June 2020: 16 Day Trips by Kansas City Magazine

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Day Trips Ha Ha Tonka State Park PAGE 58

Choose your (safe!) summer road trip adventure: EPIC Ozark views, EXPLORING a prairie ghost town, a NEW fried chicken feud and the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BEST zoo

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Features 58

Get Out

Off the Racks

Au Natural

Order Up

16 road trips broken up by theme: food, adventure, history and culture.

A world-renowned luxury vintage T-shirt dealer in Midtown.

A local bloggerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home is a perfect blend of rustic, modern and industrial.

Local chefs share cooking hacks they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live without.

Ha Ha Tonka State Park photo by Rebecca Norden and Caleb Condit. KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

See Where It Takes You

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Departments 44

THE LOOP

SWAY

19 Road Closed he city has closed off T

38 Swimsuit Season

streets to make way for walkers and bikers.

20 Plasma Breakthrough You can possibly help in a revolutionary coronavirus treatment.

22 Welcome Back How to transition back to life at the office.

We chat with founders of Lenexa-headquartered swimwear company Helen Jon.

40 Dad's Day Father's Day gift ideas for the coolest guy around.

44 Home Tour How a woman went from a fixer-upper lifestyle to her perfect turnkey.

DISH

EVERY ISSUE

87 Pandemic Patty

14 Editor’s Letter

A craveable burger bred from two of KC's culinary elites.

92 Newsfeed How KC’s food scene is re-emerging post-pandemic.

94 Be Nimble 06.2020

D AY T R I P S

Day Trips Ha Ha Tonka State Park PAGE 58

Choose your (safe!) summer road trip adventure:

EPIC Ozark views, EXPLORING a prairie ghost town, a NEW fried chicken feud and the world’s BEST zoo

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

ON THE COVER

Ha Ha State Park photographed by Caleb Condit and Rebecca Norden

96 Backstory

88 Hacked Local chefs share their best kitchen tips.

A new brewery

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31 Calendar

quietly opens in the Crossroads.

SPECIAL SECTIONS 51 Guide to Aging Well 82 Kitchens & Baths

Shoes

Old-school Birkenstocks get a lift.

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R E A L T O R S

From the Editor

Protect and Serve

here are moments where this work really humbles you. I had one that I’ll never forget while reporting on convalescent plasma for this issue. Convalescent plasma, in case you’re unfamiliar, is a medical treatment where patients fighting a virus are given blood from people who’ve survived it and developed antibodies. The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is so deadly because humans have never before battled it— which makes antibody transfusion a very promising treatment. I knew nothing about any of this in early January, of course. Journalists are mostly generalists, with broad but shallow knowledge and no real expertise beyond getting and sharing accurate information. In the wake of the pandemic, I set out to learn as much as I could as fast as I could, digging into medical journals and ringing up experts on virology, history and macroeconomics. These people were all a lot smarter and busier than me, and they generously shared their time. Any journalist knows we’re only as good as the folks who’ll talk to us, and I try to never take their generosity for granted. It’s rare that the person on the other end of the line is as excited as I am—particularly when they’re working overtime to save lives. Because of federal health privacy laws, if you recover from coronavirus your doctor can’t pass your name along. Which is where local media comes in: We’re the link between the folks in the labs and the people who unknowingly have a life-saving treatment pumping through their veins. Given all the medical jargon and PR-speak involved, I only pieced this dynamic together in the middle of a call with two local doctors working on the treatment. So this is why you need me? “Yes, yes, yes, yes,” one confirmed with joyful relief.

Like I said, a very humbling moment. Although we’re proud to bring a Beard Award finalist coffee writer to town to grade KC cafés or eat at fifty-plus barbecue restaurants to bring you a list of the city’s best, serious times demand that all journalists pitch in to deliver vital reporting about a pandemic that's reshaping our world. If you go back to our last all-encompassing national tragedy, 9/11, there were quadruple the number of journalists covering communities like ours. For those of us who are left, there’s a sacred obligation to get up every morning and share honest, important local news for the good of our community. That’s how I feel, anyway. So that’s what you’ll find woven throughout this issue and online at KansasCityMag.com. It’s also part of our mission to help you get out there and enjoy life, so after delaying our guide to easy regional day trips, we are pleased to help you (cautiously!) get out. Stay safe out there, and we thank you for the opportunity to serve you as journalists. If you appreciate what we do—stories we hope strike you as smart, useful and level-headed—you can support us by supporting our advertisers and by gifting subscriptions to others who’ll appreciate it. Unlike some other glossy magazines, which rely almost exclusively on direct mail marketing, we’re powered largely by subscriptions. Our publisher believes in our mission so much that she’s generously dropped our subscription price to five dollars for a whole year if you use the promo code “STAYSAFE” on our site. If you end up using it, know that you’ve done a small good turn for everybody involved. Sincerely,

Martin Cizmar, Editor in Chief martin@kansascitymag.com

NUMBERS FROM THIS MONTH’S ISSUE

100.4

2,233

$1,200

Degrees at which you officially have a fever

Population of Walt Disney’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri

Cost of a rare Nirvana shirt from a KC luxury vintage dealer

PA G E 2 2

PA G E 6 7

PA G E 7 6

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

Comment

S O C I A L C H AT T E R than we were back then. That is unacceptable in this day and age. I agree that a new normal will be that people will have N95 masks in their household for future use when they can get their hands on them and will probably be sure we have toilet paper, hand sanitizer, Clorox and flour on hand at all times.” — Susie Jones W H AT ’ S N E X T ?

Our May issue asked the question, “What’s next?” and featured interviews with a renowned historian of pandemics, several scientists, Mayor Quinton Lucas and a sports crisis expert who offered some predictions of the future of pro sports. Meanwhile, our website has continued to draw massive traffic with timely coverage of the crisis. Here’s what readers had to say in response to our May issue and our online news posts. “Your May 2020 issue of Kansas City arrived April 30. Congratulations. The new format is a superior publication!” — Dale Keith “Kansas City magazine is spreading panic and propaganda—stop this nonsense!” — Francine Gravino McCulloch “I enjoyed the article featuring [SUNY Stony Brook history professor and flu pandemic expert] Nancy Tomes’ perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic. I was disappointed, however, that the reporter prefaced a question with ‘You’re not a scientist…’ Dr. Tomes has a Ph.D. in history, and the Center for Disease Control trusts her analysis. As a historian, she conducts objective research to organize information, utilizes theory to derive conclusions and publishes explanations of the past to improve our present and future. This process is the definition of science! Although Dr. Tomes is not a medical doctor or chemist, she is a social scientist— to infer otherwise unnecessarily diminishes her authority on this matter.” — Todd Moenster “Very good article [on Dr. Tomes]. I was comparing it to the 1918 pandemic as well. One of the things that surprises me is after 100 years, we are less prepared

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

“I just know that my God is bigger than this virus. I respect those who choose not to open their business and want to wear a mask and weaken their immune system by breathing in carbon dioxide. I for one am not choosing that. I do take necessary precautions to keep others safe but my business is open and I cannot breathe with a mask on.” — Victoria MacDonald Thompson “Victoria, you are a lost soul. I know three people who have died from this. I have had it and it took me almost two months to recover. I have a friend whose stomach was ulcerated and they don’t know if it will heal. You are playing with fire and you need to respect those who have died and respect others by protecting them from the spit that shoots out of your mouth. Put on a mask. You are a walking weapon if you don’t wear a mask if you have the virus. I live on the Pennsylvania/ New Jersey border and it takes a few weeks once the cases start adding up, and then the real pain and grief come. You want to talk about being afraid to go to work? Kansas City needs to take care and lockdown because once it blows, it’s too late. If you can’t breathe with a mask on, you need to stay home. You are not taking precautions for anyone else. That’s a lie you’re telling yourself.” — Deborah Lovelace

READERS REACT TO...

Westport may close off roads to cars and turn it into a European-style pedestrian mall with on-street dining. THEY SAID... This could be a great idea for Westport. — JOHN STEIB

What a wonderful idea for the Plaza, also! — LORI LANG

How is that any better with people walking by? Just open them up at a lower capacity and quit holding our rights hostage! — KAY HEFNER

Your rights? Sorry, this is about lives saved, not rights. Like when parents make unpopular rules that kids disagree with? — KELLY MCFARLAND FLETCHER

Innovation. A bright spot in a crisis. Great idea. — KEN REVENAUGH

Love this idea. — PAM DISHMAN WIRKEN

I always thought this would be a fantastic outdoor gathering space. — KATHLEEN SPIKING

WRITE TO US:

Kansas City 11775 W. 112th St., Suite 200 Overland Park, Kan. 66210 P: (913) 469-6700 EMAIL: editor@kansascitymag.com

JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

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The Loop L E A D I N G T H E C O N V E R S AT I O N I N K A N S A S C I T Y

People Powered

The coronavirus pandemic has caused big changes in how people view public space. Across the country, activists and planners are eyeing streets and parks through a new lens, reallocating space designated to cars. In Kansas City, that means the likely closure of roads in places like Westport to make more room for patio dining (see page 92) and also to through-

Photo by Caleb Condit and Rebecca Norden

traffic on streets near overcrowded greenspaces. KCMO City Council has closed streets along the riverfront and next to the Trolly Track Trail to create â&#x20AC;&#x153;slow streets.â&#x20AC;? It is also allowing neighborhoods to apply for fee-free block party permits that ban all traffic aside from residents and deliveries so residents can get out and walk or bike. All that extra space means you can get some fresh air without sweating your social distancing, a welcome development in these troubled times.

JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

The Loop

HOW TO HELP

Donating Life Doctors think convalescent plasma could be a breakthrough treatment for COVID-19— and they need your help. BY M A RTIN CIZM A R

A F T E R M O N T H S O F B AT T L I N G C O V I D - 1 9 , there’s hope that doc-

tors may have found a groundbreaking treatment: convalescent plasma. Basically, that means transfusing donated blood from fully recovered patients into critically ill patients. If you’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19 and made a full recovery, doctors at Research Medical Center are eager to talk to you about donating blood. Here’s some deeper background on why the treatment is such an exciting development. Why is it so hard to treat COVID-19 patients? The reason SARS-CoV-2, the bug that causes the disease COVID-19, is so deadly is because it’s a novel disease that has never before infected the human population. Some of the most deadly epidemics throughout history have come from viruses like SARS-CoV-2, which jump from animals to humans, because our bodies have never before made antibodies optimized to battle the bug. “This has been a horrible disease to try to treat,” says Dr. Marjorie Wongskhaluang, an infectious disease expert at Research Medical Center. “The majority of people do OK and it’s not a problem. It’s just for this minority of patients—they don’t do OK and we see a rapid decline.” How do antibodies work? When our body battles a virus or bacteria, it makes Y-shaped proteins that neutralize them. Our body then stores a blueprint to make more of the same proteins should the need arise.

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

How can we get antibodies into patients battling the disease? Convalescent plasma short-cuts a patient’s immune response. Antibody-rich blood from a patient who has recovered is transfused into a patient battling the illness. Those antibodies will not reproduce, but they do appear to attack the virus and buy the patient more time to develop their own antibodies. Early studies have shown that the treatment is effective, which is why Wongskhaluang and transfusion medicine specialist Joseph Restivo started preparing to study it. “I think it seems like a very promising option for our patients,” says Wongskhaluang. “Before the FDA even approved it, we were kind of dabbling, thinking about how to get that started.” So why do these doctors need recovered patients to call them? Health privacy laws. Federal law prohibits your doctor from ringing up Wongskhaluang and Restivo to pass along your name as a potential donor. That means they’re entirely dependent on recovered patients reaching out to them to offer plasma donations. If you’re an eligible donor, when should you call? The sooner, the better. The tests for antibodies are not very reliable—in fact, Wongskhaluang and Restivo are not using those tests but rather looking for a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and the patient’s subsequent recovery. Tests have shown that almost all recovered patients have the number of antibodies doctors are looking for in blood to transfuse, known as the “titer level.” That means that if you’ve had the virus and recovered, you’re very likely able to help. What could the ultimate result be? This is very premature, but coronavirus antibody therapy could eventually be a shot instead of a transfusion. For some viruses, for example hepatitis B, patients are treated with an injection of antibodies. “I think it could eventually be something like a shot,” says Wongskhaluang. “If this ends up being as effective as we hope, we’ll need all the convalescent plasma we can get our hands on,” says Restivo. YOU CAN HELP: If you’ve had the coronavirus, please call HCA’s COVID-19 research study line at 833-582-1971 and follow the prompts to complete the survey.

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ment deputy director Frank Thompson says. “It may be the same physical face, but the routines and patterns are going to be different as a result of the situation that we’re in now.” Look to these expert tips to make the transition of heading back to the office a little easier.

