33 Iconic Lawrence Dishes | Lawrence Magazine Fall 2017 by Sunflower Publishing

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EDITOR

DESIGNER/ ART DIRECTOR

Nathan Pettengill Shelly Bryant

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Jenni Leiste Amanda Nagengast Leslie Andres

CONTRIBUTING Becky Bridson WRITERS Lorraine Cannistra Amber Fraley Mary R. Gage Susan Kraus Eric Melin Kristin Morland Paula Naughtin Nick Spacek Julie Tollefson Darin M. White CONTRIBUTING Fally Afani PHOTOGRAPHERS Jason Dailey Ann Dean Brian Goodman Susan Kraus Sarah Reeves Michael C. Snell Emily Steele Doug Stremel Mike Yoder

CONTRIBUTING Lana Grove ARTISTS Torren Thomas

SUNFLOWER Shelly Bryant PUBLISHING PRODUCTION MANAGER

SUBSCRIPTIONS $ 30 for a one-year subscription 645 New Hampshire St., P.O. Box 888, Lawrence, KS 66044 (800) 578-8748 | Fax (785) 331-0633

IT INVOLVED A LOT OF EATING. Simply put, that’s the only way our feature writer Paula Naughtin and her panel were able to compile their list of 33 iconic Lawrence dishes that collectively represent the range and flavor of Lawrence’s culinary experience, from the grunge-chic appeal of Java Break’s cereal bar to the gourmet sophistication of Genovese’s spinach fettuccini Alfredo with English peas. We had two main criteria for the selections. Each dish had to be a Lawrence creation and have a sustained following in the community. Obviously there are some extremely delicious dishes (here’s to you, Leeway Frank’s tater tots, Bon Bon’s hot tofu bunz, Coney Island Hot Dog’s chili cheese, Elite Dogs n Stuff’s smoked catfish and Wake the Dead’s donuts, to name a few) that are enjoying a tremendous popularity right now—but are simply too new to be considered iconic. Another panel might have come up with selections that shared few or even none of our preferences. And that’s wonderful, because the fact that a case could easily be made for an entirely different list of 33 Lawrence iconic dishes testifies to the richness of local cuisine. We’d love to hear from you through the mail, phone or any of our online platforms about what dishes you would have included. (If you’re on Twitter, use #3DishesLFK to share your choice for the city’s three most iconic dishes.) So tell us what you think. We promise not to argue—after all, it isn’t polite to talk when your mouth is full, and we’ll be busy chewing as we sample dozens of new dishes in the coming year.

Nathan Pettengill, editor

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Lawrence Magazine is a publication of Sunflower Publishing, a division of Ogden Publications, Inc.

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BECKY BRIDSON PEOPLE Becky Bridson combines passions writing and exercising through her work with Lawrence Magazine. She also owns and operates Action Potential, LLC, a local health and fitness business. She holds a B.A. in journalism from Washburn University as well as an M.S. in exercise science from KU.

AMBER FRALEY PLACES Amber Fraley is a writer, mom and wife who earned an English degree from KU. She has a background in journalism, loves Lawrence and is a giant doofus. (Ask her daughter.) She is currently working on her first novel.

MARY R. GAGE PLACES A hiker, bookworm, traveler and writer, Mary Gage landed in Lawrence to attend the University of Kansas and never left. She relishes being part of the community and is always on the lookout for the next intriguing story.

BRIAN GOODMAN LM GALLERY A Lawrence-based photographer who earned a BS in photography from University of Central Missouri, Brian Goodman is currently working on several projects. He also kisses his magazine-cover model dog, Millie, on the nose multiple times a day.

KRISTIN MORLAND LM FASHION & STYLE In addition to writing for Lawrence Magazine, artist Kristin Morland sews sequins at her home studio that she shares with husband, Timothy, and her two children. The four Morlands have called Lawrence home for 17 years.

