August 2020 Best of Kansas City

+

294 WINNERS KANSAS BULL RIDERS / MEXICAN ICE CREAM / CHARLIE PARKER AT 100

Greater support Greater support from our team from our team of leading of leading specialists. specialists.

Kansas City’s only certified As As Kansas City’s only certified As Kansas City’s only certified member of MD Anderson member of MD Anderson member of MD Anderson Cancer Network®, a program Cancer Network®, a program of of Cancer Network®, a program of Anderson Cancer Center, MDMD Anderson Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, we’re able to bring a higher we’re able to bring a higher we’re able to bring a higher level of cancer care to our level of cancer care to our level of cancer care to our community. count community.

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Kathy Boos kathy@kansascitymag.com EDITOR IN CHIEF

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Natalie Gallagher Abby Monteil PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

Zach Bauman, Shawn Brackbill, Caleb Condit, Amber Dawkins, Joanna Gorham, Jeremey Theron Kirby, Samantha Levi, Zach Newton, Rebecca Norden

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We love Kansas City like family. We know what makes it great, we know how it struggles and we know its secrets. Through great storytelling, photography and design, we help our readers celebrate our city’s triumphs, tend to its faults and revel in the things that make it unique.

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Kansas City magazine is published monthly by 435 South, LLC. No part of this publication can be reprinted or reproduced without the publisher’s permission. Kansas City magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Kansas City magazine adheres to American Society of Magazine Editors guidelines, which requires a clear distinction between editorial content and paid advertising or marketing messages.

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KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

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Features 48

14

70

Best of KC

Dust to Dust

Readers and editors choose Kansas City favorites in almost 300 categories.

Western towns face unknowns as the coronavirus pandemic halts rodeos.

KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

110 Inside Scoop

We explore the Mexican ice cream KC has to offer.

120

Jam Session A retelling of Charlie Parker's performance for local college kids.

Photo by Caleb Condit and Rebecca Norden

SPONSORED CONTENT

Prairie Highlands Kansas City’s Up-And-Coming Private Golf Club After completing a half-million-dollar course renovation, Prairie Highlands Golf Club is Kansas City’s best kept secret in golf. The Scottish links-style course is located just south of Lake Olathe between 143rd and 151st St. In February, the club announced a bold plan to upgrade the course and take the club private.

The newly completed course renovation includes: • 44 completely new Billy Bunkers filled with pure, white Arkansas sand • Enhancements to the fairways • Cart path updates • An entire fleet of new golf carts, which

are available at no cost for members The vision for the club’s renaissance came from GreatLIFE President, Brett Klausman. Klausman – one of the leaders behind the award-winning Canyon Farms Golf Club in Lenexa, Kansas – implemented the new direction to benefit members.

“Prairie Highlands has always been an amazing golf course, and we wanted members to take pride in it,” said Klausman. “By taking the club private and simultaneously improving the course, we’ve given our members the best of both worlds – it’s a terrific golf course and it’s more accessible to them.”

Members are raving about the renovations.

“I can’t get over the improvements made to this course,” wrote Sharon K in her 5-star Google review. “For those who gave the course a less than stellar review, it’s time to revisit! I have a feeling Prairie Highlands Golf Course will not be a ‘best kept secret’ for long.”

Founder’s Club memberships are selling fast.

This is Prairie Highland’s first year as a private club, so all members who join before September 1, 2020 are being offered impressive Founder’s Club benefits.

“Joining as a Founder’s Club Member means you’re getting the best value we’ll ever offer,” said Ross Judy, Prairie Highlands General Manager.

All Founder’s Club members receive the following benefits: • No initiation fees. (Initiation fees will increase to $1,500 on September 1, 2020.)

• A $100 club credit • 5 free guest passes • Plus, at Prairie Highlands there are no golf cart fees and no food or beverage minimums

For information on joining the Founder’s Club at Prairie Highlands, visit PrairieHighlands.com or call 913-948-7407 to schedule a preview round.

AUGUST ST 2020 2020 KANSASCITYMAG.COM KANSASCITYMAG.COM AUGU

15 15

Departments 41

27

116

THE LOOP

SWAY

DISH

EVERY ISSUE

27 Baseball is Back

41 Fired Up

109 Park Pies

18 Editor’s Letter

MLB teams will play a sixty- game season.

28 Masks Up

The battle over

A local ceramist uses techniques learned across the globe.

42 Sounding Board

Sound-based therapy

mask regulations.

30 Mobile Marriage

A few numbers behind the T-Mobile-Sprint merger.

32 From the Archives

is a wellness trend worth trying.

44 Dress Code

An Olathe boutique

A St. Louis author talks about his image-centric book on Missouri history.

owner sells dresses for every occasion.

Observation Pizza makes the perfect Midwestern pies.

35 Calendar 120 Backstory

114 Newsfeed

The latest news in

the KC food world.

116 Roller

Coaster Ride

An OP brewery does hard seltzer right.

118 ’Cue Card

The West Bottoms

is home to a new elite pit.

SPECIAL SECTION 84 Faces of Kansas City

110 Cold Spell

08.2020 B E ST O F KC

ON THE COVER

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294 WINNERS

This month’s cover and matching illustrations in the feature package were done by illustrator and graphic designer Zach Newton. See the rest of his work starting on page 48.

KANSAS BULL RIDERS / MEXICAN ICE CREAM / CHARLIE PARKER AT 100

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KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

We tour Mexican paleterías in KC.

From the Editor

Little Legends

U

sually, it’s the little things that make a day great. I was reminded of that truism while visiting Brew Lab in downtown Overland Park for this issue.

I came out to the brewpub’s brand-new patio to drink their hard seltzer, Zambezi Zinger, named for a much-missed ride formerly at Worlds of Fun. The bartender poured the drink with a delightful little piece of Kansas City trivia: “You know that coaster is still running down in South America?”

I did know that, as it happens. I wrote about the coaster’s new life about six months ago, in our Secrets of the City issue. I actually talked to some Worlds of Fun superfans who traveled down to Colombia to ride the coaster now known as La Broca.

I don’t know if the bartender read about that in this magazine.

Maybe he talked to somebody who did. Or maybe he talked to somebody who talked to somebody. Either way, he’s now passing this little piece of local lore to everybody who comes in for a crisp, refreshing craft seltzer.

Well, get ready because our August issue is jam-packed with more where that came from.

This is our annual Best of KC issue, where legends are made.

Over the past four months, we’ve let readers vote for their favorites in hundreds of categories. And vote they did, hundreds of thousands of times. You’ll find all those winners broken up by subject starting on page 53.

But while we let the readers duke it out over the best burnt ends and burger in town, our staff uses this opportunity to dig a little deeper. Our editors’ picks are something entirely different:

things that aren’t just the best of their category but also usually the only.

We use this issue to celebrate some of the things that make this city so unique and charming, like an Italian spot that’s been quietly turning out lasagnas and cannoli for restaurants across the region (page 64), the history of the oldest pool table in town (page 61) and the story of an ancient local map shop that saved itself by pivoting into a design studio that makes one-ofa-kind treasures (page 68). As always, we love to find things that are hidden in plain sight, such as the zoo’s unique kangaroo exhibit (page 58) and the secret to getting an epic selfie of the downtown skyline—with just a little rowing required (page 59).

For our writers and editors, the only thing more rewarding than finding and telling these stories is seeing them passed from person to person. These are troubled times, and a lot of local folks are hurting, so I sincerely hope that in these pages you’re able to find something you never knew existed and will now want to support.

Then pass the word along. Tell the stories of Kansas City, and do your part to spread our interesting little legends. Like I said, it’s the little things that make a day great—and we’re happy to share a bunch of them.

Sincerely,

Martin Cizmar, Editor in Chief martin@kansascitymag.com

NUMBERS FROM THIS MONTH’S ISSUE

140 million

48

1

The number of people with cell phone service through T-Mobile following its merger with Sprint

Flavors of paleta available at Tropicana, one of five Mexican ice cream shops our critic visited this month

The number of existing photographs of Charlie Parker playing his alto saxophone in Kansas City

PA G E 3 0

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KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

PA G E 1 1 0

PA G E 1 2 0

Illustrations by Natalie Rice

VOTED BEST COUNTERTOPS! Thank you for voting Rocktops in 2020’s Best Countertops in Kansas City Stop by our showroom at 1140 S. Enterprise St. in Olathe, or visit our website at rocktopskc.com

Contributors

“

Z ACH NE W TON

K AYL A SZ YMANSKI

SHAWN BR ACKBILL

This month’s cover and the matching illustrations in the feature package were done by Zach Newton, an illustrator and graphic designer born and raised on a farm in Wathena, Kansas. He received his dual-major Bachelor of Arts in graphic design and illustration from the University of Kansas. By day, Zach is a senior designer at Hallmark Cards, where he’s enjoyed working since 2005. In the evenings and on the weekends, he manages Newton Design Co., a freelance design and branding agency specializing in logos and apparel design. He also manages two small clothing brands, Hometown Hustle and Born To Ruin. When not working, Zach enjoys playing video games and hanging out with his beautiful wife, two wonderful kids and his sweet old pug, Lulu.

The photos with our feature on local paleterías and many of the shots in our Best of KC package were taken by photojournalism intern Kayla Szymanski, who has lived in Olathe for the past decade. Kayla discovered her passion for photography when she was twelve. Since then, she has been mixing her love for photography and fashion to create her own unique style. As a selftaught photographer, she spends her time perfecting her editing skills. Kayla enjoys exploring KC and visiting new restaurants, coffee shops and local boutiques. She is a junior at the University of Missouri majoring in photojournalism with a minor in textile management. After graduating, she plans to move to New York to pursue fashion photography.

This month’s photo essay on local rodeos was done by photographer Shawn Brackbill, who moved from Brooklyn to Lawrence three years ago, almost to the day. In NYC, he focused the majority of his time on his work, and it was tough to find time for the personal projects he’s been able to pursue since moving to Kansas.

Two years ago, the Douglas County Fair held its first bull-riding rodeo event in years. Brackbill has long loved documenting these types of cultural events— while living in Pittsburgh, he spent a summer documenting Western Pennsylvania Demolition Derbies. Brackbill’s work has appeared in Vogue, W, MOJO and Interview magazines, and he’s shot extensively for indie record labels including Sub Pop, Matador and Domino.

I L L U S T R AT O R

3

THINGS TO LOOK

PHOTOJOURNALISM INTERN

PHOTOGRAPHER

I want women to celebrate who they are. We are so hard on our bodies. Just embrace who you are and all your curves.

I want you to feel beautiful.

”

— LaToya Rozof, owner of 79Roze dress shop in Olathe

Bathed

Explained

Middle Slice

A sound therapy practice in Overland Park promises virtually touchless healing.

How do we compile the Best of KC issue?

Let us explain.

Observation Pizza has the perfect artisan pie for Midwestern tastes.

PA G E 4 2

PA G E 4 8

PA G E 1 0 9

FOR IN THIS ISSUE

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KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

Illustrations by Joanna Gorham and photography by Caleb Condit and Rebecca Norden

Comment

S O C I A L C H AT T E R “Now I just hope our city honors our own minority residents first—Charlie Parker, Buck O’Neil, etc.—in the renaming process before we immediately jump to MLK.” —Bennett Smith “Perhaps most disturbing to me are the earlier quotes from J.C. Nichols III, which are a feeble attempt to justify his grandfather’s practice. His rationalization was to deny Black citizens access so he could make more money.”

—Steve Peters NO MORE NICHOLS

Our July issue featured a news story about the push to rename a fountain, street and park named for early twentieth-century developer J.C. Nichols. Nichols used covenants that banned Blacks and Jews from buying homes in his tony housing developments, segregating Kansas City along lines that are still visible across the city.

After our press deadline, descendants of Nichols issued a group statement supporting the push to rename the features, and the city’s parks board voted unanimously to strip the Nichols name from them. Here’s how readers responded: “This would be such an inspiring move by our city, whose civic pride is as world-famous as our BBQ. It would serve as a great example to other cities on how to move forward and become a truly welcoming and safe place for all our citizens, no matter their background or skin color. It would ring true to the KC Heart symbol that has come to represent our wonderfully complex metro.”

—Marco Hernandez-Reisner “So incredibly ridiculous! Where does all the stupidity end? We soon will hardly even recognize our city if our iconic statues, fountains and landmarks are allowed to be renamed or torn down! I truly hope the people of Kansas City take off their blinders and see what is really going on before our beautiful city is ruined!”

—Marlene Hestand “Marlene Hestand, hop on the progress train because you have no choice. Every inch of racism has to be stricken from our country.”

—Jennifer Hall

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KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

“Awful! Replace the KC Park Board for this political stunt to appease an angry mob. J.C. Nichols still built the Plaza.

The ethnic covenants were for many ethnicities. It was a normal course of business in 1903. Nichols didn’t single out a group out of hate or racism. He did it because it was a business decision. Assigning today’s moral norms on history is called presentism. Uneducated people use it to push leftist agendas.

Instead of wasting all this time, taxpayer money and energy on trying to erase history in an odd Orwellian way, why not build another fountain close to J.C. Nichols Fountain describing the history of 1903.”

—Chris Thompson “Great news, KC.” —Kathy Moorehouse “This solves nothing.”

—Suzanne Brown “This is awesome news to hear!”

—LeAnn Kinsey “Wouldn’t it be better to use the money that would be spent changing the name to feeding the hungry and housing the homeless?”

—Sharon Henry

READERS REACT TO...

Beloved Texasbased fast food chain Whataburger is coming to KC after a public plea by Chiefs superstar QB Patrick Mahomes.

THEY SAID...

My favorite fast food burger!

— BARB THOMPSON

We need to get Patrick Mahomes on Cafe Rio from Utah, then.

— TONYA WARINER

I hate it and I’m a Texas transplant, but I do love In-N-Out. — SIMONE NGUYEN

I’ve tried it several times. It’s OK. Your average fast food burger. The ketchup (and spicy ketchup) is good.

— KRISTY BELCHER EDMONDSON

I’ve never had one, so don’t know what the excitement is all about, but if it makes Mahomes happy I’m all in.

— STAN RISENER

WRITE TO US:

Kansas City

11775 W. 112th St., Suite 200 Overland Park, Kan. 66210 (913) 469-6700 EMAIL: editor@kansascitymag.com CORRECTIONS: Our July issue incorrectly identified the organization responsible for the bull statue overlooking downtown, which is the American Hereford Association.

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AUGU ST 2020 KANSASCITYMAG.COM

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KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

AUGU ST 2020 KANSASCITYMAG.COM

25

Thank you, Kansas City!

Lakeview Village is proud to be voted the Kansas City Region’s #1 Senior Living Community As the only true LifeCare community in the area, we have been a local leader since 1964. We offer a variety of apartment homes, garden cottages, twin homes, and luxurious villas, as well as highly rated long-term care options.

Please go to LVINFO.ORG to see what makes Lakeview Village a special place for those age 62 and better. We are open for independent living tours and are taking precautions to keep you safe. We hope to see you soon!

The Loop L E A D I N G

T H E

C O N V E R S AT I O N

I N

K A N S A S

C I T Y

Short Start If we’d told baseball fans back in January that come late July the Royals would be tied for first in the American League, they’d likely be thrilled. Well, here we are— through extremely unfortunate circumstances. After abruptly shutting down Spring Training, baseball is back for a sixty game mini-season that will conclude with a World Series just before Halloween. Analysts say the condensed format favors teams with roster depth and the Royals have concerns, especially at catcher where two players fell ill, briefly leaving the team without a player in the position during the summer training session.

