Columbia Home Magazine - August/September 2014

The Love, Love, Love Issue

Dr. J.D. Rich

Columbia’s Most Eligible Singles page 42

August/September 2014

Labor of Love

Big Dreams, Big Rewards

The New DIY Diva

Page 47

Page 55

Page 95

Columbia’s Most Eligible Singles page 42

Jenny mclaury

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WHEN TO REPLACE FLOORING It is generally agreed that when floor covering stops covering your floor it no longer fulfills its purpose. Most of the time it isn’t as simple as that, and for those times, consult this article.

SCOTT BRADLEY II DOES YOUR FLOOR HAVE AN UNPLEASANT ODOR? If flooring retains a foul smell after professional cleaning, then it is a sign that the source of the odor has seeped into the underlayment, or worse, the subfloor. Either way, no air freshener in the world will be able to hide the fact that you need new flooring.

IS YOUR FLOORING PERVASIVELY STAINED, SCRATCHED, CHIPPED, MATTED OR FADED? These are things that don’t go away or get better with time, and they typically signify the beginning of the end for a floor. Wear and damage that cannot be undone or spot-replaced means it’s time for something new.

IS IT DATED? If your house is full of sleek modern furnishings and cabinetry, then the carpet that was white once upon a time can really detract from the overall atmosphere. Like pulling down that flower-pattern wallpaper in a boy’s room, sometimes a purely aesthetic remodel is a very good thing.

ALLERGY PROBLEMS? Although you should not be allergic to the floor itself (unless you’ve got some messed up allergies), tearing up the mildewy vinyl in the bathroom or the dander-filled carpet in the bedroom could do a lot to help your symptoms.

WAS YOUR FLOOR IMPROPERLY INSTALLED? Is it improperly secured to the subfloor? Is it coming apart or undone with no easy way to fix it? Are wood planks separating or buckling?

Are the grout lines or seams uneven, or does the floor show other signs of shoddy workmanship? If so, don’t put up with it anymore. Check to see if your floor is still within warranty and work toward getting a new one.

WAS THE WRONG PRODUCT SELECTED OR ITS PLACEMENT ILL-CONSIDERED? Maybe putting carpet in the bathroom wasn’t the best idea. Perhaps after five years you develop a sense of taste and realize how poorly purple shag goes with green walls. And maybe that salesman didn’t know what he was talking about when he advised you to put premium hardwood in every room in a house where you breed dogs. Regardless, sometimes you need to rethink the floors in your home.

HAS THERE BEEN DISASTROUS DAMAGE? Has your home seen a flood or fire damage?

Has the foundation shifted? Sometimes the damage to the floor will be obvious, but sometimes not. Especially in the case of flooding or ground movement, a floor can hide damage to the subfloor or house itself.

DOES IT NO LONGER SUIT YOUR NEEDS? A wood staircase is fine for sturdy, sure-footed adults, but as you grow older or have children you might appreciate something that will forgive falls a little more.

DOES YOUR WIFE WANT A NEW FLOOR? If you think your floor has a couple years left in it but your wife does not, then your floor doesn’t have a couple years left in it. There are worse things for her to be dissatisfied with.

SUMMARY The best sign that your flooring needs to go is if it ceases to increase the beauty of your home or makes your life stressful or difficult. But only you (or your wife) can make that call, so always consider what you truly want first.

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WHICH FLOORING? If you’ve read the article to the left and have come to the realization that you need to replace your flooring, that’s just step one. The next step is deciding which flooring is the best for you. However, making that decision involves a lot of thought. New flooring is a big investment, and a space can look completely different depending on the flooring you put in. You want to make a design decision you can stand on. Literally.

The experts at Carpet One help people make flooring decisions everyday. Oftentimes people come with an idea of what they want and decide on a completely different flooring. Carpet One’s job is to help you with just that.

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Michael Ryan, MD Phil Rumbaoa, MD Board Certified Vein Specialists 12 | August/september 2014

Publisher’s note

W No lack of love

We often use the word “love” loosely, so I began counting how many times in one day that I used it. I know I might be on the easily excitable side of the spectrum, but it was 23 times. I typed a text to describe how much I love sushi; I grabbed the face of my sweet little puggle, Polly, and told her how much I loved her; I bought a pair of shoes online and said to myself, “OMG, I love these shoes” (totally counting that). Only when I Googled the word love did I fully understand I was categorizing my love of shoes and my love for my children with the same word even though they had very different meanings. So I’m sharing with you the five defined types of love we experience in our lives and where you will find great examples of each in this issue. I hope that these stories will in some way tug on your heart and inspire some love in your day.

Eros (romantic): More than friendship, Nellie Symm Gruender describes this giddy and excited form of love in her article “Flirting and Fighting” (page 100) as that special feeling in your stomach, goose bumps and other fun reactions associated with new love. Also in this issue, we have four of Columbia’s most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes looking for romantic love. I’m hoping they are as lucky as Amanda Bruckerhoff, one of last year’s bachelorettes, who recently got engaged to Spencer Ruyle. Can’t wait to crash that wedding!

Philia/phileo (friendship): The second is close companionship, or as Carolyn Sullivan defines her friendship with Beth, “the kind of friend who would be on the first plane to Columbia if I needed her.” Carolyn’s article, “That’s What Friends Are For” (page 99), describes a nontraditional friendship between Beth and Beth’s 97-year-old neighbor, Ed. Friendship love can be just as powerful and certainly as important in our lives.

Agape (unconditional love): It means to love completely and without condition. We typically think of a mature love. Kelly Kraus, breast cancer patient and recipient of Room of Hope, has been living life next to her loyal husband, Charlie. He has been a constant source of strength for Kelly throughout the entire process and even shaved his head in support of her. Read Kelly’s story, “Strength to Survive,” on page 67.

Storage (affection): Natural affection and a sense of belonging to each other defines the type of love parents, children and siblings have for one another. Biological or not, the bond between a parent and a child is never ending. One of our feature stories, “A Whole New World” (page 47), shares journeys of adoption through the eyes of an adopted child (my dear friend Jack Jones) and through the eyes of families, the Longeneckers and Basses, who have experienced the adoption process.

Thelema (desire): Think you have an intense desire to do something? After knowing and meeting a number of the young adults we featured in “Live the Life You Love” (page 55), it is evident all of these individuals have a passion and drive to follow their dreams. These five local students who graduated from various high schools in Columbia are parting ways to venture on their own paths Cover Story to success.

The applications were submitted, the interviews were conducted, Love certainly comes in difand we are thrilled to introduce our ferent forms and is a powerful Most Eligible Singles. Four lucky emotion; Maslow’s hierarchy bachelors and bachelorettes are taking a chance at love. Read all of needs has love/belonging as Columbia’s Most about them on page 42, and visit eligible singles the third level of human needs. columbiahomemagazine.com for So whatever love relationship more exclusive facts about each of them. Dr. J.D. Rich graces the cover you’ve been blessed with, just Labor big Dreams, the New of Love big rewards DIY Diva of this issue with all of his manly remember to love lots! ruggedness. Plus, an added bonus XOXO, this month is the dual cover that features the beautiful and graceful The Love, Love, Love Issue

Dr. J.D. rich

Page 42

august/sePteMber 2014

Page 47

Page 55

Page 95

Ed itori al Angie Huhman, Publisher Angie@BusinessTimesCompany.com Kristi McCann, Managing Editor Kristi@BusinessTimesCompany.com Katrina Tauchen, Copy Editor Katrina@BusinessTimesCompany.com Mitchell Drinkard, Fashion Editor MitchellDrinkardPR@Gmail.com Scott Rowson, Food Editor Scott@ShowMeQ.com DESIGN Kristin Branscom, Art Director Kristin@BusinessTimesCompany.com Ashley Meyer, Graphic Designer C r eat i ve Services Gillian Tracey, Creative Marketing Assistant Gillian@BusinessTimesCompany.com Whitney Buckner, Creative Marketing Assistant Whitney@BusinessTimesCompany.com Kate Morrow, Creative Marketing Assistant Kate@JeffersonCityMag.com M A RK ETING REPRESENTATIVES Melissa Reaves, Marketing Consultant Melissa@BusinessTimesCompany.com Tami Turner, Marketing Consultant Tami@JeffersonCityMag.com Nicole Heislen, Marketing Consultant Nicole@BusinessTimesCompany.com M A N AGEMENT Erica Pefferman, President Erica@BusinessTimesCompany.com Renea Sapp, Vice President ReneaS@BusinessTimesCompany.com Cindy Pudney, Operations Manager CindyS@BusinessTimesCompany.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Big Hassle Media, Casey Buckman, Whitney Buckner, D-Squared Designs, Angelique Hunter, Anthony Jinson, Rose McManus, Natural Insight Photo, Brittany Tutt CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sophia Conforti, Matt Ford, Kelsey Gillespy, Nellie Symm Gruender, Abby Kass, Leighanne Lamb, Colin LaVaute, Kristi Luther, Kristi McCann, Jill Orr, Monica Pitts, Daniel Pliska, Scott Rowson, Stephanie Kubas, Carolyn Sullivan, Jason Thornhill, Michele Towns, Brittany Tutt, Molly Wright i n terns Sophia Conforti, Crystal Duan, Aaron Pellish, Brittany Tutt, Sarah Walsh SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription rate is $12.95 for 6 issues or $18.95 for 12 issues. Call Cindy Pudney at 573-499-1830 ext. 1003 to place an order or to inform us of a change of address.

Columbia Home is published by The Business Times Co., 2001 Corporate Place, Suite 100, Columbia, MO, 65202. 573-499-1830 Copyright The Business Times Co., 2012. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Jenny McLaury. Meet them and the rest of the singles at the party on Aug. 8. Visit columbiasmosteligible.com for more details.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 13

14 | August/september 2014

C H D i g i ta l

Connect with Us Strong woman

What people are saying Stephanie Kubas @SKubas525

Michele Towns

Jun 27

Lucky to be a part of the #RoomOfHope reveal with @muhealth & @ColumbiaHomeMag today! #lovemyjobs

age: 55 Official Title: Office manager, Lutheran Family and Children’s Services

House of Brokers @HOB_Realty Jun 13 @ColumbiaHomeMag She's a pretty fantastic baker.

We love when she brings her treats to the office :) House of Brokers favorited your Tweet

Family: Husband, Kevin; two daughters, Lauren and Maddy; and a three-legged Italian greyhound.

Jun 13

Jun 13: Baking lessons with Barb! #hometour #photobyangel @HOB_Realty Jenny Mcgee Artist @jennymcgeeart Jun 9 @ColumbiaHomeMag @MakeTodayCount1 Great article!

My Style: Classy, thrifty diva

Such a great experience working with Kim and family.

One Day I Would Love To: Have a booth at the Country Living Fair next to Cash and Carry with my repurposed treasures.

Ashley Allen Brown Great article from the ladies at Columbia Home magazine on your best visit to Lake of the Ozarks! Check it out!

MayeCreate Design

Three Words That Best Describe Me: Creative, sassy, multitasker

Columbia Home's great article on veggies you can grow in your own back yard. So pretty, and delicious too!

Blog Have you checked out the Columbia Home blog yet? We have an impressive team of bloggers who tell our readers all about life’s little tricks, the latest and greatest finds in Columbia and heartwarming stories that will have you wanting more.

Meet Our Team of Bloggers Dr. Amanda Signaigo

Kristie Wolfe

Scott Bradley

Kari Laudano

Kristi McCann

Peter Stiepleman

Angie Huhman

Jayme Dement

Kim Becking

Brian Freeman

Visit columbiahomemagazine.com to read these blogs. Click on the “blog” link on the menu bar, or scroll to the bottom to view the most recent posts.

Columbia Home

@ColumbiaHomeMag

@ColumbiaHomeMag

Columbia Home Magazine columbiahomemagazine.com | 15

See the

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a u g u s t/ s e p t e m b e r C o n t e n t s

27

47

67

104

❖ publisher's note p. 13 ❖ On the Web p. 15 ❖ Entertainment 19 Agenda and Datebook 23 Day in the Life: Rachael Price 25 Tech:

Apps to Appetizers 27 Food:

The Art of Alcohol 32 The Dish:

Wiener Apfelstrudel 34 Discovering Our Town:

Hermann 37 Fashion:

A Date with Style

Features 42 Most Eligible Singles 47 A Whole

New World: Building Families through Adoption 55 Live the Life

You Love:

Columbia Seniors Chase Their Dreams 62 Love and War:

A Lifetime of Trust, an Undeniable Bond

Home 67 Room of Hope: Strength to Survive 74 Home Tour:

Heart of the Home 83 Ask the Design Experts 85 Meet Your Neighbors: Michelle and Matt Harris, Kevin and Angela Carey 89 Real Estate:

Rental Properties 95 DIY:

Shut the Front Door

37 74 25

Health/Happiness 99 Life Coaching: That’s What

Friends Are For 100 Love and Relationships: Flirting and Fighting 103 Engagements:

A Long Time Coming for Love 104 Weddings:

A Family Affair 109 Mommy Chronicles:

Love Is All We Need 116 Happy Tails 118 About Town 120 Men We Love:

Jay Curry and

Tom Sandifer 122 Strong Woman: Karen Grindler,

Cedar Creek Therapeutic

Riding Center

95

18 | August/september 2014

agenda

Aug/Sept 2014 Columbia’s must-do events

Columbia’s Most Eligible Singles Party What: Columbia Home celebrates mid-Missouri’s most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. Tom Bradley of 93.9 FM’s Wake Up Columbia plays the master of ceremonies, and one-man band Ryan Patrick Imming sets the mood all evening.

Come for the food, music and fun, and stay for the chance at love!

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8 Where: Columbia Country Club Info: columbiasmosteligible.com

Pooch Plunge What: Take your dog for a dip at this dogs-only swim session.

Columbia Parks and Recreation is inviting dog owners to bring their pooches to the pool to cool off in the heat of summer. Sign up now because only so many puppies can swim at once.

When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2 Where: Albert-Oakland Family Aquatic Center Info: Cost is $4 per dog. Pre-registration is required due to limited space. For more information, visit gocolumbiamo.com.

Roots N Blues N BBQ What: This year’s festival promises to be the most exciting yet. Chow down on the best barbecue in Missouri, and watch bands such as The Avett Brothers, Los Lobos, Amos Lee, John Prine and Roseanne Cash perform live.

When: Sept. 26 to 28 Where: Stephens Lake Park Info: rootsnbluesnbbq.com Visit Columbia Home online at columbiahomemagazine.com. columbiahomemagazine.com | 19

AUG

Aug. 8

Saturday, Aug. 2

Screening of The Last Picture Show, 106 Pickard Hall, 7 p.m., free

Sunday, Aug. 3

Bradford Lee Folk & The Bluegrass Playboys, Mojo’s, doors open at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m., $5 tickets, $2 surcharge for minors

Tuesday, Aug. 5

Moonshine Sorrow, Mojo’s, doors open at 8:30 p.m., show at 9:30 p.m., $5 tickets, $2 surcharge for minors

Thursday, Aug. 7

Stephens Lake Amphitheater Concert Series: Unsigned Artists Showcase, Stephens Lake Amphitheater, 7 p.m., free

Friday, Aug. 8

Movies in the Park: Despicable Me 2, Flat Branch Park, 8:30 p.m., $2, free for kids 8 and under

Saturday, Aug. 9

The Black Diamond: A Neil Diamond Tribute, The Blue Note, doors open at 7:30 p.m., show at 8:30 p.m., $12-15, $2 surcharge for minors

Tuesday, Aug. 12

Kenny Wayne Shepherd, The Blue Note, doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., $25, $2 surcharge for minors Janiva Magness, Mojo’s, doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., $10, $2 surcharge for minors 20 | August/september 2014

Aug. 16

Aug. 30

August 2014

Wednesday, Aug. 13

Jesse Cook, The Blue Note, doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., $25, $2 surcharge for minors

Friday, Aug. 15

Screening of The 400 Blows, 106 Pickard Hall, 7 p.m., free

Saturday, Aug. 16

True/False Film Festival Boone Dawdle, MKT and Katy trails, tickets start at $50, for more information visit truefalse.org/dawdle

Coolin’ Down with the Blues, Douglass Park, 3 p.m., free

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Tuesday, Aug. 19

Countdown to Kickoff 2014: An Evening with Coach Gary Pinkel, Mizzou Arena Concourse, 5-7:30 p.m., advanced tickets $50, at event tickets $60

Wednesday, Aug. 20

Family Fun Fest: Around the World, Flat Branch Park, 6 p.m., free

Friday, Aug. 22

Bingo! The Winning Musical, Talking Horse Theater, 7:30 p.m., $12, $10 for adults over 65 or students with school I.D.

Saturday, Aug. 23

Jenny Teator & the Fevers with The Mojo Roots, Mojo’s, doors open at 8:30 p.m., show at 9:30 p.m., $5, $2 surcharge for minors

Thursday, Aug.28

Something’s Afoot, Maplewood Barn Theatre, 8 p.m., $9, $1 for kids 10 and under

Saturday, Aug.30

MU Football vs. South Dakota St., Faurot Field, 2:30 p.m., for tickets visit mutigers.com Crowd Surf America Tour: Chiodos with blessthefall and Capture The Crown, The Blue Note, doors open at 6 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m., $16, $2 surcharge for minors

Sunday, Aug.31

Islands, Mojo’s, doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., $12-14, $2 surcharge for minors

SEPT

Sept. 3

Monday, Sept. 1

Heart of America Marathon, Hearnes Center, 6 a.m., $45 entry fee, $55 entry fee on day before race

Tuesday, Sept. 2

Pooch Plunge, Albert Oakland Family Aquatic Center, 6:30 p.m., $4 per dog

Wednesday, Sept. 3

sept. 15

Saturday, Sept. 13

MU Football vs. Central Florida, Faurot Field, 11 a.m., for tickets visit mutigers.com Grateful Dead Tribute: The Schwag, The Blue Note, doors open at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., $10, $2 surcharge

Monday, Sept. 15

Take Action Carnival, Kuhlman Court, 10:30 a.m., free

Fund the Drive for Nurses Golf Tournament, Country Club of Missouri, 10 a.m., $175 per player, $600 per foursome

Thursday, Sept. 4

Wednesday, Sept. 17

Saturday, Sept. 6-7

Snarky Puppy, The Blue Note, doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., tickets start at $20

Stephens Lake Park Amphitheater Concert Series, Stephens Lake Park Amphitheater, 7 p.m., free BikeMS: Express Scripts Gateway Getaway Ride, Central Missouri Events Center, $40 registration, for more information visit bikemos.nationalmssociety.org

Sunday, Sept. 7

The Dead Rider, Mojo’s, doors open at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., $7, $2 surcharge for minors

Wednesday, Sept. 10

Lydia Loveless, Mojo’s, doors open at 8:30 p.m., show at 9:30 p.m., $8-10, $2 surcharge for minors

Friday, Sept. 12

Movies in the Park, Flat Branch Park, 8 p.m., $2 per person, free for kids 8 and under

Family Fun Fest: Creative Kids, Flat Branch Park, 6 p.m., free

Friday, Sept. 19

Pepperland: The Beatles Revue, Mojo’s, doors open at 8:30 p.m., show at 9:30 p.m., $6-8, $2 surcharge for minors

Saturday, Sept. 20

MU Football vs. Indiana, Faurot Field, for tickets and more information, visit mutigers.com Heritage Festival & Craft Show, Nifong Park, 10 a.m., free

sept. 26-28

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Wednesday, Sept. 24

Pokey LaFarge’s Central Time Tour, The Blue Note, doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., $20, $2 surcharge for minors

Friday, Sept. 26-28

Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival, Stephens Lake Park, day passes $40-45, weekend passes $85, VIP passes $250

Saturday, Sept. 27

Blues in the Schools Performance, Stephens Lake Park Amphitheater, noon, free

Wednesday, Sept. 24

SAVOY, Mojo’s, doors open at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., $15, $2 surcharge for minors

Visit Columbia Home online at columbiahomemagazine.com. columbiahomemagazine.com | 21

22 | August/september 2014

d ay i n t h e lif e

A Day in the Life of a Musician

L

By Brittany Tutt

Lake Street Dive vocalist Rachael Price (seated on the right side below) has never worked a 9-to-5, “average Joe” job her entire life. She’s always been involved with music; even when she was a young girl, she sang in show choir and played in musicals. Rachael went off to study jazz at the New England Conservatory in Boston, where she met her fellow band mates, and her career began to take shape. Now, Rachael is doing interviews, photo shoots and traveling the world with her band.

