SEPTEMBER 2022 | INKANSASCITY.COM KC’s Garment Industry: Past, Present, & Future FALL FASHION ISSUE
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Artisan apparel for nomads and romantics. W W W D E L B R E N N A C O M Hudson & Jane Peruvian Connection Pear Tree Design & Antiques Delbrenna Jewelry George A Lifestyle Store Aixois French Bistro CharlecoteSharyn Blond LinensAixois French Bistro | Barton Perreira | Charlecote | Crestwood Flowers | Delbrenna Jewelry George A Lifestyle Store | George Terbovich Design Inc. | Hudson & Jane | Pear Tree Design & Antiques Peruvian Connection | Salon Latifa | Sharyn Blond Linens | TeaMarket | Underdog Wine Co. Barton Perreira
Locally owned and a Country Club Plaza icon for over 40 years | 501 Nichols Rd. at Pennsylvania | 816.753.4144 | www.terrasi.com PLAZA ART FAIR reprieve... NOW OPENour “Via Saluté” corner Stop in during the Plaza Art Fair, September 23rd-25th, for refreshments and artful savings! Enjoy the full, fun Terrasi Living experience - earth friendly Saluté candles, home scents inspired by Italian aperitivi cocktails, the latest barware.. and our new hand-selected spirits. Visit our collection of European “cocktail hour” essentials for entertaining and curated gift-giving packages Music by Sisters & Strings Infusion, Friday, Sept 23, B5-7pm ack by popular demand - in front of our store...
Contents SEPTEMBER 2022 Features Departments 26 ENTERTAINING IN KC 32 OUR MAN IN KC 38 ARTS & CULTURE IN KC 48 LOOK IN KC 54 WOMEN’S HEALTH IN KC 58 LIVING IN KC 98 FLAVOR IN KC 114 FACES 120 MY ESSENTIALS IN KC IN EVERY ISSUE 16 EDITOR’S NOTE 18 INKANSASCITY.COM 20 THIS MONTH IN KC 82 1922-2022: THE HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY’S GARMENT INDUSTRY From housedresses to hip-hop. 86 FAMILY TIME A Leawood couple decided to leave a house they loved, but are home again in a new build especially designed for extended family gatherings. 64 IN CONVERSATION WITH PORTER AND HOLLISTER HOVEY Two sisters from Kansas City are making a big splash in the highly competitive NewYork design world. 68 FALL WRAPPED UP Cozy, comfortable, and yes, chic, day dressing for the new season. 78 SEASONAL FARM DINNERS WORTH THE DRIVE Take a leisurely drive outside the city to partake in the annual alfresco tradition of a true farm feast. 78 On the cover Our fall fashion picks for the new season. For more information on this look and to see the rest of the feature, turn to page 68. Photo by Kenny Johnson. 68 86 64 SEPTEMBER 2022 | 12 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
I-35 & 67th Street | Merriam, KS | INFINITIofKC.com | (816) 941 - 0770 wayallLuxurythehome. The 2022 INFINITI QX60
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And in our departments, you won’t find anyone more natty and nice than our man about town, Damian Lair, who will take you to every party and event you might have missed. Our entertaining maven, Merrily Jackson, hosts large parties and small dinners with great élan, and brings it all within your reach with her practical tips and creative shortcuts. Our Look column, penned by new contributor Susan Cannon, reflects her very chic take on the newest trends in beauty, fashion, and wellness. Cody Hogan, a fabulous chef (and gardener) and our long-time food columnist, shares stories about ingredients and creative recipes that are not to be followed slavishly, but are a roadmap for putting your own spin on the dishes you serve.
Editor’s Note Style is a concept that threads throughout our lives. It’s not just the clothes we wear, but it’s how we decorate our homes, entertain our friends, prepare our meals, even in our relationships with others.
SEPTEMBER 2022
Editor In Chief Zim Loy Digital Editor Emily Park Art Director Alice Govert Bryan Associate Art Director Madeline Johnston Contributing Writers Susan Cannon, Judith Fertig, Cindy Hoedel, Cody Hogan, Merrily Jackson, Damian Lair, Patricia O’Dell, Jenny Vergara
Editorial Questions: zloy@inkansascity.com
Contributing Photographers Corie English, Peter Hurley, Kenny Johnson, Aaron Leimkuehler, Julia Robbs Publisher Michelle Jolles Media Director Brittany Coale Senior Media Consultants Katie Delzer, Nicole Kube, Krista Markley, Darlene Simpson Business Consultant Chad Parkhurst Newsstand Consultant Joe J. Luca, JK 816-213-4101,Associatesjkassoc.net
Kansas Citians have had great style for a long time. The Garment District Museum is a reminder of our history as the center of everyday fashion, from Lee Jeans to Nelly Don’s pretty housedresses. Writer Judith Fertig’s report on 100 years of KC’s garment industry (page 82) re minds us of our town’s fashionable past, present, and future.
Even Cindy Hoedel’s Q&A (page 64) with former Kansas Citians and now New Yorkers, Porter and Hollister Hovey, is all about style. The sisters have carved a very stylish niche for themselves in New York’s burgeoning real-estate staging industry. Their look is unique and ap pealing to a new generation of home buyers. (They also share a few tips you might find helpful!)
Writer Jenny Vergara’s compilation of true chef-driven farm dinners (page 78) that are ours to enjoy within a short drive has given me a goal of trying every last one of them before cold weather sets in. Dreamy photos of long, candlelit tables at dusk—and Jenny’s descriptions of mouthwater ing dishes—will probably move you to action, as well.
All in all, it’s a very stylish issue within! Zim
Vol. 5 | No. 9
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SEPTEMBER 2022 | 16 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
I like the fact that IN Kansas City is unique in local print and online media in that we strive to address all facets of graceful living. In this issue, it’s not just the stylish obvious, like our ten-page fashion feature that reveals the best new fall looks from KC’s local boutiques and department stores, it’s in the subtler flair of living well, including seeking out new experiences.
photo by aaron leimkuhler
The Wren’s new home in Old Leawood (page 86) personifies the family’s style. Contributor Patricia O’Dell documents their desire to create a space that’s welcoming to their extended family and serves as the home base for holidays and special occasions. It’s a beautiful home, but not in a “don’t touch” kind of way. It invites gracious, stylish living.
Defining Style
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Hungry? Try out a new, local eatery tonight! 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 the begining of autumn. Head to inkansascity.com/eat-drink/dining-guide Closet refresh. Since opening its first location in Fairway in 2020, Clairvaux has quickly become a fashion icon in Kansas City’s retail scene. So much so, that a second location is coming to Leawood’s Hawthorne Plaza this month. Here’s your chance to win a $500 Clairvaux gift card so you can shop ‘til you drop at either location and update your fall wardrobe. Enter by September 31 at inkansascity. com/the-magazine/enter-to-win
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ENTER TO WIN Stay IN the know. We’re all about local at IN Kansas City. Because the local business scene in the metro is constantly changing and evolving, we’re launching Stay IN the Know, a twicea-month online column with the latest updates on what’s new around town. Whether you’re searching for a new restaurant to try, a fresh cut at a new salon, a new boutique to update your wardrobe, a spot to find new home decor or artwork, or a new nightlife experience, we’ve got the latest on what’s new in Kansas City at inkansascity.com on the first and 15th of every month. That buzz. If the hustle and bustle that greets customers at most of the metro’s local coffee shops indicates anything, it’s that Kansas Citians have plenty of appreciation for that cup of joe that fuels us every morning. September 29 is National Coffee Day, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with the ultimate guide to local coffee. Sure, there’s a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts on nearly every corner, but those spots just don’t offer the same experience. Whether you take your coffee black or go for a specialty latte or mocha, there’s a local coffee shop that has just the perfect sip nearby. Head to inkansascity.com for your guide to KC’s local coffee scene.
NEWSLETTER INKANSASCITY.COM Fall fun. The minute September comes around, it’s hard not to pull out your best flannels, decorate the house with autumn decor accents, and start planning that annual trip to the pumpkin patch or apple orchard. Pumpkins and apples rule the season, and nothing makes memories more than selecting the perfect plump pumpkin off the vine or picking that flawless red, round apple off a branch. Plus, the fun continues after you leave those fields and go home to carve a jack-olantern or bake an apple dessert. Looking for a new pumpkin patch or apple orchard to visit this fall? We’ve got you covered. Head to inkansascity.com for a roundup of fall attractions. SEPTEMBER 2022 | 18 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
realestate@lochlloyd.com | (816) 331-9500 | LochLloyd.com AVAILABLE NOW Experience views that inspire in the coveted Stonehaven at Loch Lloyd. Offering new wooded, acreage homesites located in Missouri and Kansas.
SEPTEMBER SPOTLIGHT
ere’s art and much, much more at KC Ren Fest. One of the largest renaissance fairs in the U.S., KC Ren Fest takes visitors 500 years back in time where you’ll nd handmade wares, such as jewelry, pottery, woodwork, leatherwork, paintings, hand-blown glass, and metalwork. Plus street acts, jousting, musical performances, the Royal Court, and fair food, including those must-have turkey legs.
kcrenfest.comSprings SEPTEMBER 2022 | 20 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
September 28–October 2 Kansas americanroyal.com/bbqSpeedway Eat up. e world’s largest barbecue competition is coming to Kansas City. Competitors from around the world battle for the grand champion title in the invitational competition, open competition, sides competition, and kids’ que. Friday, September 28, is the biggest night of the series with live music, cold drinks, and of course, mouth-watering barbecue. On Saturday, visitors can browse the BBQ Marketplace, enjoy kid-friendly activities, and watch the biggest names in barbecue compete—including some Kansas City pit masters.
Opening Weekend, September 24–25 Louisburg Cider louisburgcidermill.com/ciderMill fest Fall fun. When the leaves begin to turn shades of red, yellow, and orange, it’s time to bring out the apple cider. Ciderfest starts o with a pancake breakfast from 8:00 until 11 a.m., before branching out to other activities including pony rides, in atable slides, cider and cider-donut making, and craft booths.
Catch a ride on the hay wagon to the cider mill’s pumpkin patch and pick a pumpkin to bring home, nd your way through the ten-acre corn maze, and visit with the farm animals. e fest continues the following weekend, October 1–2. Experience the art. September ushers in the sounds of live music, the singular aroma of fried fair treats, and the crisp autumn breezes that accompany some of Kansas City’s biggest art festivals. Here are three festivals to have on your radar: Sprawling over nine blocks, the Plaza Art Fair is nationally ranked as one of the top art fairs in the country. You’ll nd hand-made ceramics, drawings, paintings, glasswork, jewelry, prints, sculptures, and woodwork. en, grab food and drinks from over 20 restaurant booths and enjoy live music from three stages.
Louisburg Ciderfest
Art Westport
Kansas City Renaissance Festival
WHERE YOU NEED TO BE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE BY Emily Park
September 3– October 16, Saturdays & Sundays + Labor Day Bonner
For Kansas City’s most comprehensive calendar of events, go to inkansascity.com Month IN KC September
American Royal World Series of Barbecue
Plaza Art Fair September 23–25 Country Club plazaartfair.comPlaza
This
It’s all about local at Art Westport. Come ready to meet the city’s top painters, sculptors, photographers, jewelers, pottery makers, and other artists. In its 43rd year, Westport Art is the largest visual art show that exclusively showcases local artists.
September 9–11 westportkcmo.com/artwestportWestport
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Monday, September 12 - Thursday, September 15 4:30 – 6 pm Information is power when it comes to staying healthy as you age! Stop by any of Anthology Senior Living’s Kansas City locations to gain valuable insights from the many senior living, aging and transitional experts that will be onsite during this event. Refreshments will be served. Some of our experts will include: Don't wait for an emergency; plan for a healthier you today! Enjoy attending this event at any or all of our Kansas City locations. Real estate transitional specialist Psychiatrist Home health specialist Legacy Therapy Private-duty nurses Eldercare attorney Spiritual leader Healthy Aging, Healthy You This will be a socially distanced event. Masks required. FOR INFORMATION, CALL : ANTHOLOGY OF OLATHE Monday, September 12 913-747-4057 101 W. 151st St. / Olathe, KS Independent Living / Assisted Living / Memory Care ANTHOLOGY OF THE PLAZA Wednesday, September 14 816-527-8167 2 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. / Kansas City, MO Assisted Living / Memory Care ANTHOLOGY OF OVERLAND PARK Tuesday, September 13 913-951-8259 10300 Indian Creek Pkwy. / Overland Park, KS Assisted Living / Memory Care ANTHOLOGY OF BURLINGTON CREEK Thursday, September 15 816-256-8854 6311 N. Cosby Ave. / Kansas City, MO Assisted Living / Memory Care AnthologyKansasCity.com
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In the weeks leading up to the event, I scurried home from the office every night to work on a dif ferent aspect of The Dinner, ironing napery, grinding fennel seeds for curry powder, making Indian cheese from scratch. I deep-fried vegetable samosas, creating a smoky funk that lingered for days. I baked tandoori chicken as authentically as possible, given I had no access to a tandoor.
I believe the meal was good, but I can’t remember, having been too exhausted from preparing it even to follow the conversation at table.
In the decades since that experience, I have learned there are easier ways to celebrate with friends the food of other cultures. Here are a few ideas.
INDIAN TAKEOUT IS GREAT PARTY FOOD
When I knocked myself out making the aforemen tioned dinner, the Kansas City metro boasted only one
Email me with your entertaining questions, dilemmas, or triumphs at
mjackson@inkansascity.com
Entertaining IN KC
A
s a newish bride, I feted friends with an Indian-themed dinner party. I can’t remember who I was trying to impress, but this meal was months in the planning, every de tail rigorously executed.
How to Bring Friends Together Over Global Cuisine
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 26 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
MERRILY OFFERS IDEAS FOR SHARING ETHNIC FARE WITH FRIENDS
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2 cups Absolut Mandarin Vodka 2/3 cup SlicedLimoncellofruit,the sweeter the better. Use oranges, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, raspberries, cherries, grapes, or any combination thereof Fresca in a quantity commensurate with how boozy or un-boozy you want your drinks to be
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 28 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Sangria is a festive beverage solution for a large gathering. Here’s a recipe that is delicious and simple to pull together. It can be multiplied as many times as you need it. One batch serves six or so.
1 1.5-liter bottle Beringer White Zinfandel (Don’t waste expensive wine on sangria!)
Entertaining IN KC Sangria For a Thirsty Crowd
Combine first four ingredients. (Make sure your container is big enough before you start mixing.) Chill mixture for at least eight hours. Pour over ice in a tall, skinny glass, hurricane glass, or wine goblet. Add Fresca. Leave most of the fruit in the pitcher—no one likes to tip their glass back and get a face full of boozy fruit.
HYDE PARK SANGRIA
LE GRAND AIOLI Jacques Pepin, whom I would never question on such matters, says he can’t think of another dish that lends itself better to a party than le grand aioli, the Provencal meal comprised of poached cod or salmon, blanched vegetables, hard-cooked eggs, and the garlicky mayonnaise sauce known as aioli. It’s late summer now, the perfect time to invite a few friends over for a festive, colorful aioli platter. Play some Carla Bruni and open a few bottles of crisp rosé. For dessert, the Barefoot Contessa’s Meringues Chantilly would be divine. Email me and I will send you recipes for it or any other dish mentioned herein.
TAPA THE WORLD, MA! Tapas are a perfect focus for a casual gathering with friends. A se lection of four to six tapas is delectable fare for a cocktail party—you could do half warm and half cold, and pass them butler-style or present them in a buffet. Tapas also could be the theme for a soigné seated dinner party if you served a couple of lighter selections as appetizers during cock tails, then several others as the main course, perhaps following a soup course (Gazpacho Blanca from Beyond Parsley is delicious). Caramel flan or tres leches cake would make a scrumptious end to the meal. Set the mood with some Gypsy Kings, Ottmar Liebert, and/or the soundtrack from Buenavista Social Club. Sangria is the natural accompaniment to tapas. My favorite tapas cookbook is Penelope Casa’s Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain. Or if you don’t want to crack a book, order carry-out from La Bodega or Extra Virgin.
WHO DOESN’T LOVE A TACO?
Street food is very much in vogue, and nothing is more “of the streets” than the humble taco. Even in its simplest form (taco shell, seasoned meat, chopped tomato), a freshly made taco is delicious. It doesn’t take much embellishing to turn it into perfectly respectable party food. Invite friends for Taco Night at your house, and set up a buildyour-own taco bar with flour tortillas, taco shells (Old El Paso Stand ‘n Stuff are awesome) and interesting fillings like garlicky shrimp, seared cod or red snapper, and slow-cooked lime chicken. When guests ask what they can bring, request toppings such as shredded cabbage, gua camole, and chopped cilantro or sauces like pico de gallo or tomatillo sauce. Spanish Gardens taco sauce—delicious, locally made and avail able at every self-respecting metro-area grocery store—is a staple at
or two Indian restaurants. Now we have 15 of them, spread out all over the city, providing staples from many regional cuisines of India, all affordable, all a kick to your taste buds. Most Indian menus offer “family dinners” that kit you out with complete meals—appetizers, soup, several entrées, condiments, naan bread and dessert—packed in bulk to serve two, three, or four people. You can set your table and order for however many you are serving. When the food arrives, put it in your warming drawer until ready to serve, then transfer it to your prettiest serving dishes and present it buffet style to your guests. Or for a drinks gathering, order samosas and pakoras to nosh on with the cocktails. For maximum freshness and convenience, most Indian restaurants deliver. My current favorite Is Moti Mahal in Westport. Everything is delicious; even their rice.
