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Adventure Awaits
There’s something special about July in Missouri. The days are longer, calendars fill with weekend adventures, and many of us find ourselves looking for opportunities to slow down, get outside, and explore somewhere new. Whether that means traveling across the world or discovering a local treasure right here in our own backyard, this issue is all about embracing the spirit of exploration.
We begin in Rocheport with Gloria Gaus and ART Off the Trail, a working gallery where visitors can experience the creative process firsthand. Through her landscape paintings, Gloria captures the beauty of Missouri's rivers, prairies, and countryside while encouraging us to see familiar places with fresh eyes.
Just down the street, we visit the School House Bed & Breakfast, where Andy and Chandrika Hickman are preserving a piece of Missouri history while welcoming guests from near and far. Their story reflects the charm, hospitality, and strong sense of community that make Rocheport such a beloved destination for travelers, cyclists, and weekend visitors.
From Missouri, we journey to the South of France, where a luxury barge cruise along the historic Canal du Midi offers a peaceful way to experience vineyards, charming villages, and centuries of history. It's the kind of adventure that reminds us that sometimes the best travel experiences happen when we slow down and enjoy the journey.
Whether you're planning a summer getaway, exploring the Katy Trail, or simply enjoying all that mid-Missouri has to offer, we hope this issue inspires you to make the most of the season and discover something new along the way.
Happy exploring,
LEANNE SULLIVAN, PUBLISHER SHEA SULLIVAN, EDITOR @COLUMBIACITYLIFESTYLE
July 2026
PUBLISHER
Leanne Sullivan | leanne.sullivan@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Shea Sullivan | shea.sullivan@citylifestyle.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Sarah Jane Shorthose | mail@sjanephotography.com
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Josh Govero
LAYOUT DESIGNER Liz Nixon
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick
Your Home. Your Future. Our Commitment.
When you work with an HBA member, you're choosing builders and remodelers who stand behind their work. Our members are vetted professionals committed to integrity, quality craftsmanship, and putting your satisfaction first.
We Build Communities.
Summer Light. Instant Fireworks.
There is an unmistakable electricity to a summertime proposal—the warmth of the sun, the effortless energy, and the sudden rush of a life-changing moment. Step away from the predictable standard and choose a ring that matches the brilliant, unconventional rhythm of your love story.
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1-7: On April 30, 2026, the Women’s Network of the Columbia Chamber hosted the ATHENA International Awards at Cooper’s Ridge Event Venue, honoring leaders who inspire, mentor, and empower women. The evening celebrated the 2026 ATHENA Leadership and Young Professional Award recipients.
Photography by Sarah Jane Photography
8-10: On May 8, community members gathered at Columbia College for True North’s annual Little Black Dress Gala, an evening of dining, dancing, and fundraising in support of survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual violence, sex trafficking, and stalking. The event raised both awareness and critical resources for True North’s mission. 11-14: On May 7, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce concluded Small Business Week with its annual Small Business of the Year Awards at Cooper’s Ridge Event Venue, bringing together local business leaders to celebrate innovation, growth, and community impact.
Photography by Sarah Jane Photography
Just a short drive from Columbia, Southern Provisions invites you to explore a unique collection of heritage goods, home decor, and local finds. Whether you’re spending a day on the Katy Trail or looking for the perfect gift, step inside and discover something truly special this summer.
business monthly
Murry’s Expands Downtown
Murry's Restaurant has announced plans to open a second Columbia location in the former Sycamore space at Broadway and Eighth Street. Expected to open in fall 2026, the new restaurant will bring Murry's signature dining experience and classic jazz club atmosphere to downtown while honoring the legacy of longtime local favorite Sycamore.
Columbia Regional Airport Expands Service
Columbia Regional Airport opened a new 700-space south parking lot and added nonstop Allegiant Air service to Orlando Sanford and Destin-Fort Walton Beach. The new parking area includes a daily shuttle service operating from 4 a.m. to midnight. Airport officials expect annual passenger traffic to reach 300,000 travelers by the end of 2026 as demand for air travel continues to grow.
Photography by Will Firra, KOMU 8 Reporter
Cooper’s Landing Transformation
A major transformation is nearing completion at Cooper’s Landing. Owner Richard King has spent the past several months rebuilding the Missouri River destination, adding a new two-story facility with updated restrooms, showers, expanded seating, and scenic river views. Additional improvements include enhanced parking, landscaping, and flood-resistant infrastructure. The upgrades are designed to improve the experience for campers, Katy Trail users, and concertgoers while preserving the laid-back character that has made Cooper’s Landing a local favorite.
