21 minute read
Wichita Wellness Holiday
Written by Karen Long
Reset and Refresh to Make the Season Bright
Sometimes we need a holiday from the holidays. One of the newest trends in travel is the luxury wellness retreat – ideally several days or a week spent in an exotic locale devoted to mental and physical healing, wholeness and clarity. But if you can’t escape to Thailand or Costa Rica just this moment, look no further than your own backyard where a multitude of transporting escapes await. Tell everyone you’re going shopping, then go float in a tank instead, belly up to an oxygen bar or indulge in a Wine Goddess Spa Package. Turn to Dec. 26 on the calendar and book yourself some cryotherapy or an infrared sauna. A quick break to reset and refresh might be just what you need to make it through the most wonderful time of the year.
TankHouse Float & Massage
The sleek, minimalist float pod at TankHouse is the perfect antidote to the busyness of the season. Float in zero-gravitation weightlessness and enter an altered state as theta waves bathe your brain pathways. “Recent studies have shown that one hour in a float tank can equal four hours of real-world meditation,” TankHouse says on their website at tankhousefloat. com. Even first-time floaters can enter the theta brain state – usually reserved for practiced meditators – after only 15 or 20 minutes. Physical benefits include heightened sensory awareness, injury recovery, a decrease in adrenal fatigue and an increase in muscle relaxation.
At the intersection of yoga and sauna lives hot yoga. This steamy form of fitness boasts all the mind-clearing and strength-building benefits of regular yoga, with the addition of damp heat for an even more intense workout, plus toxin clearing, glowing skin, open pores, relaxation and pain relief for tense muscles. Hot Asana offers an extensive schedule of classes at both their east and west Wichita locations. If you want to “push yourself beyond what you thought was possible, be challenged physically, turn self-doubt into confidence, and strangers into friends,” check out their website at hotasanayogastudio. com. People who are pregnant or have health concerns should check with their doctor before trying hot yoga.
Bohemia Healing Spa
What could be a more perfect holiday getaway than something called “vinotherapy”? Bring the healing power of wine and grapes to your skin with The Wine Goddess Spa Package at Bohemia Healing Spa. The crushedgrape massage oil is infused with grape seed oil and wine extracts. Resveratrol, a compound found in wine and grapes, tightens and brightens the skin, aids in cell repair and is very moisturizing to the skin, according to owner Kelli Chapin, in a video on the Bohemia website at bohemiahealingspa.com. The delectable grape-infused products – including a Cabernet body polish – are hand-made fresh for each treatment. At their locations in Delano and on north Webb Road, Bohemia offers a complete line of holistic treatments, from reiki and healing facials to waxing and laser hair removal. Purchase some pampering to go with Bohemia’s botanicals and gifts, including aromatherapy oils, lavender pillows, custom blended perfumes, artisanal jewelry and more.
Colour t-Hair-apy Salon & Oxygen Bar
For relaxation you can feel to the roots of your hair, look for some “thairapy” at Color t-Hair-apy Salon & Oxygen Bar. Specializing in fashion color, extensions and “real talk,” the salon also offers makeup, lashes and nails. Schedule an oxygen treatment and breath easier at the Airheads Oxygen Bar with a blend of 90 percent pure oxygen and your chosen aromatherapy scent – and even extra-soothing CBD. Enjoy an emotional lift, mental clarity, headache relief, detoxification and more, according to scientific studies on the benefits of supplemental oxygen. Book a treatment for hair or lungs by calling 316.207.2100. For more information visit t-hair-apy.com. What better way to rebalance during a bustling holiday season than a vitality boost from the inside out, with dynamic treatments from cryotherapy to infrared sauna. Relieve pain, promote healing, elevate your mood and optimize your sleep with frosty full-body cryotherapy, spending two to three minutes in subzero temperatures. Or do a temperature 180° with a penetrating infrared sauna to detoxify, enhance sleep and relieve pain and tension. Instead of egg nog, opt for an infusion of “vitamins, nutrients, minerals and amino acids” through Restore’s IV Drip Therapy as described on their website at restore.com. You can also enhance circulation, lymphatic function and mobility while calming muscle aches with compression therapy wrapping arms or legs. Other innovative Restore modalities include Stretch+, Cryoskin, Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Biomarker Assessments and Red Light Therapy.
