IN Kansas City March 2021 by KC Media

Girls Gain Confidence at Madam President Camp

Feeding KANSAS CITY

AREA NON-PROFITS STEP UP TO MEET THE DEMAND DURING THE COVID CRISIS

HOME MAKEOVERS TO INSPIRE YOU

MARCH 2021 INKANSASCITY.COM

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Contents MARCH 2021 70 74

54 62

Features 54

IN CONVERSATION WITH AARON RAHSAAN THOMAS The KCK native and Hollywood writer and producer talks about growing up in KCK, his shoe ﬁxation, and his passion projects.

LADIES, START YOUR ENGINES A local organization is setting girls on the road to success.

Departments

FEEDING KANSAS CITY Local non-proﬁts respond to the food crisis exacerbated by the pandemic.

FASHION FORWARD Interior designer Doug Wells designed a Prairie Village townhouse that ﬁts the owner’s taste as well as the couture pieces she collects.

LOWER LEVELS WITH HIGH DESIGN Utilitarian gets a stylish spin when Kansas City basements transform into indoor golf courses, virtual schoolhouses, media rooms, and cocktail lounges.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS IN KC

ENTERTAINING IN KC

OUR MAN IN KC

ARTS & CULTURE IN KC

BEHIND THE MUSIC IN KC

LOOK IN KC

LIVING IN KC

FLAVOR IN KC

MY ESSENTIALS IN KC

IN EVERY ISSUE

On the cover Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables play an important part in addressing Kansas City’s food insecurity. Photo by Amante Domingo. MARCH 2021

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EDITOR’S NOTE

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Follow Your Nose

Vol. 4 | No. 3 MARCH 2021 Editor In Chief Zim Loy Art Director Alice Govert Bryan

Digital Editor Michael Mackie

Zim

MARCH 2021

| 12 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Contributing Writers Kelsey Cipolla, Stacy Downs, Judith Fertig, Timothy Finn, Cindy Hoedel, Cody Hogan, Merrily Jackson, Damian Lair, R. Murphy, Katie Van Luchene photo by aaron leimkuhler

few weeks ago, I read an intriguing article in the New York Times Magazine about Covid-19 and its effect on the loss of smell. (Taste too, but smell is so essential for taste that it almost seems secondary.) According to the story, most people would prefer to lose their sense of smell than any other of the five senses. For me, one of the reasons I’ve so stridently avoided Covid is because I would be terrified to lose my sense of smell. I’ve always thought in another life I could have been a perfumer because my attachment to scent is so keen. Smell is our only sense that’s directly wired into our brain’s memory and emotion center, and yet it’s the least regarded. For years, the scent of lavender would take me directly to my 5th-grade school washroom, because for some reason it was constant there. Fifth-grade me wasn’t even conscious of it, but my memory certainly was. Now lavender has become so prevalent in our world that my brain no longer makes the connection, and I feel poorer for it. There are so many scents associated with my young self that I miss, and realize I’ll never experience again. Every fall, our schoolhouse would be redolent with the aroma of the floor wax the custodians used on the hardwood floors. I loved school, so I came to associate that with the joy of going back. Around Halloween, candy stores would carry an orange wax harmonica, which you could play notes on and chew like gum. Its distinctive fragrance was what I loved most about it. It was one of my favorite “sweets.” And I’m sure we all remember our first whiff of a fresh box of Crayolas. Have you noticed they don’t smell like that anymore? This is a long-winding way to get to my main point about the homes we shoot for the magazine. The first time I walk in to scout a house, the homeowner will almost always be burning candles or incense. And almost everyone has a signature scent they prefer to use. So much so, that now when I detect the fragrance of Diptyque’s Baies, it reminds me of a particular house in Brookside with an especially distinctive (and very cool) interior. However, some candle aficionados love mixing it up. Back when we all were still going to dinner parties, entering a certain friend’s house was a “scentual” delight, with a symphony of different fragrances wafting through each room. (And she certainly knows her stuff, since she writes our Entertaining IN KC column every month. She’ll also admonish you to never burn scented candles at the dinner table; it will mess with the taste of the food.) Decorating our home with fragrance is such an important part of creating a comfortable space to live. Unfortunately, it’s the one thing you can’t experience through these pages. (Hmmm, maybe we should try scratch ‘n’ sniff?)

Contributing Photographers Amante Domingo, Aaron Leimkuehler, Cornelius Terrell, Joshua Black Wilkins Graphic Designer Eva Tucker Copy Editor Craig Magnus Publisher Michelle Jolles Media Director Brittany Coale Senior Media Consultants Katie Delzer, Nicole Kube, Krista Markley Newsstand Consultant Joe J. Luca, JK Associates 816-213-4101, jkassoc.net Editorial Questions: zloy@inkansascity.com

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Moody. Memorable. Makeover! Interior designer Will Brown set out to recreate a living room as a fun, functional space for hosting and entertaining guests— complete with a gentlemanly vibe. Read the story at inkansascity.com.

Creole cuisine.

Go for the gold. Our friends at Lilliane’s Jewelry are giving one lucky winner the chance to win these stunning 14k yellow-gold earrings (valued at $550). The dangle style boasts three points of movement to create an alluring, ever-changing appeal. Both classic and contemporary, these earrings can be worn for that special occasion as well as every day. Enter by March 31 at inkansascity.com/ the-magazine/enter-to-win. Good luck!

Ophelia’s executive chef Bobby Stearns says his hearty Creole chili recipe will warm you up from the inside out. Not only does his low-country chili have plenty of flavor, the dish is even the better the second day. And the third. And the… oh, you get the idea. Find the recipe at

inkansascity.com/eatdrink-recipes.

Hungry? Try out a new, local eatery tonight! From happy hours to the local restaurant scene, we’ve got the city’s most comprehensive dining guide. Check it out at inkansascity.com/eat-drink/dining-guide

MARCH 2021

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Fit for a queen.

Legendary Kansas City drag queen Melinda Ryder has been entertaining audiences for 45 years. We caught up with Ryder between gigs to find out her local haunts, stomping grounds, and go-to locales. Find it at inkansascity.com.

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INSTAGRAM @INKANSASCITYMAG

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER subscribe at INKANSASCITY.COM (under The Magazine tab)

GREAT PLAINS SPCA ANIMAL EXPERT ANSWERS YOUR PET QUESTIONS Animal expert, Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA, is the Director of Animal Behavior & Training at Great Plains SPCA. Ashley has more than 16 years of experience in animal training and behavior.

Does your dog need help with the basics?

Dear Ashley – I have a 12-year-old miniature poodle who weighs eight and a half pounds. For the last two to three years, he has lost all his hair except on his face, ears, and some on his legs. I have asked my vet about this and they have run a vast number of tests, but they have not come up with a cause. Other than the loss of hair, he is a fine, energetic dog. He is never sick. I am sure he needs some sort of supplement, but not sure what to give him. Do you have any suggestions? – Art Roberson

teach her to speak first. It sounds counterintuitive because we want the dog to be quiet and not bark, but commanding a bark is the best time to practice the quiet command. Make a noise or knock on the wall to trigger your dog to bark. Then say, “Speak” and allow her to bark a couple of times. Then hold a treat in front of her nose and say, “Quiet” and let her have the treat. Repeat in a room with few distractions. When she starts being quiet on command, praise with lots of treats or high rewards.

I have referred this question to our shelter veterinarian since I believe this is more medical than behavioral. Her recommendation is to have your dog tested to rule out any endocrine conditions like hypothyroidism or to seek a second opinion from another vet. Unfortunately, there is probably not a supplement that can help with hair growth.

Dear Ashley – How do I get my dog to quit guarding everything from my other dog? – Becca Griffiths

– Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

New classes are starting soon. Please visit our website to sign up or learn more! greatplainsspca.org/programs/behavior-training

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Dear Ashley – My dog is perfect in every way except that when she sees or hears someone outside, she goes crazy! She barks and growls ferociously and nothing seems to break her focus. I’m afraid I am going to get kicked out of my apartment because she is so loud so often. How can I train her to stop? – Sharon Witek This is called alert barking and the easiest way to teach your dog to be quiet is to

– Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

This is called possession aggression and is a normal behavior for many animals. You must manage the environment closely and let your dog eat in peace. When dogs eat next to one another it causes an increase in resource guarding in most cases. Pull all high-value things out of reach while teaching them to share. Give treats to the dog that does not like to share while the other dog gets close to objects that he or she normally guards. This teaches them that good things happen when they share. Continue to work on desensitization and counterconditioning slowly until they can get closer and closer to one another. Keep rewarding both dogs when they share. If one of the dogs begins to resource guard again, pull the item away safely from them both--they lose the item if they resource guard. Repeat! – Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

Email askashleyinkc@greatplainsspca.org for a chance to have your pet question answered here.

ADOPT. DONATE. VOLUNTEER. About Great Plains SPCA: Great Plains SPCA is an independent 501 (c)(3) no-kill shelter serving approximately 6,000 animals annually in the Johnson County community. As Kansas City’s premium family shelter, we continue to support the seven municipalities that we are contracted with including Overland Park, Leawood, Shawnee, Lake Quivira and Johnson County Parks and Recreation and unincorporated Johnson County.

Women in Business by

IN KC

Michael Mackie

photo by

Aaron Leimkuehler

Lauren Saks Merriman

NO WAS NOT AN OPTION FOR MERRIMAN’S DREAM OF A SPACE FOR MEMBERS TO CONNECT AND FIND INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION, AND RELAXATION

few years ago, The Nelle was merely a hopeful glimmer in the eye of founder Lauren Saks Merriman. She wanted to build a city club in Kansas City, a welcoming, membership-based, social mecca created with women and the LGBTIA community in mind. It was similar to clubs she’d spied in much larger cities like New York and London. Merriman likens it to what she calls “a third space”—an outlet between home and work where members can find inspiration in each other but also a space that enhances members’ lives as they relax, connect, disconnect, workout, and socialize. Long before Merriman had a physical space for The Nelle to call home, she had two very important things going for her: buzz and plenty of movers and shakers who wanted to help make her visionary plans a reality. “Women have always been extremely supportive of this concept, which has gotten us to where we are,” she says. “We had so many women invest early on—our founding members are how we’ve gotten here. Their finances have helped build the space it is now.” After several pandemic setbacks, The Nelle opened on January 20. Arts and community are primary pillars at The Nelle which only complements the diverse membership and program offerings. “At least 25 percent of the programming we offer will have something to do with the arts. And at least one of every four members will be part of our artists’ residency program,” she says. Those members are gifted membership for a year—and it runs the gamut, “maybe a painter, a beadmaker, or someone in

MARCH 2021

textiles,” says Merriman. Merriman wants guests to come plug in and connect with others—or do your own thing. “We have a gym, a movie theater/screening room which doubles as a presentation room. We have a private dining room that doubles as boardroom. And our mezzanine is kind of like our library. Bliss Books—a local women-owned bookstore—helped source many of our reads. It’s just a fun spot to gather, relax, and catch up on what’s happening.” Throughout the process of creating The Nelle from the ground up, she says she “had a ton of pushback. As a women entrepreneur, my dad said no, my husband said no. Everyone around me that was a male in my life was saying, ‘No, you’ll never be able to afford this,’” she says. “I’m really thankful for the community of women who believed in me and invested in me. It’s been so monumental; I have no words. I’m so grateful for it. I would have taken those no’s from those men long ago and probably wouldn’t be here right now opening this space for all these women.” And while The Nelle is a novel concept in the metro, Merriman welcomes any and all potential competition. “I’m so excited for Kansas City to have something that cities like Chicago, London, and Los Angeles already have going on,” she says. “There’s so much room for it here. I want to see this city flourish and options for people who already live here or are thinking about possibly moving here.” For now Merriman is relishing in the fact she’s created a space that celebrates diversity and the personal accomplishments of The Nelle’s members. She’s also proud of how The Nelle works hard to run the business in an exceptionally sustainable manner. “Everything comes from fair trade, artisan. We compost with a femaleowned business, Compost Collective, another ‘Nellie.’ We switched to wind power. Even though it costs more, it’s worth it. We’re trying to be as green as possible. We even purchased vegan paints for the space. We’re trying to be thoughtful in every single thing we do.” (Fun fact: Even The Nelle’s mobile app was designed and coded by a full women’s team based out of the U.S. and Thailand.) Accolades aside, the mom of six says The Nelle opened because her sheer perseverance paid off. “I’m trying to set an example for my kids every day. For years, they’ve heard me mention I’m going to open this—and they’ve seen me through all my struggles,” she says. “I wanted to show my four daughters and two sons you can do anything you want. It’s been a labor of love and one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.” thenelle.com

| 16 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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Entertaining

IN KC

Cooking for Bobo

INA GARTEN COOKS FOR JEFFREY, AND OUR MERRILY COOKS FOR JAMES B. JACKSON, AKA BOBO. SHE SHARES SOME OF THE DISHES— TRIUMPHS AND A DUD—SHE’S MADE FOR HIM WHILE NOT ENTERTAINING DURING THE PANDEMIC by

Merrily Jackson

photo by

Aaron Leimkuehler

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

MARCH 2021

efore the pandemic, I had a nice social life. I bet you did, as well. I actually—and maybe this describes you, too—had two social lives. One with the hubs, and one without. This worked well for both of us. Bobo (my nickname for the Mister) has a reasonable appetite for socializing, whereas I am a glutton for it. “My girl likes to party all the time,” he would cheerfully croon as I walked out the door for the fourth night that week (does anybody else remember that pop single released by Eddie Murphy is the mid-eighties?) Of course, all of that ground to a screeching halt right around mid-April, 2020. I’m sure you remember it. Suddenly we were all home every day and night—and cooking every day and night. I honestly didn’t mind; I love to cook when I have the time and all at once I had oodles of time. And Bobo, while not in any way a cook—he would rather go hungry than open a can of soup—is an appreciative, enthusiastic, and most importantly, diplomatic eater. For example, he didn’t say what we both were

| 20 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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Be IN the Know

Entertaining

IN KC

This Dessert Can Be the Hero of Your First “Safe” Dinner Party

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER.

My friend Cindy Barnhill gave me this simple tart recipe. The combination of pears, goat cheese, honey and puff pastry is heaven on earth. Cindy owns The Pear Tree Design and Antiques, a treasure of a shop in Crestwood, (she’d love to meet you—check it out!) hence the name of this mouthwatering dessert.

PEAR TREE TART

1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed

Egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

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8 ounces goat cheese

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2 large pears, thinly sliced (I use Anjou)

2 tablespoons coarse sugar (or brown sugar!)

¼ cup sliced almonds

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Become an INsider MARCH 2021

Sea salt for sprinkling

Honey for drizzling

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a 12- by17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Unroll the pastry sheets on a floured work surface. Place the edge of one over the other and use a rolling pin to adhere them together. Roll the whole thing out into a 10 by14-inch rectangle. Fold over the edges and crimp down with a fork. Crimping is much easier the colder the pastry is, so place into the refrigerator to chill if needed. Brush the entire pastry, edges included, with egg wash. Top with goat cheese. Toss the pear slices and coarse sugar together. Line the pears on top of the pastry. Sprinkle with almonds and sea salt. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle with honey before slicing and serving.

