IN Kansas City December 2024

A Little Indulgence

CAVIAR IS POPPING UP ALL AROUND TOWN A CRAMPED CABIN IS TRANSFORMED INTO A SPACIOUS LAKESIDE HOME

Q & A WITH KANSAS CITY LEGEND MARILYN MAYE

Preferred By Designers and Open To Everyone

GATHERING for the Holidays and Year-Round

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Paulene

How to Decorate for the Holidays …without Decorating for the Holidays

I’m an Aries, but it’s my Virgo rising that causes the most problems. Any astrologer will tell you your rising sign is all about how you look at life, and those with Virgo rising are all about neatness and order. A clean, organized environment is doubly important to us.

My weekends can’t be about relaxing until every cranny of the house is swept of dog-hair dust bunnies, the bed is made, the pillows on every sofa and chair are perfectly plumped as if a photo shoot is about to occur, and in the refrigerator, bottles of Perrier are lined up just so.

It’s that time of year when guests can pop in at short notice, or no notice at all, so I consider myself well prepared. The wine cooler is fully stocked, as is the bar. (Although my bar is never as pretty as the photos in the magazines—or more locally—as chic as Merrily Jackson’s.) With that and a tin of Marcona almonds in the pantry and a jar of good olives in the fridge, I’m ready.

That means, of course, that I forego seasonal decorating. No fresh tree scenting the air, no swags of greens across the mantel. The most I’ll do is fill a bowl with some vintage clear glass ornaments I bought at an estate sale ages ago. It’s for the best, or I’d be forever vacuuming up stray needles off the floor.

There are, however, several pots of fresh paperwhites and amaryllis arranged around the house for seasonal color, especially since it’s so dreary outside. Candles are perfect for providing the scent of the holidays without the muss, so I have one in every room. Every design authority advises burning just one scent throughout the house, but that never works for me. I’ll burn a different candle in every room, which then blends to form one unique-to-me fragrance that I love.

So there you go. Festive and welcoming, but nothing that must be tossed after the holidays. And no sad, dead tree with a few remaining strands of tinsel caught in its bare branches sitting curbside in January.

(Unless you have kiddos at home, of course. Then ignore all of this. AND. DO. ALL. THE. THINGS!)

Vol. 7 | No. 12

DECEMBER 2024

Editor In Chief Zim Loy

Digital Editor Evan Pagano

Art Director Alice Govert Bryan

Contributing Writers

Judith Fertig, Merrily Jackson, Cindy Hoedel, Damian Lair, Patricia O’Dell, Jenny Vergara

Contributing Photographers

Kevin Alvey, Bridget Chang, Marcea Corbin, Flanders Creative, Kenny Johnson, Stephen Karlisch, Aaron Leimkuehler

Publisher Michelle Jolles

Media Director Brittany Coale

Senior Media Consultants

Katie Delzer, Nicole Kube, Krista Markley, Josie Rawlings

Intern Annie Woodson

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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Mail: IN Kansas City Subscriptions PO Box 292374, Kettering, OH 45429 Phone: 888-881-5861

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Zim

Featuring Robyn Nichols jewelry

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ENTER TO WIN

Get in the Zona. is month, our pals at Zona Rosa are giving one lucky IN Kansas City reader a free $100 shopping spree. It’s super easy to enter—just clack a few keys at inkansascity.com/themagazine/enter-to-win by December 31. Best of luck!

If you’re like us, you do a double take every time you drive I-70 through Blue Springs. Yes, that is the Kansas City Curling Club. No, you don’t have to be an Olympian to get on the ice. Get an inside look at the Kansas City curling scene on inkansascity.com

The reason for the season. As you enjoy the spoils of the holidays—gifts, meals, family, and warmth—consider helping others do the same. On inkansascity.com, we listed several KC-speci c volunteer opportunities.

Santa, are you listening? Our team spends a lot of time at Kansas City businesses, and by year’s end, we have a mountain of just-in-KC products that we want for the holidays. If you’re having a hard time lling your own list, nd our holiday sta picks on inkansascity.com

It’s stout season. e time has come. From now until spring, no one will judge you for drinking beers thicker than a Christmas sweater. KC’s beer scene is full of heavenly stouts, each more creative than the last. We listed the stouts you shouldn’t miss on inkansascity.com

This Month IN KC December

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE

by Evan Pagano

Electric Glow and Luminary Walk Through December 30

Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens artsandrec-op.org/arboretum/luminary-walk

A night of light. Overland Park Arboretum & Gardens brings beauty to the masses all year, but they turn it up a notch in December. at’s when they deck the garden grounds with lights, and on 20 select dates, let you stroll through and admire. Electric Glow is the low-key, lights-only experience; Luminary Walk (Dec. 6-7 and 13-14) adds loads of holiday activities to the mix.

Hallmark Christmas Experience Through December 22 Crown Center Square experiencehallmarkchristmas.com

Step into a Hallmark movie. If you’re a Hallmark Channel fan, you don’t need us to tell you how big of a deal this is. Crown Center Square will be done up like only Hallmark can do it, and stars of the channel’s Christmas movies will visit every weekend. Expect music-linked light displays, ticketed actor panels, the Holiday Hallmarket, and more.

DECEMBER SPOTLIGHT

New Year’s Eve Celebrations

December 31

Various locations

Ring it in your way. If you’re one to go out on New Year’s Eve, there’s no shortage of options for you. Looking for a nightclub vibe? Grab a ticket to New Year’s Eve at KC Live! and ring in 2025 with DJ James Kennedy of Vanderpump Rules fame. Depending on the ticket package, you can get access to 11 venues, unlimited drink packages, food stations, and even a red-carpet entrance. powerandlightdistrict.com/nye

Or head to the Crossroads Hotel—or, known for one night only as the Neon Coliseum—for New Year’s Eve XXV. You can dress futuristically, in styles from ancient history, or a combination of the two. Expect EDM, performances by Quixotic, and premium food and drink with your ticket. crossroadshotelkc. com/explore/events/new-years-eve-xxv

Not your speed? We feel you. Zoo Year’s Eve might be the party for you. For two hours on New Year’s Eve, some Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium’s residents will receive New Year’s-themed enrichment, and you can witness it for the price of admission. e best part? It’s a countdown to noon, not midnight. kansascityzoo.org/event/zoo-years-eve

Another unique option is New Year’s Eve at The Bird. Spend your night at e Bird Comedy theater to enjoy laughs and libations. e year’s best acts will be back in the house, and there’ll be a toast at midnight. You get a glass of champagne with your ticket which you can get at eventbrite.com

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

BY Merrily Jackson

A Christmas Wish List for Aspiring Hosts

Hello, you sweet, darling, party-giver you. Are you keen to do more entertaining in 2025? Maybe you’ve decided to make it a New Year’s resolution? Perhaps loved ones are asking what you want for Christmas. Just hand them this list of giftable things that make entertaining easier and more fun.

An air fryer. Air fryers are terri c for producing hot, crispy appetizers, either homemade, like gougères (I have a recipe! Email me for it or any other I mention) or storebought frozen appetizers, for which Trader Joe’s is an excellent source. You also can make crispy roasted vegetables for a small dinner party— ngerling potatoes, sweet onions, and asparagus are a few of my faves—in just 20 minutes.

A sous vide. With a sous vide immersion circulator, practically any vessel

in your kitchen can be transformed into a precisely controlled water bath that produces melt-in-your-mouth foods. Just ask and I will share with you my favorite sous vide recipe, pork tenderloin with garlic and shallots, given to me by my cooking buddy, the Insu erable Food Snob Don Loncasty.

Vintage cocktail glasses. A gimlet served from an Art Deco martini glass will make your guests feel like they’re in a Nick and Nora movie. Cocktails are more special when one drinks them from vintage glasses, which have a sense of history and character that mass-produced glasses just can’t match. Urban Mining, Populuxe, Bella Patina, and Green Door Antiques all have beautiful vintage glasses and barware. (Check store hours online.)

A humongous serving platter. Everyone needs at least one jumbo-sized serving platter. Once you have it, it will be pressed into service all the time, even if you have just a few people over for drinks. It’s easy to transport a cocktail spread from kitchen to deck, den, or living room when everything is on one platter. Mine is white (most versatile), 27 inches long, and easily accommodates small bowls of olives and pistachios, a pretty bunch of grapes, half of a thinly sliced baguette and a triangle of Cambozola.

A Wusthof Classic Double-Serrated Bread Knife. Your knife drawer should contain at least one really good serrated knife for slicing crusty breads, citrus fruits, melons, and delicate cakes. My Wusthof bread knife is one of my favorite soldiers of the kitchen, and it is now available at WilliamsSonoma in festive, giftable colors like coral peach and wild blueberry.

Pretty little dessert/appetizer plates. A set of smaller decorative plates—sometimes they’re called cocktail plates—comes in handy for serving charcuterie or other appetizers. Even if you’re o ering just chips and salsa, it’s nice for guests to be able to sit back and relax with their own little plateful. I have several sets of such plates that can also do duty as dessert plates.

Swanky personalized correspondence cards. In an increasingly digital world, a personal note on stationery with your name or monogram elegantly displayed shows intention and care. Whether you’re sending a dinner invitation, a thank you, or a congratulatory note, a customized card conveys respect and polish. I was impressed when my friend Susan Gordon used her monogrammed note card to send regrets for an event I was chairing. I’d never thought of doing that, but how genteel. You can order gorgeous, personalized stationery at Cuorebella in Mission Farms.

Entertaining IN KC GIFTABLE BARWARE

COCKTAIL SMOKING BOX

For the serious mixologist, a cocktail smoking box infuses homemade cocktails with savory, smoky avor. This one is from Crafthouse by Fortessa and is available online at Crate & Barrel

hudsonandjane.com

LINEN COCKTAIL NAPKINS

Linen cocktail napkins are eco-friendly and add an elegant touch that guests will likely notice and appreciate. The Ferns and Flowers and Ornaments cocktail napkins are available at Sharyn Blond Linens in the Crestwood Shops. CRESTWOOD

ICE TUB

This handmade ceramic bucket by Montes Doggett would be a very chic-looking ice tub for a larger party.

SILVER GALLEY TRAY

Entertaining IN KC

SUGAR PLUM PUDDING

THE PERFECT DESSERT FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER.

From A Kansas City Christmas cookbook by Jane Guthrie and Karen Adler. Serves 10 – 12

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans or combination of both

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup cooked prunes, puréed (or use baby food)

GLAZE

1 cup sugar

½ cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

½ cup butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and our a 10 or 12-cup Bundt pan. (Note: This also bakes well in a traditional pudding mold.)

Sift dry ingredients together, then stir in remaining ingredients in order given. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. While pudding bakes, combine glaze ingredients and bring to a boil.

To remove the cake, place a large plate over the bundt pan and while holding the plate in place, invert the pan, the cake should drop onto the plate. Drizzle with glaze and serve.

For visual drama at serving time, soak a few sugar cubes in lemon or orange extract, place around pudding on small pieces of aluminum foil, and ignite, then present to your guests. Make sure flames are fully extinguished before serving!

Entertaining IN KC

ASK MERRILY

Q: We are having a large party to celebrate our daughter’s engagement, and we’re planning to do a champagne toast. Would it be okay to use plastic glasses?

A: Not if you can a ord to rent glass utes. Plastic seems too casual for such a special moment. Champagne tastes better out of glass, and in a ute the bubbles rise in a more uniform, attractive way. is adds elegance and a sense of occasion that feels more aligned with the celebratory nature of an engagement party. Plus, it’s always more environmentally sound to choose glass rather than plastic.

