Jan/Feb 09 - Omaha Magazine by Omaha Magazine

Your invitation to omaha’s charitY and societY scene. Page 75

Faces • style • Home • events • art • Dining

Looking Great Feeling Great High Class and High Sass

FACES:

Pat Drickey Anne Thorne Weaver

VARIOUS AND SUNDRY:

The Celebuspawn Picture War

Results

InsIde!

She’s pursuing dreams of dancing and achieving dreams of walking. Samantha Binning of Kansas City, Missouri, was born with osteogenesis imperfecta causing bones so brittle, they would break with even the slightest movement. As an infant, she came to Children’s Hospital in Omaha, known nationally for medical treatments that free children from much of the pain and immobility of OI. At Children’s, Dr. Paul Esposito and a skilled team of specialists aligned her bowed and fragile limbs with surgically adjustable rods that grow with her, stopping the cycle of painful fractures and casts. Now, at age four, Samantha has begun to walk. We see it as a big step toward making

her dreams come true.

Visit ChildrensOmaha.org for information on how Children’s Hospital can help your child. For a pediatrician, family physician or pediatric specialist, call 1.800.833.3100.

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Women’ s

H e a lt H

Ca r e

Methodist Health System

Making women’s health care a priority “Hospital visits and stays can be stressful for Throughout Methodist Health System— everyone in the family, so we’ve put a great deal of Methodist Hospital, Methodist Physicians Clinic thought into the details and amenities that make and Jennie Edmundson Hospital—attention is a hospital experience more pleasant,” Korth said. being paid to wellness for women in many different Full-size rooms were constructed at Methodist ways. One of the most palpable examples of this replicating the same floor plans, requisite initiative is the construction of an entire hospital equipment and décor as the patient rooms in the and campus dedicated expressly to women’s care. new hospital. Doctors, nurses, staff and patients Building is currently under way at 192nd & were then invited to tour the rooms and provide West Dodge Road for Methodist Women’s Hospital, feedback on feasibility, ergonomics, comfort level— the first hospital of its kind in the region. The anything and everything that might affect patient 74 obstetric and gynecologic physicians and care. Their responses are helping to shape the three nurse midwives, who currently practice at hospital stays of future patients because a positive Methodist Hospital, are already slated to move experience will often result in a positive outcome. to the new facility. Heading up the new hospital All patient rooms in the Methodist Women’s is the energetic and highly focused chief operating Hospital will be private, with necessary equipment officer, Susan K. Korth, Ph.D. and apparatus on-hand, The new but out-of-sight. Some COO’s rooms, such as those professional reserved for high-risk and academic pregnancy patients, will credentials feature accommodations make her closely resembling studio uniquely apartments. qualified A Level IIIA Neonatal for the job, Intensive Care Unit but it is her (NICU) will help creative and Rendering of the new Methodist Women’s Hospital at alleviate the metropolitan well-reasoned 192nd & West Dodge Road area’s shortage of beds for approach to at-risk babies. In addition to maternity services, the this undertaking that is most compelling. new women’s hospital will provide a full range of “I want to go beyond the confines of ‘what’s been gynecological services for women of all ages. done’ and make ‘what can be’ something tangible,” The new hospital will offer both men and Korth said. women a host of outpatient diagnostics, while the 84th Street campus will continue to provide the core major services of cardiac and cancer care. Many green spaces have been planned for the campus, including a rooftop living garden. The garden will feature easy access for hospital beds, providing patients on mandatory bed rest a much-needed change of venue. The goal of the Methodist Women’s Hospital Dr. Korth and her staff are working tirelessly is to provide excellence in personalized, familyto implement innovations that will benefit centered care through education and creative patients and personnel alike. They join colleagues practice. Korth and her team intend to deliver throughout the system in championing wellness for on that goal. They’ve begun by looking at every women and making Methodist Health System the aspect of care in the new facility through the eyes leader in women’s health. n of the patient.

“I want to go beyond the confines of ‘what’s been done’ and make ‘what can be’ something tangible.”

For more information, visit www.bestcare.org.

Chief Operating Officer of the new Methodist Women’s Hospital

About Susan K. Korth Susan K. Korth has over 20 years of clinical and medical management experience, including five years at Methodist Hospital as a clinical supervisor in high-risk OB/GYN. Korth earned a bachelor’s degree in Health Administration from the College of St. Francis, a bachelor’s in nursing from the College of St. Mary, a master’s degree in Public Health Administration from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate in Health Care Administration from Pacific Western University. She joined Methodist from Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, where she worked in quality improvement. “I’ve been looking forward to a challenge like this since I began working in women’s health care. It’s a privilege to work with such an inspiring team.”

INtHisISSUE features Cover story .................................. 28 BEST OF OmAHA RESULTS!

feature ........................................... 26 Pet Project: Forever Homes for Furry Friends

feature ............................................ 70 Labor of Love: Foster Parenting

feature ....................................... 101 Looking Great Feeling Great

feature ....................................... 113

Page 75 Project Kindle

depar tments for starters ............................................................... 8 This is Omaha

Calendar ..................................................................... 10 omaha faCes ............................................................... 16 Anne Thorne Weaver

omaha home

At Home With: Colleen and Ted Hubbard ............................. 21 Transformations ................................................................ 107

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Gala .............................................................................. 75 Letter from Corey Ross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 Gala Cover Story: Girls Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Behind the Mic: Cat Cora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 The Scoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Galas, etc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 The Joslyn’s Diego Rivera Exhibition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Children’s Hospital’s Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Omaha Symphony’s Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Opera Omaha’s Wine Seller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 The Durham Museum’s Sentimental Journey . . . . . . . . . . . .94 MS Society’s Wine Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Bemis Art Auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Omaha Children’s Museum’s Great Friends to Kids Luncheon 96 YWCA Partners Guild Luncheon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 Alegent Health Foundation’s Jewels of Autumn . . . . . . . . .97 Arthritis Foundation’s Wine ‘Til’ Nine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Clarkson Service League’s Santa’s Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

You’ll instantly see NP Dodge’s latest technology to search for any homes listed in our area. Using your web-enabled mobile phone or handheld WiFi device, access your internet browser and type in:

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Scroll through the links to: • See all photos and details for any house listed by any company in the metro area. • Find your NP Dodge Agent with one click and view all of their listings. • Check out New Listings as they enter the market. • View dates and times for all upcoming NP Dodge Open Houses.

transformations

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omaha art ......................................... 110 Joey Lynch, screen printer

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Mystery Reviewer: Upstream Brewing Company ...... Restaurant Guide .......................................... Chef Profile: ...............................................

115 117 125 various and sundry ........................... 126 The Celebuspawn Picture War

at home with

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january/february | 2009

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contributing writers

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d Boo r ian Fle arle y & B Ke ythe F ics by d Lyr Mu sic an O’Keefe Laurence

Story an

mming

February 20 through March 29, 2009

b y No

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January 23 through February 15, 2009

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january/february | 2009

Omaha

This is

"KEYSTONE LIGHT FIGHT NIGHT PRESENTS"

OMAHA’S GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

AT MID-AMERICA CENTER

“THE HARDEST HITTING TICKET IN TOWN”

Dustin Talacko has a vision to bring back Omaha’s Golden Gloves glory days. “Twenty years ago they used to sell out the Civic for the Gloves and now they would be lucky to get 300 people. Our goal is to restore the prominence of boxing back in Omaha and really build this into the hub for amateur boxing at a national level. Our five-year plan is to turn Omaha into the Las Vegas of the Midwest for amateur boxing. In the process, this will be a constant revenue stream for these starving gyms which keep the kids off the streets, out of gangs and out of trouble.” January 10 is the start of the Golden Gloves Championship Series with a Country Theme Showdown. Fight fans will be treated to pre-bout country artist entertainment and special amusements throughout the evening. General admission tickets are $10 and ringside VIP seats are $35. Fans can purchase ringside VIP tables in the first three rows: first row, $275, second row, $250, third row, $225. Doors open at 6 p.m. and bouts start at 7:05. The Championship Series continues February 13 with the Attack at the Mac with a Friday the 13th Theme. For more information or tickets, contact the 91 Rounds Productions hotline (402) 5781749. Tickets are also available through Ticketmasters at (402) 422-1212.

On January 23, 2009, patrons will have the opportunity to bid on dates with eligible Nebraska bachelors SATURDAY and bachelorettes while fighting Lou Gehrig’s disease at the ALS Bachelor Bachelorette Charity Auction. Each of the eligible bachelors and bachelorettes has put together valuable date packages for what promEXHIBITION HALL | 1 ARENA WAY | COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA ises to be a spirited evening of live bidding. Omaha Magazine writer John Carroll is one of the volunteer bachelors. (See his Various and Sundry article, DOORS OPEN AT 6:00 1ST BOUT 7:05 page 126). Amanda Mueller, KPTMTICKET INFORMATION (402) 578-1749 42 TV anchor, is one of the volunteer bachelorettes. Mueller’s date package is a ski GENERAL ADMISSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10 vacation for two to Jackson RINGSIDE SEAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35 Hole, Wyoming! The winner of Mueller’s package will stay THIRD ROW RINGSIDE TABLE (BRONZE) . . . . . . . . $225 in a cowboy-style guesthouse SECOND ROW RINGSIDE TABLE (SILVER) . . . . . . . $250 where the buffalo roam, hit the slopes of Jackson Hole FIRST ROW RINGSIDE TABLE (GOLD). . . . . . . . . $275 Mountain Resort during the day, take a snowmobile trip to Granite Hot Springs for a gourAmanda Mueller, ALS Bachelor/ met lunch and enjoy first-class

JANUARY 10 2009 TH

Golden Gloves Championship Series

MID-AMERICA CENTER

PREMIUM AMATEUR BOUTS

TICKETS

ENTERTAINMENT

LIVE COUNTRY MUSIC OMAHA BEEF PRIME DANCERS

Bachelorette Auction

january/february | 2009

A 91 ROUNDS EVENT

dining at many of Jackson Hole’s finest restaurants. The ALS Bachelor Bachelorette Charity Auction will be held at the Embassy Suites LaVista from 6 – 10 p.m. Tickets are available at the website, www.alsbb.com. Single-ticket price is $100, couple tickets for $175, table of ten, $800 and a patron ticket is $500. ALS in the Heartland’s mission is to serve as a resource to ALS patients, their families, friends and caregivers by enhancing the quality of life of all people affected by ALS. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affective nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed. Event emcees are Miss Nebraska Micaela Johnson and Tommy O from 101.9 radio. Gardening is America’s #1 activity, according to Michael Mancuso, president of Mid-America Expositions, producers of the Omaha Home & Garden Expo. The 43rd Annual Home & Garden Expo is coming to the Qwest Center Omaha Thursday, February 19 and continues through Sunday, February 22. Billed as the largest home and garden event in the Midwest, the Omaha Home & Garden Expo features exhibitors catering to the public looking to build, remodel, decorate and landscape. Visitors can browse displays of gardens, ponds and waterfalls. Master Gardeners and garden clubs showcase also participate. This year’s celebrity lineup includes Melinda Myers and Charlie Nardozzi. Melinda Myers is Host of “Melinda’s Garden Moments” seen on KPTM, PBS’s “Great Lakes Gardener”, and Author of “Month by Month Gardening in Nebraska” Book. Myers will present at the Omaha Home & Garden Expo on Thursday. Melinda Myers, best known for her gardener friendly and practical approach to gardening, She hosts the PBS television program, “Great Lakes Gardener”, seen on PBS sta-

ORIGINAL, CONTEMPORARY ART

Compiled by Sandy Lemke

tions throughout the U.S. She hosts the “Melinda’s Garden Moments” TV segments, which air on network television stations throughout the U.S, including on KPTM-TV in Omaha. Additionally, she hosted “The Plant Doctor” radio program for over 20 years. She recently published the Month by Month Gardening in Nebraska Book. Charlie Nardozzi of the National Garden Association is Co-Author of several “Gardening For Dummies” Books and former host of PBS’s “Garden Smart”. Nardozzi will present at the Omaha Home & Garden Expo on Saturday and Sunday. Charlie Nardozzi has been bringing expert gardening information to home gardeners through radio, television, and the printed word for 20 years. He delights in making gardening information simple, fun, and accessible to everyone. He’s the former host of Garden Smart on PBS-TV; has been a guest expert on shows on HGTV, DIY, and the Discovery Channel. For 12 years he was an editor with National Gardening magazine, writing stories on a variety of gardening topics from roses to tomatoes. He has written for national magazines such as

The

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Charlie Nardozzi, 43rd Annual Omaha Home and Garden Expo

Organic Gardening and contributed to many of the Gardening for Dummies titles, authoring Vegetable Gardening For Dummies in 1999. He also contributed to other book projects such as 7 in 1 Gardening for Dummies and the Better Homes and Gardens’ Yard and Garden Owner’s Manual. He presently is the senior horticulturist and spokesperson for the National Gardening Association (NGA). He also writes the national news for the Regional Reports Newsletter, conducts media interviews about gardening and NGA, and provides horticultural consultation to NGA programs. www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

calendaR of events

www.visitomaha.com

Compiled by Sandy Lemke tion with restyling and reinventing dance movements . It has been featured in popular cultural outlets including the movie, “10”, video games, and the Olympics . 1200 Douglas . www .omahaperformingarts .org 1/16 - 1/18: River City Hunting & Fishing Expo. Mid-America Center . www .rivercityexpo .com One Arena Way, Council Bluffs . www .midamericacenter .com 1/16 – 2/1: Love, Sex and the IRS. Chanticleer Community Theater . 830 Franklin Avenue, Council Bluffs . 1/18: Omaha Symphony Family Series: Symphonic Storytime. Holland Center . Come along on the adventure as Maestro Thomas Wilkins and the Omaha Symphony bring music’s timeless tales to life . Come early and try out the Instrument Petting Zoo, and don’t forget to visit the Omaha Children’s Museum to make your very own homemade instrument that you can play on stage after the concert! 1200 Douglas . www . omahaperformingarts .org

“Chocolate” starting Jan. 31 at The Durham Museum.

CHECK IT! Dates and times are current as of press time but please call ahead to confirm. January EvEnTs 1/2 - 1/4: Sesame Street Live Presents: Elmo’s Green Thumb. Qwest Center Omaha . Sunny isn’t just the weather forecast on Sesame Street - it’s also the name fo Elmo’s sunflower friend! Join all of your favorite friends on an amazing adventure as they help Elmo find a new home for Sunny when Sesame Street Live “Elmo’s Green Thumb” comes to Qwest Center Omaha . 455 N . 10 St . www . qwestcenteromaha .com 1/4: Eyewitness: American Originals from the National Archives. The Durham Museum . Chronicles some of the most dramatic moments in history: the storming of the Bastille in Paris, the explosion of the Hindenburg, and assassination of President Kennedy . The Durham Museum is one of only six locations in the country to host this exhibition . 801 S . 10 St . . www .durhammuseum .org 1/5 - 4/18: Crossroads of Commerce. The Durham Museum . 801 S . 10 St . www .durhammuseum .org 1/9: Spring Flower Show. Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha’s Botanical Center . 100 Bancroft St . www .omahabotanicalgardens . org 1/9: Girl Talk. Slowdown . 729 N . 14 St . www .theslowdown .com 1/9 - 1/11: Monster Jam. MidAmerica Center . MONSTER JAM returns to the Mid-America Center with four action-packed shows January 9 - 11, 2009 . Don’t miss this family event featuring the best monster trucks in

the business . Weighing 10,000 pounds, with 1,500 horsepower – MONSTER JAM stars will battle to be the best in the full throttle racing competition and the audience-scored “freestyle” competition . It’s all the excitement you can handle with high flying fun, car crushing craziness, and hardcore horsepower . One Arena Way, Council Bluffs . www .midamericacenter .com 1/10: La Rondine. Film Streams . Nicolas Joël directs this new production, which stars opera’s charismatic real-life duo Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna, in Puccini’s gorgeously melodic look at love . Marco Armiliato conducts . 1340 Webster St . www . filmstreams .org 1/10: Omaha Symphony Chamber Series: Fantastically French. UNO Strauss . This program blends together eclectic works, fantastically descriptive music, and challenges for the orchestra . Touching on the French Baroque with Rameau’s Sutie, and moving into the world of Mother Goose with Ravel’s colorful work -- this program promises to be a delight for the audience . 60th & Dodge . www .omahasymphony .org 1/10 - 5/17: Union Pacific’s American Vacation: The Sun Valley Story. The Durham Museum . 801 S . 10 St . www .durhammuseum .org 1/11: Fantasy Uncoiled: Prints by CoBrA Artists. Joslyn Art Museum . CoBrA, an acronym for the members’ cities of origin, Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam, is one of the great abstract expres-

january/february | 2009

sionistic movements of the 20th century . 2200 Dodge St . www . joslyn .org 1/11: The Mastercraftsmen of Palekh Miniatures: Icons to Souvenir Boxes to Icons. Joslyn Art Museum . visitors to the former Soviet Union and to today’s Russia are confronted in tourist shops with an array of striking hand-painted, black lacquer papier-mâché boxes . Available in countless sizes and prices, what is lost to the casual eye is the extraordinary and venerable tradition of the craftsmanship entailed in producing them — techniques that date back centuries and have been adapted regularly to satisfy popular taste, religious mores, and political directives . This is the first American exhibition to examine these works of art, made in the Russian village of Palekh (pronounced PAW-lekh), about 225 miles northeast of Moscow . 2200 Dodge St . www .joslyn .org 1/11: Omaha Symphony Discovery Series: Discover Rameau and Ravel. UNO Strauss . Guest conductor Zeituoni leads this program that explores two colorful French compositions and their inspiration -- including a rare treat, the French baroque composer Rameau’s Suite from Les Paladins, along with the world of Mother Goose in Ravel’s masterpiece of color and childlike simplicity . 60th & Dodge . www . omahasymphony .org 1/12: Tapes ‘n Tapes. The Waiting Room . Tapes ‘n Tapes’ signature sound is distinctly their own concoction; the shaky vocals, the bursts of low-fi guitars and

the haunting keyboards . They recorded their debut album, The Loon, in summer 2005 with producer/engineer Erik Appelwick . Ibid Records released The Loon that fall . Positive reviews of The Loon and the band’s consistent gigging — which included a winter 2006 East Coast tour and an appearance at that year’s South by Southwest — led to Tapes ‘n Tapes signing with XL Records . XL re-released The Loon in summer 2006 . In 2007, Tapes ‘n Tapes recorded with producer Dave Fridmann at his Buffalo, NY studio; the band’s second album Walk it Off arrived the following spring . 6212 Maple St . www .waitingroomlounge .com 1/15 - 1/14: From Shelterbelt with Love 8 . Shelterbelt Theatre . The Sun valley Resort opened in 1936 as a way for Union Pacific to boost passengre travel on the western lines . In this internally produced exhibition, visitors will explore this lavish ski resort’s rich history, as well as its lasting impact on the “American vacation .” 3225 1/2 California St . www .shelterbelt .org 1/15 - 2/20: Watie White Print Exhibition. College of St . Mary Hillmer Art Gallery . 7000 Mercy Rd . 1/16: Toma's Kubinek. Orpheum Theater . Uproarious absurdity, spontaneous wit and courageous feats of nonsense - all rolled into an incredible one-man show . 409 S . 16 St . www .omahaperformingarts .org 1/16 - 1/17: Omaha Symphony Masterworks Series: Ravel’s Bolero. Holland Center . Originally composed as a ballet, Bolero epitomozes Ravel’s preoccupa-

1/19 - 2/27: The Fred Simon Gallery: Richard Weigmann. Fred Simon Gallery . Displaying the paintings of Seward artist Richard Wiegmann . The gallery is located in the Nebraska Arts Council offices . 1004 Farnam St ., Lower Level . www .nebraskaartscouncil .org 1/21: La Rondine. Film Streams . Nicolas Joël directs this new production, which stars opera’s charismatic real-life duo Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna, in Puccini’s gorgeously melodic look at love . Marco Armiliato conducts . 1340 Webster St . www . filmstreams .org 1/22: Girls Nite Out 2009. Fundraiser for Girls Inc . of Omaha at the Holiday Inn Convention Center . Headliner: Tammy Pescatelli, one of the Last Comic Standing 2 final five contestants . Tickets, $60 and $100 for patron seating . For more information call 457-4676 . 1/23: 1200 Club at the Holland: Catie Curtis. Holland Center . Chicago Hope, Alias, Grey’s Anatomy…these are just a few of the hit television shows that have recently showcased the warm, uplifting musical stylings of Catie Curtis . Armed with vivid, insightful lyrics, this “folk-rock goddess” recently beat out 15,000 other songwriters from 82 countries to claim the grand prize at the 2006 International Songwriting Competition . 1200 Douglas . www . omahaperformingarts .org 1/23 - 2/15: Blithe Spirit. Omaha Community Playhouse . A boisterous, joyous theatrical classic comic play, Blithe Spirit centers on a man being haunted by the ghost of his first wife, Elvira, following a séance, and her continued (and increasingly desperate) efforts to disrupt his current marriage . With a truly ingenious plot,

the comedy guarantees a large dose of delightful hilarity to all audience members . 6915 Cass St . www .omahaplayhouse .org 1/24: Orfeo ed Euridice. Film Streams . This hit from the 2006– 07 season, directed by Mark Morris, will feature the artistry of Stephanie Blythe and Danielle de Niese in the title roles . Music Director James Levine conducts . 1340 Webster St . www .filmstreams .org 1/24: Playing With Fire Winter Series: Greg Koch and the Other Bad Men. Holland Center . Greg Koch album “Live on the Radio” showcases his current working band, Greg Koch & Other Bad Men . With bassist Roscoe Beck (longtime sideman to guitarists Robben Ford and Eric Johnson), drummer Tom Brechtlein (a former member of Ford’s Blueline band and a frequent collaborator with Chick Corea) and the charismatic Austin-based soul singer Malford Milligan (formerly the frontman for Storyville and Double Trouble), Koch unleashes his considerable chops in the context of song forms on this vibrant live set . There is plenty of blistering, mind-bending fretboard feats (or in Koch-ese, “plectrum-fueled skullduggery”) for six-string connoisseurs to savor on--Live on the Radio . He filters his killer influences through his own slightly bent prism that is tinted with grunge and tinged with gristle . 1200 Douglas . www . omahaperformingarts .org 1/22 1/25: Midlands International Auto Show. Qwest Center Omaha . All the newest cars, trucks and SUv’s to hit the showrom floor . 455 N . 10 St . www . qwestcenteromaha .com 1/23 - 1/25: Omaha Symphony: Engelbert Humperdinck. Holland Center . This well-known pop singer rose to fame in the 1960s after adopting the name of the famous German opera composer as his stage name . From his first chart hit, “Release Me (and Let me Love Again)” in 1967, Humperdinck enjoyed continued chart success throughout the 1970s and ‘80s with the hits “The Last Waltz,” “After the Lovin’,” and “When There’s No You,” among others . 1200 Douglas . www .omahaperformingarts .org 1/24 - 5/3: Wood. The Durham Museum . First in a 2009-2010 series of permanent collection exhibitions about printmaking, followed by stone and metal . 801 S . 10 St . www .durhammuseum .org 1/25: Crescendo Concert Series: Joseph Martin, Composer/ Arranger. Dundee Presbyterian Church . 5312 Underwood Ave . 1/27: Tu B’Shevat. Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha’s Botanical Center . Together with Beth El Synagogue, Lauritzen Gardens is hosting a community Tu B’Shevat family event on Sunday, January 27, from 1:30 to 3 p .m . at the

