EAT WELL AT ENDWELL PAGE 5
16 WAYS TO GET ARTSY THIS SUMMER PAGE 19
DON’T WORRY, BE HOPPY PAGE 23
SECRET LIVES OF BUILDINGS PAGE 27
Meet the many faces of performer
Elizabeth Braaten Palmieri p. 12
THE VOICE OF COLUMBIA JULY/AUG 2024
OFFBEAT PATHS
Sometimes, it can be daunting to tap into new things, especially when those things are unconventional. When you follow a less-traveled path, you might hear people question what you want to do and why. And there’s the possibility that the destination won’t be what you intended.
Although now I’m confident and excited about my future as a journalist, I didn’t always feel that way. While I invested my time in editing my high school newspaper, most of my friends had their sights set on career paths in business, nursing or engineering. My passion for journalism seemed unreasonable — and certainly not as lucrative.
However, I dedicated my time to honing my skills. Fast-forward to being halfway through my master’s degree program at the University of Missouri, I couldn’t be happier that I followed my gut.
In this issue, we see local people who translated their passions into successes that benefit not only themselves but also the community.
One of our features shines the spotlight on Elizabeth Braaten Palmieri of GreenHouse Theatre Project, who puts together site-specific theater performances in a variety of unique settings (p. 12). Although unconventional, the project provides something new for performers and theatergoers alike.
Restaurateurs expanding on their passions help keep CoMo cuisine fresh. We get an indepth look at the people behind new restaurants Endwell Taverna (p. 5) and Sage (p. 26). Through these stories, we see that these places are rooted in personal meaning.
In another feature story, those in the local art scene provide a roadmap for discovering more ways to engage with art — from enjoying public pieces to making work of your own (p.19).
Although it can be scary to engage in something that might not be considered traditional or commonplace, it can be so enriching. I hope, through these stories, you will be inspired to try something new, if not for the benefit of the broader community, then for yourself.
MICAH BARNES Editor-in-Chief
Behind the issue
To visually depict a public performer such as Elizabeth Braaten Palmieri (see the story p. 12), fellow photo director Caroline McCone and I quickly knew that we wanted to find a way to photograph her in non-traditional or surreal locations. We were excited when local businesses Clovers Natural Market, Lakota Coffee Company and Booches agreed to let us hold portrait sessions inside the buildings, allowing us to fully lean into our vision of performance and whimsy. With a portable three-light setup, writer Grace Burwell and I assisted photographer Caleigh Christy at all three locations in a single afternoon, costume changes and all.
— Nick Sheaffer
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MICAH BARNES
MANAGING EDITOR MEGHAN LEE
DEPUTY EDITOR HOPE DAVIS
DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR MJ MONTGOMERY
ASSISTANT DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR MAE BRUCE
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR DAVID TALLANT
CREATIVE DIRECTORS CAMPBELL BIEMILLER, AVA HORTON
PHOTO DIRECTOR LILY DOZIER
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR DOMINIQUE HODGE
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
CULTURE SOPHIE CHAPPELL, CHLOE LYKKEN, COLE MILLER, KHALIA SMITH, JULIA WILLIAMS EAT + DRINK AVA GOUGH, JADEN HARPER, MOLLY RHODES, IAN WESSELHOFF, CAYLI YANAGIDA CITY LIFE BETH BURTON, KARA ELLIS, EMILY ANNE GRIFFITH, ANDREA MERRITT STAFF WRITERS SAM BARRETT, GRACE BURWELL, LEVI CASE, SARAH GOODSON, OLIVIA MAHL, ABBY RAMIREZ, SAVVY SLEEVAR
SOCIAL & AUDIENCE DIA GIBBS, MIKAYLA HIGGINS
DIGITAL PRODUCERS JACK COPELAND, EMILY BOYETT, BRIANNA DAVIS, SARAH GASSEL, AMELIA HURLEY, OLIVIA MAILLET, KATE RAMSEYER, SHIRIN REKADBAR-XAVIER, JACOB RICHEY, NATALIE SMITH, ABIGAIL ZORN
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MADISON ARENAZ, ATHENA FOSLER-BRAZIL, KEARA CONNOLLY, MAYA DAWSON, AUDREY ELLIS, BRIANA IORDAN, OLIVIA MAILLET, MARY RUTH TAYLOR, NICOLE VOSS, ELLIE WEIEN
DESIGNERS CAITLIN KANE, GABBY NELSON, MAGGIE POLLARD
ART ASSISTANTS THEO JOHNSON, VALERIE TISCARENO
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT LAURA JOHNSTON
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR HEATHER ISHERWOOD
EXECUTIVE EDITOR LAURA HECK
WRITING COACHES CARY LITTLEJOHN, JENNIFER ROWE
WANT TO BE IN-THE-KNOW? Sign up to receive Vox ’s weekly newsletter, the “Vox Insider.” We’ll tell you how to fill up your weekend social calendar and keep ahead of the trends. Sign up at voxmagazine.com. FOLLOW US
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JULY/AUGUST 2024
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 6
PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN LEE HILLS HALL, COLUMBIA MO 65211
Cover design: Ava Horton
Photography: Caleigh Christy
Photography by Lily Dozier and Grace Burwell
05
Founded on friendship
At Endwell Taverna, a chef and a restaurateur walk into a pizzeria...
07
Vox Picks
Fireworks, music, books and Popsicles — there is a lot to savor this summer. 09
She rocks the rocks
Aarya Kumar is reaching new heights in Columbia’s rock climbing scene.
CULTURE
Dancing with fire
The UltraViolets, a spinning performance troupe, are hot to go this summer. 11
Music in their DNA Chemistry and fun intertwine in the upbeat music from Double Helix.
All the world’s her stage
Elizabeth Braaten Palmieri, of the GreenHouse Theater Project, can set the stage from just about anywhere.
Art to go
Unleash your inner child upon the colorful canvas of Columbia’s art scene. EAT + DRINK
Cheers to summer beers
Red wine supernovas, move aside; hops will be the star of the season.
Sunny days of dining
They say nature is key for happiness. We say outdoor patios are a good start.
Waffle to the wise
The owners of Sage are far from green when it comes to food or interior design. CITY LIFE
If buildings could talk
Time travel is possible — on CoMo Preservation’s architecture tours, at least.
Photography by Caleigh Christy, Jacob Luebbert, Thomas Gleason, Sarah Voyles and courtesy of Endwell Taverna and State Historical Society of Missouri
Founded on friendship
Two restaurant entrepreneurs come together to create Endwell Taverna, serving up cuisine inspired by Italian immigrants.
BY OLIVIA MAILLET
With years of friendship and a bond over cooking, it was only natural for Bryan Maness and Ted Cianciosi to establish a restaurant collaboration. The Italian eatery, Endwell Taverna, is a culmination of Maness’ experience as owner of Ozark Mountain Biscuit Co. alongside Cianciosi’s work as a chef.
Inspired by Cianciosi’s heritage, the restaurant pays homage to the New York neighborhood his family immigrated to from Abruzzo, Italy, over three generations ago.
“It’s a tale as old as time,” Cianciosi says. “People finding new homes and bringing part of their old home with them. In a sense, Endwell is telling that story.”
A long time coming
When Cianciosi and his family left upstate New York for Columbia in 1999, his father, Gary Cianciosi, began cooking more at home due to a lack of Italian food in the area. Inspired by his father’s cooking and a love for pizza, Cianciosi pursued a career as a chef.
“Ted’s go-to was always pizza as a kid,” Gary Cianciosi says. “That would be the most Italian thing he really craved.”
Ted Cianciosi’s passion for the cuisine motivated him to move to New York City in 2011 to further his career. Before moving, he worked at Broadway Brewery with Maness, who was a chef
Photography by Vanina Dimitrova
The owners of Endwell Taverna, Ted Cianciosi (right) and Bryan Maness, are longtime friends.
“We kind of always shot around the idea of doing something together someday,” Maness says.
at the time. The two remained friends during their ventures.
“We kind of always shot around the idea of doing something together someday,” Maness says. “And when Ted mentioned that he thought he might want to move back to the Midwest, I was like, ‘Bring it, let’s do it.’ ”
To make Endwell happen, the company Maness shares with his brother and
GRAB A SLICE
Check out Endwell Taverna’s Italianimmigrant inspired cuisine for yourself. Find them at 107 N. Ninth St. or on Instagram, @endwelltaverna
uncle, Limestone Hospitality, became Endwell’s business administrator and Cianciosi’s co-owner.
