Kansas City’s Best Burgers AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO THE BEST SUMMER OUTDOOR VENUE CONCERTS BOLD, BEAUTIFUL BLOOMS REFRESH SPRING FASHION
Road Trip! CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE
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MAY 2022 | INKANSASCITY.COM
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2022 idealists of the year City Year’s mission is grounded in the unshakeable belief that we can all help make the world a better place. We are proud to recognize 13 individuals who embody the spirit of idealism. They’ve shown a commitment to improving Kansas City by making a difference in the life of one person, an organization, or an entire community. Idealists of the Year were nominated by sponsors of City Year Kansas City’s Idealist Gala on April 26, 2022.
Stephanie Blake
Warren Erdman
Karly Scholl
Robin Darden
Shobana Gopal
Liz Serpa-Flook
Drew Eanes
Sarah Patterson
Troy Walker
JoEllen Flanagan Engelbart
Mary Putney
Tamara Weber
Nominated by Mariner Wealth Advisors
Nominated by GEHA
Nominated by JE Dunn Construction
Nominated by Great Range Capital
Nominated by KC Southern
Nominated by TortoiseEcofin
Nominated by Delta Dental of Kansas
Nominated by Terry & John Petersen
City Year is an education equity-focused nonprofit that places tutors and mentors in schools to ensure more students are on track to graduate.
Learn more at cityyear.org/kansascity
Nominated by CommunityAmerica Credit Union
Nominated by Kansas City Power & Light District
Nominated by Polsinelli
Nominated by The Hargroves Family Foundation
Dr. Allenda Wilson
Nominated by City Year Kansas City
215 W. Pershing Road Kansas City § Missouri § 64108 816.363.5300
Portfolio Portfolio K i t c h e n
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DesignNow, Now,Enjoy EnjoyForever Forever De Design
Contents MAY 2022 64
70
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Features 60
IN CONVERSATION WITH CANDICE MILLARD The Kansas City-based bestselling author discusses her newest book, River of the Gods: Genius, Courage and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile, which is out this month.
74
COLOR IN BLOOM It may not be groundbreaking, but the blousy blooms and bright hues of the season are bringing back pretty and lifting spirits everywhere.
80
64
WORTH THE WAIT A design-minded couple enlists the help of Nest Interiors to feather their own (new, larger) nest.
ROAD TRIP Let’s get away!
70
Departments
KC’S BEST BURGERS In honor of National Hamburger Month, we’re sharing the details of Kansas City’s best burgers.
On the cover
20
ENTERTAINING IN KC
26
OUR MAN IN KC
32
ARTS & CULTURE IN KC
40
BEHIND THE MUSIC IN KC
44
LOOK IN KC
50
WOMEN’S HEALTH IN KC
52
LIVING IN KC
90
FLAVOR IN KC
102
FACES
104
MY ESSENTIALS IN KC
IN EVERY ISSUE
Hit the road this summer! Photo by Corie English.
MAY 2022
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EDITOR’S NOTE
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INKANSASCITY.COM
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THIS MONTH IN KC
STRETCH YOUR WINGS
National Bird Day Wednesday, May 4 11 am – 4 pm
Fly the coop and come tour our distinctive senior living communities. In honor of National Bird Day, you’ll take home a bird feeder for your feathered friends. Learn about the compassionate care and inspiring amenities Anthology offers you or your loved one. This will be a socially distanced event. Masks required.
RSVP TO RESERVE YOUR TIME ANTHOLOGY OF BURLINGTON CREEK
816-256-8854
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ANTHOLOGY OF THE PL AZA
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2 E M A N U E L C L E AV E R I I B LV D. / K A N S A S C I T Y, M O ASSISTED LIVING / MEMORY CARE
A N T H O L O G Y O F O V E R L A N D PA R K
A N T H O L O G Y O F O L AT H E
103 00 I N D I A N C R E E K P K W Y. / O V E R L A N D PA R K , K S ASSISTED LIVING / MEMORY CARE
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Editor’s Note
Vol. 5 | No. 5 MAY 2022
Let’s Go!
Editor In Chief Zim Loy Digital Editor Emily Park
O
Art Director Alice Govert Bryan
micron subvariant BA.2.12.1 or not, I’m on a mission to take an actual two weeks of vacation this summer. I’ve realized I haven’t gone any further in the last two-plus years than the Iowa family farm, and that’s only happened twice. It still needs to be drivable, because I’m not getting on a plane with all those folks who aren’t wearing masks. How many subvariants do they need to discover before a new version that’s worse than all the rest pops up? Asking for a friend. Luckily, our contributing writer Judith Fertig has put together a must-read list (starting on page 64) of some of the best experiences she could find within a day’s drive or less away. We broke it out into six categories, so it’s easy to find the adventure that awaits you—and me, for that matter. Whether you’re looking for a luxury vacay, a spa experience, or something more down and dirty (literally, dirty), such as the best hiking trails or dirt-bike trails, there’s something here for you. I’m partial to the more sedate experiences, like a stay at the Broadmoor in Colorado. Or maybe I’ll check out Destination Kohler for one of its wellness weekends. I’m familiar with the Kohler brand as a leading maker of everything from faucets to bathtubs to sinks, so they probably have water therapy down pat. And on my next trip to Iowa, perhaps I should take a couple of days to stop off at the Raj in Fairfield. Fairfield, Iowa, has long had a bit of a woo-woo reputation since it became the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s choice for an international center for Transcendental Meditation in the 1970s. The Raj, which touts itself as America’s premier Ayurvedic health center, promises to rejuvenate and reduce stress, fatigue, and anxiety. I’ll have some of that. It’s hard to pick between all the luxe stays and wellness experiences in the feature. It’s a wealth of choices. Maybe, instead, I should just stay home and make my pick of Kansas City’s best burgers by visiting all 15 of them listed in the feature on page 70. That’s a foodie adventure I could get behind. Let’s see if I agree with food writer Kelsey Cipolla’s choices. Then, I’d probably be in need of finding a wellness center within a day’s drive that offers a strict diet plan.
photo by aaron leimkuhler
Associate Art Director Eva Tucker Contributing Writers Kelsey Cipolla, Judith Fertig, Timothy Finn, Cindy Hoedel, Cody Hogan, Merrily Jackson, Damian Lair, Rachel Murphy, Patricia O’Dell Contributing Photographers Ron Berg, Corie English, Laura Fitzgibbons, Manon Halliburton, Aaron Leimkuehler, Thurston Long, Brian Rice, BJ Sampson Publisher Michelle Jolles Media Director Brittany Coale Senior Media Consultants Katie Delzer, Nicole Kube, Krista Markley, Darlene Simpson Newsstand Consultant Joe J. Luca, JK Associates 816-213-4101, jkassoc.net Editorial Questions: zloy@inkansascity.com
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MAY 2022
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INKANSASCITY.COM ENTER TO WIN Go for the gold.
One lucky winner will take home this gold Delbrenna necklace (value $375), which was inspired by the sparkling movement of Prosecco bubbles—the perfect accessory for nearly any summer outfit. Handmade in Cortona, Tuscany, the 18-inch chain with hammered beads comes with a two-inch extention which makes it both versatile and elegant. Enter to win by May 31 at inkansascity.com/ the-magazine/enterto-win. Good luck!
Fire up the grill.
For the ninth annual year, top Kansas City chefs and brewers will gather for Cook for Courage (cpckc.org/cookforcourage) on May 15. It’s a friendly battle of skill in a barbecue and brewing cook-off that benefits the Child Protection Center. You’re invited to sample each chef ’s take on smoked ribs and a side dish, along with drafts from brewery contestants. Feel like you can’t wait that long for a taste? We had the same thought, so we got a recipe for jerk ribs and a side of macaroni from Cherven Desauguste. He’s the owner and head chef of Mesob Restaurant, and he’ll be showing off his barbecue skills at the event. For the recipe head to inkansascity.com/eat-drink/recipes.
Patio season is here!
FOLLOW US
If you’re dying to know about the local restaurant scene, we’ve got the city’s most comprehensive dining guide. So many restaurants to please your palate—many with outdoor spaces for you to enjoy. Head to inkansascity.com/eat-drink/dining-guide.
FACEBOOK @INKANSASCITYMAGAZINE
Treat mom to a brunch she won’t forget.
Looking for a special way to shower mom with the affection and attention she deserves this Mother’s Day? Give your mom the perfect start to the day all about her with a Mother’s Day brunch at one of Kansas City’s many local spots. Looking for bottomless mimosas and breakfast cocktails? In the mood for elegant ambience? Need a place with a nice patio? Or somewhere with a great buffet? Don’t fret, we have you covered. Head to inkansascity.com for our round-up of the best places to grab brunch with mom around the metro.
MAY 2022
TWITTER @INKANSASCITYMAG
Fun in the sun.
It’s officially May, and that means Kansas City has melted into spring, and summer is on the way. Whether you’re looking for places to go when school lets out or need some ideas for activities to do over warmer weekends, we’re here to help. Visit inkansascity.com for the ultimate guide to outdoor activities to fill your time around Kansas City. From parks, trails, amusement parks, and more, there are plenty of places you can go to soak up that sun.
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ANNOUNCING OUR 2022-2023 SEASON! SCAN THIS CODE TO PURCHASE TICKETS.
Chris Botti
TICKETS ON SALE JUNE 6.
An Evening with Jon Heder, Jon Gries and Efren Ramirez Napoleon Dynamite — Film Screening and Conversation
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INKC - APRIL 2022 - Flat (DelBrenna x Mother's Day).pdf
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This Month IN KC
May
WHERE YOU NEED TO BE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE BY
Emily Park
MAY SPOTLIGHT
Kansas City BBQ Festival May 6, 5–10 p.m. May 7, 11 a.m. –8 p.m. May 8, 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Arrowhead Stadium kcbbqfest.com
Kansas City Brew Fest May 7, 6 –10 p.m. Arrowhead Stadium kcsummerbeerfest.com
The perfect pairing. Party it up at Arrowhead between both the barbecue festival and the beer festival held at the stadium this weekend. It just might be the only thing better than going to Arrowhead for a Chiefs game. All weekend long at the Kansas City BBQ Festival, you’ll have the chance to try pure, smoked bliss prepared by award-winning pit masters from across the U.S. You can enter for free and pay for food and drinks as you go or buy a Q Pit Pass for 2.5 hours of all you can eat and drink. We’d recommend stopping by on Sunday, May 7, when you’ll get a two-for-one special with access to both the barbecue festival and the Kansas City Brew Fest. Enjoy barbecue until 5 p.m., and then head onto the field to sample some beers at 6 p.m. General admission to the beer fest is $50, and you’ll get unlimited access to samples from 60+ breweries.
Circle of Lights May 24, 8 p.m. Mill Creek Park kchospice.org/circle-of-lights In memoriam. Light a candle in remembrance of a loved one at the Circle of Lights. During this beloved Kansas City tradition hosted by Kansas City Hospice, Mill Creek Park turns into a beacon of light and hope to remember and honor the lives of our loved ones who have passed away. Everyone is welcome to join and help create a circle of over 1,000 twinkling lights around the park. Can’t make it to the event? Light a virtual candle in honor of your loved ones at kchospice.org/weremember.
Party picks. Kansas City loves a good Derby Day party, and celebrations are planned all around the city. You just need to do two things: put on your finest garden attire—suits, dresses, hats, the works—and decide which party is your perfect way to enjoy the day. Here are three options to consider.
Derby Day at The Fontaine May 7, 3:30–11 p.m. Tickets: $125 thefontaine-derbyday2022.com At this Gatsby-themed Derby Day event, plan to enjoy a complimentary mint julep fountain, rosé sangria, bourbon balls, hors d’oeuvres, raffles, photo ops, and live music for the perfect evening.
Percheron Derby Party May 7, 3–6 p.m. Tickets: $50 crossroadshotelkc.com/explore/events/derby You’ll have a great view of downtown KC at this Derby party. Even better? The Crossroads Hotel’s rooftop bar just so happens to be named for the famed horses of Pabst Brewery— perfect for watching the Derby. Ticket proceeds benefit the Kansas City Museum.
Sneaker Derby Day Party May 7, 2–7 p.m. The Monarch Room Tickets: $55, available on eventbrite.com, search for Sneaker Derby Day Party Along with your best suits and dresses, make sure to have your snazziest sneakers ready for this Derby party. Head to The Monarch Room where you’ll win a prize if you’re the best dressed and enjoy access to an open bar, food, and live performances from Kim Keys and Loc’D.
For Kansas City’s most comprehensive calendar of events, go to inkansascity.com MAY 2022
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Entertaining
IN KC
How to Be a “Class” Act
‘TIS THE SEASON FOR CLASS REUNIONS. OUR SOCIAL MAVEN OFFERS GUIDANCE FOR SHOWING UP AT YOURS
by
Merrily Jackson
photo by
Corie English
W Email me with your entertaining questions, dilemmas, or triumphs at mjackson@inkansascity.com
MAY 2022 |
20 | INKANSASCITY.COM
hen Benjamin Franklin observed that nothing is certain in this world but death and taxes, he was leaving something out: the invitation to one’s high school reunion. There are those who consider all three with the same level of repugnance, but I’m not one of them. I was lucky enough to attend a great high school—Webster Groves High School, in the leafy western suburbs of St. Louis. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every class reunion—the last one saw me home at 2 a.m.—and I wouldn’t miss the next for anything. Summertime, the season for class reunions, approaches. Most reunions are actually happening in person this year. If you are on the fence about at-
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Entertaining
IN KC
Great Exposure HOW TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED FOR PARTY PIX
Do these four simple things next time someone points a camera your way at an event. I promise you will look better in the photo. Just remember F.A.C.E:
F A C E
EET APART, AT LEAST 12 INCHES RMS ELONGATED (WHICH WILL MAKE YOU STAND UP STRAIGHT)
HIN OUT, AWAY FROM CHEST
YES SLIGHTLY ABOVE CAMERA LENS
If it’s possible to put your drink down, do so, even if it’s only water. In today’s social media reality, photos are forever, and who knows where this one might end up?
MAY 2022 |
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tending yours, my advice is carpe that diem, baby. Sure, reunions can stir up a mixture of feelings— apprehension, insecurity, gleeful curiosity about what the ravages of time have done to the prom queen. But you should go for the chance to renew old friendships. You should go to have a good time with a roomful of people who have been on this earth exactly as many years as you. You should go for the same reason you finish a book or stay through a movie: to see how it all turned out. And you should go because you don’t want to look back later and regret not going. Here are some tips for planning and attending your class reunion. LEAD, FOLLOW, OR GET OUT OF THE WAY A dear friend is on the steering committee for her 40th high school reunion. She is ready to pitch it all in because every decision the committee makes is questioned and criticized by a Greek chorus of classmates who couldn’t be bothered to help but have lots of time to kvetch: The venue is too fancy. The invitation copy is too somber. Why cocktail attire and not casual? Why sit-down and not buffet? Organizing a reunion is not easy. Thanks to social media and services like classmates.com, there is less grunt work than there used to be in pulling the event together. But there still are many tasks to complete and tricky decisions to be made. You can’t please everybody. If you don’t step up to help, don’t whine about things. And thank the organizers as often as possible.
127th & Metcalf
HAVE A STRATEGY Your reunion experience will be much more rewarding if you decide, before each event, whether you want to have a few meaningful conversations or work the room, because you can’t do both. If you decide you want to do the latter, it’s important to have a graceful exit line so you don’t get stuck talking to the same person all night. Sometimes a simple “excuse me” or “it was great seeing you” will do. Before the reunion, look through your yearbook and prioritize who you really want to talk to. Make a point of seeking out people who have made a difference in your life and thanking them. They will appreciate it more than you know.
