Northland February 2015

Northland

FEBRUARY 2015

NorthlandLifestyle.com

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Food, Family and More

Shannon Gaines Bowman A Love Affair With Garlic Snow and Co. Makes a Wintery Debut The Barreras Family: 50 Years of Mexican Food

DAVID RADZYNSKI, VIOLIN AND LOLITA LISOVSKAYA-SAVEVICH, PIANO

Friday, February 13, 2015 – 7:30 p.m.

Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel, Park University Campus

Hear the newly appointed concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra!

The International Center for Music is proud to present graduate violinist and newly appointed concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, David Radzynski, in recital. Join us for a performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Cecar Franck’s Sonata in A major for Violin and Piano and Maurice Ravel’s Zigane.

This concert is free, but reservations required at www.park.edu/icm

YOUNG ARTIST SHOWCASE

Saturday, April 25, 2015 – 7:30 p.m.

Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel, Park University Campus A free concert highlighting the talents of the musicians enrolled in the International Center for Music.

This concert is free, but reservations required at www.park.edu/icm

BEHZOD ABDURAIMOV, PIANIST

Friday, May 15, 2015 – 8 p.m. – Folly Theater

Praised as “a young master” by The London Times and compared to the legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz, Behzod Abduraimov makes his eagerly awaited Kansas City recital debut in a program that showcases his remarkable talents. He will perform “Ballades Nos.1-4” by Chopin, “Impromptu Op. 142” by Schubert and the “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2” by Liszt/Horowitz.

To purchase tickets please contact the Folly Theater Box Office: www.follytheater.org or (816) 474-4444

Stay in touch with us! www.park.edu/icm Facebook.com/icmpark Twitter: @icm_Park 8700 NW River Park Drive, Parkville MO. 64152

Editor's Letter

Food! Glorious Food!

S

ure, Oliver may have sung about it first but in our Top Chef-watching, celebrity chef-endorsing culture, it may as well be our anthem. When David Chang has a car endorsement deal, you know that the age of the chef is upon us.

Food is more than sustenance to some people. It is art, memory, expression and indulgence. As we dedicate our February issue to the subject, we’ve found several Northlanders that see food as a way to show their love.

Shannon Gaines Bowman is one of them. She and her husband started hosting a garlic party simply so that people could enjoy the pungent bulb without fear of offensive breath. She used the, ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’ mentality and it has become an event that nearly 80 people look forward to each year.

The kids participating in the culinary arts program at the Northland Career Center are getting a jump-start on a possible career and learning that there’s more to food than just the ingredients. Through hands-on mentoring, the students get a taste of what’s to come if they pursue what is quickly becoming a prestige profession.

For the Barreras family, owners of El Sombrero Restaurant, Kansas City’s food landscape has changed significantly. Compared to when they opened more than 50 years ago and had to offer American comfort food to get people in the door, today they have a loyal following hungry for authentic Mexican cuisine. The family is dedicated to more than just plates on tables. They see their restaurant as a way to help people that need it.

FEBRUARY 2015 editor Rachel C. Murphy | RMurphy@LifestylePubs.com

sales director Michael Arel | MArel@LifestylePubs.com

advertising sales Marie King | MKing@LifestylePubs.com

contributing writers Pete Dulin, Kenneth Keiser, Jennifer Higgins, Diana Lambdin Meyer, Peggy Parolin

contributing photographers Joel Schneider, Mallorie McKernan, Lani Odell, Bruce Meyer Published monthly, subscriptions are also available for $22 for 1 year, $39 for 2 years by visiting NorthlandLifestyle.com

corporate team chief executive officer | Steven Schowengerdt chief sales officer | Matthew Perry chief financial officer | DeLand Shore production director | Christina Sandberg director of marketing | Brad Broockerd art director | Sara Minor ad coordinators | Cyndi Vreeland, Samantha Engel

Food is a million different things to a million different people. Everyone has their own connection and we have captured just a few perspectives. No matter what your opinion, I know one thing for sure: I’m hungry for more.

layout designer | Liesl Poet copy editor | Kendra Mathewson executive assistant | Lori Cunningham application architect | Michael O’Connell

Cheers,

it director | Randy Aufderheide

Rachel Murphy, Editor RMurphy@LifestylePubs.com As we mentioned in our January issue, I am asking for volunteers to come and help me work on the Heartland Habitat for Humanity’s Liberty project. Our work date will be March 7. If you are interested in participating, please email me at RMurphy@ lifestylepubs.com. Many hands make light work and we want to help a family enjoy their new home. Please come join me!

Proverbs 3:5-6 Contact us at:

on the cover El Sombrero Restaurant folds

love into each of their tacos and burritos, just like Manny Barreras taught them to do. For more about the Barreras family, read the story on page 26. photography by Mallorie McKernan

by Community ™

join us

talk to us

| NorthlandLifestyle.com |

7373 West 107th Street Overland Park, KS 66212 913.599.4300 | NorthlandLifestyle.com Northland Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Northland’s most affluent neighborhoods.

Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.

Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Northland Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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February 2015

26

Departments 8

Good Times

10

Around Town

14

Your Neighbor

15

Page Turners

16

Hot Spot

18

Field Trip

30 Locally Owned

18 Road Trip to Kansas’ Nearly Forgotten Past

34

Star Students

37

Sold Properties

38

Lifestyle Calendar

42 Parting Thoughts

The Free State proves its progressiveness.

22 Culinary Education in Demand

The professional kitchen serves as classroom at Northland Career Center.

26 El Sombrero: The First Family of Mexican Food

The Barreras serve kindness wrapped in fresh tortillas.

18

22 Lifestyle Publications

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Good Times

“Unbroken” Preview Gala

The National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial hosted a red carpet reception and special preview screening of the new film before its release. Presented by Waddell & Reed and Ivy Funds.

George Brett and Mayor James

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Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

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Around Town NORTHLAND IMAGING REVEALS NEW 3D/4D ULTRASOUND MACHINE Surrounded by employees, friends and supporters, Northland Imaging celebrated one of its newest additions, a 3D/4D ultrasound machine, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Dec. 9.

Located at 9151 NE 81st Terrace, Suite 250, Kansas City, MO 64158, Northland Imaging christened its new equipment in front of its fellow Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce members. The medical imaging facility, which provides high-quality MRI, X-Ray, CT and ultrasound exams, introduced its 3D/4D ultrasound machine that will revolutionize the way families see their babies before birth. The equipment will also be used for life screenings to scan for vascular diseases.

NORTH KANSAS CITY HOSPITAL ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS FOR WINTER AND SPRING JUNIOR VOLUNTEERS North Kansas City Hospital (NKCH) is accepting student applications for junior volunteer opportunities for winter and spring 2015.

Students must be between the ages of 14-18 to apply. The program is a 3-month commitment that requires a minimum of 30 hours during the school year.

Shifts are available Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Volunteer opportunities are available in several departments, including central services, emergency, pharmacy, nursing, purchasing and the Children’s Learning Center.

For an application or more information, call Karen Fournier, youth development specialist, at 816.691.1684. NKCH also offers a summer Junior Volunteer Program from June through August. Applications for the summer program will be accepted starting March 2.