Slice of sophistication
When envisioning Endwell, Cianciosi and Maness picture a place for professionals and romantic date nights where customers can grab an Italian meal or pizza by the slice.
“We are hoping to sling big, fat, foldable pieces at night,” Maness says. “But also at lunch, we will have pizza alla pala.”
Their pizza alla pala, which translates to “pizza of the peel” in English, is roughly 3 feet by 8 inches and served deli-style.
Some dishes will be inspired by what Cianciosi’s father would make, including spiedies, which incorporate marinated meats charcoal-grilled on Italian bread. Customers should expect the menu to rotate frequently.
“I might run three pastas for two weeks and then change them up,” Cianciosi says. “So customers can come even
twice a week and have a totally different menu presented in front of them.”
Putting down roots
Endwell will largely utilize seasonal foods as the menu rotates, so Cianciosi and Maness are working with local farmers to source ingredients.
One group they’re collaborating with is BLH Farm, which provides mushrooms for their pizza.
“They are a bit less seasonal, but we have different mushrooms that represent the seasons — some lighter, some richer,” says Laura Hudson, co-owner of BLH Farm. Hudson says the pizza pairs great with the mushrooms.
The effort Cianciosi and Maness have put into the menu and details of Endwell is immense.
Cianciosi says he knows he’ll have to be consistently present and active for it to be as successful as Ozark Mountain Biscuit Co., but he’s ready for it.
“I romanticize being the old man with the broken back slinging dough into the oven,” Cianciosi says.
Photography courtesy of Endwell Taverna
Vox Picks for JULY/ AUGUST
curates a list of can’t-miss shops, eats, reads and experiences. We find the new, trending or underrated to help you enjoy the best our city has to offer.
cuisine from local chefs while gaining hands-on experience during the Como Cooks Culinary Carnival. In this twoand-a-half-hour experience, participants can learn cooking techniques from culinary experts at six different stations. From salsa chopping 101 to the perfect empanadas to the ins and outs of Swahili Chicken Pilau, patrons can walk away with July 28, 14 Business Loop
70 E, 2-4:30 p.m., $225 for two people, back2basicscooking.
DANCE in the streets when the summer festival formerly known as Ninth Street Summerfest kicks off for 2024 as Central Bank Downtown Live! The shows will be at Rose Park or on Ninth Street by The Blue Note. Upcoming artists in July and August include Brett Young, The Steel Woods and Oklahoma-based indie rock group Wilderado (above). July 12, Brett Young on Ninth Street, $40-$45; July 24, Wilderado at Rose Park, $25; Aug. 2, The Steel Woods at Rose Park, $22-$29, all shows at 8 p.m., thebluenote.com
ROCK the Fourth (er, fifth) of July with an ice-cold beverage and live music under the stars during Rose Music Hall’s Red, White and Blues event that features the Fried Crawdaddies. The Fried Crawdaddies are known for river roots grooves but you can expect anything from rock ’n’ roll to folk to soul. Fox Deluxe will also perform with its Midwestern take on blues rock and a heavy emphasis on groove and soul. All ages are welcome. July 5, Rose Park, doors open 5:30 p.m., event starts 6 p.m., $10, rosemusichall.com, 573- 874-1944
CRACK OPEN a book this summer and join in the Columbia One Read program with Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy. Hosted by the Daniel Boone Regional Library, the shared community book reading is in its 23rd year. The book is selected by a community vote, and the library stocks up on copies. This year’s pick is a 2020 novel that’s set in the near future during a time of mass extinctions as the main character follows the last flock of
now’s the perfect time to catch up on your reading — perhaps at the beach or from a backyard hammock. borrow at Columbia Public Library, dbrl.org/one-read
TASTE a frozen, refreshing treat while celebrating 100 years of preserving Boone County history at Popsicle Fest. The free, family-oriented event gives a nod to the Popsicle — which was invented 100 years ago in 1924. Indulge in live music, food trucks, museum exhibits, family activities and of course, free icy treats. July 13, Nifong Park, Boone County History and Culture Center, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., free, boonehistory.org, 573-443-8936
She rocks the rocks
With a first-place title under her harness belt, Aarya Kumar keeps finding footholds in the climbing world.
BY JACK COPELAND
Aarya Kumar found herself “hooked” on rock climbing after she tried it the first time. Less than two years later, she won the women’s division at Como Rocks’ first climbing competition in February. The University of Missouri student now climbs competitively and for fun, while also dedicating time to teaching kids the ins and outs of the sport.
For an episode of the Vox Voice podcast, Kumar talked about her path to rock climbing, tips for beginners and what drives her passion.
What was it like to take first place in a climbing competition?
I really debated if I should compete in it in the first place. I also set at Como Rocks (which means to create the wall climbs), so I helped put up the boulders on the walls and whatnot. I had the choice to set or to compete, and I ended up choosing to compete. I walked in, and I was like, “I’m definitely not the best climber, but this is going to be fun to just try it out.”
Does the collaborative nature of the sport change in a competitive environment?
I would say no. Climbing is the most collaborative and supportive community I’ve ever been a part of. Every time I walk into the gym, there’s someone I know and
someone saying hi. Someone that you don’t even know will be climbing, and everyone’s cheering them on, and you’re cheering them on. In the comp there were like five finalists, and I honestly felt like we were still pretty supportive of each other. Everyone would come back, and you’d be like, “How’d it go out there?”
What advice do you have for beginning climbers?
A lot of colleges have climbing walls. I definitely recommend just going and checking out your college’s climbing wall. Or if you have a climbing gym in town, checking that out is a really great way. I found that just going in there a few times, people will start to recognize
VOX VOICE
Hear more from Aarya Kumar as part of the ninth season of Vox Voice. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Aarya Kumar got her start bouldering, and won a climbing competition at Como Rocks in February.
The gym, 205 E. Nifong Blvd. Suite 120, is a destination for both beginners and experienced climbers.
you, and they’ll come up and say hi. It really does not take much to get pretty plugged into the community. It kind of just happens without you even realizing.
How would you recommend learning the technical aspects of climbing?
It’ll come pretty naturally, just through climbing. I don’t really go to the gym ever; I usually am just in a climbing gym. It’s a lot of just learning how to move on a wall, like learning how to place your feet on a hold confidently and move your hands and body in a way that lets you climb.
You get good at climbing through climbing a lot. It’s really thought of to be more of a skill-based sport. So you don’t need to have this insane amount of upper body strength.
Is there something you learned from climbing that you didn’t expect?
I learned a lot about myself. Climbing is really about your inner determination and how much you’re willing to put into it. That’s taught me a lot about what I’m capable of.
What’s next for you, climbing-wise?
I’ve done another competition since then. I have a few lined up, so I’m planning to compete a little bit more because I think it’s really fun. Climbing for me so far has just really been like a fun community. So it’s important for me to just keep it that way. Also trying to plan some climbing trips. Yeah, that’s mostly what it is — just keep climbing.
Dancing with fire
Flames don’t scare the UltraViolets, a troupe that captivates audiences with a practice that also provides mental clarity for its performers.
BY SARAH GOODSON
Where there are flames, there is therapeutic dance for the UltraViolets. The mesmerizing glow of the fire catches eyes and makes the audience stop and wonder. The members of the troupe move their bodies freely around their
Photography by Jacob Luebbert
fire props, escaping reality for just a few minutes until the flames disappear.
The UltraViolets is a flow art performance troupe made up of 10 to 12 members from Columbia and Kansas City and elsewhere. Mahogany Adio founded the group in March 2015 because of her love for flow arts and a respect for the practice’s culture.
Flow arts provide a way to dance and find freedom of expression through prop movement, says Nicole Raye, owner of MO Movement & Music. In addition to fire dancing, flow arts can include hooping, levitation wands, fans, silks and even pole dancing.
Sparking the UltraViolets
Adio views spinning, or fire dancing, as therapy — playing her favorite music
Mahogany Adio is the group leader of the UltraViolets, a troupe that embraces flow arts.
LEARN TO SPIN
Nicole Raye’s MO Movement & Music is a program that hosts events such as movement classes, performances, education and music. To learn more, visit nicoleraye.com/ momovement music.
and pretending she’s alone as she twirls flaming props or colorful hoops. She began attending local electronic dance music shows, where hula hooping caught her eye.
