Lee's Summit Lifestyle February 2014

Lee’s Summit

february 2014

LeesSummitLifestyle.com

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A Thyme for Cooking

Feeding Our Families Meet Christopher Elbow A Weekend in Des Moines

PARK UNIVERSITY DEGREE PROGRAMS undergraduate graduate certificate

Serving those who serve their community and country with personalized, globally-relevant education for life.

WE WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU! PARK UNIVERSITY OPEN HOUSE

Independence Campus 2200 S M-291 Hwy • Independence, MO 64057

5:30 p.m.-8:p.m.

February 24, 2014 Downtown KC Campus 911 Main, Suite 900 • Kansas City, MO 64105

5:30 p.m.-8:p.m.

February 25, 2014 For more information about upcoming open house dates, call (816) 746-2533, e-mail parkvilleadmissions@park.edu or online at www.park.edu/openhouse

Park University | 8700 NW River Park Drive | Parkville, MO 64152

park university school of graduate and professional studies online + on campus MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION MASTER OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP MASTER OF EDUCATION MASTER OF HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION MASTER OF MUSIC MASTER OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK PARK HAS LAUNCHED A NEW CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN CREATIVE AND LIFE WRITING. WE ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS.

Would you like to talk to someone about the opportunities Park University has to offer you?

(816) 559-5625 e-mail: enrollmentservices@park.edu www.park.edu/lsls Apply now and start earning your degree right away!

Parkville | Downtown Kansas City | Independence | Online

n | Since 1875.

Featured Homes of the Month

New price

3635 NW Blue Jacket Lake Front — $375,000 MLS# 1856087

26108 E 99th Street (Acreage, Great Value) Timber Meadows — $479,500 MLS# 1858183

2404 Lake Breeze Woodland Shores — $525,000 MLS# 1854556

New price

New price

5473 NE Northgate Crossing Lakewood Golf Course — $539,900

3928 SW Chatham Cheddington — $204,900

14410 Raytown Road Acreage — $589,500

MLS# 1832356

MLS# 1855966

MLS# 1838378

214 NW Birch Street Lakewood — $224,500

413 NE Emerald Oaks Ridge Meadows — $274,900

MLS# 1862594

MLS# 1865107

4514 NE DeLaMar Place (Lakefront) Lakewood — By Owner/Broker

2409 NE Lake Bluff Court Woodland Shores — $697,500

416 SW Tucker Ridge Winterset Park — $443,500

MLS# 1858726

Elite

MLS# 1864761

Find your next home at www.ToniTygart.com

4243 NE Lakewood Way, Lee’s Summit, MO 64064

816.795.2500 office | 816.373.5558 direct

Price Upon Request

One-stop Cancer Care

Now you can get comprehensive oncology treatment right in your backyard

Good news, Eastern Jackson County patients:You can

now access an even broader range of Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute’s oncology expertise.

Count on us for: • Comprehensive care—We treat all types of cancer, so you’re in expert hands.

• Advanced radiation treatments—We use the latest radiotherapy and radiosurgery technologies for precise, targeted radiation therapy.

• Leading-edge therapies—We screen 100 percent of patients for clinical studies. Our patient-participation rate exceeds the national average.

• A compassionate touch—We offer personalized programs and services to guide you and your family through your cancer journey.

From diagnosis through survivorship, you can count on our cancer experts for specialized care— all in one convenient place.

Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute North Medical Pavilion 110 N.E. Saint Luke’s Blvd.

Lee’s Summit, MO 64086 816-347-4660 saintlukeshealthsystem.org/eastcancercare

Editor's Letter

Hungry?

february 2014

T

his issue was a favorite for me to organize. It’s our first-ever food themed issue and as a Cooke, it was only a matter of time. That's right, my maiden name is Cooke. A British variation of Cook, I'm told, and when she married into the family, my mother took her role as a Cooke quite seriously. In the 70s and 80s while some people collected Lladro or Bing & Grandahl's blue and white plates, my mom collected Junior League cookbooks from around the country. She loved to sit and read through them to get ideas.

She gave them as gifts and she cherished her collection. She taught me to make notes in recipe books (we wouldn’t want to make the same dry, tasteless banana bread twice!) and that any recipe is merely a list of suggestions for the confident cook(e).

Growing up, when company was in town or when we were vacationing, no sooner had we finished one meal, we began to discuss our next. Even today, visits home to Chicago revolve around trips to three favorite restaurants that have yet to be duplicated in Kansas City. (Lou Malnati's for deep dish pizza, Little Louie's for Italian beef sandwiches and Bohemian Crystal for a plate full of our Czech history.) My brother attended culinary school in New York, became a chef and opened a restaurant in Maine, giving a whole new generation a reason to focus our conversations on food.

When one of our newest freelance writers suggested a story about a local health coach who helps people deal with food issues, I jumped at the chance to learn more.

I suspect I could use her services to get over my self-diagnosed food issues, but do I really want to? When eating is such an important part of my family ties? Hmm. Something to consider in the New Year.

Savor your next meal and I'll see you around town!

publisher Steven Schowengerdt | Steven@LifestylePubs.com editor Lisa Harrison | Lisa@LifestylePubs.com assistant editor Kendra Mathewson | KMathewson@LifestylePubs.com chief financial officer | DeLand Shore

director of marketing | Brad Broockerd art director | Carrie Julian chief sales officer Matthew Perry | Matthew@LifestylePubs.com advertising sales Darla Hall | DHall@LifestylePubs.com Laura Paszkiewicz | Laura@LifestylePubs.com

advertising director | Mike Baugher production director | Christina Sandberg ad coordinator | Cyndi Vreeland regional art director | Sara Minor executive assistant | Lori Cunningham contributing writers Ruth Baum Bigus, Christopher Clark, Pete Dulin, James McKenna, Jay Thomas Munson, Marc Shaffer, Tom Strongman, Kimberly Winter Stern, Tracy Sullivan, Sheri Thompson, Christine Urbanek, Jenny Wolff

contributing photographers Pete Dulin, McKenna Mathewson, Tom Strongman, Jenny Wolff

senior web developer | Lynn Owens it director | Randy Aufderheide

Lisa Harrison, Editor Lisa@LifestylePubs.com

Published monthly, subscriptions are also available for $22 for 1 year, $39 for 2 years by visiting LeesSummitLifestyle.com

by Community ™ on the cover A group of local and dedicated foodies enjoy the benefits of membership in the cookbook club offered at A Thyme for Everything. Read more on page 36.

Photography by McKenna Mathewson

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Proverbs 3:5-6 Contact us at: P.O. Box 12608 Overland Park, KS 66282-3214 913.599.4300 | LeesSummitLifestyle.com Lee’s Summit Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of Kansas City’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Lee’s Summit Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

www.edwardjones.com

Meeting on your schedule, not ours.

Face-to-face meetings. One-on-one relationships.

How did Edward Jones become one of the biggest financial services companies in the country? By not acting like one.

With more than 10,000 offices. Including the nine in Lee's Summit.

Call or visit any of our financial advisors in the Lee’s Summit area.

CallTo or find visit any of our financial in theyou, Lee'svisit www.edwardjjones.com. an Edward Jonesadvisors office near Summit area. To find an Edward Jones office near you, visit www.edwardjones.com.

Member SIPC MKT-8275-A-AD © 2013 EDWARD JONES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Kevin Haines Financial Advisor

Matt Knehans, AAMS Financial Advisor

Thom Schlosser, CFP® Financial Advisor

559 SE Melody Lane Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 816-554-9077

120 SW 2nd Street Ste. 102 Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 816-554-0074

192 NW Oldham Parkway Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 816-525-0770

kevin.haines@edwardjones.com

matt.knehans@edwardjones.com

thom.schlosser@edwardjones.com

Anne Pedersen, CFP® Financial Advisor

Matt Sibbing, AAMS Financial Advisor

Financial Advisor

615 NE Woods Chapel Road Lee’s Summit, MO 64064 816-554-7446

1255 NE Rice Road Suite D Lee’s Summit, MO 64086 816-347-8375

400 SW Longview Blvd. Ste. 250 Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 816-761-1045

anne.pedersen@edwardjones.com

matt.sibbing@edwardjones.com

tom.wilson@edwardjones.com

Stephen White Financial Advisor

Ryan Barber, AAMS Financial Advisor

3540 SW Market Street Lee’s Summit, MO 64082 816-623-9946

801 NE Lakewood Blvd.

Lee’s Summit, MO 64064 816-478-0053

steve.white@edwardjones.com

ryan.barber@edwardjones.com

Tom Wilson

February 2014

Departments

40

12

Good Times

16

Around Town

20 Our Contributors 22

Star Student

24

Hometown Heroes

28

Your Neighbors

32

Locally Owned

34

What's Cooking?

36

Hot Spot

50 Giving Back 52

Parent’s Corner

54 Page Turners 56

Home Matters

58

Real Wife

59

Financial Fitness

60 Tech Today

40 Cabin Fever Remedy

61

Who’s Blogging?

62

Driver’s Notebook

46 Kansas City’s Kind of Fine Chocolates

65

Sold Properties

66 Lifestyle Calendar

Pack up the car and head north for a weekend in Des Moines.

Spend a day with Christopher Elbow.

70 Parting Thoughts

32

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Lifestyle Publications Lee’s Summit, MO | Newport Beach, CA | Paradise Valley, AZ | North Scottsdale, AZ | Chandler, AZ | Boulder, CO | Boulder County, CO | Tulsa, OK Springfield, MO | Leawood, KS | Johnson County, KS | Northland, MO | BuckHaven, GA | Perimeter North, GA | Mt. Pleasant, SC | West FW, TX

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Good Times

Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City More than 1200 attendees enjoyed The Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City’s 21st Annual Luncheon at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center with keynote speaker America Ferrera.

8th Annual Freezin’ for a Reason

In a true spirit of community, Winnebago residents and other area friends continued their New Year’s Day waterski fundraiser for the Cox family, whose three kids have a rare genetic condition.

Emcee Mark Long and wife, Aimee.

Steve & Amy Kirkpatrick, with baby Jillian (her first Freezin for a Reason).

Lotawana Ski Club ballet team was prepared to ski, too.

10 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Mark Holecek, Daniel Skinner & Brent LaPietra... fearlessly jumped into the water.

Chloe & Beth Carmen, Anna Long

Choices...

I could’ve gone to a four-year college right out of high school, but I wanted to do something that worked better for me. I wanted to take a few classes first, at a college where people took the time to understand who I am. I’m kind of independent, so choosing MCCLongview gave me the opportunity to work part-time and get some real-life experience along the way. I like the direction my life is headed.

Yours Truly,

MCCKC.edu

Good Times

New Year’s EVE at The Kauffman

Thousands experienced the Kauffman Center like never before for the inaugural EVE celebration. Innovative food, drinks plus performances by Quixotic, Vintage Trouble, Govinda, DJ Earworm and UMKC made for one incredible party. Photography Freeland Photography

More than Just

Stroke rehabilitation When a stroke or serious illness impacts your life, Mid America Rehabilitation Hospital helps you get it back. Our dedicated team of specialists, personalized stroke treatment plans, the most inventive technologies and a coordinated approach to recovery support patients in reaching their goals, returning them to the things they love most.

To learn more about our stroke programs and success stories, call Mid America Rehabilitation Hospital at 913 491-2400.

A HIGHer LeVeL oF CAre

®

5701 West 110th Street Overland Park, KS 66211 913 491-2400 MidAmericaRehabHospital.com ©2014:HealthSouth Corporation:568314-02

12 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

ExactlyWhatYouHadInMind.com

Responsive...

Let’s face it, at our age we think we’ve learned a thing-or-two about life. We know just what we want and frankly, we refuse to settle for anything less, especially when it comes to our individual real estate needs.

At Baird Group Real Estate we believe that when it comes to our client’s residential or commercial real estate needs, just good is not good enough.

We’re here to make sure you get exactly what you had in mind.

Yours Truly,

BairdGroupRealEstate.com | 816-524-1923

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Summit Christian Academy Check us out at one of the following events!

9-10:30 a.m., January 29 or 30 Early Education Previews 8:30-10 a.m., February 5 12:30-2 p.m., February 6 Kindergarten Previews 1:30-3 p.m., February 21, March 21, or April 24 Campus Visit Days

RSVP to Chantele Ferguson at 816-525-1480.

