May/June 2014 The Encounter

May / June 2014

Underground Comedy scene Rises to the surface

Le Bouillon The Old Market’s Newest Legend?

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contents

departments ART

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

6 It takes a Village

29 Advantage Coupons

The Omaha Summer Arts Festival at 40

14 No Brick Left Unturned

features

The Art of Kathy Geringer

16 The Tea Smith takes ‘tea time’ to a whole new level

20 Underground Comedy

FACES

35 Free to Be Old Market Personality Jared Spence

LIVING

8 High in the Sky Contemporary, Convenient Oasis

Scene Rises to the Surface

DINING

37 Le Bouillon The Old Market’s Newest Legend?

ENTERTAINMENT

12 Omaha Under the Radar HISTORY

18 Gene Leahy Mall Renovation

39 Old Market Map 42 Merchants & Attractions 43 Calendar of Events

FASHION

24 Untamed Tresses Simple. Sensuous. Summer.

ON THE COVER:

Ryan de la Garza of the comedy team OK Party.

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It Takes a Village The Omaha Summer Arts Festival at 40 story by David Williams | photos provided by

Omaha Summer Arts Festival

O

NE OF THE most colorful of Omaha weekends awaits as the Omaha Summer Arts Festival prepares to launch its 40th season June 6-8.

“The Omaha Summer Arts Festival is like creating a village—a city within a city,” says Vic Gutman, founder and director of the event.

“Hundreds of artists interacting with tens of thousands of our friends and neighbors turns Farnam Street into Omaha’s back yard for one brief but exciting weekend. It’s a social experience as much as it is an art experience.”

The history of the festival closely mirrors that of Downtown Omaha over the course of the last four decades. The now-venerable Old Market was in its infancy when the event first moved to abut an empty pit of a construction zone that would soon become the Central Park Mall, now known as the Gene Leahy Mall. City sidewalks were largely deserted in a urban area that had for years been on a slow but steady economic decline. continued on page 28 6

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LIVING Chris Nelson (left) and Gabriel Gianes.

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High in the Sky Contemporary, Convenient Oasis story by Allison Janda | photography by Bill Sitzmann

I

T’S AN INCREDIBLY foggy, somewhat rainy morning but nothing can damper the amazing view. Chris Nelson and Gabriel Gianes call home the Highline Building, located at about 22nd and Dodge. “I love this building because of the views. I don’t think there’s anything really like it in the Downtown area to rent or lease,�

Gianes says. He laughs before adding “Also I work just downstairs for [building owner] NuStyle Developments, so the commute is amazing.

It’s just an elevator ride away.�

One wouldn’t think it to be easy to work in the same building that you live in, but Gianes disagrees. “For some I suppose it could be a bit much, but the apartment itself is just like a little oasis. I shut the door and I’m home.â€? He adds that the residents are fantastic as well as incredibly respectful of his space when Gianes is not in the oďŹƒce. “They have awesome attitudes,â€? he adds.

The apartment is deliciously high within the building and boasts two walls of windows spanning from oor to ceiling. Peering outside, you take in the full Downtown skyline all the way down to the river.

Far below is the Joslyn Art Museum, one of Gianes’s favorite spots.

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living

“It’s so gorgeous there in the summertime.

Everything is so green and they have the statue garden outside which we can see from the apartment,” he beams. “It’s also a great walk to the Orpheum Theater.”

The Highline has an array of great features, including an incredible gym with plenty of equipment, a rooftop deck that allows for outdoor grilling, and plenty of parking spaces for residents and visitors. “I like this location because it’s Downtown without being in the Old Market area. It’s nice to not have to deal with the traffic,” Nelson shares. “And it’s still close enough that in the summer we can walk downtown.” While pets aren’t allowed in the building, it has never been a deterrent for either of them, though Nelson wouldn’t mind adding a French bulldog if the opportunity arose.

When not walking to their destinations, Gianes and Nelson like to rent bicycles. They add that biking is a popular Downtown activity. “We started out with just two racks in the

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living

building but then added additional racks as we realized how many people owned bikes,” Gianes says. “It’s crazy.” For them, it’s an easy ride across the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge into Council Bluffs. They hope that, in time, additional entertainment will sprout up along the Iowa side of the river simply because it’s so easy to ride there.

Conveniently located about halfway between Downtown and Midtown Crossing, their apartment makes it simple to walk just about anywhere when a bike isn’t available. They’re near restaurants, bars, banks, retail and even a movie theater. Grocery shopping doesn’t pose a problem as Wohlners is located nearby for quick grabs as needed. “It’s nice being close to the interstate too,” Nelson says. “It’s very simple to get places.”

When asked for their favorite thing about living downtown as opposed to in an Omaha suburb, both men smile. “Location,” Gianes claims. “It’s just an amazing location.”

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FEATURE

Omaha Under the Radar story by Mark Powers

S

OMETIMES “THE GOOD life” can get a little bit blurry. When it comes to Omaha’s music scene, soprano Amanda DeBoer Bartlett is happy to see that happen and wants to help perpetuate it. “Around the country, there is less and less differentiation between genres; people are forming small ensembles that blur genre lines.” This amalgamation of styles, which can be found in big cities and small towns all over the nation, is not limited to only the world of music. Nearly every type of art form is seeing various innovative mixtures of influences and mediums emerging.

Noticing this trend in the theater field, another Nebraska native, Thom Sibbitt, began to consider starting a festival which would highlight area performers and their works.

After Sibbitt and DeBoer Bartlett—who has run a contemporary classical music festival in Madison, Wis., for the past three years—had the opportunity to work together and learn about their shared interests, a natural partnership was born. The result: Omaha Under The Radar, a three-day interdisciplinary festival taking place July 11-13, which will feature the latest in contemporary music, dance, theater, and performance art.

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This region is by no means lacking artists who are steering works in creative new directions. “There are a lot of amazing and interesting things happening in Omaha,” says Kayleigh Butcher, a member of the OUR Festival support team. “Installation art; new jazz music; avant garde “new” music…these all totally exist and are thriving. We are really excited to see what Omaha artists bring to the table.”

However, what the area might be lacking is a soapbox from which these performers can shout locally and nationally about what they’re creating. Butcher adds that, “there hasn’t been a platform where artists can come together to showcase what they’re doing. Under The Radar is a perfect opportunity to do that—to show to Omaha and beyond what is happening artistically but might not be being highlighted the way they should be (and are in places like New York, L.A. and Seattle).”

Festival activities will be split between a number of venues in town, including House of Loom, KANEKO, the Bancroft Street Market, The Slowdown, and the University of NebraskaOmaha. The Joslyn Art Museum will host an opening event—free and open to the public—on Thursday, July 10. The three days that follow will

feature performances, workshops, and discussions spread out among the participating venues.

Local and nonlocal artists and works will be presented, and some shows may be accompanied by a Q&A with the guest performer, composer, or choreographer. As DeBoer Bartlett points out, such discussions give one the opportunity to be “working with living composers, which a lot of classical musicians don’t do.”

She continues, stressing that there are “more composers living now than ever before,” and that these dialogues can stimulate valuable conversations and collaborations. This interaction is quite possibly one of the greatest reasons for a contemporary musician to come be a part of the festival.

A complete schedule of events will be announced on May 15.

An OUR day pass is $15, while a $30 weekend pass allows you to “choose your own festival adventure.”

Find more information and updates at UnderTheRadarOmaha.com.

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ART The Art of Kathi Geringer stoorry by Kiim Ca st Carpe Carp rppente entteer | ph en phoottog ogra raph apphhy byy Bi Billlll Sitzm ittzmaannn

S

T. CECILIA CATHEDRAL, the Old Market, Creighton University, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. The list goes on and on. Think of any Omaha landmark, and chances are, Kathi Geringer has captured it in her distinctive style that she calls “Nouveau Folk Art.” The printmaker is a self-taught artist who began her career by accident almost 13 years ago.

“I did my first Omaha print for fun,” she recalls.

“I had an idea to make a collage of Omaha. I took photos of places like Indian Hills and Aksarben and then I drew them in pencil, colored them in with markers, and fit them on a poster board.”

Her mother saw the prints and showed her friends, who purchased copies. Geringer then began creating more prints, making ones of Happy Hollow, Dundee, Memorial Park, and Central High School. In 2002, she sold her prints at Dundee Days and learned that it wasn’t just her mother’s friends who wanted to buy her art. “I paid $50 for a booth, and I made $2,000,” she says.