Burn Circus, another local fire dancing troupe, was one of the main reasons Adio started spinning in 2012, along with other independent artists both in-person and online.
“I started going to shows, local shows, and I saw people hula hooping,” Adio says. “Then I saw the fire, and I was like, ‘I want to do that.’ ”
Adio says meeting a community of individuals who also enjoyed spinning helped her in forming the UltraViolets.
Marley Geery, co-lead of the UltraViolets, was introduced to fire spinning in 2018. He says the practice alleviates
MEET DOUBLE HELIX, THE BAND P. 11
his stress and increases energy.
Geery works at Walmart during the day and says he loves to practice spinning after long shifts. The audience’s reactions to the dances provide motivation for Geery. “It makes me more happy than my actual work does,” Geery says. “I like to see the people’s faces every day, smiling.”
Greg Stratton, a frequent performer with the UltraViolets, has participated in shows with the group for three years. Stratton says the world of flow arts is a culture of its own.
“If you go to any flow group practice, you’ll see anything from clowns to fans to contact staff, fire performers, acrobats,” Stratton says. “The culture itself is just a bunch of people who like to push themselves and entertain.”
Flowing through time
Flow arts have been found throughout human history. Raye says that the first physical proof of flow arts goes back to Egyptian times. “There are Egyptian artifacts that have figures of people
juggling or rolling a hoop along with a stick,” Raye says. “It goes back as far as we can really remember.”
From ancient Egypt to modern-day Columbia, flow artists have used movement to connect with something deeper. Stratton says performers experience “flow space” while practicing flow arts and their brain stops spinning. “I think a lot of us use it as a mental clarity space,” he says.
“It’s kind of like meditation; your brain shuts off, and it’s just you and the prop,” Stratton says. “It’s peace. You don’t have to worry about what the future brings or what the past holds.”
Flow arts offer a therapeutic practice for many. Raye has been practicing flow arts for 12 years and has seen the art heal people from addiction, help them enjoy movement and free their minds.
“I think people should just try it,” Raye says, “and see if they can find that inner joy and find some self healing and some therapy and some movement that helps their entire life.”
Mahogany
Adio performs fire dancing, or spinning, at Cafe Berlin. A safety team attends performances to handle any stray flames. Find out more on the group’s Instagram, @ultraviolets.como.
Spinning joy
Adio and the rest of the UltraViolets enjoy fire spinning as a therapeutic and fun practice. Stratton emphasizes the importance of flow arts in Columbia and how it could mean something to everyone. He says flow arts unite people and bring joy, which are some of the reasons why he does it.
“Flow arts are something that have existed for a very long time, just within the human spectrum,” Stratton says. “I think it needs to continue. It’s something that is just primal within us.”
Photography by Thomas Gleason
Music is in their DNA
The members of Double Helix intertwine diverse musical backgrounds to create their sound.
BY SARAH GOODSON
When you step into a Double Helix show, you’ll hear a powerful voice and the upbeat sounds of instruments playing covers of well-loved songs. Singer Aina Cook, bassist Ando Cook, drummer Alex Gordon, guitarist Brent Henderson and pianist Lionelle Miller give their heart and soul in performances.
Gordon moved to Missouri from Orlando, Florida, in 2021. After coaching basketball at Lincoln University for a year, they became immersed in the Columbia music scene. “I always knew I had a passion for music, but I didn’t have the time and the capacity,” Gordon says.
This led Gordon to look for like-minded musicians. They met Miller and Henderson, and after months of trial and error, eventually added Ando Cook and his sister Aina Cook to the band, plus vocalist Alivia Bise, who now joins
Drummer Alex Gordon founded the band in 2022. Each member brings their own sound to the mix. Follow the group @double. helix.band on Instagram.
Photography by Thomas Gleason
as a backup singer whenever she can.
The band members say their chemistry and diversity drive their sound. Henderson says those differences come together in the music. “Everyone has their own ingredient,” he says. “We make a good soup.”
Those factors also suit the Double Helix moniker, which refers to DNA’s twisty shape. It started as just a cool-sounding name and developed into a representation of the evolution of life, inspired by the show Cosmos: Possible Worlds
The band has grown larger and stronger, similar to how DNA changed and evolved billions of years ago, Gordon says.
Double Helix rehearses every week at Vidwest Studios, a studio rental space. The group plays local shows, often at Serendipity Salon and Gallery. The location has been somewhat of a home base since its first show there Dec. 10.
Elizabeth Jordheim, Serendipity’s owner, has supported the band since that first show and has high hopes that it will go far while always coming back to the
group’s roots. “Sky’s the limit for them,” Jordheim says.
To expand beyond cover songs, Double Helix plans to release its own music soon. The band members are working on an EP, and the writing process is collaborative.
The band members say they want to focus on having fun and creating a following for their music. Gordon says they want to travel to Kansas City and St. Louis in the future to spread their talent and expand further.
The members have high hopes for their band and the way it can bring people together. Miller wants the audience to feel satisfaction when they leave a show.
Singer Aina Cook says she’s hoping to create a feeling of magic. “The biggest thing is to take people on a journey, whether that be a five-minute one, a two-minute one, depending on the song,” Cook says. “If we somehow managed to make it seem like time stopped outside of where we were, then I think (that’s) my goal.”
Double Helix members Ando Cook (left) and Brent Henderson take a break during an April performance at Serendipity Salon and Gallery.
WORLD’S HER ALL THE STAGE
With uncommon venues and boundary-busting productions, Elizabeth Braaten Palmieri and her GreenHouse Theatre Project bring substance and surprise to the local theater scene.
STORY BY Grace Burwell
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Caleigh Christy
DESIGN BY Ava Horton
Elizabeth Braaten Palmieri dons a costume as Hedda Gabler from GreenHouse Theatre Project’s 2019 production of Hedda Gabler The play originated in 1891, and the GreenHouse production was updated with contemporary music, modern technology and current fashion.
NNestled among a valley of books — a setting that couldn’t be more fitting for the story at hand — Elizabeth Braaten Palmieri stands poised to perform. Her sandy hair pinned under a chestnut wig, Braaten Palmieri surveys the audience with the knowing smile of an artist at work. She has transformed into another woman: Olivia Langdon Clemens, the wife of Missouri-born author Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. On the staircase of Skylark Bookshop, Braaten Palmieri delivers the one-woman show, A Woman Named Gravity. She spent two months researching and a week writing it.
Braaten Palmieri is the co-founder and artistic director of the GreenHouse Theatre Project, a site-specific theater company that performs in places that aren’t theaters. Site-specific theater has become a popular performance model, but Braaten Palmieri says artists have been traveling to perform in diverse locales since the dawn of storytelling.
Audiences might see a GreenHouse production in a rock climbing gym or while sitting onstage alongside the actors. Unconventionality is Braaten Palmieri’s way. “The venues always take on their own life form in the piece,” she says. “We enter a world that’s already there ready for us, so we have to bring the story to it.”
A Woman Named Gravity ran from April 26 to 28, premiering to a packed audience of about 60 squeezed onto Skylark’s main floor. Tickets sold out all three nights. The show was a labor of
love for Braaten Palmieri; she is particularly passionate about bringing the lives of historical figures into today’s world. From a 1960s mod-inspired adaptation of The Nutcracker to the Shakespearean scenes of Lake//Shakes performed on a lake to original productions such as A Woman Named Gravity, Braaten Palmieri continues to turn local theater on its head.
Scripting a theatrical staple Braaten Palmieri met GreenHouse co-founder Emily Adams after moving to Columbia from Brattleboro, Vermont, in 2010. Both women were in their 20s and had relocated for their husbands’ jobs. Braaten Palmieri says they were at similar places in life. “I felt like it was kismet,” she says.
It wasn’t long before the duo decided to start their own theater company. “We had kind of been plucked out of our situations where we had been living very creative lives and collaborating with a lot of artists,” Braaten Palmieri says. “Then we found each other and were like, ‘Let’s just make our own work.’ ”
GreenHouse’s first production was a three-person adaptation of A Christmas Carol performed by Braaten Palmieri, Adams and renowned local actor Addison Myers at the Columbia Art League in December 2011. It was daunting to carve out a space for her work in a new community, but when every night of that inaugural show sold out, Braaten Palmieri realized audiences would take a chance on GreenHouse.
