November/December 2013 Omaha Magazine by Omaha Magazine

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER • 2013

™

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teens

Nebraska’s Premier Wealth Advisors The Making of Nebraska John Jackson

$1,690,000

Magnificent incorporation of old world architecture with hightech amenities of a state-of-the-art home. An original John Hyde design enhanced superbly by master designers and craftsmen. Christopher Peacock custom gourmet kitchen. Too many amenities to mention. Amazing in every detail. Timeless combination of elegance and functionality are here for you.

The Rensch Group • 402.391.5333

9709 Ascot Drive

$1,399,000

Fantastic lake lot on Bennington Lake. Incredible home featured in House to Home Magazine. Scenic views with infinity pool, beach, hot tub, fire pits, covered deck, meticulously landscaped and boat dock. Open floor plan with all the upgrades, granite, cherry wood, stainless steel appliances, 2nd kitchen on lower level. Great theater room. High tech security. Close to Bennington Schools.

Tom Helligso • 402.740.5300

$1,290,000

Discover the visual perspectives of this stunning Regency contemporary masterpiece! Conveniently located in the heart of Omaha. Designed by Polsky w/ 13’ ceilings, spectacular use of Travertine, Marble, Granite, Glass, Metal, Skylights & unique lighting. This amazing home of superior construction has been detailed throughout.

The Rensch Group • 402.391.5333

9721 Spring Street

17610 N. Reflection

5201 N 196 Street

$1,198,000

One of Indian Creek’s finest homes! Fabulous gourmet kitchen with cherry custom cabinetry. Amazing master suite and spa. Main floor office. Fabulous walkout lower level with 3 bedroom suites, kitchenette, wine cellar and entertainment center. 4 car heated garage. Whole house electronic system and Vantage lighting system. You will love it.

The Rensch Group • 402.391.5333

$995,000

Nestled on almost 1 acre of lushly landscaped grounds with waterfalls, and a tiered deck. Soaring ceilings, Hot tub & Sauna Room & a dream kitchen. Extras include 3 fireplaces, Pella windows, rare fixtures. Amazing master suite with fireplace and 2 stunning master baths. 30K credit to buyer for 3rd garage with acceptable offer.

13808 Burt Street

$995,000

Fabulous Linden Estates gem. Builder’s own custom built 1 1/2 story, sun room and 4 season’s porch. Upstairs game room with fireplace and wet bar. Great location, easy access to anywhere.

John Greguska • 402.612.0594

The Jansen Team • 402.330.5954

16749 CR P 10 – Herman

1862 County Road 5, Yutan

$1,300,000

This 1.5 story, 5 bedroom, 5 bath home, (all beds are in suite), geothermal heating, high tech surround sound and security including camera, custom stamped concrete heated floor through main level, high end finishes, huge new out building, pool, nice large stocked ponds, beautiful views and private. Just a 15 minute drive to Omaha.

Susan Hancock • 402.215.7700

508 S. Edgerton, Exira, IA

I.F.C

617 Fairacres Road

$1,100,000

First time on the market. 71 acre crop producing farm with a total of 89 acres to include a 2 acre stocked pond. Fantastic barn with a custom built walk-out brick ranch home. The home is surrounded by trees, flowers and private views. A very special place all on hard surface roads.

Realtor Rob • 402.598.3335

9102 N 102 Street

$800,000

Gorgeous 5 bed, 4 bath, 1.5 story home 5 min from Lake Cuningham. This beautiful home is in the perfect location. Inground pool, outbuilding for horses/storage, main floor master. Elegant high ceilings. Hearthroom KIT w/ granite, WI pantry, large island. Pastures are separated into 5 different areas. 5.5 acres of land. More can be purchased up to 3 acres.

Rachel Tiller • 402.403.9181

$675,000

Lovely custom ranch with 4 BR, 4 BA & 7,000+ FSF. Quality built home full of amenities & energy efficient features: geothermal heating & cooling & much more! Fabulous great room has custom kitchen & gorgeous flooring. Terrific MBR has 2 walk-in closets & full bath. Mostly finished walkout bsmnt has spacious family rm, rec rm & solarium. Secluded 4 acre property nestled in rolling hills north of Blair.

27019 195th Street – Honey Creek

$525,000

This two-story includes over 4,000 sq ft finished and beautiful oak woodworking.Breathtaking solid oak circular stairway in the two-story front entry. Soothing sunroom. Spacious great room with majestic fireplace and woodstove insert. Separate garage with workshop.

Team RISOld • 402.681.2544

1888 Hampton Lane – Council Bluffs

$420,000

Fabulous home located on 8 acres with a scenic private driveway, an in-ground pool and over 4,400 finished square feet. The home has a fully finished walk out basement, custom cabinetry, wrap-around porch, and cathedral ceilings. The subtle additions to the home make this place a gem!

Patti Wiggins • 402.707.8066

Your Home Team • 402.427.3852

march/april • 2011

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Give the Gift of Adventure! National Geographic Live Season Tickets as low as $64

Photo courtesy Lyn Hartley

Polar Obsession

wildlife photojournalist Paul Nicklen

February 18, 2014 | Holland Center

Photo courtesy Paul Nicklen

Send your loved ones on a journey to the ends of the Earth and beyond right from Omaha’s Holland Performing Arts Center. • Wildlife photojournalist Paul Nicklen uncovers the mysteries of Earth’s icy landscapes through photos and stories from his Polar Obsession • Paleontologist Paul Sereno, The Dinosaur Hunter, shares tales of his more than two dozen dinosaur species discoveries • NASA engineer and Omaha native Kobie Boykins reveals the latest images from Mars and future plans for Exploring the Red Planet.

The Dinosaur Hunter paleontologist Paul Sereno

March 25, 2014 | Holland Center

Photo courtesy Mark Thiessen

an p u p a Wr gift e l b a t t e r unforg Speake

ive raphic L includes all g o e G l Nationa ason Tickets— as $64! w e Series S shows for as lo e e thr

Exploring the Red Planet NASA engineer Kobie Boykins

April 22, 2014 | Holland Center

Photos courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech

OmahaPerformingArts.org | 402.345.0606 All productions, performers, prices, dates and times are subject to change.

from the editor david williams

A Special “Omaha-ness”

AM BOTH HONORED AND thrilled

to join Omaha Magazine. Outgoing managing editor Linda Persigehl made a lasting contribution to our legacy, one that carried us through this, our 30th year of publication. My commitment to you is to carry on that grand tradition, and I am proud to follow her in this exciting and ambitious time as we enter our fourth decade of publishing excellence. We’ll continue to bring you the very best of Omaha—its people, businesses, nonprofits, and institutions—the elements that, especially when united in a common vision, create that special can-do quality of “Omaha-ness,” the very essence of our fine city. We’ll do our work here with that same can-do attitude, and you can rely on our professional team of talented editors, freelancers, creative staff, and the rest of the crew here at

Omaha Publications to tell the compelling stories that make our city great. I like to think that some of those greatest of stories will be found in this very issue of Omaha Magazine, and this is the part of an editor’s letter where I would normally offer a quick preview of what to expect as you delve into the magazine. With apologies to all others featured on these pages, I feel compelled to limit my thoughts to a single story, one that is particularly sensitive, particularly painful.

David Hayes has exhibited an uncommon courage in assisting us with our cover story, one that explores prescription drug abuse among teens. It is not easy to bare one’s soul in the manner he does between these covers. The ink may never dry on a story like his, nor will the sorrow ever ebb. This issue is dedicated to his son, Dillon Hayes.

On the Cover: Model Savannah Rave as photographed by Bill Sitzmann. Hair and makeup by Blake Rave.

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omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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features volume 30 • issue 5

table of contents

136 The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teens

features

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

Omaha Press Club 42 Years Strong

Omaha Star 75th Anniversary

The Making of Nebraska

departments & special sections volume 30 • issue 5

departments

special sections

6 10 12 14 23

Editor’s Letter Between the Lines For Starters C alendar of Events Greater Nebraska H appenings

24 Gen O: Kaitlyn Hova 52 A rt+Culture:

The Potash Twins

55 Style Shot: Jack Becker 58 Faces: Libby Krecek 60 Faces: Susan Koenig 62 Gen O: Joe Giles 64 Gen O: Craig Hughes 73 Omaha Home

44 Nebraska Premier

november/december 2013

Wealth A dvisors

144 Holiday Gift Guide

EDITORIAL & CREATIVE STAFF om a h a pu bl i cat ion s e di tor

david williams

60PLUS In Omaha

Feature: Exploring the Many Options of Senior Care

S5 S6 S8 S10

Gwen’s Tips: Senior Discounts

as s i sta n t e di tor

web content editor

bailey hemphill

as s i sta n t e di tor

chris wolfgang

Feature: Pioneers in Media Cover: Frank Fong

editorial intern

Feature: Train Collecting—A Model Hobby

anna hensel (#33)

S 12 Health: Managing

cr e at i v e di r e ctor

john gawley

Osteoarthritis

S14 Style: Dressing for the Holidays

director of photography

interactive media

bill sitzmann

gala

127

dining

162 R estaurant R eview: Lot 2

1 64

Chef Profile: Isa Chandra Moskowitz

senior graphic designer

Cover: Lutheran Family Services

132 Inside Scoop: Heartland Family Service’s Salute to Families

1 66 Dining Guide 178 Omaha H appy Hours

katie anderson junior graphic designer

paul lukes

production artist

marti latka

graphic design interns

carrie hausman (#30)

e ditorial advisors

rick carey • david scott

contributing writers

contributing photographers

martin magnuson

• jim scholz e’s in

aha Maga z Om

sin

•

e s s t o B u sin e

a’

in e

B2 B

the new

business. entertainment. family. food & drink. health. home. lifestyle. style.

suzanne smith arney • dawn bashara leo adam biga • judy horan • sandy lemke robert nelson • carol crissey nigrelli betsy o’donovan • traci osuna kara schweiss • mary anne vaccaro sarah wengert

2 013 • W

Owned and managed by Omaha Magazine, LTD

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

OMAHA MAGAZINE

between the lines photos by bill sitzmann

between

THE LINES

A look at three Omaha Magazine contributors

Jennifer Litton had a rather idyllic childhood building forts and riding bikes while

Jennifer Litton Freelance Writer

growing up in the tiny hamlet of Lyman, Iowa (population 60). But she has also lived in the bustling metropolis of New York City. A graduate of Iowa State University, Litton interned at Mademoiselle and fell in love with the culture and sights of the Big Apple. She spent much of her 20s there as a magazine editor for American Baby and Teen People. She has also written for Parents, Brandweek, InStyle, Time Out New York, Hampton’s, Gotham, and Piedmont Review. After leaving New York for a change of pace, she met husband Charlie Litton while the two worked as reporters at the Atlantic News Telegraph in Iowa. Romance eventually brought her to Atlanta after Charlie moved there for work. It was there she began her career as a makeup artist with companies such as Benefit, Sephora, and Clinique. She provides makeovers for bridal parties and loves helping pre-teens with their first-time makeup applications and skincare regimens. She is passionate about Italy after spending time in Rome, Florence, and the Amalfi coast for the couple’s honeymoon. Litton is also a fan of the artist Chagall and loves spending time outdoors. The couple recently returned to Charlie’s hometown, Omaha. They have two children, Madeleine and Lorenzo, who are the apple of their eyes.

Sarah Wengert is a proud Omaha native and graduate of Creighton University, where

Sarah Wengert Freelance Writer

she earned a degree in English and a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. A born wordsmith and storyteller, she was always scribbling in the margins as a kid and has gone on to work in a variety of communications capacities, including journalism, creative writing, copywriting, and creative content management. Wengert is a former managing editor of The Reader and has also written for Today’s Omaha Woman, Omaha Pulp, and Healthcare Traveler, among other publications. Cheerleading and bolstering local culture is a major passion of hers. Wengert currently works as Creative Content Copywriter at Medical Solutions, a top travel nursing company. She loves a good laugh more than almost anything, as well as live music, cooking with her extensive collection of spices, going on adventures of all sizes, her amazing friends, captaining her sand volleyball team (The Tsunami Vipers), and stargazing. She lives in Benson with her cat, Chutney, a formidable hot sauce collection, and an abundance of houseplants, which she studiously tries to keep alive.

Marti Latka was born and raised in Omaha. As a true South O girl, and because of her

Marti Latka

Production A rtist

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

three brothers, she grew up being an athletic tomboy. With some gentle nudging from her sister (Ouch! Watch the elbows!), she decided to bring out her feminine side with modeling. And, yes, that was Latka you saw on the catwalk at Omaha Fashion Week. She graduated from Marian High School and went on to Iowa Western Community College, graduating early with a degree in graphic design. She’s continuing her education there, pursuing a second degree in computer programming. When she’s not in class, working at Omaha Magazine, or modeling, you can catch the full-time student slinging drinks at Rehab Lounge, where she’s known to be one of the liveliest bartenders. When she completes her programming degree, Marti wants to travel overseas to volunteer for a few years before moving to “the big city” to put both of her degrees to work.

NOV. 22–DEC. 23

DEC. 6–31 An Interactive Beatles Experience Featuring Billy McGuigan

volume 30, issue 5 ACCOUNTS & OPERATIONS STAFF Omaha’s Holiday Tradition!

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Comments? Send your letter to the editor to: letters@omahapublications.com All versions of Omaha Magazine are published bimonthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 68046-1208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000; fax (402) 884-2001. Subscription rates: $19.95 for 6 issues (one year), $24.95 for 12 issues (two years). No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted, however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations. Best of Omaha®™ is a registered tradename of Omaha Magazine.

LEGACY The Emily Fisher Landau Collection

THROUGH JANUARY 5, 2014 Open Tuesday through Sunday • FREE Admission Exhibition Sponsors: Presenting Sponsor: Omaha Steaks; Major Sponsors: Annette and Paul Smith, Douglas County; Contributing Sponsor: Eve and Fred Simon; Supporting Sponsors: Joan Gibson and Don Wurster, Kathy and Marc LeBaron, Lincoln Financial Foundation, Inc.; Additional support provided by KPMG, LLP; Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment IMAGE: James Rosenquist (b. 1933), House of Fire II, 1982, oil on canvas, 78 x 198 in., Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; promised gift of Emily Fisher Landau P.2010.241a-c., Art ©James Rosenquist / Licensed by VAGA, New York, Photograph by Tim Nighswander/Imaging4Art. This exhibition is organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

2200 Dodge St. | Omaha, NE | (402) 342-3300 | joslyn.org omaha magazine • november/december 2013

this is omaha for starters compiled by Anna Hensel

THIS IS OMAHA

Photo provided by Omaha Performing Arts

MUTUAL OF OMAHA’S WILD KINGDOM WITH PETER GROS HOLLAND PREFORMING ARTS CENTER NOVEMBER 8

As a host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, Peter Gros has captivated audiences, introducing them to exotic animals and breathtaking wildlife. Now, he shares his experiences with Omaha through video clips, bloopers, and travel tales at the Holland Performing Arts Center on Nov. 8. Starting as a special Wild Kingdom Ambassador for Mutual of Omaha, Gros has traveled the world filming wildlife and dealing with issues of conservation. He co-hosted the original Wild Kingdom, and was featured on two specials on Animal Planet—Cheetah: Race Against Time in 2007 and Magnificent Moments in 2009. On the small screen, he has had up-close encounters with sharks, dolphins, tigers, and elephants, among numerous other wild creatures. Gros has an additional 30 years of field experience as Director of Land Animals and Vice President at Marine World/Africa USA. One of his main initiatives was establishing breeding programs for birds of prey, including the largest captive breeding colony of ostriches in the U.S. Gros continues to work as an ambassador for Mutual of Omaha, traveling the country and sharing with audiences passion for the natural world. He describes his mission on his website as “inspiring young people to care about wildlife and wild places.” 1200 Douglas Street. 8pm; Tickets from $15-35. 402-345-0606 — omahapreformingarts.com

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

Photo by Byers Choice, LTD

DICKENS RETURNS FIELD CLUB OF OMAHA & GENERAL CROOK HOUSE NOVEMBER 15-16 Come join Mr. Dickens—Gerald Dickens, that is—in his ener-

getic readings of some of Charles Dickens’ classic novels. This winter, Dickens takes his one-man performances of his great-grandfather’s novel, A Christmas Carol, among other shows, on tour across the U.S. Dickens will be making four appearances in Omaha, all sponsored by the Douglas County Historical Society. Dickens worked as an actor, director, and producer for many years before producing his first one-man show in 1993, a theatrical performance of A Christmas Carol. Since then, he has performed across the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Dickens’ first performance will be his show “Mr. Dickens is Coming.” A light-hearted look at the life of Charles Dickens, Dickens uses scenes from the great author’s works, diary extracts, and observations from those who knew him. Next up is “Sikes & Nancy,” Gerald’s twist on the notorious and shocking murder from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. On Nov. 16, Dickens gets into the holiday spirit by showcasing his talents through the portrayal of over 30 characters from A Christmas Carol, including resident humbug Ebenezer Scrooge. Dickens wraps up his Omaha shows with “A Close Encounter with Mr. Dickens.” The afternoon performances on both days will be located at the Field Club in Midtown while the two evening ones will be shown at the General Crook House museum in the Miller Park neighborhood in Omaha. 3615 Woolworth Avenue. and 5730 N. 30th Street. F/2&6pm; 402-555-9990 — douglascountyhistory.org

this is omaha for starters compiled by Anna Hensel

FOR STARTERS

Photo provided by CenturyLink Center Omaha

LADY ANTEBELLUM WITH KIP MOORE AND KACEY MUSGRAVES CENTURYLINK CENTER OMAHA DECEMBER 7

Hit Nashville trio Lady Antebellum returns to the Omaha area for the second time, bringing an award-winning mix of country and pop to the CenturyLink Center Omaha stage. Consisting of lead vocalists Hillary Scott and Charles Kelly and backup vocalist, guitarist, and pianist Dave Haywood, Lady Antebellum was introduced to the mainstream country music scene with their self-titled debut album in 2008. Their single “Love Don’t Live Here” peaked at No. 3 on the Hot Country Songs Chart, and the group was awarded Top New Duo or Group by the Academy of Country Music that year. In 2009, the band’s popularity took off after the release of their singles “I Run to You” and “Need You Now,” which both hit No. 1 on the charts. Lady Antebellum has won six Grammys over the course of their career, including Best New Album, Song of the Year for “Need You Now,” and Country Album and Album of the Year for their record of the same name. Lady Antebellum comes in support of their latest album, Golden, which was released on May 7 of this year. They will be joined by Nashville singer-songwriter Kip Moore, and country artist Kacey Musgraves, a former contestant on USA Network’s singing competition Nashville Star. 455 N. 10th Street. 7pm. Tickets from $51.95-108.85. 402-341-1500 — centurylinkcenteromaha.com

Image provided by The Rose Theater

NARNIA THE ROSE THEATER DECEMBER 6-29 This musical version of C.S. Lewis’ classic children’s novel trans-

ports audience members to the enchanted world of Narnia without having to go through a magical wardrobe themselves. Based on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the play finds siblings Peter, Susan, and Edmund Pevensie thrust into a world filled with magical spells, talking creatures, and Turkish delight after their younger sister Lucy stumbles into Narnia during a game of hide-and-seek. In this land that’s “always winter but never Christmas,” the Pevensie siblings find themselves pursued by the White Witch. The self-proclaimed queen of Narnia, the White Witch is determined to stop the fulfillment of a prophecy that claims “two sons of Adam” and “two daughters of Eve” will overthrow her. Aided by a faun, a pair of married beavers, and the true leader of Narnia, Aslan the lion, the Pevensie family races to save the creatures of Narnia, and each other. Along the way, the siblings find themselves in the middle of an epic battle between good and evil. Guided by Aslan, they must summon the courage they never knew they had to finally bring spring back to Narnia. Narnia has a run-time of two hours with an intermission and is recommended for children ages 6-13. 2001 Farnam Street. Sat-Sun/2pm; Dec.26/7pm. $25 main floor, $20 balcony. Members save $7 per ticket. 402-345-4849 — rosetheater.org

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

november/december 2013

CALENDAR

CALENDAR OF EVENTS ART AND MUSEUM EXHIBITS Featured Artists Akers, Fetters, and Gaines Through November 24 at Artists Cooperative Gallery Ltd, 405 S. 11th St. New works by mixed media artist Sean Akers, painter Joan Fetter, and weaver Agneta Gaines. Tu-Th/11am-5pm; F-Sat/11am10pm; Sun/12-6pm. Free admission. 402-342-9617 – artistsco-opgallery.com. MathAlive! Through January 5 at Strategic Air & Space Museum, 28210 W. Park Hwy. Exhibit showing the real math behind what kids love most—video games, sports, fashion, music, robotics, and more. Daily/10am-5pm. $12 adults, $11 seniors & military, $6 ages 4-12. 402-944-3100 – sasmuseum.com

Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear Through January 5 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. Test yourself against four common fears. Observe how fear changes and learn simple ways to combat stress. Tu/10am-8pm; W-Sat/10am-5pm; Sun/1-5pm. $9 adults, $7 seniors (62+), $6 ages 3-12, free for members and children 2 & under. 402-444-5071 – durhammuseum.org Legacy: The Emily Fisher Landau Collection Through January 5 at Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St. A selection of paintings, sculptures, and works on paper from a historic gift pledged to the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2010 by Emily Fisher Landau. Her collection features some of the most influential artists of the 20th century, including Andy Warhol, Glenn Ligon, Sherrie Levine, Agnes Martin, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, John Baldessari, Kiki Smith, and Ed Ruscha. Tu-W/10am-4pm; Th/10am-8pm; F-Sat/10am4pm; Sun/12-4pm. Free admission. 402-342-3300 – joslyn.org

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

American Royalty: The Knights of Ak-SarBen Scholarship and Coronation Ball November 2 – January 19 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. Over 200 years after declaring independence from the British monarchy, Americans continue to be entranced by royalty, and this exhibit aims to examine this fascination by looking at the fictional coronation of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben through a historical lens. Tu/10am-8pm; W-Sat/10am-5pm; Sun/1-5pm. $9 adults, $7 seniors 62+, $6 ages 3-12, free for members and children 2 & under. 402-444-5071 – durhammuseum.org First Thursday Art Talk November 7 & December 5 at Bemis Center of Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. Current artists-in-residence give presentations or performances of their work and discuss their creative processes. Always

insightful, these discussions provide a rare opportunity to meet artists and learn first-hand about their inspirations, approaches and techniques. 7pm. Free admission. 402341-7130 – bemiscenter.org Travel Journaling & Sketching with Nancy Lepo November 9 at Omaha Creative Institute, 1516 Cuming St. Learn how to document your trips via journal with this workshop, which focuses on the ins and outs of travel sketching—quickly capturing scenes and jotting down the ‘feel’ of a place, even if you don’t consider yourself an artist. 10am-12pm. $35. 785-2183061 – omahacreativeinstitute.org Closing Reception: Nate Burbeck & Joel Starkey November 14 at UNO Art Gallery, Weber Fine Arts Building, 6001 Dodge St. Through panoramic paintings of landscapes depicting isolated moments of the surreal, Burbeck challenges his audience

to question reality within the context of contemporary culture. He is accompanied by fellow Minnesotan and contemporary artist Starkey. 4:30-6:30pm. Free admission. 402-554-2796 – unoartgallery.org Open Studios November 16 at Bemis Center of Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. Open Studios represents a chance for the public to come meet artists-in-residence and experience the Bemis Center’s core mission firsthand. The artists will be available to show you their studio, talk about their process, and give you a look at what they’ve been working on. This event is free and open to the public. 1-4pm. Free admission. 402-341-7130 – bemiscenter.org CONCERTS Cold War Kids November 4 at Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. Los Angeles indie rock band Cold War Kids return to Slowdown in support of their new album, Dear Miss Lonelyhearts. Doors open at 8pm, show starts at 9. $17 day of, $15 in advance. 402-345-7569 – theslowdown.com Cameron Carpenter November 7 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. The first organist to be nominated for a Grammy Award® for a solo album, Cameron Carpenter acts more like a rockstar than a traditional organist, creating live performances with the glitz and glamour not typically associated with organ music. 7:30pm. Tickets from $2570. 402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.com Trans-Siberian Orchestra November 13 at Mid-America Center, 1 Arena Way, Council Bluffs This orchestra’s performance is unlike anything other holiday show out there, combining classical, orchestral, symphonic and progressive music into hard rock and heavy metal, complete with a light show and other special effects. 7:30pm. Tickets from $33-60.50. 712-323-0536 – midamericacenter.com Brad Paisley: “Beat This Summer Tour” November 14 at CenturyLink Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Country superstar Brad Paisley returns again to Omaha, armed with new hits, serious guitar chops, and a down-home sound to keep country fans happy. Opening is Danielle Bradbury, winner of this season of The Voice. 7pm. $30.50-63. 402-341-1500 – centurylinkcenteromaha.com

calendar of events Photo by Bill Sitzmann

A Night in Treme November 14 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Capitalizing on the popularity of the HBO series Treme, New Orleans group Soul Rebels will be joined by “The King of Nouveau Swing” Donald Harrison, Jr., trumpeter James Andrews, and others as they bring a little bit of Bourbon Street to the Holland Center. 7:30pm. Tickets from $30-70. 402-7313140 – omahaperformingarts.org Hunter Hayes November 16 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Grammy®-nominated artist, Hunter Hayes is a multi-talented performer, musician, producer, and writer, who won New Artist of the Year at the 2012 Country Music Association Awards. 7:30pm. $32.50-184.50. 402345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.com Handel’s Messiah November 24 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. The Holland Center’s 45th annual ensemble presentation of Handel’s Messiah is a feast for classical music lovers, featuring a 150-voice chorus, soloists, and orchestra. ASL interpretation and audio descriptions are available for those who are deaf or blind. Free admission. 402-312-8210 – voicesofomaha.org

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Toby Mac November 22 at Mid-America Center, 1 Arena Way, Council Bluffs Toby Mac, an American Music Award winner for Favorite Christian Artist, comes to Council Bluffs for his Hits Deep Tour, featuring Mandisa Colton Dixon, Brandon Heath, Chris August, Jamie Grace, and Capital Kings. 7pm. Tickets from $25-35. 712-323-0536 – caesers.com/casinos/mid-america-center

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

november/december 2013

CALENDAR Brahms’ Requiem November 22-23 at Omaha Symphony, 1200 Douglas St. Omaha Symphonic Chorus, Creighton University Chamber Choir, and University of Nebraska-Omaha Concert Choir and Chamber Choirs perform Brahms’ first great symphonic work under the direction of Thomas Wilkins, a transcendent monument to the darkness of grief and light of hope. F-Sat/8pm. $27-80. 402-345-0606 – omahasymphony.org

The Sounds of Christmas starring Elisabeth von Trapp with the Carolian Brass November 29 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Elisabeth Von Trapp, granddaughter of the famous Maria & Baron Von Trapp, along with the Carolian Brass will perform some celebratory holiday songs, including a medley from The Sound of Music. 8pm. Tickets from $20-65. 402-345-0202 – omahaperformingarts.org Creighton’s Classical Christmas December 3 at Creighton University Lied Education Center for the Arts, 2500 California Plz. This performance by the Creighton Chamber Choir and University Chorus features a newer holiday tradition for audience-goers, showcasing the work of Benjamin Britten, in honor of the upcoming centennial of his birth. 7:30pm. Free admission. 402-280-2509 – creighton.edu Christmas at the Cathedral December 6-8 at St. Cecilia Cathedral, 701 N 40th St. This 18th annual event, presented by the Omaha Symphonic Chorus offers both inspiring classics and beloved traditional carols. F/8pm; Sun/2pm. $30 preferred seating, $18 general seating. 402-398-1766 – omahasymphonicchorus.org An Evening with the Priests December 7 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Three Roman Catholic priests from Northern Ireland come together to blend sacred music and traditional Irish music in this performance by this pop stars-meet-holy men group. 8pm. Tickets from $20-55. 402-345-0202 – omahaperformingarts.org

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

Wynonna & The Big Noise December 15 at Ralston Arena, 7300 Q St, Ralston Five time Grammy®-winning country star Wynonna Judd will perform “A Simpler Christmas,” mixing classic Christmas favorites with her own holiday songs and backed by her band The Big Noise. 7pm. Tickets from $39-99. 800-440-3741 – ralstonarena.com

Christmas at Boys Town: Tree Lighting December 1 at Boys Town, 137th & W Dodge Rd. Visitors can experience a true family-friendly holiday tradition at Boys Town to kick off the Christmas season, complete with lights, carols, and Santa Claus riding in on a fire truck. 7:45pm. Free admission. 402-498-1141 – boystown.org

FAMILY EVENTS Christmas Stamps November 1 – December 31 at Boys Town, 137th & W. Dodge Rd. View Christmas-themed stamps and covers from around the world on display at the Leon Myers Stamp Center, located in the Boys Town Visitors Center. M-F/8am-5pm; Sat/9am-4pm; Sun/11am4pm. Free admission. 402-498-1141 – boystown.org

Holiday Happenings December 7-21 at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S. 10th St. Even the animals are getting into the holiday spirit at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, as special holiday characters will be diving into the shark tank in the Scott Aquarium. Sat/10:45am. Free with regular paid zoo admission. 402733-8401 – omahazoo.com

Big Nate November 8-24 at The Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. Lincoln Peirce’s book series, Big Nate, comes to life onstage, as Nate Wright, the kid with the highest detention record at P.S. 38, fights to win the Battle of the Bands and the girl of his dreams. F/7pm; Sat/2&5pm; Sun/2pm. $18 general admission, or free for members. 402-345-4849 – rosetheater.org

Supper with Santa December 19-22 at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 St. 10th St. Come join Mr. and Mrs. Claus without having to trek all the way to the North Pole. There will be supper, crafts, pictures with Santa, and more. Daily/6-8pm. $20 non-members, $15 members, free for children 2 & under. 402-738-2038 – omahazoo.com

Disney Live! Three Classic Fairytales November 23 at Omaha Civic Auditorium, 1804 Capitol Ave. Disney staple characters Mickey, Minnie, and Donald are at the heart of this family-friendly performance, featuring three classic fairytales that are woven together to create a heart-warming story that has no shortage of Disney magic. 1pm & 4pm. Tickets from $16.50-47. 402-341-1500 – omahacivic.com

Photo provided by Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Tree Lighting & Santa’s Arrival at Shadow Lake November 27 at Shadow Lake Towne Center, 7775 Olson Dr. Celebrate by welcoming Santa, helping him light the tree, and enjoying a fireworks display. Free admission. 402-537-0046 – shadowlakeshopping.com Santa’s Magic November 29 – December 22 at Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St. This interactive holiday show begins with the entrance of the Snow Queen to lead children in song and ends with Saint Nicholas coming down the chimney to greet each kid himself in this unforgettable holiday experience. Tu-F/10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, & 2:30pm; Sat-Sun/3:30pm. $1 in addition to general admission. 402-342-6164 – ocm.org

Penguins and Pancakes December 27-29 at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S. 10th St. Enjoy pancakes, crafts, and animal visits from the African penguins. Daily/8:30-10 am. Free with regular paid zoo admission. 402-738-2038 – omahazoo.com

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november/december 2013

CALENDAR First Night of Play December 31 at Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St. This New Year’s celebration is perfect for the whole family, and leaves time for parents to celebrate afterwards too. Enjoy face painting, balloon artists, a dance party, food, goodie bags, and more. 6-8:30pm. $14 non-members, $10 members. 402-342-6164 – ocm.org Noon Year’s Eve December 31 at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S. 10th St. An earlier New Year’s Eve celebration that everyone can stay up for, Noon Year’s Eve is complete with activities for the whole family, a beach ball drop, and celebrations with your favorite zoo animals. 10am-1pm. Free with regular paid zoo admission. 402-733-8401 – omahazoo.com