Back To Work How to successfully transition back to the office after working from home. BY NI C O LE B R A D LE Y

W I T H T H E C I T Y ’ S P O S T- C O R O N A V I R U S pandemic reDID YOU K NOW ? The CDC considers a person to have a fever when he or she has a measured temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

opening plan in progress, many are starting to break out of their at-home work routines and get ready to return to the office. Transitioning from remote work life back to an office can be tough (take it from someone who’s done it). When you’re so used to wearing stretchy pants and snuggling your dog all day, the thought of leaving the house every day can be a little scary—especially when the risk of coronavirus still looms. “Walk in with the understanding that you’re not walking back into the same workplace that you left,” Kansas City Health Depart-

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

Health Let’s face the facts: The office is one of the germiest places you can encounter, coronavirus pandemic or not. According to WebMD, more than ten million bacteria live on a typical office desk—four hundred times more bacteria than found on the average toilet seat. Before bringing employees back into the workplace, the health department recommends that employers make sure all work spaces have been properly sanitized and that, once employees are back in the office, all high-touch surfaces like light switches, handrails and doorknobs are wiped clean multiple times a day using a disinfectant. “Wiping down those high-contact surfaces is crucial,” Thompson says. “That’s what we do here at the health department. We adjusted our contract with our maintenance crew so that every day, multiple times a day, they’re wiping down high-contact surfaces in our building.” When it’s your turn to head back into the office, Thompson says wearing a mask is strongly encouraged, though the department can’t enforce it at every office (it’s up to the employer). “Employers should either require or at least allow employees who want to wear masks to wear a mask,” he says. He also says it’s a smart idea to keep a no-touch thermometer on-hand at the office for employee use. The city is encouraging workplaces to keep a log of names and contact information of individuals who have been inside the establishment for more than ten minutes. That way, if a positive case is logged, the city can narrow down a list of everyone the infected individual could have exposed. Pets As many pet owners head back to the office, they leave furry friends back at home who have been loving the extra bonding time. Except for most cats, that is. “The way this transition will probably work is that dogs are going to hate it and cats are

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JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

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going to love it,” says Dr. Brad Twigg, veterinarian at Plaza Animal Clinic. He says that when Kansas City’s stay-at-home order started and many pet owners began working from home, his clinic saw a rise in cats with issues related to stress. Most dogs, on the other hand, are relishing in the extra time with their humans—so much so that Twigg has had an influx of dogs come in with sore muscles from longer and more frequent walks. In transitioning away from working from home, Twigg recommends that owners slowly start to leave dogs alone at home for a few hours at a time and monitor their food intake; considering most dogs are more active than normal right now, they’re probably hungrier. When owners go back to work, dogs will likely become more sedentary. If they continue eating like they’re living a super active lifestyle, they could gain weight and injure themselves. Keep feeding dogs the recommended amount of food for their size and breed. With most dog daycares and fencedin dog parks closed, chances are your pooch hasn’t socialized much with other dogs. Slowly ease them into the company of more pups before daycares and parks start to open. “Start taking them on walks through regular parks, where they’ll probably see other dogs,” Twigg says. “Then slowly introduce them to a dog park [when they open] or somewhere where they’ll be in more close quarters with other dogs.”

Fashion If you’ve been living in sweatpants and T-shirts for the past two months, you’re not alone. Molly Bingaman, founder and CEO of personal styling studio Ladybird, says that those transitioning from working at home to the office should take it slow. “Allow yourself a grace period,” she says. “Any time there’s like a major change in your life, you’re gonna see it show up in your style choices.” When Kansas City’s stay-at-home order started back in March, the climate was still in a typical Midwest winter-to-spring purgatory, leaving most of us in sweaters and jeans. And with most stores closed or at limited capacities, a spring wardrobe refresh hasn’t been in the cards for many. Before stuffing your online shopping cart, Bingaman first recommends assessing your current wardrobe. “Sometimes the biggest thing you can do is actually get rid of stuff you already have,” she says. “Then you can make investments in a smarter way rather than thinking, ‘I just need new stuff.’” Some people may also find that clothes fit a bit tighter and are not as comfortable as they were pre-quarantine—and that’s OK. Bingaman recommends wearing relaxed and forgiving fabrics like knit, which will make the transition from pajama pants to business casual attire a little easier. “There’s no one rule other than to pay attention to what your body wants to put on,” Bingaman says.

“Any time there’s like a major change in your life, you’re gonna see it show up in your style choices.” 24

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

S A F E S PA C E S “Normal” office life won’t be happening anytime soon at the city’s largest offices. Large corporate employers like Cerner, Hallmark and H&R Block are all using a phased process and, most are also keeping office cafeterias and gyms closed indefinitely. Cerner—with 14,000 employees, is the area’s largest private employer—is encouraging employees to wear masks when within six feet of another person or when in a common area and to use break rooms and bathrooms closest to their desks. They’re also urging that conference rooms be used at half capacity. H&R Block will start bringing employees back in groups of a hundred at a time starting June 1, and will continue every two weeks until all two-thousand employees are back in the office. Local banks including UMB and engineering firms like Burns & McDonnell are also looking to gradually bring employees back. T-Mobile has told employees to work from home if they can.

•

Divorce presents many financial concerns, but it can be especially worrying for business owners. Individuals invest more than time and money in entrepreneurial endeavors. They also put in a generous amount of blood, sweat and tears to bring their aspirations to life. • With your marriage ending, your business may feel like your center of gravity right now. The worry that you may lose control of it in the divorce may be keeping you up at night. Here is a breakdown of the most common options for dividing business assets. The method appropriate for you will depend on a number of factors, including how much of your business qualifies as mari- • tal property, how involved your spouse is in your endeavor and what precautions you took ahead of time. Options for asset division:

DEN

3 Ways Business Assets Can Be Divided In Divorce Proceedings

Keep the business and buy out your spouse. Unless a prenuptial agreement or other legal contract exists that locks your spouse out of the business, at least some portion of your business is going to qualify as marital property. That being said, the cleanest way to divide property and keep your business to yourself is to buy out your spouse’s interest. Sell the business. If you there is no way to buy out your spouse-and working with them as a business partner is not a viable option, you may consider selling the business and splitting the proceeds. Obviously, this is not ideal for someone who wants to continue in the business. But if negotiations do not go as you hope, this is a possible plan B. Share the business and the income. Peaceful co-ownership is rare but works for some spouses who part amicably. It allows both spouses to benefit from the business in an

ongoing capacity. However, this option might include emotional challenges along the way. Spouses with complex assets, like businesses, may have more to lose in a divorce. However, a legal professional can help the individuals involved make the right choices for their futures. On the bright side, business owners also possess the tools and means to launch a successful new beginning. Stange Law Firm, PC limits their practice to family law matters including divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, guardianship, adoption, mediation, collaborative law and other domestic relation matters. Stange Law Firm, PC gives clients 24/7 access to their case through a secured online case tracker found on the website. They also give their clients their cell phone numbers. Call for a consultation today at 855-8050595.

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IS IT TIME FOR YOUR CHILD’S DENTAL CHECK-UP? Schedule an appointment at one of our ﬁve convenient locations today! www.kidsmilekc.com/435

913.745.2500 SHAWNEE 913.764.5600 OLATHE 913.378.9610 PRAIRIE VILLAGE 913.387.3500 OVERLAND PARK 913.299.3300 KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Long before the farm-to-table concept Long before the farm-to-table concept Long before the farm-to-table concept became aa movement, Cedar Crest Lodge became movement, Cedar Crest Lodge became a movement, Cedar Crest Lodge cultivated own fruits, vegetables, cultivated its own fruits, vegetables, cultivated itsits own fruits, vegetables, herbs and other produce massive herbs and other produce in its massive herbs and other produce inin itsits massive 16,000-square-foot garden. 16,000-square-foot garden. 16,000-square-foot garden.

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30 ORDER NOW (816) 471-0400 / kcsymphony.org KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

June W H ER E YO U WA N T TO B E T H I S M O N T H

HEADS UP As the city starts to open back up, Powell Gardensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new exhibit is more relevant than ever. Head Outside features the work of seven ceramic artists within the horticultural displays at the Gardens. Before the pandemic hit, the planned exhibition was meant to reference the arrival of warm weather and enjoyment of the natural world. This spring, heading outside takes on a whole new meaning as many of us emerge from municipal stay-athome orders. A vignette of sculptures by Lawrence-based ceramic artist Nicole Rene Woodard was created during the shelter-in-place orders and conveys feelings of loneliness, melancholy, longing, contemplation and revelation that may accompany unfamiliar routines and being isolated indoors and away from loved ones. A gathered set of sculptures crafted by students at the Kansas City Art Institute embody diverse perspectives and explore how we are learning to care for ourselves and each other as we move through the world, and how that care is being reimagined each day. The giant head-shaped planters and succulent topiary on display in the gardens were made in response to the sculptural exhibit.

GO: Powell Gardens, 1609 US-50, Kingsville, Mo. Exhibit on display through June 21.

Head sculpture plantings designed by horticulturist David Breedlove. Photo by Samantha Levi

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June W H AT YO U WA N T T O D 0 T H I S M O N T H

it reenters the woods, but it’s easy enough to wander around the meadows for a bit before taking the trail back down to your car. From our experience, this trail is buggy, so bring along some repellent. GO: The south Monkey Mountain trailhead is on R D Mize Road near the intersection with Hardsaw Road. From I-70, take exit 24, go south on S. Buckner Tarsney Road, then east on R D Mize Road. The entrance is on the left, soon after you pass Hardsaw on the right. IF YOU LIKE SHAWNEE MISSION PARK IN SHAWNEE, TRY... WYANDOTTE COUNTY LAKE PARK

Lonely Trails KC’s top outdoor attractions are swarmed with people. Here are some less-busy alternatives. J U LIE BA B C O CK

I F Y O U ’ V E B E E N F O L L O W I N G social distancing recommenda-

tions for the past few months, you’re likely pretty stir-crazy by now. Warm, sunny summer days don’t do anything to help. That means it’s time to get outside. But if you’ve been near any of Kansas City’s most popular parks of late, you’ve likely noticed you’re not alone in the desire to get outside. In fact, some local parks are busier than grocery stores. The goods news is that the Kansas City metro area has a lot of green space—almost one hundred thousand feet of green space per person, the second highest rate in the nation behind Minneapolis. For perspective, St. Louis ranks seventh in the nation, but residents there have only about half the space we do. People in Miami, Portland, Dallas and Cleveland have about a tenth the green space Kansas Citians enjoy. So if you want to feel a fresh breeze without worrying about how close the neighboring picnic blanket is to yours, there are plenty of options.

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

IF YOU LIKE BURR OAK WOODS NATURE PRESERVE IN BLUE SPRINGS, TRY… MONKEY MOUNTAIN Monkey Mountain is what they call a hill on the outskirts of Grain Valley and the forest preserve surrounding it. It’s not a mountain, and there are no monkeys, but it is popular with horseback riders and hikers looking for a little solitude. Start on the south side of this out-and-back trail, where you’ll make a steep climb up a dirt and rock (or, if it’s rainy, mud and rock) trail to the summit. The view is worth the extra effort—once you’ve made it to the top, you’ll see miles of grassy meadows framed by lush forests and distant hills. The trail can be tough to follow when

At 1,600 acres, Shawnee Mission Park has plenty of room to stretch your legs. But the beaches and picnic areas get very busy on nice weekends, pandemic or not. Head north to Wyandotte County Lake Park and you’ll find a 1,500-acre park with similar amenities and smaller crowds. Wyandotte County Lake Park is a hidden gem—even among KCK residents. A Kansas City Star outdoor writer recently called it “the best of our most underappreciated outdoor places.” Your best walks will come on the nearly nine-mile long loop trail that follows the shores of the park’s namesake lake. It’s hilly in places and also used by mountain bikers and equestrians, but it’s well-kept and offers some impressive viewpoints. GO: From the western side of the I-435 loop, take exit 15A for KS-5 S/Leavenworth Road. Go east two miles to 91st Street. Go north on 91st Street to enter the park.

wind through northeast Kansas City’s Kessler Park will satisfy. They have a similar feel to Riverfront Heritage Trail, but instead of being right along the Missouri River, the trails let you look down at it. The four-and-a-half-mile stretch of Cliff Drive State Scenic Byway will take you right through the most scenic

IF YOU LIKE THE TROLLY TRACK TRAIL FROM THE PLAZA TO WALDO, TRY...THE LITTLE BLUE TRACE TRAIL FROM LEE’S SUMMIT TO INDEPENDENCE Kansas City’s beloved Trolley Track Trail goes through some of the city’s most attractive neighborhoods, but it has gotten so crowded that the city has closed several surrounding streets to make more room (see page 19). You’ll find a similarly scenic ride on a crushed limestone trail—but without the crowds— at the Little Blue Trace Trail. The fifteen-mile-long trail sits east of Independence and ribbons along the Little Blue River. Like Trolley Track, the trail passes through a few

urban areas among its many quiet, desolate spots. You’ll come across bridges, old train trestles and even wildlife like wild turkeys, turtles and native wildflowers. GO: There are a number of trailheads, but we like the one behind Saints Pub & Patio of Independence (there are restrooms at nearby businesses and an ice cream shop nearby). Take I-70 west to the Little Blue Parkway exit, then go north off the freeway and take the first left into the plaza. IF YOU LIKE THE RIVERFRONT IN KCMO, TRY…KESSLER PARK If you’re looking for a quiet riverfront trail within an urban setting, the trails that

Wyandotte County Lake Park

Photos of Monkey Mountain and Little Blue Trace Trail by Julie Babcock. Photos of Wyandotte County Lake Park and Kessler Park courtesy of the park’s Facebook pages.

areas of the park, like the Cliff Drive waterfall, limestone bluffs and breathtaking overlooks. The paved road is smooth and wide enough for vehicles but is now closed to traffic. If you’re walking or running uphill on any parts of the trail, try to stay on the right side—bikers will zoom downhill and around turns at rapid speed. GO: Take I-670 east to US 71 north. Turn right off Admiral Boulevard exit. Turn left onto The Paseo and follow to Missouri Avenue. Park on the street and look for a stone gate with large boulders blocking traffic—that’s Cliff Drive.

IF YOU LIKE LOOSE PARK, TRY…THE OLD SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL With its rose garden, duck pond, rolling fields and perfect hammock trees, Loose Park is arguably the best outdoor space in the city. That’s no secret, which

is why the park has been overrun this spring as stircrazy Kansas Citians descend on it in droves. The good news: You can find a quiet oasis of urban greenspace just two miles south on Wornall Road. KCMO’s long-shuttered Southwest High School sits in the heart of Brookside, adjacent to the Trolly Track Trail, and the grounds are kept in tip-top shape. The fields and track surrounding the school are great for a picnic, frisbee game or running your dog, and you can grab takeout refreshments a few blocks away. GO: Southwest High School is at 65th Street and Wornall. It won’t show up in mapping software, so if you’re going, plug in St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church one block north.

IF YOU LIKE THOMAS STOLL PARK, TRY... CORPORATE WOODS NORTH PARK Thomas Stoll Park in south Overland Park is one of Johnson County’s favorites— the dog park is especially beloved—but it’s been busy during the pandemic. Meanwhile, the office parks of Corporate Woods are nearly deserted, and the large, densely wooded park separating the office buildings from the I-435 freeway is lightly populated. The park has a loose network of paved trails that follow Indian Creek as well as grassy patches where you can toss a frisbee without worrying about keeping your distance. You will encounter the freeway noise throughout your walk, but it doesn’t seem to bother the animals frolicking in the little urban forest. GO: The park is nestled in the southeast corner of the intersection of I-435 and U.S. 69. From I-435, take the Antioch exit and go south, then immediately head west onto Indian Creek Parkway. The park’s parking lots will be on the north side of the street.

JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

Sway C U R AT I N G A B E A U T I F U L L I F E

Connecting Dots Every summer, a sandal trend emerges from the trenches of winter. Last year, sporty sandals under nineties-popular brands like Teva and Chacos made a comeback. The year before that, pancake-flat slides of every color and brand were everywhere. This summer, the classic Birkenstock sandal we know and love gets a facelift: These Arizona-style platforms are the perfect mix between sophisticated and playful. Plus, you know they’re comfortable because they’ve got Birkenstock’s signature cork footbed above an ultra-light and very elastic platform that adds extra cushioning and a stylish lift. Arizona Birko-Flor Chunky, $120, Birkenstock

Photo provided by Birkenstock

JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

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Suit Yourself In conversation with the founders of Lenexa-based women’s swimwear company Helen Jon BY NI C O LE B R A D LE Y

ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST

successful swimwear lines was founded right here in landlocked Kansas City. In 2012, acquaintances-turnedfriends Gwyn Prentice and Missy Neville recognized that comfortable and stylish women’s swimsuits were few and far between. So they did something about it. “We came up with Helen Jon swimwear because it was really hard to find attractive and highquality women’s swimwear that offered coverage at the same time,” Gwyn says. “We tried to bridge that and create swimwear that we, ourselves, wanted to wear.” That was eight years ago. Today, Lenexa-headquartered Helen Jon is thriving, selling in resorts around the world and being worn by celebrities like Reese Witherspoon, which led to a business partnership with the actress’ southern-style clothing line, Draper James, last year. We caught up with the founders of the international fashion line just in time for this year’s swimsuit season.

What was the biggest challenge in getting Helen Jon off the ground? Missy: There was a huge learning curve. This was not our background, so we were lucky enough to have met wonderful people, like our production manager LeeAnn Stevens, early on. She was at a turning point in her career at the time. It was really just about building a great team, and that has a lot to do with our success. To this day, we still have a really wonderful, collaborative team. Gwyn: It’s funny because we started out as all female and we’re still all female. Missy: Which was not by design, at all.

What was the turning point of the successful company that Helen Jon is today? Gwyn: It’s hard to say. I mean, it took a while—it was probably about four years into when we started. We showed up to the first swim show without any appointments to meet with buyers. At the time, we didn’t really realize that that was the way to go to a swim show: You wanted to have your appointments lined up before you got there. Missy: I told Gwyn that if we could ever get into Little Dix Bay resort in Virgin Gorda of the British Virgin Islands, I feel like we will have arrived. And it hap-

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

pened to be our first order. It’s one of my favorite resorts ever, so that was a huge success. It was very exciting.

Is it hard to run a swimsuit line in Kansas City—to be drawing up swimsuit plans while there’s snow on the ground? Missy: I think that’s one of the things that makes us stand out. We are not from the coast. We have a different perspective going into it. We know what we’re looking for, so we really bring something different to the marketplace.

Recently, Helen Jon has added nonmedical masks to their inventory. Can you tell me more about that? Gwyn: We have some very high quality supplies like swimwear fabric, cups and elastic. In a lot of ways, it felt wasteful to have those supplies, along with factories that we could quickly ramp up and warehouse space, all sitting idle. Our production manager, LeeAnn, designed a face mask using our current supplies. Obviously, we want to keep everyone safe. It was interesting trying to do this. A lot of the sewers put up sheets to make sure that they keep their distance from one another. But the factories are up and moving, and we’re shipping. We’re also donating about five hundred masks to Children’s Mercy Hospital.

ABOVE: Each print in Helen Jon’s latest collection was hand painted, colored and developed.

Celebs Shop Luxury Vintage Clothes in KC / Chefs Share Kitchen Hacks

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06.2020

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Father’s Day Gift Guide Our editor, a dad, on what you should buy your dad this year. BY M A RTIN CIZM A R

Noise-canceling Headphones

Flat-bottomed Carbon Steel Wok Does dad like to grill? Well, it might be time for him to try his hand at a carbon steel wok. Woks generate tastes you can’t get off the stovetop by quickly searing in flavor at extra-high temperatures. Flat-bottomed carbon steel woks (avoid any type of non-stick coating—it’s not safe for this) work well on a grill that’s at its highest setting, finishing stir fry in a few shakes of the wrist. World Market, $60

I have a friend who reviews headphones for Wired. I also have a five-year-old and neighbors who think they’re still living back on the farm in Iowa. “What are the best noise-canceling headphones on the market?” I asked my friend. These Sonys are his pick. They aren’t cheap, and they don’t work with Siri, but they have a thirty-hour battery life and the best noise-canceling chip in the business. I’ll take two, in case the battery gets low. Sony WH1000XM3, $350

Beer Glass for Hazy IPAs Today’s ultra-aromatic hazy IPAs demand glassware that can do those mountains of late-addition hops justice, and the JuicYY is built to channel those aromatics to your nose. The bulbous glass has a solid base to keep it steady without warming your beer with your hand, and the tulip top is elegant and effective. JuicYY, $40

Hand-pump Espresso Maker Last year, I included the Aeropress in the Father’s Day gift guide. Someone sent me a note encouraging me to try this handpump espresso maker, which is a decided upgrade. This nifty little gadget actually generates up to 18 bars of pressure with eight easy pumps. As far as high quality at-home espresso goes, you’re not going to get close to this without dropping some serious coin. Do be careful filling the shot cup, though, as it’s easy to spill boiling water on your hand. Nanopresso, $60

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

Bison Leather Slippers

Fitted Retro Ballcap

As a very demanding consumer of slippers, like most fathers, I’m always on the lookout for a fresh pair with a soft interior and a thin but durable sole optimized for strolling my manse. These bison leather slippers from L.L. Bean are just the ticket—the doublelayered hide is built to conform to the shape of your foot while providing warmth and protection. L.L. Bean, $110

’47 makes the best ball caps in the business, and its latest is a homerun. It’s a retro-look relaxed wash cap that’s fitted (size small to double extra large) to your head. The cotton twill has raised embroidery, the cap is green under the visor and they somehow stuffed two recycled plastic pop bottles into the fabric on this thing. ’47 Franchise New, $40

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When you’re ready, we’re ready.

We’re really looking forward to seeing you again. And we want you to know – whether you’re checking in for a check-up, needing a knee replacement, or making time for a mammogram, we’re taking every measure to keep you and your family safe when you’re here. • Social distancing in all our facilities • Temperature checks at every entrance • Masks worn by all team members and visitors • Frequent sanitizing of all spaces • Designated area for those suspected of having or those positive for COVID-19 • Limited visitation

Let’s start healing. AdventHealth.com

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

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Home Free How a fixer-upper veteran found destiny in a nearly turnkey property. BY NI C O LE B R A D LE Y | PH OTOS BY M EG A N WILSO N

I T WA S N ’ T W H AT S H E P L A N N E D , but Megan Wilson knew it was destiny. The blogger had built a steady following on her website, Life on Shady Lane, where she documented her and her husband’s DIY remodeling projects in their fixer-upper on the blog’s namesake street in the Northland. Eventually, the couple decided they might like to start from scratch and build a house for their family of four. “We purchased a lot,” Wilson says. “We had floor plans ready to go. And then a couple of things happened where it just didn’t feel right anymore.” So Wilson started checking out home listings. When she saw this turnkey home for the first time, she knew it was the one. The layout of the home, natural light and lovable rustic features all seemed to make perfect sense for her and her family. It was the opposite of a fixer-upper, but it was perfect for her. Since then she’s been working on the details. “Since our last house was just a complete fixer-upper, we had so much to do inside,” Wilson says. “We didn’t get the opportunity to do fun stuff outside. Now we can.”

1 BACKSPLASH The shiny metallic oval-shape tile backsplash is a headturner and strays far from the typical white rectangular subway tile backsplash seen in most kitchens today. This one strikes a favorable contrast with the horizontal textured stone wall above the cabinets.

PA N T R Y

TA B L E

When choosing a table for the dining space, Wilson wanted something that offset the masculine elements, like the dark wood and black metal framing in the room’s doorway. “I wanted a table that felt a little more on the feminine side,” she says. “This table has pretty little details carved into it, which really stood out to me.”

“I love the bold border around this pantry,” Wilson says. “It makes it feel really prominent.” The pantry, which is painted more of a pearl than stark white, is big enough to walk into and has a display shelf on the top.

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

LIGHT FIXTURES

One of many things the previous homeowners nailed when revamping this home: light fixtures. These industrial-type ones are light switch-operated but look like glowing candles, which set a calming tone in the space.

4 1

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1 CURVY FURNITURE This room is right off the kitchen, and it’s where Wilson’s little ones spend a lot of their time. She was cognizant of putting round-edged furniture in this space along with having a soft rug and leaving room for her kids to play on the floor. 2 R E C L I N E R S “For some reason, recliners are the most difficult piece of furniture for me to buy,” she says. “I was so happy when I found these at Nebraska Furniture Mart—they’re stylish and very comfy. I got matching ones so the kids don’t fight over them.”

ISLAND

The island countertop is a sealed wood similar in color to the beams above it that the light fixtures hang from. The barstool chairs came from the family’s old home and happened to match perfectly with these countertops. The kitchen island’s metal surface is great for Wilson’s busy home, as it wipes clean fairly easily. 4 H I D D E N ST O R A G E Wilson’s kids use this storage space as a blanket fort and—quite adorably— call it their “garage.”

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

5 DEN This den is a half level lower than the rest of the house but can be seen from the kitchen. The wood wall draws your eye down toward that room. “The fireplace was kind of my starting point in this room,” Wilson says. “It’s such a prominent feature, so I used it to figure out what other furniture to put in here.” Again, Wilson balances the more masculine features, like the wood wall and the sleek black fireplace, with feminine touches, like the bulbous gold coffee table and rounded mirror. The blue tribal-print chair mixes a modern vibe into the room.

JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

Av i a t i o n

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NATIONALLY RANKED. LOCALLY BASED. Mariner Wealth Advisors has been nationally ranked in the top four RIA Firms from 2019 - 2016 by Barron’s. While we are thrilled with this recognition, we believe the true measure of our success is helping our clients arrive at their financial destination.

Because putting clients first isn’t just our motto – it’s our mission.

Why not have a conversation with a top-ranked firm? 913-904-5700 | www.marinerwealthadvisors.com 5700 W. 112th St., Suite 200, Overland Park, KS 66211 *Barron’s awarded the 2019 #4 and 2018 #3 Top RIA Firms rankings to Mariner Wealth Advisors based on data compiled for Mariner Wealth Advisors and the 2017 #2 and 2016 #1 rankings to Mariner Holdings based upon data compiled for Mariner Holdings’ registered investment adviser subsidiaries. The number of firms included in the rankings were: 20 (2016), 30 (2017), 40 (2018) and 50 (2019). Barron’s publishes rankings based upon a number of criteria and the firms’ filings with the SEC were used to cross-check the data provided. The listing includes numbers of clients, employees, advisors, offices and state locations. The award is not indicative of future performance and there is no guarantee of future investment success. For additional information visit www.barrons.com. Mariner Wealth Advisors (“MWA”) is an SEC registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in the State of Kansas. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. MWA is in compliance with the current notice filing requirements imposed upon registered investment advisers by those states in which MWA maintains clients. MWA may only transact business in those states in which it is notice filed or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from notice filing requirements. Any subsequent, direct communication by MWA with a prospective client shall be conducted by a representative that is either registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration in the state where the prospective client resides. For additional information about MWA, including fees and services, please contact MWA or refer to the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). Please read the disclosure statement carefully before you invest or send money. JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to embrace a new outlook on aging. Start a new chapter, a fresh adventure. Take care of yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually. Now is the time to live on your terms.

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S A F E T Y

P R O T E C T YO U R S K I N

Throw on a hat and sun-protective clothing if you’re planning on spending time outside. Clothing should have an ultraviolet protection factor of fiftyplus. Long sleeves will protect your skin from UV rays, bugs and plant brush. E L E VAT E Y O U R GARDEN BEDS

Vertical gardens are super-trendy this season, and they’ll keep you from bending up and down repeatedly to care for your plants. Cucumbers, beans, squash and tomatoes all grow well vertically. Also try raised garden beds—the walls act as a built-in bench so you don’t have to squat to tend to your garden. P R AC TI C E G O O D F O R M

Come Up Roses Gardening can be taxing on your body. Here are some tips to make it easier.

A R D E N I N G I S N ’ T J U S T good for curb appeal; it’s also good for your health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, light gardening and yard work can burn an average of three hundred and thirty calories per hour, and numerous studies have shown that playing in the dirt does wonders for your mental health. But for all gardening’s benefits (like beautiful garden beds and fruitful veggie gardens), it can be strenuous on your body if you don’t take the right precautions. Follow these simple tips to save your body while tending to your yard.

C O N S U LT Y O U R D O C T O R

AV O I D H E AV Y P O T S

If you’ve had a recent change in health, speak with your doctor before you even step into your garden clogs. A doctor or physical therapist may even provide warmup stretches to get your body ready for garden activity and help prevent injuries.

Instead of filling container gardens to the brim with potting soil, use a lightweight filler at the bottom of the pot, like packing peanuts or nursery pots, to save soil and your back. Separate the filler from the soil with landscape fabric.

KANSAS CITY J U N E 2020

When using tools in your garden, keep movements close to your body to prevent injury: Your elbows should be kept close when digging and your back relatively straight. When kneeling, use a knee pad or stool to protect your knees. Space out fine-motor tasks, like pruning and pinching, so that you’re not putting too much work in at once. Lastly, bend at your knees instead of your back, especially when lifting something heavy off the ground. KEEP WEEDS FA R AWAY

Pulling weeds is labor-intensive, so avoiding it altogether is ideal. To reduce the risk of weeds creeping into your garden, lay down mulch to choke them out—just be sure to use a wheelbarrow when transporting the mulch to your bed. H AV E H E L P O N Y O U

Keep a fully charged cell phone in your pocket when you’re in the garden. That way, if you’re in a situation where you’re in dire need of help, you have a way to reach someone.