The redesigned stores are called Smart Stores and feature products in mobile lifestyle zones, which include: – for music on the go – for tracking healthy habits Have Fun – for novel tech gadgets Home and on the Go – for home automation Amplify It Get Fit

Verizon Wireless currently has 175 Smart Stores nationwide and plans to convert its entire fleet of 1,700 Communications Stores into Smart Stores over the next few years. Verizon Wireless store representatives now use tablets to assist customers with sales and service. Representatives are able to spend more time with customers with the barrier of the cash register/counter eliminated. The company is also integrating systems to make it easy for customers to do business with us across all contact points – online, in stores and through telesales.

RIVERSIDE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AWARDS 2014 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR On December 11, the Riverside Area Chamber of Commerce held the Chamber Celebration! Annual Awards and After Hours at the Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa in Riverside. At this event, the Chamber named Briarcliff Dental Care as the 2014 Business of the Year, honored the board of directors for their commitment, as well as heard from the City of Riverside Mayor Kathy Rose.

Briarcliff Dental Care opened in April 2009 by Dr. Michael Arnett and has experienced more than 30 percent growth over the last two years alone that in turn led to his ability to sponsor a giveback program to the community. This program provides free dental care to those who could not otherwise afford it. With the Briarcliff Dental Care Team and the help of another colleague, 33 scheduled appointments resulted in $8,326 worth of treatment provided that day by volunteers whose time was valued at more than $5,700.

PARK UNIVERSITY STUDENT APPOINTED CONCERTMASTER OF ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

VERIZON WIRELESS OPENS NEW CONCEPT IN BARRY TOWNE Verizon Wireless continues to roll out its new retail store design intended to make shopping for wireless devices and services more convenient and more personalized. The new Barry Towne store, which is nearly 4,700 square feet, has been relocated from 8413 N. Madison Ave to 6505 NW Barry Road, Kansas City, Mo. 10

Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra has appointed David Radzynski as its concertmaster. A graduate student pursing an artist diploma in violin performance at Park University’s International Center for Music, Radzynski was selected following an audition that ended on Dec. 19 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Radzynski will assume his position in March 2015.

Thirty violinists were invited to compete for the position through a pre-screening process by the orchestra. One of four finalists, Radzynski earned the appointment after performing Johannes Brahms’ “Violin Concerto” alongside the IPO and maestro Zubin Mehta. He was announced as unanimous winner by the jury after only five minutes of deliberation.

“I am still trying to digest all that is happening,” says Radzynski. “It is such an incredible honor. I would not have succeeded if it

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Around Town weren’t for Ben Sayevich and the incredible support I have received at the International Center for Music.”

Radzynski, who earned a graduate certificate in violin performance from Park in May, won the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Young Musicians Competition in 2001. Radzynski later appeared as soloist with the Polish National Philharmonic in Warsaw, and was awarded first prize in the solo competition (senior division) of the American String Teachers’ Association.

NORTHLAND BUSINESS IS LARGEST CORPORATE DONOR IN HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY CASA A Northland business has given a program that serves abused/ neglected children under court protection the largest one-year corporate donation in the organization’s history. KCI Auto Auction donated $41,846.58 to Jackson County CASA in 2014, bringing its total donation over the past three years to $91,325.99. This makes KCI Auto Auction the largest business donor in the 30-year history of Jackson County CASA. The funds contributed by the Northland business help to provide training and support for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers, who last year advocated for the best interests of more than 1,050 abused and neglected children. Through contact with the child, family members, and other interested parties, a CASA volunteer provides critical information to the Judge, so the best possible decisions can be made regarding where that child should live and what medical, educational and therapeutic services they need.

To learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer, visit CASAKC.org or call Jackson County CASA at 816.984.8208.

LIBERTY HOSPITAL URGENT CARE SHOAL CREEK OPENS Liberty Hospital opened its first urgent care facility on the west side of Interstate 35 across from Walmart on January 12. Liberty Hospital Urgent Care Shoal Creek is located at 8300 N. Church Road. Jennifer Moretina, M.D., is the Urgent Care Medical Director.

She also will continue her family practice at The Liberty Clinic for a period of time while she makes the transition to Urgent Care.

“Unlike many urgent care facilities or quick-care clinics, we’ll be able to splint fractures, suture cuts and diagnose and treat health problems, including urinary tract infections, colds, the flu and strep,” Moretina says. “We’re really here for those times when issues crop up over the weekend, after hours or when patients can’t get in to see their primary care providers.”

Liberty Hospital Urgent Care will offer extended hours and lab and X-ray services. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. No appointments are needed.

Liberty Hospital’s Work Health Solutions, the hospital’s occupational medicine program for area businesses, also will be located in the same building. Having Work Health Solutions in the same building as Urgent Care will help employers handle situations quickly if an employee suffers minor injuries on the job.

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Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

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Your Neighbor

Shannon Gaines Bowman:

Foodie Extraordinaire

Local woman cultivates a community of food lovers Article Rachel C. Murphy | Photography Lani Odell

I

have a confession to make: I stalked Shannon Gaines Bowman on Facebook. Okay, stalked is a strong word, but we first met in an online support group for people that love food. Her personality came through the screen and after “friending” her, I saw what I had suspected: this lady lives loud.

Northland native and Oak Park High School graduate Bowman says that her love affair with food started in her 20s when she found that the way to her future husband’s heart was, in fact, through his stomach. Without a family tradition of culinary excellence, she took a crash course in cooking from the Food Network, watching Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich.

This fascination grew over the years, supported by her husband, Rich, and now she has gained some measurable skill in the kitchen. She is a self-proclaimed nerd, choosing a task and learning all that she can about techniques, tricks and the absolute best way to do anything in the kitchen. Right now, she is mastering yeast breads with the aid of the bible of bread, Flour Water Yeast Salt by Ken Forkish.

Bread isn’t the only thing that Bowman has mastered. She’s renowned for not only her love of food but her love of one food in par14

Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

ticular: garlic. She and Rich host a party every year devoted to the odiferous bulb and as year 20 rolled by last year, she marvels at what began as a way to enjoy the pungent flavor and aroma of garlic without recrimination.

“It started at a different party actually,” Bowman says. “We showed up late and by the time we got there most of the food was gone, with the exception of this really gorgeous bowl of tomato dip with bread cubes. No one had touched it. It smelled really good and I tried it and it was awesome. It had a ton of raw garlic in it, almost to the point that it burned. Rich and I just mowed through it, wondering why no one was eating it. Then we realized why. No one wanted to talk to you after that! We needed to fix that. So we decided to have a party where everything was garlic, so everyone smelled the same.”

The response was overwhelmingly positive, even after the first year. Each guest is required to bring a dish featuring garlic and the more creative the better. In fact, they now offer prizes for the best dishes, including original art from Rich, who is an artist. People now travel to attend, hoping to top the heap of recipes.

Bowman says that the range of recipes is amazing.

“The first year, people played it safe but now they know that they have to up the ante,” she explains. “We’ve had garlic martinis, garlic-infused vodka in a chocolate drink. People try their hand at desserts. Garlic ice cream placed this year. You can smell guests arriving from blocks away. And I have to make the garlicky Gilroy chicken wings and garlic chocolate chip cookies. It gives the cookies a sort of caramelly, nutty flavor since you blanch the garlic and then soak it in maple syrup.”