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 29 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
ROCK YOUR KASBAH
Here’s a great reason to purchase a tagine, one of those exotic-look ing cone-shaped clay pots: Moroccan dinner party! A tagine (also the name of the hearty, slow-cooked stew made in such a dish) served over a mound of fluffy couscous is a terrific way to feed six or eight friends
Do you have a kitchen island and lots of counter space? Lucky you! Get out your wok and invite friends to hang out in your kitchen with you and make stir fry. Choose a recipe that you would never make on your own because it requires so much chopping and dicing (Shir ley Fong-Torres In the Chinese Kitchen has many such). Sharpen your knives, get out your cutting boards and let your friends do the work while you pour their wine and be the boss of them. The gratification of cooking with friends is the only reason any one in their right mind would make their own Asian food in this town, where it is so abundant, tasty, and inexpensive. If you’d rather not cook, set your table and serve carry-out Thai, Vietnamese, or Chi nese food. Gewurztraminer tastes wonderful with spicy Asian food, as does Boulevard Pale Ale.
Some of us have the funds and storage space to indulge all our eth nic table-setting whims—to bust out the hand-painted Moroccan ceramics as needed, or the antique Chinese porcelain. For the rest of us, there is World Market, where you can find various inexpensive, all-purpose dinnerware collections, exotic looking in a sophisticated way but not specific to one particular ethnicity. World Market also has packages of nice buffet napkins in rich colors—six napkins for $13. At that price, you can stock up and always have them on hand for spontaneous celebrating.
4691 Indian Creek Parkway (i-435 & Roe) Overland Park, KS www.imdtile.com913.383.3383 International Materials of Design TILESTONE SEPTEMBER 2022 | 30 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Entertaining
Start with a pitcher of Moroccan mint tea cocktails (two parts sweetened iced tea to one part vodka with a splash of lime juice, poured over ice and muddled mint leaves). If you’re an overachiever, make homemade pita chips and baba ganoush or hummus to serve with drinks. If you’re not, serve store-bought. A Moroccan carrot salad would be a delicious prelude to the tagine, followed by fresh fruit, the traditional ending to a Moroccan meal. You can find a 13-inch tagine at Pryde’s Kitchen and Necessities starting at $25. Ask your music streaming service to play Putumayo Arabic music. For extra excitement, hire a belly dancer.
on a Saturday night. I have some great tagine recipes and tips—email me and I will send them to you!
WOK ON, DUDE
IN KC my taco nights. The Latin music described above would be perfect for tacos as well as tapas, as would the sangria recipe.
PARTING ADVICE: GET THEE TO WORLD MARKET
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. Tom Suther tom.suther@compass.com816.585.6144 Kevin Bryant kevin.d.bryant@compass.com816.769.9564 Becky Loboda becky.loboda@compass.com913.481.8270 Heidi Peter heidi.peter@compass.com816.217.7100 Katherine Gregg katherine.gregg@compass.com816.679.8500 Kathy Green kathy.green@compass.com816.520.1281 Sandy Palmer sandy.palmer@compass.com816.419.9797 History shows it’s not as bad as it seems. Now is still a good time to buy and sell! HISTORICAL 30-YEAR MORTGAGE RATES: 1971-2022SOURCE:FREDDIEMAC, WWW.FREDDIEMAC.COM/PMMS 20% 18% 16% 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% 1971 19731975197719791981 198319851987198919911993199519971999200120032005200720092011 20132015201720192021 1974 | Kemper Arena opens 1981 | NASA launches first US Space Shuttle Columbia 1985 | Royals win the World Series AVERAGE SINCE 1971: 7.77% 16.63% 12.43% 9.19% 1989 | World Wide Web is invented 2000 | The world didn’t end with Y2K 2007 | 1st iPhone hits U.S. market 2018 | 1st American Princess joins British Monarchy 10.32% 6.34% 4.54% 8.05%
BY Damian Lair Our Man IN KC
dlair@inkansascity.com:@damianlair#OurManINKC
T
ZERO + ZERO = YUM planet palm read, though, was what sort of good thing s might fall in our lap, as a result, and stick around.
Zero Zero Handmade Pasta, and its new Westside brick-andmortar outpost that I visited on opening day, is one such example.
OVERHEARD “What’d
I dropped by with a friend around dinnertime, and we quickly ran into a couple we know. ey had just nished an early anniversary dinner nearby. Drinks on us! As we caught up on recent travels, Alan’s ngers were dancing across the piano. Other patrons were calling out requests, and the bartender even chimed in for a duet on one tune. You never quite know what’s going to happen next. In addition to Alan and Michael, you’ll hear other local talents, such as Emily Dix, Matt Villinger, or Austin Reed, and occasional appearances from legendary Chicago jazz recording artist, Steve Million I’m told that impromptu jam sessions and surprise performances are a regular occurrence—particularly later in the evening when various musicians wrap up their paid gigs and are ready to kick it on their own terms. e lounge is open Tuesday through Saturday evenings. It’s the perfect grown-up spot for drinks before dinner or somewhere to wind down afterward, when you’re not quite ready to head home. Get thee there.
REMEMBER THE LOCKDOWN? Remember wondering what life might look like on the other side? How things would be forever changed? Prognosticators opined that cities would empty (they didn’t), and o ces would become quaint relics (workers continue trickling back, albeit begrudgingly). What many missed in their
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Uptown Spunk
Damian Lair at the Uptown Lounge. wo musicians walk into a bar . . . The two were Alan Stribling and Michael Rorah, and the bar was Davey’s Uptown Rambler’s Club—recently flame broiled. (Rest in peace.) Enter: Uptown Lounge. Both from the Kansas City region, Alan has been a xture at the Piano Room in Waldo, Chaz on the Plaza—the bar and lounge inside the Raphael Hotel—and the gone-but-not-forgotten Plaza III. He also toured the country and was a regular on Princess Cruise Lines. Michael, prior to his Kansas City return, spent his time performing in tony spots across Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and San Diego, in addition to cruise ships. e two friends reconnected and began imagining a new music venue. As luck would have it (for them), the re presented a plum opening. If you had been to Davey’s Uptown, get ready to be wowed—or, wowed regardless. e once ultra-divey bar has been radically reimagined as a fresh, chic cocktail bar and music lounge. New, but not too new. High-end, but not pretentious. It feels nice, like a place where you could sink in for a while.
Founder and owner Mitch Fagan had been playing with and making pasta for a large part of his life. During the worst of the pandemic, Mitch threw his pasta experiments into high gear. Eventually, out of a commissary kitchen in the West Bottoms, he started making enough of his creations that he could o er them commercially, via home delivery.
All the pasta is made with double zero—or doppio zero— our. In Italy, grind sizes vary from 00 to 2. Double zero is the nest grind— the consistency of delicate baby powder. is requires less water in the pasta-making process and delivers a product with maximum stretch and durability. Perfect for pizza dough and pasta. Zero Zero uses our produced in Kansas City by Marion Milling. Stone-ground from local heirloom wheat varieties, the age-old stone-grinding process retains a high percentage of the original wheat berry. e result is a more nutritious our that brings the unique avor of the grain to the forefront. At the shop, you can snag some frill-free spaghetti and papparyou do, look at the menu and say ‘OK’?”
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Furthermore, artists and makers keep 100 percent of their sales. Word is spreading, and Art Garden is quickly becoming the marketplace of choice among this community. It’s not hard to see why. Also not hard was noticing and appreciating the diversity among, not only the wares, but the makers themselves. From entrepreneurial children to 2nd-career retirees, I met sellers who ran the gamut from budding artists to those with advanced degrees from pedigreed art schools. No surprise that this has attracted a stream of patrons with commensurate diversity.
You can visit the Art Garden for yourself every Sunday—March through October, 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Why not grab a brunch/lunch bite and your fresh produce for the week at City Market and then pop over? Oh, and word on the street is that the Art Garden troupe may be pairing up with Troost Market Collective for their annual Troostapalooza event on October 8. So, mark your calendar for a double-trouble good time!
GOSSIP:HOT
OVERHEARD “See there—a scratch on my car. Now, I’m not going to do a thing about it. But if I get another one—I’m getting a new car.”
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BORN OF THE PANDEMIC that pressed the artist community to dig even deeper into their creative cavities for ways to connect with buyers—Art Garden KC sprung to life. Art Gar den is a weekly art festival for shopping hand crafted local works from KC makers. Locat ed in the lush City Market Park on the western side of the City Market proper, it is ever-bustling with weekend activi ty. The vendors’ variety is extensive: handmade jewelry, décor, ceramics, clothing, stationary, candles, tea, beauty products, cut flowers, art (of course!), and lots more. As I was enjoying a live mu sic performance, I happened upon my friend Evie Craig, executive di
What French chef is single and on the market? delle, but the real treat is their stuffed pasta. I scooped up the very last batch of carrot mascar pone agnolotti, which they said pairs best with their Parmesan cream sauce (yes—they’ve got your sauces covered, too). As of this writing, I have not yet plopped them into a boiling pot, but I will as soon as I re turn home from travel. I was able, however, to order their prepared pasta of the day while in the shop. The made-to-order for eating on the spot (available only on Saturdays) lemon and garlic agnolotti with the same cream sauce and fresh basil was bellissima e deliziosa.
GARDEN OF DELIGHTS
On the note of equity, I found it refreshing that thoughtful atten tion has been placed on keeping the entry barriers low. Registration is free, and garden space fees are just $10. (Compare that to the hun dreds of dollars charged by similar local concepts—makers, take note!)
WESTPORT WEDNESDAYS
A fan of focaccia? I was flummoxed by the array of choices: olive, tomato mozzarella, honey, pesto, and cheese. In addition to sauces, they also have a tight array of other items you might need for throw ing together the most delicious little pasta dinner. Fresh herbs, a few seasonal veggies, various olive oils, and to my delight—the same Mo mofuku chili crunch and seasonings that I’ve been buying online. Also available: the Marion Milling pasta flour, in case you want to try whipping up some yourself with that pasta maker at the back of your kitchen cabinets. But why, when they do it so well?? Despite the new shop, they still offer delivery. I’ve already preor dered next week’s rotating pasta: sweet corn and mascarpone ravioli. I also threw in the mushroom ricotta cappelletti as well. Why not? Not near the Westside and don’t want to bother with delivery? Zero Zero is also available at both the Brookside and Leawood farmers markets. The pandemic (still not entirely wound down) has certainly been a ride with many twists and turns, and looking back on it can be illuminat ing. They say hindsight is twenty-twenty. But it can also be Zero-Zero.
IT MAY SOUND FUNNY, but there’s one thing I’ve been oddly ach ing to do for roughly two years, and that is to play “Meat Bingo” at Kelly’s Westport Inn. This all started just prior to the pandemic’s shut tering of bars and restaurants—then disappeared for good before I had the chance to play. To my utter delight, it has returned. What is meat bingo, you might ask? Well, it’s bingo—with prizes—that happen to be meat. Not just any meat, but fresh, local meat from Broadway Butcher Shop. The game is exclusive to Westport Wednesdays, which I had also been wanting to check out. We arrived early so I could order some food to keep me going during the game. Fortunately, the new Guy’s Deli (in the former Joe’s Pizza space) has a walk-up counter inside Kelly’s. I went with the Wise GUY’S Italian Sub (top seller) and the PB&J Crunch (be cause how could you not), sharing half with my friend in tow. Both were classically delicious, with the PB&J being the obvious stand out—the perfect childhood throwback entrée for a game of bingo.
rector of The Arts Asylum. Serendip itously, she introduced me to Bethany Alzanadi, co-founder of this terrif ic event. What began as a one-time gathering quickly grew into a weekly occurrence in the historic northeast neighborhood of Pendleton Heights. The outdoor space there could only accommodate 50 of the quickly accumulated 300 registered vendors. Thus, the move two months ago to City Market, where there’s space for nearly 100 vendors. The move has been a massive success, with far larger crowds and a vendor regis try that’s swelled to more than 600 artists/makers vying for a spot each week—on an equitable first-come, first-served basis.
Our Man IN KC
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XO GOSSIP:HOT What two successful restaurant owners did the splits and are going separate ways? Oh, and that Joe’s Pizza, which I have sooo badly missed? Well, they have the recipe and promised that it’s just the same, if not a bit better. Adding to my list. After several rounds of bingo and just as many losses (sad face), I tossed in the towel, and we mapped our next move: Harry’s Bar & Tables, just across the street. The weather was perfect on this late summer evening, so we sat outside for a cocktail. They had a Ha waiian theme going on, so I ordered up the piña colada. Very good, but would have been better under a palm tree. Next up, we slipped into the still-new Tin Roof. We found a picnic table out front and started in on what I do best—sampling. We got a few varieties of tacos, one of the multiple quesadilla options, some mac and cheese, and—what they’re famous for—hot chicken (tenders, not wings—I don’t do bones). We nibbled away, humming to the country tunes in the background. Last but not least—dessert. Bopping back across the street to another new place I hadn’t yet tried: Sweet Stuff, the compan ion to next-door Chick-in Waffle. Rather than chicken on your waffle—you guessed it—it’s sweet stuff. I nabbed the Fruity Peb ble—strawberry ice cream, Fruity Pebbles cereal, whipped cream, and strawberries, all atop their unique bubble-shaped hot and crispy waffle. Intuitively,Tooty-fruity.youcanget in on Westport Wednesdays every week. The Westport web site holds all the keys to every participating business (more than 25) and all of their en ticing Wednesday-only specials. Oh—and don’t sleep on the annual Art Westport fair—quickly approaching, September 9-11.
So, KC—where do you want to go?
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hen we think Black opera, we might recall the internationally known 1935 Porgy and Bess. It was composed by George Gershwin, with libretto by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin—all white. We may not know of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha from 1911, not as widely known and the only much-performed Black opera written by a Black composer. Robert McNichols, Jr., wants to change that. He is both a scholar and a performer. The bass-baritone is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Music, where his doctoral dis sertation researched operatic arias by African-American com posers for low-voice singers of African descent. He grew up in St. Louis, where his first big operatic role was in Adolphus Hailstork’s Joshua’s Boots, its Black-cowboys-in-the-Old-West libretto by Kansas City’s Susan Kander, commissioned by the Opera Theatre in St. Louis and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. He has performed all over the country and founded Black Musical Arts Community Choir. He is the former assistant director of education at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and is currently manager of ed ucation and outreach programs at Musical Heritage Theatre in Crown Center—and loves opera. His favorites “all feature a baritone as the lead character,” he says, “including Der Flie gende Holländer by Wagner, Hamlet by Ambrose Thomas, and Rigoletto by Verdi.” For more information, contact bmacommunitychoir@ gmail.com
Robert McNichols, Jr.
Arts&Culture IN KC by Judith Fertig photo by Peter Hurley
THE BASS-BARITONE ANSWERS FOUR QUESTIONS W
INKC: As a boy, were you interested in opera? How did you get hooked? McNichols: Basically, no, not at all. We watched lots of musicals, and I always enjoyed the classical music when watching the Olympics. I had been conditioned by soci ety, and cartoons to make fun of the art form. However,
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INKC: As a champion for Black voices in opera and other types of musical performance, what do you hope to change?
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McNichols: After touring the world with ensembles such as Harlem
INKC: How did you come to the BMA Community Choir?
the cartoons did develop my ear for recognizing the melodies of the most prominent repertoire in opera history, such as from Wagner operas (Kill the wabbit, Kill the wabbit) and the aria Largo al facto tum from Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia I was in a high school training program in St. Louis that took a group of students to hear Denise Graves with the St. Louis Sym phony. My classmates and I were so completely blown away by the beauty and power of her voice we could barely keep quiet while she was singing. I was hooked.
INKC: You live and work in the Kansas City area. How has this envi ronment nurtured your career? McNichols: I came to Kansas City to study and start my career. While the city was very supportive to me as a student/young artist, it is very limited in support as a professional artist. The expectation in the clas sical community is that you can make professional connections to na tional opportunities through your student and young artist programs, but that was not the case for me, unfortunately. I’ve been fortunate to do some very nice regional productions, but the area still doesn’t have enough work to really support yourself as an artist and requires you to find other means. This is part of how I’ve gotten into arts administra tion, producing my own programs, and starting BMA.
Arts&Culture
IN KC Opera Theater and The American Spiritual Ensemble, I was inspired by the artists I worked with and the repertoire we performed to found The Black Musical Arts Community Choir in 2013. We have an amazing community of artists in Kansas City, and can draw more great artists here if there are opportunities for them. Our inaugural concert was a composer showcase featuring the music of award-winning composer Anthony Davis. We brought him to KC for a small community tour with area schools, performed several of his works including from Opera X being performed this season at the Metropolitan Opera, and hosted him for a performance and interview. Currently we’re in a hiatus but may produce future projects should support materialize.
McNichols: I hope to be a mentor for young Black singers and help them reach their highest potential in not just repertoire for Black singers but standard repertoire as well. I also hope to give greater exposure to Black composers past and present. I don’t believe there is color-blind casting currently. Black sing ers often only get called and/or cast because there is a Black show a company needs them for. It is great that more Black works are get ting attention, but we have a lot of work to do to be more inclusive in standard repertoire.
patterns and design a city in this interactive space inspired by the American Art Deco: Designing for the People, 1918--1939 at The Nelson-Atkins Learn more and plan your visit at nelson-atkins.org.
Experiment with exhibition American Museum of Art.
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CREATIVITY STUDIO
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CREATIVITY
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Experiment with patterns and design a city in this interactive space inspired by the exhibition American Art Deco: Designing for the People, 1918--1939 at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Learn more and plan your visit at nelson-atkins.org. 4525 Oak Street Kansas City, MO 64111 | 816.751.1278
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EMPLOYING PIGMENT, acrylic paints, and paper or canvas, Kansas City artist Ky Anderson, kyanderson.com, paints large, sweeping abstract works emphasizing color and form. Like Monet and his waterlilies at every hour of the day, Anderson revisits imaginary places such as Star School from new angles, with fresh interpretations, and how those change over time. e 1995 Kansas City Art Institute alum spent some time working in Brooklyn when she imagined a series of paintings “ lled with stars and the intricate structures used to view them,” she says. Anderson has also printed and published editions of other artists’ work, so she thinks in a series sort of way. She juxtaposes vivid colors such as turquoise and mustard for visual impact, while drawing forms that make you wonder if you’re looking at the image from above, below, or somewhere in between. e exhibit runs from September 2 through October 22. For more information, visit sherryleedy.com.