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thinking—“this isn’t nearly as good as Minsky’s”—when I served him the homemade pizza I had spent a day making. Fresh dough, fresh sauce, fresh toppings, all from scratch and the ‘za was terrible. I think it was because I misplaced my pizza stone and didn’t want to invest the time to look for it, in case I couldn’t find it. Can you see my logic? So, I used a baking sheet instead, and, since I found myself out of parchment paper, a silicone baking mat. A truly half-wit idea. It rendered the crust practically inedible. But Bobo gamely choked it down and found something to like in it, as he does all my duds. I’ve had winners, too, that I will probably add to the repertoire. The day draws nearer when we can actually entertain. Here are our faves, going from meal to meal. ALLOW ME TO BOAST ABOUT MY POACHING SKILLS Bobo’s favorite breakfast is two poached eggs on any kind of toast, with bacon. I hate to sound braggy, but I have a foolproof technique for poaching eggs. You need a 10-inch or 12-inch skillet with a tightly fitting lid. Fill it almost to the top with water. Pour in a glug of plain white vinegar and a small handful of salt and set it to the boil. While the water is boiling take two, three, or four eggs and crack them into individual teacups. When the water comes to a lively simmer, quickly lower the lip of each cup just into the water and tip the egg into the pan. Slap that cover on the pan, turn off the heat and set your timer for exactly three minutes and 20 seconds. When time’s up, remove eggs with a slotted spoon, and plop them on a slice of buttered toast or an English muffin half. Grind some pepper over it, add a little drizzle of olive oil and serve. Those grossly overpriced boxes of Hormel ready-to-microwave bacon represent everything that’s wrong with America, but they are so convenient, I can’t quit them. Four slices of perfect, freshly fried bacon in two-and-a-half minutes. My house is not subsumed with the lingering funk of bacon grease, and I don’t even have to dirty a pan. Anyway, these unprincipled bacon strips are what I serve Bobo with his poached eggs. FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, BUT NOT FOR LUNCH Bobo is on his own at lunchtime. He does know how to make himself a sandwich or heat up leftovers in the microwave. Occasionally, however, I will take Guerrero brand tostada shells, two for each of us, top them with grocery store salsa and grated cheese and broil them until the cheese is bubbly, about three minutes. I round out this simple repast as I do many meals—with individual ramekins full of assorted, loaded-with-antioxidant berries. WE LOVE OURSELVES A SNACK Have you heard of a cake salé? It’s a Parisian cocktail snack, a savory quick bread with varying ingredients, like olives, ham, and always one or two types of cheese. Dorie Greenspan wrote a piece about them recently in The New York

MARCH 2021

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Entertaining

IN KC

Times Magazine. (Google it!) I’ve made her recipe a couple of times; a slice of it makes for a tasty snack mid-day or with a glass of wine before dinner. When I have people over again, I definitely will serve it with drinks. Email me for her recipe, or any recipes I mention herein. THREE PARTS OIL, ONE VINEGAR A dressing made with very high-quality olive oil and vinegar can make even the plainest salad taste scrumptious. Currently I’m using my favorite Villa Manodori Aceto Balsamico with a Tuscan olive oil called Castello ColleMassari that I discovered at Better Cheddar. When whisked together using the standard ratio of three parts oil to one part vinegar—and a little salt and pepper—these two fellas make an exceptional vinaigrette. A spoonful of finely minced shallot takes it right over the top. My favorite salad hack is to take a freshly washed and dried romaine heart, lay it longways on the cutting board and chop it vertically into one-inch slices. Instant salad greens, enough for a side salad for two people. A “CAPSULE COLLECTION” OF COLD-WEATHER RECIPES Another loveable thing about Bobo is he has absolutely no aversion to eating the same thing two, even three nights in a row. I have developed a fabulous chili, a doctored-up rendition of the recipe on the back of Williams Original Chili Mix. I serve it the first night with whatever toppings I have on hand and Zingy Cornbread or just saltine crackers, the second night with fusilli for a chili mac, and sometimes I keep the

racket going for night three and serve it over Pierre Franey’s baked rice, my absolute favorite technique for making rice. I made this same rice recipe recently to accompany Laurent Tourendel’s foil-baked cod with ginger, orange, and cumin. This recipe is such a grand slam! The fish steams inside individual foil packets, so it comes out infused with orange, ginger, and cumin and swimming in a delicious sauce. It would be perfect to serve at a small, casual dinner with friends. Of course I’ll send you the recipe, along with some other champs, such as Snobby Chef Donald Loncasty’s baked Scimeca’s sausage links with Pomodoro sauce; orzo with mushrooms, scallions, and parmesan; and Melting Cabbage, all of which go well with Snobby’s sausage recipe and Pierre’s rice. Just ask for the capsule collection! MY BLONDIE LOGIC It doesn’t make sense to prepare a whole dessert recipe for two people. Who needs a whole coconut cake or pear clafouti sitting around the house, winking at them? I have, however, taken to baking an entire batch of blondies for just the two of us. I rationalize it because I can cut the blondies into squares and hide them away in a Ziploc bag, so they’re not staring us in the face as a cake or pie would. The Perfect Cookie, a most excellent cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen, is where I found my blondie recipe, which produces a truly outstanding cookie bar, with probably very little nutritional value. Well, it does call for a cup of either walnuts or pecans. Nuts are healthy. So that’s not nothin’. You know what to do if you want the recipe!

RELAX.

Isn’t that what you want to do when you buy or sell a home? Relax and let the experts guide you.

Kevin Bryant Melinda Chalfant Katherine Meiners Gregg

Kathy Scaglia Green Becky Loboda Sandy Palmer

Heidi Peter Tom Suther Nancy Weeks

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MARCH 2021

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Our Man BY

IN KC

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dlair@inkansascity.com

: @damianlair #OurManINKC

Sparkle Plenty

very decade on her wedding anniversary, my mother gets an upgrade—to her diamond. In the early ’80s, she kicked things off with a classic, modest, half-carat solitaire engagement ring. Ten years later, the half carat was swapped for a full carat, with the original engagement diamond joining it on the left, and a new matching half carat to balance on the right. At 20 years, the center one carat was bumped to a pendant necklace and replaced with a two. At 30, three carats replaced two, two went to pendant, etc. This year, to my father’s alarm (I gather), was 40. And so the bauble bumping began anew, leaving the two carat without an obvious home. Obvious to my mother, and sanctioned by my father, it found a new home—with me. So what to do Damian Lair at TIVOL. with a windfall loose diamond? I went to TIVOL, of course. One hundred and eleven anniversaries later, TIVOL is still alive, kicking (and sparkling) in Kansas City. So one weeknight after work, I dropped into the Plaza location to see my guy, and my parents’ guy, seemed a bit much, particularly when added to the omnipresent gold and my grandparents’ guy—Gary Pener. He’s been helping my family President I rarely swap out. A silver color felt right, and less—flashy. (according to my grandmother, Mary Alice) for nearly 40 years. In fact, So, white gold or platinum? I’d heard that platinum is heavier and less if you want a really funny TIVOL story, ask me sometime malleable (read: less comfortable), and white gold might about my grandmother’s run-in with a very famous quarterbe the way to go. Gary advised, however, that I’d never be back during a discreet, private-shopping appointment. able to feel the difference—weight or softness—between OVERHEARD But I digress. Back to this story. I’d made an appointment the two. Typically, he explained, people opt for white gold “When we wear in advance, explained how I was hoping to repurpose this as a means of cost savings. Given the current price of gold, sweatpants, it’s sentimental gemstone, and emailed a few inspiration photos though, the savings would be negligible. I should go with called fashion.” I found online. Upon arrival, Gary had prepped an array of platinum. Ok, then—done. items for me to view and try. [Pro tip: I recommend doing a But what about the finish? This is honestly something I custom appointment like this on a slower weekday when they hadn’t even considered until another favorite TIVOL friend, can properly shower you with attention.] Priorly, I’d explained Brian Butler, dropped his wedding ring on my finger. It was that I was expecting to ultimately land on a custom ring. But brushed platinum with a large center diamond. I’ll admit if the jewelers had other ideas, I’d consider them. that, peering into a ring case, I’d probably have never gravWe began with a braided gold cuff that, with a diamond dropped itated toward a brushed finish. But I began falling in love immediately. right in the center, would have been smashing, but probably not someThis is why you seek professional advice. And try on lots of things. thing I would wear every day. And I wanted this to be more distinctive Not one to get caught up on stereotypical gender roles, I had to and sentimental—not just a bauble picked up on a whim and too much admit that the brushed finish conveyed a more masculine vibe. I appreChampagne. A cuff felt too spontaneous. Next! ciated that the demurer aesthetic matched the overall heft of a man’s We then looked at a few necklace options. I have a quite special one ring—and particularly, one wide enough to encase two carats. Yet analready that I never remove, and a second one added with permanence other thing I didn’t know: if I ever tired of the brushed finish, I could struck me as cluttery. I hardly want to feel like my neck needs Marie always have it polished out. Learning this instantly lifted the pressure of Kondo’d. Also, the necklace I have lives eternally underneath a shirt. I finality. Game changer. Making progress! figured I would likely do the same with any new necklace I’d wear daily, Now, for the last bit. The design I’d seen online had some addiwhich would be a shame because it really deserves to be seen. tional rectangular baguette diamonds cascading down each side of the We moved on to rings and began with metal options. Yellow gold wide band. With no men’s rings on site having that kind of coverage, I

MARCH 2021

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Our Man

IN KC

tried on some women’s approximations that featured additional band diamonds. I know this is going to sound crazy, but they almost sparkled too much. My objective was an “Oh, that’s a nice ring” level of attention-grabbing, not the sort that could cause a traffic pile-up. Still, who’s to argue about extra diamonds? Days later, as I was talking about this fun afternoon with various friends, I was surprised how many of them had unused jewelry pieces squirreled away at home—wedding rings from former marriages, family heirlooms, inheritances, etc.—that they’d been planning to do something with. It reminded me of all the people stuck at home last year who wished they’d tackled their long-planned renovations just a bit sooner, before the storm hit. Stop waiting! If you have something that you’re not going to regularly wear or use, do something with it. As I quickly learned, the possibilities are as infinite as your creativity. And no matter how you came across the piece, undoubtedly at some level the grantor would want you to enjoy it in any form. And if not, well, you deserve to anyway. As for the result of my appointment, I essentially settled on two solid—and very different—ring options. As I write, I’m mulling them over, constantly looking back at the photos I took, and waiting for the two estimates to drop into my inbox. Once those arrive, I’ll press myself to make a final selection. And before summer, I will have a new treasure encircling my finger. A prized symbol of the two beating hearts who brought me to life, and whose unwavering love I’ll now be reminded of—a little more often.

THAI ME UP!

nce in a very special blue moon, chef Michael Smith will host a (always sold out) prix fixe dinner extravaganza. Often, they’re centered around a wine or Champagne journey. And once a year, typically in May, he hosts an unrivaled Thai dinner, a seemingly unpredictable choice for Michael, one of Kansas City’s first James Beard Award-winning chefs. His culinary career stretches from his classic training in Nice, France, to Michelin-starred Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago (oh, how I miss), to The American (also miss), to his own successful restaurant ventures that have graced our city. But never a Thai restaurant. Avid followers will know that Michael scrapped the 2020 Thai feast because, well, Covid. So it was with extra anticipation that the Thai dinner returned—this year, a few months earlier than usual. The occasion also auspiciously shared the same week as Farina’s second anniverHOT sary. And even though the 2020 dinner GOSSIP: wasn’t meant to be, Michael and his wife, Nancy Smith (Farina’s somWhose impromptu melier extraordinaire), didn’t stop house party ran out thinking about the Eastern cuisine of booze at 1 a.m., but they’re so drawn to. In fact, local still had Ubers full of Waldo Thai was among their go-to people arriving after 3? respites during the uncertainty-filled early months of the pandemic. [Pro tip:

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OVERHEARD Wanna know the best spots in town “That’s the women’s to eat? Ask a top chef.] bathroom. ” So, when it was time to finally fête his loyalists with Thai food again, “Well, I put the seat it made every bit of sense to host the back down.” dinner as a collaboration with Waldo Thai chef Pam Liberda. Born in Lampang, Northern Thailand, Pam’s (and Waldo Thai’s) style of Thai dishes is different than more traditional Thai food you’re likely to find elsewhere. With close proximity to Laos, Burma, and China, the northern cuisine often absorbs gentle, complementing elements from those regions. Upon examining the extensive, seven-course dinner menu, it was apparent that this did not all fall together in a matter of days or weeks. The culinary superstars began meeting in December to plan in earnest. Though I’m not about to tick through the encyclopedic menu, I will drop some standouts, which included chor muang, a butterfly pea dumpling with ground pork, palm sugar, sweet radish, peanut, and garlic; larb nua dib, beef tartare, Thai herbs, pak pai and quail egg; and kow soi, a coconut curry braised brisket, served with Farina’s tagliatelle pasta. Cocktails were created and paired—by Berto Santoro of Farina and Darrell Loo of Waldo Thai—with each course. Yes, the next day was a bit rough. The pairings ranged from one with J. Reiger & Co. gin, butterfly pea, lemongrass, lime leaf, strawberry, absinthe, and bubbles to a twist on the classic Thai drink you sip from a bowl, which consisted of Bison Grass vodka, coconut milk, lime, Thai chili, chili oil, and cilantro. And, of course, there were some of Nancy’s inspired wine selections sprinkled in. The next one will be a Mediterranean dinner, date TBA in April. Hopefully, I’ll see you there. And finally, a very special thanks to Denise Delcore for the invite. The evening was sublime, and I cannot wait for Michael’s next special dinner. SPOTTED: Richard Wetzel, Jen DeMeyer, Dan Nilsen, Kim & Jimmy Halloran, Sarah Strnad & Joe Hemmer, Dan Meiners & David Brinkerhoff, Pam & Jack Dicapo, Katie Van Luchene & Jerry Foulds, Jenny Wheat

Michael Smith, Pam Liberda, Darrell Loo, and Berto Santoro.

So, KC—where do you want to go? XO

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DIAMOND BANC’S FIVE TRADE SECRETS YOU SIMPLY MUST KNOW

alk about hidden gems! Diamond Banc’s Kansas City Director, Sicily Von Overfelt, has been unusually busy since the pandemic started. “I attribute it to people having more time at home to sort through their unworn jewelry items,” she says. “On top of that, we’ve seen more people utilize our services in the past year due to the need for financial assistance in these unprecedented times.” Established in 2007, Diamond Banc opened their upscale venture as a way to help valued clientele sell high-end jewelry and watches. Along the way, the company became one of the nation’s best jewelry equity-loan providers—typically allocating the highest loan amounts, lowest cost of funds, and unmatched repayment options. Originally launched as a small operation in Columbia, Missouri, they opened a Kansas City location in 2016 and have since expanded to multiple cities—from Nashville to Boca Raton and beyond. What sets Diamond Banc apart is their dedication to providing first-class customer service. Well, that and that the company

has staked its reputation on employing some of the leading jewelry experts in the nation. “We value privacy and confidentiality,” says Overfelt. “Diamond Banc has a large network of dealers, retail partners and industry connections. Say someone brings in an estate piece from the early 1900s. We have a specialist on staff that can ensure the client is getting the maximum amount they deserve. Think customer-focused, prompt, and streamlined service.” It’s that detailed personalized attention that keeps customers happy. “I really enjoy helping people and giving them the experience they deserve,” says Overfelt. “When a woman comes in with a diamond ring, there may be some emotional attachment to it. We’re here to give them valued insight that is important in their decision-making process.” As Diamond Banc’s name grew, one veteran local jeweler took notice. “We’ve become a trusted partner of Tivol. They are phenomenal to work with,” says Overfelt. The collaboration with the legendary jeweler has become a win-win for everyone involved— including new customers.

