MAGAZINE
Fall 2011
$3.00
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Vol. V / No. I V
from the editor
Editor
Nathan Pettengill
“She was such a pioneer that she didn’t have time to think about being a pioneer.” — Priti Lakhani on Doris Hetrick Priti Lakhani’s observation about fellow Topeka pilot Doris Hetrick, standing together in the photograph below, seems to summarize the arc of progress for female pilots in America—a series of inspiring breakthroughs appreciated in retrospect. Frustratingly, these same pioneering accomplishments do not always lead to a large increase in the numbers of female pilots. For decades, progress in the total percentage of licensed pilots who are female has been glacially incremental. Nonetheless, it all seems to begin with a first—and Stacey Jo Geier’s story of these two pilots taking to the skies is an inspiring testimony for possible future female pilots, or for anyone else contemplating something new. That something new does not have to involve defying gravity. Join us in this issue as we meet a group of talented woodcarvers who train others in their art (page 18), a wrestler who decided to step into the ring to battle rivals and multiple sclerosis (page 40) or a group of profession-
Fall 2011
als who are celebrating five years of cultivating philanthropy in Topeka (page 44). That something new also could be forging a course of life entirely at odds with what so many expect of you—such as a globetrotting, internationally famed musician choosing to slow his concert schedule and rearrange his career so he can spend more time at home with his family. Pulling away to “spend more time with family” is often a false retreat strategy for disgraced politicians—but it happens to be the authentic, rather pioneering balance of musical stardom and fatherhood chosen by Topekabased guitar legend Andy McKee, our cover story for this fall edition (page 48). Whatever new ventures you are contemplating this fall, we wish you success. Prepare yourself. Train well. Enjoy your flight. We want to hear all about it when you land.
designer / Art Director
Shelly Bryant COPY EDITOR
susie fagan chief Photographer
jason dailey advertising representative
kathy lafferty (785) 224-9992 Ad Designer
Janella L. Williams contributing Photographer
bill stephens Contributing Writers
Julie K. Buzbee anita miller fry stacey jo geier KIM GRONNIGER CAROLYN KABERLINE Susan Kraus Vernon McFalls Karen Ridder christine steinkuehler debra Guiou stufflebean Barbara Waterman-Peters
Nathan Pettengill GENERAL MANAGER
Editor
BERT HULL Publishing coordinator
faryle scott
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Fall 2011 TOPEKAMAGAZINE
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on the cover
Contents
Fall
Andy McKee {Photograph by Jason Dailey}
2011
48 in tune
30 India Fest: Taste Forever
Contributing cooks from this popular cultural heritage celebration bring some of their best recipes to your kitchen
DEPARTMENTS
Features
.............
notables
8 Their Sky
Two Topeka professionals represent the challenges and accomplishments of female pilots
12 Past Present
History is in the remaking for those who combine research and performance to share timeless lessons
18 Wood Wonders
An artist collective shares its knowledge with veteran carvers and curious whittlers
22 ‘To the Other Side’
An artist uses her time in Topeka to develop the striking relationship between fiber and clay .............
Home LIfe
26 ‘See What’s Important’
A beloved country home emerges after decades of work and an unforgettable first date .............
grow
36 Containing Fall
Containers hold bold possibilities for seasonal gardening .............
health
40 Action Hero 48 In Tune
Guitar legend Andy McKee tours the world, leaving audiences in concert halls screaming and fans in music pubs chanting, while in Topeka he quietly hangs out with family and friends
Tommy Snow delivers the Bam! Kapow! to his opponents, body-slams a big, bad disease and inspires young athletes .............
What’s Happening?
44 Topeka Women’s Fund 46 The Race Against Breast Cancer .............
travel ..........................................................................................
In Every Issue
03 From the Editor 62 events calendar
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
56 5 Big Reasons to Enjoy 1 Little Country
Topeka Magazine travel writer Susan Kraus takes it slow to savor Belgium
8 NOTABLES Female Pilots
Their Sky
Two Topeka professionals represent the challenges and accomplishments of female pilots
W
ith her long, dark braided hair and suitcase packed, a 7-year-old girl from Bombay, India, boarded an airplane with her family and flew for the first time in her life. The year was 1976, and “the land of opportunity” was the destination that day. Little did her parents know they set their daughter free to soar in many ways by making that trip to their new home in Kansas. “I was so taken and captivated that I could Help Topeka Magazine return Amelia get into a metal tube and Earhart to flight with the “Ad Astra, be transported to a place Amelia!” paper airplane. of wealth and freedom,” Go through preflight training by taking recalls Dr. Priti Lakhani, the Amelia Earhart quiz on the following who went on to graduate pages. These six questions are part of an from Shawnee Heights online game developed by the Kansas High School and work Historical Society (www.kshs.org) to test your knowledge of one of Kansas’ most in Topeka as a podiatrist. famous aviation heroes. “I’ve always looked at planes longingly.” After fueling up on your Earhart essentials, Recently, Lakhani follow the instructions to create a fine paper craft, then launch it across Topeka returned to her love and around the world! of planes as she went through a list of life goals and her determination to Step 1: Fold page 9 in half vertically (Fold 1), covering up the “After Amelia” do one thing each year to text. test her courage. “I took a trapeze class, went bunStep 2: Unfold to original position. Fold gee jumping and skydivtop left (Fold 2) and top right (Fold 3) edges toward center crease. ing,” explains Lakhani. “All these things were Step 3: Repeat this fold with top left forms of flying, and I real(Fold 4) and top right (Fold 5) edges. ized what I really wanted Step 4: Fold paper in half again (Fold 1 to do was fly.” repeat) along center vertical crease. So she asked her husband for the “gift of time” Step 5: Fold back edges on both sides every Saturday morning, (Fold 6 and Fold 7) to align with base. when he would stay home Step 6: Allow last folds (Fold 6 with the couple’s child and Fold 7) to open to a position and she could take flying perpendicular to base of plane. Pick up lessons. She says learning plane by base and toss it into the air!
Amelia Flies Again!
Priti Lakhani, left, and Doris Hetrick sit inside a Piper Cherokee 160 at Philip Billard Municipal Airport.
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
STORY by Stacey Jo Geier | photography BY Bill Stephens
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Thanks to Hollywood, most anyone in the United States can tell you three things about Amelia Earhart: She was a pioneer aviator in the 1920s, she was from Kansas and she helped make female pilots even cooler. But even after Amelia (the real woman and the Hollywood screenplay), the progress of women in aviation has been somewhat mixed, at least if judged by the percentage of pilots that are women. According to the most recent data released by the Federal Aviation Administration, women make up only 6.2 percent of active pilots nationally (including student pilots and all pilot classifications).
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Closer to Topeka, the FAA estimates that the percentage of active female pilots in the region that includes Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri is 8 percent. That is higher, somewhat, than the national average—but hardly parity. Does this mean there are significant barriers to women as pilots or that being a pilot is not a popular choice among women nationally?
Topeka pilot Priti Lakhani says she is discouraged by the low percentage of fellow female pilots and thinks there are several reasons for their small numbers. “Most women don’t learn to fly until their 50s and 60s. It’s only when the kids leave home that they can learn,” says Lakhani. “And a lot of times they have to ask their husbands for money and time—it’s a question of resources.”
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But for Lakhani, learning to fly was a choice that she would urge for any woman interested in flying. “It has increased my productivity and satisfaction in all aspects of my life,” says Lakhani.