Fabulous Selection & In Home Design
ONCE A GEEK… Don’t presume that your classmates will be impressed by your many accomplishments since graduation, or that, since we’re all grown-ups now, the social hierarchy will be any different. It doesn’t matter whether
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Entertaining
IN KC
you’ve won a Nobel Prize or just got out of prison, at your reunion you will revert to your same position on the high school totem pole. Accept this, use it to navigate, and you will have a good time. No matter what your position, do not brush off anyone who wants to talk to you. All responses to questions should be at least two full sentences. At a high school reunion, nothing is more essential than name tags. The best are emblazoned with the bearer’s senior yearbook photo. Perfect the technique of pretending to be focused on someone’s face while stretching your peripheral vision to see their nametag. IT’S OKAY TO COME ALONE There are people who don’t go to their class reunions simply because they don’t want to walk in alone. But plenty of people come solo to their class reunions, for all kinds of reasons. I brought my husband to St. Louis for my ten-year reunion, and he was so over it by nine o’clock he went back to my parents’ house and watched TV with them. Since then, I’ve left him in Kansas City when I attend high school reunions, an arrangement mutually agreeable to both of us. Reunions are hard for spouses, because let’s face it—nobody really wants to talk to the spouse, unless the spouse was also a member of the class. I read somewhere about a high school reunion that provided black-
jack tables at the back of the room for the spouses. A terrific idea if you can pull it off. WORK WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT Maybe you’ve gained weight or gone a little gray. So what? Pretty much everyone else will be preoccupied with how they look. Once you get there and start seeing old friends, catching up, sharing family pics and swapping cell phone numbers, you’ll find that your concern with looks will disappear. Still, you want to look the best you can. Map out pre-event beauty treatments, shop early, get the hairstyle figured out weeks ahead and go the “less is more” route with fashion. Skip complicated looks, uncomfortable styles, or fussy prints. For a dressier nighttime event, you can’t go wrong with a little black dress, a chic evening bag, and shoes carefully selected for both looks and comfort. Tall heels should be broken in before the big night! With the ubiquity of the camera phone, class reunions have become massive photo events. Get ready to photograph and be photographed. For the former, know that it’s best to get the shots early in the evening, while everyone is fresh. And remember never to tag anyone on social media without first getting their permission. For the latter, please see my tips on page 22. And smile big!
A European Spring
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MAY 2022 |
24 | INKANSASCITY.COM
Home values are definitely up.
According to Heartland MLS, the average home sales price in the Kansas City area has gone up 12.5% over this time last year. This market sets up an amazing opportunity to sell your house for top dollar.
12.5% INDICATED
Call us to understand what your home is worth in today’s market. Tom Suther 816.585.6144 tom.suther@compass.com
Katherine Gregg 816.679.8500 katherine.gregg@compass.com
Kevin Bryant 816.769.9564 kevin.d.bryant@compass.com
Melinda Chalfant 913.278.8122 melinda.chalfant@compass.com
Becky Loboda 913.481.8270 becky.loboda@compass.com
Kathy Green 816.520.1281 kathy.green@compass.com
Heidi Peter 816.217.7100 heidi.peter@compass.com
Sandy Palmer 816.419.9797 sandy.palmer@compass.com
Locate is a team of real estate agents affiliated with Compass Realty Group, a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.
Our Man BY
IN KC
Damian Lair
dlair@inkansascity.com
: @damianlair #OurManINKC
Ailey Returns
I
‘‘
n Good Company” was the theme for this year’s Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey Gala—and with the most recent gala having occurred in spring 2019, supporters were ready to party—in good company. The evening’s festivities began with guests, donned in their best finery, lined up to enter the historic Folly Theater. It felt like I was on 42nd Street in New York. The only thing missing was the hum of Times Square and a wafting scent of honey-roasted nuts. We were gathered for a performance by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Ailey II. But first, we were greeted by gala co-chairs, Gina Hull and Dr. Marjorie Williams and honorary co-chairs Sharon & John Hoffman and Drs. Everlyn & Roger Williams, Jr.. Though I hadn’t made it to my seat yet from being backstage, I heard from numerous people that the Hoffmans gave the most touching (and tearful) tribute to this organization that captured their hearts decades ago. I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a nod to Sharon, who personally recruited me to join the board earlier this year, as she does her best to “retire.” We all know she can’t. Ahead of the performance, Debby Ballard was also recognized for her years of support with the Janet K. Miller Award. At long last—a night of dance in a packed theater. And there’s nothing quite like an Ailey II performance. It’s an indescribable, transportive experience, full of fluidity and sensuality. It takes you to church, then moments later plunges you into uncomfortable feelings of cultural exclusion. And then brings you back. Following the performance, we made our way en masse to the neighboring Downtown Marriott Hotel ballroom. Tammy Edwards
Damian Lair with Sharon Hoffman at the KCFAA Gala.
and Melanie Miller stroked our heartstrings before a lively round of live-auction bidding and fundraising to support the programming and opportunities that KCFAA provides to our community all year long. We dined, and then we danced—like it had been three years. From the first spin, Joseph Macklin had the dance floor covered, and it remained that way for hours. Sometimes, you just need to dance. SPOTTED: Congressman Emanuel & Dianne Cleaver, Christy & Bill Gautreaux, Nancy Lee & Jonathan Kemper, Charlotte Kemper, Mary Kemper Wolf & Gary Wolf, Bunni & Paul Copaken, Andrea & David Feinberg, Maurice Watson, Ursula Terrasi, Gloria Rudd, Ratana & Oscar Tshibanda, Terry Anderson & Michael Henry, Lynn & Lance Carlton, Kim Klein, McClain Bryant Macklin, Brian Williams, Crissy Dastrup, Jermaine Reed, Meredith Miles
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A TALE OF TWO TACOS (+ MEZCAL) YOU MIGHT BE familiar with Tiki Taco— that adorable little walk-up taco shop on 39th Street. But you might not know that it recently experienced a major growth spurt. New owners and a cheeky new vision have expanded the late-night window into a fullblown restaurant next door. (Don’t worry— you can still order at the window until midnight on weekends). Its 90’s-inspired interiors vibed clear references to The Max on Saved by the Bell. Which—when did I become old enough that my TV adolescence has suddenly become retro? “Yikes—I need a drink,” I thought. And a drink I was served. I smartly ordered “whatever will look the cutest on Instagram,” and a Lava Flow piña colada with strawberry purée was whipped up for my screen-worthy
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IN KC
OVERHEARD “The perfect number for a dinner party: more than the graces; fewer than the muses.”
fantasy. It was as delicious as it was pretty. They have a full lineup of other frozen and blended cocktails to please your eye, mouth, or both. The Poco Picante with tequila, jalapeño, lime, basil, and coconut looked like another winner—as did the various milk punches. When it came to food—naturally, I wanted to try everything. But I quickly realized that the recent footprint expansion was accompanied by a commensurate menu expansion. So, I picked out a thoughtful variety: Chips and salsa with all four fresh salsas ranging from mild to hottest. Hottest was no joke, but beyond that, the rest were pretty mild. For a burrito, I had the Thai chili pork (originally created for one of the partners’ former food truck, Westport Street Fare). It was a tantalizing Thai/Mexi taste-bud marriage. I have a rule that if there’s a chimichanga on a menu, I order it, and this was not the day to default on personal agreements. It was a nice size and more of a flatter square than the traditional squatty roll, which I enjoyed. There were Tiki fries with pork, cheese, and more cheese. Total hit. And I wanted something from the nice plant-based corner of the menu, so rounded out with the barbecue jackfruit taco. Problem was, I had to pack up half of this as leftovers, and there were still so many things I wanted to try, like the grilled street-corn on the cob, more tacos, such as the fish (Alaskan pollock), Korean beef, and Thai fried chicken, and the churro—which I just love. Something else I love: clever and thoughtful design. If the look and feel also remind you of Paradise Garden Club in the Crossroads, it’s because they’re the same owners. The same folks also opened The Guild event space right next door, which is one of my favorites in the city. Their laidback, West Coast-style permeates Tiki Taco—food, feel, and even merch. Everyone I encountered at the restaurant was incredibly warm and friendly. As I was heading out, I noticed on the menu that they also offer a full catering spread. This gave me a vision of hosting the perfect summer party, where I mix the margs and leave the bites to someone who knows their way around a kitchen. Keep an eye out. I’ll be sure to let you know how my fiesta goes. With tacos on my mind, I decided a few days later to comprehensively check out the new Taco Bell Cantina in Westport, whose pre-opening I’d popped into a few weeks prior. I’ve never written about a large chain restaurant opening, nor am I likely to here again. But this isn’t your average Taco Bell. Situated on a prime corner of Westport Road and Broadway, and nestled within HOT the Westley apartment building, this GOSSIP: “Cantina” iteration sports something you won’t typically find on Where on the KC the border: cocktails. In addition to skyline will a new the typical TBell fare, you can also Ferris wheel be snag a mixed drink, wine, roughly popping up? 12 different beers on tap (including local Boulevard), and its Twisted Baja MAY 2022 |
Blast Freezes. Just when I thought the fluorescent-blue tropical-lime version of Mountain Dew (aka Baja Blast) couldn’t get any better—well, add your choice of premium tequila, rum, or vodka. Better. While the drinks are new, the food remains the same. Though the initial rush of nostalgia made me yearn for my free-wheeling college days, I realized that some things are better left in the past. That said, there’s space and occasion for everything, and unlike some oddball purists, I think the Cantina makes a fun, quirky addition to the Westport district. And you know what—sometimes I want a cheesy gordita crunch, ok? Will you find better, more beautiful tacos elsewhere? Yes. But—there’s still something very lively and enjoyable about the Cantina. Particularly at a late weekend hour, you can find people lined up around the block, ready to try their darndest at ordering on computer kiosks, while simultaneously working to stand upright and remember their name. Bright KC-inspired murals bathe the walls, while the weekend DJ is spinning. There are also three semi-private alcove “rooms” that can be reserved by calling ahead. (They even offer “bottle service.”) A heated patio will keep you toasty on a chilly late evening, and nearly two dozen TVs will entertain you, whether you’re there for a game or just a little behind on Days of Our Lives. I had fun. My friends had fun. And I’m sure we’ll be back sooner than we’ll plan or admit. Open early every day at 8 a.m. for breakfast and until 3 p.m. for those late fourth-meal cravings, the possibilities for dropping in are mucho.
El Jolgorio Mezcal.
Final stop on my Westport week of Cinco de Mayo-inspired kicks: I finally took up my friend Andy Doohan’s offer for a private mezcal tasting at his family’s shop, Mike’s Wine & Spirits. Maybe, like me, you’ve been noticing mezcal popping up on more menus and in your favorite cocktails lately. I can officially say that I’m a total tequila pro, after having visited the city, agave fields, and distilleries
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there a year ago (if you go, stay at the spectacular Relais & Chateaux-recognized Hotel Solar de las Ánimas). But re: mezcal, I was clueless. I’ve glowed about Mike’s on these pages once before. On this visit, though, I learned that they have what is likely the most expansive mezcal offering in the metro (more than 100 different bottles). Andy—a proud mezcal aficionado—got me up to speed. Quick mezcal lesson: it’s an agave-based liquor, made via cooking, fermenting, and distilling the heart of the agave plant—the piña. Tequila is a type of mezcal. Much like Champagne is an officially sanctioned type of sparkling wine, Tequila must be made from 100 percent blue agave and only produced in select Mexican states near Tequila. Mezcal still has origin and ingredient restrictions—they’re just less restrictive. How better to learn, though, than taste? I sampled several bottles spanning different brands and regions. One favorite brand was Derrumbes. The bottle design alone, with their native, geometric-print labeling, was love at first sight. I sampled varieties from the Tamaulilpas, Durango, and San Luis Potosí regions. I was surprised by how different the varieties really are. Some are smokier, some have hints of fruit, and others boast a lactic, cheese-like flavor. I can certainly see how people become so enthusiastic about trying, comparing, and collecting mezcal. It’s a lot like wine in that sense. Another favorite brand—also with gorgeous, colorful, Miro-like labels—was El Jolgorio. The brand represents 16 different families, working in ten different regions of Oaxaca. Every bottle is hand-marked with the specific details of each batch, connecting to the family behind the expression. Whereas the Derrumbes bottles range from roughly $40-90, an El Jolgorio bottle costs around $100-200. OVERHEARD As Andy explained, mezcal “I’m taking the hasn’t yet succumbed to a lot of who-you-know branding and commercialization not what-youlike other liquors, where he can know approach.” often recommend a $40 bottle that’s just as good as something that costs four times that. With mezcal—for now—you get what you pay for. I experienced this to be true. The higher the price, the better they tasted. Salud!
So, KC—where do you want to go? XO
MAY 2022 |
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Arts&Culture
IN KC Eyler: In my childhood home, my brother and I basically memorized the entire libretto of Jesus Christ Superstar. I was mildly obsessed with Julie Andrews, Judy Garland, and the entire Rodgers and Hammerstein catalog. My teenage years were spent sobbing over Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, and A Chorus Line. I watched many musicals due to the fact my mother and father are gifted musicians who love movie musicals. There was always music of some sort going through my home. My mother is a classically trained choral vocalist, my father is a classically trained pianist, and my brother is a pianist, though all pursued careers outside of music. I fell in love with musicals around the time I started singing at the age of 4. Musicals have just always been there for me. INKC: What is the secret to a musical that has people singing when they leave, in a much better mood? Eyler: Sondheim has a comical anecdote about a producer telling him a particular song wasn’t “hummable,” and how much that irritated him because a composer has no control over the particular hummability of a song. The audience is the unknown variable. A composer doesn’t know how deep or how shallow his/her song might swim into an audience member’s mind for hours, days, months after hearing it, or how it might affect mood. Without meaning to, I have been told I tend to write earworms. I like great rhythms, soulful chords, a well-placed key change, and a good or unexpected hook. If an audience member is affected in any emotional way by my music, I feel satisfied.
Krista Eyler
THE VOCALIST, MUSICIAN, COMPOSER ANSWERS FOUR QUESTIONS by
Judith Fertig
photo by
Manon Halliburton
E
verything’s coming up ballads and up-tempo numbers for Krista Eyler. The ringtone on her phone plays the overture to Jesus Christ Superstar. Her Sparkletones musical, written with Barb Nichols, just debuted at the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center. In 2019, Overture the Musical, also with Barb Nichols, told the tale of how a grassroots effort saved the Kansas City Philharmonic during its 1953-54 season. It won several awards during its run in New York. Eyler is also the resident “Funky Mama” of Funky Mama Music, the kid-friendly rock band that played at the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2007. Vocalist, musician, composer, and performer, Eyler loves productions that “bring forth the bittersweet, the goosebumps, the tears, the heartbreak, and the glory of performing arts,” she says. “I believe a resolved chord, a sustained tremolo, a bass-hand can deliver a soul ever closer to understanding a story or a song.”
INKC: When you were growing up in the metro area, did you watch a lot of musicals? What was it that piqued your interest in this genre?
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INKC: From a theme of prejudice in 1950s South Pacific to inclusive casting in today’s Hamilton, how are musicals able to tackle issues of the day while still being entertaining? Eyler: When writing historical fiction, you have to honor certain facts and “massage” the truth to serve whatever storyline you’ve chosen to complete. With Overture, we focused on the stories of the people keeping the KC Philharmonic alive and imagined what their lives might have been like circa 1953. Within that context, a composer or writer has a million choices from which to craft stories because you are writing for one person, or one character. You get to dig into their imaginary lives. INKC: How has the Kansas City area nurtured your creative spirit? Eyler: Kansas City has been so good to me. I’ve lived in the metro area my entire life and have had many opportunities to participate in or make art, and, hopefully, get better and wiser with each attempt. Whether acting, singing, playing, or teaching, I am inspired by the bountiful talents of people around me, most importantly, by my cowriter and business partner, Barbara Nichols. Barb and I want to add to the beauty of art in the Midwest, specifically in musical theater, and are ridiculously proud to be a part of the Kansas City arts scene. (Go on, just ask us.)
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Arts & Culture BY
IN KC
Judith Fertig Open Secret by Shinique Smith.
SHINIQUE SMITH AND STARGAZERS BORN IN BALTIMORE and now living in Los Angeles, Shinique Smith is no stranger to Kansas City, having exhibited her work at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in 2017. This month, she returns to the metro area with new work to beguile viewers at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art on the Johnson County Community College campus through July 31. Her exhibit, Stargazers, reflects the artist’s ongoing engagement with “the graceful and spiritual qualities of the written word and the everyday,” says Smith. It also encompasses many media, including photography, video, sculpture, monumental canvases, and performance. Shinique Smith will give an artist talk, accompanied by a reception, on May 5. The exhibit is free, no tickets required, but the artist talk requires an RSVP. For information visit nermanmuseum.org.