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From that moment Geringer’s profession as an artist took off, with the list of collectors growing longer each year. That’s because she loves Omaha, and it shows in every print she creates. They are affectionate portraits of places that bring out not just the architecture, but the spirit and traditions inherent in them. And she does so with astonishing detail. For example, if a building has different colors on its facade she portrays them accurately. “I fill in every single brick so it’s accurate,” emphasizes Geringer.

People also connect with her art because it directly touches their lives. “They really resonate with people,” the artist says. “They’re personal. People say, ‘I went to that church, I went to that school.’ Everyone can find something they can relate to. If you live in Omaha and don’t find something, you live under a rock,” she chuckles.

Geringer, however, doesn’t just do landmarks.

She has undertaken numerous commissions for organizations and schools celebrating anniversaries, and she also takes private commissions omahamagazine.com

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that include one-of-a-kind portraits of people’s homes. These have proved so popular that last June she began featuring them on greeting and Christmas cards. She additionally creates prints that depict places that are meaningful to individuals, making them somewhat analogous to a pictorial This Is Your Life. For example, prints for high school graduates often include preschools, churches, and places where their extracurricular activities took place.

What’s next for Geringer? She would like to branch out and perhaps do prints of landmarks outside Nebraska. And Paris is also a tempting possibility. “Of course I would have to go there,” she laughs. “I’d have to see the buildings in person to photograph them and get them right.”

For more information on the artist, visit www.kathigeringer.net.

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FEATURE

The Tea Smith takes ‘tea time’ to a whole new level.

story by Anna Hensel | photography by Bill Sitzmann

D

OWN ON HOWARD Street, in between the many bars and restaurants that pepper the Old Market, the bright-green leaf decorated on the window of The Tea Smith can be easy to miss. But this deceptively simple store hosts the most impressive collection of tea in Omaha, and owner Tim Smith has received national and even international recognition for his treasured tea.

Now if this storefront had existed 20 or so years ago, Smith might have walked past it without batting an eye. “At that time I thought that tea was not much more than brown water and a bag, so I didn’t pay much attention to it,” says Smith. But a Valentine’s Day business trip changed his mind, after he picked up some loose leaf tea for his wife.

“When I got home, she [my wife] made me try it, and I said “oh this is good, this has got some character to it,’” says Smith. Some internet research led Smith to some a surprising fact about tea: that at the time, tea was the most consumed beverage in the world, but in the United States it was ranked sixth or seventh.

Smith began to see a possibility to expand the specialty tea market. If more of the high-quality

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loose leaf teas that he and his wife both loved were more widely available, tea might start to grow in popularity in the United States. While there weren’t many other established tea businesses to model themselves after, Smith decided to take a leap of faith, and opened The Tea Smith in December of 2004.

Smith’s concept behind The Tea Smith is “comfortable contemporary”—he wants anyone to be able to come into The Tea Smith and spend an hour or two relaxing with a nice cup of tea.

This includes making the concept of tea more approachable to the average person, who might not know all about the complexities of tea.

Smith laughs when he recalls the early days of The Tea Smith, when “we’d tell someone we’d opened a tea store and they thought maybe t-shirts or something like that.” Now The Tea Smith plans a variety of educational programs, such as a “Tea 101 class” for beginners. Smith himself says that he is still always learning about tea—with over 10,000 different styles of tea that supposedly come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, Smith hasn’t even come close to tasting them all.

This learning process has taken Smith to the omahamagazine.com

feature

Tim’s Tips

on making the perfect cup of tea:

Ditch the tea bag: “You get a lot more flavor, a lot more of the health benefits with the loose leaf tea than you traditionally will with the bagged tea, and it’s extremely simple,” says Smith.

Start with good water: “Since tea is 95% water, it just makes sense that you start out with the best water you can,” says Smith. Tap water is perfectly fine to use, though Smith recommends using a charcoal filter if you have one. If not, bring the water up to a boil, and let it boil for 15 to 30 seconds to get rid of some of the chemicals and impurities.

Tim Smith of The Tea Smith.

source of his tea, to China, Japan, and Taiwan, and to tea expos all over the world. One of Smith’s highest recognitions came at the 2012 World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, when he was named “Top Tea Infusionist” after winning the expo’s Tea Infusionist Challenge. Smith, along with five other tea experts, was given six teas and had to prepare them on stage for a panel of judges. Participants were judged on their skill and handling of the tea, their ability to discuss the tea, and their success in implementing their desired flavors into their cup of tea.

It’s events like these that allow Smith and his staff to hone their teaching skills when it comes to the intricacies of different kinds of tea. The Tea Smith carries over 150 different kinds of tea, and it’s up to Smith and his employees—the “Tea Smithies”—to taste all of them and help customers find ones that will fit their palette.

Say a customer comes in and is completely new to tea. Smith and his employees will ask the customer what types of flavors he or she likes to help them find a tea that has those kinds of flavors in it. Smith will usually direct first-time tea consumers to something that’s not overly sweet or bitter, like a green tea. Looking omahamagazine.com

for something a little bit more daring? Smith might direct you to one of their most popular drinks called South of the Border, a black tea with chocolate and chili pepper.

Nathan Watson was also looking for something a little different when he stumbled upon the Tea Smith a year and a half ago. Born in the South, Watson’s been a tea drinker his whole life.

But even he was blown away by all of the seemingly crazy tea concoctions The Tea Smith has.

“I can get Chai Tea at Scooter’s or I can get tea from Starbucks. They have two or three different kinds. Tea Smith has like 100,” says Watson.

Watson, a chief sales officer for Contemporary Analysis, has now become a regular at The Tea Smith. It’s his go-to place to meet with clients— he recalls with a laugh how he even hosted six or seven meetings back-to-back at The Tea Smith one day. Despite refilling his same teapot a dozen times throughout the day, Watson uncovered new flavors with each sip of tea. The robust flavors that came with the first brewing of his tea disappeared after the first couple of brewings, and were replaced by some of the subtle flavors that were originally unrecognizable. continued on page 46

Follow the instructions: Not all teas use the same temperature or boiling time. “White and green teas like to have temperatures a little cooler, black teas and herbal infusions can use water right off the boiler,” says Smith. All of the Tea Smith’s packaged teas include the temperature and the correct amount of leaves to use for each cup of tea printed on the bag. Generally, Smith says to use one ounce of tea leaves for eight ounces of water. Then place the tea leaves in an infuser basket, set them in your properly heated water for about 3 to 5 minutes, and you’ve got the perfect cup of tea.

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HISTORY

Gene Leahy Mall Renovation story by Kara Schweiss | photos provided by the KMTV 3/Bostwick-Frohardt Collection at the Durham Museum

This early 20th-century photo was taken from 13th Street looking east on Farnam.

The Gene Leahy Mall replaced the buildings on the left side of the street.

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W

HEN THE NEARLY 10-acre Central Park Mall was dedicated in 1977 (it was officially named the Gene Leahy Mall in 1992), it was considered th a jewel j of downtown Omaha.

“At that time there was nothing like it,” says Brook Bench, director of City of Omaha Parks, Recreation and Public Property. People marveled at the green space and manmade lagoon stretching from 10th to 15th streets between Farnam and Douglas, surrounded by tall buildings and placed right in the midst of the downtown hustle and bustle.

“We have pictures of what it looked like—but it did not look like that lately,” Bench says. It’s a credit to the original planners that the mall held up for nearly four decades, he explains, but over the years, design flaws have become evident.

“The biggest challenge for the mall is that 85 percent of the ground down there is sloped. It’s a very large park, but it’s not very useable. And it’s an absolute nightmare to keep that place clean,

because everything blows in and nothing goes out,” Bench says.

The sloped design that leaves the lagoon and most of the park below street level had also contributed to deterioration of the shoreline, plus walking paths presented trip hazards and had multiple blind corners. And aging and weathering created inevitable deterioration of fixtures and features. But it was water quality that served as the impetus for renovation, Bench says.

“It was so silted in that the depth of the water was only this deep in places,” Bench says, spanning his hands to indicate less than a foot. The lagoon drains to the river, but has no natural inflow, he adds, and the buildup of silt was exacerbated by sustained drought two summers ago. Compounding the problem further, the integrity of the lagoon’s bed had long been compromised and the lagoon needed to be regularly fed by city water.

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finally kick-started by a $600,000 water quality grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust and augmented by Parks department capital improvement program money.

“We have all our planners and our managers and we try to prioritize what needs to be done next,” Bench says of the CIP budget. “And most of the time it is a need—we need to do this, we need to fix this.”

