In Kansas City Premiere 2018

IN KANSAS CITY | PREMIERE 2018

JASON KANDER AN IN-DEPTH Q+A

PREMIERE 2018 | INKANSASCITY.COM

CELEBRATING HOW KANSAS CIT Y LIVES TODAY

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Contents Premiere 2018 72 86

68 120

Features

Departments

68

86

JASON KANDER An in-depth interview with the mayoral candidate.

SUMMER WHITES Cool off in breezy whites to temper summer’s heat.

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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE For Tom and Susie Corbin, a Country Club District Mediterranean serves as an ever-evolving personal gallery space.

EARTH, AIR, FIRE & WATER All the elements combine to create a garden that’s a world apart.

82 THE BIG CHILL Some of Kansas City’s most beloved chefs open their (refrigerator) doors to reveal what are their must-haves, what you’ll never find, and their guilty (food) pleasures.

102 JOIN THE CLUB: THE NELLE Two Kansas City entrepreneurs, Lauren Saks and Sierra Miramontez, envision a modern-day haven for professional women.

On the cover

What better to introduce our premiere issue than a representation of Kansas City’s most iconic building, Union Station? It’s a paper sculpture by the artist Shannon Manning.

PREMIERE 2018

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ENTERTAINING IN KC

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OUR MAN IN KC

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ARTS & CULTURE IN KC

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BEHIND THE MUSIC IN KC

52

THIS MONTH IN KC

54

MY ESSENTIALS IN KC

56

LOOK IN KC

62

LIVING IN KC

112

FLAVOR IN KC

IN EVERY ISSUE 24

EDITOR’S NOTE

122

FACES IN KC

132

NEXT IN KC

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FOUND IN KC

S H O P. DINE. EXPLORE. Make this summer all about you! Shop our selection of thoughtfully curated fashion and chic, hand-selected jewelry, or enjoy our seasonal, farm-to-table menus created

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Editor’s Note

Hello, Good Day, Willkommen, Bonjour

T

Vol. 1 | No. 1 Premiere 2018 Editor In Chief Zim Loy

his is the third “welcome to our premiere issue” editor’s note I’ve written in my career, so forgive me if this sounds a mite familiar. If you are like me (and you quite possibly are because you’re reading this), magazines are a passion. And in our crazier, busier world, they are even more an indulgence. There’s a multitude of ways to get information now—your computer, your tablet, your phone—but magazines are a tangible presence that encourages you to slow down, relax, and enjoy what’s within. There’s still no better way to savor beautiful photography, whether designer homes or trendy fashion. There’s still no better way to read compelling long-form articles. There’s still no better way to discover new ideas and timely topics that might have escaped you had you not turned the page.

The previous magazines I edited, Kansas City Home Design and Kansas City Spaces, were all about the superbly designed homes and gardens that are so much a part of our town. But you have considerably wider inMy likeness as an terests—entertaining, arts and culture, music, fashion, people, dining out 8-inch 3D doob. (and in)—and so do we. Consequently, we want to bring you a magazine See page 52 for that reflects the excitement that is Kansas City now. more information.

So here you go.

Cindy Hoedel’s interview with Jason Kander was on the schedule when he was still a dark-horse candidate for president. Now that he’s officially announced his candidacy for mayor, it’s even more relevant.

When I open my fridge, I’m distressed by the lack of actual food inside. Surely KC’s most well-known chefs have refrigerators chock-full of scratch-cook ingredients. We asked writer Charles Ferruzza to check it out. You might be surprised by their reveals.

It’s been a white-hot summer so far, so cool-down summer whites seemed an obvious choice for our first fashion feature. Photographer Ron Berg captured the trends.

But beautiful homes and gardens are always some of our favorite features. Aaron Leimkuehler’s photographs of Tom and Susie Corbin’s home and a lush garden south of the Plaza feel fresh and inspirational.

You also won’t want to miss Merrily Jackson’s scintillating and sassy entertaining essays, Timothy Finn’s behind-the-music commentaries, Damian Lair’s wit and wisdom (plus a soupçon of gossip) as our man about town, Cody Hogan’s what to cook (and drink) now columns, Patricia O’Dell’s peerless tips on the art of living, Judith Fertig’s write-ups on dining out, and Susan Cannon’s apt advice on beauty, fashion, and wellness.

But wait, there’s more.

There’s so much going on in KC right now that even publishing a magazine 12 times a year isn’t enough. Our website, inkansascity.com, is brimming with daily original content, including the most comprehensive calendar of events in the city, and a dining guide that covers more than 250 restaurants, bistros and cafes in the metro. Art and theater critiques, concert reviews and late-breaking lifestyle news are all part of the mix. It’s all available at the click of a mouse or a swipe of your phone. We want to be your source for living IN Kansas City.

It’s great to be back.

Art Director Alice Govert Bryan Digital Editor Michael Mackie Contributing Writers Susan Cannon, Bridget M. Chang, Charles Ferruzza, Judith Fertig, Timothy Finn, Kathryn Greene, Cindy Hoedel, Cody Hogan, Merrily Jackson, Damian Lair, Patricia O’Dell Contributing Photographers Ron Berg, Cameron Gee, Aaron Leimkuehler Copy Editor Craig Magnus Managing Director Michelle Jolles Publisher Chad Parkhurst Digital Director Brittany Coale Senior Media Consultant Katie Delzer Client Relations Manager Betsy Lucas Editorial Questions: zloy@inkansascity.com

Advertising Questions:

cparkhurst@inkansascity.com

Distribution Questions: blucas@inkansascity.com

Subscription Questions:

Mail: In Kansas City, PO Box 92257 Long Beach CA 90809 Phone: 888-881-5861, M–F, 8–4 PST Email: inkansascity@psfmag.com

IN Kansas City is published monthly by KC Media LLC

118 Southwest Blvd., 2nd Floor Kansas City, MO 64108 816-768-8300 | inkansascity.com

Zim

Annual Subscriptions are $19.95

PREMIERE 2018

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EXPLORE OUR WEBSITE AT

INKANSASCITY.COM

IV therapy boutiques are the newest wellness trend. Minerals, vitamins, and pharmaceuticals restore your body to optimal performance. Find out where at inkansascity.com/styleshopping/health/iv-therapy

most extensive restaurant guide, head to inkansascity.com/ eat-drink/dining-guide

where to find them in Kansas City at inkansascity.com/style-shopping/ handmade-hats-from-clyde

Deliberating what to do tonight? Check

New microbreweries are

out the most comprehensive calendar in the metro—art galleries, dance, theater, social events, and music, music, music at inkansascity.com/ events

popping up all over Kansas City. For a complete rundown, go to inkansascity. com/eat-drink/newmicrobreweries

PREMIERE 2018

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FACEBOOK @INKANSASCITYMAGAZINE

TWITTER @INKANSASCITYMAG

INSTAGRAM @INKANSASCITYMAG

HAT PHOTO BY STUART HEIDMANN, COURTESY OF FINEFOLK SHOP

Trying to decide where to eat? For the city’s

+ STUDIO, SHUTTERSTOCK

Discover why Clyde hats are so coveted and find out

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. — Albert Einstein

windows millwork cabinets hardware imagination...

Entertaining BY

IN KC

Merrily Jackson

Email me with your entertaining questions, dilemmas, or triumphs at mjackson@inkansascity.com

Have your featured summer cocktail be a St. George’s Gin with a wildly overpriced, artisanal tonic water, such as Fever Tree.

Stop Trying for the Perfect Party OUR ACE OF ENTERTAINING OFFERS CONFESSIONS AND ADVICE FROM THE PARTY TRENCHES

O

Top to Bottom: Easy ideas to up your entertaining bona fides. A gin and tonic with a twist of lime is classic summertime.

Don’t heat up the kitchen frying chicken, unpack a bucket of Stroud’s chicken with sides, and serve it proudly as your own.

Cambozola with Triscuits is an easy appetizer.You could never bake a pie as tasty (and pretty) as one from Ashleigh’s Bake Shop.

n a home tour recently, I saw an estate that was so huge, so dazzling, so lavishly yet tastefully appointed, so perfect for party-giving, I wanted to go home, pour gasoline on my house and set it alight. I had a conversation later with a woman who’d been on the same tour; she joked that seeing this house had plunged her and her friends into clinical depression. Why, friends, do we do this? Why can’t

PREMIERE 2018

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rufenachtinteriors.com

Entertaining

IN KC

Kitchens and Closets – We go both ways

HAUTE COOK-ture LET ‘EM KNOW YOU ARE THE HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTESS

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A couple of summers ago, a friend and I cooked and served a dinner we donated as a charity auction item.

It was lots of fun, despite the fact that the purchasers, who shall remain nameless, treated us like hired help.

If we had been wearing Haute Hostess aprons by Elizabeth Scokin, I think they would have been nicer to us.

With their sparkling sequins and jeweled designs, these aprons scream “Hostess and Diva!” They look fetching over a ball gown, or with jeans and a t-shirt. You can find them at Terrasi Living & Scandia Home on the Country Club Plaza.

we appreciate without measuring ours against theirs? “Comparison” said Teddy Roosevelt, “is the thief of joy.” I would add that it could be the thief of party-giving, e.g. I’m not gonna have people over until my house is tour-worthy. Here’s some nickel advice: focus on what you do have. In my case, I have working bathrooms, a round dining table that squeezes ten, a cozy living room, a serviceable kitchen, a rockin’ sound system, a well-stocked bar, and a nice deck. Oh, and a darling husband who is supportive but not good kitchen help.

IF IT’S PERFECT, EVERYONE WILL HATE YOU No one expects you to put on a home-cooked feast. Concentrate on assembling a convivial group, creating a welcoming atmosphere (music! booze! good smells!) and having maybe one spectacular menu item. Give yourself permission to serve takeout or store-bought food, and to let guests bring something when they offer. If you have budget to do so, hire staff. I can tell you from personal experience that Party Personnel of Kansas City (913-451-0218) has highly capable, good-humored servers and bartenders. They charge $32.50 an hour per server; there is a four-hour minimum. Ya gotta book ’em in advance, though, especially during the holidays and on Saturday nights.

And don’t forget to tip them.

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JOIN US

Enjoy the culinary delights of Chef Lidia Bastianich at Lidia’s in the Crossroads Art District

YOU’RE A HOST, NOT A BARTENDER Craft cocktails—in which every element is fussily handmade—are all the rage in Kansas City’s bars and restaurants. Which is where they should stay. The busy home host should not be expected to be a mixologist on top of everything else. Realistically, all you need to serve cocktails to a merry group is the makings for gin and tonics, vodka sodas, rum and cokes, some red and white wine and, depending on the crowd, beer. Oh, and at least a pound of ice per person.

Have you tried St. George’s Terroir Gin? It tastes heavenly, and the bottle makes any bar look hip. Have your featured summer cocktail be a St. George’s Gin with a wildly overpriced, artisanal tonic water, such as Fever Tree. Serve in a handsome rocks glass, garnish

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AND SPEAKING OF ME, ME, ME This being the inaugural issue of In Kansas City, I feel compelled to bore you with what qualifies me to write a column on party-giving.

Firstly, I am a seasoned hostess who has been having parties since dinosaurs roamed the earth. Because of that, for 11 years I wrote a column called “Essential Entertaining” for another local magazine.

But the column always was my side hustle. For three-plus decades I’ve had an annoyingly demanding full-time job in corporate communications. And I am servantless, also annoying. So I know how it is to want to have rollicking parties with limited time and resources, and my advice is targeted to all you darlings who have the same constraints. I will always encourage you to have the party no matter what, because parties are good for the soul. Here, then, is some advice about how to focus your precious time when you are having people over. Remember, the food should always be secondary to the sense of hospitality you create.

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Entertaining

IN KC

with rosemary sprigs or sage leaves. Craft cocktailish, honey.

If you want to make a pitcher of something, it’s never a misstep to mix two parts of Simply Lemonade (available in grocery stores and top-rated by me and Consumer Reports) with one-part citron vodka and a splash of limoncello. Pour over ice in a tall glass, garnish with a thin slice of lemon and a basil leaf.

ELABORATE APPIES ARE A WASTE OF TIME Don’t spend a lot of time on a complicated appetizer to serve with cocktails before a dinner party. People are too busy talking and drinking, at that point, to pay much attention to your fancy canapes. But you definitely need a little something savory to soak up the booze. I like good cheeses and crackers served on a pretty tray. My favorites are Cambozola with water crackers or extra-aged Gouda with (back off, food snobs) Original Triscuits. Email me at mjackson@inkansascity. com for a list of classic cheese and cracker combinations. I also have, and would happily send you, instructions for how to assemble an awesome charcuterie/antipasto platter, perfect for a cocktail party.

THE STROUD’S SOLUTION I’ve been on a Stroud’s jag of late. Pan-fried chicken is a swell entree for a casual dinner party, and Stroud’s can make it better than you, trust me. Order dinner at your leisure then have it delivered via Door Dash or Uber Eats. For a group of eight, order four regular chicken dinners (each serves two very generously) and—this is important—tell them to pack it in bulk. You’ll get salad, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and those killer cinnamon rolls. Transfer everything to your prettiest serving dishes and present it buffet style.

Since you didn’t cook, you slattern, you’ll have had plenty of time to set a lovely table with gorgeous fresh flowers. I like to do place cards for groups of six or more—for even the most casual dinner—because people appreciate knowing where to sit. Seat people boy girl boy girl, not next to their spouses. But back to the food. If you’re of a mind to cook, I have five tried-and-true dinner party entrée recipes (with serving suggestions) I will happily email you.