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Arts & Culture IN KC BY Judith Fertig KY ANDERSON AT SHERRY LEEDY CONTEMPORARY
Flash by Ky Anderson. r ee
PHOTO BY CHRIS LEE
Violinist Gil Shaham.
Next on the program, violinist Gil Shaham returns to play Violin Concerto No. 3 by Camille Saint-Saens. And thirdly, Aaron Copland’s Symphony No. 3, composed at the end of World War II, which captured the “euphoric spirit of the country at the time” acccording to Copland, is on the program. e concerts are scheduled from September 16 through 18. For more information, visit kcsymphony.org
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THE NEW KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY SEASON BEGINS!
Black composer James Lee III’s contemporary and vivacious orchestral piece Amer’ican was written in 2019 and premiered with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2021. “Amer’ican is my response to Dvorak’s New World Symphony and partially inspired by various representative paintings of indigenous Americans from the 18th century,” says Lee. “ e work opens with imaginary, evocative scenes of pre-Columbian America.” Adds Lee, a Michigan native, “I drew inspiration from the indigenous tribes, particularly on the East Coast and Southern United States, especially the Shinnecock, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, Wampanoag, and Yamasee.”
WITH AN “EXHILARATING” PROGRAM, a decidedly American theme, and Michael Stern conducting, the Kansas City Symphony’s new season begins.
Arts & Culture IN KC by Judith Fertig
TWELFTH NIGHT OR WHAT YOU WILL AT KCREP
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“IF MUSIC BE the food of love, play on.” In the immortal words of Shakespeare, KCRep begins its new season with the romantic comedy Twelfth Night Mistaken identity—is it Viola or her brother Sebastian shipwrecked on a foreign shore? Love—requited or unre quited? Will it all come right in the end? Written around 1601–2 as a Twelfth Night’s entertain ment for after Christmas, its gender-bending plot seems fresh for today. Viola and her twin brother, Sebastian, are separated after a shipwreck, with Viola washing up on the shores of exotic Illyria. As a woman alone, Viola decides to take on the identity of a man, Cesario. But trouble ensues. Viola falls in love with the Duke Orsino, who is in turn in love with Olivia, who falls in love with Viola disguised as Cesario. Comic interludes from Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew Aguecheek and original music composed for this production further add to the liveliness. Twelfth Night runs from September 6 through 25. For ticket and performance information, visit kcrep.org.
IF YOU WANT to experience art more as a participant than as a spec tator, then this evening is for you. On Thursday evening, September 29 from 6 to 8 p.m., Melanie Johnson, a Women to Watch—A New World 2024 artist, will guide you in a life-drawing class, with all materials included. First, you’ll learn about Johnson’s process, then discover your own as you explore how figures relate to the environmental settings they occupy. All levels of experience and all ages are welcome. Melanie Johnson, a professor in painting at the University of Central Missouri, often places her figures in dream-like settings, part memory, part imagination, part rainforest or woodland or interior room. She has exhibited at the Kemper and the Leedy-Voulkos Gal lery. Women to Watch—A New World 2024 is part of a series held every few years and invites women artists across the country to respond to a theme chosen by the National Museum of Women Artists in Wash ington, D.C. For more information on Melanie Johnson, visit melanielynnjohnson.com Contact eclosen@kemperart.org to register. For more informa tion, visit kemperart.org.
Asymmetry 4 by Melanie Johnson.
A NIGHT IN TIME AT KEMPER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART
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We are entertaining,areyou? SEPTEMBER 2022 | 45 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
CREATE YOUR DREAM KITCHEN 5
By Katy Schamberger PRESENTED BY KarinRossDesigns.com Visit www.KarinRossDesigns.com to explore Ross’s design and remodeling portfolio and book a consultation.
1 SPECIALIZED SKILLS ARE INVALUABLE. In today’s tur bulent real estate market, new home construction is slow ing. And that’s resulted in some homebuilders pivoting to a focus on remodeling. Depending on your particular vision, that might not be the best fit compared to working with someone Reasons to Hire a
5 ADVANTAGES OF ENLISTING A LUXURY REMODELER
Luxury Remodeler
SPONSORED CONTENT You’ve scoured your favorite home design magazines, Pin terest, maybe even movies (especially anything directed by Nancy Meyers). After all of this thoughtful research, you’re ready to bring your dream kitchen to life. Just think of the dinner parties you can host! The holidays! Or elevating your daily rou tines: curling up in a plush velvet banquette with your morning coffee, for There’sexample.onepressing question that remains: who will bring your vision to life? Amid all of your options, there’s a clear winner: Karin Ross, a luxury home remodeler that specializes in transfor mational kitchens. Here are five reasons why.
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.
Exclusivity, after all, is alluring. And when it comes to some thing as personal and defining as your home, there’s no reason you shouldn’t have exactly what you want, especially in a space as frequently used and enjoyed as the kitchen.
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who’s solely focused on remodeling, understands the ins and outs of the trade, and also specializes in kitchens, thereby deliv ering maximum quality and impact.
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REVEL IN A NEW STANDARD OF LUXURY. The pursuit of luxury may seem omnipresent these days, meant to set a new standard in everything from skin care to Whenautomobiles.infusingluxury into a home remodeling project, Ross looks beyond price tags and instead embraces not only what lux ury is, but also how it makes a client feel.
“When you get the kitchen you’ve dreamed of, it’s a space that makes you happy—and that’s priceless,” Ross says.
A natural next step, now that you have more details about the benefits of working with a luxury remodeler? Schedule a free consultation and see firsthand how Ross and her team approach a kitchen transformation. Whether you have every detail of your vision finalized or you’re not sure where to start, Ross will take the time to understand you, your lifestyle, your dreams for your home and much more. Visit the Karin Ross Designs website and move one step closer to bringing your ultimate kitchen to life.
“The kitchens I create make an emotional impact. Clients say, ‘I have tingles in my stomach because this is what I’ve always dreamed of, and I got it.” Ross compares custom luxury remodeling to creating a priceless piece of art: knowing the materials to select and how they work together, both individually and throughout the canvas (the kitchen) to culminate in a show-stopping masterpiece.
2 PAY ATTENTION TO PRICING. Most new home con struction is priced per square foot. When you transfer that pricing model to a custom kitchen remodel, that sort of blanket pricing can be deceiving in terms of what you pay for and what you get. For example, prices per square foot will likely limit the mate rials you can use, locking you into a more generic range of fix tures and finishes. Instead, a luxury remodeler like Ross will help guide you through the finest flooring, tiles, lighting, appliances, and more, so that you truly get the best (and most long-lasting) value from your investment.
“It’s a privilege to me to be able to hear someone’s dream, then use my design background to not only fine-tune that vision, but to also create the plan that brings the vision to life,” Ross says.
“Luxury is a complete vision, combining details with creativ ity 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.”
THE ALLURE OF A CUSTOM CREATION. Think of how it would feel to bring friends and family into your gleam ing new kitchen and say, “No other kitchen like this ex ists. It was created just for me.”
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A DEEP BENCH EASES THE PROCESS. A focused remodeler like Ross brings a large and knowledgeable full-service, in-house construction and design team to each project. The ability to offer both of those services in one place—rather than fragment them between numerous contrac tors—results in a better, more efficient client experience.
“I can oversee both types of work at the same time and ensure that the initial plans we create are built as intended,” she says. And given current challenges in some segments of interi or-focused supply chains, a full-service team like Ross’s helps clients more easily navigate unforeseen challenges and avoid unexpected delays, a crucial benefit when you’re anxious to ad here to a previously agreed-upon schedule.
“When you invest in a project like this, you should get what you want — your dream kitchen — without shortcuts or compro mising your vision,” says Karin Ross, owner, Karin Ross Designs.
HIRED BY TIFFANY & CO. IN 1974, Elsa Peretti ushered in a whole new era of avant-garde jewelry design. Her iconic Bone Cu —“ergonomically sensuous,” as the company would coin it—was an organically sculptural wonder. Generously o ered in two sizes and fabricated in four precious metals: black nish over copper, sterling silver, 18k gold, and 18k rose gold, the Bone Cuff by Elsa Peretti (1), ranges from $625 to $20,000. Available exclusively at Tiffany & Co. (Country Club Plaza). Algerian-born French designer Yves Saint Laurent shifted perceptions of elegant style throughout his career, and his in uence remains pleasantly pervasive. e style of Saint Laurent’s “Peasant” and “Russian” collections from 1976 is denitely in the air, with high-waist full skirts, peasant sleeves, and ourishes of ora, fringe, and embroidery. A modern take on this is the attering Veronica dress (2) , $898, and Cashmere Shrug, $398, by Tory Burch. Available at toryburch.com . Possessing the folkloric vibe is the Ch’aska hand-crocheted and tasseled belt (3), $169. Available at Peruvian Connection (Crestwood Shops), and following the free-spirited theme with femininity is the Anneke floral wrap dress (4), $750, by Zimmerman. Available at Halls (Crown Center). YSL’s propensity for layering long necklaces added lavish eccentricity in the 70s, and can be replayed today. e mix of large pearls and pavé diamond beads is the pièce de résistance, while the 18k-gold Moorish motif
Look IN KC Fashion Iconic 70s Style
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ELSA PERETTI PHOTO BY DUANE
BY Susan Cannon IT USED TO BE the norm for heavy fall/winter clothes to be hanging in the shops by now, but because of climate change, designers are turning out lighter pre-fall looks for the slow seasonal transition. And no surprise, there’s a wink and a nod towards the 70s aesthetic again. I’m reminded of two design legends who were pioneers of bohemian chic, Elsa Peretti and Yves Saint Laurent. ey were among the original fashion in uencers, each for their assured creative vision and their personal style.
DRESS AND SHRUG PHOTO COURTESY OF TORY BURCH SEPTEMBER 2022 | 48 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Right: Elsa Peretti. Below: Yves Saint Laurent.
pieces highlighting the long, blackened-sterling link necklace are a subtle nod to the Moroccan decorative arts that were close to Saint Laurent’s heart. 18k-yellow gold diamond multicolor South Sea pearl necklace (5), $17,600, and Old World Collection necklace by Armenta (6), $1,340.Available at Tivol (Country Club Plaza). New York artisan designer Ted Muehling began making jewelry in the 70s inspired by organic forms with a wisp of fantasy, including these Hoop Cluster earrings in 14k-gold and black pearls (7), $995, by Ted Muehling.Available at Asiatica (Westwood). Like Elsa Peretti, jewelry designer Faris Du Graf plays with sinuous form. Coil ring in bronze by Faris (8), $125. Available at Finefolk. (4502 State Line Road). MICHALS
They made him something tiny and blue. Vahi is the new blue for you. joyful. sensual. yummy. Spoil yourself. getyourvahi.com
scents of leather and musk to create Luna by Ulah bergamot and peach, mid notes of
Locally produced Jack’s Daughter’s fragrances for home and body, led by the seasoned, local creative Jaclyn Joslin, harness stunning scents from high-quality all-natural ingredients. Experience the transformative aroma with notes of fresh basil, clove, bay leaf, and jasmine with Basilic Vert No.2 scent in the liquid soap and hand and body Lotion, $39 each, by Jack’s Daughters. Available at Jack’s Daughters by appointment (River Market) and jacksdaughters.com Get swept away by this genderless, clean, and alluringly luxurious line of perfumes. With top notes of bergamot and peach, mid notes of wild orchid, and dry notes of crisp linen and sequoia wood, Liis Floating eau de parfum, $165 (50mL), is available at Welwythn. (Prairie Village Shops).
Fragrance in Many Forms
Kansas City-based, all-female, indie perfume house For Strange Women, led by alchemist Jill McKeever, creates beguiling fragrances informed by the desire to go beyond sensory aesthetics. Oils, elixirs, incense, candles, lip balms, and solid perfumes “conjure memories from natural landscapes, experiences, and atmospheres remembered deep within the subconscious,” says McKeever. Lavender and violet leaf lend brighter green overtones with a tenacious mossy base to French Oakmoss perfume oil, $50 (10mL), by For Strange Women. Use seven drops of the perfume oil to ll this handcut Smoky Quartz Vessel perfume amulet and chain, from $100, by For Strange Women. Both available at Oracle Natural Science (The Bauer Building, Crossroads).
WITH EAU DE PERFUMES, BODY LOTIONS, AND BATH OILS, ARTISAN MAKERS ARE THOUGHTFULLY CRAFTING FRAGRANCES FROM THE LOVELIEST OF MOTHER EARTH TO FORMULATE CLEAN, MEDITATIVE, AND SWOON INDUCING PRODUCTS TO DELIGHT OUR SENSES
Ulah perfumes and candles are inspired by the great prairies of Kansas. Woody notes of cedar, papyrus, and sandalwood are mixed with cardamom, iris, and ambrox, then balanced with the masculine scents of leather and musk to create the Prairie Rose candle, $35, by Ulah. Available at (Westwood).
Look IN KC Beauty BY Susan Cannon
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 50 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Grounded in innovative, environmentally friendly practices and a deep respect for nature and humans, Susanne Kaufmann, a force within the wellbeing industry, brought her understanding of the traditions and health bene ts found in the plants of the Austrian Alpine region where she was raised. Formulated with a soothing blend of ylang ylang, patchouli, lavender, and rosemary, which promotes blood circulation and healthy skin metabolism, this oil is healing. Bath for the Senses (250mL), $76, by Susanne Kaufmann. Available at Finefolk. (4501 State Line Road).
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
Give It Up for The Lymph A
Try a lymphatic drainage massage Hand & Land Shop and Spa o ers a September spa special: Dry Brush Facial, a 60-minute facial using a facial dry brush to support and stimulate the lymphatic process, and aiding in healthy glowing skin, softening ne lines and wrinkles, and helping you to relax. $140, which includes the gift of a facial dry brush.
So, it’s no wonder the lymphatic system is getting a lot of holistic love. Here are some ways to support your lymphatic system.
The Book of Lymph, $24, by lymphatic specialist Lisa Levitt Gainsley, CLT. Available at Barnes and Noble
Wellknownhandandland.com , “a spa(ce) for well-being,” o ers e Manuka Massage, which utilizes MLD (manual lymphatic drainage), a deeply relaxing and a gentle technique assisting the lymphatic system while soothing the central nervous system, improving lymphatic ow. Honey Tapping, also a lymph-pumping treatment featuring high-umf Manuka honey with antibacterial and healing properties, paired with increased MLD, assists in calming in amed skin conditions, provides deep hydration, and heals the skin barrier. bewellbeknown.com
Left: Gua Sha Stones used on the face in Chinese medicine to move lymphatic fluids using upward and outward strokes, $34 each. Below: Facial dry brush, $21, by Iris Hantverk. All available at Hand and Land (Luzier Building, Midtown).
Look IN KC Wellness BY Susan Cannon
ndrew Taylor Still, a pretty hip 19th-century physician, surgeon, passionate abolitionist, Kansas state legislator, and the founder of osteopathic medicine, saw the lymphatic system as an absolutely indispensable component of the body. He urged physicians in the mid-1800s not to neglect the lymphatic system when treating patients. “We lay much stress on the uses of blood and the powers of the nerves, but have we any evidence that they are of more vital importance than the lymphatics? ... the system of the lymphatics is complete and universal in the whole body!” e lymphatic system (green in the above diagram) functions as a part of the circulatory system maintaining uids in the body at balanced levels, and functions as a crucial part of the immune system to defend against infections. e lymphatic system is comprised of lymphoid organs, lymph tissues, lymph ducts, lymph capillaries, and lymphatic vessels that transport lymph uid, which carries the waste products and destroyed bacteria back into the bloodstream. e liver or kidneys then remove these from the blood and the body passes them out.
SEPTEMBER
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The ceanothus americanus shrub from which Red Root tea is derived. Tea Haven Red Root tea bags, $38 for 25 tea bags. teahaven.com 2022 52 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Reduce alcohol intake. Non-alcoholic wines and spirits are emerging everywhere. Welwythn o ers several types of alcohol-free spirits in its bodega. Owner Gina Ciaccio-Holmberg favors Figlia, Fiore frizzante. “While similar to the original Figlia aperitivo pro le of rose, bitter orange, and clove, these single-serving cans are e ervescent, and everything’s just better with bubbles.” Kasvi superfoods and atLabs.bypowder,adaptogens$55AlmedaAvailable Taochemy (Westside). taochemy.com Figlia atcan.frizzante,andaperitivo,Fiore$43,FigliaFiore$6perAvailable Welwythn (Shops at Prairie Village).
Hydrate. Drink plenty of water with fresh squeezed lemon, broths, and herbal tea—the most e ective being red root tea, aka New Jersey tea. Improve your diet. Focus on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Also, a super-charged meal supplement, such as Kasvi, is e ective in supporting lymph. Stacy Tucker, a former trauma nurse and founder of Kansas City-based Taochemy, and Almeda Labs, created a science-based line of organic, nutrient-rich products focusing on replenishing your cells.
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We all know what it feels like to have a “gut feeling” about something. While that saying is mostly fig urative, there is a bit of truth to it. Our guts house most of the microbes in our body that have a pro found impact on not only our digestive and immune health but our mental health too.
For much of our recent history, microbes were viewed mostly nega tively as the cause of many diseases. However, we have come to under stand that most microorganisms are highly beneficial and even crucial to our health and the health of the planet.
“If you eat junk food, you’re going to have a ‘junk microbiome,’ which can’t keep you healthy,” Hubkova notes. “Fast food is associated with de pression, while a diet rich in fiber and color from a variety of plants has been linked to better brain health. Fast food is full of sugar, fat, and salt, but lacks micronutrients and fiber. It is a double whammy: it feeds the ‘bad’ microbes but starves the good ones. The result is dysbiosis, or a lack of diversity and lack of resilience.”