Do you have a question about entertaining? Email it to mjackson@inkansascity.com

PRIORITIZE PRESENT NEEDS

Our

by Damian Lair

dlair@inkansascity.com

: @damianlair #OurManINKC

Tangled Illusions

‘‘Under a cosmic canopy awaits an immersive experience that suspends your beliefs and transforms your imagination.” is was the elusive promise on my invitation to the annual gala—dubbed ArtSmash—for the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art e promise was kept. Since the event, I’ve heard from numerous attendees that this was one of the most fun iterations in recent memory. e recent hyper-modern, shiny metallic, space-age themes were set aside. is year’s vibe was all about lush botanicals and autumnal jewel tones. All this carried over to the evening’s attire as well, with guests having clearly received the thematic message. e annual ArtSmash gala is designed around the collision of light and layers, art and ideas, people and place, and philanthropy and fashion—an artful smashing together of all this. Guests were greeted inside the museum’s central atrium with glasses of welcome champagne and invited into a verdant, modern midnight garden. Palm fronds lit by sleek neon tube lights and a nature soundscape and video projection (by KCAI alumni Oz Overshiner and Bella Cordero) set the tone. Meandering through the tightly packed crowd were also beautiful, large insects, brought to life by Stone Lion Puppets.

What overserved auntof-the-bride caused quite a stir heckling at the rehearsal dinner?

And for full envelopment into this living world, the atrium project (expanded for the rst time to ll the entire central core of the museum), recently reimagined by Lucía Vidales, of Monterrey, Mexico, was a stunner. Established in 2016, the Atrium Project is an annual series of commissioned projects that presents the work of emerging and mid-career Hispanic and Latinx artists. Vidales’s vibrant work, Hambre, oods the atrium with her interpretation of a last supper scene (shown, in part, behind me in the event photo here). She uses traditional painting and drawing as a window into the complex social, cultural, and historical layers of meaning within meal sharing, dinner parties, and gathering spaces. In these activities, eating and community are central elements, and after-dinner conversations are an important part of social life and connecting. In this massive work (22 by 25 feet), layers of grayscale charcoal drawing create a network of silhouetted gures beneath the painting and honor those who make it possible for gatherings to take shape, such as chefs, kitchen prep cooks,

and servers. e painting itself, of vibrant, colorful guests gathered around a table, hangs in front of the drawing and contains sweeping marks and washes that coalesce seamlessly with the background, emphasizing their connectedness. Indeed, one can create an entire gala inspired by a single artwork, and here, the organizers (of which I am one) did.

OVERHEARD

They should be required to wear a scarlet letter.

Following hours of lively conversation in the museum atrium, we made our way to the grand outdoor tent. Live music surrounded, and a decadent bu et dinner was served. is year, the dinner was prepared by none other than the chef Ted Habiger’s new restaurant addition to the museum, Oil on Linen. Like the museum’s exhibition calendar, the menu will change, and visitors will nd connections between the two, such as the Lucía Vidales quesadilla, which Habiger developed with the artist while she was working on Hambre. e highly anticipated meal was celebrated by all with whom I spoke.

Following dinner, I returned to the museum for a quick gallery tour of the latest featured exhibition, In nite Regress: Mystical Abstraction from the Permanent Collection. is autumn marked the 30th anniversary of the Kemper Museum’s o cial opening. Over the past three decades, it has become a cultural cornerstone in Kansas City and a leading presenter of contemporary art and ideas in the region. is latest exhibition presents selections from the museum’s 1,400+ permanent collection, paired with new works. ey’re connected by a shared vocabulary of mystical abstrac-

PHOTO BY KENNY JOHNSON

From Left: David Brinkerho , Damian Lair, and Dan Meiners at the Kemper Gala.

HOT GOSSIP:

Our Man IN KC

tion, engaging periods of extreme transformation in nature and technology. Aha!—another poignant connection to the gala theme.

Infinite regress is a philosophical term referring to an endless sequence of reasoning in which each new idea depends on the one that preceded—a paradox of unlimited reformulation wherein the future is built on the past. The exhibition features works from the likes of Joseph Stella and Georgia O’Keefe. My personal favorite was the final piece I experienced—a thought-provoking photographic work by Isaac Julien titled Black Madonna / New Negro Aesthetic (Once Again… Statues Never Die). The exhibit is on display through February 23.

By the time I’d completed my self-guided tour, everyone’s favorite portion of the evening had commenced—the dancing. Cocooned inside the interior glass-ceilinged courtyard, DJ Sheppa was spinning beats. Overhead, a sea of undulating foiled streamers and ribbons kissed the head tops of reveling dancers. Beneath, an illuminated dance floor flickered to Sheppa’s musical pulse. It was the perfect space for a late-night dance party. As the evening came to a close, Bob Hartsook was declared the raffle winner of Tom Corbin’s gorgeous, bronze horse sculpture. Upon our exit, we were handed slices of Minsky’s pizza. From entrance to exit, it was the perfect party—and one that allows the museum’s exhibitions and public programming to remain free for everyone. Infinitely.

SPOTTED: Artist Honoree Petah Coyne, Honorary Chair BeBe Kemper Hunt, Event Co-Chairs, Kim Hinman & Tyler Enders and Rachel Sexton & Brian King, Mary Kemper Wolf & Gary Wolf, Georgia Wolf, Christy & Bill Gautreaux, Jessica May & Karen Bala, Jane Vorhees, Sharon & John Hoffman, Bunni & Paul Copaken, Ann Baum, Linda & Brad Nicholson, Pam & Gary Gradinger, Susan Gordon, Scott Francis, Linda & Topper Johntz, Susie & Tom Corbin, Helen & Frank Wewers, Ellen & Jamie Copaken, Lynn & Lance Carlton, Dan Meiners & Dave Brinkerhoff, Peregrine Honig, Linda Lighton, Jean Paul Wong, Ratana & Oscar Tshibanda, Kat McDaniel & John Ditch, Toma & Andy Wolff, Chadwick Brooks, Scott Heidmann, Ken Petti, Ryan Hiser & David Tran, Tom Styrkowicz, Kim Weinberger, Katrina Revenaugh, Anna Petrow & Patrick Mulvihill, Paul Gutiérrez, Mark Allen Alford, Jr., Lorece Chanelle, Courtney González, Dr. Breck Dakin & Garick Dakin-Lair, Don Schreiner & John Escalada

IMAGINE A DAY…

YOU MIGHT THINK that after six years’ of writing this column (and a decade of robust socializing preceding it) I’d have attended just about every gala in town. I’m constantly reminded, however, just how much is happening in this city that has escaped either my attention or schedule. Thus, I was delighted to accept a generous invitation from Jami & Fred Pryor to join as their guest for the Newhouse 2024 gala.

Shocking to some, I was unfamiliar with Newhouse. It is a safe shelter for victims fleeing domestic abuse—the first in Kansas City, founded in 1971. Newhouse houses Kansas City women, men, and children who are most in need of shelter due to sudden upheaval. The organization also works to reduce barriers that feed the cycle of abuse and partners with survivors to achieve safety, self-sufficiency, and whole-person healing through its ecosystem of transformative services. With one-in-three women and one-in-four men experiencing

domestic abuse, it is a pervasive problem but not an intractable one. Last year, Newhouse answered more than 15,000 hotline calls and served nearly 600 individuals—roughly one-third of them children. That amounted to more than 17,000 nights of safe shelter, 12,000 hours of childcare and education, 350 clients served with legal advocacy, and 26,000 meals served.

HOT GOSSIP:

What city official was denied entry to an election victory party after being caught working for the other side?

The Saturday evening event kicked off at the Loews Hotel Kansas City with amethyst-colored champagne cocktails and elbow-to-elbow gabbing amongst 1,300 roaming guests. Inside the ballroom, emcees Darron Story and Rae Daniel guided attendees through the evening and introduced the event’s eight extraordinary honorary chairwomen: Kathryn Ashley, Danelle Bender, Dr. Kirsten Brown Persley, Jenn Miller, Jami Pryor, Stephanie Robinson, Sarah Ross, and Dr. Marjorie Williams.

At our spectacularly long center table, my dining companions chatted about holiday vacation plans and Christmas tree decorating as we nibbled on our beef filets. We heard from Newhouse CEO Courtney Thomas, as well as some recent, grateful recipients of Newhouse’s care and services. Their collective story was a difficult one to absorb but essential to hear. The evening also included a live auction with items ranging from a golf day with (and donated by) KU Basketball Head Coach Bill Self, and vacations to Vail and the Virgin Islands. In all, the occasion raised an impressive $1.1 million.

For all the somber notes, the event ended on a high one—joyful dancing. I walked home that evening especially grateful for the new friends I’d met and a safe place to lay my head.

SPOTTED: Jamilia Weaver, Jody Beynon, Joyce McInerney, Tim Colley, Jeff Albright, Shelby Herrick, Chuck Matney & Todd Holland-Matney, Kelly Esslinger, Kenny Beall, Matthew Wilson, Ali Nilsen, Bryan Farley, Alli & Nick Ramsey

BROTHERS IN ART

ON ANOTHER ARTS-FILLED FIRST FRIDAY, I made a trip to the recently opened Zhou B Art Center Kansas City, located in the 18th & Vine Jazz District. The center occupies the reclaimed and stunningly renovated Crispus Attucks School. (I visited last year for an early hardhat preview, and the changes to this 1905 building are almost impossible to believe.) The center serves as a vibrant hub for both working artists and special exhibitions.

On this occasion, I was specifically visiting for an artist talk with the Zhou Brothers themselves, Shanzuo Zhoushi and Dahuang Zhoushi, visiting from their home city of Chicago. The brothers, born in Guangxi, China, are world-renowned Chinese contemporary painters who moved to the U.S. in 1986. While practicing as artists for more than 50 years, they completed their first painting together in 1973 and have been collaborating ever since. The brothers’ abstraction style merges China’s primitive art aesthetic—inspired by the ancient Huashan rock paintings—with the language of Western art tradition.

Prior to their public talk, I had the rare opportunity to receive a private tour of the art center with the celebrated brothers. Having sat vacant for 20 years, the grade school, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, needed a new, visionary purpose. The brothers were familiar with Kansas City, based on past visits, and talked with me about their appreciation for the city, its abundance of arts and culture, and its impressive creative community. Their vision for repurposing the school began eight years ago. They wanted to recreate their Chicago Zhou B Art Center in Kansas City (another in Beijing is currently in development) with intentions of aiding in the progress of the historic jazz district and further connecting it, thematically, with the neighboring Crossroads Arts District. We visited the ground-floor gallery, featuring a retrospective collection of the brothers’ bold, abstract canvases and sculptural work. It was fascinating to hear about their process and see the creative evolution across decades of their work. And we may have talked about my admiration of Shanzuo’s stunning caiman crocodile hornback cowboy boots.

Following our tour, a crowd gathered in the auditorium for a moderated conversation with the artists. The brothers discussed their artistic journey, inspirations, and the deep connection between their work and philosophy. They also reflected on a mesmerizing career. They told stories of two particularly interesting live-art performances—one at the ultra-exclusive World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and another in the Forbidden City, Beijing, China.

Prior to leaving, I took advantage of the open studios on the center’s upper floors. It was an opportunity to peek into the resident artists’ spaces, converse, and witness their creative process. In addition to free, groundbreaking exhibitions, the art center regularly hosts open-studio events like this, where one can explore the 50,000-square-feet of galleries and artists’ studios. Visitors can get a deeper sense of the center’s collaborative environment for this thriving community of talented artists seeking nurtured creativity and growth.

