DECEMBER 2026
M A G A Z I N E
Concio care for your home
The Secret’s Out. Best Fest builds on unwavering inspiration
The winter concoction that keeps you warm Three non-profits making a difference
one-stop shopping for your home.
furniture • flooring • mattresses • appliances electronics • kinetico water systems 402.665.3151 2 | EDGE
erniesinceresco.com
Downtown Ceresco
I
believe everyone reading this will understand what I’m about to write. You know that idea that pops into your head and it just sticks there? It’s an inspiration that excites you, buzzes your cells and bubbles up in the middle of other thoughts, forcing you to pay attention to it, to expand upon it and plan how to bring it to life. That’s the inspiration that will not be denied. Sometimes we “win,” and let it go. But when it wins, it fulfills something innate–something that perhaps we were meant to do. It opens doors to opportunities beyond the original inspiration. There’s something to following your heart. You’ll read that in the Danielle Anderson story. At 10 years old, she needed to cook a loving meal for special people in her life. She needed to keep going and discovered her gift is sharing love through food. She happens to be the first surprise chef that shared a special meal with guests of Best Fest Season 2027, the inspiration/brainchild of Tay Westberry and Bill Sitzmann. They had the idea to share the gifts of incredible local chefs with appreciative Omaha patrons, and, despite a first attempt rain out, they’ve come back stronger, making sure their inspiration is not just alive, but on fire. If you like special, delectable food wrapped inside very cool experiences, this is that.
Wendy Wiseman Managing Editor
REACH US
Also in this issue, you’ll read about a student athlete inspired by giving a new sport a try – excelling at it to the scholarship level. You’ll read about an inspired holiday cocktail, and places “worth the haul” across town to get to out-of-the-ordinary inspired experiences. Take friends, and please tell your friends about EDGE Magazine, now in our 13th year of bringing delightful and enlightening stories of our community to life. We welcome new subscribers and story ideas!
2 | EDGE
We want to hear from you. Ideas, suggestions, compliments and critiques, send them to us at Wendy@OmahaPublications.com
Our cover features Tay Westberry. Co-creator of Best Fest and Best Fest season 2027 Read more on page 08.
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Refresh Refresh
INTERIOR DESIGN
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YOUR HOME NEEDS!
FURNITURE
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ART
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ACCESSORIES
I N T E R I O R S B YJ O A N . C O M OMAHA
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LINCOLN
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The holiday season reminds us that life's greatest gifts aren't things — they're the people, connections, and moments that make us feel at home. At Symphony Pointe, that spirit of togetherness lasts all year long. From meaningful friendships and family visits to shared laughter and everyday experiences, our community is a place where life's special moments are celebrated. Make room for more meaningful moments. Scan the QR code or call 402-502-8577 to schedule a visit and experience Symphony Pointe for yourself.
445 S 193rd St, Elkhorn, NE 68022 SymphonyPointe.com
INDEPENDENT LIVING
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ASSISTED LIVING
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MEMORY CARE DECEMBER 2026
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DECEMBER 2026 V O L U M E
M A G A Z I N E 1 4 ,
I S S U E
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EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Wendy Wiseman 402.884.2031 // Wendy@OmahaPublications.com
SALES EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT SALES & MARKETING Gil Cohen 402.612.9378 // Gil@ OmahaPublications.com
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Doug Meigs
ACCOUNT MANAGER Dave Trouba Dave@OmahaPublications.com
SENIOR EDITOR Natalie Veloso ASSISTANT EDITOR Lucy Mason EDITORIAL INTERN Allison Kibby CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Rachel Birdsall SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Renee Ludwick
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS & DEVELOPMENT Carole Sprunk 402.884.2056 // Carole@OmahaPublications.com BRANDING AND DIGITAL SPECIALISTS Greg Bruns Dawn Dennis Francine Flegg Sandy Matson Kim May Tim McCormack SENIOR SALES COORDINATOR Alicia Hollins
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Nickie Robinson
SALES COORDINATORS Jessica Linhart Sandi McCormack
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Joey Winton
OPERATIONS BUSINESS MANAGER Kyle Fisher
PHOTO JUSTIN BARNES Barnes Photography 402.304.6872
DIGITAL MANAGER Luis De La Toba
CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Sarah Lemke
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Carson Kruse PUBLISHER Todd Lemke ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Bill Sitzmann
Edge is published six times annually by Omaha Magazine, LTD, 5921 S. 118th Circle, Omaha, Nebraska, 68137. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, without permission in writing from the publisher. Although care has been taken to ensure the accuracy, completeness and reliability of the information provided, Edge assumes no responsibility therefore. Some sections of this issue were contributed by preferred partners. Contact us to become a preferred partner. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Edge Magazine, 5921 S. 118th Circle, Omaha, Nebraska, 68137
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NOW OPEN | HEARTWOOD PRESERVE
A New Destination for Refined Living Recently opened in Heartwood Preserve, B. Morton Design brings a full-service interior design showroom to a setting created for inspired living. From the first idea through the final layer, every detail is considered with a tailored, timeless point of view.
Have a project in mind? Scan our QR code: DECEMBER 2026
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CONTENTS 08
16
BUSINESS spotlight: Best Fest
22
VARSITY corner:
30
34
OUR inspiration:
40
6 | EDGE
Anna Real
local nonprofits
BUSINESS spotlight: Concio
OUR concoction:
32
OUR talent:
42
Green Onion Lounge
OEA Awards
WORTH the haul: four local events
OUR dining:
Chef Danielle Anderson
Anything but small talk. Listen to the official Omaha Magazine podcast now!