There’s a lot to love about Tallgrass Creek. Just ask Karen. After her first visit to Tallgrass Creek, Karen knew this was the place she wanted to be! Located on 65 stunning acres in Overland Park, this vibrant senior living community offers independent living, plus additional care should you ever need it. Today, Karen’s enjoying an active retirement with friends and neighbors who feel like family.

Get your FREE brochure. Call 1-800-304-2159 today.

“I fell in love with the place and the people.”

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– Karen Keenan, Tallgrass Creek resident

Overland Park | TallgrassCreek.com

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T I P S

In-Tune Older generations are relying more and more on technology as life continues to move online. We’ve laid out a few techy devices and services to start with.

this is where sensors and health and activity monitors are shared with your doctor via a secure portal for tracking. FO O D D E LIV E RY S E RVI C E S

WEARABLES

Wearable fitness trackers carry a constant reminder of fitness metrics, such as the number of steps walked each day or the quality of sleep every night. With this information, adjustments can be made and a healthier lifestyle can be achieved. Newer Apple Watch models also have a heart-tracking app, fall detection capability and an emergency SOS feature.

As you get older, it can be difficult to keep up with regular grocery store trips and preparing and cooking meals. Meal kit delivery services take a majority of the hassle out of prepping meals; most meal kits deliver straight to your doorstep and include all the ingredients and instructions you need to make a healthy meal—no chopping or mincing required. Online grocery delivery services like Instacart have also boomed during the coronavirus pandemic and bigger retailers like Walmart and Hy-Vee have hopped on the delivery bandwagon.

TELEMEDICINE

For many seniors, leaving home to go to a doctor’s appointment can pose all sorts of risks—especially in today’s climate. See if your doctor offers telemedicine services so you can virtually communicate with physicians over phone calls or video chats. Remote monitoring is also gaining popularity;

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V O I C E A C T I VAT I O N DEVICES

Artificial intelligence devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home have so many capabilities (aside from playing Jeopardy and telling jokes), including turning off the lights and adjusting the thermostat, which can be helpful for

those with limited mobility. Plus, how great is it that you can listen to music or the radio or check the weather with a quick command? Voice activation systems are also practical for those who live alone in the case that they find themselves in a situation where they need help but can’t get to their phone. You can also set reminders on your devices for all sorts of tasks, like taking medication at a certain time or calling your grandson for his birthday. E-READERS AND AU D I O BO O KS

For some, nothing beats the feeling of a book in your hand. But let’s be honest— some books are heavy and hard to hold. This is one reason why electronic readers are becoming increasingly popular with older generations. With e-readers, all book buying and library borrowing can be done virtually. On most e-readers, you can enlarge fonts, but if you find that reading is starting to strain your eyes, audiobooks have also become super accessible online and available through most libraries.

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OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU At a time when seniors are afraid to leave their homes, we want to help by offering ours! As a resident at Silvercrest at Deer Creek, you will:

• Receive an extensive health screen prior to move-in • Have access to a network of healthcare professionals • Get daily meals prepared by the community culinary team • Receive complimentary housekeeping services • Have transportation to medical appointments • Gain a built-in social network of friends • Receive daily well-checks, and access to assistance as needed

Virtual tours available!

CALL TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION

913.355.6353

13060 Metcalf | Overland Park, KS | SilvercrestDeerCreek.com

SAFETY | SECURITY | SUPPORT | happiness

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M E D I TAT I O N

Meditation has numerous benefits, stress reduction among them. The goal of meditation is to tune out the rest of the world to focus on your mind and breath in silence. If you don’t know where to start or are having a hard time finding that peace that everyone raves about, have someone talk you through it in a guided meditation practice, which can be streamed on YouTube or through the Headspace app. PUZZLES

If you’re stressed out about something out of your control, distract yourself with a puzzle. There are infinite types of puzzles—jigsaw, logic, crossword—but they all have one thing in common: There’s a clear end goal. So instead of thinking about the things you can’t control, think about the things you can, like a puzzle, and let the outside world go quiet while you focus. YO G A

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Yoga powerfully combines stretching, breathing and strength training with philosophies of self-compassion and awareness. It gives you the chance to slow down and focus on nothing but your breath and movements. Chair yoga is a calming and accessible alternative to sometimes labor-intensive downdogs and chaturangas. SENSE OF COMMUNITY

Stress Less Find your sense of calm with these tips.

S T H E W O R L D S L O W LY returns to normal post-coronavirus

outbreak, there are a lot of unknowns. Maybe you haven’t been able to see your family in a few months, or maybe your routine is off track and you don’t know how to bounce back from it. Stress levels are especially high. But there are ways to help combat it. Whatever you do, don’t ignore major symptoms of stress. If you’re experiencing out-of-ordinary pains or illnesses, major mood swings, sleeping problems, memory issues, poor judgment or an unfounded change in eating habits, get in touch with your doctor.

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A strong social support network is a huge factor in mental health and lowering stress. Start a book club, volunteer or join a hobby meet-up group to find a community of your own. If you live far from your family, try to schedule periodic video calls over FaceTime or Zoom. GOOD FOOD

What goes into your body can have a direct link to whatever you’re feeling, including stress and anxiety. Nutrient-rich foods like whole grain bread, fatty fish, yogurt, nuts, avocados and even dark chocolate all have properties that fight stress hormones. If you’re feeling particularly stressed, drink a soothing warm cup of your favorite noncaffeinated tea blend.

Art and nature are always available At Crystal Bridges and the Momentary

Crystal Bridges | Five centuries of American art The Momentary | Contemporary visual & performing arts

DRIVE TIME:

1 TO4 HOURS

16 SUMMER

G E TAWAY

STIR-CRAZY YET? AFTERNEARLY THREEMONTHSOF SOCIAL DISTANCING, THAT'STOBEEXPECTED. ANDYET, THINGSAREN'T EXACTLY BACKTONORMAL. NEVERFEAR, WE'REHERETOHELPWITH16 GREAT DAY TRIPSFROM KANSASCITY. WEPICKEDSPOTSTHAT ARESAFELY SPACIOUS—THINKSECLUDEDHIKES, PRAIRIEGHOST TOWN ANDMASSIVEEARTHENMOUNDS—BUTWHICHOFFEREXCITEMENT, FRESHAIRANDMUCH-NEEDEDCHANGESOF SCENERY. GET OUT THERE, BUT REMEMBERTOUSECOMMONSENSEANDFOLLOWCDCGUIDELINES.

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We’ve selected 16 of the best day trips between one and four hours from KC. They’re broken up by four themes: culture, food, adventure and history. They’re organized by distance, starting with trips that are just an hour from town. There are four adventures in each direction and for each theme. So if you’re headed east, we’ve got four adventures on the way with four different themes; if you’re into food, we’ve got four adventures in different directions. Have fun out there!

Photo by Rebecca Norden and Caleb Condit

day TRIPS

CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE

HA HA TONKA STATE PARK

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HOME OF THE BRAVE: JOHN BROWN' S HEROICS IN KANSAS ADORN THE ROTUNDA OF THE STATE CAPITOL IN A MURAL BY JOHN STEUART CURRY.

SOUTH: HISTORY

Retrace the footsteps of an iconic American freedom fighter in Osawatomie.

NORTH: ADVENTURE

The best hiking in the KC area is up in Weston.

Visit O’Malley’s Pub. The historic bar sits six stories below the limestone bones of the old Weston Brewing company, which dates back to the mid-1800s.

A F T E R A M O B executed an abolitionist minister,

John Brown vowed to “consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery.” He achieved that through martyrdom following his failed plot to raid a Virginia armory and free African Americans held in bondage across the South. But Brown first took up arms in defense of black personhood while living in a small cabin in the rural Kansas town of Osawatomie. There, the man who would become an icon of freedom engaged in battles during the “Bleeding Kansas” era, starting with his bold leadership in bringing frontier justice to some of the thugs responsible for the sacking of the peaceful abolitionist settlement of Lawrence. Of all Brown’s heroics, the most impressive may be the skirmish documented on the signs at the John Brown Memorial Park in Osawatomie, where he led a severely outnumbered group of freedom fighters to a draw against a militia led by Missouri slaver John W. Reid. —Martin Cizmar GO: From I-35 south, take the exit for Route 169 in

Olathe and follow south for 30 miles to Osawatomie. T O S TA N D O N A R O C K Y Missouri bluff while experi-

encing breathtaking views of rolling green hills, you need to take the quick trip up to Weston. Weston Bend State Park has a few walking trails, but West Ridge Trail is the best: A large portion of the trail abuts the Missouri River and gives hikers sweeping views of the flowing water and the other side of the state line. West Ridge’s two-and-a-half-mile loop is moderately difficult with a few steep elevation changes, but the trail itself is pretty smooth. Still, it’s smart to be on the lookout for exposed roots, rocks and mini mudslides after a rainfall. West Ridge easily connects to Harpst Trail and Paved Bicycle Loop. If you take the long loop through all three trails, it’ll take you about two-and-a-half hours. There’s a lookout point a few feet from the West Ridge Trailhead— we recommend saving this for the end of your hike as a reward for your efforts. The scenic overlook, a planked deck tapered around a tree, gives panoramic views of the state-line river and Fort Leavenworth’s imperial-looking clocktower. —Nicole Bradley GO: From I-29 north, take the Tracy exit to 273 west

and follow signs for Weston Bend State Park. Follow the park road to the last parking lot, where you will find the trailhead.

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Left: Photo courtesy John Brown House Facebook page; Right: Photo by Rebecca Norden and Caleb Condit

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WESTON BEND STATE PARK

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FARM STOCK: MISSOURI TOWN 1855' S RESIDENT MISSOURI MULE IS THE OFFSPRING OF A FEMALE HORSE AND MALE DONKEY.

TRAVEL NECESSITIES

Things are still a little crazy out there right now—you may find that public facilities you’d expect to rely on in places like parks are closed or unsafe. Be selfreliant by bringing essentials with you. Bottled water • Toilet paper and trowel • Hand sanitizer or soap, extra water and paper towels • Masks • Gloves • Granola bars or other snacks • Bug repellent • Sunscreen

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1900 BARKER, LAWRENCE

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EAST: CULTURE

WHILE YOU’RE THERE:

Left: Photo by Rebecca Norden and Caleb Condit; Right: Photo by Jerry Olschki

Right outside the park you’ll find Jazzy B's Diner, which has both traditional KC ’cue and seafood. We like the funky blue cheese potato salad and a saucy brisket sandwich.

WEST: FOOD

Get nationally recognized bread in charming downtown Lawrence.

Walk through the earliest era of KC at Missouri Town 1855. AT F L E M I N G PA R K in eastern Jackson County,

you can glimpse KC life in another era. That starts on the way into Missouri Town 1855, where the buffalo roam, and continues inside the thirty acres set aside for the park. In these idyllic pastures, you’ll find antebellum homes and barns moved here for preservation, along with a working blacksmith shop firing a coal furnace and a dry goods store stocked with period products, some of which are for sale. When the park is open, expect to find reenactors dressed in period garb playfully encouraging you to vote in a mock election or giving a brief history of the Missouri mule. —Martin Cizmar GO: Head east on I-70 or I-45 to I-470, then take

exit 10A for Colbern Road. Follow signs to the park.

1 9 0 0 B A R K E R I S A T I N Y bakery and

coffee shop owned and operated by the Petrehn brothers—Taylor, the baker, and Reagan, the coffee guy. It’s just five years old and has been nominated for James Beard Awards the past three years, making it the only Lawrence establishment to have ever garnered a nomination for the prestigious national food awards. From the outside, there’s not much to call your attention. The small white building was once home to a laundromat. The unremarkable exterior belies the wonders within. Before you pass through the glass door at 1900 Barker, a tempting scent will reach you—a subtly sweet yeasty aroma that somehow smells the way a warm hug feels. Inside, it’s a sight to behold. There’s a glass pastry case

filled with impossibly golden, manylayered croissants, pretty galettes finished with fresh fruit and perfect mini quiches. Behind the counter, racks and racks are stacked with an endless supply of naturally leavened bread, including long baguettes, oval olive and rosemary loafs, chunky hunks of cranberry almond, dark squares of Danish rye and round wheels of seeded multigrain sourdough. If you’d like your pick of the daily offerings, get to the shop early and be prepared for a short wait. It’s well worth it. —Natalie Gallagher GO: Head west on I-70 to Lawrence

and follow signs for downtown. From Massachusetts Avenue, go two blocks east on 19th Street to 1900 Barker.

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SPAGHETTI WESTERN: ITALIANS WERE ALSORECRUITEDTOWORK INPITTSBURG'S COAL MINES—YOU'LL NOTE LOCAL FRIEDCHICKENSPOTS ALSOSELL SPAGHETTI.

NORTH: HISTORY

The site of a brutal bludgeoning spree is now open to thrill-seekers and paranormal investigators. sits a house that would be completely unassuming if it weren’t for the sign in the yard reading “Ax Murder House.” On June 10, 1912, eight people were bludgeoned to death here. It’s believed that the killer(s) hid out in the attic while waiting for the family to return home from a church function. After everyone fell asleep, the killer(s) emerged and bludgeoned Josiah and Sarah Moore, their four children and two young girls spending the night. The investigation yielded a number of suspects, but nobody was ever convicted, and the case remains unsolved to this day. The house was a rental for many years before being restored to its original condition in the nineties—the owners removed the electricity, plumbing and garage and added an outhouse, chicken coop and barn. The house has been the subject of a number of books and movies and has been featured on paranormal docu-reality shows such as Ghost Adventures and Most Terrifying Places in America.

Today, the house operates as a museum and tourist attraction. Visitors can take tours during the day for ten dollars. The tour includes a video and a quick lesson on the history of the house. Then the tour guide will leave you and your group alone with the house—and whatever other residents may still be there. For true thrill seekers and paranormal enthusiasts, a group of six or fewer can reserve the entire house for overnight tours and investigations for just four hundred twenty-eight. —Ethan Evans

GO: Take I-29 north to St. Joseph, then take exit 56A to get onto US-71 north and

go 66 miles to Villisca. Take a right on High Street, a right on 5th Avenue and then a left onto East 2nd Street.