Special thanks to my friend and Zhou B Art Center partner, Allan Gray, II, for this invitation and the preceding hard-hat tour.

“Warm

So, KC—where do you want to go? XO

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HOLIDAY LIGHTS, HOCKEY PUCKS, & A WHOLE LOTTA

The best place to bring in the holidays is Bright at Bluhawk. Savor wintry treats, whisk away your wish lists (no need to check them twice!), and play some reindeer games at AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk. Add to it a feast out with friends, or bit of self-care, and it’s not just Bright at Bluhawk — it’s everything and then some.

BY Judith Fertig

Jessica S. Hong

CHIEF CURATOR AT THE KEMPER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART ANSWERS FOUR QUESTIONS

Now in its 30th year, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is ushering in a new decade with a new chief curator, Jessica S. Hong, at the end of this month.

Describing herself as both curator and cultural worker, Hong joins Kemper Museum from the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio, where she was the senior curator of modern and contemporary art. “With its emphatic belief in the power and necessity of art and artists, I am thrilled to be joining the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art during a consequential time in the museum’s history,” says Hong. “I look forward to collaboratively shaping an expansive curatorial program that will lead the museum into its next dynamic chapter.”

Hong received her M.A. with distinction in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, and B.A. in art history from Barnard College, Columbia University, graduating cum laude and with department honors.

“I came to this eld accidentally,” she says. “After attending a high school that was socio-politically engaged, I arrived at Barnard with an interest in studying political science. To ful ll a requirement, I took an art history survey that altered my trajectory. I realized then that the arts

entwine the social, the political, and the cultural—and have relevance and in uence on our everyday lives.”

roughout her career, Hong has focused on bridging seemingly disparate contexts to demonstrate the complex yet interconnected sociocultural fabric in which we are all part.

Prior to TMA, she was the associate curator of global contemporary art at Dartmouth’s Hood Museum of Art and the rst to ll this position on the occasion of the museum’s major expansion. jessica-hong.com

INKC: What does a curator do? How does a new exhibit take form? Does the idea come first or an artist or an opportunity to make a connection with another museum?

Jessica S. Hong: Curators organize exhibitions, work with artists, research, and/or build collections, but curatorial work is so much more

photo by Flanders Creative

equitybank.com/earlypay

Arts & Culture IN KC

than this output. It’s also not just work but a practice, as we work with artists to help them manifest their ideas and visions. Curators dream, quest, imagine, reimagine, unearth, engage, collaborate, and build to ultimately share.

An exhibition idea takes shape by a variety of means—from indepth research in libraries and archives to conversations with artists, cultural producers and practitioners, scholars, colleagues, or community members. Regardless of where the idea comes from, the most generative exhibitions ask critical questions, spark conversations, pique interest, even surprise, with the hopes of inspiring and galvanizing the people who encounter them.

INKC: Did you have childhood experiences that led you to become a storyteller for art, especially giving expression to underrecognized narratives?

JSH: I grew up taking art classes and visiting museums, but I never imagined dedicating my life to it let alone ever feeling welcome in museums. As art museums are often neoclassical structures, even as a child, I felt the oppressive weight of specific histories being imposed on me that did not include how I, my family, loved ones, and ancestors understood or experienced the world. In college, I took an art history class to fulfill a graduation requirement that changed the course of my life. Here, I realized the arts provided another way to see and understand the world around us—where the social, cultural, and political coalesce, mak-

ing it a necessity in our everyday lives. I also realized art’s prodigious power and how it has been used as a political tool, which compelled me to focus on bringing form to narratives and experiences this discipline has overlooked and erased.

INKC: You’ve lived and worked mainly on the East Coast and northern Ohio. Do you think you’re ready for barbecue and “nice-ness,” two things Kansas Citians hang their hats on? Is there a food you will seek out here?

JSH: If you’re implying that this niceness always comes with barbecue, count me in! Joking aside, even within certain geographical regions, including the Midwest, each place has its own distinct flavors and textures, so I look forward to exploring Kansas City and making this my new home.

INKC: As Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, what do you hope to bring to its future?

JSH: Kemper Museum has an incredible legacy of experimentation and openness, working with innovative artists and thinkers of our time. In this pivotal moment in the museum’s history, it’s an opportunity to expound upon this mission and integrate our programming into the lives of Kansas Citians and beyond. I hope we can celebrate this city and region while bridging seemingly distinct contexts to demonstrate the interconnected, yet complex, social and cultural fabric of which we are all part, no matter where we are.

Something Magical is coming to Kansas City this Holiday Season!

Arts & Culture IN KC

by Judith Fertig

PORTRAIT OF A CITY

THROUGH FEBRUARY 21, you can check out this continuing exhibit organized by the Kansas City Society for Contemporary Photography (KCSCP) at the Box Gallery at 10th and Walnut downtown. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Portrait of a City was inspired by the late Evelyn Hofer, a German-born photographer recently exhibited at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Hofer was known for her photobook projects of American metropolitan cities.

In September of 2023, the Nelson put on a Portrait of the City Photography Workshop asking attendees how they pictured our town and what change and transformation spoke to them. They invited attendees to train their camera lens on Kansas City and selected images from each participant to form the Portrait of a City exhibit first held at Cerbera Gallery earlier this year.

All in all, they gathered the works of 49 local photographers, including Shirley Harryman’s 2023 inkjet print The West Bottoms and Don James’s Supply Lines, 25th and State Line, Kansas City, Missouri

Come see this place we call home from the unique perspectives of our local photographers. theboxgallery.org

ALPINE CHRISTMAS: A CELEBRATION OF GERMAN CHRISTMAS CAROLS

SOME OF OUR MOST BELOVED Christmas traditions have their roots in Germany.

The Christmas tree, which traces back to Winter Solstice celebrations when evergreens symbolized the sun’s return and life during winter, originated in the Baltic area. When German Prince Albert married Queen Victoria, he brought the Christmas tree to England, and then on to us across the pond.

And then there are the beloved carols. Starting at 7:30 p.m. on December 10 at the 1900 Building, you can enjoy the music, the holiday décor, and the treats with Alpine Christmas: A Celebration of German Carols. This festive concert by the Kansas City Chorale features lush adaptations of Stille Nacht (Silent Night), O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree), Lo, How a Rose E’er Bloomed, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and other timeless favorites.

Enhance your holiday experience with a visit to the Christkindlmarkt stands, where you can enjoy mulled wine, hot cider, and gingerbread. Whether you’re savoring traditional treats or reveling in the music, this concert promises a magical evening filled with celebration, connection, and the true essence of Christmas in the Alps.

For more information and tickets, visit 1900bldg.com

a vant /avänt, aväN/ – original or innovative; avant-garde. Whether it’s an eye-catching, start-from-scratch garden design or just a fresh change, call us today and we’ll take care of everything, from design to installation to maintenance.

a vant /avänt, aväN/ – original or innovative; avant-garde. Whether it’s an eye-catching, start-from-scratch garden design or just a fresh change, call us today and we’ll take care of everything, from design to installation to maintenance. r ee ns man t he

523-1516 www.thegreensman.com

523-1516 www.thegreensman.com

Arts &Culture IN KC

by Judith Fertig

LIFE ON MARS: A CULTURAL HISTORY

HOUNDED BY HOLLY-JOLLY Christmas music everywhere you go, you might wish to escape to Mars for a bit.

If you register for this Zoom webinar, you can visit the Red Planet from the comfort of your own home.

From 7 to 8 p.m. on December 12, you are free to wonder Is there life on Mars? What is at stake when we ask this question?

The speaker is Jordan Bimm, PhD, an assistant instructional professor of science communication and public discourse at the University of Chicago. Bimm is a historian of science focused on U.S. space exploration who specializes in space medicine and astrobiology. His research investigates big questions like Who should go to space? and What happens if we discover extraterrestrial life?

Examining different eras of Mars exploration, we learn how the question of life has factored into different social and cultural movements here on Earth. These include theological debates, military conquest, scientific research, and most recently, commercial settlement. This historical perspective reveals how human plans for the Red Planet have evolved over time and deepens our understanding of both our important cosmic neighbor and the ongoing search for life in the universe.

For more information and to register, visit lindahall.org.

BACH ARIA SOLOISTS’ ANNUAL

HOLIDAY CONCERT

AT 7:30 P.M. ON DECEMBER 14, Bach Aria Soloists invites you to their beloved Holiday Concert in beautiful St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with heartwarming music that includes joyous arias from Bach,Mozart,Vivaldi,and Handel,plus traditional carols.

This year, they welcome a special guest. Baritone Cameron J. Rolling, a member of the Detroit Opera, makes his debut in Kansas City.

He will join critically acclaimed artistic director/founder/ violinist Elizabeth Suh Lane, soprano Sarah Tannehill Anderson, and multi-talented Elisa Williams Bickers, on the harpsichord, organ and piano. Bach Aria Soloists present the genius and relevance of Johann Sebastian Bach, his contemporaries, and those he inspired from then to now. The ensemble’s repertoire is adventurous and broad, including chamber music from Renaissance to contemporary, vocal arias, Bach-centered and inspired chamber music and arias,tango and new living composer commissions. Their signature arrangements bring ancient and modern music to new life.

For more information and tickets, visit bachariasoloists.com.

SUMPTUOUS SUEDE

The luxe texture was all over the FW 2024 runways, from top (hats) to bottom (boots) and everywhere in between.

Classic bomber jackets have been refreshed and renewed in the buttery soft fabric, as have Western fringe jackets and barn jackets. Suede skirts are a wardrobe essential, not just this year, but every fall.

Slouchy suede bags, hefty suede wrap belts, and sturdy suede boots are the “it” accessories of the season.

Although brown suede hues reign supreme, it can be found in foresty greens, mustard yellow, trad black, and of course, as with anything else, this autumn’s color of the moment—burgundy.

You can embrace the trend wholeheartedly, or if it all feels a bit too retro ’70s to you, elevate your look with one perfect accessory.

Esqualo overlap suede skirt, $118, available at Alysa Rene Boutique

Trina Turk mahogany suede bomber jacket, $528, available at Halls

Freda Salvador suede boots, $495, available at Clairvaux

Flattered suede shoulder bag, $295, available at Dear Society

Suede obi sash, $129, available at Peruvian Connection

HIGH NOTES

THE GIFT OF FRAGRANCE ISN’T FOR CASUAL FRIENDS. IT’S A GIFT GIVEN WITH LOVE FOR THOSE TO WHOM YOU’RE CLOSEST.

Liis Bo Eau de Parfum has notes of elemi, tobacco leaves, redwood pine, incense, guaiac wood, cedar, and vanilla bean, $175, available at Welwythn.

Prairie Eau de Parfum has woody notes of cedar, papyrus, and sandalwood mixed with cardamom, iris, and ambrox, $90, available at Ulah.

Jack’s Daughter’s Santal Noir No. 1 Roll On Perfume has notes of amber, sandalwood, vanilla, and orchid, $34, available at jacksdaughters.com

Acca Kappa White Moss Eau de Cologne has notes of lemon, bergamot, and juniper, $82, available at Terrasi Living & Scandia Home.

Fireside Story Perfume Oil has notes of woodsmoke, pine cones, sandalwood, and vanilla, $100, available at For Strange Women Perfume

by Judith Fertig

The ABC’s of IVF

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION

A CONVERSATION WITH DAN GEHLBACH, MD, FACOG, BOARD-CERTIFIED FERTILITY DOCTOR

We hear a lot about IVF these days, the in-vitro fertilization process that involves joining a human egg with sperm in a petri dish, outside a woman’s womb, then transplanting the embryo to the woman’s uterus to continue growing. In 1978, the first “test tube baby” was born in England using IVF technology at that time. In 2010, the physiologist who co-developed the process was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.

