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THERE'S ALWAYS TIME FOR DONUTS IN KANSAS CITY

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Contents OCTOBER 2025 58 70

Features 54

IN CONVERSATION WITH LILY KANTER The Kansas City native and cofounder of Serena & Lily and her newest venture, Averylily, discusses what she misses about KC, fashion and home design trends, and building a lifestyle brand.

TRUE BLUES (AND BLACKS, GRAYS, OLIVES, ETC.)

IT’S TIME TO EAT THE DONUTS Delicious, delightful, decadent donuts are a Kansas City tradition.

HITTING REFRESH A growing family necessitates a redesign for a home in Old Leawood. The team from Noble Design was up for the challenge.

It’s denim’s no-rules era. Dress it up or dress it down, it’s a must for any fall wardrobe.

Departments 18

ENTERTAINING IN KC

OUR MAN IN KC

ARTS & CULTURE IN KC

HEALTH IN KC

LIVING IN KC

FLAVOR IN KC

FACES IN KC

MY ESSENTIALS IN KC

IN EVERY ISSUE

On the cover Fall denim trends. For more details, see page 58. Photo by Kenny Johnson

OCTOBER 2025| 8 | INKANSASCITY.COM

EDITOR’S NOTE

INKANSASCITY.COM

THIS MONTH IN KC

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Editor’s Note

For Your Age

Vol. 8 | No. 10 OCTOBER 2025 Editor In Chief Zim Loy Digital Editor Evan Pagano Art Director Alice Govert Bryan Contributing Writers Susan Cannon, Judith Fertig, Merrily Jackson, Cindy Hoedel, Damian Lair, Jenny Vergara

ast year I had a rare hearing exam; as a matter of fact, the last one I can clearly recall was in first grade. Anyway, after analyzing the results, the doctor told me “you have very good hearing, The Caryatids at the Acropolis and me in the 70s. Those flared jeans would be right for your age.” That “for your age” on trend today. The perm, not so much. phrase keeps popping up in everything from health evaluations to, of course, what we wear. I was packing recently for a short fall trip to upstate New York, and when planning my packing list, jeans were the base for every outfit. Not basic jeans, but current silhouettes. As a woman “of a certain age,” according to the style arbiters, I’m no longer supposed to wear denim, especially with trendy details like denim-on-denim, barrel jeans, wide-leg, slouchy jeans, or horror, the flared ones that look an awfully lot like the jeans I wore in the ’70s. You know, they say you should never wear a trend twice. Well, how about a third or fourth cycle? Supposedly, on the rare occasion I do wear denim, it should be the dark-wash, straight-leg conservative style that’s “appropriate” for seniors (and oh, how I detest that word). While that’s in my closet, so are all those trendy looks mentioned in the previous paragraph. That’s what I’m most confident wearing—and that’s what I ended up packing in my carry-on. Now, our models in this month’s True Blues denim fashion feature and on the cover aren’t of a certain age. But they are full-blown adults; their 20s and 30s are behind them. And the denim looks they’re wearing are definitely trendy, sometimes downright edgy. It was a blast pulling these clothes, because while denim is a seasonless staple, this fall it’s a power look. Check out the embellished jeans on him on page 58, or the dressed-up elegance of the tuxedo jean on her on page 59. Great style doesn’t have an age limit. The only fashion rule to follow if you’re of a certain age (and one I’m following) is: There are no rules anymore. Wear what you love.

Contributing Photographers Brian Rice, Ashley Elwell, Kenny Johnson, Aaron Leimkuehler, Kaye Ness, Alex Rhoades, Christopher Smith Publisher Michelle Jolles Media Director Brittany Coale Senior Media Consultants Katie Delzer, Nicole Kube, Krista Markley, Josie Rawlings Newsstand Consultant Joe J. Luca, JK Associates 816-213-4101, jkassoc.net

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OCTOBER 2025 | 10 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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Great Plains SPCA: Great Great Plains Plains SPCA: SPCA: Great Plains SPCA:

Where Compassion Meets Action Where Where Compassion Compassion Meets Meets Action Action Where Compassion Meets Action

Since 1966, Great Plains SPCA, formerly Animal Haven, Since Since 1966, 1966, Great Great Plains Plains SPCA, SPCA, formerly formerly Animal Animal Haven, Haven, has has has Since 1966, Great Plains SPCA, formerly Animal Haven, has been Kansas City’s hometown shelter, giving pets second been been Kansas Kansas City’s City’s hometown hometown shelter, shelter, giving giving pets second pets second been Kansas City’s hometown shelter, giving pets second chances chances and their and people their people peace peace of ofEach mind. Each Each year, we serve weserve serve chances and their people peace of mind. year, weyear, serve chances and their people peace ofmind. mind. Each year, we 6,800 6,800 animals animals and 500,000 and 500,000 residents residents through through a full-circle a full-circle 6,800 animals and 500,000 residents through a full-circle 6,800 animals and 500,000 residents through a full-circle approach approach pet to care: petprevention, care: prevention, prevention, adoption, adoption, and retention. and retention. approach pet care: adoption, and retention. approach tototo pet care: prevention, adoption, and retention. the As region’s the region’s highest-rated highest-rated shelter, shelter, proudly we proudly partner partner with with AsAs the region’s highest-rated shelter, wewe proudly partner with

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Aseight the region’s highest-rated shelter, we proudly partner with eight eight municipalities, municipalities, including including Overland Overland Park, Park, Leawood, Leawood, municipalities, including Overland Park, Leawood, eight municipalities, including Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Lenexa, Prairie Prairie Village, Village, and Lake and Quivira, Lake Quivira, well asas well theas the Lenexa, Prairie Village, and Lake Quivira, asas well the Lenexa, Prairie Village, and Lake as well as the Johnson Johnson County County Parks Parks and Sheriff’s andQuivira, Sheriff’s Departments. Departments. Johnson County Parks and Sheriff’s Departments. Johnson County Parks and Sheriff’s Departments.

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Strong Strong Leadership. Leadership. BoldBold Results. Results. Strong Leadership. Bold Results.

Boa Boar

Under Under CEO Tam CEO Singer Tam Singer and VP and VP Philanthropy of Philanthropy Engagement & Engagement Hathaway Hathaway Maranda, Maranda, Great Great Plains Plains SPCA is redefining is redefining what what Under CEO Tam Singer and VP ofof Philanthropy && Engagement Hathaway Maranda, Great Plains SPCA isSPCA redefining what

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donor-centric, a donor-centric, life-saving life-saving nonprofit nonprofit can achieve. can achieve. Tam’s Tam’s compassionate, compassionate, results-driven results-driven leadership leadership and Hathaway’s and Hathaway’s bold bold aa donor-centric, life-saving nonprofit can achieve. Tam’s compassionate, results-driven leadership and Hathaway’s bold

Under CEO Tam Singer and VP of Philanthropy & Engagement Hathaway Maranda, Great Plains SPCA is redefining what fundraising fundraising strategies strategies are driving are measurable driving measurable measurable impact. impact. fundraising strategies are driving impact.

a donor-centric, life-saving nonprofit can achieve. Tam’s compassionate, results-driven leadership and Hathaway’s bold

SinceJanuary Since January January 2023:2023: Since 2023: fundraising strategies are driving measurable impact.

• Great •Plains Great Plains Plains SPCA’s SPCA’s overall overall donations donations are are 26%. upMost 26%. Most notably, Most notably, gifts gifts $1,000 of $1,000 more orhave more have increased have increased 36%, byboth 36%, both both in • Great SPCA’s overall donations are upup 26%. notably, gifts ofof $1,000 oror more increased byby 36%, in in

Since January 2023: total giving totaland giving and number and number donors. of donors. total giving number ofof donors.

• Great Plains SPCA’s overall donations are up 26%. Most notably, gifts ofacross $1,000 or more have increased by 36%, both in • Event •revenue Event revenue revenue has grown has grown 176% 176% since since 2020. In 2023, Inevents 2023, events events brought brought $223,234 in $223,234 across across 80 community 80 community events. events. That That • Event has grown 176% since 2020. In2020. 2023, brought in in $223,234 80 community events. That total giving and number of donors. grew grew $229,180 to $229,180 from from events 85 in events in 2024, inand 2024, and and 2025 inwe’ve 2025 we’ve we’ve already already hosted hosted 188 events 188 and events and media andspots. media spots.spots. grew toto $229,180 from 8585 events 2024, in in 2025 already hosted 188 events media • Since •January Since January January 2023, 2023, Great Great Plains Plains SPCA’s SPCA’s digital digital presence presence has soared. has soared. Website Website traffic traffic has drawn hasover drawn over 3.6 over million 3.6 million • Since 2023, Great Plains SPCA’s digital presence has soared. Website traffic has drawn 3.6 million • Event revenue has grown 176% since 2020. In 2023, events brought in $223,234 across 80 community events. That pageviews pageviews and 560,000 and 560,000 new users, newfueled users, fueled fueled by 3.5 by million 3.5 organic million organic organic Google Google searches. searches. On social Onmedia, social media, media, Facebook Facebook reached reached 5.1 5.1 pageviews and 560,000 new users, by 3.5 million Google searches. On social Facebook reached 5.1

grew to $229,180 from 85 events in 2024, and in 2025 we’ve already hosted 188 events and media spots.

million million people people with 810,000 with 810,000 interactions, interactions, while while Instagram Instagram reached reached 3.8 million 3.8 with million with more withthan more than 400,000 than 400,000 interactions. interactions. million people with 810,000 interactions, while Instagram reached 3.8 million more 400,000 interactions.

• Since January 2023, Great Plains SPCA’s digital presence has soared. Website traffic has drawn over 3.6 million • In 2025, • InGreat 2025, Great Great Plains Plains SPCA SPCA are are pace on pace about for2,461 about 2,461 2,461 outcomes(adoptions outcomes(adoptions and pets and returned pets returned homes) to homes) well — above well above • In 2025, Plains SPCA are onon pace forfor about outcomes(adoptions and pets returned toto homes) —— well above

pageviews and 560,000 new users, fueled by 3.5 million organic Google searches. On social media, Facebook reached 5.1 last year’s last2,162 year’s 2,162 2,162 and approaching and approaching the 2,577 theachieved 2,577 achieved achieved 2023 in—2023 — with — with average an average live release live release rate rate 97.2% of over 97.2% over this over period. this period. last year’s and approaching the 2,577 in in 2023 with anan average live release rate ofof 97.2% this period.

million people with 810,000 interactions, while Instagram reached 3.8 million with more than 400,000 interactions.

“Strong “Strong leadership leadership about is about teamwork,” teamwork,” sayssays Tam. Tam. “Hathaway’s “Hathaway’s expertise expertise “Strong leadership isisabout teamwork,” says Tam. “Hathaway’s expertise • In 2025, Great Plains SPCA are on pace for about 2,461 outcomes(adoptions and pets returned to homes) — well above complements complements myown, my own, own, andtogether and together together we’re we’re moving moving theshelter the shelter shelter forward forward complements my and we’re moving the forward inin in last year’s 2,162 and approaching the 2,577 achieved in 2023 — with an average live release rate of 97.2% over this period. powerful powerful ways.” ways.” powerful ways.”

“Strong leadership is about teamwork,” says Tam. “Hathaway’s expertise Hathaway Hathaway adds, adds, “Tam’s “Tam’s leadership leadership creates creates space space forbold bold for bold ideas ideas thrive. to thrive. Hathaway adds, “Tam’s leadership creates space for ideas totothrive. complements my own, and together we’re moving the shelter forward in Together, Together, we’re we’re building building future a future where where every every pethas pet hasahas aloving loving a loving home.” home.” Together, we’re building aafuture where every pet home.” powerful ways.”

YourYour Support Support Saves Saves LivesLives Your Support Saves Lives

Hathaway “Tam’s leadership creates space for ideas to thrive. Every Every gift, volunteer gift,adds, volunteer hour, hour, and adoption and adoption makes makes a direct, alife-saving direct, life-saving life-saving difference. difference. Join Join making us inbold making Kansas Kansas Every gift, volunteer hour, and adoption makes a direct, difference. Join usus in in making Kansas City the City most the compassionate most compassionate community community pets. for Donate. pets. Donate. Volunteer. Volunteer. Adopt. Adopt. Your support Yourhas support saves saves lives. lives. home.” City the most compassionate community for Donate. Volunteer. Adopt. Your support saves Together, we’re building aforpets. future where every pet alives. loving

Your Support Saves Lives Every gift, volunteer hour, and adoption makes a direct, life-saving difference. Join us in making Kansas

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About AboutTam TamSinger Singer For Tam For Tam Singer, Singer, animal animal welfare welfare is a is calling. a calling. Originally Originally fromfrom the United the United Kingdom, Kingdom, she she studied studied Communications Communications at Nottingham at Nottingham TrentTrent University University before before moving moving to Nashville to Nashville in 2004. in 2004. While While working working in recruiting, in recruiting, she she founded founded Make Make Tennessee Tennessee a Place a Place that that Really Really Cares Cares (MTPRC), (MTPRC), advocating advocating to end to end breed-specific breed-specific legislation legislation and and dog dog chaining. chaining. Joining Joining Great Great Plains Plains SPCA SPCA as Chief as Chief Operations Operations Officer Officer in 2017, in 2017, TamTam became became CEOCEO in 2018. in 2018. SheShe has has since since fostered fostered a culture a culture of kindness of kindness and and accountability, accountability, whilewhile alsoalso serving serving on the on Kansas the Kansas Pet Advocates Pet Advocates Board Board and and Overland Overland Park’s Park’s Racial Racial Equity Equity in Community in Community Program. Program. In 2024, In 2024, Kansas Kansas City City Magazine Magazine named named her one her one of the of “Power the “Power Players Players YouYou Haven’t Haven’t Heard Heard Of (Yet).” Of (Yet).”

