IN Kansas City January 2022 by KC Media

Kansas City’s Healthy (and Tasty!) Eateries A MODERN MEADOWBROOK HOME THAT GETS ALL THE DETAILS RIGHT

New Year, New THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA MOVEMENT

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DR. BARNEY GRAHAM

HIS GROUNDBREAKING DISCOVERIES LED TO THE FIRST CORONAVIRUS VACCINE

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JANUARY 2022 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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

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

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

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Contents JANUARY 2022 62 72 76 66 Features 58

IN CONVERSATION WITH DR. BARNEY GRAHAM Born and raised in Paola, Kansas, Graham discusses what led to the breakthrough of the coronavirus vaccine and dismisses the myths surrounding the discovery.

EATING HEALTHY, 2O22 STYLE We talked to the owners behind four health-oriented dining concepts about what’s on the menu and what eating healthy means to them.

Departments

AHHH, SPA In the midst of a pandemic, three Kansas City homeowners planned their ultimate get-away-from-it-all—the spa bathroom.

A WELLNESS REVOLUTION Medical cannabis is changing the landscape of treatment.

THE FULL EMPTY NEST A new home in Meadowbrook where “more is more” refers to attention to detail rather than acquisition of things.

On the cover

Starting the year with the Taste-Like-Ice-Cream kale smoothie from Enjoy Pure Food + Drink. Photo by Aaron Leimkuehler

JANUARY 2022

WOMEN IN BUSINESS IN KC

ENTERTAINING IN KC

OUR MAN IN KC

ARTS & CULTURE IN KC

BEHIND THE MUSIC IN KC

LOOK IN KC

WOMEN IN HEALTH IN KC

LIVING IN KC

FLAVOR IN KC

104

IN EVERY ISSUE 14

EDITOR’S NOTE

INKANSASCITY.COM

THIS MONTH IN KC

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Editor’s Note

Vol. 5 | No. 1 JANUARY 2022

I Resolve

Editor In Chief Zim Loy Digital Editor Emily Park Art Director Alice Govert Bryan

have all kinds of plans for a healthier and happier 2022, and this issue is full of ideas on how to make it so. First thing in the a.m., my go-to breakfast will be a tall cuppa matcha tea and a sweet (and healthy!) strudel from Unbakery and Juicery (page 65). It’s January, so I’ll pull on my new parka and knit beanie (page 46) for a brisk walk in my neighborhood, and when I’m back, I’ll soothe my parched face with Native Atlas Living Beauty Oil (page 48). Into the office, and at lunchtime the Tastes-Like-Ice-Cream kale smoothie from Enjoy Pure Food + Drink (page 62 and the cover)—which is filled with goodness, like bananas, dates, cashews, and of course, kale, but tastes decadent (ice cream!)— will be my nutritious lunch. I’ve already gotten my Covid-19 booster shot, and if you read the interview with Barney Graham (page 58), a Paola native and a physician and virologist who was honored by Time magazine for his groundbreaking work on the coronavirus vaccine, you’ll get yours too. He demolishes the misinformation that’s so prevalent right now. If it’s Saturday, I’ll tackle organizing the messier areas of the house, picking up some tidy tips for my kitchen and my closet (page 57). I’m inspired by the luxe spa bathrooms (page 66), to take my own up a notch. Maybe a towel warmer would be a nice addition. After work, at least a couple times a week, I’ll sign up for the KC Hula Hoop Girl’s beginners’ class for a low-impact workout (page 50). After all, I was pretty, pretty good at hula hooping as a kid so how hard can it be at my age? Dinner could be sushi from Shinju Sushi (page 96) since it’s right down the street, or possibly a Westport Burger from Gigi’s Vegan + Wellness Café (page 64). It’s a veggie burger nestled inside lettuce and served with an avocado mash. Yum, and check out the likes on social. And after all that healthy living, shouldn’t I at least treat myself to an Ape Hanger at 9th & State (page 89)? The espresso martini has chicory and apricot and it’s on the bar’s “cocktails for good” section of the menu, with ten percent of the sale benefiting organizations like the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. Tasty and do good too? Can’t beat that. Of course, like all of you, my New Year’s resolutions may be a bit (healthy) pie in the sky, but a woman can dream, can’t she?

Contributing Writers Kelsey Cipolla, Judith Fertig, Timothy Finn, Cindy Hoedel, Cody Hogan, Merrily Jackson, Damian Lair, Rachel Murphy, Patricia O’Dell Contributing Photographers Carol Bliss, Jessica Cain, Corie English, Aaron Leimkuehler, Brandon Parigo, Mike Sinclair, Brian Rice Publisher Michelle Jolles Media Director Brittany Coale Senior Media Consultants Katie Delzer, Nicole Kube, Krista Markley Newsstand Consultant Joe J. Luca, JK Associates 816-213-4101, jkassoc.net

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New Year

New Sparkle Beautiful Jewelry from Lilliane’s to Begin Your Year . . . Beautifully!

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INKANSASCITY.COM ENTER TO WIN Need a little help keeping your New Year’s resolutions on track? One lucky winner is going to score the ultimate wellness package courtesy of our friends at Mission Farms valued at over $500. It includes: • 10-class pack from Fusion Fitness • Color My World juice package from Enjoy Pure Food + Drink (includes 5 juices and 2 tonics) • Aveda body-care products from Xiphium • Environ Signature Hydrating facial from Mission: Skin • $50 gift card to Elite Cycling Enter to win by January 31 at inkansascity.com/the-magazine/ enter-to-win. Good luck!

Workout Refresh.

After nearly two years of trying at-home workouts or completely avoiding workout routines all together, many of us are trying to get back into a routine in the new year. Not sure where to go or where to start? We rounded up the top gyms in Kansas City for all types of people. Find out our recommendations at inkansascity.com.

Trying to decide where to eat? From

happy hours to the local restaurant scene, we’ve got the city’s most complete dining guide. Check ‘em out at inkansascity.com/eat-drink/dining-guide.

The good witch. Wicked will be the next Broadway tour to

come to town, and we cannot wait. The last time the show came through Kansas City was in 2015. In this production, audiences will see Allison Bailey in the role of Glenda, and it just so happens the 2015 Kansas City run of the show was the first stop Bailey made when she joined the tour as an understudy. We sat down with Bailey for a Q&A about the show in Kansas City (past and present). Read the full interview at inkansascity.com.

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A dish for the New Year.

INSTAGRAM @INKANSASCITYMAG

Many of us made that resolution to eat healthier in the New Year. This kohlrabi and carrot salad from Chris Hall, head chef at Colonial Gardens, makes meeting that resolution a breeze. This salad includes fresh, bright, and healthy ingredients that complement the kohlrabi and carrots. The best part? It only takes 15 minutes to make. Head over to inkansascity.com to get the recipe.

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JANUARY 2022

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Women in Business

IN KC by

Judith Fertig

photo by

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Cheryl Hartell

THE PROPERTY DEVELOPER DESCRIBES HERSELF AS A “SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR”

f you have walked around Kansas City’s Westside recently, you might have noticed a new kid on the block—Seventeenth and Madison, a sleek mixed-use structure formed from four buildings dating from the 1880s to the 1950s, now sporting a contemporary, cohesive look. It might surprise you to learn that the developer is a newbie, too—Cheryl Hartell, owner of Westside North Properties, LLC. “Many businesses and people have occupied this building. I wish the walls could talk because I would love to hear the stories they would tell,” she says. But first, Hartell’s story. “You could call me a serial entrepreneur,” she says. After majoring in economics and earning a degree from Western Missouri State University, Hartell took a financial products sales job. “Although I learned a great deal about insurance and investing, I knew quickly the corporate world was not for me. Instead, I became a lunch line cook at the former Cafe Allegro where I trained under chefs Stu Stein and Mano Rafael.” When in 1995, The Vineyards Restaurant in Weston became available, Hartell jumped at the opportunity to be the chef and sole owner. In 2008, she sold it. “Accustomed to the pace of the restaurant, I didn’t really slow down for long,” she admits. “I became president of our school’s PTA and wrote grants for safe playground equipment and recycled-tire playground surfacing.” She also continued to cater favorite clients’ events and parties. By 2017, she was at a pivotal time in her life, newly single and her chilJANUARY 2022 |

dren grown. She moved to the Westside. “I learned that the commercial property in this area is owned by just a handful of people. Not to be morbid, but maybe a little comedic, someone will have to pass away for it to become available. When the forsale sign went up on the Cody building at 17th and Madison, I knew it was a good investment and had amazing potential,” she says. Hartell purchased the building, but wasn’t sure yet how she would develop it. While she drew up her plans, she ran the Pita for Good food truck. “Even though seemingly romantic, especially to a former restaurateur, running a food truck is almost as involved and difficult as owning a brick and mortar,” so that phase ended as the new building came to life. Refurbishing Seventeenth and Madison was like an archaeological dig. “From tax photos taken in the early 1900s, you can see that the building in its glory had beautiful storefront windows with iron columns,” says Hartell. “By the 1960s with the neighborhood’s decline, all of these windows had been replaced with blocks and most of the columns were covered as well. This was the state of the building when I purchased it.” Seventeenth and Madison now includes two residential and seven commercial tenant spaces that house ten entrepreneurs. Hindsight is 20/20, and Hartell wishes she had known more about the development tools that city, state, and federal governments offer. “The oldest part of my building had serious structural problems and would have likely been considered blighted,” she says, thus qualifying for tax abatement or even a property-tax freeze. She is still working on those initiatives—and has her eye on another property she hopes could turn into affordable housing. “The entire process from concept, to design, to permit, to construction, to leasing has been an incredible education for me,” says Hartell. “I still learn something new every day. I have had a great design/build team with Hermanos Architecture. We meet weekly to go over the upcoming punch list, analyze costs, and pay invoices. Since I live in the building, I have been fortunate to be involved in and oversee every step of the construction process. Becoming a landlord, understanding real estate law, negotiating and writing leases, as well as marketing the property have also been new skills I’ve acquired.” For women thinking about getting into property development, Hartell has sound advice: Do your homework. “Know the area,” she emphasizes, “how the building and area is zoned and what can potentially and legally occupy the building. Have a structural engineer analyze and give you a report before you seriously consider purchasing the property. Find out the ages of the roofing, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Talk with the Economic Development Council to learn about incentives for developing. Find a mentor, a progressive banker, and a good real-estate attorney.” And know this, too, quips Hartell, with wry humor: “‘While we are at it’ is the most expensive phrase in the English language.”

18 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Know Your Worth

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. POWER IS PERSONAL. Whether it’s a path to security, a gateway to your dreams or the road to being your own boss, we have the people and resources to empower you. Learn more at UMB.com/WXW

This Month IN KC

January

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE BY

Emily Park

JANUARY SPOTLIGHT Good Living Expo January 7 – 8 Overland Park Convention Center goodlivingexpo.com

Kansas City Restaurant Week January 14 – 23 kcrestaurantweek.com REFRESH YOURSELF

DINING DEALS

Did you follow through with your New Year’s resolutions? Find everything you need to meet your goals at the Good Living Expo. With hundreds of vendors, the event has something for men, women, and families looking for fitness, natural beauty, nutrition, weight loss, and mental-health products and tips.

With hundreds of participating restaurants, your favorite (or soon-to-be new favorite) is sure to be on the list. At $15, $35, and $45 price tiers, you’ll have the chance to try exclusive menus at the restaurants you’ve been meaning to try and the ones you faithfully visit. Participating restaurants pledge to donate ten percent of sales from each meal to benefit Guadalupe Centers’ work across the region, as well as the foundations of Visit KC and the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association (GKCRA).

Johnson County Home + Garden Show January 21 – 23 Overland Park Convention Center johnsoncountyhomeshow.com REFRESH YOUR HOME If you admired every farmhouse table that Clint Harp designed for Joanna Gaines on HGTV’s Fixer Upper, you’re about to be very excited because he’s the featured speaker at the Johnson County Home + Garden Show. Best known for his appearences on Fixer Upper and his own show on DIY Network, Wood Work, Harp is now featured in Magnolia Network’s Restoration Road with Clint Harp. While you’re there, shop homerelated products and services, get inspiration for your home with the trendiest displays, connect with industry experts, and enjoy presentations from renowned local and national home professionals.

Kansas City Brew Festival January 29 Union Station kansascitybrewfest.com WE’LL DRINK TO THAT! Calling all beer aficionados! Forty-five breweries, 120 beers, and plenty of food trucks too! The Kansas City Brew Festival held at Union Station brings together dozens of craft and international breweries, including some of Kansas City’s best local breweries. General admission is $50 and includes all the beer you can drink, plus access access to food-truck alley (food is sold separately). Spring for the $65 VIP early admission, and you’ll have the opportunity to try limited beer offerings. Head to their website for more information and to buy tickets.

For Kansas City’s most comprehensive calendar of events, go to inkansascity.com JANUARY 2022

| 20 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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Entertaining

IN KC

You’re Dieting? Come Anyway!

IT’S JANUARY AND MUCH OF THE WORLD IS DIETING. OUR HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTESS DISCUSSES WHAT TO SERVE GUESTS WHO ARE FIGHTING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE by

Merrily Jackson

photo by

Corie English

n being told how thin she looks, the Emily Blunt character in The Devil Wears Prada exults that she is just one stomach flu away from her goal weight. It’s probably the most quoted line in the film because it sends up the daily battle many of us fight with the scale, especially in January, when we’ve resolved to lose the holiday weight. The struggle becomes even more difficult when one has a social life. We go to brunches, cocktail parties, dinner parties in people’s homes. Who wants to be that cheerless guest who is starving herself—or himself, as the case may be? The battle becomes so much easier when we are offered healthy options. As hosts, this becomes our challenge. It’s easy to make something delicious using unlimited quantities of sugar, butter, and heavy cream. It takes finesse to serve fare that is healthy, yet special enough to qualify as party food. Here are some ideas, course by course, for healthy dinner party menu selections.