Photography by Mike MurphyPublisher of CoMo BUZ
Inspiration for your best local life.
Good news happening right in your neighborhood.
Off the Trail ART
Where visitors experience the creative process behind Gloria Gaus' landscape paintings.
ARTICLE BY SHEA SULLIVAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH JANE PHOTOGRAPHY
On weekends in Rocheport, Missouri, visitors biking the Katy Trail or exploring the historic river town often find Gloria Gaus at work. Sometimes she’s at the easel, working on a landscape painting. Other times she’s organizing the gallery, greeting visitors, or talking with travelers about the favorite places they’ve explored. In fact, some of Gloria’s favorite painting locations have come from conversations with visitors sharing places that inspired them.
This is a working studio, not just a gallery. The distinction is intentional.
Gloria splits her time between painting on location, working in her home studio, and spending weekends at ART Off the Trail. When she’s there, visitors see the creative process firsthand: paintings in progress, studies pinned to the wall, and the materials behind finished pieces.
Located at 203 Central Street, the gallery occupies a historic building in the heart of Rocheport. Original artwork hangs alongside thoughtfully curated vintage pieces that complement the character of the space, creating an atmosphere that feels both welcoming and authentic.
BETWEEN TWO CITIES
Rocheport’s location between Kansas City and St. Louis makes it a natural destination for travelers, cyclists, and weekend visitors. Situated along the Katy Trail, the town welcomes thousands of people each year who come to explore local shops, restaurants, and the area’s historic charm.
For Gloria, Rocheport serves as both inspiration and home base. Much of her work is rooted in Missouri’s rivers, wetlands, prairies, and wooded landscapes, subjects she returns to again and again throughout the seasons.
What makes these scenes unique is that they come from direct experience. Gloria spends significant time painting outdoors, observing changing weather, shifting light, and the subtle details that make a place memorable. Rather than relying solely on photographs, she immerses herself in the landscape and allows the environment to guide the work.
PAINTING ON LOCATION
The gallery may be open on weekends, but Gloria’s artistic practice extends far beyond the walls of her studio. Throughout the year she travels to paint on location, seeking out new landscapes and experiences that eventually become part of her growing collection of work.
Many paintings begin as small studies completed outdoors that later serve as references for larger studio works.
Painting outdoors presents unique challenges. Weather and light change constantly, becoming part of the creative process.
Back in Rocheport, those field studies often become the foundation for larger works. The observations gathered outdoors help preserve the feeling of a place while allowing additional refinement in the studio. The result is a collection of paintings grounded in firsthand experience, where the feeling of a place remains central to the finished work.
BUILDING A BODY OF WORK
Gloria’s focus is on building her inventory through consistent work—painting on location and bringing completed work to Rocheport seasonally. Practice lends itself to creating landscape paintings that come from observation rather than imagination.
For Gloria, the learning never stops. She regularly studies with professional artists, attends workshops, and is enrolled in mentoring programs—always working to refine her skills and elevate her work. Gloria’s work draws both local collectors and visitors discovering the region.
While Katy Trail visitors remain important, the location between St. Louis and Kansas City is an advantage. The specificity of Missouri subject matter, combined with work from other locations, appeals to collectors looking for regional landscapes painted with attention and authenticity.
GLORIA GAUS
Professional landscape artist Gloria Gaus works primarily in oils, creating paintings inspired by Missouri's rivers, wetlands, prairies, and rural landscapes. Her Rocheport gallery serves as both a working studio and exhibition space, allowing visitors to experience the creative process firsthand. Art Off the Trail Gallery is open weekends and by appointment throughout the year.
Gloria at her easel, photographed from an angle that shows both her focus on the work and the painting in progress.
"The paintings come from a particular moment, a specific time of day, with its particular weather, wind, temperature, and location of the sun.”
- Gloria Gaus
PROCESS OVER PRODUCT
What makes a working studio different from a gallery is the visibility of the process. Visitors don’t just see finished paintings—they might catch Gloria mid-stroke, see reference photos pinned up, notice the field sketches that inform larger pieces.
It’s not performative. It’s just what actually happens when someone makes art for a living.
There’s value in that transparency. People understand that these landscape paintings come from a particular moment—a specific time of day, with its particular weather, wind, temperature, and location of the sun— in that place, at that moment. Being present to paint makes the memory vivid.