About AboutHathaway HathawayMaranda Maranda Raised Raised on Cape on Cape Cod,Cod, Hathaway Hathaway Maranda Maranda is a is lifelong a lifelong artistartist and and animal animal advocate. advocate. AfterAfter joining joining Great Great Plains Plains SPCA SPCA as aas consultant a consultant in 2023, in 2023, she she quickly quickly became became integral integral to itstoleadership its leadership team. team. By early By early 2024, 2024, she she stepped stepped into into her current her current role role overseeing overseeing fundraising, fundraising, marketing, marketing, and and communications. communications. In just In just overover a year, a year, Hathaway Hathaway restructured restructured the development the development team, team, recruited recruited key key talent, talent, and and revitalized revitalized donor donor engagement, engagement, sparking sparking unprecedented unprecedented growth growth in individual in individual giving giving and and community community support. support. WithWith 25+ 25+ years years of fundraising of fundraising experience experience at organizations at organizations suchsuch as the as the Sundance Sundance Institute, Institute, LACMA, LACMA, Honolulu Honolulu Museum Museum of Art, of Art, andand NelsonNelsonAtkins Atkins Museum Museum of Art, of Art, Hathaway Hathaway is a is Getty a Getty Leadership Leadership Institute Institute Fellow Fellow renowned renowned for aligning for aligning teams teams and and deepening deepening relationships relationships to to transform transform organizations. organizations. “Fundraising “Fundraising is about is about moremore thanthan dollars,” dollars,” Hathaway Hathaway says. says. “It’s “It’s about about connection, connection, and and when when that that bondbond deepens, deepens, it transforms it transforms the the organization organization and and the community the community it serves.” it serves.”

ADOPT. ADOPT.VOLUNTEER. VOLUNTEER.DONATE. DONATE.

5424 5424 Antioch Antioch Drive Drive | Merriam, | Merriam, KSKS 66202 66202 (913) (913) 831-7722 831-7722 | www.greatplainsspca.org | www.greatplainsspca.org

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In 1995, Frank Roberts tried to improve the projection system at Atlas9, a mid-size theater hemorrhaging money to megaplexes. His work went haywire, “anomalies” appeared, and a secret government organization has monitored the theater ever since—or so the story goes. We explored Atlas9, a high-tech new immersive art experience in KCK, and tell the tale on inkansascity.com.

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Global eats.

It’s thrilling to find a true Thai place, a true Mediterranean place, a true taqueria—food beyond American fare or imitation. Luckily, there’s no shortage of international cuisine in Kansas City, so our staff lists its go-to spots on inkansascity.com.

Do you hear it? Doors are creaking, ghouls are creeping, and Halloween is howling from the last square on the calendar. We captured as many Spooky Season happenings as we could, from haunted houses to Poe readings to pop-up bars, and share them on inkansascity.com.

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This Month IN KC

October

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE by Evan Pagano

Percival Everett

Heartland Book Fest October 10 –11 Woodneath Library Center and Central Library heartlandbookfest.org A bookworm’s dream. It’s unbelievable that the Heartland Book Festival—with its author talks, book signings, workshops, and plenty more—is free. It starts at Woodneath Library Center on October 10 with remarks and book signatures from Pulitzer Prize-winner Percival Everett. The next morning, it heads downtown to the Central Library with additional author talks and signings, themed literary panels, 15 unique writing workshops, and book vendors galore. Plus food trucks.

Botanical Brewfest October 18 Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens artsandrec-op.org/arboretum/botanical-brewfest Stop and smell the hops. It seems like the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens has a can’t-miss party every month. On the 18th, it’s the return of Botanical Brewfest, where you can sample hundreds of beers from 45 breweries and beverage companies from KC and well beyond. Sample beer, spirits, ciders, seltzers, and non-alcoholic drinks and explore the gardens and trails in their full autumn splendor. With food trucks and fire pits added to the scene, you’re in for a cozy fall night. Tickets are $65 plus fees.

OCTOBER SPOTLIGHT Dark Forest October 17–19, 23–25, 31, and Nov. 1 Powell Gardens powellgardens.org/dark-forest Enter the forest. The creative minds at Quixotic are busy this time of year. Fresh off Terra Luna in Overland Park—which you could probably see from space—they’re putting on a darker affair at Powell Gardens. Dark Forest combines innovative lighting, music, and performance art to transform this botanical garden into a spooky journey without the jump scares. Every Friday and Saturday, you can tack on the Fire Feast, which includes a fire-roasted dinner and fiery cocktails. Tickets to the main attraction are $38.

Kansas City Street Food Festival October 18 –19 Power & Light District streetfoodfests.com/event/kansascity A supersized food festival. To call the Kansas City Street Food Festival just a food festival would be selling it short. Yes, the organizers are bringing 25-plus food vendors and a cheese fry bar to the KC Live! Block (with all food options $10 or less), but they’re also bringing a kiddie pumpkin patch, a cooking demonstration, a breakdancing show, live music, and several other attractions that make for two days of fun. Early-bird tickets are $10.

For Kansas City’s most comprehensive calendar of events, go to inkansascity.com/events OCTOBER 2025 | 16 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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Entertaining IN KC

by Merrily Jackson

Hosting a Halloween Par-tay for Grown-Ups

mjackson@inkansascity.com

get to in daily life. This year, Halloween lands on a Friday, a prime night for party-giving, with no workday looming overhead. If your friends want to dress up, encourage it. Just don’t make it obligatory. Cast a spell with ambience. A great Halloween party doesn’t require elaborate decorations. Focus on lighting. Turn off the overheads, dim your lamps, and use candles to create an eerie atmosphere that’s more effective than plastic props. Fake flame candles are now more realistic, user-friendly, and easy to find where real candles are sold. Background music sets the mood. Moody classics and upbeat songs work best, but tossing in Monster Mash once for fun is totally fair. Nostalgia has its place, just don’t let it dominate. Feed the living. Once the initial costume admiration fades, guests will start to expect a real party. In other words, food and drink are important. Consider easy-to-grab snacks such as flatbreads, sliders, and spiced nuts. Choose items you can replenish easily without having to leave your own glass unattended. As for drinks, one spooky signature cocktail is fun, but don’t overcomplicate it. Stock wine, beer, and plenty of nonalcoholic options. Guests should remember your party for the good company, not for how dehydrated they felt the next morning.

Be a sociable little ghoul. Guests, you’re not off the hook. If you’re dressing up, make sure your costume isn’t hazardous to furniture, other people’s faces, or common decency. And above all, show up ready to join in the fun. Be present, mingle, and enjoy meeting new people. Halloween is all about sharing laughs, making memories. Your enthusiasm and openness are what make the party truly memorable.

’ll admit it: I’m terrible at Halloween costumes. When I worked at Hallmark, my coworkers wore elaborate, often-hilarious outfits, while I looked like I’d stopped at Walgreen’s on my way to work. That taught me costumes should always be optional. This said, costumes are fun. They give adults an excuse to be playful, to show off their ingenuity, and to laugh at each other in ways we don’t

Tricks, treats, and takeaways. At the heart of it, Halloween parties for adults should feel like any other good party, with just enough witchy sparkle to make it memorable. Whether you’re in costume or not, the point is connection, laughter, and maybe a touch of mischief. So dim the lights, pour the drinks, and remember: the best hosts are hosts first, zombies second.

OCTOBER 2025 | 18 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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Entertaining IN KC

FRIGHTFUL FINDS DISH IT OUT An interactive candy bowl with lights and spooky sound effects. Great for greeting guests at the door or displaying treats on the table. Adds a playful, theatrical twist to traditional party snacks. Find it at Target for $30.

FOR A SONG The ION Party Rocker Max portable bluetooth speaker doubles as a light show, syncing colors to your playlist. Perfect for Halloween parties where atmosphere matters as much as the music. Big sound, easy setup, and zero awkward fumbling with cords.

SKELETON CREW Stemware with skeletal hands add a subtle spooky flair while keeping things elegant. Perfect for serving red wine or dark cocktails that fit the mood. Guests get a thrill with every sip. Find them at Target for $5 each.

BLACK OUT A simple swap that transforms a table setting. Black matte flatware feels edgy, modern, and perfect for Halloween night—without being a one-and-done purchase. It also photographs beautifully against autumnal foods and candlelight. Kanto stainless-steel five-piece flatware set, $49.50 from West Elm.

OH MY GOURD! A chic pumpkin-shaped glass dispenser with gold hardware. Perfect for cider, sangria, or seasonal punch, elevating your bar setup without veering into tacky décor. Stylish enough to use well beyond Halloween. Find it on World Market for $80.

OCTOBER 2025 | 20 | INKANSASCITY.COM

ALL THAT GLITTERS Add sparkle to cocktails or mocktails with edible drink glitter. Just a pinch gives beverages a magical, potionlike shimmer. A simple way to surprise guests and elevate even the humblest glass of prosecco.

Mazzarese Parkway Plaza I 4850 W 135th Street Leawood, KS 66224 I 913.491.4111 Mazzarese.com

Entertaining IN KC CINFO’S BOOZY BOURBON PUNCH I CALL MY FRIEND Cindy Raedle “Cinfo” because she always has the relevant info, whatever the topic. This recipe originated from Cinfo’s dear departed mother-in-law, Sally, a rather surprising source for such a rager-inducing beverage. They don’t call it punch for nothing, because it packs one. It would be perfect for your grown-up Halloween party, or really any such party. Yields 15 to 20 servings, depending on glass size 12 6 12 1

ounces frozen lemonade concentrate ounces fresh lemon juice ounces water fifth bourbon or to taste (note above disclaimer)

1/2 1

fifth rum or to taste (you’ve been cautioned!) liter ginger ale

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liter sparkling water

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spend 45 minutes in one corner, the rest of the party goes untended. The trick is to make your exit feel like a continuation, not a rejection. • The Handoff. Nothing flatters like inclusion. Spot someone nearby and say: “ You two have to meet—you’re both into hiking (or bourbon, or midcentury lamps).” Then excuse yourself. Your guest feels connected, not abandoned. • The Task Excuse. Hosting comes with built-in pretexts. Try: “I need to refresh the drinks/check on the food, but I’ll swing back.” It’s believable, gracious, and reminds them you’re taking care of everyone.

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• The Time Boundary. This is the host’s version of bookmarking. Say: “I want to hear more about that, but I need to make the rounds. Hold that thought!” You’ve validated them, while buying yourself an elegant escape. Further gratuitous advice. Relax and have fun. It sets the tone for your guests. Make an effort to connect friends who haven’t met, whether it’s through a quick introduction during a conversation handoff or simply as you circulate the room. This keeps the energy flowing and helps everyone feel included.

Do you have a question about entertaining? Email it to mjackson@inkansascity.com

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Gilded & Aged

Damian Lair at 1587 Prime.

tini cart experience is also a throwback OVERHEARD dream, with its options for liquor, ver“Why the packing mouth, or brine, mixers, and various acstress? He’s just going to toss a lump of black coutrements. I kept its wheels hot. Zara clothes in the My favorite dish was essentially suitcase anyway.” a starter. The wagyu carpaccio was the most sublime, perfect dish with bursts of incredible flavors in every bite (roll each piece on your fork like spaghetti to lock in all the appurtenances, including the precious, pickled micro mushrooms). The togarashi fried chicken was made even more incredible by the dazzling honey trio (hot chili, truffle, and wasabi varieties). Steak-wise, I had to keep it light with the six-ounce petite filet from nearby Windsor Ranch. I opted for the add-on luxe treatment with tableside flambé and au poivre sauce (sidelining the Mahomes ketchup flight—sorry, Pat). There are also five compound butters (courtesy of Shatto Milk Company) for the piling, or toss on a lobster tail if you’re feeling spendy. In lieu of a dedicated pastry chef, 1587 has partnered with McLain’s Bakery and Betty Rae’s for elevated versions of their cakes and ice creams. The chocolate chip cookie was gooey and nostalgic. The carrot cake slice could feed an entire football team. 1587 Prime was brought to KC by the Noble 33 hospitality group, helmed by Tosh Berman and Mikey Tanha. You can find their other notable restaurants in Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, New York City, Scottsdale, West Hollywood—and London and Toronto. From food to design, and entertainment to the most impeccable service, 1587 Prime is elevated in every sense of the word. I was impressed beyond measure. And when home is just steps away, I’m worried about

OCTOBER 2025| 26 | INKANSASCITY.COM

photo by alyssa broadus

ince its opening date was announced, I have been asked the same question everywhere I find myself in this city. “Did you get an invite to…?” And I could reply with glee: “Yes, I did.” Seven (!) years authoring this column, and I can definitively say that I’ve never been more excited about the arrival of an invitation. And that’s saying something! 1587 Prime—the city (and far beyond) has been eagerly awaiting your arrival. An autographed classic football in the mail is a casual way for Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce to signal they’d like you to attend the preopening event and first taste at their new restaurant. Make no mistake, though—there is nothing casual about 1587. Upon entering through towering wooden doors, you’ll traverse what evokes the chicest stadium tunnel. At the entrance, gleaming glass display cases flaunt 1587’s premium dry-aged cuts. Further in, you’ll be ensconced in a clubby temple of rich marble, brushed brass, lush velvet, and warm mahogany. It’s a classically American aesthetic, infused with modern design and scattered, subtle easter-egg nods to the country’s favorite athletic pastime. Both levels of the two-story establishment (part of the Loews Kansas City Hotel property) have their distinct energies. On the entry level, you’ll find the bar—always a hub of activity—as well as the stage for nightly live entertainment. On this special night, my friends Talya Groves and Lee Langston were performing together. I was told they will be splitting nights for at least the first month of operation. I love them both, and you will, too. Upstairs—accessed via the swirling marble staircase—the open kitchen is an impressive machine and a spectacle all its own. Additionally, there’s a private dining room complete with a secret VIP entrance/ exit. With two-way glass, the private space feels like you’re in the main dining room, not tucked in a stuffy closet. If dining there, check out the cheeky plaques on some of the vintage trophies. On this special occasion, in addition to tours across the various spaces, I was invited to order anything or everything from the impressively expansive menu. I lead a tough life. Humility aside, decisions like these are as difficult as the space here is diminutive. I’ll hit the HOT highest of high points. GOSSIP: Order The Alchemy cocktail (inspired by you-already-knowWho clipped their who). You’ve likely seen its magnefriend’s car while leaving sium-threaded stem sparkle when lit. the patron party? It’s all over my IG feed and should be on yours, too. Tag Taylor. The mar-

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Our Man IN KC the consequences of becoming a regular. It was an honor and pleasure to be part of this magical and unforgettable, star-studded evening. Oh— and if the martini cart is tied up during your visit, I might be to blame.