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THINKING OF SELLING YOUR FINE JEWELRY? OVERFELT SAYS DIAMOND BANC IS HERE TO HELP, AND THERE ARE FIVE TRADE SECRETS YOU NEED TO KNOW: 5) Your Time Is Money.

“We’re incredibly flexible. We can meet at our private office or either TIVOL locations, where you can safely drop off curbside for a fully insured, 24-hour evaluation. Even better? We offer immediate payment— versus trying to sell it yourself on eBay or Facebook marketplace or, say, on consignment and then waiting six to 12 months to get paid. Just the time and effort to sell it yourself online can be consuming. As for estate planning, we try to make it easy for families—things like sorting through what is costume jewelry and what is valuable. And, of course, not making them do their own research.”

4) Selling Jewelry Yourself Is Not As Easy As It Looks.

“On eBay, there can be an excess of items. Imagine selling a fancy car you know nothing about. There are lots of ins and outs you’ll need to know. To be able to successfully sell high-end jewelry yourself to another individual, you’ll need professional photography. The jewelry will likely need to be cleaned and refinished. Most people require a warranty of some type. Or they’ll want the exact details and specifications of the piece—like carat weight, color, clarity, etc. Plus, as you know, there can be endless questions. If you’ve ever sold anything on Craigslist, you know you can get hundreds of random questions. And if it needs to be repaired—we can also help with that aspect.”

3) You Can Use Your Jewelry As Collateral To Access Funds.

“Many loan clients are small-business owners who use their Chanel bags or Rolex

watches to have quick access to money or cash flow, especially during the pandemic. It doesn’t affect their credit and they have immediate funds available. There can be a stigma with getting a jewelry loan. But here—instead of going to a bank and getting a loan—our clients use something they already own and can ultimately pay off and retain ownership of their piece. From a 30day to a three- to four-month short-term loan, we can assist with every scenario. We want each client to know exactly what to expect—and, more importantly, whether this is a good fit for them.”

2) Demand Is Key.

“Knowing market demand is important to receiving the maximum offer. Here’s an example: In the early 2000s, everyone wanted trendy princess-cut or square-cut diamonds. Since everyone had one, there’s little demand for them now. We take away the guesswork. Finding the right buyer and the right market is super important, and we have our pulse on the market to determine the best value of each item. What is in demand? Round, brilliant-cut diamonds—always a top seller and always will be. Rolex sports model watches are incredibly in demand, as is designer jewelry—Cartier, Tiffany and Co.; designers that are known globally.”

1) Retail Appraisal Versus the Current Liquid Value.

“Just because you paid $6,000 for something does not necessarily mean it’s worth $6,000. It’s similar to when you drive a new car off the lot, and it becomes a different price because it’s now preowned. With jewelry, there can often be sentimental attachment—good or bad. Jewelry is also held to a different standard. Knowing who did the appraisal is half the battle. We use Gemological Institute of America’s lab—they are the undisputed diamond authority. They’ll grade it, provide a lab report and all the factors on your diamond. With that accuracy and that standard, the client knows exactly what they have."

Sicily Von Overfelt has over 14 years of experience in the jewelry industry and 10+ years with Diamond Banc. She began her jewelry career in retail sales, where she gained a vast knowledge of many designer brands. She is a GIA Diamonds Graduate and is working towards completing her Graduate Gemologist degree on scholarship. Sicily is currently the Director of Diamond Banc in Kansas City, authenticating and purchasing pre-owned luxury designer jewelry, diamonds, and watches from the public.

DIAMONDBANC.COM 435 Nichols Rd., Suite 200 Kansas City, MO 64112 816.977.2677 FOR AN APPOINTMENT email sicily@diamondbanc.com

Arts & Culture

IN KC

Bona Bones THE STOP-MOTION ANIMATION ARTIST ANSWERS FOUR QUESTIONS by

Judith Fertig

photo by

omehow, it’s fitting that in the same town Walt Disney championed the process of turning countless individual drawings into animation, another animation artist is at work. With both a B.F.A. and an M.F.A. from Edinburgh College of Art, Bona Bones traded single-malt scotch and haggis for Kansas City micro-brewed beer and barbecue last year, with a palate-cleansing stay in Los Angeles in-between. As an assistant professor of animation at the Kansas City Art Institute, Bones brings a wealth of experience in

MARCH 2021

Cornelius Terrell

commercial, feature, and television animation. Her favorite is stop-motion animation, in which molded figures are posed, and re-posed, and posed again to tell a story. You might have seen some of her work already. Did you catch Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas video or maybe a Ziploc or Purex commercial? “Stop motion is particularly unique because it seems to occupy space between high art and children’s media,” says Bones. “It’s incredibly diverse which makes it all the more interesting.” bonabones.com

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INKC: Stop-motion animation. What is it? Bones: Stop-motion animation is the art of using still photographs

to create a sequential animation. We take inanimate objects and post them, frame by frame, in order to achieve the illusion of motion. It’s an incredibly time-consuming process. It takes about one hour of animation to make one second of footage but the final result is well worth the effort! INKC: Your work has appeared in film, television, and commercials.

How can stop-motion animation tell a story or get across a concept in a way that other media cannot? Bones: Personally, I find that animated content has so much freedom in how it expresses ideas. It is not bound to realism and allows the creator to really think about the content in non-traditional ways. INKC: How did you get started in this field? Were you a Play-Doh

or modeling clay aficionado at an early age? Bones: I actually didn’t start animating until I was about 18 years

old. I wish I could say I was an incredibly gifted and artistic child but that’s not really the case. Animation didn’t come naturally to me and it was something I really had to work at to perfect. Once I realized I was really interested in animation I spent a year developing a

MARCH 2021

portfolio to submit to college. At 19 I was accepted at the California Institute of the Arts. From there I got my first job working on a music video for the band Cage the Elephant, which was my first high-profile job, and I guess the rest is history! INKC: You’ve only been in Kansas City a short while, and a lot of it during a pandemic that has halted many arts activities, but still I ask the question—how has the Kansas City area nurtured your creativity? Bones: I have a deep fondness for Kansas City. Before I moved here last year to take a position teaching at KCAI, my friends and I would come on vacation here in the summers. We would see shows and exhibits and of course enjoy the great food KC has to offer. I immediately fell in love. I would joke with my friends about how I was going to leave them in Los Angeles and move to KC. When I saw there was an opening for an animation instructor at KCAI, I was so excited to finally have a shot at making that a reality. It worked out really well because I was just finishing up working on Robot Chicken and Crossing Swords, and I was really looking to make a big change in my life. It has such a vibrant creative community and has both rural and urban elements, which I really love. I find KC to be deeply inspiring, and I love living here.

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Arts & Culture by

IN KC

Judith Fertig

BEHZOD ABDURAIMOV IN CONCERT

photo by cristian fatu

UZBEK PIANIST Behzod Abduraimov’s prodigious talent blazed a trail from his birthplace in Tashkent to Park University’s International Center for Music in Parkville, Missouri. He is now their artist-in-residence. The British newspaper The Independent described him this way: “The most perfectly accomplished pianist of his generation.” London’s Daily Telegraph swooned over his performance: “The most enthralling roller-coaster ride of a Prokofiev third concerto imaginable.” The New York Times dubbed him “master of all he surveys.” Abduraimov has performed all over the world, from London to the Los Angeles Philharmonic to the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. And now he performs— check ahead to see if live or livestreamed or postponed—at the 1900 Building on March 3. Abduraimov’s solo piano program is also swoon-worthy, a lyrical swath of composers. Robert Schumann’s dramatic Kreisleriana opus 16 was inspired in part by the composer’s love for his wife, Clara. Aduraimov will shift into the solitary dreamworld of Franz Liszt’s Benediction de Dieu dans la Solitude from 1845. And then Sergei Rachmaninoff ’s Corelli Variations opus 42—a theme followed by 20 variations—first composed at the musician’s home in Switzerland in 1931. Tickets required. As always during the pandemic, check ahead to make sure the concert will go on as scheduled. 1900bldg.com

TWO NEW EXHIBITS AT SHERRY LEEDY GALLERY OF CONTEMPORARY ART

Celebration by Jeff Robinson.

MARCH 2021

WHEN MARCH winds howl in the Crossroads District, it’s the perfect time to pop inside for two new exhibits at Sherry Leedy Gallery of Contemporary Art. If anybody can bring two seemingly opposite sides together, it is artist Rebecca Rutstein. In Topographies of Time, she merges art and science in wondrous creations that seem to explore the ocean’s floor or the inner workings of organisms. Her paintings incorporate structural networks that allow us to see patterns found in nature, data, maps, micro and macro, handmade and mechanized, linear and solid. Normally hidden from view, these images engage us with a peek into hidden worlds. Recently, Rustein collaborated with scientists onboard research vessels working with sonar mapping data of the ocean floor. She’ll go there again in the submersible “Alvin” where she will see first-hand the network of organisms that communicate through bioluminescence. Her work just glows. Artist Jeff Robinson explores the feeling of fleeting yet indelible memories in Nostalgias. Lightning in a bottle, as he calls it, all portrayed in a muted palette. A couple shares a laugh at a chic bistro in the 1940s, ladies dressed to the nines awaiting a society ball in the 1950s, or a celebrity letting loose with unbridled joy at Studio 54 in the 1970s. We’re spectators of these moments in time, yet we want to engage in witty repartee at that cafe, be a fly on the wall at that gala, and dance on that table. The exhibits run through March 20. As always in the pandemic, call ahead to ascertain gallery open hours. sherryleedy.com

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Come Home to a Vibe.

COME HOME TO NEST.

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Arts & Culture by

IN KC

Judith Fertig

WHY KEEP THAT? THE WORLD WAR I MUSEUM’S newest exhibit Why Keep That? asks a good question in an age of minimalism and Marie Kondo. This array of 16 objects, some of them ephemera not really meant to be kept, takes the viewer on a first-person guide to museum collecting. Sometimes objects meant to be used and discarded—ticket stubs, written scraps, advertisements—can also offer a peek into times past. It also gives us a peek into how museum staff evaluates each piece and decides what it might add to our understanding of life a century ago. Like Julia Child’s junk drawer in her kitchen exhibit at the Smithsonian, which contained a signaling mirror from World War II—What? I forgot I had that—the things we keep can take on new significance. Highlights of the exhibition include “Barometer of Feelings”—a chart which provides a weekly timeline of the war through one woman’s emotional reactions—as well as dance cards, receipts, coupons, and posters that tell the story of life away from the Front. theworldwar.org

MICHAEL KRUEGER (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER NEW YEAR, new president. Isn’t that just like starting over? Yet no matter how or when we start over, something always touches whatever came before. That’s a quality apparent in the work of Michael Krueger, who also teaches in the art department at the University of Kansas. Images hover over the surface, coming to the forefront of what has gone before. His new work includes large-scale paintings, watercolors, and intimate colored-pencil drawings looking to nature for clues to resilience, opportunity, and community. Metaphors are embedded in the subject matter expressing optimism and hope. Says Krueger, “This work perhaps speaks to how many of us are feeling as we slowly begin to emerge from our cocoons and have an opportunity to see the world anew.” Michael Krueger’s work has been included in over 300 exhibitions in the U.S. and Europe, and recent solo exhibitions include prestigious venues such as: Académie Beeldende Kunsten, Ghent, Belgium; Steven Zevitas Gallery, Boston; and Blackburn 20/20, New York City. View (Just Like) Starting Over at Haw Contemporary Stockyards (1600 Liberty), March 12 through April 21. hawcontemporary.com In Through the Out Door by Michael Krueger.

MARCH 2021

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Behind the Music

IN KC

Chuck Mead

Timothy Finn

photo by

n the mid-1980s, Chuck Mead became a significant part of a robust music scene in his adopted hometown of Lawrence, Kansas. He started a band called the Homestead Grays, named after the Negro Leagues baseball team (and originally called Cool Papa Bell & the Homestead Grays) that joined an independent, underground music community percolating with energy and adventure—a vibe that stimulated creativity and ambition. The Grays played music that would be branded “Americana,” but was more specifically a genuine mix of the sounds Mead fell in love with growing up: classic country and early rock ‘n’ roll. After the Grays hung up their spikes in the early 1990s, Mead moved to Nashville, where he continued to express his affinity for his favorite kinds of music, as a solo performer and then as a member of BR5-49, a name pulled from a skit on the 1970s comedy/music show Hee-Haw. BR-5 played originals and covers in a firebrand style that mixed honky-tonk, rockabilly, and Western swing with various flavors of vintage country. And they dressed the part: in slick, period haberdashery. Their recordings and high-energy live shows were embraced by Nashville, by a population of music fans thirsting for the sounds they weren’t getting from mainstream music and radio, and by music heroes who appreciated the band’s intentions and their sincere execution, in-

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Joshua Black Wilkins

cluding Bob Dylan, who would take them on tour. After several lineup changes, BR5-49 went on an extended “hiatus” in 2006, minus a brief reunion in 2012. Since then, Mead has started his own band, the Grassy Knoll Boys, and signed up for several other music projects, including music director of Million Dollar Quartet, a Broadway “jukebox musical” that celebrates the legendary Sun Studio sessions that comprised producer Sam Phillips and Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. It was nominated for three 2010 Tony Awards; Levi Kreis won the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Lewis. Mead recently answered questions from IN Kansas City about his upbringing in Lawrence, his 30-year-plus tenure in Nashville, and his first performance at the Grand Ole Opry. For the complete interview, including a story about the time the Homestead Grays played in a prison yard, see the extended version online at inkansascity.com. What was your childhood like? Chuck Mead: My childhood was pretty Leave It to Beaver. My younger sister and I are still pretty close. My dad was a teacher, and my mom worked at a bank. We weren’t rich, but we never wanted for anything. As I got older, I appreciated more being brought up in a loving, supportive household.