1450-1500 SW Jefferson Lee’s Summit MO 64081 summit-christian-academy.org

Excellent Academics Christian Training Compassionate Environment • Named a Top 10 Kansas City Metro Private School by the Kansas City Business Journal • Over 700 students in preschool-12th grade • Small class sizes • 100% of 2013 graduates went on to college • Standardized test scores 28% above national average • Accredited by ACSI and NCA • Member of MSHSAA • 36-Acre Campus in Lee’s Summit

I am ... ... a husband and a father. ... an IRONMAN competitor. ... a physician. ... a Jayhawk. ... a blood donor. ... a school volunteer. ... compassionate. ... involved. ... healthy. ... caring.

Joel juggles a busy schedule. He is a father of four, a tri-athlete, a youth basketball coach and he has a career in medicine. None of that gets in his way of donating his life -saving blood. He is a loyal and dedicated blood dono donor who takes just 60 minutes from his schedule every 56 days to help save a life in his community.

Who are you?

savealifenow.org

Around Town

GROCERY SAVINGS GO MOBILE Click, shop, save is the new way to grocery shop in 2014.

Consumers are going mobile to help save on the third-largest household expense, groceries. A new local price match grocery website, MyStrategicShopping.com, saves families the time of researching and planning their shopping, plus provides the convenience of mobility.

What sets My Strategic Shopping apart from other mobile grocery saving programs is its focus on two necessary elements for price matching groceries, local grocery sales and sales comparison research. My Strategic Shopping researches the percentage of savings for each advertised sale. Consequently, consumers save valuable time and achieve better savings on their groceries, on average 30 percent each week.

Families can try the program for free for four weeks. After that the membership is $1.25 per week. For additional information, contact Maureen Welsh, at Maureen@MyStrategicShopping.com.

AREA FARMERS CREATE HEALTHY FUNDRAISING OPTION Several area farmers have teamed up to create a fresh take on fundraising in the Kansas City Metro area. Farm Fresh Fundraising puts fresh vegetables, live herbs, pickles, cheeses, preserves, pecans and more in the spotlight through a program put together by popular area ranchers Kevin and Cherie Schenker from Schenker Family Farms.

“We have had many of our customers and friends complain that they were tired of seeing their kids sell the same old thing year after year, so we decided to put together something different,” says Cherie.

The program features products from the Schenkers, as well as produce and live herbs from area favorites Fahrmeier Farms and three Amish farms. Groups earn 25 percent of all sales.

For more information, contact Schenker Family Farms at 620.632.4470 or e-mail info@schenkerfarms.com.

WHAT’S COOKING, UNCLE SAM? EXHIBIT TO OPEN The National Archives at Kansas City hosts a new exhibit: What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam?: The Government’s Effect on The American Diet is 16 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

an exhibition of records from the holdings of the National Archives that traces the ways that food has occupied the hearts and minds of Americans and their government. Free and open to the public, the exhibit offers visitors the chance to examine letters, diaries, photos, maps, petitions, films, patents, and proclamations from the food-related collection of the National Archives. Instead of a traditional chronological approach, the exhibition explores four broad themes: Farm, Factory, Kitchen, and Table.

The Government’s efforts to inspire, influence, and control what Americans eat have led to unexpected consequences, dismal failures, and life-saving successes. At times comic (blindfolded turkey tasting experiments) and tragic (lab notes on toxic candy), these records reveal the evolution of our beliefs and feelings about food.

They convey the desperate voices of depression-era farmers, and explain how the government got into the business of publishing recipes for ham shortcake and teaching housewives to can peaches.

What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam? will be available for viewing Tuesday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. To schedule a group tour call 816.268.8013 or email mickey.ebert@nara.gov. Archives.gov/Kansas-City

APPLY FOR THE 2014 CITIZEN’S POLICE ACADEMY Applications are being accepted for the 2014 Citizen’s Police Academy until February 7.

The Citizen’s Police Academy provides information about the daily operation of the police department and increases rapport with the public to better inform or dispel any misinformation through an educational process. The course is a 10-week, thirty-hour program and the 2014 Academy will meet on Tuesday nights from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. beginning Tuesday, February 25.. This program allows police officers and Lee’s Summit citizens to interact and exchange ideas about making our community safer. Topics that are taught include Patrol Tactics, Bomb Disposal, Emergency Services Squad, Drug, Criminal and Juvenile Investigations, Traffic and DWI Enforcement, Criminal Law, K-9 unit, Firearms and specialized weapons. Applications online at CityOfLS.net/Police.

LEE’S SUMMIT DISTRICT EARNS AWARD The Lee’s Summit R-7 School District recently earned the Missouri School Public Relations Association’s Golden Achievement Award for the district’s legislative advocacy efforts.

The Golden Achievement Award recognizes best practices as demonstrated by a single public relations effort or program that includes multiple strategies. The state-wide organization hosts an annual communications recognition program for school districts from throughout Missouri.

Lee’s Summit R-7 legislative efforts include ongoing work with several community groups, including the Citizens’ Advisory Committee, Business Roundtable and PTAs; initiation of a legislative advocacy electronic newsletter during January 2013; the hosting of community legislative forums; a legislative advocacy website; a ‘toolkit for advocacy’ guide; voting records of area legislators; and

an advocacy trip to the state capitol involving members of the Board of Education and other community organizations.

To sign up for the district’s legislative advocacy newsletter, visit their legislative website at LSR7.org/District/2013-legistlative-platform.

SERGEANT ROD SCHAEFFER CHOSEN CITY EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Sgt. Rod Schaeffer was chosen as the City of Lee’s Summit’s Employee of the Year. Schaeffer is a 21-year veteran of the Police Department and currently serves as a sergeant within the Traffic Safety Section. He is also a member of the department’s tactical team and has a long and diverse career in tactical operations. Schaeffer was chosen for the honor based on the work that he completed during 2013 in developing a training program for city employees in response to violence in the workplace.

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HOME BREWER’S BEER TAPPED AT 75TH STREET BREWERY The 75th Street Brewery recently introduced a new beer. That’s nothing new as the Brewery continually introduces seasonal beers, guest craft beers and re-introduces popular beers throughout the year. However, this time it’s different. 75th Street began tapping Silent Partner Stout, the winning brew in their recent Home Brew contest.

Silent Partner Stout is the winning recipe of beer enthusiast Chad Crawford of Raytown. Crawford has only dabbled with home brew recipes for a year. Still, his concoction earned him the grand prize, which provided the opportunity to have his Stout recipe brewed at 75th Street and be part of the beer menu.

The popular Home Brew contest, which included 50 entries, was part of the Brewery’s and KC Hopps’ 20th anniversary celebration.

Seven barrels or about 14 kegs were brewed and it is expected to

Old World meets

New Style

1310 Carondelet, KC MO 64114 ebtrestaurant.com | 816.942.8870 February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 17

Around Town xgtkids.com

be available at the Brewery through most of February, alongside the Brewery’s popular flagship beers and seasonal beers.

Why have your

BIRTHDAY PARTY in a small room when you can have

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816.347.8008 GET ACTIVE FOR LIFE!

725 NW Commerce Dr., Lee’s Summit, MO 18 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

The Kansas City Sports Commission is pleased to announce that Kansas City has been selected to host 14 NCAA Championships covering the years of 2014-2017.

For three months, the Kansas City Sports Commission, Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association, Sporting KC, Sprint Center and the MIAA Conference worked tirelessly to assemble bid materials for 32 championships over a five year period. Kansas City made the cut as a finalist for 21 championships in various divisions and four different sports.

Of the 21 host opportunities, the following championships were awarded to Kansas City: Division I Women’s Volleyball (2017); Division I Men’s Soccer (2015); Division II Football (2014-2017); Division II Men’s and Women’s Soccer (2016 and 2017); Division III Men’s & Women’s Soccer (2014 and 2015). Division II Football and Division I Men’s Soccer will be played at Sporting Park. Division II and III Men’s and Women’s Soccer will be played at the new Swope Soccer Village. Division I Women’s Volleyball and Division I Wrestling will be played at the Sprint Center.

Kansas City is in the process of biding on the Division I Wom-

en’s Basketball Final Four, which will be announced in the fall of 2014. Future Division I Men’s Basketball preliminary rounds will be out for bid late 2014.

MUDCATS WORK TO GIVE BACK The Lee’s Summit Mudcats 12U Baseball club worked tirelessly in 2013 to gather donations to benefit the Stephanie Vest Foundation.

The boys and their coaches challenged themselves to find creative ways to collect money for the unique cancer charity. The team had fundraisers, tournaments and raffles to gather money for the foundation, which offers grants to families facing a financial emergency due to a cancer diagnosis. The boys recently presented a giant check in the amount of $4,315 to Eric Vest, one of the foundation’s founding members. To learn more about the cause, please visit StephanieVest.com.

WE’RE LISTENING! After reading the Editor’s Letter in our January issue, we heard from parents and grandparents who would appreciate seeing a list of area charitable organizations that could use the help of local volunteers of all ages. We’re listening—so we’re setting out to construct a list for an upcoming issue.

Send us the name of the organization, address, website information and 50 words about who you serve and how volunteers can pitch in to help. Email the details to Lisa@LifestylePubs.com by April 1 to be included in an upcoming issue.

Chest Pain?

Act Fast, We Do. That’s what Lee’s Summit Medical Center doctors want you to know about the importance of getting to a hospital emergency room quickly for heart attack symptoms.

The faster you get to treatment, the better your chances of survival and recovery from a heart attack. Lee’s Summit Medical Center has some of the region’s most experienced emergency room and heart care physicians close to you!

Heart Attack Warning Signs • Discomfort in the chest such as pressure, fullness or squeezing • Shortness of breath • Pain in areas of the upper body such as shoulders, arms, back, neck and jaw • Sweating, lightheadedness, and nausea If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 and just get here!

Chest Pain?

Just get here!

2100 SE Blue Parkway Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 (816) 282-5060 LeesSummitMedicalCenter.com Lee’s Summit Medical Center is located northeast of the MO 50 Highway and Todd George Road intersection.

February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 19

Our Contributors Lee’s Summit Lifestyle is a top-notch, community focused publication thanks in part to an amazing team of freelance writers and photographers. Here are just a few of our neighbors who contributed to this month’s issue.

Chris Clark

His Twitter bio calls him an “outnumbered father of two redheads” — daughters who somehow keep him even busier when he’s off the clock as News Editor for The Associated Press’ Kansas City bureau. A Lee’s Summit resident since 2005, Chris leads a team of text and visual journalists covering breaking news and enterprise journalism across Missouri and Kansas. Before coming to Lee’s Summit, Chris was AP’s News Editor in Salt Lake City, where he split his time directing the news and roaming Utah’s numerous wilderness paths. He brought his love of trail running home to Missouri, and spring weekends will find him roaming at the James A. Reed wildlife area with his wife, Laurel, and daughters Aidan and Raegan, 12 and 10.

Jenny Wolff

Meeting people is a joy. Everyone has a story, and I like hearing them. So, it is a great pleasure to be a contributor to Lifestyle Publications.

As a KU journalism graduate, I spent the first decade of my career in television news, the second as owner of a video company, the third decade raising a houseful of children and the fourth in corporate communications. Over the years, I’ve met many wonderful people who have given me the privilege of sharing their stories. Thanks to all my inspirational friends—present and future— and to Rick, a great husband and editor.

Tom Strongman

Almost every morning, as I walk my neighborhood with our dog Pete, I see my daughter driving her kids to school or my son or daughter-in-law hauling their children.

We are blessed beyond words to have our family so close.

I work from home as a freelance writer and photographer, and I have everything that I love within a 1.5-mile circle. I snap iPhone photos of beautiful ponds or autumn leaves.

Our neighbors are friends and our friends are neighbors whose warmth and welcome provide an anchor for everyday living. Our community is large, but its feeling is intimate.

Tracy Sullivan

I was born and raised in New York (#1 NY Giants fan!) and then spent a decade in Los Angeles, where I developed a passion for skydiving and spent all my free time jumping out of aircraft. I got picked up by a tornado six years ago and landed in Kansas City, more specifically, Lee’s Summit.

Nowadays I derive much joy from reading, writing, rowing and watching football. I enjoy traveling, dreaming about owning fine art and photographing buffalo. My greatest loves are my smart, beautiful, kind and caring daughters, Eleanor and Aurelia, and my wonderful husband Eric.

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I am ... … brave. … a super hero. … a book lover. … full of energy. … a happy two-year old. … a blood recipient. … a little brother. brothe … full of smiles. … courageous. … strong. … funny.

Nathan is a super hero who loves dinosaurs, trucks and reading books. He also loves learning and mimicking his older brother.

Nathan is also a blood recipient who has battled Severe Combined Immunodeficiency.

He has undergone a bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy and many blood transfusions. He is thankful for blood donors who took just 60 minutes of their time to help save his life.