All those elements—the sensory details of actually being there—become part of the painting’s information. Back in the studio, Gloria edits and adds what’s needed to make a strong painting, but the foundation is that lived moment, that direct experience.
On Central Street in Rocheport, in a historic building weathered by time, the paintings on the walls aren’t just for sale, they’re evidence of a life lived in deep attention to place, to light, to the particular beauty of the landscape. That connection to the work is what visitors take with them when they leave. When the open sign is out, the artist is working. Stop in and see what’s taking shape.
ART Off the Trail Gallery & Working Studio
203 Central Street
Rocheport, MO 65279
Open Saturday & Sunday, 12–3 p.m., or by appointment
escape to France
A LEISURELY BARGE CRUISE ALONG FRANCE’S CANAL DU MIDI OFFERS A QUIET LUXURY ESCAPE
THE SOUTH
of
There is something a bit magical about the South of France. It conjures images of rolling hills set along the Mediterranean, vast vineyards and olive trees swaying in the breezes. The images come to life when you book a luxury barge cruise with European Waterways ( EuropeanWaterways.com). It offers the perfect opportunity to experience the region’s slow pace.
Canal du Midi is a 330-year-old canal that runs from the Mediterranean coast inland through the famous Languedoc wine region. This is an opportunity for a true escape from everyday life.
WHAT IS A BARGE CRUISE?
Barges, originally used to shuttle goods along the inner waterways throughout
Europe, are now floating hotels. European Waterways operates b arges from April to October.
One of three boats to traverse Canal du Midi, Enchanté is an “ultra-deluxe” converted barge with four cabins for up to eight passengers. Each suite on Enchanté features an ensuite bathroom. All suites are on the lower level, while the salon,
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dining room, open kitchen and sun deck are above. The rooms are comfortable and quiet, the staff accommodating and the pace of the barge allows you to slow down and unwind. In fact, the barge moves slowly along the canal, giving passengers a chance to stroll along or ride one of the onboard bicycles.
THE BARGING EXPERIENCE
The barging experience is not anything like other cruises. With only eight passengers (although some boats have the capacity for 10 to 20 passengers), it provides a quiet escape.
Each day, you cruise slowly along the canal, going a total distance of about 50 miles over one week. The day’s leisurely routine begins with a sit-down breakfast and specially prepared dishes from the chef. You either cruise in the morning and take a short excursion in the afternoon, or vice versa.
Lunch is a gourmet 3-course meal paired with local wines. Dinner is a beautiful production with appetizers, main course, cheese course and dessert. Again, everything is paired with both a white and red wine.
EXCURSIONS ALONG THE WAY
Throughout the cruise, there are small stops along the way. This area of France is filled with gourmet delights and history, and you have a chance to explore both during your cruise.
You’ll visit l’Oulibo, a high-end olive oil producer growing Lucques olives. Enjoy a tasting of the oils and the olives, and pick up a few to take home. Another day, you’ll taste local balsamic vinegar. This is a real treat and a unique experience sampling a variety of flavors.
During the barge cruise, you’ll have a chance to visit three of what may be the most beautiful towns in France: Minerve, Lagrasse and Carcassonne. Lagrasse is an artisan town surrounding an 8th-century Benedictine Abbey. Minerve is home to a 12th-century Cathar fort with spectacular views. Carcassonne is a medieval fortified city with 52 watchtowers and portcullis.
There is also an excursion to Narbonne, once a Roman capital. There, you’ll have a chance to wander through Les Halles de Narbonne—the indoor food market—with the chef, picking out items for him to prepare once back onboard Enchanté.
European Waterways offers the ideal escape to the South of France and other destinations across Europe.
THE SCHOOL HOUSE
A Historic Stay in Rocheport Where Missouri's Past and Present Meet
ARTICLE BY SHEA SULLIVAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE SCHOOL HOUSE
The bell that once called students to class now greets visitors arriving at the School House in Rocheport. More than a century after it first opened as a school, the historic building continues welcoming guests, offering a stay rooted in Missouri history, hospitality, and small-town charm.
"Hospitality happens around the table, and breakfast is often where some of the best conversations of the day take place."
For Andy and Chandrika Hickman the School House wasn’t part of a long-term business plan. It was a place they had loved for years.
“We’ve always loved Rocheport,” Andy says. “The town feels like stepping back in time, and that’s something that becomes more valuable every year.”
