November/December 2015 Omaha Magazine

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

LAUREN GARRISON Surly Lass, British Sass BOBSLEDDING? IN NEBRASKA? Olympic Gold Medalist Curtis Tomasevicz BEST DOCTORS OMAHA 2015-2016

Rev. John Jenkins

FROM OMAHA to

NOTRE DAME

17754 Bay Wood Dr, Omaha

$690,000

This beautiful executive ranch offers spectacular views of wooded Zorinsky reserve. Natural light permeates this spacious home with 12’ ceilings. Features stunning open kitchen and hearth room with granite, breakfast bar, island and main floor office.

Johnathan O’Gorman • 402.595.8857

820 Key Circle, Carter Lake, IA

$599,711

This home is a rare find offering both waterfront and shoreline golf course frontages! Open floor plan with formal and informal spaces, and a gorgeous chef’s kitchen. Lower level walk out features family/media rooms, a wet bar, 3rd bedroom, office and just a few steps out to 2 fire pits and private dock!

The Jansen Team • 402.330.5954

19258 Poppleton Ave, Omaha

$565,000

Johnathan O’Gorman • 402.595.8857

$549,000

Exceptional 2 story in prominent Ridges neighborhood.

New paint, designer carpet and hardwood throughout.

Generous open floor-plan, including formal dining room and inviting hearth room area in kitchen w/beautiful granite and high end finishes. Oversized deck.

Brian Trude • 402.212.7457

$675,000

Beautiful executive home on 10 acres with 6 acres of old growth forest, creek, huge backyard with large playset and tree house. Fully remodeled home with open floor plan, main floor master suite, large deck, and walk out basement!

Matt Rasmussen • 402.657.1969

21303 Walnut Street, Elkhorn

$597,000

Beautiful home, immaculately maintained and move in ready. Gourmet kitchen with large eating area, 2 sided fireplace. Newer flooring and appliances on main floor.

Fully finished walkout basement with 5th bedroom and full kitchen. All appliances stay in both kitchens. Expansive lot!

The Real Estate PROs • 402.305.8631

This nearly 4,900 sq ft 5 bedroom, 6 bath home is loaded, from the stunning cooks kitchen with dbl ovens, to the hearth room & living room off kitchen, main floor den, formal dining room, 2 story entry, 5 bedrooms all upstairs & all w/ private bath access! Fully finished basement w/ family room, wetbar, and rec room.

1508 S 182 Circle, Omaha

16009 Cornish Rd, Springfield, NE

3606 N 264 St, Waterloo, NE

$550,000

Lakefront estate situated on 5.01 acres. Texas style ranch with all stone exterior, gourmet kitchen with Viking appliances, wood floors, garage space for six vehicles, completely fenced with gated entrances, lushly landscaped grounds and heavily treed. No covenants. Lake and additional land available to buyer.

Jeff Villotta • 402.598.4252

1745 N Nye Avenue, Fremont

$529,000

A refreshed, refurbished historical home.

Newer granite, refinished wood floors, original leaded glass, beautiful library. Truly an exquisite home.

Kori Krause • 402.679.0007

7407 N 116 Ave. Cir, Omaha

$649,000

Amazing home w/tremendous views on 6th tee in Deer Creek, Arnold Palmer’s Signature Hole! Open plan. Tall ceilings. Designer windows. Granite. Walnut wd flrs.

Exquisite master suite. 4 lovely fireplaces. Timbertech deck. Patio. Quiet cul de sac.

Denice Coenen • 402.677.7538

18901 Nicholas St, Omaha

$565,922

Huntington Homes 1 1/2 Story with 2 laundry areas, 2 fridges, hardwood floor in LR, DR & kitchen. All bedrooms have private bath, loft area upstairs, large covered patio off eat in - great for entertaining. Barrel roof entrance, Anderson windows with transoms. Office on main.

Marty Evans • 402.968.1300

17468 Ridgemont St, Omaha

$549,900

A Royal Homes walkout ranch with main floor flex room, Bosch appliances, hardwood floors, covered deck, master with walk-in shower and whirlpool tub, walk-in pantry w/ coffee bar, drop zone area, rec room with wet bar backs to golf course. Certified high performance home.

John Greguska • 402.612.0594

18716 N HWS Cleveland Blvd, Omaha

$519,999

New concept open 3 bed main floor split walk-out ranch.

With 2 beds in lower level(5 bed total). Main floor laundry and home management center. 15 ft deep hidden pantry. Lower level wet bar & multi level theater. Over 3600 sq ft finished!!.

Phone app. controlled audio, thermostat & garage doors.

Dirk Blume • 402.672.0391

V I R T U A L TO U R S A N D M O R E AT NPDODGE.COM

RAPTOR WOODLAND REFUGE opening late 2015

Fourteen custom mews, spread over a half-acre development, will house up to 17 different raptor species. Over 120 feet of elevated boardwalk will guide visitors to treehouse cabins 30 feet above the forest floor to view the birds of prey in the forest canopy. Each visit is its own unique adventure, its own story, its own memory to share.

fontenelleforest.org

Start with a ticket. End with applause.

Omaha Performing Arts Presents

1200 CLUB LIVE AT THE HOLLAND SPONSORED BY MUTUAL OF OMAHA

Christmas in Vienna

November 19 | 7:30 PM Holland Center | Kiewit Hall

A Celtic Tenors Christmas December 2 | 7:30 PM Holland Center | Kiewit Hall

JAZZ

SERIES

Vienna Boys Choir

Cyrus Chestnut Trio A Jazzy Christmas

December 2 | 7:30 PM Holland Center | Scott Recital Hall

2015/2016 SEASON

S P O N S O R E D B Y F I R S T N AT I O N A L B A N K

The Sleeping Beauty

featuring the Moscow Festival Ballet

January 23 | 8:00 PM Orpheum Theater | Slosburg Hall

Gregory Porter

February 4 | 7:30 PM Holland Center | Kiewit Hall

An Afternoon with

Garrison Keillor

February 14 | 3:00 PM Holland Center | Kiewit Hall

Tickets as low as $15 – Don’t miss the show!

TicketOmaha.com | 402.345.0606 All productions, performers, prices, dates and times are subject to change.

Omaha Magazine • Section

November // December • 2015 | 6 | omahamagazine.com

OUT HERE, WE DON’T PUT ANYTHING IN JUST ONE BASKET. Let us help you make more out of your investment opportunities.

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©2015 Bank of the West.

Securities and variable annuities are offered through BancWest Investment Services, a registered broker/dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Financial Advisors are Registered Representatives of BancWest Investment Services. Fixed annuities/insurance products are offered through BancWest Insurance Agency in California, (License #0C52321), through BancWest Insurance Agency in Utah and through BancWest Investment Services, Inc. in AZ, CO, IA, ID, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, WA, WI, WY, HI, GUAM and CNMI. Bank of the West and its various affiliates and subsidiaries are not tax or legal advisors.

BancWest Investment Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of the West and a part of the Wealth Management Group. BancWest Corporation is the holding company for Bank of the West.

BancWest Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of BNP Paribas.

This is not an offer or solicitation for financial services, investment advisory services, or banking products or services where we are not authorized to do business or where such offer or solicitation is contrary to the laws and regulations of that jurisdiction.

Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC INSURED

NOT BANK GUARANTEED

MAY LOSE VALUE

NOT A DEPOSIT

NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY

What good is the

“right� treatment if the diagnosis is wrong?

Based on the medical cases reviewed by our physicians, 1 out of 3 diagnoses in the U.S. require correction or refinement. And 75% of the reviewed treatment plans need modification. In fact, medical errors are a leading cause of injury and even death in our country.

Best Doctors is out to change that. We help ensure the right diagnosis and treatment by providing patients with access to world-class medical experts for second opinions, treatment guidance and more. Our services are offered nationwide as an employee benefit by companies like The Home Depot and many other Fortune 500 companies. Find out if your company offers Best Doctors and keep your health care on the right track.

www.bestdoctors.com

Helping patients get the right diagnosis and the right treatment.

Below are a few case studies where Best Doctors made an impact.

Marion was involved in a serious car accident and began experiencing headaches, neck pain and dizziness. Medical test results revealed nothing, yet her condition worsened. A Best Doctors specialist reviewed her case and discovered an undetected brain injury, as well as soft tissue injury and even a possible concussion. The expert provided a step-by-step plan to put Marion on the right course for treatment.

A lump on Simon’s hand was diagnosed as a noncancerous ganglion cyst. Less than two weeks after surgery to remove it, the lump grew back, bigger than before. A Best Doctors specialist reviewed Simon’s case and found Simon was positive for a cancer called fibrous histiocytoma. The specialist recommended further surgery and Simon avoided the consequences of a life-threatening situation.

Alex, a runner and mother of two, lived for years with a malfunctioning heart valve. She always took the necessary precautionary steps with her cardiologist to watch for any changes in symptoms, such as feelings of fatigue, fainting, and shortness of breath. Alex felt healthy, until one race in 2012, which she struggled to complete. Something wasn’t right. She decided to have her case reviewed by a Best Doctors cardiology expert. The expert recommended an immediate valve repair, noting that Alex’s condition had become severe and was endangering her heart. She had the surgery and is on the path to recovery, grateful for the services Best Doctors provided.

www.bestdoctors.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

30

PEOPLE 40

Faces Lauren Garrison

50

Faces Ferial Pearson

52

Gen O Ponca Pride

56

Faces Tony Infantino

66

Style Monika Katarina Johannsen

152 Sports

Curt Tomasevicz

50

FOOD 180 Mystery Review Dolce

182 Dining

Amsterdam Falafel

184 Dining

52

Time Out Chicken

44

193 Dining Guide

FEATURES

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

39

Where the Arts Come Together Creighton Celebrates 50 Years in the Arts

12

From the Editor

15

Between the Lines

Rev. John I. Jenkins From Omaha to Notre Dame

16

For Starters

19

Calendar of Events

44 60

A Castle in the Woods Life in the Wilds of Hitchcock Nature Center

64

Alberto “Beto” Gonzales His Little Corner of the Sky

68

Field & Dream Rhizophere Farm

OMAHA HOME

81

60 PLUS IN OMAHA

73

Holiday Gift Guide

133 Best Doctors® in America 2015 ARTS & CULTURE 26

Visual Project Project

30

Music Laura Burhenn

150 History

36

Performance Leanne Hill Carlson

179 Obviously Omaha

GIVING

146 Instagram - Be Social 147 The Best of Omaha Festival The Sunks Rutgers Game Day Guide

207 Explore!

156

SPECIAL SECTIONS

210 Not Funny

186 Radical Simplicity

Ron Dotzler and Abide

190 Giving Calendar

November // December • 2015 | 10 | omahamagazine.com

November/December 2015 VOLUME 32 • ISSUE 5

EDITORIAL Editor

DAVID WILLIAMS Associate Editor

DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN

Expanded Content On Your Digital Device

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Watch videos, and view photo galleries of select editorial from OmahaHome magazine.

Editorial Intern

HALLE MASON Contributing Writers

LEO ADAM BIGA KIM CARPENTER ANTHONY FLOTT ROBYN MURRAY DOUG MEIGS CAROL CRISSEY NIGRELLI NOLAN SEARL GARRETT STEPIEN JAMES VNUK JAMES WALMSLEY ANDY WILLIAMS SARAH WENGERT OTIS TWELVE

e Pag 30

Page 52

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H14 Page

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CREATIVE Creative Director

BILL SITZMANN Art Director

KRISTEN HOFFMAN Senior Graphic Designer

RACHEL JOY Graphic Designer

MATTHEW WIECZOREK Graphic Design Intern

DEREK TAUBERT Contributing Photography & Illustration

KEITH BINDER COLIN CONCES SCOTT DRICKEY LAURIE AND CHARLES PHOTOGRAPHS SARAH LEMKE BEN SOLOMON MARLON WRIGHT

1 Download the App

Browse the Apple App Store or shop Google Play for the LayAR app.

2 Look for the icon

You’ll see the ‘ar’ icon on pages with expanded content.

3 Scan the page

After loading the LayAR app on your digital device, hold your phone/tablet over the entire page to load content.

November // December • 2015 | 11 | bestofomaha.com

Come celebrate one of the region’s most cherished traditions, Christmas at Union Station! The holidays are always a magical time at The Durham Museum.

From the area’s largest indoor Christmas tree, holiday concerts and Santa himself, you won’t want to miss all of the festive family fun.

Visit DurhamMuseum.org for event details including times when Santa will visit the museum.

FROM THE EDITOR

W

E LIKE TO think that Omaha

Magazine has the power to put a smile on the faces of our readers.

Our favorite smile of late is shown in the photo above. It was taken July 9, 2014, at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, but we learned of it only recently.

EDITOR DAVID WILLIAMS

That’s Itsunori Onodera, Japan’s minister of defense, beaming as he holds a copy of our July/August 2014 issue featuring then-Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. The cover story was written by then-managing editor Robert Nelson, and it would later bring home a trophy at the 2015 Great Plains Journalism Awards.

Onodera was en route to Washington for sensitive talks with Hagel, and he was on a mission to learn all he could about the statesman who graduated from UNO. Onodera’s appearance at the school came as a complete surprise. The university was alerted just four hours before his arrival, and an event that was to take place at Mammel Hall was quickly planned. Not to worry, it was explained.

Onodera would not even be getting out of the car elsewhere on campus. Except he did.

Itsunori Onodera, Japan’s Minister of Defense, with Scott Snyder, Ph.D., University of Nebraska at Omaha Chief Research Officer and Interim Director of the Peter Kiewit Institute July 9, 2014 When the slow-motion motorcade arrived at the school’s iconic Henningson Memorial Campanile, it ground to a halt and Japan’s minister of defense suddenly popped out of one of the vehicles. A phalanx of startled security personnel and military brass from both nations popped out right behind him.

But more surprises were yet to come.

The minister, an interpreter explained, wanted to see the school’s U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Archives. When Erin Owen, UNO’s executive director of university communications, led the entourage to the archives she discovered that a remodeling effort had just been launched. The group was confronted by an empty skeleton of a room. Insert crickets here.

Luckily, Owen’s staff had scrambled the moment they were first informed of the visit. They collected every shred of Hagel ephemera they could scrounge. They even snatched pictures from walls. One astute staffer had the presence of mind to grab the copy of Omaha Magazine you see in the photo above…one that was snapped just moments before the motorcade departed for Offutt Air Force Base…the one that captures what Owen describes as Onodera’s biggest smile of the day.

November/December • 2015 | 12 | omahamagazine.com

November/December 2015 VOLUME 32 • ISSUE 5

Publisher

TODD LEMKE

ACCOUNTS Publisher’s Assistant & Omaha Home Contributing Editor

SANDY MATSON Vice President

GREG BRUNS Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing

GIL COHEN Senior Sales Executive & 60Plus in Omaha Contributing Editor

GWEN LEMKE

YESTERDAY AND TODAY

NOV. 27–DEC. 31, 2015 sponsors: Blue

Branding Specialist

SHELBY DEVENY KYLE FISHER ANGIE HALL GEORGE IDELMAN

A CHRISTMAS CAROL NOV. 20–DEC. 23, 2015

Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska and WoodmenLife

sponsor: First National Bank orchestra sponsor: KPMG LLP effects sponsor: Children’s Hospital and Medical Center media sponsor: Cox

media sponsor: KETV

6915 CASS STREET

|

(402) 553-0800

Sales Associates

JESSICA CULLINANE DAWN DENNIS ALICIA SMITH HOLLINS JUSTIN IDELMAN JESSICA LINHART

OPERATIONS Vice President of Operations

TYLER LEMKE Event Director

ERIN COX Accountant

HOLLEY GARCIA-CRUZ Distribution Manager

MIKE BREWER For Advertising & Subscription Information:

402.884.2000 All versions of Omaha Magazine are published bimonthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 68046-1208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000; fax (402) 884-2001. Subscription rates: $19.95 for 6 issues (one year), $24.95 for 12 issues (two years). No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted, however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations. Best of Omaha®™ is a registered tradename of Omaha Magazine.

November // December • 2015 | 13 | bestofomaha.com

|

OMAHAPLAYHOUSE.COM

LUXURY, VALUE,

AND BORSHEIMS

Serve Up A Jolt of Joy The season looks amazing in silver. But unwrapped is when it shines.

ONLINE BORSHEIMS.COM | BY PHONE (800) 642-GIFT | FLAGSHIP REGENCY COURT

November // December • 2015 | 14 | omahamagazine.com

Between

THE LINES A LOOK AT THREE OMAHA MAGAZINE TEAM MEMBERS

ANDY WILLIAMS is the epitome of a guy trying to figure out “what he wants

to be when he grows up” (his wife is convinced he never will!). Andy has been a sports writer, pastor, entrepreneur, marketing executive…and now he makes cartoons (animated videos, actually) for a living with Omaha marketing firm Napkin.tv. Andy has always loved unearthing and telling great stories that move people—that’s the constant thread running through it all. So fleshing out the tales of Omahans who mold our community fuels his storytelling passion. And it might just help him with his “growing up” dilemma.

CAROL CRISSEY NIGRELLI grew up in Philadelphia where she started playing

cello at age 9. She majored in Latin and Greek at a small women’s college in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, but didn’t see herself as a teacher. She got her first job at a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, radio station and continued in broadcasting for the next three decades as the main anchor for the CBS affiliate in Buffalo, N.Y. After marrying now-KMTV Action 3 News anchor Craig Nigrelli, Carol left one part of “the biz” for another—that of taking on many of our meatiest assignments. The mother of two girls and a Red Sox fanatic, Carol takes lessons from Omaha Symphony cellist Mark Motycka and enjoys playing at St. John’s Church on the Creighton campus.

JAMES VNUK, as best as medical science can tell, is little more than a sham-

bling mound of pop culture effluvia. Though he teaches composition, rhetoric, and English as a second language at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, lately it would seem his preferred genre is the brevity afforded by social media witticisms, endlessly searching for that perfect groaner. He spent a season or two behind the Great Firewall of China, but journeyed back to Nebraska to burden the prairies with his ruminations—of varying credulity—on media and culture. He loves low art, German opera, and his two guinea pigs.

November // December • 2015 | 15 | bestofomaha.com

A CHRISTMAS CAROL 40TH ANNIVERSARY

CHRISTMAS AT UNION STATION

God bless us, everyone! For 40 years, A Christmas Carol has been one of Omaha’s favorite holiday traditions. The familiar and beloved story of Ebenezer Scrooge comes to life on stage like you’ve never seen it before. As three ghosts visit the miserly Scrooge in his bed chamber one fateful night, he takes audiences on a life-changing journey through the past, present, and future that ends on Christmas morning. In 40 years of performances, only two men have played the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. Volunteer Dick Boyd played the role for 30 years without ever missing a performance. For the past 10 years, Jerry Longe has performed the signature role. Omaha-area volunteer performers bring this timeless story to life on OCP’s Hawks Mainstage.

Come celebrate one of the region’s most cherished traditions, Christmas at Union Station. The holidays are always a magical time at The Durham Museum. From the area’s largest indoor Christmas tree, holiday concerts, and Santa himself, you won’t want to miss all of the festive family fun.

There are also annual national tours of this production. Professional performers from around the country rehearse at the Omaha Community Playhouse for two weeks in November and then perform in venues around the country from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve.

Learn how the world celebrates this joyful time of year on December 4 at the Ethnic Holiday Festival, where more than 20 local cultural organizations proudly display their crafts and traditional dress while musicians and dancers perform throughout the evening.

It just isn’t Christmas without A Christmas Carol. Beautiful costumes, exquisite music, perfectly crafted sets, and special effects second to none make this show a one-of-a-kind. Perfect for the whole family!

The first three weekends of December feature the Holiday Concert Series. The season reaches a crescendo with Noon Years’ Eve on December 31. Children of all ages will enjoy this fun-packed party with live music, special crafts, and activities. Three…two…one…

Happy New Year!

Omaha Community Playhouse · Nov. 20 - Dec. 23

Omaha Community Playhouse 6915 Cass St. Tickets: Adults $36/ Students $25 before Dec. 15, Adults $40/Students $29 after Dec. 15 omahaplayhouse.com

The Durham Museum · Nov. 27 - Dec. 31

It all begins with the November 27 Tree Lighting Ceremony. All the good tidings and cheer lead up to the signature tradition of the night—the community countdown to lighting the region’s largest indoor Christmas tree. Every Tuesday in December is a Family Night with Santa.

Durham Museum 801 S. 10th St. Admission prices vary by event durhammuseum.org

November // December • 2015 | 16 | omahamagazine.com

GO WEST! ART OF THE AMERICAN FRONTIER FROM THE BUFFALO BILL CENTER OF THE WEST

MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER CHRISTMAS Orpheum Theater · Dec. 22 & 23

Joslyn Art Museum · Nov. 15 - April 17

Go West! Art of the American Frontier considers evolving notions of the American West through more than 85 artworks and artifacts from the collection of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming.

Opening with work by early artist-explorers, the exhibition traces the transformation of the western U.S. from someplace distant and unfamiliar to a land of opportunity.

Following the Civil War, Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran captured spectacular landscapes beyond the Rocky Mountains, fostering a new vision of the American wilderness. But by the turn of the 20th century, the frontier was fading into the past, and the creation of its myths and legends began in earnest. The cowboy emerged as a symbol of individuality and strength born of the frontier, and no artists better captured their spirit than Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell, whose rough-and-tumble scenes defined life on the range.

Go West! also features a selection of objects from the Buffalo Bill Center’s Plains Indian Museum that offer an intimate perspective into Native American cultures and experiences at a time of great social change. Go West! reveals the complex history of the West, from the territory’s earliest explorers to the invention of heroic legends.

Joslyn Art Museum 2200 Dodge St. Tickets $10 for general public adults; free for Joslyn members, youth ages 17 and younger, and college students with ID. joslyn.org

Grammy Award winner Chip Davis, composer and creator of Mannheim Steamroller, has twice proved the music industry wrong.

His Fresh Aire music, characterized as “18th Century Classical Rock,” was received favorably, but no label would take it because of its unique style. So he formed American Gramaphone in 1974 and released his first Fresh Aire album which catapulted Mannheim Steamroller to fame. American Gramaphone went on to become the nation’s largest independent record label.

Today Chip is the No. 1 Christmas music artist in history with sales of 28 million holiday records.

Mannheim Steamroller always returns home to play in Omaha every December.

The success of this local group is told in a PBS special Mannheim Steamroller 30/40 Live. Filmed at the Orpheum Theater, the show celebrates 40 years of Davis’ iconic Fresh Aire series and 30 years of groundbreaking Christmas music, all produced out of American Gramaphone’s headquarters in Omaha.

Orpheum Theater 409 S. 16th St. Tickets $38.25 to $78.25 ticketomaha.com

November // December • 2015 | 17 | bestofomaha.com

PERFORMANCES AT THE HOLLAND CENTER

Please donate non-perishable food items at the Holland Center during November and December.

Saturday, Dec. 12 at 2 pm Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 pm Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2 pm Sunday, Dec. 13 at 7 pm Thursday, Dec. 17 at 7 pm Friday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 pm Saturday, Dec. 19 at 2 pm Saturday, Dec. 19 at 7:30 pm Sunday, Dec. 20 at 2 pm Sunday, Dec. 20 at 7 pm

DECEMBER 12 - 20

TICKETS START AT

$19

November // December • 2015 | 18 | omahamagazine.com

CALENDAR

of

EVENTS

ART AND MUSEUM EXHIBITS

DYNAMIC SINGULARITIES, SUBTLE DICHOTOMIES Through Nov. 12, Lauritzen Gardens—100 Bancroft St. Omaha artist Alicia Armentrout’s images of the exotic taken in the oft-overlooked areas of rural and urban Nebraska ditches and prairies. 402-346-4002 - lauritzengardens.org

DESIGN IN MOTION Through Jan. 2, Kaneko—1111 Jones St. In this show, the vehicles will be displayed and celebrated as works of art while also exploring the designers and design process behind their creation. 402-341-3800.

-thekaneko.org

Design in Motion

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Through Jan. 3, 2016, Durham Museum—801 S. 10th St. View entries from the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, co-owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Worldwide. This exhibit offers a unique peek into the drama and splendor of the natural world, accompanied by captions that reveal the story behind how the photograph was taken. 402-444-5071 - durhammuseum.org

UNION STATION: BUILT TO LAST Through Jan. 3, 2016, Durham Museum—801 S. 10th St. For 40 years the Durham Museum has celebrated, and kept alive, Omaha’s history. In celebration of its anniversary, this exhibit explores Durham’s home—Union Station—and what makes it so special. 402-444-5071 - durhammuseum.org

MY FRIEND ERIC ROHMANN Through Jan. 3, 2016, Joslyn Art Museum— 2200 Dodge St. Paintings, drawings, and prints from 12 picture books—including Eric Rohmann’s Caldecott Medal winner “My Friend Rabbit” and Caldecott Honor book “Time Flies”—comprise this Mind’s Eye Gallery exhibition. 402-342-3300 - joslyn.org

Brad Kahlhamer at the Joselyn Art Museum THIS MAY HURT A BIT: MEDICINE IN OLD OMAHA EXHIBIT Through Feb. 16, 2016, D urham Mu seum— 801 S. 10th St. This exhibit takes visitors to just after Omaha’s founding, exploring the colorful world of medicine that early settlers encountered. 402-444-5071 - durhammuseum.org

BRAD KAHLHAMER Nov. 14-April 17, 2016, Joslyn Art Museum— 2200 Dodge St. Kahlhamer is an artist influenced by a variety of sources, including Native American traditions, graffiti, comic books, and much more. A Riley CAP Gallery exhibition. 402-342-3300 -joslyn.org

GO WEST! ART OF THE AMERICAN FRONTIER FROM THE BUFFALO BILL CENTER OF THE WEST

NOLAN TREDWAY Nov. 30-Jan. 8, 2016, Fred Simon Gallery—1004 Farnam St. The Lincoln-based painter brings his work to the Fred Simon Gallery. Tredway is currently the co-director of Tugboat Gallery in addition to running his own studio/gallery. He is a winner of the Ida M. Vreeland Award and a Nebraska Arts Council Individual Fellowship Award. 402-595-2122 - artscouncil.nebraska.gov

GREAT LAKES TO GREAT PLAINS Dec. 29-Feb. 6, 2016, Fred Simon Gallery—1004 Farnam St. Nebraska-based artists Linda Stephen and Iggy Sumnik display their work. The exhibition features origami collages made by Stephen during her artist-in-residence stint with the National Parks Service in Beatrice, Nebraska. Sumnik’s ceramic sculptures merge the natural world with cultural trends. 402-595-2122 - artscouncil.nebraska.gov

SUPER POWERS

Nov. 15-April 17, 2016, Joslyn Art Museum— 2200 Dodge St. Explore the exciting western frontier in this exhibit, featuring more than 90 paintings, sculptures, and American Indian artifacts dating from the 1830s to the 1920s. 402-342-3300 - joslyn.org

Through April 10, Omaha Children’s Museum— 500 S. 20th St. Experience the thrilling sights and sounds of a superhero’s world in this immersive experience. Learn how courage and true grit can make anyone a real-life superhero. 402-342-6164 - omc.org

BEMIS CENTER’S 17TH ANNUAL ART AUCTION

GANGSTERS AND TUNNELS: DOUGLAS COUNTY AND PROHIBITION EXHIBIT

Nov. 21, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art— 724 S. 12th St. Eat. Drink. Buy art. 402-341-7130 - bemiscenter.org

November // December • 2015 | 19 | bestofomaha.com

Through April 19, 2016, General Crook House Museum—5730 N. 30th St. Take a trip back through the history of prohibition in Omaha. Omaha was one of the first states to take action against legal alcohol, banning the sale of liquor in 1917, three years before the rest of the country followed suit. 402-455-9990 - omahahistory.org

Omaha Magazine • Calendar of Events

CONAGRA FOODS ICE RINK

FAMILY & MORE

Dec. 12-Jan . 4 , 2016, Con Agra Foods Campus—10th & Harney Sts. This benefit for Food Bank for the Heartland is affordable fun for the whole family. 402-345-5401 - holidaylightsfestival.org

AUTUMN FESTIVAL. AN ARTS & CRAFTS AFFAIR Nov. 5-8, Ralston Arena—7300 Q St. The Ralston Arena welcomes its annual Autumn Festival, featuring vendors from all over the country. Patrons will enjoy shopping for handcrafted artwork, unique furniture and decor, and personalized goodies for any occasion. 402-331-2889 - hpifestivals.com

NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

TREE LIGHTING & SANTA’S ARRIVAL AT SHADOW LAKE Nov. 25, Shadow Lake Towne Center—7775 Olson Dr. Santa Claus is coming to town, and he’s bringing a whole bunch of Peppermint Elves to help him light the tree. Kick off the holiday season with bright lights and cheer. 402-537-0046 - shadowlakeshopping.com

HOLIDAY LIGHTS FESTIVAL: THANKSGIVING LIGHTING CEREMONY Nov. 26, Gene Leahy Pedestrian Mall—1302 Farnam on the Mall. An Omaha tradition—eat a big meal, then wander downtown to Gene Leahy Mall. Mayor Jean Stothert will take the lead as hundreds of thousands of lights twinkle for the first time in 2015. Watch as downtown dazzles! 402-345-5401 - holidaylightsfestival.org

SANTA’S MAGIC Nov. 27-Dec. 23, Omaha Children’s Museum— 500 S. 20th St. Children can share their holiday wishes with the Big Man himself. Meet Snow Queen and sing holiday songs to make it snow! (Snow days not guaranteed.) 402-342-6164 - ocm.org

LAURITZEN GARDENS HOLIDAY POINSETTIA SHOW

ConAgra Food Ice Rink THE MADRIGAL CHRISTAMASSE FEASTE Dec. 1-4, Omaha Marriott Hotel—10220 Regency Cir. Come experience an evening of food, music, and merriment—Renaissance style! Ibsen Costume Gallery performs its 23rd-annual Christmas production. With its magnificent singing, theatrical toasts, and outstanding costumes, it’s not an event to be missed. 402-556-1400 - ibsencostumes.com

...READY, FIGHT!

Dec. 17, CenturyLink Center—455 N. 10th St. The best college athletes will compete in the 2015 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championships. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to see the nation’s top teams fight for the National Championship title. 402-341-1500 - centurylinkcenteromaha.com

HOLIDAY LIGHTS FESTIVAL: NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR Dec. 31, Gene Leahy Pedestrian Mall—1302 Farnam on the Mall. Kick off the new year right! Head down to witness a dazzling fireworks display. 402-345-5401 - holidaylightsfestival.org

New Year’s Eve Fireworks Spectacular

Dec. 4-19 (Fridays and Saturdays), Apollon Theatre—1801 Vinton St. Video games are intricately designed, making them on of the most intensively co-created things in the world. They’re a combination of traditional art forms, like painting, writing, sculpture, music, and storytelling. It’s no wonder that so many find them addicting! This event is a themed, interactive performance, complete with food. Come on down and get your video game geek on. 402-884-0135 - apollonomaha.com

WELLS FARGO FAMILY FESTIVAL

Nov. 27-Jan. 3, 2016, Lauritzen Gardens—100 Bancroft St. Explore a holiday tribute filled with vibrant poinsettias. A 20-foot tall poinsettia tree stands at the center of it all. 402-346-4002 - lauritzengardens.org

CHRISTMAS AT UNION STATION November 28-January 4, 2016, Durham Museum— 801 S. 10th St. Celebrate the joy of the holidays at Union Station with the region’s largest indoor Christmas tree and many family-friendly events. 402-444-5071 - durhammuseum.org

SOUNDS OF THE SEASON Nov. 29-Dec. 27 (Saturdays), Gene Leahy Pedestrian Mall & the Old Market—1302 Farnam on the Mall. Local music groups from youth to professionals perform treasured holiday songs to put Omahans and vistors alike in the mood for the season of giving. 402-345-5401 - holidaylightsfestival.org

Dec. 7, various places. Listen to holiday music and participate in family-friendly holiday activities. A free trolley service will shuttle people to the participating venues— Wells Fargo Bank, Omaha Children’s Museum, Omaha Police Mounted Patrol Barn, the Durham Museum, W. Dale Clark Library, and Joslyn Art Museum. 402-345-5401 - holidaylightsfestival.org

BOYS TOWN CHRISTMAS FAMILY FESTIVAL Dec. 12, Boys Town—137th St. & West Dodge Road.

Enjoy the wonder of Christmas with cookie-decorating, gift-making for teachers, ornament creation, and a visit from a North Pole icon. 402-498-1300 - boystown.org

VICTORY FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP Dec. 12, Ralston Arena—7300 Q St. A premier mixed martial arts organization in the Midwest, Victory has provided competitive and entertaining fights since 2002. 402-934-9966 - ralstonarena.com

CONCERTS

THAT1GUY Nov. 7, The Waiting Room Lounge—6212 Maple St. A consistent festival favorite, Mike Silverman, aka That1Guy, joins the Waiting Room for a night of unique and imaginative performances. That1Guy is known for his originality, as well as his curious choice of a main instrument, The Magic Pipe, an enormous jumble of metal, strings, and electronics. $15. 9 pm. 402-884-5353 - waitingroomlounge.com

November // December • 2015 | 20 | omahamagazine.com

PURE BATHING CULTURE Nov. 9, Reverb Lounge—6121 Military Av. Portland-based American indie pop band Pure Bathing Culture brings their unique sound to Reverb Lounge. The band dates back to 1999, when Sarah Versprille and Daniel Hindman befriended one another on the first day of freshman orientation at William Patterson University in Wayne, New Jersey. $10 Adv. / $12 DOS. 9 pm. 402-884-5707 - reverblounge.com

Four Old Market

MARTIN SEXTON Nov. 11, The Waiting Room Lounge—6212 Maple St. Sexton hits the road in promotion of his new album Mix Tape of the Open Road. His album takes you on a musical cross-country tour, hitting all types of styles. $25 Adv./ $29 DOS. 8 pm. 402-884-5353 - waitingroomlounge.com

AN EVENING WITH LUCERO Nov. 11, T he Slowdown—729 N. 14th St. American country-punk rock band Lucero brings its unique musical stylings to Omaha for one night. $20 Adv./ $22 DOS. 9 pm. 402-345-7469 - theslowdown.com

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All located at 10th & Howard JULY/AUGUST

IRIS DEMENT Nov. 19, The Waiting Room Lounge—6212 Maple St. American singer/songwriter Iris DeMent is a perfect combination of country and folk music. She was initially inspired by poet Anna Akhmatova’s “Like a White Stone.” Folk singer/songwriter Pieta Brown opens. $30. 8 pm. 402-884-5353 - waitingroomlounge.com

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Don’t miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine omamag.com/save

November // December • 2015 | 21 | bestofomaha.com

•

2014

™

Omaha’s topDentists™

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Best of Omaha™ Campaign 2015

Malorie Maddox Omaha Stories

war & Chuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past.