ADVENTHEALTH’S TEREZA HUBKOVA ON HOW GUT HEALTH IMPACTS MENTAL HEALTH presented by Tereza Hubkova Integrative Medicine Physician
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 54 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Women’s Health IN KC A Gut Feeling
“Our health is completely dependent on a healthy microbiome,” says Tereza Hubkova, MD, an integrative medicine physician with Ad ventHealth’s Whole Health Institute. “Microbiome refers to all the mi croscopic organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and archaea) that live in us and on us with their genes—which, combined, have millions of genes, vastly more than in our own human genome.”
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
Everyone’s microbiome is shaped by the way they are born, whether they were breast-fed, their lifestyle, the medications they are exposed to, stress level, and more. The biggest leverage we have over our microbiome is based on what we choose to eat.
by Emily Park
AdventHealth
“Microbes have been here on Earth much longer than we have,” Hubkova says. “We have developed a mutually beneficial relationship. They help us absorb nutrients, manufacture important signaling mole cules, vitamins, and neurotransmitters, protect us from disease-causing invaders, and are absolutely crucial for a healthy immune system, ner vous system (including brain development), as well as metabolism.”
The result? Inflammation and leaky gut, resulting in trafficking of bacterial components like endotoxin into the blood and brain—a recipe for disaster. Inflammation and endo toxin in the brain have been linked to mood disorders such as depres sion and anxiety, the alarming rates
Every Minute Matters
Know where to go in an emergency. Your family’s health is your top priority. It’s ours, too. If you or a loved one are injured or experience chest pain, stroke symptoms or severe stomach discomfort, don’t hesitate. You’ll find expert emergency physicians at the AdventHealth ER standing by to help you. When minutes matter most. Four Locations in Johnson County Prepare for emergencies by locating the ER nearest you at AdventHealthKC.com/ER.
Everyone’s microbiome is shaped significantly during gestation and the first three years of life. The healthier a mother’s microbiome is while car rying and delivering her baby, the healthier the baby’s microbiome will be. The child’s microbiome is then influenced by factors like Cesarean section versus vaginal birth, breast-feeding, and environmental factors in those early years of life. “When little children experience stress or are exposed to antibi otics, it’s so much more harmful than if it happens during adulthood because their microbiome is still developing,” Hubkova says. “Harming the microbiome in the early life can have profound consequences on the immune system and metabolism and also contributes to the epidemic of mental health Prolongeddisease.”useofantibiotics in midlife has been linked to cog nitive decline. Is there anything we can do to protect our microbiome? In a small study of babies given probiotics versus placebo for the first six months of life, 17 percent of those on placebo developed either autism or attention deficit disorder by age 13, compared to none of the babies given probiotics.
“I don’t think it was coincidence, but I hope to see more trials like this,” says Hubkova. “Adult volunteers in another study that were given probiotics reported better mood and less distress and had lower stress hormone levels compared to a placebo group. Other studies show im proved memory with probiotics, as well as beneficial effect of fiber on memory, multitasking, and maintaining focus.”
Hubkova says she doesn’t think we can reverse all the damage done to our microbiomes just by popping probiotics. “But they do seem to have a role, along with a well-balanced diet rich in fiber, exercise, spending time in nature (including responsible exposure to sunshine), having healthy re lationships, and a positive attitude. All of this helps keep our ‘little friends’ in good shape,” she says. “The most important thing is realizing where we are making mistakes, as individuals as well as a society, and correcting them before non-reparable damage is done. The clock is ticking.”
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Women’s Health IN KC presented by AdventHealth of autism, and neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. The devastating effect of poor diet on our microbiome is worsened by antibiotics and pesticide residues in our food. “Just one course of antibiotics has been associated with a 23 to 25 percent higher risk of developing depression and a 17 percent higher risk of anxiety,” Hubkova says. “Antibiotics can save your life when pre scribed appropriately, but sadly, the majority of antibiotics are dished out for the wrong reasons (viral infections). It really comes down to working with your primary care physician and trying to understand when antibiotics are the right choice.”
PROTECTING THOSE HEALTHY MICROBES
Clockwise from top left: Dogwood fabric in Wheat and Hosta Green. Oak Leaf fabric in English Blue. JSH Stripe in Hosta Green. Field Flower fabric in English Blue. Darcy fabric in English Blue and Hosta Green.
CLASSIC, PRETTY FABRICS NOW AVAILABLE BY THE YARD I
t can be frustrating to nd a fabric that you want for your home and not be able to access it easily because it’s “to the trade.” While I respect interior designers and their endless expertise, sometimes I just need a few yards of fabric to cover a bedroom chair. Enter ever-expanding Jenny Steffens Hobick, who has brought the production of her fabrics to the United States to stabilize their inventory and make larger by-the-yard orders more easily available to her customers.
Field Flower, Darcy, Oak Leaf, Dogwood, and the classic JSH Stripe are available in soothing colors such as English Blue and Hosta Green. Pillows and table linens made from the fabric are available in the shop as well. In addition, Hobick plans to launch new colorways and designs in coming seasons. For a designer touch, stop by JSH Home Essentials in Westwood Hills today. jshhomeessentials.com
Living IN KC BY Patricia O’Dell
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 58 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Fabricated
MANY OF US are old enough to remember the excitement—and for some, skepticism—around the design and installation of Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s Shuttlecocks that are scattered on the lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art like abandoned children’s toys. e sculptures have become iconic, a shorthand for something uniquely Kansas City. If you don’t see the Shuttlecocks often, as this author has the pleasure of doing, you can invite one of these cheeky birds into your home via these mugs available at the Nelson-Atkins Museum Store. Kansas City ceramic artist Irma Starr designed the Shuttlecock Mug, which can hold co ee—or a premium silver tequila. I don’t think the artist would judge. nelson-atkins.org Marshall Dr. (92nd & I-35) Hours: Mon-Fri 9 to 7pm, Sat 10 to 6pm, Sun 12 to 5pm Visit website and shop www.RensenHouseofLights.com24/7
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GET ‘EM WHILE THEY’RE YOUNG
Above: The perfect mouse house from the Maileg Collection. Left: Chef Mouse. Right, top to bottom: Mouse Chairs, bentwood chairs with Vintage Tea Table, Minature Couch.
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 60 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Living IN KC BY Patricia O’Dell Playing House
I had my fair share of Playskool toys around the house when my boys were young. Certainly, there were pounds of Legos, legions of blocks, and a parking lot full of cars. But no one really wanted to play house. When I was a child, I had a brief interest in Barbie, but an aversion to pink—and blue eyeshadow—meant it couldn’t last. I did, however, collect mice. Now I realize what I was missing for “Let’s Pretend.” I really cannot imagine anything more charming than playing with the toys from the Maileg Collection, which are available at Lauren Alexandra (Brookside).
Let’s start with the Miniature Couch, which we all know should be called a “sofa,” but we can be generous here for its classic lines and perfectly slouchy slipcover. Flank it with a pair of Mouse Chairs, as their braided trim at the skirt’s hem is a subtle, but sublime, nish. A pair of bentwood chairs with armrests will pull up perfectly with the Vintage Tea Table and its iron legs and painted top. e set is made perfect when placed upon a Miniature Rug with its tribal in uences. Ready to go out? Just pull your sleek blue race car out of the garage and go straight to Lauren Alexandra where you can pick up an entire set of the mice to live in your make-believe world. Take my word for it, the Chef Mouse that comes with his own soup pot is the ideal choice as a rst pick.
Black-and-white cross stitch kits, $18 each, from Yarn Social (West Plaza).
IN STITCHES
Artisan apparel for nomads and romantics.
SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE 335 East 55th Street • Kansas City peruvianconnection.com
I BEGAN my love a air with needle and thread with cross stitch. I cannot deny that these projects go fast, which for some folks means a greater chance of completion. Yarn Social carries three reasonably priced kits which—when completed—are great to display every day, but they would also be pretty swell as we head into Halloween season. Heart and Dagger? Skull and Roses? Or Snake and Moon? If I had to pick one, it would be the snake—the tattoo I don’t have the courage to get. But for home, the answer is clearly buying all three. yarnsocialkc.com
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 61 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
5 CARRIEDANDKNOWYOUTHINGSDIDN’TTRAPPCOMPANYINSTORE PRESENTED BY
Jewelry For Every Occasion
When Trapp decided to expand into women’s apparel over 15 years ago, it seemed like an ob vious next step for the company. “My whole career has been centered around design,” Trapp says. “All fashion revolves around design and buying the right fashion for our clien tele.” To keep up with the latest looks, Trapp and his team are constantly tracking fashion trends and working with vendors who know the Trappmarket.andCompany’s selection of women’s fashion is constantly expand ing and reflecting seasonal trends. This fall, the women’s department will fea ture a variety of new lines from around the globe, many of which Trapp’s team discovered in New York earlier this year. “The most surprising thing someone will find in our women’s department is not only the wide range of vendors we carry but also the wide range of sizing we carry. We always do our best to have sizing for any woman who walks in the store,” says Robin Burns, head of the fashion department. “Our customers love to come to Trapp and Company because they know they will see some thing new and different weekly.”
Some of Trapp and Company’s best-selling items include handbags. “Our new Piero Guidi handbags from Ita ly are some of the highest quality handbags in the world,” Trapp says. “Other than Omaha, we are the only representatives for this line in middle America.” Trapp and Company also carries the latest collections of handbags from Sol & Selene and Aratta.
Trapp and Company knows a woman’s outfit isn’t complete without accessories that make a statement.Witha curated collection of earrings, bracelets, and necklaces from assorted brands, you can find the perfect piece to pull together any outfit. Our buyers spend time finding high-style fashion jewelry at all price points to meet any client’s needs. At Trapp and Company, you’ll find the latest selections from several brands reflecting the accessory trends of the season. Plus, if you can’t find the right thing, Trapp and Company can assist you in ordering the perfect piece!
“These days, men’s fashion is all about comfort and style, which is re flected in Trapp’s choices of brands such as 7 Diamond and Jack of Spades. One of Trapp’s personal favorites? Their selection of Jack of Spades jeans. “After much research, we believe this line is the top quality because of their fabrics and manufacturing—and they give us three distinct styles,” Trapp says. “One for the young man, one for the middle-aged man, and one for the older gentlemen. They are all about comfort, which aligns with where fashion is today.”
ince Trapp and Company opened in Kansas City 53 years ago, the boutique has blossomed beyond the stunning florals the shop was orig inally known for into interior design, event planning, decor, and fashion departments. “If you’ve shopped at Trapp and Company for a while, you know we’re known for changes,” says Bob Trapp, the president and owner of the company. “Every day someone comes into the store and says, ‘I love coming here because every time I do things have changed.’” With selections featuring the most current trends, Trapp and Company is a refreshing and unexpected destination for the fashionista. Here’s what to expect to find on your next visit
Handbags You Can’t Find Anywhere Else in Kansas City Feel like your outfit is still missing something?
Men’s Apparel is All About Comfort and Style Trapp and Company knew it was time to ex pand into a new category and it didn’t take long to recognize the need to add menswear to the floor. "For many years, men have come in the store to buy flowers, candles, or something else and wanted something more personal for them selves,” Burns says. “The men’s department has helped us reach a whole new group of customers in a very special way.”
Words by Emily Park
Men’s Shoes That Make a Statement Beyond on-trend shirts, jackets, pants, and accessories, you might be surprised to find a small selection of men’s footwear. “At Trapp and Company, it’s easy to put together a cohesive look. You’ll find footwear classics with a modern twist ready to go for just about any occasion.
S
The Latest in Women’s Fashion
From Swims Breeze Tennis Storm, a lightweight, classic, court silhou ette shoe, to the Greats Park Oxford, which combines the professional look of an oxford with the comfort of a tennis shoe, you can walk out of the store with a fashion statement on your feet. Looking for something casual? The Greats Foster Slipper is the new work-from-home staple with a cushioned footbed for all-day comfort, a du rable sole, and a sophisticated design you can wear shamelessly in public.
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SEPTEMBER 2022 | 64 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Porter (standing) and Hollister Hovey.
Hollister: Our mom was from Lincoln, Nebraska, and our Dad grew up in New York. They got married in New York, lived there and then moved back to Lincoln. When I was 4 1/2 and Porter was a baby, mom moved the family to Kansas City. We lived in Overland Park and started school at Pembroke Hill. Our mom did PR for Hallmark and our dad was in management for a little manufacturing company. Mom was really the main inspiration in our lives about interiors and art. We spent every weekend antiquing. We’d go over to Waldo and the State Line antiques district and thrift stores—it was a constant hunt for fun bargains and beautiful things. We ended up moving to Mission Hills. Porter went to Belinder Elementary School and I went to Shawnee Mission East. Our parents really tried to raise us a little bit like New Yorkers living in a special place that had wonderful lawns and architecture. That’s one reason mom picked it. She worked for General Foods in New York, so she had traveled all around the Midwest and thought Kansas City was the prettiest of all the Midwestern cities. It’s a gift that we were able to grow up in a place of such beauty.
Porter: We stayed there forever. Hollister is still in it. I finally got an apartment of my own last year, also in Brooklyn. We obviously were
IN CONVERSATION WITH
Porter and Hollister Hovey
Hollister: We were told from birth, “You go to school on the East Coast and go to New York the moment you graduate. If you move back to Kansas City, that’s fine, but we want you to be in New York for a while.” [New York] was such an amazing, formative part of their 20s that they wanted us to have that experience as well. How did you launch yourselves into staging in New York, where everything is so competitive?
words by Cindy Hoedel photo by Julia Robbs
wo sisters from Kansas City are making a big splash in the highly competitive New York design world. Hollister, 43, and Porter, 39, Hovey aren’t twins but act like it. They shared an apartment for 16 years (!) in Brooklyn before Porter got her own place last year. And in a leisurely mid-morning telephone call with IN Kansas City, the sisters sweetly tossed back and forth to each other (“You go, Portie”) as they wove their accounts of their intertwined paths, from graduating from Shawnee Mission East, to going off to separate colleges (Hollister to Washington and Lee in Virginia, Porter to Bard College in upstate New York), to moving to New York and pursuing separate careers from a shared loft before cofounding Hovey Design, a top-drawer real estate staging business. Their book Heirloom Modern (Rizzoli, 2013) and In stagram feed, @hoveydesign, have gained the pair legions of followers. Their firm has been featured in national publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and House Beautiful, and in the books Rough Luxe Design and The Birding Life. Brands such as Anthropolgie, One King’s Lane, and Hendrick’s Gin have enlisted the duo to collab orate on design projects.
T
I had a tiny, tiny one-bedroom on the Upper East Side, 85th and Third. The bedroom was six feet by eight feet and the radiator was po sitioned so that I could only fit a twin bed mattress in there—I couldn’t even fit a twin bed frame. I didn’t have a full-sized bed until I was 25. And then Porter graduated in 2005, and she worked at art galleries and all sorts of stuff. We had this crazy loft apartment in Williamsburg that we shared.
What are your Kansas City roots?
Hollister: We could never have plotted our path to becoming stagers because it wasn’t a career! I was a business journalist and worked for Dow Jones. I covered pharma and biotech, but I had a blog along the way.
Porter: We spent a ton of time at the Nelson and the Kemper, amazing places that don’t receive enough recognition on the national and international scale for the work they have curated. I think the Nel son is one of the greatest museums in the country.
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 65 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
too old to still be living together. We were like, “It’s time. If we keep living together, people are going to think we’re, ah, …” Hollister: Weird.
In Kansas City, housing is very different than in New York. What are some staging techniques people can apply to their homes to make them more pleasing and comforting?
Hollister: I think there’s been a shift in what luxury is as well. There’s been a mass migration into Brooklyn, even by the hedge-fund guys. You’d think they want a shiny glass tower apartment. No, they really love big, fancy townhouses. Luxury doesn’t mean shiny and velvet anymore. It means handcrafted and well-made. And families want casu al. Even in these beautiful 1920s apartments with soaring ceilings, peo ple want the furniture accessible. You have to go more casual than you’d expect and sneak in elements of luxury. Even within the townhouse world, you’ve got the really family-friendly, cutesy ones and the very, very elegant ones, and something in between. Same goes for apartments. They all sort of have their own vibe. Lots of them are really generic white boxes, which can become completely non-generic, and then you have some architectural masterpieces. It’s all over the place, and it’s all aspirational, because anyone that owns property in New York City— even at the very low end, you’re looking at $500,000 plus building fees on top of that. It’s a luxury thing. It’s so fun for us as curious people who love aesthetics to go into all these homes. I think we’ve done 500 homes.
Porter: People already think we’re weird, but they’d think we were really weird.
Do you feel like you’ve found a sweet spot and you want to just keep doing what you’re doing, or do you have plans for how you want to evolve your business?
Porter:: I think it shows what great parents we had. Our little family unit was always so close. When I was born, Mom hammered home, “Oh, Hollister, you’re going to get a new best friend!” Hollister: And then she didn’t talk for years. I was so annoyed. I’m promised a new best friend and it just sits there. [Laughs]
Porter: We talk every day about how to keep growing. We’ve talked about doing hotels. It’s about scaling in the right way.
That is a long time for two sisters to live together. Why do you think it worked?
Hollister: Right? We especially love dark color in really small spaces
Hollister: When you’re choosing what to buy, I’d buy two really cool lounge chairs and a really simple sofa from CB2 or Crate and Bar rel. It doesn’t have to be extraordinary, because sofas can cost $60,000. They can? Hollister: Yeah! But if you have cool lounge chairs, it’ll make the whole room look great. That’s the first place I’d spend money. Also, don’t fear art. I do all our paintings, and we use tons of them. Even if the furniture is pretty, the room does not look great and put together until the art is hung. It just is the glue that keeps things going. One tip that is the op posite of staging, because we use mainly white walls, is that immersive color—ceilings, all the moldings, everything—looks so good.
Porter: No matter where you live, the home you buy is usually going to be the number one financial decision of your life. Where the psychology of staging can be useful is, you want to create something you feel com fortable in and that you can relate to. You want a place that every time you walk into it you get that, “Ahhhhhhhhh!” feeling. That is what we do, and you can replicate that anywhere in the country.