Salute to Families – Iowa November 14 at Mid-America Center, 1 Arena Way, Council Bluffs Heartland Family Service honors four southwest Iowa families. 6pm. 402-5527426 – heartlandfamilyservice.org Merrymakers Annual Roast November 14 at Embassy Suites La Vista, 12520 Westport Pkwy. Help Merrymakers continue to provide entertainment for seniors by supporting their annual event. This year, Merrymakers will roast Father Tom Fangman. 6pm. Tickets are $200. 402-697-0205.— merrymakers.org

TeamMates Tailgate November 1 at Embassy Suites La Vista, 12520 Westport Pkwy. Tom Osborne, Larry the Cable Guy, and Warren Buffett sit down with a special guest at TeamMates Mentoring Program’s annual tailgate event. 6pm. 402-598-3163 – teammates.org Wicker & Wine Basket Auction November 7 at Mid-America Center, 1 Arena Way, Council Bluffs Lutheran Family Services hosts a fundraising event for the Pottawattamie County Center

Photo provided by Council Bluffs Kennel Club Salute to Families – Nebraska November 21 at Happy Hollow Club, 1701 S. 105th St. Heartland Family Service honors four Nebraska families. 6pm. 402-552-7426 – heartlandfamilyservice.org Night of a Thousand Stars December 1 at Magnolia Hotel, 1615 Howard St. Join Honorary Chairs Dianne and Allan Lozier as Nebraska AIDS Project celebrates its 20th Annual Night of a Thousand Stars. Online ticket sales end Nov. 30th. 9pm. $60 general, $175 VIP, $475 platinum package. 402-552-9260 – nap.org

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Gala November 9 at CenturyLink Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. The theme for this year’s Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Gala is “Believe in Happy Endings.” 6pm. 402-955-6851 – childrensfoundationomaha.org

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

Holiday Lights Festival November 21 – December 31 at Gene Leahy Mall, 14th & Farnam sts. Join the Omaha community at the Thanksgiving Lighting Ceremony on Nov. 21, which kicks off the six-week Holiday Lights Festival events. Then, ring in the New year with a fireworks display concluding the festival on Dec. 31. 402-345-5401 – holidaylightsfestival.org Miracle on Farnam Novermber 23 – January 1 at Midtown Crossing, 31st-33rd at Farnam & Dodge sts. A season-long celebration of creativity, good cheer, and authentic holiday pleasures. Free admission. 402- 3519546 – miracleonfarnam.com Holiday Poinsettia Show

for Healthy Families. 5:30pm. 402-978-5646 – lfsneb.org Purses for Paws November 8 at Regency Court, 120 Regency Pkwy. Shop for purses, enjoy silent auctions and raffles, and more at Nebraska Humane Society’s Purses for Paws event. 5:30pm. 402-444-7800 ext. 260 – nehumanesociety.org

Veteran’s Recognition Day November 11 at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S. 10th St. Free admission for active or retired veterans and their immediate families. 10am-4pm. 402-733-8401 – omahazoo.com Lewis and Clark Dog Show November 16-17 at CenturyLink Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Furry friends abound at this show featuring participants from the Afghan Hound Club of Omaha, Borzoi Club of Greater Omaha, and Omaha-Council Bluffs Cocker Spaniel Club. There will be events for owners, dog-lovers, and pets alike, including a costume contest and fun match. 402-341-1500 – lewisandclarkdogshow.com

FUNDRAISERS & GALAS Raise the Roof Gala November 1 at Creighton University, Harper Center, 2500 California Plz. Habitat for Humanity’s annual gala chaired by Jessica Duce. 402-884-5957 – habitatomaha.org Angels Among Us Fall Gala November 1 at Embassy Suites Old Market, 555 S. 10th St. Enjoy cocktails, a silent auction, dinner, and music by Chris Saub at Angels Among Us’ annual Fall Gala. $100 per person, $1,000 per table. 402-885-4840 – myangelsamongus.org

Autumn Festival, An Arts & Crafts Affair November 7-10 at Ralston Arena, 7300 Q St. This four-day fair, rated one of the top 100 shows according to Sunshine Artist Magazine, will feature hundreds of handicraft works from artists around the country and includes stage entertainment and hourly gift-certificate drawings. Th-F/11am-9pm; Sat/9am-7pm; Sun/10am-5pm. $8 adults, $7 seniors, free for children 10 & under. 402-331-2889 – hpifestivals.com

RECREATION Anime NebrasKon 3-Day Anime & Pop Culture Convention November 1-3 at Ramada Plaza Hotel and Convention Center, 3321 S. 72nd St. Over 200 scheduled activities are featured this year at Nebraska’s premier Japanese animation and pop-culture convention, including Taiko drumming, a costume contest, martial arts demonstrations, gaming areas, and much more. Doors open 2pm on Friday and close 3pm on Sunday. 402-658-6960 – animenebraskon.com

November 29 – January 5 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. This spectacular exhibit features a 20-foot-tall poinsettia tree, ornate holiday trees, antique sleighs, and a 300-foot long track that includes several passenger and model freight trains swerving through displays of miniature Omaha landmarks. Daily/9am-5pm. $7 adults, $3 ages 6-12, free for members and children 5 & under. 402-346-4002 – lauritzengardens.org

calendar of events Bellevue World Fest November 30 at Lied Activity Center, 2700 Arboretum Dr. This festival features a special Medieval/Renaissance where visitors can learn about, weaving, woodworking, metal working, and jewelry making along with other holiday entertainment from around the world. 12-4 pm. Free admission. 402-517-1446 – bellevueworldfest.com Christmas at Boys Town: Historic Creche Display December 1 – January 11 at Boys Town, 137th & W Dodge Rd. This historic display features three nativity scenes, including the main crèche, created by a Holocaust survivor, which adorns the historic Music Hall near the main entrance. Other nativities are at Dowd Memorial Catholic Chapel and by the Village Christmas tree. Daily/8am-5pm. Free admission. 402498-1141 – boystown.org The Madrigal Christmasse Feaste December 3 at Regency Marriott Ballroom, 10220 Regency Cir. Step back in time with this Renaissance-style holiday celebration hosted by the Lord and Lady of the Manor, complete with a multi-course feast, and a special appearance by the court jester. 6pm. $52 individual, $48 groups of 10 or more. 402-556-1400 – ibsencostumes.com

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november/december 2013

CALENDAR Irish Christmas at Father Flanagan’s Historic Home

Theresa Caputo November 13 at Orpheum Theater, 409 N.

Elf the Musical November 19-24 at Orpheum Theater, 409

December 9-16 at Boys Town, 137th & W Dodge Rd. The Christmas spirit lives on at the former residence of Father Edward J. Flanagan with traditional Irish Christmas décor including Christmas quilts, antique toys, and ornaments from the 1920s to the 1940s. Daily/10am-4pm. Free admission. 402-498-1141 – boystown.org

16th St. Theresa Caputo, psychic medium and star of the hit TLC show Long Island Medium, will give interactive readings to audience members throughout the show and will also share personal stories about her life and her unique gifts. 7:30pm. Tickets from $39.75-69.75. 402345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org

N. 16th St. Follow the hilarious tale of Buddy the Elf as he ventures to New York City to meet his birth father and help him discover the true meaning of Christmas. Tu-Th/7:30pm; F/8pm; Sat/2&8pm; Sun/1:30&7pm. Tickets from $30-75. 402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org

RUNS The Ugly Sweater Run December 15 at CenturyLink Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th St. Now grandma’s reindeer sweater can be used for more than just the annual office Christmas party in this fun 5K race that’s anything but pretty. Participants are also asked to bring one new toy to donate to Toys for Tots. Tickets from $34-50. 402-341-1500 – theuglysweaterrun.com

Larry the Cable Guy November 15 at Orpheum Theater, 409 N. 16th St. Born in Pawnee City, Neb., Larry the Cable Guy observes and celebrates the workingman and the redneck lifestyle. 7pm & 9:30pm. Tickets start at $35. 402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org

THEATRE Brian Regan November 7 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Comedian Brian Regan has distinguished himself as one of the premier comedians in the country, visiting more than 80 cities each year with material that relates to a wide audience. 7:30pm. Tickets start at $38.75. 402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

The Met: Live in HD – Puccini’s Tosca November 9 & 13 at Film Streams, 1340 Mike Fahey St. Puccini’s timeless verismo score is well served by an exceptional cast, led by Patricia Racette in the title role of the jealous diva, opposite Roberto Alagna as her lover, Cavaradossi. George Gagnidze is the villainous Scarpia. Nov. 9/11:55am; Nov. 13/6pm. $24 general admission. 402-933-0259 – filmstreams.org

The Nutcracker November 20-23 at Creighton University Lied Education Center for the Arts, 2500 California Plz. Enjoy this holiday classic ballet performed by the Creighton Dance Company and Department of Fine and Performing Arts. W-F/7:30pm; Sat/2pm. $18 general admission. 402-280-1448 – creighton.edu

calendar of events Tribes November 22 – December 15 at SNAP! Productions, 3225 California St. The story of a deaf boy who comes from a Jewish family and is raised without the knowledge of sign language until he meets Sylvia, a hearing woman born to deaf parents who is now slowly going deaf herself. Th-Sun/8pm. $12-15 on Friday and Saturday shows, $10 on Thursday shows. 402-341-2757 – snapproductions.com

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A Christmas Carol November 22 – December 22 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. Experience Omaha’s favorite holiday tradition as Ebenezer Scrooge goes on a life-changing journey through his past, present, and future. W-Sat/7:30pm; Sun/2pm. $35 adults, $24 students. 402-553-0800–omahaplayhouse.com Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol November 29 – December 22 at Blue Barn Theatre, 614 S. 11th St. This twist on Dicken’s original story picks up with the story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s business partner, Jacob Marley, who must redeem Scrooge in order to discover his own heart. F-Sat/7:30 pm; Sun 6pm; No show December 5. $25 adults, $20 students and seniors 65+. 402-345-1576 – bluebarn.org

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Yesterday and Today December 6-29 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. This all-request Beatles tribute show gives audience members a chance to share stories and relieve memories with their favorite Beatles songs. Tickets are $38. Th-Sat/7:30pm: Sun/2pm. 402-553-800 – omahaplayhouse.com The Met: Live in HD – Verdi’s Falstaff December 14 & 18 at Film Streams, 1340 Mike Fahey St. Verdi’s masterpiece returns to The Met for the first time since 2005, in a production by Robert Carson featuring Ambrogio Maestri singing the title role of the brilliant and blustery Sir John Falstaff. Dec.14/11:55am; Dec.18/6pm. $20 Film Stream members and Opera Omaha subscribers. $24 general admission. 402-933-0259 – filmstreams.org

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NOVEMBER EVENTS Holiday Splendor Craft and Trade Show. November 9 in Kearney, Neb. Amazing holiday crafts, décor, services, and trade show. 9am-4pm. Free admission. 308-440-0153 – communityactionmidne.com Annual Veterans Day Celebration. November 11 at Doane College in Crete, Neb. Events honoring active and retired military. 7:30pm. 800-3336263 – doane.edu Downtown Celebration of Lights. November 21 in Hastings, Neb. Kick off the holiday season with visits from Santa, music, food, and more. 5pm. 402-461-8413 – visithastingsnebraska.com Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures. November 22 – December 31 at Homestead National Monument in Beatrice, Neb. Celebrate the winter traditions of the people of the Great Plains. Displays feature handmade crafts and reflect the spirit of hope, which characterized the settlers of the West. Free admission. 402-223-3514 – nps.gov/home

Christmas Festival. December 7 at WFLA Hall in Niobrara, Neb. Craft show, games for children, visit from Santa, and giveaway items. 9am-4pm. Free admission. 402-857-3838 – niobrarane.com Downtown Christmas Event and Parade of Trees. December 7 in Schuyler, Neb. Santa arrives by fire engine, storytime, free movie, games, crafts, carriage rides, and more. 10am-noon. Free admission. 402-352-5472 – ci.schuyler.ne.us Come Home for Christmas. December 7 in Weeping Water, Neb. Crafts, homemade goodies, children’s activities, visit from Santa, tours, and parade of trees. 8am-4pm. Free admission. 402-267-5152 – weepingwaternebraska.com Christmas on the Prairie. December 7-8 at Saunders County Museum in Wahoo, Neb. Special displays, demonstrations, and performances. 2-8pm. Free admission. 402-443-3534 – saunderscountymuseum.org

Christmas Past and Present. December 7, 13 & 15 at Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island, Neb. A lamp-lit tour of Railroad Town, cooking, crafts and decorations, live music, and more. $6-8. 308-385-5316 – stuhrmuseum.org Christmas on the Farm. December 7-23 at Wessels Living History Farm in York, Neb. Experience the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the 1920s. Lighted village, refreshments and gift shop. 1-4pm. $2-4. 402-710-0682 – livinghistoryfarm.org Annual Christmas Bird Count. December 14 at Ponca State Park in Ponca, Neb. Enjoy this event followed by a chili feed. 402-755-2284 – outdoornebraska.ne.gov Christmas at the Cody’s. December 20-23 at Buffalo Bill Scout’s Rest Ranch in North Platte, Neb. Meet up with Buffalo Bill himself during tours of the decorated home and get nostalgic with roasted chestnuts, holiday music, horse-drawn carriage rides, and visits from Santa. 308-535-8035 – outdoornebraska.ne.gov

Falls City Christmas Festival and Open House. November 28-29 in Prichard Auditorium and Chamber of Commerce in Falls City, Neb. Crafts, food, decorated holiday trees, and Santa sleigh rides. 402-245-4228 – fallscitynebraska.org Old-Fashioned Christmas and Lamplight Tours. November 29 at Hickory Street Square and Ft. Sidney Museum in Sidney, Neb. Santa’s arrival, lighting of the tree, hayrack rides, music, refreshments, and lamplight tours. 308-254-5851 – cheyennecountychamber.com

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Downtown Tree Lighting. November 30 in Norfolk, Neb. Downtown carriage rides, s’mores, photos with Santa, storytime, music, caroling, and hot cocoa. 4pm. Free admission. 402-379-5252 – theriverpoint.com

OVER

DECEMBER EVENTS Wigilia Celebration. December 1 at St. Francis Church Hall in Ashton, Neb. An educational reenactment and celebration of the traditions of the Christmas Eve meal. 5pm. 308-738-2260 – polishheritagecenter.com

Christmas at the Bowring. December 7 at Arthur Bowring Sandhills Ranch State Historical Park, Merriman, Neb. Fun-filled evening with sit-down meal and entertainment. 5-8pm. 308-6843428 – outdoornebraska.ne.gov

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Christmas on the Hill. December 1-15 at St. Benedict Center in Schuyler, Neb. Variety of crafts and gifts from area artists and nativity scenes from around the world. Pageant will be held Dec. 7 at 5&7pm. 402-352-8819 – stbenedictcenter.com

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sasmuseum.com omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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< (Hova was 14 at the time), Josh Groban, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Mary J. Blige, Tim Kasher, and Michael Bublé—first when she was in high school and then again recently in the christening concert for Lincoln’s Pinnacle Bank Arena. Born with an immune system illness, Hova wasn’t supposed to live past age 6, but armed with a stubborn nature and with a pediatric nurse for a mom, she beat the odds. Hova started playing violin at 10, soon connecting with her mentor, Chuck Pennington (Mannheim Steamroller). She graduated from Berklee College of Music before earning a degree in neuroscience from UNO and working in that field for five years. Hova found the nexus between music and neuroscience while working on Chip Davis’ Ambient Therapy System. “It’s a sound and light device used in some hospitals to help patients deal with the setting,” she says. It also incorporates natural sounds and has been approved by NASA for use by astronauts on long-range space travels. Interestingly—especially for a musician— Hova has synesthesia, a condition where the stimulation of one sense evokes a response from another. Her senses are interconnected in a way that she “sees” sounds as colors. “But you don’t realize it because it’s totally normal,” at least to her, she says. “You were just born with it. Whenever I hear any sound—and it’s not emotion-based, it’s a stimulus—I see a color, a shape, and I can feel it on my face.” Tone is color, timbre is shape, and the shape determines the tingly sensation she feels on her face. “I didn’t know I had it until someone told me that it wasn’t normal,” she says. “My husband put it the best way: It’s just like X-Men. Characters each have their powers, but no one’s is the same. It’s always a little different.” Hova shares her superpower in a synesthesia-inspired video where she covers the Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights.” Viewers see the lights she sees when experiencing music. “We do it as a live light show, too,” she says. “If I play a note, a light will come up with the color that I want it to be. You can’t just make random colors because it’s actually my synesthesia.” Hova makes her success sound much humbler than that of superpowers at play. “My music comes from my synesthesia,” she says, “my ability to improvise came from Berklee, and the rest of it’s just showing up—and it’s Omaha; you can do anything in Omaha.” OMAG

Frank Fong

shares his art of living well.

Pioneers in Media

Four Women Who Challenged the Status Quo

Exploring the Many Options of Senior Care

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volume 1 . issue 6

Feature: Exploring the Many Options of Senior Care______________ S4 Gwen’s Tips: Senior Discounts______ S5

We will NOT ld! rso n u be de

Ages 6mos+

CONTENTS

Feature: Pioneers in Media________ S6 Cover: Frank Fong______________ S8 Feature: Train Collecting__________S10 Health: Managing Osteoarthritis____ S12 Style: Dressing for the Holidays_____S14

EMEMBER WHEN MEN AND

women “dressed up” for family gatherings and holiday parties and how that put you in a festive mood? Even if the era of snappy fedoras and crisp cocktail gloves has passed (and come back again, come to think of it), you can still feel like a star in showing your children and grandchildren a touch of glamour. On the nostalgia theme, you’ll see that some boys never grow up—at least when it comes to the romance of model railroads. This issue also features accomplished women who lead active lives after long ago breaking the glass ceiling in media careers. And speaking of active, we’ll introduce you to an amazing man who is living well and tells you how you can, too. Good Reading— Happy Holidays!

Gwen Gwen Lemke Contributing Editor, 60 Plus In Omaha Comments? Send your letter to the editor to: letters@omahapublications.com All versions of Omaha Magazine are published bimonthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 68046-1208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000; fax (402) 884-2001. Subscription rates: $19.95 for 6 issues (one year), $24.95 for 12 issues (two years). No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted, however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations. Best of Omaha®™ is a registered tradename of Omaha Magazine.

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60PLUS feature Story by Kara Schweiss • Photo by Bill Sitzmann Lisa Arp chats with a couple of her residents at SilverRidge.

Exploring the Many Options of Senior Care

T’S NEVER EASY FOR a family to make

the decision to move a senior into a care facility. But thanks to tighter regulations and consumer demand, the dreary institutions of decades past have been replaced with a spectrum of choices depending on the level of care the individual needs. The senior’s personal physician or medical team, which often includes a social worker, is a good first resource to help guide the family in determining what type of facility is most appropriate. “Safety concerns prompt us to think ‘facility’ instead of ‘stay at home’,” says Dr. Rebecca Reilly with the Methodist Geriatric Evaluation and Management Clinic. “Does the patient need to be reminded to eat? Are they capable of cooking? Do they wander? I’ve been doing this for 20 years and situations still come up that I could never have imagined. S4 60PLUS

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Are people being scammed? Are they going to get locked out in the snow and not know what to do? It’s people who need supervision for their safety.” A skilled nursing facility offers the highest level of care, explains Reilly, and may not always be a permanent placement. In some cases, round-the-clock nursing care is needed only temporarily, such as during a medical recovery period. Assisted living is a good solution for the individual who is relatively stable medically but needs assistance with activities of daily living such as dressing and bathing, or has some mobility limitations. Staff can assist with medications and help monitor medical conditions and care, such as physical therapy. Best of all, meals and housekeeping are provided in a community setting. “Some folks don’t need to be in a skilled

facility. They need to be in an environment where they are getting the care they need and still remaining independent,” says Lisa Arp of SilverRidge, a Gretna assisted living community started by her family 13 years ago. Arp says that assisted living care plans are highly variable and can be modified with changes in a senior’s condition. “The family is totally involved in the care plan,” she emphasizes. Memory care is a specialized type of assisted living care available for patients with dementia. For example, they may be otherwise physically healthy but need care that accommodates some of the special concerns associated with the condition (like wandering). Memory care also provides special activities that help these individuals retain as much independence as possible, Arp says. Independent living communities may provide one or more daily meals and often offer housekeeping services as well, but staff do not assist with nursing and medical care. “This is more about living in a congregate site with activities and amenities,” Reilly explains. Other options are in-home care, which can range from simple companionship to intense nursing care similar to what would be provided in a hospital; and adult daycare, which offers a supervised setting and social stimulation. Eve Lewis is program manager for the Office of Long-Term Care Facilities, which is in the licensure unit of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. She recommends that families looking into long-term care that involves regulated facilities—namely nursing homes and most assisted living facilities—take advantage of online resources such as the DHHS website at dhhs.ne.gov and the Medicare site at medicare.gov. Lewis also points out that citizens who have concerns about a particular facility can call DHHS at 800-942-7830 to talk to an ombudsman or launch a complaint. Lewis says, however, that families should keep in mind that care facilities have different personalities depending on such factors as the communities in which they’re located or what activities they offer, and alternatives should be considered. “There are a lot of things to look at in a facility to determine if it’s a good fit,” she says. “This is their home, and just like everyone’s home isn’t the same, not every facility’s going to fit your loved one.” www.OmahaMagazine.com

60PLUS gwen’s tips No doubt you’re already aware of the senior discounts your local grocery offers. But have you considered looking into any of Omaha’s more unique venues for potential discounts? Give these places a try the next time you’re in the need of crafting supplies, literary stimulation, great food, or a little culture. Mangelsen’s 3457 S. 84th St. 402.391.6225 Ten percent discount to patrons 65 and over. An in-store Craft Classroom also offers classes on decorating, designing, and art. Durham Museum 801 S. 10th St. 402.444.5071 $7 tickets for patrons 65 and over. Permanent exhibitions include “Through These Doors: The History of Omaha’s Union Station” and a gallery on the 1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition.

Senior Discounts Aksarben Cinema 2110 S. 67th St. 402.502.1914 Senior Mondays offer $5 movies all day for patrons 60 and over. Movies before noon Tuesday through Sunday are also $5. Senior discounts for all other movie showings: $6 weekday evening and matinee, and $7 Friday and Saturday. The Bookworm 8702 Pacific St. 402.392.2877 Ten percent discount to patrons 65 and over. A Baker’s Dozen reward program offers a coupon after purchase of 12 items, excluding sale items. Strategic Air and Space Museum 28210 West Park Hwy, Ashland 402.944.3100 $11 for patrons 65 and over. Permanent exhibits are dedicated to the Vietnam Memorial Wall, World War II bombers, and Ashland, Neb., native and astronaut Clayton Anderson.

60PLUS TIPS Farmhouse Café & Bakery 3461 S. 84th St. 402.393.0640 Ten percent discount to patrons 65 and over. Open Mon.-Sat., 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Also offers catering and carryout. WheatFields 1224 S. 103rd St. and 1206 Howard St. 402.955.1485 and 402.991.0917 A senior menu is available for patrons 65 and over. Features smaller portions of breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a discounted price.

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60PLUS feature Story by Judy Horan • Photos by Bill Sitzmann • Location Foodies

Carol Schrader

Ann Pedersen

Rose Ann Shannon

Eileen Wirth

Pioneers in Media They challenged the system one job at a time.

ILEEN WIRTH ENTERED THE

Omaha World-Herald newsroom in 1969 and wondered, “Where are the women?” Unknowingly, she had become one of the newspaper’s first female city reporters. Dr. Wirth broke through gender barriers again as the first female chair of the journalism S6 60PLUS

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department at Creighton University, where she has been a professor since 1991. Her story as a pioneer is mirrored in media throughout Omaha. ROSE ANN SHANNON walked into the KMTV newsroom 40 years ago as an intern, looked around for other female reporters,

and found none. Today more than half of the journalists at KETV—where she is the station’s first female TV news director—are women. Shannon was a KMTV reporter, photographer, anchor, and assignment editor before joining KETV in 1986. In 1974, ANN PEDERSEN became the first full-time female reporter at WOW-TV (now WOWT). One year later, she was named the station’s first female anchor for a daily newscast. She became WOWT assignment editor and later assistant news director before leaving in 1988 for a 13-year career at WCCO-TV in Minneapolis as director of news operations. CAROL SCHRADER proved herself as an intern at KMTV before moving on to a full-time job as a reporter at KLNG Radio and, in 1979, at KETV. She became one of the first women to anchor a KETV evening newscast, the first female news director at KFAB Radio, and the first host of the NET program Consider This. The time was ripe 40 years ago for women to enter what had been a mostly male environment, says Wirth. She wrote about pioneer women journalists across Nebraska in her book From Society Page to Front Page. “Young men were being drafted into the Vietnam War, so there was a shortage of journalism graduates,” says Wirth, who had three job offers upon graduation. “It was a combination of a good economy and a massive group of young women coming of age in the civil rights environment.” The landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated that employers hire without regard to gender or race. “Representative Martha Griffiths of Michigan added the clause banning sex discrimination,” says Wirth. “It was seen as a joke.” Opponents in Congress allowed the clause to go through because they mistakenly thought it would kill the entire civil rights bill. Instead, for the first time in American history, working women had a legal tool. “The public wanted to see more individuals on air who represented them,” adds Pedersen. “Blacks and women brought new ideas. That’s the great advantage of having a well-integrated newsroom. You get different points of view.” “I knew I got my job because I was a woman, but I didn’t want to do my job www.OmahaMagazine.com

as a woman,” she says. “I wanted to be a journalist.” “We didn’t mind rattling a few cages,” says Wirth. Schrader rattled her first cage as a KMTV intern one night in 1973 by insisting on covering the shooting of a police officer. “I asked them to send me, but they just laughed. I told them, ‘I’m off in 20 minutes, and I’m going to drive there anyway.’” They sent her to the hospital with a camera. “I got a check for $10. I’ve never cashed it.” She challenged the status quo again when she got into a verbal battle with Mayor Bob Cunningham in 1977 at a news conference she covered for KLNG Radio. She held her own. Two days later, KETV called to ask if she wanted to be the station’s “weather girl” and a reporter. “I think we rattled cages just by being there,” says Pedersen, who remembers insisting on receiving the same camera the male reporters got. “You did have to stand up for yourself.” When Pedersen arrived at WCCO-TV, she learned that the general manager would not pay her more than he paid his executive assistant. “But in the end, I was paid on par with other news managers,” she says. Discrimination came more from the audience than from her supportive male coworkers, says Shannon. “Viewers didn’t like our voices. They said, ‘You’re taking a man’s job.’ There were times when I felt I had to work harder, longer, smarter because I had something to prove.” Women brought story ideas into the newsroom that the male reporters had ignored, Schrader notes. “[We] were raising issues that were newsworthy but were not on the radar for men.” Pedersen is now a public relations director in Omaha. Schrader is a real estate agent. Wirth is creating a new generation of journalists at Creighton University. Still at KETV, Shannon has seen big changes during her career. “I tell people I’m as excited about doing news today as when I walked in the door 40 years ago.” Author Judy Horan began her career at WOWT at about the same time as the women profiled here, becoming the first woman in management in Omaha television. www.BestOfOmaha.com

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60PLUS cover feature Story by Chris Wolfgang • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Frank and Tina relax in their Dundee home with their two sons. S8 60PLUS

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www.OmahaMagazine.com

Frank Fong

“I

shares his art of living well. APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BRINGING

you something to drink,” Frank Fong says with the utmost graciousness. Never mind that he’s sitting on a park bench in a rose garden, decidedly far away from any beverage station. A compact man with a long, gray ponytail and tanned skin, Fong exudes a sense of quiet power. An expatriate from Hong Kong, he’s cagey about how long he’s lived in Omaha, as well as how old he is. “I’ve lived here for more than 20 years,” he says. “Let’s leave it at that. And for my age, you can put down ancient.” He will tell you how many years he’s been practicing tai chi: 45; and how many years he’s been teaching it: about 30. He teaches pretty much everywhere—at University of NebraskaOmaha as a faculty member, at the Om Center, in private classes, and at Universal College of Healing Arts. In whatever he teaches, tai chi, yoga, or music, Fong tries to expose his students to what he calls the art of living well. “It’s a whole-view approach as to how to live one’s life,” he says. “It’s getting to know the laws of nature that we all have to abide by. If you go with that flow, usually we’ll have an easier time.” What laws are those? How much better your body behaves when you give it enough rest. How much healthier you are when you give your mind time to be calm. How much better your mind and body perform when you feed both of them correctly. “We all come with two things that nobody can take away from us,” Fong says. “One is our mind and the other is our body. We all own those two things.” The current definition of “to own,” he suggests, means to know it, to control all aspects of it. For example, knowing your body closely can head off illness. “Everybody gets the common cold,” Fong says. “Chills, nose starts to run…that’s too late to do anything about it. There are symptoms that come sooner and are less obvious. It’s an awareness you have to learn about yourself. It’s like not feeling anything until someone punches you versus when

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someone taps you lightly on the shoulder.” Staying well and living well for Fong mean engaging daily in each of his three main disciplines: tai chi, yoga, and music. This may seem like a lot of activity to the casual observer, but they all provide what he refers to as active resting. Tai chi slows down physical movement, allowing the mind to slow down as well and gain clarity. “The mind habit is to not want to stay simple. It does not like to be still.” Meditation, he says, is any kind of technique used to slow down the mind. “Instead of 10,000 things, you give it one thing,” he says, “so that it will stay with that one thing.” Focusing on the smoothness of the flow of tai chi is one such method, but Fong finds rest in the flow of many art forms. Painting, calligraphy, cooking…and then there’s music. A musician and composer, Fong plays with his band, Rhythm Collective, every Thursday at The Hive at 19th and St. Mary’s. The island flavor of Rhythm Collective differs sharply from Fong’s other group, The New Humans, whose sound ranges from blues to country to jazz. He plays guitar, bass, keyboard, and percussion, and sings as well. For Fong, making good music is similar to perfecting the art of tai chi. “If you’re too much into the technicality of it, you can lose the musicality of it,” he says. “That’s the flow. Same thing with tai chi. You can say I’m going to do this posture in very exact geometry. But where is the energy flow that you can express through that art form? You can be technically perfect, but that’s only one half of the equation.” He and his partner, Tina BloomquistKorth, who is also a music instructor, have launched a business in their home this fall called Love ‘n’ Heart Music Together. “It’s a style of music class for families. It’s parents with their kids under six,” Fong explains. The new business will afford the couple a schedule that enables one of them to always be available to care for their two sons, Gregory, 3 and a half, and Samuel, 1. “I want to grow up with them,” Fong says with a laugh, “because I’m still growing up.” november/december • 2013

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60PLUS feature Story by Sandy Lemke • Photos by Bill Sitzmann Ron Bond, collector

the Durham [the old Union and Burlington Stations] is always a great place. There are so many great places to rail fan throughout the metro. Millard along Industrial and Bob Boozer is one of my favorites, good chance to see loaned power from Norfolk Southern, CSX, and even the Kansas City Southern. Fremont, Blair, Ashland, Missouri Valley, and Gretna each have much going on or through. Don’t forget about all the great museums and train stores! BNSF’s Havelock Shops and Dobson Yard are a short drive down to Lincoln and never disappoint.” NEBRASKA-IOWA RAILROADERS