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You were born in Nevada, Mo., and raised in Lawrence. Do you have recollections of Nevada? CM: I never actually lived there; it was my mom’s hometown. She’s the Missourian; the rest of us are Kansans. But all of us cousins rotated spending a week with my grandma and grandpa down there every summer. I’m sure they liked having us around, but we also provided a little garden and canning labor for them. Why the move to Lawrence and what do you remember about growing up there? CM: We lived in Overland Park when it was still a lot of farmland, like before they built Metcalf South Mall. We moved to Lawrence in 1970, when my dad got a teaching gig there, just in time to see a picture in the paper of Abby Hoffman blowing his nose into the flag. Growing up in Lawrence was pretty idyllic, really—the perfect mix of farmers, hicks, hippies, and intelligentsia. I grew up thinking everybody pretty much got along. We lived out in the country, but I remember riding my banana-seat bike—no gears—five miles into town to go to the public pool where all my friends who lived in town were. Even though I have made a home for 30 years in Nashville, I still consider Lawrence my hometown and the center of the universe. When did music become a significant part of your life? CM: When my mother was young, her family—my two uncles and grandparents—had a family outfit that had a radio show on KNEM

in Nevada. They were the Wynes Family and were part of a little barndance type show called The Hayloft Gang. A little later, they got their own 15-minute show where they sang hillbilly, western, and gospel songs. They would play at county fairs and things like that, too. When the kids started getting older, they stopped singing professionally and did after-school stuff, you know, basketball, cheerleading, hot-rodding. They always played music, though, whenever the whole family got together the guitars would come out, and the singing would start. I seriously thought my grandpa and uncle wrote those Hank Williams songs when I was really small. In the early ’70s, they decided to get a dance band together and play gigs live. In the ’50s they never had a drummer, but you had to have one in the ’70s if you wanted to have a dance band. For my 12th birthday, I got a set of drums, and I became the guy. The band was my mother, my uncle, my grandpa, and my father. It was cool having your own money in junior high. I spent every Friday and Saturday night of my teen years at an Elks or Eagles or VFW or Knights of Columbus club. We’d also played honky-tonks, small fairs, rodeos, and Rural Electric Association meetings. We played the country music of the day—Merle Haggard, Don Williams, Tammy Wynette. oldies like Hank Williams and Ray Price, but also Carl Perkins, Elvis, Billy Swan, and Chuck Berry. I still play a bunch of those songs in my band now. Who were your first favorite bands/artists? CM: Hank Williams, the Beatles, Elvis, (I saw Elvis at Kemper Arena

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Behind the Music

IN KC

in 1976; it blew my mind) Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins. I was a weird kid that liked old music. But I also spent a lot of time listening to WHB and loved all the old Top 40 of that era. What was the first album you owned? You bought? CM: The first record I owned was the 45 (single) of Let It Be by The Beatles. The first album I bought with my own money was Three Dog Night’s Naturally. It’s still a killer record to me. What do you remember about your first public performance? CM: It was in the El Dorado Springs [Missouri] Community Building and my grandpa turned to me and said, “Use brushes on all the songs that have singing. Sticks on instrumentals only.” What was your first band called, and what kind of music did it focus on? CM: I don’t know if we really had a name. It was in high school, and we played a friend’s party in a barn. I’m sure the material was heavy on Beatles, Chuck Berry, the Stones, probably Elvis and Hank, too. That was also the point where I was starting to get into Nick Lowe and the Jam—the late ’70s. I lived in Lawrence from January 1984 through July 1987 and its music scene became a vital part of my lifestyle. I saw the first-ever Pedaljets show there, saw the Embarrassment at Cogburn’s, before it became the Bottleneck, and became a

loyal fan of bands like Steve Bob & Rich and your own Homestead Grays. What do you remember about that era? How did that scene and community contribute to your evolution as a performer and musician? CM: That was a real golden era for the Lawrence music scene. Before it was Cogburns, it was called Off The Wall Hall. I saw a bunch of great acts there—R.E.M. for a dollar. I was pissed when they came through a few months later and they played the Lawrence Opera House, now Liberty Hall, and it cost $5! The whole town was on fire then. I mean it was really diverse. I saw the Buzzcocks, Iggy Pop, Riders In The Sky, Steel Pulse, Charlie Daniels Band, Third World, Mutabaruka, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Muddy Waters, the Police, the Go-Go’s, XTC, Koko Taylor, and, of course, Jason and the Nashville Scorchers, who changed my life. But the local bands were diverse, too. I mean, you had the above-mentioned bands but also Tofu Teddy, who did Grateful Deadand Little Feat-type music and had killer players; the Poverty Wanks, a really cool reggae/ska band; Ricky Dean Sinatra, who defied category; Get Smart!, the Mahoots, Foodhead, the Lonesome Hound Dogs, and the incomparable Sin City Disciples. I know I’m leaving tons out, but we all kind of knew each other and hung out in the same places. It was less compartmentalized back then, wide open. As a result, I think I have pretty diverse tastes, a lot of appreciation for things I didn’t when I was younger. That’s probably true for everybody, but that “anything goes” attitude from back then shaped how I think about music now.

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almost called the band The We Ain’t Brothers. In BR5-49 we were always having fun, but we took the music very seriously. A lot of people in Austin thought we were made up by Music Row, but it couldn’t have happened if they’d tried to invent some band like us. You can’t make up what happened to us. We learned a lot and traveled in some heavy circles for a while. When we started we played 4½ hours without a break. If you took a break, people left and then you’d make crap tips. We thought it was the last stop. It turned out it was just the beginning. The guy with the cigar came and signed us up. And we were on our way.

BR5-49. The name itself was something of a novelty, and you all dressed the parts perfectly. But you were an exciting, kinetic live band and the music was serious and legitimate—anything but tongue-in-cheek. Talk about the dynamics of that band: how they and your initial intentions evolved and changed. CM: I moved to Nashville to, what a friend calls, “go pro.” I wanted to know how to really write and play country music. My goal was to get a job at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, site of the Hillbilly Left Bank— the place across the alley from the Ryman Auditorium, where the Grand Ole Opry was for years and hosted all the great performers and writers of the golden era of country music. And I did get a gig [at Tootsie’s]: “picking” in the window and bar-backing. Three doors down was Robert’s, which at the time was a Western-wear store for tourists. A guy named Gary Bennett, who had come to town for the same reason as me, was playing there. One day he told me that Robert had set up a band for him on the weekends and that weekend the guitar player couldn’t make it and asked if I would sit in with them. At the time, all the pickers on Lower Broadway were into the Outlaw-era-and-after country and whatever was on the radio, along with originals, of course. Gary and I were the only ones doing Hank, Ray Price, Webb Pierce, and Faron Young—who was still hanging around Broadway back then and used to call me Jimmy Durante because of my hat with the bill turned up—but especially Johnny Horton. You’d go into Battle of New Orleans, and people immediately respond favorably. That first night Gary and I could tell that we had an incredible singing chemistry. We would always get asked if we were brothers: We

What are your fondest moments with that band? Anything you’d do different if you had a do-over? CM: There was really so much in the first couple of years: playing with and becoming friends of the Black Crowes; playing on a leg of a Bob Dylan tour; Playing on Letterman; singing on stage with George Jones; hanging out with Buck Owens; meeting Aretha Franklin. I regret not taking full advantage of [the opportunity] to get up with more masters. At one point I could have asked someone to set up a songwriting session with Waylon Jennings or any number of guys who were still around. I did get up with quite a few but I still feel like I was an idiot for not doing more. Your resume is decorated with many significant projects and endeavors. Let’s start with the tribute albums you worked on: to Johnny Cash and then Waylon Jennings. What were your roles

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Behind the Music

IN KC

and what did those projects teach you? CM: I co-produced those records with Dave Roe, who is one of the most sought-after bass players here in Nashville. He has played with Jerry Reed, Johnny Cash, Vern Gosdin, Dwight Yoakam, and on tons of records. He’s also my good friend. We got together a bunch of left-of-center country and rock ‘n’ roll people to sing Johnny Cash songs and pitched it to the Dualtone record label and they put it out. It turned out pretty well, and I learned how to work in the studio with different individuals and a whole bunch of different personalities. It was all a really laid-back and fun atmosphere. Plus, I got to be in a band with some top pickers and singers. It went so well that a couple of years later they asked us to do a Waylon one, too. They’re both available on vinyl now. You toured with the Hillbilly All-Stars. Give us a synopsis of that experience. CM: Broken things in our wake. The Hillbilly All-Stars were Robert Reynolds and Paul Deakin from the Mavericks, country singer Mark Collie and me along with a rotating cast of players like Jerry Dale McFadden (Mavericks), Al Perkins (Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris), Joy Lynn White, Mark Andrew Miller, Chris Scruggs, and Elizabeth Cook to name some. Our collective notoriety got us (slightly) higher-profile gigs. It was pretty fun. In fact, it was a nonstop party. I loved it. I remember playing a festival in Ireland called the Midlands Festival a couple of years in a row. The first year we played the bill, our night was Ray Wylie Hubbard, the Hillbilly All-Stars, the Del McCoury Band, Don McLean, Glen Camp-

bell, Dwight Yoakam, and Van Morrison. I would go see that show. You then stepped big time into musical theater, becoming the music director for Million Dollar Quartet. What prepared you for that project? How did it change you, professionally and personally? CM: I didn’t know anything about how to put music together for a theatrical piece. When I first got the gig, I didn’t even have an iPod. When we did the reading, I had a boom box and CDs trying to keep up. They hired me because they wanted real rockabilly music instead of some conventional musical supervisor/director’s interpretation of rock ‘n’ roll. That first production I was on trial, so I knew I had to adapt my experience to theater. The show is about Sam Phillips anyway, so I just did what I knew—that was produce a record. We made all the songs breathe but fit in with the repetitive nature of theater. We put together a pretty exciting hillbilly skit. The next thing I know I’m at the Tony Awards sitting right behind Tom Hulce. The show really works because nobody is in their comfort zone. The theater people aren’t used to the rock ‘n’ roll, and the musicians have to really buckle down and remember where they’re supposed to stand. It’s the meeting of the discipline of the theater and the absolute lack of discipline of rock ‘n’ roll. I learned a lot working in the theater. It’s a whole different side of show business. I’d like to write a musical piece someday. Your memory of performing at the Grand Ol’ Opry for the first time. CM: It was one of those, “Well here I am just like I wanted. What now?”

moments. But we had a power, the five of us together in BR, and that

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really sustained us to not freak out and just kick ass when we’re in situations like that. It was most exhilarating. Jimmy C. Newman introduced us, and we did our two numbers and got such a response, Jimmy asked us to do another. Quite an honor. Our friends heard Grandpa Jones at the side of the stage holler, “Sign ‘em up!” That’s a good feeling. I have made a lot of friends at the Opry. I have always felt related to the Whites, who were there our first night. We call each other cousins. I still call Buck (White) “Uncle Buck.” I’m just glad I keep getting the call to play on the show. What have you been doing to navigate/endure the pandemic? CM: It’s weird being home so much. I’m treating it like a reset. I haven’t felt too creative during this period. At first, since my wife still had a job, I was in charge of tornado repair. The Nashville tornado of March 3 ripped right down my street. We had minimal damage compared to many of our neighbors who lost everything. Then the lockdown happened, like a week later. So I spent days studying Spanish, playing guitar and piano, calling people just to ask them how their pandemic is going, and running. I’d be skinny if I didn’t also down a bunch of wine at night. But I have managed to do Zoom readings for two different new musicals and do a live-stream show every other Saturday from my Li’l Shack Out Back called The Li’l SOB Jamboree. Things are going to come around. We just have to see this part through.

rence and Kansas City? What is your perspective on each more than 20 years into the millennium? CM: I love Kansas City because it’s one of those cities that still looks like themselves. You drive in on I-35, I-70 or any other road, and you still recognize it as Kansas City. It has managed to modernize without ruining the look and vibe. I love playing there, usually Knuckleheads, and, whenever I can, I hit Arthur Bryant’s or Gates, and, if I’m late-night randy, Town Topic. I still know some of the older Kansas City players, though I haven’t connected with some like I’d like to. I stay in touch with people in Lawrence. I come home at least twice a year, hang out at Richard’s Music, and watch the same parade of ne’er-do-wells walk into the place as when I worked there, plus a whole new crop of them. I should probably tune in more just to see what’s up with the new crowd. Maybe somebody there can fill me in. But I’m sure there are house parties, and basement bands all over town, because that’s what Lawrence does.

How close in touch are you with the music communities in Law-

WANT MORE TIMOTHY FINN? Check out his weekly online-only content at inkansascity.com. Every Wednesday the website publishes his list of Top 5 Notto-Miss Concerts in the metro. Every week you’ll find his revered, rollicking, reasoned reviews and commentary. Email Timothy Finn at tfinn@inkansascity.com

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L I G H T I N G

Look

IN KC

Fashion

Fit To Be Tie-Dyed

TRENDS COME AND GO, but some seem to transcend time and space. Case in point, the resurgence of everyone’s favorite DIY project, tie-dye. Designers bring a little more subtlety and class to what has often been the uniform of choice for hippies and Phish fans. Can you still do it at home? Sure. But if you want a new spin on this trend, look no further than these KC retailers.

EXCITING NEUTRALS? Yes, that is now a thing, at least when you have this taupe-on-white combo to live in. Stay on-trend with the athleisure look in a hoodie and jogger combo in soft knit. Yes, it has pockets. No, you will never want to take it off. Yes, that’s okay. Hoodie and pants by Olivaceous, $66 each piece. Available at Scoobie Boutique (Prairie Village Shops).

COLOR WITH CLASS Newsflash! Not all tie-dye includes garish colors and T-shirts. This flowing blouse from Danish brand Scotch and Soda incorporates splashes of color in muted tones with a refined silhouette and pearl embellishments. Pair it with sleek pants for an office-appropriate (or Zoom meeting) look or dress it down with a straight-leg jean. Scotch and Soda tie-dye blouse, $198. Available at Halls Kansas City (Crown Center).

MEN OF THE DYE If anything, men’s fashion embraced tie-dye for far longer than women’s fashion has. Now it’s back and looks more sophisticated-casual than festival-chic. In this case, tie-dye has evolved to invoke marble, with earthy tones. This ensemble is perfect for the leisurely dog walk or meeting up with friends for socially distanced beers. Sol Angeles olive marble pullover hoodie, $128, and sweat shorts, $114. Available at Ulah (Westwood).

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

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

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Look

IN KC Beauty

the Eyes

Need It EYE CREAMS FOR EVERYONE BY

R. Murphy

f there’s one part of our body that needs a little TLC right now, it’s our eyes. After being subjected to Zoom call after Zoom call, late nights and early mornings, the delicate area around our eyes is starting to look, well, tired. The under-eye area is notorious for showing our indiscretions first in the form of bags and fine lines. Pay it off with a ton of moisture and cooling, soothing botanicals. AN APRICOT MANGO A DAY KEEPS THE FINE LINES AWAY Moisture is the number one thing that your under-eye area needs, and one of the best ways to quench its thirst is through rich fruit oils like organic apricot kernel oil and mango butter. Add a bit of vitamin E for healing and glycerin to hold that moisture in the skin, and you have a soothing morning and evening routine.

SKIN KC Apricot Mango Eye Cream, $32, available at SKIN KC (Brookside).

AH SPA If you don’t have time to sit around with cucumber slices on your eyes in quiet repose, grab a bottle of Keys Eye Butter. The secret to this richly moisturizing eye cream is naturally distilled organic cucumbers, which tighten and soothe eye tissue. Of course, it’s also chock-full of shea butter, avocado oil, and carrot seed oil, so your eyes will feel pampered and look awake.

Keys Eye Butter, $28, Hand and Land (Midtown).

LIKE A FEATHER For those with sensitive skin, Pai Feather Canyon Echium and Argan Eye Cream will baby your eyes with moisture. Organic echium, a flowering plant native to Europe and Asia, provides high levels of essential fatty acids, making skin look plump and hydrated. Argan oil adds additional moisture, all while avoiding an oily overload.

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Pai Feather Canyon Echium and Argan Eye Cream, $54, available at Welwythn (Prairie Village).

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Look

IN KC

Wellness

R. Murphy

Need an Ear? THERAPY IS HERE FOR YOU

f you feel like your mental health has taken some hits in the last year, you’re not alone. According to Mental Health America’s latest report, people looking for mental health services to deal with anxiety or depression have skyrocketed in the last year, in some cases by 93% over 2019. Now, more than ever, access to therapy is essential. But how do you choose a therapist? Deanna Gonzales, LSCSW, of DragonFly Counseling, says there are a few ways to approach it. The absolute first step is to recognize that you need help in the first place. Once you’re ready to reach out, there are a few avenues to pursue. “If you have friends or family that are in therapy, ask for recommendations from them. Did they like their therapist? If so, why? If they didn’t, why? Because that’s just as important,” says Gonzales. If you don’t have family or friends in therapy, Psychology Today’s website offers a database of care providers. Gonzales says that the site is an excellent tool for filtering based on the gender of the therapist, which modalities they offer, their pay structure, and a bio for each provider. Another option is to contact your health insurance to see which providers are in-network. No matter how you narrow the field, finding

MARCH 2021

a smaller pool to talk to is essential so that you can find someone that you truly connect with. Lorena Gregory, one of Gonzales’s clients, says that she approached finding a therapist the way that she would approach dating. “I wrote out a letter of what I was looking for. I was looking for a therapist that can help me reframe things, ask me questions that push me to go deeper, and call me on my issues. I put in info about what issues I was dealing with, my world-views and opinions on spirituality, and my background. And that I was looking for someone with a sense of humor that can put up with cursing. Because I’m not censoring myself in therapy,” Gregory says with a laugh. That letter of introduction led to a discovery call that allowed the two women to connect and see whether they might be a good fit to work together, which Gonzales says is important. “Trust is one of the most important things that you can have in a therapy relationship,” she says. “Both sides should figure out whether they will be good for each other.” If you’re struggling, visit psychologytoday.com or contact your health insurance provider for recommendations on how to get help.