FOLLOW THE RED CARPET I’M NOT ONE for hyperbole. So, when I say that some days, I need to pinch myself just to verify it’s all real—I mean it. A recent Sunday afternoon was one of those unbelievable days. I was invited to attend the exclusive (and cloaked in secrecy) screening of the ESPN Original Series The Kingdom. Held at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, I knew even from my approach that I was embarking on a rare adventure. With surrounding streets blocked by police, it was clear that this wasn’t just any event. On foot, and enjoying the late-summer walk from my downtown condo, I was given the second (and third) degree by layers of dutiful officers. Interestingly, red-carpet guests don’t typically arrive on foot. As I later witnessed, it’s far more common to glide in behind the wheel of one’s Rolls Royce. Alas, I’ll never be confused for being famous. The red carpet was awash with Chiefs royalty. All the top players were there and eager to chat—Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce (positively glowing, knowing he had just become engaged… to be publicly revealed two days later), Kareem Hunt, George Karlaftis, etc. They’re just like us! Plus, Chiefs leadership—Andy Reid, Brett Veach, Clark & Tavia Hunt. And there were stacks of ESPN executives, producers, and creatives, plus Foolish Club Studios’ Lara Krug and Gelsomina Picariello. It was a lot to take in. My highlight was sharing some personal appreciation with Mark Donovan, the Chiefs president. My annual winter travel (blessedly) takes me somewhere warm around Super Bowl time. I have had the odd experience of watching every recent Chiefs Super Bowl in another language and very far from home. Lately, that’s included Rio de Janeiro, Bogotá, and Mexico City. Though the game outcomes varied, my sense of community pride has been a constant. It’s a buoyant feeling to cheer on your home team in a sea of people who’ve never been to your city (or country). And it’s electrifying to bond with complete strangers and boast—hey, I’m from there! I’m proud to be a Kansas Citian. I credit Mark and so many others in the Chiefs organization with this civic pride, and it felt important and personal to share my gratitude. After the red-carpet buzz subsided, we collectively enjoyed bites, drinks, and more conversation inside. From there, we were ushered to the Muriel Kauffman Theatre for the screening of The Kingdom, episode one. But not without a heartfelt welcome from Patrick Mahomes. I cannot recap the full season here, but I highly recommend it—regardless of your fandom level. It’s an inspiring story of Lamar Hunt’s legacy funneling through an entire new generation of enthusiasts. Long live the Kingdom.

LOVING LEADERS & SCHOLARS I WAS PROUD and delighted to once again attend the (third annual) Leading with Love gala, celebrating and raising funds for Kansas City Girls Prep Academy. KCGPA is Missouri’s first and only tuition-free, single-gender, public school—intentionally located in one of the city’s

OVERHEARD most underserved communities. The “Did his teeth academy is led by a mission to prepare recently take a trip young women to use their voices, succeed to Chernobyl?” academically, and lead impactful, meaningful lives. KCGPA believes that its scholars are in the best position to learn when they first feel safe and loved—using a whole child approach. In its seventh year, it serves girls from the 5th through 8th grades, recognizing the unique advantages of an all-girls student body. As keynote speaker and KCGPA board member Michelle Wimes explained, these girls are not competing with the noise of boys for attention. They are not shrinking themselves or apologizing for being smart, ambitious, or outspoken. KCGPA students, all of whom qualify for free and reduced lunch, continue to significantly outperform peers across the state, breaking the chains of circumstance. KCGPA was ranked 4th out of the 555 Missouri public schools in terms of academic growth, with exceptional rankings in reading and math. This past year, KCGPA also launched a high school enrichment program, the Kansas City Girls Leadership Institute, that guides these girls as they continue their journey through high school and beyond. Following a delicious dinner, the evening included a competitive live auction, including an Aspen getaway and an exclusive dinner by chef Ted Habiger at the Kemper Museum (organizers spontaneously doubled the number of seats due to wild demand). The most sought raffle item was an eye-popping year of services ($660 per month!) at Holly Day Med Spa + Aesthetics. As I logged in to purchase a ticket, they were long gone. Inspired by this incredible evening, KCGPA impressively exceeded last year’s fundraising total at nearly $1.8 million. Congratulations to the event cochairs Thalia Cherry, Karen Daniel, Raven Jemison, Martha Salinas, and Holly Post. And one final congratulations to KCGPA founder and chair Christine Kemper on recently receiving the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce ATHENA Leadership Award for championing girls and women in our community, particularly via KCGPA.

ART SALON I ATTENDED the opening reception for ArtSalon: Biennial Alumni Exhibition, the capstone event for the Kansas City Art Institute’s first (and intended to be annual) alumni weekend. The ongoing exhibition marks the beginning of a new tradition showcasing KCAI alumni works and bringing these alumni together with faculty and collectors to celebrate KCAI’s creative legacy. Every piece in the show is available for purchase (all priced at or below $1,000), with proceeds benefiting both the artist and student scholarships. I’ve said it here before, but it bears repeating. For budding (or even mature) collectors, KCAI is an unparalleled outlet for starting or adding to a collection. Between their autumn and spring end-of-semester sales and this biennial exhibition, there are frequent opportunities to purchase art. I was in very good company, snapping up pieces alongside some of the city’s foremost collectors (and on more than one occasion, not snapping quickly enough). Curious what I’m excited to retrieve once the exhibition has closed? I am the proud owner of an Oliver Clark (’14 Sculpture & Art History)

OCTOBER 2025| 28 | INKANSASCITY.COM

wall sculpture constructed of steam-bent white oak, walnut, and mahogany, strung together with hemp string. It’s like a beautiful violin that fell into a reimagining blender. Second, I landed a substantial Brandon Schnur (’14 Ceramics) piece that is as mysterious as it is disturbing. It’s a black ceramic sculpture—resembling a cinched bag, lying on its side, contents unknown. I’ve already retitled it “the body bag.” Throughout the evening, there was live music, food trucks, and cocktails. The signature presentation was a jarring and visceral live performance, The Waiting Room, by Ben Gould (’15 Painting). In it, he questioned the systems of care and states of health. He was accompanied by a live score of cello and percussion built on the repetitive patterns of on-hold music that slowly descends into chaos. The evening was another fantastic gathering of collecting and connecting on the bucolic KCAI campus. As for the exhibition, it runs through October 19. So, you still have time to drop in for a peek or purchase.

CLUB PALM TREE AS OF THIS WRITING, I have visited the Palm Tree Club KC a whopping four times this week alone. I was invited for an early menu preview, a VIP pre-opening event, and an official grand-opening party. Plus, I dropped in for some drinks and bites as a break from FOX NFL Sunday’s first live broadcast from Kansas City at KC Live!. There, I was also a guest at the Kelce Brothers’ New Heights podcast VIP Fan Experience. Whew! Needless to say, I have already grown to love this hybrid restaurant/nightclub establishment. PTC is a restaurant and lounge centered around coastal-vibe dining, live music, and laid-back luxury. The chef, Joe Shirley, has created a diverse menu including (noting my favorites) hamachi carpaccio, A5 wagyu dumplings, lobster wontons, burnt end bao buns, and octopus yakitori. There is also a selection of sushi, nigiri, and hand-made pastas. And though I have not tried it (yet), PTC also offers a ten-course omakase experience for a full table. Signature cocktails (I enjoyed them all!) include an espresso martini flight (classic, salted caramel, and tiramisu), a gold-leafed Cristalino margarita, and a caviar martini. There’s also bottle service opportunities at the tables and lounges upstairs. Speaking of upstairs—and in addition to the DJ spinning in the dining room below—the space is geared toward dancing, lounging, and nightlife. Adding to the city’s (finally) growing number of rooftop venues, its vista is unique, nestled among the ever-growing number of glass towers filling downtown. It feels incredibly cosmopolitan. PTC has outposts in Miami and Orlando, plus a Las Vegas beach club. It’s notably powered by its co-founder, the world-renowned DJ and producer Kygo, but also its local brand strategist, Eric Coomes. This signals that you can expect first-rate performances from top DJs around the world, all with panoramic views of the city. The concept was envisioned to fill a void I admittedly hadn’t recognized—a high-energy dining establishment that moonlights as a club. They’re prevalent in places like Miami and Vegas, but absent in our nightlife mix—until now. It‘s one of the most buzz-worthy spots right now—bursting with a very cool crowd on my every visit. While ordering a drink at the bar, I casually bumped into (and snapped a pic with) Wayne Gretzky. Mark Wahlberg was an arm’s length away. What a time to be alive in Kansas City.

So, KC—where do you want to go? XO OCTOBER 2025| 29 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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OPUS 76 QUARTET

Arts & Culture IN KC

by Judith Fertig

Joshua Oppenheim CHORAL DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER ANSWERS FOUR QUESTIONS

tarting this month, there’s a new sound in town. Joshua Oppenheim, Ph.D., with the help of former student Stacy Davis, has launched a community-wide group celebrating all aspects of choral music in Kansas City. “Re:Sound Ensembles is the result of a 30-year slow burn,” says Oppenheim. He has served as a professor of music and the director of choral studies at Kansas State University since 2008. “My doctoral dissertation was on the history and development of professional choirs in the United States. More recently, I was encouraged by a number of former students and then by colleagues from around the country to push ‘go’ on the ideas that have been informally and formally brewing for 30 years.” “I wanted to make sure that I was ready to create something that didn’t already exist in the world of professional choirs, so Re:Sound needed a unique voice—one that filled a gap, spoke to what isn’t being said, and offered something artistically and socially necessary,” he adds. For Oppenheim, music at its highest level becomes “the convergence of technical mastery, deep emotional honesty, and shared human experience. When everything aligns—the artistry, the intention, the connection between performers and audience—music becomes more than performance. It transcends entertainment. It becomes a mirror, showing us who we are, and a window, showing us who we might be. In those moments, music has the power to move us, change us, and connect us in ways words alone never could.” resoundensembles.org

INKC: Tell us about Re:Sound Ensembles. Joshua Oppenheim: At its core, Re:Sound exists to bring more peo-

ple to this art form—both onstage and in the audience. We’re building a network of ensembles, each with a distinct purpose. Re:Sound Rise is for underserved youth who want to sing but lack the resources, transportation, or access to participate elsewhere. Re:Sound Arc serves

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Arts & Culture IN KC people experiencing homelessness or deep social isolation. Re:Sound Unbound works with justice-impacted individuals who are incarcerated. Re:Sound Bridge will unite politicians and government leaders—local, state, and national—through music. Each group will launch on its own timeline, but the first out of the gate is simply Re:Sound—the national professional choral ensemble. Our goal is to create performances that are immersive, multi-sensory, and artistically ambitious, while also welcoming people who might never set foot in a traditional choral concert. We want to meet audiences where they are and move them in ways they didn’t expect. INKC: And why Kansas City? JO: Kansas City felt like the obvious starting point. It has a rich choral

history, a vibrant arts scene, and a lot of my alumni live here. While only about 30 percent of the professional Re:Sound ensemble is local, Kansas City’s central location makes it easy for the rest of our artists to fly in from across the country. On a personal level, many of my resources and support systems are based here, so launching in Kansas City just made sense. INKC: How did you get interested in choral music? JO: I was a late bloomer in choral music. I didn’t sing in middle school,

or most of high school. But my high school in Michigan had a strong choral program—and they traveled a lot. My older brother was in the choir, made great friends, and seemed to be having the time of his life. I

joined for the social and community side of it. Music was always in my world—my dad was an amateur organist— but I’d never had formal training until my junior year. About six weeks after I joined, the Grammy-winning director of choral studies from the University of Michigan came to clinic our choir. Within an hour, I knew this is what I was going to do for the rest of my life. I was 16, and from that moment, I never wavered. I’ve spent every year since pursuing it, and I still feel incredibly lucky to have found a passion that feels this essential and valuable. INKC: In these divisive times, what can choral music do that other

forms cannot? JO: I think humanity depends on empathy. And empathy begins with

listening—truly listening—and imagining yourself in someone else’s experience. Choral singing requires both. You’re not just making music; you’re giving voice to poetry, sacred texts, and folk songs that represent people you’ve never met, places you’ve never been, and times you’ve never lived. Through music and text—something unique to choral singing—we get to step into those worlds. And when we perform with vulnerability and trust, the audience is invited into that same space. They feel it too. It’s intangible and hard to explain, but absolutely observable: they share in the same emotional experience as the performers. That’s why, to me, choral music is unlike any other art form.

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ANDREA CARLSON: SHIMMER ON HORIZONS FROM NOW through February 22, 2026, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art hosts a mesmerizing exhibit featuring the work of Andrea Carlson, who has one foot in two cultures. Of Grand Portage Ojibwe and European descent, Carlson imagines landscapes and places that are “everywhere and nowhere.” And it’s not surprising. The Grand Portage Reservation is on the farthest northeastern tip of Minnesota, bordering Canada and Lake Superior. If you look one way, you see land. If you look the other way, you see water. And that’s before European settlers made their cultural marks on both. Carlson is a Chicago-based mixed-media artist who draws from her Ojibwe, French, and Scandinavian heritage to create highly stylized, densely layered work. Carlson works in painting, video, and sculpture to tell her stories. Her work is included in the collections of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the British Museum, and the National Gallery of Canada. When you look at one of her works, you’re there, you’re here, everywhere, anywhere. Just where you’re supposed to be. For more information, visit kemperart.org.