With the minor leagues shuttered, fans should get a chance to see some action from the club’s top prospect, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. The shortened season will find the Royals facing their AL Central foes with interleague matchups against the NL Central.

They’ll be in Chicago to open August, including two games at the empty, ivy-covered confines of Wrigley Field and will end the month across the state at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Photo by Jeremey Theron Kirby

AUGU ST 2020 KANSASCITYMAG.COM

27

The Loop

able to wear a facemask),” the CDC said. “Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.”

April 3

The CDC changes course and urges the public to wear cloth masks but still avoid hoarding surgical masks.

April 20

In late April, protests erupt around the country by small groups of people upset about stayat-home orders.

Many of the protesters do not wear masks.

In KCMO, antigovernment protesters take to the Plaza to protest extending stay-athome orders.

May 3

Cities in Missouri and Kansas begin phased reopenings.

How we got here in the battle over mandatory masks

BY J O R DA N M E I E R

March 24

The coronavirus pandemic picks up steam in the United States. After sports leagues and event organizers voluntarily cancel events, the first local stay-at-home orders are issued by a coalition that includes nearly every local government.

March 29

The CDC says masks don’t help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus and urges the public to stop hoarding them. “If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not

28

KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

May 19

As businesses begin to open, cities debate mask mandates.

Prairie Village was one of the first municipalities in the area to explore such an order.

The city council, which represents over twenty thousand people, received nearly two hundred comments from the public on the proposed measure, with sixty percent being against it. Residents like Jim Roseburg sent four emails to various city council members concerned about the issue, which Kansas City obtained through a public

records request. Roseburg’s biggest issue was that such a mandate would “infringe on our civil rights and liberties.” He was worried about “where would it stop.” Other complaints appeared to come from a template, with four commenters having the same email verbatim.

Many of those who wrote in threatened to take their business elsewhere if the ordinance passed.

June 29

After a spike in cases and public protests in the downtown area, KCMO mandates that masks be worn in public through July 12.

June 29

Anti-mask activists target KCMO Mayor Quinton Lucas, who received death threats, including ones from people who said they’d like to “see him hanging from a tree.”

Like in Prairie Village, people feared a mandate would impede their personal freedoms.

Many also claimed masks don’t help and may do more harm, contradicting experts.

Among the messages Lucas got, one said masks are “useless to those who don’t have the illness” and asked “Why are you doing this? You know the majority of the nation is against it? You’re a public servant, sir—not a dictator.”

June 29

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issues a statewide mask order for public places to take effect on July 3. She provided exemptions for those who are under five or have medical conditions.

June 30

Wyandotte County also issues a masks order following Kansas’ and KCMO’s orders.

Illustration by Jack Raybuck

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Mariner Wealth Advisors (“MWA”) is an SEC registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in the State of Kansas. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. MWA is in compliance with the current notice filing requirements imposed upon registered investment advisers by those states in which MWA maintains clients.

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The Loop

From Gold to Purple Important numbers you should know about the T-Mobile/Sprint merger

BY J O R DA N M E I E R

The merger of T-Mobile and Sprint has been looming over the Kansas City area since the two mobile carriers cut a secret deal in 2013. The deal was finally approved by federal regulators in April, bringing sweeping changes to the lives of thousands of Sprint employees in KC. With news of layoffs and department cuts coming out, here are some important numbers to know.

7 years How long this merger has been in the works.

The merger between the companies has been in discussion since 2013, according to CNET, but it wasn’t announced until 2018. After two years of battling internally and in court with the state and federal governments—there was a fear that the merger would create less competition in

30

KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

the industry and thus increase prices for customers— the merger was finalized in April.

$26

billion The amount of money it cost to merge the two companies.

T-Mobile bought Sprint for twenty-six billion dollars. The two companies decided to merge to be more competitive with tech giants Verizon and AT&T. T-Mobile and Sprint have been constantly ranked the third and fourth best mobile providers behind Verizon and AT&T, according to TechCrunch.

140,300,00 The number of customers that will now be under T-Mobile’s network. As of 2019, Sprint serviced fifty-four million

people, and T-Mobile serviced eighty-six million people. Combined, the two companies will now be in charge of coverage for over one hundred million people in the United States.

6,000 The number of Sprint employees in the Kansas City area in 2018. The company refused to disclose the number of employees it had in 2019 and 2020, according to the Kansas City Business Journal. However, the large campus the company owns in Johnson County was sold in 2019, and Sprint is consolidating its buildings on the campus from eleven to four.

companies merged. In total, there are eighteen executive positions in the company, meaning former Sprint executives will make up roughly twenty percent of that team.

Former Sprint employees will be the executive vice president of human resources, the executive vice president of integration and transformation, the executive vice president of emerging products

call in mid-June, T-Mobile Vice President James Kirby told hundreds of Sprint sales employees that they were no longer needed at the company. He declined to answer questions from employees and ended the call. Although the number of people who lost their jobs wasn’t disclosed, nearly four hundred people were on the call. The employees were a part of

and the executive vice president of advanced and emerging technologies, according to the Business Journal.

the Sprint sales unit that focused on helping small businesses, which T-Mobile has cut. Layoffs are not new to Sprint; however, the layoffs come just two months after the merger was completed and after the two companies advertised this merger would create more jobs.

20

The number of Sprint stores in the Kansas City area that will be transitioning to T-Mobile stores or shut down, as there are already roughly twenty T-Mobile stores in the area as well. T-Mobile has also committed to keeping the Sprint (now T-Mobile) campus in Johnson County open, as well as keeping the Sprint Center downtown, which will be changed to the T-Mobile Center.

4

The number of senior Sprint executives that made the cut as the

6 minutes The length of a Zoom call where hundreds of Sprint sales employees lost their jobs.

According to TechCrunch, in a Zoom

Illustration by Jocelyn Sands

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The Loop

Bi(centennial) This Book St. Louis author John Brown’s new book shows Missouri’s history in long-lost archive images.

BY PA I G E E I C H KO R N

T H I S I S A N I N T E R E S T I N G T I M E in our world’s history,

to say the least, and to many, it feels like some events are repeating themselves. That’s how it feels to John Brown, who anchors political coverage for the Fox TV station in St. Louis and who recently authored a new local history book, Missouri: An Illustrated Timeline.

Timed to the Show Me State’s bicentennial next year, the book has been a hit—it’s already in its second printing just three months after its release. “Until we learn to get it right, we’re going to keep reliving these issues, and in Missouri, right here, we seem to be a tipping point for a lot of these things,” Brown says.

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What made you want to write this book?

Do you have a favorite historical site?

As we started getting closer to [Missouri’s] bicentennial, my publisher said, “Hey, let’s put together a timeline format using a lot of the famous people you’ve written about and then just target the big moments in Missouri history.” I reached out to more than a hundred historians who are experts in the field to say, “OK, what did we get right in this and what did we get wrong?” Their input made it really cool because we got the big moments. The process of getting the images that matched the graphics was way harder than we realized because some of the images in here have been in the archives for years and nobody’s seen them.

One of the most interesting stories is, I think, how Jefferson City came about because we’re the only state in the country that actually invented a city to be the seat of government. No other state has that. We didn’t want the power to be in St. Louis, so they said, “We’re going to pick an area out in rural Missouri, the middle of nowhere, where it’s equidistant from everywhere.

And we’re going to start a town there.” And that’s how Jefferson City came about. There were only a few dozen people living in that area.

How do you see history coming to life in the current political climate?

The era just before we became a state. I would like to go back because of the foresight of the people who put together our state. I say that because when they were putting together the state and realizing they wanted to put Jefferson City in mid-Missouri, they didn’t want so much power to be centralized in St. Louis—heck, they didn’t even want it to be the interim capital. They moved to St. Charles even though we were the capital of the Louisiana Territory. And so I want to go back and say, “What did you guys see that you thought was so important that you didn’t want St. Louis to be the capital?”

It’s like we keep reliving this history in Missouri. We had the Kansas City race riots, which I wrote about, and we had a situation in Ferguson, which I wrote about. As I say time and time again whenever I do the political shows, whenever I talk to groups about history: Until we learn to get it right, we’re going to keep reliving these issues, and Missouri, right here, we seem to be a tipping point for a lot of these things. And so, sadly, that is part of our history, but it’s also something that I think everybody else can learn from.

If you could go back to any day in Missouri’s history, what day would you choose?

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August W H E R E

Y O U

WA N T

T O

B E

T H I S

M O N T H

14 August

THE E ARLY BIRD

One hundred years ago this August, in a house on Freeman Avenue in KCK, the most influential Kansas Citian of all time was born.

Before passing away in the New York apartment of a Rothschild heir thirtyfour short years later, Charlie Parker had altered the shape of jazz forever.

The saxophone virtuoso has been celebrated with an August festival in Manhattan since 1993. In 2014, Kansas City launched its own version with concerts, jam sessions, documentary screenings and tours of Bird’s local haunts. August 29 marks the centennial of Bird’s birth, and more than a dozen events are scheduled throughout the month—check out the full lineup at spotlightcharlieparker.org.

We’re especially looking forward to the Soulful Sounds of Summer concert in Parker’s honor at the century-old Mutual Musicians Foundation—one of the city’s two National Historic Landmarks. It’s hard to beat a free outdoor event (RSVP required) on a Friday night at one of the city’s most storied jazz venues.

GO: August 7, 5 pm. Free but RSVP required at kmaccfoundation.org.

Mutual Musicians Foundation, 1823 Highland Ave., KCMO.

Illustration by Jocelyn Sands

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August W H AT

YOU

WA N T

TO

DO

T H I S

M O N T H

With over thirty-two thousand square feet of jaw-dropping Lego displays, as well as interactive games like Lego and Duplo brick play areas and fighting robots, this is a fun weekend activity for anyone who can appreciate Lego art.

FESTIVAL OF BUTTERFLIES: MIDWEST TO MEXICO

July 24–August 9, 10 am

POWELL GARDENS, 1609 N.W. U.S. HIGHWAY 50, KINGSVILLE

Every year, monarch butterflies travel to the Midwest from Michoacán, Mexico—an epic international journey that captures the imagination of nature-lovers along the way.

Powell Gardens celebrates the pollinators with an annual festival where you can see thousands of butterflies, witness metamorphosis from chrysalis to first flutter and follow a miniature version of their journey northward.

THE BEACH BOYS

August 3, 7:30 pm KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE

songs. Wilson is leading an effort to boycott the band’s shows after Love agreed to perform at a convention for trophy hunters. Love is pushing eighty but remains a vital lead singer.

STEPHONNE // DUSTIN RAPIER // LAVA DREAMS

August 7, 7 pm RECORDBAR, 1520

GRAND BLVD., KCMO

Put together by recordBar and Voltaire at the new Lemonad(e) Park in West Bottoms, this show will feature performances by a diverse set of local artists.

Stephonne is well-known for a sultry mix of R&B and rock, Rapier makes soulful ballads and electro-pop and Lava Dreams is an indie pop act with experimentation in house, trap and R&B.

PERFORMING ARTS, 1601 BROADWAY BLVD., KCMO

This version of the Beach Boys has only one original member, Mike Love, who is squabbling with his cousin Brian Wilson, the genius behind the band’s best

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BRICKWORLD KANSAS CITY 2020

August 7–8, 10 am OVERLAND PARK CONVENTION CENTER, 6000 COLLEGE BLVD., OVERLAND PARK

SUMMER BOUTIQUE EXTRAVAGANZA

August 22, 9 am

OVERLAND PARK CONVENTION CENTER, 6000 COLLEGE BLVD., OVERLAND PARK

There’s no better way to support all your favorite local businesses and boutiques—especially during these times—than by showing up for them at this support-local shopping event. Furry friends from animal shelters Pet Connection and Pawsitive Tails will also make an appearance.

KANSAS CITY TACO FESTIVAL

August 8, 2 pm POWER & LIGHT

DISTRICT, KCMO

Originally scheduled for Cinco de Mayo weekend, this event takes over Power & Light in August instead.

Organizers boast of offering more than seventy-five types of tacos, all priced at three bucks, plus a marg bar and chili pepper eating contest.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS

August 15, 7 pm

ARROWHEAD STADIUM, 1

ARROWHEAD DRIVE, KCMO

After a relaxing yet celebratory offseason following a Super Bowl LIV victory, the Chiefs will start their preseason with a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in what should be a smooth transition back into the season.

RECORD STORE DAY 2020

August 29, 7 am MILLS RECORD COMPANY,

4045 BROADWAY BLVD., KCMO

For all vintage music fans and record store frequenters, you probably already know about the annual April holiday known as Record Store Day. This year, however, the format has been pushed back to the late summer and fall and completely re-worked, consisting of three smaller “drops” rather than one full day of festivities. The first drop will be August 29, with the other two on September 26 and October 24. A number of record stores in town, including Mills Record Company in Westport, will have exclusive releases available on these dates.

Powell Gardens photo provided, Taco Festival from Facebook page, Mills Record photo by Zach Bauman

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At the Wheel Melanie Sherman’s interest in clay and porcelain was a slow-burning passion stemming from her worldly travels and historical interests.

The local ceramist was born in Germany and spent her youth visiting cities around Europe.

“When I got into ceramics, I was especially interested in the history of porcelain and how porcelain travels, like how it got from China to Europe hundreds of years ago,” she says.

Through her schooling at the Kansas City Art Institute, Sherman traveled to Japan and China—specifically the Chinese city of Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of the world. “Their streetlights are made of porcelain,” she says.

“It’s amazing.”

Sherman’s ceramics portfolio ranges from antiquated wares like tea bowls to stunning handcrafted earrings and necklaces. Her pieces are thrown on a wheel or cast in a plaster mold, fired in an electric kiln and then handpainted using techniques she studied in Hungary.

To shop her collections, visit melaniesherman.com or Cerbera Gallery, 2011 Baltimore Ave., KCMO. Photography by Samantha Levi

AUGU ST 2020 KANSASCITYMAG.COM

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Sway

Sound Off Sound therapy is the wellness trend everyone is talking about (and listening to).

BY N I C O L E B R A D L E Y

W H E N Y O U H E A R A S I R E N , you probably tense up

and become more alert—even if you don’t realize it.

When you listen to tranquil music, your heartbeat slows and your body feels more relaxed.

That’s the effect sound has on us. It has the ability to create a physiological reaction. In scientific parlance, sound is a vibration or frequency. Our body’s cells have electric potential to resonate at specific frequencies and can be manipulated or changed by another frequency, which allows changes to happen on a physiological level, says Katie Brock, licensed massage therapist and owner of Haven Wellness and Spa in Overland Park.

Brock is certified in vibrational sound healing.

“As far as feelings go, shame and guilt are at the lowest frequency,” Brock says. “Experiences like gratitude, joy, love—the more you practice these things, the higher you’re raising your vibration.”

Brock explains the various ways that sound can be meditative and manipulate the way we feel.

Sound Baths Sound baths are group meditations where everyone gathers in a closed room and lies down in a comfortable position with their eyes closed. The sound bath leader plays various instruments like gongs, drums or, most commonly, singing bowls (often crystal bowls).

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Different sized bowls give off various frequencies, she says, with each frequency pinpointing one of the seven chakras—or energy centers—of the body.

“The point is to fill the room with sound,” Brock says. “The frequencies and vibrations in the room are almost palpable.