Moore goes rail fanning with fellow members of The Nebraska-Iowa Railroaders. They are one of the area’s most active clubs for railroad enthusiasts. It has about 110 members of all ages and backgrounds. A member-atlarge, Moore says, “Our members range in age from 7 to 80. The membership is mostly older, although some are in their forties, and we have some teenage guys, too. Some members bring their grandkids to the meetings.” The Nebraska-Iowa Railroaders have a 5,500-square-foot train room inside Mall of the Bluffs. It features 10 large, model railroad layouts of various scales. The train room is open to the public on Saturdays from 11-4 p.m. On Saturdays, members are on site to operate the model trains, help visitors with questions about trains, or just socialize. In addition to other activities, they hold monthly meetings and an annual train show in June. OMAHA’S TRAIN HOBBY SHOPS

John Moore, member of Nebraska-Iowa Railroaders

Train Collecting A Model Hobby

HE OMAHA AREA OWES much

to the railroad industry. The city’s history, and indeed, the entire history of the railroad are spiked with significant links throughout. It comes as no surprise then that the Omaha area has a thriving culture of railroad enthusiasts. They collect model trains, meet regularly to share stories, memories, S10 60PLUS

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and swap items. Some even enjoy what is called “rail fanning,” which is going out on location to see actual train operations in action or going to a train museum. “Rail fanning is watching trains,” says John Moore of Omaha. Moore adds, “The Omaha-Council Bluffs area is just as good as Kansas City for rail fanning.” Says Moore: “…the UP Main Line by

Rod Lilley started Train Time Hobby in 2005. Located on South 84th Street in LaVista, Train Time Hobby caters to modelers of all ages, with its selection of trains from wooden Thomas the Train sets (young children enjoy these) to realistic scale electric models. Lilley says the train collecting culture is “strong in Omaha with Union Pacific and Burlington Northern. A lot of guys are still active or retired employees.” Lilley says, “Many collectors started when they were younger. As you get older, you have more time on your hands, and you’re looking for a new hobby. I get a lot of guys who come in here who need a hobby. They’re ready to do something they remember from their childhood.” Across town at 81st and Maple streets in Omaha, David Mrsny owns and operates www.OmahaMagazine.com

House of Trains. Mrsny along with his brother Richard, bought the business from his father Leonard, who founded it in 1938 as Kenwood Model Railroad Supply. “Omaha is one of the bigger markets anywhere,” Mrsny says, and goes on to list about a half-dozen clubs devoted to the hobby, not to mention about the same number of annual train shows in the area. In the late 1990s, Burt Reynolds walked into the House of Trains. Says Mrsny, “A Lincoln Town Car pulled up, and he got out wearing sunglasses, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat.” Mrsny cites several other model train hobbyist celebrities, including James Joseph “Jim” Parsons, who plays Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Frank Sinatra and Rod Stewart are also known to have collected train models. Mrsny started collecting trains as a youngster. “When I was little you had a 4’x8’ layout. If you were really in to it, you had two.” Mrsny says nowadays, collectors are not satisfied with having a small railroad collection—they want more trains! COLLECTION OF A LIFETIME

One of these zealous collectors, Ron Bond of Bellevue, has an entire train layout room in his home’s finished lower level. A hallway leading to the 1,100-square-foot room is flanked by custom-built display cases holding some of Bond’s showpiece models. Bond’s wife Suzanne shows patience and understanding for his hobby, as she herself is a collector (although she enjoys vintage glassware instead of model trains). Bond’s massive layout comes to life with realistic backgrounds and scenery modeled after his hometown of Downingtown, Pa. “It took 13 years to build the layout,” says Bond. “Most of it was done three years ago. Two guys in the [Nebraska-Iowa Railroaders] club helped out, Francis McGovern and Larry Galkowski. Danny Botos did the wiring.” As Bond operates the trains, reaching across an array of controls, he has the timing of a modern DJ. He hopes at some point to upgrade his system “before his Social Security runs out,” he says with a laugh. A framed picture hangs on the wall of Bond’s home; a child’s drawing of a locomotive pulling several cars. “I drew that picture in second grade, 1943-1944,” he says with a proud smile. A rail fan for a lifetime. www.BestOfOmaha.com

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60PLUS health Story by Traci Osuna

Dr. Michael Morrison of Omaha Orthopedic Clinic and Sports Medicine

Dr. Randall Neumann of OrthoWest Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Specialists

Managing Osteoarthritis

T MIGHT START SIMPLY with a few nagging aches and pains. Your knees are hurting more; your shoulders are bothering you; your back is aching. Perhaps these pains have even caused you to cut back on some of your hobbies or affected how you spend your free time: Maybe you’re gardening less or your golf swing’s not as good. Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis, can and will eventually affect everyone. That sounds rather ominous. “Degenerative arthritis is a term that is generally used and obviously differs from

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rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease,” explains Dr. Michael Morrison of Omaha Orthopedic Clinic and Sports Medicine. “But degenerative arthritis is the same as wear and tear and is associated, just simply, with the aging process.” Dr. Morrison says that, generally, people in their 50s and 60s will start to feel the aggravating pains and experience the swelling of joints, though these symptoms can occur much later. He shares that some people may experience an accelerated condition due to genetics.

While the aging process as a whole leads to the aches and pains we experience, how we choose to exercise can affect the condition as well. High-impact activities, such as running and jumping, are hard on the joints. “Most people believe that if they start to get some aches in their joints, they can just exercise through them, but that probably irritates it more,” says Dr. Morrision. While exercise is always recommended for good health, he suggests lower to no-impact activities, such as swimming, bicycling, or even using elliptical machines. www.OmahaMagazine.com

To combat the pain that you already may be feeling, Dr. Randall Neumann of OrthoWest recommends starting out with over-thecounter anti-inflammatory remedies, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, to lessen the pain. Dr. Morrison also recommends herbal supplements as a good addition to the OTC regimen: “I’m a big believer in it.” He suggests trying glucosamine MSM. Glucosamine is found naturally in the body and helps with keeping joints healthy. He also recommends SAM-e and drinking cherry juice. “I’ve seen them help many patients,” Dr. Morrison says. “But what works for one person might not work for another, so you are going to have to experiment with those and see what can give you the most relief.” If OTC medicines are not providing enough relief, your physician can prescribe an anti-inflammatory that has a somewhat stronger dosage. However, Dr. Neumann cautions against medicating too liberally. “You can

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take pain pills, but we like the non-narcotic pain medication, such as Tramadol,” he says. “Most physicians are going to shy away from anything as far as narcotic for pain because they all have addicting potential.” Physician-administered injections into the problem joint are also an option: Cortizone shots work as an anti-inflammatory and hyaluronic acid injected into the joint acts as a lubricant. Finally, joint replacement surgery is an option for those who have end-stage disease, says Dr. Neumann. “These people are hurting, they have pain everyday, and their function is down. They have a hard time working, walking, going up and down stairs, and just having a miserable time in life.” The joint replacement procedure involves replacing the natural joint with a metal and plastic device. “You could still have some soft-tissue pain around there, but usually the pain from wear and tear arthritis is because bone

is rubbing on bone there, and it causes an inflammatory response.” Generally, says Dr. Morrison, the time frame for surgery, healing, and rehab is between four to six weeks. Knee replacements tend to involve a little more intensive rehab than hip replacements. Osteoarthritis can affect joints in the upper extremities (such as shoulders, wrists, elbows) as well, but “is not usually brought on as quickly as in the weight-bearing joints,” Dr. Morrison clarifies. “The decision to progress with anything surgical is strictly based on the patient’s inability to manage their pain, despite all conservative measure, and their quality of life is significantly hindered,” adds Dr. Morrison. “It is not based on what an x-ray looks like; it is based on the symptoms presented by the patient.”

november/december • 2013

60PLUS S13

60PLUS style Story by Mary Anne Vaccaro • Photo by Jim Scholz

to the location of the party. Sometimes the invitation specifies the attire. Respect that and remember that you’re with co-workers and executives. It’s not your time to dress hot and sexy. Low cut and very short dresses do not belong. Too much cleavage and leg is taboo even for a beautiful 30-year-old. Tasteful is the way you want to present yourself. When an invitation suggests business attire, it means, for men, a suit or a sport jacket with dress pants, a dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A woman should wear a suit or a coordinating skirt and jacket, or pants and jacket with a pressed blouse or sweater. A sweater set with pants or a skirt also qualifies. A dress that looks professional does too. Accessories, shoes or boots (not sandals), and bags should coordinate with the clothing. Casual is a word that confuses almost everyone. It means that whether you’re a man or a woman, the sportswear you choose should be neat, clean, pressed, well fitting, and coordinated. If the invite says dressy casual, that means guys wear a sport jacket too. FOR FANCY CELEBRATIONS

‘T

Dressing for the Holidays IS THE SEASON TO celebrate the

holidays! A time to decorate your home, your office, even your car with personal style. Then comes you, wondering what’s best to wear for your own family feasts and to holiday parties of all kinds. When I was a child, dressing up for the holidays was very important in my family. We wore dressy clothes for family dinners and parties, and we dressed the table and the house according to the theme of the season. I loved the holidays and was impressed by what a difference dressing up for them made. The holidays are no time to be lazy about what you wear. Three common events during the holidays are family gatherings, office parties, and glitzy celebrations. You want to be S14 60PLUS

november/december • 2013

well dressed for all of them, and that requires special attention to detail. FOR FAMILY GATHERINGS

Dress to show respect for the event and each other. Remember, if your host says the event is casual, it doesn’t mean warm-ups and pilled, fleece sportswear. It can mean jeans, but only clean and fashionable ones worn with shirts and sweaters that are several notches above what you wear to relax on weekends. Even in your own home, a family celebration that shows effort and style will have a nicer feel for all if everyone is well dressed and well groomed. FOR OFFICE PARTIES

Office and company parties can present a quandary. Pay attention to the invitation and

New Year’s Eve is the party night that for many is the dressiest of the year. It’s the one night I actually think pajama parties are fun, but for most it’s black-tie-party time. That means the guys are to wear winter tuxedos, with the proper tux shoes and accessories. Women have options. They can wear a long gown, a tuxedo, elegant silk or tuxedo pants, classy tops, or cocktail dresses. Accessorize with your best jewelry for evening. Cocktail means that guys wear a dark suit, with a dress shirt, a necktie, and a pocket scarf. Polished leather dress shoes are a must. For women, it’s easy. Wear a cocktail dress or suit, a stylish pantsuit, or pants with a chic top. Add jewelry, too. Your purse and shoes are very important. Only elegant ones are appropriate. The height of the heel doesn’t matter; it’s the style and finish of the shoe that does. If you’re still in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask your host what to wear and dress accordingly. Mary Anne Vaccaro is a clothing and product designer and an image consultant to businesses and individuals. www.maryannevaccaro.com She is also a sales consultant for Carlisle and Per Se, New York. www.carlislecollection.com www.OmahaMagazine.com

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special advertising section

NEBRASKA PREMIER WEALTH ADVISORS

Nebraska NABCAP Premier Advisors

BOU T. THE NAT IONA L ASSOCIATION of Board Certified

Advisory Practices (NABCAP) is an unaffiliated, nonprofit organization based in Colorado that was created to tackle the daunting challenge of identifying top practitioners, and through the process help reform the public’s perception of the industry and its professional membership. NABCAP currently has a presence in thirty-five plus U.S. markets. The nonprofit along with its board of directors developed a formula designed to identify the best practices as determined by NABCAP. Separating and distinguishing the strongest practitioners from the industry’s pool of advisors is a solution with merit. The difficulty lies in the clear need for transparency. “I’m very interested and concerned about the integrity of the industry,” says Dr. Chuck King, NABCAP board vice president. “Our goal is to make sure that the people who make our list meet our guidelines. It’s not about just hanging out a shingle. One of the reasons I got involved was the need for more scrutiny.” The public requires a reliable, independent resource to provide clarity for their financial decisions. NABCAP was formed to help clarify the picture. And while NABCAP

knows there is no perfect solution, it is committed to promoting higher standards and transparency, which are vital to the long-term success of the investing public. “We’re not just counting assets under management,” says King. “We’re interested in the processes used. And we don’t just take anybody. This is not a pay-to-play Organization. I’m a big believer in free markets. And what makes free markets work is information, not a lot of regulations. The more perfect the information, the more perfect the regulation.” METHODOLOGY. The primary focus of NABCAP is to serve the needs of the investing public by helping identify top wealth managers. NABCAP and its board of directors created an unaffiliated evaluation process in which 20 categories of practice management are assessed. Advisors are invited and/ or nominated to participate by submitting an online questionnaire. The multi-step verification process utilizes independent resources to assess the accuracy and truthfulness of the information submitted by participating advisory practices. NABCAP’s methodology is unique in deciphering advisors because it is primarily objective, not subjective, and helps add transparency for the investor’s

benefit. NABCAP takes pride that its list of Premier Advisors is not merely defined by Assets Under Management (A.U.M.), revenues produced or even worse, popularity. Alternatively, NABCAP attempts to identify top advisors regardless of size, firm or affiliation. CONSUMER USE. Even though NABCAP’s vetting process is comprehensive in evaluating advisors, every single practice on the list most likely will not fit you the investor. The list of advisory practices is in alphabetical order; NABCAP believes there is not one perfect practice for every investor out there. The first step recommended by NABCAP is to narrow down the list of practices by average client size. It is recommended you select practices that have an average client size of ½ - ¼ the size client you would estimate yourself, family or business to be. For example, if you have approximately $2 million of investable assets then identify practices with an average client size of $500K1million. This way, you fall within the top 20% of a practice’s entire clientele. This increases the probability you receive the practice’s top shelf service, care and attention. In addition to narrowing down the field of practices by >

Avg. # of Clients per Advisor

Advisor to Support Staff

Top 5 Specialties & Credentials

City, State Phone #

Bob Kenny RBC Wealth Management

$220,000

640

1:1

RP,IM,RS,PM,CM

Omaha, NE 402-392-6100

Callahan Financial Planning Company TD Ameritrade Institutional

$365,000

2:1

RP,FP,IM,EP,ES

Omaha, NE 402-341-2000

Cambridge Advisors Inc. Cambridge Advisors Inc.

$665,000

5:1

RP,FP,IM,PM,AM

Omaha, NE 402-687-1166

Carson Wealth Management Group CWM, LLC

$4,700,000

10 : 10

FP,IM,EP,PM,AM

Omaha, NE 402-330-0808

Curnes Financial Group Curnes Financial Group

$620,000

11 : 4

RP,FP,WP,IM,PM

Omaha, NE 402-397-5440

Advisor Practice Name Firm

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

special advertising section

NEBRASKA PREMIER WEALTH ADVISORS

Avg. # of Clients per Advisor

Advisor to Support Staff

Top 5 Specialties & Credentials

City, State Phone #

Egermier Wealth Management Group LPL Financial

$200,000

109

4:2

RP,FP,WP,CM,AM

Omaha, NE 402-861-9696

Ethen Bagley Group Merrill Lynch

$625,000

168

2:3

RP,FP,IM,PM,CM

Omaha, NE 402-496-5192

Feltz WealthPLAN LPL Financial

$450,000

186

7 : 13

RP,FP,IM,CM,AM

Omaha, NE 402-697-5450

Frank J. Ward First National Investments and Planning

$150,000

300

2:1

RP,FP,SP,IM,CM

Omaha, NE 402-602-5128

Furstenau Financial Management LPL Financial

$230,000

337

1:2

RP,WP,IM,PM,CM

Neligh, NE 402-887-4302

Harrison Financial Services Northwestern Mutual Investment Services

$1,600,000

3:4

FP,WP,IM,EP,CM

Omaha, NE 402-891-2302

John “Buzz” Garlock RBC Wealth Management

$2,400,000

267

1:2

RP,FP,IM,RS,PM

Omaha, NE 402-392-6138

Kelley Investment Team RBC Wealth Management

$1,755,000

300

2:3

RP,WP,IM,CM

Omaha, NE 402-392-6100

Kerlik, Sadler, Smith & Associates Ameriprise Financial

$300,000

5:1

RP,FP,WP,EP,CM

Omaha, NE 402-334-7265

Korkow and Associates Merrill Lynch

$650,000

113

2:2

RP,FP,WP,RS,RM

Omaha, NE 402-496-5127

Manarin Investment Counsel Manarin Investment Counsel

$220,000

278

9:1

RP,FP,IM,PM,CM

Omaha, NE 402-330-1166

Mariner Wealth Advisors Omaha Mariner Wealth Advisors

$620,000

6:4

RP,FP,WP,IM,CM

Omaha, NE 402-829-3650

Militti Group Morgan Stanley

$3,000,000

3:1

RP,PP,RM,EP,CM

Omaha, NE 402-399-1513

Moylan Kropp Retirement Planning, LLC Securities America

$445,000

125

4:1

RP,FP,WP,EP,CM

Omaha, NE 402-390-9066

Mundy & Associates NFP Securities

$790,000

1:1

RP,IM,EP,PM,CM

Omaha, NE 402-398-1103

Omaha Group Morgan Stanley

$1,200,000

100

5:2

RP,IM,BP,PM,CM

Omaha, NE 402-399-6141

SilverStone Asset Management SilverStone Asset Management

$8,350,000

2:7

RP,WP,IM,EP,CM

Omaha, NE 402-964-5440

Slattery & Hruby Group Merrill Lynch

$1,460,000

171

2:2

RP,RM,EP,PM,CM

Omaha, NE 402-496-5109

$2,450,000

141

11 : 4

FP,IM,EP,PM,CM

Lincoln, NE 402-323-1253

$100,000

473

4:5

RP,FP,WP,BP,EP

Omaha, NE 402-932-7233

$810,000

125

2:1

RP,FP,WP,PM,CM

Omaha, NE 402-399-1541

Advisor Practice Name Firm

Union Investment Management Group Union Bank & Trust Vintage Financial Group, LLC Vintage Financial Group, LLC Welsh Group Morgan Stanley

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

special advertising section

NEBRASKA PREMIER WEALTH ADVISORS

< average size client, it is recommended you also reference the practice’s top 5 specialties and designations to assure they are equipped and focused on handling your individual needs. Try to select at least 3 practices to interview for different personalities, service models and practice methodologies. NABCAP’s focus is to provide objective differentiation between financial advisory practices and through their evaluation process to help add transparency to the Financial Services Industry. Even though the NABCAP Premier Advisors’ list is comprehensive it should not be considered exhaustive and the following disclaimers should be considered: a. To ensure the best interests of the investing public, NABCAP does not accept financial support from advisory practices, financial institutions or the media in exchange for beneficial reviews, rankings or industry insight. NABCAP is not aﬃliated with any advisor or financial institution participating in the survey. b. Selecting a NABCAP Premier Advisor is no guarantee as to future investment success nor is there any guarantee that the selected financial advisory practice will be designated as a Premier Advisor by NABCAP in the future. c. The inclusion of a financial advisory practice on the NABCAP Premier Advisor’s list should not be construed as an endorsement of the financial advisory practice by NABCAP or Omaha Publications. d. Although NABCAP invites all advisors in a market to participate, the final decision lies with the advisor and as such there may be advisors who would qualify but do not appear on the list as they chose not to participate and if they were included some advisors on this list would not have been included. e. NABCAP screens candidates for regulatory compliance issues: checks and balances are imposed to limit the inclusion of an advisor with a negative regulatory history or multiple client complaints. These checks and balances include: i. NABCAP requires financial advisors to be registered/licensed financial 46

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

advisors in good standing with state and federal regulatory bodies. In addition NABCAP requires financial advisors to be in compliance with their respective broker/dealer or aﬃliated representation i. NABCAP reviews each financial advisor and support staﬀ ’s U-4 or ADV to verify their employment and compliance record. i. If an advisory practice makes the list with a settlement on their record we recommend that investors inquire with the advisory practice as well with their supervisor for the nature of the settlement. f. The supervisor survey is structured to make it equally easy for a respondent to give negative or positive responses and the method of calculating results incorporates both negative and positive survey responses f. NABCAP does not perform subjective analysis of the survey results but assigns numerical ratings based on questionnaire and survey responses, as well as third party verification. f. 3,500+ direct contacts were made via email and mail in Nebraska and 36,000 indirect to subscribers for participation/nomination of participants. Premier Advisors list will not exceed 3.5% of each market’s financial advisory practices f. NABCAP created the methodology and process. Rank Premier Advisors is contracted to administer the evaluation process. f. All advertisements in the special advertising section were sold exclusively by Omaha Publications and not endorsed in any way by NABCAP. NABCAP VIEWPOINT: As impossible as it may seem, the U.S. population has experienced some slight growth on the heels of the second worst recession this country has ever experienced. According to CapGemini’s World Wealth Report 2011, the population of High Net-worth Individuals in North America has risen 25% since 2008. Even considering this slight incline in personal wealth, the fundamentals on the current US economy are still in an unstable state with talks of possibly entering

another recessionary period. It remains critical that investors are able to identify quality wealth managers to assist them in weathering these challenging market environments. NABCAP’s objective research has proven to identify quality practitioners in over 35+ US markets since the recession. The National Association of Board Certified Advisory Practices (NABCAP) was created in 2008 by it’s board of directors — representing industry insiders, investors and non-industry professionals — with over four years of research and interviews with investors and advisors. One of NABCAP’s main objectives is to hold the investment advising community to a higher standard, said Chuck King, NABCAP board vice president and dean emeritus of the School of Business and Leadership at Colorado Christian University. To ensure the best interest of the investing public, NABCAP does not accept financial support from advisory practices, financial institutions, or the media in exchange for beneficial reviews, rankings or industry insights. “This isn’t a money-driven eﬀ ort,” said King. “It’s designed purely to provide information to investors and not to line someone’s pocket. Until financial advisors and banks and everyone else begins to police themselves we’re going to have problems. It’s essential that markets are operating properly for a free enterprise system to work.” The nonprofit organization is achieving its overarching goal of empowering the investing community by adding transparency to financial services industry. NABCAP Premier Advisors lists are a powerful reference for investors to identify the top wealth managers in their local market. Each market varies in size and is based on participation. Neither advisors nor firms pay to participate. With over 400,000 registered investment professionals nationally NABCAP has their work cut out for them. The nonprofit plans to expand it’s footprint to even more US markets in the immediate future. Below is a chart of the current markets open to participation for advisors, and investors, you the reader, to utilize the research for better informative decisions towards personal financial needs. To learn more about NABCAP please visit www. NABCAP.org or email info@nabcap.org

OMAHA MAGAZINE’S

wealthmanagement WINNERS What is your client mission and how do you provide added value? On a proactive basis we deliver the finest financial thinking, solutions, education and client services to help our clientele achieve their retirement and wealth management needs. We are focused: our practice is high net-wealth investors seeking solutions to complex wealth scenarios. Typically, this means corporate executives, highly compensated professionals, business owners (and their business), as well as those who come into inheritance. Because we work with high net-wealth people we are experienced in arenas E.J. Militti, Jr. such as trust set-up and management, estate planning and taxFinancial Advisor advantaged gifting strategies. We are also well-versed in setting up and administering foundations and endowments designed to fulfill our clientele’s passionate philanthropic dreams. Our clients truly want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. So to help them, we take a deep dive with each client and immerse ourselves in what is meaningful in their life. The outcome: each client is delivered an ownable, unique plan. Importantly, we believe an air-tight wealth management plan includes a great deal of time spent on risk-management strategies – so we manage both sides of a client’s balance sheet. This means we assist our clientele with customized insurances, as well as retail and commercial banking and lending solutions through our access to Morgan Stanley Private Bank.

The Militti Group at

Carroll Militti-Hacker Financial Advisor

How does your team differentiate itself from other wealth advisory groups? Our team is unique in that we are a true family practice: father, daughter and son. That’s not common in this business. In addition, because we focus our efforts on high net-wealth clientele we often accomplish our mission by introducing a client (or referral) to our firm’s Wealth Planning Center. Together, the Militti Group and the Wealth Planning Center bring tremendous experience and perspective to help develop and execute highly sophisticated retirement and multigenerational wealth strategies. It is great to see our clientele wowed with the breadth and depth of services we and our firm can offer them. The truest satisfaction we see is our clientele worry less, so they spend more time enjoying their life and family.

Edward J. Militti, Sr. Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor (not pictured) Morgan Stanley and its Financial Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should seek advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC offers insurance products in conjunction with its licensed insurance agency affiliates. Private Bankers are employees of Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association, Member FDIC. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

special advertising section

13625 California Street, Ste. 400 Omaha, NE 68154 402-399-1513 www.morganstanleyfa.com/milittigroup omaha magazine • november/december 2013

OMAHA MAGAZINE’S

wealthmanagement WINNERS

The Welsh Group at Morgan Stanley

What is your philosophy on what it means to be a financial advisory practice: We believe: Clear and consistent communication is paramount; our word is our bond; in transparency; investments should not be driven by emotion; CNBC will not change our plan; process and procedure are cornerstone; in managing debt as well as equity; diversification is a key to reducing risk. What is the process you take each customer through? We take each client through the 13 Wealth Management Issues. 1. Investment Issues 2. Insurance Issues 3. Liability Issues 4. Qualified Retirement Plan Issues 5. Stock Option Issues 6. Business Succession Issues 7. Durable Power of Attorney/Will 8. Gifting to Children/Descendant Issues 9. Charitable Gifting Before and After Death 10. Title of Assets Issues 11. Executor Trustee Issues 12. Distribution of Wealth 13. Charitable Inclinations at Death. In your own words describe your practice’s financial planning process: The Welsh Group has a defined financial planning process. We start with the 13 Wealth Management Issues. After discovering clients’ current and long term needs and positions, we drill down on areas that need work and then provide solutions for those issues. After implementation, we continually monitor plans to make sure we are on track to achieve goals and expectations. How is your team different? We design, implement, and maintain comprehensive financial solutions for clients with complex financial needs. These clients are business owners, executives, and retirees with those backgrounds. Our unique service model monitors every aspect of the tailored financial plan for each client, including investing, insurance, lending services, and estate planning strategies. We ensure adjustments are made in order to maintain the course of action agreed upon to accomplish every goal set forth in that plan.

Patrick A. Friesen, CFP® Financial Advisor

Kevin M. Welsh Senior Vice President Wealth Advisor

Dawn L. Bonacci Registered Associate

What are the responsibilities of each individual on the team? Kevin’s focus is in the capital markets. He buys and sells all of the fixed income for the client portfolios. Along with Patrick, he designs and develops individual strategies for client portfolios. Patrick is a CFP®. He and Kevin collaborate on plan design and strategy for each client. Patrick is in charge of implementation and maintenance of the investments and financial plan. Dawn is in charge of all aspects of administration in our practice. Morgan Stanley invests hundreds of millions in capital every day and provides access to the markets, research, private placements, alternative investments, insurance, and lending services. This access helps us implement our clients’ plans and achieve their definition of success. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC offers insurance products in conjunction with its licensed insurance agency affiliates. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice.

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

13625 California St., Ste. 400 Omaha, NE 68154 402-399-1541 www.morganstanleyfa.com/thewelshgroup special advertising section

OMAHA MAGAZINE’S

wealthmanagement WINNERS

Korkow & Associates of Merrill Lynch

What is your philosophy on what it means to be a financial advisory practice? To us, it means being consistently recognized as an essential partner in our clients’ financial lives, by delivering goals-based investment management and wealth planning services with the highest level of quality and integrity. We utilize our goals-based approach through an extensive range of services, based upon our clients’ objectives, and integrate our approach by bringing to light the emotional side of life’s balance sheet. To be a reliable financial advisory practice, we connect with our clients and act as their personal CFO, while always working hard every step of the way. What is the process through which you take each client? Through a broad range of discussions, we first assess their unique situation at hand in order to establish realistic goals and the strategy by which to reach them, while employing particular emphasis on wealth preservation, tax minimization, and risk minimization. We help identify and define specific goal components such as target value, time horizon, risk tolerance, and priority for each goal at hand. Together, in the context of their full set of goals, we then implement appropriate solutions. Once a plan has been put in place, we continue to revisit concerns and goals periodically with our clients to track progress toward their desired outcomes, even as life situations change. Shelley Welton, Registered Client Associate, Craig D. Korkow, CFP®, CRPC®

Craig D. Korkow, CFP®, CRPC® Craig D. Korkow is principle of Korkow & Associates and is a Senior Vice President-Wealth Management with Merrill Lynch, Omaha, NE. After graduating Summa Cum Laude in Economics from South Dakota State University and leaving the US Army as a Captain, he joined Merrill Lynch in 2000. Craig specializes in retirement planning for organizations and individuals. Craig is a Teammates mentor, member of the Knights of Aksarben RCR board, and Founder of the Rough N’ Ready Challenge Rodeo for Children with Special Needs

OMAHA MAGAZINE’S

wealthmanagement WINNERS

Sam Jorgenson, CRPC®, CSNA, Financial Advisor

1044 N. 115th Street, Suite 500 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-5127 http://fa.ml.com/korkow_associates

Vintage Financial Group

What is your philosophy on what it means to be a financial advisory practice? To serve in an advisory capacity is a great responsibility and we do not take that responsibility lightly. We work each day to ensure we are adding more value to the clients we serve through greater education, professional designations, and relationships with other key advisors. We believe in the practice of empowering our clients to achieve their hopes and dreams. It is our great privilege to be their partner in their financial planning. By promoting economic and financial literacy as a part of our process, we empower our clients to further define their personal financial goals to help achieve those goals. What is your practice’s customer service model? The service model is based on our client’s goals and objectives for their particular plan. Our communication model touches each client at a minimum of nine times a year. We are a very accessible practice. When we ask our clients about our relationship with them, the most common theme we hear is how they feel they have a true partner in their finances. True to this theme, we receive client communication anytime a client has a change in their life, good or bad. It is truly a privilege to serve in this way. Securities and advisory products offered through Princor Financial Services Corporation, (800) 247-1737, member SIPC, Des Moines, IA 50392. Insurance products from the Principal Financial Group® are issued by Principal National Life Insurance Company (except in New York), Principal Life Insurance Company and the companies available through the Preferred Product Network, Inc. Securities and advisory products offered through Princor Financial Services Corporation, 800/247-1737, member SIPC. Principal National, Principal Life, the Preferred Product Network, and Princor® are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392. Mindy S. Helfrich, Bradford R. Burwell, Kirstin J. Ricketts, Patrick M. Ricketts Principal National and Principal Life Financial Representative, Princor Registered Representative and Financial Advisor. Vintage Financial Group, LLC. is not an affiliate of any company of the Principal Financial Group.

Mindy S. Helfrich, Bradford R. Burwell, Kirstin J. Ricketts CFP© and Patrick M. RickettsCFP©

14217 Dayton Circle, Suite 3 | Omaha, NE 68137 | (402) 932-7233 (866) 666-7994 | Fax (402) 932-4196 | www.vintagefinancialgroup.com

special advertising section

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

OMAHA MAGAZINE’S

wealthmanagement

Ethen Bagley Group of Merrill Lynch

What is your philosophy on what it means to be a financial advisory practice? Our team’s focus is to help simplify our clients’ lives in an increasingly complex world. We offer wisdom, as well as information, so that our clients can make informed decisions regarding their financial affairs. We consider it a privilege to serve as trusted advisors and to provide quality, unbiased information, and assistance. What is the process you take each customer through? Each prospective client is taken through a series of meetings. The first is a discovery meeting where we gather information and gain an understanding of their goals, timeframes, and risk tolerance. This is followed up by an Investment Proposal/Financial Plan meeting. When the client indicates they are ready to proceed, we schedule a mutual commitment meeting where we complete all paperwork and agree to each party’s roles and responsibilities. Once accounts have transferred in, we follow up with an on-boarding meeting where we explain how to read the statements, log in to the online account access, and help them organize all of their financial affairs. Finally, we schedule the periodic face-to-face account/plan review, which for most clients is semi-annually. In between meetings, clients can expect monthly calls, monthly newsletters, and periodic client educational events throughout the year.

