IN Kansas City January 2025

B& istros, Bars Restaurants

WHAT'S GOING LIVE IN 2025

A CLASSIC COLONIAL IS REVIVED AND REFRESHED

KITCHENS BATHROOMS BASEMENTS MAIN SUITES

A full-service, in-house construction and design team: Ross offers both construction and design services under her supervision which significantl impacts the client experience for the better.

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.

Impeccable attention to detail: Like the show-stopping interiors she creates, Ross understands the art of details and will bring the smallest of project elements to new heights.

The embodiment of luxury: When infusing luxury into a home remodeling project, Ross looks beyond price tags and instead embraces not only what luxury is, but how it makes a client feel.

Invest where it counts: When you work with a kitchen and bath designer it can save you time—and money, not to mention stress.

The art of trend-setting: Ross isn’t shy about crediting her Western European heritage for helping her cultivate a keen eye for interior trends.

“I set the trends; I don’t follow them,” she says

INFINITELY INVITING

for Your New Year

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Paulene

Interior

The

On the cover Restaurateur and chef Amante Domingo launches Le Champion, his newest concept, this month. Photo by Aaron Leimkuehler

Editor’s Note

Resolute

ONCE AGAIN, it’s time for the IN Kansas City team to share their annual New Year’s resolutions for 2025. Here’s good news, their last year’s resolutions were almost all successful. The lone holdout—me. I promised myself a trip to Paris in 2024 and it didn’t come to pass. Let’s see if I can make it this year.

I started cooking more in 2024, and now my resolution is to continue the momentum by adding in new recipes on a regular basis! I even gave myself an early Christmas gift with some new cookware, so no excuses!

Katie Delzer

This year, I resolve to be more present. I'm constantly swept up by my phone or my inner monologue—and if I instead ground myself where I am, with the people I'm with, I'll be calmer, more considerate, and more grateful.

Evan Pagano

For years, I was part of a book club that encouraged me to read books I wouldn’t have chosen on my own. Since it dissolved, my reading habits have slowed. My resolution for 2025 is to rekindle my love of reading. I'm aiming to read one at least one book a month.

Alice Govert Bryan

I want to try and make my own vegetable stock with my leftover veggies.

Nicole Kube

Some years ago, I used to volunteer with various nonprofit organizations all around the city. Life happened and I haven't been as active as I used to be. My resolution for 2025 is to spend more time volunteering and supporting local organizations, such as the Ronald McDonald House and Harvesters.

Josie Rawlings

In 2025, I want to slow down and enjoy each moment. Instead of rushing, I aim to find more peace and be more present in my daily life.

Brittany Coale

As you can see, their resolutions range from the sublime to the practical. I think I’ll take my inspiration from them and see if I have the resolve to incorporate them into my life this year. I’m going to cook more, and make my own stock. (Maybe chicken, though!) I’m going to slow down and put my phone down, too. Volunteering more is high on my list. Reading a book a month is already part of my life, so—done. And yes to international travel. 2025 will be the year I finally make it back to Paris! –Zim

Spending as much time with the family as possible.

Krista Markley

Vol. 8 | No. 1

JANUARY 2025

Editor In Chief Zim Loy

Digital Editor Evan Pagano

Art Director Alice Govert Bryan

Contributing Writers

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

Contributing Photographers

Kevin Alvey, Doug Barrett, Bridget Chang, Aaron Leimkuehler, Nate Sheets

Publisher Michelle Jolles

Media Director Brittany Coale

Senior Media Consultants

Katie Delzer, Nicole Kube, Krista Markley, Josie Rawlings

Intern Annie Woodson

Newsstand Consultant

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

Editorial Questions: zloy@inkansascity.com

Advertising Questions: bcoale@inkansascity.com

Distribution Questions: mjolles@inkansascity.com

Magazine Subscriptions:

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

Email: SUBS@inkansascity.com

Subscribe Online: inkansascity.com/subscribe

More international travel! Michelle Jolles

INKANSASCITY.COM

ENTER TO WIN

Party Arty (and look good doing it). is month, we’re giving away an experience and a service, and we think they t together perfectly. One lucky winner will receive two tickets to Party Arty: Opulence & Intrigue on February 1, one of Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s signature fundraisers. Mix Regency-era and contemporary garb, enjoy live music and local cocktails, and party until midnight in support of art education at the Nelson. In addition, the winner will nab a full-face HydraFacial from Mirabile M.D. valued at $170. Enter to win by January 22 at inkansascity.com/the-magazine/enter-to-win. Best of luck!

Need to perk up? is time of year, we could all use some warmth. Warm service, warm vibes, and hot co ee. So we asked our team to share their favorite co ee houses in KC. Head to inkansascity. com and search for our January sta picks.

The road ahead. been easy, but the Chiefs made it to the playo s, and a Lombardi three-peat is in sight. When the regular season ends, we’ll be previewing the Chiefs’ 2025 playo run—well, we hope it’s a run—in the sports section on inkansascity.com

Dukes up. We took a group boxing class at Sweet Z’s Gym, a KCK establishment that’s been taking in tness-seekers and main-event dreamers for a quarter century. If you’re hesitant to put on the gloves, experience it with us rst on inkansascity.com.

Miniature worlds. For certain eyes, there’s no place more mesmerizing than the miniatures at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Instruments, paintings, rooms, entire homes—all the intense details of life shrunk to Lilliputian size. View our favorite pieces on inkansascity.com

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This Month IN KC

January

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE

by Evan Pagano

Kansas City Tattoo Expo

January 17–19

Marriott Kansas City Downtown inkmasterstattooshow.com

Need some ink? Stop into the Kansas City Tattoo Expo at the Marriott downtown from January 17 to 19. e organizers—who tour the country bringing body art to the masses—promise up to 120 tattoo artists and piercers o ering a cornucopia of styles. Tickets are only available at the door, and all grown-up attendees are eligible to win a free tattoo.

Reel Liberty Film Festival

January 24–25

B&B Theatres Liberty Cinema 12 libertymissouri.gov/2767/ Reel-Liberty-Film-Festival

Slip o into the shadows. e rst iteration of the Reel Liberty Film Festival—code named Shadows and Secrets—is all about noir. A $20 ticket gets you a seat at four noir lms at B&B eatres Liberty: Sunset Boulevard (1950), Brick (2005), e Big Sleep (1946), and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005). e Saturday after-party at the in-theater Johnnie’s Jazz Bar will have live music and retro cocktails. Limited seating will be available at the bar; check online for table reservations.

JANUARY SPOTLIGHT

KC Restaurant Week

January 10–19

Various locations kcrestaurantweek.com

Johnson County Home + Garden Show

January 24–26

Foodies, rejoice! KC Restaurant Week—a ten-day event where area restaurants o er multi-course meals at a ordable prices—is back this month. is year, over 150 restaurants are participating, and ten percent of the proceeds will bene t House of Hope, Visit KC, and the Greater KC Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

Overland Park Convention Center johnsoncountyhomeshow.com

Home improvement. e Johnson County Home Show is a place to gather inspiration, product hunt, and learn from experts in home renovation and design. Expect onstage talks with HGTV stars Mina Starsiak Hawk and Michel Smith Boyd, plus over 200 exhibitors ranging from tree-care specialists to garage customizers. Tickets start at $12. Teachers and school sta get in free on Sunday, and kids under 13, veterans, active military, and rst responders get in for free all weekend. from

e lineup showcases the diversity of the KC restaurant industry. Cuisine ranges from Cajun (including Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, and KC Cajun) to Italian (including Lidia’s and North Italia) and way, way beyond. O erings span every meal, too—you could grab breakfast at Eggtc., hit Crush Grill for lunch, then sit down at Rye for dinner.

If you’re having a hard time keeping track, no worries. ere’s a mobile app that helps you make reservations, ll out a wish list, and more. Just search “KC Restaurant Week” on the Apple or Google Play store.

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

BY Merrily Jackson mjackson@inkansascity.com

Post-Holiday Dinner Parties: Moderate but Merry

Every January, we resolve to shed the holiday weight by cutting down on carbs and alcohol. But we still need to eat. And to socialize. ere’s something about the quieter pace of January that makes us—well, me anyway—want to have people over for drinks and din. Here are some thought-starters for clean, no-fuss cuisine to serve at resolution-friendly dinner gatherings.

Pre-Dinner Drinks: Plain is Good. I hold the view that a couple of cocktails or glasses of wine at a party are worth the splurge. Keep cocktails simple, refreshing. O er guests a zero-calorie tangerine LaCroix sparkling water with a twist of orange, with or without a shot of vodka. Or a Topo Chico with tequila and lime juice. Have ample diet soft drinks and mixers on hand.

Snacky Things with Drinks. A big bowl of skinny popcorn can be like a mother’s hug to those of us hankering for a nosh, diet plan notwithstanding. Consider a platter of interesting crudité (I have a great list!) paired with a fresh-tasting low-fat dip, like puréed peas with mint and basil. Email me for that recipe and several other healthy dip recipes and my crudité list, or any recipe mentioned herein.

Salad, Our Champion. A simple green salad is an endlessly appealing rst course. No one will miss the fattening mix-ins if you use a superlative combination of super-fresh lettuces. Romaine, radiccio, arugula, baby spinach, and Swiss chard look and taste glorious together, especially when tossed with a dressing made of highest-quality olive oil and vinegar seasoned with salt, pepper, and minced shallots.

Soup: the Dieter’s Darling. Do you have an immersion blender? It’s great for making broth-based vegetable soups and puréeing them into little pots of creaminess that taste decadent but are not. My favorites are puréed carrot soup and puréed butternut squash soup. (Whole Foods’ grab-andgo butternut squash soup is an excellent swap for homemade.) Gwyneth Paltrow’s broccoli-cheese soup tastes like a million calories, but is mostly broccoli and vegetable stock with a little bit of Stilton tossed in. It is a nice rst course for a larger dinner party, or a satisfying main course for a casual one, especially if feeding vegetarians.

Guilt-Free Main Courses. Linda Eddy’s Salmon Baked in Parchment (see recipe page 18) is a make-ahead dish that combines the elegance of individual servings with the ease of minimal cleanup. Giada De Laurentiis’s 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. Local theater legend Ron Megee shared with me one of his favorite main courses, Keto Chicken Curry, a massive hit when served to guests.

And Finally, Diet-Friendly Desserts. Jessica Seinfeld has a new book of healthy, gluten-free desserts, Not Too Sweet. Her Macerated Berries with Strawberry Cream would be a ne nish to your dinner party, as would her Crustless Apple Crumb Pie. Ina Garten’s Perfect Poached Fruit is just right for a winter party, with Bosc pears, dried gs, apricots and prunes. You can make it the day before; it only gets better as it sits. Meringue is another gift to the weight conscious. Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipe for Blueberry Pavlova, using medallions of meringue, is fabulous, especially if you substitute vanilla yogurt for whipping cream.

Entertaining IN KC HEALTHY STUFF

COMFORT IN EVERY BOWL

Smoked Brisket Chili

THE PERFECT BLEND

The Breville Control Grip immersion blender is perfect for blending smooth low-cal soups directly in your pot, plus it’s a mixer and chopper, too. Available at Pryde’s Kitchen & Necessities, $129.

JUST DESSERTS

Jessica Seinfeld’s husband may be funny, but she is dead serious about developing great recipes. Not Very Sweet:100 Dessert Recipes for Those Who Want More with Just a Little Less is perfect for dessert lovers.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

HOW REFRESHING

It’s so zzy and good! The clean, crisp avor and extra carbonation of zero-calorie

Topo Chico mineral water works equally well on its own or as a mixer in cocktails and mocktails. Available in major grocery stores.

FLOUR POWER

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour is a favorite for gluten-free baking, o ering perfect texture and avor in every recipe. Available online or in major grocery stores.

SCALE UP

Reimagined Real Estate

The Escali Primo digital food scale provides precise portion measurements, and is lightweight, durable, and easy to clean.

ADD A TWIST

The Oxo Good Grips

Tabletop Spiralizer is perfect

Tabletop Spiralizer is perfect for creating low-carb “noodles” from zucchini, carrots, or other vegetables. It has three blades for spaghetti, fettuccine, and ribbon cuts.

Entertaining IN KC

FOR AN AUCTION supporting the UMKC Conservatory, talented home chef Linda Eddy donated a beautiful catered dinner, which I had the good fortune to attend. Linda provided a real wow moment when guests opened their individual parchment packets. Packed with heart-healthy omega-3s and vibrant vegetables, this recipe delivers fabulous flavor and texture. You can assemble the parchment packets in advance, then bake just before serving for a meal that’s as impressive as it is practical.