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Classic & Modern Say hello to designer Katy Sullivan,the newest member of our design staff. Katy 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.

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Living

IN KC BY

Stacy Downs

Mellow Yellow AN ODE TO THE COLOR OF HOPE, SPRING, AND THE NEW YEAR

Clockwise from left: Designer Kelee Katillac relied on yellow Schumacher velvet for the drapes in the gentleman’s drawing room of the Henry Blosser House. Highland House Madeline chair covered in yellow upholstery. The Retro Rainbow pillow is from Ampersand Design Studio.

ziness. My grandma, who cooked meals so delicious that they rivaled my favorite restaurants, decorated her lightfilled kitchen with yellow metal cabinets that kept food fresh like a sealed breadbox. “Yella,” she fittingly called the color, and the dishes she served lunches on were yellow, brown, and white plaid Vernonware “Organdie”—a simple, soothing, and charming midcentury pattern. This happy shade is indeed making its appearance in upholstery fabric, wallcoverings, and accessories, confirm designers who traveled to recent markets. Actually, Pantone chose two colors as a pair to represent this year: “Ultimate Grey” and yellow “Illuminating,” representing light at the end of the tunnel. How fitting.

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HOW TO ADD A LITTLE ‘YELLA’ • An accent chair • A bowl of lemons • A vase of tulips • Throw pillows • Table linens

ROOM PHOTO BY AARON LEIMKUEHLER

hile I don’t use much yellow in my home, I feel enthused by the bright, cheery yellow that trend forecaster Pantone chose as its color of 2021. After all, yellow is the color of sunshine, smiley faces and hope. Proof positive: the vibrant yellow coat 22-year-old poet laureate Amanda Gorman wore for the inauguration. Each spring, the first flowering plants to punctuate the beginning of the new season like exclamation marks are the yellow blooms of forsythia and daffodils. (BTW, spring is officially here later this month!) The hue is the charge of energy we all need after the slog of winter. Yellow, to me, also brings the feeling of comfort and co-

One Space, Three Parts IF YOU VISIT 517 E. 18th St. in Kansas City, you’ll have to check out the new gift shop, Duet. There are everyday items for the bedroom, garden, kitchen, and living room categorized and curated by material. For example, cotton blankets, terra-cotta planters, glass French presses and brass candleholders. But wait, there’s more at this address! It’s also the studio artist space of Emily Reinhardt, the ceramicist behind The Object Enthusiast, and Kevin Umana, a painter and sculptor. It also contains a gallery, The EKRU Project, focused on contemporary emerging and underrepresented artists. (EKRU is a combination of the two artists’ initials). shop-duet.com

Raise Your Glass From shower doors, wine cellars, partitions and half walls to table tops and floating shelves, today’s cutting, material and design options are nearly unlimited. Raise a glass to custom cut glass and all its possibilities. In-house glass artisans

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Living

IN KC

In Stitches BY

Stacy Downs

Above: Mrs. Blandings Peacocks in Love needlepoint pillow. Left: Jonathan Adler Bestie Worstie needlepoint pillow.

hile I don’t make resolutions, I do choose a word each year as a guide. “Intentional” is the one for 2021, and I strive to be intentional about learning to make things, specifically needlepoint. The rainbow array of threads and their textures excite me. But it is the patterns and the people who created them that truly motivate me to give this new hobby a go. Specifically: • The cheeky needlepoint pillows of Jonathan Adler. A standout says Bestie on top, Worstie below. • The one-of-a-kind gifts my aunts Jill and Linda have made for me. My favorite is a framed piece of a leggy redhead sitting atop luggage with a tiger on a leash and a ship in the background. Goals!

• While it might seem more intuitive to start with a small piece like a coaster, there’s more opportunity in getting the hang of it by working on something a little larger like a pillow. “When you stitch, you’re working on the diagonal and the trickiest part is turning. A bigger piece gives you more opportunity to get the hang of it.” • Seek help from people who work at the needlepoint store. “It’s an incredibly strong community.”

• The cool canvases my friend Patricia O’Dell has created for her Mrs. Blandings line that are sold in needlepoint stores throughout the U.S., including ones with peacocks, orange blossoms, and famous designers.

• Choose a canvas you love. “Just enjoy it!” LOCAL NEEDLEPOINT SHOPS

“There’s a movement toward fresh and fun in needlepoint,” says

MARCH 2021

O’Dell, versus the complicated, fussy patterns of yesteryear. Still, for her contemporary designs, she looks to antique and vintage fabrics and pottery for inspiration. “I find the process of stitching to be so soothing,” she says. “It’s almost like meditation.” O’Dell has encouraging advice for newbies like me on getting started.

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THE POWER OF POWDER COATING

Every Option of Wood Flooring

Every Type of Carpet

MY PORCH FURNITURE sure got a workout this past year during the pandemic. I spent more time on them than I had in years, so I observed many unfortunate details about the once-charming metal glider and cocktail table. They were chipped, scratched, and showing rust around the edges. No matter how hard I tried to clean them, they still looked grimy and battered—definitely nothing chic about this shabbiness. Sure, I could spray paint the metal myself, but I want something that’s going to endure the outdoor elements for more than a season. So, this spring, it’s time to call upon the powers of powder coating. Powder coatings are based on polymer resin systems combined with curatives, pigments, leveling agents, and other additives that are melt-mixed, cooled, and ground into a uniform powder similar to baking flour. A spray gun applies the powder coating to metal, and then the parts enter a curing oven where the heat—about 400 degrees—produces a molecular bond. Here’s how Gil Bohmann, co-owner of Genesis Powder Coating of Grain Valley with his son, Mitch, walks customers through the process: 1) Share photos of your furniture or other metal household items. Bohmann has powder-coated pieces as small as a lasagna cutter. 2) Choose from hundreds of colors and pick a ﬁnish—matte, high gloss, or others in-between. 3) Get a price based on size, age (older pieces sometimes have more layers of paint), and how many colors are desired (vintage pieces often have white or ivory decorative backs framed with a different color). 4) Transport your item to the shop. 5) Pick up your item a week or two later.

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Powder-coated finishes typically last at least a decade, and sometimes even a lifetime, because the surface is ten times harder than a painted one. Another bonus: it is eco-friendly because of zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds). genesispowdercoating.com

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words by

Cindy Hoedel

IN CONVERSATION WITH

Aaron Rahsaan Thomas

photo courtesy of aaron rahsaan thomas

or other 5th graders at Pleasant Green Community School, off 5th Street and Washington Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas, it was a throwaway extra-credit assignment: Write your own Greek myth. For Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, it was a springboard to an award-winning career as a Hollywood screenwriter. Thomas, 43, spent his early childhood in the Chelsea Plaza affordable housing complex and attended the same Baptist church as Janelle Monáe, whom Thomas’s mom used to babysit. Later, Thomas’s parents bought a house near 18th Street in the historic Westheight neighborhood, famous for its Craftsman-style homes. They still live there. Thomas attended Pembrook Hill High School in Kansas City, Morehouse College in Atlanta, and the University of Kansas before moving to Los Angeles, where he earned a master’s degree at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Thomas was selected for the prestigious CBS Writers Mentoring Program. His professional writing credits include Soul Food: The Series, Friday Night Lights, which earned him a Peabody Award, Numb3rs, and CSI:NY. He co-produced TNT’s SouthLAnd, Fox’s Sleepy Hollow, and Netflix’s The Get Down. Thomas has written the screenplays for two feature films: Cover and Assassination Games and directed an ESPN 30 for 30 film about the USC football team, Trojan War. He is currently co-creator and executive producer of CBS’s S.W.A.T. IN Kansas City caught up with Aaron by phone in Los Angeles, where he lives with his wife and 4-year-old daughter. He also has two grown daughters.

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What are some of your favorite memories of growing up in Kansas City? Kansas City was a great place to grow up, great people. We were a big movie and television family, so a lot of my memories stem from entertainment. We used to go to the State Drive-In on State Avenue regularly. And the theater at Indian Springs Mall when Indian Springs existed—a lot of fond memories seeing movies there, and going to the Tivoli in Westport to see movies. I also have great sports memories from Kansas City. I remember very vividly when the Royals played the Cardinals in the 1985 World Series. We didn’t have tickets, but I remember driving past Royals Stadium all lit up at night and feeling the energy. You could hear the crowd roaring from far away. I also remember meeting some of the players on KU’s basketball team when Larry Brown was coaching. As a kid I remember mainly that they seemed just impossibly tall. And the Chiefs! We couldn’t afford regular season tickets, but I remember going to preseason games and rooting for the Chiefs from the nosebleed section. I would like to hear the rough story of the “Greek” myth you invented in the 5th grade. There was a farmer named Eclipso [laughs], and one time, to help farmers get relief from a really, really hot sun, he was given wings by the gods. He used those wings to fly up to the moon and push the moon in front of the sun, to give the farmers relief for one day, and that’s how

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the eclipse got its name. I thought it was extraordinarily fun, coming up with a story, and I guess I’ve never stopped. What role do family and friends play in your life today? They are life. My wife, my daughters, my parents, my little sisters, even my brothers-in-law, and definitely my friends from childhood and high school in Kansas City and from college and from graduate school—they all help to remind me of what life is about. My dad always raised me with a grounded idea of keeping priorities straight. He always says, “God, education, family.” So those are my priorities. I also try to remember that every day is not a given. You never know what’s coming at you. So, I try to never take anything for granted. I try to treat every project, every opportunity, every interaction as special.

‘‘

What culture do you consume when you aren’t creating culture? I’ve become more and more a student of history, absorbing the patterns of human societies and countries. I find myself going down rabbit holes a lot. I guess I’m consuming how cultures developed over centuries. We learn some stuff in school, and it gives a wider perspective to try to discern patterns. And we’re learning more and more that some key parts of our history were not being taught in school. Right, right. And you hope that the history hasn’t been lost, that we can use it to get better. Where do your ideas come from? My line of work is competitive and challenging. If you want to go into creating stories, it helps if you have a personal connection to them. So, I often start with a personal passion—a world or a genre or a character that I’m particularly interested in.

My dad always raised me with a grounded idea of keeping priorities straight. He always says, “God, education, family.” So those are my priorities.”

You’re very busy with your career. What does down time look like? [Long pause.] Ah, well, it’s funny because my wife was just reminding me the other day that it’s been a while since there’s been any. My outlook about not taking any opportunity for granted can result in not much down time. When I do get some, it tends to be spending time with family and friends, traveling to see family in Kansas City and also family overseas. What would be your dream vacation destination if you weren’t visiting loved ones? Ooh, so many! My wife and I love to travel, and we love to look for new places. We’ve been to every continent, but neither of us has ever been to Australia and New Zealand. We’d love to check that out. Do you have any passions that are unrelated to your work? Yes. I’m a sneakerhead. I’m a Jordanhead, specifically. Collecting and taking care of my shoes and wearing them is a source of fun for me. And that’s a passion that goes way back, even before I wanted to make movies, I wanted to become Tinker Hatfield, the legendary sneaker designer.

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Have you seen that video of Patrick Mahomes’ shoe room? Yes. Yes. Yes. I’m already a fan, and that only made me feel more of a kinship. I understand where he’s coming from. I know what he’s talking about. [laughs]

What’s an example of a passion that made its way into one of your projects? The current project I’m producing, S.W.A.T., is a reboot of a series from the 1970s and a movie from 2003. I brought to that project an idea for a character that I’ve always had in my mind: an African-American police officer who understood the challenges of the community he comes from and also the challenges of being a police officer. That passion was born in Kansas City, from seeing police officers who understood different sides and different points of view, who tried to act as diplomats in a way between these disparate groups. That always stuck with me. I took that character and put it into what I learned about the history of S.W.A.T., which was very interesting. How so? The original series was created here, in Los Angeles. I learned about some tricky history that the real S.W.A.T. team has had with communities. I felt that if I was going to take this character that I had a passion for and put him in the center of that world, the best way to do it would be to infuse it with real history and context. The whole team of writers was committed from the beginning to trying to add to our current history in a positive way. Do you feel like you have a role to play in bringing about needed change, or do you see your role as documenting and reflecting society? I would say both. I mean, the job of storytelling in entertainment is hard enough. It’s really hard just to tell a good story. But, under the best circumstances, if I can nudge the conversation in an interesting and enlightening way even just half a centimeter, then I take great satisfaction out of that. My approach is less proselytizing than bringing out points of view and walks of life that may not be familiar

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Shemar Moore stars as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson on S.W.A.T.

to everyone that encounters the show.

photo courtesy sony/cbs

What is it like being Black in Hollywood in 2021? There’s been progress made in the entertainment industry as far as the number of Black voices being heard behind the camera and in front of the camera, but the percentages are still low enough that all of us, as individuals, feel a responsibility to make our voices heard, to leave the place better than when we found it. And I mean better not just in terms of doing the right thing, but in terms of the craft—the stories are better when you bring in new voices and different takes. The way I do that is, I try to mentor and make sure to open doors behind me that maybe weren’t opened in front of me when I was coming up. Covid is acknowledged on the new season of S.W.A.T., we see people wearing masks and so on. Do you think that our world has been permanently changed by the virus, even if we are able to eventually stop the spread? Yes, but it’s hard to predict which changes will be lasting. The idea of how you can hold a meeting in my industry used to be that you abso-

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lutely had to travel across the country. Now we’ve seen that you can absolutely hold a meeting over Zoom. I think it’s also interesting to think about how some of the things we have lost may lead to gains in terms of new ideas and social opportunities once the virus is stopped. How so? If you look back in history at times of great challenges, right after those challenges are overcome you see periods of great social activity. For example, the Spanish Flu of 1918 was followed by the Roaring ’20s. Disco came after the turmoil of the 1960s. I’m going to be curious to see, after this is all over: Are you going to be more likely to go to your friend’s backyard barbecue that you might have skipped before? Will you be more likely to just drop by his house to say hello? Will you be more eager to get out and spend time with loved ones? Will you not take it so for granted? I’m curious, and I’m hopeful.

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Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.

words by

Katie Van Luchene

Ladies, Start Your Engines A LOCAL ORGANIZATION IS SETTING GIRLS ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

sk a woman what she’d tell her younger self—say, at age 10 or 12—and you might hear “You’re special.” “Don’t let anyone steal your sparkle.” “Know your own worth.” “You can do anything you set your mind to.” Those self-affirming credos are at the heart of Madam President Camp, a one-of-a-kind Kansas City-based organization that helps raise young girls to be leaders. True to its name, the five-day gatherings for girls ages 10 through 13 has a focus on politics. Campers discover the history of women in government, meet civic mentors, and participate in field trips that have included Kansas City Missouri City Hall, Jefferson City, and the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. Not every camp graduate will set her sights on a career in legislature. But all

HOW TO GET INVOLVED Support programs that support girls, especially when organizations like Madam President Camp have lost funding during the pandemic. Sponsor a camper through the scholarship program to cover field trips, meals, snacks, and materials. Invest in MPC though a personal donation or business sponsorship. The organization was recently awarded a $40,000 grant from the Gould Charitable Foundation to create an innovative virtual camp experience to supplement in-person camps. Consider becoming a mentor and collaborate one-on-one with a camper to help her expand her project or interests. Join the advisory board to provide feedback on the curriculum, brainstorm outreach ideas, and become advocates to expand the mission. Learn more at madampresidentcamp.org.

