IN Kansas City April 2019

THE QUEER EYE GUYS’ COOL CROSSROADS LOFT FASHIONABLE FOOD

APRIL 2019 | INKANSASCITY.COM

style!

Spring

When each day is the same as the next, it's because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises.

Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

bash the status quo

BEAUTIFUL. YOU. Let your beautiful taste shine during Seville Home’s 19th Anniversary Sales Event. Exquisite home furnishings for every room and every style. Inside and out. Don’t miss these once-a-year Anniversary savings.

20-45% OFF

Across Our Expansive Gallery Thru April 30

Your Seville Home Designers

* C

Seville Home’s Anniversary Savings apply to In-Stock AND Custom Orders: • 45% OFF Vanguard Furniture • 40% OFF Bernhardt Interiors Boutique • 40% OFF Theodore Alexander • 40% OFF Premium Outdoor

Summer Classics, Lane Venture & Tommy Bahama

• 30% OFF Massoud Furniture

Preferred By Designers and Open To Everyone *Anniversary Savings valid thru April 30. Not valid on prior purchases. Excludes American Leather Comfort Sleepers & Comfort Recliners. See store for complete details and limited exclusions.

5205 W. 135th Street Leawood, KS SevilleHome.com | 913-663-4663

G L O W

A

L

L

O

U

T

A

B E A U T Y

S P R I N G

E X P E R I E N C E

F A S H I O N

A P R I L T O W N

&

S H O W

2 5 - 2 7

C E N T E R

P L A Z A

F A S H I O N M A K E U P S K I N C A R E W E L L N E S S L I V E P A N E L

D I S C U S S I O N S

F A S H I O N O U T R A G E O U S

FIND

D E TA I L S

AT

T U T O R I A L S E X P E R I E N C E S

I M M E R S I V E

G A L L E R I E S

TOWNCENTERPLAZA.COM

SPONSORED

BY

Bloom Air Bloom Air Departing from Kansas City on April 13, 2019 | bloomparty.com

Departing from Kansas City on April 13, 2019 | bloomparty.com

Bloom Air does the flight thing, and the right thing.

Bloom Air directly supports the mission of KC CARE Health Center. Air travel has never been easier or more charitable. By booking your airfare, you receive access to a night of leisure,

Introducing, our flight crew for the evening.

To help us navigate the skies of Kansas City, we are honored to have three people who are no stranger to the mission of KC CARE Health Center, helping us reach new heights.

Zim Loy Ron McGee Eric Thomas

For more information on why they support the mission and what they are doing to help this year, check out our website, bloomparty.com.

and over 20,000 Kansas City residents obtain affordable healthcare – more patients than ever before. On behalf of the captain and the entire flight crew of KC CARE Health Center, we hope to see you onboard Bloom Air on April 13th.

With three locations and a new pediatric facility coming early this summer, KC CARE is soaring higher than ever.

We can’t wait to see you for takeoff. Your flight details: FLIGHT NO.

16

DATE

APR 13

BOARDING

8:00PM

If you have yet to book your airfare, be sure to book soon at bloomparty.com.

KitchenCouture Couture Kitchen

designcabinetry cabinetrylifestyle lifestyle design The Ultimate Design Experience!

The Ultimate Design Experience!

Portfolio Portfolio t ec nh e &n K i tK ci h

h o h& o m e m e

W. Pershing 215 W.215 Pershing Road Road Kansas City § City Missouri § 64108 Kansas § Missouri § 64108 816.363.5300 816.363.5300

ho e .mc o m w ww w . pwo.rpt o f or ltifoo-lhi oo-m e .mc o d aF yr i— F yr i d9 atyo 95 t o 5 M o nM d aoyn— da S a t uSr adtauyr d1 a1 yt o1 13 t o 3

KANSAS CITY ART INSTITUTE

ART & DESIGN AUCTION

An event so spectacular, it only happens every other year.

Don’t miss out on Kansas City’s art event of the summer.

Browse and bid on silent and live auction artwork from faculty, alumni and friends. Enjoy creative fare and festive libations while supporting student scholarships!

Honorary Chair: George Terbovich Event Chairs: Ellen & Jamie Copaken

Tickets starting at only $125! get yours at kcai.edu/artanddesignauction

Appraisal Sell Trade Washing Restoration Again “THE KNOTTIER THE BETTER” Knotty Rug Co. Kansas City’s Largest and Most Reputable Showroom 4510 STATE LINE RD.



KANSAS CIT Y, KS 66103



(913) 677-1877



WWW.KNOT T YRUG.COM

ART CONSULTING CORPORATE COLLECTIONS ART& CONSULTING GALLERY EVENT SPACE CORPORATE COLLECTIONS GALLERY & EVENT SPACE 114 SW BLVD, KCMO 64108 | WEINBERGERFINEART.COM | (816) 301.4428 Hunt Slonem, Red Finches 18” X 14” • Cynthia Bjorn, Vybrant Peace 36“ X 36” • Andy Julo, Palm With Ribbon 29.5” X 49.75” 114 SW BLVD, KCMO 64108 | WEINBERGERFINEART.COM | (816) 301.4428 Hunt Slonem, Red Finches 18” X 14” • Cynthia Bjorn, Vybrant Peace 36“ X 36” • Andy Julo, Palm With Ribbon 29.5” X 49.75”

HATS!

details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details, details,

It sure takes wearing a lot of ‘em to get a house deal It sure takes wearing aSelling lot of or‘em to get a house deal buying a home from inception to closing.

Werequires pride ourselves in wearing from inception to closing.

We pride ourselves in wearing someone be on top them all beautifully. Advisor.

Home Repair of the Counselor. details. them all beautifully. Advisor.

Counselor. Home Repair We are great at it.

Consultant. Market Expert.

Networker.

Stager. Negotiator.

And Networker. never let Consultant. Market Expert.

Stager. Negotiator. anything slip Scheduler. Diplomat. Friend.

Scheduler. Diplomat. Friend. through a crack.

Let us help you.

Let us show you how well we can wear hats for you!

Let us show you how well we can wear hats for you! www.locatekc.com | 913.652.4318 www.locatekc.com | 913.652.4318

REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE EXPERTS EXPERTS LOCAL LOCAL

7600 State Line Rd., Prairie Village, KS 66208 | 913.383.1400

Locate Ad_v2.indd 1

7/3/18 4:37 PM

Locate Ad_v2.indd 1

7/3/18 4:37 PM

Revealing KC’s Largest Sky Sculpture

A Premier Art Opening & Evening of Visual Indulgence

by Patrick Shearn of Poetic Kinetics (Festival art featured at Coachella, Burning Man, EDC and Sundance Festivals / Public art installations exhibited around the world)

In Kansas City’s Creative Crossroads You are invited to the grand reveal of Reserve your party tickets now to be part of this historic, most unexpected and unconventional artistic extravagance.

An evening of food, drinks, and breathtaking visual artistry including performances by Kansas City’s own Quixotic.

Presented by

A benefit for Union Station • #ReflectingMotionKC

S PAC E P L A N S

n

NEW BUILDS

n

REMODELS

n

REDESIGNS

n

FURNISHINGS

Live your dream.

Arlene Ladegaard ASID Allied Member, Certified Interior Designer, IIDA

Call to schedule an in studio consultation.

913.851.8776 | DesignConnectionInc.com

DC InKC_Apr Ad_vFA.indd 1

3/19/19 10:27 AM

Contents APRIL 2019 78

100 Features 72

88

IN CONVERSATION WITH JEREMY SCOTT The Moschino creative director and “fashion’s last rebel” talks fashion and growing up in Kansas City.

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Creative, colorful lights define Kansas City’s downtown skyline.

76

92

COLOR STORY Spring pastels are bold and beautiful.

JEAN THERAPY We love our skinnies, but denim takes on fresh new shapes for 2019.

84 FASHIONABLE FOOD Still tasty after all these years. Vintage dishes are back with a new, signature spin.

APRIL 2019

100 KC CRAZY FOR QUEER EYE The Netflix cast’s in-town loft provides as much inspiration for living as the show does.

| 20 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Contents APRIL 2019 72

88

92 76 Departments 34

ENTERTAINING IN KC

IN EVERY ISSUE

40

OUR MAN IN KC

24

EDITOR’S NOTE

46

ARTS & CULTURE IN KC

30

INKANSASCITY.COM

54

BEHIND THE MUSIC IN KC

130

FACES IN KC

58

MY ESSENTIALS IN KC

134

THIS MONTH IN KC

60

LOOK IN KC

136

FOUND IN KC

66

LIVING IN KC

118

FLAVOR IN KC

On the cover An arrangement by Chuck Matney of The Little Flower Shop sprouts from a Frances Valentine handbag from Halls Kansas City. Photo by Jenny Wheat.

APRIL 2019

| 22 | INKANSASCITY.COM

C R O W N C E N T E R , L E V E L 3 • 816 . 2 74 . 3 2 2 2 MON – SAT: 10 AM – 7 PM • SUN : 12 – 6 PM

Editor’s Note

A Fashionable Life

Vol. 2 | No. 4 April 2019 Editor In Chief Zim Loy

I

Art Director Alice Govert Bryan

f you google “fashion icons,” plenty of familiar (and not-so-familiar) names pop up—Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Birkin, Diana Ross, and Jean Seberg (’60s-era French movie star of Breathless and Saint Joan and Iowa native)—to name a few.

My own personal fashion icon when I was young wasn’t famous, but she has as distinctive Lillian M. Osthus a style as any of those legendary women.

Growing up on an Iowa farm in the pre-internet and pre-cell phone days, when the TV had just four stations to click through, left a lot to be desired if one is trying to define one’s style.

Luckily, I had my Aunt Lillian. Her exotic, big-city life was fascinating to me. Her husband at the time, my Uncle Frank, was in the pharmacy business, and they moved from Des Moines to Chicago to Kansas City to L.A. to Atlanta to New York City as he rose in the firm. Along the way, Lillian’s taste grew more polished and elegant.

No matter the city, her home was always stylish and sophisticated. When I was ten, I was treated with a bus trip to Chicago to visit my cousins. Their low-slung midcentury modern ranch, filled with period-appropriate furniture, was my first experience in how a home could actually be decorated, rather than just an assemblage of stuff.

Her look then—chic capri pants, slim sweaters, a strand of pearls, and simple ballet flats— is a timeless classic. Very much Laura Petrie from The Dick Van Dyke Show. It was my first experience in how fashion defined a person’s sense of self.

Early in her career, Lillian worked as a print and TV model, at one time modeling the actual costumes from the Cleopatra movie that starred Elizabeth Taylor. By the time they had moved to NYC, she was an award-winning realtor and the blazers and silk blouses she wore defined the modern businesswoman. Think Faye Dunaway in Network.

And can I tell you that when my age-13 feet reached size 8 1/2—Lillian’s size too—how thrilled I was to be gifted her hand-me-down shoes? I still remember the gray-suede ghillies.

They were the envy of my classmates.

Always the epitome of elegance, Lillian’s cosmopolitan flair still influences me today. She changed the way I felt about clothes—it’s less about fashion and more about finding my own personal style.

And to tie it all up in a pretty, stylish bow? When my Uncle Frank left the company and he and Lillian moved back to Iowa, they purchased the pharmacy in Marshalltown that had been owned by Jean Seberg’s father. According to lore, she was sitting at the soda fountain counter when Otto Preminger discovered her. And if you still don’t know who Jean Seberg is—look her up!

Digital Editor Michael Mackie Contributing Writers Susan Cannon, Kelsey Cipolla, Judith Fertig, Timothy Finn, Cindy Hoedel, Cody Hogan, Merrily Jackson, Damian Lair, Bob Luder, Patricia O’Dell Contributing Photographers Ron Berg, Steven Green, Roy Inman, Aaron Leimkuehler, J. Robert Schraeder, Jenny Wheat Design Intern Eva Tucker Copy Editor Craig Magnus Managing Director Michelle Jolles Publisher Chad Parkhurst Digital Director Brittany Coale Senior Media Consultants Katie Delzer, Nicole Kube, Krista Markley

Editorial Questions: zloy@inkansascity.com

Advertising Questions:

cparkhurst@inkansascity.com

Distribution Questions: mjolles@inkansascity.com

Subscription Questions:

Mail: In Kansas City, PO Box 92257 Long Beach CA 90809 Phone: 888-881-5861, M–F, 8–4 PST Email: inkansascity@psfmag.com

IN Kansas City is published monthly by KC Media LLC

118 Southwest Blvd., 2nd Floor Kansas City, MO 64108 816-768-8300 | inkansascity.com

Zim

Annual Subscriptions are $19.95

APRIL 2019

| 24 | INKANSASCITY.COM

IN THE AIR

THERE’S SOMETHING

It’s in the air — a new magazine celebrating the best of Kansas City, and new outdoor spaces elevating indoor/ourdoor living to a fine art. Get yours designed and installed in time for summer.

(816) 523-1516 www.thegreensman.com Garden and Irrigation Design, Installation & Maintenance Complete Lawn Care Water Features Snow Removal

the

reensman

kitchens

MADE PERFECT

FURNITURE

•

FLOORING

•

APPLIANCES

•

ELECTRONICS

When it comes to remodeling, we know what’s important: professionalism, service, selection and budget-friendly prices.

We work with you every step of the way to ensure a timely project, done right the first time. From custom-order appliances and furniture, to individually-designed electronics setups, we’re your right hand in home remodeling. nfm.com 1600 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, KS 913-288-6299 • 800-407-5000 Kitchen Design Studio: 913-288-6124 Electronics Design & Installation: 913-288-6500 Design Gallery: 913-288-6354 ©2019 Nebraska Furniture Mart, Inc.

z

z

P R I V A T E

and

E V E N T

D I N I N G

S P A C E

F rom

JOE’S KANSAS CITY

b a r -w b-que [ Next door to our Olathe restaurant ]

Q U a l I t Y S M O K E D M E at S

•

l I B at I O N S

w w w. t h e 18 0 r o o m . c o m

z

11944

South Strang Line Rd

Telephone

913.390.0180

O l at h E . K a N S a S . 6 6 0 6 2

z

Why Did I Wait So Long?

We hear that a lot from our patients who reach their goals on Medi-Weightloss®, the sciencebased, physician-supervised program that works.

Skip the pre-packaged food and instead, enjoy delicious, keto-friendly dishes at home and while dining out. We’ll start with a full medical evaluation including EKG and blood work with a customized nutrition program for your specific metabolic needs. Then, during your weekly visits you’ll receive plenty of support, motivation, recipes and real-life weight-loss expertise to help you lose weight —and keep it off.

Call the Medi-Weightloss team and get ready for your happy dance — on your scale or in front of the mirror!

So don’t wait — call today to schedule a free assessment and body composition analysis.

Since opening in 2010, patients have lost over 75,000 pounds through Medi-Weightloss.

Medi-Weightloss is a division of Mirabile M.D. Beauty, Health & Wellness.

Gynecology | Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy | MedCosmetic Medical Spa | Medi-Weightloss®

4550 W 109th St, Suite 130 (I-435 & Roe) | Overland Park, KS | 913.270.5917 | MirabileMD.com

EXPLORE OUR WEBSITE AT

INKANSASCITY.COM ENTER TO WIN

Your future’s so bright—you gotta wear shades! The new Chanel sunglass

photo by mark allen who follows model bella donna

collection at Romanelli Optix is eye-catching.

(Pun intended.) Don’t miss your chance to win this stunning pair of Chanel sunglasses—valued at $495. Not only will the marigold yellow frame and polarized gray gradient lenses look fab on you this spring, they’ll carry you right through the summer. Enter to win through April 30th at inkansascity.com/the-magazine/enter-to-win.

Good luck!

Have you seen our newest column Influencers Following Influencers? We all have those unique/interesting/quirky people we

Deliberating what to do tonight? Discover

like to follow on social media. But who’s flying under the radar? We asked some of Kansas City’s best and brightest social media influencers one simple question: Who are some local folks we need to be following and why? Search Influencers Following Influencers on inkansascity.com.

the most comprehensive calendar in the metro—art galleries, dance, theater, social events, and music, music, music at inkansascity.com/events.

Patio season is just around the corner!

Who has the best wedge salad in Kansas City?

Around the hallowed halls of IN Kansas City, we’re all huge fans of a delightfully decadent wedge salad. (Read that: our editor is obsessed.)

We chose our faves (search wedge salad on inkansascity.com), but we’re also asking you which restaurants you think offer up the worthiest, wedgiest salads in the metro? Chime in on our facebook page.