THE KANSAS CITY MUSEUM IS NOW OPEN Exhibits, programs, and ExpEriEncEs about Kansas city’s past, prEsEnt, and futurE.
kansascit ymuseum.org
Photo: Gayle Babcock, Architectural Imageworks
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THE ART OF THE WISH WHAT HAPPENS when two Hallmark creatives decide to spend their sabbatical asking elders what their wishes might be for themselves, their families, their friends, the world? And what happens when the artists give form to those wishes? The result is the thought-provoking, move-to-tears The Art of the Wish, now exhibiting at the Leedy-Voulkos Gallery in the Crossroads. Andy Newcomb and Marn Jensen interviewed more than 200 older adults across the country, then transformed their stories into vignettes made from ephemera: old letters, postcards, cloth scraps, photographs, discarded toys, junkyard metal, and more. One memorable and evocative collage was made from a woman’s boxes of letters and postcards that her kids didn’t want. When this exhibit first debuted privately at Hallmark in 2017, it resonated with viewers as well as the Center for Practical Bioethics. Watch The Art of the Wish on YouTube and you’ll get a taste of the impact it has, staying with you for quite a while. On May 12, the Center for Practical Bioethics will hold a benefit at the gallery. For ticket information, contact practicalbioethics.org. Admission is free for the exhibit at Leedy-Voulkos Gallery in the Crossroads through May 28. leedy-voulkos.com
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MAY 2022
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Arts & Culture by
IN KC
Judith Fertig
JRUPI KAUR, THE WORLD TOUR WITH OVER 4.5 MILLION followers on Instagram, Rupi Kaur defines the term “instapoet” with her short, sometimes controversial, poems. Published by Kansas City’s own Andrews-McMeel, of course this poetic phenom would include our town on her world tour. Born into a Punjabi family in India, Kaur moved to Canada when she was four. She didn’t learn English until grade school. Through her short but compelling poems in books that ride The New York Times bestseller lists, she gives voice to women’s experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and survival. On May 18, she returns to the stage at the Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland with more short poetry, humor, spoken word, music, and compelling spoken-word artists from the audience whom she invites to perform with her. Sample her verse at rupikaur.com. For tickets, visitt axs.com.
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THE MUSIC OF QUEEN FAMILIARITY BREEDS—delight. Sometimes it’s a double pleasure to go to a concert in which you already know the music. In collaboration with the Kansas City Symphony, the Virginia-based Windborne Music group takes the concept of a tribute band playing another group’s rock music to another level. Windborne has also toured with a program of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Rolling Stones music played with orchestras across the country. This 16-song program features hits such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Under Pressure, and We Are the Champions along with lesser-known songs. Vocalist Brody Dolyniuk channels Freddie Mercury and Jason Seber leads the orchestra. For short clips of what’s in store for this performance, check out windbornemusic.com. The ensemble performs at Kauffman Center from May 20 through 22. For tickets, visit kauffmancenter.org.
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MAY 2022
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THE KARIN ROSS DIFFERENCE: 5 REASONS THIS INTERIOR DESIGN DYNAMO STANDS OUT
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hen you’re ready to renovate your home, deciding who to work with can be almost as daunting as finalizing your vision for the project. For those who want to truly enjoy the process from start to finish (yes, really!), one Kansas City-based team stands out: Karin Ross Designs. Read on for a closer look at what makes Ross outstanding in a talented (and crowded) market.
By Katy Schamberger
FIVE FACTORS THAT SET KARIN ROSS DESIGNS APART FROM OTHER DESIGN TEAMS
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details. Yet just like the show-stopping interiors she creates, Ross takes her focus on the smallest of project elements to new heights. When you consider a kitchen, for example, there’s no shortage of decisions to make: colors, flooring, lighting, tile, countertops, faucets, and fixtures—the list goes on. That’s where Ross and her creativity shine. Give her a foundation that includes your inspiration, your budget, and your input at consultation meetings. “From there, I’ve got the rest,” she says. “Your experience can be as bold as you want it. If you’d like a professional chef to come and prepare a meal in your new kitchen when we’re done, I can make that happen.”
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THE EMBODIMENT OF LUXURY: The pursuit of luxury may seem omnipresent these days, meant to set a new standard in everything from skincare to automobiles. When infusing luxury into a home remodeling project, Ross looks beyond price tags and instead embraces not only what luxury is, but how it makes a client feel. “Luxury is a complete vision, combining details with creativity to create an elegant result,” she says. “When I’ve finished a kitchen, I’ve changed the flow of the home and also changed how the client perceives their home. They feel like they’re in a luxurious place because it looks and functions as it didn’t before.” Understanding luxury as a guiding concept, not merely a splashy attribute, helps Ross create interior spaces that evoke emotion. Luxury can certainly help guide the evolution of a visual aesthetic, but lasting satisfaction comes with a true connection to the end result. “When you get the kitchen you’ve dreamed of, it’s a space that makes you happy—and that’s priceless,” Ross says.
Navigating unforeseen challenges is easier with a full-service in-house team like Karin Ross Designs. There's less likelihood of unexpected delays caused by a search for additional vendors or service providers.
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AN UNDERSTANDING THAT TIMING IS EVERYTHING: It’s likely no surprise that the home interior industry—like so many others—has experienced pricing, supply, and other upheavals in the last two years. Yet Ross has some good news: leading industry resources are signaling that pricing-related turmoil is calming and prices are holding steady. And to Ross, that means the time is right to invest into your home. “Let’s get your dream done,” she says. “You’ll increase the value of your home and also invest in the place where you spend the most time.”
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THE ART OF TREND-SETTING: Ross, a Belgian native, isn’t shy about crediting her Eastern European heritage for helping her cultivate a keen eye for interior trends, especially before they arrive in the U.S. “I set the trends; I don’t follow them,” she says. It’s a bold declaration, yes, but one that’s proven by Ross’s exceptional portfolio. And to solidify her place as a trendsetter, here’s an insider’s tip on what to look for in the coming months. “As we look at the next season, there’s no color, no door style, no hardware that’s necessarily ‘it,’” she says. “Instead, the focus is on telling the story of your life and your home through design.” And this is where the process gets really fun. Ross is motivated by the art of what’s possible: understanding a client’s space, but also seeing what they want that space to be. “Bringing these visions to life is where interior design becomes an art form,” she says. “And I’m the person who can create your masterpiece.” To explore Karin Ross Designs’ portfolio and services or to schedule a free consultation, visit KarinRossDesigns.com.
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Visit www.KarinRossDesigns.com to explore Ross’s design and remodeling portfolio and schedule a consultation.
Behind the Music
IN KC
2022 Summer Outdoor Concerts by
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Timothy Finn
AZURA AMPHITHEATER
GRINDERS KC
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Like Lemonade Park (see page tk) this venue started in an open lot next to a bar and restaurant, Grinders, but on the east side of the Crossroads District. Back then it was called Crossroads KC. It has evolved from an austere standing-only joint into a fully appointed music venue with some reserved seating, a VIP area, and a world-class stage and sound system. Plus, of course, it offers access to the food and beverage menus in Grinders. A change in name and management hasn’t changed the venue’s mission: to present some of the biggest names in music. This summer’s highlights include the two-day Bluegrass in the Bottoms festival, featuring Railroad Earth, Sam Bush and Yonder Mountain String Band (May 20-21), Modest Mouse (May 24), the War on Drugs ( June 5), Fitz & the Tantrums with St. Paul and the Broken Bones ( June 21), Sheryl Crow ( July 21), and The Decemberists (August 13). For a complete schedule and ticket information, visit grinderskc.com.
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The stalwart amphitheater west of the Kansas Raceway in Bonner Springs has gone by many names for four-plus decades, referencing banks, hospitals, and cellular companies. But many still call it by its birth name, Sandstone. Over its history, it has presented some of the greatest artists and moments in music history: Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Eagles, Z.Z. Top, Metallica, Public Enemy, Foo Fighters, Smokin’ Grooves Tour, Lollapalooza, H.O.R.D.E., Ozzfest, Lilith Fair… This year’s lineup was still coming together at press time, but it already bears a heavy ‘90s flavor: It opened on April 22 with a classic hip-hop event: Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Warren G. Summer shows include Slipknot with Cypress Hill ( June 7), Incubus and Sublime with Rome (August 12), and Shinedown (September 3). Country fans take note: Cody Johnson performs on June 23, and on September 9 the lineup includes Sawyer Brown, Neal McCoy, and the Bellamy Brothers. For a complete schedule and ticket information, visit azuraamp.com.
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steam-ahead mode. The summer 2022 music season in Kansas City looks vast and bright, especially at the outdoor venues, which get to indulge in the warm (or steamy) temperatures, the balmy breezes, and the star-spangled skies. Here’s a look at what’s going on at the largest of our outdoor music venues, where the calendars are percolating with concerts. Almost feels like old times again.
I nc
he world of live music in 2022 isn’t where it was in 2019, before Covid and the pandemic, but it’s significantly closer than it was a year ago. The summer of 2021 was a tide of shows being scheduled, canceled, and/or postponed—a mix of hope, joy, frustration, and disappointment. A year later, the waters have settled, and the industry, the performers, and the fans appear to be in full-
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OVERLAND PARK 10530 Marty St. 913.642.1500 Mon-Fri 9 to 6 | Sat 10 to 5
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The newest of Kansas City’s outdoor venues was born of necessity. Or of the adage: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. In the midst of the pandemic, Steve Tulipana, co-owner of the music venue RecordBar, and Wes Gartner, owner of West Bottoms restaurants Voltaire and Golden Ox, devised a plan to turn the lot south of Voltaire into an outdoor venue that could safely present live music and serve food and beverages. The plan worked so fabulously, Lemonade Park is now a permanent fixture in the ever-blossoming arts and entertainment hub that is the West Bottoms. The 2022 lineup is stocked with many of the elite bands and singer-songwriters in our region, like The Grisly Hand, Grand Marquis, The Freedom Affair, The Black Creatures, and Carswell & Hope, plus a few national touring acts, including Strand of Oaks (May 13). Other highlights include on May 28: Found A Job, a stellar Talking Heads tribute band, along with Subculture, a New Order tribute band. June 24: Ayllu: Latin-American Music Night, which will include a “special menu” via Gartner and Voltaire. For a full calendar, and ticket information, visit lemonadeparkkc.com or the venue’s Facebook page.
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The juke joint/roadhouse/ honky-tonk south of the Missouri River and north of the railroad tracks in the East Bottoms has become a sprawling live-music compound, one with five venues, including the spacious outdoor stage, with table seating, bleachers, and a balcony. Big names on the 2022 calendar include The Mavericks (May 13 and 14)—always a great show—Wynonna Judd (May 18), JJ Gray and Mofro ( June 4), Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters ( June 10), Drive-By Truckers ( July 16), Keller Williams ( July 23), and The Rainmakers (August 27). For ticket information, visit knuckleheadskc.com.
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After a two-year hiatus, Boulevardia ( June 17-18) has returned en force at a new locale. After several years in the West Bottoms, the beer, food, and music festival has moved east and south. And it has unleashed a massive lineup comprised of more than five dozen acts who will perform on five stages. Headliners include Jenny Lewis, Nathaniel Ratliff & the Night Sweats, Dayglow, Valerie June, and Dashboard Confessional. The lineup also includes local and regional titans and heavyweights like Radkey, Calvin Arsenia, The Phantastics, Frogpond, and Summer Breeze (a yacht-rock/soft-rock tribute band). A variety of ticket packages are available. For information, visit boulevardia.com. b line r s Du One of the world’s biggest and best Irish g un music festivals, Kansas City Irish Fest (September 2-4), is celebrating its 20th year, and once again organizers have assembled a world-class lineup of performers who represent a wide array of music styles. Headliners include Gaelic Storm, Young Dubliners, Enter the Haggis and, from Kansas City, The Elders, who will reunite for another Irish Fest and to pay tribute to their late bandmate, Steve Phillips. Music starts at 5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday and goes until 11 p.m. each night. A variety of ticket (and hotel) packages are available at kcirishfest.com.
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The crown jewel of outdoor entertainment venues in Kansas City, Starlight in 2022 has reignited and resumed its role as a live-music mecca, locally and nationally. This summer’s concert schedule is stocked with all-stars, legends, and elite bands and performers, starting with Phoebe Bridgers (May 31), Haim ( June 4), and Lord Huron ( June 5). It continues with top-shelf shows from Bon Iver ( June 15), Blue Man Group ( June 24-26), Brandi Carlile ( July 6), Chris Isaak and Lyle Lovett ( July 7), Earth Wind & Fire ( July 12), Maren Morris ( July 21), Josh Groban ( July 22), Bonnie Raitt (August 6), and Alicia Keys (August 24). And for the classic-rock fans: REO Speedwagon and Styx ( June 14), and Chicago and Brian Wilson ( June 20). For a complete schedule and ticket information, visit kcstarlight.com.
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STARLIGHT THEATRE
IN KC Jen
Behind the Music
I N - P E R S O N Shakespeare SUMMER Camps!
ACTING
STAGE COMBAT VISUAL ART
CRAFTS & Storytelling
Our SHAKESPEARE Camps are fun and unique summer arts experiences your child will never forget. Your camper will collaborate, create, learn language and presentation skills, build confidence, and HAVE FUN! JUNE & JULY AGES 8
Celebrating 30 years of Camp Shakespeare
Heart of America SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL www.kcshakes.org / 816-531-7728
HASF Education Programs are supported, in part, through the generosity of corporations, foundations and many caring individuals. Camps for Kids. Hallmark Corporate Foundation.
MAY 2022
| 42 | INKANSASCITY.COM
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Look
IN KC
Fashion BY
Rachel Murphy
Cut It Out
T
emperatures are rising, but you won’t need air conditioning with this season’s hottest trend—cutouts. Midriff s are peeking out in unexpected places all over Kansas City as designers take their half out of the middle. If you’ve barely started your summer abs workout routine, never fear. The key to this trend is all about proportions and discretion—take a little out of the sides but add volume to the sleeves or make it a high neck. This is peek-a-boo style— no belly buttons need apply.
GETTING SHIRTY Slip into this flowy rayon shirtdress for a casual look just as expected at the farmers market as at the brunch table. With slim cutouts connected by a crisscrossed drawstring, you can show as much or as little as you like. Leslie collared cutout midi shirtdress in clay and cream stripes, $65, available at Kate (River Market).
HIGH STYLE Maxi dresses are de rigueur for the summertime, but this one adds excitement with a high neckline and asymmetrical cutouts. The Liana dress fits like a glove while naturally highlighting the narrowest portion of the natural waist with a discreet cutout. Liana long-sleeve cutout dress, $240, available at Dear Society (Midtown).
GOOD FOR A DIP Can a swimsuit double as evening wear? It can when it’s this chic long-sleeved swimsuit from Brazilian designer PatBo. With a plunging neck and small cutouts on each side, this could easily be worn as a bodysuit with a wide-leg trouser or perfectly tailored jeans. Add a chunky sandal and looks of appreciation. Black cutout swimsuit, $450, available at Halls (Crown Center).
MAY 2022 |
44 | INKANSASCITY.COM
FINDING E V E RY TH I N G I S E V E RY TH I NG
From the latest styles to everyday accessories, nothing beats the in-store shopping experience. At Legends Outlets, you get to try it on, fall in love, and take it home! Plus, fresh finds are popping up everywhere with new stores, fun events, and just-for-you experiences. Come see what’s waiting for you at the #1 outlet destination in KC. L E G E N D S S H O P P I N G . C O M
Look
IN KC Beauty BY
Rachel Murphy
A Bite of Bright
T
he air is warm, and the masks are gone—let’s celebrate with a riot of color! Bright, bold lips are definitely the move this season. Whether you prefer a bold, matte look or a juicy gloss, make sure you turn up the color intensity. Love a red lip? Branch out with bright coral. Or go for the shock factor with a vivid purple. Either way, it’s time to celebrate summer with popsicle-bright hues in all the colors of the rainbow.
A TASTE OF TWILIGHT Everyone loves a rosy lip, but this summer calls for something unexpected. Branch out to a shimmering violet shade like Chocolate Raspberry, a magenta with iridescent pearl shimmer. This Sephora exclusive offers highly pigmented color that pops even on darker skin tones. Fashion Fair Iconic lipstick in Chocolate Raspberry, $26, available exclusively at Sephora.
JUICY COLOR Merely thinking about wearing lip gloss seems like an act of defiance after the last few years, so it’s time to shine! Kosas Wet Lip Gloss doesn’t just give you a juicy pop of shine. It’s loaded with hyaluronic acid and peptides, so your lips stay supple and moisturized. We love the berry-hued Fruit Juice shade. Kosas Wet Lip Gloss, $27, available at Welwythn (Prairie Village Shops).
MAY 2022 |
46 | INKANSASCITY.COM
PEACHY AND PLUMP Sometimes shine just isn’t enough—plump your pout with Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper from Too Faced. Using the power of avocado, jojoba, and vitamin E oils, with marine collagen and atelocollagen, this high-impact gloss helps look and feel fuller. Beware: some users report an intense tingling feeling after applying. Get your vitamin C with the tangerine shade and welcome summer. Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper, $29, available at Ulta.
ASK THE EXPERT
I have inherited jewelry from I have from Q : familyinherited memberjewelry or I have jewelry Q : athat a family member or IWhat have do jewelry I no longer wear. I do with it?
that I no longer wear. What do I do with it?