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DRACULA IS BAAACK

photo by joe mazza

BRAM STOKER probably had no idea that his 1897 gothic horror novel would have taken such a big bite out of our cultural necks. We’ve had otherworldly Dracula (Nosferatu), creepy Dracula (Bella Lugosi), and sexy Dracula (Frank Langella, Gary Oldman, and Claes Bang). Kansas City Repertory Theatre will introduce audiences to another facet of the famous vampire when Dracula takes the stage October 14 through November 2. “It’s not Bram Stoker’s Dracula, it’s our Dracula, through the female perspective,” says Vanessa Severo, who collaborated on the play with Joanie Schultz. They also co-directed. “Women, typically in Dracula, were made to be objects or things; Dracula sucks their blood and discards them. And we’re like, ‘Well, what if we flipped it on its ear and made the women in charge, the ones on the chess board that are moving the men around as pawns?’” Well, indeed. KCRep promises “a Dracula you’ve never seen before.” Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Bring a garlic necklace, just in case. For more information and tickets, visit kcrep.org.

BULBS THAT TWINKLE & BLOOM

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OCTOBER 2025 | 39 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Arts &Culture IN KC by Judith Fertig

KANSAS CITY BALLET presents the classic Swan Lake at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts with seven performances from October 17 through 26. With a romantic score by the 19th-century composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky performed by the Kansas City Symphony and choreography by Devon Carney, Kansas City Ballet’s artistic director, this visually stunning ballet in stark black and white tells an age-old story of the battle between good and evil. When Swan Lake was first performed in 1877 at the Bolshoi in Moscow, the reviews were tepid at best. Yet it has gone on to be on the most popular and enduring ballets of all time. This ballet continually evolves with new choreography, tweaks to the plot, and an ever-changing array of dancers. Carney has the unique experience of both dancing Swan Lake for various dance companies and then choreographing it, first with the Cincinnati Ballet and more recently with Kansas City Ballet. Carney’s choreography demands technical brilliance as well as emotional depth from the principal dancers as well as the corps de ballet. A lot of hard work and practice goes into creating the feeling of being swept away. For more information, visit kcballet.org.

OCTOBER 2025 | 40 | INKANSASCITY.COM

photo by kenny johnson

SWAN LAKE

photo courtesy of universal pictures

photo by kenny johnson

JORDAN PEELE’S NOPE AT TIVOLI THE DAYS ARE GETTING SHORTER, the nights longer. Halloween is right around the corner. It’s the perfect time to screen Jordan Peele’s NOPE (2022) on October 24 at the Tivoli in the Atkins Auditorium at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Peele wrote, directed, and produced this neo-Western science-fiction horror film that pokes fun at all the tropes. How does Peele manage to combine three distinct genres in one inventive package? Well, we start with a Black California ranch family that trains and handles horses for film productions. Check. Strange metallic objects begin falling out of the sky, and the Haywood family discovers an unidentified flying object is taking their horses. Check. They also discover an organism they name “Jean Jacket” that starts to eat everything that wanders into its path. Obviously, someone has to save the day. Check. You’ll have to buy a ticket to find out the rest. For more information and tickets, visit nelson-atkins.org.

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Health IN KC

presented by AdventHealth

by Judith Fertig

Breast Cancer Health, Prevention, and Screening A CONVERSATION WITH RAKESH GAUR, BOARD-CERTIFIED MEDICAL ONCOLOGIST AND HEMATOLOGIST

ovarian surgery may also be recommended. It is always best to discuss with your doctor to get an individualized assessment of your risk. Finally, adhering to early screening recommendations (such as a mammogram every year) helps detect any existing cancer early, when it is more easily treated and cured.

ince October is Breast Cancer Month, this timely reminder invites us to take a look at the current state of breast health. Are we getting better at preventing, treating, and surviving breast cancer? What are the new screening options? Dr. Rakesh Gaur, MD, MPH, FACP, board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist with AdventHealth Cancer Institute Shawnee Mission, explains.

What are the risk factors for developing breast cancer in women? The most significant risk factor is increasing age. Having had a family member, particularly a mother, sister, or daughter—or a male family member—with breast cancer places you at higher risk. Risk increases if multiple family members had breast cancer, or if they were diagnosed before age 50. However, it is very important to note that most cases of breast cancer occur in women without a family history of the disease. You may also be at higher risk if a family member had ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, or pancreatic cancer—these can occur together in families carrying certain genetic mutations. The BRCA mutation, common in certain ethnicities, such as the Ashkenazi Jewish population, significantly increases cancer risk. Simple blood tests and genetic testing can now assess presence or absence of such mutations. Because breast cancer is often driven by estrogen and progesterone, reproductive history also plays into breast cancer risk. Early age of the first menstrual period and late menopause place a woman at higher risk. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are protective; never having been pregnant and not breastfeeding are risk factors. Exposure to menopausal hormone therapy with both estrogen and progestin increases breast cancer risk. Lastly, if a woman has had a different type of cancer, received radiation to the chest for a prior cancer, or has had certain other breast lesions (atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ), she is at higher risk of cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, there is a one in eight chance for women in the United States to develop breast cancer. What preventive steps can women take? Prevention of breast cancer comes down to simple lifestyle modifications, which can decrease breast cancer risk by 20 to 30 percent. These include physical activity (150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity weekly), maintaining a healthy weight (BMI 18.5 to 25), minimizing or abstaining from alcohol, and avoiding smoking. Consuming even less than a single alcoholic drink (12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor) per day increases breast cancer risk by five percent. The higher the alcohol consumption, the higher the breast cancer risk. Smoking can also increase breast cancer risk by up to 15 percent. For women with a high lifetime risk, certain medications can be prescribed to lower the chance of breast cancer development. Breast or

What is the recommended age for women to start getting breast cancer screenings? What types of screenings are available? We recommend a yearly mammogram, starting at age 40, for those without significant risk factors. Depending on the results of the mammogram, or the density of the breast tissue, ultrasound may also be used but does not replace mammography. Many centers in Kansas City perform traditional 2D mammograms as well as more sensitive 3D mammograms. If you are at higher risk, screening may need to begin at age 30, or five to eight years younger than the age of diagnosis of a first-degree family member. In this case, it is typically recomRakesh Gaur, MD, MPH, FACP

OCTOBER 2025 | 44 | INKANSASCITY.COM

KC’s Most Trusted

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Health IN KC presented by AdventHealth

And what is the good news? There is plenty to cheer for, yet there is so much more to be done. As of 2024, breast cancer death rates have dropped by 44 percent since 1989. This has been primarily achieved by early diagnosis due to increased screening for breast cancer. The five-year survival rate, a gold standard for measuring cancer-therapy success, stands at more than 98 percent for early-stage breast cancers. For early breast cancers, breast surgery is more conservative and less debilitating than several decades ago. Reconstructive breast surgery has substantially improved. Similarly, research has identified more patients to whom less radiation therapy or more targeted therapy can be delivered or even omitted with similar cure rates. Newer investigational methods of tumor ablation using heat or extreme cold and noninvasive ultrasound technology are being studied. These methods, if successful in obtaining long-term remission, may significantly reduce morbidity. For bulky tumors or advanced or metastatic breast cancer, newer targeted therapies have continued to improve survival rates over the last two decades. In HER2/neu positive breast cancer, the use of monoclo-

nal antibodies and antibody drug conjugate (ADC) has increased the survival rates by more than 50 percent. The use of precision or personalized medicine available at almost all oncology centers has improved outcomes. For estrogen-driven breast cancer (estrogen receptor positive) newer therapies targeting cancer mutations or enzymes, such as CDK, ESRI, and PI3CA, are now available and have increased overall survival. Even for the more aggressive triple negative but early-stage breast cancer (negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors and HER2/neu), the use of immunotherapy before surgery is proving increasingly successful. While we celebrate successes, challenges still remain. The incidence of breast cancer has increased by one percent annually from 2012 to 2021, with the sharpest increase in women younger than 50 years. This likely may be attributed to more screening, education, and awareness, although the impact of other lifestyle measures cannot be discounted. Disparity in breast cancer persists. Black women, while having a five percent lower incidence of breast cancer, suffer a 38 percent higher breast cancer death rate than white women. Additionally, they are ten percent less likely to be diagnosed at an early stage. Those with a lower socioeconomic status have similar disparities, and improved utilization of breast cancer navigation services is needed to reach these populations. Genetic testing to identify families at risk is not universally being adopted despite its widespread availability. Toxicities of medications can still be debilitating, and metastatic breast cancer is still not considered curable. Thus, more resources and efforts are needed. When all hands unite in the battle against breast cancer, the future is promising. CancerCareKC.com

Photo by Emmalee Rathsam

mended that MRI and mammography are alternated every six months. Two additional, newer, investigational methods of screening are contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) and molecular breast imaging (MBI). The latter uses a radioactive dye and gamma ray detection camera. Artificial intelligence methods of evaluating mammography images are also gaining ground. As always, which method of screening is ultimately best decided between a woman and her physician.

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OCTOBER 2025 | 46 | INKANSASCITY.COM

PLANS FALL INTO PLACE

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Living IN KC

Cool Classics by Susan Cannon

HARKING BACK TO THE PAST, YET DESIGNING FOR THE PRESENT, IS AN EVERGREEN PRACTICE THE INTERIOR AND FASHION WORLDS LOVE

A Prairie Village Drummond home renovation by Lisa Schmitz Interior Design.

pinning modernity into classic design without clichéd nostalgic references is key when creating for your home or your wardrobe. However, the key to ensuring longevity is to choose quality and timeless pieces when investing in design for your lifestyle. “Classic” means different things to different people, depending on individual tastes. Lisa Schmitz designed this interior with an inviting blend of comfortable textiles, vintage and contemporary furnishings, and accessories, such as a textural wool rug by Rug Studio, a Matt Castilleja Ionic credenza, and an Eames midcentury lounger and ottoman. Landscape paintings, whether 500 years old or painted today, will always have a classic appeal. And Drummond midcentury architecture represents true modern classics in this town. Here, style spans from home to fashion in outdoorsy autumnal and vintage collegiate moods.

Jérôme Dreyfuss suede Gordi M Bag, $950, at Clique Boutique in the Prairie Village Shops. Wool pinstripe Christina jacket with vintage Japanese silk ribbons, $2,100, and Arai pant, $695, at Asiatica in Westwood. OCTOBER 2025| 48 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Handmade Pebble vases made with foraged wild clay and crushed rock from $268, at Mergers in the Crossroads.

3.1 Philip Lim pullover, $425, at Clairvaux in the Fairway Shops and Hawthorne Plaza. A spectacular, contemporary venue with transformable reception spaces and a magnificent courtyard.

Hemp pillow, $200, at Jorjy in Brookside.

1900bldg.com (913) 730–1905

asiatica model photo by stuart heidmann | room photo by nate sheets

Mary Lou Schempf painting of Santa Ynez Valley, $3,800, at George, a Lifestyle Store.

Signature Patchwork jacket, $1,695, and attachable shearling collar, $595, from Marfa Stance at marfastance.com.

Modern-American cuisine from award-winning Chef Linda Duerr. Chef Duerr and team present elegant fare and carefully curated menus for a variety of special occasions. therestaurantat1900.com (913) 730–1900

1900 Building 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway Mission Woods, Kansas

Matt Castilleja Tribeca lounge chair, custom order at mattcastilleja.com.

OCTOBER 2025| 49 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Living IN KC by Susan Cannon

Laidback Opulence LUXE FURNISHINGS IN MODERN SPACES TAKE ON A PARTICULAR COOL 1

4 2 6

ocal fine-jewelry designer Shannon Jones elevated her new Westside shop and design studio, Maggie Jones Fine Jewelry, with decorative touches that give the industrial space a salon-like feel of yesteryear’s French ateliers, though there are some good kitsch items she’s mixed into the overall space. She reupholstered chairs in floral damask fabric she had purchased from Nell Hill’s, pairing them with a vintage Turkish rug, boucle sofas à la Jean Royère, and pretty acrylic cocktail tables. This front space of the shop works magically under the Lindsey Adelman Branching Bubble chandelier that was left intact by the former tenants. What good fortune!

Her husband, Mark Horne, an architect with HOK, redesigned the storefront’s exterior and interior, allowing for Shannon to have her workbench and studio in the back, concealed from the large, airy space that’s both comfortable and chic for private client appointments, events, and open shop hours. Pairing dreamy fashion and furnishings in a similar mood enhances the notion of opulence that pulls at the heartstrings. Always being a lover of mixed materials, a Dries Van Noten gem-embellished bib top, textural jacquard skirt, and tapestry boots are a standout for the fall season. An Italian marble pedestal from SID & Co. is timeless, as are decorative pillows and coffee table books.

OCTOBER 2025| 50 | INKANSASCITY.COM

shop photo by samantha levi

1) Interior of Maggie Jones Fine Jewelry shop at 1705 Summit St. 2) Vintage iron crane, $1,600 for the pair, and Italian marble pedestal, $950, at SID & Co., 21 W. Gregory Blvd. 3) Schumacher Lumbar Pillow (24 x12″) in gold Kinabalu velvet, available through interior designers from the Kansas City Schumacher Studio. 4) David Kleinberg Interiors coffee-table book, $65, at rizzolibookstore.com. 5) Bottega Veneta cat-eye sunglasses, $495, at Nordstrom, Oak Park Mall. 6) From Belgian design house Dries Van Noten’s fall runway look at driesvannoten.com.

