seveneightfive July 15 - August 31

Topeka’s guide to art, entertainment, lifestyle + local flavor

Vol. V Issue VII April 15 - May 31, 2011

celebrating

5 years

of Top City love collect me

How many 5’s are on the cover?

Send us the answer via Twitter (@ seveneightfive), Facebook or email (seveneightfive@gmail.com) by August 1 and be entered to win cool prizes (like a seveneightfive shirt, sticker or subscription).

Upcoming Events for YPs

“The ultimate dining experience.”

Quarterly Networking Socials:

LUNCH

Members FREE / Guests $5

July 28: 5:30 - 7 pm @ Collective Brands

Mon - Fri: 11 am - 2 pm

3231 SE Sixth Avenue

August 25: 5- 7 pm @ Hy-Vee

DINNER

2951 SW Wanamaker Road

Mon - Thu: 5:30 - 8:30 Fri & Sat: 5:30 - 9:30

Quarterly Insiders Series Events: Members FREE / Guests $10

August 17: St. Francis Imaging Center 601 SW Corporate Road / 5:30 - 7 pm

September 9: Easter Seals Capper Foundation 3500 SW Tenth / 11:30 - 1 pm Educational Luncheon Programs: Members $10 / Guests $15 12:15 - 1:30 pm / WU - Bianchino Pavilion - 2nd Floor

August 11: “Paving the Way - Learning from Past Topeka Leaders” Fast Forward is a program of the Topeka Chamber of Commerce designed to offer young professionals a place to socialize, network and grow in leadership potential through a variety of yearly programs. We invite you to attend an event as a guest or become a member. Please refer to our website www.fastforwardtopeka.org for information about joining Fast Forward or to RSVP for an event.

photo by Lydia Barnhart

4005 Gage Center Drive 785.271.8646 • newcityonline.biz

seveneightfive magazine June 1 - July 15, 2011 Vol. V Issue VIII

Publisher/Owner

Kerrice Mapes kerrice@sevneightfive.com

[on the cover]

features editor

Leah Sewell leah@seveneightfive.com

Amanda Nelson Artist / Illustrator www.2nvoke.com

Poetry Editor

Dennis Etzel Jr. poemslyrical@yahoo.com

Weekender Editors

Alice C. Hunt + Rio Cervantes-Reed

Advertising

Kerrice Mapes + Rio Cervantes-Reed

Illustrations

Aymen Ghali Amanda Reynolds

Layout + Design

Kerrice Mapes Leah Sewell

writers

Amber Bonnett Robin Cremer Dennis Etzel Jr. Cale Herreman Larissa Keller Kerrice Mapes Gary Piland Matt Porubsky Rio Cervantes-Reed Josh Rouse Melissa Sewell Macie Smith Tom Wah Janice Watkins Erin Wynkoop

photography

Lydia Barnhart Tiffany Bonnewell EJ Drake Adam Koger Gary Krohe Colin MacMillan Matt Porubsky

Distribution

Rio Cervantes-Reed Larissa Keller

Business

Liz Bell

Bar WArs

Jared Hitchens

seveneightfive is a free lifestyle magazine highlighting entertainment, art, local businesses + more in Topeka.

Get seveneightfive direct for $20 a year

P.O. Box 750491 Topeka, KS 66675

www.seveneightfive.com

Disclaimer: seveneightfive strives for accuracy in all of our materials, regrets errors, but cannot be held responsible. We recommend contacting venues to confirm dates and events (sometimes they change).

[ in this issue ] 4 navel gazing

A look back to all the covers of seveneightfive in our rich and storied past

14 a couple of bad boys

Grab your earplugs! It’s 5Q with Big Daddy Loud

16 where do we go from here?

The future of the Kansas Arts Commission

20 all that jazz

Ever wondered what kind of person is so fanatical about Jazzercise they’d boast that bumper sticker?

Writer Alice Hunt found out.

24 oh. so. irresistible.

Underground dance night, Resistance, celebrates its one-year-anniversary July 21. The story of how the organizers nearly shut it down + the movement that followed.

26 the playground in your palm

Foursquare is Topeka’s newest social media fascination. Why it’s become a playground scuffle among some users.

Overhear something funny out-and-about tweet it here: @785heardnoted Events we support: #ffaw | #topcitythursday

Rio Cervantes-Reed rio@seveneightfive.com

@seveneightfive

Marketing Specialist

New Urban Cuisine + Martini Bar Tallgrass Brewing Co. Beer Tasting + Dinner 5 courses, 5 beers Wed. Aug. 24, 7 p.m. $35/person | Limited seating

upstairs a high style home furnishings store with an eclectic mix of new designs, antiques and vintage pieces...

with a new online storefront

p a little bit. "downline, unhy-

www.warehouse414.com 414 south east second street | 785.232.8008 Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday: 11a - 5:30 p By chance or appointment

o: + Dinner. , August 24, seating.

downstairs

F, 11a - 3p,

e someFacebook: / ka

Don’t miss out on your copy of the 2012 WU Women Swimsuit Calendar! This years theme is The End of the Beginning where we have created an artistic twist to the different theories of how the end could begin. Come meet the girls online and at our events here in Topeka by checking us out at:

www.wuwomen.com Don’t forget to take our poll of how you think the end will begin!

M - F: 11a - 3p | Th - Sat. 5p - 10p

2 3 2 .6 7 2 6 | 5th + Kansas boscosdowntown.com Facebook: /boscostopeka Twitter: @boscostopeka

2

menu proclamation

the alternative

Topeka Steak House 5500 SE 6th (US 40 HWY) 4-9:30 p.m. M-Sat.

by Josh Rouse • photo by Josh Rouse

closed Sunday

E

veryone knows the Topeka Steak House in Tecumseh is famous for their thick and juicy steaks, but not many realize that the restaurant offers more than sirloins. In fact, there’s an array of options available.

Sure, there are the regular standbys, hamburgers and chicken fried steak, which are customary in almost any steak house. But those looking for a lighter and healthier meal can take solace in the steak house’s seafood menu, which offers lobster and yellow fin tuna steak as some of its most extravagant and expensive items. However, sometimes it is the rarest of meals that comes with the best value and taste. One menu item in particular is only available one day a week, and with good reason: it’s all you can eat and very inexpensive. Every Tuesday, patrons can enjoy breaded ocean perch, served with a side and a salad, applesauce or cottage cheese, all for less than $8.

For people who aren’t big steak eaters and aren’t looking to have just another burger or fried chicken, this is a delicious alternative. Order a cold beer or soft drink to complete your meal.

The Topeka Steak House, which has been open since the 1950s, is a staple of Topeka culture and still a very popular family dining establishment in Tecumseh, as there is often a large crowd at the door right around 6 p.m. It’s worth the short drive into the country to try this locally-owned piece of Topeka history, which is said to have at one point in time been a shooting range. It’s not flashy or fancy, by any means, but it does offer some great food for a carnivorous appetite.

Business hours are 4-9:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, closed on Sundays. It offers high quality food in a casual, familyfriendly atmosphere. aseveneightfive

“The Topeka Steak House has been open since the 1950’s and is a staple of Topeka culture. There is often a large crowd at the door.”

deliciously evolving...