First, it is important to know the difference First, it is the important to know the difference A : two most common types of A : between between the two most common types of appraisals associated with jewelry evaluations
appraisals associated jewelry evaluations based on what your endwith goal is: based on what your end goal is:
1.1.INSURANCE APPRAISALS INSURANCE APPRAISALS reflect the full retail amount,
reflect the full retail amount, which is ideal if you wish to retain which is ideal if you wish to retain & insure the item. & insure the item.
This type of appraisal can be This type of appraisal can end be goal is counter-productive if your counter-productive if your end goal is to sell the piece, because the value to sell thereflects piece, because value generally the “new”the insurance generally reflects “new”often insurance replacement valuethe - which times replacement value which often is a higher amount than what the times is a higher amount than item was purchased for. what the item was purchased for.
2. 2.LIQUIDATION LIQUIDATIONAPPRAISALS APPRAISALS or “Liquid Value Assessments” or “Liquid Value Assessments” provide the amount an item is provide the amount an item is likely to sell for an immediate likely to sell for an immediate payment situation. payment situation. Diamond Banc offers complementary Diamond offers complementary liquid valueBanc assessments, even if you liquidprepared value assessments, aren’t to part witheven yourif you aren’t prepared to part with your pieces. This enables you to accurately pieces. This enables you accurately determine the value of thetoinherited determine theinto value the inherited pieces and go theofdecision making pieces and go into the decision making process informed. process informed.
items does Diamond Banc accept? Q What items does Diamond Banc accept? Q:: What We are actively seeking diamonds, A : We are actively diamonds, jewelry,seeking fine swiss timepieces A : designer
designer Rolex jewelry, fine swiss timepieces including & Patek Philippe, and including Rolex & Patek Philippe, and bullion. precious metals, such as gold & silver precious metals, such as gold & silver bullion.
does the process work? Q How does the process work? Q:: How Set up an appointment and visit our Set uplocated an appointment and visit A : on the Country Clubour Plaza A : office office located on the Country Club Plaza or at either TIVOL locations. Clients also or at the either TIVOL Clients have option tolocations. leave their items also have the toan leave their items at TIVOL tooption receive evaluation at TIVOL to receive an evaluation within 24 hours. within 24 hours.
SICILY VON OVERFELT, GIA DIAMONDS GRADUATE SICILY VON OVERFELT, GIA DIAMONDS GRADUATE DIRECTOR OF DIAMOND BANC, KANSAS CITY DIRECTOR OF DIAMOND BANC, KANSAS CITY SICILY@DIAMONDBANC.COM | 816.977.2677 | 435 NICHOLS RD. SUITE 200, KANSAS CITY, MO 64112 SICILY@DIAMONDBANC.COM | 816.977.2677 | 435 NICHOLS RD. SUITE 200, KANSAS CITY, MO 64112 Untitled-3 1 Untitled-3 1
1/19/22 1:58 PM 1/19/22 1:58 PM
Look
IN KC
Wellness
by
Rachel Murphy
Gloves Up! THE BENEFITS OF PLAYING CATCH
B
y now, everyone in Kansas City should have a case of Royals fever—the home team is ready to win this year. While we all love watching the pros, playing catch is great exercise with a low startup cost for kids and adults alike. Darwin Pennye, the executive director of the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy, couldn’t agree more. “As we see it, playing catch is a way to get outside and be active with multiple muscle groups engaged,” Pennye says. “Playing catch not only gets your hand/eye coordination moving, but your arm, shoulders, elbows, hands, and fingers are working, which all keep the blood flowing. Playing a simple game of catch will engage muscles that you might not engage in some other activities.” For those of us who spend more time at a desk than on the field, here are some tips on how to get back in the swing of things and teach the next generation how to catch and throw, according to Pennye. MAY 2022 |
1. MAKE IT FUN—try to create a little bit of variety by changing up the distance between you or the size of the ball. 2. START SOFT—Pennye recommends starting with a softer ball than a baseball. He says that the softball and velcro glove sets available at most dollar stores are a great tool. Once kids find success with those, they are more likely to want to keep going. Even using a kickball and throwing with both hands is a great way to begin. “We try to use something simple, soft, and body safe to start,” Pennye says. 3. START WITH BARE HANDS—Pennye says that before adding a glove, players should learn to feel the ball in their hand. Using a softer ball will also help with this transition. 4. DON’T OVERDO IT—Pennye says that ten to 15 minutes of catch is a great place to start. And if you’re sore? “Do it again tomorrow,” he says, laughing. If you’re interested in more baseball and softball, the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy offers introductory workshops that are open to anyone, as well as specialized workshops to develop more specific skills. Find out more at mlb.com/royal/academy. 48 | INKANSASCITY.COM
Professional Interior Design Services | Quality Furnishings | Unique Art | Rugs | Accessories
Women’s Health presented by
AdventHealth
IN KC by
Emily Park
Aging Gracefully PHYSICIAN JULIE BRACK DISCUSSES INSOMNIA AND PERIMENOPAUSE “Declining levels of estrogen can cause hot flashes, and night sweats can soak the nightclothes and subsequently make a woman shiver,” says Brack. “It can create a hamster wheel of throwing the covers off only to shortly put them right back on. Sleep is a funny thing most of us take for granted, but when we are not getting good quality ‘z’s,’ we can quickly start blaming anything negative on our poor sleep. It’s also common to get into a cycle of anxiety that we are not getting restorative sleep to function best the next day, which then also can further hinder the ability to fall asleep.”
W
hen women think about aging, one of the first things that comes to mind is menopause. Although it’s identified with mood swings and hot flashes, insomnia is also a common perimenopausal symptom women experience. “I think the media, movies, and sitcoms like to focus on the more dramatic symptoms like hot flashes or night sweats so those get more attention, but a lack of sleep makes all of us feel more tired, more irritable, and less productive the next day,” says Julie Brack, a family medicine physician with AdventHealth Medical Group Primary Care at Prairie Star. According to Brack, 60 to 80 percent of women experience some symptoms during perimenopause that include sleep issues. A woman reaches menopause once a full year has passed since her last menstrual period. The blocks of time before and after that one-year mark are known as perimenopause and postmenopause, and women experience the most symptoms during perimenopause. During perimenopause, the ovaries begin producing lesser amounts of estrogen and progesterone, and as those hormone levels fall, symptoms of perimenopause increase. Insomnia is a common symptom because progesterone is a sleep-producing hormone, and dwindling hormone levels can make it trickier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Hot flashes and night sweats can also contribute to insomnia. MAY 2022 |
IMPROVING SLEEP NATURALLY VS. WHEN TO GET HELP FROM YOUR DOCTOR Most women need seven to eight hours of sleep, but during perimenopause, it can be hard to obtain the amount of sleep the body needs. Symptoms of insomnia include taking 30 minutes or longer to fall asleep, getting six or fewer hours of sleep, waking too early, not feeling rested after sleep, feeling tired throughout the day, and worrying about sleep. This can lead to feeling more anxious, irritable, or stressed; having a hard time paying attention; and experiencing gastrointestinal issues. So, if you are experiencing insomnia during perimenopause, how do you get back on track? Brack suggests practicing good sleep hygiene. “Follow a consistent, regular sleep schedule, avoid caffeine after lunch, avoid alcohol near bedtime, don’t smoke, get regular exercise but avoid exercise two hours or less before bedtime, keep the room quiet and dark (sometimes white noise machines or blackout shades can help), and avoid eating too close to bedtime.” If those natural fixes don’t work for you, and you find insomnia affecting your relationships or your ability to function at work or at home, speak with your physician about your struggles. Your doctor will likely ask you about your sleeping habits—what time you go to sleep, when you wake, how many times you wake in the night, etc., so they can help you find a solution that works. Solutions to insomnia may include over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines and melatonin-containing remedies, or prescription medications that can help you get the sleep you need. Also, speak with your doctor about any other perimenopausal symptoms you’re experiencing. “If a woman is miserable with hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, or mood swings, sometimes hormone replacement therapy may be considered for a limited time—typically less than five years—depending on an individual’s health and family history and other risk factors,” says Brack. “It is best to have a discussion with your provider to see what the best options or course of therapy are for you if you are dealing with perimenopause. You might gain some much-needed sleep!” Family medicine physician
50 | INKANSASCITY.COM
Julie Brack
It’s More Than
May 16-22, 2022
AdventHealthChampionship.com The AdventHealth Championship delivers a world-class golfing entertainment experience that features the next generation of PGA TOUR stars while also positively impacting the Kansas City metro community. Proceeds from the AdventHealth Championship will benefit the AdventHealth Foundation and select local charities, making a difference in the KC we all love! Use the QR code to purchase tickets and support our community.
Living
IN KC
by
Patricia O’Dell
MegMade Moment NATIVE KANSAS CITIAN LAUNCHES RENOVATION GOLDMINE ON HGTV Left: The walls of the Piercys’ foyer are sheathed in paper from her own line. Below: Meg Piercy and her husband, Joe.
N
ine years ago, Meg Piercy and her husband, Joe, were expecting their first child. In need of a changing table, Meg repurposed a vintage dresser, and her business was born. “I fell in love with the process and the look of taking old pieces and painting them,” she says. “When I finished the first one, I immediately wanted to do another, so I put that piece on Craigslist. It sold in 12 minutes.” Soon, she was working out of a neighbor’s garage, which quickly led to a brick-and-mortar store in Chicago, where the couple live. A line of paint was not far behind. “Color brings joy,” Piercy says. “I like warmer tones with tan and brown bases.” MAY 2022 |
Her aesthetic attracted a lot of attention, in the store and on her blog. It wasn’t long before HGTV contacted her about a show. “We’ve had so much fun in this process,” Piercy says. “Even though producing the first season of Renovation Goldmine wasn’t typical—we were working in the midst of Covid-19—it went so smoothly.” Joe is an integral part of the show and the process. When the couple met on a blind date, he was flipping houses and doing all the work himself. They were engaged six weeks later. Despite her loyal following, Joe is her biggest fan. “The network says we’re ‘better together.’ We’re so busy. Joe works as the contractor on our projects, and we really have a lot of fun.” Renovation Goldmine airs Saturdays at 7:00 p.m.
52 | INKANSASCITY.COM
Gerber daisies round needlepoint kit, $90.
A STITCH IN TIME DON’T YOU JUST LOVE IT when
someone makes everything simple? Local needlepoint designer Sarah Trucksess of SCT designs has an easy-to-order kit that is perfect to stitch at home or on the go. Part of the Happy Stitching collection, a clever concept developed by Carol Crowe and Polly Kramer, the owners of KC Needlepoint, these smaller projects are easy to throw in a bag and come complete with thread and a needle. Great projects for beginners, these are also a good gift for the avid stitcher in your life.
Wild geranium square needlepoint kit, $105.
Prairie fire square needlepoint kit, $105.
Jorjy is a lifestyle shop that offers a fresh take on wallpaper, fabric, art and accessories for the home as well as interior design and styling. Jorjy is proud to be the exclusive retailer for Slim Aarons in Kansas City
Save the Date | June 21
First Annual Summer Jorjy Solstice Event
320 W. 63rd St. KCMO 64113 816 . 5 61 . 2 27 2 s h o p j o r j y. c o m @ S H O PJ O R J Y
MAY 2022 |
53 | INKANSASCITY.COM
Living
IN KC Merola Tile two-inch hex tiles, $7.53 per square foot, available at Home Depot.
Tailleur
Farrow & Ball Hague Blue
Benjamin Moore Hale Navy
Sherwin-Williams Icicle
Aaron dining chair, $349, available at Pottery Barn.
Visual Comfort antique-brass chandelier, $1,379, available at Wilson Lighting (Indian Creek Village).
STEAL THE LOOK
BY
Patricia O’Dell
ongtime fans of The Russell delighted when the cofounders, Heather White and Amante Domingo, opened their second restaurant, Tailleur, on Main Street. The execution of the food is as reliable as their initial outing, and the interiors don’t disappoint. The restaurant’s dark wood paneling and navy walls are a dramatic contrast to the classic, yet hard-wearing, white tile floors. The brass fixtures and fittings provide an Old-World gleam, while leather-bound books, vintage floral paintings, and lamps with black shades further the haberdashery feel. If you’re a fan of its gentlemen’s club vibe, here are some hints to bring it home. MAY 2022 |
BE BLUE I am shameless in my devotion to Hale Navy as one of the best navy paints in the ocean of choices. It’s dark enough to create a mood but remains firmly blue without tipping to black. Speaking of Old-World goodness, Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue is stunning against trim in a shade of white, or—if you need a little drama—you can keep it dark and dreamy with black woodwork. Sherwin-Williams suggests a couple of shades of neutral to pair with their Naval blue, but it’s their pick of Icicle, an icy hue which would be great on the ceiling, that sets the creative wheels turning.
54 | INKANSASCITY.COM
TAILLIER PHOTO BY AARON LEIMKUEHLER
L
Tailleur
COLOR ME CHEERFUL WINTER IS OFTEN the tedious overstaying guest in Kan-
sas City, but the opening of the Overland Park Farmers Market on April 16 is a harbinger of spring. While the initial produce selection usually includes a wealth of rhubarb and radishes, it’s a nice opportunity to visit the nearby shops. When you go, be sure to stop in to the Upper Crust Pie Bakery. Sisters Jan Knobel and Elaine Van Buskirk receive rave reviews for their baked goods, but the shop has charming tableware, too. These cheerful enamel cups are perfect go-to vessels as you start to sip—or swill—outside. While you can stick with a single color, mixing them up will mimic the joyful cheer of that first flat of pansies.
NEWEST PATTERNS
ALL TYPES OF WOOD & LVT
CARPET FROM BASIC TO BEST
TAILLIER PHOTO BY AARON LEIMKUEHLER
WOOD, WATERPROOF LVT & INSTALLATION
Bornn Colorama enamelware tumblers, $18.25 each, available at Upper Crust Pie Bakery (Downtown Overland Park).
127th & Metcalf 913.327.1361 KCWholesaleCarpet.com MAY 2022 |
55 | INKANSASCITY.COM
Art & Design Auction A benefit for student scholarships
June 4, 2022
join us on campus
for a party so fabulous, it only happens once every other year. Enjoy DJ vibes and big band sounds, creative fare, and artisanal cocktails and brews.
live & silent auction bid on 100’s of works
by alumni, faculty, friends, and staff or purchase jewelry, ceramics and small artworks in the KCAI Marketplace.
tickets start at $125
All proceeds benefit the KCAI fund and support student scholarships.
kcai.edu/auction
We believe your home should be a space that inspires you on a daily basis. Don't settle for ordinary – Come Home to Nest. www.nestkc.com
Michael Stern, music director
ROCK N ROLL + CL ASSICAL CONCERTS Gemma New
Ryan Bancroft
Symphony Pops Concert
Classical Concert
Special Concert Event
Classical Concert
Friday, May 20 at 8 p.m. Saturday May 21 at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 22 at 3 p.m.
Rogerson’s Violin Concerto
Thursday, June 9 at 8 p.m. Friday, June 10 at 8 p.m.
Friday & Saturday, June 17-18 at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 19 at 2 p.m.
JASON SEBER, DAVID T. BEALS ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR MIG AYESA, VOCALIST
GEMMA NEW, GUEST CONDUCTOR BENJAMIN BEILMAN, VIOLIN JAN KRAYBILL, ORGAN
This electrifying tribute has garnered critical acclaim around the country for staying true to the original recordings with great vocals and stellar harmonies. Enjoy the highenergy versions of “We Will Rock You,” “We Are the Champions,” “Another One Bites the Dust” and many others. Tickets from $40.
RAVEL Mother Goose Suite CHRIS ROGERSON Violin Concerto
Windborne's The Music of Queen
Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony, World Premiere of Friday & Saturday, June 3-4 at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 5 at 2 p.m.
(world premiere, Kansas City Symphony commission)
SAINT-SAËNS Symphony No. 3 “Organ” Fairy tales, fables and Saint-Saëns’ fabulous Organ Symphony fill the air. Tickets from $25.
Windborne's The Music of the Rolling Stones
RYAN BANCROFT, GUEST CONDUCTOR AUGUSTIN HADELICH, VIOLIN
BRENT HAVENS, GUEST CONDUCTOR TONY VINCENT, VOCALIST A full rock band joins your KC Symphony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of two iconic Rolling Stones albums, “Beggars Banquet” and “Let It Bleed.” Hear the Stones’ hits you know and love, like “Gimme Shelter,” “Midnight Rambler,” PRESENTED BY “Brown Sugar” and so many others. VERACITY Tickets from $40.
We got this.
© 2019 ABKCO Music & Records, Inc. www.abkco.com
Sleeping Beauty with Sibelius' Violin Concerto
BOULANGER D'un matin de printemps SIBELIUS Violin Concerto PRESENTED BY TCHAIKOVSKY Suite from The Sleeping Beauty Tickets from $25.