“The fact that (Adams) and I were
— Braaten Palmieri “ “
I am constantly in these different spaces and not just in a blank theater.
able to come here and be completely foreign entities and people trusted us and supported what we were trying to do and allowed it to grow — that’s huge,” Braaten Palmieri says. Three years after GreenHouse’s founding, Adams moved back home to the U.K. and launched a sister company, GreenHouse UK.
Diana Moxon, a member of Columbia’s Commission on Cultural Affairs and former GreenHouse board member, has been impressed by Braaten Palmieri’s ability to perform in unconventional spaces since GreenHouse’s first show. GreenHouse approached Moxon, who was the executive director of the Columbia Art League at the time, about performing A Christmas Carol at the gallery. “I think I was the first person that said yes to them,” Moxon says. “I was kind of hooked after that.”
The genius behind Gravity
When piecing together A Woman Named Gravity , Braaten Palmieri spent two months researching Olivia Clemens’ life. She also pored over numerous letters Clemens wrote and received, which serve as the show’s through line. “Each actor brings so much of themselves into a character,” she says. “The way that I’m going to play Olivia would be different than how any other woman would play Olivia.”
“We stand on the shoulders of these past people,” Braaten Palmieri says. “I just love how she honors them.”
Braaten Palmieri’s aptly titled interpretation of Clemens’ life doesn’t feel like a performance, more so a recitation of a lived experience many can relate to. “Whether she’s by herself on a staircase or on a stage with six other people, you’re always drawn to her,” Moxon says. “She has an incredible physicality within the space that is very eye-catching.”
As Olivia, Braaten Palmieri is buoyant, acerbic and mournful. In 45 minutes, Braaten Palmieri recites portions of the letters Clemens wrote to her husband and family, interspersed with biographical anecdotes. “Even if there’s heavy moments that live in (these) plays, you want the audience to go on that journey with you and empathize with these characters,” Braaten Palmieri says. “I think the best way to help them empathize is to make them as relatable as possible.”
Braaten Palmieri’s Olivia is remorseful of a childhood marred by illness and removal from her family. She recounts the early years of a seemingly storybook relationship with Twain before financial turmoil and the death of several of their children. She quips that her husband “liked to control the narrative.”
Her version is set in 1976 New Orleans as DuBois faces conflicts after leaving her lifestyle as a Southern belle.
One trademark of Braaten Palmieri’s creative process is curating a playlist of songs she thinks a character would listen to. Her playlist for Clemens included several songs from Patty Griffin’s album American Kid — Braaten Palmieri admires the album because Griffin based it on historical research of her own family.
Through three chapters and an epilogue, Braaten Palmieri sardonically illustrates the unpaid labor of being a wife and mother. After all, she laments, “they say it takes a woman to ground a genius.”
Runs in the family
Braaten Palmieri credits her upbringing with laying the foundation for her
In costume as Blanche DuBois from GreenHouse’s June production of A Streetcar Named Desire, Braaten Palmieri walks the aisles at Clovers Natural Market.
creativity. She grew up in Northfield, Minnesota, a river town she describes as a thriving artistic epicenter, and also spent formative years in Barrett, Minnesota, her mother’s hometown.
Braaten Palmieri says being a part of creative community had an impact on her. “I was easily ushered into music and theater and arts in general,” she says. “It was my trajectory, always.” She and her siblings are all writers, performers and educators. Her older sister is a film and humanities professor, and her older brother is a musician and screenwriting professor.
Braaten Palmieri remembers performing in a community theater production of Fiddler on the Roof at 4 years old, alongside her entire family. Her parents didn’t want to find a babysitter for Braaten Palmieri while the family rehearsed, so she joined the cast. “It was very natural and very fun for me,” she says. “That was kind of the beginning, and then I started doing lots of theater.”
Growing up immersed in theater programs and subsequently teaching theater to kids as an adult taught Braaten Palmieri to think outside of one-sizefits-all narratives. “I never even thought in those normal terms, I think, because I was exposed to really imaginative artistic experiences as a child,” she says.
Since moving to Columbia when she was 28, Braaten Palmieri has transitioned through many phases of her life. She has orchestrated 45 GreenHouse productions, in the role of actor or director for most. She has had two daughters — an idea that intimidated her for years but Braaten Palmieri says becoming a mother was inspiring. “I just felt like all of a sudden I had so much more material to pull from as a human being, as a writer and an empathizer, and as someone who could see and feel
things a different way because of what I experienced,” she says.
She also teaches theater at Stephens College, offers one-on-one acting coaching and works as a massage therapist. “I love teaching acting, and I love helping people find the connection between their body and their voice and their imagination,” Braaten Palmieri says. “Oftentimes, when I see an actor who isn’t good or is struggling, it’s usually because there’s a disconnect.”
Throughout it all, Braaten Palmieri says she has always felt like her work is meaningful to the community. She also thinks she would never be good at working a desk job. “Whatever stage I’ve been at in my life, I’ve always been working on multiple things at one time,” she says. “I have crafted my life around allowing myself the time and creative flexibility to do my work.”
Reinventing the unexpected Braaten Palmieri strives to be prolific in order to be happy with her work. She takes inspiration from ancient Greek theater and loves the grandiosity of a narrative with clearly defined chapters.
Braaten Palmieri wears a costume that references her 2021one-woman performance as “the pilot” in GreenHouse’s Grounded. The story follows a F-16 fighter pilot whose unexpected pregnancy ends her career in the sky.
“When I’m writing my stories, I want them to feel epic,” she says.
Moxon says Braaten Palmieri’s deep understanding of theatrical principles, as well as her audience, sets GreenHouse productions apart. “The way that she adapts is brilliant,” Moxon says. “She understands that idea of conciseness and brevity and getting to the point in a way that I think a lot of people don’t.”
Rob Doyen, a local actor and director who taught theater at Stephens College for 38 years, says Braaten Palmieri is a great community asset. “She’s sure of herself, knows what she’s doing, knows what she wants to do and knows how to do the work to get it there,” he says.
Braaten Palmieri’s unique storytelling style complements the unconventional appeal of site-specific theater. Due to the on-the-go nature of GreenHouse productions, actors are rarely able to rehearse in a venue until a few days before a show. “It keeps the work really fresh,” Braaten Palmieri says. “You don’t get stale in the environment that you’re rehearsing in day after day.”
Braaten Palmieri often visits a venue several times before GreenHouse
Growing up in a Minnesota river town that Braaten Palmieri describes as an artistic epicenter, she says her upbringing was a solid foundation for her creativity.
starts rehearsing. She says a critical part of site-specific work is using what’s available and harnessing a location’s energy to bring a performance to life. “All those symbolic uses of space are important to me, and they become kind of ritualistic in a way,” Braaten Palmieri says. “It’s one of the reasons why the work continues to be exciting and challenging because I am constantly in these different spaces and not just in a blank theater.”
Braaten Palmieri wears many hats. For most GreenHouse productions, she collaborates with an assistant director,
While preparing to portray a character, Braaten Palmieri dives deep. In addition to research, another trademark of her creative process is curating a playlist of songs she thinks a character would listen to.
lighting director, costume designer, musicians, house manager and more — as well as directing or acting.
GreenHouse brings in local and regional actors as well as outside directors. When an actor travels to Columbia to work with GreenHouse, Braaten Palmieri often secures them housing downtown and a local gym membership.
Minneapolis-based actor Julia Valen, who has performed in several GreenHouse shows, says she appreciates Braaten Palmieri’s resourcefulness and keen eye for matching productions to venues.
UP NEXT FOR GREENHOUSE
You can catch Elizabeth Braaten Palmieri onstage and behind the scenes for several other GreenHouse Theatre Project productions this year.
July 22-27: GreenHouse will run its annual Youth Theatre Workshop for children ages 5 to 14. Participants will work in groups to write an original play that they’ll perform at Talking Horse Theatre on the last day of the program. Registration is open until spots fill up via GreenHouse’s website, greenhousetp.org.
Aug. 12-17: Palmieri will revive Winchester at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer. The show premiered in Columbia in May 2023. Tickets for the Scottish festival can be purchased online.
December: See GreenHouse’s rendition of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Blue Bell Farm in Fayette. Show dates are TBA.
“She’s just super smart and intentional about picking locations that bring out something in a piece,” Valen says. “It’s fun and exciting for a performer.”
Valen and Braaten Palmieri both attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, though the two received bachelor’s degrees in theater 10 years apart. Valen performed alongside Braaten Palmieri in GreenHouse’s 2019 production of Hedda Gabler. She also played the titular role in Winchester, an original play Braaten Palmieri wrote and directed last year based on the life of firearm heiress Sarah Winchester.