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

JANUARY 2022 |

24 | INKANSASCITY.COM

FIRST, COCKTAILS Booze is so fun. And so fattening. Even an innocent-looking shot of vodka has a hundred calories. Certain mixers, such as tonic or orange juice (both loaded with sugar), send the tally through the roof. I personally believe that a glass or two of wine or cocktail at a party is worth the splurge, especially

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Entertaining

IN KC

Crudité

NOT FOREVER ON THE HIPS

Guilt-free finger food, to the diet-conscious party guest, is a happy sight. Show ‘em the love by providing a platter of interesting veggies accompanied by a low-fat dip or two. Here are some suggestions for exceptional crudité. Note: avoid broccoli. It funks up the room, and no one ever touches it. • Blanched haricots verts • Asparagus (should be lightly blanched if thick) • Jicama sticks • Belgian endive leaves (natural scoops!) • Steamed radishes • Sugar snap peas. trimmed • Tiny purple or yellow carrots, scrubbed but not peeled, blanched if tough • Kohlrabi, cut into very thin rounds • Fennel bulbs, thinly sliced lengthwise with core intact • Mushrooms • Turnips, peeled, each cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges • Cherry tomatoes Accompany with raita, puréed pea dip, pico de gallo, black bean dip, or cannellini bean spread. Email me for recipes!

JANUARY 2022 |

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when made less heinous by the use of low-cal mixers, like club soda and diet soft drinks. It’s thoughtful to have them on hand in your bar. My new favorite adult beverage consists of the best mixer of all—water, about three fingers—combined with a bracing shot of Templeton Rye whiskey (the bottle is so handsome!), over ice. Here’s a tangy, refreshing party drink, relatively low in calories, that you can serve by the pitcher: mix one part grapefruit juice, one part Fresca and one part vodka. Pour over ice with sprigs of mint and basil. When serving a special, premixed drink, your dieting guest will thank you if you have a low-sugar option. If you’re making a pitcher of margaritas, have a bottle of Skinny Girl Margaritas on hand. Skinny Girl also makes mojito, cosmopolitan, and pina colada products, none as good as the real thing, but not half bad. Stay away from the Skinny Girl Wine, though—not good. LITTLE SNACKIE THINGS It’s so easy to go sideways when confronted with the classic snacks we serve and get served during drinks. People love mixed nuts and Goldfish, and they shouldn’t be denied them. But a little platter of crudités (see my sidebar on the left for ideas) is deeply appreciated by certain of us who mindlessly munch while we sip and chat. I want to hug the host when I see jicama sticks, kale chips, a bowl of Skinny Pop. A great recipe to serve with crudités is pureed pea dip with mint and lemon from Martha Stewart’s Clean Slate cookbook. It takes frozen peas and makes them taste like spring. Email me for the recipe, or any recipe mentioned herein. SALAD GOES WITH EVERYTHING “Let things taste of what they are,” says organic food activist Alice Waters, who probably would agree that a simple green salad is an endlessly interesting first course, especially when lightly dressed with a good vinaigrette. No one will miss the croutons or fattening “mix-ins” if you use a superlative combination of lettuces. Romaine, radicchio, arugula, baby spinach, and Swiss chard look and taste glorious together, and all are available in the organic produce section of most supermarkets. Life is too short to use cheap vinegar or olive oil in a vinaigrette—the good stuff makes all the difference. I have Nora Ephron’s famous vinaigrette committed to memory (you know what to do if you want it), but I use balsamic vinegar instead of red wine vinegar. A tablespoon of minced shallots takes it, or any vinaigrette, right over the top. NOTHING MORE ADAPTABLE THAN SOUP Soup, the dieter’s hero, can be a terrific first course for a JANUARY 2022 |

27 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Entertaining

IN KC

dinner party or—with a hearty enough recipe—an inspired main course. The diet-conscious will appreciate not being tempted by bisques and other cream-based soups. Do you have an immersion blender? They are great for making wholesome, broth-based vegetable soups and puréeing them, as they sit in their pots, into little oceans of creaminess that taste decadent but are not. My favorites are puréed carrot soup and puréed butternut squash soup. Gwyneth Paltrow has a recipe in My Father’s Daughter for broccoli-cheese soup that tastes sinful, but is mostly broccoli and vegetable stock with a little bit of Stilton tossed in. It is a nice first course for a big-deal dinner party, or a satisfying main course for a casual one, especially if feeding vegetarians. SKINNY MAIN COURSES For a dinner party, I am wont to do idiot-proof one-dish main courses, like boeuf bourguignon or lasagna Bolognese. Delicious, but a million calories a bite. I have some nice, lower-calorie alternatives. Giada De Laurentiis, in Giada’s Feel Good Food, thoughtfully provides the calorie counts for all of her recipes. Her Noodle Paella, made with whole-wheat spaghetti, is authentic tasting, easy to make, and only 350 calories for a good-sized serving. Mark Bittman’s Braised Fish, Pot-Roast Style is scrumptious made with halibut. He does want you to fling some chopped potatoes into it; you could substitute parsnips I suppose, although that seems a little draconian. You don’t want to become known as the host

who serves only rabbit food. My friend and local theater legend Ron Megee and his husband, Jon Fulton Adams, are incredibly svelte and natty looking after going on the keto diet. They told me they served food made from keto recipes to friends at a recent party, and it was a hit. Ron graciously shared with me one of his favorite main-course recipes, Keto Chicken Curry. I’ll be happy to send it to you. AND FINALLY, DIET-FRIENDLY DESSERTS Healthy desserts are easy to figure out in the summer and early fall, when we have an abundance of fresh berries, cherries, and peaches, which need little or no adornment. This time of year is a little trickier. Ina Garten, who seldom disappoints, in Barefoot Contessa Parties gives us a stellar recipe, Perfect Poached Fruit, just right for a late winter/early spring party, with Bosc pears, dried figs, apricots, and prunes. You can make it the day before; it only gets better as it sits. Almost any fruit is delicious when it is sliced or chopped, placed on a half-sheet, dusted cut-side-up with sugar, popped into a 450 degree oven until caramelized, then spritzed with a little orange juice. You even can do this with frozen fruit, providing you thaw it first. Meringue is another gift to the weight conscious. In her book, Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipe for Blueberry Pavlova using medallions of meringue is fabulous, especially if you substitute vanilla yogurt for the whipping cream.

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The Nutcracker Ball

‘‘W

As we dined, special acknowledgements were given to the honorary chairman, (dearest man and friend) Michael Fields, as well as the annual Pirouette award recipient, Dr. John Hunkeler, for individual devotion and patronage to the ballet across decades. And what’s a ballet ball without a smattering of ballet? With tables arranged around a circular center stage, we were all treated to pop-up mini performances by company dancers. I’ll note that I especially loved the interspersing of current electronic dance-music beats HOT with Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker score. It GOSSIP: felt fresh and fun. Upon being overserved Afterwards, guests took to the and carried out of dance floor for some twirling of our a holiday party, who own, with the Fountain City 45s quipped “But I just had band adding a jolt of energy. And a physical; I don’t know people danced. Over the years, I’ve been to a number of the ballet’s balls what happened.” and similar legacy arts organization gaJANUARY 2022 |

Damian Lair with Lauren Merriman at the Ballet Ball.

las, which I always enjoy. I was telling my friend (and co-chair) Karen, days later, how electric this year’s event felt. While no one hopes to have another global pandemic halt our arts and revelry—one silver lining might just be our renewed, collective ability to savor it all a little more now that we are back.

OVERHEARD “Aren’t these new pants cute? They’ve got the elastic waistband—with me through the good times and the bad.”

SPOTTED: Julia Irene Kauffman, Jeff Bentley, Peggy & Terry Dunn, Jackie & John Middelkamp, Maurice Watson, Ursula Terrasi & Jim Miller, Amy Embry, Susan and Dr. Stephen Bubb, Ann McCray, Barbara & Jack Spilker, Mary Leonidas, Julie Anderson Clark & Vince Clark, Nicole & Myron Wang, Siobhan McLaughlin Lesly, Mike Sigler, Greg O’Bourney, Kurt Knapstein, Linda Lighton & Lynn Adkins, Don Loncasty, Dr. Terry Anderson & Michael Henry, Dan DeLeon, Lauren DeLeon, Lauren Merriman, Garret Toms, Jane Ehinger, Tara Raghuveer, Erin & Will Gregory, Dr. Amy Patel & Joe Rathermel, Barbara Reed, Holly Bawden, Annie Simmermon, Emily Moore, Aisa Palomares

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PHOTO BY KENNY JOHNSON

e. Are. Back.” That was the opening toast by the artistic director for the Kansas City Ballet, Devon Carney, to kick off the 54th annual Nutcracker Ball black-tie gala. Presented by the Kansas City Ballet Guild, and co-chaired by Tempe Ostergren Elsberry and Karen Yungmeyer, it was a hotly anticipated gathering of more than 450 ballet patrons—particularly given last year’s canceled occasion. In addition to raising funds that support the ballet and its various educational and outreach missions, the event also serves as the unoffi cial kickoff to the holiday party season and the beloved, dizzying schedule of The Nutcracker performances. Ball guests gathered at the sparkling new Loews Hotel Kansas City—my first time there for a large event. Able to walk the few blocks there, I smartly met friends early at the Bar Stillwell, just off the lobby. In plush velvet sofas, with soaring glass walls framing the city skyline, we sipped on a round of the Pleasure to Burn cocktails— tequila, jalapeño shrub, pineapple syrup, and lime. It felt so incredible to have everyone together, dressed in gowns and sequins, or in my case, a nutcracker-inspired jacket embellished with rows of brass buttons and braided military detail. We made our way to the ballroom for cocktail hour, more mingling, and ultimately sat for a decadent dinner amongst festive Craig Sole Designs florals.

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A TOAST TO TWENTY HOT I’M NOT SURE at what number I beGOSSIP: gan attending the Heidmann Art SaWhat KC couple just lons, organized by Scott Heidmann had a prominent nuptials and Ken Petti. What I am sure of is: profile published in The at each and every one, I’ve been captiNew York Times? vated not only by the new genre-spanning artworks, but equally by the curated stream of art-lover attendees assembled with the same thoughtfulness as the art gracing the gallery walls. For the 20th salon held in the art gallery space of the Crossroads Hotel, 30 artists were featured. Many were reprise appearances (a nod to the past), but several were brand new (a look ahead to the future). Rachel B. Hayes was back with a massive and colorful parachute-like quilted textile sculpture. There were glazed earthenware figures from Paolo Porelli, of Rome, juxtaposed with Linda Lighton’s ceramic lipstick bullets (determined to be my next purchase), and gilded, cast-concrete sculptures by Jill Downen. I also loved Hadley Clark’s beautiful and gripping dress made of discarded cotton waste—work of art, ready-to-wear—or both? Mark Westervelt had two pieces delicately constructed from dried paint chips, and Kit Keith, an artist new to the salons, had a series of acrylic portraits painted on found onion-skin letterhead. Perhaps high on the night’s euphoria, I picked up a mesmerizing eye study painting by Benjamin Parks. Several other artists included Peregrine Honig, Miguel Riveria, Jeff Robinson, Michael Lucero, Eileen Lang, Jay Norton, Stuart Heidmann, and Shea Gordon. The art salon was but one component of a nearly month-long string of events making up “Santa Cause”—random acts of Christmas, helping families with children in need during the holiday season. Other events across the month of December included pet portraits with Santa, food and toy donation drives, and a Fellini-inspired, entertainment-packed dinner at the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Lazia. (It’s finally reopened after a 16-month pandemic closure/reimagining— and is every bit worth your return.) SPOTTED: Karen & Jack Holland, Helen & Frank Wewers, Dr. Regina Nouhan, Carol Meunier, Barry Eisenhart, Katrina Revenaugh, Lisa Lala, Pam Dicapo, Holly Post, Tom Mentzer, Jackie Streiker, Luis Mortera, Jeremy Bennett

A CHANGE FOR THE DREAMLIKE I’VE NEVER attended a trumpet-focused instrumental jazz concert before. But when Mary Kemper Wolf mentioned the opportunity— naturally, I jumped. For the U.S. debut of his sophomore album, A Change for the Dreamlike, Missouri native Hermon Mehari returned from Paris to share his masterpiece at the 1900 Building. (It’s worth mentioning that Mehari’s first album, Bleu, debuted at #1 on the iTunes Jazz chart.) Mehari conceived this album during two months of le confinement in the Corrèze region of France, living in an attractive barn that appears on the album cover. Sheltering in place during the initial pandemic uncertainty, by the miracles of modern technology Mehari was able to virtually collaborate with other artists across JANUARY 2022 |

France and from Kansas City for the album. Performing with Mehari were pianist Kae Dilla, drummer Brad Williams, and Peter Schlamb on the xylophone and various other instruments. The album is a very personal “lock-down” journal— each entry featuring various memories, fantasies, and wishes. The song Conversation with my Uncle is a melancholic exchange between trumpet and spoken word. In it, Mehari’s uncle recites Mehari’s father’s refugee story—something the musician wished had been recorded prior to his death. Eritrea explores Mehari’s Eritrean heritage and incorporates elements—which Mehari carefully studied in this vein—into his music for the first time. And in Shenandoah, Mehari analogizes the Dordogne River, which was near his confinement barn, to the Missouri River he grew up next to. Yet another Kansas City-to-Paris “connection”—the MiRR Collective, co-founded by Mehari and formed to organize, develop, and promote artists working on creative and multidisciplinary projects in jazz, improvisational, and contemporary music, digital arts, and choreography. MiRR also holds a biennial festival and distributes music under the MiRR label. Mehari, especially, has notably worked to strengthen connections between our two cities, always including Kansas City artists in MiRR’s Jazz Days Festival. And he’s working on more ways for each city to exchange and connect. The evening’s concert event benefitted MiRR, which was also accompanied by a dedicated art exhibition, curated by Kemper Wolf. And while the concert was an ephemeral evening, the exhibition will remain free and open to the public through January 15. Witnessing Hermon Mehari on stage was an incredible experience. From his gleaming smile, to his laidback white linen ensemble and barefoot appearance, Hermon Mahari to his tender and deferential demeanor—he exudes the purest form of genuine joy. He manifests smiles. If you’re interested in hearing more from Mehari, he recently began his own radio show on KCUR 89.3, called “The Session.” Beaming from Paris, he’s able to celebrate and share music that inspires him every Saturday evening from 7-8 p.m. SPOTTED: Gary Wolf, Georgia Wolf, Lee Langston, Lisa Garney, Anna Marie Tutera, Sarah Morris, Benny Lee, Don Schreiner, John Escalada, Rachel Smith, Matt Anderson

KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA HOMES TOUR FOR 70 YEARS, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association of Greater Kansas City has hosted its annual holiday homes tour. I was delighted to attend the preview night and kickoff party—shockingly, 32 | INKANSASCITY.COM

photo by joseph bologne

Our Man

my first time at this event. This year, four incredible and diverse homes formed the tour. Homeowners Janet and Gary Hall, Chasitie and Mike Walden, John Schuppan, and one anonymous couple generously allowed ticket-purchasing Kansas Citians into their homes to get a glimpse of how they celebrate the holidays. Studio Dan Meiners and Craig Sole Designs were back with their floral and décor magic to transform these homes into shimmering showcases—not to mention Wild Hill Flowers and Events, which made its tour debut. Pickwick & Co. had rooms full of scented candles, giving each home a signature scent paired appropriately with the unique feel of each residence—Fraser Fir being my favorite. I also loved how the Kappa tour board assembled homes with a variety of styles: a modern French country, a regional prairie-style modern, a masculine Tudor revival (the original owner invented the three-ring binder!), and a French modern (including an entire grandparents’ wing). After touring the homes, my group ended at the 1900 Building for cocktails, nibbles, and the opening of the event’s holiday boutique. Vendors included Art from Architecture, Dalton Ink, Erin Paige Love Designs, The Farmer’s House, Mary Don Beachy Children’s Books, Pearly Girls, Poppy’s Creations, Shop Jane Birch, Spruce Home, and Teal Lotus. There was jewelry, leather items, artwork, baked goods (including the famous fudge), and of course, Pickwick’s four scented candles featured on the tour. Beneficiaries of the tour rotate—they’ve raised millions over the decades—and this year they included Jewish Family Services, House of Hope, and the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. Congratulations to the tour board co-chairs, Maddy Poletis, Patti Sosa, and Rory Welsh. This event has OVERHEARD absolutely se“It’s not that I cured itself in don’t like a good my future annudeal; I just don’t al holiday plans. always need one.”

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Arts&Culture

IN KC

Hasna Sal

THE ARCHITECT AND GLASS ARTIST ANSWERS FOUR QUESTIONS by

Judith Fertig

hen travelers walk through the new Kansas City airport, they will soon come upon a marvelous 20-foot wall of glass from artist Hasna Sal. “Kansas City is not any average Midwest city,” says Sal. “It is cutting-edge; and I am proud to be part of its community.” A native of Kochi, a port city on the Malabar Coast of India, Sal’s restless spirit led her to study journalism in London and architecture in Boston with post-grad at Harvard. She has taught architecJANUARY 2022

photo by

Carol Bliss

tural engineering at the University of Kansas. Sal’s glass jewelry sparkled down the fashion runway as part of designer Archana Kochhar’s collection for New York Fashion Week. Now a resident of Overland Park, the well-traveled Sal founded her company Glass Concepts 360 in Olathe. With installations in restaurants in Lawrence and Topeka, Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, and a Nativity Triptych in Lawrence, Sal also has a permanent exterior installation going up in March at Independence Plaza Park funded by a grant from

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Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, and another by the Kansas City Museum. glassconcepts360.com

turing the mind a certain way; it’s about disciplining one’s approach to creative place-making.

INKC: You’ve recently been commissioned to do a 20-foot glass wall at the new Kansas City International airport. What can you tell us about it? Sal: The theme is “extraordinary in the ordinary.” It’s a series of ten painted-glass panels, illustrating the momentous simplicities of Midwestern life. It celebrates the unity, diversity, and versatility of our lively communities, rooted in land, vegetation, wildlife, and seasons. It’s an explosion of color that communicates emotions, relationships, and connections, both transient and permanent.

INKC: Why select glass as a medium for your art? Sal: While pursuing my five-year professional degree program in archi-

INKC: You’ve written Poems in Glass, a memoir. How does your

past influence the present work that you do? Sal: The past is always in the present. As an architect, I am trained in

building materials, spatial planning, programmatic needs, site analysis, client communications, structural design, etc. This applies to everything I do—whether it is writing a book, making wearable sculpture, or large public art installations. Architecture is not a profession, it is a way of life, and it disciplines you to be process oriented, not product oriented. Process involves identification, connection, communication, introspection, meditation, conceptualization, design development, budgeting, and construction. These disciplines apply to life in general. It’s about struc-

tecture in Boston, Massachusetts, I studied glass for my architectural materials elective. I continued with it in my final year. I thought I would specialize in glass buildings in professional practice. But in Kansas, there wasn’t much opportunity for that. When I went back to Cambridge to pursue my post-grad studies at Harvard in landscape architecture, I presented in glass. My professors said I had created a benchmark for Harvard. That’s why I decided to pursue glass full time and started my business Glass Concepts 360. INKC: How has Kansas City nurtured your creative spirit? Sal: Kansas City has been very welcoming to me as an immigrant and

nurtures my ideas and vision that I bring from my years of training as an architect and artist from Massachusetts and the United Kingdom respectively. An example of this is when I wanted to create the first exterior memorial in the nation for victims of human trafficking, all the local agencies I approached—Habitat for Humanity, Kansas City Parks and Recreation, Lykins Neighborhood Association, Art Commission of Kansas City, St. Michael the Archangel in Leawood, Rotary Club—all supported the project wholeheartedly. The glass memorial is in Lykins Park.

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Arts & Culture BY

IN KC

Judith Fertig

WICKED: THE MUSICAL TAKE A KANSAS GIRL named Dorothy and her dog Toto, a tornado, a pair of ruby slippers, a scarecrow and his buddies, plus good and bad witches. Shake them all up, put the bad witch in charge, and you’ve got the makings of Wicked, a Broadway musical first performed in 2003. A Broadway Series production of the American Theatre Guild, Wicked looks at another girl newly arrived in Oz, pre-Dorothy. This girl has green skin, a sharp intellect, and a fiery temperament. She befriends a bubbly blonde with a sweet voice. One goes on to be dubbed Wicked, the other Good. And in the tradition of musicals such as South Pacific exploring prejudice, this one takes judging a book by its cover into familiar yet new territory. At this time, all patrons are required to wear masks while inside the Music Hall throughout the duration of each Broadway performance, regardless of age and/or vaccination status. But check before you go. Performances are January 5 through 23. For more information, visit americantheatreguild.com/kansascity.

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NATALIE FRANK’S UNBOUND

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FOUR WELL-RESEARCHED literary narratives inspire four series of gouache on paper creations in this new exhibit at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art beginning January 18. Fairy tales are not for kids. The Grimm Brothers’ stories feature more violence than a slasher film. Far from the imaginary world of Disney princesses and unicorns, the heroines in the original fairy tales are more spunky than glamorous; the villainesses often meet a grisly death. The Story of O, an erotic novel written in 1954, features a Parisian heroine who has been taught to be totally submissive to men in everything sexual, considered the “true nature” of women. In Madame d’Aulnoy’s fantastical stories, women are shrewd rather than conventional, evil and virtuous at the same time. If The Sorcerer’s Apprentice brings to mind Mickey Mouse in the animated film Fantasia, put that aside for now—and appreciate how Walt Disney brought his own 1950s happy families vibe to folk and fairy tales. Like the over 50 variants of the Cinderella story, there are also many for this story of an apprentice trying to learn magical powers, from the ancient Roman poet Ovid to the 18th-century German poet Goethe and the swashbuckling Sir Walter Scott. Brooklyn artist and feminist Natalie Frank reinterprets these controversial tales and more in several series of drawings—black-and-white, gouache on paper, chalk, and pastel—that provoke, reimagine, and redefine. For more information and hours, visit kemperart.org.

JANUARY 2022

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Arts & Culture by

IN KC

Judith Fertig

THE HARRIMAN-JEWELL SERIES PRESENTS: PARSONS DANCE FOUNDED BY Kansas City native David Parsons in 1985, the New York-based company has been a Harriman-Jewell Series favorite since the group’s first national tour in 1988. Over 20 years later, Parsons Dance has developed into an international modern dance touring company and still offers some of the most compelling creations, such as the iconic strobe-lit Caught. Known for their athleticism and ensemble work, the company returns to Kansas City on January 21 with a program that includes new choreography by David Parsons set to Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Yusuf/Cat Stevens’ iconic songs, such as Peace Train and Trouble. More than 75 works are in the Parsons Dance repertoire covering a vast range of motion and emotion—each one a celebration of humanity. Whenever Parsons Dance performs, the audience is guaranteed excitement and artistic brilliance. The athletic dancers and exuberant choreography are hallmarks of Parsons Dance and have helped make it one of the most popular contemporary dance ensembles performing today. For tickets and safety requirements, visit kauffmancenter.org.

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CHARLOTTE STREET AWARDWINNING ARTISTS’ LECTURE ART IS A SLOW PROCESS is and so are its award cycles. Three local artists chosen as Charlotte Street Award winners in 2020 by a panel of local and national curators will each give a lecture on January 27 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.. The three awardees include Cory Imig, who specializes in installations such as Linear Spaces (2017) constructed of green satin ribbon, ratchet straps, and hardware. Glyneisha Johnson created For Us By Us (2017) in graphite-on-oil ground on paper. Kathy Liao’s Without (2018) employs collage, ink, gesso, charcoal, litho crayon, and pencil on paper. The Charlotte Street Foundation annually honors three outstanding Kansas City-based visual artists with unrestricted cash awards. The Charlotte Street Awards also provide critical attention, and increased exposure for Award Fellows. The Nerman exhibits their works until April 24th. Facial coverings are required but check before you go. nermanmuseum.org

Artist Glyneisha Johnson with her drawing, For Us By Us.

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Behind the Music

2022 Not-to-Miss

Concerts

ive music returned to Kansas City and the rest of the world in 2021, but not with the same force and volume we were accustomed to before the pandemic. Things appear to be heading toward normal in 2022. Kansas City lost two of its more popular music venues in 2021, both in Westport: the Riot Room and the Westport Saloon, which were not able to survive the economic damages rendered by the suspension of live music for more than a year. However, the venues that managed to navigate the pandemic’s turbulence—places large and small—are gearing up for a bountiful 2022. Here’s a quick look at just 15 of the shows already booked through the summer. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for plenty more additions. And consult each venue’s website as show dates approach to see what pandemic protocols are in place.

Timothy Finn

IN KC

January 21 KACEY MUSGRAVES at the T-Mobile Center With each appearance in Kansas City, Musgraves has graduated to a bigger venue or larger marquee status, from opening for Katy Perry to headlining at the Midland, then Starlight. Now a multi-Grammy winning arena performer, Musgraves was in the news in 2021 when she was snubbed by the Recording Academy, which left her off the “best country album” ballot after declaring her fifth and most recent studio album, Star-Crossed, didn’t fit its country-music mold. Fair enough: It’s more pop than the average definition of country, but it also deserves some Grammy attention. Regardless, she will bring to her first headlining arena show in Kansas City a large trove of songs, some of which drip with the sounds of traditional country music. A personable and engaging live performer, she’ll no doubt prove that she and her songs are big enough to satisfy an arena crowd, no matter what genre they belong in. With King Princess and Muna. Tickets start at $39.

January 21-22 THE BAND THAT FELL TO EARTH at RecordBar This annual event was launched in January 2016 to celebrate the music and the birthday of David Bowie. But a couple of weeks before the show, Bowie died of cancer, and the tribute became more a memorial and commemoration of his life and career. It also became one of the more popular local shows in the Kansas City music world, so popular it’s now an annual two-night event. The band comprises some of Kansas City’s finest musicians, who play a splendid assortment of hits and deep cuts. It will sell out (again) so don’t hesitate. Tickets start at $20. February 1 ELTON JOHN at the T-Mobile Center Sir Elton’s previous show in Kansas City—Feb. 13 at what was then the Sprint Center—was supposed to be his final show ever here, part of his “I’m not kidding this time” farewell tour. But within a year, he’d put retirement on hold (again) and announced another tour and Kansas City show in 2020. Covid postponed that date; this is the makeup date. If you saw him in 2019, you know what he brings to his live concerts: a deep catalog of hits and classics and a sure and steady way of performing them. The few remaining tickets start at $250.

JANUARY 2022

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February 15 ERASURE at the Uptown Theater The electro/synth/pop duo from London has been at it for more than 35 years, and they and their music haven’t lost much of the edge they brought to dance music in the mid-1980s. In August 2020, they released The Neon, their 18th studio album, but recent setlists have drawn tracks equally from a dozen albums, going all the way back to their debut, Wonderland. Tickets start at $63. February 18 ERIC CHURCH at the T-Mobile Center

February 19 TYLER THE CREATOR at Cable Dahmer Arena

He is a country superstar, one who has managed to elude the “bro’ country” brand and yet appeal deeply to fans of that flavor of country music. Chalk it up to the songs he writes, which evoke the country lifestyle without indulging in the usual tropes and cliches. And he wrote an ode to Bruce Springsteen, which has become one of his biggest hits. Church is familiar with Kansas City. Since his first appearance here—in 2010 at the Power & Light District—he has performed eight times here, including once at Arrowhead and a two-night stand at the Sprint Center in 2019. Tickets start at $96.