Photography provided by Big Hassle Media

First things first: “My job and a 9-to-5 job don’t even compare,” Rachael says. “Every day is different, and I work very odd hours.” So how do you describe someone’s day-to-day routine when every day is different?

Well, it turns out that Rachael’s daily routine while on tour starts like most people’s days: hunting down good coffee.

Post-coffee fix: After she’s had her daily dose of caffeine, she has enough energy to get her exercise on. When you perform every night in front of thousands of fans, you have to be in shape, right? Rachael’s exercise routine consists of a lot of aerobics, and she has recently been partaking in the “Brazilian butt lift” movement.

Mic check one, two, one, two: Next, it’s off to the venue for a sound check to ensure all of the cues and sound equipment are on point for the evening’s show.

Prior to their stage debut, the band grabs a little grub for dinner to make sure they have enough energy to sustain the hours of performing.

Show time: Warming up is key in this industry, and once Rachael and her band are ready, they hit the stage to perform in front of screaming fans. After the final note of the encore has been cut, Lake Street Dive takes time to talk to their fans post-show, which can take up to a few hours, according to

Cruising the road: After exercising, it’s time to hop in the band van for at least four hours (but many times, much longer) and travel to the next performance venue. They normally arrive at the venue in the afternoon and have time to take a walk and “get a feel for the city,” Rachael says.

Rachael.

Zzzz: When it’s all said and done, the band attempts to get back to the hotel at a decent hour to catch a few hours of sleep before heading off to their next big show.

“ I t ’ s f u nny,” R a ch a e l s ay s , “but practicing and playing our music is actually a small part of what we have to do. Most of our time is spent

getting to the gig.” Lake Street Dive has toured the country four or five times in the past year, she says. Luckily, the band’s van will roll into Columbia Sept. 26 to 28 for the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival. You might see Rachael downtown checking things out before the band performs. If you do, she probably would appreciate it if you point her in the direction of your favorite coffee joint.

L a k e S t r e e t D iv e R o o t s N Bl u e s N BB Q F e s t iv a l 4 : 1 5 p. m . • S at. , S e p t. 2 7 M i s s o u r i L o t t e r y S ta g e

columbiahomemagazine.com | 23

CREATE YOUR OWN MASTERPIECE

on a wine glass or canvas

WHILE ENJOYING PTT’s FULL BAR Have you heard about the Rumchata Colada Martini? It has ice cream in it!

Visit our website for more information PaintTheTownColumbia.com 2703 E. Broadway Columbia, MO • 573.777.7795

24 | August/september 2014

t e ch

From Apps to Appetizers

M

How to evaluate local restaurants without a taste test

My husband and I recently went on a babymoon trip to Sedona, Arizona. We figured, what the heck? Why not go on one for each baby, right? The most exciting thing about traveling without kids is that we can eat wherever we want. With the help of Google and a few apps, we struck out a few times but ultimately figured out how to find some awesome places to eat for our cherished breakfast, lunch and dinner dates.

To follow along with our virtual footsteps, jump on the Internet. Search for “Restaurants in Columbia, Missouri.” From there, peruse the search results for websites you trust:

By Monica Pitts Google’s search header after searching for “Restaurants Columbia Mo”

• Urbanspoon.com and TripAdvisor.com have many restaurant reviews and menus.

Both offer apps to make it easier on the go.

• Yelp.com offers an app and reviews but no menus.

• Google’s search engine offers many features and reviews as well but isn’t available in app form.

Next you’ll need to narrow the field, usually by location or food type. Then it’s time to get your evaluation criteria in order. One thing that’s super important to my husband and me when selecting a date restaurant is finding a local place, not one catering to tourists or a chain establishment. Without recommendations from a friend, local restaurants can be tricky to evaluate. We want a nice dining experience with an original menu and ambience where we don’t feel hurried. To evaluate for this criteria, I look at three things: menu, reviews and photos.

Online menu evaluation Easy-to-eat food

Allergen-free options

Fun drink menu

Depending on the type of occasion, check the menu for easy-to-eat food. If you’re going on a first date, a menu consisting of only salads, pastas or tacos might be a deal breaker. I’m prone to messes, so if I’m planning a formal dinner, I like to make sure there are easy-toeat entrees that I won’t spill on my fancy outfit.

If someone in your dining party has food allergies, make sure there are menu options they can enjoy as well. As a gluten-free gal, I sympathize with others with food allergies.

I’m OK with going to a sandwich shop occasionally, but after a few years of breadless sandwiches, the routine is a bit tired. And for a special date night, it’s less than ideal.

Ordering interesting drinks is a way my husband and I bond at the beginning of a date. We order things we haven’t tried before and then offer each other a taste and compare. He always thinks mine is too sweet, and I think his isn’t sweet enough, but it’s still a good time. To keep the tradition, I like to dine in restaurants that have a few specialty drinks to choose from.

Reviewing the reviews Read the reviews with a critical eye

Reviews are tricky because “good” is very subjective, and people are crazy. Because we want to eat local, I look for reviews from local contributors. If you find a review that is particularly impactful, consider doing a bit of detective work on the reviewer. Has he or she reviewed before? Does he or she love or hate everything? Keep in mind there are many factors that affect a dining experience.

Look for repetition

If 15 people say the salmon is the best they’ve ever eaten, and the service was awesome, I tend to believe them over one negative review.

Pay attention to the review date

Restaurants, like all businesses, change and evolve over time; some even close. I tend to put more weight on recent reviews. They are better indicators of what’s currently happening.

The story behind the photos

Look at the images provided in the reviews, and visit the restaurant’s website to find more.

Key elements to look for include: Lighting: You want to be able to see your date and your food but maybe not the blemish on his or her forehead.

Cleanliness: Look for photos of the restroom. That’s a great way to judge the overall restaurant hygiene.

Ambience: I like places with original décor and an original look and feel that seem like fun places to hang out.

Urbanspoon Ranked third for food and drink apps in the iTunes library, the Urbanspoon app shares locator maps, reviews, cost scale, photos and menus for local bars. Plus, it’s easy to vote if you like or don’t like your dining experience with just one click.

TripAdvisor Ranked 24th among fellow travel apps in the iTunes library, the TripAdvisor app offers a straightforward, friendly interface with maps, reviews and some local menus. The Urbanspoon app appears to have a larger number of reviews for Columbia restaurants. This app also allows you to create an account to save restaurants to a list for future use.

Yelp Ranked third in travel apps in the iTunes library, the Yelp app is a bit less user friendly due to a busier user interface.

It offers reviews, photos and maps for local restaurants, though menus are not available.

Monica Pitts

Monica is founder of MayeCreate Design. She and her husband, Mike, have two daughters, Ellis and Aveleen, and two dogs, Maybe and Roxie. Monica considers herself an artist, yogi and Web dork with the ability to speak geek and English.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 25

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Familiar faces from Columbia’s bar scene are the masterminds behind cocktail menus.

scott rowson Create your own in-home cocktail ingredients. Visit the Columbia website Scott, bloggerHome and food writer extraordinaire, for more recipes.

By Scott Rowson | Photo s By

shares his insights on dishes from Columbia hotspots. Whether it’s a hidden ingredient or Anthony sonScott will be able special cookingJin technique, to detect it. You can often find him at Sycamore, his favorite hangout. Check out restaurant openings, food reviews and local eats on his blog, showmeeats.wordpress.com.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 27

Cucumber Cosmopolitan • 2 slices cucumber • 1 orange slice • ½ ounce triple sec • 2 ounces vodka

To a shaker, add cucumber, orange slice and triple sec. Muddle. Then add ice and vodka.

Shake, and strain into your favorite glass.

Top with cranberry juice. Garnish with cucumber slice on rim.

Aaron Brown -

mixologist at Bleu Restaurant Aaron Brown has a unique system for developing and naming his cocktails: He names them first, then works backward from there. Unconventional?

Sure. But his unconventional approach has catapulted him to the forefront of Columbia’s burgeoning mixology scene.

Like any innovator, however, Aaron builds his products on a firm foundation.

He’s a fan of classic cocktails.

Take his Stiltshaker creation. “I wanted a strong cocktail,” he says. “I take a regular rocks glass and muddle an orange slice, some mint leaves and a little simple syrup.

Then we add ice and so much whiskey. I finish it with sour mix and a garnish of cherry and pomegranate simple syrup.”

The result is electric, an expertly balanced mash-up of a whiskey sour, Manhattan and mint julep. The flavors that shine through are a light mint bite, citrus and rye whiskey but without any alcohol burn. It’s what people should be drinking instead of Long Island iced teas.

The Roger’s Grocer is a safer option if you’re looking for something lighter: an intensely refreshing cucumber cosmopolitan. Aaron muddles slices of

28 | August/september 2014

}

Facebook: facebook.com/BleuColumbia Twitter: @bleu_restaurant Instagram: @bowtiebarchef

cucumber and orange with triple sec and then shakes with ice and vodka.

“Remember that the ice is becoming a part of the drink,” he says. “A Manhattan without the ice would be terrible.”

The drink is a master class in balancing sweet and sour with refreshing melon and citrus flavors.

Aaron makes up to 30 of them each night for Bleu’s patio, and it’s easy to see why. Smooth and addictive, the cucumber seeds and cranberry juice at the end combine to make it look like a watermelon in drink form.

Aaron has been a professional cocktail creator since 2007, but he had an early start. “I grew up with five sisters, and we’d play house all the time,” he says. “I’d always jump in and be the bartender.”

He credits employers such as Village Wine and Cheese, Vault and Bleu with letting him feed his creative side and says he’s seen big changes in the way Columbia looks at cocktails in recent years.

“You can go anywhere in Columbia and get a good Dark and Stormy,” Aaron says. “I think that’s awesome. We’re not saving lives here; we’re trying to have fun.”

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Stiltshaker • 1 orange slice • 6 to 10 mint leaves • ½ ounce simple syrup • 2 ½ ounces bourbon

In a glass, add the orange slice, mint leaves and simple syrup. Muddle. Then add ice and bourbon. Top with sour.

Garnish with cherry and a splash of pomegranate simple syrup.

Geoff Pratte -

mixologist at Teller’s Gallery & Bar Geoff Pratte is a fan of instant feedback. “The thing with drinks is that you know instantly whether a drink is working for someone or not,” he says. “They make a face.” Far more often than not, for Geoff, the face customers make is a good one. “You just want to get better. I love creating something new.”

His early days of bartending consisted of making cocktails at a Mexican restaurant. It’s no surprise then that margaritas hold a special place in his heart. He makes a version with egg white acting as a binder and swears it’s the best. I foolishly fail to order one.

Instead, Geoff makes something that doesn't even have a name yet (it has since been dubbed the SherbooZie). He slices two strawberries and a lemon with practiced, precise movement and then muddles and shakes it with ice and some coconut milk. What emerges is a frothy, creamy and refreshing strawberry version of the classic Orange Julius: a liquid strawberry sorbet.

It’s fun and a great summer drink.

Geoff says the drinks scene in Columbia has changed over the years.

“We’ve come a long way since everyone was drinking whiskey Cokes,” he says. “I think it [mixology] is following cooking” in terms of a growing emphasis on quality and craftsmanship. As a longtime local favorite, Teller’s is a perfect place to enjoy those two — good drinks and good food — together under one roof.

SherbooZie • ½ ounce fresh lemon juice • ¾ ounce coconut milk • 1 ½ ounces lemonade • 2 ounces mango rum Shake vigorously, and serve.

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Facebook: facebook.com/pages/tellers

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columbiahomemagazine.com | 29

MARY POWERS -

mixologist at Trey Bistro Mary Powers is a moonshine fan. And given the science experiments and cocktailmakings she has lined up against one wall of the bar, you might think she’s also cooking up her own somewhere. But her preferred brand of moonshine is no bathtub-brewed swill; it’s artisanal, locally made corn whiskey from Ozark Distillery in Osage Beach.

Mary began bartending about six years ago, mostly at music venues. She got hooked early on and is now expertly performing her delicious alchemy at Trey Bistro, which is a win for all of us. “Here, I get to see people’s reactions; they seem to be enjoying the creations,” she says.

The beverage she whipped up for us on a recent visit — Strawberry Moon Tea — highlights her creative process

Strawberry Moon Tea • 1 ½ ounces black tea-infused Ozark moonshine • 1 ounce house-made sour mix

Rim glass with strawberry simple syrup. Top with a splash of soda water and Sprite. Serve in a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with strawberry and lemon.

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Facebook: facebook.com/treybistro

30 | August/september 2014

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perfectly. “One day we were just brainstorming summer drinks,” she says. “We’d stopped at the farmers market and picked up some strawberries and squeezed them into an Arnold Palmer.”

With the addition of moonshine, which is high in alcohol potency but largely a blank canvas flavorwise, Mary ended up with a balanced, citrusy iced tea. It’s not like anything I’ve had before.

Along that aforementioned wall by Trey Bistro’s bar is a series of gallon jars of concoctions in various states of preparation. There’s cinnamon ginger whiskey, cranberry vodka and another batch of the black tea-infused moonshine she uses in this Ozark moonshine.

The whole thing might look a bit Chemistry 101, but these experiments are strictly for the over-21 crowd.

Billy Giordano -

mixologist at Room 38

“We take a similar approach to our drinks as we do with our food,” Room 38 owner and cocktail-creator Billy Giordano says. “Most of them have something they pair well with on the food menu.”

For the drink he whipped up for us, which he calls a Moonshine Sour, Giordano infuses Ozark Distillery moonshine with jalapeño peppers, pineapple and cilantro, tasting as it matures for just the right balance of spice and flavor. When an order comes, he shakes a healthy pour of that mixture with cilantro, house-made sour mix, lime and agave nectar and pours that over ice in a rocks glass before garnishing with a cilantro leaf. The entire process takes less than 30 seconds.

“We prep everything in advance so we can get them out pretty fast,” he says.

The end result is surprising and fun. There’s an initial jolt of heat that dissipates in seconds and leaves only lime and refreshment and positive thoughts. As a fun play on a classic margarita, it’s strangely addictive; the nowyou-see-me-now-you-don’t spice is a testament to the fact that Giordano got the moonshine infusion just right. He recommends pairing the drink with Room 38’s ahi tuna ceviche.

He doesn’t stop with jalapeños either. Above the bar sit batches of other creations. Grilled peach rye whiskey used in the Perfect Peach Manhattan, watermelon vodka, blueberry vodka and more. A banana bread rye whiskey, made with bananas, nutmeg, almonds and cinnamon, is in the works.

“We want to come up with new and interesting cocktails that set us apart from anyone else in town,” Giordano says.

Keep up to date with Room 38’s latest experiments on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Moonshine Sour • Jalapeño, cilantro and pineapple-infused moonshine • Freshly squeezed lime • Agave nectar

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Facebook: facebook.com/Room38 Twitter: @room38 Instagram: instagram.com/room_38

} columbiahomemagazine.com | 31

thedish Apple Strudel • Yields 2 strudels • 16 medium-sized Granny Smith apples • 8 ounces raisins • 1 pound granulated sugar • 6 ounces dark rum • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 8 ounces buttered bread crumbs • 24 ounces bread flour • 1 tablespoon salt • 12 ounces water • 4 ounces vegetable oil • 10 ounces clarified butter • 16 ounces white cake crumbs or buttered bread crumbs • 16 ounces clarified butter • a dusting of confectioners' sugar

photo by bobby mcree watson

Directions: Peel, core and thinly slice the apples.

Wiener Apfelstrudel (Viennese Apple Strudels)

E

RECIPE BY Daniel Pliska Executive Chef Daniel Pliska from the University Club at MU has launched a recipe book that showcases dessert techniques through wellillustrated, step-by-step instructions. Pastry & Dessert Techniques features 65 delectable desserts, including these delicious apple strudels on page 231 of the book. Pair them with the caramel or creme sauce, and your guests will be licking their dessert plates clean. To purchase the recipe book, visit the university bookstore.

32 | August/september 2014

Combine apples with raisins, sugar, rum, cinnamon and bread crumbs. Place flour and salt in a mixing machine bowl. Add water and oil, and mix for 9 minutes. Remove from the mixing machine, and form into two balls of dough. Rub each dough ball with oil, and wrap with plastic. Chill the dough for 24 hours. Roll out each ball of dough on a floured tablecloth to about ½-inch thickness. Stretch out the dough using the back of the hands until it is paper thin. Sprinkle the dough with clarified butter, then cake crumbs or bread crumbs and then more clarified butter. Add the apple-raisin filling, and use the tablecloth to carefully roll up the strudel. Carefully unroll the strudel onto a sheet pan that has been brushed with clarified butter. Twist and crimp the dough at each end of the strudel, and tuck into the sheet pan. Brush each strudel with clarified butter, and allow them to rest for 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees F until brown. Then lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F, and bake until a skewer can pass through the apples without resistance. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, and slice with a serrated knife.

Crème Anglaise

Yields 27 servings (1 1/2 ounces each) • 1 quart half and half • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped • 12 ounces granulated sugar • 9 egg yolks

Directions: Scald half and half, vanilla bean pod and seeds and half of the sugar in a nonreactive pot. Remove from heat, and allow the mixture to steep for 10 minutes.

Mix remaining sugar with yolks in a nonreactive bowl, and set aside. Bring heated liquid back to a scald. Remove the bean pod, and discard. Whisk scalded liquid into yolk and sugar mixture. Pour entire mixture back into the pot, and cook over medium heat while stirring with a wooden spoon.

Cook until the crème Anglaise creates a nappe on the back of a spoon. Immediately pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl over crushed ice, and stir until chilled.

Caramel Sauce

• 1 pound granulated sugar • 2 cups water • 1/2 cup corn syrup • 2 cups heavy cream • 2 ounces brandy

Directions: Cook sugar, water and corn syrup to the caramel stage.* Bring heavy cream to a boil, and slowly add it to the hot caramel. Note: Use a long whip to prevent being burned by the steam. Let the caramel cool slightly. Add brandy.

Cover, and refrigerate. *Chef’s tip: When making caramel sauce, use a pot that is at least five times larger in size than the amount of sugar solution being cooked to prevent the caramel from boiling over when the cream is added.