That’s why it’s a sound bath— because you’re literally bathing in the frequency.”

Sound baths are a form of meditation, so one might feel relaxed, have intuitive visions, receive insight on something that’s been troubling them or even visit repressed memories or situations.

Brock says sound baths are often intuitively guided by the host—they tend to feel the energy in the room to determine what frequency instruments to use.

“There are usually no lulls,” she says. “Sound is constantly going—so much and loud enough that you can feel the vibration in the air.”

Tuning Forks In sound healing or energy balancing sessions at her studio, Brock begins by speaking with a client and sensing what the issue might be (Migraine? Stress?

Low libido?). From there, she says she determines what

frequencies will balance the energy in the client’s body.

“I want them to understand that it will feel different than a massage because a lot of the work is hands-off,” Brock says.

“I start them face down and I basically assess the seven chakras.

I see if I can sense any blockages or if it’s underactive or overactive. I can sense if there’s an imbalance there of some sort.”

During a therapy session, she’ll use tuning forks based on their frequencies and hold them by clients’ ears to hear the sound or press them against their body to feel the vibrations.

“Specific frequencies can be used to encourage a specific outcome, like releasing energy blocks, improving sleep, mood or relaxation and relieving ailments,” she says.

Binaural Beats When you search “binaural beats” on YouTube or Spotify, a number of videos and playlists will pop up with sounds best described as white noise. In actuality, these sounds are considered a healing tool.

When you hear a different tone in each ear that is slightly different in frequency, your brain creates a third beat at the difference of the frequencies, syncing the left and right brain hemispheres.

This is the binaural beat.

Binaural beats are said to relieve anxiety and improve focus and are best listened to with headphones, as listeners receive one tone in the right ear and another in the left.

“I personally use sound when I’m going to sleep,” Brock says.

“I know a lot of people need background noise to go to bed.

You might as well listen to something that’s healing you while you sleep.”

GO: Haven Wellness + Spa 7211 W. 95th St., Overland Park

Illustration by Natalie Rice

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L AT O YA’ S KANSAS CITY F AV O R I T E S :

The owner of a dress boutique catered to curvy women

BY N I C O L E B R A D L E Y

I F I T WA S N ’ T for accidentally

walking down the wrong street in Los Angeles in 2015, LaToya Rozof’s dress shop might not exist.

The Olathe boutique owner studied fashion merchandising and business at Kansas State before working in human resources for fourteen years. She was in LA, where her husband is from, exploring the Garment District when she inadvertently ended up on a wholesale block. She was mesmerized by the sheer amount of clothing available.

“I came home and started researching and ended up getting my wholesale license so I could buy,” she says. “However, I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do with it. I knew I wanted a boutique, but I didn’t know what kind of clothes I wanted to sell.”

We chatted with her about her backwards journey to running her dress shop, 79Roze, which caters to curvy women—or as she says, curvy divas.

GO: 79Roze’s personal shopping experience is by appointment. 79roze.com

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KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

How did you come into your niche?

I saw this dress shop owner on Shark Tank. I will never forget her talking about how she made a million dollars just on social media marketing. I remember thinking, “A dress shop? That’s such a cool niche.” Women always need dresses, right? As I started learning about the industry, I realized I needed more of a competitive advantage, so black dresses came to mind, because every woman needs a little black dress.

I went to a local entrepreneur incubator and the feedback that I got was, “Love the idea. Niche some more.” If you are a curvier girl and go shopping, there’s not much available in dresses and if there are, it’s typically not really fashion forward. I knew I had to cater my little black dress shop to curvy girls.

How has your inventory evolved and grown over the years?

When you think of a little black dress, you probably think of a black cocktail dress for formal gatherings. From feedback in the last three years, I

thought it was important to start incorporating more casual garments. People want more everyday dresses instead of one-hit wonders. I started thinking about what women can wear to work or church or while running errands.

I’m incorporating more casual pieces and then pops of color came with it.

Do you have your eye on any specific trends?

I follow Women’s Wear Daily for most of my fashion news. I’m really liking the popular feminine look of ruffles. Neon colors are also back again, like total nineties, and I love it.

How do you want women to feel when they’re wearing your dresses?

Monarch Bar Monarch Bar on the Plaza is a really sexy place for cocktails.

When I’m there, I feel like I’m in another city.

Novel One of our favorite places to go is Novel.

They just have good, kind of funky-style, solid food.

Burnt Ends Sandwich at Gates Gates, to me, has the best burnt ends sandwich.

They nail it every time.

Our mission is to empower women to embrace their curves and bodies just as they are. We are so hard on our bodies. I want you to feel beautiful because you found something that fits you and you don’t have to worry about only having a few options. Here, you have a plethora of options to choose from. I want you to feel like the queen that you are.

Photo by Samantha Levi

AUGU ST 2020 KANSASCITYMAG.COM

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How This Works Our annual Best of KC issue is made up of two parts: editors' picks and readers' picks. Readers have a month to nominate their favorites, with the three to five nominees who get the most write-ins advancing to the finals. More than 350,000 votes were cast in the final round.

Editors select their favorites from around the city with a special focus on people and places that are unique and unknown but nevertheless wonderful. Best of KC is not “pay-toplay,� and we do not favor advertisers.

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KANSAS CIT Y AUGUST 2020

THE SPIRIT OF FREEDOM FOUNTAIN ON THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE TRAIL (PAGE 54) WAS DEVELOPED IN DEDIC AT I O N T O T H E C O N T R I B U TIONS OF BLACKS IN K A N S A S C I T Y.

We spend all year looking for the things that make Kansas City so great— some bouncing right under your gaze, others tucked away in a basement in Raytown. Here’s your guide to the Best of KC, including our offbeat editors’ picks and 250-plus winners of our readers choice poll.

W R I T T E N B Y Bryce Bailey, Nicole Bradley, Martin Cizmar, Paige Eichkorn, Jordan Meier, Abby Monteil

I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y Zach Newton P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y Caleb Condit, Rebecca Norden, Jack Raybuck, Kayla Szymanski KANSAS CIT Y AUGUST 2020

49

SHOPPING & SERVICES Where to find speakers that audiophiles around the world go gaga for and rentable fine china reclaimed from thrift shops

BEST AUDIO GURU

Bruce Rozenblit Not so long ago, vacuum tubes powered every home stereo.

Today, they’re only for audio obsessives. And among that crowd, Kansas City’s Bruce Rozenblit is something of a legend.

Rozenblit, who lives in Waldo, runs a company called Transcendent Sound with a dedicated cult following. Copies of his 1999 treatise Audio Reality sell for upwards of a thousand dollars on Amazon.

Rozenblit’s main focus is high-end, build-it-yourself tube amplifier kits. His kits cost anywhere from five hundred to seventeen hundred dollars—a comparable prêt-à-porter setup could run you twenty grand.

“A tube amp is kind of like a musical instrument,” Rozenblit says. “It has a voice of its own.

Each piece of equipment imparts something to the music. It’s the difference between a good violin and a crappy violin. It lets the emotion come through the music—there’s magic to it. And there’s no other technology that can do that.”

Rozenblit was born and raised in KC. He’s been obsessed with audio since hearing a

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Swiss-made Revox Reel-to-Reel in fifth grade. He got a degree in electrical engineering from UMKC but wanted to stay close to his elderly parents, limiting career options.

“There was very little in electronics in KC, so I had to do consulting,” he says. “I hated it. In the consulting business for an electrical engineer, there's just no creativity. The boredom became excruciating. It’s like I was sitting in an old age home waiting to die.”

Rozenblit built up a name by writing for audio hobby magazines. In 1996, he quit his job to start his own company.

“It’s a very, very small market,” he says. “You have to keep coming up with new products.”

About half of Rozenblit’s customers are overseas and most of the rest are clustered on the coasts. They tend to be older, but he’s hopeful that the renaissance of vinyl might bring younger people into the hobby.

If you want to try, Rozenblit gives away free directions for elite DIY speakers on his site.

“The less money they spend on speakers, the more money they have to buy my amps,” he says with a laugh. “They only have so much to spend.”

MARTIN CIZMAR

BRUCE ROZENBLIT HAS BEEN FEATURED AS ONE OF THE TOP TEN COMMENTERS ON NYTIMES.COM

BEST USED BOOKSTORE

Anastasia’s Bookstore

Hidden in a Raytown house that seems like it should be a part of a neighborhood, you’ll find a used bookstore teeming with books of all varieties run by Anastasia Hope and her husband.

Roaming from room to room in this house, you’ll find books covering every inch. The couple had to actually remove parts of the kitchen to make room for more books. Books range from military history to romance to science fiction, so you can be sure to find something for any reader. The impressive collection begs the question: How does Hope get all her books? She takes donations, buys books and trades her patrons for them.

“A lot of times, especially in the spring and especially because of the pandemic, people are cleaning out, moving, they’re downsizing,” Hope says. “Or they’re taking care of their relative’s house and they just want things to magically go away.”

Her best finds tend to come in large boxes that people don’t bother to sort.

“Let me show you something,” she says, pulling out a first edition copy of the 1979 children’s book The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. “It literally came in a box of books.

Somebody just gave this to me.”

JORDAN MEIER B E S T V I N TAG E R I N G S

Westside Storey

As the owner of Westside Storey, a sports-themed vintage shop off Summit Street, Chris Harrington spends most

of his time on the road hunting for items to sell. He’s always searching for rare old Chiefs, Royals and Jayhawks clothing, which sell at premium prices.

But the thing that blew us away is his massive collection of vintage and sterling silver rings culled from flea markets across the country, eBay and wherever else he can find them. On a normal day, you’ll find bins with rings by the hundreds to sort through on your own treasure hunt. PAIGE EICHKORN

B E S T R A I N B OW C I T Y

The Iron District

Shipping container shopping complexes have been popping up in cool neighborhoods around the country for a few years now. The trend came to KC this year in the form of the Iron District in North KC. The rainbow-colored containers are mostly filled with food, but there’s also a yoga studio and several boutiques.

Try out Avobite, the metro’s first and only avocado cafe that has amazing ’cado bowls. Or if you’ve got quarantine-induced wanderlust for a trip to somewhere near the equator, Tiki Huna might be able to help— the Tiki bar serves up rumtastic tropical cocktails.

NICOLE BRADLEY

KANSAS CIT Y AUGUST 2020

51

JOHN’S BIRD FARM HAS OVER A DOZEN RARE SPECIES WITH PLANS FOR EXPANSION

BEST BIRDS

John’s Bird Farm If you’re still enthralled by the exotic animals that took the world by storm in the mid-pandemic phenomenon Tiger King, you may be wondering where to find something like that here in Kansas City. Although there’s nothing in the way of big cats at John’s Bird Farm in Raytown, the exotic pet store is certainly something to see.

Owner John Hopkins opened this store at the beginning of March. He started

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raising birds to sell to other pet stores in 1994 but decided to open his own shop after too many longtime customers started falling off.

Although the store has plenty of small mammals like ferrets, mice and bunnies, John’s Bird Farm’s focus is mainly on birds—more than a dozen rare species with plans for expansion in the future.

This list includes some of the most stunning species in the world such as Mustache Parrots and White Indian Ringnecks. Hopkins even has a Great Green Macaw, an animal that is currently on the endangered species list, for sale for four

thousand dollars. There are also exotic reptiles like the Orange Glow Sunfire Tiger Retic Python.

Remember though, these animals aren’t just trendy accessories for people to buy on a whim. These are particular animals with particular requirements, and Hopkins won’t let just anyone walk out the door without explaining what they’re getting into.

“I can spend anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour talking with someone before I let them leave, just so I know that they’re serious about the responsibility,” Hopkins says.

BRYCE BAILEY

SHOPPING & SERVICES

Best Auto Repair

Casey’s Auto Repair Best Bed & Breakfast

Southmoreland Best Bike Shop

Bike Stop

Best Landscaper

Ryan Lawn & Tree Best Law Firm/Lawyer

Shook, Hardy & Bacon Best Lawn Maintenance Company

Ryan Lawn & Tree Best Limo/Party Bus Company

Best Bookstore

Showtime Transportation

Best Bottle Shop

ULAH

Rainy Day Books Bier Station

Best Butcher Shop

Local Pig

Best Car Dealership (New)

Hendrick Toyota

Best Car Dealership (Used)

Jay Wolfe Honda Best Car Wash

Waterway

Best Clothing Resale Store

Plato’s Closet

Best Craft Studio

Scraps KC

Best Custom Countertops

Rocktops Granite & Stone Best Doggie Day Care

Dog Pawz

Best DUI Attorney

Brandan Davies

Best Electrician/Company

Teague Electric

Best Eyeglass Shop

Brookside Optical

Best Family Law Attorney

Suzanne Hale Robinson Best Farmers Market

City Market

Best Financial Institution

Community America

Best Financial Planner

Creative Planning, Inc. Best Flower Shop

Hy-Vee Florist

Best Garden Supply/Nursery

Family Tree Nursery Best Grocery Store

Hy-Vee

Best Hardware Store

Ace Hardware

Best Heating & Air Company

Best Men's Boutique Best Mortgage Company

Nutter Home Loans

Best Moving Company

Two Men & a Truck

Best Personal Injury Attorney

Brown & Crouppen

Best Personal Trainer

Kathy Boucher

Best Pest Control

Blue Beetle

Best Pet Groomer

Dog Pawz

Best Pet Store

Brookside Barkery & Bath Best Picture Framing

Hobby Lobby

Best Plumber/Company

Anthony Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric Best Pool Company

Heartland Pools & Spa Services Best Property Management Company

Copaken Brooks

Best Real Estate Agent

Katie Yeager, Your Future Address Best Real Estate Team

The Hendrix Group with Keller Williams Realty Partners, Inc. Best Realty Company

ReeceNichols

Best Record Store

Vinyl Renaissance Best Rock Gym

RoKC

Best Roofing Company

Anthony Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric

Pyramid Roofing

Best Home Builder

Lakeview Village

Best Home Goods Store

Overland Park Shoe Repair

Best Home Security Company

DSW

Best Insurance Agency

The Learning Tree

Rodrock Builders Home Goods

ADT Security Services State Farm

Best Interior Designer (Commercial)

Nell Hills

Best Interior Designer (Residential)

Nell Hills

Best Jewelry Store

BEST CHINA COLLECTION

Good Stuff China

Think back to your family’s china cabinet. You know, the one you were afraid to even breathe by lest the priceless china shatter?

The one that was opened once a year for a special occasion but collected dust the other 364 days of the year? Yeah, that china.

Well, two Johnson County preschool teachers-turnedbusiness owners are poised to disrupt the once-a-year dinnerware industry.

Jami Van Hercke and Laura Shore started collecting china as a hobby.

They liked the old vintage pieces they could get at

estate sales or thrift stores, and their collection quickly grew to two thousand pieces housed in a three hundred-square-foot facility.

They have everything from plates to cups to serving platters in a large variety of designs and patterns. They focus mainly on collecting vintage not only because there is a larger variety but also because they want to be eco-friendly.

“We like the idea of repurposing because they are so pretty,” Van Hercke says.

“We like using what is already there instead of creating more unnecessary stuff.”