785.235.1700

www.RowHouseRestaurant.net 3

5 years of arts + entertainment

44

issues is a lot. We’re not going to be modest about it. We’ve put buckets of sweat and pints of tears into this publication. But what we’ve lost in time (and fluids, apparently) we’ve gained in an irreplaceable appreciation and love for our city and the people who call it home. 44 late-night deadlines, thousands of photos, millions of words, gut-splitting laughter, crashed hard drives, last-minute cover designs (some of them hard for us to look at now!), runs to the printer and thousands of pounds lifted and hauled throughout town, 80 billion typos (okay, maybe not that many), 80 billion emails (yes, exactly that many) - when you add it all up, it just equals this, the publication you hold in your hands. Cheers to the life seveneightfive. And cheers to the next five to come!

-- Kerrice and Leah

Vol 1 issue 1

Vol 1 issue 2

Vol 1 issue 3

Vol 1 issue 4

Vol 1 issue 5

Vol 1 issue 6

Vol 1 issue 7

Vol 1 issue 8

Vol 1 issue 9

Vol 1 issue 10

Vol 2 issue 1

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Vol 2 issue 4

Vol 2 issue 5

Vol 2 issue 6

Vol 2 issue 7

Vol 2 issue 8

Vol 2 issue 9

Vol 3 issue 1

Vol 3 issue 2

Vol 3 issue 7

Vol 3 issue 3

Vol 3 issue 8

Vol 3 issue 4

Vol 3 issue 5

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Vol 4 issue 1

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Vol 4 issue 5

Vol 4 issue 6

Vol 4 issue 7

Vol 4 issue 8

Vol 5 issue 1

Vol 5 issue 2

Vol 5 issue 3

Vol 5 issue 4

Vol 5 issue 5

toPeKa’s guide to aRt, enteRtainment, liFestyle + local FlavoR

vol. v Issue vIII • June 1 - July 15

Reggae Revolution FRom Kingston to Kansas

Pow Wow savvy ResPect the Ritual

arty Party 2010 histoRy + modeRnity Wed doWntoWn

FREE!

FRee!

Vol 5 issue 6

Vol 5 issue 7

Rev me

Vol 5 issue 8

Vol 6 issue 1

PLAY WITH ME

thank you for reading.

LOCAL

mobile

eats

FLAVOR Foodie writer Rio hits the road to find some of the best Mexican food fare in Topeka. On wheels.

by Rio Cer vantes-Reed • photo by Adam Koger

I

n keeping with our efforts to let our seveneightfive readers know about new and unusual places to eat, I went in search of taco trucks and food carts, sampling some food, all for you.

As much as I love food, I was very pleased to come across a sweet surprise, which I excitedly called a “corn cart.” Actually, I screamed it out, startling my taco truck search companion and the poor corn cart attendant. And I made an illegal u-turn, followed by an illegal j-turn, again, all for you. And the corn.

Ecotes Mexico This taco truck has a regular spot at the Saturday morning downtown Topeka Farmers Market from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Owner Jose Cervantes (no relation that we’re aware of) serves a morning favorite, breakfast burritos with your choice of fillings.

Fresh tamales can also be found here, stuffed with spiced pork. Jose says he’ll do special orders, just call him at 845.5545 to have your order ready for pick up Saturday morning.

R&J’s Tacos 4 U Tacos 4 U is in the parking lot of Mike’s IGA in the Oakland neighborhood at the corner of N.E. Sardou and Michigan. Richelle says they’re open daily, serving breakfast from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., and lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, the truck is open until 5 p.m. Weekends are spent at car shows, festivals and fairs throughout Kansas, so keep your eyes open for them when you’re out and about. I had the beef, bean and cheese burrito ($3) which had a mild spice and was pleasantly cheesy. They also have hard-shell tacos with beef and soft tacos with your choice of beef or chicken.

Taqueria El Coyote Unfortunately Taqueria El Coyote was closed, but with a quick call to the owner (220.9896) I learned it was due to the heat. Hijolé, it was 104F, so who could blame them? But their menu board presented some delicacies, including tripa (tripe) and sesos (brain).

Call to see if they are open before stopping by. Taqueria El Coyote’s truck is located in the parking lot of the liquor store at East 6th & Locust (about six blocks east of Branner Trafficway).

Elotes el Paisa This is the dish that had me dancing in the car while eating it, and ordering extras to take to friends. Found on the sidewalk in front of a market on 6th street (about seven blocks east of Branner Trafficway), this lowly cart carried the heavenly fixings for esquites, or elotes en vaso, a layered sweet corn dish with mayonnaise, parmesan cheese and your choice of mild chili powder or cayenne powder. If you want it on the cob, just say sin vaso, they’ll know what you mean. This is a great cart to take your Spanish-speaking friends to so they can get some practice.

Tacos el Gallo Venture a little further east on 6th to find this large truck parked at the corner of Burr, near where 6th and 10th streets converge.

This truck is for sale, as the owner is hoping to open a restaurant in the boarded up laundromat where it’s parked. After all that elote I needed some beef, so I ordered a taco de carne asada. In a few seconds I could hear and smell the sizzling beef. The taco was placed in a stryofoam container and I couldn’t wait to get to my car and open it up. Oh, my! The cubed beef was so tender, the cilantro so green and fresh. A side of pico de gallo accompanied it. This has to be my new favorite taco de carne asada in town. The corn tortilla was so soft and warm, I envied the meat; I wanted to be wrapped up in it. The best I could do was eat it, and I recommend you do the same.

So, dear seveneightfive readers, please send your suggestions for any food trucks or carts I may have missed to rio@seveneightfive. com. Any ethnicity of food is welcome. We do not discriminate, no food bigotry going on here. And I’ll see you back at the corn cart. aseveneightfive

7

seen + noted |

Kim’s Vietnamese Restaurant 1901 SW 10th Ave.

LOCAL

FLAVOR a walking distance

to Kim’s

by Cale Herreman photo by Rio Cervantes-Reed

I

devour

downtown For one delicious week, August 14-20, 2011, you can “Devour Downtown.”

Sponsored by Downtown Topeka, Inc. and Capitol Federal Savings, this week-long event has participating downtown restaurants offering great lunch and dinner specials in an effort to bring Topekans out to enjoy their downtown.

With so many delectable restaurants downtown to delight your taste buds, “Devour Downtown” is a great way to discover them without emptying your wallet. Through events like “Devour Downtown” DTI hopes Topekans will add downtown to their mindset of great places to go for a night out on the town. aseveneightfive

t’s probably safe to say that few Topekans even know what Vietnamese cuisine is. That was the intimidating barrier that kept me from trying Kim’s Vietnamese Restaurant for several weeks, even though it’s only four blocks from my house. Walking into the place, though, was immediately comforting. It may have the body of a former burger joint, but it has the heart of your favorite Asian restaurant. The décor is images of dancing cranes and the occasional Buddha. When the menu arrived, I found no learning curve at all, just new names for old favorites, like Com Chien Ga: the delicious, filling and dependable chicken fried rice. There is chicken, beef and pork; there are noodles; there is rice. My wife likes the Pho soups; my favorite is the Ginger Tofu, which would make a believer of anyone who thinks tofu is bland.

For your drink, you should splurge on a sweet, cool Bubble Tea. aseveneightfive

seveneightfive’s downtown favorites The BreakRoom 911 S. Kansas Ave. (785) 215-6633 breakroomdowntown.com Bosco’s 435 S Kansas (785) 232-6726 boscosdowntown.com Celtic Fox 118 SW 8th Ave. (785) 235-2138 thecelticfox.com El Mezcal 511 SW Topeka Blvd.

