have it in your ceremony and what that represents,” Dearing says. “You heat the metals and almost melt them together into one piece. I love the symbolism of that with marriage—two becoming one.”

ON ANOTHER PLANET

Each planet has its own unique astrological qualities, and their retrograde effects on Earth echo these qualities. Here are a few examples and when their next retrogrades are happening:

Mars is the warrior planet. “It has to do with action, passion and moving forward,” McKean says. A Mars retrograde might trigger an exercise slump or issues with passion and drive. There’s one happening now, October 30, 2022–January 12, 2023

Venus revolves around love and beauty. During a Venus retrograde, you might want to hold off on major physical changes like a life-alerting haircut. “You might find that things are just not sticking so well with your partner,” Mckean says. Next one: July 22–September 4, 2023

Jupiter represents wealth, foreign travel and sometimes luck. A Jupiter retrograde might be the best time to buy a Powerball ticket. Next one: September 4–December 30, 2023

Saturn demands hard work. “When [Saturn is in] retrograde, it kind of gives you a little bit of a reprieve on work, and it allows you to go back and review some of the things that you might have missed or take a look at the devils in the details,” Mckean says. Next one: June 17–November 4, 2023

BLAME IT ON MERCURY

Mercury is in retrograde. What does that mean, exactly?

BY NICOLE KINNING

Mckean, who owns Kansas City Astrology and Tarot LLC, says that retrogrades tend to get a bad rap, but they’re not all negative, even though it seems like Mercury is often the butt of bad-luck jokes—not Venus or Mars. “Mercury retrogrades happen more often than most of the planets,’’

FLAT TIRE? Mercury is in retrograde. Spat with a coworker? Mercury is in retrograde. Computer goes haywire? Mercury is in retrograde.

It’s one of those trendy sayings that’s “popped off” in the past few years—but what does it mean, exactly, when Mercury is in retrograde?

There are a few components to it: Astronomically speaking, when a planet is in retrograde, the planet creates an illusion from the Earth’s perspective that it is moving backward because it is moving faster than the Earth is around the sun. Have you ever driven a car next to a train, faster than the train is going? Visually, it looks like the train is moving backward, but in reality you’re just moving faster than it.

Although Mercury’s retrograde (and retrograde of all planets, for that matter) is a term spreading like wildfire through Gen Z and younger Millennials, the phenomenon goes back to Mesopotamian times. “People would use landmarks, and they relied on the position of the planets, the stars in the constellation that helped them determine what season it was and what direction to navigate towards,” says astrologer Cindy Mckean. Mckean says. “It also lasts a shorter period of time and is in retrograde over a period of weeks as compared to months with other planets.”

You’re likely basking in a Mercury retrograde as you read this story. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, Mercury is in retrograde from December 28 to January 18 and is moving through Capricorn.

Every planet has its own astrological qualities, and Mercury’s are around short-distance travel and communication. Mckean suggests that you use this time to take breaks as needed and know where to apply boundaries.

“It’s kind of like giving you a bit of a rest stop in a marathon,” she says. “Ask yourself: ‘Do I need to re-equip myself?’, or ‘What is the new path?’”

AVAILABLE AT

1 OUTSIDE IN

An outdoorsy couple’s dream home on eight acres in the Northland has a contemporary design with rustic touches.

BY DAWNYA BARTSCH PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MULLINS

AMANDA AND BRIAN BALDWIN are “outdoorsy” people, so when they set out to build their dream home, they made sure they were surrounded by nature both inside and out.

It began with finding an eight-acre plot with mature trees and a pond in the northern reaches of Kansas City, where multi-acre parcels ideal for building family estates can still be found. Next was constructing their approximately six thousand-square-foot house with large open spaces and floor-to-ceiling windows to let the natural light flow in.

“We love the outdoors and wanted to be able to enjoy it even when we’re inside,” Amanda says. “I love sitting in the living room and just looking out into nature.”