APRIL 2019

If you’re dying to know about the local restaurant scene, we’ve got the city’s most comprehensive dining guide. So many restaurants to please your palate— many that will soon be opening up their outdoor spaces. Score! Head to: inkansascity.com/eatdrink/dining-guide

| 30 | INKANSASCITY.COM

FACEBOOK @inkansascitymagazine

TWITTER @inkansascitymag

INSTAGRAM @inkansascitymag

SHANGRI-L A WALLCOVERING

8 510 M a r s h a l l D r i v e | L e n e x a , K S

kdrshowrooms.com

Unmatched ER Care for the Unpredictable

When you or a loved one has an emergency, you need an ER team you can count on. At AdventHealth, we know every second counts. That’s why we have three convenient locations to care for you — mind, body and spirit. When minutes matter, choose the experts.

AdventHealthKC.com/ER

Emergency

Entertaining

IN KC

Tell Me Somethin’ Girl…

ARE YOU HAPPY IN THIS MODERN WORLD? OR DO YOU NEED MORE? LIKE A NIGHT WITH YOUR HOMEGIRLS? OUR ACE OF ENTERTAINING PROVIDES THE THINKING WOMAN’S GUIDE TO GIRLS’ NIGHTS

by

Merrily Jackson

I photo by aaron leimkuehler

n biblical times, each village had a red tent where women sought refuge during childbirth, during visits from Aunt Flo, or when they’d simply had it up to here with their husband or baby daddy. I know this because I read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant for my book club. I like to think that, upon entering the estrogen-charged confines of the tent, a sister would be poured a glass of wine, given a little unleavened bread, and told to chill, put her feet up, tell her girls all about it and don’t hold back because what’s said in the red tent stays in the red tent. (Speaking of unleavened bread, email me for a yummy Skinny Stromboli recipe, made with lahvosh.)

Women must hang together; it’s a need as old as

Email me with your entertaining questions, dilemmas, or triumphs at mjackson@inkansascity.com

APRIL 2019

| 34 | INKANSASCITY.COM

A TOTAL DESIGN IMMERSION

PLANNING + CONSTRUCTING + FURNISHING

MODERN INTERIOR DESIGN + URBAN EVENT SPACE 3 6 0 1 M A I N S T R E E T · K A N S A S C I T Y , M O 6 4111 · 8 16 . 4 2 1.10 3 0 · A L E J A N D R O D E S I G N S T U D I O . C O M

Entertaining

th

5

y r a s r e v i Ann

IN KC

Add Some Pop! PASS THIS AROUND DURING THE BOOK DISCUSSION, AND IT WILL KEEP EVERYONE ON TOPIC (NOT)!

for the Folly’s 5th annual

fundraiser at the historic Hyde Park garden of Brian Williams on

Sunday, June 2nd at 4 PM Tickets go on sale April 25 for $125 per ticket.

Advance purchase required

are still available!

BOOK CLUB POPCORN 12 cups popped microwave popcorn (approximately 1½ bags) 1/ 3

cup butter

1/ 8

cup sugar

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

Learn More at FollyTheater.org/Folly-Garden-Party or by calling 816-842-5500

APRIL 2019

½ teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place popped corn in a 9 by 13inch pan. Melt butter in saucepan; add sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour over popped corn. Stir well. Bake 15 minutes. Serve warm or store in airtight container.

| 36 | INKANSASCITY.COM

civilization. In fact, I read something on Facebook—so we know it’s true—that medical studies show women, for optimal health, should go out with the girls twice a week. Impractical for most of us, sadly.

But we all understand the benefit of time spent with our girlfriends, the ones who’ve got our backs, no matter what. That’s why, at any given moment, girls’ nights of some sort are happening all over the world. The loveliest such gatherings take place in our homes, where we can sink back on a sofa or sit around a kitchen island and have a real conversation, rather than being jostled in some bar, guzzling watered-down drinks.

Here are some ideas for spending quality time with las chicas in your own red tent.

LONG LIVE BOOK CLUBS! The not-so-shocking truth about most book clubs is how little time is spent actually talking about the book. For all that Oprah’s Book Club did to advance the publishing industry, her lowest ratings were the book discussion shows.

All the same, book clubs are a great way to enjoy intelligent discourse, see girlfriends on a regular basis and of course, read more.

In my club, we take turns being designated “facilitator,” specifically tasked with the formidable job of guiding the book discussion. Even so, we tend to go off-topic a lot, but that’s part of the fun.

My informal research indicates most book clubs meet in the evening for wine and enough snacky things to constitute a light dinner.

When I host book club, I try to put on a fairly sumptuous spread, usually five or six finger foods, several of them lovingly selected from Better Cheddar, Sun Fresh, or Costco, and then a couple I’ve made myself, such as pickled shrimp, a frittata, or a tapenade to serve with crackers (I have recipes—email me!). And always, always abundant crudité, because we girls appreciate something we can mindlessly munch, knowing it is not forever on our hips.

Last time I hosted, I was exhausted and super-pressed for time, with only a minute to race to the market to pick up the most prosaic of offerings. When the doorbell rang I felt mild dismay at the lameness of my spread. But the wine was tasty, the discussion spirited and engrossing. My exhaustion went completely away and none of my friends seemed to mind one bit that we were eating Chex Mix and Cheddar-Jalapeño Cheetos (which, by the way, are awesome).

For more than 30 years, we’ve sourced the best men’s and women’s designers from around the world for one reason: To help you develop your signature style.

NOT A BOOK FAN, YOU SAY? I know a group of glamorous girlfriends who aren’t avid book-readers, but they love magazines, particularly Vanity Fair, Vogue and “shelter pubs” such as Architectural Digest and Elle Decor. Years ago they started a “magazine club” wherein they met monthly in each other’s chic homes to nosh, drink wine, and discuss a specific mag or two, chosen by the hostess, who led the discussion. Some of the women have now become such globe-trotters, with second and even third homes, that the group no longer is able to meet

APRIL 2019

CRESTWOOD KANSAS CITY

| 37 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Entertaining

IN KC

routinely, but I think it is a terrific idea for a regular girls’ night.

Could there be a cause-and-effect relationship between joining a magazine club and becoming chatelaine of one’s second and third home? Just putting it out there.

Instead of magazines you could have the gatherings center around a discussion of your favorite podcasts, blogs, or Netflix series.

AND SPEAKING OF NETFLIX Watching a movie with a group of girlfriends is great fun, especially if you have a big-screen TV and luxe seating, as my book-club friend Jan Kyle does. When Jannie hosts the club, she picks a book tied to a movie we can watch in her plush media room. My favorite so far has been the first-rate documentary History of the Eagles, which we watched after reading Eagles guitarist Don Felder’s fun, snarky memoir about life in the band.

You needn’t be in a book club to organize a movie night with your favorite fräuleins. Thanks to Amazon Prime, Google on Demand, Apple and iTunes, we can now watch recent releases without bestirring ourselves to go anywhere.

Since there would be no cootie boys to feed, such an evening would present the perfect opportunity to serve a low-cal supper, something

that would not be regretted later. Food writer Molly Wizenberg’s Ed Fretwell Soup would be sublime (google it or email me and I’ll send it to you, along with my minor tweaks). And popcorn, duh.

A SIMPLE DINNER OF ASSEMBLED FOOD The last time my husband left town, I had a few girlfriends over for a casual, candlelit dinner of what Ina Garten calls “assembled foods.”

Okay, it wasn’t that casual because it was a Saturday night; I also invited a few fabulous gay men and everyone got dolled up for each other. Like ya do.

I had taken my lasagna dish to Cody Hogan at Lidia’s, and he filled it with the most divine lasagna. With it I served Palermo Ensalada from The Mixx, an addictively spicy Sicilian salad that tastes wonderful with Italian food. (For eight people I called ahead and ordered three full salads, and asked them to pack the order in bulk.) Dessert was my favorite pie combo from Ashleigh’s Bake Shop: peanut butter pie and raspberry rhubarb pie. I picked up the entire dinner in one fell swoop, and arrived home with it an hour before the guests arrived. It was so easy and such a jolly dinner. And heavens, did we go through the vodka. When did you say you were leaving town again, darling?

Pear Tree

Welcome Spring at Pear Tree Design & Antiques.

303 E 55th Streeet, Kansas City, MO 64113 | 816-333-2100 Open—Mon-Sat 10-5pm | PearTreeDesignAntiques.com

APRIL 2019

| 38 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Great Doctors Lowest Prices $29 Primary Care

$79 MRI

$29 Dermatologist

$19 Eye Exam

$29 Mammogram

$39 Dental Exam

Book online and save sesamecare.com

Our Man BY

Damian Lair

IN KC

dlair@inkansascity.com

: @damianlair #OurManINKC

Shop ’Til You Drop Graham, Damian, and Henrik.

O

ver the past nine months of writing this column, I’ve certainly had my share of interesting run-ins, unexpected experiences, and surprising adventures. None though, quite like the following: A few months ago, I was at a fundraising gala and was excitedly approached by two momfriends, Katie and Lisa. They were giddy to tell me that their sons (also close friends) had somehow discovered me on Instagram and were staunch followers. OK—completely unwarranted, but positively flattered. We chatted, and I learned about our mutual interests—namely, appreciation for an individualized, make-no-apologies sense of style.

I offered that perhaps we could all do a little shopping day together sometime. Not initially expecting plans to materialize, I was surprised and delighted to receive a video message over the Christmas holiday: two obviously cool little dudes pleading: “Damian, we want to go shopping with you!” Ummm, sold.

So, balancing travel plans, swim/basOVERHEARD ketball schedules, etc., we all finally got [at the airport] together.

I met the moms, along with “What are you on?”

Graham (age 9) and Henrik (age 8) at— “Girl, I have no idea, but where else—Halls Kansas City. We quickI really hope nothing at ly ditched the moms, with plans to meet this point.”

“I mean what flight are up later, and perused men’s clothing and you on?” shoes—proving it can sometimes be fun —“OH.” to just admire nice things, even if you can’t currently afford (or in their case, fit) what you’re looking at. So basically, our version of a field trip to the zoo.

HOT GOSSIP: What KC transplant to Cathedral City recently had some sewage backups requiring rose-scented Poo-Pourri in the guest bath shower?

When asked by a salesperson about their current preferences, one matter-of-factly responded “Well, I’m really into Gucci right now (flipping up his shirt to point out the most precious Gucci belt).” Speechless.

Moving on to accessories, we tried on the latest MCM, Prada, and Gucci cross-body’s (you may know them as “fanny packs,” but keep up!) and knowledgably assessed the collection of vintage Louis Vuitton. We wrapped up with one of my all-time Halls favorites, Terry Beach—queen of the Bond No. 9 counter. While they are not big fragrance wearers (yet), I knew it was my duty to start them off on the right foot. Terry and I talked through the scent families they gravitated toward and made narrowed recommendations accordingly, before each settled on his favorite. Terry also instructed on how to properly apply a prestige fragrance: wrists, a bit on the neck (if not too heavy), and finally, walk through a faint mist. Our work was complete.

The three of us next turned our sights toward the Country Club Plaza. There, we brought it down a few notches (me elucidating the particulars/challenges/importance of mastering the art of “high-low” dressing) and headed to Urban Outfitters. I shared one of my favorite Urban must-haves—their longline, rounded-hem tees, and they pointed to theirs: anything Fila. Next up was Foot Locker, where Henrik (who was somehow on a first-name basis with the sales staff ) taught me about all the latest Nike sneaker drops. Not surprisingly, we all shared pretty much the same taste in high-tops, though Graham did note that one pair I picked out was “a lot of look.” Okkkkkkk, fine—hard pass!

We next popped into Michael Kors, primarily to pay a visit to my good friend Garrett Toms, who happened to be working. Coincidently, MK was having a little event, so the boys did a disappearing act on a few chocolate-covered strawberries, while I politely declined Champagne.

I’m a responsible guardian—onward!

Final stop: Tivol. As we strolled in I nearly tripped when I heard (ever so politely) “Could you please show us the Patek Philippes?” (Record scratch.) I began thinking back to my dissimilar 9-year-old wonder at how Mickey Mouse’s hands contorted to tell me the time on my wrist. My, how things change. Dutifully, though, we took a look and tried on a pair of nearly six-figure sapphire-adorned Rolexes for good measure. I pointed out my favorite section of David Yurman men’s jewelry, and we guessed carat sizes of their largest engagement diamonds.

Essentially, it was the jewelry appraisal scene from Troop Beverly Hills.

The ill-equipped troop leader that I was, however, left me empty-handed when it came to issuing achievement patches, so it was time to wrap up this afternoon of Big Brother-Little Brothers “luxury edition.”

We dashed to The Capital Grille, meeting up with parents and siblings to recount our day’s adventures over drinks and truffle fries. I noted that, beyond their courteousness, maturity, and wit, what floored me most was their unyielding confidence—something I didn’t stumble upon until much later in life. When it was finally time to head home, I left thinking less about the modest impact I’d hoped to have on them and more about the unexpectedly large impression they left on me.

APRIL 2019

| 40 | INKANSASCITY.COM

PU RELY BLISSF UL

SLEEP Our hand-built, organic mattresses made from the finest wool, organic cotton and natural latex are odorless and toxin-free for a deeply restorative, healthful sleep every night.

Available in many configurations to suit your body and preferred sleeping style.

Come in and discover pure bliss!

501 Nichols Rd. at Pennsylvania | A Country Club Plaza icon for over 30 years 816.753.4144 | 800.875.4144 | www.terrasi.com

Our Man SPA DAY HAVE YOU ever arrived

IN KC OVERHEARD “I punched him in the face. Now we have a date.”

home from a trip and felt like you needed a vacation to recover from your vacation? Well, that was precisely the predicament I found myself in after my annual rough-and-tumble friends’ trip to Mexico. Not even my cell phone survived. Fortunately I found the solace I needed at The Spa on Penn in Westport.

For one afternoon, the three-story compound was my peaceful refuge and haven. I began the day with the Jato Man facial, which was an extensively stepped treatment including a series of hydrating milky cleansers, an exfoliating mask with papaya and pineapple enzymes to dissolve and sweep away dead skin cells, extractions (my favorite part of any facial!), a hyaluronic-acid cream to give my recently tanned skin a big drink of H20, a vitamin C serum for antioxidant protection and collagen synthesis, a smattering of eye cream, and a mattifying cream to top everything off.

All products used were from Bioline, which happens to be the number one professional skincare line in Italy—I can see why. It’s now five days later, and my skin remains noticeably smooth and glowing. Enough said. With my mug whipped into shape, it was time for work on my hooves. Though I always get a fresh pedicure prior to vacation, the flipflops, sun, sand, and cobblestone streets left my feet looking like they’d been to battle. I was given the crystal energy vegan pedicure, which began with me selecting two Phia Lab pure energy essences that were used throughout the treatment. A chia jojoba scrub infused with rainbow-fluorite crystals sloughed my feet back to recognition, and rich rainforest butters locked in hydration. Sublime. After a break in the complimentary dry cedar sauna, I headed for my Shine Glow & Flow body treatment.

I underwent a full-body sea salt exfoliation, followed by a rinse-off in the eucalyptusbathed rain shower. After, my squeaky-soft skin was rolled out with a Swedish massage.

I ended the day in the best way imaginable: lying in silence on a bed of crushed quartz and amethyst crystals. My time nestled amongst the cool crystals was mind-clearing, reflective, and centering. I’m already planning my next vacation—and recovery.

APRIL 2019

| 42 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Happy Birthday, ArtsKC

‘‘C

elebrate!” was the theme— and celebrate we did. It was an afternoon of jubilation, as a thousand or so people filled the Kay Barnes Ballroom at the Kansas City Convention Center in commendation of ArtsKC’s 20-year presence in Kansas City and the organization’s mountainous impact. The event kicked off with a reception for featured artist Stephen Proski, whose whimsical, hand-sewn, and painted tapestries colorfully adorned the entry hall. Additionally, his “silly cups” pottery cheerfully brightened 100 dining tables and were available for sale to table patrons. (Sadly, I was out-maneuvered by a quick and crafty tablemate—ugh.) Chairs Nate Orr and Richard Wetzel comically emceed this year’s annual awards luncheon, recognizing special anniversary honorees (a top-hits list of sorts): Joan Israelite, Shirley Bush Helzberg, the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, Janice Kreamer, Artist INC, and Henry Bloch.

While dining, guests enjoyed performances by AY-MusiK, The Sextet, and The Living Room Theatre. And Calvin Arsenia (are you following me around town?!?) hypnotized yet another audience with his harp and chilling vocals. A horn quartet from the Kansas City Symphony also delighted throughout. Exiting with anniversary-cake pops (adorable mini-birthday cakes, complete with candle!), we enjoyed a Champagne toast, courtesy of Underdog Wine Co. Cheers, indeed!

Artist Stephen Proski created quirky table centerpieces for the luncheon.