Who are you?

savealifenow.org

Star Student

Sticking With It Local senior heading to Marquette for lacrosse and top-shelf academics Article Christopher Clark | Photography Provided

W

ith two older brothers who played competitive sports in school, Lee’s Summit resident Megan Neisius had little choice but to try to keep up.

Now it’s time for others to try to keep up with her.

Megan, 17, is an accomplished lacrosse player, finishing her senior year at Notre Dame de Sion in Kansas City, Mo., and headed toward a scholarship to play the sport at Big East school Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. She was the lone Kansas City girl named as a 1st Team High School All-American, and she credits her high school coach, Ross Dessert, with much of her success and getting her ready for the next level.

“I first picked up a lacrosse stick about four years ago, during the winter of 8th grade,” Megan says. “I heard that my future high school, Notre Dame de Sion, would be offering lacrosse, so my mom told me, ‘You might as well just try it and see if you like it.’ Turns out, she was right. I played my first official game in the spring of my freshman year, and I’ve loved it ever since.”

22 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Known by its slang shorthand “lax,” lacrosse is played on a field roughly the size of a football field. Teams of 12 players, including the goalie, line up by positions similar to soccer: forwards, midfielders, and defenders. Armed with sticks that have a pocket-like net at the top, players jet a small rubber ball to each other up and down the field, carefully keeping the ball away from defenders. The goal: score goals.

The sport, Neisius says, combines many of the skills and strategies common to soccer, basketball and hockey.

“Speed truly rules the game,” she says, “and it’s important to have good coordination and field sense as well.”

Coordination, and fitness, too. As in soccer, players are constantly on the move.

“Fitness is extremely important in lacrosse,” Neisius says. “You need endurance to run throughout the whole game, quickness for sprinting, and good agility skills to sneak past defenders. It can get tiring running up and down the field for fifty minutes, so it’s vital to stay in shape during the offseason.”

As a freshman, Neisius was playing basketball, field hockey, and lacrosse at Sion.

She dropped basketball the following year and focused on field hockey and lacrosse.

In 2013 she sharpened her focus on lacrosse.

“I want to be as prepared for college lacrosse as possible, so I’ve spent the past few months training with a personal trainer and working to enhance my stick skills.”

Marquette’s academics are highly regarded, and Megan has applied to the university’s physical therapy study program. Her favorite subjects are psychology and anatomy.

Rigorous studies and competitive sports figure to keep her occupied at Marquette, where she attended a lacrosse summer camp after her sophomore season and quickly fell in love with the school.

“Academics were definitely the most important part, and I loved how it was fairly mid-sized, with Jesuit tradition. As for lacrosse, the team and coaches were so welcoming, enthusiastic and helpful. The girls (already on the team) were motivating, and they made me so glad to be there. The team just had its inaugural season this past spring, so I’m excited to be a part of building a new program.”

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Hometown Heroes

The three-quarter ton trucks are one of the pieces of equipment used in snow removal, primarily in residential areas of the community.

Brice Lawson, pictured, has operated a snow plow for the City for 15 years.

The Snow Angels of Lee’s Summit Article James E. McKenna | Photography Provided

W

hen we were children, a snow day was a treasured gift.

Somehow as we grew older, the winters seemed colder and along the way we abandoned our sleds and turned our attention to cars. Over the years, our fascination with snow days was gradually replaced by the anxiety of having to get behind the wheel especially on those cold winter mornings when the snow has fallen throughout the night and the piercing winds have dropped the temperatures to near-frigid levels.

You know, the kind of morning when you’d rather roll over, pull the blankets up over your head and go back to sleep. We dread the mornings when winter road conditions are miserable, making a routine morning commute both difficult and dangerous. But here is something you may never think about. All through the night while you and your family were nice and warm and all snuggled in bed, Lee’s Summit City road crews were out in force, using all their available resources to keep the roads open for emergency responders including ambulances, police and fire equipment and personnel.

These snow removal crews are made up of moms, dads, husbands, wives, sons, daughters and grandparents. These snow angels sacrifice the safety, security and warmth of their own homes to help keep the roads open and traffic moving for the rest of us, when weather conditions are at their very worst.

Recently, I had the opportunity to catch up with one of Lee’s Summit’s 116 trained snowplow drivers. She is the mother of three young children, whose husband is a Lee’s Summit fire fighter. A snowplow driver for the past four years, her 12-hour shifts can extend over as much as a 5-day period. During this time, she misses out on family meals with her husband and children. Her work 24 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

keeps her from helping her children with their homework assignments or just being there to read them a bedtime story and tuck them in at night. Her story of sacrifice is just one of many.

In 2012-13 alone, winter storms dumped a whopping 42.4 inches of snow in our area, blanketing over 68 square miles. That translates into 1044 total lane miles of public roadway that needs to be cleared during winter snow removal operations. As you can imagine this is no easy task, so please be patient.

What you can do to help:

• Please try to remove your vehicles from the streets. This will help prevent a delay and improve the snow removal process in your neighborhood.

• Please clear away snow from around fire hydrants so that they can be easily located in case of emergencies.

• Please shovel snow to the side of your driveway to help lessen the amount of snow left at the entrance of your driveway.

• Please do not make snow tunnels on or near driveways and streets for children. Remember snow plows, as well as other drivers may not see them and could accidently injure children playing inside them.

It’s been said that community spirit happens when a small group of everyday people come together to help make a positive difference for everyone else in the community. So, I take my stocking cap off to all those snow angels who make up Lee’s Summit’s snow removal team. They’re some of the people who keep the spirit of community alive and well in Lee’s Summit.

Our Feet Carry Us Through Life…

Keep Them Healthy!

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6 NW Sycamore St., Lee’s Summit, MO | 816.246.4222 | JFosterDPM.com February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 25

visit downtownLS.org for complete event details

Pleasures & Treasures...

February in Downtown Lee’s Summit is a time for pleasures and treasures. It all begins with our seventh annual free Chocolate Crawl. Explore locally-owned shops and boutiques where merchants hand out scrumptious chocolate pleasure sensations. Shop for one-of-a-kind treasures for the Valentine sweetie in your life.

Join us and see how sweet it is to shop in Downtown Lee’s Summit.

DOWNTOWN LEE’S SUMMIT UPCOMING EVENTS Chocolate Crawl February 8

Valentine’s Day February 14

Spring Open House March 7-9

Yours Truly,

downtownls.org

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Your Neighbors

Stop the Food Fight Meet a local health coach who teaches weight loss without dieting Article Jenny Wolff | Photography Provided

W

e eat to survive. We eat to be social, use food as a reward, and relish the thought of comfort food. We also eat out of habit, when we are bored and often mindlessly. Sometimes, we even eat when we are hungry.

If we eat when we are not hungry, we sometimes feel guilty. We have running conversations in our heads, chastising our choices, deriding our decisions. “Why did I eat all those chips?” “I should not have had that chocolate cake.” “One helping would have been plenty.”

Food is everywhere. Co-workers ask, “Want to get some lunch?” Neighbors invite us out to dinner. Friends say, “I’m having a few friends over for wine and hors’dourves. Can you come?”

28 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Food is a big part of our culture. It is spread throughout our conversations with clichés: Don’t bite off more than you can chew. How do you like them apples? Best thing since sliced bread.

But food keeps us alive; we can’t just stop eating. So, how do you find a satisfying and healthy balance?

You might need a health coach. A health coach? Is that like a life coach or a career coach? Or perhaps a batting coach? “Hey, batter, batter—cake batter?” Yes, it is something like that.

Meet Shannon Hodge, Overland Park resident, health coach and recovering perfectionist.

“Many people are confused about what a health coach does. They associate it with

a nutritionist who can help you figure out what and how much to eat,” said Hodge.

“I am more about changing behavior and putting a plan in place.”

She understands relationships with food, because she has experienced challenges.

She has 15 years under her belt of emotional eating, binging on sugar and yo-yo dieting.

“In middle school, I started midnight binges on s’mores because I was stressed about school and social cliques,” said Hodge. “I was lonely and bored.”

Now, Hodge helps others on their food journeys. Her business card, in large block letters, urges: Stop the food fight! Hodge says instead of battling with yourself about what you are eating and telling yourself it is bad for you, you should allow yourself a moment of pleasure.

“Stop, pause, be in the moment with food. I urge mindful eating,” she said. “Eat while you eat.”

In her personal struggle, she lost 45 pounds in a little over a year-and-a-half.

Academically, Hodge holds a bachelor of arts in psychology from Evergreen State University in Olympia Washington and a health coaching certificate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Health coaches teach that it is not just about food, it is also about what is going on in your life. When you learn to have a healthy relationship with food, it impacts other areas.

“Food is a filler or a crutch for something that is out of balance or lacking,” said Hodge. “Learning new techniques can be fun. Learn to enjoy eating and focus on what makes you a happy, balanced person.

Then keep doing it!”

Finding something that is sustainable is a key. So is being considerate and loving to yourself. Hodge teaches how to eat less and feel satisfied; how to eliminate cravings and over-eating; and how to feel beautiful and confident in your body.

“When you learn how to do this, exercise will feel good and relaxing and not like something you have to do. You will have incredible energy. You will have more fulfilling and more honest relationships. It translates into an amazing life.”

She says the shouting and berating you hear on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” television show is counterproductive.

“I’m not like those people, yelling at others to exercise and eat carrots. I hate that show!” said Hodge.

So, what does she eat?

“Today I had cornbread, collard greens and soup beans in a Crock-Pot. But last week, I had apple pie three times for breakfast.”

Hodge conducts large classes at UMKC’s Communiversity and at Unity Temple on the Plaza, but she specializes in one-on-one sessions. She meets with individual clients, usually over a three-to-six month period, to teach them how make peace with food.

“Now that I’ve healed my relationship with food, I am much happier. I have a more fulfilled, more exciting life, and that’s awesome!” said Hodge.

So tomorrow, instead of waking up to a one-on-zero conversation with yourself (“A midnight kitchen raid, really?”), how about a one-on-one with Shannon Hodge. She listens. And she will help you get your eating under control and balance in your life.

shannon’s top tips 1. Give up dieting or restrictive eating plans. These tend to make you want the foods you can’t have more. They almost always backfire.

2. Slow down and enjoy the food you are eating and give yourself the permission to enjoy it. When you give yourself permission, you experience pleasure and peace and you can be satisfied naturally.

3. Get support and accountability from someone who is qualified, someone who will not judge and from someone who has been there and experienced the same things you are going through and has “come out the other side.” These are the people who make the best guides.

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Locally Owned

Poppy’s Ice Cream & Espresso Bar One of the delights of our downtown Article Jay Munson | Photography McKenna Mathewson

I

n today’s world of digital downloads, text messages, microwavable instant meals, and pre-packed portion controlled desserts, why would anyone want to venture out into the historic downtown neighborhood of Lee’s Summit?

For homemade ice creams, locally roasted coffee drinks, and an ice cream challenge that would make the lactose intolerant cringe.

Poppy’s Ice Cream and Espresso bar is located at 307 South East Douglas Street in downtown Lee’s Summit. Poppy’s has revitalized the ice cream parlors of old, giving it a modern twist by offering quality espresso drinks.

Teresa Poppinga, owner of Poppy’s, grew up working at a dairy farm in Smithton, Mo. This upbringing formed the foundation of a dream of owning her own ice cream parlor.

Combining that experience with her ever-developing techniques, she has created a unique business that stands apart from the competition. Poppy’s ice cream is different from other cold dessert peddlers.

“We use a 14 percent butterfat base, yielding a richer and creamier texture to 32 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

our ice creams,” says Poppinga. From personal samplings and the score of Facebook posts, it is evident that many find Poppy’s taste, consistency and flavors surpass any franchised chain’s desserts.

Another difference is Poppy’s style of service. Scoops are hand dipped. They also offer malts, shakes, floats, sundaes and splits. Frozen vanilla custard allows clients to make their own customized concretes.

Yet frozen desserts and shakes are not the only items on the menu; they are equipped with a full espresso bar where each attendant is a trained barista.

Coffee bars can be hard to sustain with coffee houses springing up on every other corner of the city. So what has Poppinga done to endure the barrage of the national franchises?

“We proudly offer Broadway Roasting Company’s espresso and coffee,” she says.

“We love local and always strive to serve local.” Broadway Roasting Co. is located here in the Metro area and they roast their own beans on site. It makes perfect sense to Poppinga to offer both fresh ice cream and fresh local coffee to her customers.

Poppy’s offers bulk pints and quarts of their ice cream for takeout and they also supply a variety of restaurants and markets in the area.