The Pushy Goat
This holistic spa in Green Elephant Village near Hillside and Central offers massage, healing herbs, skincare and energy work wrapped up in a quirky yet customercentric atmosphere. Some of their unique offerings include an Herbal Infused Head, Neck and Shoulder massage, a Thai Yoga Massage, a Plant Essence Massage and their popular Muscle Melt, which includes a hemp-based massage, Infrared Sauna Wrap and a Lymphatic Massage, according to their website at thepushygoat.com. Organic skincare offerings include an Arctic Berry Illuminating Peel, a Deep Cleaning European Facial and Express Dermaplane just for starters. If that weren’t enough, you can also take advantage of their lash and brow treatments and waxing. Herbal oils, teas or tinctures are customized for the season and for your individual stage of life.
A New Imaginative Play Place
Written by Julie Underwood Burton
Come, Sit and Play at Creation Room
Letting children play and express themselves is important for all stages of their development, and now Wichita offers a new, affordable, interactive play place for children and their parents called Creation Room. Following a 20-year vision, Melissa LeBrun opened her business knowing early on in life that her biggest career influencer would be her beloved uncle who had Down syndrome. Upon high school graduation, she immediately sought employment at Rainbows United and gained 10 years of extensive experience working within a variety of disciplines and roles. She also taught in preschools and was often recruited to work privately with children and to educate parents about infant stimulation and child development. Throughout her 30-plus-year career, LeBrun has always been a big advocate for rehabilitation programs, and the foundation of her programs is based on the belief that everyone’s equal and, even though they might not do something the same way, they are capable of doing it.
With that belief, coupled with her talents and knowledge, it was LeBrun’s dream to open a business for children with inclusive spaces where every individual is celebrated, valued
“Our mission is to help kids and families learn together through well-designed play experiences that spark wonder, activate the senses and promote brain science.” – Melissa LeBrun and connected, plus encouraged to flourish. Her career goal was always to create a unique place engineered to help kids develop a range of essential physical, cognitive and social-emotional skills. Her dreams came true on Sept. 1 when the former First Baptist Church in Goddard became home to her new business, which she appropriately named Creation Room. To help children focus on their five senses (see, hear, taste, touch and smell), toys at Creation Room are not electronically based, nor are any toys battery operated. This unique approach is specifically designed to greatly enhance exploration and creativity. Parents are required to stay with their child, and are encouraged to play with them on the floor, which is a very inviting place to sit and play together. “Basically, you bring the kids in, and they just play, play, play and the parents get to hang out,” states LeBrun. “This is such an enjoyable, unique shared opportunity. It’s a space that moms can reserve and plan to come, they can easily bring along friends with their kids, or they can simply drop in with their child and experience wonderfully creative hands-on play within a supervised environment.” Open daily on weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon, reservations are not required. The cost is $8.00 per child and $5.00 for each additional sibling, and a snack is provided. There are no age limitations or skill requirements and children do not have to be potty-trained as private potty stations are available. Especially during the busy holidays, who doesn’t need a dedicated time and place to simply sit down and play with your kids? For more information or to reserve your drop-in play date, call Melissa LeBrun at 316.650.4021. Or simply drop by!
Where To Find Them
Creation Room 124 W. 2nd Ave. Goddard, KS 67052 316.650.4021 Hours: 9 a.m.–noon
Creation Room offers so many benefits to both adults and children. Our session is built to foundationaly use play to engage little minds, bodies and souls in learning activities. We incorporate song, movement, art, science and cooperative play to encourage our little learners.
• Bonding between adult and child • Increase social awareness • Improve gross and fine motor skills • Increase confidence • Increase language development • Sensory stimulation • Nurture cooperative play • Ignite creativity • Learn fundamentals • Increase mood!
CREATION ROOM
Mon-Friday · 9am-12pm thecreationroom.wixsite.com/info
1803 N. Peckham Cir.
SOLD
• Reed’s Cove • 5 Bedrooms • 3.5 Bathrooms • Andover Schools • Square Ft.-3,688 • Hardwood Flooring
©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned o ces which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised o ces which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.
DON’T BE FOOLED BY YOUR DIRECT WRITER
After 33 years of loyalty to Allstate Insurance, I sold my agency and bought a franchise from We Insure.
Multiple A+ companies to give a range of options!