THIS PIE, IT’S TO DIE If you’ve come to dinner at my house lately, for dessert you’ve had pie from Ashleigh’s Bake Shop, located inside Pryde’s Kitchen & Necessities at 115 Westport Road. Ashleigh bakes all her pies fresh every morning (Thursday, Friday and Saturday only, Wednesdays by special request). My favorites are the peanut butter pie (you will weep) and the raspberry rhubarb pie. I found out how good Ashleigh’s raspberry rhubarb pie was from a friend who told me he once bought a slice and gobbled it down driving in the car, no napkin, no nothin’, because he just couldn’t wait to get it home. A whole, fresh pie will set you back about twenty bucks. Check out ashleighsbakeshop.com. With Ashleigh’s so nearby, I shall never again trouble myself to make dessert, except possibly my famous (if I do say so myself ) Buena Vista Coconut Cake, which I can make in my sleep. It’s a doctored-up cake mix, but no one will know. I’m tired of making it, but you’re most welcome to.

Email me for the recipe!

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Our Man by

IN KC

Damian Lair

CINCO DE RIO CLUB

A

RATHER than

photo by j. robert schraeder

little about me (in the event you’re curious). Kansas City is my chosen home, and I’m grateful for its genuine embrace. I landed here somewhat by happenstance after snapping up a law degree at nearby KU several years back.

Contrary to popular belief, I do have a job! Working for a national law firm based here gradually propelled me into the world of public affairs, which serendipitously led to co-founding a con-

sulting firm based in Washington, DC. I have the pleasure of (remotely) advising some of the most brilliant CEOs on the planet—nearly all of whom are recognized on a first-name basis. I’m social by nature and live for meeting new people and trying new things, and I’m positively delighted to have made it into your mailbox (or inbox). Now … let’s have some fun, shall we? Have something on your radar that I simply shouldn’t miss? Well, I love an invitation. dlair@inkansascity.com XO

join the crowds on the Boulevard for Cinco de Mayo (I’m not above it!), I made my way to The River Club for a more elevated celebration of our neighbors beyond the border. While the invitation jovially noted “festive attire,” I’m not sure The River Club staff or members quite knew how to receive my interpretation: a crisp white, colorfully embroidered tunic/caftan I recently stumbled upon in old Mexico, paired with a sensible white legging and espadrilles. Festive?

Check! (Not one to thumb my nose at club decorum, I did have jacket in tow. I mean, let’s not be silly…)

HOSTS: Lauren & Jack Merriman, Caroline & Wiley Curran, Lindsey & Niles Jager.

SPOTTED: Erin & Aaron Berger, Amy & Niel Atha, Aaron & Lauren Blazer.

OVERHEARD “I’m searching for new meaning in my life, and I’m hoping to find it somewhere at the bottom of this Balenciaga bag.”

Miss Priscilla emceed the night’s festivities.

COLOR ME PRISMATIC DIFFA KC’s 2018 Showcase, “PRISMATIKC,” had color on full-blast.

The Saturday evening brought a cross-section of Kansas City’s vivid artists, makers, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, donors and doers for drinks, bites, and a silent auction primarily comprised of local art (the hot item, with a line to place bids, was an assemblage donated by personal favorite Porter Teleo). It was an evening to die for. (Puns referencing the former-mortuary event space were also in ample supply!)

SPOTTED: Bernard Shondell, Craig Sole, Adam Daicy & Joey Figueiredo, Will Brown, Eric Thomas, Jonathan Gregory, Bradley Petzold and Scott Albers.

The Roar of the Crowd THE PRIDE of Africa recently took residence

downtown for two weeks at Municipal Auditorium. Despite more than 20 years on the stage, Disney’s The Lion King did not show its age. All the Elton John and Tim Rice songs you occasionally still sing in the shower were there—but brought to vibrant life in a way only live Broadway theater can translate. Not merely an animated film thrown up on stage; the metaphorical costumes, masks and puppetry, mythical dancing and immersing environment (animals literally brushing up against you) conveyed as much about limitless creativity as the beloved story itself. Hakuna Matata!

SPOTTED: Shelby Herrick, Suzy & Erich Goldstein + fam, Mandi Rudd and James Maiden.

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OVERHEARD “Ooh, what’s that cologne you’re wearing?

Tom Ford?”

“Guess.”

“I just did.”

“No, it’s GUESS.” “Ohhhh.”

JA N E B OOTH Seen and Unseen ER IC A I M A N Landmarks

Jane Booth True Love acrylic on canvas 77 x 132 inches (Photo credit E.G. Schempf)

Opening Reception and Artists’ Talk Thursday, September 6, 6–9 pm Exhibition runs through September 29, 2018

Erica Iman Divot porcelain, white & bronze glaze 4 x 12 x 11 inches

118 Southwest Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108 | 816.527.0823 | BlueGalleryOnline.com

Be IN the Loop!

Our Man

IN KC

Horse Sense

W

ith no shortage of Derby parties to choose among in KC (aspiring event chairs: I think we’ve hit the max), I galloped over to the Kansas City Museum’s now-annual Derby party, organized by my good friend, Paul Gutierrez. Nodding to the Kentucky Derby’s coincidence with Cinco de Mayo, there were enough street tacos and derbyritas to sustain a stable of horses ready to race. In Derby tradition, fashion was on full display. Seersucker effortlessly blended with serape in a way that bold patterns somehow can—and well-meaning human beings bound by politics often cannot. But I digress. The glorious spring day could have not been more perfect for spending an afternoon on the lush lawn of one of the most beautiful properties in KC. Every horse a winner.

Paul Gutierrez & John Hicks.

SPOTTED: Barb & Bob Bloch, Peregrine Honig, Elizabeth & Tom Paolini, Katie & Jared Campbell, Megan Haas, Linda & Brad Nicholson, Amina & Matt Hood, Darcy Stewart, Cori Culp and Harsh Gupta (won “best dressed”).

A BICYCLE BUILT FOR FUN WHO pours more Veuve Clicquot Champagne

than anywhere else in KC (second in the state only to the Ritz-Carlton in St. Louis)? Answer: Bistro 303 in Westport. Perhaps it’s because they’re virtually the only spot in town to serve the heavenly bubbles by the glass (great value!)—or maybe I spend too much time there. Well, we’ll never know. If being invited to enjoy the 15L Nebuchadnezzar bottle they received a couple years ago wasn’t enough (and it was!), imagine my delight in witnessing the recent delivery of their very own Veuve Clicquot bicycle—straight from Reims, France. I’m told there are but a handful in the world, with Chicago being the only other Midwest city to have one. Though it currently rests prominently above the front door, I’ve been promised a spin on it soon. I’m practicing so I don’t give it a scuff. And, safety first: Champagne will follow once parked.

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SEWN ON I RECENTLY put on my hard hat to join Godfrey Riddle for a tour of the future home for Rightfully Sewn—brainchild of the ever-delightful Jennifer Lapka—at 18th and Wyandotte.

Once complete, the Crossroads space will house sewing stations for 30 at-risk women training annually as seamstresses for the burgeoning garment manufacturing market right here in Kansas City. Rightfully Sewn will also generate revenue for this endeavor by offering public sewing courses and design workshops.

Get on the wait list now, as the first class is already full! rightfullysewn.org

OVERHEARD “I had to buy this d*** shirt because it was so small I couldn’t get it off.”

TOASTED THE FORMAL dining room

table was piled sky-high with the most delectable pastries and treats, as if staged for a new Alice in Wonderland film. Equally piled were the endless stream of faces, all gathered by hosts Jackie and John Middelkamp, Ursula Terrasi and Frances Baszta to celebrate the engagement of Dan Meiners and David Brinkerhoff.

Pop-up performances by Melinda Ryder, Daisy Buckët and Christa Collins delighted guests, as we toasted, alfresco, to the couple of the hour.

SPOTTED: Merrily & Jim Jackson, Susan Gordon & Scott Francis, Sharon & John Hoffman, Robbie McGowan, Kevin Bryant, Tom Suther, Garrett Toms, David Ruisch, and Jason Cole.

HOT GOSSIP: What baker just sold his haus and is taking a reprieve from his famous cookies and cakes?

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Arts & Culture by

IN KC Left: The cast of The Boys in the Band: top row from left: Tuc Watkins, Andrew Rannells, Jim Parsons.

Second row: Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Charlie Carver. Bottom row: Michael Benjamin Washington, Robin De Jesus, Brian Hutchison.

Below: The Broadway production of The Boys in the Band.

Charles Ferruzza Tuc Watkins

Tuc Watkins

ACTOR TUC WATKINS ANSWERS THREE QUESTIONS IN KANSAS CITY

I

n the 1968 production of the controversial Mart Crowley play, The Boys in the Band, many of the actors playing gay characters in the cast were gay, but not all were openly gay. One of the few heterosexual cast members was actor Laurence Luckinbill—who was warned the role might ruin his career—playing a formerly straight man, “Hank,” who enters into a gay relationship. At the time, Luckinbill was married to actress Robin Strasser, later a star of the long-running soap opera One Life to Live. (He later married actress Lucie Arnaz.)

Strasser would later become a friend and mentor to her TV co-star Tuc Watkins, the Kansas City-born actor who is currently making his Broadway debut as “Hank” in the all-star Broadway revival of Boys in the Band which opened—with Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer, Zachary Quinto and Andrew Scott Rannells—on May 31st at the Booth Theater in New York City. In this production, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the play, all of the actors are openly gay.

Watkins, the son of noted local photographer Mary Watkins and businessman Charles Curtis Watkins III, is probably best-known for his tenure on popular TV series like One Life to Live and the primetime Desperate Housewives as well as the 1999 reboot of Universal’s film, The Mummy.

Living in New York City with his twin sons, Watkins responded to three questions from In Kansas City.

INKC: Boys in the Band was produced shortly before the Stone-

wall Riots (and some historians think might have been a component in the evolution of the riots), it has always had a particularly

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sensational quality. Do you think the play still holds its own after a half-century? Is it still as funny? As biting?

Watkins: The Boys in the Band is a timeless play that is uncompromising, blisteringly honest and as wickedly funny. In 1968 it was groundbreaking in the way that it explored how gay men treated each other and how they were meant to feel about themselves. While we have made strides in the past fifty years socially, culturally, and psychologically, we still live in a political environment that wants to back-pedal those accomplishments. And we must remember that the freedoms we in the LGBTQ community celebrate today came at a cost.

INKC: How has your Midwestern background influenced your career choices over the years? Or has it?

Watkins: My Midwestern upbringing hasn’t really influenced my ca-

reer choices. What it has done is ground me. I feel like I showed up at the circus and had the ability to spot the clowns pretty easily.

INKC: You’ve had great success in television and film projects, but many performers claim that there’s nothing like the immediate rush of applause from a live theater audience. Is that a cliché or is it really that potent and intoxicating?

Watkins: I think we all share a cultural expectation that an audience

will applaud at the end of a performance. But at the end of The Boys in the Band, a play about the gay experience, and the nine of us—nine out gay men—come to the edge of the stage and the audience leaps to their feet with enthusiasm, it is certainly invigorating.

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ANGELA DUFRESNE

Ticket Line (detail), 2018, oil on canvas, 84 x 132 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Monya Rowe Gallery, New York.

MAKING A SCENE

S E P T E M B E R 2 0, 2 0 1 8 20, - J A N U2018–JANUARY A RY 6 , 2 0 1 9 SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

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Arts & Culture by

IN KC

Charles Ferruzza

Mint and Silver Clouds, by Paolo Porelli

SALON ABOUT TOWN WHAT started several years ago as a series of invita-

tion-only art salons hosted by Scott Heidmann and Ken Petti in their home at the Alameda Towers, has evolved into twice-yearly artistic installations in a series of less traditional venues (most recently a multi-media collaboration with visual artist Ryan Wilks and other artists at the Kansas City Public Library).

In August, Heidmann and Petti will bring Rome-based ceramic artist Paolo Porelli back to Kansas City (in 2016 he did a residency at Red Star Studios) at the Haw Contemporary Gallery. The exhibition will kick off with a private invitation-only event and run, free to the public, for the following nine days. “He will cover a variety of themes,” says Heidmann. “Worship of nature, idols, beauty. The first night will be an immersive evening inspired by Paolo’s work.”

Bush Figure, Paolo Porelli

Experience the menus, cocktails, live music, happy hours and events at Chaz on the Plaza, located inside the historic Raphael Hotel.

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62 DAYS, 100+ ARTISTS, 1 CITY KANSAS CITY is, historically, a place with a lot of open spaces.

A Nick Cave Soundsuit.

But there has never been anything like the Open Spaces events scheduled through the metro from August 25 through October 28, featuring contemporary visual and performing artists in spaces around town, including installations in specially designed pavillions—Swope Park will be the hub for the multi-media presentations—by prominent local architects. Forty-two renowned and emerging local, national and international artists have been selected for the exhibition component of the event, including Nick Cave, Shawn Bitters, Rina Banerjee, and Kathy Butterly.

Spearheaded by longtime arts advocates Scott Francis and Susan Gordon and Mayor Sly James, Open Spaces will highlight Kansas City’s expanding footprint on the cultural life of the Midwest. openspaceskc.com

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Arts & Culture by

IN KC

Charles Ferruzza

TANGLED UP IN BLUE IT’S THE RARE ARTIST who requests what the patrons of his or

Top: The Second Day, by Brady Legler. Right: Faded Star, by Dan Vanderhoof.

her art opening should wear, but designer and artist Brady Legler—who is showing, with painter Dan Vanderhoof, a combined exhibition, Chromatic Connection, at the Eva Reynolds Fine Art Gallery through August—is not sheepish about asking his audience to wear blue to the event. Blue is, after all, his color of choice: “For some people, it symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, faith, truth, and heaven. For me, blue means hope and optimism.”

Legler, a Kansas City native who now lives in New York, and Vanderhoof, a Californian now living in Kansas City, see the power of a bold color palette as a mood changer for almost everyone. Hopefully, during the show’s run, a generous mood, as a percentage of his sales go to the Speak UP Foundation for prevention and education about teen suicide.