And then there’s the Poppy’s Challenge, appropriately named the “Jumbo Split.” Weighing nearly three pounds, the creation offers eight scoops of ice cream, all of the toppings available in shop, and two full bananas. This challenge should not be started on a whim.

This dessert has no equal. It has been conquered as proven by the photo wall of conquerors. Yet more have fallen to the three pounds of pure dairy and the bloatedness that inevitably follows.

The rules, if you dare: Fifteen minutes to finish the ice cream, fruit and toppings.

Those who succeed receive a free t-shirt thus labeling them as the dairy buster of the day, and their photograph placed on the “Wall of Splits.” Sharing is permitted.

Richer ingredients result in creamier ice cream, chocolate malts, shakes and concretes. With freshly brewed local coffee and espresso drinks, and a formidable food challenge, why go anywhere else?

Details

Poppy’s Ice Cream and Espresso Bar

307 SE Douglas Street PoppysIceCream.com 816.246.4141

The Cosentino Family opened our first store in 1948, located on Blue Ridge Boulevard in Kansas City, and has steadily grown to 28 store locations throughout the Kansas City metro area. Since our beginning, we have aspired to provide excellent customer service in an exceptionally friendly environment.

Cosentino’s

While you’re shopping, don’t forget to pick up some Italian Sausage and Meatballs to go along with our All Natural Pasta Sauce!

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Cosentino’s Price Chopper 251 SW Greenwich Drive Lee’s Summit, MO 64082

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What's Cooking?

Feeding Our Families Written By Katie Boyer Newell

Feeding Our Families cookbook offers 48 complete and simply explained dinner plans that will help you bring back the made-fromscratch family dinner. Arranged seasonally and using only pure, healing ingredients, Newell has teamed up with her chef husband to create a cookbook that will teach you how to use real food to excite the palate, heal the body and nourish the soul.

In addition to all of the recipes, Feeding Our Families includes a section explaining how food heals and information on ingredients used in this book. Feeding Our Families will revolutionize the way you look at food, one delicious bite at a time.

Author Katie Boyer Newell is from Shawnee and writes a local food blog called Health Nut Foodie.

getting the kitchen cleaned up before friends arrive to watch movies, drink wine, or play games. This dinner is packed with nutrients, light on fat and calories, and full of flavor.

Evening gatherings always seem to involve some sort of treat. Eating this meal before hand will leave you with a little wiggle room to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Ingredients (Serves four):

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 pound Fennel bulb, 1 large or 2 small Cherry or grape tomatoes, 1 pint Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1/2 cup Dry white wine, 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp Sea salt, 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp Cooked brown rice, 3 cups Reserved fennel fronds, 1/4 cup Pine nuts, 1/4 cup Note: If you are new to working with fennel, please do not be intimidated. Chop off the stems and then core it like cabbage. Once I overcame my “prep” insecurities, fennel quickly became one of my favorite veggies! As for the fronds, those are the little dill looking things growing from the stalks.

Braised Chicken, Fennel, and Tomatoes prepared in a parmesan infused broth over brown rice START TO FINISH: 25 MINUTES, MOSTLY INACTIVE

This dinner is the perfect example of how a few high quality ingredients come together with simple preparations to create a flavorful, easy, and healthy dinner your whole family will adore. (You really do just throw everything into a skillet with a lid.) This is a great meal to make on nights you are entertaining, but not for dinner. It requires little cleaning, little prep, and is packed with nutrients. That means you don't have to spend much time 34 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Both my girls love this simple dinner. You are basically steaming the chicken and infusing it with flavor. This keeps it super moist and kid-friendly. This dish is naturally gluten-free.

Those sensitive to nuts can omit the pine nuts, but otherwise proceed as written. Vegetarians can omit the chicken and add 2 – 3 cups of prepared white beans to the vegetable mixture. The beans will absorb the flavors just as well as the chicken. Serves four.

Place fennel and tomatoes into a large skillet with lid.

Pour ½ cup each white wine and Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Drizzle vegetables with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and season with ½ tsp each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. Lay chicken breasts on top of vegetables. Season chicken breasts with an additional ½ tsp each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. Cover with lid. Using high heat, bring mixture just to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer covered for 15 – 20 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Braise your chicken and vegetables:

Pulling it all together: Transfer

chicken from skillet to cutting board, and let rest for a couple minutes. Arrange hot rice on a serving platter. Pour contents of skillet over rice. Slice chicken, and lay on top of vegetables. Garnish with ¼ cup pine nuts and fennel fronds.

Dust a bit of smoked paprika over the entire dish for eye appeal. Serve and enjoy!

Instructions: Prep your produce: Core, trim, and thinly slice

your fennel. Reserve about ¼ cup of the fronds for garnish. Halve one pint cherry or grape tomatoes.

© Copyright 2010, Katie Newell, Healthnut Foodie LLC.

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Hot Spot

It’s Cookin’ Thyme A group of gourmets gathers for food, fun and friendship Article Jenny Wolff Photography McKenna Mathewson & Jenny Wolff

A

new cookbook! What fun! Different, interesting recipes to try. Unique tastes and textures to experience. But, try as I might, every time I get a new cookbook, I read through it, experiment with a few recipes, and place it on a kitchen shelf, rarely to be picked up again. Of course, I keep the book. I have to save it—it includes that one recipe, a found favorite that I make every now and again.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to try all the undiscovered concoctions tucked inside a cookbook, but not have to prepare each recipe?

Wouldn’t it be great to taste test the diverse dishes described on the pages, before investing the time, effort and ingredients? As an adventurous cook, cooking for a family of sometime skeptics, I say yes!

I will get to do all that when I join the Cookin’ Thyme Cookbook Club this year at A Thyme for Everything culinary store in downtown Lee’s Summit.

For six years, a solid, yet revolving group of 20-30 people (mostly women) have sautéed, simmered and stirred their way through more than 20 cookbooks. Every few months, they agree to purchase a cookbook from the store, make one item from the book and share it with the Cookbook Club on the first Thursday of the month. The group chooses three books a year, and members promise to prepare the recipes precisely as they are written, with the exact ingredients called for. By the end of a year, members have extensively sampled more than 100 recipes, dishes they might not ordinarily try.

Store owner Jet Pabst began the club soon after opening A Thyme for Everything in 2006. “I wanted reach out to the community and to provide something to do for the people who share a love of cooking,” says Jet. “I just ‘put it out there’, and immediately had 50 people sign up!”

The epicurean club is maintained by a three-person group who researches selections, makes recommendations, and schedules events for the year. They look online, visit libraries and take input from club members.

“We are always looking for books that are contemporary and challenging,” says Brenda Downs, committee member. Brenda is a Lee’s Summit resident who loves to cook and entertain, so this club provides a mixture of all things good. “You gather with people who also love food and cooking, and get to know others who share your passion.”

36 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Store owner Jet Pabst at A Thyme for Everything in Lee’s Summit joins the Cookbook Club get-togethers every chance she gets.

Leawood resident Jeanne Zyck looks forward to her monthly The women have toured some of Kansas City’s finest culinary trek to Lee’s Summit. “Oh, it is such a great group of gals,” says sites, including Christopher Elbow Chocolatier, The Local Pig Jeanne. “And the food! You can’t imagine! For my family, I made butcher shop, Fervere Bakery and McGonigle’s Market. For the artichoke-stuffed shells in lemon ricotta béchamel that I had tast- December meeting, they gather at a restaurant and leave the food ed at the Cookbook Club. They were to die for!” prep to someone else.

Jeanne is an avid reader and an accomplished cook with a thirst This committed club consistently creates pot luck suppers that for new things. “For me, this club is a combination of two great are a lot more pot than luck. With keen interests and ever evolvloves.” She especially enjoys the monthly get-togethers when each ing expertise, this culinary club is bound to continue cultivating person tells about making her recipe, gives insights into what friendships over fine food. she likes about the dish and offers suggestions on how to make it, including what she would change the next time. Jeanne makes notes in the margins, using her cookbooks as workbooks.

January through March of 2014 the club is exploring the latest cookbook from James Beard, an American chef and food writer. In the past the group has sampled an assortment of books, including The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond, The Barefoot Contessa books

by Ina Garten and several compilations by Saveur Magazine and America’s Test Kitchen television show.

In the summer, the club takes a break from all the baking, boiling and brown- Club member Susie Newsam is excited about creating a ing, and goes on a field trip. variety of new dishes.

February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 37

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Cabin Fever Pack up the car and head north for a weekend of fun in Des Moines.

Article Kimberly Winter Stern | Photography Provided by the Des Moines CVB

I

t’s that time of year when the itch starts. You’re restless and want to get out of town for a quick getaway.

Just because the calendar seems stuck on winter doesn’t mean you have to hunker down until the spring thaw.

At three hours door-to-door from Johnson County, Des Moines is the ideal cure for the winter blues. Great food, family activities, shopping and cultural enlightenment abound in this agreeable city with a warm heart that leaves the welcome mat out year round — even when the forecast is more winter wonderland than spring bliss.

40 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Accommodations are plentiful and diverse in Iowa’s capital city.

If the kids are in tow and you want to make a splash, check into the Ramada Tropics Resort and Conference Center. Des Moines’ only indoor water park boasts more than 18,000 square feet of wet-andwild fun, including tube slides, water basketball and volleyball and three large pools. This hotel is located near Merle Hay Mall, which offers a plethora of shopping, dining and entertainment options.

Or choose the Wildwood Lodge in Clive, on the edge of West Des Moines. The North Woods lodge-style hotel offers

Cuisine Scene Once an off-the-radar, obscure food town, Des Moines’ culinary scene has exploded during the past decade, thanks in large part to George Formaro. The visionary chef/restaurateur, who grew up in an Italian family on the city’s east side, has launched some of Des Moines’ most successful and buzziest headliners: Centro, Django, Zombie Burger + Drink Lab and Iowa’s first artisan bakery, South Union Bakery.

There are plenty of ‘foodpreneuers’ in Des Moines plying their creative interpretations of the state’s bounty. It would take several months to eat your way through Iowa’s capital city—including sampling the new kids on the block and the old-school mainstays—but here are some don’t-miss highlights to fuel a long weekend.

alba Albadsm.com This James Beard-nominated restaurant in the Historic East Village delivers traditional American cuisine with a twist. Owner Jason Simon and Chef Nic Gonwa collaborate to offer a memorable experience.

exile brewing company ExileBrewing.com Known for full-flavored, easy-drinking lagers and ales, a festive atmosphere and off-the-chart food that pairs well with craft beer, Exile Brewing Company is Iowa ingenuity at its best. Take a tour, pull up a stool in the Beer Hall or enjoy lunch or dinner in the restaurant.

gusto pizza co.

family suites, complimentary continental breakfast and an indoor pool, plus easy freeway access to Interstate 80/35 to hop on and explore the city’s attractions such as Blank Park Zoo, which is open all year.

West Des Moines is a sprawling suburb with lots to offer a weekend visitor, including Jordan Creek Town Center, a mall with shopping, dining and entertainment. Historic Valley Junction is home to more than 150 specialty shops, antique and thrift stores, restaurants and services and a vibrant smalltown-meets-big-city vibe.

If it’s a romantic interlude you’re in the mood for, look no further than the Butler House on Grand, a beautifully appointed, award-winning bed-and-breakfast in a 1923 Tudor home. Situated in a stately Des Moines neighborhood, the Butler House is directly across the street from the acclaimed Des Moines Art Center on Grand Avenue. Spend the morning browsing the galleries and savor lunch for two at Baru at the Art Center where Chef David Baruthio cooks to the rhythm of the seasons.

GustoPizzaCo.com From-scratch pizza, pasta, salads and sandwiches, this locally owned pizzeria is affordable and tasty. Gluten-free pies are available and award-winning Iowa Le Quercia prosciutto is used, in addition to other local products. Kids love to chow down on the Little Gusto cheese pizza and Stella’s Favorite—a hot dog pizza.

jethro’s bbq JethrosDesMoines.com With five locations through metro Des Moines, this neighborhood sports bar serves up drinks and brews, ‘cue, burgers, Cajun/creole dishes (including a darned good bowl of jambalaya) and sandwiches in an inviting atmosphere.

la mie LamieBakery.com A local gathering spot, this 11-year-old bakery serves breakfast, lunch, espresso drinks and acclaimed pastries, artisan breads and desserts. Don’t miss the French macarons or tarts.

continued >

February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 41

cabin fever remedy (continued)

The Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel is an elegant architectural landmark that has hosted presidents over the decades and media royalty during the famous Iowa caucuses. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Savery is perfect for a couple’s escape, with a cozy bar, the Coda Lounge, and restaurant, BOS Contemporary Midwest Cuisine.