In the hip-hop world, Tyler Okonma is a can-do-and-do-it-all star: an MC, a producer, a songwriter, and co-founder of the hip-hop collective Odd Future, formed in Los Angeles in 2007, when Okonma was 16. His music world embraces hip-hop, jazz, R&B, soul, and horror-core—a dynamic alchemy that has influenced artists far beyond hiphop. Tickets start at $123.

March 7 PARQUET COURTS at Liberty Hall They are from New York City, and they arouse a sound that makes a beeline back to the early and inflammatory days of punk and post-punk. It’s genuine enough that even crusty, cynical punk loyalists admit they’re the real deal, or close enough to matter. Tickets start at $43.

February 22 BEACH HOUSE at the Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland

April 20 PRIMUS at Crossroads KC at Grinders This show had been scheduled and postponed three times in 2021: twice in July and once in October. The delay will only stoke the enthusiasm of fans of Primus and their technicolor leader, Les Claypool, who was wise enough to recognize an opportunity—write the wiggedout theme song to South Park—and then make the most of it. Tickets start at $70.

Their brand is “dream pop,” which is apt because it’s the sound of waves on a shore, an ocean sunset, and all the calm that comes from immersion in sun and sand and enormous bodies of water. Tickets start at $70.

JANUARY 2022

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Behind the Music

IN KC

April 24 HENRY ROLLINS at Liberty Hall He is a poet and spoken-word performer. And lately you might catch reruns of him hosting a show on a history channel. But first he was the leader of Black Flag, which makes him a founding lord of hardcore punk—a title that endures. Tickets start at $46.

May 18 RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE WITH RUN THE JEWELS at the T-Mobile Center

May 17 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS at the Truman

They have plenty to rage about these days, and their diehard fans in Kansas City will be primed and cranked up to see a band that has performed in this area only twice: at Sandstone Amphitheater in 1997 and at Liberty Hall in Lawrence in 1993. Tickets start at $125.

They might be in their 60s, but their material is timeless: a fusillade of hyper-creative songs and lyrics from weirdos who indulge feverishly in their weirdness and keen comic sense. Tickets start at $27.

August 24 ALICIA KEYS at Starlight Theatre She does it all: elite singer, elite musician, elite songwriter, elite performer plus a warm, smart, and appealing personality. In many ways, she’s the successor to Prince. Tickets start at $82.

June 15 BON IVER at Starlight Theatre

September 3 ROGER WATERS at the T-Mobile Center

Justin Vernon performs as Bon Iver, his outlet for songs that are typically porcelain and star-lit and skeletal and meditative and genteel: The Sounds of Solitude. Live, however, he is apt to infuse them with a different energy. No matter his tack, he tends to be memorable. Tickets start at $57. With Bonny Light Horseman.

He continues to carry the torch for one of the greatest rock bands to emerge from the 1960s and he continues to pay respects to their music with much spectacle and grandiosity. Tickets start at $32.

JANUARY 2022

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Look

IN KC

Fashion

Rachel Murphy

Resolution: Fashion

ou must admit—you never really wanted to go to the gym with everyone and their resolutions on January first anyway, did you? If COVID concerns are keeping you out of the gym and braving the cold for your daily workout, there are stylish and hardworking garments that will keep you toasty as you torch the holiday calories. Layering is essential when working out in winter weather, so don’t forget your base layers and performance fabrics. And in these looks, you’ll still feel good about just jogging to get a green juice and calling it a day.

HIGH COLLAR, HIGH TEMPERATURE If you’re training outside, you need something warm and insulated but not bulky. The Flurry Force Insulated PrimaLoft Jacket II fits the bill. With a quilted front panel for warmth and chafe-free seamless construction, this can be a top layer over smart wool or a middle layer for longer runs or skiing. Plus, the high neck keeps out the chill without needing a scarf. A WALK IN THE WOODS A good hike can stimulate the senses for those who eschew running in the winter. Layer up in the Rains Glacial parka if you’re heading to one of Kansas City’s many trails. The boxy cut allows for plenty of warmth underneath, and the waterproof shell with ultrasonically welded seams promises to keep you dry no matter what. Plus, with pockets galore, you can bring all you need for a Bill Bryson-style adventure. TOP HAT Sometimes the simplest pieces do the best. We don’t know if your mom was right about losing 80% of your body heat through your head, but this Bellboy chunky stocking hat is a good idea, nonetheless.

Flurry Force Insulated PrimaLoft Jacket II, $139, available at Athleta (Country Club Plaza).

Rains Glacial parka in taupe, $480, available at Ulah (Westwood).

Bellboy KC chunky knit cuffed beanie, $25, available at Westside Storey (Westside).

Icebreaker Women’s 250 Vertex Fractured Landscapes crew top or leggings, $129.95 each, available at Moosejaw (Country Club Plaza).

FIRM FOUNDATIONS If you’re planning on being out in the elements for a time, nothing beats the insulating power of wool. Far from the itchy sweaters of your youth, merino wool helps regulate the body’s temperature, no matter what the weather. Icebreaker Women’s 250 Vertex long underwear set features a bold abstract pattern that’s interesting enough to keep on as you lounge after your workout.

JANUARY 2022 |

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Inspired Designer Connie Fey brings her expertise to both residential and commercial design projects. Color, texture, and technology are three elements of design that she finds particularly inspiring. Be inspired with a designer at Madden-McFarland.

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Look

IN KC Beauty

Rachel Murphy

Fighting the Freeze BANISH WINTER DRYNESS WITH ULTRA MOISTURIZERS

ometimes, winter’s harshest blow doesn’t come from snow or ice. Instead, it comes from the persistent sapping of your skin’s moisture, leaving dry, flaky skin as an insult to the injury of a sub-zero Midwestern winter. Luckily, Kansas City has a cottage industry of skincare producers creating products to help. While we can’t dismiss the importance of a good exfoliator before moisturizing, these formulas will feel great on your beleaguered skin, no matter what. Check out three favorites to banish winter dryness.

A SMOOTHIE SANS STRAW When your skin is screaming for TLC, the Bittersweet Apothecary has the cure for what ails you. The Marula Smoothie features two powerhouse ingredients— marula oil and shea butter. The African miracle oil is known for its rich moisture content and light texture, while shea butter is rich and indulgent. Use this as a night cream and slather it on. Want something more refreshing? Try the Vanilla Mint fragrance featuring Moroccan Peppermint. Marula or Vanilla Mint Smoothie creme, $28, The Bittersweet Apothecary (Liberty).

LIGHT BUT POWERFUL Not everyone who has dry skin wants to feel like they are wearing a thick layer of cream. Living Beauty Oil from Native Atlas delivers moisture without weight if you prefer something lighter. The blend of African mongongo and marula oil sinks into all skin types without feeling greasy. Native Atlas Living Beauty Oil, $89, available online at nativeatlas.com or in-store at Clairvaux (Fairway) and Welwythn (Prairie Village).

WEAR YOUR GREENS Plants aren’t just the trend du jour on Instagram—they also offer dryness-fighting ingredients that soothe. Skin KC’s Daily Greens Nourishing and Hydrating Repair Cream features super ingredients green tea (20 times the antioxidant power of Vitamin E!) and blue/green algae (chlorophyll, B vitamins, vitamin A, DHA, and EPA fatty acids—need we go on?). With the aroma of sweet orange essential oils, this daily driver will awaken the senses while it keeps your face locked and loaded with moisture. Skin Daily Greens Nourishing and Hydrating Repair Cream for Face and Neck, $44, available at Skin KC (Brookside). Also available at the Made in KC store (Country Club Plaza).

JANUARY 2022 |

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Look

IN KC

Wellness

Rachel Murphy

New Year, New Trends FITNESS IN 2022

ALLEY HOOP If you search 2022 fitness trends, the top result is weighted hula hooping. While weighted hoops haven’t quite made it to KC yet, the old standard is still quite a workout. If you’ve never mastered it, drop into one of the KC Hula Hoop Girl’s beginners’ classes at Village Presbyterian Church or the Sylvester Powell Community Center. Hooping is a low-impact workout that focuses on coordination and core strength, using 30 stabilizing core muscles. Don’t have a hoop? KC Hoop Girl can help with that as well. Learn more at hulahoopingkansascity.com.

ou’ve worked out at home. You’ve stretched in front of a sentient mirror. You’ve danced with the best of them. There’s always something new in the fitness world, and January is a great time to try something new. We did the leg work (not leg day, but close) to find the newest, most on-trend classes and modalities to inspire you to reach your personal record in 2022. What will you be doing this year?

FUNCTIONAL WITH A CAPITAL F Fitness will always be a variation on endurance and picking up heavy things. F45, which is poised to become the next CrossFit, offers a no-nonsense version of the basics—HIIT workouts and functional training that anyone can accomplish. With a promise to keep workouts varied, this captures the spirit of CrossFit without the grunting. Find Kansas City’s only F45 gym at f45training.com.

BOUNCE AROUND It seems like every fitness trend has an aerial version now, and aerial bungee fitness is the latest addition. Upside Bungee in the West Bottoms specializes in aerial bungee workouts. Participants strap into a harness attached to a bungee cord attached to the ceiling. Using the resistance of the cord and body weight, attendees can complete a variety of classes, including yoga and dance cardio. Find a full schedule upsidebungee.com. at upsidebungee.com

JANUARY 2022 |

MOVING MAMAS If you’re a mom, you know how hard it is to find the time to work out. Fit4Mom solves that problem by offering classes intended to be completed with the cause of your excess weight— your baby. One of their signature classes is Stroller Strides, which incorporates strength and conditioning with songs for the kiddos in their strollers. Or leave the kid with dad or mom and join the Body Back eight-week class series, designed to help moms get back to a feeling of health after baby. Classes are held in various locations in Overland Park, both indoor and outdoor, depending on the weather. Learn more at overlandpark.ﬁt4mom.com

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Women in Health presented by

AdventHealth

IN KC by

Emily Park

Dr. Susan Lee prioritized. According to Lee, here’s what you should look out for to meet your social, mental, and physical health needs: SOCIAL Many of us have experienced social isolation during the pandemic. In 2022, it’s time to prioritize social activities (while still being mindful of personal and community health). The human mind and body need social interaction to stay healthy. Studies have shown social isolation is more detrimental to health than obesity, smoking ten cigarettes a day, or drinking too much alcohol. Conversations with other women about relationships, life events (especially the hard times), and health remind you that you’re not alone. Finding common ground and exploring one another’s gifts and talents draw inspiration, and you might even get some tips on exercise routines, recipes, child care, home remedies, and more. Women from all walks of life can help one another navigate experiences unique to womanhood.

ACTIONABLE WAYS TO MEET WOMEN’S HEALTH GOALS IN 2022

arly in the new year, many women are focused on what they can do to be healthier. This “new year, new me” mindset often comes with resolutions to exercise more or eat healthier—which if we’re honest, many give up after a few weeks or months. This sometimes happens because health advice is often generalized to fit both men and women. “Women are unique creatures, and general health tips don’t always apply—especially during the stages of adolescence, pregnancy, and menopause,” says Susan Lee, a family medicine physician with AdventHealth Medical Group, who has practiced for nearly 30 years. “Important areas of overall female health are complex, as women are generally more emotionally driven, nurturing, and sensitive.” As you make health goals for the upcoming year, Lee says it’s important to identify what truly matters—often resolutions fail if there’s not a change in heart or mindset inspiring those goals. “In the new year, we all make—or at least contemplate—resolutions or changes that we would like to see happen in the upcoming year,” says Lee. “This can include healthy eating habits, weight loss, regular exercise, etc. In my experience, those things don’t happen unless there is a change of heart that goes along with those resolutions. Only when we address our spiritual and emotional side do we really make that kind of lasting change.” While body-focused resolutions like healthier eating, weight loss, and exercise are sometimes helpful, those goals are easier to reach when our emotional health is JANUARY 2022 |

MENTAL Women are often multi-taskers, which can be taxing on mental and overall health. A lot of factors go into taking care of mental health, but here’s where you should start: • Getting a good night’s sleep is essential. • Spend time outside in the fresh air and sunshine. • Exercise is a great stress reliever. To see the best results, exercise for 30 minutes, five days a week. It matters less what you’re doing for exercise and more that you are doing it. • Take time each week to engage with real people and unplug from electronics. • If you are struggling with your mental health, always reach out to your doctor. PHYSICAL Good nutrition is vital to general health, preventive care, and immune system boosting. Books such as South Beach Diet, Wheat Belly, and The Virgin Diet are great resources for meal planning. Watch out for refined and processed foods, GMO’s, added hormones, and added antibiotics. Our immune systems may treat these foods as foreign, resulting in physical symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, gut issues, joint pain, weight gain, and more. For some people, supplements are important for optimal health. Vitamin C, zinc, quercetin, selenium, magnesium, and vitamin D are essential for cellular health. For energy and cognitive function, probiotics and humic and fulvic acid supplements are a great help. These natural approaches to health can be used alongside traditional medicine to help prevent and treat disease. Seek guidance from your doctor to help determine what supplements your body may need. Here’s to a happy and healthy new year, and may we all reach our health goals!

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Living

IN KC

Behr Breezeway

Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog

Is It Easy Being Green? BY

Patricia O’Dell

very year many of the major paint manufacturers release a “color of the year.” For 2022, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, Behr, and PPG all chose light, earthy, and complex shades of green. Traditionally, green is considered a color of life, of tranquility, harmony, and rebirth. In the midst of a global pandemic that we can’t seem to kick, a little serenity would go a long way. That said, the muddiness of these selections makes me wonder if the color mystics are hopeful but wary. Benjamin Moore suggests we “make room for creativity with October Mist,” a gentle color that encourages individual expression. I’m not sure about your house, but my home has been full-up with individual expression, though a little gentleness sounds lovely. Sherwin-Williams does not wax poetic on Evergreen Fog but pairs it with Neutral Ground, another paint in the collection. My family would tell you that I had a serious case of Evergreen Fog this time last year and am craving a more harmonic Neutral Ground. Here’s hoping this is a good omen. The copy for Behr’s Breezeway notes “peace and tranquility for forward movement.” I think we can agree that all three— peace, tranquility, and forward movement—would be welcome. The name of PPG’s Olive Sprig denotes the new growth of peace. Like the color or not, we could use a big swath of that.