Bench’s philosophy of preservation and maintenance before all else makes sense considering that the CIP budget must encompass the city’s hundreds of properties—community centers, pools and water playgrounds, golf courses, parks and playgrounds, athletic fields, tennis courts, recreational trails, dog parks, skate parks, marinas, and more.

“We probably wouldn’t have done it without getting that grant because it was such a huge amount,” Bench says of the Gene Leahy Mall project. Other enhancements such as an expanded playground, public restrooms, omahamagazine.com

and a covered entertainment space may come later through private funding, he adds, but he sums up the most urgent priorities as “deeper, cleaner, safer.”

Work started in March 2013. A temporary road had to be built so vehicles and equipment could access the lagoon for pumping, dredging, and shoreline stabilization.

“Now we have a bentonite liner, which is a clay liner, so we’re hoping to capture water and not have to keep pumping city water into it.” Bench says.

Crews also built a new trail around the lagoon and installed new lighting, he adds. The restoration was completed this spring, and visitors are immediately noticing the improvements.

“It’s more airy and so it’s not like you’re down in the mall. There’s more visibility,” Bench says.

“It’s about just having a nice place where people can walk through.”

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COVER

cover

J

UST AS IN other places similar in size to Omaha, the city’s comedy scene has been on the rise, and the work of the comedians from different groups in Omaha are to thank.

“We’re still young as far as established scenes go,” Mike Perry of Omaha’s comedy collective OK Party says. “We’re never going to have a New York or L.A. because we just don’t have the entertainment side of it, but as far as the smaller cities, like Denver and Austin, I think we are ahead of the curve. We can follow their example of what they’ve done, and we’ve let them make mistakes so we don’t go through the same mistakes.”

When Perry began doing comedy four years ago, he had to drive to Lincoln to get a chance to do open mic because the Omaha scene was small. He believes now that Omaha has these opportunities, comedy is becoming popular here.

“We’ve gone from having zero places to perform in the city to pretty much every night of the week you can find a comedy show or an open mic going on somewhere,” Perry says. “And that’s just in three years.”

The scene here includes multiple comedy groups and collectives, including OK Party, The Weisenheimers, 88 Improv, 1980star, Backline Improv, and more. Even though the scene is growing, it still isn’t massive, which, for Backline Improv performer and part owner Elissa Ami, is alright.

“It’s definitely smaller, but in my experience that has been a good thing,” Ami says. “I never took any improv or acting in grade school, high school, or college … now I know that I want to get into it.”

Originally from Chicago, and veteran of the well-known The Second City improv class, Ami has been able to discover what exactly it is about improv she likes, and has gotten the opportunity to do it more.

“I like how small the comedy scene is here. I like that it’s growing, but I also like that there’s not so many people that you can’t start from the bottom and feel like you can’t get somewhere,” Ami says.

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Underground Comedy Scene Rises to the Surface. story by Josie Bungert | photography by Bill Sitzmann

Ryan de la Garza of OK Party. omahamagazine.com

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“If there’s actually going to be a scene, there can’t just be three guys and they’re the ones running it; it needs to have that whole community around it.”

-Mike Perry Now, as a member and co-owner of Backline Improv, where recent OEA Best Comedian Award winner Heather Jones also performs, Ami has more chances for performing.

“At Second City I got to perform on stage once every seven weeks, and that was only three times I got to do that. Here you get a lot more experience quicker because there are less people in the scene,” Ami says. “It’s good and bad.

It’s great that it’s small for people who are just starting and trying to get into things, but of course we want it to grow.”

Beyond open mic nights, many collectives in town offer improv classes and other performing opportunities for aspiring comedians to get on stage.

“Our goal was to have showcases with people that were already performing at these open mics [and] create a chance for new people to perform,” Perry says. “One that we do is a comedy battle where we give the performers topics and ask them to write two minutes of material, They go head to head until we have a champion.

Ryan de la Garza, a member of OK Party with Perry, says the Omaha scene is growing because of the way it is run.

“I definitely feel like our scene is thriving,” de la Garza says. “We bring a lot of comics from other cities and what we hear is that we are where Denver was a year ago. Their scene is blowing up right now … we are right on the cusp.”

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Outside of weekly and monthly comedy events around the city, there are bigger events for people interested in comedy to enjoy. OK Party’s Crom Comedy festival, which will take place May 23-25, is one event. This festival will play host to over 60 comedians from Denver, Atlanta, New York, and more. In addition, the second annual Omaha Improv Festival will take place May 28 through June 1.

“Super exciting. We have coaches from all across the nation coming in to teach us what they know about improv … it really gives you a lot of insight into how other people do improv,” Ami says.

As far as continued growth, Perry acknowledges that it is a group effort by the local comedy collectives.

“Having other comedians or other shows in Omaha is really important,” Perry says. “We include people from those groups on our shows, they put us on theirs … it can’t be a solo venture. If there’s actually going to be a scene, there can’t just be three guys and they’re the ones running it; it needs to have that whole community around it.”

The now well-established comedy scene is one local talent is proud of.

“I’ve never seen anything like what we have created,” de la Garza says. “Some cities might have one showcase a month, but we’re doing upwards of four or five or six, so it’s pretty great.” omahamagazine.com

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7 Years In A Row

continued from page 7 “The backdrop for the festival has changed dramatically since then,” Gutman adds, “and the event parallels how our city has earned its reputation as a thriving place for creativity, culture, performing arts, and retail.”

The festival’s artist market may be the main attraction, but the all-ages fun also extends to a hands-on, activity-packed Children’s Fair. Ready for a bite? Check out the savory offerings of the TasteFest to fuel your boothhopping journey from 10th to 15th streets along Farnam. The soundtrack of the crowdpleasing event will once again be provided by an eclectic array of artists playing on the World Music Pavilion Stage.

Over its storied history, the event has attracted more than three million visitors to Downtown Omaha and more than $15 million in artwork has been sold.

“The Omaha Summer Arts Festival rises above a mere arts festival,” Gutman adds. “It’s about celebrating Downtown. It’s about community and the life of a city. It’s about Omaha.” omahamagazine.com

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FACES Old Market personality Jared Spence talks beauty, creativity, and bein ng yourself s or st oryy by

by S Saaraah We Weng ngerrt | ph phot otog o ra raph phy by phy

by Biilll Sit Sitz Si tzma mann ann nn

“

omahamagazine.com

AR A R ED SPE ENC NCE IS I a un uniq iqu uee sta tarr in t he he dan nce ce of lliiffee.

Seerriiou ousllyy,, yoouu sho houl uld se see hi see his da danc nce m moove ove ves. ss..

“A As a DJ DJ,, yo you al a lwa wayyss wan ant Ja Jare red ed on on you ourr da danc nce flfloooorr,” nce nc , saays Bre says rent nt Crraam nt mppto ton, n, DJ/ J/co coo-cre -ccre reat attor or of H Hoous ouusse se of of Loo oom an and Beerrrr y andd Rye an Ryye. e. “H Hee’l’ ll be be fro r ntt andd cen enteer jjuust st gooiin ing ng off too the he mus usic i ..””

A jjaackk of al a l tr trad ades e andd staapplle ooff the he Oldd Maarrke ket, t, Sppeenc ncee br briinngs g t at th a sam me si s ncceerre en enthus thhus u iiaasm m to evveerr yt y thi hing ng he do does es, s, wh whe het ethe ethe her her beau be auty au utyy, fa fash shio ion, io n, journ n, ournnalis ou aallism, ism, is m, deessiggn, thea heeat ateerr maakkeeuup, ate p, or co cost stum st umin um inngg..

He’’ss ubbiiqu He q it itou tou ouss in n Oma ma hhaa’s a’’ss soc ociaa l sc ocia scen ene. e. If yo y uu’’re re out andd abbouut, t esppec ecia ialllll y do d wn wnto tow to wn n, n, yyoouu’’vee likkel ely sshhared arred e a dan nce c flo floor o or orr bar a te tend ndderr. Pe Perhhaapps th t aatt’ss why hy a fri rien ien endd off Spe penc ncce’ nce’ e’s alwa e’s aallw waays ys in nttrrod oduc uces uc uces e him m as “aan O Om maahha inst iin nst stit stit itut uttio ion on n..”

“In “I n cooll l egge I rreeaallly sta tarted rttedd to bbeeco come ome me one ne wiitt h Doown w to tow wn,” wn,” , says sa ays Speencce, e who mov oved edd to th t e Omah Om mah aha aarrea e in el elem elem men ent nttaaryy sch choo oool.l Circ Ci rrcca ca 20008 08, he he wor o ke kedd att the h now ow-c -cclo lose lose sedd boout u iq ique ue, Tr Troc ocad ader ad e o. er o.