SPOTTED: Julia Irene Kauffman, Barb & Bob Bloch, Julian Zugazagoitia, Marylou Turner, Rachel & Kanon Kozad, Siobhan Lesley, JeanPaul Wong, Darcy Stewart, Paul Gutierrez, Jill Dean, Jean Wagner, Kim Weinberger, NedRa Bonds, Brian Williams, Kellie Mingori, Alissa Wehmueller, Lindsey Rood-Clifford, Rachel Parrish, Harlan Brownlee, David Wayne Reed, Godfrey Riddle, James Maiden, Drew Elliott, Dana Knapp, Alison Patterson, Erinn Faulconer, Ivan Garnica

HOT GOSSIP:

BINGO! EVERY THURSDAY evening, HopCat in Westport is host to its

What Crossroads neighborhood cafe coming on hot and strong in the media—with a peer-funded online capital campaign—decided to (quietly) close?

own quirky and irreverent version of Bingo night. I grabbed a friend and met up with bingo host Pooka Pumbaa, who rattled out letters and numbers, chastising my table more than once for not keeping up.

Sorry… But how’s one supposed to carefully place beer bottle caps on a bingo card of ever-changing winning patterns while simultaneously aiming to savor the flight of beer just ordered? With some navigation assistance from the knowledgeable staff, I selected from their 100 taps: KC Cider’s Honey Bourbon Cinnamon, Piney River’s Rod’s Cream Ale and St. James Winery’s McIntyre Blackberry Cider. All were unique—and delicious. Coincidently, so were the buffalo rolls, the pretzel nuggz, the Mexican-style street corn (on the cob, and because after all that I obviously needed an entrée—the cowboy stuffed burger (read: fried jalapeño peppers, barbecue, bacon and onion ring and pepper-jack cheese packed burger). Woof! All the eating (and drinking) clearly distracted from my bingo-playing, which needless to say did not result in a single win. Humpf. The bevy of prizes went to those more focused—as they should. Coming Up: keep an eye out for HopCat’s next monthly beer dinner, April 30th, which will feature a four-course meal created to pair with four Torn Label Brewing Co. beers.

So, KC—where do you want to go? XO APRIL 2019

| 43 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Lunch: Tuesday through Friday, 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Dinner: Thursday and Friday, 5:30–9:00 p.m.

Brunch: Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

4420 Warwick Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 | 816-561-7740 | kemperart.org/cafe

SPONSORED CONTENT

ONE-OF-A-KIND COLLECTIBLE JEWELRY Meet Todd & Check Out the New 2019 Spring Collection The Brand

Todd Reed is an American luxury brand renowned for creating bespoke jewelry and high art. Todd Reed designs are hand-forged in a Boulder, CO Studio using only the finest materials and ethically sourced, conflict-free stones. Their master jewelers meticulously create every design by hand, employing classic and modern metalsmithing techniques.

Each piece is one-of-a-kind and built with the most exquisite craftsmanship to create exclusive and highly collectible objects.

Meet The Artist In Leawood, Kansas

Todd Reed is an award-winning artist-jeweler whose work has historically challenged the established concepts of high jewelry and luxury design. Todd’s singular style, which uses raw and natural colored diamonds with recycled metals, created an entirely new category of jewelry and rebranded the notions of “luxury” in the process. Todd will be making a personal appearance in Leawood, Kansas at Mazzarese Jewelry on May 10th and 11th. Call 913-491-4111 to schedule your appointment.

A Classic Torch & Hammer Shop

Inside their shop, Todd and his team take elements from the Earth, melt them together and turn them into the most exclusive jewelry available. They pour gold by hand and use hammers and anvils to create shapes. They do not manufacture or use casts and molds. Every piece made is created by the hands of a single master jeweler. It’s this simple dedication to craftsmanship that heightens the intimacy and experience of their work.

All of our stones and gems are ethically sourced, conflict-free, and come from a 6th generation diamond sourcing company that uses the highest industry standards.

135th & ROE Parkway Plaza 4850 W. 135th Street Leawood, KS 66224 913.491.4111 800.735.5112 mazzaresejewelry.com

Arts & Culture by

IN KC

Judith Fertig

Jeff Robinson

THE KANSAS CITY ARTIST ANSWERS FOUR QUESTIONS

photo by kelly kuhn

called Same Shirt, Different Day. Can you tell us how that idea struck you and what you did with it?

Robinson: The series Same Shirt, Different Day came to me quite by accident. I inherited a red and white-striped shirt (long story, but funny) from a friend in New York. It had a great graphic quality and it referenced the human figure so I painted it. It sold immediately—which is always encouraging—so I continued to paint it in various media and shifting scales. Over the past 20 years I’ve created close to 100 iterations and I’m still excited about the possibilities it offers.

B

orn in New Jersey, Jeff Robinson went West, young man, to study at the Kansas City Art Institute under the tutelage of Dale Eldred and Jim Leedy. In those days, Robinson’s favorite materials were wax, bronze, and clay; sculpture was his medium. Working as an artist in Kansas City, and then in New York City and Los Angeles, Robinson shifted from sculpture to painting: “Painting allowed me to get to ideas quicker,” he explains.

And those ideas came fast. Flags, iconography, shirts, books, shoes—all became objects of fascination and exploration. Just recently, several Kansas Citians have had their “portraits” done via their footwear.

Robinson’s work is now available at Blue Gallery. bluegalleryonline.com

INKC: You’ve also worked on a series of book paintings entitled Libris, inspired by your own search for first editions in dusty old bookstores. And now you’re on to painting the shoes of Kansas Citians and other people you know? What do shoes tell about a person?

Robinson: The Libris series was spawned by my love of reading and collecting books. In New York I lived a few blocks away from the Strand bookstore, which is ground zero for avid readers and collectors. I spent many hours and many dollars there.

I’m surrounded by the bound written word. I guess it’s only natural that I would be inspired by it.

The shoes came about when I was offered a show by Scott Heidmann and Ken Petti [Heidmann Art Salon] after they saw a painting I did of my work boots. Their suggestion was Unlaced, featuring my paintings of prominent Kansas Citians’ footwear, including those of chefs Michael Smith and Michael Corvino, style doyenne [and IN Kansas City contributor] Merrily Jackson, and Kelly Kuhn from Blue Gallery, where I currently show. It was a great success and gave me the idea of doing commissioned portraits of footwear that I call Portraits By The Foot. Shoes are such personal statements, no matter the wearer’s age, whether practical or frivolous, expensive or not, they announce one’s personality. You can’t beat that for subject matter.

INKC: You started off in sculpture, then went on to painting.

Is there another medium you’d like to explore?

INKC: What is it about Kansas City that helped nurture your talent and

Robinson: It’s true I started in sculpture and now I’m a painter,

then your career?

Robinson: My wife (writer/educator Courtney Watkins) and daughter (Mary Charles, 13) and I moved back to Kansas City two years ago after having lived in Los Angeles for 17 years and New York for eight years before that.

I knew Kansas City had a thriving art community and the Kansas City Art Institute was central to that. A considerable creative entity in itself, KCAI is a hub around which all sorts of ancillary endeavors can flourish. When I was coming up, art spaces like the Left Bank and the Dolphin were two great alternative scenes for younger, less established artists. The guys behind those venues, David Ford and John O’Brien respectively, gave me the first opportunities to show my work.

Places like Peregrine Honig’s Greenwood Social Hall continue that tradition.

but I also write. In Los Angeles I managed to get a couple of scripts into the studio system and while they never got produced I enjoyed the process quite a bit. Just not enough to quit my day job. jeffrobinsonart.com

INKC: You say that inspiration comes from unexpected sources. When

you lived in New York, you created a series of drawings and paintings

APRIL 2019

| 46 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Celebrate Another Stunning New Season KELLI O’HARA

Join the Harriman-Jewell Series for its fabulous 2019–2020 season of performances held at landmark venues in downtown Kansas City.

HJSERIES.ORG 816.415.5025 Kelli O’Hara, Broadway star 10/12/19; Nadine Sierra, soprano 10/19/19; Aspen Santa Fe Ballet 10/25/19; Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis 12/05/19; Anne-Sophie Mutter, violinist 01/21/20; Mark Morris Dance Group 02/08/20; Siberian State Symphony Orchestra 03/05/20; Daniil Trifonov, pianist 03/12/20; Pianist Mitsuko Uchida and Mahler Chamber Orchestra 03/22/20; Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops On Tour 04/06/20; Angela Gheorghiu, soprano 04/26/20; Joyce DiDonato, mezzo-soprano, and Il Pomo d’Oro, chamber orchestra 05/29/20.

See complete details for season performances, including free Discovery Concerts, at HJSERIES.ORG.

Arts & Culture BY

IN KC

Judith Fertig

FRIDA KAHLO’S GARDEN AFTER A WINTER of seven kinds of snow and never-ending school closings, it’s time to go back to the garden. But not just any outdoor space—one inspired by artist Frida Kahlo’s private garden at Casa Azul (Blue House) in Mexico City. Born in 1907, Kahlo used emblems of the natural world in her art as well as in her dress. Native plants such as sunflowers, elephant ear, cacti, and dahlias mixed with European ivies and roses. She also favored native fruits like the prickly pear and mamey sapoto as well as citrus fruits introduced into Mexico. Her pet parrots roamed freely outside and in her house. Indigenous and colorful elements found their way into her remarkable paintings. The premier, ticketed event kicks off on the evening of April 6 with live music, cocktails, and food inspired by indigenous Mexican cuisine. Enjoy a performance by Kansas City playwright and actress Vanessa Severo, who portrays Frida Kahlo in Frida: A Self Portrait (performed at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre beginning April 19). The exhibit runs from April 6 to May 25, made possible through the National Endowment for the Humanities, at Powell Gardens, in Kingsville, Missouri. Call for your $50 ticket at 816-697-2600 x306. powellgardens.org

Jim Scovell

Kylie Scovell Brewer

S C OV E L L R E M O D E L I N G . C O M

APRIL 2019

| 48 | INKANSASCITY.COM

SUNFLOWER POETRY SLAM POETRY READINGS can be a sure cure for insomnia, but

not a poetry slam. Sometimes heart-wrenching, sometimes in-your-face, often thought-provoking, a slam features original poetry and creative wordplay with an edge because it is performed, not just read. Like speed-dating or karaoke, there is a time limit, usually about three minutes. No props, no music. Just you. Kansas City has hosted monthly poetry slams, but this month the event crosses the state line. Sunflower Poetry Slam and Open Mic, hosted by Jen Harris, chills out on April 18 at the Lenexa City Hall at 6 p.m. Ten slots are available, first come, first served. And to top it off, a $50 prize. No cover charge. lenexa.com

WILSONLIGHTING.COM

ITEM #621928

TOODLE-OO, WINTER.

Spring is finally here! Brighten your surroundings with an open, airy lantern finished in aged brass and black.

S I N C E 19 7 5

OVERLAND PARK 10530 Marty 913.642.1500 Mon-Thurs 9-8 Fri 9-6 Sat 10-5

APRIL 2019

| 49 | INKANSASCITY.COM

L I G H T I N G

Arts & Culture BY

IN KC

Judith Fertig

COMFORT ME WITH APPLES, BUT SAVE ME THE PLUMS IN 2009, Ruth Reichl was in the middle of an interview in Kansas

City to promote Gourmet magazine’s new cookbook when she got the call. The publisher was pulling the plug on the 70-year-old magazine. Reichl, who had been editor-in-chief for ten years, was shellshocked. And out of a job.

In her new memoir Save Me the Plums, Reichl recalls a childhood in which she read stately Gourmet magazine at eight years old, even though her mother was a horrible cook. After moving to Berkeley, Reichl rode the tide of California cuisine, when winemakers and groundbreakers like Alice Waters changed the way Americans ate.

When Reichl agree to helm Gourmet, she changed it from a white-tablecloth tome that generals’ wives would comb for seven-course meal menus to a cutting-edge magazine that ended all too soon. Reichl will talk about her life on April 25 at 6:00 p.m. at the 1900 Building through Rainy Day Books, a ticketed event. rainydaybooks.com

APRIL 2019

| 50 | INKANSASCITY.COM

ALL THAT JAZZ LEGENDARY TRUMPETER and ten-time Grammy winner Arturo Sandoval brings his unique Latin jazz sound to the Folly Theatre on April 27th at 8 p.m. Growing up in Cuba, Sandoval started to play trumpet at age 12 and learned from street musicians. He was also influenced by Kansas City great Charlie Parker. Dizzy Gillespie became a mentor; Sandoval defected while touring with Gillespie in the United Nations Orchestra in Rome. He eventually became a U.S. citizen in 1998. A 2000 film For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story starred Andy Garcia. Sandoval also played and performed in HBO’s Mambo Kings. He wrote and performed a classical trumpet concerto that he recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra. His 2018 album Ultimate Duets features collaborations with Pharrell Williams and Ariana Grande. He can do it all. Tickets are on sale. follytheater.org

800.862.6670

Put our wealth of knowledge to work for you. We know your goals evolve over time, and the investment landscape can change in an instant.

That’s why we build custom portfolios for your personal financial objectives.

When you choose UMB Investment Management you have access to your team of tenured investment managers, strategists, and research specialists—all working for you.

We work our assets off to grow yours.

UMB.com/InvestSmarter Investing. Planning. Banking.

Investment Management Services and Securities are: NOT FDIC-INSURED NO BANK GUARANTEE MAY LOSE VALUE

APRIL 2019

| 51 | INKANSASCITY.COM

YOUR NEW HOME REMODEL STARTS HERE

Bringing European Tradition & Design to Your Home Specializing in kitchen and bathrooms design and remodeling.

We offer both full-service remodeling and an a la carte installation menu. With more than 30 years of experience in the industry our work has been featured in local and national media including Dwell magazine and HGTV.

KarinRossDesigns.com 816-425-2815

The opening you’ve been waiting for.

l e aw o o d

The Boutique Retirement Club®

Behind the Music

IN KC

WANT MORE TIMOTHY FINN? Check out his weekly online-only content at inkansascity.com.

Every Wednesday the website publishes his list of Top 5 Notto-Miss Concerts in the metro.

Every week you’ll find his revered, rollicking, reasoned reviews and commentary.

Email Timothy Finn at tfinn@inkansascity.com

What music do you remember first hearing? How old were you and do you remember how it affected you?

Billy Brimblecom: I recall loving the Oak Ridge Boys song Elvira on the radio. The music nerd in me tells me that was 1981, so I was about 4-years-old. But the first music that I remember truly affecting me was Michael Jackson. Thriller came out when I was about 5 or 6, and I was obsessed, just consumed by Michael and that album.

What were some of your favorite bands and/or kinds of music growing up?

BB: The music I was listening to at the time I started playing drums always sticks out for me, the stuff my friends and I were listening to and trying to emulate: Def Leppard, Van Halen, Guns ‘N Roses. Then came Led Zeppelin, Black Crowes, and Pearl Jam in high school.

When and why did you choose to be a drummer? Who are some of your favorite drummers?

BB: The summer before sixth grade, I remember listening to the song Wipeout with my dad. I was so taken by the drums in that song, I signed up to play the drums when sixth-grade band started. Once I started playing drums, music basically took over my life.

John Bonham from Led Zeppelin struck me really early on, and to this day he’s the most important musician, let alone drummer, to me of all time. I was also a huge fan of Ringo, Stewart Copeland, Charlie Watts. And in my teens/early 20s came Dave Grohl, Pete Thomas from Elvis Costello’s band, Prince, jazz guys like Art Blakey and Tony Williams, and R&B guys like Steve Ferrone.

Billy Brimblecom by

Timothy Finn

L

ife dealt Billy Brimblecom Jr. a serious trauma in 2005, but he has emerged triumphant. Brimblecom was a drummer in several Kansas City bands before doctors told him he had cancer—Ewing’s Sarcoma—which would require amputation of his left leg.

His friends rallied around him and raised enough money for a prosthetic leg, and Brimblecom hasn’t looked back since. Rather, as executive director of Steps of Faith, he now devotes himself to helping other amputees acquire prosthetic limbs.

Brimblecom recently answered questions from IN Kansas City about life with a prosthetic limb, his music history, and his long-time friendship with Jason Sudeikis.

APRIL 2019

In 2005, you were diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma and, as a result, your left leg was amputated. What do you remember about that time? What did you think your prospects were of playing drums again?

BB: That was the heaviest year, as you can imagine, kind of the “end of Act 1,” if you will. And I was only 28. I changed in about every way possible that year. And I can honestly say, all of those changes were necessary and for the better.

It was very difficult and very scary. But I knew that God had a plan, as bizarre as it seemed at the time, so I just tried to keep moving forward.

As for how the drums would work, fortunately it’s my left leg, my hi-hat leg, so I figured I’d be able to work that out. And I was right. I was back to playing well way before I was back to walking well. Fortunately you sit down to play the drums.

| 54 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Talk about the adjustment period for you, first, losing your leg and then getting accustomed to the prosthetic leg.