Porter: It goes like this. Somebody goes, “We have a building with 500 cold heartless apartments that look exactly the same.” So, we’ll come and see it. We’ll give suggestions. We’ll send over a proposal. If they sign off, then we get started. We now have a big warehouse, so we can see everything that we have.”
Hollister: Go back about nine years, and we had these serious jobs but this very fun apartment, and we started getting media coverage based on the design of our apartment, even though we were amateurs doing it for fun. That led, after a few years, to being asked to do some decorating projects, and then Porter ended up in real estate. The staging in New York at the time was really slick, all white sofas, very minimalist look. It’s very beautiful for ten-million-dollar proper ties that you see on the shows on Bravo. No one we knew lived like those apartments looked. Most people were buying in Brooklyn, and the townhouse look is a very different style. But the only other staging, be sides the high-end slick look, was really junky stuff that you would rent piece by piece, and it’s really expensive to cobble something together that way. And there’s no cohesion.
Porter: The book really brought into focus that the way you display things tells the story of where you’ve come from in your life. Seeing these cold, austere rooms that looked like sub-par W hotels, that total lack of personality, was frustrating. We felt like we could do a better job and pull it together into a business and be successful, and we did.
I can’t even imagine the logistics of staging in a city with the density and traffic congestion of New York. Hollister: It’s crazy.
Porter: I think it also worked for us when we started our own com pany because we were able to do even more work than normal people because we were living and breathing it together 24 hours a day. So, people were getting twice the work for the price. And on top of that, we have that Midwestern work ethic.
How did the Hovey Design happen?
Porter: We curate a specific look for who we think the buyer is going to be. For example, New York has become much more family friendly than it used to be. If we’re doing a place in Park Slope, we assume the buyers either are talking about having kids, or they already have kids. So, you pull on the little heartstrings with adorable children’s rooms and nurseries filled with oversized toys, bright Moroccan rugs, and picture books that we collect from around the world. In most cases, these have a warmer, happier reaction than, say, a home office.
What goes into the psychology of staging?
I always think an accent wall looks like you were afraid to commit.
So, we thought: We can create something that is the aspirational version of what people want in neighborhoods where it’s not really the slick look. We wrote our book in 2013 and that kicked it all off.
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Hollister: Porter’s place is solid pink. It’s Mexican Tile by Benjamin Moore. It’s so great. It just makes your skin look beautiful. All skin tones look fabulous against it.
Porter: For paint, we really think Benjamin Moore is top notch. It’s a nice price point. It’s a high-quality product. We recommend it. Clearly the paint game has evolved and marketing is so good for some of these companies. When you’re paying $200 a gallon, I don’t think that reflects in the quality sometimes.
What are some specific paint colors that you love?
Hollister: The really dark paints also look great with skin tones. All those Dutch artists in the High Renaissance used dark backgrounds be cause they make skin tones just glow. One slightly bluish-tinted one is Raccoon Fur by Benjamin Moore. That is very beautiful. Vintage Vogue by Benjamin Moore is a deep hunter green that we love.
like a powder room. It looks like you have the confidence to make a decision. And it’s just paint. You can paint over it if you hate it.
Another thing we’re really into, dealing with the bigger spaces like in the lofts that have all this room and hardly any walls is, don’t be afraid to float your furniture. Pull those sofas away from the wall. Fill the center of the room, and commit to a really large rug that fits under the entire seating area. That is going to make it feel really nice. Or at least, go part way under the sofa and part way under the chairs because when you get beyond 10 by 12 feet, rugs get really expensive. So that’s a good Johnson County tip. [Laughs]
Above: New York City homes staged by Hovey Design are warm, welcoming and filled with iconic design.
Porter: And if you struggle with color, white is always lovely. If a home has lots of wood, we do Benjamin Moore White Dove, it’s beau tiful. And if it’s a brand-new home, we do Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White. It’s really clean and fresh. Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.
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photos courtesy of hovey design
COZY, COMFORTABLE, AND YES, CHIC, DAY DRESSING FOR THE NEW SEASON
SOFT TOUCH Peserico sweater, $575; D Exterior pants, $395; from Hudson & Jane (Crestwood Shops). Delbrenna earrings, $229; from Delbrenna (Crestwood Shops).
fall Wrapped Up
photos by Kenny Johnson hair by Arlen Wickstrum Flock Salon and Gallery makeup by Silvia Duckworth Bellísima by Silvia location The Truitt
HEAD TURNER Scotch & Soda jacket, $198; Mr. Davis T-shirt, $30; Neuw jeans, $279; Taft boots, $295. All from Ulah (Woodside Village Shops). SEPTEMBER 2022 | 69 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
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THE WILD SIDE Joseph Ribkoff sweater, $217.50; Joseph Ribkoff pant, $232.50; earrings, $42.50. All from Trapp and Company (Midtown).
CLASSICS REDUX Byron shirt, $179; Paige jeans, $199; Samuelsohm vest $299; Magnanni shoes, $398. All from Peters Clothiers (123rd & State Line).
DARK PASSAGE Eleventy corduroy pants, $395; Scotch & Soda sweater, $198; John Elliott T-shirt, $98; Martin Dingman sneakers, $225. All from Halls (Crown Center). SEPTEMBER 2022 | 72 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
WARM THOUGHTS her:
On
Blanket coat, $350; Pima T-shirt, $68; Velveteen jeans, $199; Maltese crystal necklace, $198; leather belt, $79. All from Peruvian Connection (Crestwood Shops). On him: Dune shirt, $595; Crosley T-shirt, $65; Roda wool scarf, $195; White Sand pants, $245. All from Hudson & Jane (Crestwood Shops). SEPTEMBER 2022 | 73 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
MAKE AN ENTRANCE On him: Ralph Lauren Sweater, $138; Ralph Lauren jeans, $125; Ralph Lauren wshirt, $98.50; Ralph Lauren sunglasses, $169. All from Ralph Lauren (Legends Outlets). Shoes, $59.99, from Banana Republic (Legends Outlets). On her: Scotch & Soda jacket, $278; James Perse T-shirt, $90; Etica jeans, $180; Dolce Vita clogs, $150; Reality Eyewear, $59. All from Luna by Ulah (Woodside Village Shops).
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TAKE THE FLOOR Veronica Beard sweater, $398; Veronica Beard pant, $448; Gucci slides, $820; Cult Gaia earrings, $128. All from Halls (Crown Center).
AT EASE 7Diamonds pullover, $109; 7Diamonds joggers, $89; 7Diamonds hoodie, $125; Greats slippers, $100. All from Trapp and Company (Midtown). SEPTEMBER 2022 | 76 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
PATTERN PLAY Baum Und Pferdgarten sweater, $299; skirt, $199; Ganni boots $317; Jenny Bird earrings, $120. All from Clairvaux (Fairway Shops and Hawthorne Plaza).
WORDS BY Jenny Vergara SEASONAL FARM DINNERS Worth the Drive PHOTO COURTESY OF GREEN DIRT FARM SEPTEMBER 2022 | 78 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
After 14 years of hosting one-of-a-kind farm dinners from May to Oc tober and working with some of the best chefs in the Midwest, many people consider Sarah Hoffman’s annual Green Dirt Farm dinners a seasonal “must-do” event, especially as fall approaches and brings with it more favorable temperatures. As one of the first farms to host a proper chef’s-table dinner among the rolling green hills on their family farm near Weston, Missouri, Green Dirt Farm has established a model that many other local farms now follow. Conceived to introduce local chefs and guests to Green Dirt Farm’s small-batch sheep’s- and cow’s-milk cheeses, the dinners have now taken on a life of their own, with 36 guests seated at one long family-style table inside a charming (but nonair conditioned) barn made of recycled timbers and other salvaged odds and ends. Guests start with a sampling of Green Dirt Farm cheeses and a seasonal cocktail, then as local musicians play, a guest chef serves a five-course plated dinner that features Green Dirt’s grass-fed lamb and award-winning artisan cheeses, with produce sourced from area farm ers and each course paired with a different wine. Tickets are $195 per person, all-inclusive, and must be pre-purchased from the Green Dirt Farm website. greendirtfarm.com origin restaurant Burning Barrel Farm LeCompton, Kansas
Left: Waldo Thai’s chef Pam Liberda combined her traditional Thai flavors with farm-fresh ingredients at a Green Dirt Farm dinner. Opposite: Green Dirt Farm hosts their farm table dinners inside a rustic barn.
Whether they are hosted on a back porch, in a barn, in a grove of trees, or out in a field, farm dinners bring you as close as you will ever be to the land and what is grown or raised on it. So, as the Indian summer gives way to crisp fall weather, check out this list of seasonal farm din ners below and make your plans to take a leisurely drive outside of Kan sas City to partake in the annual alfresco tradition of a true farm feast.
Even though Brian Strecker is chef at the just-launched Origin Restau rant at Burning Barrel Farm with his partner, Kristin Werner, the two of them have been in the business of feeding people for many years. Strecker spent the last two decades working in kitchens. His last stint
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easonal farm dinners have been around for well over a decade in Kansas City, and their popularity has only in creased with our ever-growing interest in knowing not only who is making our food, but who is growing it, too. Although we may be weary hearing the words “farm-to-table” in a restaurant envi ronment, it is a term that still feels fitting when talking about an actual dinner prepared by a chef with ingredients fresh from the farm and served in a bucolic setting.
While local chefs enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the farmers they buy from, farm dinner collaborations are now a way for the two to support each other professionally and financially. Local chefs under stand the benefit of supporting the local farmers who keep their restau rants stocked with food, and most are more than happy to host a sea sonal dinner or cooking class if it provides the farmer the opportunity to diversify their income and ensure their financial survival during the cold winter months ahead. In that same vein, we should also consider our own attendance at farm dinners as an enjoyable and entertaining way we can show our own support for our local farm families. Since the pandemic, there has also been a rise in the number of trained chefs who have decided to grow, butcher, cook, and serve their own meals on their own land or in their own homes. Tired of running restaurants in the city, they are opting to host dinners as an agritourism tool to connect people to their land and food source, while they raise a little income for themselves and their operation in the process. There are chefs growing their own vegetables, processing and curing meat, baking bread, making pasta, and even making their own wine, all in the name of creating a restaurant-quality meal on their own property for crowds that gather weekends to eat under a starry sky.
photo by anna petrow courtesy of green dirt farm S
There is something undeniably romantic and nostalgic about dining outside in the fresh air while sitting at an old wooden table covered with an embroidered tablecloth and set with mismatched china, glassware, and silverware that just puts everybody in the mood to eat. It taps into our yearning for a simpler, less technology driven, time. Even as we sit and enjoy these elaborate, coursed farm meals, it is easy to glaze over the amount of hard work that goes into growing, raising, and cooking every single ingredient on your dinner plate. It is a humbling thought, and one that will stay with you long after your hunger has been satiated with good food, fine wine, and great company.
farm table dinners
Green Dirt Farm Weston, Missouri
was at Pachamama’s in Lawrence before it closed in 2015. After that, he purchased a 30-acre Christmas tree farm in Lecompton, Kansas, where he built a commercial kitchen and a meat fabrication facility, picking up new construction skills as he went. Soon he was joined by Werner, who had been farming for as long as Strecker had been cooking. Together they planted vegetables and fruit trees, fermenting, canning, or making wine out of whatever they didn’t eat themselves, eventually adding pasture-raised chickens, ducks, cows, and even heritage-breed Mangalista pigs into the mix. Dinner starts with a cocktail hour where guests are free to roam about the farm pond before the duo serves an inspired three-course chef’s menu. A recent dinner featured Asian-inspired dishes made with farm-fresh ingredients, including charred eggplant dumplings with chicken-heart confit and hot pot greens; Mangalista loin tataki with smoked lardo, shishito peppers, spiced potatoes, and marigold jus; and for dessert there was hyssop crème brûlée with iced sage and chocolate mint tea. Origin Restaurant seats 20 people at one family-style table every Friday and Saturday night and is open between now and December. Tickets must be pre-purchased from their website for $60 per person, not including gratuity or additional drink pairings (with or without booze) that are $3-$5 a piece and consist of clever drinks like hard seltzers and fruit wine they make themselves. For more information or to buy tickets go to burningbarrelkansas.com.
FARM DINNERS Saltwell Farm Kitchen
PHOTOS COURTESY
Above: At Burning Barrel Farm’s Origin Restaurant, striking live-edge tables line up for a communal dining experience. Above, right: Origin Restaurant uses fresh-picked ingredients grown right on the farm.
Overbrook, Kansas In 2020, Shantel Grace and her partner, Rozz Petrozz, had gone foraging in the woods southwest of Clinton Lake near Lawrence, KanOF BURNING BARREL FARM
POP UP DINNERS Chef Jonathan Justus & Camille Eklof Smithville, Missouri
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When Jonathan Justus and Camille Eklof decided to close both Black Dirt, their Kansas City restaurant, and Justus Drugstore, their original restaurant in Smithville, they began the search for just the right spot to open the next version of their beloved restaurant. Now, having found the perfect place in midtown Kansas City, the new Justus Drugstore should open sometime before the end of this year or early next. In the meantime, the couple has been supporting themselves by hosting pop-up dinners at their private home located on land near Smithville Lake. The menus are wildly creative and give insight into the kind of food you can expect when the new restaurant opens. Communicating only through Instagram, Justus will usually make a post announcing when they plan to do their next multi-course tasting experience serving ten to 12 courses for only 12 people at a time on his covered outdoor patio. More recently, with the weather being so hot, Justus has been hosting more intimate dinner parties of eight inside his Smithville home, preparing dishes around a theme like French Provençal, Spanish tapas, or even a succulent seafood dinner, serving four courses family-style with guests seated at one long table. With these smaller dinners, Justus manages to prep, cook, plate, and serve his guests all by himself. Dinner can range anywhere between $75 to $85 per person (paid via Venmo) for the four-course family-style dinner for eight, but that does not include alcoholic drinks or gratuity. Wine is $10 per glass and if you bring your own wine there is a $35 corkage fee. For more information about attending one of his dinners or buying it out for your next private party, you can email justusdrugstore@att.net or simply follow @chefjonathanjustus on Instagram.
AND SALTWELL
sas. After a successful afternoon, the two came back with the ingredients for dinner and a plan to turn the long-abandoned McKinzie farmstead they had stumbled onto in Overbrook, Kansas, into their new farm-to-table restaurant and family home. After buying the property and undergoing a year’s worth of construction, DIY projects, and shopping at their neighbors’ yard sales for mismatched antique plates, cups, and silverware, the Saltwell Farm Kitchen fi nally opened last summer with Petrozz as chef in the kitchen and Grace working the front-of-house. The two met working together at Grace’s restaurant, Ramen Bowls, and their collective industry experience is what makes their farm dinners feel effortless, with food that celebrates local farmers, foraging, and Midwestern cuisine. This is due in large part to the veteran staff they have hired to help them with their dinners, including Kate Frick, a local bartender and the founder of the Myers Hotel Bar in Tonganoxie, Kansas, who now runs the bar at the Saltwell dinners. There are 45 seats each night and each party sits at their own private table in the backyard among a grove of walnut trees with fans and café lights strung between their branches. A recent dinner featured rustic, but delicious, courses including sour-cherry toast with whipped ricotta, a fried green-tomato salad with blue cheese dressing, summer sweet corn chowder, ribbon pasta, heirloom eggplants, mashed potatoes, and beef tenderloin, topped off with a dessert of cheesecake with black raspberries. Tickets for Friday and Saturday night for the eight-course tasting menu are $69 per person. Wine pairings are available for an additional $30 from a fi ne selection of domestic and international bottles. Wines by the glass are $11, and hand-crafted cocktails are $15. You’ll pay for everything at the bar at the end of the night. For more information or to make your reservation go to saltwellfarmkitchen.com.
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Clockwise from top: Braised short ribs with kielbasa from Jonathan Justus. Chef Justus hosts his multi-course tasting experience on his covered outdoor patio. Patrons dine alfresco at Saltwell Farm Kitchen. The seared sea scallop with stuffed pasta from Saltwell Farm Kitchen.
CHEF
PHO TOS COURTESY OF JONATHAT JUSTUS FARM KITCHEN
THE HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY’S GARMENT INDUSTRY WORDS BY Judith Fertig SEPTEMBER 2022 | 82 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
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Left: A Nelly Don housedress. Opposite: A 1920s postcard of Petticoat Lane, Kansas City’s premier shopping destination from the 1900s through the 1960s. the “section” system, by which each worker would only make one section of a garment, over and over.
HOUSEDRESSES. If you were a housewife in the early part of the 20th century, you wore a housedress at home to go about your wifely chores. This humble garment got a refresh from Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed with ruffles and aprons and other dressmaker details. Just because the garment was utilitarian didn’t mean that it couldn’t also be pretty. Plenty of housewives agreed. Nelly Don, the label she founded, made over 75 million dresses from 1916 to 1978, making it the largest dress manufacturer of the 20th century.
By 1966, Lee Jeans was successful enough to build the “tulip” building at State Line Road and Shawnee Mission Parkway for their national headquarters. It’s now the 1900 Building, where the banquettes in the celebrated restaurant are upholstered in denim, a nod to the past.
Just oneThat’s“look.”allit took for Kansas City fashion designers to strut their stuff down the world’s runway.You can see many of these “looks” at the Historic Garment District Museum, open by appointment, at 801 Broadway Boulevard, says Denise Morrison, the director of collections and curatorial affairs. “The Historic Garment District, between Sixth and Eleventh Streets, Washington and Wyandotte, was the hub of Kansas City fashion,” she says, from the 1920s to the 1980s. “From 1940 to 1950, one in seven American women owned a garment made in Kansas City.” The museum was cofounded in 2002 by designer Ann Brownfield and Harvey Fried, a champion for downtown revitalization and the son of a dress manufacturer. Brownfield left an oral history, on video, in the Garment District Oral History Collection through the Kansas City Library at kchistory.org FROM YESTERDAY. . . At the turn of the century, the port of Galveston, Texas, was the gateway through which Eastern European immigrants, many of them skilled seamstresses and tailors, made their way to Kansas City to start their own businesses and thrived. Yet the demand for skilled seamstresses continued to outpace supply. Soon clothing manufacturers devised FROM HOUSEDRESSES TO HIPHOP ‘‘ Kansas City, in the last century, had 150 companies employing 8,000 people. It was a wonderful ecosystem of wholesalers, retailers, manufacturing, and sales reps to really make it a success.” Jennifer Lipka BLUE JEANS. For Lee Jeans, making overalls and work clothing for ranch hands in the early 1900s morphed into jeans that every cowboy wore in every Western that hit the big screen. Lee also hit a cultural nerve in 1947 when they made blue jeans for women. French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent once confessed that he regretted that he had not invented blue jeans. “They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity,” he said. “All I hope for in my clothes.”