PPG Olive Sprig

Benjamin Moore October Mist

JANUARY 2022 |

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FRAME OF MIND ARCHIE “SCOTT” GOBBER, duo owner of Dolphin Frames, has been framing some of the best artwork in Kansas City for more than 20 years. Located in Haw Contemporary gallery in the West Bottoms, Gobber and his team frame anything from textiles to oil paintings to photography. As the frame has a major impact on the work—and is no small expense itself—for the best result it’s important to work with someone who understands art. “Our rule is to let the art do the work,” Gobber says. “Most of our customers trust us on this.” In general, Gobber tries to stay away from matching the frame or mat to the color scheme of the room. “Colors go in and out of fashion,” he says. “There are times when it makes sense—framing a diploma, for example. But in general, it may not be the best choice for the piece.” Even if someone is stepping outside their usual aesthetic—selecting a modern photograph for a room with traditional décor, for example—he recommends that the frame be cohesive with the art. “There are ways to make this work,” he says. “We might try a simple walnut frame. The look is more in keeping with the photograph, but the color and texture of the wood would relate to a traditional room.” His best advice in short? “Keep it simple.” dolphinframes.com

The framing of Julie Blackmon’s photo, Bathers.

Be well at Mission Farms.

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JANUARY 2022 |

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Living

IN KC BY

Patricia O’Dell

Steal This Look – King G FINDING INSPIRATION ON THE GO

Left: Original Style Edwardian Green tiles, $30 per square foot, available at International Materials of Design (Fox Hill Center). Below: Merola Antic Verde tiles, $16.26 per square foot, available at Home Depot. Depot

Right: Tala Basalt single pendant, $259, available at West Elm (Country Club Plaza).

few weeks ago, on a crisp, sunny afternoon, I sat at the bar at King G in East Crossroads with my partner and had a little nosh before we headed off to a friend’s birthday party. The company was great, the garage doors were open, and the beer was cold. Equally delightful were the bar’s design elements. Green, black, and white with a little yellow metal has always been one of my favorite combinations, and King G has put it to good use. Running the tiles vertically behind the bar puts a nice spin on the traditional subway shape and the color is familiar, but not overdone. Unlacquered brass adds great texture without too much flash, and the pendant lights do their job without jumping for attention. King G’s look would translate well to a kitchen or powder room. (I wouldn’t recommend drinking in your powder room, but I won’t judge either.) The great thing about this look is that there are terrific products at every price point.

Above: Emtek Providence knob, $104, and 3-inch cup pull, $15.39, 4-inch cup pull, $ 20.49, available through Locks and Pulls (Overland Park).

JANUARY 2022 |

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Right: Tour wine glasses, $14.95, available at Crate and Barrel (Overland Park).

TIME TO TIDY BECAUSE I’m messy by nature, the beginning of the year always

makes me want to develop better systems to organize the jumble of life. But if you’re going to organize, there’s no need to be practical, right? You’re already in the midst of a responsible act, might as well have a little fun.

NEWEST PATTERNS

ALL TYPES OF WOOD & LVT

CARPET FROM BASIC TO BEST

Why not create a lovely place for your jewelry and ear buds on your bedside table with this charming Lucy Object Tray? Avail-able at Jorjy (Brookside), $35.

It’s always a nice touch to have a few necessities available in your powder room that a guest might unexpectedly need. This delightful, beaded seashell clutch would be a beautiful container for mints, dental floss, and a sample or two of perfume. Available at Dear Society (Crossroads), $250.

WOOD, WATERPROOF LVT & INSTALLATION I don’t really do all that much cooking, but I do like to buy accessories for my kitchen. If your kitchen could use a little glam, you can add some sparkle to your countertop and keep things in order with glowy gold accessories. Available at Williams Sonoma (Town Center Plaza), $279.

JANUARY 2022 |

127th & Metcalf 913.327.1361 KCWholesaleCarpet.com 57 | INKANSASCITY.COM

words by

Cindy Hoedel

IN CONVERSATION WITH

Dr. Barney Graham

native Kansan designed the structure for the highly effective Moderna vaccine just 24 hours after the genetic sequence of the Covid-19 virus was published by Chinese researchers back in January 2020, before most of us had even heard the term “coronavirus.” Barney Graham, an immunologist, virologist, and clinical trials physician and a graduate of Paola High School and University of Kansas, was honored as a 2021 Hero of the Year by Time magazine in its yearend issue. A few weeks earlier, he was named Federal Employee of the Year. Graham was deputy director of the National Institutes of Health’s Vaccine Research Center and chief of the viral pathogenesis laboratory; he retired in August after a 20-year career at NIH. Monique Young, a former colleague of Graham’s at NIH describes him this way: “He is a gentle giant. His knowledge is insurmountable, and he is humble. He is a great humanitarian. If I wanted anybody by my side, it would be him.” IN Kansas City caught up with Graham by telephone at his new home in Georgia, where he and his wife moved to be closer to children and grandchildren. Several times during the conversation, the gentle-spoken doctor dodged opportunities to reflect on his grand accomplishment. Instead, he mused about how the miracle vaccine could have possibly stomped out the disease were it not for preventable problems in public trust and regional manufacturing capacities, problems he now intends to spend his time trying to fix, instead of accepting a lucrative private industry gig. After you and your colleagues designed the structure of a vaccine on Jan. 11, 2020, was there a breakthrough moment when you felt sure it was going to work? There were several breakthrough moments after January 11th, 2020, but we [already] had a good sense that it would work in 2019 because of work we had done on the MERS coronavirus. However, a thousand things have to go right to get through a vaccine process all the way to licensure. So, the main milestones were: Making a spike protein for the first time on January 30 and seeing that it was well-behaved, and on the 31st seeing that it was uniform and in the right shape. Then on Feb. 18, seeing strong antibody response in mice after a single dose. JANUARY 2022 |

On May 9th, we saw better-than-expected antibody data from the first eight subjects. And finally, Nov. 8 when I heard about initial Pfizer efficacy data (95 percent), which is a very similar vaccine to ours, and Nov. 15th for Moderna (94.1 percent efficacy). Dec. 22 was a milestone, when vaccinations began at NIH, just 11 months after the initial design. It was very gratifying to see the vaccine rollout, especially to see health-care providers having the protection they needed to keep caring for the sick. Were you expecting the efficacy to be that high? No. I had been expecting 70% efficacy and hoping for 80%. It is rare to get more than you hope for in vaccine development. Let’s go back in time to life on your family’s farm in Paola during your teenage years. What kind of farm was it? It started out as a quarter-horse farm, and then it transitioned to cattle, and then it transitioned to hogs. We raised about 2,500 head of hogs a year and farmed about 800 acres of crops to feed them. Were there any signs when you were a little kid that you would end up a scientist and an inventor? I don’t know. I liked to collect things and figure things out and build things. I collected coins and bottles, and I built furniture and fences and corrals. Why did you decide to go into virology? During my training at General Hospital, which was the public hospital in Nashville, and near the end of 1982, I saw one of the first patients with AIDS in Tennessee. That was the beginning of the HIV pandemic, and so a lot of people my age in training at that time decided that they had to do something about these kinds of diseases, and vaccines and virology were the obvious path. A lot of vaccines like the polio vaccine work by injecting a small amount of live or dead virus into the body. How are mRNA vaccines different? Historically a lot of our vaccines were based on growing up large amounts of virus and cell culture, and then killing the virus or doing something to attenuate the virus to make it so it wouldn’t cause illness. 58 | INKANSASCITY.COM

JANUARY 2022 |

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Now, we can take the virus totally apart and look at one protein or one part of a protein. The protein on the surface of this virus, the spike protein, is the one that is used to get the virus into cells to start replicating, so attacking that is a rational thing to do to make a vaccine. Antibodies recognize shapes and surfaces, so the minor surface contours of the protein really matter if you want to make the right kind of antibodies. And mRNA is a way of delivering that protein, especially if we do a little bit of engineering so that it stays in the right shape and it’s delivered into the system and shows the protein on the surface of a cell, and it looks very much like what it would look like if it was on a virus. So, the immune system gets to see something that’s very native, it’s the authentic shape of the spike protein that we want the immune system to attack. And mRNA allows us to do that in the simplest possible way. What is the difference between the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines and the Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines? And what about the vaccine developed in Cuba? The Pfizer and Moderna are very, very similar vaccines. Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca both use an adno-virus that’s been modified so that it really cannot replicate any more but it can deliver a payload; it can deliver a gene so that it can make the spike protein. They both work very much the same way. The mRNA and adno-virus vaccines are similar in that they are both delivering a gene that will allow the cell itself to make the protein. In the other cases (like Cuba), you are making the protein in a laboratory and then giving the protein in the vaccine. In the other cases, the body itself is making the vaccine. Gain of function research has become a controversial topic. What is it, and what is its purpose? It’s not my field of interest, but I can say what it is: It means that you have used molecular biology techniques to modify a virus to make it do something else—to infect a different type of cell or do something it doesn’t do in natural life. Those kinds of experiments, a lot of times, are done mostly to try to understand how viruses work and what each element of the virus is contributing to the way the virus can make you sick. Did gain of function research go into the development of your vaccine? No. We never even had the virus in our laboratories. [The Moderna vaccine] is done entirely through synthetic chemistry and knowing the sequence of the spike protein. Do you think it is important to determine the origin of the Covid-19 virus? Yeah, I mean, you’re getting into very controversial areas that don’t really have good answers. In my opinion, this virus is something that could easily have come out of nature. It can be explained by viruses that you find in nature. Regardless of whether Covid-19 was a lab leak, we know lab leaks are possible. Two separate cases of SARS leaked out in 2004. Knowing that, should we be looking at ways to minimize the risk of deadly viruses being created and possibly escaping?

JANUARY 2022 |

I would say we face a lot more danger from Mother Nature than we do from laboratories. The procedures that are in place, that are enforced by all the institutions that I know about, are very strict in order to prevent these kinds of things. And as we have seen, the things that come out of nature are a lot more surprising and difficult for us to deal with than these kinds of things you’re bringing up. There’s always been some vaccine hesitancy in America but it used to be a relatively small percentage of the public. Why do you think vaccine hesitancy has grown during the pandemic to close to 40 percent of the population? It’s complicated. In some cases, there are historical reasons for people not wanting to trust institutions that are valid. In some cases, it’s just that people don’t want to be told what to do. In this case, I think a lot of the hesitancy is driven by misinformation that is disseminated especially on social media, and those misinformation campaigns have increased hesitancy above what you would expect it to be.

‘‘

In this case, I think a lot of

the hesitancy is driven by misinformation that is disseminated especially on social media, and those misinformation campaigns have increased hesitancy above what you would expect it to be.”

In a podcast with University of Kansas Medical Center, you said that in order to gain trust, institutions have to be trustworthy. What were you referring to? There are historical incidents you can look at, like the Tuskegee syphilis incident [when treatment was withheld from African-Americans with syphilis without their knowledge] and some other things that happened like that in Guatemala [when the U.S. infected people with syphilis without their knowledge], and the Henrietta Lacks incident [where Johns Hopkins Hospital collected cells for research from a poor Black woman without her consent]. Those kind of events in our history are what cause people to not entirely trust biomedical institutions. Those are historical, true events, and we’ve been working for decades to try to get past those and regain trust. Since science is constantly evolving and skeptical inquiry is crucial for advancement, do you have concerns about attempts to squash debate about vaccine safety and shaming people who raise concerns? I’ve spent most of my life studying the safety of vaccines, and I don’t 60 | INKANSASCITY.COM

think asking questions is a problem. I think it’s important for everyone to ask questions. I don’t think there should be any resistance to answering questions. In that spirit, let’s look scientifically at three concerns about vaccines that have been circulating. First, can mRNA vaccines change a person’s DNA? The answer is no. The mRNA goes into the cell. It’s only there for a few hours while it is the template for making the spike protein. The spike protein then goes onto the surface of the cell and can be recognized by the immune system. That [the spike protein] is only there for a few days. mRNA never goes into the nucleus of the cell. It does not encounter DNA, so biologically it just isn’t credible to say the mRNA can change our DNA. And if you are worried about having your DNA changed by RNA, then you need to avoid infection as much as you can, because the virus infection itself is creating much more foreign RNA than the vaccine. Does the vaccine inhibit the ability of our DNA to repair itself? No. I can’t even understand why that would be raised as an issue. Is there a danger the vaccine can cause infertility? No. There has been no evidence that it has had any effect on the ability to conceive. I think it’s important that people get their information from credible sources. I think one of the tragedies of this epidemic is that some people are getting infected and getting severe disease and dying who didn’t have to. When there is the ability to boost your immunity before infection to give you a better chance against the virus, and people don’t want to accept that, that is a tragedy. Can you explain why it remains important for people to get vaccinated and boosted even though vaccinated people can still contract and spread the disease? There are several reasons to get vaccinated. One is to protect yourself from severe disease. Secondly to protect those around you that you love and care about from getting infected. And the third one is because every time the virus infects [someone] and goes through a replication cycle, it has a chance to change. And it could change to escape the vaccines and antibody treatments we’ve already developed, and they would then have to be changed, or it could develop into the next variant of concern. So, every time you can avoid an infection, you reduce the chance of the virus evolving into something even worse. People who are vaccinated can get infected. The vaccine was never really designed to completely prevent infection; it was designed to prevent you from getting sick. In vaccinated people the virus grows to a much lower level. There can be a thousand times less virus in the nose of a vaccinated person than in the nose of an unvaccinated person. And, the virus is shed for a much shorter period of time—only a few days instead of weeks in unvaccinated people. So, people who are unvaccinated and get infected are producing a lot more virus, they have a lot greater chance of making a new virus that is more dangerous, and they have a greater chance of transmitting the virus to a loved one. JANUARY 2022 |