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Left: Photo courtesy Villisca Ax Murder House Facebook page; Center: Photo by Martin Cizmar; Right: Photo courtesy Chicken Annie's Facebook page

IN THE TINY IOWA town of Villisca

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SOUTH: FOOD

A new hatchling joins the generations-old chicken fight in a Kansas mining town. I T ’ S N O S E C R E T that for the past eighty years, the town of Pittsburg, Kansas, has been embodied in a fried chicken feud. After their husbands were injured in the dangerous coal mines that dominated the local economy at the time, two women—one named Mary, the other Annie—started rival fried chicken stands a few hundred feet away from each other on a country road. You may not know that they’re still squabbling down in Southeast Kansas. Today, the rivalry between the originals on the rural north side of town seems to have cooled while a fresher fight between Chicken Annie’s Original and Pichler's Chicken Annie's has picked up steam. As with any small-town feud, it’s not something an outsider can get to the bottom of while parachuting in (“Oh, we all get along great!” said one server; “Too many chiefs and not enough Indians,” grumbled another), but the good news for road-tripping diners is that you don’t really need to pick a side.

CHICKEN ANNIE' S PITTSBURG, KANSAS

Mary’s, Annie’s and the other Annie’s all make basically the same lightly seasoned brand of bird (Mary’s batters with egg and milk while both Annie’s only use egg) and serve it with sides like tangy German-style slaw, green beans and chip-chopped fried onions. I preferred Mary’s—which was also the busiest spot in town on a Friday night during quarantine—but there’s no wrong choice among them. —Martin Cizmar GO: The originals are 120 miles due south on US-69.

From the highway, turn left onto E. 600th Avenue and look for Mary’s, followed shortly by Annie’s.

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2 HOURS

MAIN STREET USA MARCELINE, MISSOURI

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LOST LAND: WALT DISNEY HAD PLANNED TOBUILD AN AMUSEMENT ATTRACTION IN MARCELINE AND HAD ACQUIRED HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF LAND THERE BEFORE PASSING AWAY. AT AGE 65.

Left and Right: Photo courtesy City of Marceline; Center: Photo by Nicole Bradley

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EAST: ARTS

Stroll the original Main Street, USA. B A C K I N F E B R U A R Y,

WEST: ADVENTURE

An abandoned town is as cool as it is creepy. T Y P E “ D U N L A P, K A N S A S ” into Google Maps, and there sits a

small square around an unincorporated town on the eastern edge of the Flint Hills. Dunlap was once a town for Exodusters—freed slaves fleeing to Kansas—during the Reconstruction Era that followed the Civil War. Exoduster Benjamin “Pap” Singleton migrated to Dunlap from Tennessee and started a colony there in 1880. Life for the Exodusters wasn’t easy. They were forced to segregate and treated poorly by white settlers. There was even a separate cemetery for Exodusters. The population of Dunlap dwindled around the time of the Great Depression, and the town filed for bankruptcy. In 1988, Dunlap’s post office shut its doors, and in 1993, Dunlap’s last black resident was buried in the colored cemetery. Not much is there today. A few deserted homes and an abandoned high school gymnasium still stand despite the school being demolished over a decade ago. One poignant reminder of the town’s history is the Colored Cemetery. The Dunlap City Cemetery sits right on the edge of town while the Colored Cemetery, which was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in 2018, is about a half mile out in the rolling Kansas hills. —Nicole Bradley GO: Take I-70 to Topeka. Hop on I-470 and take the Kansas Turn-

pike. Take exit 147 toward US-56/Council Grove/Osage City/Admire. Take US-56 until you hit Road F, then take F until Road 290, which will take you into Dunlap.

Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes rode down Main Street, USA, at Walt Disney World. What took him thousands of miles and a Superbowl victory is much simpler for the rest of us: Hop in the car and drive a couple of hours to Marceline, Missouri—home of the original Main Street, USA. Marceline (population 2,233) was Walt Disney’s hometown, and its Main Street is the model he mandated for the Main Streets at his theme parks around the world. Walt’s father, Elias Disney, brought the family here in 1906 to start a fortyeight-acre farm. Although the family left four years later, when Walt was nine, the town held a place in his imagination. “More things of importance happened to me in Marceline than have happened in the past or are likely to happen in the future,” Walt once said. Start your trip at Ma Vic’s corner cafe for a Dusty Miller, the ice cream treat original to Marceline since the early 1900s. From there, it’s just a few steps to the Walt Disney Hometown Museum, a ten-thousandsquare-foot, two-story structure housed in the 1913 Santa Fe Railway Station. Walt’s only sister, Ruth Disney Becher, gifted thousands of family artifacts to the museum. On the grounds you’ll find the restoration of the Midget Autopia Ride, the only ride to leave

Disneyland and be operated outside of a Disney property. You can walk or pedal your way around the track in your own custom Autopia car. Nearby is a bandshell that’s familiar from Disney films. Note that the marquee proclaims the “World Premiere of The Great Locomotive Chase”—Walt and his brother Roy came home in 1956 for the premiere and greeted each child as they entered the theater. Walt addressed the crowd on that occasion: “You children are lucky to live in Marceline. My best memories are the years I spent here.” In attendance was a little girl named Kaye Malins, who grew up to become the director of the Disney Museum. Even the post office here, named for Walt Disney, is unique—they stamp mail with a one-ofa-kind cancellation. Not far away is the Disney Farm and Barn, which has a replica of the barn. Walt kept the blueprints of the original structure, such was his obsession with this little town. —John C. Tibbetts

GO: Marceline is 135 miles from Kansas City. Take I-35

north to Cameron, then go east on US-36 for 70 miles and watch for the sign to Marceline.

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DRIVE TIME:

3 HOURS

COLD ONES: THE PENGUINS AT KC' S ZOOWERE GENEROUS GIFTS FROM OMAHA—THERE' S A LONG WAITLIST TOACQUIRE THE BIRDS.

NORTH: CULTURE

O M A H A’ S H E N RY D O O R LY Z O O might just be the best in the world. You can take our word for it—but in case you don’t, Nebraska’s most visited tourist destination has been ranked above the elite zoos of San Diego, Singapore and Prague by USA Today, TripAdvisor and a host of other outlets. The jewels of the hundred-acre campus are the two domes that immerse you in the jungle and desert. Inside the leafy, humid rainforest, you encounter macaws and squirrel monkeys while crossing rope bridges in the canopy before climbing down to the forest floor, where you get up close to a fifty-foot waterfall and pygmy hippos. In the desert dome—the world's largest glazed geodesic dome—you’ll spot javelina, bearded dragons and meerkats. Oh, and below that dome you’ll find the world’s largest exhibit of nocturnal animals. The largest wild cat complex on the continent is just down the hill. There’s more—a lot more—so if you’re doing this as a one-day trip, you’ll want to set an alarm to leave KC right about the time the animals are waking up. —Martin Cizmar GO: The zoo is 190 miles north on I-29. From I-29, take I-80 west in

Omaha, then take exit 454 and follow signs to the zoo.

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Photos by Martin Cizmar

One of the world’s best zoos is a short drive up I-29.

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SOUTH: FOOD

You can get amazing Springfield-style cashew chicken from a drive-thru. P R O V E R B I A L W I S D O M H O L D S that many of the best foods have been discovered when worlds collide—banh mi and spaghetti pop to mind. So it is with Springfield-style cashew chicken, which was invented by Chinese-born immigrant David Leong when he was looking to develop a recipe that would appeal to the tastes of Southeastern Missouri. Springfield-style cashew chicken isn’t like the Thai takeout staple. It starts with nuggety chunks of batter-fried chicken glazed with a sweet and spicy sauce made with chicken stock, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Crushed cashews and a few chopped scallions are tossed on top, and centuries of parallel cultural evolution meld into one beautiful box. Leong’s son operates a modern sitdown spot bearing the family name on the south side of town, and if you’re in a situation where it makes sense to settle into a comfy chair with icy air conditioning and have a cocktail, it’s worth a pilgrimage. The best of the cashew chickens we tried on our visit, though, came from the drive-thru at Cashew Station (cashewstation.com) a few miles away. The spicy cashew chicken there has thin, crisp breading that comes alive under a drizzle of a

WHILE YOU’RE THERE:

light sauce peppered with chili seeds and nut bits. It’s less than seven bucks for a meal, and there’s a park right across the street if you’re looking to picnic. —Martin Cizmar GO: Springfield is 160 miles south. From I-49,

take exit 157 for Route 7 and follow forty miles to Route 13. Take Route 13 south for 90 miles. To get to Cashew Station, take a left onto Battlefield Road and look for the restaurant on the right after a mile and a half.

Springfield is the birthplace of Bass Pro Shops, which are as much amusement parks as retail outlets. So it’s fitting that the founder put the massive Wonders of Wildlife museum next to HQ. The museum is 350,000 square feet and includes a million-anda-half gallon aquarium and taxidermied animals in elaborate scenes from the native Ozark forest to the Amazon rain forest.

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DRIVE TIME:

3 HOURS

HA HA TONKA STATE PARK

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WHO LAUGHS LAST: THE NAME OF HA HA TONKA WAS SAID TOBE AN OLD OSAGE PHRASE BUT IS LIKELY A NONSENSE TERM.

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EAST: ADVENTURE

Ha Ha Tonka is one of the most photogenic spots in the state of Missouri. BACK IN 1903, Kansas City

natural gas baron Robert McClure Snyder decided to build an Ozarkian oasis on a bluff above one of the state’s largest natural springs, where cool, pure green waters flow up from the earth. No expense was spared by Snyder—the visionary owner brought over Scottish stonemasons to employ traditional European techniques with local stone—but after he died in one of the city’s first auto accidents, the unfinished estate suffered a series of setbacks before finally burning to the ground. Today this popular state park has a network of trails mostly covered by boardwalks, which

protect the spring-sodden ground around the emerald-green lagoon of fresh springwater that feeds into the Lake of the Ozarks. The parking lot near the castle is tiny and overrun, so get there on a loop from the Post Office Shelter trailhead. Follow the blue trail down the hill to the lagoon, take the boardwalk over it, and climb the stairs two-hundred vertical feet to the top of the bluffs. From there, follow the red trail to the other side of the lagoon and the castle ruins overlooking it. Double back on the red trail after exploring the ruins, then stay on top of the ridge and follow the rest of the blue trail loop back to your car. —Martin Cizmar

GO: From I-49 south, take exit 157 for Route 7. Follow Route 7 for

Left: Photo by Rebecca Norden and Caleb Condit; Right: Photo provided by Cozy Inn

67 miles to Warsaw. Take a right onto US-65 south. Follow US-65 south for 25 miles, then take a left onto US-54 east. Go 25 miles east on US 54 to Missouri D. Take a right on Missouri D and go 2 1/2 miles to the Post Office Shelter parking lot. The trailhead is on the north side of Missouri D.

WEST: HISTORY

Buy sliders by the sack in Salina.

STOP AT THE COZY INN for a sack of sliders and you’ll smell like onions for the rest of the day. But it’s so worth it. The tiny town of Salina’s iconic burger joint opened in 1922, a year after White Castle debuted the slider just an hour and a half south in Wichita. The onion-packed patties at the Cozy Inn are smashed thin and grilled on a

grease-dripped flattop—current owner Steve Howard confirms it’s the same one that was used on opening day almost a century ago. “It’s got a little warp to it, but it still works great,” Howard says. “We clean it every night with a little oil and a lot of elbow grease.” Whether you order inside the tiny six-seat building or at the walk-up window, you’ll be asked three questions: “How many?” “All the way?” (ketchup, mustard and pickle—no cheese on these burgers) and “Chips or drink?” Remember: The onions aren’t optional. —Nicole Bradley GO: Take I-70 to Topeka until you

hit the Salina exit. Follow North Ninth Street. Take a left on West Iron Avenue, then a left on Seventh Street. You’ll see Cozy’s neon sign and redand-white-striped awnings.

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

4 HOURS

OLD WAYS: THE AREA AROUND ELDON IS HOME TOA LARGE AMISH AND MENNONITE COMMUNITY. BUY THEIR WARES AT THE DUTCH COUNTRY GENERAL STORE IN BLOOMFIELD.

NORTH: CULTURE AND FOOD

Pose for a portrait in front of one of the most iconic backdrops in American art. T H E R E A R E N O S T O P L I G H T S in Eldon, a tiny town nes-

tled deep between the rolling green hills and golden cornfields of southern Iowa. There’s a small grocery store ten miles away; you’ll have to drive an hour and a half to Iowa City if you want to find a Starbucks. All things considered, it’s a surprising

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

place to find the inspiration for one of the world’s most iconic paintings. You don’t need to be an art savant to recognize Grant Wood’s seminal 1930 masterpiece “American Gothic.” The portrait of a dour farmer father and his daughter (Wood’s sister and his dentist, in fact, both of whom he asked to pose for the painting) in front of a humble white house with its ostentatious gothic window has been parodied countless times in editorial cartoons, advertisements and magazine covers. When you visit the original American Gothic House in Eldon, the visitor center happily provides costumes and props for you to recreate your own portrait, from the overalls and patterned apron down to the cameo hayfork and necklace. Most of the time, the house is closed to visitors. There is something surreal about seeing the small home in person, though you’ll have to content yourself with posing in front of it and walking around the well-kept lawn. The visitor center, open a few hours each month, contains a compact room packed with information about Wood’s life and work, as well as the history of the house—it was built in 1881, and Wood only visited it twice. “American Gothic” is often interpreted as a satirical work, but that was never Wood’s intention. Rather, his aim was to exalt the Midwestern spirit: There is admiration in the fine lines of his subjects’ faces and fastidious attention to detail in the pattern on the window curtains. —Natalie Gallagher

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Not far from Eldon is the small town of Ottumwa, where you’ll find the state of Iowa’s signature sandwich at Canteen Lunch in the Alley. Inside this squat yellow building, there’s a horseshoe bar wrapped around the restaurant’s centerpiece: a freestanding metal steamer that cooks over a hundred and fifty pounds of ground beef daily, seasoned only with salt. Loose-meat sandwiches here are available with cheese and “everything” (ketchup, mustard, pickle and onion). They’re four dollars and ten cents, and they’re utterly satisfying.

