NORTH June/July '13 by NORTH Magazine

THE Premier Lifestyle Magazine for Kansas City’s Northland

NORTH

Magazine | June/July 2013

JUNE/JULY 2013

THE NATIONAL The Northland’s Premier Golf Club

The Savoy

Great Seafood Just Across The River Natural Accents Painting With Light

Big Bangs Where to Watch July 4th Fireworks In The Northland ilivenorth.com | 1 $4.95| ilivenorth.com

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MISCHIEVOUS MILES SINCE MICHAEL’S BRAIN SURGERY. NO CHANCE OF BEHAVING. Last September when Parkinson’s symptoms became disabling for Michael, he turned to the only hospital in the region that could perform the deep brain stimulation he needed — while he slept. This new approach — done by one of only three physicians in the nation — minimized the discomfort and time required by awake surgery of other hospitals. Most important, today, this road warrior’s symptoms are gone. And so is he — whenever his Harley calls.

2 | June/July 2013

See Michael’s story and share yours at GOLIFEKC.com

ilivenorth.com |

KANSAS CITY ZOO HELZBERG

Penguin Plaza Opening late 2013!

— — 2013

he Zoo Friends of tS H I P S M E M B E Rle Now! Availab

TIGER TERRACE

Now Open!

OPEN DAILY | 816.513.5800 | kansascityzoo.org The Kansas City Zoo, a private, non-profit organization is operated in agreement with the Kansas City, MO Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners, partially funded by the Zoological District in Jackson and Clay Counties in MO, and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

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CONTENTS

June/July 2013

18| Feature Story The National Golf Club 26| Special Section Northland Golf Guide 36| Fashion Sock 101 DEPARTMENTS

Retire?

56 6 | June/July 2013

66| Restaurant Guide 70| Recreation Guide 72| The Last Word with Phil LeVota

SHOTS

Fountain at Vivion Rd. and North Oak Trfwy. Photographed by Kelli Dittmann

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The pools are open, the kids are out of school and the lazy days of summer are ahead of us! We have a fun June/July issue for you. Staff has selected ten golf courses here in the Northland and interviewed their golf pro’s. We hope you find it a fun read as we learn the in’s and out’s of running a golf course. There are some great courses up North of the river! The cover story is on the CFO of The National, Dale Brouk. Dale shares what it is like to be a part of one of the top courses in Kansas City designed by Tom Watson. The National is host to many charity golf tournaments that raise awareness and funds for so many well-deserved organizations. Dale relays his passion for what he does, as well as discusses his own involvement with a charity he helped found, Generosity USA. There is some great fashion in store for you. The Northland’s own Jason Grill has designed a sock line and we get a peek into some of his designs. Also, please check out our new “Just Over the River” section. Downtown, the River Market, the Garment District, the Crossroads and Power & Light are just a stone’s throw from the Northland. In this issue, we are featuring The Savoy Grill at 9th and Central. We know you will enjoy the inside look into this Kansas City icon that opened its doors in 1903. We have all your favorite contributing writers in finance, food, art, health and movie reviews, as well as fitness and history. We encourage you to read their articles and also go to our Facebook page, blog site and new website (ilivenorth.com) to review new articles, as well as some of your past favorites. For an amazing travel destination, we have a feature on Cape Town, South Africa, written by native Northlander Lisseth Villobos. Lisseth has a home in Cape Town and shares with us this beautiful and breathtaking part of the world. She will be writing for us from time to time as she travels to exotic destinations around the world. We truly hope you enjoy this June/July issue of NORTH and look forward to catching back up with you in our August issue. Thank you for the honor and privilege of bringing you this lifestyle magazine that endeavors to showcase and enhance our Northland. It is your magazine, Northland! Please let us know if you have suggestions and story ideas. We would love to hear from you.

Kandie Erickson Associate Publisher Editor-in-chief

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N RTH THE Premier Lifestyle Magazine for Kansas City’s Northland

JUNE/JULY 2013 Volume 1, Number 4

Allen E. Dillingham President and Publisher

816-405-6970 allen@ilivenorth.com

Kandie Erickson

Associate Publisher & Editor-in-chief

816-269-1974 kandie@ilivenorth.com

Brad Austin

Creative Director

816-835-9585 brad@ilivenorth.com

Jane Quigley

Account Executive

816-868-8284 jane@ilivenorth.com

Jennifer Hayde Account Executive

816-668-1991 jennifer@ilivenorth.com

NORTH Magazine info@ilivenorth.com www.ilivenorth.com

Published monthly Printed in the Northland by RR Donnelly in Liberty, MO. Advertising Inquiries: info@ilivenorth.com Copyright© 2013 by Dillingham Communications, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. North Magazine is published monthly, except for combined issues in June/July and December/January (10 yearly issues), by Dillingham Communications, Inc. All contents copyright © 2013 by Dillingham Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents, without the prior written permission of the publisher, is prohibited. An annual subscription is $30.00. North Magazine is distributed throughout Clay and Platte Counties in Kansas City’s Northland. North Magazine and Dillingham Communications, Inc. are not responsible for the return of any materials or artwork submitted. Unsolicited photographs, illustrations or articles are submitted at the risk of the photographer/ artist/author. North Magazine and Dillingham Communications, Inc. assume no liability for the return of unsolicited materials and may use them at their discretion. Articles contained in the magazine do not constitute tax or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisor before making tax or legally related investment decisions. Articles are published for general informational purposes only and are not an offer or solicitation to sell or buy any securities or commodities. Any particular investment should be analyzed based on its terms and risks as they relate to your individual circumstances and objectives. All letters, photos and manuscripts submitted to North Magazine or Dillingham Communications, Inc., either solicited or unsolicited, become the sole property of Dillingham Communications, Inc. and may be used and published in any manner whatsoever without limit and without obligation and liability to the author, photographer, artist or owner thereof. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of North Magazine or Dillingham Communications, Inc. Further, Dillingham Communications, Inc. does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors, nor is it responsible for the products and services advertised. Information in North Magazine is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed. North Magazine and Dillingham Communications, Inc. shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information herein or the interpretations thereof, nor any liability for the infringement of copyright, and reserve the right to edit any and all submissions before publication. All inquiries and requests may be sent to info@ ilivenorth.com.

JUNE

Calendar of Events 8| Sophie’s Run at Lake Waukomis Saturday, June 8, 2013, 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM Lake Waukomis Sophie’s Run at Lake Waukomis will be held on June 8, 2013 to honor the life of Sophie Edwards, a citizen of Lake Waukomis and student of the Park Hill School District, who passed away April 29, 2010. The race benefits children in surrounding communities to assist them in obtaining technology that will help them in school & in life. Proceeds will go toward the purchase of equipment for Park Hill School District’s Assistive Technology Program. We had searched for a communication device that Sophie could access all her life. It was a challenge given that her limbs were affected by tone from spasticity and her body was challenged by the energy metabolism disorder that was the basis of her health issues. Sophie communicated with us through her eyes and in 2008, we found an eye gaze computer that Sophie could operate. It took months to locate the sources to fund the $17,000 device only to have it delivered 1 week to the day

after Sophie’s funeral. We contributed $5000 worth of equipment in 2012 to Park Hill School District’s Assistive Technology Library and the therapists and educators continue to inform us that it was a gift that keeps on giving each day in the classrooms and beyond. Our goal through the Sophie’s Run @ Lake Waukomis Foundation, is to never see a child have to wait to communicate. Please take one hour to run or walk and bring the gift of voice to many children in our community. Cost: Before May 18th - Adult 5K / $30.00; Adult 1 mile / $25.00; Student / $15.00; Family Registration (includes 4 t-shirts) / $80.00 Phone: (816) 419-8836 www.runsophies5k.com

8|Farm Table Dinner with Visiting Chefs Rob & Allie Levitt

Friday, June 14, 2013, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM Green Dirt Farm Weston, MO We are delighted to welcome visiting chefs Rob and Allie Levitt of The Butcher & Larder in Chicago for a very special Farm Table Dinner on Friday, June 14. The Butcher & Larder is Chicago’s first sustainable, whole-animal butcher shop. In their eight years as members of Chicago’s food scene, the husband and wife team have been champions

of locally raised, sustainable products and have formed close relationships with small Midwestern farmers. They have received positive local and national press for cooking, butchering, classes and demonstrations. Farm Table Dinners at Green Dirt Farm are culinary celebrations of the all-important links between landscape, food and community. In collaboration with Kansas City’s finest chefs, producers and growers, the barn at Green Dirt Farm is the setting for this series of dinners. These chef-driven events provide a truly unique dining experience. Chefs create each one-night-only menu using Green Dirt Farm’s 100% grass-fed lamb and award-winning sheep’s milk cheeses, as well as farmer-grown, locally harvested, produced and foraged ingredients at the peak of flavor and freshness. Your dinner will include at least four courses prepared by the chefs. Each course will be paired with a carefully selected wine, beer or cocktail. Ticket price of $170 per person includes all food, beverages and gratuities. Seating is limited to 30. All tickets sales are non-refundable. 2013 SCHEDULE : Saturday, June 29 CHEF DEBBIE GOLD Sunday, August 4 CHEF MARTIN HEUSER Affäire Saturday, August 24 CHEF MAX WATSON Remedy Food + Drink Saturday, September 7 CHEFS COLBY GARRELTS and MEGAN GARRELTS Bluestem, Rye Saturday, September 21 CHEF PATRICK RYAN Port Fonda Saturday, October 5 CHEF KEN BAKER Pachamamas Due to the nature of our farm table dinners, a copy of the menu is not available prior to the event. Cost: $170

14| Twilight at the TreeHouse Friday, June 14, 2013, 7:00 PM Liberty Hospital Foundation Join us for a night under the stars filled with food, drink and fun at Twilight at the TreeHouse. A casual event, Twilight at the TreeHouse benefits the TreeHouse, Liberty Hospital’s oncampus hospitality house for patients and family, and new mission-based funds; 7 p.m.; $50; Contact Brooke Perry: 2529 Glenn Hendren Dr, Suite G20, Liberty, MO 64068 or 816-415-7735 or brooke.perry@libertyhospital.org or www. libertyhospitalfoundation.org

20| KC Baseball Historical Society with Guest Bret Saberhagen

Thursday, June 20, 2013, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Harrah’s Casino VooDoo Lounge Baseball Fans! You are invited to the Kansas City Baseball Historical Society Meeting with Bret Saberhagen

Join Kansas City Royal’s pitching legend, BRET SABERHAGEN. Bret pitched in the MLB for 16 seasons, including the Royals from 1984-1991. He also pitched for the Mets, Rockies and Red Sox. His career accomplishments include being the MVP of the 1985 World Series, selected to the All-Star team in 1987,1990 and 1994, Gold Glove winner in

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1989, leading the AL in 1989 with a record of 23-6 and 2.16 ERA, and being a two time Cy Yohung Award winner in 1985 and 1989. This is his first appearance at a KCBHS event, and we thank the support of Harrahs Casino for making the beautiful VooDoo Lounge available for this anticipated large audience. There is NO charge for current, paid members of the KCBHS. Others are welcome, but will be required to join the KCBHS at the door for the yearly membership fee of $25. Please RSVP if you plan to attend, email: Jeff Logan: Logan.Jeff@sbcglobal.net Questions? Call Jeff at 913-961-0929 www.kansascitybaseballhistoricalsociety.com Facebook Group: Kansas City Baseball Historical Society Cost: $25

21| 7th Annual ES Wine Festival Friday, June 21, 2013, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM The Elms Hotel The 7th Annual ES Wine Fest is taking place in Excelsior Springs as a celebration of art, food and Missouri Wine. Many of Missouri’s award-winning wineries gather in the shadow of the Elms Hotel and Spa to lead the celebration. The festival includes artists and crafters featuring handmade jewelry, framed photography and original artwork along with wine inspired works

of art like glass wine stoppers, fused glass cheeseboards and items made from wine barrels and corks. These artists and crafters come from both Missouri and Kansas and many have been coming to the festival for several years. This year’s event will cover two days starting on Friday with the festival running from 6pm to 10pm. The festival will continue on Saturday with events running from 10am to 6pm. Music plays a large part of the festival with many different styles from rockabilly to jazz to folksy. Past bands have included Miss Major and Her Minor Mood Swings and local musician Molly Hammer. Music runs the entire festival schedule. The venue for the event, as with the past six years, is the Elms Hotel. This year is extra special since the hotel completed a huge renovation of historic proportions in 2012. Hotel and wine festival packages are available by going to the Elms website at www.ElmsHotelandSpa.com. Parking is free at the hotel, on the street and in various locations around the event. Signage will direct event goers. Cost: General Admission $6.24 Admission and Wine Sampling $21.99

30| Celebrating Liberty with the Heart of America Barbershop Chorus Sunday, June 30, 2013, 4:00 PM

Liberty Performing Arts Theater

Presented by Corbin Theatre and the City of Liberty at the Liberty Performing Arts Theatre. Rousing and moving musical celebrationof our country’s heritage by the second oldest chapter in the

Barbershop Harmony society. Sponsored by Pony Express Bank, Liberty. Adult - $15.00, Child - $7.50

JULY

13| Soccerpalooza Saturday, July 13, 2013, 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Zona Rosa

Come join Zona Rosa for their annual Soccerpalooza, a day devoted to soccer featuring three on three street tournaments, demonstrations, exhibitions and more.

Phone: (816) 587-8180

13| Kansas City MuckFest MS All Day, Jul 13, 2013 10 a.m .MuckFest MS Tour Making A Stop in Kansas

City on July 13, 2013

Rise to the dirty challenge on a five-mile obstacle course constructed of steel benefitting the National MS Society!

Whether you are young, old, slow or fast, everyone has found memories of hot summers where the best way to cool off was a friendly

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spray of the hose, a ice cold bucket of water strategically poured over a friends head, water balloons being frantically filled and thrown, and water guns being brought out to battle. Drenched is all about bringing everything you loved about those lazy summers back, an event where you can have fun with your friends and get healthy in the process! Everyone who wants a healthy Drenching is welcome to participate. Expert runners and first timers of all ages and genders will start out hot and dry and end up healthier and cooler in the Drenched Finale 5 kilometers later. Kids are welcome; kids 5 and under run FREE and kids 12 and under are $30!