Last year, the pair decided to share their large collection with the world, and they started a rental company called Good Stuff China (goodstuffchina. com). They create table

Best Senior Living Facility Best Shoe Repair Store Best Shoe Store Best Toy Store

Best Veterinary Practice

Fairway Animal Hospital Best Wedding Venue

Powell Gardens Best Wine Shop

Tivol

Gomer’s Wine & Spirits

Best Kitchen Store

Best Women's Boutique

Pryde’s

Photo by Mariam Saifan Photography

Best Antique/Vintage Store

River Market Antiques

READERS POLL

350,000+

Votes in the final round.

Best of KC has two rounds: the write-in nomination phase and a vote-off between three to five finalists with the most nominations. More than 350,000 votes were cast in the finals.

settings for parties, dinners, head tables and so on.

Their goal, Hercke says, is to “add a little fancy to any occasion.” JORDAN MEIER BEST PLANT SALE

Tiny Greenhouse KC Want to create your own indoor garden but not sure where to start?

Kansas City’s Tiny Greenhouse KC has you covered with its new plant subscription service. It’s a monthly plant subscription box—like Blue Apron for trendy house plants. Each box includes three to five “tiny” plants (three inches tall) for in-store pickup or delivery to your address.

Tiny Greenhouse KC boasts rare tropical plants collected from Florida as well as popular houseplants. The team also provides personalized consultations, doing exact light readings, recommending specific plants for your home and following up with regular health checkups for each plant.

ABBY MONTEIL

Donna’s Dress Shop

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B E S T H I S TO RY TO U R

CITY LIFE The best little treasures of city life in KC, from a sandy swim beach to an eye-catching treehouse that overlooks downtown

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African American Heritage Trail From probation to the historic Brown vs. Board case, Kansas City— and the surrounding area—has a lot of history laced within its streets, and the Black community in particular has a large array of historic landmarks in the KCMO area. However, they are often forgotten or overlooked. But, the African American Heritage Trail is working to fix that. The largely virtual tour highlights over eighty important places in the area that showcase the heritage of the Black community in KCMO, including the Jazz Museum and Union Cemetery.

Simply go to their website (aahtkc. org), download the maps, and take your family on a driving tour—it’s too far to walk to every place—of some of KCMO’s most historic landmarks. You may see a side of the city you’ve never noticed. JORDAN MEIER

B E S T B E AC H

Lake Olathe In the landlocked Midwest, finding a good sand beach is easier said than done. But Lake Olathe, near the intersection of Santa Fe and Parker streets, offers people of all ages the chance to enjoy a sandy beach. Whether you want to lay out with your friends, build the biggest sandcastle you can or just get a good swim in, Lake Olathe is where you can do it (without getting mud between your toes).

The lake has been around for years, but in 2018 the City of Olathe spent roughly twenty million dollars to renovate and update the facilities, including redoing the sandy beach. You can enjoy it by paddleboard or kayak or even play on the giant, water-based inflatable playground. JORDAN MEIER B E S T WAT E R FA L L

Cedar Lake Don’t go chasing waterfalls… or maybe do? With vacations and long-distance travel largely still up in the air due to COVID-19, it’s time to look for local wonders where you can enjoy your days this summer. For picturesque spots and a relaxing atmosphere, venture over to the beautiful Cedar Lake in Johnson County, which has waterfalls galore (though not particularly tall falls—the tallest is just over six feet) surrounded by beautiful woods. Simply observe these natural wonders on a hike or jump in and swim behind the falling water for an even better view. JORDAN MEIER

BEST SUBURBAN STREET

WILD BILL HICKOCK ONCE OWNED THE LAND WHERE DOWNTOWN LENEXA NOW SITS

Santa Fe Trail in Lenexa The 92nd Street block of Santa Fe Trail Drive doesn’t immediately catch your eye. In fact, you may have driven this section of downtown Lenexa a number of times without a second thought.

However, look closer and you’ll see this block of downtown Lenexa has urban amenities that would be the envy of any city in the area.

If you’re in the mood for some delicious, freshly roasted coffee, stop at Maps Coffee Roasters. This bike shop-turned-cafe is run by a former Starbucks executive and sells houseroasted coffee, chocolate and something they call “Bloc,” which they say is “coffee you can eat.”

If you are feeling hungry, walk on down the street to Jude’s Rum Cake. This shop sells only one item—you guessed it, rum cake. The owners use premium ingredients, including their own brand of rum that they created exclusively to elevate the taste of their cakes.

After you pick up a rum cake, stop on over at one of the area’s best dive bars, Jerry’s Bait Shop. Jerry’s is beloved for its topping-heavy pub pizzas, and it hosts local musicians Wednesday through Saturday.

All three of these great businesses are within a thousand feet of each other. Bouncing from one to the other is simple, and you could happily spend a day cruising this block. JORDAN MEIER

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HAND SANITIZER AND DEODORANT ARE AMONG T H E H O N E Y- B A S E D PRODUCTS MESSNER MAKES

BEST BEES

Messner Bee Farm When married couple Erik and Rachael Messner built their first beehive in 2011, they had no idea how much their natural beekeeping practices would grow. Today, they have more than a million bees spread over thirty colonies and sell more than a hundred different products online and across two storefronts.

Messner Bee Farm in Raytown (messnerbeefarm. com) started out as an apothecary line made from beeswax and honey before expanding in 2017 with even more items, including lip balm, bath bombs and candles.

“One of the things that inspired [these products] is that when we go on vacation, I’m always looking for a souvenir that is not only locally made but locally sourced,” Rachael Handler says.

Messner’s products come in a range of unique, seasonal flavors, like summery Coconut Rum lip balm.

“Our new favorite is Orange Blossom, which was inspired by the Super Bowl win in Florida,” Handler says. “We also pivot and add flavors based on conversations with our customers. Folks had been requesting fruity creamed honey for years, so this summer we’re making them!”

ABBY MONTEIL

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CITY LIFE Best Animal Nonprofit

KC Pet Project

Best Annual Outdoor Event

Plaza Art Fair

Best Apartment Complex

Two Light Luxury Apartments Best Attraction

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Best Building

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Best Child Day Care

The J KC

Best Civil & Human Rights Nonprofit

Planned Parenthood Great Plains Best Country Club

The Whole Person Best Dog Park

Bar K

Best Education Nonprofit

Operation Breakthrough Best Farmers Market

River Market

Photo by Paige Eichkorn

Mission Hills

Best Disabilities Nonprofit

Best Festival

Plaza Art Fair Best Fundraising Event

Big Slick

Best Green Business

Kansas City Community Gardens Best Health Nonprofit

Children’s Mercy Kansas City Best Johnson County City Village or Town

Prairie Village

Best KCMO Neighborhood

Brookside

Best Local Landmark

Union Station

Best Missouri Suburb

Photo by Jennifer Martinez for Crafted in Carhartt

Parkville

Best Place of Worship

Church of the Resurrection Best Place to Work

Children’s Mercy Kansas City Best Pop-Up Market

West Bottoms

Best Preschool

Little Sunshine’s Playhouse & Preschool Best Private School

Rockhurst High School Best Public School

Johnson County Community College Best Public Space

Loose Park

BEST BONUS ROOM

Westside Treehouse

If you drive down 16th and Madison and look to your right, you’ll see an old treehouse positioned high up in a hollow tree, nearly hovering over the sidewalk.

That large, stately, urban treehouse catches eyes and slows the roll of passing cars—more than homeowners Colin and Amanda Groves expected when they moved in. The treehouse was built by the previous homeowner, Ryan Gale, for his three children. Gale and his family moved next door, and the Groves built a better fence to keep out trespassers—the treehouse is old and not in great shape inside, so don’t you dare trespass.

The Groves are hoping to renovate the treehouse for future children. In the meantime, they have indulged a few inquisitive people, like one neighborhood man who spotted it while out on a drive and asked for permission to impress a woman he’d been seeing. The man set up lights inside and took her there to ask her to be his girlfriend.

She said yes. PAIGE EICHKORN

READERS POLL

Most popular categories: • Best Pizza • Best Donut • Best Italian

Best Tour Company

Barley Bus Tours

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CULTURE, SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT Gems of KC include a century-old pool table and the perfect date night for when you want to go a little extra.

THE FREE-ROAMING K A N G A R O O H A B I TAT AT T H E Z O O IS UNIQUE TO KC

BEST FREE-RANGE ZOO

Kansas City Zoo Walking through the gate of the Australian section of the Kansas City Zoo, you almost feel like you’ve accidentally walked through a door labeled “employees only” and are now seconds away from being escorted off the property. Let me assuage your fears: No, you’re not trespassing. So before you freak yourself out and book it out of there, venture further in and

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discover one of the coolest immersion opportunities KCMO has to offer.

After the shock wears off, let yourself take in the sight—free-roaming red kangaroos. Since 1993, the Australia Habitat in the zoo has been one big enclosure, with the ’roos and visitors sharing space. According to Kim Romary, the director of marketing for the zoo, the free-roaming habitat is unique to KC. The kangaroos have an eight-acre enclosure at their disposal, and they can roam whenever and wherever they please—though they

tend to laze about in the meadows away from visitors. Red kangaroos average a height of about five feet, can jump six feet high and can cover twenty-five feet with a single jump. They live in desert and grassland areas and often travel in groups called mobs. If you are anything like me, you will feel like you’ve somehow teleported from the middle of the United States to the Australian Outback.

Important note: They will not attack unless you provoke them, so don’t provoke them. JORDAN MEIER

BEST SWIMMING HOLE

B E S T S E L F I E S P O T ( K AYA K - R E Q U I R E D E D I T I O N )

Blue River

Kaw Point Park

Kansas City has no shortage of streams and rivers, but with so much agriculture and industry around, there are precious few swimming holes.

If you want to take a dip in a stream without driving down to the Ozarks, head down toward Martin City.

Below the little bluffs on the Blue River, just north of the Blue Ridge River bridge, you’ll find an honest-to-goodness swimming hole with blue buzzing dragonflies, jumping frogs and fellow bathers playing Cake from their little radios while claiming a shady spot under the tree canopy.

The water on this stretch is clean, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation, so long as you stay upstream of the confluence with Indian Creek, which happens up at Bannister Road.

To get there, park at Wagon Loop Trail Head and take the trail north under the road. Or pop Winding River Pet Village into your GPS and then look north and east after arriving.

KC has lots of classic selfie spots, from the World War I Memorial to the dedicated selfie studio in Oak Park Mall. But there’s one place that tops them all—though it is slightly harder to get to. Kaw Point Park in KCK gives you the opportunity to kayak (or boat) to the middle of the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers and take a truly glorious selfie with an amazing, unencumbered view of the downtown skyline to the east. To get there, go to the Kaw Point Park boat ramp and simply push off with your own kayak, or rent a kayak as a part of the Bridge Tour with KC Kayak and Canoe, which starts in Kaw Point Park. JORDAN MEIER

MARTIN CIZMAR

READERS POLL

Largest margin of victory: LaMar’s Donuts blew out second place Hurts Donut by 1,359 votes

GET THERE FROM THE RIVERFRONT IN KCK

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C U LT U R E , S P O R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T Best Arcade

LAUNCH SITES VARY BASED ON WHERE WINDS ARE CALMEST

Up-Down KC Best Art Gallery

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Best Art Instruction

Kansas City Art Institute Best Arts Festival

Plaza Art Fair Best Athlete

Patrick Mahomes Best Bachelor Party Venue

Blade & Timber Axe Throwing

Best Bachelorette Party Venue

The Elms Hotel & Spa Best Christmas Attraction

Country Club Plaza Lights Best Club DJ

Ashton Martin

Best Drag Show

Hamburger Mary’s Best Exhibit of 2019

Photo provided by Old World Balloonery

Chiefs Super Bowl Rally/ Parade at Union Station Best Female Vocalist

Casi Joy

Best Fountain

J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain

Best Local College Athlete

Udoka Azubuike

Best Local Comic

Chris Porter

Best Local Hip Hop Artist

Tech N9ne

Best Local Sports Store/Outfitter Best Local Theater Company

Best Local Visual Artist

Mike Savage

Best Male Vocalist

Terry Adams

Best Movie Theater

Alamo Drafthouse Best Museum

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Best Music Concert of 2019

Foo Fighters

Best Music Festival

Boulevardia

Best Golf Course

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Best Halloween Attraction

Marilyn Maye

Big Slick

Nelson-Atkins Mini Golf Course Worlds of Fun: Halloween Haunt

Best House/Cover Band

The Stolen Winnebagos Best Jazz & Blues Club

Green Lady Lounge Best Jazz Act

Lonnie McFadden

Best Music Venue

Best Musician-Entertainer Best Outdoor Music Venue

Starlight Theatre

Best Photographer

Duane Hallock

Best Picnic Spot

Loose Park

Best Place to See Local Hip-Hop

Best Karaoke

The Riot Room

Best Library

Knuckleheads

Tanner’s Bar & Grill The Kansas City Public Library: Central Library Best Live Theater Production

Best Place to See Local Music Best Recording Studio

Strange Music, Inc.

Best Rock Music Club

Heart of America Shakespeare Festival

Knuckleheads

Best Live Theater Venue

Hospital Hill Run

Best Local Actor (Live Theater)

Oceans of Fun

Starlight Theatre

Best Local Actor (Movies & TV)

Paul Rudd

Best Local Actress

Heidi Gardner KANSAS CIT Y AUGUST 2020

Best Local Coach

Andy Reid

Best Fundraiser Gala

Cathy Barnett

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Best Local Clothing Store

Charlie Hustle

Kansas City Repertory Theatre

Best Dance Party

of downtown to the fields near Hillsdale Lake.

“There is nothing like it,” owner Jason Jones says. “It’s so peaceful.”

You can get a group of up to six together for your ride, or you can book a flight that is just you, your significant other and the pilot. The rides start at two hundred dollars per person. JORDAN MEIER

Best Local Charity/Foundation

Big Slick

Best Cultural Event

Funky Town

If you really want to wow your significant other—and have a little cash to do so—you really can’t do a better date than Old World Balloonery based out of Johnson County Executive Airport.

The Balloonery offers romantic hot air balloon rides across the metro area, allowing unparalleled views of the city, from the beauty

Best Local Band

The Elders

Best Country Music Venue

Kansas City Irish Fest

The Old World Balloonery

Best Local Author

Gillian Flynn

Rally House

Knuckleheads

B E S T E X T R E M E D AT E

Best Local Actress (Movies & TV)

Janelle Monáe

Best Running Event Best Splash Pad Best Swimming Pool

Oceans of Fun

Best Trivia Night

Talk of the Town Best Weekend Getaway Spot

Lake of the Ozarks

B E S T P O O L TA B L E

Big Bertha at Raytown Recreation Every day the residents of Raytown walk by Raytown Recreation without knowing the piece of history that sits right below their feet. Behind an unassuming door that you can miss if you blink is a subterranean pool hall that is the home to the legendary “Big Bertha.” Big Bertha is one of the world’s most coveted pool tables, and everyone from world champion pool players to mobsters have played her.

Built in 1913, the rare ten-foot table doesn’t look a day over twenty-five with her bright green top and sleek exterior made from Russian wood that hasn’t been used to build pool tables since WWI. Owner Don Brink, a worldranked billiards player, first saw Bertha in the 1940s, when he started playing at Kling & Allen, an upscale pool hall in downtown KCMO. He was immediately taken with her, as were most that played on Bertha. When Brink bought the Raytown pool hall in 1970—no drinking or gambling here, but you can smoke, and games are only three bucks because that’s all the antique register goes up to—he started searching for the table and found it in a Leawood basement.

Brink traded a shorter table and five hundred dollars for Bertha, and she’s been at his hall ever since.