Michael J. Bagley, CFP®

Stephen C. Ethen, CFP®

1044 N. 115th Street Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-5192 www.fa.ml.com/ethen_bagley_group

OMAHA MAGAZINE’S

wealthmanagement WINNERS

Slattery/Hruby Group of Merrill Lynch

What is your philosophy on what It means to be a financial advisory practice? The Slattery/Hruby Group provides wealth management services to affluent families and trusts. We help clients articulate their goals, then guide them with appropriate strategies for investments, lending, wealth transfer, and philanthropy with particular emphasis on tax minimization and wealth preservation. By formally reviewing and understanding a client’s total assets and liabilities, we are able to develop customized solutions to address their unique needs and challenges. For clients, we seek to have a profound impact on both their financial and personal lives. Our ultimate responsibility is to help clients achieve their aspirations for themselves, future generations and their communities. Within that effort, we provide the personal attention and high level of service that significant wealth warrants. Describe your practices’ investment philosophy: We apply a comprehensive wealth allocation framework to a client’s balance sheet. In the simplest form you could state it as Risk Allocation precedes Asset Allocation. The framework process enables clients to construct appropriate portfolios allocating all their assets, featuring the home, mortgage, and market investments. The resulting frameworks are designed to meet client needs and preferences. The framework brings together Portfolio theory with aspects of Behavioral Finance to overlay a client’s risk exposures on to their balance sheet. The application of our investment philosophy is typically executed within an Advisory relationship.

Kandis Schissel, CFP, CRPC, Daniel Slattery, CFM, Peggy Fehncke, CRPC, Stephen Hruby, CIMA

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

1044 N. 115th Street Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-5152 www.fa.ml.com/shgroup

special advertising section

OMAHA MAGAZINE’S

wealthmanagement WINNERS Tell us about your business. Who are your clients? Our clients are decision makers who typically have multiple advisors (lawyers, accountants, investment advisors, insurance, and sometimes even multiple wealth advisors). We understand it can get complicated getting all the advisors together and aligned with the same client goals in mind. The most important needs many of our clients have are to get the advisors to work as a team, create a written financial plan, remove the complicated industry jargon, and make the plan of action simple and understood by all. We’re not here to replace anyone on the team; rather, we act as the facilitator of new ideas, action steps, and accountability. We often make clients aware of blind spots or of strategies that are currently unknown to them. How has your company grown? We only work through referrals. Our commitment to consistently exceeding clients’ expectations has created a level of trust that has resulted in the right types of new client introductions from our other clients. Our firm has grown at an average of 36 percent (YOY) for the last three years.

Darla Zumm, CLTC®

How are you unique? What keeps your clients coming back? We have numerous learning and social events, and we get to know many of our clients at a deeper level. This allows us to challenge them and find out what is really important to them. From there, we can create a disciplined plan to implement holistic tax and risk efficient strategies to protect and grow their assets. Most importantly, we know the “why” of what is important to our clients. How would you describe your workplace culture? Your team members? Our culture is one of focus and fun. We live our core values of Kaizen (a philosophy that promotes continuous improvement), servant mentality, non-negotiable integrity, work ethic, and being politely persistent. Team members evaluate each other quarterly on living our core values and key behaviors. We all own daily and weekly metrics, including discussing client feedback, to measure our results and drive improvements for better service.

Tim Harrison, MSFS, CIMA, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP®, CLTC®, CAP® Dalma Seitelbach, RP®

Tim Harrison, MSFS, CIMA, CFP® Tim started the business at age 18 while studying accounting in college. Upon graduating and passing the CPA exam, Tim hired his father and brother (at great personal and financial risk) and today has built a strong team. Tim is married to Traci, and they have two children, Lauren and Blake.

Everyone on our team has a voice in where we are headed as an organization. Our entire team is very involved in the community with Salvation Army, United Way, Susan G. Komen, Boy Scouts, E.O. Nebraska, University of Nebraska, and Children’s Hospital. At the end of the day, what gives you the biggest sense of accomplishment? What do you want to be known for? We want to earn the right to serve as our clients’ most trusted advisors. Our goal is to be recognized as the premier wealth management firm serving decision makers.

Seth Tracy, CLU® Jack McKeegan, CPWA® Angie Bade

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. special advertising section

Harrison Financial Services

JoAnne Reynolds, CFP®

9300 Underwood Ave., Ste 500 Omaha, NE 68114 402-891-2302 www.timjharrison.com omaha magazine • november/december 2013

story by leo adam biga • photo by bill sitzmann

ART + CULTURE

Potash Twins

Identical Twin Horn Players Set to Lead Omaha Jazz Revival MAHA ONCE REIGNED AS a major live music hub

where scores of legendary artists came to perform. Many resident musicians who got their chops here used Omaha as a springboard to forge fat careers on the coasts. The local African-American music scene was particularly lively from the 1930s into the 1970s, with jumping venues and jam sessions galore. Then, that halcyon time faded away. Now, identical twins Ezra and Adeev Potash of Omaha, two fast-rising horn players 52

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

with crazy close ties to such living-legend jazz greats as Wynton Marsalis and Jon Faddis, are intent on reviving that long dormant scene. Nominated for Best Jazz for the 2014 Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards, they recently became co-artistic directors at the Love’s Jazz & Arts Center in Omaha. The twins, who turned 20 this fall, booked an all-star lineup of local artists at LJAC through 2013, headlining some dates themselves. But it’s all a prelude for something grander. In collaboration with LJAC executive director Tim Clark the brothers are busy raising funds to underwrite a 2014-2015 lineup of

jazz superstars. Many prospective guest artists are personal friends and colleagues of the twins in New York City, where the Westside High School graduates study music. The brothers and Clark want nothing less than to create a world-class jazz club at the center, whose jazzman namesake, Omaha’s own Preston Love Sr., played with Count Basie and came of age in local nightspots like the Dreamland Ballroom. All the jazz giants played there or at Allen’s Showcase and other long-gone venues. Clark says, “What’s so exciting about the twins is their enthusiasm and their sincere

potash twins

ART + CULTURE

desire to preserve one of America’s original art forms, jazz, and to put Omaha back on the map as a national jazz hub. They’re very serious about their craft and making jazz a priority in Omaha. They bring a breath of fresh air.” “We’re going to try to raise the money to do the season right,” says Ezra, who plays trombone, tuba, and sousaphone.“We’re meeting with donors to prove to them our passion and our vision to get what we need to become a sustainable jazz club. The thing we want people in Omaha to know is that we have the connections to bring in the biggest names in jazz. The only way we can make it happen is if Omaha gives us the resources to make it happen. We’re really close to getting it. “Now is the time. Omaha’s really thriving as a city and becoming known for its arts. Jazz is a historical music with strong Midwest roots. North Omaha was a center of jazz, and it can be that again.” Adeev, who plays trumpet, says, “We want to make Love’s Jazz an attraction for not only the Midwest but around the country. You won’t have to go to 18th and Vine in Kansas City or to the Dakota Club in Minneapolis

to listen to great jazz.” There are plans to upgrade the acoustics at LJAC to “make it a state-of-the-art performance space,” says Ezra. As unlikely as it sounds that two suburban Jewish-Americans barely out of their teens should lead a jazz revival in the heart of Omaha’s black community, it’s just par for the course for the twins. At 15, their chutzpah translated into a private lesson with trumpet master Marsalis after sneaking backstage at the Lied Performing Arts Center in Lincoln following a gig by his Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. They appreciate what they have with Marsalis, who’s introduced them to other jazz icons, some of whom they’ve played with. “Because of our relationship with Wynton we’re able to meet, hang out with, and learn from the best musicians in the world,” says Ezra. “We have a lot of awesome opportunities. We’re always eager to learn. And we like sharing with Omaha what we’re exposed to.” Faddis confirms the brothers are “not shy” in approaching accomplished players like himself, Marsalis, and Jonathan Batiste for “pointers.” That networking has the brothers

getting schooled by the best in the field. “We’re living jazz history,” says Adeev, who studies under Faddis. “Wynton is the modern Coltrane. Jon Faddis is the disciple of Dizzy Gillespie. I feel honored to be part of the legacy they’ll leave me.” Clark describes the twins as ambassadors, but the brothers also enjoy the limelight. In March, they performed at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, where they led an impromptu New Orleans-style “second line” parade down Sixth Street that National Public Radio featured. A film crew following them for a proposed reality TV series was there and at the May Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting, where the brothers performed. They also did a recent talk at October’s TEDx Omaha event on the Creighton University campus. Their talk and performance there focused on the intuitive communication and bond twins enjoy, an asset that is magnified on stage. “Twins in general like to finish each other’s sentences,” says Adeev, “and that kind of works the same in jazz.” OMAG Read more of Leo Adam Biga’s work at leoadambiga.wordpress.com.

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Kimberly Kropp, CFP®, ChFC, CLU Patrick Moylan, CFP®, CLU Sean Moylan, CFP®, ChFC, CLU, JD Devin Moylan, CFP®, CPA

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omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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STYLE SHOT

Jack Becker Carefully Curated Compositions

H E DA PPE R EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR and

chief executive officer of Joslyn Art Museum, Jack Becker, agreed to play a rapid-fire game of “Fashion Word Association” for this issue’s Style Shot.

Leisure Suit

“Oh, boy. I think I was 7. Dingy beige. Double-knit polyester, of course. Ghastly. Horrible. Hey, I thought you promised that this would be a friendly interview?”

Splurge

“Italian Suits. Zegna. A magnificent obsession.”

Ugh!

“Paint-splattered, torn, 20-year-old shorts from The Gap.”

In the background—Al Held (American, 1928-2005), Untitled, 1964, acrylic on canvas. omaha magazine • november/december 2013

jack becker

STYLE SHOT In the background—José Bedia (Cuban, b. 1959), Solo Kalunga (Alone with the Goddess of the Sea), 2000, acrylic on canvas.

Fave

“The windowpane jacket [shown on the opposing page]. I get compliments every time I put it on.”

Style

“A certain edge. Fashion forward but age appropriate. Bold, but not too overly aggressive.”

Barbering

“The Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power Razor. The most advanced blade ever.”

Art

“The spatial juxtaposition of line, form, texture, pattern. How it all works together in a composition. Oh, you mean that. I thought we were still talking about my wardrobe.”

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

style shot jack becker

Shown above:

Holland Esquire

tweed windowpane jacket with suede elbow patches and built-in pocket square, purchased at Becker’s favorite Parisian haberdasher

Jack Victor Italian silk and wool slacks

Gucci

horsebit suede loafers

Oliver Peoples eyewear

Z Zenga cotton velvet jacket with custom Nordstrom Egyptian cotton shirt omaha magazine • november/december 2013

story by judy horan • photo by bill sitzmann

FACES

“P

Libby Krecek UH-LEEZE,” SHE WOULD BEG

on family vacations as a girl, “can we go to the history museum?” Libby Krecek has a longtime passion for both history and museums. By the fourth grade, she had decided museums would be the center of her career as well as her vacations. Krecek went on to earn a Master of Arts in Classics degree from the 58

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

University of Colorado and set out to pursue her calling. She first worked as an intern at Omaha’s Durham Museum. Jobs followed at the Joslyn Art Museum, the Gerald Ford Conservation Center and—for the past 10 years—the Douglas County Historical Society, where she is the registrar. The what?

The Lady in White Gloves “I’m the one who takes care of the stuff,” explains Krecek. Wearing white cotton gloves (and sometimes purple medical-grade gloves), she tenderly handles rare historical artifacts and records. The Douglas County Historical Society lacks a budget for acquisitions and so depends on the kindness of strangers to donate relics that tell the story of Douglas County.

faces libby krecek

Krecek accepts donations and assures the givers that their items, even when not on display, are in good (white-gloved) hands. Donations are archived in acid-free boxes with acid-free tissue. “A lot are precious family items,” she says. “They want them to go to a good home to be preserved rather than put back in a box in the basement.” Kathy Aultz, executive director of the Douglas County Historical Society, said Krecek has the most serious of responsibilities. “She is taking on people’s treasures, people’s memories. We have six million documents and 8,000 artifacts. The house itself is an exhibit.” Aultz is referring to the General Crook House, located on Metro Community College’s main campus and home to the Society’s museum. The house’s Italianatestyle façade is the same as it was in 1879 when built for Gen. George Crook. The campus in the 19th century was Fort Omaha, a military headquarters. The historic district near 30th and Fort streets is on the National Register of Historic Places. Krecek is thrilled by many of the donations. “Last year, a woman called. She had an authentic Indian Wars uniform from the 1860s or ’70s. The officer had been stationed here at Fort Omaha. Her collection also included his history and a photo of him wearing the uniform.” She also trains volunteers who conduct tours of the museum, and she helps the museum’s research specialist answer questions from the public about Douglas County history. The registrar shares office space in the library archives building with a cluttered desk, a huge aerial view of Omaha in 1944, and an oil portrait of Edward Creighton, one that is so heavy it took two people to hang. Creighton University, where Krecek earned her Classical Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics and History, was named for the man in the portrait, who died in 1874. She’s an enthusiastic fan of Creighton basketball and baseball. Krecek’s idea of a fun time is exploring the museum’s ancient newspaper archives. “The way people wrote back then was totally different. They wrote about what people were wearing and were more graphic about murders. I get a view into that world.” OMAG For information on donating historical items, contact Libby Krecek at 402-455-9990 ext. 107 or registrar@douglascohistory.org.

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omaha magazine • november/december 2013

story by carol crissey nigrelli • photo by bill sitzmann

FACES

Susan Koenig Her brother taught her how to live—and how to give.

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

N THE EARLY EVENING hours of

December 7, Susan Koenig will put a fun party dress on her slender frame, bling on her wrists and strappy heels on her feet. She will then travel a short distance from her gracious second-floor home on South 13th Street at the edge of Little Italy to an art gallery in the Old Market. And, as she has done for the last 20 years, Koenig will greet dozens of people—friends, family, and friends of friends, who have paid to be there. In return, she will offer them much more than beverages and food. Hers will be one of several pre-parties held across the city as a fundraising prelude to the main event later that evening—the annual Night of a Thousand Stars to benefit the Nebraska AIDS Project (NAP). “At the beginning, I didn’t know hosting a party would be something I would always do,” laughs Koenig, a founding partner of the Koenig/Dunne Divorce Law firm, whose offices are downstairs from her home. “But my friends have made it evident that it’s

meaningful to them because they show up every year with their checkbooks open.” Meaningful to her friends, but very personal to Koenig; Night of a Thousand Stars offers a bittersweet time for reflection. Koenig knew something was terribly wrong when her younger brother moved back to Omaha in 1990. Of eight siblings, Koenig had always been closest to Tim. They shared a special bond as the fifth- and sixth-born. While Tim didn’t dwell on the reasons for coming home or mention his health, Koenig saw through the silence. “Tim’s long-time partner had just died of AIDS,” explains Koenig, the mother of two sons. “They owned a beautiful home and a successful restaurant in Atlanta. Tim sold them and came back to Omaha. He was diagnosed here.” In the early ’90s, a diagnosis of AIDS equaled a death sentence. Baffled scientists hadn’t yet put all the pieces of the headline-grabbing scourge together. There were no life-extending medical cocktails. Koenig, who

faces susan koeing

[The gala] has strengthened my belief in the importance of making a contribution where you can; of the power of small things done over time... susan koenig

had spent years successfully helping spouses navigate the shoals of Nebraska divorce laws, suddenly found herself in need of answers and direction. What she did next changed her life. “I called the AIDS hotline. I contacted NAP.” Still a young organization at that time, NAP became her family’s lifeline by helping them stay positive. “Tim’s diagnosis wasn’t the focus of our relationship with him,” says Koenig. “He transcended his diagnosis by continuing to be the best of who he was, by continuing to work. He taught us about living. We appreciated every minute we had with him.” Koenig and her husband, John Mixan, attended the very first Night of a Thousand Stars in 1992 in support of Tim. In December of 1994, the couple hosted their first pre-party. Tim didn’t see it. He died that Thanksgiving. Through the years, the couple raised over $40,000 for the HIV/AIDS community. Koenig, who now works mainly as an executive coach, still says “we” when referring to the pre-party planning, as her husband was always by her side. Sadly, cancer claimed John two years ago. But memories of John and Tim bring comfort, and the opportunity to gather friends close for a good cause brings joy. “[The gala] has strengthened my belief in the importance of making a contribution where you can; of the power of small things done over time,” reflects Koenig. “And it’s just a great party!” On December 7, hundreds of people will leave the various pre-parties and gather at the historic Mastercraft Building north of downtown for more beverages, food, music, and a silent auction at Night of a Thousand Stars. If you haven’t been invited, call Koenig. Everyone has a place at her table. OMAG

For the woman who desires something different. Visit us to give your special someone a holiday they’ll remember forever. JEWELERS SINCE 1894 16811 Burke Street, Suite 112 Village Pointe South Shopping Center Omaha, Nebraska 68118 402.496.9990

www.malashocks.com omaha magazine • november/december 2013

story by chris wolfgang • photo by bill sitzmann

GEN O

Joe Giles E’S JUST COME BACK

from a walk, palm trees in the background, with a 3-pound Chihuahua named Minnie Mouse. Joe Giles is no longer a Nebraska kid following an Air Force dad around the Midwest. The 30-yearold has been settled in Los Angeles for the last 10 years, working as a makeup artist for K.N.B. EFX Group, Inc. on projects like AMC’s The Walking Dead. “I just finished working on some Walking Dead webisodes,” Giles says, “you know, 62

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

those in-between-season shorts they put online.” Specifically, he works in K.N.B.’s molding department, lifecasting actors in custom makeups for that rotted look so popular for today’s zombie. He’s contributed his special-effects makeup expertise on all three completed seasons of the show, even helping to establish the original movements of the walkers. “I actually did early camera tests,” he says. “They used me for some of the makeup tests, and they use some of that footage to teach the

Always Loves the Spooky Stuff actors how to walk on camera.” Giles considers himself rather fortunate so far in his plans to continue both acting and doing lab work. “I keep getting both sprinkled randomly as I go,” he says, mentioning his appearance as a zombie in the “Thriller” scene of the 2009 Michael Jackson film This Is It (“I was lying in this grave thinking, oh wow, I am really doing this”). And how he got to do all the hair work for the Michael Myers masks in Rob Zombie’s 2009 Halloween II. And when he got to play a demonic surgeon

gen o joe giles

in Zombie’s 2012 The Lords of Salem. “It’s not every day one of your music idols is directing you,” Giles says, still obviously impressed. And of course, he’s continuing work on the fourth season of The Walking Dead that premiered this October. He says that Howard Berger, co-founder of K.N.B., jokes that Giles is their resident ghoul. “I don’t mind being typecast though,” he says, “I love all that.” He admits that, during his middle-school and high-school years in Omaha, “Halloween was pretty much what I lived for all year. It’s my true passion.” Annual trips to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch in Gretna, Neb., were a given. At 15, Giles began volunteering at Mystery Manor, a permanent haunted house in Downtown Omaha. “That place definitely helped shape my creative life,” he says, recalling his earliest experiences with special-effects makeup and the challenges of getting the movements of a new character just right. “Wayne [Sealy, owner of Mystery Manor] pretty much gave us free rein. Doing makeup for haunted houses and acting…it teaches you to be fast on your feet, to think quickly.” After two years of studio art at University of Nebraska-Omaha, graduating from Westmore Makeup Academy in California, plus his years of experience in the film industry, it’s just possible that Giles has refined his approach to the perfect spooky look. “You gotta find a mid-ground between just gore and something that’s interesting. For instance, last year, I was a zombie, but I kept it more forensic and skeletal,” he says. Oh? Was this for a party? “Well, I still go trick-or-treating. I mean, you know, I’ll hit a few houses.” Clearly, Halloween is still his thing. In fact, that seems to be a huge reason he tries to come back to Omaha whenever the leaves change. “I miss that Midwest fall,” he says. “You don’t get that out here. I’ll even set out fall-scented air fresheners to get that feel in L.A.” He even shows up at Mystery Manor to volunteer whenever schedules permit. “I pretty much just say, ‘Hey, Wayne, I’m here to work!’” Of course, cool weather, autumn colors, and haunted houses aren’t the only draws to come home. He and his twin sister, Brandi Lusk, celebrated their 30th birthday together last April. They spent a cozy night with their family at the Villisca Axe Murder House in Villisca, Iowa. OMAG

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omaha magazine • november/december 2013

story by betsy o’ donovan • photo by bill sitzmann

GEN O

Craig Hughes

Designing Without Design

RAIG HUGHES GRADUATED FROM college with

what he calls a “design as decoration” attitude and went straight into the world of advertising. As for the notion of conducting classic “field work,” he considered that a realm reserved for social scientists, anthropologists and others in the more “sciencey” of endeavors. But Hughes, now the president of Nebraska’s chapter of AIGA, the professional association for designers, found himself in a hotel bar at an industry conference chatting it up with some of the legends in his field as the 2009 BP oil disaster was unfolding. “What they need to do,” Hughes recalls one of the designers saying in gesturing to a TV as BP news reports flashed across the screen, “is get all of the engineers out of there and get in the designers to brainstorm.” “But that’s not what design does,” Hughes remembers thinking. “The idea that you kind of have to fight this battle of disciplinarianism, that ‘get rid of all of these other people and design will save the world’ approach. It doesn’t work.” The incident was just one of the sparks that fired an evolution in his thinking. Hughes soon began exploring other—much more diverse and disparate—ways of applying his

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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design training, ones that have increasingly found him in the arena of doing field work alongside sociologists, architects, lawyers, anthropologists, and others. Hughes is now pursuing a master’s degree in sociology through the University of Nebraska-Omaha. This fall he will partner with community organizations in a decidedly “un-designey” effort to seek solutions in urban planning initiatives that revolve around general themes of social advocacy. In December 2012, he left his job as an associate creative director and opened Studio Polymath, a design firm that works with experts in a wide array of fields to solve interesting or persistent problems. And that’s how Hughes found himself in a nursing home with a team of interdisciplinary experts, asking a 93-year-old retired cook what advice he would give to himself at age 43. “Don’t live too long,” Hughes recalls the man saying. Too long, the man told Hughes, came the very moment he walked through the nursing home’s doors and, in doing so, lost his identity. Back in Omaha, Hughes and his cadre of thinkers spun ideas to address some of the problems revealed in their interviews. “What are some things that we can be doing,” Hughes asks, “so we’re not just putting people in a box where they collapse spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally?” The next step for the project is to test a pilot program that would give nursing home residents such new and more vital experiences as the chance to work with their hands or to teach as masters or amateur historians in their respective fields. “A brain in use is a powerful thing,” Hughes adds. And the more brains the better. “Humans and our ancestors have been solving problems for millions of years and no single discipline has all the answers,” he says. “All of those things together are what will address those big, nasty problems that graphic design alone can’t solve.” OMAG

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story by judy horan • illustrations by jim horan

FEATURE

Omaha Press Club What keeps this club going after 42 years?

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

HILE OTHER CITY CLUBS have closed in

defeat, the Omaha Press Club marks its 42nd anniversary on the 22nd floor of the First National Center in Downtown Omaha. Does the club stay open because of the spectacular view from windows stretching to the ceiling? The glowing copper fireplace? The food? Executive Director Steve Villamonte explains the club’s durability, even through a recession: “There is something going on all

the time. The club offers events from lunchand-learn opportunities to wine dinners to holiday buffets.” Retired WOWT newscaster Gary Kerr and his committee hold monthly educational events. Sports forums at noon feature such topics as Nebraska football and Creighton basketball. Each year, journalists are inducted into the OPC Hall of Fame. Their names are engraved on a plaque in the club’s Hall of History. Among the first inducted in 2008 were Omaha Star publisher Mildred Brown

feature omaha press club

(read more on Brown on pg. 68), NBC-TV’s Floyd Kalber, and legendary radio sportscaster Lyell Bremser. The OPC Foundation’s annual Omaha Press Club Show, which raises funds for journalism scholarships, will be held next year on April 3. The space’s premier event is the ‘Face on the Barroom Floor’ dinner. When the club’s restaurant opened in 1971, members decided to celebrate the people who give journalists something to write about. Walls are now covered with caricature drawings of newsmakers’ faces. The satirical artwork by artist Jim Horan (full disclosure…yes, the author is Jim’s wife, and she also serves on the organization’s board) is presented in fun as friends roast the subject. A zinger directed to Larry the Cable Guy is a sample of the teasing that honorees endure: “I’m happy to say fame has not gone to his [Larry’s] head, only to his waistline.” The most recent honoree was Omaha Magazine publisher Todd Lemke. The first caricature was that of fun-loving Omaha Mayor Gene Leahy. Nebraska football coach Bob Devaney followed him in 1972. Also that year, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew dropped by the club to see his ‘Face.’ Agnew had a love-hate relationship with the press, whom he once famously described as “nattering nabobs of negativism.” So it was with tongues in cheek that Omaha Press Club officers named a private room at the club the “Spiro Agnew Room.” Among other well-known ‘Faces’ hanging on the club’s walls are Bob Gibson, Chuck Hagel, Tom Osborne, and Johnny Carson. Horan said that his drawing of Warren Buffett is his favorite because of the billionaire’s unruly hair: “Warren looked at his caricature the night he roasted Walter Scott at a ‘Face’ event and quipped, ‘I’ve got to rethink that 25 cent tip for my barber.’” The disappearance of Buffett’s ‘Face on the Barroom Floor’ became national news in 2008. The New York Times and Forbes magazine were among media that published stories about the missing artwork. Omaha heaved a sigh of relief when the drawing was finally found. On Sept. 9, the Lauritzen Room was dedicated to honor the First National Bank family that helped open the club 42 years ago. “Without their continuing support,” Villamonte says, “it would have been difficult for us to succeed.” OMAG

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FEATURE

Omaha Star

75 Years Printing Only the Good News of North Omaha MAHA STAR PUBLISHER Dr. Marguerita Washington

will tell you the goal of the Omaha Star over its 75 years of covering events in north Omaha always has been “to print only the good news.” “Not crime, not the things that bring the community down,” she says. “Other media outlets can do that. Television loves that stuff. Our goal is to show the good things that are happening all around us.” At first glance, Washington’s mission statement might make it sound like the Star has been a 75-year-long puff piece. Longtime readers, though, know that is not the case. When Washington says “only good news,” that description includes a vast catalog of 68

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

stories and opinion pieces that have documented and driven more than seven decades of the battle for civil rights in Omaha. As such, the Star was part of a nationwide network of community newspapers that were integral to the push for equality across America. “When the mainstream media had policies of disenfranchising and alienating the so-called ‘black community,’ these other papers [such as the Star] brought stories and news to light,” says Sharif Liwaru, president of the board of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation. “The Omaha Star was where top AfricanAmerican journalists were sharpened and prepared to compete in even the toxic racial

climate of other media outlets,” he says. “There has been a lot of discrimination in this city over the years,” Washington adds. “It was the job of the Star to report on cases of discrimination and push for an end to the injustices.” There have been several events this year celebrating the newspaper’s birthday, including a gala celebration in late April. On July 9—exactly 75 years after the first copy of the Star hit newsstands—Rep. Lee Terry honored the newspaper in a speech in the U.S. House of Representatives. Dr. Washington has guided the Star for the last quarter century. It was her aunt, Mildred Brown, who was the paper’s guiding force for its first half century.

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In 1937, Brown moved from Sioux City to take a job selling advertisements for the Omaha Guide. A year later, she opened her own newspaper. “She pretty quickly decided she wanted to go into business for herself,” Washington says. “She was a very driven woman. She was just sure she’d be able to compete with her former employer.” The Guide perished. The Star lived on. Brown quickly became a leader in the black community. Soon, Brown and her paper were kingmakers in North Omaha. The Star arguably was at the height of its importance during the tumult of the 1960s. “Local black owned and operated, often small papers like the Omaha Star played a pivotal role in spreading the ideas of leaders such as Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey,” Liwaru says. Washington was an educator, having spent time teaching in Scotland and, later, the Omaha Public Schools. But Brown wanted Washington to be her successor. Washington says she was not fully prepared to take over the paper when her aunt died suddenly in late 1989. “But we did what we had to do.” The Star continues to publish about 30,000 newspapers that are sent to subscribers in all 50 states. It remains a force in the community. But, like many newspapers in the country, “it hasn’t always been easy to keep the presses running,” Washington says. “Honestly, it can be an emotional roller-coaster,” she adds. “We ride along with the economy of the community.” And the Star, she says, must change with the times to survive. Already the newspaper’s vast archive of stories, photos, and opinion pieces are being digitized for internet access. Washington admits the Star has been slow to get current content accessible online. Like so many other publications trying to survive in the internet age, Washington will have to find the right recipe for generating advertising revenue from a website. But Washington plans to keep publishing for as long as she can. When it comes time, she hopes another person will step up—as she did—to keep the historic paper alive for decades to come. “I don’t have any children, but I do have a few thoughts about who might take up the paper after I’m finished,” she says. “I’m just not sure if they’d be crazy enough to take this job. All I can do is hope.” OMAG

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story by leo adam biga • photo by Martin Magnuson

FEATURE

The Making of Nebraska

Casting director John Jackson helps build Alexander Payne’s film worlds. HEN YOU WATCH ALEXANDER Payne’s

acclaimed new film Nebraska, keep in mind that each and every acting part was cast in a collaboration between the two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker and his casting director, John Jackson. Under the name John Durbin, Jackson long ago established himself as a character actor in Hollywood and beyond. IMDb.com lists 61 credits in the filmography of the Council Bluffs native and resident. Jackson returned home in 1988 to run a local casting service while taking acting gigs here and on the coast. For Payne’s first feature, Citizen Ruth (1996), Jackson was hired to do Omaha location casting. He filled 32 speaking roles, plus all the extras. From the start, Jackson says, “We had a great working relationship. The same thing happened when Alexander came back to work on Election (1999). And then he began slowly to include me. The New York casting people would send him tapes

and he’d say, ‘John, why don’t you watch this and tell me what you think,’ and that built.” On About Schmidt (2002), Jackson says Payne entrusted him with ever more responsibility and increasingly sounded out his advice. “Until finally the producer of Schmidt said to Alexander, ‘Why do you hire these people in New York and L.A.? Why don’t you just get this guy?’ Meaning me.” Jackson was back home directing and playing a supporting role in a Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre Company production when Payne called to say he was casting Sideways (2004), and he needed Jackson in California immediately. “So that started a process of me being in L.A. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,” recalls Jackson. “Then Friday morning, I’d get on a plane, fly back home, land, grab something to eat, go to the theater, do the show Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Then Monday fly back.” Jackson says Sideways “was a new experience for both of us in many ways.” It found Payne shooting his first feature away from Neb., and it marked the first time Jackson served as the filmmaker’s sole casting director, a role he has continued for The Descendants (2011) and Nebraska (2013).