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will walk away with more confidence and self-awareness. The curriculum includes workshops on public speaking, goal setting, team building, and negotiation—tools that will serve young women throughout their lives personally, scholastically, and in the business world. One example is a skill many adult women haven’t yet mastered: an engaging elevator speech to introduce yourself or describe a project in 30 seconds or less. Here, then is the elevator pitch for Madam President Camp: “We offer girls the opportunity to learn about their gifts and talents and to think about how they want to use their abilities to become authentic, powerful leaders in their communities and ultimately the world.” GOING FROM TIARAS TO GAVELS The spark for Madam President Camp came about when co-founder Lee Smithson-Burd, a business psychologist and senior consultant with CMA Global, watched from the audience as her daughter, foam crown on her young head, curtsied on the final day of “princess camp.” Nothing against princesses, she thought, but there has to be a more empowering message to teach girls. A few days later she reached out to Pam Kelley, a businesswoman she knew through philanthropy. Together, they envisioned a summer camp to inspire young girls, see their value in the world and help them dream big. And could there be a bigger dream than the White House? The co-founders turned to Dr. Julie Warm, Associate Director of University of Missouri’s Institute for Human Development, to create the camp’s curriculum, which includes four elements: • Identify a vision. • Break down the steps to achieve that vision. Examples include creating a political campaign poster or developing a website. • Prepare a presentation about the vision to be given in front of the group, including other campers and families • Be matched with a mentor, chosen specifically to encourage growth beyond camp. EXPANDING TO MEET A GROWING NEED Since its launch in 2012, Madam President Camp has reached over 140 girls from a variety of backgrounds and diversity, an aspect that takes participants out of their comfort zones of school or neighborhood playmates. The 2020 camp was canceled due to the pandemic, but this summer’s plans include both in-person and virtual experiences. Camp sizes have expanded as well, growing from around 25 participants to 80. Four camps will be offered in June at the UMKC Volker Campus, Kansas City, Kansas Community College, and Johnson County Community College. Enrollment began in February.

Confidence Code, a groundbreaking book by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman. The authors found that between ages 8 and 14, confidence levels drop by 30 percent, and between the tween and teen years, girls’ confidence that their peers like them falls 46 percent. Social media adds to adolescent stress as girls judge their appearance, popularity, and activities by others on social media. Girls with positive self-worth are more likely to stand up to bullying, cope better during isolation brought about by the pandemic, and even fight the depression that’s increasing in our nation’s teens. IT STARTS WITH A HANDSHAKE One of the first lessons campers learn is the simple art of introduction. “Julie calls each girl up to the front of the room with instructions to stand up straight, look her in the eyes, smile, and introduce herself with a firm handshake,” Kelley says. “These days it might be an elbow bump, but the process is the same. On the first day of camp, often girls look at the floor or mumble their names. “By the end of day five, the transformations are remarkable. Introverted girls come out of their shells, and those who started the week with self confidence are absolutely dazzling.” Kelley recalls having goose bumps watching the metamorphosis of Alaina, a shy camper from a few years ago. “On the last day we invite family members to join us as each camper presents the project they’ve been working on for five weeks. When Julie asked the group ‘Who wants to go first?’, Alaina’s hand shot up. I looked over at her mom, who had tears in her eyes.” MADAM MAYOR “I would have been one of those shy girls studying at my shoes,” says Carol Marinovich, an MPC board member who regularly shares her story with campers. It’s an impressive one: she was the first woman to serve on the Kansas City, Kansas City Council and was sworn in as mayor in 1995. Her leadership sparked a remarkable revitalization in Wyandotte County, starting with the Kansas Speedway and a thriving shopping and entertainment district.

FLIPPING THE NUMBERS While creating the camp’s mission, Smithson-Burd and Kelley discovered startling data about how the lack of confidence can affect girls beginning at adolescence. Much of their research was based on The

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attended MPC six years ago when she was 13. “Colleen’s an only child, so I looked for ways for her to interact with other girls with similar interests but from different backgrounds,” she says. “Colleen was already fairly outgoing—the marks of a single child, I guess—but the camp really brought out her maturity in dealing with her peers. “She’d come home, excited to tell us about her day. One of her favorite experiences was role-playing at the Truman Library where the campers had to decide whether or not to desegregate the military. “A few girls chosen to represent key characters pored over documents, worked together to form an opinion and had to report to the group. Colleen had the part of Clark Clifford, a trusted advisor to Truman at the time, and she relished the role,” says Mahoney. “Thankfully, my husband (a federal judge) and I knew who Clark Clifford was!” Marinovich didn’t aspire to civic duty growing up. She saw a problem in her neighborhood and sought ways to solve it. Every successful meeting and each time she heard the word “yes,” built her confidence. Yet she recalls with a laugh how her knees would shake behind the podium when speaking in public. She understands that with success comes the responsibility to become a role model, especially one that aligns with a girl’s personal circumstances. Marinovich grew up with a single mom and an alcoholic father. With an eight-grade education, her mother always envisioned a better life for her daughter. “She always said, ‘When you graduate from college…’ It was never if, but when.” Marinovich remembers telling her personal story during a “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” as mayor. The next morning, a woman in the office told her about driving home with her 10-year-old daughter, eyes glowing with hope. “Mom,” she said, “the mayor’s just like me.” ACTING THE PART Riley Martin, who attended MPC in 2017 when she was 11, includes Julie Warm in her list of female role models. “Dr. Warm encouraged us to bring our own ideas to the group,” she says. “And we learned how important it is to listen to others’ ideas and viewpoints.” Riley’s favorite camp activity was during a field trip to the Truman Library where the group participated in The White House Decision Center, a recreated West Wing. Campers were given the task of deciding whether or not to use atomic weapons to end the war. A difficult decision for anyone, and especially young girls. But in her role as the president’s press secretary, Riley was pushed out of her comfort zone by speaking in public, answering questions, and explaining viewpoints. She’s certainly conquered any stage fight; Riley is enrolled in theater at Shawnee Mission South High School and is taking private acting lessons. MAKING HISTORY Maureen Mahoney apologizes for a late afternoon return call. “It’s been back-to-back meetings all day,” explains the chief of staff of Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey. As she begins to talk, her voice changes from civic powerhouse to proud mom. Mahoney’s daughter, Colleen,

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GROWING BEYOND CAMP For campers like Colleen and Riley, five days of interactive activities flew by too soon. But that’s not the end of the life-changing experience. Following camp, each girl is linked to a mentor who will continue to nurture her interests in business and politics. Campers have used their new skills to run for and win student council leadership roles and create non-profit organizations. One graduate, Sophia Dominquez-Heithoff, parlayed her interest in political science and a commitment to justice by establishing Community and Scholars Cooperatively (CASC), an organization focused on making community service fun. She also lobbied the Missouri General Assembly for better programs for adults with developmental disabilities. That impressive service work—along with her natural poise—helped the Parkville, Missouri, teen win the Miss Missouri Teen award when she was 17, followed by being crowned Miss Teen USA. “We knew Sophia had something special on her first day of camp,” Kelley recalls. “She definitely gives our other girls something to aspire to no matter what their interests are. Dream big, we tell them. Dream big.” A SISTERHOOD OF LEADERS “It’s our hope that these graduates will become part of a growing network of politically savvy, empowered young women ready to take on leadership roles in their futures, whether that’s at the university level, their communities, states, the country, and the world,” says Kelley. Those skills played out in the recent election. Mahoney’s daughter Colleen applied her talents—and perhaps channeled Clark Clifford’s influential nature—by working on a successful congressional campaign while a student at the University of Texas. “Her work was so valuable, they asked her to make calls for the senatorial race in Georgia,” Mahoney says. In the meantime, campers continue to find a wealth of women role models in the political realm, including a record number of women in the congress and senate along with our first female vice president. “And a woman of color,” adds Kelley. “That’s significant for little girls.” And celebrating a real-life Madam President is within reach, giving the Kansas City organization’s name even more relevance.

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Lower Levels with High Design WORDS BY

Judith Fertig

PHOTOS BY

Schmitz designed the steel-and-glass shelving, which features integrated LED strips that provide “task, accent, and mood lighting,” she says. Zac + Fox wallpaper covers the back of the bar. A pair of pendants from Circa Lighting light the island.

Aaron Leimkuehler

UTILITARIAN GETS A STYLISH SPIN WHEN KANSAS CITY BASEMENTS TRANSFORM INTO INDOOR GOLF COURSES, VIRTUAL SCHOOLHOUSES, MEDIA ROOMS, AND COCKTAIL LOUNGES

Cuddle-Up Media Room/ Smoky Cocktail Lounge

or their empty-nester home in Meadowbrook, an Overland Park couple wanted a hangout space that could go from bowls of popcorn and Disney Plus with their grandchildren to martinis and game nights with their friends. Early on in the building process with Ambassador Homes, the couple brought in Lisa Schmitz, of Lisa Schmitz Interior Design, who took full advantage of the higher ceilings and worked around the

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Above, left: Lighting washes across the three-dimensional Italian terra-cotta tile that accents the staircase. Above, right: In the powder room, the ribbed-wood shade of the sconce references the rustic white oak of the custom vanity cabinet. Right: A custom settee upholstered in a Brook Perdigon fabric is tucked into a niche lighted by a Workstead sconce.

structural beams and absence of windows. “A lighting plan is a must for a room with no natural light,” she says. “I love the ability to create moodiness in a media room. We used dimmables, task lighting, pendants, and integral LED lights in the cabinetry to go from cozy and nestled-in to sophisticated.” Schmitz emphasized smoky neutrals and textured materials, making the television disappear in a casing of black steel. “Seating is also important for a multi-use room,” she says. A deep, squishy sectional lets everyone pile in with their favorite blanket. Armchairs allow for movie nights for two. Barstools, a stylish banquette, and chairs around the game table turn on the cocktail-hour vibe.

Lisa Schmitz Interior Design lisaschmitzinteriordesign.com

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Antique vessels from the homeowners’ collection are on display in the custom cabinetry. The owners’ son-in-law handcrafted the steel and castconcrete coffee table.

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Opposite: Layered rugs, plenty of pillows, and a generously sized peroba rosa coffee table from RH make this family room the coziest spot in the house. Left, top: Pulled up next to the ﬁreplace, an inherited leather club chair sits in front of a Kelly O’Neal painting. The homeowner discovered the horns at a West Bottoms antique store. Left, below: Crisp black-and-white ﬂoor tiles tie together the glossy black shiplap, Kohler trough sink, and white subway tile-lined shower.

Indoor Golf and Virtual Schoolroom

hen a Leawood family built their new home designed by Elwood Smith Carlson Architects, they had big plans—for their basement. “The entire basement was built around specs for a future golf simulator, which meant a big golf room with 10foot ceilings,” says the homeowner. “Like the rest of the house, we wanted the area to be open and multiuse. When we entertain, there’s something for everyone—adults mingle at the bar, some of the guys putt or play darts in the golf room, the kids can go into the playroom. The playroom is technically another bedroom, adding value to our home, but for now, it’s a bunkroom, make-shift classroom, playroom, toy-storage area, someday-fitness-room.” She adds, “Not everything has to be ‘finished.’ We polished our concrete floors rather than putting down alternative flooring, then added some rugs to warm up the room.” The lower level also offers an opportunity to get creative. “We had an awkward space between the bar, living area, and golf room,” says the homeowner,” so we added some bistro tables and chairs. Now it’s a place to sit and chat, or the kids eat lunch, or another place to do crafts.” And the fun continues. “My husband practices

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Leather and wrought-iron stools from West Elm pull up to the bar. Around the corner is the golf simulator, where steel shelves from CB2 display the husband’s golf trophies.

Above, top: A framed piece from Porter-Teleo hangs above the bistro tables tucked into a corner of the family room. Above: One room does double duty as a space for stay-overs and game time.

putting, and the boys are getting in on the action too,” she says. “They love creating miniature-golf obstacle courses. We have also had some indoor campouts on the putting green.” Elswood Smith Carlson Architects escarchitects.com

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Feeding Kansas City words by

Kelsey Cipolla

THE LONG REACH of Covid-19 extends into the kitchen for many in Kansas City and around the country. As communities cope with lost jobs and income, Feeding America estimates more than 50 million people, including one in four children, experienced food insecurity in 2020. Local organizations in a position to respond during this unprecedented crisis met sudden increased demand, an unpredictable food industry, and a host of other barriers. Here’s how they adapted—and found ways to keep feeding Kansas City.

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HARVESTERSTHE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK Since the pandemic started, Harvesters—The Community Food Network distributed 13 million pounds more food than they did in the same time period the previous year. It’s a stark reminder of how much and how quickly food insecurity has grown. “Throughout this pandemic, our agencies are reporting a 30 to 40 percent increase in the number of people that they’re serving,” says the president and CEO of Harvesters, Valerie Nicholson-Watson. “And it’s not just the fact that more people began coming—the people we were already serving needed more help, so technically, we’ve seen the depth and the breadth of need expand since the pandemic.” Nicholson-Watson says the organization has faced a number of challenges in adapting during the crisis, from enduring months-long delays before receiving ordered food, to working with Harvesters’ more than 760 partner agencies across 26 different Kansas and Missouri counties to ensure their service models keep staff and volunteers safe. Despite implementing safety procedures, one of the biggest problems has been attracting volunteers to work in the warehouses, a vital part of Harvesters’ operations. “So much of our donated food has to be touched by volunteers. If it’s a food drive, they have to go through those barrels, they have to sort it into the appropriate category, it has to be boxed up so that it can go into inventory,” Nicholson-Watson says, noting that volunteers make Harvesters’ work possible. Getting food to people in need also required a fresh approach. Harvesters added 60 new mobile food distributions, including two mega mobile distributions, where people can drive through and have food placed in their vehicle. And as schools closed and many children no longer had access to a vital source of meals, Harvesters worked with schools to continue providing backpacks filled with food distributed to area kids through its BackSnack program. Although Covid-19 vaccines bring hope, Nicholson-Watson cautions that the effects of the pandemic on food insecurity will be felt for years to come, and more action is needed to create change. “People need to understand that people from all walks of life now find themselves with fewer resources than they had. For many, that does mean making some difficult choices now between buying food and buying other necessities,” she says. “We’re fortunate that we have this network available to them, and we need to think a bit more about the people who are in need and what we as a society can do to make sure that working people who are gainfully employed have enough income to live a modest, stable lifestyle.” harvesters.org