LINDA EDDY’S SALMON BAKED IN PARCHMENT

41/2 ounce package of long-grain and wild rice

1 small zucchini

1 medium carrot

4 salmon fillets

FOR THE RUB

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped lemon peel

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pepper

8 toothpicks parchment paper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut four squares of parchment paper about 15 inches square and slice zucchini and carrot into strips.

Prepare rice mix according to package directions, except cook for a shorter time and add seasoning after rice cooks. Allow to cool if planning to refrigerate salmon packets and cook later. Prepare rub, combining all remaining ingredients in small bowl. Place 1/2 cup rice on center of parchment paper. Top with 1/4 of zucchini and carrots. Top with salmon fillet. Put 1/4 of rub (or to taste) on each piece of salmon. Do this assembly line so that you can evenly divide ingredients. You might have some rub left over.

Fold left and right sides of parchment together, making a neat fold in the center. Fold over top and bottom of packets twice. Using a hole punch make two holes at top and bottom and insert toothpicks.

At this point you can go ahead and bake the packets or refrigerate them. If the latter, allow time for the packets to warm up a bit before baking them, as it will affect baking time if the packets are right out of the refrigerator.

Arrange packets on large cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Increase the baking time if you have larger pieces of salmon or if you have increased the quantity.

Serve in packets. Everything will be piping hot.

Entertaining IN KC

ASK MERRILY

Q: Two others and I are co-hosting a party to celebrate the signi cant birthday of a dear mutual friend. I don’t know my co-hosts that well, but I have o ered up my house for the party venue. We’ve agreed to share expenses. Should I ask them to split the expense of having a cleaning service to my house before the party? Or pay for it myself?

A: If hiring a cleaning service feels like a substantial nancial contribution on top of hosting, it’s entirely fair to ask for help. Most reasonable co-hosts would understand that preparing the venue is part of the overall party expense. You could phrase it diplomatically, like: “Since I’m providing the venue, I’d like to have a cleaning service come in beforehand to ensure everything’s perfect. Would you be comfortable splitting that expense with me?”

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

Our Man IN KC

by Damian Lair

dlair@inkansascity.com : @damianlair #OurManINKC

Holiday Reflections

Iwas thrilled to be invited to preview this year’s expanded and ampli ed Holiday Re ections experience at Union Station. We gathered at Harvey’s open-air second- oor perch with cocktails and a sampling of the restaurant’s menu. Santa was working the crowd with greetings and photo-taking.

Guests were then summoned to the Grand Plaza for the big reveal. Upon entering, we strolled through the (all new) Downtown Kansas City 1920’s Petticoat Lane, complete with historic and charming storefronts recalling iconic shopping destinations of KC yore. On the Lane, it reliably snows every 20 minutes. Above, it was impossible to miss the (also new) historic KC crowns. ese gleaming creations were carefully fabricated to mirror the same crowns that once decorated nine downtown intersections during the holidays. Each modern crown chandelier is embellished with more than 20,000 crystals.

A brand-new 30-foot tree rose from the plaza’s center. We gathered around as we listened to the a able George Guastello, Union Station’s president and CEO, describe the latest iteration of this beloved annual experience. With plenty of lead up, George ultimately lit the tree with guests leading the countdown. Encircling the tree was the historic Jones Store mini train that holds warm memories for so many. It’s still chugging along and was available to children for rides. Another new addition was the 4D immersive virtual-reality ying sleigh ride. roughout the experience were also numerous photo ops, practically designed for social media feeds. We posed inside the giant sleigh, horsedrawn carriage, and ice throne.

Despite everything new, Union Station managed to maintain several crowd favorites from years’ past, including the singing reindeer and penguins, daily Santa visits, and the 10,000-square-foot holiday model-train display.

CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE

ON A WINTERY FRIDAY, just before Christmas, I ditched my Crossroads o ce for a lunchtime injection of holiday cheer. I was o to the very rst Hallmark Christmas Experience in the heart of Crown Center

OVERHEARD

“Well, clearly the payment is in pasta.”

When I hear the word Hallmark, I immediately think of Christmas. Whether it’s holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel or the (always Hallmark) greeting cards I eagerly shop for and mail every year—Hallmark is synonymous with the winter holiday season. It was no surprise, then, that this pop-up holiday village so magically embodied the enchanting town square essence of so many Hallmark Christmas movies. I could smell roasted chestnuts from the moment I opened my car door inside the distant parking garage.

HOT GOSSIP:

Holiday Re ections is the city’s largest indoor holiday experience that welcomes more than 200,000 visitors annually. Its assembly requires more than 10,000 man-hours but it’s worth every second to bring this cherished holiday tradition to life with its magical sights and sounds of the season.

What design oracle is still claiming credit for a certain-colored dining room?

SPOTTED: Angie Je ries, Heidi Markle, Margaret Keough, Will Gregory, Venessa Huskey, Manny Abarca, Charlie Franklin, Winifred Jamison, Dan Tarwater

Prior to visiting the outdoor experience, I detoured to the Hallmark Visitors Center to peep a great friend at work. Bernard Shondell, a Hallmark Creative Studio operations manager, was conducting a live gingerbread house-making demo as part of Hallmark’s “Festive Fridays.” Many Kansas Citians would recognize Bernard’s work from his annual contribution to the Crestwood Shops gingerbread house competition and auction, bene ting Child Protection Center. I learned during Bernard’s demo Q&A that this year’s stunning creation required 85 hours of detailed work! While I’ve seen and eaten his many sweet creations (including my own sister’s tear-inducing wedding cake), I had never seen his deft handiwork in action. It was a truly special start to my visit. And should I ever attempt my own gingerbread house, I’m now armed with a toolbox of insider tips.

Down at Christmastown USA (my description, not Hallmark’s),

Damian Lair at Union Station’s Holiday Re ections.

PRIORITIZE PRESENT NEEDS

Our Man IN KC

the square was positively over owing with visitors. I met people who’d traveled from California, New York, and many states in between. It was a fandom level that reminded me only of Disney. I was unaware that Hallmark has its own cadre of die-hard, traveling groupies.

I strolled through the Christmas Market “streets” lined with vendors—mostly local, but a few national, such as Build-ABear Workshop. Numerous artisan purveyors matched the Hallmark vibe to a T. A Day Books outpost felt right at home on the square, as did the countless other retail shops o ering up unique gifts, including jewelry, clothing, artwork, body products, and edible treats. Speaking of gifts, the Holiday Hallmarket had a line well out the door for visitors waiting to purchase Hallmark cards, gift wrap, keepsake ornaments, and other holiday merchandise.

At the Messner Bee Farm shop, I dropped in seeking a bee-pollen replenishment (I sprinkle it in my blended lunch smoothie every weekday, and it has essentially eliminated my once-serious seasonal allergies). I restocked my bee pollen, but while checking out, I also spotted hunks of raw honeycomb. I grabbed a stack. ey’re the perfect way to elevate an impromptu, otherwise dull charcuterie platter. Plus, honeycomb is easy to keep on hand as it never spoils or expires.

Elsewhere in this makeshift village was a card-sending station, a Crayola community mural for guests to add their own crayon strokes, and plenty of photo ops, including a giant snow globe. Towering over this Hallmark Who-ville was the Mayor’s Christmas tree—this year with new, tricked-out, festive light shows. While lovely, I’d be remiss if I didn’t raise my perpetual bewilderment as to why we annually lob o the bottom third of our city’s otherwise-graceful tree’s branches. Alternatively, we might allow the feathery boughs to reach the ground naturally, like a certain iconic and inspiring tree in Rockefeller Center. Oh, how I wish we could skip the buzz cut in Christmases future. But I digress.…

It was lunchtime, so I headed toward the outdoor food hall for a (non-smoothie) lunch out. Despite many great options (I nearly went for tamales from The Tamale Kitchen), the force for barbecue proved too strong. I wound up with a beef burnt-end sandwich from Burt End Barbecue (also with a permanent location in Crown Center). Because a sweet ending to any meal is a must, I also picked up some of Pearl’s Mini Donuts. With multiple repits crackling, I cozied up to one and enjoyed my local lunch. As I nibbled, I watched those ice skating on the neighboring terrace. With the sights, smells, and tastes of Christmas, I was fully immersed.

All eyes were on whom— caught sloppily attempting to enter Travis and Taylor’s private dining room?

Worth noting—this month-long event was executed in partnership with United Way of Greater Kansas City, which is relied on for support by one in three Kansas Citians every year. It was the continuation of a 73-year relationship where, in just the past 25 years, Hallmark has raised more than $61 million for the organization. Now that’s the Christmas spirit.

OVERHEARD

SANTA PAWS IN THE PARK

“Forget oversized! Now that I’m skinny, I’m like— when are crop-tops making a comeback?”

howl

THANKS TO Kansas City Parks & Recreation, I was overcome with -iday spirit after spending an afternoon at the very rst Santa Paws in the Park event.

ough I am (what my friends jokingly refer to as) “pet poor,” I was nevertheless elated to serve as a guest judge for the pet parade competition portion of this event. After all, if there’s one skill I have in plentiful supply, it’s judging (for a good cause, of course).

I arrived at Jacob L. Loose Memorial Park and joined my fellow judges: Kathy Quinn of FOX 4, Taylor Smith of the Kansas City Rose Society, and Erika White of Three Dog Bakery. We were hyped with anticipation to see the pets serving lewks and Fashion with a capital F.

Armed with very o cial clipboards and seated at a rose-draped table, I felt like Hoda quipping to a TV audience at the Rose Bowl parade. If only I had some quirky parade facts to rattle o and a glass of wine in hand. Despite these minor distinctions, Taylor graciously picked up the role of Kathy Lee in ful llment of my media commentary fantasy. As we bantered, The Tinseltones provided the most festive, melodic caroling backdrop throughout the entire parade.

But back to business. We had more than 100 parade entrants vying for top dog in four categories: ugliest sweater, most creative, best matching set, and best group. e paws strutted down the red carpet at a fast and furious pace as we frantically ipped through our ballots, jotting scores and notes. e job involved more pressure than I imagined. In the end, we collectively settled on four winners and compiled a list of our other favorites for honorable mention. Winners were announced to a rather massive audience, and each received generous prize baskets from ree Dog Bakery.

Speaking of the crowd, I was blown away by the attendance for this rst-ever event. e mid-50s sunny weather certainly did not hurt. It was the perfect day for pet promenading in the park.

Elsewhere, pets and parents lined up for photos with Santa that could be incorporated into a commemorative tree ornament. Complimentary “pup cups” awaited those who landed on Santa’s good list. KC Wolf (also served as the parade’s grand marshal) and several Kansas City Chiefs cheerleaders were also greeting visitors and taking photos. ere were wreath kits available for purchase, where attendees could craft a treat-laden holiday wreath. And, in the craft section, there was a Furever Tree pet memorial for remembering pets having traveled the rainbow bridge.

For this event, KC Parks partnered with the KC Rose Society to further the group’s “Save the Pillars” fundraising campaign established for restoring the 64 limestone pillars encircling the Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden. ose donating to the cause were entered into a drawing for a stunning Ti any & Co. dog bowl.

Congratulations to Heidi Markle, of KC Parks, who envisioned and executed this unique and popular event. I hope to be back next year—at the judge’s table.

So, KC—where do you want to go? XO

HOT GOSSIP:

Rainy

Gingerbread house by Hallmark’s Bernard Shondell.

BY Judith Fertig

Doug Barrett

THE PHOTOGRAPHER ANSWERS FOUR QUESTIONS

In his recent exhibit Ghost of the Plains at Haw Contemporary, photographer Doug Barrett showed us black-andwhite images of an American West that might be unfamiliar, but nevertheless authentic. Dusty pickup-truck drivers, cowboys, ranchers, and wheat farmers show the legacy of the former slaves who came to Kansas after the Civil War in search of the Promised Land.

at promise has yet to be ful lled.

Born in the South, Barrett rst came to Kansas after serving in the military. By 2014, he started his creative business and now does photojournalism work for Bloomberg News, Time magazine, National Geographic, Politico, e New York Times, the Smithsonian Magazine, Washington Post, e Wall Street Journal, Education Week, e Chronicle, CNN, AARP, Capital B News, and has been featured on the Nasdaq billboard in Times Square NYC. Barrett’s work has also been featured on VICE, Fox News, and BBC World News.

He is also a contributor on social media via @everydayblackamerica, @everydayprojects, and @everydayruralamerica.

His ne art photography is in private collections at the Ulrich Museum, Mulvane Museum, and the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art.

Barrett completed his undergraduate degree from St Augustine’s University and graduate school from Southwestern College where he holds an M.S. in IT Security Administration. He is also an FAA Part 107-certi ed drone pilot. 400northcreative.com

INKC: Why did you become a photographer?