“In honing our working method over the last 18 years,” Payne says, “we just have developed a very similar aesthetic of what we want to see in a film, the type of reality we want. Also, I think the two of us have developed a pretty good eye for spotting acting talent in nonactors.” The pair filled a large number of roles in Nebraska with real-life farmers and smalltown bar denizens. As with any project, they painstakingly searched for the right needlein-a-haystack fit for characters. Payne’s particularly proud of the challenges overcome in casting Nebraska. To make it all work, he asked lead actors Bruce Dern and Will Forte to “flatten” their performances to be in synch with the low-key non-actors. Jackson says the cast immersed themselves in the story’s “magnificent simplicity.” He says his job was to “build the world” Payne envisions for the characters in the script. “We paint with people. We want it to be as authentic as possible.” Payne is often praised for his casting, and he always deflects credit to Jackson, whom he calls “my secret weapon.” Jackson now finds himself in-demand as a CD and is currently casting two new films, Car Dogs and Phantom Halo. >

John Jackson, a.k.a John Durbin, a.k.a Alexander Payne’s casting director omaha magazine • november/december 2013

nebraska photo provided by alexander payne

FEATURE

< “Everybody told me when I left L.A. in ’88 I was throwing away everything I’d built,” Jackson says, “but I never believed I was throwing it all away, and it was because of moving back here the greatest thing from a creative and professional standpoint happened.” He says Payne engenders loyalty by “building a rapport that ends up showing up in the work.” The entire crew is encouraged to speak their minds. “If Alexander and I didn’t have that commitment,” Jackson continues, “I would cave to the pressure of the producers who say to me, ‘You need to convince Alexander these are the people he needs.’ Instead, I’m like, ‘That’s not my job, my job is to support, encourage, and grow his vision.” 72

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

Nebraska will premiere Nov. 22 at Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater. A Nov. 24 Feature V fundraising benefit for Film Streams will feature Studio 360 host Kurt Andersen interviewing Payne, Dern, and Forte on the Holland Performing Arts Center stage. In their “give and take,” the pair always aims to serve the script and its characters ahead of commercial considerations. It’s all about fleshing out the universe of the actors who best inhabit those characters. With a work like Nebraska, Payne says, “It’s as much anthropological as it is cinematic. I knew that this film would really live or die on his casting.” OMAG Read more of Leo Adam Biga’s work at leoadambiga.wordpress.com.

November/December 2013

Always Local, Always Beautiful

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Journey into the Arcane a Cabinet of Curiosities

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EDITORIAL & CREATIVE STAFF omaha publications editor

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Comments? Send your letter to the editor to: letters@omahapublications.com All versions of Omaha Magazine are published bimonthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 680461208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000; fax (402) 884-2001. Subscription rates: $12.95 for 6 issues (one year), $19.95 for 12 issues (two years). No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted, however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations. Best of Omaha®™ is a registered tradename of Omaha Magazine.

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Omaha Home: contents

september/october 2013 departments

features

H10

H14

H16

H27

Neighborhood Profile: Linden Estates

Feature: Modest Magnificence— Legendary Architects

Editor’s Letter

H24 DIY: Faux Fireplace

H32

H42

H46

H48

New on the Block

H50

Home Happenings

Cover Feature: A Grain of Salt—The Home of Kristen and Michael DeKay

At Home: Larger than Life

Room: Journey into the Arcane Transformations: Beebe+Runyan Beauty Hot Products: Seasonal Silvers and Reds

columns

H34

Feature: NE/IA Chapter of ASID Project Awards 2013

www.BestOfOmaha.com

H22

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Omaha Home: from the editor Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.

Thank you for voting us Best of Omaha 3 years!

Hamilton Wright Mabie

E ALL LOOK FORWARD to holidays, not only for spending time with our friends and families but thinking about what the holidays mean to each and every one of us. Growing up in the Midwest in a large, close-knit family, every Sunday seemed like a holiday to me. We all gathered at my grandmother's house for Sunday dinner after church. Let me tell you, it was a big event. Today it’s a real treat to have that comfort food to look forward to this time of year and the aromas that make you feel full, happy, and at home. This issue of OmahaHome covers the old and the new. It continues the tradition of bringing the best in design, décor, and architecture, and we also introduce a department called “Room.” Our new managing editor, David Williams, found himself in a large home and thought, “Man, I could write an entire story on this one fascinating room!” And a new department was born (pg. 32). But we still have old favorites, like our DIY Project. My friend, Angie Hall, talks about her faux fireplace on pg. 24 and how you can try the same thing. Our At Home section features Deborah Ward and Joe Jordan’s nostalgic Santa Claus collection on pg. 27. And we talk about Joni Fogarty’s new book on pg. 14. Building Omaha: The Architectural Legacy of John and Alan McDonald brings to life the memory of two men who left many beautiful buildings behind them in Omaha. Memories keep people alive in our hearts, so let’s pause and reflect this season on those who have departed. I just learned that November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month, a disease that recently took one of my dearest friends, Cathy Mills. She would have celebrated her fiftieth birthday last September. I will celebrate my upcoming birthday for the both of us!

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Sandy Besch Matson Contributing Editor Omaha Home

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Rachel Skradski, CBS Home Realtor, after placement of cosmetic veneers. Photo by Kim Roudabush, Kim Photography.

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Omaha Home: neighborhood profile Story by Kara Schweiss • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

LindenWinter Estates Wonderland

H10

november/december • 2013

www.OmahaMagazine.com

Photos by Bill Sitzmann

T ORIGINALLY CARRIED THE decid-

edly blah designation of “SID 353,” but Linden Estates is now among Omaha’s most prestigious neighborhoods. Known for its approximately 120 stunning luxury homes that sit on large, exquisitely landscaped lots, the properties start at 3,000 square feet and more than a few attain the classification of “mansion,” with the largest topping out at 23,000 square feet. “The beauty of the neighborhood is that you didn’t have one builder going in there

www.BestOfOmaha.com

with a specific style,” says Deb Cizek, of the Cizek Group with Prudential Ambassador Real Estate. “You had the individual taste of the owners who contracted with these builders. You have some contemporary homes in there, some traditional, you have some Tuscan—just a beautiful mix of architecture.” Cizek has been in real estate more than 25 years, and as a realtor who specializes in highend properties, she knows Linden Estates particularly well. “It will go anywhere from half a million to multi-million, and everything >> november/december • 2013 H11

Omaha Home: neighborhood profile

<< seems to blend just fine,” she says. The residents themselves also blend well, says Kim Syslo, who’s been in the neighborhood for about a year. There are homes with play structures side-by-side with homes that feature stately courtyards or pristine gardens, and Syslo says her young family has felt at home from the beginning. “We have friendly neighbors who are so kind to my kids,” she says. “Children really are welcome—we’ve been thrilled with the neighborhood.” John Belford, president of Linden Estates’ board of directors, agrees that, as the neighborhood enters its third decade, it has become more diverse in recent years. “There’s definitely been a lot of turnover. We’ve had a lot of H12

november/december • 2013

new kids come into the neighborhood, young kids from 2 to 14. There are also people who are retired with no kids as well. Everyone gets along.” “It’s a pretty good mix,” Cizek agrees, “and that’s what you want in a neighborhood.” Located in the area of 144th and Dodge, Linden Estates is close to West Omaha business parks, retail developments, and other amenities. “We used to think 72nd was the heart of the city, and now it’s 132nd,” Cizek says. “Everything is easy to get to. It is a phenomenal location: easy access to downtown, easy access to the interstate.” “There are a lot of restaurants and

grocery stores and amenities that are within 10 minutes,” 15-year resident Nancy Hultquist adds. Linden Estates is in the Millard Public Schools district, so neighborhood children generally attend Ezra Millard Elementary, Kiewit Middle School, and Millard North High School. Catholic schools St. Vincent de Paul and St. Wenceslaus are also nearby. Belford, who is the parent of three high-school students and also has one in college, says, “I’m fortunate to live here. It’s been great for our family, and it’s a great location—between 132nd and 144th and Dodge to Maple, we have everything we need.” Linden Estates was annexed by the City www.OmahaMagazine.com

of Omaha in 2008, Belford says. There is also a Linden Estates Second Addition, but although the two neighborhoods are adjacent, they are independent developments and even managed by separate homeowners associations. “Linden Estates is, in my opinion, probably the premier neighborhood in the city,” Cizek says. “It has stood out for twenty years.” Not only has the natural maturation of the community’s trees enhanced the look of Linden Estates over the years, the April hailstorms that came through West Omaha this year had an unexpected silver lining—many of the homes now sport new roofs, which has refreshed the neighborhood. “You have www.BestOfOmaha.com

homes in there that look like they’re brandnew again,” Cizek explains. The new roofs will also be a perfect canvas for the elaborate holiday light displays for which Linden Estates has become known. “It’s always been like that since we’ve been here,” Hultquist says of the collective enthusiasm for holiday decor. “Everyone really puts up a lot of lights and celebrates the holidays. It’s a very festive environment not only for the homeowners, but also for Omahans to enjoy. I think when you go out to look at Christmas lights, this is one of the neighborhoods you go through.” Even the entrance to Linden Estates is welcoming, Belford says. “The homeowners

association started putting up lights about 10 years ago at the main entrance at 144th Street and Hamilton. The homeowners were already putting lots of lights up, so we decided to enhance the holiday season by adding lights.” Linden Estates is an active neighborhood year-round. Even the surrounding areas are pedestrian-friendly, Hultquist says, with plenty of paths, parks, and even a small reservoir near the First National Business Park. “In the morning, you see children walking to school, and after school, you see more people walking their dogs, children riding bikes,” she says. “There’s just more activity with more families and younger children in the neighborhood.” OmahaHome november/december • 2013 H13

Omaha Home: feature Story by David Williams • Photos by Bill Sitzmann & Keith Binder

Joni Fogarty in front of her Gold Coast home

Modest Magnificence

Legendary Architects that Designed Homes for the Rest of Us

ROM DOWNTOWN TO HANSCOM

Park and from the Gold Coast out west to the once frontier environs of Dundee, Happy Hollow, and Fairacres, the father-son architecture team of John and Alan McDonald made a lasting impression on Omaha’s cityscape. With the publishing of Building Omaha: The Architectural Legacy of John and Alan McDonald, a veritable treasure trove of information is revealed about the designs of the men who built Joslyn Castle (1903, John McDonald, Scottish Baronial Revival) and the Joslyn Memorial, now known as the H14

november/december • 2013

Joslyn Art Museum (1931, John and Alan McDonald, Art Deco). The book’s author, Joni Fogarty, began to research the project from her own doorstep. She and her husband, noted attorney Ed Fogarty, live in a 1910 Prairie Style home designed by John McDonald in the city’s regal Gold Coast neighborhood. “You can’t talk about the development of Omaha as a city without looking to John and Alan McDonald,” says the author of the book available at Our Bookstore in the Old Market Passageway. “They were prolific. They were everywhere. It was a practice that John

opened in 1880, and it lasted until 1950. Their story is the story of Omaha. They are known as the architects of the rich and famous, but their bread and butter were the commissions in between—hundreds and hundreds of them—from apartment buildings to small family homes.” Armed with Fogarty’s book, Omaha Magazine set out to explore some of the more modest of the McDonald legacies, ones that are gems in their own right. We selected two that perhaps best accentuate the theme of legendary architects who also designed “homes for the rest of us.” OmahaHome www.OmahaMagazine.com

Michael Drinkwine and Rochelle Hair

Lisa Moore and Kelli Smith

1313 – 1319 South 32nd Street

1014 South 36th Street

1880, Gothic Revival

Circa 1920, Bungalow

“I have always been a fan of the Bungalow/ “Astounding!” is the first word Michael Drink-

Prairie Style,” says Kelli Smith of the home

wine could muster when informed that the

she shares with Lisa Moore. The couple

Hanscom Park duplex he shares with Rochelle

learned of their home’s impressive lineage

Hair is not just a John McDonald property, but

only after they moved in. “In 2005, we de-

one of the architects’ earliest works, designed

cided to look for a new home and, happily,

in the very year that his practice opened.

this one—one of our favorites here in Field

“We know this isn't the Joslyn Castle or the

Club—was on the market.” Moore adds, “Even

Joslyn Art Museum,” he says, “but to us, it is

though the style of the house represents

so much more. This is our home. This is where

a purposeful simplicity, the quality of the

we live, where we sleep, where we play. This

craftsmanship is amazing. Our home isn’t a

is where our friends and neighbors live, and

designer showhouse where every space looks

it is our sanctuary. Joslyn Castle is a great

like it came out of a magazine. It’s lived in,

place to visit, don’t get me wrong, but this is

it’s comfortable, and some days it’s messy. But

our castle.”

we love it and so do our dogs.”

www.BestOfOmaha.com

november/december • 2013 H15

Omaha Home: cover feature Story by Betsy O'Donovan • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

It's only out with some of the old for Kristin and Michael.

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www.OmahaMagazine.com

HERE WAS BLUE CARPET

everywhere. It was hard to make out the precise shade of blue because any light that might have filtered into the tiny rooms of the house fought a losing battle with the home’s anachronistic velvet drapes. Kristin and Michael DeKay didn't care. They could see enough. “We walked in and I was just like, ‘Oh, man, we could open this wall up and it would be really nice,’” Kristin says. “I didn't even look at the carpet. I was just like, one, I bet there's wood floors underneath; two, we can paint everything. It was just a perfect little house.” >>

www.BestOfOmaha.com

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Omaha Home: cover feature

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www.OmahaMagazine.com

<< So perfect that the DeKays, who expected everything in the Morton Meadows neighborhood to be out of their reach, didn't look at any other houses before making an offer and closing the deal in 2009. The price was right, and there was enough cash left over for renovations. Out went piles of wood paneling, ceiling fans, and every square inch of that blue carpet, which had protected but concealed shining hardwood floors. For a couple like the DeKays, who frequently entertain, the 884 square feet that make up the main level of the smallish home on Poppleton Avenue could have been a problem. So, too, went a pair of interior walls that chopped up the front half of the house, making way for a claw-legged Duncan Phyfe dining table. >>

www.BestOfOmaha.com

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Omaha Home: cover feature << “I know a lot of people these days don't want a dining room; they want an eat-in kitchen or a bar or whatever,” says Kristin who, along with Mike, is a co-founder of the local brand strategy and design company, Grain & Mortar. “I want to have family dinners and a big long table.” To accommodate guests, Michael and Kristin made big choices, one of which was to define the living room with a tailored sectional sofa that seats ten, more if you get downright cheek-to-cheek chummy. Conversely, other items were scaled down, like the compact, yellow-and-white library cart that serves as a bar. Even there, an oversized recipe for an Old Fashioned pokes fun at the idea of “appropriate” scale. “Given this ugly little cart, it's like oh, man, no one wants that,” Kristin says. “I thought about painting it but I like the scuffs.” The cart also offers a shorthand look at Kristin's point of view: sharply edited contents marshaled alongside whimsical decisions.

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In her living room, a $10 mail cubby with gouged paint plays home to glossy magazines and electronics, and holds a place of pride next to an aqua Ethan Allen wing chair. That high-low look has an avid following on sites like Pinterest and Design Sponge, where the DeKay home has been featured. "Our style is best described as warm and eclectic, without fuss,” explains Mike. “We do our best to not keep things around that we don't actually use. No one wants to live in a museum." OmahaHome

www.BestOfOmaha.com

november/december • 2013 H21

Column: tile By Megan Hoy, The Tile Shop

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Tile Trends: Faux wood is for real.

HERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE

between fake and faux. Fake is meant to deceive, whereas faux is meant as homage. And one of the hottest trends in faux finishes and materials right now is faux wood tile—a ceramic that combines the rich, textured finishes and warmth of real wood with the durability, functionality, and design flexibility of tile. The strong trend toward faux wood tile is due to its contemporary, sophisticated look and durability. Because it’s water-resistant, you can use it in parts of the home where real wood would be impractical, like in bathrooms and mudrooms. What interior designers and homeowners love about faux wood tile is the abundance of available finishes, from natural, earthy tones to colors that most would never dream of staining in hardwoods, like washed-out whites and light grays. These lighter colors have become increasingly popular in more contemporary homes and boutique hotels, especially those with open, light-filled spaces that bring out the tile’s visual woodgrain texture. This year you'll see many rooms with faux wood tile and be stunned by how amazing it looks. Just because faux wood tile looks like a million bucks, it doesn’t mean that it will cost you a fortune. In fact, the price per square foot is a mere fraction of what you’ll pay for real hardwoods, a point that has undoubtedly added to its appeal and rise in popularity. Just don’t dare call it fake. OmahaHome

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To learn more about tile trends, visit TileShop.com, or pop into The Tile Shop's retail store at 12951 West Center Rd. And don’t forget to check out the Tile Shop’s free How-to-Tile classes every Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. H22

november/december • 2013

www.OmahaMagazine.com

Omaha Home: home décor makeover Story by Sandy Besch Matson • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Re-Energized Lamp

T • • • • •

HIS QUICK AND EASY project will shed new

light on any vintage, past-its-prime or atticdwelling lamp!

Using a good painter’s tape, protect the base and any other part of the lamp that will retain its original finish. Rough up the surface a bit with sandpaper to make painting easier, or select a type of paint that works best for the lamp’s surface. Paint away! I chose a hammered-metal brown for a dramatically different vibe. Once the paint is dry, carefully remove the tape. Choose a lampshade. I decided to go with a contrasting style, one that introduced additional coloring and texture. You can even mix and match shades from your existing lamps. OmahaHome

Insider’s Tip: Have you ever bought an inexpensive thrift store lamp just for the shade? You can sometimes save big money over store-bought lampshades this way, and the variety is endless.

www.BestOfOmaha.com

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Omaha Home: d•i•y Story by Jennifer Litton • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Angie Hall in front of her faux fireplace.

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november/december • 2013

Faux Fireplace d i y ••

IKE AN E-BOOK WITHOUT pages

or a tweet without wings, a modern fireplace doesn't need flames to be among the hottest of home trends. That’s exactly what Angie Hall, a busy mother of four, created for the dining room of her spacious, yet cozy West Omaha home. She says that after the initial phase of installing the fireplace mantel and surround, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do next. “Sometimes, I don’t always know how I’m going to get to what I want,” she explains, “so I just kind of leave it.” Hall’s ability to let projects brew, and her taste for “otherness,” blend together in revealing a unique style of rustic-meets-slightly-Victorian. The last thing she wants is for her house to look like she ordered it directly out of a catalog. “I like interesting things that are not in everybody else’s house,” she says. No stranger to home projects, Hall is an outside sales rep for Lumbermen’s, a hearth and home store. She began her career at The Fireplace Center in Lincoln, a store owned by www.OmahaMagazine.com

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we just jump right in and get it done,” says Sutton. The two crafted a template, and practiced using a tile saw on some cheap ceramic tile Hall had laying around. Short two pieces of tile, Hall returned to Menard’s, where she also found a solution for the hearth—the white tile that resembles brick. “I originally was going to put an antique mirror there.” The cast iron relief in a fleur-de-lis design was a gift from Sutton found while antiquing. Hall highlighted it with some metallic paints. “I jazzed it up a little. I didn’t like it plain.” Combining savvy in antiques, a frugal sensibility, and a little bit of elbow grease, Hall achieved the perfect look. “I like finding things that need a little love that I can make my own,” she adds. Total time spent was about eight hours. Costs will vary, depending on materials selected. Tile can range from as little as $30 to the-sky’s-the-limit for this fun project.

OMAHA MAGAZINE • 5921 S. 118TH CIRCLE • OMAHA, NE 68137

her mother, Maureen Sutton. But Hall attests that anyone can do this project, “as long as you are not afraid to get some tools out.” First, the mantel had to be trimmed because it was too tall for the room. She then hired a contractor for the difficult task of mounting the mantel. To give the gypsum mantel and surround the look of limestone, Hall coated them with metallic paint and wiped over that with a black glaze, “to give it a dirty look,” says the woman who honed her painting skills at the Kelly S. King Academy of Faux Painting and Decorative Finishing in Omaha. When she came upon a trendy glass tile at Menard’s, she knew it was perfect. “I loved the colors.” And the tile’s unconventional placement? “I thought it would be cool to run it vertical because I don’t like doing things they way they are supposed to be done,” she says with a mischievous laugh. The most challenging part for Hall was figuring out how to cut the tiles for the arch. That’s when her mother's flair for home design came in handy. “We both like projects, so

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november/december • 2013

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Omaha Home: at home Story by Chris Wolfgang • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Larger than Life Santa Claus lives at Joe and Deborah's.

EBORAH WARD, FORMER NEWSWOMAN and director

of marketing at Omaha’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, saw her first seven-foot-tall Santa at a Sam’s Club about eight years ago. Though husband Joe Jordan, managing editor of NebraskaWatchdog.org, may have simply decided to go with the flow at the beginning, their larger-than-life collection of Christmas memorabilia is now the center of a family tradition in their Papillion home. Three Santas and a Mrs. Claus later, Deborah is on the lookout year round for the next piece of holiday magic that will make her sit up and take notice. “I won’t take home just anything,” she says with a laugh. “I’m a Santa snob.” >>

www.BestOfOmaha.com

november/december • 2013 H27

Omaha Home: at home Addie is every bit as into the festivity as Mom and Dad. She has her own tree to decorate in her room. “But Mom’s nuts,” she says with certainty.

Deborah and Joe have three larger-than-life Santa statues dotted around their home from the day after Thanksgiving to the day after Christmas. Deborah's favorite Santa is this one with the curly beard and pocket watch.

H28

november/december • 2013

www.OmahaMagazine.com

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november/december • 2013 H29

Omaha Home: at home feature << Deborah and Joe don’t quite know what they’ll add to their collection next. “I’ll know it when I see it,” Deborah says. “It’s got to have a certain sparkle, you know. It’s got to be larger than life.” Space isn’t a concern just yet. “We have room,” she says, though Joe might shake his head. It helps to have a spacious basement too. That’s where all the Santas live for the other 11 months out of the year. OmahaHome

It’s not all about the Santas. Traditional stockings hung by the fire with care are among the seasonal knick knacks that don’t chuckle ho ho ho.

Not one to limit herself, Deborah doesn’t only acquire life-sized Santas. She’ll happily find a home for those smaller Kris Kringles as well.

H30

november/december • 2013

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Entertaining is a huge part of the holidays, Deborah says. The family hosts Christmas Eve at their Papillion home, so of course the kitchen, home to sweets and country-sliced ham, has to match the theme as well as the rest of the house. Animatronics add a special touch of magic to the house. Would it truly be Christmas without Santa dancing to Jingle Bell Rock?

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november/december • 2013 H31

Omaha Home: room

Story by David Williams • Photos by Bill Sitzmann

Journey into the Arcane

N THIS ISSUE WE introduce a new

department simply called “Room,” an exploration of the most intriguing rooms in Omaha. The male half of this pair of doctor homeowners had since childhood been fascinated with the marvels of what is known as a wunderkammer (“wonder room”). The idea is that of a Renaissance-era cabinet of curiosities whose contents often defied description but generally dwelled in the arena of archeology, natural history, works of art, geology, ethnology, and relics of all kind. He began by commissioning a masterful carpenter to transform an otherwise bare room of his Elmwood Park home into this classic, Holmesian library. The rest of the story is best told in pictures during a journey into the realm of the esoteric and the arcane. OmahaHome

A Cabinet of Curiosities

2. Mogollon culture vessel circa 800 A.C.E.

4. Bison antiquus horn core

3. First edition copy of Lolita

5. Fossilized mammoth tooth

The American Indian culture known as the Mogollon lived in the Southwest from approximately 150 B.C.E. until sometime between 1400 and 1450 B.C.E.

1. After Mantegna by Kent Bellows

The homeowner delivered the eulogy for the artist who died in 2005. This is one of several works inscribed to him by the artist.

Predating by a full three years its 1958 American release by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Vladimir Nabokov’s controversial novel was first issued in paperback by Olympia Press in Paris.

Excavated by the homeowner along Pony Creek near Pacific Junction, Iowa, the Bison antiquus is an extinct sub-species of the significantly smaller presentday bison. The mammoth weighed up to 10 tons and had tusks as much as 15 feet long. The beast went extinct over 11,000 years ago.

www.BestOfOmaha.com

november/december • 2013 H33

Omaha Home: ne/ia chapter of asid project awards 2013

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november/december • 2013

www.OmahaMagazine.com

NE/IA Chapter of ASID Project Awards 2013 N V I RON M E N TS, S PACE S, ROOMS...IT DOESN'T matter how

you refer to them, interior designers are an integral part of the very best examples. Professional designers conceptualize, coordinate, and execute their visions to create projects that are stunning, exciting, and functional. The NE/IA Chapter of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) recently submitted design projects to be judged by the ASID Florida South Chapter. These amazing projects are a sampling of the award-winning work produced in the past year by designers of the NE/IA Chapter of ASID. OmahaHome

Residential over 4,000 sq. ft. Lori M Krejci, AIA, Allied ASID Avant Architects 3337 N. 107th St., Omaha 402-981-4055 Family, friends, and food are at the core of this progressive home of a young family that enjoys modern art and entertaining. Photos by Tom Kessler

www.BestOfOmaha.com

november/december • 2013 H35

Omaha Home: ne/ia chapter of asid project awards 2013

248E

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november/december • 2013

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Residential over 4,000 sq. ft. Lori M Krejci, AIA, Allied ASID Avant Architects 3337 N. 107th St., Omaha 402-981-4055 Mid-Century Modern provided inspiration. Ample builtin storage allows the owners to easily maintain a clean and uncluttered home.

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november/december • 2013 H37

Omaha Home: ne/ia chapter of asid project awards 2013

H38

november/december • 2013

203H www.OmahaMagazine.com

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Residential over 4,000 sq. ft. Mark Hasebroock

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Lisa Cooper, Allied ASID Interiors Joan & Associates 13130 W. Dodge Rd., Omaha 402-330-0685 Love of French architecture and a sophisticated European look is the core inspiration of this home, reflecting the clients’ appreciation for the balance of refined elements with accents of a rustic nature. Photo by Tom Kessler

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Omaha Home: ne/ia chapter of asid project awards 2013 Residential Singular Space Diane Luxford, ASID D-Lux Interiors 402-496-3233 This outdoor area becomes very cozy and semiprivate with the ability to close off the space with outdoor draperies and motorized screen shades. All furniture and fabrics are rated for outdoor use. Heaters tucked under the eaves and a gas fireplace warm the space on cool fall nights. Photo by Tom Kessler

Residential under 2,500 sq. ft. Lisa B. McCoid, AIA, ASID D3 Interiors 3918 N. 138th St,. Omaha 402-502-7309 The objective of this project was to create a functioning man-cave for watching football games and entertaining. A glass transom creates a light and airy feeling in two spaces. No man-cave would be complete without a bar, so cabinetry was added to match the TV projection canopy. Photo by Tom Kessler

Residence over 4,000 sq. ft. Beth Settles, Allied ASID Interiors Joan & Associates 13130 W. Dodge Rd., Omaha 402-330-0685 The design concept for this project

stemmed

from

client ’s

desire

transform

t he

their home with traditional elements into a more modern transitional design. Photo by Tom Kessler

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november/december • 2013

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Residential Singular Space Victoria Pierce, ASID Paul Daniels Interiors 4333 S 70th St., Lincoln 402-474-5015 Aesthetically pleasing in a timeless and sophisticated style. Sufficient storage and display from customdesigned furniture of clean lines and smooth surfaces, a combination of color, textures, and patterns provide a rich and elegant feeling to a room that is now functional and beautiful. Photo by Long-Shots Video Creations

Residential Singular Space Julie Odermatt, ASID Kayla McClure, Allied ASID D3 Interiors 3918 N. 138th St,. Omaha 402-502-7309 Designed to make the ranch home appealing to all ages. The juxtaposition of the creamy white and rich chocolate cabinetry inspired the use of neutral warm colors with pops of bright white. The layout of the space creates a room that could be used for entertaining and also day-to-day living. Photo by Tom Kessler

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Visit www.asid-neia.org to find a qualified ASID designer for your next residential or commercial project.

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www.BestOfOmaha.com

november/december • 2013 H413:36 PM 7/29/11

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Omaha Home: transformations Story by Lindi Janulewicz • Photos by Tom Kessler

Beebe+Runyan Beauty

HE BEST IN PENTHOUSE living

requires the skillful acquisition of only those belongings that fit and work well within the limited parameters of one’s unit…or the selection of a designer who can magically make a space as beautiful as it is functional. Lisa Cooper, Allied Member ASID and professional interior designer with Interiors Joan and Associates, was the point person for this stunning renovation. Starting with a H42

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Downtown Omaha space that had a strong architectural shell, majestic scale, and soothing symmetry, she transformed it into an executive-style penthouse that capitalizes on the historic and authentic features of the Beebe+Runyan Building. Cooper’s vision for this unique home was to give the architectural elements, furnishings, and artwork the space to breathe, thereby highlighting the openness of the space and encouraging the appreciation of an overall >>

meet the designer Lisa Cooper, Allied Member ASID Interiors Joan and Associates

Transformations is a regular feature of Omaha Home that spotlights a recent project by a local ASID interior designer. The copy and photos are provided by the designer. Homeowners’ names may be withheld for privacy. www.OmahaMagazine.com

N O T B E N

P I C T U R E D :

A N D O N

S A R A H ’ S

T H E

J A W S

F L O O R .

Some rooms make better first impressions than others. And a Tile Shop showroom is certainly no exception. Here, we have dozens of actual kitchen and bath displays to give you ideas and to get you inspired. Because we think you should be able to see the tile you love on our wall before hanging it on yours. It’s like taking your new space for a test drive. The Tile Shop. Beautiful made easy. Get inspired at TileShop.com. LO C AT E D AT 12951 W EST C E N T E R ROA D I N T H E MO N TC L A I R S H O P P I N G C E N T E R

B E AU T I F U L

M A D E

E A SY

Omaha Home: transformations

<< theme, rather than merely a collection of individual parts and pieces. Innovative design concepts were thoughtfully integrated into the design, with the intention of creating a luxurious, executivestyle space for business entertaining or family gatherings. The goal and end result was a signature look that would translate well into a space that also functioned well for everyday life. Interiors Joan and Associates and the project’s contractor, Corey Spader of Site Construction Inc., worked meticulously to achieve the homeowner’s vision of creating an open space. Walls are kept to a minimum without losing the functionality of what walls H44

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do in defining a certain “roomness,” all while juxtaposing modern amenities against the historic elements of the building itself. The 3,000 square-foot penthouse features polished concrete floors, original wood beams extending from the floor to the 13-foot ceilings, walnut wood floors, original brick, and custom shutters. The professional kitchen area was designed with custom-made walnut cabinets featuring exotic wenge veneer accents as a backdrop to showcase such amenities as an espresso maker, oversized refrigerator, Miele appliances, professional range, and titanium granite countertops that were imported from Italy. The large island and barstool seating area

provides a perfect arrangement for entertaining and cocktail events. A custom-made wenge dining table with a travertine stone inset top sits below an overhead light fixture featuring rustic steel and Orleans glass, setting the perfectly elegant perch for diners to enjoy a panoramic view of the Missouri Riverfront far below. The modern, linear fireplace serves as a focal point for the space. Crafted of polished concrete cladding and surround with quartzite tiles laid individually by hand, the fireplace cleverly disguises a mechanical shaft while providing an ambient glow for both the dining and seating area. The office area was resourcefully www.OmahaMagazine.com

designed to do double duty as a guest room. Architectural Lighting Resources coordinated the penthouse’s lighting schematics, and the under-lit walnut flooring in the den is one example of their impeccable expertise. The space also features a pullout custom-made Murphy bed and built-in cabinetry, allowing additional room for storage of both clothes and office supplies. An adjacent bathroom boasts a hand-poured concrete ramped sink and floor-to-ceiling glass tile. The great room area and its media components serve as a perfect gathering space for relaxing or business presentations. Ever mindful of the desire to balance convenience and functionality, located close by is a wet bar www.BestOfOmaha.com

serving area featuring a nickel-hammered sink and cantilevered solid surface. The master bedroom features a masculine, rift red oak bed, handcrafted by local artisans, and a bird's-eye view of CenturyLink Center and the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. Walnut sliding doors allow the space to be open as needed and private only when required. A spa tub, honed basalt sinks, shellstone countertops, and floor-to-ceiling tile with ample linen storage make the master bathroom a serene retreat. In developing the master bath design, transoms were used to pierce the space with natural light. It also features a large walk-in closet with custommade shelving and racks with a conveniently

located, stackable washer and dryer. Finishing touches and thoughtful details give the penthouse’s industrial, masculine edge a touch of refinement. Highly polished barstools are upholstered in warm graphite. A camel-wrapped sectional with shearling black sheep pillows and a one-of-a-kind cocktail table from Mexico are just a few of the notable pieces in the project’s design. The finished product is an upscale condo unit that is truly beautiful yet eminently livable. Once a raw empty space, this penthouse has become a spectacular living area with intricate detailing in design, deluxe furnishings, and intelligent functional concepts. OmahaHome november/december • 2013 H45

Omaha Home: hot products

Accessorize For The Holidays

Selecting just the right accents can bring any home a fresh, renewed look and feel

Used as a lone accent or grouped in a veritable rainbow of blooms, these handblown glass spheres in both solid and mosaic themes will boost any color scheme. Green $30, Red $20, Blue $11. House of J 12965 W. Center Rd. 402-778-0650 HouseOfJ.com

Any candle can light a room, but these charmers transform any space with their hypnotic flames and sophisticated scents. From left: Damask Woods large $34.95, Brownstone small $24.99, Damask Woods medium $29.99. Andrea’s Designs 2701 N. Main St., Elkhorn 402-884-2600 AndreasDesignsElkhorn.blogspot.com

From tabletop to virtually any niche in your home, mix and match these and other iridescent Volcano Vases in composing a symphony of classic-meets-contemporary delights. Gunmetal $57, Bronze $34. House of J 12965 W. Center Rd. 402-778-0650 HouseOfJ.com

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www.OmahaMagazine.com

Omaha’s Premier Magazine Publisher, Family-Owned & Operated, supporting & promoting Omaha for over a quarter of a century. The Dala motif of hand-carved, hand-painted wooden objects is a traditional Scandinavian design that makes for an eye-popping addition to any décor. Dala Horse, $135. Dala Pig, $42.95.