DARIN M. WHITE

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LM GALLERY In addition to interviewing fellow artists for Lawrence Magazine, award-winning artist and sculptor Darin M. White continues to create works on his own and with his wife, Shannon White, as White Art Studio.

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33 ICONIC LAWRENCE DISHES

Our choices for the dishes that define Lawrenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s palate

LAWRENCE ONLINE

A virtual Lawrence exists, but behind all the emojis and texts are real Lawrencians talking directly with us

The duck fat fries at Burger Stand make our list of 33 iconic Lawrence dishes. Photograph by Doug Stremel.

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16 | LM Fashion & Style THE NEW FALL CYCLE

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Global warming pushes fall fashion season later in the calendar and causes us to reexamine our wardrobes

20 | LM Sounds When kids take over the mic and more in this musical overview of Lawrence

40 | People HOMETOWN HEROES Everyone needs one, and fortunately Lawrence has an abundance of them

44 | People ROCK CHALK MATRIARCH Nearly fifty years ago, a strong farm girl from Missouri led the creation of the University of Kansas women’s sports program

27 | LM Bookmarks Three award-winning authors return with new books

30 | LM Gallery ALL-AROUND ARTISTS Successful artists have a niche, but don’t expect them to stay there

48 | Places HOMEGROWN HEAVEN Jill Elmers lives and works her dream from her farmhouse just outside of Lawrence

52 | Places A CLASSIC HOMESTEAD STORY Sometimes puttering is all it takes to lead to the good life

36 | LM Screen NEOSHO FALLS A strong pairing of opposites propels the start of a promising film project

56 | Places THE SLOW-TRAVEL APPEAL OF MACKINAC ISLAND Travel writer Susan Kraus explores a northern island of horses, fudge and absolute relaxation

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ON THE COVER The charcuterie board from Hank Charcuterie makes our list of 33 Iconic Lawrence Dishes. Photograph by Jason Dailey.

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Artist Liza MacKinnon creates sculptures from paper, such as this approximately 3-foot-tall 18th-centurystyle dress from maps of Kansas titled Kansas Antoinette: Let them Eat Cake! (On $25 a Day). Photograph by Brian Goodman.

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fashion & style STORY, STYLING & MODELING BY Kristin Morland PHOTOGRAPHY BY Ann Dean

The New Fall Cycle

Global warming pushes fall fashion season later in the calendar and causes us to reexamine our wardrobes

I LOVE WHEN THE SEASONS OF NATURE CYCLE TO FALL, WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES TRADING OPEN-TOE SANDALS FOR ANKLE BOOTS AND PULLING OUT SWEATERS, SCARVES AND COOLER-WEATHER CLOTHING THAT WE WILL WEAR FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. Or at least I loved how that was. Now, with each passing season, it seems the process of putting away my summer dresses and other warm-weather wear has been pushed further and further back in the calendar, toward November or even December. Global climate change is here, and it’s effectively changing how we go about our daily dressing. Last year, for example, warm days were the norm in the fall and winter months of Lawrence. This has practical implications in choosing more durable warm-weather clothing and in changing out the seasonal balance of our wardrobes. But this new fall cycle has also caused me to consider how we use clothing, how climate change and clothing habits are connected. According to a 2013 EPA report, we in the United States generate about 15 million tons of used textile waste annually. This staggering amount has doubled in the last 20 years on record. I think this has something to do with the fact that fashion cycles have become the new fast food. Often in our culture it’s a “wear it once and throw it away” mindset. This fast fashion approach has sadly become our norm. In fact, according to the clothing industry documentary The True Cost, we Americans throw away an average of more than 80 pounds of clothing per person each year. That’s a number that is difficult to ignore. But I think there are things we can do about that, while still enjoying the process of assembling perfect outfits to reflect our personalities. RECOGNIZING HOW IT HAPPENS Most of us do not buy a fresh wardrobe each season. So, how is it possible that all this waste accumulates? When I look in my own closet at what used to be a very curated collection of items, I realize it has become a halfway house for wayward fashion. Some item of clothing always seems to find its way into my home, and I try to wear it as much as possible to give it a second or third chance at life. But, I find that I still need to purge what I have so I’m not weighed down by excess clothing. Part of breaking this cycle is realizing our own habits. When we shop in a retail establishment, a dress may be $29.99, and by the following week it may be less than half that amount. And, in that same time, dozens upon dozens of “new” styles have been added to the racks. There is nothing wrong with finding a bargain, but the impulse to snag a deal can come at a price of a bloated wardrobe. Being intentional about what we purchase is a great start.