Doug Barrett: When I was growing up, my father had a 35mm camera that he used to document our family life. We had tons of photo albums. I got my rst 35mm camera in middle school, and it went from there. I am a photographer because relationships foster a deliberate meaningful life. Relationships are the core of collaboration and intimate storytelling. Relationships create change, which is a catalyst to the world we want to see. My work documenting justice issues and marginalized communities in America is where I nd deep relationships and conversations. Apart from a deeply impactful body of work, it’s not lost to me that such a body of work and the magnitude of the issues I cover is far greater than its creator, and just as much relies on those who recognize the wide potential of the art and are willing to embrace its message in ways that I can’t do alone.

INKC: Your work involves both photograph as journalism and photograph as fine art. What can photos do that other art forms cannot?

DB: Someone once told me that a photograph should speak for itself. If it does, that’s art. But sometimes you need more. Adding words in a caption or a background story can help explain or educate, as an artist statement can do.

INKC: Your recent exhibit Ghost of the Plains at Haw Contemporary focused on the Black experience, partly around Nicodemus, Kansas, the oldest Black settlement east of the Mississippi, which is now a national park. Why?

DB: I was shocked to learn that this town had so much history but was so neglected. Even as a national park. You think of “national park,” and you think of Yellowstone, Yosemite. Nicodemus looks more like a trailer park. ere is a shocking disparity. Nicodemus is under-funded and under-developed. e playing eld is not now and never has been level. I wanted to show that.

INKC: What draws your eye as a photographer?

DB: I carry a Leica camera with me wherever I go. I observe the light, the patterns, the rhythms. e camera is a tool that holds power when used properly. For me, it is about powerful, long-form, visual storytelling. Pictures are great but what is the impact?

photo by Doug Barrett

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Arts & Culture IN KC

by Judith Fertig

PNC BROADWAY PRESENTS: CHICAGO—THE MUSICAL

IF A LITTLE SNOW SHOVELING has not gotten your heart rate up, or you’d prefer a more pleasurable experience, then come to Chicago—The Musical, from January 7 through 12 at the Kauffman Center.

Chicago is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one show-stopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen. The gangster-era Windy City has never looked so spiffy.

In the whirlwind of Chicago’s Jazz Age, two of the Cook County Jail’s most notorious murderesses—vaudeville star Velma Kelly and chorus girl Roxie Hart—become fierce rivals as they compete for headlines amidst a media frenzy.

Broadway’s longest-running musical has been razzledazzling audiences for 27 years, and after more than 10,000 performances, six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, and a Grammy, they’re just getting started.

For more information and tickets, visit kauffmancenter.org.

JOY IS RESISTANCE AT THE KANSAS CITY MUSEUM

THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, you can check out this continuing exhibit featuring members of the African American Artists Collective including Stasi Bobo-Ligon, Toni Gates, Tracy Milsap, Joseph Newton, Sonié Joi Thompson-Ruffin, and Jason Wilcox. The exhibit, on the second floor of the Kansas City Museum, is free and open to the public.

If you wondered why “joy” was such a buzzword in Kamala Harris’ political campaign, learn a little here about why.

Ever since African Americans arrived in this country centuries ago, they have faced unimaginable adversity. They have been enslaved, marginalized, and subjected to systemic racism. Yet amid racial trauma, one thread has remained unbroken: the power of Black joy. Joy is Resistance is an exhibition that celebrates the unyielding spirit of Black people through the lens of five visionary artists from the African American Artists Collective.

This exhibit explores how joy has served as a balm for pain, a testament for survival, and a vibrant expression of self-affirmation. Whether through bold colors, intimate portraits, abstract interpretations of Black life, or storytelling, each artist in this exhibit demonstrates joy in their own unique way.

To learn more about the African American Artists Collective, visit aaackc.org. For information on museum hours, visit kansascitymuseum.org

Braids by Joseph Newton

THE PRINCESS BRIDE: AN INCONCEIVABLE EVENING WITH CARY ELWES

LIKE FORREST GUMP and The Sound of Music, The Princess Bride (1987) has entered the realm of much-beloved movie fame.

It features more memorable lines than The Godfather, as Inigo Montoya (played by Mandy Patinkin) says, again and again: “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

Or Buttercup (played by Robin Wright) speaking to Westley (Cary Elwes): “We’ll never survive.”

Replies Westley, “Nonsense. You’re only saying that because no one ever has.”

On Saturday, January 18 at 7 p.m. at the Kauffman, watch this film again, then hear Cary Elwes dish on its making, detailed in his best-selling book As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride

For more information and tickets, visit kauffmancenter.org.

GARIBALDI TRIO PLAYS THE MUSIC OF CONTEMPORARY COMPOSERS

THE HOLIDAYS ARE LONG OVER, as is the New Year’s Day hangover. It’s cold and dreary. What will tempt you to go out on a January evening to the 1900 Building? How about this?

On January 30 at 7 p.m., the Friends of Chamber Music Kansas City hosts a trio of accomplished musicians who will play the works of living composers. An intimate concert with wonderful music you might never have heard before. What a treat!

Garibaldi Trio includes clarinetist José Franch Ballester— who shows “technical wizardry and tireless enthusiasm” (The New York Times); violist Marina Thibeault—Radio-Canada’s classical “Révélation” of the year; and pianist David Fung— praised for his “poetic and exquisitely sculpted interpretations” (The Washington Post).

Those living composers include Dobrinka Tabakova (born 1980), a Bulgarian-British artist; Stephen Chatman (born 1950) known for music featuring the oboe and chorus; Jörg Widmann (born 1973), a German composer, clarinetist, and conductor; Lowell Liebermann (born 1961), an American composer and pianist known for his contemporary sonatas and piano concertos.

For more information and tickets, visit chambermusic.org

Health IN KC

by Judith Fertig

Too Much, Too Little, Just Right

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THYROID DISEASE: A CONVERSATION WITH JOEL KAVAN, DO, FAMILY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN, ADVENTHEALTH MEDICAL GROUP PRIMARY CARE AT STATE LINE

The butterfly-shaped thyroid—located in the front of the neck, just behind the Adam’s apple—is a little gland that does a lot. The thyroid is part of the body’s endocrine system that helps regulate important functions, such as metabolism, heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and how the body reacts to other hormones.

When the thyroid doesn’t produce the right amount of hormones— too little or too much—that’s when we notice symptoms of thyroid disease. Joel Kavan, DO, a family physician with AdventHealth’s newest primary care office—opening this month at 103rd and State Line in Kansas City, Missouri—explains more.

What is thyroid disease?

The most common thyroid diseases are hypothyroidism, which is an underactive thyroid, and hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid. Other diseases include thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, thyroiditis, and goiter. A goiter as an enlarged thyroid gland usually due to one of the other above conditions. Thyroiditis is inflammation of the thyroid that can occur with certain conditions including viral infections, medications, trauma, radiation or autoimmune diseases such as Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

What are the symptoms and how is it diagnosed?

Some symptoms of hypo- and hyperthyroidism overlap: fatigue, swelling, and weakness. But there are also distinct symptoms of each. Hypothyroidism results in decreased production of the thyroid hormones, creating symptoms of reduced metabolism, such as weight gain, constipation, hair loss, cold intolerance, depression, dry skin, irregular menstrual cycles, and memory or focus problems. Hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, is the result of an overactive thyroid gland and may cause weight loss, heart palpitations, anxiety, tremor,

heat intolerance, diarrhea, and difficulty sleeping. As these symptoms can be common, blood testing is needed to confirm the diagnosis. The most sensitive test measures thyroid stimulating hormone, which tells the thyroid what to do.

Thyroid nodules, cancer, or a goiter may be found on clinical exam and further evaluated by laboratory testing or imaging. These may also be found incidentally on imaging when testing for other reasons, such as a CT scan of the chest.

What leads to underactive thyroid function (hypothyroidism)?

When hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto’s, the body produces antibodies that destroy the person’s own thyroid gland. Other causes of hypothyroidism include certain medications, pituitary gland tumor or dysfunction, radiation to the neck, thyroid surgeries, removal of thyroid gland for other reasons, postpartum thyroiditis, severe iodine deficiency, overtreatment of hyperthyroidism with medication, or post-radioactive thyroid treatment.

What leads to overactive thyroid function (hyperthyroidism)?

Hyperthyroidism can be caused by Graves’ disease when antibodies stimulate the thyroid stimulating hormone receptor leading to overproduction of thyroid hormones. Other less common causes include primary problems with the pituitary gland making increased thyroid stimulating hormone, toxic multinodular goiter, medications, viral infections, and certain cancers or tumors.

Is thyroid disease curable or a condition that needs to be managed?

Hypothyroidism can be managed by medications. Treatment with levothyroxine, the most common medication, is usually lifelong.

Hyperthyroidism can be more difficult to treat, and it requires additional testing with a radioactive iodine uptake scan, but is usually also managed with medication, at least initially. In some cases, the thyroid can become extremely elevated, called thyrotoxicosis, and additional medication may be needed to reduce heart rate and blood pressure. Hyperthyroidism is usually managed by an endocrinologist and can go into remission with oral medications but unfortunately may return. The condition can also be treated definitively with surgery or radioactive iodine after which the patient will likely need long-term thyroid medication for treatment of the now secondary hypothyroidism.

Other diseases, such as thyroid cancers, are usually treated with surgery. Benign nodules may be monitored and sometimes removed depending on their growth. People with removal of a majority of the thyroid gland may also need to be treated with medication long-term for secondary hypothyroidism. AdventHealthKC.com/PrimaryCare

Dan Gehlbach, MD

CancerCareKC.com

The future of cancer care is here. The AdventHealth Cancer Institute is the first and only health care provider in Kansas City to perform MRI-Guided Radiation. This advanced therapy allows us to see tumors as we treat them, resulting in pinpoint precision, fewer treatments, reduced side effects and better outcomes.

Fby Patricia O’Dell

Color Me Happy

LET LIGHTING PROVIDE A LIFT AS WELL AS LIGHT

orgive me if I’ve mentioned my renovation (again and again.) It’s taking up a fair amount of both headspace and budget. One of the bene ts and challenges has been selecting new lighting. Most of our lighting has a brass or black nish, but during my search I’ve been delighted by the colorful options available.

Hudson Valley Lighting features several di erent transitional styles in a variety of colors, including black, white, bird blue, which

is a robin’s-egg blue, and leaf green. e traditional shapes of these lights, including a barn-light pendant, in unexpected colors is a delightful and refreshing surprise.

ese colorful creations would be perfect in a powder room, mudroom, bedroom—or for the more adventuresome—game room or family room. If it’s a product you’ve used, send an image to news@ inkansascity.com and we’ll feature it on social media!

Hudson Valley Lighting is available locally through Wilson Lighting in Overland Park. wilsonlighting.com

Lark Milo pendant with sage green metal shade, $900.

Clivedon wall sconce with owhite metal shade, $650.

Painted No.1 Collection pendant in bird blue, $1,374.

Clivedon chandelier with oblack metal shade, $2,190.

BONNE ANNÉE, MES AMIS!

I HAVE A FRIEND who travels to Paris regularly. She regales me with stories of rich food, antique ribbon, and linens, in addition to the general joy of being in Paris. While I’m lucky to travel often, I haven’t been to Paris in a few years. But I’ve found that you can nd quite a bit of French style here in Kansas City.

Trapp and Company has essential French bistro tables and rattan armchairs. e combination of the rustic rattan and the black metal and white marble cannot be beat, making it easy to give your porch or sunroom a bit of je ne sais quoi. trappandcompany.com

Pear Tree Design & Antiques in Crestwood is a reliable stop for outstanding antiques, and they’re some of the best in town. We only have a few dealers who still shop in Europe, and Pear Tree owner Cindy Barnhill makes regular buying trips each year. Furniture not on the agenda this year? Pitchers, plates, and prints can lend a Francophile air. peartreedesignantiques.com

Green Door Antiques owners Darren Killen and Dustin Swartz buy in Europe regularly as well. In addition to antiques, garden ornaments, and outstanding curiosities, their selection includes unique items, such as a French bottle drying rack. (You

WELCOME THE NEW YEAR WITH FRANCOPHILE STYLE from Trapp and Company,

Clockwise from top: Drying rack from Green Door Antiques, rattan armchair and bistro table from Trapp and Company, Oil painting from Pear Tree Design & Antiques.

by Patricia O’Dell

Clean and Serene

WILLIAMS SONOMA DELIVERS UPDATED CLASSICS

Style icon Aerin Lauder has developed a collection with Williams Sonoma that features her iterations of timeless design elements. Blending new pieces with either more modern designs, vintage, or antiques creates character and depth that keep your home from looking like a page from a catalog. Lauder’s collection o ers several selections that do just that.

Timeless blue and white—with a hint of brass—shows up beautifully in her updated traditional ceramic table lamps. Silver frames and

a cachepot, which are always classic, have linear accents that provide a modern in uence, and the gured sycamore box echoes the same aesthetic in an unstained sycamore box featuring a silverplate top. It’s perfect on your bedside table to hold your jewelry or whatever you’d like to stash nearby.