GRAPHIC DESIGN

LET’S TALK ABOUT A FEW AVANT-GARDE DESIGN MOVEMENTS Massimo and Lella Vignelli-designed Metafora marble and glass coffee table, $4,500, at Blackbird Collection in the Crossroads.

JAPANESE MINIMALISM, ’70s

model photo by stuart heidmann

and ’80s Italian Radical Design, Brutalism, and ’90s sartorial style all have a common thread. Black, brass, glass, clean graphic lines, and geometric forms show a conceptual practice that eliminates flourishes in favor of cool graphic elements. On the other hand, don’t miss rare photographs of Parisian architecture, style, and culture from the Belle Époque to last year’s Olympic games in the Paris By Paris coffee-table book by Assouline.

Pinstripe black lightweight wool dress, $995, at Asiatica.

Paris By Paris coffee-table book, $250, available at Clairvaux.

Ferm Living Oblique Bench in solid oak with a Japanese minimalist edge, $975, at Kanso in the Crossroads.

International Materials of Design TILE

shop photo by samantha levi

Kelly Wearstler Nucleo 18” table lamp, blending brass cast sculpture with Brutalist architecture, $2,499. From Visual Comfort, available through Rensen House of Lights.

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photo courtesy of lily kanter OCTOBER 2025 | 54 | INKANSASCITY.COM

IN CONVERSATION WITH

Lily Kanter words by Cindy Hoedel

photo courtesy of lily kanter

ansas City native Lily Kanter is co-founder of Serena & Lily, a home decor and lifestyle brand, and Averylily, an interior design studio and home collection. Born and raised in Kansas City, Kanter attended Hebrew Day Academy, South City View Elementary School, and Center Junior High before graduating from Center High School. She earned a BS in Accounting from Arizona State University and an executive MBA at Pepperdine University. Her early career was in corporate accounting and technology, with leadership roles at Deloitte & Touche and Microsoft. She retired from Microsoft in 2000 at age 35. In 2001, Kanter launched a luxury baby boutique. Kanter is a Wexner Heritage Fellow and Henry Crown Fellow. She lives in Mill Valley, California, outside San Francisco with her husband and dog and has three grown sons. She will be in Kansas City October 20 for a Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s Women of Strength event. Kanter spoke with IN Kansas City by phone from her home about the tension between designer vision and customer tastes when managing a brand, keys to dressing for success, and her current passion project. Are you still connected to Kansas City? Yes, I love Kansas City. My brother is still there and a lot of my cousins.

My parents are both buried there, so I like to get back to Kansas City. What appeals to you about Mill Valley and about Kansas City? Mill Valley is this charming place to raise a family and it’s super close to a big city [San Francisco] with a lot to offer. I would say the same about Kansas City. It’s an amazing place to raise a family and it has incredible cultural activities. It just has a lot to offer. What’s the biggest difference between the two? The weather. [Laughs] You don’t miss Kansas City winters? Or Kansas City summers. [Laughs] But honestly, in Kansas City the arts are just incredible. I love all the art museums. I love the fountains. I have such a nostalgia for the community. I really love to show off Kansas City to people. It’s a really special town. How would you describe the fashion sensibilities in Kansas City versus Mill Valley? Now, with respect to social media and Instagram, I feel like the fashion trend timelines across the world have gotten very short. It used to be that Kansas City was a solid six months to a year behind New York or Los Angeles. When I was growing up it felt that way. I think social me-

OCTOBER 2025 | 55 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Left: Serena & Lily’s iconic Riviera rattan counter stools. Right: Bedding and decorative pillows from Averylily were used in an Averylily Design Studio project.

Going as far back as you want, what are two wild fashion choices you made, one that worked out and one that didn’t? That’s funny. We all have them. I’ll be honest, I was never a serious fashionista. I’ve always been more of a home décor enthusiast. But, yeah, I think in college I definitely went out on some limbs. I feel like a lot of those fashion choices are kind of back right now, like the cowboy boots with the short skirts. That sounds like a choice that worked out. Do you ever see old photos of yourself and wonder what you were thinking? There’s a few of those from college for sure. I had some turquoise Ugglike boots that were suede and flat that I would wear with some silly skirt and some silly scarf around my neck—what a dork. [Laughs] As a woman who had great success in the corporate world and also as an entrepreneur needing to impress at meetings,

what do you think are the most important rules for women when it comes to dressing for success? I tend to be a pretty modest person. I feel like we need to distract less with our bodies if we want to be taken seriously. If you want someone to get to know you for your soul, then don’t distract them with your body. I feel like the fashion trends right now are the exact opposite of that. To be honest, I’m a little worried about all the work women did to be equals in society—are we setting ourselves back to just being objectified by attempting to live up to Instagram imagery flashing on young women’s screens all day long? We thought we had gotten past that, right? I thought we had gotten past leading with our bodies. If you had to swap closets with anybody, past or present, for a month, who would you pick? I’ve always admired celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Jen Garner, who I think are good role models, offering a little more down-to-earth fashion style In what ways do current fashion trends slosh over into home design, and in what ways are they totally unrelated? Sometimes we’ll see some overlap when certain trends are on, like plaids and tweeds. Right now, in home, there’s a lot of very quiet tones, and I’m

OCTOBER 2025 | 56 | INKANSASCITY.COM

photos courtesy of serena & lily and averylily

dia has flattened that and trends are no longer just happening in Paris and New York, they’re happening everywhere. I have such a nostalgia for fashion pre-internet. We had the most beautiful department stores growing up: Swanson’s on the Plaza, Harzfeld’s, and Woolf Brothers. I worked at Jack Henry throughout high school in the men’s department and in the accounting department. We had fabulous shopping.

not sure if it’s tracking with fashion. As an outside observer of both, it doesn’t seem like color palette aligns between fashion and home. No, it absolutely does not. Fashion is so seasonal, and home is not necessarily seasonal. It’s seasonal depending on where you live, whether you are coastal or mountain. For home, it depends so much where the home is located, what’s on trend for that location. Going beyond mood boards and sales figures, what is a seemingly insignificant detail that you are obsessed with getting exactly right? Being that we built a lifestyle brand, I feel like the thing you have to get right is an extreme point of differentiation. Not following other trends in your industry is crucial. It’s something Serena [Dugan] and I believe in so strongly that she wouldn’t even look at a competitor’s web site or catalog because it’s too easy to be influenced. You can’t un-see something. Leadership requires looking for inspiration in completely unrelated areas, whether it’s looking for a color palette inside nature or on the façade of a building in Zanzibar. What is something in your current Averylily line that made a different choice than what everybody else is doing? We use local everything, local handicraft and we’re coming out with our own line of textiles with a completely unique point of view and totally unusual techniques. What’s an example of an unusual technique? A different type of fabrication in terms of layering embroidery on top of a woven, for example. Success can sometimes calcify a brand’s identity. Was there ever a popular item in one of your brand lines that you were ready to retire but you couldn’t because it was so popular? [Laughs] Serena was our designer all these years, and designers tend to get tired of their designs sooner than the market gets tired of them. Convincing them that we cannot retire our number one SKU is so important. [Laughs]

photos courtesy of serena & lily and averylily

Example please? Serena was so over navy, and our customer will never tire of navy. That’s the friction that resides inside of a design-driven company. I will never tire of navy. No one is ever going to tire of navy, trust me. And Serena has been tired of navy for at least 15 years. [Laughs] Convincing her that we were not going to get rid of navy was a constant battle. And we used to joke inside the company that we would ask Serena what her favorite design was for the season and then we would buy the least of that because it was always our worst seller. I would always try to tell her fuchsia and sunshine yellow looks really good in the window and really good on the cover of the catalog but it’s never going to be a best seller. Navy and beige and gray are always going to be your best sellers, no matter what company you are.

What is an object in your home that you cherish that would never make the cut for one of your catalogs? I have a tree ring in my home that depicts 5,000 years of Jewish history. That isn’t going to be making its way into our catalog, but I love it. It’s a beautiful work of art. How curated does your home look compared to one of your catalogs? My home is full of handicrafts that I’ve collected from all over the world, very eclectic. Those are the best interiors, aren’t they, the ones with lots of personal things on top of tasteful basics? I think so for sure. It’s very warm and soulful. If you could hire any famous person, living or dead, from outside the world of interior design as your business partner, who would it be and what would their role be? I mean, I most admire someone like Gandhi or the Dalai Lama. I am attracted to enlightened, effective leaders that have a strong moral compass. I would want to start an institute with someone like the Dalai Lama that worked on world peace rather than working on my business. My business is a means to the end.

‘‘

I have tremendous passion for

artisans around the world, so one of my projects I’m going to embark on is bringing together a collection of some of the most beautiful handicraft from around the globe”

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I have tremendous passion for artisans around the world, so one of my projects I’m going to embark on is bringing together a collection of some of the most beautiful handicraft from around the globe. There is so much beautiful work being done inside refugee camps, for example. How do we empower those women and men, mostly women, to lift them up and get their work to a larger market? It’s obviously not something that is enormously scalable—say, hand-embroidered deck pillows—but I want to create one place where people can find them. So that’s a passion project. I’m not trying to create another unicorn. I want to celebrate artisans and handicraft and educate people on the different techniques. I could see myself creating an impact travel series where we go and visit the artisans. It’s the culmination of all the things I’ve learned over the years and what I’m passionate about, so that’s what I’m going to be working on in the next ten years for sure.

OCTOBER 2025 | 57 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.

TRUE BLUES

(and blacks, grays, olives, etc.)

IT’S DENIM’S NO-RULES ERA. DRESS IT UP OR DRESS IT DOWN, IT’S A MUST FOR ANY FALL WARDROBE

STAND AND DELIVER On him: Represent sweater, $260; RtA jeans, $265; Christian Louboutin sneakers, $1,295. On her: Good American top, $99; Toccin jacket, $625; Agolde jeans, $278; Dolce & Gabbana slingbacks, $925; Rag & Bone belt, $198. Zenzii necklace, $45. All from Halls (Crown Center).

WALLFLOWER Nic + Zoe jacket, $228; Nic + Zoe jeans, $178; Ravel blouse, $113; Arita scarf, $97. All from Trapp and Company (Midtown). Babos shoes, $125, from Blackbird Collection (Crossroads).

photos by

Kenny Johnson hair and makeup by Molly McPheter Roots & Branches Salon

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HATS OFF Jerry Key jacket, $625; GMF 965 plaid shirt, $265; Phil Potter sweater, $685; 04651 scarf, $195. Christys’ London hat, $115. All from Hudson & Jane (Crestwood Shops).

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ON THE MOVE Portofino shirt, $169; Cropped pullover, $218; Cimarron jeans, $199; O-Ring belt, $159; Marienbad trench, $698. All from Peruvian Connection (Crestwood Shops). Aeyde boots, $695, from Clairvaux (Fairway Shops and Hawthorne Plaza).

LINE ITEM Polo Ralph Lauren polo shirt, $138; Polo RL denim shirt, $148; Polo suede jacket, $998; Edwin jeans, $265; Joseph Cheaney & Sons boots, $625. All from Newton James (Downtown Overland Park).

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VESTED INTEREST St. James L’Atelier half-zip sweater, $479; L’Atelier vest, $239; Dream jeans, $139. All from Hudson & Jane.

WHAT A PAIR On her: Tekla T-shirt, $100; Éterne cardigan, $675; E.L.V. Denim jeans, $475; Anny Nord slingbacks, $395. All from Blackbird Collection (Crossroads). On him: Mr. Davis T-shirt, $29; Wax London cardigan, $164; Wax London jeans, $180; Brixton hat, $109. All from Ulah (Woodside Village Shops).

SIDE EFFECT TWP top, $395; TWP jeans, $380; Déhanche belt, $350; Rotate bomber jacket, $480; Staud boots, $395. All from Clairvaux (Fairway Shops and Hawthorne Plaza).

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words by

Jenny Vergara

DELICIOUS, DELIGHTFUL, DECADENT DONUTS ARE A KANSAS CITY TRADITION

THE

ew foods manage to straddle the line between nostalgia and indulgence the way donuts seem to do. Whether tucked into a white paper sack from a corner shop or displayed like jeweled treasures in a glass case, donuts carry with them a sense of comfort and celebration that feels timeless. Yet, as much as they have stayed the same, donuts have also evolved alongside our culinary tastes, trends, and imaginations. At their most basic, donuts are about simplicity. The classic glazed yeast donut, airy and golden, still ranks as one of the best-selling styles

M I T E S TO ’

U N

across America. It’s the donut that melts in your mouth, just sweet enough to pair with morning coffee. Cake donuts, denser and crumbly, satisfy a different craving, offering heft and a crackling crust that melts when dunked. For decades, these two foundational varieties anchored neighborhood bakeries and became a symbol of American morning routines. Kansas City has long been a town that loves its donuts. Check the early-morning lines at LaMar’s Donuts—a homegrown institution started by Ray Lamar in 1960 in an old gas station located on

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Mochi donut holes from Blackhole Bakery.