LM Kristin and Timothy Morland model clothes, jeans, jewelry and (following page) other items recycled from Lawrence yard sales.

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LOOK AROUND, LOOK AROUND I have noticed we, on a whole, make some great contributions to each other and our planet through local give and take. Looking around our fair Lawrence, I often spot “free” signs atop a mass of clothing and other items. I know I’m not the only one to have scored a free pair of shoes this way. A 2011 study by the United Kingdom nonprofit The Waste and Resources Action Programme found that extending the life of a clothing item by only three months reduces carbon, waste and water footprint by 5–10 percent. Hosting and shopping yard sales are easy, straightforward ways to reduce textile waste. When you sell or buy used clothing, you extend the life of clothes and allow someone else to enjoy the material. Lawrence also has several exciting second-hand clothing stores. These are not only great places to donate or sell your items, but also fun places to put together a second-hand show stopper. TAKING CARE Finally, we can make a difference for the environment, and in our own lives, in how we care for our clothing. This begins with simple attention to mending and wear, and it extends to how we clean our clothes. In fact, a 2006 University of Cambridge study found that 60 percent of the energy expended on a typical T-shirt over its lifetime comes not from manufacturing it but from washing and machine-drying it. Line-drying clothes might not be possible for every person and for every item, but each item freshly dried on a line contributes to reversing the dangerous global effects of fast fashion. And, with warm temperatures lasting longer, we have even more reasons and opportunities to take advantage of this eco-friendly action.

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sounds / karaoke and more STORY BY Nick Spacek PHOTOGRAPHY BY Fally Afani

When kids take over the mic and more in this musical overview of Lawrence

KIDS KARAOKE SENSATION Frank’s North Star Tavern is absolutely packed on a Sunday afternoon as the crowd orders drinks—not the usual whiskey and beer—but Shirley Temples and Roy Rogers. This is Kids Karaoke time. Already the several dozen elementary schoolers, accompanied by parents and grandparents, are bouncing around from table to stool to booth, but as soon as bar owner Frank Dorsey starts the music, it’s every eye on the singers. The big songs skew Disney, to the point that “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana has every tiny voice lifted to the rafters. There’s a lot of current pop, but a surprisingly impressive amount of classic rock, as well. A boy shorter than the mic stand belts out Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” in a clear voice, followed by a rousing flurry of applause. One can thank the recent animated movie Sing for that particular flashback. Kids Karaoke is an idea devised by the bar’s booking manager, Jen Young. Originally, owner Frank Dorsey ran the show, but then his daughter, Alice, wanted to join in. From there, Frank says, he was elbowed out of the way, and Alice took over. “I was actually one of the reasons this is going on,” Alice clarifies. She likes the responsibility of being a host, but enjoys singing even more. During the pre-show set up, she’s testing the microphone and sound system to “Stressed Out” by 21 Pilots, Alice’s favorite band—and, based on the number of times the alt-pop duo’s songs pop up, definitely a favorite of the rest of the kids. “It’s so much fun to see all these kids just so enthusiastic,” Frank says with a smile and a laugh as he watches the show. “I lived in England and worked in pubs, and that’s kind of a more family environment than a regular bar. That’s kind of the environment I was going for.” All the kids seem to think the idea of getting up in front of people and singing through a microphone is a pretty fun deal. Harmony Barr, who was there with her sister Charlotte and mother, Elyse, says that it’s even helped her at school. “I got to sing in my school musical and had to use a microphone,” she says, adding that thanks to her fun at Frank’s, she knew what to do. Parents attend the event to be with their children and to play catch-up with their own friends. They keep bar manager Adri Schultz busy slinging drinks, but in an atmosphere where the drinks aren’t the main attraction. “We get a really big turnout,” Schultz says. “I’m kind of surprised, but then again, not surprised. As a parent, any excuse to get out of the house with my kid and, at the same time, have a beer? I’m into it.”