January & February

2009

visitor and education center . Tu B’Shevat marks the beginning of a “New Year for Trees” and celebrates the importance of nature preservation . A variety of festivities will be offered such as story telling, hands-on activities for both children and adults including planting, arts and crafts, and a film about Israel . A special program for both adults and children will be held at 2:30 p .m . in the great hall . Also included will be tours of four stations, representing the four seasons, in the floral display hall . At each station, plants will be on display, a song will be sung, a poem will be read and fruits and nuts of that particular season will be tasted . 100 Bancroft St . www . omahabotanicalgardens .org 1/27 - 1/28: ICA High School Culinary Invitational. Metropolitan Community College Fort Omaha Campus, Building 10, Brick Hearth . High School Culinary Competition consisting of a Knowledge Bowl, Knife Skills, Culinary Competition and Management Case Study . 30th & Fort Streets . www .mccneb .edu

ing Malpais, The Beatseakers, Civicminded, Old Boy Network, Bloodcow, Lovetap, SOJH, The Miscasts, Prospect Avenue, and A .Symbiont . 6212 Maple St . www .waitingroomlounge .com 1/29 - 2/1: Pride Players: Project 10. The Rose Theater . Now in its 10th year, Pride Players uses improvisation to create songs, poetry, monologues, scenes and skits that explore teenage sexual orientation . In 2006, The National Education Association presented Pride Players with a Human and Civil Rights Award . Directed by Brian Guehring and Tracy Iwerson . 2001 Farnam St . www .rosetheater .org 1/30 - 2/1: Broadway Across America: CATS. Orpheum Theater . No better way to introduce your family to the wonders of live theater with the magic, the mystery, the memory of Cats . Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Cats features 20 of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s timeless melodies, including the hit song, “Memory .” 409 S . 16 St . www . omahaperformingarts .org

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1/28: Career Center Presentation: Life Coaching. Metropolitan Community College Fort Omaha Campus, Building 10, Room 114 . Do you sometimes feel that deeper, more meaningful success is possible in your life? Life Coaching is one of the fastest growing professions in the world . It is a practice with the aim to help people determine and achieve their personal goals . People are recognizing the incredible impact coaching can have on their lives . Learn multiple life coaching methods used to help people set and reach goals . Presenter: Renee Tiller, Faculty Member, MCC 30th & Fort Streets . www .mccneb .edu 1/30: AVP Pro Beach Volleyball. Qwest Center Omaha . 455 N . 10 St . www .qwestcenteromaha . com 1/31: Omaha Symphony Rocks Series: Michael Cavanaugh. Holland Center. Michael Cavanaugh captured the New York City spotlight as the star vocalist and pianist in the hit Broadway musical Movin’ Out . Hand-picked by Billy Joel for the show’s starring role, he won the hearts of audiences and critics . Join us to celebrate the greatest legends of rock & roll with this exciting and talented performer . 1200 Douglas . www .omahaperformingarts .org 1/31: Secret Weapon. The Waiting Room . Secret Weapon was born in the Summer of 2005 by a bunch of local Omaha musicians looking to play songs that they grew up loving . Being children of the 80’s their set includes just what u would expect: Glam metal, SynthPop, and Pop Rock Classics!!! This band includes members of many original projects includ-

1/31 - 2/1: Cathedral Flower Festival . St . Cecilia Cathedral . 701 N . 40 St . 1/31 - 4/26: Chocolate. The Durham Museum . visitors will immerse themselves in the story of one of the world’s most popular edible pleasures during Chocolate, coming to The Durham Museum from the Field Museum in Chicago . Chocolate explores the ancient and modern uses of the cacao bean, whose dense seed pods and bitter taste have been used as food, currency, and more over the past 1,500 years . 801 S . 10 St . www .durhammuseum .org FEBruary EvEnTs 2/2: Chris Tomlin With Israel Houghton and New Breed. MidAmerica Center . One Arena Way, Council Bluffs . www .midamericacenter .com 2/3, 2/10: Ready To Serve Board Training Workshop. The Omaha Women’s Fund is sponsoring a board training workshop featuring speakers and panel presentations with community leaders . Participants will learn about the role and functions of boards, become aware of the legal and ethical responsibilities of board members, learn the key components of a strong organization and find out about the challenges and opportunities for boards and organizations . Designed for women interested in serving on nonprofit community boards, new board members and experienced board members who have not had the opportunity to take part in formal board training . 1-5 p .m . each day . Registration fee (includes both sessions): $125 or $500 for five participants . Register online at www .omahawomensfund .org or call 827-9280 .

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january/february | 2009

calendaR of events

www.visitomaha.com January & February

2009

Leahy, Feb. 27 at the Orpheum Theater. 2/4: Orfeo ed Euridice. Film Streams . This hit from the 2006– 07 season, directed by Mark Morris, will feature the artistry of Stephanie Blythe and Danielle de Niese in the title roles . Music Director James Levine conducts . 1340 Webster St . www .filmstreams .org 2/5 - 2/28: The Seafarer. Brigit St . Brigit Theatre Company . “A chilling new play about the sea, Ireland, and the power of myth… No matter what you’re expecting at the halfway mark . You won’t feel cheated when the curtain falls .” 614 S . 11 St . 2/6: Owl Prowl Night Hike. Hitchcock Nature Center . Give a hoot and join us for a nighttime hike to learn about nocturnal creatures . Led by Jim Meyer, this evening hike will include owl calling and more . Bundle up and bring your sense of adventure! Meet at the Loess Hills Lodge . All ages are welcome . 27792 Ski Hill Loop . www .pottcoconservation .com 2/7: Lucia di Lammermoor. Film Streams . Mary Zimmerman’s hit production, which opened the 2007–08 season, stars the charismatic Anna Netrebko opposite Rolando villazón as her lover and Mariusz Kwiecien as her tyrannical brother; Marco Armiliato conducts . 1340 Webster St . www . filmstreams .org

2/7: Omaha Symphony: I Love a Parade. Holland Center . This upbeat program of symphonic marches, including the Colonel Bogey March from Bridge on the River Kwai and Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, is sure to make you sit up in your seat and put a spring in your step . 1200 Douglas . www .omahaperformingarts .org 2/7: A Work of Heart Gala: Voices for Children Fundraiser. Scott Conference Center . Live and Silent Auction, awards . 6450 Pine St . www .voicesforchildren .com

2/8: Omaha Symphony: I Love a Parade. Millard West High School . This upbeat program of symphonic marches, including the Colonel Bogey March from Bridge on the River Kwai and Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, is sure to make you sit up in your seat and put a spring in your step . 5710 S 176th Ave . www . omahaperformingarts .org

2/7 - 2/8: Omaha Symphony Casual Classics Series: I Love A Parade. Saturday: Holland Performing Arts Center . Sunday: Millard West High School . This upbeat program of symphonic marches, including the Colonel Bogey March featured in the movie, Bridge on the River Kwai, and Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, is sure to make you sit up in your seat and put a spring in your step . Holland: 1200 Douglas St .; Millard West High School 5710 S . 176th Ave . www .omahaperformingarts .org

2/11: Career Center Presentation: The Money Coach - Making Sense of Your Dollars. Metropolitan Community College Fremont Area Center . Money…it is a daily deciding factor as to what type of lifestyle we are able to afford and sometimes even our future occupation . How much money do we really need to make? At some point, nearly everyone needs the help of a financial professional — whether that means someone who teaches, trains, mentors, coaches or empowers you to grow your wealth . Answer some of your most pressing questions about your personal finances and managing your budget . 335 North Broad Street, Fremont . www .mccneb .edu

2/7 - 5/10: Sentimental Journey: The Art of Alfred Jacob Miller. Joslyn Art Museum . This exhibition surveys the first artist to travel across the plains and into the heart of the Rocky Mountains . Approximately 70 sketches, watercolors, painings and collateral materials . 2200 Dodge St . www .joslyn .org

2/12: Lecture: Women in Jazz Lecture & Performance. Metropolitan Community College Fort Omaha Campus, Building 7, Room 107 . By GALEN from Orlando, Florida Learn from this extraordinary flautist who studied at the Berklee College of Music, holds a Masters in fine arts and education from Rutgers

january/february | 2009

University, and has performed both domestically and internationally for over thirty years . 30th & Fort Streets . www .mccneb .edu 2/12: The Peking Acrobats®. Orpheum Theater . Gymnasts, jugglers, cyclists and tumblers present an all-ages kaleidoscope of entertainment and wonder . 409 S . 16 St . www .omahaperformingarts .org 2/12 - 2/22: Swing, Swing, Swing! The Rose Theater . Start with Omaha Theater Ballet’s wonderful group of versatile professional dancers . Add the talents of award-winning New York director/choreographer Greg Ganakas . Stir in Omaha’s own swing band, Extra Space Jazz band, led by Chris Acker . Result: an exciting and energetic swing ballet! 2001 Farnam St . www .rosetheater .org 2/13: 1200 Club at the Holland: The Waybacks. Holland Center . Refreshing and eclectic, The Waybacks are self-proclaimed and celebrated as purveyors of “acoustic mayhem .” Performing repertoire influenced by Memphis soul, honky-tonk, swing, classical music, pop, and much more, The Waybacks constantly surprise audiences with their sharp witted humor and unpredictable, musically dazzling performances . 1200 Douglas . www .omahaperformingarts .org

2/13: Book Discussion: Working Parts by Lucy Jane Bledsoe. Metropolitan Community College Sarpy Center Library . Facilitated By: Diane Perry, Equality Advocate Speakers Bureau Facilitator Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) . Book: Lori Taylor makes a pact with her best friend, fellow bike mechanic Miguel, that she will learn to read if he, learns to kiss . This book follows these best buddies, a lesbian and a straight man, as they confront and then try to overcome their secret shames . The believable, lovable, well-rounded characters examine important social issues of literacy, race, age, class and physical appearance . 9110 Giles Road . www .mccneb .edu 2/13 - 2/14: Omaha Symphony Masterworks Series: Symphonic Dances. Holland Center . Treat your sweetheart to a program of symphonic dances . Starting with Bernstein’s unforgettable score to West Side Story and moving to Rachmaninoff’s sweeping Symphonic Dances -- combining energetic rhythmic selections with some of his most lush melodies . This is sure to make for the perfect date night . 1200 Douglas . www .omahaperformingarts .org 2/13 - 2/14: Omaha Symphony: Symphonic Dances. Holland Center . Treat your sweetheart to a program of symphonic dances .

Starting with Bernstein’s unforgettable score to West Side Story, and moving to Rachmaninoff’s sweeping Symphonic Dances – combining energetic rhythmic sections with some of his most lush melodies – this is sure to make for a perfect date night . 1200 Douglas . www .omahaperformingarts .org 2/14: 1200 Club at the Holland: Bettye LaVette. Holland Center. Bettye Lavette is one of the greatest soul singers in American music history, possessed of an incredibly expressive voice that one moment will exude a formidable level of strength and intensity and the next will appear vulnerable, reflective, reeking of heartbreak . Although Lavette has been recording for over four decades, up until recent years she has remained criminally unknown . 1200 Douglas . www . omahaperformingarts .org 2/14: Valentine’s Day Dinner. Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha’s Botanical Center . Treat your loved one to valentine’s dinner in the intimate surroundings of the floral display hall on February 14 . Your table will be lit with candles, the fireplace will be roaring, and the scent of spring flowers will fill the air . 100 Bancroft St . www . omahabotanicalgardens .org

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calendaR of events

January & February

2009

about the spirit of community,” Amanda Jedlicka, Executive Director . Elkhorn valley Campus 204th & W . Dodge Rd . www . mccneb .edu 2/27: Leahy. Orpheum Theater . This powerhouse of eight brothers and sisters delivers a volcanic explosion of talent and energy . Their fiddle-driven music, dance and song is described as, “fresh, vibrant and engaging . .” by the Buffalo News . 409 S . 16 St . www . omahaperformingarts .org 2/27 - 3/1: The Magical Music of Disney. Holland Center . Get ready to wish upon a star and open the door to the Magic Kingdom with music from your favorite Walt Disney movies & Broadway shows including Mary Poppins, Aladdin, Beauty & the Best, The Lion King, Tarzan, and many more . Performed by “The Little Mermaid” herself, Jody Benson, and a cast of talented vocalists, you’ll want to join us for this musical journey . 1200 Douglas . www .omahaperformingarts .org

Toma's Kubinek, Jan. 16 at the Orpheum Theater. 2/15: Essential Pregnancy Services Benefit Dinner. DC Centre, 11830 Stonegate Circle . Gourmet dinner, silent and oral auctions and awards . Diane Quinn Award will be presented to Jean and Ron Gordon . Spirit of EPS Award will be presented to Anne Mahoney . EPS Special Service Award will be presented to Rose Wilson . www .essentialps .org . $100/person or $50/ person for those 35 or younger or clergy and religious . Contact 554-0121 for reservations . 2/15: Crescendo Concert Series: An Octave Above, Vocal Jazz Group. Dundee Presbyterian Church . 5312 Underwood Ave . 2/15: Nebraska Wind Symphony Concert. UNO Strauss . 60th & Dodge . www .omahasymphony . org 2/18: Lucia di Lammermoor. Film Streams . Mary Zimmerman’s hit production, which opened the 2007–08 season, stars the charismatic Anna Netrebko opposite Rolando villazón as her lover and Mariusz Kwiecien as her tyrannical brother; Marco Armiliato conducts .Mary Zimmerman’s hit production, which opened the 2007–08 season, stars the charismatic Anna Netrebko opposite Rolando villazón as her lover and Mariusz Kwiecien as her tyrannical brother; Marco Armiliato conducts . 1340 Webster St . www . filmstreams .org

2/18: Grease. Orpheum Theater . 409 S . 16 St . www .omahaperformingarts .org 2/20 - 3/29: Bat Boy. Omaha Community Playhouse . This biting comedy - ripped from the tabloids and appearing live on stage - presents a witty, campy take on the Weekly World News saga about a bat boy found in a West virginia cave . Bat Boy is shunned by society as an outsider despite refining his skills - learning to speak, sing and dance . Outrageously silly and totally charming, Bat Boy is a twisted take on a Broadwaylover’s dream musical . Author: Keythe Farley & Brian Flemming . 6915 Cass St . www .omahaplayhouse .org 2/21: Blue Note Records 70th Anniversary - On Tour. featuring Bill Charlap (music director), Peter Bernstein, Ravi Coltrane, Lewis Nash, Nicholas Payton, Peter Washington & Steve Wilson . Holland Center . To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Blue Note label, this all-star band, featuring some of the finest jazz musicians today, will travel the world . From hot jazz, to swing, to bebop, Blue Note has created an undisputable legacy as the premier label in the history of jazz . 1200 Douglas . www .omahaperformingarts .org

january/february | 2009

2/18 - 2/22: Broadway Across America: GREASE. Holland Center . 1200 Douglas . www . omahaperformingarts .org 2/22: The Many Faces of David Diaz. Joslyn Art Museum . Caldecott Award-winning illustrator David Diaz notes, “Just as monks labored over pages of scripture bringing them to life, I strive to shine light, to make clear to the reader in a visual form the content, feeling, and meaning of the text . The role of the illustrator is to illuminate .” To that end, Diaz employs myriad materials and dynamic styles to create strikingly rich illustration for expressive children’s books . 2200 Dodge St . www .joslyn .org 2/25: Career Center Presentation: A Model for Civic Engagement: Habitat for Humanity. Metropolitan Community College Elkhorn valley Campus, Room 123 . Housing is a great means of wealth creation . For families, especially those with a lower income, who are able to own a home, ownership is an important means of wealth accumulation in the form of equity and forced savings resulting from mortgage repayment . “Habitat for Humanity is a manifestation of Omaha pulling together to make dreams come true . Habitat is more than just houses . It is about people working together, about neighborhoods and

2/27 - 3/1: Omaha Golf & Travel Expo. Mid-America Center . nside the convention center golfers will find up to 90 exhibitor booths featuring discounts on equipment and apparel, as well as information on travel destinations from across the country . In addition to booths, the expo will feature a 100-foot indoor hitting net . In the net, attendees will find free lessons from local PGA professionals, a place to test out new clubs from top club manufacturers, as well as long drive and closest pin contests . An artificial putting green will also be rolled out for a putting contest . Outside the expo hall is the Golf Digest Registration Pavillion equipped with computers to register attendees for their free one-year subscription to Golf Digest included with each paid admission . This is also where attendees register for hourly door prize drawings . One Arena Way, Council Bluffs . www . midamericacenter .com 2/28: Restore Omaha Conference. Metropolitan Community College South Omaha Campus Industrial Training Center . A conference designed to educate pre-1950 property owners how to restore and preserve their property . 27th & Q . www .mccneb .edu

Omaha Children’s Museum

January/February artists-In-residence activities A matching grant from the Nebraska Arts Council makes the Artist-in-Residence program possible . This unique museum program allows a new local artist to join the museum staff every six months to teach visitors about their art through workshops and observation sessions housed in the Karen Levin Artist-in-Residence Studio in the museum’s Creative Arts Center . In January, Linda Garcia presents Flowers of Mexico . Join her to make flowers based on images from wooden lacquered black trays painted with large colorful flowers called bateas . Linda Garcia dates and times: 1/6 10-2; 1/8 10-2; 1/10 10-2; 1/13 10-2; 1/15 12-2; 1/17 10-2; 1/20 10-2; 1/22 12-2; 1/24 10-2; 1/25 1-5; 1/27 10-2; 1/29 12-2; 1/31 10-2 . In February, Garcia presents yarn works based on the Huichol yarn paintings and colorful embroidery works from the Mexican state of Michoacan . A special heart shaped string and yarn work will be featured on valentine’s Day . Dates and times: 2/3 10-2; 2/5 12-2; 2/10 12-4; 2/12 12-2; 2/17 10-2; 2/19 12-2; 2/24 10-2; 2/26 12-2 .

World musician Joey Gulizia will present music with technology . Joey Gulizia dates and times: 1/11 1-5; 1/18 1-5; 1/19 10-2 .

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Story by Maureen O'Halloran Clark Photo by minorwhitestudios.com

Weaver is an unofficial ambassador for the city. She brought the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America’s conference to Omaha last year.

Community Volunteer and More

Anne

Thorne Weaver is enthusiastic about Omaha and the performing arts in Omaha. In fact, she has poured herself into both in a variety of ways. In September, the Anne Thorne Weaver Lounge opened in the Orpheum Theater. The space provides an atmosphere for relaxed socializing for patron supporters who attend performances there. It features exclusive comfortable seating areas, private bar service, private coat check and restrooms. She explains, “I have enjoyed going to the Gottschalk Founder’s Room of the Holland Performing Arts Center for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres prior to performances and also during intermissions. I thought how nice

it would be for the Orpheum to have a similar room.” Anne also serves on numerous boards, including Opera Omaha, Omaha Community Playhouse, Museum of Nebraska Art, and The Salvation Army Advisory Board. In addition, she is a governing member of the Omaha Symphony and a member of an advisory council created to advance the arts at the College of St. Mary. She comments about these boards: “I enjoy the people with whom I work. We cross paths on different boards. I admire and respect them. I enjoy their company. There is a sense of humor there, even when we are doing busicontinued on page 18

january/february | 2009

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satisfy your craving. JANUARY 31 - APRIL 26 From rainforest treasure, to luscious treat, immerse yourself in the natural history and American innovations of the amazing cacao seed in Chocolate: The Exhibition, open January 31 to April 26 at The Durham Museum. This engaging exhibition explores the lure and lore of chocolate and investigates its use as a health remedy, an alleged aphrodisiac and seasoning in recipes from around the world. And to top off your visit, indulge yourself with a delectable delight at our Chocolate Shop, created exclusively for this one-of-a-kind exhibition.

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january/february | 2009

ness. So it is a good life. I am not quite ready to play bridge. Everyone is so enthusiastic about Omaha. They work to make this city what it is. It is a treasure. I feel I am a part of that.” Not only is she a part of making Omaha what it is, but she is an unofficial ambassador for the city. Last year, in response to Anne’s invitation, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America held their conference in Omaha. She is on their national committee. “Obviously, I love Omaha and I just wanted to show it off.” About 70 women, some with their spouses, came from all over the country. She notes, “People from the east truly think that we are a primitive state. But when they left, they practically skipped around because they had such a good time and had seen so much of our city.” A long-time resident, Anne has lived in Omaha since 1956. Even when she was busy raising her family, she became a community volunteer through the Junior League. Anne has raised four children and has two grandchildren. In addition, she has a “furry family” which consists of three cats and two dogs. All of her animals except one came from animal shelters and she is on the Nebraska Humane Society Foundation board. This summer, Anne acquired another role in the community. She and her neighbors frequent the deli at the Broadmoor Market, located off of 87th and Pacific Streets. It has become a favorite after they stopped cooking once their children were raised. When she heard that it was going to close, she decided to buy it in order to keep it open. She observes that one of the boards on which she serves lists her as a “community volunteer.” She laughs and quips, “Now I can say I am a grocer.”

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At Home With Colleen and Ted Hubbard

Colleen

Hubbard counted more than 24 bald eagles flying high one November day outside her living room window. She keeps binoculars handy to watch the ever-changing wildlife show as viewed from her home, built near Ashland just 18 feet above the Platte River. It is a fun place to live â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with a bass boat for the lake outside her front door and an airboat for the river outside her back door. A golf cart allows for whipping around the close-knit river community to scare up neighbors for impromptu parties. The joys of summer living here are evident. But fall and winter offer more laid back bounty. Watching the eagles nest is one joy, as is viewing the duck migration. In the coldest parts of winter, you can hear the river freezing. In the spring, you can hear that ice break apart and watch as the flows carry thousands of tree branches down river. The riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s height varies each day. The sandbar that is usually visible in the

The best views are from this pool room, where players can see for miles.

continued on page 23

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morning often disappears at night. “I love watching the river,” Hubbard says. “It changes every day. That’s the best part.” She and her husband, Ted Hubbard, moved here in 2001. They wanted a home on the river and they wanted it built in a very specific style. “We wanted a Frank Lloyd Wright house,” says Ted Hubbard. “We went out and bought all the Frank Lloyd Wright books we could find. Since he isn’t around any more, Marshall had to do it.” Marshall is Marshall Wallman, a residential designer for Curt Hofer Construction. He worked with the Hubbards on the 2001 house, as well as the expansion that more than doubled its size in 2007. He designed it so the couple could maximize their time enjoying the river, but also so they could have as much or more entertaining area out front, where their home faces a 1.5-mile lake. During the summer, neighbors are outside chatting and tooling around in pontoon boats and fishing for small and large-mouth bass.