Since the beginning of IVF technology, over 8 million babies have been born worldwide, using IVF and other assisted reproduction techniques, according to a 2018 report by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

Dan Gehlbach, MD, FACOG, Board-certified fertility doctor at the AdventHealth Fertility Center, explains the process.

What is IVF?

In-vitro fertilization is a medical procedure in which a woman’s ovaries are stimulated to produce many eggs. The eggs are extracted from the

ovaries and fertilized with sperm to create an embryo. The resulting embryo is then transferred back to the woman’s body.

When a couple has difficulty conceiving, when might IVF be an option?

IVF was first used to help women who had blocked fallopian tubes. The procedure bypassed the blocked tubes so the egg could be fertilized. Soon, this technique was applied to help many other fertility issues. It’s one of the most successful treatments we can do.

There are also other reasons to consider IVF.

IVF combined with genetic testing also helps ensure that the embryo selected for transfer has the correct number of chromosomes. This can reduce the risk of miscarriage, pregnancy failure, and birth defects in the resulting child.

For women who will undergo treatment for cancer, IVF allows them to bank their eggs or embryos ahead of chemotherapy or radiation, so they will not lose the ability to conceive. Older women who do not have a partner but want to have children at a later date can also benefit from IVF.

What are the steps in IVF treatment?

The first step is to stimulate the ovaries to produce as many eggs as possible all at once. The daily injections usually take 9 to 10 days. Then we schedule an egg retrieval, which can be done in the office or in a hospital setting. Using IV sedation, we guide a needle vaginally into the ovaries and drain the follicles, which contains the eggs. That usually takes about 15 minutes.

Then, an embryologist will identify the eggs under a microscope. Later that day, the best eggs will be fertilized using the partner’s sperm. In 5 or 6 days, those fertilized eggs that have reached the blastocyst stage will be ready to implant in the woman’s uterus, biopsied for chromosome testing, and/or frozen for transfer at a later date.

What is the success rate for IVF treatment?

The success rate depends on the woman’s age. For a woman under the age of 35, the success rate is 50%. For a woman over 40, the success rate is less than 30%.

What distinguishes IVF treatment at AdventHealth’s Fertility Center?

AdventHealth is committed to treating the whole person, tailoring the treatment to each patient’s needs. That might include counseling, acupuncture, or other services. Our whole goal is to help our patients have a family in the best way possible. AdventHealthKC.com/Fertility

Dan Gehlbach, MD

Introducing

AdventHealth Fertility Center

AdventHealth is pleased to welcome the patients, providers and staff of Midwest Reproductive Center, now providing expert fertility care for women and men at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission.

Now called the AdventHealth Fertility Center, the practice is led by experienced, Board-certified reproductive endocrinologist Dan Gehlbach, MD.

For information, visit AdventHealthKC.com/Fertility or call 913-780-4300.

Dan Gehlbach, MD Goldie Bjornstad, APRN, FNP-C

Johni Kilton, APRN, WHNP-BC

HIGHLIGHTING LOCAL FAVORITES WITH PRINTS AND ORNAMENTS

For those of us with friends and family joining us in Kansas City for the holiday, there are plenty of ways to celebrate our hometown. Made in Kansas City has a great selection of prints to welcome our guests.

One of my favorites is Farmdog Studios’ “I’ll be home for Christmas” print featuring a red vintage truck hauling a Christmas tree. Nicely sized at 12 inches by 15 inches, it has a sawtooth hanger, so it’s easy to hang.

Art from Architecture has created a stunning print of Kansas City’s newest hometown favorite, Current Stadium. Crisp and clean, the print captures the beauty of the stadium and its setting along the river. Perfect for your game room or to give to your biggest Current fans.

“Goin’ to Kansas City” captures Kansas City favorites, including longtime icons such as the Country Club Plaza, local museums, entertainment venues, and Gates Barbecue. New hometown favorite, e Rabbit Hole, is a new, beloved, kid on the block.

Lou Felts hand-felted ornaments are charming additions to your holiday décor. Whether you choose the Shuttlecock, a gnome clad in red and gold, or the otter or penguin holding KC hearts, they are sure to be favorites. madeinkc.co

by Patricia O’Dell

Deck the Halls and TrimYour Tree in KC

INTERIOR VISION

MCCROSKEY INTERIORS

has established a reputation for timeless spaces with a modern edge. e McCroskey Collection is a selection of art available on their website featuring photography, prints, and mixed media with a modern feel, even if the subject is a traditional landscape.

e collection features 15 artists and includes prints, oil paintings, photography, mixed media, and bronze. mccroskeyinteriors.myshopify.com

Clockwise from top left: Ozark Night by Betty Whiteaker, The Village by Ed Smith, Cube by Devon Himes, Horse Study by Tom Corbin.

SAVE 10% UP TO

Start the year with a beautifully organized home. Through December 31, you can save up to 10%* on your custom-designed storage system.

From expertly organized walk-in and reach-in closets to hard-working kitchen pantries, home offices, media centers, and more, now’s the time to imagine what’s possible in any and every room.

Financing is available, so take advantage of our professional design services, which are always complimentary, and schedule your consultation today.

913.888.1199 |

Locally owned with showrooms in Overland Park and Briarcliff Village

Family Fun Piece by Piece

LOCAL COMPANY CREATES KANSAS CITY THEMED PUZZLES

by Patricia O’Dell

The end of the year often means gatherings of family and friends, which can include guests of all ages. As an extrovert, these occasions ll me with delight, but the more introverted among us may not feel the same way. One such friend told me that gatherings are sometimes easier if there is a structured activity. Obviously, a meal lls this bill, but games and activities can lend some structure as well. Kansas City Puzzle Company’s locally themed puzzles are the perfect activity for most ages. Bright and colorful, these puzzles feature Kansas City favorites, such as a dense, comprehensive map of the metro, local brewery favorites, a charming Charlie Podrebarac print, and my favorite, a collection of matchbook covers from some iconic Kansas City locations, including e Ship, Jasper’s, Harpo’s and Putsch’s Cafeteria.

If nothing else, it may distract your guests from the dog hair under the bu et, your o spring’s too heavy eyeliner, or any need to discuss politics. Perhaps Kansas City Puzzle Company’s tag line should be, “Holding families together piece by piece.” kansascitypuzzlecompany.com

LIGHT THE WAY

LOCAL CANDLEMAKER SETS THE SCENE

A lifelong Kansas Citian with 15 years of real estate expertise, Laurie Barnds serves clients across the metro, whether they’re looking for a starter home or a luxury property. With a marketing background and keen attention to detail, Laurie maximizes your home’s value when selling – and goes above and beyond to find your dream home.

WHETHER YOU ARE settling in for a night at home alone, setting the mood for a quiet dinner a deux, or welcoming a crowd, candlelight creates a warm glow that can take the edge o a long day. Local candle maker Creative Candle is my go-to, and they can set you up for holiday and everyday. eir hand-dipped tapers are available in 44 colors—yep, 44—and are available in six, nine, 12, 15, and 18 inches. ey have specialty candles available for Advent and Chanukah, and the metallics would be knockouts for New Year’s Eve. ese dazzlers are available in 12 colors, as well as pillar, ball, and ultra-thin celebration tapers.

Creative Candles are available through Prydes Kitchen & Necessities, Trapp and Company, and Terrasi Living.

816-830-5995 direct lbarnds@reecenichols.com

lauriebarnds.reecenichols.com

Advent Taper Set

Box of Chanukah Taper Candles

Metallic Taper Candles

IT STARTS WITH THE KITCHEN

By Judith Fertig Photos by Randy Van

How many times do you think you’ll sell your home and move to a different house during your lifetime?

If you answered this question before 1981, when the National Association of Realtors (NAR) started collecting data, the number would be close to 11. Not today.

According to NAR’s latest Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report, the number of times you’ll buy and sell is 2 to 3.

Many factors come into play. According to NAR, the average age of a first-time buyer is no longer twenty-something. It’s 38. Higher interest rates. People marrying and starting families

later in life. The cost of homes and the short supply of them. All contribute to the new trend of buying a house later in life and staying in it longer.

If you wait to buy, then live in your home for a long while, why not make the upgrades so you’ll really love it?

IT STARTS WITH THE KITCHEN

For most homeowners, a home’s upgrade starts with the kitchen.

“Even though interest rates are going down, the cost of materials is going up. If you want to remodel your kitchen, the best time is now,” says Karin Ross of Karin Ross Designs. “Waiting is not in your favor.”

ELEGANCE AND QUALITY ARE ALWAYS IN STYLE

Keeping a timeless elegant look and investing in good quality pay off, now and in the long run. “A kitchen remodel should last for 15 to 20 years,” says Ross. “And after that, if it is done right, you should only need a few replacements to keep it functioning well and looking great.”

“Today, your kitchen is the primary living space. Make everything custom, very high quality, for the way you like to live,” she suggests. “Choose elegance. Big islands. All of that never goes out of style.”

And if you have a dining room you only use a few times a year? “You don’t want a museum you rarely visit,” Ross says. “Instead, combine the kitchen and dining room. Maybe revamp the dining room into a more intimate conversation area that can function for a small dinner party or a place to escape while others watch a movie or a game in the living room.”

“When you decide to remodel, don’t think about resale value,” says Ross. “Don’t think about the next buyer. Think of what you can enjoy now, and trust that if the design is done right, the value will still be there when you sell in the future.”

WORK WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE

“More than ever, it’s important to work with the right people who know the products, the layout, the best flow. Once we touch the kitchen, the room will feel completely new,” says Ross. “Every house has a way,” says Ross. “You just have to find the way.”

An extensive questionnaire for clients and an onsite visit get the process going. “We get to know our clients and their home first, then present them with several design options and solutions,” says Ross, “after I have done all the research.”

When you work with a kitchen and bath designer, says Ross, it can save you time—and money, not to mention stress. “We try everything we install before we put it in a client’s home,” says Ross. “We try it in our home or in our showroom. That way, there are no surprises.”

There are no surprises, either, during the installation. Karin Ross Designs keeps products in stock, so no waiting. And Nick Ross, Karin’s husband, does the installation work with his team. “Our clients know we will take care of it all,” she says.

“If you are going to wait to own a home, and stay in it for a long time, you might as well have it exactly as you want it,” says Ross.

Marilyn Maye IN CONVERSATION WITH

words by Cindy Hoedel photo by Kevin Alvey

In 1966 a Kansas City nightclub singer captured the imagination of a nation with an exciting proposition delivered via radio, “What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play.” Marilyn Maye’s recording of Cabaret hit Number 9 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. That same year Maye sang on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in the first of 76 appearances, the most by any singer.

Maye recorded seven albums and 34 singles with RCA. The Arts Council of the Smithsonian Institution chose her rendition of Too Late Now for an album of the 110 best American compositions of the 20th century for its permanent collection.

Born Marilyn Maye McLaughlin in Wichita, Kansas, Maye’s professional career began at age 9, when winning a Topeka talent contest landed her a 13-week radio gig on WIBW. After stints in Des Moines and Louisville, Maye moved to Kansas City, where she had an 11-year run as a nightclub singer before moving into regional musical theater productions, including leading roles in Hello, Dolly! and Mame

At 96, Maye hasn’t slowed a bit. Last year she had a sold-out solo concert at Carnegie Hall in New York. Maye keeps a house in Overland Park but spends much time in New York and on the road.