(785) 357-0956

Arturo’s 105 SE 10th Ave. (785) 233-9000 Globe Indian Cuisine 117 SE 10th (785) 354-1500 Hanover Pancake House 1034 S. Kansas Ave. (785) 232-1111 Lupita’s 732 S. Kansas Ave. (785) 234-6340 London’s Jazz Cafe 115 SE 6th (785) 215-8900

Kansan Grill 705 S. Kansas Ave. (785) 233-0086 kansangrill.com Pepe & Chela’s 1001 SW Tyler (785) 357-8332 www.pepeandchelas.com The Office 124 W 8th Street (785) 354-9380 drinkattheoffice.com The RowHouse Restaurant 515 SW Van Buren St. (785) 235-1700 rowhouserestaurant.net

local flavor

double overtime The Office expands T

he only office where overtime is welcomed, The Office, 8th and Jackson, has been a watering hole for downtown workers since March, 2009. However, it was in September 2010 when The Office expanded the bar, brought in weekend dueling pianos, created a great patio area and showcased an upgraded menu, that this bar and restaurant exploded. The menu includes steaks, crab cakes, oysters and and other fresh seafood flown in weekly. The dueling pianos creates a unique destination in downtown Topeka and tradition continues with after-work legislators and workers who host after-hour meetings over a scotch.

by Kerrice Mapes image contributed

The Office has figured out their formula and is expanding to a second location in August to accommodate workers in South Topeka. Taking over the old Bennigans, The Office will have a much larger area for Dueling Pianos, tables and an even more expanded menu that will still include unique flavors, steaks and seafood and upscale pub grub. Look for details Aug. 1 by following them on Facebook (with their group page) and seveneightfive.

We’ll see you bright and early, and seven days a week, at The Office. aseveneightfive

ARTSConnect Campaign With the lost KAC funds, we are trying to raise $150,000 to support the arts in Shawnee County.

Every $10 counts. Your donation counts.

Support the Arts give to the ARTSConnect Campaign!

A big THANK YOU to seveneightfive from ARTSConnect for 5 years of helping make Topeka “A Great Arts Town!”

www.artsconnecttopeka.org • 271.0065

august 5 5:30 - 8:30 pm

Go Art walking: map @artsconnecttopeka.org 9

art

an evening of ar t and open hear ts Powerful, compelling art from some of Family Service & Guidance Center’s most creative, talented young artists, along with works by professional artists from across the country, will be up for bids to benefit the children they serve on August 26.

Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen. ~Leonardo da Vinci

photo by Works of Heart artist Ashton, 17

View Works of Heart

T

he 5th annual Family Service & Guidance Center Works of Heart Art Event and Auction will take place on Friday, August 26th, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Ramada Hotel + Convention Center, Downtown Topeka. Over 300 art enthusiasts and community leaders will bid on Works of Heart created by young FSGC clients. Their pieces will be up for bids alongside works by professional artists from across the country, and 100 percent of the proceeds will directly benefit the over-11,000 children and families FSGC serves each year.

Fidelity State Bank Art Show 6th + KS | July 1 - July 28 First Friday ArtWalk Warehouse 414, 414 SE 2nd St. August 5, 5:30 - 7:30 pm Works of Heart Art Event + Auction, Ramada Hotel + Convention Center August 26, 6 - 10 pm Call 270.8996 to purchase tickets www.fsgctopeka.com Follow them on Facebook + Twitter: WorksofHeart + FSGCTopeka #worksofheart / @fsgctopeka

This exciting evening features a cocktail hour, live music, silent and live auctions, three-course meal and more. “The highlight of the evening,” Amy Burns, FSGC director of marketing and development, said, “is watching the faces of our Featured Young Artists as bids on their pieces go higher and higher.”

The highlight for the Works of Heart artists, however, is the long-term impact the event has on their lives. “We’ve heard from the children that this event helps them unlock their potential and gives them self-esteem,” said Burns. For the attendees, they are not only helping these kids but helping all the children that FSGC serves.

Support these talented young artists and the great work Family Service & Guidance Center does by attending the 5th Annual Works of Heart Art Event & Auction. aseveneightfive

Imperfectly Perfect

by Emma, age 14

In my mind I can see The girl that I would like to be I’ve gotten to know her in my thoughts she is perfect and I am not She’s pretty, smart, and always sweet She plays sports and piano, she’s so elite It upsets me sometimes. I just don’t understand.

Why can’t I do everything as well as she can?

People say to be happy with just being you but then the girl shows me everything I can’t do.

It used to be that my world was so happy and warm But this hatred has left me alone in a storm.

I’ll never be good enough I say as my teardrops fall. but suddenly I realize I can’t have it all Nobody’s perfect, now isn’t that true?

The things that you’re good at is what makes you you.

Hey perfect girl now I know what to feel I am a person and you are not real.

We have to accept ourselves even though it can be hard Our imperfections are what makes us who we are If we were all perfect we’d be the same as each other What makes us perfect is being good at one thing or another People are all different, some are short, some are tall.

So since we’re all good at different things you aren’t perfect at all.

I’m good at writing but I can’t ride a bike.

My friend’s just the opposite, no ones exactly alike.

So that girls not perfect after all and I am just right Then the rain stops and my world fills with light so next time you feel down and your world starts to get dim just remember you’re perfect outside and in.

on the

house

[ how Topeka bars are giving back ]

blues for a cause

by Larissa Keller photos by Adam Koger

W

omen Empowerment Inc. (WE), Kansan Grill and blues band The Right Clique have teamed up to host the Blues for a Cause event at 8 p.m Saturday July 23. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, but don’t wait to buy tickets; 80 of the 160 tickets for the event have already been sold as of this writing.

The event is a fundraiser for WE, an organization that is determined to help the women in our community through their slogan: “Being the change the world sees in us.” What began as a book club one year ago has grown into an organization that hosts programs for women of all ages. Sheyvette Dinkens, founder of WE, understands the importance of action. Dinkens believes “If I have an idea, someone else has that idea too, but if nobody acts on it, it’s just an idea.” The volunteers of WE have encouraged elementary school girls to enjoy reading with the Young Women’s Book Club and educated fifty teenagers about pregnancy through the Teen Pregnancy Program. The Young Women’s Book Club will be meeting weekly at seven different schools during the upcoming school year, and the Teen Pregnancy Program meets once a week

heard + noted

tweet your heard + noted to @785heardnoted

at the Topeka Library and Highland Park High School. WE has also established a scholarship fund, and the first scholarship will be given in May 2012 to a graduating senior woman.

The Kansan Grill has hosted fundraiser events in the past, such as the sold out In/Out Reunion and Cancer Benefit. Dinkens enjoyed setting up the event with the staff at the Kansan Grill.

“Kansan Grill is very nice, very supportive. I sent Sheila an email on a Friday, she responded back on Monday, and the final everything was a week later,” Dinkens recalls. The Blues for a Cause event will also be a birthday celebration for the year-old organization, and all of the volunteers and board members will be recognized for their support. Sponsors of the event include the Kansan Grill and the law firm of English and Hynes. Dinkens is thankful for the support.

“There is no way this could happen without our volunteers, our board members, and our kids.”

Sheila Dinkens, founder of WE, and an art auction item up for bid.

aseveneightfive

To learn more about the Blues for a Cause event and Women Empowerment Inc, go to www. womenpowermentks.org.

There is no such thing as a “part-time” vegan. @ Blue Planet Cafe

I only had one math class in college and I got a D. So, uh, yeah. @ Pigskins

I can’t wait to get a boob job, the bigger the better.

Go big or go home. @ College Hill

Well, of course I know what I’m talking about. @ Blackbird

If you like drinking Milwaukee’s Best, you probably enjoy drinking piss. @ The Laundra Bar

My next party is going to be Ke$ha-themed.