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GIFTED

Tricolor juice tumber

by Sarah Veak

JUST DON’T call them gift shops, for God’s sake. Both locations of the Belger Arts facilities—the Belger Arts Center at 2100 Walnut and the Belger Crane Yard Studios at 2011 Tracy—have shops filled with colorful and unique items created by both local and international artists—but they are not traditional museum gift shops, says gallery assistant Lee Lappin. “They’re part of the gallery,” she says. “And many of the artists have exhibited here.” The shops specialize in ceramics, but there’s truly something special for every taste. The hours at the Walnut venue are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The Tracy venue is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.

A vessel by Jessica Brandl

“It’s my great pleasure to assist clients in achieving the environment they’ve dreamed of by creating a place where they feel comfortable and inspired, truly at home.”

- Jan Kyle

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913.677.3290

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Please join us for the 14th annual

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A benefit for the Shawnee Mission East SHARE Program celebrating 30+ years of student-led service

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To sponsor, please visit www.bit.ly/RenSenInKC Your sponsorship will enable Shawnee Mission East students to continue leading more than 60 service projects for those in need throughout the Kansas City metro and will be recognized in the September issue of In Kansas City magazine.

Tour passes and Patrons’ Party passes are available online at www.bit.ly/RenSen2018 For more information go to www.smeastshare.com or contact the 2018 Renovation Sensation Co-Chairs Alexis Ceule - 913.707.9907 Susann Ogg - susannogg@sbcglobal.net

Behind the Music BY

Timothy Finn

PHOTO BY

IN KC

LIBBY ZANDERS

WANT MORE TIMOTHY FINN? Checkout his weekly online-only content at inkansascity.com.

Every Monday the website publishes his list of Top 5 Not-to-Miss Concerts in the metro.

Every week you’ll find his revered, rollicking, reasoned reviews and commentary.

Email Timothy Finn at tfinn@inkansascity.com

Above: Collin Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Ross Brown, Kyle Rausch, Kyle Little.

Left: Bell House, their latest release.

Shy Boys

T

he men in Shy Boys have many memories of their former residence on Bell Street. Some of those recollections are infamous.

“It was more like a bum den than anything,” says Collin Rausch, Shy Boy’s vocalist and primary songwriter. “There was a giant hole in the floor of the kitchen that had a piece of plywood over it.

We threw out most of the furniture to make room for a jam space.

“In the backyard, weeds got like six-feet high in the summer. It was its own thriving biome. We lived in trash. Literally I slept with full bags of trash in my room.”

And there was the time one of many guest squatters that rolled through the house “killed a rat with a ballpoint pen.”

After five years, Rausch and his roommates moved out of the house near 45th and Bell streets in the West Plaza neighborhood, but the time Rausch spent there with fellow band mates—his brother, Kyle, and Konner Irvin—left indelible impressions.

“It was … a group of guys being in a really dark place together,” Rausch says. “It was intense, looking back on it. The lifestyle became overwhelming and really seeped into the music.”

That music fills Bell House, Shy Boys’ sophomore record, due to be released in early August on Polyvinyl Records, a large independent label that is home to Of Montreal, the Residents and other indie-rock titans.

Bell House is the follow-up to Shy Boys, released in 2014 on High Dive

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Records, a Kansas City label. Like its predecessor, Bell House brims with the Boys’ signature traits and virtues: bright, bubbly melodies, shimmering multi-part harmonies and cryptic, sometimes dark, lyrics that belie the music’s day-glo charms. The songs are short—an average of two minutes long—but filled with clever twists and unexpected turns.

Their label heralds Shy Boys as “the Beach Boys on Robitussin,” though, lyrically, their music sounds more like it emerged from the shores of Times Beach than sunny Southern California.

“Take the Doggie,” for example, is a brief gust of jaunty power pop about a dog that lives next door that appears underfed and ignored by a neighbor that Rausch doesn’t get along with. The song comes and goes in 94 seconds, but not before a big picture emerges and Rausch is inspired to consider leaving the neighborhood entirely and taking the dog with him.

The songs on Bell House swerve from the lyrical matter that filled the Shy Boys album, and for a reason.

“Thematically I wanted [the record] to be anything other than apathetic,” Rausch says. “Maybe because I’m older, maybe because the weed and pizza and shaka sign thing seems inappropriate now in the time we live.

“After we finished the first record, I got my degree, my parents separated, I fell in love and got married. I actually feel things differently now, and more deeply. I wanted this record to actually have some of that feeling: happy, sad, scared, tired, joyful, anything but apathetic.”

Thus song titles like “Tragic Loss,” “No Fun,” and “Basement,” which chronicles Rausch’s move, with his wife and dog, back into his mother’s suburban home, where “the carpet stains are still the same.”

Shy Boys hit the road for the second leg of a summer tour in early July, but Bell House won’t get its official release until August 3. The Boys will celebrate with a record-release show August 4 at RecordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd.

The hometown celebration is appropriate. Like the environment that inspired the songs on Bell House, Kansas City and its music community have influenced the band and played a significant role in Shy Boys’ ascent.

“Kansas City being smaller and more isolated, I think, has bred a scene that’s unique and uncommonly talented,” Rausch says. “There’s a vibe here that really seems special, and that feeling only becomes more apparent after we’ve spent more and more time in other towns.”

For more on the Shy Boys and a link to “Take the Doggie” go to inkansascity.com

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This Month

IN KC

DOOB-LICATED SHADES OF STAR TREK, you enter a black, circular “dooblicator,” the door swishes shut behind you, and 66 cameras capture your image. Weeks later an exact, profoundly realistic 3D replica of you arrives at your door.

Doobs are offered at four, six, eight, ten, and 14 inches tall, and pricing starts at $95. The doob KC store, located in The Fountains shopping center at 6511 W. 119th St. in Overland Park, is one of five stores in the U.S. and is the only one located in the Midwest.

You can doob your pet, your family, or you in your favorite outfit.

Doobs have topped wedding cakes, captured dancers mid-twirl, and documented kids in their favorite sports uniform. For more information, visit doob3d.com.

SHARYN BLOND HAS MORE FUN THE CRESTWOOD SHOPS is gaining another new storefront with the addition of Sharyn Blond Linens.. “We are excited to open our doors and for our customers to come visit us in our new neighborhood,” Blond says. The shop, previously located in the Fairway Shops, is nationally recognized for its tabletop, home decor, and bed and bath linens. Its iconic bridal registry includes such lines as Simon Pearce, Anna Weatherley, Match Pewter, Le Jacquard Francais, and many more. A great addition to the Crestwood ’hood. sharynblondlinens.com

21C MUSEUM HOTEL IT’S A HOTEL! It’s an art museum! It’s a restaurant! It’s all those things and more when 21c opens its doors later this month in the historic Savoy Hotel and Grill building.

But worry not, all that Savoy Grill history won’t disappear. The former restaurant is now completely restored as a bar and lounge. Chef Joe Wells, late of Stock Hill, is now driving the menu at the restaurant in the adjoining dining room. Museum-worthy contemporary art will rotate through the gallery spaces, and local artists will also be represented. The museum is free and open to the public 365 days a year.

21cmuseumhotels.com

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GLASS, BE GONE WINE BOTTLES piling up because you haven’t made the trip to a Ripple Glass recycling bin in ages? There’s a new service in the metro (they serve both Johnson County and much of Kansas City) that will pick it up curbside twice a month.

They provide the bin, and the glass is recycled at Ripple Glass. Collection is on your regular trash day. Two pickups per month are $5.00 monthly and the first month is free (with the use of coupon code “free”).

So much easier than toting it in your car!

Sign up at glassgone.com.

My Essentials

IN KC

BETSY JOHNSON THE DESIGNER SHARES A FEW OF THE THINGS SHE LOVES ABOUT LIVING IN KANSAS CITY

A PHOTO BY AARON LEIMKUEHLER

diagnosis of skin cancer at 26 changed Betsy Johnson’s career trajectory—and her life. She jumped from a corporate job into the scary pool of entrepreneurship by launching a company that creates and makes UPF 50+ sun-protective swimwear for kids and adults. Her company, SwimZip, was even featured on ABC’s Shark Tank and The Today Show. Johnson and her husband moved back to the Kansas City metro to raise their family and grow the business. “We love the people, the accessibility to parks throughout the city, teaching our kids to ski at Snow Creek, and having four proper seasons of weather every year,” Johnson says.

Betsy’s essentials...

DATE NIGHT OUT: We head to Novel. We love the rotating menu! Our last time there I devoured the tagliatelle with a white Bolognese. Then we like ending the night somewhere fun. You’d likely find us at Up Down playing some 25 cent video games before heading home.

PRIZED LOCAL SHOP:

Everybody should support The Learning Tree! It’s such a wonderful toy store.

They have free story time and always have helpful suggestions for games and toys for growing brains!

COZY NIGHT OUT:

You’ll find my husband and me at Pot Pie eating a pan-roasted chicken—or a pot pie, of course!

MADE IN KC:

I have a couple of favorite jewelry companies: Indian Summer Collection and Nickel & Suede.

FAVORITE COCKTAIL:

There’s no way I could last until 9 p.m. without an espresso martini. I was introduced to it at Tannin.

FAMILY DAY OUT: Kansas City is

so amazing with events always going on. Our kids love going fruit picking.

Apples in the fall, strawberries in the spring, and blueberries in the summer. Or you might find us at KC Bier Company where the kids can play outside in the play area and we enjoy the live music.

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SWIMZIP FOR KIDDOS:

Our new Surfer Suits for girls is my favorite new design. The color blocking is on point, and the detail quarter zip in the back is spot on. Not to mention the kids love the thumb holes.

MOST ADMIRED LOCAL CELEB: Becky

from Cella Jane is one of the sweetest and most supportive “Instagram celebrities” I know.

There’s no place like home

... right here “IN Kansas City!”

From our home on The Plaza to yours... let’s celebrate life every day and welcome the new “IN Kansas City” magazine!

Ursula Terrasi

Locally-owned and a Country Club Plaza icon for over 30 years • Corner of 501 Nichols Rd. & Pennsylvania 816.753.4144 • (toll free) 800.875.4144

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Look

Susan Cannon

Summer Yukata EMBRACE YOUR EXOTIC SIDE

H

ere we are mid-summer already. Summer is always about dressing more effortlessly in airy pieces that match the season’s carefree spirit and sense of escape.

This time of year—when warm weather hits and our relaxation mode kicks in—it’s great to bring back a little eclectic style and unpretentious drama. A comfortable, easy-to-wear yukata, which is simply a casual, cotton version of the Japanese kimono, is a beautiful, no-fuss thing to throw on over a bathing suit, to wear as an open wrap for day or evening, or simply for lounging around. Not to mention that the graceful shape and the varied, exquisite textiles of kimonos are a perennial fashion influence.

A wide selection of one-of-a-kind vintage yukatas can be found at Asiatica, a special lifestyle store in Westwood. Its in-house workshop makes contemporary clothes from rare vintage

THE ART OF STYLE WEAR YOUR EXPRESSIONISM ON YOUR SLEEVE

WHEN scouting around town for special accessories that are well-made, creatively classic, and have an element of surprise, a visit to George - A Lifestyle Store in the Crestwood Shops usually proves to be fruitful. Case in point is this Jack Gomme hand-painted tote that reinterprets an essential into something unexpected and artful.

Paul Droulers and Sophie Renier, the imaginatively buoyant and cultivated founders of the popular French handbag line, have merged their love of art, culture, materials, and design into a hybrid of creativity and uniqueness. For their spring/summer 2018 collection, they commissioned Droulers’ father, Robert Droulers, an expressionist artist and member of L’ecole de Paris, to hand-paint a limited edition of their signature canvas totes. Of course, it’s no surprise that this special accessory can be found at George, considering its shop owner is an interior designer with an artful sensibility himself. Bag, $200.

Japanese kimono cloth and sells casual unisex yukatas to those who like to embrace their exotic side.

The word yukata translates as “bathing cloth” and it was originally intended to be just that. Traditional yukatas were made of printed cotton in indigo and white. Those at Asiatica, cherry-picked by the owner Elizabeth Wilson on her annual trips to Japan, have bold, graphic patterns, often using geometric or seasonal designs. Yukatas were worn after bathing in communal baths, functioning as a quick way to cover the body and to absorb remaining moisture—but wear yours however you like.

Whether near the cool waters of a pool, lake, or ocean, strolling the farmers market, entertaining friends alfresco, or kicking back to read a good book, a casual yukata perfectly suits the lazy days of summer.

From $195 at Asiatica (Westwood)

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yukata photo by galadriel thompson, courtesy of asiatica, bag photo by aaron leimkuehler

by

IN KC

Fashion

COMMISSIONED ART BY NIKA WINN

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Beauty

Susan Cannon

NATURAL BEAUTY INSIDE AND OUT

Reaching Within

W

hen talking about beauty, the conversation goes much deeper than just a great lipstick, serum, or spa treatment. As with all aspects of life today, living and consuming as naturally as possible to attain our most vital self are becoming mainstream goals. But achieving true natural beauty requires as much self-care on the inside as it does on the outside.

This brings me to Within Apothecary, a modern beauty oasis within Finefolk, created by “clean” beauty/wellness consultant and makeup artist Gina Holmberg. The breadth of Holmberg’s organic, natural and sustainable skincare and makeup products, as well as her formidable advice on inner/outer beauty as wellness, are enticing. She offers one-on-one sessions on clean skincare, makeup application, and a cosmetic bag clean-out service.

On my last visit to Within, I found this brilliant book, High Vibrational Beauty (published by Rodale,

BODY BEAUTIFUL

2018), and was struck by its stunning visuals—spreads of the richest, most inspiring still-life imagery that left me breathless. Looking more deeply, I found it well-written and filled with knowledge and useful ideas.

