IN Kansas City December 2022

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HOLIDAY HOURS BEGIN FRIDAY, NOV. 25 | MON – SAT: 10 AM – 7 PM • SUN: NOON – 5 PM CHRISTMAS EVE & NEW YEAR’S EVE: 10 AM – 5 PM | CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY & NEW YEAR’S DAY

CONVERSATION WITH TAYLOR KAY PHILLIPS

OF THE TOWN

Concerts

OH WHAT FUN!

CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

Thursday & Friday, December 15-16 at 7 p.m.

Saturday, December 17 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, December 18 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Bring your family to experience the concert that feels like Christmas!

Carols and songs of the season are performed by your KC Symphony, KC Symphony Chorus and amazing special guests.

Tickets start at $35 for adults and $25 for children.

Supported by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund.

Sponsored by

Special Holiday Concert

THE DOO WOP PROJECT CHRISTMAS

Friday, December 2 at 8 p.m.

Gonzalo

Join your KC Symphony for this special concert featuring The Doo Wop Project as they trace the evolution of Doo Wop, from the classic sound of five guys singing tight harmonies on a street corner to the biggest hits on the radio today. And, they’ll perform plenty of Christmas songs, too! Stars of Broadway’s Jersey Boys and Motown: The Musical harmonize classics from The Crests, The Flamingos and The Temptations all the way to Michael Jackson and Adele. Tickets start at $40.

A Holiday Tradition HANDEL’S MESSIAH

Friday & Saturday, December 9-10 at 7 p.m. Sunday, December 11 at 2 p.m.

Christopher Allen, guest conductor Zoe Allen, soprano

Daniela Mack , mezzo-soprano

Alek Shrader, tenor

Levi Hernandez, baritone

KC Symphony Chorus | Charles Bruffy, chorus director

Featuring the KC Symphony Chorus and some of America’s most accomplished soloists, Handel’s Messiah includes the iconic “Hallelujah Chorus” and sweeping solos portraying one of the greatest stories ever told. Tickets from $30.

Supported by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund.

Film + Live Orchestra ELF TM IN CONCERT

Wednesday, December 21 at 7 p.m.

Thursday, December 22 at 7 p.m.

Friday, December 23 at 7 p.m.

Saturday, December 24 at 11 a.m. (Best Availability)

R on Spigelman , guest conductor

This holiday season, relive this heartwarming holiday classic about Buddy the elf on a giant screen as every note of John Debney’s wonderful score is played live to picture by our Kansas City Symphony in ElfTM in Concert! Tickets start at $40 for adults and $25 for children.

MPAA Rating: PG ELF and all related characters and elements © & ™ New Line Productions, Inc. (s22)

Supported by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund.

are held in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

Gonzalo Farias, David T. Beals III Associate Conductor Scarlett Strallen and Hugh Panaro, vocalists Kansas City Symphony Chorus | Charles Bruffy, chorus director

Farias, David T. Beals III Associate Conductor

Do I Know You?

There’s a cognitive disorder known as prosopagnosia, or face blind ness, and I’ve always thought I’ve suffered from a mild case of it. I need to meet people at least a half-dozen times before I can easily recognize them. In my job, that’s caused some embarrassment occasionally, but I try to “fake it ’til I make it.” What I really need is someone like the Anne Hathaway character in A Devil Wears Prada, discreetly following me and whispering names in my ear.

I share this because I’m exactly the opposite with homes. I’ve been a magazine editor for al most 25 years, and have been featuring at least one home in every issue (more often two or three) of every magazine I’ve edited. That’s a lot of houses. And yet, I never forget a house.

I can still describe in detail the first home on the first cover of the first magazine I launched. More than once, I’ve been talking to someone at an event or party and not realized I knew them until we discussed where they live. Oh, of course, I can recall it exactly.

I first visited Kenneth Sherman and Jim Schanbacher’s home at least 15 years ago to direct a garden shoot and remember it well. I knew then I’d want to feature their lovely house one day. Well, it took a while for me to circle back, but after Ken described the renovation the couple had just completed, I knew it was time.

The result of their labors is a home that perfectly reflects their taste and how they live. Every day, no matter if dinner is pizza ordered in or a holiday feast, they dine on vintage china at a gorgeous antique table that’s perfect for two or can expand to seat a dozen or more. There’s magnificent northern light and a delightful view of the garden. (And next year, I hope to revisit that garden again in the pages of this magazine. Kenneth, you’re forewarned!)

You too, can tour their home—photographed by Aaron Leimkuehler with an interview by Patricia O’Dell—beginning on page 78.

Of course, the best thing about IN Kansas City is that even if interior design isn’t your jam, there is plenty more for you to enjoy in this issue. Our food colum nist Jenny Vergara lists the best bars to toast the New Year with bubbly on page 74. (I’m partial to a comfy wing chair tucked into a corner of Cheval on Main myself.) Podcasts are definitely a thing, so on page 62, Judith Fertig delves into some of the local KC ones you don’t want to miss. And Cindy Hoedel’s interview with Taylor Kay Phillips is a hoot. I laughed out loud more than once. You can see why Taylor is an Emmy award-winning comedy writer.

And if we happen to meet a time or two, and it seems as if I don’t remember you, that’s not exactly the case. It’s not that I don’t know you, it’s that I don’t recognize you. Perhaps if I’ve been to your house and you describe that. . .

Aha!

Vol. 5 | No. 12

DECEMBER 2022

Editor In Chief Zim Loy

Digital Editor Emily Park

Art Director Alice Govert Bryan

Associate Art Director Madeline Johnston

Contributing Writers

Susan Cannon, Judith Fertig, Cindy Hoedel, Cody Hogan, Merrily Jackson, Damian Lair, Patricia O’Dell, Jenny Vergara

Contributing Photographers

Lauren Bieri, Corie English Aaron Leimkuehler, Mindy Tucker

Publisher Michelle Jolles Media Director Brittany Coale

Senior Media Consultants

Katie Delzer, Nicole Kube, Krista Markley

Business Consultant Chad Parkhurst

Newsstand Consultant

Joe J. Luca, JK Associates 816-213-4101, jkassoc .net

Editorial Questions: zloy@inkansascity.com

Advertising Questions: bcoale@inkansascity.com

Distribution Questions: mjolles@inkansascity.com

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value of $1,959) courtesy .

The ghost of Christmas past. From dazzling light displays to annual performances, there are plenty of traditions that generations of Kansas Citians have enjoyed each holiday season. For me [Emily Park, IN Kansas City digital editor], there’s one tradition I experienced as a kid that I’ve always wanted to reprise. I grew up in the Kansas City metro, and the field trip I most fondly remember is the one I took in fourth grade to see The Christmas Carol at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Since then, I’ve spent every holiday season wanting to see the performance again, and this year I finally am. Head to inkansascity.com for a review of the 2022 performance, and why the regional theater’s annual performance captures the magic of the holidays in Kansas City.

tables mesh perfectly

We all like to hit the reset button for the New Year— especially in our homes. Get a jump-start on revamping your home for 2023 with a set of Bernhardt Interiors Ardelle nesting tables (a retail value of $1,959) courtesy of Seville Home Blending richly expressive petrified-wood tops and classically angular artisan steel bases, these nesting tables mesh perfectly with almost every interior. Enter by December 31 at inkansascity.com/ the-magazine/enterto-win. Good luck!

Trying to decide where to eat? From happy hours to the local restaurant scene, we’ve got the city’s most comprehensive dining guide. Check it our at inkansascity.com/eat-drink/dining-guide

3…2…1…happy New Year!

It’s almost time to bid adieu to 2022—do you know your New Year’s Eve plans yet? If not, don’t worry, that’s what we’re here for. Whether you want to party with the whole family earlier in the day, dance it out all evening long, find a smaller crowd to party with, or even celebrate on a different night, we’ve got you covered. Find your perfect New Year’s Eve celebration with our 2023 New Year’s Eve guide on inkansascity.com—say hello to 2023 in style!

Holiday cheer.

This time of year, we could all enjoy a nice drink—or two—so why not add a dash of fun and plenty of holiday cheer to the mix and hit the town for drinks at one of the metro’s many holiday pop-up bars? From cozy cafes filled with twinkling lights to bars transformed into winter wonderlands and spaces that mimic your favorite Christmas movie, there are plenty of opportunities to sit down to a menu of drinks and cocktails that serve up the flavors and themes of the holiday season. Visit inkansascity.com for our 2022 holiday pop-up guide.

This Month IN KC December

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE

BY Emily Park

David George Orchestra Rock and Roll Christmas Show

December 9 Madrid Theatre davidgeorgeband.com

Holiday sounds.

Holiday lights. Most Kansas Citians can agree there’s almost nothing more magical than driving around the Kansas City metro—cup of hot chocolate in hand—and taking in the colorful glow of Christmas lights twinkling in the distance. No matter where you live, you’re not far from a dazzling array of themed lighting displays you can drive or walk through. Here are some you won’t want to miss.

Last holiday season, KC musician David George lit up holidays in Kansas City with his newly formed David George Orchestra—a big band with upright bass, drums, keys, guitar, three vocalists, and a four-piece horn section—as they performed songs from George’s hit musical Christmas Ain’t A Drag at the Record Bar. is year, the orchestra is taking the show on the road for a two-hour, live show performing songs from Christmas Ain’t A Drag and other big-band Christmas hits. e orchestra’s Kansas City stop at e Madrid will be emceed by local comedian Ben Husmann, and tickets are $20-$40.

Christmas Ain’t A Drag

Merry Market Saturdays and Sundays through December 18 City Market thecitymarketkc.org/events

Holiday shopping. Shopping locally this holiday season is simple at Merry Market, a collaborative shopping extravaganza between the Strawberry Swing Indie Craft Fair and City Market. Every weekend leading up to Christmas, you’ll shop from 100 local artists, makers, and vintage vendors who specialize in ceramics, printing, painting, photography, woodworking, and more—so you’ll likely find something for everyone on your shopping list. While you shop, enjoy libations from Minsky’s and Boulevard Brewing Co., “walkable” treats from City Market eateries, special performances, and a visit from The Kansas City Museum’s Fairy Princess.

Is it really Christmas in Kansas City without a drive through the Country Club Plaza Lights? e 90-year tradition is in full swing, and the Plaza lights will be on through mid-January. Your next stop should be the Mayor’s Christmas Tree at Crown Center, where you’ll see the 100-foot tree and a chicly decorated Crown Center Square until January 2. For a big drive-through to-do in Kansas City, head to Swope Park for Winter Magic from now until January 1, for a mile-long drive-through Christmas party featuring 12 themed areas and the longest animated tunnel in Missouri.

Looking for fun outside Kansas City limits on the Missouri side? e 35th Annual Christmas in the Park drive-through experience at Longview Lake in Lee’s Summit features over half a million lights and 175 animated displays every night through December 31. If you’re hoping to stretch your legs, visit the Evergy Festival of Lights at Powell Gardens for 20 miles of lights transforming the botanical garden into a winter wonderland on Wednesdays through Sundays through December 30. Up north, visit Northern Lights at Zona Rosa, featuring historic holiday crowns and lights throughout the shopping district and Holiday Lights at Briarcliff Village for a colorful display through the end of the year.

In Kansas, there’s even more enchanting fun to be had. Visit Olathe’s KC Wine Co.’s KC Winter Wonderland Fridays through Sundays until December 18 for “walkin’ in a winter wonderland” of lights, photo ops, a visit from Santa, and treats. Stop by the Civic Courtyard Fountain at the Legends Outlets for an LED light show synchronized to music with a 45-foot tree as a backdrop through early January. In Lenexa, take a stroll through SarKo-Aglow at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park through a magical display of colorfully lit trees until January 16. For an extra dash of holiday magic, head to The Annual Luminary Walk at the Overland Park Arboretum where lit pathways will guide you through gnome and fairy villages, candlelit woods, and a colorful children’s garden on Fridays and Saturdays through December 17.

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

Celebrate the Season: Three Festive Party Ideas

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

IT’S CHRISTMASTIME IN OUR CITY. MERRILY OFFERS JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT PARTY IDEAS TO MAKE YOUR OWN

When I was 8 years old or so, Santa brought me an Easy-Bake Oven. On Christmas morning I unwrapped it, plugged it in and proceeded to bake and eat every single one of the miniature cake mixes that came with it. To share some freshly baked cake with my brothers and sisters would have been the decent thing to do—and my first op portunity to do some holiday entertain

by Merrily Jackson photo by Corie English

CRESTWOOD SHOPS 55th & BROOKSIDE BLVD hudsonandjane.com

Entertaining IN KC

“Oh, You Shouldn’t Have!”

’TIS THE SEASON for hostess gifts, giving and receiving them. Here are some tips for being on both sides of the prezzie.

Great gifts are everywhere! A box of chocolate truffles, a festive serving platter, or a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil are all fab gifts during the holidays, as is a book with an inscription from you, a framed photo from an earlier party, the latest hot game, or a bottle of premium hootch—something unusual like currant vodka or pear liqueur. If the party is on the large side, it’s thoughtful to have the gift tagged somehow, so the host knows who brought it.

When you receive a hostess gift, try not to let your thanks disappear amidst the introductions, taking of coats, and offering of drinks. A brief, heartfelt aside is all that’s needed to accept a gift graciously. If the gift is wrapped, leave opening it until after the guests leave. A handwritten thank you note is never required for a hostess gift, but a phone call, text, or email the next day is thoughtful.

COME BEARING GIFTS

ELEGANT HOLIDAY HOSTESS GIFTS

A hostess gift is never required for a holiday party, but it’s a thoughtful touch, especially if you’re not bringing a bottle of wine. Consider these holiday hostess gift suggestions:

•An amaryllis or paperwhites in a simple terracotta pot

•A tightly rounded bouquet of red or white carnations in a silver mint julep cup

•A festive serving platter

•A pound of “Christmas blend” coffee beans

•A Christmas tree ornament

•A bottle of pear liqueur

•A copy of A Kansas City Christmas cookbook. Published in 1994 by my friends Karen Adler and Jane Guthrie, this classic book is loaded with tried-and-true recipes, including one of mine. It’s out of print (making it that much more valuable) but still available through online booksellers.

ing—but I ate them myself, quite shamelessly; they were all gone by noon and I spent the rest of the day with a stomachache.

Since then, I’ve gotten better at holiday entertaining. And I’ve attended quite a few enjoyable holiday gather ings at friends’ and relatives’ houses. In my last column, I gave advice for preparing massive holiday meals; in this I will describe three fun templates for getting together with friends over the holidays.

ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE

My dear friend Sidonie Garrett is the executive artistic di rector of the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival and a respected member of Kansas City’s theater community. Every year, on a Monday in December when the theaters are dark, she invites a small group of old chums, thespi ans mostly, to help trim her Christmas tree. She loads the CD player with Bing Crosby, Elvis, and Motown Christ mas albums, prepares eggnog, hot buttered rum, cookies, and savory snacks. She has her Christmas tree already set in its stand and pre-lit (a critical prerequisite, she says) with boxes of ornaments and hooks laid out, so when her guests arrive they can begin decorating immediately.

They hang ornaments for a few hours, chatting all the while, taking many snack and beverage breaks, and finally reach a point when they cannot squeeze anoth er ornament on the tree. Sid asks everyone to leave the room, turns off all the lights except the magnificent tree shimmering in the corner, cranks up the music, and in vites them back for the magical reveal . It’s always a mo ment of high drama—these are theater people, remem ber—and they all get a little verklempt.

Part of the rich tradition of Sid’s party is that her guests grumble loudly about how much work there is to do because she owns so many ornaments. Yet they also, in the generous illogic of dear friends, each bring her a new ornament to add to her vast collection. Another part of the tradition is the Ornament Exchange, which follows the Tree Reveal. She asks her guests to bring a wrapped ornament, which she then labels with a number that cor responds with numbers her guests draw from a hat. Then, at the end of the party she presents each of her guests with ornaments she has chosen especially for them.

CELEBRATE THE SOLSTICE

My old friend Susan Toft Everson is a terrific cook and hostess of Danish descent. Every year until the pandem ic started, she and her husband, David, would host a big, fabulous party to celebrate the winter solstice, which falls on the 21st or 22nd day of December, depending on the year. Such parties are popular in Scandinavian coun tries, where the solstices provide huge cause for revelry.

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Entertaining IN KC

The Scandinavians are very strict about celebrating exactly on the day of the solstice, no moving it around for convenience’s sake, and the Eversons would follow their example. More than a decade ago, they moved from KC to St. Louis, where they continued to host the party. In both cities, their friends were able to mark their calendars well in advance, because no one wanted to miss this party.

Here’s what the party was like when they lived in KC. You would walk in the door and there was a fire roaring in the fireplace, wonderful music, abundant wine, and the best food you’ve ever eat en. Susan prepared an enormous cocktail buffet using Scandinavian recipes, many handed down from her grandmother. (Email me for her brown cookies, cardamom rolls, and liver pâté recipes.)

If you stuck around long enough, you would find yourself in the kitchen, knocking back an ice-cold shot of Aquavit, a Scandi navian distilled beverage, 40 percent alcohol in volume, believed to have valuable medicinal properties. My first time at this party, I learned how the Scandinavians toast each other by looking each other squarely in the eyes, saying “Skol!” and tossing down a shot of Aquavit, straight from the freezer. It’s a great way to meet people!

I don’t understand why one does not see more winter solstice

invitations. While being seasonal, the solstice is not faith-specific and friends from every persuasion can feel included in the celebra tion, which is fun, with or without the Aquavit.

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE NIGHT BEFORE

I have always loved December 23rd, Christmas Eve eve. It’s not really a holiday, but you can feel the excitement and festivity in the air. Most people are off work the next day, and many of the labors of the holiday are finished. For years off and on, my husband and I have had a small group of close friends over for an intimate, very casual dinner on Christmas Eve eve. We never get around to calling anyone until the last minute, and I am always surprised that people are available, but they usually are. It’s so close to Christmas that the non-family parties have all been given, but the family obligations usually don’t begin until the next day.

I usually make something hearty and easy—a simple green salad with lasagna Bolognese is perfect. For dessert, I make plum duff out of Beyond Parsley. (Email me if you want the recipe.) It’s the best holiday dessert recipe in the world, almost as good as if it came from an Easy-Bake oven.

Race, Place, & Diversity

While many people know Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey for their work in bringing the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II to Kansas City, the organization is also responsible for bringing the community together for culturally diverse programming not strictly tied to dance. Prominent in that schedule is their annual Race, Place & Diversity (RPD) event—this year cochaired by Calvin Ricks and Peg VanWagoner—which recognizes one local and one national individual for their work in bringing about change through diversity, equity, and inclusion. is year’s recipient of the RPD Community Award was Qiana Thomason, the president and CEO of the Health Forward Foundation. In accepting her award, Quiana delivered a powerful keynote where she spoke personally about the foundation’s work on improving health equity in communities with wide health disparities, and as she put it, “ensuring that race and place are not determinants, nor in uencers, of health, of wealth, and longevity.” rough Quiana’s leadership, the foundation also just received a $15 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Major. We were also thrilled to be joined by Jackie Joyner-Kersee, winner of six Olympic medals (three gold) across an astonishing span of four Olympic games, and “Female Athlete of the 20th Century,” according to Sports Illustrated. She remains a multiple world-record

holder and is a living legend. Jackie received the RPD National Award and simultaneously became the inaugural Ho man Legacy Honoree, generously endowed by my friends Sharon & John Hoffman

Jackie then participated in a reside conversation with KSHB news anchor Dia Wall. Jackie spoke about what it was like competing while su ering from asthma—astounding. She also talked about what it felt like, knowing the outsized role she played in paving the way for minority female representation and equity in sports. But more important to Jackie than these lofty laurels, is her ongoing work at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, which serves youth in East St. Louis, focusing on after-school programs, camps, athletic lessons, safe recreational places within the community, and caring adults to guide them in achieving their dreams. She spoke with humility about

OVERHEARD

ying home from her freshman year at USC, where she was attending on a scholarship, to be with her mother who had fallen gravely ill overnight with meningitis. Jackie was left with the heart-wrenching decision of ending her mother’s life support—she died shortly thereafter. Seeking somewhere that she could be wrapped in love, Jackie went to the community center of her youth, only to nd it padlocked. She vowed that one day she would reopen the center. With no resources to speak of, she ew back to LA to “see where that would take her.” You know the rest. It was a moving story from a sel ess person who deserves much recognition. It’s stories like these that keep me coming back to this event each year.

Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee with Damian Lair.

“The only thing thin about me right now is my blood.”

HOT GOSSIP:

Finally—a shameless plug. I will be co chairing, along with Jamila Weaver, the KCFAA annual gala on March 25, 2023. The event will bring the Alvin Ailey Amer ican Dance Theatre back to Kansas City and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts for the first time in six years. It’s been too long, and a glorious return it shall be. Sponsorships and tick ets are available now. I would love to see your faces there.

SPOTTED: Bunni & Paul Copaken, Maurice Watson, Ann Baum, Katie Kwo Gerson, Andrea Feinberg, Dianne Cleaver, Erica & Lorin Crenshaw, Lynn & Lance Carlton, Kim Klein, Alfredo Garcia, Melanie & Skip Miller, Tyrone Aiken, Cathy Jolly, Tammy Edwards, Gina & John Hull, Julianne & Lee Story, Kelly Murphy, Kevin Zimmerman, Debbie & Jerry Williams, Debby & Gary Ballard, Dr. Marjorie Williams, Jane & Keith Gard, Carolyne Gakuria, Donna & Charles Davis, Jamie Allen, Siobhan McLaughlin-Lesley, Pat Konopka, Zach Rose-Heim, Dr. Karen Curls

TOUR DE RENAISSANCE

WHENEVER I FIND myself heading over to the Kansas City Museum for yet another piece of terrific programming, I make it a point to get a little lost. If you’ve been to that part of town, you can understand why. The streets of the Scarritt Renaissance neighborhood in the historic Northeast are a Kansas City time capsule.

On this trip, though, I was not headed for the museum. I learned about the Northeast Kansas City Historical Society’s annual fall homes tour just in time for the next two to be canceled during the pandemic. So this year, I was raring to go. It also happened to be the perfect autumn day to be outside in a puffer vest, falling leaves swirling around me.

This year’s tour featured seven historic homes and one neighbor hood church, all located in the southwest portion of the Scarritt Renais sance neighborhood. Hilariously, these grand, “suburban” homes (barely a mile from downtown) were built on what was rural farmland. The owners built these stately homes to escape the bustle of downtown life.

We began our tour at the St. Francis, a former eight-unit, Classi cal Revival-style, brick apartment building. Or, it was once an apart ment building. Now, in the hands of owners Jason Milbradt & Michael Stringer, it has become a quite-large home, plus one Airbnb apartment and a community room on the ground floor. Complete with original fireplaces, windows, doors, and an iron and marble central staircase— the sheer size was almost overwhelming.

Nearby, we dropped into Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church Formerly Assumption Catholic Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the church was built in 1922. The style is Roman Mission, with buff red brick, and stained-glass windows that came from Munich, Germany. The church was recently renovated in preparation for this year’s centennial celebration.

Also on Benton Boulevard was the Laura Brozovich & Lucas Hutmacher residence—probably the most impressive on the tour. It’s a large, three-story brick Victorian, with a twin home directly to the north. The original owner was Michael George Heim, and the twin home belonged to his brother, Ferdinand Heim. The Heim Brothers— heard of them? Well, their names have appeared here before when I mentioned the massive 45,000-square-foot historic Heim Brewing Company bottling house in nearby Electric Park—now home to the gorgeous J. Rieger & Co. distillery. Based on the size of these homes, the beer biz must have been hoppin’. Until it wasn’t. Yeah, prohibition. The home was sold, and the new owners added a swimming pool, where tragically, one of their children drowned. The pool was filled, and the house was donated to the Church of the Assumption across the street, for use as a (very nice) convent. The convent operated there until 1972, when it was sold again, and then again, to the current owners, who have carefully returned the home to its original 1895 appearance.

Another stunner was the Coats house, built in 1901 by Dr. Oli ver Price Coats, a specialist in treating opium and morphine addic tion. More of a mansion than a house, the cut-stone, tiled-roof home was his for but a few years before he died of heart trouble. The home was left to his daughter, who immediately sold it for the high sum of $30,000 in 1906. It was later owned by John DiSalvo, a cabaret keeper and bootlegger, known as “King of Little Italy’s Underworld.” Owned now by Shane Allen Wilson, the property has been extensively reno vated and restored.

My final stop was the Wakefield Mansion, built in 1904 by Mr. and Mrs. William Henry Harrison Wakefield, owners of Wakefield Mantel and Tile Company. The brick and red-tiled home was built as a showcase of the most expensive and modern tiles of the era—with different sizes and colors in every room. Just seven years after being built, Mr. Wakefield passed away (I sense a trend), and the home was converted into a nursing home, which it remained for many decades. The current owners, Ken & Deborah Richardson, have for 13 years been toiling to convert it back to a single-family residence, but it’s been slow going, and the work remains roughly halfway done. One stunning completion is the kitchen, with its original, gleaming, floorto-ceiling emerald-green tiles.

After working up an appetite and caffeine deficit, I decided to drop by one of the event’s sponsors—nearby PH Coffee . It’s a charming coffee shop and community gathering place in the adjacent Pendleton Heights neighborhood. I snagged a giant cappuccino and one of the warm, savory scones of the bacon, cheddar, and chive variety. Seriously good. While waiting, I spotted their brisket breakfast burrito on the menu, but choices had been made. I will be back, though. With a successful day in the books, I headed home. But on the way, true to form—I allowed myself to get a little bit lost.

HOT GOSSIP:

Whose birthday turned into a bloody brawl? “Clean up on aisle…?”

What restaurant turned down a prominent media feature because they can’t handle any more business?

ARTFARE

AFTER (YET ANOTHER) TWOYEAR HIATUS, I was pleased to attend the annual ArtFare event, presented by the Vanderslice Com mittee, in support of the Kansas City Art Institute. The evening is a thrilling collaboration of artists and chefs paired with one another, with each chef drawing inspira tion from a particular artwork. It’s a genius concept, and you can understand why this format wasn’t well-suited for Zoom. You’ve gotta be there.

My personal artwork-award-of-the-night would definitively go to a painting by Harold Smith. In his signature style, the man with a vivid blue torso, green face, and lemon-yellow hair and mustache—all against a fuchsia background—was mesmerizing. Sofia Hudson at Swoon had her translation work cut out for her. She took a literal approach and essentially “painted”—with icing—quite-convincing replicas of Harold’s two paintings onto a grid of hundreds of small square cookies. Her culinary artwork was almost too incredible to destroy by eating.

The most spectacular food display went to Taco Naco, with its brightly colored tiers and towers of smoked salmon over av ocado mousse, hominy hummus with pomegranate seeds, and tuna tartare with mango and kiwi. Chef Fernanda Reyes was inspired by a ceramic work by Bernadette Esperanza Torres

I was delighted to get a big hug from the ever-gracious Pam Liberda of Waldo Thai. Her massaman beef brisket cur ry with coconut, chili, and pistachio had everyone in my cadre headed back for seconds. Her culinary creation was stirred by ceramicist Peter Wilkin.

Whit Ross of Vivalore presented a sherried lobster bisque with wild mushroom crostini that was comforting on a chilly evening. And the display of gorgeous fresh mushrooms was a work of art in staging. It was also terrific to see Todd Schulte of the popular Earl’s Premier. He was serving up his freshshucked Maine oysters with mignonette sauces. And finally, I went head-over-heels for Linda Duerr’s, of The Restaurant at 1900, assorted crudo with an avocado yogurt sauce. It just so happens that the Building at 1900 served as the perfect back drop for this entire event—which will absolutely find its way onto my calendar again next year.

SPOTTED: Crista Cavanaugh, Bunni Glasberg, Christy & Bill Gautreaux, Christina & Michael Corvino, Karen & Jack Holland, Susie & Tom Corbin, Sue & Lewis Nerman, Helen & Frank Wewers, Chris Beal & Timothy Van Zandt, Karen Jungmeyer, Frances Baszta, Cori & Matt Culp, Marcia & Lon Lane, Josue Montes, Jacques Bredius, Chadwick Brooks

So, KC—where do you want to go? XO

OVERHEARD

“She said you were planning to wear ‘slacks’ to the party. I said—there’s no way he’d use that word.”

...in every way!

Join us for a meet-and-greet and personalized book signing event: Sunday, December 11th from Noon to 2 pm

...All while enjoying a champagna aperitivo as we congratulate chef Michael Smith on his new book “Farina” –full of distinctive culinary delights! Complimentary gi wrapping

I)EL8 . RENNA

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,��ny� JEWELRY MADE IN ITALY

Handmade in Tuscany

The DelBrenna family has been handcrafting jewelry for three generations in Italy. Our jewelry's soul is our handmade chain, a family secret incorporated into all designs. Spreading love through jewelry is our mission. This love led the artisan Sebastian DelBrenna, and his American wife, Megan, to establish boutiques in Cortona, Italy, and Kansas City, USA DelBrenna jewelry is made in sterling silver 925 and 18K gold with luxurious finishes at the family studio in Tuscany, Italy.