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11 Female Pilots Hetrick had flown with her husband for years but says she nevto fly takes dedication, flexibility and patience. Flying is physically and mentally demanding, Lakhani explains, as pilots use their hands er had a strong desire to fly until she had the opportunity to attend and feet to control rudders and must pay attention to six readings to ground school tuition-free. Shortly after her classes, she passed her figure out where to go. The temperature in the cockpit can be uncom- pilot’s license exam and was in the cockpit almost daily. “I could land the plane if I needed to. I did lots of running for fortably hot or cold, and a good pilot must pay attention to the weathparts. We had customers from out of town that would bring their er and be willing to turn around or take a different route. “When I was learning, I studied airport diagrams and even took planes to us for annual check-ups, and I would need to deliver them chalk and drew in my driveway to practice traffic patterns,” says back and forth,” recalls Hetrick. Since the early 1970s—when airplane fuel was approximately Lakhani. “I used a circular table on my patio and pretended it was a 48 cents per gallon, notes Hetrick—she has flown a Cessna 150, a compass. It helped me to learn spatial relations.” Lakhani was certified in November 2010. Since that time, she tail dragger, a helicopter, retractable-gear airplanes and a twin, which continues to fly, usually in a rented single-propeller, four-seat Cessna she describes as simply “double trouble.” Her plane of choice is now a Piper Cherokee 180, a recent update to a aircraft. ............................................................................................................ popular model that dates back to before the She says each flight is “an intensely time that Hetrick began piloting. empowering experience to defy gravity” and Flight is “an Of all her flights, Hetrick says nothing combines two of her favorite things in life: compares to flying over Niagara Falls and “science and freedom.” to defy experiencing the beauty of landscapes. But of all her past and future flights, one Now a seasoned pilot with years of stands out in her memory. “I took my dad up,” gravity.” experience, she says she still respects the sky says Lakhani. “He wasn’t exactly thrilled. – Priti Lakhani and any pilot’s limitations. When I landed I said, ‘Are you OK? Do you “I am very careful not to get into clouds. Sometimes you can feel sick?’ He told me that nothing was wrong. He said with teary eyes that my parents’ dream for me and my sister was that someday go up or down to get around. You don’t want to go directly through we would be driving a car and they would be sitting in the back seat.” because it’s too rough. We attend a lot of safety meetings. They stress to set your limits. If it doesn’t look good or doesn’t look right, I don’t go,” says Hetrick. The business of flight Together with her husband, Hetrick trained several pilots and In the same decade Lakhani was just arriving in the United States, Doris Hetrick was breaking new ground. In 1970, when future aviators. The couple’s two sons became commercial pilots, most working women were secretaries, teacher and nurses, she married pilots and then took over the family business. The Hetwas learning to fly to help with the family business. From 1967 ricks are also involved in the Air Explorers, a program that teaches to 2002, Hetrick and her husband, Fred, owned Hetrick Aviation, young adults ages 13-21 about aviation—possibly a new generation an aircraft maintenance business still located at Philip Billard of female pilots learning from one of the region’s most experienced female fliers. Municipal Airport.
intensely empowering experience
Fall 2011 TOPEKAMAGAZINE
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12 NOTABLES Living Historians
Past Present
History is in the remaking for those who combine research and performance to share timeless lessons
F
ive years ago, John Myers was asked to lead a church retreat that started on Friday evening. “The last thing people want to do is sit through a lecture after working all day,” says John. At first, John thought he would keep people’s interest by dressing up as St. Francis of Assisi to talk about the life and teachings of this early 13th century saint. Then he thought again. “I realized I would be a pompous phony to think I could walk in the saint’s sandals. Besides, the last thing that St. Francis would have ever done is sit around and talk about himself,” says John. So the former teacher, businessman and director of admissions for the University of Kansas created his own character: Brother Gianni, an imaginary companion monk to St. Francis who could talk about the venerated man’s life. John’s presentation is as historically accurate as it can be for 700-year-old events. Lore and legends are part of the oral tradition, says John, and “what you really wind up with is ‘myth-tory.’” What is important, says John, are the timeless moral lessons and quandaries. “He may have lived in a radically different world, yet the moral and spiritual issues were radically similar. His lessons are as relevant today as they were then.” John Myers portrays Brother Gianni, a fictional contemporary of St. Francis of Assisi.
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STORY by Debra Guiou Stufflebean | photography BY jason dailey
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14 NOTABLES Living Historians Herschel and Jacque Stroud have portrayed many historic characters through the years. As their expertise and experience have grown, they have devoted more attention to authenticity in their presentations and in the costumes they wear.
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
Authentically, my dear … Herschel and Jacque Stroud remember the first time they stepped into history. It was 1991, when Jacque’s childhood home of Kendrick Place in Carthage, Missouri, was being dedicated as a museum and the couple were invited to make a presentation. The Strouds decided to share their family’s history by portraying their ancestors who built the home. Because these ancestors were Southern sympathizers who built the house shortly before the Civil War, the Strouds dressed up in Rhett and Scarlett Gone With the Wind costumes. “It was really bad,” recalls Herschel. “That was before authenticity became important to us. But we sure had a lot of fun!” After that, Herschel, a doctor of optometry in the U.S. Air Force who went on to become a doctor of dental surgery, thought creating a Civil War medical unit could be a fun hobby because he could play a medical officer and Jacque could play his wife. Recently, the couple also developed the roles of Kansas’ third governor, Samuel Crawford, and his wife, Isabel Chase. Authenticity is now much more important to the Strouds. They have honed their research skills to portray their historical identities as closely as possible and sought out authentic clothing and personal belongings. The couple make approximately 80 presentations a year, providing history lessons for their audiences and themselves. Herschel says performing the role of Crawford provides insights into the man’s character he would not have gained through research alone. Several times after portraying Crawford, Herschel has been approached by audience members with anecdotal stories of their ancestors who met Crawford and passed on family stories about him.
16 NOTABLES Living Historians
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“Kansas history is the history of emancipation of the enslaved.” – Sonny Scroggins
Called to duty
Sonny Scroggins, at his home in southeast Topeka, champions the legacy of the First Kansas Colored Infantry.
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Sonny Scroggins grew up in Checotah, Oklahoma, a short drive from the national park dedicated to the Battle of Honey Springs. This 1863 battle was fought at a depot on the north-south Texas Road through Indian Territory where the Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, Cherokee and Seminole tribes had been forcibly relocated. “Honey Springs was significant because you had a rainbow coalition fighting there: Native Americans, whites, Mexicans from Texas and blacks,” says Scroggins. “It’s awesome to read the names from those muster rolls, and they’re the same names of people who still live in that area.” When he moved to Kansas in 1969, Sonny brought along his love of history and became particularly interested in the First Kansas Colored Infantry, a black unit organized in 1862 that fought on the winning Union side at Honey Springs. “Kansas history is the history of emancipation of the enslaved,” says Sonny. “Where would America be without Kansas? Very few Americans of African descent know that.” To share these lessons, Sonny dresses up and speaks to groups as Corporal James Whitfield Ross, a former slave who fought with the First Kansas Colored Infantry and was the first black soldier inducted into the Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame. “I love being part of the storytelling and sharing the contributions of the First Kansas Colored Infantry,” says Scroggins.