What was most difficult?

BB: I was in the hospital for about a week surrounding the surgery to take the leg.

And I say this all the time, but that’s because it’s true: That whole week was like a weird celebration.

I had friends from all over the country come to be with me in the hospital. The nurses had to kick people out every night like it was closing time at a bar. Those friends took the worst experience of my life and actually turned it into something really beautiful. I’m so thankful for that.

But, yeah, after I got home there were some dark times. I really had to mourn the loss of my leg. Grief takes time and I don’t like that. But being laid up like that forced me to deal with it all, which was necessary for my healing in every way. The worst part of it was phantom pain, which is very real and the worst part of my life, hands down. That got better but still shows up from time to time.

In retrospect, it was all a pretty fast process: losing my leg Aug. 4, 2005, then starting to learn to walk again that October. All of that while still going through chemo. I’m really lucky.

How soon were you performing again after the surgery?

BB: I played one time at church probably four to six weeks after my surgery. No prosthetic leg yet. I had to use this hi-hat thing called a drop clutch and would open and close the hi-hat by pushing the pedal with a stick. This is lost on non-musicians, but I just found a way to make it work.

Then on Thanksgiving 2005, Blackpool Lights played a show at Record Bar with the drummer who’d been filling in for me. I got up and played the last song of the night. My girlfriend at the time, and now wife [Allison], called it “passing back the torch to its rightful owner.” That was an emotional night.

After that my first full show with the band was a couple months later on Valentine’s Day, and then we were back on tour in March. I could still barely walk, but I could play, and my band mates helped me load and set up my drums. It was so great.

What do you think the general public

needs to be aware of regarding people with prosthetic limbs? Are there general misconceptions that need to be dispelled?

BB: First off, I have a new friend named Wesley Hamilton who’s in a wheelchair. He once told me that when people see folks with a disability, they see what those people are missing, what they are less than, and we need to change that idea. For me, losing my leg changed the course of my life for the better, tenfold.

Most importantly for prosthetics, I’d say misconceptions surround the need for them and access to them. My leg not only allows me to walk, it makes me feel normal. I don’t hide it, but having this leg effects how I feel in every way. That’s huge. It’s not just my mobility, which most of us take for granted.

And also the fact that prosthetic limbs are expensive and many folks don’t have access to them due to no health insurance or terrible health insurance.

I myself had massive struggles getting the leg I needed back in 2006. Prosthetic limbs and mobility are not a luxury, period. If the thing that’s holding someone back from walking is money, that’s ridiculous and far too common of an issue.

In 2013, you turned your story into a noble mission: Steps of Faith, of which you are executive director and which provides prosthetics to people who otherwise would not be able to afford them.

How many people has the foundation helped during your tenure there?

BB: Steps of Faith is one of the best things to ever happen to me. I got right to work on April 1, 2013, and we’ve slowly been building it ever since. We have helped just over 250 people to date; 76 of those were just last year.

We plan to help 100 people this year.

What has your time at Steps of Faith taught you about amputees and the lives of people with prosthetic limbs?

BB: That with the right tools, we can do anything. We can live, move, and thrive. I don’t think of myself as handicapped very often because I rarely feel handicapped. That’s all because I have the right tools. This leg is an amazing tool! Every amputee deserves access to the right tools.

You started Thundergong in 2017 as an annual fundraiser for Steps of Faith. Your

APRIL 2019

| 55 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Behind the Music

IN KC

longtime friend, Jason Sudeikis, has hosted both and brought along many well-known friends. How did you and Jason become friends?

BB: Jason and I became close spending so much time together in our Comedy Sportz days. We were together every day pretty much starting when we were 18 and 19 years old. For a good two or three years.

I was living in Lawrence and would often crash at his parents’ house, where he was living, when we finished shows because I was too tired to drive home.

We were in each other’s weddings, been there for all the big moments. I love him like a brother. He helped raise $30,000 for me when I needed it for a prosthetic leg in 2006. Years later when I got the job with Steps of Faith, I told him about it and how it all worked. I said $30,000 for Steps of Faith would mean we could help well over 30 people! I told him that when the time was right for him, let’s come together and create an event that is whatever we want it to be. We make the rules. And with Thundergong, that’s exactly what we did.

What have the Thundergongs meant to Steps of Faith and to you?

BB: That event is a dream come true that combines so many things that are important to us: music, comedy, friendship … Kansas City. And all to help Steps of Faith change people’s lives for the better.

We throw a big party for Kansas City, and it’s all to restore mobility for those in need. For the organization, it’s just unbelievable. It has changed the game for us and it’s continuing to grow. This past year we

ended up raising over $300,000! That’s a lot of legs and arms we can buy. This allows us to truly make an impact on more and more people.

You and your wife, Allison, founded the band Summer Breeze, a tribute to soft rock or “yacht rock.” When did that start? What are some misconceptions people may have about that music?

BB: We put Summer Breeze together in April of 2009, shortly before moving to Nashville. We were gonna do it just one time, for fun. We knew it would be hard but it was so much harder than we expected!

All of that music is basically like R&B slow-jam rhythm sections combined with insane jazz chords and crazy beds of complicated multi-singer harmonies. Most of it is very sophisticated stuff, musically.

I’m in the middle of our audience, age-wise. Younger folks see it as ironic, corny and fun. Older folks just see it as good music from their youth.

For me I see both sides since it was all on the radio when I was born.

And yacht rock was a fake genre that has kind of become real now.

It’s weird and cool, I suppose. It’s basically soft-rock music that was mostly big hits from the early to mid-’70s to the mid-’80s.

This April is our tenth anniversary. It’s nuts! We are gonna throw a big birthday party on April 6 at Kanza Hall. That band has brought a lot of fun to a lot of people, I’m proud to say, but most importantly it’s brought a lot of joy to the seven of us.

And getting to play with those folks as the house band at Thundergong—getting to back all these incredible artists—that’s the best.

REFINE YOUR NEST

SHOP SPRUCE for a unique selection of home décor along with holiday and hostess gifts, wrapped while you wait! Featuring local favorites... Pickwick, Mer-Sea, Coki Bijoux, plus designs by Dana Gibson, and local artists. You are sure to find the perfect piece to refine your nest at Spruce Home.

2515 S omer Set , L eawood , KS 66206 913.296.7504 Sprucehome Kc . com

APRIL 2019

| 56 | INKANSASCITY.COM

’ R EYE GUYS THE QUEE OADS LOFT SR COOL CROS E BL NA FASHIO FOOD

| INKANSASCI APRIL 2019

TY.COM

IN Kansas City magazine is available at The Roasterie Cafe.

Purchase a copy at any of our eight area

style!

Spring

locations and The Roasterie will donate a portion of the sales to Variety Children’s Charity of Greater Kansas City.

My Essentials

IN KC

TEISHA MARIE BARBER BRINGING RUNWAY FASHION TO KANSAS CITY ONE FABULOUS EVENT AT A TIME

I PHOTO BY AARON LEIMKUEHLER

n June 2011, Barber envisioned a fashion show to raise funds for the victims of the tornado that devastated Joplin, Missouri. The success of that event led her and her planning team to realize that there was a void in Kansas City’s fashion scene for something of that magnitude on a seasonal basis, similar to New York Fashion Week. As the inaugural director of the event, Barber used her background in architecture and interior design, paired with her experience in the fashion industry, to make Kansas City Fashion Week a reality. Launching KCFW as its executive director, and stepping into the role of president in 2014, she oversees and orchestrates all production and design of the KCFW shows and events. A little-known fact is that all the KCFW team have full-time careers on top of running KC’s largest fashion runway event. Barber herself is also a designer at Jackson|Main Architecture.

Teisha’s essentials...

FASHION ICON:

DINNER OUT:

SCENT FOR HOME: 5B & Co. is my favorite

I grew up loving everything about the late Kate Spade and her brand and quickly started my own collection of handbags, jewelry, and home accessories all by the Kate Spade New York brand. Her style was sophisticated, but also very fun. I loved her drive and that she saw a lack of stylish and sensible handbags in the market, so she went for it and created her own brand.

When we’re looking for a special night out we typically choose Le Fou Frog.

We love the atmosphere and the food is amazing. I usually order the Queue De Hommard Sauce Vanille et Champagne— twin Maine lobster tails in a butter sauce of Champagne and vanilla served with creamy risotto—unless they have something on special that night that sounds as equally amazing (which they usually do!)

candle brand and it’s located right in Brookside.

I love them because they have more than 170 different scents from which to choose. I have two favorite scents, Lavender Sage for spring/ summer and Fraser Fir for the winter.

DAY TRIP:

I typically love a glass of nice Champagne, but I am partial to the Rockafella Spritz, the Dreams of Iliad, or just a classic glass of Louis de Grenelle, ‘Samur Corail’ sparkling rosé from The Monarch Bar.

We love to go to Powell Gardens Botanical Gardens. They have many exhibits and festivals throughout the year for the entire family to enjoy.

We like taking our boys to the Festival of Lights in the winter. They enjoy walking the trails with all the Christmas light installations while drinking hot cocoa.

PREFERRED COCKTAIL:

APRIL 2019

| 58 | INKANSASCITY.COM

BEAUTY PRODUCT:

I absolutely adore the entire line of SKiN products. (Made in KC!) Their products are made with all organic ingredients and oils and are safe for you and for the environment.

SPA TREATMENT: I love the De-Stress and

Detox package at Sunlight Day Spa. You start with a 60-minute total-body wrap with a detox scrub, move to a 60-minute relaxation massage, are given a light snack plate, and then end with their Sunlighten Purifying Treatment.

STYLISH Designer Sarah Geer’s personal style is symmetrical, clean and livable.

She strives to achieve in her design a harmony of aesthetic beauty, sustainability and functionality.

Come discover your personal style with a designer at Madden-McFarland.

1903 W. 135th Street, Leawood, KS | 913.681.2821 State Line Road at 135th Street I 913.681.2821 maddenmcfarland.com maddendmcfarland.com

Look

IN KC

Fashion

A Modern Take on Heirloom Style VINTAGE, UP-CYCLED, OR NEWLY MADE FROM

1.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS, GIVE YOUR WARDROBE A RETRO VIBE WITH THESE LOOKS BY

Susan Cannon

1. THERE’S A RAW modernity to the sustainably handmade Hadley

collection by designer Hadley Clark, who’s known for conceptually merging fashion and art. Clark handcrafts cotton yardage from the linings of discarded vintage clothing and kimonos, vintage linens, and other cotton remnants, making each garment unique, like this WHT Forest top with its lovely Victorian vibe. Similar variations of this style are available or can be custom-made in a range of seven sizes. $185, Inner Space (2711 Troost) @H_A_D_L_E_Y

2.

3.

2. THE BABOUCHE SLIPPER was created centuries ago by the Moroccans and has retained a timeless appeal for the bohemian-spirited. For spring, slide into this embroidered pair from Do Good Co., a Westport shop that curates a selection of gently used and never-worn clothing, accessories, and home furnishings, and gives back to charity with the many fund-raising events they hold. $65, Do Good Co. (Westport) dogoodco.org 3. EDINBURGH-BASED jewelry designer Grainne Morton creates real conversation pieces. She delights in collecting refined and treasured antique and forgotten objects, buttons, Victorian cameos, crystals, and semi-precious stones, and uses precious metals for her distinctive, one-of-a kind jewelry. She handcrafts cleverly unmatched chandelier earrings with fine balance and a unique eye for color, shape, and proportion. Asiatica in Westwood has carried the Grainne Morton collection even before it hit cult status with European fashion editors and style icons alike. $965, Asiatica (Westwood) asiaticakc.com

4.

4. MIX RETRO references with abandon. This Cult Gaia Zaha

Bag has a ’60s feel but is newly made of strong, sustainable bamboo caging, and will look fresh paired a multitude of ways. $208, Standard Style (Town Center Crossing) standardstyle.com 5. DONNA’S DRESS SHOP owner Donna Foulk has electric per-

sonal style that resonates, and her knowledge of vintage fashion runs deep, as does her shop’s selection. These ’60s-style gold frame sunglasses in a rounded octagon shape came into style in the early 1800s, yet look modern still, and this nostalgic Nouveau-period gold-filled locket looks new again. Sunglasses, $14, Locket, $54, Donna’s Dress Shop (Westport) donnasdressshop.com

5.

APRIL 2019

| 60 | INKANSASCITY.COM

EMSCULPT

®

BUILD MUSCLE AND SCULPT YOUR BODY—NO SWEAT REQUIRED! Monarch Plastic Surgery & Skin Rejuvenation Center is now offering EMSCULPT, the ONLY procedure that builds muscle while sculpting the body.

HOW EMSCULPT DELIVERS RESULTS EMSCULPT uses FDA cleared non-invasive High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology to induce powerful muscle contractions that are not otherwise achievable through voluntary contractions.

EMSCULPT exposes your muscle tissue to strong contractions, forcing the muscle tissue to respond with a deep remodeling of its inner structure that results in muscle building and sculpting your body. Researchers concluded that abdominal fat thickness was reduced on average by 18.6% and abdominal muscle mass was increased by 15.4%.

EMSCULPT is currently used on two areas: the abdomen and buttocks. It is the world’s first non-invasive buttocks toning procedure. It Lifts, Fills and Firms the Booty!

KC’S FIRST AND ONLY MEDICAL GROUP OFFERING EMSCULPT

EMSCULPT is non-invasive and requires no recovery time or any pre/post treatment preparation. Treatments last 30 minutes and require a minimum of 4 sessions, completed in a 2 week period.

With EMSCULPT you will begin to feel tangible results right after the treatment. Results continue to improve for several weeks following treatments.

4801 W. 135th St. Leawood, KS 66224 Plastic Surgery: 913-663-3838 | Skin Rejuvenation: 913-317-9386 MonarchPS.com

TRUST MONARCH’S STAFF OF BOARD CERTIFIED SURGEONS, NURSE INJECTORS & LICENSED AESTHETICIANS Breast Augmentation and Breast Reconstruction | Body Contouring | Peels | Facials | Microblading Mini Facelift | Laser Hair Removal | BOTOX® among other advanced treatments and products

Look

IN KC Beauty

Old-School Beauty BY

Santa Maria Novella Rose Water, $65

Susan Cannon Santa Maria Novella Talborina Dusting Power, $47

CAN YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST DISCOVERED BEAUTY PRODUCTS? PERHAPS AT YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S VANITY Aydry & Co. Mineral Bath Soak, $24

ENVELOPED IN THE SCENT OF ROSE, SWOONING OVER THE FANCY TALCUM PACKAGING AND DABBING ON ROSY CHEEK TINT? THESE MIGHT SPARK THAT TINGE OF NOSTALGIA IN YOU

S

ome favorite all-natural products include Santa Maria Novella Rose Water and Talborina Dusting Powder from the legendary Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, founded in 1611 by Dominican monks in a Tuscan monastery, and still created there today in what is now the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence. Luckily you can find them at George in Crestwood.

For the younger set—once upon a time we had only bars of soap to cleanse with. Imagine. But since it’s still de rigueur to set an elegant bar of soap out in the guest bath, Jo Malone London Red Roses Savon, rich in conditioning shea butter, is gorgeous with top notes of lemon, middle notes of Scarlet Velvet rose, and base notes of honeycomb. jomalone.com Relaxing bath salts are another lovely throwback, especially if you don’t take time out for yourself, and Aydry & Co Beautiful Rose Mineral Bath Soak from Dear Society (Midtown and Crossroads) detoxes skin while restoring its natural chemical balance.

For the makeup minimalists out there, RODIN x Vanessa Triana Lip & Cheek Oil is a subtle combo cosmetic, featuring sheer, softly pigmented hues that simulate the look of crushed-petal stains on both cheeks and lips. rodinoliolusso.com For centuries, sage has traditionally been burned ceremonially in purification rituals to clear the physical or mental space of stagnant or negative energy, and small Floral Smudge Sticks by Catherine Rising, sold at Finefolk, are beautiful examples with rose sprays and natural twine.

Speaking of clearing—for unwanted facial redness common with aging, Mirabile MD’s SkinFix Calming Serum, available at MirabileMD in Overland Park, is a soothing marine complex facial serum that effectively counteracts rosacea with daily use. mirabilemd.com Finally, to safely charm your underarms, all-natural Rose Glow Poetic Pits combines sumptuous sandalwood, lavish lavender, and the gentle juice of roses over geranium. Find it at Within Apothecary in the Crossroads.