Maye spoke with IN Kansas City from her New York apartment recently about life, love, and show biz. Our first call was answered by a voicemail message in which Marilyn’s velvety voice coos: “Honey, I’m so glad you called. Please don’t leave a message. I hope you don’t mind calling me again in just a few hours. I do want to talk to you. Have a good

time for the next few hours before we talk. Love, Marilyn.”

What was it like doing a solo show at Carnegie Hall? Was it just another show or were you nervous?

I wasn’t nervous, I was thrilled. I was very excited all day

The room was not strange to me because we had done two other shows there with other singers. But this was my very own show. It was two hours of me. [Laughs]

One review said you received 12 standing ovations.

Isn’t that wild? An usher told me it was the first time he had seen the audience stand when a performer first walked out.The conductor, Steven Reineke—he is the guy there at Carnegie with the New York Pops orchestra—knew I’d been Dolly, so he arranged an overture of Hello Dolly songs for me to walk out to.

And for the second half, because Cabaret was my hit radio song, they did an overture from Cabaret,and then I did the second half of the concert

How many songs do you know?

Oh,I have no idea.I’m always amazed if I go to a performance and they start singing something, and I go, “Oh, yeah” and I just unconsciously review the words and sing the words.

It must be hundreds of songs. Oh, thousands. I’m sure, yeah.

How did you pick which songs to sing at Carnegie Hall?

Mainly the ones that we know work with the audience. And some of the favorites. And [the New York audience] is well acquainted with me doing them at 54 Below, a fabulous club where we work with a trio, a pianist, bass, and drums only. So for them to hear a full orchestra do songs that they’ve only heard as a trio is astounding, too.

Before you achieved national fame, you performed at Colony Steakhouse in the old Ambassador Hotel at 3600 Broadway in Kansas City from 1954 to 1965. What was your life like then?

Well, I was raising a daughter, Kristi Tucker, and she was in school. We would work through the winter and the fall and spring and then we would work Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe in summertime when she was out of school.

The Colony is where Steve Allen discovered me. He had a television show on the West Coast, and when I did his show, I would fly out to the West Coast, do his show, and then fly back to the Colony.

Nightclub singers work late…

Yeah, and then in the morning I’ve got to get the kid off to school. [Laughs] And then I’d go back to bed. And in those days, I was teaching, too. I taught singing in a dance studio—not singing lessons, performance lessons. And that’s what I do now in New York, the Art of Performance, I call it.

I have a lot of wonderful students. Last night and the night before last and tonight, one of my students, who was a lawyer at the New York Times for 33 years, and she’s doing her show that I designed and created the arrangements for at a local club. I work with a pianist and we work out the arrangements, and then she does her act.

And then I have a male student, also a lawyer. He is 72 years old, and he is wonderful, and he has his shows this month.

A popular feature of your master classes is your Rules of Cabaret. What are a couple of rules?

Well, a lot of people, when they are performing, close their eyes and sing. I don’t believe in that.

Why not?

I believe the audience is the star. Not you. They’ve given up their evening. They’ve paid for a ticket to see you. You sing to the audience, not for them.

And I don’t believe in sitting down. It’s not a pretty picture with a lot of people when they sit on a stool, for many reasons. [Laughs] And if you have to drink water, you should only sip it from a stemmed wine glass.

Why?

It just looks classier. The act is sight, too. It’s not just sound.

One recent review said you still do high kicks. Is that true?

Well, I used to do the kicks without hanging onto the piano. Now I do place one hand on the piano. There are kicks in a song called It’s Today [Hums an intro and sings] Tune the grand up / Call the cops out / Strike the band up / Pull the stops out / Hallelujah! / It’s today!

Do you work out?

No, I just keep moving. [Laughs] I’m just really busy. Last night, I had this show, a tribute to [Broadway composer and lyricist] Jerry Herman. We had to have a rehearsal, and they had an auction of all of Jerry Herman’s belongings in a beautiful auction house [Doyle] in New York. So I did that at 6 o’clock, and then I had to hurry and get to the show that my student was doing at 7 o’clock, which was clear across town.

So your fitness secret is keeping your schedule really full? Pretty much.

Do you have a nutrition plan?

I don’t know, I don’t have any rigid diet. I like yogurt.

So before a show you’re not loading up on certain foods for energy?

No, no. You can’t eat before the show.

Why not?

You gotta breathe. You can eat early in the day, but not before showtime. My musicians do, I must say.

Do you eat after the show?

Sure. Yeah.

What’s a favorite dinner after a great show?

I like salmon. I’m really not a foodie, actually. But I love to go out to dinner with people. There are always friends, old and new, to gather around the table and so many wonderful New York restaurants. So that’s fun. That happens a lot.

The year you were nominated for a Grammy for Best New Artist, you were up against Sonny and Cher, The Byrds, Herman’s Hermits, Glenn Yarbrough, Horst Jankowski and Tom Jones, who won.

Isn’t that a ridiculous category?

Crazy.

It’s just nuts. [Laughs] I think that’s changed. They’ve gotten more careful with their categories. It wasn’t fair.

Do you ever think that you were born ten years too late for your style of music?

I do think I was born too late. I sing the Great American Songbook. I’m not a rock ‘n’ roller. So I think you’re absolutely right.

The Beatles happened during my recording days, when I really had incredible air play all over the country. And I was doing television shows. I was doing Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin and all the talk shows. I did Ed Sullivan three times. I did The Tonight Show 76 times, the most of any singer. And then the Beatles came on, and it was a new world.

If I had come along earlier, I would have been a household name. The good news is, when I’m in New York, people recognize me on the street.

I’ve done many concerts at Rose Hall with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. I love them. The last concert I did

with them, as I entered the stage the orchestra stood for me. They played my walk-on music standing as a tribute to me, so lovely. That kind of thing happens in New York a lot.

I don’t think you could be a bigger name in New York. That’s probably true. It’s not true in Kansas City anymore because I haven’t been around there in so long. I’ve been mostly playing New York for 18 years.

Do you ever perform in Kansas City?

We did a concert at the Folly Theater last year, and I was thrilled about that, with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra. So that was fun—great fun— to be back at the Folly because I worked in Kansas City for many years.

The jazz scene in Kansas City is not what it used to be. Well, there are very few clubs there. It’s a shame.

Every story about you repeats that Ella Fitzgerald called you “the greatest white female singer in the world.” Did she really say that?

Here’s how it happened, and they never quote it quite right: They asked her who were her favorite singers, and she said, “I love Sarah Vaughan, I love Carmen McRae”—both black, you know—“and Marilyn Maye is the greatest white singer.” So, it was taken out of context.

How did you become friends with her?

I got to meet her here in New York. I was working The Living Room, a wonderful club, and she was in town. I can’t tell you what she was doing,

she was working too. And we met there first and then a month or two later, I was working the Rainbow Grill, and she came to see me there. After the show, she sat in the dressing room with me for the longest time, more than an hour.

What did you talk about?

We just talked about everything. Musicians and the business and did I like her hair and was her makeup good. [Laughs] Just fun stuff.

It became kind of a habit with us around the country when we were in the same town, either she would come where I was working or I would go where she was working. We always wound up in the dressing room talking after the show.

She was an angel. She was a doll. It was a lovely friendship. When I did the Lincoln-Mercury commercial (in the late 1960s) with Step to the Rear with the lyrics changed from “let the winner lead the way” to “Lincoln Mercury leads the way,” they did so many recordings of that commercial that they decided to have guest stars, and she did one of the guest star recordings with me.

My daughter Kristi went to see her—she saw her last of the two of us—and [Fitgerald’s] eyesight was gone by that point but Kristi got real close to her face and Ella said, “Oh, yes, you are her daughter, aren’t you?”

How much of a role did your mother have in your professional career starting at age 9?

She really wasn’t a stage mother. She wasn’t a pusher. She didn’t push me in front of people, no. But when I got the chance to perform, she would say, “Don’t let me down.” [ Laughs ] That’s as much of a stage

Left: Marilyn Maye with Steve Allen. Right: Marilyn Maye with Ella Fitzgerald.

A Little Indulgence

CAVIAR IS POPPING UP ALL AROUND TOWN

words by Jenny Vergara

As naturally occurring delicacies go, caviar has always been in a luxurious class by itself. Long considered a celebratory splurge due to its high demand and even higher price point, caviar was once only found at the nest of ne-dining restaurants.

Manually harvested from certain species of sturgeon sh, sturgeon roe is the only type of roe that can be called caviar. It’s been enjoyed as a culinary treat in America since the early 19th century, although the Russians and Europeans had been enjoying caviar’s salty pop long before that.

Today, beluga, sevruga, and osetra (or ossetra) are the most common types of caviar available, with beluga, a sturgeon found only in the Caspian Sea, being considered the nest quality caviar money can buy, and at $3,200 per pound, they call it “black gold” for a reason.

Over the last year, Kansas City has discovered caviar featured on restaurant menus in a new and notable way. e old-school caviar preparations also exist, including having it dabbled on top of another dish for a bit of sea-faring avor or served in its protective tin with a mother-of-pearl spoon and the classic accompaniments, including blinis, crème fraiche, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and minced onions.

But a new generation is being introduced to caviar in fun presentations that take something highbrow—caviar—and pairing it with something more culinarily lowbrow—such as potato chips, battered and fried mozzarella cheese sticks, or even a chicken nugget. Chefs around the country are leaning into these high/low food pairings with buzzworthy results.

en there is the TikTok trend that we are seeing in Kansas City restaurants right now known as the “caviar bump,” where a waiter will come and place a dollop of caviar on the crook of your hand between your thumb and rst nger and guests are to slurp it up, usually followed by a sip of Champagne, which is the perfect foil for the salty sh eggs. Any way it comes, caviar is cool with younger consumers, served in more casual settings and new and interesting ways.

Kansas City hit peak “caviar craze” this summer when Betty Rae’s Ice Cream announced its own limited-edition ice cream collaboration that featured caviar, inspired by local community leader and IN Kansas City columnist Damian Lair. e “Paris of the Plains” features Betty Rae’s crème brûlée ice cream, rolled in crushed Guy’s kettle chips, and stu ed inside a crepe-style wa e cone, then drizzled with salted caramel. e pièce de resistance was a single kettle chip with a dollop of caviar sitting right on top of the cone. It was a creative collaboration that illustrates how caviar is becoming much more approachable and casual in nature.

What follows are some of the other ways Kansas City chefs are getting caviar to “pop” on their menus. Make your holiday reservations today and celebrate the season with caviar.

Ground Control

e chef Celina Tio is going back to her ne-dining roots with the opening of Ground Control, her 20-seat tasting room, created to highlight a wide variety of cocktails made from her new spirits label,

Top to bottom: The caviar plate at Ground Control. An English mu n topped with kaluga caviar at Corvino Supper Club. Hackleback caviar at Aqua Penny’s.