Valen says she admires Braaten Palmieri’s dedication to every aspect of crafting a show. “She’s truly an artistic powerhouse,” Valen says.
An original narrative
Of all the roles Braaten Palmieri has played, challenging characters hold a special place in her heart. “The more complex the woman in (the play), the more fun it is as the actor,” she says.
Much of Braaten Palmieri’s work focuses on forgotten narratives of women
throughout history, and she has a long list of stories she still wants to tell.
When selecting GreenHouse productions, Braaten Palmieri considers the messages a show will convey and the themes that are relevant to current audiences. “Even if it’s something that’s an old piece, how can we connect this to what’s happening today?” she says. “Because history just repeats itself naturally, we’re so often in a situation or a setting where there’s war or mistreatment of a certain group of people.”
Braaten Palmieri is passionate about sharing storylines that anyone in the audience can relate to, such as human relationships. “Whether it’s love or not, that’s something that is always meaningful to people,” she says.
Moxon says Braaten Palmieri is extraordinarily talented at adapting classics into sharp pieces of modern theater. “I’m not a fan of Shakespeare, but I’m a fan of Elizabeth doing Shakespeare because she just brings it to life,” Moxon says.
Doyen also admires Braaten Palmieri’s ability to adapt material thoughtfully while retaining its substance. “It’s not
just a matter of cutting lines and making it shorter, you’ve got to have your act together and know how to do that,” he says. “That takes chutzpah.”
For the love of theater
Above all else, Braaten Palmieri wants audiences to commit to live theater. In an era of heightened technology, she says it’s vital to preserve the experience of sitting down to watch a performance without distraction. With GreenHouse productions, Braaten Palmieri aims to create closeness between the actors and the audience. “I like intimate theater,” she says. “I like there to be almost a level of discomfort where someone in the audience wouldn’t feel comfortable even reaching in to grab their phone because they wouldn’t want to be seen by the actors or anyone else judging them.”
GreenHouse is a nonprofit organization, and it doesn’t rake in huge amounts of revenue from productions, Braaten Palmieri says. Local venues often gift temporary use of their spaces, or GreenHouse will pay to perform there.
Braaten Palmieri prefers intimate theater, and says it’s important to preserve the experience of live performance.
In a community this size, funding for the arts and culture scene is limited. Local arts organizations can struggle to reach broad audiences, making it difficult to gain monetary support or take on more innovative projects, Moxon says.
“So much of the city’s arts is funded by volunteerism and donations from individuals, and that’s the way it is everywhere in the arts,” Moxon says. “It would be nice to have this city fund the arts just a little bit more so that we can expand the offerings and maybe attract more people to see all these amazing productions that go on.”
Braaten Palmieri is aware of the challenges. “Believe me, there are times where my husband and I are like, ‘Why is this my calling?’ ” Braaten Palmieri says. “It’s not a money-making thing, it’s not the most stable situation and it’s just kind of nutty.”
At the same time, Braaten Palmieri wouldn’t be who she is without art. “I can’t imagine not being a storyteller, because that’s the thing that I know I can do,” she says. Ultimately, it is this dedication to artistic expression that sets her apart. Braaten Palmieri understands theater demands adaptability to remain engaging, and beyond simply saying so, she acts on it.
ART TO GO
As life gets busier, artful experiences can help slow things down — and there’s creativity all around us in Columbia. So go find art, and your inner child will thank you.
Throughout history, art has helped humans cope with difficulty. And modern life comes with a lot of difficulties: the pandemic, the elections, the climate, the international conflicts, the cost of groceries — the list goes on. So perhaps we should do what humans have always done and turn to art.
“Art is therapeutic,” says Lisa Bartlett, the owner of Artlandish Gallery and board member of the North Village Arts District. “During hard times, creativity becomes a really important thing.” Whether creating or experiencing art, it can help make sense of emotions and help us feel less lonely in our experiences.
ACCESS ARTS
1724 McAlester St., schoolofservice.org
In 1971, local architect Hurst John founded Access Arts as a way for his son, who had cerebral palsy, to take part in art classes.
“So we continue in that spirit,” says Sarah Catlin, the executive director at Access Arts. “We’re very inclusive in all of our programming on different levels, both in age and ability and economic circumstance.” Sign up for classes in ceramics, fibers and more.
STORY BY LEVI CASE AND MAYA DAWSON DESIGN BY AVA HORTON
EDITED BY SOPHIE CHAPPELL
You don’t have to be a master in the arts to benefit from it. “We live a really fast-paced life,” says Marie Nau Hunter, the deputy director of the Museum of Art and Archaeology. “Slowing down a little bit and just enjoying art in a gallery or a museum is really healthy for your eyes and your brain.”
In Columbia, there are many ways to connect with art. “Our arts community is engaging and welcome,” Bartlett says. Vox compiled this list of ways to access visual art, whether you want to look at it, buy it or make it with your own hands. Go forth and do art — whatever that means to you.
POTTERY ISLAND
601 Business Loop 70 W. Suite 213C, pottery-island.com
From clay animals to serving dishes, this paint-your-own pottery studio helps artists of all ages create masterpieces. Customers choose unglazed pottery and apply colored glazes before Pottery Island fires the work in a kiln, creating lead-free and food-safe pieces of art. “It makes a lot of good memories with family members or friends,” says Sandy Goff, owner and operator of Pottery Island. “It makes some really great gifts. As a grandma, I’m just saying, grandmas like this, too.”
GOCREATE YOUROWNART
FIRST FRIDAYS
North Village Arts District, 6-9 p.m., first Friday of each month, northvillageartsdistrict.org
This year marks the 10-year anniversary of this monthly Columbia staple. Studios and galleries in the North Village Arts District fling open their doors while art pieces, music and even balloon artists take over the sidewalks.
CYPHER
Columbia Public Library, 100 W. Broadway
These bright yellow guardians were built in 2002 by sculptor Albert Paley to commemorate the library’s opening. Each statue is over 30 feet tall and weighs over 25 tons. The irregular and sporadic construction is purposeful, forming a juxtaposition with the traditional architecture of the library, according to the artist’s website.
KINDNESS BUTTERFLIES
Alley A, 16 S. Ninth St.
Gracing the bricks in Alley A for half a decade, the kaleidoscopic wings painted by Madeleine LeMieux are one of the most popular photo spots in Columbia.
BLOWN AWAY
Alpine Shop, 1102 E. Broadway
The outer wall of the Alpine Shop is just as wild as the inside. “Blown Away” was painted by Paul Jackson and a crew consisting primarily of family members. Jackson is a MU alum, graduating with a master’s of fine arts in 1992, and has left his watercolor fingerprints all over Missouri, with his works being featured in the Governor’s Mansion, Capitol and Missouri Supreme Court building.
GOTAKEIN PUBLICART
WE ALL PLAY ON THE MKT
Flat Branch Park, 300 S. Providence Road
MU alum Adrienne Luther Johnson was commissioned by the nonprofit Children’s Grove, an organization dedicated to child mental health, to paint the wall leading to the nearby playground. “I was inspired by a lot of Local Motion’s work here in town, which is pedestrian and bike accessibility,” Luther Johnson says.
Photography by Sarah Voyles and courtesy of Adrienne Luther Johnson
THE SUSPENDED GLOBE
Landmark Bank, Broadway and Eighth Street
In 1999, Julia Balk completed her project: a bronze statue of three women holding a hot air balloon carrying five men. The depiction references the mythological Atlas, who was tasked with holding the weight of the world.
NORTH VILLAGE ARTS WALK
Various locations, starting at 1019 E. Walnut St., northvillageartsdistrict.org
With 15 installations scattered throughout the North Village Arts District, there’s plenty to catch your eye, from murals to sculptures to an archway that reads “ART LIVES HERE.” The project came courtesy of a Veterans United Foundation gift in 2021, says Lisa Bartlett, a district board member. Visitors can take a tour of the walk using the website’s map or by scheduling a guided tour.
ARTS IN HISTORY
In difficult times, art can provide perspective. “History matters, and sometimes you want history to be repeated, and sometimes you don’t,” says Marie Nau Hunter, deputy director of the Museum of Art and Archaeology. “In both cases, you should be learning from it.” Hunter explains that art — whether that’s paintings, vases, jewelry or other creations — can help us understand what was important to people at different times.