During World War II, Kansas City companies made underwear and uniforms for the Army and Navy.
“Kansas City, in the last century, had 150 companies employing 8,000 people. It was a wonderful ecosystem of wholesalers, retailers, manufacturing, sales reps to really make it a success,” says Jennifer Lipka, the director and founder of Rightfully Sewn, a nonprofit training a new generation of seamstresses. “It wasn’t unusual to see racks of clothes being pushed down the sidewalks to be packed and shipped all over the country.” Kansas City became known for everyday wear.
By World War I, Kansas City manufacturing grew as companies from the East Coast moved West for lower taxes and wage rates. Many shops employed immigrants from Italy and elsewhere. Again, business thrived.
JUNIOR COATS AND DRESSES. Harvey Fried, cofounder of the museum, worked for his father as well at the Fried-Siegel Co., which made junior coats and dresses.
WARM-UP SUITS. In the 1960s, Brownfield created couture as well as ready-to-wear, and everything from shoes to coats to junior dresses and the warm-ups for the 1972 U.S. Olympic ski team in Sapporo, Ja pan. For the Kansas City label Brand & Puritz, she designed 250 coats each season. She would travel around the country to talk to store buyers about what was selling. “We were still big time,” she says. But a series of upheavals in the 1960s spelled the end for the Gar ment District. Mechanized farming meant fewer workers, thus a de creased need for work clothing, a staple of Kansas City’s trade. Newly formed chain retailers crowded out the smaller apparel shops and many unique Kansas City dress and coat labels. And workers who might have trained to be seamstresses learned to do something else. By 1982, the Garment District was closed for business. Much of this fashion history still needs to be saved, says Morrison. As designers knew then, with their sailor dresses and cowboy jeans—the key is to tap into the spirit of the times.
TO TODAY. . . In the 1970s, the dollar was strong, airline fares were cheap, and a new generation of Americans were rediscovering the allure of travel.
SAILOR DRESSES.When the late political consultant Steve Glorioso was a teenager in the early 60s, he worked as a packer in his father Joe Glorioso’s company Krest Originals, a popular dress line. “My dad would say, ‘take them to Harzfeld’s or Adler’s,’” popular Kansas City stores, he recalled. Sales reps would also take them around the country to smaller stores in the rural Midwest. Joe Glorioso, a Sicilian immi grant, had trained at the Kansas City Art Institute and would go to New York to sketch the fashions he saw along Fifth Avenue. “His big gest seller was a sailor dress,” Glorioso remembered, which the company would modify for Midwestern customers.
NEW AND VINTAGE KIMONO-INSPIRED DESIGNS. Elizabeth Wilson developed a deep interest in Asian art and culture, nurtured by living in San Francisco. A trip to Japan in 1969 cemented that fascina tion. But what to do with that passion? At an early stage in her career, Wilson described herself as “an itinerant disseminator of Chinese art history” at San Francisco State, University of California-Davis, UMKC, and KU. Wilson met and married Marc Wilson, former director and CEO of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. In 1977, Elizabeth Wilson and Fifi White opened an antique shop on Westport Road. Wilson also started buying antique and vintage kimonos at auctions in Japan. “Kimono at that time cost a couple of dollars each. I kept buying more,” Wilson says. Over the years, she has purchased over 10,000 kimonos. Some became part of Asiatica’s prized collection, some went to museums, others have been exhibited at gal leries (such as the Dolphin in 2009) or recycled into modern garments.
Japanese silk damask jacket from Asiatica. courtesy of asiatica
photo
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ALPACA STYLES FROM PERU. One such intrepid adventurer was Annie Hurlbut of Tonganoxie, Kansas. Studying anthropology at Yale University, Hurlbut went to Peru to work on an archaeological dig. There, she encountered the alpaca, the pack animal of the Andes, valued for its extraordinary wool, which naturally ranges from creamy white to brown. “In 1976, I went to Peru to study the market women of Cuzco,” she recalls. Their hand-loomed alpaca garments were warm and practi cal, but not stylish, so Hurlbut turned designer. She asked the women to make garments from her designs, and started Peruvian Connection with her mother, Biddy, as a partner. In 1979, Hurlbut brought an alpaca flight jacket and a boot-top sweater with a fur-trimmed hem to show to buyers in New York City. Luxury store Bendel’s promptly gave her a sizable order for more. And the new design business was off and running. Today, Annie Hurlbut Zander lives in Kansas City, while the head quarters remain on the old family farm in Tonganoxie. Peruvian Con nection has an online catalog at peruvianconnection.com—the most recent one photographed in the Flint Hills—and an international clien tele, including stores in Santa Fe, Aspen, Washington, D.C, Kansas City, Chicago, and London. Those first trips to Peru yielded much more than alpaca garments, says Zander, it yielded “a lifelong fascination with the Andean textiles, precious alpaca fiber, handcrafted goods, Peru’s people and traditions, the enchanting landscape.” That fascination has now also manifested in designs for the home— table linens, wallpaper, bedding, and more—all with Peruvian Connec tion’s distinctive colorations and the look of timeless, time-worn places.
AND TOMORROW. . .
“Creating clothes can be like creating a world,” says Manney. From jackets and handbags in her favorite denim to her signature “drippy” earrings in colorful enamel, Manney’s work is on display at whitneymanney.com. Manney aspires to be the next Betsy Johnson, Kimora Lee Simmons, and Donatella Versace all rolled into one. Starting her business in Kansas City has been a plus, because “the city gives us the space to create at our own pace,” she says. “In a fashion city, you’ll be a dime a dozen. Here you can afford a studio.”
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grammy photo courtesy of sarah nelson whitney manney photo by ron berg
The fashion merchandising and design classes at Johnson County Community College continually attract new crops of fresh creatives with a vision, who then receive essential instruction in patternmaking, cutting, draping, and sewing. The late Mary Ellen Rixey, a Nelly Don model for years, recently bequeathed her extensive collection of period clothing that was housed in her Fairway attic to JCCC, so students can study garment construction and styles from the past. And there might even be a new Garment District on the horizon. Says Lapka, “Kansas City is a wonderful breeding ground for creativity. The Stockyards area is poised to be the new fashion district.” Fashionistas don’t have to travel to either coast to have a signature look. “Kansas City’s identity is changing from flyover to fly-to,” says Nelsen.
FRESH PRINCE READY. When designer [and 2022 IN Kansas City magazine Innovator & Influencer] Whitney Manney got the call from the costume department of Peacock streaming’s Bel-Air, a TV remake of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, she was ready. A graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute and self-taught seamstress, Manney had just the colorful, fluid, urban-inspired streetwear that the show was seeking. It didn’t hurt, either, that one of the show’s creators was Kansas City native Morgan Cooper.
‘‘ ....the city gives us the space to create at our own pace. In a fashion city, you’ll be a dime a dozen. Here you can afford a studio.” Whitney Manney
RED CARPET READY. Graphic designer and longtime seamstress Sarah Nelsen spent six years at Asiatica before launching her own design house in 2017 emphasizing “luxurious minimalism,” she says. In her studio in the Livestock Exchange Building in the Stock yards, she specializes in “couture pieces, gowns for special events, and ready-to-wear made to order,” she Nelsenexplains.favors a sleek, elegant, metallic, and less-is-more glamor ous style. She dressed blues sing er Danielle Nicole for the 2019 Grammys when Nicole was nom inated for “Best Contemporary Blues Album.” Says Nelsen, “When I was creating Nicole’s custom look for the Grammys, I had her Spotify station streaming on repeat. Art inspiring art.” Nelson has also dressed the folk/pop trio Olivia Fox. Nelson does everything in-house, from patternmaking, cutting, fit ting, sewing, and creating the catalog at sarah-nelsen.com. “I do this because it brings me joy,” she says.
Around 1980 White suggested, “Let’s make clothes.” “It was a very successful antique business,” says Wilson, “but the transition to clothing gave us a much broader audience and a national audience. It soon became the tail that wagged the dog.” Kimonos are constructed of 12-inch-wide lengths of fabric—cot ton, linen, and silk—so the clothing designs started with that frame work. Says Asiatica’s designer Kate McConnell, whose background is in textile design and fine art, “Our fashions are timelessly chic, and we make everything here. Elizabeth buys the fabric, either kimono or new fabric from Japanese makers. We then decide how we’re going to use it.” Today, “modern, one-of-a-kind pieces” are Asiatica’s calling card at their shop in Westwood, online catalog at asiaticakc.com, and trunk shows around the country.
Above: Whitney Manney (right) wearing her WM collared shirt and denim jumper. The model is wearing a WM denim dress and necklace. Below: Designer Sarah Nelsen created the gown worn by Danielle Nicole at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
Family Time A LEAWOOD COUPLE DECIDED TO LEAVE A HOUSE THEY LOVED, BUT ARE HOME AGAIN IN A NEW BUILD ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR EXTENDED FAMILY GATHERINGS SEPTEMBER 2022 | 86 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
E
RENOVATION SENSATION
You can see the Wren home up close and personal during the Renovation Sen sation homes tour Wednesday, September 21, from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. This year’s chairs are Amy Prendiville and Sheryl Vickers. Guests will be inspired by each of the Renovationhomes.Sensation is the primary fundraising event for the Shawnee Mis sion East High School SHARE program, which is a student-led organization that encourages students to volunteer through student-led projects. Besides the Wren home, the tour includes three other houses nearby. Passes are available for purchase at HenHouse Markets, online at bit.ly/Rensenpass, and at each house location the day of the event.
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rica and Mike Wren were happily en sconced in their classic stone house in Old Leawood. They loved the tight-knit com munity of neighbors, the mature trees, and the location. But when Erica’s par ents and grandparents decided to down size, she wanted to be able to be home base for family gatherings. She and Mike considered that it might be time to make a change. “When Koenig acquired the lot on Meadow, we saw it as a great oppor tunity to have more space and stay in the neighborhood,” Erica Wren says. Koenig Building and Restoration spe cializes in developing underutilized lots in older neighborhoods, and the Wrens thought they would be good partners in designing their new home. “We wanted
Right: The Hendrik Kersten photograph overlooks a pair of Room & Board coffee tables stacked with a few of Erika Wren’s collection of design books and cookbooks and a Chandler McLellan wood sculpture. Opposite: In the double-height family room, McGee & Co. floral throw pillows accent the black RH sofa, while a natural linen-upholstered RH sofa faces the fireplace.
words by Patricia O’Dell photos by Aaron Leimkuehler
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The double-height living room is flooded with light. Chesterfield chairs clad in moss-hued velvet provide a classic juxtaposition to the streamlined sofas. Like a classic black sheath, the room is dressed for casual movie night with the family or a cocktail party with friends.
A Hendrik Kersten photograph is a stunning presence in the room. “I love the Dutch masters reference, but also the sardonic wink,” Wren says. “The official name of the piece is Paper Lace, but I
Above: The screened-in porch, which gets much use in all but the worst of weather, is cen tered around the fireplace constructed of handmade brick from Pinehall Brick. Opposite: In the den, walls coated in Benjamin Moore’s Chelsea Gray are a cozy backdrop for the RH sectional, Amber Interiors footstools, and a Brooke Golightly photograph and resin on panel.
“They saw the architect’s plans that we had in place for the lot and knew they could make some minor tweaks to make it their own. They wanted a saltbox colonial feel but with modern touches.”
The Wrens did make some modifications to Koenig’s original plan, adding double-hung windows, handmade brick on the exterior, as well as gas“Mikelanterns.and Erica came to all of our meetings with well-planned spreadsheets and a distinct vision on what they wanted their home to be,” says Molly Koenigsdorf, the co-owner and designer at Koenig.
to approach our home with the history of the neighborhood in mind,” Wren says. “Koenig has been a great steward for new builds in our area, and we wouldn’t have worked with anyone else.”
Erica Wren was undeterred that they would be building during the pandemic. She has had a passion for art and architecture her whole life, and once the plans were final, she began ordering and storing pieces to avoid backorders and shipping delays. “This was my first chance to flex that muscle on a large scale,” Wren says. “I’m selftaught, but the team at Koenig—and especially Molly—were great partners and sounding boards.
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The classic kitchen with its stunning La Cornue range was a must, but Wren steered away from white, instead choosing Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore for the cabinets and the trim in the house. “I didn’t want everything to be stark and flat. I’m always saying that when it
“We had friends out there with us when it was 40 degrees. We were watching March Madness, had the heaters and a fire going, and it was pretty comfy,” Wren says.
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Above: Flanked by Calcutta Sponda marble countertops and backsplash, the La Cornue range holds pride of place in the kitchen. Left: A clever porthole window accents the door leading to the pantry. Custom pantry cabinets are topped with oiled walnut countertops. Opposite: In the dining room, a wrought-iron chandelier by Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting hangs over the vintage teak dining table. Custom ashwood chairs from O&G Studio surround the table. very affectionately refer to her as ‘toilet paper head,’” she says.
It’s the most-used room in the house. Initially, Wren considered us ing this room as a formal living room with a round table, but this more relaxed space has turned out to be a better use for the family. “I’m glad it ended up the way it did. We watch TV, read books, and play Monopoly here. I like to sit on the floor in front of the fireplace and talk to Mike most nights—although there’s been no fire lately!”
The screened porch just beyond the living allows a great view to the backyard, but also provides a place to relax or entertain. The ceiling fans, fireplace, and heaters allow the family a place to relax or entertain outdoors in all but the worst of winter.
Restoration Hardware linens dress the wrought-iron four-poster bed in the primary bedroom. Opposite, top: Walls of glossy black subway tiles wrap the primary bath, which is centered on the cast-iron tub from Signature Hardware. Opposite, bottom left: In the powder room, walls are papered with a colorful chinoiserie-themed wall mural from Anewall. Oppo site, bottom right: Linen curtains flank the two sets of custom bunk beds, with a Stanton wool runner softening the stairs leading to the top bunks.
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and backsplash
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THE IT LIST family time continued Builder Koenig Building + koenigbuilding.comRestoration Art Blue bluegalleryonline.comGallery Lighting Relative relativelighting.comLighting Appliances ferguson.comFerguson
and chairs
Striking, richly veined Breccia Viola marble was used on the countertop in the kitchen. decided on a table rath than an island because it’s a more versatile use of the space.
comes to design, you must have an opinion. Even if you are using neu trals, you need to have a point of view.” While the Wrens often eat at the generous kitchen island—it became a habit before the dining room chairs arrived—it’s being to gether as a family that matters more than location. “We rate recipes on a scale of one to five stars. I write the rating down on the recipe along with any comments,” she confides. “But during volleyball sea son, it’s a lot of Jimmy John’s!” The primary bedroom is a continuation of the colonial saltbox that was Wren’s inspiration, but the primary bath was an opportunity to stretch and try something new. “I was worried the black would be too severe, but I think the pairing with the fixtures leans classic.” Despite the pandemic headaches, the house is more than home— it’s both refuge and a gathering spot for the extended family that the Wrens imagined. “I accepted deliveries months before we were able to move in,” she remembers. “I wouldn’t have been able to return anything that didn’t work. It was intense—but fun.”
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Autumn Fruit, Cabbage, Onion, Fennel, and Pork Belly on the Grill e preparation for this dish can be done days in advance, which makes it good for entertaining or after-work execution when time is an issue. For the savory umami avors, I love fresh pork belly that I slice and season myself,* but thick slices of bacon work in a pinch (or sausages or a well-seasoned pork tenderloin would be nice). Plan on two to three slices per person. Take half of the slices and cut them in half, roll them up and keep them secured with a toothpick snapped in half (you can get two rolls out of one pick). Slice an apple perpendicular to the core into halfinch thick slices, scooping out any large bits of core with a melon baller or a paring knife. Slice a red onion to the same thickness, being careful to keep the rings from separating (although if they do come apart, it is not the end of the world). Trim any sprouting growth or stalks from a head of fennel, trim any excess from the root end, peel any discolorations from the outside of the bulb, and slice the fennel from top to bottom into one-third of an inch thick slices (unless it is a very old and hollowed out fennel bulb, the core is entirely edible). Lightly season everything with oil, salt, and pepper. For the cabbage, any type may be used, but I like delicate Napa cabbage for this recipe, especially if you can nd smaller ones. Remove any damaged outer leaves and cut the cabbage lengthways into ¾ inch thick slices, leaving each section with the leaves connected by a bit of
In the Kitchen SAVORY AND SWEET
BY Cody Hogan PHOTOS BY Aaron Leimkuehler KC
Flavor IN
ith the rst whisper of autumn, I begin thinking about fall avors and cooking outdoors over a wood re. ere may still be a few late summer tomatoes on the vine, but apples, grapes, and cabbages are on my mind. Gild the lily with caramelized fennel and fresh pork belly—delicious! Although I don’t necessarily gravitate toward excessively sweet foods—or perhaps due to years of working in pastry—I do enjoy adding hints of sweetness and acidity to savory dishes, usually in the form of fruit balanced with lemon, lime, or some form of vinegar. And anytime you start with clean, fresh avors and add hints of complexity from char and smoke, the end result is sure to be delightful. e following dish has all of those elements, and it is endlessly variable. I grill cabbage, red onion, and fresh pork belly, and caramelize fennel, apples, and grapes in a cast-iron skillet, dressing everything with a sweet-and-sour reduction. You could certainly substitute other greens for the cabbage and varieties of onions or fruit (peaches or pineapple, perhaps) depending on the season. A di erent cut of pork could be used, or meat can be omitted entirely. You could even reserve the grapes or apples and serve them with ice cream for dessert. Regardless of the exact ingredients, I hope you’ll enjoy the technique and make it your own.