GO: Eldon is 225 miles from KC. From

I-35 north, take exit 92 for US-136 east. US-136 east merges with US 63 north after 90 miles. Continue on US-63 and follow for 12 miles to Floris Road. Take Floris Road to downtown Eldon, then take a left on Ninth Street, a right on Elm Street and a left on Finney.

Left: Photos courtesy American Gothic Facebook page; Right: Photo by Kim Horgan

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SOUTH: OUTDOORS

Northwest Arkansas has some of America’s finest mountain biking.

Y O U D O N ’ T H AV E to be in Bentonville long

to realize that biking isn’t just an afterthought; it’s become integral to the culture of this thriving northwest Arkansas community. The energy and passion from the locals (and the Walton family) have helped grow this town into a biking destination for cyclists of all pursuits and skill levels. Trails here serve as a network of roots, which are all interconnected and lead back to the town as a central hub. The accessibility of these trails, both in location and degrees of difficulty, is impressive. Bentonville has employed professional trail builders to build miles of trails that are not only enjoyable to ride but easy to work into daily life. You can commute to work by bike without leaving the trails. One of the most unique features of the system is that trails are integrated into the infrastructure, allowing riders to explore all of Bentonville by bike. The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is located within pedaling distance from the downtown square and features a bikeable art trail that meanders past sculptures and waterways. Hotels, restaurants and coffee shops are all within riding distance of mountain bike

WHILE YOU’RE THERE:

trails. Phat Tire, a full-service bike shop located on the town square, offers everything you need to get your bike on the trails, as well as guided tours, shuttles and bike rentals. Here’s the lowdown on three trails to get you started. —Kim Horgan Slaughter Pen is a twenty-plus-mile, moderately trafficked loop of flowy singletrack mountain biking trail that runs past Crystal Bridges Museum and includes difficulty levels from beginner to expert. Coler Preserve trails are built on land designated as a mountain bike preserve but located only two miles from downtown Bentonville. Coler features miles of flowy, technical, rocky trails with several jump features. It is one of the state’s most challenging enduro-style trails. Razorback Regional Greenway is a collection of nineteen interconnected bike trails covering thirty-six miles and connecting Bentonville, Fayetteville and their suburbs. It’s entirely off-road or protected bike lanes. The Lake Springdale section is particularly scenic. GO: Fayetteville is 225 miles south on I-49.

As home to one of the world’s most successful corporations, Bentonville has an embarrassment of cultural riches. None are more impressive than the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, home to everything from Gilbert Stuart’s definitive portrait of George Washington to modern icons by Warhol and Rothko. The museum is free.

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

DRIVE TIME:

4 HOURS

BLOODY PAST: SEVERAL MOUNDS AT CAHOKIA WERE USED FOR MASS BURIALS OF PEOPLE ARCHEOLOGISTS BELIEVE WERE VICTIMS OF HUMAN SACRIFICE RITUALS.

EAST: HISTORY

The most impressive native American ruins north of Mexico.

CAHOKIA MOUNDS COLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS

T H E R E WA S A T I M E when St. Louis was the largest

city in the country. Well, not St. Louis, exactly, but Cahokia, the Native American settlement on the eastern shore of the Mississippi. Archaeologists believe it was as large as London during the High Middle Ages, around the time William the Conqueror was leading the Norman Conquest of England. Monk’s Mound is the largest Native American mound north of Mexico and one of only two dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites within the United States. It rises a hundred feet over East St. Louis, offering views of the arch and the city skyline. —Martin Cizmar GO: Cahokia is 258 miles east of Kansas City. Take

I-70 east to exit 6, then go east on Collinsville Road to the mounds.

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

WHILE YOU’RE THERE:

Once the largest train station in the world, St. Louis’ Union Station is now home to attractions including the new St. Louis Aquarium,

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WEST: ARTS

Little Sweden, USA, is in Kansas.

a massive aquatic attraction with 13,000 animals including a massive shark exhibit and adorable otters.

The aquarium opened last Christmas and has quickly risen to one of the top tourism destinations in STL.

Left: Photo by istock/Matt Gush; Right Top: Photo by Nicole Bradley; Right Bottom: Photo provided by City of Lindsborg

WA L K I N G D O W N the street of

Lindsborg, Kansas, is like walking through a storybook. Sprinkled throughout the cobblestone-street town are Swedish boutiques, herds of painted Dala horses, art galleries and colorful dollhouse bed and breakfasts. The town of Lindsborg was settled in and built up by Swedish immigrants in 1869. Today, thirty percent of Lindsborg’s three thousand-resident population are natively Swedish. So don’t be surprised if, when walking down the streets of Lindsborg, someone wishes you “god dag” (for non-Swede folk, that means “good day”). Across the street from Lindsborg’s Smoky Valley Roller Mill, which once operated as a national flour mill in the 1880s, is Heritage Square, a photogenic fenced-off plaza of colorful historic buildings including a one-room schoolhouse, a railroad depot and the first McPherson County Courthouse. The Swedish Pavilion that sits at the north end of the square was brought over from Sweden for the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. If you’re in town and in need of a pick-me-up, I recommend stopping by the Blacksmith

Coffee Shop, which is in a century-old building that once operated as an actual blacksmith shop. The almond-flavored cafe latte is divine. —Nicole Bradley

GO: Take the scenic route on

this one—drive two hours southwest on I-35 until you reach Emporia, then hop on US-50 to pass through Tallgrass Prairie National Reserve, just north of Strong City. Take US-150, which turns into US-56, until you hit I-135 and go north. Get off on the Smoky Valley Road exit. Take a right on 14th Avenue, then a left on E. Lincoln Street, which will take you into town.

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RARITIES COLLECTION H OW A KC SHOP E S TA B L I S H E D ITSELF AS T H E WO R L D â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PREMIER DEALER OF LUXURY V I N TA G E T- S H I R T S

WRITTEN BY: JORDAN MICHELMAN PHOTOGRAPHY: SAMANTHA LEVI TEAM WYCO PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: ADAM COMPO, PATRICK KLIMA AND NICK MARRIOTT

KANSAS CITY | JUNE 2020

There is a fashion movement happening right now, a long simmering trend finding full flower in the cultural practices of a new generation.The market for high-end vintage clothing is white-hot, burning bright even amid an economic downturn spurred on by the novel coronavirus. And at the tippy-top of the luxury vintage market—we’re talking twenty-five hundred-dollar shirts from Lou Reed’s 1974 Australian tour sold to celebrity customers like folkie David Crosby and rapper Trippie Redd—sit a couple of guys in Kansas City and their shop, WyCo Vintage. The old paradigm for vintage shopping involved bargain hunting thrift shops, but the digital marketplace has upended this model. Wealthy customers want very specific pieces in good condition and are willing to pay a premium for it. WyCo mostly sells via Instagram but also operates a storefront retail space on Broadway. Above it, there’s a private buyer’s lounge and a meticulously cataloged collection of pieces, including a leather jacket issued to the Guns N’ Roses touring crew in 1990, which goes for twenty-five hundred dollars. Past guests have included Chiefs players like Travis Kelce and lots of national touring musicians—the list grows as word spreads about the shop, which has been covered in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal but barely mentioned by local media. “When people come to Kansas City, why wouldn’t they want to see the world’s largest collection of vintage T-shirts?” says WyCo co-founder Patrick Kilma. “You can only eat so many burnt ends.”

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LED ZEPPELIN 1977 TOUR SHIRT, $700 Vintage Led Zeppelin T-shirts are incredibly hot and collectible, a testament to the ongoing influence and popularity of the band. “This is actually a parking lot bootleg,” says WyCo co-founder Patrick Kilma, “but for artwork on a lot shirt, this is actually better than any other artwork the band has. This bootleg stuff is so cool because artists had their own liberty to do what they wanted. They didn’t answer to anybody.”

“WHEN PEOPLE COME TO KANSAS CITY, WHY WOULDN’T THEY WANT TO SEE THE WORLD’S LARGEST COLLECTION OF VINTAGE T-SHIRTS?” SAYS WYCO CO-FOUNDER PATRICK KILMA. “YOU CAN ONLY EAT SO MANY BURNT ENDS.” For Kilma, it all started when he was working a desk job in the early 00s. He took notice of how many new clothing items were intentionally made to look worn. “All these T-shirts were coming out with fake distressed graphics,” Kilma says, “and it made me think more about where these items originated.” Kilma started acquiring a collection of authentic vintage tees in his own size (men’s large) for personal wear. “I started looking for T-shirts from brands I’d loved as a kid, like T&C Surf, or old vintage marketing sayings I thought were funny— stuff like ‘When Smith & Wesson talks, people listen.’” He developed an eye—just as the market was moving away from Goodwill bins and toward well-curated online shops. “The more I got into it, the more stuff I started to see, and the whole hobby-collector aspect started growing stronger,” Kilma says. “I started looking for the rarer pieces and then moving stuff that didn’t fit me quite right.” By 2012 Kilma was doing brisk business selling T-shirts on websites like eBay and Etsy and decided to take the leap. “I got out of the corporate world and it was actually really scary, you know, being quote -unquote unemployed, trying to sell vintage t-shirts,” Kilma says. Selling sites like eBay can nudge young sellers towards growth, but that helping hand can quickly feel more like handcuffs. “You’re working for eBay, technically,” Kilma says, “and if Google changes their algorithm or the site changes its policy, all of a sudden it impacts you badly.” Enter Adam Compo, a web designer and brand expert with a deep love of vintage clothing, particularly vintage metal and

rock tees. After a few early iterations, WyCo launched a finished version of its webshop in 2016, and began developing weekly “drops”—an eventized release of new vintage items, typically thirty-plus items per week. As a fully owned and operated independent website, WyCo is reliant on no one but their customers and fans. It’s now approaching two hundred weekly drops, with more than 3,500 vintage garments total listed on the website. Its fervent fan base includes celebrities and rockstars, film and television wardrobe stylists and normal collectors with a love of vintage clothing. Compo brought a designer’s eye to WyCo, pursuing high quality photography of each individual item and developing the brand’s unique, minimalist social media presence. Time, the great equalizer, was on their side. “As social media has grown over the last decade, especially Instagram, more people are being exposed to things they didn’t know existed,” Kilma says. “People see this stuff now and see celebrities wearing it, and they go look for it and find us.” The explosion of social media has dovetailed symbiotically with the growth and interest in vintage fashion, driven by celebrity influencers who proudly wear the styles of yesteryear in today’s selfies and paparazzi moments. Influential figures including rapper-producer-designers like Travis Scott and Kanye West, pop stars like Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber, pop stars like Harry Styles and Jonah Hill—all of them are vintage obsessives, and all of them have helped drive sales for rare pieces back to WyCo. “I’ll give you a perfect example,” Compo says. “Harry Styles was photographed in

GRATEFUL DEAD “STEAL YOUR FACE OFF” 1994 HOCKEY SHIRT, $250 “Things are appealing to different people for different reasons,” says WyCo co-founder Adam Compo. For fans of the Grateful Dead, WyCo’s collection offers several rabbit holes to plunge into, whether you’re shopping by your birth year or looking for a tee from a tour or specific concert you attended in the 70s. This shirt, printed by cult Dead screen printers Liquid Blue, is perfect for someone who loves both ice hockey and crispy jams. “If you’re a Dead fan and a hockey fan, it doesn’t get much better than this,” Compo says.

KANSAS CITY | JUNE 2020

a Live-Aid T-shirt back when the Queen movie came out. All of a sudden it’s showing up on all the Harry Styles fan pages, social media accounts that track his fashion. And someone comments it’s a shirt you can buy at WyCo. Now we sell them very frequently, and the T-shirt is looked at totally differently. That movie and Harry Styles contribute to the popularity of that shirt on a whole new level.” There are more stories like this. What Travis Scott wears in a music video drives interest and traffic directly to WyCo, which stocks a deep range of tees from the screenprinting brand Liquid Blue, including the previously obscure “pile of skulls” shirt Scott wore in the music video for his 2019 single “Highest In The Room.” The market effect is immediate. “It immediately goes from an under one hundred-dollar shirt to a shirt that’s worth more than three hundred dollars,” Compo says. “Once a design seeps into celebrity culture, it adds this whole other value to it.” One of the most common questions of WyCo goes something like: “Which vintage shops do you find your shirts at?” Turns out that’s not how it works. The vast majority of the WyCo collection is sourced via submissions from people who own old, rare T-shirts and are looking to cash out on them. WyCo is willing to pay handsomely and resell to their obsessive clientele. “A lot of people who aren’t keen on vintage fashion trends might not even realize their T-shirts from the 80s and 90s are worth way more now than what they paid for them,” Compo says. “People find out all of a sudden they’re sitting on this really valuable stuff they’ve been storing in the basement for the last three decades.” The coronavirus cash crunch has only increased this part of the business at WyCo, Kilma says. “In a time like this, people are looking at how to cash out and get money, and if you’re a collector of vintage shirts, it’s awesome to know you have liquidity in your wardrobe.” It all adds up to put WyCo in a league of its own among vintage shirt sellers. Kilma

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JOHN LENNON “WALLS AND BRIDGES” APPLE RECORDS PROMOTIONAL T-SHIRT, $900 Beatles memorabilia is an evergreen seller, but for superfans, the WyCo collection offers the opportunity to dig deep into history. I’m a die-hard John Lennon fan, especially his solo stuff, and a T-shirt like this—printed as an Apple Records label promotion for the Walls and Bridges album release—makes me feel connected to my favorite artist. T-shirts really can provide an intimate touchpoint, reaching back through history to evoke deep feelings.

and Compo’s site is updated weekly with high-quality photography tied in to social media, all built around the largest publicly offered collection of vintage T-shirts. WyCo has become a benchmark for the growing online vintage movement, and its deep archives are used as a point of price comparison for other sellers. Right now, during the pandemic, web traffic is up on WyCo’s website, daily orders are up, and more and more high-quality vintage merch is being offered by sellers looking to move their own collections during a time of economic uncertainty. “We are definitely seeing more people wanting to get rid of things at a lower price and a faster pace,” Kilma says. “People can submit their stuff to sell on our website and we get a good volume of people daily sending stuff over. Just now, as we’re talking, somebody sent over an NWA shirt that’s pretty dope.” T-shirt trends for 2020 include a continued resurgence of interest in vintage shirts from bands like the Rolling Stones, Metallica, Iron Maiden and especially the Grateful Dead. “We have sold an absurd amount of Grateful Dead tie-dyes,” Compo says. Grateful Dead shirts on WyCo from the 90s go from anywhere between one hundred fifty and two hundred fifty dollars, and prices go up from there for older pieces and especially the sought-after “lot tees”—unofficial Grateful Dead T-shirts made by fans and sold in parking lots during the band’s infamous touring jaunts. Some recent big sales include a Warren Zevon “Werewolves of London” promotional jacket (eight hundred dollars) and an Iron Maiden tour jersey, which topped out at nine hundred dollars. Value is subjective, say Kilma and Compo, dependent on an ever-shifting melange of shirt size, quality, wear and desirability. “It’s hard to put an exact value on this stuff because there are certain times where that shirt is worth a lot more than the other,” Kilma says. “It’s the right size for the right buyer. I react like that, you know? I buy shirts I wouldn’t normally pay full price for but if it fits me and I want it, I'll just do it.” The average age and disposable income of a WyCo buyer varies, too, from long-time rock fans who lived through their favorite band’s glory years and want to recapture nostalgia to young kids influenced by the fashion moves of today’s celebrities. “It sounds cliche, but I tell people this all the time,” Compo says. “There’s some kid somewhere hearing Guns N’ Roses for the first time and it’s changing his life forever, man. That’s why we offer financing— this is timeless stuff.”