The authors, Kerrilynn Pamer and Cindy DiPrima Morisse (co-founders of the Cap Beauty boutiques), impart more than just nuggets of expertise on makeup palettes and at-home beauty treatments. Their “high vibrational manifesto” takes it to a higher level by creatively schooling on such things as the benefits of rituals and spiritual altars, the power of plants and crystals, honoring the rhythms of nature, and finding our purpose and gratitude. On top of that, there are lots and lots of healthy, beauty-enhancing recipes, all smartly divided into the four seasons. It’s a comprehensive 360-degree approach to natural beauty as a lifestyle. The authors ask you to manifest your most resilient, luminous beauty on the outside by reaching within. And this, just possibly, in turn means ultimately being a happier you.

HOLISTIC SKINCARE FOR WHEN YOU’RE BARE

THE BODY-BARING summer months call for special skincare. Native Atlas, a locally based, high-performance skincare line—luxe elixirs crafted with organic plant oils that have been cultivated from around the world—is a holistic choice.

“I am passionate about making toxin-free products,” says Alexia Wambua, creator of Native Atlas. “Essential oils and essential fatty acids play a vital role in our everyday health.

Our health is dependent on the nutrients we absorb.”

Two products for the body stand out: Misuli Recover Body

Balm, which is great for the athlete or the stressed-out power player. It detoxes and soothes, effectively rejuvenating both mind and body. The senses are invigorated with cooling menthol and warming capsicum and soothed with herbal arnica and eucalyptus. Sativa Luxurious Body Oil, a plant botanical blend, is rich in nourishing essential fatty acids. It absorbs easily to intensely hydrate lackluster skin and balance the skin’s own oil production. It repairs past damage by restoring moisture loss, creating a lustrous appearance.

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SUMMER HAIR CARE QUICK SOLUTIONS WHEN YOU’RE ON THE RUN SUMMER can be harsh on hair. With all the activities between work and play and wanting to squeeze in as much outdoor time as possible, there’s often little time for attention to your hair. Whether swimming, traveling, sun, and simply exposing your hair to more environmental pollutants, it is important to care for your hair.

Nancy Weber, owner of Lumine Salon, shares her advice on the best maintenance products for when you’re on the run. “Kevin Murphy Re.Store repairing cleansing treatment is the perfect one-stop shop because it’s a shampoo and conditioning reparative treatment in one. Something I swear by and tell my clients is that healthy hair is always in style.”

What if there’s not time between activities to wash and style your hair? Weber says, “In order to give your hair a great summer look after a day of golfing or rocking your power ponytail at the office, try Oribe Mystify Restyling Spray. Mist hair all over in sections until damp, but not wet, then apply Davines Sea Salt Spray from roots to ends, misting about 12 inches from the hair. Scrunch and let it air dry. The key to avoiding frizz when creating this look is to keep your hands out of it after that initial scrunch. Let your hair do its thing.”

The Oribe restyling spray has an amazing scent, so you won’t feel self-conscious about smelling sweaty after a workout—a plus. And the Davines sea salt spray is particularly beneficial for fine hair.

BOOK PHOTOS BY STUART HEIDMANN, NATIVE ATLAS PHOTOS COURTESY OF NATIVE, HAIR PRODUCT PHOTOS BY AARON LEIMKUEHLER

BY

IN KC

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Look by

IN KC

Wellness

Susan Cannon

The Mindful-Eating Entrepreneur

s most local foodies know, Robin Krause, the owner of Unbakery and Juicery in East Brookside, is in perpetual motion. Her current “mindful eating” establishment—with its ever-expanding offerings of inventive raw foods, house-made mylks, live juices, and special H2Os within a quirky little modern, light-filled ’50s bank—is not her first, and it’s definitely not her last. Krause has been at it since opening a chain of Filling Station Coffee Shops in 2004 where she already served healthy options.

Krause sold her businesses and decided to educate herself in wellness.

She received a raw-food culinary certification, took on an herbal apprenticeship, and graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, all reinforcing her passion for healthier food and drink options.

Krause has just graduated as a nutritional therapist practitioner, serving as a health coach and wellness supporter. She’ll soon launch Apothe, a line of wellness teas and adaptogenic powders and herbs. The tea selection will consist of AM Detox, PM Detox, Skinny Tea, Breathe and Ayurveda. Adaptogenic powders and herbs include beet-root powder, chlorella, reishi, chaga, and maca, to name a few.

She is also employing the science behind food for a healthy and healing approach to a new menu. This menu will be implemented at an exciting 4,000-squarefoot midtown eating establishment due to open next spring. Yet to be named, it

will be both a restaurant and an event space. The 3,000-square-foot restaurant will be designed in the bright, beautiful aesthetic of Unbakery and Juicery. Australian-inspired, it will be a plant-based menu accompanied with some good-quality meats. While most everything will be gluten- and dairyfree, there will be options, “Because who doesn’t love a good croissant or even waffles with ice cream?” Krause says. “I plan to cater to everyone with a broad menu of the best ingredients— no processed sugars, fillers, just whole good foods. I want it to be a fun culinary experience.”

The other 1,000 square feet, capable of holding 50-60 guests and offering full food catering and a bar menu, will be for events such as bachelorette parties, wedding showers, speaking events, meetings, and lots of how-to cooking classes for healing foods. You can learn to make bone broth, cheeses, power snacks, whole food basics, soups, sauces, and so much more.

“It’s really for the community,” Krause says. “I’ll open it up to other nutrition-savvy people, as a fully equipped space to host their ideal classes.”

Integrating her inclusive event space into Kansas City’s wellness community falls perfectly in line with the concept of positive leadership and the entrepreneurial spirit. And if you know Robin Krause, that all makes sense.

For health coaching, contact Robin at robinkrausekc@gmail.com. (unbakeryandjuicerykc.com)

APOTHE ORGANIC BEET-ROOT POWDER (pictured at center) is high in vitamin A, B6, C, magnesium, iron, calcium, proteins, potassium, and disease-fighting antioxidants. It supports lower blood pressure, circulation, energy, endurance, and male sex stamina. It can be used in smoothies, soups, juices, and dressings to make them nutrient dense and has an amazing pink color that kiddos love. The Unbakery will soon be offering an organic beet latte with house-made almond mylk.

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photos by stuart heidmann

A

ROBIN KRAUSE EXPANDS WITH A NEW RESTAURANT CONCEPT FOCUSED ON MIND, BODY AND WELLNESS AND A NEW PRODUCT LINE, APOTHE

rufenachtinteriors.com

Living BY

IN KC

Patricia OʼDell

DO YOU HAVE A LIGHT?

Golden Glow

BAR LIGHTING is always tricky. It needs to be

warm enough to give an appealing glow and dim enough to soften any distracting imperfections.

The Golden Ox accomplishes this with ease thanks in part to stylish lights with metal shades that provide down-lighting (the bartender does need to see) without blinding patrons.

Arteluce Sarfatti Three Shade Lamp Retro Inferno

Antiqued Metal Drum Table Lamp

T

PHOTOGRAPH BY

Restoration Hardware

Aaron Leimkuehler

he Golden Ox, the legendary steakhouse in the Stockyards District, was a local icon. Whether it was dinners with family or lively pre-gaming and raucous late nights bookending time spent at the American Royal, the Ox was a Kansas City tradition. It was “ours.”

Even if it had been a while since crowds of locals had made their way to see the cattle, horse shows, and rodeos, there was something lost when the Ox closed seven years ago.

Fortunately, the universe is right again thanks to Bill Haw, Sr., a Stockyards visionary, and the solid leadership of Wes Gartner and Jill Myers, who have reopened the Ox to well-deserved fanfare.

Local designer John O’Brien (who as former owner of Dolphin Gallery is a bit of a Stockyards District legend himself ) maintained the best of the joint, preserving the red leather booths, vintage fixtures with cattle-brand details and—perhaps most importantly—the feel of the bar. Do spend some time over an Airmail cocktail—or two—before you settle in for a meal. You’ll wish you could take one home for breakfast.

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Thomas O’Brien Carlo Lamp

To the trade through Knapstein Design knapsteindesign.com

CHAIRS can be the answer to everything. Com-

fort? Check. Function? Check. Style? Check, check, check. Chairs, like your Great Aunt Gladys after two martinis, can bring all the panache a room will ever need.

Jill Tran and Carmen Thomas, business partners in Tran + Thomas Design Studio, have been dreaming about launching a furniture line for the last 15 years. Yearning for pieces with classic foundations that offered sophistication and durability, the pair finally hit “launch.”

“We covet product design and have dreamed of having a line of custom pieces that

Elroy Chair

Our boy, the Elroy (chair that is, but who doesn’t miss the futuristic fun of the Jetsons?) is the life of the party we’ve been looking for.

Whether he’s solidly centered or leaning left or right, he’s full of pizzazz. Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, (Town Center Plaza)

match our style and sensibility. We introduced the first collection last year and we have been thrilled with the response we’ve received,” says Thomas.

The first pieces, eight chairs (whose looks and names could make them stars of a sexy cable television drama) feature hardwood frames, eight way-tied springs, and are hand-built in the USA. You’d be smart to invite Clare, Douglas, Josephine, and William (above) over for drinks, but they’re great for dinner with the kids, too. You can find the collection at tranthomasdesign.com/ shoppe.

Delano

Bernhardt’s Delano chair is the strong and silent type. A solid player in any room, its clean lines and linear shape can anchor any awkward corner or play nice with a friend.

Seville Home, (Cornerstone of Leawood)

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Wawasett Chair

Be IN the Loop!

TAKE A SEAT

Just as the best dinner partners do, Hickory Chair’s Wawasett Chair has a thorough understanding of history with a forward thinking perspective. While we can see the Windsor in it, it’s Meghan and Harry all the way.

Madden McFarland, (Leawood)

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Flavor #INKansasCity explores the local food scene. @inkansascitymag

Living BY

IN KC

Patricia OʼDell

GROW YOUR OWN

S

ara Antin was an artist by training and trade until she discovered that creating living works of art via garden design was both a passion and a gift. She appreciates the resurgence of interest in container gardening but has a few words of advice.

“Dump in topsoil and go? No, no, no!” she insists. As with all design, good structure matters.

• Foundation basics. “Drainage is very important,” she notes. “Start with pea gravel.”

• Location, location, location. “Are you planning on having the pot in sun or shade? You need to choose your flowers accordingly.”

• Size matters. “I tend to like the largest pot that will work in the space. Pay attention to scale.”

• Define your mood. “Hot colors pop! Variations of green soothe. Choose accordingly.”

You can find more advice and inspiration on Antin’s site, gardenstyleonline.com.

TAKE IT OUTSIDE WHAT better way to lounge poolside than a chaise a deux? This Janus et Cie Fibonacci Vantana double chaise with its groovy shape and chic woven fiber construction make it Slim Aarons meets Hugh Hefner. You simply can’t go wrong.

Alejandro Design Studio (Midtown).

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The Large Round Leaf Pot from Richard Taylor This planter looks like the kind of thing you think you could make in a ceramics class. (We won’t tell your friends if you say you did.)

Golden & Pine (Brookside) goldenandpine.com

The Object Enthusiast’s Facet Vessel No. 5 This planter has a

faceted base with 18K-gold accents to offer the best of organic and glam in one planter. And it’s made by local creator Emily Reinhardt. Slam dunk.

Coveted Home (Country Club Plaza) covetedhome.com

Vintage faux bois Go classic with a

vintage (circa 1920) French faux bois concrete pot that feels like it could be in south of France.

Pear Tree Design & Antiques

(Crestwood Shops).

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ANNUAL BLOCK PARTY EXHIBITIONS ON VIEW

AUGUST 18, 2018 6:00-10:30 p.m.

ATRIUM PROJECT

( )

POP UP AT THE MUSEUM SHOP

LIVE MUSIC

­

OUTDOOR FILM SCREENING FOOD TRUCKS

ART ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

CASH BAR

é

SPONSORED BY:

KEMPER MUSEUM

OF CONTEMPORARY ART KEMPERART.ORG

FREE ADMISSION

FREE PARKING

4420 WARWICK BLVD KANSAS CITY, MO 64111

816-753-5784

BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIRS AND BLANKETS TO WATCH THE MOVIE!

IN CONVERSATION WITH

Jason Kander words by

Cindy Hoedel

photograph by

J

Cameron Gee

ust when the buzz was building to a crescendo that 37-year-old Kansas Citian Jason Kander might run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, Kander rocked the local political establishment by announcing instead that he was jumping into the already crowded race to succeed Sly James as mayor in 2019.

Kander was born in Overland Park and raised in Shawnee with one biological brother and other children his parents fostered that he considers brothers as well. He graduated from Bishop Miege High School in 1999, then earned a bachelor’s in political science at American University in Washington, D.C. Following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, Kander enlisted with the Army National Guard. He earned his commission through the ROTC at Georgetown University, where he completed his law degree in 2005. He volunteered for a tour in Afghanistan, serving as an intelligence officer.

When he returned to Missouri, Kander taught combat leadership skills at Fort Leonard Wood, as well as teaching political

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Afghanistan, so I’ve got pretty substantial leadership experience. Sorry, science at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and practicing law. it’s a super-long answer—I’m excited to do the job and I think I’m ready He was honorably discharged in 2011. to do it from Day One. In 2008, Kander was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives, where he served two terms before being elected Secretary of State of Missouri in 2012 at age 32.