“The last of an era in Kansas City,” says Doug Brink, lovingly tapping the table.

THE POPPO F A M I LY H A S RUN THIS POOL HALL FOR 48 YEARS

JORDAN MEIER

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HEALTH, BEAUTY & WELLNESS Self-care, from the quiet art of perfectly potting your plants to the wild fun of blasting zombies with lasers

BEST RANDOM EXERCISE

Walk the River at Black Bob Bay

Is the summer heat getting to you? Are you bored of just walking tediously around your neighborhood day after day? Black Bob Bay aquatic center in Olathe has a popular way to get your heart rate up without sweltering in the heat. Three days a week, you’ll find people walking against the current in the facility’s lazy river. It’s closed to tubers Monday, Wednesday and Thursday starting at 7 pm so walkers can cool off in the 436-foot lazy river.

You must be sixteen or older to participate in the event and there is a seven-dollar entrance fee to the water park. JORDAN MEIER

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BEST PERSONAL POET

Reonda Thompson

Reonda Thompson remembers the exact moment when she started writing poetry.

“I didn’t even know I could write poetry,” she says. “I was having a really bad day.

The inspiration really came from a place that was dark.”

Three kids and over twenty years later, Thompson’s love for writing poetry has never wavered, and she’s the first to admit that she spends many nights up late writing.

She says that her writing has only grown stronger and that her words continue to get bolder, more colorful, engaging and impactful.

The idea of starting her own poetry writing service, Elaborate Expressions, came after she realized how much she enjoyed writing poetry for her own children, Amare, Imani and Ian. Customers consult with her to create a personalized piece of work for a loved one, whether it be for an anniversary, an apology or just for fun. Thompson offers three poem sizes: A short poem (five lines), medium (ten to fifteen lines) and long (twenty lines or more).

“People ask me, ‘Are you the next Maya Angelou?’ and my response is, ‘No. Maya Angelou is Maya Angelou. I am me.’” To schedule a personal poetry consultation, email Thompson at Mrs.Osby27@ gmail.com or call at 816-4999491. NICOLE BRADLEY

PARADISE GARDEN CLUB HAS OVER 30 SPECIES OF CACTI

B E S T Z O M B I E L A S E R TA G

Survive KC

Survive KC isn’t your average laser tag. Instead of aiming at your friends in an attempt to rack up points and eliminate your competitors, you’re thrown into an apocalyptic world where you and your party have to work together to defend yourselves against a swarm of zombies played by actors. Even its location is unique, as it currently occupies two upper floors of Union Station, which you may remember from an episode of Ghost Adventures.

These floors have never been open to the public before until July of last year, when Survive KC first opened. If you want to be transported into a real-life zombie apocalypse video game right here in Kansas City, this is the perfect night out for you and some friends. BRYCE BAILEY.

H E A LT H , B E A U T Y & WELLNESS Best Acupuncturist

Donna Tatum, Magnolia Wellness Best Barbershop

Tarantino’s Family Cuts Best Body Piercer

Freaks on Broadway Best Botox Injector

Ashley Williams, Monarch Plastic Surgery Best CBD Store

American Shaman Best Chiropractor

F.I.T. Muscle & Joint Clinic Best Cosmetic Dentist

Leawood Cosmetic & Family Dentistry Best Crossfit

CrossFit 816

Best Cycling Studio

MOJO Cycling Studio Best Dentist

B E S T P L A N T PA R E N T I N G C L A S S

Paradise Garden Club Whether you’ve got a plant that’s bursting out of its pot or you’re trying to swap it from a nursery container to a decorative one, there is a right (and wrong) way to pot a plant.

Paradise Garden Club, an urban garden nursery that opened in the Crossroads last November, carries hundreds of plant species with the help of plenty of grow lights—including a thousand-watt high-pressure sodium grow globe—and industrial humidifiers.

The nursery is lauded for its community classes and coffee meetups, and it hosts a Potting 101 class where guests can book a private lesson on repotting and caring for a snake plant. Along with the plant, the forty-dollar class includes refreshments and a store discount—and let’s be honest, now that you know how to properly repot a plant, you’ll want more containers.

You can book a Potting 101 class at Paradise Garden Club via email (hello@paradisegardenclub.online) or message them on Instagram (@paradise.garden.club). NICOLE BRADLEY

John Humphrey Jr., Kansas City Dental Works Best Eyebrow Pro

Kelsey Vaca Best Gym

Genesis Health Clubs Best Hair Removal Salon

European Wax Center Best Hair Salon

Bambou Salon & Spa Best Licensed Permanent Makeup Artist

Kara Gutierrez, Spot On Beauty Best Nail Salon

Bella Nails

Best Naturopath

Amanda Chaney Best Orthodontist

Fry Orthodontic Specialists Best Pilates Studio

Pilates of Kansas City Best Soaking Pool

The Elms Hotel & Spa Best Spa

The Elms Hotel & Spa Best Tanning Salon

Celsius Tan

Best Tattoo Artist

Adam Hernandez Best Tattoo Parlor

Champion Tattoo Studio Best Yoga Studio

Darling Yoga

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B E S T F ROZ E N L A SAG N A

Vocci’s Italian Foods You’ve probably had something from Vocci’s Italian Foods without knowing it. For fifty years, this little storefront in Columbus Park has been the secret to many a “homemade” manicotti, lasagna or ravioli.

“If you’ve been to an Italian restaurant in town that is not Olive Garden or that drive-thru place, you’ve had something we made,” says Chuk LowryFalzone. “They tell you, ‘We make our lasagna in the back!’ Yeah, we make your lasagna in the back.”

There’s no shame in that—everything is made by hand, with no preservatives and fifty years of experience.

Vocci’s is an institution with area Italian families.

Their cannoli are especially sought-after at Christmas and the St. Joseph’s Day Table in March. Lowry-Falzone personally makes sixty thousand cannoli between the two events.

“We’ve always been a family thing,” says LowryFalzone, a “quiet Scottish boy from Ohio” who

married into the ownership through his husband, Greg Falzone. “Back in the day, this was the Italian neighborhood. People come in and say, ‘My nana brought me in here when I was five. My son needs me to get this, he won’t have anything else.’”

You can make it your family thing by getting a pan of frozen lasagna. It comes without sauce so that the restaurants that sell it can add their own spin.

“Every region has its own sauce, so we just decided we were never going to sauce the damned things,” says Lowry-Falzone. “We give you a good basic lasagna.

You just put your sauce of choice on the bottom and ladle it on top.”

Vocci’s has a storefront, but it’s only open when they’re inside working—which can be eighteen hours a day during busy seasons. If not, just ring up LowryFalzone, who lives next door and posts his phone number on the shop’s front window. Bring cash.

COLUMBUS PARK WAS ONCE A VIBRANT ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOOD

MARTIN CIZMAR

BEST TK

Bubble Cocktails at Verdigris

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FOOD & DRINK Great finds, from a crazy new cocktail in Leawood to the secret source that feeds “homemade” pasta dishes to many of the city’s best Italian restaurants

360 KC

In a barbecue-brimming town, it’s only fitting that a local distiller makes a vodka dedicated to the craft. Weston’s 360 KC distillery makes a barbeque-flavored vodka that doesn’t necessarily taste like a meaty slice of brisket or a spicy signature sauce. The best way to describe the flavor is… smoky.

Although you won’t want to rip shots of this liquor—it’s a different type of burn—it’s perfect for a Chiefs morning tailgate bloody Mary. And garnish with all the barbecue meat you want because the best bloody Marys know no bounds. NICOLE BRADLEY

READERS POLL

Biggest Rivalry: Joe’s vs. Jack Stack

The two barbecue chains faced off as finalists in six categories, with Jack Stack winning two (burnt ends and ribs) while Joe’s took the other four.

Photo provided by Kate Smith Soiree

BE S T BLO ODY M ARY VODK A

BEST FRENCH IMMERSION

Macaron-Making Classes at Kate Smith Soirée Have you ever found yourself wishing that you could make your own tasty French macarons at home? If so, Kate Smith of Kate Smith Soirée’s French macaronmaking classes at Lenexa Public Market are for you.

At each three-hour French Macarons for Beginners course, participants work in pairs and learn how to use the French meringue method to bake a fifteen-count box of macarons. Smith is also on hand to demonstrate filling recipes and debunk common macaron-making myths so that, by the class’s end, bakers feel comfortable making them in their own kitchens.

Smith also offers classes where participants can sip champagne while creating confections.

“Watching people come together to learn this new and somewhat intimidating skill—and then conquer it—is the absolute best feeling,” Smith says. “There are trained chefs who wouldn’t dare try and tackle French macarons, but my students dive hands in, make messes and have a genuinely good time, and their macarons come out beautiful.” ABBY MONTEIL

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THE BAR B L E N D S A VA R I E T Y OF RUMS TOGTHER, E S S E N T I A L LY C R E AT I N G THEIR OWN IN-HOUSE INFINITY RUM

BEST BAKE SALE

Photo from JCCC Pastry Facebook page

Johnson County Community College

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Some of the best baked goods in town come from a surprising place: Johnson County Community College. Once a week, on Thursdays starting at 3 pm, students from the school’s culinary program show off their stuff with a bake sale at the WHCA building on the southeast corner of campus. There, you’ll find everything from yeast bread to chocolates and other confections.

The students rotate through different units, so every two weeks a different

chef is making the items, and they learn about all facets of the process, including costing the recipes and developing and completing a weekly inventory and ordering list. For a detailed list of what all they will be selling each week, check out their Facebook page (facebook.com/jcccpastry).

While all their items are delicious, their house-made croissants are to die for. Light and fluffy, they come as plain butter or chocolate. JORDAN MEIER

BEST TIKI 2.0

Polynesian Punch at Verdigris Polynesian Punch sounds like a traditional Tiki drink. But when it comes from the brand new sister of the always-creative Monarch Bar team, you of course get something different. At Leawood’s Verdigris, that South Pacific-inspired blend of rum, passion fruit, honey, amaretto and lime gets a lemongrass bubble. Yes, a bubble. The bartenders float milky-looking orbs on each glass, which you’ll pop, sending up puffs of mist made using a vaporizer. PAIGE EICHKORN

FOOD & DRINK Best Bagel

Meshuggah Bagels Best Bakery

McClain’s Bakery

Joe’s Kansas City

Best French Fries

Best Barbecue

Best Gelato

Chicken N Pickle

Taco Republic

Joe’s Kansas City

Spin Pizza

Best Barbecue Sauce

Best Gluten-Free Restaurant

Best Bartender

Beau Williams at Julep Best BBQ Sandwich

Joe’s Kansas City Best Bloody Mary

Nick and Jake’s Best Brewery

Boulevard Brewing Company Best Brunch Spot

First Watch Best Burger

Westport Flea Market Best Burnt Ends

Fiorella’s Jack Stack Best Burrito

Manny’s Mexican Restaurant Best Chef

Jasper Mirabile at Jasper's Best Chocolatier

Christopher Elbow

Best Comedy Club

Improv Comedy Club Best Date Bar

Green Lady Lounge Best Distillery

J. Rieger & Co. Best Dive Bar

The Peanut

Best Dog-Friendly Restaurant/Bar

Bar K

Best Donut

LaMar’s Donuts & Coffee

Best Plaza/South KC Bar

The Peanut

Best Gyro

Best Pub Food

Mr. Gyros

The Peanut

Best Happy Hour

Best Ramen

La Bodega

Columbus Park Ramen

Best Hot Dogs

Best Restaurant When Someone Else Is Paying

Kauffman Stadium Best Ice Cream

The Capital Grille

Best Indian

Fiorella’s Jack Stack

Best IPA

Pigwich

Best Italian

Smoothie King

Best Johnson County Bar

Christina Corvino

Best KCK/Wyandotte County Bar

Johnny’s Tavern

Betty Rae’s Ice Cream Korma Sutra

Best Ribs

Best Sandwich Shop

Boulevard Brewing Company Garozzo’s

Best Smoothie/Juice Bar Best Sommelier

The Peanut

Chosun Korean BBQ

The Roasterie

Best Pizza

Minsky’s

Best Greek

Best Cocktail Best Coffee Shop

Best Pho

Vietnam Cafe

Mr. Gyros

Yard House

ImprovKC

Best Patio

The Mixx

Best Cinnamon Rolls

Corner Cafe

Patrick Mahomes won best athlete by getting fourteen times as many votes as second-place Whit Merrifield. Mahomes also came in second in three other categories: Best Dance Party, Best Local Twitter Feed and Best Activist.

Best New Restaurant

Boulevard Brewing Company

Joe’s Kansas City

14x

Best Food Truck

Best New Bar

Monarch Bar City Barrel Brewery & Kitchen

Best Bar Staff

READERS POLL

Best Downtown KCMO Bar

Green Lady Lounge

Best Sports Bar

Best Steakhouse

Best Korean

J. Gilbert’s Wood-Fired Steaks & Seafood

Best LGBTQ Bar

Sushi House

Best Liquor Store (Kansas)

Mission Taco

Best Sushi

Hamburger Mary's

Best Tacos

Lukas Wine & Spirits Superstore

Best Liquor Store (Missouri)

Lukas Wine & Spirits Superstore Best Margarita

Best Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant

Blue Koi

Best Westport/ Midtown Bar

Ponak’s Mexican Kitchen & Bar

Kelly’s

Best Mexican Restaurant

Manny’s Mexican Restaurant Best Missouri Suburbs Bar

Third Street Social

Best Thai

Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop

Best Winery

Cooper’s Hawk Best Wings

The Peanut

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GALLUP’S O L D T I M E Y- M A P S ALSO COME ON P L AY I N G C A R D S AND BLANKETS

POLITICS, NEWS & MEDIA Sweet dreams reliving the Chiefs amazing season and where to find amazing old maps of the city

BEST REBRAND

Gallup Map & Art In the digital era, many businesses have had to fight to figure out how to change with the times.

That includes Gallup Map in downtown Kansas City, founded in 1875, which spent most of the last century and a half selling things that Google now gives away for free.

Gallup Map was one of the first companies to make a road atlas and sold gorgeous drawn maps of the Kansas City area. Owner Patrick Carroll’s parents bought the business in 1967 as an extension of their framing business.

The mapping business quickly overtook the framing one. Carroll didn’t take over the business until 1986, when his father died—he didn’t change much about the business model until technology forced his hand.

Carroll knew something was going to have to change. The impetus came in 2004, when a bus ran into his building and destroyed the back side. Carroll had to go through hundreds of old maps in tubes to decide what to keep and what to get rid of, discovering a treasure trove of intricate hand-drawn maps

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of the Kansas City area and beyond. Thus, Gallup Map & Art was born.

You might think that, after a century, the pivot to selling maps as art would happen gradually, but, Carroll says, “It seems like it happened overnight.”

Carroll scanned the antique maps to digitize them, starting with one custom-colored map of the Lake of the Ozarks. He brought the Ozarks map to boat shows around the region, and it was an instant hit.

“I had people blocking the aisle between booths just to see my map,” Carroll says.

Today, that map is available as wallpaper, large prints, blankets, playing cards, decals, shirts and more. He has also expanded to customizing maps of other lakes, maps of the area, custom maps of honeymoon destinations for wedding gifts and maps of colleges. All of them were created from a hand-drawn map in his archive—and he’ll make you a new art map upon request.

“I sell maps as a beautiful way to tell your story,” he says.