Annx Spirits Co. It’s located in the newly remodeled lower level of the building where Tio also operates e Belfry and Gerard’s Pool Hall at 15th Street and Grand Boulevard. e current menu has a handful of dishes created by Tio, designed to complement the selection of cocktails. Her decadent $140 caviar plate features 30 grams of osetra malossol caviar served on ice in its tin alongside Russian blinis and traditional garnishes. instagram.com/thebelfrylounge

Corvino Supper Club

With their former tasting room now transformed into Songbird, Michael and Christina Corvino have created a casual new spot to visit inside their namesake Corvino Supper Club, giving guests drinking and dining options within the space. Sit on the Supper Club side to enjoy the most decadent of caviar treats. Choose from either one ounce or a half ounce of kaluga caviar served on a puck of their creamy cultured butter placed atop a crispy, toasted handmade English mu n. e ultimate breakfast sandwich is now available for dinner at Corvino Supper Club. corvino.com

The Town Company inside Hotel Kansas City

From the moment the chefs Johnny and Helen Jo Leach opened e Town Company inside of the Hotel Kansas City, their house-made yeast dinner rolls served with cultured butter and roasted-carrot dip has been a red-hot hit and the perfect thing to order with your meal. Now, they’ve added the option to upgrade those best-in-class buns with some hackleback sturgeon caviar for $34 a half ounce and $65 for one ounce. Gilding the lily? I think so, but in this case, more is more. hotelkc.com/ dine/the-town-company

Pierpont’s at Union Station

Ready to feel like you’re dining at J.P. Morgan’s dinner table? Slip into Pierpont’s—named after the man himself—located inside the historic Union Station, and order the royal osetra caviar. e roe from a Siberian sturgeon, at $90 for a half ounce, is served with crème fraiche and gluten-free crackers. Or try their hackleback switchtail sturgeon caviar at $35 for a half ounce. Ready to shoot for the moon? Pierpont’s Big Boy seafood tower o ers ten ounces of hackleback sturgeon caviar, shrimp cocktail, snow crab legs, and razor clams in black-garlic mostarda with hibiscus mignonette for $220. ’ Tis the season to splurge. pierponts.com

Aqua Penny’s

After opening Bamboo Penny’s at the Park Place shopping center, Penny and Doug Mufuka decided to dive into some serious seafood with their second spot, Aqua Penny’s. O ering a wide variety of sh, seafood, and steak dishes, the menu also has an entire section dedicated to caviar. ey have one ounce of hackleback caviar for $60 that’s harvested from the wild native American shovelnose sturgeon.

Also on the menu is California white sturgeon roe that’s farm-

Top to bottom: Raw oysters and caviar at Earl’s Premier. Caviar and potato chips at Farina. A caviar bump at Blanc Champagne Bar.

raised in northern California, known for its buttery taste and briny finish. Aqua Penny’s offers their own version of chef Thomas Keller’s famous starter at the French Laundry, cornets de caviar, two savory bitesized cones filled with shallot, egg mousse, and crème fraiche topped with hackleback caviar and chives for $25. aquapennys.com

Stock Hill

Stock Hill has always prided itself on creative seasonal takes on classic steakhouse dishes, featuring high-quality aged cuts of beef from the Midwest. The executive chef Jacob Hilbert takes similar care with the fish and seafood dishes, preparing them with the same level of creativity and quality. Guests can order a half ounce of osetra caviar that’s served with crème fraiche custard, dill, micro potato crisps, and fresh herbs. Osetra caviar can also be ordered served with raw oysters, prepared “ocean-style,” which comes topped with sea foam, caviar, citrus gel, and brined ocean cucumber. stockhillkc.com

Earl’s Premier

When you run Kansas City’s tiniest and mightiest seafood shack as Todd Schulte and Cory Dannehl do, you must design moments of celebration within your food and drink menu. On their raw bar menu, guests will discover a dish called “Champagne and a Dozen,” which costs $90 and features a split of Champagne and a dozen raw oysters served on the half shell. If you want to take that dish up a notch, you can also add a half ounce of caviar for an additional $30. It’s a party on a platter. earlspremier.com

Farina

Michael and Nancy Smith made sure their modern Italian restaurant Farina also has a hopping oyster bar, one that gives guests views of bustling Southwest Boulevard in the Crossroads from the picture window behind it. Reservations are recommended if you would like to experience the two caviar dishes served from their oyster bar. You can order one ounce of osetra caviar with potato chips, crackers, and crème fraiche for $45, and they also serve a caviar sandwich that is simplicity itself—caviar and crème fraiche spread on thin wheat toast for $45. farinakc.com

Blanc Champagne Bar

This is the only place in Kansas City where you can sample the TikTok “caviar bump” spooned tableside right onto your hand. You’ll get 5 grams of osetra caviar spooned onto your hand along with a glass of Le Mesnil Blanc de Blanc Champagne for $45. Go for the “Baller Bump” for $100 and you’ll get ten grams with a glass of Veuve Clicquot “La Grande Dame” 2015. They’ll also serve it with house-made chips for $90, featuring one ounce of osetra caviar, crème fraîche, chives, housemade potato chips, and truffle seasoning. Bubbles and bumps, sounds like a wild night out. blanconmain.com

anc that y f

INSPIRING GIFTS FOR THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE

FROSTY TREATS

Clockwise from top: Doves white gold, blue topaz, and diamond drop earrings, $2,899, from Meierotto Jewelers (North Kansas City). Stardust white gold and pavé diamond ring, $11,350, from TIVOL (Country Club Plaza and Hawthorne Plaza). White gold, emerald-cut aquamarine and diamond pendant, $3,175; white gold oval link chain, $690, both from Mazzarese (Parkway Plaza).

photos by Aaron Leimkuehler

ROCKS OF AGES

From left to right: Rose gold with morganite and diamonds ring, $9,896, from DelBrenna Jewelry (Crestwood Shops). Ondyn diamond pendant necklace, $2,500, from Halls (Crown Center). White gold with pear-shaped aquamarine and diamonds dangle hoop earrings, $5,349, from Meierotto Jewelers. Kwait aquamarine and diamond pendant, $5,800, from TIVOL

SPARKLE PLENTY

From top: White gold with emerald-cut blue topaz and diamond earrings, $4,270, from Mazzarese. Penny Preville white gold and diamond Galaxy bangle, $15,070; Penny Preville white gold and diamond bangle, $7,700, both from TIVOL. White gold with diamonds and sapphires ring, $3,989, from DelBrenna Jewelry. White gold oval aquamarine with diamond halo ring, $6,629, from Meierotto Jewelers

HOLIDAY BLUES

Clockwise from above: White gold, aquamarine, pear morganite, and diamond pendant, $5,193; white gold cable-link chain, $410, both from Mazzarese. Tacori Crescent Embrace Raindrops necklace, $890, from Meierotto Jewelers. Ondyn diamond bracelet, $6,500, from Halls. Anna Maria Cammilli diamond earrings, $9,910, from TIVOL.

SHIMMER AND SHINE

Left to right: Vivaldi silver in rhodium finish with clear quartz gemstones necklace, $1,499, from DelBrenna Jewelry. Mariani white gold, pearl, and diamond station necklace, $90,110, from TIVOL. Monica Rich Kosann sterlingsilver locket with blue topaz necklace, $795, from Meierotto Jewelers

STARLIGHT, STAR BRIGHT

From top: Ondyn diamond coil ring, $7,500, from Halls. White gold emerald-cut aquamarine and diamond pendant, $4,235; white gold cable-link chain, $500, both from Mazzarese. White gold, diamond, and aquamarine bracelet, $4,005, from Meierotto Jewelers Penny Preville white gold and diamond Starburst necklace, $6,030, from TIVOL

Lakeside Retreat

MORGAN MADISON DESIGN TRANSFORMED A DRAB WEEKEND CABIN INTO A COLORFUL, DETAIL-FILLED MAIN RESIDENCE

words by Judith Fertig

photos by Stephen Karlisch

Above: The foyer is compact, but filled with detail. Walnut wainscoting and New Ravenna tile define the space. Right: In the great room, the newly vaulted beamed ceiling frames the lake view.

Top right: Bold marble walls, countertops, patterned tile floor, and glossy tile ceiling give the small kitchen dynamic interest on every surface. Bottom right: The dark wood framing the white cabinetry echoes the dark wood used throughout the house. Opposite: The same white-tiled ceiling and “Falling Cube”-patterned tile floor in the kitchen is carried through to the dining room. Two Tom Corbin sculptures frame the lake view.

There’s a new interior design firm in town. Morgan Madison Design now has offices in Kansas City, in addition to offices in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Shaker Heights, Ohio. And with their new digs here, they bring a fresh, whole-house approach to style.

Exhibit Number One: This 1930s lake house, formerly with knotty pine paneling, wall-to-wall carpeting, low ceilings, and poky rooms that didn’t take advantage of the view.

That was then.

And tah-dah. This is now.

After an extensive three-year renovation, each room sings in four-part harmony: Walls, ceilings, floors, and furnishings.

“Our firm is passionate about interior architecture as much as décor,” says Morgan Madison cofounder Tanner Morgan. With a view of a lake that is often placid with overcast skies, the design team went for contrast with a bold, masculine, collected-over-time look in every room. Walls, ceilings, floors zing with movement. “The surfaces are meant to be as interesting as every other element in the room,” says Morgan. “Texture was very important.” And every space is elegant yet comfortable for the home’s new role as a fulltime rather than weekend residence for the gentleman who owns it.

The great room is a case in point. The vaulted ceiling, created by stealing space from

Opposite: The cozy lounge level of the home incorporates the homeowner’s favorite color, inspired by his first car. Paint color is Avocado by Benjamin Moore. Top left: Sectional and coffee table are custom Morgan Madison designs. Bottom left: In the lounge level kitchen, the marble countertop and backsplash pick up the same bold green hue used throughout.

the attic, is beamed and papered with a Venetian plaster-like wallcovering from Phillip Jeffries. The walls are paneled with walnut set on the diagonal. A vigorous oriental rug “was one of the first pieces we purchased,” says Morgan. The chaise, also on a diagonal, suggests comfort and relaxation, the perfect spot to perch with a drink or a book.

The dining room used to be the breakfast nook when the original kitchen was walled off but is now a knockout place to dine with a view out to the lake and back to the kitchen. The chandelier by Boyd, inspired by spoons, features three different metallic finishes. Two tall sculptures by Kansas City’s Tom Corbin bookend the window while a “Falling Cube” tiled floor dances from the dining room into the kitchen.

Morgan saw an amazing marble in a theater lobby and tracked it down. “I’m on a constant quest for things that are beautiful,” he explains. That same Calacatta marble, with its rich veining, appears on the kitchen’s backsplash, counters, and island. A Blue Star range and custom vent hood help this small kitchen work beautifully. The tiled ceiling sparkles and shimmers in the light. “We designed the kitchen to make it easy for the client to entertain,” says Morgan.

The lower level is a more casual space. “We designed this area to be a place to hang out and watch movies, but also to host

holiday dinners. The custom sofa is table-height, so you can pull up chairs and tables and seat 20 people,” he says. Custom cabinetry, painted a glossy olive green by Benjamin Moore, helps keep things tidy. “It’s the same color as the owner’s first car, a vintage Oldsmobile Cutlass,” says Morgan. The armchair with ottoman is by Vladimir Kagan.

The lower-level kitchen, perfect for when the caterers arrive, echoes the glossy green with a Bertazzoni Heritage range and a Brady Legler rug.

On the second floor, the designers borrowed from the attic, a generous linen closet, and a powder bath to create the primary suite with a vaulted ceiling. “The space started out with 8½-foot ceilings, dark and dank,” Morgan says. “Now, it’s a play of material-

Above left: An antique commode was retrofitted as a vanity in the primary bath. Above right: Custom leather wallcovering clads the back wall of the en suite wet bar. Left: The same yellow leather wallcovering is used on the ceiling of the primary dressing room. Opposite: The primary bedroom is a study of neutral hues and textures, except for the Donghia sofa upholstered in a saffron Pierre Frey velvet.

ity. It’s my favorite transformation on this project.” e bedroom looks up to a wood-veneer ceiling, with gauzy draperies, smooth upholstered bed, a pop of yellow on the curvy sofa, and striated wallcoverings by Elitis and Maya Romano . In the gentleman’s dressing room, golden stitched leather highlights the ceiling. Rich hardwood accentuates the angles in the roo ine.