There will be lots of special events added to the fair this year, but all the traditional entertainment will be there, too. A huge carnival, queen contest, petting zoo, fiddle and talent showcases, 4-H exhibits, demolition derbies, Muda-Thon, NATIONALLY SANCTIONED truck and tractor pull, arts and crafts, a melodrama and more will await fairgoers. There will be food vendors, nightly musical entertainment, jugglers, and horse and mule shows, too.

25-28| 150th Platte County Fair

27| Win for KC Women’s Triathlon

Thursday, July 25, 2013, 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Cost: $10 daily admission includes parking as available on fairgrounds. Children 12 years and younger admitted free. Evenings Tues-Friday. Saturday starts at 9 a.m. and goes all day and night.

Saturday, July 27, 2013, 7:30 AM

Platte County Fair Grounds

Smithville Lake

The oldest continually running county fair west of the Mississippi will celebrate the 150th fair!

This event is sanctioned by USA Triathlon and consists of a 500 meter swim, a 10 mile bike and a 5K run. Entry fee ranges from

$90 to $120. Packet pick-up will be available Wednesday, July 24 and Friday, July 26. Packets will be available for pick-up from noon to 7 pm both days. NOTE: According to USAT regulations all participants are required to show a photo I.D. at packet pick-up before receiving race materials, this means that no one besides the participant can pick up their packet. If a participant is unable to attend either packet pick-up, they can pick up their packet on race day.

27| Kids Night Out: Carnival Saturday, July 27, 2013, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Parkville YMCA

Parents can have a night out while kids have fun at the Y. Kids ages 2-11 enjoy dinner, games and more. Ages 4 and older swim, too. Cost: $15 per event for Y members $25 per event for community participants

7260 NW 87th Street Located in Zona Rosa Kansas City, MO 64153 816-759-LAFF (5233) John Morgan

Saturday 6/8/2013 9:45 PM

$18.00

John’’s confident demeanor and honest approach to life is refreshingly original. John dares to talk boldly about real issues. Whether he is speaking about children or relationships, his comedy comes from the heart. Although his material may push some limits, it is never derogatory to any race, sex or creed. Earthquake

Saturday 6/15/2013 7:00 PM $25.00 Earthquake’s mounting credits include an unforgettable appearance on 2003s Latham Entertainment Presents and a 2007 all-star appearance on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. In 2005 he surprised audiences in the film, Getting Played with Vivica Fox, and he will also appear in

the forthcoming film Something Like a Business, directed by Russ Parr soon to be released.

Donnell Rawlings

Juston McKinney

Donnell Rawlings is an overnight success a decade in the making. You’ve seen him on Comedy Central’s award winning and critically celebrated Chappelle’s Show as ‘Ashy Larry’, the 70’s jheri curled ‘Beautiful’, and numerous other characters he’s played. Donnell is the franchise player Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan wanted as a writer and prime time player on their team.

Saturday 6/22/2013 7:00 PM $18.00 Juston has appeared numerous times on “The Tonight Show w/ Jay Leno” and on several, Comedy Central shows including his own half-hour Comedy Central “Presents” special. He is also part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour “The Next Generation” which aired on TBS and is currently available in stores on CD/DVD.

Lavell Crawford

Saturday 6/29/2013 10:00 PM $28.00 Funnyman Lavell Crawford is quickly climbing the comedic ranks and becoming one rising comedy star to watch. From his numerous television appearances and on stage performances, audiences are becoming increasingly familiar with Lavell’s giant sized talent.

Saturday 7/6/2013 7:00 PM $20.00

Sommore

Saturday 7/13/2013 10:00 PM $25.00 Sommore reigns as the undisputed “Queen of Comedy.” This trendsetting, highly-acclaimed veteran entertainer is widely considered one of America’’s top comedic female entertainers. With a winning combination of class and sass, Sommore offers audiences a hilarious, yet piercing look at today’’s issues from a woman’’s perspective. She is frank and

fearless in her routines, tackling topics that range from the mundane to the controversial with wit, intelligence and style.

Pablo Francisco

Saturday 7/20/2013 9:45 PM $22.00 Pablo continually pushes the envelope, while constantly refining new material with frighteningly accurate embodiments that bring his audiences to their feet with boisterous laughter and applause. He weaves together his arsenal of characters, spontaneous outbursts, and clever insights to create a standup show that more resembles a hour-long comedic jazz riff. His unmatched ability to become an off-the-wall, animated character that points out the absurdity in an illogical, pop-culture obsessed world keeps his fans coming back for more. It is not uncommon to sense the anticipation of Pablo’s audience as his fans await their favorite impressions, while being surprised by his unpredictable transformations.

summer

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Northland 4th of JULY Celebrations

KC Riverfest

July 4th from 1pm- 11:00pm Held at Berkley Riverfront Park, this annual event not only has one of the best Fireworks displays in the Kansas City Metro that is choreographed to live music, but great entertainment and things to do for the whole family. Where: Berkley Park on the River between the Heart of America and Bond bridges. Ticket Info: $5 at the gate or $4 advance online. Fireworks: Start @ 10:05

Parkville 4th of July Fireworks and Festival

English Landing Park Parkville, MO Over 20,000 folks from around the metro head to the Northland to watch Parkville’s annual Fireworks display. Parkville kicks off “July 4th Blast Off” on Wednesday, July 4th when the carnival opens in the parking lot at the

south end of Main Street. In addition to the carnival, this fun, family-style celebration includes a community parade, a pancake breakfast, a variety of food vendors, and, of course, the big firework finale. Approximately 9:30 pm Shuttle services from South Platte Community Center, Park University and Park Hill South High School

Worlds of Fun

Worlds of Fun has one of the longest standing 4th of July celebrations in the metro. The fun starts at 10pm.

Smithville Marina Fireworks Display Smithville Lake 9:30 pm

Smithville Marina holds it’s annual festivites with a huge display shot off the north end of the Smithville dam. View at the marina, by boat, or at the Smith’s Fork Park.

Weston Jaycees Annual July 4th Celebration West Platte High School

This traditional Independence Day celebration includes fireworks, ice cream social, entertainment. Bring your blanket and sit on the hill side or sit in the bleachers at the West Platte High School athletic field to be dazzled by one of the most fantastic fireworks shows in the area. Price: Donation.

Platte City Family Fun and Fireworks Display Thursday, July 4, 2013 - All Day

Morning - Platte City Swimming Pool 10am-Bike Rodeo, Co-ed Volleyball Noon-Hot Dogs, Moonwalk and Pool Activities 9:15pm-High School Stadium Flag Ceremony, Patriotic Band and Fireworks! ilivenorth.com | 13

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ACROSS THE RIVER

SAVOY

GRILL

By Ingrid Flaspohler

If ever there were a perfect setting for a ghost story in Kansas City, The Savoy Grill Restaurant and Hotel at Ninth Street and Central downtown would be it. The original hotel, built in 1888, offered lodging to traveling merchants, tourists, politicians and stage actors during an era when the city was a bustling hub for travelers. The now famous Savoy Grill dining room and restaurant was added in 1903 and holds the title of Kansas Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest restaurant. Throughout the decades, the hotel and restaurant have hosted celebrities and politicians galore, and endured 125 years of history. Famous visitors include Presidents Warren Harding, William Taft, Teddy Roosevelt, Harry S Truman, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. Other notable guests include John D. Rockefeller, Harry Houdini, and W.C. Fields. With a history like the Savoy Grill has, it seems as if the building itself should posses a kind of living consciousness, harboring the secrets and stories of all who have passed through its doors. If only walls could talk! ilivenorth.com | 15

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Owner Don Lee’s story is more of a classic American success story. Don purchased the restaurant in 1960 and then the hotel five years later. He has been running the historic establishment ever since. Growing up in a restaurant family, the business was in his blood. His father operated a restaurant at 12th Street and Baltimore, Jim Lee’s, during the WWII era. Specializing in steak and seafood, the restaurant billed itself as the ‘home of the dollar dinner.” Young Don first cut his restaurant teeth there, washing dishes to start and eventually learning the ways of the kitchen. As a youth, he resisted the family vocation, claiming, “When I was young, I always said if I ever get old enough I’ll never work at a restaurant again. Now here I am, all these years later, working in a restaurant.” After graduating from Cathedral Catholic School near 13th and Central, Don had an eighteenmonth stint in the Navy medical corps. Following his service, Don attended the University of Kansas where he obtained a degree in business. At the age of 28, Don, along with his father and brother, took over the Savoy from the Snider brothers. The new owners found themselves in a position of starting over with a 57-yearold restaurant. “When a restaurant changes hands, the people who were loyal to the previous owners, they sort of abandoned the restaurant. We had to build up our own clientele,” recalls Don. A rocky few years followed, with restaurant sales initially ‘plummeting,’ and the building ownership changing hands frequently under landlords who knew little about the hotel and restaurant industry. Finally, Don determined that the best way to safeguard his restaurant was to purchase the entire building, which he did in 1965. By this time, his brother and father had bailed on the venture, leaving Don as the sole proprietor. “My initial goal was just to break even,” says Don, who split his time as owner between supervising the kitchen, training staff, purchasing supplies and marketing the restaurant. Drawing on his early restaurant experience, business savvy and hard work, Don was able to restore the Savoy Grill to its former glory as a sought-after ilivenorth.com | 17

antique furniture and fixtures and by displaying old artifacts, letters and photos throughout the space. One framed document displays an old employment application, filled out by a pre-Presidential Harry Truman. Numerous photos of guests from previous eras adorn the walls. The design of the dinner plates has remained the same for nearly eighty years.

locale for fine dining and entertainment. The 1970s saw brisk business and growing popularity for the restaurant as the downtown area developed and the building was honored with a place on the National Register of Historic Places. With the restaurant thriving, Don was able to turn his attention to reviving the hotel side. Renovations to the rooms began in 1985 and continued throughout the years. Now presented as bed and breakfast suites, Don strives to outfit the accommodations with modern amenities while maintaining the establishment’s storied past. In a time when new chain restaurants abound, visitors to the Savoy Grill can experience a palpable sense of authentic historical gravitas. Don honors the rich history of the building with original

Catering Ad 9 x 4.625_Layout 1 4/30/13 2:50 PM Page 1

To maintain such a place for over fifty years speaks to dedication, knowledge and passion on Don’s part. Asked what he loves about his job, Don says, “It’s a challenge every day. You get to meet quite a few people, different types of people. They all turn out to be about the same, though.” The secret to the Savoy Grill’s longevity, and Don’s success, is in preserving the tried and true principles. Don says a big part of it is simply “showing up for work every day” to manage the staff and operations. “Like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it,” he claims. Maintaining top quality food standards is important, as well. Don oversees the purchase of fresh fish and prime steaks from trusted vendors across the country. “We stick to what we do best, fresh fish, lobster, seafood and meat,” says Don. Although Don has earned himself a place in Kansas City history as long-time owner of the Savoy Grill, he maintains a no-nonsense business philosophy that has propelled his success over the years. He approaches his role as steward of the Savoy Grill as more preservationist than grand innovator. His vision for the future of the Savoy? “More of the same,” says Don. “If it’s not broken, don’t change it.”

LET US ARRANGE THE DETAILS FOR YOUR SPECIAL EVENT. We take great pride in hosting many of Kansas City’s most notable and prestigious events from the largest charitable functions and civic affairs to the most elegant social occasions and weddings of any size. We’re also recognized for the special care we take to make sure that every last detail is perfectly arranged… every moment is memorable… every guest impressed. In short, we care as much about the success of your event as you do. After all exceeding expectations is how we’ve built our reputation. Our event specialists are eager to give you any assistance you need. Just call us at 816.421.6800

A National Pastime Brings Local Pride By Ingrid Flaspohler

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The National CFO/COO Dale Brouk There is a common saying that goes if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. For any golf enthusiasts who happen to subscribe to this brand of vocational wisdom, Dale Brouk might have the quintessential ‘dream job.’ As CFO/COO of The National Golf Club of Kansas City, he oversees the big picture strategies for the club, along with those of The Deuce and Loch Lloyd Country Clubs and the various communities, retail parks and real estate development subsidiaries under FiveStar Lifestyles, LLC. While he admits that he holds a job “most golfers would love to have,” his day-to-day endeavors consist of much more than putting and sipping Arnold Palmers on the green. Dale sits at the helm of an ambitious and fastidious organization that strives to be the best in Kansas City and beyond by constantly working to improve itself and the surrounding community.

Despite the elitism typically associated with golf, Dale was not born into a privileged country club set. Growing up in a lower middle class neighborhood in St. Louis, he never even picked up a set up golf clubs until he was seventeen years old. His introduction to the sport came as a reward for Dale’s characteristic midwestern ethos of honest work and neighborliness.

For those wondering how to nab such a plum job, take note that a fancy pedigree or silver spoon is not always required.

The passion for his newfound hobby stuck with Dale from then on, although he never imagined his weekend interest would lead to a viable career path. After attaining his B.S. in

22| June/July 2013

“My next door neighbor asked me if I would help him build his garage. I said, ‘sure, I have nothing to do this summer,’ and I helped him build his garage. As my compensation, he paid me $100, gave me his old set of golf clubs, and offered to take me golfing several times. He started taking me out golfing with this group. That’s how I got started playing golf. That’s how I got hooked on it.”