DELBRENNA.COM

Visit our retail shops in Italy & USA stay in touch

Ruki Neuhold-Ravikumar

THE PRESIDENT OF THE KANSAS CITY ART INSTITUTE ANSWERS FOUR

by Judith Fertig photo by Lauren Bieri

QUESTIONS

With unanimous approv al from its board, the Kansas City Art Insti tute (KCAI) chose Ruki Neuhold-Raviku mar as its 25th president, succeeding Tony Jones. With only a few months on the job, Neuhold-Ravikumar not only embraces the institute as a place of higher learning, but also as a “nurturing creative community,” she says. “I am excited to lead KCAI into its next phase of evolution.”

Born in Chennai (formerly known as Madras), India, Neuhold-Ravikumar has taken a long and winding path to becoming an award-winning graphic artist as well as a dynamic administrator, receiving an MFA in graphic arts from Iowa State, a certificate of museum studies from Northwestern, and business training at Yale. Most recently, she

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was the director of education for the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.

“I have the joy and pleasure of getting to know the faculty and staff, each of them pushing the boundaries of their field. I am interested in developing partnerships in the community and continuing the long and impressive history of supporting and developing creative professionals,” she says, many of whom have been featured in the pages of this maga zine. “I want to build with change in mind.”

Neuhold-Ravikumar is married to Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, the president of the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla homa. The key to the success of their long-distance relationship might have a little something to do with a popular cat named Pixel. Read on.

For more information, visit kcai.org

INKC: You’re early into your first year at KCAI. How has your vision for the institute changed/broadened/deepened?

Neuhold-Ravikumar: I’m even more impressed and more impassioned. KCAI changes the game for higher education. Students come here, maybe not knowing what they want to do in life, and they just light up. They see what the future could look like for them.

We have always been a local gem, but I want the nation to regard the Kansas City Art Institute as a landmark institution. My mission is to help people see that.

INKC: How do you keep a long-distance relationship going—lots of frequent flyer miles or treks on I-35?

Neuhold-Ravikumar: We text a lot. And I am very familiar with I-35. I take my elderly cat Pixel—he’s black and white—on the road and he naps in the back of the car. The truckers seem to like him. They honk. You’d be surprised how many truckers have cats.

INKC: When you return to India, besides seeing friends and family, what is the first thing that strikes you?

Neuhold-Ravikumar: The food! The smells, the sounds, the flavors of the place. There is something about the spices, the local ingredients, the old methods, but the food there tastes so much different and so much better than when you try to make it here.

INKC: If you could have one work of art in your collection—money, no object—what would it be?

Neuhold-Ravikumar: My wife and I are Frank Lloyd Wright buffs. We dream about owning one of his houses—some day! I’d also love to have a piece by the late German designer Ingo Maurer. I love the poetry of his work, especially the lighting. Maybe one of his pieces, like the chandelier with Japanese paper that you can customize with messages. I love that his work can be interactive, pushing bound aries.

by Judith Fertig

THE NUTCRACKER, TWO WAYS—LIVE AND IMMERSIVE

WHEN THE HOLIDAYS roll around, American audienc es can’t get enough of The Nutcracker, the 1892 two-act ballet with an original score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s 1816 short story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Every year, we welcome Clara, The Nutcracker Prince, Herr Drosselmeier, and the Sugar Plum Fairy. This year, Kansas Citians can enjoy a double dose.

From December 7 through 24, the Kansas City Ballet per forms The Nutcracker at the Kauffman Center, with live orches tral music, local dancers, grand sets, and award-winning cho reography by Devon Carney. “It bursts forth on the stage with its abundance of joy and holiday cheer,” one reviewer gushed. Many ballet companies earn up to 40 percent of their total an nual revenue through The Nutcracker performances, so see this one first. For more information and tickets, visit kcballet.org

If seeing it live only whetted your appetite for more, check out The Immersive Nutcracker: A Winter Miracle at Lighthouse Artspace at Zona Rosa, from December 1 through the 31st. Recorded music, animation, and special effects highlight this offering. For the immersive experience, visit immersivenutcracker.com

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Kansas City Ballet dancers Emily Mistretta and Liang Fu in The Nutcracker

photo by brett pruitt

HANDEL’S MESSIAH

THE SURE CURE for the holiday blahs? Sing (or at least hum) along with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus to the Hallelujah Chorus in Handel’s Messiah, the heart-pumping, mood-lifting, all-out celebratory swell of music. It worked for Handel. It can work for you. is oratorio came about in 1741 when composer George Frideric Handel’s career was teetering on the brink of failure. He had had a string of musical ops. He was in debt and just this far from debtor’s prison. Two key events saved him. A friend, Charles Jennens, wrote a libretto based on the King James version of the bible and gave it to Handel. And then a charity in Dublin, Ireland, asked Handel to compose a new work for a bene t performance to help free men in debtor’s prison; they also provided nancial compensation that rescued Handel from that fate. No wonder it sounds uplifting.

With performances from December 9 through 11, over 200 instruments and voices animate this choral masterpiece. Christopher Allen conducts the KC Symphony while multiple Grammy Award-winning Charles Bru y conducts the Chorus.

For tickets, visit kauffmancenter.org.

by Judith Fertig

A CHRISTMAS CAROL—TWO WAYS

CHARLES DICKENS’ HOLIDAY CLASSIC started off as the 19th-century’s version of a bestseller at a time when the British public was slowly adopting new secular Christmas traditions, such as the holiday tree and season’s greetings cards. The novella was published in London on December 19, 1843, and sold out by Christmas Eve. It has never been out of print since.

This year, Kansas City theatergoers can double up on ex periencing A Christmas Carol

From November 18 through December 24, KCRep takes us on the redemptive journey of Ebenezer Scrooge from meme-me to “God bless us every one,” with the help of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and To Come. Kansas City’s favorite actors—including Gary Neal Johnson, Walter Coppage, John Rensenhouse, Mark Robbins, Chioma Any anwu, and Peggy Friesen reprise their roles. Savion Jackson and Patrick McGee share the role of Tiny Tim. For tickets and information, visit kcrep.org

On December 3 at the 1900 Building, the Kansas City Chorale performs Benedict Sheehan’s dramatization of A Christmas Carol, complete with a concert-length story score. Sheehan weaves traditional Christmas carols into the story we almost know by heart. 1900bldg.com

Gary Neal Johnson as Scrooge in KCRep’s 2021 production of A Christmas Carol

photo by don ipock

ADORNED

IN AN AGE OF MINIMALISM and less is more, when no one wants your great aunt’s china, where does adornment t in?

It must pop up somewhere, suggests the new exhibit, Adorned, at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art at Johnson County Community College, running until February 5, 2023. We might live in spaces sleek and spare, but have gallery walls, perhaps of vintage handheld mirrors, such as the installation by Genevieve Gaignard. We might adorn ourselves with scents such as incense to take us to a spiritual plane or with braids and piercings and tattoos to celebrate our individualism, as Martine Gutierrez so vividly paints.

Fifty Native American Bolo Ties tells its own story on another installation wall, gathered and arranged by Sanford Biggers and Zac Balber. With works by Dylan Mortimer, Nick Cave, Patty Carroll, Hank Willis omas, Umar Rashid, Kori Newkirk, Rose B. Simpson, Zanele Muholi, and more, this exhibit explores all the various, multi-cultural ways we adorn to t in—and stand out.

For more information, visit nermanmuseum.org.

Do You Only Want To See What You Believe? by Genevieve Gaignard.

Mazzarese Expands Selections of

Handmade Jewelry, Designer Watches, and Handbags This Holiday Season

By Emily Park

Look around the showroom at Mazzarese in Leawood’s Park way Plaza, and you’ll see a smartly curated collection of fine jewelry, including rings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, earrings, and watches glimmering under the glass—plus an excellent selection of designer handbags.

For more than 40 years, Mazzarese has been a one-stop shop for all your jewelry needs. Not only will you discover exquisite collec tions imported from around the world, but also exclusive in-house jewelry designs. Founded by Antonio (Tony) and Tosca Mazzarese in 1981, Mazzarese is steeped in four generations of fine jewelry design that Tony Mazzarese brought to the U.S. from Italy.

Since the beginning, Mazzarese has offered Kansas Citians the opportunity to create custom-made jewelry and repair treasured jewelry pieces and watches in-house. Now, Tony and Tosca’s daugh ter, Veronica Mazzarese, runs the business as the fourth generation of fine jewelry craftsmanship in the Mazzarese family.

“I’ve always had a love of the industry. I remember being really

young, my parents had a store in Oak Park Mall, and I would ring up sales when I could barely see over the counter,” Veronica Mazzarese says. “It was so much fun. Even at that age, I would just roll with the punches—especially during the holidays. Some of my first memories are wrapping those tiny little ring boxes.”

Since taking the reins five years ago, Veronica has upheld the traditions of fine craftsmanship created by her parents and expand ed the in-store shopping experience—perfect for holiday shopping.

WATCHES, JEWELRY, AND BAGS, OH, MY!

If it’s been a while since your last visit to Mazzarese, expect a wid er selection of designer jewelry pieces and watches—with additional pre-owned watches available.

“We’ve added to our collections, and part of our business is now preowned,” Veronica says.

“People are really wanting to be sustainable, and we want to be part of that. We’re also doing preowned watches, so you can sell or

trade your watch for something new.”

Looking for the perfect watch to gi a loved one this holiday season? You’ll find 15 watch lines to shop from at Mazzarese. Be on the lookout for the jeweler’s collection of Breitling, the newest watch line in the store, which includes an extensive selection of the brand’s Avenger, Classic AVI, Chronomat, Superocean Heritage, Superocean, Top Time, Navitimer, and Professional styles.

If watches and jewelry aren’t your style, don’t count Mazzarese out. They also carry luxury handbags with an extensive selection of new and preowned bags from brands such as Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Gucci.

“There aren’t very many places you can find this variety of brands without leaving Kansas City,” Veronica says. “Half of our selection is brand-new and some are what we call pre-loved, and they are in what we call A+ condition. We’ll also take requests if someone is searching for something and we don’t have it.”

FIND EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR AT MAZZARESE

One of the holiday season’s most satisfying experiences is watching a loved one’s face light up as they open that carefully wrapped gi you’ve been so excited to give them.

Mazzarese makes finding a gi to elicit that reaction easy.

If you don’t find quite what you’re looking for in the showroom, Mazzarese can custom-make any piece you want. Plus, you can even supply an old, treasured piece and remake it.

“We love the fact that jewelry is forever, and you can melt it down and make it into something new,” Veronica says. “A lot of people are realizing that they’ve got this jewelry in their drawer that they really want to do something with. There’s so much you can do with old diamonds to make something new, and we don’t charge extra to do that. It’s just a matter of what materials you want to use and what you want to make. People are getting more and more sentimental about their pieces.”

From start to finish, it only takes four to five weeks to custom-make a new piece of jewelry since it’s all done in the store.

If you’re shopping for a special someone and don’t know which item will make the best gi , Mazzarese has a team at the ready who can help you find the perfect piece.

“We get to know who customers are buying for,” Veronica says. “We fit the jewelry start with core pieces, like hoop earrings or

“We get to know who customers are buying for,” Veronica says. “We fit the jewelry to the lifestyle. We find out their style and start with core pieces, like hoop earrings or a diamond necklace.”

Stop by Mazzarese at 4850 W 135th St. in Leawood to discover all the possibilities. Stay tuned to mazzaresejewelry.com or follow Mazzarese on Facebook and Instagram @mazzaresejewelry and on Twitter @MazzareseJewels for updates about limited-time trunk shows and in-store events and promotions this holiday season. Open House: December 9th and 10th from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Veronica Mazzarese

BY Susan Cannon

Gifting in Style

IN SEARCH OF LOVELY LITTLE THINGS THAT ARE GIFT WORTHY, SUBTLE STYLE THAT’S WELLDESIGNED WITH A GENEROUS DOSE OF MODERN LUXURY

Former Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey has teamed up with Kansas City’s Annie Hurlbut, the founder of Peruvian Connection, to o er fans the new PC x GB Collection, which is comprised of many Peruvian-inspired alpaca signature Fair Isle pieces in bold colors. What caught my eye was the cropped Kodiak jacket in pu ed leather with plush shearling trim and long sleeves, $2,495. Available at Peruvian Connection (Crestwood Shops).

A luxurious little nest for your jewelry by leather-goods artisans Bartleby Objects is a chic addition to your bedroom decor. e leather tray is lined with alpaca, which acts as a natural metal protector so your gold, bronze, and silver pieces won’t oxidize. Small Soft Tray by Bartleby Objects, $390. Within the tray is the Roca ear cu by Faris, $45, and the Pina Chain by Laura Lombardy, $100. All available at Finefolk (4502 State Line Road).

A gorgeous classic, the Cintrée tank watch in a yellow-gold case, beaded crown set with a sapphire cabochon, golden dial, and brown alligator-skin strap is a men’s style, but is certainly unisex. It should make a pretty fabulous heirloom to pass down one day. Price upon request. Available at TIVOL (Country Club Plaza and Hawthorne Plaza).

e humble nature of local milliner Amina Hood belies her wicked talent for precision workmanship and style, whether it be in her bespoke, sculpted headpieces, or her classic berets and ball caps. Wide Brim Fur Felt Fedora in brandy, with a yak-wool needle-felted band (left), $350. Wide Brim Fur Felt Fedora in pecan (right), $300. Each is custom made with a three-to- ve-week lead time. Available through aminahood.com.

Warm your tootsies. ese ribbed, extra-soft cashmere slippers with leather soles are made for cozy moments at home, $120, by COS. Available at cos.com

BY Susan Cannon

Elevated Beauty

THE CULTIVATED

Maison Trudon, the oldest known candlemaker, opened shop on rue Saint Honoré in Paris in 1643, developed the whitening of candle beeswax in 1702, expanded outside of Paris in 1737, and began supplying the Imperial Court of France in 1811. Not too shabby. Nor are the swoon-worthy scents developed in 2007, which celebrate the artisan process and gilded packaging, mixed with inventive branding. Trudon describes its “Dada” teaand vetiver-scented candle as, “. . .a touch of tea and vetiver, ornated with crumpled mint leaves and eucalyptus, this clever scent confuses the mind. Sharp and expansive, it opens us to the magnetic eld of the Dada movement, to the artistic dizziness and surrealist experiences.” ey had me at “Dada” and the scent does not disappoint. Trudon Dada Classic Candle, $125 is exclusively available locally at Clique Boutique (Shops at Prairie Village).