The Hubbard home is grand at 5,300 square feet, and yet its cultivated stone materials and linear design help it blend in among some of the older and more modest dwellings. It stretches across what once were two lots, and the partially doubled-up roof shingles make the house feel more long than tall. “I didn’t want it to be a big sore thumb,” Ted Hubbard says. Inside, the homeowners paid just as much care to guests’ needs. The entire 2,700-square-foot addition is somewhat like an attached guesthouse. When relatives come to stay, they have control of their own heating, air and water systems. The zebrawood party bar is actually a small but full kitchen complete with a grill. The largest guest suite is wheelchair friendly, including the sink height and accessible shower and closet. Outside the window, visitors can enjoy one of three custom fountains made from large stones. The neutral paint colors, maple wood, and cul-

Colleen and Ted Hubbard wanted a Frank Lloyd Wright-stylehome. Since Wright isn’t around, they commissioned Marshall Wallman, a residential designer for Curt Hofer Construction, to do it.

continued on next page

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january/february | 2009

From the carpet to the stained glass, each element has been carefully chosen to reflect the couple’s love of nature.

tivated stone throughout the house continue in the addition’s party room. Friends gathering around the big screen for football games can also look straight through two fireplaces that act as windows to the river view. Even better views await upstairs in the game room, where pool players can see for miles. Ted Hubbard is quick to point out the best spots to line up the game day crock pots and side dishes. “We have impromptu parties,” Colleen explains. The original part of the home works well for that, too. There is a true dining room at the front of the home, but guests are more likely to migrate to the long kitchen table overlooking the river, or to the two-tier, granite-topped island. The large, industrial-style chandeliers are softened with crackle glass shades. The furnishings include everything from special wood pieces by Zongkers Custom Furniture, to simple art glass finds from Bed, Bath and Beyond. Both the living room and the addition’s party room feature built-in sculptures by Des Moines

january/february | 2009

artist Tom Moberg. He wrapped screen with gypsum to mold what look like branches in and out of the walls. It makes an artful but organic statement, drawing the eye up to the 17-foot ceilings. Other artful touches include the stained glass panels in small windows, and in the French office doors in the landing overlooking the living room. When the light streams through the glass in the evening, the effect is beautiful, Ted Hubbard says. Only a few small touches in the home — a stuffed gorilla here and a plaque there — hint at the Hubbard family’s gifts to the Omaha community. Henry Doorly Zoo’s Hubbard Gorilla Valley is named for their family’s foundation, as will be a planned Madagascar exhibit. The family also funded an expansion at the Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park. At home by the river, the couple continues to enjoy the natural world, Ted says. “From here, we can see the moon shine on the river and watch the sun rise.”

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Feature

Pet Project:

Finding Forever Homes for Furry Friends Photo by minorwhitestudios.com Story by Molly Garriott

The

opening of Walt Disney’s classic canine tale, 101 Dalmatians, comically depicts several dog owners and their charges. In each instance, the resemblance between human and canine companion is striking. There is an obvious fashionista, decked to the nines in an outfit most women would not even wear for dinner and a Broadway production, let alone for dog walking. Her companion is an equally dolled up poodle of the French persuasion. Also strolling down the city sidewalk is an artist, easel in one hand and pet in the other, on her way to the park. Face shielded behind a long, straight wall of hair, only her nose pokes through. Her canine friend is a similarly coiffed Afghan whose face is also obscured by a mass of sleek hair. Disney is poking fun at the notion that owners and their pets — like old, married couples — resemble each other. But there is more than a grain of truth to this notion, perhaps not limited exclusively to their physical traits. Many animals and their caretakers share personality traits as well, complementing each other, just as old married spouses often do. This is no accident. In fact, it’s essential, as a thoughtful match between owner and dog is the foundation for a happy and fulfilling relationship. A miss-matched combination, however, is a recipe for frustration and disappointment. Pam Wiese, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations for the Nebraska Human Society, says the organization places over 8,000 animals every year. The majority of these placements

january/february | 2009

are cats and dogs, split evenly at 3,900 each, with the remaining 200 placements involving “critters.” While it is true that pets are work and require both time and financial commitments, the benefits a loving animal brings to a home far outweigh the responsibilities. “Pets provide unconditional love, entertainment, surprising insight and for some, a reason to get up in the morning,” says Wiese. The Humane Society optimally seeks to place pets in what Wiese calls “forever homes,” so it works extensively with potential pet owners to find the right fit. You can increase your odds of being a “forever home” if you do some research on which breeds fit into your lifestyle. Are you active and looking for a dog to accompany you on your daily runs? Then a hunting dog might be a good match for you. Would you rather have a dog to curl up on your lap with a good book? Then maybe a Bichon is for you. If your house is noisy and filled with children, then steering clear of a high-strung animal would seem logical. If you are gone most of the day, then perhaps a dog is not the best pet for you. Wiese suggests a more self-sufficient cat for a pet. Timing is of the essence as well. Puppies are cute but require more work than an older dog. When our children were three and four, my husband and I thought it was the perfect time to add an English springer spaniel to our family. And so we brought home Dickens (we named him for the English author but as it turns out, the name aptly describes his personality).

Four days later I found out I was pregnant. House training a puppy while in your first trimester is NOT optimum timing. Neither is doing so in the dead of winter, so waiting for spring is a wise move. Breed is another consideration. Wiese advises, “If people like the look of a breed, they need to read up on what the dog was bred to do and see if that would fit with their plan.” She refers potential dog owners to the American Kennel Club’s website. Here, you’ll find basic guidelines about breeds that prove helpful in finding a good match between family and dog. For example, smaller dogs, like Cocker Spaniels, tend toward the temperamental and might snap at young children who might “rough house” with them. A better choice? A Labrador Retriever, a breed known for being exceptionally good-natured. Still, Wiese cautions potential pet owners not to count on breed generalizations. Dogs, like their human counterparts, have their own distinct personalities. “We think it is very important for people to meet a pet before adopting it. You can have some pretty hard and fast preconceived notions about a dog based on breed — and those are good guidelines — but meeting the dog will let you know if it’s what you are looking for,” says Wiese. The volunteers at the Humane Society get to know the dogs in their charge well and are excellent resources in a pet search. “(Because) our dog walkers take each dog out and get to know the specific dogs, they can give more insight into how playful they are, if they are scared of loud noises, if they like to play with other dogs, play with people, curl up on a lap, and know some obedience commands,” Wiese suggests. Whether you are looking for a dog with “personality” (a diplomatic euphemism for “crazy” like our Dickens), or a sedate companion to accompany you on your daily round, the Nebraska Humane Society has a dog or cat just waiting to fill that need. And it just so happens these animals need something from you, too — a good home. For more information about adopting a pet or to view adoptable pets online, visit www.nehumanesociety.org. www.omahapublications.com

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For Kelly Deerson, a student coordinator at UNMC, the food categories have stirred her to vote for the past three years – and each year she savors the results . “I love trying out new places to eat! I think your categories are very thorough . I look forward to reading the winners every year .” voting in this year’s contest earned Deerson a $350 gift certificate from Beyond the vine floral and home décor shop . It just happened to be her lucky day . Six voters were chosen at random to receive prizes from these fine businesses: the Dundee Dell, Spezia Restaurant, Omaha Prime, the Passport, Pasta Amore, Absolute Serenity Day Spa, vIP Limousine, Bucky’s and Eliza Portrait Design . And now we bring you the best of Omaha awards . Our sincere thanks to all the readers and advertisers who made this year’s issue the best of “Best of” Omaha!

arTWOrK By CraIG LEE

Since 1992, Omaha Magazine has been partnering with its readership to bring you the Best of Omaha Awards, a readerdetermined list of the best businesses and services offered throughout the city . The “Best of” list has become an annually anticipated authority on everything from the city’s best pizza to its best beauty salon . This year’s list, the 17th in the series, gives you more of that than ever . The results of voting in a record 138 categories (10 new) buoy this year’s Best of Omaha issue, which is a robust 128 pages, the LARGEST ISSUE EvER of Omaha Magazine . More than 12,000 voters participated in this year’s balloting . The results were then audited to guarantee accuracy and are now yours to use, peruse or even debate if there’s a particular category you feel passionate about .

Thanks Omaha for Voting us #1

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8804 ‘L’ Street Omaha, NE 68127 P: 402-592-7600 F: 402-592-0271 www.metroglassomaha.com

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WANT TO BANK WITH OMAHA’S BEST? WE’RE WITH YOU. First National Bank is proud to be named Best Bank and Second Best Employer in “Omaha Magazine's Best of Omaha® Survey.” Thank you, Omaha, for the votes and for supporting us for over 150 years. Whether you work or bank with us, we're with you every step of the way.

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Bank First National Bank of Omaha Wells Fargo Bank Bank of the West Bar-B-Que Famous Dave's Amarillo Barbeque Restaurant McKenna's Blues, Booze & BBQ Beauty Supply Store Beauty First Beauty Brands Salon Spa Superstore Sally Beauty Supply Beer Selection Old Chicago Upstream Brewing Co. Crescent Moon Ale House Boat Dealer Omaha Marine Center Valley Marine Corporation Mid-American Boats

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China Buffet Best Buffet

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T H AN KS AGA IN, TH O M A HA ! FOR LETTING US HELP YOU

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Papillion 96th & Hwy 370 933-4100 Elkhorn Hwy 31, 1 Mile North of Dodge 502-7400 84th & Center 391-7280 90th & Maple 571-1201 132nd & Center 334-5062 Bellevue (Shopko Center) 291-8444

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r continued I appreciate you a’s hometown support of Omah . odfather’s Pizza G – ce la p za iz p , 35 years now For more than making pizza my crew’s been with only the pies piled high , homemade best ingredients % real cheese. dough and 100 r my family. Only the best fo a. Thanks Omah

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Maple Branch 171st & West Maple Midtown Hy-Vee Branch 90th & W. Center Rd. Millard Branch 153rd & Q St. Millard Super Saver Branch 144th & Stony Brook Blvd. South Omaha Branch 24th & L St. All Branches: 402.292.8000

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Membership is Open to Everyone! Douglas, Sarpy, & Cass Counties in Nebraska & Pottawattamie County in Iowa

Dance Club Nico The Max Club Patrick's Desserts Cheesecake Factory WheatFields Summer Kitchen CafĂŠ & Bakery Dry Cleaners Fashion Cleaners Max I. Walker Cleaners and Launderers Camelot Cleaners Employer PayPal First National Bank of Omaha C&A Industries, Inc.

Made possible by the number one best community ... Omaha.

Thank you, Omaha, for naming us the Number One Best Employer in Omaha. The creativity, energy and generosity that makes this a great place to live also helps make PayPal a great place to work. www.paypal.com

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French Fries Runza Restaurants McDonald's Bronco's French Restaurant The French Café La Voltaire La Buvette Wine & Grocery Fried Chicken Jack & Mary's Restaurant Millard Roadhouse Alpine Inn Funeral Home Heafey Heafey Hoffman Dworak & Cutler Mortuaries and Crematory John A. Gentleman Mortuaries Roeder Mortuary

s ear Y 50 till S d An igh H ng i le! d d d Ri a eS h T In

for the

fashionable woman Nanette Keller Eileen Fisher

Thank you to all our loyal customers throughout the many years. We welcome everyone to stop in and enjoy our fresh and delicious food at affordable prices. We look forward to another 50 years of serving you the best burgers and fries along with everything else on our menu. Thank you for voting us “BEST OF OMAHA” For FRENCH FRIES! 45TH & Leavenworth • 120th & Paciﬁc • www.broncoburgers.com www.omahapublications.com

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Thank You Omaha for Voting us Best of Omaha! s Bar and Stellsat' HamburgGrill Be

3117 N.120th St. N 1201 S. 157th St. #109 402.934.2177 N www.sevensalon.com Color by Stevi, haircut/style Alicia & Makeup by Ashley at Seven Salon, clothing by BeYourself.

Stella’s Bar and Grill

106 Galvin Rd • Bellevue • 402-291-6088

Thank You Omaha for Voting us

1 Hair Salon

for the Past 16 Consecutive Years!

330-5660 • 12025 Pacific St. www.creativehairdesign.com 46

january/february | 2009

Gas Station Bucky's Express QuikTrip Fantasy's Food & Fuel General Auto Repair Jensen Tire & Auto Haver's Service Center Walker Tire

Now serving

Sushi Bucky's Express

Gas Station Best

Served ThursdaySaturday from 5pm-1am

1037 Jones St. 934-0005

Golf Course Champions Run Tiburon Golf Club Indian Creek Golf Course Greek Restaurant Jim & Jenny's Greek Village The Greek Islands Katie's Restaurant & Taverna Grocery Store Hy-Vee Baker's Supermarkets Bag N Save Hair Salon Creative Hair Design Salon & Spa Garbo's Salon & Spa Seven Salon www.omahapublications.com

Monday-Thursday 8-8 • Friday 8-6 • Saturday 9-5 • Sunday Closed

You’ll like the way we do business! 4600 South 90th Street • (90th & L) • Omaha, Nebraska 68127 402.592.7072 • www.kellyscarpetomaha.com january/february | 2009

Thanks Omaha, for voting us Best of Omaha...

Three Years in a Row! 3007 S 83rd Plz Omaha, NE 68124 (402) 391-2923

january/february | 2009

1201 S 157th St Omaha, NE 68130 (402) 884-2272

Hamburger Fuddruckers Goldberg's Stella's Bar and Grill Happy Hour Kona Grill Old Chicago Blue Sushi Sake & Grill

Thanks Omaha for Voting us #1 Best Burger once again for 2009! 9!

Fuddruckers — “The World’s Greatest Hamburger” NEWLY REMODELED

Come see why

72nd & Dodge St. • 402-556-0504 & 16920 Wright Plaza • 402-932-7790

Heating & Air Conditioning Service A-1 United Heating & Air Conditioning McCarthy's One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning Aaksarben/ ARS Heating Air Conditioning & Plumbing Home Accessories Nebraska Furniture Mart Bed Bath & Beyond Pier 1 Imports

Home Audio Store Stereo West Home Theater Store Best Buy Sound Environment Home Builder Curt Hofer Construction HearthStone Homes Celebrity Homes

www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

t McCarthy’s One Hour, we are proud to be voted one of Omaha’s Best Heating & Air Conditioning providers for the past three years. But even more important than the award itself is who the award came from — you, our valued customers that we have served since 1970. Thank you Omaha! It is our continued pleasure to serve you.

Home Cleaning Service The Maids Merry Maids Maids & More Home Remodeling RD Schuller General Contractor G & J Remodeling Diversified Construction Hot Wings Buffalo Wild Wings Hooters Wingstop

Thanks Omaha for voting us the best Home Remodeler!

Thanks for voting Diversified Construction, Inc. Best of Omaha!

Winner 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 MOBA Remodeler of the year State Remodeler of the year

Kitchens • Bathrooms • Room Additions Basements • Complete House Remodels

Diversified Construction, Inc. Residential / Commerical Remodeling

12012 Roberts Road • Suite A • LaVista, NE 68128 Phone: 402-896-8226 • Fax: 402-895-0960

Ice Cream Parlor Ted & Wally's Ice Cream Cold Stone Creamery Maggie Moo's Ice Cream and Treatery Indian Restaurant The Jaipur Brew House Indian Oven India Garden

www.omahapublications.com

G & JHoRmee mRemooddeeling Best

ling

“Let our talents create your dreams” “Omaha Premier Bathrooms”

january/february | 2009

Cox HigH Speed internet

Voted Best of omaha

fIVe years and countIng!

Thank you omaha for voting us #1 year after year!

Call 934-3081 to order

www.cox.com/omaha

available to residential customers in Cox wired serviceable locations. Cable Modem required. Cox cannot guarantee error-free or uninterrupted service. actual speeds may vary. Speed comparison based on download of Cox Premier 12 Mbps service vs. 28.8 Kbps dial-up and 9 Mbps dSl service. Installation fees may apply. other restrictions apply. Best of omaha award logo used with permission. ÂŠ 2009 Cox Communications omaha, llC. all rights reserved.

In-Home Nursing Services Home Instead Senior Care Visiting Nurse Association Alegent Health Home Care Interior Design Firm The Interior Design Firm Interior Design Group Interiors Joan & Associates Internet Provider Cox Communications Qwest Internet America Online Italian Restaurant Lo Sole Mio Ristorante Italiano Vincenzo's Biaggi's

e Instead Senior C HomBest In-Home Nursing Services are

Thank You for voting us #1 again

The Face of Care A Focus On Compassion

Home Care Hospice & Palliative Care

IV Therapy Community/ Public Health

(402) 342-5566 1039-1534_CondAd_BestO-5x2375.indd www.omahapublications.com

New semester acting classes begin in January! Fun themes from High School Musical to Putting on a Play! Variety of days and times to meet your busy schedule! Register online today!

We accept cash, check, and credit card!

www.theVNAcares.org (712) 328-2636

(800) 456-8869 11/18/08 2:03:24 PM

12135 W. Center Rd. â&#x20AC;˘ Omaha, NE 68144 (402) 330-1020 â&#x20AC;˘ www.schoolofstars.com january/february | 2009

For Expert Lawn Service, Trust TruGreen. Visible Results. Gauanteed* TruGreen ChemLawn is now TruGreen because one word is all you need for a greener lawn. • Friendly, Licensed Specialists • Natural Nutrient Program • Tree & Shrub Care

Call TruGreen Today!

BEFORE

• Free Lawn Analysis • Free Estimates

Kitchen Remodels • Bathroom Remodels • Room Additions Entertainment Centers • Finished Basement Remodels Wet Bars • Windows & Door Replacement • Decks Granite Countertops • Cabinetry for New Homes

Best of Omaha Our Customers speak well of our work....ask for references! Serving our customers since 1982.

Kitchens By Design Nebraska Home Improvement Inc. 1263 South 120th Street • Omaha, NE 68144 402-334-8888 • kitchensbydesignomaha.com

• Free Service Calls • Free Lawn Quality Audits

Say goodbye to weeds and lawn pests. Say hello to a TruGreen lawn you can be proud of.

Proudly Serving Communities for Over 30 Years

AFTER

• Customized, Seasonal Fertilization, Effective Weed Control & All Lawn Services

402-895-7591 The Lawn You Want From The Company You Trust!

TRUGREEN

1-877-MY-LAWN-5

www.trugreen.com

Yo lawunr mean more.s Pay an easier way. Sign up for EasyPay, our auto payment option.

Lawn S ScottsBest Lawn Careervice

Thank You Omaha for Putting Scotts LawnService in the Winner’s Circle! 1-402-571-8433 ®

january/february | 2009

scottslawnservice.com

Japanese Restaurant Kobe Steak House Genji Japanese Steak House Hiro Sushi Jewelry Store Borsheims Brodkey's Jewelers Omaha Jewelry

Thank You for Voting us #1 Three Years in a Row!

1120 FORT CROOK ROAD BELLEVUE, NE 68005 800-756-7344 WWW.APACHECAMPER.COM 402-292-1455

SEE US AT THE OMAHA SPORTS SHOW! HWY 77 SALTILLO RD LINCOLN, NE 68430 800-753-9158

Karaoke MICS Karaoke Bar Grandmother's Brass Knocker Lounge Kids Summer Camp YMCA of Greater Omaha Carol Joy Holling Youth Camp Hummel Day Camp

Kitchen & Bath Remodeling Kitchens By Design Ward's Kitchens & Baths, Inc. Consolidated Kitchens & Fireplaces Laser Tag SkateDaze Zzzap Laser Tag Thunder Alley Lawn Care Tru Green Heartland Lawns LLC Scotts LawnService Life/Health Insurance Company Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska Physicians Mutual Mutual of Omaha

Thanks for making us your first choice for health insurance.

An Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

bcbsne.com www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

Lim Extret mLimeousine Coomupsine Bes

Limousine Company VIP Transportation & Limousine Service Old Market Limousine Service Extreme Limousine

any

Thank you for voting us Best of Omaha!

402-393-5466 • www.extremelimousineinc.com • www.racinglimos.com/omaha

Kick Off 2009 with our Super SALE

Liquor Store Hy-Vee Spirit World Hooch Hutch margarita Roja Mexican Grill Hector's Señor Matia's Mexican Restaurant martial Arts Studio San-Mai Martial Arts Martial Arts International Kimi Tae Kwon Do School & Firness Center

Bringing Big City Style to Old Town Papillion!!

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US BEST OF OMAHA.

YOU’RE THE BEST!

De signer Clothes Sho e s Purses Jewelr y and Mor e

991.4477 84th & 1st St. Downtown Papillion

Open Mon-Sat at 10am 56

january/february | 2009

ma's Fashion Bouti Kajost Women's Boutiquque Be

martini Charlie's on the Lake Blue Sushi Sake & Grill Reel

on & Limousin portati e rans Limousine CompanServic IP T Best y

We would like to thank everyone who voted for their support in making us the Best of Omaha this year! It is a great honor and we are excited to receive this recognition from the city and our valued customers. They are the real VIPs! We are truly grateful.

men's Apparel Jerry Ryan Clothing & Sportswear Lindley Men's Clothing Parsow's Fine Clothing & Sportswear mexican Restaurant La Mesa Mexican Restaurant Hector's Roja Mexican Grill

ha for a m O n i Aga Thanks oting Us #1 V

Thank You Fans!

motorcycle Dealer Holstein's Harley-Davidson PowerSports Pro BMW Motorcycles of Omaha moving Company Two Men and a Truck Jim's Moving Company Movers Not Shakers musical Instrument Store Dietze Music Schmitt Music Russo's Guitar Center

Ticket Packages start as low as $40! â&#x20AC;˘ 738-5100 or www.oroyals.com

From our family to yours ...

Thanks again Omaha for voting us Best of Omaha for three years in a row! 15505 Ruggles Street â&#x20AC;˘ (2 blocks North of Maple on 156th)

884-5100

january/february | 2009

Nail Salon Legacy Nails & Spa Mohegan Nail Spa Nail Experts Neighborhood Bar Dundee Dell Clancy's Pub Tanner's Bar & Grill

PROFESSIONAL INDOOR FOOTBALL

Thank you, Omaha, for voting us Best of Omaha

AFFORDABLE FAMILY FUN

“Our cake stands alone.”

SEASON STARTS IN MARCH For complete schedule please visit the website.

ing Ten Celebrat maha! O n i s r a Ye

All Home Games played at the Civic Auditorium. Call for tickets today! 402.346.BEEF BEEFFOOTBALL.com

1314 S. 119th St. • Omaha, NE 68144 402-334-6800 • www.cupcakeisland.com

THANKS OMAHA FOR CHOOSING US YOUR #1 MOVING COMPANY . . . We offer a full line of moving-related services that can be customized to fit your needs.

5 YEARS RUNNING

2 Locations to Better Serve You! Omaha, NE • 597-6683 Lincoln, NE • 466-4669 Visit our website at www.twomenandatruck.com Each franchise independently owned and operated. www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

Thank You Omaha For Voting Us

Best New Car Dealer!