Business Administration from the University of MissouriSt. Louis, Dale began his career in a somewhat less, shall we say, glamorous industry - accounting. As a CPA, Dale worked for one of the ‘Big 8’ accounting firms for five years before moving into real estate in 1990. Then after working in real estate in St. Louis and Cincinnati for over a decade, he was brought on at the National as CFO, due to his development experience and expertise in accounting. “I was in the right place at the right time,” says Dale of his appointment. “I never imagined that I would end up working in golf, or that I would have the ability to operate and run a company either when I was growing up.” From where he sits now, Dale plays a significant part in managing one of the areas’ most revered golf organizations. The course at The National is renowned for its quality, and the club is a social hot spot for Kansas City’s movers and shakers. Golf is big business here, and earning and maintaining top billing requires vision, dedication and hard work. Part of Dale’s job is designing and supervising the strategic planning for the organization. For 2013, they are taking on the goal of becoming the best private club within a 600-mile radius of Kansas City. Dale, along with owners Neil Patterson and Cliff Illig, plan to achieve this through attention to detail, exceptional service and a focus on experience. Luckily, they didn’t have to look far for inspiration and real-life tactics for fostering successful sports clubs. Neil and Cliff are also owners of the wildly popular Sporting KC soccer club. “What they [Neil and Cliff] did to make Sporting KC the best soccer venue in the country, they’re now doing with the golf clubs. They are making us implement all of the things they believe in, the little things that help us differentiate our club from every other club,” says Dale.

The National Golf Course: Tee Trivia

The National is the first Tom Watson Signature course in the U.S.

It is considered a difficult course, with a little over 7,000 yards and a sloping of 144.

The National has hosted 2 Champions Tours events, U.S. Open qualifiers and many junior golf events.

The National was recognized by Golf, Travel and Leisure Magazine as a “Top 100 Golf Community” four years in a row.

The most common thing people say after playing it for the first time: “I wish I could play it again, because I’d do this differently and this differently.”

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24| June/July 2013

Special offerings and details recently implemented by the club include things like enhanced guest packages, which offer reserved lockers, spots on the driving range and customized balls adorned with pictures of the holes. The course itself benefits from rigorous maintenance and ongoing investments in the property. Management recently installed high-end water dispensers and sturdier and quieter bridges incorporating Tex lumber. These are small details that pay off in a more pleasant experience for golfers. These touches are more expensive, but worth the investment, says Stu Stram, President at The National and The Deuce. Owners and management “want to be the best in everything they touch,” adds Stu. Above and beyond accommodations extend to the dining and entertaining experience, as well. A resident food and beverage manager came up with a unique idea to improve the wedding experience, wherein two personal servers will accompany the bride and groom, holding their food and drinks so as to free their hands for the greeting of guests. The entire staff is recognized as integral to the clubs’ success, and recent initiatives have focused on refining staff knowledge and instilling pride in their roles within the organization. “We made the training programs for the staff to treat it more like a profession as opposed to a job. Instead of just saying, ‘here’s our selection of wines,’ we’re teaching our servers to say, and ‘here’s where the wines came from, here’s what creates a good wine.’ We are teaching them so if you ask those kind of questions, we can give you the answer,” says Dale. The National Gives Back program awards club associates with scholarships to pursue higher education, and various rewards programs offer positive reinforcement for good work.

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Lindsey Dolt, a server at The National, appreciates the investment from her employers and enjoys the positive atmosphere. “I love working here. They are taking steps in the right direction and getting better every day. I have been in the service industry for five years, and I have never been in a place like this. It’s like one big family, from the golf shop to the grill, everyone helps each other. It’s the best buddy system I’ve ever seen,” Lindsey raves. The club’s vision extends to community involvement, as well. All three courses have hosted numerous charity tournaments on their grounds, including one that was created by Dale and his fellow church members at Gloria Day Lutheran. The Generosity USA Tournament, held yearly at The Deuce, raises money for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for the needy. It began as a church fundraiser and evolved into a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to feeding the food-insecure members of the local community. In 2012, they raised $20,000, and the organization now contributes $400 on a monthly basis to feed people throughout the year. This year the tournament will be held in September and expects even greater fundraising success. The club also supports the local youth golf community, opening its doors to the Park Hill South High School golf team, which practices and holds meets at The Deuce. Naturally, this appeals to Dale’s own background and principles. “It’s a way of giving back to the community, and I’m a firm believer in that.” Recalling the values instilled by the sport in his own life, Dale sees the connection between golf and character building in young people. “Most people who have played golf and have recognized what golf is, they

want to hand it down to the next generation. If you truly follow the rules and the etiquette of golf, it just naturally teaches you to be moral, to be ethical. It teaches you to respect other people. It teaches you to respect the course. It’s a disciplined game. It’s not like a lot of other sports where there is a lot of cussing and backstabbing. Golf is a sport you play all by yourself. Yeah, you can cheat if you want to, but if you’re taught the game properly, that doesn’t even cross your mind to do things like that. Not just on the golf course, it’s throughout your life,” says Dale. Matt Barry, a recent Park Hill South High graduate and former member of the golf team, couldn’t agree more. He claims, “Golf turned me into a better person. It brings out the integrity in a person. It makes you polite. Even if you don’t become a better golfer by playing, you will become a better person.” Matt also credits the connection to The Deuce to helping the team achieve two recent notable achievements. This year, the team held the 3rd lowest score in Missouri high school golf history, and the lowest score in Missouri sectionals. “It’s a really good course to practice on. It gives you an advantage because it’s harder than other courses that we typically play,” says Matt. He will attend the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the fall and play for the golf team there. Matt and his cohorts, guided by the golf-instilled principles of integrity, respect and discipline, have bright futures ahead in whatever paths they choose. Perhaps they will even return to their community and give back in the way that Dale and his associates at The National have, using golf as a means to pass on values to other generations and foster civic involvement. Perhaps one of them, one day, will be sitting in Dale’s seat.

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NORTHLAND GOLF COURSE GUIDE

The Deuce at the National 6415 N. National Drive Kansas City, MO Â 64152 (816) 741-0634 www.thedeucegolf.org

Directions: From Downtown Kansas City take 169 North to I-29 North. Exit 64th Street West. Take a right on N. Crooked Road. Take right on National Avenue. Turn left onto National Drive. Course Designer: Tom Watson Course Length: 5,896 yards for men and 5,475 for women. Par: 70 Rating/Slope: 69/126 for men and 67/122 for women. Characteristics of Course: Zoysia Fairways &

Bentgrass Greens.

Rates: Private course, call for details. 28| June/July 2013

The National 6415 N. National Drive Kansas City, MO Â 64152 (816) 741-0634 www.thenationalgolfclub.com

Directions: From Downtown Kansas City take 169 North to I-29 North. Exit 64th Street West. Take a right on N. Crooked Road. Take right on National Avenue. Turn left onto National Drive. Course Designer: Tom Watson Course Length: 6,120 yards for men and 5,540 for women. Par: 72 Rating/Slope: 70.9/137 for men and 69.1/131 for women. Characteristics of Course: Zoysia Fairways &

Bentgrass Greens.

Rates: Private course, call for details.

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Hodge Park 7000 NE Barry Road Kansas City, MO Â 64156 (816) 781-4152 www.hodgeparkgolf.com

Directions: From Downtown Kansas City take I-35 North to I-435 North. Take right onto Shoal Creek Parkway. Turn left on N.E. Barry Road. Course Designer: Michael Mayln Course Length: 6,181 yards for men and 5,707 for women. Par: 71 Rating/Slope: 69.5/117 for men and 67/110 for women. Characteristics of Course: Zoysia Fairways &

Bentgrass Greens.

Rates: Summer; $23 walking. $38 with cart per player. 30| June/July 2013

Paradise Pointe Golf Complex 618212 Golf Course Road Smithville, MO (816) 532-4100 www.paradisepointegolf.com

Directions: From Downtown Kansas City take 169 North. Turn right on MO-DD. Turn left onto N. Bridge Street/169 Spur. Take the 2nd right onto MO-F. Turn slight right onto N.E. 180th Street. Turn left onto Golf Course Road.

The Outlaw

Course Designer: Craig Schreiner Course Length: 6,447 yards for men and

The Posse

Course Designer: Edmond Ault Course Length: 6,583 yards for men and

5,919 for women.

6,065 for women.

Par: 72

Rating/Slope: 71.4/130 for men and 70.2/122

Rating/Slope: 71.7/132 for men and 69.9/124

for women.

Characteristics of Course: Zoysia Fairways & Bentgrass Greens. Enjoy The Outlawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult par 3 10th hole.

Characteristics of Course: Bluegrass Fairways & Bentgrass Greens. The front nine is located next to the lake which can make for a challenging wind.

Rates: Summer; $29 per player. Winter; $23 per player (rates subject to change).

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Staley Farms 10310 N. Olive Avenue Kansas City, MO Â 64155 (816) 734-8389 www.staleyfarms.com

Directions: From Downtown Kansas City take 169 North to 152 East. Take left on Maplewoods Parkway. Turn right on N.E. Staley Farms Drive. Turn left on N. Olive Avenue. Course Designer: Eric Iverson Course Length: 6,405 yards for men and 6,133 for women. Par: 72 Rating/Slope: 69/126 for men and 67/122 for women. Characteristics of Course: Zoysia Fairways &

Bentgrass Greens.

Rates: Private course, call for details.

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Shiloh Springs 14750 Fairway Lane Platte City, MO 64079 (816) 270-2582 www.shilohspringsgolf.com

Directions: From Downtown Kansas City take I-29 North to 92 Highway East. Take a left on N. Bethel Road. Take a Right on N.W. 145th Terrace. Take a left on Fairway Lane. Course Designer: Gary Martin Course Length: 6,405 yards for men and 6,133 for women. Par: 72 Rating/Slope: 71.2/125 for men and 72/121 for women. Characteristics of Course: Zoysia Fairways &

Bentgrass Greens.

Rates: Summer; $21 per player. Winter; $26 per player.

to summer. HOLD ON

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Receive a PANDORA single strand leather bracelet (a $40 USD retail value) with your PANDORA purchase of $100 or more.* *Good while supplies last, limit one per customer. Charms shown on bracelet are sold separately. See our store for details.

Shoal Creek 8905 Shoal Creek Parkway Kansas City, MO Â 64157 (816) 407-7242 x20 www.shoalcreekgolf.com

Directions: From Downtown Kansas City take I-35 North to I-435 North. Take right onto Shoal Creek Parkway. Course Designer: Michael Mayln Course Length: 6,181 yards for men and 5,707 for women. Par: 71 Rating/Slope: 69.5/117 for men and 67/110 for women. Characteristics of Course: Zoysia Fairways & Penn G-2

Bentgrass Greens.

Rates: Summer; $30-58 per player depending on tee time. 34| June/July 2013

Excelsior Springs 1201 E. Golf Hill Drive Excelsior Springs, MO Â 64024 (816) 630-3731 www.ci.excelsior-springs.mo.us

Directions: From Downtown Kansas City take I-35 North. Merge onto US-69 N. Stay straight to go onto W. Jesse James Road/ MO-10 E. Turn right onto Old Orchard Avenue/MO-10. Turn left onto Sycamore Street/MO-10. Turn left onto St Louis Avenue/MO-10. Turn right onto E. Golf Hill Drive/Old Highway 10. Course Designer: Tom Bendalow Course Length: 6,333 yards for men and 5,613 for women. Par: 72 Rating/Slope: 71.1/121 for men and 65.4/114 for women. Characteristics of Course: Zoysia/ Bluegrass Fairways

& Bentgrass Greens.

Rates: Summer; $23 walking; $38 with cart per player. ilivenorth.com |

Tiffany Greens 6011 N.W. Tiffany Springs Parkway Kansas City, MO Â 64154 (816) 880-9600 www.tiffanygreensgolf.com

Directions: From Downtown Kansas City take I-29 North to Tiffany Springs Parkway go right. Enter Second roundabout and take the 2nd exit. Course Designer: Robert Trent Jones II Course Length: 6,613 yards for men and 6,173 for women. Par: 72 Rating/Slope: 71.8/129 for men and 69.6/124 for women. Characteristics of Course: Zoysia Fairways &

Bentgrass Greens.

Rates: Summer; $21-$67 per player dependent on tee time.

36| June/July 2013

Cardinal Hill C.C. 925 N. Lightburne Street Liberty, MO Â 64068 (816) 781-6522 www.cardinalhillgolf.com

Directions: From Downtown Kansas City take I-35 North to Exit 20 US-69/MO-33. Keep right at fork, follow signs for 33/Lightburne Street Course Designer: Chet Mendenhall Course Length: 6,153 yards for men and 5,817 for women. Par: 72 Rating/Slope: 69.8/128 for men and 71.1/119 for women. Characteristics of Course: Zoysia Fairways &

Bentgrass Greens.

Rates: Summer; $18-$26 per player dependent on tee time.

SOCK 101 Growing up, my grandfather taught me the simple rules of socks: #1- White socks go with tennis shoes. #2- If you’re not wearing tennis shoes, then your socks must match your pants. #3- The Red Sox should have never traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees. Don’t tell my grandfather, but the sock rules have unraveled. Socks have become an independent fashion statement (Even the Red Sox won a couple World Series.). Thankfully, a local KC company has started designing fashionable, colorful and affordable socks. Three young Kansas City professionals, including Northland native Jason Grill, started sock 101. Sock 101 is working to turn the hum-drum life of the plain sock into a new stand-alone fashion statement. Now dispatch with those dingy duds you hide with shame in the top drawer. Go to Sock101.com and pickup some stripes, dots, colors— all the while supporting a local KC company. Web - www.sock101.com Facebook - facebook.com/sock101 Twitter - @thesock101 Instagram - TheSock101

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The K.C. SOCK101.COM $7

Tee Time Photographed by Brad Austin

ilivenorth.com | 39

Take a Mulligan

The Patriot SOCK101.COM $7

40| June/July 2013

In the Rough

The Regal SOCK101.COM $7

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The Dapper Dot SOCK101.COM $7

Out of Bounds

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Water Hazard

The Johnny SOCK101.COM $7

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The Porter SOCK101.COM $7

...in the Cup

44| June/July 2013

THE DRIVE

E-Z-GO Freedom TXT Body & Chassis

Frame-welded steel with DuraShieldâ&#x201E;˘ epoxy coating

Body & Finish

Injection Molded TPO Standard Color - Champagne

Horsepower

The Freedom TXT has a peak horsepower output of 14 HP, which is 17.4% higher than the average for all Golf Carts and NEVs.