ON WHAT THE TOP PRIORITIES OF A KANDER ADMINISTRATION In September 2016, Kander catapulted to national fame when, WOULD BE: running against Roy Blunt for U.S. Senate, he dropped an ad that Well, when you look at some of the major issues that have gotten off the showed him assembling an AR-15 rifle blindfolded that quickly went ground in the past few years, that’s what’s going to confront the next mayviral. After narrowly losing, Kander founded Let America Vote, a or to start with: building the new airport, implementing the infrastructure political advocacy organization that is fighting voter suppression and improvements that voters approved, and expanding the streetcar. has landed a contract as a political contributor to CNN. (He did not And I want to make sure we still give attention to critical issues renew that contract when it ended in 2018 but still appears on CNN like addressing economic inequality, decreasing crime, having an incluand other networks). sive housing and economic development plan and Kander has gained a national fan base through guaranteeing every child in the city has access to a constant Tweeting on his travels around the counquality education. try for Let America Vote. He also has written a But then there’s other stuff that people don’t memoir called Outside the Wire: 10 Lessons I’ve talk about as much that I think is extremely imLearned in Everyday Courage. portant, like making sure that people have enough Kander and his wife, Diana, have a four-yearaccess to grocery stores, banks and other basic serTo me, everything I do old son, True. vices, and doing more for racial and gender equity Over the course of two in-depth chats with in city contracts and programs, and always looking is just a continuum In Kansas City, Kander deflects questions about to improve city services. of trying to make the whether he has long-term national ambitions, though his steady eye contact and wide crooked ON HIS STRENGTHS AS A POLITICIAN: world a better place, smile do not refute the premise. He reflects on his You know there’s this rare compliment that is unique which sounds very life’s work and dreams with long, thoughtful anto politics that people give: “You seem comfortable swers that wind like the oxbow of a river, always in your own skin,” and I’ve always found that hilarhokey, but it’s the way flowing back to the main channel. ious. Nobody ever says, “I like my accountant beI was raised. cause he’s just a regular person.” So I guess if I have a strength it’s that (laughs) I’m normal, or at least ON HIS VISION FOR THE CITY: that I seem normal.

I want to make sure that no matter where you live in the city and however you grew up, you have a chance to build your life right here. We will know ON PERSONALITY TRAITS HE INHERITED FROM that Kansas City is at its best when we don’t have HIS PARENTS: to move people—whether it’s because of a job, education, crime, housMy folks taught me to understand that I come from a place of a certain ing, or infrastructure—from one part of the city to another or out of level of privilege. You know the old expression: born on third believing town altogether to live the life that they want and deserve. you hit a triple? I don’t know if I was born on third or somewhere between second and third, but I know that whatever it was, I didn’t get the hit that got me there. They taught me that if you’ve had success, ON WHY HE BELIEVES HE IS THE BEST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE TO that doesn’t mean you pull up the ladder behind you. It means you go LEAD THE CITY: looking for other ladders.

I got my start in public service working for Kansas City in the state My parents met as juvenile probation officers. My dad was worklegislature—on the budget committee I made sure we got our fair share ing as a cop at night and then for most of my childhood he ran a of state resources. I worked on issues like local control of the police desecurity company. partment and a whole host of others, like keeping state jobs here when And that was the other thing, I saw them work very hard. I don’t folks were trying to move them to mid-Missouri, support for the zoo, recall a lot of times where my parents would say something to me like, funding for UMKC and the arts, working with both sides of the aisle to you’re the best on your baseball team or the best at whatever I did acatry to get a truce on the border war, just a lot of different things. demically. What I do remember them saying is that they were proud of But I’ve also held an executive position as the Secretary of State of me because they could see how hard I was working.

Missouri, and it’s a job I would not have had if voters in Kansas City My dad used baseball to teach me what kind of man he wanted me hadn’t supported me. I got more votes, for instance, in 2016 in Kansas to be. I can remember going to Royals games, and George Brett would City than anybody else on the ballot, so people here know that I’ve hit a one-hopper back to the pitcher, and Dad would say “Jase, watch always worked hard for them. what he does.” And Brett would run as hard as he could to first base And on top of all of that, I’m a former army officer who served in

“ ”

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knowing he was out. And Dad would say, “Look at George Brett—even when he knows he’s out, he respects the game so much that he hustles.”

Really dad taught me about hustle, that was the thing.

ON THAT THING HE DOES THAT ANNOYS HIS SPOUSE:

photo from you tube

My wife always asks me, “Do you not want to do…” (freezes, then looks as assistant Zach Bowman) Oh, gosh, I just realized I didn’t take out the trash this morning. (Zach admits he noticed the neighbors’ trash was out and should have said something when he picked Kander up.)

No, it’s my fault. Today’s trash day, and I meant to, oh, oops (winces). Well, so that’s a good example, ‘cause Diana will say things like, “Do you not see that the trash is full or… (laughs).”

We’ve been together since we were 17. Diana always says that whatever annoys you about your spouse is directly connected to what you love about them. So she will always say that she loves that I worry about big, big problems in the world, and she thinks that that’s directly connected to the fact that I won’t necessarily see that the trash needs to go out.

than 25 percent of our conversation could be about the Royals’ farm system. I’ve been all about it for my entire adult life and they’ve only had four winning seasons in my adult life—two of them they went to the World Series, and one of them they won, and those were amazing. And I was at the 2014 wild-card game with my dad. Yeah, I took my dad to that game and that’s one of the top five days of my life.

But for me, following this team—and look, I know you’re going to see a lot of losses—but part of what’s exciting about it to me is watching the players, watching them develop and seeing what happens next. I guess I see it like, if your kid were on a Pop Warner team and they lost every game you wouldn’t be like, I’m not going to the games.

ON WHAT PERFECT DOWN TIME LOOKS LIKE:

The way most people feel sitting on a beach, that is how I feel sitting in the stands at Kauffman Stadium. It’s a level of stress-free relaxation and Zen that other people get at a beach.

ON WHY HE FOUNDED LET AMERICA VOTE:

To me, everything I do is just a continuum of trying to make ON TRAITS HE WOULD LIKE the world a better place, which In his 2016 campaign ad, Kander explained his support for firearms background TO EMULATE IN HIS WIFE: sounds very hokey, but it’s the checks while assembling an assault rifle blindfolded.

My wife came to the United way I was raised. I volunteered States at the age of 8 with her to serve in the Army and I volfamily. They were refugees from unteered to go to Afghanistan the Soviet Union—refugees of anti-Semitism in Ukraine. And so Dibecause there are rights and freedoms that I want to protect, and I’ll ana, in addition to all her other gifts—she’s brilliant and she’s funny be damned if I’m going to come home and watch people like Kris and she’s beautiful—but she also has just sort of this vibrance and it’s Kobach or Donald Trump try to take those rights away. So that’s beyond optimism, because it’s not blind optimism, it’s by choice. So why I started Let America Vote. when people ask her just as sort of a passing hello, “How are you doing?” she almost always will say, “Fantastic!” And it throws people off, ON THE RECENT HISTORY OF VOTING RIGHTS IN AMERICA: but what they don’t realize is, she stops, thinks about it, and decides, When we got close to 2000, we weren’t at a place where every eligible “Yeah, my life is great, I’m very fortunate.”

American voter was getting to the polls, but we were on a trajectory to She doesn’t phone anything in, like right now she’s creating a little get there. And then what happened was, after 2000 and the debacle in home office for us upstairs in what was our guest bedroom. And she’ll Florida, Congress first passed the Help America Vote Act. And honfind a way to do it that costs us very little money, and it will be just estly, the Republican Party at that point, at least the elected established outstanding. At the same time, she just finished her second book, and Republican Party, decided that they actually weren’t that interested in she’s an awesome speaker and an innovation consultant. And, oh, as a helping America vote, because they looked at it and felt, when more way to save money for the past 15 years, she’s been my barber. She cuts people voted they were less likely to win elections. my hair and she cuts my son’s hair. She plays a huge role in making my So they pretended to crack down on fraud, but the truth is, you’re podcast successful. statistically more likely as an American to be struck by lightning than you are to commit voter impersonation fraud. What they cracked down on was voting. And they crafted a bunch of policies—everything from ON HIS GEEKY SIDE: photo ID to voter purges to scaling back voting opportunities, and I follow the Kansas City Royals at a level that most people find obnoxthere’s a lot more examples—that target people of color, working peoious. At one point, Diana instituted a rule in our home that no more continued on page

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108

In the foyer, a cheerful yellow ceramic sculpture by Eric Nichols and a massive bust the Corbins purchased at the Art Institute holiday auction lead to a bronze Chronos sculpture

by Tom that’s displayed at the entrance to the courtyard.

Artist in Residence FOR TOM AND SUSIE CORBIN, A COUNTRY CLUB DISTRICT MEDITERRANEAN SERVES AS AN EVEREVOLVING PERSONAL GALLERY SPACE

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Patricia OʼDell

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Aaron Leimkuehler

Tom and Susie Corbin in their living room. The painting of a musician belonged to Tom’s parents.

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Above: The Corbins’ standard poodle, Bodie, poses in front of his portrait by Tom. Fresh hydrangea arrangement from Beco Flowers. Top left: A small alcove opens to the living room, kitchen, and foyer. Bottom left: Two of Tom’s sculptures flank a glazed stoneware basket with hare handle by ceramist Ken Ferguson.

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“ ”

We didn’t want to save this room for special occasions. We really wanted to use it.

- Susie Corbin

A

fter living in their Country Club District Mediterranean for more than 20 years, Susie and Tom Corbin looked around their almost-empty nest and thought it was time to reimagine their house in a way that would suit their new lifestyle. With their daughter, Ali, who had recently graduated from college happily ensconced in Austin, Texas, they could hit refresh.

“We used to have big parties and kids in our basement. Now we entertain, but it looks a lot different,” says Susie.

This is the second time the couple updated the house. When they moved in they did the

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sorts of things many new homeowners do: strip wallpaper, paint, refinish floors, raise a child.

At that time Tom had left advertising to pursue his sculpting career full time. Images of starving artists aside, he says the shift was not as unnerving as it sounds.

“It was a pretty pragmatic decision,” he says. “I was already creating and selling. I thought it would work out.”

Tom was right. His work is promoted in 22 showrooms and galleries internationally, featured on movie sets and in celebrity homes. He’s often the first choice for commercial projects as well, including commis-

Dakota Jackson chairs surround an antique farm table in the dining room. Succulent arrangement on the table is from Beco Flowers. The painting is

by Wilbur Niewald.

sions for the United Nations, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Kansas City’s Firefighters Memorial.

The Corbins’ presence in the Kansas City art community has led to an extensive personal collection that features many local artists, from well-known established painters such as Wilbur

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Niewald, Jane Voorhees, Keith Jacobshagen, Archie Scott Gobber, and ceramist Ken Ferguson, to numerous works that they have purchased at local galleries, the Kansas City Art Institute, and The Friends’ of Artists Coalition.

Their original strategy for showcasing their collection was clean, white walls. But they began

to feel that white walls were not necessary to show the art properly. They were ready for some color.

In addition, the couple was ready for a more modern aesthetic, which drew them to interior designer Lisa Schmitz.

Together they decided to paint the downstairs a soothing gray. Schmitz eliminated the traditional

mantel in the living room and had a clean bluestone surround installed in its place. A neutral rug grounds the room, while the crisp, clean-lined sofa and chairs provide both comfort and style. A serene Jacobshagen painting hangs over the fireplace, which frames one of Tom’s Walking Girl sculptures.

As sophisticated and serene as the room is, the

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Paintings by artists, including Jules Olitski, Jeff Robinson and Archie Scott Gobber, join several paintings by Tom on the dining room gallery walls.

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In the kitchen, the Calacatta Gold marble countertop on the island butts up to a butcher-block top constructed from the wood countertops used in the previous kitchen. The light fixtures hanging above the island and in the butler’s pantry (above) were hand-blown glass sculptures the couple found on a California trip and had wired.

couple also decided to take advantage of this gracious space and put in a television.

“We love being in here,” says Susie. “We didn’t want to save this room for special occasions. We really wanted to use it.”

The dining room’s gallery wall is a who’s who of the Kansas City art community and echoes the smart and lively conversations that happen around the table.

“This wall tells the story of where we’ve been,” says Tom of both relationships built and trips taken. “And, of course, there’s always Ali,” he notes of his daughter who has been a regular model for him since she was a child.

The spare, linear dining room table was a serendipitous find.

“We’d had square table in here and it just seemed too big. People were so far away. We wanted something narrow to bring everyone

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Left: Pillows from Golden & Pine top the upholstered bed in the master bedroom. The flower arrangement by Beco Flowers captures the colors from the painting by Laurel Hughes. Above: In the master bathroom. two paintings by Tom, one reflected in the pivoting mirror, are of their daughter and a friend.

closer. We ran into Rick Brehm and said, ‘We really want something like that table you used to have at Lulamac,” says Susie of the now Hudson and Jane owner of his previous—and pioneering—shop in the Crossroads.

“We were so lucky!” she says. “He still had it!”

Rather than a refresh, the kitchen received a complete update with new cabinets, countertops, and appliances. A large butcher block creates a wonderful surface to prep and prepare, while the thick, marble-topped island is an easy spot for informal dining.

Upstairs, in the private areas of the house, the master bedroom and bath were reimagined as well. The Corbins’ bedroom is a cozy, yet spare, cocoon with windows that are easily hidden with a wall of curtains. An upholstered continued on page

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110

the

g i B * } chill words by

Charles Ferruzza

photographs by

*

Aaron Leimkuehler

Amante Domingo

TRUE STORY: A Kansas City businesswoman

was an early loft-dweller in the Crossroads neighborhood and built a state-of-the-art kitchen with two matching stainless steel Sub-Zero PRO refrigerators standing side by side. The one on the left rarely had more than a jar of pickles and a stick of butter in it.

The refrigerator on the right was neatly packed with bottles and bottles of Absolut vodka.

“A good cook,” she would tell guests, “always has her priorities in the right place.”

The opportunity to take a peek into anyone’s refrigerator is always tempting: it reveals volumes about the owner. A chef ’s refrigerator is like winning the detective lottery. Is it clean, tidy, a showpiece? Or more than likely, is it a chaotic collection of items well past their “Best By” date and a jumble of leftover boxes and aging condiments?