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D i s c o v e r in g o u r t o w n

A Hermann Hideaway Enjoy a weekend of great food and wine with that special someone.

A

By Kristi McCann

Ah, vacations. Everybody loves them, but not everybody has time to take them. If you can spare a weekend away with your honey, Hermann, Missouri, is an ideal location just a short drive from Columbia that will have you feeling refreshed and relaxed when you return. But before you begin

planning activities for when you arrive, take a few extra minutes to navigate back roads to Hermann

on Highway 94 instead of cruising down Interstate 70. Managing editor Kristi McCann and her

beau, Ryan Ruprecht, who tested out this Discovering Our Town destination, agree the view is well worth the extra time.

The Stone Giraffe Guest House Arriving at The Stone Giraffe

Kristi and Ryan

We stayed in the Yellow Room, complete with distressed wood beams and a queensized canopy bed. The skylights and oversized windows flood the room with natural light, and the screened windows offer a relaxing cross breeze in the cool Missouri night. Plus, the private balcony is perfect for sipping a cup of Joe in the morning.

Stone Giraffe kitchen

Yellow Room at The Stone Giraffe

34 | August/september 2014

Photos provided by The Stone Giraffe and Adam Puchta Winery

You can’t go wrong with a bed-andbreakfast in Hermann, and The Stone Giraffe has the perfect blend of modern and traditional amenities. The common area features large windows overlooking the hilltop, an impressive stone fireplace and an upgraded kitchen where guests can get drinks and snacks as they please.

Sharon Havis, manager of the B&B, welcomed us with an open heart and tour of the property.

D i s c o v e r in g o u r t o w n The wineries Hermann is known for its numerous wineries, and there’s no better place to enjoy the summer or early fall months. Keep in mind when planning your trip that wineries are the perfect daytime activity because most of them close at 6 p.m.

• Stone Hill Winery This adorable winery nestled right by the Missouri River has staked a claim in the wine industry. The winery opened in 1847 and became the second largest winery in the United States. The wine boasts eight medals at World’s Fairs. Since then, Prohibition took a toll on the Missouri wine industry, but thanks to the restoration of the winery in 1965, Stone Hill produces around 260,000 gallons of wine annually. Mill around the wine shop, or visit the tasting room to try all of Stone Hill’s creations. My personal favorite was the Steinberg Red, which happens to be a popular seller. We sipped wine and munched on cheese and crackers. A side note for anyone hoping to do the same: We recommend coming equipped for a meal or snack, unless you prefer the picnic feel we had sans plates and napkins.

• Adam Puchta This quaint winery is a bit out of the downtown hustle and bustle (so make sure you have a designated driver!), but it’s an ideal location to learn about wine pairings.

Taste a variety of its wines all the way from sweet whites and dry reds to dessert wines and ports. Wine masters will teach you which ones to pair with which foods, including salty snacks, sweet treats and savory dishes.

• OakGlenn Vineyards and Winery If you haven’t had enough wine by the 6 p.m. closing time of a number of the wineries, schedule OakGlenn as a later stop. During the summer hours, the winery stays open until 10 p.m., when you can find guests grooving to late-night live music. Bands are scheduled every weekend in the summer, so make sure to check out the schedule on the winery’s website, oakglenn.com.

Sugar Momma’s If you’re on the hunt for delectable chocolate to pair with your freshly purchased red wine, the front windows of Sugar Momma’s are sure to lure you in. Inside, endless baskets house individually wrapped candy for purchase, and homemade truffles and fudge taunt you from the glass display cases. Priced at only $10 a piece, the homemade pie is definitely something you won’t be leaving without.

Tin Mill Brewing Co. Historic lodging

If you haven’t caught on to the trend yet, there are lots of beverages to be enjoyed in Hermann. The Tin Mill Brewing Co. is a must if you are with someone who isn’t necessarily a wine drinker. The brewery features craft beers as well as fun concoctions of mixed beer drinks. I ordered a beerita (a margarita mixed with beer), which was pretty tasty, but I couldn’t help stealing a few sips of Ryan’s Root Bock Float, a delicious adult version of a childhood favorite. Make sure to watch for the introduction of Tin Mill’s fall beers beginning in September when the brewery launches its pumpkin lager and Oktoberfest brews.

The Concert Hall and Barrel This downtown saloon is housed in a historic location that was built in 1878. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner and features German specialties year round. The kitchen generally closes around 10 p.m., when it becomes a hot spot for locals, wedding parties, guests in town for the weekend and anyone looking for a good time.

Black Walnut Bistro Recommended by Sharon at The Stone Giraffe, the Black Walnut Bistro offers intimate dining located close to other shops and attractions. The homemade pastas sparked my interest as an Italian food-lover, but the menu offers a variety of food, including fish tacos, surf ’n’ turf and appetizer options.

Hermann Wurst Haus Whether you’re looking for lunch or even an afternoon snack, you can pop in to the Hermann Wurst Haus. Taste samples of sausages and cheeses to take home and prepare yourself, or stay and dine at the shop. Enjoy awardwinning bratwurst and side dishes coupled with craft beer or soda.

McKittrick Katy Trail Head Not far from the festivities in Hermann is McKittrick, Missouri, where there is a trailhead for Katy Trail. Jog, bike or walk this portion of the trail to get some fresh air after your afternoon of wine, or get a little physical activity in before noshing on bratwursts and indulging in local brews and wine. If you didn’t plan ahead and bring your bikes, don’t worry. The Ride Rest and Go Bicycle Shop will supply you with rented bikes for an afternoon. Make a reservation on the shop’s website, riderestandgo.com.

Upcoming festivities If you don’t have time for a weekend away in August or September, you can’t miss out on the infamous Oktoberfest that takes place in Hermann each year. During the first four weekends in October, the city goes all out to promote its German influence.

The smell of cooking brats lingers in the air, and the beer and wine are continuously flowing. Don’t forget about the Hermann Trolley to cart you from lodging to the festivities. Visit experiencehermann.com for more details as the event draws near.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 35

STYLE BY MITCHELL

FASHION HOME

LIFESTYLE

p. (773) 354-5859 mitchelldrinkardpr@gmail.com

S E T

Style a

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Feel fashionable no matter the location or time.

Styled By mitchell drinkard hair and makeup by blanc studio Clothing provided by Dillard’s and Bingham’s Modeled by Samantha C hristian and BrYan Link

The key to a successful date is blending comfort with confidence. When you look good, you feel good, and that translates directly to how you present yourself.

Create a lasting impression from first glance to goodnight kiss.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 37

Style Own th ese trendy daytime looks.

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Spruc e it up with romantic ev enin gw ear.

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Style columbiahomemagazine.com | 39

Style Dress to impress for a night out on the town.

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These bachelors and bachelorettes are looking for love right here in Columbia.

Photos by Anthony Jinson | Styled by Mitchell Drinkard Hair and makeup by Victoria Araujo, Jennifer Hovis and Leigh Rogers Clothing by Dillard’s, Macy’s, Victoria’s Bridal and Chelsay Russell Horses provided by Stephens College Equestrian Department

A big thank you to the Daly family for the location and backdrop.

42 | August/september 2014

DRESS: Claudia Rose

by Allure Bridals, Victoria’s Bridal.

NECKLACE: Bar III, Macy’s. EARRINGS: Cezanne, Dillard’s.

ANDREA GAYER AGE: 30

INTERESTED IN: Men

PROFESSION: Veterinary technician at Rolling Hills Veterinary Hospital

HER PERFECT PARTNER: Most importantly, Andrea looks for chemistry on a first date. She’s interested in someone who can make her laugh.

Ideally, this man is outgoing but also doesn’t mind spending a quiet evening at home. Her future husband is a family man and either has kids already or wants them someday.

EVER BEEN MARRIED? No, but she would like to someday.

KIDS? No, but she is open to dating someone with children.

ABOUT ANDREA: It’s no surprise Andrea is an animal-lover and owns a black lab and a few kitties herself. Working at an animal hospital has its perks because it takes her just minutes to get ready, but on her days off, she enjoys getting dressed up and experimenting with new makeup. In five years, she sees herself married with a few kids living the American Dream. One day she hopes to travel to all 50 states.

VEST: Murano, Dillard’s.

PANTS: Calvin Klein, Dillard’s. SHIRT: Calvin Klein, Dillard’s. BELT: Roundtree & Yorke, Dillard’s. SHOES: Johnston and Murphy, Mitchell’s collection.

DR. JOSEPH D. RICH AGE: 28

INTERESTED IN: Women

PROFESSION: Optometrist at Eyedentity Eyewear Williams & Associates Eyecare

HIS PERFECT PARTNER: Initially, J.D. will notice a woman’s eyes (he is an optometrist after all), but the best way to his heart is a sweet smile or loving his dogs. His dream girl is friendly and fun-loving with plenty of energy. He also values someone who is patient, intelligent and career-oriented like he is.

EVER BEEN MARRIED? No, but he would like to someday.

KIDS? He doesn’t have any kids of his own and would prefer to date someone without children yet.

ABOUT J.D.: Evident from his photo, J.D. is the outdoorsy type. You can usually find him mountain biking, hiking or out with his three Boxers. He loves working out and working on his house. If he takes you on a date, it will most likely be somewhere with a fun patio. Otherwise, he’s pretty adventurous with different types of cuisines and thoroughly enjoys a great brunch menu.

DRESS: MariLee by Madeline Gardener, Victoria’s Bridal.

EARRINGS: Cezanne, Dillard’s. BRACELET: BCBG, Macy’s.

JENNY McLAURY AGE: 33 PROFESSION: Makeup artist and freelance esthetician INTERESTED IN: Men EVER BEEN MARRIED? No, but she would like to someday.

KIDS? A 9-year old son

ABOUT JENNY: Jenny is your all-American girl. She’s a busy mom of one who loves cheering on her son’s baseball team. She gets excited about traveling and hopes to see all of Castle Country in France. Ideally, Jenny would like to find herself living back on land with horses (clearly she’s a natural with them) and married with another kid.

HER PERFECT PARTNER: She is looking for someone to build a life with. “I don’t want someone who is perfect — just perfect for me,” Jenny says. Her future husband will find joy in each day, whether it’s enjoying an evening out on the town or lounging around in pajamas. She’s still waiting for her perfect first date, so the opportunity is yours, gentlemen!

SHIRT: Calvin Klein, Dillard’s. PANTS: Calvin Klein, Dillard’s.

SUSPENDERS: Roundtree & Yorke, Dillard’s. PAGE BOY HAT: Cremieux, Dillard’s. BOOTS: Mitchell’s collection.

NATHAN TODD AGE: 32 PROFESSION: General manager at Bleu Restaurant and Catering INTERESTED IN: Men EVER BEEN MARRIED? No, but fingers crossed it will be legal one day and will hopefully find his way to the front of the church.

KIDS? No but definitely wants them

ABOUT NATHAN: In his professional life, Nathan is very content. “I love my job and see myself doing what I’m doing five years from now,” he says. He’s also been pretty successful at checking things off his bucket list, though he’s still hoping to conquer a standup comedy routine. His friends say he looks a bit serious at first meeting, but he’s a loveable guy who enjoys everything from kayaking and hiking to cooking and yoga.

HIS PERFECT PARTNER: Nathan is looking for a man who isn’t afraid to get a little dirty while playing on the farm but can also clean up nicely for a nice dinner or an event in Columbia. He must be able to keep up with Nathan’s adventurous spirit and keep his clothes properly ironed. And a killer smile doesn’t hurt.

7

DRESS: Adriann Papell, Dillard’s.

NECKLACE: SugarLips, Dillard’s.

EARRINGS: Kate Spade, Dillard’s.

JENNIFER WESSELMAN AGE: 30 PROFESSION: Owner of Jennifer Wesselman State Farm Insurance INTERESTED IN: Men EVER BEEN MARRIED? Yes, but she is divorced.

KIDS? Four-year-old twins, Brooklynn and Brennan

ABOUT JENNIFER: She describes herself as a strong extrovert with ambitious goals both personally and professionally who’s grounded by her traditional values and loyal to those in her circle. She’s immediately attracted to confident men and enjoys any type of dessert. She has a major sweet tooth. Jennifer is always up for a good time and thinks concerts and sporting events are the perfect first dates.

HER PERFECT PARTNER: As a business owner and mom of two, Jennifer appreciates someone with a flexible schedule, but she hopes to meet someone who is spontaneous, self-driven and established with strong values. Her ideal man has a strong personality, is humorous and would be up for traveling and exploring with her.

8

SHIRT: Calvin Klein, Dillard’s. PANTS: Roundtree & Yorke, Dillard’s. SUSPENDERS: Roundtree & Yorke, Dillard’s. STRAW HAT: Cremeiux, Dillard’s.

NATHAN “SHAGS” McLEOD AGE: 36

INTERESTED IN: Women

PROFESSION: Radio DJ on 96.7 KCMQ’s Morning Shag

ABOUT SHAGS: Shags’ sense of humor is what you’ll notice first; he says the best way to his heart is through his chest cavity. He’s comedic and entertaining while being wildly free-spirited. He loves being in the wilderness and capturing “life’s awkwardly beautiful moments” with his camera.

EVER BEEN MARRIED? No, and he isn’t really in a rush to get married.

KIDS? No kids, but he wouldn’t be opposed to dating someone with kids as long as he was introduced only if things were serious.

HIS PERFECT PARTNER: He would love to meet a woman who is a creative and free thinker with a sense of humor equal to his own. She must appreciate Mother Nature and be willing to join him on his adventures fishing, camping and hiking. A beautiful smile wouldn’t hurt either.

Tank: Victoria Araujo’s personal collection Shorts: Chelsay Russell, Stephens fashion student Sheer skirt: Victoria’s Bridal Belt: Victoria’s Bridal Necklace: Givenchy, Macy’s Earrings: Rachael Roy, Macy’s Bracelets: Millie’s personal collection

Millie Lovett Age: 42 Profession: General manager at The Blue Note Interested in: Men Ever been married? Yes, and she’s more interested in a domestic partnership than another marriage.

Kids? No kids, but she wouldn’t be opposed to dating someone with kids.

About Millie: Millie loves the music scene and being surrounded by people. Whether she’s planning or attending a party, she enjoys both. At times, she will surprise people because she has a rocker image and can be found mudding in her Jeep or fishing, but she also knits and scrapbooks. She sees herself continuing to be in the live music industry, whether it’s staying at The Blue Note or becoming a tour manager.

Her perfect partner: Because Millie works nights, she needs someone who is understanding of her career and independence. Ideally, she would like a man with a pick-up-and-go lifestyle who would accompany her on camping trips and to music festivals. To her, there’s nothing better than a bearded man with patience and a sense of humor.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 43

Vest: Murano, Dillard’s Shirt: Murano, Dillard’s Pants: Perry Ellis, Dillard’s

DR. ERIC BOYD Age: 35 Profession: Dentist at The Colonies Dental Center Interested in: Women Ever been married? No, but he would like to be someday.

Kids? No, but he would be open to dating someone with kids.

44 | August/september 2014

About Eric: He is an avid sports fan and has dreams of getting back into coaching football someday while still maintaining his practice. His active personality continues outdoors where he enjoys camping, hunting, fishing and hiking. One day he hopes to get to Europe and see all of it so he can check it off his bucket list.

His perfect partner: Eric is looking for a lady who is down to earth with strong family values but isn’t afraid to be a bit wild and free. Ideally, she is a person who values health and is smart and interesting. Most importantly, he wants someone who challenges him while accepting herself.

SPENCER RUYLE & AMANDA BRUCKERHOFF You might recognize Amanda’s radiant smile and great head of hair from last year’s Most Eligible Bachelorettes. The elementary assistant principal signed up to be one of seven lucky ladies to be paired with eligible bachelors in Columbia.

And as fate would have it, she met her perfect match.

"This sounds kind of crazy, but when I first met Amanda, I was mesmerized by her long flowing hair as she turned around," Spencer says. "It was almost like it was in slow motion."

But slow isn’t exactly the way the couple would describe how their relationship took off.

"We texted constantly the first week we met each other," Amanda says.

"It was almost as if one week was equivalent to three months of dating," Spencer adds.

Since then, the whirlwind of a year has been filled with lots of laughs and adventures for the couple.

"We both recently turned 30, and this was the right time in our lives to meet each other," Spencer says. "The whole relationship has been very fitting" "We’re committed to each other," Amanda says with a smile.

Ironically, just a few short days after Amanda muttered those words, Spencer got down on one knee and proposed on the balcony of the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas. Now the two are looking forward to living their lives together. columbiahomemagazine.com | 45

a whole new world Creating hope, offering opportunity and building families through adoption

By Kelsey Gillespy | Photos by w hitney buckner

48 | August/september 2014

Every day, 5,760 children become orphaned as they lose one or both of their parents. In Africa alone, more than 2 million children become orphans each year. And in a recent report, UNICEF estimated that there are between 143 million and 210 million orphans across the globe, a number comparable to two-thirds of the entire U.S. population. A small percentage of those orphans get adopted, but according to Adam Pertman, author of Adoption Nation, the United States adopts more children — both internationally and domestically — than the rest of the world combined.

J

Jack Jones personally knows the benefits of international adoption. When he was a child, his father protested the Chinese government and then became imprisoned and blacklisted by it and lost his esteemed position at a local university. When Jack publically parroted some of the things his father had said, fear rippled through the family. His mother warned him to be silent. Oppressed and out of options, Jack’s parents made the difficult decision to give their son a gift — the gift of a promising future. “They told me that I was going to go to America to have a better life,” Jack says.

After spending his first eight years in China, his parents placed him under the care of an adoptive mother in America. “You would think that an 8-year-old kid leaving his country and family would be sad or scared, but I just remember being really excited to come to America,” Jack says.

“For me, it felt like America would be a lot like heaven; everything would be perfect.”

Jack’s transition to American life was not as jarring as he would have imagined. “I remember feeling almost like I had moved from China, but everyone was still the same, and I hadn’t actually moved,” he says. On the other hand, his biological mother cried so much in the days following her son’s departure that she developed a chronic watery left eye.

Three years later, however, she also boarded a plane to America and frequently visited with her son.

Although the shift from one country to another did not initially affect Jack, it did make a lasting impact on him. “I didn’t make as strong of a bond with people, especially adult figures,” he says. “I never really missed China, and I got along fine with my adoptive mom, but it hasn’t been a super close bond like I see between my friends and their moms. I don’t know if that’s just a mechanism your brain tells itself when it knows it’s going to leave everyone: ‘You shouldn’t create tight bonds because this might happen again.’”

That fear of abandonment led Jack through low self-esteem and a series of depressive episodes that lasted until his mid-20s. Yet, since working through those issues, Jack has served in the U.S. National Guard, obtained a master’s degree in accounting, created a gaming website and given many motivational talks to youth. Additionally, his entrepreneurial spirit propelled him to the winner’s circle of the 2014 #BOOM Competi-

...there has been so much opportunity in America, and that is an invaluable gift.

— Jack Jones tion, helping him open his own CrossFit gym off West Broadway. “I think part of it is having lived in China and seeing how not free you can be,” Jack says. “There’s all this opportunity here, so I should take advantage of it. My Chinese mom struggled with whether or not she made the right choice, but there has been so much opportunity in America, and that is an invaluable gift. I’m really grateful that I got that opportunity. In the end, it has definitely been worth it.”