In addition to being smart looking, Lauder’s pieces are youthful and playful. Despite their classic in uences, they don’t take themselves too seriously—with a scalloped edge here and dancing oral motifs there.

Clockwise from top left: Aerin Lauder. Figured sycamore box, $99. Culloden table lamp, $549. Silver radial cachepot, $89. Coral wall mirror, $795. Silver radial frames, $105-$125.

I’M A BIG FAN of Dash and Albert rugs, and I’ve written about them here before. In addition to being adorable, stylish and/or fun, they have always worn well. But it’s important to remember that in addition to their good looks, some of their styles are machine washable. Dogs, children, muddy, sloppy boots of all varieties? No problem. In addition, you’re not con ned to bright or dark colors. e collection features dozens of neutrals that wear just as well as their densely patterned cohorts. Better yet, they are available in town at Stu in Brookside and Nell Hill’s in the Village at Briarcli .

Dash & Albert washable rugs by Annie Selke (clockwise from top left) Arbor Natural, Leni Oatmeal, Jelly Roll Sky, and Samson Black.

Winter Wonders

For the Family

THE ICE AT PARK PLACE - OPEN EVERY DAY

Skate into the New Year with special events like the Frozen Sisters’ Skate on Jan 12. Visit parkplaceleawood.com/theice for hours and events.

For Date Night

KC RESTAURANT WEEK, JANUARY 10 - 19

These menus are sure to be a special treat during KC Restaurant Week. Reserve your table early at:

801 Chophouse - Prime Steakhouse

Aixois - Classic French Bistro

Aqua Penny’s - Coastal Seafood

Bamboo Penny’s - Tropical Thai

RA Sushi - Japanese Cuisine

Session Taco - West Coast Street Tacos

For You

TAKE TIME THIS YEAR

Refresh, indulge, or send a gift to someone deserving. Park Place is home to several spas, fitness studios, and beauty services.

Focus on YOU in 2025 at:

Everyday Beaut

KMC MedSpa

MassageLuXe

Mon Cheri Nail Salon

Perspire Sauna Studio

The Bar Method

The Gents Place

The Smile Line Studio

Timothy Weber: A Hair Salon

Upgrade Group Training

Visit ParkPlaceLeawood.com for more details.

Park Place is located on the northeast corner of Nall Avenue & 117th St., just north of AMC 20 Theatre.

Classic & Modern

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

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

Come explore your style with Katy at Madden McFarland.

Nick Griffin IN CONVERSATION WITH

words by Cindy Hoedel photo by Kevin Alvey

Having a dad who’s a Mission Hills stockbroker and diplomas from Rockhurst High School and William Jewell College might be an unexpected bio for someone who’s been making a living at standup comedy for 35 years. No one seems more surprised and delighted by that than Nick Griffin.

Griffin has notched 11 appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman among many late-night TV sets for hosts including Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and Conan O’Brien. He did a Half Hour Comedy Special on Comedy Central and his full comedy special, Absolutely Wonderful, can be seen on YouTube. You can follow Griffin on Instagram, @comicnickgriffin and find out where to catch him live at nickgriffin.net.

Griffin appears nightly in New York City between road gigs, which keep him flying around the country more weeks than not. He spoke by phone to IN Kansas City from his hotel room in Las Vegas, where he had a weekend run at Comedy Cellar,about how his standup career got launched his junior year in college, current trends in comedy clubs, and why humans are so drawn to comedy

WhataresomeofyourmemoriesofgrowingupinMissionHills? I suppose like a lot of people that are my age,we were able to go outside. My mom, or actually my parents in general, had these seven kids, and they just wanted them out of the house all the time. We kind of did what we wanted.Anytime we came into the house,whether it was early or late, my mom would just say,“Please go back outside.”

I had an older brother, Pat, and I kind of followed him around and

did whatever he wanted me to do. There were a lot of shenanigans. We had a lot of nice kids our age in the neighborhood. So, I hate to say it, but it was just sort of normal suburbia in the ’70s, you know, riding your bike and going down to the creek and throwing rocks at rats and starting little fires in the cement and firecrackers and just normal stuff.

A lot of sports, too. My brother was into football, so I decided I should be into football. We would play a lot of games. We had a side yard where we had a lot of room. There was just a lot of running around.

How did you end up at William Jewell College?

Well, I went to KU for a semester, and I don’t know why I didn’t like it, but I didn’t like it. I just couldn’t really find my footing there. An old high school friend called me and said, “Hey, I’m going to William Jewell. It’s this tiny college up in Liberty, Missouri, and they’re looking for football players.” I thought, “I like playing football, and I’m not enjoying this over here,” so I went over.

I really liked William Jewell. I thought it was wonderful. I didn’t play football much, but it kind of focused me a little. It’s a Baptist College, and I’m Catholic, and I eventually ran around with a bunch of other Catholics, and we would go down to Kansas City, to Westport, to drink when we had time.

Were you running around with Catholics because they drank more than the Baptists?

Yeah, probably. We were a little bit more focused on our drinking, I think. We had done a little bit more drinking by then than the Baptists. And there just wasn’t a lot going on in Liberty. Very small town. Which was fine, but we eventually ended up in Westport, and there was an open

mic night at a bar where we drank that was called Stanford and Sons.

Did you have any experience prior to that open mic night?

I did do a little theater in college, but we were all into standup. We all knew a handful of comics. And David Letterman was gigantic then. In terms of coolness, he was very, very important to my age group. We would watch people on the Late Show with David Letterman, and we’d watch The Tonight Show, and we already knew of Seinfeld and Leno and Carlin and Pryor. I had a notebook that I had started scribbling stuff in, and my roommate, Tony, talked me into going to open-mic night and trying it. All four of the guys I ran around with said they’d buy my drinks for the whole night, and I didn’t need much more encouragement after that.

How did it go?

It went OK. I didn’t do great. I think my older brother, who I had followed around my whole childhood, was there with some friends. My college friends were there, so I was lucky in that I wasn’t going to bomb, regardless. There were probably only 50 people in the room and 20 knew me, and they were all giddy from booze and just knowing me. I don’t remember exactly what I talked about. I think some of it was big brother stuff and bad dating stuff.

But I really caught the bug. A local comic named Brad Nelson hosted the open-mic night, and he was real nice to me and encouraged me and gave me ideas about what other places I could do. I probably wouldn’t have done it a second time if I hadn’t run into Brad. He kind of became my mentor or just running buddy. He really helped me a lot in those early years.

‘‘I was a junior in college and it was really important to my parents that I get a degree, so although I didn’t really hit the road much, I was doing sets on a pretty regular basis, probably twice a week at Stanford and Sons and there was a place called Funny Bone, which eventually became Slapsticks. So there was a lot of stage time in those early years for someone who was just starting.”

Did you start performing regularly right away after that?

I was a junior in college and it was really important to my parents that I get a degree, so although I didn’t really hit the road much, I was doing sets on a pretty regular basis, probably twice a week at Stanford and Sons and there was a place called Funny Bone, which eventually became Slapsticks. So there was a lot of stage time in those early years for someone who was just starting. After about a year, year and a half, they let me host a little, and sometimes Brad would take me on the road to some of these smaller towns and we would do weekend gigs there and

that was cool. The more I did, the more I liked it, the more I felt like maybe it suited me.

What happened after college?

By the time I got out of college two years later, I had accumulated a handful of pretty decent contacts. There were probably four or five people I knew, mostly in the Midwest, who booked a lot of rooms. Not great rooms—some of them were good rooms, some of them were really bad rooms. You could get up and they’d pay you. I can’t remember what I was making back then, maybe 25 to 50 bucks a show.

What makes a room really bad?

It’s probably an Italian restaurant or a karaoke bar that has a comedy night on a Wednesday and they put it up on a flyer underneath a poster, so no one knows. So when you get there, they’re mad because they have to turn off the TVs, they’re missing their local sports game. And also, the setup’s not good. The mic doesn’t work. No one tells people to shut up.

When did you move away from Kansas City?

About two years after graduating college, when I was 23, I moved to New York. I knew one guy there. He had married a woman in the city, and he liked me, and he said, “When you get to New York, let me know and I’ll do what I can.”

So I moved there, and I called him. And he said, “You know what you should do is call the comedy clubs and tell them you’re new in town and you need stage time.” And I was like, ‘Geez, that’s the big nugget you had for me? I uprooted my whole life to come to New York and you said, ‘Call the comedy club and tell them you’re a comic?’”

And so you do that. You go around, introduce yourself, sit in the back of the room and sometimes at the end of the night they’d let me go up. I did that for about three years, I started to get a little bit of traction, but I didn’t know anyone there and it is super expensive to live in New York.

Did you work day jobs? I did.

What kind of stuff did you do?

Just nonsense. I worked in a bagel shop. I worked for the Ellis Island Foundation. People would call in if their family had been on Ellis Island. They would get a plaque, and I would fill in the order. Just real drudgery. But the people at the various jobs were very nice and usually supportive if I had to take nights off.

After about three years, not getting enough stage time and being really impatient, my friend got a job writing for The Arsenio Hall Show and said, “If you want to move [to Los Angeles] with me, I’ll let you sleep in my office at home for free.”

So after three years in New York, I moved to LA. I knew more people out there, by chance, people I knew from the road. I had a car out there, which was much more helpful for gigs, and I lived there for 14 years.

What was living in LA like after New York?

Just having more room, you know? Everything in New York is so tiny— your personal space, your apartment. I started working more day jobs. I worked in some offices, filing. I also worked for a maid service where you would go into people’s apartments when they’re gone—you have a

key—and you clean it and then you leave and go back to the office and you’d have like two or three of those a day.

You know, the LA lifestyle is just easier. I’m not terribly proud that I chose the easier route for that period of time, but it was a little bit of a relief, and I had more of a social life because I knew more of the comics out in LA. I had people I could go out and have dinner with or have a few beers with.

Why did you leave California after 14 years?

I was going to New York a couple of times a year. I had started getting TV sets, I had done Letterman a few times. And going to the clubs in New York, I felt like it was more intense. There were just more shows, cause New York stays up so much later than Los Angeles. So I thought for a change of pace and to light a fire under me, I would move back to New York and see what would happen.

And since then, has New York been your home base the whole time?

Yes. I’ve been here 18, 19 years, I think.

What neighborhood do you live in?

I was in Hell’s Kitchen for about 12 years and then the pandemic hit, and it just got really rough over there, so I moved to Murray Hill, which

is over by Grand Central Station. It’s much quieter.

How much are you in New York compared to how much you are on the road?

I would say I’m on the road 30 to 34 weeks a year. I call it a week but it’s generally Friday, Saturday, or sometimes Thursday, Friday, Saturday. And if I’m home in New York, I’m performing at least three sets a week, sometimes more.

You joke in your act about being kind of a slacker but your schedule in New York and on the road seems like a lot. Does it feel like a lot?

Oh, God, yes. Yesterday, I was thinking, “What else can I do? I’ve comedied myself out of a life.” Yeah. But look, it’s a great job. I’m lucky to do it. I’m thrilled that after however many years of doing it, I’m still excited every night that I get to do it. But the traveling is the worst.

Air travel has kind of become hell after 9/11, and short hotel stays are not much fun… Right.

…but is there some part of that lifestyle that you secretly like?

Oh, sure. I love writing the standup, and I love reading, and I love doing a short workout every day. And I love the fact that I fly into Des Moines or Tampa and get in around noon and I can do all those things that other people are probably at their jobs wishing they had time to do.

What’s the biggest downside?

I’m not really sure how to measure it, but just being alone all the time has probably not been great for relationships. Because you’re so used to having alone time, and you kind of get used to it and you end up needing it.

Your comedy is very personal. Do you wrestle with boundaries when it comes to using people in your life as source material?

Yeah. I’m pretty respectful. I don’t do a lot of family stuff. I’m sure there’s times I’ve been over the line, but it’s pretty minimal. I have in the past run into an ex-girlfriend and said, “Look, I don’t know if you saw this, but I shouldn’t have said it.”

Is it ever hard to do daily life without viewing everybody you encounter as a potential character for a bit?

Right, yeah, early on especially. Every. Little. Thing. “Is that a joke?” “Is that a joke?” “Is that a joke?” That’s all I would be thinking: “Is there a joke there? Is there something I could do with this?”

But now after all these years, I’m pretty confident that the funny stuff will come, and if I sit down and have some peace and quiet, I’ll find a joke. I certainly spend a lot of time writing, so I know how to get to it, but it’s frustrating not being able to pull up new jokes all the time. Because especially in this social media age, you just need content constantly. It wasn’t like that 20 years ago.

Why don’t you have more shows in Kansas City?