A bit of investigative poking into the refrigerators of five successful chefs and restaurateurs in Kansas City reveals a medley of culinary secrets. There are certain items these creative cooks simply can’t live without. One in particular: milk.

chef and co-owner of The Russell What’s always in your refrigerator?

Milk! My wife Veronica and I have two small children—4-year-old Diego and 3-year-old Isabella. There would be a riot here if we didn’t have any. The same with snacks like yogurt. Veronica is from an Italian-American family, so there’s always a nice hunk of Parmesan cheese.

My own background is Filipino and French Canadian, so you’ll always find a fermented or spicy dish like kimchee in our fridge. Something pickled, preserved, salty and funky.

What will never be in your refrigerator?

Again, because of the children, not many processed foods, although we keep some snack foods on hand for sanity’s sake. But no sugary soda pop, of course.

What guilty pleasure is in your fridge?

I love ice cream sandwiches. My favorite is the Mississippi Mud bar you can still find in the frozen-foods section of some supermarkets.

Also Coors Banquet Beer. It’s the original brew from Coors. I love it.

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JoMarie Scaglia

chef and creator of The Mixx and Caffetteria restaurants What’s always in your refrigerator?

I’m a single mother with a young daughter with Celiac disease.

She’s also a very particular eater. She loves filet mignon, so there’s usually a small filet for her—and vegetables. She loves her broccoli al dente and has been known to gently chide my mother for overcooking it, if it’s not perfect. I always have the items on hand to create a great cheese board.

What will never be in your refrigerator?

I’m not much for processed foods. You won’t find a lot of bar codes in my refrigerator.

What guilty pleasure is in your fridge?

Exotic mushrooms. Ice cream. Good cheeses. I’m a huge fan of the Norwegian caramel-flavored cheeses like Brunost, which I like to serve with a bit of homemade jam.

Bobby Stearns

executive chef at Ophelia’s and Café Verona on Independence Square What’s always in your refrigerator?

A confession: My wife and I—we work different hours, by the way—don’t cook much at home. Seriously. I’m really busy. A real chef. And I’m not super picky about what I eat at home. So if we go out and I get waited on by someone who does all the cooking or cleaning, I’m perfectly satisfied. What’s in our home refrigerator are a lot of random beverages. Lots of things for hydration. Sweet tea, Gatorade, beer, Shatto milk.

What will never be in your refrigerator?

Kimchee. I think it’s foul and disgusting.

What guilty pleasure is in your fridge?

Shatto chocolate milk. I love the stuff late at night or early in the morning. It’s an all-purpose hangover cure too.

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Megan & Colby Garrelts

co-owners of the two Rye restaurants and Bluestem, a multi-year James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant What’s always in your refrigerator?

Milk. We go through at least two gallons a week. We have two children—11-year-old Maddie and 7-year-old Colin—who drink tons of it. Because of the kids, we always have snacks in the fridge. Fruits and vegetables. Yogurt. Cheese, both high-end fancy cheeses and Kraft processed American cheese singles for grilled cheese sandwiches.

What will never be in your refrigerator?

Leftovers. Budweiser beer. Processed foods like lunch meat.

What guilty pleasure is in your fridge?

A Stouffer’s frozen product called Grandma’s Chicken and Rice Bake.

It’s a guilty pleasure all right. Sometimes, if we work late, we might come home hungry but it’s too late to cook anything. This chickenand-rice dish heats up quickly and is salty, but satisfying for a quick meal. Even chefs get late-night cravings.

Julita Latimer

chef and owner of Julita Catering What’s always in your refrigerator?

Sriracha sauce. Kimchee. Eggs. Garlic. Japanese mayonnaise. It has a more tangy taste than traditional mayonnaise and tastes good on everything. My daughters love it.

What will never be in your refrigerator?

Liver. I don’t have a rotation of foods that I cook, so anything else could possibly show up in my fridge. Not liver.

What guilty pleasure is in your fridge?

Häagen Dazs Dulce de Leche ice cream is a staple. Also good cheese.

We believe in the puu puu platter concept. I like keeping a variety of nosh-y bites of things in the fridge.

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S u mm

eR

WHITES

COLD SHOULDER

COOL OFF IN BREEZY WHITES TO TEMPER SUMMER’S HEAT

Ulla Johnson oneshoulder eyelet dress, $520, from Baldwin Market (Country Club Plaza).

BaubleBar beaded tassel earrings, $42, from Halls Kansas City (Crown Center).

Ron Berg Arlen Wickstrum Flock Salon and Gallery makeup by Nick Jenkins Flock Salon and Gallery photos by hair by

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HERE COMES THE SUN Margaret O’Leary lace dress, $288, from Clique Boutique (Prairie Village Shops). Sunglasses, $12, from Halls Kansas City (Crown Center).

SOFT WEAR Bryn Walker draped jersey pant, $124, tee, $92, tank (worn underneath), $79, necklace, $95, all from EJ’s Boutique (Hawthorne Plaza). Loeffler Randall sandals, $350, from Baldwin Market (Country Club Plaza).

BOLD MOVES Domi organic cotton pajama set, $192, No. 6 Store slides, $305, all from Finefolk (Crossroads).

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TOP IT OFF Moon River strapless linen dress, $92, straw boater hat with leather trim, $76, woven raffia tote with leather handles, $56, all from Dear Society (Midtown and Crossroads).

Corso Como sandals, $129, from Miriam Garvey (The Fairway Shops).

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GO WITH THE FLOW Veronica M. camisole, $42, Bobi wrap beach pant, $105, Free People sandals, $128, all from Alysa Rene (Park Place).

Earrings, $42, from Halls Kansas City (Crown Center).

HIGH PROFILE Ecru blouse, $168, Miriam Garvey private label stacked rings, $168, from Miriam Garvey (The Fairway Shops).

CROWNING GLORY Badgley Mischka dress, $595, Stuart Weitzman mules, $455, all from Halls Kansas City (Crown Center).

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ALL THE ELEMENTS COMBINE TO CREATE A GARDEN THAT’S A WORLD APART

Earth, Air, Fire, &Water PREMIERE 2018

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words by photos by

Judith Fertig Aaron Leimkuehler

D Above: French doors flanked with sidelights lead out to the sheltered open-air sitting area. Left: The view from the porch encompasses several of the garden “rooms.” Bottom: A low stone wall encircles the large metal fire bowl and the all-weather Dedon woven chairs. Opposite: Custom-designed wroughtiron gates swing open to the bluestone path that leads through the garden.

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riving by the Tudor Revival home just south of the Plaza, you’d never guess that the garden behind it was so, well, fabulous.

And that’s just how the couple living there designed it.

From the driveway, “Once you pass through the garden gate, it’s a totally different world,” says the husband, an architect in Kansas City.

It took three years, along with the reimagining of the home’s interior, to create a garden of not just one space, but a series of rooms.

“We took inspiration from our travels to Italy,” says the wife. They were also intrigued by Amangiri, a modernist desert resort in western Utah with a spare aesthetic and framed views from each room.

The garden design also honors the couple’s differences—he is more of an extrovert, she an introvert—so there are public and more private spaces. Lighting and music were also incorporated into the plan.

“We wanted to combine the four elements.

And garden rooms for different moods. I’m a Gemini, after all,” she laughs.

“We have a spot near the house where we take our laptops and phones in the morning or have a glass of wine after work,” she continues. “A dining area for when we entertain. Fire bowls for chilly evenings. A hut that swings.

And a Colorado ‘room’ with a spa tub.”

With help from architect Judi Bauer, designer Patrick Kappelmann, plantsman Kristopher Dabner of The Greensman, and Rebecca Ederer at Beco Flowers, the garden gradually took shape. Clean lines, natural plantings, and geometric planes create a remote hideaway minutes from downtown.

All four elements—earth, air, fire, and water—are at play here. As are the couple’s three dogs—Lady B, Ginger, and Cher.

A hardscape of bluestone and limestone meanders up, down, and through the garden, past geometric beds bordered with boxwood that feature seasonal plantings—spring tulips and

Breakfasts and after-work glasses of wine are enjoyed in the small sitting area just off the kitchen.

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Clockwise from top: Two vintage metal armchairs face the jetted spa. Mosses and ferns are tucked into the crevices of large limestone boulders in a shady area. The custom-designed bronze goat’s-head fountain spills into the spa.

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The eldest of the couple’s trio of dogs, Lady B, relaxes in one of her favorite spaces, the hanging pod.

THE IT LIST PREMIERE 2018

Garden Maintenance & Plantings thegreensman.com

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Fire Bowl ernsdorfdesign.com

Clockwise from top left: A bird’s-eye view of the garden from the balcony of the studio. A rustic goat sculpture appears to be munching on boxwood. In the dining area, a long planter that resembles a log is filled with all manner of succulents. Shades of purple and green tumble from a garden pot. Hydrangea and neatly trimmed boxwood lead to another gate into the garden.

alliums, summer annuals in purples and orange, autumn flowering kale.

Smoldering upright garden incense sticks waft a lovely fragrance and keep the mosquitoes at bay. The sound of water bubbles up from a fountain that the husband gave the wife 20 years ago.

When you walk out the back door, you first pass a series of tubs planted with nasturtiums, scented geraniums, and herbs of all kinds—a growing laboratory for her. A hedge of hornbeams hides the everyday world of driveway and garage on one side; a forest of columnar oaks obscures the neighboring house on the other. This unusual oak variety has leaves the color of eucalyptus that stay green on the tree until March, when the leaves drop as new ones bud out.

The first seating area with a nearby custom fire bowl by Ernsdorf Design—a place to begin and end the day—is surrounded by flowering pots. The couple found the weathered brass sconces that they installed upside-down for better light. Another fixture was found on Craigslist.

Hydrangea and holly created green walls that enclose this garden room.

Down a short flight of steps, you pass the fountain and keep walking down to the dining area. Here, a Holly Hunt dining table and chairs

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await the clink of wine glasses and murmur of guests.

In other seating areas, woven chairs and an ottoman by Dedon look organic. And in the far corner hangs what looks like a hut woven from that same material—“It looks like a teardrop,” says the husband. It’s the NestRest by Dedon, a hanging pod “that is fun to crawl into,” he says.

Walking up the east side of the garden you come to a secluded area, which the wife calls “the Colorado room.” Evergreens and aspen trees offer privacy, as does wisteria climbing up a pergola. But the main draw is the jetted step-down spa pool, fragrant with botanical, all-natural bath salts.

The canopy overhead can open up on a starry night or shelter you from the rain. A flow of water from a custom bronze goat’s head, created by Kansas City sculptor Mary Lynn Swafford, pours into the pool. Nearby, a pair of vintage metal armchairs from Mantiques in New York City offers a place to towel off after relaxing in the scented water.

Circling back, you come to the sitting area off the family room in the back of the house that opens up completely to the garden.

“We always look forward to coming home to the peace and tranquility of this garden,” she says. m

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Join

club the

THE NELLE

words by

Kathryn Greene

renderings by

Helix Architecture + Design

O

n a stretch of road in Midtown Kansas City, a Spanish terra cotta-style building has sat unused since 1999, when its last tenants vacated the space. The building, at 3216 Gilliam Road, was designed by architect Nelle Peters in the late 1920s when Peters was one of the few female architects in Kansas City, let alone the U.S. Although many of her buildings have been demolished since her heyday—one of the most recent casualties being the storybook-like Green Gables apartments west of Country Club Plaza—several of her buildings remain throughout the city, structural reminders of a woman who paved her way through a male-dominated industry. 3216 Gillham Road is one of the survivors, and soon it will get a second life as The Nelle, a modern-day haven for professional women, slated to open in late 2018 or early 2019.

The Nelle co-founders, Sierra Miramontez and

Clockwise from top: The first floor. The spa. South end of the second floor. North end of the second floor.The lower level.

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the nelle continued

pendently thought of similar ideas for Lauren Saks, didn’t set out to open such a club, without ever having met. their vision in a Nelle Peters-designed Miramontez is a graduate of The building, it just happened to happen, University of Kansas and has worked although it is hard to see it as anything in corporate accounting ever since. other than a bit of cross-generational Inspired by the women’s professional female-empowerment style kismet. networking clubs she was part of, as “Nelle Peters was doing something well as her involvement in non-profthat not a lot of women in her industry its centered around women and childid. We feel like that really embodies dren, she was throwing around ideas what we’re trying to do as well,” says for a congregation area for women Saks. The Nelle is a part social, part and how to help their specific needs professional, lifestyle club that will The historical Luzier Cosmetics building in its heyday. and careers. Saks, who has lived in both celebrate women and give them major cities and founded a music a platform and a community to foscompany at a young age, also envisioned a similar space. They had septer their ideas. In a way, it only makes sense that The Nelle will be arately vocalized their ideas to their mutual friend and fellow female the building’s newest iteration. The Nelle will put Kansas City on par entrepreneur Robin Krause of Unbakery and Juicery. Krause introduced with some of the biggest cities in the world like New York, Chicago, the two to each other, knowing their overlap in their visions. The rest, is and London, which are home to members-only social and professional essentially history. Miramontez and Saks met and hit it off immediately. clubs, some of which are geared toward women. Although The Nelle Deciding to become partners, they forged forward together on what is will be in a league of its own. now so neatly defined as The Nelle.