JORDAN MEIER

B E S T L O B BY

Best Instagram Influencer

arguably one of the most beautiful in the city.

City Hall’s building was finished in 1937, and its lobby (technically a rotunda) is filled with luxurious art deco-style details, from the imported European marble walls to intricate terrazzo floor tiling to brass elevator doors sculpted to represent the modes of transportation— planes, river boats, cars and trains—that made Kansas City a hub of growth in the first half of the twentieth century.

“This represents what Kansas City’s economy was based on at the time,” Scott Glaeser, head of security at City Hall, says of the cow and train motifs seen throughout the lobby and on the walls of the City Chamber on the twenty-sixth floor of the building. NICOLE BRADLEY

Best Local Blog

B E S T B E DT I M E S TO RY

KC City Hall City government buildings conjure up thoughts of unattractive drop ceilings, industrial tile floors, buzzing fluorescent lights and stained eighties-patterned carpet.

Kansas City’s City Hall is one exception: The building, which stands thirty stories tall in the heart of downtown, is

POLITICS, NEWS & MEDIA Best Community Activist

Mayor Quinton Lucas

@kansascityfoodiefinds Oh So Lovely

Go Chiefs Go!

Best Local Mascot

Paul Rudd

Best Local Meteorologist

Gary Lezak

Best Local Pet

Sunny the Weather Dog Best Local Podcast

State Your Line

Best Local Podcast Host

Karli Ritter

Best Local Politician

Mayor Quinton Lucas Best Local Radio Show

Kris Ketz

Best Local TV News Station

KMBC

Best Local TV Personality

Gary Lezak

Best Local TV Sports Anchor

Mick Shaffer

Best Local Twitter Feed

@LawrenceKS_PD

Best Marketing/Ad Agency

By George PR

Best Morning Talk Show

Johnny Dare

Best Philanthropist

Scott Poore

Illustrations by Rob Peters / Courtesy Ascend Books

Dana & Parks, 98.1

Best Local TV Anchor

Happy endings are made of Andy Reid, Super Bowl rings, and red and gold confetti flurries—so Go Chiefs Go! almost guarantees sweet dreams.

Last fall, author Chris Meggs published children’s book ’Twas the Night Before Tipoff, an illustrative tale of the University of Kansas Jayhawks and

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READERS POLL

Votes

Best Johnson County city, village or town was the closest contest: Prairie Village won by just five votes over Overland Park.

Allen Fieldhouse. After the success of that story, Meggs knew that he wanted his follow-up to cover the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I started to write one, and then [my publisher, Bob Snodgrass] told me to stop,” Meggs says. “He goes, ‘This season might be the one where they go all the way. Let’s just see how this unfolds.’ I didn’t want to jinx anything.”

Once the Chiefs won the big one, Meggs started writing. Go Chiefs Go!, published in May, gives a kid-friendly account of the season, from training camp in St. Joseph all the way to the celebration in front of Union Station.

The fact-checking that Meggs and the book’s illustrator, Rob Peters, had to go through would throw even the biggest Chiefs fan off—every single detail of the book had to be approved by the organization.

“Everything down to the stripes on their socks had to be correct,” Peters says.

“I had to illustrate exactly the way the uniforms are.”

NICOLE BRADLEY

Best Radio Personality

Dana Wright

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W H E N T H E D U S T S E T T L E D

A photographer gets up close with Kansas bull riders—now left without a sport as small towns across the West get buckled down by the coronavirus pandemic.

PHOTOGRAPHY ESSAY BY SHAWN BRACKBILL

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Cowboy Garfield Wilson III, or GW3, is an up-andcoming rider from Wichita.

His Instagram, @gw3da8secondhustla, documents all the training time he spends in the gym before climbing into the chute.

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or many small towns in the West, the biggest weekend of the year is the annual local rodeo. It’s something folks look forward to all year in places like Phillipsburg, Kansas, or Pendleton, Oregon, or Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Most of these events have been canceled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, bleeding out already-fragile small-town economies and leaving cowboys who train

hard for an eight-second ride on a bucking “Cowboys are itching to ride,” he says. bull without a chance to compete for glory “I've gotten more calls this year than and prize money. ever before.”

Brandon Betsworth counts himself as Those calls are coming from all over, as one of the lucky ones. As a bull breeder and Betsworth has made a point of recruiting rodeo organizer responsible for some of the a diverse array of riders for his events. His largest events near KC—he’s done events at participants come from places around the the fairgrounds in Leavenworth and Doug- world, from Wichita to Texas to Brazil. las counties—he’s had to shut it down for “I’ll tell you, it’s not just a white man’s the season. But he feels lucky to have his sport,” Betsworth says. “I like seeing all the day job, a lawn care company. different cultures at the event. I try to build

a good, strong relationship with the guys.”

Among those cowboys who normally ride in Betsworth’s events is Garfield Wilson III of Wichita.

“It’s a nice fan base up there in Lawrence, so it’s a nice event,” Wilson says.

During the pandemic, Wilson has been able to get into more PBR events—the top tier of the sport. He recently got into a PBR event in Stanford, Texas, with a live, maskless crowd.

“You just have to know the right people and find the right people,” he says.

Wilson is Black and points to a long history of Black cowboys—historians estimate a quarter of all cowboys were Black, despite the demographics depicted in John Wayne movies.

“The Black cowboy has been around a long time,” Wilson says. “Sometimes we don’t get the recognition. The next generation is already coming up.”

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Betsworth, who aims for diversity at his competitions, will likely be looking to offer slots to some of those young Black riders. Betsworth specializes in bull riding events, traditionally the culmination of a rodeo that features contests like roping and barrel racing.

“Bull riding is always a sport people are itching to watch,” he says. “If you go to a rodeo, that’s the thing everyone’s waiting around for, so we try to give them a good full two or three hours of bull riding.”

Betsworth’s events also feature the kiddie version, mutton busting, where preteens try to ride bucking sheep.

“I do that to involve the families,” he says. “When you have mutton busting, you’re bringing out grandma and grandpa, moms and dads, everybody.”

Betsworth has been fascinated by bucking bulls since he was a kid living on a farm. He tried riding once, when he was eighteen, and decided that wasn’t for him. Instead, he raises the animals and organizes the events. Some of his bulls are featured at the events while others are brought in from competing breeders.

“I had one guy who’d been a PBR rider ride one of my bulls and say, ‘That’s one of the nicest bulls I’ve been on,’ and he got bucked off, so that was a pretty high compliment,” Betsworth says.

SPONSORED CONTENT

MISSION CHATEAU VILLAS

New Luxury Community in Prairie Village P H OTO G R A PH Y BY N AT E S H E E T S

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SPONSORED CONTENT

L EXTRA AMENITIES While the Mission Chateau Villas are not affiliated with the Tutera Mission Chateau Senior Community, villa owners have the option to access the state-of-the-art facilities and amenities there.

Location, location, location are three commonly used words buyers use to describe their favorite attributes of Prairie Village’s newest luxury gated community. “Mission Chateau Villas are maintenance-provided patio homes situated in the heart of one of the most charming neighborhoods in the entire Kansas City area,” says Kevin Green of KGH Building Group, builder and developer of the property. Many Kansas Citians are familiar with Green and his long history of building distinctive custom homes. And if you’re not familiar, then you’ve at least heard of his work with ABC’s “Extreme Home Makeover,” which featured three Kansas City homes in 2007.

The Mission Chateau enclave is a 22 lot, twin villa community within a walkable distance of the Corinth Square Shopping Center near 83rd and Mission Road. The tony shopping district features several artisan restaurants, contemporary boutique shopping, sought-after services, a grocery, coffee shops and more.

“This new community fills a void in Prairie Village which, until now, had been lacking a secured luxury villa with maintenance provided,” explained Green. “These homes are unmatched in the area as far as new construction, quality, price and location. To own a luxurious ranch style home in one of the city’s most desirable locations with this level of quality craftsmanship and all the amenities, we are confident these properties will sell out quickly.”

“This community fills a void in the area for a secured luxury villa with service provided.”

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KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

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“Mission Chateau is truly at the top of my list based on its location and quality of construction.”

Each home features an open main floor living area, egress entry, zero-entry showers and the option to add an elevator between the main floor and lower level where homeowners can create additional living space and bedrooms.

Unlike traditional zero lot-line properties, Mission Chateau Villa residents maintain full ownership of their property and are able to add landscape, outdoor living areas such as

PRICE

Starting from $599,900 LOCATION

4100 W 85th Street, Prairie Village, Kansas One Block South of Corinth Square HOURS

Wednesday and Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. or for a private showing, contact Kevin Green.

patios and outdoor kitchens and the potential for in-ground invisible pet fencing. Each of the 22 lots offer spacious fifty-feet easement between each patio home which creates the perfect greenspace for privacy.

The Homes Association provides lawn maintenance, snow removal, irrigation and are responsible for the gate and commons areas.

“I have been involved with some exciting developments around Kansas City for the past 20 years and Mission Chateau is truly at the top of my list based on its location and quality of construction with optional state-of-the-art amenities.” — Kevin Green

CONTACT

816-365-6638

kevin@kevingreenhomes.com MissionChateauVillas.com @luxuryvillaskc

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Your Good Life

Join AdventHealth Shawnee Mission at the 23rd Annual Living in Vitality Virtual Conference and dedicate a morning to living healthier, mind, body and spirit.

Friday, Sept. 25, 9 am to noon For more information or to purchase tickets, visit AdventHealthKC.com/LIV or call 913-676-7694.

Tickets start at $20.

Keynote Speaker Mehmet Oz, MD The Good Life

Dr. Oz will give you a tour of “The Good Life.”

He’ll help you find what you really want in your quest for happiness, health and personal growth. Through a visual journey of video clips and animations, Dr. Oz brings alive a message of hope that will entertain as well as inform so you can sleep better, cope better and achieve the body you’ve always wanted. Sponsored by

Featured Presenters Creating Immune Resilience for Living Your Good Life Tereza Hubkova, MD, ABIHM, ABIM “The best way of predicting our future is creating it.”

Sponsored by Medical Staff

Presented by

Lunch Sponsor

nual 23rd An itality V Living in

Virtual ce n Confere

When Our World Seems Upside Down - The Importance of Connection

Supplements 101: What You Need to Know Megan Schlick, ND Holistic Care

Ravi Sabapathy, PsyD and Rennie Shuler-McKinney, LCP Sponsored by

Supporting Sponsor Arvin Gottlieb Charitable Foundation

Medical Staff

Featured Sponsors

Sponsored by

Media Sponsors

Sustaining Sponsors

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The fifth annual Faces of Kansas City focuses on the individuals and groups whose experience and expertise make them leaders in their fields. These professionals work diligently to provide the best service to the residents of our city. Get to know the faces behind the businesses that want to share their passion and commitment with you.

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The Face of

Casualty Insurance Nicole Feltz | The Nicole L. Feltz Agency 11020 KIN G S T. , SU IT E 10 0 OV ER L A N D PA R K , KS | 9 1 3 . 3 8 3 .9 1 00 | N I CO L E F E LT Z .CO M

Nicole Feltz has been a dreamer and changer since childhood; “Dream it. Believe It. Make it Happen!” After 20 years in the insurance industry, she decided to make something new happen by pursuing another dream—business owner. The Nicole L. Feltz Agency prides itself in outstanding customer service, giving back to the community by helping women and children in need and promoting locally owned small businesses and has been an agency owner for 6 years.

Nicole frequently speaks about child advocacy, and as licensed foster parents, the Feltz family has fostered more than 14 children. Her agency sponsors many children’s organizations and events including its annual fund raiser, The Feltz Family Mid-Winter Blues, which, for 13 years, has benefitted local children’s shelters and organizations. Nicole’s agency offers multiple lines of coverage through American Family Insurance, including auto, home, life, umbrella, renter’s and business insurance.

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The Face of Endodontics

Christopher Budig, DDS | Apex Endodontics 133 6 4 MET CALF AV E. , OV ER L AN D PA R K , KS | 9 1 3 . 8 5 1 . A PE X ( 2 7 3 9 ) | D R B U D I G .CO M

When patients visit Apex Endodontics, they can rest assured that they will not only receive the best possible root canal care available but that Dr. Budig and his team will strive to create an overall pain-free, stress-free and comfortable dental experience. At Apex Endodontics, the patient’s comfort, health and well-being come first. Dr. Budig is a Diplomate with the American Board of Endodontics. Less than 20 percent of all U.S. endodontists are boardcertified, and Dr. Budig is one of the only five board-certified endodontists in the state of Kansas. Becoming a board-certified Diplomate is a voluntary process and is the highest status an endodontist can achieve. Dr. Budig is the past president of the Fifth District Dental Society, a past president of the Greater Kansas City Endodontic Society, and he serves on the Endodontic Specialty Committee for the Kansas Dental Board. Visit drbudig. com to learn about Dr. Budig and his team.

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The Face of

Boutique Retirement Living Boutique Retirement Company Rex Vanier, Bridget Snodgrass and Brett Johnson 5 3 4 5 W. 151S T T ER R . , LEAWO O D, KS | 9 1 3 .9 05 . 3 8 2 3 | B RC L I V I N G .CO M

Retirement is a time to celebrate and look forward to the possibilities ahead. The team at Boutique Retirement Company (BRC) believed that the retirement category needed to be reevaluated and redefined, especially for the independent living audience. “It’s not just about a place to live. It’s really about creating the premier retirement lifestyle brand with a hospitalitydriven approach”, said Brett Johnson, Principal with BRC. “A Boutique Retirement Community is for retirees who want their next address to be a one-of-a-kind luxury living destination, complete with lifestyle experiences and elegant touches tailored just for them.” BRC’s first community, The Fairways of Ironhorse in Leawood, opened its doors in May 2019 to excited new residents. With amenities ranging from revolving fine art placements and spa services to luxurious suites, spectacular views and incredible meals from the PB&J Restaurants chef, the first BRC has launched a category-redefining approach to independent living. BRC is planning to break ground this fall on its second community, The Ridge, which will overlook the beautiful Canyon Farms golf course in Lenexa. Like every BRC, The Ridge will offer its residents firstclass service delivered on a first name basis.

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The Face of Real Estate

Malfer & Associates, ReeceNichols L E AWO O D | CO U N T RY C LU B PL A Z A | PR A I R I E V I L L AG E 9 1 3 . 2 7 0.09 05 | 4 3 5 M A L F E R .COM

Malfer & Associates, ReeceNichols has been a market leader in real estate for more than a decade.

The team continues to set the standard for success in the local real estate market by growing year over year. In 2019 alone, they helped 337 families and closed $170,105,684 in volume.

Being a boutique team with fewer than 25 agents gives them the opportunity to spend more one-onone time with their clients. With a complimentary white glove concierge experience, the team offers a variety of benefits to gain the greatest visibility in today’s market, including a robust marketing plan, professional photography and videography, home staging, relocation specialists and a business development division.

They are the only real estate team in Kansas City to offer a hassle-free experience from start to finish with a thorough plan for buying or selling a home. With an eye for design, a feel for the city, extensive market knowledge and genuine Midwestern hospitality, Malfer & Associates is the top choice when finding your dream home or selling your current residence.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Face of

Anti-Aging & Hormone Replacement Kathy C. Maupin, MD & Rachel M. Sullivan, DO | BioBalance Health 4 400 BROADWAY BLVD. SUITE 303, KANSAS CITY, MO | 816.7 5 3.6 552 | BIOBAL ANCEHEALTH.COM

Dr. Kathy Maupin and Dr. Rachel Sullivan have created a formula for treating patients with preventive, comprehensive medical treatment. BioBalance started providing this treatment 18 years ago, and we have been expanding our treatments ever since.