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Give the gift of Omaha! Send a 2-year subscription to a loved one for The magnificence, comfort and craftsmanship of Yves Delorme design is legendary. Accent pillows shown here are the embroidered Fougère (French for “fern”), $136, and the beaded Laher, $180, both handcrafted in India.

only $11.00! ENTER CODE ‘OMAGGIFT’ That’s 77% LESS than the newsstand rate of $47.50!

The Linen Gallery Regency Court 120 Regency Pkwy. 402-399-5242 LinensAndDown.com

www.BestOfOmaha.com

november/december • 2013 H47

Omaha Home: new on the block Story by Anna Hensel

Daniel’s Moving & Storage

HomeStory of Omaha

10919 Sapp Bros Dr.

6536 S. 118th St.

402-216-0255

402-505-8770

danielsmoving.com

myhomestory.com

Originally a moving and storage company, Daniel’s has expanded across six states over the past 35 years and just recently opened a branch in Omaha. Daniel’s provides a wide range of services that include packing, crating, protected storage, and local, long-distance, and international transportation services. Equipped with a 24-hour telephone service and an on-site training facility, Daniel’s utilizes all of its resources to provide the best in service and transportation for customers.

A “one-stop shop” for all of your door redecorating needs, HomeStory of Omaha’s custom door installation process focuses on cutting down on costs and time while giving homeowners the makeover they’ve been wanting. Customers can choose from a wide selection of interior, closet, glass, or entry doors. Within a few hours, HomeStory can replace all the doors in a home, complete with professional paint and designer hardware, providing homeowners with a beautiful new entryway for any space.

Magpie

Oakwood Homes

Rockbrook Village, 2814 S. 100th Ct.

2908 S. 180th St.

402-321-8300

402-330-9977

Bringing West Coast design to Omaha, the newly opened Magpie is a specialty home décor store located in Rockbroock Village. Magpie’s “gifts for the nest” are intricate centerpieces that aim to add that decorative character to any home. Specializing in classic Mid-Century Modern furniture and accessories, some of the treasures found at Magpie include iconic pieces from Heywood Wakefield and Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as the Italian design house Alessi, “jewelry” for the home.

oakwoodhomesco.com

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A luxury homes builder, Oakwood Homes provides buyers with their own personal paradise without sacrificing the feeling of community. By building relationships with local associates and vendors, Oakwood Homes looks to create distinct living communities that are here to stay. Staffed with a comprehensive customer care team, Oakwood Homes strives to strike the right balance between modern and efficient design for each individual buyer. All Oakwood homes also come with a high-performance energy guarantee. www.OmahaMagazine.com

BUSINESS. ENTERTAINMENT. FAMILY. FOOD & DRINK. HEALTH. HOME. LIFESTYLE. STYLE.

DISTINCT CUSTOM CABINET LINE NOW AVAILABLE AT MILLARD LUMBER

Apex Cabinets uses only the finest woods - maple, oak, cherry and walnut in addition to more exotic woods, ensuring that your cabinet project will reflect your unique style. Our experienced staff guides you through the entire process - from design to installation - offering innovative ideas to help you turn imagination into reality. • Kitchens • Vanities • Wet Bars • Entertainment Centers • Wine Cellars • Laundry Rooms • And More! We offer: • Free Consultation & Design Services • Free On-site Estimates & Measurement Verification • Computer Project Design • Guaranteed Installation

12900 I Street, Omaha, NE

Monday - Friday 7am - 6pm / Saturday 8am - 3pm (402) 896 - 2800 / toll free at (800) 228 - 9260 www.millardlumber.com / facebook.com/millardlumber

the new

www.BestOfOmaha.com

november/december • 2013 H49

Omaha Home: home happenings

Queenly meets quaint

in this month’s Home Happenings.

Joslyn Castle Holiday Historic Home Tour

D Follow Us on

@OmahaMagazine

O YOU RECOGNIZE THE scene

pictured above? That’s the cover photo from our previous issue and now you have a chance to get an inside peek at this and two other magnificent homes on the Joslyn Castle Holiday Historic Home Tour. Tour the famous Storz Mansion, the elegant, sophisticated Gold Coast Barmettler House (pictured above), and the spectacular, historic Joslyn Castle, all decorated for the holidays. Enjoy special tastings at each home and a holiday gift boutique on the second and third floors of the Castle. The Joslyn Castle Historic Home Tour is Friday, Dec. 6, and Saturday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets for the tour are $20. Purchase tickets for either event at www.joslyncastle.com or by calling 402-595-2199. Tour tickets will also be available at the door on the days of the tour. A special Tour and Boutique Preview Party will be Dec. 5 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Castle. Tickets for the Preview Party are $75 and include tour admission.

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Country Club Community Council Luminary Night

HE FLICKERING GLOW OF

candlelight will warm even the chilliest of visitors on Dec. 8 as hundreds of luminaries line the streets of one of the city’s quaintest neighborhoods for one special night every holiday season. Organized by the Country Club Community Council, the annual luminary event renders a magical curbside tableau in the picturesque neighborhood known for its English Tudor brick homes and old-time globe street lamps. The Country Club neighborhood was featured in our November, 2012 issue. Pour a thermos of hot cocoa and pile the kids in the car for this nostalgic drive-by delight.

www.OmahaMagazine.com

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Write your own happy ending. Dreams really do come true. Find out when you contact us today at 402.255.5750. www.jasperstonedevelopment.com

Just off Blair High Road (Hwy 133) on County Rd 37

4 Miles North of I-680 on US 75

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Financing details.

Terms Interest Rate APR Payment Origination Fee Financed Amount Payment Amount Months 1-9 (9 Payments) 0.00% 0.00% $0.00 Zero 85% of Lot Purchase Price Zero payments for 9 months Months 10-13 (4 Payments) 2.99% 2.99% $180.02 Zero 85% of Lot Purchase Price Interest only Monthly Months 14-24 (11 Payments) 3.99% 3.99% $240.23 Zero 85% of Lot Purchase Price Interest only Monthly This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit and property approval. Rates, terms, fees and programs are subject to change without notice. APR based on an estimated lot purchase price of $85,000 and 15% non-refundable down payment. Your lot loan amount would be $72,250. Final balloon payment of $72,250 due at the end of 24 months/loan maturity. Monthly payments do not include taxes and insurance. The actual payment obligation may be higher. Contact Mutual of Omaha Bank Representative Charlie Vaughan at 402.351.4393 for more details. NMLS #422492

Member FDIC

Pella Windows and Doors of Omaha and Lincoln offer a wide range of energy-efficient windows and doors, so you can spend less on your heating and cooling costs, and have more for other things that matter to you. We’ll help keep your home – and your budget – comfortable.

Thank you Omaha!

888-419-6802 • pellaomaha.com Omaha 9845 South 142nd Street | Lincoln 6891 A Street, Suite 118, Clocktower Center

November/December 2013

Lutheran Family Services A Community Born to Win

Salute to Families

Honoring Family, Community Service, and Leadership

Teamwork ranked among the nation’s finest

Surgical Team

Our innovative team approach is saving lives and improving health with expertise for all that happens across life’s spectrum—from delicate first days to the most complicated surgeries. That’s the meaning of care. bestcare.org ©2013 Methodist Health System

The Planning, The Details, The Event

Parties that WOW before the first appetizer is passed. The DoubleTree® by Hilton Omaha Downtown will provide your event the special attention it deserves. With our newly renovated Grand Ballroom, the DoubleTree® by Hilton Omaha Downtown is the perfect place for Fundraisers, Benefits and Galas. From beginning to end, we will take care of all the details to ensure an event your guests will remember.

1616 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68102 • (402) 346-7600 www.omahadowntown.doubletree.com Hilton HHonors® membership, earning of Points & Miles®, and redemption of points are subject to HHonors Terms and Conditions. ©2010 Hilton Worldwide

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GALA

story by bailey hemphill • photo by bill sitzmann

OMAHA GALA

From left: Lutheran Family Services’ President and CEO Ruth Henrichs, Family Support Liaison Nellie Beyan, and LFS Forever Families Guild President Nancy K. Johnson

Lutheran Family Services

A Community Born to Win

UTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES PRESIDENT and CEO Ruth

Henrichs remembers meeting a young man a year ago who had a tattoo on his lower arm that read “Born to Lose.” When she asked him about it, he told her that life had always been against him—that he had been “born to lose.” That was, of course, until he came to LFS, he said. “There are lots of people who come to LFS on a daily basis who have this sort of invisible tattoo on their hearts that says >

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Mission: To Enhance the Quality of Life of the Blind and Visually Impaired.

GALA

• Is the largest employer of the blind and visually impaired in Nebraska. • Helps the blind gain confidence and skill sets to show their capabilities to the public. • Provides economic independence and an enhanced quality of life to our associates, who are able to become productive, taxpaying citizens. • Prepares its associates for opportunities to achieve upward mobility within ONI or at other successful businesses. • Has developed additional services for our blind and visually impaired associates, such as our Education and Training Program. This provides them with technology training that allows them to excel in their professional and personal lives.

Outlook Nebraska, Inc.

Low vision and deaf Machine Operator Bobbie Jo Salazar performs product quality checks.

Opportunities for People Who are Blind

4125 South 72nd Street • Omaha, NE 68127 • 402.614.3331 • www.OutlookNebraska.org

BE ACTIVE, STAY ACTIVE

When you work somewhere like LFS, no matter how difficult the day is, you always go home knowing that someone’s life was changed because you came to work. ruth henrichs

402.502.3878 | kompchiropractic.com 14510 F Street, Suite 103 | Omaha

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< ‘Born to Lose,’” Henrichs says. “I want them to leave here after receiving help with a different invisible tattoo.” Strengthening the individual, the family, and the community is how LFS intends to change those heart tattoos. And that’s exactly the mission the organization has followed since its humble beginnings in 1892. Over its many years within the Omaha community, LFS has grown into a faith-based nonprofit providing multiple services in over 30 locations across Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas to over 35,000 individuals annually regardless of age, race, religion, or income. In other words, just because it’s called Lutheran Family Services doesn’t mean you have to be Lutheran to receive aid. Mental health counseling, sexual abuse treatment, substance abuse treatment, foster care, adoption, pregnancy counseling, family support services, immigrant and refugee services—they do it all and more for people in need. “When you work somewhere like LFS, no matter how difficult the day is, you always go home knowing that someone’s life was changed because you came to work,” says Henrichs, who worked as a pregnancy and adoption counselor, a marriage and family therapist, and Interim CEO with LFS before she became its leader in 1985. She believes LFS’ work is part of the fabric of the community. For many years, nonprofits used to work alone, focusing only on their

GALA

Cordial Cherry The

lutheran family services

~ fine artisan chocolates ~

own work. Now, however, many organizations, including LFS, embrace the idea of uniting their limited resources with other organizations’ limited resources to provide a bigger impact. “There’s a rich diversity of nonprofits in the Omaha community, and we all offer difference services. Together, we have a collective impact. It’s important that we all work cooperatively so that our community can be strong. Communities are only as strong as their weakest link. Everyone has problems in life. Sometimes, those problems are so great that people need the help of the community. When the community helps those people, it strengthens the community as a whole.” Nancy K. Johnson, volunteer and president of LFS’ Forever Families Guild, agrees. “Children are the future, as cliché as it sounds,” she says. “If, for example, we can get in there and help a single parent learn to be a better parent, that trickles down into our community to make it stronger.” Johnson, who also works in real estate as the senior vice president of CBRE-MEGA, was introduced to LFS about 15 years ago through Adoption Links Worldwide, which later aligned with LFS. She began attending fundraising events for the organization and met Cheryl Murray, who was the executive director of Adoption Links at that time. “I really admire Cheryl a lot. She’s passionate and dedicated to the cause of helping young women and children. She’s one of those kinds of gals that you can’t say no to,” she laughs. Clearly, Johnson couldn’t say no to Murray, now a development officer and guild liaison for LFS, because she was drawn into more volunteer work with LFS. “I started volunteering more for them, and I became the president for LFS’ Forever Families [Guild].” As the guild president, Johnson works to increase fundraising and gain more exposure through other organizations. “There’s an organization called CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) that I’ve been involved with before through my real estate work. So I mentioned the Forever Families Guild to them, and they’ve picked the guild up as their philanthropy of choice for the next year. “People are always afraid to volunteer >

We at Millard Family Eyecare pride ourselves on our thorough, up-to-date eyecare, quality products, and friendly service.

12660 Q Street • 402-896-3300 www.MillardFamilyEyecare.com

402.679.3011 • 1223 S. 180th St Omaha, NE

www.thecordialcherry.com

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Congratulations to Executive Chef and Business Owner Jeﬀ Snow for being inducted into the Omaha Hospitality Hall of Fame.

Way to go Chef!

402.558.3202 | CateringCreations.com

GALA

We work with families and children to increase academic performance and help with obstacles, like attendance, to make sure the students are doing well with their education. nellie beyan

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< because they think it takes too much time or money, but it really is simple…LFS can do a lot on limited funds and time because the group is so passionate.” One such passionate supporter is Nellie Beyan, who works as a Family Support Liaison with LFS in the Omaha community and the Omaha Public Schools district. “We work with families and children to increase academic performance and help with obstacles, like attendance, to make sure the students are doing well with their education,” Beyan says. “OPS has a large population of Burmese refugees [the Karen] that we work with, too.” Working with refugees and immigrants comes easily for Beyan because she, herself, is an Omaha transplant. She moved in April 2000 from her home country of Liberia to work as an international volunteer with LFS. Later, she enrolled at University of NebraskaOmaha to get her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work with the help of sponsors Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hawks and Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Alseth. “I underwent a similar experience and hardships that most non-Americans undergo when they first come to America…I can put myself in their shoes because I know exactly what it’s like to come into a country with a new culture and new way of life, leaving family behind. It’s a difficult thing, the assimilation process. It’s very gradual, but it’s made easier by the available resources.” Beyan likes working with LFS because she

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OMAHA GALA

inside scoop story by bailey hemphill and dawn bashara • photos by billings photography studio

The Hettinger Family, Neb.

The Sherrill Family, Iowa

The Shives Family, Iowa

The Armitage Family, Neb.

Heartland Family Service’s Salute to Families Honoring Family, Community Service, and Leadership

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The Richardson Family, Neb.

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Robert and Thresia Hettinger of Papillion and their five children sat down and had a serious discussion about how they could help their family after Robert’s sister passed away from multiple myeloma cancer. After rearranging their home and lives to accommodate a big change, they officially adopted six of Robert’s sister’s children while the others stayed with their father. Recently, the family added their nephew, bringing their

The Peterson Family, Iowa

family total to 14. Robert, a District Network Specialist for Millard Public Schools, and Thresia, a stay-at-home mom, teach by example. Monday nights are solid family home nights reserved so that everyone can focus on enriching their spiritual lives through lessons, activities, songs, and prayer. The children are respectful and disciplined, big on sports, and genuinely focused on what they can do to help others. Pastor Nathan and Tina Sherrill of Council Bluffs, Iowa are intentional role models for their children. Together, they worship, study, work, and play. Nathan is pastor of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, where he is an active promoter of Christian education and has helped establish an Early Childhood Center, Music Conservatory, Christ Academy, Camp Creation, and other opportunities. Tina has a degree in elementary

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Patti Richardson of Omaha is all about kids. For 30 years, Patti has opened her arms to special needs foster children, adopting several of them. Ragina, 22, was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, ADHD, and congenital heart disease; Wesley, 10, has ADHD after being exposed to methamphetamine before birth; Aidan, 7, has congenital heart disease and had open heart surgery at just 2 mos; Anahla, 5, had a liver, small bowel, and pancreas transplant when she was just a year old; and Lasia, 4, is the only adopted child with no health problems. She also has three biological children—William, Jeffery, and Mikayla— who share her pain in losing son Andrew to brain cancer. The family suffered a second loss with Corey, a shaken baby who Patti fostered at nine months and adopted at 3. While the family has had their share of misfortune, Patti believes the humor they share helps them work through the difficult times. Chris and Nicole Shives of Council Bluffs, Iowa met at Iowa Western Community College, where she was a Certified Athletic Trainer and he was the Head Golf Coach. In 2008, an MRI revealed a lesion on the left side of Nicole’s brain. Over the next two years, Chris and Nicole married and had their first child, Jaxson—a pregnancy that required a C-section, a blood transfusion, and hospitalization for Nicole. In 2010, Nicole learned the tumor in her brain was a malignant cancer called anaplastic astrocytoma and began radiation therapy. Meanwhile, Nicole started a new career as a college instructor, obtained a second master’s degree, and kept up her duties as a full-time mother and wife. Chris left his job to be home with Nicole and eventually became a Corporate Events Director with the American Heart Association. Today, Nicole is cancer-free. She also gave birth to their second child, Ashlyn, in April 2012. >

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< COMMUNITY SERVICE Joel and Felicia Rogers of Papillion have raised their family to value spiritual growth, family honor, commitment to excellence, heritage, and service to the country. They have seven children—Javin, Clifton, Blake, Darnell, Dwayne, Ryan, and Zoe. Joel is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and now serves as Legislative Policy Analyst with U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base. Throughout his 28-year military career, he led outreach and volunteer efforts, earning numerous honors including the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. Currently, he volunteers with the Papillion Recreation Organization (PRO) and Toys for Tots. Felicia serves as the District Director for U.S. Congressman Lee Terry. She has been heavily involved with Wesley House Leadership Academy, Toys for Tots, Girls Clubs of Omaha, and she served as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 99th Pursuit Squadron of Civil Air Patrol. Dave and Sheri Smith of Crescent, Iowa felt a calling to reach out to children of fatherless families. Together, they founded Trailblazers of the Heartland Ministry to defend the cause of the fatherless, inspiring hope for their family’s future that is rooted in everlasting love. Today, Trailblazers has programs tailored to all ages from newborns to seniors, involving more than 300 at-risk children and 170 families in building healthy, positive reciprocal relationships with each other. The Smiths and Trailblazers have received many awards and honors including the State of Iowa’s National Guard Family Program Community Award in 2011 and the Iowa Governor’s volunteer award in 2012. In addition to Trailblazers, Dave volunteers about 300 hours a year to the MICAH House homeless shelter, and Sheri has worked parttime for the Phoenix House domestic abuse shelter. All five children follow in their parents’ community service footsteps as well. LEADERSHIP

Dr. James and Nancy Armitage of Omaha have provided leadership in the Omaha community and contributed to the medical profession. Jim is an internationally renowned

GALA

inside scoop

A member of

hematologist-oncologist with expertise in bone marrow transplantation and the management and classification of lymphoma. He is the Joe Shapiro Professor of Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and received the Robert A. Kyle Award from the Mayo Clinic last year. Nancy practiced psychiatric and intensive care nursing until the demands of family and children took priority. Since then, she volunteered on local boards and committees for schools, churches, and nonprofits. The couple was honored as Samaritans of the Year by the Samaritan Counseling Center of the Midlands, and they currently serve as board members and trustees of several community organizations, including the University of Nebraska Medical Center Auxiliary and Faculty Wives Club, Munroe Meyer Institute Guild, and the Nature Conservancy of Nebraska. Dan and Martha Peterson of Neola, Iowa own Peterson Angus Farms and have provided leadership to Southwest Iowa communities for more than a decade. Dan and Martha have supported Iowa Western Community College for almost a decade, serving on several boards and committees, chairing and co-chairing special events and projects, procuring auction items, working with youth, and hosting dinners in their home. In addition to IWCC, they are involved with the Council Bluffs Guild of the Omaha Symphony, Bluffs Arts Council, Alegent Charitable Council, Children’s Square, Visiting Nurse Association, and Heartland Family Service. Their children, Alexandra, Anna, Aiden, and Andrew, all belong to 4-H and incorporate the leadership qualities they learned from their parents in the own lives. The family also volunteers in Red Cross Blood Drives. GALA•OMAG Salute to Families – Iowa will be held Nov. 14 at Mid-America Center (One Arena Way) in Council Bluffs from 6-8:30 p.m. $25 adults, $10 children. For more information, visit heartlandfamilyservice.org or call 712-435-5350. Salute to Families – Nebraska will be held Nov. 21 at Happy Hollow Club (1701 S. 105th St.) in Omaha from 6-8:30 p.m. $45 adults, $15 children. For more information, visit heartlandfamilyservice.org or call 402-553-3000.

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The Road Home Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teens

story by david williams • photos by bill sitzmann

COVER FEATURE

LOAF OF BREAD. A tank

of gas. Pick up the dry cleaning. There are myriad detours one may take in the drive home on any given evening. But the road home for David Hayes almost never varies. On most nights, he drives his car in a trance-like state, methodically wending his way through the streets of Omaha. The vehicle comes to rest after ascending what starts out as an almost imperceptible hill. The scenery never changes. The vehicle once again deposits its driver at his final destination—Evergreen Cemetery.

That’s where he goes to visit his son, Dillon. A toxicology report listed the cause of Dillon’s 2010 death as due to a mix of cold medication and oxycodone. The medicine was an innocuous, over-the-counter purchase, a $6.99 solution to a case of the sniffles. The oxycodone was a much less innocent acquisition, a $40 score the then 15-year-old sophomore made in the halls of Millard North High School. Hayes is now a member of the saddest of fraternities—fathers who have lost their sons to prescription drug abuse. “It’s a crappy club I belong to,” says Hayes, who has since > omaha magazine • november/december 2013

137

the road home prescription drug abuse among teens

If I can stop one kid from going down the wrong road, if I can help one parent, it will be worth all the pain. It would be…priceless. david hayes

< dedicated his life to serving Dillon’s memory by talking about the dangers of a problem that will claim nearly 15,000 lives in America this year. And he’ll talk to anyone who will listen. Hayes has spoken before over 7,500 school kids in the second half of 2013 alone, along with hundreds of adults at service clubs, churches, and other settings. “It’s hard for me to speak. Really hard,” Hayes says. “But seeing the results is worth it. If I can stop one kid from going down the wrong road, if I can help one parent, it will be worth all the pain. It would be…priceless.”

COVER FEATURE

Oxycodone, most often available under the trade name of OxyContin, is a semi-synthetic opioid made from poppy-derived thebaine. It is a narcotic analgesic generally prescribed for relief of severe pain. Its connection to the poppy has earned it the street handle of “hillbilly heroin,” just one entry in a lexicon that includes such slang as 80s (as in 80 mg), kickers, killers, blues, and most commonly, oxy. Alcohol, along with many cold medications, shares the opiate affect of suppressing breathing, which is why mixing it with OxyContin is so dangerous. A person who takes a swig of cough syrup or a single drink before ingesting oxy will likely notice no adverse affects. Later during sleep, however, the combined effect of the continuous-release oxy (thus the “Contin” half of OxyContin name) may cause the lungs to simply shut down and cease functioning. > omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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COVER FEATURE

the road home prescription drug abuse among teens

< That’s what happened to Dillon. Hayes, perhaps most widely known as owner of the acclaimed V. Mertz and other popular restaurants, turned to counseling and clergy after Dillon’s death, but an abyss of sorrow still haunted him. To borrow from the lingo of 12 Step programs, he got better when he got busy. So Hayes and longtime family friend Carey Pomykata launched Dillon’s House, a nonprofit that operates under the auspices of Youth for Christ. A basement playhouse that was the scene of many of Dillon’s greatest childhood adventures inspired the name. In his playhouse, the young boy could take the guise of astronaut, spy, or action hero, lost in all manner of valiant reveries. They were roles that Dillon would never have a chance to play in real, adult life. A reimagined though much grander version of the playhouse, a gift from Hayes to the children of Sonshine Christian Preschool, now stands on the grounds of Harvey Oaks Baptist Church, where he is a member. “The kids here are, of course, too young to understand,” says Mollie Logan, director of the preschool, “but one day they will come to learn the full meaning of Dillon’s House.”

Kids my age think they’re invincible. Nothing can stop them. It’s an ego thing... But what kids don’t understand is not only that drugs can take control; they can take your life. That’s what happened to my brother. noah hayes

Hayes’ speaking gigs are aimed at the older siblings of the tykes who romp in Dillon’s House, as was the case during his presentation at Millard Public Schools’ Andersen Middle School. Some motions—like riding a bike or the graceful swing of a professional golfer—are unthinking ones. They are acts of all but unconscious muscle memory. Hayes has his own. Not one minute into his school chat, he was reaching for a tissue. It is a gesture that defines the gentle, soft-spoken man. He first demonstrated it over coffee in an initial interview. He repeated it at the school and then again in a photo session. Even at an otherwise festive social function, talk of Dillon soon had Hayes fumbling through his pockets. “Remember that old, old American Express travelers checks commercial with Karl Malden?” Hayes asks as an index finger darts to a cheek to intercept a salty intruder. “That’s me, but with Kleenex. I never leave home without them.” “My dad didn’t want to wake after that, after Dillon died,” adds Hayes’ other son, Noah, now a 17-year-old junior at Elkhorn South High School. “Every morning was the same. He’d wake up, and it would take a moment or two for things to sink in, even >

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May Lose Value 445413PM-07/2013 omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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side bar illustrations by john gawley and paul lukes source: united states centers for disease control

COVER FEATURE

Prescription drug abuse kills more Americans every year than heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamines combined. Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Prescription Drug Abuse By the Numbers In 2010, 1 in 20 people in the U.S. (age 12 or older) reported using prescription painkillers for nonmedical reasons in the past year.

The number of Americans who die every year from overdoses involving prescription painkillers.

DECEMBER

Enough prescription painkillers were prescribed in 2010 to medicate every American adult around-the-clock for a month.

Americans consume

81% of the world’s

SUN

MON

TUES

WED

THUR

FRI

SAT

pain meds.

LB 535 proposes that Nebraska adopt the Prescription Monitoring Program Act, an effort to combat the increase in prescription drug abuse, misuse, and diversion.

The number of prescription drug abuse-related emergency room visits in 2009, a number that nearly doubled in just five years.

Unintentional drug overdose deaths by major type of drug, United States, 1999-2007

10 9

14,000 Number of deaths

10,000 8,000

Cocaine

6,000 4,000

Heroin

2,000

8 Death rate per 100,000

Prescription opioid analgesic

12,000

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

0 ‘99

’00

‘01

’02

‘03

’04

‘05

’06

‘07

CDC Source: National Vital Statistics System

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Rate of unintentional drug overdose death in the United States, 1970-2001

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

‘71 ’73’ 75 ‘77 ’79 ‘81 ’83 ‘85 ’87 ‘89 ’91 ‘93 ’95 ‘97 ‘99 ’01 ‘03 ’05 ‘07 CDC Source: National Vital Statistics System

the road home prescription drug abuse among teens

< months later. Was that real? Did that really happen? Then the pain would come again.” His struggle is different. While Hayes is bewitched by the specter of one lone oxy, Noah must witness firsthand the ongoing ravages of prescription drug abuse among his peers. “Kids my age think they’re invincible,” Noah explains. “Nothing can stop them. It’s an ego thing. Drugs can’t possibly have negative consequences, they think. They could see this story and not even blink. They just don’t think that way. But what kids don’t understand is not only that drugs can take control, they can take your life. That’s what happened to my brother. He went to bed one night and never woke up.” Close your eyes, Noah says, and Monday morning locker chatter can be indistinguishable from that of the scholarly banter found in a lecture hall for third-year pharmacy students. “It’s really prevalent in our school and must be in others. It’s like a dirty little secret.” Omaha Magazine invited three different area school districts to participate in a variety of ways in compiling this story. Some of those media requests were decidedly weighty and challenging. None accepted the invitation. Pomykata, who acts as the director of Dillon’s House, has also had the soul-crushing experience of facing the persistence of dirty little secrets. She once happened to bump into thirteen of Dillon’s friends on a pilgrimage to Evergreen Cemetery. “It was the sweetest scene,” she says, “crying and laughing and then crying some more as we remembered Dillon.” But the conversation took a grim, darker turn as time wore on and the teens opened up about life after Dillon. “Twelve of the 13 admitted to using prescription drugs again since Dillon’s death.” When it comes to the volatile power of a narcotic like oxy, there is no such thing

Recovery has been a long road to travel. My family expected to get the old Jason back, but the new Jason is still pretty okay with them. “jason,” a recovering addict

as innocent, youthful experimentation, and repeated use can easily lead to addiction. “I stole money from my mom,” says Jason (not his real name) on how he funded an insidious oxy addiction. “I stole a TV from my grandma, even though it was a lame piece of junk that I sold for only $30.” Jason dropped out of school at 16 before hitting bottom and landing in rehab under court-ordered supervision. Now 19, Jason is in recovery and back in school, studying computer programming while working a steady job, both ideas that were once entirely foreign to him. “Recovery has been a long road to travel. My family expected to get the old Jason back, but the new Jason is still pretty okay with them. The first thing I did when I had any money was to buy grandma a new TV, nicer than the one I took. She had already replaced the TV and laughed about it, but it was something I had to do for myself as much as for her.” All addictions are family diseases. Often beginning as the elephant in the room, addiction acts like a malicious virus, infecting those closest to the user. “I went to Al-Anon because I thought those people could tell me how to get my daughter to stop [prescription drugs],” says Sarah, who also requested anonymity for this story. “I was wrong about that but in a good way. What I found there really surprised me. Al-Anon helps me answer questions about me. I learned how to live again. It’s about sharing experience, strength, and hope. My daughter ended up getting better even before I did,” Sarah adds with a chuckle. “She still goes to NA [Narcotics Anonymous], I go to Al-Anon, and sometimes we go to each others’ meetings together.” Reed Campbell, Clinical Director of NOVA Treatment Community in Omaha, has worked with scores of “Jasons” and “Sarahs” on what can be shared roads to recovery between parent and child. “In the stage between late childhood and early adulthood, curiosity runs rampant,” he says. “Anything that can get youth out of a place that is uncomfortable by providing some sense of security is a thing that kids might easily cling to. The grip of drugs like oxycodone and other heavy-duty pharmaceuticals is powerful but teens don’t think of the consequences.” Pomykata agrees. “Kids see this stuff in their parents’ medicine cabinet and think ‘A doctor says this is good for my mom’s back. This must be safe or a doctor wouldn’t have given it to her.’”