Don’t miss the Season Finale June 23-26
Ode to Joy Beethoven’s Ninth Featuring the KC Symphony Chorus
CONCERTS ARE HELD IN HELZBERG HALL AT THE KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
ORDER NOW
(816) 47 1-0400 / kcsymphony.org
Dede Dunn
Kasey Bourk
Kristin Johnson
Blake Nelson Kyla Cauthon
YOUR KANSAS CITY REAL ESTATE AMBASSADOR
•KC REAL ESTATE INFLUENCER: RANKED ONE OF THE TOP 20 AGENTS IN THE METRO •200+ BOTTLES OF CHAMPAGNE POPPED ANNUALLY & COUNTING! •STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH KC EMPLOYERS •99.9% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RATING •DEDICATED RELOCATION PROGRAM •FULL-TIME CLIENT CONCIERGE
913.406.1406 BLAKENELSON.COM
Laura Carpenter
@blakenelsonre @teamblakekc Keller Williams Key Partners 4200 Somerset Drive Prairie Village, KS 66208
Tricia Gill
words by
Cindy Hoedel
photo by
Laura Fitzgibbons
IN CONVERSATION WITH
Candice Millard
H
er first three books were New York Times bestsellers, and this month Candice Millard has a new potential blockbuster coming out: River of the Gods: Genius, Courage and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile (Doubleday) publishes May 17. Millard grew up in Lexington, Ohio, before moving to the Kansas City area when she was 17. She graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest and earned a bachelor’s degree at Baker University and a master’s in English at Baylor University. After college she landed a dream job at National Geographic. After six years, she took the researching and writing skills she acquired at the magazine and developed a signature style of writing historical narrative nonfiction books. Millard’s latest story drops readers into 1850s Great Britain and Africa to follow the expedition of two British explorers, Richard Burton and John Speke, and an East African freed-slave-turned-guide, Sidi Mubarek Bombay, as they set out to find the then-unknown headwaters of the Nile River. Her previous books, all published by Doubleday, are: The River of Destiny, about Theodore Roosevelt’s expedition on the Amazon; Destiny of the Republic, a true-crime account of the assassination of James Garfield; and Hero of the Empire, a tale of young Winston Churchill’s Boer War adventures in South Africa. Millard lives in Leawood with her hus-
band and their three kids, 19, 16, and 14. She spoke by phone with IN Kansas City from her office in Overland Park. Where did you travel to research this book and for how long? Like all my books, this took about five years to write, which I know seems like a lot, but it goes pretty fast to me. Early on I went to Scotland, and then to London to do archival research at the National Library of Scotland, the British Library, the Royal Geographical Society, and the Royal Asiatic Society. I also had an incredible trip to Neston Park (an estate in Wiltshire), where Speke died in a hunting accident. The estate, which was owned by Speke’s uncle, John Fuller, is still in the Fuller family. I was with, I think, the great-greatgrandson of Speke’s cousin who was hunting with him that day. He gave me an incredible tour of the house and then took me to the low stone wall that Speke fell off [when his gun discharged]. The great-grandson even gave me a piece of the wall! I have it in my office. It took me longer to plan my trip to East Africa. My kids were younger then, so I had to find a time when my parents could come stay with them, and when there weren’t big things happening with my kids that I would miss. So, we ended up choosing February and March of 2020. Oh, wow. Yeah, obviously when I planned the trip, I had no idea [the pandemic] was going to MAY 2022 |
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happen. My husband came with me and when we were leaving in late February, there was a little bit going on in China and it was in Europe a little bit. I remember my son asking, “Is this a pandemic?” and me chuckling and saying, “No, no, it’s not, honey.” [Laughs] We flew into Kenya, and then went immediately to Zanzibar (the launch point of the expedition). We spent several days there and then went to mainland Tanzania, then stopped in Tabora (formerly Kazeh). Then we went on to Ujiji on the banks of Lake Tanganyika. It was incredible to see that. That’s where Sidi Mubarek Bombay took Henry Morton Stanley to meet David Livingstone, and where Burton and Speke were with Bombay. And then, since Jane Goodall’s research center at Gombe is right there, I spent a night at Gombe. Unfortunately, she wasn’t there, but they have these beautiful tents at the research center that you can rent. Then we went on to the southern part of Uganda where Speke first saw the Nyanza [Lake Victoria] with Bombay and then up to the northern part, which is where the Nile pours out of the Nyanza, and then back to Kenya. By this time, it’s getting later and later into March. The world was changing. Yes, things were getting worse and worse, and I’m getting a little worried about if we are going to be admitted back into the United States. My kids were concerned, too. They were obviously hearing more than we were. We just made it back in before they shut the doors. The historical details in your book of the deprivation, disease, and danger that accompanied the explorers from the moment they left Zanzibar until their return is mind-boggling. How much realism do you strive for in your research—did you try any super primitive camping? No, no, no. I didn’t want to risk getting sick on top of everything else. I was focused on seeing the land, which hasn’t changed all that much. And I was trying more to understand the sorrow that they experienced. They were following paths that were worn by slavers, and it’s wrenching. You can’t get away from it. In Tanzania, around Lake Tanganyika, there are wide paths flanked by beautiful trees that grew up from Arab slave traders dropping seeds along the way. You can’t separate yourself from the immense tragedy of the story. Your books always have a narrative framework that provides jumping off points to explore overlooked chapters of history and culture. Besides the slave trade, what other themes were you interested in in River of the Gods? With my background at National Geographic, one of the things that I found fascinating was the mapping of that part of the world. I had always thought of the big advancement in cartography as being filling in these [early] maps. But before that had to come creating blank map. What do you mean? They had to get rid of all the stuff that people used to fill maps with. People used to say, “We don’t know, but we think there are monsters here, so we’ll draw that, and let’s put some mountains here, and surely this is a desert,” when in fact it’s an enormous lake. So, the scientific enlightenment was the point where they said, “Stop. If we don’t know, it’s not going MAY 2022 |
on. And the only way we can know is to go, to send people there with scientific instruments and to listen to the people who live there.” Like your other books, this one is as much a character study as an adventure tale. Only you have three main characters: The explorers Richard Burton and John Speke and their hired former-slave guide, Sidi Mubarek Bombay. Over the course of your research and writing, did you develop a relationship with the characters, and did your initial impressions of them change over time? Yes, absolutely, on both counts. You spend years and years of your life with these characters, and you feel like you know them, even though you don’t. A case in point, when I was so steeped in work on my book about [President] Garfield, my son was really little at the time, and I was driving and he dropped his sippy cup, and I said to my daughter, “Could you get Garfield’s sippy cup?” And she was like, “Garfield??” And you miss them when you finish. So, yes, you feel like you know them. And sometimes they impress you and thrill you, and sometimes they disappoint you. That was absolutely the case with Burton and Speke. When I first heard the story 20 years ago, when I worked at National Geographic, about these two men and their friendship, and then the betrayal of that friendship, I was drawn to them because they were so diametrically opposed in the way they look and their backgrounds and their interests. I think today, all of us as a nation, think about these explorations differently. At the time, it was, “Oh, these Europeans are going out and discovering,” right? And I went into it knowing, look, these two men are British during the Victorian Age, so obviously there is going to be some deeply entrenched racism. I understood that. What I didn’t understand was the legacy of that and how deep it was into their writings. So, I started out, especially with Burton, really admiring him. He was so brilliant. He spoke all these languages and was very, very brave. But the farther I read, the darker and the more damaging some of the writings became. He was deeply flawed, and a lot of that was anger and bitterness, and it poured out into his writing and his understanding of these cultures that he started out being genuinely interested in. It was the same with Speke. His brand of racism was more condescending. He was very religious, and he thought they were helping Africans and that they would be grateful. He looked at them in a fatherly way and that did serious damage. So that was eye-opening. And what about Sidi Mubarek Bombay? I had never heard of him. Me, neither. But his name kept coming up again and again when I was reading books by Burton and Speke and other explorers. Very early on it became apparent that he was just as central to these expeditions as these other men that we know. He played a huge role in the mapping of Africa. You’ve written about your second daughter’s battle with a rare cancer she was born with. How is she doing, and does your experience of fighting to protect her life influence your understanding of the adversity your protagonists faced? Yes. We were extraordinarily lucky. She was born with Stage 4 neuroblastoma. She had eight rounds of chemo before she was two years old. They gave her a 35 percent chance of survival. But she did survive, thanks to the doctors and nurses at Children’s Mercy and Memorial
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Sloan Kettering in New York. She’s 16 years old, she’s happy and healthy. She’s a cheerleader and she does mock trial, and you would never know what she’s been through. She knows she has scars, and her whole life has been going to the hospital and being tested, but one of the blessings of her being so young when it happened is, she doesn’t remember the terror surrounding it. But obviously my husband and I do, and it has affected everything in my life and certainly my work. She was born when I was finishing final proofs of my first book (River of Destiny). And I was struggling to understand Roosevelt and his son in the middle of the Amazon—no one knows where they are, and people are dying, and Roosevelt is so worried about his son. And I remember sitting there looking at proofs and I’m looking at my daughter, who is hooked up to all these machines, and thinking, “I get it. This is all about getting his son out alive.” It also made me realize that what I’m interested in in writing about these great people in history who have done extraordinary things is not their triumphs. I’m interested in their struggles. Because that’s when you can really see their true character. You can absolutely see it in this book—these men are terrified, all the time. They are so sick, paralyzed for a year, can’t hear, can’t see. And their true character comes out. And that’s what impressed me about Bombay. Every time one of the others was sick, he’s the one nurturing and encouraging them. He’s the one going out and somehow finding food and bringing it back. Your books take years to research and write. What kind of emotions do you experience when the book is finished and headed to the printer? Fear. [Laughs] Do you feel like you are only allowed to write bestsellers? [Laughs] No. I think that’s part of aging. I started out not knowing if I could do this at all. I wasn’t thinking about whether I could write a bestseller, I was thinking about whether I could write a book. I certainly didn’t expect it to be a bestseller. I was just trying to do the best job I could. What I learned from that first book was that I chose a topic that I was interested in. I never got bored with it. Every day I went into work excited. I think it’s a really bad approach to set out to try to interest other people or make other people happy. If you are not interested in it, nobody else is going to be. And if you are genuinely fascinated by something, that is going to come through and it makes it interesting for the reader. Are you going to reward yourself now with some downtime, or are you already working on another book? Well, I do have an idea. I can’t talk about it yet because I haven’t shared it with my editor, but I’m super excited about it. It’s very, very different from this book. It’s history, it’s nonfiction, but it’s about a woman. People ask me, “Why don’t you write about a woman?” And, believe me, I want to. I grew up with three sisters, I have an incredibly strong mother, I have two daughters, best friends—I am so much a feminist. I did try for a year to write a book about Marie Curie. She has a fascinating personal story; I’m so drawn to her. But the problem was, I don’t write cradle-to-grave biographies. So, I needed a moment in her life that I can build a story around. Obviously, her discovery of radium, that MAY 2022 |
would be it. But all the action takes place in her mind. She is in the lab working. It’s really hard to make that a page-turner. The other thing that is hard about writing about a woman is that it’s not that women didn’t do extraordinary things, they did. But other people didn’t write about them. But I finally found someone in this perfect situation in history where everyone was writing about it, and the people close to her were writing about it, so I’m super excited. I’ll write a proposal soon. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I will. Do you ever take a vacation that isn’t related to book research and, if so, where do you like to go? My family, for the last ten years, has gone to northern Spain every summer. We rent this house in Cantabria, and it’s so perfect. You just walk down the hill, and the sea is right there. You drive half an hour and you’re in the peaks of Europe. Altimira, where the oldest cave paintings in the world are, is 15 minutes away. Sometimes we take a train from Madrid—which is flat and arid—and you see the landscape magically transform. It gets hillier and then mountainous—it’s so green. It’s in the 70s in July, sometime in the 60s. And it’s rainy. It’s perfect for reading. And we have our children to ourselves. As they get older, that is harder to do. We’ve met people now—my husband speaks Spanish. The kids and I really don’t. But we’ve met people who are bilingual, and they’ve become friends. It’s rural, so the first time we went, they were suspicious— we’re outsiders, we’re Americans. But when we came back, everyone was like, “Oh, they’re back!” And suddenly, we’re a family.
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Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.
Road Trip
LET’S GET AWAY! WHICHEVER DIRECTION
YOU CHOOSE, YOU CAN SET OFF ON NEW ADVENTURES, ALL WITHIN A DAY’S DRIVE FROM KANSAS CITY. NO TSA, NO TAKE-OFF-YOUR-SHOES/BELT/JACKET/ EMPTY YOUR POCKETS. PACK UP THE CAR, COME AND GO AS YOU PLEASE, AND STOP WHENEVER AND WHEREVER YOU FEEL LIKE IT. SOUND GOOD? READ ON. words by
Luxury Adventure IN THE LAP OF LUXURY Set against the majestic Cheyenne Mountains at the eastern edge of the Rockies, The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, boasts panoramic Western scenery with European elegance. Part of the Historic Hotels of America, the iconic Forbes-rated five-star hotel opened in 1918 and now has 3,000 acres to explore—if you ever even leave the grounds of the luxurious hotel. But if you do, you can hike up to Cloud Camp, pack your rod and reel for catch-and-release fly-fishing, or play as many rounds of golf as you like. Or you can relax in the spa or outdoor pool. You’ll probably see someone famous staying at the hotel, so look smart.
Judith Fertig THE BROADMOOR Colorado Springs, Colorado broadmoor.com
MAY 2022
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View of the Whistling Straits clubhouse at Destination Kohler located in Kohler, Wisconsin.
It’s a long day’s drive, but you can leave the Kansas City skyline in the morning and by night be at the Destination Kohler five-star Tudor-style resort on the western edge of Lake Michigan in Kohler, Wisconsin. As you might guess by the name, this resort is all about the calming, restorative properties of water. At the famed Kohler Waters Spa, you can try out various forms of hydrotherapy, including relaxing Lavender Rain, romantic Riverbath for Two, or an invigorating Vichy shower. That’s when you’re not kayaking and canoeing, river fishing, or playing golf on the four courses designed by the legendary Pete Dye. Stay at the hotel or in a secluded woodland luxury cabin so you can watch the stars come out at night. If close-to-home rustic luxury is what you seek, the Lake of the
nic Table Rock Lake. The hotel offers exclusive accommodations for two or a tribe in the hotel itself or in glamping tents or private log cabins with sweeping views. Enjoy water sports and golf. Hit the bistro for breakfast and lunch, dress up for dinner at the Osage Restaurant, or have your gourmet meal delivered to your well-appointed room. Easy drive, easy stay.
Spa & Wellness Adventure WHEN YOU NEED A LITTLE TLC
Ozarks’ Big Cedar Lodge is it. Designated one of the Top Ten Resort Hotels in the Midwest by Travel and Leisure, Big Cedar overlooks sce-
Iowa is full of surprises, and The Raj one—an Ayurvedic health spa in the cornfields. Long established in ancient India, Ayurvedic medicine realizes that everyone’s mind/body chemistry is different and opti-
DESTINATION KOHLER Kohler, Wisconsin destinationkohler.com
NEW HARMONY INN GUEST HOUSES New Harmony, Indiana newharmonyinn.com/guest-houses
BIG CEDAR LODGE Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri bigcedar.com
THE RAJ Fairfield, Iowa theraj.com
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ROCK HAVEN SPA Hays, Kansas rockhavenspa.com
mal health starts with recognizing one’s unique makeup or dosha—Kapha, Pitta, and Vatta or a combination. Special diets, herbal compounds and oils, yoga, massage, and cleanses help keep the body in balance. The Raj offers a diagnosis of your type, then panchakarma or specialized treatments including Blissful Rose Body Treatment for women and a host of Maharishi Rejuvenation Treatments for all—plus vegetarian meals attuned to your dosha.
Too much screen time and 24/7 bad news? Maybe a dose of mindfulness in a quiet place off the beaten path is what you need. If so, then the Utopian community of New Harmony could provide it. Just an hour or so east of St. Louis, the country village was founded by 19th-century idealists who left their mark not only on the fabric of the town, but also its spirit. New Harmony is here to tell us that there’s more to life than what we fret about. Book a charming historic guest house at the New Harmany Inn, perhaps one with its own garden, then stroll around the town and see how it grew from log cabins separated by dog-trots to cottages and then Carpenter Gothic houses. Take a quiet moment and walk the labyrinth designed after the one at Chartres Cathedral in France, a walking meditation. New Harmony exudes peace. Breathe it in.