When she’s not slicing and dicing, she is cultivating a community online of like-minded people, something that she’s familiar with after 20 years as a designer and social media guru at Hallmark. As an early adopter of social media, she launched the Hallmark Facebook page and now manages the Keepsake page, creating content and pursuing other creative tasks as they come.

Outside of Hallmark, she creates jewelry made of repurposed vintage items.

Her experience managing social media has translated to her off time with a couple of food related Facebook groups. She acts as administrator to two in particular that focus on different aspects of the food scene: a more general group that extols the virtues of local restaurants and food subjects of all manners and a smaller one for cooks that have more experience and hones in on techniques, products and experiences.

Many of the participants meet up for real world activities, dine-ins and classes.

“If it weren’t for Facebook, I wouldn’t know these people. And we do things in real life now. There are many of the people that I met through the groups that I now consider good friends,” says Bowman.

For Bowman, food is an extension of art, a way to start a conversation. Through the culinary arts, she’s gained a husband, a social circle both online and in person and a list of skills to conquer. As Julia Child once said, and Bowman agrees, “People who love to eat are always the best people.”

Page Turners

Made In America A Modern Collection of Classic Recipes

•MADE IN•

america of CLASSIC RECIPES

A MODERN COLLECTION

Ó & MEGAN COLBY

G A R R E LT S

Written by Colby Garrelts and Megan Garrelts $21.99 | 152 Pages

T

oday, American roadways once carved by pioneers are lined with rustic roadhouses, classic diners and rural restaurants that highlight the renowned foods in each region—from fried chicken stands to barbecue joints, delis to crab shacks, and bakeshops everywhere that celebrate the all-American slice of pie. At home, American traditions embrace both history and family, in classic Thanksgiving feasts and picnics on quilts with ice cream under a night sky filled with fireworks on our nation’s birthday.

The food of the Midwest is the last untold tale in modern American cooking, but it’s a central one—in every sense of the word. In the 19th century, farmland in the middle of the country was cheap, attracting thousands who hoped to make their living off the land. For others, the Midwest was the last stop before the arduous journey west.

Some travelers kept going, but others stayed put, and their traditions and recipes took root with them.

For us, the roots of our love of food and cooking, the inspiration for becoming chefs—and really, a big part of the reason we were

drawn to each other—reach back to our own family tables: Colby’s in Kansas and Megan’s in Illinois. Born and bred in the middle of America, we share the same memories of fresh corn off the stalk in hot summers, slow-cooked meats, and handmade sweets that filled our grandmas’ homes.

The recurring theme in this book is family: Cooking In America is profoundly based on tradition, and here in the middle, recipes are shared among families, passed along through a “potluck” of cards tucked into a tin box or just by watching your grandmother at work in the kitchen.

You pick up a recipe box to make pies and you know the recipe for pickling garden vegetables by heart.

In this cookbook, we share our simple approach to food and cooking—the kind of cooking we do in our own kitchen at home.

“Give the people what they want” is a phrase we used a lot when creating our restaurant, Rye, showcasing the food and flavors of the Midwest. In this book we intend to do the same: offer humble recipes, stories from around our table, and a new perspective on what it means to be from the middle and how we cook, eat and live.

"For a country that’s famous for its amber waves of grain, the landscape of American food is amazingly diverse and colorful, woven with the flavors of every culture that has added to our collective heritage."

February 2015 | Northland Lifestyle

15

Hot Spot

Snow and Co. Makes a Chilly Entrance Frozen cocktails make a stylish addition to Gladstone Article Rachel C. Murphy Photography Joel Schneider

S

now and Company. It seems like a very fitting title for a bar right now, doesn’t it? As January’s bitter temperatures locked the city in a hibernation headlock, this Crossroads original was quietly celebrating their second month of soft opening. Named Paste Magazine’s top frozen cocktail bar in America, they know how to overcome the cold: with a tasty beverage.

Opening a frozen cocktail bar in the wintertime is nothing new to Jerry Nevins, Lauren Cloud and Andy Talbert, the three co-owners of the concept. They opened the original location in the winter of 2011 and proved that their concept transcends temperature. It doesn’t hurt that they’ve also developed an entire line of hot cocktails for those that simply don’t want any more frostbite.

The concept behind Snow and Company is a great one: make frozen daiquiri style drinks that don’t all taste like a tropical cocktail. They have a fairly expansive list, as well as wine, beer on tap and their new hot drink menu. For something to nosh on, they offer appetizers, flatbread pizzas, sandwiches and salads.

I have never been a big fruity drink person so when I first stopped in to the Crossroads location, I was pleasantly surprised.

The drinks remain consistent at the Gladstone location. Best of all, since all of the frozen cocktails are constantly spinning in their machines, the serving staff is happy to offer you a sample or a flight of 3, 5, or 10 smaller pours. It’s a great way to figure out what you like and avoid brain freeze.

I have visited Snow and Company in Gladstone twice in the last two months and with each visit, they are getting better. After a snafu with the menus for our large party and a bit of wait time to order, drinks came quickly as did our food. Most of the menu consists of items that can be prepared in a Panini press or other small heating implement, so while they are tasty, they cool quickly, so don’t dally.

16

Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

Of all the things that I’ve tried at Snow and Company on the food side of the menu, there are two standouts: the house-made hummus and pita and the Scimeca meatball sliders. The hummus is the perfect consistency, with a hit of olive tapenade on top and served with warm, garlicky pita bread for $8. On happy hour, which happens every day of the week from 3-7 p.m., it is discounted by $3. It is definitely worth it.

The Scimeca meatball sliders were similarly good on my second trip on one of the coldest days of the year. They are presented three to a plate for $8, slathered in a creamy tomato sauce infused with 360 Vodka and topped with provolone.

The rest of the food menu is standard fare, executed well, but not fabulously. Its merit lies in the fact that it is reasonably priced, quick to come out and made in house. Didn’t you really come for the cocktails anyway? Of course you did.

So let’s talk cocktails.

First, Snow and Company

cares about glassware. They serve their signature frozen drinks in Bodum double walled glasses so that your hands don’t warm them cocktail and the cocktail doesn’t freeze your hands. They offer a single and a double size as well as their flights.

My two favorite selections after trying a few f lights are definitely not what most people would think of at a daiquiri shop. The Limey Bastard is a take on a gin and tonic that mixes Hendricks Gin with Thatcher’s Organic Cucumber liqueur, fresh lemon, lime and milk. The citrus comes through strongly but the cucumber mellows it out. I could drink this all day on a patio in the summer.

My other favorite is the Miss Scarlett, a combination of Buffalo Trace bourbon, Stirrings Peach liqueur, fresh lemon juice and milk. The peach is what comes through most strongly so this is about as close as I would get to a fruity drink but the bourbon gives a bit of earthiness and none of it is as cloying as the typical sweet tea and peach concoctions that are so popular elsewhere.

While I enjoyed the menu, my dairy allergic friend did not.

Looking at the menu, nearly three fourths of the frozen menu includes milk in the mix, ruling it out for our lactose intolerant friends. On the hot menu, all but one included milk or butter.