COVER FEATURE

What I found there really surprised me. AlAnon helps me answer questions about me. I learned how to live again. It’s about sharing experience, strength and hope. “sarah,” al-anon member

Hayes reached for a tissue when Pomykata painted the picture of Dillon’s friends at the cemetery but prefers to point to happier, more encouraging brushes with those touched by prescription drug abuse. “A young man stopped me in the grocery store recently. He started crying as he introduced himself, saying that he had heard me talk at Millard South High School and had struggled with a drug problem, including prescription drug abuse. Then, he said something that reminds me of why I get out of bed in the morning. ‘That could be me,’ he said, ‘I could have been Dillon.’” The tireless advocate has recently broadened the reach of Dillon’s House, taking its message on tour to five school districts in New York, where he says officials use the word “epidemic” to describe their prescription drug problem. Never one to rest, he loaded the evenings of his itinerary fulfilling invitations from universities and church groups. Back in Omaha, Hayes dashes off to another school and then another and then another. He consults maps in planning his next national road trip. On many days, he is in danger of forgetting what’s next on his dizzying calendar. But there will always be Evergreen Cemetery. And there will always be the shadow cast by a little blue pill. Hayes’ road home is always the same. OMAG

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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Homer’s continues to build Nebraska, and Iowa’s largest selection of new and used music. They stock thousands of CDs from polka to metal, jazz to hip hop. Check out the $7.99 new CDs. Omaha’s best destination for new releases and classic titles. 1210 Howard St. Old Market 402-346-0264

EPICUREAN DELIGHTS Vine & Branch

Pre-made or custom baskets that include your choice of flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars paired with your favorite bottle of wine and accented with gourmet snacks. Starting at $25. 1125 Jackson St. In the Old Market 402-614-4048 • fineoilsandvinegars.com

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Omaha Magazine 2013

TRUNK SHOW

Meet designer Mary Jo Pane and create personal heirlooms for holiday gift giving.

Holiday Gift Guide

FRIDAY

November 29, 10-8

SATURDAY

November 30, 10-5:30

SUNDAY

December 1, 12-5

Photo: creativeiq.info • Ad Design: Creative Press & Design

120 Regency Parkway | Omaha, NE | 402.391.0400 | borsheims.com omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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SAVVY

SHOPPING

SHELDON’S FOR WOMEN

802 Central Ave Nebraska City

www.sheldonsforwomen.com

DID YOU KNOW THAT… Dick Boyd played Ebenezer Scrooge for 30 consecutive seasons, never missing a single curtain call, in the Omaha Community Playhouse production of A Christmas Carol. His final bow in the role came in 2005 when the actor was 83 years old.

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Christmas Open House •November 1,2 & 3

Holiday Decor• Antiques Home Accessories•Furniture Artwork•Floral•Candles•Gifts Jewelry•Scarves•Purses See facebook for upcoming events

717 Central Ave. Nebraska City, NE

“Our business is your pleasure.”

Lied Lodge..the perfect gift. Gift cards are a delight to give and a treasure to receive. Cards may be used for overnight stays, spa services, meals, gift shop merchandise, wines, and Tree Adventure admission. liedlodge.org/giftcards 2700 Sylvan Road Nebraska City Call 1-800-546-5433

4,000 Sq. Ft. of quality antiques 609 Central Ave Nebraska City, NE 68410 (402)873-7333 warehouseantiques609.com Open 7 days a week

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Omaha Magazine 2013

Holiday Gift Guide

TRIMMING THE TREE • Tannenbaum

INDOOR SHOOTING RANGE GIFT CERTIFICATES From The Bullet Hole

Explore Tannenbaum Christmas Shop in the Old Market for fun and fanciful additions to your ornament collection! Consider one of these from Old World Christmas (Swinging on a Star, Magis’ Camel, and The Frog King). Starting under $10. 1007 Howard St., Old Market 402-345-9627 oTannenbaum.com

Gift certificates are a great choice for any shooter on your list! 10915 Harrison St La Vista, NE 68128-5711 402-596-0367 • www.thebh.com GET YOUR ART ON Corky Canvas

TAMRON 18-270MM ALL-IN-ONE ZOOM LENS • Rockbrook Camera

This mom-approved zoom lens does it all, from wide-angle group shots to telephoto action far across a soccer field. Stop juggling lenses and take advantage of this compact, lightweight 15x zoom. Holiday Sale Priced. Legacy 168th & W. Center Rockbrook 108th & Center Rockbrookcamera.com

Release your inner Van Gogh and uncork your creativity with holiday gift cards that include a painting class and a free glass of wine. The perfect gift for moms, coworkers, friends, and all those on your list who are hard to buy for. $35. Midtown Crossing and Lincoln 402-637-4066 • corkycanvas.com

BRAIDED BEAUTY Gadgeteer

Designs by Barbara Silverstein have been sold at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, and the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Santa Fe. Architectural, minimal, maintenancefree, timeless designs that will delight the discriminating. Stainless steel braiding with white faux pearl. 7317 Douglas St. 402-397-0808 • gadgeteerusa.com

NEW & USED VINYL Homer’s Music & Gifts

TIME-HONORED TRADITIONS • The Tea Smith

Perfect for clients, family, and friends, build a custom gift basket brimming with artisanquality loose-leaf tea and accessories. Serenity is just a cup away. Old Market: 1118 Howard St. 402-932-3933 Tower Plaza: 345 N. 78th St. 402-393-7070 theteasmith.com

Jump start your vinyl record collection at Homer’s, Nebraska and Iowa’s largest selection of new and used vinyl. Your go-to spot for new and used turntables, stereo equipment, cleaners, sleeves, storage crates—everything you need to get your records spinning. 1210 Howard St. • Old Market 402-346-0264

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Holiday Gift Guide

studio views a working ceramics studio

The perfect place to find a unique gift for the Scandinavian in your life or something delightful for yourself.

2619 N. Main Street, Elkhorn NE 68022 402.289.2307 • www.littlescandinavia.com

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE… Andrea’s Designs

We have pieces for indoor and outdoor rooms, gardens, baths and water features!

Santa’s workshop can’t hold a candle to the amazing yuletide decorations and gifts you’ll find here. Oh, and on that same subject, check out the Woodwick candles. 2701 N. Main St., Elkhorn 402-884-2600 andreasdesignselkhorn. blogspot.com/

We create custom pieces, backslashes and counter tops for kitchens and baths.

gift certificates available 2615 N. Main St. Elkhorn 402.996.0087

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Elkhorn 2013

HOLIDAY CATERING GIFT CARDS FOR SALE $25 worth of gift certificates for $20

Open 7 Days a Week 8am-2pm

DID YOU KNOW THAT… When bully Scut Farkas first appears in A Christmas Story, the “Wolf” music from Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf plays in the background. The name “Farkas” is derived from the Hungarian word for “wolf.”

We have all you could need to get your palace ready for the holidays, ranging from figurines to furniture and light fixtures. Stop by Karly & Company to find your loved ones the perfect gift to give their home an upgrade!

402.614.3040

2710 N. Main Street Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022

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Omaha Magazine 2013

Holiday Gift Guide Your E-Cig Superstore

theplayersgolfacademyomaha.com Omaha’s Newest Indoor Golf Facility

VISIT THE WEBSITE TO SEE CHRISTMAS SPECIALS FOR YOUR FAVORITE GOLFER! Purchase a lesson, practice time on range, or a round of golf on our simulators

Skip Tredway PGA Life Member G.O.L.F. – GO ON LEARNING FOREVER

Wouldn’t this be a great gift?

SMEJ’S SNACKS & MORE Candy, Snacks, Drinks and Fun! 402.344.7635 2060 N. 117th Ave. • Omaha, NE 68164

Buy $50 Gift Certificate and we will Include the bottle of wine, an $85 dollar value. Just mention this ad. Harvest - 16909 Lakeside Hills Plz #118

Omaha’s Remanufactured Cartridge Specialist

Fine Gifts For Men & Women

Supplies, Sales & Service Laser & Ink Printers | Copiers & Fax Machines

CALL NOW • (402) 331-1417

or Stop In & Receive 25% OFF on Your Purchase of up to 2 in-house Remanufactured Cartridges! www.TheRetone.com – FREE LOCAL DELIVERY

A World of Fashion 120 Regency Pkwy, Omaha, NE - 402-397-7900 - www.parsows.com omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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Omaha Magazine 2013 A Beyond Golf gift card is the perfect gift for any golf lover!

From lessons with a PGA pro to 18 holes at Pebble Beach, hand-crafted cocktails to a 75+ craft beer selection, Beyond Golf’s classy country club environment provides a great experience for all!

www.beyondgolfomaha.com • 402-916-4727 Gentleman’s Choice now has Fine Italian Suits available in multiple colors. Great for holiday gifts, graduation gifts, wedding party gifts. . .

it’s back black friday • gift cards

buy one get one half off [one day only]

[miss] it? worry not

receive a $20 bonus for every $100 you spend on gift cards offer ends december 31st

2 Omaha Locations: 14158 W Center Road (below Old Chicago) (402) 330-6158 8014 W Dodge Road (402) 391-3200 www.savviformalwear.com

*may not be redeemed day of purchase. available for purchase in restaurant only. discounted cards must be of equal or lesser value.

50% OFF any 16 session pilates equipment package or $100 off unlimited floor classes New clients only.

The Perfect Place For All Of Your Custom Holiday Goodies and Savory Catering!

Come in and visit us! 402.557.6799

14242 Fort St., Ste. #109 Omaha, NE 68116

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PILATES EQUIPMENT & MAT, YOGA, TAI CHI, 402.502.9772 | www.mindbodyprograms.com BELLY DANCE, POLE, BARRE, ZUMBA AND MORE! 168th & Center, in The Shops of Legacy

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digital cameras story by david williams

Demystifying Digital

Holiday Gift Guide CORNUCOPIA OF DELIGHTS • Chef

These gourmet gift baskets include a variety of delicious olive oils, balsamic vinegars, spreads, bruschettas, crackers, and so much more, all carefully curated by a trained culinary staff. Pre-made and custom options available to fit all budgets and needs. Starting at $35.00 Midtown Crossing, Omaha 402-991-5656 • chefs2.com

What’s the right camera for me?

HY SHOULD I BUY a

camera when I already have one embedded in

my smartphone?” The imaging sensors, optics and metering systems of camera phones were never meant to replace traditional photography, but an entire generation has grown accustomed to lowered expectations—blurry, grainy ones at that. No family heirlooms here. Your choice of camera depends on the type of pictures you wish to take and the level of artistic expression you seek. Chuck Fortina of Rockbrook Camera has some advice: Digital Compacts, also called pointand-shoot cameras, keep getting better, faster and less expensive. Most have optical zooms. Rugged, waterproof models are available for outdoor adventures. A good digital compact is great for travel and handy for everyday use, even if you also own a more advanced camera. Digital SLR cameras are the most popular choice for people wanting to take photography to the next level. DSLRs have larger sensors, which translate to the vivid colors and razor-sharp details associated with professional photography. They work at much faster speeds and are capable of shooting multiple images per second, making them almost a must for sports, action, and nature photography. DSLRs offer a wide array of interchangeable lenses and accessories, making them capable of handling any photographic challenge. Compact System Camera models are the newest option. Think of them as a DSLR without an eye-level optical viewfinder. These mirror-less designs are small but carry all the advantages and versatility of the interchangeable lenses, faster shooting, and larger imaging sensors of the DSLRs described above. OMAG

BEAUTY IS ONLY A CLICK AWAY • BeautiControl

DID YOU KNOW THAT… During Hanukkah, the eight candles of a Menorah are placed from right to left but are lit from left to right.

SONY NEX- 6 W/16 -50MM Rockbrook Camera

LENS

Shoot like the pros with this full-featured, mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera. Integrated Wi-Fi for quick downloads. Lightweight body houses a pop-up flash, hot shoe, and a high resolution viewfinder. Holiday Sale Priced. Legacy 168th & W. Center Rockbrook 108th & Center Rockbrookcamera.com

Everything from skin care to bath and body, make up, and fragrances. Check out bath and body for baby, and don’t forget fragrances for men. Visit the website for great deals on hundreds of products. 402-968-5797 beautipage.com/ rhonped

GET THE BIG PICTURE Nebraska Low Vision

A great gift for the elderly, this portable, hand-held magnification device delivers 2X to 16X magnification on its 4.3” color screen. 3.5 hour rechargeable battery included; case included. Connect to your TV for larger viewing. 11110 Fort St. Omaha 402-491-3191 • NebraskaLowVision.com

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Holiday Gift Guide High quality men’s clothing including suits, sportswear, shoes, accessories, and more from designer name brands.

LET US HELP YOU LOOK YOUR BEST FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND THE NEW YEAR!

402.491.4000 132nd and Dodge | Omaha, NE 68154

Omaha Magazine 2013

DID YOU KNOW THAT… According to Greek legend, malicious goblins called “Kallikantzari” would come up from their underground lairs on December 25th and would play tricks on humans until the 6th of January. You repel the imps by burning a Yule log.

Celebrate

Take time to ~ Let Molly Maid do the cleaning

s y a d i l o H y p p a H Central Omaha/Council Bluffs Gift Certificates Available 402.932.MAID (6243) cathy.tichy@mollymaid.com

Give the gift of transportation and convenience! Available at any SAC Federal Credit Union or online at WWW.HAPPYCAB.COM/ICARE

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Open Mon- Sat 10-6 • Sunday 11-4 402-502-1962

17650 Wright Street in Legacy West Omaha (Next to Sprint)

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Perhaps the most widely recognized portrait of “American Santa Claus” was created by artist Haddon Sundblom as part of an advertising campaign for Coca-Cola.

sponders special advertising section

Omaha Magazine 2013

Holiday Gift Guide

Help support Police and Firefighters to keep Omaha safe. Our mission is to raise awareness, appreciation, and to raise funds for Omaha area police, firefighters and other first responders while promoting a better understanding of their value to our citizens and community.

Recent efforts: • Fundraising to buy and install 40,000 free smoke & carbon monoxide detectors for low income homes • Fundraising for DNA kits to help incarcerate violent gang members • “Thumbs Up” campaign for children to recognize and show appreciation for police and firefighters

firstrespondersomaha.org

find this season

your best holiday

Jewelry and Personal Products Cute and Trendy Apparel Home Décor

Bountiful Goods in Glorious Disarray 19278 Conifer Lane, Council Bluffs 712-322-2669

Creighton Classic Blazer

Officially licensed Creighton University classic navy blazer by S. Cohen. Featuring white lining with printed logos and embroidered “Billy Bluejay” under the collar; timeless gift for any Creighton fan! 100% wool. Available 38 Short54 Extra Long.

7806 Dodge St • 402-330-6614 www.jerryryanclothing.com omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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Holiday Gift Guide

402 VAPE 8515 Park Dr. Ralston NE 68127

Omaha Magazine 2013

It’s Your Theatre!

402.339.VAPE[8273]

COME IN AND TRY OUR QUALITY E-JUICES.

The perfect gift! Everyone loves the movies!

WE CARRY QUALITY E-CIG SUPPLIES. FRIENDLY, KNOWLEDGEABLE OWNERS WHO VAPE.

402.502.1914 2110 S 67th St. Omaha 68106

• Corporate Dessert Bars • Corporate Parties • Holiday Gift Baskets Strike Zone is the nation’s finest indoor baseball/softball facility with: • 7”Iron Mike” batting cages • Fully stocked pro shop • Instruction, Camps, Clinics, Leagues, and More

402-398-1238

WOMEN’S CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES sassy & whimsical bar/giftware... door hangings...home decor... candles...food products...furniture... children’s clothing & accessories... jewelry...funky luggage...stationery... purses...vinyl signs & tiles... and so much more!!!

[402] 933.59 02

strikezoneomaha.com 2900 S 110 St.(In Rockbrook Village) Omaha,Ne 68144

169th & Har r is on | O m aha www. ch i q ueb o u t iq ue om a h a .com

Start off your creative & delicious hobby of wine or beer making with a class. Bring in this ad and recieve a free January class with a purchase of one of our six (6) starter kits from 11/01/13 to 12/22/13.

Savannah Filmore

unique artwork • beautiful home decor fashion accessories • fabulous holiday selections

19257 Conifer Lane • Council Bluffs 712-388-0010 Voted Best of Council Bluffs 3 years in a row! 2011

DAILY NONPAREIL

154

2012

DAILY NONPAREIL

2013

DAILY NONPAREIL

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

Peggy Karr Plates Made in the U.S.A.

Exclusively at Erwin’s Jewelers Co. 223 West Mission Ave. • Bellevue, NE 68005 402.291.2454

84th & J Sts, Behind Just Good Meat www.fermenterssupply.com • 402.593.9171

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ANTIQUITY MEETS CONTEMPORARY Silver Of Oz

This 19th Century nomadic Turcoman pendant of silver and jade is embellished with a calligraphic design and punctuated with a string of green agate and silver beads. $435. Montclair on Center, 13013 W. Center Rd. 402-558-1307 • silverofoz.com

WILSON CREEK ALMOND CHAMPAGNE From Corkscrew

The “OH MY GOSH” champagne, because that is typically people’s first reaction after tasting it. Naturally fermented, with pure almond flavor added. A unique sparkling wine that is appreciated by Champagne lovers. Yet, those who do not normally like Champagne find the Almond Champagne accessible and enjoyable. In short, the experts like it, and Champagne novices are surprised by it. Bottles are $12.99 Rockbrook Village 10924 Prairie Brook Rd, Omaha, NE 68144 corkscrewwineandcheese.com 402-991-2927

OOKING FOR UNIQUE HOLIDAY gifts? Let Omaha Magazine help

you with our Holiday Gift Guide, supported by local advertisers. With products, packages, and services, there's plenty of gift ideas from local businesses for you to consider as you shop for your friends, family, and business associates. Our best wishes to you for a happy, holiday season! Omaha Magazine Staff

THE LAP OF LUXURY From The Linen Gallery

Cozy up in this exquisite Gilden Tree velour robe of incredibly soft, pure cotton featuring an elegant notched collar, front patch pockets, rolled cuff sleeves and double belt loops. It’s full length, so you can envelope yourself in luxury. $72 Regency Court 120 Regency Pkwy. 402-399-5242 LinensAndDown.com

AUTHENTIC NATIVE AMERICAN DREAM CATCHERS Pilcher's Indian Store

"Let the good dreams pass through the web onto the ones who are sleeping." Hand crafted items made by Plains Indians of this region. These and other unique items and gifts from Pilchers represent the spirit of Native People. Starting at $4.50 14909 Industrial Rd., Omaha 402-334-7556 • pilchersomaha.com

PERSONALIZED ICE CREAM GIFTS • eCreamery

Send the Holiday Collection with four gourmet ice cream flavors, each carrying a special holiday title, or create your own custom blend from over 30 flavors and 40 mix-ins. As seen on Oprah, Martha Stewart, Shark Tank, and in The New York Times. Nationwide shipping. Staring at $49.95. Save $10 code: omaha10 eCreamery.com omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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Home Beer Making Starter Set 5 gallon Equipment kit and choice of Ingredient kit (Yields 2.5 cases) Holiday Special With Ad

$100 plus tax

8510 K St., Omaha 402-331-5404 expires 12/31/13

Holiday Home Party

Chocolate Fountain

Special offer

$250 for 2 hours Call to reserve yours today 402-331-5404 expires 1/31/14

Give a piece of Nebraska to your friends and family with a custom Nebraska at the market gift basket!

DOWNTOWN OMAHA GIFT CARD

Giving gift cards this year? Why not give the gift card that allows the holder to dine, shop, play, stay, and even park in Downtown Omaha. This card can be redeemed at over 100 great downtown bars, restaurants, hotels, salons, galleries, museums, parking garages, and more. 402-916-1796 • omahadowntown.org

GIVE THE GIFT OF WILDLIFE Adopt an animal from Omaha’s Zoo and surprise your loved ones this holiday season. Packages start at just $25 and include a variety of special benefits.Your gift supports the world-class care for the zoo’s animal residents.

Over 100 Nebraska businesses under 1 roof!

402.346.6975

1215 Leavenworth St Omaha NE 68102 156

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This Holiday Season Let Us Do The Cooking For You! 25% Off all party trays and deli sides now through 12/31.

Call us or visit our website for info on our 100% local products & groceries.

402.933.0893 www.tomatotomato.org

3701 South 10th St • Omaha, NE 68107 402.738.2073 • omahazoofoundation.org

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Omaha Magazine 2013

Aksarben

Holiday Gift Guide

Lights of Aksarben NOVEMBER 29

Tree lighting ceremony

DECEMBER 6-20

Every Friday there will be holiday activities in Stinson Park.

Village

Holiday Market DECEMBER 7-8

Visit our website for more information

aksarbenvillage.com

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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Locally owned heirloom quality

REUGE

SANKYO • ZONGKER

www.harmonymusicboxes .com

DID YOU KNOW THAT… Pia Zadora, the ’80s famous-for-beingfamous “actress” known for such schlocky box office bombs as Butterfly (1982) and The Lonely Lady (1983), first hit the big screen at the tender age of 7 in the camp classic Santa Clause Conquers the Martians. 158

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Omaha Magazine 2013

Holiday Gift Guide

Give a Little

TENDERNESS®

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Call 1-800-920-1782 and ask for 49377CEJ or order online at www.OmahaSteaks.com/holiday10 omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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Omaha Magazine 2013

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Holiday Gift Guide

Omaha Magazine 2013 14K WHITE GOLD CRISSCUT® DANGLING DIAMOND PENDANT

This Christopher Designs elegant floral pendant features a Crisscut diamond with 109 facets, which radiates with unequalled brilliance. Unequalled, that is, until the sparkle in her eye when she opens this Borsheims box. Retail $2,875 $1,925

SILK, LEATHER OR SUEDE WITH COPPER AND NICKEL PLATED BRASS BEAD BANGLES

Coco’s Bangles were created by a nine-year-old on a cross-country drive with her father. Inspire creativity with this easy gift at a great price. Retail $50 $35

SWAROVSKI BELLA EARRINGS

Just the perfect amount of bling to make a statement, Swarovski Bella Earrings will become a go-to for instant glamour. $75

BUBBLY SPIRITILE

“May all your joys be real joys and all your pains champagne.” Spiritiles are A merican handcrafted wall art made from copper, glass and wood. As gifts, they share brilliant moments and memorable quotes with those you love. $110 DOUBLE OLD FASHION SNOWMAN GLASS

Slip this adorable 100% recycled glass Mariposa Snowman Glass into any stocking and toast to a new year of memories with a frosty glass of eggnog. $15

VERMONT EVERGREEN GIFT SET

The Vermont Evergreen Tree gloriously reflects nearby candlelight and inspires the holiday spirit. Created by master glassblowers from premium lead-free glass, this Simon Pearce Gift Set is perfect for anyone on your gift list. $65

14K AND 18K WHITE AND ROSE GOLD DIAMOND BANDS

Whether to celebrate a wedding day, anniversary or a special moment in life’s journey, diamond bands always twinkle with the memory of the moment in time in which they were given. Starting at $1,175 Borsheims Fine Jewelry and Gifts Regency Court Omaha 800-642-GIFT • borsheims.com

14K WHITE, YELLOW AND ROSE GOLD STACKABLE GEMSTONE RINGS

Wear these timeless gemstone rings alone or pile them high in a modern stack. Whether giving her favorite color or her birthstone, this is a gift sure to be treasured. Each Retail $375 $300 Denotes Your Borsheims Price omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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story by mystery reviewer • photos by bill sitzmann

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Meat and Cheese Boards ($ 9)

Brick and rich wood hues set the tone at Lot 2. The Bourbon Chocolate Malt ($ 6)

Truebridge Farms Pork Chop ($23)

Lot 2 ENSON IS FAST BECOMING

one of Omaha's most revitalized old neighborhoods. Maple Street now offers some of the best dining and nightlife experiences in the city. In May 2012, Brad and Johanna Marr opened Lot 2, and in doing so raised the bar for fine establishments in Benson and throughout Omaha. The space itself is simply stunning. A beautiful brick wall lines one side of the restaurant and an inviting wood bar lines the other. In between are attractive wood tables and a 162

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lavish wood-paneled ceiling. There is also a nice patio seating area in the back. I really like the look of this place. Neither over-designed nor over-decorated, it is just plain comfortable and warm. Executive Chef Joel Mahr is seemingly a big proponent of the “buy fresh, buy local” movement since he sources pretty much the entire menu from local farms and producers. The slate of offerings changes frequently and has something for everyone's taste, including a variety of sandwiches, appetizers, main

dishes, meat and cheese boards, and desserts. On a recent visit, my dining partner and I started off with one of their often celebrated meat and cheese boards ($9) that included two local cheeses and their house-made pork rillette, along with spiced nuts, garlic confit, tomato jam, Dijon mustard, stuffed dates, and Le Quartier baguette. It’s easy to see why they these boards are so acclaimed. If I had known the serving was going to be so substantial, I probably would not have also ordered the crab fritters ($12) as an appetizer.

restaurant review lot 2

But it’s a good thing I did, for I would have otherwise missed out on these crispy morsels with a spicy jalapeno aioli and cool cucumber salsa verde. The combo was fantastic. For entrees, we had the bangers and mash ($14), which was perfectly cooked house-made sausage, lumpy mashed potatoes, and a tasty, stout onion gravy that perfectly complemented this dish. We also had the Truebridge Farms pork chop ($23), which had been brined, making it very moist and nicely seasoned. It was topped with a cherry pistachio relish and served with creamed leeks and a potato confit. I give this dish my top marks. At this point, I must admit I was getting very full, but as an unselfish service to you, the reader, I persevered and also sampled a dessert. The bourbon chocolate malt ($6) is a decadent concoction with small chunks of rich chocolate brownie suspended within. Yum! I have to admit that the wine list at Lot 2 really surprised me. I was not expecting such an extensive and well-curated selection from so many growing regions and varietals. The beer list is also quite remarkable and, like most of the nicer places in Omaha these days, Lot 2 also had a good selection of craft cocktails. As you might have deduced by now, I am a big fan of Lot 2’s food and beverage. That being said, I think it is possible that the service is its best feature. The style of service is warm, friendly, and casual. The level of understanding among the service staff regarding their array of food and beverage is unmatched anywhere else in Omaha. If this sounds too good to be true, then go check it out for yourself. Just be sure to make a reservation because the word is already out on how good this place is. Cheers! OMAG

Lot 2 6207 Maple Street Omaha NE 402-504-4200 M-Th/4-11pm, F-Sat/4pm-12am, Sun/10am-2pm lot2benson.com Food & Beverage Service Ambiance Price $$ Overall 5 Stars Possible. $1-10=$, $10-20=$$, $20-30=$$$, $30+=$$$$

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story by chris wolfgang • photos by bill sitzmann

CHEF PROFILE

Isa Chandra Moskowitz

OOKBOOK AUTHOR ISA CHANDRA Moskowitz has

a lot on her plate right now (yes, that was a cheap pun. Moving on). She’s just released her eighth vegan cookbook, Isa Does It, she’s wrapped filming an online video cooking series produced by Zero Point Zero, Inc., she designs the Meatless Mondays menu at Benson Brewery, and she’s opening her 164

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own vegan restaurant in Midtown Omaha next spring. It’s all a part of keeping up with the growing momentum of the vegan lifestyle in the Midwest. “I think things are happening really fast,” Moskowitz says. “If I just look at my life here in Omaha for the past three years, things have progressed so fast. I think in five years, everything will be Portland. In terms of

Cooks like a Vegan, Jewish Grandma

vegan, not in terms of fixies.” That’s a fixedgear bicycle, for the non-hipsters among us. Welcome to the dry humor that is Moskowitz. Isa Does It is full of her quips, making the book not only an unintimidating introduction to vegan cooking but also a darn fun read. The Brooklyn transplant went vegetarian as a teen of the ’80s for no huge reason other

chef profile isa chandra moskowitz

than that she likes animals. “As soon as I realized, oh, I can cook without meat, it just worked,” she says. Her mother and sister went along for the ride. “It was kind of the reverse of what a lot of people experience,” Moskowitz recalls. “You go vegetarian, your family disowns you, you can’t eat together. My mom came home with a stack of cookbooks and said, okay, let’s do this, and we all just started cooking together.” Moskowitz transitioned to veganism shortly thereafter. She tried things out for herself, checked out how her friends cooked, watched The Food Network, and learned from the chefs at the restaurants where she served. After admittedly being a little spoiled by the wide variety of ethnic food available in New York, Moskowitz moved to Omaha in 2010 to be with her boyfriend, John McDevitt. “You know, just like every other girl who’s not from here originally. Must be a lot of great Midwest guys here.” It seems she’s settled in, as she lists her favorite places in town for vegan food: Kitchen Table, Block 16, Amsterdam Falafel, and Crystal Jade. If you order off the Crystal Jade vegan menu, look for the Isa Noodle. “I always went in and ordered a specific noodle with all these changes, so they finally just put it on the menu,” Moskowitz says. “They were like, we’re not dealing with you anymore. It’s seitan, cilantro, broccoli…it’s a noodle dish that’s kind of sweet and spicy and herby.” Though she experiments with food from all over the world, her own heritage influences the finished dish. “There’s always a Jewishgrandmother feel to everything I do, even if it’s curry,” she says. Expect to see this unique style of comfort food on the menu at Moskowitz’s debut restaurant at 50th and Saddle Creek. “We’re going to do brunch and dinner,” she says, “no lunch. I’m going to keep the hours manageable.” Due to her commitments with cookbooks and shows, Moskowitz says she’s not going for a high-volume, high-turnover restaurant. “I want this to be a cozy retreat, like they’re in my kitchen.” She’s still searching for the perfect partners for the restaurant. “I want my chef, even if they’re not vegan, to just love food,” she says. “I want them to love experimenting, with no pretension. I’d rather have someone who can grill tofu really well over someone who’s like, hey, I can create foam out of flax and banana. Someone who loves feeding people and cooks from the heart.” OMAG

GroominG • DoG Daycare • BoarDinG 15504 Spaulding Plz • 402-496-4005 www.barkavenueomaha.com

Bringing Balance and Wholeness back to the body through the practice of TR ADITIONAL C HINE S E M E DI CI NE

Reproductive Health Digestive Health Emotional Health Pain Management TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Please visit our NEW LOCATION Pre-Book your holiDay GroominG aPPointmentS or Pet StayS at the inn! The word is out and appointments are limited!

402.827.1355

1002 N 72nd St. | Omaha

www.thirteenmoonsacupuncture.com

Divorce with Dignity Providing families in conflict with a peaceful, dignified, and respectful alternative to the traditional divorce process.

Nebraska Collaborative Divorce

402.991.3424 www.collaborativepracticene.com

Never cut what can be untied

—Chinese Proverb

Thanks for voting for Blue Moon Fitness! Blue Moon Fitness is comfortable enough and cheap enough that even people who exercise “once in a blue moon” can fit in! Blue Moon Fitness offers an atmosphere where even first time exercisers feel comfortable, private exercise areas for women, TVs on every piece of cardio equipment, the lowest rates in town and now Blue Moon Fitness has 3 Omaha locations to serve you. • Omaha South — 108 & Q St. • Omaha North — 108 & Maple St. • Omaha Central — 84 & West Center Rd. www.Blue Moon Fitness.com

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DiningGuide AMERICAN

BAILEY’S BREAKFAST AND LUNCH RESTAURANT 402-932-5577 1259 S. 120th St.