W
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*Notes on pork belly prep: When buying pork belly, it is most convenient to buy in large pieces, not slices, so you can cut it to the desired thickness. It is easier to slice if you put the belly in the freezer for 15 or 20 minutes before you slice it. If the belly comes with skin attached, cut that away and reserve for another use. For grilling, I like the slices to be less than a quarter of an inch thick. For the spice rub: in a spice grinder, grind together a teaspoon of fen nel pollen (or fennel seeds—but the pollen is so wonderfully flavorful!), one teaspoon sea salt, a pinch of black pepper, and a big pinch of red pepper flakes. Sprinkle the slices lightly with the fennel-salt mix and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to several days. Store any leftover seasoning in an airtight container.
Flavor IN KC the core (this makes it much easier to handle on the grill, and makes for a nice presentation). Snip a bunch of grapes into small clusters. Lightly season and oil the cabbage and grapes. The hard part is now done. When you are ready to serve, heat a grill to medium-high heat. If you have a large grill surface, preheat a cast-iron skillet or griddle on the grill at the same time. Otherwise, use the stovetop or a portable burner next to the grill. Begin by putting the skewered rolls of pork in the skillet with a tiny drizzle of oil (the fat should render from the meat and should provide enough to cook with), then add the slices of apple in a single layer and leave them undisturbed to caramelize to a lovely brown before turning over. If there is room in the skillet (I have a very large old one that I love to use for projects like this), you may put some of the fennel in at the same time. Otherwise work in batches, turning the little pork rolls so they become richly colored and crispy all over. You want the apple to be caramelized but still relatively firm. The fennel should be a lovely deep brown, tender when poked with a knife or fork, and very aromatic. At the same time—if you are able—grill the slices of pork belly on a slightly cooler section of the grill, being careful to avoid flare-ups from the dripping fat, cooking on both sides until lightly browned and crispy around the edges. Grill the slabs of onion on a hotter section of the grill on both sides until they have very dark and distinct grill marks. As various ingredients become fully cooked, transfer them to a tray or plate—don’t forget to remove the picks from the rolls. When you have space on your cooking surfaces, put the cabbage on a hot spot of the grill and leave undisturbed until the edges are beginning to char and it has dark grill marks, then flip and repeat on the second side. Put some of the grape clusters on the grill and some in the skillet as space becomes available. Lightly cook the grapes. When everything is done, arrange the items on a large platter. Put a few tablespoons of grape molasses and apple cider (or other) vinegar in the skillet and cook briefly to make a syrup—note that it is very easy to burn grape molasses, so don’t walk away from it, even to refill your drink. Drizzle the sweet-and-sour syrup over the platter. A reduction of bal samic vinegar would be a delicious alternative to the syrup, but I like to reinforce the flavors in a dish (grape and apple, in this case) when the opportunity presents itself.
I love to accompany this gorgeous, but humble, composition of sweet, savory, and smoky fall flavors with a crispy potato galette, baked potatoes, or even fries. Served outdoors, family style, you’re sure to please even the most finicky of eaters.
In Your Pantry Canadian Bacon It’s not just for pizza with pineapple! “Canadian” bacon, aka back bacon in other parts of the world, is cut from the back of the pig and includes part of the loin and sometimes a small bit of the belly. American-style bacon comes solely from the belly. Canadian bacon is almost identical to ham. If you’re watching your fat and cholesterol intake, Canadian bacon is much leaner than belly bacon, so that might be an option.
BEYOND BACON Beef Bacon Obviously, not made from a pig, but the idea is similar. Ideal for those avoid ing pork, it has all the richness and smokiness of bacon but with a deep underlying beef flavor that is ab solutely delicious. For the ultimate in taste, look for the stunningly marbled Wagyu version, frequent ly found in the freezer section at better grocery stores, specialty meat markets, and delis (including Fareway Meat Market—formerly McGonigles). BACON, simply put, is pork belly that has been cured and smoked. The process originated as a way to preserve fat and protein for later use before refrigeration. Curing is the slight drying of the meat with the addition of salt and (usually) nitrates to inhibit the growth of spoilage pathogens. Smoking further inhibits spoilage and enhances flavor. “Uncured” bacon is still cured, but without artificial nitrates. Instead, celery and sea salt (both natural sources of nitrates) are used to dry the bacon and achieve the same ends. Whether or not either bacon is cured is a matter of preference and technique. If you’d like to add some variety to your bacon habit, give some of these a try: Pancetta By any other name—a belly is still a paunch. This popular Italian belly cut is cured like bacon but isn’t usually smoked (although you sometimes see it smoked, especially in the mountain ous areas of Italy). It is traditionally rolled into a tube shape when curing and then sliced, but it can be left flat like a regular pork belly. Pancetta is available in most grocery stores, frequently pre-diced for your convenience.
Guanciale Not made from the belly of the pig, but rather the jowl, and it is seldom smoked. Although the idea is the same as that of belly bacon, it does have a much, much, higher percentage of fat. It is considered a great source of flavor for many Italian dishes, and it is perhaps most well-known for its use in authentic versions of Roman pasta carbonara and amatriciana.
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by Jenny Vergara photo by Corie English
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Negroni Mexicana
In Your Cocktail MITCH e AMARO
When you ask Dumsky why she likes popping up here, she says with a smile, “What bartender wouldn’t want to work behind this bar, in this store, with every imaginable bottle of booze available at your fingertips? It is a bartender’s dream.” Monthly themed cocktail pop-ups are one of many events hosted at Mitch e Amaro, the cocktail supply store and bar in North Kan sas City that draws both industry bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts
s I walk past the attractive shelves stocked with every imaginable bottle of booze for sale, I make my way to the back of Mitch e Amaro just as bartenders Jess Johnson and Taylor Dumsky are darting behind the well-appointed cocktail bar as they each make their own respective drinks. Digging through the hundreds of liquor bottles sitting on every shelf and on the countertops behind the handsome bar, they are looking for just the one they need to finish concocting the drinks to photograph for their upcoming horror-themed, summer camp-inspired Thursday night cocktail pop-up happening in just a few days. They dim the lights and take shots with their cell phones of boozy popsicles the color of blood, a s’mores-inspired old fashioned and another drink they call “Cabin Sex,” a play on the fruity vacation cocktail “Sex on the Beach.”
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Negroni Mexicana 1 ounce mezcal of your choice .5 ounce Campari .5 ounce Amargo-Vallet 1 ounce sweet vermouth 2 dashes of grapefruit bitters Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, stir until chilled, pour neat or over a big ice cube and garnish with an orange peel. like moths to the ame. ere is also Tiki Tuesday, where Johnson creates a weekly menu of tiki cocktails guests can order, Whiskey Wednesday features di erent brands of whiskey in di erent cocktail con gurations, and on Friday night there is a tasting that starts at 5 p.m., where people can sample the spirit of the week and order one of several cocktails that features that spirit.
A spectacular, contemporary venue with transformable reception spaces and a magnificent (913)1900bldg.comcourtyard.730–1905
For brothers and booze lovers Ben and Josh Edwards, it is all part of their mission to cater to both the professional and home bartender in equal measure. ey were open for only one year before the pandemic forced them to shut down their back bar and focus on selling and delivering cocktail kits and bottles of booze to their loyal customers. Josh is happy to see bartenders and cocktail events resume in the back of their storefront. “For so many months, it was just us back here using this bar, like a staging table for liquor orders that people were placing for pick-up. It is nice to be working the register upfront and look back here and see people enjoying themselves with a cocktail in hand at this bar, that is literally what it was built for,” he says. is month, the focus for Mitch e Amaro is on negronis, as they will be participating in Negroni Week, an international fundraiser with over 12,000 bars and restaurants from around the world. For one week in September (this year it is September 12-18), the participants mix up classic negronis and negroni variations at their bars to raise money for a variety of charities, and each venue gets to choose where its money will go. For the fundraiser, they have created a full list of negroni cocktails and ri s from which their guests can choose. e current sta favorite is a spicy little number, the Negroni Mexicana, which features mezcal in place of gin and the addition of a bright red, bitter liqueur called Amargo-Vallet, created by a Frenchman living in Mexico in the 1800s, that’s made from Angostura bark, rhubarb, clove, cherry fruit, and other woods, roots and spices. Time to try it for yourself. mitcheamaro.com
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 1900therestaurantat1900.comoccasions.(913)730–19001900BuildingShawneeMissionParkwayMissionWoods,Kansas
LINDA DUERR The Restaurant at 1900 CHARLES D’ABLAING J. Rieger Distillery CELINA TIO The Belfry RYAN BRAZEAL & JESSICA ARMSTONG Novel MARTIN & KATRIN HEUSER Affäre ANDREW FONTES Stillwell at the Loews Hotel CRUZ VAZQUEZ Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions SOFIA HUDSON Swoon TODD SCHULTE Earl’s Premier FERNANDA REYES Taco Naco WHIT ROSS Vivilore PAM LIBERDA Waldo Thai & Buck-tui BBQ Illustration by Lauren Seider, KCAI ‘17 more information and to purchas e tickets, visit v an dersl icec o mmi tt ee .o rg or call 816-806-1308 Sunday, October 16th, 2022 Collaboration of Ar tists and Chefs
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MARCUS CAIN KCAI ‘98Painting & Printmaking PATTY CARROLL Photography CARY ESSER KCAI Ceramics - Chair PEREGRINE HONIG KCAI ‘19 Printmaking JASON POLLEN KCAI Fiber - Chair, Retired MIGUEL RIVERA KCAI Printmaking - Chair EMILY SALL KCAI ’05 Painting HAROLD SMITH Painting DAVID TERRILL KCAI Illustration - Professor BERNADETTE TORRES KCAI ‘91 Ceramics
For more information and to purchas e tickets, visit v an dersl icec o mmi tt ee .o rg or call 816-806-1308
Sunday, October
LINDA DUERR The Restaurant at 1900 CHARLES D’ABLAING J. Rieger Distillery CELINA TIO The Belfry RYAN BRAZEAL & JESSICA ARMSTONG Novel MARTIN & KATRIN HEUSER Affäre ANDREW FONTES Stillwell at the Loews Hotel CRUZ VAZQUEZ Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions SOFIA HUDSON Swoon TODD SCHULTE Earl’s Premier FERNANDA REYES Taco Naco WHIT ROSS Vivilore PAM LIBERDA Waldo Thai & Buck-tui BBQ++++++++++++ Illustration by Lauren Seider, KCAI ‘17 more and to e tickets, visit v an dersl icec o mmi tt ee .o rg Sunday, October 16th, 2022 of tists and Chefs Kansas City Art Institute at the 1900 Building & BILL GAUTREAUX CHRISTINA & MICHAEL CORVINO, HONORARY CHAIRS ARTFARE 2022 KCAI ‘98Painting & Printmaking PATTY CARROLL Photography CARY ESSER KCAI Ceramics - Chair PEREGRINE HONIG JASON POLLEN KCAI Printmaking - Chair EMILY SALL HAROLD SMITH DAVID TERRILL KCAI Illustration - Professor BERNADETTE TORRES KCAI ’83 Ceramics CHARLES D’ABLAING J. Rieger Distillery CELINA TIO The Belfry RYAN BRAZEAL & JESSICA ARMSTONG Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions SOFIA HUDSON Swoon TODD SCHULTE Earl’s Premier FERNANDA REYES Taco Naco by Lauren Seider, KCAI ‘17
CHRISTY
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information and to purchas e tickets,
MARCUS CAIN KCAI ‘98Painting & Printmaking
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an dersl
Kansas City Art Institute at the 1900 Building CHRISTY & BILL GAUTREAUX CHRISTINA & MICHAEL CORVINO, HONORARY CHAIRS ARTFARE 2022+
PAULINE VERBEEK KCAI Fiber - Chair PETER WILKEN KCAI ’83 Ceramics
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PATTY CARROLL Photography CARY ESSER KCAI Ceramics - Chair PEREGRINE HONIG KCAI ‘19 Printmaking
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JASON POLLEN KCAI Fiber - Chair, Retired MIGUEL RIVERA KCAI Printmaking - Chair EMILY SALL KCAI ’05 Painting HAROLD SMITH Painting DAVID TERRILL KCAI Illustration - Professor BERNADETTE TORRES KCAI ‘91 Ceramics PAULINE VERBEEK KCAI Fiber - Chair PETER WILKEN KCAI ’83 Ceramics
Collaboration
2022 A Collaboration of Ar tists and Chefs Kansas City Art Institute at the 1900 Building CHRISTY & BILL GAUTREAUX CHRISTINA & MICHAEL CORVINO, HONORARY CHAIRS ARTFARE 2022+ MARCUS CAIN KCAI ‘98 Painting & Printmaking PATTY CARROLL Photography CARY ESSER KCAI Ceramics - Chair PEREGRINE HONIG KCAI ‘19 Printmaking JASON POLLEN KCAI Fiber - Chair, Retired MIGUEL RIVERA KCAI Printmaking - Chair
CHRISTY & BILL GAUTREAUX CHRISTINA & MICHAEL CORVINO, HONORARY CHAIRS ARTFARE 2022+
LINDA DUERR The Restaurant at 1900 CHARLES D’ABLAING J. Rieger Distillery CELINA TIO The Belfry RYAN BRAZEAL & JESSICA ARMSTONG Novel MARTIN & KATRIN HEUSER Affäre ANDREW FONTES Stillwell at the Loews Hotel CRUZ VAZQUEZ Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions SOFIA HUDSON Swoon TODD SCHULTE Earl’s Premier FERNANDA REYES Taco Naco WHIT ROSS Vivilore PAM LIBERDA Waldo Thai & Buck-tui BBQ by Lauren Seider, KCAI ‘17 more visit v icec o mmi tt ee .o rg or call 816-806-1308 16th, EMILY SALL KCAI ’05 Painting HAROLD SMITH Painting DAVID TERRILL KCAI Illustration - Professor BERNADETTE TORRES KCAI ‘91 Ceramics PAULINE VERBEEK KCAI Fiber - Chair PETER WILKEN KCAI ’83 Ceramics
Sunday, October 16th, 2022 of Ar tists and Chefs Kansas City Art Institute at the 1900 Building
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Enjoy any meal al fresco with a patio dining set. Fresh flavors come straight off the grill and onto your plate. A stylish rug brings the scene together for a perfect outdoor dinner party. FURNITURE ❘ FLOORING APPLIANCES ❘ ELECTRONICS nfm.com 1601 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, KS 800-407-5000 ©2022 Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc. dine out STAY IN AND
CAFÉ EUROPA’S spacious new gourmet market, bak ery, and café located inside former Fire Station No. 32 is open and coming in hot. Featuring a large center island with a bustling coffee bar where baristas are brewing Parisi Coffee perfect for pairing with any thing at their impressive pastry counter featuring made-in-house breads, cakes, cookies, and pies all on tempting display. Tall shelves are stocked with a mix of imported European and local gourmet food items, such as dried pastas, cheeses, cured meats, jams and jellies, olives, olive oil, honey, chocolate, crackers, loose-leaf tea, and more. Refrigerated cases are filled daily with grab-and-go entrées, sides, and desserts including quiche, pot pies, fried chicken, even their famous lemon cake. Hungry? Look for the café tables in the back, that’s where you can enjoy lunch served daily. cafeeuropakc.com
by Jenny Vergara
CAFÉ EUROPA GOURMET MARKET & BAKERY
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The newest restaurant to join The Prairie Village Shops, Gravity, is KC Hopps’ latest concept, which has created a fresh new look in the space that used to be Blue Moose. The impressive transformation has outfitted the new restaurant with wooden and brick details accented with colorful paintings from local artist, Kelley Neill Carman, throughout the building.
By Emily Park
Start your meal off with shareables. Our recommendation? Order the Angel Gyro Trio—house-made focaccia bread, lamb, pickled red onion, Roma tomatoes, kale, and house tzatziki—or sample the Mediterranean Board, which features steak and chicken skewers, pine nuts, olives, cucumbers, pepper, garlic rosemary focaccia, sundried to mato focaccia, three cheese and thyme focaccia, house tzatziki, and spicy chimichurri.
Framed in brick, accented with ornate wood shelving and a gleaming white bar top, pull up a comfy bar stool for a night of bar-side service. Or head for the dining room where you can sit at a cushy booth or quiet table. If the weather is nice, ask for a seat on the patios where you’ll find oversized umbrellas, lush landscaping, and TVs. You can also book the semi-private dining room for a large group.
GRAB A DRINK FROM GRAVITY’S ECLECTIC BAR MENU
Gravity’s cocktail menu highlights over a dozen choices, including the restau rant’s signature craft cocktails: Rosemary Bliss made with Ketel One cucumber mint vodka, Madeira, rosemary simple syrup, and topped with champagne; and Gravity Fashion, made with Angel’s Envy, simple syrup, orange bitters, luxardo cherry, and smoked with fresh oak.
Are you more of a brunch person? Coming September, on Saturdays and Sundays, Gravity offers Beyond Breakfast, a nine-course family-style brunch that’s served tableside. Also plan on some fun cocktails such as the French Toast Old Fash ioned and a Bloody Mary with candied bacon.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT GRAVITY, PRAIRIE VILLAGE’S NEWEST RESTAURANT
The restaurant’s name, “Gravity,” references the amount of fermentable sugars pres ent during the beer-brewing process. Higher sugar content means more food for the yeast to consume and turn into alcohol.
With a name like that, Gravity features an eclectic beer menu with 16 beers on tap from local brewers, plus a menu of one-of-a-kind specialty craft cocktails.
“Gravity is an upscale casual concept with an energetic bar atmosphere and a modern menu with a Mediterranean flair,” says Bethany Neal, the vice president of sales, marketing, and technology at KC Hopps. “KC Hopps has energetic bars in dif ferent communities that focus on beer, wine, and spirits, but this is a new fresh menu concept for us. The craft cocktail menu is very unique, and the recipes are delicious!”