Now that you have the luxury of not running a lab on a daily basis, what would you like to work on in your retirement or semi-retirement? I see two problems. One, we just talked about: vaccine hesitancy. So, I’d like to do some of my time doing community education, which I guess this interview counts as part of that… I hope so. And the other thing is, we need to have manufacturing available for more places around the world. Until we can vaccinate the world in three months instead of three or four years, we will continue to suffer from pandemics and from viruses evolving during the pandemics to escape our treatments. There are two reasons to try to facilitate getting manufacturing to low- and middle-income countries. One is that many of the things that we are threatened by come out of tropical areas, which account for many of the low- and middle-income countries. Many of those things may not have commercial value or be of interest to the rest of the world, but they are of important globally. Having regional capacity to deal with regional problems before they become global problems is an important way to try to stop future pandemics. The other reason is that if [poor, tropical regions] had that capacity, they could be the surge capacity to make sure enough vaccinations are available for situations like this, where less than ten percent of the African population is vaccinated. That means there’s a lot of virus still being spread and a lot of virus that has the chance to change and become more difficult. The new mRNA vaccine approach changes what it takes to manufacture a vaccine. It’s gone from cell culture, which involves large equipment on big campuses, to simple chemical synthesis that requires a much smaller footprint and can be done on a much smaller scale. Using that approach is what I want to spend some time on. A lot of people feel a great sense of despair that we are now two years into this thing and there seems to be no sign of life returning to normal. Are we doomed to living in a state of permanent pandemic, wearing masks indoors and getting tested before we fly, or do you think there is a way out? There are ways out. Things have happened in those two years: We now have vaccines, we have therapeutic antibodies for treatment, we have antiviral drugs. But in order for those things to really be effective on a population level, people have to agree to participate and be part of the solution. I think if we had worked on this from the beginning as if we were all in it together, we would probably be much further out of this problem than we are. But it won’t last forever. Even the 1918 flu pandemic that killed 50 to 100 million people—eventually the human population got immune enough from the infections that the virus had to evolve away from that and after three or four years it went back to normal influenza season. So, it will stop. And we now have tools we did not have ten years ago to respond to and stop future pandemic threats. It’s just a matter of utilizing those tools and being ready the next time. Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.

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EATING HEALTHY,

2022 Style

KETO, VEGAN, LOW-CARB— WHATEVER SCHOOL OF THOUGHT YOU SUBSCRIBE TO, THERE ARE MORE OPTIONS THAN EVER BEFORE WHEN IT COMES TO EATING HEALTHY IN KANSAS

FLAVOR OR VARIETY. WE TALKED TO THE OWNERS BEHIND FOUR HEALTH-ORIENTED DINING CONCEPTS ABOUT WHAT’S ON THE MENU AND WHAT EATING HEALTHY MEANS TO THEM.

words by

Kelsey Cipolla

STACI CROSS Enjoy: Pure Food + Drink Staci Cross was an entrepreneur trying to balance traveling around the country, raising two kids and eating a vegan diet when she first dreamt up Enjoy: Pure Food + Drink. “It was nearly impossible to find decent food anywhere—food that even tasted good, much less that was healthy,” Cross explains, adding that she often found herself putting together a meal at Whole Foods. “I just thought, ‘This is not the way people should have access to healthier foods. There should be a greater awareness of healthier food and what that really looks like: organic food without all the chemicals, and really healthy things that taste good.’” Her answer was Enjoy, which opened in April 2016 in Leawood’s Mission Farms serving up cold-pressed juices and smoothies made with organic produce, as well as a lineup of breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes featuring lean proteins, whole grains, and lots of veggies. Case in

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point: The restaurant’s bestselling Take on the World bowl, which includes quinoa, kale, beets, broccoli, hemp seeds, almonds, avocado, and a ginger miso dressing. Although Enjoy makes a point to offer vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairyfree options, the menu doesn’t cater to any specific diet—rather, it aims to incorporate ingredients that help people get the balance of foods they need to feel their best. “People really aren’t concerned with weight as much as they used to be in terms of calories and food and all of that,” Cross explained. “They just want to know that what they’re eating is healthy. It’s not loaded with fat, but has healthy fats, like avocados and almonds.” Kansas City has an appetite for the concept—Enjoy expanded its space in February 2019, and Cross plans to open another metro location this summer before eventually franchising the concept to make nutrient-rich foods more broadly accessible. enjoypurefood.com

food photo by aaron leimkuehler

CITY, WITHOUT SACRIFICING

KERRY GOEBEL Cultivare Greens & Grains For Kerry Goebel, healthy food has to taste good. Goebel opened Overland Park’s Cultivare Greens & Grains with his brother Kevin in summer 2020, and he boils down the restaurant’s approach to a few simple points: “Is it balanced? Is it good for you, and does it taste so good that you want to come back and eat it tomorrow?” Cultivare aims to check all those boxes by serving up an array of salads, grain bowls, soups and paninis that are crave-able and satisfying. The menu includes dishes like the ahi tuna poke bowl with avocado, mango, and cucumber; savory diced-chicken thigh lettuce wraps; and Goebel’s personal favorite, the steak and gorgonzola salad, which is made with petite beef tenderloin and a black-pepper horseradish dressing. (Cultivare’s dressings and sauces are a particular point of pride for Goebel.) The brothers have owned pizza concepts in KC for a decade but decided to branch out and open a more health-minded restaurant based

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on what they wanted to see as local diners and the growing popularity of similar concepts around the country. “I feel like a lot of adults now who haven’t deliberately spent time learning about nutrition and the science behind a healthier diet have sort of this very elementary idea of what healthy eating is that goes back to this pyramid we all saw in grade school,” Goebel says, adding, “Ten years ago, I don’t think people were very conscious of their eating.” The renewed attention isn’t only changing the way people eat—it’s holding grocery stores and restaurants to a higher standard and altering how they source food, he explains. Cultivare diners are already benefiting from the shift, as more locally produced ingredients make their way onto plates because of increasing demand and more widespread distribution. One example? Salads made with leafy greens from Crossroads-based Missing Ingredient, an urban farm with a hyperlocal footprint. “In that scenario, everybody wins,” Goebel says. cultivarekc.com

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GIGI JONES Gigi’s Vegan + Wellness Café Adopting a plant-based lifestyle wasn’t just life-changing for Gigi Jones—it was lifesaving. In 2015, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Through diet and lifestyle changes, Jones says she was able to beat cancer without surgery or chemotherapy, although she emphasizes the importance of listening to doctors and following their advice. “Once my eyes were opened and my journey started, I was super excited,” she recalls. “My energy levels went up, I looked ten years younger, I felt ten years younger. I’m turning flips with my grandchildren—I’m so excited. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I have to go back and educate the community. This is something new, this is something that they need to know. This is how we heal.’” Jones, a certified dietitian, nutritionist, and health and wellness coach, founded the MidWest Soul VegFest, an educational event featuring national and local speakers, workshops, plant-based cooking demos, and of course, vegan food. And in July 2020, she opened Gigi’s

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Vegan + Wellness Café along Westport Road. “We’re not just a restaurant,” Jones explains. “We don’t even call ourselves that—we’re a wellness cafe.” The café offers organic cold-pressed juices and smoothies, wellness shots, and vegan breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, like the customerfavorite Westport Burger, a veggie burger nestled inside lettuce served with avocado mash. No sugars, salt or oils are added to Gigi’s foods, and Jones works with farmers and suppliers in Kansas City and grows some ingredients in a garden behind the café. Beyond serving up food, Gigi’s offers support on going vegan, develops meal plans and provides meal prep services, hosts health and wellness classes, and even has an on-site infrared sauna. A medical doctor will be joining the team this year to serve even more people. “We just want to be that resource in the community, and believe that we’re becoming that,” Jones says. gigisvegancafe.com

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food photo by aaron leimkuehler

ROBIN KRAUSE Unbakery & Juicery and Billie’s Grocery After selling five businesses and struggling with feeling worn out, Robin Krause decided to press pause. “I took a year off to study health coaching,” she says. “I did an herbal apprenticeship; I did a yoga teacher training just to try and find that next path —‘What is actually healthy? What is health?’” It’s a big question, and one that she explores at Unbakery & Juicery, her East Brookside grab-and-go spot as well as at Billie’s Grocery, a bright and breezy midtown restaurant that serves up filling, nutrientdense fare. Both feature food and drinks that nourish the body, support detox systems, and offer plenty of options for people with dietary restrictions, including baked goods and sweet treats. Unbakery opened in 2016 and allowed Krause to experiment with serving Kansas Citians things they might not have been familiar with at the time, like chia-seed puddings and sauces without

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dairy or sugar. When the concept took off, Krause decided to go to nutritional therapy school and graduated as a practitioner in 2018. She brings that understanding of nutrition to customers curious about the benefits of what they’re eating and drinking at Unbakery, as well as Billie’s, which opened in summer 2020. Krause says the restaurant serves healthy fats, proteins, organic veggies, and carbs, but done differently than you might expect. “It has a little bit of something for everybody, and that was my goal, just to bring everybody together,” Krause says, noting that guests can enjoy everything from a vegan soup to Billie’s deli-style Reuben with house-fermented purple kraut and fries cooked in rice oil. “Here, we don’t do any fat-free,” she explains. “Every cell needs fats in your body. We do have fat, we do have dairy, we do have oils—they’re just a little better.” unbakeryandjuicerykc.com | billiesgrocery.com

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Ahhh, Spa IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC, THREE KANSAS CITY HOMEOWNERS PLANNED THEIR ULTIMATE GET-AWAY-FROM-IT-ALL—THE SPA BATHROOM words by photos by

Judith Fertig Aaron Leimkuehler

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Above: Generously sized vanities for him and her painted a soft greige are opposite the tub. Left: The marble-lined shower. Opposite: Centered under the window, the Victoria & Albert tub holds pride of place.

CALM. LUXURIOUS. POLISHED.

ive months before Covid hit, Mission Hills homeowners Jennifer Bailey and her surgeon husband, Alex, were trying out a bathtub at Portfolio Kitchen & Home’s showroom. “We didn’t know then what we know now,” says Bailey. “The importance of being comforted and relaxing at home.” In an update of their home, they wanted a master bath with more of a spa feel. The tub, the sculptural Toulouse by Victoria & Albert, took center stage. “It’s made of volcanic limestone from Italy,” says Geri Higgins, owner of Portfolio, “so it helps the water stay warmer, longer.” A chandelier by Corbett looks like bubbles when you’re soaking in the tub, says Bailey. A towel-warmer adds another soothing luxury. The polished double armoire, an elegant twist on a linen cupboard, offers plenty of storage, also adding to that feeling of well-being. As do the two integrally lit mirrors, recessed in the wall like medicine cabinets, and complete with charging stations and electrical outlets. Calacatta marble with greige veining brings the polish. “When you’re in here, you feel like you can be anywhere,” says Bailey. “You bring the five-star hotel to you.” portfolio-home.com

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TIMELESS BLACK AND WHITE

lyvia Elliott’s 1913 Brookside home was due for the refresh that she and her husband had planned for ages. Then he passed away suddenly. Elliott knew that the best therapy for her would be a project. And then the pandemic hit. “I used grief as a tool,” she says. “I wanted everything to make sense.” As a nurse with three kids and a demanding job as a foster-care nurse case manager, the tub was key. “At the end of the day, I need to just get away and soak,” she says. “So everything is intentional, where

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this is, where that is, so I have a sense of well-being.” Sourcing mostly online, Elliott built her spa bathroom tile by tile, with a timeless, classic feel using a black-and-white color scheme. Matte black cabinetry and the tub came from Wayfair, the peel-andstick wallpaper from Amazon, the tile came from both Wayfair and locally from Décor and More. Keepsakes from her grandmother make Elliott feel “comforted.” Her take on the spa bath turned out just as she envisioned it: “So healing.”

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Above: Brass hardware and faucets add a bit of bling to the classic bath. Left: Baskets fill the built-in shelving to hold the essentials of everyday life. Opposite: Elliott specified black grout for both the subway tile and the octagonal floor tile for a graphic punch.

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Walls clad in soft green glass tile evoke a soothing spa feel. Opposite top left: The deep, sloped-back tub and toilet are tucked into a separate room. Opposite top right: River-rock tile provides a slip-proof ﬂoor in the steam shower. Opposite bottom: The sculpture found at the Plaza Art Fair provided the inspiration for the bathroom’s color palette.