A Return A Return to the Art of the Chophouse
Elevate your Elevate your dining. dining.
thecommitteechophouse.com
thecommitteechophouse.com
DECEMBER 2026
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BUSINESS spotlight
A Season
of Surprise
8 | EDGE
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY BEST FEST/ FASTER DIGITAL STUDIOS DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK
Born of Omaha imagination, Best Fest Season 2027 pairs chefs, musicians and unexpected places in an experience that begins long before the first bite. Before there is a first course, there is a not-so-small act of faith.
Y
ou buy a seat at a dinner without knowing who will cook for you, what will be served, who the musician will be or where the evening will unfold. The location information arrives the morning of the event. Until then, you have anticipation—and the promise that someone has thought carefully about everything you cannot yet see.
M ETICULO US CARE GO ES I N TO P RE PARI N G PL AT ES .
For the 14 guests who attended the inaugural dinner of Best Fest Season 2027, the trusting path led to a barn. DECEMBER 2026
|9
BUSINESS spotlight Once inside, guests experienced ambiance far from what one would experience in a barn. The creators of the night spared no detail assuring the table setting, music and food were nothing short of an experience no one could even imagine when they bought their tickets. Chef Danielle Anderson was the season’s first surprise culinary storyteller, announced once guests arrived. EMCSHO was the surprise guest musician. From September to June, additional, monthly experiences are planned. Intimate, deliberately surprising encounters with gifted chefs and musicians in settings that amaze. Best Fest Season 2027 will culminate on July 31, 2027 at Heartwood Preserve in an event with all 10 chefs from the season. It is an ambitious undertaking, to say the least, but one with heart, born of inspiration that would not be denied. It all began in 2024, when Bill Sitzmann, then CEO of Omaha Magazine, was considering how the publication could connect with the community beyond the printed and digital pages. Events offered an opportunity to bring people together around the culture the magazine covered. But not just any events. Then he met Tay Westberry. Omaha’s own Foodie-DJ-Chef-Influencer. “There really isn’t much he can’t do, or imagine,” said Sitzmann. “I am inspired by passionate people.” Westberry started as a DJ at 12 years old at his sister’s party. “Being behind the microphone, programming the evening through music and seeing how people reacted hooked me,” he said. He stumbled upon videography by buying a GoPro at a pawn shop and playing around with it in iPhone Academy and eventually shooting music and food videos for himself and others, including Chef Joel Hassanali, Salted Edge restaurant’s Managing Partner. Loving cooking himself, Westberry leapt into high competition by appearing on Master Chef. “It taught me how to teach myself about cooking,” he said. He practiced cooking, he read about cooking and he experienced cooking in communities. 10 | E D G E
In particular, he was energized by a trip to New York City. There, he attended a ComplexCon Family Style food festival hosted by Keith Lee and came home thinking about what Omaha might create. When he and Sitzmann met up, Westberry’s proposal was direct: a food festival, but they instantly agreed: Like nothing that has ever been done before. Within a week, the vision had expanded. What if music and cooking shared the stage? What if chefs received the production quality, attention and theatrical presence usually reserved for performers? The possibilities kept multiplying. “Some people ‘phone it in,’ do a fourth of the idea,” Westberry said. “We do it 400%.” The first idea wasn’t 2027’s 10 monthly surprise experiences. It was Best Fest 2026 and it came together in four short months. This wasn’t bringing together restaurants under a festival banner with admission tickets. Sitzmann and Westberry assembled the A Team of tablescape designer, Rebecca Heinert, owner of Hosted by Beck, 402 Events owner Steve Finkle, videographer Austin Kernin, owner of Kernin Video and Sarah Lemke, Co-Founder and Director of FASTER. Sitzmann is the Principal and Co-Founder of FASTER and the Associate Publisher of Omaha Magazine. Together, they built a setting in which chefs would perform their craft in full view, on stages, supported by lighting, sound and working kitchens. Food and music would be part of the same experience, with the audience close enough to participate in its energy. Explaining that vision proved harder than imagining it. People naturally reached for something familiar: another food festival, another evening of sampling. Even participating chefs did not fully understand the scale until they arrived. “They were awestruck and felt very special,” Sitzmann commented. “That contributed to the energy.”
BEST F EST CRE ATES TH E WH O LE PICT U RE , A M BIA NCE COM PLEM ENT ING T HE M E A L .
DECEMBER 2026
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BUSINESS spotlight
LO CA L M US I CA L TA L ENT MAKES TH E N I GH T E N TE RTAI N I N G.
For chefs accustomed to working within their restaurants or food trucks, the change of setting offered a different kind of visibility. Their work was being presented as something worth watching closely. Westberry, who had cooked onstage before, recognized the feeling immediately. “This reminds me of being on MasterChef,” he thought. There were two flights planned for the evening last July that sold out at 200 guests. The experience began before guests reached the event. The team interviewed and videotaped the chefs at their restaurants, tracing their lives from childhood to the work they do today. Those video 12 | E D G E
stories were posted prior to the event and gave prospective guests a chance to meet the people behind the food. “Plates carry more meaning when diners understand something about the humans who create what’s on them.” Added Sitzmann. “I feel like I’m good at painting pictures for people.” Bringing the story to life took an extraordinary amount of work. There were kitchens to assemble, schedules to coordinate, equipment to arrange and daily problems to solve. Westberry remembers catching sleep in his car between obligations.
Then came the rain. Weather disrupted the second flight of the inaugural festival, leaving its organizers exhausted and disappointed. Yet the storm did not erase the response they had witnessed. People had seen enough to want more. Chefs and restaurants wanted more. The team felt it, too. Sitzmann admits that his own determination had an element of stubbornness. He could not leave the idea there. Neither could Westberry and the team who had helped build it.
ART O N A P L AT E IS T HE ORDER OF T HE NIG HT.