In perhaps another bit of kismet, Miramontez and Saks both inde-

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“

Nelle Peters was

The Nelle is creating a community for its members to Think of The Nelle as a more professionally fodoing something that network with each other, to inspire one another, and cused Soho House. It will be both a platform for and to build a support system. For the founders, there are to women, a literal powerhouse to connect like-mindnot a lot of women in no limits to what The Nelle can be, both to itself and ed individuals, as well as a place to unplug. While The her industry did. We to its members. “The space could lend itself to single Nelle will offer co-working spaces and conference women working for themselves on their own comparooms in some areas of its 15,000 square-foot space, feel like that really nies; it could lend itself to large lectures. It is really it is in no way a traditional office space. The first floor embodies what we’re mixed-use in terms of how we’re presenting the space acts as a lounge, where members can host a breakfast and it being very flexible. At the end of the day, the meeting, grab a morning coffee, host a catered lunch trying to do as well. product is essentially a building where women can do or gather with their girlfriends. Visit the bar for a pre- Lauren Saks their activities and come use the space however they or post-dinner drink or close a deal over happy hour. see fit,” says Miramontez.

Members can break up their day with a workout in While the space itself is versatile, it is also imthe on-site gym, complete with gender-neutral bathportant to the co-founders to keep it accessible as rooms and locker rooms. Or get a treatment or two well. Whether women are single, married, or have in the in-house salon and spa. Housing opportunities families of their own, the founders are taking steps to create flexibility for both business and pleasure in one space, whether for meetings, netfor its members by thinking ahead of some of the prominent socieworking or social events, is what is so essential to The Nelle. Designed tal issues that affect women. “Take childcare for example, I ultimately in partnership with Helix Architecture + Design, The Nelle’s variety of feel like childcare is a fallback issue on women,” says Saks. “There are spaces are adaptable to any situation, whether it is a seminar, one-onso many little holes in our current society that don’t necessarily foster one meeting, or midday workout session. community or family. We hope that The Nelle does what it can to fill Although the amenities are certainly a selling point, at the core of

”

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the nelle continued

in some of those holes. It’s about providing a certain amount of hospitality for the community.” The Nelle will offer short-term childcare to its members in a space on the south side of the building, an important but oft-forgotten feature in business.

Miramontez and Saks also have ideas to push The Nelle community beyond its four walls The space could lend itself to single and Kansas City’s geographic borders. The founders hope to women working for themselves on bring in local, regional, and natheir own companies; it could lend ittional speakers to connect with self to large lectures. It is really mixed- their community and also plan to host events. Miramontez and use in terms of how we’re presenting Saks admit that development of The Nelle has been a learning the space and it being very flexible. process for them as well.

- Sierra Miramontez “Our concept is always evolving based on the feedback or the reaction of the community, which very much speaks to the spirit of The Nelle. It is women we’re funding, we’re being funded by women, we’re creating a space solely for women, although

“ ”

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it lends itself to families and companies in all kinds of ways.” says Saks. It is that same kind of learning curve, The Nelle hopes its members can be to one another. “At the end of the day, I think The Nelle is a place women would seek out if they need a place for a business or they need that amazing support network of movers and shakers in the community, that’s where they go,” says Miramontez.

Memberships to The Nelle are currently open. To apply, visit The Nelle’s website at thenelle.com. Once memberships are full for the first year they will close until the following year. Flexible options are available, including monthly, under-28, corporate, social, and non-profit memberships. Diversity is important to The Nelle, and that includes in ages, as well as social and professional backgrounds. Kansas City is already home to world-class entrepreneurs, thinkers, dreamers, doers, movers and shakers—The Nelle is simply putting everyone under one roof. Whether you’re a seasoned professional, expert networker, a business owner, or a new graduate, The Nelle—both literally and figuratively—has a space for you.

KANDER CONTINUED FROM PAGE

71

“

What is it that politicians, including people like me, are doing that has caused them to reach the conclusion that voting is not worth their time?

And what can we do better to inspire them to be a part of the process?

”

ple, young people, women, disabled people.

For instance, in Missouri when I was Secretary of State the legislature wanted to pass an extreme photo identification requirement for voting, and the only kind of fraud that a photo ID law can even pretend to prevent is voter impersonation fraud—somebody showing up and pretending to be somebody they are not. There has literally never been a reported case of voter impersonation fraud in the history of the state of Missouri. Now that said, there are over 200,000 Missourians who are legal, eligible, registered voters who don’t have a driver’s license. Oh, and by the way, that is a population that is disproportionately people of color or disabled or women or young people or low-income folks. The problem that [Republicans] are solving is that these populations that they are targeting have a bad habit of not voting Republican, and so when they don’t vote, from the Republican Party’s perspective: problem solved.

And an important caveat here is I’m not talking about the Republicans that are going to read this magazine. I’m talking about Republican elected officials. Because the average Republican voter, when they look at what these laws actually do… says, “I don’t think we should limit who votes at all; I think we should just convince people to vote for us.”

ON WHETHER HIS GROUP IS ACTIVE IN KANSAS, WHICH RANKS HIGH AMONG STATES FOR VOTER SUPPRESSION: Kansas is not one of the five states where we have people on the ground right now [Ed. Note: those are Georgia, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Iowa, and Nevada], because we focus on states where there have been recent instances of voter suppression. But it doesn’t mean that we won’t be there at some point.

Look, Kris Kobach is the chief vote suppressor in the United States, and now he’s running for governor of Kansas. I don’t

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816.795.1299 summitgrillkc.com

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500 West 75th Street Kansas City, MO 64114 816.541.3651 boruramen.com

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of politicians who say, “Why aren’t these people voting?” The thing is, that’s putting it on the voter. When people don’t vote—provided they are not prevented from doing so—that’s kind of a vote. That’s people saying, “You have not proven to me that this is worth my time.”

If someone chooses not to vote, it is not productive for me to get mad at them. It is much more productive for me to say, “What is it that politicians, including people like me, are doing that has caused them to reach the conclusion that voting is not worth their time? And what can we do better to inspire them to be a part of the process?”

photo courtesy of let america vote

Kander at the National Farmers Union Convention in Kansas City on March 5.

understand somebody that wanted to be the Secretary of State for their state in order to make it harder for eligible voters to vote. That’s un-American to be honest, and I find it offensive. But it’s also just weird.

ON PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE NOT TO VOTE: I want everybody to vote, but I’m always really careful when I hear a lot

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ON HOW VOTING OUGHT TO WORK: There’s no reason not to have automatic voter registration—they already have it in Oregon and California. By the time you are 18, you are already in the system in most cases, from a driver’s license or Social Security card or Selective Service registration.

What it all comes down to with all of these policies—whether it’s about automatic voter registration or vote at home, which is like vote by mail, or same-day registration, whatever it is—there are a lot of examples of ways we can treat voters like customers of the process as opposed to like criminal suspects. m Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.

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81

Be IN the Loop!

corbin continued from page

Flavor #INKansasCity explores the local food scene. @inkansascitymag

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bed and linear loveseat keep surfaces soft.

Schmitz took every advantage of the space when reimagining the master bath. It was difficult to work around the windows over the long counter and no one wanted to lose the light.

“So the mirrors pivot,” says Susie. “It was such a clever idea!”

The Corbins did not stop reimagining the house within its walls. Their gracious garden, which is hidden from the street by dense mature trees, received a new bluestone patio, a fountain and iron fence with the help of designer Patrick Kappelmann.

The renovation seems far from daunting.

In fact, the Corbins are energized. It turns out their empty nest holds very full lives. m

THE IT LIST

Interior Design Lisa Schmitz Interior Design lisaschmitzinteriordesign.com

International Materials of Design

Flowers

TILE

Beco Flowers becoflowers.com

Garden Design Arcadian Design 816-645-9591

Opposite, top: For the “grass” rug in the courtyard, Susie purchased a rectangle of faux grass online, then cut it into a free-form shape. Opposite, middle: The path to the front door. Look carefully and you can see Tom’s tall “Walking Girl” sculpture peeking over the hedge. Opposite, below: A mirror surrounded by vines reflects the fountain and enlarges the space.

4691 Indian Creek Parkway (i-435 & Roe) Overland Park, KS 913.383.3383

www.imdtile.com

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STONE

Flavor

IN KC

In the Kitchen words by

Cody Hogan Aaron Leimkuehler

photographs by

T

he summer garden in Kansas City has many offerings, but one frequently overlooked is Swiss chard. I love greens—all kinds of them—but Swiss chard is my favorite. In addition to being delicious and versatile, it is easy to grow, very tolerant of our climate, beautiful, and you get at least two years out of one planting. Chard can be used when as tiny as one inch or as large as three feet. Depending on the variety, the stalks and veining of chard come in a rainbow of colors from white to cream to every shade of yellow, gold, pink and even ruby red, making it a delight for both the gardener and the cook. Obvious uses include raw in salads when it is very small, or braised as a side dish when it is more mature. But it can be so many things, like a lovely filling in ravioli when mixed with ricotta, a tasty vegetarian burger when crisped inside a cheese coating, or as in this recipe, where it serves as a silken wrapping for a savory meat filling. All parts of the plant are useable so nothing goes to waste, and it is a nutritional powerhouse. And it’s not Swiss at all—no one is sure why it’s called that.

Although this recipe may seem daunting—quite a few ingredients and a good number of steps—it can be prepared a day ahead of serving, and it freezes quite well. The actual filling makes a delicious meatloaf or the lightest and most elegant of meatballs. You could simply sauté the leaves with garlic and serve as a side. Also, think of this recipe as a starting place.

Any of the amounts or seasonings can be adjusted to make this your own.

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STUFFED SWISS CHARD ROLLS 1 bunch of large Swiss chard, about 12 leaves, stems removed at the base of the leaf and cut into chunks, leaves reserved

1 onion, cut in chunks

1 stalk celery, cut in chunks

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut in chunks

2 slices bacon, cut in pieces (optional)

Extra virgin olive oil 1 pound ground turkey (or ground pork, veal or beef, or a combination)

1 cup cooked rice

1 bunch scallions

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup ricotta cheese, drained

1 cup Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese, grated

2 teaspoons salt

1 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed

While assembling and preparing the ingredients for the dish, put a large pot of water on to boil. Combine the chard stalk chunks, onion, carrot, celery, bacon, and a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a food processor.

Pulse until a coarse paste is formed. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the contents of the food processor. Gently simmer until the vegetables are tender and the bacon (if using) renders its fat, about 15 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water if necessary to avoid scorching.

Remove the pan from the heat. Scrape half of the mixture into a large bowl to cool. Return the other half in the skillet to the heat and add the crushed tomatoes and a large pinch of salt, and simmer while assembling the rest of the dish.

A few at a time, dip the chard leaves into the boiling water for about 30 sec-

onds, or until no longer rigid. Remove them from the water, let them drip for a moment and then lay them out on a cutting board or the countertop. With a paring knife, shave off the thickest parts of the stem and discard. Meanwhile, combine the cooled vegetable paste with the ground turkey, cheeses, rice, and seasonings and mix thoroughly. Place about one half cup of the mixture in the center of the leaf (two smaller leaves may be put together if necessary), then begin to roll the filling inside the leaf, tucking in the sides as you go. Place the roll seam-side down in the simmering tomato sauce. Repeat until all of the filling is used. Put a lid or foil over the dish and place it in a preheated 350°F oven, and bake for about 40 minutes. Serve warm, with a generous ladle of sauce.

STAY CONNECTED 24/7

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Flavor words by

IN KC

Cody Hogan Aaron Leimkuehler

“

photographs by

In Your Cocktail

This cocktail is a classic Bramble

THE WISE SAGE

meets a Whiskey

1.5 ounce bourbon or gin

Sour. The sweet and

.75 ounce blackberry-sage syrup*

tangy notes make

.75 ounce fresh lemon juice

it a good pairing

for barbecue. I

2 dashes Addition sage cocktail spice**

stay pretty true to classic templates when it comes to drink development.

There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel.

When you begin to realize the patterns, you can experiment with substitutions: Switch out the base spirit, or the modifier. Change

T

up the bitters. Add a different garnish.

When the balance

ucked away in a basement boiler room at 210 West 19th Terrace in the Crossroads is an absolute gem of a cocktail bar—Swordfish Tom’s. Jill Cockson, owner, bartender, manager, and custodian presides over what may be one of the hippest and quirkiest bars in KC, and one with absolutely delicious cocktails. She shared with us the Wise Sage. Cool and refreshing with citrus and summer blackberries, this beverage, based on either gin or bourbon—your preference— is sure to be a summer hit with all of your friends. It would be sage of you to try it.

In the Pantry THE BOUNTY of summer

needs very little assistance to shine. A few of my favorite flavor enhancers for summer are available at The Tasteful Olive in downtown Overland Park.

of the cocktail is already established, you’re free to experiment with flavor!

” - Jill Cockson

Traditional Balsamic

Sicilian Biancolilla EVOO

This oil from Sicily, with its vegetal backbone, herbal nuances and peppery bite is a perfect companion for all kinds of produce.

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Balsamic vinegars are not created equal.

Drizzle this on everything from a bit of cheese to a grilled steak or even a bowl of ice cream.

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Combine the ingredients in a shaker with ice.

Double strain (that means first with a cocktail strainer, then through a fine strainer— like for tea leaves that keeps the fruit pulp out of your glass) and serve over ice. Garnish with a blackberry and sage leaf. Speaking of ice, Jill makes the most fascinating ice cubes in KC (using some very specialized equipment), and she even sells them to other bars and restaurants—they’re crystal clear! You can look through the cube and see through the bottom of the glass. They are also oversized and because of their limited surface area keep your cocktail chilled but don’t water it down and dilute the flavor. *Boil one pint water, one pint sugar, one pint fresh blackberries (smashed), and 16 large sage leaves for 10 minutes. Strain and let cool. Keep refrigerated up to seven days. **For her recipe at the bar, Jill makes her own sage bitters. To be a little less arcane, you can order Addition Sage Cocktail Spice from amazon.com.

White Balsamic

It has a very light texture and is especially harmonious with earthy flavors like that of beets or potatoes.