Linwood Boulevard turned franchising success story. Neighborhood gems include Fluffy Fresh in Mission, which has sadly been sporadically open of late due to the owner’s health issues. Travel a bit farther south to inhale the delight of a warm and fragrant apple cider donut from Louisburg Cider Mill. Our city’s love affair with fried dough is rooted in tradition. These places traffic in nostalgia: glazed twists, long johns filled with cream, and fritters so sticky and sweet they demand an extra napkin. But donuts have never been static, and Kansas City has embraced the modern wave, too. Trendsetting shops like Mr. D’s Donuts in Shawnee helped push the boundaries, offering cereal-topped creations, maple bacon bars, sports-themed donuts, and other playful spins on classics. The city’s newer artisans, such as Fox & Bull Baking Co., experiment with making donuts from brioche dough, while Slow Rise, the popular donut pop-up, uses sourdough to make their bismark-style donuts filled with creative fillings, including pandan coconut and everything bagel. Its first brick and mortar location will be opening soon in a strip center at 11228 W. 135th Street in Overland Park. Of course, part of the allure is sheer variety. Donuts come in seemingly endless forms: yeast-raised, cake, filled, fritters, crullers, holes. Each one serves a different mood. The apple fritter satisfies with its sticky, chunky texture, the French cruller delights with its eggy lightness. Long johns and cream-filled donuts promise indulgence, while the modest cake donut might feel like the steady, dependable choice. No matter your preference, there’s a donut that fits. And yet, in Kansas City, what keeps people coming back isn’t just the flavors but the feeling. Picking up donuts is about sharing—a dozen carried into the office, a box delivered to a kid’s soccer game, a Saturday ritual with coffee. They are community food, designed to be eaten together, a symbol of generosity and small pleasures. Ultimately, donuts endure because they bring joy in a humble, accessible package. They fit into celebrations as easily as they do weekday routines. And unlike many food fads that flame out quickly, donuts have shown staying power across decades, generations, and cultural shifts. Another thing worth noting about Kansas City’s donut landscape is the people behind the counters. Many of our favorite shops are owned and operated by women, immigrants, and minority entrepreneurs. Together, they represent a vibrant cross-section of our community, each bringing their own story, skill, and spirit of entrepreneurship to the city’s donut culture. In their hands, the humble donut becomes more than a sweet indulgence—it’s a symbol of the American dream. Every morning, they rise early to mix, fry, and glaze, turning out trays of fresh donuts that fuel our commutes, brighten office break rooms, and sweeten gatherings with friends and family, and we thank them for it. So, we are not going to argue over which donut shop is better, because we all know the best donut shop is the one closest to where you are.

BLACKHOLE BAKERY Jason Provo opened his first pastry shop, Blackhole Bakery, in the spring of 2020 on Troost Avenue. He and his team make a wide variety of French pastries and cinnamon rolls from scratch, but it was the mochi donuts that really caught everyone’s attention. The Asian-inspired chewy, rice-flour donut holes are available in inventive flavors, including Arnold Palmer (iced tea and lemonade), Baja Blast, chili mango, and seasonal sweet-savory flavors like bacon maple. Look for a second Blackhole location to be opening next year in the West Plaza antique district at 1702 W. 45th Street. DONUT KING If you want delicious donuts and pastries available all day and into the night, then Donut King in North Kansas City is your spot. Operating Sunday through Thursday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m., owners John and Lauren Cone and Kristin and Jeff Linder serve as many as 48 kinds of donuts and pastries. It ranges from cake and yeast donuts to glazed French cruellers, fruitfilled fritters, bismarks, cronuts, cinnamon rolls, kolaches, danishes and more. The Cones bought the business in 1996, and when they moved into their current location in North Kansas City, Lauren brought her sister Kristin and Kristin’s husband, Jeff, into the business as partners to keep it all in the family. DONUTOLOGY Owner Andrew Cameron was a donut franchisee before he decided to bet on himself and open his own donut shop, Donutology, in Westport in 2016. This spot offers mini- or full-sized customized cake and yeast donuts for every occasion, including their most recent release, the TS12

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Chocolate-filled donut from Donut King.

without sacrificing any of the flavor. Caldwell was bartending at Friction Beer Company when he started making donuts for his family. One day he brought some into work, and soon he was popping-up on the weekends at the brewery. Now you can follow Fullproof on Instagram to see Caldwell popping up at retail shops, festivals, and flea markets near you. HANA’S DONUTS Hana’s Donuts, a donut shop and bakery owned by the talented baker Hana Simcak, was established in 2012 in the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas. An impressive selection of cake and yeast donuts greet you as you enter. She cares that her donuts look as good as they taste, which is why you’ll find them piled up on cake platters on top of her counter, as well as filling her cases. Try her Nutella-filled bear claws; or maple-frosted, old-fashioned, and orange glazed cake donuts; or wild blueberry or apple fritters.

Classic Donut box that features a dozen cake donuts half covered in white with green and gold sparkles and the other half in orange shimmer glaze in celebration of Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl album. They also have a wide variety of gluten-free donuts and pop-tarts. FOX & BULL BAKING CO. Originally known for their classic handmade laminated croissants, pastries, cinnamon rolls, and fresh bread loaves, somewhere along the way owners Christopher Fox Wilson and Daniel Del Toro decided to add doughnuts to their list of baked goods. Available only twice a week, Fridays and Sundays, the brioche-style yeast doughnuts come glazed or topped with chocolate ganache. There are also vanilla-glazed donut holes and seasonal favorites, such as their bismark doughnut filled with whipped lemon custard and frosted with blueberry butter cream or a blackberry mascarpone cronut. You can preorder them singly or a dozen at a time for pick up at their bakery in Grandview or the Overland Park Farmers Market. FRESH DONUTS With two locations, one in the Northland off Barry Road and the other near The Legends Shopping Center, Danny and Joyce Park opened their first Fresh Donuts in 2020, not only surviving in the pandemic but thriving during it, since donuts are easily deliverable and quick to preorder or grab and go. They also introduced cronuts, a cross between a glazed donut and a croissant that took off like wildfire, so much so they almost couldn’t keep up with demand. In addition to their cronuts, their cake donuts deserve a shout out for being lightly frosted but soft, tender, and moist. Get the double chocolate or peanut butter cake donut for the win.

HOLT’S DO-NUTS Holt’s DO-Nuts has been around since the 1970s, but Geeta Mehta has owned and operated the shop alongside her daughter, Rachna, for the last 20 years or so, making and selling donuts from their old-fashioned teal-and-white striped counter in Grandview. They’re famous for their vanilla pudding-filled long johns and the rainbow of colors and flavors of their unique fluffy frosting that’s applied by hand to their cake donuts. Everything from the dough to the frosting is always made fresh in house daily, just the way the Holt family taught Mehta to make them many years ago. JOHNNY’S DONUTS AND HAMBURGERS Don’t miss this popular Eastside donut shop that’s been in operation since 1961. It’s owned and operated by Johnny Pryor, often seen bustling around in the back in his old-school white apron. There are plenty of Johnny’s fans who frequent this spot not only for his hot and fresh donuts but also for his diner-style burgers. Simply walk in and place your order at the counter, pay, and you’ll walk out minutes later

Glazed donut from Le Donut & Coffee.

FULLPROOF DONUTS Fullproof Donuts is a scratch micro-bakery pop-up founded by Larry Caldwell, who is the lone donut maker. His pop-ups specializes in handmade sourdough bismark donuts filled with creative natural fruit fillings, like ginger plum, honey fig, Boston crème, pumpkin chai, and chocolate orange. He tries to limit the amount of additional sugar in his donuts OCTOBER 2025 | 68 | INKANSASCITY.COM

with your box of freshly made glazed donuts. They’ll also fill a long john with a sweet cream-cheese filling, the only shop to offer it in the city, and it’s delicious. There is no seating inside, and make sure you bring cash because this place doesn’t take cards. LE DONUTS & COFFEE With locations in Raytown and on State Line Road in Kansas City, Le Donuts has earned a loyal following for its donut shops selling fresh, handmade treats with a smile. They offer everything from perfectly glazed rings and pillowy long johns filled with your choice of jelly, white fluff, or vanilla cream, to savory breakfast sandwiches and kolaches. Pair your pick with a strong coffee, a smoothie, or even boba tea, and you’ll see why it’s more than just a morning stop. With its bright, colorful, and welcoming space and friendly service, Le Donuts has become a sweet place for a snack anytime. MR. D’S DONUTS After taking over the 50-year-old vintage donut shop in Shawnee from Johnny Chen’s godparents in 2018, Chen and his wife, Boggie Ogtonbayar, went to work growing their donut empire. In addition to their original location, they now have a stall at the Lenexa Public Market and another

Mochi donuts from Mr. D’s Donuts.

inside the new AdventHealth hospital in Lenexa, in addition to a thriving wholesale business and a regular gig at the Overland Park Farmers Market. Next year, the couple is planning to open their first drive-through donut location at 143rd Street and Metcalf Avenue. Some of their most popular donuts reflect their Asian heritage, like mochi donut rings and the popular ube donut. But don’t miss out on their unique honey-glazed yeast donuts and the blueberry cake donuts brimming with fresh blueberry flavor. Serving coffee drinks sourced from Messenger Coffee’s locally roasted beans only enhances their donut game.

Assorted donuts from Hana’s Donuts.

SLOW RISE The food scientist and founder of Slow Rise, Jessica Dunkel, has a passion for making sourdough donuts that have had people lined up for hours at her pop-ups at the Lawrence Farmers Market, weekends in the West Bottoms, and at the Overland Park Farmers Market for the opportunity to purchase her fluffy and filled bismark donuts. Dunkel’s secret to a great donut? She ferments the dough for up to 72 hours, resulting in a light and airy texture that melts in your mouth. She then fills them with tart, sweet, or even savory fillings, like strawberry rhubarb, Pandan coconut, and even everything bagel cream cheese. Follow her on Instagram for future pop-ups, and be looking for her new brick-and-mortar store to open before the end of the year in south Overland Park. OCTOBER 2025 | 69 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Hitting Refresh A GROWING FAMILY NECESSITATES A REDESIGN FOR A HOME IN OLD LEAWOOD. THE TEAM FROM NOBLE DESIGN WAS UP FOR THE CHALLENGE

Above, from left: Interior designers Sara Noble and Jessica Gordon. Right: Just beyond the glass vestibule addition, a pair of lamps from Fox Mill front the Highland House living room sofa.

words by Judith Fertig photos by Aaron Leimkuehler

t was a stay-or-go decision for attorney Lindsey Heinz and her sales manager husband, Brad. “We bought this story-and-a-half house in 2011 before we had children,” Lindsey Heinz says. But when son Harvey (now 7) and his sister Johnnie (5) came along, the closed-off layout of the house just wasn’t working for family life. However, the location, the big yard, and the great schools tipped the scale to stay. After a strong recommendation from a neighbor, the Heinzes chose Black Oak Construction for the remodel. And after more research, they chose Noble Designs for the interior design. “When we met, we just clicked,” she says. After Heinz filled out the client questionnaire, Sara Noble and senior designer Jessica Gordon prepared three different storyboards with sample colors, fabrics, and furniture. “My late mom had a fabulous sense of style—traditional but with color,” says Heinz. “That’s what I wanted, sort of Grand Millennial. Young and fun but with a hint of ‘grandma.’” To give a home a Grand Millennial reOCTOBER 2025 | 70 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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fresh like the Heinz home, Noble suggests starting with colors you love, keeping the background simple, and layering in the color with fabrics. Gordon recommends finding that key fabric—or wallpaper—that could be the jumping-off point. (See the heron wallpaper in the daughter’s room, for example.) Once Heinz knew the look she was after, it was time to go after the “feel.” One of the first—and best—changes to the layout was creating a new, expanded entry. This glassed-in vestibule with marble tile floor and a wallpapered ceiling creates a “moment of arrival,” says Noble. “I love everything about it,” Heinz adds. Light floods in, bouncing off walls painted creamy White Dove by Benjamin Moore. Draperies and pillows in Schumacher’s Jahanara Carpet inject color and pattern, while the sofa in an easy-to-clean fabric keeps the living room family-friendly. Two pale-blue swivel club chairs with decorative welting flank the television. (The swivel chairs can be found on the “shop the workroom” feature on Noble’s website.) The dining room, kitchen, and mudroom now connect for easy, open-plan living. “Jessica found a company that laminates fabric, so we recovered the dining chair seats. They’re comfortable to sit on, and I can just wipe them off,” says Heinz. “I love it, love it, love it.” The chairs surround a dark wood table, while a gallery wall offers a great way to add more color and pattern with DIY artwork. The design team created the matting around the framed photos with fabrics and wallpaper used elsewhere in the house. They carved out new space in the kitchen for a corner walk-in pantry, added contemporary pendants from Visual Comfort, plus quiet but luxe details, like the reeding around the range hood. Quartz counters are easy to clean, and the kids love to perch on the acrylic barstools at the new island. “Designing kitchens is our favorite thing to

Top left: Lattice below and a lively floral print from Quadrille above accent the mudroom walls. Above, top: In the living room, the pair of blue club chairs face the Century leather-topped ottoman. Above: The design team selected Genuine Pink paint from Benjamin Moore for cool rose-hued trim in the powder room. Opposite: White-painted Chinese Chippendale chairs surround the dining table from Century.

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Tucked away beyond the round-topped doors in the corner is a convenient walkin pantry.

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Above: Bold Gucci wallpaper sets the lively tone in daughter Johnnie’s room. Left: Clever trim adds whimsey to Johnnie’s bathroom. Far left: In the primary bathroom, the brass tub filler and accent table echo the fixtures in the shower. Opposite: Custom pillows and a white RH coverlet dress the contemporary gilded canopy bed in the primary bedroom.

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hitting refresh continued

do,” Gordon says. The mudroom—actually a hallway with custom lockers on one side and a chest of drawers on the other—sports a colorful wallpaper on the upper walls and latticework below. Utilitarian can be pretty, too, says Noble. The powder bath always presents an opportunity to pull out the stops, and this one is no exception. The vibrant wallpaper by Lee Jofa, the coral rose trim, and the elegant sink on a metallic base hit that Grand Millennial mark of traditional, yet fresh. The primary bedroom suite offers a quiet escape, and no more so than in the primary bath. Lindsey Heinz, a professed “tub” person, tried out several before she said, “This is it,” to a sculptural beauty. Heated floors and a walk-in shower with honed marble tile in Calacatta Oro make it a treat on the feet. Harvey’s bedroom in dark navy features a geometric yet traditional patterned wallpaper from Sister Parish and a fun window seat with a book nook nearby. One of the “must-haves” that Heinz brought to the project was the vivid heron wallpaper by Gucci, now on a feature wall in Johnnie’s bedroom. The fun, fresh theme continues in the scalloped cabinetry in the bath, painted Sherwin Williams Coral Rose. “Our remodel allows us to live our lives much more easily,” says Heinz. “Every point in the house is more accessible. The new layout facilitates conversation. Even when there are toys everywhere, it’s easy to tidy up.”