Speed

The Freedom TXT can reach a maximum speed of 19 mph, which is 2 mph more than the average for all Golf Carts and NEVs.

Dimensions

The Freedom TXT has an overall front-to-back length of 91 inches, which is 19 inches less than the average for all Golf Carts and NEVs. Additionally, it has an overall height of 47 inches and 47 inches without the sun top in position, which is 5 inches shorter than the average for all Golf Carts and NEVs.

Weight

The Freedom TXT has a dry weight of 760 lbs., which is 5.6% lighter than the average for all Golf Carts and NEVs. 46| June/July 2013

Standard Features

Headlights Taillights Horn Brakelights Sweater Basket Integrated Cup, Ball and Tee Holders Deep Glovebox Storage State of Charge Meter (Electric Only) DC-to-DC Converter (Electric Only) Fuel Meter (Gas Only)

Optional Features

Seat Color Weather Protection World Charger (Electric Only) Hour Meter Turn Signals Heavy-Duty Batteries (Electric Only) Tour Max Tire on Alloy Wheels Speedracer by Kenda Tire on Aluminum Wheels Wheel Covers Ash Tray Club and Ball Washer (Driver, Passenger) Cooler and Bracket (Driver, Passenger) Fender Scuff Guard Message Holder Side Basket (Driver, Passenger) Tow Bar (Permanent or Casual Use)

SPORTS

LUKE BUSS

We all have heard the phrase, “Dynamite comes in small packages,” but most of us have never experienced it first hand. I am here to tell you that I have, and it comes in the form of a 4’5”, 75 lb., 10 year-old little boy named Luke Buss. Luke is the son of Northlanders Matt and Jessica Buss. He is one of the top 10 yearold hockey players in the world. Yes, I said WORLD! Since the age of 3, Luke has been on skates following in his father’s footsteps. Matt Buss, Luke’s father, was a member of the University of Wisconsin’s national championship hockey team in 1990 and also a member of the runner-up in 1992. Luke plays center for the 11 year-old AAA Russell Stover Hockey Team, The Missouri Mavericks. He was the leading scorer on the team with 86 goals in 40 games. For those of you who don’t follow hockey, that is pretty amazing! He also was chosen to play for the NHL Chicago, Jr. Blackhawks who are coached by former NHL great and Hall of Famer, Denis Savard. The Jr. Blackhawks will represent the State of Illinois in the prestigious Brick Hockey Tournament in Edmonton, Canada July 1st through 7th. The Brick Tournament will feature the best 10 year-old players from around the world and is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Luke. Luke was hand picked over hundreds of other 10 year-old boys. Officials narrowed it down to the top 15 players to represent the Midwest.

Jeff Kelso

Jeff Kelso graduated from Park Hill High School in 1984, where he was an outstanding athlete. Jeff received the inaugural Simone Award given to the best Kansas City football player. He continued his education and athletic career at the University of Missouri, where he played football. After college, Jeff was drafted by the California Angels in the ninth round of the 1988 MLB draft. He played 4 years with the Angels. Jeff currently coaches a traveling little league baseball team and owns Kelso’s Restaurant in Northtown.

What’s even more amazing is that in the past six months, Luke has divided his time with another sport. He also plays baseball with the 10 year-old Major Kansas City Scouts Baseball team. This team travels all over the country playing the best of the best 10 year-old baseball teams from the U.S. I have been fortunate to coach Luke in baseball. He is one of a kind! Luke is a hard worker, a very dedicated player, a great teammate and, most importantly, an outstanding young boy who is a blast to be associated with and a true honor to coach. Look for the Buss name one day on the back of an NHL jersey. He won’t be the biggest guy on the ice, but if I was a betting man, he WILL be the BADDEST! Luke Buss, you are my NORTH Magazine Athlete of the Month for June! ilivenorth.com | 47

HEALTH & FITNESS Fat Burning Foods

by Nick Bolton

nick@ilivenorth.com

Have you ever heard that to reach your fitness goals it is a combination of 80% nutrition and 20% exercise? The percentage isn’t exact, but it is used to make a point. If you exercise for 1 hour a day, that accounts for 4% of your total time in the day. Eating (and how your body processes that food) will then determine the remainder. The body can be an amazingly efficient machine that uses food as a fuel for day-to-day activities. The body adapts to stress and exercise by changing shape, increasing strength and burning body fat for energy.

3. OATMEAL

Keeps blood sugar and insulin levels low, so fat burning can stay high.

4. AVOCADO Burns readily for fuel during exercise

and actually encourages fat burning. Avocados blunt insulin release and enhance calcium absorption, both of which are critical for encouraging fat loss.

5. SALMON This fish is one of the richest sources of

Here are some quick rules to keep your body efficient: eat a healthy balanced breakfast, consume small meals every 2-3 hours, drink a lot of water, keep stress low and get a good night’s sleep. When making food choices, try reaching for the fat burning foods. Here is a list of some foods that turn up the heat on body fat.

Build muscle and aid in fat loss, possibly by decreasing appetite and calorie intake.

1. WALNUTS

7. FLAXSEEDS They

All nuts contain some amount of the omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid, but most contain only trace amounts. The real fat hero in most nuts is monounsaturated fats. Walnuts are actually a rich source of omega-3s.

2. GINGER

Relieves digestive upset/disturbances, reduces inflammation, boosts blood flow to muscles and aids muscle recovery. It also acts to boost calorie burn.

48| June/July 2013

omega-3s, which turn on fat burning and block fat storage.

6. SOYBEANS (EDAMAME)

contain the essential omega-3 fatty acid alpha- linolenic acid. These omega-3 fats have been found to turn on genes that stimulate fat burning and turn off genes that increase fat storage.

8. GRAPEFRUIT

Results are likely due to grapefruit’s ability to reduce insulin levels and to a chemical in grapefruit known as naringin, which prevents fat from being stored in the body.

9. HONEY Keeps insulin levels low and steady, allowing

for the maintenance of a fat-burning environment in your body. Honey also is a rich source of nitric oxide (NO) metabolites; ultimately, that means it actually encourages fat release from the body’s fat cells.

10. PEANUT BUTTER Boosts testosterone (a good thing, even in women), builds muscle and burns fat.

11. EGGS Build muscle and burn body fat.

Skin Care Corner: Ask The Dermatologist Cutaneous Caveats

Being a dermatologist has the advantage of being able to physically see the organ necessary to treat. This has the advantage of patients and doctors seeing and knowing changes that occur. Over the years, caring for the largest organ has been challenging, rewarding and surprising. Therefore, we thought it fitting to have a question/answer session on some of our most common questions. Here are the top five questions we face daily. 1. Do I have to wear sunscreen every day? I never go outside. Unless you get to work by underground tunnel, or work, sleep and eat in a cave, you go outside. Driving, walking or having lunch with a friend all gives us sun exposure we don’t need. Glass in windows of cars, homes and work does block the burning rays of Ultraviolet (UV) B. It doesn’t, though, block UV A rays which penetrate deeper and cause wrinkles and cancer. By wearing sunscreen daily, you are protected, just like a seatbelt. Nobody plans to get in a wreck and nobody plans to get a sunburn. 2. Should I get a base tan before my beach vacation? Only if you want to perceive yourself looking good on the beach. The “base tan” only provides an SPF 4 because most of the rays in tanning beds are UVA. Any time your skin changes color, it is damaged. My advice is to get an umbrella, some sunscreen and skip the tanning beds. Also, just one visit raises your risk of malignant melanoma by 20%, with regular use increasing that to 74%. Melanoma takes one life per hour in the United States alone.

12. CHILI PEPPER FLAKES

Enhance calorie burning at rest, as well as reduce hunger and food intake.

13. BROCCOLI

Fills you up without too many calories. It enhances fat loss. Broccoli and other green veggies fight free radicals and improve recovery for better muscle building.

14. OLIVE OIL

Lowers levels of the “bad” type of cholesterol, improves cardiovascular health and is more likely to be burned as fuel.

Nick Bolton Nick Bolton is one of Kansas City’s premier personal trainers. With more than 14 years of personal training experience, Nick offers an array of knowledge in fitness and nutrition to our readers . He is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, National Council on Strength and Fitness, and National Board of Emergency Medical Technicians. He specializes in all forms of training, from competitive athletes to everyday people. Nick is the founder of Firehouse Fitness where he offers his training services both online and in person. He works with individual clients, small groups, and large group bootcamps in Kansas City. Nick is a published fitness writer and has been featured in local, national, and international magazines and e-magazines. www.nickboltonfitness.com www.firehousefitnesskc.com Email: n4bolton@hotmail.com Facebook: Nick Bolton Fitness

3. Do I need a full skin exam? Do I have to take my (socks, underwear, bra) off? I haven’t seen anything and my husband, wife, etc. hasn’t seen anything. Skin cancer is challenging to discover. I trust my wife watching my back, but she is board certified in Dermatology. Patients are amazed that a ‘little spot” was a deadly skin cancer. Plus, anywhere you have skin, you can have cancer. Not all cancers are 100% related to UV exposure. Bob Marley died of melanoma on his foot. It can happen anywhere, so no modesty is the safest policy. 4. Does food make my acne worse? Yes and no. It may not be a specific food, but it could be what is known as the glycemic index (GI) of the food you are eating. GI provides a measure of how quickly blood sugar rises after eating a particular type of food. Therefore, foods with a high GI (potatoes, chocolate, sugary soda for example) can flare acne. Other flares may include hormones in non-organic milk, internal hormones (males and females) and certain comedogenic products. 5. Doesn’t this need “a little air” to heal? Once a scab forms, it will heal. Moist wounds heal better than dry wounds. A scab blocks the skin from closing a wound like we block an elevator door from closing. Vaseline® or Vaniply® work great. Moist wounds do not need an antibiotic, as 15 % of the country is allergic to these topical medicines. I hope this has been beneficial in guiding you towards better skin for a better life. -Brian Matthys DO

S dermatology U N F&Lmedical OW E R day spa Briarcliff Professional Plaza 1805 NW Platte Rd., Suite 120 Riverside, MO 64150 (816) 472-0400 ilivenorth.com | 49

WOMEN'S HEALTH Why All Calories Are Not Created Equal By Brenda S. Smith, M.D.

Eyes Wide Open When it comes to eating correctly, all you have to do is open you eyes. Really look at things and see them for what they are. Look in the mirror - are you satisfied with what you see looking back at you. Look at your dinner plate – is it food from nature that your body was designed to accept and use appropriately. Open your eyes and truthfully evaluate what’s in front of you. In my office when I discuss nutrition with women, the first thing I do is to haul out a huge poster that illustrates metabolism and the amazing things your body can make with food. It can build hormones, it can build neurotransmitters for brain function, and it can build skin, muscle, and bone to name a few of the important substances in your body constructed from food. Then I point out that if you don’t eat, you die as your body becomes unable to build what it needs to function. Your body is trillions of cells working together 24/7 to keep you alive and functioning. When it comes to nutrition, you have to be a team player. Your body is willing to do the work if you provide it with the correct raw materials.

A Calorie is not a Calorie is not a Calorie So what would your body like to have for dinner? It turns out your body prefers nutrient dense foods like fruits and vegetables over a Sonic tater tot. Your body does not want to pick through useless calories in search of the proper building blocks it needs. The efficient way to run the complex machine we call the human body is to maximize building blocks and decrease toxins and waste. When you eat, foods are broken down into the macronutrients, such as, protein, carbs and fat and micronutrients, such as, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. The body is programmed to recognize the chemical messages these substances in food deliver. Glucose molecules can be burned as fuel, a protein can be used to build a muscle, an antioxidant to help reduce wear and tear, a vitamin to activate healing. The body is well equipped to process an apple - recognizing and efficiently utilizing what it has to offer. The body, however, can be confused 50| June/July 2013

by man-made altered foods that do not resemble nature’s chemistry. Foods with altered sugars, altered fats, man-made chemicals, i.e. a Twinkie, are not so easily processed in the body into a beneficial product. The result can be more of a disruption to your metabolism, a waste product that has to be detoxified. Foods, such as, a Twinkie or a frozen pizza are far removed from foods in nature and can actually hasten the body’s decline – think accelerated aging!

All calories are not created equal; some only generate oxidative stress in your body. Look at your plate and see the food on it for what it is. Do you see natural foods from nature staring back, luxurious foods the body can use or do you see food that is manufactured, processed, stripped, altered and of little real useful value to your body. When it comes to calories, we want a calorie with a lot of bang for our buck, not an empty calorie.

What’s for Dinner? Let’s look at some examples. When you eat, choose proteins direct from nature, such as, meat, dairy, fish instead of isolated soy protein chemically extracted from nature. Choose sugars from nature, such as, fruits vs. chemically altered sugars, such as, high fructose corn syrup. Choose fats from nature, such as, butter vs. fats that have been rearranged in the manufacturing process, such as, trans (twisted) fats. Your eyes can easily tell you if a food came from nature or from a manufacturing plant. Ask yourself, is the food in front of me altered from its natural state? If it is, be suspicious of its nutritional value to your body. I challenge the women I see to eat a whole food diet (the perimeter of the grocery store) avoiding the aisles (packaged). The problem is that we are surrounded by manufactured food with its powerful marketing messages. It takes time and planning to consume not just a calorie, but the best calories for our body. It takes motivation and planning to navigate the typical American grocery store or restaurant to find the beneficial calories your body needs.

Action Plan for Eating your Best Calorie 1. To help convince yourself that healthy food is a fabulous way to pamper yourself, read You Are What You Eat by Dr. Gillian McKeith. 2. To help convince yourself that manufactured food is often the enemy, read The End of Overeating by David Kessler , M.D. 3. Think ahead. We all innately know what is good for us, but if you run off to the office without the fresh greens for a salad, you most likely will end up eating empty calories from a fast food joint. Take time each week to plan for your meals. 4. Sign up for the Nutrition Action health letter at www.cspinet.org. A very unbiased (no government or corporate sponsors allowed) source for nutrition advice. 5. Be excited about being a role model– your children, your coworkers, most of America needs to be exposed to a person who knows that all calories are not created equal.