D ri Du ring ngg thi n his ti time me,, hee sayys, me s he reeaalllyy “ fe fell ellll in lo love vee wit ithh th thee ar a ea,” ea,” ea , bega be bega gann ddooinng st s yl y ing inng fo for or faashio shiioon sh on shhoow ws and annd phhot otoo sshhoo hooots doow wnttoow wn, n and maki and an ma ki ma k ing ng lot ng o s off crea rreeaattiivve co conn n eccttiioon nn ns. s. “[[D “[Do Doow wn nto town wn w n] is is a ver eryy cr c eaati t ve ve env nvvir iroon onme ment nt,” , say ,” ays Sp S en ence c . “I ce “ feeed off thhe en ener ergy gyy and I’m m alway lway lw a s innsppir i ed by th the di diffe ffere renntt thhiing nggss an nd peeopple I seee.”

F rs Fi rstt it it was as worrkk.. Th Then enn it waas wo work r andd play. rk lay. la y. Noow w Spe p nncce wo w rk rks,, p ay pl a s, and liv ives ess in thhe Ol Old M Maarkket et..

“Itt’ “I t’s kiind of a ro roma mant ma n ic thiing ng, thhe re relaattiioon nshhip ip thee Old Mar arkkeet an nd I ha havvee,” ,” he sa says. yyss. “I “Itt’’s jju ustt t h hee beesst st too me. e. Every very ve ryth y tth hin ng In neeedd is hheerree..””

S il St i l fr free ree e laanc ncin ncin ng aass a sty tyl ylliist st, t Sp Speen nce ce a lsso w woorkks as a a nat atuurral ral naaill tec ech att Siirrens en ns at at the he Looft ft Sal alon on & Daayy Spa on pa, do doin i g sppa haandd an nd fo foot foot ot ser er vi vice c ss..

“I’v “I ’ve aallwa wayyss had ad an affi ffini nittyy foorr bea eaut eau uty, y ski kinc ncar are, e haiirc rcarre … an andd I love lo vee helpi ellpi ping nngg peo eopl opl p e, e, mak akin ing th them hem m feeeel go gooodd and nd bea eaut aut utif tif ifuull,” ,” he sa s ys ys.. “ ar “J ared eedd is a un uniq iquuee souul,,” sa sayyss Siren iren ir ens ns ow o ne n rC Chhevy ev y Ko ev Kozziisseek. k. “Hi Hs custtom cust cu mer er seerr vice vicee is aabbovve an vi a d bbeeyo yonndd—w —we ge get et rave raave ve revvieews ws abo bout ut ut his pe hi pedi dicu di icu cure treeattme ment n s. s He iss ama mazi zing ng.””

On n a t yyppiiccall day you mig ight ht see Spe penc nce at nce at Barry arrryy O’s ar ’s, s Ho Hous use of of LLooom ooom m, oorr Ber erry and nd Rye ye.

“Dow “D ownt ntow oow wn iss ver eryy co cozy ozyy, sppattiiaa lll y for for su fo suree, bu but al also s in so the encounter | may/june 2014

35

faces

Italian & Mediterranean specialties served in“the Old Market’s most beautiful dining room,” complemented with the area’s largest selection of Italian wines.

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342-2050

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36

may/june 2014 | the encounter

terms of people,” he says. “It’s a friendly place where people feel comfortable no matter who they are, because they’re always so many different types of people.”

Spence, who now often wears makeup and occasionally a wig, was insecure growing up worried what others thought of him or how they might judge him.

“I’m a big advocate for being yourself,” he says. “I’ve learned that the beauty of being a person is being an individual. There’s no one else like you, or him or her or anyone. Being an individual is what it’s all about; it’s what sets you apart that makes you beautiful. And I think the Old Market is a great place to be yourself.”

Spence says he gets the occasional look when he’s out, but that doesn’t bother him.

“I think it’s important to make people aware that not everybody’s the same, but that you’re allowed to do what makes you feel good even if others don’t agree or understand.”

“Jared’s an integral part of downtown, bringing laughter and joy,” says Crampton. “He just wants to look fabulous and treat others like they’re fabulous. He has a gift for empathy and an ability to sense what others are feeling.”

Spence concurs he is “everybody’s Oprah,” doling out wisdom and support when needed.

“Happiness is a state of mind, it’s not something you wait for,” he says, with insight beyond his 25 years. “You have good days and bad, but focus on the positive and you’ll realize you’re surrounded by lots of love and opportunity.” omahamagazine.com

DINING

Le Bouillon The Old Market’s Newest Legend? story byy David WIlliams | photography byy Bill Sitzmann

omahamagazine.com

T

HE RESTAURANT AT 1017 Howard Street made an indelible mark on the city’s culinary landscape.

The sentence above was a factual statement when uttered in any year from 1969 through 2012, when the legendary French Café closed. In opening Le Bouillon in the same memorable space, owner and executive chef Paul Kulik aims to keep those words operative well into the new millennia.

“The history of the Old Market quite literally starts with the French Café,” says Kulik, who is also the executive chef at the famed Boiler Room restaurant located just around the corner. “Everything about the Old Market radiated out from and was developed around that place. You might say that Le Bouillon is, at least in part, homage to the French Café.”

The commonalities, other than a mailing address, between thethe encounter encounter | march/april | may/june 2014

37

dining

the two restaurants begin—and to a certain degree end—with Kulik retaining a French aesthetic.

“When talking about French food I want to be very clear to distinguish between a stereotype and a much simpler idea,” Kulik says. “I’m talking about the food the French as a people put on their table every day. It’s not about white tablecloths. It’s about getting back to garden cooking—country food that grandma would be proud to put on the table. Fresh. Unpretentious.

It’s a French Country sensibility, but with our own spin on it,” he adds of a menu that reflects the heritage of southwestern France and northern Spain.

The most notable change in terms of outward appearance of the restaurant is that Kulik had removed the view-blocking window film that shrouded the once darkish space.

“You don’t build a restaurant overlooking, say, the Grand Canyon, and then cover the windows,” Kulik says. A window seat at Le Bouillon is sure to be one of the most coveted of table assignments, especially as the favorite sport of Old Market people-watching gains momentum with rising temperatures.

Omaha has always been a big food town.

Studies show that we eat out more often than folks in other places. To many, the city is synonymous with steak. But Kulik, one of Omaha’s most acclaimed food pioneers of the past decade, believes in a higher goal—work that will cement for the city the reputation of being a place that has a rich, broad, and evolving culinary scene.

The view of diners at the old French Café was obstructed by film on the windows. Kulik’s vision has no such obstacles.

38

may/june 2014 | the encounter

omahamagazine.com

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

A

N. 16th St

S. 16th St

S. 16th St

S. 16th St

B

Leavenworth St

Jones St

Jackson St

Howard St

Harney St

Farnam St

Douglas St

Dodge St

Capitol Ave

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C

N. 15th St

S. 15th St

S. 15th St

B

1

D

2

Harney St

D

Omaha Chamber Of Commerce S. 13th St S. 13th St

N. 14th St

S. 15th St

Farnam St

E

F

G

E

12

Jones St

Jackson St

3

8

F

Douglas St

9

4

11

G

Harney St

Howard St

Building, 1914-1915

Leavenworth St

H13

H12

H11

H10

H9

1892-1893 Omaha Fire House, 1903-1904 Windsor Hotel, 1885-1887 Omaha Bemis Bag Company, 1887-1902 Anheuser-Busch Beer Depot, 1887 Union Pacific Passenger Terminal, 1931

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1886-1887

H6 Eisenberg Building,

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Merchants Attractions OLD MARKET / DOWNTOWN / RIVERFRONT

ANTIQUES Antique Annex...F16 ........................... 402.932.3229 Ashley’s Collectibles...E15...................402.934.3100 Ashley Jr. Collection...D16..................402-934-3100 Fairmont Antique Mall...E17 ................402.346.9746 Flying Worm Vintage...E16 ................. 402.932.3229 The Imaginarium...D16........................402.594.7061 Joe’s Collectibles...F16........................ 402.612.1543 Second Chance Antiques...D14 ......... 402.346.4930

ART

EXCEPTIONAL

TABACCOS

Anderson O’Brien Fine Art...F16 ..........402.884.0911 Artists’ Cooperative Gallery...G15.........402.342.9617 Bemis Ctr. for Contemporary Arts...E18402.341.7130 FAME ...................................................402.341-3930 Farrah Grant Photography...G16...........402.312.8262 Gallery 616...F17 ..................................402.214.3061 Garden Of The Zodiac...G15................. 402.341.1877 Hot Shops Art Center...D2 ...................402.342.6452 MANGELSEN - Images of Nature Gallery...F15............