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18 NOTABLES Kaw Valley Woodcarvers
Wood Wonders An artist collective shares its knowledge with veteran carvers and curious whittlers
W
alking sticks, wood-turned vases, ducks in the wild and human faces emerge a chip at a time from chunks of wood shaped by the hands and tools of the Kaw Valley Woodcarvers. Founded in 1979, this organization offers regular meet-ups and classes as a place to share woodcarving skills. And its greatest resource is likely the expertise found among its approximately 100 members, including veteran carvers such as Carlan Honaker and Joyce Volmut. Geppetto’s twin
From his twinkling eyes behind wire-rim glasses to the thick shock of his white mustache, Honaker is a dead ringer for another famous woodcarver: Geppetto of Pinocchio fame. “My wife, Irene, gave me a license plate saying ‘GEPETTO’ about 40 years ago,” he says with a laugh. Honaker’s magical carvings take place in northwest Topeka at his restored dairy barn, dubbed Soldier Creek Studio. Here, mallets are stacked on the floor and wood blanks line the walls, awaiting their chance to become a Santa figurine, a toy, a bird, an animal or a human caricature. As one of the founding members of the Kaw Valley Woodcarvers, Honaker started teaching woodcarving in this area and at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska, where he was an instructor for 30 years. The tan, spry 80-year-old takes his art on the road to places like Silver Dollar City, where he has a contract to carve three times a year. “I don’t know what it’s like to be 80,” he says. “I don’t feel like it.” Honaker began carving as a kid after World War II, using Ivory soap blocks, then soapstone and then wood blocks for Boy Scout neckerchief slides. Carlan Honaker creates wood sculptures and offers advice to fellow carvers from his studio in Topeka.
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STORY BY Julie K. Buzbee | PHOTOGRAPHY BY Bill Stephens
20 NOTABLES Kaw Valley Woodcarvers
“I’ve still got the piece,” he says, finding and showing off the wooden Indian he carved to hold his triangular neckerchief. For his current carvings, Honaker uses butternut and catalpa but favors basswood. “It’s a good, close-grained wood, and that’s why I like it so much,” he explains. Since the mid-1980s, Honaker has carved commissioned pieces for the Kansas governor’s mansion, Emporia State University, the Capitol and the Kansas Supreme Court, to name a few. His largest commission was a 15-piece, 3-foot scale nativity scene for a church in St. Joseph, Missouri. Although he teaches constantly, Honaker says he will always be a student of his art. He plans to take a course in Norwegian-style acanthus leaf woodcarving and has traveled to Austria to study under master carvers. “Over here, woodcarving is considered a hobby,” notes Honaker. “Over there [in Europe], it’s considered a profession.”
Joyce Volmut
The Bird Carver
“I’ve been a bird watcher since I was a little girl,” says Joyce Volmut, who grew up in southeast Kansas. Now living in a home outside Topeka, Volmut says she has been fortunate to spend most of her life in her home state, which has allowed her to witness all sorts of migratory birds. Volmut brought her love of birds into woodcarving when she first picked up the hobby approximately 10 years ago and started with a carving of a Saw-whet owl. “They’re just adorable,” she says of the small northwestern owls. Since that time, Volmut—the current president of the Kaw Valley Woodcarvers—has concentrated on carving birds that she has observed in person, such as the kingfisher she has seen near her rural home. “I have a better feeling for birds I’ve seen,” she explains. “For me, the expression the bird has and the way it turns its body are what I like to capture.” But if she has only a few sightings of a bird or has never seen it in real life, Volmut will research each bird, seeking out pictures of the bird from all angles, so she can replicate its natural beauty. Like Honaker, Volmut favors basswood but says she will use tupelo at times when she wants to highlight details. Regardless of which wood she uses, Volmut evaluates her work based on how well she conveys the likeness of a living bird. For her, a successful carving “becomes the bird and the wood. When you’re done, you really have that little bird,” Volmut says.
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the expression the bird has and the way it turns its body are what I like to capture.” “For me,
– Joyce Volmut
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There are several chances to see the work of the Kaw Valley Woodcarvers or to join them in creating your own. For more information, see www.kawvalleywoodcarvers.org or call (785) 246-4501. Monthly meetings —The Kaw Valley Woodcarvers traditionally meet on the second Sunday of each month at Seaman Congregational Church, 2036 NW Taylor St. These meetings are open to visitors, but regular attendees are expected to be members who have paid the annual membership fee of $15. Carve-outs —These regular meetings (on the Thursday and Saturday following the monthly meeting) are ideal for first-time carvers. They are often structured as a seminar class with materials available for a small fee and the expertise of master carvers available for free. Seminars — Offered each June at Baker University, this weeklong seminar features several carving courses ranging from beginner to advanced instruction. Costs, including room and board for the five-day seminar on the Baldwin City campus, are approximately $225 plus materials. Annual show — The 32nd annual show and competition provide a chance to see some of the year’s best work by artist members. This year’s event is set for November 19-20 at the Holiday Inn West Holidome, Sixth Avenue and Fairlawn Road. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $3. A highlight at each year’s show is the Christmas tree that the carvers decorate for Sheltered Living’s annual Festival of Trees. This year’s theme for the Kaw Valley tree is toys. All the ornaments will be carved wooden toys, and a large wooden train will circle the bottom of the tree.
beautiful flowers, home accents, gifts and cute clothes for kids
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Fall 2011 TOPEKAMAGAZINE
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22 NOTABLES Stephanie Lanter
‘To the Other Side’ An artist uses her time in Topeka to develop the striking relationship between fiber and clay
S
tephanie Lanter has made a name for herself in the world of ceramic art. The graduate of Xavier University and Ohio University has done art residencies and workshops. She has written about art in major publications and been invited to exhibit in numerous important exhibitions. Lanter, who just finished a Topeka residency at Washburn University, credits many influences in this successful career: a supportive family, an influential professor (Brad Schwieger) and an education that she says encouraged “problem solving, passion, independence and resourcefulness.” And throughout her journey, there has been a constant theme of duality in her work that began when she was born in Omaha as a twin and continues with her delightful pairing of disparate elements in her most recent art. That latest thread in Lanter’s work begins at Mendocino Art Center in California, where she lived after graduate school. To relax from the demands of her schedule, she took a knitting course. She says the materials were soft, non-breakable and repetitive, providing a “cumulative record of activity.” But she did not put hard and soft materials together until sometime later with her piece, The Tool Apron, which combined a large fiber apron with ceramic “tools.” Teaching at Wichita State University for three years gave Lanter the time to explore materials and combinations further. She began to crochet. Featuring the attributes of knitting, crochet had a more open pattern with holes that could reveal any material or surface beneath. She remembers thinking she had found the perfect fiber to combine with clay. This combination allows her to evolve an examination of relationships—“those we have with others and those we have with ourselves,” she says. Juxtaposing such diverse materials, Lanter precluded the possibility of loss. Each would continue to exist in its original state, and the combination could lead Lanter to unexpected Stephanie Lanter’s residency in Topeka allowed her to build on her reputation as a talented ceramics artist with a message.
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STORY BY Barbara Waterman-Peters | PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jason Dailey
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24 NOTABLES Stephanie Lanter
Photos of crochet-covered ceramic phones courtesy Stephanie Lanter.
It’s your time to smile! a s s i dy Orthodontics Second generation of providing orthodontic services to Topeka residents.
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“Letting the materials speak can
break through to the other
600 Governor View | Topeka, Kansas | 785.233.0582
side.” – Stephanie Lanter
discoveries. “If we know exactly what we’re doing, we are not digging deep enough,” she says. “Letting the materials speak can break through to the other side.” One of Lanter’s most successful series of recent works furthers her combination of elements by adding an object that symbolizes relationships, connections and communications: the telephone. Lanter describes her series of crochet-telephone combinations as a critique not necessarily of technology but rather behavior. She says she strives for works with “themes of dysfunction, loneliness and ambivalence” tempered with “humor and absurdity.” The crochet phones, Lanter says, contrast hard and soft and deliver an image where “beauty is given along with the message.” Lanter’s intriguing work has attracted attention and awards. Locally, her work has been included three times in the Topeka Competition at the Alice C. Sabatini Gallery at Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, each time netting an award. She also helped develop the exhibit “The Waiting Room,” which will arrive at the Sabatini Gallery in spring 2012. After moving to Topeka in 2008, Lanter taught as the visiting Donald B. and Twila Catron Professor of Art at Washburn University but also connected with the community through public outreach courses at the Mulvane Art Museum and in local elementary schools. As Lanter accepts a teaching position at Emporia State University, she takes fond memories of her time in Topeka. “I’ve had a positive experience here, and I don’t really want to leave,” she says. Fortunately, she will be just down the road and a crochetcovered phone call away.