As the weather warms, I can see Snow and Company as a great destination for Northland residents. The space has huge garage doors that open to street as well as ample patio space, which is sorely lacking in the area. Together with a frosty glass of a new or traditional cocktail option, summer is looking pretty sweet. In the meantime, I’ll think tropical thoughts and pray for spring.

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816-984-0525 completehardscapes.com February 2015 | Northland Lifestyle

17

Field Trip

Road Trip to Kansas’ Nearly Forgotten Past Article Diana Lambdin Meyer | Photography Bruce N. Meyer

P

laces like Nicodemus, Kansas, are why the technology gods created the GPS. Located about 30 miles north and west of Fort Hays, Nicodemus is out there, far away from most places most of us go for a getaway. With just 29 residents, Nicodemus is one of those places that rarely enter the consciousness of a busy public.

Yet Nicodemus is one of more than 360 units of our National Park Service. Yellowstone it’s not, but still there’s something in Nicodemus worthy of our attention and our tax dollars. It’s time we visit, get another stamp in our National Park Passport, and see what the story is all about.

The Civil War ended 150 years ago this April, liberating more than four million people who had not yet had the chance to explore the world on their own terms. Kansas was a place where slavery had never been permitted, thus the moniker of businesses like the Free State Brewery in Lawrence. It was called “The Promised Land” by Governor George Anthony and others who believed that they were obligated to encourage the former slaves to find a safe home here.

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Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

Later these people would be known as “exodusters,” but in September 1877 when 350 free blacks left Lexington, Kentucky, by train headed toward Kansas, they were simply heading to freedom. The dream led them to a fertile area in northwest Kansas on the banks of the Solomon River. They lived at first in dugouts and survived by trapping rabbits, birds and fishing from the river. It was years before the first homes appeared above ground.

At its height, the population of Nicodemus was about 650 people who enjoyed two newspapers, a post office, grocery and hardware stores, schools, churches, a bank and a baseball team. It was a premiere example of an African American community and exemplary of what freedom allowed. It was a typical American community.

Then, the railroads came, passing Nicodemus by a few miles. Later I-70

was built, and it too, by-passed Nicodemus. Rural towns every where began to suffer as new generations moved away to larger communities with more opportunities. But the population of 29 hardy souls here today remain proud of and committed to their legacy.

Nicodemus was the first town west of the Mississippi built by and for black settlers, and today it remains the last. The descendants of Nicodemus settlers are spread far and wide, many making great contributions to the communities in which they live, in their chosen professions and as a result, to their states and country. Each June, they gather back in this little community in northwest Kansas to remember and celebrate.

In November 1996, the little town became a national park, dedicated to telling the story of these pioneers who

accomplished so much with so little, surviving the odds with a spirit not unlike the Mayflower Pilgrims who helped build a great nation.

Another group of settlers was heading to Kansas about the same time, eventually adding about 7,000 to the population of the young state. They were children of the Orphan Train, and you can learn about them by heading back east along Highway 24 to Concordia, Kansas.

The Orphan Train has received a great deal of notoriety in the last year or so since the book by the same name, written by Christina Blake Kline, hit the top spot on the New York Times best seller list.

Basically, from the 1850s to the 1930s, children who were abandoned, orphaned or otherwise roaming the streets in New York were given new homes by the Chilcontinued > dren’s Aid Society.

February 2015 | Northland Lifestyle

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Field Trip

(continued)

More than 300,000 kids were rounded up, cleaned up and put on a train west to farming communities in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas where they were basically given away to anyone who wanted them. Of course, some people wanted to give homes to needy children, but others just needed extra hands to work the farmland. Not every child found a good home.

The opera houses in McPherson and Beloit, Kansas, were among the nicer settings for an adoption event. Independence, Chanute, Cherryvale and Yates Center all hosted multiple adoption events over the years. Orphan train children were shipped to 45 states, as well as Canada and Mexico.

Of these children who came to Kansas, a little girl named Alice would eventually become a child psychologist to help other disenfranchised children. A little boy named John would be decorat-

ed for service in the Army Medical Corps during World War II. Another boy, who called himself Kansas Charley, would be hung for double murder by the age of 17.

The National Orphan Train Museum and Research Library in Concordia, appropriately located in a restored train depot, tells the story of Charles Loring Brace who formed the Children’s Aid Society and believed that these children would thrive by living with and working for “morally upright farm families.” The effort by Brace and the Children’s Aid Society was the first of its kind in the United States. This was the precursor to programs today, such as the Division of Family Services, foster care and other state and federal programs that are charged with the welfare of young people.

Each June, a gathering is held in Concordia of 20

Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

the living Orphan Train riders – yes, there are a few - and their descendents to learn, discuss and commemorate this chapter of American history. The public is welcomed to come listen and learn as well.

While you are in Concordia, take a moment to visit the Cloud County Museum in what was originally built as a Carnegie Library. Other than many items typical of a county museum, this one is notable for the exhibit on the German P.O.W. camp that operated here during World War II. From 1943-45, more than 5,000 German prisoners of war were held here, making it the largest P.O.W. camp on American soil.

More than 150 similar camps operated throughout the Midwest, containing German, Japanese and Italian soldiers. The prisoners were brought here to work in agriculture and simply because the possibility of escape was so limited. Really, where is a German speaking man going to blend in in rural Kansas in the 1940s?

What remains of the camp is about two miles north of Concordia. Volunteers are right now putting the finishing touches on a museum located within one of the two original buildings that remain. An original guard tower still stands as well. Both should be open for a visit by summer.

So this road trip across Kansas, rather than leaving you bored out of your mind and just waiting for it to end, will leave you a little more conscious of those who were here before us and what’s tucked away on those back roads and little towns of the Midwest.

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culinary education in demand The Professional Kitchen as Classroom

Article and Photography Pete Dulin

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Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

S

arah Harnish, Taylor Klarlund, Emily Lomas and a dozen other students have assembled in the kitchen by mid-morning. They sharpen nine-inch chef’s knives, arrange their cutting boards and paring knives on stainless steel tables and begin peeling carrots. These students are here to learn about the fundamentals of working in a professional kitchen from Chef Jason Eastep, head instructor at the Northland Career Center’s Culinary Arts program in Platte City. They watch as Chef Eastep demonstrates a tourné cut used to trim potatoes and carrots into a tournade, an oblong-shaped vegetable with uniform sides used in refined dishes. Here, the kitchen serves as classroom and these students are eager to learn.

The appeal of becoming a chef has increased over the past decade. A 2010 report by Education News’ Career Index found that the number of culinary school graduates over all grew by 25 percent in four years. Interest in the culinary arts has grown for several reasons.

The notoriety of celebrity chefs and the popularity of Food Network programming has visibly increased the profile of the profession. Locally, the presence of four James Beard award-winning chefs – Debbie Gold, Colby Garrelts, Celina Tio and Michael Smith – in Kansas City proves that becoming a top-tier chef can be a reality for individuals willing to work hard and learn. However, every executive chef had a humble beginning while learning this challenging profession. Local students that aspire to become future chefs or culinary professionals can begin preparing now at the Northland Career Center’s Culinary Arts program.