Here are some important coverages to have:
HOME INSURANCE Loss Forgiveness and decreasing deductibles replaces the whole roof, siding, and painting of home. Earthquake insurance. (My old company didn’t have that coverage)
AUTO INSURANCE Accident forgiveness and decreasing deductible. It’s a good time to review your insurance because the cost of goods sold has increased so much!
Ross Viner, Agency Owner
316.600.0520
Ross.Viner@weinsuregroup.com WeInsureRossViner.com
Call Ross Viner for a Review!
Ballet Wichita’s 47th Annual Production Brings the Magic
This month Century II Concert Hall will fill with an enchantment unseen for two years when Ballet Wichita brings “The Nutcracker” back to the stage. After such a hiatus the production is bound to feel fresh – but not only will it feel fresh, it will be fresh, with upgraded costumes, esteemed guest artists and dramatic special effects – all re-envisioned by David Justin, the new resident artistic director. In the midst of transitioning out of pandemic mode, Justin brings a beloved holiday tradition back to life. He comes with his own storied resume, including a 17-year academic career, time spent with Kansas City Ballet as the interim ballet master and men’s program coordinator, and he was the founding artistic director of American Repertory Ensemble. He has also performed as a principal dancer with Birmingham Royal Ballet, was a soloist with San Francisco Ballet, and has traveled the world as a guest artist. Showered with international acclaim, his choreography has been described as “surprising,” “poetic,” “athletic,” “inventive” and “intelligent.” Invention, poetry and delight will be on full display Dec. 10–12, with the introduction of a flying balloon and a jack-in-the-box. The nutcracker doll will magically heal after being broken. “We’re also going big on snow,” Justin says. “Snow is really important.” Ballet Wichita has recreated some costumes and borrowed others “to expand the painting palette, if you will,” Justin says. “The Columbine and Harlequin costumes are completely new; Mother Ginger and the Polichinelles – they’re all brand new. I’m really excited about the way the entire production is beginning to thread itself together.” Guest artists Danielle Fu and Liang Fu from Kansas City Ballet will be dancing the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier, in addition to 80 local dancers.
“You have to be able to dream – but you also have to be able to execute your ballet technique.” – David Justin, Resident Artistic Director
Justin is quick to praise the Wichita talent, many of whom are under the age of 12. “They’ve been really committed; I think very early on, they understood the level of professionalism and commitment that we’re going to bring to the process. You have to be able to dream – but you also have to be able to execute your ballet technique.” The dedication of the dancers and the innovation of the artistic director are even more extraordinary, considering the gradual transition out of pandemic conditions. Rehearsals were held in masks and costumes were designed with face coverings to protect cast and crew alike. But those precautions haven’t constrained the production in the least. In fact, like Clara, who is transported by her dreams, Justin is kept awake at night by visions of sugar plums. “Last weekend, we ran all of act one as it flows – and that night I couldn’t sleep. Because I could see what a wonderful production this is going to become, and a beautiful way to celebrate the joy of the holiday season. We have a live orchestra; Century II is a fantastic venue in which to produce the magic. I think it’s going to be a really great show.”
Ballet Wichita presents ‘The Nutcracker’
Featuring the Ballet Wichita Orchestra and reimagined by new resident artistic director David Justin.
Century II Concert Hall
Friday, Dec. 10, 7 p.m. · Saturday, Dec. 11, 7 p.m. · Sunday, Dec. 12, 2 p.m. Tickets start at $25, wichitatix.com This production is made possible in part by the City of Wichita, The Kansas Creative Arts Industry Commission, the NEA and the support of our friends and donors.
Ten Family-Friendly Holiday Celebrations In and Around Wichita
Written by Julie Underwood Burton
Illuminations at Botanica
701 Amidon St. Daily through January 1 One of Wichita’s premier light displays with over 2 million lights, including two new displays this year. Tickets must be pre-purchased online only at botanica.org.
Old-Fashioned Christmas
Prairie Pines Christmas Tree Farm 4055 N. Tyler, Maize Daily through Dec. 21 Free tractor or horse-drawn hayrides will take families to pick out and haul in their Christmas trees! Shop inside the Old Barn Christmas Shop for unique décor. Check the website at prairiepines.com to see when Santa will visit!
Safari Of Lights
Tanganyika Wildlife Park 1000 S. Hawkins Lane, Goddard Daily through Jan. 2 A drive-through holiday light show extravaganza! Per car rate: $20 Sun.–Thurs. / $25 Fri. and Sat. For more details visit twpark.com.