When they reconvened, the question became how to sustain that energy without waiting another year. Repeating the entire production immediately would be impractical. Their calendars were filling, and the scale of the undertaking was now unmistakable. But…smaller gatherings offered room to explore another part of the original vision: Exclusive, secret dinners. The idea had been there early on. Now it had space to develop. Best Fest became a season. The structure was simple enough to explain, even if its execution is anything but simple: 10 chefs, 10 months, 10 private dinners. Each chef is paired with a musician. Those pairings will return for the July, 2027 festival, allowing guests to follow the cast all season as it emerges. The first surprise dinner belonged to Anderson, whose introduction to Best Fest came through one of those personal connections that make Omaha feel smaller than its ambitions. Westberry’s hairstylist mentioned her work. He recognized Anderson from church, reached out and received an enthusiastic yes. Her dinner established the tone for what followed: exceptional care, a setting with its own character and the pleasure of encountering talent in an unfamiliar way. That sense of discovery extends to the total selection of chefs. DECEMBER 2026
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BUSINESS spotlight The organizers work with established names, but they are also interested in people whose work deserves a wider audience. During the inaugural season, Westberry brought in Chef Gerald of The Fifth Taste, adding the food-truck chef to a lineup that included restaurant and personal chefs. He had been following Gerald’s story and wanted to give that talent a platform. Best Fest Season 2027 offers an opportunity to reconsider where remarkable food comes from, and whose names diners ought to know. Much of the private dinners’ character rests with the people working beyond the kitchen. Finkle of 402 Events oversees logistics and event infrastructure, handling the practical requirements that make an unusual location workable. Heinert of Hosted by Beck creates the tablescapes and décor. Her process begins with the chef and the place. She interviews the chef, visits the location and develops a visual approach suited to both. The table becomes part of the story, shaped by the person cooking and the atmosphere surrounding the meal. Everyone on the team contributes across the operation, taking on the overlapping responsibilities that come with building something new. Their work gives each evening a coherence guests may feel without identifying every element behind it. The setting belongs with the food. The music belongs
14 | E D G E
BEST FEST 2026 WA S SOLD OU T W IT H 200 AT T ENDEES .
with the gathering. The details encourage people to understand how they are integral to the scene. “We want guests to feel this event,” Westberry said. The secrecy helps make that possible. With the chef, menu and location withheld, guests arrive without having mapped the entire evening in their minds in advance. They have agreed to be surprised. The organizers contact them about food allergies beforehand and provide practical guidance when a location or theme calls for particular clothing.
Tickets are $200 per person, sold online as each dinner becomes available. Dates are coordinated around the chefs and the demands of each event. Fourteen seats also create a particular social possibility. Guests can purchase tickets with friends, but Sitzmann hopes to preserve a mix of people rather than a table comprised of a single private group. Meeting others who share this sense of adventure is part of the invitation. It’s sharing the pleasure of discovery with someone
ed on Omaha relationships, Omaha talent and a willingness to believe our community would – and could – support something ambitious. It has proven it does, and that it wants more. That’s why there is room in the vision for more like partners. The team is seeking title sponsors and a protein partner that would have a particularly direct connection to the chefs’ work. Sponsorships extend across the dinners, filmed storytelling, ongoing releases and the culminating festival. This offers ground floor branding within an unfolding cultural project that promises to be big – and extendable.
who was a stranger an hour earlier. A dinner can become a brief community of its own, held together by curiosity and a willingness to participate. That intimacy gives the season its momentum. Each gathering stands alone, while also adding another name, another sound and another story to the festival ahead. The organizers are conservative about the claim of originality. Westberry has experienced other food events and long-table dinners around the country. What he has not encountered,
he says, is the same combination of elements at the scale and level of intention Best Fest provides. “With the elements that we’ve put into it, I haven’t seen anybody do this yet.” Its originality lives in the combination of chef storytelling, live performance, unexpected locations, designed environments and a season-long unveiling that connects intimate dinners to the larger, culminating celebration.
Somewhere in Omaha, another chef is preparing to share a story. A musician is becoming part of it. A place is being considered for what it will become once the lights, table and fare are prepared, and the honored guests arrive. Fourteen guests will buy their seats without knowing quite where they are going or how exquisite their experience will be. Best Fest Season 2027’s creators intend to make it worth their trust. For more information and to buy tickets, see BestFest.Faster-Studios.com
The inspiration may have come from an event in New York City, but its development has depend-
DECEMBER 2026
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BUSINESS spotlight
JASON AND ANGIE FISHER OUTSIDE THEIR HOME
Concio Brings 16 | E D G E
Yo u r h o m e, at a g lan ce. See yo u r h o m e’s h ealt h , u p co m i n g servi ces an d m ai n ten an ce n eed s i n o n e p lace.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CONCIO DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK
Concierge Care Home DECEMBER 2026
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BUSINESS spotlight
J
ason Fisher knows a thing or two about managing properties. As CEO and an owner of The Lund Company, he works in a business built around developing properties and taking care of buildings. He and his wife, Angie, also developed The Farnam hotel, part of the Autograph Collection,® where anticipating a guest’s needs is a major part of the experience. Yet when it came to their own home, the Fishers faced a surprisingly familiar, and revealing, problem. Their remodeling project meant finding good people, coordinating schedules, sorting through recommendations and keeping track of decisions. Finishing the project brought its own realization: contractors leave, but the responsibility for the house stays behind. There will always be another repair, another maintenance appointment, another question about what to do and who to call next. Fisher had thought about this dilemma and a possible solution for years. Around 2011, he explored whether the expertise available to commercial property owners could translate into a service for homeowners. “It would be amazing to hire trusted, quality service people to oversee my house,” he recalled, but the idea was a bit before its time for a few reasons. Still, it stayed with him.