“Nationally, the demand for the ever-growing number of people who want to become chefs has grown due to social interest,” says Chef Eastep. “Interest is spurred on by “unrealistic television that has a tendency to over-glamourize the food and beverage industry and give false perceptions to its viewers,” he adds. The reality is much different. “This is an industry that can be physically and mentally draining. I think that if you are going to be in this for the long haul, it is imperative that you have a passion for food.”

young students to start. Juniors and seniors from participating Northland high schools, whose attendance and grades are in good standing, ages 16-18, are eligible to register for the program.

Second-year student Sarah Harnish aspires to be a restaurant manager and owner. She has learned how to bake, sauté, make proper knife cuts, serve at banquets and work different positions in the kitchen.

Fellow student Taylor Klarlund was encouraged by his uncle, a chef at a hospital in Lawrence, Kans., to learn the trade. “I’ve always had an interest in cooking. I love to grill. I always wanted to butcher meat,” says Klarlund. “I’d like to get an apprenticeship at a butcher shop, learn and then get a job.”

Class sizes average 14-18 students. Eastep says, “There are two classes per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, each roughly three hours a day, 5 days per week.”

Eastep’s ample experience reinforces the learning process. He attended culinary school at El Centro’s Food and Hospitality Institute in Dallas, Texas. There, he earned three certificates while learning and working with pioneers of Southwestern cuisine. He relocated to Kansas City in 2005 and worked as the executive chef for BNSF Railway’s fleet of private business cars.

The program provides a thorough introduction to the culinary arts. Students initially learn about professional terms, definitions, knife skills, safety and sanitation. Second semester studies

Passion is vital to endure in the field, but proper training is a must. The Culinary Arts program is a sensible place for young students to start.

Passion is vital to endure in the field, but proper training is a must. The Culinary Arts program is a sensible place for

continued >

February 2015 | Northland Lifestyle

23

culinary education

(continued)

focus on the five mother/primary sauces and the basics of soups, salads and sandwiches. Students acquire hands-on experience.

Sixty-percent of class time is devoted to actual production and preparation of breakfast and lunch twice weekly. Students also learn from preparing after-school dinners and receptions.

Emily Lomas, a first-year student with bright blue streaks in her blond hair, describes herself as a “big food person.” When not in school, she works in the kitchen at local restaurant Pancheros Mexican Grill in Platte City. She says, “Several people in my family are chefs. Shows like ‘Chopped’ were my inspiration.”

Learning fundamental knife cuts was one of Lomas’ favorite skills to learn.

Once students have acquired basic skills, their education continues with studies and application of lessons about safety, sanitation and preparation of vegetables, starches and proteins such as meat and fish. Seniors plan and prepare dinner for four as their senior final. At this stage, 75 percent of class time is hands-on for production and preparation of weekly meals.

Interest in the program is strong among students.

First-year student Aaron Davis has always loved cooking. He enrolled in the program after “hearing good things” about Chef Paul, Eastep’s predecessor in the classroom. Davis says, “I’ve learned a lot. The most challenging part has been learning how to get along with others.”

While not a formal part of the program, learning “people skills” to work with others is just as essential in a professional kitchen as using proper knife technique.

“The culinary program at NCC gives students the opportunity to work hands-on with food and gain a good starting foundation of culinary knowledge,” says Eastep. “They can take what they have learned here and further it into a career or continue their culinary education.”

24

Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

Progression through the program involves learning other basic skills, such as mathematics, that they will apply in the workplace.

“The grasp of the importance of culinary mathematics is probably the most challenging aspect of the program for most people,” says Eastep. “Margins in this industry can be very slim. Being meticulous about watching your numbers is something that will take years for some to fully grasp. It can be the difference between your success and your demise in the food and beverage industry.”

Students work with every piece of kitchen equipment after they have been trained and can demonstrate safe and knowledgeable use of that particular equipment. Eastep says, “We have a fully-equipped commercial kitchen.”

Eligible students can compete in SkillsUSA, a structured program for technical and professional skills that also features competitions to demonstrate mastery. Past Northland students in the program have successfully competed in SkillsUSA competitions.

Completion of the Culinary Arts program doesn’t mean students are on the fast track to becoming Food Network’s next star.

Completion of the two-year program prepares students with a skill set for entry-level food service positions.

“Students have a good foundation of kitchen knowledge that will allow them to learn and build upon through experience working with other chefs,” says Eastep. “I cannot say that additional culinary education is an absolute necessity in order to further their culinary careers. If you have the means to take your education further while still gaining experience through a job, I would certainly recommend it. Something that I have always firmly believed in is that there is no substitute for experience.”

The Culinary Arts program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation. The culinary program is also offered to adults as a one-year program.

The Barreras serve kindness wrapped in fresh tortillas Article Kenneth L. Kieser | Photography Mallorie McKernan

R

estaurants with unique cuisines tend to have generations of return customers. Mexican food in chain restaurants is often created in bulk supply and tastes remarkably bland unless you add a generous splash of hot sauce.

This assembly-line food is adequate but repetitious and never an adventure. Chain restaurants can’t serve customers homemade entrees with enticing flavors like family-owned establishments.

The Barrera family, owners of El Sombrero Restaurant in Claycomo, Mo., is feeding their fourth generation of return customers during a 51-year run. Lunchtime and evenings are filled with families waiting for generous helpings of ‘authentic’ Mexican entrees served on sizzling-hot plates.

I recently posted a few lines about El Sombrero on Facebook and was amazed at

how many people from the Kansas City region shared this same love. Manuel Barrera may have been shocked and yet pleased at his family’s continuing success from the business he opened in 1964.

“Dad started the restaurant, hoping to have a business for his children in later years,” says Jeannie Barrera, daughter. “He was a cook in the Army and both mom and dad, raised in the Kansas City area, had previously worked in the motel-restaurant business most of their lives. Dad worked at Burlington Northern Railroad while holding down a waiter job at the Muehlebach Hotel in downtown Kansas City. Mom worked as a realtor.”

The original 1964 opening of El Sombrero’s Mexican Restaurant was not met with enthusiasm from the entire community.

Some protested Hispanics moving into the

area with graffiti painted on the restaurant walls. A young artist that signed his work “Snail” painted a beautiful mural of a bullfighter and Hispanic dancers over the sad graffiti. This bullfighter is now featured on the restaurant’s sign.

The first entrees were typical types of Mexican food with shredded meat that members of the community shied away from, not being sure exactly what the shredded meat was. So American-style foods originally brought in curious consumers while the family paid close attention to exactly what type of Mexican food the customers wanted.

“Half of our menu was American food when we first opened up,” says Larry Barrera, son. “The other half of our menu was Mexican. People in this community were not used to Mexican food.

Mom considered our American foods a way for customers to eventually try the Mexican cuisine. Mom’s mashed potatoes, chicken, tenderloin, hamburger steaks and other foods originally brought them in.”

Consumers in 1964 had little idea of what to expect when trying authentic Mexican cuisine and the Barrera family was looking for a unique flavor. Their prayers were soon answered.

“The lady that opened the first fully authentic Mexican cuisine restaurant in Kansas City, Lala Infante grew tired of running a restaurant, Lala’s Nopalex (Cactus)” Jeannie says. “She brought mom and dad her recipes and entrusted us to keep this great food going.”