Despite U.S. dominance in the adoption arena and testimonies such as Jack’s, international adoption has been tapering off in recent years. Fewer and fewer children are experiencing international adoption, partially because of increasing international regulations. Some countries, such as Ghana, Guatemala, Kazakhstan and Rwanda, have completely shut their doors to international adoption.

Other nations have placed such rigid regulations on adoption laws that their doors might as well be closed to foreign countries. Effective in July,

for instance, Colombia will no longer accept nonColombian applications from families hoping to adopt a child younger than 6 years and 11 months old, unless it’s a child with special needs.

In 2011, Jack’s homeland began tacking on limitations to their laws as well. Single women are only allowed to adopt Chinese children with special needs, and the women must also sign an affidavit affirming to be heterosexual. China also forbids foreign adoptions to people who are morbidly obese or have facial deformities. If applicants suffer from blindness, schizophrenia or any terminal illness, their applications are also declined. Also, couples seeking to adopt must have been married for at least two years, a requirement that extends to five years if either of them was previously divorced. Not to mention, the families must have an annual income equal to $10,000 per family member and at least $80,000 in assets.

Due to these restrictions, the number of Chinese orphans has risen almost 50 percent in the past decade. Yet, the laws are not meant to stifle the adoption process. Instead, they’re intended to protect all parties involved. In fact, many of the countries are closing themselves to international adoption because of legitimate concerns that their orphans are actually victims of human trafficking. columbiahomemagazine.com | 49

50 | August/september 2014

W

When April Bass and her husband, Jamey, started pursuing adoption, they discovered this horrific reality for themselves. During her research, April found a correlation between the countries with the highest percentage of orphans reported and those with the highest percentage of black market baby selling reported. “It was incredibly discouraging to know that black market baby selling is rampant,” April says. “I can’t even imagine how heartbreaking that would be.”

Jamey echoes her sentiment: “In some countries, there’s a substantial amount of human trafficking, so it might be an illegal child you’re adopting, and you don’t even know it. It’s just an awful, awful situation.”

April and Jamey always knew they wanted to adopt children someday, but the goal was to have three biological children first. “I think the perception tends to make adoption look like it’s the mother’s decision,” Jamey says. “But it’s always been both of our plans to have multiple children and multiple adopted children.” Everything was

going according to plan when they conceived their son, Everett. But in 2009, when Everett was only 16 months old, April was diagnosed with estrogen-based breast cancer. After months of chemotherapy and several surgeries, April opted for a bilateral oopherectomy to minimize the chance of recurrence. The procedure took place 10 days before her 30th birthday, putting her into postmenopausal life before her own mother.

I think the perception tends to make adoption look like it’s the mother’s decision.

But it’s always been both of our plans to have multiple children and multiple adopted children.”

— Jamey Bass

“We wanted a big family, so having both ovaries removed was the most difficult choice I have ever made,” April says. “It changed my anatomy. It changed my hormones. It changed components of my entire body. But my concept of a family is possible regardless of my fertility.”

April conquered the illness in February 2010 and has since been on the road to recovery. Her last step in emotional healing is to grow her family through adoption. Yet, after the encroaching fears and difficulties of international adoption, she and Jamey began searching for their child on their own soil. “We thought originally about adopting internationally because we would look at conflicts and see parents being killed, but what do the children do?” she says. “There’s nothing; there’s no escape. And nationally, with domestic violence and drug abuse, there’s no escape for children either. It seems like so many of those situations are caused by adults, but the children suffer. It’s heartbreaking to see, so we just want to help in any way.” columbiahomemagazine.com | 51

52 | August/september 2014

A

Another couple, Ryan and Amy Longenecker, experienced similar situations regarding both health and adoption. The couple dated for seven years before marrying and moving to Columbia in 1999.

One year later, Amy needed major intestinal surgery. “We always knew we wanted to have children,” Amy says, “but we knew there was a possibility we wouldn’t be able to have a biological child because I have Crone’s disease.” Amy, who was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease when she was only 14 years old, had shouldered the weight of her possible infertility for more than a decade. Then after years of unsuccessful attempts to conceive a child, a fertility specialist confirmed her suspicions.

“For me, that was a weight lifted,” she says. “Always in the back of my mind, I’ve wondered if I could carry a child. I wondered if there was something wrong with me. Am I broken? And I took that weight on. So when the doctor said adoption was a great option, I was really excited.”

After praying about the doctor’s recommendation, the couple eagerly dived into the adoption process. “We started researching, talking to people and sharing our heart for adoption,” Amy

says. “We never considered it a second option. It was how God wanted to build our family.”

Eventually, their research and connections led them to the Love Basket, a Christian adoption agency based out of St. Louis. There they met with a social worker to discuss their hopes and dreams in regard to building their family. “It can feel like a very arduous process,” Amy says. “You almost feel like you have to prove yourself and prove that you’re an able and capable parent. It can be very stressful. All around, it’s a really great thing, but in the middle of it, it can feel like a lot.”

Then, after the strenuous paperwork and a nail-biting waiting period, a birth mother selected them as the adoptive parents for a baby boy named Carter. Amy and Ryan rushed to the Joplin hospital, and the doctors brought the baby to them when he was merely 1 minute old. The birth mother even elected for Ryan to cut the umbilical cord. “The interesting thing about adoption is that everything before the adoption was Ryan’s and my journey,” Amy says. “It was our journey to becoming parents, our journey to adopt, our journey during the entire adoption process.

But as soon as Carter was born, now it’s his story.”

A few years later, the story continued to develop as the Longenecker family began considering another adoption. Soon afterward, they brought home a baby girl named Isabelle. Although Carter was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old, the connection he has with his sister transcends his typical social struggles. “With Isabelle, it’s so cool because he has this true social-emotional connection with her that grows every day,” Amy says.

Not only do Carter and Isabelle wield huge hearts and an incredible capacity to love, but they are also musically gifted, a talent they share with their biological families. And through the gift of open adoptions, it’s a talent they frequently share with each other in person. “Adoption does not define either one of our kids,” Amy says. “It doesn’t define our family. But it is a piece of all of us, and the biggest blessing we’ve had is the beauty of an open adoption. Their biological families have given us such a gift. We could say thank you every day, and it’s not enough. Carter and Isabelle do feel like our own children, but we wanted them to always know they were adopted, to know how they became a part of our family and to help them see the beauty in that.” columbiahomemagazine.com | 53

missouri Adoption Agencies A Gift of Hope Adoptions 2401 Bernadette Drive, No. 209A Columbia, MO 65203 Phone: 573-356-0025 Website: agiftofhopeadoption.com Facebook: facebook.com/ aGiftofHopeAdoptions The Love Basket 10306 Business 21 Hillsboro, MO 63050 Phone: 636-797-4100 Email: Info@LoveBasket.org Website: lovebasket.org Lutheran Family and Children’s Services of Missouri 401 West Blvd., Suite B Columbia, MO 65203 Phone: 573-815-9955 Website: lfcsmo.org Facebook: facebook.com/pages/ Lutheran-Family-and-ChildrensServices-of-Missouri-MidMissouri American Adoptions 1125 Grand Blvd., Suite 1301 Kansas City, MO 64106 Phone: 1-800-236-7846 Website: missouri.adoption. americanadoptions.com Children’s Home Society of Missouri 1167 Corporate Lake Drive St. Louis, MO 63132 Phone: 314-968-2350 Website: chsmo.org Children’s Hope International 11780 Borman Drive St. Louis, MO 63146 Phone: 1-888-899-2349 Website: adopt.childrenshope.net Facebook: facebook.com/ ChildrensHope 54 | August/september 2014

LIVE the life you

Love

Finding your niche in life isn’t easy, but that hasn’t stopped these five Columbia seniors from chasing what they love. See how they’re making their dreams a reality as they pursue their passions after high school and beyond.

By Stephanie ku bas | PHOTOS BY Cas ey Buckman columbiahomemagazine.com | 55

Doublethe

alot of heart

Name: Ann Stone Post-grad plans:

Parsons The New School for Design

Major: Fashion design Dream job:

Broadway costume designer graduated from:

Rock Bridge Senior High 56 | August/september 2014

Anything you can do, I can do better. It’s the friendly rivalry behind this phrase that’s driven identical twins Ann and Abby Stone to continually improve in their respective interests. Now their dreams are taking them in different directions, but they’re sure their close bond will keep them connected.

Ann, an aspiring fashion designer, is headed to Parsons The New School for Design in New York City. Her love for fashion started early when Santa delivered a design kit; he probably didn’t know she’d be unwrapping a lifelong passion. “It’s always come naturally,” she says. “When I do a sketch of an outfit or model, I don’t even have to think about it.”

After setting her sights on the No. 1 fashion design school in the country, she’s been busy creating the ultimate accessory: her portfolio.

She attended Parsons’ summer sessions in New York and Paris and by junior year had completed its precollege academy. She even changed high schools to take advantage of more art-focused options.

Ambition As she looks to the future, Ann sees endless opportunities. “I’d love to design Broadway costumes and maybe eventually win a Tony,” she says. “I love the confidence that fashion brings and enjoy the whole production behind it. I can’t wait to see where it takes me.”

Abby has chosen a much different path at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where she’ll study political science with a minor in Russian and graduate as an officer in the Navy. Abby’s love of international affairs started in high school and further developed through her numerous studies abroad.

A competitive diver, she always assumed she’d pursue a more traditional route as a collegiate athlete. However, after attending the highly selective Naval Academy Summer Seminar program, she could envision a different future. “I just fell in love with it; it’s a perfect fit for me,” she says. She won’t be trading in her swim cap just yet though. Abby was officially recruited to the Division 1 Navy Women’s Swimming and Diving Team and will compete for Navy throughout college.

Although they’ll be living apart for the first time, the twins are sure that distance won’t affect their relationship or their sisterly rivalry. “I hope my sister never loses her competitive spirit because she’s gone so far with it,” Abby says.

“Many people don’t realize that the Naval Academy is among the very top colleges in the country,” Ann adds. “Abby is strong intellectually, physically and mentally. I know she’ll succeed.”

They both plan to live up to a quote that their parents, Tamara and Gilmore Stone, shared with them years ago, one they say has driven them to succeed. “Be willing to spend a few years of your life like most people won’t so you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t,” Abby recites.

“It means never settle; find what you want to do, and go after it," Ann says. “Even though the path might be challenging, you can achieve something amazing if you pursue your dreams.”

Name: Abby Stone Post-grad plans:

United States Naval Academy Major:

Political science

Dream job:

Secretary of State graduated from:

Rock Bridge Senior High

columbiahomemagazine.com | 57

SOARING TO

NEW HEIGHTS

Planes, trains and automobiles: Most young boys are fascinated with the whizzing world of transportation, but for Ian McMurtry, son of Paula and John McMurtry, it’s always been more of a calling. “I grew up close to the Pennsylvania Railroad, so I loved seeing trains,” he says. “But when we moved to Missouri, I didn’t have a railroad nearby to train spot, so I took my interests to the clouds.” He later became enthralled with American Trans Air and Song Airlines, which eventually morphed into a fascination with airplanes in general, and his future career took off from there — literally.

Ian is planning to attend Wichita State University in the fall to study aerospace engineering with the hopes of one day designing aircraft or becoming an airplane test pilot. A self-described aviation geek, or “avgeek” for short, he’s incredibly passionate about all things plane.

“I’ve always found math and science to be intriguing,” he says. “I love aviation, and the idea of being an aerospace engineer has been the goal since day one.”

It’s a dream he’s been working toward for years.

Throughout high school, Ian took flying lessons, and he uses social media to interact regularly with other avgeeks. He’s also a senior writer for AirlineGeeks. com, an online niche publication.

He’s now in the final stages of obtaining his pilot license. “The instructor flies with you until you master landing, taking off, steep turns, etc., which usually takes 30 to 40 hours of flight time,” Ian says. “Solo work follows, which should take around five hours. The flight work concludes with three

Name: Ian McMurtry Post-grad plans:

Wichita State University Major:

Aerospace engineering Dream job:

Aircraft design or test pilot graduated from:

Fr. Tolton Regional Catholic High School 58 | August/september 2014

flights to distant airports, a medical physical, a flight test and written test.”

According to Ian, piloting a plane is a feeling like no other. “I get a feeling of freedom and accomplishment while also understanding that I have a job to do,” he says. “To see the earth from a 180-degree view is amazing. Flying above the St. Louis Arch and over Faurot Field before the 100th homecoming game have been my most incredible experiences because I got to do something not many people have a chance to.”

As he thinks about the next four years at Wichita State University, he can’t help but look forward to the wide open skies ahead. “The school’s connections to the local aerospace employers really wowed me,” he says. “My goal is to join a large aerospace company either in Wichita or with Boeing Commercial in Seattle. I’m very passionate when it comes to aviation, and I have a vast knowledge about aircraft; it’s something I know I’d love to do every day.”

Before he takes off on his latest adventure, he hopes to assure others that the sky’s the limit.

“My advice is to not be afraid to do the hard work necessary to achieve your goals,” he says. “Don’t fear failure; you will always have friends and family to support you no matter what the outcome.”

THE Equation FOR

SUCCESS

“Why?” It’s the age-old question that plagues children across the world. And it’s one that Mingu Kim, son of Yumi and Dae Young Kim, has been asking since he can remember. An outgoing and passionate learner, he has always been fascinated with math and science, and they’ve led him to the prestigious Harvard University, where he’ll attend school this fall.

“There’s a good chance that my first sentence was a question because I’ve always been curious,” Mingu says. “I’m what you might call an explorer. I love doing calculations in my head, just for fun. The rigor and logic in math really interests me. But I also enjoy how science can sate my curiosity with the world around me.”

Over the years, Mingu has developed his skills through continual practice. He’s completed math and science research, participated in after-school organizations and even competed in numerous state, national and international competitions. He’s also incredibly passionate about music. In fact, he’s been playing the violin and piano since the age of 6 and composes whenever an idea hits. “Music has always been a very large part of my life, and I plan to continue during college by joining orchestra and taking private lessons,” he says. “It’s my creative outlet; it allows me to express emotions in ways that math and science can’t quite encompass.”

When it came time to plan for college, Mingu never had a question as to what he would pursue after high school. “The harder part for me was deciding exactly what I wanted to focus on,” he says. “My mind is very open, but I’m thinking about a major in applied mathematics and fulfilling requirements on the premed track as well.”

As he moves onto his next adventure, he’s eager to see what the future holds. “Ultimately, I’m divided between math and medicine,” he says. “I’m hoping that college will help me decide on one or integrate the two, but in the end I just want to be engaged in a career that I enjoy doing and that allows me to give back to the community in a meaningful way.”

Before he leaves Columbia, he has some final words of wisdom to share with future high school graduates.

“Every college has its own personality, so admissions officers aren’t just evaluating you based on numbers but on how you’d fit in the college’s community,” he says.

“Your application is a chance to show colleges who you are. Always be true to yourself, balance your academics and social life, keep a good sense of humor and an open mind. Those four pieces of advice are tenets of my own personal philosophy and have really helped me so far.”

Name: Mingu Kim Post-grad plans:

Harvard University Major:

Applied mathematics and pre-med Dream job:

Cutting-edge researcher and musician on Saturdays graduated from:

Hickman High School

columbiahomemagazine.com | 59

Dancing TOward

A DREAM If you ask most girls, they’ll probably tell you that they wanted to be a ballerina at one point in their lives. But for Pam and Wes Stricker's daughter Stephanie, who will be studying dance at the renowned Juilliard School this fall, that wasn’t always the case. Although she began dancing at age 3, it wasn’t until much later that the interest became a true passion.

“At the time, it was just like any other activity I was in including T-ball, gymnastics, swim team, golf, piano and tennis,” she says. “It wasn’t until age 10, when my mom let me join the competition team, that I became really invested. When dance got even more demanding in high school, I knew I had to decide if I was going to keep going or tone it down.”

Torn between pursuing dance and studying pre-med, Stephanie did her research. “I looked into nearly 10 schools that offered both dance and a great education,” she says.

“By the beginning of my senior year, I’d decided that I wanted to focus on dance. At that point, I just knew I couldn’t give up on what I love to do, so I started auditioning to see what was out there.”

For most colleges with dance programs, the application process requires a live or taped audition. For Juilliard, however, Stephanie underwent five different auditions: a ballet class, modern class, solo performance, choreography lesson and interview. On top of that, she had to send in test scores and her GPA much like a typical college application.

Although this process might overwhelm most students, Stephanie leaped ahead.

“I would describe myself as determined,” she says. “I love a great challenge and trying new things. Columbia Performing Arts Center trained me to be ready for my journey to the dance world, which really helped. We train every day of the week for five hours in ballet, tap, jazz and contemporary. What gave me that extra boost was traveling on the weekend to conventions with intensives taught by teachers from all over the world.”

Her hard work and dedication undoubtedly paid off. Stephanie was one of 12 girls worldwide accepted to the Juilliard School’s fall 2014 class. “It was a very big honor,” she says. “I ultimately chose dance as my career because it is something that I love to do. I am very thankful that I was able to find my passion at such a young age. I spent so much of my time training and dancing that I couldn’t imagine my life without it.”

To Stephanie, all the world’s a stage, and she’s ready to be front and center. And she hopes others adopt the same perspective. “My advice to people pursuing their dreams is to go for it; there’s never a dream too big,” she says. “If you have passion for something, then pursue it, and don’t let others negatively influence you. Live your life how you desire.”

Name: Stephanie Stricker Post-grad plans:

The Juilliard School Major: Dance

Dream job: Perform in a worldwide dance company graduated from:

Rock Bridge Senior High 60 | August/september 2014

columbiahomemagazine.com | 61

Helen and Bill Graves 62 | August/september 2014

A lifetime of trust and courage create an undeniable bond and a heartwarming story.

loveandwar

B

By Molly Wright | Photos by Anthony Jinson

Bill and Helen originally moved into a third-floor apartment Bill Graves was a newly enlisted marine scheduled to be shipped on the corner of Hitt and Pacquin streets. Without a car, they off to war when he asked Helen Fenton to wait for him. Her anwalked to the University of Missouri campus, where Bill atswer, which brought a smile to his face back then, launched a tended classes and Helen worked as a secretary at the Univerlove story that spans seven decades and continues to be an inspisity Bookstore. So when Bill’s sister and brother-in-law offered ration to those who know and love the couple today. to rent them a trailer close to campus for only $8 a month, they Columbia natives Bill and Helen met while attending Hickman jumped at the chance. However, Helen wasn’t too crazy about High School. Bill remembers she was pretty cute, and Helen recalls the fact that it didn’t have a bathroom, and they had to use a it was his carrot red hair that caught her eye. But it wasn’t until afshower house. “That wasn’t any fun,” she says. ter they graduated in 1943 that they started dating, and even then In 1948, Bill passed the civil service exam and landed a job they only went out a few times. With WWII raging overseas, Bill with the post office. He started off with a walking route, deliverwas called up and enlisted with the Marines in April 1944. “I had a ing the mail twice a day. “If you mailed a letter in Jefferson City brother in the Army, my sister was an Army nurse, and my brothin the morning, we would deliver it in the afternoon,” he says. er-in-law was in the Army, so I didn’t want to go into the Army,” he About a year later, the Graves purchased their first home from says. The couple didn’t see each other again until Bill finished boot Helen’s dad on some property he owned just off Creasy Springs camp that summer. It was then that he asked Helen to wait for him.