402.341.8460 KANEKO...F17 ..................................... 402.341.3800 Old Market Artists Gallery...G15 ..........402.346.6569 Omaha ClayWorks...F17......................402.346.0560 Passageway Gallery...G15 .................... 402.341.1910 Sirens at the Loft...F16 ........................402.933.9333 White Crane Gallery...G15 ....................402.345.1066

ATTRACTIONS & ENTERTAINMENT

503 S. 11th Street / Old Market / Omaha SGRoiTobacconist.com

Blue Barn Theatre...F17 ......................402.345.1576 CenturyLink Center Omaha...H7 ......... 402.341.1500 The Durham Museum...H19................402.444.5071 Film Streams...D4............................... 402.933.0259 Henry Doorly Zoo...(3701 S. 10th St.) 402.733.8401 Holland Performing Arts Center...E12 402.345.0606 Joslyn Art Museum...(2200 Dodge St.) .........................

402.342.3300 KANEKO...F17 .....................................402.341.3800 Lauritzen Gardens...(100 Bancroft St.)402.346.4002 MJ Carriage Service...(11th & Howard)402.453.6745 Ollie the Trolley.....................................402.597.3596 Omaha Children’s Museum...(500 S. 20th St.) .............

402.342.6164 Omaha Symphony...A16..................... 402.342.3560 Opera Omaha...(1850 Farnam St.) .....402.346.7372 Orpheum Theater...B15...................... 402.345.0606 The Rose Theater...(2001 Farnam St.)402.345.4849 TD Ameritrade Park Omaha...E3.........402.546.1800 Ticket Omaha...(www.ticketomaha.org) ........................

402.345.0606

BARS, LOUNGES & PUBS

• The Old Market’s Longest Jazz Gig • Live Music Every Sunday and Wednesday • Free Orsi’s Pizza on Friday, 4-6 p.m.

• Omaha’s Most Popular Patio 402.345.4488 1002 Howard St. Check us out on

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may/june 2014 | the encounter

Bar 415...E15.......................................402.346.7455 Barry O’s...G15 ....................................402.341.8032 Berry & Rye...F16 ................................ 402.631.1331 Billy Frogg’s Grill & Bar...F15 ...............402.341.4427 Blue Sushi Sake Grill...E15 ................. 402.408.5566 Capitol Lounge & Supper Club...G11.. 402.934.5999 DJ’s Dugout Sports Bar/Blazin’ Pianos...G11 ................

402.763.9974 The Dubliner Pub...E15....................... 402.342.5887 Eat the Worm...E16..............................402.614.4240 Embassy Suites Old Market...H16...... 402.346.9000 Havana Garage Cigar Bar...G15...........402.614.3800 House of Loom...(1012 S. 10th St.).... 402.505.5494 J’s on Jackson...H6 ..............................402.991.1188 J.D.Tucker’s...G15 ...............................402.934.5190 Jackson St.Tavern...F14 ......................402.991.5637 Julio’s Old Market...D16 ..................... 402.345.6921 La Buvette Wine & Grocery...G16....... 402.344.8627 M’s Pub...F15 ..................................... 402.342.2550 Mr. Toad’s...G15 ................................. 402.345.4488 Maria Sangria...F14 .............................402.504.4901 Nosh Wine Lounge...G11..................... 402.614.2121 O Dining & Lounge...G14 .....................402.502.7888 O’Connor’s Irish Pub...E16 ..................402.934.9790 Old Chicago...F15 .................................402.341.1616 The Tavern...G16 ................................. 402.341.0191

Old Mattress Factory Bar & Grill...E6...402.346.9116 Parliament Pub...C5............................ 402.934.3301 Rock Bottom Brewery...F15.................402.614.9333 Roja Old Market...E14..........................402.346.9190 Sake Bombers @ Blue...E15 .............. 402.408.5566 The Stadium Club Sports Bar & Grill...G15.....................

402.359.1290 The Slowdown...D4 .............................402.345.7569 Stiles Pub...E15 ...................................402.991.9911 Stokes Bar & Grill...F15 ...................... 402.408.9000 T Henery’s Pub...F14 .......................... 402.345.3651 Trap Room, The...C4 .......................... 402.505.9368 Twisted Fork Grill & Bar...G15............. 402.932.9600 Union Pizzeria & Sports Bar...C2 ....... 402.932.2929 Upstream Brewing Company...F16 .... 402.344.0200 Urban Wine Company...G18 ............... 402.934.0005 Waters Edge Lounge @ Embassy Suites...H16..............

402.346.9000 The Zin Room...B14.............................402.991.0660

Spaghetti Works...F16......................... 402.422.0770 Spencer’s @ Hilton Garden Inn...G12..402.280.8888 Table Grace Café...B14.........................402.965.1276 The Stadium Club Sports Bar & Grill...G15...................

402.359.1290 Stokes Bar & Grill…F15 ......................402.408.9000 Subway...E15.402.341.8814 Sullivan’s Steakhouse...B13 ................ 402.342.0077 Trini’s Mexican Restaurant...G15.........402.346.8400 Twisted Fork Grill & Bar...G15..............402.932.9600 Union Pizzeria & Sports Bar...C2 ........ 402.932.2929 Upstream Brewing Company...F16 .....402.344.0200 V.Mertz...G15.......................................402.345.8980 Vincenzo’s Ristorante...E15 ..................402.342.4010 Vivace...F15 .........................................402.342.2050 Wheatfields Express...F15....................402.991.0917 The Zin Room...B14............................. 402.991.0660 Zio’s Pizzeria...F16...............................402.344.2222

BOOKSTORES Jackson St. Booksellers...F17 .............402.341.2664 Soul Desires/Urban Abbey...G16 ........402.898.7600

Garden Flowers...G16..........................402.614.5661 Old Market Habitat...G15.................... 402.342.0044 The Paisley Poppy...B14 ......................402.991.6970

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

HEALTH & FITNESS

All About Me Boutique...G15 ...............402.505.6000 Curbside Clothing...G16 Drastic Plastic...E16.............................402.346.8843 Flying Worm Vintage...E16 .................. 402.932.3229 The Lotus...E16 ...................................402.346.8080 McLovin’...H15..................................... 402.915.4002 Nouvelle Eve...F15 ................................402.345.4811 Old Market Sundries...G16 .................. 402.345.8198 Overland Outfitters...G16.....................402.345.2900 Reserve Goodwill in the Market...E16...402.342.4102 Second Chance Antiques...D14 ..........402.346.4930 Souq, Ltd...G15.................................... 402.342.2972 Urban Outfitters...D4 ............................402.280.1936

Acupuncture Omaha Healing Arts Center...E15...........................

402.345.5078 David Bole L.Ac............................ 402.345.5078 Ellen Zinn L.Ac ............................. 402.345.5078 Elizabeth Harmon - Acupuncture ..402.991.5753 Ayurvedic Healing (both at Omaha Healing Arts Center) Dr.Rajesh Kotecha...E15 .............. 402.345.5078 Joyce Librunner, LMT...E15 ..........402.740.0366 Dental Derek Fender, DDS...E15 ............. 402.342.3901 James Polerecky, DDS...C15........402.341.7576 Omaha Dental Spa (at the Loft)...F16 ......................

402.505.4424 Fitness Anytime Fitness...F18 ...................402.991.2333 Kempo Karate...(19th & Farnam). 402.905.6865 Omaha Yoga School...G15 ............402.346.7813 Massage Therapy Old Market Massage...E15 ...........402.850.6651 Omaha Healing Arts Center...E15 ..... 402.345.5078 Rachel Andress, LMT .................. 402.345.5078 Sandy Aquila, LMT....................... 402.345.5078 Julia Beutler, LMT ........................ 402.345.5078 Lisa Christensen, LMT ..................402.850.6651 Kirstin Kluver, LMT....................... 402.345.5078 Joyce Linbrunner, LMT .................402.740.0366 Tara Thompson, LMT....................402.706.7398 Medical Commercial Optical Co...E16 ........402.344.0219 Creighton Family Healthcare...D19402.280.5500 Downtown Chiropractic...(21st & Douglas)..............