A concierge for th e to-do list . Tel l Concio wh at your h ome needs, and we’l l take care of th e rest .
Now, with technology making logistics efficient and lockstep, and a stellar team assembled around the concept, Fisher has brought his vision to life in Concio, the home concierge service for Greater Omaha that pairs trusted, personal attention with a custom app designed to organize the details of home management. Whether a homeowner needs her furnace repaired, the exterior painted, chimney cleaned or someone to finally get to a long-delayed project, Concio provides the solution in the form of a trusted service professional, and more. While the immediate problem is finding that qualified person, the rest of the story lies in what assures that the work gets done right, on time and with a record. “That’s one of the things that sets Concio apart,” said Parter Jason Kaska, who developed the company’s technology and service approach. “Too often homeowners don’t have Your h ome’s details, al l togeth er. Keep equ i p m en t information, warranties, insurance p olicy, servi ce h i sto ry and p h otos at your finger tips.
18 | E D G E
a record of the work done – with specifics such as who did the work, when and how, and how much the work cost. Concio keeps that record for the homeowner.” He added that the ease of use in looking up home maintenance is helpful during the time someone lives in a home, and it’s also a history of home upkeep through the years, which is handy for resale. Concio is an affordable membership model. One that begins by homeowners “claiming” their homes by address on the site or app. Concio performs a professional home inspection that serves as the baseline for all things known about the home. They call it the Home Health Score. It becomes a guide to understanding priorities and turning that information into a managed plan.
K n ow w hat n e e d s at te nti on. Your Conc i o p rov i d e d p ro fe ss i onal home ins pe c tion re p o r t b ri n gs f i n d ings and re commended re p a i rs to ge t h er in one c lear v iew.
“It’s easier to get information about a used car than a pre-owned home,” said Kaska. “Concio changes that. With our app, we can point to an appliance’s serial number and store the information that comes up with that scan.” Concio also helps compile paper records like warranties and past receipts to store in the app. “This makes identifying and deploying the right service provider most efficient and appropriate.” The Concio concierge identifies the right provider, coordinates the work and follow through. The app keeps requests, updates and records accessible. For Fisher, that combination matters. “Technology made the original idea more practical, but personal service remains essential. We’re always going to have the people layer,” he said. Through it all, the homeowner still makes the decisions. Concio is that “right arm” resource that reduces the work required to make the decisions and it alleviates a lot of stress in the process. Plus, it helps get the work done. Too often, homeowners just put off what is a pain to manage. “We have done this because it became clear to me that owning a house does not automatically make someone an expert in its care,” added Fisher. Homes demand seasonal attention. Gutters fill. Heating and cooling equipment needs maintenance. Snow removal becomes far easier to arrange before a storm than during one. Fisher said Concio anticipates needs and prompts members ahead of time to get things done.
Real he l p whe n i t mat te rs . Conne c t w i th a me mb e r o f t he Co n ci o team w hen an urgent h o me i ss u e a ri se s , 24 / 7 and we’l l ge t on it . DECEMBER 2026
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BUSINESS spotlight For busy households, frequent travelers or snowbirds and homeowners who simply want fewer details to manage, recurring maintenance can consume more mental space than the actual appointment. That’s why Concio carries the responsibility and takes care of things when the homeowner greenlights the activity. The range of requests can be as varied as the homes themselves. Fisher recalled a member who had recently purchased a house and discovered birds coming and going through openings in the siding. The homeowner worked in commercial real estate, but that professional background did not mean he knew whom to call for this particular problem. Concio arranged for a service person to visit that same day and address the openings. It then occurred to the homeowner to ask about his sound system and the trouble he was having with the install. Concio connected him with expert help for that, too. In other words, they were the one source for two very different problems. And it doesn’t stop there. Concio is there in emergencies, too. Water in the basement? A bat in the house at midnight? The Concio concierge is there to deploy the right professional to help. Identifying who to help – across a spectrum of home maintenance areas – is one of Concio’s strengths because of how they started. It draws on Lund’s property management experience and established service relationships to build its network. Kaska said the company’s vetting considers factors such as insurance, business standing and background screening. The aim is to connect homeowners with professionals equipped to do the work. “We will also add a homeowner’s favorite landscaper, cleaner or repair professional to their home profile, incorporating their records, service history and receipts alongside home records,” added Fisher.
20 | E D G E
He sees Concio as building symbiotic relationships, not just with members. The company supports skilled independent tradespeople, too. “Someone may be excellent at masonry or electrical work while finding scheduling, invoicing and marketing more difficult. These people appreciate working with Concio because we take care of all that so they can focus on their trades,” Fisher said. Kaska said Concio does not retain a percentage of what service providers charge homeowners. The company’s revenue model is built around membership subscriptions. “Our member satisfaction is what drives us. When we secure good, quality service people, members win, stay for the long run and recommend us.” C
Fisher hasn’t stopped thinking about his home maintenance idea just because Concio is launched. He, Kaska and the Concio team are exploring future features that could use insurance-policy information to flag questions before work begins, and they’re having discussions with real estate professionals about helping new homebuyers make the transition. A new address comes with unfamiliar appliances and utilities, maintenance needs and questions that continue long after closing. “For many people, what they don’t have is time,” added Kaska. “But they are sitting on the largest investment of their lives that requires time and attention. Concio is a cost-effective way to save time and protect your investment.” The more ethereal promise is easy to understand. A home should be a place to gather, rest and enjoy the life happening inside it. Caring for that home will always take work. Concio is the partner taking care of that work. “We make homeownership easy,” he said.