THE IT LIST Cabinetry Red Beard Cabinets redbeardcabinets.com

Contractor Black Oak Construction blackoakconstruction.com

Interior Design Noble Designs nobledesigns.com

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Custom bookcases and a window seat painted Naval by Sherwin Williams wrap the windows in Harvey’s room.

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Flavor IN KC

by Jenny Vergara

Reservation for One SEA CAPITÁN COCINA COSTERA photos by Aaron Leimkuehler

Warm woods, sea-hued tile, and a long run of banquettes define the interior of Sea Capitán Cocina Costera.

odd Schulte and Cory Dannehl, the duo behind Earl’s Premier, Earl's Provisions, and Bacaro Primo, have set their sights on something bigger, literally. Their newest venture, Sea Capitán Cocina Costera, sprawls across 5,000 square feet at 5070 Main Street, a space so large their two existing restaurants could easily fit inside. The secret of this space is that most of the square footage is in the kitchen, which the chef Jonathan Justus built for Black Dirt, the

original restaurant that opened there in 2018. After that, James Taylor’s Blu Hwy opened in this spot, a concept based on the road-trippers who took the road less traveled, while Sea Capitán (May we call it that for short?) has reimagined the space into a breezy, modern Mexican beach destination, a restaurant designed to channel the rhythms of coastal Mexico while quenching Kansas Citians’ love of fish tacos and frozen cocktails. Step inside and you’ll find dark wooden accents, metalwork from

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A specialty of the house is the trio of charcoal-grilled prawns swimming in chile-garlic butter.

Mexico mounted on creamy walls the color of sand, and splashes of bright turquoise tile that evokes the sea. A sweeping bar with an east–west orientation anchors the space and does seem to draw the lounge into the bar area, including seating for 20 with room to linger at drink rails. For those who prefer open air, the patio seats another 50, complete with its own outdoor bar window perfect for slinging tropical drinks when the weather allows. Everything about Sea Capitán feels like an upscale resort restaurant in Mexico, everything, except for the music, which is served up in almost an aggressively loud fashion. Playing a soundtrack of mostly blues and Jimmy Buffet-esque tunes, it reminds you of something you might hear playing at a locals-only seafood shack by the beach. As for the food, Sea Capitán’s menu leans into the flavors of Mexico’s shoreline, drawing inspiration that starts in the Yucatán and flows up to the Baja Peninsula. Expect a lighter,

Where Inspiration Meets Organization Schedule Your Free In-Home Design Experience 913.730.3000 | InspiredClosetsKC.com Locally Owned & Operated Get Inspired At Our New Showroom 13745 Metcalf Ave in Overland Park, KS Take A Virtual Showroom Tour

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Flavor IN KC

Above: In the revamped bar area, deep sea fish and Mexican folk art dot the walls. Top right: Vibrant dollops of pickled onions, jalapeños, diced avocado, and black beans are scattered atop crisp corn tortilla chips in the nachos. Bottom right: There's plenty of outdoor seating on the patio, and it's the perfect spot to catch the comings and goings at Sea Capitán.

fresher approach to the dishes and a menu populated with seafood, including ceviches, aguachiles, shrimp, crispy fried-cod tucked into tacos, seafood cocktails, and fresh oysters. There’s also a range of other proteins—chicken, duck, beef, pork, and lamb—and plenty of interesting vegetable-forward dishes. The totopos y salsa, or chips and salsa, were a tasty way to start. The warm and crunchy corn chips were attended by four small bowls of salsas. The hottest was the salsa macha, a smoky and crunchy oil-based sauce of ground dried chili, garlic, sesame seeds, and peanuts. It’s typical of Mexican coastal cuisine. A salsa roja made with tomatoes, a salsa verde of green tomatillos and jalapeños, and a guacachile, which gets its luscious green color from the oil that’s blended with the peppers, garlic, onion, and cilantro, filled the other three bowls. Each was delicious, and I used them to kick up different dishes throughout the meal. Next was the escabeche, a seafood dish that delivered a pile of small, but tender, bay scallops that were poached, then tossed in a sauce of

sour oranges, oil, and oregano sweetened with agave. Tangy pickled red onion, sliced radishes, ripe avocado slices and a sprinkling of cilantro microgreens topped the scallops, which were served with three small, fried corn tortillas that held up beautifully to the drippy citrus sauce. It was one of the favorites of the night, as the sour citrus was balanced by a bit of sweetness in the sauce. The tuna tostada came highly recommended, so how was I to resist? Served two to a plate, the fried corn tortillas were layered with guacamole, then thin slices of soy sauce-marinated raw tuna drizzled with a healthy amount of crunchy salsa macha, a few fresh radish slices, and cilantro microgreens. It needed a touch of salt, but otherwise this dish was cold, creamy, and crunchy, with just enough spice. A small, piping-hot cast-iron dish came to the table with two enchiladas rojas de camaron, or shrimp enchiladas. Red corn tortillas nestled side by side were filled with cooked shrimp, crema, queso fresco, and bathed in salsa guajillo. The sweet, fruity, and slightly

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smoky flavored guajillo chili in the salsa guajillo gave the enchiladas a complex flavor that enhanced each bite. The frijoles borrachos, or drunken beans, were found tucked away in the vegetable portion of the menu. The dish was a pretty bowl of mixed kidney, pinto, and black beans simmered with bacon, onions, poblano peppers, and chili similar to the salsa guajillo topping the enchiladas. It was reminiscent of Kansas City-style barbecued baked beans in its overall flavor. Seafood may be the star of the show at Sea Captáin, but for me, the standout course of the night was a vegetable dish. The camote asado, or roasted sweet potato, was a whole sweet potato cut into rings, brushed with agave, and roasted in the oven until the orange flesh was soft in the middle and the edges were golden brown. Sprinkled with crumbly, salty queso fresco and served aside a small bowl of mole amarillo for dunking, I found it the most delightfully complex of all the dishes I sampled. The warming spices in the mole made it as addictive as it was filling. Mole amarillo is a yellowish-orange mole that’s considered one of the seven moles of Oaxaca, Mexico. It’s concocted of several types of chilis—including ancho, amarillo, and guajillo—blended with tomatoes, baby tomatillos, cloves, black pepper, cumin, garlic, and oregano, all thickened with corn masa. The result is a powerfully flavorful sauce

that seduced me into admitting this was my favorite dish of the evening. The bar program is where Schulte and Dannehl are pouring out their love for tequila and mezcal. Along with wine and beer, the crafted cocktail menu leans into a broad lineup of agave-forward cocktails. I ordered the Mamacita, a margarita cocktail made with tequila blanco, agave, lime, and mandarin juices. Unfortunately, it wasn’t balanced, with the lime juice reading quite bitter in the cocktail and no discernable sweetness to balance it. The waiter steered me next towards the frozen paloma over the frozen margarita. According to the menu, the frozen paloma is made with tequila blanco, grapefruit and lime, but something tells me there might be a few other ingredients to give it that sweet, frozen smoothness. As advertised, it was indeed, delicious. Schulte and Dannehl are planning to launch a membership program featuring private tequila lockers. Members will not only claim their own bottles but also receive invitations to quarterly tastings, cementing Sea Capitán as both a neighborhood hangout and a destination for agave aficionados. While Earl’s Premier charms as an intimate East Coast oyster bar, and Bacaro Primo celebrates modern Italian flavors, Sea Capitán is working hard to make its mark with scale, energy, and an unabashed embrace of coastal Mexican cuisine and cocktails. seacapitankc.com

completely kansas city!

crowncenter.com

S P E N D YO U R DAY T H E K A N S A S C I T Y WAY Cuisine for every taste, entertainment for all ages, and unique ﬁnds at one-of-a-kind shops—nowhere else compares. For a completely Kansas City experience, it has to be Crown Center. 2450 G R AN D B LVD. | K ANSAS CIT Y, MO 64108

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Flavor IN KC by Jenny Vergara

photo by Alex Rhoades

In Your Cocktail

COSMO BURGER XR

Pickle Margarita

hat began as a pandemic pop-up in a Waldo bar has grown into one of Kansas City’s buzziest local burger spots. Cosmo Burger has opened its first full-service location, Cosmo Burger XR, at 1815 Locust Street, bringing smash burgers, boozy milkshakes, and a lively bar scene to the heart of the East Crossroads. The cousins behind the concept, Atit and Jugal Patel, started small

in 2020, serving crisp-edged smash burgers and tater tots from the kitchen at Dodson’s Bar & Commons. Their tight menu, created by the chef Jacob Kruger, quickly became a cult favorite in Kansas City, with burgers made from local beef from Herzog Farm in Higginsville, Missouri. The beef patty is pressed on a hot griddle with onions, tucked into a buttered potato bun, and topped with cheese, house-made pickles, and famous sauce. A second run at the Lenexa Public Market, which

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they closed earlier this year, proved the concept could stand on its own, paving the way for this bigger leap in the East Crossroads. The food lineup stays true to its roots—burgers, tots, and pickles— while adding fries, milkshakes, and cookies for dessert. There are also plans to feature a rotating regional burger special, such as Michigan’s green olive burger. The Patels aren’t stopping there. Their company, 916 Hospitality, which now includes Goat & Rabbit, Cosmo Burger, and Dodson’s Bar & Commons, will soon open Arrow Dart Club, a new high-tech electric dart game spot growing its playful brand of hospitality right next door to Cosmo Burger XR. With 1,700 square feet to play with, Cosmo Burger XR is more than just a burger counter, it also has a full bar. The beverage director for 916 Hospitality, Mari Matsumoto, has designed a playful drinks menu that includes new house-made phosphate sodas that can be mixed with booze or not, craft cocktails, and indulgent milkshakes spiked with spirits or served straight-up. “Don’t miss the Elvis Milkshake, made with Dirty Monkey peanut-butter banana whiskey blended with vanilla ice cream and fresh banana purée, topped with Cosmo Burger’s bacon, banana chips, and a drizzle of non-dairy chocolate sauce,” says Matsumoto. “We also offer non-dairy options for milkshakes with an ice cream base from SweetEMOtions ice cream, an amazing oat-based ice cream that is to die for.” However, Matsumoto is most pleased with the success of the Pickle Margarita, something she came up with for all of the pickle lovers out there. It uses the pickle brine from Cosmo Burger’s house-made pickles,

but you can use any pickle brine you have on hand. “The Pickle Margarita takes everything guests love about Cosmo’s house-made pickles and transforms it into a drink that’s salty, sweet, savory, and refreshingly crisp. We finish each one with a garnish of Cosmo’s fresh pickles; it’s the perfect crunchy bite after every sip. A little unexpected, a lot delicious—this is a margarita you won’t soon forget,” says Matsumoto. cosmoburgerkc.com

Pickle Margarita 1.5

ounces Tequila blanco

.75

ounce Cosmo Burger pickle brine

.75

ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

.25 ounce Dry Curacao Add all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice, shake well. Add a salted rim to a rocks glass, then fill with ice and strain cocktail directly into the glass. Garnish with a couple of pickle slices on a cocktail skewer.

Shared Border • Shared Vision A Benefit for the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery

November 8 at Unity Temple on the Plaza This all-day celebration of art and unity begins with a spotlight on the rich artistic tradition of Birger Sandzén and the Prairie Printmakers in Kansas. The afternoon widens that focus with an outstanding auction of fine art from both Missouri and Kansas, anchored by the collection of the late James Moffett and his wife, Virginia Moffett. Through their ongoing generosity and enduring support, the Moffetts have turned a great event into one like no other!

Thomas Hart Benton Ink Wash, Moffett Collection

Auction highlights include: • Paintings and Prints by Birger Sandzén • Oils by Wilbur Niewald • Works by Arthur Kraft • Paintings by Thomas Hart Benton and His Students • Fine Prints by The Prairie Print Makers and Other Noted Regionalists • And much more Join us for a fun-filled and exciting day on the Plaza. Doors open at 10am. Auction begins at 2pm.

SoulisAuctions.com

8 1 6 . 6 9 7. 3 8 3 0

Tulips and Oranges by Birger Sandzén 1948, oil on board measures 20’’ x 24’’

dirk@soulisauctions.com

OCTOBER 2025 | 85 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Flavor IN KC by Jenny Vergara

ZEN DONKEY WELLNESS CAFÉ & JUICERY

In Culinary News

FOR NEARLY A DECADE, Kansas Citians have lined up at farmers markets and pop-ups for the brightly colored, coldpressed juices from Kate Barker Sternberg and Andy Sternberg’s Zen Donkey Farms. Now, the couple is giving their loyal following a permanent place to sip, snack, and shop. Zen Donkey Wellness Café and Juicery has opened its doors in the Fairway Shops at 2812 W. 53rd Street. The 1,300-squarefoot café isn’t a restaurant in the traditional sense, but a lightfilled grab-and-go destination built around clean eating and community. Expect to find Zen Donkey’s signature juices and sparkling waters alongside hand-made smoothies, plantbased bowls, and nutrient-packed bites. Highlights include a blueberry chia cup, tart cherry pistachio salad, vegan breakfast burrito with Yoli tortillas, and even a wellness-inspired riff on a Lunchable for kids. Everything is organic, free of preservatives, and, when possible, sourced directly from the couple’s Lone Jack farm. A portion of proceeds supports the couple’s nonprofit, the Zen Donkey Experience, which connects rescue donkeys with individuals in need of mental health support through therapeutic, hands-on interactions. zendonkeyfarms.com

JUST IN TIME TO ENJOY THE PLAZA LIGHTS!