Located in the center of Des Moines’ bustling downtown, the Savery is connected to the four-mile climate controlled skywalk system and is blocks from Wells Fargo Arena, Iowa Events Center and the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. Many of Des Moines’ popular eateries including Django, a delightful brasserie-style restaurant that serves French classics in a casual atmosphere, or Italian-inspired Centro, are nearby.

Another close-to-the-action downtown hotel is the Embassy Suites, situated on the banks of the Des Moines River and in the Historic East Village. Walk to trendy eateries such as Zombie Burger + Drink Lab or meet the locals at happy hour at The Continental for tapas and live jazz and blues.

Spend the afternoon in the tropical splendor of the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, a short jaunt from the Embassy Suites.

Rejuvenate at Trellis, the Garden’s café that features a plant-inspired menu. Or warm up at The Village Bean Co. in the East Village with a latte or chai and pastry or enjoy a cold one at the

42 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Locust Tap, a neighborhood tavern since 1937 which unabashedly proclaims itself as a “dive bar—in the best way possible.”

If shopping is your thing, the East Village has an eclectic mix of unique boutiques, home décor, kitchen treasures, jewelry and art. The Velvet Coat carries women’s clothing, handbags, accessories and footwear and Kitchen Collage is packed with everything from cookware to tabletop and grilling items.

Schedule a massage at East Village Day Spa, voted the Best Spa in Des Moines since 2011, and bring the pooch back a little eco-something from Jett and Monkey’s Dog Shoppe.

Before heading back to Kansas City, grab a deli sandwich to go from Gateway Market and Cafe, a mini Dean and Deluca perched on the west edge of historic Sherman Hill. Or, if you’re in West Des Moines, sip and sup on local flavors at Table 128 Bistro and Bar. Whatever itinerary you choose—family-friendly or couple’s odyssey—scratch the itch for a quality weekend excursion and get to know our central Iowa neighbor. There’s so much to do and see in Des Moines, chances are you’ll want to catch all the fun again very soon.

To plan your weekend escape to Des Moines and for a calendar of events, visit CatchDesMoines.com.

Family Ties There is an abundance of sites to see and things to do in Des Moines, even during the winter or early spring. Pack your holiday state of mind, along with your sense of adventure, for a long weekend with the kiddos.

brenton skating plaza BrentonPlaza.com Open through the end of March for skating and other winter activities, this outdoor skating facility is conveniently located along The Principal Riverwalk on the Des Moines River waterfront. Once summer arrives, the Plaza transforms into an outdoor entertainment venue.

iowa state capitol Legis.Iowa.gov Self-guided and formal tours are available Monday through Saturday at the nation’s only five-domed capitol. The majestic gold-topped structure, built between 1871 and 1886, sits on a hilltop and offers a stunning panoramic view of Des Moines’ downtown and the West Capitol Terrace.

john & mary pappajohn sculpture park DesMoinesArtCenter.org Artwork by 21 of the world’s most celebrated artists comprise this 4.4 acre park set within a major crossroads of Des Moines’ urban grid. Walk amongst the works of art, including 27 pieces donated by art patrons John and Mary Pappajohn, and soak in the unusual ambiance of the country’s most unique outdoor sculpture parks. Guided tours are available April through October; self-guided tours are available during park hours from sunrise to midnight.

FREE | nelson-atkins.org Pierre Victor Plumier, French (active 1840s–1850s).

Lady in costume (detail), ca. 1850. Daguerreotype, half plate.

Gift of the Hall Family Foundation, 2007.17.28. © Nelson Gallery Foundation.

Lees Summit Lifestyle_IntheLookingGlass.indd 1

1/3/14 2:05 PM43 February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle

More Than a Taste of L’Ecole Culinaire program preps students for the heat of the kitchen.

Article and Photography Pete Dulin

C

hef Patrick Parmentier, program director at L’Ecole Culinaire Kansas City, demonstrates to a small group of culinary students how to plate a dish of chicken tikka masala. First, he scoops a portion of white rice on the plate to create an island, followed by a moat of creamy tomato sauce ladled around the plate. A grilled chicken breast, coated in the tikka masala sauce, is sliced and carefully placed on the rice. Chef Parmentier spoons freshly-prepared mint chutney atop the chicken to complete the presentation. Next, he instructs the students to repeat these steps and plate their own version after spending an afternoon cooking rice, sauce, chicken and chutney.

Parmentier fields questions, observes each student, tastes their sauce and offers suggestions and guidance on seasoning and plating. He directs the students with a calm, cool, even jovial tone. No theat44 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

rics, wild gestures or catch phrases that an outsider might expect after watching too many Food Network programs.

The demonstration is a culmination of that day’s lesson in preparing the Indian dish. It’s part of the international cuisine curriculum–along with Mexican dishes, sushi and other fare–that the students have been learning in recent weeks. The class is one of many in Culinary Fundamentals, a 40-week diploma program at L’Ecole Culinaire designed to prepare students for the tasks essential in the successful functioning of a brigade, line operation or bakery/pastry bench in a food service-related industry.

L’Ecole Culinaire Kansas City, which opened in 2013 on Ward Parkway in the Country Club Plaza, is the latest outpost of

the culinary school with sister locations in St. Louis and Memphis. In addition to Culinary Fundamentals, the school offers a 70week Culinary and Restaurant Management Associate of Occupational Studies degree program. This program provides instruction that prepares students to pursue entry-level employment in the field of culinary management. Also, the school offers one-day

“It’s a challenge to work in a restaurant. It’s demanding. We have a strict code of conduct to help prepare students. They must be on time and have discipline.

Conditions change in the kitchen every day. If you like a challenge, then this is a good industry.”

Academy Classes on various subjects, such as preparing Latin American food or cake decorating, that are open to the public.

Courses are packaged over ten-week educational phases rather than traditional college semesters. Today’s students are in Phase 3, where they work on mastering regional American cuisine and international dishes.

Students take only one major course during each phase, which allows them to concentrate their learning efforts and get the most from their education. Once they complete the program, students graduate with a strong background in baking and pastry, and attain an indepth knowledge and honed skills to prepare them to work the hospitality industry.

Approximately 100 students are currently enrolled in the Culinary Fundamentals program. Judging from this group, the class sizes are small which offers more time for instructors to spend with each student. Besides Parmentier, the school employs five other chefs, such as Potpie restaurant Chef and Owner John Williams, to teach courses in baking and pastry, kitchen math, soups and stocks, meat and fish fabrication, garde manger and other topics.

The course work is intensive and handson, meant to provide students with solid fundamentals in preparation for a career in the culinary field.

“It’s a challenge to work in a restaurant,” Parmentier says. “It’s demanding. We have a strict code of conduct to help prepare students. They must be on time and have discipline. Conditions change in the kitchen every day. If you like a challenge, then this is a good industry.”

Parmentier mentions the brigade de cuisine, a hierarchy of positions in the kitchen originally implemented by Georges Auguste Escoffier to establish and reinforce leadership and organization. L’Ecole Culinaire replicates this system to prepare students for the workplace environment of professional kitchens.

“We teach organization, cleanliness and mise en place,” says Parmentier. “Everything in its place.”

The school provides hands-on training in kitchen labs set up for baking, food preparation and line cooking. A well-equipped room stores a sizeable inventory of baking and cooking equipment. The labs, learning resource center, classrooms and facilities span three floors in the historic Plaza building, once the expansive office of renowned real estate developer J.C. Nichols himself.

A restaurant will open at L’Ecole in 2014 with an adjacent kitchen and cooking line.

“Students will learn how to run a kitchen and how to work service in the front of the house,” Parmentier says. Initially, the restaurant will offer lunch service several days per week and later expand to dinner service.

A baking station and retail counter is set up on the first floor of the building.

The space is designed to provide fresh-baked goods to walk-in Plaza guests as students gain experience preparing pastries and interacting with the public.

After completing the program, graduates are prepared for entry-level employment as an assistant, apprentice, station chef, line cook, short-order cook or as an institutional cook. The $22,00 cost for the 10-month culinary program covers tuition, books, supplies including a complete Wusthof knife kit, lab, technical and registration fees.

Student Mallory McCutchan, who had only worked as a restaurant server prior to enrolling at L’Ecole, finishes plating her dish of chicken tikka masala.

She plans to focus on baking once she graduates.

“It’s more relaxing than working on the line,” McCutchan says. “The timing is different.”

Fellow student Niko Smith loves to make sauces. He likes the challenging course work.

“It’s fast-paced. I wanted to learn fundamentals about different types of cuisine,” Smith says. “You learn a lot in a short time.

The staff here makes you feel like you’re one of the family.”

When he graduates, Smith envisions launching his own line of sauces and perhaps opening a catering business.

Parmentier and I each tuck into a plate of chicken tikka masala as his students finish eating their dishes and begin cleanup. We compare the taste of sauces prepared by various students. Some are dead-on, others taste a touch too salty. The chicken is juicy and delicious. We load a bit of jewel-green mint chutney onto fresh chapati, an Indian flatbread. Each bite disappears quickly and it is unfortunate that there isn’t more on hand to order and eat.

This Indian dish is quite delicious, if the empty plates are any indication. The students have learned well and it’s not a stretch to imagine them mastering the dish with sufficient practice. Today, Chef Parmentier has taught his students well. In a matter of weeks, they will graduate, seek out work and take the next steps in their culinary career.

L’Ecole Culinaire is currently enrolling new students for spring and summer. The campus offers day and evening class options.

For more information visit LEcole.edu or contact the campus at 816.627.0100.

February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 45

N

by

Christopher Elbow They aren’t just for Valentine’s Day. Article Ruth Baum Bigus | Photography Provided

46 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

estled off of 18th and Main in a store front marked by a large Block Letter E, a treasure chest of chocolate gems awaits. It is the signature store of Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates, the culinary creation of the man by the same name. This creative chocolatier has cultivated luscious morsels that dazzle in a kaleidoscope of colors–bright green, yellows, orange, lavender and blue–that tantalize the taste buds. And the flavors are as inventive: Venezuelan Spice, Rosemary Caramel, Macadamia Praline and Whiskey Aged Maple.

So how did this Liberty High School graduate with the shy smile get into the gourmet chocolate business?

The answer is simple–with hard work, an imaginative palette and a love of food.

“I wanted to be a chef ever since I was little,” says Elbow during an interview at his main store that also houses the manufacturing facility. “I watched all the cooking shows like The Great Chefs on PBS.” While on a trip to France during high school, Elbow was fascinated by the hand-crafting of pastries and chocolates by pâtissiers who used traditional methods yet gave it their own spin. The experience stuck with him as Elbow earned a degree in restaurant and business administration at the University of Nebraska. Elbow came back to Kansas City to run the restaurant Shiraz. Up for more culinary adventure, Elbow headed to Las Vegas to work with celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse who was opening the Delmonico Steakhouse at the Venetian. Elbow’s next stop was Paris, the resort and casino in Vegas and working with celebrated chef Jean Joho who was opening the Eiffel Tower Restaurant.

However, the Midwest called once again, and Elbow returned to Kansas City and Shiraz before transitioning to the American Restaurant as pastry chef.

“It was while I was a pastry chef at the American that I really got a chance to work with chocolate,” he said. “I decided on a whim to go into chocolate…I found chocolate fascinating because you can work with it like sculpture.”

Elbow continued to “dabble” in chocolate, creating different flavors and serving pieces at the end of the meal to customers. He began selling limited quantities of his chocolates, as well.

“My experience cooking savory has a lot to do with the flavors we tried, things you wouldn’t think of when you think of confections,” he says.

At the same time, Elbow found himself getting burnt out as a pastry chef; he had applied to go back to school in architecture at the University of Kansas when his chocolates took off.

That’s when Elbow decided to leap into the chocolate making business full force.

Elbow converted an empty space above Shiraz into a kitchen and started Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates in earnest.

“There were a lot of things like that that helped me get started in business,” he says.

His wife Jen, who is a graphic designer at Hallmark Cards, de-

signed Elbow’s logos. Later they moved locations to have more production space.

In July 2003, Elbow opened his store and his signature brand was off and running. He describes his chocolate as a hybrid of sorts rooted in French and Belgian/Swiss techniques with an American twist of bold flavor and design. He described French chocolate as enrobed cream with chocolate on the outside and ganache filling inside. The Belgian/Swiss technique makes a shell that is filled.

Elbow starts his recipe with French chocolate.