M
Y
CM
MY
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CMY
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VARSITY corner
The Courage to Change Course When Anna Real runs, the world grows quieter
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN BARNES DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK
22 | E D G E
T
he questions loosen their grip. The “what ifs” fall away. There is simply the next step, then another, and the unexpected peace of knowing she is exactly where she wants to be.
A NNA RE A L IS A FFIRM ED IN HER DECISION TO PICK U P CROSS COU N T RY SHOES DECEMBER 2026
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VARSITY corner
“When I run, it gives my mind a break,” she says. “All that matters is just one foot in front of the other.” For the Elkhorn North High School senior, finding that feeling meant listening closely to herself—and changing a future she had spent years imagining. Since age five, Anna had been a soccer player. Her family is a soccer family. College visits and conversations pointed toward more of the same: another team, another field, another chapter in a familiar story. Running entered almost casually. Before her sophomore season, a friend encouraged her to join cross country. They could spend time together. She was already a good runner. Why not? Plus, running “on the side,” would be a way to stay fit for soccer in the off season.
24 | E D G E
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| 25
VARSITY corner
However, as she kept running, the balance shifted. She realized that soccer brought less joy than it once had. Always a leader on the team, including captain both junior and senior years, it just wasn’t fulfilling and the strain was affecting her mental health, she said. Cross country, on the other hand, offered something she recognized in both her body and her spirit: relief, belonging, room to breathe. She began to wonder what might happen if she gave running her full attention. Her parents, Julie and Joe, listened. That sounds simple, but for parents watching a child reconsider a lifelong commitment, it requires its own kind of courage.
26 | E D G E
focus into running, shaving minutes off her time in a short amount of time—a rare feat noticed by college scouts who reached out to Anna. “Talk about a shift in college visits!” said Julie. The most compelling was with Northwest Missouri State. Anna felt the most comfortable there—so much so, that she canceled a visit they were supposed to have the next week, and she committed to NWMS where she’ll compete in cross country and track starting fall, 2027. This is even more remarkable considering Anna’s first entrée into track will be this spring in high school. “Northwest Missouri State is taking a chance on me,” said Anna. “I’m not going to let them down.”
“We had big adult conversations around it all,” Julie said, including conversations about responsibility, finishing what one starts, and the teammates Anna worried about disappointing. They also talked about the importance of doing “what’s best for you, your mental health and what’s in your heart.” Julie said. “Sometimes saying no to things can be yeses to other things.”
While the college is a bit farther than she originally thought she would like to go, Anna has faith that her college team will provide a family of sorts. “What I like about cross country is the camaraderie,” she said. “Everyone wants everyone else to succeed and do their best. Maybe that’s one benefit of spending miles together.”
When Anna made her decision, anchored in her deep faith, she found the courage to be vulnerable and tell her team she was quitting soccer to focus on cross country. She was touched by the grace they gave her in their understanding and care for her as a person. With that, she put her
Julie got teary talking about Anna’s strength in living an important life lesson at such a young age. “God gave us this life to live to our fullest,” she said. “Anna’s courage in recognizing—and acting on—her gift, is inspiring to me. I cry every time she crosses that finish line. I always will.”
The Leading Edge of What’s Happening in West Omaha and Surrounds
M A G A Z I N
E
026 OCTOBER 2
EDGE Magazine is a refreshing take on the human interest stories that keep us connected. Written, designed and produced with quality and care, subscribing is free. What readers gain is priceless.
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MY concoction
Best of Omaha winning bartender
Mandy Schulte shares her bartending philosophy
M
y philosophy is simple: Nobody goes out hoping to have a bad time. People walk through those doors for all kinds of reasons, and I love figuring out what they need in that moment. Sometimes it’s a great drink, sometimes it’s a laugh, sometimes it’s just feeling seen. For me, bartending has never been about following recipes. It’s about making connections and creating something personal. For the past decade, I’ve had a group of girls who come in every Saturday and challenge me with literally any word. My brain starts connecting that word to colors, flavors, feelings and ingredients, and somehow it becomes a cocktail. We taste it, rate it and name it. We’ve created over 500 drinks together!
JAN 28 2027 6:30PM
JAN 29 2027 6:30PM
JAN 30 2027 2:00PM
OPERAOMAHA.ORG/PIGEON
The Rose Theater
It’s not really about what’s in the glass. It’s about the people on the other side of the bar and giving someone an experience they didn’t even know they needed. For Mandy’s Concoction see next page. DECEMBER 2026
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MY concoction
Green Onion Lounge 402.333.2236 11414 Davenport St
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN BARNES 30 | E D G E
1
What you need: • 1 oz Shanky’s Whip Whiskey • 1 oz Crown Salted Caramel
• 1 oz Patron XO Cafe • Top with 5 oz coffee • Whipped cream
5
steps
2 Pour 1 oz Shanky’s Whip Whiskey into a heat-safe coffee mug.
Add 1 oz Crown Salted Caramel, 1 oz Patrón XO Café and a lotta love.
3
to the perfect cocktail THE BAR: Green Onion Lounge THE BARTENDER: Mandy Schulte THE DRINK: The Naughty List
4
5
Top with 5 oz freshly brewed hot coffee, stir gently to blend everything together.
Finish with a generous swirl of whipped cream. Serve with love and indulge. DECEMBER 2026
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WORTH THE HAUL
31
DEC.
THE HOLIDAY LIGHTS FESTIVAL NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR
THE RIVERFRONT 900 Farnam St #100 theriverfrontomaha.com
6 PM start • 7 PM fireworks
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
4-20
DEC.
OMAHA COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE OmahaPlayhouse.com
By Charles M. Schulz, based on the television special.
32 | E D G E
27-3
HOLIDAY LIGHTS NOV.
JAN.