Peace

Omaha Magazine • Calendar of Events

Christmas Activites for Your Kids BOYS TOWN

Making Spirits Bright Holiday Concert at the Holland Performing Arts Center CHEAP TRICK

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Nov. 20, Baxter Arena—6001 Dodge St. Often referred to in the Japanese press as the “American Beatles,” Cheap Trick ranked No. 25 in VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. 8 pm. 402-554-2129 - unomaha.edu

HOLIDAY LIGHTS FESTIVAL: MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT HOLIDAY CONCERT Nov. 26, Holland Performing Arts Center— 1200 Douglas St. Get into the holiday spirit with this annual concert, performing after the annual lighting ceremony. Free. 7 pm. 402-345-0222 -omahaperformingarts.org

2015 ART AUCTION More than 200 global artists have generously contributed work to this year’s silent and live auctions.

Proceeds support the Bemis Center’s artist-in-residence and public engagement programs.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 For tickets and information: bemiscenter.org

YESTERDAY AND TODAY BEATLES TRIBUTE SHOW Nov. 27-Dec. 31, Omaha Community Playhouse—6915 Cass St. Jam out to the music of one of the most famous bands of all time. Yesterday and Today recreates the iconic rock and rollers’ magical and historical songs. Times vary. $38. 402-553-0800 -omahaplayhouse.com

OMAHA SYMPHONY: STAR TREK Nov. 28, Holland Performing Arts Center— 1200 Douglas St. The full symphony orchestra will play Michael Giacchino’s score, while J.J. Abrams 2009 film starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto plays in its entirety. Experience Star Trek in an entirely new way. Starting at $19. 7:30 pm. 402-342-3836 - omahaperformingarts.org

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Dec. 2, Holland Performing Arts Center—1200 Douglas St. Join the Celtic Tenors in the Kiewit Concert Hall as they ring in the Christmas season, with traditional Christmas tunes, lyrical Celtic music, and thrilling operatic classics. Starting at $20. 7:30 pm. 402-345-0222 - omahaperformingarts.org

November // December • 2015 | 22 | omahamagazine.com

Experience the Magic at

Celebrate the Holidays with us the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve!

CYRUS CHESTNUT TRIO: A JAZZY CHRISTMAS

Watch it snow in Center Court every Saturday from 1pm - 5pm

Dec. 2, Holland Performing Arts Center— 1200 Douglas St. Vince Guaraldi’s iconic tunes from A Charlie Brown Christmas will come to life through this jazz trio. $25. 7:30 pm. 402-345-0222 - omahaperformingarts.org

The snow will fall on the hour

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DIGITOUR SLAYBELLS Dec. 22, Sokol Auditorium—2234 S. 13th St. Experience the world’s first all-ages social media tour and music festival featuring popular Youtube and Vine stars. $25. 6:30 pm. 402-346-9802 - sokolunderground.com

PERFORMING ARTS

SHAPING SOUND: DANCE REIMAGINED Nov. 5, Orpheum Theater—409 S. 16th St. America’s hottest new dance show, Shaping Sound: Dance Reimagined, performs with a focus on contemporary dance and choreographic artistry. Starting at $33. 7:30 pm. 402-661-8501 - omahaperformingarts.org

November // December • 2015 | 23 | bestofomaha.com

HOLIDAY HOURS Monday – Friday: 10am-9pm Saturday: 10am-8pm Sunday: 12pm-6pm SANTA’S HOURS Monday - Friday: 2pm-8pm Saturday: Noon-8pm Sunday: Noon-6pm Christmas Eve: 10am-3pm

Omaha Magazine • Calendar of Events

BEERTOWN Through Nov. 15, Omaha Community Playhouse—6915 Cass St. Beertown explores history and identity in the portrayal of small-town life. Audience participation is key in this play, which claims to be about 40 percent unscripted improvisation.

Tickets and performance times vary. 402-553-4890 - omahaplayhouse.com

DON WILLIAMS Nov. 9, Holland Performing Arts Center— 1200 Douglas St. American country singer/ songwriter Don Williams, a 2010 inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame, is sure to take people’s breath away. Starting at $39. 7:30 pm. 402-345-0222 - omahaperformingarts.org

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Nov. 14, Orpheum Theater—409 S. 16th St. Experience a tribute to a group of talented stars of the 1960s. “Joey Bishop,” “Dean Martin,” “Sammy Davis, Jr.,” and “Frank Sinatra” will come alive. Starting at $35. 8 pm. 402-661-8501 -omahaperformingarts.org

DIRTY DANCING Nov. 17-22, Orpheum Theater—409 S. 16th St. Experience the electric music, passionate romance, and rhythmic movement of the classic story Dirty Dancing in a whole new way. You’ll have the time of your life. Starting at $30. Times vary. 402-661-8501 - omahaperformingarts.org

CHRISTMAS CAROL Nov. 20-Dec. 23, Omaha Community Playhouse—6915 Cass St. The classic tale A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is brought to life by the Omaha Community Playhouse. Watch the Dickens character of Scrooge as his heart is restored to innocent good will. Prices and times vary. 402-553-0800 -omahaplayhouse.com

Whether it is day or night, inside or out, Joslyn has so much to offer.

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Nov. 22, Holland Performing Arts Center— 1200 Douglas St. Voices of Omaha is proud to present its 47th annual performance of Handel’s Messiah with a chorus of 235 singers, soloists, and orchestra. Free. 3 pm. 402-345-0222 - omahaperformingarts.org

LITTLE NELLY’S NAUGHTY NOËL Nov. 27-Dec. 20, The Blue Barn Theatre—1106 S. 10th St. Written by Tim Siragusa with songs by Jill Anderson, Little Nelly’s Naughty Noël is a perversion of all we hold dear at the most wonderful time of the year.

The play takes a rather wild, unexpected trip through Nebraska of old. Tickets $30. Times vary. 402-345-1576 - bluebarn.org

November // December • 2015 | 24 | omahamagazine.com

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BALLET NEBRASKA PRESENTS: THE NUTCRACKER Dec. 5-6, Orpheum Theater—409 S. 16th St. Celebrate the holiday season with a trip to the ballet. It is one of the only shows where candy canes dance. Tickets from $25. Times vary. 402-541-6946 -balletnebraska.org

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Dec. 8-13 at Orpheum Theater—409 S. 16th St. Explore the wonderful world of Oz as Dorothy leads you down the yellow brick road, accompanied by Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion and, of course, Toto. Tickets from $25. Times vary. 402-661-8501 - omahaperformingarts.org

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Dec. 22-23, Orpheum Theater—409 S. 16th St. Mannheim Steamroller’s sound is a blend of classical and rock and roll. The Omaha-based band has sold more than 28 million albums in the U.S. alone. Come celebrate the holiday season. Tickets from $38. 7:30 p.m. 402-661-8501 - omahaperformingarts.org

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November // December • 2015 | 25 | bestofomaha.com

Once Nomadic Duo Puts Down Roots words by James Walmsley photography by Bill Sitzmann

Omaha Magazine • Arts & Culture | Visual

T

HEIRS WAS A passion born from a common frustration framed by a Great Recession America, one that had stricken Omaha with a bounty of empty storefronts and too many starving artists.

So when visual artists Joel Damon and Josh Powell began to liaise the two under the collaborative guise Project Project—a roaming, repurposing art gallery that now has a permanent home in the heart of the Vinton Street Historic District—it was to help those left behind in the local arts community. They had no idea that they’d be transforming the act of showing artwork into an art form all its own.

“I was getting really upset about the level of support for young, emerging artists in the city,” Damon, 32, says in reflecting back on the 2008 epiphany that would eventually launch the initiative. “And so I decided to find some artists who were super rad and put up an exhibition of their work.”

The former curator of the Bemis Underground says one of those artists happened to be Powell, 34, a Myspace friend (or acquaintance in real-life speak) whose artwork caught his eye and whose ethos resonated with his own.

Project Project’s Joel Damon and Josh Powell

“While he was setting up his work,” Damon says, “there was this immediate sense of collaboration with other things happening with the show. We just hit it off.”

THAT KIND OF SUPPORT, DAMON BELIEVES, IS A TESTAMENT TO THE PUBLIC’S DESIRE FOR AN ART SPACE WHOSE VERY NATURE JUST LIKE IN THEIR POP-UP DAYS— IS DEFINED BY AN ELEMENT OF RISK IN SHOWING “STUFF THAT CAN’T BE SOLD OR STUFF THAT PROBABLY WOULDN’T SELL.”

Most events, Damon recalls, gave local aesthetes the opportunity to appreciate artwork from virtually unknown Omaha-area artists.

“You were also given the chance to go into these vacant, beautiful spaces that you probably never would have had a chance to,” Powell adds. The duo would go on to co-curate a half dozen pop-up art shows in unlikely places across the city over the next half decade before landing a space of their own last year.

November // December • 2015 | 28 | omahamagazine.com

ROCKBROOK VILLAGE HOME-GROWN, LOCALLY OWNED. 108th & Center | rockbrookvillage.com The repetitively named Project Project gallery doesn’t stray much from that sentiment: It’s a former alley—about the width of a covered wagon—turned butchery, with a floor that intentionally declines 3 inches on one side so that blood would flow away from work areas.

The “horse door,” as Damon jokingly puts it, connects the gallery to a pseudo-atrium, which was once a livery stable.

THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY’D BE TRANSFORMING THE ACT OF SHOWING ARTWORK INTO AN ART FORM ALL ITS OWN. “It was just going to be another one-night deal,” Damon confesses about the space.

“After we thought, ‘Let’s give it a shot next month,’ and then the next month came, and then the next.”

After a year of free rent, the gallery held a $100 art sale last summer to finance their 2015 campaign. Damon says they met their goal in one night after hosting a turnout in the hundreds.

That kind of support, he believes, is a testament to the public’s desire for an art space whose very nature—just like in their pop-up days—is defined by an element of risk in showing “stuff that can’t be sold or stuff that probably wouldn’t sell.”

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“This is not a business,” Damon says. “This strains both of our pocketbooks. This strains both of our times with our wives. This is some stupid compulsion. I don’t know what this is, but it’s what we enjoy O doing…we enjoy helping other artists.”

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LOVER IN EXILE WORDS BY JAMES WALMSLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

Omaha Magazine • Arts & Culture | Music

T

HERE’S A LYRICAL tradition that seems to

Windows down, music loud, Burhenn says she took stem from popular songs titled “Omaha.” It’s off in her car as a sort of therapeutic response to her a tradition that often involves the personifiexistential pains, prompting a two-year odyssey that cation of the flyover city as a dependable friend or she would eventually package as Lovers Know. even a former lover waiting to be rediscovered for its less-exciting comforts. Waylon Jennings defects to San “This record is probably my midlife crisis,” she says Francisco in his narrative but admits he “never really with a laugh. “Instead of buying a sports car, I took left it all” when crooning about Omaha. The Everly my dog and went camping all over the U.S.” Brothers find D.C. and L.A. uninspiring compared to an Burhenn’s journey, she says, Omaha that comprises “every“THIS RECORD IS PROBABLY reacquainted her with ’90s thing that [they] wanted.” shoegaze and R&B, both of MY MIDLIFE CRISIS. And the Counting Crows are which stylistically pervade “coming home” to “roll a new what she describes as her INSTEAD OF BUYING A SPORTS love over.” emotionally unguarded CAR, I TOOK MY DOG AND WENT most material to date. And then While Laura Burhenn’s there’s “Omaha,” which soniCAMPING ALL OVER THE U.S.” “Omaha” perhaps involuncally sticks out like a logo-clad -Laura Burhenn tarily participates in this same Woodmen Tower. ceremony on her latest Saddle Creek release Lovers Know, the Mynabirds singer-songThe minimalistic ballad, relying heavily on a tear-inwriter breaks one major trope: Her melancholy renducing piano lick and a sentimental ambiance, condition makes no assumptions that the community fronts the city, asking, “Will you still call me darling?” she left two years ago would welcome her back if she and “Will I still be your girl?” But “Omaha” is more wanted to return. than just an introspective look into Burhenn’s fear of letting down her former community: It’s also a “That song was the hardest song for me to write and I love letter, a runaway note, a spiritual confession, a almost didn’t even want to put it on the record because eulogy, an ode, and even a brochure. And ultimately, it’s so personal,” Burhenn, 35, says on the phone from the song is a clue to unlocking its hosting album’s her L.A. home. “Here I am, my heart is totally broken mysterious title: open and it’s like, ‘Here you go, guys!’”

“Lovers know that sometimes real intimacy can be The D.C. native who moved to Nebraska in the late beautiful and wonderful, but it can also be heartbreaknaughts says she wrote most of “Omaha” upon returning and treacherous,” says the artist who appeared at ing to the city after a grueling world tour with The Slowdown in September.

Postal Service in 2013. At the time, Burhenn says she was having difficulty reconciling her life’s purpose ”But even as dark as it gets,”OBurhenn adds, “you still of traveling as a touring musician with sustaining a have this seed of hope.” relationship with her community.

Visit themynabirds.com to learn more.

“I feel like this is what the universe always does to you,” she explains, describing the budding disconnect she began to experience with Omaha. “You’re riding this wave of optimism and power and everything is amazing and perfect…and all of a sudden you just get crushed.”

November // December • 2015 | 32 | omahamagazine.com

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November // December • 2015 | 34 | omahamagazine.com

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November // December • 2015 | 35 | bestofomaha.com

November // December • 2015 | 36 | omahamagazine.com

Omaha Magazine • Arts & Culture | Performance

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

(No. Literally. Look out for those lights!)

WORDS BY ANDY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

T

HERE AREN’T MANY actresses who could say they “sculpt faces” by day and shape the local theater scene by night.

But that’s the story of leading lady Leanne Hill Carlson of Omaha, who has squeezed in more starring roles, costume changes, and hair colorings than she can count—all while building a family and a medical career.

“I have been so blessed with all the opportunities I’ve had here in Omaha,” Carlson says. “It’s not the plan I would have picked from the beginning, but it’s been amazing.”

That’s a good word for the star performances Carlson has logged since getting her start as a sophomore at Papillion-La Vista High School—one of five times she has played Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof (all requiring dye for hair that is naturally perfect for a lead in Legally Blonde).

Carlson knew she desired a career in musical theater after that role and others in high school that included Sandy in Grease and Ado Annie in Oklahoma. “I had two wonderful teachers who fostered my interest in theater and music,” Carlson says. “I was hooked.”

From there, Carlson pursued a musical theatre degree at Sam Houston State. She was part of the College Light Opera Company, which performed nine shows in 11 weeks on Cape Cod and gave her the chance to play Nellie in South Pacific and Lalume in Kismet.

Carlson had aspirations of making a theatrical run in New York City, “but the cards never turned that way for me,” she says.

Instead, she came home to Omaha and turned an interest in medicine into a master’s of physician assistant studies from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She is a physician assistant at a dermatology clinic and uses her artistic eye to change the faces of Omaha.

“I’ve had a few patients recognize me from the theater,” says Carlson, who also performs regularly as an in-demand vocalist. “They’ve asked me to sing and dance in the office, and I’ve done it a couple times.”

The proverbial go-to leading lady thrives on the big stage. She has played in roles at the Omaha Community Playhouse, The Rose, the Orpheum, and others.

Along with playing the role of Pitti-Sing in Opera Omaha’s The Mikado, Carlson has starred in Annie, 42nd Street, Beauty & the Beast, The Sound of Music, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and has been cast in two movies.

Her favorite theatrical role has been Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, probably because that character most mirrors her personality. “That was so intense,” says Carlson, who is married to physician Mark Carlson and has two children. “I never had a moment off stage, and there were 14 costume changes. But it was so fun!”

Carlson recently had the chance to fly as Mary Poppins in a blockbuster run at The Rose—a feat that went smoothly until the last of 13 songs in her final performance. Carlson was ready to soar when she got stuck in the lights. Making a quick midair maneuver, she avoided a serious mishap and brought down the house.

“The whole cast was waiting for me backstage, and we got a huge ovation,” she says. “It was wonderful—the kind of moment youOrelish when you love something as much as this.”

November // December • 2015 | 37 | bestofomaha.com

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November // December • 2015 | 38 | omahamagazine.com

Siou Lab

Omaha Magazine • Feature

This collaboration is taking the form of the fittingly and simply titled “A Creighton Exhibition,” which in addition to Nelson and Thein includes work by three other fine arts faculty members: photographer the Rev. Michael Flecky, painter Bob Bosco, and sculptor Littleton Alston. It also features a symphony that Hanna composed to commemorate the anniversary.

“My inspiration was each faculty member,” explains the music professor. “The piece opens with thematic material that reoccurs throughout and weaves five major sections together, which are depictions of the five studio artists in the department. They were my inspiration. I know these artists and created melodic material for each. The 50th anniversary is a big deal.”

WHERE THE ARTS COME TOGETHER Creighton University Celebrates 50 Years of Fine and Performing Arts WORDS BY KIM CARPENTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

I

T’S BEEN A big year for Creighton University’s Fine and Performing Arts Department. Its spring production of Cabaret received 13 Theatre Arts Guild nominations and took away a whopping five, including Outstanding Musical. The Midlands Mentoring Partnership named ceramics professor Amy Nelson Mentor of the Year for her commitment to helping teens through the Joslyn Art Museum’s Kent Bellows Mentoring Program and her exhortation for Creighton students to engage their community in similar ways.

The year has, in short, been phenomenal for the department, which is unique among Jesuit universities for offering a full complement of fine and performing arts programs, including photography, printing, dance, and music.

But 2015 is a big year for another, more important reason: it marks half a century of the department’s commitment to bringing

all these disciplines together, and it plans to celebrate with public events that demonstrate its combined strengths.

“The department started with a lot of guts and determination,” notes John Thein, who began teaching drawing and printmaking at Creighton in 1975 and retired this past spring. “We started in a building downtown and, over the years, the department has really grown. The chairpersons are due a tremendous amount of respect.”

One of those chairpersons is professor of music Frederick Hanna, who has held the position for the past decade. “We put a task force together two years ago to discuss how to celebrate the anniversary. All of us became involved. We wanted to do a collaboration between studio and performing arts. It’s unusual and rare to bring in the complete department.”

November // December • 2015 | 39 | bestofomaha.com

Bridget Keegan, dean of Creighton’s College of Arts and Sciences, agrees. “It’s definitely exciting,” she remarks. “The exhibition’s a showcase.”

For her, the 50th anniversary celebration also underscores the university’s mission regarding fine and performing arts. “One thing to note is that, historically, Jesuit spirituality emphasizes the importance of imagination. If you go back to the 17th and 18th centuries, Jesuits were putting on plays and operas. They really cultivate imagination through the arts. They educate through creativity.”

She notes that Creighton’s Fine and Performing Arts Department more than achieves this goal. “We are so proud of our department,” she emphasizes. “We started the year on a roll. It’s very inspiring. We’re so fortunate to have these programs where students can cultivate their creative passions.”

“A Creighton Exhibition” runs Nov. 2 through Dec. 5. An artists reception takes place on Friday, November 13, with a performance by the student orchestra conducted

by Hanna. The event is free and open to the public, although the Fine and Performing Arts Department encourages people to bring boxed or canned food O for donation to the Siena Francis House.

Visit creighton.edu to learn more.

L AU R E N RISON R A G Surly Lass, British Sass

words by

DOUG MEIGS

photos by

BILL SITZMANN

November // December • 2015 | 42 | omahamagazine.com

Omaha Magazine • Faces

D

EMAND FOR HAIRCUTS begins early in Omaha’s up-and-coming Blackstone District. It’s 10 a.m. on a Wednesday, and customers have already begun queuing inside the Surly Chap’s renovated storefront near the intersection of 40th and Farnam streets.

The Surly Chap Barbers offer a traditional barbershop experience—affordable men’s haircuts, shaves, and beard trimming—that have attracted a rapidly growing clientele.

They don’t offer reservations. It’s first-comefirst-serve only.

So, with obvious need for more manpower, they hired a British fashion model to bolster their crew of tattooed, male barbers with slicked-back hair. Lauren Garrison isn’t a chap, but she is a barber with plenty of sass.

It rolls off her lips in a thick British accent that she describes as a “mix between East End and country.

“Have a seat, darling,” she beckons. I catch a glimpse of tattooed cursive script inching across her chest. Her hair is tied up in an immaculate top knot. She has bright red lipstick, long painted eyebrows and big eyelashes; huge hoop earrings, designer sneakers, and a chic black-and-white outfit inspired by the latest London fashion.

Garrison describes her own style as a little bit of everything: classy, modern, retro; inspired both by English trends and passersby on the street. But with her clippers now readied, she is all about the customer. She asks what I want to do with my hair. Garrison cuts conservatively, then re-trims as needed to ensure satisfaction.

Garrison was born in the British countryside and spent most of her youth in London. Her “mum” helped her get into modeling at age 14. After various gigs, she hit the catwalk of London Fashion Week as a high-schooler.

At 18, she narrowly missed the final cut to advance to Britain’s Next Top Model.

Her father’s side of the family hailed from Nebraska, and she had visited before. A Navy man, he relocated to Colorado. Garrison moved to be with him after finishing high school in 2012. Culture shock didn’t fully set in until she later moved to Lincoln.

“Oh my gawwwd,” she says. “I’m out in the sticks!”

Still interested in pursuing a career related to fashion, she decided to study at the College of Hair Design in Lincoln. That’s where she met the Surly Chap Barbers. They were among the many professionals scouting for talent (only to overlook the female trainees, she says). Fate—along with Garrison’s surly attitude—intervened.

and other “bloody irritating” comments conversely familiar to any Omahan traveling afar, a la “Did you ride a cow to school? Are you a farmer? Etc.” She misses British food—bangers and mash, curries, fish and chips, full English breakfast—but was pleased to discover elusive British-style Heinz beans in tomato sauce, Ribena, and a sparse selection of overpriced British fare at local groceries. She relies on annual trips back to see her mother to satisfy her homesick yearnings. In the meantime, she has come to appreciate the finer side of American cuisine: fast food, deep-fried Oreos, Twinkies, Gushers, and Fruit Roll-Ups. I ask what the tattoo on her chest reads.

THE SURLY CHAP BARBERS OFFER A TRADITIONAL BARBERSHOP EXPERIENCE— AFFORDABLE MEN’S HAIRCUTS, SHAVES, AND BEARD TRIMMING—THAT HAVE ATTRACTED A RAPIDLY GROWING CLIENTELE. “They didn’t pay much attention to us, so I threw a fit.” she explains. “I said ‘Why aren’t there any barber shops interested in talking to me? And my teacher went and told them.”

Then, the recruiters came and talked to her.

They liked her enough to invite her to a job shadowing session.

“I ended up just loving them,” Garrison says. Soon after graduation she had a job in Omaha. Here Garrison found the pace of life more agreeable, faster than Lincoln but still fairly relaxed. She fell in love with neighborhoods—Blackstone and Benson with their plethora of hip bars—which reminded her of home.

Unfortunately, a day doesn’t pass without unwelcome commentary on her accent, questions about her kinship to the Queen of England, whether she lived in a castle, teasing about the Revolutionary War (she admits history was not her best subject in school), November // December • 2015 | 43 | bestofomaha.com

“Dream like you’ll live forever and live like you’ll die today,” she says.

For now she’s content in Omaha. “If I was home, I wouldn’t have gone to barber school, or met the boys from the shop, or even realized how much I love Omaha,” Garrison says.

“I’ll definitely be setting up my nest here for a while.”

That’s good news. My hair grows pretty fast and I’ll need O to see her soon for my next haircut.

Visit surlychapbarbers.com to learn more.

Omaha Magazine • Cover Feature

FROM OMAHA to

NOTRE DAME GuidedbyFaith...andStillSurroundedbyKids WORDS BY CAROL CRISSEY NIGRELLI PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

O

N A SEASONABLY pleasant Friday evening

last July, members of the Jenkins and Wessling families gathered at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church for a wedding. The bride’s uncle had traveled back to his hometown to officiate. Dr. Erin Jenkins and her dozens of cousins know the priest simply as Uncle John. You know him more formally as the Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. (Congregation of Holy Cross), president of the University of Notre Dame.

As leader of the most renowned Catholic school in the country—perhaps in the world—Jenkins’ responsibilities and schedule leave little room to breathe. Yet he found time to honor a twin daughter of his older brother, Tom, and to squeeze in another opportunity to visit with his beloved 86-year old mother, Helen.

“My father, Harry Jenkins, was a gastroenterologist who taught at Creighton Medical School and mother went to nursing school,” says the Rev. Jenkins. “Dad died in 2004,” shortly after his son’s election as Notre Dame’s president. “Our parish was St. Pius X and then St. Leo’s. My mother still lives in the family home.”

“Omaha is still very important to him,” says Tom Jenkins. “Even though he has another family [the priests], he’s very interested in coming back here and spending time with Mom and our family. He’s humble that way. Genuine.”

Returning to the city that formed his Catholic faith and to the family that molded him as a man seems to agree with Jenkins. Laughter and a relaxed mood punctuated the wedding weekend.

“John has always been kind of quiet and calm,” Tom says. “People don’t realize he’s also a lot of fun and quick to laugh. He’ll be the first one to share a joke or a story.”

The Holy Cross priest’s sense of humor has served him well since assuming the helm of the 12,000-student campus near South Bend, Indiana, a decade ago.

Under his leadership, Notre Dame’s reputation as an academically elite undergraduate program and a top research school has ballooned, its endowment has tripled to $10 billion, and the Fighting Irish football team has fought its way back into the conversation.

As president, how does he balance the decidedly secular issues of academics and research with the school’s Catholic identity?

“Notre Dame is a place of faith,” Jenkins says. “That gives it a distinctive role in being a place of conversation, of inquiry that can take up issues of faith and morality in ways that are powerful. We have a set of Catholic principles that guide our educational efforts as well as our work in the world.” >

November // December • 2015 | 45 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Magazine • Cover Feature

< Notre Dame’s Catholic identity, some would argue, has hit turbulent times.

Like many Catholic institutions, including Creighton University, Notre Dame has recently drawn fire for its response to hot-button social issues—granting employee marriage benefits to same sex couples, for example.

Jenkins has absorbed the blows with grace, for beneath his quiet, thoughtful demeanor lies the steeliness of a man with a keen sense of

NOTRE DAME HAS RECENTLY DRAWN FIRE FOR ITS RESPONSE TO HOT-BUTTON SOCIAL ISSUES—GRANTING EMPLOYEE MARRIAGE BENEFITS TO SAME SEX COUPLES, FOR EXAMPLE. identity and mission. As Creighton theology professor Dr. Eileen Burke-Sullivan points out, “Anyone who actually operates on behalf of the kingdom of God knows that you draw criticism on yourself. I don’t think any religious leader can have thin skin.”

Jenkins’ quick wit, his seeming ease with everyone he meets, and his ability to listen and compromise no doubt spring from a childhood surrounded by what can politely be described as controlled chaos.

“We had 12 kids in our family, six boys and six girls,” says Jenkins, who checks in at number three in the lineup. “I’m very close to my brothers and sisters.”

In 1966, when Jenkins was 12, the family moved from 75th and Blondo to a new, seven-bedroom home in a lively Catholic neighborhood on 100th Street, then the western edge of the city.

“I would say on our block alone, there were about 50 kids,” says Tom, an attorney. “We never had any trouble getting baseball teams together. We usually had 11 to a side.”

The Kizers lived next door and contributed nine children to the mayhem.

“There was something different about John, something special, even when we were young,” muses John Kizer, the Rev. Jenkins’ best friend growing up. “He was a big thinker and was always looking for a place to get quiet time, which was tough in a household of 12 kids.”

The friendship between the two Johns extended all through St. Pius X grade school and Creighton Prep, where Jenkins ranked high on the popularity meter. His classmates voted him Prom King senior year.

“I got a lot from Creighton Prep,” says Jenkins, whose middle name, Ignatius, honors the founder of the Jesuit order. “I’m very grateful to my Jesuit friends.”

Jenkins’ popularity at Prep benefited from his athletic abilities. He was one of the top swimmers in the state and played on the school’s inaugural soccer team, following his parents’ example of mental discipline and physical activity.

November // December • 2015 | 46 | omahamagazine.com

“Our dad entered the Hawaii Ironman contest when he was 58,” Tom marvels. “And his triathlon buddies dedicated a steel-sculpted bench with depictions of bike riders along [Omaha’s] Keystone Trail to him.”

Jenkins’ decision to join Notre Dame’s founding community of priests necessitated a separation from his Omaha family and, according to a 2005 Chicago Tribune article, “a difficult breakup with his [Omaha] girlfriend.” After receiving his doctorate from Oxford, Jenkins returned to his alma mater in 1990 as a professor of philosophy.

“Omaha has always had an excellent system of Catholic schools,” Jenkins says. “It had a big impact on me, and I’m sure it had a big impact on Bishop Cupich. It’s a vibrant Catholic community.”

Harry and Helen Jenkins also encouraged “Historically, we have had an unusually high each child to follow their heart, opening Catholic population,” explains Dr. Burkethe door for the third oldest to Sullivan. Much of that can be explore his desire to contribute to traced to the European and Eastern society. That desire became evident European immigrants who came “OMAHA HAS ALWAYS HAD AN EXCELLENT SYSTEM during a backpacking trip through to work in South Omaha’s meat Europe with Kizer the summer packing plants. “They brought OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. IT HAD A BIG IMPACT ON between their freshman and sophwith them a rich, progressive ME, AND I’M SURE IT HAD A BIG IMPACT ON BISHOP omore years in college.

Catholicism, plus the belief that hard work and cooperation with CUPICH. IT’S A VIBRANT CATHOLIC COMMUNITY.” “We had two different sets of interothers is the norm.” She says ests,” laughs Kizer, president and Omaha’s Jesuit and Benedictine Since he first stepped onto what is called the chairman of Central States Indemnity Co. of communities influence intellectual pursuit. campus “God Quad” in 1973 as a sophomore Omaha. “I had the beaches of Saint-Tropez “And I would not discount the importance transfer student from Creighton University, and [golf’s] Old Course at Saint Andrews on of the excellently educated orders of religious Jenkins’ goal has been to serve the school he my list. John was more interested in Dachau women who set up the lower school system.” loves in whatever capacity it needs. That he [Concentration Camp] outside Munich, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and Saint would reach the highest level of service makes The belief in civil, open discourse characterPeter’s Basilica in Rome. We spent lots of for an impressive Omaha success story, but izes much of President Jenkins’ response to time in Rome.” not an isolated one. a seismic shift in this country’s social thinking. Unlike many of their brethren, neither Following his continental adventure, Jenkins Jenkins joins several current, high-proArchbishop Cupich nor Jenkins condemned decided to join Tom at Notre Dame. He file priests with doctorate degrees who call the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalearned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in the Omaha area home. William Leahy, izing same-sex marriage. Cupich, in a letter, 1976, followed by a master’s degree in the S.J., 67, the president of Boston College, pointed out the high court had redefined civil same subject. was born in Omaha and raised across the marriage, with no bearing on the Catholic Missouri in Imogene, Iowa. Leahy still has sacrament. He cautioned against discrimina“Notre Dame gave me a superb education, family here. Daniel Hendrickson, S.J., 45, is tion—a sentiment echoed by Jenkins. a very vibrant and robust intellectual life, Creighton University’s new president. He calls and an ability to combine that with a serious Fremont home and attended Mount Michael “It’s incumbent on us to articulate our views faith,” Jenkins says. “I had questions about Benedictine High School in Elkhorn. His clearly and in a persuasive way, but at the same my life and what I should do with it. That identical twin, the Rev. Scott Hendrickson, time to respect those who disagree,” he says. eventually led me to prayer and to the semialso a Jesuit, teaches at Loyola Chicago.

“That’s one of the great challenges: to nurture nary about a year after I graduated.”

Archbishop Blase Cupich (pronounced SOOa more healthy exchange of ideas.” pitch), 66, was recently appointed by Pope “It didn’t surprise me he became a priest and Francis to head Chicago’s archdiocese. He That “exchange of ideas” turned testy in 2009 grew up in ethnically rich South Omaha. rose through the ranks,” says Kizer. “There when Notre Dame invited President Barack He and Jenkins first met in Rome during are certain people that, when you meet them, Obama to speak at graduation. Because of the aforementioned backpacking trip and you know they’re a cut above.”

Obama’s stance on abortion and embryonic remain friends. stem cell research, his presence at the school caused a furor. Some Catholic bloggers and Omaha produces not only heavy hitters in the newsletter editors hurled verbal vitriol at Catholic Church, but heady intellects as well.

Jenkins. More than 70 bishops > November // December • 2015 | 47 | bestofomaha.com

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“The backlash was greater than I expected,” admits Jenkins, who went on to explain the tradition behind the invitation. “From the very beginning, Notre Dame has always invited newly elected presidents to come and receive an honorary degree; just about every one, except for Johnson and Nixon in the ‘60s,” which corresponds to campus unrest during the Vietnam War. “I thought it was particularly important to invite the first African American president, but for a number of reasons it created a tense controversy in the Catholic community and the wider world,” he says in a calm, measured manner.