Road. The couple soon acquired a milk cow and some chickens.

For the next two years, they corresponded by mail and got to But country living also meant hauling water from a cistern and know each other better. “He courted me through letters,” Helen going without a phone. “If we paid $300, we could have gotten says. But according to Bill, communication during that time was a phone,” Bill says, referring to how expensive often hit and miss. it was in those days just to install a phone line.

“You couldn’t tell where you were, and they “He courted me In September 1950, Helen gave birth to censored your mail,” he says. through letters.” their son Phil just three months before Bill was In addition, with his outfit always on the — Helen Graves called to serve in the Korean War as part of move, there was no guarantee the mail would an artillery unit. “We moved every day,” he says. “I didn’t know even reach them. “If they knew what outfit you were in, they where I was; I was just in Korea.” Before being discharged in could figure out sometimes where you were,” he says.

January 1952, Bill was promoted to sergeant. In the fall of that Discharged in August 1946, Bill, who had been promoted to same year, the couple welcomed their second child, Carla; two corporal, returned to the States and quickly reenlisted with the years later they had John, and in 1956 they welcomed another Marines. “I saw an article in the paper that said you could keep daughter, Glenda. your rank if you re-enlisted for four years,” he says. He also wastAs the family grew, they moved several times. All the while, ed no time in asking Helen to marry him.

Bill continued to work for the post office. “I walked, and then I “He wouldn’t leave me alone,” she says, adding that though she had a parcel post truck, then I rode a three-wheel scooter,” he was interested, it took some begging on his part before she said yes. says. When he wasn’t working at the post office, he typically took The couple tied the knot on Sept. 22, 1946, at the First Bapon side jobs to support his family, such as throwing newspapers tist Church. “We were married by the same minister that marand working at a radiator shop. ried Helen’s folks,” Bill says. columbiahomemagazine.com | 63

When the post office offered him the job of purchasing agent in Springfield, Missouri, Bill refused and instead accepted another rural route so his family could stay in Columbia. Helen says they knew they made the right decision when that department was eventually relocated to Chicago. “I wouldn’t be happy in a big city,” she says. After his truck was rear-ended, requiring Bill to have back surgery, he retired from the post office in 1980 after 32 years.

L ik e s o m a ny o t h e r s who have served

their country, Bill rarely talks about his military experiences, though he says he would do it again. Helen knows she will never fully understand what her husband went through.

“I guess because he didn’t talk about it, I didn’t realize how different it was,” she says.

For John, his dad’s reticence is something he has grown to understand over the years. “We didn’t know why our father was so quiet about his time in the military when we were growing up,” he says. “Now that I’m older, I think it was a reflection of what those men went through.”

Glenda agrees. “I wonder how many of the men our dad’s age went through the problems that are facing the young men who come home today, but nobody said anything about it at the time.”

64 | August/september 2014

In 2012, Bill went on an Honor Flight, a special program that transports America’s veterans to Washington, D.C. so they can visit memorials dedicated to their honor. Helen says her husband was reluctant to go for many years. “He’s very proud of his service,” she says. “But he’s uncomfortable being honored.”

But according to Phil, the trip turned out to be a wonderful experience for his dad. “He mentioned that he wished he had done it earlier because it was enjoyable, and he was glad he went.”

As a result of the trip, Bill also reconnected with a fellow veteran.

“I recognized a name on the Honor Flight list of a man I went to boot camp with from Mexico, Missouri,” Bill says. “I found out he was at the VA hospital. So I took a picture from boot camp over and showed it to him and said, ‘This is you, right?’ That was the first time I’ve seen him since 1944.”

T o d ay, t h e Am e r ic a n fl a g flies proudly in front of Bill and Helen’s house, a quiet testament to the country they love and in many ways a symbol of their lasting commitment to each other. The Graves will celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary in September. Three of their children live in Columbia. Glenda works

at Downtown Appliance, where her brother John is part-owner of the business along with his brother-in-law, Don Helmreich. Don was married to Carla, who died unexpectedly in 2010. Phil works for CenturyTel. The Graves also have seven grandchildren. Bill and Helen stay active with memberships at the ARC; they work out several days a week. “They do more than I do,” Phil says. “They’re busier than I am.”

The Graves’ children are proud of their father’s military service, but perhaps most of all, they appreciate the values their parents taught them over the years and continue to teach them today. “Because of the love and security they gave to us as children, when I became a young adult and married and had kids, I drew on those memories and feelings, which gave me strength to face the challenges that most young adults go through,” Glenda says.

For John, his parents taught them the importance of respecting others. “Treat others the way you would want to be treated, and overall, do the right thing,” he says.

All the Graves kids agree their parents showed them the value of hard work, the importance of faith and the rewards of staying together for the long haul. “Because they have always loved each other and stayed together, they taught us to stick with a relationship,” Phil says.

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Sherry Hockman, University Health Care System and Columbia Home have teamed up to bring patients at University Health Care the opportunity to have a gift — a gift of hope. Each chosen patient receives a room redesign to help him or her cope with his or her medical challenges and feel at ease. These projects would not be possible without the help of volunteers.

Strength to S u r viv e B y K RISTI LUTHER Photos by Angelique Hunter

K

Kelly Kraus knows a thing or two about strength: both inner and outer strength.

As the only woman working in a plumbing supply warehouse, she takes pride in carrying her weight just like the men. After being diagnosed with breast cancer last year, Kelly learned to channel her inner strength, which she says is “all about positive attitude.”

When Sherry Hockman called Kelly, 50, to tell her she had won a room redesign through Room of Hope, Kelly says she was surprised but thrilled.

“As women, many of us relate to the fear of breast cancer,” Sherry says. “It’s a lot to take on emotionally, so I was thrilled to do this for Kelly.”

Kelly’s journey began roughly three years ago when doctors found a cyst during a routine mammogram. Over the next few years, she noticed a bump that seemed to be growing rapidly. A biopsy showed it was breast cancer.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 67

After treatment reduced the size of a mass in one breast, another mass was discovered in the other. Fortunately for Kelly, she responded well to chemotherapy and radiation. “Doctors gave me a tough chemo round because I was pretty healthy and strong,” she says. She will be done with her Herceptin treatments by November, and she says she has a good shot at being cancer free.

A little this, a little that “Oh my!” Kelly yells choking back tears as she enters her redesigned room.

It’s exactly what she wanted. The rich purples and Victorian furnishings in her bedroom parallel her traditional taste in the rest of her home. Even dogs Bubba and Sasha, a Boston terrier and English bulldog, came in to check out the new digs.

“She’s got an edge to her, so I went ahead and brought in the zebra print,” Sherry says as Kelly laughs and covers her mouth with excitement.

Kelly is far from cookie cutter. Anyone who knows Kelly knows her one true love is reflected more in the edgy elements of her new room; riding her Harley trike around Columbia with her spouse, Charlie Knigge, remains her favorite pastime.

If she and Charlie aren’t in the garage or outside working on their motorcycles, Kelly says they’re relaxing in her bedroom, complete with a California king bed.

“She wanted a place to rest and get away, and that’s a pretty basic desire,” Sherry says. “I just wanted to give her a peaceful space.” Lightdiminishing window treatments, bath salts and rich purple bedding add to the theme of relaxation.

B r o nz e l a mp s wi t h V ic t o r i a n d e ta il s , a chandelier and rich purple hues create a traditional vibe on a low budget. “It’s definitely tough to do Victorian locally on a low budget, but my team and I did our best to do it well and give it a little edge,” Sherry says.

68 | August/september 2014

Although Kelly says she trusted Sherry’s ideas and vision, she did have two requests throughout the redesign process. One was to mount her TV up above her dresser, if possible. As an avid NASCAR fan, she risked a crick in her neck watching races on her TV’s low position.

Her second request was to coordinate donations from her warehouse to help the Room of Hope project. “Here I am trying to serve her, and she’s asking how she can help Room of Hope,” Sherry says. Sherry aims to make a big impact with the resources she has, but the project is still relatively small scale. Spreading the word about Room of Hope and getting more volunteers and companies to donate are key parts of being able to complete bigger more elaborate projects.

Fortunately, Room of Hope recipients and their loved ones have stayed involved and volunteered at other recipients’ redesigns. Kelly will undoubtedly be no exception and is working to contribute whatever materials her company, Columbia Winnelson, is able to.

Even through chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries, Kelly has maintained a giving spirit. “She’s always thinking about someone else even in her darkest hours,” says Dawn Frederick, a breast nurse navigator at Ellis Fischel. Dawn presented Kelly with the information to apply for Room of Hope and has been present during her treatment the past year.

She surprised Kelly at the reveal, and several other University Hospital employees also attended.

Coping with cancer Kelly doesn’t shy away from hard work, so receiving so much information and consideration for her cancer was strange, she says. She works with no air conditioning in a warehouse and also has a mowing business with Charlie. She isn’t used to being idle. Despite rigorous chemotherapy, she only missed a few days of work. At work and at Ellis Fischel, Kelly says she was treated like a capable person.

“My boss and all the amazing people at Ellis Fischel really helped me to push forward and not just feel like a sickness,” she says.

Her royal blue trike and loyal partner, Charlie, helped Kelly through a trying year. She and Charlie ride often and once a year travel to Waynesville, Missouri, for a Harley-Davidson event. Wind in her hair on an open road with the man she loves seems to serve her best. “He really is the best partner I could ask for,” Kelly says. “He shaved his head with me and kept telling me I was strong.” columbiahomemagazine.com | 69

A few weeks into treatment, Kelly brushed her hair and found it was filling up the brush.

She decided then she didn’t want to go through the pain of seeing her hair fall out little by little.

“You’re the same person with or without hair, so why not make the best of it?” Kelly asks. She rotated between bandanas and a wig her friend made. She is donating the rest of her wigs to others going through similar treatments because wigs can be expensive.

Support from loved ones fueled her to put a smile on her face even when days were difficult, but there was one thing she wouldn’t accept. “I

“I appreciate people asking how I am, but I don’t want pity. Despite the cancer, I can still watch my grandson grow up and have a great life.”

— Kelly Kraus appreciate people asking how I am, but I don’t want pity,” she says. “Despite the cancer, I can still watch my grandson grow up and have a great life.”

Hayden, 4, already has a knack for motorcycles. Kelly describes him as a joy when he hops on a bike or jumps into her bed that’s 10 times his size. She, Hayden, Charlie and dogs Bubba and Sasha can now pile into a Victorian oasis. In fact, the bed is Kelly’s favorite part of her new space.

“I work outside all day, so when you lay in bed, you just want to be peaceful,” she says.

And peace is exactly what Kelly’s Room of Hope gives her. Because we all, especially the hardest working among us, deserve a little rest.

A special thank you to:

Kelly and Sherry Hockman, project manager, share a special moment when Kelly sees her redesigned room for the first time.

70 | August/september 2014

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Heart 74 | August/september 2014

By Kristi McCa nn PHOTOS BY Angeliq ue Hunter

It’s where families gather over home-cooked meals and guests sip on cocktails, where chefs pour over recipes to find the perfect dish and where kids learn how to measure out ingredients.

The kitchen is the place that feeds your soul and lets traditions live on. It’s the center of a family and most fondly referred to as the heart of the home.

Turn the page to read how t wo local ladies created their ow n spaces where life’s little moments could thrive.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 75

R e b uilding with a Rem o de l You would never know it after talking with Megan Hoyt, but she and her family took tragedy and turned it into opportunity. About a year ago, Joplin residents Megan and Daniel Hoyt returned to Columbia after their house was ripped apart by the 2011 tornado.

They were in need of a fresh start and a familiar place. Daniel, a urologist, had completed his residency in Columbia. And by settling in back here, Megan vowed they would take this opportunity to create a home that was truly theirs.

“The house was built in the mid-’90s and was in need of a lot of updating,” Megan says. One casual trip to Designer Kitchen and Baths where she clicked with contractor Billy Stewart later, and a full-blown remodel was in the works.

“I wanted a white kitchen with bead board and an apron sink,” she says. “He just understood my vision. He has a great personality, listens to the clients, and he’s been doing this for 20 years plus. It was nice to work with someone who complemented me.”

The 12-week, four-room remodel came in at a mere $100 over estimated budget and with homeowners who couldn’t be happier. “It’s important to never give false hope and be straight forward and honest from the beginning,” Billy says.

Not only was the experience positive for the whole family, but Megan also knew she had a team working on her home that she could count on.

“Billy was very respectful,” she says. “Up front, he let me know the process, timeline and what to expect. I can’t even express how great it was to work with [Billy and his team]. He even hired a housekeeper to come clean my entire first floor after the remodel was finished. Who does that?”

“I wanted to make sure Megan and Dan’s experience was a good one,” Billy says. “I gave them a fair warning that going through a remodel is a bumpy road to help them prepare for it.”

“Ask anyone,” Megan says. “I wasn’t big into cooking before, and now I’m inspired to take advantage of the farmers market and cook healthy meals for my kids.

“What do I love about my kitchen?” she continues. “What don’t I love about my kitchen?”

76 | August/september 2014

A fe w of Mega n ’s favor i te t hin gs • Br ick floor: This was an element of the kitchen both Megan and Daniel were passionate about. They searched to find the perfect fit that gives their kitchen a Southern flair: a tumbled brick that was the same thickness as tile designed just for them. The unique flooring also doubles as a nap area for the Hoyts' dogs, Franklin and Avery Jane.

• Butcher b lock cou nterto p : According to Megan, Billy hit the nail on the head with the countertop. It was exactly what she wanted, and she loves how the walnut pops against the cabinets but still holds its own against the brick floor. “We wouldn’t have achieved that same look with wood flooring,” she says.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 77

Con t emp o r a ry C o nfidence

The masterpiece that Barb Schlemeier designed was inspired by a trip to England about eight years ago. “I was in a shop and saw these cabinets I now have in my kitchen,” she says. “I knew at that moment I had to have them.”

The pristine cabinets have a sheen to them that isn’t commonly seen in kitchens. To offset the shininess of the cabinets, Barb chose to go with a honed granite countertop, and she couldn’t be more pleased.

The room’s details were flushed out with the help of her good design friend, Mary Cheavens. Together, they designed Barb’s cooking space from start to finish, and she says she would design it exactly the same all over again.

But this certainly wasn’t her first go around. She had designed the kitchens in her two previous homes, and she made her current kitchen similar to her last.

“I just tweaked it a little,” she says.

Barb and Mary worked with the craftsmanship of Andy Werth to make sure everything was built just right in the kitchen. “I wanted a walk-in wine 78 | August/september 2014

cellar that doubled as a cooler, and people thought I was just crazy,” Barb says.

“But in the end, we got it done.”

Unlike a lot of women who design kitchens solely for entertaining purposes, Barb chose the layout and details of her kitchen not only for having her family over but also for creating delicious baked goods.

“Barb gets up every day to work out at 4:30 a.m. so she can keep baking like this,” says Barb’s husband, Terry.

And boy is Terry spoiled. Barb has always been a great baker. “I won the Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow Award in high school,” she says grinning from ear to ear.

She has perfected homemade bread and spent a full year coupling her passion for baking with volunteerism when she partnered with Carole Patterson, Alex George and a number of community members to create the cookbook Secret Ingredient.

A fe w of Barb’s favor i te t hings • Prep area: Barb created a space just off the main part of the kitchen for prep work and experimenting with recipes, complete with swinging glass doors. “I had to put frosted glass on the doors because I’m a bit messy,” Barb says.

• Floating cabinet: To flow the cooking area into the dining area, Barb decided to install a cabinet along the wall next to the table. It was a custom piece Andy designed that creates the illusion that it’s hovering above the floor.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 79

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DKB • KITCHEN

KITCHEN RESCUE The professionals at Riback/DKB Kitchen and Baths Showroom team up with the Hoyt family to make their dream kitchen a reality.

T

The Hoyt family’s kitchen was overdue for a remodel. Who better to call than Riback/DKB Kitchen and Bath Showroom? Here are a few tips that were kept in mind as the Hoyt’s journeyed through the remodel project.

Step 1: Planning

When the Hoyt family first started planning their kitchen remodel, they started by reflecting on their lifestyle.. They planned for function, efficiency, style and longevity to be their priorities.

When planning for your kitchen remodel some things to consider: • Is this a refresh or complete remodel?

• How do you use your kitchen?

• Collect pictures of kitchens and features that you like

Step 2: Setting a Budget

Setting a budget for a kitchen remodel is a key step. Here are a few things to keep in mind while working out a number: • How much can I afford?

• Plan 10% to 15% more for the unexpected.

• Plan all the details.

Since the Hoyt’s had spent time developing a plan and priorities for how extensive their kitchen’s remodel was going to be, setting a budget was much easier.

Step 3: Choosing an Industry Professional

With a basic plan in place and a budget to work within, it was time to consult the talented professionals at Riback/DKB Kitchen and Bath Showroom. The Hoyts worked with Billy, and together they put together a more rounded-out plan for their remodel.

BY DKB STAFF MEMBER

Step 4: Design, Layout and Optimization of Storage Designing the kitchen and figuring out the layout is the most fun part of the project, beside the finished project. A primary goal in any remodeling project is to convert that space into accessible storage, an efficient layout and highly functional “package deal” that will last for a couple of decades.

This is where the pros at Riback/DKB really shine. While the homeowner’s number one goal is to stay within budget, Riback/DKB goal is to see you completely happy with the end product and the whole remodel experience. “The team at Riback/DKB really cares and wants their clients to be happy. It obviously worked because we’ve already started phase two of our home remodel.”

Step 5: Choosing Materials Getting the Details Right • • • • •

Cabinetry ( Style & Finish) Countertops Plumbing Fixtures Appliances Hardware

It’s best to choose all of the appliances, materials and finishes down to the hardware before the project begins. That way, you will have a truly realistic idea of how much the project will cost. DKB If you’re planning a remodel, keep these tips in mind and don’t forget to call DKB at 573445-4481 for some help from the pros. Better yet, feel free to stop by our showroom at 1729 W. Broadway in Columbia to see our products and meet some of our team in person.

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“Kitchens are usually the most lived-in space of our homes.

Keep it organized using baskets and trays to organize collections, such as the coffee pot, mugs, coffee, cream, sugar, etc.”

columbiahomemagazine.com | 83

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M e e t yo u r n e i g h b o rs

Meet Your Neighbors: Michelle and Matt Harris

W

Where did you relocate from?

We moved from Gardner, Kansas, which is about 30 minutes south of Kansas City.

How long have you been in Columbia?

We have been in Columbia for about two months now.

What brought you to Columbia?

Matt’s job promotion. This is the first time living outside of Kansas for both of us.

What did you hear or know about Columbia before moving here?

Well, living in Kansas our whole lives, we grew up Jayhawk fans. (We probably won’t make many friends now that I’ve said that.) So when Missouri was a part of the Big 12, Missouri was a rival; now that Missouri is part of the SEC, and we are a part of the community, I do miss the rivalry. I am excited for football season and to see all the hype about the SEC. We also knew there was a college here, and it was called Tiger Country.