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SOOTHING SIMPLICITY

hen Jenny Isenberg and her husband, John, bought the Plaza-area condo that had been in the extended family for years, it was a chance to downsize from their “modern folk art” style home. “But I didn’t want to be ‘apartment grandma,’” says Isenberg with a laugh. They stayed in their home and decided to use the condo as a staycation getaway, and eventually, as their senior living residence. With an eye towards the couple’s changing needs as they age, Isenberg worked with Kurt Knapstein of Knapstein Design to create a soothing, simple, spa bathroom. Isenberg, who is a partner in Eclectics, the artists’ collective in Brookside, also wanted to leave room—but not too much room—for art. She found the trompe l’oeil glass towel and metal holder sculpture at the Plaza Art Fair years ago. The pale azure glass became a starting point for the design. “I was not a wallpaper person,” Isenberg confesses, until Knapstein found the subdued wallpaper with brush stroke texture. He also sourced the backlit mirrors. “I didn’t want my fixtures to be the art,” she says. Working with the designer, she appreciated his attention to detail. “It was wonderful to have a partner,” she says. knapsteindesign.com

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words by

Rachel Murphy

A Wellness Revolution MEDICAL CANNABIS IS CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OF TREATMENT

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hannon Gaines Bowman is not a pothead. In fact, before her diagnosis of stage four appendiceal cancer in early 2021, she had only tried marijuana a few times for pain relief from abdominal pain. But with the legalization of medical marijuana in 2018, patients like Bowman could finally find relief from chronic pain, insomnia, and a host of other ailments, including detoxing from other more problematic drugs. “I was diagnosed in January and had surgery,” says Bowman. “I was having a lot of post-surgery pain. The opiates they give you for that— oxycontin—causes constipation. In addition, they had me on nausea medication. I ended up in the ER twice for severe constipation, and I thought, ‘There has to be a better way.’ That’s when I applied for my medical marijuana card and started going down that path.” After obtaining her card and finding products and dosages that worked for her, Bowman cut her opioid needs from every four hours

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down to two or three times a week. Bowman credits the Leafly app for helping her find information about appropriate dosage and products, as well as her local dispensary. Bowman’s story is familiar to Mary Ann Denzer, the COO of Riverside Wellness. With legalization came a flood of dispensaries, both corporate chains and independently owned operations like Riverside. Far from the shady, dimly lit dispensaries many may expect, Missouri’s dispensaries offer a bright, personalized shopping experience with patient-centered services, such as drive-throughs and delivery options. Denzer, who worked in the cannabis industry in Colorado before opening Riverside Wellness, says that the differences between medical cannabis states and recreational states are few but significant. “The difference between the direct market and the medical market is that you have to have a patient card, which means a medical recommendation,” Denzer says. Most dispensaries refer patients to an

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authorizing third party, which can cost around $100 in addition to the application fees. Denzer says that while it may not seem like a lot of money to many, it can still be a barrier for low-income patients. Another difference is dosage—since cannabis is ostensibly used for medical purposes in Missouri, patients can purchase higher dosage products. In Colorado, products cannot exceed 100 mg of THC. For those struggling with intense pain from cancer, migraines, Parkinson’s, or the like, they can find higher dosage products that address increased pain levels. While there are benefits to having recreational marijuana available, Denzer says she enjoys working within the medical arena right now. “It’s such a beautiful time. You’re able to really help people. You hear these stories like, ‘I got off opioids and got to see my kids for the first time,’ or ‘I haven’t had a grand mal seizure in eight months.’” Bowman agrees. “I honestly cannot imagine what I would be experiencing right now if I was not able to have it. It’s truly been a lifesaver,” she says. Activists are gathering signatures to add recreational cannabis to the ballot in Missouri this year, but until then, medical cannabis is changing lives. Could medical cannabis help you? We’ve rounded up the basics on what cannabis can do, who has access, and the types of products you can expect on your first trip to one of Kansas City’s many dispensaries. WHO? To purchase cannabis in Missouri, citizens over 18 must qualify for a medical marijuana card. Patients can apply through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services website, health.mo.gov. Applicants need a physician certification form from a licensed MD or DO in good standing in the state of Missouri to apply. This recommendation can come from your primary care physician or a physician specializing in medical marijuana approval services. For those who want a little extra guidance, services like Elevate Holistics will walk you through the process, including obtaining the necessary recommendation from a medical marijuana-certifying physician. Patients aren’t the only ones who can qualify for a card. There is also a caregiver option for those purchasing or picking up cannabis for those in extreme cases. Caregivers can also apply through the Department of Health and Human Services but must be 21 years old or older. When applying for a medical card, physicians typically look for

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qualified medical conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, or mental health issues like PTSD, but that’s not the only way to qualify. Doctors will also approve based on conditions with established drug protocols that may have more significant side effects or potential for dependency. There are two different levels of cards—the standard approval allows a patient to obtain four ounces of cannabis per 30 days on a rolling basis. An alternative card requires two sign-offs from two different physicians who both believe that an increased amount of cannabis is appropriate for the condition. Only then may patients exceed four ounces a month. A separate patient cultivation identification card is available for those who prefer to grow their own. For $100, a cardholder can cultivate up to six flowering plants. Those who grow do have to follow security regulations. Many dispensaries can provide information on growing marijuana as well. Medical marijuana is still illegal in Kansas, but the wheels are in motion to move forward. A bill authorizing medical cannabis for the treatment of 22 conditions including cancer, Parkinson’s, and PTSD passed in the House but not the Senate in 2021; it will vote again on the bill when they reconvene this year. Although the bill would allow marijuana in treatment, the formulations would be restricted. While oils, tinctures, edibles and patches would be available, smoking and vaping would still be prohibited.

‘‘

Everyone is different, and

your tolerance will be different, especially if you’ve never done it before. ” - Shannon Gaines Bowman

HOW? Since marijuana use is still illegal on the federal level, research that would allow doctors to prescribe specific dosages is still lacking. In

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Bowman’s case, her doctors support her use of marijuana to decrease pain, increase appetite, and subdue the psychological effects of cancer treatment. Still, the dosage has been a matter of trial and error. “Everyone is different, and your tolerance will be different, especially if you’ve never done it before. I took baby steps—half an edible when an edible starts at 5 mg,” she says. Denzer says that the staff at Riverside Wellness recommends working with the Cannabis Care Team, which can work with you to explore the appropriate dosage for your condition, best delivery methods, and potential medication interactions. Staffed by licensed health care professionals, services like the Cannabis Care Team or the Leafly app can help find the best protocol for personal wellness. WHAT? There are as many delivery systems for THC as there are uses for it, it seems. When looking at a dispensary, ‘budtenders,’ as some are called, are available to guide patients to the best products. While the traditional loose flower is available, patients can choose pre-rolled joints, resins, tinctures, and vape products. Infused lotions can target muscle aches and pains. And then there are the edibles. Edibles have taken the humble idea of a pot brownie and elevated the form into high art. Famed Kansas City chocolatier Christopher Elbow has teamed up with Clovr to create artisan chocolate bars and bonbons that contain 10 mg of THC per piece. There are also gumdrops, gummies, mints, and lollipops. Infused sodas by Keef offer liquid options. When choosing a formulation, work with your cannabis advisor online or in-store to learn how each type of cannabis product will affect you. Some, like joints or flowers, take effect immediately, while edibles have a slower onset. The formulation also affects how the body absorbs the THC, i.e., smoking means absorption through the lungs, whereas edibles are absorbed through the liver. For those on other medications, this can be an important distinction. WHERE? Dispensaries have seemingly popped up on every corner in Kansas City,

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and they are all changing the perception of what it means to buy marijuana. Enter, and you’ll find a personalized experience—patients are welcomed into the dispensary room in limited numbers so that they can discuss treatment options one-on-one with the product experts. Since cannabis has been an emerging market within the last two years, there’s plenty of start-up energy. The largest chain of dispensaries is BesaMe Wellness Dispensary, with four locations in the Kansas City metro and five additional locations across the state. From The Earth Medical Marijuana Dispensary boasts the most metro locations with five, including Raytown and Independence, but the company is based in California. Fresh Karma is a growing contender as well. With community service at its core, the dispensary has three locations in the metro and a production facility in Riverside. Fans of Fresh Karma are apt to see its staff out doing community clean-up projects, tailgating, and spreading the word about medical cannabis in unique ways. While the larger chains are thriving, there’s plenty of space in the field for independent dispensaries like Riverside Wellness, Nature Med Dispensary, or Emerald Garden. All of the dispensaries emphasize education, and Emerald Garden even offers cannabis gardening products and information. Some dispensaries focus on marijuana only, but many offer both THC and CBD products or products that feature a blend of both chemicals. Since separate licensing is required to sell medical marijuana in Missouri, most CBD stores do not sell medical cannabis right now. While cannabis is only intended for medical use, dispensaries go the extra mile to build brand loyalty. Many companies offer loyalty programs for repeat customers to save money down the line. Convenience is a big draw as well. Shopping online and using drive-throughs and delivery services are becoming more common, especially for those who struggle with chronic conditions. Cannabis is a centuries-old remedy, but Missouri is just now experiencing the benefits (at least legally). Patients are poised to make the most of the ever-changing legalities of the evolution.

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The sunroom was originally designed as outdoor space, but was enclosed to provide additional room. Ceramics by Erica Iman.

The Full Empty Nest A NEW HOME IN MEADOWBROOK WHERE “MORE IS MORE” REFERS TO ATTENTION TO DETAIL RATHER THAN ACQUISITION OF THINGS

words by photos by

Patricia O’Dell Mike Sinclair & Jessica Cain

hen clients with discerning taste and a penchant for comfort and simple elegance approached Lisa Schmitz, the Kansas City-based designer whose modern aesthetic leans more toward warm than cool, she had just the solution for their house which would be easy, chic, and functional—oh yes, and beautiful. The couple, empty nesters who wanted a home they could love as well as “lock and leave,” were committed to creating a

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Above: In the sunroom, the crisp lines of the steel door and the living room beams are softened by the organic movement of the Holli Addi painting. Right: Local artist Erica Iman created a custom ceramic sink for the powder room. The ink-and-paper works reflected in the mirror are Justin Gainan. Opposite: Despite its light-colored upholstery, both two-legged and four-legged visitors are welcome on the living room furniture.

space that was warm and elegant, but not fussy. Schmitz envisioned a solution with natural materials, a refined air and a strong line, but the process was collaborative from the start. “It was the clients’ idea to use reclaimed wood in the beams,” Schmitz says of the recurring element that provides a rustic simplicity and texture to the home. The only other trim in the public rooms is the white-oak baseboards, which are flush with the walls, providing a stripped-down elegance, enhanced by exacting detail. The beams accent the vaulted ceiling of the living room and intersect with the commanding fireplace surround of Italian terra-cotta tile that captures the spirit of the very best of the Brutalists, engaging the eye while the furniture provides a simply elegant place to rest. “They wanted a modern, simplified detailing that provided texture but didn’t

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Above: Graphic Porter Teleo wallpaper is the focal point of the kitchen. Opposite top: Integrated appliances create a seamless wall. The vent for the range is inset to maintain the clean view into the kitchen. Opposite bottom: The raw-edge table provides ample room to entertain with family and friends.

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shout,” Schmitz says. White-oak flooring is a common thread used throughout the home, though the application is modified to suit each space. The floors in the living room are laid in a large herringbone pattern, the variations in the wood as organically varied as the hues in a sand dune. Two chairs from local furniture maker Matt Castilleja are happily at home here with their low, sexy, updated-Windsor profile. In the sunroom, Venetian plaster walls, steel-framed windows and Belgian star tile provide a crisp backdrop to a modern interpretation of wing chairs clad in a Chanel-worthy boucle. An organic, yet graphic painting by artist Holly Addi, a Utah-based artist, creates its

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Opposite page: The primary bedroom envelops the owners in a peaceful retreat of soft textures. Pillows on the bed are by Chanee Vijay. Top left: The cabinetry doors of the graphic black-and-white primary bath are push latch to avoid the visual disruption of hardware. The wall and floor tiles are Ann Sacks. Top right: White oak wraps the coffered ceiling in the guest room.

own landscape. “This space that was originally conceived as a porch,” Schmitz says, “But the couple decided more living space was more important, so we shifted.” The kitchen, which is visible from the main room, is a symphony of form meeting function. The show-stopping Porter Teleo wallpaper creates its own artistic drama, while black steel provides a crisp edge to the door that conceals the pantry behind ribbed glass, and the shelves

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that hold glassware and dishes. While most of the appliances are subtly integrated into the cabinetry, the industrial range is the exception. In keeping with the clean design, the range’s ventilation fan slides down behind the cooktop and the wood beams hide task lighting. Nearby, the dining room with its large raw-edge dining table is ready to accommodate friends and family. The primary bedroom is a serene, monochromatic cocoon, fitting 83 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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of this luxury escape. Grasscloth wallpaper helps buffer any exterior noise, while the raffia nightstands and wool rug provide additional texture. The lines of the iron bed have subtle undulations that make it appear that it was molded by hand. The same type of variation repeats in the stripe of the bed’s pillows. As is not unusual for this house, the primary bath riffs on the room before it. Meticulously paneled hardware-free cabinets hide the boxes, bottles, and jars of life, while large steel-framed mirrors reflect light from the nearby window, and likely the happy faces of their owners.

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IN KC

In the Kitchen RED CABBAGE BY

Cody Hogan

PHOTOS BY

s the season of indulgence comes to a close (Restaurant Week being the only obstacle left for a slimmer, trimmer New Year), my mind turns to—red cabbage. No, really. I love cabbage of all kinds, and since salads are an obvious route to healthful habits and cabbage is one of the best available salad greens at this time of year, the anthocyanin- and fiber-loaded crucifer is a versatile, delicious, and logical choice. Although available year-round, cabbage is at its sweetest after a light frost. The noticeable increase in sweetness for many autumn and winter vegetables is due to their own sense of self-preservation—with the onset of cool weather, the plants increase their sugar content to act as natural “antifreeze.” If stored for a very long time or in arid conditions, red cabbage will lose moisture and crunch. Before buying, always give it a squeeze and check its heft—the cabbage should feel heavy for its size and very firm without any give when pressed. That being said, cabbage is an exceptional storage vegetable and can last for weeks in the crisper drawer of the fridge even after it has been cut (if the cut surface turns gray or black, just trim it off before use). So don’t let a large cabbage intimidate you—it doesn’t have to be consumed in one sitting. My original intention was to write a single, simple salad recipe, but I couldn’t decide on just one—so here are four, each evolving out of the preceding version with recommendations for using each. And as with all of my recipes, I encourage you to tailor these to fit your own preferences and needs, and make them your own. The Evolving Chopped Cabbage Salad Think of this salad as a train with lots of stops enabling you to disembark at the first station, one of the stops in the middle, or all the way at the final destination. You’re sure to find something delicious at every stop—just let the rest of the menu determine your itinerary. Begin with a crisp head of red cabbage, peeling the outer few leaves away until you have fresh looking leaves with no blemishes or desiccated patches. I hesitate to indicate the amount of cabbage you will need because the size of heads can vary dramatically. Therefore, begin with the amount of cabbage you think you need, slicing it as thin as possible by hand with a knife or mandolin. You can also slice it with a food processor, which will accomplish the task in seconds, but it does limit your choice of thickness for slicing and can look like your cabbage was chopped willy-nilly to toss in a trough to feed the farm animals. For the most simple salad, toss the shredded cabbage in a wide bowl with a dressing of good vinegar or lemon JANUARY 2022 |