Through tough times and good, Jenkins “relies on his faith to get him through and uses it for guidance,” says his brother, Tom. Jenkins’ quiet time, once found in the corner of a basement on 100th Street in Omaha, has moved to a chapel on the Notre Dame campus. His apartment in the Graduate Student Residence also provides solitude.

Known on campus as “Father John” or simply “JJ,” Jenkins, who’ll turn 62 in December, looks fit, lean, and youthful. He works out in the gym and takes daily walks.

Exercise, he says, continues to be “an effective stress reliever.”

The recent success of the school’s storied football team also helps relieve stress. When asked if he has gotten over last season’s offensive pass interference call that cost the Fighting Irish the game against Florida State, the priest chuckles and—ever the tactful diplomat— refuses to criticize “the higher power” that is a referee.

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< condemned the Obama appearance, calling it a “scandalous decision,” as did many faculty members, students, alums, and activists. The emails, letters, and phone calls piled up and piled on.

“We were kind of thin and had some injuries, but that’s football, as anyone from Nebraska knows.” Jenkins takes pride in a great football team and in the fact the players are also serious students. “The most important thing I tell them is, ‘national championships are great, but get a degree.’”

Amen to that.

November // December • 2015 | 48 | omahamagazine.com

O

WE TEACH THE BIGGEST SUBJECTS

Under Father John Jenkins’ leadership, Notre Dame has been a catalyst to the national movement to serve Latino families through the gift of Catholic education. Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Omaha are proud to be integrating Notre Dame’s work into our Latino outreach efforts.

Discover the difference at lovemyschool.com.

November // December • 2015 | 49 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Magazine • Faces

FERIAL PEARSON “It’s the Kenyan way.”

WORDS BY NOLAN SEARL PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

F

ERIAL PEARSON KNOWS what it is to be an out-

sider. Born in Kenya, she is an ethnic Indian, and a Muslim. Growing up in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, her family was no stranger to prejudice. Kenyans of Indian descent are a minority, and most Indians are Hindu, not Muslim.

Her mother was born in a hut. No one in her family had gone to college. Pearson’s grandfather saved money for much of his life so that she could get a degree. Despite this, her family regularly opened their home to strangers if they needed a place to stay.

Pearson is an instructional coach and clinical practice supervisor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Before that, she taught English at Omaha South High School. Many of her students were outsiders—immigrants, LGBTQ, low-income. Moved by the tragic 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, Pearson challenged her students with a question.

Do modest acts of compassion have the power to change a person’s life?

Her students reacted and banded together in taking on the guise of the “Secret Kindness Agents.”

Anonymous acts of random kindness became contagious, and Pearson chronicled the results in a book, The Secret Kindness Agents: How Small Acts of Kindness Really Can Change The World. Inspired by a classmate suffering from juvenile diabetes, Pearson allowed the class to decide that every dollar from book sales would be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She told the story last year in a TEDxOmaha talk.

“That’s just the way I was brought up,” says Person. “If there is a need in the community, it is your responsibility. Whatever we have…whether it’s food, shelter, whatever…that’s a privilege. And we have to give back.

It’s the Kenyan way.”

As a noted teacher, mentor, adviser, and advocate, Pearson’s passion for inclusion has been felt by a broad array of often disparate constituencies, ones whose common thread is that of “outsiderness.”

In 2010, she received the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network’s Educator of the Year Respect award. The next year she was the recipient of RESPECT’s Anti-Bullying Award. In 2014, Pearson was named one of Ten Outstanding Young Omahans by the Omaha Jaycees. This year she was the grand marshal of the Heartland Pride Parade.

She has also given her time to the Avenue Scholars Foundation, the Freedom Writers Foundation, and serves on the board of Inclusive Communities.

“I think of my community as my family,” Pearson says.

“You can sit in a classroom and have all the resources possible. You can have the best teacher possible. But if you are hungry, if you are scared, if you do not have the vocabulary, if nobody read to you when you were little, if you’ve experienced trauma…how are you going to concentrate on what is going on in O that classroom?”

Search Secret Kindness Agents on YouTube to learn more.

November // December • 2015 | 50 | omahamagazine.com

November // December • 2015 | 51 | bestofomaha.com

SISTER,

Scan the page with the LayAR app to view more photos from this story.

Cami and Maci Schott

,SISTER SISTER

PONCA BLOOD RUNS DEEP

WORDS BY HALLE MASON PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

Omaha Magazine • Gen O

“WE’RE NOT JUST NATIVE AMERICAN LEADERS. WE’RE THE YOUTH. WE’RE GOING TO BE THE FUTURE LEADERS IN HOUSEHOLDS, IN GOVERNMENT, IN SOCIETY.” -Maci Schott

S

ITTING ACROSS FROM Cami and

Maci Schott, you might find it hard to fathom when they tell you they are Native American, two of some 3,000 members of the Ponca tribe.

“Oh yeah, we get that all the time,” laughs Maci as she tucks away a strand of dirty blonde hair. “People don’t believe us.”

The sisters get their Ponca heritage from their mother, Candy, who works for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. Her husband, John, is Polish, German, and French. Over the generations, the native gets “washed out,” explains Candy.

Even though their Native American heritage isn’t outwardly obvious, both sisters show their Ponca pride by staying deeply involved in their tribe. Neither has ever missed a powwow, where they can be found dancing to the beat of drums at the Ponca’s annual gathering in Niobrara, Nebraska.

Cami, a senior at Roncalli High School, adorns herself in “jingle dancer” attire, a

dress fitted with cones that create rhythmic music as she bounces and moves. Legend has it that this “healing dress” was constructed for a father’s sickly daughter. As the daughter danced and jingled, she grew stronger, healthier, brighter.

The Tribal Youth Gathering built on President Obama’s Generation Indigenous (Gen-I) initiative. The purpose of the effort is to fund and expand education, health, and employment opportunities for tribal youth across the country.

Maci, a sophomore at the same school, is a “fancy shawl” dancer, so named for the voluminous garb with frayed edges that evoke images of a butterfly or eagle. Fancy dancers stretch their arms to a T as they twirl, showcasing the intricate, bold design of the fabric.

Along with other area Ponca youth, the sisters launched Ponca Pantry, a food drive designed for tribal elders in need. The program collected 150 cans of food in a single day at a Ponca health fair.

“We’ve always done it since we were…I don’t even remember how old we were when we started,” says Maci. “We still have little fancy shawls that are so tiny.”

Both girls are active in their tribe far beyond the annual powwow. The Schott sisters, along with 10 other tribal youths, accepted the Gen-I Challenge in hopes of being accepted to attend the White House’s first-ever Tribal Youth Gathering in Washington, D.C. earlier this summer.

“Our Ponca Pantry,” starts Cami, “allows people who are blessed enough to have certain things to give to people who really need them.”

During the winter the youths intend to expand the program to collect clothing items.

The group also plans to pull younger kids into the program to secure its place in the tribe for years to come.

It would have been a happy day if only one of the Ponca Pantry team was selected to

November // December • 2015 | 54 | omahamagazine.com

Show us some

@OmahaMagazine attend the gathering in D.C. Instead, all 12 were invited to represent the Ponca Nation.

Attendees of the Tribal Youth Gathering listened to various speakers, but all eyes were on the highlight of the program, an appearance by the First Lady. The sisters will remember Michelle Obama’s message as one that will inspire them to continue to dream big when it comes to community leadership.

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“We’re not just Native American leaders,” says Maci. “We’re the youth,” of America. “We’re going to be the future leaders in households, in government, in society.”

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They even managed to squeeze through the crowd and grab a quick hug from the First Lady. Even though Obama was hobbled by crutches at the time, the sisters report that she was still looking fabulous, per usual. Michelle Obama’s brains, beauty, and keen fashion sense, the girls add, now place her at the very top of their list of inspiring women.

As if Ponca Pantry and tribal activities don’t keep the girls busy enough, both also play volleyball and basketball in addition to being student ambassadors.

Cami coaches a girls’ basketball team, while Maci is active in student government as co-president of her grade. On top of all their extracurriculars, Cami and Maci are honor students and both earn top-tier grades.

The Schott sisters are looking forward to the future with a gusto fueled by unyielding determination and overwhelming support from their family, friends, and tribe.

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“We try to give our helping hand to our tribe,” says Maci as Cami nods in agreement.

“And we’re grateful O for everything they do for us as well.”

Visit poncatribe-ne.org to learn more.

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TRUE DETECTIVE Tony Infantino, P.I.

Omaha Magazine • Faces

Palladin handles a wide range of private investigations, including missing persons, child custody, financial fraud, and infidelity cases. Though seemingly mundane, modern private detectives are an essential supplement to public law enforcement. Companies like Palladin ensure that thorough investigations happen for cases of all shapes and sizes. “I like getting to be on the defendant’s side of the aisle for a change,” the former cop remarks.

“A NOTEWORTHY DAY IS SEVEN HOURS, 59 MINUTES OF BOREDOM AND ONE MINUTE OF SHEER TERROR.” -Tony Infantino

T

HE WORDS “PRIVATE eye” summon

up all manner of familiar motifs: smoky offices, blonde dames in cherry-red lipstick and kitten heels, shifty nighthawks, underworld imps, and hardboiled gumshoes with hearts of gold. In these Raymond Chandler-esque noirs, private detective agencies are mythic worlds dripping in sex, dark alleys, and danger at every turn.

The reality, however, is a little more grounded.

“It’s not sexy. It’s boring,” says Tony Infantino, a retired police investigator and founder of Palladin Consulting Group. “A noteworthy day is seven hours, 59 minutes of boredom and one minute of sheer terror. And the only dame around here is my wife over in the other room.”

In some ways Infantino fits the P.I. bill: he’s a brusque, forthright gentleman with a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwan Do and an impeccable taste in luxury sports cars. He also came up with his company’s name sitting in a Port Au Prince bar. It’s a nod to the bon vivant antihero of the classic TV western, Have Gun – Will Travel; a maxim Infantino follows quite literally.

That’s not to say he doesn’t see his share of intrigue and subterfuge. He shared anecdotes of undercover double agents, chronic embezzlers, suspects employing counter-surveillance strategies, and other glimpses into Omaha’s seedy underbelly. He also produced some gadgets of the trade, including a hidden camera masquerading as an unsuspecting automobile remote.

Despite these trappings, the life of a private eye is less “wild west” and more “game of chess,” an ethos corroborated by his company’s ivory knight logo, another nod to Have Gun – Will Travel. Staffed only by a small team of retired officers, Palladin brings vast experience and skill to the table.

“I see a lot of detectives make rookie mistakes because they get invested and want to catch their guy through shortcuts,” he says. “They can end up breaking the law or ruining their own evidence.” To Infantino, his firm’s purpose is to uphold justice and strengthen his community. As a member of multiple non-profit boards, including Girls Inc. and Planned Parenthood, as well as being a founding member of the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, his commitment to a community runs deep.

Infantino’s philosophy follows Palladin’s namesake, who sought justice even for those who couldn’t meet his fee.

“If people find themselves in need, don’t let an investigator’s hourly fee discourage you,” he says. Though Palladin is a private business, he stressed what he called his firm’s uncommon standards of excellence and ethics along with their fairness/transparency in costs.

Still, Infantino warns it’s important for him to keep his distance from clients, a sentiment that would be right at home in a piece of pulp fiction featuring Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe.

“I’m never surprised,” he says, “by people’s O behavior.”

Visit palladinconsultinggroup.com to learn more.

November // December • 2015 | 58 | omahamagazine.com

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November // December • 2015 | 59 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Magazine • Feature

H

ENRY DAVID THOREAU had Walden Pond. Yogi and

“I grew up in the country,” says Amy, a substitute teacher in the Lewis Central Community School District, “and this, to me, is the only way to live.”

Their backyard is the 1,270-acre preserve located just five miles north of Crescent, Iowa. Mary and Alex are the children of Amy and Chad Graeve. Chad is the park ranger and natural resource specialist for the land situated in the heart of the Loess Hills.

The park is not only a place of great natural beauty, it’s a place of romance. The couple met when Amy brought her students to Hitchcock on a field trip.

Boo-Boo had Jellystone Park. Mary and Alex Graeve have Hitchcock Nature Center.

The unique geological formation was created after the last Ice Age when glacial flooding receded along the Missouri River basin. Much of the remaining sediment was swept away by winds and settled in layer upon layer to form the steep, rugged terrain that is known for its sometimes challenging hiking trails. The park is also a Mecca for area birders, especially because of its position along what is called “Hawk Highway,” a major migratory path for birds of prey that will remain particularly active through December.

“I had a habit of flirting with all the prettiest teachers,” Chad says with a wry grin.

Chad is also a wild-land firefighter, which means he may be called away with only hours notice to hop a plane at Eppley Airfield. His most recent assignment had him battling a blaze in Montana last August. Amy worries about the perilous work, and the lingering stench of smoke that forever permeates his firefighting gear is a constant reminder of danger.

The park has not always been the pristine, densely wooded landscape familiar to campers, birders, and hikers today. The campground, for example, was built over a junkyard.

November // December • 2015 | 62 | omahamagazine.com

Amy, Mary, Alex, and Chad Graeve at the Kids’ Double-Super-Secret Treehouse Deep in the Woods of Hitchcock Nature Center

“That’s where we go to find stuff,” says Mary. A raised eyebrow and questioning look is all it takes for Alex to chime in. “You know…stuff…a wagon wheel, an old high chair,” he says.

“The best, coolest stuff.” The Graeve kids are natural-born archeologists when it comes to excavating the flotsam and jetsam of what to them are relics on an ancient civilization.

“We call it treasure,” Mary says. “The highchair is our throne, and we have a castle in the woods,” she says in describing a primitive shelter they erected near another of their hidden get-aways, a double-super-secret treehouse.

Imaginations in Hitchcock park, it would appear, run as wild as the surroundings.

Living in the woods may seem a barrier to socialization for the kids, but Amy believes they have struck a nice balance.

Mary and Alex make instant—if temporary—friends with the children of families staying in the nearby campground. They have robust school, extracurricular, and sports lives. And the children frequently host fireside sleepovers.

“We instill in our kids that, first and foremost, they should be the best of friends because they do spend so much time together,” Amy says. “This is our little place—our family place—and the way we live ensures that family comes first.”

If family comes first with the Graeves, a deep respect for nature isn’t far behind.

“My role is to be a steward of the land—to take care of it, to help it heal,” Chad explains. “Introducing people to that concept of stewardship and helping them to connect with nature,” he says, is one of the most rewarding parts of his job.

“Hitchcock is a very special place,” he continues, “and I have

the special privilege of doing my part to keep it that way.”

O Visit pottcoconservation.com to learn more.

November // December • 2015 | 63 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Police Department Gang Intervention Specialist Alberto â&#x20AC;&#x153;Betoâ&#x20AC;?

Gonzales

Omaha Magazine • Feature

O

MAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT gang intervention

specialist Alberto “Beto” Gonzales grew up in a South Omaha “monster barrio” as an outsider fresh from the Texas-Mexican border.

used that second chance to heal and transform. He got sober, learned to read, and found the power of forgiveness and love, dedicating himself to helping others.

He credits the late Sister Joyce Englert of the Chicano Working out of the South Omaha Precinct and South Awareness Center (now Latino Center of the Midlands) Omaha Boys & Girls Club, he knows first-hand the sufferwith setting him straight. ing that propels at-risk kids to join gangs. He grew up in “She took me literally by a dysfunctional home with the hand and coached me.

“ANYBODY CAN CHANGE, ANYBODY. an alcoholic father. By 13 There were days where I just he was a gang-banger who I DON’T CARE WHAT CONDITION YOU’RE IN, didn’t feel like I could do it was abusing and selling and I tossed up a storm with AS LONG AS YOU WANT TO FIND drugs. He was illiterate and her. But she never gave up a runaway. For a decade he on me.”

THAT PEACE IN YOURSELF.” conned and intimidated -Beto Gonzales people. “The beast” inside At her urging he became a ran roughshod over anyone, counselor. even family. He ruined relationships with his rage, and his drug and alcohol use.

Gonzales, who’s spoken about gangs to federal lawmakers and law enforcement officials, is the subject of My Little “A lot of people got hurt behind me being that hurt kid Corner of the Sky, a book by Theresa Barron-McKeagney, that felt hopeless,” he says.

University of Nebraska at Omaha associate dean in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service.

Charged with assault and battery with intent to commit murder, he faced 30 years in prison. Shown leniency, he Continued on page 79

November // December • 2015 | 65 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Magazine • Style

Forever Forever andAlways Always and

Monika Katarina Johannsen WORDS BY DAVID WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE AND CHARLES PHOTOGRAPHS

S

INCE 1968, ONE of the advertising world’s most

famous campaigns has posed the simple question “What Becomes a Legend Most?”

Generations of iconic women from Marlene Dietrich, Audrey Hepburn, and Brigitte Bardot to Elizabeth Hurley, Naomi Campbell, and Cindy Crawford have donned Blackglama (and little else) in punctuating the furrier’s timeless message.

Calling Monika Katarina Johannsen iconic or a legend? You decide. But there is little doubt that this Polish-born force to be reckoned with knows how to command a room.

Whether at Omaha Fashion Week, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts annual Benefit Art Auction, or dressed down (yeah, right) for volunteer work with the Heart Ministry Center and other non-profits, Monika Johannsen isOforever and always…well…

Monika Johannsen.

November // December • 2015 | 66 | omahamagazine.com

s

&

Field D

&

Dream Sowing Seeds for Growth at Rhizosphere Farm

WORDS BY SARAH WENGERT PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

November // December • 2015 | 70 | omahamagazine.com

Omaha Magazine • Feature

T

HE RHIZOSPHERE IS defined as the top layer of the earth’s soil.

“It’s the living layer,” Terra Hall explains. “It’s where all the magic happens.”

Rhizosphere Farm, then, is a perfect moniker as Terra and her husband, Matthew, conjure Mother Nature’s magic on their 5.5-acre Loess Hills farm nurturing heirloom, organic vegetables, fruits, and herbs throughout the growing season.

As the rhizosphere now sleeps through late fall and winter, the Halls plan and prep for 2016.

If you’re the type to wistfully recall summer’s sweet bounty in the face of a fall chill and you’re already pining for the return of farmers markets, here’s a look back at Rhizosphere Farm at its seasonal summit.

“It’s the best time of year to eat,” says Terra of August’s abundant end. As lunch is served in the Halls’ log cabin, Coner, a Polish-breed rooster with a hair-metal crest of feathers obscuring his vision, crows intermittently outside. Summer, though not yet eclipsed by fall, can be felt leaning into its swan song.

The meal, shared with intern Patrick Laird and groundskeeper Ted Engles, comes from the field: a spicy tomato gazpacho with onions and herbs, baba ghanoush, carrots, salad, and a potato-leek dish. Farmhand and good friend Dakia Anheluk rounded out the 2015 Rhizosphere crew, helping considerably when health issues had earlier sidelined Terra.

Matthew is from Omaha and Terra is from Council Bluffs, but they actually met in Oregon when working at Horton Road Organics. Over lunch, the Halls explain how they became farmers.

“I needed a job and lived up the road,” says Matthew in his characteristically succinct manner of speaking before elaborating that he enjoys working with his hands and deeply values “a hard-ass day of labor. What we do in our field is a form of art which tunes us in to the true nature of the world as humans were meant to experience it,” he says.

Rhizosphere Farm Owners Terra and Matthew Hall Terra, whose name is fittingly Latin for “earth,” was a campaign organizer at the University of Oregon before realizing activism wasn’t her path to “change the world.” When she started at Horton, she immediately knew she’d found a calling in organic farming.

“I love the connections with nature and the people I grow food for,” she says. “We’re sometimes missing those connections in our culture.”

The Halls returned to the Midwest, dream of Rhizosphere in hand, and rented land in Waterloo, Nebraska, in 2009. A growing urge to put down permanent roots and perennials on a plot of their own culminated in the September 2013 purchase of their land.

November // December • 2015 | 71 | bestofomaha.com

While Rhizosphere’s a scant 20-minute drive from downtown Omaha, visitors enjoy escaping the city’s hustle and bustle. But the Halls hustle plenty on this plentiful land, working seven days a week March through October.

They supplement their income with off-season carpentry and retail jobs.

Rhizosphere grew 35 varieties of crops this past season and now counts such notables as Dante and The Grey Plume as clients.

“We hit at the right time,” in the farm-to-table movement, says Terra.

“Boiler Room was our first [customer],” says Matthew. “And Nick (Strawhecker) at Dante got our number from them.” >

Omaha Magazine • Feature

Rhizosphere Farm Intern Patrick Laird

“I LOVE THE CONNECTIONS WITH NATURE AND THE PEOPLE I GROW FOOD FOR. WE’RE SOMETIMES MISSING THOSE CONNECTIONS IN OUR CULTURE.” -Terra Hall < “That’s one of the cool things about Omaha’s wonderful food community,” says Terra. “It’s very cooperative, sharing resources and information, which just makes everybody better.”

The Halls also enjoy a more public profile at farmers markets.

“A light goes on in people and it creates great conversations about the farm, how the food is grown, how it can be cooked,” says Terra. “That’s the best way to pass information about food. Those conversations are some of the most important work we do.”

Love of that educational aspect and a desire to create a more sustainable, all-season outlet for their passion has the Halls considering evolving Rhizosphere into an educational nonprofit, adding classes, workshops, events, and community-building to its mission.

“The Universe gave me a little time off this year,” says Terra, “which provided perspective. I’m passionate about designing the space and creating a permaculture foodscape, and I love teaching people that. I was so inspired by the people who taught me, and I want to pass that on.”

After lunch, Engles gives a tour of the land. It’s ordered, yet still wonderfully wild. A flock of ducks waddle by as he points out the greenhouses, barn, and an old stable, which Matthew has partially converted into additional sleeping quarters. Various fruits, herbs, and veggies flourish in the field alongside towering, yellow-flowered, now-dormant sunchokes—which Terra discussed in a May 2015 New York Times feature on Omaha’s farm-to-table prowess. The diverse, young “food forest” concept uses companion planting—a common permaculture concept ensuring a healthier ecosystem requiring less work through intelligent design. Yellow, heirloom cherry tomatoes are sampled right off the vine before the tour returns to its genesis, now swarmed by a wandering peep of clucking chickens.

There are no rabbits pulled from hats or “abracadabras” uttered O here, but Rhizosphere’s magic is palpable.

Visit rhizopherefarm.org to learn more.

November // December • 2015 | 72 | omahamagazine.com

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HE HOLIDAYS ARE here! Keeping with the spirit of the season, Omaha Magazine is

pleased to present its Holiday Gift Guide supported by local advertisers. Please consider these businesses and their services as you shop for your friends, family, and business associates. Our best wishes to you for a happy, holiday season!

New This Year! SmartPhone? Smart Shopping! We’ve added an interactive element to this year’s Gift Guide. Use your smartphone, tablet, or other digital device to order products directly from the page or to visit the websites of participating Gift Guide businesses! Use this same app wherever you see the button all throughout the magazine. That’s your portal to expanded content in the form of videos and photo galleries for select stories. See the instructions to the left to get started.

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November // December • 2015 | 73 | bestofomaha.com

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November // December • 2015 | 74 | bestofomaha.com omahamagazine.com

SPONSORED CONTENT

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They stock thousands of CDs from polka to metal, jazz to hip hop.

Check out the $7.99 new CDs. Omaha’s best destination for new releases and classic titles.

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SPORTS COLLECTIBLES

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Let them choose with a gift card or stop in for great gift ideas. Come see the sports cards, autographed jerseys, and other sports memorabilia in-store.

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EYEWEAR

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GIFTS FOR THE SEASON

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November // December • 2015 | 76 | omahamagazine.com

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www.malashocks.com November // December • 2015 | 77 | bestofomaha.com

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Omaha Magazine • Feature

SPONSORED CONTENT

Continued from page 65 His message to those dealing with people in crisis is “Patience—you can’t give up on them.

You have to have that energy, that willingness to sacrifice to work with them.” He says he’s living proof “no matter what challenges you have, you can make it. All you gotta do is find what your purpose is in life and go for it.”

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This former menace to society never could have imagined working for OPD. “They took a risk in hiring me because of all the baggage I carried. They’re watching me. I’m under the microscope. But all the officers make me feel welcome. It’s a good fit.”

His street cred enables him to go where OPD can’t.

“If they do walk into some of the places I walk in it’s a shut down—nobody’s talking.”

He has people’s trust, including prisoners and ex-cons.

“They feel safe opening up to me. They know I’m there for them. I’m not going to give up on them. Whatever it is, we try to work it out.

You can’t measure this,” he says of relationships that, once established, have the power to last forever.

“I’ve been in a lot of these men’s and women’s lives for years,” he says.

“Sometimes I don’t see them for four or five years, but they know they can always come back.”

Th e go od life awai ts .

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18-hole golf course | Six-lane pool | Hard-court tennis courts | 28,000-square-foot clubhouse For more information, contact Steph Husman 402-895-3636, ext 204 | steph@oakhillsomaha.com | oakhillscountryclub.org November // December • 2015 | 79 | bestofomaha.com

Intervention and prevention is his passion, and he claims he can spot a troubled child or adult in an instant.

“If we don’t get to a kid in time, if he doesn’t find a mentor, if he doesn’t get into some kind of sport activity, if his mom and dad don’t do some kind of healing…that’s a lost child.”

Gonzales often tells his own story at school assemblies. It’s still cathartic at age 57. >

Omaha Magazine • Feature

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Not everyone’s cut out for this kind of work.

The burn-out rate is high, as is the relapse and recidivism rate. Not everyone wants recovery.

Happily married with kids, he has a sense of serenity never before experienced.

“I wish everybody had that,” he says.

His latest challenge is a member of a neighboring three-generation gang family he’s counseled.

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“I asked him, ‘Why do you hate me, man?’

He just shrugged his shoulders. ‘How many times did you feel like killing me?’ He finally looked me in the eye and said, ‘Every time I see you, I want to kill you.’ ‘What keeps you from killing me?’ ‘Because my nephews love you, my auntie loves you, my uncle loves you, so I’m just going to leave you alone.’ He’s 14 years old. He’s just another Beto.”

Gonzales holds out hope.

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“Anybody can change, anybody. I don’t care what condition you’re in, as long as you want to find that peace in yourself.”

Gonzales is a firm believer in second-chances.

O After all, he says, “Somebody gave me one.”

taking Virtual to Reality

Search My Own Little Corner of the Sky to learn more.Brandon Beed (left) and Nick Huff

November // December • 2015 | 80 | omahamagazine.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

ALWAYS LOCAL, ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL

FAIRYTALE WONDER

Regal Residence in Legacy Villas

DESIGNER ERIC JAMES SELF-MADE, SELF-TAUGHT, SELF-ASSURED

WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING

Turning Tradition on its Head in Country Club

ASID AWARDS

See This Year’s Best of the Best

November // December • 2015 | 81 | bestofomaha.com

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ALWAYS LOCAL, ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL

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WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING

Turning Tradition on its Head in Country Club

DESIGNER ERIC JAMES SELF-MADE, SELF-TAUGHT, SELF-ASSURED ASID AWARDS

See This Year’s Best of the Best

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/ H3 /

November/December 2015 VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 6

EDITORIAL Editor DAVID WILLIAMS Associate Editor DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN Contributing Writers LEO ADAM BIGA LISA LUKECART CAROL CRISSEY NIGRELLI JULIE ODERMATT

Your Complete Design Specialist Custom Draperies & Blinds | Furniture & Accessories | Color Consultation Remodeling & Rearrangement | Home Staging | Tile, Carpet & More...

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Office: 402.964.0762 Mobile: 402.670.7566 • www.GloriasElegantInteriors.com

Senior Graphic Designer RACHEL JOY Graphic Designer MATTHEW WIECZOREK Graphic Design Intern DEREK TAUBERT Contributing Photographers KEITH BINDER COLIN CONCES SARAH LEMKE TOM KESSLER MARLON WRIGHT Comments?

SEND YOUR THOUGHTS TO: DAVID@OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM

Kitchens . Baths . Basements . Painting Decks . Additions and More 402.290.8822 www.moraguesconstruction.com

facebook.com/MoraguesConstruction / H4 /

OmahaHome • November/December 2015

OMAHA HOME MAGAZINE APPEARS AS ITS OWN MAGAZINE AND AS A SECTION WITHIN OMAHA MAGAZINE. TO VIEW THE FULL VERSION OF OMAHA MAGAZINE, OR TO SUBSCRIBE, GO TO OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM/SUBSCRIBE

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/ H5 /

November/December 2015 VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 6

Publisher TODD LEMKE

ACCOUNTS Publisher’s Assistant & OmahaHome Contributing Editor SANDY MATSON Branding Specialist & OmahaHome Contributing Editor ANGIE HALL Vice President GREG BRUNS Executive Vice President & Sales & Marketing GIL COHEN Senior Sales Executive & 60Plus in Omaha Contributing Editor GWEN LEMKE Branding Specialists KYLE FISHER • GEORGE IDELMAN SHELBY DEVENY Sales Associates JESSICA CULLINANE • DAWN DENNIS ALICIA SMITH HOLLINS • JUSTIN IDELMAN JESSICA LINHART

OPERATIONS Vice President of Operations TYLER LEMKE Event Director ERIN COX Accountant HOLLEY GARCIA-CRUZ Distribution Manager MIKE BREWER For advertising & subscription information: 402.884.2000 All versions of OmahaHome are published bimonthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha NE 68046-1208.

Telephone: (402) 884-2000; fax (402) 884-2001. Subscription rates: $12.95 for 6 issues (one year), $19.95 for 12 issues (two years). No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted, however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations. Best of Omaha®™ is a registered tradename of Omaha Magazine.

OWNED AND MANAGED BY OMAHA MAGAZINE, LTD

/ H6 /

OmahaHome • November/December 2015

Table of Contents

H10

H14 FEATURES H14

AT HOME WITH THE MCCORMICKS

H22 DEPARTMENTS H9

FROM THE EDITORS

H22

SPACES

Holiday Spirit

The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Fairytale Wonder

H10 H32

YOUTHFUL NEST

STATEMENTS

H26

NEIGHBORHOODS

Designer Eric James

Come on In

Makeover Maven Lisa Jarvin

H20 H36

ASID AWARDS

INDULGENCES Winning at Wine

H42

TRANSFORMATIONS Worldly Decor

Silver and Gold, Silver and Gold…

November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H7 /

IT’S YOUR HOME...

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doors

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OmahaHome • November/December 2015

from the Editors

HOLIDAY SPIRIT FROM OUR HOMES TO YOURS

W

Sandy Matson & Angie Hall

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others."

—Cicero ITH THE HOLIDAYS right around the corner there are many types of

people. There’s the Martha Stewart type and the popping-a-tent-in-aparking-lot-’til-the-stores-open type—and then there are the people that can’t stand the other two types! Whatever type you are, don’t underestimate the power of something homemade. It’s always nice to get something personal. If you are looking for a unique gift, check out our annual gift guide. Get out there, mix things up, and perhaps leave your comfort zone to support locally-owned retailers that appreciate your business this holiday season.

Since it is the holiday issue, we thought we would try something a little different. We set out to find front doors in various parts of our city and surrounding areas, showing how they might be decorated for the holidays. Whether decorated for fall or winter, these are examples of what you can do yourself, or have made especially for you. Sometimes just adding a little zippity-doo-dah to your door can spruce things up and get you into the spirit of the holidays. Many people gave their time and talent to create the beautiful arrangements that we used on the featured doors. We would like to thank Jeff Jorgensen of Tannenbaum, Denise Willett of House of J, Ed Aguilera of Holidynamics, Mary Beth Harrold of Papillion Flower Patch, and all the homeowners who let us decorate their doors.

We all look forward to the wonderful food we feast on during the holidays. My partner in crime, Angie, seen next to me in the photo, gave me an awesome stuffing recipe years ago, which is a Thanksgiving casserole, and a meal in itself. It includes turkey, sausage, a loaf of bread and other goodies to season it. Wow, the first time I made it, I thought, well, now I can skip on everything else. Eat this and go straight to the pie. Maybe you eat the traditional turkey, or you pardon the turkey and serve fried chicken, lasagna (my kids favorite), ribs, or brats. Maybe you forgoing cooking altogether and head to a nice restaurant. Whatever you choose, it’s about being together and giving thanks for all the blessings you have.

Happy holidays, happy shopping, and don’t sweat the little stuff, have fun with your loved ones and friends. Even if it’s just you and your four-legged, furry companion, give thanks and enjoy!

Sandy & Angie If you have any ideas you would like to see us tackle or you yourself have a project you would like to have featured, please contact us at sandy@omahapublications.com or angie@omahapublications.com

November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H9 /

Statements words by Carol Crissey Nigrelli / photography by bill sitzmann / augmented by Marlon wright

Scan the page with the LayAR app to view more photos from this story.

A house in the Iowa countryside, Jamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; latest endeavor, features raw wood floors and a wall of jagged stone. / H10 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

SELF-MADE, SELF-TAUGHT, SELF-ASSURED INTERIOR DESIGNER ERIC JAMES

A

N INTERIOR DESIGNER would have to possess an

abundance of chutzpah to place a Paul Bunyan-sized silver chalice vase filled with giant sprays of faux white flowers in the middle of a hotel lobby. Eric James not only pulled it off, he pulled everything together inside Omaha’s Hotel Deco XV. Taking his cue from the name of the historic boutique hotel at 15th and Harney streets, James created a wonderland of Art Deco décor that transports a visitor to a time synonymous with elegance and a post-World War I “anything goes” mentality. “It’s early 1930s glam and glitz, one of the highlights of my career so far,” says James, 40.

Clean lines, geometric patterns, bold accessories, and lots of mirrors surrounded by a sea of black and white, chrome and crystal, offer a stunning look into the past with a decidedly modern twist.

Small crystal beads that cover one wall, a sheath of tufted velvet on another wall, and sofa pillows in hues of gray with raised fabric designs reveal James’ eye for a variety of textures.