KD LANG “INGENUE TOUR” 1992 SHIRT, $100 Wyco’s deep archives means there’s something for everyone. You can search by your favorite band or artist and find a wearable piece of history. “I couldn’t name a single KD Lang song,” Compo says, “but somebody will buy this shirt because it’s really dope. It’s perfect for fans.”

NIRVANA X BUTTHOLE SURFERS CONCERT TOUR SHIRT 1992, $1,200 Grunge nostalgia is huge right now, and Nirvana has become a piece of style iconography worn by everyone from Jason Momoa to Post Malone.

KANSAS CITY | JUNE 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

2020

Kitchen & Bath TRENDS

Timeless Style Kleweno Kitchens owner-designer Randall Sisk explains that his company’s tagline, “Art of the Kitchen,” alludes to three concepts: The company’s historical practice of cabinetry art, the art of making the kitchen the best that it can be and making space in every kitchen for art pieces. This kitchen he designed with Genevieve Hamel is the perfect example of this—see how they crafted the timelessly-designed space.

Pantry

All pantry items live in this high-gloss black cabinet with pillow doors. The piece—along with the rest of the kitchen—follow the black and white color scheme that the client was looking for. “It also mimics what was there before, which was a black cabinet but more buffet-style. This is similar but more modernized,” Hamel says. The designers purposely didn’t put handles on the door so as not to detract from the sleek and curved cabinet shape. The cabinet is purposely high enough off the ground so the countertop isn’t a catchall for loose items. Instead, it acts as a display for the homeowners’ art—the recessed lights above the cabinet help highlight the art. “This piece really is made for a sculpture or a piece of art on the top of it—something that makes it more decorative, rather than just catching items that come in and out of the house,” Sisk says.

PHOTOS BY PAUL BONNICHSEN

KANSAS CITY J U N E 2020

YOUR NEW HOME REMODEL STARTS HERE.

BRINGING EUROPEAN TRADITION & DESIGN TO YOUR HOME.

Kitchen & Bath TRENDS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

B AT H R O O M T I P S

Walls

This kitchen was lined with floor-toceiling Belgian tile, which lead the designers at Kleweno to believe that the kitchen was last renovated in the 1940s or 50s. Sisk and Hamel swapped that out for a glossy porcelain tile that has a wavy texture to it.

Cabinets

The high-gloss cabinets of this kitchen are finished with acrylic polyurethane. The designers chose not to add hardware to the top-level cabinets so that their sleek finish would stand out on their own. “The perception that a cabinet is a cabinet as a cabinet is wrong,” Sisk says, adding that you should really invest in cabinets that can take some heat. “These are pretty much impervious to most anything except for when the kid drives the tricycle into it.”

Space

“Behind that black cabinet are actually stairs to go into the basement,” Hamel says. “The client’s husband spends a lot of time down there, so this pathway between the basement and what is behind the refrigerator to go outside is like a highway lane. We have to make sure that we have enough clearance in order to do that.” Kleweno opted for more space by placing appliances flush into the wall so they wouldn’t jut out. The island is also long and slim enough to make an wide-open pathway.

Stovetop

While it’s up to the individual homeowner, Sisk says that their company has seen more and more customers buying ranges. “Ranges are becoming a little more decorative and not quite as industrial looking,” he says.

Quick Bathroom Touchups Whether you’re anticipating guests or you’re just ready to change up the look of your bathroom, sometimes the most impactful updates don’t require an entire overhaul.

Paint the Ceiling If there’s a bold color you’ve been wanting to test out in your home, the fifth wall of your bathroom is the perfect place to do it.

Rethink Lighting Consider changing up a light fixture or the tone of light in the bathroom. Color temperatures around 2700K give off a warmer light, which tends to be more flattering.

Update Your Mirror Most homes come with simple builder-grade mirrors in the bathrooms. Swap it out for something with a little more pizzazz, like a unique shape or bold frame.

Refresh Your Vanity If your vanity is everything you need and more, why replace it? It’s amazing what a simple paint or stain job can do.

KANSAS CITY J U N E 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

White-glove service for your big purchase Do you have big dreams for your home? If you’ve been thinking about a bigger house to call your home, you should talk with a Mortgage Banker at Commerce Bank about how to lock in your best rate soon. We can help you explore a variety of home financing options, such as jumbo loans for homes larger than $484,351†. While you focus on finding your dream home, put us to work on finding the right way to finance it. Mortgage made simple. Stress less. We’ve got this. †Minimum loan amount is $484,351.

David Johnston 816.234.8629 commercebank.com/davidjohnston nmls#1430146 commercebank.com/mortgage

JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

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KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

Dish E AT I N G A N D D R I N K I N G W E L L I N K A N S A S C I T Y

Icon of Isolation The city’s new best burger was born of the pandemic, and we hope it lives forever. WHEN YOU GET ONE OF THE BEST

high-end restaurants in the city to collaborate with an elite pitmaster, there’s a chance for some magic. And in the case of the burger born of the ongoing weekend collab between Antler Room and Harp Barbecue, it was magic or bust.

Photo by Zach Bauman

“I think the three of us involved in that burger understood that if it wasn’t the best burger in the city, the chef wasn’t going to allow it on the menu again,” says Tyler Harp, the pitmaster behind Harp Barbecue. He’s joking—probably, maybe, kinda, sorta—about the exacting standards of Antler Room chef-owner Nick Goellner. But, as it happens, the Burger Research & Development Team delivered on the challenge. This burger is the best thing we’ve eaten all pandemic long—and something we’d love to see stick around on somebody’s menu. It starts with brisket, which is nice and fatty compared to other burgerable cuts. It’s ground and packed into a perfect patty, then smoked and flash-grilled to sear in the flavor. The finished patty is topped with grilled onions, fry sauce and house pickles and sandwiched between a perfectly proportional sesame seed bun from a local bakery. You can currently try the city’s best new burger as a carryout item on Fridays. Get a side of potato salad, and ask for a fork so you can smash it right there in your car. — MARTI N CIZMAR

JUNE 2020 K ANSASCITYMAG.COM

Dish

KANSAS CITY JUNE 2020

F E AT U R E

HACKED KC chefs share their secrets tips for better home cooking. BY N ATA LIE G A LL AG H ER | PH OTO G R A PH Y BY Z ACH BAU M A N

THERE IS SO MUCH MORE

to dining out at a restaurant than the food being served. Of course, delicious dishes help. But it’s not the expertly crafted turkey club special we miss, exactly—it’s the homey feeling we get as we inhale it at our favorite pub, in our favorite booth, sitting across from a work buddy. Or it’s the bartender who remembers exactly how we like our martini. Or the pleasure of ordering an impossibly decadent dessert and clinking champagne glasses in celebration. Those things are what we miss most about restaurants right now. But as social distancing stretches on, I’ve started to think about ways to recreate restaurant magic at home. What kitchen secrets do chefs have that could up my home cooking game? I’ve long known about a couple. For example, restaurants don’t use butter to make grilled cheese sandwiches. Mayo is easier to spread and offers a richer browning. To learn how to recreate some of our favorite dishes with that Midas touch, we consulted local chefs for advice.

if you want it crispier, you can cook it longer—it just depends on the thickness it’s cut at. I feel like I always burn bacon when I cook it in a pan on the stove, and you avoid getting bacon grease all over your counter.” They also have tricks for eggs. The best way to guarantee cloudlike eggs is cooking them low and slow in a non-stick pan with butter. “People always think it doesn’t look like it’s cooking, but you want to create little curds of eggs that go together,” Eans says. Before two eggs go into the pan, she breaks them into a bowl and whisks them with two teaspoons of milk and a tablespoon of heavy cream. The extra moisture keeps the eggs from drying out as they cook. “When you pour the eggs in the pan, they shouldn’t sizzle,” Eans says. “It doesn’t look like anything is happening at first. When you start to see parts of eggs cooking through, gently stir them. When they start to firm up, the eggs should be a little wet—not puddles, but not solid pieces. Take it off the burner and let residual heat finish cooking the egg. That makes a really nice custardy egg.”

BACON & EGGS Abbey-Jo Eans, Happy Gillis and Columbus Park Ramen The first rule of a good breakfast is quality ingredients, says Abbey-Jo Eans, co-owner of Happy Gillis and Columbus Park Ramen. The legendary Happy Gillis breakfast sandwiches feature thick-cut bacon from Webster City Custom Meats in Iowa, and you can taste the difference: “Cheap bacon has a lot of water and brine, so when it cooks out, it warps and shrinks,” Eans says. Her secret to perfect crispy bacon? Oven-baking it. “We put parchment down on a sheet pan and we cook it in the oven at 350 degrees,” she says. “We cook it for 25 minutes, but

BURGERS Michael Corvino, Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room Michael Corvino has lots of fans who come to his restaurant for the diner-style burgers, which feature two thin and crispy smash patties, muenster cheese, pickles and aioli on a seeded bun. “I like using a cast iron skillet, which holds heat well,” Corvino says. “For the beef, I don’t mix anything in it.” His secret is fattier beef at a ratio of seventy-five percent lean, twenty-five percent fat. Corvino shapes the ground beef

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into golf ball-sized rounds by hand, which helps to emulsify the fat and bind it together. Each round is liberally seasoned with salt and placed between parchment paper, then smashed down to a thin patty—he uses a tortilla press for uniformity. “The biggest thing about cooking it is using high heat. That’s why real cooks at home are so dangerous,” Corvino says. “If it doesn’t smoke up your home and set off your fire alarm, you’re not doing it right.” The bun is nearly as important as the beef, and while Corvino makes his in-house, he’s a strong proponent of Martin’s Potato Rolls, the same pillowy bun used by Shake Shack. Don’t overdo it with the toppings, Corvino advises: You need a good melting cheese and sour pickles to cut through the fattiness of the meat.

FRIES Ed Castello, Ça Va It’s hard to overstate the power of a perfect French fry. These golden beauties, with their salted, crispy exteriors and fluffy centers, are pure joy—but the joy only lasts as long as they’re hot and fresh. The pomme frites at Westport champagne bar Ça Va continually rank among Kansas City’s best. Chef Ed Castello says the secret to perfect fries isn’t complicated, although the recipe does require two different cooking methods. It starts with peeled and sliced Russet potatoes (Castello uses a French fry cutter). “We cut them right before we cook them, and we put them in a large pot with cold water, a few tablespoons of white vinegar and a few tablespoons of salt,” Castello says, adding that the vinegar keeps the starch in the potatoes. “We bring that pot up to just barely a simmer, cooking the potatoes until they are softened, and cut the heat. I test them by trying a couple. If they’re barely cooked, not enjoyable but not raw, they’re done. Then we dry them and flash-fry them for a minute and a half in vegetable oil at 450 degrees.” After flash-frying, the fries are spread out on parchment paper and frozen, which helps lock the starch in place. When they’re ready to be cooked, the fries go straight from the freezer to a fryer at 350 degrees for one minute. You don’t need a professional fryer, Castello adds—a pot of oil and a spatula will work, as long as you have a thermometer to check the oil temp. “The most important step is seasoning them when they come out of the fryer and always making sure there’s enough salt,” Castello says.

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STEAK Romain Monnoyeur, Westport Café & Bar If you’ve ever been to Westport Café & Bar for its Tuesday night steaks, you know that executive chef Romain Monnoyeur knows his way around a butcher block. His gorgeously seared top sirloin steaks are locally sourced, and Monnoyeur recommends purchasing as local as possible when cooking at home. His go-to for steak is Broadway Butcher. Monnoyeur commonly uses hangar or top sirloin steak, which are affordable and flavorful cuts, but the prep is the same no matter which cut you prefer. The first step is to remove excess fat (not all of it—fat is flavor) and break down the

can pull it off the grill or out of the pan and serve it to your likeness,” she says. “If it’s really nice tuna, I prefer a very light sear, sliced thinly and dressed with sea salt and olive oil—and I call it a day.” To prepare your tuna on a stovetop, pour olive oil in a saucepan and bring it to medium-high heat. Season your tuna with salt and pepper. When the oil is simmering and hot, sear the tuna in the pan for thirty seconds on each side. “I want it to still be cold in the middle,” Lucero says. “I want to taste that sashimi-quality tuna.”