When you drive west on I-70 and exit for Hays, it doesn’t look promising. But leave the you-could-be-anywhere strip malls for downtown, historic Hays, and it’s another thing entirely. Travel a little further south and you’ll find Rock Haven Spa amidst the scissortail swallows, limestone outcroppings, and wild plums along the riverbanks. In an 1890’s barn built from local stone by Volga German settlers, you’ll find unique spa services—and Pavarotti the peacock. First comes the bathing ritual—outdoor-in-ground whirlpool tubs that ready your body for treatments. Maybe a cactus agave body wrap or an aromatherapy facial. Go back to stay the night in old town Hays, renewed.
Bring your credit card when you head east to St. Louis. Stop, eat, and shop in the Italian enclave known as The Hill and take a box of Italian cookies home from the Missouri Baking Company. Save room for Turkish rolled flatbread, baked in a wood-fired oven, at the Balkan Treat Box headed by James Beard Award semi-finalist Loryn Nalic and her husband, Edo. Go for brunch at Bowood by Niche, an urban garden oasis on a quarter-acre—small but wonderful and so serene. Or save your appetite for Juniper, a restaurant celebrating Missouri’s Southern roots. Dive into the breadbasket with three different kinds of homemade biscuits. Chow down on blackened catfish, collard greens, red beans with smoked cream, and sweet potato pie. Bring your appetite to get-away-from-it-all farm dinners. There’s nothing like countryside ambience and dishes made by local chefs to make you relax and savor every bite. At 2L Farms near Leavenworth, grass-fed beef is the star at four-course dinners with beer/wine/cocktail pairings from June through September. In Overbrook, Kansas, southwest of Lawrence, Saltwell Farm offers a relaxed dining experience in an 1856 farmstead. The menu changes from weekend to weekend, but the dry hard cider is always a hit. And, of course, north to Weston and Green Dirt Farms where you can dine in an open-air room on artisan sheep’s milk cheeses, lamb, and local produce coaxed into even more deliciousness by chefs such as Waldo Thai’s Pam Liberda and Fox & Pearl’s Vaughn Good.
Biking Adventures THERE’S NO BETTER WAY TO SEE THEY COUNTRY THAN ON TWO WHEELS
Foodie Adventures
There is mountain biking, and then there’s real Rocky Mountain
CULINARY TRIPS TO BE SAVORED Bring your cooler and stock up on homegrown delights. Leave on Friday or very early Saturday to hit the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market, where local vendors sell regional cheeses, artisan breads, local honeys, Iowa-made Maytag blue cheese, apple-smoked bacon, or Pan-Asian vegetables and herbs from refugee farmers. While you’re there, grab a bite from Tacos Tarascos or Bosnian cabbage rolls from Papillon. On the way home, stop in Norwalk to load up again. La Quercia Cured Meats, a nationally known butcher/retail shop, dry-cures guan-
DOWNTOWN DES MOINES FARMERS MARKET Des Moines, Iowa dsmpartnership.com/desmoinesfarmersmarket
ciale (jaw bacon), Iberico Jamon, and Acorn edition prosciutto from heritage breeds of pork. Artisan foods well worth the trip.
LA QUERCIA CURED MEATS Norwalk, Iowa laquerciashop.com
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biking with altitude. You can start from downtown Fort Collins, Colorado, and choose the trail that best suits the difficulty level you wish, with trails that go for 100-plus miles. Horsetooth Reservoir, Ginny Trail, and Bobcat Ridge are popular paths that take you up and down craggy peaks with plenty of wildlife to spot along the way. Make sure you get used to the altitude for a day or so before you take your bike up the mountains.
The rolling prairies, canyons, and railroad bridges of Nebraska offer biking of a different kind, more dirt than mountain. If you want a mellow cruise through grasslands and wildflowers, choose Potter’s Pas-
BALKAN TREAT BOX Saint Louis, Missouri balkantreatbox.com
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BOWOOD BY NICHE Saint Louis, Missouri bowoodbyniche.com
JUNIPER Saint Louis, Missouri junipereats.com
Clockwise from upper left corner: The Orchard guest house at the New Harmony Inn. Shrimp and grits with chili salsa and herb salad from Bowood by Niche in St. Louis. A trail in the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve. Not Your Grandma’s Meatballs from Balkan Treat Box in St. Louis.
2L FARMS Leavenworth, Kansas 2lfarms.com/farm-to-table
SALTWELL FARM Overbrook, Kansas saltwellfarmkitchen.com
GREEN DIRT FARMS Weston, Missouri greendirtfarm.com/events
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MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS AROUND FORT COLLINS, COLORADO fcgov.com/bicycling/bike-maps
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PRAIRIE AND DIRT BIKING IN NEBRASKA visitnebraska.com/ sports-adventure/biking
Clockwise from far right: Hiking trail on the Konza Prairie near Manhattan, Kansas. Hiking at Custer State Park in South Dakota. Orr Family Farm near Oklahoma City offers glamping in a temperaturecontrolled teepee.
ture bike trail to see how your mountain bike stands up to tallgrass and bluestem. Choose parts of the 196-mile Cowboy Trail for a more flat and scenic ride, but with wooden-trussed railroad bridges far above river valleys that are thrilling to bike over.
The Ozark hills of northwest Arkansas provide the terrain and the challenges for any mountain or dirt biker. The Coler Mountain Bike Preserve challenges with rocky trails and lots of jumps for the more-advanced biker. For the long-distance biker, Razorback Regional Greenway includes trails from Bentonville south to Fayetteville, 27 miles.
Hiking Adventures WHEN IT’S TIME TO HIT THE TRAILS Hike Kansas? Well, yes. While there’s no yellow brick road, there are plenty of trails on what used to be inland sea. You’ll find the fossils—
and flowers—to prove it. During the Permian Period of the Paleozoic Era—250 million years ago—Kansas was a shallow sea that slowly became rich grassland. If you go on the Wildflower Walk on the Konza Prairie near Manhattan in June, you’ll see old-time prairie blooms: blazing star, black Samson, prairie smoke, rattlesnake master. Check out @hikingmanhattan on Facebook for more information.
Southwest South Dakota offers prehistoric in a different way—with a side of dinosaur and mammoth bones. Before or after you hike the hills, you can hit the dinosaur trail and maybe even dig for your own. But first, the petrified forests, the rocky canyons, the pine peaks, the deer, the circling buzzards. While you’re at Custer State Park, check out Mt. Rushmore and the Sin City of the 19th-century American West, Deadwood. Just don’t go when the Harley Davidsons gather at nearby Sturgis.
There are daredevil hikes for thrill-seekers and gentler ones that can be no less interesting. Load up the kids, put the leash
HIKING THE KONZA PRAIRIE manhattancvb.org/things-to-do/ parks-and-nature/konza-prairie
MOUNTAIN AND DIRT BIKING IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS Coler Mountain Bike Preserve | peelcompton.org/spaces/visit-coler Razorback Regional Greenway | nwarpc.org/razorback-regional-greenway
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CUSTER STATE PARK Black Hills of South Dakota gfp.sd.gov/parks/detail/ custer-state-park
Rent a yurt from hipcamp.com.
on Fido, and head to Slaughter Pen Trail in Bentonville, Arkansas. While there is plenty for the experienced rider/hiker at this location, this is also a good spot to bring the family or your artsy friends. With the scenery at a ten, this 40 miles of single-track flows alongside Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, where the trail is studded with public art installations. Hike as much or as little as you like.
Camping Adventures GET BACK TO NATURE Situated just outside Lawton, Oklahoma, and the old Fort Sill, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Preserve encompasses 60,000 acres of mixed-grass prairie, freshwater lakes, and ancient granite mountains. The wilderness is home to roaming herds of bison, longhorn sheep, and Rocky Mountain elk. Make your reservation early to wilderness camp with your own equipment. Enjoy fishing, bird-watching, hiking, kayaking, and wildlife photography.
SLAUGHTER PEN TRAIL Bentonville, Arkansas oztrails.com/trail-locations/ slaughter-pen
WICHITA MOUNTAINS WILDLIFE REFUGE Lawton, Oklahoma fws.gov/refuge/wichita-mountains-wildlife
MAY 2022
You, too, can camp in a yurt or a painted Romany wagon in Colorado. The yurt, complete with a woodstove and charcoal grill, no running water, and a groover toilet (don’t ask), happens to be in bear country. You must keep your food in a metal bear box at a corner of the deck or in your locked car if you don’t want a visit from Yogi Bear and his little pal Boo Boo. Plenty of people think this sounds like paradise, with four and five-star ratings. By comparison the Romany (gypsy) wagons—Shimza and Sapphira—let you wake up to bird song, not growls. Find your perfect campsite at hipcamp.com/colorado.
Glamping means you have all the comforts of home, but in a tent outdoors. At Orr Family Farm near Oklahoma City, those comforts take on pioneer charm. Choose to glamp in a 19th-century Conestoga wagon or a teepee with real beds and linens, bedside lanterns, and tables for playing saloon-style poker—that’s what the pioneers did when they got to town. Sit outside around the campfire to roast complimentary marshmallows, look up at the stars, and consider yourself very lucky to enjoy this adventure for an evening.
YURT OR ROMANY WAGON IN COLORADO hipcamp.com/colorado
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GLAMPING AT ORR FAMILY FARM Near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma orrfamilyfarm.com/glamping
words by
Kelsey Cipolla
KC’s Best Burgers IN HONOR OF NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH, WE’RE SHARING THE DETAILS OF KANSAS CITY’S BEST BURGERS
BEER KITCHEN 435 Westport Road, beerkitchenkc.com Burgers are at the top of the list of foods that pair well with beer, so it comes as no surprise that Beer Kitchen offers a selection of what the restaurant dubs “primo burgers.” The short-rib and brisket blend’s richness is underlined in the Smokestack, which complements the burger with smoked burnt ends, smoked gouda, and whiskey barbecue glaze, plus crunch courtesy of pickle relish, chipotle aioli, and crispy jalapeño straws. And Beer Kitchen’s crispy Belgian-style fries, available with an assortment of aiolis (roasted garlic! Sweet thai chili!), make for an irresistible side.
THE BRICK 1727 McGee Street, thebrickkc.com Less than $10 will cover your choice of burgers from the lengthy list at The Brick, Kansas City’s dive with a heart (and menu) of gold. But while the burgers might be affordable, they’re also high-quality, made with beef from Rain Crow Ranch in the Southern Ozarks and available with a wide variety of sides. You can’t go wrong with the Brick burger, served with grilled onions, cheddar cheese, and chipotle ketchup, but our go-to is the Pubby—served at the location since 1967, it features blue-cheese crumbles and bacon and, for good measure, an onion ring on top.
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BREWER’S KITCHEN 3107 Gillham Road Suite 100, brewers-kitchen.com At Brewer’s Kitchen, beers aren’t only served alongside burgers. The locally sourced beef for the sandwiches is actually marinated in IPAs— Cinder Block Brewery’s Block IPA is a particular favorite—before being ground fresh daily and turned into the Midtown restaurant’s juicy, delectable burgers. But that’s not the only place you’ll find beer. Brewer’s also incorporates the beverage into sauces and condiments, like the blueberry jam made using Tallgrass
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Brewing’s Buffalo Sweat. It’s a key ingredient in the wildly popular Blueberry Stout burger, which features pepper-jack cheese, arugula, and herb aioli.
BRGR KITCHEN & BAR Multiple locations, brgrkitchen.com There are tons of different burgers to choose from at BRGR, whether your tastes tend toward the traditional or more adventurous. But if you can take the heat, it’s hard to resist the Jalapeño Popper. Topped with fried pickled jalapeños, Boursin and cream cheeses, chopped bacon, jalapeño jam, and served on a pretzel-cheese-jalapeño bun, it’s a burger that’s shaped by its accompaniments in the best way, although the short rib and chuck-blend patty certainly holds its own.
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BURGER STATE 8920 Wornall Road burgerstatekc.com Consistently delicious burgers and fast, friendly service are on the menu at Waldo’s Burger State, where the star items are made from locally farmed beef and served on a toasted bun (a surprisingly rare find among local spots). In addition to a solid take on its namesake dish, Burger State offers a beer-battered burger, two plant-based options and a paleo plate, so there is truly something for everyone. We’re big fans of the crunchy, just-the-right-amount-ofgreasy onion rings and the numerous specials, including a unique burger of the month.
READER BURGER PICK*
The Animal Style burger from Third Street Social hits all the notes I am looking for—at least they reflect most similarly to a California-style burger. The burger has a perfect char and choice of a thin patty. The patty has a unique taste (due to the mustard seed). The sauce is reminiscent of the classic In-N-Out spread. Everything works together in a way that is hard to find in Kansas City burgers.” – Itzik Harosh
CHIXEN 1407 Southwest Boulevard, chixenkc.com Just when you thought there were no burger frontiers left to explore, Anthony Dedmond introduced KC to the chicken burger with ghost kitchen Chixen KC. The burgers are made from fresh ground chicken cooked on a sizzling flattop and available with an array of toppings. One of our faves? The half-pound Monarch, which comes piled with romaine, tomato, caramelized onions, jalapeño, bacon, cheddar, and bourbon barbecue sauce. Whether you’re trying to eat less red meat or simply want to switch things up without sacrificing flavor, Chixen delivers a satisfying experience.
READER BURGER PICK*
Corvino only has one burger on the menu, and my friend, you just need to experience it for yourself.” – Jay Sanders
* We asked our readers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to weigh in on their favorite burgers in Kansas City. These are the burgers your fellow readers swear by.
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GRANDSTAND BURGERS 4942 Merriam Drive, grandstandburgers.com Overland Park’s Grandstand Burgers may look like a charmingly old-fashioned drive-in, but the menu offers lots of surprises. In addition to a classic lineup of burgers made with thick, mouthwatering patties, the beloved neighborhood spot serves up the best-selling Kelly burger, a bacon double cheeseburger crowned with a slice of ham, and the Hawaiian burger, a Swiss cheeseburger covered in teriyaki sauce with a slice of grilled pineapple, plus a tenderloin sandCOSMO BURGER 7438 Wornall Road, cosmoburgerkc.com A relative newcomer on the local scene, Cosmo Burger made a name for itself serving smash burgers inside Dodson’s Bar and Commons. But while many burger spots dabble in other offerings, Cosmo’s stays hyper-focused with a menu that includes only a single, double, or Beyond Meat burger and a single side: tots. That attention pays off with every bite combining Cosmo’s buttered, soft potato bun, luscious beef, griddled grilled onions, melty cheese, and a secret sauce. Johnson County diners can get in on the fun with a new location opening soon at Lenexa Public Market.
“
READER BURGER PICK*
BLVD Tavern, Brewer’s Kitchen, Corvino, Savoy, and Tailleur. All have superior ingredients and each component on the burger makes for a flavor bomb in every bite.” – Mary Bloch
EXTRA VIRGIN 1900 Main Street, extravirginkc.com Extra Virgin’s Smithburger is so beloved, it stayed on the lunch menu even after the Crossroads restaurant pivoted to serve a largely Mediterranean lineup last year, and it remains a diner favorite. Think of it as a classic bacon cheeseburger with a side of fries and a certain special something courtesy of James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Smith. Although there’s nothing overtly gourmet about it, there’s finesse in every bite, from the golden-brown bun to the crisp lettuce and onion and the flavorful, expertly cooked meat.
* We asked our readers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to weigh in on their favorite burgers in Kansas City. These are the burgers your fellow readers swear by.
wich, hot wings, and sweet corn nuggets (a must-get side item). It’s nostalgic with a hint of deep-fried quirkiness that keeps diners coming back for more.
PIGWICH 20 E 5th Street localpig.com/pigwich Meat maestro Alex Pope serves up so many solid sandwiches at Pigwich that opting for a burger can feel a bit lackluster. But if a burger is what you’re after, why not get one made by the city’s premier butcher? The flavors in the truffle and cheddar option—cheese, truffle spread, tomato jam and red onion pickles—all work in harmony and play off the well-seasoned patty without taking over. And for a more indulgent dish, there’s the Big Pig, a chicken burger topped with pulled pork, melted pepper jack, pickled jalapeño and ranch on a ‘nduja-slathered onion bun.
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Q39 Multiple locations q39kc.com You know a burger is good when it tops the list of recommended items at a barbecue restaurant as celebrated as Q39. But after just one bite, you’ll understand why. Q39’s burnt-end burger combines the restaurant’s incredibly flavorful brisket patties, made from certified angus beef brisket that’s butchered and ground in-house daily, with sliced burnt ends, a hallmark of Kansas City’s barbecue scene. Topped with a crunchy, spicy pickle slaw and a generous drizzle of classic sauce, it satisfies burger and barbecue cravings alike, all in one not-so-neat but very pleasurable package.