The designer’s balancing act is evident in the accessories and sculpted art pieces found on tables, stairwell ledges, and window sills: white beside black, tall beside small, round beside square.

“As I’ve developed my business, I’ve become very good at fabrics and florals, two of the hardest things to do,” James says. “To get a style to flow with fabrics and flowers is difficult, but for some reason it comes naturally to me.”

Born Eric James Seymour in the Ponca Hills/Florence section of Omaha, the boy who toyed with the idea of becoming a marine biologist found he had a knack for taking his mother’s old decorations to create a unique, functional space in his bedroom.

Pretty soon, family and friends started asking for his help with their houses.

“I’m a self-taught person, very hands-on. I imagine the whole space and then just do it,” he says. “It’s my passion.” >

November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H11 /

Statements

“I’m a self-taught person, very hands-on. I imagine the whole space and then just do it.”

-Eric James

< After spending two years in management and sales at the nowclosed Z Gallerie at Village Pointe, James 10 years ago started his own business, Interiors by Eric James, and dove in headfirst.

Traditional? Sure. Contemporary? Absolutely. Funky? Why not?

Rustic? No prob.

“I’m working on a farmhouse in rural Iowa that started as a kitchen remodel and has turned into a whole house remodel,” James says.

“We built an all-season room with raw wood flooring—knots and cracks and all. The room has exposed beams throughout, a wall of jagged stone, two oil-rubbed bronze chandeliers, and high-back wing chairs of cowhide. Very unique.”

/ H12 /

OmahaHome • November/December 2015

One of James’ greatest assets involves the ability to listen to a client.

“I asked him to style our house and his ability to interpret our wishes and bring them to fruition was awesome,” raves Chris Hamilton, a hair stylist. She says James preferred to work while they were out of the house, “so when we walked in, the transformation was just incredible.”

James’ upbeat, positive personality, his willingness to please a client (“I never argue with people,” he says), his eclectic designer palette, and “reasonable prices” keep new and repeat customers calling.

“I’ve never had an unhappy client,” he says. “If I did, I couldn’t sleep at night.” OmahaHome Visit interiorsbyericjames.com to learn more.

November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H13 /

At Home words by Leo Adam Biga / photography by Colin conces

Scan the page with the LayAR app to view more photos from this story.

/ H14 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

FAIRYTALE WONDER A REGAL RESIDENCE IN LEGACY VILLAS

S

TEVE A ND BA R I McCormick's Euro-influenced

home in the gated Legacy Villas development draws much attention for its enchanted kingdom appearance.

The French country-style house stands apart from conventional residences for its distinctive features. Start with the decorative 30-foot-high turret. Add the projections, peaks, gables, eyebrow windows, stone-stucco-brick finish, carriage-style garage doors, and sweeping flow of the home on a raised and curved lot.

Castle-like embellishments include lions-head door-knockers.

There's a secluded courtyard in front and a wrap-around deck and landscaped patio with water feature in back.

Inside are arches, alcoves, recesses, high ceilings, massive solid wood beams, two large fireplaces, built-in bookcases, and a spiral staircase.

This Princess Bride look comes from the Storybook Collection of Missouri-based Ron Hill's Euro World Designs. The couple worked closely with Hill in conceiving the home. Steve owned his own full-service realty company and developed many properties and spec homes. Bari's always taken an active role with him to get things just right in their own homes. They both have a good eye and know enough to tell designers and builders how things should be done.

"We just know how we wanted it," Bari says of their Legacy place. "It's not an intimidating thing to either one of us. We like the process and we like to see it completed. It's fun."

They fell in love with Hill's work after touring homes he designed at the lake near Branson where they have their second home.

The McCormicks’ cozy cottage evokes memories of Hansel and Gretel, or perhaps the Hobbit.

Steve served as the project's general contractor. He built the courtyard and water feature himself. >

November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H15 /

At Home

< Ever since the home began taking shape in 2011 it's provoked interest.

"It still does," Bari says. "People come by this house weekly— stop, take pictures, come to the door and ask, 'where did you get this?' or 'what color is that?' We have a lot of people comment on it, I think, because it's such a unique style.

"Now, did we ever think we would end up with this home? No. We've kind of been all over the place in terms of styles—we’ve had a two-story Tudor and a ranch—but every step moved us towards this."

The McCormicks met at then-Kearney State College and lived in Kearney, Nebraska, almost all their married lives. He ran his business; she taught public school and later taught physical education at the college, along with running its intramural sports program.

After retiring they moved to Omaha to be close to their three adult sons and four granddaughters.

They've always done special things with their residences.

"We did kind of trick them out," Steve says. "But this is probably the craziest we've gone. I wanted to do the things that kind of went over the top, not to the point of being showy, but just neat features."

A playground feature is the attached, double-high garage. It is Steve's man cave, rec space, and trophy room. He's added hydraulic lifts to facilitate storing his collection of classic Ford vehicles. He's decorated the space with racing posters, motor oil signs, a vintage gas pump, a parking meter, and all things combustible engine-related.

Built-in bookcases stand ready to provide a cold winter-night’s quiet entertainment.

Just off the downstairs family room is a home movie theater that seats 10 in plush, fully reclinable chairs. A whimsical touch is a faux box office with a mannequin ticket-taker.

The family room includes a small bar backed by a distressed wall. Next to the bar is a tiny wine cellar fronted by an iron gate.

The McCormicks worked closely with subcontractors Dick Grace Construction, Timberlane Construction, and others to create certain touches.

Steve says visitors often "use the word ‘detail’ when they're at our house—and that's a compliment."

The home's two bedrooms are located on the lower level. The guest bedroom is outfitted with furniture and keepsakes the couple inherited from their respective families. > / H16 /

OmahaHome • November/December 2015

Bari and Steve McCormick With Their English Bulldogs

Left: The kitchen features a natural stone countertop and custom range hood.

"I wanted to do the things that kind of went over the top, not to the point of being showy, but just neat features."

Below: Can you see the fridge? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hidden with cabinet-faces.

-Steve McCormick

Heavy beams help create the intimate cottage feel.

November/December 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ omahamagazine.com

/ H17 /

At Home The downstairs features a wine cellar, complete with casks and dungeon-esque decor.

< As large as the home appears on the outside, it's 2,200 square feet, just 400 feet less than today’s average size.

"I find it a very comforting home, a very warm home," Bari says.

A color scheme of earth and jewel tones offers subtle contrasts to the dark woodwork, pale plaster walls, and hickory floor.

Most of the interior wood is stained alder, including the kitchen cabinets and doors.

The kitchen, formal dining room, and living room walls are done in Venetian plaster. The kitchen island, countertops, and backsplashes feature granite.

The beams transecting the vaulted living room ceiling naturally split, lending them even more character.

"I like the fact that the beams come down and cozy it up," Bari says. "They are massive, but that's a lot of space so it needed some weight up there to kind of balance the room."

Like Cary Grant and Myrna Loy in the old movie Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, the couple spent more than they originally planned, but who can put a price on storybook and heart?

Steve says, "My attitude is why not enjoy it?"

Besides, Bari adds, "It's our last roundup."

OmahaHome

/ H18 /

OmahaHome • November/December 2015

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/ H19 /

Indulgences words by Daisy Hutzell-Rodman / photography by bill sitzmann

WINNING AT WINE

A BASEMENT CELLAR FOR SERIOUS COLLECTORS

/ H20 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

I

N A SPACIOUS home in West Omaha live a pair of wine lovers.

“I open a bottle while I am cooking, and then my husband comes home and we have a glass with dinner,” says the lady of the house. “He will often have two glasses with dinner. I love to cook and pair wine with food.”

Along with a love of fermented grapes, the couple have a love of travel, and that wanderlust has led to the purchase of a lot of wine.

“We have a trip in November to Santa Monica,” the homeowner says. “We’re in Napa or somewhere that we can buy wine at least twice a year.”

They also belong to nine wine clubs, which ship the couple’s favorite drink a couple of times a year. Thus the bottles began to stack up. The homeowners bought a wine fridge, then graduated to a rack that held 400 cabernets, pinots, and Burgundies. They kept accumulating.

“Then we built this,” the homeowner says, spreading her hands in a shy “voila” gesture.

“This” refers to a basement cellar, a temperature-controlled private room with glass doors leading to a dizzying array of dark glass vessels stacked neatly on top of one another.

There are no whites inside…the grigios and chardonnays fill two wine fridges in the basement kitchen.

Cellars are becoming a popular home feature, according to Nancy Pesavento, ASID, of Interiors Joan and Associates. Pesavento says there were many factors to be decided in creating this space.

“When a client wants to do a wine cellar we need to understand the extent to which they want to go. Are they collectors, or do they just want an architectural feature in their home?

We need to know how it is going to be used.

We have seen extensive wine cellars like this that are temperature controlled, and we have seen built-in racks for displaying just a few bottles. Some people like cellars that you can entertain in.”

“Most lower levels are boxes,” says Pesavento.

“I think bringing in a soft element like the arch gives it an architectural element and breaks up the boxiness of it. She has a very traditional interior. By stoning those arches, it gave her the traditional elements she wanted.”

“We originally wanted it kind of dungeonylooking,” the homeowner says. “We wanted it to be dark and heavy, but then Kent and Nancy convinced us otherwise.”

The homeowner realized the usefulness of a basement kitchen last year after restoring her main floor cooking area.

“I actually designed a wine cellar to be in that corner where the bar is, and (the homeowners) say we’d like to have more of a cave feel, moving it away from the bar,” says Kent Therkelsen of KRT Construction. “In the end, it is maybe like more of what you see at a winery.”

The cavernous expanse became lighter by incorporating grey stone throughout—from the fireplace to the walls and all the way around the room. Wood enclaves broke up the wall to create a warmer feeling while highlighting a non-standard-sized shuffleboard table sitting between them.

“I was trying to highlight the stone, and when I had the original drawings it looked like it was too much, so I said ‘how about some display cabinets?’” Therkelsen says.

The wood isn’t exactly cherry…or oak…

“It was a custom stain that they created for us,” the homeowner says proudly. “I wanted a hint of red, but not too much. I wanted a hint of brown, but not too much.”

The actual wood is birch, stained reddish-brownish.

The hard edges of the rocks were broken up with geometry in the form of arches lit with a series of two-inch lights.

“I realized I don’t really need a stovetop, I just need an oven, a fridge, and a microwave,” the homeowner says. “And a dishwasher.”

This basement is designed for entertaining, with four high stools at the kitchen counter where people can converse while one creates culinary delights, and a comfortable seating area with a television for others.

The basement also features such furniture as a couch upholstered in a buff-shaded leather and throw pillows with eggplant-colored (some might say shiraz-hued) accents. An overstuffed chair and a half also features this purple-red tint.

“It’s my favorite color,” the homeowner says.

“I really wanted to incorporate it.”

Also bringing in a touch of claret “color” without being claret-colored is the table and stools created from wine barrel staves.

“The thing is that every wine cellar is different, I’ve never built two the same,” says Therkelsen. “They’re a one-of-a-kind thing that is really defined by size limitation, space limitation, the kind of wine people want to store. There’s a uniqueness to it.”

OmahaHome

Visit interiorsbyjoan.com and krtconstruction.com to learn more.

November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H21 /

Spaces words by David Williams / photography by bill sitzmann

The interior of the Country Club home of Brian and Andrea Kelly belies its traditional exterior. / H22 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

THE WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING TURNING TRADITION ON ITS HEAD IN COUNTRY CLUB

Brian, Jackson, and Andrea Kelly On Their Garage-top Deck Overlooking Metcalfe Park

T

HE F IR ST THING you notice

when entering the Metcalfe Parkarea home of Andrea and Brian Kelly is that which is missing.

The most common architectural element found in the brick, Tudor-inspired homes that dominate the neighborhood, one bisected by the snaky meanderings of Country Club Avenue, is an arch that separates the living and dining rooms.

It’s a bold stroke to swing a sledgehammer at such a signature detail, but taking down the arch was central to a vision of transforming this traditional home into a showpiece of contemporary design. > November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H23 /

Spaces

“Our aim was to increase the spatial dimension of this place.”

-Brian Kelly

< Oh, and it probably didn’t hurt that the couple behind that vision are both architects known for innovative thinking in the spaces they create.

“It’s natural for people to get into a new home, look at it as a blank page, and think about what to add to it,” says Brian, a professor of architecture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“Our philosophy was just the opposite,” explains Andrea, formerly of Randy Brown Architects and now stay-at-home mom for the couple’s 6-year-old son, Jackson. “It started with what we knew we’d be subtracting from it.” / H24 /

OmahaHome • November/December 2015

Next to go was much of the ceiling in the living room, a decision that eliminated almost 100 square feet of second-floor living area in a home that holds barely 10 times that amount to begin with. For this couple, the word “area” is merely a formulaic measurement. Space, on the other hand, is a theoretical construct felt at a gut level.

“Our aim was to increase the spatial dimension of this place,” Brian says. “The overall effect is that the house feels bigger. And we gained tons of natural light down here that used to be wasted up there,” he says in pointing to an upstairs window that now illuminates much of the home’s first floor.

Splashes of color erupt in marigold, grey, and in artwork—much of it created by Brian, Andrea, and Jackson. The dining area features orange Eames chairs that gathered grease for four decades in the auto body shop of Andrea’s father.

Brian did most of the work himself.

“He’s more of a designer and I’m more of a planner,” Andrea says. “I’m into the technical aspects of construction and wanted to do a budget…detailed drawings…the works.”

A six-month study trip to Europe helped validate the couple’s notion of scale.

“People ‘live small’ in Europe,” Brian says.

“Our home is still very American,” Andrea adds, “and it’s downright grand in scope compared to how most people live in Europe. This is a lesson in efficiency, livability, and defining the balance between personal spaces and communal spaces. It really suits our family well.”

The home juxtaposes natural materials against those that are decidedly industrial and hard-edged.

Organic hues in untreated lumber and hardwood floors blend with perforated aluminum, plexiglass, and naked steel. Factory stamping marks on wood and wax pencil numbering on metal are left untouched in evoking a raw sensibility. The original fireplace survived, but the mantle above was replaced by a bent-steel picture rail. Alligator clips attached to wires suspended by magnets allow a funky, quickchange approach to displaying family photos.

The absence of window treatments? The desire for simplicity, openness, and clean lines, Andrea says, trumped worries about privacy.

Geography also lends a hand in eliminating sight lines for prying eyes. The home sits on a hill overlooking Metcalfe Park, and the back is shrouded by dense greenery.

“Wasn’t gonna happen,” Brian says with a chuckle. “I didn’t want to think too much about it when it came to process. For me it became an experiment, an in-the-moment experience.” When you set out to do the unexpected, the professor explains, stumbling onto a few surprises along the way can serve as a gateway to learning.

Save for the use of perforated aluminum cladding on an exterior handrail, neighborhood dog-walkers are afforded no hint as to what lies beneath when they pass the home that looks like so many others in the tree-lined neighborhood.

“And that’s the whole idea,” Andrea says.

“That’s why we call this place the wolf in sheep’s clothing.” OmahaHome

November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H25 /

Neighborhoods words by daisy hutzell-rodman / photography by bill sitzmann

COME ON IN DOORS OF THE METRO

WEST OMAHA Mid-Century Modern? No, simply modern.

This vibrant door in west Omaha shows some holiday cheer with a green/white wreath.

Wreath Designed by Ed Aguilera of Holidynamics / H26 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

ELKHORN This modern-traditional home presents a cornucopia of fall flowers at its entrance.

Decoration by Denise Willett of House of J

November/December 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ omahamagazine.com

/ H27 /

Neighborhoods

PAPILLION Double doors? No problem, simply double the flowers, then hang some icy baubles to ring in the winter.

Decorations by Sandy Matson. Baubles From Tannenbaum

/ H28 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

GOLD COAST This stately home boasts a sophisticated splash of autumnal charm mirroring the neighborhood's lush canopy of trees.

Wreath Supplied by Homeowner

November/December 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ omahamagazine.com

/ H29 /

Neighborhoods

HAPPY HOLLOW The clean lines of this pale Mission-inspired door lend themselves well to the bright yellows and oranges of fall.

Wreath Designed by Ed Aguilera of Holidynamics / H30 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

PAPILLION Here’s a unique find—a stark black, oriental-inspired door in the Midwest. This entryway has been decorated with burlap ribbon, almost mimicking a Japanese screen.

Decorations by Mary Beth Harold of Papillion Flower Patch.

November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H31 /

Feature words by Lisa Lukecart / photography by bill sitzmann

Lisa Janvrin of Youthful Nest / H32 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

YOUTHFUL NEST MAKEOVER MAVEN LISA JANVRIN

Janvrin’s own nursery includes a skyline of New York City.

G

ELENA WASSERM AN NEEDED help transferring

her vision of a perfect nursery into reality.

Enter Youthful Nest.

Wasserman discovered the website while browsing for baby items. As a working first-mom-to-be, she didn’t have time for all the research that would put her plan into action.

Lisa Janvrin, the creative genius behind the site, relates to Wasserman’s need to nest. When Janvrin was pregnant with her oldest child, Luca, she wanted the nursery to be a serene space. She personalized it by including framed postcards from her travels and added a hint of maturity with a New York skyline painted on a lightly brushed gray wall.

After 20 years as a retail and graphic designer working from New York to Turkey to Russia, Janvrin landed in Omaha when she married. >

November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H33 /

Neighborhoods

< “I believe my love for eclectic interior style is due to all the sites I have gathered in my travels,” she says.

Janvrin noticed a need in Omaha for upscale children’s design, and, with her son as her inspiration, she launched Youthful Nest. The business caters to kids of all ages with a focus on expectant mothers. Janvrin believes the site allows other options for design-savvy clients.

“We are bridging the gap between a traditional interior design and DIY,” Janvrin says.

After buying a service online, clients are asked to create a styleboard through Pinterest or Houzz. They may add a gift registry or enter contests. Janvrin calls them for a 30-minute interview or meets them face to face. It is her job to interpret the client’s inspiration and transform it into one cohesive work. She hunts and finds products online.

“I love shopping with other people’s money,” Janvrin says.

Grownup touches allow Janvrin’s designs to grow with the child.

An initial consultation package costs clients $175. Wasserman wanted a positive and peaceful vibe for her daughter’s nursery, but couldn’t seem to narrow down the style.

“I was all over the place,” Wasserman explains.

Therefore, she decided to buy additional services which included a floor plan ($175), a color consult ($75), and a room guide ($100).

Janvrin sources practical and beautiful items for her clients. She created a boho-chic style board for Wasserman. The mix of vintage and contemporary will grow with the child.

Wasserman originally wanted walls painted a heavenly white. After Janvrin sent paint color schemes to Wasserman, the room design now includes one wall in a modern pink ombre.

“She really honed in on my vision and executed what I wanted,” Wasserman says.

Janvrin leans towards functionality, form, and longevity. She is a fan of selecting items which will grow with the child.

Wasserman is happy with the ultimate design.

She fell in love with her Stokke Home crib in a crisp white, which is interchangeable and can be customized for a growing child during the first five years. The overall effect of the nursery will be light, airy, and whimsical.

“I love to find ways to make kids happy…it keeps me young,” Janvrin adds. OmahaHome Visit youthfulnest.com to learn more.

/ H34 /

OmahaHome • November/December 2015

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/ H35 /

Asid Awards

ALL THAT GLITTERS

2015 ASID WINNERS SHOWCASE THEIR DESIGN SKILLS

I

N TER IOR DESIGN IS an essential

part of any home. Professional interior designers spend hours planning and creating stunning spaces. The NE/IA Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) recently announced the winners in their annual design contest. Featured here are the best of the best. OmahaHome Visit asid-neia.org to learn more.

/ H36 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

DESIGN IMPACT AWARD WINNER BEST IN SHOW Brianne Wilhelm Allied Member ASID D3 Interiors Photography by Amoura Productions

The main open living space features a long wet bar, a dining/game table and a large media space, with an additional seating area at the base of the stairs for reading and/or conversation away from the TV. The wet bar was designed to house the appliances the family required, with floating shelves over the centrally positioned sink. Easy to clean, family-friendly materials were selected for the flooring; a plush carpet for the living space, and a medium grey, textured tile for the kitchen and bathroom.

November/December 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ omahamagazine.com

/ H37 /

Asid Awards GOLD Michele Hybner, Allied ASID and Shawn Falcone, Allied ASID Falcone Hybner Design, Inc. Photography by Amoura Productions

This custom home was built for an active family of five. Red and orange were identified as two favorite colors of this family, which was fitting as those are both active hues. The palette also includes neutrals to offer a visual break from the intense colors the family wanted to incorporate into their design.

GOLD Brianne Wilhelm Allied Member ASID D3 Interiors Photography by Amoura Productions

This condo is located in an historic Art Deco building downtown. Designer and client embarked on a journey to create a home that reflects the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personality and functions smoothly as she enjoys hosting friends, neighbors, and family.

GOLD Michele Hybner, Allied ASID and Shawn Falcone, Allied ASID Falcone Hybner Design, Inc. Photography by Amoura Productions

Vintage charm and a sunny color palette topped this homeowner's wish list for their open-concept kitchen, eating, and great room. The illuminated airy kitchen has bright white preimeter cabinets, granite countertops with veining similar to marble, and handmade gray glazed ceramic subway tile backsplash.

/ H38 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

GOLD Michele Hybner, Allied ASID and Shawn Falcone, Allied ASID Falcone Hybner Design, Inc. Photography by Amoura Productions

With a neutral color palette, the use of texture played a key role in the design solution.

Throughout the design process, special attention was paid to the use and integration of unique finish selections, which offered visual interest.

GOLD Shawn Falcone, Allied ASID Falcone Hybner Design, Inc. Photography by Amoura Productions

Form and function must always be considered in design, especially for a busy couple with a growing family who also work from their home. Careful attention was paid to the integration of built-ins and storage, along with beautiful finishes, for a seamless work/life fit.

GOLD Julie Odermatt, ASID D3 Interiors Photography by Tom Kessler

The designer, builder, and homeowner carefully considered all aspects and details of the home to create a classic, contemporary design.

The client wanted the home to be timeless, not trendy, so the design elements could stay fresh and current for years to come. Specific finishes were selected to accommodate. >

November/December 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ omahamagazine.com

/ H39 /

Asid Awards < GOLD Kris Patton, ASID Interiors Joan & Associates Photography by Tom Kessler

Select materials and thoughtful space planning allows this family to enjoy an area that is sophisticated enough for entertaining, yet functional enough to withstand the wear and tear of everyday family life.

GOLD Nancy Pesavento, ASID Interiors Joan & Associates Photography by Tom Kessler

The design of this home evolved from the desire of the clients to downsize to a smaller, more contemporary home. All materials for the project were thoughtfully selected with easy maintenance in mind. The clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; intent is to age in this home, so elements such as an elevator and an open floor plan will stand the test of time.

SILVER

SILVER

Becki Wiechman, ASID, LEED AP Interior Design Group Photography by Amoura Productions

Lisa McCoid, ASID, Julie Odermatt, ASID and Alexis Trout, Allied ASID D3 Interiors Photography by Tom Kessler

/ H40 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

FIRST PLACE TEN YEARS IN A ROW Thank you for voting us “Best of Omaha” the last decade.

We appreciate your continued support for local businesses.

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November/December 2015 • omahamagazine.com

/ H41 /

Transformations words by Julie Odermatt / photography by tom kessler

MEET THE DESIGNER

Julie Odermatt, asid D3 Interiors

Transformations is a regular feature of Omaha Home that spotlights a recent project by a local ASID interior designer. The copy and photos are provided by the designer.

Homeownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names may be withheld for privacy.

/ H42 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

FROM LONDON TO CALCUTTA TO MOROCCO BEFORE EVEN STEPPING PAST THE FOYER

T

HIS 9,000-SQUA RE-FOOT HOME was designed from

the ground up. Working as a team the designer, architect, builder, and homeowner carefully considered all aspects and details of the home to create a classic, contemporary design. The client wanted the home to be timeless, not trendy, so design elements could stay fresh and current for years to come.

This space took home Gold honors at the 2015 ASID Project Awards. >

November/December 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ omahamagazine.com

/ H43 /

Transformations

< A hexagon pattern was applied to the entrance floor using white Calcutta marble and gray London marble.

A Moroccan-inspired light fixture was used in the center of the space as an unexpected element. The warm glow and soft lines from the five-light chandelier creates contrast from the geometric pattern in the foyer floor.

People passing through the foyer are visually drawn to the decorative glass sliding doors framing the dining room. A natural woven wallcovering was applied to the walls throughout the space, mixing shades of gray and metallics. The metallic background reflects light from the linear chandelier placed above the dining room table. The crystal creates a dramatic eye-catching effect in the space. A large white piece of art was placed above the buffet table to contrast the dark gray walls. >

/ H44 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

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/ H45 /

Transformations

< The art is flanked with two white ceramic lamps that create a focal point in the space.

The neutral palette of gray, white, and espresso allow the client to easily change the colors in the room using accessories and artwork.

This beautifully designed room does not lack functionality; the room will comfortably seat eight to 10 people for family gatherings and holidays.

The kitchen was designed to be functional for the family of five without sacrificing the beautiful clean lines used throughout the rest of the custom home. When you enter the kitchen the room is framed with clean white cabinetry which is used to hide the oversized refrigerator and freezer bordering >

/ H46 /

OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

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/ H47 /

Transformations

< the ovens and microwaves. Industrial stainless steel appliance garages were added to hide the everyday cooking tools to help keep the space clean and clutter-free. The island is stained a dark espresso color that contrasts the white quartz countertops selected due to ease of maintenance and durability for a growing family. To soften the linear lines in the kitchen area, drum shades were used over the island and dinette table to create balance and harmony.

A custom dinette table was designed to be nearly indestructible from the wear and tear of three growing children. The tabletop is made of concrete material with a baked-on finish that will prevent stains or marks from everyday use.

Just off the kitchen is a hearth room that is used as the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main gathering area.

The room needed to have comfortable, yetdurable, furnishings. The space introduces a playful mix of teal and citron colors with the use of artworks, pillows, and accessories.

The main furniture pieces in the space stay neutral so the colors can be easily changed as the family grows and tastes differ. The back wall of the hearth room and kitchen is lined with windows that showcase stunning natural views. Custom window treatments were applied to the windows so views would not be obstructed when the shades were up but could provide privacy for the family when needed.

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OmahaHome â&#x20AC;˘ November/December 2015

The powder bathroom mixes texture, material, and color to create a fun, playful space.

The teal wall exhibits a pop of color while the carved, natural stone tiles provide pattern and color variation. The concrete countertop gives a clean, modern feel to the bathroom.

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/ H49 /

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2015-2016 BEST DOCTORS IN AMERICA® - OMAHA

T

HE RESULTS ARE in. Omaha Magazine’s annual list of Best

Doctors provides access to the best medical minds in the community. You can be sure you’re getting the right diagnosis, the right treatment, and the right care from the innovative professionals found on the following pages.

Gallup® has audited and certified Best Doctors, Inc.’s database of physicians, and its companion The Best Doctors in America® List, as using the highest industry standards survey methodology and processes.

Gallup® has audited and certified Best Doctors, Inc.’s database of physicians, and its companion The Best Doctors in America® List, as using the highest industry standards survey methodology and processes. These lists are excerpted from The Best Doctors in America® 2015-2016 database, which includes over 40,000 U.S. doctors in more than 40 medical specialties and 400 subspecialties. The Best Doctors in America® database is compiled and maintained

by Best Doctors, Inc. For more information, visit www.bestdoctors.com or contact Best Doctors by telephone at 800-675-1199 or by e-mail at research@bestdoctors.com. Please note that lists of doctors are not available on the Best Doctors Web site.

Best Doctors, Inc., has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list, but does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person or other party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

These lists are excerpted from the 2015-2016 Best Doctors in America® database, which includes more than 40,000 U.S. doctors in over 40 medical specialties and 400 subspecialties.

The Best Doctors in America® database is compiled and maintained

by Best Doctors, Inc. For more information, visit bestdoctors.com contact Best Doctors by telephone at 800-675-1199, or by e-mail at research@bestdoctors.com. Please note that O lists of doctors are not available on the Best Doctors web site.

Copyright 2015, Best Doctors, Inc. Used under license, all rights reserved. This list, or any parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Best Doctors, Inc. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without the permission of Best Doctors, Inc. No fees may be charged, directly or indirectly, for the use of the information in this list without permission.

BEST DOCTORS, THE BEST DOCTORS IN AMERICA, and the Star-in-Cross Logo are trademarks of Best Doctors, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries, and are used under license.

Best Doctors, Inc. is transforming and improving health care by bringing together the best medical minds in the world to help identify the right diagnosis and treatment. The company’s innovative, peer-to-peer consultation service offers a new way for physicians to collaborate with other physicians to ensure patients receive the best care.

Headquartered in Boston, MA, the global company seamlessly integrates its services with employers’ other health-related benefits, to serve more than 30 million members in every major region of the world.

More than a traditional second opinion, Best Doctors delivers a comprehensive evaluation of a patient’s medical condition – providing value to both patients and treating physicians.

By utilizing Best Doctors, members have access to the brightest minds in medicine to ensure the right diagnosis and treatment plan.

Best Doctors’ team of researchers conducts a biennial poll using the methodology that mimics the informal peer-to-peer process doctors themselves use to identify the right specialists for their patients. Using a polling method and balloting software, that Gallup® has audited and certified, they gather the insight and experience of tens of thousands of leading specialists all over the country, while confirming their credentials and specific areas of expertise.

The result is the Best Doctors in America® List, which includes the nation’s most respected specialists and outstanding primary care physicians in the nation. These are the doctors that other doctors recognize as the best in their fields. They cannot pay a fee and are not paid to be listed and cannot nominate or vote for themselves. It is a list which is truly unbiased and respected by the medical profession and patients alike as the source of top quality medical information.