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES Erin Brown, Dolce Bakery

fiber by tenderizing the meat. “You don’t need to beat it up or hammer it,” Monnoyeur says. “Just take the portion between parchment paper and hit it with a rolling pin a little bit.” After tenderizing, it’s a choice between seasoning and marinating. If you have an extra hour or are prepping a day ahead, marinate your steak with olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs. If you’re cooking right away, season with black pepper and salt. Kosher salt is best, says Monnoyeur—the flakes are a little bigger and will penetrate the meat for more flavor. Monnoyeur typically prepares steak in a cast iron skillet with olive oil. “I want the pan to be medium-high heat—the oil must be hot,” he says. You’ll know the oil is hot enough when it begins to move fluidly around the pan. “Put the seasoned side down first and sear it for five minutes, then flip it and sear it for another five minutes. I add a pat of butter, smashed garlic and fresh thyme, and the butter will get nice and foamy. As it melts I’ll spoon it back on the steak.” For a perfect medium rare, Monnoyeur finishes his steak in the oven at 350 degrees for another five minutes, depending on thickness. “After five minutes, I check it with my finger, and it should feel rare—still quite springy. Then I take it out of the oven and let it rest on a rack or carving station for another ten minutes, covered with foil. It rests and cooks at the same time, and that will allow the blood to go everywhere for even cooking.”

TUNA STEAK Sheila Lucero, Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar Cooking seafood can be intimidating if you’ve never attempted it before, which is why Sheila Lucero, executive chef of Jax Fish House, recommends starting with tuna steak. “The first thing when you’re buying tuna or any seafood is trusting who you’re getting it from and asking questions,” says Lucero, who recommends the seafood counter at Whole Foods. “Tuna is pretty telling of freshness. When it’s past its prime, it discolors a little bit and starts to fade. Ahi or bluefin tuna are a vibrant red, and if it looks pale or grey, it’s definitely a few days past its prime.” Tuna’s brilliant red hue is helpful when you’re cooking, Lucero says. “You can see the doneness as it’s cooking and you

Baking is far less forgiving than cooking. You can course-correct on a sauce that goes awry and play with flavor as you build your dish, but baking is all precise measurements. Still, most of us have a reliable recipe or two we can lean on, like basic chocolate chip cookies. Erin Brown, owner of Dolce Bakery, has a few tricks for buffing up that recipe. “One of the most important things is starting with room-temperature ingredients, including all dairy and eggs,” Brown says. “Depending on your house, or if you have your AC on, you may need to slightly warm your butter. That’s one of the biggest issues I see—things won’t blend together if your butter is cold. That’s great for biscuits, not for cookies.” Most recipes will ask you to cream your butter and sugar together with a mixer. Brown says to do that until it’s light and fluffy but keep a close eye on it so you don’t over-cream. “Don’t turn your mixer on, go change your laundry and come back,” she says. “It’ll over-cream, and your cookies will be like pancakes. If you under-cream, then you get a denser cookie that is not as light and tender. When you’re creaming, you’re incorporating air so that the fat and sugar gets smooth together. It usually takes about three minutes.” As you add your flour and dry ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar, try not to over-mix. “You want just the bare minimum of mixing,” Brown says. “If you mix too long, you develop the gluten and your cookies will get tough. As soon as you see that flour disappear on a low speed, stop mixing.” Once the dough is formed, use an ice cream scoop to get even rounds onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Place the sheet pan in the freezer for six hours or more to help the dough set. Once the dough is frozen, it can go into a Ziploc bag and will keep in the freezer for several months. When you’re ready to bake your cookies, thaw the dough for about twenty minutes, but be careful not to bring it all the way back to room temperature—the warmer the dough, the more it will spread. “I like my chocolate chunk cookies thicker, so we bake them when the dough is pretty cold,” Brown says. Finally, make sure to turn your pan around halfway through baking. All ovens have hot spots. Turning the pan ensures an even bake. If it sounds like a lot for one recipe, don’t worry, says Brown. “If you’re baking at home, that is not lazy!” she insists. “And at the end of the day, whatever comes out of the oven, just put ice cream on it and eat it in a bowl. That’s the ultimate hack.”

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NEWSFEED

Picking a Path Uncertain times find KC restaurants choosing different routes back to service.

Patio Time in Westport “Paris of the Plains” could be an even more apt nickname for Kansas City if the mayor and local business leaders have their way. Kansas City is looking to close streets in Westport to traffic this summer as a way of combating the coronavirus pandemic, Kansas City magazine was first to report. A plan proposed by the Westport Regional Business League calls for the closure of Westport Road and Pennsylvania Avenue in the historic neighborhood, home to the oldest building in the city. Similar plans are being explored in the 18th & Vine Jazz District, the Power & Light District and North Kansas City’s Zona Rosa. Bars and restaurants would be allowed to extend their patios across the sidewalk and into the street in front of their business. The occupancy rules for each spot would include their street patio space, and the novelty of sipping a cocktail on the street could

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be a draw for many. Mayor Quinton Lucas is a fan of the plan. “I would love to make Westport more of a pedestrian plaza, including but not limited to shutting down Westport Road and Pennsylvania for two blocks on both ends of the intersection,” Lucas told Kansas City. “This provides us a moment to see what that would look like. It’s a time when we need spacing anyway. Let those restaurants operate like you would see in Europe.”

Cracking the Doors Open With restaurants being allowed to reopen for in-person service in mid-May, notable local restaurants are following a wide variety of paths. For example, at the Westside’s Fox & Pearl, our 2019 Restaurant of the Year, they’re reopening with tables spaced much further apart, says chef-owner Vaughn Good. They’re also not taking walk-ins, which would

allow contact tracing. “Until things open back up, we’re only accepting reservations, no walk-ins, no bar seating, and we’ll still be doing curbside,” he says. Other restaurant owners aren’t comfortable reopening yet. “We may start seating at fifty percent occupancy, and we’ll probably start taking reservations, which we’ve never done,” says Esther Shin, co-owner of popular sushi restaurant Bob Wasabi. “But our dining room is already so small, and so many people aren’t comfortable going out right now that we aren’t even sure it would work that well. For now, we’re still planning to do take-out and curbside pickup for our customers. We’re hanging in there.”

Empty Bar Stools The rules regulating the first round of reopenings notably banned all bar stool seating. That left establishments like the Peanut on Main, the city’s oldest bar, to remain

closed for in-person dining— they simply don’t have enough non-stool seating to make it worth it, explained a staffer. (The original Peanut is open for carryout wings and cheese fries.) Other establishments that mainly have bar seating, such as the standout Monarch Bar cocktail lounge on the Plaza, are also opting to remain closed except to carry out drink kits. “We’ve decided as a company that we’re not going to open until we can open in the style that The Monarch was intended for,” says Brock Schulte, bar manager. “I don’t want ten people in The Monarch, I want fifty people in The Monarch. It’s about the experience. The bar is the center of the room, and that’s where the party is. We literally designed the room for the bartenders to be on show and curate everyone’s experience—even people sitting at tables have a view of the bar. We’re not willing to sacrifice the details we put in The Monarch.”

Photos from respective venues Facebook pages

Verbena

New Alliances If there’s one silver lining to the pandemic, it’s the creative solutions the restaurant community has found to support its own. Chef Collective KC is a network of chefs, food industry partners and growers collaborating to set up community kitchens in local restaurants, has launched The Community Meals Project, a citywide workforce preservation and hunger relief effort. Funded primarily by Bank of America, the project aims to provide nutritious meals for those in need and to employ displaced workers to produce those meals. While COVID-19 might have been the impetus for The Community Meals Project, the goal is to establish a sustainable model that can be relied on in any catastrophe. “It works like this: A restaurant that has been impacted by a crisis and has to close its doors to the public can take our model and continue running their kitchen and employing their workers,” says Jon Taylor, founder of Chef Collective KC. “We work with our partners to pick up and distribute the food they make to those in need.” The meals are distributed through partner nonprofits like Operation Breakthrough. So far, chefs Howard Hanna (The Rieger, Ça Va) and Michael Foust (Black Sheep), along with partners like the Culinary Center of Kansas City, have worked to deliver over fifteen thousand meals to the community as part of the Community Meals Project.

Black Sheep Community Kitchen

Monarch Bar

A Quiet Grand Opening While the future of the restaurant scene isn’t clear yet and a number of establishments have announced their permanent closure, others are moving forward with openings. In the Crossroads, Nimble Brewing (page 94) opened in May after delaying their original planned opening in mid-March. In Prairie Village, Patrick and Julian Quillec of Café Provence and French Market, had planned to debut their new restaurant Verbena in April, but eventually opened on May 11. Their grand opening was a much quieter version than most restaurants experience. “The reality is that I don’t know that there is a good time to open,” says Kara Beth Anderson, executive chef of Verbena. “The conversations since the stay-at-home order came out have been surreal—conversations about how to keep staff on, what do they work on, how do we move forward with a new project while some of our favorite restaurants are closing. We decided to

open and see what comes. A lot of us that work in kitchens don’t know what to do with ourselves right now, so we decided to move forward with the staff that’s comfortable working.” Verbena is located at The Inn at Meadowbrook Park and is following all the social distancing guidelines set by the CDC. The restaurant is seating at under fifty percent, which is about every third table, meaning parties are at least ten feet apart. Staff are wearing masks and gloves. It’s a different standard to get used to, Anderson admits. “Opening a new restaurant is typically so exciting and something everyone kind of rallies behind, and there’s anticipation ramping up to it,” she says, “and for us that’s been really drawn out because of the delays. There’s also apprehension around whether people will come out, if they’ll feel comfortable, will they want to spend money—and it’s hard to feel that same excitement about opening when you’re trying to make sure your guests feel safe going out in public in the restaurant. But I spent time observing guests in our dining room on opening night, and it seems like it’s a little more of an intimate experience. You feel like you’re really taken care of, and it’s a more personal atmosphere. That was heartening.”

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May Madness Nimble Brewing delayed its planned St. Patrick’s Day opening because of the pandemic, but we’re glad the new spot is finally here. BY M A RTIN CIZM A R

T H E P L A N W A S to open Nimble Brewing, the newest brewery in the Crossroads, the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day. After twenty-plus years of homebrewing, Kevin Gittemeier, an accountant by day, was ready. He’d taken a week off work to see that the launch of his longtime dream project went smoothly. With a full bar, plenty of space and some TVs, he was looking forward to hosting fellow Jayhawks during March Madness.

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Like so many things scheduled for The Lost Spring, that didn’t happen. Instead, Nimble Brewing quietly cracked its doors in early May, offering four-packs of milkshake IPA to go. “We thought we were going to have, like, seven customers and our friends,” says Jodie Gittemeier, Kevin’s wife. The couple posted on Instagram that Nimble was open, launched online sales and went to bed. They logged on in the morning to find they’d sold out in a few hours. “Whatever he likes is what he brews,” says Jodie, with whom Kevin has six children aged ten to twenty. “What’s unique about him is his palette is so intense.” “He can tell if the pH is off in any way,” says oldest daughter Mary Jane Gittemeier. “We can’t even get the pH strips to figure it out and he’s got it down.” Longtime homebrewers tend to be traditionalists, which is why so many gravitate toward old English and German styles even when they go pro. Maybe it’s his background as an accountant, or maybe it’s raising six kids in Old Leawood, but Kevin has instead aimed to make the beer he doesn’t want to buy. “I like all kinds of beer,” he says. “But I’ve always brewed what I wanted to buy in the store but it was too darn expensive. Stuff that’s twenty dollars for a four pack? Yeah, I can make that,” he says. “With most of the traditional stuff, I can go to the store and buy a good six pack of that for five bucks.” Among the twenty-buck four packs sold during the opening was Fluffhead Milkshake IPA with a burst of pineapple and a kiss of coconut. Kevin demonstrated a careful hand in balancing a beer that could have gone gimmicky. For now, the Gittemeirs aren’t exactly sure when or in what format Nimble will be open for customers who want to sample Kevin’s wares on draft. If you’re going to open a new business during a global pandemic you have to be, well… nimble. However, they’re hoping to close the alley behind the bar to open up more space for distancing drinkers who want to work it into a crawl between the Crossroads’ enviable and growing collection of craft breweries.

Photo by Jeremey Theron Kirby

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Backstory I M P O R TA N T M O M E N T S I N K A N S A S C I T Y H I S T O R Y

1938

The legendary local radio show “Brush Creek Follies” debuts on KMBC.

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grew up on a farm in Iowa and all the farmers always went downtown on Saturday evenings to sell their eggs and buy their groceries for the week. Once while we were down there, the telephone operator called out that there was a telephone call for us. We went to the telephone office, and it was Earl May from Shenandoah, Iowa, asking us if we could come and be radio singers. We were only fourteen at the time. My twin sister said, ‘Well, I have to ask our dad.’ That was during the Depression and nobody had any jobs, so he thought we were awfully fortunate to get offered a singing job. Our first radio station was KMA in Shenandoah, Iowa. [In 1938] we were working at KFEQ in St. Joseph, Missouri. KMBC was getting ready to start the ‘Brush Creek Follies’ and they needed a girl duo. Colorado Pete, one of the other singers, had been a fan of ours. We were just little country girls, so we were afraid to come to Kansas City. We kept saying no. They raised the salary a little bit. One of the other girls at the station was a little older than us and she said, ‘You don’t need to be afraid, just get on the bus and take the bus down there. When you get to Kansas City, just hail a cab and tell them to take you to the Pickwick Hotel.’ KMBC was on the top floor of the Pickwick Hotel at that time. They offered us a five-year contract and we had to go up to the farm, to dad, and get him to sign. They wanted to own

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our name, so they had a contest to name us. A little girl from Grandview won the contest with Kit and Kay. They went out and got twin horses and had us leading the American Royal parade. We had the morning show and then at noon we had the Dinner Bell roundup. We stayed for three-and-a-half years. We were kind of celebrities in town. One time, the Yankees came to town—I think it was the last year Lou Gehrig played—they asked KMBC if Kit and Kay could sing to them. After we sang, they were kind of putting the moves on. My sister liked one; she thought he was really cute—[right fielder Tommy] Henrich. Joe DiMaggio came over to her and he said, ‘What are you messing around with him for? I thought the girls liked them tall, dark and handsome?’ She looked at him and she said, ‘Well, you may be tall but you’re not handsome.’ He married Marilyn Monroe—she used to say, ‘Marilyn Monroe married my castoff.’ We did some crazy things. When my husband asked me to marry him, the first thing he wanted me to do the next morning was go down and break that contract. So I went down and broke the contract, and my twin went with me. That was the end of my radio career.” — Irene Dierks, half of Kansas City duo Kit and Kay, the youngest stars of KMBC 950 AM’s Brush Creek Follies

Photo courtesy of Irene Dierks

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