402.345.7500 Ritch Miller, DC............................. 402.345.7500 Heartland Pathology...A14 ............402.346.0195 Physical Therapy Bobby Escolas, CMHT (Hypnotherapist)..................

402.990.2979 Jannette J. Davis, MS, CST...G13 402.341.2230 Cynthia Duggin, MSW, LCSW...E15 ........................

402.345.5078 East & West Physical Therapy...E15 ........................

402.345.5078 Chanell Jaramillo, MTP, CMH, HHP...E15 ............. .

402.689.0905 Jeff Stormberg, PhD...C14 .......... 402.393.0642 Tim Swisher, MHR, LMHP, LADC...G13 ..................

402.341.2230 Pharmacy Depot Drug...C11 ........402.544.DRUG

DINING 801 Chophouse at the Paxton...C14 ... 402.341.1222 9th Street Grill...H11 ............................402.315.4301 Ahmad’s Persian Cuisine...G15 ...........402.341.9616 Billy Frogg’s Grill & Bar...F15 ...............402.341.4427 Blue Sushi Sake Grill...E15 ................. 402.408.5566 The Boiler Room...F17 .........................402.916.9274 Capitol Lounge & Supper Club...G11.. 402.934.5999 The Diner...F15 ....................................402.341.9870 DJ’s Dugout Sports Bar/Blazin’ Pianos...G11 ................

402.763.9974 Eat the Worm...E16..............................402.614.4240 Falling Water Grille @ Embassy Suites...H16 .................

402.346.9000 The Flatiron Café...(17th & Howard) ... 402.344.3040 Hiro 88...D16 ...................................... 402.933-5168 Indian Oven...G15 ............................... 402.342.4856 J’s on Jackson...H6 ..............................402.991.1188 Jackson St. Tavern...F17 .....................402.991.5637 Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen...C14 ......... 402.342.3662 Joe Banana’s (1022 S.10th St.) ..........402.346.7227 Julio’s Old Market...D16 ........................402.345.692 Kitchen Table, The...D13 .....................402.933.2810 Liberty Tavern...G7 ............................. 402.998.4321 Little King...F4 .................................... 402.344.2264 M’s Pub...F15 ..................................... 402.342.2550 Maria Sangria...F14 .............................402.504.4901 Matsu Sushi...G14 .............................. 402.346.3988 Michael’s at the Market...F14..............402.346.1205 Nicola’s Italian Wine & Faire...E16 ...... 402.345.8466 O Dining & Lounge...G14 .....................402.502.7888 O’Connors Irish Pub...E16 ...................402.934.9790 Old Chicago...F15 ................................402.341.1616 Omaha Prime...G15 .............................402.341.7040 PepperJax Grill...D16............................402.315.1196 Pickleman’s...B14................................402.505.9775 Rock Bottom Brewery...F15..................402.614.9333 Roja Old Market...E14.......................... 402.346.9190 Shuck’s Fish House...(19th & Leavenworth) ................

402.614.5544

FLOWERS

HOME FURNISHINGS Habitat Restore...(24th & Leavenworth) .........................

402.342.0044

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the encounter | may/june 2014

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CenturyLink Center Omaha

The Old Market’s favorite spot for lunch & dinner.

Merchants Attractions OLD MARKET / DOWNTOWN / RIVERFRONT

Iron Decor & More...F16 .....................................402.346.6123 Julia Russell...F12...............................................402.891.0691 Niche...G15.........................................................402.344.4399 Room...G15 ........................................................402.342.7666 Simply Fabulous...G4.......................................... 402.812.2193 Urban by Design...E16 .........................................970.214.7608 Zongkers Custom Woods...(S. 3rd St.) ..............402.344.7784

Award-winning food & wine list – open late 7 nights a week.

Call for reservations.

M’s Pub

422 S. 11th Street

•

342-2550

www.MsPubOmaha.com

Guest Caterers (lunch served on a rotating schedule)

Chick-fil-A La Mesa Mexican Restaurant Sgt. Peffer’s Café Italian The Greek Islands Petrow’s Restaurant Mangia Italiano Schlotzsky’s Paradise Bakery.

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Full service convenience center

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Unique, hard to find specialty gift items for all seasons

•

Official NCAA sanctioned University of Nebraska Husker memorabilia, clothing, etc.

•

Fashion Cleaners next day service

•

Fresh flowers, specialty floral arrangements, specialty balloons and balloon arrangements for all occasions.

1601 Dodge St., Suite 100

(South lobby of the First National Tower)

402.341.5555 Hours: 6:30a-5p Monday-Friday

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La Buvette Wine & Grocery...G16......................402.344.8627 Nosh Wine Lounge...G11....................................402.614.2121 Old Market Candy Shop...G16...........................402.344.8846 Patrick’s Market...C15 ........................................402.884.1600 Red Mango...D4 ................................................ 402.933.8815 Scooter’s Coffeehouse...F16 ............................. 402.991.9868 Soul Desires...G16 ............................................ 402.898.7600 The Tea Smith...F15 ..........................................402.932.3933 HOTELS Ted & Wally’s Ice Cream...F16............................402.341.5827 Courtyard by Marriott...H12 ...............................402.346.2200 Urban Wine Company...G18 ..............................402.934.0005 DoubleTree Hotel...B/C10...................................402.346.7600 Wheatfields Express...F15..................................402.991.0917 Embassy Suites Old Market...H16......................402.346.9000 Fairfield Inn and Suites...C2.................................402.280.1516 SPECIALTY SHOPS Hampton Inn...E2................................................402.345.5500 Cibola of Omaha...G16 ......................................402.342.1200 Hilton Garden Inn...C2 .......................................402.341.4400 City Limits...F16................................................ 402.345.3570 Hilton Omaha...G7 .............................................402.998.3400 Cornerstone Gem & Bead Co...E16 .................. 402.346.4367 Holiday Inn...E2....................................................402.341.0124 DSR Power Sports...E15.................................... 402.991.1383 Homewood Suites...D2 ......................................402.345.5100 Goldsmith/Silversmith...G16 .............................402.342.1737 Hotel DECO XV...B14 .......................................... 402.991.4981 Green St. Cycles...D4 ....................................... 402.505.8002 Magnolia Hotel Omaha...A16 .............................402.342.2222 Havana Garage Cigar Bar...G15.........................402.614.3800 Hookah Ran’s...D15..........................................402-934-3100 MIDTOWN CROSSING Iron Decor & More...F16 ....................................402.346.6123 The Afternoon...W23 ..........................................402.933.3809 J.P. Cooke Rubber Stamp Co...D16 ..................402.342.7175 Arlan’s Barber Shop...W23.................................402.505.8767 Jay Welter Cigars...(18th & Jackson) ................402.345.1965 Brix...W21...........................................................402.991.8466 Kessler’s...F17 ...................................................402.715.5888 Callahan Financial Planning...V23 ......................402.341.2000 The Lotus...D16 .................................................402.347.8080 Cantina Laredo...W21 ........................................402.345.6000 Machu Picchu Imports...D16.............................402.706.7818 Chef2...W22 ........................................................402.991.5656 Nebraska at the Market...E19........................... 402.346.3975 Coldstone Creamery/Rocky Mountain Chocolate...X22 .............