November // December • 2015 | 133 | bestofomaha.com

ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY JAINE BROWNELL

Midwest Allergy and Asthma Clinic 16945 Frances St Omaha, NE 68130 402-397-7400

LINDA FORD

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RUSSELL J. HOPP

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Department of Pediatrics 601 N 30th St, 6th Fl, Ste. 6820 Omaha, NE 68131 402-280-4580

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Boys Town National Research Hospital Boys Town Medical Campus Pacific Street Pediatric Clinic 14080 Hospital Rd Boys Town, NE 68010 402-778-6900

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Midwest Allergy and Asthma Clinic 16945 Frances St Omaha, NE 68130 402-397-7400

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Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Associates 2808 S 80th Ave, Ste. 210 Omaha, NE 68124 402-391-1800

MARK C. WILSON

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Pediatric Pulmonology 8200 Dodge St, 2nd Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6404

ANESTHESIOLOGY MARK L. D’AGOSTINO

Methodist Hospital Department of Anesthesiology 8303 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4000

CYNTHIA ANN FERRIS

MICHAEL D. WHITE

BARBARA J. HURLBERT

MARK P. WOODRUFF

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Anesthesiology 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 |402-955-5800

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Anesthesiology 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5782

KENT HUTTON

Anesthesia West 7822 Davenport St Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-4855

JOHN C. PETERSON

Methodist Hospital Department of Anesthesiology 8303 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4061

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE VENKATA M. ALLA

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Cardiac Center 3006 Webster St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0717

MICHAEL G. DEL CORE

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Cardiac Center 3006 Webster St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0717

ARTHUR R. EASLEY

Nebraska Medicine Cardiovascular Center Durham Outpatient Center, 4400 Emile St, Ste. 2310 Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8888

DENNIS J. ESTERBROOKS

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Cardiac Center 3006 Webster St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0717

SYED MAQDOOM MOHIUDDIN

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic The Cardiac Center 3006 Webster St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0717

ARYAN N. V. MOOSS

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Cardiac Center 3006 Webster St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0717

THOMAS R. PORTER

Nebraska Medicine Cardiovascular Center Durham Outpatient Center, Ste. 2310 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8888

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Cardiac Center 3006 Webster St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0717

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Cardiac Center 3006 Webster St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0717

COLON AND RECTAL SURGERY JENNIFER BEATY

Colon and Rectal Surgery 9850 Nicholas St, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-343-1122

MANIAMPARAMPIL SHASHIDHARAN Colon and Rectal Surgery 9850 Nicholas St, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-343-1122

CHARLES A. TERNENT

Colon and Rectal Surgery 9850 Nicholas St, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-343-1122

ALAN G. THORSON

Colon and Rectal Surgery 9850 Nicholas St, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-343-1122

CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE KRISTINA L. BAILEY

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

BERNARD TIMOTHY

Baxter University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Vascular Surgery Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7300

DANIEL W. JOHNSON

LEE MORROW

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine 601 N 30th St, Ste 3820 Omaha, NE 68131 402-449-4486

AMOL N. PATIL

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

CRAIG ARNOLD

Piquette Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

DEBRA J. ROMBERGER

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

JOSEPH H. SISSON

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

SUSANNA GERTRUDE VON ESSEN

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

TAMMY OLESKEVICH WICHMAN

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine 601 N 30th St, Ste 3820 Omaha, NE 68131 402-449-4486

DERMATOLOGY

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Anesthesiology 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4081

MARY TRICIA FINNEGAN

STEVEN JAY LISCO

Methodist Physicians Clinic Regency Department of Dermatology 10060 Regency Cir, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1315

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Anesthesiology 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4081

November // December • 2015 | 134 | omahamagazine.com

7911 W Center Rd Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-0333

KRISTIE DENISE HAYES

JILL S. NELSON

Dermatology Specialists of Omaha 909 N 96th St Omaha, NE 68114 402-330-4555

EMERGENCY MEDICINE TIMOTHY J. LARSEN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Emergency Medicine 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5413

ROBERT MUELLEMAN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Emergency Medicine 42nd and Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4020

SARAH B. KONIGSBERG

Diabetes and Endocrine Associates 7831 Chicago Ct Omaha, NE 68114 402-561-2740

JENNIFER L. LARSEN

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Diabetes Center Specialty Services Pavilion, 1st Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8700

LYNN R. MACK

MICHAEL WADMAN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Emergency Medicine 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6948

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Diabetes Center Specialty Services Pavilion, 1st Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8700

RICHARD A. WALKER

AMY S. NEUMEISTER

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Emergency Medicine 42nd and Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4000

ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM ROBERT J. ANDERSON

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of Endocrinology 5002 Underwood Ave Omaha, NE 68132 402-717-0785

CLAIRE BAKER

Diabetes and Endocrine Associates 7831 Chicago Ct Omaha, NE 68114 402-561-2740

BRIAN BOERNER

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Diabetes Center Specialty Services Pavilion, 1st Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8700

CYRUS VICTOR DESOUZA

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Diabetes Center Specialty Services Pavilion, 1st Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8700

ROBERT R. RECKER

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Osteoporosis Research Center 601 N 30th St, Ste 4820 Omaha, NE 68131 402-280-4470

VIJAY SHIVASWAMY

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Diabetes Center Specialty Services Pavilion, 1st Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8700

TIMOTHY O. WAHL

Diabetes and Endocrine Associates 7831 Chicago Ct Omaha, NE 68114 402-561-2740

FAMILY MEDICINE

Omaha Division - VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism 4101 Woolworth Ave Omaha, NE 68105 402-346-8800

GREG J. BABBE

ANDJELA T. DRINCIC

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Lakeside Family Medicine 16909 Lakeside Hills Ct, Ste 300 Omaha, NE 68130 402-717-8338

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Diabetes Center Specialty Services Pavilion, 1st Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-8700

WHITNEY SEARS

Goldner Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Diabetes Center Specialty Services Pavilion, 1st Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8700

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Family Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7200

JAMES DOUGLAS DUNNING

WILLIAM P. FITZGIBBONS

Skyline Medical Center Department of Family Medicine 1908 N 203rd St, Ste 2 Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-289-4031

DENNIS P. GOESCHEL

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Oakview Department of Family Medicine 2727 S 144th St, Ste 140 Omaha, NE 68144 402-778-5677

MARK D. GOODMAN

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Family Medicine 1319 Leavenworth St Omaha, NE 68102 402-717-0420

NORMAN L. GROSBACH

Methodist Physicians Clinic HealthWest Department of Family Medicine 16120 W Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0610

DAVID HARNISCH

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Family Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7200

JEFFREY HARRISON

JOHN LLOYD SMITH

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Family Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7200

CHARLES H. STONER

Omaha Family Physicians 17841 Pierce Plaza Omaha, NE 68130 402-991-7000

EDWARD VANDENBERG

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Geriatrics Home Instead Center for Successful Aging 730 S 38th Ave Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9600

DOUGLAS H. WHEATLEY

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Family Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7200

GASTROENTEROLOGY

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Family Medicine 2510 Bellevue Medical Dr, Ste 200 Bellevue, NE 68123 402-595-2275

MICHAEL JONES

KIMBERLY JEAN JARZYNKA

BOB KIZER

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Family Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7200

RALPH JOHN KRAMPER

Primary Care Physicians 12728 Augusta Ave Omaha, NE 68144 402-330-1410

MONTY S. MATHEWS

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Family Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7200

DEBRA E. MOSTEK

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Geriatrics Home Instead Center for Successful Aging 730 S 38th Ave Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9600

PAUL M. PAULMAN

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Family Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7200

MICHAEL A. SITORIUS

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Family Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7200

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates 8901 Indian Hills Dr, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of Gastroenterology Bergan One Professional Center, Ste 320 7710 Mercy Rd Omaha, NE 68124 402-449-4692

TIMOTHY M. MCCASHLAND

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

THOMAS R. MCGINN

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates 8901 Indian Hills Dr, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

JOHN CHARLES MITCHELL II

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates 8901 Indian Hills Dr, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

SANDEEP MUKHERJEE

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Division of Gastroenterology 601 N 30th St, Ste 5730 Omaha, NE 68131 402-449-4692

EDWIN CONRAD SCHAFER II

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates 8901 Indian Hills Dr, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

November // December • 2015 | 135 | bestofomaha.com

MICHAEL SCHAFER

HAND SURGERY

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates 8901 Indian Hills Dr, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

RENEE L. YOUNG

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

IAN D. CRABB

OrthoWest Oakview Medical Bldg, Ste 212 2725 S 144th St Omaha, NE 68144 402-637-0800

GERIATRIC MEDICINE

WILLIAM L. LYONS

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Geriatrics Home Instead Center for Successful Aging 730 S 38th Ave Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9600

JOHN A. (JACK) MCCARTHY

GIKK Ortho Specialists 17030 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68130 402-399-8550

TIMOTHY RAYMOND MALLOY

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Family Medicine Division of Geriatric Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7200

JANE F. POTTER

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Geriatrics Home Instead Center for Successful Aging 730 S 38th Ave Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9600

SUSAN G. SCHOLER

Omaha Internal Medicine 1805 N 145th St Omaha, NE 68154 402-393-1000

EDWARD VANDENBERG

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Geriatrics Home Instead Center for Successful Aging 730 S 38th Ave Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9600

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Division of Gastroenterology 601 N 30th St, Ste 5730 Omaha, NE 68131 402-449-4692

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

MICHAEL F. SORRELL

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

INFECTIOUS DISEASE RICHARD MURPHY

Omaha Orthopedic Clinic and Sports Medicine 11704 W Center Rd, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68144 402-691-0500

MARVIN J. BITTNER

Omaha Division - VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System Division of Infectious Disease 4101 Woolworth Ave, Ste 111 Omaha, NE 68105 402-346-8800

BRADLEY EDWARD BRITIGAN

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Disease Durham Outpatient Center, 5th Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

REBECCA L. REILLY

Methodist Hospital Geriatric Evaluation and Management Clinic 8303 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-3152

SANDEEP MUKHERJEE

DANIEL F. SCHAFER

BRENDA KELLER

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Geriatrics Home Instead Center for Successful Aging 730 S 38th Ave Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9600

TIMOTHY M. MCCASHLAND

JEFFREY TIEDEMAN

GIKK Ortho Specialists 17030 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68130 402-399-8550

HEPATOLOGY MARK E. MAILLIARD

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

DIANA F. FLORESCU

ANGELA HEWLETT

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Disease Durham Outpatient Center, 5th Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8650

ANDRE KALIL

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Disease Durham Outpatient Center, 5th Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8650

LAUREL C. PREHEIM

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of Infectious Disease 601 N 30th St, Ste 5800 Omaha, NE 68131 402-981-8251

MARK E. RUPP

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Disease Durham Outpatient Center, 5th Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

PHILIP W. SMITH

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Disease Durham Outpatient Center, 5th Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8650

SUSAN SWINDELLS

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Specialty Care Center Division of Infectious Diseases 804 S 52nd St Omaha, NE 68106 402-559-2666

TREVOR C. VAN SCHOONEVELD

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Disease Durham Outpatient Center, 5th Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8650

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Disease Durham Outpatient Center, 5th Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8650

RENUGA VIVEKANANDAN

ALISON GAIL FREIFELD

STEVEN T. BAILEY

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Disease Durham Outpatient Center, 5th Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8650

GARY L. GORBY

Omaha Division - VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System Division of Infectious Disease 4101 Woolworth Ave Omaha, NE 68105 402-280-4210

November // December • 2015 | 136 | omahamagazine.com

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of Infectious Disease 601 N 30th St, Ste 5800 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0759

Methodist Physicians Clinic HealthWest Department of Internal Medicine 16120 W Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0550

INTERNAL MEDICINE JOEL BESSMER

105 S 90th St, Ste 201 Omaha, NE 68114 402-779-8400

TERENCE MICHAEL COONEY

Methodist Physicians Clinic Indian Hills Department of Internal Medicine 8901 W Dodge Rd, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-8600

MICHAEL H. DAVIDIAN

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of General Internal Medicine 5002 Underwood Ave Omaha, NE 68132 402-717-0785

MICHAEL DOMALAKES

Methodist Physicians Clinic Regency Department of Internal Medicine 10060 Regency Cir, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1378 I

BRUCE L. HOUGHTON

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of General Internal Medicine 601 N 30th St, Ste 5800 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0800

ANNA MAIO

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of General Internal Medicine 601 N 30th St, Ste 5800 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0800

KATHERINE I. MCLEESE

Methodist Physicians Clinic Indian Hills Department of Internal Medicine 8901 W Dodge Rd, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-8600

J. SCOTT NEUMEISTER

ROBERT L. RECKER

Think Whole Person Healthcare 7100 W Center Rd Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9112

HENRY SAKOWSKI

CHAD W. VOKOUN

Nebraska Medicine - Midtown Clinic Department of Internal Medicine 139 S 40th St Omaha, NE 68131 402-595-3939

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Division of General Internal Medicine 601 N 30th St, Ste 5800 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0800 I

JOHN ARNOLD WOODRUFF

SUSAN G. SCHOLER

Methodist Physicians Clinic HealthWest Department of Internal Medicine 16120 W Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0550

Omaha Internal Medicine 1805 N 145th St Omaha, NE 68154 402-393-1000

ROBERT J. SCHWAB

Boys Town National Research Hospital Boys Town Medical Campus - Pacific Street Pediatric Clinic Department of Internal Medicine 14080 Hospital Rd Boys Town, NE 68010 402-392-7600

LYNN SCOTT

Methodist Physicians Clinic Regency Department of Internal Medicine 10060 Regency Cir, 3rd Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1378

Think Whole Person Healthcare 7100 W Center Rd Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9122

STEVEN H. ZUBER

INTERNAL MEDICINE/ HOSPITAL MEDICINE ERIC C. RICE

CHI Health Bergan Mercy Department of Internal Medicine 7500 Mercy Rd Omaha, NE 68124 402-398-5822

CHAD W. VOKOUN

Think Whole Person Healthcare 7100 W Center Rd Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9118

Nebraska Medicine - Midtown Clinic Department of Internal Medicine 139 S 40th St Omaha, NE 68131 402-595-3939

DAVID V. O’DELL

MATTHEW ALEXANDER SHEHAN

MEDICAL GENETICS

MARK E. OBERLIES

Internal Medicine Physicians 17030 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Ste 102 Omaha, NE 68130 402-758-5800

MARK D. OMAR

Methodist Physicians Clinic HealthWest Department of Internal Medicine 16120 W Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0550 I

RICHARD K. OSTERHOLM

Think Whole Person Healthcare 7100 W Center Rd Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9118

JENNIFER PARKER

Nebraska Medicine - Baker Place Department of Internal Medicine 5050 Ames Ave Omaha, NE 68104 402-595-2280

CHAD READE

Methodist Physicians Clinic HealthWest Department of Internal Medicine 16120 W Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0550

WILLIAM A. SHIFFERMILLER

Methodist Physicians Clinic HealthWest Department of Internal Medicine 16120 W Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0550

DAVID P. STEARNES

Methodist Physicians Clinic HealthWest Department of Internal Medicine 16120 W Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0550

JULIA A. BRIDGE

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

BRUCE A. BUEHLER

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY AND HEMATOLOGY JAMES O. ARMITAGE

Nebraska Medicine - Midtown Clinic Department of Internal Medicine 139 S 40th St Omaha, NE 68131 402-595-3939

EDWARD J. TAYLOR

PHILIP J. BIERMAN

Methodist Physicians Clinic Indian Hills Department of Internal Medicine 8901 W Dodge Rd, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-8600

Hematology and Oncology Consultants 6901 N 72nd St, Ste 2244 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-3535

APAR KISHOR P. GANTI

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Hematology and Oncology The Lied Transplant Center Bldg, 3rd Fl 4310 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5600

RALPH JOSEPH HAUKE

Nebraska Cancer Specialists Midwest Cancer Center – Legacy 17201 Wright St, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68130 402-334-4773

MARGARET ANNE KESSINGER

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Hematology and Oncology The Lied Transplant Center Bldg, 3rd Fl 4310 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5600

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Clinical Genetics 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-559-8800

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Hematology and Oncology The Lied Transplant Center Bldg, 3rd Fl 4310 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5600

THOMAS GERALD TAPE

JAMES RICHARD COMMERS

Methodist Hospital Department of Internal Medicine 8303 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-2360

JOSEPH F. SHEHAN

Think Whole Person Healthcare 7100 W Center Rd Omaha, NE 68124 402-506-9116

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center Nebraska Cancer Specialists 8303 Dodge St, Ste 250 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-8124

KENDRA E. SWANSON

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

MARGARET BLOCK

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Hematology and Oncology The Lied Transplant Center Bldg, 3rd Fl 4310 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5600

November // December • 2015 | 137 | bestofomaha.com

ROBERT M. LANGDON, JR.

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center Nebraska Cancer Specialists 8303 Dodge St, Ste 250 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-8124

ABRAHAM PHILIP MATHEWS

Hematology and Oncology Consultants 6901 N 72nd St, Ste 2244 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-3535

ELIZABETH C. REED

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Hematology & Oncology The Lied Transplant Center Bldg, 3rd Fl 4310 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5600

INAGANTI MASTAN SHAH

Hematology and Oncology Consultants 6901 N 72nd St, Ste 2244 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-3535

NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY KENNETH A. FOLLETT

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Neurological Sciences Clinic Clarkson Doctors Office North Bldg, Ste 650 4242 Farnam St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8600

DOUGLAS J. LONG

Midwest Neurosurgery and Spine Specialists 8005 Farnam Dr, Ste 305 Omaha, NE 68114 402-398-9243

DANIEL L. SURDELL

STEFANO R. TARANTOLO

Nebraska Cancer Specialists Midwest Cancer Center – Legacy 17201 Wright St, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68130 402-334-4773

JULIE M. VOSE

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Hematology & Oncology The Lied Transplant Center Bldg, 3rd Fl 4310 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5600

NEPHROLOGY KHALID BASHIR

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic - Nephrology Professional Center 2, Ste 500 7710 Mercy Rd Omaha, NE 68124 402-343-8650

ROBERT W. DUNLAY

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of Nephrology 7710 Mercy Rd, Ste 500 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-4970

MUHAMMAD FIROZ

Nebraska Medicine Nebraska Medical Center Neurological Sciences Clinic Clarkson Doctors Office North Bldg, Ste 650 4242 Farnam St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8600

WILLIAM E. THORELL

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Neurological Sciences Clinic Clarkson Doctors Office North Bldg, Ste 650 4242 Farnam St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8600

NEUROLOGY JOHN M. BERTONI

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Neurological Sciences Clinic Clarkson Doctors Office North Bldg, Ste 650 4242 Farnam St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8600

KAREN BREMER

Nebraska Medicine Nebraska Medical Center Neurological Sciences Clinic Clarkson Doctors Office North Bldg, Ste 650 4242 Farnam St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8600

PAMELA MARIE SANTAMARIA

Neurology Consultants of Nebraska North Tower Doctors Bldg, Ste 655 4242 Farnam St Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-2650

SANJAY P. SINGH

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Department of Neurology 601 N 30th St, Ste 5300 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0070

OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY CRAIG ALAN BASSETT

Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 1100 717 N 192nd Plaza Omaha, NE 68002 402-815-1700

PAIGE BERRYMAN

Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 2200 717 N 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1995

ROBERT G. BONEBRAKE

Methodist Perinatal Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 2400 717 N 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 4 02-815-1970

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Department of Neurology 601 N 30th St, Ste 5300 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0070

DAVID CROTZER

PIERRE B. FAYAD

LANETTE M. GUTHMANN

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic - Nephrology Professional Center 2, Ste 500 7710 Mercy Rd Omaha, NE 68126 402-343-8650

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Neurological Sciences Clinic Clarkson Doctors Office North Bldg, Ste 650 4242 Farnam St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8600

RICHARD J. LUND

HARRIS A. FRANKEL

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of Nephrology 3316 Dodge St, 2nd Fl Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-4970

DANIEL LYNN MURMAN

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Neurological Sciences Clinic Clarkson Doctors Office North Bldg, Ste 650 4242 Farnam St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8600

Midwest GYN Oncology 8303 Dodge St, Ste 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5250

Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 1200 717 N 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1700

CAROLEE JONES

Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 2200 717 N 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1995

MICHELLE S. KNOLLA

Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 1300 717 N 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1993

LONNY JOE LEGINO

Mid-City OB-GYN 7205 W Center Rd, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68124 402-397-6600

THOMAS E. MARTIN

Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 1100 717 N 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-354-1700

NANCY B. MATHEWS

Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 1300 717 N 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1993

PETER C. MORRIS

Midwest GYN Oncology 8303 Dodge St, Ste 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5250

ANDREW ROBERTSON

Methodist Perinatal Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 2400 717 N 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1970

KERRY J. RODABAUGH OLSON

Center for Women’s Heatth at UNMC Division of Gynecologic Oncology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4500

RAYMOND L. SCHULTE

Omaha ObGyn Associates 4239 Farnam St, Ste 734 Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-2700

KENT H. SIEMERS

Mid-City OB-GYN 7205 W Center Rd, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68124 402-397-6600

ANN MEISSNER SJULIN

Mid-City OB-GYN 7205 W Center Rd, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68124 402-397-6600

CARL V. SMITH OLSON

Center for Women’s Health at UNMC Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6150

TIFANY SOMER-SHELY

Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 1100 717 N 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1991

SUSAN A. WESTCOTT

Methodist Physicians Clinic Women’s Center Medical Office Bldg, Ste 1100 717 N 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1991

November // December • 2015 | 138 | omahamagazine.com

OPHTHALMOLOGY

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY

DIANA V. DO

University of Nebraska Medical Center Stanlry M. Truhlsen Eye Institute 3902 Leavenworth St Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-2020

KEVIN L. GARVIN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8000

SCOTT T. MCMULLEN

JAMES GIGANTELLI

University of Nebraska Medical Center Stanlry M. Truhlsen Eye Institute 3902 Leavenworth St Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-2020

RICHARD H. LEGGE

OrthoWest Oakview Medical Bldg, Ste 212 2725 S 144th St Omaha, NE 68144 402-637-0800

7810 Davenport St Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-1626

PETER J. WHITTED

Midwest Eye Care 4353 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-2020

MATTHEW A. MORMINO

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8000

MARK E. GOEBEL

OrthoWest Oakview Medical Bldg, Ste 110 2725 S 144th St Omaha, NE 68144 402-637-0400

QUAN DONG NGUYEN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute 3902 Leavenworth St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-2020

GIKK Ortho Specialists 17030 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68130 402-399-8550

DAVID E. BROWN

CHARLES BURT

OrthoWest Oakview Medical Bldg, Ste 110 2725 S 144th St Omaha, NE 68144 402-637-0400

KIRK S. HUTTON

RANDALL D. NEUMANN

OrthoWest Oakview Medical Bldg, Ste 212 2725 S 144th St Omaha, NE 68144 402-637-0800

OrthoWest Oakview Medical Bldg, Ste 212 2725 S 144th St Omaha, NE 68144 402-637-0800

SEAN V. MCGARRY TIMOTHY C. FITZGIBBONS

GIKK Ortho Specialists 17030 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68130 402-399-8550

University of Nebraska Medical Center Depatment of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8000

Omaha Orthopedic Clinic & Sports medicine, PC is proud to have Dr. Richard P. Murphy selected as one of the “Best Doctors” in America 2015 in the category of hand surgery.

Omaha Orthopedic Clinic and Sports Medicine PC has been a Practice of Excellence Since 1934.

We have assembled a team of talented surgeons.

Dr. Richard Murphy, Dr. Michael Morrison, Dr. Peter Cimino, Dr. Jason Mickels, and Dr. Michael Coffey all working together committed to providing our patients with the highest quality orthopedic healthcare.

Our surgeons specialize in Sports Medicine, Hand and Upper Extremity, Microsurgery, Total Joint Replacement, Arthroscopic Surgery, Trauma and Fracture Care.

Omaha Orthopedic Clinic & Sports Medicine, P.C p. 402.691.0500 f. 402.691.1586 www.omahaorthopedic.com

LOCATIONS: • 11704 W. Center Rd, Suite #200, Omaha, NE • 401 E. Gold Coast Rd, Suite #230, Papillion, NE Shenandoah, Corning and Missouri Valley, IA

November // December • 2015 | 139 | bestofomaha.com

BRITT A. THEDINGER

Ear Specialists of Omaha 9202 W Dodge Rd, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-933-3277

PATHOLOGY ERIK OTTERBERG

GIKK Ortho Specialists 17030 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68130 402-399-8550

ERIC DONALD PHILLIPS

Nebraska Spine Center 13616 California St, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-0404

JULIA A. BRIDGE

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

TIMOTHY GREINER

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

CHRISTINE P. HANS

Methodist Hospital Pathology Center 8303 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4540

STEVEN H. HINRICHS SAMUEL P. PHILLIPS

GIKK Ortho Specialists Bergan Mercy Professional Bldg, Ste 224 7710 Mercy Rd Omaha, NE 68124 402-399-8550

OTOLARYNGOLOGY ANN LOUISE EDMUNDS

Omaha Ear Nose and Throat 16929 Frances St, Ste 201 Omaha, NE 68130 402-758-5330

JANE EMANUEL

Boys Town National Research Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic 555 N 30th St Omaha, NE 68131 402-498-6540

DANIEL D. LYDIATT

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Clinic 8303 Dodge St, Ste 304 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5048

WILLIAM M. LYDIATT

University of Nebraska Medical Center Head and Neck Cancer Clinic 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-1700

OLEG N. MILITSAKH

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Clinic 8303 Dodge St, Ste 304 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5048

RUSSELL B. SMITH

University of Nebraska Medical Center Head and Neck Cancer Clinic 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-1700

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

WILLIAM W. WEST

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

JAMES L. WISECARVER

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY JAINE BROWNELL

Midwest Allergy and Asthma Clinic 16945 Frances St Omaha, NE 68130 402-397-7400

RUSSELL J. HOPP

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Department of Pediatrics 601 N 30th St, 6th Fl, Ste 6820 Omaha, NE 68131 402-280-4580

JEFFREY R. STOKES

Methodist Hospital Pathology Center 8303 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4540

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Division of Allergy and Immunology 601 N 30th St, Ste 3M100 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0080

AUDREY LAZENBY

PEDIATRIC ANESTHESIOLOGY

SHANE K. KOHL

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

SUBODH M. LELE

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

RODNEY D. MCCOMB

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

SAMUEL PIRRUCCELLO

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

STANLEY J. RADIO

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Pathology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4186

PHYLLIS I. WARKENTIN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6781

DENISE MARIE

Drvol Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Anesthesiology 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4385

JANE KUGLER

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Anesthesiology 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4385

RACHEL A. SPITZNAGEL

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Anesthesiology 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4385

PEDIATRIC CARDIAC SURGERY KIM F. DUNCAN

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4360

JAMES MARTIN

Hammel Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4360

November // December • 2015 | 140 | omahamagazine.com

PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY DAVID A. DANFORD

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Cardiology 8200 Dodge St, 1st Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4339

JEFFREY W. DELANEY

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Cardiology 8200 Dodge St, 1st Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4339

CHRISTOPHER C. ERICKSON

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Cardiology 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4350

SCOTT FLETCHER

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Cardiology 8200 Dodge St, 1st Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4339

CARL H. GUMBINER

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Cardiology 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4339

JOHN DALE KUGLER

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Cardiology 8200 Dodge St, 1st Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4339

ROBERT L. SPICER

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Cardiology 8200 Dodge St, 1st Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4339

PEDIATRIC CLINICAL GENETICS ANN HASKINS OLNEY

University of Nebraska Medical Center Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation 412 S Saddle Creek Rd Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6418

PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE CARL H. GUMBINER

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Cardiology 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4339

MOHAN R. MYSORE

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Critical Care Medicine 8200 Dodge St, 2nd Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4200

PEDIATRIC DERMATOLOGY JILL S. NELSON

Dermatology Specialists of Omaha 909 N 96th St Omaha, NE 68114 402-330-4555

PEDIATRIC DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS HOWARD W. NEEDELMAN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation 412 S Saddle Creek Rd Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-6418

PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE DAVID M. TOLO

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Children’s Urgent Care 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-8300

JON A. VANDERHOOF

Boys Town National Research Hospital Boys Town Medical Campus Pacific Street Pediatric Clinic 14080 Hospital Rd Boys Town, NE 68010 402-778-6900

PEDIATRIC GENERAL HEPATOLOGY RUBEN E. QUIROS

SHIRLEY F. DELAIR

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Clinic 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-5700

PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY KEVIN P. CORLEY

DON W. COULTER

RICHARD E. LUTZ

University of Nebraska Medical Center Munroe-Meyer Institute Department of Genetic Medicine 412 S Saddle Creek Rd Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-3446

PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY RUBEN E. QUIROS

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Clinic 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-5700

H. DELE DAVIES

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Specialty Pediatric Center Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases 84th St and W Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4005

PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY

Children’s Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinic 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-3871

PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-3950

BRUCE GORDON

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology The Lied Transplant Center 4310 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7257

PHYLLIS I. WARKENTIN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6781

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Specialty Pediatric Center Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases 111 N 84th st Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-4005

STEPHEN K. OBARO

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4005

KARI A. SIMONSEN

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4005

JESSICA N. SNOWDEN

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4005

PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY LESLIE HELLBUSCH

Nebraska Medicine - Nebraska Medical Center Neurological Sciences Clinic Clarkson Doctors Office Bldg, Ste 650 4242 Farnam St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8600

MARK J. PUCCIONI

Midwest Neurosurgery and Spine Specialists 8005 Farnam Dr, Ste 305 Omaha, NE 68114 402-398-9243

PEDIATRIC NUTRITION PATRICIA SEIVERT

Children’s Physicians at UNMC Division of General Pediatrics Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-8125

PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY DONNY WON SUH

Children’s Eye Clinic 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-8280

ROBERT TROIA

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates 515 N 98th St Omaha, NE 68114 402-399-9400

SEBASTIAN TROIA

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates 515 N 98th St Omaha, NE 68114 402-399-9400

PEDIATRIC ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY PAUL ESPOSITO

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6300

OrthoWest congratulates this year’s “Best Doctors” for the quality care they provide to all their patients. Whatever your injury - in sports, work or everday life - take advantage of the specialized care at OrthoWest to get you back to your best!

Join the conversation by “liking” us on Facebook, and check us out online for a list of locations!

(402) 637-0800 | www.orthowest.com BestDoctors_2014.indd 1

November // December • 2015 | 141 | bestofomaha.com

9/15/15 2:48 PM

BRIAN HASLEY

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6300

SUSAN A. SCHERL

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6300

PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY DWIGHT JONES

University of Nebraska Medical Center ENT Clinic and Audiology Services Durham Outpatient Center 42nd and Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5208

D. RICHARD KANG

Boys Town National Research Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic 555 N 30th St Omaha, NE 68131 402-498-6540

RYAN K. SEWELL

ENT Specialists 720 N 129th St Omaha, NE 68154 402-397-0670

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY JOHN L. COLOMBO

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Pediatric Pulmonology 8200 Dodge St, 2nd Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-778-6900

JEFFREY S. NELSON

Midwest Allergy and Asthma Clinic 16945 Frances St Omaha, NE 68130 402-397-7400

PAUL H. SAMMUT

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Pediatric Pulmonology 8200 Dodge St, 2nd Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6404

MARK C. WILSON

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Pediatric Pulmonology 8200 Dodge St, 2nd Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6404

PEDIATRIC RHEUMATOLOGY ADAM L. REINHARDT

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Pediatric Rheumatology 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4070

PEDIATRIC SPECIALIST/CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY SHASHI K. BHATIA

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Psychiatric Associates 3528 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-5550

CHRISTOPHER J. KRATOCHVIL

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Department of Psychiatry Poynter Hall Bldg, 3rd Fl 42nd and Dewey St Omaha, NE 68198 402-552-6006

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY JAMIE SNYDER

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Psychiatric Associates 3528 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-5550

PEDIATRIC SPECIALIST/ NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE ANN L. ANDERSON-BERRY

Children’s Specialty Physicians at UNMC Division of Neonatology 42nd St and Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6750

JOHN WESLEY SPARKS

Children’s Physicians at UNMC Division of Neonatology 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6400

LYNNE D. WILLETT

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6140

ZAHI E. ZEIDAN

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Division of Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6140

PEDIATRIC SPECIALIST/ NEUROLOGY, GENERAL PAUL D. LARSEN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Pediatric Neurology Clinic Durham Outpatient Center, 1st Fl 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-9539

PEDIATRIC SPECIALIST/ PEDIATRIC METABOLIC DISEASES WILLIAM BRADLEY RIZZO

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Metabolic Management Clinic 8400 W Dodge St Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-4199

PEDIATRIC SURGERY ROBERT A. CUSICK

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Pediatric Surgery Associates 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-7400

STEPHEN C. RAYNOR

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Pediatric Surgery Associates 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-7400

PEDIATRICS/GENERAL JOHN ANDRESEN

Children’s Physicians - Val Verde 9801 Giles Rd, Ste 1 La Vista, NE 68128 402-955-8400

KATHERINE ANGLIM

Children’s Physicians - Eagle Run 13808 W Maple Rd, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68164 402-955-3000

ALKA DESAI

Children’s Physicians - Eagle Run 13808 W Maple Rd, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68164 402-955-3000

MARK J. DOMET

Boys Town National Research Hospital Boys Town Medical Campus - Pacific Street Pediatric Clinic 14080 Hospital Rd Boys Town, NE 68010 402-778-6900

DAVID FINKEN

JILLYN KRATOCHVIL

Children’s Physicians - Dundee 4825 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68132 402-955-7676

KARI A. KRENZER

Children’s Physicians West Village Point 110 N 175th St, Ste 1000 Omaha, NE 68118 402-955-5437

KENT KRONBERG

Children’s Physicians - Eagle Run 13808 W Maple Rd, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68164 402-955-3000

GARY STEPHEN

Lerner Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Children’s Developmental Clinic 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4160

ERIN A. LOUCKS

Children’s Physicians - Dundee 4825 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68132 402-955-7676

MARY JANE FITZGIBBONS MIKULS

Children’s Physicians West Village Point 110 N 175th St, Ste 1000 Omaha, NE 68118 402-955-5437

JOHN C. MOORE

Children’s Physicians West Village Point 110 N 175th St, Ste 1000 Omaha, NE 68118 402-955-5437

MICHAEL J. MOORE

Children’s Physicians - Dundee 4825 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68132 402-955-7676

LAURA NIELSEN

Children’s Physicians West Village Point 110 N 175th St, Ste 1000 Omaha, NE 68118 402-955-5437

Children’s Physicians at UNMC Division of General Pediatrics Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-8125

JENNIFER PARKER

FRANCIS J. HARRISON

SHERYL L. PITNER

Children’s Physicians - Val Verde 9801 Giles Rd, Ste 1 La Vista, NE 68128 402-955-8400

DAVID KAUFMAN

Children’s Physicians - Eagle Run 13808 W Maple Rd, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68164 402-955-3000

November // December • 2015 | 142 | omahamagazine.com

Nebraska Medicine - Baker Place Department of Internal Medicine 5050 Ames Ave Omaha, NE 68104 402-595-2280

Children’s Physicians at UNMC Division of General Pediatrics Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-8125

CHANDRIKA RIZAL

Children’s Physicians - Mission Village 16909 Q St Omaha, NE 68135 402-955-7575

PATRICIA SEIVERT

JOHN N. WALBURN

Children’s Physicians at UNMC Division of General Pediatrics Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-8125

Children’s Physicians at UNMC Division of General Pediatrics Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-8125

GREGORY C. SEVERSON

Methodist Physicians Clinic HealthWest Department of Pediatrics 16120 W Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0620

CHARLES J. SPRAGUE

Boys Town Pediatrics Lakeside Pediatric Clinic, Ste 101 16929 Frances St Omaha, NE 68130 402-758-5125

BETSY STEPHENSON

Children’s Physicians - Mission Village 16909 Q St Omaha, NE 68135 402-955-7575

JOSEPH STRALEY

Children’s Physicians - Eagle Run 13808 W Maple Rd, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68164 402-955-3000

ELIZABETH A. WALENZ

Methodist Physicians Clinic Regency Department of Pediatrics 10060 Regency Cir, 2nd Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1325

ROBERT D. WOODFORD

Methodist Physicians Clinic Regency Department of Pediatrics 10060 Regency Cir, 2nd Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1325

PEDIATRICS/ HOSPITAL MEDICINE JOSEPH T. SNOW

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Hospitalist Service 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5400

SHEILAH J. SNYDER

RONALD R. HOLLINS

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Hospitalist Service 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5400

Village Pointe Aesthetic Surgery 17617 Burke St Omaha, NE 68118 402-596-4000

PERRY JOHNSON

SHARON R. STOOLMAN

Village Pointe Aesthetic Surgery 17617 Burke St Omaha, NE 68118 402-596-4000

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Hospitalist Service 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5400

JASON J. MILLER

Village Pointe Aesthetic Surgery 17617 Burke St Omaha, NE 68118 402-596-4000

CASSANDRA SUSMAN

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Hospitalist Service 8200 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5400

PSYCHIATRY SHASHI K. BHATIA

PLASTIC SURGERY

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Psychiatric Associates 3528 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-5550

STEVEN M. DENENBERG

7640 Pacific St Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-7640

MARK H. FLEISHER

JOHN J. EDNEY

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Psychiatry 510 S 42nd St Omaha, NE 68198 402-552-6007

Aesthetic Surgical Images 8900 W Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-0100

Caring for what moves you.

Expert Orthopedic Care GIKK Ortho Specialists has been providing expert, personalized muscle, bone and joint care to patients for over 65 years. To get relief from pain and regain mobility, trust the orthopedic specialists at GIKK to help you get back

R. Michael Gross, MD Timothy C. Fitzgibbons, MD C. Michael Kelly, MD Jack A. McCarthy, MD T. Kevin O’Malley, MD Jeffrey J. Tiedeman, MD Scott T. McMullen, MD Erik T. Otterberg, MD David J. Inda, MD Samuel P. Phillips, MD Charles E. Rosipal, MD Kathleen M. Grier, MD Kimberly A. Turman, MD Daniel L. Gaffney, MD Brett W. Fischer, MD David C. Buck, MD Nicholas J. Wegner, MD

to the healthy and active lifestyle you deserve.