Festive fun for all ages to experience nature in a new light. Colorful installations, floral displays and of course, Santa every day!
LAURITZEN GARDENS
100 Bancroft Street 5-9 PM LauritzenGardens.org
28-29 FLOWER FESTIVAL AT THE CATHEDRAL
SAINT CECILIA Cathedralartsproject.org
JAN.
The 40th year of local floral designers and musicians joining together for a burst of color amid the still of winter. DECEMBER 2026
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OUR inspiration
A Place to Be Okay With Not Being Okay CE O L IN DSE Y R AI KORTAN
PHOTOS BY RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK
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L
indsey Rai Kortan had already said no to
“I have to do this for
the job. She agreed only to a tour.
my mom,” she recalled thinking. “I have to pay this forward.”
Then she met a mother and her little girl at the Ronald McDonald House in Omaha, and a professional decision became personal. Raised by a single mother, Kortan had spent stretches of her childhood hospitalized with breathing problems. She remembered the oxygen tents, the fluorescent lights and the smell. Most of all, she remembered the mother who helped her through it.
Fourteen years later, for the now CEO, that moment has grown into a conviction about what families need when a child becomes seriously ill: somewhere safe to land, people who understand and support that reaches beyond a bed for the night.
Ronald McDonald House Omaha welcomes 40 families at a time whose children need medical care unavailable in their hometowns. Some travel across Nebraska; others arrive from elsewhere in the country or the world. Their children may need transplants, cancer treatment or other specialized care. The hospitals provide medical treatment. Ronald McDonald House helps families manage everything surrounding it. That means meals, a place to stay and connections to resources. It also means recognizing that a parent, a sibling and a patient each experience the same crisis differently. “We lead with kindness. We lead with compassion,” Kortan said. Staff members receive training in trauma-informed care and difficult conversations. Community partnerships extend that support: Completely KIDS provides tutoring, while volunteers prepare dinners and other organizations bring activities to the House.
The goal is to help families navigate the emergency while building skills and finding resources they can use after returning home. Food insecurity, financial strain and other difficulties do not disappear simply because a child needs treatment. Equally valuable are the relationships families form with one another. A parent facing an unfamiliar diagnosis may find understanding from someone navigating a similar experience just down the hall. “We create this space where it’s okay to not be okay,” Kortan said. That sense of belonging is intentional. Staff members work within the home where families live, keeping daily decisions connected to the people they serve. Kortan also emphasizes supporting employees so they can remain steady and present for families enduring stress.
ilies staying in the House. Families may contribute a suggested $25 per night, but payment is optional. Inability to pay does not prevent a stay. For donors and volunteers, the invitation to contribute extends well beyond the holidays. Children need treatment throughout the year, and their families need dinner, rest, companionship and reassurance on ordinary Tuesdays as much as on Christmas Eve. Kortan’s inspiration has evolved from honoring her mother to creating her recent revelation that her inspiration now is dependable refuge for others. “We help provide strength to people whose personal reserves are pretty depleted,” she said. Sometimes that strength begins with something as simple, and as essential, as a hug and warm meal.
As an independent nonprofit, the Omaha organization makes decisions for its community. Donations remain here, supporting the fam-
DECEMBER 2026
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OUR inspiration
AT
16, Carla Rizzo joined her mother at work and found a community where she knew she could make
a difference.
Her mother worked at what was then Camp Fire Girls, now Completely KIDS. Rizzo came to volunteer. What held her attention was the feeling of the place: family-oriented, welcoming and focused on what children could become. Through the years of high school and college and after, Rizzo held positions at the organization, rising to CEO five years ago. Rizzo still draws inspiration from the connection she originally felt. The work has expanded considerably since those early days, but her “why” remains rooted in family. An Omaha native, she speaks about being a daughter and a mother as naturally as she speaks about leading an organization. They inform one another. “My family is everything to me,” she said. Motherhood has sharpened her sense of what every child deserves. Watching her own children grow, she sees opportunities that should be within reach for other children, too: a chance to explore art and science, play sports, learn life skills and have a trusted adult to talk to when life feels overwhelming. Not to mention the basics, like not going hungry. Children cannot be fully present at school, or in after school activities, when they are hungry. Parents cannot sustain regular work without safe, dependable childcare. Teenagers preparing for adulthood need room to discover abilities and opportunities to practice applying them in the real world. The organization responds through after-school and summer programming, providing meals and weekend food, mental health services and those opportunities for teens to build job skills. Parents and caregivers can access GED preparation, English-language classes and financial education while gaining community connections. 36 | E D G E
Rizzo has been a part of providing what children and families need through her long career at Completely KIDS. “It’s never been static,” she said. “We keep our ear to the ground and let the families, staff, our community and the economy drive what we provide. We offer sewing classes for parents, a new podcast studio for teens and a wide swath of many other programs in between.” At least annually, staff members ask families what they need to succeed, then seek partnerships and resources to respond. That listening reflects Rizzo’s belief that families should define their own aspirations. Her commitment also appears in small, yet hugely impactful, decisions. Reading Buddies volunteers are encouraged to make an ongoing commitment because children need relationships they can count on. Weekend food packs are made available on Thursday and Friday to work with family schedules and to anticipate weather conditions that, in the past, have precluded food from getting to the home for weekend sustenance altogether. “We learn as we grow with our families,” added Rizzo. These types of modifications are endemic to Completely KIDS. The organization, from its core founding in 1920, has seen many transformations–all to match the needs of the community. Today, the impact is greater than ever, serving 3,400 school-aged children and their families with more than 40,000 services per year at their buildings on St. Mary’s Avenue and in schools. Rizzo’s dedication and vision is clear. “When we give families what they need to help their children grow up safe and strong and when we contribute to parents’ solid employment, we strengthen our community,” she said. It’s a role that’s been in her heart since the first day she walked in.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY COMPLETELY KIDS DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK
Where Her Heart Belongs
CE O CARL A RI Z Z O
DECEMBER 2026
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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY RADIUS DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK
CE O N I CK J ULI AN O
E
Keeping Our Children Close to Home
ven as he worked to put
By providing intensive, trauma-in-
students earn credits that transfer to
his own life back together, one young man at RADIUS showed concern for his mother and younger brothers at home. He was eager to finish his job training and start earning money to help them. During family visits, he pulled his brothers aside and encouraged them to avoid the choices that had put him into the juvenile justice system and RADIUS.