APRIL 2019

Rodin x Vanessa Triana Lip & Cheek Oil, $35

Jo Malone Red Roses Savon, $22

Smudge Stick

by Catherine Rising, $18

Mirabile MD’s SkinFix Calming Serum, $65

| 62 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Rose Glow Poetic Pits, $40

MAY 3RD -5TH 2019 ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY BRIAN JENSEN

FRIDAY 5PM - 9PM | SATURDAY 10AM - 9PM | SUNDAY 11AM - 5PM 180 LOCAL AND NATIONAL ARTISTS - RAIN OR SHINE UNDER THE TENTS AT 63RD AND BROOKSIDE

PRESENTED BY:

LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF ROCKHILL ROAD AND HOLMES ROAD.

BROOKSIDEKC.ORG #BROOKSIDEARTFAIR

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. — Albert Einstein

windows millwork cabinets hardware imagination...

Circle of Lights A Ceremony of Remembrance Remember your loved one with a luminary

KCHospice.org/Circle-of-Lights/

|

816.363.2600

Tuesday, May 21, 2019 J.C. Nichols Fountain on the Country Club Plaza 8:30 p.m. Lighting Ceremony and Program

Living

IN KC

Fashion + Home = Chic

T

here is no question that fashion and design have always been as indelibly linked as Betty and Francois Catroux.

(Not familiar? Look them up. The couple is interesting and the ne plus ultra of taste and style and a foil to these Kardashian-drenched times.) We were so lucky to have had the restrained elegance of Annette and Oscar de la Renta and the dash and swagger of the comer Ralph Lifshitz (later Lauren) who distilled the American dream into different cut-glass bottles with silver tags labeled, “Deco,” “West” and “Upper West Side” (among others). Fortunate, too, to have experienced the moxie and irreverence of the late Kate Spade in both the bag we slipped over our shoulders and the inspiring layers of her home.

DON’T LIMIT THE INSPIRATION OF THE RUNWAYS TO YOUR CLOSET ALONE. FASHION CAN HELP US SEE INTERIORS THROUGH A NEW LENS

BY PATRICIA O’DELL

APRIL 2019

| 66 | INKANSASCITY.COM

RALPH LAUREN PHOTO BY WESTON WELLS; KATE SPADE PHOTO BY TODD SELBY

In their homes, clockwise from left: Betty and Francois Catroux, Ralph Lauren, and Kate Spade.

JUST AS EACH OF THOSE DESIGNERS TRANSLATED THEIR FASHION VISION EQUALLY WELL INTO FABRICS AND FURNISHINGS, YOU TOO CAN TRANSLATE YOUR LATEST LOOKS INTO LASTING TREASURES AT HOME

BOX IT UP The Flora clutch in rattan at Finefolk is perfect for this season’s emphasis on neutrals.

But it’s also a handy piece for your powder room. Stash a nail file, few samples of perfume, and a tin of mints for the occasional wayward guest. finefolk.com

ROCK SOLID There are those of us who think hippie chic never goes out of style. Long crocheted vests, layers of beads, and raw-edged leather sandals always have a place at the table/camper. Assemble a collection of crystals from Oracle in the Crossroads to keep the energy flowing at home. Do they work? Well, they’re a whole lot prettier on the coffee table than a collection of prescription bottles. oraclekc.com

PRINTS CHARMING Scarf prints may be dripping off our shoulders and over our knees as temperatures heat up, but it’s equally charming to hold them in our hands. Cappuccino cups with prints from Lilly Pulitzer keep mornings light and lively. lillypulitzer.com

APRIL 2019

| 67 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Artisan apparel for nomads and romantics.

335 East 55th Street • Kansas City peruvianconnection.com

Living

IN KC

Established Artists, Emerging Neighborhood by patricia o’dell

S

tudios Inc, located in East Crossroads, sponsors a three-year residency program for mid-career artists who are accepted to the program. The organization recognizes the challenges of artists who are established and still in need of support. Director Courtney Wasson explains the need and benefit for this kind of collaboration.

There is so much emphasis on “makers” and space for new artists and creatives, what are the challenges for mid-career artists of which people may be unaware?

A mid-career artist can roughly be defined by age and experience. Their work has a developed style or language and they usually have gained

regional or national recognition via exhibitions or publication. The challenge many mid-career artists face is maintaining recognition and continued growth. Another challenge is securing financial support whether through sales, grants, or direct patronage. Without this financial support, many artists struggle to maintain an active and productive studio practice.

How does Studios Inc respond to these challenges?

The three-year residency program at Studios Inc provides free studio space, exhibition opportunities, marketing, and professional networking for mid-career artists accepted into the program.

I love that the studio spaces at Studios Inc are large and allow artists opportunity to explore and create in ways that may have been limited previously.

Is there a benefit in shared work space?

Does a camaraderie develop among the artists who are in the studios?

In general, I believe community is important; it’s

Concerts are held in Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

(816) 471-0400 / kcsymphony.org

CELEBRATE SPRING! FRESH + FUN! Jean-Guihen Queyras

PINK MARTINI with the KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY Friday & Saturday, April 5-6 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, April 7 at 2 p.m.

Jason Seber, David T. Beals III Associate Conductor

Pink Martini joins your Kansas City Symphony for an evening of glitz and glamour, led by pianist Thomas Lauderdale and featuring vocalist China Forbes.

Experience an alluring mix of Brazilian samba, ’30s Cuban dance and Parisian café music as “one of the world’s most elegant live bands” (The Times UK) mingles with your Symphony for an unforgettable party. Tickets from $40.

LA VALSE with COPLAND’S APPALACHIAN SPRING

Friday & Saturday, April 12-13 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, April 14 at 2 p.m.

Michael Stern, conductor Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello

STERN CONDUCTS MAHLER’S THIRD

Friday & Saturday, May 17-18 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m.

Michael Stern, conductor Kelley O’Connor, mezzo-soprano Women of the Kansas City Symphony Chorus Charles Bruffy, chorus director Allegro Choirs of Kansas City Christy Elsner, founder and artistic director

MILHAUD Le boeuf sur le toit LALO Cello Concerto COPLAND Appalachian Spring MAHLER Symphony No. 3 RAVEL La valse, poème chorégraphique A gigantic and exciting musical poem.

Enjoy a concert filled with the sights Tickets from $25. and sounds of spring. Tickets from $25.

APRIL 2019

| 68 | INKANSASCITY.COM

DEBRA SMITH Debra Smith is a Hannibal native and KCAI grad with a B.F.A in textiles and an Associate Degree in Applied Science from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York who works with vintage textiles. “I am not a poet or someone who draws, but I feel that my use of vintage textiles as a medium brings a history, a weight, and a poetry to the work before I even begin to cut, sew, and piece the work back together.” thestudiosinc.org/artists/debra-m-smith

where we find support, feedback, and encouragement. Our artists definitely develop a camaraderie due to the length of the residency program. Several times a year we host Open Studios events for the public and patrons. This is a chance to visit an artist’s space and see their creative process. We believe it’s important to have these opportunities for people to develop relationships and engage in conversation.

If you had three wishes to improve the space or the artists’ opportunities, what would they be?

I have many wishes! But let’s say goals, because goals can be accomplished. My first goal is to continue to maintain and build on the organization’s foundation and mission to support mid-career artists. The next goal is to improve our physical facilities with better lighting, heating, and cooling, the creation of community-use areas—the list goes on. My final goal, one that is on every non-profit director’s wish list, it is to increase our funding through patronage. The local arts community was instrumental in the economic revival of Kansas City’s Crossroads and downtown, and I believe the arts have the power to continue to impact and grow our city.

PATTY CARROLL Patty Carroll’s photographs address women and domestic status by camouflaging the figure in drapery or domestic objects. Carroll has taught photography for many years and has returned to the studio to delight viewers with her sense of humor and critique of home life. “They are installations made in the studio for the camera that play with color, space, and scale, and use household objects as subject matter. I am photographically creating worlds that debunk, critique, and satirize myths of domestic, claustrophobic perfection.” thestudiosinc.org/artists/patty-carroll

Studio Inc’s exhibitions are free and open to the public. Check thestudiosinc.org for artists and events.

APRIL 2019

| 69 | INKANSASCITY.COM

IN CONVERSATION WITH

Jeremy Scott

H words by

Cindy Hoedel

photo by

Giampaolo Sgura

He’s the internationally acclaimed head of Italian fashion powerhouse Moschino. He’s the man the late, great Karl Lagerfeld once said was his only possible heir at the helm of Chanel. He was raised in a suburb of Kansas City where he was bullied at school constantly for his non-conforming hair and clothing, and yet, in a recent full-length film about his life (stream it on Netflix or other streaming services), he sports a Royals jacket and an infectious positivism untainted by bitterness or triumphalism.

His name is Jeremy Scott and even if you’ve never heard of him, you’ve seen his clothes on red carpets and music videos.

At 43, the tall, dashing, blue-eyed bad boy of haute couture has dressed dozens of mega stars. Katy Perry, Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Madonna,

APRIL 2019

| 73 | INKANSASCITY.COM

cess. And on another note, we both resurrected brands that were at Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Jared Leto, one time not seen as being relevant or desirable any longer, putting and Bjork are just the tip of his A-list iceberg. them back on the map and squarely in the forefront of fashion.

After graduating high school, Scott moved to New York to study fashion design at Pratt Institute after being rejected by his Supermodel Devon Aoki became the face of Chanel, but first choice, Fashion Institute of Technology for “lack of origiyou were the first one to put her on a runway at age 13. nality.” Against his mother’s wishes, he moved to Paris penniless Where did you meet her and what set her apart in a sea of after graduating from Pratt. When he couldn’t get the proper beautiful faces? paperwork to secure a hoped-for internship at a major fashion Devon is one of the singularly most beautiful women I have ever house, he instead put on his own show in a bar and became an met in my life. Her unique beauty and delightful personality instant sensation. have set her apart and made her the star that she is today. From In 2002, when Scott had become the toast of le Tout-Parseeing her photo in a magazine to getting her is, he abruptly quit the city for Los Angeles, over to Paris to open her first show—my third which at the time was far from being considshow—and starting a new friendship that has ered couture-relevant. Vogue editor Anna Winlasted over 20 years with me being the godfather tour’s shocked reaction when he told her: “You to her three children, it’s been one of the best mean New York.” friendships I have had the pleasure of experiFar from throwing his career away, Scott encing in my lifetime. continues to rocket ahead of trends and add to his stature from his California base.

I love Kansas City In Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer you He has been compared to Andy Warhol, and I have no regret splashing bold graphics and eye-popping colors are wearing a Royals jacket in one scene in collections inspired by SpongeBob SquarePand you let the film crew follow you back that that is where ants and McDonalds. In addition to his Jereto Kansas City to visit your parents and sismy Scott line and Moschino, Scott has a wildly ter. You have also said high school was four I am from. I love popular line of shoes for Adidas, has partnered years of hell because of your sexuality and seeing the big, open with UGG and Swatch and recently teamed up how you dressed. What kind of connection if with London Fog to “reimagine travel.” any do you feel to Kansas City today? fields with the big Savoir Flair wrote about his Spring/SumI love Kansas City and I have no regret that blue skies of the mer 2019 collection for Moschino: “...pure that is where I am from. I love seeing the big, magic, and one of the most thrilling finales open fields with the big blue skies of the sumsummer with the Scott has ever done. Although we digest fashion mer with the trees in full bloom—it still takes trees in full bloom news so fast it’s scary, this is one moment that my breath away. Give me a few wide-open acres we will remember.” and I’m in heaven!

—it still takes my Scott, in the midst of a flurry of preparing for upcoming travel and new collections, took Have you had any contact since becombreath away. the time to go deep about his roots, his muses ing famous with the kids that tormented and vision for the future with IN Kansas City. you in high school? Have you gone to a class reunion?

I actually saw today one of my friends who I Karl Lagerfeld, who just passed away, told have known since 5th grade back at Santa Fe Elementary school! She and I are still very close, Le Monde you were the only designer who and I am the godfather to her two children as could follow him at Chanel. What did he well. I don’t really remember the people that were unkind—I have see in your work that some lesser critics missed in their no emotional scars that need to be healed from the past. As I see harsh reviews of your collections for Moschino? it, the hardships we endure create the beautiful souls we become I cannot speak for Karl, but I think that anyone doesn’t have to so I have no animosity or hard feelings toward anyone or anything look too deep to see that both of us are known for putting on that happened in the past. grand, spectacular fashion shows that move people and push fashion often outside of the general context of a fashion-show setting.

Moschino and Jeremy Scott are known for humor, irreverWe are both designers who have employed our talents to varience, pop influences and fun. Yet your first collection was ous elements in design—from photography to collaborations with inspired by car crashes, your second show “Rampage,” both high-end brands and much more mass brands to great suc-

“ ”

APRIL 2019

| 74 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.

For Fall/Winter 2019, Scott collaborated with the artist Aleksandra Mir who created hand-drawn blown-up renderings of tabloid covers, which Scott then turned into prints for his “Fake News” collection.

you described as “Blade Runner, trash bags, and the apocalypse.” and another show was called “Rich White Women.” Your Jeremy Scott Fall/Winter 2019 collection tackled Fake News. Are people missing a deeper layer of social commentary when they focus on the pop culture references in your work?

There are always deeper messages, maybe more so even for the very colorful and glossy collections versus the ones you mention that are darker in tone or more brooding in their inspiration or output. Nevertheless, I think having a big 1950s style prom dress with “THE END IS NOT NEAR” written across it (in the fakenews inspired show) is still quite whimsical and humorous!

What are you most excited about today?

I try to live in the present and so I’m excited about today!

Doing what I love to do and having the opportunity to share my work and have it be something that brings people joy—that is something to always be excited about! m

APRIL 2019

“

Doing what I love to do and having the opportunity to share my work and have it be something that brings people joy—that is something to always be excited about!

| 75 | INKANSASCITY.COM

”

o R ClO STORY

SPRING PASTELS ARE BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

Ron Berg Arlen Wickstrum Flock Salon and Gallery makeup by Nick Jenkins Flock Salon and Gallery photos by hair by

JUST FOR KICKS Mod Ref top, $45; Just Black jeans, $79; Mod Ref jacket, $79; Kaanas mules, $139; Earrings, $25. All from Lady Bye (Brookside).

APRIL 2019

| 76 | INKANSASCITY.COM

UP IN THE AIR Antonelli dress, $480; from Hudson & Jane (Crestwood Shops). Pendant, $115; from Anaphora (Prairiefire).

TAIL SPIN Lisa Todd sweater, $198; Ecru jeans, $158; earrings, $168.

All from Miriam Garvey (Fairway Shops).

APRIL 2019

| 78 | INKANSASCITY.COM

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE Just blouse, $103; Just trousers, $135; Hoop earrings, $70. All from Anaphora (Prairiefire).

SKY HIGH Ports dress, $498; Stuart Weitzman sandals, $450; Kendra Scott ring, $95; Kendra Scott earrings, $80. All from Halls Kansas City (Crown Center).

APRIL 2019

| 80 | INKANSASCITY.COM

WALKING ON SUNSHINE Joseph Ribkoff top, $159; Joseph Ribkoff slacks, $145; from EJ’s Boutique (Hawthorne Plaza).

Earrings, $17.95; Matisse platforms, $134.95; from Amelia’s Boutique (Deer Creek Marketplace).

APRIL 2019

| 81 | INKANSASCITY.COM

FLYING COLORS Intimately Free People blouse, $78; Joseph Ribkoff jeans, $175; Copper hoop earrings, $38; Free People sandals, $70. All from Alysa Rene Boutique (Park Place).

APRIL 2019

| 82 | INKANSASCITY.COM

FRESH PERSPECTIVE Bylyse reversible jacket, $215; Part Two trousers, $145; Zenzii earrings, $24; Shira Leah tote, $100. All from Webster House (Crossroads).

FASHIONABLE

f

OOd

APRIL 2019

STILL TASTY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

WORDS BY

| 84 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Judith Fertig

F

ifty years ago, diners oohed and aahed at a flaming dessert or Caesar salad prepared tableside, scarfed down sweetbreads and frog legs, and let the experts shuck their raw oysters.

Oh, wait. That’s all happening now.

At restaurants all over the metro, tastemaker chefs are bringing back vintage dishes, each with a new, signature spin.

“I have become more and more intrigued with what is apparently vintage cuisine,” says Linda Duerr, the executive chef at The Restaurant at 1900 and a recent James Beard Award nominee. “I hate the thought that some great dishes still fashionable when I was in the early stages of my career would be going away for good. And I am amazed when I hear that some of the young cooks on my team have never worked with this or that herb, spice, or fish, simply because it is no longer—quite frankly—fashionable. That makes me immediately want to buy it, pick it, cook with it, put it on my menu.”

It seems she’s not alone.