MUSEUM OF ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY
East wing of Ellis Library, 520 S. Ninth St., maa.missouri.edu
Want the most bang for your buck? How about 16,000 objects from six continents that span 6,000 years … for zero bucks? The Museum of Art and Archaeology, which has moved into the east wing of Ellis Library on the ground floor, features four galleries: the Weinberg Gallery of Antiquities, the European and American Art Gallery and two exhibition galleries that rotate showings. This is a place where you don’t have to be an expert, Hunter says. “You can find all kinds of different things you will know something about or that will interest you,” Hunter says. “Take a break, get your mind off whatever it is. This is a neat place to do that.” The museum offers free educational events, tours and bimonthly sketching sessions with all materials provided.
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI
605 Elm St., shsmo.org
The State Historical Society Center for Missouri Studies has a substantial number of pieces relating to Missouri or created by Missouri artists. “We’ve got over 30,000 original artworks in our collection, so the list is pretty darn extensive,” says art collections manager Greig Thompson. Two semi-permanent galleries currently show two artists that called the Show-Me State home, George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton. Four additional galleries host new exhibits two or three times a year, Thompson says.
Photography by Sarah Voyles
ARTLANDISH GALLERY
1019 E. Walnut St., artlandish.gallery
Artlandish Gallery doesn’t pay staff members. Instead, local artists work shifts at the gallery in exchange for selling their art there. The pieces adorning the walls and shelves include clothing, jewelry, paintings and pottery. “It’s an opportunity for people who either aren’t very well-known, or who make something simple that you couldn’t create an entire business around,” says manager Melissa MacGowan.
MAKES SCENTS
25 S. Ninth St., makesscentsonline.com
Makes scents encourages the community to expand its definition of art. Customers can create a custom scent by mixing the shop’s various fragrances, which can be made into perfume, lotion, shower gel, home products or other goods. The shop hosts different visual artists each month and also sells jewelry, with pop-ups from spark & tether, a permanent jeweler, which offers claspless jewelry that is welded onto the wearer.
BUYGOSEEOR ART
COLUMBIA ART LEAGUE
207 S. Ninth St., columbiaartleague.org
It doesn’t cost anything to come and admire the art, but if you see something that catches your eye, every piece displayed is available for purchase, per request of Columbia Art League. “A lot of our artists are local,” says operations manager Grace Bailey. “Of course they all come from different backgrounds, but most of them live here or regionally.” There are two gallery spaces in the building: one dedicated to group shows and the other for solo exhibitions.
BLUESTEM MISSOURI CRAFTS
13 S. Ninth St., bluestemcrafts.com
You can find just about anything on the eclectic shelves here. Founded in 1983, the shop contains artwork from over 300 creatives in Columbia and the surrounding area. The store is stocked with wooden bowls and trays, ceramic and glass products, which include blown glass and stained glass, pottery, scarves, both woven and silk, as well as clocks, jewelry and flutes. “I love glass, I love weaving, I love wood, jewelry,” says co-founder Sandy Litecky. “We have some outstanding jewelers, it would be pretty hard to just pick one piece.”
SAGER REEVES ART GALLERY
1025 E. Walnut St., sagerreevesgallery.com
Sager Reeves Art Gallery has been serving Columbia at its current location for over a decade. The exhibits change monthly and are curated to showcase a spectrum of artists, from household names such as Pablo Picasso to emerging local artists. “We’re looking for the underdogs of art history,” says co-owner Hannah Reeves. The gallery launches exhibits during First Friday celebrations.
Cheers to summer beers
Your new favorite seasonal pint is only a hops, sip and a jump away at these local breweries.
BY ABBY RAMIREZ
Calling all “hopheads” and brew buffs!
It’s officially the time of year when CoMo’s breweries are serving light and fruit-flavored beer, so check out these local spots for warm-weather wallops.
Broadway Brewery
When fruit prices soared during the pandemic, Broadway Brewery was faced with a difficult decision: produce a popular beer, or save money.
The choice was clear. Summer Cut, a Berliner Weisse sour, was put on pause in 2021. That is, until now.
Fermented with raspberry, blueberry and blackcurrant, this sour is perfect for fruity beer lovers or anyone looking for a “really approachable” drink, as described by head brewer Shawn Oberle. Broadway will also have two visiting IPAs on tap over the next few months. Oberle says Success for Breakfast is a
Logboat Brewery production manager Michael Ivancic (above) oversees the summer brews.
Two of the seasonal summer releases are the citrusy wheat High Tide and the strawberry-lemon ale Lei-A.
hazy IPA that “exhibits notes of orange, coconut and other tropical fruits.” Oberle describes the new West Coast IPA as “clear, assertively bitter and dry.”
Out of the variety of seasonal brews, he is most excited about Dashi, a Japanese rice lager that includes flaked rice and is processed with fresh lemongrass and dried kelp. “It pairs well with a lot of food, and it’s kind of like a palette cleanser,” Oberle says.
Photography by Allie Santini
Bur Oak Brewery
Bur Oak’s CEO Dan Johnson is not the biggest fan of sour beers. However, his brewery’s latest creation, 10th and Cherry, changed the game for him.
“It’s my favorite beer out of our entire selection of beers,” he says.
Kraig Bridgeford, Bur Oak’s head brewer, says it’s made using Montmorency cherry juice, which gives the beer a balanced and refreshing tart flavor. The juice comes from a sour cherry with French origins.
This summer, Bur Oak also is bringing back Darkstar, a European black lager. Bridgeford created it knowing people often mistakenly associate the color of a beer with its strength and thickness, though they share no correlation.
“I feel like it’s a dark beer with dark flavor, yet it’s a lighter beer,” Johnson says. “So it’s like you can drink five of them fine, but you get the dark beer flavor.”
In addition to these rotating brews, Bur Oak has a new rye IPA called Golden
Ryetio and three barrel-aged beers. As always, the brewery will feature Old Highway 63, a summer favorite served year-round.
Logboat Brewing Company
Sip your way into summer with Logboat’s seasonal favorites and new fruity flavors.
Neon, a returning blonde ale, is fermented with grapefruit puree and described as an “easy-drinking, bright, tangy and zippy” beer by Logboat brewer and production manager Mike Ivancic. If you haven’t already, try High Tide, Logboat’s year-round citrusy American wheat ale that’s popular in the summer.
If you’re a fan of mango and tropical ales, its big summer seasonal, Giraffe, might be just for you. Lei-A, a Berliner Weisse ale, will now have a rotating series. Typically fermented with guava, this brew will include a strawberrylemon puree for the summer while keeping the same base.
As a self-proclaimed hophead, Ivancic
Logboat Brewery production manager Michael Ivancic oversees the brewing process in the facility’s recently expanded production space.
WHERE TO SIP
Logboat Brewing Company: 504 Fay St.
Broadway Brewery: 816 E. Broadway
Bur Oak Brewery: 8250 Trade Center Drive
is most excited about Vista Flyer, a new IPA with notes of “overripe honeydew melon, strawberry and refreshing white wine.”
These beers are meant to be a light, refreshing way for you to cool down in Columbia’s summer heat, whether that be on a boat, at the brewery or on a porch.
Bur Oak Brewery released a sour beer, called 10th and Cherry, which is made with Montmorency cherry juice.
Photography by Allie Santini and Jacob Luebbert
Sunny days of dining
You don’t have to be outdoorsy to enjoy a summer patio.
BY EMMA BOYLE AND XANDER LUNDBLAD
July is perfect for patios. Especially in Columbia, where you can take advantage of the time when most college students are away for summer and grab a seat at one of the plentiful — and less crowded — outdoor dining spots in and around downtown.