OPPOSITE Alice Dorsey helps make sure the kids are all right at Frank’s North Star karaoke sessions for the younger generation.

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PELSMA’S NEW TUNES Matt Pelsma latest venture as the new guitarist for Lawrence band the Westerners brings a new turn in the career of musician, composer and sound engineer who says he has always been interested in “diversifying all of the ways in which I could work in a career with music.” Starting out with a degree in jazz guitar and performance from Wichita State, Pelsma knew there was always the possibility of teaching or performing after graduation, but he wasn’t necessarily interested in playing gigs at a restaurant for the rest of his life. “I mean—nothing wrong with that,” the guitarist says, noting that he did it for a while. “It’s cool, but I felt a little limited and always felt that I wanted to create and do something a little more exciting. A little more new.” But it took time, ten years to be precise. For a year or so, Pelsma lived in Los Angeles, and his time there gave him a bit of perspective. In addition to working eight-dollars-an-hour extra gigs, he found work helping to score television programs. “It’s really kind of fun,” says Pelsma of his time working on various shows. “I kind of get to use my music as a mouthpiece for what they want to say, and it’s work.” That experience included guitar work for the CW’s Jane the Virgin and AMC’s Hell on Wheels. But it was the return to Kansas and to behind-the-scenes work that then boosted Pelsma’s career. “First of all, the Lawrence library’s been such a help,” he says of his time as a go-to recording engineer at the Sound + Vision recording studio. Pelsma’s deft touch at the recording console, his ability to know when to let a musician run loose and when to offer suggestions, has been crucial to many projects and was certainly integral to last year’s Lawrence Jam collaborative project at the Lawrence Public Library for this very magazine. And as musicians across the city recognized what Pelsma could do for their sound, his demand increased. It was a situation that taught him another career lesson. “This is pretty much the first time in my life I’ve realized I can’t do everything,” Pelsma admits. “There was a good two years there, where I was saying ‘yes’ to everything. It’s not even so much that it’s hours in the day as it is hours in the week.” So, for now, Pelsma is with the Westerners … and excited for that. “As a rock band, the freedom to just put whatever you want to do out in the world can be somewhat dizzying, but at the same time, a total relief,” Pelsma says of his gig playing guitar in Westerners. “And then, you’ve got a tour if you’re lucky, your record, your art. It can be whatever you want it to be, and that’s why I’m having a lot of fun with it. Being with people who let me do that: I feel like I’m in the best band in the world.”