THE ALCHEMIST

THE ULTIMATE

With game-changing technology, the LYMA Laser is touted as the world’s safest and most e ective clinic-grade laser for home use, with the big guns in the beauty industry applauding fervently, including top makeup artists, spa owners and plastic surgeons. e LYMA Laser can reach deep down into the base layer of the dermis, where the light energy triggers a genetic switch inside the skin cells telling them not to die o , but to regenerate, recharge, and repair. e destruction of healthy skin cells is reversed. e light energy of the LYMA Laser also instructs the existing cells to produce more proteins to ght free radicals. Fewer free radicals means more collagen and elastin. It works on all skin tones and types on both face and body with no pain or downtime. LYMA Laser, $2,695. lyma.life/us

Hair Alchemy Resilience shampoo, conditioner, and fortifying treatment serum. e

Oribe Canales was the king of hair during the heyday of supermodels and glam fashion shows, opening his salon in 1987 and creating his luxury haircare line Oribe in 2008. It has grown since his passing in 2018. Oribe’s newest haircare collection launched this past summer— Hair Alchemy Resilience shampoo, conditioner, and fortifying treatment serum. e line is already award-winning and proving to be the most popular Oribe collection to date. Made with a blend of chia seed, bio-fermented bamboo leaf, and plant-based protein, it penetrates the hair cortex to build strength from within while forming a sca old around each hair ber to reinforce strands, creating ultra-smooth, strong, resilient hair with elasticity and a divine scent. Oribe Hair Alchemy Shampoo, $49; Conditioner, $52; Treatment Serum, $64. Available at Flock Salon and Gallery (Crossroads).

THE HOLISTIC Olive oil is the hero ingredient of Wonder Valley unisex skincare products, which are co-created with Mother Nature to make the highest quality plant-based ingredients that nourish and heal the skin. e Little Wonder four-piece microbiome-friendly set provides a complete regime for daily skincare and is the perfect holiday gift for trying out the products and re lling each glass bottle for travel. It is comprised of an antioxidant-rich oil cleanser that deep cleans, leaving the skin luminous and pH balanced, a potent yet lightweight face oil that paci es sun damage and in ammation and controls breakouts, a hydrating wonder serum that improves tone and elasticity and boosts collagen, and an intoxicating Hinoki body oil that penetrates deeply to hydrate and smooth the body’s skin. Little Wonder Skincare Set by Wonder Valley, $72. Available at Welwythn (Shops at Prairie Village).

Mother Nature to make the

WHEN THE HOLIDAYS ROLL AROUND, A LITTLE BIT OF LUXURY GOES A LONG WAY WITH THESE BEAUTIFULLY PRODUCED GIFTS

BY Susan Cannon

Are the Kids Alright?

Developmental psychologist and licensed psychotherapist Chris Sexton (drchrissexton.com) maintains that this is an urgent time for seeking mental-health care due to the fear, stress, grief, and isolation that is in part created by Covid-19. “Especially vulnerable are children and teens who have missed developmentally critical cognitive and social milestones. I’ve seen a dramatic increase in referrals during this time. By all objective mental-health measures—school days missed, ER visits for mental health, drug use, suicide attempts—kids and teens are showing us that they are not okay,” Sexton says. During the isolation of the pandemic, not only our kids, but most of us were nding ourselves compelled to be on social media more to stay connected. However, this fueled an already dangerous pattern of technology addiction on a global scale in today’s youth.

According to Catie Herst, a licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of Monarch

Family erapy (monarchfamilytherapy.net), “ e most interconnected generation of all time who has instant access to thousands of humans at any given moment are at risk for new and challenging social and mental health struggles unknown to previous generations. Preteens and teens currently face di culties with emotional regulation, self-control, bullying, loneliness, self-esteem, concentration, body-image, sleep, and safety in large measure due to extensive technology usage and social media. Consequently, they are also facing brain development and rewiring issues that we cannot fully understand at this time.”

In Herst’s work with teens and young adults, she observes their need to “keep up” with peers while portraying themselves in a glori ed way is oftentimes anxiety producing. “ e ability to see where everyone is (and learn where you are not) can become both addicting and heart-wrenching, even for those who are in healthy social circles. While we do not yet

know the full extent on the body, research shows us that addiction to social media may compromise the part of our brain which prioritizes concentration. We see withdrawal symptoms from technology mirror withdrawal symptoms from other substances, including irritability, anxiety, sadness, and loneliness. While new technology a ords us unlimited access to the world and possibilities for connection, the potential danger of this ‘tool’ and its life-altering views of reality are not to be underestimated,” she says.

Sexton promotes the validation process with patients. “ ere is tremendous power in naming and validating your emotions. Put simply, validation is the act of understanding why you are right to feel how you feel. As parents, we have great responsibility in helping our children feel validated, but when we don’t have the space to validate our own emotions, it can be impossible for us to consistently respond with compassion to our children.”

She also encourages separating your emotions from your thoughts, or the stories you are telling yourself about what is happening, and that doing so allows us to understand how di erent experiences a ect us. “A therapist can help you challenge an old story about yourself that isn’t serving you and break out of unhelpful patterns of behavior. For young children and teens, a family approach can also be helpful to foster validation of di cult emotions, as well as to increase social interactions and other activities that will boost mood and reverse the downward cycle of anxiety and depression.”

Follow @itslennnie on Instagram for some lighthearted ramblings by an animated little blob to get a daily dose of validation. ere’s no age limit!

Classic & Modern

Designer Katy Sullivan loves combining classic pieces with unique and unexpected elements to add personality to a home.

But above all, she enjoys the process of getting to know her clients, designing to their style, and creating a space that reflects their lives and personal aesthetic.

Come explore your style with Katy at Madden McFarland.

by Emily Park

Strong Bones

JESSICA GREINKE ON OSTEOPOROSIS AND OSTEOPENIA

As the weather gets colder, sidewalks and driveways are often icy and slippery, leading to an increase in falls, so the winter months are a good time to be aware of health conditions that can make your bones more susceptible to fractures.

Osteopenia and osteoporosis are conditions signifying low bone den sity, which increases the risk of bone fractures. Osteopenia is a precursor to osteoporosis, meaning it’s simply a less severe form of osteoporosis.

“While there is no bad time of year to discuss osteoporosis and osteopenia, the increased risk of falls and fractures due to snowy and icy conditions makes this a great time to discuss it,” says Jessica Greinke, an internal medicine doctor with AdventHealth Medical Group Primary Care at De Soto. “Unfortunately, there are no symptoms of osteopenia or osteoporosis. If these conditions are not detected on routine screen ing, oftentimes the first indicator is a fracture.”

Many people take a tumble or two during the winter season. While most of us can get back up and go about our day with only a scrape or a bruise, someone with low bone density is more likely to suffer a bone fracture or break resulting from the fall. That’s why individuals at a

higher risk for osteoporosis, especially older women, should be screened for low bone density.

“I think the biggest reason to take this seriously and get screened is that hip fracture is one of the leading causes of hospitalization, institu tionalization, and death in elderly patients,” Greinke says. “Once patients start to have fractures, little can be done to recover bone loss.”

DIAGNOSING OSTEOPOROSIS AND OSTEOPENIA

Since there aren’t any symptoms associated with osteoporosis and osteopenia, screenings are the only way to catch these con ditions before a fracture occurs.

Wondering if you should get a screening? Being a wom an, of advanced age (partic

ADVENTHEALTH’S

Internist Jessica Greinke, MD

Someone

That’s why our ER experts stand ready 24/7 to care for you. Unexpected moments happen. When they do, you can trust that AdventHealth’s ER experts are ready to safely care for you at four locations throughout Johnson County. And, we’ve made it easy to schedule a non-life-threatening emergency room visit online so you can wait in the comfort of home and arrive at a time convenient for you.

Women’s Health IN KC

presented by AdventHealth

ularly post-menopause), Caucasian race, low body weight, smoking, excessive alcohol use, family history of fractures, celiac disease, and long-term use of steroids such as prednisone are all risk factors for osteoporosis and osteopenia.

“All women should be screened by age 65. If a patient has risk fac tors for osteoporosis, she should consider screening prior to age 65,” Greinke says. “There is no standard practice for screening men for oste oporosis. Men who have risk factors should talk with their doctor about getting screened.”

Both osteopenia and osteoporosis are diagnosed by a test called a bone mineral density scan, often referred to as a DEXA scan.

The screening test is painless, fast (10-15 minutes), effective, and usually takes place at an imaging center. Typically, patients are posi tioned on their backs on a padded table while a mechanical arm takes pictures of the bones in the lower back, hips, and/or wrists. Radiation exposure is minimal—even less than a chest x-ray.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

Generally, osteoporosis cannot be reversed, so prevention is key. The best way to prevent onset? Physical activity.

“I recommend at least 30 minutes of weight-bearing exercise every day and muscle strengthening exercises two to three times per week,” Greinke says. “Walking is a great weight-bearing exercise, but there are a lot of options, so I encourage my patients to find an activity that they enjoy. Muscle strengthening can include weightlifting, yoga, Pilates, and

many others. Exercise makes bones stronger and less likely to break. Exercise also makes muscles stronger and can improve balance, making falls less likely as well.”

Healthy sources of calcium and vitamin D can also prevent onset. “For calcium, I recommend 1200mg daily—preferably by eating foods such as green leafy vegetables, legumes, or dairy products,” Greinke adds. “For vitamin D, I recommend 800 international units daily. Sea food and eggs are great sources.”

Once osteoporosis or osteopenia has been diagnosed, Greinke says it’s still important for those patients to stay physically active to reduce the likelihood of a fall.

“Limiting further bone decline is priority number one,” she says. “It’s never too late to start or improve healthy habits, such as cutting back on alcohol, quitting smoking, exercising regularly, and eating healthy foods. Doing these things is even more important for a person with low bone density.”

“They should evaluate their home and remedy any situation that would increase their risk for having a fall,” Greinke adds. “For example, consider removing loose rugs or cords that could trip them up and make sure all areas of the home are well-lit. It is also a good idea to have their doctor review their list of medications to ensure they are not taking anything that can increase their risk of falling.”

Early diagnosis and treatment are key for reducing the negative impact of osteoporosis. If you have questions about your bone density or risks for developing osteoporosis, Greinke recommends consulting with your doctor.

IF

IF

YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR HOME RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

You’ve likely spent more time than ever in your home during the last few weeks. Perhaps now you have valuable insight into what your home might be lacking or how you can make your interior space better. Now is the time for beauty and functionality.

You’ve likely spent more time than ever in your home during the last few weeks. Perhaps now you have valuable insight into what your home might be lacking or how you can make your interior space better. Now is the time for beauty and functionality.

Bringing European Tradition & Design to Your Home

KarinRossDesigns.com 816-425-2815 YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR HOME RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

KarinRossDesigns.com 816-425-2815

Bringing European Tradition & Design to Your Home

BY Patricia O’Dell

Modern Classic

NEW FABRIC LINE WITH LOCAL ROOTS EVOLVED FROM HISTORICAL INSPIRATION

Caroline Swanson Price began her career in political communications, but when she moved to London in her 20s, she designed her own at, which was featured in British House and Garden magazine. is delightful turn of events and her studies in interior design led to a career in decorating. Recently, she’s taken the next step in her successful career by designing a line of fabrics, wallpaper, and trims for Vervain, the luxury textile house. e inspiration for the Montespan Design collection comes from a historical source.

“I became fascinated by Athénaïs de Montespan, maîtresse-en-titre to Louis XIV,” Price says. “It’s an incredible story. When I was reading about her, the stories of her life inspired the idea for fabric patterns.”

“Louis gave her the Hope Diamond, and I had a vintage kimono

which reminded me of that. It became part of the story and inspired “Montespan Rocks,” she says. “Soon, I realized that I had completed an entire collection. Shortly after I received an email invitation to an event to meet David Finer, the CEO of Fabricut. “

She says the partnership evolved e ortlessly. e resulting collection is lled with color, texture, and patterns rich enough for a formal living room and whimsical enough for a casual sunroom. While the collection is inarguably beautiful, it lives well, too.

“As a designer I was able to bring common sense to my designs,” she says. “I wanted the collection to be practical and approachable as well as beautiful.”

Montespan Design fabrics are available to the trade through KDR Showrooms in Lenexa.

HERE

A-WASSAILING

LET’S NOT become bogged down with the origin of the song that begins, “Here we come a-wassailing,” and instead borrow its lively spirit as inspiration for our yearend entertaining. Many of us do not need an excuse to bring family and friends together, while some— let’s admit—su er a bit at the idea. Whether you are entertaining with glee or grit, having a bit of glimmer on hand is never a bad idea.

BY Patricia O’Dell

Classic Combination

THE TIMELESS BEAUTY OF BLUE AND WHITE SATISFIES YEAR ROUND

My preference of seasons in Kansas City is autumn, summer, spring, then lastly, winter. (Spring, while it brings hope, usually turns out to be a cold, soggy disappointment.) Whether you agree or not, it’s di cult to argue with the enduring appeal of blue-and-white ceramics. A classic for the ages, you can collect antique pottery, dishware, or porcelain, but there’s a wealth of great-looking pieces, like these available from Hiles Two in Waldo, that won’t break the bank. Blue and white can be dressed up for an occasion or hang out happily for morning co ee. shophilestwo.com

Cherry blossom scalloped tray, $48. Chinoiserie Champagne/wine bucket, $170. Blue-and-white candlesticks, $70. Blueand-white scalloped-edge footed bowl, $25.

WHILE THE HOLIDAYS can be lled with fun, family, and friends, all the activity can lead to a need for. . . ahhhh. In addition to their popular candles, KC’s own Mersea has products to pamper yourself. Need a lift? e multicolor Fuzzy Woven row Blanket will liven things up. Looking for a little more ahhhh? e blanket comes in Winter, which is a solid cream hue, and a version that is cream with black stripes.

Taylor Kay Phillips IN CONVERSATION WITH

words by Cindy Hoedel photo by Mindy Tucker

Standing in front of Rockefeller Center on a family vacation, 10-year-old Taylor Kay Phillips, born and raised in south Kansas City, promised herself she would live in New York City one day.