“We have our own custom blend with its own profile,” Elbow says. “We do change our flavors seasonally so we always have something new and it forces us to be innovative.”

Elbow’s chocolates have a unique taste all of their own.

He infuses each flavor with an interesting mix of spices such as rosemary and caramel or chili and ganache.

While many Elbow fans focus on the chocolates’ taste, Elbow is also known for the unique designs and shapes of his edible art.

“That’s one of the things that drew me to chocolate making was the artistry,” Elbow said. “It’s what we’ve become known for. Shape and design are very important.”

Elbow said the pieces that appear painted on are silk-screen style designs painted on a cocoa butter sheet and then transferred on to chocolate. Others are airbrushed or splattered on; it takes two to three days to complete a chocolate with its design.

Someone tastes every batch before it is approved for packaging, which is also done by hand.

Within three years of opening for business, Elbow expanded into the wholesale marketplace.

Today there are 24 flavors in the chocolate line of which 12 to 15 are standards. His favorite?

“Pure dark chocolates are my favorite and the least sweet,” Elbow says. “I don’t eat as much chocolate as people think.”

Elbow chocolates are sold in more than a dozen locations in the metropolitan area plus his two stores and through the company web site that accounts for 30 percent of its sales. Among the most popular flavors are rosemary caramel and chocolate and chili. For Valentine’s Day, Elbow said the flavors that do well are the more spicy, orchard-cooked fruit flavors of fall and winter.

February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 47

“We do a heart-shaped box and collection of filled hearts,” he says.

By 2007, Elbow was ready to take another bold move, opening a store in San Francisco.

“Our product started to become very successful,” he says. “For me, San Francisco made a lot of sense. It’s a great food city.

There’s lots of tourism and it’s a fantastic place with the weather for chocolates.”

While the San Francisco location has done well, all chocolates are still made right here in Kansas City. Staff works six days a week to produce nearly 60,000 pieces of Elbow chocolate that are still made in relatively small batches to maintain the high-quality, hand-crafted character.

“As much as we make we sell,” Elbow says. “It is not uncommon for us to not be able to fill all of our orders during the holiday season. Physically getting it out the door is a challenge – I love the cold.”

Three years ago, Elbow took another leap of culinary faith by creating his own brand of ice cream, called Glace’, and add-

ing it to his Main location. He also opened a Glace’ store in Johnson County at West 119th and Roe. “I used to love making ice cream as a pastry chef,” Elbow says. “I decided to go into ice cream because summer is slow for chocolates and the flavors of chocolate carry over well for ice cream…and I love ice cream. It’s done well.”

Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2013. Elbow said it’s hard to believe a decade has passed by since he started on this chocolate journey.

“It’s crazy,” Elbow says. “I never expected it to get this big and busy.”

What’s next for Elbow?

“I really have no idea,” he says, quickly looking at his cell phone and the messages that had added up during our interview.

“I would like to slow down a little bit to develop some new flavors. We will develop some new products. I have a full white board full of ideas I just don’t know when I’ll get to them.”

where you can find christopher elbow artisanal chocolates Lee’s Summit: • A Thyme For Everything 229B SE Main St. Johnson County: • Cosentino’s Brookside 3901 W 83rd St, Prairie Village • Dean & Deluca 4700 W 119th St, Leawood • Glace 4535 W 119th St, Leawood • Foo’s Frozen Custard 9421 Mission Rd, Leawood • Roasterie Leawood 4511 W 119th St, Leawood • The Fresh Market 6261 W 135th St, Overland Park

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February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 49

Giving Back

Raven’s Hope International One woman’s dream to make a difference Article Sheri Wills Thompson Photography Provided

“D

on’t leave this earth with your seed in your pocket.”

Karen Robinson lives by this conviction every day. Her “seed” is the calling to fortify leaders and empower women to change the world. Having grown up in a single parent home with nine siblings in Wyandotte, Kans., Karen knows what it is to grow up poor. She also knows that regardless of one’s beginnings, God is able to use them to change people’s lives for the better. Karen is now KarenRobinson.com. She is a voice and a force for leadership for women across the country, and around the world.

Karen’s newest adventure is called Raven’s Hope International and was birthed from a mission trip Robinson took to Cambodia with a group of pastors’ wives. While there, Robinson met women who had the desire to reach out to help others, but not the knowledge or skills to do so. Believing that we are all a product of what we see, feel and hear in our daily environment, Robinson recognized that these women would need to have new experiences, and a place to learn the leadership skills necessary to fulfill their dream and to effectively help those in need in their home communities. Raven’s Hope International has provided such a place.

Currently, seven women from various cities in Cambodia and one woman from the U.S. are living in Kansas City, Kans., in a home that used to be a convent. Robinson was able to secure the living space and people from local churches helped her renovate it for the Ravens. Two women, ages 18-30, share each room. The rooms are simple, but comfortable, but also lovely. The women share a large closet and bathroom. Meals are prepared in teams on a set schedule which gives them a chance to work together and serve each other. House parents provide safety and guidance for the women who spend their days in four focus areas: Biblical Studies – the women learn to study the Bible, memorize scripture and apply it to their daily lives, Hands-On-Ministry – the Ravens serve in soup kitchens, take food to the homeless, and work with other mercy ministries in Kansas City, Life Skills – the women learn cooking, knitting, crocheting and other crafts that will eventually lead to a business opportunity when they return to Cambodia, and Mission Opportunities – the Ravens have been to local churches to sing, dance, share their story and pray for others.

50 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

The Ravens will be in Kansas City until March when they will return to their native country. Having skills learned “in the West” and a diploma for learning English, these women will be more respected and viewed as leaders. In most of their communities, there is no mindset that considers the poor and there are certainly no agencies set up to do so. These women will change the face of their cities as they introduce generosity, kindness, willingness and provision for those who cannot care for themselves including many, many children. Their “seed,” the dream that is in their hearts and minds, will have a place to grow and produce fruit.

Robinson’s prayer is that not only will these women become the leaders they were created to be, but that they will also plant more seeds and grow new leaders to join them.

You, too, can be a part of Raven’s Hope International. A list of needed items and skills can be obtained at RavensHopeInternational.com. Your “seed” may be just the thing these women need, and you, too, can have the opportunity to join Robinson, and these very special young women in helping to make a significant difference in the lives of others.

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Parent’s Corner it is electronic harassment like constant texting or embarrassing posts online. If you find that violent behaviors are growing in your relationship, it can be very dangerous. Especially for young people who deal with more peer pressure and are less experienced in relationships than the average adult.

Once you know what to look for, patterns of control are easy to spot. Sometimes it starts as simple teasing or name calling. Some of that might seem quite normal, but it can quickly become more serious, leading to more controlling or even violent behavior.

Warning Signs

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Y

ou just have to turn on your TV set to know that domestic violence is everywhere. Unfortunately, teens are no exception.

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month—offering the opportunity to learn more on the subject and get advice about how to speak to teens about it. Educating kids about what teen dating violence is, how to spot it and what to do about it, can help to keep them safe and happy, as well as lay the groundwork for well-balanced, healthy relationships in the future. And, as teen dating violence is a growing problem, it’s important.

It may seem shocking to contemplate discussing a subject as dark as domestic violence with such a young audience, but unhealthy relationships often start early in life. And, sadly, they can last a lifetime. The numbers are painfully telling: • One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a partner they are dating—a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.

• One quarter of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse.

• Approximately 70 percent of college students say they have been sexually coerced.

What is Teen Dating Violence?

Dating violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors used to have control and power over a dating partner. It can be physical (hitting, pinching, shoving, etc.), emotional (threatening, shaming or bullying behavior or isolation of a partner—keeping them away from friends and/or family), sexual (forcing sex), or stalking.

Dating violence doesn’t always happen in person. Increasingly 52 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

As relationships vary so greatly, it’s sometimes difficult to know when a behavior crosses the line from healthy to unhealthy or when it becomes abusive. Be on the lookout for these warning signs: • Checking your cell phone or email without permission • Constantly putting you down • Extremely jealous or insecure • Explosive temper • Isolating you from family or friends • Mood swings • Physically hurting you in any way • Possessiveness • Telling you what to do • Repeatedly pressuring you to have sex • Pressuring you to send sexually suggestive texts or emails Why Concentrate on Young People?

• According to the Bureau of Justice, young women ages 16-24 are most vulnerable.

• Violent behavior typically begins between the ages of 12 and 18.

• The severity of domestic violence is often greater in cases where the pattern of abuse was established in adolescence.

• Violent relationships in adolescence can put victims at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior and further domestic violence.

• Being physically or sexually abused makes teen girls six times more likely to become pregnant and twice as likely to get a STD. Not happening around you? Not true.

With one in three teens experiencing violence in their dating relationships, the need for awareness is strong. And with only 33 percent of teens in a violent relationship even telling anyone about the abuse, clearly we need to start the conversation. If your child isn’t experiencing it personally, chances are they know someone who is and can be of help given the right information.

Teaching teens what is healthy and what is not can go a long way in giving them the tools they need to create healthy relationships that can last them their lifetimes.

Learn more at LoveIsRespect.org.

Christine Urbanek is the director of communications and creative service director at Hope House.

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February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 53

Page Turners

In the Garden of Stone

By Susan Tekulve | Reviewed by Tracy Sullivan

I

n the epic novel In The Garden Of Stone, author Susan Tekulve beautifully weaves a tale of multiple generations living in the rural coal mining country of West Virginia. Tekulve’s debut novel won the South Carolina First Novel Prize in 2012. The book is filled with stories of love and hardship told primarily in the female characters’ voices.

Beginning in 1924, the book opens with 16-year-old Emma Palmisano’s life within an immigrant miner’s family. They are dirt poor, yet happy. When a coal car derails one night and buries Emma’s home, she awakens to the sound of a railroad man, Caleb Sypher, digging her out and gently cleaning the coal off her feet. Charmed by the kindness of the man and the prospect of a better life, Emma is whisked away to a 40-acre farmland high in the mountains and realizes a lifestyle she could never have imagined.

In The Garden Of Stone details Emma’s life through its highs and lows, and we are introduced to her son Dean, his wife Sadie, their daughter Hannah and the challenges they all face. Tekulve’s writing is finely nuanced and the characters are well written. However, I felt a bit disappointed that each time I became attached to a new character, the narrative switched and questions were briefly left unanswered. When the story returned to the previous character, questions were answered but without fail, some type of misfortune had befallen them.

Although the families endure, I kept hoping some of them

54 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

might avoid the fate of their ancestors and perhaps live a less tragedy-riddled life. An example would be the cancer that invades Sadie’s body and causes great pain and sorrow for her and her loved ones. The characters show pride and stoically accept the destiny that befalls each of them. It is hard not to root for Emma, her son’s family and grandchild’s happiness.

Throughout the book, the elegantly portrayed descriptions of the Appalachian land and landscaping—from the coalmines to the mountains to the intricate stone sculptures—almost create a character of Appalachia itself. Throughout the generations, the families cherish the land on which they dwell and the importance of the part it plays in their lives.

The lives of all are fraught with illness, betrayal and loss. It’s easy to lose track of the story’s uplifting moments and theme of forgiveness. Simple pleasures are never taken for granted throughout this novel. When placed in the characters’ shoes, the reader might wonder if they would have acted the same or taken a different path. The importance of time and place is a huge factor when judging the actions of not only the main storytellers, but of secondary characters such as Emma’s immigrant parents, their siblings and Sadie’s parents.

In The Garden Of Stone may not be the most uplifting book, but it leaves a strong impression with the reader. In these times when some people might take life’s simple pleasures for granted and perhaps are struggling through personal challenges, this story shows that it is possible to endure most anything and be thankful for all that we have.

Susan Tekulve’s nonfiction, short stories and essays have appeared in journals including Denver Quarterly, Indiana Review, Georgia Review, Connecticut Review, and Shenandoah. Her story collection My Mother’s War Stories received the 2004 Winnow Press fiction prize.

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Home Matters

Home Automation Trend for Windows Photography Provided by Somfy

T

hanks to advancements in technology, we have the ability to monitor our homes remotely, run all our electronics using an iPad and even monitor home security via the Internet while we travel.

Trends show that today’s consumers are interested in incorporating convenience, technology and comfort into their homes so it’s no surprise that this trend has trickled down to home décor.

Budget Blinds, a leader in the window covering industry, now offers motorized drapes, blinds, shades and shutters. With one click of a button, home owners can control the light and privacy levels in their homes by opening or closing their window coverings. Motorized window coverings can be operated from the home

56 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

owner’s choice of a wireless wall switch or a hand-held remote. Homeowners can program the system to raise or lower the window coverings at their choice of times on any given day.