HELLO AGAIN, OYSTER When Kansas City was truly a cowtown, oysters packed in barrels and traveling by train were saloon food. Not any more. And no longer do you have to remember a month with an “R” for oyster eating safety. “The oyster world is exploding at the moment,” says Michael

APRIL 2019

| 85 | INKANSASCITY.COM

APRIL 2019

| 86 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Smith, the executive chef and owner of the new Farina. “FedEx and UPS changed all of that along with the ability and willingness of the oyster farms to ship direct. We get oysters shipped three times a week. And they are one to two days out of the water.” Smith prefers the term “raw bar” and plans to pair raw seafood with ingredients

“

I have become more and more intrigued with what is apparently vintage cuisine.”

—Linda Duerr

like yuzu, miso, tare, bonito flakes, aji Amarillo, esplette pepper, togarashi, cured lemons, dashi, and turmeric “to help us create dishes that are ‘modern,’” he says.

LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU Back in the day, fine diners expected a little entertainment with their expensive meal. If live music was not on offer, then there had to be a little culinary theater. Smith will also be reviving the tradition of foods served with panache from a gueridon or serving cart at Farina. “I made my own wooden gueridon and it’s pretty cool, if I say so myself. I’m excited to put it into play,” he says. Expect whole roasted meats, cacio e pepe or risotto in a pecorino wheel, tableside Caesar salad, and flaming desserts.

SWEDISH COMFORT FOOD Katee McLean, chef-owner of Krokstrom and Vildhäst, is known for her fresh interpretations of Scandinavian comfort and street foods.

But a ’70s Swedish casserole had her scratching her head—until she tried it. “The Flying Jakob is a very old-school, home-cooking recipe that I’ve brought back to life,” she says. In 1976, a man called Ove ( Jacobsson, an air freight worker) contributed his party casserole recipe he named the “Flying Jakob” to the Swedish magazine Allt Om Mat (All About Food). The ingredients included cooked chicken, Italian herb seasoning, bananas, heavy cream, bacon, chili sauce, and a topping of roasted peanuts. It sounds ugh. And it comes out of the oven in day-glo orange glory. “But it’s delicious,” insists McLean. “And I’ve made it look much more appetizing. Somehow, it all just works. Customers love it.”

SWEETBREADS Carl Thorne-Thomsen, chef-owner of Story in Prairie Village, has championed sweetbreads on his menu. An organ meat, sweetbreads were once the province of farm cooks or hotel chefs. They need spe-

APRIL 2019

cial preparation to be delicious. They’re gently poached, trimmed of a membrane, and then what comes next is up to the chef. “For a while now,” says Thorne-Thomsen, “we have given sweetbreads the ‘marsala’ treatment—floured, fried, and sauced with a reduction of marsala wine, veal stock, and butter. We also complicate the plate a bit with the addition of lardons made from our own in-house pancetta, pickled onions, and mushrooms, and a bright, rich leek puree.”

“When thinking about using retro ingredients or old-school methods,” continues Thorne-Thomsen, “I don’t think about them in a freshening-up sense. Rather, I think about what I like about the classics, what makes them memorable and meaningful to me, and how I can continue to convey those features.

When we serve them a bit crispy, I hope we are highlighting that interior creaminess.”

Duerr has recently put buttermilk fried sweetbreads on the menu at The Restaurant at 1900, with a contrasting straight-from-the-’70s Russian vegetable salad dressed with lemon dill mayonnaise. “Russian salad! Paired with sweetbreads? Hell yes! Just a few tweaks and I’ll have something nostalgic for our older guests and completely unheard of for our new guests. And there you have it,” she says.

JUMPIN’ ON THE FROG LEGS BANDWAGON Fancy hotel menus used to feature frog legs; Parisian bistros still do.

But the dish fell out of favor in Kansas City until Calvin Davis, recent James Beard Award-nominated chef at Freshwater, brought them back. “I grew up in the country eating fried frog legs with hot sauce,” says Davis. “Now I make them in a more upscale way that speaks to the history of the Midwest. I might dredge them in arrowroot and fry them and try to create the flavor profile of my childhood dish, but make it new with hop-pickled cucumbers and house-made fermented hot sauce or an arugula crema.”

UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE AND BAKED ALASKA Homey or high-style desserts can also get a makeover. Jessica Armstrong, co-owner and pastry chef at Novel, took the best of both worlds to create the fusion Pineapple Upside-Down Carrot Cake. “I like the combination of the earthy carrots and sour pineapple,” she says. “I decided to make the frosting in ice cream form, so I made a cream-cheese sherbet with buttermilk. The five-spiced cashews add spice and crunch. The sweet basil sauce makes it even more flavorful.”

Baked Alaska, once a show-stopper restaurant dessert, reclaims its status at The Savoy at 21c, one of Kansas City’s most historic restaurants. According to chef Joe West, “There is something fun and whimsical about reimagining an iconic dish like Baked Alaska.” He makes the igloo-shaped cake topped with ice cream and mounded with torched meringue new again with different flavor combinations.

Lavender in spring, peppermint in winter, and a play on s’mores “by lightly smoking the graham-cracker ice cream, using a flourless chocolate cake base, and slathering the whole thing with our house-made marshmallow fluff,” he says.

Everything’s up to date in Kansas City, especially the food.

| 87 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Light up the Night

APRIL 2019

| 88 | INKANSASCITY.COM

CREATIVE, COLORFUL LIGHTS DEFINE KANSAS CITY’S DOWNTOWN SKYLINE

WORDS BY

Bob Luder

PHOTOS BY

Roy Inman

I

f Kansas City’s iconic Western Auto sign were a movie character, it would be that of a long-time coma patient who one day awakens to a much different world.

Other than perhaps the flame at the top of Liberty Memorial, the Western Auto sign was about the only light show downtown when it went dark at the turn of the century, nearly 50 years after its installation. But when the venerable old man of creative lighting downtown was reignited last summer, 18 years later, he discovered he had company. A lot of company.

Downtown Kansas City might not yet match the luminescence of Las Vegas or Time’s Square, but the landscape has brightened considerably. The City of

APRIL 2019

| 89 | INKANSASCITY.COM

APRIL 2019

| 90 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Fountains has become the City of Lights.

The Kansas City Marriott Downtown seemed to kick off a lighting boom 15 years ago when a huge, dynamic light display was installed on its south facade. In the ensuing years, it has relayed messages bestowing holiday greetings, rooted on hometown sports teams before big games, and welcomed travelers and events to the city.

Today, the Marriott is bracketed on both sides by fellow creative lighting displays—the sky stations atop Bartle Hall to the west and huge video displays in the windows of the H&R Block building to the east. A mile to the south, Union Station regularly bathes itself in rays of light commemorating special events, holiday or sentiments. The Power and Light Building is well known for its red, white, and blue display on the Fourth of July. The Sprint Center advertises upcoming events on a large video screen out on Grand Boulevard, just as the Power and Light District does across the street. The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and One Light and Two Light buildings are newer additions to the creative lighting fray. Even City Hall has gotten in on the act by shooting rays of light over its top floors.

It seems as though nearly every office building, loft apartment building, or other business structure uses creative lighting to highlight their businesses or show civic pride.

“We think it’s a great trend,” says Chris Hernandez, director of the City Communications Office. “It shows a lot of pride in Kansas City, shows what the city and its energy are all about. I think that’s why we’re seeing a lot of businesses get behind the idea and getting involved.”

The “light wars,” as Union Station president and CEO George Guastello jokingly refers to them, seemed to really pick up about four years ago when the Royals made their push to the 2014 World Series.

It only intensified the next year when the Royals returned to the Series and won.

“All the businesses and places around town wanted to show their pride by lightcontinued on page

APRIL 2019

| 91 | INKANSASCITY.COM

114

JEAN THERAPY WE LOVE OUR SKINNIES, BUT DENIM TAKES ON FRESH NEW SHAPES FOR 2019 PHOTOS BY HAIR

&

Steven M. Green Molly McPheter Roots & Branches Salon

MAKEUP BY

APRIL 2019

| 92 | INKANSASCITY.COM

DENIM DAZE On her: Jacket, $179; silk top, $159; wide-leg jeans, $199; copper earrings, $169. All from Peruvian Connection (Crestwood Shops). On him: Neuw jeans, $169; Billy Reid camp shirt, $225; Clae sneakers, $150. All from Ulah (Westwood). Opposite: Chimala denim, $336; Raquel Allegra blouse, $336; Rachel Comey boots, $450; Faris earrings, $195. All from Finefolk (Crossroads).

APRIL 2019

| 93 | INKANSASCITY.COM

NEW MOVES Polo Ralph Lauren jeans, $99.99; Lauren Ralph Lauren shirt, $89.99. All from Ralph Lauren(The Legends).Vans “Off the Wall” classic slip-on, $50, from Vans (The Legends).

Opposite: Naked & Famous jeans, $158; Schott bomber jacket, $535; Gitman Bros. shirt, $205; National Standard boots, $325. All from Houndstooth (River Market).

APRIL 2019

| 94 | INKANSASCITY.COM

BLUE PERIOD Raleigh Denim Workshop jeans, $209; Maurizio Baldassari shirt, $225; Waterville vest, $425; Noah Waxman sneakers, $375. All from Hudson & Jane (Crestwood Shops). Opposite, on her: Bldwn jeans, $198; ATM T-shirt, $68; ATM white denim jacket, $495; hoop earrings, $88. All from Standard Style (Town Center Crossing). Opposite, on him: The Henley jean, $198; Cabus shirt, $188. Both from BLDWN (Town Center Crossing).

APRIL 2019

| 97 | INKANSASCITY.COM

APRIL 2019

| 98 | INKANSASCITY.COM

SOLIDS AND STRIPES Frame jeans, $210; Bonobos shirt, $88; Ted Baker shoes, $150. All from Halls Kansas City (Crown Center).

Opposite: Molly Braken jumpsuit, $88, Samkas necklace, $106; Samkas ring, $46; Elisa M. belt, $32; 42 Gold Leather sandals, $124. All from Clothology 135 (Parkway Plaza).

APRIL 2019

| 99 | INKANSASCITY.COM

O Queer Eye KC CRAZY for

words by photos by

Patricia O’Dell Landon Vonderschmidt

THE NETFLIX CAST’S IN-TOWN LOFT PROVIDES AS MUCH INSPIRATION FOR LIVING AS THE SHOW DOES

APRIL 2019

| 100 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Large tropical plants, fresh flowers, and vibrant pillows add color to the otherwise neutral space.

APRIL 2019

| 101 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Where the magic happens—the large-screen TV disappears against the raw, stained-wood textured wall. The West Elm media console in a carbon finish reads as both industrial and tribal with its design based on ancient carvings.

K

ansas Citians in the know were on alert last summer as the cast of Queer Eye, Netflix’s hit series that showcases five men who take a man (or woman in some episodes of Season 3)—or “hero”—under their wings and help them make the most of their best qualities with a spiff to home, hair, culture, couture, and kitchen, was filming in town. The show is a refresh of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, a series that ran from 2003-07. The original elements are still in place.

The “hero” volunteers for the 5-1 tutoring from experts who can show him the way from “great guy once you get to know him” to “Wow!”

APRIL 2019

While the crew was in town, they called a loft in the Abdiana building on the south edge of the Crossroads Arts District home.

The open space had all the elements that make lofts appealing— plenty of square footage, high ceilings that give room to breathe, and loads of windows that allow lots of natural light. Really, what more could five guys working in one space want?

There were a few things, actually. The loft needed to look good, live well, and work hard. The living room was often someone’s office, a place to hang out, and the go-to spot for watching each episode’s final scenes. Bobby Berk, who is the interior designer of the

| 102 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Top: In the dining area, a concreted-topped table is surrounded by upholstered dining chairs from West Elm. Bottom left: Berk turned a quote by Brown into neon wall art. Bottom right: When Van Ness brings his work home, he has the perfect spot for it.

APRIL 2019

| 103 | INKANSASCITY.COM

APRIL 2019

| 104 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Opposite: A great way to get lots of look for not a lot of money in the kitchen is to wallpaper a wall instead of tiling it. Above left: If you’ve watch any episode of Queer Eye, you know Berk loves painted cabinets. Above right: Leather-upholstered Cora stools from West Elm pull up to the kitchen island.

“

I love to start with the foundational pieces in the room in a tonal palette and then bring in texture through the textiles.”

— Bobby Berk

APRIL 2019

cast, decorated the home-away-from-home to ensure that everyone’s needs were met.

“Open spaces can be overwhelming for people,” Berk says. “I like to bring in warmth through texture and subtle color like we did here with wood elements that you see in the credenzas and as accents on the furniture.”

Beyond warming up the industrial space, Berk believes that there are three things that every room needs—texture, interest, and something personal.

“I love to start with the foundational pieces in the room in a tonal palette and then bring in texture through the textiles,” Berk says. “You can bring in interest by adding in some graphic elements | 105 | INKANSASCITY.COM

APRIL 2019

| 106 | INKANSASCITY.COM

A small bar sink and bar accouterments are tucked next to the refrigerator. Opposite, top: Berk designed an open-work iron frame to delineate the kitchen from the rest of the loft. Opposite, bottom left: In the kitchen, an open shelf holds art and necessities. Opposite, bottom right: A pair of LED Hoop chandeliers from West Elm illuminates the island.

APRIL 2019

| 107 | INKANSASCITY.COM

In the kitchen, a wall of hanging herbs provide easy access for Porowski’s chef’s duties.

APRIL 2019

| 108 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Just inside the loft’s door, a blue-velvet upholstered bench offers a convenient place to remove boots and gather up essentials.

throughout the room, whether that be with an accent color, a graphic wallpaper, a large piece of art, or even a sculptural tree.”

That philosophy translates here with upholstery fabrics in strong turquoise blue, which echoes the glass of the buildings in the downtown skyline that makes up the loft’s view. A generous use of house plants bring life to the loft (not that the fivesome isn’t lively) and a refreshing dose of green. “I love adding in fresh flowers or plants to every room—it’s something that always brings a bit of life into the space and seeing them makes the room feel more inviting,” he says.

Berk also recommends that the last step be bringing in pieces that make your home feel like your own. “Whether that is family photos or an item that you picked up during your travels, adding in

APRIL 2019

something unique gives the space personality.”

In the Queer Eye loft Berk used this approach to make sure that their temporary home was a reflection of who his castmates are while also providing what they needed. The loft was sponsored by West Elm and their shelving holds the tools and supplies for grooming-guru Jonathan Van Ness’s work space (which was complete with barber chair).

A neon sign reads “Style Taste Class,” which is a quote from culture expert Karamo Brown from a previous season.

Still, Berk was aware that the space needed to work as well as it looked. “It was important to make sure that every piece in the rooms had a few different functions. Storage was key,” he says. “I looked for side tables with drawer storage and a coffee table that also lifts up to

| 109 | INKANSASCITY.COM

queer eye continued

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT AXS.COM

Attractive kitchen necessities—including a hefty peppermill, fruitwood salt cellar, and stoneware vinegar and oil cruets—are a must when everything’s in the open.

Follow us on FACEBOOK @inkansascitymagazine

APRIL 2019

| 110 | INKANSASCITY.COM

house blankets and extra throws. I also try to make sure that all the fabrics and rugs could stand up to the many different uses the room will get.”

Berk knows that the tenets he used for designing the Queer Eye loft translate well to any home. “At the end of the day, you and your family are who uses your space

Miriam Garvey Boutique

Find the lines you love!

the most,” he says. “So although you will want it to feel pulled together and inviting for guests, don’t get caught up making it look too perfect— be sure to include items that allow you to relax and enjoy the room and make you happy.”

Queer Eye—and their Kansas City loft— are streaming on Netflix now.

APRIL 2019

| 111 | INKANSASCITY.COM

LIMOS | TROLLEYS | BUSES Affordable Rates | Unmatched Service | Uncompromised Quality

www.LimoKC.com | 816.295.2000

70+ RESTAURANTS. 10 BARS. 5 STAGES.

FRIDAY, JUNE 7TH | 7:30 PM – MIDNIGHT

Tickets can be purchased at Jazzookc.org Jazzoo is the Kansas City Zoo’s largest fundraiser and your attendance helps us feed and care for more than 1,700 animals and educate Kansas City youth through our Zoo Learning Fund.

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE

91

ing up in blue,” Hernandez says.

Also fueling the frenzy was the booming popularity of social media. Twitter and Facebook accounts rushed to post photos of the way businesses and other entities used creative lighting to tell a story.

In addition to Royals blue and Chiefs red, there also was Sporting KC blue, pink for breast cancer awareness month, Kelly green for St. Patrick’s Day, a rainbow of colors commemorating gay pride events and dates.

But according to Hernandez, there was one overriding factor that brought about downtown Kansas City’s charge of the light brigade—the advent of LED technology.