Fall 2011 TOPEKAMAGAZINE
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26 HOME LIFE Rees Retreat
‘See What’s Important’ A beloved country home emerges after decades of work and an unforgettable first date
P
am Rees will always remember the first time she saw the land off Scenic River Road between Topeka and Lecompton that she now calls home. A boy named Danny brought her there for their first date. “His parents owned the land, and he knew I liked the country and hiking,” explains Pam. “We brought a picnic lunch.” From that point, the courting became eventful. A wild donkey left behind by previous owners gave chase to the couple. Pam fell down, dislodged a rock and uncovered a mother rattlesnake with a nest of little ones. But she fell in love with the site. “It reminded me of the land near Silver Lake off Menoken Road where I grew up,” says Pam, who works as a library assistant and an artist. “It even had a creek running through the property.” The boy, now her husband, impressed her as well. There were more dates, and the rest, as they say, was history. Danny’s parents sold the couple 25 acres, and the two took up residence in a trailer on the property as they saved money to build a house. “We lived in the trailer for 12 years,” Pam says. “Danny worked full time as a firefighter and did house painting on the side. We saved and saved and saved.” The house was built in a clearing on the property as the couple could afford it. The Reeses did much of the work with help from friends and other family members. Through the years, the couple added a walkout basement, an upstairs level, a retaining wall, a sunken patio, a
Pam Rees walks along her rural property off Scenic River Road.
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
story by Carolyn Kaberline | photography by jason dailey
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28 HOME LIFE Rees Retreat
....................................................................................................................................................................................
caught up in the rat race that we have to step back and see what’s important.”
“We all get so
– Pam rees
greenhouse and a garage. Their family expanded as well, with the addition of two sons. Sometimes one finished project necessitated another. “We wanted a deck on the west side of the house, so we decided to build one over the garage,” Danny explains. “Then we were worried about the garage leaking, so we built a roof over the deck and added some windows on the side to make it into a sunroom. Then we saw there was a great place for a deck when we looked out to the west of the sunroom. Next we decided that would be a good place for a pool for the kids, so we added the pool and built a lower deck around it.” Although the house was built in stages as money allowed, it now appears to be one unit, nestled among yellow, red and bronze fall colors of hickory and oak. The remnants of the summer’s garden lie to the west of the house, with only a few remaining flowering plants evident around the patio—most have been moved into the greenhouse for the winter with cuttings taken of others. “Gardening is a nurturing thing,” Pam says. “I love eating a meal and having it all come out of the garden. We all get so caught up in the rat race that we have to step back and see what’s important.” For the Reeses, the country atmosphere has always been important. “We wanted a new house, but we didn’t want it to look like one,” Pam says. “We wanted more of a country look.” That look is found with the old doors, recycled wooden wainscoting and a wood-burning stove in the corner of the dining room to remove the autumn chill. Many of the furnishings were owned by their
Pam Rees’ artwork, top and middle, is often inspired by the land that surrounds her home. The Reeses have expanded their home, left, by adding several small additions through the years.
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
HOME LIFE
29 Rees Retreat
parents or “repurposed” from items no longer wanted by others. Those furnishings include Pam’s mother’s trivet collection, which decorates a wall, and the table, chairs and hutch found in the dining room. Soldering tools that her grandfather made line the edge of the balcony, and a Hoosier in the kitchen now holds flour, sugar and cookbooks while an old immigrant trunk serves as a coffee table in the family room. Shutters function as bathroom shelves and a television stand works as a dresser. When the Rees children left home, Pam reclaimed their downstairs bedrooms as office and studio space. Paintings in various stages line the studio that opens into the greenhouse while more work hangs on the walls leading upstairs. Most of them reflect Pam’s impression of the nature that surrounds her. “I get my inspiration from where I live,” Pam explains. “I feel good when someone says ‘I feel like I could step into your paintings.’” For Pam, those picture-perfect surroundings are her world. “It’s the serenity and peacefulness that I love,” she says. “It’s like where I grew up. I love having coffee with the birds in the morning—it’s part of living in the country. We live pretty frugally, but that’s OK. Not everyone could live here.”
story by Kim Gronniger
India
Fest
taste forever
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
photography by Bill Stephens
Contributing cooks from this popular cultural heritage celebration bring some of their best recipes to your kitchen
Sushmita Veloor and Raghu Malay
For the past eight years, Topeka’s Indian community has gathered at the Big Gage Shelter House in Gage Park and welcomed the public in celebrating India heritage with crafts, song, dance and homemade delicacies. The India Fest has become one of Topeka’s most anticipated signature events, raising more than $60,000 to further the work of nonprofit agencies including the YWCA, Marian Clinic and Easter Seals Capper Foundation. “India Fest introduces Topekans to the unity and diversity in Indian culture through food, music and dance and brings the community together for a good cause,” says Raghu Malay, co-chair of the 2011 India Fest event and a software developer with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas. According to Malay, the event’s dual nature—to celebrate Indian culture while showcasing and subsidizing the important work of local charities—also provides a fun way for families to instill a sense of pride regarding their Indian heritage in their children, many of whom are American citizens. If you missed this year’s event on August 27, or couldn’t get enough of the Indian food during the festival, here are several recipes to keep the spirit of India Fest alive in your kitchen throughout the year. Veloor’s upma During long stints of studying as a medical student, Sushmita Veloor often sustained herself physically and emotionally with an Indian comfort food called upma. “My mother would season a large bag of grain, similar to Cream of Wheat, and send it back to school with me so my friends and I could eat it when we needed a late-night snack or a meal in our dorm room when the cafeteria was closed,” she
TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
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says. “It’s a very versatile, healthy meal that’s quick and easy to make by just adding water and vegetables.” Whether she is cooking upma or something else, Veloor relies on a circular spice box holding small containers of favorite seasonings like chili powder, cumin and mustard seeds to create robust flavor. “I also like to cook with tumeric, which has great health benefits if you cook it with oil,” she says. As the youngest of four sisters, Veloor didn’t cook until she married Raghu Malay and moved to the United States 14 years ago. Now, the medical doctor with Midwest Rehabilitation Associates is also in charge of the festival’s Dosa stall, where she and 25 committee members prepare and serve lentil and rice crepes with potato curry and coconut chutney. Veloor added upma as a side dish last year. Veloor says food is the event’s central attraction for attendees and festival organizers. “Many of the dishes are things that aren’t easily available in a town this size,” she says, “so we all have a chance to enjoy homemade food that we don’t make or have access to on a daily basis.” Challa’s pakodi Jaya Challa’s pantry staples include “lots and lots” of spices ranging from caraway seeds, coconut and nutmeg to saffron, cilantro and cinnamon for use in appetizers, main dishes and desserts. Although rice and rasam soup is her favorite comfort food, pakodi (onion fritters) is a popular appetizer in South India where Challa grew up and a recipe she makes for friends and family throughout the year. For Challa, who oversees the laser division of Kansas Medical Clinic, India Fest is “one way for us to give back to the Topeka community, which has accepted us so gracefully and given us a home away from home.” A 24-year resident of Topeka, Challa says, “We get the best of all worlds living in Topeka with college towns and Kansas City nearby. It’s a great place to raise kids [daughters Akhila and Shruti graduated from Topeka high schools], and in a town this size you get to know a lot of people.” With her warm and exuberant personality and reputation for hospitality, it’s no surprise that Challa’s favorite part of India Fest is “meeting old friends, making new friends and answering questions and sharing our culture.” Jaya Challa’s pakodi with wine
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
Jaya Challa
India Fest is “one way for us to give back to the Topeka community, which has accepted us so gracefully and given us a home away from home.” – Jaya Challa
TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
33
Sushmita Veloor’s
Jaya Challa’s
Pakodi
Upma 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil ¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds 1 small onion, diced ¼ piece ginger, crushed 2 green chiles, sliced 2 tomatoes, diced 1 cup chopped mixed vegetables (carrots, beans and peas) ¼ teaspoon garam masala ¼ teaspoon turmeric 3 cups water 2 cups Cream of Wheat (2½-minute cook time variety) ¼ bunch cilantro, chopped 1 tablespoon roasted cashews
(Onion Fritters) 2 to 3 cups vegetable oil for frying ½ cup besan (chickpea flour) ½ cup rice flour 1½ teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste ½ bunch finely chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon mint leaves (optional) 8 to 10 curry leaves 1 tablespoon finely chopped green chiles Salt to taste 3 Vidalia onions (finely sliced) 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Heat 2-3 cups of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan.
Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin, allowing to splatter. Add onion and ginger and sauté until golden brown. Add green chiles, tomatoes and vegetables. Add garam masala, turmeric and salt to taste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3 cups of water to the pan. Once it starts boiling, add the Cream of Wheat and stir thoroughly to avoid lumps. Simmer for five minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and roasted cashews. Serve hot with choice of chutney. Makes about 6 servings.
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, adjusting spices to taste. Add ginger garlic paste, cilantro, mint, curry leaves, chiles, salt to taste and sliced onions. Add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil into dough. Let the mixture sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Moisture from the onions should release and form a semi-stiff dough. If the mixture remains stiff after 30 minutes, add a small amount of water to create a semi-stiff texture. Heat frying pan to medium or medium high heat. Drop small portions of the onion mixture into the pan. When the fritters turn golden brown, drain them on a paper towel. Serve hot. Continue adding oil and onion mixture until finished.
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36 GROW Fall Container Gardens
containingfall Containers hold bold possibilities for seasonal gardening
I
have always loved containers—the bigger the better for gardening. Large containers lend themselves to small trees and striking tropical displays. By using containers, gardeners gain the opportunity to create a world unto itself and to re-create a new display every year—or every season if desired. Containers are a playful way to interject a splash of color, add structure and try plant selections that might otherwise struggle in a full garden. Containers also can be used to introduce seasonal elements to any garden in the fall, providing a fresh new chorus of life at the end of the season. See page 38 for some common problems and solutions when using containers in your fall garden.
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
Story by Christine Steinkuehler | Photography by Jason Dailey
38 GROW Fall Container Gardens
...........................................................................................................................................................
Common container quandaries and their solutions
Problem: Watering. It can be difficult to keep up with watering during hot, dry spells. Solution: Pick the proper potting soil. Choose potting soils that contain a wetting agent, which helps the soil retain water. Usually the presence of a wetting agent is advertised on the front of a soil bag. Another solution is to use a larger container. The bigger the container, the slower the soil will dry. Problem: Mobility. Large containers can be difficult to move. Solution: Placement and material. Carefully consider where you’ll place the container before you prepare it. Also, use concrete and resin pots for larger containers. These materials can be left outside during winter. Problem: Costs. Replacing container plants each season can be expensive. Solution: Overwintering. Large containers allow you the chance to overwinter perennials. I have protected many plants by wrapping them in a thick layer of bubble wrap and placing them in a sheltered location. This does not always allow a plant to survive—it often depends on the winter—but it provides for strong protection. Overwintering perennials, shrubs and trees in containers is a great way to limit the cost. I often use daylilies, sedum, roses, hostas, coral belles, boxwood and junipers in my containers as the core plantings for garden designs that repeat year after year (until I have to divide them). This year I am trying Karl Foerster and Hameln dwarf ornamental grasses. They have looked spectacular throughout the season, and I hope to help them survive the winter by protecting them in their containers. Problem: Soil. Container plants are highly dependent on soil quality. Solution: Quality soil. Good soil, lots of water and frequent fertilizing are essential for container plants. Buy a reputable brand of soil and put it on the compost pile at the end of the season. Watering enough usually means once a day, but when temps climb a second watering may be needed. For fertilizing, I do two things: Mix a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote into my potting soil, then water weekly with a Miracle-Gro-type product. Proper soil care can produce amazing results for container plants. Containers prepared courtesy Skinner Garden Store.
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
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health
Action Hero
Tommy Snow delivers the Bam! Kapow! to his opponents, body-slams a big, bad disease and inspires young athletes
I
’m ringside at a wrestling match in northeast Topeka. I snap round as I hear a sound like a raw steak slapped on a butcher block. This young guy with long, dark hair lands on his face in the middle of the ring. He’s back up in a second, giving as good as he gets. He grabs his opponent, grips him from crotch to neck, arm around throat, and slams him to the canvas. The sound a water buffalo makes hitting the ground after a shot through the heart comes to mind. That scene and those sounds from the ring replay through my mind all day. That evening, I’m inspired to put on music from Der Ring des Nibelungen and reflect on the idea of a hero, the archetype warrior. Sure, I know professional wrestling matches are performances by athletic actors in over-thetop spandex leotards or camouflage. But what a performance this was. In real life, the actors and heroes never seem to live up to their epic stage presence … but sometimes they do. That young fellow who landed on his face in the ring? A few days after the match, I make his acquaintance through Daniel Brown, his promoter and general manager for the Topeka-based OCW Pro Wrestling. In the wrestling ring, he goes by the name Tommy Snow. Fierce and strong, Tommy carries around a mannequin head named Nugget, who serves as Tommy’s ringside
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
guru and pep squad. Only Tommy can hear Nugget, and that is only part of their special connection. “She’s kinda the brains of the outfit,” explains Tommy. “Nugget gives Tommy inspiration and Samson-like strength,” adds Daniel. In real life, the fierce wrestler is Tom Randles, and he walks into the café looking much like any normal man, sans telepathic tiny head, to sit down for coffee and talk about his life. Tom grew up in Topeka, where he says he struggled through high school. “I was one of those kids on the five-year plan,” he says. “Like most teens, I thought I knew everything. My grades showed I didn’t.” After graduating, he joined the Marine Corps. “It wasn’t my cup of tea,” Tom says. But he stayed through boot camp and credits the experience with providing him “a lot of discipline and self-worth.” Back in civilian life, Tom returned to Topeka and landed a job in county maintenance. In his free time, he played drums—a hobby that led him to discover something else in his life. “In 1999, I was sitting in the basement practicing, and the sticks flew out of my hands,” recalls Tom. “I thought ‘What in the world?’ It felt like I’d been sitting on my fingers. I didn’t think anything of it, and I went back to playing. I was having trouble playing a simple beat. I’d mess up. It was weird.”
story by Vernon McFalls | photography by Bill Stephens
health
health
.......................................................................................................................................................................
“I was kinda using
the MS thing as
a crutch. But once I started training, I realized this is what I wanted to do.”
– Tom Randles (Tommy Snow)
..............................................................................................................................................................................
Meet Tommy (and Nugget) in Action
Tickets and schedules for Tommy Snow’s OCW Pro Wrestling events are available through Lupita’s Mexican Restaurant, 732 S. Kansas Ave., (785) 234-6340.
Tom Randles wrestles as Tommy Snow, a prankster showman with a devoted mannequin-head companion named Nugget.