Brian, proprietor of Baldwin Properties and a second-generation builder, designed much of the house himself, from the soaring twentysix-foot ceiling in the living room to the intimate and rustic lower-level bar. “This home is designed for entertaining and having lots of family fun,” Amanda says.

Although the Baldwins did much of the home design themselves, toward the end, when it came time to pull it all together, they sought the help of interior designer Jennifer Surface of Surface to Surface Interior Design.

“Clearly, Brian is a seasoned builder,” Surface says. “I was impressed by the finishes they (the Baldwins) chose and overall quality. They called upon me to guide the design and decor process.”

Surface worked with the Baldwins to create a contemporary interior with rustic touches. “Having gotten a good feel for the family’s personality and lifestyle, I mixed natural warm colors with bold black and white.”

Much of Surface’s work in the Baldwin’s home was trying to create an overall cohesive look throughout the large and open house. One of the many ways she ties everything together is through paintings, several of which Surface created herself.

“My artwork has to make things flow,” says Surface, who uses colors from the different spaces in her abstract work. “I try to create paintings that I think the family will enjoy and also bring in elements from other rooms.”

1 GREAT ROOM The crown jewel of the home is the great room with large windows that mimic the cathedral-like ceiling, wood truss beams and massive fireplace. The entire room has been painted white with the exception of the natural-colored wood ceiling beams.

Neutral furniture with classic lines form the foundation of the room. Simple patterned throws, pillows and accessories were added by Surface to create layers, complementing the room without overpowering it, Surface says.

2 ENTRY Surface’s bold choices are evident when you first step through the large double doors and into the cavernous entry. Rather than going the more traditional route of soft and muted colors, bold black and white geometric rugs punctuate the floor. Large custom artwork and a massive mirror fill the expansive walls.

“I always try to add a large mirror,” Surface says, specially when she encounters vast empty walls. “Mirrors can add lots of light and dimension to a space.”

Bold shapes also reappear in the entry’s accent furniture: a round table with a cone-like base and a console with three-dimensional gilt doors surrounded by natural wood and a black metal base.

4 KITCHEN The large living area flows directly into the kitchen. The space is defined by a lower ceiling and large island. The kitchen is another study in combining contemporary elements, as is done with the large island with a quartz top and one waterfall side paired with a rustic natural wood base and support columns on the opposite side.

Old-world choices, such as an oven hood reminiscent of one that could be found in a French country kitchen, are surrounded by clean and contemporary yet classic cabinets.

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3 TROPHY ROOM Brian Baldwin is an outdoorsman and bow hunter and has gone on hunting expeditions across the globe. He designed a room off the basement family entertaining area to highlight those adventures, most of which coincide with wildlife management, he says.

The meat from hunts is always given to local villagers when in foreign countries and professionally butchered and given to food banks such as Harvesters when local, Baldwin says.

In the corner stands a Grandmother clock, a family heirloom.

5 BUTLER’S PANTRY A glimpse of a large and dramatic butler’s pantry and prep kitchen can be seen through open passageways on either side of the kitchen’s anchor wall, creating a space that calls to be explored. A classic black and white floor and a spa green tile black splash were installed, creating visual interest.

The pantry not only provides storage but also serves as a prep kitchen, housing an additional sink, dishwasher and wine refrigerators, along with open shelving and closed cabinets.

“Having a dishwasher and all the storage really helps keep the open kitchen area clean looking,” Amanda says. She says the space makes it easy to hide the messiness that comes with entertaining lots of guests.

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6 MAIN BATH “It’s a very comfortable and calming master bath,” says Amanda, who adds that she’s a “bath girl” and tries to take one most every day.

Another abstract painting by Surface hangs above the deep stand-alone soaking tub.

Surface says she used her painting to create an easy transition from the bathroom to the bedroom, using similar colors.

The master bedroom ceiling relief was designed by Brian Baldwin, and Surface recommended painting it a dark brown to add dimension to the room.