In Kansas City it’s hard because it takes me at least three years to write

Nick Griffin on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

SoON OPENING

THE MOST ANTICIPATED BARS AND RESTAURANTS COMING IN 2025

words by Jenny Vergara

The start of another year is about new beginnings, which makes it the perfect time to look ahead to see what bars and restaurants we expect to open in Kansas City in 2025. This list is an annual exercise involving one part research, one part confirming rumors at the source, perhaps a small amount of convincing to share the scoop, and time to interview, collect the data, analyze, and summarize all the good news about where we will be eating and drinking next.

With Kansas City gearing up to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, this year will be a race to the finish for many development projects around the city, both big and small. That includes the launching of several new restaurants and bars hoping to open their doors this year in time to work out the kinks before locals and waves of international fans hit their front door.

In looking at this year’s list, it feels like downtown Shawnee and the Berkley Riverfront are stepping into the spotlight, with several new places opening in each location. There also seems to be a shift away from larger full-service restaurants toward smaller bars that may serve coffee and pastries by day and wine, beer, and cocktails along with food in the

evenings. This one-stop approach makes money all day for the owner, while providing guests the opportunity to have another place to land for both work and play.

There are many recognizable names on this list who are opening second sister concepts, such as Penny and Doug Mufuka, who will soon open their fourth restaurant concept, Penny’s in The Village, serving Thai and Asian dishes in The Shops of Prairie Village. You can expect to see hospitality veterans Chris Seferyn and Chad Troutwine, who opened Kon Tiki in the Crossroads in 2024, launching another clever cocktail bar and restaurant that should be ready to open sometime this year. They just weren’t quite ready to talk about it for this issue. We are also seeing several first-time restaurant and bar owners who are ready to make their own magic. Take Connor Branson, the chef who is preparing to move his ghost pizza delivery operation, You Want a Pizza Me?, from the West Bottoms to the Westside as he prepares to open next to La Fonda El Taquito on Southwest Boulevard.

No matter how hard we shake the Magic 8 ball to discover what our future will taste like in 2025, it’s clear we’ll have plenty of new places to try from this year’s most anticipated restaurant and bar list. Happy New Year, bottoms up, and bon appétit!

WINTER 2025

LE CHAMPION

4149 Pennsylvania Avenue, Kansas City, MO

With the news that ÇaVa’s champagne bistro in Westport was officially closed, the chef Amante Domingo, owner of The Russell and Noka, announced plans to open a new coffee and cocktail spot, Le Champion, in that location by the end of January. The intimate café will be decorated in a classic heritage sports theme inspired by the quintessential American designer, Ralph Lauren. Open as a coffee café by day, it will be serving a custom blend from Westport’s own Broadway Roasting Co. and pastries by Enchante, Heather White’s scratch bakery. Domingo promises there will also be plenty of gluten-free options, as well. After 5 p.m., the coffee shop will lower the lights and turn up the tunes as they begin popping corks, pouring beers, and shaking cocktails, in addition to serving luxe snacks. A playful sports theme runs throughout the menu. lechampionkc.com

BABA’S BAKERY

1017 E. 63rd Street, Kansas City, MO

Three years ago, the Kamal family opened their colorful Palestinian market and restaurant, Baba’s Pantry, in East Brookside. The accolades and national press started rolling in not long after, with praise for their chicken shawarma, kebabs, falafel, hummus, and friendly service. Now, the family is making room for something a little sweeter with the opening of their new Palestinian bakery, Baba’s Bakery, right next door. The bakery is scheduled to open in early January and is similar in size to Baba’s Pantry. It’s designed to feel like a traditional Palestinian home and will celebrate the talented women in the family, who have for generations made specialty desserts by hand, such as baklava, maamoul date-filled cookies, and knafeh, a layered dessert featuring sweet cheese soaked in syrup layered with crispy shredded phyllo pastry. They are also planning to put their own cultural twist on other beloved desserts, like their “babanolis,” which is their take on a cannoli, made with crunchy phyllo dough that’s pinched into shape and filled with a Middle Eastern rosewater-scented cream and sprinkled with pistachios. babaspantrykc.com

Le Champion will serve coffee by day and cocktails at night.

Baba’s Bakery will offer Palestinian pastries.

KOHINOOR

921 McGee Street, Kansas City, MO

With a hospitality career that began as a restaurant host at the age of 16, Jasmine Rios has spent the last decade working a variety of food industry jobs in preparation to open Kohinoor, her first cocktail bar and lounge, which is located downtown in a brand-new space next door to the Pickwick Plaza Apartments. The name refers to one of the most famous diamonds in the world, but the word “kohinoor” can also mean extremely valuable or precious. For Rios, it will be a reflection of not only her own culture, but also her passion for bringing people together. Her Latin-inspired bar and lounge has a moody but modern look paired with a tasty menu of signature craft cocktails and sharable bites. Local bartender and consultant Manny Gomez has been working with Rios to design her cocktail menu, creating the Cherry Eclipse, a tangy tequila drink with the citrusy zing of lemon balanced by the juicy cherry flavors. The small-bites menu is simple and features dishes that have meaning to Rios, including aguachile, a Mexican seafood and shrimp dish cured in lime juice, fresh herbs, and chili sauce that’s based on her dad’s secret recipe. kohinoorkc.com

THE BLACK PANTRY MKT + BAR

3108 Troost Avenue, Kansas City, MO

Brian Roberts and his family came up with the idea for The Black Pantry after looking for Black-owned companies to support during the pandemic. Realizing there were so many amazing quality products made by Black artisans at the local, regional, and national level, they created their high vibes retail shop, The Black Pantry, near Martini Corner, selling apparel, home goods, books, and novelty items while providing real, sustainable growth opportunities for each brand they carry. Building on the community the store has already cultivated, Roberts plans to open The Black Pantry MKT + BAR on Troost, located across the street from the $162 million, mixed-use Troost Village development that’s currently under construction. The handsome new space will feature a bar designed by Celeste Antonie, owner of Spirit Animal Interiors. The market and bar will serve barista coffee drinks using roasted beans from Marcell Roasting Club in Kansas City in addition to wine and beer. The food menu will include dishes from local businesses in Kansas City, such as The Laya Center, Mattie’s Foods, and possibly The Prospect KC. Roberts is hoping to open around the first of February. theblackpantry.co

Kohinoor will be a Latin-inspired bar and lounge.

The Black Pantry MKT+BAR will offer food and drinks made by Blackowned businesses, such as Maison Noir Wines.

HANK’S GARAGE & GRILL

5801 Nieman Road, Shawnee, KS

The owner of King G’s and Jim’s Alley Bar in the East Crossroads, Eric Flanagan, didn’t really know how long it would take to repurpose a former six-bay auto repair shop in Shawnee into Hank’s Garage & Grill. It was to be a neighborhood hang, serving affordable food and drinks in an approachable, communal environment. Hank’s made this list last year, and right now Flanagan thinks it might be open as early as February. When it does, you can expect to find a large outdoor patio dotted with picnic tables flanked by two outdoor bars crafted from shipping containers and a third main bar located within the garage. Inside there will be high-top tables and multiple TV screens to watch sports. Guests will find a small list of classic cocktails and an extensive beer program, created by Flanagan, who is a certified cicerone. It will include a limited-release craft American lager created locally by Alma Mader Brewing, simply named “Hank.” On the food menu, you’ll find a classic cheeseburger, a pork tenderloin sandwich, and a really good hot dog. instagram.com/hanksshawnee

CRU BISTRO & BOTTLES

128 W. 63rd Street, Kansas City, MO

When Michael Forbes Bar & Grille closed last summer in the heart of Brookside, it gave married couple Hannah Koenig and Avery Bailey the opportunity to make their dreams of running a white-tablecloth neighborhood bistro and bottle shop a reality. Cru Bistro & Bottles will open in the former Michael Forbes location early this year, after a remodeling of the restaurant that will include a full bar, private dining room, and wine bottle shop. The cuisine at Cru is designed to pair with the bottles they plan to have on their wine list. In the kitchen, the chefs Krista Harr and Thomas Luna will be whipping up a tempting mustard-glazed Duroc pork chop with rainbow chard, a filet mignon with Japanese sweet potato and cocoa powder, beef tartare, and much more. Koenig’s brother, JT Koenig-Riley, is a local bartender who has been running the cocktail program at Tom’s Town Distilling Co. since it opened. He will be stepping in to create Cru’s signature cocktail program. crukc.com

Hank’s Garage and Grill will have classic cheeseburgers on the menu.

Cru Bistro & Bottles will feature perfect food and wine pairings.

SPRING 2025

ANJIN

1708 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO

is year e Antler Room will celebrate eight years of serving guests at their popular restaurant and bar located in the Longfellow neighborhood. A three-time James Beard Foundation-nominated chef, Nick Goellner, and his wife and business partner, Leslie, are celebrating this milestone by opening a new restaurant. Anjin will be a casual 20-seat Japanese izakaya, (or neighborhood bar), located in downtown Kansas City. Drew Little, the longtime bar manager at e Antler Room, has come on board as a partner on the project. His skills behind the stick will be needed, as izakaya bars are convivial places built around a single bar where guests and sta interact as drinks ow and the cooks deliver your food to your seat straight from the kitchen. Nick’s grandfather was an American military pilot in WWII (the word anjin means pilot in Japanese). After the war, he married Nick’s grandmother in Japan, where they lived and started a family, which included Nick’s mom. Nick grew up hearing stories about their time living there and the generous nature and rich culture of Japan. e couple has visited Japan four times in preparation to open Anjin, and if you have been to one of the special izakaya nights at e Antler Room, then you know what type of food you can expect at their new place. e menu will be streamlined, with only a handful of items that will always be available, such as made-in-house udon noodles and a rotating Japanese sando, or sandwich. ere will be a list of daily specials, depending on what’s in season. Leslie has been hard at work on the bar side, putting together a menu featuring quality soju, large format sake bottles, and Japanese beer. Get ready to say kanpai! instagram.com/anjinkc

FAIRWAY CREAMERY

812 W 17th Street, Kansas City, MO

For the last two years, Ali and Stephanie Shirazi have been running Fairway Creamery after the original owner, Christopher Elbow, sold them the ice cream parlor and doughnut shop in 2022. e three friends go way back. e couple had owned and operated Shiraz, a popular Mediterranean restaurant in the Crossroads where Elbow once worked, launching his popular chocolate business in the space upstairs from the restaurant. eir personal and professional friendship continued to ourish, and in 2019, Ali began making all the ice cream avors for not only Fairway Creamery, but also Glacé, an ice cream concept Elbow closed in 2020. Now, the family is preparing to open a smaller sister concept in Kansas City’s Westside neighborhood, just a few doors down from Goat Hill Co ee & Soda. With limited indoor and outdoor seating, they plan on serving eight avors of their handmade ice cream, including mocha, pumpkin cheesecake, and Persian rose pistachio. ey will also have a freezer lled with ice cream sandwiches, drumsticks, and grab-and-go pints of ice cream. fairwaycreamery.com

1587 PRIME

1515 Wyandotte Street, Kansas City, MO

Get ready to wine and dine at 1587 Prime, a new steakhouse with some familiar faces backing the beef. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce have announced that they are partnering with the Las Vegas-based restaurant group Noble 33, led by Tosh Berman and Mikey Tanha, to open 1587 Prime inside the Loews

Anjin will be a casual 20-seat Japanese izakaya (neighborhood bar).

Fairway Creamery is opening a second location in the Westside neighborhood.

Kansas City Hotel in the Crossroads. Named after their jersey numbers, the upscale steakhouse will be located on the east side of the hotel in a massive two-story, 10,000-square-foot space that overlooks Baltimore Avenue and will have views of the proposed South Loop Link project when it is completed. is new steakhouse will operate in addition to the hotel’s other restaurants, which includes Bar Stillwell, e Stillwell Restaurant, Red Wheat Baking Co., and Horsefeather Social. e restaurant will have multiple private dining rooms and will curate one of the largest wine collections in the state of Missouri. e culinary focal point of the restaurant is the high-end steak program, with guests choosing their own cut of meat from a display case. Cowtown, get ready to chow down. instagram.com/1587prime

MOONSTONE & TWO BIRDS, ONE STONE

1001 Riverfront Drive, Kansas City, MO

e brand-new Origin Hotel Kansas City has nally opened on the Berkley Riverfront, with its own groovy hotel bar and restaurant, Show Pony, o ering a comforting, yet worldly, food menu designed by the chef Michael Olson, formerly the executive chef for e American event space in Crown Center. With Show Pony now open, Olson and his team are working on the menu for the sleek contemporary beer garden building that is wrapping up construction in front of the hotel. e hotel’s food and beverage team will be responsible for its operation. With indoor and outdoor seating, the beer garden will have two levels and two distinct concepts. On the top oor will be Moonstone, an indoor vinyl listening lounge serving craft cocktails and gourmet bites overlooking terri c riverfront views. Downstairs, Two Birds, One Stone will be a more casual, come-as-you-are beer and wine garden that will spill out into e Grove, a half-acre site featuring native landscaping and trees—a little bit of heaven on earth.