Aaron Leimkuehler

juice and a good oil, such as extra-virgin olive oil, a nut oil, or something more neutral (and extremely healthful) like avocado oil (see In Your Pantry for ratios, details, and choices of vinegar and other acids). Season the cabbage with salt and pepper and toss again, tasting to adjust as necessary. Cabbage prepared in this manner can be a revelation if you are accustomed to rich and creamy coleslaw or cabbage salads dressed with mayonnaise and sugar and who knows what else. The flavors are crystal clear and vibrant, the crunch refreshing. This austere version has the added benefit of being stable for hours at room temperature—great for a buffet—and even longer if refrigerated. Over time, the crunch may mellow but not in an unpleasant way, and the acid in the dressing will change the color of the cabbage to a lovely and much brighter shade of magenta. I love to use this salad to top a good sandwich (herby porchetta or cold cuts, especially, but a bratwurst would benefit as well). It could also be a refreshing companion to a smoky slab of ribs. The next stop on the salad train would include the addition of slices of radish, apple, or pear, and green onion or shallot. The salad with these fruity fortifications would be lovely accompanying a grilled cheese sandwich or bowl of soup, something with a little extra richness. I recently served this salad with a cheese soufflé, and it was a perfect and memorable complement. For a more substantial salad, one that could stand alone, add raisins or other dried fruit (chopped into bite-size pieces if necessary), toasted nuts, and shavings or crumbles of cheese—a nutty one like Comté or aged Gouda, Grana or Parmigiano Reggiano. Brined cheeses like feta would be interesting as well, as could vegan nut-based cheeses. Due to the complexity of this salad, I would use it to accompany simple proteins, such as a ham steak, crispy duck breast, or leftover roast turkey, a grilled portobello mushroom, or even a slice of crispy baked or fried tofu. The addition of protein brings us to the final stop on the cabbage salad express. Our salad up to this point makes the perfect place to use up leftover rotisserie chicken or other roasted meats. Poached chicken is a fast and flavorful option as well (either a whole chicken or parts— breasts are by far the fastest and easiest to prepare). Just shred the cooked meats and toss them in the vinaigrette and seasonings. To make the salad even more filling, a few slices of avocado would certainly be in order, and an herb, such as fresh cilantro or Italian parsley, would be the final gilding on a fantastically healthful and delicious meal. In fact, no matter where you decide to stop on your red-cabbage journey, it might just feel like the season of indulgence hasn’t come to an end.

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In Your Pantry

SOMETHING SOUR ACIDITY is an oft overlooked or unrecognized component of a balanced dish that when neglected can result in bland, flabby, uninteresting food, especially concerning salads. The two most common forms of acid to use in cooking are citrus fruits (citric acid) and vinegars (acetic acid). In terms of sourness, they are essentially interchangeable, but the acidity level and specific flavor varies from product to product. The usual ratio of oil to acid is 3 parts oil to 1 part acid, but this ratio can certainly be manipulated to fit the situation. Feel free to make substitutions, and let some of these pantry staples inspire your next sensational salad.

Citrus While lemon may be the first citrus fruit that comes to mind for adding a little sunshine to a salad, don’t overlook other members of the citrus family. In particular, limes (which have a similar level of acidity to lemons—five to six percent) are especially handy for Caribbean, Mexican, and Asian-influenced salads. Meyer lemons (smooth skin on the outside, less acidic than standard lemons on the inside) have a nuanced complexity and perfume. Oranges (which are usually too mild to dress a salad on their own) and grapefruit (whose bitterness can be overwhelming in some dishes) can be combined with lemon or lime to achieve the required level of sourness for the dressing and still lend their own flavors.

Wine Vinegars Most vinaigrettes are made with winebased vinegars (hence the vin in vinaigrette). Their acid (acetic acid as opposed to citric acid in citrus) averages around six percent, although some, like sherry vinegar, can be as high as seven to eight percent. White wine vinegars tend to be more delicate, while red wine vinegars (the workhorse of salad vinegars) tend to be slightly more complex and fruit forward. Balsamic vinegar is another thing entirely, although most of what you ﬁnd on grocery store shelves is more closely related to red wine vinegar than to the true Balsamico Tradizionale condiment. White balsamic vinegar, a relative newcomer in the world of vinegar, is currently popular and boasts a bold and fruity aroma that pairs well with sharp and pungent cheeses and sulfurous vegetables. Good sherry vinegar is especially companionable to certain ingredients like peppers and nutty cheeses.

Apple Cider and Rice Vinegars The least acidic of culinary vinegars, apple cider vinegar (5%) and rice vinegar (around 4%) are also quite versatile, especially when more subtle acidity is required. Apple cider vinegar is a natural complement to salads containing fruit (especially apples—duh), and also has purported health beneﬁts that millions swear by. Rice vinegar is mild in ﬂavor, similar to white wine vinegar. Use it for Asian inspired salads, especially in combination with soy sauce and a hint of toasted sesame oil.

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Flavor

IN KC

In Your Cocktail 9TH & STATE by

Kelsey Cipolla

The Gambler

he historic structure at 1717 W. 9th Street has lived many lives. Built by Pabst Brewing Co. in 1911, it’s been a saloon, a casino, a jazz venue, and even a fetish club, and the latest owners are paying homage to that rich past with 9th & State. Heather Hamilton and Sean Smith opened the bar on the building’s first floor in June, juxtaposing the elegance of the original tin ceilings and colorfully tiled floor with clusters of comfy, no-frills seating areas and two ping-pong tables guests are encouraged to use, even if JANUARY 2022 |

they’re not ordering a drink from the massive bar. Hamilton and Smith were looking for a live/work space when they came across their now home in summer 2020. “We always liked this building driving by it, but we didn’t know it was for sale,” Hamilton says. “We were just blown away by how well preserved it was. The more history we learned about it—it’s just crazy.” Although they toyed around with different ideas for the property (which also includes a basement they could see someday becoming a 88 | INKANSASCITY.COM

speakeasy, and a second floor that boasts a ballroom and an apartment where the couple now lives), the presence of the big bar helped them decide to open a cocktail concept. There was just one problem: They had no experience bartending. In fact, Smith doesn’t really drink, and Hamilton knew how to make just one cocktail before opening 9th & State—her personal favorite, a manhattan. Fortunately, they were introduced to Caro Thomas, an artist and mixologist who worked with the couple to develop the bar’s menu. She made drinks for them to try and ultimately settled on a lineup that includes quality ingredients but doesn’t feel overly pretentious or fancy, although they are served in vintage glassware Hamilton has collected from estate sales, family, and friends over the years. Some of the drinks serve as a playful nod to 9th & State’s previous occupants, including two gin, vodka, and lime-based cocktails that we’re not sure we can print the names of—when you see them on the menu, you’ll understand why. The bar also offers an old fashioned with brown butter and brown sugar and the surprisingly silky bartender’s breakfast, a mix of whiskey, egg, and a delightfully assertive dose of roasted walnut. And guests can enjoy a limited selection of wines, ciders, and beers—which of course includes PBR. Hamilton is partial to the Ape Hanger, Thomas’ update on the espresso martini made with cold brew, chicory, and apricot. It’s one of several offerings on 9th & State’s “cocktails for good” section of the menu, with ten percent of sales from drinks benefiting organizations like The Huntington’s Disease Society of America. The bar also wants to be a force for positivity at the local level, showcasing works for sale from area artists, hosting live music, and helping revitalize their chunk of the West Bottoms. “I feel like this side is kind of starting to come alive, and there are a lot of local people who have been investing around here, which makes me happy,” Hamilton says. 9th-state.com

Gambler This recent addition to 9th & State’s menu is inspired by the building’s time as The Antler’s Club in the 1930s, a casino and jazz club where Charlie Parker and Buster Smith played. 2 .75 .5 1

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

ounces tequila ounce St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur ounce Giffard Vanille de Madagascar Liqueur ounce lime juice

1900 Building 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway Mission Woods, Kansas

Shake with ice and serve.

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Flavor BY

IN KC

Kelsey Cipolla

THE CLASSIC COOKIE BRYAN SPARKS, the chef-owner behind meal prep

In Culinary News

service Beloved on the Go, has history with The Classic Cookie: A long list of Sparks’ family members have worked at the Waldo restaurant over the years. Now, he’s making his own mark as the restaurant’s new owner alongside partner Hailey Allen. Guests can expect a similar breakfast and lunch experience in a refreshed space, which also now features a full espresso bar and bakery counter. The couple has all those namesake classic cookie recipes but also plans to expand the pastry program, introducing lots of seasonal options. “We’re just excited to be in the neighborhood and carry on this spot being in Waldo,” Allen says. Also available? Grab-and-go options co-branded with Beloved, which will now operate out of the restaurant’s kitchen. classiccookiekc.com

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Flavor by

IN KC

Kelsey Cipolla

LAZIA LAZIA IS BACK, and it just might be better than ever.

In Culinary News

The Crossroads Hotel’s signature restaurant reopened in mid-November with chef Justin Kent at the helm and a new lineup of dishes marrying traditional Italian cuisine with modern influences. Diners are welcomed with a glass of the house amaro before entering the largely unchanged dining area and perusing the menu, which includes cicchetti (small bites) such as n’duja, a spreadable, spicy sausage, and hand-dipped ricotta. Alpine bread dumplings, toasted ravioli and tuna crudo are among the appetizer options or opt for the hand-pulled mozzarella made tableside. Lazia also serves up a selection of Neapolitan-style pizzas, robust main courses meant to share, and house-made risottos and pastas, such as the rigatoni alla gricia, a simple dish loaded with flavor courtesy of guanciale and pecorino. crossroadshotelkc.com/foodand-drink/lazia-restaurant

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IN KC

Kelsey Cipolla

THE PEACOCK THE OWNERS of Bistro 303 are growing their

In Culinary News

Westport presence with The Peacock, an intimate new restaurant in the space next door. Led by chef Brian Mehl, The Peacock offers an expansive menu influenced by cuisines from around the world—tom kha gai with coconut broth and smoked duck; periperi spiced chicken with charred greens and chamoy butter; and Canadian salmon with creamy parsnip, pickled red cabbage and anchovy sauce. Salads, pastas, and desserts—like the pecan oatmeal cookie pie with granny smith apples, tamari cider caramel, and oat crumble—are also available. “We wanted a place for people to gather that felt quaint, inviting, inclusive, and focused on the cuisine, and that’s exactly what The Peacock is,” said co-owner Jeffrey Schmitz. thepeacockkc.com

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Reservation for One SHINJU SUSHI AND HIBACHI by

Kelsey Cipolla

photos by

lames dance toward the ceiling and onion volcanoes erupt as “Happy birthday” is sung for the third time in less than an hour: Welcome to dinner on a weeknight at Shinju Sushi and Hibachi, a new restaurant at the Shops of Prairie Village. Families, friends, and apparently a whole host of people celebrating birthdays gather around three U-shaped hibachi tables in JANUARY 2022 |

Aaron Leimkuehler

the restaurant’s dining room. They offer a front-row seat to the entertaining process of watching your food chopped, seasoned, and cooked on the grill. And at Shinju, the view is even closer than you’d expect because of chairs that are a little too short for comfort. They place diners at about chest height against the dining counter, which makes for a slightly awkward eating experience, although most 96 | INKANSASCITY.COM

guests seem to adjust to it fairly quickly. Each hibachi entrée comes with a cup of miso soup and a salad delivered swiftly after ordering. The combo feels familiar and comforting, and the salad’s traditional ginger dressing makes full use of the root’s zingy flavor. Then the show begins as the chef rolls into view with a cart of ingredients and a clear sense of showmanship. If you’ve been to a hibachi restaurant before, you’re likely accustomed to the stunts you’ll see here—spinning spatulas with dizzying speed; juggling raw eggs; arranging the rings of a chopped onion in descending size, pouring oil down the middle and setting it ablaze; and the ever-popular (or dreaded) food toss. Although many spots opt to throw chunks of shrimp, Shinju goes with bits of fried egg launched from behind the grill toward guests’ open and expectant maws. Such is the magic of a hibachi restaurant that people who start their dinner as strangers end up fist-bumping over shared egg-catching success and cheering for their tablemates with a fervor usually reserved for sporting events. These interactive elements, along with watching the frying rice, a medley of veggies, and the meats of your and your tablemates’ choice, are typically the highlight of the dining experience. But Shinju sets itself apart with the food—the fried rice is garlic-forward; the zucchini, mushrooms, and onions are tender and retain their distinctive tastes; and the proteins are each given the appropriate care.

Whether you select steak, chicken, shrimp or one of the less traditional options (Shinju offers everything from filet mignon and calamari to scallops and lobster tail), it’s an incredibly satisfying plate of food, even if you didn’t see it come together before your very eyes. Hibachi is the main attraction at Shinju—the flames and cheering pretty much guarantee it—but the other half of the dining room is dedicated to standard tables where guests can enjoy a little more space and privacy. And there are also lots of other menu offerings guests can try regardless of where they’re sitting, including sushi: sashimi, classic rolls, and more than 30 specialty rolls. Each description includes details of what’s both on the inside and outside of the rolls, which is helpful given the sheer quantity of options. While such variety is often used to cover up a lack of quality, that’s not the case at Shinju. The amazing tuna roll lives up to its name when it arrives topped with two types of luscious tuna and a soy mustard sauce that lends acidity. The hotline bling roll balances out spicy jalapeño crunch with sweet-and-salty eel sauce. The kitchen also serves up ramen, udon, fried rice, and an array of stir-fried noodle dishes, plus bento boxes, which include rice, miso soup, a house salad, tempura, and four pieces of a California roll alongside mains, such as chicken, beef or salmon teriyaki, orange chicken, or tonkatsu. Yes, it’s a big menu and it can overwhelm at first glance but stick with it. Shinju is worth exploring, one flame-filled meal at a time. shinjuks.com

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