Performance Chrysler Jeep Dodge Smart 7010 S. 124th Circle La Vista, NE 68128 (402) 339-3131

Performance Ford 11910 W. Dodge Rd. Omaha, NE 68154 (402) 934-5656

Locally Owned and Operated For Over 50 Years

performanceauto.com

Performance Toyota of La Vista 7204 S. 124th Circle La Vista, NE 68128 (402) 731-2000

Performance Volkswagen 7108 S. 124th Circle La Vista, NE 68128 (402) 991-0500

New Car Dealer Woodhouse Auto Family Performance Auto Group Lexus of Omaha Oil Change Service Jiffy Lube Jensen Tire & Auto Valvoline Instant Oil Omaha Sports Team Omaha Royals Creighton Blue Jays Omaha Beef Optical Shop Eyemasters Malbar Vision Center Millard Family Eyecare Orthodontist Kort Igel DDS Greg Samuelson Dennis Weiss Outdoor Spas & Decks Custom Decks & Spas, LLC Continental Pool & Spas Roberts Pool & Spa www.omahapublications.com

ote! r your v o f s k n Tha

19 $

OFF

FUEL SYSTEM JIFFY LUBE SIGNATURE CLEANING SERVICE SERVICE® OIL CHANGE COUPON REQUIRED! NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY. Regular price: $34.99 plus tax, most vehicles. Service includes: oil (up to five quarts of quality oil), oil filter, lubricate chassis (when applicable), check and fill five vital fluids, check air filter and tire pressure, vacuum interior floors and clean exterior windows. Coupon not valid with any other offer or discount. Additional charge for high mileage or full synthetic oil. Visit www.heartlandjiffylube.com for participating service centers. Coupon expires 2/28/2009. Code 55SSOC19

OMAHA 3715 N.147th St. 1221 South 120th St. 84th & F St. 8008 West Dodge Rd. 5819 Maple St. 4740 Leavenworth

For

COUPON REQUIRED. NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY. Regular price: $69.99 plus tax, most vehicles. Cleans and lubricates the injectors, removes carbon deposits and varnish in combustion chamber, reduces exhaust emissions, restores lost gas mileage and improves engine performance. Coupon not valid with any other offer or discount. Visit www.heartlandjiffylube.com for participating service centers. Money Back Guarantee applies to Fuel System Cleaning Service only. Coupon expires 2/28/2009. Code 55FSC10

MILLARD

18240 Wright St. 13720 P St. BELLEVUE 1417 Fort Crook Rd.

january/february | 2009

www.preferredplumber.com

Painter Gerst Contracting Certa Pro Painters A Perfect Touch Painting Thanks for voting us #1

Pasta Pasta Amoré e Fantasia Lo Sole Mio Ristorante Italiano Spaghetti Works

We Keep Your Dog Looking and Feeling Like it Just Stepped Into the Winner’s Circle

2758 S. 129th Ave. (132nd & Center) Montclair Shopping Center (across from Michael’s) 402-884-7618

enue Grooming & D k Av t Grooming Salaycare on Bar est Pe B

• Grooming • Dog Daycare • Accessories 3731 N. 153rd Street (153rd & W. Maple Road)

www.barkavenueomaha.com

496-4005

Pawn Shop Sol's Jewelry & Loan Pawn Plus Bud's Pawn Shop Pet Grooming Salon Bark Avenue Grooming & Daycare Best in Show Pet Salon Susie's Pet Grooming

The PhYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL TheRAPY YOU NeeD, IN YOUR NeIghbORhOOD. Pet Store Pet World Pets R Us Petland

With 10 conveniently located clinics and growing, Alegent health Physical and Occupational Therapy is the largest provider of physical and occupational therapy in the Omaha Metro. Our specially trained therapists develop personalized plans to meet your goals - at your pace.

Physical Therapy Clinic Excel Physical Therapy Alegent Health Physical and Occupational Therapy ProCare3 Physical Therapy

For your convenience, extended hours are offered at several of our area locations. To find out more, visit Alegent.com or call 1-800-Alegent.

Alegent Health is a faith-based health ministry sponsored by Catholic Health Initiatives and Immanuel Health Systems.

www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

THANK YOU OMAHA!

Sandwiches PepperJax Grill Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches Quizno's

-- NEW NEW CLIENT CLIENT SPECIAL SPECIAL --

$ FREE 25 TANNING PACKAGE New clients only. Not valid with any other offers. See Salon for details. Exp: 3/31/09 T-0920

www.ashleylynnstanning.com

Seafood Charlie's on the Lake Absolutely Fresh Seafood-Shucks Fish House Bonefish Grill Senior Photographer Arnold Clark Studio Billings Photography Deyo's Photography Sports Bar Brewsky's Food & Spirits Icehouse Sports Bar and Grill Indigo Joe's Steakhouse Mahogany Prime Steak House Johnny's Café Sullivan's Steakhouse

Hiro Sushi Japanese Cuisine 3655 North 129th Eagle Run Square • Omaha, NE 68164 402.933.0091 • www.hirosushiomaha.com 66

january/february | 2009

Sunday Brunch Granite City Food & Brewery Grandmother's LePeep Sushi Restaurant Blue Sushi Sake & Grill Hiro Sushi Kona Grill

Tanning Salon Ashley Lynn's Tanning Tan World Desert Tan Tattoo Parlor/Piercing Big Brain Liquid Courage Custom Tattoos American Tattoo & Body Piercing Thrift Store Goodwill Industries Thrift World Salvation Army Travel Agency Travel & Transport AAA Nebraska Travel Enchanted Honeymoons Travel

Thank you for voting us Omahaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Sports Bar two years running

Come for the food, stay for the fun large parties and families welcome

REALLY GREAT FOOD

153rd & Q Streets, 614-2739 84th & Park Drive, 201-2739 www.brewskys.com

TAKES REALLY BIG THINKING

Thanks for Voting uss

www.omahapublications.com

2429 S. 132ND ST. 402-758-9222

1040 S. 74TH PLZ. 402-884-6003

2579 S. 171ST CRT. 402-884-0430

4303 N. 72ND ST. 402-991-6675

2085 N. 120TH ST. 402-964-2760

84TH & Park Drive Coming Soon

january/february | 2009

Lexus Of Omaha Would Like To Say “Thank You” To Our Clients Who Have Helped Us In Winning The “Elite Of Lexus” Award For Customer Satisfaction 18 Years In A Row. Lexus Of Omaha Is 1 Of 3 Dealerships In The Country, Out Of 213 That Have Won This Prestigious Award Every Year It Has Been Available. You Have Also Voted Us Best Used Car Dealer And One Of The Best New Auto Dealers In The “Best Of Omaha” Poll for the Fourth Year in a Row.

Once Again, Thank You Omaha!

18-Time “Elite of Lexus” Winner For Customer Satisfaction

13025 W. Dodge Road • 333-6400 • 1-800-632-5398 VISIT US AT OUR WEB SITE: www.lexusofomaha.com

Thank You Omaha!

Used Car Dealer Lexus of Omaha CarMax H&H Chevrolet

We at beyourself thank you for this honor! We appreciate each and every one of you.

307 N 78th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402.933.9584

Thank You for Voting us #1 Vet Clinic Ralston Veterinary Clinic Gentle Doctor Animal Hospital Elkhorn Animal Hospital Window Coverings A Well-Dressed Window 3-Day Blinds Budget Blinds

Call Today for More Information n Dennis D. Weiss, D.D.S., M.S. Orthodontist, P.C.

Terrace Plaza Oﬃce 11414 W. Center Rd. Ste. 334

111 Hillrise Center Elkhorn, NE 68022

330-3200

289-3232

Thank you Omaha!

Windows & Doors Pella Window Store Omaha Door & Window Champion Windows, Siding & Patio Rooms Wine Store Spirit World Corkscrew Wine & Cheese WineStyles Women's Boutique Nouvelle Eve beyourself Kajoma's Fashion Boutique

For more than forty years you have allowed the Gentle Doctor to care for your pets just as we care for our own - thank you. 89th & Grant 397-4344 • 120th & Blondo 493-9650 • 153rd & Maple 445-4400

www.gentledoctoranimalhospitals.com www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

Story by Judy Horan Photo by minorwhitestudios.com

Feature

Being a Foster Parent

is a Labor of Love

The blue-eyed, blonde toddler is eating french fries, stopping only to flash a captivating grin before picking up another fry. Jackie looks so much like the woman hovering over her, Tammy Welker, that you just know theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re mother and daughter. 70

january/february | 2009

You would be right. Except that Jackie is adopted. Her adoption ceremony on Dec. 30 was carefully planned. Jackie’s seven new cousins bought teeshirts to wear to court that said ”Jackie Rocks” on the back. Each cousin wore a different letter on the shirt’s front --- J-A-C-K-I-E! Jackie has lived with Welker, a single foster parent, since she was seven months old. She is the first of the seven foster children that Welker has cared for over four years who could not be returned to her parents, and the first that Welker has adopted. Few foster children are adopted. Most return to their families. “In the last year from our program, probably 15 percent were adopted,” said Carol Krueger, director of social services for the Nebraska Children’s Home. The Home works with Tammy Welker and about 35 other foster families to care for children when their parents can’t. Welker has wanted to be a foster parent since she was 10 years old and saw the CBS-TV movie, “The Children Nobody Wanted.” The 1981 movie is about Tom Butterfield, who fought the State of Missouri to become a foster parent at the age of 19. “I just love the fact that guy helped those little kids,” she said. “Those kids have a right to a safe place while their parents get their lives back together.” Children go into foster care because of issues such as parental abuse, neglect, alcoholism or drug use. In some cases, courts have terminated the parent’s rights. What strikes fear in the biological parent’s heart is that the foster parent won’t return their child. One distraught mother called Tammy and yelled at her, “You’re trying to take my baby away.” But Tammy assures parents that she wants to work with them and help them get their child back. She keeps a notebook of the child’s daily activities and turns it over to the parent when they visit. She calls with updates and makes them part of the child’s routine, including going along on doctor’s visits. “I love the parents as much as the kids,” says Tammy, who has a degree in early childhood development from Wayne State College. She and the mother who yelled at her are now close. The mother calls Tammy for advice and they visit each other. When the mother got her www.omahapublications.com

Report Abuse. It’s the Law. The two young children who arrived at the emergency shelter in Omaha had been living in a trailer with no heat, no electricity and no food. A neighbor finally reported the unsafe living situation to authorities, remembers Pete Tulipana, president and CEO of Heartland Family Service. The shelter is a program that Heartland offers for abused children. The neighbor was following the law. State law says that any person who suspects that a child has been physically or sexually abused or neglected must report it promptly to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said spokeswoman Jeanne Atkinson. The Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline is 1-800-652-1999. Sometimes schools spot a bad situation when the child acts out. Or a child’s problems may surface if he or she ends up in the juvenile justice system. Children are placed in the Heartland Family Service’s 18-bed emergency shelter or sent to emergency home foster care. Much discussion in Nebraska has centered on parents who used the state’s Safe Haven Law to leave their children at hospitals. A study by the Department of Health and Human Services shows that a majority of those children had dealt with mental health issues. Tulipana said one reason parents may used the Safe Haven Law is that there are not adequate sophisticated mental health resources in Nebraska for kids. “If you don’t have insurance, it’s overwhelming.” A child already undergoing mental health issues who is sent away from home faces more trauma. Atkinson recommends these resources for parents looking for help in dealing with their child or adolescent: • The Boys Town National Hotline at 1-800-448-3000 offers free advice to families. • Call the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Omaha office at 595-2850 or go to the statewide web site www.dhhs.ne.gov/ • Call the Human Services Hotline at 2-1-1 day or night.

january/february | 2009

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Thank You Omaha! Look for the Best of Omaha® logo around town for this years winners. Read Omaha’s favorite magazines online !

january/february | 2009

son back, she called Tammy and apologized, saying, “I’m sorry I’m taking your baby away.” “I knew then she was going to be a great mother,” says Tammy. Foster parents definitely aren’t in it for the money. The monthly stipend is small. “The reward is seeing parents reunite with their children, because it helps put a family back together,” says Tammy. “It’s a labor of love.” Foster Parents In Training The Nebraska Children’s Home is always on the lookout for good foster parents like Tammy Welker, says Krueger. Currently, most foster children are newborn to age 5. But the Nebraska Children’s Home also needs families willing to take in preteens and teens. They also need families that will work with medically fragile children and children with other problems. It takes more than a phone call to become a foster parent. It also takes 27 hours of classroom time, required by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, and a license from the state. Foster parents undergo a criminal history screening and fingerprinting every two years. The Nebraska Children’s Home interviews each prospective foster parent. One question is paramount. To paraphrase the words of John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your foster child can do for you, ask what you can do for your foster child.” “It’s important you be clear on what you can offer the child, as opposed to what you get from the child,” explains Krueger. It’s also important that families have a support system in the community. In what Krueger calls Fos/Adopt, foster parents must be able to help facilitate a return to the child’s biological parents if needed. Some, such as Tammy Welker, are willing to adopt a child. In Nebraska, foster parents can be married or single. If you are interested in the rewarding job of being a foster parent, call the Nebraska Children’s Home at 451-0787.

Story by Leo Adam Biga Photo by minorwhitestudios.com

A Panoramic World Drickey in his downtown loft studio.

Omaha

commercial photographer Pat Drickey knew he was onto something big when panoramic images he was commissioned to shoot of Pebble Beach Golf Course struck a chord in people. What began as an irrigation company ad campaign gig, flying him to elite courses around the world, became his own niche enterprise when the prints sold out and the Professional Golfers Association took note. “That’s when I knew this could be a business,” said Drickey, an Omaha native whose Stonehouse Publishing company specializes in producing iconic landscape images of premier golf courses around the world. Drickey, who takes the vast majority of the photographs himself and personally supervises the production of every single print, estimates more than 300,000 Stonehouse prints are now in circulation. “We have branded the panoramic format for golf,” said Drickey, whose business operates out of a century-old red-brick building on the Old Market’s fringe at 1508 Leavenworth St.

www.omahapublications.com

In addition to being licensed by major courses, the United States Golf Association and the PGA, he has the endorsement of living legends like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, giving him access to virtually any green or fareway. From Pebble Beach to Pinehurst to Medinah to St. Andrews to many other championship courses with rich histories, Stonehouse and Drickey are recognized names with carte blanche access. “Which is a significant deal,” he said, ”because we are becoming that embedded in the lore of golf.” Drickey’s neither the first nor only photographer to capture links in a panoramic way. But he believes what separates his work from others is the photo-illustration approach he uses in creating crystal-clear images of striking detail and depth. Employing alldigital equipment in the field and in the studio, Drickey brings exacting standards to his imagemaking not possible with film. Digital enhancements bring clarity from shadows and achieve truer, more balanced colors, he said. continued on next page

january/february | 2009

continued from previous page

Our event coordinator will help make your next corporate event memorable. Call 402.944.3100 x244 for a tour and free consultation

I-80 Exit 426 • strategicairandspace.com

THANK YOU OMAHA VOTING US # 1! IT’S ALL ABOUT COLOR! FOR

THE COLOR IS YOUR CHOICE! Painting • Wallpapering • Carpentry Since 1977 20214 Veterans Drive • Elkhorn, NE 68022

The 5th Year in a Row 74

january/february | 2009

402.289.1010

Even a sand trap can be digitally raked. “It’s just incredible what you can do -- the control you have,” he said. He said Stonehouse has adopted the fine art Giclee process to its own printmaking methods, which entails using expensive pigmented archival inks on acid free watercolor paper to ensure prints of high quality that last. “I want to produce a product that’s going to be around for a long time. The color hits that paper and stays with it -it will not fade. And that’s significant,” he said. He feels another reason for Stonehouse’s success is its images portray the timeless characteristics that distinguish a scenic hole or course. He strives to indelibly fix each scene into a commemorative frieze that expresses the design, the physical beauty, the tradition. The clubhouse is often featured. Getting the composition just how he wants it means “waiting for the right light,” which can mean hours or days. Much care and research go into finding the one idyllic, golden-hued shot that speaks to golf aficionados. That’s who Stonehouse prints are marketed to. Building and updating Stonehouse’s image collection keeps Drickey on the road several days a month. He’s halfway to his goal of photographing the world’s top 100 courses. One he’s still waiting to shoot is Augusta, home to the Masters. “That’s one of America’s crown jewels. We are present at the other majors, and we’d like to have a presence there. It’s just a matter of time. Those introductions have been made,” Drickey said. Stonehouse prints grace golf books and periodicals. Drickey’s collaborating on a book project for Nebraska’s Sand Hills Golf Club course. He has more book ideas in mind. His golf niche is an extension of the architectural photography he once specialized in. It’s all a far cry from the images he made with a Brownie as a boy. He still has that camera. A reminder of how far he’s come.

coveR: StRong, SmaRt and Bold:

meet the girls of girls inc.

IRon chef cat coRa

cooks up Fun for the Food Bank

Your invitation to omaha’s charitY and societY scene

the JoSlyn’S dIego RIveRa celeBRateS

a Famous mexican artist

Focusing on women’s health. Methodist Health System is the leader in women’s health services— from Methodist Hospital, the place that delivers more babies than Methodist Health System is proud to be a member of Spirit of Women, devoted to helping women lead healthier lives.

any other in the region, to the comprehensive breast health care at Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center and Jennie Edmundson Hospital, to Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center, the largest and most experienced OB/GYN practice in the area. Building has already begun on the new Methodist Women’s Hospital, an entire facility and

medical campus devoted expressly to care for women. Methodist Health System offers a wide-ranging list of women’s health services. But in each corner of the system, you’ll find that the focus is one important aspect of treating patients—The meaning of care.

Methodist hospital | Methodist physicians clinic | Jennie edMundson hospital

Meet our Women’s Services providers at www.bestcare.org/womens.

Dr. Rebecca McCrery Urogynecology Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center

january/february 2009 VOLUME 1 • ISSU E 2 publisher

todd lemke editor

sandra lemke events editor

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Gala 2009:

Corey Ross

Ready to Serve in the New Year

elcome to the second issue of Gala, and thank you to all of you who had kind words and compliments about our debut issue. The content and look of Gala was especially applauded, but perhaps the most gratifying feedback came from the non-profit community. The Omaha non-profit organizations have enthusiastically endorsed the direction of Gala and its mission to be proactive about providing information in advance of fundraising events and using those events as an opportunity to highlight the good work of local charitable organizations. Several examples of these partnerships can be found in the pages that follow: • In our Q & A section, we have an interview with Iron Chef Cat Cora, who will appear at The Omaha Food Bank’s annual Celebrity Chef Fundraiser in February. This event always draws a strong crowd for a great cause. • In our society preview column, we break the news of Olympic gold medalist gymnast Mary Lou Retton coming to Omaha on behalf of the Arthritis Foundation to participate in its annual walk in May. Retton was an inspiration to many in her athletic prime and continues to be now, but in a new way. A few years ago, Retton underwent a successful hip-replacement procedure and now spreads a message of hope to those who suffer from conditions similar to hers, which included

www.omahapublications.com

arthritis. You can learn more on page 86. • And then there’s our cover story, which this issue is an organizational profile of Girls Inc. in advance of its Girls Nite Out event in January. Girls Inc. was in the spotlight last October when Sen. Hillary Clinton paid a visit to Omaha and addressed a Girls Inc. luncheon crowd. Clinton spoke very knowledgeably about Girls Inc. and gave high praise to its mission of inspiring girls to be “Strong, Smart and Bold.” Our profile highlights three local girls who embody the mission of Girls Inc. and exude the self-confidence that the program instills in young women. As the lead issue into 2009, this edition of Gala only scratches the surface of all the good work that awaits to be documented in the new year as the Omaha non-profit community continues to do the good work that it does. Again, I encourage any and all of those associated with local charities to help keep us informed about upcoming charitable activities in 2009. You can contact me at corey@omahapublications or 884.2039, preferably several months in advance of your event. As Gala grows, we’ll be able to cover more events, highlight more charities and be able to cast an even brighter spotlight on Omaha’s charitable community. With your help, we at Gala look forward to a successful 2009. Happy new year.

january/february | 2009

cover story

Photos by Scott Drickey, minorwhitestudios.com Story by Jason Keese

Cover: Denai Fraction right: natalia Patridge with Girls Inc. Director of Programs Emily Mwaja Opposite: symone sanders.

Girl Power

The girls of Girls Inc. know what it truly means to be strong, smart and bold

he Girls Inc. mission is to inspire girls to be “strong, smart and bold.” You’ll find many shining models of that motto as you walk through the hallways of Girls Inc. at 2811 N. 45th St. during its after-school program, but we’d like to you meet three. Recent Girls Inc. graduate Symone Sanders and current students Natalia Partridge and Denai Fraction embody strong, smart and bold. Sanders earned a $15,000 scholarship from the Girls Inc. national office and is now a freshman at Creighton University majoring in Business Law. She gained a certain level of fame a few years back when former President Bill Clinton mentioned her in his latest book after the stirring introduction she gave him at a Girls Inc. fundraiser in 2006 at Qwest Center Omaha. After she graduates, Symone wants to go into politics because, as she puts it, “I want to enact change. To enact change, you have to be in a position of power.”

january/february | 2009

Natalia, a 9-year-old student at Rose Hill Elementary School, says her favorite Girls Inc. activity was “She Votes,” in which girls across the country participated in a mock election and cast their ballots for president and vice president. Natalia, like many Girls Inc. girls, dives head-first into many activities – step team, ballet, basketball. “She looks very dainty in her ballet outfit,” says Girls Inc. of Omaha Executive Director Roberta Wilhelm, “but on the basketball court …” Wilhelm scowls and balls up her fists to imitate Natalia. Then there’s Denai, a 15-year-old sophomore at Central High School and 10-year Girls Inc. veteran. There are few programs, if any, she hasn’t tried at least once while at Girls Inc. – robotics, horseback riding, knitting, pottery, carpentry, book club, drama, field trips to New York City, Washington, D.C., and Florida. She loves it all. And she answers with no hesitation when asked what she wants to be when she grows up: “A pediatrician.”

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january/february | 2009

cover story

says, adding: “It’s a lot more perSymone. Natalia. Denai. sonal here. It’s girls’ lives.” Strong. Smart. Bold. Of course, not all the girls Girls Inc. of Omaha was come from troubled backfounded in 1975 as a local affiligrounds. Some, such as Symone ate of a national organization Sanders, come from two-parent that is now nearly 150 years old. homes and safe neighborhoods. The Omaha chapter has grown Even for these girls, though, from humble beginnings in there’s plenty to learn. Sanders, the basement of an inner-city the future politician, says it best: church, with an enrollment of “I was good, but Girls Inc. made six girls, to an organization with me great.” two facilities (the North Omaha In many ways, the same Development Center located at could be said about Girls Inc. 2811 North 45th Street and the of Omaha since Wilhelm took Emma Lozier Center in South over as executive director. Her Omaha located at 5407 South impact has been felt in many 30th Street.) complete with ways, but none more prolibraries, computer labs, teen centers and a yearly enrollment nounced than the arts. Wilhelm of more than 1,000 girls ages 5 is a firm believer that arts eduto 18. cation can be life-changing, On an average day, Girls Inc. so she championed increased of Omaha serves 210 girls with literacy, drama, music and art its after-school programs. In the programming. For example, on summer, that number swells to a Girls Inc. trip to Florida last 280. summer, the girls wrote in jourGirls Inc. girls learn a variety nals every day. of life skills - how to balance a “If you can’t read and write, checkbook; write a poem; how you can’t be strong, smart and to dribble a soccer ball; pitch bold,” she says. a tent.; carry the lead role in a All of this – the arts, the play, etc. But Girls Inc. is more facilities, the field trips, the than the sum of its daily activiprogramming – comes at a ties. For many of these girls, it’s price. Every year, Girls Inc. of a life-altering – even life-saving Omaha pays for hundreds of – experience. Many of these thousands of dollars’ worth of girls come from broken homes programs, supplies and scholGirls Inc. Development Director roberta Wilhelm in front of a mural at the (Wilhelm estimates that 20 arships, thanks to the donafacility at 2811 n. 45th st. percent of the girls are in foster tions of hundreds of Nebraska care) and the majority live in neighborhoods many Omahans only visit on individuals and organizations. the 10 o’clock news. Thousands have shown their generosity by attending one of Girls Inc.’s Even after years of hearing them, the stories of hardship and abuse still annual fund-raisers. The annual luncheon has grabbed headlines in recent stun Wilhelm. She marvels daily at the resiliency of those who’ve overyears by attracting such speakers as Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama come the worst circumstances. and Desmond Tutu. Girls Inc. also hosts its annual “Girls Nite Out” every win“The violence, these shootings you hear about on the news – these ter, a comedy event that has featured nationally known performers, includshootings have an impact on them,” Wilhelm says. “It’s amazing how well ing the Second City improvisation troupe and Tammy Pescatelli, who will they do against odds that people cannot imagine.” perform at this year’s “Nite Out” on Jan. 22. For girls such as these, the gravity of what Girls Inc. does is not lost on But just as vital as these donors of dollars are those who give their time Wilhelm, whose students respectfully refer to her as “Miss Roberta.” She and talent. Wilhelm says she receives phone calls and e-mails throughout joined Girls Inc. as executive director five years ago, after spending 20 the year from people who, after attending a fund-raiser or hearing a story years at the Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Center. There, she worked with about Girls Inc., feel inspired to help. kids, but not the same kids on a daily basis. Her impact was real, but in “We are really the beneficiaries of a lot of generous people in this commany ways not as profound. munity – generous both with cash and time,” Wilhelm says. “Here, this is every day. For a lot of these kids, a lot of their success And when she says “we,” she really means “they” – girls such as Symone, depends on what they do here for these few hours every day,” Wilhelm Natalia and Denai. Strong, smart and bold.

january/february | 2009

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january/february | 2009

behind the mic... cat cora By Sandy Lemke

This Cat Can Cook Iron Chef Cat Cora headlines The Food Bank’s annual Celebrity Chef Fundraiser Cat Cora, the first and only female Iron Chef on the Food Network’s hit show Iron Chef America, is visiting Omaha on Feb. 26 for the Food Bank’s Celebrity Chef Fundraiser. This event at the Holiday Inn Central, sponsored by ConAgra Foods and the Hawks Foundation, is the Food Bank’s main fundraiser. Tickets are $125, which includes wine and beer, hors d’oeuvres, dinner and entertainment. Tables of 10 are also available. The cocktail and silent auction hour begins at 5:30 p.m., which includes a cookbook signing: Cat Cora’s Cooking From The Hip. Books are available for purchase at $30. Proceeds from cookbook sales support The Food Bank, and event planners kindly ask that no outside books be brought in for signing. During dinner, Cat Cora will demonstrate two of her recipes on stage. The food will then be auctioned off. The winners will have the food delivered to their table and have their photos taken with Cora. Cora is a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, mentored by Julia Child, and is the Executive Chef for Bon Appetit Magazine and is the nutritional spokesperson for UNICEF. She is also the President and Founder of Chefs for Humanity, an organization which was founded in response to the 2004 tsunami disaster. Chefs for Humanity raises funds and resources for important emergency, educational and hunger-related causes. But Cora is most known for her work on Iron Chef America, which is based on a Japanese hit program and features a famed “secret ingredient” on each show. Each week, world-class chefs battle the legendary Iron Chefs of America: Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Masaharu Morimoto and Cora. Q. Most know you from Food network’s Iron Chef america. If you could challenge another Iron Chef, who would it be?