Presented by: Lisa Marie Schoofs

4950 Central St. Unit #207

Kirkwood circle 2 Bed/2 Bath luxury Plaza side condo with all the resort amenities

OCTOBER 2025 | 86 | INKANSASCITY.COM

PAINTING

DRYWALL

FLOORING

CARPENTRY

FENCING

PAINTING

DRYWALL

FLOORING

CARPENTRY

FENCING

250715_Westlake_InKC-Magazine-Ad_Final.indd 1

7/15/25 3:23 PM

Flavor IN KC by Jenny Vergara

In Culinary News

LUCA BAGEL WHAT STARTED as a weekend morning bagel obsession for many at the Overland Park Farmers Market has now found a forever home. Luca Bagel, the brainchild of Luke Salvatore, co-owner of Providence Pizza with his brother, Aaron, has finally opened in East Brookside inside the former Mattie’s Foods space at 633 E. 63rd Street. The buzz over the bagels is real. For the past two years, Salvatore’s bagels have drawn lines so long they rival the best brunch spots in town. Selling out was the norm, with fans clamoring for chewy, perfectly blistered bagels and overstuffed sandwiches. Although the new shop is small, it is built for speed, with only a few seats for lingering. The mostly grab-and-go spot is open daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. A runaway favorite is the bacon, egg, and cheddar sandwich layered with scallion schmear. The menu will continue to evolve, but the heart of Luca Bagel remains the same—smallbatch bagels made fresh each day, with just the right chew and plenty of East Coast swagger. lucabagel.com

OCTOBER 2025 | 88 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Spotlight KC ATTRACTIONS NOT TO MISS IN OCTOBER

Walktober 2025 Celebrate fall by walking a different trail every Sunday in October. jacksongov.org/News-articles/Walktober-2025

Kansas City Renaissance Festival Come join us for a magical day full of food, fun, shopping and nonstop entertainment. For more info kcrenfest.com.

Voted Best Haunted Attractions in the Nation!

HAUNTED HOUSE

H A U N T E D

H O U S E H A U N T E D

H O U S E

kcbeast.com | macabrecinema.com | edgeofhell.com Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patch— carolynspumpkinpatch.com

Full Moon Haunted Productions

Barnyard Mini Golf, pumpkin picking, barnyard friends, train rides, mining, there is so much to love at Carolyn’s.

Step into a nightmarish time warp where history’s darkest horrors come alive and leave even the bravest breathless.

@AttractionsKC @gkcaattractions

Flavor IN KC by Jenny Vergara

VIETNAM CAFE

In Culinary News

AFTER NEARLY 30 YEARS in Kansas City’s Columbus Park, Vietnam Cafe is crossing the state line with its first Johnson County location. Long considered one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in the city, this family-run restaurant is known for steaming bowls of pho, fresh spring rolls, fragrant curries, and lightning-fast service. In 2026, Vietnam Cafe will open a second location at 9500 W. 135th Street in the former Beef-aRoo space located just off 135th and Switzer in Overland Park. At 4,075-square-feet, it’s a big step up from the cozy Columbus Park original, but it comes with a major bonus—a drivethrough window. Manager Micky Chun, who helps run the restaurant with her aunt and uncle, owners Ngoc Le and Minh Hoang, says the drive-through is perfect for those wanting something to quick on the go. For years, loyal diners who lived out south would make the 30 minute drive just to slurp noodles at Vietnam Cafe’s Columbus Park restaurant. Soon, they’ll have a much shorter trip, and a few new, yet-to-be-announced menu items to try. Authentic flavors, quick service, and family warmth made Vietnam Cafe a Kansas City staple, and we are ready to watch them grow. vietnamcafekc.com

Bread-y or Not, Fall is Here The Home of Sliced Bread is positively packed with festive events in October, from the Fall Wine & Beer Crawl to the Poosey Conservation Fall Driving Tour to Boofest, and more. Don’t miss a minute of the fall fun this season. Find all the details at visitchillicothe.com. Just 90 minutes from Kansas City.

OCTOBER 2025 | 90 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Faces IN KC SME Renovation Sensation Patron Party ON SEPTEMBER 16, the SME Renovation Sensation homes tour patrons party was held at the home of Amy and Dan Prendiville. Guests enjoyed delectable eats by Scratch Gourmet Kitchen and desserts by McClain’s. Renovation Sensation is the primary fundraising event for the Shawnee Mission East High School SHARE program, which is a student-led organization that encourages students to volunteer through student-led projects. For more photos, go to inkansascity.com/events. photos by christopher smith

OCTOBER 2025 | 92 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Stems: A Garden Soirée THE ARTS & RECREATION FOUNDATION of Overland Park hosted the annual summer gala Stems: A Garden Soirée on June 28 at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. Guests enjoyed small-bites from top local restaurants, as well as wine, craft cocktails, and non‑alcoholic beverages while strolling through the gardens. Live music, performances, and balloon artists added entertainment as the evening led to a spectacular fireworks finale under the stars. This signature fundraiser celebrated the Foundation’s 30‑year impact supporting the Arboretum, public art, and Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. For more photos, go to inkansascity.com/photos. photos by ashley elwell

OCTOBER 2025 | 93 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Faces IN KC Sunset Music Fest 2025 TOWN CENTER PLAZA’S Sunset Music Fest returned for three Thursdays in June. Performances included The Suburbans opening for Summer Breeze on June 5, Stevie Nicks Tribute opening for Elton Don on June 12, and Ziggy and The Neptunes opening for The Elders on June 19. The free, family-friendly live outdoor concerts included local eats and drinks to purchase along with face painting and giant inflatable slides for the kids. For more photos, go to inkansascity.com/photos. photos by bryan rice

OCTOBER 2025 | 94 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Kansas City’s Healthy (and Tasty! Tasty ) Eateries

Kansas City's Big Ideas & Bold Visions

Kansas Citians Tackle Health & Wellness in 2021 eat the rainbow

THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA MOVEMENT

JANUARY 2021 | INKANSASCITY.COM

New Year, New

An In-Depth Interview with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas

Healthy Delicious Food ffor the New Year!

A MODERN MEADOWBROOK HOME THAT GETS ALL THE DETAILS RIGHT

A STUNNING SUNSET HILL CONTEMPORARY

JANUARY 2020 | INKANSASCITY.COM

What to Wear to a Wedding

4 REAL WEDDINGS

Kitchens to Covet

KC’s Top Caterers A STUNNING PRAIRIE VILLAGE MAKEOVER

JULY 2019 | INKANSASCITY.COM

TWO HOMES, TWO LOOKS

CONTEMPORARY NEW BUILD FABULOUS FRENCH MAISON

You

FRESH PERKS:

NEW COFFEEHOUSES

DR. BARNEY GRAHAM

HIS GROUNDBREAKING DISCOVERIES LED TO THE FIRST CORONAVIRUS VACCINE

SPA SANCTUARIES

Be the

A MILLENNIAL MIDCENTURY MODERN HOME

Fall Fashion

SEPTEMBER 2021 INKANSASCITY.COM

JANUARY 2022 | INKANSASCITY.COM

BestYou Resolved: No Resolutions Booze-free Cocktails Wintertime Entertaining

DO-IT-ALL LAUNDRY ROOMS

Kansas City’s Best Charcuterie Across the Board

Kansas City’s Hottest Neighborhoods

Happy atHome Living with Great Design

FEBRUARY 2021 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Stay IN the Know. SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Kansas City’s Ultimate Sandwich Guide

OCTOBER 2020 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Chiefs’ Defensive Tackle

TALKS ABOUT HIS LOVE OF DOGS, FOOTBALL IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS, AND THE ONE RESTAURANT HE WANTS TO SEE IN KC

KC-BASED BUSINESSES GO NATIONAL DOCUMENTING THE BLM MURALS A MIDCENTURY MASTERPIECE IN MEYER CIRCLE

A Deep Dive Into KC’s Favorite Dishes and Drinks HOME MAKEOVERS

A WALDO MEDITERRANEAN & A PRAIRIE VILLAGE RANCH

APRIL 2020 | INKANSASCITY.COM

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Cocktails & Cuisine

PROCESSION

THE MAKING OF THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARY

CALVIN TRILLIN

GET A FULL YEAR DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR

DERBY DAY FASHION

PARTY DRESSES

SPARKLE AND SHINE A REVITALIZED MIDTOWN MANSION

Q&A WITH AUTHOR & NEW YORKER CONTRIBUTOR

12for . 95 $19

TO ALL THE RESTAURANTS WE’VE LOVED AND LOST

Derrick Nnadi

Summertime!

Holiday Food & Entertaining NOVEMBER 2021 | INKANSASCITY.COM

The KC Arts Community’s Pandemic Response

AUGUST 2020 | INKANSASCITY.COM

AN EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH

RENOWNED OPERA STAR

JOYCE DiDONATO

Living with Art AT HOME WITH A STUNNING COLLECTION OF CONTEMPORARY BLACK ARTISTS

ARTS

BLACK CHEFS Tackling Racism in the Food Industry

THE

ISSUE

q&a with interior designer

TRIP HAENISCH entertaining advice, recipes, and so much more

FEBRUARY 2019 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Pros Know Best

4 COOL POOLS + 1 LOVELY LAKE HOME

We Are Kansas City Strong! OUR NEW NORMAL

12 KANSAS CITIANS (Including Mayor Quinton Lucas) ON LIFE IN THE TIME OF THE CORONA CRISIS AUGUST 2019 | INKANSASCITY.COM

MAY 2020 | INKANSASCITY.COM

NOVEMBER 2020 | INKANSASCITY.COM

IN FASHION IN HOME DESIGN

Feeding KANSAS CITY

IN FOOD

AN EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH KAY BARNES

Kansas City’s Favorite Festive Foodie Fare

Girls Gain Confidence at Madam President Camp

EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH

AREA NON-PROFITS STEP UP TO MEET THE DEMAND DURING THE COVID CRISIS

NICK CAVE ARTIST & KCAI GRAD

Exclusive Q&A with SNL’s HEIDI GARDNER

FOLLOW THESE FOODIE INSTAS What To Wear Now —And This Fall

DREAM KITCHENS & A MODERN FAMILY FARMHOUSE

Fall Arts Preview

THE NEGRO LEAGUES

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION FASHION

HOLIDAY AT HOME

HOME MAKEOVERS TO INSPIRE YOU

MARCH 2021 INKANSASCITY.COM

Holiday Entertaining

Go to INKANSASCITY.COM/SUBSCRIBE

q&a with secretary of kansas dept. of health & environment

DR. LEE NORMAN

RESTAURANTS GET CREATIVE

a colorful midcentury home, the kc arts scene, PLUS entertaining advice, recipes, and so much more

My Essentials IN KC

by Evan Pagano

MARK HULET PRESIDENT. CEO. COMMUNITY BUILDER.

photo by kaye ness

ark Hulet grew up in Tulsa. In 2000, after a decade coaching college football in Minnesota, he moved to Kansas City. “The YMCA of Greater Kansas City was in an explosive expansion phase and was looking for leadership to run local Y branches,” Hulet says. He interviewed to be the executive director at the Green Family YMCA in Raytown, and he got the job. “From there, the race was on.” In the 25 years since, Hulet has helped launch over a dozen new or renovated YMCAs in the KC metro and has forged partnerships with Platte County, North Kansas City, and University Health. He’s held a bevy of positions: VP of membership, SVP of capital assets, chief operating officer—and since 2023, president and CEO. “What I hope the YMCA brings to Kansas City is a true sense of belonging,” Hulet says. “In a world where so many people are searching for connection, the Y has a unique opportunity to be the community’s third place. Not home, not work, but the welcoming hub where everyone finds support, purpose, and relationships that matter.” Hulet lives in Brookside, and his kids and grandkids live in Kansas City, too. He enjoys monthly Sunday dinners, admits to a “pickleball addiction,” and is an avid KC sports fan. “When I first arrived, I was drawn by Kansas City’s energy and strong sense of community, but living here and engaging with people across neighborhoods, organizations, local initiatives, and the city’s vibrant sports culture has deepened my appreciation,” says Hulet. “I’ve come to love not just the city itself but the culture, food, arts, sports, and the incredible people who are passionate about making it better. Kansas City now feels like home.” kansascityymca.org

Mark’s essentials... CAN’T MISS EVENT:

The Plaza Art Fair. It is quintessential Kansas City; the people, the music, and the art. CAFFEINE FIX: BEST BITE:

Living in Brookside, Audrey and I love our local walkable options and find ourselves bellied up to the bar at Red Door Woodfired Grill. Service is spot on, food is always fresh—and did I say it is walkable?

GET ACTIVE:

I do my early morning workouts six days a week at the Cleaver Family YMCA on Troost.

HIDDEN GEM:

I love BKS Artisan Ales. As a homebrewer, I respect their adventure that has created a wonderful neighborhood tasting room. The atmosphere is always casual, and the beer is fabulous.

OCTOBER 2025 | 96 | INKANSASCITY.COM

Now that there is one on the Trolley Trail, Cafe Corazón has been a solid go to. I keep it simple—give me the bold and make it black, and I’ll drop some sweetener into it. Maybe they should be in our YMCAs?

SPORTS SPOT:

You will find me cheering on the Sooners, Chiefs, Royals, and Current at The Peanut, mostly in Mission, but sometimes at the other locations.

iconic

NEWTON JAMES Men’s fine clothing

Downtown Overland Park 7221 W 80th St. Overland Park, KS newtonjames.com

Smart Caviar is not approved, endorsed or affiliated with Apple, Inc. Watch sold separately.

T H E F I N E J E WEL RY BRAC EL ET F OR Y OU R APPL E WATC H ®️

IN Kansas City October 2025