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
A few months later, his legs startled to tingle and hurt, prompting Tom to visit a doctor and then a neurologist. It was the neurologist who broke the news to him. “See all those spots on your brain,” Tom recalls being told. “You either have ticks in your head or those are lesions.” After a spinal tap and more consultations, Tom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. “What a joyous day that was,” laughs Tom. Tom learned to adjust to his new condition. A year later, he was delivering sound equipment to a wrestling match and agreed to fill in as a referee. After a few times in the ring, he started training as a wrestler. “I was kinda using the MS thing as a crutch. But once I started training, I realized this is what I wanted to do,” says Tom. “It wasn’t easy.” He still had multiple sclerosis, but his approach to the disease was altered. Tom repeats something a nurse told him shortly after his diagnosis: “You can let MS run your life, or you can run you.” It’s a cheer-you-up phrase or an approach to life. Tom says it became his motto—“a Sunday punch or a kick in the pants that wakes you up—the light at the end of the tunnel that I needed.” A wrestler has to be tough not just physically, but also as part of the character’s bravado. Perhaps because of that, Tom didn’t widely share his MS diagnosis until 2006 when he spoke to a crowd for an MS bike-a-thon. “The more energy I put into them, the more they gave back,” says Tom. “It was great.” Eventually, he told his colleagues and fans his secret. Some of Tom’s biggest fans are young Topeka wrestlers. For the past seven years, Tom has volunteered as a coach for
health the Topeka Tornado Wrestling Club. The wrestlers, from 5 years old to high school age, practice folkstyle (also known as “collegiate”) wrestling, with an emphasis on conditioning and sport. “It’s great to be there for someone, to pass along knowledge and to watch a young athlete grow,” says Tom. “A kid will come on the mat at the beginning of the season and not be able to tie his shoes, but by the end of the season he’s raising his hands after winning a match.” He talks about having his “heart choke up a bit” when he watches his “champs” compete in tournaments. And they return the favor. Daniel says one or more of the young wrestlers always seem to find their way to Tommy Snow’s matches, where they cheer on their coach’s persona—“the energetic goofball,” as Tom describes Tommy. Tom says Tommy’s signature bite-the-rump move and other prankster theatrics were designed to appeal to young audience members. “I really like it when the kids get into the match and cheer,” says Tom. For the veteran wrestler, the chance to inspire young athletes to keep fit and follow their dreams is a validation of his own youthful aspirations. “In my junior high yearbook we had pictures and captions where we thought everybody would be in 20 years,” recalls Tom. “Mine said WWF Intercontinental Champion! In high school, watching wrestling wasn’t cool. I was watching wrestling. I could never give it up.” Now, he never has to. As Tommy Snow and Tom Randles both love to say: “It’s another day in paradise.”
..................................................................................................................................................................
train with tom
The Topeka Tornado Wrestling Club (USAW KS league) competes from November to March. For more information, call John Peterson at (785) 273-9125 or (785) 640-3218. Peterson, club president, recommends that parents attend initial sessions with their child when choosing a club. He also notes that parents will be required to purchase a league membership card for insurance purposes. All USA wrestling clubs are coed and generally include ages 4-18. There are several other youth wrestling clubs in the region. For a full listing, see www.usawks.com.
Fall 2011 TOPEKAMAGAZINE
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44 WHAT’S HAPPENING? Topeka Women’s Fund
Topeka Women’s Fund Group: El Shaddai Ministries Years funded: 2006, 2008-2009 Program: Women in Finance Purpose: To help empower young women to take control of their finances. Originally, a six-week class focused on single mothers. Their children also learn about financial issues while their moms are in class. Total amount received: $25,000
T
he Topeka Women’s Fund is celebrating five years of giving, surpassing $120,000 in community grants and dreaming bigger dreams for supporting local organizations. The Topeka Community Foundation established the fund in 2006 as a way to give women a broader experience with philanthropy and collective giving. Since the fund’s inception, 160 female professionals have joined the circle and funded a variety of projects focusing on financial literacy for women and children. Marsha Pope, vice president of the foundation, says the founders were concerned about the high percentage of families in Shawnee County living without a safety net—just one paycheck from disaster. The group hopes to expand its numbers, assets and contributions, with a special emphasis on recruiting younger women and minorities. “We want to have lots of different faces represented around the table,” says Pope. Prospective members can learn more about the organization by visiting www.topekacommunityfoundation.org/womens-fund or calling (785) 272-4804.
Tiffany N. Cody
Group: Kansas Children’s Discovery Center Years funded: 2009-2010 Program: Financial Literacy Exhibit Purpose: Teach children about budgeting, running a small business, inflation, investing and the real cost of credit through interactive computer programs. Total amount received: $20,000
Group: Women & Money Coalition Years funded: 2008-2010 Program: Women & Money Series Purpose: This “for women and by women” lecture series at the Topeka & Shawnee County Library features experts on financial literacy. This year the lectures will be broadcast to several locations across the state. Total amount received: $27,000 Marilyn Stanley
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
STORY BY Karen Ridder | PHOTOGRAPHY BY bill stephens
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46 WHAT’S HAPPENING? The Race Against Breast Cancer
The
Race Against Breast Cancer
Joann McDonald Years participated: 18 Reason to run: A breast cancer survivor, McDonald races with family members to celebrate 19 years of living since diagnosis. Importance of RABC’s mission: “I think it’s so important that every woman be able to have [screenings and mammograms] available to them because it saved my life.”
Lisa Chapman
O
n October 1, men and women will put their best foot forward to help save lives. The Race Against Breast Cancer (RABC) 5-kilometer walk/ run in Topeka is celebrating 20 years of raising money to provide free mammograms for local women in need. Working with the Marian Clinic, the Shawnee County health department and several supporting organizations, the program has provided more than 5,000 free mammograms to uninsured or underinsured women since its inception in 1991. Sherrill Hilbert, a board member for RABC, says her group emphasizes the importance of mammograms as well as self exams, particularly for younger women. For Hilbert and several others involved with the organization, the mission is personal. A breast cancer survivor, she went through an intensive five-month chemotherapy program followed by three months of radiation treatment. “I’ve been stabbed. I’ve been burnt. I’ve been poisoned,” she says. “I feel like that would have been in vain if I could not reach out and help other people.” RABC registration is open to individuals and teams through the website www.rabctopeka.org, by calling (785) 271-1500 or on the day of the race by 8 a.m. at the corner of 18th Street and MacVicar Avenue. Not interested in running or walking? Organizers encourage spectators to cheer racers at the opening and closing sections from 18th to 20th streets along MacVicar.
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
Years participated: Two Reason to run: A breast cancer diagnosis in 2009 led Chapman to support the cause. Importance of RABC’s mission: “It’s a local organization; they take care of the women in this area. The fact that all of the funds stay here locally is an amazing thing.”
David Rodeheffer Years participated: 16 Reason to run: Lost his wife to breast cancer in 2000. His family members, who participated before his wife’s death, now run in her honor. Importance of RABC’s mission: “It’s important to raise money to find breast cancer early. It is such a treatable disease if caught early.”
STORY BY Karen Ridder | PHOTOGRAPHY BY bill stephens
Tune
in
story by
anita miller fry
photography by
jason dailey
Guitar legend Andy McKee tours the world, leaving audiences in concert halls screaming and fans in music pubs chanting, while in Topeka he quietly hangs out with family and friends
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TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
49
I
n the spring of 2011, Andy McKee was doing the things that Andy McKee did: flying around the world tapping, slapping and strumming his acoustic
guitars to sold-out venues. After performances across Europe, he found himself hurriedly rearranging concerts in France to ensure he would be back home in Topeka when his son was born.