A combination of Lala Infante’s recipes mixed with Manuel and Lorraine’s knowledge of making fresh flour or corn tortillas, a skill taught by Grandma Barrera, a common task performed while preparing dinners for the family. Fresh tortillas served with Infante’s unique recipes created foods people could identify with.

Crowds soon discovered the Barrera family’s Mexican entrees and their business quickly grew.

The restaurant’s success quickly brought in more revenue.

Lorraine used her education learned in real estate to pay the bills and invest, creating more working capital and a successful business. Soon the children grew old enough to work in the family business.

“Vito and Jeanie worked here first,” Larry says. “Both eventually took college classes in hotel and food management. My education came from working with my folks here in the restaurant. Dad offered to get me a job as an electrician working for the railroad, but I chose to stay here. The folks decided to make the restaurant their life and I made the same decision. My brothers, Tony and Eddie, worked here too.”

The Barrera children started their restaurant life by cleaning beans, washing dishes, rolling silverware in napkins and other jobs. The kids did not have to work, but wanted to be a part of the business and their parents used these menial tasks as ways to teach a strong work ethic.

Through the years all of the Barrera family worked in the restaurant. More recently Jeannie’s sons, Bo and Ben, both worked with several nieces and nephews.

The best advertising for the restaurant has been through word of mouth. The family places ads in publications and sponsors softball teams and other sports. But one of the brothers may have devised the greatest advertising scheme ever.

“Our most unique advertising happened several years ago when brother, Vito had stickers made that read, ‘I Love El Sombrero--Eat My Burrito,’” Larry says. “Vito and his wife visited the Worlds of Fun parking lot a couple of years after they opened and posted 1,000 of these stickers on car bumpers. Thankfully we never received any negative response, even though the stickers included our phone number. That was a slick piece of advertising. We had these same stickers made for our 50th year in business in 2014.” continued >

continued >

February 2015 | Northland Lifestyle

27

El Sombrero

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(continued)

Sadly the Barrera parents, Vito and Tony, have passed away. The family-run restaurant still succeeds through great food and kindness, with vibrations of past good deeds occasionally surfacing.

“Mom and Dad helped our family and many that were not related,” Jeanie says.

“We actually never realized how many they did help financially in business or other ways until after their deaths. To this day, we are finding out how many they fed or helped and many now want to pay us back. Back in the day, our food was inexpensive and people could afford it.

You could buy three burritos or four tacos for less than a dollar.”

Today El Sombrero only serves Mexican food including a unique Mexican breakfast.

“We make our own chorizo and serve it with eggs,” Larry says. “Our family in Mexico is known in their city for making chorizo. They raise their own pigs, butcher and make this version of Mexican sausage.

This can be made hot or mild. I think our breakfast burritos are the best in town.”

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Old Town Sweets & Antiques Old Fashioned Treats and Time Worn Treasures Find a New Home in Parkville Article Peggy Parolin | Photography Joel Schneider

Cunningham began learning to bake at the age of 5. The Jeffold-fashioned fudge and cookies made fresh daily at Old Town Sweets & Antiques in downtown Parkville are a tribute to his grandmother and grandfather. The family recipes handed down through the years taste as good today as ever.

A mixture of antiques, candies, homemade sweets, dips, mixes and sauces fill the shelves of the Cunningham family business located at 7 Main Street. Jeff, his wife, Susie, and their son, Chris, started the business after Jeff retired and Chris graduated from college.

“We wanted to establish a family business where we could work together, build on our successes and more or less establish a family legacy,” says Jeff.

Originally opened in Leavenworth in 2012, the Cunninghams moved their business to Parkville last October because they were impressed with the way the city supported its businesses and promoted the area.

“There’s always something going on in Parkville,” Chris offers. “Our business has tripled since moving. We love the small town, old time feel of historic downtown Parkville. Neighboring businesses have been welcoming and highly supportive since our move.”

In keeping with the theme of variety and choice, the family leases spaces to vendors who sell antiques from casually defined booths throughout the building. Homemade sweets and handmade collectibles find common ground here.

And, if homemade fudge and cookies aren’t enough to lure shoppers in to check out the antiques, Jeff highlights the fact they also feature 64 flavors of saltwater taffy, 10 different flavors of malt balls, including maple, peanut butter and French vanilla! Shoppers can choose from 12 different cordials such as rum, cherry and peach brandy in addition to sea salt caramels and New York Espresso beans. Old-time favorites like candy buttons, bubble gum cigars, Zotz and other fine candies complete the offering.

The owner’s favorites? The old-fashioned fudge and the buckeyes.

“Our buckeyes were our best sellers in Leavenworth,” Jeff muses. We haven’t had time to make them since we moved here.

We’ve been busy settling in and refreshing our selections. But, they’ll definitely be in the store soon.”

To balance out the sweets, the store offers a distinct assortment of salsas, dips, rubs, steak seasonings, jellies, preserves, mustards,

glazes, and BBQ sauces, pepper sauces, chili mixes, pancake mixes, bread mixes and also syrups.

“The salsas, jams, jellies, beer breads, chili mixes and syrups are all from Fredericksburg farms in Fredericksburg, Texas,” says Jeff. “They’ve been a huge hit. To wash it all down, we offer regucontinued >

30

Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

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(continued)

lar soft drinks right now, but coming soon are hard to find sodas such as Nu-Grape, Bubble-Up and many more, all in the old fashioned, long necked bottles.” Just to be sure there’s something in the family store for everyone, they also carry gourmet popcorn from Popcornopolis featuring flavors like caramel, cheddar, kettle, pumpkin and their best seller, zebra, which is caramel with chocolate drizzled over it.

Still hungry? Try Annie B’s Caramels (Oprah’s #1 favorite candy) or the Good Humor ice cream.

“Our store is a great place for children and adults alike,” says Susie. “The adults come in and reminisce about the types of candy they liked best growing up. And, of course, the younger kids like every type of candy we offer.”

“We offer unexpected gifts, too. We carry some featured home décor items from Blossom Bucket as well as smokeless, long lasting candles from Fredericksburg Farms. Those who come into our store are always surprised at our assortment and the overall variety we offer. Once they’ve been in, we know we’ll see them again.

While some things we offer are consistent, we are always increasing our candy offerings, adding to the selection and of course, the selection of antiques change almost daily.”

“We’re really happy with our family business,” agrees Jeff. “The combination of antiques and old-fashioned candies has worked well for us. We wanted our store to have a nostalgic appeal. The country store theme reminds shoppers of the comfort and sim-

plicity of the old days. It also adds context for the many different antiques and collectibles they can find here. We wanted the shopping experience to be unique. The eclectic combination of goods provides a point of differentiation for us.”

The nostalgic recipes used in the business bring back many memories for Jeff.

“I remember baking with my grandmother at a very early age.

Everything she cooked or baked was made from scratch with the freshest ingredients. I have great memories of riding with my grandfather to local orchards and neighboring farms to pick up whatever was needed. She insisted on getting everything fresh. We do the same when creating sweets for our business. It’s a family tradition.”