Lights at AbilityPoint (The Arc)
2919 W. 2nd St. N. (enter from Douglas and St. Paul Street) Daily through Dec. 28 Enjoy over a million lights as you drive along a quarter-mile route and through a tunnel of lights, a 20-year tradition. More information at abilitypoint.org. Per car rate: Mon.–Thurs., donation suggested / Fri.–Sat., $10 per carload Tickets can be purchased in advance at QuickTrip.
Victorian Christmas
Old Cowtown Museum 1865 W. Museum Blvd. Fri.–Sat., Dec. 3, 4, 10, 11 Sip hot cocoa with friends and costumed interpreters while strolling Cowtown’s lamp-lit, carol-filled streets, and don’t miss the Victorian dancers. Visit oldcowtown.org for more information. Adults: $9 / Seniors: $8 (62 +) / Youth: $7 (12–17) / Children: $6 (5–11) / Children under 5 and members FREE.
Ballet Wichita’s “The Nutcracker”
Century II Concert Hall 1600 W. Douglas Ave. Fri.–Sun., Dec. 10–12 This time-honored classic, re-envisioned by new resident artistic director David Justin, will be performed for one weekend only. More information at balletwichita.com. Tickets start at $25; purchase online at wichitatix.com.
Winter Holiday Laser Light Show
Exploration Place (Boeing Dome Theatre) 300 N. McLean Blvd. Tues.–Sun., through Dec. 17 This is a merry and very bright laser light show complete with a mix of pop and holiday tunes. See exploration.org for more information. Adult: $5 (12–64) / Senior: $4 (65+) / Youth: $3 (3–11) / Children under 2 and members FREE.
Holiday Stroll
Bradley Fair 2000 N. Rock Rd. Sundays only, Dec. 5, 12, 19 Enjoy live entertainment and in-store activities. Photos with Santa from 1–3 p.m. Complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides 1–7 p.m. Visit bradleyfair.com for more details.
Watson’s Christmas Express
O.J. Watson Park 3022 S. McLean Blvd. Fri.–Sun., through Dec. 19 Hop aboard the Watson Christmas Express for a fun trip to visit Santa! PJs optional. VIP tickets are $16 (book-reading, craft and train) and must be purchased online. Train rides only to see Santa are $10. Times vary. Coupon books available. Visit wichita.gov for more information.
A Country Christmas
Fulton Valley Farms 5079 S.W. Fulton Rd., Towanda Thurs.–Sun., through Dec. 19 Stroll through the woods with over 800,000 sparkling lights. Drop in on Santa and his reindeer. Plus, visit the living nativity, Wagon Tiny Village and children’s maze. Tickets: $7 (ages 4–11) / $10 (ages 12 and up) More information at fultonvalleyfarms.com.
FRAMING
CONSIGNMENT RESTORATION
ARTWORKS
“ART IS ETERNAL, BUT LIFE IS SHORT.”
- Evelyn de Morgan
Art lovers have treasured the Reuben Saunders Gallery for more than 40 years. Making it a can't-miss part of First Friday art crawls. A resource for flawless restoration and impeccable framing. A space for emerging new talent and established Kansas artists, including estate works by Birger Sandzén, William Dickerson, Sue Jean Covacevich, Clayton Staples and Lester Raymer.
VISIT US
316.682.1481
3215 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67218 HOURS
Tues. - Fri., 10 - 5:30 Sat 10 - 4 and by appointment Closed Sunday and Monday
DISTINCTIVE GIFTS OF ART REUBEN SAUNDERS GALLERY GIFT GUIDE
From globally-recognized names to emerging new talent, give a piece of original art that will be treasured for years to come. Whether you’re looking for revered regional favorites, modern show stoppers or vintage artifacts, you’ll find it in the reimagined Reuben Saunders Gallery at 3215 E. Douglas Ave., in the Douglas Design District.
Cally Krallman
“Peaceful Repose” acrylic on canvas, $2,800 Topeka-based artist Cally Krallman has been painting the Midwestern landscape – primarily Kansas – for over twenty years.
Scott Hartley
“Large Dichroic Nautilus” hand blown glass, $330 Scott Hartley began his career as a high school biology teacher with a desire to make a positive impact on others’ lives. His passion for art and the process of blowing glass drew him from teaching to becoming a full-time artist. His studio and gallery space, Infinity Art Glass, is located in Benton, Kansas.