Now the 29-year-old Phillips not only has a sunny apartment in Harlem, but also a golden statuette of a winged woman holding an atom over her head to decorate the place. In Sep tember, Phillips won an Emmy for her work as a writer on HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

The win for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series was the sev enth in a row for the show, which beat out Saturday Night Live, A Black Lady Sketch Show, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which Phillips’s husband, Felipe Torres Medina, writes for.

Phillips, who also does standup and sketch comedy, has a humorous book coming out in April 2023, A Guide to Midwestern Conversation (Ten Speed Press).

In a telephone call from New York, Phillips chatted with IN Kansas City about what she misses about her hometown, one way that Harlem is like Kansas City, and how she applies her comedic style to writing jokes for John Oliver.

Tell us a story about you as a kid. Hmmmm. So, it’s been very, very sweet in these recent couple of months with people hearing about the Emmy and my book—I’ve had some people who were adults in my life when I was a kid, reaching out and telling me some things about myself that I don’t remember.

Like what?

My sister is two-and-a-half years younger than I am, and we had two babysitters when we were kids who were also sisters. We called them the Herbers girls, and the best part of our week was when the Herbers

girls were coming over.

One of them recently told a story that one time when I was two or three my teddy bear got sick, and we were doing surgery on my bear, and I looked at her with tears in my eyes and said, “I don’t think there’s anything else we can do for him.” [Laughs.]

Another time in summer they were watching us, and we went to the grocery store and we got stickers. They said, “You’re going to write a book and illustrate it with the stickers.” We would dictate what we wanted the story to be, and they would write it down.

I got horse stickers and ballerinas, so I made up a story about circus girls who were horse ballerinas. One of them got kidnapped and when they went into the kidnappers’ house, I wanted readers to encounter something scary, to know that this guy was bad news. Two things had recently happened in my life: I had gotten very, very into the Wizard of Oz, and I had started reading an illustrated storybook series about presidential assassinations. So, when these circus girls walked into the courtyard of the kidnapper, they found themselves face-to-face with a bust of John Wilkes Booth.

How old were you then?

I know that I was seven, because the characters in the book were eight. Anytime I played make-believe, I always wanted the character to be one year older than I was.

So young Taylor was always ready to be one year older. Yes! But I wasn’t trying to be too much older. I just wanted whatever that next thing afforded.

How often do you get back to Kansas City and what do you miss about it when you’re not there?

I come back for Thanksgiving, and I get back two or three times a year at least. My parents still live in the house I grew up in. I lived there my

whole life, we never moved. So, home is just such a specific place for me there. There’s no ambiguity about it. My preschool is walking distance from the house, my high school, middle school, elementary school— Barstow—is walking distance.

But also, what I love now, going back as an adult, is: It’s a cool city! One of my best friends lives in the River Market. I never went to the River Market when I was a kid, and it’s beautiful, and there are brew eries. I love the Truman Library. And I was in New York when I heard Buck O’Neil got into the [Baseball] Hall of Fame, so I want to go back to the Negro Leagues Museum.

It’s always great to be back in the city, and there’s always more to see and to love and more shirts with “KC” and a heart to buy. [Laughs.] It really is everything.

When and why did you move to New York?

I went to college on the East Coast, to Harvard, so I was in Cam bridge and Boston, and the summer between my junior and senior year I did an internship in Chicago at an advertising agency and took classes at Second City. It was so fun; an amazing summer. I lived with a friend of mine. It was a dream. And the advertising agency offered me a job after my internship and they said, “You can do it in Chicago or you can go to New York.”

And I thought, “That’s it. That’s how I’m going to be able to afford to move to New York.” Because when I was 10 years old, we came to New York on a family trip, and we went to 30 Rock and while we were

standing there, I made myself a promise that I was going to live in New York someday.

What neighborhood do you live in?

I have lived in Harlem since I moved here. I love it. I moved here with a roommate from college, and we filled out an application for the first apartment we visited, and I turned the corner to go look at the apart ment and there was a coffee shop right there. And I thought, “This has to be fake. There’s no way I could get to live two doors down from a coffee shop in New York City.”

Eventually my husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, moved into that apartment with me. It was a great first New York apartment, which means it didn’t cost a lot of money, and the landlord was decent, but there was no natural light and it was very, very small.

My husband writes for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert—he’s been there three years, so he got his job long before I got my job. In the middle of the pandemic we got married, and my friends sent an espresso machine, just a little one. And my perfect husband was like, “Where are we going to put this? We can’t live here anymore, it’s too small.” He grew up in a city, but I grew up in a house in Missouri and then went straight to college, so I thought, “Dorm rooms are what apartments are: small and uncomfortable.” And he was like, “It doesn’t have to be this way.”

Luckily, we found a beautiful bigger apartment with natural light three blocks away.

With room for the espresso machine. Plenty. We have two coffee machines and a pour-over. We are all set on the caffeine front. And it’s still in Harlem. Harlem is a lot like Kansas City in that it’s a beautiful, historical place where you can learn more about everything if you just have curiosity. There are beautiful trees that change color and all the kids are cute and there are lots of great dogs.

When Covid hit in 2020 you had not yet gotten your big break into TV writing. What was your life like at the ad agency during the pandemic?

It was the perfect day job for someone like me. It was creative and cool, and they were so flexible. I worked on commercials and tweets for hos pitals and finance tech—things that were a little bit more chill in the ad world. I wasn’t writing Nike commercials. They wasted no time moving us all to remote, and copywriting for advertising is something that tran sitions easily to remote. Also during the pandemic, I sold my book, and the agency gave me leave to write my book.

I think that is something that gets lost in conversations about how to break into this [TV writing] industry is what a unicorn it is having a wonderful day job working for decent humans.

You have said that success is about 85 percent hard work and 15 percent luck, but the 85 percent has to come first. Your long resume of standup, sketch comedy, and writing credits demonstrates that you did the work. I’m curious to hear about the lucky bits.

I mean, the thing about luck for me is, you don’t know your lucky mo ments until they’ve already happened.

Taylor Kay Phillips and her husband, Felipe Torres Medina, at the 2022 Emmys.

Can you give us an example?

Sure. e woman who put me up for this job—who put my name on the list to submit a packet for Last Week Tonight—I met her at an event that I only got a ticket to because someone else’s husband got sick.

That’s straight out of a movie. You know what I mean? Of course, then I had to go straight away and write the copy.

And you were ready because you had done the work. One hundred percent.

Last Week Tonight is different than other late-night shows because the segments contain a lot of reporting. Who does the reporting and who does the joke writing?

So, I can’t talk a lot about the inner workings of the show. What I can say is that being a part of it is that we all get to learn and explore and give input, and it really stretches me individually as a writer to be able to think in a lot of di erent ways: When is the moment for a joke? When is the moment to let something settle? How on earth am I going to make a joke out of this?

Sometimes the joke comes because I have something I want to say, and sometimes it’s because I want to push myself to a new level, and sometimes it’s just because “that’s your job, so I don’t care if you want to or not today.” Nobody says that to me, of course. I say that to myself.

Your comedic style is quite different from John Oliver’s. He swears more and has a more combative delivery. Is writing for him like sketch comedy where you’re writing in a character’s voice instead of in your own voice?

As someone who’s written scripts and who’s also written as myself, I feel that every joke I write comes from me. It just depends sometimes which side of me it comes from. First of all, I also certainly curse. I’ve made it 19 minutes on this call now without cursing because my mom told me to mind my manners.

Thank you for sharing that. When I was reading a lot of your stuff online, I was struck by how incredibly nice you sound. For a while my Twitter bio said, “So nice in New York City, cutthroat bitch in the Midwest.” Because in New York, everyone is like, “Oh my, you bubbly thing. How do you do this?” And in Missouri, they’re like, “Taylor only talked to me for seven minutes. I think she’s mad, and the city got to her.”

I also think that with regard to Last Week Tonight, as a bubbly girl from the Midwest, I have thoughts other people might not have, and I think that’s valued.

Helton Walker, a reporter for Barstow School, asked you in a recent video interview if you had a billboard what it would say. Your answer was, “So, just to be clear…?” What does that phrase mean to you?

I think something that was di erent in my upbringing than in a lot of environments I nd myself in—on the coasts, in entertainment, on-

line—is that in Missouri you do grow up with and directly interact with people who think and feel and experience all di erent kinds of things.

Increasingly it seems to me like people don’t always understand the full implications of what they are saying. It happens to me, too, so I’m grateful to have my sister and my mom and my husband and my in-laws and my friends, who say to me, “So, just to be clear—this is what you are saying.”

Something that I’ve always found both funny and important is to repeat back to people what they are putting out there. I think that’s what John does and our jokes do. I also think people are funny on their own. So, I love to say, for example, “OK, so you’re upset because what you wanted to happen happened exactly the way you wanted, but someone wasn’t wearing the right T-shirt.”

And also, I think it’s important to be able to say something ridiculous yourself and then stop immediately and say, “Oh my gosh, what did I just say?”

My sister and I very often when we’re about to say something potentially really vain or tone deaf will say, “I’m about to hear myself. . .” at’s a signal that the other person doesn’t have to respond with, “Do you hear yourself right now?” [Laughs.]

It also signals that I’m gonna say it anyway, like: “At the free lunch at work today, they didn’t have the salmon, and I really wanted the salmon.”

Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.

Phillips’s new book, A Guide to Midwestern Conversation, will be released in April 2023. Book cover design by Jovaney Hollingsworth.

Talk Town of the

Podcasting is to radio what self-pub lishing is to books. If you want your unique voice to be heard, you can re cord it yourself. “With podcasts, you can do something nobody else is doing,” says 610 Sports’ Bob Fescoe.

And people don’t need a radio to listen. According to KCUR’s Nomin Ujiyediin, “Podcasts reach a dif ferent audience. People listen on their phones and at different times.”

When episodes are available on both audio and vid eo on YouTube, “Podcasts can be listened to over again and shared via social media,” says Hether Belusky, one half of the Who Dunnit Sisters. That’s important to their mission of helping find missing persons and solv ing cold-case crimes.

Tune in to Kansas City’s most popular podcasts, and you’ll discover a lot more.

words by Judith Fertig

ARTMOVES

After storied careers in other fields, two Kansas City art collectors/enthusiasts joined forces to create the monthly ArtMoves podcast, new this year. Their mission? “Highlighting the vibrant pool of visual artists in the Kansas City area and the regional Midwest,” says Regina Nouhan, a retired plastic surgeon. She teams up with Dwight O. Smith, a retired Major in the Army and currently a regional HUD administrator.

Each multimedia episode centers on a Midwestern artist/gallerist/ curator with both audio (monthly) and video (quarterly) so you can “meet” them, like having a private conversation at a studio, gallery opening, or museum. The podcast has featured textile artist Debra Smith, curator Kimi Katada, museum director and curator JoAnne Northrup, artist and catalyst Cesar Lopez, gallerist Lee Smalter, and artist Chico Sierra. “ArtMoves scouts the plentiful talented artists and art events that the central Midwest offers,” Nouhan says.

Where to listen: YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and more.

just for the podcast, says host Nomin Ujiyediin, an NPR All Things Considered alum. This 15-minutes-or-less podcast highlights the news on both sides of the state line.

“We have certain standard journalism ethics,” explains Ujiyediin, to be “balanced and fair” while still being “informative and entertaining,” she adds. “Listen in!”

Where to listen: KCUR, NPR, and more.

HOMEGROWN KC

Historian Laura Darnell works in the insurance industry by day, researching and recording her history podcasts during her free time. “I think everyone needs something unrelated to their day job that gives them joy and stimulates them. That’s what the podcast does for me,” she says. “Every topic covers a person, place, or event in Kansas City history,” she says. Darnell is most proud of Series 5, People of the Island, focusing on the Wyandot Nation, originally from what is now Canada, and their experiences, including that of Second Chief Louisa Libby of the Wyandot Nation of Kansas.

Like many podcasters, Darnell is looking for sponsorship. “One of my goals is to continue to grow my audience,” she says. “A large audience means more downloads, and higher downloads mean I could get sponsors.” Meanwhile, she offers a shout-out on every episode to patron subscribers along with access to exclusive content.

Where to listen: Apple, YouTube, and more.

KANSAS CITY TODAY

If even two mugs of morning coffee are not enough to face all the politics and police blotter info that passes as local news, now you have another choice. KCUR’s weekly morning podcast is smooth and polished, created the previous afternoon from radio clips and content recorded

KANSAS

CITY: 2 STATES, 1 STORY

“Our podcast came about when two friends got together for a beer one night,” says Diane Euston, a historian, writer, and high school teacher. Euston and 610 Sports’ Bob Fescoe both serve on the board of the BMA Foundation (the nonprofit named for Brian M. Anselmo that raises funds for children’s charities and animal welfare). “Bob pitched it to me that we should join forces and co-host a podcast together through Audacy Radio and 610 Sports. That’s part of the goal of the podcast, anyway—to tell our history in a fun and relatable way.”

“It’s fun, informative, and you’re going to learn something,” says Fescoe. Recent podcasts have featured Wolferman’s as a forerunner of boutique grocery stores and the Priests of Pallas Parade. “As I comb through old newspapers,” Euston continues, “a headline will catch my eye, and I stop to read it. If I find the story to be interesting, I figure other people will, too.”

Where to listen: Apple, Audacy, and more.

MAJORITY 54

What does Majority 54 mean, you ask? “So sometimes we forget that 54 percent of the country did not vote for Donald Trump,” explains co-host Jason Kander, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and former Missouri Secretary of State. An avowed progressive, Kander joins Ravi Gupta, who worked on Obama’s 2008 campaign and continues to train Democratic candidates and campaign staff.

“We want to help the 54 percent of us who did not vote for Trump talk to those who did,” says Kander. In 30- to 60-minute episodes that drop every Friday (and more often during election cycles), Kander and Gupta explain and entertain with tongue-in-cheek topics, such as Lindsay Graham, ob-gyn, or Herschel Walker, Father of the Year.

Where to listen: Apple, Spotify, and more.

TACO THE TOWN

Like Marcel Proust’s famed madeleine, whose taste and texture prompted In Search of Lost Time, W. David Keith samples area tacos in his off hours. By day a talent/exposure agent, Keith is not expecting a book out of his gustatory experience, but more like a focused podcast that can then un-focus to cover local music, sex questions, taco news, and more. Much more. Like 181 episodes in five years more.

“I love discovering new taco places,” says Keith. “Three times a month we have different guests, but we always bring it back to tacos.”

Where to listen: Podbean, Apple, and more.