What’s something you miss from your old home that Columbia is lacking?

This might seem a little funny, but we miss the trash and recycling cans for trash day. We like just dumping the recycling in a can and wheeling it to the curb, but we understand every city has its own ways.

What do you like most about living in Columbia?

Everyone has been very friendly, whether it was with our house-buying process, moving in, meeting the neighbors, visiting different churches or going downtown. We also love our neighborhood; there are a handful of children on our street, which will be good for our son.

Photo by Brittany tutt

What is your favorite thing about Columbia so far?

All the festivals that go on in and around Columbia. It’s fun to get out of the house and spend some quality time with the family.

Matt and Michelle with their son, Andrew.

What does the word “CoMo” mean to you?

We haven’t really lived here that long to know what it means. All I know is that it stands for Columbia, Missouri. I think it’s a little weird.

Are there any activities you would like to get involved with or have already done so?

We have gone to a festival, which was really nice. Our son is in swimming lessons at the Macher Swim School.

We have visited some churches; once

we find a church, we would like to get involved with them. Because I work from home, I haven’t really been able to get out and meet more people.

I would like to find, get involved and hang out with a mommy group.

Hopefully, once we start getting involved in more things, I will get to meet more people.

Are there are any Columbianisms you’ve noticed?

Living in the Midwest our whole lives, Columbia is a lot like other cities we

have lived in, so we haven’t really noticed anything odd or out of the ordinary. I do notice that people don’t like to use their blinkers around here.

What is your favorite restaurant so far?

I like to cook at home a lot, so we haven’t been to many restaurants.

We have been to La Siesta a couple of times and really enjoy it. We have also been to Shakespeare’s Pizza, D. Rowe’s and CC’s City Broiler, which have all been great. columbiahomemagazine.com | 85

M e e t yo u r n e i g h b o rs

W

Photo by Brittany tutt

Meet Your Neighbors: Kevin and Angela Carey

Angela and Kevin Carey with their dog, Sam.

Where did you relocate from?

We relocated from Fort Wayne, Indiana, where we lived for five years. We lived in South Bend, Indiana, prior to that.

How long have you been in Columbia? Kevin relocated in December of last year, and I joined him in February.

What brought you to Columbia?

Kevin's new employer recruited him to Columbia, and it’s turned out to be a wonderful opportunity for both of us.

What did you hear or know about Columbia before moving here?

We knew it was a university town but not much else.

86 | August/september 2014

What is your favorite thing about Columbia so far?

We love all of the parks and trails. The landscape here is beautiful! Our dog, Sam, especially likes Twin Lakes Dog Park, where he plays and swims regularly.

What does the word “CoMo” mean to you?

Today, CoMo means home to us.

We are enjoying the city, activities and people, and we hope it’s a long-term relationship.

What’s something you miss from your old home that Columbia is lacking?

Aside from missing our friends and family, we miss CVS Pharmacy and Costco. Kevin also misses golfing at Sycamore Hills, our Jack Nicklaus golf course.

Are there any activities you would like to get involved with in the community or activities you have already become involved with?

Kevin has recently been reintroduced to the Kiwanis Columbia Club, and now that we are settled into our home, we hope it will allow more time to volunteer and get involved in the community.

What do you like most about living in Columbia?

We have had such a great welcome from everyone we meet. Columbia offers the same comfortable Midwest feel we are used to.

What is your favorite restaurant so far?

It's hard to pick just one. We really enjoy Murry’s and can’t get enough of Las Margaritas. Is there anything better than a cold beverage, great food and a seat on their outdoor deck?

Know somebody who recently moved to Columbia? Connect them to Stacey Thompson with Columbia Welcome to receive introductory city information and fun newcomer gifts! Call Stacey at 573289-0500, or email her at columbiawelcome@yahoo.com.

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Talk To An Expert.

Talk with Kurt Kammerich, professional building consultant with Mid City Lumber, for great advice when remodeling a rental property.

Kurt Suggests: >> Insulation is the cheapest upgrade you can put in a house >> Give the house curb appeal >> Look for sagging floors and roofs and check the foundation for termites >> Replace the exterior door, if needed with a Masonite exterior door and replace single pane windows with cost-effective double pane Silverline windows by Andersen Windows

www.RestorationEyeCare.com 573-441-7070 201 W. Broadway, Bldg. 4, Columbia MO 88 | August/september 2014

573.474.9531 • midcitylumber.com 4709 Paris Road • Columbia, MO

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Permanently Investing in Temporary Situations Our real estate power team teaches you how to properly prepare for owning rental properties.

Photos by Anthony Jinson and Whitney buc kner

“I’m a Boone County native and have made Columbia my home since 1988. I’m a dad to a twin boy and girl; husband to my RN wife, Leslie; and a Realtor since 2001 who thoroughly enjoys working in the industry."

– Jason Thornhill

“I have been working on homes for a large majority of my life. I got my first handyman job working on a rental property at the age of 12.

I have, more or less, been doing it ever since and have worked on everything including mowing, electrical, painting, roofing, landscaping and finish carpentry.”

– Matt ford

“I understand the home loan process. Not only have I originated over 800 home loans, but I have also purchased three homes myself.”

– Leighanne Lamb

“I have been part of the Columbia home-building industry for 37 years, the first 17 years in construction and the past 20 years with Mid-City Lumber.”

– Kurt Kammerich

columbiahomemagazine.com | 89

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Make Sure You’re Ready to be a Landlord

F

A rental property is an investment that entails both risk and reward.

By Jason Thornhill

Fancy yourself a real estate mogul? The thought of owning property and being able to pay it off with monthly rent from a tenant is nothing new, especially in our little corner of the world. New, however, is the increasing number of student apartments. Thousands of beds have been added to the rental inventory market in Columbia over the past five years, which has created an ever-changing and challenging market for those smaller investors or folks with older rental units.

How does one get started in this sort of property investment? Previously, it was quite popular to purchase a multi-unit building (often a duplex) and while living in one half, rent the other to supplement, if not make, the mortgage payment. And then a few years later with some luck, a consistent rent roll and some equity, one could move out, rent that half and seek a second unit to add to the portfolio.

As property values continue to rise, this is becoming a bit less common.

We begin to see more and more arms-length purchases being made by buyers in full-time careers elsewhere who see rental property as a way to diversify investments while planning for future income. But prices aren’t the only things you’ll find that have increased. So, too, has apprehension about the sheer volume of new units in the market. Multistory, luxury apartments feature amenities never dreamed of for college living just a few years ago. It’s not all bad news though, with low vacancy (2.9 percent according to a Quarter 1, 2014 study) and no indication that any of our local secondary-education providers intend to cap student enrollment.

Even with new and improved student dormitories featuring many of the aforementioned bells and whistles, the attractiveness of living off campus seems to be thriving.

It’s also not all student-based rental housing in our city. Executive rentals, condominiums and multi-unit properties still have a healthy market supplied by transient industry in Columbia. Instructors at one of the local schools, professionals here on short-term contracts, insurance and health care employers with varying commitments to employees all create tenancy opportunities for those owning rental inventory.

It’s also not all studentbased rental housing in our city. … Instructors at one of the local schools, professionals here on short-term contracts, insurance and health care employers with varying commitments to employees all create tenancy opportunities for those owning rental inventory.

90 | August/september 2014

“Sometimes your best investments are the ones you don’t make.”

— Donald Trump, The Art of the Deal Do your homework.

Vacancy might be low, but competition for those who are willing to pay a premium is fierce. Seeking advice from an experienced Realtor can prove invaluable for those without intimate knowledge of the area, rent amounts and neighborhood breakdowns. Find someone who can help you understand if what you are considering is a good deal or a low-priced unit in an area no longer capable of commanding rents and the applicant base you are seeking. Make sure you are ready to be a landlord.

Be prepared. Be very prepared.

Owning rental property is not for the faint of heart nor the shoestring budget. Although you can make legitimate, diligent efforts to find quality tenants, sometimes you wait a long time to find them. Don’t pressure yourself into sacrificing your goal of putting a good tenant in a unit you have sunk hard-earned money into for the sake of not making a couple payments on the place. One bad tenant can make annual cash flow evaporate quicker than you can say, “Replace all the carpet, and repaint the entire place.” Make sure you are ready to be a landlord.

Diversify your portfolio.

Chances are if you have been at a job for a while and are now considering adding a rental property to your investment portfolio, this advice is something you’ve heard elsewhere. Sure as you wouldn’t want to put all of your money into one stock, you might be better served to not put all of your money into rentals on the same street. Sure, it’s convenient, and you’ll save a couple bucks when you pay for mowing or snow removal, but you’ll also need to draw all potential tenants to the same type of unit in the same part of town.

Having an option or two is rarely something one regrets. Oh, and make sure you are ready to be a landlord.

Jason Thornhill

Jason is a broker-owner at Weichert, Realtors – First Tier. Since 2001, he has closed nearly $100 million in transactions, and he prides himself on sharing honest advice with his homebuyers and sellers. Jason’s positive reputation was built with hands-on representation and excelling in communication and teamwork with his clients.

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Investing in Rental Properties

I

Landmark Bank answers your questions and relieves your hesitations about initial investment property expenses.

By Leighanne Lamb

It’s important to diversify your investments, and as Jason Thornhill mentioned, purchasing an investment property can increase your income in addition to your day-to-day job if done correctly. The questions below discuss financial responsibilities in terms of the purchase of the unit. It’s important to keep in mind additional maintenance and upkeep expenses of the property as well.

C a n I g e t c o nv e n t i o n a l fin a ncin g o n inv e s t m e n t p r o p e r t i e s ? Yes, conventional financing is available on investment

properties. Fifteen-, 20- and 30-year fixed-rate mortgages and ARMs are all options to buyers considering purchasing an investment property.

Transaction types include purchase, no cash-out refinances and cashout refinances. Many lending institutions also offer in-house loans on investment properties.

W h at a r e t h e d o wn paym e n t r e q u i r e m e n t s o n inv e s t m e n t p r o p e r t i e s ? When you are purchasing a new investment property, both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will require a minimum down payment. The chart below outlines the maximum loanto-value ratios for an investment property secured by a Freddie Mac loan. Just like on a primary residence, if your loan-to-value is more than 80 percent, you will be required to get private mortgage insurance.

1 - u ni t inv e s t m e n t property

2 - t o 4 - u ni t inv e s t m e n t property

PURCHASE

85%

75%

No cash-out refinance

75%

75%

cash-out refinance

75%

70%

If you decide to acquire financing that is not conventional, you will need to meet with your mortgage lender to see what their guidelines are for a down payment. Typically, lending institutions will require some amount of cash into the transaction.

I S t h e r e a m a x im u m n u m b e r o f fin a nc e d p r o p e r t i e s a n individ u a l c a n h a v e o n t h e s e c o nd a r y m a r k e t ?

Yes, both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have guidelines on the number of financed properties an individual can have and still obtain secondary market financing. Freddie Mac limits the number of financed properties to four, and Fannie Mae caps its maximum financed properties at 10.

These are general rules of thumb, so please be sure to discuss your individual circumstances with your mortgage representative to make sure that your situation will fit into one of these scenarios.

I f I w a n t l o n g - t e r m , fi x e d - r at e fin a ncin g o n my inv e s t m e n t p r o p e r t y, h o w d o I n e e d t o ta k e t i t l e ?

Secondary market guidelines require you to take title and financing in your personal name to obtain a secondary market loan. You will need to make sure that when purchasing the home, your contract is written between you as an individual and the seller. Title work is ordered as the contract is written, so be sure to discuss this with your Realtor when drawing up the purchase agreement.

W h at if I w a n t t o p u r ch a s e t h e h o m e in my b u s in e s s n a m e ? If you are interested in purchasing an investment

property in the name of you business, you will need to pursue a business loan. There are many loan options out there for this situation; however, you will not be able to obtain a conventional loan through the secondary market. These loans will typically be set up on some type of balloon product. Make sure to discuss this option with your commercial lender and your mortgage lender to make sure you are choosing the right fit for you. Many borrowers like to take advantage of getting 10 fixed-rate loans on their investment properties by taking the loan in their personal name before switching over to a business loan, but each individual is unique and should discuss all opportunities.

Leighanne Lamb

NMLS# 468555

Leighanne is a vice president of real estate lending at Landmark Bank with more than seven years of experience helping all kinds of buyers and homeowners with real estate financing. She has both her MBA and undergraduate degree in business management from William Woods University. Call her at 573-499-7307, or email her at Leighanne.Lamb@LandmarkBank.com. Landmark Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and a Member FDIC.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 91

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Mr. Fix It Handy-Matt is your guy to call to fix, renovate and get your rental property functioning properly.

I

By Matt Ford

I started Handy-Matt LLC for a number of reasons: First, I truly enjoy working on all types of real estate. Homes and rental properties are assets that one can remodel, repair, add an addition to, buy, sell or lease. Second, I saw the quality of workmanship that others preformed; I knew that I could do it better. Lastly, I enjoy working with homeowners and landlords who need a trustworthy, straight-shooting contractor. It is your property, and we do it right.

Most jobs my company performs do not require exceptional skill. However, it is extremely easy to create a bigger problem if you don’t have the right

equipment and patience. Doing the work fast and cheap does not pay off. It will produce an inferior finished product. There is also a direct relationship between quality of work and cost. If you leave a project 98 percent finished, it is 100 percent incomplete. We believe in doing it correctly 100 percent of the time.

This issue’s handyman how-to: M y challenge to you this month is to repa i r a h o l e i n d r ywall. Most drywall damage is caused by d o o r k nobs and water damage. First, here are a co u p l e o f m ethods to prevent the damage from hap p e n i n g : ✔ spring door stoppers ✔ solid hinge stoppers ✔ commercial c losing elbows

new drywall. Take note of the thickness of t he drywall. Typically, walls use ½-inch-thick d rywall, and ceilings use 5/8 -inch-thick drywall. ❚ Cut the new drywall with a fresh razorblade to match the size of the square in the wall. ❚ Cut 2-by-4s that are 4 inches longer in length than the square opening in the dry wall. Place the wood piece behind the hole in the drywall to act as a screwing surface, and screw it into the existing drywall. ❚ Fit the new dr ywall into the hole, and screw it into the screwing surface. ❚ Mud over the screws in the drywall, and let it dry. ❚ Sand down the mud to smooth out the wall. ❚ Repeat the mud and sand process. ❚ Prime and paint to match existing wall color.

92 | August/september 2014

photos by matt ford

Now let’s look at how to make the repair: ❚ Measure the size of the hole. ❚ Cut a square in the old drywall to replace with

Matt Ford

Matt Ford is the owner of Handy-Matt LLC, a company that has seen major growth over the past three and a half years. He works with a staff of six full-time team members as well as a handful of part-time employees. His company is licensed and insured and has an excellent rating on Angie’s List. For home repair assistance, email Matt at mford@weichertft.com.

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Built to Last Choosing the right products in a rental home will save you time and money in the future.

By k risti mccann

Remodeling homes to serve as rental properties has gained popularity, especially in communities such as Columbia, where newcomers and students are continuously looking for temporary housing. Kurt Kammerich, professional consultant at Mid-City Lumber, offers suggestions that can improve a home’s rental value without breaking the bank.

Outdoor

Think of the home’s curb appeal as its first impression. You have just a few seconds to grab the renter’s attention and convince him or her that the home warrants a closer look.

Inside

The focus on the inside of a rental home is durability. Yes, it needs to be aesthetically appealing, but to receive a return on investment, you want to make sure the products you choose will hold up to heavy traffic, wear and tear and a continual turnover of tenants.

1 . F l o o r in g

One of the most important things to focus on in the interior of the home is the flooring. You’ll want to take into consideration the amount of traffic going through the home and which rooms you’re installing the flooring in. ➤ C a r p e t in g : Casey Marsch, a designer with Mid-City Lumber, says a safe bet is to install a carpet with a tight weave. These styles tend to run about $17 to $20 per square yard installed. ➤ Til e fl o o r in g : Choose a ceramic tile. It will never have to be replaced, and most styles are reasonably priced at about $8 per square foot. ➤ V inyl fl o o r in g : This type of surface is cost effective and priced around $21 per square yard.

1 . R e pl a c e t h e f r o n t d o o r .

If the door has seen better days, you might want to look into purchasing a new Masonite exterior door, which is a brand of door used on many starter homes in Columbia.

2 . P o w e r w a s h t h e s idin g .

It’s a simple task that can make a world of difference. If the home you purchased has real wood instead of siding, you might opt for a new paint job. For someone who is looking to manage the rental property long term, a more maintenance-free option would be to replace the siding from the start.



Keep an eye out

When performing a remodel, there are some important safety and functionality red flags to look for. Breezing over one of these could result in a failed remodel.

1. Look for sagging floors and roofs.

2. Make sure the foundation of the structure is sturdy.

3. Have the home checked for termites.

4. Take note of leaky pipes or water drips in the bathrooms.

2. Countertops

Although granite is all the rage in permanent homes, Kurt suggests installing a durable counter, such as stock Formica, if you think the countertops need replacing.

3 . I n s u l at i o n

One of the best upgrades you can make in a home is replacing the insulation to be more energy efficient. It’s an inexpensive fix that will lower heating and cooling bills.

4 . W ind o w s

Along with insulation, making sure there is a tight seal around windows in the home will also improve the heating and cooling processes. If windows throughout the home need replacing, Kurt suggests costeffective Silverline double-pane windows by Andersen Windows.

Kurt Kammerich

Kurt Kammerich is a professional consultant to contractors for Mid-City Lumber in Columbia. He began his career in 1977 building homes and moved to the lumber business and Mid-City in 1994.

With hands-on experience as a contractor plus product knowledge, he has a wealth of information to share with his clients.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 93

94 | August/september 2014

AFTER

S

HUT H E FRONT

D I Y C hicin g i t u p w i t h t o w n s

DOOR Welcome in new friends and neighbors with an inviting entryway.

By Michele Towns PHOTOS BY JOEL and andrea pauley with natural insight photo

BEFORE

W ho i s this Town s la dy?

Michele was born a DIYer. Everyone in her family somehow repurposes furniture or works on craft projects. “My father never hired anyone to fix anything in our house,” she says. “He did it all himself. I think that’s where I got it from.” Whether it’s perusing Craigslist or rummaging around garage sales, Michele always scores the best deals and steals. She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to DIY, and she often shares her secrets with friends and neighbors.

Looking for some inspiration? Contact her at chicingitup@gmail.com. columbiahomemagazine.com | 95

D I Y C hicin g i t u p w i t h t o w n s

Time for p roject compl etion: 10 hours Proj ect l ev el: Easy

❶ ❷

Supplies:  1 Purdy syntox paintbrush, Sherwin-Williams, $20.79  2 quarts (1 for trim and 1 for door) of Exceptional Moisture Resistance exterior acrylic latex paint, Sherwin-Williams, $25.19

❸

 Krud Kutter Gloss-Off prepaint surface preparation, Sherwin-Williams, $7.49  Rust-oleum metallic paint and primer, Lowe’s, $8  Allen and Roth No. 0198671 light fixture, Lowe’s, $106

❹

 Ceiling medallion, Lowe’s, $13.50  Recessed lighting sleeve, AC Wiring, $20  Vinyl door letters, Fast Signs, $26

❺

 Door swag, S. Stewart Home, $45 Too ls: • sandpaper • electric sander • putty knife • razorblade • steel wool • old shoe brush • popsicle stick or credit card

❻

Total inv estm en t $ D oor and hardware: 86.66 $ Lighting and décor: + 210.50

❽

❼

TOTA L : $ 2 97.1 6 A s peci a l th a nk you f or d on atio ns to: Aaron B. Cl app at AC W i r i n g , B . J. Hunter at Fast S i g n s , B ev Reid at S . Stewa rt H o m e , Tony Hirner a nd Rac h e l S i ef e rt at S herwin-Willi a m s , Jesse T hompson at Low e ' s

Remove door from its hinges, and take off any hardware.