When the Western Auto sign was first erected in 1952, the 73-foot tall structure incorporated about 1,000 feet of neon glass tubing and 2,500 bulbs, which proved to be expensive to light and constantly needed changing. And changing those bulbs was labor intensive, requiring technicians to manually climb to change out a bulb. LED—or, Light Emitting Diode—technology is more energy efficient, lasts longer, and is more durable and safer. The technology also allows a large range of functionality and colors, all from the comfort of a computer keypad.

“It’s about a quarter of the cost as before,” says Eric Bosch, city architect in charge of the lighting at both City Hall and Bartle Hall.

ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS Paul James, director of operations for the Raphael Hotel Group, begins his description of the Marriott’s lighting system, which the hotel introduced in 2004, by saying what it’s not.

“It’s not a Jumbotron,” he says.

The Marriott’s display contains 800 softball-sized LED lights, spaced eight feet apart. That somewhat limits what the grid can do, James says, and makes viewing the display more appealing from a distance rather than up close.

“The World War I museum [at the Liberty Memorial] is one of the great vantage points,” he says.

It’s all controlled by what James refers to as the “monster brain,” a remote laptop that communicates with each controller at the top of each column of the grid and tells the controller what to do. And, because LED has the capability to direct light, the display is undetectable to anyone staying in one of the hotel’s south-facing rooms.

James adds that, though the Marriott does not use the light grid for advertising, it does field a variety of requests throughout the year to help bring local and social awareness behind a variety of causes and events supported by the city.

The Marriott even garnered a bit of world-wide fame with its creative lighting. James says that, for a short time, the hotel was

apparel | home | gifts

A Kansas City Owned Men’s Apparel & Lifestyle Store www.UlahKC.com | 4707 Rainbow Blvd. | Westwood, KS 66205 Phone: 913.777.8734 | Facebook: UlahKC | Instagram: UlahKC

APRIL 2019

| 114 | INKANSASCITY.COM

in the Guinness Book of World Records for having hosted the largest-ever game of Pong on the side of its building.

“We’ve had a lot of fun with it over the years,” James says. “When we put it up initially, it revolved around the holidays. But with all the activities going on in Kansas City, it’s pretty much year-round. I don’t think we’ve gone dark in three or four years.”

James says he couldn’t be happier that the Marriott’s neighbors downtown have joined the creative lighting craze.

“I think it’s great that the whole city has gotten behind the idea,” he says. “It’s amazing to see what lighting a whole skyline can look like.”

TELLING STORIES Guastello calls historic Union Station the “front door to Kansas City” and points out that, when anyone puts together a promotional pictorial of the city, Union Station

Never ordinary, always

amazing!

The very best lighting designs are always found at Rensen House of Lights.

Thousands of unique lighting styles to SEE, TOUCH and TAKE HOME today.

With the very best in service and price match guarantees we know you’ll be AMAZED! Lenexa • 9212 Marshall Dr. (92nd & I-35) • 913-888-0888 Hours: Mon-Fri 9 to 7pm, Sat 10 to 6pm, Sun 12 to 5pm

APRIL 2019

| 115 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Visit our website and shop 24/7 www.RensenHouseofLights.com

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE

CLOTHOLOGY:135

115

usually is front and center. As such, he sees the importance of using every tool available to make the building and the surrounding grounds stand out.

“We’re kind of the Barnum and Bailey’s of Kansas City,” he says. “We’re always looking for ways to make a big impact.

“It is the biggest billboard in Kansas City. It’s pride. It’s a way of telling a story.”

To tell those stories, Guastello says that four or five years ago, Union Station installed one of the highest-tech lighting systems available, one able to mix colors, change colors on the fly, and one that can be controlled remotely from a smartphone.

The man usually controlling the 38 exterior and 32 interior (yes, Union Station also creatively lights inside) lights is Nick Cline, audio/visual technology manager.

“It’s like what you’d see in a movie studio,” Cline says. “What used to take 3½ hours to set up now takes a few minutes.”

Union Station’s lighting system has created some memora-

“ ”

We can take a building and turn it into a story and emotions that make people feel good and important. That’s good will you can’t buy.

At clothology:135, we strive to help you find your inner style to bring out your personality for life’s occasions!!

Our goal is to make you feel beautiful.

We haven’t done our job if you don’t leave saying,

“Damn, I look fabulous!”

4800 W 135th St, Leawood, KS 913.766.0203 www.clothology135.com

APRIL 2019

— George Guastello

ble scenes over the last few years.

When Royals ace pitcher Yordano Ventura died in 2017 in a tragic car accident in his native Dominican Republic, Cline put together a special lighting package that bathed Union Station in a respectful and reflective blue and silver. That gesture received nearly one million views on social media. More recently, when legendary musician Elton John played the Sprint Center on his farewell tour, an image reading KC (heart emoji)’s Elton was projected on the front of the station.

“It’s all turned more theatrical,” Guastello says. “We can take a building and turn it into a story and emotions that make people feel good and important. That’s good will you can’t buy.”

THE PRIDE OF A CITY The sparkling new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in September of 2011, hosts more than 300 performances annually. The center took a significant step last sum| 116 | INKANSASCITY.COM

mer with the installation of a system of 57 LED fixtures along with a DMX control system which can light the building in just about any color imaginable. Prior to the installation, laborers had to manually attach colored-gel film over each light fixture lens to provide color.

“Our lighting system is used to support activities and events that are hosted at the Kauffman Center, which takes priority for the organization,” says Paul Schofer, president and CEO. “That said, we do work to participate in city-wide illumination opportunities that elevate Kansas City and the Kauffman Center regionally and nationally. Most recently, that has included illuminating the building in support of our home teams—the Chiefs, Royals, and Sporting KC.” The 89-year-old Power & Light Building has used exterior lighting to great effect for decades. In the past, it used various light colors to show the city what the forecast weather was going to be (for instance, white light signified coming snow).

When the building was renovated in 2016, a large number of LED lights were added to the exterior, allowing for a vast array of colors shooting up the walls of the structure’s upper sections.

Today, the building houses 291 apartments and includes a large event space. Part of the rental package for events is the option to choose which color or colors the building will be lit on the date of the event. Otherwise, the iconic structure is highlighted in the colors of one of the city’s favorite sports teams, or to commemorate a special date or charitable cause.

“If nothing else is going on, our default is rainbow colors,” says Lauren Arntsen, community manager. “I think it’s wonderful. It gives the community something to talk about and look forward to.”

Interestingly, it was a bolt of lightning that prompted an upgrade of the neighboring Bartle Hall sky stations four years ago.

A bolt struck and knocked out the lighting of one of the spires, and it was discovered how difficult it was going to be to replace.

“It was antiquated sodium-fixture lighting, like street lights,” Bosch says. “There was a lot of labor in changing bulbs.

So we switched to LEDs that have a large range, and there are thousands of colors on a computer in the security offices inside Bartle Hall. It just provides a multitude of options.”

Bosch also discovered that the 14-inch spotlights that had been used to illuminate the 30th-floor observation deck at City Hall dated back to the 1930s and, not surprisingly, had stopped working. Four years ago, the city purchased a series of LED fixtures which can light up not only the 30th but also the 28th floor of the building in a multitude of colors.

“My goal in lighting City Hall was to highlight the architecture,” Bosch says. “I think it makes a big impact. And I think as buildings continue to be built in and around Kansas City, we will continue to look at ways to incorporate creative lighting into projects.”

If Kansas City’s iconic Western Auto sign were a movie character, perhaps it would be that of a proud grandfather, the patriarch of what’s become a luminous family of creative lighting that’s growing brighter all the time and transforming the downtown landscape into a sparkling city of lights.

APRIL 2019

REASON #17 TO STOP BY MOMENTUM: LIFT & MASSAGE CHAIRS KANSAS CITY'S FIRST HEALTH MANAGEMENT STORE GRAND OPENING SPECIALS NOW THRU APRIL 30TH

WHOLE BODY MASSAGE CHAIR Surrender every muscle in your back, neck, and shoulders into relaxation with the patent pending FlexGlide®, and allow 3D orbital massage technology to deliver soothing comfort just like a warm oil massage. The Human Touch WholeBody 7.1 also features patented warm air technology to provide additional relief of muscle tension, and BodyMap PRO so you can pinpoint where you want to feel better. $1,799

PERFECT CHAIR OMNI-MOTION Our vision was to create a chair so extraordinary, it deserves to be called the Perfect Chair. Decor-friendly, not your old school recliner. By skillfully blending contemporary architecture with old-world craftsmanship, we laid the foundation for the chair’s bold yet classic look. The Perfect Chair’s body-frame ergonomics are inspired by the neutral body posture chaise position developed by NASA to support astronauts during their ascent into orbit. $2,999

601 Westport Road, Kansas City, MO 64111 hours: M-F 9-6 and ST 10-5 816-599-7001 shop-momentum.com

| 117 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Flavor

IN KC BY

Cody Hogan

PHOTOS BY

Aaron Leimkuehler

In the Kitchen ASPARAGUS

A

fter the winter that seemingly never ends, I’m ready for spring—and this year I cheated a little! I had to have something fresh before there was anything in the garden, and asparagus was the answer.

Asparagus displays in grocery stores are a sign of the impending arrival of spring in Kansas City. The asparagus might be from California, or more likely Mexico if it’s really early, but if you know what to look for you can certainly find good quality specimens for your kitchen. How do you pick great asparagus? First, if it is stored standing up in water, it’s a sign that the grocery store cares. Next, look at the tips and the base: the tips should be tight (they open when the plant is too mature) and the base should not be discolored or shriveled.

Shriveling is especially telling of asparagus that is not fresh, or that has been mishandled at some point. Just walk away from the shriveled asparagus. Size is—as in most things in life—a matter of preference. Skinny, pencil-sized asparagus usually doesn’t need peeling (and tends to have a more intense flavor); the larger and jumbo-sized spears generally do need peeling, especially at the base. The base/bottom inch or so of any size asparagus can be a little tough and woody, so I always bend it close to the base, and it should snap where the woodiness stops. The tough bits and peelings can be used to make a broth or soup base, so don’t feel guilty about removing them from your dish.

Asparagus is extremely versatile, but it does have certain affinities to consider when pairing it with other foods. Asparagus, eggs, green onions, and some type of pork (like prosciutto or bacon) are the best of friends. In the springtime this is my no-thought, little-prep breakfast of choice: asparagus sautéed with green onions and bacon, finished in a loose scramble of eggs, served on toast. Truly delicious. But those flavors translate easily

APRIL 2019

to many dishes—like this one—and should become a part of your spring repertoire.

ASPARAGUS WITH SCALLIONS, BACON AND FREGULA This side dish easily trans-

lates to a hearty lunch or light dinner. Just add a protein, such as cooked, diced chicken or a sunny-side-up egg for each diner. Fregula (or fregola) is a small round toasted pasta from Sardinia, available in stores with a focus on better Italian products, like Bella Napoli in Brookside.

For the pork averse, substitute a few anchovies in place of the bacon, or just omit it entirely. It will still be delicious.

Per person, prepare a generous fistfull of asparagus as one would, snapping off the tough ends and peeling the bottom two inches or so. Slice the asparagus on the diagonal at half-inch lengths. Cut a few scallions on the bias in quarter-inch fregula—about a third cup lengths. Boil some fregula per person—in salted water with a bay leaf and a splash of extra-virgin olive oil for about eight minutes and drain.

In a skillet, sauté some bacon or prosciutto cut in quarter-inch bits until it begins to render a little fat.

Add the asparagus and a splash of water and cover the skillet with a lid. After a few minutes, remove the lid and add the scallions and fregula (or other cooked starch*) and sauté for a minute until all of the excess moisture has cooked off. If you’re feeling decadent, add a knob of butter or another splash of olive oil. Serve warm. (If you wanted to make this a salad, serve it at room temperature with a generous drizzle of good wine vinegar or lemon juice). *Note: Any number of starches and grains could be used in this flavor combination. Rices, freekeh, orzo pasta, couscous, farro or barley, wheat berries, toasted bread cubes, even coarsely mashed potatoes would be wonderful.

| 118 | INKANSASCITY.COM

In Your Pantry

Orzo

Pearled Couscous

Farro

Freekeh

Fregula

Not a grain, but a pasta shaped like a grain made from durum-wheat semolina flour. It is quick-cooking and has a wonderful texture and mouthfeel. Try it mixed with beans, simply flavored with rosemary. It is delicious replacement for rice and as a vehicle for the savory juices of roasting meats. Available from many grocers in the pasta section of the store.

Not the tiny quick-cooking grain “couscous,” but technically a pasta made from durum-wheat semolina. Also called Israeli couscous, it originated in Israel in the 1950s during a rice shortage. It is almost indistinguishable from Sardinian fregula and is frequently used as a garnish for seafood stews and salads with steamed calamari, shrimp, and seasonal vegetables, simply dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. You can toast it in a skillet before cooking to give it added complexity. Available at larger grocery stores.

The Italian cousin of barley, farro is a texturally robust and flavorful grain, also of the wheat family. Treat it as you would any whole grain. After cooking, finish it with butter and cheese like risotto, or make it into a wonderful room-temperature salad with vegetables, your favorite protein, and a dressing of good wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.

This will become your new favorite go-to grain.

Freekeh is green wheat that has been dried and toasted, an ancient tradition in the Middle East. It can serve the same role as rice or pasta in a meal, but for the health conscious, it has a much lower glycemic index and is considered one of the “super grains,” loaded with minerals and extremely high in fiber. But really, it’s just delicious. Find it in the Health Market section of Hy-Vee or stores specializing in Middle Eastern ingredients.

Also known as fregola or Sa Fregula Sarda, this Sardinian pasta is a complex version of pearled couscous. Semolina flour is sprinkled with water and made into tiny balls of dough. It’s then toasted, enhancing it with a nutty quality you might not experience otherwise. Delicious and versatile. Try it with tomato sauce and clams or other seafood. Available at Bella Napoli in Brookside.

International Materials of Design TILE & STONE

4691 Indian Creek Parkway (I-435 & Roe) Overland Park, KS 913.383.3383

www.imdtile.com APRIL 2019|

119 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Flavor

IN KC

T

here are two kinds of cool bars: Those that put their coolness on display, and those that nonchalantly do their own thing and let you realize it for yourself. The Westside Local is firmly in the second camp.

Of course, there are a few factors that could tip you off: The location on Kansas City’s oh-so-hip Westside, its exposed brick walls and hardwood floors, and a beer garden that feels like a secret hideaway. But the Westside Local isn’t all aesthetics and attitude—it’s got the chops to back it up, from the creative casual cuisine to the cocktails.

The menu reflects the restaurant’s commitment to supporting local farms and businesses, from the local cheese and charcuterie boards to the selection of sandwiches and burgers served on Farm to Market Bread. For dinner, Kansas Citians from the Westside and beyond journey to the red brick building for comforting dishes like the herb-roasted Buttonwood Farm chicken pie with housemade puff pastry or the customizable mac and cheese, which can be topped with corned beef for a mouth-punch of flavor. The Westside Local even makes the word “blunch” sound reasonable, serving Sriracha maple-glazed chicken and waffles, veggie burritos, and pitchers of orange Valencia mimosas Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If the food wasn’t reason enough to visit, the spot also boasts a quirky bar program—you can get a boozy to-go bag if you don’t quite make it through a bottle of one of their wine selections, which includes a lengthy list of reds. If vino isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other options, from absinthe to local draft beers and spirits. Further adding to The Westside Local’s appeal as a great place to grab a drink? Happy hour is offered 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sat-

In Your Cocktail THE WESTSIDE LOCAL by

Kelsey Cipolla Aaron Leimkuehler

photo by

APRIL 2019

| 120 | INKANSASCITY.COM

urday, when you can score a $1 off draft beers, $3 glasses of house red or white wine, and $5 Lambrusco.

Inventive cocktail offerings include the Savage Garden, made with Kronan Swedish Punsch, a sugar cane-based liqueur, with house cola bitters, cava, and tart cherry, and the Boho Latino, a combo of Mata Hari absinthe, an herbal liqueur, pistachio horchata, and cardamom bitters, which marry for a drink truly unlike anything else. The spunky menu also features Blueberries for Sal, perfect for sipping on The Westside Local’s pet-friendly patio as Kansas City thaws from a brutal winter and transitions into spring.

“I got the inspiration for this cocktail from two places,” says bar manager Minnie Dalton, “my 20-plus years of traveling to Maine with my family and the children’s book Blueberries for Sal, which is one of the only books I remember from my childhood.”

The book’s charming story follows two sets of mothers and their little ones—one pair human, the other ursine—as they pick berries in the Pine Tree State. The cocktail’s rum base is also a nod to Maine, which has a long and fraught history with the spirit, while Licor 43 adds vanilla and orange notes.

“The blueberry aspect comes in the form of a syrup made by blending maple syrup, Wyman’s Maine blueberries and fall spices together with a little lemon juice to balance everything out,” Dalton explains.