Booze, boots and boys. @The Office

What happens at Resistance, stays at Resistance. @ the Trap

He fakes being straight around his family, even though there are Will & Grace DVDs all over his bedroom floor. @ Quinton’s

If men would just learn to listen to women, their lives would be so much easier. @ The Blind Tiger

11

seen + noted |

DA RT

a+e

by Larissa Keller photo by Adam Koger

O The dartboard in the window next to Quizno’s is promoting the DART, a benefit for Let’s Help.

b y E r i n L e i g h Wy n k o o p

n Saturday, September 17, the Downtown Adventure Race Topeka (DART) will be filling the downtown area with up to fifty teams competing for prizes and bragging rights.

The race, a benefit for Let’s Help, costs $35 per person. Teams must consist of three to six people, who can be from any age and fitness level. For more information and to register for the race, go to dothedart.com. aseveneightfive

secret garden

The wonderfully young and talented Bath House Players will present their second summer performance, The Secret Garden, at Helen Hocker Center for Performing Arts beginning July 22nd through the end of the month.

The Secret Garden musical is the story of Mary Lennox, orphaned and sent to live with a reclusive uncle and his ill son, who Mary brings back to health and develops a special friendship with through the magic of a secret, locked garden. For dates and tickets call Helen Hocker at 368.0191 or find info on the website www.topeka.org

12

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Sign up online or use the Q R C o d e t o t h e b e l o w.

An interview with Denise Low

words and histories

[ poetry ]

b y D e n n i s E t z e l Jr.

A

s the previous Poet Laureate of Kansas (2007-09), Dr. Denise Low continues to cultivate poetry through our state’s rich textures, including editing To the Stars: Kansas Poets of the Ad Astra Poetry Project (Mammoth). She is chair of the English Department at Haskell Indian Nations University, where she also teaches creative writing and American Indian Studies courses. Alongside several prestigious publications is her latest book of poems, Ghost Stories of the New West: From Einstein’s Brain to Geronimo’s Boots (Woodley). I have the honor of interviewing her as she shares her approaches and work.

Dennis: What is your process for writing poetry? Or do you have more than one?

Denise: Because I had children when I was youngish, I learned to write any way I could and in any sliver of time. I remember in my early 30’s when I was teaching five or six sections of English a semester, I scheduled Tuesday and Thursday mornings for writing times, and that was a salvation. Ideally, I have an ongoing dialogue with my subconscious mind through intuitions, obsessions and dreams. Those pricklings start the process. Then I might do research to add layers of historic or factual context.

Dennis: Did you have an initial approach with Ghost Stories of the New West? Was there a poem that started it all?

Denise: The intersection of personal and larger historic trends is one of the most compelling topics for me. Because we were taught so little about western frontier and Kansas history in public schools, I have spent years filling in the gaps. My parents were among those who downplayed the past. And those missing pieces are often ones that do not fit into the national story—cowboys were of many races, for example. Even after Kansas high school and a University of Kansas degree in English, I did not read the works of William Allen White, William Stafford, Kenneth Porter, William Inge, Evan Connell and many other fine area writers. As a kid I was trying to read Updike and Salinger and imagine the urban Northeast and people of privilege. There was a disconnect—I think this is one of the very most crucial issues for writers today. I feel empowered by being able to recuperate lost stories from my own family and from the larger narrative of the Santa Fe Trail and the rest of the region.

So Ghost Stories is a book I’ve been writing all my adult life, as I have pieced together the occluded past events. The past is present in our daily lives—in our carnivorous meals, for example. We eat dead things. So for me pieces of the past can be thought of as ghosts. read the whole interview online at seveneightfive.com >>

Pocahontas: A Portrait

In memory of Paula Gunn Allen

Oval face eyes turned aside high collar, ruffled. Once: a favored child cartwheeler envoy between camps student of English daughter of Powhatan wife of Kocoum political gamepiece kidnap victim of Argall forced bride converted wife of Rolfe lady in wooden rooms awaiting a child mother of Thomas literate Christian forest Madonna tobacco cultivator London celebrity ailing martyr.

Her words “Everyone must die.” and “It is enough, the child lives.”

Oil portrait filigree tatting on a stamp lace-wreath collar the woman named Matoaka narrowed-eyes look days before the grave frozen obliqueness now the oval face.

Country Walk An old ocean pleats chalky debris— Pennsylvanian limestone.

I consume an old reef as bread.

Old coral brine rinses through my blood.

Sky moves forward, returns, and disappears again into its own darkness.

I follow the bulldozed county road— its contrived erosions.

Earth molds itself to motion as a snake’s shed skin shows its quick route.

Standing in one pose I see an ouroborus, a snake consuming its own tail.

Sidewinder ripples show departed water.

Rising winds tug at tire tracks.

13

5Q / Bad Daddy Loud

a couple of bad boys

by Robin Cremer photo contributed

H

aving known each other since their Walnut Elementary school days in Emporia, Von Kopfman and Eric Logan are a couple of guys who’ve led parallel musical lives over the last two decades. But it’s only been in the last few months they’ve been melding musically under the guise of Big Daddy Loud (they’ve managed to work through the hurt Von still endures after being denied a role in one of Eric’s high school bands).

Joking aside, Big Daddy Loud is a serious rock-and-roll band with an impressive resume of musical accomplishments. At this moment they are polishing up a debut CD of hard-rocking, retro-modern, riff-driven, funked-up rock and roll that is guaranteed to wreak havoc on an unsuspecting public. The Adventures Of Apple Spacebar — a concept album about a space-age groupie who’s done everyone from Dylan to Hendrix — is a scorching set of tunes that screams at you to play it LOUD! The album was cut at Lawrence’s Art House recording studio with Jim Barnes producing, engineering and providing the ubiquitous backbeat. It’s due out in September (barring their WITSEC cover hasn’t been blown by then), but you can check out some tracks at their website, www.bigdaddyloud.com. And remember; it ain’t loud unless it’s Big Daddy Loud!

Who came up with the name?

Von: It was a combination, like everything.

Eric: I came up with the Loud Kings.

Von: Till we found there was somebody else called the Loud Kings... I texted him about a thousand band names all day long for two or three days, and I had Big Daddy something and then I thought, “We’ll just put those two together: Big Daddy Loud.”

“It’s riff-driven rock and roll, and nobody’s doing it.”

What are some of the influences on your songwriting?

Von: Everything from Kiss to a couple new bands that are full of old guys. Black Country Communion, Chickenfoot, Coverdale/Page, Led Zeppelin.

Eric: The Smithereens were a very big influence.

Tell me about a typical recording session.

Von: Everything we do is in the nude.

Eric: Usually we show up and something’s on fire... we’ll do a quick run through of the outline that we have. While we’re doing set up with Jim (Barnes), we’ll go over some of the concepts with him give him an idea of what to expect and hit the click track and just start building the song.

Von: Typically we’ll give him a rhythm, a scratch guitar, which half the time we end up keeping, a scratch vocal that some of the time we wind up keeping... the drums come... then my bass. I know where the chord changes are… but what I play is totally influenced by Jim’s drums.

Eric: Once we get a solid music bed, hit the vocals, the leads usually are one of the last things we do, but we try and have a virtually finished product in one session.

Name a few of the bands you’ve been associated with over the years.

Von: I had a Christian rock band named Psallo. The first band I was ever in was a band called Black Death. Our claim to fame was, we had these Navy pea coats that were black, our clothes were black, our guitars were black and the music sucked. I was in a power trio called Sons of Thunder. Of course the Narcotic Lollipop; and I’m in the Three Wise Men. We play for the Festival Of Trees every year. What we do is, we actually take rock and pop songs, and then we take traditional Christmas song lyrics and put them in it. So, like Little Drummer Boy to the tune of “Best Friends Girl” from the Cars, and we pack the place.