Motorization can reduce the wear and tear on window coverings that comes from manual operation. Motorization also provides a key safety feature in homes with young children since they are inherently cordless. They also have the ability to act as a home security element as they give the illusion homeowners are at home as lamps on timers do. As an added safely element, all of Budget Blinds’ motorized products meet or exceed the new safety standards set in 2013 by the Window Covering Manufacturers Association.

D LIGHT AND

ESHING TASTE OF BU ENJOY THE CRISP, REFR

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OME SA H S T E G E W E R K R U O MAKE SURE Y

There are several area Budget Blinds retailers in the Kansas City area able to answer your questions. For details, visit BudgetBlinds.com.

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Real Wife

Move from caring for a house to caring for you.

Keep the things you love about being at home. Relaxing with a good book, catching up with grand kids online, having friends over for a cup of coffee or a game of bridge or a good laugh. Lose the snow shovel, the roof leaks — all the annoying things about home ownership you have to pay attention to — and find the time to pay attention to yourself. Find time for exercise classes and special events. For your family and your interests.

For a life full of interesting choices, not nagging r e s p o n s i b i l i t y.

Time to make the move.

You do the living your way, and we’ll help in every way we can.

SummitView Terrace assisted living

by Americare

introducing

Tricia Carney real wives of Lee’s Summit LSL Who/what lives in your house?

TC Me, my husband, one kindergarten girl, Annabel; one

preschool boy, Memphis; a brand new baby boy, Bennett; our first born hairy son, a nine-year-old boxer mix named Rocky; his sister and best friend, a black lab mix named Layla, and our cat Monte!

LSL Do you work outside the home? If so, where?

TC I work as a tutor and ACT consultant for Club Z In-

Home Tutoring which allows me a very flexible schedule when I do work outside the home.

LSL Are you a native Kansas Citian or transplanted to the area?

TC My family moved to the area a little over a year ago; although my

husband and I are Columbia natives we have always loved KC and love living here!

LSL What is your guiltiest food pleasure?

TC Anything with dark chocolate or lots of chocolate- I love the brownies

at Freebird’s in Lee’s Summit.

LSL How would your best friend describe you?

TC Tenacious/stubborn, generous, and not to be taken seriously.

LSL Where was your best vacation ever?

TC Jamaica, Mon LSL What is your favorite date night restaurant?

TC Siki LSL What is the best thing about living in Lee’s Summit?

TC We have been so happy with our decision to move to Lee’s Summit

after being relocated to the KC area, it’s hard to name just one thing. I love the parks –there’s not one that is not in wonderful shape or where I feel unsafe—and, of course, the schools cannot be beat!

LSL Where do you wish your husband would buy your next gift?

TC Any Caribbean travel site (see above answer!)

LSL What is your favorite sports team?

TC MIZ-ZOU!!

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LSL Share a unique or interesting fact about yourself or your college years?

Just 2 miles from Lee’s Summit

TC I studied abroad in Holland my junior year of college and it was the

www.americareusa.net • 816.763.6667 58 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

most enriching experience of my life. I would encourage everyone to spend some time overseas!

Financial Fitness

Do You Use More Than One Advisor?

Utilizing multiple consultants can lessen your chance for success

Y

our physician doesn’t prescribe you medicine before asking what other medications you might be taking because he knows that some medicines don’t work well with others or need the dosage adjusted based on what you’re already taking.

Prescribing something without being aware of your other medications could lead to a serious health issue for you as a patient.

The same concept is true when it comes to financial planning. If you are working with multiple financial professionals who aren’t aware of what the others are doing, it could put your finances in an unhealthy condition.

In one situation, a couple began working with a financial advisor who offered both planning and investment management.

They did not tell their advisor that they were still working with an investment broker they had been using to invest some of their money. They now had two people managing portions of their money that didn’t know about each other or what strategies the other used to manage their portion of the money. Their advisor decided to trade out of an investment to take losses at the same time the broker decided to buy into that same investment, creating a wash sale, and adverse tax consequences for the client.

Neither professional was at fault, they just didn’t realize what had occurred because they were left in the dark.

If you only share partial information with each advisor, you could be losing out. Unless someone is privy to all of the information, your various advisor’s strategies could be working against each other, and potentially impeding you from reaching your goals.

One possible solution would be to consolidate your investments with an advisor who offers the services you want, including both financial planning and investment management. An advisor who is trained to plan, rather than just invest money, can oversee and manage the pieces of your financial puzzle, and could even identify opportunities or roadblocks of which you aren’t aware.

If that’s uncomfortable for you, another approach would be to, at minimum, have one advisor who is aware of all of the other pieces so they can take a comprehensive look at the strategies employed.

This would enable them to tell you if there is investment overlap or if your overall strategy leaves you exposed to more risk than you desire. This could include looking at both brokerage accounts and retirement accounts that might be managed by others professionals. The advisor you choose to manage the big picture might not make all of the financial decisions over all of your investments, but at least they are aware of all the pieces and strategies and can make sure everything is in order.

Have you been keeping pieces of your financial health in the dark from the people who are supposed to help you? Don’t let your chances for success be lessened by utilizing multiple advisors with limited information. Work with a financial advisor who can help you understand and manage your entire financial picture for a chance at success!

Marc C. Shaffer, cfp®, aif®, ea, is a principal of Searcy Financial Services Inc., a registered investment advisory and financial planning firm in Overland Park. For additional information, visit SearcyFinancial.com.

February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 59

Tech Today

Innovation Improves Performance ShotTracker automatically tracks shot attempts, makes and misses

F

or years, cyclists and runners have relied on devices to measure performance and track their improvement, but basketball technology has lagged behind. Until now, that is. ShotTracker is the first piece of affordable, wearable technology for basketball players who want to improve their shooting performance. Two sensors, a small one on a shooter’s wrist and a weather-resistant one on the net, work with an app to automatically track shot attempts, makes and misses.

“Whether you’re in your backyard or on the basketball court, the best jump shooters know that you can’t improve what you don’t measure,” explained ShotTracker co-founder Davyeon Ross. “With ShotTracker, basketball players of all ages can practice with more purpose. When you practice smarter, you’ll play more.”

ShotTracker combines tried-and-true basketball fundamentals with the latest in technology innovation. Additionally, the iOS and Android apps will include structured workouts to keep players focused, as well as global leaderboards so athletes can see where they rank among friends, teammates and basketball players around the world.

ShotTracker was co-founded by Ross and Bruce Ianni, both successful technology entrepreneurs. Ross is combining his business acumen with basketball intel. After leading the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in field-goal percentage his senior year, Ross knows what is required to become an excellent shooter. Together, the two co-founders are merging the worlds of sports and technology to help basketball players track shots and improve their shooting performance.

“My son and I have spent countless hours together working on his shooting. With ShotTracker, he sees the immediate benefits of his hard work and perseverance. Instead of playing video games, he’s outside shooting the basketball,” explained Ianni. “We want to help all kids have these life-changing, character-building experiences.”

ShotTracker is now available for pre-order at ShotTracker.com.

60 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Who’s Blogging?

Meet Rita Arens Local blogger shares herself online

Looking for something unique to give your special Valentine?

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

RA: I grew up in Iowa and moved to Kansas City from Chicago. I’m married and have a 9-year-old daughter. I’ve edited two anthologies, a parenting anthology called Sleep is For The Weak and a food anthology called Roots (Roots was co-edited with the editorial team of my employer, BlogHer). I’m also the author of a young adult novel called The Obvious Game, which came out from InkSpell Publishing this past February.

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Q: When did you start blogging?

RA: 2004 Q: Why did you start blogging?

RA: I had just earned my Master’s degree in writing from UMKC a few years before and was working seriously on poetry and short stories when my daughter came along. I didn’t have the time or energy for that sort of writing, so I started my blog while I was on maternity leave to give myself a creative outlet.

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Q: Who is the target audience for your blog?

RA: People who like my writing. I meander around a lot and don’t

just write about parenting alone anymore. I read other people’s blogs because I like their writing style and assume people read my blog for the same reason.

Q: How often do you blog?

RA: Two or three times a week.

Q: Where do you get the inspiration for your posts?

RA: My life, other people’s lives, news stories–I think of my blog as

performance art–I’m just practicing my craft in public.

Q: What has been the most popular/viewed post on your blog to date?

RA: How Dr. Phil Got Anorexia Wrong:

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February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 61

Driver’s Notebook

A minor restyling gives the Jeep an upscale exterior.

Jeep’s Grand Cherokee Summit is a Plush Ride Jeep’s Grand Cherokee Summit is a Plush Ride Article and Photography Tom Strongman

J

eep is known for crafting go-anywhere, do-anything vehicles, but the 2014 Grand Cherokee Summit surprised me with a level of comfort and convenience that is equal to many top luxury sedans.

Soft leather, suede trim on the A pillars and items such as a heated steering wheel, heated front and back seats, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, panoramic sunroof and a large, 8.4-inch touchscreen display in the center of the dash are all standard on the Summit, the new top Grand Cherokee.

Polished aluminum 20-inch wheels and several tasteful bits of chrome trim complete the Summit’s visual package.

Mike Manley, Jeep brand CEO, says, “We have taken the industry’s most highly acclaimed SUV and elevated it to an even higher level.” Jeep’s goal was to make the Grand Cherokee a pleasure to drive on any and all roads, including the most demanding trails, in all weather conditions.

From my week with this Jeep, I would say that goal has been met with ease. The Summit was quiet and smooth, free from the kind of rough ride one might expect of a vehicle that is known for its ability to conquer off-road obstacles as easily as it does 62 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

a freeway on-ramp. The dark brown leather interior was both handsome and inviting.

The Grand Cherokee is available in Laredo, Limited, Overland and Summit models. Base prices start at $28,795 and range to $47,995 for two-wheel drive.

There are three engine choices: a 3.0-liter V-6 diesel, a 3.6-liter V-6 and the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 that was in the test car. While the V-8’s muscle is fun, the penalty is a fuel economy rating of 14 miles per gallon in the city and 20 on the highway for four-wheel

drive. The two-wheel-drive diesel, on the other hand, is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. The four-wheeldrive 3.6-liter V-6 slots in between with a rating of 17 mpg city and 24 on the highway.

The transmission is an eight-speed automatic.

The diesel would be my first choice, although I have not driven one, but the extra cost is substantial. Car and Driver reports that that getting the diesel on a four-wheel-drive Summit adds $5,000 to the price. You have to drive a lot of miles for the fuel savings to justify the added cost.

Based on my experience with the Dodge Durango and a 2013 Grand Cherokee, I would pick the 3.6-liter V-6 as a good compromise between power and economy.

The Grand Cherokee has three four-wheel-drive systems, plus Quadra-Lift air suspension and a Selec-Terrain traction management system that lets the driver choose sand, mud, auto, rock and snow settings for the all-wheel drive.

The air suspension has five settings. It can raise the vehicle 1.3 inches or 2.6 inches for added ground clearance during off-road driving. Park mode lowers the vehicle 1.6 inches, and aero mode lowers the vehicle 0.6 inches at highway speeds for better fuel economy.

Price: The base price of the test car was $50,995. Options included

the Hemi V-8, electronic limited-slip rear differential, anti-lock brakes, the 3.09 rear axle and the Quadra-Drive II four-wheeldrive system. The sticker price was $54,685.

Warranty: Three years or 36,000 miles, with a 5-year, 100,000-mile

powertrain warranty.

Contact Tom Strongman at Tom@TomStrongman.com.

Point

I was impressed with the quality of the Grand Cherokee Summit’s interior. The dark brown leather was set off by wood and copper accents. The air suspension rides smoothly and gives the driver control over ground clearance for off-road driving.

Counterpoint

The thirsty Hemi is best left for those who need its towing power.

The 3.6-liter V-6 is adequate for most conditions.