WESTPORT FLEA MARKET 817 Westport Road, westportfleamarket.com Westport Flea Market’s burgers have been proclaimed the best in town by Food Network and numerous other outlets. For the uninitiated, here’s why: The thick, flavorful patties are made from Fareway Meat Market ground chuck; come topped with your choice of fixings on a pillowy sesame seed bun; and are served alongside curly fries. Quality ingredients and TLC make the burgers standouts, but Westport Flea Market’s quirky, relaxed vibe doesn’t hurt either—from the garage sale finds that serve as décor to the pool and shuffleboard tables.
TAY’S BURGER SHACK Multiple locations, facebook.com/taysburgershack Grass-fed, grass-finished beef is the star of the show at Tay’s Burger Shack, which originated in North KC and has since grown to include an Overland Park location. Both serve up succulent smash burgers featuring one, two, three, or a whopping four patties. It might seem decadent, but with meat this good, more really is more—if you have room for a one-pound burger, that is. We’re partial to add-on toppings, such as cheese sauce and Tay’s Tex-Mex chili, or the ever-popular sriracha mayo and ketchup for an added dose of tangy spice.
READER BURGER PICK*
“
Snack Shack in downtown Overland Park. My favorite burger is called The Bobby, it’s a halfpound double cheeseburger with grilled onions and jalapeños to add some spice—which is what I like.” – Alex Tapia
READER BURGER PICK*
“
The Sweet Potato Quinoa Burger at Westside Local is so delicious and a great vegetarian option. It can be made vegan by swapping hummus for cheese. They also use a delicious tahini maple sauce that gives it the perfect sweet-savory balance.” – Maggie Weir
TOWN TOPIC Multiple locations, towntopic.com Burgers don’t get more iconic in Kansas City than at Town Topic, which started selling the diner favorite way back in 1937 for five cents. The burgers are still cooked with grilled onions and a steamed bun, just as they were back in the day. (Although they do now cost a little more than a nickel.) The lineup includes a single, double, or triple, with or without cheese, plus the half-pound “bigger burger.” No matter when you grew up, the patties somehow taste like childhood—they’re simultaneously thin and juicy and pair perfectly with a side of fries and a hand-dipped malt.
THE WESTSIDE LOCAL 1663 Summit Street, thewestsidelocal.com There’s no shortage of inventive burger options at The Westside Local, where takes on the dish run the gamut from the coffee-rubbed Hawaiian, topped with mashed avocado and grilled pineapple, to the vegan and vegetarian friendly sweet potato quinoa with a maple tahini vinaigrette. Still, nothing hits the spot quite like the Summit burger, a half-pound brisket blend patty adorned with arugula, Emmentaler, and a beautifully acidic dijon vinaigrette. It’s classic with just the right amount of character—just as you’d expect from The Westside Local. READER BURGER PICKS*
• Burg and Barrel’s Bourbon Glaze Burger • Cosmo Burger’s Smashed Burger • Johnny’s Tavern’s Tank 7 Melt • Sauced’s Two Hand Burger
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• Tabards’ Southern Coffee Burger • Tailleur’s Garden Burger • Walsh’s Corner’s Cocktail Cheddar Bacon Burger
Color in Bloom ‘‘Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.”
–Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada
IT MAY NOT BE GROUNDBREAKING, BUT THE BLOUSY BLOOMS AND BRIGHT HUES OF THE SEASON ARE BRINGING BACK PRETTY AND LIFTING SPIRITS EVERYWHERE Ron Berg Arlen Wickstrum Flock Salon and Gallery makeup by Silvia Duckworth Bellissima by Silvia photos by hair by
A NEW LEAF Farm dress, $210. Jennybird necklace, $200. GLCO sunglasses, $130. Alohas sandals, $162. All available at Clairvaux (The Fairway Shops).
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SITTING WELL Peruvian Connection cami, $99. Peruvian Connection skirt, $149. Earrings, $129. Available at Peruvian Connection (The Crestwood Shops).
GARDEN VARIETY Rosso 35 tiered sundress, $565. Hatattack hat, $124. Available at Hudson & Jane (The Crestwood Shops).
CATCHING THE SUN Asiatica vintage Japanese silk ikat dress, $2,100. Monies earrings, $180. Available at Asiatica (Westwood). Tory Burch sandals, $228. Available at Halls (Crown Center).
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WILD THINGS Scotch & Soda knit top, $78. Scotch & Soda wide-leg pants, $198. Soko earrings, $88. Dolce Vita sandals, $130. All available at Luna (Westwood Shops).
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SOFT FOCUS Zimmermann mini dress, $795. Cult Gaia earrings, $98. Cult Gaia sandals, $428. Available at Halls (Crown Center).
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In the living room, a painting by Emily Johnson hangs over the fireplace. Crosby, their English Labrador, is front and center. Flower arrangement by Randy Neal Floral Design. Right: Annie (seated) and Carrie Chadwick.
WORTH THE WAIT A DESIGN-MINDED COUPLE ENLISTS THE HELP OF NEST INTERIORS TO FEATHER THEIR OWN (NEW, LARGER) NEST words by photos by
Patricia O’Dell Aaron Leimkuehler
A
s Annie and Carrie Chadwick were planning their wedding, they wanted to create a home together for the next chapter of their lives. Even the onslaught of the pandemic did not deter them. “We loved our previous house, which Nest designed,” Carrie says. “But we have two growing boys and two dogs, and we were feeling the crunch of a
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Left: A trio of paintings by Annie’s aunt, Hazel Sheldon, and a walking stick that belonged to her grandad, make a personal statement on one wall of the dining room. The Noir table is topped by a Visual Comfort chandelier. Flower arrangement by Randy Neal Floral Design. Above: The couple prides themselves on their art collection, which features women artists, including the Anna Kincaide painting in the stairwell.
smaller home. Room to grow was a top priority.” While the ranch style of their Old Leawood home was working for them, as they contemplated what they wanted next, they knew it was something different than the new builds that they had seen nearby. Then, their friend, neighbor, and real estate broker, Melissa Hills, secured a showing for what looked like a perfect house right when it hit the market. “The house is so unbelievably unique,” Annie says. “It has a modern, timeless, classic vibe that made us feel this house was built for us,” Carrie adds. That is when the fun began. The previous owners had maintained the integrity of the midcentury modern, so the couple just needed to make it their own. “We have a great history with Kat and Katy from Nest,” Annie says. “They know that when we come home from a long day at work, we want to feel cocooned in a stylish coziness that doesn’t take itself too seriously.” Annie had worked with Kat Benson and Katy Cassaw of Nest Interiors for years. It was easy for the team of four to determine priorities and develop a plan. “We knew Annie had a kind of California bohemian aesthetic,” Kat says. “But we didn’t know Carrie as well. So, we
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Top left: The kitchen’s open shelves display favorite objects from the couple’s collections. Bottom left: In the breakfast room, CB2 chairs surround an Alder & Tweed dining table. Opposite: Four Hands bar stools pull up to the quartztopped kitchen island.
got to learn about what she likes, which is more of a clean, modern style. Fortunately, they both love a vintage vibe, so we tried to play that up.” Ultimately, what the designers wanted to do was create an interior that was a little different, unique, and foremost, a reflection of its owners. While that meant new purchases, they didn’t want to discard the great furniture that the couple already owned. They decided to use some of those pieces in the finished basement. This provided a clean slate for the main level and the bedrooms. Benson and Cassaw knew that a family with young children and dogs needed furniture and rugs that were durable, while still being beautiful. Also, they knew the Chadwicks are not afraid of bold colors and prints. They love wallpaper. And they trusted their designers. “We trust their creativity and vision explicitly,” Annie says. “Generally, we give an overall feeling for what we are looking for and let them run with it. We’re always completely bulldozed by the genius of their concepts.” The respect is mutual. “We didn’t have to sacrifice the vibe we wanted,” Cassaw says. “They like high design, and they’re not afraid to take chances with materials just because they have kids and dogs, which is fun. It lets us push the envelope a little bit.” Still, a lot of the materials are very durable and easy to clean. The white living
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Top left: A vibrant Cole & Sons wallcovering papers one wall of the primary bedroom. Above: In the primary bath, black-and-white marble tile surrounds the freestanding tub. Work + Sea wallcovering adds a lighthearted touch. Bottom left: Statement-making “Modern Toile” Schumacher wallpaper defines the powder room. Opposite: Macrame Selamat Designs sconces flank the bed that’s dressed in Parachute linens and topped with Scalamandre and S. Harris custom pillows. Flower arrangement by Randy Neal Floral Design.
room sofa is covered in a performance fabric, though it loses none of its style. While Benson and Cassaw helped with furniture and accessory selection, Annie and Carrie looked for art. “Art is important to us,” Carrie says. “All of the pieces in this house have moved and inspired us. We’ve purposely chosen female artists to support women in the arts.” “That is something they really love to do together,” Cassaw says. The couple also has a passion for vinyl—records, that is. “We had our contractor construct the built-ins in the living room specifically to accommodate the record player and albums,” Cassaw says. Despite everyone being on the same page, it was still a pandemic. Back orders and delays were common. “It was definitely a long process,” Benson says. “It took almost two years to complete. We did multiple mini-installs, but they
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worth the wait continued
were just great about it.” “Some things are really worth the wait if they are special enough,” Cassaw says. “Yes,” Benson agrees. “The powder-room wallpaper was back ordered forever. We considered switching to something else, but ultimately, we waited. That was the last piece of the puzzle, and it was worth it. It’s great.” The Chadwicks concur. “Holy smokes, that space is one of our favorites in the house,” Carrie says. But not the only one. “Relaxing fireside in the great room while listening to albums and drinking martinis is probably one of the best moments we share in this house,” Annie says.
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A new entrance adds height and drama to the renovated ranch. The Crystorama pendant accents the double glass doors leading to the foyer.
RANDY NEAL FLORAL DESIGN CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY! SUNDAY, MAY 8
THE IT LIST Floral Design Randy Neal Floral Design randynealfloral.com
Monday - Saturday | 8:30 - 6:00
Interior Design Nest Interiors nestkc.com
4308 West 119th Street, Leawood KS 66209 913.754.7200 | randynealfloral.com
Art Blue Gallery bluegalleryonline.com
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Flavor
IN KC
In the Kitchen LAMB KEBABS BY
Cody Hogan
G
PHOTOS BY
rowing up on a cattle ranch, we never ate lamb. I think it was a leftover sentiment from the Sheep and Cattle Wars of the late 19th century in the Old West. It wasn’t until my first restaurant job in the '90s that I discovered meltingly tender beer-braised lamb shanks, succulent herb-and-mustard-encrusted lamb racks, and tiny little garlic-and-rosemary-scented chops. I was hooked. In my zeal, I even took some home to my sheep-averse family where it was greeted with muted enthusiasm—they were always supportive, even if they found my choices a bit eccentric. Nevertheless, I still love lamb and always love sharing new preparations. A new preparation for me is the lamb kebab. In Turkey and around the Middle East, lamb kebabs are traditional and extremely popular fare. They are made with chunks of lamb or ground lamb, skewered on a “shish” (Turkish, meaning skewer or sword), and there are countless variations. In Turkey, purists don’t combine vegetables on the same shish as meat, and kebabs made with ground lamb normally are mixed only with salt and spicy red pepper. I am not a purist, and I do love my vegetables, so I like to sneak them into the mix where I can. Kebabs can easily become kofta—essentially, just Middle Eastern-flavored meatballs—by shaping them into balls and leaving them off the skewer. Regardless the shape you choose, I hope you choose to add a little lamb to your life this spring and summer. MAY 2022 |
Aaron Leimkuehler
Lamb Kebabs with Spring Greens, Tomatoes, and Flatbread This specific type of kebab is an Adana (named after the Turkish city of Adana) kebab. Traditionally, the lamb used is a fatty cut, minced by hand, but sometimes you only have time to pick up a pack of ground lamb at the grocery store. Better to do that, than not cook at all. Note that when choosing lamb, domestic lamb tends to be milder than that imported from New Zealand and Australia, mainly due to the varieties of lamb used, so if cooking for those hesitant to embrace lamb, look for the domestic. If you are absolutely opposed to lamb, you probably haven’t read this far, but you could use this same technique with other ground meats—even fish. Begin by placing 1 pound of ground lamb in a roomy bowl. Season it with approximately 2 scant teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin cumin, 2 teaspoons of ground sumac, and approximately 1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper. My favorite pepper for this is Aleppo pepper, but Urfa pepper is traditional. Cayenne is a little on the hot side, so if you substitute that, be responsible. In the summer, when I have them, I like to use a generous handful of chopped fresh hot peppers from the garden instead of all the dried pepper. Finely chop a bunch of scallions or chives (yielding about one cup) and add to the bowl. Begin kneading the meat mixture like dough, kneading with vigor, squeezing the meat through your fingers until it becomes very sticky and starts
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In Your Pantry
LAMB CHOP VARIETIES
sticking to the bowl. This will take several minutes. Add a few tablespoons of ice water and knead some more. (Alternatively, you could grate an onion, collecting the juice, and use the onion and juice in place of the scallions and ice water—this adds moisture and flavor.) Chill the mixture again while assembling the rest of the components. I like to serve these kebabs with marinated red onions (red onions, sliced, sprinkled with ground sumac, salt, and olive oil), a salad of fresh greens and herbs dressed with lemon and oil, tomatoes,* and flatbread. When you have everything assembled, and your grill heated, form the kebabs by dividing the meat mixture into four parts for large, fat kebabs, or smaller amounts for thinner, daintier skewers. A Turkish cook once told me that if you don’t make the kebabs smooth when you shape them, you get more crispy edges, so that’s what I do, forming the mixture onto the skewer, squeezing the meat into sausage-like shapes with ridges. In Middle Eastern grilling tradition, kebabs are grilled on a shish above the heat source (hot coals), not directly touching a grill. You can achieve a similar style heat source by removing the grates from an American-style grill and placing skewers all the way across the grill from front to back with the food directly above the heat source. In the cooler seasons, I like to cook kebabs in my fireplace by placing a brick in the back of the fireplace and resting the tips of the skewers on it, so they are suspended above the coals. You could also cook the kebabs in a preheated, very hot grill pan on the stove, balancing the skewers across the edges of the pan so they are just above the surface (not touching). This takes a little bit longer to do but works well. An oven broiler could also get the job done, but neither of those methods really imparts the flavor of smoke. Regardless of the heat source, turn the kebabs after about the first 90 seconds of cooking, then again about 90 seconds later. This begins the protein coagulation on the surface of the meat. If you wait too long to turn the kebabs, the fats could melt, and the softened meat will fall off the skewer into the coals. After the first few turns you can leave the kebabs undisturbed to brown on each side. Doneness is a matter of personal taste, but the time will vary considering the thickness of the kebabs and the temperature of the heat source, so use your own judgment. For fans of spice, sprinkle a little more of the cumin, sumac, and red pepper on the kebabs while cooking. During the last few minutes on the heat, place the flatbread directly on the grill or directly atop the kebabs to heat and lightly toast. Serve a platter of kebabs, the breads, salads, and tomatoes and let your guests assemble their own plates.
LAMB CAN BE a bit of a challenge to find in our part of the Midwest. When
you do find it, it is frequently in the form of a shoulder or leg roast or some form of chop. While the roasts and legs seem daunting to many, chops are much more approachable and faster to get on the table. You just need to know what to do with which type of chop.
Shoulder Chop These chops, normally a little less than an inch thick when found in grocery stores, are great for stovetop braises in a heavy skillet. Just season them with salt, then lightly flour and quickly brown them in the pan. Deglaze with wine, add a dollop of tomato paste and some aromatic vegetables, stir and brown again, then add water or broth and continue cooking. The chops will take 30-40 minutes to cook, and in this time, you can adjust the flavor profile any way you like: add dried fruits and mustard for a Mediterranean feel, or brown sugar, soy, garlic, and pepper paste for a little Asian influence. It may be necessary to add a bit of liquid occasionally if it all evaporates. The meat should just begin to pull away from the bones and be tender. Remove the chops from the sauce, and reduce the sauce to your desired consistency, adjusting the flavor as desired. Larger chops, 2-4 inches thick, are great for braising, but you will most likely have to ask a butcher to cut those for you.
Rib Rack or Rib Chop The most common chop used by European-influenced restaurants, the rib rack can be cooked and served as a rack, divided into two or three bone chops, or cut into single chops that cook in just a few minutes. Lamb always appreciates marinating with garlic for a few minutes (single chops) to a few hours (for larger pieces and whole racks). Add rosemary or fennel to the marinade to go full Mediterranean. For whole racks (or four-bone half racks), try briefly searing or grilling the marinated rack, then rubbing it with mustard and topping with seasoned breadcrumbs, finishing it in a moderate oven or on a covered grill. For single bone chops, after a quick marinade, sear them in a scorching-hot cast-iron skillet for a minute or two on each side (for medium rare) which will create a delicious natural crust, or grill them on a very hot grill (a minute or two on each side) if you want a hint of smoke and char.