Look over downtown Acola Coffee Company
Acola takes things up a notch — or a level, rather — with a rooftop balcony. Customers can enjoy the view while sipping caffeine or indulging in a crepe from eat.crepe.love. 300 N. Tenth St., Suite 100 || Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. || What you’ll spend: $5 to $10
Chill among the plants
Beet Box
Tucked northeast of downtown, Beet Box’s plant-filled patio provides a calm space to enjoy innovative cuisine. The spot specializes in popular Middle Eastern dishes such as hummus bowls, shawarma wraps and black garlic biscuits. 602 Fay St. || Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. || What you’ll spend: $10 to $20
Embrace the quirk
Cafe Berlin
Cafe B’s shady patio is the perfect spot to try the iconic Starving Artist, which includes vegetarian biscuits and gravy served in a bowl with potatoes, eggs and greens. 220 N. 10th St. || Daily, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 6-11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 6 p.m. to midnight || What you’ll spend: $8 to $15
Relax in the shade Flat Branch Pub & Brewing
Look no further than this longtime CoMo favorite for a shady spot that feels secluded. Flat Branch is known for its diverse menu, including over 12 different beers on tap and various brick oven pizzas. 115 S. Fifth St. || Daily, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. || What you’ll spend: $15 to $20
Strike a coffee chord
Fretboard Coffee
For those looking to have a good time and meet creative locals, Fretboard is a coffee shop with a side of rock ’n’ roll. On its backyard patio, patrons can enjoy open mic nights and live bands. 1013 E. Walnut St. || Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. || What you’ll spend: $3 to $8
Taste New Orleans flavors
Glenn’s Café
Glenn’s offers a small patio with a view of both downtown and the University of Missouri campus. The Columbia classic celebrates its New Orleans heritage with menu items such as jambalaya, crawfish and gumbo. 29 S. Eighth St. || Sunday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to midnight || What you’ll spend: $20 to $30
Fretboard Coffee serves up its brews to enjoy inside or outside on the patio located in the North Village Arts District.
FOR FOURLEGGED FRIENDS
No need to leave the pooch at home. Many of the patios on this list are dog-friendly, including Beet Box, Cafe Berlin, Fretboard Coffee, Glenn’s Café and Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar. Also check out First Watch, which welcomes dogs on its patios at 1301 Grindstone Parkway Building D and 421 N. Stadium Blvd.
Salt the rim
Las Margaritas
The Eighth Street Las Margaritas is a popular patio destination due to its location between downtown and campus. The jumbo margaritas, Mexican fare and free chips and salsa surely help. 220 S. Eighth St. (plus 10 Southampton Drive and 5614 E. St. Charles Road) || Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. || What you’ll spend: $14 to $17
Butter the biscuits
Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar
Under umbrellas on the patio, diners can enjoy Ozark’s menu that has deep roots in Southern cuisine, creative cocktails and, of course, biscuits. 1204 Hinkson Ave. || Monday, Wednesday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. || What you’ll spend: $6 to $24
Grab some drinks for game time
Shiloh Bar and Grill
Shiloh is the place to grab a drink and watch a game. The restaurant has a large patio and plenty of TVs and specials, making it a quintessential Columbia sports bar. 402 E. Broadway || Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. || What you’ll spend: $10 to $20
A waffle to the wise
Sage set up shop in February with thoughtful menu items and a distinctive interior design — both echoing the owners’ passions.
BY AUDREY ELLIS
Co-owners Kaitlyn Schlacks and Tabitha Casey came up with the name for their new business two weeks before it opened, but that was all part of the process to make sure it was perfect. “We really wanted it to reflect who we are and this journey we’ve been on,” Schlacks says.
Sage opened in late February on Ninth Street where Coffee Zone used to be. With its distinctive exposed brick, dark woodwork and chandelier, Sage is making its mark in the Columbia cafe scene. “I really wanted to do more of an elegant, refined, approachable vibe
to this cafe,” Schlacks says.
Schlacks has a background in interior design, construction and remodeling. She completely transformed the space, giving customers a fresh, inviting atmosphere to enjoy themselves and their food.
Deciding on a name was more difficult than either owner expected, but they settled on Sage due to its layered symbolism beyond its “literal connotations of taste and color,” Schlacks says. The cafe was named after the “path of discovery, understanding and wisdom,” a concept that resonates with both Schlacks and Casey.
While Schlacks was heavily involved with designing Sage’s interior, it was Casey who designed the menu. Casey has worked in the food industry for over 20 years and says she finds joy in learning how to cook with foods from different cultures. She prioritizes a high standard of care toward her menu, emphasizing that everything at Sage is prepared inhouse.
“We want all of our items to represent a certain understated elegance, where it’s not pompous or pretentious but signifies care, detail and love,” Casey says.
Sage’s menu is filled with both savory and sweet brunch items, such as avocado toast, scones, coffee cakes and biscuits and gravy. Customers can also sip on drinks such as ginger lemonade and banana nut lattes. However, what really shines is the waffle. The waffle is “crispy on the outside” but “melts in your mouth,” says lead chef Carolyn Mahaney. Unsurprisingly, the waffle is beloved by customers, and was even rated “13/10” by influencer and podcaster Brooke Schofield when she visited Columbia in late April for her show at The Blue Note.
“(Customers enjoying our products) gives me so much reassurance that we’re actually doing something in the industry that’s really cool and amazing,” Mahaney says.
Sage owners Kaitlyn Schlacks and Tabitha Casey thought about every detail when creating an authentic experience for customers, down to the flowers on the tables or the design of the bathroom.
IRON CHEFS
Sage, 11 N. Ninth St., is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Find it on Instagram @sage.como.
Sage’s success has much to do with teamwork, reflecting Schlacks and Casey’s personalities and skill sets. Schlacks used her construction background to create an elevated yet intimate ambiance in Sage, combining different textures and aesthetics seamlessly. Casey, meanwhile, put an emphasis on representing detail and layered flavors in the menu.
“I am just grateful for this opportunity to interact with the public and to serve food to the public,” Casey says. “I consider it a blessing when peo ple come in our door, and I’m grateful that they will allow me the chance to share what I love to do with them.”
Photography by Jacob Luebbert and courtesy of Adobe Stock
If these buildings could talk
CoMo Preservation volunteers know where to look to find clues of Columbia’s architectural past.
BY SAVVY SLEEVAR
If you catch Stephen Bybee at the right time, you’ll find him on a treasure hunt. Whether he’s in a neighbor’s backyard digging up a rusty horseshoe or pulling an aqua-blue telephone wire insulator out of a creek, Bybee is keen on collecting pieces of Columbia’s history.
These hidden gems aren’t just personal keepsakes. Bybee’s relics sometimes accompany him on his guided historical tours. “I’m all about ‘show and tell’ learning,” Bybee says. “Artifacts and documents make learning a lot more graspable, tangible (and) understandable. When you see it or you touch it, you really get it.”
Alongside a handful of other local history buffs, Bybee has gotten his steps
The Campus Twin, also known as the Campus Cinema I and II, opened in 1971 at 1102 E. Broadway, It closed in 1997. Dianna O’Brien shares the stories of downtown buildings that housed some of the state’s oldest theaters in her book, Historic Movie Theaters of Columbia, Missouri
in as a volunteer tour guide for CoMo Preservation, an emerging nonprofit that aims to preserve the city’s historic architecture through education and advocacy. Dianna Borsi O’Brien, CoMo Preservation’s board president, says that in order to love a historic building, you first need to know it exists — and that’s what these guided tours are all about.
“It’s hard-baked into our DNA that we are about increasing awareness,” O’Brien says. “What would be better to increase awareness than literally (being) on the street, talking about the thing you’re looking at?”
When you’re on one of these tours, what you learn will depend on the tour theme — and who is leading it.
Bybee is a veteran guide of the Wells, Springs and Industry of Early Columbia Tour that showcases where the city’s early tanneries, blacksmith shops, mills and stockyards once operated. Meanwhile, Patrick Earney, a structural engineer by trade, highlights the story of Columbia’s brick roads during tours.
As for O’Brien, she shares the history behind many downtown buildings that once housed some of Missouri’s earliest movie theaters. To craft her nearly two-hour tour, O’Brien pulled from her book, Historic Movie Theaters of Columbia, Missouri. The book highlights the silver screens that used to reside in the buildings that became home to Slackers, Alpine Shop and The Van Matre Law Firm, among others.
Guided by history
CoMo Preservation has hosted tours of Columbia’s historic architecture for less than one year, and the tours hold a bit of history themselves. Before CoMo Preservation was founded, Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission hosted architecture tours in honor of the city’s 2021 bicentennial. In fact, Earney and Bybee gave their tours for the commission first.
Once the bicentennial festivities concluded, the commission shifted its
focus from tours and turned its attention to other projects. CoMo Preservation resurrected Earney and Bybee’s mobile history lessons in 2023.