GILDA’S BAR DE TAPAS

5815 Nieman Road, Shawnee, KS

When Bryan Albers bought a building in downtown Shawnee, he was thinking of opening a bar. His business partner, Stephanie Cashion, who owns the Glass Cat restaurant in Bonner Springs, Kansas, thought they should open a restaurant with a bar, speci cally a Spanish-inspired tapas bar. Gilda’s Bar de Tapas is named after a popular Spanish tapa, Gilda Pintxo, which consists of a toothpick-skewered anchovy llet, pickled pepper, and a green olive. Upon arrival, everyone will receive the namesake tapa to prepare their appetite for the meal to come. e duo spared no expense inside the restaurant, creating a warm environment that feels like you’ve been transported to sunny Spain. e kitchen boasts an authentic Spanish plancha, with a menu that highlights some of the most famous Spanish tapas, including Tortilla Española, pan con tomate, meatballs, grilled shrimp, and the Catalan inspired, brandade de bacalao, a creamy mashed potato dish spiked with bits of salt cod, garlic, and cream. ere is also a solid tinned- sh program, with an Ibérico ham stand at the corner of the bar ready to be sliced and served. e wine bar will o er a curated list of wines from around the globe, including some great Spanish wines. An assortment of beers, fun and fruity sangria, and the famous Spanish gin tonics will round out the bar program. gildaskc.com

1587 Prime will feature a high-end steak program.

Origin Hotel is planning a two-level, two-concept beer garden.

Gilda’s Bar de Tapas will highlight some of the most well-known Spanish tapas.

Home Trends

KANSAS CITY 2025

IN 2025, HOME IS THE PLACE WHERE WE LIVE WELL AND FEEL GOOD—OUR HAVEN WHEN YOUR HOME IS YOUR HAVEN, THERE’S A BIG EXHALE WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE DOOR. YOUR HOME NOURISHES YOUR SPIRIT, INSPIRES YOUR MIND, AND ENHANCES YOUR CONNECTION TO YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES.

COLOR IS BACK

Although Mocha Mousse has been dubbed the Pantone Color of the Year, it might be time to explore a broader color spectrum. Says Maggie Parker of KDR Designer Showrooms, “This year we are steering away from all-over neutrals. There is an emphasis on originality in shape and color schemes in design. I see designers taking styles from classic, Old-English designs and adding rich saturated colors.”

words by Judith Fertig

After all, we want our homes to be pretty, says Mark Sudermann of SID & Co. “Pretty is never out of style. Layering textures, colors, and collections is a wonderful way to warm up your surroundings.”

photo courtesy of sid & co

Mark Sudermann of SID & Co. layers geometric, floral, and animal prints against contemporary art for a fresh, pretty look.

THE ARCHITECT’S PERSPECTIVE

When Kansas Citians custom design their own living spaces—with help, of course, from architects like Clint Evans of NSPJ Architects—they seek “effortless, continually flowing spaces,” he says. “Gone are the days of formal, closed-off rooms. Our clients want one main living space. And we get a lot of requests for kitchens that look more like a paneled library, where there is no clutter on the counters. The butler’s pantry becomes a prep kitchen where all the cooking and baking happens, and it is connected to the mud room and laundry room, all one working space, out of sight.”

“The wellness of the occupants is also foremost,” adds Evans. “We’re seeing higher, 10-foot ceilings, concerns about

air quality and noise reduction. If there is a workout room in the lower level, then right next to it will be a spa bathroom, with perhaps a steam room and a sauna.”

The national trend of biophilic design, emphasizing eco-friendly materials and bringing the outdoors in, has also reached us. “People want indoor/outdoor living and energy efficiency,” he says. “The lanai is now an outdoor kitchen and living room.”

Clients also want adaptive spaces so they can age in place, perhaps welcoming adult children or aging relatives. “People want to stay in their homes as long as possible,” says Evans, “and that becomes part of the design.” If home is your happy place, why would you ever want to leave?

In this home by NSPJ Architects, floor-to-ceiling panels provide minimal separation between rooms, but can be closed for privacy.

Clockwise from above: Portfolio Kitchen & Home’s contemporary condo kitchen features custom-stained and glazed cabinetry. A wall clad in a Moorish-style tile elevates this kitchen from Karin Ross Designs. A Components wall-mount pot ller from Kohler combines form and function.

CLASSIC ELEGANCE IN KITCHEN AND BATH

Elegance and quality are always in style, says Karin Ross of Karin Ross Designs

“Today, your kitchen is the primary living space. Make everything custom, very high quality, for the way you like to live,” she suggests. “Choose elegance. Big islands. All of that never goes out of style.” And if you have a dining room you only use a few times a year? “You don’t want a museum you rarely visit,” Ross says. “Instead, combine the kitchen and dining room. Maybe revamp the dining room into a more intimate conversation area that can function for a small dinner party or a place to escape while others watch a movie or a game in the living room.”

For Geri Higgins of Portfolio Kitchen & Home, classic materials reimagined is the big trend in kitchens and baths. “Classic marble in large-format porcelain tiles, cream and mushroom or wood-toned cabinetry, mixed metals in

hardware and lighting, quartzite on countertops or as a stunning replace surround,” she says. “We are also seeing a separate butler’s or specialty kitchen, just out of sight of the main social kitchen. e specialty kitchen is where the daily rituals take place—brewing co ee, preparing a meal. It’s still beautiful but very functional.”

Lisa Otterness, a design consultant at the Kohler Signature Store, says that slim and trim is in for kitchen and bath. “We are seeing narrow frames on door cabinets and narrow reeding details in top drawer fronts, such as a bath vanity by Studio McGee,” she says. “Form and function marry beautifully in articulating Kohler faucets. Cambria’s new one-centimeter thick material is ideal for vertical surfaces to take the countertop into new realms, perhaps creating a narrow gallery shelf above the range.”

TIMELESS DESIGN

We have seen a real uptick in more transitional rugs, more simplified patterns, and updated colors. Classics like Oushaks always seem to be a solid foundation to build around,” says Darrel Wingo of Knotty Rug. “Customers might have a preconceived notion of what they want, until they come in and look through a stack of rugs.”

Antiques remind us that not everything important is in the 24/7 news cycle. Old pieces with history can imbue a “collected over time” look, says Cindy Barnhill of Pear Tree Design and Antiques. “My favorite quote is on the back of my business card: ‘One can dream so much better in a room where there are pretty things.’ Antiques tell a story, and I truly believe every home should have pieces that can tell a story. In winter, garden antiques can promise there are warmer and sunnier days to come.”

Comfort and style go hand in hand says Becky Mos-

by, an interior designer with Seville Home. “Neutrals are warming up; we’re seeing more creams and caramels instead of stark gray,” she says. And as with national trends, the timeless arch is back—in bookcases and the rounded shapes of sofas and armchairs. A fleece-like fabric known as boucle emphasizes the comfort aspect of furniture and mixes well with other fabrics.

“We are often inspired by the trends of the day, but we are tried, true, and traditional at our core,” says Katie Laughridge of Nell Hill’s. “Our customers come to us for timeless, often generational, pieces that might not necessarily be trendy. For ourselves and our clients, we design comfortable, cozy, elevated spaces that fit the way we want to live in fresh ways. Through fabric and upholstery, we can reinvent a much-loved piece or help our clients play musical furniture to change things up.”

Warmer tones mix with cooler hues for an updated look, such as with this Hickory Home room from Seville Home.

CREATING THE ULTIMATE RETREAT

“We say that the most important room in your home is the bedroom,” says Ursula Terrasi of Terrasi Living and Scandia Down. “It’s where you spend at least eight hours a day, your happy place. It should be a room that is soft and serene, where it feels good to you, whether you like crisp percale, satin bedding, or silky Italian sheets. You should always choose what you love—colors, patterns, how the fabric feels, as well as pillows and comforters, as they can literally enhance and transform your life.”

AND YOUR PERSONAL HAVEN

“What I try to do with my home and what I hope to bring to other people’s homes is a sense of joy, comfort, rest, and calm,” says Leslie Beck, artist and curator of the new BlueSky Art + Home in Waldo. “Surrounding yourself with the things that bring you joy is part of what makes a home and welcomes other people to it. That feeling of personality and self that makes your home your home.”

“I have long said that coming home should be like putting on your best dress,” says Sara Noble of Noble Designs. Her modern classic style skews both fresh and timeless. “Your home should not only provide function, but also create an emotion you can feel when you walk into your home. For me, the return of wallpaper has been a great way to express individuality and get a dramatic reaction. If your home makes you smile, it will bring you peace, which also brings wellness.”

Calming blue hues dominate this cool, refreshing primary bedroom by Noble Designs.

NATURE FOR NURTURE

Katharine Taylor of the new Bramble and Stem in Waldo is all about “the little things that make a big difference—like having fresh green plants and beautiful flowers in your home,” she says. “Not only do they look great, but they also have a positive impact on your well-being. Plants help reduce stress, lift your mood, and even purify the air, making your space feel more peaceful and inviting. A touch of greenery or a few blooms can spark creativity, boost relaxation, and just make you feel good. It’s nature’s way of bringing a little extra calm and joy into your everyday life.”

Kristopher Dabner of The Greensman sees two complementary ways that homeowners want to interact with nature. One is outdoor living. “We’re seeing more pizza ovens, firepits for s’mores, complete outdoor kitchens so that you can open that sliding glass wall and be outside. The second way is to create more private destinations in the garden—perhaps with a chair or two and a little table—where you can unplug and read or meditate. Fragrance is one of the best memory-inducers, so plants like roses or lilies or lavender can evoke that happy feeling.”

Outdoor rooms now incorporate many of the components of indoor kitchen and living rooms, like this courtyard by Kristopher Dabner of The Greensman.

Passion Project

INTERIOR DESIGNER ANNIE

ANDERSON’S DEFT USE OF MATERIALS, PATTERN, AND SPACE EMBRACES FAMILY AND FRIENDS

words by Patricia O’Dell

photos by Nate Sheets

Some of the most interesting women have a lingering past relationship, one that makes an impression that they cannot shake. Interior designer Annie Anderson happens to have this with her home. “My mother’s best friends hosted my baby shower for my oldest child here. It was always a house I admired,” Anderson says.

When the house went on the market six years ago, Anderson and her husband, Jeffrey, knew it was good timing and a great fit for their family of five. “We loved the house from the very beginning,” she says. “But we wanted to make it work a little better for us.”

Because of their love and respect for the house, the Andersons were careful about modifications. The initial changes included reconfiguring space upstairs to best accommodate their children. Then the couple turned their attention to the downstairs.

The living spaces along the front of the house feature broad windows that flood the rooms with generous southern light, so they decided to retain the original configuration. White walls provide a crisp background to rich colors and textures while a carefully calibrated mix of patterns energize the space. Gilt, bamboo, lacquer, and raffia live happily together with the variegated leaves of houseplants, modern art and photography, and a formal sofa whose fringe falls gracefully to the floor. The pink lacquered ceiling provides a rosy glow from above.

The dining room is a nod to the long lineage of

and color mix with abandon to form a

Pattern

cohesive whole in the formal living room of Annie and Jeffrey Anderson’s Kansas City home.

the great women decorators, with its textured sisal rug, painted fretwork chairs, classic curtains, and hand-painted wallpaper. While the space appears to be traditionally formal—and possibly rarely used—this is not the case. “Our kids do their homework in the dining room. And when they bring home Chipotle with their friends, they don’t sit at the kitchen table, they sit in the dining room,” Anderson says. “It’s funny, because when we entertain our friends, we all end up sitting in the kitchen.”

It’s possible that these discerning young aesthetes cannot resist the allure of the chalky Napoleon III-style rope-twist chairs with their leopard-print upholstery.

As is often the case in older homes, the kitchen provided an opportunity to accommodate family life in a better way. Fortunately, Anderson had a clear vision. “The whole impetus of the kitchen remodel was to bring more light into the kitchen and butler’s pantry and create a bigger mudroom,” she says.

Anchored by a La Cornue range—no decoration this, Anderson’s husband was once a professional chef—the kitchen has a classic, timeless allure featuring smart placement and an aesthetic that blends perfectly with the home’s existing spaces. The marble countertops and backsplash, paneled walls, and wood floors respect the age and style of

the home. The brass lattice inset in the cabinets offer an unexpected gleam, while the raffia chairs in the breakfast room provide texture and dimension that keeps the formality in check.