In the primary bath, the designers remade an antique commode into a oating vanity and placed an antique mirrored wall behind it lit by Porta Romana sconces. A walk-in shower and freestanding tub complete the luxurious retreat.

e guest and laundry rooms take an unexpectedly dramatic turn with a moody mural of a heron in ight. “Going big in this small space actually makes it look larger,” Morgan says. A dazzling Porta Romana lamp on a bespoke night chest stands beside the custom upholstered headboard in a neutral suzani pattern.

“It’s important to pay attention to what the client says—and what that person isn’t able to communicate,” he says. “ at’s why you have to really get to know your client to tell their story.” And to write a new chapter for Morgan Madison Design.

Above left: A guest room is wrapped in a custom Phillip Jeffries wallcovering. Above right: Tucked away under the eaves, the laundry room walls are clad in the same Phillip Jeffries wallcovering.

mother as she was.

But she played piano, and she accompanied me when I was 10 and 11. At 13 I had my own radio show while I was going to East Des Moines High School, a weekly show on KNRT. By that time, I had a studio pianist.

After high school I went to WHAS in Louisville, Kentucky, and I was there for a couple of years doing radio shows. In those days, WHAS had a full orchestra on Friday nights. It was a great experience for me to have that full orchestra. Amazing, on a radio show, having a full orchestra with violins and all—not 80 pieces but about 20.

How long did your mom live and how much did it mean to her to see you become a star?

She was thrilled. She lived to be 96. It was interesting because people would tell me that they sat next to her in a performance and they would say, “You know, your mother doesn’t applaud.” [Laughs] So I said to her, “Mother, why don’t you applaud?” And she said, “Well, you’re my daughter. I’m not supposed to applaud.” It was protocol about not bragging. But she was very proud of me and loved what I did. It was always my mother and me because we left my dad when I was 11. It was “You and Me Against the World.” [Laughs]

Did you ever have a relationship with your dad later?

Yeah, later on. He lived in Kansas City and my second husband lived in Kansas City, so I saw him then a lot. He had remarried and he was a druggist.

You’ve had three husbands and a fourth long-time partner, I read. Is that true?

Not a partner, just a fourth meaningful love affair. [Laughs]

There’s a theory that Russians wrote great literature because of all the hardships the Russian people have endured. Do you think that having had turbulent love affairs and disappointments and heartbreaks added depth to your singing?

I don’t think there’s any doubt about it. For sure.

I always say, it’s the lyric you concentrate on, not the sounds. I shouldn’t say “not.” You concentrate on everything when you perform. But the lyric is your guide. It’s all about the story when you choose songs. Years ago, I did heartbreaking songs. I do more happy songs these days. [Laughs]

But there’s a place in the act where we come down and do Guess Who I Saw Today?, which is my most-requested song in New York. It’s a story. I plan the act with various stories, and Guess Who I Saw Today? leads into Fifty Percent. [Both songs are about extra-marital love affairs, one from the perspective of the adulterer’s wife, the other from the perspective of the mistress.] I like doing songs that make little vignettes.

As a words person, I love your thematically linked medleys where you do, say, six songs about rainbows or six songs about smiling.

God, you’re very hip, honey! I love that you’re hip. Thank you, because that’s exactly what I do. Sometimes I see people put songs together and

Luminar y Walk

I think, “Why would that song lead into that?”

There’s one medley I do where the first song is By Myself [sings at fast tempo] I’ll go my way by myself/ This is the end of the romance / I’ll go my way by myself / Life is merely a dance. At the end it says [sings] I’ll face the unknown / I’ll build a world of my own / No one knows better than I myself / I’m by myself alone. Then I go into a Stephen Sondheim song, Being Alive [sings] But alone / is alone / not alive / Someone to hold me too close / Someone to hurt me too deep.

Somebody leaned over to a friend of mine the other night and said, “Those songs don’t go together at all.” And I said, “They missed the six connecting words: ‘But alone is alone not alive’.” Honey, are you married?

Yes, for the second time. And we like him?

We like him very much. And what does he do?

He’s a woodworker. He builds things. And he loves old music. He loves Great American Songbook. He would love what I do. You’ve got to come see me!

Critics say your voice has never sounded better, and you’re performing 13 shows this month alone. I think you’re going

to live to be 125. Gosh, I hope so!

Have you started planning a 100th birthday concert in your head?

[Laughs] Well, not really. You mean I should do that, right? That’s an idea. I do have a wonderful time with people that want to work and want to sing and are hip enough to understand what I do.

My life just keeps me really busy. For example, I have an engagement in Palm Springs after Thanksgiving. We do Palm Springs twice and then we do LA at the Catalina, a wonderful, famous old club there. Debbie Reynolds always came to all my shows there. I’ll miss her when I do it this time.

Then it’s back to Palm Springs at the Purple Room, a wonderful club where the Rat Pack went. They can’t remodel it because it’s been designated a historic landmark.

Then I go to Phoenix, where there’s a beautiful theater called MIM for Musical Instrument Museum. The acoustics are incredible there.

Then back [to New York] for eight shows in four days at Birdland, including New Year’s Eve.

Do you ever sit back and think, “Wow, I’ve got a really wonderful life?”

No. I can’t. I’ve got to keep moving. [Laughs]

Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.

Dear IN Kansas City Readers,

In 2024, WIN for KC celebrated THIRTY YEARS of impacting the lives of women and girls through sports. Thanks to the dedicated e orts of our regional community, we have honored pioneers, innovators and leaders in women’s sports and shone the spotlight on hundreds of state champions from Kansas and Missouri at the Women’s Sports Awards, introduced thousands of young girls to a variety of sports through Camp WIN, and touched countless others with initiatives like THRIVE KC, the Reading & Fitness Challenge, and our endurance events.

Throughout WIN for KC’s history, wellness has been an important and consistent theme. But as we continue evolving to meet the needs of our community, we see an opportunity, and an obligation, to spark important dialogues about the mental health needs of women and girls of all ages.

Which is why I’m proud and excited to announce WIN Wellness, WIN for KC’s approach to wellbeing, inspired by the lessons we’ve learned through sports.

WIN Wellness is a mental health initiative and fundraising campaign dedicated to creating awareness, resources and programming around mental health for women and girls in the Kansas City region. It focuses on three areas of impact: educational content, inclusive programming and training resources.

As a former student athlete, I know firsthand how the value and importance of sports encompasses much more than physical health. I utilize the lessons I learned every day—things like resilience, teamwork and adaptability—in my professional and personal life, and as a way to safeguard my mental health.

Thank you for your support of our organization these past thirty years. Please consider making a donation this holiday season and shaping the future of women’s sports for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Taylor Obersteadt Director, WIN for KC

Scan QR code to make a onetime or monthy donation.

HBY Jenny Vergara

Reservation for One BANKSIA BISTRO

BY Aaron Leimkuehler

ow do you infuse a friendly midwestern town like Kansas City with Australian culture and cuisine?

You do it one guest at a time.

Co-founders of Banksia, Rob and Kate Joseph, along with their business partner, co-founder, and general manager, Erika Vikor, found this out rsthand when they decided to open Kansas City’s rst Australian bakery and café in the spring of 2018, with the goal of bringing a bit of avor from their hometown to ours.

e Josephs moved to Kansas City from Sydney in 2012 to expand the veterinary pharmaceutical company they had founded in Australia. Rob retired in 2017, and it only took three weeks before he decided he needed a new gig. By April of 2018, the three partners had opened their rst Banksia location in a quaint space on 9th Street in down-

town Kansas City. By 2020, they opened their second Banksia location south of the Country Club Plaza on Main Street in the former Board of Trade building.

ey were clearly thinking big when they announced plans to relocate their original downtown location to a newly remodeled 5,300-square-foot space at 1183 Main Street, where they’ve been serving their classic Australian breakfast and lunch menu since June. With over 150 seats indoors and room for another 50 people outside, their daytime business has more than doubled since making the move to a space that tripled their indoor seating capacity.

e newly renamed Banksia Bistro is located right on the streetcar line and only steps away from the Midland eater and the Power & Light District. Diners enter the new location and step down into the space that sits slightly below street level.

PHOTOS

Australian king prawns.

During the day, warm daylight fills the large dining room dotted with dark wood tables and spiffy white chairs. Lush green plants cover a handsome wood-slat wall that serves as an accent wall for the space. There is an inherited pizza oven glowing at one end the service bar that came with the location, and on the opposite end is a small tenseat cocktail bar.

The daytime menu at Banksia’s includes their original collection of breakfast and lunch favorites, along with traditional Australian meat and vegetable hand pies and sausage rolls. When you stop in for coffee, you must also treat yourself to a traditional Australian pastry or dessert.

In August, the partners added a full-service dinner menu to their offerings, which includes a robust happy hour and a more sophisticated menu, along with a fine selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. Sourcing ingredients from Australia, the bistro offers Aussie prawns, lamb (the national meat), and kangaroo loin, considered a delicacy there, all on the dinner menu.

In the evening, the bright overhead lighting was an unfortunate

mood killer. Dimming the lighting would soften the spacious dining room and make it feel more like a date night spot, as well. The service was friendly; we were greeted immediately and told we could sit anywhere we liked.

Wanting to try a little bit of everything, we started with a few items on the “grazing” or small plates menu, the Margherita pizza (one of five different pizzas on offer, and each one sounded better than the next) and the kangaroo loin. They were arguably what I would consider to be the least challenging and most challenging dishes on the small plates menu, respectively.

I was impressed as I watched our server hand toss our pizza and slide it into the pizza oven. What came to the table was a ten-inch puffy crust with a bit of char on the bottom topped with fresh tomato sauce and both shredded and fresh mozzarella cheese. Once out of the oven and cut into four pieces, the pie was sprinkled with ribbons of fresh basil. It was tasty, and I could easily see someone living nearby or staying in a hotel walking in to take a pizza to-go for dinner.

The kangaroo loin was beautifully plated, revealing the skill that is

Left: Australian lamb cutlets. Right: Seared kangaroo loin.

back in the kitchen. The loin had been cut into four equal two-inch-long pieces and dusted with warming spices before being seared and finished with a port wine reduction sauce, which added just a touch of sweetness. The juicy loin resembled a perfectly cooked beef tenderloin, with no hint of gaminess at all. Grilled asparagus spears and a pretty potato pavé accompanied the loin that was devoured in just a few bites. At only $22, this is a great price for a meal reminiscent of an upscale steakhouse dish.

The king prawns were new to me, and I was down to try another down-under delicacy. A scattering of fresh scallions floated atop the bowl of clear mushroom broth, brimming with umami flavor, interspersed with delicate slices of king oyster mushrooms. Two large interlocking prawns rested in the middle of the bowl, perfectly poached and topped with a light foam of chili lime aioli. The king prawns were a revelation, with a flavor that was more evocative of lobster than shrimp. There was a tenderness and buttery flavor to the meat that made it seem like each bite was melting in my mouth.

With just a few service and atmosphere tweaks, Banksia Bistro would be a great spot for dinner. Located in such proximity to so many popular entertainment spots, this should be on your list to slide into before your next play, show, concert, or movie. banksiabistro.com

by Jenny Vergara

In Your Cocktail BLANC CHAMPAGNE BAR

Blanc Champagne Bar opened with a bang on World Champagne Day. With the sweet sound of celebratory corks popping and bubbles flowing, owner Jordin

Johnson greeted guests pouring through the front door of the festive space she has reimagined at 39th and Main Street, once known as the restaurant and rooftop bar Canary.