formed services close to home and actively engaging families throughout treatment, RADIUS strengthens the relationships and support systems that are critical to reducing recidivism and promoting long-term success.
their home schools. Family work begins on day one, continues throughout a typical eight- or nine-month residential stay, and extends beyond that. Visits, approved time at home, job training and community outings help the residents practice what they learn in our community.
For Nick Juliano, President and CEO of RADIUS, this story reveals something easily overlooked when a child is defined by a court record that can gloss over that child’s humanity – their concern for others, sense of responsibility and potential worth nurturing. RADIUS, which opened in 2023, serves court-appointed boys ages 12 to 18 whose complex needs and law violations can make finding local services for them difficult. “RADIUS exists to honor the humanity of each young person and keep them connected to family and community,” said Juliano. Before RADIUS, these boys were sent hundreds of miles from home for treatment, making successful reentry more difficult. 38 | E D G E
The RADIUS vision was brought to life by philanthropists, juvenile court and probation leaders, healthcare professionals and people with firsthand experience in the system. Now in its third operating year, Juliano, who spent 23 years at Boys Town before being compelled by the vision to come lead RADIUS, believes this program is the only one of its kind in the nation, a prime example of the power of Omaha’s public-private partnerships. Donors funded the $26.2 million project before construction began. Continued giving helps cover the difference between state reimbursement and the actual cost of care. The facility accommodates 24 residents in three living suites for eight each. The suites, situated on an acre of outdoor recreation space, have individual bedrooms and shared living rooms. An on-site school helps
A neighboring Charles Drew Health Center location provides healthcare, mental healthcare and substance use treatment. Because the clinic also serves the public, residents can continue seeing familiar providers after leaving the program. “What we’re doing at RADIUS,” said Juliano, “is making a difference in the juvenile justice system, but far beyond that, we’re making a difference for the Omaha community.”
OUR inspiration
DECEMBER 2026
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OUR Talent
Giving Omaha Talent
Center Stage
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DEBRA KAPLAN DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK
40 | E D G E
W
hen you think of great performers and performances, it’s easy to think of Broadway in New York City and other grand stages and venues across the country, but Omaha deserves a place at the top of the list. Omaha is rich with talented performers and creators and the Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards
(OEAA) honors them every year. This year’s celebration is Sunday, February 21st where awards will be given in music, visual arts and performing arts categories. Behind the celebration is a volunteer-run nonprofit with a straightforward purpose: give local creativity the attention it deserves. The annual ceremony offers an occasion to thank the people whose work gives Omaha its cultural character.
That idea took shape in 2006. After months of collaboration and planning, the first awards show took place in January of 2007 at the Holland Performing Arts Center and established the tradition that has continued across two decades. The organization’s history also reflects an expanding understanding of artistic achievement. At its ninth annual show, OEAA introduced separate technical awards, recognizing contributions such as prop design, choreography and sound engineering. The distinction matters. A theater audience may leave humming a melody or discussing an actor’s performance. The experience depends as much on the performers as on the talent behind the scenes who build the world around that performance. Recognizing their work makes the collaborative nature of the arts more visible. It also invites audiences to consider the many individual decisions and specialized skills that contribute to a memorable night out. The performing arts categories reflect that breadth. Alongside musicals, dramas and comedies are honors for directing, acting, dance, performance, poetry and comedy ensembles. Lighting, props, scenery, costumes, sound, choreography and music direction receive recognition, too. An award for the premiere of a new, original, local script acknowledges the creation of work here at home.
Music receives similarly expansive treatment. Categories encompass rock, country, Americana and folk, R&B, soul, hip-hop, blues and jazz, among other styles. Recognition also extends to DJs, cover bands, recording studios and live music sound engineers. Together, those categories acknowledge both the variety of Omaha’s listening experiences and the expertise needed to bring music to an audience. In visual arts, this year’s categories include photography, two-dimensional and three-dimensional work, new media, public art, and solo and group exhibitions. Honors for emerging and youth artists sit alongside broader recognition of artistic accomplishment. The result is a picture of a community developing new voices while continuing to celebrate established talent. The selection process begins with audiences. Public nominations are reviewed by committees that check eligibility before finalists advance to academy voting. According to OEAA’s guidelines, nominees must reside within 100 miles of the Omaha metropolitan area, giving the awards a regional reach. Academy members include established artists, industry professionals and cultural journalists. That structure gives the public a role in identifying work worth considering, followed by evaluation from people engaged in the arts.
The categories themselves receive regular scrutiny. Organizers review them after each nomination season, considering changes in artistic activity and the public’s submissions. It is a practical acknowledgment that a creative community keeps moving, and the awards must remain attentive to it. OEAA’s work also includes showcases and community engagement beyond the annual ceremony. Its all-volunteer board helps sustain the organization, while the gala creates a shared occasion for people whose creative lives and those who appreciate the arts may otherwise unfold in different venues and circles. For audiences, that gathering offers a wider view of what is happening adjacent to the genre they enjoy most. Someone drawn to theater may discover a musician. A gallery regular may encounter a performance poet. The awards provide a starting point for exploring more of the cultural life so readily in reach in Omaha and surrounds. When the envelopes open in February, individual achievements will take center stage. Collectively, they will tell a larger Omaha story: a city rich in people who create, interpret, experiment and entertain—and a community that enthusiastically gathers each year to applaud them. For more on the OEAA Awards and to buy tickets, see OEAA-Awards.org.