WHO DUNNIT SISTERS

Real life sisters Hether Belusky and Haley Hancock are on a mission to help solve missing person cases and unsolved crimes. Says Belusky, “The Kansas City area has over 700 unsolved homicides and over 350 missing persons cases. We rely on our listeners and viewers to share our episodes so that these cases get maximum exposure.” It’s also personal. “Our first episode was on the unsolved murder of Donny Herron, who had lived with Haley and her family briefly while he was in high school. On June 6, 2016, Donny was shot and killed by three armed men during a home robbery while Donny was protecting his fiancée and young son.”

Says Hancock, “We are here for the families who feel they don’t have a voice or feel abandoned. We’re here to help them stand up for themselves and their loved ones.”

Where to listen: YouTube, Apple, and more.

THE YADDA YADDA PODCAST

Joe Cornejo balances his work as an on-air radio host for KPRS-Hot 103JAMZ with his The Yadda Yadda podcast, which drops monthly. “Seinfeld is often referred to as the show about nothing and having that freedom allowed them to change the storyline every episode without explanation,” says Cornejo. “I wanted the podcast to have that same freedom by being a podcast about nothing, but mostly about music.” Especially hip-hop, funk, R & B, soul, alternative, and punk rock. “I’m proud of every KC artist we’ve had on. They all have unique stories to tell.”

From its debut in 2018, Yadda Yadda has grown to include a record label and apparel. The Yadda Yadda album includes a diverse group of KC artists, “making us the first podcast to ever put out an album,” says Cornejo.

Where to listen: Apple and more.

IT’S ALL SPORTS, BABY

ARROWHEAD PRIDE

GOLF UNDERGROUND

Golf Underground offers interviews with sport personalities, golf tips and tricks, inspirational content, and more. An extension of the holistic golf academy founded by host Kevin Ward, Golf Underground is available with audio and video, showing guys (like George Brett) sitting on a sectional sofa, microphones in hand, talking golf and life, etc. Episodes drop every week. Where to listen: Apple, and more.

NEW HEIGHTS

Arrowhead Pride, hosted by Pete Sweeney and John Dixon, talks all things Kansas City Chiefs. An offshoot of the popular newsletter, Arrowhead Pride can be heard several times a week—long episodes wrapping up last week’s game and previewing the next, shorter segments covering Chiefs’ press conferences and post-game reaction. Where to listen: Apple, and more. New Heights, also on audio

New Heights, also on audio and video, features the Kelce brothers—Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis and Philadelphia Eagles center Jason. Since debuting in September this year, their entertaining weekly podcast has amassed a following of 165,000 subscribers, making it the Number One sports podcast in the country.

in September this year, their

Where to listen: Apple, YouTube, Spotify, and more.

WAVIN’ THE WHEAT

Wavin’ the Wheat celebrates everything KU sports. Alum and current 610 sports broadcaster Nick Schwerdt talks “Lance Leipold, baby” since KU’s football resurgence and basketball’s continued dominance under Bill Self. Episodes drop weekly.

Where to listen: Audacy, Apple, and more.

Pearl Essence

photos by Aaron Leimkuehler

WHETHER CLASSIC OR CONTEMPORARY, THESE ARE NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S PEARLS

DIVE IN

Clockwise from top left: John Hardy Tahitian pearl, freshwater pearl, 18K-gold and sterling-silver ring, $695, from Halls (Crown Center) Baroque Keshi Tahitian cultured-pearl necklace, $2,900, from TIVOL (Country Club Plaza and Hawthorne Plaza); Assael three-bubble Tahitian pearl, 18K-gold ring, $6,400, from TIVOL. Tahitian pearl, pavé diamond, and 18K white-gold pendant necklace, $2,495, from Meierotto Jewelers (North Kansas City) Tahitian pearl and 18K white-gold drop earrings, $9,900, from Mazzarese (Parkway Plaza).

MAKING WAVES

Above, clockwise from top right: Jewelmer gold South Sea pearl, diamond, and 18K-gold pendant, $8,140, and 18K-gold paperclip-chain necklace, $760, both from TIVOL. Vintage pearl, diamond, and 14K white-gold necklace, $7,400, from Lilliane’s Jewelry (Ranch Mart) John Hardy sterling-silver and fresh-water pearl necklace, $495, from Halls Tahitian and golden pearl 14K-gold necklace, $1,295, from Meierotto Jewelers Opposite, left to right: John Hardy freshwater pearl and sterling-silver Asli necklace, $2,200, from Mazzarese Pearl, black diamond, and 18K white-gold bracelet, $849, from Meierotto Jewelers Bergio South Sea pearl, black diamond, rose-gold and white-gold ring, $9,980, from Mazzarese

SOMETHING TO SEA

Opposite, clockwise from top left: Assael Tahitian pearl, blue-green tourmaline, and platinum ring, $11,800, from TIVOL. John Hardy Naga pavé diamond, blue sapphire, and pearl dragon ring, $2,300, from Mazzarese Armenta Old World pearl, diamond halo with seed pearl trim, 18K yellow-gold and blackened sterling-silver ring, $1,990, from Meierotto Jewelers. Vintage pearl, diamond, and 18K white-gold ring, $3,800, from Lilliane’s Jewelry. Above, top to bottom: John Hardy Classic freshwater pearl, silver, and 18K-gold interlinking earrings, $1,395, from Meierotto Jewelers Elizabeth Locke Fiesole 19K yellow-gold link necklace $15,050, and South Sea pearl pendant, $4,950, from Halls. Vintage diamond, pearl, emerald, and 14K-gold bracelet, $5,000, from Lilliane’s Jewelry.

PEARLS OF WISDOM

Above, clockwise from top left : Marmari phases of the moon mother of pearl, diamond, and 18K gold necklace with compass on reverse side, $5,640, from Pendleton Jewelry (Crossroads). Piazza mother of pearl and gold earrings, $489, from DelBrenna Jewelry (Crestwood Shops); Aperitivo pendant in black with mother of pearl, $259, from DelBrenna Jewelry Renna Mother of Pearl, rock crystal, and 18K-gold necklace with carved octopus, $5,000, from Pendleton Jewelry Opposite, clockwise from top: South Sea pearl, blue sapphire, and 18K white-gold earrings, $3,740, from TIVOL Cultured pearl and diamond 14K white-gold earrings, $830, from Meierotto Jewelers Pearl, diamond, and 18K white-gold earrings, $2,200, from Lilliane’s Jewelry Cultured pearl tassel, black onyx, and pavé diamonds on silk cord necklace, $9,875, from Mazzarese

l p k S e C TYRa I

WHERE TO TOAST WITH CHAMPAGNE AND BUBBLES FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

WORDS BY Jenny Vergara

If you still think of Champagne and sparkling wine like your grandmother’s fine china, something only brought out once a year to celebrate a special occasion, then perhaps you need to rethink your position on what could be one of the most versatile wines we have at our fingertips.

Sparkling wines today are being produced all over the globe, and yet you can also find domestic sparklers made right here at home that twinkle just as bright as any import. Bottles of bubbly are being produced for every preference and palate, from fruity and sweet to bone dry. They also come in a wide variety of colors, (white, yellow, orange, pink and yes, even red) and excellent bottles are available at a variety of price points. Perhaps the best secret factoid about Champagne and sparklers that every sommelier knows is that they are the perfect thing to pair with any food you put with it. Charcuterie and cheese? Yes. Caesar salad? Yes. Steak and frites? Yes. Crème brulee? Yes. By itself? Well, of course, sweetie darling.

If these points aren’t enough to convince you, then let’s talk about the emotional lift you get from drinking sparkling wines. Just listening to the sound of a cork popping off the top of a bottle of Champagne or bubbles has the power to lift moods. (No, literally, it has been proven that drinking sparkling wine or Champagne will get you feeling good faster than non-sparkling wines.) It can make any random Monday suddenly feel much more meaningful. Sparkling wines are also incurably happy whether enjoyed alone or with friends and family.

From a tactile standpoint, drinking a glass of sparkling wine is a seduction of all your senses. You stare at your flute as the silver bubbles slide from the bottom to

the top in an endlessly slow, even rhythm as they shoot up to the surface and spill out across your glass before they finally, gently, drift away like tiny shooting stars, here and then gone. As you lift the glass to your lips, the bubbles tickle your nose first, then your mouth, caressing your tongue and finally your throat. You savor every single flavor of the cool, crisp liquid in your mouth as it teases your palate before slipping away, and another sip is urgently needed. See? Told you. Sexy stuff.

As you prepare to gather with your special someone, loved ones or friends here at the end of another year, why not meet them for a glass of Champagne or sparkling wine. These ten spots will allow you to sparkle and shine with a glass of bubbly in hand.

Tannin Wine Bar & Kitchen

Approachable wine knowledge may sound like an oxymoron, but it perfectly describes the tableside manner that Barry Tunnell and his team have at Tannin. Their carefully curated wine list includes a fine list of bubbles to sip and sample. For the money, their sparkling wine flight is a great deal. You get four, two-ounce samples of each of their sparkling wines by the glass for only $24. A sparkling flight, one of their famous cheese plates, and a friend and you have all you need to celebrate the season. tanninwinebar.com

Cheval on Main

Where else would you grab a glass of tiny bubbles other than a tiny bar? Cheval on Main proudly fits that bill, with no more than 35 seats available and no reservations needed. Located on Main Street, across the street from owner Heather White’s French-inspired café, Tailleur, this intimate and stylish cocktail lounge offers a few select sparklers to choose from on their list, but with a large colorful print of the wine label hanging on the wall, showing a woman holding a glass of sparkling wine over her head, a glass of the Italian Contratto Millesimato, Pas Dosé, 2016, is not only highly suggested, but highly recommended. chevalonmain.com

Ça Va

With a champagne bar in your own backyard that was recognized this year as one of the top ten spots in the country to order a glass of bubbly, you now know where to go. The Champagne Bureau that bestowed the award noted that Ça Va “specializes in grower Champagne (meaning Champagnes produced by the estate that owns the vineyards where the grapes are grown), has rustic-chic décor, and delicious French cuisine.” All true! With a motto like “Champagne for the People,” Ça Va demonstrates that with a serious bottle and by-the-glass list from Champagne to sparkling wines to Pét Nat, this is the place to fi nd your sparkle. cavakc.com

Story

After being named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest this year, chef Carl Thorne-Thomsen and his wife and business partner, Susan, are having a good year at their Prairie Village restaurant, Story. Their wine list also continues its own winning streak with Wine Spectator bestowing their Best of Award for Excellence for the eighth year in a row. With over 2,000 bottles of wine in inventory, their list of sparkling wines is clearly worth celebrating. There is no better place to enjoy dinner and a bottle of bubbles right now. storykc.com

JJ’s Restaurant

For 33 years, JJ’s Restaurant has enjoyed a fine reputation for having an excellent wine list, with a convivial wine bar where professionals gather after work or evening events for a glass of fine wine. With longtime GM and wine director, Matt Nichols, managing the wine list that now consists of 11,000 bottles and 1,200 labels with over 30 wines available by the glass, finding an excellent glass of Champagne or sparkling wine only takes a few quick questions to find the perfect bottle that will fit the bill. Toast the holidays together, then walk to the Country Club Plaza to see the lights before they are gone. jjsrestaurantkc.com

Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room

With chef Michael Corvino managing the kitchen, and his business partner and wife, Christina, managing almost everything else, including their stellar wine program, you can see how this power couple divides and conquers at Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room. As a certified sommelier, Christina is the wine director for the restaurant with a personal passion for sparkling wines, so who better to consult when you are ready to celebrate with a series of small plates from the Supper Club menu and a glass or two of bubbles? Her bottle list has an excellent selection of French Champagnes and a few Italian and Spanish sparklers for good measure. corvino.com

The Antler Room

The Antler Room is the kind of restaurant that continually surprises and delights with a menu from chef Nick Goellner and his team that is always changing with inspiring and interesting seasonal dishes. It takes a nimble wine list to keep up with a menu that innovative, but it is a challenge that Leslie Newsam Goellner has taken head on, with a wine list featuring a mix of Old World and New World grape varietals. With 17 bottles of sparkling wine on the list, many from organic producers, and nine bottles of French Champagne to choose from, you might want to grab a seat at the bar and ask Leslie where you should start—both for dinner and to drink. theantlerroomkc.com

Wine Bunker

Travis Wallace and his wife, Kathy Richman Wallace, opened their casual wine lounge in the Prairiefire entertainment center in Leawood in 2020, after Covid accelerated their retirement plans. Wine Bunker, named after their own wine cellar in their basement at home, is a fun and interactive place to taste a lot of different wines in one spot. They have wines by the glass, flight, or bottle pulled from their selection of over 200 wines you can try. Stop in and explore their list of wine flights, taking a deep dive when you come to their sparkling wines and Champagne options. The wine and the conversation will keep you buzzing all night. winebunkerbar.com

Westport Café

Westport Café has been in excellent hands since co-owners Kevin Mouhot, who manages the front of the house and bar, and Romain Monnoyeur, who serves as executive chef, bought into the business six years ago. With a menu of French bistro favorites, a central location in Westport and a kitchen that stays open later than most, you can always count on finding good food and drink inside their doors. Of course, you’ll also find a glass of French bubbles to enjoy with your meal here, but if you are planning to share, why not order a bottle of bubbles from Monnoyeur’s grandfather’s winery, Domaine Desire Petit, Cremant du Jura Blanc, made from 100-percent Chardonnay grapes and produced at his home in Jura, France. westportcafeandbar.com

The Savoy at 21c Hotel

When you are ready to “drink pink,” it is time to head over to the historic dining room at The Savoy restaurant inside the 21c Hotel and check out their impressive selection of sparkling rosé by the bottle curated by Taylor Tantillo, the director of food and beverage. With executive chef Brandon Brumback and team in the kitchen, you could start with chilled blue point oysters and then move to Maine lobster thermidor for dinner, or you could be a rebel and order the Savoy “smash” burger with your pink bubbles at the bar. With a lobby full of interesting art to explore, and hotel rooms at the ready, you could come for dinner or just make a weekend of it. thesavoykc.com

Graceful, sculptural antique chairs and tables dance across the living room floor in the home of Kenneth Sherman and Jim Schanbacher.

words by Patricia O’Dell photos by Aaron Leimkuehler

Above: The floor-to-ceiling mirrored fireplace visually expands the living room.Top left: In the library, a vintage French Art Deco poster dominates the space. Bottom left: The mohairupholstered antique high-back settee is the perfect spot for reading. The couple calls the high-gloss paint hue used in these rooms “Grey Poupon” Sherman says with a laugh.