Dr. Brenda Smith Dr. Smith, a wellrespected Kansas City area obstetrician/ gynecologist, has been on staff at Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City since 1990, as well as a partner in the medical practice Ferns, Matile, Smith & Perryman, M.D.s, P.C. She also was a member of the hospital’s teaching staff for 15 years. Dr. Smith performed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Saint Luke’s Hospital. She received her medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Kan., and her bachelor of science degree from Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, Mo. Dr. Smith is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She also is a member of the American Medical Association, the Kansas City Gynecological Society, the Metropolitan Medical Society and the Missouri State Medical Association.

What’s Up with High Blood Pressure?

HEALTH

By James H. O’Keefe, M.D.

and by partnering with your health care team, you can successfully manage high blood pressure and enjoy the benefits in the long run for your heart, brain, and overall health. Once your treatment program becomes routine, maintaining a lower blood pressure becomes easier. Remind yourself that by managing your blood pressure, you are lowering your risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, peripheral artery disease and kidney disease. Death rates from these diseases have decreased significantly, thanks in part to earlier and better treatment of high blood pressure. Even if your blood pressure is in the normal range, consider making lifestyle changes today to prevent the development of high blood pressure and improve your heart health tomorrow.

According to the American Heart Association, about 78 million Americans have high blood pressure (BP), which is often called the “silent killer.” High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart disease for people over 50 years old, and although it’s one of the most common issues I see in my practice, it’s also commonly misunderstood by my patients. For most people, systolic blood pressure, the higher number when you check your blood pressure, is the more important of the two BP numbers. The systolic BP tends to rise with age due to increasing stiffness of the large arteries, long-term build-up of plaque, and increased incidence of heart and vascular disease. The reason we are so concerned with your blood pressure is because it is a major indicator of your overall cardiac health. Left untreated, high blood pressure overworks your body’s heart and other organs and can damage the lining of the blood vessels, leading to life-threatening health issues, such as heart attack or stroke, and premature death. Your blood pressure varies throughout the day, rising with each heartbeat and falling

when your heart relaxes between beats. While blood pressure can change from minute to minute with changes in posture, exercise, stress or sleep, it should generally run below 120/80 mm Hg (less than 120 systolic AND less than 80 diastolic). A single high reading does not necessarily mean that you have high blood pressure. But if your blood pressure reading is higher than normal, your health care provider may take several readings and/or have you monitor your blood pressure at home before diagnosing you with high blood pressure. If your readings stay at 140/90 mm Hg or above (systolic 140 or above OR diastolic 90 or above) over time, your health care provider will likely want you to begin a treatment program.

Thanks to technology, keeping track of your blood pressure also is easier than ever before. Digital blood pressure monitors are available over-the-counter at most pharmacies, and tracking programs and apps are as close as your cell phone, computer or iPad. In fact, the American Heart Association has two free tools online to help you get started tracking your blood pressure. Just visit www.heart.org and look for blood pressure trackers to get started today.

If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, your health care provider will likely prescribe medication, in addition to lifestyle changes, to help bring your numbers into a normal range. Follow your provider’s recommendations carefully, even if it means taking medication every day for the rest of your life.

Dr. O’Keefe

The American Heart Association estimates approximately 30 percent of those diagnosed with high blood pressure are adequately controlled by their treatment. That’s a big risk to take with your health. High blood pressure is a lifelong disease,

Dr. O’Keefe is a cardiologist with Saint Luke’s Cardiovascular Consultants, located at: Saint Luke’s North Hospital at 5844 N.W. Barry Road, Suite 230, 816-9311883. To learn more about Dr. O’Keefe, visit saintlukeshealthsystem.org. ilivenorth.com | 51

TRAVEL

CAPE TOWN

Written & Photographed by Lisseth Azab

A Secret Little Paradise...

SOUTH AFRICA

My name is Lisseth Azab. I live in Parkville, Missouri with my beautiful daughter Yasmine and my husband Rayan Azab. Although we love the Northland and plan on always having a home here, we often venture to far away places for both business and pleasure. In 2010, we had the amazing opportunity to travel and be part of the World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa and again in 2011/2012. If you are looking for a unique travel destination full of good healthy fresh food, authentic people and amazing scenery, Cape Town is definitely your destination (not to mention your money goes a long way with the currency difference currently at 1 U.S. dollar to 9.2 Rand). The first time we traveled to Cape Town as a family was in 2011 when our daughter was only 6 months old. We were fortunate to have several amazing layover destinations that helped break up the long flight times. This included Chicago and London where we extended our layover for a few days to take in the sights! 52| June/July 2013

Once we arrived in Cape Town, we settled into an apartment in the V&A Waterfront, a popular shopping district between piers with amazing views of the water and the mountains. The residential area we stayed in was a gated community where there were condos, apartments and the one and only hotel. We all shared our backyard that was a beautiful oasis of lush green clear waters, pools and an amazing pathway that connected all of us. Best of all, we were just a couple feet away from the hotel where we could dine and use all the amenities.Â The community is strategically positioned to be walking distance to the most toured area in Cape

Town, the V&A Waterfront that has endless amounts of restaurants on the water and an amazing mall with all your favorite brands, pharmacies and grocery stores. If you wanted to spend your whole trip just exploring your surrounding area you could. It has a craft market where you can buy homemade items like dolls, wood works, art and fine handmade jewelry. The 2 Oceans Aquarium and several playgrounds was a great feature that added a family-friendly touch to this destination.Â There also were shark diving tours, parasailing adventures and helicopter

rides for the more daring tourists, as well as city tours and safari trips. The options for entertainment are endless! On my second trip there in 2012, I took advantage of the shark diving excursion with a friend of mine, Ashley Pullium. We had a driver, Graeme Woodbury, who also served as a personal tour guide. He drove us out to Gansbaai, a little town two hours outside of Cape Town. Once in this small beach town, Ashley and I had a quick crash course on safety and what to expect on our way out to the middle of the

the optimum sleep experience.

serving you for fifty-nine years. www.crowleyfurniture.com

sea to view the sharks. We boarded the boat and before we knew it, there was water splashing all over the place. It was the roughest waters you could ever imagine and then suddenly the boat stops. You get into your wet suits and wait for your turn. On the side of the boat there is a cage that holds 5 to 6 divers at a time and you think, “Is this cage safe enough?” It looks like a nose could definitely fit in between the bars. Once you get out there you get the sense that it is probably a little too late to start questioning these possibilities. My friend and I were called, and we jumped right in, wet suits, goggles, cameras and all. When in the cage, the tour guides throw out bait to attract the sharks; to our surprise we got to see two different sharks, both well over 10 feet long. They are beautiful creatures. Everyone had the chance to go in once or twice and

816.781.8002

then we headed back. We finished off our trip with a nice shot of Caribou, which was some kind of green and coffee liquor. It didn’t look too appetizing, but hey, after swimming with sharks, it couldn’t be that scary. One of the other places to which we took a little trip was the top of Table Mountain, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The mountain makes you feel like you are a dot on this Earth. It is completely over-powering, but also a beautiful, sturdy structure that somehow makes you feel safe and grounded. It overlooks all of Cape Town and the beautiful new stadium built for the World Cup. We also had the opportunity to head to Cape Point. It is about an hour and half out and is a beautiful ride along the coast of Cape Town. ilivenorth.com | 53

You go into what looks like a deserted state park, but at the end of the dirt road you see a beautiful cliff with all the national flags hanging. You can stop and look over the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean. The phenomenon of being able to distinguish the two is truly a natural wonder. They also house a beautiful restaurant that serves amazing food so you can enjoy the view and take your time to take in the beauty. Once you are done with your breakfast or lunch, you can take a little stroll down a path that takes you to this little hidden gem between two huge cliffs, white sand and crystal clear water. The view is just amazing. As if that all wasn’t enough, you can head out to Stellenbosch, a countryside vineyard area where the pine trees are perfectly green and life slows down even more. They have amazing food and vineyard tours. One of the best things is that you can take your kids and have a picnic on the grounds and bring in your own food. Sometimes they will even have other activities, like petting zoos for the children. It is definitely not frowned upon to drink with children around (no judgment), or anywhere in South Africa really. Now back in Cape Town, one of my favorite places to shop, other than the high-end brands at the Waterfront, is at the Green Market Square at the very center of downtown. Basically, it is similar to our Kansas City River Market, but has fabulous boutiques with South African designers. My go-to place that sells unique items is Mememe Boutique, home of Doreen Southwood, an exquisite designer with two boutiques (one in Cape Town, Green Square Market, and the other in Johannesburg). Her pieces are one-of-a-kind, to say the least, and very well made. The Green Market is lined with boutiques like 54| June/July 2013

Mememe and antique stores. In the middle of the square there are handmade craft booths, where you can wheel and deal with the vendors to get little gifts for your loved ones at home.

spa, the 12 Apostles. It is a great place to get away for a couples weekend or simply to enjoy afternoon tea or lunch. They have an amazing balcony overlooking the ocean.

I cannot leave out Camps Bay, which is basically their South Beach, but less plastic and more laid back, full of natural beauty. The streets are lined with amazing bars and restaurants. You can walk around with your cups full of whatever you prefer and take in the beauty of the ocean and the people. Camps Bay also has the most elegant hotel and

Now my last, but certainly not least, favorite place to see is Robben Island, with all of Nelson Mandela’s history. It is a time and place you have to visit to appreciate Cape Town and the amazing man himself. My husband, daughter, mother-in-law, cousin, aunty and I all ventured out to the island, and while there, you can

truly appreciate the history of Mr. Nelson Mandela and all the sacrifices made by the man to bring his country to where it is today. I hope anyone and everyone can visit Cape Town sometime in their lifetime. I know I will be back there soon. It is now where my heart is and where I see my husband and I retiring. Until next time— different country and different city, but same tips.

FINANCE

By Dave Enenbach dave@ilivenorth.com As we near the 4th of July and the celebration of our great country’s Independence Day, I thought it would be fun to also celebrate how lucky we are as investors to call this country home! There is a concept in investing called “home country bias,” which refers to investors’ tendency to overweight their portfolio with investments in companies that operate in or trade on the exchanges where they reside. It is the result of the natural tendency of investors to be most attracted to investments in domestic markets because they are familiar with them. It may lead to reduced diversification, which, of course, can increase risk and/or reduce returns. Now if you are a Canadian and hold 50% of your portfolio in Canadian companies (when Canada represents 5% of the global GDP), that may be a bad thing. But what about us here in the good ol’ U.S. of A?

Economic Super Power? Want to have some fun? Grab a sheet of paper and cover up the rest of the article as you read and see how closely you can answer a few questions. Go ahead, take a second or two and cover up the rest of the article. Ready? In terms of GDP (gross domestic product), name the country with the largest economic engine in the world. No peeking— now go ahead and formulate an answer. Did you guess China? Nope. How about Japan? Not Japan. Germany? They are hardworking and productive, but not them either. The largest economic engine country in the world as measured by GDP is the United States! And even more surprising (or dramatic, if you guessed that right), our economy is bigger than the 2nd and 3rd largest producing countries put together!

GDP is the engine that drives almost everything else in economics. In America, we have tremendous untapped natural resources, an educated and productive workforce, we are responsible for a disproportionate number of worldwide inventions and are driving the technology revolution! Now we have not always been #1, and we most certainly won’t be #1 forever because dynasties don’t last. Throughout history, world superpowers that came and went include the Holy Roman Empire, the Ottomans, the Ming Dynasty, Russia and Great Britain. But we have been #1 for a while now, and we are still way out in front!

More than just economic horsepower The GDP of our great country alone would not make this a place to invest a disproportionately large percent of a portfolio. We also have BY FAR the best regulatory environment for investing in the world (If you have opened a bank account or applied for a home mortgage in the last year, you may know we certainly have the MOST regulated financial system in the world!). The United States has no fewer than 13 agencies responsible for oversight and regulation of our financial system, including:

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Commodity Futures Trading Commission Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Federal Housing Finance Agency Federal Reserve System Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Financial Industry Regulatory Authority National Credit Union Administration National Association of Securities Dealers Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Securities Investors Protection Corporation Office of Thrift Supervision Consumer Financial Protection Bureau U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Now, if you watch TV and read much, you have certainly heard about the decline of the United States as an economic superpower. And while it is true that we have given up some of our lead, we are still #1— BY FAR! For the last year tallied, the United States had a GDP of just under $15 trillion. China was 2nd at $7.2 trillion, and Japan was 3rd at $5.9 trillion. Here is a fun tidbit – if California And while these bodies sometimes make working in or were a separate country, it would have the 9th largest GDP in the trading in our markets cumbersome, the benefit is a financial system where investors are protected. world! Texas would be #14! ilivenorth.com | 55

Want proof? Remember China, the world’s #2 economic superpower? Where do you think they invest? China? No chance! They invest in America! In fact, China is the largest single holder of U.S. Treasury securities, at $1.25 trillion dollars! Why? Because they don’t trust their own financial system! Note that #3 Japan holds another $1.1 trillion in Treasuries. Another factor that makes this a great place to invest is our military strength. Because regime changes are bad for investors! It is a little more difficult to quantify military strength, but Global Firepower compiles data to do just that. And (not surprisingly), the United States is the world’s #1 military strength. Russia is 2nd, followed by China, India and the U.K.

Investing in the Global Economy In a truly diversified portfolio, depending on your risk profile, international stocks might represent 5-25% of your portfolio. What if your portfolio, though, reflects your own “home country bias,” and you are underweight in international stocks and overweight in domestic stocks? Well, you may be more diversified than you think! While not all of the Fortune 500 companies report the necessary information, of those that did, 46.3% of their sales were from outside the United States! So yes, the world is going more global, but guess who is driving that? The US! We are! America is driving the global economy! Of all the stuff that represents the 46.3% of international sales, we probably invented it, manufactured it or sold it to them over that great American invention, the Internet!