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Star Students

Challenged to Make a Difference Girls ask for donations to the YMCA Challenger program instead of gifts for their birthday Article Jennifer Higgins Photography provided

V

oted Kindest School in 2014, St. Therese Parish in Kansas City tries hard to instill a message of serving. That message definitely reached four 4th grade students at the school, who recently turned 10. Karla Adjemian, Anna Grace Gavin, Katie Revnew, and Lily Sowle decided to have a joint birthday party and invited all three 4th grade classes from St. Therese.

Instead of gifts, they asked for donations to the YMCA Challenger program.

“We were thinking about it, since our birthdays are close together, and since we are learning at school about helping others,” Sowle says. “We decided it would be nice to give back. I liked the idea of giving back around our birthdays. It was motivating to think about all the boys and girls that would come to the party and the amount of gifts we could give to the Challenger YMCA program.”

The four girls have been in school together kindergarten, and all play on the same soccer team. It was an easy decision then to ask for donations of sports equipment for the YMCA Challenger program, because it tied in with the girls’ interests and fit the theme of the party.

The program gave the girls a list of suggested donations, and they created an invitation to give to their classmates. On September 6, they had a party at the Tiffany Springs Athletic Zone with a soccer tournament, kickball, freeze dance—all 34

Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

the usual kid party games. DJ Kirby of 99.7 The Point and 106.5 The Wolf was also there, keeping the kids entertained and the party going.

“My favorite part of the party was the hula hoop game, where you passed the hula hoop with your arms locked and couldn’t drop it,” Gavin says.

November 6, the girls and their parents dropped off the donations and played with the kids in the program.

“We played volleyball with them. The kids have disabilities so it was nice to help them. They were appreciative and happy to play with us with their new equipment,” Adjemian says.

The girls, whose birthdays are all within a week of each other in late August, are involved in all kinds of sports ranging from soccer to volleyball to basketball to dance.

“It was a great experience. There was a boy there who was so happy all the time, always giving us a thumbs-up sign. I’ve never seen people do that all the time; he was so happy. It was a cool experience. We will probably do it again, maybe with a different program or group,” Sowle says.

Gavin’s mom, Jan, was the one who suggested the Challenger program once the decision was made to do the donation party and the girls agreed.

“The equipment will be used for our Challenger Programs. Soccer balls, footballs, baseballs, tennis balls, basketballs

and ball storage bags were donated. The donations allow us to provide the right sized ball for each athlete for every season; and of course, help our budget, too. These girls are sharing their spirit of service, unselfishness and kindness at an early age.

And it will rub off on many, and will be heartfelt by all,” Raegan Schurr, Adaptive Program director with the YMCA, says.

The parents were proud of the girls’ efforts.

“I was overwhelmed. It really touched me to see these kids coming together and giving so generously. And not even once did Lily complain about not getting a gift.

Each of the girls were also given a thank you card signed by all of the challenger athletes. Lily still looks at hers periodically and likes to talk about each one of them, and asks when we can go back there,” Stephanie Sowle says.

The girls all indicated that they want to continue to do this in the future, as it made a lasting impact on them.

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Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

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37

Lifestyle Calendar

February

rary Instrumental Album. The saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader is one of today’s most accomplished contemporary/traditional jazz artists. He has sold more than one million albums in the U.S. AmericanJazzMuseum.org.

FEBRUARY 6-8

February 17

MONSTER JAM Sprint Center

Monster Jam®, the family entertainment show featuring the largest recreational trucks in the world at a massive 12-foot-tall, 5 tons, returns to Kansas City. The show will feature eight Monster Jam trucks, including four-time Monster Jam World Finals champion Grave Digger® driven by Jon Zimmer.

decreases, financial pressures from holiday expenses and vitamin D deficiency.

Let’s use the six-step program by Stephen Ilardi to develop a plan to keep depression at bay this winter season. Registration is required. 913.383.8700

HEALTHY LIVING FOR A HAPPY HEART Mosaic Life Care Shoal Creek

February is American Heart Month, and during that month Mosaic Life Care’s cardiologists are focusing on increasing knowledge about Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) and the increased risk for strokes that is associated with the condition. The event is designed to educate people on heart health.

February 7 - May 3

February 17

FAIRY TALE VILLAGE

KID READS: GO UNDERCOVER

CROWN CENTER SHOPS SHOWPLACE

WITH SUPER SLEUTHS!

Children’s tales come to life as you walk into a world of make-believe to interact with characters from favorite stories and rhymes.

Visit the Snow Queen in her Ice Palace. Experience the giant adventures of “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Sit in Cinderella’s magic carriage or stroll with “Little Red Riding Hood” through the woods to Grandmother’s house.

The interactive exhibit includes a reading area where parents can share their favorite stories with their kids. Free. 816.274.8444

MID-CONTINENT PUBLIC LIBRARY

FEBRUARY 8

-NORTH OAK

Go undercover! This program features juvenile literature about young super sleuths like Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew and Nicholas Benedict. Elementary school-aged children will collaboratively solve riddles, decode messages and ultimately solve a mystery. (Ages 6 and up)

FEBRUARY 14

FEBRUARY 19 SALMON COOKERY

THE BOOGIE BALL

MID-CONTINENT PUBLIC LIBRARY

SCOUT SUNDAY

TWA MUSEUM AND SIGNATURE AIR

-NORTH OAK

AREA CHURCHES

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Scouts of all ages are encouraged to wear their uniforms to church one Sunday a year as a reminder that a part of the Scout Law is that a Scout is reverent, and that Scouts promise to do their “Duty to God.” These values strengthen youth character in their family, community and faith. February 8, 1910, was the founding of the Boy Scouts of America by W. D. Boyce.

Join us for the first annual Boogie Ball, a benefit for Culture thru Ballroom Dancing, bringing ballroom dance lessons to schoolaged children. Live music will be provided by The Abel Ramirez Band. Join us for a swingin’ Valentine’s Day! Free museum tours. BoogieBall.com

The health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids continue to make headlines, and this

FEBRUARY 9

FEBRUARY 14 GERALD ALBRIGHT: JAMMIN’ AT THE GEM

WARDING OFF THE WINTER BLUES

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DRIVE, SUITE 210

There are many reasons why depression increases in the winter: sunlight exposure 38

Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

beautiful pink fish is one of the rare sources. We’ll prepare a poached version that is moist and tender, a pan-seared version that is fast and easy, and round it out with a lemon herb dressing on fresh romaine lettuce that can double as a wonderful marinade for grilled salmon.

FEBRUARY 20 Skin Cancer Lunch and Learn NORTH KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY CENTER

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer over the course of a lifetime. Crystal LaGalle, DO, shares her knowledge on the different types of skin cancer, warning signs and prevention methods. LaGalle is a physician with Meritas Health North Oak. Registration is free and required.

NKCH.org or call 816.691.1690

FEBRUARY 21 HEART HEALTH FAIR ZONA ROSA CELEBRATION STATION IN THE GROVE

North Kansas City Hospital will host a Heart Health Fair, which will include a fasting lipid profile. Results will be

available within five minutes and you will have the opportunity to speak with a nurse about your numbers. Free. Register online at NKCH.org or call 816.691.1690

FEBRUARY 26 COUNTY HISTORIES MID-CONTINENT PUBLIC LIBRARY-NORTH OAK

County histories contain a wealth of information. They tell us about the environment in which our ancestor lived and contain many biographical sketches of the county’s former residents. Find out what lies beyond the cover of county histories and discover more about your ancestor’s life.