Strip the door of any old paint or finishing by peeling off the layers using a putty knife. Sand the door with an electric sander or traditional sandpaper, whichever you prefer.

Once the door is smooth, brush off excess dust with an old shoe brush. Prepare the surface to paint by cleaning it off with the paint surface preparation cleaner. Let dry.

Note: Michele suggests having an old shoe brush handy for all DIY projects. It’s her favorite tool to use!

While the door is drying, paint the exterior trim around the door opening with a fresh coat of paint.

Michele chose Greek Villa No. 7551 for her trim shade. Note: If you have windows around your door that get paint on them, you can use a razor to remove paint from the glass or the cracks.

Paint the door using the exterior pain. Michele chose Riverway No. 6222 for her door color thanks to the help of Rachel at Sherwin-Williams. She painted two coats on her door.

While the door is drying, clean off the old hardware using the Krud Kutter Gloss-Off. With a steel wool pad, rough up the hardware so the new paint adheres to it.

Spray the hardware with Rust-oleum paint and primer in one to give it a new look and feel. Michele chose oilrubbed bronze to complement her grayish blue paint color.

When the door and hardware are dry, hang the door back up on the hinges, and reattach the freshly painted hardware.

To adhere the vinyl signs, you will need a popsicle stick or credit card. When ordering the letters, Fast Signs will ask you to measure the space so the letters and numbers are proportional. Line up where you would like the numbers on your door, peel off the backing and adhere the letters. Using the popsicle stick or credit card, rub over the letters and numbers to ensure they stick.

Extras :

• Michele suggests swapping out recessed lighting that is usually installed in covered entryways with a fun light fixture. She chose the Allen and Roth No. 0198671 light fixture to make a statement. She also suggests adding a medallion to the fixture on the ceiling.

“It adds a special touch for little cost,” she says. She enlisted the help of Aaron B. Clapp at AC Wiring for her electrical needs.

• There’s nothing more inviting than a wreath to spruce up a plain door or add a festive touch around the holidays. Michele scored this beautiful wreath from S. Stewart Home.

• For extra lighting at nighttime, Michele used a globe light from an old light fixture inside her oversized lantern.

DIY Pro ject Sp onsored by Sherwin-W illi ams 96 | August/september 2014

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THROW A TAILGATE EVERYONE WILL TALK ABOUT

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98 | August/september 2014

L if e C o a c h i n g

That’s What Friends Are For

B

Beth and I met freshman year in college. No matter how much time passes between phone calls, she’s the kind of friend who would be on the first plane to Columbia if I needed her. But this article isn’t about my friendship with Beth; it’s about another more unlikely friendship that developed between Beth and her 97-year-old neighbor, Ed, whom I was lucky enough to meet a few years ago.

Beth and I were taking a morning walk when we suddenly made a detour onto a nearby driveway. “You dressed?” Beth shouted as she rapped on the door and let us in. We were in the middle of Ed’s kitchen by the time an old man with a full head of white hair emerged, walking unsteadily toward us. “Yeah, I’m dressed,” he replied with a smile. Beth had already made her way to the refrigerator and was sniffing the contents of a milk container. “You need anything today?”

The exchange I witnessed has been Beth and Ed’s routine for the past three years. Beth checks to make sure Ed’s stove is off and he’s wearing a clean shirt. He gives her newspaper clippings and helpful advice about her work. Beth shares home-cooked meals five nights a week; the other two she tells him: “You’ve got a date with Marie tonight.” (Marie Callender, that is.) At the age of 97, Ed is thriving. He just renewed his driver’s license.

He’s got plans.

In befriending Ed, Beth is cultivating the kind of community she wants for herself and family: a community where neighbors know and care for one another. It’s as powerful an image of love as any.

A wealth of research shows that social connections improve our health, life expectancy and happiness. Daily social support is a key factor in us feeling happier and more optimistic about our lives. Happiness is contagious; we catch it from our friends. Friends can also make us healthier and help us to live longer. Alternatively, people who are socially isolated have higher rates of cancer, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

In today’s world, it’s sometimes difficult to know what friendship means. Many of us are rich in Facebook friends and poor in friends who love, encourage and accept us for who we are. Cultivating genuine social connections takes more than the click of a key. It requires us to first believe we’re worthy of being loved and then develop the skills to build relationships with others.

Many of us have little awareness of the full value we bring to our friendships. Only able to see the mundane aspects of our own lives, we deprive our friends of our company. No one wants to spend an evening listening to us talk about the baby teething, meaningless jobs or caregiving burdens, right? Yet sharing this — and so much more — is the very essence of friendship.

To make vital connections with people who matter, we have to make ourselves vulnerable. We might have to face our social anxiety, depression, shyness or low self-esteem. If all of that were easy, we’d all be as popular as Glinda in the musical Wicked. But being connected is important — and life giving. The rewards that you and your friends stand to gain are well worth the risks you run along the way. So give that friend you’ve missed a call. He or she is looking forward to hearing from you. And who knows? You might just live to see 97 because of them.

Carolyn, pictured in green, and Beth, pictured in fuchsia, enjoying time spent with college friends.

By Carolyn Sullivan



Connect with a compliment.

Ed and Beth’s friendship started when Ed told his neighbor, “You look good today.” She was wearing stained sweats and sporting a rat’s-nest hairdo; she had to laugh at his approach.

But it worked. Compliments usually do.



Be a friend first.

As my mom says, “You can’t be a friend unless you are a friend.”

Are you consistently the kind of friend you’d like others to be for you? Today, identify one meaningful way you can be a friend to someone with whom you’d like to make a stronger connection.



Schedule regular time.

When we’re busy, time with friends often loses out to work and family. Make friends a priority by scheduling regular time to be or talk with them.

One friend talks with her long-distance best friend while knocking out her daily exercise; another hosts a monthly virtual happy hour.

Carolyn sullivan

At the height of the recession, Carolyn took her dreams off the back burner and started her own business, New Chapter Coaching. Crazy or confident, she’s never looked back. She’s dedicated to helping nonprofits get results that improve people’s lives and helping others make a difference along the way. Carolyn’s hit what she calls the career trifecta: She gets to do what she loves with clients she respects and earns a living doing it. She wishes the same for everyone.

Carolyn’s challenge: The weather is perfect to get out in your ’hood and meet just one neighbor you don’t know.

Need an assist? Grab the dog for an easy conversation starter. And for bonus points, check out our Meet Your Neighbors section on page 85. If you drop us a note, we’ll pass it along to your new neighbors. columbiahomemagazine.com | 99

l o v e a nd r e l at i o n s h i p s

Flirting and Fighting [Flurt] To make playfully romantic or sexual overtures [Fahyt] To engage in a quarrel; argue

By Nellie Symm G ruender

A

FUN WAYS

TO FLIRT

The flirt

Almost every relationship starts with flirting. It’s an enticing look or a soft touch. If the flirtation is from someone of interest, you get that special feeling in your stomach, goose bumps and the anticipation of what’s to come. The exploration begins.

Because Gene and I met on the phone, we flirted through spoken word.

We talked for hours before we had the opportunity to meet face to face, and our flirtatious words helped to raise the anticipation of what it would be like to actually meet. Once we met, flirting became an important and ongoing part of our relationship.

100 | August/september 2014

The fight Most relationships have conflict at some point. Unchecked conflicts result in a fight. There might be raised voices, certainly raised emotions and even questions about the relationship.

Couples aren’t trained on how to fight effectively, and how you handle conflict is modeled by how your family reacted to conflict. Fighting is also influenced by your emotional maturity. Few people fight with the thought of reaching an acceptable solution; you fight to win or have your point of view accepted.

Most fights boil down to issues in two areas: poor communication or the sense of being disrespected. For example, you plan a barbecue with the family after your significant other has told you there is a big football game.

Poor communication has started a fight. Or, if your significant other makes a large purchase without letting you know, and it compromises the ability to pay the light bill, you feel disrespected.

What would happen if at the very moment conflict started, you asked, “What’s the goal of this fight?” Suddenly, your conflict becomes goal oriented rather than win oriented. Having a spoken goal also eliminates another pitfall of fighting, which is bringing up old baggage. Going beyond the bounds of the current conflict does not help to reach your goal.

About four years into my relationship with Gene, I discovered that he is a visual person. I realized that if I had important information to share about anything, communication was best done by email or writing the message on a sticky note. Suddenly, communication improved. Email fighting also became effective. Email fights seldom escalate, and typing forces you to look at your own thoughts and take a minute to analyze if they are working toward your goal.

♥ ♥

The Facts of Flirting & Fighting

♥ ♥

Today, many new relationship flirtations occur online. It’s the act of painting yourself in words, sending nudges, Internet smiles and icons that create interest and desire. It frequently entails long hours spent on the computer. The techno age of flirting creates a vision in your mind’s eye with the hopes that it resembles reality.

During the flirting or exploration phase, we all put our best foot forward, dress and behave to entice. What impact would it have if that flirting and exploration became a part of your relationships two or 30 years later?

Imagine what would happen if you suddenly began flirting with your significant other every day as though you had to win him or her over again.

One of my favorite ways to flirt with Gene is to gently rub his fingers. Gene has huge hands, so I use both of my hands to massage each one of his fingers and then work to his palm. There is something primal about the connection we make through this simple flirting touch.

♥

❷ ❸ ❹

Put a loving thought on your significant other’s steering wheel so it’s what he or she thinks about while going to work.

At random times, hug your significant other and share three things you love about him or her.

Ask him or her to do the same to you.

Let your significant other pick out the underwear you’re going to wear to work or on a date night.

Choose a “touch zone” of the day/week where you would most like to be touched.

♥

♥

❶

On average, someone sending out 35 flirtatious signals per hour will be approached by four romantic prospects during that time period. **** You have to look at someone three times before they’ll take the hint that you’re into them. To activate the reward center of the brain, hold their gaze for two to three seconds.

Nonromantic glances last only 1.18 seconds.**** Studies show that men and women who flirt have more white blood cells in their body. These cells are known to boost immunity and overall health.* Studies show that men looking at pictures of angry faces have diminished activity in regions of the brain responsible for understanding others’ feelings, while women experience increased brain activity in those same regions.** The majority of conflicts between couples — about 80 percent, according to psychologist Brad Klontz — are unsolvable. It’s really about learning to deal with the differences. This might mean having to compromise or just agreeing to disagree.*** During a fight, your brain’s cortex shuts down, and the more primitive part of your brain, the limbic system, takes over.

It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to be able to return to rational thinking.***

RULES OF CONFLICT

1. Determine the goal.

2. Stick to the current conflict.

3. No name calling or personal attacks.

In my experience, flirting is far more fun than fighting, so I suggest you get your flirt on and make some goose bumps.

*menmarried.com/interesting-flirting-facts-you-must-know, **thirdage.com/relationships-love/women-vs-men-the-science-behind-how-we-fight ***MidWeek, archives.midweek.com/content/columns/theyoungview_article/fighting_fair_in_a_relationship, ****Kelly, M. (2009, July). Four Flirting Fun Facts — With Research to Back Them Up! Marie Claire.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 101

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102 | August/september 2014

-Kaleb Webb to his wife Kayla Webb

E N GAGE M E N TS

A Long Time Coming for Love Love is worth the wait for this long-distance couple who will wed in September.

F

By Sophia Con forti | PHOTO BY WHITNEY BUCK NER

For Paula Neese and John “J.B.” Loewenstein Sr., age and distance are no obstacles. Although Paula, 61, lives in Columbia and works in Kansas City, and J.B., 69, lives in St. Louis, the couple’s love and determination have made the relationship work.

After being divorced for nine years, Paula’s relationship with J.B. was an unexpected romance.

“It’s been interesting for me because I was pretty happy being single, and my kids were all doing well,” Paula says. “I just figured that at that point in my life, I probably wasn’t going to meet anybody.”

But when mutual friends thought Paula and J.B. would be a great fit, they arranged for the two of them to meet. And they were right: J.B. was Paula’s perfect match.

“They were both not married at the time, and another friend and I were talking one day, and something just clicked,” longtime friend Vicky Weimholt says. “They both had careers in the human services field and helping professions, and that seemed like a pretty good start.”

From there, the plan was set in motion for Paula and J.B. to connect.

“We thought it would be great if they could just meet each other,” Vicky says. “I don’t know if I thought about marriage at the time.

I think what I was maybe hoping is that they would be good company for each other.”

Paula and J.B. hit it off right away. The distant pair began getting to know each other through phone calls and text messaging before officially meeting in April 2013.

When Paula took a trip to St. Louis to visit her daughter, she and J.B. decided to meet.

The couple had their first official date walking around the Botanical Gardens, eating at the Boathouse and strolling through Forest Park.

They’ve been together ever since.

“It’s just kind of amazing that these friends thought, ‘Oh, I think Paula and J.B. would really like each other; we should introduce them,’ and that we would enjoy each other,” Paula says.

Despite the distance, the couple takes turns visiting each other on the weekends.

“From the very beginning, we made the effort to see each other,” Paula says. “Having

“Having a person that is a great companion makes it worth it to us to make an effort to go back and forth.

We’ve been basically living on I-70.”

— Paula Neese a person that is a great companion makes it worth it to us to make an effort to go back and forth. We’ve been basically living on I-70.”

Paula and J.B., a University of Missouri grad, regularly meet in Columbia, where they walk around J.B.’s old stomping grounds on campus or through downtown Columbia. But even when they’re apart during the week, they still make each other a priority.

“Being away from one another has its challenges,” Paula says. “But in today’s day and age, lots of texting and phone calls make for a lot of good conversation.”

And age does have its perks.

“A benefit of being older is that you know yourself pretty well,” Paula says. “What maybe as a younger person would have been more difficult, I’m more willing to do it and know what’s more important.”

Now, more than a year since they met, the pair is set to wed in a small ceremony in St. Louis on Sept. 13. After the wedding, the couple plans to eventually buy a home together, a long-awaited move to finally bring them closer together.

“It’s just encouraging that even at this age, you can still fall in love,” Paula says. “If I’m an example of what it means to fall in love when you’re older, I’m fine with that.”

“I’m so happy for both of them,” Vicky says.

“They’re both wonderful people.” columbiahomemagazine.com | 103

w e ddin g s

A Family Affair The Canines’ wedding day was not just a celebration of two but three.

N

by Kristi McCann | Photos by D -Sq uared designs

Nontraditional is easily becoming traditional. Today, weddings are about the personalization of the moment rather than what is expected of the Mr. and Mrs. Colored wedding dresses, perfumes to match the couple’s personality and out-of-this-world proposals are more and more popular.

Although Courtney and Jamie Canine’s wedding day followed what guests would traditionally expect, their journey to “I do” was a bit more unconventional.

“We spent a lot of time together at the beginning,” Courtney says. “Jamie is older than I am, so he took the relationship pretty seriously from the beginning.”

And serious it was. Jamie proposed to Courtney on a trip to Minneapolis a short eight months after they began dating. “I realized pretty quickly that Courtney has a great personality, and she wasn’t just putting her best foot forward because we were dating,” he says.

“I was attracted to his entrepreneurial spirit and go-getter attitude,” Courtney says with a grin. “I appreciated his motivation to do big things in life. Plus, he was great with his nieces and nephews, which was reassuring about us having kids.”

By the beginning of 2012, Courtney had every last detail of their wedding planned. The vendors were booked, the dress had been purchased, “but luckily, we hadn’t sent out invitations yet,” she says. Future plans for Jamie and Courtney included kids, but life’s little miracle arrived a bit earlier than the two had expected when they found out they would be adding a baby to their family.

For a number of reasons, the couple decided to postpone the wedding a year. Jamie’s aunt, who was supposed to officiate their wedding, married the couple in private on their original wedding date. “We wanted to legally be married when our son was born,” Courtney says.

It was obvious the bride was appreciative of everyone she had worked with to plan their

104 | August/september 2014

special day because she felt terrible about the change of plans. “All the vendors set aside one date for you, and that’s pretty special,” she says.

“Luckily, everyone was very understanding. On the bright side, it gave me another year to collect vintage items for our centerpieces.”

On Oct. 12, 2013, just shy of a year after the birth of their son, Lawson, Courtney and Jamie got to watch him ride down the aisle in a wagon just moments before Courtney began her procession.

“A lot of people frown upon having kids before marriage,” Courtney says. “But the wedding truly represented a celebration of our relationship.”

Jamie agrees. “I didn’t view the ceremony as legitimizing our union or anything like that,” he says. “It was simply the celebration event of a union that was already cemented long before.”

Most love stories begin with the words “I do,” but in the Canines’ case, the trials and tribulations of marriage started long before then.

“Mentally, I was married the day we got engaged,” Jamie says.

By the time their celebration rolled around, the two had already endured many of life’s obstacles together.

“We planned a wedding, focused on raising our son and built a house together all before we walked down the aisle,” Courtney says. If there was anything their wedding day could confirm, it was that there was no challenge too large for the bride and groom to tackle together.

Courtney laughs when she looks back on having her son as part of ceremony. “He wasn’t very happy,” she says. “But he was just so cute in that wagon.”

“I wouldn't have it any other way,” Jamie says about Lawson’s participation. “I look forward to the day when I can talk to him about it and show him the photos.”

Sippy cups or no sippy cups?

That is the question.

By Leanne Naeger-Geiss It’s becoming a more frequent question in the wedding industry. How involved do we make children in the wedding? Will my guests feel uncomfortable if the flower girl is throwing a fit while walking down the aisle? Are all the couples going to double check their birth control when there are kids running around high on sugar from our candy buffet?

We’ve all seen that too-cute picture on Pinterest of the ring bearer walking down the aisle with a safe and an earpiece, secret-service style. And you can’t tell me you haven’t smiled and let out a giggle when the most adorable little flower girl ever is painstakingly placing each individual rose petal on the ground as she walks down the aisle. Including children in your wedding party can create some pretty wonderful memories.

On one hand, there is nothing wrong with cutting out the little ones. At least you would know that your bridesmaid won’t need a potty break, and you won’t worry that your groomsman might get bored and decide to pick his nose.

On the other hand, many couples now are starting their married lives with children of their own. Whether your kids are from a previous marriage or those you share together, there are several special ways you can include them in your ceremony: • You can have your little one walk you down the aisle.

• If the kids are older, you can have them do a reading.

• My personal favorite is exchanging a special gift with them after the ring ceremony.

I can say from personal experience that one of the most special moments of my wedding was the minister asking my daughter if it was OK if we got married and then seeing my husband give her a beautiful necklace after we exchanged our rings. Her excitement about being involved and seeing her sweet face is something I will cherish forever.

Hopefully, I gave you a little peek at both sides of the sippy cup question.