SPECIFICATIONS 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4X4 Engine: 5.7-liter, 360-horsepower V-8 Transmission: Eight-speed automatic Four-wheel drive Wheelbase: 114.8 inches Curb weight: 5,219 pounds Base price: $50,995 As driven: $54,685 MPG rating: 14 in the city, 20 on the highway

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February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 63

Call for a free, no-obligation appointment 816.554.6166

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Sold Properties

Recently SOLD Lee’s Summit Properties neighborhood

original list

Ridgewood Hills

$165,000

$145,670

88%

12

4

2/1

2 Story

Bordner Estates

$165,000

$160,000

97%

222

3

2/0

Ranch

Ashton at Charleston Park

$183,000

$179,000

98%

49

4

3/0

Front/Back Split

Sterling Hills

$200,000

$185,000

93%

20

3

3/0

Ranch

Windemere

$220,000

$218,000

99%

157

4

3/1

2 Story

Summerfield

$230,000

$220,000

96%

100

4

2/1

1.5 Story

Bridlewood

$259,000

$241,000

93%

95

5

4/1

2 Story

Lakewood

$254,900

$252,000

99%

62

4

3/1

1.5 Story

The Crossings

$255,000

$255,000

100%

84

4

3/1

2 Story

Parkwood at Stoney Creek

$268,000

$263,000

98%

57

5

3/0

Ranch

Summit Wood

$274,000

$267,500

98%

79

4

3/1

2 Story

Saddlebrook

$279,000

$277,500

99%

108

5

3/1

1.5 Story

$291,384

$291,384

100%

0

3

2/0

Ranch

Legacy Wood

$299,500

$299,500

100%

0

3

2/0

Ranch

Oaks Ridge Meadows

Arborwalk

sold $$ %sold/orig dom* bdrms full/half bath

floorplan

$309,000

$300,000

97%

129

4

3/2

1.5 Story

Lake Lotawana

$315,000

$300,000

95%

76

3

2/0

1.5 Story

Eagle Creek

$274,900

$303,709

110%

0

3

2/0

Ranch

Raintree Lake

$319,205

$319,205

100%

0

3

2/1

2 Story

Mill Creek of Summit Mill

$314,950

$320,950

102%

309

4

3/1

2 Story

$364,900

$342,000

94%

64

3

3/1

Reverse 1.5 Story

Dalton’s Ridge

$331,695

$344,526

104%

0

4

3/2

Ranch

Park Ridge Monor

$352,550

$352,550

100%

0

3

3/0

Revers 1.5 Story

Lake Winnebago

Paddock at Richardson Ranch

$385,000

$383,500

100%

6

4

4/1

2 Story

Woodland Shores

$389,950

$400,000

103%

0

5

4/0

2 Story

Raintree Reserve

$389,585

$412,147

106%

0

5

4/0

2 Story

Toni Tygart

Information obtained from Heartland MLS for the period of 12/1/13 to 12/31/13. *DOM=Days on Market.

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www.ToniTygart.com February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 65

February Lifestyle Calendar

FEBRUARY 1 - MAY 4 75 YEARS OF OZ, OH MY! CROWN CENTER SHOPS

There’s no place like Crown Center to celebrate the 75th anniversary of America’s favorite movie, “The Wizard of Oz.” Trace Dorothy’s footsteps through the Land of Oz: from the moment her house plops down in Munchkin Land until she clicks her ruby red slippers to return to Kansas. Level 1 Showplace. For more information, 816.274.8444. CrownCenter.com

FEBRUARY 7 PINK FRIDAY TRIVIA NIGHT BREW TOP PUB

Come celebrate this great event. In addition to a crazy, fun trivia competition, there will be a silent auction to benefit the Stephanie Vest Foundation, a non-profit that offers financial grants to families facing monetary difficulties due to a devastating cancer diagnosis.

Limited seating and advance reservations required via the purchase of a ticket. Admission includes entry, first drink, a souvenir cup and light appetizers. Event opens at 7 p.m.

Trivia begins at 8 p.m. StephanieVest.com.

mood for Valentine’s Day. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

816.463.2654. DowntownLS.org

FEBRUARY 15 HEARTLAND WINE EXPERIENCE POWELL GARDENS

Escape to Powell Gardens for the Heartland Wine Experience, sponsored by the Missouri Wine and Grape Board. Sample wines from several Missouri wineries. Craig and Gay Jones, owners of Savory Addictions, will have samples of their gourmet nuts. The experience includes 10 tastings, a wine glass to keep, light hors d’oeuvres and music. Tickets $15/members, $18/non-members. Powell Gardens.org/wine

FEBRUARY 15 LOVE IN ART DINNER & TOUR NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM

Treat your Valentine to a romantic night at the museum. Stroll hand-in-hand through galleries on a special self-guided tour highlighting cherished love affairs in art, followed by an amazing three-course dinner in the Rozzelle Court Restaurant. 6-9 p.m. $65.

Nelson-Atkins.org

FEBRUARY 23 BLISS BRIDAL EVENT DOWNTOWN LEE’S SUMMIT

FEBRUARY 8 CHOCOLATE CRAWL DOWNTOWN LEE’S SUMMIT

Enjoy free chocolate treats (while supplies last) as you shop. Follow the balloons throughout Downtown to participating stores where delicious chocolate treats will be handed out to get you in the 66 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Join some of the top wedding professionals in Kansas City for a unique wedding planning afternoon. Our professionals have been handpicked and will help you create a beautiful wedding or special event. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Historic Stanley Event Space & Aspen Room in downtown Lee’s Summit, 25 SE 3rd Street. Facebook.com/BlissBridalEvent

FEBRUARY 25 THE LENS OF ADVENTURE KAUFFMAN CENTER

Bryan Smith, award-winning filmmaker for

the National Geographic Channel, shares gripping moments from his assignments documenting extreme feats in the world’s most challenging environments. Program starts at 7:30 p.m. KauffmanCenter.org

MARCH 2 OSCAR NIGHT IN LEE’S SUMMIT EMALINE BALLROOM

Come celebrate the Academy Awards with Summit Theatre Group. Dinner, live broadcast, red carpet, Oscar ballots and trivia and lots of fun. Not a part of regular season ticket plan. For more information, call 816.463.2654. SummitTheatreGroup.com

MARCH 7-9 SPRING OPEN HOUSE DOWNTOWN LEE’S SUMMIT

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, get excited for spring by shopping in the lovely Downtown Lee’s Summit. Merchants will introduce new items for spring 2014. Customers also can enter to win a Downtown Lee’s Summit shopping spree. DowntownLS.org

MARCH 8 LEE’S SUMMIT SYMPHONY SPRING CLASSIC LEE’S SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL

The Symphony performs its Spring Classic Concert at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Lee’s Summit Hy-Vee stores until noon on the day of the concert or online until 6 p.m. the night before each concert (subject to availability). All remaining tickets will be available at the door prior to the performance. Or, visit LSSymphony.com.

Lee’s Summit Community Calendar Do you have a free weekend and find yourself looking for something to do?

Are you planning a special event or festival? Check out LSTourism.com for a comprehensive list of community events.

If your group is planning an event, check here first to make sure it doesn’t conflict with other local happenings.

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February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 67

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Art & Photography

Freeland Photography (816) 272-5625 freelandphotography.com

Automotive

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Charities & Fundraisers Benefit District of Independence (816) 461-5400

Child Camps, Care & Tutoring

Club Z & Home Tutoring (816) 965-0090 clubztutoring.com

Community Events & Organizations

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Dentists & Orthodontics Spencer & Spencer (816) 607-6000 spencerdental.com

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Entertainment & Recreation

Financial Services & Planning

Longview Mansion (816) 761-6669 longviewmansion.com

Grocery

Reno’s Power Sports KC (816) 942-8900 renoscanam.com

Health & Wellness

The Nelson-Atkins Museum (816) 751-1286 nelson-atkins.org Xtreme Gymnastics & Training (816) 347-8008 xtremefamilyfitnesskc.com

Fashion & Accessories Especially Jewelry (816) 246-2184 especiallyjewelry.com

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Edward Jones 1-(800) ED-JONES edwardjones.com

Cosentino’s Food Stores (913) 749-1616

Insurance

State Farm Michael Chapman (816) 525-6868 trustchapman.com

Medical Clinics & Facilities

Bennett EyeCare Midwest (816) 454-2020 bennetteyecaremidwest.com

Jazzercise of Lee’s Summit (816) 551-0627

Foot Care Specialist (816) 246-4222 jfosterdpm.com

The Center For Rheumatic Disease (816) 531-0930 centerforrheumatic.com

Home Builders & Remodelers

Dill Enterprises Inc. (816) 554-3455 dillenterprises.com

Home Design & Furnishings

Education

Once Upon a Child (816) 246-8539 onceuponachildleessummit.com

Frontier Furniture, LLC (913) 897-8995 frontierfurniturellc.com

Revive (816) 554-2252 reviveleessummit.com

Guthrie-Stoddard Inc. d/b/a Budget Blinds of Lee’s Summit (816) 554-7779 budgetblinds.com/leessummit

68 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Sound Bytes KC (816) 525-8823 soundbyteskc.com

Community Blood Centers (816) 753-4040 savealifenow.org

Meierotto Midwest Jewelers (816) 453-1111 mjewelry.com

Park University (816) 559-5625 park.edu/lsls

Midwest Lifetime Roof Systems (913) 393-3008 lifetimeroofsystems.com

Awaken Whole Life Center (816) 565-4017 awakenwholelifecenter.com

Ross Miller Dry Cleaning (816) 554-6656 rossmillercleaners.com Our Lady Of Presentation School (816) 251-1150 olplsschool.org

KC Wood (913) 422-3320 kcwood.com

ProConcreteFX, LLC (816) 866-7239 proconcretefx.com

Summit Christian Academy (816) 525-1480 summit-christian-academy.org

Lee’s Summit Symphony (816) 401-5251 lssymphony.org

Braden Roofing (913) 341-0200 bradenroofing.com

A&M Home Furnishings (913) 438-3868 amhomefurnishings.com

Healthcare for Women (816) 350-11200 nfwdocs.com Lee’s Summit Medical Center (816) 282-5060 leessummitmedicalcenter.com Mid America Rehab Hospital (913) 491-2400 midamericarehabhospital.com Saint Luke’s East Hospital (816) 347-4660 saintlukeshealthsystem.org/ eastcancercare

Real Estate

Gale Team (816) 808-3780 Keller Williams Eastland Partners (816) 350-4455 choosecarter.com

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Summit Plastic Surgery & Med Spa (816) 347-0026 drchhatre.com

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Home Instead (816) 554-6166 homeinstead.com Simply Home Companion and Personal Care, LLC (816) 246-6300 simplyhomesenior.com Summit View Terrace (816) 763-6667 americareusa.net

Specialty Shops Cargo Largo (816) 350-6101 cargolargo.com

Henry’s Antiques, Collectibles & Tea Room (816) 524-3992 henrystearoom.com

February 2014 | Lee’s Summit Lifestyle 69

Parting Thoughts

Saint Valentine’s Day, Re-Defined.

Words Jay Thomas Munson

I

n my opinion, the spirit of Valentine’s Day has been lost to commercialization over the years. The romance has been lost as sentiments were printed on plastic gift cards, spread over social medias as “like-able” ideas, and cheesy date night package suggestions. The pressure to perform can overshadow the true purpose of Valentine’s Day. The original Saint Valentine risked his life, went against the cultural pressures of his day, to marry soldiers who were forbidden to marry. He was considered a champion of love. Over time, writers like Chaucer in the Middle Ages began to associate romantic love with Valentine’s and helped it evolve into a celebration of romance.

Let’s get back to making our own definition for Valentine’s this year. The dictionary defines “romantic” as “thinking about love and doing and saying things to show that you love someone.”

Don’t succumb to the pressure to take your Valentine to eat at an extravagant restaurant. You don’t have to break the bank, stand outside in less than moderate temperatures waiting for a meal that is less than adequate only to enjoy your “romantic dinner for two” along with the masses of other couples who also thought a “romantic dinner for two” in a busy public restaurant was the best idea ever.

Consider a new Valentine’s Day tradition which saves money, precious time, having to bear unfavorable February temperatures, and gives you the option of a private, fun-filled night at home.

70 Lee’s Summit Lifestyle | February 2014

Consider cooking together.

Yes, I am suggesting there be more than one cook in the kitchen. The recipe should involve both of you, and I do not mean that one does the cooking, and the other does the dishes. Share the steps of preparation for the side items, appetizers and dessert.

And share the fun that is cooking together.

This idea can also be taken to another level. Make a DAY of cooking together.

You can plan this day in advance, by picking your meal, printing out the list of ingredients, and heading to your local market. Together.

Walk all isles of the store splitting the list of ingredients and hunt for the ingredients separately. It will be fun, trust me. But remember go early so you have time to make the meal, eat the meal and then finish the night with more fun.

Spice the night up with homemade cocktails or a new wine.

Then close your evening with a competitive-but-fun-spirited board game. Clear the dinner table, grab Monopoly or Scrabble or any other game you have, and spend the night getting back to the basics of the true definition of Valentine’s Day, being together.

My wife and I cook nearly every night together, and I can honestly say our relationship is stronger because of it.

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