Old Market Sundries...G16 ................................402.345.8198 402.359.1719 Overland Outfitters...G16..................................402.345.2900 Corky Canvas...W22........................................... 402.637.4066 Perspective Jewelry...E15..................................402.934.4416 CRAVE...W22 .....................................................402.345.9999 Red Square...G15 ............................................. 402.342.8878 Definitive Vision...W23........................................402.502.7323 Reserve Goodwill in the Market...E16................402.342.4102 Delice European Bakery...W23...........................402.505.9500 SG Roi Tobacconist...G16 ..................................402.341.9264 Element by Westin...X21 ....................................402.614.8080 Simply Fabulous...E17 .......................................402.812.2193 Fashion Cleaners...X22 .......................................402.916.1987 Studio 13...(1736 S. 13th St.) ............................402.934.1111 Garbo’s Salon & Spa...X22.................................402.933.8988 The Summit...(1601 Dodge St.) ........................402.341.5555 Glo Lounge...X23................................................402.342.4505 Susie’s Baskets...E13 ........................................402.341.4650 The Grey Plume...W22 .......................................402.763.4447 Takechi’s Jewelry...(17th & Harney) ..................402.341.3044 Hutch...W22 .......................................................402.955.9842 Tannenbaum Christmas Shop...G16 ................ 402.934.8389 Ingredient...X23..................................................402.715.4444 Visions Custom Framing Studio...E17 .............. 402.342.0020 Lenny’s Sub Shop...X23......................................402.218.1745 Marcus Midtown Cinema...X23 .........................402.345.0102 SERVICES NT Nails... ........................................................... 402.991.7676 Banking & Finance Pana 88 ..............................................................402.934.7262 American National Bank...C14.....................402.457.1070 Prairie Life Fitness...W22 ...................................402.916.5000 First National Bank...F16.............................402.885.2574 Saints Pub & Patio...W21 ....................................402.932.1911 Pinnacle Bank...G12....................................402.346.9180 Three Dog Bakery...X23 ..................................... 402.715.4500 Security National Bank...G16 ..................... 402.344.7300 Wohlner’s Neighborhood Grocery and Deli...X21402.551.6875 Commercial Verizon Wireless by Z Wireless...X23 ..................402.991.1180 Alliance Group...G18 .................................. 402.344.7700 Clark Creative Advertising...D16 ................402.345.5800 MUSIC SHOPS J.P. Cooke Rubber Stamp Co...D16............402.342.7175 Antiquarium Records...D15 ...............................402.345.0294 Market Media............................................. 402.346.4000 Homer’s Records...E15......................................402.346.0264 Vic Gutman & Associates........................... 402.345.5401 Drastic Plastic...E16...........................................402.346.8843 Information DOWNTOWN PROPERTIES Downtown Omaha, Inc. ...............................402.341.3700 902 Dodge Condos...G11 .................................. 402.215.7118 Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce...D15 ....................

Ashley Park...(204 S. 25th).............................. 402-934-3100 402.346.5000 Brandeis Building...A13 .....................................402.345.6564 Old Market Business Association...(www.oldmarket.com) Farnam 1600 Building...(1905 Harney St.)........402.342.1616 Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau...G14402.444.4660 Grubb/Ellis Pacific Realty...F15 .........................402.345.5866 Omaha Downtown Improvement District .....402.916.1796 Harney Street Apartments...G18 ........................402.934.7510 Omaha Public Library...C13 ........................402.444.4800 Legend Building...(1429 S. 13th) ..................... 402-934-3100 Legal Old Market Lofts...K3 ........................................ 402.346.1000 Boyle & Associates, PC...F16....................... 402.706.7810 Overland Building...D16.................................... 402-934-3100 Cullan & Cullan...F15 ................................... 402.397.7600 Pullman Building...(1017 S. 10th St.) ............... 402-934-3100 Klein Law Offices...H16 ................................402.391.1871 Riverfront Place...C14.........................................402.397.4837 Stinson, Morrison, Hecker LLP...E14 ............402.342.1700 Shamrock Development/Paxton Building...C14 .402.934.7711 Sutera & Sutera Law Office...F15 ................402.342.3100 Skinner Macaroni Apartments...D17.................402.346.2346 Other The Cornerstone Apartments...F15................... 402.346.0510 Big Brain Productions...F17 .........................402.342.2885 The Greenhouse Apts...H13 .............................. 402.341.3200 Movers Not Shakers...H13 ........................... 402.614.9770 TipTop Building...C2...........................................402.345.8000 Old Market Mini Storage...(501 Pacific St.) .402.342.0022 Salon & Spa SPECIALTY FOODS & COFFEE Curb Appeal Salon...G16 .............................402.345.0404 13th Street Coffee Co...E16 ............................. 402.345.2883 The Hair Market Salon...G14........................402.345.3692 Aromas Coffeehouse...G18 ...............................402.614.7009 The Nail Shop...(9th & Douglas) ..................402.595.8805 Bliss Bakery...G18 ..............................................402.934.7450 Rain Salon...(1006 S. 10th St.).....................402.991.9974 Blue Line Coffee...D3 ........................................402.932.0294 Sirens Salon & Day Spa...F16 ......................402.933.9333 Cubby’s Old Markey Grocery...E17.................... 402.341.2900 Urbane Salon & Day Spa...D15 ....................402.934.2909 Hollywood Candy...H4 ....................................... 402.346.9746

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Visit us in the historical RILEY BUILDING at 1016 Douglas on the Mall, 402.346.9180 or online at pinnbank.com.

T HE

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march/april calendar of events Sponsored by Pinnacle Bank

ART AND MUSEUM EXHIBITS Omaha Artists, Inc. May 3 through June 17, Lauritzen Gardens – 100 Bancroft St. An exhibition of art depicting flowers, landscapes and botanical themes in a variety of media by local artists. Mediums include: oil, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, linocut prints, photography, jewelry, encaustic, pastel and graphite. $7. 9 am-5pm daily. 402-346-4002 – lauritzengardens.org.

Omaha Summer Arts Festival June 6 through June 8, Gene Leahy Mall – 1203 Farnam St. The Omaha Summer Arts Festival celebrates its 40th anniversary in Downtown Omaha. The festival is Omaha’s premier destination for arts and all your entertainment. The festival features 135 of the nation’s finest visual artists, a stage full of rich multicultural musical performances and a hands-on Children’s Fair.

In addition, TasteFest offers a large variety of food vendors, some of which include Mexican, Greek, barbeque, and traditional festival fare, including hamburgers, hot dogs, and funnel cakes, which should satisfy any festival-goer’s cravings. Free. 10am-10pm. 402-345-5401 – summerarts.org.

Garden Art Festival June 7 through June 8, Bancroft Street Market – 2702 10 St. Various artists will be on site displaying all kinds of garden and outdoor art for purchase. Free. 402-651-2327 – bancroftstreetmarket.com.

Mark di Suvero: River’s Edge Park June 7 through September 7, Joslyn Art Museum – 2200 Dodge St. Coinciding with the installation of a monumental sculpture by Mark di Suvero commissioned by the Iowa West Foundation for River’s Edge Park in Council Bluffs, Joslyn presents this complementary exhibition of the artist’s work, including studies for the River’s Edge commission, smaller sculptures, and prints. Free. T, W, F, Sat, Sun/10 am-4 pm; Thu/10 am-8 pm. 402-342-3300 – joslyn.org.

Mary Mattingly: Flock House Project: Omaha | A Citywide Workshop Through August 16, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts – 724 South 12 St. Omaha residents will have an opportunity to consider just how our urban landscape might look in the decades to come when Mary Mattingly brings her Flock House Project to the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. Inspired by patterns of global human migration and pilgrimage, the Flock House Project is a group of mobile, sculptural, public habitats and self-contained ecosystems that are movable, modular, and scalable.

Tue-Sat/11 am-5pm. Free. 402-341-7130 – bemiscenter.org.

CONCERTS John Legend May 6, Holland Performing Arts Center – 1200 Douglas St. Nine-time Grammywinning artist John Legend is connecting with audiences through this intimate, acoustic performance featuring a string quartet.

The tour comes in support of Legend’s highly acclaimed fourth studio album Love In the Future, which continues to gain momentum on the Billboard 200 Chart. $51-$81.

402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org/Holland-center.

Alice in Chains May 24, Harrah’s Stir Concert Cove - 1 Harrahs Blvd. Although the band’s sound incorporates heavy metal and acoustic elements, Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, along with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. The band was one of the most successful music acts of the 1990s, selling over 25 million albums worldwide and over 14 million in the U.S. alone. $50. 8 pm. 800-745-3000 – harrahscouncilbluffs.com.

Backstreet Boys with Avril Lavigne June 9, CenturyLink Center Omaha – 455 N. 10 St. The In A World Like This tour with special guest Avril Lavigne. $25-$150. 7:30 pm. 800-745-3000 – centurylinkcenteromaha.com.

The Bruno Mars Moonshine Jungle Tour June 23, Centur yLink Center Omaha – 455 N. 10 St. Multi-Platinum Superstar Bruno Mars is bringing his Moonshine Jungle World Tour to Omaha. $42-$102. 8 pm. 800-745-3000 – centurylinkcenteromaha.com.

Bank of the West Celebrates America June 27, Memorial Park – 6005 Underwood Ave. Features award-winning, legendary rock bands followed by a spectacular fireworks finale.

FAMILY EVENTS Invest in Yourself 5K May 4, CenturyLink Center Omaha – 455 N. 10 St. Brooks Running Company and Berkshire Hathaway are bringing more Run Happy spirit to the annual Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting by introducing the “Invest in Yourself” 5k fun run and walk. Mr. Buffett has embraced a healthy active lifestyle and the importance it has on the well being of people everywhere. He is truly excited to bring this new element to the annual meeting. The event will be held annually, the Sunday following the annual meeting. $25. 402-341-1500 – centurylinkcenteromaha.com.