Happy Birthday America!

So as you celebrate our great county’s Independence Day, take a moment to celebrate how lucky we are to live here and invest here! As a famous movie character once said, “Is this a great country or what!”

David Enenbach dave@ilivenorth.com

David is president and founder of Enenbach & Associates Financial Con-sultants, a multiclient family office serving the wealth management needs of ultra-affluent families (investable net worth of $20-$50 million). A Registered Investment Adviser, he previously was president of another independent wealth management firm that represented high net worth individuals and professional athletes. He spent 20 years as a CPA with Donnelly, Meiners, Jordan, Kline/McGladrey. Dave is also the chairman of the investment committee of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph. Dave will be sharing thoughts and insights into investments and financial management. 56| June/July 2013

WHAT AMOUNT DO YOU NEED TO RETIRE? THE MONEY MARATHON –JUNE 2013 There seems to be quite a few commercials these days from financial companies promoting services to help a person find their retirement “number.” The idea is that this is a number that a person needs to have saved to be able to maintain his or her lifestyle at retirement. There was a recent article in Kiplinger’s Magazine (June 2013), “What’s Your Retirement Number?” written by Jane Bennett Clark that had some good and concise information on this subject.

WHAT PERCENT OF INCOME DOES A PERSON NEED IN RETIRMENT? Many experts set the income number that a person will need at 70% to 85% of preretirement income. The reason for the reduction to income in retirement is that some expenses will be smaller, such as retirement saving, payroll taxes, work expenses and income taxes. Certainly health expenses increase as people age, but once a person is on Medicare, his health costs may go down, particularly if he has been paying his own health insurance premium. Fidelity, one of the leaders in advertising “the number” uses an 85% replacement factor.

WHAT IS MY NUMBER? Fidelity uses 8 times a person’s income to arrive at the number. For a family making $50,000 this would mean their number was $400,000. For a family making $100,000 this would mean $800,000. These numbers assume an 85% replacement of income beginning at age 67, includes Social Security benefits and spending down the savings over 25 years. Life expectancy of a man just reaching 65 is age 82 and of a woman just reaching 65 is 85. Aon Hewitt, the bookkeeping service for 401K plans sets a higher number of 11 times final salary. A partner from the Pinnacle Advisory group recommends 25 times a person’s preretirement living expenses after subtracting amounts to be received from Social Security and pensions. As an example, if a couple’s pre-retirement household expenses are $100,000 and their Social Security would be $30,000, they would need to replace 25 times $70,000 or $1,750,000. This assumes a 4% withdrawal rate increasing each

year with inflation. I think this is the most conservative way to look at retirement in that 4% is considered the standard for a safe withdrawal rate that minimizes the chances that a person would run out of money in a 30 year period, in even the most severe markets. Likewise, this formula gives a saver an excellent chance not to have to spend the principal, which will allow them to leave an inheritance to their children and or charitable gifts.

HOW MUCH SHOULD A PERSON SAVE AS A PERCENT OF HIS SALARY? A good rule of thumb is 10% to 15% of gross income if a person begins saving for retirement immediately on entering the work force. If a person waits to begin saving, the percentage that needs to be saved at that time can be much higher. To gauge a person’s progress, Fidelity thinks a person should have saved one times their salary at age 35, three times their salary at age 45 and five times salary at age 55.

WILL MY COST OF LIVING DECREASE AS I AGE? Everyone’s situation is different. As an example, if a couple is entirely out of debt in retirement, including paying off their house, possibly they can live on 80% of their pre-retirement income. Also, although many people expect to increase expenses, by traveling more in retirement, statistics from the Employee Benefit Research Institute show expenditures fall 19% by age 75 compared to age 65, 34% by age 85 and 52% by age 95. Statistically people are doing less and consequently spending less as they age. US News reported on March 19th of this year, “Workers Saving too Little to Retire,” written by Kelly Green, that 57% of Americans have less than $25,000 in any type of savings and 28% of people had no confidence they would have enough to retire comfortably. Don’t be one of these. Use the statistics above to track and target the retirement “number” to help assure that it is reached.

About the Author Ed Douglas retired at the beginning of 2006 from Citizens Bancshares, headquartered in Chillicothe, Missouri, after nearly thirty-two years with the company. He spent his last twenty years as president and, later, chairman and CEO. Under his leadership, the company grew its capital and increased assets over tenfold to a 1,000,000,000 dollar bank holding company with locations in twenty-five towns. His current title is Chairman Emeritus and Board Member of Citizens Bancshares. He is a Certified Financial Planner and currently operates Ed Douglas Certified Financial Planning Consulting. He also is the author of two books, Making a Million with Only $2000: Every Young Person Can Do It, currently in its second printing, and The Money Marathon: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom. He regularly gives seminars to adults and students on important financial topics, as well as seminars on topics of character, values and virtue. Ed has been appointed by three different governors in Missouri to statewide positions, including Commissioner of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission and President of the Northwest Missouri State University Board of Regents. He currently serves on the William Jewell College Board, a number of local civic boards and is an active member of his local church, Cornerstone Church. He and his wife Marla reside in Chillicothe and have three children, Jared, Aaron and Kaylee, and one daughter-in-law, Aaron’s wife Micah, and one granddaughter, London Beth.

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58| June/July 2013

HOME IMPROVEMENT

NATURAL ACCENTS Painting With Light Written by Brad Austin Photographed by George Gruel Light. It is the essential element for bringing life to any creative outlet. Can light itself be creative? Can it become the art? Ask John Pletcher, founder of Natural Accents Lighting located just north of Liberty, and that answer is not only yes, but a passionate yes. Growing up the son of a florist, John Pletcher learned early in life the importance light brings to life. Often times in his father’s greenhouse, John would contemplate the light filtering through the glass, falling on the plants and flowers. He noticed the light’s direction, intensity, and the qualities that make subtle differences that often go ignored. Many people move through life not giving a second thought to the element that illuminates their day. Although not fully realized at the time, those moments would eventually become the foundation of John’s artistic persuits. As a young adult, John studied Environmental Design at the University of Colorado. After his graduation, John worked as a landscape designer. It was not until about 17 years ago a client approached him about lighting her landscape, that John discovered his passion of using light to bring attention and focus to an ever changing environment. ilivenorth.com | 59

“You can’t just think of how the landscape looks today.” John says, “Landscapes change, both annually and season to season. You have to light the landscape with those changes in mind.” John’s company, Natural Accents, still maintains that first system he installed almost 11 years ago. A quality system is a major factor for keeping a long lasting, beautifully lit home. Unlike anything indoors, these lights are in the elements 24 hours a day... every day. Inexpensive lighting systems at the local box store just will not last through the torture mother nature brings to the midwest. John takes the weather and pressure changes into account, and that is why each one of John’s quality installation’s are guaranteed for 10 years.

“I think people would be pleasantly surprised at how ‘green’ the technology has developed.” A detailed design plan and LED lights are only two of the ways John maintains both energy and cost efficiency for his clients. John recently lit a 20,000 sq. feet landscape that surrounds a clients home using less than 700 watts of power. Quality lighting and computer programs can be purchased by anyone. What really separates John is his aptitude as an artist. John approaches each job as a fresh new canvas to paint with light. Bringing with him years of both technical and artistic experience, his installations are individually designed for each client’s landscape and personal vision. John takes careful consideration to the foreground, background, and central accents when designing his clients lighting plan. With a style John calls 60| June/July 2013

subtle, he makes sure the light accents the subjects, at the same time making sure the lighting fixtures don’t become subjects.

“Anything can be lit,” John explains, “the key is lighting it correctly. For example, If you only light a tree, it will look as though you have a floating tree in your yard.” John would agree that adding exterior lighting to your home and landscape is not about increasing value in your home for future buyers. Exterior lighting is about adding value to YOUR home, showing pride for the place you live, and enjoying a home that repeatedly welcomes friends and family from year to year with a warm and inviting artistic environment.

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REAL ESTATE

The Benefits of Buying Real Estate Near a Golf Course By Nickole Walton Golf course living can provide convenience and comfort, allowing you to play golf at almost any time. Some communities are built around golf courses, with homes bordering every green and fairway. Buying real estate near a golf course can give you around-the-clock access to the game and comes with many additional benefits for homeowners.

Golf Course Access Golf course properties are built to give you instant access to a few holes at your leisure. Golfing communities have houses that offer a great view of the course-many houses have part of the course literally in their backyards--and scenic, park-like settings, with greenery and wellmaintained landscaping surrounding the course. Property values can be higher in a prestigious community, especially with a designer course on-site and amenities such as clubhouses, prime views, restaurants, pools and other luxury community amenities. Many people choose real estate on golf courses less for the course and more for the prestige, overall amenities and expected appreciation of property within such gated communities. Golf

course communities often allow their members private access to the course, either exclusively or during certain time periods. This means you can walk into your backyard and enjoy a game of golf at your leisure. Other golf enthusiasts may reside in golf communities, and the course may host golf-related competitions and events. In the Northland, we have several topranked golf courses to choose from with great communities and great properties. In the last 60 days, 42 homes have sold in one of those golf communities. That is averaging almost one a day within the golf course communities, so as you can see the demand to be on our near a course is high! With the rapid growth in the housing market in the Northland and the recovery of the overall housing market, these communities are the place to be!

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ART

Vicki Scanlon:

More Than Meets The Eye By Cathy Kline

cathy@ilivenorth.com

In medieval times, travelling storytellers, known as Jongleurs, performed throughout France and England. Jongleurs could excite, scare, amuse and depress as well as some of our best contemporary actors and directors. Well, a local artist has brought them back…in a way. Vicki Scanlon, an award-winning artist, lives in the Northland. She runs an art studio called The Bowerbird where, after retiring from a career of teaching art, she is finally taking time to create for pleasure. Among other things, Vicki makes one-ofa-kind hand-made dolls that almost bring Jongleurs back to life (I swear I saw one breathing). Though they never speak, they are more than capable of reaching, and even overwhelming, a spectator’s emotions. There is something special about handmade items beyond materials gathered, time invested and the attention to detail. With the hand-made comes truth, no matter how personal, no matter how seemingly insignificant and no matter how awesomely impressive. Vicki’s hands create every millimeter of these Jongleurs— from their heads to their toes and from their Tibetan lamb’s wool hair to their individually designed and fashioned clothes and shoes. When you see hands making hands, you stop and take note. Also, Vicki’s Jongleurs are 64| June/July 2013

not lacking in personality. Their handpainted expressions make sure of that. They even have personal items, which of course, are hand-made. The results are an intriguing example of the gestalt— the whole is undeniably greater than the sum of its parts. Vicki is not just creative, she also is generous. She routinely donates art to charitable auctions, such as the Good Samaritan Project’s Corks and Canvases. Recently, Vicki committed to donate proceeds of her Jongleurs’ sales to support Meals on Wheels. Vicki can be found at The Bowerbird. Her Jongleurs also are displayed at Cyd’s Art & Antiques (113 Main in Parkville, MO). The Bowerbird at LaBottega Vintage Market 173 English Landing Drive Downtown Historic Parkville 816-741-6255 sscanlon7@kc.rr.com www.bowerbirdtreasure.com

Cathy Kline Art always intrigued Cathy, so she turned a gift into an occupa-tion. Her murals may be seen widely around Parkville. Look for them at the Parkville Athletic Complex, Piropos, Zona Rosa, The Peach Tree and Burlington Creek’s Watercolors High Fashion. Her work also can be found in churches, beauty shops and private residences all over the metropolitan area. Cathy is an active participant in her community. She is a charter member of the Missouri Valley Impressionist Society, member of The Best of Missouri Hands, as well as an active member of the Main Street Parkville Association, where she currently serves as Vice Chair. Cathy looks forward to keeping readers informed of the talented artists around the Northland. She can be reached at Cathy Kline Art Gallery, 713 English Landing Drive, Parkville, Missouri 64152 and 913-449-4460. www.cathyklineart.com

MOVIE REVIEWS

by Jim Kline

Star Trek: Into Darkness

The Great Gatsby

Director: J.J. Abrams Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 132 minutes pppp

Director: Baz Luhrmann Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joel Edgerton, Tobey Maguire Rated: R Runtime: 120 minutes ppp p

Star Trek explodes onto the screen with a spectacular opening involving the young and maverick James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) violating star fleet code to save a backwards planet and its inhabitants from destruction and Spock (Zachary Quinto) from certain death. Kirk loses his command because of this violation, but is later reinstated and sent on a mission to find and kill a terrorist who is bombing Federation facilities. Superbly cast, Star Trek convincingly brings back to the screen all the beloved characters created in the original series. Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty and the rest are all credible and true to the original cast. The movie is enjoyable from start to finish with spectacular special effects, an interesting plot and characters we actually care about. Star Trek Into Darkness has heart and whether playing to fans of the series or not is an entertaining movie sure to leave the audience wanting the sequel soon. Board the Enterprise and enjoy the ride.

Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) has recently arrived on Long Island from the Midwest and befriends his mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). Gatsby has enormous wealth but no one seems to know much about his past or how he amassed his fortune. Carraway wants to know and ultimately succeeds in unraveling the secrets and mystery surrounding Gatsby. Gatsby is a long, but eye-popping movie with spectacular cinematography that is enjoyable to absorb. Director Baz Luhrmann has created a movie that is wonderful in allowing audiences to catch a glimpse of the roaring twenties and the “old” and “new” rich and powerful men and women of that era. He successfully brings to life the F. Scott Fitzgerald tragic tale of Jay Gatsby’s obsession for Daisy (Carey Mulligan). DiCaprio is once again spectacular in playing this complicated role of a man haunted by his past and obsessed with the love for a woman he no longer has. Watching DiCaprio alone would be worth the investment, but adding the beautiful scenery and a compelling story makes Gatsby a satisfying and entertaining experience.

p out of ppppp

Disconnect Director: Henry Alex Rubin Starring: Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Rated: R Runtime: 115 minutes ppppp

The disconnected lives of different individuals and families are powerfully and effectively connected through the actions that each take in social network Internet activities. In this well constructed and thought provoking movie, Disconnect is a disturbing tale about bad choices leading to undesired results, the devastating impact they have on others and the consequences to those making such choices. Superbly directed by Henry Rubin with a solid cast led by Jason Bateman, Disconnect not only reminds us of the necessity of careful use of the Internet, but of the importance of treating others with humanity and most of all the critical need we all have for love and family. A must see movie, and my favorite so far this year.