Q. If you could choose a secret ingredient, what would it be and what would you make?

A. I would challenge any of them! They are all amazing and it would be so much fun to take any (or all) of them on!

A. I really can’t choose just one! Honestly, I have no idea what I would make until I am actually in the situation, but it would be five or six courses of surprise under the pressure of the Iron Chef clock.

Q. Who would you pick as the next Iron Chef? A. I don’t think I could! There are so many talented chefs out there, but we would really have to put them to the “Iron Chef” test first. They have to really go through the rigors of an Iron Chef America contest to see who comes out on top. That was the process of finding our fifth Iron Chef and it was tough. Q. What was your favorite “secret ingredient?” A. I loved when it was honey.

january/february | 2009

Q. Tell us about your book, Cooking from the Hip. A. My second cookbook, Cooking From The Hip (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) focuses on cooking off the cuff (or from the hip), like I do at home and on the road. The book is all about taking ordinary ingredients and making them spectacular.

thursday, february 26 Holiday Inn Central 72nd & Grover, omaha

Q. as Executive Chef for Bon appétit Magazine, what is your responsibility?

$125 per Person to Benefit The Food Bank

A. I host many of Bon Appetit’s big events and conduct dinners for their staff, advertisers, etc.

A. The most important things to remember are never give up on your dreams, set goals constantly, be humble and keep your integrity no matter what. Oh yeah, and be on time! Q. Tell us about being mentored by Julia Child. A. I had a few really great moments with her where she mentored me and gave me advice that I will never forget. She was truly a professional and a very gracious lady. She also broke down many barriers for generations to come.

ConAgra Foods presents

An Evening with Celebrity Chef

Photographer robert Quailer

Q. What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

cat cora Sponsored by The Hawks Foundation

TickeT informaTion:

omahafoodbank.org or call (402) 331-1213

Q. you seem to work well under pressure. Would you rather work quickly, as on the show, or deliberately? A. I work both quickly and under pressure on Iron Chef America. I think you have to be focused and deliberate with every move and with only 60 minutes, more as quickly as possible! Q. Tell us about Chefs for Humanity. A. CFH is an alliance of culinary professionals and educators working in partnership with U.S. and global organizations. We provide nutrition education, hunger relief, and emergency and humanitarian aid to reduce hunger across the world. Cat Cora’s visit to Omaha is a testament to her outstanding work to reduce hunger. Cora urges everyone to support the Omaha Food Bank by purchasing a ticket to the event or possibly giving a ticket as a Valentine’s Day gift. Or, if you’re an Iron Chef America fan – consider making a monetary gift to the Food Bank in honor of Cat Cora. The Food Bank needs secret ingredients too!

$100 per ticket Rafﬂe Drawing May 9, 2009

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More information about The Food Bank Celebrity Chef Fundraiser can be found at www.omahafoodbank.org or by calling 331.1213.

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january/february | 2009

the scoop By Corey Ross

Left: Olympic gymnast Mary Lou retton will appear on behalf of the arthritis Foundation in May. above: author Jean Kilbourne will address a Camp Fire usa luncheon crowd in april.

he last time most Americans saw gymnast Mary Lou Retton, she was a smiling symbol of Olympic perfection. The lasting image of Retton is of her standing proudly after scoring a perfect 10 on the vault at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles to secure the gold medal and her place in history. Retton’s post-Olympic life has been equally impressive. She’s become the mother Physical Fitness and Sports. She has also become a symbol of another sort, this time for arthritis sufferers and hip-replacement patients. In her early 30s, Retton developed a dull ache in her hip. The pain eventually became so debilitating that she was unable to play with her children or perform daily tasks. Doctors diagnosed the cause as hip dysplasia, a hereditary abnormal formation of the hip joint, which also became arthritic. Retton finally found relief from her condition in June of 2005 when she opted for hip-replacement surgery. After a three-month recovery, she resumed her active lifestyle and now, at age 38, hopes to encourage and inspire others in chronic pain to make a similar life-saving choice. “Do your research on your doctor, make an appointment,” Retton suggests. “Don’t put it off. You don’t have to live in pain and miss out on life.” Retton will share her story with Omahans on May 2 when she partakes in the Arthritis Walk, sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation, at Miller’s Landing on the Riverfront. Though Retton is an atypical arthritis sufferer because she’s so young, Arthritis Foundation Executive Director Marzia Puccioni says she’s still a role model for all ages. “She’s an inspiration to all arthritis sufferers,” Puccioni says. “Her story shows how anyone suffering from arthritis can improve their quality of life through proper treatment.” Retton’s visit is being sponsored by Biomet Orthopedics, the company that provided the metal-on-metal replacement system for Retton’s procedure. Surgery remains a treatment of last resort for arthritis sufferers,

january/february | 2009

but Puccioni says Retton’s successful recovery is emblematic of how treatments overall for arthritis have progressed. “It just shows the type of advancements that have been made in the last 20 years to help people get their quality of life back,” she says. Omahans Phil and Tam Webb and seven-year-old Lily Moore will also be honored at the Arthritis Walk. Phil Webb, of Redstone Communications, has osteoarthritis and is a long-time board member of the foundation. Moore has suffered from Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis since falling off a balance beam in 2007. Puccioni says their stories, and Retton’s, underscore the mission of the Arthritis Foundation. “The whole point of what we’re trying to do is to keep people from being disabled. Arthritis is the most common cause of disability,” she says. “Our focus is to help arthritis sufferers enhance their quality of life.” Teams interested in participating in the walk can now sign up on the official walk website www.2009arthritiswalk.kintera.org/omaha. A promotion by Delta Airlines for two free round-trip tickets is currently the incentive to sign up your team by Dec. 31, 2008. The walk committee will hold a kick-off luncheon at Pasta Amore on Jan. 8. If you are interested in being on the committee or volunteering at the walk, please contact Kathy Wells, the Special Events Director at the Arthritis Foundation at 330-6130. Motown Magic For its 2009 Irish Fest celebration, Catholic Charities is returning to the venue where the current version of its popular annual fundraiser began. The March 14 benefit at the Air & Space Museum near Ashland will feature the music of The Four Tops. The Tops harken a return to the event’s musical roots, which actually began in 1992 but started featuring top national musical acts in 1999. When Irish Fest began to feature national acts, The Supremes (1999) and The Temptations (2000) were the first two acts to perform. Gail Durkin and Anne Marie O’Brien chaired the 1999 event at the Air & Space Museum, which was themed “Party on the Planes.”

Durkin and O’Brien are returning to chair the 2009 event called "Motown Magic." Aside from the featured entertainment, and the traditional Irish music also performed at the event, this year’s event will have an added attraction. A lineup of classic Detroit muscle cars will be on display keeping with the Motown theme. “The cars are from the 1960's and 70’s, the ones we grew up with and made memories in. They’ll be on display out amongst the planes. With the Four Tops playing, we think the cars will really add to the atmosphere for our audience,” explained Catholic Charities Development Director Kathy Fitzgerald Grandsaert. For more information about the event, log onto www.ccomaha.org or call 5540520. Author Talk Jean Kilbourne, co-author of “So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids,” will be the keynote speaker at the annual Camp Fire USA luncheon on April 1 at the Holiday Inn Central. Kilbourne is best known for her pioneering work studying the images of women in alcohol and tobacco advertising, which led to her book “Can’t Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel.” Her latest book provides “an in-depth analysis of the media’s effect on impressionable kids, (and) gives parents the information, skills and confidence they need to play a proactive role with their children around sexual issues.” Kilbourne and co-author Diane Levin, PH.D., call the book “a powerful antidote to the media’s stepped up assault on a childhood and its effect on our kids’ vulnerable psyches. To learn more, log onto www.sosexysosoon.com or www.jeankilbourne.com. Jody Carstens and Shelley Siemers will be luncheon co-chairs. For more information, go to www.campfireomaha.org. Items for The Scoop can be submitted to Corey Ross at 884.2039 or corey@omahapublications.com. www.omahapublications.com

Arthritis is a serious and sometimes deadly disease. The Let’s Move Together campaign aims to engage individuals and communities in an ongoing conversation about arthritis and activate them to participate in the Arthritis Walk. While the Arthritis Walk elevates the dialogue once a year, Let’s Move Together keeps the conversation active all year long. Let’s Move Together seeks to improve the quality of life of the 46 million Americans living with arthritis by encouraging them to walk just 30 minutes, or 10 minutes three times a day, to ease joint pain, improve mobility and reduce fatigue often associated with arthritis. It supports the Arthritis Foundation’s vision of a world free of arthritis pain.

The Arthritis Foundation welcomes fourlegged friends to join the festivities, too!

WALK

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Sadly, man’s best friend is not immune to the devastating effects of arthritis. Studies have shown that as many as 1 in 5 dogs suffers with canine arthritis. Request a registration form for your canine companion today. All dog participants will receive an Arthritis Foundation bandana! A waiver/release must be signed to certify that the dog is physically fit and has received medical clearance to participate in the Arthritis Walk. The owner of the dog must be at least 18 years of age and shall be the only handler of the dog at the event.

Local Sponsors

Lily Moore

2009 Honorees Saturday May 2, 2009 8:30 am - 1:00 pm Miller’s Landing With special guest, Olympic gold medalist

Mary Lou Retton www.2009arthritiswalk.kintera.org/omaha

Phil & Tam Webb

COMING MARCH 14 The annual IRISH FEST benefit for Catholic Charities to be held at SAC Museum

Music by

THE FOUR TOPS

with vintage Detroit muscle cars on display

For ticket information, contact Kathy Grandsaert at 402-829-9261 kathyg@ccomaha.org www.ccomaha.org january/february | 2009

galas, etc. A two-month look at upcoming fundraisers and other charitable events

January 22 GIrLs nITE OuT Holiday Inn Central, 5:30 p.m., 457.4676. What it is: An annual comedy fundraiser that this year will feature comedian Tammy Pescatelli, who has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Dennis Miller and competed in Last Comic Standing 2. Where the money goes: Proceeds support Girls Inc. in its mission to inspire girls to be strong, smart and bold. January 23 “FanDanGO 2009: FOrEvEr FaMILIEs” FOr aDOPTIOn LInKs WOrLDWIDE Embassy Suites LaVista, 6:30 p.m., www.alww.org or 556.2367. What it is: An evening to support Adoption Links Worldwide in its mission of building families through adoption. We find loving families for children around the world who need permanent homes. Where the money goes: Proceeds will help Adoption Links Worldwide connect children in our community and around the world with their ForeEver Families. THE 3rD annuaL aLs BaCHELOr & BaCHELOrETTE CHarITy auCTIOn Embassy Suites LaVista, 6 p.m., www.alsbb.com. What it is: Join us for an evening of spectacular fun and fundraising through the auction of Nebraska and Iowa bachelors and bachelorettes. All date packages can be bid on by men, women and couples just in time for Valentine’s Day. Where the money goes: Proceeds from this event help patients, caregivers, family members and the Respite Care Voucher Program.

January 24 THE annuaL sT. CECILIa’s CaTHEDraL FLOWEr FEsTIvaL, THrOuGH Jan. 25 100 N. 62nd St., 558.3100, ext. 243 www.cathdralartsproject.org. What it is: A magnificent display of flowers and art exhibited throughout St. Cecilia’s Cathedral. Where the money goes: The event supports the Cathedral Arts Project, which is dedicated to bringing some of the best visual and musical arts to the Midwest. January 25 “CHOCOLaTE MaKEs THInGs BETTEr” FOr THE MIDLanDs LITEraCy CEnTEr Elk Ridge Village on the Lake, 19303 Seward Plaza, 6:30 p.m., 342.7323. What it is: An event to support community literacy that will feature chocolateinspired treats from some of the metro’s finest restaurants, caterers and bakeries. Where the money goes: The Literacy Center helps hardworking individuals to acquire the practical skills needed to become more active and contributing members in our communities. January 28 76TH annuaL TEn OuTsTanDInG yOunG OMaHan (TOyO) aWarDs, sPOnsOrED By THE OMaHa JayCEEs, Qwest Center Omaha, 636.6912. What it is: A banquet to honor individuals between the ages of 21 and 40 who exemplify commitment to improving the community through selfless acts of kindness while excelling in their professional field. Where the money goes: Proceeds support TOYO and the Jaycees.

February 7 a WOrK OF HEarT GaLa 2009 FOr vOICEs FOr CHILDrEn Scott Conference Center, 6 p.m., 597.3100. What it is: An evening of auctions and awards to support and celebrate the work of Voices for Children in Nebraska. Where the money goes: Voices for Children advocates for the best interests of Children in Nebraska, equips parents and others to serve children, and inspires Nebraskans to put the needs of children first. THE aMErICan HEarT assOCIaTIOn’s 2009 HEarT BaLL Embassy Suites, LaVista, 6 p.m., 346.0771, ext. 26. What it is: An elegant evening to support the work of the American Heart Association. The 2009 honorary chairs are Bruce and Deb Grewcock; co-chairs are Mike and Carol McGlade, Drs. Dan and Karoline Anderson and Scott and Karla Cassels. Theme is “Heart of the Orient.” Where the money goes: The proceeds support American Heart Associationfunded cardiovascular disease research and education to improve the lives of women, children and families in the Omaha community. In the past five years the American Heart Association has allocated almost $6 million for 51 research studies at four institutions in Nebraska. 2009 EasTEr sEaLs nEBrasKa WInE EvEnT Qwest Center Omaha, 5 p.m., 800.650.9880 or kcarlson@ne.easterseals.com What it is: An evening of wine and dining featuring some of the country’s most prestigious and knowledgeable vintners and their wines. The vintner reception and silent auction starts at 5 p.m. and dinner begins at 7 p.m. Where the money goes: Proceeds help fund Easter Seals Nebraska’s programs and services for individuals with disabilities throughout the state of Nebraska.

Charitable events for Gala’s calendar of events can be submitted to Corey Ross at corey@omahapublications or 884.2039.

january/february | 2009

galas, etc. A two-month look at upcoming fundraisers and other charitable events

February 15 EssEnTIaL PrEGnanCy sErvICEs BEnEFIT DInnEr DC Center, 11830 Stonegate Circle, 5540121. What it is: An evening featuring dinner, auctions and an award presentation to honor those who’ve served EPS. Where the money goes: Proceeds support EPS’s mission of helping expectant and parenting families build healthy, productive lives. Donations make it possible for EPS to assist in the medical, educational, material, financial and emotional needs of its clients. February 20 THE sECOnD annuaL HEarTLanD WaLK FOr WarMTH Heartland of America Park, 6 p.m., 221.2298 or www.heartlandwalkforwarmth.org. What it is: A one-mile walk about Heartland of America Park, organized by The Salvation Army, to raise awareness and support of local energy-assistance programs. Where the money goes: Proceeds help fund the programs of Black Hills Energy, Metropolitan Utilities District and Omaha Public Power District that provide energy assistance to help families, the disabled and the elderly pay their energy bills. February 21 THE unIvErsITy OF nEBrasKa aT OMaHa CEnTEnnIaL GaLa Qwest Center Omaha, 6:30 p.m., 502.0300. What it is: An evening to celebrate 100 years of UNO, featuring economist Roland Fryer, contributor to “Freakonomics,” member of Harvard University of faculty and advocate of educational equality. Where the money goes: Proceeds will be reinvested in the community through the establishment of two Centennial Community Fellowships, reinforcing UNO’s commitment to education, community engagement and service.

2009 HEarT FaMILy sErvICE GaLa Embassy Suites, LaVista, 552.7424. What it is: The gala is the largest annual fundraising event for Heartland Family Service. This year’s theme is “The Carnival of Love.” Where the money goes: Proceeds support the HFS mission to support individuals and families through education, counseling and support services. nEBrasKa CHOraL arTs sOCIETy vOCE! GaLa Embassy Suites LaVista, cocktails and silent auction at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m., 342.6753 or www.choirmusic.org. What it is: A full evening of dining, auction, and song celebrating Nebraska Choral Arts Society, this year themed “En Volee: Flight of Fancy.” Where the money goes: All proceeds for the evening will go toward the operation of the organization and benefit the over 400 children, teens and adults involved in NCAS choirs February 22 THE vIsITInG nursE assOCIaTIOn’s 12TH annuaL arT & sOuP Holiday Inn Central, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., 930.4021. What it is: A chance to sample soups from 25 restaurants and purchase pieces by 60 area artists in an array of mediums, from paintings to sculptures to jewelry. Guests can also enjoy desserts and coffee while listing to live jazz. Where the money goes: Proceeds from art sales, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships and donations support the VNA’s Shelter Nursing Program which served 4,243 individuals in 2007.

February 26 THE 2009 CELEBrITy CHEF FunDraIsEr FOr THE OMaHa FOOD BanK Holiday Inn Central, 331.1213 or www. omahafoodbank.org. What it is: The Food Network’s Cat Cora will serve up a gourmet meal and a cooking demonstration for guests. Cora is the only female Iron Chef on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America. Where the money goes: Proceeds support Food Bank programs and help it serve some 360 organizations in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa to combat hunger. February 28 THE 12TH annuaL JDrF GaLa Qwest Center Omaha, 397.CURE (2873) or Omaha@jdrf.org What it is: An elegant evening of dining and dancing to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. This year’s theme is “Journey to a Cure: An Arabian Night.” Entertainment will be The Finest House. Honorary chairs are Lori and David Scott. Where the money goes: Proceeds support the work of JDRF researchers and scientists. THE sECOnD annuaL uLTra CHIC PrOM BOuTIQuE FOr LyDIa HOusE Holiday Inn Central, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., www.ultrachicprom.com. What it is: A sale of donated prom dresses, bridesmaids dresses and other gowns collected by Max I. Walker Cleaners and sold for $20 each. Three hundred dresses were donated in 2008. The 2009 goal is 500. Where the money goes: All proceeds benefit the Omaha Lydia House, a branch of the Open Door Mission. The Lydia House provides the Open Door Mission’s services such as food, shelter and other basic needs as well as individualized case management to map out the steps back to independence, for single women and families.

Charitable events for Gala’s calendar of events can be submitted to Corey Ross at corey@omahapublications or 884.2039. www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

events

Fiesta Rivera

The Joslyn celebrates the Diego Rivera exhibition with a vibrant gala Story and photos courtesy of Joslyn Art Museum

he Joslyn Art Museum in October hosted Fiesta Rivera, a vibrant gala event celebrating the opening of the Diego Rivera exhibition. Rivera is considered the greatest and most influential Mexican artist of the 20th century. He was a central force in the development of national art in Mexico throughout his life and had a profound effect on the international art world. Among his many contributions, Rivera is credited with the reintroduction of fresco painting into modern art and architecture and is famous for his murals portraying Mexican life and history. The Joslyn hosted an exhibition of Rivera’s paintings and drawings. Distinguished guests from Mexico included citizens representing Omaha’s sister city Xalapa in Veracruz, Mexico; David Velasco

Chedraui, mayor of Xalapa; and Guadalupe Rivera Marín, Diego Rivera’s daughter. The event was attended by 600 guests and raised more than $170,000. The evening began with Fiesta Cocktails, an exhibition viewing, and music provided by son jarocho musicians. Son jarocho is a traditional musical style of Veracruz, Mexico — music with a highly repetitive musical structure and improvisational lyrics. This Mexican genre of song demonstrates the more African and Creole influences in that part of the country. A classic example of son jarocho is Richie Valens’ 1950s recording of “La Bamba.” Honorary chairmen of this Joslyn Art Museum Association-sponsored event were Cindy and Mogens Bay. Chairmen were Debbie Hallock and Jan Vrana.

1) Brooks Joyner, Joslyn director; Alejandro Mendez Diaz, director of the Museum of Xalapa; David Velasco Chedraui, Xalapa mayor; and Elvira Garcia, chair of the Omaha Sister Cities Association’s Xalapa Committee. 2) Diego Rivera (Mexican, 1886–1957), Pico de Orizaba, o Citlaltépetl (Orizaba Peak, or Citlaltépetl), 1906, Collection of The Governor of the State of Veracruz, the Veracruz Institute of Culture, and the Museum of Art of the State of Veracruz. 3) Jim Young, Joslyn board chairman; his wife, Shirley; Guadalupe Rivera Marín, Diego Rivera’s daughter; and honorary chairmen, Mogens and Cindy Bay. 4) Debbie Hallock, event chair; Melissa Marvin, Joslyn Art Museum Association president; and Jan Vrana, event chair

january/february | 2009

events

Movin' Out Miracles

Broadway star Michael Cavanaugh helps raise a record $410,000 for Children's Hospital Story and photos courtesy of Children's Hospital

erformer Michael Cavanaugh of the Broadway hit “Movin Out” lived up to his reputation as a talented and entertaining performer at the 2008 Children’s Hospital Gala. Billy Joel tunes and audience favorites echoed throughout the ballroom at Qwest Center Omaha. Cavanaugh set an energetic tone for the evening, appropriately themed “Movin’ Out Miracles.” With more than 750 guests attending, the night raised a record $410,000 for the Carolyn Scott Rainbow House at Children’s Hospital. “The gala is always a wonderfully uplifting evening. This year our guests helped to make a difference for hundreds of Children’s Hospital families who rely on the Rainbow House as a place to stay while their children are receiving care. It is a home away from home that helps take away some of the stress and anxiety

that comes with having a sick child,” explained Roger Lewis, executive director of the Children’s Hospital Foundation. Silent and live auctions provided unique travel and gift opportunities, as well as family game packages, college team items and spa or golf outings. The most touching moment of the evening followed a special video presentation showcasing the Carolyn Scott Rainbow House and a family from Brady, Neb., who has spent considerable time there. Leon, Belinda and Lindsey Morris received a standing ovation from guests. Eleven-year-old Lindsey is undergoing cancer treatment at Children’s Hospital. The Children’s Hospital Gala is sponsored by the Friends Board of Children’s Hospital. Brenda Christensen is the Friends Board president. Gala co-chairpersons were Lawana Rothamel and Marietta Luellen. Honorary chairs were W. Gary and Kathy Gates.