Sherry Reserva Vinegar

Wine vinegars bring freshness to all kinds of dishes, but this Sherry Reserva, a gift of Spain to the rest of the world, has an intriguing nutty quality.

bread & butter concepts new event space

CHERRY HALL IS KANSAS CITY’S FIRST FOOD-FORWARD EVENT VENUE, OPENING AUGUST 2018 Food and hospitality are our passion, and our award-winning chefs are eager to bring your culinary vision to life.

With a decade of experience entertaining Kansas City diners at various price points, we’ll create an unforgettable menu that works for your event and your budget. The sleek, modern decor in our lofty downtown building provides a perfect setting for almost any theme or style. We have everything you need to make your event a smashing success, including a projector screen, top-of-the-line sound system, and access to private rooms for prepping and primping.

Dining tables, chairs, cocktail tables, buffet tables, and linens (available in standard colors), are also included in your rental. The space can hold 250 people for a seated event, and up to 450 for a cocktail-style reception.

RESERVE NOW FOR AUGUST & BEYOND: 816-214-8607, OPTION 1 OR EMAIL ANNAMARIE @ BREADNBUTTERCONCEPTS.COM 1720 CHERRY STREET KANSAS CITY, MO 64108 µ CHERRYHALLKC.COM

Good Food.

FLAVOR! G re a t C a u s e.

LLooking ooking

to add some FLAVOR! into

your world? Tickets are on sale now for FLAVOR!, a series of culinary events taking place in some of the city’s most fascinating residences and spaces. The region’s newest signature event, FLAVOR! raises critical funds to support Good Samaritan Project’s programs and services for people living with HIV. Visit flavorkc.org for more information and to get your tickets.

www.gsp-kc.org

THE RUSSELL

In Culinary News

WALKING into The Russell at 3141 Main Street is like walking into a rustic still life filled with intriguing antique objects from a simpler time. It is a moment captured, and one to be savored. The food, like the interior, is so beautiful you’ll want to try everything. The menu focuses on perfectly executed salads, sandwiches and heartier fare from the wood-fired grill. Try the Bibb salad with grilled chicken made with the bittersweet crunchy hearts of Bibb lettuce, creamy avocado, Parmesan and a delicate Green Goddess dressing. The flavors are fresh, complex and satisfying, capturing the best of the season, accented with hints of smoke.

But don’t stop with chef Amante Domingo’s savory offerings. Co-owner, baker and entrepreneur Heather White’s desserts are a treat as well. The carrot cupcake with cream-cheese frosting is light and ethereal—a perfect way to end your meal. For more information and beautiful visuals, visit therussellonmain.com.

UNTIL THERE’S A

cure

, THERE’S GSP.

Good Samaritan Project provides inclusive, holistic, and integrated health and wellness services to individuals living with HIV & other STIs, LGBTQ communities, and those seeking

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a welcoming and affirming health and community center.

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Flavor

IN KC

In Culinary News

COLONY KC FOR THOSE living north of the river—or those with

a desire to travel north—Colony KC at 312 Armour Road in North Kansas City is a truly inviting brewery, coffee shop, kitchen and music venue with an enthusiastic, friendly staff and a love of all things local.

In addition to crafting their own ales in house, they feature rotating Kansas City favorites from Boulevard and Stockyards Brewing Company. Their ever evolving cocktail list features spirits from a number of area distilleries, and yes, the live music is mostly local, too.

For more, visit colonykc.com.

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The chicken salad sandwich— pit-roasted chicken, avocado, tomatoes and sprouts—piled high on whole grain bread. Just one more way to enjoy poultry at BPC.

BROOKSIDE POULTRY COMPANY TUCKED away at 63rd Street and Oak is an unas-

In Culinary News

suming venue that serves some of the best birds to be had in Kansas City. Chef Charles d’Ablaing’s Brookside Poultry Company features, among other things, chickens and ducks lovingly marinated and cooked on a rotisserie. Try the Barham Farm duck (from Kearney, MO), roasted until the meat is moist and tender and the skin is caramelized with wonderfully chewy bits around the edges. The fried green tomatoes with creamed spinach and tomato chutney, although rich, are a wonderful textural contrast. Open Tuesday through Saturday. For menu and hours, visit bkspoultryco.com.

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Flavor

IN KC

Reservation for One THE RESTAURANT AT 1900 words by

Judith Fertig Aaron Leimkuehler

photographs by

T

he light of an early summer evening pours through the windows. Soft jazz plays in the background. Modernist chairs comfortably curve around diners who watch as more guests stream in—young women after work, couples of all ages, groups of friends. The wait staff in jeans—this ’60s building with the soaring tulip columns used to be the headquarters of Lee Jeans—anticipate one’s every wish. “This is so civilized,” someone says at another table.

Yes, it is.

Far from the klieg lights, blaring music, and urban rustic of new eateries serving foams and spoon-size portions, the Restaurant at 1900 aims for something more difficult to achieve. Call it fine dining meets genteel comfort.

From the polished riffs on Amer-

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ican cuisine by the executive chef, Linda Duerr, to the character-forward wine list curated by the beverage director, Doug Frost—looking for a white wine that is soft and light or full-bodied?—and the practiced, friendly oversight of general manager Keith Goldman, one is in good hands.

Relax. Converse. Sit back and enjoy.

The flavors of each season will dominate the menu. Start with a signature cocktail, say Spring in E Major, with aquavit, pisco, Riesling, ginger, lemon, cardamom, and asparagus bitters to pique interest.

Duerr’s cuisine is likewise classic yet inventive, no better illustrated than with the gently flavored lobster pop tart. With brandied whipped cream and a sprinkling of black lava sea salt, it’s just right with a sip of Prosecco. Duerr makes all the pastas, allowing her to offer the cinnamon stick-shaped casarecce with a pesto of farm greens—kale, Swiss chard, collards—for a lemony finish.

Before each dish comes to the table, guests receive just the cutlery and the tableware needed. A slight gesture and the wine glass is refilled, the question answered.

Soon, the entrée arrives. Slow-cooked veal breast is something not seen often. It’s a traditional springtime Seder dish recently celebrated by Joan Nathan in The New York Times. In Duerr’s hands, it has a texture reminiscent of a braised pork roast, crispy skin on the outside, fork-fully tender on the inside. Grilled white asparagus, a loose “latke” of grated potato and turnip, and a tangy rhubarb compote round out the flavors.

Pastry chef Elizabeth Paradise goes equally modernist. Her bay leaf-infused panna cotta with candied strips of rhubarb creates a smooth, toothsome end to the meal, but one would also do well with a trio of house-made sorbets or the cookie plate.

As the evening settles in, one’s gaze goes to the seven abstract paintings by Kansas City artist Lester Goldman lining the far wall. Although they were recently selected from the late artist’s studio, “They look like they’ve always been together,” says general manager Goldman (no relation).

That practiced, assured feeling is no accident. The Restaurant at 1900 knows what it’s doing.

Dine often and dine well.

250

OF THE BEST KC RESTAURANTS

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Dining Guide

For the city’s most extensive restaurant guide, head to inkansascity.com/ eat-drink/dining-guide

Faces

IN KC

photos courtesy of big slick

Big Slick A WEEKEND of fun-tastic events concluded

with the Saturday evening party and live auction of items donated by the Big Slick fab five (and Kansas City metro natives)— Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis, Rob Riggle, Eric Stonestreet, and David Koechner—and their celebrity friends. The total raised for the Cancer Center at Children’s Mercy Hospital in all the weekend events was a recordbreaking $2,099,787.

3901 Prairie Lane | Prairie Village, KS | 66208 Located in the Prairie Village Shopping Center Phone: (913) 529-2229 www.taverninthevillage.com

10681 Misison Rd | Leawood, KS | 66206 Located in Mission Farms Phone: (913) 213-6588 www.tavernatmissionfarms.com

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drew butera MLB Catcher, Kansas City

apparel | home | gifts

SHOP SMALL. SUPPORT LOCAL. A Locally Owned Men’s Apparel & Lifestyle Store www.UlahKC.com | 4707 Rainbow Blvd. | Westwood, KS 66205 Phone: 913.777.8734 | Facebook: UlahKC | Instagram: UlahKC

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Faces

IN KC

photos courtesy of the vanderslice committee

ArtFare THE KEMPER MUSEUM of Contemporary Art was the setting for this year’s ArtFare.

The event paired nine chefs with nine artist alumni of the Kansas City Art Institute to collaborate on culinary creations. It was an evening of inspired food and cocktails.

The event was hosted by the Vanderslice Committee, a volunteer support organization of KCAI, to help raise funds for the Institute.

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THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE CALENDAR IN KC ART GALLERIES DANCE THEATER SOCIAL EVENTS MUSIC

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Faces

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photos courtesy of aids walk kansas city

AIDS Walk House Party VII THE FINAL event of the 30th Anniversary AIDS Walk campaign was the house party held at the home of Dan Meiners and David Brinkerhoff. There were live performances

by Mark Lowrey and company, Kathleen and the One Nite Stand Band (with a special performance by Sloane Simmons), and a live art demonstration by Nicholas Clark.

one stop. pet favorite.

4709 RAINBOW BLVD | WESTWOOD, KS | 66205 913.800.8228 | www.shelbyherricksalon.com

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6772 W. 135th Street Overland Park, KS 66223 4021 Somerset Drive Prairie Village, KS 66208

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Next IN KC BY

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE

Bridget M. Chang

August

Movie Nights at The Fontaine Fridays thru September 28 at 9 PM

Gilda’s Club Kansas City’s Golf Fore Gilda August 24

thefontainehotel.com

gildasclubkc.org Up on the Rooftop Spice up an otherwise mundane movie night by skipping the multiplex for the rooftop views of The Fontaine. Cool off with movie-themed cocktails and snacks while enjoying new releases and classic flicks in style. Even if you do more people-watching than movie-watching, expect a sparkling evening beside the pool on the rooftop deck. Selfies are de rigueur darling, and at this theater, texting is most definitely allowed.

Johnson County Fair July 29–August 4

Wizard of Oz August 1–5 wizardofozkc.com Lions and Tigers and Providence Amphitheater! Oh my! Dorothy and Toto are back in Kansas for the biggest stage production ever of The Wizard of Oz. A cast of 50 recreates the classic movie, with all of the great songs, fantastic costumes, and unforgettable characters.

For the first time ever, actual scenes from the famous MGM motion picture will be incorporated into a live production of the musical. Be there to see Munchkin Land, the Emerald City, poppy fields, and the Wicked Witch’s castle as they come alive in KC.

Fore! Gilda’s Club Join Gilda’s Club for a day of golf at Oakwood Country Club in KCMO to help raise funds for GCKC. Format will be a four-person scramble with prizes awarded to the top three finishers. Oakwood features a championship golf course in a scenic setting surrounded by wildlife. Take a day out to hit the links with your buddies and support this community organization providing help for people living with cancer and their families.

AUGUST SPOTLIGHT

jocokansasfair.com

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater KC RISE Rooftop Crawl August 25

Deep Fried Wonderful Whether you’ve never been to a fair or it’s old hat, the Johnson County Fair is an amazingly fun day and night.

Events include showing of all sorts of animals including dogs, rabbits, horses, poultry, and yep, those famous smelly swine. At night the sky is illuminated with the lights and sounds of the carnival, a perfect summer soundtrack. Where else in JOCO can you experience the fun of flat track races, a truck and tractor pull (good, loud fun) and goat-milking? Best of all, the event is free, excluding the carnival and arena events. And did we mention deep-fried carnival foods aplenty?

RISE to the Top! The third annual RISE Rooftop benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City promises the most spectacular event yet. Crawl through five exclusive and private rooftops guaranteeing unparalleled views of the KC skyline. After the crawl, let loose at a private block party with food, drinks, and live entertainment. Gather a group of friends for this great cause and a ’gram worthy event.

For Kansas City’s most comprehensive calendar of events, go to inkansascity.com

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF VENUES, SHUTTERSTOCK

bbbskc.org

rufenachtinteriors.com

Next IN KC

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Locally-owned and a Country Club Plaza icon for over 30 years

Open Spaces Art Party August 24 openspaceskc.com Party for the Arts Sixty-two days of celebrating visual and performing arts kicks off with ARTPARTY on August 24. Open Spaces is a Kansas City arts experience that will transform the city into a living cultural tapestry as nationally and internationally-known visual and performing artists create ever-evolving arts experiences at various venues around town.

Mayor Sly James and co-founders Scott Francis and Susan Gordon will inaugurate it all with ARTPARTY at Exhibition Hall at the Kansas City Convention Center. There will be cameo appearances from some of Open Spaces top performing artists, a multi-media performance

by Lucite Plains, and projections of rare art films from the past 100 years. Tickets are $150 and patron packages are available.

Corner of 501 Nichols Rd. & Pennsylvania 816.753.4144 • (toll free) 800.875.4144 • www.terrasi.com For Kansas City’s most comprehensive

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cal

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Kemper Museum Fourth Annual Block Party August 18 kemperart.org Art at the Block Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art’s fourth-annual block party features music, food trucks, exhibition tours, family activities, a Museum Shop trunk show, and tops off the evening with an outdoor movie.

Docents will be available to answer questions about works currently on display throughout the evening. Starting at 6 pm on Saturday, August 18, music will include KC Latin Jazz All-Stars and DJ Leo Nightus, followed by an outdoor screening of The NeverEnding Story. Everyone’s invited for this FREE evening filled with food, fun, friends, festivities, and film. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets!

Chef-Driven BBQ Q39 serves up championship-style barbeque in Midtown KC and Overland Park. Dine in, carry out or have your ‘que catered!

Get your Q on at Q39KC.com

Q39 MIDTOWN

1000 W 39TH ST, KCMO | 816.255.3753 M–TH 11A–10P | F–SAT 11A–11P | SUN 11A–9P

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calendar of events, go to inkansascity.com

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Found photo by

IN KC

Ron Berg

SPIKED (LITERALLY) WATER BOTTLE

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