Norma Bassett Hall
“Road to the Village” serigraph, $950 (1888–1957) A graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, Norma Bassett Hall reigns from Oregon. As one of the founding members, and the only woman member, of the Prairie Print Makers, Norma established a reputation exclusively with color prints.
Tom Gormally
“Rising Tides” mixed media, $500 Tom Gormally has created sculptures, drawings and paintings for over 40 years using second-hand objects. He then earned his MFA from Wichita State University.
Sydney Pener
“Willow Caterpillar Body Piece” mixed sterling silver and copper, $1,495 Sydney Pener’s artwork focuses on the transformation of metals, the inspiration of natural forms and the integration of vintage found objects into her work. By upcycling ornate metal antiques, her goal is to reinvent the object – to breathe new life into old things, thus making them relevant and beautiful again.
Written by Karen Long
Almost one year after taking over the Reuben Saunders Gallery, Mike Michaelis and Trish VanOsdel took a minute to reflect on their journey so far. “I feel like we have the right momentum,” said VanOsdel. “We’ve made a lot of changes that I feel are positive, from the responses we’ve had.” Michaelis commented that they’ve added 12 or 15 new artists in 2021: “We’ve kept the original artists but just expanded the style and the amount of work, which is one of the reasons we’re doing some remodeling – we need more space.” On Jan. 1 of this year, Michaelis and VanOsdel purchased the business in the Douglas Design District from founder Reuben Saunders. Michaelis is a well-known collector and vice chairman of Emprise Financial Corporation, while VanOsdel holds an MFA in sculpture. Art lovers across the state breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the premier Wichita gallery, widely respected for its collection of regional landscapes, still lives, prints and modern art, was in good hands. The gallery also offers art restoration and boasts an extensive framing studio where skilled staff preserve and present each work to its best advantage using archival techniques. The new artists flocking to Reuben Saunders’ representation over the past year have rounded out the gallery’s offerings, adding more glass art, jewelry, handcrafted furniture and consignment pieces. VanOsdel does all the appraising of fine art and antiques. “One of our goals was to end up with a breadth of styles, sizes and prices,” Michaelis said, “where somebody doesn’t feel like they’ve got to go to Kansas City or some larger town to find a piece of artwork that would fit in their home. We have enough choices right here.” Any art movement that swept across the Midwest in the past century is represented on the clean white walls of Reuben Saunders Gallery, going back to the 1930s. That’s when the Prairie Print Makers got their start, a group of central Kansas artists who grew in number and endured through The Great Depression and World War II. Michaelis, standing in front of a wall of intricate etchings and woodcuts of Kansas landscapes, said they tend to grow on people who may not be familiar with them. “They start understanding the beauty of them and the difficulty of producing them. Most of the prints are affordable – in a range of a few hundred dollars – and they’re really nice pieces of work.” The gallery’s portfolio of artists also includes well known names such as internationally acclaimed Birger Sandzén, the Swedish-born artist who immigrated to Lindsborg in 1894 to teach at Bethany College. He has oil paintings, watercolors and prints in major collections across the U.S. and in the National Museum of Stockholm. Michaelis and VanOsdel love helping artists share their work and connecting Wichita patrons with a piece that speaks to them. “Having an original piece of work is really underestimated,” Michaelis said. “That feeling you get when you finally buy a piece or two and start enjoying it. This gallery has been fun! Trish and I have really enjoyed it.”
Fox Seeking Enlightenment by Tom Gormally
Apples by Seth Smith
FIRST FRIDAY
One central exhibition space within Reuben Saunders Gallery is updated regularly with fresh pieces and brand new artists, unveiled every month on First Friday. For the opening on Dec. 3, Trish VanOsdel and Brigitt Thomas has curated a show with a space toy theme featuring work by Randy Regier, Jonathan Fitz and other creators. “There’s a bit of a nostalgia to it, in a way, but futuristic as well,” she said. Reuben Saunders Gallery Reception Dec. 3, 5:30 - 9 p.m. 3215 E. Douglas Ave. Wichita, KS 67218 316.682.1481 reubensaundersgallery.com
Lindsey, Marty, Katie, Deb, Amelia & Nancy
Season’s Greetings from all of us at
©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned o ces which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised o ces which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.
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