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1) An array of gift baskets and packages were offered during the evening’s silent auction. 2) Friends Board members and gala co-chairs Lawana Rothamel (middle left) and Marietta Luellen (middle right) with their husbands, Paul Rothamel (far left) and Rob Luellen (far right). 3) Children’s Hospital Foundation Board Member W. Gary Gates and his wife Kathy served as honorary gala chairs. 4) Piano man Michael Cavanaugh, star of Broadway hit “Movin’ Out,” entertained gala guests. 5) Leon Morris, Amy Scott, Lindsey and Belinda Morris. The Morris’ were honored guests for the evening. www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

events

Symphony Success

Legendary vocalist Robert Flack helps raise $225,000 for the Omaha Symphony Story and photos courtesy of the Omaha Symphony.

he Omaha Symphony celebrated its 2008/09 season with a gala in October featuring Grammy®-winning vocalist Roberta Flack. Flack is best known for her charttopping hits “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” Flack joined the Omaha Symphony at the Holland Performing Arts Center to the delight of the 280 symphony supporters in attendance. The gala raised $225,000 for the symphony’s education programs which reached 37,000 local young people last year. As a former public school music teacher, Flack was a guest artist who truly understood and appreciated the importance of music education. Martha and David Slosburg were honorary chairs of this year’s gala, while the concert was presented by Valmont Industries. Proceeds from the Gala concert will go toward the Omaha Symphony’s education programs. The night began with cocktails and beautiful flute and harp

music provided by Erica and Nicole Wilkins, the twin daughters of Maestro Thomas Wilkins. Right before Roberta Flack and the orchestra took the stage, Cindy and Mogens Bay were presented the Dick and Mary Holland Leadership Award. This special award, an engraved baton, recognizes the couple’s longstanding support and commitment to the Omaha Symphony and the community. Wilkins presented them with the baton. The concert featured Flack singing R & B favorites, including “Georgia Brown” and “Where Is The Love,” all backed up by the exceptional musicians of the Omaha Symphony orchestra. After the show, a private reception with dessert and coffee with liquors was held for gala attendees in the Scott Recital Hall, with entertainment by the Westside Jazz Band. Thanks to the generosity of Martha and David Slosburg, a post-concert coffee & dessert reception was also held in the lobby for all concertgoers.

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1) Maestro Thomas Wilkins and his daughter, Nicole, who plays the harp. Her twin, Erica, plays flute. The sisters provided cocktail hour entertainment. 2) Omaha Symphony Executive Director Rob Hallam, Mary Prefontaine, Mogens Bay, Cindy Bay, David Slosburg and Martha Slosburg with Roberta Flack. 3) David Slosburg and Richard Holland. 4) Barb Fitzgerald, Roberta Flack and Bill Fitzgerald. 5) Troy Perry, Todd and Betiana Simon and Jim Landen.

january/february | 2009

Wined and Dined

The Opera Omaha Guild's annual weekend wine seller raises $30,000 for education Story courtesy of the Opera Omaha Guild. Photos by Corey Ross.

fun-filled weekend of food and wine helped the Opera Omaha Guild raise more than $30,000 in November for its educational outreach programs. The 17th annual two-day Opera Omaha Guild’s Wine Seller at Embassy Suites, LaVista, afforded opera supporters a chance to support the opera and sample sips from Napa Valley. The weekend opened with a wine tasting and auction. Opera singers from the Company dazzled attendees with beautiful pieces from some of the most popular operas. A scotch tasting presented by Monique Huston from the Dundee Dell was added to this year’s event. Spirit World provided the wines for this year’s event.

The Best Chefs of Omaha Dinner followed the next evening. Attendees started with some scrumptious appetizers while tasting special wines brought by Spirit World and Johnson Brothers Distributing. A five-course meal prepared by Omaha’s Best Chefs was the centerpiece of the evening. Wine was paired with each course by the chefs. This year’s participating chefs were: Lance Wang, O Dining and Lounge; Carmell Wendell, The Cellar; Cedric Fichepain, Le Voltaire; Glenn Wheeler, Liberty Tavern; Brian Isaacs, Sullivan’s Steakhouse; and Tina Tweedy, Sweets of Eden. This year’s event chairs were Jennifer Taylor and Jennifer Locke. Beth Kramer is the guild president.

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1) Laura and Greg Schnackel, Mike and Kyle Robino. 2. Greg Wolford and Laurie Hellbusch Wolford with Jim and Jennifer Locke. 3) Performer Sarah Lawrence. 4) Opera Omaha General DirectorJohn Wehrle and Artistic Adviser & Principal Stage Director Garnett Bruce. 5) Scott Farkes and Mimi Rogers Farkes, Jennifer and Mark Hinrichs.

www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

events

Sentimental Journey The Durham Museum's "Big" night celebrates a big year

Story courtesy of The Durham Museum. Photos by Karen Frizzell of The Durham and Corey Ross.

early 200 supporters of The Durham Museum celebrated in a BIG way at the museum’s annual Sentimental Journey gala. Everything at the event was oversized to help celebrate the monumental achievements of the past year. Attendees enjoyed cocktails, dinner and entertainment with the UNL BathTub Dogs and The Omaha Big Band. Durham Museum staff members including Leo Smith II, Christi Janssen, Mick Hale and Corey Wilson participated in a humorous skit highlighting four major initiatives completed in the past year: - Union Station’s 10 cathedral windows were restored to their original grandeur. This was the first such project since the station opened in 1931 and preserved the windows' original architectural integrity while modernizing the windows' insulation from outside elements. - The Durham Museum also debuted an innovative Distance Learning program in the state-of-the-art Stanley and Dorothy Truhlsen Lecture Hall. The museum conducted more than 50 sessions in its inaugural year – linking students, teachers, and

visitors with our educational partners throughout the country. - In April, the museum’s official name changed to The Durham Museum. This change more accurately reflects the museum’s broad scope of exhibitions and education programs, which explore subjects ranging from history and culture, to science and industry. - Finally, the tuckpointing project to reseal the building’s outer shell was completed. The project helped to restore damaged mortar and joints that were the result of more than 75 years of weathering. The chairs for the event were The Durham Museum’s board of directors. The event producer was Mike Klug, catering was provided by Abraham Catering, décor by Atmosphere’s by Design, linens and rentals by AAA Rents and event services, valet parking by Paramount Parking, lighting with MacRae Productions, invitation design by Steve Raglin and props were provided by The Durham Museum. For more information about the museum, visit the museum’s Web site at www.durhammuseum.org.

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1) Scott and Denise Wallace with Grant Forsberg. 2) David and Maggie Brown, Harlan and Diane Falk, Deryl and Ramona Hamann. 3) Leonard and Kate Sommer. 4) In keeping with the theme, many items were oversized. 5) The UNL BathTub Dogs were among the performers.

january/february | 2009

events

Sipping & Shopping

The MS Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wine Walk enjoys a record turnout at the Shops of Legacy Story courtesy of the MS Society. Photos by Corey Ross.

or the third year, the Nebraska Chapter of the MS Society, in partnership with the Shops of Legacy, hosted its 2008 Wine Walk in November. A record crowd of more than 200 braved a brisk evening to enjoy wine selected and served by the Nebraska Chapter of the American Wine Society, and partake in shopping at 14 participating stores. Red, White & Blue Catering provided unique food pairings for the evening. All proceeds from the event will go to fund the chapters

programs and services to serve those with MS and their families. The National Multiple Sclerosis Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s mission is to help each person address the challenges of living with MS through our 50-state network of chapters. The Society helps people affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, and providing programs and services that help people with MS and their families move their lives forward.

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1) Shine Spray Tanning & Spa staff Angie Cauble, Rebecca Eager and Kristin Kiefer. 2) Ruth Congaoll, Jeannie Wagner, Juanita Chaney and Melissa Kloeckner. 3) Matt and Cheryl Musinski. 4) Jodi and Rob Harper. 5) Tracey and Paul Tranisi with Melanie and Bob McCaw.

www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

Bemis Bonanza

Friendly Fanfare

The 10th annual Bemis art auction draws a record number of attendees and artists

The Omaha Children's Museum honors supporters at its second annual Great Friends to Kids Luncheon

Story by Corey Ross. Photo by minorwhitestudios.com

Story and photo courtesy of the Omaha Children's Museum

he 10th annual art auction for the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art drew a record number of attendees and artists in November and managed to raise $444,000 for the Bemis. A crowd of 584 packed the galleries to bid on 298 pieces of art generated by 258 participating artists, including such notables as Dale Chihuly, Red Grooms, John Buck and Mary Zicafoose. “In many ways, this was our most successful art auction ever,” said Mark Masuoka, executive director of the Bemis. The auctioned works were a mix of regional, national and international pieces. Proceeds from the event support the Bemis’ renowned international artists-in-residence program. Presenting sponsors of the auction were: Karen and Robert Duncan; Carol Gendler / Marathon Realty; Laura and Greg Schnackel; Annette and Paul Smith; and the Betiana and Todd Simon Foundation. The Bemis art auction has become a seven-week event starting on Oct. 3rd with the opening of the art auction exhibition and concluding with the main auction event on Nov. 22nd. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to present one of the most anticipated arts events of the year. We are also extremely thankful for the amazing support we received from the community,” Masuoka said.

he Omaha Children’s Museum honored museum founder Karen Levin and the Peter Kiewit Foundation in October at its second annual Great Friends to Kids Luncheon. Levin received the Great Friend to Omaha Children’s Museum award and the Peter Kiewit Foundation received the Great Friend to Kids award. Last year’s honorees were Evelyn Zysman and David Karnes. Omaha Children’s Museum Executive Director Lindy Hoyer said the luncheon gives much-deserved recognition to supporters of the museum. “This event brings together business, community and civic leaders to celebrate those who have worked passionately to enhance the lives of metro-area children,” Hoyer said. “We’re proud of our community’s family-friendly nature and want to recognize individuals who have worked diligently to make this a wonderful place for children to grow up.” The museum honored Levin for her passion and dedication to the museum’s concept that eventually led to the museum being established. Thirty-two years later, Omaha Children’s Museum inspires over 250,000 guests annually to learn through play and exploration. Peter Kiewit Foundation was honored for changing the face of the community by awarding $489 million in grants and scholarships that focus on the arts, education, children and families, community development, health, and human services. Peter Kiewit Foundation has donated nearly $5 million to Omaha Children’s Museum since its inception. The mission of Omaha Children’s Museum is to engage the imagination and create excitement about learning. The museum’s permanent exhibits are all new following a $6.6 million renovation. In addition to its permanent exhibits, Omaha Children’s Museum offers educational programs, traveling exhibitions, field trips, outreach programs, summer camps and early childhood programs. For more information visit http://www.ocm.org

Rick Russell, honoree Karen Levin, David Karnes, Lyn Ziegenbein of the Peter Kiewit Foundation and Omaha Children’s Museum Executive Director Lindy Hoyer.

january/february | 2009

Lessons from Leno

Jewels of Autumn

Mavis Leno shares her passion for feminism with YWCA luncheon crowd

Third annual benefit raises $95,000 for the Alegent Health Foundation

Story and photo by Corey Ross

Story and photos courtesy of Alegent Health

avis Leno, wife of comedian Jay Leno, made the first event for the YWCA’s Guild, YW Partners, a memorable one in November. Leno gave an inspirational and passionate address about her advocacy for women’s rights around the world and particularly in Afghanistan. She told a luncheon crowd of 350 gathered for the Paint the Town Orange luncheon at the downtown Embassy Suites about her history as a feminist and her work on behalf of Afghan women. To explain her passion for women’s rights, Leno shared a story about her childhood. She said she grew up wanting to be a jockey but was told by her father at a young age that women couldn’t be jockeys. “The idea of being flunked at birth was infuriating to me,” she said. She soon found herself studying women’s issues and admiring those who accomplished such things as achieving suffrage for women through great sacrifice. She said she chose to honor those women through her own work. “I can’t go back in history to thank them, so I have to pay it forward.” Leno then explained her empathy for the plight of women in Afghanistan, who’ve lost most of their personal freedoms under the Taliban regime. She cited several ways that her advocacy, including testifying before Congress, and the work of others has made a difference. Leno’s appearance helped raise $48,000 for the YWCA. Leno applauded the work of the YWCA and encouraged luncheon attendees to make a difference and not be daunted by any challenge or cause they truly feel passionate about. “Human beings are small, but en masse they are an unstoppable force,” she said. “Only God knows what is impossible; the rest of just have to keep trying.”

ome 300 people came out to support in-patient cancer care for Alegent Health Lakeside Hospital at this year's Jewels of Autumn in October. The Alegent Health Foundation's signature event is now in its third year. The event raised $95,000 and featured a silent auction, entertainment by Susie Thorne and a raffle featuring sparkling diamond earrings. Other jewels were also for sale. John Knicely, WOWT anchor, served as the emcee and men were also entertained by four big screens featuring various college football games.

Mavis Leno (middle) with co-chairs Beth Koukol and Kathy Peterson.

www.omahapublications.com

Top: Dr. Doug Dunning, Lakeside Charitable Council member; JoAnne Jarvis, chair of Jewels of Autumn; and Wayne Sensor, CEO of Alegent Health. Above: Christel White; Dr. Greg Severson; and Richard Hachten II, president of Alegent Health. january/february | 2009

Wine 'Til Nine

Santa's Preview

Ninth annual Arthritis Foundation fundraiser draws more than 250 to Champions Run

Annual Clarkson Service League holiday boutique event honors Jan Falk

Story courtesy of Arthritis Foundation. Photo by Corey Ross

Story and photos courtesy of the Nebraska Medical Center

ore than 250 men and women enjoyed an evening of wine and microbrew tasting at Wine ‘Til Nine, an annual fundraiser for the Nebraska Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation held at Champions Run in October. The event raised more than $47,000. Proceeds from Wine ‘Til Nine will help further research, education and programs to help find a cure for arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation is the only nationwide, non-profit organization helping people take control of arthritis by leading efforts to prevent, control and cure arthritis and related conditions. Honorary chairmen for Wine ‘Til Nine were Mike and Regan Mackintosh. Leigh Forney and Erin Pogge were the event’s chairwomen. Arthritis is increasingly affecting an aging population of U.S. baby boomers and is projected to increase by 40 percent in the next two decades, according to a study released in January by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the National Arthritis Data Workgroup. The report reaffirms that nearly one in five U.S. adults (46 million people) have arthritis and an estimated 67 million people will be affected by 2030. Wine ‘Til Nine is an important fundraising event that chapters throughout the U.S. host for the specific purpose to: • Raise community awareness of the serious impact of arthritis on our state and in the U.S.

ongtime community volunteer and Clarkson Service League supporter Jan Falk was honored at this year’s Santa’s Preview event at The Nebraska Medical Center in November. Falk has served on the Clarkson Service League Board for many years and was the first Santa’s Preview chair. She has also served as Clarkson Gift Shop chair, president of the Clarkson Service League and Fashion Show Production chair. Santa’s Preview is an annual Christmas boutique featuring unique gift items and holiday merchandise sponsored by the Clarkson Service League. The three-day event titled “Home for the Holidays” kicked off with a wine and cheese reception. Besides the two days filled with shopping, several ladies enjoyed a luncheon featuring a fashion show and raffle. Proceeds from the event benefits cancer care at The Nebraska Medical Center and the development of the Acute-In-Patient Rehabilitation Therapy Center. Co-chairs for this year’s Santa’s Preview were Kim Banat and Anne Jetter. President of the Clarkson Service League is Sally Stalnaker. Clarkson Gift Shop chairs were Ann Blunk and Kara Bachman; vice chairs were Marianne Holland and Lynn Holdenried. Jewelry buyers were Patty Landen and Mary Kay Young.

• To raise funds for Arthritis Foundation programs, services and specialized services like Camp Spirit for kids ages 8 to 15 Though not commonly understood, arthritis can affect anyone, regardless of age. In Nebraska and Pottawattamie County, Iowa, the area served by the Nebraska Chapter, there are an astonishing 340,000 adults and 1500 children with active disease. Symptoms include inflammation, pain, deformity and deterioration of joints and costs 46 million individuals in the U.S. their health, mobility and often their independence.

Wine ‘Til Nine co-chairs Erin McNeil Pogge and Leigh Forney with honorary chairs Regan and Mike Mackintosh.

january/february | 2009

Santa’s Preview honoree Jan Falk with daughter Nancy Falk Ayoub and granddaughters Kim Falk and Katharine LeFebvre.

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Looking Great

Feeling Great It’s our annual Looking Great Feeling Great section! We have more extraordinarily striking women – in a range of ages with cool confidence and timeless style. The women of 2009 Looking Great Feeling Great are lovely inside and out. We celebrate their elegance and charm. The collective sass level is off the charts! Looking fresh, energetic and radiant at 82 is Marian Leary. “The best part of my life is waking up in the morning knowing that I have the energy and health to do all the things I want to do. Music and art are central to my life. I have had Omaha Symphony season tickets every year since 1950 and I belong to the Joslyn Art Museum’s Contemporary Art Society which allows us the opportunity to travel to private art collections all over the country.” Janey Dann’s motto: “try to make every day significant.” Dann describes herself as “friendly, energetic, independent,” and counts her ability to converse with strangers as her most marked characteristic. At 72, Dann is definitely not showing any signs of www.omahapublications.com

slowing down! The best part of her life is “being able to get out of bed each morning… the rest is history!” The confident, beautiful Cathy Bonnesen, 52, is happiest “in the sun on the beach or at the pool with family and friends.” Bonnesen stays in top shape with tennis and golf. Her advice for looking and feeling great? “Be happy with yourself at every age. The person with the most birthdays wins.” Diana Silveira is 44 and fabulous. She stays fit by running. “I find it is a great way to release stress, be alone with my thoughts or a chance to share some time with friends. The first things I always pack when I travel are my running shoes. There is always a trail whereever I go.” Silveira’s hobbies? “My hobbies have changed over the years but the two I think will always be my favorites are motorcycle riding and golf. Motorcycle riding gives me a sense of freedom and lets my wild side out while golf challenges me to keep control.” january/february | 2009

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Diana Silveira, 44

Where do you like to get your clothes? “My husband…[he] has excellent taste and is always on the lookout for unique pieces…”

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january/february | 2009

Cathy Bonnesen, 52

Your personal style? “Simple and classic. Trendy never worked for me.”

Celebrate Smoke-Free Omaha!

Omaha is now smoke-free in all bars, restaurants and keno locations. Experience the refreshing difference of air free from secondhand smoke!

Breathe it. Love it. Live it. Find out more at motac.org

This project is supported in part by Region 6 Behavioral Healthcare through funding provided by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services/Tobacco Free Nebraska program as a result of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.

www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

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Janey Dann, 72 What inspires you? “Intelligence and articulation.”

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january/february | 2009

Marian Leary, 82

Current state of mind? “Gratitude for the health and happiness in my life.”

Become Part of the Great Tradition of Catholic Education Creighton Preparatory School 7400 Western Avenue, Omaha, NE 68114 (402) 393-1190 www.creightonprep.creighton.edu

Gross Catholic High School 7700 South 43rd Street, Bellevue, NE 68147 (402) 734-2000 www.grosscatholic.org

Duchesne Academy 3601 Burt Street, Omaha, NE 68131 (402) 558-3800 www.DuchesneAcademy.org

Marian High School 7400 Military Avenue, Omaha, NE 68134 (402) 571-2618 www.marianhighschool.net

Mount Michael Benedictine High School 22520 Mount Michael Road, Elkhorn, NE 68022 (402) 289-2541 www.mountmichael.org

Mercy High School 1501 S. 48th Street, Omaha, NE 68106 (402) 553-9424 www.mercyhigh.org

St. Peter Claver Cristo Rey Catholic High School Roncalli Catholic High School 5301 S. 36th Street, Omaha, NE 68107 6401 Sorensen Parkway, Omaha, NE 68152 (402) 734-1802 (402) 571-7670 www.spccristorey.org www.roncallicatholic.org V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School 3131 S. 156th Street, Omaha, NE 68130 (402) 333-0818 www.skuttcatholic.com

Thanks for voting us the Best Security Guard Service in Omaha for the Second Consecutive Year.

American Security & Investigations 7101 Mercy Road Suite 201 Omaha, NE 68106 (402) 551-1111

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january/february | 2009

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This is sEriOus MEdiCiNE. This is ExTrAOrdiNAry CArE.

5,453 hospitals in America were considered. 170 hospitals were selected by US News & World Report as Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Hospitals in 16 medical specialties. Only ONE Nebraska hospital was named among the top 50 in the nation in two medical specialties. The Nebraska Medical Center was selected in both Cancer and Neurology/Neurosurgery.

According to US News & World Report, any good hospital should be able to handle everyday procedures and conditions. That patient who needs truly outstanding care is the target of these rankings. To be one of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Hospitals, hospitals are judged in difficult cases across an entire medical specialty. We are proud to be included in this prestigious list of top American hospitals. We are even more pleased to be able to offer this extraordinary care to every patient we have the opportunity to care for.

Call 800.922.0000 or visit NebraskaMed.com

Photos by Tom Kessler Article by: Lindi Janulewicz

Beth Settles, Allied Member, ASID

A Sophisticated Space with Room to Grow

Lisa Cooper, Allied Member, ASID

The

unique needs of a young family building their dream home drove this West Omaha project. Designers Lisa Cooper, Allied Member, ASID, and Beth Settles, Allied Member, ASID, of Interiors Joan and Associates partnered with Mike Shotkoski of Malibu Homes to create a contemporary styled home that would be spectacular yet comfortable. Designing their clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home meant incorporating specific elements that would provide functionality for the growing family without compromising the aesthetics of the floor plan. Because the client knew that this would be their dream home, the designers were conscious to make decisions that would be appropriate for raising a family, expanding their family and even entertaining. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were able to form a very cohesive working relationship with Malibu

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A large island gives this kitchen functionality while ebonized beech cabinets and clean stainless hardware keep the look modern and upscale. Metallic rhomboid tiles set on the diagonal complete the space. This great room features a dramatic stone fireplace and large windows. Cleanlined furnishings with textural fabrics and opulent accents combine to give the space a sophisticated look.

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Built-in shelving surrounds the window of this den, providing ample storage and display space. A platform bed and nail head embellished chaise lounge comprise the simple furnishings in this tranquil space. Deep colors add to the sophisticated ambience of the room. A posh leather sofa, velvet ottomans and textural pillows give the lower level a sophisticated, comfortable appeal. Unique artwork, accessories and window treatments complete the designer look.