1663 Summit St, thewestsidelocal.com

Get ready to experience the full spectrum of music from this legendary band, produced with the flair that only Heartland Men’s Chorus can deliver. From their greatest hits to the ballads we croon like Freddie Mercury, this visual masterpiece of a concert will take you on a wild ride through rock and roll history.

18/19 season

“

I got the inspiration for this cocktail from two places, my 20-plus years of traveling to Maine with my family and the children’s book Blueberries for Sal, which is one of the only books I remember from my childhood.”

—Minnie Dalton

BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL 1½ ounces Plantation Dark Rum ¾ ounce Licor 43 1 ounce Maine Blueberry Syrup 1 ounce lemon juice Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with lots of ice, shake hard for about ten seconds, strain into a chilled coupe.

Drink it.

June 8 & 9 Sat 8pm • Sun 4pm Folly Theater 300 West 12th, KCMO HMC’S 33RD SEASON I S U N D E RW R I T T E N BY H OT E L P H I L L I P S

Dustin S. Cates, artistic director

tickets: hmckc.org or 816.931.3338

APRIL 2019

| 121 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Flavor by

IN KC

Kelsey Cipolla

RAGAZZA WHEN Laura Norris opened her Italian deli

In Culinary News

and wine bar Ragazza, she brought a dose of friendly charm to Westport. Now the neighborhood favorite has a new neighborhood—4301 Main Street, to be precise—where Ragazza has reopened after an unexpectedly long remodel. (A car crashing through the front door can have that effect.)

The space is larger with an expanded bar and private dining area, but it still boasts the original location’s warmth, charisma, and most importantly, food: the meatball grande, which weighs in at a hefty half-pound, as well as other family-style Italian dishes prepared by new chef James Landis. A few appetizers and entrees will also be added to round out the menu. Reuniting with an old friend has never tasted so good. ragazzakc.com

Springtime in the Hills!

6130 Ensley Lane Perfection In Mission Hills 3-Sty | 6 BR | 5.3 BA | Fin LL | 2-Car Gar

David Costello | 816-591-3186 Sally Costello | 913-558-7932 Jane Ferber | 913-559-4848 Fred Merrill | 913-205-9749 Julana Harper Sachs | 816-582-6566 5628 State Line Rd Stately & Stunning Colonial in Mission Hills Masterful Attention to Every Detail 3-Sty | 5 BR | 5.1 BA | Fin LL | 2-Car Gar

APRIL 2019

| 122 | INKANSASCITY.COM

CARVE OUT SOME TIME TO TREAT YOURSELF NOTHING SAYS SATISFACTION LIKE STEAK AND A MARTINI

WANT TO GO ALL OUT? JUST “STOCK IT.” with house bacon, blue cheese, & walnut blend

4800 MAIN STREET, SOUTH PLAZA, KANSAS CITY

P 816-895-8400 W STOCKHILLKC.COM

Flavor

IN KC

FAIRWAY CREAMERY

In Culinary News

CHRISTOPHER ELBOW has become synonymous with delicious confections—and between Christopher Elbow Chocolates and Glacé Artisan Ice Cream, it’s easy to see why. But the master of desserts is not done delighting local lovers of sweets yet. Elbow is set to open Fairway Creamery in May (5938 Mission Road). The nostalgic spot—which will be housed in the former Pizza 51 West spot, a converted Sinclair gas station— will include a full-service coffee bar with local java and offer handcrafted Glacé ice creams (including a soft-serve version) and doughnuts made from scratch with high quality ingredients. Dining veteran Todd Schulte, who formerly owned Genessee Royale Bistro, will take the helm as director of operations. We can’t wait to see (and taste) what these culinary masterminds cook up.

"If you are seeking someone who has the expertise to finally hear and heal what no one else has been able to do, you have, indeed, come to the right place at Lifeworks. Their experts have the unusual ability to see and help your condition in a very different way than other health professionals do." -Mary

: 913-906-7787

: www.LifeWorksKC.com : LifeWorksIntegrativeHealth : LifeWorksKC

APRIL 2019

| 124 | INKANSASCITY.COM

STRAWBERRY HILL BREWING COMPANY TAKING A CUE from the name of its neighborhood,

In Culinary News

Strawberry Hill Brewing Company (601 Central Ave.) is set to open this spring. The brainchild of Derek Kempf and Larry Murray, the operation started as a home-brewing club between neighbors who discovered a shared love of beer. After acquiring a few extra members, a couple of years of experience, and a lot of positive feedback, the team is gearing up to open the brewery and taproom, which will pay tribute to Strawberry Hill with its décor while launching with a handful of brews. Keep an eye out for the Wyandot IPA, a red IPA ideal for hot summer days, and the Long Road Ahead, a stout that can be enjoyed by aficionados of the style and newbies alike. facebook.com/strawberryhillbrewing

UPDATE YOUR OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE THIS SPRING!

GALLERY • BOUTIQUE • INTERIOR DESIGN

2020 BALTIMORE AVENUE, KANSAS CITY, MO 64108 816-531-3133 WWW.MLBDESIGNS.COM

APRIL 2019

| 125 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Flavor

IN KC

Reservation for One FARINA

Kelsey Cipolla photos by Aaron Leimkuehler by

B

old colors, dynamic shapes, and an impeccable sense of design—no, we’re not talking about a new exhibition opening in the Crossroads Arts District. The neighborhood’s latest destination for absorbing art and culture is chef and owner Michael Smith’s modern Italian concept, Farina.

The restaurant shares a posh entryway with neighbor Haw Contemporary and seems to have absorbed some of its art gallery DNA, displayed through the open-concept dining room flanked by both a cocktail bar and raw bar. Soaring windows look out into the

APRIL 2019

| 126 | INKANSASCITY.COM

neighborhood while the walls are adorned with textured canvases from Kansas City artist Robert Quackenbush. Every aesthetic detail seems carefully considered, from the minimalist wood bowl full of herbed olives that kicks off the meal to the curved upholstered and leather banquettes in the dining room. Yet they elegantly fade into the background in service of Farina’s true works of art—the food and drinks.

Berto Santoro, a veteran of Michael Smith Restaurant and Extra Virgin, is on hand, serving up a bevy of fresh cocktails behind the sleek bar. Offerings include the light and citrusy Two Yoots, made with

limone gin, finocchietto, and charred lemon with a sprig of rosemary providing a pleasant herbal pop. The bar team’s trademark creativity is also on display with the Go Home & Get Your Shine Box, a smoky mescal-based libation brightened with grapefruit, Calabrian chili honey and sage. And Nancy Smith, restaurant partner, general manager, and wine director, ensures wine remains a pillar of the Michael Smith brand.

Much of Farina will feel familiar to fans of Michael Smith Restaurant, but there are some fresh additions. The oyster bar serves up an impressive variety of fare based on availability, including oysters that could tempt even the most skeptical landlocked consumer of raw seafood. A plump West Coast offering and its petite friend are briny delights with a splash of well-balanced mignonette.

The kitchen offers plenty of other ways to start your meal. A picture-perfect arugula salad is presented with an artfully arranged pile of greens bordered with saffron arancini, a deliciously warm, crunchy complement to the dressing’s acid. In addition to a selection of other salads (like the extremely Instagramable roasted baby carrots), diners can enjoy dishes like duck meatballs, white-bean crab bruschetta, and the indulgent burrata, which comes complete with osetra caviar.

On the simpler side, Farina’s caramelle pasta is just as impressive, with sheets of hand-rolled pasta enveloping crescenza cheese, the ends twirled together on each side like a candy treat. Beautifully al dente and smothered in a rich mushroom marsala sauce, it’s a testament to how pasta’s few basic ingredients can be transformed. The grano arso gemelli, a colorful lamb Bolognese dish dotted with carrot, mint, and feta,

is another standout, as is the bucatini carbonara. The carbonara is one of the “Four Kings of Rome” dishes on the menu yearround, which also include spaghetti cacio e pepe, rigatoni all’Amatriciana, and tagliatelle Bolognese. Guests in search of heartier fare can dig into the famous Michael Smith pork roast accompanied by saffron rissotto, a veal chop pizzaiola, or a Mediterranean branzino broiled in shrimp butter.

Despite chef Smith’s rock-star status in the local culinary scene, he can still be seen flitting in and out of the kitchen, greeting guests energetically and pouring the espresso for affogato. It’s one of Farina’s dessert offerings, which run the gamut from elegant—a picture-perfect apple rose tart with spiced persimmon ice cream—to the more rustic, a warm Sicilian bread pudding packed with crunch from pomegranate seeds and the bread’s flaky edges.

Farina already runs like a well-oiled machine, thanks in large part to the team carried over from Michael Smith. Still, the pace of dining is leisurely, encouraging guests to take a languid joy in eating. That speaks more to Smith’s understanding of the Italian food philosophy than a bowl of pasta—however delicious it may be—ever could. farinakc.com

Located in the Prairie Village Shopping Center

Steaks, Seafood & American Classics

Phone: (913) 529-2229 www.taverninthevillage.com

CAS UA L N E I G H B O R H O O D D I N I N G

3901 Prairie Lane | Prairie Village, KS | 66208

APRIL 2019

| 127 | INKANSASCITY.COM

10681 Misison Rd | Leawood, KS | 66206 Located in Mission Farms

Phone: (913) 213-6588 www.tavernatmissionfarms.com

KANSAS CITY’S nEWEST

One East Urban Bar + Kitchen 1 East Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO 64108 Located in the Lobby of the Westin Crown Center

URBAN BAR & KITCHEN

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BRA.

It’snot notabout aboutthe thebra… bra… it’s it’s about about the the bravado bravado of a cancer It’s survivorto towalk walkaa100-foot 100-foot runway runway and and the survival journey survivor thatititrepresents. represents.From Fromshaken shaken to to surety, surety, from fearful to that fierce,from fromunsure unsureto tounflappable unflappable ––A A million million dollar feeling. fierce,

TheEvent Event The Oursignature signatureannual annualevent eventisis aa unique unique and and fun auction and Our runway show featuring cancer survivors runway show featuring cancer survivors modeling eclectic couturedesigned designedbras bras to to celebrate celebrate their their triumph over couture cancer.AAtribute tributeto tosurvivors’ survivors’ fighting fighting spirit, spirit, Bra Bra Couture Couture cancer.

KCdonates donatesfunds fundsto toKansas Kansas City City service service providers, providers, such such KC as the University Of Kansas Cancer Center, who support as the University Of Kansas Cancer Center, who support uninsured/underinsured men, men, women, women, and and children children uninsured/underinsured touchedby byall allcancers cancers and and has has raised raised close close to to $2 $2 million million touched thepast pasteight eightyears. years. Learn Learn more more about about annual annual event. event. ininthe

A P R I L 1 22 TT H H || 77::0000 PPM M S I G N AT U U RR EE FFLLIIG GHHTT SSUUPPPPO ORRTT DOWNTO OW WN N AAIIRRPPO ORRTT b r a c o u t uu rreekkcc..ccoom m

Faces

IN KC

IN Kansas City March Issue Release Party THE IN KANSAS CITY crew threw a launch party for

our “Made in Kansas City” March edition. We were joined by some of the metro’s best-known innovators and influencers for a night filled with socializing and a bevy of tasty handcrafted cocktails from our friends at Made in KC Marketplace on the Plaza. photos by j. robert schraeder

Honoring a Legacy,

CHANGING for GOOD Good Samaritan Project (GSP) is celebrating 35 years of providing exceptional care in the community. To honor this legacy, our programs, services and organization are evolving to meet our clients’ needs now and into the future.

On April 12, we are launching a new name and brand to better represent our vision to be a leader in creating a healthy, thriving community.

Please visit our website on April 12 as we reveal our new name and brand: gsp-kc.org/brandnew

APRIL 2019

| 130 | INKANSASCITY.COM

“Horse� Ticket Special............................................................$70 General Admission.................................................................... $75 V.I.P. Experience ....................................................................... $125

On the historic grounds enjoy: live music by The Phantastics, southern bites by Brown & Loe, sweet treats, and custom cocktails with Kansas City Distillery labels.

Enjoy the crazy derby fashions, watch the race on the big screens, and much more.

Best Hat & Best Dressed competitions, and live horses!

For tickets, visit

kansascitymuseum.org / 816.513.0726

APRIL 2019

| 131 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Faces

IN KC

More March Release Party

Heart of America SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

SHAKESPEARE

SUMMER CAMPS

ACTING DANCE &

STAGE COMBAT stage CRAFT

June & July Ages: 5 - 18

Camp Shakespeare is a fun and unique summer arts experience your kids will never forget! Taught by professional theatre actors with years of experience performing & teaching Shakespeare in a neighborhood near you. www.kcshakes.org 816-531-7728

INKC_CampShakes_Ad_3.8.19.indd 1

6772 W. 135th Street Overland Park, KS 66223 4021 Somerset Drive Prairie Village, KS 66208

www.landofpaws.com

APRIL 2019 | 132 | INKANSASCITY.COM 3/8/19 11:49 AM

Shakespeare in Love Heart of America SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

June 11 - July 7, 2019 SOUTHMORELAND PARK

Join the GOOD WILL SOCIETY today and support this FREE production! #sharethelove #kcshakes kcshakes.org

InKC-Ad_GWS_11.19.18.indd 1

11/19/18 1:27 PM APRIL 2019

| 133 | INKANSASCITY.COM

This Month IN KC

31st ANNUAL

April

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE

Glow All Out April 25 – 27 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. towncenterplaza.com

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City

Saturday, April 27th, 2019 Theis Park Kansas City, MO 8am Registration.

GET YOUR GLOW ON It’s a beauty experience and a spring fashion show at Town Center Plaza for their Glow All Out event. Discover the latest in fashion, makeup, skincare, and wellness through live tutorials, panel discussions, runway experiences, and outrageous immersive galleries. The VIP experience includes entry on both Friday and Saturday, beverages, access to the VIP lounge, a swag bag, and a front-row seat to panel discussions, live tutorials, and the Spring Fashion Show. Tickets range from $10 for one day general admission to $40 for the VIP experience.

PosyKC

9am Welcoming Ceremonies.

posykc.com

10am WE WALK!

Register today to help us fight HIV/AIDS in Kansas City

AIDSWalkKansasCity.org APRIL 2019

FLOWER POWER CSAs are great for super-fresh produce from local area farms in the spring and summer, but did you know you can now order locally grown flowers through a subscription service too?

This is Dana Posten’s third year of growing flowers; her business, POSYkc, sells primarily at pop-ups. Bouquets by the bunch are available at pop-ups at her studio space at The Bauer in the Crossroads or on the front porch of her Westwood Park home. She also will be popping up at several retail locations. Right now, the tulips, ranunculus, Italian poppies, and peonies are in prime bloom time. Check out her website for more details on the subscription service and her pop-ups. | 134 | INKANSASCITY.COM

For Kansas City’s most comprehensive calendar of events, go to inkansascity.com

APRIL SPOTLIGHT

PHOTO:

SevenDays April 9 – 15 givesevendays.org

MAKE A RIPPLE, CHANGE THE WORLD More than 71,000 hate crimes were reported in 2018 according to the FBI, and those numbers continue to rise. Kansas City has not been immune to these hateful acts, but one local organization is working to make a difference. It’s The Faith Always Wins Foundation, an organization with three pillars—kindness, faith, and healing. SevenDays is the foundation’s annual weeklong series of events demonstrating how hatred, bigotry, and ignorance can be overcome by kindness, respect, and understanding. Events are being held across the metro area and the majority are free; registration is suggested. From a juried art show to a diversity dinner to an interfaith workshop to an program featuring interviews with reformed white supremacists‚ a whole host of events during the week are planned to engage the community. Oh, and cookies! SevenDays has partnered with Best Regards Bakery and Café to offer kindness cookies. Cookies come in large and mini office packs and can be ordered online through the website.

More information on all the events at givesevendays.org.

APRIL 2019

LINDLEY CLOTHING The only men’s store in West Omaha.

Top Collections

- Robert Graham - Bugatchi - St. Croix - Alberto - Eton - Joe’s

- 34 Heritage - Scott Barber - Ballin - Tommy Bahama - Southern Tide - Jack Victor

707 NORTH 132ND STREET, OMAHA, NE 68154 (132ND & DODGE, LINDEN MARKET) 402.491.4000 LINDLEYCLOTHING.COM

| 135 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Found

IN KC PERK UP YOUR BATHROOM with a splash of color. The Easter-egg hues of these plush Yves Delorme bath towels from Terrasi Living & Scandia Home on the Country Club Plaza will set the mood for spring. Swaddle yourself in thick, exceptionally soft and absorbent Egyptian cotton for a luxe look and feel. terrasi.com

THROW IN THE TOWEL

Yves Delorme bath towel, $70 each

APRIL 2019

| 136 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Coming 2019

KCRoyale.com