Foot & Ankle | Hand & Wrist | Hip & Knee | Shoulder & Elbow | Sports Medicine

West Omaha • Central Omaha • Bellevue 402.399.8550 • www.GIKK.com November // December • 2015 | 143 | bestofomaha.com

•

Fremont

PAULAJO MALIN CHI

Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Psychiatric Associates 3528 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-5550

WILLIAM A. MARCIL

Lasting Hope Recovery Lasting Hope Assessment Center 415 S 25th Ave Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-5300

SRIRAM RAMASWAMY

Omaha Division - VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System Mental Health Clinic 4101 Woolworth Ave, Rm 116A Omaha, NE 68105 402-995-4344

ARUN SHARMA

CHI Health Psychiatric Associates 7101 Newport Ave, Ste 301 Omaha, NE 68152 402-572-2111

ASHISH SHARMA

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Psychiatry South Tower Doctors Bldg, Ste 210 4239 Farnan St Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-6007

PULMONARY MEDICINE KRISTINA L. BAILEY

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

GUILLERMO HUERTA

Pulmonary Medicine Specialists 7710 Mercy Rd, Ste 428 Omaha, NE 68124 402-392-1404

LEE MORROW

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine 601 N 30th St, Ste 3820 Omaha, NE 68131 402-449-4486

PETER JAMES MURPHY

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

CRAIG ARNOLD PIQUETTE

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

JILL ADAIR POOLE

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

STEPHEN I. RENNARD

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

DEBRA J. ROMBERGER

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

JOSEPH H. SISSON

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

AUSTIN B. THOMPSON

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

SUSANNA GERTRUDE VON ESSEN

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

TAMMY OLESKEVICH

Wichman CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine 601 N 30th St, Ste 3820 Omaha, NE 68131 402-449-4486

RADIATION ONCOLOGY CHARLES A. ENKE

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Radiation Oncology 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-552-3844

WEINING (KEN) ZHEN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Radiation Oncology 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-552-3844

RADIOLOGY

RHEUMATOLOGY

JOSEPH C. ANDERSON

DEBORAH K. DOUD

KIMBERLY ANN APKER

ALAN R. ERICKSON

BRUCE BARON

JOHN HURLEY

DEREK BURDENY

LYNELL W. KLASSEN

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Radiology 42nd and Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-1010

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Radiology 42nd and Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-1010

CHI Health Immanuel Department of Radiology 6901 N 72nd St Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-2324

Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital Oakview Medical Bldg, Ste 118 2725 S 144th St Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-1800

MATT J. DEVRIES

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Radiology 42nd and Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-1010

SUZANNE H. HRUZA

CHI Health Immanuel Department of Radiology 6901 N 72nd St Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-2324

MARK D. KEIPER

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Radiology 42nd and Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-1010

RICHARD A. KUTILEK

Methodist Hospital Department of Radiology 8303 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4344

KEVIN L. NELSON

Methodist Hospital Department of Radiology 8303 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4344

Rheumatology Consultants Oakview Medical Bldg, Ste 240 2727 S 144th St Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-1200

Nebraska Medicine - Brentwood Village Division of Rheumatology 8021 S 84th St La Vista, NE 68128 402-595-1227

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of Rheumatology 601 N 30th St, Ste 5700 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0750

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Rheumatology and Immunology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

TED MIKULS

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Rheumatology and Immunology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

JAMES R. O’DELL

Nebraska Medicine Clinics Internal Medicine Division of Rheumatology and Immunology Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68106 402-559-4015

WILLIAM R. PALMER

Westroads Rheumatology Associates 10170 Nicholas St Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-3800

SURGERY GARY J. ANTHONE

Methodist Physicians Clinic Bariatric Surgery Unit 8111 Dodge St, Ste 220 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1320

BERNARD TIMOTHY BAXTER

NICK NELSON

Methodist Hospital Department of Radiology 8303 Dodge St Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4344

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Vascular Surgery Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7300

CRAIG W. WALKER

SAMUEL CEMAJ

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Radiology 42nd and Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-1010

MATTHEW L. WHITE

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Neuroradiology 42nd and St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-1010

November // December • 2015 | 144 | omahamagazine.com

Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center Division of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-9696

SURGICAL ONCOLOGY

ROBERT J. FITZGIBBONS, JR.

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Division of General Surgery 601 N 30th St, Ste 3700 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-4900

ALAN N. LANGNAS

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Surgery The Lied Transplant Center 4310 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8390

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Surgical Oncology The Lied Transplant Center Bldg, 3rd Fl 4310 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5600

GEORGE W. DITTRICK

Methodist Estabtook Cancer Center 8303 Dodge St, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5150

ROBERT H. LINDAU III

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Clinic 8303 Dodge St, Ste 304 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5048

SUMEET MITTAL CHI

CHANDRAKANTH ARE

Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Esophageal Center Division of General Surgery 601 N 30th St, Ste 3700 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-4837

ROBERT H. LINDAU III

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Clinic 8303 Dodge St, Ste 304 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5048

JAMES A. REILLY

RUDY PAUL LACKNER

EDIBALDO SILVA-LOPEZ

MICHAEL J. MOULTON

ALAN G. THORSON

VASCULAR SURGERY

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center Breast Care Center 8303 Dodge St, Ste 302 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-3090

Olson Center for Women’s Health at UNMC Olson Comprehensive Breast Clinic Division of Surgical Oncology 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9196

Colon and Rectal Surgery 9850 Nicholas St, Ste 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-343-1122

THORACIC SURGERY

BRIAN W. LOGGIE

CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic Creighton Cancer Center Division of Surgical Oncology 601 N 30th St, Ste 2803 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0090

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery 600 S 42nd St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-3944

Nebraska Medicine Cardiovascular Center Durham Outpatient Center, Ste 2310 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8888

BERNARD TIMOTHY BAXTER

University of Nebraska Medical Center Division of Vascular Surgery Durham Outpatient Center 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-7300

JAMES MARTIN HAMMEL

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery 8200 Dodge St, 4th Fl Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4360

JON S. THOMPSON

University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Surgery 4400 Emile St Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4075

CONGRATULATIONS

“2015 BEST DOCTORS IN AMERICA®“ MEDICAL ONCOLOGY AND HEMATOLOGY

Margaret Block, M.D.

Robert M. Langdon, Jr., M.D.

CHI Health Cancer Center - Bergan (402) 393-3110 Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center (402) 354-8124 Midwest Cancer Center Papillion (402) 593-3141

Ralph J. Hauke, M.D.

Stefano R. Tarantolo, M.D.

Midwest Cancer Center Legacy (402) 334-4773 Health Park Plaza-Fremont Health (402) 941-7030

November // December • 2015 | 145 | bestofomaha.com

Nebraska Cancer Specialists is honored to have these physicians on their staff delivering the highest quality of cancer care to their patients.

#OMAMAG

SHARE YOUR PHOTOS OF OMAHA AND BE FEATURED HERE.

@amseaman

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instagram.com/omahamagazine November // December • 2015 | 146 | omahamagazine.com

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N OVERFLOW CROWD of 3,500 people attended

last year’s inaugural Omaha Magazine’s Best of Omaha Festival at the Ralston Arena, so we’re making this year’s event even bigger and bolder by moving to the Baxter Arena on Saturday, November 21.

We’ll crown this year’s Best of Omaha winners in a fun-filled day, and every attendee will receive a complimentary copy of our special Best of Omaha issue cataloguing all the winners. The first 1,000 attendees will receive a handsomly stocked swag bag stuffed with goodies, coupons, and more valued at over $100.

Then get busy checking out the vendors, sampling tasty local foods, enjoying the entertainment, and having a cocktail on us (for every ticketed 21+ adult).

You see the iconic Best of Omaha logo all over town, but there’s nothing common about being a Best of Omaha winner. Did you know that only 3% of area businesses earn the distinction of being voted Best of Omaha?

And how do they win that honor? Why, through you! The Best of Omaha is your contest, and, just as in years past, almost 40,000 of you cast a total of almost 700,000 individual votes in everything from pizza to plumbing.

The Best of Omaha booths will be occupied only by contest winners, which guarantees you’ll have a chance to connect with the city’s elite when it comes to delivering award-worthy products, services, value, and customer satisfaction.

The Huskers are dormant that day, so there’s no excuse to miss out on all that Omaha has to offer in this celebration of what makes our city great.

See you there!

Omaha Magazine’s Best of Omaha Festival Saturday, November 21 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Baxter Arena 67th & Center Streets Tickets $10 omahamagazine.com/tickets

November // December • 2015 | 147 | bestofomaha.com

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Omaha Magazine’s Best of Omaha Festival Saturday, November 21 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Baxter Arena Tickets $10 omahamagazine.com/tickets November // December • 2015 | 148 | omahamagazine.com

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Omaha Magazine • History

THE SUNKS

Plans Underway to Restore Beloved Space to its Former Glory WORDS BY ROBYN MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

I

MET MATT DWYER on the north end

of…well, it’s not really a park. It’s technically part of Happy Hollow Boulevard in Dundee, but it’s too wide to be called a median. It’s a three-city-block-long stretch of greenery lined by towering oaks and elms.

Many probably know it as the spot where generations of kids (and grown-ups) played touch football and, in winter, went sledding down the slopes or, more recently, skated on the seasonal ice rink.

It’s…well, most people just call it The Sunks.

If difficult to describe today, The Sunks 100 years ago was much more clearly delineated.

It was a formal, Parisian-style garden with sculpted, circular beds of flowers, and—possibly, the old photos are pretty grainy—a small pond with a fountain. Far from the industrial

hub of Omaha, The Sunks bordered the western edge of Dundee, a newly founded “city set on a hill” that boasted “high, dry, pure, and clear air,” low taxes, sociable people, and homes built for a minimum of $2,500 (as described in a circa-1890s brochure cited in Dundee’s application to the National Register of Historic Places). It was a city designed as a “garden suburb,” and The Sunken Gardens was its defining space. The gardens went to seed around 1929, most likely a victim of the tail-spinning economy.

“It wasn’t real grand, not super opulent,” Dwyer says. “But it was a good start.”

Dwyer is the co-founder of GreenSlate Development, a key force behind the remarkable transformation of the Blackstone District around 40th and Farnam streets. Greenslate

November // December • 2015 | 150 | omahamagazine.com

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has restored six buildings on the strip with another four in the works. Now Dwyer is setting his sights on restoring The Sunks.

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Dwyer grew up in one of the stately, red-brick homes that line the old garden. He used The Sunks to play football on the lawn and sneak cigarettes under the trees as a teenager. “It was a huge part of my life,” he says.

It was around 8 a.m. when I met Dwyer at The Sunks. It’s at a busy intersection and cars whizzed by as people headed to work. We walked down the steep hill, our feet slushing through wet grass, to get to the bottom where the ground leveled out. The depth dulls the passing traffic noise and creates a peaceful, secluded feel. Dwyer says the slopes and winter ice rink (neighborhood favorites) will stay. But for the rest, he envisions meandering pathways, benches, and picnic spots…maybe even a water feature, with room to spare for a robust game of football.

Dwyer aims to raise private capital to build the gardens and create an endowment to maintain the space. The Parks Department has promised to help as much as it’s able, but Dwyer knows that the real muscle behind such an initiative will come from the neighborhood itself, one that in 2011 was named to the American Planning Association’s list of Great American Places.

The strongest asset at his disposal could very well be the Dundee-Memorial Park Neighborhood Association, perhaps the city’s gold standard for such community groups and one known for its ambitious vision, can-do spirit, and dedicated volunteer base.

“Great cities have great public spaces,” Dwyer says. “And I think we’re a great city.”

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November // December • 2015 | 151 | bestofomaha.com

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November // December • 2015 | 152 | omahamagazine.com

Omaha Magazine • Sports

M

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L d d O e O sl Bob

OST PEOPLE HEAR the name “Curtis

Tomasevicz” and think of a former Nebraska football player. Some know him as an Olympic gold medalist. Still others as a professor of engineering.

To say that he dabbles in a bit of everything is clearly an understatement. Growing up in the hamlet of Shelby, Nebraska (pop. 714), Tomasevicz would go on to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His overachieving attitude was first evidenced in being an uninvited walk-on who stuck with the Huskers. He spent his first two seasons as a running back before moving to linebacker.

Tomasevicz graduated holding a bachelor and master’s degree in electrical engineering with a minor in astronomy. He’s currently completing his Ph.D. while teaching an introduction to engineering course as well as another on energy science.

“I enjoy being a student and learning,” he says with a shrug. “This provides me the resources to do that.”

More than anything, he wants his students to come away from his class having learned something, whether that something is a lesson in physics, sports, or life in general.

“On paper, it’s the perfect job,” he adds. “It’s teaching.

It’s engineering. It’s physics. It’s sports. I don’t know if I could find a better combination of everything I like.”

Academia may be his turf today, but it hasn’t always been that way.

In the summer of 2004 a friend convinced Tomasevicz to train for bobsledding. Within two short years he was on his way to Italy and the 2006 Olympics.

n e Maso ll a H y y b words Scott Dricke y b hy otograp

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“I learned a new sport when I had just turned 24 years old,” he says of his most unlikely introduction to ice and gravity. “It was pretty humbling. How do I run on ice?”

Any Husker football player is an instant hometown hero, but Shelby rallied with gusto behind Tomasevicz’s dream when 690 people came together to raise $25,000 for his training.

His dedication paid off in gold in the four-man bobsled at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. He retired from the sport just last year.

Just like in football, Tomasevicz explains that, “Bobsledding can be a violent sport. You get hit in the head a lot. But that adrenaline rush…that fear… that danger…is kind of what makes it cool, too.”

A little more than 10 years later, his time as a bobsledder is over, but Tomasevicz continues to share his experience and inspiration. In just the first year after winning his gold medal, he delivered 110 motivational speeches.

The sport has even found a way into his lesson plan.

Tomasevicz has hosted Bob Cuneo, bobsled engineer for Team USA, in a Skype-based lecture that delved into the science behind bobsled design.

Tomasevicz still hits the speaking circuit, spreading his story and motivating his audiences by relating how a guy from small-town Nebraska ended up as an Olympic gold medalist in bobsledding. The experience was foreign, daunting, humbling, and more than anything else, life-changing. Tomasevicz has demonstrated that fear—in sports, the classroom, and in life—cannot rule your emotions.

“That’s how you go through life,” he explains, “taking on fear andOnever letting those empty holes fill your life.”

November // December • 2015 | 153 | bestofomaha.com

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We could all use a little less hurry and a lot more kindness in today’s world. Our hope is that this campaign encourages you and many others to pay it forward whenever you can. Kindness costs nothing but could mean everything to someone!

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November // December • 2015 | 154 | omahamagazine.com

November/December 2015

DENI S E CERNY Bad Knees? No Prob!

Silver City Santa

Yes, Kids, the Beard is Real

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Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disease

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november/december 2015 | omahamagazine.com

60PLUS FROM THE EDITOR

THE STORIES WE TELL B

EING ABLE TO TELL the stories of Omaha is an honor, and it reminds me of the many stories that will be told when my family gathers for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, that most joyful and“story-est” time of the year.

My son, Todd, and his wife, Sandy, will beam with pride as we’re joined by their newlywed daughter, Casey, and husband, Shea Shiley. We’ll get to know Shea better by the stories he tells over pumpkin pie. And Todd and Sandy’s son, Chad, will tear himself away from digital devices long enough to update the family on his sophomore year at Papillion South High School.

Son Tyler will boast of his kids, Sarah and Danielle. We’ll learn if Sarah has gone all Valley Girl on us as she—a talented contributor of photography to our family of publications— settles into her first year of college in California. And Danielle, a junior at Westside High School, will dish about her friends as we dish up the turkey.

Another son, RL, and his wife, Amy, will be with us, too.

Their son, William, will regale us with tales of life in the hip, happening city that is Austin, Texas, while his brother, Alex, competes to do the same when it comes to the glistening metropolis of Dallas.

Yet another boy of mine, Brad, will be accompanied by wife Karen and their adult children Mitchell, Miles, and Morgan.

Mitchell is retired from the Navy and going to school at UNO. Miles is working in Omaha, and Morgan is working on a perpetual tan in Florida.

The food is sure to be memorable, but it will be by the stories told around the table—just like the ones in this magazine— that define who we are as a family.

Until next issue!

Gwen

Gwen Lemke Contributing Editor, 60PLUS In Omaha

CONTENTS volume 3 • issue 5 CONSUMER PROTECTION Bullseye!

How to Know When You’re the Target of a Scam............................... S4

FEATURE Generational Mixer North Omaha Non-Profit Combines Youth and Geriatrics..................................S8

FACES Silver City Santa Yes, Kids, the Beard is Real.....................S12

COVER FEATURE Denise Cerny Bad Knees? No prob!...............................S14

HEALTH Alzheimer’s Disease What Prospective Caregivers Need to Know..........................................S18

NOSTALGIA Old in Omaha Do You Remember…...............................S20

THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES Taking Off The Training Wheels........................S22

november/december 2015 | 60PLUS

S3

60PLUS CONSUMER PROTECTION by ryan borchers

S4â&#x20AC;&#x192; 60PLUS | november/december 2015 | omahamagazine.com

BULLSEYE!

how to know when you’re the target of a scam

I

F YOU TYPE “SCAMS af” into Google’s search bar, the first suggested result is “scams affecting seniors.”

Elderly people are popular targets because they tend to act more polite and trusting, and many criminals assume senior citizens are more likely to have money in the form of retirement funds or life savings. In the case of Internet fraud, scam artists assume elderly people are more susceptible to things like fake pop-up ads and “scareware.” Specific types of scams are also deliberately targeted at senior citizens, such as fraudulent funeral services or offers for fake anti-aging products.

Here are eight signs/phrases that you’re being targeted:

REQUEST FOR PERSONAL INFORMATION

THEY CREATE A SENSE OF FEAR

“GET RICH NOW!”

Scam artists often ask for sensitive information like your bank account or credit card number. Oftentimes, he or she will claim to be someone official, someone like a Medicare representative or IRS official. Never give your social security or credit card number to someone who has initiated contact with you.

Scam artists often attempt to convince you that there’s a big problem afoot or you’re in danger, something they offer to fix for a fee. This can also happen in a case of repair fraud, in which a person shows up at your door and says your home or car is in need of urgent maintenance.

Always demand to see written material if someone asks you to invest in his/her company or project, or call the company the person claims to represent.

“PLEASE WIRE MONEY”

“FOREIGN LOTTERY”

Once you wire money you can’t get it back.

Scammers often ask you to use Western Union.

A lottery in a foreign country or a contest you didn’t enter is a red flag. This will often be accompanied by a mandate to pay to enter the contest or claim your prize. Always request written information about the contest and don’t call a 1-900 number to claim contest winnings (you’ll be billed for the call). Even if they send you a check, the check may bounce after a few days in your bank account, during which criminals can collect fees related to the “prize.”

THEY SEEM RELUCTANT TO DIVULGE INFORMATION Perhaps they claim to represent a charity, one that sounds legitimate or similar to the name of another charity (the Better Business Bureau and give.org have lists of legitimate companies and charities), but won’t tell you details. They may ask you to send them money, after which they’ll fill you in on all the details.

IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE If the offer for travel with all expenses paid sounds a little too nice, well, it probably is.

“WE NEED A DECISION NOW” Many scams create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly. Again, always demand more information about the offer and read the information carefully.

If you do find yourself having been taken in by a criminal, several agencies can help, including the National Adult Protective Services Association (napsa-now.org/get-help/help-in-your-area/) and the Eldercare Locator (eldercare.gov/Eldercare.NET/Public/Index.aspx).

Remember: If you think it’s illegitimate, hang up, shut the door, or don’t respond. The longer you engage a scam artist, the more likely you are to buy.

november/december 2015 | 60PLUS S5

60PLUS FEATURE

A Dial Retirement Community

S6â&#x20AC;&#x192; 60PLUS | november/december 2015 | omahamagazine.com

60PLUS feature

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november/december 2015 | 60PLUS

S7

60PLUS FEATURE by mike watkins | photography by bill sitzmann

Pauline Smith works with a teen client at NOIHSC. S8â&#x20AC;&#x192; 60PLUS | november/december 2015 | omahamagazine.com

GENERATIONAL MIXER

north Omaha non-profit combines youth and geriatrics

A

S THE MOTHER OF six and grandmother of four, Pauline Smith knows a little something about relating to kids.

She uses these skills as a participant in the North Omaha Intergenerational Human Service Campus (NOIHSC)—where senior citizens spend time speaking with, and giving sage advice to, a younger generation of at-risk youth, many the age of their grandchildren.

“With this, children get out a lot of love, and I don’t believe they want to be what they’ve become,” Smith says. “I like being able to pass on what I know—my life experiences, good and bad—onto younger people. It’s my way of helping out the next generation.”

It’s pretty obvious she knows of what she speaks—and it’s working.

Ask Derek and Peter, two young men who struggle with anger issues and gang affiliation as part of Heartland Family Service’s Youth Links program. Youth Links is an innovative program for kids ages 10-18 who have been found to be delinquent or who are status offenders. It’s considered a “triage” center in that it provides assessments and short-term services which help youth re-enter or remain in the community safely.

Seniors who have moved into the 44 new, energy-efficient housing units at the developing NOIHSC as well as from the neighboring community work each day with the young people involved with Youth Links, along with children and families in the neighborhood.

The intergenerational component offers powerful benefits including culture exchange, enhanced social skills, improved academic performance, decreased social isolation among the elderly, increased feelings of stability, stimulated learning, increased emotional support, and improved health.

Overall, NOIHSC has increased the wellbeing of many north Omaha seniors and children who need its services.

It’s definitely reciprocal.

“I’ve gained a lot of maturity through my time with the older people; they like to talk to you and give you advice about how to be successful by staying away from gangs and other bad things,” says 17-year-old Peter.

“It’s been great keeping on the positive track (through Youth Links) and learning how to be and keep safe.”

This project, led by Holy Name Housing Corp. and Heartland Family Service, was created to stimulate and complement commercial growth in north Omaha while focusing on services tailored to the lives and needs of neighborhood residents.

Combining—or mixing—the generations gives the older generation the opportunity to impart their life experiences and lessons learned to the youth through conversation and advice, which in turn gives the younger generation outlets for some of the anger and other issues that landed them at Youth Links.

According to senior center director Karen Sides, this project has been a long time coming, and once the funds were raised to make it happen earlier this year, it quickly became a reality that’s changing lives for the better.

“Our seniors don’t judge the children in our program; to them, it’s an even playing field,” Sides says. “Intergenerational is kind of a buzzword with society, but it’s really making a difference. They spend time together, building trust and revealing things about each other that lead to making connections.”

Visit heartlandfamilyservice.org to learn more.

november/december 2015 | 60PLUS S9

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60PLUS FACES by judy horan | photography contributed by Durham Museum

S12â&#x20AC;&#x192; 60PLUS | november/december 2015 | omahamagazine.com

SILVER CITY SANTA

yes, kids, the beard is real

F

ORGET WHAT THEY TOLD you in first grade. Santa Claus does not live at the North Pole. He lives with Mrs. Claus in Silver City, Iowa—a town of 236 people, one jolly elf, and his wife.

Each November Santa, aka Gary, turns into the world-renowned being to whom children want to tell their secrets, but they still know who he really is even in the heat of summer.

“Mothers drag their children away from him,” jokes Mrs. Claus, aka Lynda. “He’s a big man with long white hair and a beard.”

Without his signature red suit, he looks rather formidable to a small child.

Silver City’s Papa Noel starts his holiday appearances at The Durham’s tree-lighting ceremony the day after Thanksgiving. He and Mrs. Claus also appear there the following Friday at the museum’s Ethnic Festival.

Along with The Durham, the couple appear at schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.

They recall rewarding moments. “One woman every year, from age 90 until she died at age 105, had her picture taken with Santa,” Lynda says.

And there are funny memories. Visiting a second-grade class, he was asked by a little boy, “How do we know you’re really Santa?”

Gary invited him to feel his beard. The youngster entwined his fingers into the iconic white fuzz and was literally lifted two feet off the ground when Gary stood, proving the facial hair was real.

Some responses break Gary’s heart. At Offutt Air Force Base, he received a humbling reply from his routine question, “What do you want for Christmas?” “(The child) replied: ‘My dad could use tools. He hasn’t had a job for awhile. My mom could use a new dress.’ It was tearing us up. I asked ‘Isn’t there anything you want?’

He said, ‘I guess I could use a new toothbrush.’ We just wanted to shut down and take him shopping.”

While some children melt Gary’s heart, others warm it.

“A little girl crawled into my lap and snuggled. She said she was tired. I said I was, too, and told her: ‘But see all the stuff on the floor? (Meaning the white confetti, or “snow”) I have to stay and clean that up.’ She

said ‘Maybe we could all stay and help you.’”

“I don’t do it for the money,” adds Gary.

“Ninety percent of what we do, we do for free.”

He never wants to turn down people who call with requests to appear, but Father Christmas maintains a busy schedule.

“It breaks my heart when I have to tell someone no,” he says. “We’re both getting old.”

(And here we thought Kriss Kringle was ageless).

Gary and Lynda each have two grown children. Two grandchildren have performed as elves.

“You don’t tell anyone that grandpa is Santa Claus,” Lynda tells the clan. “That’s the family secret.”

Even if he is slower and appears less frequently than before, Gary believes portraying St. Nicholas is the cat’s pajamas…make that the Christmas pajamas.

“I’ve been doing this for over 38 years and never had a child be anything but wonderful.

I get a lot more out of being Santa than the kids get out of meeting me.”

november/december 2015 | 60PLUS S13

60PLUS ACTIVE LIVING by daisy hutzell-rodman | photography by bill sitzmann

DENISE CERNY bad knees? no prob!

S14â&#x20AC;&#x192; 60PLUS | november/december 2015 | omahamagazine.com

I

DON’T EVER REMEMBER BEING bored,” says Denise Cerny.

She sits at her kitchen table for just a couple of moments before jumping up to pour a glass of iced tea. She sits again, then jumps up to grab her iPad so she can investigate something on the Internet.

The constant movement fits her well.

Her parents are Ardith Smeal, 92, and the late Donald Smeal. Donald owned Smeal Fire Apparatus Co. for more than 50 years.

The company is one of two in Nebraska manufacturing those bright red vehicles people see rushing to eliminate fires. >

“

november/december 2015 | 60PLUS S15

60PLUS ACTIVE LIVING

< Along with their west Omaha home, she and her husband, Rod, keep a home in Phoenix. Denise gardens, often finding unusual plants to keep in pots on the back deck. She and her husband also golf avidly.

“Activity is important in our life and in our relationship with each other,” says a sister, Mary Lou Tomka of Lincoln. “My dad and mom had seven daughters, and five of us played softball at the same time. We’ve always been involved in activities.”

Cerny long kept in shape as a marathon runner. She ran marathons in New York, Los Angeles, Alaska, and Hawaii.

“When the kids were little I used it as my down time,” Cerny says. “There’s something about being in the open air, focused on running—it keeps me going.”

Make that it “kept” her going. Five years ago, at age 58, her knees began to hurt after running. She did not admit it at first—she liked having strong knees.

“That was one thing I would always say.

I would run, and I would look up and say ‘Thank you, God, for good knees!’”

She finally saw an orthopedist, also a friend of hers, who said, “You have osteoarthritis in both knees.”

Cerny’s heart fell. She had to quit running.

“It took a long time before I could drive past a runner and not be envious.”

She underwent surgery and spent several weeks on the couch recuperating.

“Before I had the surgery I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’” Cerny says. “I had to be in the house.”

The surgery could not keep her down totally.

“I started playing Rock Band,” Cerny says with a girlish giggle. “I had never played a video game before...but you know what, it’s a lot of fun!”

After several weeks, she started moving again, even if the athletic activity switched gears.

These days Cerny’s great athletic passion is bicycling. She rides her bicycle frequently around Omaha and has ridden RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) every year for the past 12 years.

“I was still marathoning and my sisters (Renee Smeal of Omaha and Tomka) said ‘you ought to do this.’” Cerny says. “At that time I didn’t have a very good bike. After a couple of years I got a better bike. You would not believe how much easier that made things.”

Cerny’s definition of better includes lighter.

The lower weight of the bike allowed her to ride faster and longer. This was especially helpful five years ago.

“I had done RAGBRAI right before my surgery because I wanted to be in shape,” Cerny says. “And that worked!”

Cerny discovered that bicycling does not hurt her knees.

“I had to find other ways to take up that slack,” Cerny says of not being able to run.

“I did RAGBRAI the next year after surgery and was still fine. I started working with a trainer because I thought I needed someone who knows what they are doing so I don’t hurt myself again.”

S16 60PLUS | november/december 2015 | omahamagazine.com

Bicycling gives her the outlet once taken up by running.

“Once you do it, you have to keep doing it,” Cerny quips. “The people of Iowa are so great with their pies and the parties they throw.

The last day when you get to the Mississippi, you’re (geographically) as high as you’re going to be all week, and you want people to know how great this is.”

Tomka no longer rides on RAGBRAI, but Smeal and Cerny ride with a group from Omaha known as Team Angry during the weeklong party/bicycling event.

“My sisters talked me into joining a team for safety reasons,” says Cerny, who still rides solo during the week, catching up with the group at her own pace.

“It isn’t a race, and it isn’t a ride where you have to stick together,” says Smeal. “The only time we ride together is the last day.

On the last day we like to enter the final town together. You ride in as a team and people cheer and you get your picture taken with your team dipping their front tires into the Mississippi.”

No matter whether Cerny bikes, golfs, or plays Rock Band, she keeps a “can do” attitude in mind.

“I really like my life,” Cerny says. “I’m really lucky I can do that.”

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S17

60PLUS HEALTH by susan meyers

ALZHEIMER’S C DISEASE

what prospective caregivers need to know

ARING FOR A LOVED one with Alzheimer’s disease can be both physically and emotionally demanding. “As the disease progresses, the amount of care the Alzheimer’s patient requires rises dramatically, as does the toll it takes on the caregiver,” notes Daniel Murman, M.D., neurologist at The Nebraska Medical Center.

While there are things you can do to better prepare yourself for the caregiver role, the thing to remember is that Alzheimer’s progresses differently in each person, as do the caregiver circumstances and ability to cope with the disease.

S18 60PLUS | november/december 2015 | omahamagazine.com

“I remember noticing changes in my wife for about a year but I couldn’t put my finger on it,” says Allan Schur, husband of Sharon Schur, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2005 when she was just 54 years old. “It took my daughter, who hadn’t seen her for almost a year, to step in and tell me that she needed to be seen by a doctor.”

The most difficult part about being a caregiver is dealing with and managing guilt, notes Schur. “No matter how much you try, no matter how much you do, you cannot change the course of what is always a terminal disease,” he says. “There are no ‘survivor’s walks’ for Alzheimer’s.”

“Alzheimer’s is a long and emotional process, and caregivers should not feel guilty about seeking outside resources to assist them whenever possible.”

-Daniel Murman M.D., urologist, Nebraska Medicine

Schur also recommends starting each day as a new day and not dwelling on the past or thinking about what might have been. “The most important day in the life of a caregiver is today,” he says.

While it may sound contradictory, Schur says it is also important to be proactive. “Early in the disease you have to teach your loved one new tricks before they need to use them and while they have the capability to learn.”

For example, there are phones where you can insert pictures of a child, friend or caregiver on large buttons so the user can press the picture of the person he or she wants to dial.

“By the time I realized my wife needed this type of phone, it was too late to teach her how to use it,” says Schur.

Schur adds other tips. “Early in the disease, note the places you like to go and which ones have family restrooms. This will help you later when your loved one may need assistance.”

Participation in a support group is vital.

“You can learn from the successes and failures of other caregivers,” says Schur. “You will be reminded that others are walking down a similar path and learn new coping mechanisms. You will see that you are not alone and that’s a pretty big deal some days.”

And lastly, be proactive about their care, stresses Shur. “I reached a point where I realized that if I continued with this 24/7 job, my loved one would outlive me. Tour facilities while you can and well before you need to place your loved one in a long-term facility.”

“Alzheimer’s is a long and emotional process, and caregivers should not feel guilty about seeking outside resources to assist them whenever possible,” says Dr. Murman.

He suggests using resources such as the Alzheimer’s Association and the local Agency on Aging.

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Visit the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org to learn more. november/december 2015 | 60PLUS S19

60PLUS NOSTALGIA by david williams

OLD IN OMAHA

do you remember...

S20â&#x20AC;&#x192; 60PLUS | november/december 2015 | omahamagazine.com

T

HE LONG-GONE OMAHA OF an earlier millennia is loaded with memories.

And sideburns. And Easy Bake Ovens. It was a time when no presidential campaign would be complete without Paul Lynde making a valiant run for the Oval Office while you watched a war in a far-off land unfold on TV and prayed for an insanely high draft number. How many of these tidbits do you remember?

ROSE LODGE

MORE EATS

Plating this dish over waffles may be a thing today, but who can forget the crispy goodness of the chicken served at this legendary spot on the southeast corner of 78th and Dodge that is now the site of O’Daniel Honda?

And how about the Sunday ritual of a postservice visit to Bishop’s Buffet in your best “dicky” turtleneck or Nancy Sinatra, madefor-walkin’ go-go boots, even if that Cheese Frenchee, malt, and side of rings served by a King’s Food Host carhop the night before was still sitting pretty heavy?

POGO’S DISCO C’mon, admit it. You teetered atop towering platform shoes while dancing The Hustle under that seizure-inducing strobe in this musk-scented nightspot located on the southeast corner of 72nd and Dodge. You know, the one just across from Kenny’s Steakhouse.

HINKY DINKY Occupying the third corner of the the city’s busiest intersection was the place you went to buy cheese when it was…well, just regular old cheese, dammit! Award yourself bonus points if you also remember that the grocer’s name came from “Mademoiselle from Armentieres,” the bawdy WWI song with the nonsensical lyrics hinky dinky parlez-vous.