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Homes, and in turn, our clients were very trusting and respectful of what we brought to the building process,â&#x20AC;? Cooper and Settles said. The key exterior features of this home include cultured and natural stone columns with copper banding, lush landscaping, a stamped concrete patio and a fire pit wrapped in a concrete surround. Upon entering the home, a two-story entryway and great room serve as the core of the open floor plan. The focal point of the entry is a pair of three-dimensional pieces of metal artwork. A tortoise chandelier illuminates the great room. The fireplace, flanked by suspended bookcases that are open on the bottom to house velvet ottomans, give the layout a twist on tradition. Custom cornices combine an array of materials such as metal, suede, silk and reptilian embossed leather to give the space a finished look.

january/february | 2009

Drama and luxury come together in the kitchen and dining area of this home. The selection of sturdy materials, however, gives the space the ability to stand up to the everyday wear of family living. An ebonized finish on Beech wood cabinets set against a lighter wall color gives the room a striking contrast. Metallic rhomboid tiles set on the diagonal form a stunning backsplash. A large, walk-in pantry is incorporated into the cabinetry, adding to the functionality of the kitchen without disturbing the beautiful aesthetics of the space. Textural cut and loop pile carpet and grasscloth wall covering on the walls and ceiling of the den give the space a sophisticated, masculine vibe. Built-in open bookcases surround the window to display personal mementos and provide file storage

A pool table, gaming table, bar and media area combine to make this lower level the perfect place to entertain family and friends! A square dining table gives this room an unexpected twist on tradition. Beautiful accessories and architectural windows add to the drama of the dining room.

that is a necessity in a study. Settles and Cooper selected only the essentials to furnish this modern master suite. The bedroom features a platform king bed, an armoire to house a television, nightstands and a chaise lounge. The look is clean and soothing. Warm natural stone and metallic root beer colored glass tiles create a streamlined look in the master bathroom. A dramatic curved wall accentuates the shape of the walk-in shower and glass block detailing filters light into the space. The lower level of the home serves as a flexible space for entertaining, gathering and gaming. A challenging layout prompted the designers to incorporate suspended shelving, a media center and a fireplace all on one angular wall. A posh leather

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sectional, a game table with a hammered copper top and crocodile embossed leather gaming chairs all combine to complete the space. The entertaining area features columns cleverly integrated into the bar and custom concrete countertops. Settles and Cooper noted in unison that the great room is their favorite space in the whole home. “The architectural elements, the sheer volume of the space, the sophisticated furnishings… the whole thing came together in such a dynamic way!” they said. The designers were quick to add that this project resulted in more than just building a home… they built a relationship with the homebuilder and with the client. A process that began as colleagues and clients ended as friends.

A concrete wrapped fire pit, chaise lounge for two and outdoor table make this patio a picturesque place to gather groups of family and friends. The curved wall of metallic root beer colored glass tile creates an interesting shape in both the walkin shower and master bathroom corridor.

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Story by Kim Carpenter Photo courtesy Joey Lynch

Joey Lynch: Artist as Activist

Lynch has created CD images and apparel for indie bands like Tilly and the Wall.

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During

the past several years, Joey Lynch has created public art, toured with one of the country’s hottest indie rock bands, had a major work in the Bemis Center’s annual art auction and co-founded two galleries. Any artist would envy this resume – even more so, perhaps, because Lynch has achieved all this without following any conventional career path. Originally from Sioux Falls, Lynch is a self-taught screen printer and was already making posters and t-shirts in his teens. Despite this early creativity, he was a likelier political activist than artist. “I have a working-class background,” he says, “and I developed an interest in politics. In high school, I read political, historical and sociology books.” Following graduation, he decided to volunteer in Lawrence, Kan., for the Leonard Peltier Political Defense Committee, which works to free the Native American serving two life sentences for his alleged role in the Jumping Bull Ranch shooting. “There was a critical development,” says Lynch. “Clinton was leaving office, and we hoped for a pardon.” When that didn’t happen, he moved to Lincoln. “It was a cheap place to live,” says Lynch. “It was originally going to be for a short time.” But when he created a large-scale screen print for Yia Yia’s pizza, he began to see the medium not just as a commodity, but also as art. “After a year and a half, I became a visual artist full time,” he says. That career shift brought about the need for a studio. Lynch met Peggy Gomez, who owns Gomez Art Supply in Lincoln, and she provided him space to make screen prints. But Lynch also saw that artists didn’t have enough places to show their work. He asked Gomez to host a group show, and she agreed. In spring 2004, Lynch and Gomez – along with artist Jake

january/february | 2009

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with political content, he moved in a subtler direction. “I don’t like political art,” he says. “I don’t like shock art. I mix my personal history with social and political history. I don’t make pieces with a statement in mind.” For example, the 2007 work If You Don’t Look, It’s Not Happening has political underpinnings, but Lynch leaves plenty of room for interpretation. Perhaps because of this, Lynch’s work has resonated deeply within the art community. He has created CD images and apparel for indie music bands like Tilly and The Wall, and he joined Conor Oberst and Bright Eyes during their 2007 international Cassadaga tour, for which he projected live backdrop images over the band. That same year, Omaha’s Chamber of Commerce selected Lynch and 21 other artists for the O! public art project. His sculpture They Were Sacred to Astarte, a contemporary take on an ancient fertility goddess, was placed prominently in Dundee’s business district and received widespread acclaim for its thoughtprovoking content. Observes McQueen, “Joey’s work speaks to so many different people... It gives people something to discuss and think about…There’s a beauty to his work that makes you want to stick around and revel in it. You connect with it in some way. I love that.” Lynch achieved further success this past November when the Bemis Center featured his large-scale triptych Baby You Ought To Know By Now in its live annual art auction. His work appeared alongside pieces by Dale Chihuly and Christo and Jeanne-Claude, a career distinction most artists take years to achieve. What’s next for Joey Lynch? Given his dedication to the art community as well as his own distinctively inimitable art, 2009 promises to be another banner year. “I’m excited to see what the future holds for him,” says McQueen. “Joey will continue to be a great force in the arts community, not only here in Omaha. In a nutshell, he’s the one to watch.”

Background fabric provided by Textiles Inc.

Gillespie - founded Tugboat as an alternative, non-commission gallery. “We were destined to fail in everyone’s opinion,” recalls Lynch. “But we did it for ourselves and for the artists.” Since Tugboat didn’t have an advertising budget, the trio launched a grassroots campaign that included posters, buttons and t-shirts. “The marketing,” Lynch observes, “is what made us successful in a tough market. We didn’t just target art students. We targeted everyone.” The strategy worked. “We expected 100 people for the first show,” he says. “Six hundred came.” And it wasn’t just the usual art crowd; viewers ranged from young hipsters to elderly people with walkers. “The diversity was something we really cherished,” notes the artist. In 2006, Lynch again needed studio space and relocated to Omaha, where he co-founded Tugboat Presents as the Lincoln gallery’s nomadic arm. The moving venue shows limited-run and one-night-only exhibitions, performance art and screenings. An exhibition at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery that same year highlighted Lynch’s unconventional approach. He installed works in administrative offices instead of galleries, blurring the line between art and the everyday environment. Brigitte McQueen, proprietor of Pulp Art Paper in Benson, featured Lynch in a 2008 solo show. She addresses Lynch’s curatorial approach: “He has wonderful vision. He makes things happen. It’s one thing to have great ideas, but so few people have the drive, talent and skills to turn those thoughts into reality. Joey is one of those people.” Jeremy Stern, the Bemis Center’s former assistant director, agrees, calling Lynch an arts activist. “He fills a huge gap in what the public interprets as art and how they encounter it.” Stern tapped into this ability by offering him a free studio at the Bemis Center in exchange for assisting with its bemisUNDERGROUND alternative exhibition space. While Lynch continued to create work

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Project Kindle Warms

Payne’s camp idea stemmed from her own childhood memories of summer camp.

the Hearts of Youth Affected by HIV/AIDS

Life

has enough challenges, but for young people affected by HIV and AIDS, the challenges can seem insurmountable. Many of these kids feel insecure and unaccepted because of their illness or relation to someone else with the disease. The result is often crippling. That is where Project Kindle steps in, providing youth camping programs to kids and young adults affected by these diseases — camps where these kids can feel fully accepted, with no need for secrecy or reason for shame. But Project Kindle does more than just provide the campgrounds and s’mores. Its camp programs are designed specifically to strengthen the self-esteem and leadership skills of kids facing special challenges posed by HIV and AIDS, while helping them develop their knowledge of wellness. It also serves as an important venue for these campers to bond with others who share a special kinship, many times resulting in life-long friendships. Camp Kindle was founded in 1998 by Executive Director Eva Payne, and was renamed Project Kindle after the program expanded beyond offering camps. “For one week of the year, (these kids) are looked at for who they are, not for what they have,” Payne said. “They say it’s their home away from home, and it’s the one time they can feel normal.” Since it began, more than 1,000 kids, ages 7 continued on next page

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january/february | 2009

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to 15, have participated in the program in Nebraska and California. There is no cost to attend. “They have to lie about their disease sometimes. It’s a big burden to them,” Payne said. These kids feel ill much of the time and have frequent doctor visits, often keeping their circumstances a secret. Some families have resorted to moving to other towns because of being stigmatized, and some kids are even rejected by family members, she said. Originally from Santa Clarita, California, Payne attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. As a 21-year-old theater student, she volunteered for the Nebraska AIDS Project when HIV was frequently in the news. She realized there were insufficient services for those affected by HIV/AIDS. “There was this message that this is what I need to be working on. This idea wouldn’t leave,” she said. Payne’s camp idea stemmed from her own childhood memories of summer camp, and in 1999, Payne partnered

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with Mandy Nickolite, then 22, to open the first camp. Nickolite, another young collegiate drawn to this same cause, was a student at Doane University working on her master’s degree in counseling. The first camp session was held in Hordville, Nebraska, in July 1999. Fifty campers attended, and 30 professionals volunteered as counselors. Today, up to 100 youth attend a oneweek session each summer in Fremont. Volunteers are utilized as counselors and junior counselors, ages 16 to 19. Camp Kindle West, modeled after the Nebraska summer camp, has operated for the last four years at a site just outside of Los Angeles. Other camps offered in California include a summer retreat and yearround mini sessions. In 2004, Project Kindle added its SPEAK OUT program and tour. Over an eight-week period, former campers visit schools to share their perspectives and experiences about being affected by HIV and AIDS. “This gives the campers

opportunities to share their stories with the public, and not only educates the students who have the chance to hear them, but increases that child’s self esteem,” Payne said, adding that the campers are helping others while finding peace and acceptance with who they are. Payne’s ideas continue to evolve into reality. Her next plan is to build a camp facility for children and their families to be utilized by multiple charities and organizations, including Project Kindle. Property is being considered within an hour’s drive of Los Angeles. Project Kindle truly helps, Payne said. “All too often, our campers feel so alone and isolated. Camp Kindle is the one place where they can be themselves to open up without fear of rejection or persecution.” Information and applications can be obtained at www.projectkindle.org. Those eligible to attend camps are youth affected by HIV/AIDS, their families, those who have lost a loved one to AIDS/HIV, and caregivers.

Story by: Mystery Reviewer Photo by minorwhitestudios.com

Upstream Brewing Company

OK,

I have to admit it, I’m biased. The Upstream Brewing Company is one of my favorite Omaha restaurants. With that disclosure out of the way, I should point out that writing a restaurant review is all about forming an opinion of a particular restaurant and then relating that opinion to the reader. It’s a very subjective process and rest assured that I have no affiliation with this great establishment. The Upstream has two Omaha locations. The original is located in the Old Market at 11th & Jackson. It is one of the true gems of the Old Market. It features a brick exterior, typical of all the buildings in the area. The interior has a casual feel and features high ceilings and lots of warm, dark wood. Make no mistake, it is a brewery, as evidenced by the very large copper fermentation tanks that can be seen from just about everywhere in the restaurant. It is a very large restaurant but still has an exciting brewpub feel. The bar is an inviting, large rectangle design surrounded by tables, and is a great place to enjoy a beer and something to eat. The newest location is in Legacy at 171st & West Center Road in West Omaha. It is a very large, new building and has many of the design features of the original, but like most West Omaha restaurants, it lacks the character that can only come from the Old Market. The service at the Upstream is usually very good for such a large, busy restaurant. The staff is very friendly, knowledgeable and always well trained. The management is actively involved with the service experience and can be seen mentoring the wait staff. The specials are always well explained. The staff is knowledgeable about the dozen or so award-winning beers and can help you find one that is to your liking. My only complaint about the service is the annoying radios that the host staff and managers use to facilitate the seating process. Perhaps these are a necessary evil in a place this big and busy? Regardless, it really irks me when I’m in midsentence and the hostess is distracted by someone talking in her ear. The food and the beer are some of the best in Omaha and are the main reasons why I frequent the Upstream. Brew Master Zac Triemert’s beers have not only won numerous awards in America, but are also international award winners. If you are trying them for your first time

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The Upstream Brewing Company

Ratings: (out of 5*) Food

****

Service

***1/2

Ambiance **** Price:

Affordable

Overall

****

january/february | 2009

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Horsemen’s Park Street •731-2900 731-2900 6303 “Q” Street

7 Days a Week • Doors Open 10am • Smoke Free Every Thursday after 5pm $1.75 Margaritas 75¢ Tacos

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OMAHA’S BEST BET www.horsemenspark.com

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Every Friday after 5pm $7.95 Prime Rib Dinner

I recommend the sampler, which will give you a taste of all of their current offerings. My usuals include the Firehouse ESB, the India Pale Ale and the American Wheat beer, but all of their offerings are excellent. The Upstream also has a sizable wine list with some very good wines that are reasonably priced. The extensive food menu has something for everyone and it’s all great. Chef Gary Hoffman’s cuisine exemplifies the best in food that Omaha has to offer. It is casual in presentation but expertly prepared using the freshest quality ingredients. It is also reasonably priced. The headliner of the appetizer menu is the famous Hot Artichoke and Asiago Cheese Dip ($8.95). For entrees, one has the daunting task of deciding between big-flavored sandwiches, scratch- prepared soups, fresh entree salads and gourmet thin crust pizzas, as well as a full range of the finest Omaha steaks, fresh seafood, chicken and lots of regional favorites. One of my regular selections includes the Greek Pizza with basil pesto, chicken, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, feta and marinated banana peppers (10.95). The Smoked Gouda and Blond Ale Soup (cup 2.95, bowl 4.50) is one of the best soups I have ever had, but you may want to avoid it if you ordered a big entrée or have even the slightest hint of arterial blockage - It’s that rich. The Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad ($11.50) is top notch. The Half Pound Brewer’s Burger has to be one of the best burgers in Omaha ($8.50). The Jackson Street Jambalaya ($15.25), the Chili Dusted Grilled Rib Eye Steaks ($23.50), and the Fish and Chips with Blonde Ale Batter (11.95) are all some of my favorites. The lunch menu features many of the selections that are on the dinner menu, as well as some lighter specials. The next time you find yourself in the Old Market looking for a place to have a beer and something to eat, be sure to try the Upstream Brewing Company. I would be surprised if it does not become one of your favorite restaurants as well.

Dining Out L e g e n d (average price per entrée)

$1 to 10 - $, $10 to 20 - $$, $20 to 30 - $$$, $30 and over - $$$$

MC, V, AE, DC

AMERICAN

BURGER STAR 333-STAR Located at the southeast corner of 72nd & Pacific, Burger Star features gourmet burgers with your choice of 18 FREE toppings . Enjoy fresh cut fries and fresh baked buns, plus Cheeseburger Tacos, Fish Tacos and Chicken Club Tacos . Beer and Margaritas are also available – All served up in a Rock Star Atmosphere . Open daily at 11am for lunch and dinner .

DAVE AND BUSTER'S 778-3915 132ND & WEST CENTER Have a drink and then go play . Or play, and then grab a bite to eat . At Dave & Buster's, it's totally your call . You can start with a delicious meal in our Grand Dining Room . Then move on to some games in our Million Dollar Midway . Check out our drink specials with your friends-or meet new ones-in our lively bar areas . The options are many! How you do it is up to you .www .daveandbusters .com

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DUNDEE DELL 553-4010 (OmAHA) 5007 Underwood . 11 AM until 1 AM every day, Monday-Sunday . Famous for Fish n’ Chips since 1934 . Single malt & scotch tastings open to the public four times a month . Private tastings also available . We serve food from 11 AM to Midnight Sunday through Thursday, and from 11AM to 12:45 AM Friday and Saturday . We also serve a fantastic Sunday brunch from 11AM - 2 PM on Sundays . $ FUDDRUCKERS WORLD’S GREATEST HAmBURGERS TWO LOCATIONS (OmAHA) 7059 Dodge St .: 556-0504; 16920 Wright Plaza: 932-7790; Enjoy the TRUE Gourmet Hamburger . Others make the claim, we’ve got the fame . voted #1 Burger in Best of Omaha 2005, 2006, 2007, and again in 2008 . Bring the family and enjoy our fresh ground chuck, fresh produce and condiment bar, and our freshly baked buns (baked fresh daily) . We have Outrageous Salads, boneless/skinless chicken sandwiches, and are one of the only restaurants to carry both Ostrich and Buffalo in Omaha . Our malts and shakes are the best . There’s something for everyone at Fuddruckers . On-site catering available for parties of 100 or more . Hours: Sun .-Thu . 11a .m .-9p .m ., Fri .-Sat . 11a .m .-10p .m . AE-DC-MC-v . $ JImmY JOHN'S (OmAHA) We are a Gourmet Sub shop with a fun upbeat atmosphere and classic rock music . We will deliver down to one sandwich within the delivery area set by Jimmy John's Corporate and we make "Freaky Fast Sandwiches" . The 300 S . 72nd location is open from 10:30 am to 2:00 am, the 107 N . 40th St . location is open from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, the 10720 Q Street location is open from 10:30 am to 11:00 pm except on Th/Fri/ Sat open until 2:00 am . PEPPERJAx FOUR OmAHA LOCATIONS Serving four locations: 2429 S . 132nd Street, 2579 S . 171st Court, 2085 N . 120th Street, 1040 S . 74th Plaza & 84th and Park Drive coming soon . Just you, the cook, and the wide open range – grill range, that is . That’s what makes PepperJax so great . With the help of our folks and the finest ingredients available, you can create your masterpiece, grilled to order and topped any way you like it, right before your eyes . Choose from our famous philly, giant wrap, gourmet salad bowl or fresh salad . QUAKER STEAK AND LUBE 712.322.0101 (COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA) 3320 Mid America Dr . Council Bluffs, IA ."The Lube" serves over 70 million wings annually, has bottles sauces for retail sale and has won the title of "Best Wings USA" Mondays are kids eat free from 5 to 9pm and Tuesdays are all you can eat wings for $12 .99 all day . The Metro's only, Quaker Steak and Lube also offers great steaks, ribs and burgers . Live Music again this fall on Friday nights .www .quakersteakandlube .com .

bbQ FAmOUS DAVE’S BARBEQUE 614-9333 (OmAHA) Old Market, 71st & Ames, 171st & Center, Council Bluffs and Bellevue locations . Famous Dave’s has been voted Omaha’s favorite barbeque by Omaha Magazine’s readers and the Reader’s Choice . Real hickory smoked ribs, brisket, pork and a great selection made-from-scratch recipes . Open lunch and dinner 7 days a week . Take out and catering available . $$$$

ITALIAN BIANCO RISTORANTE ITALIANO OmAHA Located at 13110 Birch Drive (SE Corner of 132nd Street and Maple in Eagle Plaza Shopping Strip) . Specializing in Traditional Italian foods with optional five-course menu consisting of Imported meats and cheeses, homemade bread, pastas, soup & sauces, fresh salads, brick oven style pizzas, veal, steak, seafood & chix entrees and finally all our homemade desserts from tiramisu to gelatos . We offer 170 bottle (most of them Italian) wine list with 20 by the glass & our specialty Italian cordials!! Best outdoor patio in Omaha . Casual attire, but neat . Amex, MC, visa accepted . Mon & Tues-4 to 9:30; Wed & Thurs-4 to 10; Fri & Sat-4 to 11; Sun-4 to 9 . Bar stays open until closing time . Happy hour Mon thru Sat-4 to 6:30 .

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Get a Little Saucy. SPEZIA SPECIALTIES FRESH SEAFOOD • ANGUS BEEF INNOVATIVE PASTA • RISOTTO GNOCCHI • FRESH SALMON DAILY

SATURDAY LUNCH [11am–4pm]

LADIES NIGHT ~STARTS AT 4:00 EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT ~ in the bar and dining room, all cocktails, beer or wine by the glass are half price from 4pm until close.

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CALL FOR RESERVATIONS • 402-391-2950 CENTRAL LOCATION • 3125 SOUTH 72ND STREET • EASY ACCESS OFF I-80 • 72ND STREET EXIT

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BLUE

SUSHI SAKE GRILL www.bluesushisakegrill.com

3USHI 3ASHIMI 3EAFOOD $ISHES "EEF 4ENDERLOIN #HICKEN 4EMPURA Old Market Blue Sushi 416 S. 12th Street Omaha, Nebraska 68102 402.408.5566

Sake bombers Lounge SECOND mOOR MARTINIS Old Market Blue & Baby Blue locations.

RoJA mexican grill + margarita bar

bianco ristorante italiano

North West Blue Sushi 14450 Eagle Run Drive, Suite 240 Omaha, Nebraska 68164 402.445.2583 Red Lounge www.redloungeomaha.com 14450 Eagle Run Drive, Suite 200 402.445.2583

baby blue

Roja Mexican Grill + Margarita Bar www.rojagrill.com

Bianco Ristorante Italiano www.biancoitalian.com

Bably Blue Sushi Sake Grill www.bluesushisakegrill.com

17010 Wright Plaza Omaha, Nebraska 68130 402.333.7652

13110 Birch Drive Omaha, Nebraska 68164 402.884.9500

16939 Wright Plaza, Suite 103 Omaha, Nebraska 68130 402.547.5959

Grisantis 330-0440 (Omaha) 10875 W. Dodge Rd. Grisanti's (serving Omaha & Lincoln for over 20 years) is a fun, casual classic Italian restaurant that offers an extensive menu featuring a full selection of house-made and imported pasta, homemade soups & salads, pizza, flatbreads, seafood, chicken, steaks and desserts. Large portions of affordably priced menu selections are prepared with the freshest ingredients available. www.grisantis.net

Thanks Omaha, for voting us Best of Omaha...

Three Years in a Row!

Lo Sole Mio Ristorante Italiano 345-5656 (Omaha) 3001 So. 32nd, Ave. This quaint authentic restaurant is located in the middle of a neighborhood surrounded by charming homes. Inside you will find a friendly staff, simple elegance with art & statues of Italy, the aromas of home cooked food & the sound of Italian music welcomes you. At the table everyone is greeted with homemade bread, a bowl of fresh tomatoes & basil, a bowl of oven roasted garlic cloves, special seasoned olive oil, & at night, a jug of Chianti, to set the stage for a wonderful experience! You will always find a family member around in this family owned & operated restaurant. Large variety of pasta, chicken, veal, seafood, & even a delicious New York steak. Traditional dishes such as lasagna, tortellini, & eggplant parmigiana are also available. Lunch offers all of the above, along with panini, salads & one of the best pizza in town. Patio seating, full bar, & a great wine list complete this "Simply Elegant, Simply the Best" restaurant. No reservations, except for private rooms. Pasta Amore 391-2585 (Omaha) 108th & West Center road (Rockbrook Village). Pastas are made fresh daily, including tortellini, fettuccine and capellini. Daily specials and menu items include a variety of fresh seafood and regional Italian dishes, such as Linguini Amore and Calamari Steak, Penne Florentine, Gnocchi, Spaghetti Puttanesca and Osso Bucco. Filet mignon also offered for those who appreciate nationally renowned Nebraska beef. To complement your dining experience, the restaurant offers a full bar and extensive wine list. Be sure to leave room for homemade desserts, like the tiramisu and cannolis. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner: 4:30 p.m. Reservations recommended. AE-MC-V. $$ Spezia 3125 South 72nd Street (3 blocks north of the I-80 interchange). Choose Spezia for lunch or dinner, where you’ll find a casual elegance that’s perfect for business, guests, get-togethers, or any special occasion. Exceptional food, wine and service, with a delectable menu: fresh seafood, Angus steaks, innovative pasta, risotto, gnocchi, cioppino, lamb, entrée salads. Mediterranean chicken, flatbreads, fresh salmon daily. Enjoy a full bar, Italian & California wines, Anniversary Lovers Booth (call to reserve), private dining rooms, and wood-fired grill. Open Mon-Sat. Cocktail hour: 4-5 pm-all cocktails, glass wine and beers half price. Evening reservations recommended. Call 391-2950.