Jim Kline

While Jim’s occupation is public account-ing his passion has always been movies. As a young boy he fondly remembers those special evenings set aside for his family to enjoy a movie together. He soon became an avid fan and is known in local circles for his avarice in going to the theater as often as possible. Jim is often times sought out for his opinions on which movies to see and created his own movie review blog. Jim Kline is a lifelong Kansas City native and is looking forward to sharing his opinions of movies with Kansas City in NORTH Magazine.

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EDIBLES & COCKTAILS

“Hands On” Mexican Cuisine at I X T A P A By Ronald Regan ron@ilivenorth.com

Just over a year ago, a friend did us the favor of inviting my wife and I to meet for dinner at IXTAPA’s Mexican Cuisine on Barry Rd across from Zona Rosa. Since then, I have been back numerous times because it is truly the best Mexican Restaurant in Kansas City, and it just happens to be in my neck of the woods. Previous visits were simply to satisfy my craving for authentic Mexican grandmother style commidas that you will only find at IXTAPA. Since then I met several times with the owner and staff from IXTAPA to find out how this Northland gem came to be and what secrets were hidden behind the portal to the kitchen. Twenty years ago, Alejandro Hernandez moved to Lincoln, Nebraska from his small home town (80 homes) in Miraplanes Jalisco, a three-hour drive from Guadalajara. He worked in several restaurants in Lincoln, first as a dish machine operator, then busboy and then waiter and manager so that he could learn to speak the English language along with basic restaurant operational skills. He and his wife, Patricia, saved and saved and three years ago opened IXTAPA, along with their partner Victor Ezqueda (Victor also owns Guadalajara Café in Lee’s Summit.). Both restaurants receive 4.5 stars out of 5 from YELP.com. Chef Thomas Guspar maintains the quality and consistency in the back of the house. He is known for his obsessive 66| June/July 2013

cross training of personnel. All kitchen personnel must be fully capable of backing each other up to maintain standards when others are on vacation or taking days off. This is a challenge given the menu lists 48 dinner entrees and countless appetizers, desserts and side dishes. My visits to IXTAPA are a testament to the consistency that they strive for. Their menu features selections that have come mostly from grandmother’s recipe books, and they have

Ron Regan

Ron Regan’s thirty year career as restaurant owner/operator included conceptualization and development of several unique concepts: Whisker Rivey’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill and Sunset Grill both in south Kansas City and Westport One, a popular mid-town bar and grill at Westport Road and SW Trafficway. He was recognized by the Missouri Restaurant Association as Restaurateur of the Year in 1990. He later served as state president of the Missouri Restaurant Association in 1994. Ron has an MBA in Marketing from Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill and a BA in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Michigan State University. He resides in Parkville with his wife Betsy.

resisted the temptation to Americanize their dishes. They make everything from scratch— all bean recipes, the milk made from corn masa to create their special caramel ice cream, lime juice and citrus blend for margaritas, corn and flour tortillas pressed fresh daily, tamales, Ixtapa salsa and on and on. Ixtapa is truly unique, truly fresh and TRULY Mexican!

CHARRO BEANS

The following menu selections deserve special attention. They are remarkably flavorful, each a reason to return for more.

OUR SPECIAL SECRET ICE CREAM

QUESADILLAS DE CUITLACHOCHE $9.49 grilled corn tortilla filled with a unique combination of corn, mushrooms and goat cheese sautéed with white wine and garlic, accompanied with guacamole and sour cream. As the menu says, “It’s to die for!”

CHILES RELLENOS A LA CREMA

$13.99 white wine cream sauce with slices of poblano peppers, corn kernels, zucchini and oregano. Muey Bien!

TACOS TAPATIOS

$13.99 5 individual tacos with marinated pork in citrus, olive oil & garlic, then charbroiled, placed in a corn tortilla with Chihuahua cheese and pico de gallo, served with charro beans.

MARGARITA IXTAPA

$6.50 A generous serving with Milagro Tequila, Grand Marnier and House made lime citrus blend. This is the best beverage value on the menu.

Their signature beans are served with many of the entrees— diced bacon and ham, salchicha sausage, onion, cilantro, tomato, chorizo and freshly cooked and cooled pintos. And one dessert: $5.29 Enough for two to share. This is made with “Atole,” a type of corn milk they make with water and masa, hand cranked and frozen into ice cream. It is topped with their own caramel sauce made from Panela (unrefined whole cane sugar). Alejandro and Patricia Hernandez live in the Northland with their 2 children and their three Friesian breeding horses. Patricia owns and operates Caring Hands Montessori Preschool on Tiffany Springs Parkway. You can base your “favorite” restaurant opinion on atmosphere, quality of service, affordability, food presentation, food quality and uniqueness, but probably it will be a weighted average of all of these. For me, it is I X T A P A for Mexican cuisine.

IXTAPA Mexican Cuisine

7103 NW Barry Road, Kansas City, MO 816 746 4848 Monday – Saturday: 11am to 10pm Sunday: 11am to 9pm Lunch and Dinner menu available daily. Hopefully soon, you too will have a new favorite Mexican restaurant to opine about.

RESTAURANT GUIDE Modern American Justus Drugstore Restaurant

$$$$ Smithville American, Modern American, Organic 106 W Main St

Eighty Eight at The Elms $$$$ Excelsior Springs Mediterranean, Modern American 401 Regent St

Piropos

$$$$ Briarcliff Village Latin American, Argentina, Steakhouse 4141 N Mulberry Dr

Shields Manor Bistro

Trezo Mare

$$$ Briarcliff Village American, Italian, Seafood 4105 N Mulberry Dr

The Grille by Piropos $$$ Parkville Latin American 1 W 1st St

Cork & Brew

$$$ Liberty American, Pizza, Seafood 8 E Franklin St

Pearls Oyster Bar $$$ Ameristar Casino Seafood 3200 Ameristar Dr

Asian-Japanese Tokyo Japanese Steak House $$$ Gladstone Japanese, Steakhouse, Sushi 7-9 NW Barry Rd

Wasahi

$$ Gladstone Asian, Sushi, Teriyaki 328 NE 72nd St

Fuji Japanese Steak House $$$ Liberty Japanese, Steakhouse 2031 W Kansas Ave

Kato Japanese

$$$$ Platte City American, Seafood, Steakhouse 121 Main St

Houlihan’s

$$$ Zona Rosa Japanese, Sushi 6340 NW Barry Rd

Bonefish Grill

Cafe Cedar

Zara Sushi

$$$ Burlington Creek American, Seafood 6334 N Lucerne Ave

$$ Zona Rosa- American 8660 N Boardwalk Ave $$ Parkville- American, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern 2 E 2nd St

$$ Parkville Japanese, Sushi 10925 45 Hwy

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------VOTED BEST IN THE NORTHLAND 2010 --------------------------------------{ • }--------------------------------------

Wasabi Japanese Sushi Bar $$ Liberty Japanese, Sushi 9763 N Cedar Ave

Asian - Chinese Bo Lings

$$ Zona Rosa Chinese, Dim Sum 8670 NW Prairie View Rd

China Wok

$ Zona Rosa Chinese 6048 NW Barry Rd

Asian - Thai Tasty Thai

$$ Platte Woods Asian, Thai, Vegetarian 7104 NW Prairie View Rd $$ Liberty Asian, Thai, Vegetarian 1912 Star Drive

Asian - Indian

Seva Cuisine of India $$ Liberty Indian, Pakistani, Vegetarian 8674 NE Flintlock Rd.

Swagat Fine Indian Cuisine $$ Zona Rosa Indian, Pakistani, Vegetarian 7407 NW 87th St

Taj Mahal

$$ Liberty - Indian 917 West Liberty Dr.

Saffron Indian Restaurant $$ Zona Rosa Indian 8140 NW Prairie View Rd

Barbeque

Smokehouse Barbecue

The Finest Pizza North of the River

Enjoy our full fare of Italian favorites, friendly atmosphere and collection of family sports memorabilia.

$$ Gladstone Barbecue, Steakhouse 6304 N Oak St

$$ Zona Rosa Barbecue, Steakhouse 8451 NW Prairie View Rd

Smokin’ Guns BBQ $$ North Kansas City Barbecue 1218 Swift Ave

Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque $$ Ameristar Barbecue 3200 Ameristar Dr

-----------------{ www.kelsoskansascity.com }----------------300 Armour Rd • Kansas City, MO 64116 • (816) 221-8899 Hours: Mon-Thur 11am - 9:30pm, Fri-Sat 11am - 10:30pm, Sun Noon - 6pm

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Smokebox BBQ Cafe $$ Tiffany SpringsAmerican, Barbecue 10020 NW Ambassador Drive

Burgers, Sandwiches & Wraps Longboards Wraps & Bowls $$ Gladstone Hawaiian, Teriyaki 6269 N. Oak Trafficway $$Liberty - Hawaiian, Teriyaki 1173 W Kansas St

Giovanni’s Deli

$ Gladstone American, Italian, Sandwiches/Subs 6100 NE Antioch Rd

Jersey Boyz

$ North Kansas City Sandwiches/Subs 315 Armour Rd

Little Store & Deli

$ North Kansas City Breakfast/Brunch, Burgers, Sandwiches/Subs 2107 Knox

Philly Time

$ Briarcliff Village American, Burgers, Sandwiches 4151 N Mulberry Dr

LC’s Hamburgers Etc. $ Platte Woods Burgers 7612 NW Prairie View Rd

Comfort Food

Hayes Hamburger & Chili

Stroud’s

$ Gladstone Burgers 2502 NE Vivion Rd

The Cafe At Briarcliff

$$ Briarcliff Village American, Burgers, Sandwiches 4125 N Mulberry Dr

$$ Kansas City American, Fried Chicken 5410 NE Oak Ridge Rd

Corner Cafe

$ Riverside American, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner 4541 NW Gateway Ave

Café des Amis $$$ Parkville French 112 Main St

Vineyard Restaurant $$$ Weston Breakfast/Brunch, European 505 Spring St

Italian

Cascone’s Italian

Margarita’s North $ Gladstone Mexican, Tacos 7013 N Oak Tfwy

Rancho Grande Cantina $ Parkville Mexican 11015 NW MO-45 $$ Liberty Mexican 921 W Liberty Dr

Coffee Houses

$$ Liberty American, Breakfast/Brunch 8301 NE Flintlock Rd

Parkville Coffeehouse

Roxanne’s Cafe

Bravo Cucina Italiana $$ Zona Rosa Italian 7301 NW 87th St

$ Gladstone Mexican 7831 N Oak Tfwy

Nelle Belle’s Diner

Cafe Italia

Tortilla Flats

$ Parkville Coffee, Sandwiches/Subs, Tea 103 Main

Friendly Bean Coffee $ Gladstone Coffee 420 NE Barry Rd

Latte Land

$ Briarcliff Village Coffee, Tea 4115 N Mulberry Dr

$ Parkville American, Breakfast/Brunch 6264 Lewis Dr $ ClaycomoAmerican, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner 150 E US-69

$$$ Kansas City Italian 3737 N Oak Tfwy

$$ Parkville Italian, Seafood, Steakhouse 160 English Landing Drive

French

Mexican

Avalon Cafe

Ixtapa Mexican Cuisine

$$$ Weston French 608 Main St

$$ Zona Rosa Mexican 7130 NW Barry Rd

El Maguey

$$ Gladstone American, Mexican, Southwestern 5716 NE Antioch Rd

El Chupacabra Mexican Grill $ North Kansas City Mexican 2417 Burlington St

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$$ Liberty Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches/Subs 205 N State Route 291

Dirk’s Sports Bar & Grill

Kelso’s Pizza

Crazy Olives Bar & Grill

$$ North Kansas City American, Pizza, Sandwiches 300 Armour Rd

Pizza Shoppe

$$ Liberty Pizza 8584 Church Rd $$ Platte Woods Pizza 6640 NW Prairie View Rd. $$ Gladstone Pizza 9329 N Oak Tfwy

Pub Food Chappell’s Restaurant & Sports Museum

$$ Tiffany Springs Mexican, Spanish 10004 NW Ambassador Dr.

Jose Pepper’s

All Star Pizz $$ Burlington Creek Pizza, Pub Food 6100 NW 63rd Terr.