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KANBE’S MARKET For millions of Americans, food insecurity isn’t just a matter of having the money to buy sustenance—it’s about the options that are available nearby. Areas where people lack access to fresh, healthy, affordable food are known as food deserts, and Kanbe’s Market is working to address them in Kansas City by bringing healthy options to corner stores, small businesses where residents are already buying food that’s often packaged and processed. “We didn’t want to ask them to spend more money or to go to a different location; just to pick up the apple instead of something a little less healthy,” explains the market director of development for Kanbe’s, Carmen Vajgrt. The nonprofit has created a network of stores which sells fresh produce that is sourced, supplied, and delivered by Kanbe’s, eliminating the need for stores to establish their own relationships and risk the products not selling. Kanbe’s provides the cooler equipment and signage, and sells food on consignment, sharing the profit in a 30-70 split with stores, an arrangement that can add $7,000 to a small corner store’s bottom line over a year. The model has proven to be a success for Kanbe’s, which launched the Healthy Corner Stores program in 2018. By 2019, the organization was in 12 stores and moving roughly 20,000 pounds of food per month with coolers regularly selling out. Those numbers skyrocketed in 2020 as community need increased in light of the pandemic. Kanbe’s now operates the program in 41 different stores, moving 45,000 pounds of food each month, Vajgrt says. In addition, the organization has partnered with Mid-America Regional Council to deliver meals to older or disabled adults in communities Kanbe’s serves, an effort that distributes 21,000 meals per month. It also works with various local organizations to turn food at risk of going to waste into community meals. “There’s a number of avenues that we can go down to send our food home with someone, but that takes collaboration and partnership,” Vajgrt says. “That’s been the thing that I think I’m the most proud of, last year and continuing on into this year: Our ability to collaborate genuinely with organizations that are doing so much good.” kanbesmarkets.org

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AFTER THE HARVEST Fifty-two percent of all fruits and vegetables grown in the United States are wasted before they reach the table, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Although some of that produce is purchased and never eaten, much of it doesn’t even see a consumer. It isn’t cost-effective for farmers to harvest food that can’t be sold in stores due to superficial defects, even though they don’t impact quality, explains Lisa Ousley, the executive director of After the Harvest. That’s where her organization comes in. “Our mission is to get fresh produce that would otherwise be wasted into the hands of people who might otherwise go hungry,” she says. Since After the Harvest was founded in 2014, it has rescued 24 million pounds of food. After the Harvest transports 40,000-pound truckloads of produce sourced from farms around the country, partnering with Harvesters to distribute the food across its vast local network. The organization also picks up produce left over from farmers markets and farm stands, and a significant portion of food is rescued through its local and regional gleaning program, where volunteers collect produce from farmers’ fields and orchards after they’ve been harvested. The gleaning program grew significantly in 2020 as restaurants and other food purveyors were forced to shutter or operate at reduced capacity and huge amounts of fresh produce were no longer being purchased or used. “Farmers are some of the most generous and wonderful people you’ll ever meet in your life,” Ousley says. “Their attitude was, ‘If I can’t sell this, I’m not going to let it waste.’” As a result, After the Harvest saw a 156 percent increase in the gleaning program, an effort supported by more than 600 unique volunteers who turned up throughout 2020 to help during socially distanced events. The organization also raised funds to mobilize a larger team and acquire cold storage space. After the Harvest will also soon have a refrigerated truck, which will allow strategic distribution of gleaned food to its more than 300 partner agencies as the community continues to struggle with the pandemic. “I’m so hopeful for a vaccine this year,” Ousley says, “but we will just keep moving forward and keep getting fresh fruits and vegetables for hungry folks.” aftertheharvestkc.org

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Fashion Forward INTERIOR DESIGNER DOUG WELLS DESIGNED A PRAIRIE VILLAGE TOWNHOUSE THAT FITS THE OWNER’S TASTE AS WELL AS THE COUTURE PIECES SHE COLLECTS WORDS BY

Judith Fertig

PHOTOS BY

Aaron Leimkuehler

e all know farm to table, grape to glass. For Shelly Legler, the formula is more apt to be design to dress. And make it couture. “I was a fashion model in Los Angeles before I became a nurse,” she says. “Ten years ago, at the age of 50, I became one of the faces of 5F at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City, and my modeling career began again. I love fashion and collect vintage brooches, hats, and clothing. I wear treasured iconic pieces from both my mom and my mother-in law— who were both fashion models—by Chanel, Gucci, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Geoffrey Beene, and Oscar De La Renta.” Still a nurse, but also the brand ambassador and part owner of her

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Above, left: Doug Wells and Shelly Legler. Above, right: A painting by artist Brady Legler hangs above the sweeping staircase. Opposite: A contemporary pendant from Wilson Lighting deﬁnes the living room. Vintage sofa is reupholstered in a Holly Hunt velvet mohair, Marble-topped coffee table is from Madden McFarland and Brady Legler rug from The Rug Studio.

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artist son Brady Legler’s multi-faceted company, which includes his designs for jewelry, rugs and art, she brought her own style to a Prairie Village home in a quiet enclave. “I immediately liked the spaciousness of the layout with the high ceilings in the main room, the tall limestone fireplace that looks like a ski lodge, and the rounded staircase to the upper story that reminds me of the Guggenheim Museum in New York,” Legler adds. Built in the 1980s, the house needed a refresh. She called on Doug Wells of Wells Design Studio. “I’ve known Shelly for 25 years,” says Wells. “She has an understated glamour. I reimagined the space to suit her—a more open plan on the ground floor, the kitchen open to the living room—the soft, sooth-

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In the famiy room, etageres are circa-1970, and the upholstered ottoman is Massoud from the Designer Center at Nebraska Furniture Mart. Flowers from Studio Dan Meiners. Opposite: Eero Saarinen chairs recovered in a faux shagreen surround a marble-topped table from RH in the dining area. Legler inherited the midcentury-modern console from her parents. Flowers from Studio Dan Meiners.

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Left: Wells designed the custom cabinetry, which is a riftsawn oak stained a warm gray. Above: In the kitchen, Brazilian quartzite covers all the countertops, wraps the island, and is installed as full-height slabs on the backsplashes.

ing master bedroom suite, office on the mezzanine, and her long closet for all those shoes.” “Doug asked me how many pairs of shoes I had,” recalls Legler. “I think it’s a hundred,” she says. They’re now displayed on built-in shelves on one side, Legler’s high fashion finds on the other. Wells also cleverly hid a closet behind a full-length mirror off the generous bathroom next to the family room, a designer detail tailored to the owner. “Her house is like a great outfit,” says Wells. “We took cues from her closet for the interior design.” And so, throughout the house, you’ll see neutrals—not everyday beige and gray and off-white, but shimmery, powdery, fizzy pales on walls and cabinetry, like a sip of champagne. Contrasting gemstone colors echo the sapphire-blue sequined Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress that Legler debuted for Bergdorf Goodman (and finally bought years later at an auction). Or they reference amethyst and smoky topaz, jet, pink ruby, and lapis lazuli. Textures are important, too. Velvet on draperies and sofas, a woven fabric on the bed that could be the boucle cousin of a vintage Chanel suit. An alligator print jumps from handbag to ottoman in the family room. “I’m also drawn to simple geometric shapes and you’ll see them all around in the light fixtures, the hardware, and in the tile in the bathrooms,” says Legler. The lighting throughout the house, all from Wilson Lighting, suggests geometric statement necklaces, dangly earrings, or chunky bracelets. In addition to the fashion sense, there’s also an unmistakable warmth. “My aesthetic is eclectic and also sentimental,” says Legler. “I like to mix it up.” Just as Legler might wear a Chanel jacket with a pair of jeans, she might also place a glamorous Kelly Wearstler mirror near a piece from Target. Brady Legler’s abstract expressionist canvases hang in every room, words continued on page

MARCH 2021

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MARCH 2021

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Top, left: In the principal bedroom, a pair of ’80s club chairs reupholstered in Legler’s favorite color are tucked into a niche. Top, right: A guest bath off the family room features a family heirloom chair reupholstered in a cut velvet. Bottom, left: Light floods the spacious principal bath, which features a custom vanity, a Koehler tub, and oversized Solto white marble tile. Bottom, right: Both the principal bath and the guest bath (above) feature curbless showers. Opposite: Wells designed the custom-made bed, which is dressed in Hotel Collection linens. Flowers are from Studio Dan Meiners.

MARCH 2021

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FASHION FORWARD CONTINUED FROM PAGE

Legler’s vast collection of shoes and vintage couture ﬁlls one of the spacious closets in the renovated townhouse.

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

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THE IT LIST Art & Rugs Brady Legler bradylegler.com

beautiful heart

Builder Dadon Builders 913-334-4077

Gifts Home Cards

Interior Design Wells Design Studio wellsdesignstudio.com

Invitations Baby

Flowers Studio Dan Meiners studiodanmeiners.com

with a special “Love” painting in the family room. His vividly colored rugs, like paintings in wool, are soft underfoot. Family photographs pop up here and there. Legler repurposed furniture pieces from her parents and knows her stylish mom would approve of the chandelier in the living room. “It’s amazing how much you’re like your parents,” she says. In the kitchen, a pale island surrounded by powdery amethyst bar stools looks out onto the living room with its soaring fireplace. Here, the amethyst deepens, joining sapphire blue, ebony, and silver in a sort of day-to-evening look.

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The master bedroom with its extra padded carpeting is like a restful retreat in a treehouse. Across from the silvery bed is a midcentury-modern chair recovered in a fuchsia fabric for that punch of color. The bathrooms, with exquisite marble and reupholstered chairs and fixtures like jewelry, seem more like Parisian fashion house ateliers. Legler moved in just before the pandemic hit, and has found her new home to be just the uplifting space she didn’t know she needed. “I come back from work and walk in and think ‘God, I love this house,’” she says.

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1/13/20 10:05 AM 1/13/20 10:05 10:05AM AM 1/13/20

Flavor

IN KC

In the Kitchen FLATBREAD BASICS BY

Cody Hogan

PHOTOS BY

veryone loves a good flatbread—thin and crispy or thick and chewy—or even a combination of both. Leavened or unleavened, made from wheat or other grains, a food scholar could fill a lifetime researching this subject. My own introduction to preparing them began over 30 years ago making pizza from scratch at home, and I have been cooking and learning new ones ever since. There are countless ways of making flatbreads. This recipe is a starting point for leavened flatbreads like pizza, pita, naan, lahmacun, focaccia—the list goes on. I’ll discuss variations as I go. This bread can be fried in a skillet or on a griddle, cooked on a grill or grill pan, baked on a sheet pan or baking stone. Different methods result in slightly different finished products, but I find each of them very satisfying in its own way. Whether I’m preparing them as part of a casual meal or an impromptu appetizer to accompany drinks, at least half of the fun is the seemingly endless number of accompaniments for flatbreads you can use. Think of everything you could put on a pizza or quesadilla—practically every salsa in existence, cheeses, purées, spreads—and flatbreads are a great way to use up remnants of salads, sauces, cheeses, or dips (see Pantry). Make this your own and enjoy. Cody’s Super-Fast Flatbread There are a lot of words in this description, but I am covering several ways to get to the finish line, so read ahead and make a plan before you begin. If you want to bake this bread in the oven, maybe even on a baking stone(!), begin by preheating it as high as it will go (around 450-500F) while you prepare the dough. In a food processor combine two cups of all-purpose ﬂour, a half teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons EVOO, and one tablespoon of active dry yeast—I know, that’s a lot of yeast, but I wrote this recipe with speed in mind, and more yeast helps move things along. Turn on the food processor and gradually pour in one cup of warm water. When the dough gathers into a stringy ball chasing itself inside the food processor (this should take about 20 seconds), remove it from the processor bowl and, on a lightly floured surface, briefly knead it. It should be sticky, so generously floured hands will be a great help. (If you’re not using a food processor, the same thing can be accomplished by hand but it will take 5-10 minutes more.) Variations, you ask? The dough could be made with different kinds and blends of flour. Bread flour would make the dough more elastic.

MARCH 2021

Aaron Leimkuehler

Whole-grain flours, especially whole wheat (which I usually add a tablespoon or two of because it gives a slightly more rustic quality to the bread) and seeds can be interesting. Yogurt or sour cream can be added as part of the liquid component for a more Middle Eastern approach and a more tangy flavor, and it gives the bread a slightly longer shelf life after you cook it. You get the idea. Flatten the dough into a wide disk and lay it out on a well-floured board. Cover with a damp cloth and put it in a warm place for about 30 minutes while you assemble your condiments and toppings or clean the house. The dough should begin to puff and rise, but a big rise is not necessary for this quick flatbread. When you are ready to proceed, uncover the dough and divide it into two to four equal parts with a knife, being careful to disturb the dough as little as possible. Larger or smaller breads are possible by simply cutting the dough into fewer or more pieces. Dividing it into three is what I do for my old skillet. For the stovetop method, heat a cast-iron or other large, wide skillet or grill pan. Gently pat each piece into a round disk, then stretch each to approximately the size of the skillet bottom. If the dough resists stretching, use a rolling pin (or wine bottle) and a generous sprinkling of flour to roll out the dough. It is essentially ready to cook. If using a skillet, preheat it and then drizzle about one generous tablespoon of olive oil into the pan. For extra flavor, I like to drop a few needles of rosemary or other herb into the oil. Then place one of the stretched pieces of dough on top of the herbs. Sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt and more herbs and cover the pan for a minute or two. Peek. The dough will begin to puff a little here and there. When the dough begins to brown on bottom, turn it over and sprinkle a little more salt on the other side while it browns. If it puffs up like a pillow, gently press it down with a spatula until more reasonably flat. Total cooking time will be about five minutes, but it depends on the thickness of the bread. Continue with the remaining pieces of dough. If cooking on a grill or griddle, the process is essentially the same. If baking in the oven, maybe on a stone, simply slide the dough onto the hot surface. Chances are it will puff like a pillow in the oven. Congratulations, you just made pita bread. Flip it over and briefly (like 60 seconds), toast the other side. Voila! You’re a flatbread baker. And remember, if your first attempt at flatbread isn’t exactly perfection—meaning that you would rather not eat it—you could always go to the park, tear it into pieces, take a walk and feed the birds. Both you and the birds will feel happier for having done that. Refreshed, go back to the kitchen and try again, taking one more step towards making this bread your own.

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In Your Pantry TASTY TOPPERS Your pantry can be a one-stop shop for great toppings and dips for your next flatbread. Expand your repertoire with some of these combinations.

Dried Fava Beans

Canned Beans

Cheese Remnants

Similar to hummus, a delicious spread is easily made from dried fava beans (available in Middle Eastern or specialty stores). Put the beans in a pot with a clove of garlic, bay leaf, salt, a splash of oil, and water to cover. Cook until tender—about 30 minutes—adding a little water if needed to prevent scorching. Purée with an immersion blender or food processor. Adjust consistency with oil or water, and season as needed. Serve with cilantro, grilled greens, or chile oil. Be sure to use the peeled dried favas (they’re yellow/light tan, and look like partially split and chipped beans). The unpeeled version (brown, looking like whole beans) takes ages to cook and then require peeling.

Hummus made with canned garbanzo beans/ chickpeas, lemon, and tahini is familiar and fast. Try substituting a jar of basil pesto and a few cloves of garlic for the tahini for a delicious Italian variation the next time you need to dip. Don’t overlook other canned beans in your search for satisfying spreads. Great Northern or cannellini beans, drained of their liquid and puréed with black-olive paste (tapenade), or black beans puréed with a dash of oregano and cumin can be a tasty foundation for an extra-happy happy hour. And don’t neglect a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil for a rich ﬁnishing touch.

Love cheese but don’t know what to do with those odd and aging bits—some of them much stronger than when purchased? Blue, green, yellow, white, hard or soft—whip them into a little classic French fromage fort (meaning strong cheese). Pop those cheesy bits (wax rinds—or really any rind you wouldn’t want to eat—removed) into a food processor with a clove or two of garlic and purée them to a creamy consistency. Some like to add a splash of white wine or a few herbs like chives, scallions, or parsley when processing. A creamy, more Boursin-like spread can be made by adding a little cream cheese or butter. Serve at room temperature, chilled, or lightly warmed.