After spending years traveling throughout the Midwest as a grocery broker and working in resort communities as a golf professional, Andy and Chandrika found themselves looking for a different pace of life. When the School House became available in 2020, it felt like the right opportunity at the right time.
The historic property, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has served as a bed and breakfast for more than 35 years. Long before that, it educated generations of local children.
Today, reminders of that history are everywhere.
Former students still stop by to share stories about attending school there. Some remember roller skating in what is now the breakfast room. Others recall being selected to ring the school bell at the end of the day, a task that once required pulling a massive rope hanging from the attic.
One former student told Andy how proud she felt the first time she was able to ring the bell without help from another child. That same bell now sits outside near the property’s sign.
“We view ourselves more as caretakers than owners,” Andy says.
It’s a perspective that shapes everything they do, from preserving original details to sharing the building’s stories with guests who walk through the doors today.
While history draws many visitors to the School House, it’s the hospitality that often brings them back.
The School House serves as the Hickmans’ flagship property, offering spacious guest suites, comfortable gathering spaces, evening beer and wine service, and a full breakfast each morning.
Breakfast has become something of a tradition. Everything is prepared from scratch and served in multiple courses, often beginning with a pastry and fruit course before the main entrée. Returning guests frequently ask about favorites like stuffed French toast and homemade scones.
For Andy, some of the best moments happen in the open kitchen while breakfast is being prepared.
“It’s where conversations happen,” he says. Guests share stories from the trail, ask for recommendations, and swap travel tips before heading out to explore Rocheport.
Beyond the School House, the Hickmans also operate the Dormitory House and Clark Street Lodge, allowing them to welcome a wide variety of travelers.
Cyclists traveling the Katy Trail often choose the Dormitory House for its convenient accommodations and early breakfast options. Families, friend groups, and retreat attendees frequently gather at Clark Street Lodge. Together, the three properties can accommodate everyone from solo travelers to larger groups.
The Katy Trail remains one of the area’s biggest draws, and the Hickmans have embraced Rocheport’s cycling culture with secure bike storage, repair tools, cleaning stations, air pumps, and e-bike rentals.
Andy especially enjoys introducing visitors to the stretch of trail between Rocheport and Jefferson City, often considered one of the most scenic sections of the entire Katy Trail.
Yet what makes Rocheport memorable extends beyond the trail.
Guests spend afternoons visiting wineries, browsing local shops, listening to live music, or enjoying dinner at locally owned restaurants before returning to a quieter pace of life. It’s a rhythm that feels increasingly rare and one that Rocheport has worked hard to preserve.
That sense of community is one of the reasons visitors return year after year.
“Rocheport works because all of us work together,” Andy says.
Local businesses, wineries, artists, restaurants, and lodging owners collaborate throughout the year to create events that bring visitors back season after season. Farmers markets, wine tastings, live music, historical programs, and the annual Wassail Walk each offer a different way to experience the town.
"We view ourselves more as caretakers than owners. Every story shared by former students adds another layer to the building's history."
Some of the most meaningful moments happen behind the scenes.
Each year, the School House hosts a retreat for women undergoing or recovering from breast cancer treatment. Watching guests find friendship, encouragement, and support during a difficult season has become one of the most rewarding parts of ownership.
Looking ahead, the Hickmans are excited about new historical walking tours, improvements to the town museum, and the future connection between the Katy Trail and Rock Island
Trail, which could create one of the country’s most significant trail systems.
For now, however, their focus remains the same as it was when they first arrived: preserving a piece of Missouri history while helping visitors experience everything that makes Rocheport special.
School House Bed & Breakfast
504 3rd St
Rocheport, MO 65279
573-698-2022
ARTICLE BY KALI KASPRZYK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
MAKEUP BY MIKAYLA CRANE
The 10% Target Mindset
Jen Cohen ON THE PRACTICE OF ASKING FOR WHAT YOU WANT
Winnipeg in the winter, and a 17-year-old waits 45 minutes in the cold for Keanu Reeves. Her fingers are numb. She is not there for an autograph. She is there to ask him to appear in her audition tape for MuchMusic, Canada’s MTV. When he finally agrees, she writes her number on a gum wrapper with a borrowed lip liner.
He calls days later.
That 17-year-old was Jen Cohen — fitness expert, host of the Habits & Hustle podcast, and best-selling author. She has built a career on the premise her frostbitten afternoon proved. She calls the practice the 10% Target: 10 attempts at whatever you want most in life.