Stone Canyon Pizza

$ Metro North - Mexican 511 NW Barry Rd

$$ Parkville

In-a-Tub

15 Main St

$ Kansas City Mexican 4000 N Oak Tfwy

American, Pizza, Sandwiches/Subs

$$ Zona Rosa American, Pizza, Sandwiches/Subs 8630 NW Prairie View Road

$ Gladstone Mexican 5939 NE Antioch Rd $ Platte Woods Mexican 8174 NW Prairie View Rd

Leo’s Pizza $ Gladstone

Pizza, Sandwiches 408 NW Englewood Rd

Minsky’s Pizza

Pizza

$$ Zona Rosa

Dish-Famous Stuffed Pizza

7007 NW Barry Rd

$$ Liberty Pizza, Sandwiches/Subs 846 S MO-291

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Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches/Subs

$$ Gladstone Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches/Subs 221 NE Barry Rd

$ North Kansas City Burgers, Pizza, Pub Food 2002 Armour Rd

VanTill Farms

$$ Rayville Wood-fired Pizza, Wine 13986 Hwy C

Luna Azteca Mexican Grill

Helen’s J.A.D Bar & Grill

$$ North Kansas City American, Pub Food, Sandwiches 323 Armour Rd

54th Street Grill and Bar $$ Liberty Pub Food 9251 NE Barry Rd

$$ Gladstone Pub Food 303 NE Englewood Rd $$ Zona Rosa - Pub Food 7200 NW 86th Ter

Paul & Jack’s Tavern $$ North Kansas City American, Burgers, Pub Food 1808 Clay St

Brass Rail - Restaurant & Billiards $ Gladstone American, Burgers, Pub Food 4940 NE 81st St

Tanner’s Bar and Grill $$ Gladstone American, Burgers, Pub Food 6024 N. Antioch Rd 816 455-8266

$ Zona Rosa American, Pub Food 8132 NW Prairie View Rd

$$ Argosy Casino American, Burgers, Italian 777 NW Argosy Pkwy

Rusty Horse Tavern

$$ Parkville American, Burgers, Pub Food 6325 Lewis St

Conrad’s Restaurant & Bar $$ Liberty American, Seafood, Steakhouse 210 State Hwy 291

810 Zone at Harrah’s $$ Harrah’s Casino American, Pub Food 1 Riverboat Drive

Brick House Cafe & Pub $$ Smithville American, Burgers 111 N Bridge St

Nick & Jake’s

$$ Parkville American, Pub Food 6325 Lewis Dr

Steakhouses Em Chamas Brazilian Grill $$$ Burlington Creek Brazilian, Steakhouse 6101 NW 63rd Ter

Journey Wood-Fired Steaks $$$$ Argosy Casino- Steakhouse 777 NW Argosy Pkwy

Range Steakhouse

$$$ Harrah’s Casino- Steakhouse 1 Riverboat Dr

Ventana Gourmet Grill $$ Excelsior Springs Burgers, Italian, Steakhouse 117 W Broadway St

T-Bone Charlie’s $$$$ KCI Marriott American, Steakhouse 775 Brasilia Avenue

The Magazine Dedicated to Living Life in the Northland

ilivenorth.com | 71

RECREATION GUIDE

Fishing Liberty Bend Conservation Area 816-228-3766 Access is from LaBenite Park in Sugar Creek on the east side of Highway 291 (south of the Missouri River). Cooley Lake Conservation Area 816-858-5718 Cooley Lake Conservation Area is 2.5 miles east of Missouri City on Highway 210. Chaumiere Lake 816-622-0900 From I-35 take North Chouteau Trafficway south 0.25 mile to North Cleveland Avenue. Turn south and take the first road (NE 43rd Terrace) about 0.25 west to the lake. Englewood Lake 816-622-0900 From North Oak Trafficway, turn east on NE Englewood Road and travel 0.25 mile. You will see the lake on the south side of the road. Turn south off of NE Englewood and the road will take you along the east side of the lake. Lakewood Lake 816-622-0900 From I-35 take Highway 69 (NE Vivion Road) west one mile to North Norton Avenue. Turn south on Norton and travel 0.5 mile to the lake which sits on the east side of the road. 72| June/July 2013

Smithville Lake (816) 407-3400 Park Office 17201 Paradesian Smithville, MO 64089

Bowling Gladstone Bowl 300 Northwest 72nd Street Gladstone, MO 64118 (816) 436-2695 AMF Northland Lanes 217 Northeast Vivion Road Kansas City, MO 64118 (816) 454-2695 AMF Pro Bowl Lanes 505 East 18th Avenue North Kansas City, MO 64116 (816) 221-8844 Retro Bowl 906 West Liberty Drive Liberty, MO 64068 (816) 781-1998

National Golf Club 9300 Northwest 63rd Street Parkville, MO 64152 (816) 569-5170 The Deuce at National 6415 North National Drive Kansas City, MO 64152 (816) 505-0650 thenationalgolfclub.com Staley Farms Golf Club Kansas City, MO (816) 734-3839 staleyfarms.com Shoal Creek Golf Course 8905 Shoal Creek Parkway Kansas City, MO 64157 (816) 407-7242 shoalcreekgolf.com Hodge Park Golf Course Mgt 7000 Northeast Barry Road Kansas City, MO 64156 (816) 781-8975

Maple Creek Golf Course 5330 Northeast Oak Ridge Drive Kansas City, MO 64119 (816) 459-8400 greatlifegolf.com Shiloh Springs Golf Course 14750 Fairway Lane Platte City, MO 64079 (816) 270-4653 shilohspringsgolf.com Paradise Pointe Golf Complex 18212 Golf Course Road Smithville, MO 64089 (816) 532-4100 paradisepointegolf.com

Frisbee Golf Water Works Park Disc Golf Course 3500 North Oak Trafficway Kansas City, MO 64116 (816) 513-7500 Disc Golf Parkville, MO English Landing Park Parkville, MO 64152

Golf

Cardinal Hill Golf Course 925 Lightburne Street Liberty, MO 64068 (816) 781-6522 cardinalhillgolf.com

Tiffany Greens Golf Course 5900 Northwest Tiffany Springs Parkway Kansas City, MO 64154 (816) 880-9600 tiffanygreensgolf.com

Excelsior Springs Golf Course 1201 E. Golf Hill Dr. Excelsior Springs, Mo 64024 (816) 630-3731 excelsiorgolf.com

Paradise Pointe - Blackthorn Smithville, MO 64089

Riverview Park 200 Mill Street Platte City, MO 64079

Camp Branch DGC Smithville, MO 64089

Paradise Pointe - Beaver Creek Smithville, MO 64089 Jesse James DGC Kearney, MO 64060 William Jewell DGC Liberty, MO 64068 Fox Hill Fliers Kansas City, MO 64155 Old Pike Country Club 5101 NW Old Pike Rd Gladstone, MO 64118 Kessler Park (Cliff Drive) Kansas City, MO 64124

Hiking & Bike Trails Prairie Creek Greenway North Trailhead 13300 Sycamore Dr Platte City, MO 64079 South Trailhead 12315 Highway N Platte City, MO 64079 Scenery and wildlife are abundant on Prairie Creek Greenway, located just south of Platte City. The greenway is popular for both biking and walking and includes four pedestrian bridges crossing the creek.

Missouri Riverfront Trail Riverside, MO Located off of 9 Hwy West, second left after NW Mattox Road. Hikers and bikers will be thrilled with the impressive views atop the Missouri Riverfront Trail. The trail runs from E.H. Young Riverfront Park in Riverside to Burlington Creek. The trail was built in cooperation with the City of Riverside, the Riverside/Quindaro Bend Levee District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

viewing. Six interpretive exhibits along the trail showcase the Lewis & Clark voyage. The trail also provides access to Weston Bend State Park. Platte County partners on the projects include the City of Weston and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Line Creek Trail 68th street and Gower road Take the scenic route from Barry Road to Riverside on the Line Creek Trail. This trail winds through the countryside of Platte County away from the activity of the city. The trail can be accessed at Line Creek Community Center or the trailhead at 68th street and Gower road

Smithville Lake Trail System Bonebender Trail System The Bonebender Trail System is composed of two trails: Bonebender Trail and Campground Trail.

Bonebender Trail is 6.0 miles in length and is accessible from the Sailboat Cove parking lot to the north and from the Main Park Office/Camp Branch Swim Beach area to the south and from within the Camp Branch Campground. Bonebender Trail meanders along the east shoreline of Smithville Lake’s Little Platte arm through hardwood forests and restored grasslands. Features along this trail include: numerous views of Smithville Lake, two Lookout Points with rest benches, a covered shelter area with picnic tables, restroom and shower facilities at Sailboat Cove, Camp Branch Campground, Camp Branch Swim Beach, Main Park Office Storm Shelter.

Campground Trail is 2.9 miles in length and as the name implies, follows the lake’s shoreline around the perimeter of Camp Branch Campground. While connected to Bonebender Trail, the Campground Trail is accessible only within Camp Branch Campground and is very convenient for Campground users.

Crows Creek Trail System The Crows Creek Trail System is composed of two trails: Anita B. Gorman and Cabin Fever Trail. Anita B. Gorman Trail is 1.9 miles in length and is accessible from Collins Road to the north and from Crows Creek boat ramp area the south. In 2007, this trail was re-named after former Missouri Department of Conservation Commissioner, Anita B. Gorman, for her active involvement with the Smithville Grassland Revitalization Project and her long-time support of wildlife habitat restoration. Anita B. Gorman Trail follows the shoreline

of the main lake channel through predominately hardwood forest. Features along this trail include: relatively consistent grade, borders 25 acres of grassland restoration, a covered shelter with picnic tables, and access to the more primitive equestrian/hiking trails. Cabin Fever Trail is 7.0 miles in length and is accessible from Crows Creek boat ramp area to the north and from Access 25 at the west end of 160th Street. Cabin Fever Trail hugs the shoreline of the Crows Creek arm of Smithville Lake and is easily accessible from the Crows Creek Campground to the north. The southern half of Cabin Fever Trail follows the lake’s shoreline and perimeter of Crows Creek Picnic area, a less populated area of the park. Features along this trail include: numerous views of Smithville Lake and Dam, 2 lookout points with rest benches, 2 playgrounds, 6 shelters with picnic tables, 12 restroom buildings - some with drinking fountains and access to the Crows Creek Campground Outdoor Amphitheater.

Southern Platte Pass Parkville, MO Joining people and places together is the foundation of Southern Platte Pass. The 2-mile trail connects two cities, three schools, two shopping areas and the Platte County Community Center South. The trail, built in cooperation with the cities of Parkville and Kansas City, travels along both sides of 45 Highway and was partially funded by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Weston Bluffs Weston, MO The Weston Bluffs trail follows the Missouri River and the historic path of Lewis & Clark. The 3.25 mile route begins at Weston City Hall and offers a spectacular outlook of the river and many opportunities for wildlife

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THE LAST WORD WITH PHIL LeVOTA Real World Experience, Learning and Fun for Students at

“Exchange City” in the Northland

By Phil LeVota

phil@ilivenorth.com

The summer is here and I hope you are enjoying it! I don’t want to be a buzzkill to your summer fun, but the new school year is just around the corner and I want you to know about a great organization your kids should participate in during the next year. So just take a quick break from your summertime activities to learn about this great program here in the Northland and you’ll be glad you did. Imagine a place where kids can learn about business and entrepreneurship, create their own thriving business, make and invest money, create products and services, participate in charitable giving and have fun while they are doing it. Imagine how the world would run if a 5th grader were mayor or if an 11-year-old owned the bank. That’s exactly how Exchange City works and educators, parents and students all love it. Exchange City began in 1980 as a way to teach Kansas City children important skills in economics, math, and communication. The program involves a city of 14-business or organizations that students are tasked with managing. The program combines an exciting classroom curriculum with a life size state of the art city, all run by kids. Entrepreneurial skills flourish as each student is assigned a job prior to arrival. They must use their skills from classroom lessons taught for several weeks prior to their field trip to Exchange City. Exchange City was designed to teach middle school students about opportunities and responsibilities in the American free enterprise system. It is a mock city made up of several businesses and organizations. Each student has a job in the city where they have to work with fellow team members to problem solve and come together to run a thriving Exchange City metropolis. Exchange City consists of 14 businesses and organizations, City Administration, Bank, Corner Café, Distribution, EC Communications, EC News, ECLX Radio, Health & Wellness, International Bazaar, Asset Management, Nature Studio, Public Works, Sports Stop and Network Technologies While there are no traditional “lessons” or “classes” taught at Exchange City, the experience is built to correlate with Missouri and Kansas State core competencies and instructional strategies throughout the program curriculum. The program fosters active learning through an integrated Math/Communication Arts curriculum. As students participate, they will put to action 74| June/July 2013

lessons in Math, Language Arts, Social studies, Economics, Technology Skills and Civics. The experience is a whole lot of fun and most school groups that have experienced Exchange City report improved test scores and increased student attendance. In addition to curriculum, students receive hands-on exposure to many social and community issues like government, voting, loans, laws, health insurance, health and wellness, investments, media/ entertainment, journalism, and more. Experiences at Exchange City don’t only help students in their current coursework, but lessons learned from their experience last a lifetime. Students learn many skills over the course of a day at Exchange City. Throughout the day, students learn to make effective decisions as consumers, producers, savers, investors, and citizens. Exchange City, along with Earth Works and Curiosity Campus, is located at 8300 NE Underground Drive in Kansas City and the days of the Exchange City and EarthWorks field trips are two of the most memorable days in a Kansas City student’s life. For over 30 years, these two programs now led by not-for-profit group Teach and Learn Experientially (TLE) have excited students and fostered an eagerness to learn in a fun, hands-on environment. These two innovative programs include state-approved curriculum that prepare students in the classroom for an exciting, innovative, hands-on experiential learning experience. Both Exchange City and EarthWorks offer personal and interactive activities that involve role playing critical thinking, strategic planning, and most importantly… fun!

This educational organization offers experimental learning venues to school groups through the generous donation of philanthropic and corporate funders. Student fees cover only a portion of the actual cost of presenting and maintaining these programs. The other portion is made up of educational grants, sponsorships and annual giving. Each academic school year nearly 15,000 students, 500 teachers, and 3,000 parent volunteers from almost 300 schools participate in the school-based programs in Kansas City. Each summer, many students even attend Curiosity Camps for a week-long summer camp experience. So I know it is summer, your mind is on the pool, golf, and BBQ and the last thing you want to think about the dreaded back to school routine. But take a minute to investigate Exchange City and contact your school administrator or educator to make sure your local classroom can experience this great Northland student experience. For more information: www.tlekc.org. Phil LeVota is a local trial attorney who has been involved in politics for over 25 years. As a long time prosecuting attorney before going into private practice, Phil has been involved in the community for many years. Phil has held many elected positions, a board member of domestic violence shelter while also being active in the metro area and nationwide as a radio talk show host, television commentator/analyst, and he recently won an Emmy Award for his work on television hosting the “Power of KC” program showcasing our area.

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Men’s Collection

4311 NE Vivion Rd • Kansas City, MO 64119 816.453.1111 76| June/July 2013

Closed Sun. & Wed. • Open Thurs. 10-8 • All Other Days 10-6