LIGHT & EASY Johnny Sortino’s 339-5050 (Omaha) 7880 L St. Hours: Mon-Thurs 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri & Sat 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sun 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Family owned and operated for more than 35 years, Johnny Sortino’s specializes in pizza, pasta and salads. Their pizza sauce is prepared daily with special spices and no imitation ingredients – nothing frozen. The spaghetti sauce and meatballs are prepared fresh daily with a special recipe. O’Connor’s Irish Pub & Grille 934-9790 (Omaha) 1217 Howard St. Comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. Great before and after games. O’Connor’s offers pub style food: burgers, reubens, daily specials and homemade soups. The pub offers all the traditional Irish favorite libations: Guinness, Harp and Irish whiskey. Grill hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. $ Paradise Bakery & Café Three Omaha Locations 168th & Dodge in Village Point, 120 Regency Parkway in Regency Court & 103rd & Pacific in One Pacific Place. Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner in a fun and relaxing atmosphere. Sandwiches, Paninis, Soups and Salads are prepared fresh right in front of you to perfection. Cookies, muffins & breads are made from scratch and baked fresh throughout the day. We look forward to sharing “Paradise” with you. Call us for catering information. Hours of operation: MonSat 6am-8pm Sun 6am-6pm. We accept Visa, MC & AX $-$$

BEST OF OMAHA 2009

Zio’s Pizzeria Several Omaha Locations Three locations: 7834 Dodge Rd. (391-1881), 12997 W. Center Rd. (3301444), and 1213 Howard St. (344-2222). DELIVERY, DINE-IN, and CARRYOUT. Serving New York style pizza by slice or whole pies, calzones, hoagies, pastas, salads and garlic breads. Zio’s pies are hand-stretched and baked in old-world ovens. Zio’s offers 35 of the freshest toppings. Taste the freshest pizza at Zio’s. Family dining – open seven days a week. Lunch special and beer and wine available. For delivery call 333-FOOD. $

1201 S 157th St Omaha, NE 68130 (402) 884-2272

BEST OF OMAHA 2009

Valentino’s Eight Neighborhood locations. (refer to our ad for address and phone numbers) Voted Omaha’s Best Pizza and Buffet by Omaha Magazine, Valentinos has been a Nebraska Tradition for almost 50 years. Convenient Delivery/ Carry out location throughout Omaha serving not only the Best Pizza but also Pastas, Salads, and Breads. The Grand Italian Buffets have something for everyone. Award-winning Buffets offer not only mouthwatering Italian Food but also various other cuisine as well. Open Daily at 11am for Lunch and Open every Sunday at 10am for a Special Sunday Brunch.

3007 S 83rd Plz Omaha, NE 68124 (402) 391-2923

Pasta Amore a classic spot Amoré e Fant Pasta Best Pasta asia

Private Party Rooms Business Luncheons Catering

Thank you for voting us your #1 Pasta. LUNCH: Mon.-Fri.: 11a.m.-2p.m.

DINNER: Mon.-Sat.: 4:30p.m-Close

BEST OF OMAHA 2009 Rockbrook Village • (108th & Center) • (402) 391-2585 • Fax: 391-0910 • www.pastaamore.net

www.omahapublications.com

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‘

Johnn s the original

Serving Steaks, Seafood, Chicken, and more. Lunch & Dinner

Where good steaks and good service never go out of style.

a f é 402-731-4774

27th & L Sts. Five minutes from downtown

Family Owned & Operated Authentic Italian Cuisine Party Rooms Available Carry Out Available

The Original Whiskey Steak www.DroverRestaurant.com

Serving Lunch & Dinner

L e g e n d (average price per entrée) $1 to 10 - $, $10 to 20 - $$, $20 to 30 - $$$, $30 and over - $$$$

MC, V, AE, DC

MEXICAN Fernando’s Two Omaha Locations Two locations: 7555 Pacific St. (339-8006), 380 N. 114th St. (330-5707). Featuring Sonoran-style cooking made fresh daily. Catering and party rooms also available. Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun. 4 p.m.-9 p.m. AE-MC-V. $ Hector's Two Omaha Locations 3007 S. 83rd Plz. 391-2923, 1201 S. 157th St. 884-2272; Come to Hector's and enjoy authentic, traditional Mexican food including delicious seafood dinners and tender, juicy steak. Hector's West location features a salsa bar and tortilla machine; both locations have off-the-menu specials on week ends and an extensive kids' menus sure to please your young ones. Michael's At the market 346-1205 1102 Harney in the Old Market. Michael's features authentic Mexican food and drink in a casual atmosphere. Michael's "Free Pours" their Margaritas, one at a time, with a tradtional recipe used for over 31 years, Michael's truly is the "Home of The Real Margarita". Michael's is also known for having one of the largest selections of 100% Blue Agave Tequilas in the state of Nebraska. RoJA Mexican Grill 333-7652 Located just off Center west of 168th at 17010 Wright Plaza. RoJA features Tex-Mex cuisine with several interior Mexican dishes as well as a coastal influenced grill. The best house margaritas in town made with real lime juice and over 80 tequilas to chose from for an unbelievable margarita experience. Late night Happy Hour Fri. & Sat. 10p.m.-12a.m. Open Mon.-Sun. 11:00 am - Close.

Mon-Sat io Ristorant ole M an Re e Italiano Lo S Best Itali staurant

ORIENTAL

‘

Where good steaks 2121 S. 73 St. and good service Just 1/2 block South of Doubletree 3001 S. 32nd Ave • Omaha, never NE go out of style. (402) 391-7440 402-345-5656

Johnn s

Serving Steaks, Seafood, Chicken, and more. Lunch & Dinner

the original

402-731-4774

27th & L Sts. Five minutes from downtown

Grand Fortune 697-9888 (Omaha) Featuring traditional Chinese Dim Sum and authentic Cantonese dishes, as well as a conventional Chinese menu, dine upon a variety of items from Cantonese Style Duck to Hong Kong Chow Mein. Also featuring a menu for the diet-conscious and chefs cooking to order for your need with a full bar serving specialty drinks such as Mai Tai and Volcano, and other services like delivery and catering. Located in the Lakeside Hills Plaza at 173rd and West Center open from 11am-9:30pm SundayThursday, 11am-10:30pm Friday-Saturday. Phone: (402)697-9888 Fax: (402)697-4855 Website:www.grandfortunecuisine.com $ Mt. Fuji Inn 397-5049 (Omaha) 7215 Blondo St. For Japanese dining in the traditional atmosphere, take time to visit Mt. Fuji Inn. Specialties include fresh Sushi and Sashimi, Sukiyaki and Shrimp Tempura. Also featuring Cantonese Chinese dinners and appetizers. Dining in individual tea rooms is available by reservation. Enjoy one’s favorite beverages in the Mai Tai Lounge. Cocktail hour: Mon.-Thu. 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Dinner: Mon.-Thu. 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 5 p.m.-11 p.m. AE-DC-V. $

SEAFOOD Blue Sushi Sake Grill 445-2583 Located on SW Intersection of 144th & Maple at 14450 Eagle Run Drive. More than just Omaha’s freshest and most innovative sushi, Blue offers a creative mixture of Asian inspired grill dishes. The finest Omaha Steaks, chicken, and the freshest fish available are professionally prepared using traditional, as well as cutting-edge cooking techniques. Late night Happy Hour Fri. & Sat. 10p.m.-12a.m. Open Sun-5 to 9; M-11 to 10; T-11 to 10; W-11 to 10; F-11 to 11; Sat-11 to 11. Charlie’s on the Lake (Omaha) 144th and F streets (894-9411). Charlie’s is the only fresh-fish daily seafood restaurant in Omaha. Featuring a relaxed, yet contemporary atmosphere that is fun for all ages. Besides fresh seafood, Charlie’s is the home of the James Bond style martini, shaken not stirred, in over 20 varieties, in addition to over 60 wines. Lunch: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dinner: Mon.-Thu. 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 4:30 p.m.-11 p.m.; Sun. 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. $

Always a Large Selection of Fresh Fish

4150 SOUTH 144TH STREET • OMAHA • 8949411 120

january/february | 2009

Islamorada Fish Company 712-325-5300 (Council Bluffs) Located just across the river in Council Bluffs Iowa on I-80 & I-29 next to Bass Pro Shops, Islamorada Fish Co. offers a relaxing escape to the Florida Keys. Start off with a drink at our full bar backed by a 13,000 gallon aquarium filled with exotic salt water fish. We offer Grouper, Mahi Mahi, Sushi-grade Tuna, Alligator and Shrimp. But we also feature such Midwest favorites as Steaks, Ribs, Rotisserie Chicken, Burgers and Pastas, as well as a full kids menu. We have a covered patio that overlooks our stocked pond, and our Lodge room can seat over 100 for special gatherings. Each weekday we feature a $5.99 lunch special, and each weeknight offers a different feature (scallops, fresh water fish, oyster bar, rotisserie meat). Check out fishcompany.com for our full menu and directions. AE-DC-MC-V $

Private Rooms Catering & Delivery 330-0440 fax:330-5433

www.grisantis.net

10875 W Dodge Rd. (Old Mill & 108th)

Sundays Brunch Buffet 10-2 Mon & Tues evenings Kids eat free Wednesdays: 1/2 off all bottles of wine

NOW FEATURING SUSHI & SASHIMI DINNERS Sukiyaki • Shrimp Tempura Teriyaki Steak • Cantonese Dinners • Family Style for Two or More • Intimate Tea Rooms Available • Reservations Preferred in Tea Rooms.

Try Our Famous Plus 20 Exciting Polynesian Cocktails and Delicious Cantonese Appetizers

Open 5pm Mon.- Sat. Closed Sun.

7215 BLONDO

397-5049

Omaha

MAI TAI LOUNGE OPEN

4:30 P.M.

Thank you for voting us Omaha’s Best Sports Bar two years running

Come for the food, stay for the fun large parties and families welcome

153rd & Q Streets, 614-2739 84th & Park Drive, 201-2739 www.brewskys.com

Monday:

Kids Eat Free 5-9PM

Tuesday & Thursday: All you can eat wings $12.99 all day Lunch Brake Specials: Starting at $4.99 Happy Hour: $2 Pints, $3 Talls(24oz), $1 OFF Well Drinks Lube Tubes $10.99, $2 Busch Lights

Live Music every friday night. www.omahapublications.com

3320 Mid America Drive • Council Bluffs, IA 51501 712.322.0101 • www.quakersteakandlube.com january/february | 2009

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SPECIAL DINING Greek Islands 346-1528 (Omaha) 3821 Center St. Greek cuisine with specials every day at reasonable prices. Well known for our Gyro sandwiches and salads. We do catering and can accommodate a party for 65 guests. Carryout and delivery available. Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. AE-DC-MC-V. $ Horsemen's Park 402-731-2900 (Omaha) Horsemen’s Park located at 6303 Q Street. Happy Hour Mon-Wed from 5-9 p.m. - $1 pints, $1.75 domestic bottles and $2 well drinks. Tuesday 25¢ wings from 3-8 p.m. Wednesday - $5.95 Steak Night after 5:00 p.m. Thursday - 75¢ tacos and $1.75 margaritas after 5:00 p.m. Friday – $7.95 Prime Rib Dinner after 5:00 p.m. Daily specials 7 days a week. Open daily at 10:00 a.m. Check out our website at www.horsemenspark.com. TED & WALLY’S ICE CREAM 341-5827 Come experience the true taste of homemade ice cream at 12th & Jackson in the Old Market. Since 1986, we've created gourmet ice cream flavors in small batches using rock salt & ice. We offer your favorites plus unique flavors like Margarita, Green Tea, Guinness, and French Toast. Special orders available.

STEAKHOUSES Austin’s Steak and Saloon 829-1616 (Omaha) 120th and L streets in Southwest Omaha. Austin’s has been a long time favorite for steak lovers. Featuring steaks form Omaha Steaks and a fabulous salad bar, also serves prime rib, barbeque ribs, along with several fish and chicken selections. Open seven days a week. Reservations accepted. $$$ Charleston’s 431-0023( O maha ) 13851 First National Bank Parkway. Casual, upbeat restaurant with modestly priced menu featuring American items prepared from $$ scratch daily. AE-DC-MC-VS The Drover 391-7440 2121 S. 73 St. (just 1/2 block south of Doubletree). Famous for our Whiskey Steaks! Serving seafood, chicken and chops. Fine wine in an intimate atmosphere. Casual attire. Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-2pm. Cocktail Hour 36pm Dinner nightly at 5pm. Reservations accepted. AE-DC-MC-V. $$$ Johnny’s Café – Since 1922 731-4774 (Omaha) 27th and L streets. Years of quality dining and hospitality make Johnny’s Café a restaurant to remember. Serving only the finest corn-fed beef the Midwest has to offer. Aged steaks and prime rib are the specialties, with homemade bread and pies to complete one’s meal. An excellent wine list adds to the enjoyment at one of Omaha’s original restaurants. Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. AE-MC-V. $$

“You would be hard-pressed to find a more impressive restaurant.” – JOHN KEENAN

Omaha World-Herald

Mahogany 445-4380 (Omaha) 13665 California St. Mahogany's steaks are the finest custom-aged U.S. corn-fed Prime Midwestern Beef served on a sizzling hot plate. Selections from the ocean include Australian Rock lobster and the freshest fish daily. Outstanding fine-dining service in a casual less intimidating environment make Mahogany one of Omaha's best. Reservations are recommended. Omaha Prime 341-7040 (Omaha) 415 S. 11th St. (Old Market). Only restaurant featuring complete Prime beef. Open seven days a week, Mon.-Sat. 5 p.m.-close. $$-$$$ Passport Restaurant 344-3200 (Omaha) 1101 Jackson St. An elegant, but simplistic ambience highlights this upscale Old Market eatery. Serving Prime grade beef. Open at 5 p.m. seven days a week. $-$$ The Paxton Chop House Omaha 402-341-1222; www.paxtonchop.com; The Paxton Chop House is located just outside the Old Market at the corner of 14th and Farnam, convenient to all the downtown hotels. We only serve USDA prime grade aged steaks. In addition we offer a variety of jet fresh fish, live Maine lobster and four fresh oyster selections. Hours: MondaySaturday 5:00-10:00; Sunday 4:00-9:00 Piccolo’s Restaurant 342-9038 (Omaha) 2202 S. 20th St. One of Omaha’s finest traditions, where quality steaks are served at low prices. Especially designed for a family outing or a business social. The specialty is tasty prime rib, served for the last 60 years under the crystal ball. Daily lunches: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Dinner: Mon.-Thu. 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 4:30 p.m.-110:30 p.m. Daily and night specials.

415 South 11th St. / Old Market (402) 341-7040 Reservations Recommended Open 5pm Monday-Saturday Party Room available www.omaha-prime.com

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Sullivan’s 342-0077 (Omaha) Sullivan’s is a 1940s style steakhouse featuring the finest Nebraska grown steaks, fresh seafood, and unparalleled martinis. Live Jazz Music is performed seven nights a week in the lounge and patio seating is available. Open for lunch Monday thru Friday starting at 11:00am, dinner is served seven days a week starting at 5:00 pm and the lounge is open until $-$$$$ 1:00am! AE-DC-MC-VS

Buy One, Get One

Buy any delicious Dell entrée or beverage item at regular price and get a second item of equal or lesser value absolutely FREE. Double your pleasure today! (maximum value of $10)

“The Best in Casual Dining” 13851 First National Bank Parkway (West Dodge across from Girls and Boys Town)

402.431.0023

www.charlestons.com

Largest selection of Single Malts in America 500 Kinds of Liquor • 230 Kinds of Beer

5007 Underwood • Omaha, NE 68132 • (402) 553-9501 • www.dundeedell.com

The Greek Islands Full Bar • Carry Out • Dine In Catering For All Occasions Open Seven Days A Week

Fine

MEXICAN REAL MARGARITA FOOD HOME OF THE

Thank you for voting us Best of Omaha

(402) 346-1205

3821 Center 346-1528

Visa, MC, Diners & AMEX Accepted

OLD MARKET

11TH & HARNEY

Experience the Flavor ...

Online.

Rotella’s Italian Bakery Inc. invites you to experience the flavor and variety on our all new website. Sonoran Style Cooking Made Fresh Daily. Catering and Party Rooms Also Available. 7555 Pacific St. 399–8006 380 N.114 St. 330–5707

www.rotellasbakery.com

Omaha, Nebraska

The One and Only Family owned and operated for over 40 years. Mon. - Thurs. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fri. - Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sun. 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Serving Omaha’s Finest Families

Johnny Sortino’s

7880 ‘L’ Street • Omaha, NE 68127 (402) 339-5050 www.omahapublications.com

NEW FEATURES History / Interactive Timeline • Production Video Tour • New Product Listing & Photos • Taste and Texture Hi-lite • Wholesale Section • Family Favorite Recipes • Sales Rep Locator • january/february | 2009

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Now Bigger & Better Burgers! Fresh Angus Beef Fresh Baked Buns Fresh Cut Fries 18 Free Toppings

REALLY GREAT FOOD

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • Catering CATERING OFFICE 558-3333

VILLAGE POINTE

TAKES REALLY BIG THINKING

2429 S. 132ND ST. 402-758-9222

1040 S. 74TH PLZ. 402-884-6003

2579 S. 171ST CRT. 402-884-0430

4303 N. 72ND ST. 402-991-6675

2085 N. 120TH ST. 402-964-2760

84TH & Park Drive Coming Soon

168th & Dodge 934-5757

REGENCY COURT

120 REGENCY PKWY 9913000

ue Bellev rd illa and M ave Now H oms! Ro Party

Old Market 11th & Harney 614-9333

Benson 71st & Ames 333-6391

Bellevue 21st & Cornhusker 934-2300

Lakeside 173rd & West Center 333-8001

Council Bluffs 50 Arena Way 256-1221 (by the MAC)

Millard 120th & L 829-1616

PRIME STEAKS. . . FRESHEST SEAFOOD. . . ELEGANT SERVICE

1101 Jackson Street / Old Market / 344-3200 Reservations appreciated

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www.passport-restaurant.com

ChefProfile

Where the Whole Family Has Fun!

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM AND PIES 5914 CENTER • 552-0552

Clayton Chapman by Heather Heier Lane O’Connor’s Irish Pub 1217 Howard St. • Omaha, NE 68102 402-934-9790

2202 South 20th Street – Omaha

Clayton

Chapman, the new executive chef at Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops at 102 S. 10th St., says his love of food stems from his childhood. He says the family garden

sparked his enthusiasm for fresh fruit and vegetables, and remembers Sunday dinners as a weekly highlight. While he has always had an interest in food, he admits his passion for cooking started

Family Restaurant • Fine Steaks Chicken • Seafood Party Rooms Available

out as excitement about money. “When you have a paycheck as a teenager, it is really nice,” says Chapman with a laugh. His first job in a restaurant happened by chance and like most, he started out washing dishes. But when he was given the chance to help out in the kitchen at Mothers Good Food in North Omaha, he immediately realized that he loved cooking. Suddenly it was much more

342-9038 • 346-2865

than a paycheck. Since then he has worked in the kitchens of many area restaurants, including M’s Pub and V. Mertz. He attended the International Culinary School of Chicago at the Illinois Institute of Art, and while in Chicago worked at the upscale restaurant Tru. After leaving Chicago, Chapman headed overseas to spend time with his brother who was in the Peace Corps in West Africa. On his way home, Chapman says he ate his way through Europe and had a blast learning even more about food. Wanting to share his knowledge and expertise in cooking with others in less traditional ways, Chapman has also worked as a personal chef and a teacher at The Classy Gourmet. Chapman is excited about joining the team at Spencer’s in the Old Market, and is looking forward to yet another adventure—parenthood. He and his wife are expecting their first child in March. Will he be cooking for his little one? Seems a sure bet. Eventually baby Chapman can look forward to Sunday dinners with his extended family, and an abundance of fresh food—and love.

www.omahapublications.com

january/february | 2009

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Story by John Carroll Illustration by Nathanial Johnston

The Celebuspawn Picture War... Blame Cher! A few weeks ago, as I was trying to scan my own groceries and figure out the produce code for kumquats, I heard a lady waiting behind me squeal with delight and speaking and pointing to no one in particular, “Oh…. My… GAWD, look at how beautiful those twins are!” At first, I thought she was on her cell phone until I realized she was pointing or genuflecting toward the People magazine and urging me to bow down to the holy twinity of the Brangelina. This woman was actually losing her ever-lovin’ mind over a bunch of pictures of babies in a magazine. Babies she will never see in person. Babies that look like a pair of baby gerbils wrapped in fleece, very expensive fleece. As I finally found the produce code for oranges, I mean kumquats, I thought to myself, who actually buys these magazines? (And more importantly, why am I buying kumquats?) Well, apparently, a lot of people — enough people that the People people forked over 14 MILLION freaking dollars to snap Brangelina cooing and doting over their preternaturally airbrushed family. Of course the first thing I did when I got home was figure out how this came to be. I realized after about 30 seconds of

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research, it’s all Cher’s fault. Shortly after she dumped Sonny (which is probably the best decision she ever made besides making Moonstruck), she hooked up with Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band, the poor man’s ZZ Top. Shortly after this unholy union, Cher gave birth to Elijah Blue and promptly sold out for a six-pack, a sandwich and new teeth. In 2008 dollars, that would equate to about a million, a new nose and a brand new pair of boobs. Ever since Cher sold out, there have been pictures of celebrity babies, illegitimate and otherwise, on 29 different occasions. In the last year alone, we have seen the celebuspawn of Matthew “I have never met a placenta I wouldn’t bury” McConaughey, Jodie Sweetin, the Full House former crack baby with a baby, serial divorcer Jennifer Lopez, and Nicole “my fetus weighs more than I do” Richie. I am not all that great at math, and trust me, my checkbook will more than agree with me, but I think we could have done a heck of a lot with the kind of money the celebrity rags dropped taking pictures of baby gerbils wrapped in fleece. I wonder how much they will pay for pictures of Bristol Palin’s hockey baby?

THANK YOU for voting us number one!

Best in Dermatology — Joel Schlessinger, M.D.

The Reader’s Choice Poll 2004-2008

Best Cosmetic Surgeon — Joel Schlessinger, M.D. Omaha Magazine’s “Best of Omaha” Survey 2000-2009

We will strive to uphold the high standards you have come to expect of us. For a more beautiful you, call us!

BOARD CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST BOARD CERTIFIED GENERAL COSMETIC SURGEON

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402-334-SKIN (7546)

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2802 Oak View Mall Drive, Omaha www.LovelySkin.com info@ LovelySkin.com Skin Specialists and Aesthetica Day Spa are under the direction of Joel Schlessinger, M.D., Board Certified Dermatologist and Board Certified General Cosmetic Surgeon. He is nationally and internationally recognized for his work in general dermatology, cosmetic dermatology and laser surgery. Copyright © 2009, Skin Specialists, P.C.