Now, I leave you with just a few children etiquette tips: • If you are going to include children, make sure you include them on the wedding invitation as The Smith Family. Or if it is just the adults, a simple Mr. and Mrs. Smith will suffice.

• Nothing says kid-friendly like some coloring pages and crayons; conversely, offering shots as you enter the reception is a perfect way to kick off adult-only festivities.

• Make sure you feed the little ones first. Nothing will make the night go south like a hungry, cranky kid.

Wedding section sponsored by: Leanne Naeger-Geiss is the sales director at Columbia Country Club. Although she is in charge Columbia Country Club

Special Day Details Wedding theme: Vintage shabby chic

Ceremony and reception venue:

Bride’s dress and bridesmaids’ dresses:

Engagement and bride’s wedding ring:

Victoria’s Bridal

KT Diamonds

Décor setup:

Groom’s wedding band: Buchroeder’s

Jana with Studio J

Makeup:

Columbia Country Club

Dermistique Face and Body

Photographer:

Hair: Colleen Underwood at

D-Squared Designs

Root’s Nouveau

Flowers:

Alan-Anderson’s Just Fabulous Flower Shop

Cake: Tartlette Bakery

DJ: Tommy Holem,

of all things sales, her true love is wedding planning.

She has 12 years of event-planning experience, and she is your go-to girl when he puts a ring on it. From Pinterest to wedding trends and classic bridal do’s and don’ts, Leanne has a wealth of knowledge to share.

Wedding section sponsored by: Columbia Country Club

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columbiahomemagazine.com | 105

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m o mmy c h r o n i c l e s

Love Is All We Need

M

By Jill Orr

My mother recently lost her father. He was 90, frail in mind and body and by all accounts, probably ready to go. In the end, he didn’t suffer. He died peacefully surrounded by people who loved him.

In the days preceding my grandpa’s death, the hospice nurse called my mom and suggested that she say goodbye to her dad over the phone as no one was sure if he would last the hours needed for her to reach his hospital bed.

She was caught off guard. She knew he was sick and that he “had started down a path,” as the nurse had gently put it, but she hadn’t thought about what she wanted the last words she’d ever say to her father to be. He had been slipping in and out of consciousness, mostly out, but before my mom could react, the nurse had put the phone to his ear. It was now or never.

Perhaps it was better that she didn’t have hours or even minutes to toil over these words.

The pressure of the last words ever would have been crushing. But in the abrupt moment she was faced with, she simply told him she loved him and that it was OK for him to go. She told him she’d miss him. And she told him she loved him again.

After the call, my mom worried that maybe she should have said more. She wondered if she should have said all those things we don’t say in the course of normal conversation: final absolutions, forgiveness for all the ways — little and big — that we’ve hurt each other over the years, thanks for the sacrifices, gratitude for loving us, reassurance that we’ll be OK without them.

These are not things we say when we talk to our parents. We talk about the weather. The kids.

The job. The house. The traffic. The game. The damn politicians. We don’t talk about goodbye.

We don’t talk about the last words ever.

I f t h e r i g h t f u l o r d e r of the universe

holds true, then most of us will outlive our parents. We grow up believing this. Our parents hope and pray for this. So why is there a question of things left unsaid at all? In a perfect world, we would all make sure that we say how we feel while we still have time. But we don’t live in a perfect world. And we don’t always do the things we should — even when we know we should.

Jill and her husband, Jimmy, celebrating their wedding day with her grandpa and grandma.

I guess we don’t do this because it’s hard. It’s hard and awkward and uncomfortable for most of us to even think about the end, let alone dredge up all those feelings we’ve had throughout our lives toward our parents. There are just so many of them, and they’re not all warm and fuzzy.

But I think the ones that matter are. I think the components of the last conversation ever ought to be as warm and fuzzy as our selective memories will allow. We should use that last conversation for expressions of gratitude. For reassurances that even though they might not have been perfect, we know they did the best they could. For appreciation. For kindness. For love. For forgiveness. For approval and acceptance. For permission to go on. And most of all for love.

M ay b e wh at w e n e e d i s a c o d e .

Like, when I call my mom to talk about my air conditioner that needs replacing, what I’m really saying is, “Thank you for all the ways you’ve been there for me.” Or when my dad complains about how expensive his medication is getting, what he really means is, “You’ve been a good daughter.”

Maybe if we could do that, there would be no need

for last conversations ever because everything we need to say would be said over and over, buried in the mundane details of our lives.

So on that note, I’ll end my more-maudlinthan-most post with a simple message to all of my lovely readers out there: I need to clean the lint out of my dryer vent.* *Code for: “Thanks for reading. I appreciate you taking the time.”

J ill O r r Jill is a stay-at-home mom of two (an odd title because she is rarely ever at home). In her pre-Mommy days, she graduated from the University of Missouri with an undergraduate degree in journalism and a master's in social work, with an emphasis on children and family studies. But she wishes she would have gotten a Ph.D. in What's For Dinner and How to Get Bubblegum Out of the Carpet. That would have served her better.

Read her blog at jillsorr.com Follow Jill on @jillsorr columbiahomemagazine.com columbiahomemagazine.com| | 109 113

FREE LUNCH FRIDAYS! Room 38 is giving away one free lunch every Friday!

Plus, all entries will be entered in monthly drawings to win up to $100 worth of free lunch catered to your office or in our private dining room. To enter, give us your business card when you come in for lunch on Fridays, and double your chances when you take a photo of your lunch, tag Room 38 and post it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!

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Membership has its Privileges

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Become an exclusive member of Columbia Home’s VIP program! By reading Columbia Home, you have the opportunity to shop and save at local restaurants, retail locations and businesses.

The card is easy to use.

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• Tuck it inside your purse or wallet for easy access while you’re out in Columbia.

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columbiahomemagazine.com | 113

Capturing

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114 | August/september 2014

columbiahomemagazine.com | 115

h a ppy ta i l s

My Time With a True Lifesaver In memoriam of Mary Pat Boatfield

By Colin LaVaute

When I first came to work for the Central Missouri Humane Society, the shelter had been searching for a new executive director for months. In the spring of 2012, the board of directors settled on hiring Mary Pat Boatfield, so I began my employment under one of the best bosses and animal care professionals that one could ever ask for.

Mary Pat was known as a turnaround specialist in the animal care industry.

She had been running animal shelters in Toledo, Ohio, and Nashville, Tennessee, for more than three decades. Everywhere she went, she reduced euthanasia rates, built new shelters and made the organizations she ran more financially stable. Running the CMHS was no exception in her streak.

Continued on page 117 Karin, Rylie, Ryan and Duke Hulett

Huletts to the Rescue

A

BY Abby Kass | Photo by Casey Buck man

This Happy Tail is sponsored by

116 | August/september 2014

After six months of begging, Rylie and Ryan Hulett finally got their wish for a dog. The Hulett family wanted a dog that could grow up with the kids, and with their visits to the Humane Society, they found Duke, a German Shepard mix.

The Huletts visited the Humane Society many times before they found Duke. The first time they saw him, he was curled up in a ball; there was something about him that just drew the family to him. But when the Huletts came back to adopt Duke, he wasn’t there. The Humane Society had taken him to PetSmart.

When Karin Hulett, office manger of Hulett Heating, heard this, she said: “Call him, and tell him we’re on the way. No one else can have him.”

And that was that. The Huletts took Duke home, and he became part of the family. Duke fit right in with the kids, and even though his favorite toy is an antler, he also loves Rylie’s stuffed animals.

One of the family’s favorite activities is to play Frisbee with Duke outside. “He chases it for a while and then runs in frantic circle around the yard,” Karin says. “It is great to see all of his freedom.”

Duke may have a lot of energy, but the Hulett family also loves the quiet times. “I like loving him,” Rylie says. Duke will snuggle up between Rylie and Ryan in the couch and just relax. It’s moments like these that made the adoption worth it.

Working under her guise, I saw a veritable change take place at the shelter that has been putting pets with people for more than 70 years. During Mary Pat’s time as director, I saw CMHS transform from a functional entity into a shelter that midMissouri residents can be proud of. We are on better financial footing, and our dog live-release rate is at an all-time high: 92 percent from January to June 2014.

On the evening of June 17, 2014, Mary Pat passed away unexpectedly. I had never known someone with whom I had worked so closely to pass so suddenly.

Although she was known in Columbia, I don’t think any obituary or statement could fully explicate the amazing work this woman did while she was on this planet. Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of animals were saved under the guidance of this woman. My one consolation in this tragic moment is that she continued her work in the animal care industry up until the moment she passed.

We should all be so lucky to do what we love for as long as she did.

Dave, Nancy and Puggs Griggs

The Purrfect Pet

D

BY Abby Kass | Photo by Casey Buc kman

Dave and Nancy Griggs of Dave Griggs Flooring America have had cats for most of their lives together. “Dave loved cats, and I grew to love them as well,” Nancy says. So when their cat passed away nine years ago, they decided to get another.

The couple got Puggs, a gray tabby cat, from a friend with a farm. He was the friendliest cat of the bunch, and Nancy says he just seemed to like people. The couple swears that Puggs is a person in cat’s clothes.

“Puggs knows no strangers,” Dave says. It is this personality that makes Puggs such a sweet cat. He loves to cuddle and will lie in both Dave's and Nancy’s laps every night, sharing equally between the two. “It’s like he has an eternal clock and knows when to switch.”

Puggs experienced some medical problems after coming home and is on a special diet. He also has gone deaf in the nine years that the couple has had him. This does not hinder Puggs at all. “When he wants you to do something, he is very noisy,” Nancy says. “Only when you pick him up will he stop.”

Puggs loves attention. He also loves playing with toys, his favorite being a laser light. Nancy and Dave will shine the light around the room, and Puggs will chase it. “He’ll climb five feet on the wall trying to get it,” Nancy says.

With all of their years together, Dave loves when Puggs’ purring puts him to sleep. “He’s a pretty good friend,” he says.

Although she is not with us anymore, our mission to alleviate the suffering of midMissouri’s adoptable animals is stronger than ever. The staff at CMHS is determined to take what we learned from this wonderful woman and continue to rehome every cat, dog and small animal that we can. The loss seems insurmountable at this time, but we know Mary Pat would want us to continue building upon the groundwork she laid for us. After all, there is still work to be done.

Rest in peace, Mary Pat.

This Happy Tail is sponsored by

columbiahomemagazine.com | 117

a b o u t tow n

Big Brothers Big Sisters Rockne Corbin, Lana Poole, Paul Toler and Kurt Wallace

June 19, 2014 • Photos by Brittany Tutt

In an event benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri, Talking Horse Productions hosted A Night at the Theatre presented by Manor Roofing and Restoration Services. Guests enjoyed an exclusive advanced viewing of Good People performed by a local cast. Additionally, appetizers were served, and a silent auction was held to complete the evening.

Cindy Mustard, Patricia Coles and Jolene Schulz

Heather Dimitt and Paul Toler

Nick and Carrie Allen and Larry and Veronica Herzing

Greta Westerwald and Jolene Schulz

Lili Vianello, Jolene Schultz, Heather Dimitt and Patricia Coles

Jenny, Joe and Andie Bradley

Family Fun Fest Lauren, McClain and Chris Hardesty

May 21, 2014 • Photos by Brittany Tutt

The annual Family Fun Fest celebrations continue this summer with monthly festivities for the whole family. The May festival was themed “Fitness is Fun” and featured a variety of activities and performances by area athletic clubs. As usual, there were games, music, face painting and more.

Bradley Frueh

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Norah Parks

Jackson Higginbotham

Lexi Harrison and Carter Wallace

Sammie Glenda

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Jay

CURRY

Age:

57

Submitted Photo

Photo by Rose McManus

menwelove

Tom

Sa n d i f e r

Nickname: Spice

Nickname: Sandypants

Hobbies: Cooking on the pro barbecue circuit, catering and cooking for friends and family

Hobbies: CrossFit and reading

Profession: Owner/partner of two Columbia businesses: Columbia Welding & Machine and Spicewine Ironworks If I weren’t at my job now, I would be: Chef/owner of a restaurant Life motto: Live to cook another day.

My favorite activity to do to relax: Cook in my kitchen at home Movie quote I most often incorporate into conversation: None The next item on my bucket list to check off: Continuing my culinary education with the Culinary Institute The best thing about my life is: I get to work with barbecue every day. I have eight barbecue-related products on the market that are all my recipes. Two of these products have won world champion status. I love helping people find the joy that I have found in my cooking.

Age:

30

Profession: Pharmacist If I weren’t at my job now, I would be: Formula 1 race car driver Life motto: In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until we become enslaved by it.

My favorite activity to do to relax: Taking my parents’ boxer on a walk Movie quote I most often incorporate into conversation: “Negative, Ghost Rider; the pattern is full.”

The next item on my bucket list to check off: Setting foot in all 50 states The best thing about my life is: The relationships I have with my family and friends.

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ADVERTISER INDEX All Vacuum Care.....................................................................33 Angelique Photography....................................................22 Big Brothers Big Sisters................................................... 18 Blanc Studio............................................................................. 41 Boone County National Bank.............................................7 Boyscouts of America.........................................................46 Bright City Lights..................................................................84 Carpet One.............................................................................10,11 Casey Buckman Photography.......................................114 City Of Columbia Water & Light.....................................24 Columbia Facial Plastic Surgery.................................87 Columbia Mall............................................................................9 Columbia Star Dinner Train.............................................65 Commerce Bank ........................................................................2 Cumulus...................................................................................... 72 Dave Griggs Flooring America.........................................14 Designer Kitchens & Baths.........................................80,81 Dr. Tim Mcgarity......................................................................88 Ecowater Systems................................................................87 Edible Arrangements........................................................102 Expert Vein Care.....................................................................33 Fry-Wagner Moving And Storage.................................26 Hockman Interior Design..................................................66 Isle Of Capri...............................................................................46 Jazzercise.....................................................................................6 Kt Diamonds.............................................................................102 La Belle Cabinetry & Lighting........................................94 Landmark Bank......................................................................123 Les Bourgeios........................................................................124 Lifestyles Furniture..........................................................112 Linkside At Old Hawthorne..............................................54 Mac's Cove Docks..................................................................112 Mary Moss..................................................................................84 Mid-City Lumber Co...............................................................88 Missouri Vein Care..................................................................12 The Mud Room Studio.......................................................... 111 Organize That Space............................................................. 73 Paint The Town.........................................................................24 Passions.........................................................................................5 Peggy Jean's Pies...................................................................121 Personal Touch Cleaning Service.............................. 111 Pets And Pals Photography............................................87 PS Gallery...................................................................................61 Room 38...................................................................................... 110 S. Stewart & Co., Llc.............................................................. 97 Salon Nefisa..............................................................................22 Shelter Insurance Agents............................................. 110 Shiloh Bar And Grill.............................................................98 Socket.........................................................................................115 Songbird Station.................................................................... 73 Sound Performance..............................................................16 State Farm Insurance-Brian Hazelrigg . .................84 State Farm Insurance Stephanie Wilmsmeyer....................................................121 Studio Home...............................................................................98 Style By Mitchell..................................................................36 Superior Garden Center/ Rost Landscape.............94 Tallulah's..................................................................................65 The Olde Un Theatre............................................................119 Tiger Family Chiropractic & Wellness Center.............................................................. 97 Tiger Scholarship Fund...................................................106 Trey Bistro................................................................................82 University Of Missouri Health Care............................. 8 University Of Missouri Health Care room of hope.............................................................................71 Victoria's Bridal....................................................................119 VIP Section..............................................................107, 108, 109 Willett And Patton Dentistry........................................26 Wilson's Fitness....................................................................... 4 Women At Work.......................................................................82 Columbia Home magazine is published by The Business Times Co., 2001 Corporate Place, Suite 100, Columbia, Mo., 65202. (573) 499-1830.

Copyright The Business Times Co., 2008. All rights reserved.

Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

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Strongwoman

Karen Grindler Founder and director of Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center Years lived in Columbia: 37 Original hometown: St. Louis Family: Husband, John T. Schneller, and daughter, Katherine Schneller Animal I would be: As Cedar Creek’s director, I’ve gotten to witness firsthand the immense bond that can be forged between a person and a horse. Horses are powerful, intelligent, compassionate and perceptive. They can sense energy or emotion and read body language. They have the unparalleled ability to strengthen, heal, embolden and communicate with their riders and caretakers. For those reasons I’d be a horse, of course.

What I do for fun: I play piano, guitar or banjo or read a good book.

Most people don’t know that I: Am an artist with a degree in theater.

On a typical weekday night, I am: Teaching equestrian therapy at Cedar Creek and wondering what kind of delicious meal my husband is making for me.

In a single word, I am: Eclectic.

The three questions I hate getting: 1. Is it difficult to work with sick people? Individuals with disabilities usually are perfectly healthy, just born with challenges. Most of our clients are happy, fun souls just like everyone else.

People need to focus on things they have in common with others, not the things that are different. 2. Would you like our blind and lame horse? It would be perfect for your riders. Really? No, because our horses must be sound, well trained and in good condition. They are therapists providing equal 4-D movement into the body of an individual who is working on toning, strengthening muscles and loosening stiff joints. 3.

Can we ride after we volunteer? Our horses work anywhere from six to 11 hours a week providing therapy to more than 100 individuals. If every volunteer was given the opportunity to ride, then the horses would be exhausted.

Volunteers fulfill a special role assisting our riders by leading horses and sidewalking. This experience alone is usually plenty of fun on it’s own.

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The businessperson I admire and why: Anastasia Pottinger and Lisa Braman Bartlett have put their hearts and souls into the North Village Arts District and have promoted the local arts community.

A favorite recent project: Cedar Creek took two riders to the American Royal National Horse Show last November, and one of our riders, Eli Miller, and our horse Moonlight Talisman came home with Reserve National Champion.

They’re making a movie about my life. The film’s biggest climactic moment would be: In 27 years of providing equine therapy to the people of midMissouri, I have had the honor of seeing real miracles occur: kids who have taken their first steps after the age of 4, whose parents were told they would never walk; children who say their first words ever from the back of their steed; clients who begin in a wheelchair and then start walking again. And all of these are weekly occurrences. My life movie would be an amazing documentary with true success stories that would have you leaving the theater with happy tears.

What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me? Once, while my class was trail riding, I burst into the song “Three Blind Mice” and completely forgot that I had a rider who was blind in the group. As I gasped in horror at what I had sung out loud and covered my mouth, the rider bellowed back, “See how they run!” And then her dad, who saw my whole reaction, laughed and said, “She actually loves that song.”

Whew!

The song that absolutely must be included on the soundtrack of my life: “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin My all-time biggest regret: Sometimes I regret not going into a more lucrative profession (my mother wanted me to be a lawyer), but I realize that doing what you love is richly rewarding.

Photo by whitney buckner

A Age: 55

My favorite cocktail

My guilty pleasure

Crayon I would be

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Columbia home | 2001 Corporate Place, Ste. 100 | Columbia, MO 65202

Crush Festival OCTOBER 4, 2-6 P.M., AT THE A-FRAME

Celebrate the harvest at Les Bourgeois Vineyards’s fun filled Crush Festival! Enjoy live music, kid’s games, pumpkin painting and grape-stomping fun for the whole family! www.MissouriWine.com | 14020 W. Hwy BB, Rocheport, MO 65279 | 800-690-1830 |

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