What do we offer our patients? Hormone replacement, specifically tailored to you, is the foundation of our medical plan to reverse aging and make our patients healthier. We expand our treatments to treat many other hormone imbalances that contribute to pain, fatigue, weight gain, and illness. We also give you a specific diet and exercise plan to help you achieve your goals.

BioBalance provides treatment that your primary doctor does not have time to offer you. The consults with Drs. Maupin and Sullivan are one hour long; we believe in listening to and educating you. Dr. Maupin has posted over 500 health casts on our YouTube channel and has also written two books to inform patients on how to prevent disease and age without disability. Her men’s book, Got Testosterone?, has received the 2019 Independent Publisher’s Award for Men’s Health. Her women’s book, The Secret Female Hormone, has been read and published around the world in multiple languages.

Patients seek our treatment from 8 countries and all over the United States. BioBalance Health is in your own city. Why not enjoy the second half of your life with our help?

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Face of

Tax Efficient Wealth Management Bill Eckert, CAP ÂŽ | Strategic Financial Partners 4 0 0 0 W. 114 T H S T. , LE AWO O D, KS | 9 1 3 . 3 2 2.9 1 7 7 | S F PKC .U S

When it comes to Tax Efficient Wealth Management, Bill Eckert of Strategic Financial Partners understands how hard you have worked to save for your future. At Strategic Financial Partners, we can help you to accumulate more wealth and secure a brighter future by reducing taxes every step of the way. Reducing taxes is our focus because taxes are the largest expense of your investments. We are proud to help the families of Kansas City with their tax efficient wealth management.

Financial advisors do not provide tax/legal advice. You should consult your tax/legal advisor regarding your own specific tax/legal situation. Registered representative and investment advisor representative with Securian Financial Services, Inc. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Securian Financial Services, Inc. Member of FINRA/SIPC. Strategic Financial Partners is independently owned and operated. 2981083 DOFU 3/2020 AUGU ST 2020 KANSASCITYMAG.COM

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The Face of Staffing Staffing Kansas City

9930 COL LEGE B LV D. , OV ER L AN D PAR K , KS | 9 1 3 . 6 6 3 . 5 62 7 | W W W. S TA F F I N G KC .CO M

“Personnel Services with a Personal Touch!”

Staffing Kansas City sets itself apart as a staffing partner. The dynamic team listens to and solves clients’ hiring challenges. They have, collectively, over 80 of recruiting experience placing Top Talent at 800+ companies.

Staffing Kansas City is independently owned and WBE Certified. Clients trust their office hiring needs are in good hands thanks to Staffing Kansas City’s hands-own owners and powerhouse recruiters.

The women of Staffing Kansas City are honored to be the faces of the staffing industry. They attribute their continued success to their drive and love for being a part of small business growth and employing 500+ people a year.

PICTURED: Shelley Seibolt, President; Roses Ammon, Vice President; Marie Phelan, Associate VP of Recruiting; Michelle Lee, Recruiter; Ashley Gardner, Recruiter

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Face of

Leadership in Long Term Care Rodney Whittington, CEO | Villa St. Francis 1660 0 W. 126T H S T. , O L AT H E , KS | 9 1 3 . 8 2 9. 5 201 | V I L L A S F.O RG

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Villa St. Francis took decisive action to protect its residents and staff. The care center led the industry by instituting protective measures and facility-wide testing ahead of everyone’s expectations. CEO Rodney Whittington made the decision early to close Villa St. Francis to visitors. “It was difficult, but the safety of residents and staff has always been our priority.” When staff and residents tested positive, Villa St. Francis’ transparency and openness set the standard and allowed the highest level of safety and care. Villa St. Francis is a 5-star, CMS quality care-rated facility. These are the faces of leadership in long term care.

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The Face of

Plastic Surgery John M. Quinn, MD | Quinn Plastic Surgery Center 69 2 0 W. 12 1S T S T. # 1 02, L E AWO O D, KS | 9 1 3 . 49 2. 3 4 4 3 QU I N N PL A S T I C S U RG E RY.CO M

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Quinn Plastic Surgery Center and Medical Day Spa have provided exceptional results in both surgical and non-surgical procedures. Dr. John Quinn is known for his standards in patient care, safety and results. His 30+ years of experience as a Board-Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon have provided him the ability to perfect his skills in breast and tummy surgery. Overseen by Dr. Quinn and adjacent to the surgery center is Quinn Medical Day Spa. The med spa has become a Kansas City favorite for nonsurgical procedures like Botox, Microneedling and CoolSculptingŽ. Whether it’s a surgical, or nonsurgical procedure, Dr. Quinn and his talented staff are always ready to listen and meet the needs of every patient.

KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Face of

Stress-Free Moving You Move Me 9 8 7 5 W I D M E R R D. , L E N E X A , K A NSA S 9 1 3 .7 08 . 8 74 4 | YO U M OV E M E .CO M

Customer service is not dead, and You Move Me Kansas City (a Southwind company) is proving that one move at a time. Widely considered to be Kansas City’s best moving company, You Move Me continues to revolutionize the moving industry.

They completed almost 7,000 moves in the KC area in 2019, worked with HGTV star Tamara Day, and even moved local celebrities such as Travis Kelce. You Move Me has a robust training program, ensuring you have professional teams on each move. Whether it’s upfront rates, the coffee before the move, or the housewarming plant in your new home, they go above and beyond to impress their customers. You Move Me is making us believe that we should never fear moving day again!

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The Face of

Sports & Spine Medicine C. Lan Fotopoulos, MD Dickson-Diveley Orthopaedics 43 20 WORNALL RD. SUITE 610, KANSAS CITY, MO 3 6 5 1 COL LEGE B LV D. , LEAWO O D, KS 9 1 3 .3 19.767 8 EXT.3 10 9 | D D - CLIN IC.CO M

Dr. C. Lan Fotopoulos is an interventional physiatrist who’s been voted “Super Doc” nine years in a row.

He is board certified in physical medicine, pain medicine and sports medicine. He specializes in minimally invasive and interventional procedures in the treatment of spinal disorders, including epidural injections, radiofrequency ablation, vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty and spinal cord stimulation. He also interventionally treats chronic knee pain. He has a background as a diver in the U.S. Navy and expertise and board certification in hyperbaric and diving medicine.

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The Face of Weight Loss

Rick Tague, MD | The Center For Nutrition 496 3 W. 13 5T H S T. , LEAWO O D, KS | 9 1 3 . 8 1 4 . 8 2 2 2 | TAG U E N U T R I T I O N .CO M

Rick Tague, M.D., M.P.H. & T.M. is a medical weight-loss and “optimum health” specialist.

An Alpha Omega Alpha honors graduate of the Tulane University School of Medicine, he holds a master’s degree in public health from Tulane and is board-certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Family Medicine.

Dr. Tague founded the Center for Nutrition and Preventive Medicine clinics in 1996 and has assisted over 20,000 patients in their pursuit of weight loss and improved health.

For more information or to schedule a free consultation, call (913) 814-8222 or visit taguenutrition.com AUGU ST 2020 KANSASCITYMAG.COM

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The Faces of

Holistic Dentistry Craig & Timothy Herre, DDS | Dental Health by Herre 112 0 1 N ALL AV E . S U I T E 1 20, L E AWO O D, KS 9 13 . 49 1. 4 4 66 | W W W. H O L I S T I C D E N TA L KC .CO M

Dental Health By Herre is a health-centered, three-generation family dental practice that has been serving Johnson County since 1953. Its mission is to help you become the best version of yourself, and this starts with identifying the root cause of your concerns through whole health screenings rather than just managing disease. Drs. Craig and Tim Herre specialize in treating TMJ/jaw pain, safe mercury amalgam removal, breathing disorders/sleep apnea, and childhood growth and development concerns. Their work is focused on developing a specific plan tailored to your health goals and based on the value of treating patients as they would want to be treated. Let them help you connect the dots between your oral health and your overall wellness!

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The Face of

Personal Training Christina Larson, Owner/Master Trainer | His & Her Fitness 5 3 2 8 W. 151S T S T. , LEAWO O D, KS | 9 1 3 - 206 -76 4 5 | H I SA N D H E R F I T N ES S .CO M

Christina Larson has been training and transforming clients since 2004 when she became a member of the Professional Fitness Institute. She attended nursing school at the University of Kansas and an obtained an Associates Degree from Allen County College before she made the leap to training. She is also certified in Sports Nutrition and has earned more than a dozen titles from a variety of local and national fitness competitions.

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The Face of

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Dish Photo by Caleb Condit and Rebecca Norden

E AT I N G

A N D

D R I N K I N G

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that great things are often born of bad situations.

But in the case of Observation Pizza, well, cliches are cliche for a reason.

Nick Vella—a Michigan-born chef of Maltese heritage—was chef de cuisine at The Savoy at 21c before the coronavirus pandemic.

Bored and restless, Vella started making pizzas and delivering them to Observation Park, which overlooks the West Crossroads. When the pies proved popular, he rented a commercial kitchen in the Bauer Building.

The pop-up currently operates on a tight schedule. (Plans are in flux, but Vella says the concept will exist in some form even after Savoy reopens.)

These hybrid pies are a Midwestern riff on the classic Neapolitan, built off a more substantial crust with plenty of sourdough character from a two-day ferment.

His sauce is also a hybrid, made with cooked and uncooked canned tomatoes to get both body and zing.

Toppings are not traditional— and better for it. We love the Bobby Shazam, named for Detroit car dealership heir turned rap-rocker Robert James Ritchie Sr. That pie features mortadella, pepperoni, pepperoncinis and green olives that are blasted with American cheese, ranch dressing and oregano. — M A R T I N C I Z M A R I T ’ S C L I C H E T O S AY

Pizza Without a Pause Observation Pizza’s Nick Vella started making pies for all the right reasons, and his Kid Rockthemed pie would be worth eating at the top of Four Seasons.

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F E AT U R E

I Scream, You Scream Exploring Kansas City’s paleterías

BY N ATA L I E G A L L AG H E R

P H OTO G R A PH Y BY K AY L A S Z Y M A N S K I

E V E R Y O N E S E E M S T O want to go to Tropicana at the same time.

At least, that’s how it feels whenever I visit Paletería Tropicana on Southwest Boulevard, which, in the evening, is more often than not flush with eager patrons, with a line stretching out the door.

The congregation is varied: There are gaggles of youths with braces and crop tops; hand-holding couples in the middle of date night; weary parents with children at their knees. All are eager for their turn, for the call of “Quién sigue?” (“Who’s next?”) from one of the aproned attendants behind the counter. Each order is different, for the paletería offers endless treats in fantastical flavors: ice cream buckets filled with chicle (blue and pink bubblegum), dulce de leche, galletas con crema (cookies and cream with generous chunks of Oreos) and many more.

The ice cream here is not the freezerburnt pint of Ben & Jerry’s you’re reserving for your next breakup: The texture is silky and light, closer to gelato, thanks in part to the traditional machinery used—a stainless-steel cylinder called a garrafa, which employs a wooden paddle to slowly churn the ice cream so less air is incorporated.

And it’s not just the ice cream flavors that draw crowds. A true paletería will also stock a menu full of natural juices, fruit salads and implausible snacks (see: dorilocos—we’ll get to those). And, of course, there will be a vast offering of the titular treat, paletas. Paletas are popsicles made either with water and fresh fruit or with heavy cream or whole milk. They come in flavors like

vibrant mango con chile or creamy pale-green pistachio flecked with nuts.

Many paleterías, Tropicana included, brand themselves as serving Michoacánstyle paletas and ice cream—the southwestern state is the birthplace of paletas and Mexican ice cream.

Paleterías are common throughout Mexico and, increasingly, the United States. Kansas City hosts a handful of its own, each boasting extravagant creations that we were only too happy to sample.

Many of the paleterías mentioned here distribute their paletas to local restaurants and mercados, but each of these shops makes its products in-house.

Daisy’s Mexican Food & Paletería 1101 K ANSAS AVE ., KCK

Most of Daisy’s business is take-out, but there is a small dining room with five tables in case you would like to order a feast and invite your fellow patrons to look on with envy—or shock, which is how I interpreted the expressions of my table neighbors when my bounty arrived.

The small restaurant opened in KCK’s Armourdale neighborhood in 2016, with a menu focusing primarily on tacos and burritos. Two years later, they expanded their space and added a paletería menu. In addition to twenty different ice cream offerings and the requisite paleta freezer, Daisy’s also offers fruit salads, aguas frescas and several ice cream concoctions.

Most paleterías will offer some version of a fruit salad (cóctel de frutas), where slices of seasonal fruit (typically some

LEFT: The Rancherito Loco at Daisy’s is one of the more extravagant fruit salads in town. RIGHT: Daisy’s banana split is next-level ice cream luxury.

combination of mango, watermelon, jicama, cantaloupe, cucumber and pineapple) are dusted with a chile-lime seasoning called Tajín and drizzled with chamoy sauce. Chamoy—a spicy-sweetsour condiment made with pickled plums or apricots—frequently makes an appearance in smoothies and ice cream flavors. At Daisy’s, ask for the rancherito loco ($10), a fruit salad served not in a cup or bowl but inside a pineapple. The pineapple’s natural sweetness is amplified by the punchy Tajín and chamoy. Once you’ve plundered your prize, slurp the remaining fruit juices through the straw wrapped in a chewy chamoy candy.

Paleterías do decadence well, and Daisy’s is no exception. As long as you aren’t committed to counting calories, order the banana split ($10). You’ll choose three ice cream flavors (at least one should be the Mexican eggnog called rompope) to be arranged between a perfectly ripe banana and topped with fresh whipped cream, chocolate sauce, cherries, sprinkles and chocolate wafers.

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“

The esquimales are like paletas gone wild: They are regular paletas dipped in a chocolate ganache and coated with nuts or candy.”

Paleterías Tropicana MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. PALETERIASTROPICANA .COM

In the sixteen years since they opened, José Luis Valdez and Lucia Fonseca have grown their mom-and-pop ice cream business into a veritable paletería empire, complete with a Roeland Park factory run by their daughter, Jennifer. At that facility, family patriarch Valdez works with his team to produce the ice cream (forty-two flavors) and paletas (forty-eight flavors) that are distributed daily to the five Tropicana locations in KC, as well as the grocery stores and restaurants that stock his products.

Fonseca works out of the KCK kitchen testing new menu items and recently introduced crepes to the menu. In winter months, her moist tamales will make their way to the metro-area shops for sale. But it is her mangoneada ($7) that is the pride of her line.

Most paleterías offer a mangoneada, a spoonable slushie with sliced mangos, mango sorbet, chamoy, Tajín and lime juice.

The Tropicana version adds an extra punch with Fonseca’s housemade tamarindo, a thick, pulpy sauce made from the seed pods of tropical tamarind fruit. This vibrant drink-meetsdessert and its cacophony of flavors is the thing you’ve been missing this summer.

Nevelandia Ice Cream Parlor 908 N. 18TH ST., KCK

Nevelandia’s menu is mounted on its wall, with pictures of menu items framed by Mickey Mouse outlines. It’s a quirky bit of branding that nonetheless does the trick: This is a place where your imagination can run wild. In line ahead of me, I witnessed patrons making boundless requests and modifications.