Kenneth Sherman and Jim Schanbacher have lived in their home since 1991. Content, but not entirely satisfied, the couple decided to renovate rather than relocate. “We were lucky in that our house was on a lot and half,” Sher man says. “It made sense to expand, and we really did not want to move.”

As simple as it sounds—and in many ways it was—the renovation was still a two-year process. They were fortunate that there were many great elements to the house in addition to the double lot, so they did

not have to “fix” any significant problems. Sherman is the vice president and event director at Trapp and Company and responsible for some of the most beautiful events in town. From the start, he had a clear sense of how the space could work and what the men needed to enjoy it the most. In addition, he has a keen eye for detail. “My passion is millwork,” he says with a smile.

Also, he has a depth of experience and sleight of hand when it comes to visually creating engaging space, but not everything in the house underwent significant change during the renovation. “The living

room didn’t change much in the renovation,” he says. “But the mirror surrounding the fireplace makes it seem much bigger.”

The reflection of the high-gloss ceiling provides a lift as well. While much of the furniture is antique and vintage—a product of a lifetime of collecting—the bare floors and sculptural tables and chairs lend a mod ern air. Upholstery is largely neutral and muted colors, while pottery and ceramics throughout the house bring a bounce of color.

“I like to enhance rooms with accessories and fixtures,” Sherman says. “It’s the same in the garden, which is mostly green and white.”

The library just beyond the living room is a charming mélange of dozens of books, traditional antiques, Louis Ghost chairs, functional brass floor lamps, and a crystal chandelier. The wall of books makes it the perfect spot to lounge on a day at home.

It’s the bar area, dining room, and kitchen just beyond that under went the most renovation. “The dining room was basically the double car garage,” Sherman says.

The room is now both charming and functional. The seemingly compact table where the couple dine on nights they are at home has

Gloss white cabinetry and walls, mirrored soffits, a raised ceiling, and an open plan make the small kitchen live large.

leaves that expand to accommodate 12 people. Just as entertaining is Sherman’s work, it is also his pleasure.

“My family always says, ‘You set the table.’”

It’s a job he enjoys. The plate shelves in the din ing room display a portion of his extensive collection of china and dishware. “We eat at the table every night we are home,” Sherman says. “Even if it’s pizza, it’s on a good plate.” The bar nearby reflects the light from the windows beyond, as well as holding the ice maker and barware.

But it is the kitchen that drove renovation and there is no doubt that the couple feels it was worth any headache that any renovation entails. “We opened up the soffit and raised the ceiling more than a foot,” Sherman says. “That made a huge difference in the way the room felt.”

The couple added custom details that have turned out to be some of the elements they enjoy the most— the antiqued mirror on the upper cabinets, the ogee edge of the marble countertops and the custom stain

Above: The plate rails display antique china, mostly English, ranging from Imari to Regency, which the couple uses every day. Left: In the dining room, antiqued mirror on the bar cabinetry borrows light from the French doors leading to the garden.

In the primary bedroom, the headboard is custom-upholsered in linen, the horizontally striped pillows are custom from Trapp and Company, and the needlepoint pillow was a gift from a friend.

Traditional cabinetry in the primary bath is topped by two vintage silver-gilt Louis Philippe mirrors from Pear Tree Design & Antiques. “It’s extremely rare to find a pair,” Sherman notes.

less hood delight as much as today as they did during design. The push latch on the dishwasher, which allowed them to avoid a handle that would disrupt the design, Sherman claims was “absolutely worth it.” In lieu of an island, they chose a demi-lune table, providing a place to set a dish without the heft.

The garden room, which is home to Sherman’s antique Chinese export frog planters, overlooks the garden and was largely untouched.

“We did put in heated floors and the gas fireplace,” Sherman says. “It may be the most used room in the house. It’s so beautiful when it snows.”

The primary bedroom and bath, both part of the addition, are their sanctuary, and the light and finishes here are equally impressive. Cool northern light floods the bedroom, while the bath addition, with its classic marble tile and traditionally styled double vanity, feels as if it could be original to the home.

The entire project took two years and finished just at the start of the pandemic. Fortunately, they had the perfect place to isolate.

Sherman’s extensive collection of orchids adds color to the garden room. “It’s the perfect light—facing three ways, east, north, and west,” he says.

THE IT LIST

Antiques

Pear Tree Design & Antiques peartreedesignantiques.com

Construction FHI Construction & Remodeling 913-208-8495

Interiors & Floral Trapp and Company trappandcompany.com

In the Kitchen HOLIDAY HUMMUS

BY Cody Hogan PHOTOS BY Aaron Leimkuehler

If there’s one food that is always a hit during holiday parties— anytime, really—it’s a good dip. Just a glance at the exhausted bu et towards the end of a soiree will reveal that the crispy salty things and the dips will have been the most ravaged. Fortunately for the cook, one of the most delicious, versatile, healthful(!) and easiest dips to prepare is hummus.

In its most traditional rendition, cooked chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans or chana) are mashed with garlic, lemon juice, and tahini (sesame-seed paste—see In the Pantry for more info) into a relatively smooth spread. A much faster method uses a food processor (or blender for the smoothest texture). Devotees insist that the creamiest, most silken purée is the desired outcome, and it is hard to disagree. Some go so far as to remove the skins from the cooked beans (which adds considerable time to the whole process). But I do love a bit of texture and certainly won’t say no to less-than-velvety renditions. e garlic, lemon juice, and tahini are essential but variable. But a little travel

around the Mediterranean and Middle East will reveal countless variations in hummus texture and avor.

As for avoring the hummus, one of the most common additions is cumin, which lends a deep, savory character, but other spices and herbs are certainly an option. Even other legumes in place of the chickpeas are welcome, if perhaps unorthodox—lentils, split peas, fresh peas, white beans, fava beans, and mung beans come immediately to mind. For lighter and more nutritious spreads, additions like roasted carrots or beets, sundried tomatoes, canned artichokes, or cooked spinach are a great way to sneak another vegetable (and more avor!) into your diet and use up leftover vegetables at the same time.

Regardless of the avor and type of hummus you serve, having a good selection of things to dip into the spread is essential. e traditional accompaniment would be a atbread like pita or lavosh, but any sturdy chip or cracker, especially whole or multi-grain, would go equally well. For those watching their gluten intake, thinly sliced raw vegetables

are a nice alternative, and I have seen good hummus eaten with nothing more than a spoon on more than one occasion.

Two of my current favorite hummus variations follow. e rst is a more traditional hummus with the addition of roasted beets. e second is made with red lentils avored with butternut squash and a curry blend. e garnishes, including crumbled cheeses, nuts, and oils, are just a few suggestions out of countless possibilities. I hope each recipe will provide a blueprint and inspiration for you to make a hummus of your own for this holiday season and many more to come.

Roasted Beet and Chickpea Hummus

Visually, this brilliantly colorful hummus variation is a welcome addition to any holiday table. e earthy and sweet beet avor is more subtle than one would expect from its appearance, and even the beet averse should enjoy it. I am suggesting canned garbanzo beans but you could certainly cook dried beans if you have the time (and the avor would be even better, the texture a little creamier). In a food processor combine 2 cans garbanzo beans (drained, liquid reserved), 1 medium-sized beet (roasted or boiled and peeled—perhaps leftover from cooking too much for a salad?), ¼ cup tahini, the juice of one lemon, 1-2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin,a good dash of salt, and a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil Purée and pulse the mixture. It will most likely need assistance with a spatula and the addition of some of the reserved bean liquid. Depending on the desired texture, the mixture will need to process anywhere from two to ve minutes. For a really luxurious purée, continue running the food processor for about ten minutes, and add an ice cube or two during that period to keep the hummus from overheating. Taste and adjust the seasoning, perhaps even adding a bit more tahini and olive oil if you want it super smooth and creamy. For more textural contrast, you could garnish the nished hummus with some whole chickpeas or a little diced beet Toasted sesame seeds, crumbles of feta (or goat cheese), a grind of coarse black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil are also welcome additions.

Curried Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Hummus

Combine 1 cup of red split lentils (aka masoor dal) with 2 cups water,a pinch of salt, fresh bay leaf,and splash of olive oil. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and begin to disintegrate. e water should be completely absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat. Discard the bay leaf and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes. In a food processor or blender, combine the cooked lentil mixture, ¼ cup tahini, 1-2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon curry powder (use whatever is your favorite convenience blend), plus a little extra fenugreek (I love fenugreek), juice of half a lemon (or more!), dash of salt, and about a cup of cooked butternut squash or sweet potato (this is a great way to use up that little bit you have left over from last night). Purée until smooth, adding a bit more oil (or water if you’re watching your calories), and adjust the seasonings to suit your taste. To serve, spread on a plate and garnish with pomegranate seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), cilantro, extra-virgin olive oil, labneh, feta, or other cheese.

In Your Pantry

OPEN SESAME

THEY’RE FOR MORE than just hamburger buns! Sesame seeds are a great source of avor, nutrients, and texture, especially after they’ve been processed into an unctuous paste or avorful oil. e sesame plant has been cultivated for thousands of years and grows in conditions many plants would nd unfavorable. Sesame seeds have found their way into cuisines worldwide. Look for these products in larger grocery stores, specialty stores, and markets specializing in Middle Eastern, Indian, and Asian cuisines. Note that sesame seeds can cause an allergic reaction in people with sensitivities to nuts and seeds, so proceed with caution if you are one of them.

Whole Seeds

Whole sesame seeds come in a wide variety of colors, the most common being off white, black, and light brown. The flavor profile doesn’t particularly vary from color to color, but growing terroir, storage methods, and age do cause variations in taste. Try them sprinkled on or mixed into many types of breads. Their nutty flavor and chewy, crunchy texture can be a stimulating addition to salads and rice dishes. Different color seeds mixed together can make a visually striking crust on a piece of fish or garnish to many desserts.

Sesame Seed Paste

Also known as tahini or tahina, finely ground sesame seeds produce a rich and creamy spread similar to unsweetened smooth peanut butter. Like natural peanut butter, tahini separates into solids that sink to the bottom and oil that rises to the top when it sits undisturbed for any length of time, so it should always be mixed thoroughly before each use. Tahini can be stored at room temperature for up to a year before the flavor begins to go off. For the best flavored tahini, look for varieties from Lebanon or Israel. Try thinning tahini with lemon juice and a little water and salt to taste (and maybe a garlic clove) for a quick dressing for salads or vegetables. Tahini drizzled with honey or pomegranate molasses makes a nice spread for toast, a bagel, or even pancakes.

Sesame Seed Oil

One of the oldest seed crops cultivated for oil production, sesame-seed oil comes both raw (regular) and toasted—both are delicious. Regular sesame oil has a high smoking point and is good for cooking or as a finishing oil. Toasted sesame oil has a more pronounced nutty quality and is best used for drizzling over finished dishes—-and as it has already been cooked, it can quickly take on a burned taste if heated. Black sesame oil has one of the richest antioxidant profiles of all plant oils and is frequently used in Ayurvedic medicine and cooking.

by Jenny Vergara

In Your Cocktail LONNIE’S RENO CLUB

Follow the winding staircase located inside the front door of the Ambassador Hotel in downtown Kansas City as it curls down to the lower level, and you’ll soon arrive at the front door of Lonnie’s Reno Club, one of the top “dinner and a jazz show” experiences in town. The director of food and beverage, Eric Willey, will greet you at the door and as he checks you in, offer you a deliciously old-school Champagne cocktail

before escorting you inside the intimate room where there isn’t a bad seat in the house.

After you have settled in, the lights go out and the band revs up to introduce the star of the show, Kansas City’s own music man, Lonnie McFadden. He takes the stage dressed in a grin and a handsome suit and joyfully shouts out to the audience words of welcome and thanks for coming, his trumpet in one hand and tap shoes on his feet. His energy

is electric and contagious as the whole room erupts into a round of applause ready for the show to begin.

Raised near Kansas City’s historic 18th and Vine district, Lonnie McFadden grew up hearing his father, Jimmy McFadden, talk about his career as a professional tap dancer working under the stage name “Pops,” while touring with the likes of jazz legends Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie, who were playing with orchestras in the 1930s and 40s.

Today at 66, Lonnie McFadden has toured the world entertaining people with his trumpet playing, tap-dancing, and singing both solo and with members of his talented family, including his brother Ronnie, whom he has recently started performing with again at Lonnie’s Reno Club.

is month, McFadden has asked his talented family to join him on stage for a special holiday show called “McFadden Family: Home for the Holidays,” where you can expect to see a high-energy, Las Vegas-style performance from McFadden and his brother, who are both Jazz Walk of Fame inductees. On Sunday, December 18, there will be a special McFadden Brothers’ performance that will include Lonnie’s talented daughters, Chloe and Gina, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. It will be the rst time all four family members will take stage together. Coming o the heels of their successful McFadden Brothers show this fall, this holiday show will feature everyone’s favorite jazz, R&B, and holiday favorites. Reservations are a must to secure your spot at these performances that sell out each weekend.

ere is a list of cocktails and wine you can order additionally to go with your dinner, which includes an appetizer, main course, and dessert in the ticket price, but their number-one seller is their Champagne cocktail, the same one that greets you at the front door.

“When developing Lonnie’s Reno Club, we really wanted to evoke the 1930s Kansas City jazz club scene and take guests back in time,” says Willey. “Greeting guests with the Champagne cocktail seemed not only suitable with bubbles, but also time-period appropriate.”

Here's the recipe for you to toast with friends and family in your home this holiday season. Cheers!

Champagne Cocktail

1 flute of Champagne

1 sugar cube

2-3 dashes Angostura bitters Lemon twist

Place sugar cube in a champagne flute, lash it with 2 or 3 dashes of bitters, and fill the glass with Champagne.

Squeeze a lemon twist on top, then use as garnish.