DECEMBER 2026
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OUR dining
DA N I E L L E A N D E R S O N D O E S N ’ T S E RV E O R D I N A RY C H I C K E N .
A Place
at Her Table
D 42 | E D G E
For Danielle Anderson, a memorable meal begins with making people feel loved. anielle Anderson was 10 years old when she decided two people she loved deserved a night off.
they readily accepted. She prepared for them shrimp scampi and fettuccine Alfredo, her interpretation of her own favorite Red Lobster meal.
The family friends she called her aunt and uncle had young children. Anderson announced to them that she was giving them a date night, which
At that young age, Danielle wasn’t imagining a business. She was thinking about what would make someone else happy.
THE SECRET’S IN THE SAUCE…AND IN THE LOVE OF SERVING.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DANIELLE ANDERSON DESIGN BY RENEE LUDWICK
DECEMBER 2026
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OUR dining
C O L O R M A K E S T H E P L AT E B E A U T I F U L A N D E N H A N C E S T H E TA S T E .
44 | E D G E
Years later, that instinct remains at the heart of Rene’ Christian, her private dining business. Anderson brings meals, thoughtful details and a sense of occasion into people’s homes, giving hosts the chance to enjoy the gathering alongside their guests.
er, introducing women from different parts of her life who didn’t know each other, but whom she thought should. She understands how difficult making friends can be in adulthood, when schedules fill and opportunities to connect grow scarce.
“For me, cooking is an expression of love,” she said
An evening of dinner and salsa dancing inspired another invitation: Come over. I’ll cook. We won’t have to rush.
Her education began with curiosity, the Food Network and an appetite for figuring things out. She tasted dishes, tried recreating them and practiced unfamiliar techniques. There were phases along the way, including an ambitious stretch of baking and cake decorating.
Her friends had no idea what she had planned. For a gathering in 2022, Anderson erected a tent on her parents’ acreage, assembled an outdoor kitchen and hand-constructed pallets into tables. She sewed the cushions, added drapery and lights, printed
One of her earliest cakes took the shape of a sewing machine. An apparel design major in college, Anderson made it to celebrate graduation with her girlfriends. She even fashioned tiny gum paste replicas of each of her guests’ dresses from their senior fashion show.
menus and prepared a multicourse dinner. She even made personalized cups and little gifts for her guests.
The ingredients were different from fabric and thread, but her attention to detail carried over.
The women’s reactions gave that vision a purpose. They laughed, danced and…they cried. One friend told Anderson she had never experienced anything like it. They felt loved. They could relax and be present with one another.
That creativity traveled with her the decade after college, when her then-husband’s professional basketball career took them to different places. Anderson cooked for his teammates and the people they met, preparing Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for a dozen or more hungry athletes. “I wanted to make everywhere we traveled feel like home,” she said.
She was six months pregnant. Her mother, a carpenter, pointed out that they could have built the tables without starting with pallets. Anderson had a vision, though, and she was determined to bring it to life.
That, Anderson realized, was what she wanted to offer the world. Turning the idea into a business required another kind of persistence. After an initial grant application was denied, she worked with the Small Business Development Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha to strengthen her appeal, and her plan. She applied again and received funding. Mentorship from nationally known chef Lisa Brooks helped her refine menus and services.
After returning to Nebraska, she began bringing girlfriends togeth-
DECEMBER 2026
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OUR dining C H O O S I N G T H E R I G H T F O O D PA I R I N G S I S P L E A S I N G TO T H E PA L AT E .
Today, she has a defined cooking style called, “refined Southern comfort.” Both of her parents are from West Virginia, and soul food shaped her childhood. Travel expanded her interests, inspiring Mediterranean, Italian and Pan-Asian menus alongside Southern favorites. Her aim is to transport guests through food while keeping them comfortably at home. People reserve a meal at their home where Anderson brings the food, the cooking equipment and more depending on the package they pick. Planning starts with questions about how her clients want the evening to feel. Anderson considers colors, napkins, flatware and the atmosphere around the table. Depending on the client’s choice, she supplies the dishes and finishing touches, including personalized acrylic place cards that become keepsake keychains – at this time. Anderson’s mind is always working, so the next keepsake idea is sure to be bubbling up. “I really want people to feel like they’re guests in their own home,” she said.
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There are candlelit dinners for two, brunches and dinner parties. Her “Savor and Create” offerings pair food with canvas or pottery painting, giving friends another reason to gather. She also teaches cooking lessons. Behind those experiences is a mother building a business around the life she values, and that’s raising her children as a present and inspiring Mom. Her children, Jalen and Aniyah, share their middle names with the business: Christian and Rene’. She homeschools her son three days a week through a hybrid program. A Bellevue West graduate and former Nebraska track athlete, Anderson also spent six years coaching high school track. She credits her family and friends, particularly her friend and sous chef, Morisha Brown, with encouragement and the practical support that is bringing her vision to life. Anderson teared up talking about how much it means having her with her on the journey. It’s a journey to spread love, born of the impulse that once sent a 10-year-old into the kitchen to make shrimp scampi… someone deserves something special.
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You don’t know where you’re going. You don’t know who’s cooking.
Location drops the day of the event. The chef stays secret until you sit down. SCAN FOR TICKETS
DECEMBER 2026
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