Loin or Porterhouse Chops These tasty little chops offer a bit more chew than the rib rack chops and are much more forgiving with cooking times. Cook them for several minutes on each side, then stand them upside down on the top of the “T” of the bone end to cook the last few minutes. Marinate with garlic, fennel pollen (or fennel powder), and crushed red pepper for an Italian feel, or spices like cumin, oregano, or coriander to take it East. Moroccan and Indian spices and spice blends are great here as well.
*If your tomatoes are less than perfect, try grilling on a shish or roasting them to increase their flavor, just like the Turkish do. MAY 2022 |
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Flavor
IN KC by
Kelsey Cipolla
In Your Cocktail MEAN MULE DISTILLING CO.
C
rossroads-based Mean Mule Distilling Co. is rooted in family legend. The story goes that Meg Evans, who co-owns Mean Mule with her husband, Jeff, comes from a long line of distillers—ones who weren’t deterred by prohibition. Her great grandfather Fritz was running the family operation when a disgruntled customer turned him into the feds. When the revenue officers turned up on the family’s property, Fritz took off running and the revenuers set out to find the operation, discovering a building they knew had to be it. What they didn’t know was Fritz hid his equipment beneath a false floor protected by something unexpected. “On top of the floor, he had gone and bought the meanest mule MAY 2022 |
that money could buy to guard the stills,” Jeff says. “So, these two men, these two revenuers in their arrogance—and really their ignorance— kick open this door and come face-to-face with 1,500 pounds of mean Missouri fury. Within two minutes, one man was dragging the other one down the road, and they never came back.” Back then, the family was making corn whiskeys and fruit brandies using items available on the farm, but the latest generation of distillers has taken a different approach—agave spirits. When Mean Mule launched in 2016, it became one of the first U.S. companies focusing solely on agave spirits, sourcing organic agave from Jalisco, Mexico, which is broken down into nectar and shipped to KC. Mean Mule’s product line includes a range of easy-to-drink spir-
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its, from light and refreshing unaged Silver, perfect for palomas, to the more mature Heritage, aged a minimum of one year in Missouri white-oak barrels and released in yearly batches. But never ones to rest on their laurels, the Evanses recently introduced the first agave-based gin in the country. “We’re a little crazy,” Jeff says with a laugh, but beyond wanting to do something out of the box, Mean Mule aimed to showcase agave’s versatility with the gin. In a traditional take, the neutral grain spirit can come across as spicy and hard, whereas agave offers a smoother, more floral base. Using vapor distillation, Mean Mule imparts botanicals found on the family farm to give the gin its flavor, including juniper berry, coriander, cardamom, white pepper, and persimmon, which adds a unique stone-fruit quality. “It tastes like honey, it tastes like melon,” Jeff says. “It’s a lot of things all together—it turned out really well.” The gin is prominently featured on the cocktail menu you’ll find at Mean Mule’s tasting room, which takes inspiration from Western culture with a modern twist, like the rest of the distilling company’s brand. In addition to being able to try a flight of all the spirits, guests can enjoy beers, wines, mocktails, classic cocktails, and seasonal offerings, which currently include the Strawberry Roan. “Strawberry Roan is a song by a guy named Marty Robbins, and it just so happens that it’s also a flower, and our entire menu this season
is based on flowers that grow in the Midwest, so it really worked out perfectly,” Jeff says. “And if you’ve never listened to any Marty Robbins, I highly recommend.” meanmuledistilling.co
Strawberry Roan 1½ 3 ¾ ¾ ½
ounces Mean Mule Gin fresh strawberries ounce fresh lemon juice ounce agave syrup ounce aquafaba*
Muddle strawberries in a cocktail shaker. Add gin, lemon juice, agave syrup, and aquafaba. Add crushed ice and shake. Double strain cocktail into a coupe. Garnish with a sage leaf. *Aquafaba is the liquid from cooking garbanzo beans. At Mean Mule, they use the beans to make hummus!
DRESS FOR SPRING WITH A NEW LOOK FROM ULAH & LUNA Locaed in Woodside Village, Westwood Kansas | UlahKC.com | ShopLunaKC.com
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IN KC
Kelsey Cipolla
MOTHER CLUCKER PARLOR FAVORITE Mother Clucker is turning up
In Culinary News
the heat with its first standalone location in Shawnee, where owners Derrick and Kylie Foster have long been keeping an eye out for the right space. The new restaurant will offer significantly more room than their current food-hall stall and will allow them to turn out more food, says Derrick, adding that the Shawnee location will also serve as a model as the Fosters look to start franchising the concept. Mother Clucker currently serves up fried chicken tenders and sandwiches, a boneless breast and a standout sandwich, the Comeback, available at six different spice levels, plus loaded fries and shakes. The Shawnee location will feature the same menu, as well as softserve ice cream and a patio when it opens later this summer. mothercluckerofficial.com
EASY BREEZY L UXURY
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Shop the Spring/Summer Collection at www.jmullin.com BOXED FOR GIFTING
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FREE DELIVERY
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Settle into a spacious outdoor sectional delivered directly to you with our professional delivery service. That way you can focus on what to serve guests while we handle the heavy labor. 1601 Village West Pkwy Kansas City, KC | 800-407-5000 | ©2022 Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc.
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Kelsey Cipolla
OVERLAND PARK FARMERS MARKET
In Culinary News
AFTER ENDURING yet another unpredictable Midwest winter, being able to again peruse a farmers market in the late-spring sun feels like an invaluable gift. And at the Overland Park Farmers Market, that gift just got a little bigger. Now in its 40th year, the market opened in mid-April with an expanded footprint, spreading from the farmers market pavilion out into the nearby parking lots and onto Marty Street. The change provides more space between stalls, plus additional parking and restrooms to make the market experience better for shoppers and vendors alike. What hasn’t changed? The top-notch vendors, including Food Life Joy, Bird’s Botanicals, and Hemme Brothers Creamery. Check them out—along with many, many more—on Saturdays, and stay tuned for the Wednesday market, which will begin on June 1. opkansas. org/recreation-fun/farmers-market
Totally Updated Prairie Village Treasure
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Residential•Commercial•Four KC Metro Locations Lee’s Summit
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680 SE Bayberry Lane
816.282.2880
SUMMER COLOSSEUM
GLASS BY ARTIST KATE CLEMENTS
SATURDAY | JUNE 11 | DUSK PHOTOGRAPHER: CHADWICK CHRISTOPHER MODELS: DAWSON LAMBERT & BOWIE HAIR STYLISTS: RUSTY PHILLIPS & MARLEY FIELDS GARMENTS: BIRDIES CROWN: SYDNEY PENER | SYDMETALS GRAPHIC DESIGN: JESS ANDREAS
TICKETS | EVENTBRITE TICKETS AVAILABLE MAY 1ST VIP SEATS $100 | GENERAL ADMISSION $50 | STANDING ROOM NO COST
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IN KC
Kelsey Cipolla
RIVER BLUFF BREWING
In Culinary News
KANSAS CITY’S BREWING SCENE just got a new addition: River Bluff Brewing. The brewery is based in St. Joseph, where co-founders Chris Lanman and Edison Derr launched in 2018, serving traditional styles in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. Now the team has opened a second location in River Market, where you’ll find River Bluff in the historic Kansas City Water building once used to house the wagons, donkeys, and water to fight fires in the city. In addition to flagship beers, the KC location features exclusive brews, such as the light and easy to drink Townley Blonde Ale and the well-balanced KC Common. Beer not your thing? Guests can also find offerings from KC Cider Co., KC Wineworks, and Guys Snacks, plus a pup-friendly patio. riverbluffbrew.com
CAR WON'T WON'T GO? GO? CAR CAR WON'T GO?
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MAY 2022 |
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Flavor
IN KC
Reservation for One BUCK TUI by
Kelsey Cipolla
F
photos by
ew places on earth take barbecue more seriously than Kansas City. In a town where sauces, rubs, and cooking techniques are carefully scrutinized and compared to legendary establishments that have been in the business of barbecue for decades, is there any room for a newcomer? Buck Tui makes it clear the answer is a resounding yes, if the packed tables during the Overland Park restaurant’s first week of dine-in service are any indication. That might be because it brings a new perspective to Kansas City, with restaurateur and chef Ted Liberda melding local MAY 2022 |
Aaron Leimkuehler
barbecue with the flavors and traditions of Northeastern Thai cuisine. Buck Tui steadily ramped up, first serving at the Overland Park Farmers Market last year then hosting pop-ups and offering carry-out from the restaurant before finally opening its dining room in mid-March. The space is lively, with neutral wood-toned floors, colorful orange-red booths, a sprinkling of houseplants and an alterna-pop playlist. Shortly after opening, it understandably still feels like a work in progress, albeit one in capable hands. Fortunately, the smoked meats don’t need much to shine: Slices of
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Salt Creek Farms brisket marinated in fish sauce and cooked until they’re so tender, the meat falls off your fork; a half or whole Gerber Amish Chicken submerged for 48 hours in a lemongrass-and-coriander brine and cooked until golden brown; and succulent St. Louis-style Duroc pork ribs slathered with a sweet chili glaze. Buck Tui also serves a tasty pulled pork; flavor-packed Issan-style Thai sausage featuring dill, cilantro, lemongrass, makrut lime, and fish sauce; and barbecue-rubbed, cold-smoked shrimp, which takes on a meaty texture akin to lobster tail that makes them extra satisfying. Liberda’s smoked meats are rivaled only by the Tiger Cry sauce they’re served with. The thin sauce resembles a chimichurri, and it is packed with herbaceous flavor, but the condiment is also citrusy and a little sweet, with a seriously spicy punch that leaves your lips tingling even as you reach for the next bite. Dishes are also served with a house barbecue sauce, which has a little less body than you’d expect from a KC sauce and more tomato flavor, although it’s still a tasty addition. The meats are available on their own, or diners can enjoy them on a barbecue plate, which includes one or two choices of meat, plus a crunchy and refreshing papaya slaw, pickles, and a side of rice that is lightly seasoned and fluffy, capturing more attention than it has any logical right to. Other dishes meld barbecue and Thai flavors in more obvious ways. Think fried egg rolls filled with brisket, cream cheese, and scallions and smoked whole chicken wings with fish sauce and butterscotch—a combo that tastes much better than it might initially sound. Buck Tui noodles feature pulled pork alongside egg noodles, bean sprouts, and fried garlic, while the Khao Poon brisket pairs the protein with coconut curry and local veggies. Buck Tui is also serving Sunday brunch, with some dishes finding their footing more solidly than others. In the smoked-beef short-rib hash, chunks of parsnip are unevenly cooked, as is the short rib served with onion, mushrooms, arugula and a crispy egg. It’s not a bad dish, just one that fails to show off ingredients to their full potential. Luckily, the farmers market breakfast burrito, a holdover from the OP days, remains as delicious as ever, with barbecue pork, cheese, smoked peppers and onions, scrambled eggs, gai-lan (Chinese broccoli), and a creamy version of the Tiger Cry sauce snuggly wrapped in a Yoli Tortilleria tortilla. Smoked meats and barbecue plates are also served during brunch, along with a sweet and nutty Thai iced coffee with coconut milk and a lineup of cocktails from beverage director Matsumoto Mari. Drinks include the Smokey Teddy, Buck Tui’s signature Bloody Mary named for the restaurant’s chef-owner and made with Thai barbecue sauce, the restaurant’s spice rub, and an elaborate garnish involving one of those cold-smoked shrimp, as well as a more standard bloody, a michelada, and a take on the mimosa made with guava nectar. Guava also features prominently in early cocktail standout the Guavarita, made with guava purée, tequila, lime, agave, and dry curaçao. Mari’s drinks bring out the food’s vibrant flavors and shine a light on what makes the concept special—in a city full of barbecue joints, Buck Tui is bringing something fresh and fun to the table. bucktuibbq.com
MAY 2022 |
A spectacular, contemporary venue with transformable reception spaces and a magnificent courtyard. 1900bldg.com (913) 730–1905
Modern-American cuisine from award-winning Chef Linda Duerr. Chef Duerr and team present elegant fare and carefully curated menus for a variety of special occasions. therestaurantat1900.com (913) 730–1900
1900 Building 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway Mission Woods, Kansas
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Faces
IN KC
Lyric Opera Benefactor Party THE LYRIC OPERA CIRCLE held a benefactor party for the 2022 Lyric Opera Ball, Una Notte a Roma (One Night in Rome), at the home of Dan Meiners and David Brinkerhoff. Guests enjoyed drinks from Westport Cafe & Bar and hors d’oeuvres from Olive Events and Catering. Lost Wax’s keyboardist Doriel Demps played piano and set the tone for the evening. The chair for the party was Regina Kort, assisted by Mary Leonida. For more photos go to inkansascity.com/events-photos.
Photos by Brian Rice
Celebrate Black Cinema at Black Movie Hall of Fame KC FILMFEST INTERNATIONAL partnered with the Critics Choice Association and the Boone Theater to present Celebrate Black Cinema and the launch of the Black Movie Hall of Fame. Live music was performed by Grammy nominated music producer Jo Blaq and The Distrikct, and artwork by Warren Harvey was unveiled. For more photos go to inkansascity. com/events-photos.
Photos by Thurston Long and BJ Sampson
MAY 2022
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Romeo uliet &J Heart of America SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL June 14 - July 3, 2022 SOUTHMORELAND PARK FREE LIVE OUTDOOR THEATRE TUESDAY - SUNDAY, 8:00 pm #kcshakes kcshakes.org
THE FESTIVAL THANKS OUR MAJOR SPONSORS: Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation | Deanna and Greg Graves Family Foundation | Theater League
Shirley & Barnett Helzberg Jr. Donor Advisory Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City | Green Mountain Foundation/John and Carol Kornitzer Burns & McDonnell | E. Kemper Carter and Anna Curry Carter Community Memorial Trust, UMB, n.a., Trustee | Lockton Companies, LLC | Jack and Karen Holland | Missouri Arts Council | Francis Family Foundation | Edward P. Milbank | Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation | Torosian Foundation | Dr. Scott and Bernadette Ashcraft | Dr. Mark Box Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts – Commerce Bank, Trustee | William T. Kemper – Commerce Bank, Trustee | W. J. Brace Charitable Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee
My Essentials
IN KC BY
Emily Park
DAN POSCH ENTREPRENEUR. MAKER.
T PHOTO BY CORIE ENGLISH
he events of the last few years have ushered in an era of change for many, and for Dan Posch, it led to the discovery of something meaningful. After spending a decade in Kansas City’s boutique hotel industry running sales and marketing for hotels, such as The Fontaine, 21c, and others, Posch needed to make a change as the pandemic weighed down on the hospitality industry. So, he founded Vintage Posch. Now he’s refinishing midcentury modern furniture— focusing on enhancing the wood grain of pieces from the 50s, 60s, and 70s—and selling and shipping his work all over the country. “I want my pieces to bring beauty and joy to my clients’ homes—it makes my work even more meaningful,” says Posch, adding that Kansas City has been the perfect place to start a new business. “Kansas City supports makers, entrepreneurs, and the creative community. That’s why I’m able to do what I do. People are genuine here, and we have a lot of pride.”
Dan’s essentials...
ICE CREAM: The French
Custard is currently doing pop-ups around Kansas City. Their Chocolate Toffee Crunch is worth planning your weekend around.
CREDIT CARD DAMAGE:
I love stopping by Westside Storey. It’s the perfect mix of vintage finds and KC-made items. I grabbed my latest Kansas City tees and the top half of my Canadian tuxedo from there.
DRINK: The Big Sipper at Panther’s Place—spiced rum, tonic, and ginger beer with a little lime. It tastes even better when sitting around a fire. HAIRCUT: You can only trust so many people with a mullet. Luckily, Margaret at Lumine Salon in the Crossroads keeps the right ratio of business in the front and party in the back.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY:
Mountain biking with my fiancé, Kelly. I literally get to ride bikes in a forest with my main squeeze. We’ve got dozens of legit mountain bike trails cared for by volunteers. My favorite trail is at Wyandotte County Lake. Shelter #9 on Google maps is the best place to drop in. There is something for every experience level—flow trails, rock gardens, and a nice breeze off the lake on hot summer days. MAY 2022
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STAYCATION:
I’d stop by Velo Garage and Tap House making sure we have all the gear we need, then mountain bike at Wyandotte County Lake. After that, we’d grab a massive slice at Buffalo State Pizza, and hop on a couple of scooters for the afternoon. Dinner at Stock Hill, nightcap at Nighthawk, and I’d stay at the Kansas City Hotel.