Tours to come
All of CoMo Preservation’s tours are free to attend, but the organization accepts donations. On a good day, the nonprofit could receive up to $200 in donations after a single tour. O’Brien says that as a growing nonprofit, donations like these help the group maintain
KEEPING THE PAST ALIVE
CoMo Preservation hosts monthly meetings at the Columbia Public Library with guest speakers who talk about historic preservation and properties. The next meetings are July 23 and Aug. 27. See comopreservation. org to learn more.
its website, pay for insurance and create merchandise. As the organization takes shape, its members hope that one day CoMo Preservation will be able to give loans to local homeowners to restore their historic properties.
From the glitz and glamor of early cinemas to bygone booming businesses, Bybee believes that no matter the piece of architecture, peeling back the layers of its history allows 21st century Columbians to appreciate historic places. “It doesn’t have to be a business that’s really provocative or fashionable or strange,” Bybee says. “When you can find that deeper history of that location, people are fascinated.”
Although Bybee, a busy member of several city boards, doesn’t have any immediate plans to lead more tours for CoMo Preservation, the nonprofit will share local history throughout the summer. CoMo Preservation invites the public to more installments of tours.
To learn more about how the nonprofit is honoring Columbia’s history, visit comopreservation.org.
An old mill from historic downtown Columbia (top left) is captured in a 1978 photo. The University of Missouri campus is preserved (above) in a lithograph from 1875. Academic Hall (left, in background) burned in 1892, leaving its iconic six columns.
Photography courtesy of Stephen Bybee
TO-DO LIST
Your curated guide of what to do in Columbia this summer.
ARTS
Ragtag Birthday Party: Moulin Rouge
Celebrate Ragtag’s 24th anniversary with games, DIY merch, a glitzy drag show from Nclusion Plus, fun-filled karaoke and the 2001 classic Moulin Rouge. Don’t fight your feelings; ring in Ragtag’s birthday with glamorous cabaret style. June 29, 4 p.m. events start, 7 p.m. show, Ragtag Cinema, $16, ragtagcinema.org
Drop in and Draw
Indulge your inner artist at the Museum of Art and Archaeology, and attend a sketchfest in its galleries. All of the materials you need to sketch will be provided, and instructors will wander the wings to offer support. With plenty of artwork to inspire, the museum fosters the best environment to discover, or rediscover, your passion for the pencil. July 6 and 9, noon to 2 p.m., Museum of Art and Archaeology, free, 573-882-3591
Columbia Community Band
Attend the Stephens Lake Amphitheater Concert Series for a performance from the Columbia Community Band. Playing since 1981, the band features talented musicians from across mid-Missouri. Bring your own seating and food for a night of community-oriented music. July 11, 7 p.m., Stephens Lake Park Amphitheater, free, como.gov/parksand-recreation/special-events
Movies in the Park
The big inflatable screen returns this summer to Cosmo Park for movies under the stars. Grab some chairs and set up near the Nickell Shelter for shows that start just after sundown. Food trucks will also be on site. In July, the feature is Happy Feet, and in August, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs will light up the screen. July 12, 8:45 p.m.; Aug. 9, 8:30 p.m., Cosmo Park, free, como. gov/parks-and-recreation/special-events
Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 the Musical
Working 9 to 5 — what a way to make a musical! Based on the hit 1980 movie, the Maplewood Barn Theatre is bringing this toe-tapping salute to Dolly Parton to the stage this summer. Expect themes of female friendship and a workplace comedy dynamic. July 18–21, 25–28 and Aug. 1–4, 8–11 p.m., Maplewood Barn Theatre, $5–$13, 573-227-2276
“Lush” Exhibition Reception
Columbia Art League celebrates the abundance of summer with its exhibition “Lush” from July 23 to Sept. 5. The pieces, from artists using an array of mediums, depict our connection with our planet’s beauty. July 26, 6–8 p.m., Columbia Art League, free, 573-443-8838
CIVIC
What You Can Do to Get Out the Vote
With Aug. 6 primary and Nov. 5 general elections approaching, it’s more important than ever to be informed about your civic rights. Learn about making a voting plan, how to discuss the importance of voting with your community and get informed about candidates. The event is co-sponsored by When She Votes, a nonpartisan coalition that includes the Columbia branch of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters of ColumbiaBoone County, Services for Independent Living and Columbia and Boone County governments. June 29, 10 a.m. to noon, Columbia Public Library Friends Room, free, dbrl.org/events
Family Fun Fest: Be Prepared!
Have fun and get schooled with Columbia Parks and Recreation. While the kids have outdoor fun and learn about taking care of nature, others and themselves, parents can enjoy live performances and food trucks. Aug. 21, 6–8 p.m., Albert-Oakland Park, free, como.gov/parks-and-recreation/ special-events
Chuck Franklin sits on a bench during the 2023 Boone County Fair. This year, beat the heat with classics like funnel cake and lemonade while enjoying live music, magic shows and a variety of contests. July 16-20, 5-10 p.m., Northeast Regional Park, 5212 Oakland Gravel Road, $15 Tuesday through Friday, $20 Saturday, theboonecountyfair. com
FOOD
Farming Series: Harvesting
If you like to get a little dirt under your nails, the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture is ripe with opportunity. Join the final class of its three-part farming series where you can get hands-on farm experience. In addition to learning harvesting techniques, you’ll also make your own salsa. (Bring a jar to take some home.) Sign up at columbiaurbanag.org/ events. Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to noon., Veterans Urban Farm, 1207 Smith St., free, 573514-4174
MUSIC Stars, Stripes and Scores
Celebrate the beauty of classical music and America’s musical legacy with The Missouri Symphony as part of the Firefly Music Festival, which runs through July 13. At this performance, the music of legendary Hollywood composer John Williams, paired with patriotic pieces, will serve as an appetizer for the next day’s Independence Day festivities. July 3, 7–9 p.m., Missouri Theatre, $10–$49, themosy. org/firefly-music-festival
BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING
CALENDAR
Mid-MO Rock Collective
Rock out to the Mid-MO Rock Collective at Rose Music Hall, featuring bands The Many Colored Death, Fivefold, Chemical Mass and Chronokinesis. Practice your headbang, and be prepared for the mosh pit. July 13, 8 p.m., Rose Music Hall, $10 in advance, $12 day of, rosemusichall.com
The Kay Brothers Summer Fish Fry
Join “stompgrass” mid-Missouri band The Kay Brothers for the annual summer fish fry at Rose Park. Enjoy all the live music, fried fixings and heat-beating, thirst-quenching Logboat beers you could want. July 20, 6 p.m., Rose Park, $12 in advance, $15 day of, 573-874-1944
Celebrity Drag Show
Strut downtown to The Blue Note for its most glamorous drag performance yet, presented by The Blue Note and Nclusion Plus, hosted by Drag Race fan favorites The Widow Von’Du and The Brita Filter. Sparkle, fashion and incredible performances are guaranteed — with no apolo-lies. July 26, 8 p.m., The Blue Note, $10–$15, 573-874-1944
Emo Royale V
don’t throw away that old tattoo liner just yet, because the goffik emo royale is back at the blue note, including tribute sets for taking back sunday, a day to remember, good charlotte, the used and my chemical romance — O_o RAWR. Aug. 3, 8 p.m., The Blue Note, $8-$15, 573-874-1944
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Don’t forget your dancing shoes for this country blues performance led by the titular fingerpicking Reverend Peyton. A little twang never hurt nobody; it’s time to raise a little hell. Aug. 29, 8 p.m., Rose Park, $15 in advance, $20 day of, rosemusichall.com
OUTDOORS
Kaleidospoke
Light up your bike and ride out the end of summer with this nighttime ride on the MKT Trail. The 10th annual event is non-competitive, family-friendly and takes riders from Flat Branch Park to Twin Lakes Recreation Area and back again. The approximately 8-mile loop will be illuminated and there’s support along the route — plus s’mores and entertainment at the Twin Lakes halfway point. Call or go online to register in advance. Aug. 24, 7-10:30 p.m., Flat Branch Park and Twin Lakes Recreation Area, $18, como.gov/ parks-and-recreation/special-events, 573-874-7460
ART WALK(ER)
Comic strip titular protagonist Beetle Bailey overlooks the University of Missouri campus from the Alumni Center. The creator of the comic and MU alumnus, Mort Walker, worked with his son Neal to sculpt the statue, which was placed on campus in 1992 and moved to the Alumni Center in 1999. There is plenty of public art around Columbia to enjoy. Start with our story on page 19 or find MU-specific art at bit.ly/mu-campus-art.
photo finish
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH VOYLES
2024-2025 SEASON REVEAL
Mozart in Prague