“I didn’t want him to miss anything,” recalls Andy’s wife, Christine. “I was a little worried he wouldn’t be here.” But Andy crossed the ocean in time for the birth of darkhaired Lachlan. “It’s awesome,” Andy says of being a father for the first time. The role of being a new dad strengthens the already strong ties Andy has with family and friends in his hometown of Topeka. After weeks of international concerts in June 2011, he realized he needed to cut short his tour to return to his new son and family. His explanation to his fans and promoters was posted online in an honest and conversational tone. “I try to be friendly, just like if you ran into me on the street. I try to live my life in an empathetic and open way,” Andy says of his decision to share his personal life with concert fans. Being accessible for family and fans is a hard balance when you are as popular as Andy. He has nearly 123,000 followers on his Facebook page, performs around the world and is credited by several reviewers for expanding and popularizing his signature performance genre—fingerstyle— where both his hands pick, strike and thump across the length of his acoustic guitar.
Topeka roots Andy was born in Topeka in a household that played a lot of Earth, Wind and Fire, the legendary soul band his
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This customized harp guitar is one of three guitars Andy McKee takes on tour.
TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fall 2011
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mother liked. As a youngster, he moved to New Mexico with his mother and brother for about four years, then returned to Topeka, where he attended Washburn Rural Middle School and took a guitar class. That class prompted Andy to ask his dad for a guitar, and his father came through with a used nylon-string Aria on Andy’s 13th birthday. Andy took that guitar to several instructors for the following year and a half and jammed frequently with an older cousin, Richard Kimzey. The two of them played Bach duets between mastering techniques and ideas inspired by rock legend Eddie Van Halen. The cousins also attended a guitar workshop by Preston Reed that Andy describes as being pivotal to his career. “I was really into the electronic guitar in those days and was practicing my favorite Metallica songs,” says Andy. “But when I saw Preston playing, it really made me want to focus on the acoustic guitar and all of its possibilities.” Soon Andy was passing on these acoustic possibilities while working as a guitar instructor with Midwestern Music and Steam Music and Pro Sound. Andy has kept in touch with some of his students, watching them succeed in the music world as well. One former student and now close friend, Jarrod Guth, teaches guitar and plays in his own band. “It’s not too often you become best friends with your teacher, mentor and musical hero, so I supposed I got lucky in that respect,” Guth says. “As great a musician Andy is, he is equally on par with being a great person and one fine gamer. His success isn’t just due to his great skill and prodigious ear,
but also the fact that when you meet Andy, you feel inspired in yourself. Although there have been a few times I have wanted to quit after one of his shows.”
Going viral It’s possible that the equally talented and laid-back musician might have simply grown older as a guitarist’s guitarist admired and respected by his immediate peers. Andy certainly won attention by placing third in the National Finger Style Guitar Championship in 2001 and doing well in the Canadian Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. These showings led to a few international gigs and a modest record deal with Milwaukee-based independent label Candyrat Records. Then everything changed. In 2006, Candyrat had the idea to film McKee playing his music and posted the videos, including the song “Drifting,” on the popular YouTube website. “I was actually at my teaching job, and during a break I went to check out how the videos were doing on YouTube and noticed ‘Drifting’ was featured on the front page,” recalls Andy. “It’s just been climbing ever since.” In fact, that single video is approaching 40 million views. The overnight internet popularity translated into global demand for Andy’s performances. He was booked to perform in Canada, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Thailand, Belgium and Scotland,
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where Andy says the fans greeted him with their own performance that was “pretty wild at the shows, freaking out and chanting.” Andy will be back playing in the U.S. this fall, in a Guitar Masters tour with Stephen Bennett and Antoine Dufour that starts in October in Denver and includes a concert just down the road in Lawrence. When the tour ends, Andy says he wants to remain at home to work on a new album and hopes to perform once more in Topeka, where he still finds inspiration. The song “Joyland” on his latest CD by the same name was inspired by a couple of trips he made to Boyle’s Joyland in the Highland Park area in his youth. Andy says “Joyland” was written with the idea of an old abandoned amusement park serving as a metaphor for growing older.
Retuning Andy notes one of the advantages of living in Topeka is the relative privacy he enjoys. People often recognize him on tour, usually in airports when he is lugging three large guitar cases for his standard, baritone and harp guitars. Only some people notice him in his hometown. “The pizza delivery guy and Best Buy guy” know who he is, says Andy. His one respite from work and responsibilities is video games, a pursuit he says is nearly an addiction. But mostly, being home means spending time with friends and family. “The number one reason I’m still based in Topeka is family,” Andy says. “We are a pretty tight-knit lot, so leaving them behind would be quite difficult.”
Andy’s Guitars When Andy McKee travels, he takes three handcrafted guitars: a standard guitar, a baritone guitar and a harp guitar. Each guitar has its own sound, which Andy says is created by the different types of wood, construction methods and locations of sound holes. All three of Andy’s guitars were created by Mike Greenfield. The Toronto-based master’s website tells the story of making the most recent of them: “In August 2008, Andy McKee asked for about the tenth time to make him a new harp guitar. I finally caved and accepted the challenge.” Greenfield explains that this harp guitar, with an extra arm and set of strings, took close to two years of work. Andy was able to get his new guitar at Montreal’s Guitar Show in July 2010, adding it to his collection. “These are the best guitars on the planet,” Andy says.
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56 travel Belgium
5 Big Reasons to Enjoy 1Topeka Little Country Magazine travel writer Susan Kraus takes it slow to savor Belgium
I
t’s rarely touted as a destination, but its cities boast magnificent architecture, cutting-edge museums, gourmet cuisine, horse-drawn carriages and boats that lazily drift along canals. It houses cathedrals, temples and mosques. There are mountains, forests, ocean, rivers, villages and rural lanes that curve past farms. It’s … Belgium. Though only the size of Maryland, Belgium sits at the heart of Europe, with borders that wiggle along France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, plus a stretch of beaches along the North Sea. It combines French-speaking Wallonia and Flemish-speaking Flanders (plus those eastern towns that continue speaking German). Brussels, the capital, is bilingual, with every street sign, every museum explanation, every official publication in French and Flemish, and often English to boot.
A boat takes tourists along the canals of Brugge.
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Story and photography by Susan Kraus
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58 travel Belgium
There are some affinities that all Belgians share. Just complete the following sentences and you’ll understand: I love to drink Belgian _______. I love to eat Belgian ___________. Belgian __________ is to die for. (Answers: beer, waffles, chocolate.) Add to that the ubiquitous street vendors selling paper cones filled with the best ever hot, crispy pommes frites (never ask for “french fries”), offered with a choice of dozens of toppings, and you have a picture of a country that is united in appreciation for the small indulgences of life. Go as a tourist and you get to appreciate them too. Many times. All in the same day. And that, in a nutshell, is the charm of Belgium—small enough to cover in-depth, diverse enough to offer endless stimulation. The Belgium Five
Not convinced? Here are five more reasons why I fell hard for Belgium, plan to return and urge you to bump it up in your list of future vacation destinations. 1 Bang for your buck
Canal excursions, like many tourist options in Belgium, are comparatively cheaper than in more popular European destinations.
Belgium is the perfect country for a European vacation that doesn’t bust the bank. You can rent a gite (like a country cottage or village flat) that sleeps four to six (or even more) in Wallonia for a week for less than what it costs for one night in a Paris hotel. Wallonia and Flanders are rich with inexpensive or free outdoor adventures: kayak, canoe, bike, swim and hike the Ardenne. Kids like to walk because the towns all feel so different from home, and a pastry shop is around every corner.