Eric: Starting back in the eighties, Prophecy turned into Briney Murphy, which turned into Lance Romance, with no one named Lance in it. Then I did country with a band called Detour, and then some of those people from that original line up started another band, Sundown.

I didn’t play for a long time… and just out of the blue we ended up putting Modern Prophets together [which folded recently].

Von: No, you skipped totally over when you played with Ray Manzarek from the Doors, and did a whole tour with him.

Eric: Yeah, I did play with Scott Richardson, and it was kind of a post-modern blues CD, (Revelation Blues available at Amazon) with Ray Manzarek. I got to go out to Los Angeles, recording out there and went over to Europe and did some French television. It was kind of like the French equivalent of Austin City Limits, only it was recorded in a discothèque in a basement of a hotel in Geneva, Switzerland.

take a listen

How would you describe the music you write and perform?

bigdaddyloud.com

Eric: I call it “brand new classic rock,” that’s what I like to call it because it’s music that we like. It’s riffdriven rock and roll and nobody’s doing it. The Foo Fighters are one of the few bands out there right now that are just straight ahead . . . and are having tremendous success at playing riff-based rock.

New album, “The Adventures of Apple Spacebar,” due to be released this fall.

Von: I hear a lot of elements of funk in it… I would describe it — if we’d had a drummer our age — I would just call it classic rock. But I think Jim has just given it a whole… it sounds classic rock, but it’s modern, a different twist to it. aseveneightfive

where do we go from here?

With the elimination of the Kansas Arts Commission, a new group of citizens has stepped forward to carry on its mission.

by Josh Rouse • photos by Gar y Krohe

feature “It could spurn more grassroots initiatives for art communities. Perhaps it could even bring about an ‘art for the people, by the people’ mindset.” -- Joe Cheray

T

he Kansas Arts Commission may not be receiving any more state funding, but that isn’t stopping a new group of arts supporters from trying to get state dollars back into the arts.

Kansas Citizens for the Arts held a strategy session Thursday, June 16, to set out a plan of attack for acquiring state money to help arts thrive in the state. Henry Schwaller, former chair of Kansas Arts Commission and member of Kansas Citizens for the Arts, led the session. He said the group would hold a series of workshops across the state to build grassroots support for a new arts plan to carry forward to the legislature in the future. He added that the next meeting would most likely take place in Wichita and the group would head west from there.

“It’s been very positive,” said Schwaller about the feedback from citizens. “There have been some online comments that have been negative, but most people are very shocked and very upset that something so small in terms of funding would become such a major issue. People across the state have been very supportive.”

Schwaller, a board member for the KAC, said the commission will continue to serve Kansans, with the Kansas Citizens for the Arts taking on a different role.

“The Kansas Arts Commission will probably focus more on its role relative to the governor’s Kansas Arts Foundation, so it’s important for this group here, Kansas Citizens for the Arts, to focus on building grassroots support for a different model, one that involves state support for the arts, not just private sector involvement.

Although that is important, we do want private dollars, the state needs to be involved.”

During the session, the group agreed on a resolution: “Be it resolved that local, state and federal governments have a responsibility to partner in funding the arts to ensure access and educational opportunities for all, and to spur economic development, creativity, innovation and community health.”

“It could spurn more grassroots initiatives for art communities,” said Joe Cheray, owner of Wildheart Social Media in Topeka, who was in attendance at the meeting. “Perhaps it could even bring about an ‘art for the people, by the people’ mindset.”

Marcy Francisco, a Democratic state senator for District 2, was one of three government officials in attendance at the meeting.

Also in attendance were two state representatives, Barbara Bollier (R-District 25), and Paul Davis (D-District 46).

“I’m very much interested in where people think we can go from here and what we want to do because I can then communicate that continued on page 18 >>

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>> continued from page 17

“Be it resolved that local, state and federal governments have a responsibility to partner in funding the arts to ensure access and educational opportunities for all, and to spur economic development, creativity, innovation and community health.” with my constituents and say ‘Here’s what the Kansas Citizens for the Arts are doing,’” said Francisco, who said during the session that she received more than 300 emails asking her to support the arts.

Francisco, who represents Lawrence and Lecompton, said that the larger arts communities would be less affected by the loss of state funding to the KAC than the smaller rural communities within the state.

The politicians weren’t just there to listen, however. All three of them addressed the group, and even had a few controversial things to say. Bollier announced during the meeting she had overheard that the lieutenant governor had been bargaining with state senators for the Kansas Arts Commission. She said her understanding was that the lieutenant governor had expressed a willingness to keep the KAC in exchange for the senate passing a bill to take away the citizens’ voting rights for judicial appointment, instead having the governor’s office make the appointments. She said she personally had not received any phone calls.

“The reason that I think that it may affect rural communities more is that Lawrence has the ability, because of our size, because of the people who are living here, to have a dance workshop,” said Francisco as an example. “But, in fact, it was the dance workshop of Lawrence that went to Western Kansas to hold a weekend workshop so that children in other communities could participate, those are the possibilities that happen.”

Francisco said she was surprised by the actions of Governor Brownback regarding the KAC, particularly when the money was there to support the KAC. However, the loss of state funding for the KAC wasn’t the most troubling thing to Francisco. She said that while she didn’t mind appointing a chair to the commission or filling vacant seats, encouraging or telling people to resign was a hard pill to swallow as an elected official.

“For small art galleries and small towns, who do not have the wealth of the more well-known areas of the state and well-known galleries, it is [vital],” said Cheray. “These folks are the ones that need all the help they can get and they need state funding. I mean, out in Western Kansas you have counties where there are maybe three or four towns total in them, and these are not major county seats like Topeka is to Shawnee and Wichita is to Sedgwick County.”

“I think in representative government, this idea that over time elected officials make appointments and that groups change, that they’re not reflective of the individuals, they’re reflective of the politics at the time,” said Francisco. “To say that the people who have been working on the arts commission with very good faith ‘You’re not needed,’ I’m not sure is the message that you want to send. I think if you ask people to serve a term for a certain number of years and they haven’t run away with public money or done something unspeakable, that we should let them serve their term.”

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Cheray agreed with Francisco’s sentiments about the loss of state money being a bigger hit for rural areas than well-established arts communities such as Lawrence and Wichita.

Schwaller, however, was hopeful that the government would see a need for state dollars to be put back into the arts, and hoped that citizens who were against supporting the arts would reconsider what was best for the state.

“There are those who say ‘I don’t want MY tax dollars going to the arts,’ but they don’t realize or understand that their tax dollars are only 29 cents per Kansan per year to fund the arts and it’s OUR tax dollars, not the individual’s,” said Schwaller. “There are some things, quite frankly, I don’t want to fund, but I do because it’s good for my community as a whole.” aseveneightfive

local shopping westside records, games +

Tr a d e p o s t O u t l e t • 2 1 s t + Wa n a m k e r

b y E r i n Wy n k o o p photo by EJ Drake

T

here is a new place in town to shop for all of us nerds who need our fix of entertainment through vintage gaming systems and stereo equipment and those large vinyl round discs that make music when scratched with a needle on a turntable.

Tradepost Outlet Center, located on Wanamaker (west side of street) and 21st is, like it sounds, a sister store to the CD Tradeposts that are scattered around Kansas and into Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska.