SCHOOL DAYS Didn’t Omaha used to have like a zillion Catholic high schools? You know you’re old in Omaha if you earned a sheepskin from a long-defunct school patrolled by nuns clad in acres of black who thought the church had gone “too far” with Vatican II. Mass in English? Saints preserve us!

CORNFIELDS Just any old cornfield would do—and there were plenty of them in the Omaha of old— when it came time for the rite of passage that was your first sickly sweet sip of Boone’s Farm wine accompanied by a (sicklier and sweeter) Swisher Sweet. Or so says our publisher (and former delinquent) Todd Lemke.

SPEAKING OF DELINQUENTS

Paper drivers licenses. That’s right, paper!

All it took was an eraser, a steady hand and, voilà, you were ready to hit every dive bar across the river when the drinking age in Iowa was still 18. Remember the sensation caused when Coors’ 3.2 brew was first introduced on the prairie? Or the arrival of Olympia Beer?

Par-taaaay! (Just be home by curfew.)

DELIVERIES No “freaky fast” sub or pizza deliveries back in those days. Sure, you had a milk box on your front porch like every other red-blooded American, but pizza was exotic fare served at a quaint tabletop illuminated by a candle stuck in an empty chianti bottle. Darn it, there’s just no way to phonetically represent that gross noise made by Hannibal Lecter when he uttered that famous line about fava beans and chianti.

VROOM-VROOM There was nothing more “Omaha” than cruising Dodge on a balmy summer night in your dad’s snazzy Dodge Dart. Eric Burden growled on the radio that “we gotta get out of this place,” but we’re glad you stayed to help make Omaha the great city it is today.

We had fun with the recollections above, but it is important to point out that Omaha Magazine is a staunch opponent of underage drinking. Unless, of course, that drinking happened before 1975. And in a cornfield. And by our publisher.

november/december 2015 | 60PLUS S21

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES by david williams

TAKING OFF the training wheels

T

HE OLD ADAGE ABOUT never forgetting after learning how to ride a bike is pure hokum, and this grandpa is living proof.

On a recent camping trip with grandsons Barrett (4) and Easton (5), I climbed aboard my daughter-in-law’s girlie bike—the robin’s egg blue cruiser outfitted with a cute basket that is perfect for holding…I dunno…kewpie dolls or friendship bracelets or other sugarand-spice paraphernalia.

About three feet into my wobbly peddling it struck me that I could not remember the last time I had been on a bicycle. After giving it some thought, I pegged the year to be 1981. I won’t bore you with the comical, look-out-forthat-tree details of our ride over hill and over dale (poor Dale) through the campground that day.

The experience reminded me that Barrett and Easton are born-to-ride daredevils when it comes to two-wheeled action. Not 10 days after the training wheels came off Barrett’s bike he was already flying along the Wabash Trace Trail over in Iowa on one of the popular

Taco Rides, and his family has since taken 10-mile jaunts along other, sometimes more challenging trails while crisscrossing the metro.

The thought of which is all absolutely horrifying to me.

And doubly so for my wife, Julie. When we let our imaginations get the best of us, life as grandparents can be a pins-and-needles game of waiting for that inevitable phone call from my son or daughter-in-law where we are informed, “Well, just thought we’d tell you that we’re on our way to the emergency room.”

That’s where this story was supposed to end. Sure, I would have yammered on for a paragraph or three on the terrors of being the grandpa of two young, adventurous boys who don’t know the meaning of fear…but that was going to be pretty much it. Column done.

Over. See ya next issue.

Except that we did, in fact, get that phone call.

One week to the day after my tottering bike ride inspired this column, Barrett did a face-plant onto the pavement off his otherwise

S22 60PLUS | november/december 2015 | omahamagazine.com

trusty steed. Yes, he was wearing a helmet, as always, but he knocked out three front teeth, and his bruised and bloodied face looked like a punch-drunk Robert Ne Niro in Raging Bull.

My son, Eric, was a BMX rebel in his teen years, and I recall holding my breath (thank goodness for a gold-plated medical plan) every time that starter gate dropped with a clang and a quartet of riders hurtled toward certain doom. That was at the bicycle track down in Lincoln but now, a generation later, Omaha has a BMX death trap of its own.

And Eric’s reaction to the events of last weekend? He plans to have Barrett fitted with a new mouthguard before going airborne for the first time in a gravity-defying ride on and over the dirt moguls of the local track. All before my grandson’s fat lip is even given a chance to recede to its former prettyboy profile.

God help us all.

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OBVIOUSLY OMAHA WORDS BY GARRETT STEPIEN, SPORTS EDITOR OF THE RUTGERS DAILY TARGUM PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEN SOLOMON, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

line the hedges along the brick path just outside the stadium on what is called the Scarlet Walk, which features the iconic statue of a Rutgers player in a classic, Heisman-esque stiff-arm pose to commemorate the Birthplace of College Football.

BOOM!

Plug your ears when the Blackshirts allow the Scarlet Knights into the end zone. After every Rutgers score, a cannon in the corner of the north end zone rocks the stadium with a resounding volley. This tradition stems from the fabled Rutgers-Princeton rivalry where, starting in 1875, pranksters from each school would steal the cannon from the opposing campus.

EATS

If you’re looking for a place to grab some grub, cross the river over into New Brunswick. You’ll find a wide array of choices along Easton Avenue and George Street. Right off George at 101 Paterson Street is Destination Dogs, where the toppings lean toward the exotic. My personal favorite is the El Barracho, a Mexican corndog. Other topnotch food options nearby include Old Man Rafferty’s and Stage Left. You really can’t miss on any of these if you’re in “The Bruns.”

DRINKS

A college town wouldn’t be complete without its bar scene. If you are brave enough to go into a Rutgers bar directly off campus sure to be filled with Scarlet Knight fans, take a shot (heck, have a few shots) at any of these taverns: Old Queens Tavern, Scarlet Pub, Knight Club, and Kelly’s Korner. There’s also a World of Beer franchise on nearby George Street.

The First Game statue honors Rutgers’ role as the Birthplace of College Football.

S

O, YOU’RE TRAVELING to The Garden State for the Huskers'

Nov. 14 game against the Rutgers Scarlett Knights? Here's the inside dope on how to plan your game day.

BIRTHPLACE

It all started right here at Rutgers, the Birthplace of College Football.

The first intercollegiate football game was played on Nov. 6, 1869, on the banks of the Raritan River when the visiting Tigers of the College of New Jersey took on—and lost 6-4 to—the Queensmen of Rutgers College.

TRADITION

No Tunnel Walk this weekend, but watch as the team enters the stadium 90 minutes before kickoff in a tradition that has each player touching the “The First Game” statue for good luck as the marching band cranks out the fight song. Before every home game Rutgers fans

HISTORY

When Rutgers was founded as Queens College in 1766, it occupied a single city block. Now the New Brunswick campus alone splits into five separate campuses spread across two neighboring towns. To take a look at what began one of the oldest universities in the nation, Big Red fans can stroll over to the historic part of campus, which is located right across the street from the New Brunswick train station on College Avenue between Hamilton and Somerset streets.

GEORGE

On his way up to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to take control of the Continental Army, the nation’s first president-to-be came through New Brunswick on June 24, 1775. Look for the American Revolutionary War monument located at the corner of Albany and Neilson streets.

Washington returned on Dec. 9, 1783, and was celebrated with a few drinks at Indian O Queen Tavern, which still stands at 1050 River Road in Piscataway.

November // December • 2015 | 179 | bestofomaha.com

LA DOLCE VITA “The Sweet Life” at Affordable Price Points WORDS BY MYSTERY REVIEWER PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

F

EDERICO FELLINI’S 1960 film, La

Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) is best described as a dramedy, a mix of drama and comedy. The story of Dolce, the restaurant, is certainly full of drama, but there’s nothing funny about their growth into a full-service, white tablecloth dining destination replete with multi-course dinners, a full bar, and nicely appointed wine list.

Dolce started as a pastry shop and bakery that also served a casual lunch. The public raved about their cakes, cupcakes, paninis, and burgers, but wanted more.

Pan Roasted Chicken

The first thing you may notice when you walk into Dolce is how tiny it is. With most tables dressed for two, this attractive space has garnered a reputation as an intimate date-night eatery.

Omaha Magazine • Mystery Review

Charcuterie Board

Goat Cheese Salad

“Date night” is usually code for dollar signs, but Dolce has carved out a niche as a decidedly affordable experience. How about a nicely arrayed four-course menu for two that starts at just $58? That’s right, 58 bucks!

Executive Chef Anthony Kueper’s “Date Night” for two concept includes a choice of shared appetizer, soups or salads, entrees, and a dessert to split. Dolce is gracious about accommodating substitutions and add-ons.

The sweet life, after all, is defined by the choices you make. Add a bottle of great wine and it bumps the bill to a mere $75. It’s very affordable fine dining and one of the best values in town.

On a recent visit my dining partner and I sampled the “Date Night” menu. The hardest part was deciding what to order because of the variety of tasty options. After much deliberation we selected the charcuterie board for an appetizer. The house-cured salamis, pork rillette, spicy mustard, and pickled vegetables were beautifully presented and as good as any I have ever had. But the star of this dish was the house-made rye bread rolls that were hot from the oven.

Next I tried the soup of the day, which was an amazing puree of roasted sweet onions that were perfectly seasoned and nicely accented

by crispy leeks and basil oil. My dining partner selected the warm goat cheese salad, which required a nominal addition to the bill. This dish featured sliced roasted beets, arugula dressed in an orange truffle vinaigrette, and, of course, warm goat cheese, which was breaded and fried. Delicious!

Omaha is now home to several restaurants that rival the best of the best on the national stage, but most tend to also emulate the price points that go along with such culinary reputations. Dolce is bucking that trend by offering spectacular food and service at an Omaha price point.

My entree was king salmon, which was perfectly seared and served with cannellini beans, carrots, and spinach. It was all in a sassy saffron broth with a caramelized onion jam. My dining partner had the pan roasted chicken breast, which was perhaps one of the most beautifully presented plates I’ve seen in a while. The chicken breast was juicy with expertly crisped skin plated over garlic gnocchi, seared kale, and roasted tomatoes accompanied by an olive puree and chicken jus that really set everything off. Another stellar dish!

And that’s a winning O formula for serving up the sweet life.

Cheers!

Visit dolceomaha.com to learn more.

We shared the brioche bread pudding for dessert. It was drizzled with caramel and came with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream just for good measure—a delightful finish for a very enjoyable meal.

The service at Dolce was also top-notch. Our server was a very attentive young man gifted with a near flawless sense of timing.

November // December • 2015 | 181 | bestofomaha.com

DOLCE 12317 WEST MAPLE OMAHA NE 68134 DOLCEOMAHA.COM FOOD SERVICE AMBIANCE PRICE $$ OVERALL 5 STARS POSSIBLE

Omaha Magazine • Dining

TASTY TRIP

Amsterdam Falafel & Kabob Takes Dundee Zing to Lincoln WORDS BY SARAH WENGERT PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

A

NYONE WHO’S FALLEN for local cui-

sine when traveling to faraway lands knows the feeling. You return home, bereft of your new favorite foreign flavors and find yourself pining for an unforgettable empanada from that street vendor in Buenos Aires, the croissant you nibbled in a quaint Parisian sidewalk cafe, the perfect slice of Neapolitan pizza you devoured in Naples.

For Amsterdam Falafel & Kabob owner/ operator Anne Cavanaugh and her business partner, Phil Anania, it was Amsterdam’s famous falafel.

The restaurant “was an idea we came up with while on a trip to Amsterdam with our great friend and former business partner, Paul Kulik,” says Cavanaugh.

Before you even round the corner, you’ll sense the savory aroma of curry fries wafting throughout the neighborhood. Follow your nose as the scent strengthens, and you’ll find falafel treasure at the end of the line.

After a trip “eating falafels at every turn,” the three imported the taste to Omaha, launching Amsterdam Falafel & Kabob in Dundee in 2007. From a petite, brick bay footsteps from 50th and Underwood, they offered a simple menu that invigorated the tastebuds. The neighborhood hungrily accepted the trio’s gesture.

The falafel that started it all is perfectly cooked on the restaurant’s trademark grilled flatbread and adorned with the tabouli, pickled red cabbage, and carrot-chickpea salad that graces all the main menu items. Meat lovers will enjoy the Döner Kabob, offered alongside the falafel as a protein choice for their sandwich, salad, or plate (the latter a newer offering with hummus). Sauce lovers can choose from four house-made options—garlic, herb, spicy red, and a newer spicy green—and will appreciate mixing and matching sauces as they like.

Amsterdam recently joined forces with Flagship Restaurant Group to open a second location across from Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln’s bustling Haymarket district—a coup for the after-concert crowd and Husker fans who can try a Spicy Red Falafel in the name of team spirit on game day. Amsterdam is also joining Westroads Mall’s Flagship Commons dining space.

Curry fries are served European style with mayo (remember that famous fries/mayo scene in Pulp Fiction?) or with all-American ketchup. A newer masterpiece, Feta Fries, are an absolute inspiration—curry fries topped with all four sauces and chunks of fresh feta.

A tomato-based Moroccan Peanut Soup with coconut milk, cumin, and cilantro is a special treat in colder months.

A recent visit to the Dundee location showed Amsterdam tasting better than ever at the place whose late-night hours and cool vibe had originally set it apart.

All types converge at the Dundee location throughout the day—a pair of suits for a business lunch, a well-heeled couple savoring an afternoon snack. Later, college kids

BEFORE YOU EVEN ROUND THE CORNER, YOU’LL SENSE THE SAVORY AROMA OF CURRY FRIES WAFTING THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD. abscond with curry-infused carry-out while young couples do date-night and families feed. The midcentury-modern-meets-fastcasual decor is illuminated by globe-shaped lights and sprinkled with bicycle prints, a nod to Amsterdam’s status as the two-wheeled capital of the world.

In warmer months, this hodgepodge of humanity spills out onto the sidewalk seating, blending seamlessly with the neighboring businesses as toasts are made at the Cork & Bottle on one side and ice cream cones are licked from eCreamery on the other. Much later still, the place is a must-stop for good eats at indecent hours.

It’s a long way from Amsterdam, but Cavanaugh and crew have successfully created their very own cultural destination.

O Visit eatafk.com to learn more.

November // December • 2015 | 183 | bestofomaha.com

November // December • 2015 | 184 | omahamagazine.com

Omaha Magazine • Dining

TIME OUT

Chicken is king at this north Omaha landmark.

WORDS BY LEO ADAM BIGA PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

That’s when he devised the chicken recipe that has made Time Out a hit.

He won't share the savory spicy recipe for his lip-smacking, mouth-watering chicken, but does reveal the battered bird is deep-fried in peanut oil. Whatever the secret ingredients, he notes "all the customers say it makes them have a craving for it." Regulars dining there one recent morning raved about the moist, tender meat and crispy, never-greasy crust.

They all admitted to a hankering that keeps them coming back for more.

"THERE'S SO MUCH MORE [POSITIVE] GOING ON IN NORTH OMAHA THAN EVER BEFORE.” -Steve Mercer Living in Atlanta, Georgia, hasn't dulled Omaha native Cheryl Berry-Neal's passion for poultry. "Time Out is a must-stop when we come to town," she says. She and other ex-pats in town for Native Omaha Days flood the joint for its familiar comfort food. Lines form year-round every Sunday as the afterchurch crowd dressed in their finest patiently wait for a down-home fix.

T

HE OFFICIAL NAME of this long-

lived north Omaha business is Time Out Foods. "But Time Out Chicken is what everybody tags us as," says owner Steve Mercer. He's even bought that Google domain.

With a sign proclaiming "Omaha's Best Fried Chicken," it's no surprise what the signature dish is at this north 30th Street landmark.

Credit for this grassroots branding, he says, goes to the restaurant’s fans.

"We didn't just create this ourselves,” Mercer says. “It's the people that buy it all the time that make it our signature. That's the name the people gave us."

He says business keeps growing and he's considering expanding and adding new locations.

"I feel like this is just the beginning of something else to happen,” he says. “This is a good ride.” With many north O revitalization efforts underway after years of stagnation, his timing seems good. "There's so much more [positive] going on in north Omaha than ever before.”

Though chicken is clearly what keeps folks coming back, it was not the house staple when his parents bought the place in 1972.

The Swanson Corp., the TV dinner pioneer, opened Time Out in 1969 to develop a model for black-owned fast food franchises. Local sports legends Bob Boozer and Bob Gibson lent celebrity status. But north Omaha struggled, and so did the restaurant. Mercer's parents saw opportunity and secured a loan to buy it. Mercer, who had worked there since age 12, bought the business in 1982 when he was only 22.

Chicken is the star, but cheeseburgers and other hot sandwiches are plenty popular, too.

The classic crinkle-style fries also have many devotees. So do the pies supplied by an outside vendor.

Three generations of family work there, including Steve's mother, Jean.

"That's what makes it work,” says Mercer.

"We've been doing this for over 40 years and we enjoy doing it,” as a family. “I'm here because I love being here. It's my second home."

More and more, Mercer views Time Out as a community anchor.

"I can't let the community or anybody else down. We have to do whatever it takes to keep it going because anything else wouldOjust not be right. Failure is not an option."

Visit timeoutfoods.com to learn more.

November // December • 2015 | 185 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Magazine • Giving Feature

R A DICA L SI M PL ICITY Abide is transforming north Omaha one neighborhood at a time.

WORDS BY ANTHONY FLOTT PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

November // December • 2015 | 186 | omahamagazine.com

Abide Board President Ron Dotzler November // December • 2015 | 187 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Magazine • Giving Feature

R

ON DOTZLER GREW up in defiance.

The small town of Defiance, Iowa, that is.

“I’ve been rebellious ever since,” he says with a chuckle.

That’s a good thing for his home of the last four decades—a city some have referred to as the most dangerous place in America to be black.

According to a 2014 report by the Violence Policy Center, a Washington, D.C., research and advocacy center, 30 black people were murdered in Nebraska in 2011, the latest year for which data was available. Of them, 27 were murdered in Omaha. That put the state’s black homicide rate at 34.4 per 100,000 people—twice the national average. And in Omaha alone, Dotzler points out, the FBI reports an average of 23,000 major felony incidents each year.

Dotzler has seen the devastation firsthand.

Four years after moving to north Omaha, two girls in his neighborhood were murdered. That’s what got his defiant nature fighting back.

“That was kind of the straw that broke my back,” Dotzler says. “I felt like God was saying to me, ‘Ron, will you give me your life so other children won’t have their lives cut by violence?’”

The murders made him ever more committed to Abide, the inner-city nonprofit he and his wife, Twany, had launched in 1989.

Abide works “one neighborhood at a time,” helping develop healthy communities through four main foci: community building, family support programs, housing, and partnerships.

It has become one of the most successful— and increasingly well-known—nonprofits affecting change in Omaha.

But significant change didn’t come until 2007, when Abide altered its strategy. Most importantly, Abide began a holistic, grassroots tactic of “adopting” neighborhoods. With partners and volunteer power, the nonprofit began mowing lawns, cleaning litter, fixing abandoned properties, and more. They got to know neighbors personally. Relationships were built and change followed. People felt safer. Crime went down.

Law enforcement officers wanted to know what was happening. They were pointed to Abide. “The police showed up and said, ‘We don’t know what you’re doing, but it’s working,’” Dotzler says.

With help from partner Lifegate Church, Abide has since adopted more than 100 neighborhoods with help from 15 partners and more than 8,000 volunteers each year.

They have targeted 600 other neighborhoods to adopt.

Abide also establishes “Lighthouses,” abandoned homes that are fixed up and occupied by families. More than 30 Lighthouses have been established since 2009.

It has three community centers and offers family support and employee development programs, plus basketball and swimming programs for children. It throws block parties, hosts grill-outs, and stages Easter egg hunts.

Abide’s annual budget has grown to nearly $1.5 million.

Dotzler, 57, is board president. Son Josh, the former Creighton University basketball star, now is Abide CEO. Three other Dotzler children—Ron and Twany have 14 total— also are employees. Abide has 24 full-timers and 11 who work as paid, part-time interns.

The organization’s work has earned recognition from Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert and Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Dotzler says Abide doesn’t “market itself as the savior” of north Omaha. “We’re just one entity” among others working to make things better, he says. They’re just trying to “put the neighbor back in the hood.”

And those neighbors include Dotzler and his family.

Abide headquarters is a former Immanuel Hospital boiler facility on Fowler Street.

The building doubles as the Dotzler home.

The family originally moved to north Omaha from Millard in 1988. Dotzler had worked as a chemical engineer in the computer industry but felt called “to really invest in the lives of others.” To him, that meant mission work overseas. The Dotzlers sold their house and many of their possessions, but needed a temporary place to live before deciding where they would serve.

A friend said he could stay rent-free at his house in north Omaha—if Dotzler fixed it up while he was there. It needed more than a bit of work.

“I had grown up around pests, but not roaches like I saw in that house,” he says.

November // December • 2015 | 188 | omahamagazine.com

He was more shocked, though, by what he saw outside. “I started seeing the brokenness of lives like I’d never experienced before,” he says. “I saw more police in a couple weeks living in north Omaha than I saw in my whole life. I’d never dialed 911, and suddenly it began to be on my speed dial.”

In north Omaha today, he says, nine out of 10 homes are headed by a single parent. And at least 70 percent of families, he estimates, don’t own their own homes.

That’s radically unlike his childhood home in Defiance, Iowa, a small, rural community halfway between Denison and Harlan.

“I grew up with a mom and dad in the household, and the whole culture surrounding you had that kind of parental influence,” he says.

“There was an infrastructure in rural Iowa.

You were on the same page. There was a culture of understanding. We were all working toward the same things.

“In urban settings the autonomy is so greatly individualized and independence is so great that you don’t have those connections anymore.”

Before moving to north Omaha, Dotzler says he was “cold, callous, judgmental, and critical” of those living in the inner city.

No longer.

Now, he abides with them.

“We’ll never see the brokenness of crime and violence transformed,” Dotzler says, “until the brokenness O of crime and violence transforms us.”

Visit abideomaha.org to learn more.

November // December • 2015 | 189 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Magazine • Giving Calendar

GIVING

CALENDAR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

F E AT U R E D E V E N T November 12

2015 MARCH OF DIMES AND OMAHA MAGAZINE NURSE OF THE YEAR AWARDS Hilton Omaha marchofdimes.org/nebraska

Go Red for Women

Joslyn Art Museum Association Annual Gala

November 3

November 5

November 6

American Heart Association Embassy Suites— La Vista goredforwomen.org

Assistance League of Omaha alomaha.org

Angels Among Us Embassy Suites Old Market myangelsamongus.org

GO RED FOR WOMEN

November 4

NONPROFIT SUMMIT OF THE MIDLANDS

Nonprofit Association of the Midlands Embassy Suites— La Vista nonprofitam.org November 4

ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF OMAHA’S CHRISTMAS CARAVAN PREVIEW PARTY

ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF OMAHA’S CHRISTMAS CARAVAN

EVENING AMONG ANGELS

CREATING FUTURES SCHOLARSHIP DINNER Omaha Christian Academy Embassy Suites— La Vista omahachristian academy.org

HONORS ORCHESTRA CONCERT

Omaha Area Youth Orchestra Teachers Administrative Center (TAC) Building oayo.org November 12

November 6

TEAMMATES TAILGATE GALA

OMAHA CREATIVE INSTITUTE PATROL PARTY

Assistance League of Omaha alomaha.org

Omaha Creative Institute omahacreative institute.org

November 4

November 6

November 12

The Salvation Army American National Bank givesalvationarmy.org

One World Community Health Centers Livestock Exchange Building oneworldomaha.org

Nonprofit Association of the Midlands Embassy Suites— La Vista nonprofitam.org

TREE OF LIGHTS KICK-OFF

MILAGRO DINNER

November 6

8TH ANNUAL ADULT SPELLING BEE

Merrymakers Association Embassy Suites— La Vista merrymakers.org

November 7

November 5

TeamMates Embassy Suites— La Vista teammates.org

2015 NONPROFIT SUMMIT OF THE MIDLANDS—THE ART OF NONPROFIT SUSTAINABILITY

November 12

MERRYMAKERS 25TH ANNUAL ROAST

Literacy Center for the Midlands Scott Conference Center giveliteracy.org

November 13

JOSLYN ART MUSEUM ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GALA

November 19

November 20

Heartland Family Service Happy Hollow Country Club heartlandfamily service.org

Outlook Nebraska Inc. (ONI) Embassy Suites— La Vista outlooknebraska.org

NEBRASKA SALUTE TO FAMILIES

November 19

STOCK MARKET CHAMPIONSHIP 2015

Joslyn Art Museum Association Joslyn Art Museum joslyn.org

Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands bgcomaha.org

November 14

ANNUAL WINE TASTING & VINTNER DINNER

2015 CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER GALA Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Foundation CenturyLink Center Omaha childrensfoundation omaha.org November 15

NEBRASKA WIND SYMPHONY FALL CONCERT—“PEOPLE AND PLACES”

November 19

Avenue Scholars Foundation Omaha Prime-Old Market avescholars.org November 21

BLUEJAY JAMBOREE

Mutual of Omaha and Mutual of Omaha Bank Mutual of Omaha Dome spiritofomaha.com

Nebraska Wind Symphony UNO Stauss Performing Arts Center nebraskawind symphony.com

November // December • 2015 | 190 | omahamagazine.com

VISION BEYOND SIGHT BANQUET

November 26

MAKING SPIRITS BRING HOLIDAY CONCERT

Nebraska Wind Symphony Holland Performing Arts Center nebraskawind symphony.com November 29

BALLET NEBRASKA NUTCRACKER TEA PARTY AT JOSLYN CASTLE

Ballet Nebraska Guild Joslyn Castle joslyncastle.com December 3

CHRISTMAS IN OUR HEARTS

Community 360° The Salvation Army Kroc Center community-360.org

December 3

“HOME" FOR THE HOLIDAYS OPEN HOUSE

Omaha Home for Boys Youth and Family Services Building omahahomeforboys.org December 3-4

ADOPT-A-FAMILY RADIOTHON

The Salvation Army The Salvation Army Western Divisional Headquarters salarmyomaha.org

December 12

RESOURCE FAMILY CONFERENCE

KVC Nebraska Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, Lincoln, Neb. nebraska.kvc.org December 13

AUTISM NIGHT AT THE OMAHA CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Autism Action Partnership Omaha Children’s Museum autismaction.org December 13

December 3-5

HOLIDAY HISTORIC HOME TOUR AND BOUTIQUE Joslyn Castle Trust Joslyn Castle joslyncastle.com

HOLIDAY CENTER

Omaha Area Youth Orchestra Iowa Western Community College— The Arts Center oayo.org December 27

December 4

BALLET NEBRASKA— NUTCRACKER NOUVEAU

Ballet Nebraska Board of Directors Brandeis Mansion balletnebraska.org

OMAHA SYMPHONY GUILD DEBUTANTE BALL

Omaha Symphony Embassy Suites—La Vista omahasymphony.org

Holiday Historic Home Tour

Give the Gift that Keeps on …Cooking!

In honor of our 95th Anniversary, we’ve updated our very popular cookbook — and now you can order your copies in time for the holiday season!

They make great gifts and support a very worthy cause!

To order your 308-page cookbook full of 560 scrumptious recipes from staff, alumni, board members and friends of the Home, please call Kelley at 402-457-7165.

00 0 2

$

ing & Handl Shippingcluded In

Thank you for your support and Happy Holidays from the Omaha Home for Boys!

Order Your Copies Online at www.omahahomeforboys.org November // December • 2015 | 191 | bestofomaha.com

Always Local, Always Beautiful Congratulations to Executive Chef and Business Owner Jeff Snow for being inducted into the Omaha Hospitality Hall of Fame.

Each issue also features human interest pieces, including architect/designer/builder profiles, hot products, maintenance columns, room spotlights, landscaping columns, neighborhood profiles, home transformations, home happenings, mortgage columns, new business stories, green design features, and much, much more.

Way to go Chef!

402.558.3202 | CateringCreations.com

March/Apr

First Place 5 years in a row!

An approved caterer for many of Omaha’s nest venues.

al, Always Loc

utifu Always Bea

il 2013

l

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Mission: To enhance the quality of life of the blind and visually impaired.

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Free Parking • Free Admission • Smoke Free Open 364 Days a Year Happy Hours: Mon-Wed 5PM-8PM

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• GREAT LUNCHES & DINNERS • DAILY SPECIALS 402.731.2900 www.horsemenspark.com 6303 “Q” Street, Omaha,NE

November/December • 2015 | 192 | omahamagazine.com

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AMERICAN ADDY'S SPORTS BAR & GRILL - $

402-991-2663 14110 “S” Street At Addy’s we always put in the extra effort to provide the best experience in town. Mouth watering food, friendly staff and large drink selection makes us the perfect place to enjoy all the games.

Come see why everybody is talking about Addy’s. Open daily from 11 a.m.-2 a.m. addysbar.com

BLATT BEER & TABLE - $$

610 N 12th St. (402-718-8822 2835 S. 170th Plz. (402-697-7802) Blatt strives to bring people together. It’s a hub for common folk, those who appreciate craft beer and thoughtful pub food. Meat eaters and vegetarians come together over a menu focused on basic good food.

The beer is great and the company is even better. blatbeer.com

DJ’S DUGOUT - $

636 N 114th St. (402-498-8855) 1003 Capitol Ave. (402-763-9974) 10308 S 23rd St. (402-292-9096) 2102 S 67th St. (402-933-3533) 180th & Q St. (402-292-9096) Catch all of the action at four Omaha locations. Featuring burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, appetizers, and an impressive drink menu along with HD TVs and projectors. Home to Blazin’ Pianos, Omaha’s only dueling piano concept. djsdugout.com

FLATIRON CAFE - $$

17th and Howard in the historic Flatiron Building Dinner 5:00 Tuesday-Saturday. New American Fine Dining. Voted Best of Omaha "Romantic Restaurant." 402-344-3040.

Get a Little Saucy.

JIMMY'S EGG - $

Various Locations For over 30 years, Jimmy's Egg has served up full cups of coffee, freshbaked breads and fresh cracked to order™ 3 egg omelets by a friendly and attentive staff. Breakfast and lunch is served every day 6a.m.-2p.m.

LE PEEP® - $

177th & Center St. (402-934-9914) 156th & W. Dodge Rd. (402-408-1728) 120th & Blondo St. (402-991-8222) Le Peep® puts a wholesome perspective on your favorite neighborhood Breakfast & Lunch spot. Fresh. Simple. Elegant. Inviting. We put the emphasis on people, both patrons and staff. We focus on providing each of our guests the fresh food and friendly service that they have come to expect. Open daily 6:30 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

SPEZIA SPECIALTIES

MILLARD ROADHOUSE - $ MC, V

13325 Millard Ave. 402-891-9292 The all American neighborhood grill Millard Roadhouse is perfect for the whole family, with hugh portions, great service and even better food. From broasted chicken to fried green tomatoes, theres something for every taste, and trust us your not going to leave hungry. Also serving Sunday Brunch and the Best Happy Hour in the area. Mon.-Wed. 11:00-9:00pm, Thur.-Sat. 11:00am-10:00pm, Sun. 10:00am-9:00pm.

FRESH SEAFOOD • ANGUS BEEF INNOVATIVE PASTA • RISOTTO GNOCCHI • FRESH SALMON DAILY

SATURDAY NOW OPENLUNCH 7 DAYS A[11am–4 WEEKpm]

$10

COCKTAILHOUR HOUR COCKTAIL

OFF ANY TICKET OVER $25 NO CASH EXPIRES 12/31/2011 12/31/15 NO CASH VALUE. VALUE. EXPIRES

OLD MATTRESS FACTORY - $$

MONDAY – SATURDAY EVERY DAY FROM 4-6PM 4 – 6 PM ALL COCKTAILS, GLASS WINE ALL COCK TAILS, GL ASS WINE AND BEERS ARE HALF PRICE AND BEERS ARE HALF PRICE

402-346-9116 501 N. 13th St Within walking distance of Omaha's major entertainment facilities, including TD Ameritrade Park and CenturyLink Center Omaha, this historic building remodeled in 2007 boasts great dining and three private dining rooms for your own events. Stop in before or after any Downtown Omaha event. Open daily at 11:00 a.m. themattomaha.com

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

November // December • 2015 | 193 | bestofomaha.com

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Omaha Magazine • Dining Guide PHOENIX FOOD & SPIRITS - $

402-493-7607 12015 Blondo St. Come experience the Best Burgers on Blondo. Also featuring one of Omaha's best happy hours and reverse happy hour. The Phoenix offers friendly service, a heated patio and numerous televisions so you won't miss a minute of the action. This is the place where Omaha goes for Fun, Food & Spirits.

STELLA’S - $ MC, V, AE, DC

402-291-6088 106 S Galvin Road, Bellevue Since 1936, we’ve been making our Stella’s world famous hamburgers the same way. The family secrets have been handed down to each owner to ensure that your burger is the same one you fell in love with the first time you ever tried Stella’s. And if it’s your first time, we know you’ll be back! Mon.–Sat. 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m., Sun. closed. stellasbarandgrill.com

UPSTREAM BREWING COMPANY - $$

514 S. 11th St. (402-344-0200) 17070 Wright Plz. (402-778-0100) Upstream features an extensive menu of new American pub fare including appetizers, thin-crust pizzas, superb steaks featuring Omaha Steaks, fresh fish, pasta, salads, sandwiches, and a great children’s menu. Fresh, handcrafted beer and root beer on tap. Extensive wine list. Call ahead for group reservations or to be placed on our waiting list. Visit our classic, upscale poolroom located on the second level.