To ensure the kitchen and breakfast rooms were awash in natural light, Anderson flanked the kitchen’s work areas on either side of the range with generous windows and repeated transom windows on the interior and exterior walls.

“The breakfast room update was actually the impetus for the addition project,” Anderson says of the new family room. Wanting to replicate the gallery feel and natural light from the front of the house, they committed to the same style of windows to provide natural light to the room.

In the new addition, vaulted ceilings clad in wood paneling are grounded by a classic antelope carpet that echoes the quiet sophistication of the rest of the house, along with the practicality of disguising wear. In addition to incorporating the transom windows here to honor the tradition of the house, the Andersons updated the infrastructure with new wiring and geothermal energy systems. Still, the decoration is delightful.

A card table with spider-backed chairs stands at the ready for games or snacks. Slipper chairs by the fireplace provide a place to warm up, or when pulled closer, catch up with a family member or friend. No surprise, state-

Above: In the family room, the soaring oak-paneled ceiling and rows of windows are anchored by the antelope-patterned rug. Opposite: The walls of the formal dining room are clad in Linda’s Garden hand-painted wall panels from Gracie. A planter from Sid & Co. displays a variegated ficus plant.

Open to the kitchen, the breakfast room table is surrounded by rush-backed dining chairs from Hollywood at Home.

Above: The wall and countertops in the kitchen are clad in Breccia Viola marble. Island cabinetry is crafted of cerused oak. Far left: The La Cornue range holds pride of place in the kitchen. Left: In the butler’s pantry, cabinets are painted in Farrow & Ball’s studio green and the wallpaper is by Michael S. Smith for Hartmann & Forbes.

year-round.

Light pours into the sunroom

The sectional is upholstered in a fabric from Carolina Irving, pillows are covered in a Jasper fabric, and walls are papered in a wallcovering from Phillip Jeffries.

Above: In the primary bedroom, blooms abound with Schumacher’s Climbing Hydrangea wallpaper, D Porthault bed linens, a canopy upholstered in Schumacher and Rose Cummings fabrics and hand-painted nightstands. Far left: Tucked into one corner of the bedroom is a soft spot to land with morning coffee or an evening glass of wine. Left: The entry to the primary bath is flanked by closet doors inset with glass panels.

of-the-art technology above the replace allows a crowd to gather for a sporting event, while a decorative image can take its place when it’s o .

While the entire house is geared toward family and friends, the primary suite, in contrast, is a luxurious retreat. Wall-to-wall carpeting and formal oor-to-ceiling curtains ensure that the room is quiet and soothing. Custom closets with mirrored doors create a glamorous transition to the primary bath, with marble tile and ttings worthy of a ve-star hotel.

But despite Anderson’s occupation, decoration was not the priority in creating this home. e most important aspect was how the family lives. “Our best days are when someone calls or texts and says, ‘What’s Je rey making tonight for dinner?’ Or there are kids sleeping upstairs or coming by for Sunday morning breakfast,” she says. “I love when we have people piled up in the family room and everybody’s on the oor, pulling up an ottoman or two people sitting in one chair. It’s where everybody lands.”

Above: The expansive agstone patio is centered around a mature redbud tree. Provence club chairs and chaises from Sunset West provide seating. Inset: The classic Colonial facade of the home was preserved, but refreshed.

a whole new 45 minutes, so I don’t want folks coming out and seeing jokes they’ve already seen. Especially if a lot of people from high school and college come out and they’re really enthusiastic. I could definitely do more gigs in Kansas City, and I get offered a few more, but I feel bad if I don’t have new material, so I wait until I have a whole new act.

What standup comics today make you laugh?

I love a guy named Dave Attell. He just did a special on Netflix called Hot Cross Buns. I’m a big fan of Gary Gulman—his second HBO special is called Born on Third Base. Maria Bamford, I’m a big fan of. Judy Gold I love. Joe List, who’s a younger guy, I love his stuff as well.

A reviewer wrote that you write perfect jokes. What makes a joke perfect?

Geez, I don’t know. There’s so many different kinds of jokes. But the guys I always liked—Richard Lewis, and Pryor and Seinfeld—I think whenever there’s a kernel of truth, whether it’s personal truth or a universal truth, that makes the audience connect better. Sometimes I think a little bit of naughty makes it good. There are some really good comics who are dirtier than I am, and I think they’re great.

At this stage in your career, you probably don’t get into any bad rooms, but how much do audiences vary from night to night or town to town?

They’re generally the same. I think comedy is in a really big boom right now and there’s money to be made so a lot of franchise comedy clubs work hard at making it work. They have security to keep people quiet if they’re heckling, and they make sure the other acts can gel together. So most of the clubs are good, and it’s always a thrill to go there.

On YouTube, I see you making eye contact with a lot of audience members, like you’re really checking them out.

Right.

Are you trying to adjust your act to the crowd as you go along, or are you just trying to make a connection with them?

I think I’m just trying to make a connection and trying to get a better handle on who’s laughing, and also a lot of it is just insecurity and paranoia. Somebody’s not laughing so I better find them and help them move along here. You know, like you would a slower student.

But yeah, I like to see people’s faces. I know comics who look right over everyone’s head and don’t even try to make eye contact. Everyone’s kind of got their own process, but I definitely want to see what everyone’s thinking or figure it out.

You talk about depression in your act. It doesn’t seem like standup comedy would be a career choice for someone that struggles with insecurity or depression.

Yeah, that’s so funny. It’s true. There’s so many insecure, depressed com-

ics out there. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been mingling at parties, and somebody will ask me what I do, and I say I’m a comic and they’re like “You’re a comic??” I think it’s because I spend a lot of time thinking inside my head.

So you’re not the life of the party. Nooooo. No. Not even close. There’s not even a pulse.

So, yeah, comics are insecure. But there’s reason to be insecure. You’re opening yourself up to people. And you’re asking them to like you. I used to wish I wasn’t so insecure. But then I think, I’m telling people my innermost thoughts, in a bar. Why wouldn’t I be insecure?

Is standup therapeutic for you somehow?

I think it probably opens you up a little more, and I would say on some level it’s got some therapeutic effect. But more than that it’s just fun and exciting and most people don’t get to spend 45 minutes a day doing something that’s fun and exciting.

I did a show here last night that didn’t kill, which is what you want to do, and then the next show went really well. So it’s just up and down. One minute you think you’re the greatest, and the next you think you’re the worst. It’s a rollercoaster. The real goal is just to keep getting better, and it’s nice if you make a good living from it.

I’ve heard musicians say they are bad at guessing which of their songs is going to be a hit. How good are you at predict-

ing which new material will really land?

I’m horrible at it when I’m writing it. Every joke I write I consider it a 50-50 shot it will work. But once it works, sometimes I think, “Oh, I can make this into a monster chunk of material,” and I’m usually right.

I had a bit maybe five years ago about soup.

I’ve seen it. I love that bit.

I just had one joke on it and then I obviously built on it. But I remember thinking, “I bet I can really make this into a monster.” So, yeah, sometimes you can tell.

Another time I wrote that joke about depression where I said I was depressed and my friend said, “Remember, there’s always someone worse off than you” and I said, “Now I’m depressed and worried about this other person.” I knew that was going to be a great joke.

What is the essential thing about comedy that makes us crave it and love it so much?

I just think it’s a release. There’s a payoff.

A lot of stuff in daily life never pays off. So you get anxious and frustrated. Good jokes usually have a satisfying release at the end. There’s a finish line.

Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.

MOVIE NIGHT

WBY Jenny Vergara

Reservation for One OIL ON LINEN

PHOTOS BY Aaron Leimkuehler

hen the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 1994, nestled between the Country Club Plaza to the west and the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art to the east, it not only highlighted the importance of contemporary art, but it also added a new restaurant to Kansas City’s culinary art scene with Café Sebastienne.

e full-service restaurant, located in the heart of the museum, has an indoor courtyard connected to a smaller restaurant space that features 110 paintings collectively known as e History of Art by renowned artist Frederick J. Brown. As a nod of appreciation to the artist, the restaurant was named after Brown’s daughter, Sebastienne, and his work is still on display in the restaurant today.

A year after the museum opened, the chef Jennifer Maloney was hired to run Café Sebastienne and for 22 years, she and her sous chef, Janet Ross, cooked deliciously simple, seasonal dishes using local produce and meats. When Maloney died in 2016, the city not only lost a

great chef, but an amazing human being with a big heart.

Today there’s a new chef/partner running the restaurant inside the Kemper, one who knew Maloney personally, and who is excited to add to the culinary legacy that she and every chef who came after her have continued to expand upon during their time in this kitchen.

Ted Habiger, a three-time James Beard Foundation Award-nominated chef and entrepreneur, is known for his strong commitment to local farmers. It was announced last year that he and his partner, Ti any ompson, along with the seasoned restaurant team from his restaurant, Room 39, would be opening Oil on Linen, a new restaurant concept inside the museum.

Keeping the original artwork in the dining room, Habiger and ompson turned their focus to what has been named the Chef Jennifer Maloney courtyard, working together to develop a new look and feel for the large public space. ey chose moody shades of silvery gray, charcoal, and slate to dress the courtyard, which now has a cool, modern, even edgy, feel at night. With a soft gray carpet covering most of

Chicken, red onion, and pineapple skewers top a bowl of rice, Napa cabbage, herbs and a smoked pineapple purée.

Flavor IN KC

the floor in the newly appointed courtyard, the noise from the original Jorge Pensi-designed Toledo metal chairs is now buffered. A handsome piece of custom-made furniture by Kansas City-based designer Matt Castilleja provides a natural division of the room, making it more intimate. Tucked into the corners are soft couches and modern chairs to encourage people to land with their laptops to work or as a place to meet a friend for a quick drink and a bite on a Thursday night.

Thompson, as the founding member of Petrichor Projects, curated the artwork for the courtyard from the Kansas City-based, internationally acclaimed collection of Bill and Christy Gautreaux, which features pieces from artists Sanford Biggers, Ronald Jackson, Annie Lapin, and Joiri Minaya. But the centerpiece of the room is a durational drawing titled set in place (mis en place) executed by Kansas City-based artist Kevin Townsend. He began drawing the piece in September 2024 and over the course of 200 hours, evolved his dot-based drawing in full view of diners.

Oil on Linen is open for coffee, brunch, or lunch Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. On Thursdays, Oil on Linen stays open for small bites and cocktails from 3:00 until 4:30 p.m. Thursday dinner service begins at 4:30 p.m. with a last seating at 7:45 p.m. Dinners have three four-course prix fixe menus, one for omnivores, one for pescatarians, and another for vegetarians. They cost between $55 to $65, depending on the menu you choose, with the option to order a la carte if you want to mix things up a bit. To experience the variety of the menu, I ordered a la carte.

Just as the museum’s exhibition calendar frequently changes to feature new and exciting artists, Habiger is changing the menu to honor each of the new exhibits coming into the museum. In November, Mexican artist Lucía Vidales was the featured atrium artist on display, and so for his first menu Habiger and his culinary team drew on foods and flavors from Mexico.

Although it has a nice bottle list, I opted for a glass of wine. All three of the amuse courses were ordered for the table. Three small, round dishes were delivered simultaneously: One with three perfectly cylindrical towers of alternating stacked slices of jicama, radish, and cucumber dusted with Tajin; next, a slice of cucumber with a mayonnaise marinated and grilled shrimp strewn with a smattering of diced fresh mango; lastly, a crispy plantain chip topped with a luscious guacamole and chapulines, or crickets, a Mexican delicacy. Each was cool and refreshing, with clean, crisp flavors preparing my palate for what was to follow.

From there, I skipped around the menu, ordering two “primero” courses, one from the omnivore menu and the other from the pescatarian menu. The first was a crunchy salad of shaved Brussels sprouts, chicharrón serving as flavorful croutons, thick-cut bacon lardons, smoked Fresno peppers, fresh mint, and pickled shallots, all bathed in a light and flavorful dressing. The bacon and chicharrónes added a satisfying meatiness to the salad, accompanied by the crunch of the Brussels sprouts and the puckering vinegar of the pickled shallots, all accented with pops of fresh mint. It was hugely satisfying.

The other primero dish was a refreshing crudo of five slices of raw kanpachi, or yellowtail, fanned out on the plate nestled in fresh orange-hued agua chile speckled with neon green dots of floating herb oil, adding a bright green, grassy punch to the plate. The slices of fish were decorated with a few radish slices, bright orange trout roe, and tiny pieces of sweet and salty seeded brittle that made this dish the success that it was.

The main courses, or plato principals, I ordered were the squash entrée from the vegetarian menu and the strip steak from the omnivore menu. Opposite ends of the spectrum, but each well executed and delicious.