PERUSE THE MENU TO DISCOVER THE MEDITERRANEAN
Walk into Gravity, and you’ll be met with a classy—yet casual and energetic—vibe that’s perfect for winding down after a long day.
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“At Gravity, we want you to relax, unwind, and enjoy something delicious,” Neal says.
Drop by Gravity during the week for happy hour and reverse happy hour for dicounted food and drink specials.
THERE ARE SEVERAL SETTINGS YOU CAN CHOOSE FOR YOUR VISIT
ADDED EXPERIENCES: DESSERT, HAPPY HOUR, BEYOND BREAKFAST, & LUNCH
If you’re having a hard time picking an entrée, try the Lamb Chops or Seared Barramundi. Order the Lamb Chops and your plate will come piled with lamb lollipops crusted in garlic, peppercorn, and cilantro, with sides of brussels sprouts in lemon chive oil and cheesy au gratin potatoes. Order the Barramundi, and you’ll get to enjoy an eight-ounce pan-seared barramundi, plus jasmine rice, chimichurri, and lemon-roasted tomato and onions.
Keep Gravity in mind for lunch too! With fresh salads, soups, and hand helds such as the Icon Burger, an angus beef patty with horseradish cheddar chive cheese, tomato, lettuce, gravity sauce, and candied bacon on toasted focaccia or the Classy Bird, a grilled chicken breast with gouda, avocado, spinach, red onion, tomato, and garlic pepper aioli.
When you walk through Gravity’s doors, you’ll have several choices for the evening.
Before you visit Gravity for your first time, here’s what you should know about the new eatery.
Gravity’s menu includes a curated selection of creative modern American dishes.
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vintage78winebar.com
Be IN the Know Become an INsider BE THE FIRST TO KNOW •Must-attend events & benefits •Music news and reviews • What theater to see • The latest fashion trends •Exquisite homes and gardens •Restaurant reviews • What’s new and who’s who Are you IN? Sign up at: inkansascity.com (find the Newsletter link under The Magazine tab) SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER. THIS WEEK SEPTEMBER 2022 | 108 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Weekends will feature a larger food menu with a few ap petizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts to keep people swirling, sniffing, and sipping in their space all night long. With plans to offer creative wine flights and vertical tastings, along with meet the winemaker nights and wine-tasting classes, Vintage ’78 promises to be an approachable spot with friendly service ready to help you discover a favorite new find.
by Jenny Vergara
Vintage ’78 Wine Bar, from local hospitality veterans Michael Scherzberg and Megan Downes, will open in the retail space beneath The Vue apartments in down town Overland Park. The two have been conspiring for some time to bring Kansas City a place priced to en courage the sampling of some exciting bottles of wine that will be sold by the ounce, half glass, full glass, or bottle, along with the perfect cheese or charcuterie plate.
Flavor IN KC
VINTAGE ’78 WINE BAR LIKE FINE WINE, downtown Overland Park’s food and drink scene continues to get better with time, and start ing this fall, there will be a stylish new spot to pop a cork.
CELEBRATE 50 YEARS of community healthcare BUY YOUR TICKET TODAY KCCARE.ORG/TICKETS
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by Jenny Vergara BRONSON’S TROPICAL MILK PUNCH
THE TOAST OF THE TOWN right now is the second release of Kansas City-based Bronson’s Milk Punch. Their new “Tropical” liqueur features a rum-based clarified punch blended with fresh citrus fruit, juicy pineapples, island spices, and aromatics that can be served over ice, mixed into a cocktail, or served with a splash of sparkling water. This crushable drink gives off island vibes even when sipped in your own back yard. It also makes end-of-summer entertaining a breeze because it’s simple to serve and requires no refrigeration. The liqueur was created by local bar tender Bronson Kistler, who produced his original whiskey-based milk-punch recipe in 2016 when he was working as a bartender at Westport Café. With its smooth, long, silky finish, Bronson’s Tropical Milk Punch is destined to be your new favorite after-din ner drink. bronsmilkpunch.com
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LAKEFRONT LIVING AT LAKE LOTAWANA!AssuredQualityTitleCompanyResidential•Commercial•FourKCMetroLocations Kansas City 1001 Walnut 816.221.2880 Overland Park 14221 Metcalf 913.663.2880 Prairie Village 3515 W. 75th Street 913.262.2880 Lee’s Summit 680 SE Bayberry Lane 816.282.2880 Sponsored by AQT David Costello, 816-591-3186 Sally Costello, 913-558-7932 Julana Harper Sachs, 816-582-6566 Lindsay Jurden, 816-678-7759 RE/MAX Premier Realty | costellorealestate.com 2210 W 75th St. Prairie Village, KS 66208 | 913-652-0400 15 K Lake Lotawana, MO | Main Channel Views | Updated Open Kitchen | Covered Double-Well Boat Dock With Sun Deck SEPTEMBER 2022 | 110 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
JOIN US October 2, 2022 from 5 to 8 p.m. KC Live! Block Power & Light District Visit KCHospice.org/SNL to purchase your sponsorship and tickets Dr. Mark & Diane Davidner, Honorary Chairs, Molly & Andrew Wilson and Carol Barnett, Event Co-Chairs, and David Wiley, Kansas City Hospice President & CEO
Flavor IN KC by Jenny Vergara
When considering the driving distance between two points in Kansas City, we often perceive places to be much further away than they are in reality. That’s why I’d like to remind you of the old adage; no matter where you live in Kansas City, you are generally no more than 30 minutes away by car from anywhere else you want to be, and with food as good as what is being presented at Acre, Andrew Longres’s new Parkville restaurant, it would be a shame if you didn’t make the scenic 30-minute drive to check it out for yourself. After cooking at acclaimed fine-dining restaurants including the now-shuttered Bluestem and The American in Kansas City and The French Laundry in Yountville, California, Longres’s resume as a chef needs no further review. Although he has notably worked with a wide variety of fresh ingredients shipped in from all over the world, for Acre, he decided to keep it close to home, cooking in a more sustainable way, with a menu that supports local farmers and showcases all the beef, pork, chicken, duck, fish, and game we have in this region.
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 112 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
photos by Aaron Leimkuehler
Reservation for One ACRE
Inside, Acre unfolds with contemporary, clean lines and a neutral col or palette inspired by nature. In the dining room, the walls are charcoal gray, sheer gray curtains cover the windows, blue banquettes with dark wood tables line the room, and a deliciously moody abstract painting by local artist Jennifer Janesko dominates one wall. In contrast, the kitchen is a bright white box with overhead lighting that shines down like a spot light on those in the kitchen cooking in front of the live-fire hearth. If you squint your eyes, Acre will remind you of a larger, more spa cious version of the former Bluestem restaurant in Westport, with its similar color palette, long banquette seating, smaller two-top tables, and shiny white kitchen. That’s because both restaurants used the same local architectural firm, Herron + Partners, for their final build-out. It feels intentional, like a full-circle moment for Longres, that these two restau rants will forever share a similar aesthetic.
You will get a glimpse of what’s for dinner when you walk past the dry-aging machine that holds 220 pounds of meat. Inside there are sev eral racks of Black Angus, bone-in rib eye and a sizable Duroc pork rack
from Creekstone Farms in Kansas, in addition to strip loins from Cedar River Farms in Colorado that will dry-age anywhere between 21 and 40 days before they cut them to order and grill over the hearth with Missouri oak, walnut, and hickory wood. On the menu, the focus is squarely on the dry-aged beef program. Guests have three steaks to choose from including a 12-ounce strip loin for $65, a 14-ounce rib eye for $70, and a 40-ounce bone-in rib eye for two for $120. You get your choice of sauce to go with any steak, such as smoked crème fraiche, hay béarnaise, and a chimichurri that packs a big bite of vinegar and bright green herbs as the medium-rare meat melts in youremouth.restof entrées should not be overlooked and deliver perhaps more visual pizzazz on the plate than a steak and sides. A great example is the current pasta dish that was almost too pretty to eat, but also too rich to nish. It comes to the table in a large bowl lled with housemade, ricotta- lled cappelletti nestled next to a scoop of tender, shredded, braised Iowa rabbit. Around the pasta bowl are alternating dollops of creamy white Parmesan mousseline and bright green piles of crunchy parsley breadcrumbs. e color and texture of this dish had me trying to make my perfect bite from every element in the bowl. ere is also a hot smoked sturgeon, Idaho trout, beef tenderloin with butterball potatoes, and an eight-ounce dry-aged Black Angus beef burger with red onion marmalade and spicy aioli that is served with garlic fries and was spotted on almost every table in my immediate sight line. e salads served are impressive enough to be entrées instead of starters or sides. I highly recommend the visually arresting fresh heirloom-tomato salad created from multicolored tomato wedges dotted with goat cheese and fresh basil that sits on top of a broken tomato-water and basil-oil vinaigrette resembling artwork on the bottom of the plate. e crunchy fried saltines and creamy smoked Caesar salad dressing are the reasons to get the baby romaine and pickled red onion salad that you won’t be able to stop eating to the ruin of the rest of yourAlthoughmeal. there are plenty of appetizers to choose from at Acre, the one that goes beautifully with anything else on the menu will be the fromscratch Parker house rolls served with sorghum smoked-chili butter. ere are three desserts on the menu at Acre created by former Bluestem alumnus, pastry chef Brooke Davis, but there was only one my server so enthusiastically recommended, and that was the decadent and deconstructed s’more-inspired plate with smooth squares of dark chocolate creméaux, a quenelle of graham cracker ice cream, bourbon caramel, smoked Chantilly cream, and a toasted meringue that’s served as the marshmallow component. Although it was not typically a t for my own personal avor pro le, it was so tantalizing to look at and not nearly as sweet as I had suspected that I ate my fair share of it and then some. e drink menu at Acre has just enough of everything. e specialty cocktail menu had about ten drinks listed and was set rmly in the summer season with light and fruity selections driven by the warm weather. e small and mostly local beer selection had some interesting choices, such as Crane Brewing’s Tea Weiss and the Rye on Rye from Boulevard. Finally, the wine list o ered a right-size selection of sparkling, rose/orange, white, and reds from Italy, France, and Spain, as well as California and Oregon, with bottles priced attractively to move. acrekc.com
Bad opera.makegirlsgood LOVE IS ON ITS LAST BREATH. SEPTEMBER 24–OCTOBER 2 NOVEMBER 5–13 Join us for our 2022–2023 season! Tickets start at $25. kcopera.org | (816) 471-7344 SEPTEMBER 2022 | 113 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
photos by gabe hopkins, dana anderson, and tiffany matson
PARTY ARTY made a roaring return with Vitality & Vice—a night when inhibitions were thrown aside and life was breathed back into the party. Inspired by The NelsonAtkins Museum of Art’s exhibition American Art Deco: Designing for the People, 1918-1939, the museum was transformed into the most glamorous of speakeasies and vibrant of jazz dens. Guests dolled up and donned their glad rags for a spectacular night of food, drinks, and entertainment at this signature fundraiser on July 9, 2022. For more photos go to inkansascity.com/events.
SEPTEMBER 2022 | 114 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Faces IN KC Party Arty
Welcoming ChanelConsignmentsAuctionofHermès,&LouisVuitton HINDMANAUCTIONS.COM INQUIRIES annashaver@hindmanauctions.com314.833.0833 Dior Pink SnakeskinStripedLadybag Estimate $2,000 - 3,000 LUNCH & DINNER, MONDAY-SATURDAY {Enjoy drinks and small plates from 3-7pm on our new Lakeview Terrace patio.} MEADOWBROOK PARK | PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS | VERBENAKC.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 | 115 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Faces IN KC holidaymartkc.org |@holidaymartkc The Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri, is eagerly preparing for Holiday Mart 2022, the largest non-profit shopping event in Kansas City! Join us at Bartle Hall, 301 W. 13th Street, KCMO, to shop and celebrate our 35th Thursday,September29,2022,4pm–8pm*year! *Exclusive Preview Party, Special Ticket Required GeneralAdmission–Saturday,October1,2022,10am–6pmGeneralAdmission–Friday,September30,2022,9am–9pmGeneralAdmission–Sunday,October2,2022,10am–4pm More Party Arty SEPTEMBER 2022 | 116 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
www.landofpaws.com 135th + metcalf avenue deer creek marketplace Puppy Love SEPTEMBER 2022 | 117 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
Gil Shaham CONCERTS ARE HELD IN HELZBERG HALL AT THE KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s22)
JACK EVERLY GUEST CONDUCTOR HEARTLAND MEN’S CHORUS SHAWN CULLEN DIRECTOR/CONDUCTORARTISTIC
III
Classical Season Begins Copland’s Third Symphony, with Saint-Saëns’ Third Violin Concerto Friday, Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18 at 2 p.m.
A NEW BRILLIANT SYMPHONY
Michael Stern, music director
ORDER NOW (816) 471-0400 / kcsymphony.org
GONZALOSaturday,withViolentPerformanceFemmestheKCSymphonyOct.1at8p.m.FARIASDAVIDT.BEALS
ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR
Four of Broadway’s brightest stars take the stage with guest conductor Jack Everly and your Kansas City Symphony for some sizzling showstoppers. All your favorites from “The Great White Way” by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim and others. Tickets from $40. Sponsored by Theater League Special
Film + Live Orchestra Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince TM In Concert Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, Sept. 7-9 at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. GONZALO FARIAS DAVID T. BEALS III ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR With this film, based on J.K. Rowling’s sixth classic saga, fans can now experience the thrilling tale of Harry’s obsession with a mysterious potions book, accompanied by the music of a live symphony orchestra as Harry soars across the big screen in HD! Tickets start at $45 for adults and $32 for children.
MICHAEL STERN CONDUCTOR GIL SHAHAM VIOLIN JAMES LEE III Amer’ican SAINT-SAËNS Violin Concerto No. 3 COPLAND Symphony No. 3 Celebrate the euphoric spirit of America with elegance, optimism and fire! Tickets from $25. Symphony POPS Concert Broadway’s Leading Men Friday, Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25 at 2 p.m.
The Violent Femmes formed in 1981 as an acoustic punk-rock band playing on the streets of Milwaukee, influenced by The Velvet Underground. Original members Gordon Gano, Brian Ritchie and others join your KC Symphony for a full orchestra experience. Get set for a long list of cult classics such as “Add It Up,” “Blister in the Sun,” “Kiss Off,” “Gone Daddy Gone,” “American Song” and “Gimme the Car.” Tickets start at $45. SEASON BEGINS
Homes Tour Wednesday, September 21 | 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.SMEastSHARE.com GET TICKETS NOW!
| 120 | IN KANSASCITY.COM
HIDDEN InterUrbanGEM:ArtHouse is a haven for artists in every medium. It is a pivotal intersection in the arts community. e atmosphere of the space is one in which artists can collaborate and grow in their practices.
collaborateBenny.andgrow 2022
ARTIST. JEWELRY DESIGNER. INNOVATOR BY Emily Park
My Essentials IN KC
One day I walked into Swanky! Interior Design Gallery at 34th and Main and saw an orange Italian leather sofa! Where else in KC can you nd high-quality, unique home furnishings?
CLARISSA KNIGHTEN
Phoenix, where I can listen to KC’s local jazz favorites on with a Crab Cake Florentine
SEPTEMBER
SELF-CARE SESH: When my body aches, I enjoy the infrared sauna on Gillham— you can even purchase package deals. I also love their long-handled bath brushes, and their gift certi cates are a great gift for others to experience something new! Hand & Land Shop and Spa
PHOTO BY CORIE ENGLISH
CLEAR THE HEAD: On any given day along the Line Creek Trail, you will see walkers, runners, cyclists, and families—everyone is making memories. e Northland is lled with beautiful trails that allow me to connect with my inner spirit. I head to The Sunday, along
WEEKEND GETAWAY: e paved, beautiful, scenic bike trails took precedence the rst time I visited Bentonville, Arkansas. After that, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art!
CREDIT CARD DAMAGE:
Clarissa’s essentials... S ince 2007, Clarissa Knighten has been highlighting the best features of Kansas Citians and others with her jewelry designs, which can be seen on runways and galleries in and out of Kansas City. “I am a Black, female, jewelry designer who wants everyone to be able to wear or own a piece of art,” she says. “My art draws others to you. It’s your window of opportunity to have a dialogue with someone you have known for a long time or are meeting for the rst time. God directs my designs. Be great today! Someone needs what you have to o er.” Knighten founded Rissa’s Artistic Design 15 years ago as a way to navigate clinical depression and an eating disorder. She uses her jewelry art designs to help others understand they can use life’s challenges to do something positive and impactful, as well as to remove the stigma surrounding mental illness in Kansas City communities and beyond. “In my opinion, Kansas City is really the gateway to the west—not St. Louis. Kansas City has a culture with an incredible imagination. Plus, we’re centrally located in the U.S., making it easy for day trips or weekend getaways!” rissasartisticdesign.com
DRESS TO IMPRESS: When I want to stand out on the runway, I call Sharon Miller, owner of The Gown Gallery. I trust Sharon’s 30-plus years of experience. In 2019, I wore a yellow and beige dress, and that dress was worn on a day that changed my artistic path.
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE — Film screening and conversation with Jon Heder, Jon Gries and Efren Ramirez JOIN US THIS FALL! TICKETS ON SALE NOW. @MidwestTrustCenterJCCC@MTC_JCCC @MidwestTrustCenterJCCC JCCC.EDU/MTC BOX OFFICE: 913–469–4445 / MON.–FRI. / 10 AM – 5 PM & Puddles Pity Party New Dance Partners The Ultimate Collaboration Doug Talley Quartet SCAN THIS CODE PURCHASE.TO AnLawsonNigellaEveningwithVeronaMattDEAFinitelyQuartetDopefeaturingMaxey Choir Piff the Magic Dragon @MidwestTrustCenterJCCC@MTC_JCCC @MidwestTrustCenterJCCC
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