ICE CREAM TED AND WALLY’S - $ MC, V

402-341-5827 1120 Jackson St. Come experience the true taste of homemade ice cream in the Old Market. Since 1986, we’ve created gourmet ice cream flavors in small batches using rock salt and ice. We offer your favorites plus unique flavors like margarita, green tea, Guinness, and French toast. Special orders available.

ITALIAN DON CARMELO'S PIZZERIA - $

402-933-3190 10821 Prairie Brook Rd. Omaha's first and finest New York-style pizza, stromboli, calzones, oven-toasted hoagies, Philly cheesesteaks, pasta, salads, beer, and wine. We also feature take-out and delivery and can cater your special event, large or small. Tue.-Thur., 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri. & Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun., Noon-8 p.m.

LA CASA PIZZARIA - $$ MC, V

402-556-6464 45th & Leavenworth St. La Casa Pizzaria has been serving Omaha it’s legendary Neapolitan Style pizza and pasta for 60 years now. We offer dine in, carryout, party facilities, catering and now pizza shipments to the 48 contiguous states.

Open Tues.- Sat. at 11 a.m. and Sun. at 4:30 p.m. lacasapizzaria.net

LO SOLE MIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO - $$

402-345-5656 3001 S. 32nd Ave. Located in the middle of a neighborhood, surrounded by charming homes. Everyone is greeted with homemade bread, a bowl of fresh tomatoes and basil, a bowl of oven-roasted garlic cloves, specialseasoned olive oil, and at night, a jug of Chianti! The menu includes a large variety of pasta, chicken, veal, seafood, and even a delicious New York steak. Traditional dishes such as lasagna, tortellini, and eggplant parmigiana are also available. Lunch also offers panini, salads, and one of the best pizzas in town. Patio seating, full bar, and a great wine list complete the atmosphere. No reservations, except for private rooms.

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$+$30+ MC=Master Card • V=Visa AE=American Express • DC=Discover Card

November // December • 2015 | 194 | omahamagazine.com

OMAHA’S ORIGINAL STEAKHOUSE

• Proudly serving visitor & locals for 90 years.

• Featured on CNN.com Best Meat Cities in America • Serving hand cut steaks, aged on premise and slow roasted prime rib with pride.

402-731-4774 www.johnnyscafe.com 27th & ‘L’ St., Kennedy Frwy, ‘L’ St. Exit 8 Minutes from Downtown Omaha.

Best Of Omaha 9 Years Running

Holiday Party Spaces Available!

PRIVATE PARTY ROOMS FOR UP TO 220 GUESTS

WHERE WHERE GOOD GOOD FOOD FOOD AND AND GOOD GOOD SERVICE SERVICE NEVER NEVER GO GO OUT OUT OF OF STYLE. STYLE.

“Just a wink from the Link” 501 N. 13th Street 402.346.9116 theMattOmaha.com /oldmattressfactory

November // December • 2015 | 195 | bestofomaha.com

@Matt_factory

Omaha Magazine • Dining Guide

PROVISIONS

The Grey Plume

by THE

Award-Winning Wine List.

Certifed Green Restaurant.

Daily Changing Menu.

Seasonally Driven.

Locally Sourced.

220 S. 31st Ave Suite 3101 Midtown Crossing 402.763.4447 www.thegreyplume.com

GREY PLUME

Retail Store Private Dining Cooking Classes 3157 Farnam Street, Suite 7106 | Midtown Crossing

402.763.4447 | www.thegreyplume.com

EST. 1993 5 OMAHA AREA LOCATIONS! Downtown - 10th & Capitol - 402-763-9974 Aksarben Village - 67th & Center - 402-933-3533 Miracle Hills - 114th & Dodge - 402-498-8855 Millard - 180th & Q - 402-933-8844 Bellevue - 23rd & Cornhusker - 402-292-9096

DJSDUGOUT.COM November // December • 2015 | 196 | omahamagazine.com

Omaha Magazine • Dining Guide PITCH - $$ MC, V, AE, DC

402- 590-2625 5021 Underwood Ave. Open Table Diners Choice 2014 HotSpot Restaurants in America. Keeping up with the traditional way the first pizzas in Italy were made, our pizzas are cooked in a coal-fired oven. The menu also features seafood, handcut steak, housemade pastas, and a burger full of flavor! Our goal is to provide you with local, housemade, and imported ingredients. We offer a Happy Hour menu through the week. And, our bar provides an array of in-house concoctions as well as your traditional libation! Our wine selection is well-thought and most impressive!! You will enjoy Pitch!

Mon. 3 p.m.-10 p.m., Tue.-Thur. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m.-10 p.m. pitchpizzeria.com.

SPEZIA - $$$ MC, V

402-391-2950 3125 S. 72nd St. 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, Certified Angus steaks, innovative pasta, risotto, gnocchi, cioppino, lamb, entrée salads, Mediterranean chicken, flatbreads, and fresh salmon daily. Enjoy a full bar, Italian and California wines, Anniversary Lovers Booth (call to reserve), private dining rooms, and wood-fired grill. Open Mon.-Sun. Cocktail hour: 4-6 p.m., when all cocktails, glass wine, and beers are half price. Evening reservations recommended.

ZIO’S PIZZERIA - $$ MC, V

7834 Dodge St. (402-391-1881) 12997 W. Center Rd. (402-330-1444) 1109 Howard St. (402-344-2222) Delivery, dine in, and carry out. Serving New York style pizza by the slice or whole pies, calzones, hoagies, pastas, salads, and garlic breads. Our pies are hand-stretched and baked in old-world ovens. We offer 35 of the freshest toppings; taste the freshest pizza at Zio’s! Family dining, open seven days a week. Lunch specials and beer and wine available.

MEXICAN CANTINA LAREDO - $$ MC, V

402-345-6000 120 S. 31st Ave. We serve modern Mexican food in a sophisticated, vibrant atmosphere.

Enjoy our signature margarita, the Casa Rita, made from fresh lime juice and the finest tequila, while savoring guacamole made fresh at your table. Visit Cantina Laredo at Omaha’s Midtown Crossing for lunch, dinner, drinks, and Sunday brunch.

EL ALAMO - $ MC, V, AE, DC

402-731-8969 4917 S. 24th St. Located in the heart of Omaha’s thriving Hispanic community. We provide catering services and a party room. elalamoomaha.com

FERNANDO’S - $ MC, V, AE

7555 Pacific St. (402-339-8006) 380 N. 114th St. (402-330-5707) Featuring Sonoran-style cooking made fresh daily. Catering and party rooms also available. Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m.-9 p.m.

The Holland Performing Arts Ctr Zinc Full Service Upscale Dining Ovations Bar and Lounge

1200 Douglas St. Downtown Omaha Open Before and After Performances Visit us @ OmahaPerformingArts.org

The Dining Room 1400 Douglas st. Downtown Omaha OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

International Cuisine

with Fresh, Local, Seasonal Ingredients

Open Daily for Breakfast & Lunch 6:30 am – 1:30 pm Visit us @ cafeatup.com DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$+$30+ MC=Master Card • V=Visa AE=American Express • DC=Discover Card

November // December • 2015 | 197 | bestofomaha.com

O P E R AT E D BY

Omaha Magazine • Dining Guide

“Best Burger in Omaha”

Stella’s Bar and Grill ·“Serving World Famous Hamburgers since 1936”

106 Galvin Rd • Bellevue, NE • 402-291-6088 • Open Monday-Saturday, 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

TasTe modern mexican cuisine

LA MESA - $$ MC, V

156th & Q St.(402-763-2555) 110th & Maple St.(402-496-1101) Ft. Crook Rd. & 370 (402-733-8754) 84th & Tara Plaza (402-593-0983) Lake Manawa Exit, Council Bluffs, IA (712-256-2762) Come experience an authentic taste experience at La Mesa! From awesome enchiladas to fabulous fajitas, La Mesa has something for every connoisseur of Mexican fare to savor. Get started with one of La Mesa’s famous margaritas! So kick back in our fun-friendly atmosphere and you’ll see why La Mesa has been voted Omaha’s # 1 Mexican Restaurant 11 Years in a Row! www.la-mesa.com

MARGARITA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT - $

2505 S. 132nd St. (402-991-3555) 4915 S. 72nd St. (402-393-7515) Margaritas is a business with more than 7 years in the food world. We offer authentic food at 2 nice locations in Omaha where you can enjoy a nice moment with your family.

ROJA MEXICAN GRILL - $$

17010 Wright Plz. (402-333-7652) 1212 Harney St. (402-346-9190) Roja Mexican Grill serves it up Tex-Mex style. Fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, chimichangas, and more! All with sizzling smack and an extra helping of Tex flavor. Wash it all down with a Pomegrante Margarita or a tall boy Tecate. Our drink menu boasts more than 80 tequilas. rojagrill.com

SEAFOOD CHARLIE’S ON THE LAKE - $$

402-894-9411 4150 . 144th St. Charlie’s is the only fresh-fish-daily seafood restaurant in Omaha.

Features a relaxed yet contemporary atmosphere that is fun for all ages. Besides fresh seafood, Charlie’s is the home of the James Bondstyle martini (shaken, not stirred) in over 20 varieties in addition to over 60 wines. Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Sat., 4:30 p.m.-11 p.m.; Sun., 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m.

Sip the finest margarita Savor fresh seafood, enchiladas and more with sauces from scratch Join us for drinks, dinner, lunch or Sunday brunch

PLANK SEAFOOD PROVISIONS - $$$

402-507-4480 1205 Howard St. Plank Seafood Provisions is a coastally-inspired oyster bar and seafood grill. Our menu is faithful to the tradition of fresh seafood, high-quality ingredients, and a made-from-scratch mentality. A different oyster variety is offered daily for $1.25 during Happy Hour. plank seafood.com

SPECIAL DINING AMSTERDAM FALAFEL & KABOB MIDDLE EASTERN- $

ahi Tuna Tacos

402-504-3223 620 N. 50th St. Casual counter service and a simple menu allows you to explore exotic flavors in a friendly and approachable dining environment. Amsterdam packs the best spices and sauces from around the world into their falafel & kabob menu. Your visit won’t be complete without an order of their famous Curry Fries. eatafk.com

BLUE SUSHI SAKE GRILL- $$

plan your holiday parTy

Book now for Private Event Space and Catering Arrangements

14450 Eagle Run Dr. (402-445-2583) 16939 Wright Plz. (402-547-5959) 416 S. 12th St. (402-408-5566) Fresh and energetic, Blue Sushi Sake Grill offers an inspired mix of creative sushi for purists and adventurers alike. You will enjoy a dining experience infused with flavor and spirited atmosphere. A large maki, sashimi and nigiri menu complements Asian-inspired cold plates, hot plates, entrees, soups, desserts and an extensive premium sake menu. bluesushisakegrill.com.

midTown crossing

120 s. 31st ave 402.345.6000 cantinalaredo.com

November // December • 2015 | 198 | omahamagazine.com

Omaha Magazine • Dining Guide

LEGENDARY PIZZA & PASTA SINCE 1953

RECIPIENT OF 37 BEST PIZZA AWARDS

Hand-stretched New York style pizza

45th & Leavenworth • 402-556-6464 Closed Monday

LaCasaPizzaria.net

Thank You for voting us #1 Best Greek Best Greek.

CALZONES · PASTA · SALADS · LUNCH SPECIALS APPETIZERS · BEER · WINE · MARGARITAS

391-1881

7834 Dodge St.

Family Owned Since 1983

Catering ~ Party Room Available Homemade, Fresh Food ~ Always

330-1444

12997 W. Center Rd.

344-2222

1109 Howard St. (Old Market)

HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY FROM 4PM-6PM

3821 Center St. 402/346-1528

ZIOSPIZZERIA.COM

GreekIslandsOmaha.com

Omaha’s BEST ICE CREAM O’Connor’s Irish Pub 1217 Howard St. • Omaha, NE 68102 402-934-9790 • oconnorsomaha.com

Thank you Omaha for voting us Best Family Restaurant!

“Serving The Best Chicken in Town Since 1997”

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

Serving Lunch & Dinner

Mon-Sat

Zesto has been an Omaha staple for over 60 years.

With our two locations being voted among Omaha’s Best Ice cream, we pride ourselves in our great customer service and quality products. Visit one of our locations today!

Cherry Hills Florence 7130 N. 102 Cir. 8608 N. 30th St. 402-884-7106 402-451-0581

3001 S. 32nd Ave • Omaha, NE 402-345-5656

OmahaZesto.com facebook.com/ZestoCherryHills November // December • 2015 | 199 | bestofomaha.com

13325 Millard Ave. • 402-891-9292 www.millardroadhouse.com

It’s later usual It’s than later than usual at The Flatiron at the Cafe...

Flatiron Cafe...

Omaha Magazine • Dining Guide BUSHWACKERS- $

402-593-9037 7401 Main St., Ralston, NE Live music every Fri. night and DJ on Sat. night. Free dance lessons every Wed. and Thur. night from 7-8pm. Now serving food Wed.-Sun.

CRESCENT MOON ALE HOUSE - $

402-345-1708 3578 Farnam St. Founded in 1996, we’ve grown into Beer Corner USA with the additions of The Huber Haus German Beer Hall, Max and Joe’s Belgian Beer Tavern, and Beertopia, Omaha’s Ultimate Beer Store. With more than 60 beers on tap and Omaha’s best reuben sandwich, we are a midtown beer lover’s destination. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Kitchen hours: Mon.-Wed., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat. 11 a.m.-midnight. Closed Sun. www.beercornerusa.com.

THE CHROME

402-339-8660 8552 Park Dr. Live music every Fri. and Sat. nights. Song writer night on Thur.

CUT SPIKE DISTILLERY

Introducing our

‘After 9 Menu’ Thursday – Saturday Evenings Introducing our ‘After 9 Menu’ Starting September 11, 2015 Thursday - Saturday Evenings

Introducing our

GERDA’S GERMAN RESTAURANT & BAKERY - $

‘After 9 Menu’

402.344.3040 | 17th and Howard thef latironcafe.com Two Blocks from the Orpheum Theater 402.344.3040 | 17th and Howard - Two Blocks from the Orpheum Theater

Thursday – Saturday Evenings ess-to-Busines sin sM Bu OMA H a

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Starting September 11, 2015 ’s

2015 Winner

10 Years in a Row

402-763-8868 11941 Centennial Rd. Cut Spike Distillery is a craft distillery located in La Vista, Nebraska specializing in distilling premium artisan spirits. Visit us and taste our award winning single malt whiskey, our award winning premium vodka, and our newly released barrel aged rum. Proudly distilling since 2008.

Top 100 Restaurants in America

402-553-6774 5180 Leavenworth St. Omaha’s only authentic German restaurant; a little piece of Germany in Omaha. Gerda herself makes homemade spaetzle, schnitzels, and rouladen Fresh-made soups, red cabbage, sauerkraut, and dumplings are a few other treats. Stay for a dessert of Black Forest cake or grab fresh bakery for breakfast on your way out. Check hours at gerdasgermanrestaurant.com.

GRAND CHINA BUFFET - $$

402-504-3711 11226 Chicago Cir. "Grand China Buffet is located 1 block south of 114th St. & Dodge.

Our restaurant is dedicated to offering the most memorable dinning experience for you. We provide a party Room & Catering Service for all occasions. A carry out buffet is also available.

GREEK ISLANDS - $ M C, V, AE, DC

402.344.3040 | 17th and Howard Two Blocks from the Orpheum Theater

402-346-1528 3821 Center St. Greek cuisine with specials every day at reasonable prices. Well known for our gyro sandwiches and salads. We cater 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.

GUCKENHEIMER - $

1200 Douglas St. - Holland Performing Arts Center 1400 Douglas St - The Dining Room at Union Pacific Featuring 2 great dining experiences. The Dining Room at Union Pacific features International cuisine with fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. We are open for breakfast and lunch. The Holland Performing Arts Center features Zinc, a full service upscale dining experience, and Ovations Bar & Lounge. Open before and after performances.

Prime Steak • Fine Wine • Premium Service Private party rooms available for 6 to 40 people.

13665 California Street|Omaha, Nebraska|402.445.4380| mahoganyprime.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$+$30+ MC=Master Card • V=Visa AE=American Express • DC=Discover Card

November // December • 2015 | 200 | omahamagazine.com

Since 1921

New Look.

Same Great Taste.

e h l v S e s s r e c o r G r u o Y n O rotellasbakery.com

November // December • 2015 | 201 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Magazine • Dining Guide

Omaha’s Only

Authentic German Restaurant

HORSEMEN’S PARK- $ MC, V

Locally Owned Since 1976

Call ahead to order

Holiday Dessert trays, pies, and authentic German stollen.

German Strudel, Sauerkraut, Schnitzel, and

brews cafes chef profiles cocktails dining reviews farmers markets recipes taverns treats

Beer.

Full bakery, fresh bread, donuts, and cakes!

10 min from downtown Omaha

FOOD&DRINK

402-731-2900 6303 Q St. One-dollar pints, $1.75 domestic bottles, and $2 well drinks for our happy hour Mon.-Wed., 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays are 25-cent wings from 3-8 p.m., Wednesdays are Steak Night after 5 p.m., Thursdays are 75-cent tacos and $1.75 margaritas after 5 p.m., and Fridays are Prime Rib Dinner after 5 p.m. Daily specials seven days a week. Open at 10 a.m. www.horsemenspark.com

JAIPUR INDIAN RESTAURANT AND BREWERY - $$$ MC, V

402-392-7331 10922 Elm St. A casual restaurant in a relaxed atmosphere. Dinner entrees include fresh vegetables, grilled Colorado lamb sirloin, sushi-grade Ahi, tandoori marinated grilled salmon, and tandoori grilled beef tenderloin to name a few. A wide selection of wines and liquor, as well as on-site brewed beer. Lunch: Thurs. and Fri., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner: Sun.-Thurs., 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.; Fri and Sat., 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

NOSH RESTAURANT AND WINE LOUNGE - $$

402-614-2121 1006 Dodge St. Located in downtown Omaha blocks away from the CenturyLink Center Omaha, Holland Performing Arts, and the Old Market—Nosh is the perfect place to gather and celebrate good times. Guests are sure to enjoy our comfortable relaxing atmosphere, diverse wine list, impressive cocktails and food that will please any palate. noshwine.com

O’CONNOR’S IRISH PUB - $

402-934-9790 1217 Howard St. Comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. Great before and after games. We offer pub style food—burgers, reubens, daily specials, and homemade soups—as well as 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.

5180 Leavenworth

402-553-6774

GerdasGermanRestaurant.com

SALT 88 - $$

402-991-9088 3623 N. 129th St. Brought to you by the owners of Hiro 88, Salt is a New American adventure in cuisine. Its a restaurant supported by a friendly staff, savory appetizers, and, most importantly, free cotton candy at the end of your meal. Guests are sure to notice that not only is the food unique, but its ambiance feels modern and inviting, making your meal not just delicious, but memorable. Open daily at 11am. salt88.com

STORZ TROPHY ROOM - $$

402-502-1643 345 Riverfront Dr. Storz Brewing is a 150 year old family brewery, once the 4th largest brewery in the USA founded in 1863. Patio now open. Open daily at 11 a.m. Closed Mon. Online at storzbrewing.com

Carry Out Buffet Available Beer & Wine Available www.gcbne.com

THE WOODCLIFF RESTAURANT - $$

402-721-2922 980 County Rd. W., Fremont, NE The Woodcliff Restaurant takes lakeside dining to a new level. Our accomplished Chefs deliver a wide selection of traditional favorites and new experimental cuisine. We also offer a refined selection of wine and spirits.

ZESTO ICE CREAM & GRILL - $

7130 N. 102nd Cr. (402-884-7106) Cherry Hills 8608 N. 30th St. (402-451-0581) Florence Zesto has been an Omaha staple for over 60 years, With our 2 locations being voted among Omaha's best Ice Cream. We pride ourselves on our great customer service and quality products.

STEAKS • CHOPS • SEAFOOD ITALIAN SPECIALTIES 7 private party rooms Seating up to 400 Lots of parking

DINING GUIDE LEGEND 1620 S. 10th Street

402-345-8313

www.casciossteakhouse.com

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$+$30+ MC=Master Card • V=Visa AE=American Express • DC=Discover Card

November // December • 2015 | 202 | omahamagazine.com

Omaha Magazine • Dining Guide

Always a Large Selection of Fresh Fish

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The Original Whiskey Steak

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The Best in Town Tasty & Authentic Mexican Food Stop in today!

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THANKS FOR VOTING US #1 BREAKFAST 7 Years in a Row! 177th & Center • 934-9914 | 156th & Dodge • 408-1728 | 120th & Blondo • 991-8222 Drive-Thru Open (Center St. Only) • Open Daily 6:30am-2:00pm • Serving Breakfast & Lunch All Day! November // December • 2015 | 203 | bestofomaha.com

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Omaha Magazine • Dining Guide

STEAKHOUSES 801 CHOPHOUSE - $$$$

402-341-1222 1403 Farnam St. Designed with a 1920s-era New York chophouse in mind, 801 is the epitome of elegance. You will not forget the crisp-white-tablecloth, fine-dining experience. From our USDA prime-grade beef and jet-fresh seafood from all over the world, we are truly the best Omaha has to offer. Open seven nights a week.

BROTHER SEBASTIANS - $$$

402-330-0300 1350 S 119th St Relax in the cozy old world comfort of an early California monastery with friendly “monks” that pamper you in subdued, romantic surroundings, and savor the fresh, full flavors of U.S.D.A. Choice Nebraska Angus Beef seared over an open flame. Brother Sebastian’s Steak House and Winery is locally owned and has been recognized as one of Omaha’s best restaurants for a delicious, romantic dining experience. Join us with your party of two or fifty and we’ll help make your special occasion enjoyable and memorable.

Reservations accepted. Lunch: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner: MonThur. 5-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5-10 p.m., Sun. 4-9 p.m.

CASCIOS - $$

Orsi’s is famous for our pizza. Our Italian Deli features a variety of meats, homemade sausage, cakes, cannolis, cheese and bread products.

621 Pacific St, Omaha • 402-345-3438 www.orsibakery.com

Family Restaurant • Fine Steaks Chicken • Seafood Party Rooms Available

342-9038 • 346-2865

402-345-8313 1620 S. 10th St. Cascios is Omaha's Number 1 steakhouse. We have been serving Omaha for 69 years. We feature Steaks, Chops, Seafood and Italian Specialties. We Have 7 Private Party Rooms, seating for up to 400 people and plenty of parking.

THE DROVER RESTAURANT & LOUNGE - $$$

402-391-7440 2121 S. 73rd St. Famous for the original Whiskey Steak. Truly a one of a kind Midwestern experience. Excellent food, wine, service and value. Rare...and very well done. Reservations accepted. Lunch: Mon.–Fri. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Cocktail Hour: 3-6 p.m. Dinner: Nightly at 5 p.m. Reservations accepted.

JOHNNY'S CAFÉ - $$$ MC, V, AE

402-731-4774 4702 S. 27th St. Years of quality dining and hospitality make Johnny's Café a restaurant to remember. We serve only the finest beef the Midwest has to offer.

Aged steaks and prime rib are the specialties, with homemade bread and pies to complete a 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 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Try Omaha’s Favorite Reuben!

MAHOGANY PRIME STEAKHOUSE - $$$$

Omaha’s largest selection of craft beers.

3578 Farnam St • 402-345-1708 www.beercornerusa.com

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Sonoran Style Cooking Made Fresh Daily.

Catering lot2benson.com and Party Rooms Also Available.

7555 PacificSt. St. 399–8006 6207 Maple 380 N.114 St. 330–5707 402-504-4200 Omaha, Nebraska

402-445-4380 13665 California St. This is a restaurant where steak is the star, using custom-aged, U.S. prime Midwestern beef known for its excellence in marbling, texture, and flavor. We serve it sizzling on a heated plate so that it stays hot throughout your meal. Amazing service in a less-intimidating, finedining atmosphere.

PICCOLO’S RESTAURANT - $$$

402-342-9038 2202 S. 20th St. One of Omaha’s finest traditions, this is 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. Lunch: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.1:30 p.m. Dinner: Mon.-Thu., 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Daily and nightly specials.

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

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November // December • 2015 | 204 | omahamagazine.com

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November // December • 2015 | 206 | omahamagazine.com

READY. SET. SHOP! What’s your strategy for Black Friday craziness?

Pack up those leftover turkey sandwiches, grab a thermos of piping-hot joe, and set your sights on all that Sarpy County has to offer on this day and all through the holiday shopping season. From Olde Towne Bellevue to Shadow Lake Towne Center to the sprawling Nebraska Crossing Outlets, you’ll find everything you need to check off all of the great products and services on Santa’s list.

Cowboys From the Collection NOVEMBER COWBOYS FROM THE COLLECTION.

Nov. 6Feb. 27, 2016 at the Great Plains Art Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska. Artwork from the permanent collection featuring cowboys will be the main focus of this exhibition. Key recognition of work from renowned cowboy artists Charles M. Russell and Frederic Remington. Free.

Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm. 402-472-6220 -lincoln.org

MICHAEL CAVANAUGH: THE MUSIC OF BILLY JOEL. Nov. 7 at the Des Moines Civic Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Cavanaugh portrayed Billy Joel in Broadway’s hit musical Movin’ Out, a role for which he was hand-picked by the iconic performer. Nominated for both Tony and Grammy awards, Cavanaugh brings his talent to a Des Moines Symphony Pops performance. Tickets starting at $33. 7:30 pm. 515-246-2300 - desmoinesperformingarts.org

AWOLNATION. Nov. 8 at the Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City is the closest place Omaha-area fans of Awolnation will be able to catch them on tour. The band’s first album Megalithic Symphony has been certified Gold,

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while their most notable hit “Sail” earned No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 4 on the Billboard Rock Song chart, and sold more than 5 million copies in the U.S. Tickets start at $69. 8 pm. 816-283-9921 - kansas-city-theater.com

ART IN THE WOODS EXHIBIT. Through Nov. 15 at Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Join Art in the Woods for its third year at Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure. This outdoor collection of unique, hand-crafted pieces from local and regional artists lies along the wooded walking trails at the Tree Adventure. Admission $7 adults, $5 children age 3-12 and free to age 2 and under. 9 am-5 pm. 402-873-8717 -arbordayfarm.org

NORTH POLE EXPRESS. Nov. 21 and 28 at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Nebraska. Take a trip to the North Pole through song and storytelling on a real train car. Experience the magic of the holidays in a new, unique way. Admission is $5 adults, $3 children age 7-12. 308-385-5316 - stuhrmuseum.org FESTIVAL OF TREES AND LIGHTS. Nov. 25-29 at Veteran’s Memorial Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines, Iowa. The Festival of Trees and Lights has become a Des Moines holiday staple. It is a five-day public event that raises funds for Blank Children’s Hospital, featuring entertainment, children’s activities, food, shopping, and more. Starting at 11 am daily (except Thanksgiving Day).

Admission is $5 adults, free admission for children under 2.

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November // December • 2015 | 207 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Magazine • Explore!

HOLIDAY PARK & SOUTH POLE. Nov. 27, 2015-Jan. 1, 2016, at Krug Park and Hyde Park in St. Joseph, Missouri. Take a driving tour of Krug, or “Holiday,” Park, home to the largest annual holiday lights display in northwest Missouri. Continue the journey by driving to the “South Pole,” Hyde Park, which also shows an aweinspiring lights display. 6 pm-10 pm. Free. 816-271-5500 - stjomo.com

BRIAN REGAN.

Dec. 6 at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, Iowa. Come have a laugh with American stand-up comedian Brian Regan as he maneuvers his wit and sarcasm to move you from laughter to fits of tears. Tickets $39.50. 7 pm. 712-258-9164 - brianregan.com

THE WHO HITS 50 WITH JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS. Dec. 8 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. One of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century, The Who have sold more than 100 million records and are displayed in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They are joined by 2015 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Tickets $39.50-$139.50. 7:30 pm.

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The Piano Guys

THE PIANO GUYS. Dec. 2 at Orpheum Theater in Sioux City, Iowa. This group, which started as an Internet sensation, is known for playing pianos as xylophones and cellos as drums, among other unusual performances. 7:30 pm. Tickets range from $37.50 to $97.50. 800-514-3849.

-OrpheumLive.com

Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. An American heavy metal band known for hedonistic influences, Mötley Crüe is one of the best-selling bands of all time, having sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. Featured performance by singer/songwriter Alice Cooper. 7 pm. 402-904-4444 - pinnaclebankarena.com

CHRISTMAS PAST & PRESENT. Dec. 5-13 at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Nebraska. Take a lantern-lit walk down memory lane, consumed by the smells of holiday cooking, holiday tunes, and the true spirit of Christmas.

Admission $5 adults, $3 children 7-12. 308-385-5316 - stuhrmuseum.org CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE.

Dec. 29-30 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri. See a cirque show, Broadway musical, holiday spectacular, and family show all in one. Holiday icons such as reindeer, toy soldiers, and, of course, Santa Claus, will appear in this Cirque show. Tickets $35-$60. 7:30 pm. 816.931.2232 - kauffmancenter.org

AMERICAN EPICS: THOMAS HART BENTON AND HOLLYWOOD. Through Jan. 3, 2016, at Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. The first major exhibition on Thomas Hart Benton in over 25 years, American Epics: Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood explores the fascinating connection between Benton’s artwork and moviemaking in 20th-century America. Ticketed exhibition.

Wednesday-Sunday starting at 10 am. 816-751-1278 - nelson-atkins.org

DECEMBER

MÖTLEY CRÜE: THE FINAL TOUR "ALL BAD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END.” Dec. 4 at

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Mötley Crüe Thomas Hart Benton WE ARE STAR PEOPLE: THE ART AND POETRY OF GWEN WESTERMAN. Through Dec. 19 at Great Plains Art Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska. A 2011 recipient of an Artist Initiative Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, Gwen Westerman, Ph.D., displays oneof-a-kind quilts and textiles alongside poetry inspired by personal connections to her Dakota family history.

Free. Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm. 402-472-6220 - lincoln.org

RISING UP: HALE WOODRUFF’S MURALS AT TALLADEGA COLLEGE. Through Jan. 10, 2016, at Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1938, Artist Hale Woodruff painted six monumental murals at Talladega College in Atlanta. His murals educated and inspired students through images of slavery resistance, as well as memorable events in the institution’s history. Free.

Wednesday-Sunday starting at 10 am. 816-751-1278 - nelson-atkins.org

LAUREL NAKADATE: STRANGERS AND RELATIONS. Through Jan. 24, 2016, at Des Moines Art Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Lauren Nakadate is an American video artist, filmmaker, and photographer originally of Ames, Iowa, and now living in New York City.

This exhibit starts with “Star Portraits,” a series of strangers, friends of friends, Facebook “friends,” and others. The project evolved into “Relations,” as Nakadate sought out distant relatives, inviting them to meet her at night in rural locations. Tuesday-Sunday until 4 pm. Free. 515-277-4405 - desmoinesartcenter.org

IOWA ARTISTS 2015: JESSICA TECKEMEYER. Through Feb. 21, 2016, at Des Moines Art Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Artist Jessica Teckemeyer displays her sculpture in hopes of deconstructing the complexity of human behavior. An assistant professor of art at Clarke University in Dubuque, Teckemeyer is strongly influenced by history, religion, science, media, and mythology. Tuesday-Sunday until 4 pm. Free. 515-277-4405 - desmoinesartcenter.org

November // December • 2015 | 208 | omahamagazine.com

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November // December • 2015 | 209 | bestofomaha.com

Omaha Magazine • Not Funny

GET LOST

WORDS BY OTIS TWELVE PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

W

E PAUSE NOW for a moment of

silence in memory of the plethora, the genus, phylum, and species of old jokes japing the male’s propensity to stubbornly refuse to ask for help on the way to that weekend family event he didn’t want to go to anyway. An example of the genre: Q - Why was Moses wandering through the desert for 40 years?

A - Because men refuse to ask for directions!

Yes, a moment of silence, because that witticism, and all others based on this genderbased “truth” are now obsolete.

It must be said that though the trope was based on a factual reality that the primitive male brain, steeped in the evolutionary soup of “not wanting to seem stupid” to the other giant sloth hunters in our long-ago fur-clad clans, as in, “The water hole is just over this ridge, a quick left past the tar pit,” forced us alphas to maintain that said “water hole” was exactly there, whether we, upon arrival, discovered a toxic fumarole instead of said pond. It is a biological/psychological fact that for men it is more important to be “sure” rather than to be “right.”

Note: we manly-men usually confuse the two.

In our defense I must state that in reality we would ask for directions when we were unsure of where we were going, but we would only ask very close friends. We expected our best mates would not tell anyone our little secret, and we also used their answers to our inquiries as a dependable gauge of the quality of their character.

Let me illustrate. If I ask Joe “Which way to the (blank)?” and he responds, “Go down to St. Paul’s church, turn left, and when you get to First Lutheran, turn right.” I know Joe loves God. If I ask Bill and he says, “Go down to McDonald’s, turn left and when you get to Wendy’s, turn right.” I know Bill has a weight problem. If I ask Tim and he answers, “Go down to the Med Center, turn left, and when you get to the urology outpatient surgery clinic, turn right.” I know Tim needs to drink more pomegranate juice. And if Ted tells me, “Go down here to the Starlite Lounge, turn left, and then when you get to the Nifty…”

I know I want to hang out with Ted. You can tell a lot about someone when you hear the frame through which they see the world.

At least that used to be true.

Now, no one asks directions. Everybody just takes out their smart phone and looks at where their blinking dot is blinking and where their destination’s red pin is sticking. And don’t get me started about the disembodied voice that tells you to, “Turn left in 300 feet.” Like I didn’t know that already.

So, bottom line, the old jokes are dead. I blame Steve Jobs. I mourn their passing, as does Rand McNally, but mainly I feel a sense of loss because it’s almost impossible to get lost these days.

Some of the best things in my life have happened because I was lost. Once I turned left on a dotted line that led into Wyoming’s Wind River Range and…but that’s another story.

For now, O I encourage you all, unplug.

Get lost.

November // December • 2015 | 210 | omahamagazine.com

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