The mole blanco that the tender slices of roasted delicata squash were bathed in piqued my interest, as mole blanco is one of Oaxaca’s

Left: Roasted delicata squash with mole blanco. Right: Lucia Vidales butternut squash quesadilla.

rarest mole recipes—mostly made at home during the holidays. The creamy white mole was punctuated with a variety of nuts blended with garlic, onion, chicken broth, and chiles for heat. The sweet, tender rings of squash nestled into the garlicky mole were topped with charred baby turnips and a healthy sprinkle of cured egg yolk, adding a bit of richness, along with a handful of chopped macadamia nuts for texture. It was deceivingly simple to look at but truly complex in flavor.

The strip steak was a bit beefier, cooked to a perfect medium, then sliced into large chunks swimming in a pool of creamy yogurt. Red and yellow charred beets and a circle of charred green onion were seasoned with a hit of heat from salsa macha, a Latin cousin to the Asian chili oil that’s everywhere right now. The quality of the meat really shone through in the rich and buttery flavor of this dish. The heat of the salsa macha was quickly cooled by the creamy yogurt and the earthy sweetness of the beets.

For dessert, a scoop of goat-cheese ice cream topped with grilled and diced pineapple, pine nuts, and honey was tasty, but played second fiddle to the star of the show—the caramelized bruléed banana resting atop horchata rice pudding accompanied by a little cajeta and a crispy chocolate tuille. The warming spices added a deep, rich flavor to the creamy rice pudding swirled with the caramelized banana. In four bites the dessert was gone.

It's thrilling to see someone with the talent and experience of Ted Habiger at the helm of something as important as the restaurant of an art museum that sees more than 100,000 visitors annually.

He has perfected his art; it just happens to rest on the plate instead of the canvas. oil-on-linen.com

Above: Strip steak with yogurt, charred beets, and green onions in a salsa macha.

by Jenny Vergara

In Your Cocktail SONGBIRD

There’s a beautiful new bird in town, and you can hear its song calling to you from inside Corvino Supper Club. She is saying “come as you are, all are welcome.”

Songbird is a bird of a different feather. The casual new bar has opened in the formerly formal Tasting Room space inside Corvino Supper Club. After seven years in the Crossroads, the James Beard Nominated chef Michael Corvino and his wife and partner, Christina, were ready to create a cozy spot where people can drop in with no reservations and enjoy a couple of drinks and a few fun bites with friends.

There are 12 specialty cocktails and four no-or-low alcohol drinks on the Songbird menu. They’re organized on the menu under titles like “earth” for savory drinks, “fire” for strong ones, “air” for fizzy ones, and “water” for low ABV drinks. Guests can also order any drink from the Supper Club menu and have it delivered to Songbird, or you can ask the bartender to whip up something special that isn't on the menu.

As for snacks, the kitchen is having much fun with the Songbird menu while still being true to the food for which Corvino is known, with price points between $6-$14. Guests will find sweet-and-spicy bar nuts, pickled eggs with preserved lemon and trout roe, hash browns with tomato cheese sauce, and chicken-fried snails. You can also add prime rib beef to a raclette and a gruyere grilled cheese sandwich for an upcharge. For dessert, choose between a caramel chocolate bar, peach sorbet, or a warm chocolate chip cookie. The famous Corvino burger is also making

an appearance on the menu.

The room feels distinctively different, even though the layout hasn’t changed. The chef’s counter is now the cocktail bar with plush leather seats, and the fourtop tables and chairs have been replaced with beautiful peacock-blue banquettes, alongside two-tops that can easily be pushed together for larger groups. There’s colorful new artwork on the walls, candles on the tables, and sexy new lighting that give the whole place a lounge-y vibe.

All the Songbird cocktails have names from real songs submitted by the staff. Dusk and Summer is a song by Dashboard Confessional that describes letting your guard down to experience love. It’s also a creamy coconut-forward cocktail made with mezcal that’s a bestseller.

“I absolutely love coconut, it's one of my favorite flavors and scents. I start most days with coconut in my smoothie or on my oatmeal. I love it with dark chocolate and nuts,” says Christina Corvino. “However, I tend to steer away from tropical drinks that are sweet, as they feel unbalanced to me. This takes a strong, smoky mezcal and wraps it in creaminess, and then adds another dimension with nuttiness and spices. It became a guest favorite within the first month we were open.”

This is a grown-up coconut cocktail, with the mezcal adding smokiness, and the turmeric and bitters adding complexity. It is also a beautiful color, so Christina suggests using a clear glass, and don't forget the mint sprig for the aromatics. corvino.com/songbird

Dusk and Summer

2 ounces Madre Mezcal Espadín

1 ounce coconut milk

.5 ounce Velvet Falernum

.5 ounce lime juice

.25 ounce orgeat syrup

.25 ounce agave nectar

4 dashes Angostura bitters

6 drops saline solution (1 part salt, 4 parts water)

1 pinch tumeric

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker tin, fill with ice, and shake vigorously. Double strain into tall clear Collins glass packed with pebble ice. Garnish with mint sprig and enjoy.

Dusk and Summer cocktail

COOKING IS A CELEBRATION OF DETAILS

The Hestan team spent years working alongside America’s most celebrated chefs, reinventing restaurant kitchens with award-winning innovation. Now they’ve reimagined your home kitchen. More power. More control. More inspiration. Hestan products are built to meet the needs of the most demanding home chefs, and that could be you. This traditionally styled full Hestan kitchen features built-in Ensemble Refrigeration and Wine Storage, an undercounter Ice Machine, Refrigerator Drawers and a Dishwasher. The 48” Dual Fuel Range and Hood are shown in Hestan’s exclusive “Pacific Fog,” one of 12 available colors.

by Jenny Vergara

MUSEUM OF BBQ

JONATHAN BENDER, a Kansas City-based Emmy Award-winning writer, has covered the barbecue scene for more than 15 years. He had the idea to open the Museum of BBQ in Kansas City in 2019, but the world had other plans. Now, five years later, he and his partner in this project, Alex Pope, the chef and owner of the Local Pig, are finally ready to bring their vision to life inside Crown Center by the spring of this year. It’s funded by private and corporate sponsorships. Opening on the second floor of Crown Center, the Museum of BBQ will interactively educate guests on the important elements it takes to make barbecue, including meat, spice, fire, smoke, and sauce, while also diving into the main American regions of barbecue—The Carolinas, Memphis, Texas, and of course, Kansas City. There will be ten installations that will educate, entertain, and engage people about how barbecue is made. The last stop will be a curated gift shop featuring rubs, sauces, and barbecue-themed goods from all the barbecue regions. museumofbbq.co

Romantic Dining

Flavor IN KC

by Jenny Vergara

In Culinary News

LE LOUNGE

WHEN SPENCER SIGHT opened his eight-room hotel, No Vacancy, on the top floor of a two-story red-brick building at 1717 Wyandotte in the Crossroads in 2020, he combined his own bohemian world-traveler’s aesthetic with the convenience of keyless entry in a boutique hotel setting. In addition to each room having its own unique and chic look and feel, the hotel also boasts a small lounge attached to a private outdoor rooftop patio on the second floor that served as common area for hotel guests and home to the occasional pop-up bar. Now, Sight has repurposed a former retail space on the ground floor of his building into the new and improved Le Lounge, and it’s open to the public as well as to hotel guests. Inspired by the grandeur of a traditional hotel entryway and the lobby bar, Sight has created the perfect landing spot for travelers and locals alike from happy hour through late night. The bartender, Manny Gomez, has created an educated cocktail menu for a bar that feels like it could exist in any time and in every era. Open Wednesday and Thursday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Reservations are recommended. hotelnovacancy.com/lelounge

Savor stellar menus and special prices at Kansas City’s favorite dining destinations. Plus, a portion of all proceeds benefit House of Hope.

Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop

Presented by

Of Course Kitchen & Company

V’s Italiano Ristorante

Pierpont’s at Union Station

Flavor IN KC

by Jenny Vergara

SIERRA BBQ

IN 2017, the the chef Ryan Edwards, his wife, Marichris Edwards, and his father, Kelly Edwards, opened their first casual dining restaurant, Sierra Grill, a small restaurant (only 50 seats) in Lenexa, Kansas, serving big food—giant steaks, thick pork chops, and braised short ribs served on the bone—with sides included and a nice wine list. Last year the couple relocated Sierra Grill to its new location, a 5,000-square-foot space located inside the Central Green Building in the new Lenexa City Center. They traded up, getting a much larger kitchen, bar, and dining room that’s more than double the size of the former restaurant. Now they have repurposed their original restaurant location and opened a sister concept that’s just as meaty as the first. Sierra BBQ is now open at 11099 Lackman Road in Lenexa serving Kansas City-style barbecue with a menu that features baby back and spare ribs, brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, smoked turkey, and sausage. Guests can also enjoy house-made sides, such as barbecue beans, potato salad, and cheesy corn. Designed for quick and convenient service, the focus here will be on takeout, delivery, and catering. Open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. sierrabbq.com

You’re cordially invited to...

Feb. 1, 2025

Member: $140 | Public: $170

The event of the season returns for a raucous blend of Regency-inspired revelry and Kansas City flare.

INDULGE

Tipple craft cocktails and take the dance floor amidst live entertainment.

IMPRESS

Turn heads in period-appropriate wear — or your own brand of classical and contemporary.

INFLUENCE

Proceeds directly support art education at the Nelson-Atkins.

Shall we count you in?

Reserve your tickets today: nelson-atkins.org/party-arty

My Essentials IN KC

CAFFEINE FIX:

Caramel macchiato from Outta the Blue Cafe all the way. It’s a really cool beach vibe, even on those cold winter mornings. Plus, they have a row of swings for chairs, and that’s too much fun for me to pass up.

BEST BITE:

I think the best restaurant in the city is The Town Company, hidden inside Hotel Kansas City near Power & Light. Every time I go, I get the lobster toast, but the menu is on a regular rotation, so there are always new dishes.

DYLAN WELTER

WRITER. DIRECTOR.

Dby Evan Pagano

ylan Welter’s dream of becoming a lmmaker was born in a Kansas City theater in 2001. On January 24, 2025, his second feature lm, e Militia, will premiere at the B&B eatres Overland Park 16.

Welter initially didn’t think lmmaking was a realistic career option. “I was sort of like, ‘I don’t think I’ll ever be able to make it in movies. It seems really hard, and I don’t know where to start, and all my friends are engineers.’” He chose an adjacent path: communications studies at Kansas State University.

It was Welter’s parents—whom he implored to take him to that midnight premiere of e Lord of the Rings back in ’01—who encouraged him to go into the arts. When Welter went on a skiing trip to Colorado, his dad looked up the Colorado Film School and implored him to visit. “I pooh-poohed him,” Welter says. “I was like, ‘I don’t care, Dad, I don’t care.’ And he was like, ‘Just stop by!’ and I’m like, ‘Fine!’”

Welter visited the lm school and fell in love with it. As a student there, he honed his style as a “slice of life” lmmaker and won regional Emmys for his short lms. After a pre-pandemic stint in Los Angeles—a city he says is very focused on the bottom line—he moved back to Kansas City and lmed and released his rst feature lm, Con nement, in 2022. “It has a more familial feel, making things here in Kansas City,” Welter says. “It just feels like people are happy to collaborate and there’s more of a childlike joy and interest.”

Welter lmed e Militia entirely in Kansas City with a crew of mostly Kansas Citians. e lm—about a child raised by militant extremists—will premiere privately at Overland Park 16 before hitting the lm festival circuit. imdb.com/name/nm7389564

SPECIAL CINEMA:

friends and family, and

TableTop Game and Hobby is the place to be. Aside from having just about every type of board game, miniature, and dungeon-crawling adventure you could ever want, they have partnered with this really cool boardgame cafe called Cardboard Corner.

My favorite theater is the B&B Theatres Overland Park 16 (formerly the Palazzo). I screened my rst feature lm there, and that will be a memory I treasure forever. e Grand Screen there is top notch, and I love the Italian theme in the lobby.

CRAFTED COCKTAIL:

My favorite cocktail haunt is P.S. Speakeasy, located—shh, don’t tell—but someone at the Hotel Phillips in downtown KC might know if you ask the right questions. e Glennon is my go-to drink— apricot, orange, and some u y egg white is prime. Hotel Phillips in downtown

CAN’T-MISS EVENT:

You have to go to a Chiefs game. e tailgating, the barbecue, the loudest stadium in the NFL—oh, and the Super Bowl championships— all make it a one-of-a-kind experience. My grandpa bought season tickets season one! So the games aren’t just a tradition, they’re generational outings and celebrations.

NEWTON JAMES

Men’s ne clothing

Downtown Overland Park

7221 W 80th St.

Overland Park, KS newtonjames.com

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

Edwin | Chrysalis | Original Madras Trading Co. | Bennett Winch | Joseph Cheaney & Sons | Sanders Shoes | Pastori

SCULPTED CABLE COLLECTION