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* Cedarhurst Promise™ program is only available at advertised community. Not applicable for respite or other short-term stays. Refund is available only if move out is a result of dissatisfaction with Cedarhurst community as documented throughout stay. Complete refund includes base rent, level of care charges, and community fee. Ancillary services fees (ex. additional transportation, pet fees and laundry charges) do not qualify for refund. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Please contact community for additional details. Void where prohibited.

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Flavor

IN KC

In Your Cocktail THE MERCURY ROOM by

Kelsey Cipolla

photo by

Aaron Leimkuehler

Through Sfumato

MARCH 2021

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he latest cocktail experience from the creators of The Monarch Bar and Verdigris is out of this world, transporting guests from the streets of Kansas City into a galaxy of glowing stars. The Mercury Room, located on the 14th floor of the Reverb apartment building in the Crossroads, features floor-to-ceiling windows and a patio offering spectacular views of the downtown skyline. Thousands of LED lights strung throughout the bar and reflected by the windows, floors and tabletops create the impression you’re floating in space, an effect that’s both mesmerizing and a little disorienting. There’s a sense of being in-between states that reflects the bar’s namesakes: Mercury, the metal known for shifting between a liquid and solid, and the Roman god, who served as a mediator between mortals and the divine. Mercury was also the god of commerce, and drinks at his bar don’t come cheap. Each person prepays $30 for their spot, which covers the cost of a Mercury Room cocktail. Dress to impress—the dress code advises cocktail attire, and frankly, you’ll want to pull out all the stops for a setting this grand. Reservations must be made in advance, the earlier the better—weekend seatings at the intimate bar can be snatched up weeks in advance. Once you’re there, getting a drink at The Mercury Room isn’t as simple as being presented with

a glass; it’s an all-encompassing experience, which starts with an aperitif. Then comes the cocktail, followed by a small bite. The intentionality is unparalleled in Kansas City and complemented by the knowledgeable but unobtrusive staff. Part of The Mercury Room’s appeal is undeniably its atmosphere, which is unlike anything else in Kansas City. But it’s a testament to the bar team that the cocktails match the level of excitement all those dazzling lights inspire. The debut menu features a selection of drinks that would send the most well-versed barflies to Google, researching ingredients like osmanthus—a flowering plant used alongside Austrian orange wine and rosa wine apertivo in the Chiaroscuro. While the components seem intimidating on the page, they’re eminently drinkable in the glass. So, what exactly goes into a $30 cocktail, beyond those unexpected ingredients? Lots of time and attention paid to each step of the process. Take the Through Sfumato, perhaps the most daring cocktail on the Mercury Room debut menu. A blend of bourbon, bitter liqueurs, and madeira, every element is combined to achieve a refined and unique taste. Bar manager Thomas Petrucci makes use of specialized techniques and quality ingredients that perfect the flavor and texture of the drink. That includes infusing saffron into angostura bitters and steeping fresh bay leaves, dill, rosemary, and tarragon in madeira. Petrucci also crafts a rich demerara gomme syrup through a process that takes upward of 12 hours, which is then combined with lemon powder, Becherovka Herbal Bitter Liqueur and Meletti Amaro.

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

themercuryroom.com

Feeling ambitious? The recipe below is adapted for home bartenders. Find additional details at inkansascity.com.

Through Sfumato Combine the following ingredients and store in freezer: .25 .5 .5 1

ounce Fernet Vallet ounce Herbed rainwater madeira ounce Lemon Bechetti ounce Yellowstone Single Barrel Bourbon Dash of Saffron Angostura Bitters

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

To serve: Torch a 1 cm x 4 cm lemon peel until burnt and place a frozen rocks glass upside down on top of the peel to trap the smoke. Pour cocktail from freezer into glass from high above to add subtle aeration to the cocktail. Using a sharp knife, gently shave ice on the surface.

MARCH 2021

1900 Building 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway Mission Woods, Kansas

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Flavor BY

IN KC

Kelsey Cipolla

ISFAHAN WHEN THE PANDEMIC upended Liam Kazar’s career

In Culinary News

as a touring musician, he turned to an old passion: food. “Before I wanted to be a musician, I wanted to be a cook,” he explains. Now, Kazar shares dishes from his childhood that encapsulate his family’s journey from Armenia through Syria, Lebanon, and France before they eventually settled in America through Isfahan. Available for delivery only in Kansas City and Chicago, Isfahan prepares personalized family-style dinners for two to ten people designed to create a special at-home dining experience that harkens back to the home-cooked meals he remembers enjoying. Offerings include dolmas, Armenian stuffed hand pies, Persian crispy rice, whole roasted trout, lamb kebabs and paklava, a sentimental favorite of Kazar’s. eatisfahan.com

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For more information, visit our website!

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12for$12

We’ve extended our special offer.

We Are Kansas City Strong!

Keeping KC Moving: Essential Workers Tell Their Stories

A Deep Dive Into KC’s Favorite Dishes and Drinks HOME MAKEOVERS

A WALDO MEDITERRANEAN & A PRAIRIE VILLAGE RANCH

OUR NEW NORMAL

12 KANSAS CITIANS (Including Mayor Quinton Lucas) ON LIFE IN THE TIME OF THE CORONA CRISIS MAY 2020 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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The Men’s Issue

NICKY LOPEZ

DERBY DAY FASHION

THE ROYALS PLAYER

is eager to be back at bat

GREAT GIFTS

Cocktails & Cuisine

SHOP LOCAL FOR FATHER’S DAY

q&a with secretary of kansas dept. of health & environment

DR. LEE NORMAN

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Chris Cooper AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

RESTAURANTS GET CREATIVE

TALKS ABOUT GROWING UP IN KC, HIS NEW PROJECTS, AND HOW HE’S COPING WITH COVID-19

a colorful midcentury home, the kc arts scene, entertaining advice, recipes, and so much more

Kansas City’s Favorite Festive Foodie Fare

q&a with interior designer

TRIP HAENISCH entertaining advice, recipes, and so much more

Kansas City’s Ultimate Sandwich Guide

The KC Arts Community’s Pandemic Response

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Derrick Nnadi

AN EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH

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EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH

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Living with Art

THE NEGRO LEAGUES

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION FASHION

HOLIDAY AT HOME

TALKS ABOUT HIS LOVE OF DOGS, FOOTBALL IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS, AND THE ONE RESTAURANT HE WANTS TO SEE IN KC

Holiday Entertaining

BLACK CHEFS Tackling Racism in the Food Industry

What to Wear to a Wedding

KC’s Top Caterers A STUNNING PRAIRIE VILLAGE MAKEOVER

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KC-BASED BUSINESSES GO NATIONAL DOCUMENTING THE BLM MURALS

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Live Like aLocal

4 REAL WEDDINGS

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PET-FRIENDLY AND PRETTY COUNTRY AND CITY HOMES

A MIDCENTURY MASTERPIECE IN MEYER CIRCLE

AT HOME WITH A STUNNING COLLECTION OF CONTEMPORARY BLACK ARTISTS

DREAM KITCHENS & A MODERN FAMILY FARMHOUSE

DOG-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT PATIOS

Chiefs’ Defensive Tackle

RENOWNED OPERA STAR

the Pet

OF KC’S MOST ICONIC EATERIES YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF

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Restaurant Reviews, Recipes, Entertaining and more

Charitable Chiefs Players Give Back To Kansas City

Kansas Citians Tackle Health & Wellness in 2021 eat the rainbow

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COLORFUL BROOKSIDE BUNGALOW MARCH 2020 | INKANSASCITY.COM

AN INTERVIEW WITH KC NATIVE GILLIAN FLYNN OUR LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SHOPS & SERVICES

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THE NEW FACES OF

PHILANTHROPY

A MILLENNIAL MIDCENTURY MODERN HOME

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Flavor BY

IN KC

Kelsey Cipolla

DOP DONUTS DON’T SLEEP on DOP Donuts—if you don’t get there

In Culinary News

early, you might miss out on the sweet treats from the outdoor donut shop based in Downtown Overland Park. Owner Travis Lindemoen has long run an IT business in the neighborhood and wondered about potential uses for the narrow strip of land next door to his building. He found his answer in the concept of a stationary food truck. The kid- and pet-friendly business routinely sells out of its fresh and deliciously straight-forward donuts and pastries. The lineup regularly changes (follow DOP on social media for the latest menu), but fan favorites include pistachio almond, wedding cake, and red velvet. Having weathered the winter months, there’s excitement in store for the summer: Lindemoen hopes to develop a putt-putt course in the space behind DOP. dopdonuts.com

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SUNDAY NIGHT LIVE Save the Date! Sunday, October 3, 2021 5:00 p.m.

Sunday Night Live raises funds to support the programs and services of Kansas City Hospice. We invite you to celebrate life, peace and hope! Each year, more than 5,000 people are provided care at the end of life regardless of their resources. Your support makes this possible. Please visit KCHospice.org/SNL to learn more about our sponsorship opportunities.

Thank You!

Sunday Night Live event chairs Zach and Linsey Mallin thank the following corporate partners for their early sponsorship commitments!

A L L E G I A N T 7(&+12/2*<

Flavor by

IN KC

Kelsey Cipolla

FOUNTAIN CITY WINERY

In Culinary News

JAY AND MELISSA Pietkiewicz dreamt of starting a business together—just not in the midst of a pandemic. But after struggling to bring their concept to life during Covid-19, the couple plans to open Fountain City Winery in the West Bottoms this spring. The winery is launching with a lineup that includes merlot, a cabernet-merlot blend, riesling, chardonnay, a dessert wine, and several fruit wines available by the glass and bottled in their tasting room. The products will also be showcased through a series of sangrias. For now, Fountain City is importing juice from Missouri, as well as California and New York, but Jay says the goal is to eventually purchase vineyard space and start growing their own grapes to make estate wines. fountaincitywinery.com

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Flavor

IN KC

Reservation for One CANARY by

Kelsey Cipolla

photos by

n 1921, Kansas-born Amelia Earhart bought her first airplane. The yellow, secondhand Kinner Airster was nicknamed the Canary. Now a century later, a new Canary is taking flight in Kansas City, with Keely Edgington and Beau Williams in the cockpit. The couple behind Julep teamed up with The Netherland Hotel & Residences to open the concept on the ground floor and rooftop of the

MARCH 2021

Aaron Leimkuehler

historic midtown building at Main and 39th St. Inside, the restaurant’s atmosphere is charming, if a bit lackluster. The look of the space—filled with blue-greens, gold, and bold accent walls—is chic, but undercut by the humdrum lobby it backs up to. That’s about the only criticism that can be leveled at Canary, which soars thanks to high-quality cocktails you’d expect from the Julep owners and a smartly conceived and executed food menu cour-

| 94 | INKANSASCITY.COM

tesy of the executive chef, Mark Dandurand, who previously operated Fond at Strang Hall. Even if the Canary cocktail didn’t share a name with the restaurant, there would be no doubting that it is the signature drink. Big Bird yellow and adorned with an edible rice paper stamp featuring Canary’s art deco-style feather logo, the cocktail is light, frothy, and hard to put down. Tropical flavors, including pineapple and coconut, come through as refreshing rather than overly sweet, thanks to counterbalances provided by ginger, lemon, and turmeric. The bar also features a selection of non-alcoholic libations, including chai tea, oat cream, and turbinado Cherub. The quality of the cocktails was all but guaranteed; however, the food comes as a delightful surprise. While the menu does lack a clear sense of unity—small plates range from oysters to popcorn chicken to pierogi, and entrées cover both pork and beans and beet pasta—dishes are delicious across the board. Classic oysters are plump and fresh, served with a blackberry champagne mignonette that asserts more character than you’d expect. A plate of five pierogis merits careful observation—when an appetizer is this good, you want to make sure everybody gets their fair share, unless you’re able to sneak in an extra bite while nobody is looking. The crispy, golden brown pockets contain a French onion and horseradish potato filling that will fill you with warmth, complemented by a tart

blackberry balsamic drizzle. The beet chitarra is a stunning bowl of pasta, a nest of eggplant-hued al dente noodles entwined with chunks of seafood, dollops of caviar and crema, and vibrant purple and orange flower petals. A lobster cream sauce provides a big hit of the crustacean’s flavor, but it’s lobsters’ pintsized cousin, the crawfish, that gets a moment to shine as the featured protein. Tender and sweet, they’re a joy to eat. Canary further proves the kitchen’s mastery of seafood with the artic char, which is cooked and seasoned with great finesse. It’s served atop smoked chili grits that are creamy, while maintaining just the right amount of their natural coarse texture. Other entrée options include a burger with cheese curds and steak fries, roast chicken thigh with wild rice, and the vegetarian-friendly roasted cauliflower. Diners who fondly remember chef Mark Dandurand’s stint at Strang Hall will be happy to see his tuxedo cake on the menu. The dome-shaped dessert features chocolate cake, peanut butter chocolate mousse, and a high-shine chocolate glaze. Salted caramel eclairs with coffee cream and warm chocolate chip and toffee cookies are also available as a sweet endnote. The only thing sweeter? Finishing the night off with a cocktail at Canary’s glamorous rooftop lounge, set to open later this spring. With cozy seating arrangements and a breathtaking view of Kansas City’s skyline, it feels like a vacation—no flight required. canarykc.com

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My Essentials

IN KC

ANNE SCHARF PHILANTHROPIST, FOODIE, CHIEFS FAN BY

Michael Mackie

A PHOTO BY AARON LEIMKUEHLER

nne Scharf is still on Cloud 9 after the Chiefs second stellar season in a row. Scharf—who has worked in the NFL for the past 17 years—is the Chiefs vice president of the Hunt Family Foundation and Civic Affairs. From corporate philanthropy to government affairs, Scharf does it all— including providing wide-ranging support for club ownership and team executives as it relates to civic engagement and responsibility. Here in the metro, Scharf has served on the boards of various charities and chaired civic-minded events. While a student at Yale, she met her husband, Brian, a Kansas City native. After years living in New York City, they settled in Kansas City to raise their two sons and now call Fairway home. To call her a fan of the city would be an understatement. “KC is so unique in that it offers access to big-city perks but with the feel of truly being in a community,” she says. “I’ve been so grateful to meet some of the most amazing friends, co-workers, and community leaders over the past decade. The people in Kansas City are what make it special and home for our family.”

Anne’s essentials...

HIDDEN GEM:

The Russell is my go-to for a business lunch, philanthropic brainstorm, weekend brunch, or catering for any event. I’m the worst person to ask for a specific recommendation—because I love every single item on the menu.

PHILANTHROPY 101: Philanthropy is the best way to maximize financial support. But, whether it’s time, treasure, or talent, Kansas City offers endless ways to give back and make a difference.

The Restaurant at 1900 has amazing desserts that rotate seasonally. The chocolate mousse is a favorite right now.

FRAGRANT FINDS: All

LET’S DECOMPRESS:

MOTTO DU JOUR:

of the Pickwick candles are amazing—especially Palo Santos. They can make any room feel cozy, calm, and welcoming.

I usually try to get outside for a walk or run with friends but also love Pilates classes at The Body Lab.

“You create your own happiness.” It’s easy to focus on things that frustrate you or weigh you down. But, if you’re unsatisfied with something, the person who has the best chance to change it is you.

CHIEFS SWAG:

The annual Chiefs Style Lounge event in November is the place to find the best options each year.

(SWEET) TREAT YOURSELF:

JAVA-NATED: I just recently discovered Messenger Coffee— and am completely hooked. The urban atmosphere makes me feel like I’m back in New York City.

MARCH 2021

| 96 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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