The premise is simple. Most people never make one attempt. Almost nobody makes two. The math works in favor of the person who keeps going.
The top-rated Habits & Hustle podcast has logged hundreds of conversations with high performers and the people who study what the body does to the mind. Her TEDx talk, The Secret to Getting Anything You Want in Life, has traveled widely inside Fortune 500 sales-training rooms. On the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Cohen sits down to share the working rules that are the foundation of her latest book, Bigger, Better, Bolder.
“You have to be the CEO of your own life.”
FEATURING JEN COHEN
Discover the full 10% Target Mindset framework.
1 2
MAKE TEN ATTEMPTS
The door opens, or another door does. The unmade attempt and the refused one leave you in the same place — except one of them teaches you something.
STACK THE DECK
Cohen frames her habits as a wager: How do I stack the deck so I win more than I lose? The workout happens first, and the food decisions follow. The email follow-up gets sent, and the answer arrives. The choices compound in a single direction.
3
DISCIPLINE IS A PRACTICED SKILL, NOT AN INHERITANCE
No one is born with it. The people who look disciplined are running a routine they have rehearsed long enough that it no longer feels like effort. The reps are the skill. Miss them, and the skill fades, the same as any other.
4
SELF-TALK ONLY WORKS WHEN THE BODY BACKS IT UP
Confidence does not arrive by repeating the word. It arrives after the body has done the thing — the workout finished, the cold walk endured, the email sent. The mind takes its cues from what the body proves it can do. Talk follows action, not the other way around.
5
NEVER MISS A MONDAY
The first decision sets the slope of the rest. Skip the Monday workout, and the rest of the week tends to follow. Hold the line on Monday, and the slope tilts the other way.
events
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS JULY 2026
JULY 4TH
4th of July- Fire in the Sky
Stephens Lake Park | 6:30 PM
Celebrate Independence Day at Columbia's 74th Annual Fire in the Sky celebration. Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. with kids' activities, food trucks, and live music at the Amphitheater, followed by a fireworks display over Stephens Lake Park at approximately 9:15 p.m.
JULY 13TH
Annual HBA Golf Tournament
Columbia Country Club | 8:00 AM
Join the Home Builders Association of Columbia for its annual golf tournament at Columbia Country Club. The event brings together industry professionals and community partners for a day of golf, networking, and friendly competition, with check-in beginning at 8 a.m., a 9 a.m. tee-off, and lunch following play.
JULY 17TH
Show-Me State Games
1400 S Rock Quarry Rd | 8:00 AM
Taking place over two weekends, July 17-19 and July 24-26, the Show-Me State Games returns to Columbia as Missouri's premier Olympic-style sports festival. Featuring more than 40 sports for all ages and ability levels, the annual event brings thousands of athletes, families, and spectators together to celebrate health, fitness, family, and fun.
Visit smsg.org for a complete schedule of events.
JULY 21ST
Boone County Fair
Boone County Fairgrounds | 5:00 PM
From July 21-25, 5-10 p.m. daily, the Boone County Fair returns with carnival rides, live music, livestock shows, contests, food vendors, and family-friendly entertainment. This year's Stars, Stripes & County Fair Nights celebration highlights Boone County's agricultural traditions and community spirit, concluding with a demolition derby and fireworks finale on July 25.
JULY 23RD
Countdown to Kickoff
The Columns Club at Memorial Stadium | 5:30 PM
Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri for Countdown to Kickoff, an evening celebrating youth mentorship and Mizzou football. Guests will enjoy dinner, drinks, live and silent auctions, and an exclusive interview with Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz, all while supporting the organization's mission to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships for local youth.
JULY 30TH
Dog Days Sidewalk Sale
The District | 10:00 AM
Shop, stroll, and save during The District's annual Dog Days Sidewalk Sale, taking place July 30-August 2 in downtown Columbia. Discover deep discounts from local retailers, enjoy sidewalk displays, and meet adoptable pets from area shelters while exploring shops, restaurants, and businesses throughout The District.
We offer Home Roof Coverage Full Replacement Cost for life of Policy. Here at B Young Insurance Agency, we strive to provide top notch customer service ensuring you understand your insurance. Ask about our Multipolicy Discount- Couple that with additional discounts for safe driving, Drivewise, no claims, new roof, smart student, student away for school and many more discounts to offer.