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59 Belgium
Belgium is family-friendly. It seems that every restaurant has play areas, if not playgrounds, and folks go out of their way to accommodate families. The pace is slower, less rushed. Sunday afternoon is supposed to be spent sipping handcrafted beer on a garden patio as the children frolic and play. Towns have their own festivals, and it seems there are parades and celebrations every weekend, most open to visitors.
travel
2 Friendly Factor
3 Cultural complexity
You get two or more languages in one country. Order breakfast in Flemish, lunch in French and dinner in German. Belgium is a crossroads of history, from the docks at Antwerp to the battlegrounds and memorials of past wars. Choose an area of interest—say battlegrounds and graveyards, or monastery breweries or a search for the perfect waffle—and you will end up covering the country. 4 Not inundated with tourists
While you will find fellow Americans (sometimes by the busload) in Brugge and Brussels (although I found that Brugge emptied by 4 p.m.), there are few tourists in smaller towns in Flanders and virtually none in Wallonia, especially during the off-season. 5 Drivability
Some of the best parts of France, Germany, Luxembourg and Netherlands can be reached for a day trip, and you can be back at night to sleep in your own cottage. The autobahns are fabulous, but it’s more fun to just drive the back roads, village to village. I loved taking off in the early morning on an agenda-free drive, stopping on a whim and then, midday, turning on the GPS that was set for the cottage and letting it guide me back.
The city square of Brugge provides delightful scenery for an evening stroll.
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Belgium moments
Belgium
I remember clearly a day in Oostende, a town along the sea. There was a boardwalk with open-air cafes and shops. The beach was lined with “strand cabine”—tiny beach sheds that families rent for the season to store their beach gear—lined up like multicolor beach towels in neat rows. There was one boardwalk game, a bike race on an angled course, where every bike was intentionally somewhat “off”: tires wobbly, handlebars facing backward, seats crooked. There was a small fee for the game, and children and parents alike scrambled onto the bikes, waited for the whistle to blow and took off around the course, yelling and laughing. My husband and I stood there for a good hour, feeling the sun on our faces and watching the families. It was the same unhurried atmosphere in many of the villages and towns—simpler, slower, more “in the moment.” As a parent of grown kids, I wished that I could have shared this with them when they were young. We were so busy-busy, and there was never enough time or money (or so we thought) for this kind of vacation. Only in retrospect can I see that it could have been workable, that we could have spent a month, even two weeks, in a gite, strolling villages, learning to order waffles in different languages, immersing ourselves as a family in a different culture. We couldn’t have managed a London-Paris-Rome frantic mega-tour. But Belgium—the kinder, gentler Europe—would have worked.
redstate bleustate Administratively, Belgium is divided into two sections or federal regions: Wallonia and Flanders. Both have their own governments, parliaments and attitudes. Picture a country with only two states (think Red State and Blue State), but where the residents of each state also speak a different language. Flanders tends to look down on Wallonia, while the Walloons think that those Flemish are … well, you get the picture. It mirrors the north-south divisions of many countries, ours included. That cultural divide creates political difficulties, though these are Belgium-style. A vote in 2010 left a locked parliament unable to form a government, and the country has existed since then without an official administration. While political commentators regularly speculate about a “Belgium breakup,” there have been no large-scale clashes and the caretaker government plugs along at the daily tasks. Belgium currently holds the world record for being the country that has gone the longest without a government (beating out Iraq and Cambodia for the title). In some sense, it might be a dubious achievement, but it also seems to speak toward the country’s relaxed yet cultured approach to life.
The beach at Oostende offers neighboring areas for sunning, dining and playing—making it an ideal family vacation destination.
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61 Belgium
Events Calendar
BEST BETS in Sept-Nov2011 September ARTSCONNECT! FIRST FRIDAYS ARTWALK September 2 (and first Friday of every month): Topeka’s galleries, studios and public venues open to display art in a social setting from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This month’s ArtWalk includes a special Topeka Magazine fall issue release party and the second round of the Art of Air Guitar contest, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library. See www.facebook. com/topekamag for more information about this event. For a complete list of venues, see www.artsconnecttopeka.org WHALEY SPIRIT RIDE September 10: The 16th annual cycling race honors a young Topekan who passed away unexpectedly from acute leukemia. Sponsored by the Kaw Valley
Bike Club and friends and family of Bruce Whaley, the proceeds are donated to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for patient financial aid in the Topeka area. Registration begins at 8 a.m. at the Lake Shawnee Shelter House #2 for the 6.5-mile family fun, 25-mile and 50-mile events. For more information see www.kvbc.org TPAC: TOMMY EMMANUEL CONCERT September 13: Part of the Topeka Performing Art Center’s season, award-winning country musician and Australian native Tommy Emmanuel performs on his “finger style” guitar. Concert begins at 8 p.m. For ticket information and to learn about the season’s schedule, call (785) 234-2787 or see www.tpactix.org
October RACE AGAINST BREAST CANCER October 1: Join community members for the 20-year anniversary 5k run/walk dedicated to fighting breast cancer in Shawnee County region. Proceeds help fund screening and diagnostic mammograms for Shawnee County citizens (see related story on page 46). Race-day registration begins at 7:30 a.m. For online registration and more information, see www.rabctopeka.org
Where Holidays Spectacular
TOPEKA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SEASON PREMIERE October 1: Guest violinist Ivan Zenaty and conductor John Strickler lead an evening of Dvorak and Tchaikovsky at Washburn University’s White Concert Hall. Concert begins at 7:30 p.m. For ticket information and a complete season schedule, call (785) 232-2032 or see www. topekasymphony.org
ANDY McKEE CONCERT October 13: World guitar legend Andy McKee (see related story on page 48) makes a rare concert appearance close to home as he headlines the national Guitar Masters tour and makes a stop in Lawrence, Kansas, at the Lawrence Arts Center. Concert begins at 8 p.m. For ticket information and more details, call (785) 843-2787 or see www. lawrenceartscenter.org
ROADRUNNERS HOCKEY October 7: The NAHL Topeka Roadrunners host their first home game of the season at the Expocentre’s Landon Arena. For advance season ticket information, call (785) 286-7825 or see www. topekaroadrunners.pointstreaksites.com
PRESCRIPTION: MURDER October 21-November 5: Topeka Civic Theater presents this mystery as part of its 2011 season. For ticket information, season schedule or performance details, call (785) 357-5211 or see www.topekacivictheatre.com
November
A utumn
WINTER WONDERLAND November 18-December 31: Topeka’s annual festival of thousands of holiday lights arranged in ingenious displays near Lake Shawnee helps benefit TARC, the region’s organization dedicated to helping those with developmental and related disabilities. Donations of $7 per car or $2 per person are requested. For more information, call (785) 232-0597 or see www.tarcinc.org
Spooks galore including Mark Roberts Witches and hundreds of seasonal items.
C hristmas Open House
Join us for our Annual Gala | Preview November 4, 'til 8pm (First Friday) Saturday, November 5 | Sunday, November 6
C .A.S.A. Holiday Homes Tour
David Porterfield personally welcomes you to his festively decorated home. Patron Preview Friday evening, November 18. Tours Saturday and Sunday, November 19 and 20. Tickets available in advance at Porterfield's.
THE WORLD BELOVED: A BLUEGRASS MASS October 10: The Topeka Festival Singers combine bluegrass style with a traditional Mass text for this season-opening concert at Washburn University’s White Concert Hall. Performance begins at 7:30 p.m. For ticket reservations or for more information about the season schedule, see www.topekafestivalsingers.org
CASA HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS TOUR November 19-20: Tour homes decorated for the holidays by area designers. All proceeds benefit CASA of Shawnee County and its work to advocate for the interests of minors in the court system. Homes are open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. For more information about advance tickets, ticket retail locations or homes, call (785) 215-8282 or see www. casaofshawneecounty.org
ALL EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
E-MAIL YOUR UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE CALENDAR TO TOPEKAMAGAZINE@SUNFLOWERPUB.COM
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