The outlet center is different from the CD Tradeposts around town because prices are lower and more entertainment options are offered there. Where else can you find old-school Atari games, vintage records to add to your collection and a gently used smart phone (no contract!) under one roof? Tradepost Outlet Center is open seven days a week from 11a.m. to 7p.m.

downtown mojo Oh, great... with unique gifts, funky accessories and one-of-a-kind T-shirts, Boho Mojo, 728 S. Kansas Ave., is sure to become yet another awesome little boutique in town where I will spend all my hard earned money.

Owners Clint and Carole Appelhanz say their store “has a distinct flavor, that’s anything but vanilla.” That is evidenced by the tie-dye tees, the fun, studded handbags and the bright, quippy onesies. This shop is full of both bohemian and contemporary finds for you, your mom and for the hip little tyke in your life.

Stop by and check out this little gem, and “Like” them on Facebook. aseveneightfive b y E r i n L e i g h Wy n k o o p photo by Adam Koger

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lifestyle

all that jazz

by Alice C. Hunt photo by Tiffany Bonnewell

20

Say “Jazzercise,” and I picture blonde, walking Barbie dolls with mile-high bangs in thong leotards and leg warmers gyrating to tinny, generic music like the “pop” tunes on the jukebox in “Saved by the Bell.”

1969 in Illinois, and took it to California in 1972. By 1983, the program was in all 50 states.

But when I got up at the crack of dawn on a Wednesday to check out one of the dozens of classes offered at one of the three Jazzercise studios around Topeka, I got a wakeup call much greater than the soreness in my backside.

Jazzercise doesn’t suck. In fact, it’s a hell of a lot of fun.

“Are we ready to do some jabs?” she calls into her headset/ microphone, as the class nods in affirmation. Rutherford doesn’t happen to be blonde, but there’s not a mile-high bang in sight. She looks (and sounds) more like an elementary school teacher than those TV workout gurus (and I mean that as a compliment!).

Professional dancer Judi Sheppard Missett founded Jazzercise in

Essentially, Jazzercise IS an aerobics class with cardio and sculpting.

At 5:30 a.m., a group (12 women, and one man) gathered at Fairlawn Plaza for the early morning Jazzercise workout at the western studio location. Instructor Ashleigh Rutherford, who has been a Jazzercise instructor for five years, climbed onto a small stage at the front of the room so everyone could follow her moves.

And while the dance moves aren’t anything I’d take to the club this weekend, they do get you moving. So does the music. Instead of auditory drivel, it’s club mixes of Lady Gaga, Frankie Goes to Hollywood or the B52s.

But what really floored me (besides the squats) was that the class was smiling. In a workout. At 5:30 in the morning.

“I’ve been working out about five days a week for 10 years, and Jazzercise is my favorite,” said Topekan Stephanie Bunten.

Bunten has been Jazzercising five to six times a week for two years. She had tried all kinds of exercise, but this is the one that stuck.

The availability of so many classes makes it easy to fit in a workout around her schedule, Bunten said. The routines change every few weeks, so the classes don’t get stale, she added.

“It’s like a dance class. It’s just fun,” she said. The camaraderie among classmates doesn’t hurt either. “We get to know each other well. There’s a group of us in the afternoon, and sometimes we’ll go out for appetizers after class.”

What I loved was that the focus was totally positive— breathe deep, stretch long, get your heart pumping. Not a word about weight or body image was uttered the whole class.

And if it works for “Dancing with the Stars” champ Cheryl Burke—all I can say is, when’s the next class? aseveneightfive

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.jazzercise.com Classes on Fridays in July are free to those who are interested in trying Jazzercise.

Jazzercise Topeka East Fitness Center 2033 SE 29th St. 785.379.5400 Jazzercise Topeka West Fitness Center 5341 SW 22nd Pl. 785.383.3831 topekajazzercise@aol.com Jazzercise Topeka North Indian Creek Grange 4545 NW. Topeka Blvd.

785.969.8567 | jazzercisenorth@yahoo.com

but jazzercise just isn’t my thing...

J

azzercise isn’t the only fitness class in town. Enjoy this sampling of group exercise offerings:

Sujikan (the art of muscle) is the creation of martial artist/personal trainer Kevin Reed (full disclosure: Kevin is this writer’s better half). Kevin created Sujikan several years ago when he owned a martial arts studio. “I was getting adults, mostly women, who didn’t necessarily want to start on the path of getting their black belt, but saw the benefits Hollywood actors were getting from martial arts-style training.

Everyone wanted Cameron Diaz’ and Lucy Lui’s bodies.” Sujikan allowed Kevin to pick and choose from the best techniques he knew, including karate, yoga, Pilates, plyometrics and weightlifting. Since taking his style of physical training to Great Life Golf and Fitness at Berkshire, Kevin has seen a growth in the number of people taking the 45 minute class, which he offers three times a week.

“The surprising part has been the large number of men participating. Sometimes the class is all men.

There aren’t many group fitness classes that can say the same.”

Zumba Fitness® is a blend of aerobic exercise and Latin dance moves. Originating in Colombia in the mid-’90s, Zumba quickly moved north to the United States and classes can be found at various gyms, community centers and home DVD players across Topeka. Kimberley Munoz has been teaching Zumba since 2007. “I attended a class with a friend and within 60 days I became a certified instructor. I love it that much.” My dance style is more Seinfeld’s Elaine Benes than the hip-shaking Latina some may suspect, so I had to ask, do the fitness class “moves” translate to the dance floor? Kimberley explained the basics of Latin dance are taught in the class. “We mix the basic steps of merengue, cumbia, salsa, and flamenco with aerobic exercise, so yeah, you can take the basic moves out on the dance floor.”

As for the make up of the class it is mostly female, however Kimberley says when a man joins in, he usually sticks with it. “Our motto is, ‘Ditch the workout, join the party.’ We’re going to dance and have fun, and we want you to join us.” Check your local gym or community center for the schedule, or call City of Topeka Parks and Recreation at 785-3683838.

by Rio Cervantes-Reed

21

seen + noted |

booze + your to-do list [ The Ichabod LaundraBar is freshened up with new ownership ]

by Rio Cervantes-Reed • photos by EJ Drake

S

oaps and suds have gone together since 1988 at the Ichabod LaundraBar, 1501 SW 21st Street in the Washburn View Shopping Center. But June brought a bit of change as new owners Jason McDaneld and his wife Tracy Smith McDaneld took over operation of the combination laundromat/bar.

Jason has been tending bar and managing, “...sort of,” as he puts it, for about one and a half years at the LaundraBar. It was his regular hang out when he was a student at Washburn University. With previous experience in the restaurant and bar industry, it was a natural transition for him to step up to work there when the previous owner, who had become a friend, needed help.

When asked about short term goals, Jason said there wouldn’t be too much. The staff will remain so the familiar faces will provide some comfort through the transition. The pool tables, which are quite a draw for those waiting on their laundry, will also remain.

Tracy has plans to bring in some new barware.

“We can make martinis, but we don’t have martini glasses.” Definitely a must for her, as she’s quite the Cosmo connoisseur.

For the long-term, the pair hopes to expand the bar. Jason, who has been an avid dart player in the past, would like to add boards to accommodate local dart leagues. They would also like to add to the food menu, which now includes pizza, microwave sandwiches and chips.

As a Washburn alumnus, Jason would like more Ichabods to hang out. He hopes an expansion will provide space for bands and deejays to bring in the late night crowd, and a WiFi connection will encourage students to come in and study.

The Ichabod LaundraBar is open from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. aseveneightfive

VIRGO How come when ya get yer heart broken, it makes yer tummy feel bad?