Johnson has spent the last two years renovating the Midtown location with an amazing rooftop view. She wanted to make sure it felt like a true gathering spot. Deep, teal-colored walls and a festive pastel-pink floral motif that blooms around the front door and then whimsically travels through the entire space make it feel like an enchanted rose garden come to life. Johnson has managed to make it feel special enough to celebrate the important moments in life, big or small, and casual enough for friends to gather for a quick catch-up over a glass of bubbles, a cocktail, and bites at the end of a long day.

The food menu was designed by the chef Chad Tilman, who then brought in Tom Tabone, formerly of Tannin Wine Bar & Kitchen, as the executive chef. With bubbles notoriously flexible in terms of food pairings, the shared-plate format means there are opportunities to try several things both savory and sweet.

The menu ranges from crispy fried artichoke hearts, black sesame ahi tuna, scallop crudo, and a 16-ounce KC strip steak with fries to a variety of grazing boards topped with everything from veggies and spreads to burrata and prosciutto. You must try the board featuring the fabulous Fishwife brand of canned tuna or smoked salmon served with chopped shallots, caper berries, peppadew peppers, dressed mixed greens, and incredibly delicious fried saltines.

There are two dishes under a playful section called “Buckets & Bottles,” which pairs a glass or bottle of Champagne with an eight-piece bucket of fried Cornish game hen or “chicken fried” oyster mushrooms, both a

photo by Bridget Chang

Sweater Weather cocktail

play on the low/high combination of fried chicken and Champagne that has been gaining in popularity over the last 20 years.

A trip to Europe opened Johnson’s eyes to how truly versatile Champagne can be and that’s why she named Blanc after her favorite type of bubbles, Blanc de Blanc, which literally means the “white of whites,” and is a type of French Champagne made exclusively of a single varietal of white grapes, typically chardonnay. e wine list at Blanc o ers an impressive bottle selection of over 100 sparkling wines and Champagnes with something available at every price point. ere is also a shorter list of still wines, beer, cocktails, and no-to-low proof cocktails to sample, as well.

Sage Monet, a former bartender for Drastic Measures in Shawnee, has joined the team as bar and event manager and is responsible for the ne list of signature and classic cocktails. e cocktail list includes a fall beauty called Sweater Weather because it tastes like autumn in a glass, with avors of apple, warming spices mixed with rum, and brandy before being topped o with a bit of bubbly for good measure. blanconmain.com

Sweater Weather

1.5 ounces brown butter washed rum*

.5 ounce Calvados Apple Brandy

.25 ounce Allspice Dram Liqueur

1 ounce Honeycrisp apple, brown sugar syrup**

Cava sparkling wine

Add all ingredients except the Cava sparkling wine to a cocktail shaker, shake and strain over ice into a Collins glass, top off with Cava sparkling wine. Garnish with thin apple slices tucked inside the glass.

*To make brown butter washed rum: In a pan, on low heat, add 1 stick of butter, cooking it slowly until it starts to turn golden brown. Turn the heat off, and in a separate container with a lid immediately mix 750 ml of rum and the brown butter together, stirring gently. Put the lid on and leave the mixture in the freezer overnight. Remove the container from the freezer and scoop off the butterfat which should have re-solidified at the top of the liquid. Strain the remaining liquid through a paper coffee filter.

**To make Honeycrisp apple, brown sugar syrup: Place equal parts 1500 ml of water and 1500 ml of brown sugar in a pot and stir until fully combined. Add 3 cinnamon sticks, 4 grams of cloves and 350 grams of Honeycrisp apple scraps (peels, cores, skins) or whole apple slices into a small or medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently, and using the spatula to squeeze juice out of the apple scraps as they soften. Allow to gently simmer for 20 minutes. Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the apple scraps out of the syrup. Cool and enjoy!

A spectacular, contemporary venue with transformable reception spaces and a magnificent courtyard. 1900bldg.com (913) 730–1905

Modern-American cuisine from award-winning Chef Linda Duerr. Chef Duerr and team present elegant fare and carefully curated menus for a variety of special occasions. therestaurantat1900.com (913) 730–1900

1900 Building

1900

Shawnee Mission Parkway Mission Woods, Kansas

Flavor IN KC

BY Jenny Vergara

GIZMOS TAVERN

WITH THE OPENING of their own restaurant still on hold, James Beard Award semi nalist chef Jonathan Justus and his wife and business partner, Camille Eklof, have returned to downtown Smithville, Missouri, home to the original Justus Drugstore restaurant that closed in 2018, to consult on a new concept, Gizmos Tavern, an upscale gastropub. Owner Dustin Racen, who lives at the Lake of the Ozarks and also owns and operates Lake House 13 and e Cuddy Cabin there, engaged the hometown couple to help him get his newest restaurant concept o the ground. e scratch menu that Justus has created feels uniquely his—local, comforting and quirky—with pork coming from Paradise Locker Meats in Trimble, Missouri, and beef from Hertzog Meat Co., in Butler, Missouri. ere are also seafood cioppino, chicken fricassee, and bacon-wrapped chicken livers on the menu. Eklof is bringing her own talents and experience to the restaurant serving as general manager. gizmostavern.com

Flavor IN

by Jenny Vergara

LE CHAMPION

BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR Amante Domingo, owner of Noka and The Russell, has announced plans to open Le Champion—a coffee shop by day and wine lounge by night—in the former Ça Va spot in Westport. The new coffee and wine bar will be completely reimagined, taking inspiration from fashion designer Ralph Lauren’s own coffee shops and cafés called Ralph’s Coffee. The décor will be light and bright, with vintage sports trophies and memorabilia that will give the place a casually elegant sense of time and place. Domingo’s former business partner, Heather White, who owns Tailleur, Cheval, and Enchante, will provide the quiche and pastries served during the day at Le Champion, and coffee will be from Onyx Coffee Labs in Bentonville, Arkansas. At night, the mood will transition to a wine, crafted cocktail and small plates spot.

A Very Special Thank You to 2024 Owl Friends

• Mary Atterbury

• Valerie Chaloud

• Ellen Merriman

• Kristi Miller

• Nan Vail

• Cynthia Andrews

• Sally Patton Burton

• Carol K. Clark

• Ann Colston

• Ellen Harker

• Jennifer Fales

• Tracey Gibbs

• Jennifer Hart

• Ellen Hockaday

• Dianne Hogerty

• Cecilia Johnson

• Sandy Castetter Johnson

• Martha Kruckemyer

• Lois Lacy

• Carolyn Langdon

• Terry Lightstone

• Cornelia Fuson Long

• Susie Luening

• Amelia McIntyre

• Pat Meads

• Corliss Chandler Miller

• Barbara K. Nelson

• Kay Lutjen Patterson

• Barclay Ross

• Susan Spaulding

• Risë Strasser

• Jean D. Wagner

• Lisa Wetzler

• Jennifer Whiteside

• Libby Gessley

• Becky Lyle Mehrmann

KAPPAHOMESTOUR.COM

December 4, 12:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. ursday, December 5, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m

• Gretchen Vosburgh

• Suzanne Cooper

• Jana Fielder

• Amy Frye

• Robbi H. Grogan

• Helen Ann Hatridge

• Fran Kelly McDonald

• Karen Bowser Badgett

• Beth Bahner

BY Jenny Vergara

KITTY’S CAFÉ

AFTER 73 YEARS IN BUSINESS, the beloved institution Kitty’s Café in midtown Kansas City—known for its famous tempura-battered pork tenderloin sandwich—closed in April for a renovation that was supposed to add more indoor seating to their restaurant. Initially planning to reopen within a few weeks, Kitty’s remained closed for nearly six months after its original contractor failed to le the necessary permits with the city to enclose the outdoor patio and expand the kitchen for faster food service. When a new contractor was brought in, owner Charley Soulivong and his family faced tight budgets and timelines and, in the end, were able to make only a few updates including new countertops, new wall tiles, and all-new kitchen equipment, while the outdoor patio remains open to the elements. Not that their loyal fans mind, the day the restaurant reopened there was a line down the block for their breakfast sandwiches, cheeseburgers, fried sh, and pork tenderloin sandwiches. e café continues to operate as a cash-only establishment. @kittyscafekc

V’s Italiano Ristorante

My Essentials IN KC

Emily’s essentials...

LOCAL MAKER:

Sarah Veak will forever be one of my favorite potters and makers in Kansas City. Her pottery feels so good in your hands and ts in seamlessly with your everyday life and little rituals.

CAN’T-MISS EVENT:

I’ve attended Christkindlmarkt at The Campground as a shopper, but last holiday season I set up my own art booth there. e patio and vendor booths are decorated so beautifully, and the food and drinks can’t be beat. I’ll be set up again Dec. 5-8!

EMILY REINHARDT

CERAMIC

ARTIST. OBJECT ENTHUSIAST. by Evan Pagano

Emily Reinhardt grew up in Johnson County, went to college in Manhattan, Kansas, and lived in Omaha for a time. But Kansas City’s creative scene called her back.

“As a creator here, there’s a lot of freedom to thrive and to build your own thing,” she says. “Kansas City has a lot of opportunities for people to bring the things to life that they want to see.”

For Reinhardt, that’s ceramic art. She fell in love with it in college, and she got her degree in it. But like many artists, she struggled within perfectionism. “In school,” she says, “sometimes my assignments were to make them all match perfectly, and I tried so hard, and I just couldn’t get there.”

It was after college that she developed the style her one-woman pottery brand, e Object Enthusiast, is known for. e cups, the vases, the trays— each piece bears marks of the maker and is unbothered by the prospect of perfection. Her customers love it—including Saturday Night Live’s Heidi Gardner, who showed o Reinhardt’s work when Architectural Digest toured her home. Reinhardt loves it, too. Even as her work evolves, she wants descriptors like “perfectly imperfect” to always ring true.

Business has boomed since Gardner’s shout-out, and Reinhardt is hard at work keeping her inventory—both online, at her studio, and at Duet, the shop she co-owns—stocked for the holidays. en she has a new challenge—her rst solo art exhibition, which will open in Columbia, Missouri, in February.

Even Reinhardt’s most functional work tells the story of its construction, but her exhibition will be even freer. “It’s really exciting to be making work that does not have to have a purpose or a function,” says Reinhardt. “It’s just there to help me tell a bigger story.” theobjectenthusiast.com

CRAFTED MOCKTAIL:

I love the drinks and the atmosphere at XO. e Femme Fatale is the best drink I’ve ever tasted, and at zero proof, it’s the perfect thing for a night out in-between drinks.

HIDDEN GEM:

BEST BITE:

I love Penrose Espresso Bar and Pastry Counter in the Crossroads. A cute walk-up espresso bar has all the charm I’m looking for on my morning walks with my dog, Ruby. e pastries are delicious, and the Americano hits just right on

One spot I can always count on is The Antler Room. e food typically rotates, but I have never had a pasta dish there that I didn’t absolutely love!

CAFFEINE FIX:

I’m pretty simple when it comes to my co ee drinks. I like a black Americano (hot or iced depending on the season), and lucky for me, I can get that from several places in town. I love going to Take Care by Oleo, just down the street from us at Duet. pastries are delicious, and the my walk back to the studio.

photo by marcea corbin

Sid Mashburn | Greyson Clothiers | Saint James | Drake’s | Seaward & Stearn | Edwin | Jack Donnelly | Sunspel

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