This is an intermediate level class.

MARCH 3 ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE NORTHLAND CHRISTIAN

Join us for our annual open house.

The evening includes a chili supper, building tours, meet and greets with teachers and students, opportunities to hear our choirs, see the clubs, sports and activities and the option to sign up for a day of student shadowing. NorthlandChristianEd.com

February 2015 | Northland Lifestyle

39

Business Directory Animals & Animal Care

Life’s Too Short for

Matching Socks

Wild Birds Unlimited (816) 415-4303 wbu.com/libertymo

Art & Photography Art & Frame Warehouse-Northland (816) 584-8009 afwkc.com

Automotive

Precision Collision Center (816) 781-9630 precisioncollisionkc.com

Dentists & Orthodontics Antioch Dental Group (816) 452-9700 fredbaileydds.com

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Berry Sousa Dental (816) 746-5437 childrenstoothdoc.com Burleson Orthodontics (816) 533-7566 burlesonorthodontics.com Dentistry for Children (816) 548-3400 kidsdentistkc.com Jim Anderson, DDS (816) 454-3336 jimandersondds.com

Visions KC at Courtyard Marriott (816) 820-2541 visionskc.com

Financial Services Other & Planning Meyers Funeral Chapel Equity Bank KC (913) 587-4322 equitybank.com

(816) 741-0251 meyersfuneralchapel.com

Anu Aesthetics (816) 359-3310 anuaesthetics.com

Hunt Midwest Real Estate Development (816) 781-7925 huntmidwestkc.com

Property & Health & Wellness Real Estate

WestGlen Gastrointestinal Consultants (816) 221-9898 westglengi.com

Home Services

Advanced Home Energy (913) 226-3201 advancedhomeenergykc.com Budget Blinds of the Northland and Kansas City (816) 505-5515 budgetblindskc.com Complete Hardscapes LLC (816) 984-0525 completehardscapes.com Midwest Lifetime Roof Systems (913) 393-3008 lifetimeroofsystems.com

Education

Rock And Wall Landscape Northland Catholic Schools (816) 392-7262 rockandwalllandscape.com (816) 453-3450 stpiusxhs-kc.com Park University (888) 319-9522 park.edu/icm

Entertainment & Recreation 8708 N. Flintlock Rd. Kansas City, MO 64157

(816) 415-4303 www.wbu.com/libertymo BIRD FOOD • FEEDERS • GARDEN ACCENTS • UNIQUE GIFTS

40

Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

Weston Family Clinic & Medical Spa (816) 640-2762 wfcmedspa.com

Medical Clinics & Facilities Meritas Health (816) 691-2021 meritashealth.com

Mosaic Life Care Hot Spot Pools & Spas, LLC (800) 447-6820 mymosaiclifecare.org (816) 781-8884 libertyhottub.com Pediatric Care North (816) 587-3200 pediatriccarenorth.com

The Rob Ellerman Team Reece & Nichols Realtors (816) 304-4434 therobellermanteam.com Wolfe-Sweeney & Associates LLC (816) 746-2777 wolfesweeney.com

Senior Living & Services

McCrite Plaza at Briarcliff (816) 888-7930 mccritekc.com Senior Helpers (816) 455-9300 seniorhelpers.com

Specialty Shops Quilters Station (816) 525-8955 quiltersstation.com

Travel & Leisure The Elms Resort & Spa (800) 843-3567 elmshotelandspa.com

Live Where You Play!

8781 n. platte purchase drive kansas city, mo 64155 tel 816.587.3200 fax 816.587.7644 www.pediatriccarenorth.com

Susan L. Storm MD Laurie D. Riddell MD Ermalyn Kubart MD Stephanie A Marx MD Kathyrn Hauptmann MD Melissa J. Beard MD Stephanie R. Bays DO Heather J. Malone MD Kathleen Ballenger PNP Monica M. Leiker PNP

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Parting Thoughts

The Gallows Gourmet Words Rachel C. Murphy

I

t’s an old game that chefs play: If you could choose, what would your last meal be? I have extensive knowledge of this from watching hours of Anthony Bourdain and contemplating my answer. After years of eating, I’ve finally come up with a menu that, while not worth dying for, would be pretty memorable. It would be hard to source, since many of the dishes would be bathed in memory’s rosy light. It would be a lengthy affair, worthy of Thomas Keller or Ferrar Adria. Because if you’re going to go out, go out big.

First course: Every great meal should start off with a bang. My bang would be in the form of uni, or fresh sea urchin, plucked so recently from the sea that its spines still undulate. I first had it on a pier in Santa Barbara at a seafood festival. They cracked the shell and handed me a plastic spoon. With this rudimentary accoutrement, I tasted the brininess of the sea with an undercurrent of sweetness. It tasted like the ocean after a storm. My husband was thoroughly repulsed by both the uni and me for eating it while it was still dying. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Second course: Sometimes the simplest things are best. One of the best meals I have ever had started with a plate of beef carpaccio. It was at a small restaurant in Rome, where the walls were covered in yellowing photos of local celebrities. The beef was sliced thin enough to read through, drizzled with a nutty, rich olive oil and topped with the most peppery and perky arugula imaginable. But the crowning glory was the Parmesean. It was shaved in slices just thick enough to show the crystallization that comes with age and its saltiness paired perfectly with the other ingredients. There’s a reason some things aren’t cooked. Heat would have ruined all of the components on that plate in a vain effort to improve on what nature and artisans had already made perfect.

42

Northland Lifestyle | February 2015

Third course: Steak. It really is what’s for dinner. The steak in question is seared on a terra cotta plate, tableside, so that it is only as cooked as you want it. I am in Madrid, surrounded by friends and the steak sizzles and the aroma reaches my nostrils and the cool center reaches my tongue and there’s nothing else in the world but the salty, seared, soft texture of that steak.

Fourth course: My grandmother’s fried fish. This is a departure but when it comes right down to it and I’m about to die, then I want the crunchy cornmeal coating on a mysterious ‘white fish’ that an uncle caught at a lake in Florida. It’s not too salty, not too greasy. It’s even good cold. It’s even better accompanied by okra and squash fried in the same cornmeal coating. It’s not even made in the kitchen, but in a deep fryer on the carport so that the house doesn’t smell. It’s perfect and impossible to reproduce.

Fifth course: My jailors are probably irritated by now but they will live to eat another day, so I get my next course and savor it.

I am going European and putting my cheese course at the end. It is served on a blanket spread full of soft, unpronounceable goat cheeses, long aged gouda and rich, triple cream brie and camembert that oozes out of the shell unbidden. I’m on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower, with my husband and dear friends and nothing in the world can beat the texture of crisp crust, chewy bread and creamy cheese.

Final course: Here comes the chocolate, right? Wrong. Instead, I want to end as simply as I started. One ingredient, nothing added. It is a fresh passion fruit, yards away from where it was picked. Halved and cupped in my hands, it is the embodiment of everything that I love about Asia: it is tart, sweet and fragrant, making me salivate with every bite. As I scoop out the last of those juicy seeds, I am content.

Death may have the victory, but at least I had one last bite.

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