LIBRA Never underestimate the power of silence, Bucko. People tend to think quiet people are much smarter than they really are. And they’re usually right.

SCORPIO The other signs all wish they were Scorpios... (sung to the tune “California Girls” by The Beach Boys.)

SAGITTARIUS I promised you-know-who I wouldn’t, but I have to at least warn ya. There, I feel better now.

CAPRICORN I know we’ve talked about this before... put the badger suit and swim fins on CraigsList. It’s the right thing to do.

AQUARIUS Don’t look, but there’s a total hottie staring at yer ass as ya read this. Too late, they looked away. Wow, that was freaky!

PISCES Someone once said, “Ya can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but...”

Wait! I just figured out how the Republican Party works! ___________________________ Question for the Blue Guru?

Stop kidding yerself, Bucko. Yer not as big (a loser) as ya think!

Ruprecht@PsychicChicken.com ___________________________ * Astrological predictions are about as weak as a Michele Bachmann candidacy.

(And we thought Sara Palin’s Paul Revere stuff was lame.) Wait, if Michele and Sara end up as the nominees, wouldn’t we have to call the Republican ticket “Dumb and Dumber”?

College Hill Tavern THE placE To bE all SummEr long

upComing evenTs Periwinkle & Vivid Tangerines Reunion Party - July 23

July 30 3 of a Kind

August 20

Under the Big Tent

Kristie Stremel opening for

Patrice Pike

August 13

Char Matheny & Velvet Blues Revue

every Week

authentic feather extensions

tues: Jeff 1616 todaSW 17th St. 785.234.0700 Acoustic debAuchery Wed: All star band & open Jam

thur: dJ by Groovy Girl retro Groovy tunes for your pre-weekend party!

fri: karaoke w/Groovy Girl college Hill Karaoke Idol contest 7.22, 8.5, 8.19. Final judging before Soul rebel & The beast parking lot party on 8.27 sun: All drink specials honored

*********************

(w/The Just Us Band)

August 27

Soul Rebel & The Beast

Back-to-school Toga Party

Look for the return of Gypsy JAzz 9.10 | updAted menu come AuGust

obtain what you desire.

2601 SW 17th 233.5577

entertainment

oh. so. irresistible.

Resistance turns 1. How it almost died (but didn’t!) and the underground movement that followed.

by Melissa Sewell • photos by Colin MacMillan / Nathan Ham Photography

J

uly 21 marks the first anniversary of Resistance, the wildly popular all-ages alternative dance night held on Thursdays at the Boobie Trap Bar.

for long. Cumulatively, the crowd was large, but the three magical elements had to occur simultaneously to result in an actual dance party.

But when the weekly dance night first began, co-creator and “glorified jukebox” Josh Luttrell (or DJ LeTrouble) didn’t expect it to last long.

First, Resistance needed what Luttrell refers to as a “critical mass sort of factor” - the sheer number of people in attendance at a single point in time, that creates a feeling of anonymity. Imagine a few people dancing in a somewhat-populated bar. A little intimidating.

Now imagine a dance floor with 30-50 other people; dancers are lost in the crowd and safe to dance their silly little hearts out without much notice.

“Jeremy Gaston [DJ Stryfe] and I did our best to promote and got an OK turnout, but not many dancers,” Luttrell remembers. The first show, like the upcoming anniversary show, featured local rap group Dream Killer University.

Thursdays were sparsely but steadily attended after that, by curious onlookers who stopped by to check out the event, but never stayed

Second, time. Time for people to dilute their insecurities with booze (Thursday specials include $2 wells, PBR cans, Rolling Rock, and

(Left): DJ Stryfe (Jeremy Gaston) and DJ LeTrouble (Josh Luttrell) tear it up.

High Life bottles, along with $3.50 doubles). Time for the fashionably late to put their last touches on their outfits and make their appearances.

Third is music, of course. This one proves to be the trickiest. “The crowd is really diverse,” Luttrell explains. “They’re from all different walks of life, with all different tastes in music - they want to hear all kinds of things.” Luttrell says he tries to save the high-tempo music for later in the evening, when he has a better chance of drawing people to the dance floor.

Beyond these variables, Luttrell admits to being unable to predict the success of any one night. “It was August when I thought about giving up. The next week, it was packed! It’s a science that I absolutely do not understand,” he says, shaking his head. “I’m consistently surprised.”

He stresses that it’s the community that allows Resistance to be successful. Most of the attendees are made up of a collection of friendships and relationships. “It’s safe here - not a meat market,” he says.

“I mean, there’s a few creepers once in a while, but it’s not full of douchebags trying to pick you up.”

And it’s not booty-shakin’ to Beyonce, either. You can expect to hear more techno, dubstep, electro and clash than pop songs. “It’s a difficult crowd,” Luttrell admits. But sometimes there is bootyshakin’ to Beyonce.

Resistance is Thursdays (and sometimes Saturdays!) at the Trap, 9pm-2am. Ladies are free; gentlemen pay $1 after 10. Join the group on facebook to stay up to date on shows and theme nights. aseveneightfive

lifestyle

the playground in your palm Foursquare is the newest game on Topeka’s playground...and it’s just as competitive as the old school game from 4th grade recess.

by Kerrice Mapes • photo by Colin MacMillan / Nathan Ham Photography

W

here are you? What are you doing? Where are you going? For many seveneightfivers, familiar nightly texts are going to the wayside as they adopt the new social media platform called Foursquare. And while Foursquare isn’t new (it started in 2009 and was adopted by New York urbanites and SXSW attendees on a rapid basis), for Topeka, its recent trending has made it the new kid in school.

The fast-growing social network service is a friend-locator, a city-special guide and a competitive game. Foursquare lets users check in with their cell phone at establishments and alerts their friends to their current location. The free app can be used on any phone, but is best with smartphones with GPS. Your alerts can then be targeted to your select group of Foursquare friends or you can alert your entire Twitter and Facebook network.

26

The beauty behind Foursquare is that others can leave comments and tips at establishments you visit. For example, if you venture to Bosco’s and check in using Foursquare, you’ll find over 330 check-ins and four tips [as of publishing this article] varying from Tracy S. who tells you to “try their cosmo- it’s the best I’ve had!” You can also access customer reviews like the one from Daniel C. who boasts, “Boscos is the best place to do lunch and also meet with your friends at night to catch up while listening to exquisite local bands jam the night away.”

It’s human nature to ask our friends for reviews of local establishments, and Foursquare puts those at your fingertips.

This peer referral source Foursquare offers is a cost-effective way for local businesses to reward their repeat customers. Rewards

or specials can be given every time you visit (Check-in at College Hill Tavern and take $1 off your appetizer), for a certain number of visits (Get a free serving of s’mores after five check-ins at Sub TropiXS) and for new clients (Take 15 percent off any service when you check-in at Envy Salon).

The true reward, however, is becoming the Mayor of a location. Mayorship is gained when you have the most check-ins in a certain time frame. The Mayorship of a location can change with just one checkin and Foursquare will proudly boast new Mayorships on your social media platforms (with permission).

The Playground Scuffle Jim Ogle (user name Jim O.), general manager of WIBW and known as the “Mayor of Topeka” among local Foursquare users was an early adopter. He currently

boasts 236 Mayorships including his home, Via’s Pizzeria and Michelle’s Lounge.

“It connects you to places in your community that you may forget to think about,” said Jim O. Jim O. was an early adopter via his profession in media and aggressively looks for trends, including mobile, that can be used at the station. Coming soon will be WIBW badges.