1900bldg.com (913) 730–1905

BY Jenny Vergara

GREEN DIRT FARM CAFÉ

In Culinary News

HAVING A KANSAS CITY LOCATION was always part of the plan for Sarah Ho man, owner of Green Dirt Farm, and her “ladies” who produce the milk used to make her award-winning sheep’s-milk cheeses. Homan has announced plans to open a new Green Dirt Farm café, production facility, event space, and storefront in downtown Kansas City sometime next year. She opened Green Dirt Farm Creamery in 2016 in Weston, Missouri, where she also has her farm, and has had much success there selling sandwiches and cheese boards featuring her hard, soft, and fresh sheep’smilk and blended-milk cheeses that continue to win international awards for their avor and texture. e existing two-story red brick building located at 16th and Oak Street sits in the shadow to the east of the green glass former Kansas City Star building. At almost 14,000 square feet, it will include a café with a bigger kitchen overseen by executive chef Oskar Arevalo, who is currently Green Dirt’s head cheese maker, with room for 65 to dine on the rst oor. ere will be an event space on the second oor and rooftop patio on top of the building. greendirtfarm.com

Hong Chun Zhang (Born in China, working in the United States, born 1971). Continuity (detail), 2022. Chinese ink on Alcantara fabric with scrolls, 240 × 58 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Photo © 2022 The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

In Culinary News

THE ROCKHILL GRILLE

ZACH MARTEN AND BRET SPRINGS are rocking the suburbs with the second location of their popular upscale American grill, The Rockhill Grille, which has opened in the Town Center Crossing shopping center at 119th and Roe in the former La Bodega restaurant space. The origi nal Rockhill Grille location opened in the Crossroads Arts District in 2016, complete with a stunning second-floor private-party space with views of downtown. The new Leawood location will have a large bar and outdoor patio and be open for brunch, lunch, and dinner featuring the same signature starters, including pig wings, house-made tater tots, and calamari along with hearty salads, prime rib “dip” sandwich, and their Rockhill cheeseburger. Look for delicious entrées to grace the menu, such as duck confit, roasted chicken, Scottish salmon, crab cakes, scallops, and the Rockhill rib eye and filet mignon. The restaurant is open Monday through Sunday, from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. therockhillgrille.com

JUSTUS DRUGSTORE

AFTER CLOSING both of their restaurants within a year of each other right before the pandemic, the James Beard-nominated chef Jonathan Justus and his busi ness partner and wife, Camille Eklof, have announced plans to open a new version of their popular Smithville restaurant, Justus Drugstore, this time in the historic Hyde Park neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri, by next spring. The new restaurant model features a prix fixe, multi-course menu that moves guests through the restaurant starting with a glass of something interest ing and a passed appetizer in the outdoor courtyard, through the intimate bar, lounge, and wine room com plete with fireplace, until guests are finally shown to the dining room. Every seat will be a seat at the chef’s table. Guests will prepay online for a bespoke dining experience, and will be emailed instructions for what to do when they arrive. The new restaurant will be open for dinner Wednesdays through Sundays only, with Wednesday night dinners featuring a shorter fourcourse dinner and the more popular weekend nights will feature up to 12 courses, similar to what Justus and his wife have been hosting for guests at their home in Paradise, Missouri. drugstorerestaurant.com

2022 Kappa Kappa Gamma Holiday Homes Tour

Reservation for One KITTY’S CAFÉ

by Jenny Vergara photos by Aaron Leimkuehler

There are plenty of small, locally owned restaurants in this city that have been around for so long, consistently delivering the food they do best, day in and day out, that it is easy for us to take them for granted. They are the places that have always been there, and, we assume, always will be.

Sure, these places have regulars who are their bread-and-butter business, but for those of us who aren’t regulars, we love them when we try them, but soon forget, taking the restaurant out of our regular rotation when we choose to try something new, and there is always a new place to try. That is until someone from somewhere else comes along and reminds us how great our favorite familiar restaurant is now, and, well, always has been.

Kitty’s Café is one of those places in Kansas City.

When The New York Times came out in September with their an nual Restaurant List for 2022, they named Kitty’s Café as one of the 50 places in America they are most excited about right now. The gravity of that kind of recognition for a little tiny place like Kitty’s hit almost immediately, with lines snaking down the block the day the article was published. It was like suddenly the whole city woke up and remembered how much they loved Kitty’s Café.

If you have never been to Kitty’s Café or had their mouth-watering pork tenderloin sandwich, you may be wondering, how did this little place fly on the radar of the Times. Why is a 71-year-old lunch counter in Kansas City with no indoor seating, that accepts cash only, and serves,

in addition to their pork tenderloin sandwich, a quite good cheeseburg er and a few breakfast sandwiches—getting this kind of love from a major metropolitan U.S. newspaper?

The answer is simple. The people who own it care about their food and their customers, and it shows, and that coupled with luck and lon gevity is what we should hold up as honorable and bestow with awards and accolades.

In food media, just like in society, we have become obsessed with the new and notable, the imaginative and innovative, the big budgets and big-ticket places, forgetting the humble and hardworking spots with owners who get up early every day because they know their cus tomers are counting on them for hot food, a smile, some conversation and a “see you next time.”

That is why the list of restaurants selected by the Times this year included an intriguing mix of older and newer restaurants, all of them smaller, locally owned, and serving some type of distinct global or regional cuisine, as faithfully and honestly as possible regardless of whether it is fast or fine food.

Kitty’s Café opened in 1951 in the same spot where it still operates, a colorful cinderblock building located right on 31st Street just a few blocks west of Troost Avenue.

It was started by Paul and Kitty Kawakami, a Japanese-Amer ican couple, who moved to Kansas City after spending much of World War II in a Japanese internment camp in California. They

decided to name the restaurant after Kitty, who was described as a colorful character who laughed easily and truly loved and cared for people, especially her customers.

It was likely their own Japanese heritage that is responsible for their now legendary pork tenderloin sandwich, which can also be ordered today with fried chicken or catfish in place of the pork. It uses thinly sliced, but not pounded, pork tenderloin dipped into a thick tempura batter that is deep fried until crispy. Because they do not pound the pork, three crispy patties fit nicely between two soft hamburger buns. The sandwich gets a quick sprinkle of chopped iceberg lettuce, white onion and tomato on top before it is doused with a few generous shakes of their own house-made hot sauce, a key balancing ingredient in this sandwich equation. When your order is ready, five to ten minutes tops, quickly take your grease-stained brown paper bag and canned soda out side to eat under the covered patio to ensure you are eating that sand wich at its peak for maximum crunch.

When Paul and Kitty retired in 1986, they sold the restaurant to an other Asian-American owner, and here the story gets a bit blurry, until 1999 when the current owner, Charley Soulivong, who had worked in restaurants much of his life, purchased Kitty’s Café and all the original recipes and has been running it with the help of his wife and kids for the last 23 years, never messing with the recipes or formula that the original owners put in place all those years ago. Kitty’s legacy lives on today thanks to Soulivong’s caring and capable hands.

Three Must-Know Flooring Trends for Updating Your Home in the New Year

By Emily Park

WHEN CHRIS BRADFORD

was traveling the Kansas City metro as a manufacturer’s representative for a custom rug fabrication company in the late 1990s, he noticed a big gap in locally owned bus inesses where clients could purchase custom-made rugs from in the metro.

In 2001, Bradford launched a business in Overland Park to fill that gap, and 20 years later, his two businesses—Area Rug Dimensions and KC Wholesale Carpet—are a one-stop shop for flooring needs of all kinds at 127th and Metcalf in Overland Park.

“The most redeeming thing about owning the business after 23 years is we’ve started getting homeowners bringing in their kids who now have a house and need rugs or carpet,” Bradford says. “It’s neat having met them back in 2001, and now they’re bringing in their chil dren to do business here.”

For nearly 25 years, Bradford’s team has offered Kansas Citians expertise in all types of flooring needs. On the KC Wholesale Car pet side of the showroom, customers can expect an abundance of choices—don’t worry, Bradford’s team will help you pick the right one—from carpet to wood flooring and tile.

Venture into the showroom for Area Rug Dimensions for an extensive selection of colors, textures, and patterns in rugs of all shapes and sizes, ranging from handwoven, hand-knotted, hand-tufted, machine-loomed, and machine-woven styles.

From full-service installation and in-home consultations to purcha sing what you need to install it yourself, Bradford›s team will work with you to fulfill your flooring needs.

THE TOP THREE MUST-KNOW FLOORING TRENDS

Whether you’re thinking about adding a new area rug, updating the flooring in the kitchen, or doing a flooring makeover throughout your home, these are the products Bradford says customers should pay the most attention to.

1)Flooring that looks like marble—without the price tag

There’s hardly anything that looks better in a kitchen or bathroom than marble flooring, but the real thing can get pricey to install, and it’s often challenging to clean. Luckily, for Bradford’s customers, he offers a lowercost option that mimics marble flooring but without the hassle: TRUCOR Tile with IGT uses innovative technology to assemble tiles with a click

system that replicates a real grout joint.

“Putting in real marble costs ten to 20 times more than the cost of the options we have, and it looks like the real thing,” Bradford says. “Because it’s a simu lated grout line, the grout doesn›t crack out, and it do esn’t need to be cleaned— it’s more of a lifetime and maintenance-free product.”

2)Flat-woven wool rugs are all the rage

For customers who want something that lasts, keeps its value, and looks better with age, Bradford recommends flat-woven wool rugs. While handwoven rugs come with a higher price tag, they also come with more benefits.

“This is for the customer who has a lot of pride in ownership in what they buy,” Bradford says. “They last forever, can be resold for a decent value, and wool is naturally more cleanable than any other fiber—plus it’s a hand-tied rug, so there’s no glue to break down, and you can actually submerge it in a pool of water and wash it just like you would your hair.”

In fact, the more you wash it, the better it looks. Bradford likens the handwoven rugs to a leather chair—it gets better looking with age. Plus, these rugs are made with long staple wool, so the pile is locked into the knot and doesn’t pull out. The rugs are also thoroughly washed in the finishing process, removing any excess wool produced during spinning and weaving—this results in no shedding or matting while the rug is in your home.

3)Waterproof hardwood flooring

With the newest flooring technology, gone are the days of worrying about what a spill or leak will do to your hardwood flooring. New in Brad ford’s showroom is HydroBlok waterproof engi neered hardwood, made with a three-part sys tem to protect the flooring from water damage.

“The waterproof wood is all engineered so that you have basically zero chance of having issues,” Bradford says. “I like the fact that it’s real wood, so you don’t get those imitation prints and patterns—that’s the big draw. Why do people still buy this over solid wood? Be cause you don’t have to deal with the potential warping and cracking issues that a solid chunk of wood has.”

Plus, the engineered hardwood incorporates antimicrobial protec tion against everyday germs that regular natural hardwood doesn’t have, it’s constructed to be resistant to scratches and dents, and it comes with a 50-year residential warranty guaranteed to handle all the roughness kids and pets can throw at it.

Visit Area Rug Dimensions at 12623 Metcalf Avenue and KC Wholesale Carpet next door at 12619 Metcalf Avenue to set up a consultation. For the best in-store experience, bring along color swatches and photos of the space you’re interested in working on.

Prismatic: Kemper Gala 2022

FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, the Kemper Gala has played a key role in ensuring Kansas City has access to world-class contemporary art and programs for all ages and abilities— all free of charge. On October 8, guests gathered at the museum for fantastic cuisine, dancing, surprising entertainment, and great art. For more photos go to inkansascity.com/events.

photos by kenny johnson

Sunday Night Live

KANSAS CITY HOSPICE held their signature event, Sunday Night Live, on October 2 at the Kansas City Power and Light District. The evening had live music, open bars, and palate-tempting food from some of Kansas City’s best restaurants. It was a record breaking year for the event, raising more than $635,000 to help patients and families served by Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care each and every day. For more photos go to inkansascity.com/events.

photos by bethany vonseggern and angela ross

Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired: Illuminate

ON OCTOBER 21, the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired held their Illuminate event at the Abbott. CCVI’s services are the gold standard of education for children with visual impairments in Kansas City. With 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired, Illuminate makes these services accessible throughout the community. For more photos go to inkansascity.com/events.

photos

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A Benefit for Heart of America Shakespeare Festival

February 11, 2023 | 6-10 p.m. | InterContinental Hotel Honorary Chairmen Drs. Charles and Susan Porter Founder ’ s Award Linda Word

PHOTO BY CORIE ENGLISH

Essentials

BY Emily Park

MILLER BOGART

GALLERIST. ENTREPRENEUR. CONNECTOR

As a native Kansas Citian, Miller Bogart has long appreciated KC’s unparalleled art scene. “We are fortunate to have world-class institutions here, such as the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. ey are constantly bringing in outstanding programs and exhibits for the cultural bene t of our city.” Now, Bogart is an art gallerist himself. His newly opened West Bottoms gallery, Gallery Bogart, is ful lling a need he saw in the Kansas City community: art from Latin America. “To me, it’s all about the artist, their personal narrative, and the story they are telling through their work. I am thrilled to be able to bring these artists to Kansas City and the Midwest,” Bogart says. Over his career, he has met emerging artists from countries such as Columbia, Mexico, and Cuba, whose work he plans to bring to the Kansas City art scene. First up? Cuban artist Abel Massot. Bogart says his gallery’s current (and rst) public exhibition Dialogo Figurativo showcases emotional bonds and existentialist questions of the modern human being with contemporary works of art created by Massot. e exhibit is on display through December 31, and you’ll want to stay tuned to gallerybogart.com to see what Bogart has planned. In the meantime, check out some of Bogart’s favorite nds from his adventures in Kansas City.

Miller’s essentials...

LOCAL ARTISTS: Two exceptionally talented artists and current Kansas City Art Institute students, Aleta Larkin and Haven Lee, have been doing amazing mural work on the side of our building at 1400 Union Avenue. It has been impressive to see the progress on the mural and is a must-stop when touring the street art in the West Bottoms!

SHOP LOCAL: Hammerpress in the West Bottoms is my go-to place for an impressive, locally designed, and printed card for any occasion. I enjoy looking through their nicely curated selection of pens and notebooks as well.

Café Corazón is where you can nd me most weekends starting my day. I know you might be thinking about their horchata or dulce de leche lattes, but the yerba mate is where it’s at!

HOLIDAY TRADITION: Hopping in the car with family and friends with a big thermos full of hot cocoa and driving around the Plaza and Ward Parkway neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights.

DINNER TIME:

For me, nothing is more authentic Kansas City than the original Peanut on Main. It might be the year-round Christmas lights, the regular sta , or just the patrons’ Kansas City charm. I would recommend the cheeseburger and add jalapeños. eir nachos are an underrated alternative.

SELF-CARE: Anthony Molle at Hair Trap runs a great old-school-style shop. You always come out looking refreshed and put together. Plus, he has a pair of friendly dogs who will say hello while you are getting your cut.

HIDDEN GEM: A neighborhood I have been enjoying lately is Strawberry Hill in Kansas City, Kansas. ey have a variety of great local spots worth checking out. I nd myself grabbing dinner there often. ey also have a local arts scene, anchored by their third Friday art walk.

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