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downtown and council bluffs

march/april calendar of events

Sponsored by Pinnacle Bank World Scratch Day May 17, Omaha Children’s Museum – 500 South 20 St. Scratch Day is a worldwide event where people come together to celebrate our favorite introductory programing language, Scratch. Take part in drop-in workshops and get yourself started in the exciting world of coding. $9 adults & kids, $8 seniors. 402-342-6164 – ocm.org.

Bridge Beats May 23 through June 27, Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge – 705 Riverfront Drive. “Bridge Beats” is a free music series that occurs Friday nights at the Bob Kerrey Bridge Plaza.

Events feature diverse solo and duo acts. Visitors enjoy live music along with Missouri River views, time with family, and a walk across the bridge. Free. F/6:30 pm. 402-444-4640 – bridgebeats.com

Dinos: The Big Dig May 24 through September 7, Omaha Children’s Museum – 500 South 20 St. Grab a shovel and dig in to Omaha Children’s Museum’s summer blockbuster, Dinos: The Big Dig! Explore giant roaring, robotic dinosaurs, unearth fossils in a two-story dig pit, pan for real gemstones in the treasure creek and hop aboard the Dino-Train for a ride among these prehistoric creatures. Join us this summer as we uncover secrets of the past during Dinos: The Big Dig! $2 added to museum admission. T, W, F/10 am-5 pm; Th/10 am-8 pm; Sat/9 am-5 pm; Sun/1-5 pm. 402-342-6164 – ocm.org.

Design Zone May 24 through September 14, The Durham Museum – 801 South 10 St. In Design Zone, you can go behind the scenes and see how videogame developers, music producers, roller coaster designers and other creative problem solvers use math and science to do the amazing things they do. $9 adults, $7 seniors, $6 ages 3-12, members and children 2 and under free. Sun/15pm; Tue/10am-8pm; W-Sat/10am-5pm. 402-444-5071 – durhammuseum.org.

17th Annual Taste of Omaha May 31 through June 1, Heartland of America Park and Lewis & Clark Landing – 8th & Farnam Sts. Along Omaha’s riverfront, Omaha’s largest outdoor festival showcases over 50 area restaurants with exciting national live entertainment and activities on five different stages. Watch cooking demonstrations, browse displays, enjoy music, amusement rides, face painting, and much more! Free.

Fri-Sat/11 am-11 pm; Sun/11 am-8 pm. 402-346-8003 – showofficeonline.com.

SAND IN THE CITY - Nebraska Children’s Home Society’s June 6 through June 8, Century Link Center Parking Lot B – North 10 and Mike Fahey Sts Kick off your summer by attending the area’s ultimate Beach Party. 375 tons of sand will transform the middle of downtown Omaha into a beach. Corporate and community group teams will compete on Friday, June 6, to build their best 15-ton sand sculpture. The public is invited to a weekend full of family fun. View the sand sculptures, vote for your favorite, and enjoy great food and local entertainment on the main stage. Play in the interactive Kid Zone, featuring two gigantic sand boxes, bouncy houses, face painting, balloon twisting and other kids’ games and activities. Free. Sat/10 am-8 pm; Sun/11 am-5 pm. 402-451-0787 – sandinthecityomaha.com.

1415 Harney Street Telephone: 402.341.7576 www.cityviewdentalomaha.com

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may/june 2014 | the encounter

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downtown and council bluffs

march/april calendar of events Sponsored by Pinnacle Bank

PERFORMING ARTS 33 Variations May 8 through June 8, Blue Barn Theatre – 614 South 11 St. A mother coming to terms with her daughter. A composer coming to terms with his genius. Drama, memory, and music combine to transport you from present-day New York to 19th-century Austria, in this extraordinary new American play about passion, parenthood and the moments of beauty that can transform a life. 33 Variations is an elegant waltz between past and present, fact and speculation, a mother and daughter, art, and life. Th/7:30 pm; F/7:30 pm; Sat/7:30 pm; Sun/6 pm. $25 adults, $20 students, seniors, TAG members. 402-345-1576 – bluebarn.org.

Wicked May 7 through 25, Orpheum Theater, Slosburg Hall – 409 S. 16 St. Back by “Popularâ€? demand. Variety calls Wicked “a cultural phenomenon,â€? and every time it plays Omaha, it breaks box ofďŹ ce records. Winner of over 50 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards, Wicked is “Broadway’s biggest blockbusterâ€? (The New York Times). $45-$155. 402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org/Orpheum.

Young Frankenstein May 30 through June 29, Omaha Community Playhouse – 6915 Cass St. IT’S ALIVE! The Mel Brooks masterpiece, Young Frankenstein, is the riotously funny story of Dr. Frankenstein (that’s Fronkensteen) and his adventures as he embraces the family name and creates a monster with his partners, hunchbacked Igor (that’s Eye-gore), voluptuous Inga, and in spite of his prudish ďŹ ancĂŠe, Elizabeth. $21-$40. Wed-Sat/7:30 pm; Sun/2 pm. 402-553-0800 – omahaplayhouse.com.

The Rose’s Production of Tarzan June 6 through June 22, The Rose Theater – 2001 Farnam St. After a storm leaves Tarzan orphaned in the jungle, he is adopted by a caring family of apes. As he grows, he realizes he is not like them – a fact his gorilla father never lets him forget. When humans arrive in the jungle, Tarzan is suddenly caught between two worlds in this beautiful adaptation of the Disney ďŹ lm. Best for ages 4-11. $20-$25. Th, F/7 pm; Sat, Sun/2 pm. 402-345-4849 – rosetheater.org.

Maya Angelou June 9, Orpheum Theater – 409 S 16 St. Hailed as one of the greatest speakers of our time, Maya Angelou’s words have been a source of inspiration, comfort, encouragement, and strength for millions of people around the world. A poet, playwright, producer, director, conductor, actor, best-selling author, social activist and three-time Grammy winner, she claims no single profession and excels at all she undertakes.

She will mesmerize you with her vigor and ďŹ ll you with the ďŹ re of her spoken word. Enjoy your evening with the living legend, Maya Angelou. $40-$90. 7:30 pm. 402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org Eddie Izzard June 17, Orpheum Theater – 409 S 16 St. One of the most acclaimed comedians of his generation, Eddie Izzard’s unique, tangential, absurd, and surreal comic narratives are lauded for their creativity and wit. Force Majeure is the most extensive comedy tour ever; taking Izzard to 25 countries on ďŹ ve continents. In addition to stand-up comedy, Izzard has a long list of ďŹ lm and stage credits including Valkyrie opposite Tom Cruise, Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Thirteen and Ocean’s Twelve opposite George Clooney and Brad Pitt, and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg in London and on Broadway, which won him a handful of awards, including a Tony nomination for Best Actor. $52-$69. 8 pm. 402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org.

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feature

continued from page 17 “Tim taught me that trick. The second brewing, the third brewing, the fourth brewing all taste different,” says Watson.

It’s this combination of unmatchable knowledge about tea and wacky offerings that have made The Tea Smith such a hit. Out-of-town customers would often make the shop a regular spot on return trips to Omaha, and as many customers would buy bulk orders of a certain tea to take back home, Smith thought that he might be on to something. He decided to alter his original business plan to add a wholesale aspect to the mix. Now the store ships tea to customers all over the country, and even helps create tea menus for local restaurants such as Blue Sushi, The Grey Plume, Aroma’s, and Scooter’s Coffeehouse.

“Tea is a part of culture, it is a part of economics, it is a part of history, as well as a part of health, so it is absolutely fascinating, and there’s always a lot to learn.”

-Tim Smith

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may/june 2014 | the encounter

“As we got popular and we got the experience, we found that we were really able to help people that were starting into teas or help them improve the quality of the products that they’re offering,” says Smith.

It always comes back to this educational experience for Smith. With each new customer that comes into the store comes a new opportunity to expose another person to the beverage that he loves so much, and he hopes to continue to spread loose leaf tea around the country. Smith has plans to open more stores in the future outside of their Old Market and Tower Plaza locations, though he remains coy about them.

For now, Smith just remains excited about continuing to expand his knowledge of tea, pay it forward to his customers, and to expel misconceptions about the drink that he now considers “more than just a beverage.”

“It [tea] is a part of culture, it’s a part of economics, it’s a part of history, as well as a part of health, so it’s absolutely fascinating,” says Smith, “and there’s always a lot to learn.” omahamagazine.com

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