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TOP: Don’t be afraid to ask for samples at Tropicana.

LEFT: Nevelandia’s pepahuates offers a crisp, spicy taste of summer.

But before you start inventing, ask questions about some of Nevelandia’s listed offerings. Do not be afraid of the pepahuates ($4): The picture on the wall makes the peanuts floating in tomato juice look flat and unattractive, but the actual snack is shockingly good. A lifetime ago, I was a college kid presumably studying in Mexico City, eagerly sampling as many new food stuffs as I could find. I became enraptured by cacahuates Japoneses (“Japanese peanuts,” which are not Japanese at all), peanuts coated in wheat flour and deepfried to develop a thick shell that packs a satisfying crunch. Pepahuates ups the ante on my beloved Japanese peanuts by tossing them in a cup with clamato (clam and tomato juice), chamoy, lime juice, diced cucumber and Tajín. The server’s description was spot on: “like a michelada with a snack inside.”

Paletería El Chavo 11029 E. 23RD ST., INDEPENDENCE PALETERIAELCHAVO.COM

Rene and Angela Perez opened Paletería El Chavo in 2005, and since then, the Independence shop has built a loyal following. There are around twenty varieties of ice cream on hand at any time.

(Look for the mamey, an earthy red fruit similar to papaya.)

Mounted television screens relay El Chavo’s other menus. There is a tidy sampling of Mexican food with an emphasis on tortas and hamburguesas, plus an expansive “crazy snacks” section (I loved the chilindrina, where pork skins, avocado slices, cotija, pico de gallo, shredded cabbage and homemade sour cream are loaded onto a deep-fried pastry square called a duro).

But it is El Chavo’s sweet stuff that tugs at my memory. The esquimales are like paletas gone wild: They are regular paletas dipped in a chocolate ganache and coated with nuts or candy. Coconut is the most popular esquimale at El Chavo, and the contrast between super-creamy coconut, dark chocolate and feathery coconut flakes was divine.

El Chavo’s limoy is my new obsession: Similar to a mangoneada, this treat finds brilliant lime sorbet packed into a Tajínrimmed sixteen-ounce cup with thick chamoy and tamarind sauces oozing through the breaks in the scoops.

RIGHT: The mangoneada is one of

Mexico’s most beloved street foods.

DID YOU K NOW ?

Paleteros are more common than the ice cream truck throughout Mexico and in Latin neighborhoods in the US. Children flock to the paletero—the ice cream man—as he pushes his cart full of paletas and helados.

Frutopia 3737 INDEPENDENCE AVE ., KCMO FRUTOPIAKC.COM

Frutopia is one of Kansas City’s youngest paleterías—it turns two in December— and it has the swagger of the cool new kid.

Located in a strip mall between a thrift store and a Family Dollar, this spacious shop proffers ten flavors of agua frescas, forty different kinds of ice cream and thirty-two paletas, plus juices, smoothies, milkshakes and a hot food menu.

The sheer volume of offerings is enough to overwhelm, but fret not: The friendly staff are happy to provide ice cream samples to aid in your decision-making. Take the opportunity to try flavors like gansito (made with a Mexican strawberry-chocolate snack cake), avocado, cactus, corn, tamarind (it’s got a mild vanilla-citrus flavor) and guanabana.

Get the wonderfully textured escamocha ($5), a kind of parfait with mango and pineapple chunks layered with sweetened condensed milk, coconut flakes, raisins, pecans and whipped cream. This is also an excellent place to sample the fabulously irreverent Mexican street food snack known as dorilocos ($5).

“When you go to Mexico City, you see shops selling this everywhere,” says Sandy Knight, Frutopia’s manager. “You take the bag of Doritos or Takis and you get pieces of fruit and vegetable combined—usually cucumber, tomatoes and jicama—and pork rinds and hot peanuts on top. And, of course, you add chamoy and Tajín, and a lot of people add hot sauce to give it even more heat. When you take a bite, you find something sour with the chamoy, some spice, some refreshing vegetables, salty chips—it’s a little bit of everything in just one bag.”

GET THIS DAISY’S MEXICAN FOOD & PALETERÍA Rancherito Loco ($10)

Banana Split ($10) NEVELANDIA ICE CREAM PARLOR

Pepahuates ($4) PALETERÍAS TROPICANA

Mangoneada ($7)

Funnel cakes: deep-fried and topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream, strawberry and chocolate syrup for $7—add a scoop of ice cream for $2.

PALETERÍA EL CHAVO

Esquimales ($3) Limoy ($5)

Elote en Vaso: Cheesy Mexican corn served in a cup with mayo, cotija cheese and chile. Make sure you add Hot Cheetos. ($4) FRUTOPIA

Escamocha ($5) Doriloco ($5)

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NEWSFEED

Comings & Goings Whataburger

cinnamon rolls and flaky biscuit sandwiches. Fat Sully’s offers up New Yorkstyle pizza with a slicesonly window for late night munchies. Frozen Gold does soft serve ice cream with “composed builds” that will satisfy sweet tooths.

COMING

Texas Two-Step Texas restaurants are coming to KC in pairs. First, Torchy’s Tacos has opened in the shopping center on Ward Parkway. The bougie taco seller started in an Austin trailer and has since grown to more than sixty locations. The Lone Star State’s most loved burger joint could soon follow.

Rocky Platoon Atomic Provisions, a restaurant group that operates out of Denver, has just opened four new spots in Westport’s historic City Ice Building. Atomic Cowboy is a bar. Denver Biscuit Co. is a breakfast spot known for its giant

Salads and Sauces A new healthy, fast-casual concept called Cultivare Greens and Grains recently opened its doors in Overland Park. Kansas City influencer Kasim Hardaway is behind the concept alongside a few partners.

GOING

Kansas City Chiefs star QB Patrick Mahomes asked the Whataburger franchise to bring a storefront to Kansas City back in 2018.

In addition to getting the richest contract in the history of sports, Mahomes is now getting that wish— James Turcotte, the senior vice president of real estate for Whataburger, says that the business is looking to open in Lee’s Summit.

As of now, the nearest Whataburger is over three hours away in Arkansas.

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’Cats Closed The pandemic has claimed the city’s best Tiki bar and one of it’s better beer bars as Westport’s TikiCat and HopCat have announced their closures, saying they could not come to terms with their landlord. (The landlord subsequently disputed their account to the Kansas City Star—the situation sounds messy.)

The subterranean, reservations-only TikiCat was an ornately decorated cave known for its faithful recreations of mid-century tropical cocktails like the Zombie and Painkiller. “After extensive negotiations with the landlord, we were not able to come to a mutual agreement

The restaurant offers salads, grain bowls and wraps along with its own sauces and goods like bagel seasoning and candied peanuts. “We designed a flow where the highest quality, local ingredients come together seamlessly for a quick and easy experience to meet the needs of anyone one the go,” operating partner Kerry Goebel says.

on the terms of our lease,” the company wrote in a Facebook post. “We hope to find a new location and reopen at some point in the future, although the timing is uncertain. Until then, we will keep our amazing customers and employees in our thoughts and in our hearts.” Larger sister bar HopCat, a beer-focused chain that occupied the upper level of the same Westport space, has also closed.

Last Cup Cult favorite coffee roaster Thou Mayest coffee shop has closed its Crossroads space permanently. Thou Mayest had previously closed in 2018 after a four-year run before being resurrected a block away.

Photos from respective venues Facebook pages

Thank you Kansas City Magazine readers For choosing us!

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DRINK

Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride Brew Lab’s Zambezi Zinger hard seltzer solves the craft seltzer dilemma.

BY M A R T I N C I Z M A R

T H E R E ’ S A G R E AT P A R A D O X in craft

brewing: Amping up flavors is easy, tamping them down is hard. When brewing a hoppy IPA with lots of character, the little guys shine. But when it comes time to make a crisp, clean, bright lager, most craft breweries struggle to match the results of a mechanized macro brewery equipped with centrifuges and Ph.D. biochemists.

So hard seltzers are the ultimate challenge for a craft brewery. They’re are supposed to be refreshing and taste like bubble water, with just a whisper of flavor.

The first time he had a hard seltzer, Brew Lab brewer Kevin Combs hated it. By his third, he was hooked.

“We thought it was going to be super easy to do, but it turns out it’s really hard to make things flavorless,” Combs says. “The big guys, they’re the natural places to do it. I don’t think there’s any little craft brewery that can make a totally flavorless hard seltzer yet.”

Brew Lab’s new seltzer is called Zambezi Zinger, named for a coaster that once stood at Worlds of Fun and got a second life in South America.

The base is made from powdered corn sugar that’s fermented until the yeast has gobbled up all of the residual sugar. On their first attempt at a seltzer, the Brew Lab brewers used distiller’s turbo yeast but were unhappy with the results.

On their second attempt, they used champagne yeast instead and added a little citric acid to get a crisp, clean base.

It’s what Brew Lab does next that makes it the perfect drink for a sunny day on the downtown Overland Park brewery’s just-added outdoor patio. Rather than keg up a few flavors, they bought ten different flavors of low-sugar syrups, from blue curacao to cucumber to strawberry. Each bartender is entrusted with mixing up a glass to spec when a customer orders. Tell the bartender what flavors you like and let them mix you up a drink.

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Photography by Caleb Condit and Rebecca Norden

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’CUE CARD

Mind If I Do a J? In the West Bottoms, Chef J BBQ gives KC another new elite pit.

BY M A R T I N C I Z M A R

S TA R T I N G A N E W B U S I N E S S always favors the bold and scrappy, but doubly so during an international pandemic. In the case of Justin Easterwood, who launched his regionally diverse craft barbecue spot, Chef J BBQ, in the West Bottoms one week before coronavirus closures started to pile up like cordwood, it wasn’t that much of an adjustment—scrappiness was always part of the plan.

“We started with the February First Friday,” Easterwood says. “We came back in March, and it was good, so we signed the lease. Boom: The city shuts down

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the next week. I was getting all ramped up for the Big 12 tournament, and when they canceled that I was like, ‘Welp, that’s not good.’”

But about that lease: You’ll find Chef J in the cafeteria area of The Beast, a haunted house.

Easterwood converted a concession stand into his barbecue restaurant. And then there’s his equally scrappy smoker, a seven-hundred gallon pit that’s a half century old, formerly owned by a guy in Sioux City, Nebraska.

“I saw it and I said, ‘That’s a good looking pit,’ so I put some love to it and put it back to work,” he says. But it’s not nearly as efficient as a modern pit—he has to feed a fresh log into it every twenty minutes or so during his twelve-hour brisket cooks.

“It’ll chew through a log real fast,” Easterwood says. “Ninety-nine percent of barbecue spots, they’re cooking on Southern Pride or Old Hickory and they can just plug it in the wall and let it go. But we’re not doing that.

The only hickory we have is hickory wood. It just takes the time to do it right. Cooking it right, resting it right. I do a real simple rub— just salt, pepper and garlic, it’s real simple. I take a lot of pride in the product I serve. I don’t ever want to compromise quality.”

The work is worth it. Even with his hours limited to Saturday at the moment, Chef J BBQ is already on the top tier of KC ’cue. Everything we tasted on a recent sampler plate was made in-house, and all was great-pushing-excellent. Chef J’s unadorned, Texas-style brisket is moist even in one-inch chucks—it’s top three in the city, for my money.

The other standouts at Chef J are the sausages, ground loose from meat trimmings and cased over several days.

“I’m from an Italian family so with my grandma, ninety-nine percent of what she cooks is homemade,” Easterwood says. “So I grew up with her making Italian sausages.”

Chef J’s pulled pork is basic but gets some extra flair from a spicy yellow mustard sauce, much like the kind you’ll find for pulled pork in South Carolina. Easterwood actually recommends that mustard sauce for his sausages.

“I love Kansas City, but I’ve never been a big Kansas City barbecue fan because the sauces are too sweet—I’m not a big molasses fan,” he says. “I started playing with sausages and I found out about vinegar and mustard sauce, and to me that’s the perfect combination.”

Photography by Caleb Condit and Rebecca Norden

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Negotiating the terms of the divorce requires that both parties in the matter be willing to compromise. In most cases, neither party is going to get everything they want. Being able to think clearly about how various arrangements impact them may help as they evaluate the

potential options.

It is usually best to think about what aspects of the end of the marriage they want to focus. For example, they might not care about what happens to the marital home, but they may want to keep their special art collection. In these cases, a strategy can be worked out that increases the chance of that happening. Determining what is truly important to them can also help them to save their energy for those matters.

Parties should think about the long-term implications of the settlement. This includes taking a look at how the arrangements will affect their finances in the future. Assets that are costly to keep up might not be ideal when they are trying to survive solely on their own income. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the possible settle-

ment options to ensure they make informed decisions.

Stange Law Firm, PC limits their practice to family law matters including divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, guardianship, adoption, mediation, collaborative law and other domestic relation matters.

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Backstory I M P O R TA N T

M O M E N T S

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K A N S A S

C I T Y

H I S T O R Y

1938 Charlie Parker jams for UMKC students—an event captured in posterity.

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ike most jazz musicians, Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker often played casuals, informal gigs arranged by an individual or group at a home, country club or other nonjazz venue. Casuals enable musicians to pick up extra cash during off hours and reach new audiences. While working in New York, Bird was known to play the occasional bar mitzvah, entertaining the throng with his version of Klezmer music.

During the fall of 1938 in Kansas City, Parker played a series of casuals along with members of the Jay McShann band for University of Kansas City students at a malt shop the students referred to as their “Jelly Joint.” A student covering the festivities for an article in the 1939 Kangaroo Yearbook snapped the only known photo of Parker playing his alto in Kansas City.

The photo captured the then-eighteen-year-old Parker at a nexus in his career. Already a rising star in Kansas City, he would soon hop a freight train to New York, where he made the musical breakthrough that shattered previous musical convention.

McShann, who was originally from Oklahoma, toured the southwestern territories before arriving in KC. Genial with a winning smile, McShann quickly emerged as a band leader. In May 1938, he opened at Martin’s night club with an ensemble, becoming the first African-American band to play on the Country Club Plaza. That October, Parker joined McShann’s band.

Young white dance fans from the nearby university

KANSAS CITY AUGU ST 2020

flocked to Martin’s to dance to the McShann band. The school lacked a student union for students to gather and socialize. Over the years, students had tried to establish their own hangout in the surrounding neighborhoods. They referred to them as Jelly Joints.

In October 1938, Bill Buffe, a UMKC senior, and ‘Abby’ Abercrombie, a UMKC alumna, opened the Kangaroo, ‘K.C.U’s new Jelly Joint,’ on a strip of businesses just east of the street car tracks. Lampooning Café Society, which was known as the ‘wrong place for the right people,’ they billed the Kangaroo as being ‘on the right side of the car tracks.’

In the spirit of Café Society, students hosted a series of Thursday afternoon jam sessions. Parker joined in.

In early November, Parker left the McShann band to join the Harlan Leonard band. A few months later, Leonard fired Parker for being unreliable. Out of work and unable to get along with his wife Rebecca, Parker hopped a train to New York.

While in New York, he made the musical breakthrough he had been seeking while jamming in Kansas City.”

— Chuck Haddix, author of Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker and Kansas City Jazz. He is also the curator of the Marr Sound Archives in the Miller Nichols Library at UMKC and host of Fish Fry, a public radio party Friday and Saturday nights on FM 89.3, kcur.org.

Photo provided by LaBudde Special Collections, UMKC

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