And while checking in and getting discounts is enough, for most, the narcissistic side of some individuals prevails as does the competitive side of earning Mayorships.

“Whenever you are at the mountaintop there are always people who want to take you down,” said Jim O. “I know that there is a group of people who have great fun in their efforts to go to places I go to and check in to take away some of the Mayorships that I have. I get a kick out it.”

For many in the group of “Jim O. Foursquare Opponents,” it’s simple: to play the game and win Mayorships; to catch Jim O. not in a location and to beat him at different locations.

One of these opponents is local barista Tyler Rowlinson (username Tyler R.). Tyler R. was a later adopter of Foursquare.

“Why would I want everyone to know where I am all the time?” thought Tyler R. when he first heard about Foursquare. However, once he started checking it out, he added some venues and got his first Mayorship. “I was like ‘wow,’ now I want to be the mayor of my work... my apartment...”

But when he tried to become the mayor of his workplace, Blackbird Bistro, a rivalry ignited with Jim O.

“We used to fight over Blackbird for Mayorship,” explained Tyler R. “I was like ‘I’m here every single day but I can’t become the Mayor because Jim O. has it. But he’s not here everyday, so I’m calling his bluff.’”

“I go to all those places and check-in,” said Jim O. “I’m fortunate to get to participate in a lot of community organizations. So I go to a lot of places to meet and engage with folks.”

The playful battle is heating up as more folks are getting involved with the game and new heights have been taken that make me wonder if these small disputes could possible ruin Foursquare for our community.

“I’m trying to take over Jim O.’s house,” said Tyler R. When asked how he would check in, he explained that because he worked in Fleming Place and was so close to Jim O’s home, he could still check-in without actually being there.

“If he is gonna take three to five of my Mayorships in one day, I’m gonna take his house,” Tyler R. said.

With people checking-in and making up locations like, “Jim Ogle’s soul,” or the “Lamp Dancer, “ (which Tyler R. was Mayor of as of publishing), will this tiff ruin it for others?

Luckily for us, Foursquare has created Superusers. Superusers are local social media mavens (Like Heather M., Brandon S. and Brendan J.) who help keep things in check and delete fake locations (like “Jim Ogle’s soul”).

While Mayorships can change as quickly as the weather, both Tyler R. and Jim O. laugh about the competition.

“If I want to know what is going on in Topeka, I can look at Foursquare and see what is trending,” said Tyler R. “You know what’s going on, in the moment, and if you are looking for something to do or something to eat, go on Foursqure and read comments. Good and bad. And it’s kind of like a ‘hell yeah’ when you become the Mayor of a location.”

Badges? Yes, I want my stinkin’ badges!

Some Foursquare users are perfectly content to check in where they naturally visit and collect badges. Like coffee? Check in to your fave coffee shops and get a “Fresh Brew” badge. Checking in while on a boat?

You get an “I’m on a Boat!” badge. Many local users were amused to get a, “You’re not Kansas Anymore,” badge when they checked in after crossing the border into Missouri. aseveneightfive seveneightfive is proud to support locally owned businesses in their low-cost marketing efforts. seveneightfive is proud to have implemented Foursqaure with several of their clients and would be happy to help you. Email us at seveneightfive@gmail.com for more information.

Some local businesses using Foursquare for specials: Sub TropiXS Marion Lane Candles College Hill Tavern Envy Salon CD Tradepost Sun Resorts Tanning and Fitness Findable’s Textbook Team The Computer Store FryeAllen Advertising Blackbird Cafe PTs Coffee Roasting Co - Cafe

“It’s all good-natured fun” said Jim.

27

bud light behind the bar

Party with Johna, Bud Light + 785

by Amber Bonnett photos by Colin MacMillan / Nathan Ham Photography

billiards babe

Saturday, August 8 • 6 - 8 p Terry’s Billiards Club • 3919 SW 21 St. Bud Light Specials + Giveaways (must be 21) Follow Us on Facebook for more details.

Due to our recent trend of interviewing dudes with beards, we are proud to present our first female bartender, Johna Machac. Unlike France, who experienced an angry mob of feminists sporting beards as “La Barbe,” seveneightfive loves our girls. Especially the ones bringing gin.

Behind the Bar with Johna, Terry’s Billiard Club.

What are three words to describe your bartending style?

Speed accuracy and ummm… A: You don’t have to sound like the best employee ever… J: But I am! Customer edits: She is nononsense… and like lightning. She is the favorite bartender.

[Johna from terry’s Billiard Club]

Do you have a signature drink? I really hate blender drinks. If I have to get out the blender, it’s a bad deal. A: That seems to be a regular theme with bartenders. Customer edits: She makes a good Bloody Mary and White Russians A: The dude abides.

What is in your cabinet at home? Beer and probably some flavored UV. And you know, when we have parties we all make jello shots.

How does a costomer get on your good or bad side? You know, some people come in and have a vibe about them that is happy and fun. And others come in and want to spend a lot of time spilling their guts to you day after day after day. I’m kind of a guy like that, because you can only take so much of one crybaby story for so long. That is why I like being busy.

Terry’s is a Billiards Club, right? What’s special about your bar? Everybody knows everyone here. Its like “Cheers.” My hire date was ‘99. A lot of the relationships I’ve cultivated in and outside of here still usually involve this place. Also, people come to Terry’s for pool, mostly.

Not just to get drunk. I actually also serve a lot of coffee and soda as well.

Tell me about special events you host? Terry has the tournament of champions once a year, and it’s free.

Budweiser sponsors it but you must win a Friday, Saturday or Sunday tournament to play in it. Whoever wins, qualifies for the tournament. which pays out $1,500!

So you are the first Behind the Bar girl. So there will be no beard discussion. Is there a female version of “the beard discussion?” No, I shaved.

Smooth as a baby’s butt.

What about your daily specials?

Terry’s prices are the cheapest in town. He just keeps it that way so he doesn’t have to change stuff.

Men aren’t good with change. (ha ha) But he is obviously doing something right. He has been here for over 25 years. Find me many other places that have been successful that long. He does it right.

Any differences being a female bartender? I don’t think guys catch as much shit as girls do.

But I don’t really have that problem, because when I stand behind the bar, I am bigger than lots of those dudes. Plus, they don’t get constantly asked out at all. My favorite line to use is, “I don’t take my work home with me.” aseveneightfive Go to Johna’s second home and party with Bud Light and seveneightfive on Saturday, August 6 from 6 to 8 pm. Drink specials and Bud Light swag will be given away (for those 21+).

ATTITUDE SUNDAY - MONDAY - All weekly specials honored!

TUESDAY - $4 Bombs & Batmans; $3 Jim Beam/Red Stag Drinks; $2 Shiner Bock Pints

WEDNESDAY - $3 Captain Morgan, Long Island/Long Beaches, FIREBALL SHOTS; $3.50 Jumbo Premium Drafts!

THURSDAY - $3 Sailor Jerry, Pinnacle Vodka drinks; $2 Lemon Drops FRIDAY - $4 Crown Royal/Crown Black; $3 Bacardi, SoCo Lime Shots, Jumbo Domestic Draws

SATURDAY - $3 Three Olive, Guinness 20 OZ; $2 Free State Pints; $3 Washington Apples

UPCOMING PATIO ENTERTAINMENT! JULY 22 - DKU JULY 23 - Urban Safari AUGUST 6 - Groovy Girl Karaoke AUGUST 20 - Charlene with Velvet Blues!

2833 S.W. 29th Next to Dillon’s, 29th & Oakley | 785.273.7300

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