Comfort food done with flair. For breakfast: all your favorites, including Omaha’s finest eggs Benedict—six varieties (with crepes, too) topped with Hollandaise and made fresh every day. Come try the best bacon you will ever eat! Breakfast served all day. And when was the last time you had really good egg salad or chicken salad? Treat yourself to some of Omaha’s finest salads, soups, and sandwiches, plus chicken-fried steak, fresh Angus burgers, and Bloody Marys and Mimosas. Open seven days a week, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

BREWSKY’S FOOD & SPIRITS 8528 Park Dr (402.201.2739) 15350 Weir St. (402.614.2739)

Get a Little Saucy.

We opened our first restaurant/bar in Lincoln, Neb., in 1990, and we now boast six restaurants in Lincoln and Omaha. Our menu (created by Certified Executive Chef Ed Janousek) surprises people that are expecting the normal “bar food” found at most sports bars. The menu consists of steaks, burgers, chicken, wraps, and about everything in between. We offer all the sports packages on our banks of TVs as well. The atmosphere created, the quality of the food served, and the modest prices charged define Brewsky’s. We’ve been voted Best Sports Bar in Omaha for five consecutive years (Best of Omaha™ contest). Come, let us wow you!

DEPOT LOUNGE & EATERY 402.779.4110 310 3rd St., Waterloo, NE

Serving excellent, homemade food daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Specialties include turkey fries, 45cent jumbo wings on Wednesday, and Friday night fish fries. Lowest lounge prices in the county! Keno, pool table, and darts. Open 365 days a year, 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Accepts MasterCard, Visa, Amex. Reservations accepted.

SPEZIA SPECIALTIES FRESH SEAFOOD • ANGUS BEEF INNOVATIVE PASTA • RISOTTO GNOCCHI • FRESH SALMON DAILY

DJ’S DUGOUT 636 N 114th St. (402.498.8855) 1003 Capitol Ave. (402.763.9974) 10308 S 23rd St. (402.292.9096) 2102 S 67th St. (402.933.3533)

SATURDAY LUNCH [11am–4 pm]

$10

OFF ANY TICKET OVER $25 NO CASH EXPIRES 12/31/2011 12/31/13 NO CASH VALUE. VALUE. EXPIRES

COCKTAIL HOUR MONDAY – SATURDAY 4 – 6 PM ALL COCK TAILS, GL ASS WINE AND BEERS ARE HALF PRICE

CALL FOR RESERVATIONS • 402-391-2950 CENTRAL LOCATION • 3125 SOUTH 72ND STREET • EASY ACCESS OFF I-80 • 72ND STREET EXIT

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Catch all of the action at four Omaha locations. Featuring burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, appetizers, and an impressive drink menu along with HD TVs and projectors. Home to Blazin’ Pianos, Omaha’s only dueling piano concept. djsdugout.com

LEGEND (average price per entrée) $1 to 10 - $, $10 to 20 - $$, $20 to 30 - $$$, $30 and over - $$$$

MC, V, AE, DC

dining guide november/december

DOLCE 402.964.2212 12317 W Maple Rd.

The best holiday

traditions

hops. start with

View our full menu, happy hours and more at

Chef Benjamin Maides and owner Gina Sterns are making food news in Northwest Omaha! Ranked No. 1 in Fine Dining on Urban Spoon, this 50-seat restaurant has become the talk of the restaurant industry. Best food in Omaha, an urbane wine menu, authentic hospitality— what’s not to love? Tues-Sat., 5 p.m.- close. Reservations recommended. Dolceomaha.com

upstreambrewing.com

Old Market 11th & Jackson 402.344.0200

West Omaha 171st & W. Center 402.778.0100

DUNDEE DELL 402.553.9501 5007 Underwood Ave.

Famous for fish ‘n’ chips since 1934. Single malt and scotch tastings open to the public four times a month. Private tastings also available. We serve food from 11 a.m. to midnight Sun.-Thurs., and from 11 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. Fri. and Sat. We also serve a fantastic Sunday brunch from 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

JAMS 402.399.8300 7814 Dodge St.

Welcome to the home of independent food. Jams is a popular, locally owned restaurant for a wonderful dinner or even just a glass of wine and appetizers. An American grill, Jams has a menu that offers refined twists on old classics. From the Jumbo Crab Cake Burger to Midtown Meatloaf, Jams can please any palate. www.jamseats.com

Sip. Savor. Be Social.

LENNY’S SUB SHOP 402.218.1745 3201 Farnam St.

Lenny’s Sub Shop at Midtown Crossing features awesome half-pound subs with premium meats sliced to order. Try our authentic Philly cheesesteaks served hot off the grill or our new low-calorie menu. Don’t forget, we cater! Mon.Fri., 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

QUAKER STEAK AND LUBE 712.322.0101 3320 Mid America Dr., Council Bluffs, IA.

”The Lube” serves over 70 million wings annually, has bottled sauces for retail, and has won the title of Best Wings USA. Mondays are Kids Eat Free from 5-9 p.m., and Tuesdays are All You Can Eat Wings for $12.99 all day. The Metro’s only Quaker Steak and Lube also offers great steaks, ribs, and burgers. Live music again this fall on Friday nights. www.quakersteakandlube.com

RAILCAR MODERN AMERICAN KITCHEN 402.493.4743 1814 N 144th St.

Prime rib dinner Fri. and Sat. nights. Happy hour 3:306:30 p.m. every day. Reverse happy hour 9 p.m.-midnight. Open Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-midnight, Sat. 11:30 a.m.-midnight, and Sun. 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday Brunch! Casual dining. All credit cards accepted. www.railcaromaha.com

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LEGENDARY PIZZA & PASTA SINCE 1953

Pasta amore A C L A S S I C S P OT

45th & Leavenworth • 402-556-6464 Closed Monday

LaCasaPizzaria.net

lunch Mon-Fri: 11AM-2PM Dinner Mon-Sat:4:30PM-Close Private Party Rooms Business Luncheons Catering Rockbrook Village • (108th & Center) (402) 391-2585 • Fax: 391-0910

www.pastaamore.net

2202 South 20th Street – Omaha

Family Restaurant • Fine Steaks Chicken • Seafood Party Rooms Available

342-9038 • 346-2865

Thank you Omaha for voting us Best Family Restaurant!

“Serving The Best Chicken in Town Since 1997”

402.502.4400

6922 N. 102nd Circle, Cherry Hills Village 168

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13325 Millard Ave. • 402-891-9292 www.millardroadhouse.com

dining guide november/december ROCK BOTTOM BREWERY 402.614.9333 1101 Harney St.

Omaha’s Only Authentic German Restaurant Locally Owned Since 1976

Prime Steak Fine Wine Premium Service

We’re serious about our food, crazy about our beer. rockbottom.com

UPSTREAM BREWING COMPANY 514 S 11th St. (402.344.0200) 17070 Wright Plz. (402.778.0100)

Upstream features an extensive menu of new American pub fare including appetizers, thin-crust pizzas, superb steaks featuring Omaha Steaks, fresh fish, pasta, salads, sandwiches, and a great children’s menu. Fresh, handcrafted beer and root beer on tap. Extensive wine list. Call ahead for group reservations or to be placed on our waiting list. Visit our classic, upscale poolroom located on the second level.

BBQ FAMOUS DAVE’S 12020 Anne St. (402.829.1616) 13015 Birch Dr. (402.779.8600)

Famous Dave’s has been voted Omaha’s favorite barbeque by Omaha Magazine’s readers and the Reader’s Choice. Real hickory-smoked ribs, brisket, pork, and a great selection of made-from-scratch recipes. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Take out and catering available.

Holiday Cookie trays and German Stollen Pan Fried Chicken every Wednesday Traditional German Dining Open for Lunch Tuesday-Saturday Dinner Wednesday-Saturday Bakery opens at 6 am

5180 Leavenworth 402-553-6774

10 minutes from downtown Omaha www.gerdasgermanrestaurant.com

Private party rooms available for 6 to 40 people.

ICE CREAM TED AND WALLY’S 402.341.5827 1120 Jackson St.

Come experience the true taste of homemade ice cream in the Old Market. Since 1986, we’ve created gourmet ice cream flavors in small batches using rock salt and ice. We offer your favorites plus unique flavors like margarita, green tea, Guinness, and French toast. Special orders available.

ITALIAN DON CARMELO’S PIZZERIA 402.933.3190 10821 Prairie Brook Rd.

Made-from-scratch food at a fair price.

12th & Jackson, Sun through Thurs, 10pm-2:30am Fri & Sat: 10pm-3:00am Every Sat @ The Downtown Farmer’s Market: 8am-12:30pm

Visit Visit Visitlocalmotivefoodtruck.com localmotivefoodtruck.com For For Other Locations And More Info ForOther OtherLocations LocationsAnd AndMore MoreInfo Info

13665 California Street Omaha, Nebraska 402.445.4380 www.mahoganyprime.com

Omaha’s first and finest New York-style pizza, stromboli, calzones, oven-toasted hoagies, Philly cheesesteaks, pasta, salads, beer, and wine. We also feature take-out and delivery and can cater your special event, large or small. Stop in for daily lunch specials 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

LEGEND (average price per entrée) $1 to 10 - $, $10 to 20 - $$, $20 to 30 - $$$, $30 and over - $$$$

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Top 100 Restaurants in America omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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dining guide november/december

LO SOLE MIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO 402.345.5656 3001 S 32nd Ave.

Located in the middle of a neighborhood, surrounded by charming homes. At the table, everyone is greeted with homemade bread, a bowl of fresh tomatoes and basil, a bowl of oven-roasted garlic cloves, special-seasoned olive oil, and at night, a jug of Chianti! The menu includes a large variety of pasta, chicken, veal, seafood, and even a delicious New York steak. Traditional dishes such as lasagna, tortellini, and eggplant parmigiana are also available. Lunch also offers panini, salads, and one of the best pizzas in town. Patio seating, full bar, and a great wine list complete the atmosphere. No reservations, except for private rooms.

NICOLA’S 402.345.8466 521 S 13th St.

Best pub in Omaha!

We offer a distinctive, tempting menu of upscale Italian dishes, including lobster ravioli, classic carbonara, and a Mediterranean lasagna in an alluring environment. Enjoy an extensive wine list and full bar on our outdoor garden patio while you dine. Nicola’s also offers catering and desserts to go for your private party or business gathering.

PASTA AMORE 402.391.2585 11027 Prairie Brook Rd.

Over 750 Single Malts, 230 Beers, & Awesome Food! 50 0 7 U nde r woo d • 4 0 2 - 5 5 3 - 9 5 0 1 • dU n d e e d e l l @ dUnde e de l l .c om

Thanks to our customers for voting us the “Best Burger in Omaha”

Pastas are made fresh daily, including tortellini, fettuccine, and capellini. Daily specials and menu items include a variety of fresh seafood and regional Italian dishes, such as linguini amore and calamari steak, penne Florentine, gnocchi, spaghetti puttanesca, and ossobuco. Filet mignon is also offered for those who appreciate nationally renowned Nebraska beef. To complement your dining experience, the restaurant offers a full bar and extensive wine list. Be sure to leave room for homemade desserts, like the tiramisu and cannoli. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner: 4:30 p.m. Reservations recommended. MasterCard, Visa, Amex.

SPEZIA 402.391.2950 3125 S72nd St.

Stella’s Bar and Grill “Serving World Famous Hamburgers since 1936” 106 Galvin Rd • Bellevue, NE • 402-291-6088 • Open Monday-Saturday, 11:00 am - 9:00 pm omaha’s original steakhouse

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VILLAGIO PIZZERIA 402.502.4400 6922 N. 102nd Cir.

Dine in, carry out, patio, and party room available at this family-owned pizzeria. We make our dough daily for a great thin-crust pizza. In addition to pizza, we offer pastas, sandwiches, salads, and a great selection of appetizers.

• Proudly serving visitor & locals for 90 years. • Less than 10 minutes from Downtown. • Featured in Midwest Living Best of the Midwest 2011. • Serving hand cut steaks, aged on premise and slow roasted prime rib with pride. 402-731-4774 27th & ‘L’ St., Kennedy Frwy, ‘L’ St. Exit 8 Minutes from Downtown Omaha.

Choose Spezia for lunch or dinner, where you ll find a casual elegance that s perfect for business, guests, gettogethers, or any special occasion. Exceptional food, wine, and service, with a delectable menu: fresh seafood, Angus steaks, innovative pasta, risotto, gnocchi, cioppino, lamb, entrée salads, Mediterranean chicken, flatbreads, and fresh salmon daily. Enjoy a full bar, Italian and California wines, Anniversary Lovers Booth (call to reserve), private dining rooms, and wood-fired grill. Open Mon.-Sat. Cocktail hour: 4-6 p.m., when all cocktails, glass wine, and beers are half price. Evening reservations recommended.

Best Of Omaha 7Years Running

Where good food and good service never go out of style.

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

LEGEND (average price per entrée) $1 to 10 - $, $10 to 20 - $$, $20 to 30 - $$$, $30 and over - $$$$

MC, V, AE, DC

dining guide november/december

OMAHA’S #1

MEXICAN RESTAURANT

10 YEARS

ZIO’S PIZZERIA 7834 Dodge St. (402.391.1881) 12997 W Center Rd. (402.330.1444) 1109 Howard St. (402.344.2222)

IN A ROW!

Delivery, dine in, and carry out. Serving New York style pizza by the slice or whole pies, calzones, hoagies, pastas, salads, and garlic breads. Our pies are hand-stretched and baked in old-world ovens. We offer 35 of the freshest toppings; taste the freshest pizza at Zio’s! Family dining, open seven days a week. Lunch specials and beer and wine available.

MARKETS TOMATO•TOMATO 402-933-0893 2634 S. 156th Cir.

We are now offering personal chef services. Together with our chef you will create your menu for the week utilizing the freshest produce in the area, responsibly raised meats, local cheese and dairy. Each week you will pick up freshly prepared healthy meals you can enjoy that will also accommodate any special dietary needs. For more information give us a call and ask for Mary or Chef Michael.

MEXICAN CANTINA LAREDO 402.345.6000 120 S. 31st Ave.

We serve modern Mexican food in a sophisticated, vibrant atmosphere. Enjoy our signature margarita, the Casa Rita, made from fresh lime juice and the finest tequila, while savoring guacamole made fresh at your table. Visit Cantina Laredo at Omaha’s Midtown Crossing for lunch, dinner, drinks, and Sunday brunch.

@lamesaomaha /LaMesaMexicanRestaurant

la-mesa.com BELLEVUE FT. CROOK RD & 370

OMAHA 110TH & MAPLE

OMAHA 156TH & Q

PAPILLION 84TH & TARA PLZ

COUNCIL BLUFFS LAKE MANAWA EXIT

CILANTRO’S MEXICAN BAR & GRILL 402.895.0384 14440 F. St.

Great Mexican food every day of the week. Great for group lunches, and we have outdoor seating. Take out available. We always have daily specials and an extensive menu that has several selections to please all diners along with our top- notch margaritas. Check us out on Facebook! Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

FERNANDO’S 7555 Pacific St. (402.339.8006) 380 N. 114th St. (402.330.5707)

Featuring Sonoran-style cooking made fresh daily. Catering and party rooms also available. Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m.-9 p.m. MasterCard, Visa, Amex.

LA MESA 11002 Emmet St., No. 112 (402.496.1101) 5055 S 155th St. (402.763.2555)

Come enjoy an authentic Mexican taste experience at La Mesa! From mouthwatering enchiladas to fabulous fajitas, La Mesa has something for every connoisseur of Mexican fare to savor. Top it off with one of La Mesa’s famous margaritas. So kick back in our fun-friendly atmosphere and you’ll see why La Mesa has been voted Omaha’s No. 1 Mexican Restaurant ten years in a row.

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dining guide november/december

Speciality Cakes & Cupcakes Fruit-Filled • Vegan • Sugar-Free • Gluten-Free

SEAFOOD CHARLIE’S ON THE LAKE 402.894.9411 4150 S 144th St.

Featuring Holiday Cupcakes! Egg Nog, Nuts for Hazel, and Candy Cane

1314 S. 119th St 402-334-6800 www.CupcakeIsland.com

Greek and American Cuisine Homemade Greek Pastries Takeout & Catering Beer-Wine-Cocktails

119 S 40th St • Omaha, NE (40th & Dodge) 402-558-5623 • KatiesGreek.com

Charlie’s is the only fresh-fish-daily seafood restaurant in Omaha. Features a relaxed yet contemporary atmosphere that is fun for all ages. Besides fresh seafood, Charlie’s is the home of the James Bond-style martini (shaken, not stirred) in over 20 varieties in addition to over 60 wines. Dinner: Mon.-Thu., 3 p.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.3 p.m. - 11 p.m. Sat., 4 p.m.-11 p.m.; Sun., 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m.

SHUCK’S 16901 Wright Plaza, No. 198 (402.763.1860) 1218 S 119th St. (402.827.4376) 1911 Leavenworth St. (402.614.5544)

402.345.8466 13th & Jackson St

Have you ever been to a fish shack on the coast? You’ll like this! Shrimp or oyster po’ boys, fried clam strips, shrimp, walleye, calamari, and oysters (all VERY lightly breaded), crab cakes, clam chowder, gumbo, salads, and daily fresh fish specials. Featuring a large variety of oysters on the half shell, shucked right in front of you. Killer happy hour 2-6 p.m. every day. Open seven days a week.

nicolasintheoldmarket.com

SPECIAL DINING Thank You Omaha for our 10 Year Anniversar y! follow us

Sonoran Style Cooking Made Fresh Daily. Catering and Party Rooms Also Available. 7555 Pacific St. 399–8006 380 N.114 St. 330–5707 Omaha, Nebraska

Thanks for Voting Us #1 Breakfast 5 Years in a Row!

CRESCENT MOON ALE HOUSE 402.345.1708 3578 Farnam St.

Founded in 1996, we’ve grown into Beer Corner USA with the additions of The Huber Haus German Beer Hall, Max and Joe’s Belgian Beer Tavern, and Beertopia, Omaha’s Ultimate Beer Store. With more than 60 beers on tap and Omaha’s best reuben sandwich, we are a midtown beer lover’s destination. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Kitchen hours: Mon.-Wed., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat. 11 a.m.-midnight. Closed Sun. www.beercornerusa.com.

CUPCAKE ISLAND 402.334.6800 1314 S. 119th St.

For six years, Cupcake Island has been delightfully serving Omaha brides with their wedding cakes and cupcakes. We offer a variety of cake choices, including but not limited to vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free, in additional to traditional wedding cake flavors. Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

O’Connor’s Irish Pub 1217 Howard St. • Omaha, NE 68102 402-934-9790 • oconnorsomaha.com

177th & Center • 934-9914 156th & Dodge • 408-1728 120th & Blondo • 991-8222

Drive-Thru Open (Center St. Only) • Open Daily 6:30am-2:00pm

Serving Breakfast & Lunch All Day!

GERDA’S GERMAN RESTAURANT AND BAKERY 402.553.6774 5188 Leavenworth St.

Omaha’s only authentic German restaurant; a little piece of Germany in Omaha. Gerda herself makes homemade spaetzle, schnitzels, and rouladen Fresh-made soups, red cabbage, sauerkraut, and dumplings are a few other treats. Stay for a dessert of Black Forest cake or grab fresh bakery for breakfast on your way out. Open Mon.-Tues., 6 a.m.-3 p.m. and Wed.-Sat., 6 a.m.-9 p.m.

GREEK ISLANDS 402.346.1528 3821 Center St. PREMIUM HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

Celebrating 25 Years!

Come in for a taste of one of our amazing specials!

Find Us On Facebook

1120 Jackson Street (402) 341-5827 tedandwallys.com

172

6 Years In A Row

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

402.391.5047

7425 Dodge St. | Omaha | www.sushiomaha.com

Greek cuisine with specials every day at reasonable prices. Well known for our gyro sandwiches and salads. We cater and can accommodate a party for 65 guests. Carryout and delivery available. Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Discover, MasterCard, Visa, Amex.

dining guide november/december

HORSEMEN’S PARK 402.731.2900 6303 Q St.

One-dollar pints, $1.75 domestic bottles, and $2 well drinks for our happy hour Mon.-Wed., 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays are 25-cent wings from 3-8 p.m., Wednesdays are Steak Night after 5 p.m., Thursdays are 75-cent tacos and $1.75 margaritas after 5 p.m., and Fridays are Prime Rib Dinner after 5 p.m. Daily specials seven days a week. Open at 10 a.m. www.horsemenspark.com

JAIPUR BREWING COMPANY 402.392.7331 10922 Elm St.

g PLANNING

‘tis the season for

PARTY

A casual restaurant in a relaxed atmosphere. Dinner entrees include fresh vegetables, grilled Colorado lamb sirloin, sushi-grade Ahi, tandoori marinated grilled salmon, and tandoori grilled beef tenderloin to name a few. A wide selection of wines and liquor, as well as on-site brewed beer. Lunch: Thurs. and Fri., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner: Sun.-Thurs., 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.; Fri and Sat., 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

KATIE’S GREEK RESTAURANT & TAVERNA 402.558.5623 119 S 40th St.

We’re a family-run establishment, and we value giving great food at a great price. Omaha agrees! Want to eat light? Try our fine vegetarian cuisine. Have a heartier appetite? How about a nice, juicy souvlakia and gyros? If you have a diner who might not feel adventurous enough for Greek food, we have a nice selection of American items as well. We also have a full bar. We can cater private parties—hold it at your location or ours! Give us a call or find us on Facebook for special offers.

KONA GRILL 402.779.2900 295 N 170th St,

Let us make the holiday gathering perfect. Reserve our private dining room or let us cater the celebración at your location.

get 10% off catering over $100 booked by 11.30.13

Come join us in Village Pointe Shopping Center for a quick lunch, a romantic dinner date, or to enjoy our unique happy hour. From our award-winning sushi to our modern American cuisine, there is something for everyone.

NOSH WINE LOUNGE 402.614.2121 1006 Dodge Street.

We have a diverse, boutique wine list from around the world, culinary delights using locally grown, organic produce, and an impressive drinks menu. We are the place for friends to gather, relax, and celebrate good times. Located in the capitol district in Downtown Omaha. noshwine.com

O’CONNOR’S IRISH PUB 402.934.9790 1217 Howard St.

Comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. Great before and after games. We offer pub style food—burgers, reubens, daily specials, and homemade soups—as well as all the traditional Irish favorite libations: Guinness, Harp, and Irish whiskey. Grill hours: Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

MIdTowN CRossING

The Original Whiskey Steak

LEGEND (average price per entrée) $1 to 10 - $, $10 to 20 - $$, $20 to 30 - $$$, $30 and over - $$$$

MC, V, AE, DC

120 s. 31st Ave omaha 402.345.6000 cantinalaredo.com

2121 S. 73 St. Just 1/2 block South of Doubletree

DroverRestaurant.com

Gift Cards Available Open Monday-Friday 11am-2pm Dinner nightly from 5pm Reservations Accepted 402-391-7440

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A Family Tradition Since 1921 With the most delectable contemporary american cuisine in the Old Market, V.Mertz has something for everyone.

$35, Three-Course Prix Fixe Menu, Tues. - Fri. Artisan Cheese • Award Winning Wine List Old Market Passageway • 1022 Howard St. Reservations Recommended Call 402.345.8980 Reservations Online www.vmertz.com

rotellasbakery.com

executive chef Jon Seymour sous chef Jacob Newton sommeliers David Eckler, Chris Walter proprietor David Hayes general manager/wine director Matthew Brown

The strength and family tradition of Rotella’s Italian Bakery, Inc. dates back over a century and a half. Since our inception, Rotella’s has specialized in high quality breads and rolls.

Stop by for authentic, cooked-to-order Philly Cheesesteaks and sliced-to-order cold subs.

NOW OPEN AT MIDTOWN CROSSING!

402.218.1745

3201 Farnam St. #6104 | Omaha Rotella_2013 O.Mag NOV_DEC2.indd 1 174 omaha magazine • november/december 2013

9/24/13 8:57 AM

dining guide november/december

STEAKHOUSES 801 CHOPHOUSE 402.341.1222 1403 Farnam St.

Designed with a 1920s-era New York chophouse in mind, 801 is the epitome of elegance. You will not forget the crisp-white-tablecloth, fine-dining experience. From our USDA prime-grade beef and jet-fresh seafood from all over the world, we are truly the best Omaha has to offer. Open seven nights a week.

THE DROVER RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 402.391.7440 2121 S. 73rd St.

Race cars and Motorcycles hanging from the ceiling! Corvettes in the dining room! Over 30 T.V.s to watch your favorite games. We have a full menu with Ribs, Salads, Burgers, Sandwiches and of course Steak! We feature Jumbo size Chicken Wings with 18 different types of Award-Winning sauces. Our Atomic hot sauce is so hot that you have to sign a waiver to eat them!

Famous for the original whiskey steak, we are truly a one-of-a-kind Midwestern experience. Excellent food, wine, service, and value. Reservations accepted. Lunch: Mon.–Fri., 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Cocktail hour: 3-6 p.m. Dinner nightly at 5 p.m. Reservations accepted. Discover, MasterCard, Visa, and Amex.

• Happy Hour 8:00-9:00 am every day 1/2 Price on Meals and Drinks • Thursday Mexican Night 5:00-8:00 pm • Sunday Buffet 8:00 am-2:00 pm • Wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners on or off site • Catering large events for over 20 years • Party room rental

JOHNNY'S CAFÉ 402.731.4774 4702 S 27th St.

Open 7 Days a Week 8am-2pm & Thursday evening 5-8pm

Years of quality dining and hospitality make Johnny's Café a restaurant to remember. We serve only the finest beef the Midwest has to offer. Aged steaks and prime rib are the specialties, with homemade bread and pies to complete a meal. An excellent wine list adds to the enjoyment at one of Omaha's original restaurants. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m. MasterCard, Visa, and Amex.

3320 Mid America Drive • Council Bluffs, IA 51501 712.322.0101 • www.quakersteakandlube.com

Eat Fresh. Eat Local

Over 100 local farmers and producers providing the freshest food around! Our Slow Food Deli serves lunch daily and can cater your next event using the finest local ingredients.

www.tomatotomato.org

REMARKABLE HOSPITALITY. INCREDIBLE CUISINE. LOCAL PASSION.

MAHOGANY PRIME STEAKHOUSE 402.445.4380 13665 California St.

This is a restaurant where steak is the star, using customaged, U.S. prime Midwestern beef known for its excellence in marbling, texture, and flavor. We serve it sizzling on a heated plate so that it stays hot throughout your meal. Amazing service in a less-intimidating, fine-dining atmosphere.

P R I VAT E D I N I N G A C C O M M O D AT I O N S F O R U P T O 7 0 L U N C H & D I N N E R • H A P P Y H O U R • L I V E M U S I C N I G H T LY HAND-CUT AGED STEAKS • FRESH SEAFOOD

LEGEND (average price per entrée) $1 to 10 - $, $10 to 20 - $$, $20 to 30 - $$$, $30 and over - $$$$

222 S. 15th Street, Omaha, NE 68102 r e s e r va t i o n s 402.342.0077 sullivans.omaha@dfrg.com w w w . s u l l i va n s s t e a k h o u s e . c o m

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The Old Market’s

BEST PATIO Serious about our Food. Crazy about our Beer.

Reservations Recommended Open 5pm Monday-Saturday 4pm Sunday Party Room available

www.omaha-prime.com

11th & HARNEY OLD MARKET

DEPOT THE

Lounge & Eatery

Best homemade food around! Keno

Just 20 Minutes West of Omaha!

402.779.4110

310 3rd Street Downtown Waterloo, NE

Try Omaha’s Favorite Reuben! Omaha’s largest selection of crafts beers. 3578 Farnam St • 402-345-1708 www.beercornerusa.com 176

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

dining guide november/december

OMAHA PRIME 402.341.7040 415 S. 11th St.

Omaha’s only restaurant featuring complete prime beef. Open six days a week, Mon.-Sat. from 5 p.m.-close. omaha-prime.com

Always a Large Selection of Fresh Fish

PICCOLO’S RESTAURANT 402.342.9038 2202 S. 20th St.

One of Omaha’s finest traditions, this is where quality steaks are served at low prices. Especially designed for a family outing or a business social. The specialty is tasty prime rib, served for the last 60 years under the crystal ball. Lunch: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Dinner: Mon.-Thu., 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Daily and nightly specials.

PIG & FINCH GASTROPUB 10381 Pacific St. One Pacific Place

4150 south 144th street • omaha • 894-9411

Thanks for voting us “Best of Omaha ” Organic Dining! ®

Open 5pm-close, Tuesday-Saturday Reservations Recommended 12317 West Maple Road Omaha, NE www.dolceomaha.com 402.964.2212

restaurant Opening in December 2013, Pig & Finch Gastropub features local fresh ingredients paired with fine cookery in a pub-friendly atmosphere. 801restaurantgroup.com

SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE 402.342.0077 222 S. 15th St.

CILANTRO’S MEXICAN BAR & GRILL

A wide array of Mexican and American Classics to satisfy your tastebuds! Sullivan’s is a vibrant, neighborhood steakhouse featuring hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, and an award-winning wine list, all served up with unparalleled hospitality. We are located just blocks away from Omaha’s Old Market. The restaurant features a lively bar, intimate dining room, and open patio where guests can enjoy live jazz nightly. The beautiful wine cellar is the perfect setting for private dinners and business presentations.

402.895.0384 14440 F STREET | OMAHA, NE

RAILCAR MODERN AMERICAN KITCHEN We take you back to the classic American dining experience: Food that blends flavors from so many cultures, from all corners of the melting pot that is the United States.

LEGEND (average price per entrée) $1 to 10 - $, $10 to 20 - $$, $20 to 30 - $$$, $30 and over - $$$$

MC, V, AE, DC

(402) 493-4743 | www.railcaromaha.com 1814 N 144th St. | Omaha, NE 68154

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

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happy hour guide november/december

Omaha

HappyHours Sponsored by

CoCktail Hour

Monday - Saturday 4 - 6 PM all CoCktailS, glaSS wine and beerS are half PriCe Central loCation • 3125 SoutH 72nd Street 402-391-2950

Come on get

happy. View our happy hour specials and more at

upstreambrewing.com

Old Market 402.344.0200

West Omaha 402.778.0100

Pizza & Bottle • $30

Mon & Tues, Open-Close $5 Appetizers 1/2 Price Bottles of Wine

Mon-Fri, 3-6pm

[1/2 Price Bottles All Day Sunday Also]

402.590.coal www.PitchPizzeria.com Dundee

HAPPY HOUR Monday - Thursday | 4:00 to 6:00 Free Orsi’s Pizza Friday 402.345.4488 1002 Howard St. Check us out on

Happy Hour: 3-6pm MON-FRI Late Night Happy Hour 9pm-close MON-THU

FRI & SAT 10pm-close ALL DAY SUNDAY Happy Hour 1101 Harney St. | 402.614.9333 www.rockbottom.com

CIGAR LOUNGE

1008 Howard St. / TheHavanaGarage.com

178

omaha magazine • november/december 2013

13110 Birch Drive (132nd & Maple) 402-884-6702 Open At 2pm 7 Days A Week safari.cigars safaricigars@gmail.com

Happy Hour Specials

Everyday 4PM-6PM Friday & Saturday 10PM-12AM $2 Off any Wine by the Glass $3 Domestic Beers and Wells | $5 Select Martinis $4,$5 & $6 Food Specials

www.noshwine.com 1006 Dodge St | 402.614.2121 SIP.TASTE.SAVOR.

SWINGIN’ SULLY’S EVERY THURSDAY & SUNDAY

HAVANA GARAGE

Cigars...Because no great story starts with a salad.

$6 SIGNATURE COCKTAILS, SELECT WINES & BAR ENTREES

402.342.0077 222 S. 15TH ST.