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PRIMARY COLOR’S LAWRENCE-JAPAN CONNECTION In the less than five years since its founding, Primary Color Music has gone from just one man, Sam Billen, to a full-time team of five, and an expanding international team of collaborators. The Lawrence-based company makes music for commercials, film, and all means of visual media. Sam’s brother, Dan, joined in 2015, as did Ryan Pinkston, formerly of the Republic Tigers. They were followed by Josh Atkinson and Kosuke Anamizu. Sitting in the Primary Colors office in the Warehouse Arts District, listening to James Blake and eating Japanese corn snacks, Sam and Dan Billen and their cohorts seem to have it made, but it’s taken a lot of work to bring the company to this level. “Looking back on all our days in the band, we should have been doing commercial music all along,” says Dan of his and Sam’s days recording as indie-pop act the Billions. “It’s not like guys in a band who re-purposed it to make commercial music. We should have been doing commercial music from the very beginning, because it’s kind of what we’re wired to do.” The brothers might have inherited some of their talent; their father, Bill, composed commercial jingles in the 1970s and ’80s. Marketing and advertising is just another job. “We were always told that our albums were too sparse and not cohesive,” Dan says. He felt that meant they liked exploring genres in a way that was almost “cheesily catchy.” Their style might not have lent itself well to albums, but it was perfectly suited for the commercial world. For a commercial, you need a quick hook, Sam adds, and so, here they are. Recently, the group has capitalized on this talent by tapping an international connection that has been part of Sam’s life. “After studying Japanese at Topeka High, I studied Japanese at KU,” Sam explains. “My wife is from Japan. Japan has always been a big part of my life. But, despite how well it was going over here on this side, it never occurred to me to try to do music over [there], as well, until it was the appropriate time.” Once Primary Color Music had an extensive portfolio of both regional and national work, they could go to Japan and present themselves as a company with a proven track record. It’s only

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grown from there. The litany of work they describe in a twominute list involves ’80s synth, a rap for Mitsubishi in Japan, light piano, and death metal. “Everything we’ve just discussed, I’m doing this week,” says Dan. “I’m all over the place.” Thanks to Primary Color Music’s burgeoning success in Japan, it looks like Sam will soon be making the move across the Pacific to live there full-time. For the past year, the group already has producer and composer Kosuke Anamizu, who has been doing commercials in Japan for years, as well as releasing albums and touring. “It was a game-changer. Every two or three weeks, we get a new wave of Japanese projects,” says Sam. “And, as primary owner of the company, it’s my job to predict what I feel is coming, and I feel like there could be a tidal wave of work coming from Japan.” And as work from Japan brings jobs from China, Singapore and Korea as well, Sam and his family will move to Japan to assist Anamizu and possibly look for another composer. “We’re at a really great point in life to get our kids immersed in their mother’s culture,” Sam explains. “I’ve felt a little guilty for keeping my wife, Yuka, here in the US for the last 17 years. I think it’s her turn to be ‘home’ for a while.” On top of those personal reasons, though, is the chance to expand. “I’m aiming to shift quite a bit of the operations on the US side into the hands of the US team, so I can focus more on Japan and Asia,” he says. Primary Color has been operating this way for a few months already—Sam’s not really managing projects anymore and is doing less and less on the sales side—and it’s going well. “I’m confident we’ll continue to grow,” he concludes. “I’ve also had a strong desire to get back into composing more, so this transition is also allowing that to happen a bit, too.” A little later, after we’ve wrapped our conversation and I get ready to leave the office, I can hear Dan begin to explain to Sam how to get the perfect David Bowie sound. “It’s all about layers,” he says. I can’t think of a better metaphor for the entire Primary Colors operation.

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short takes: PUNK FINN Daniel A. Hoyt’s upcoming This Book is Not For You is a pilgrimage across Lawrence disguised as a bawdy romp through a college town. With literary homage to Mark Twain, Joseph Conrad, Fyodor Dostoevsky and legends of the KU English department, the story follows Neptune, a brilliant and disgruntled academic gone feral-townie who steals dynamite from anarchists and hasn’t met a Lawrence bar where he hasn’t lowered his standing. Look for a release late this fall, with a December 1st launch party at The Replay. ELIZABETH SCHULTZ AND WATER POETRY The city’s revered former KU professor, ecologist, poet and international authority on Moby Dick, Elizabeth Schultz, reads from her new book of poems, WaterGazers (FutureCycle Press, 2017). She will be joined by other local poets who will read on the theme of water; the free event is held at the Lawrence Arts Center on September 20. GEORGE SAUNDERS IN LAWRENCE Best-selling author George Saunders comes to town for a presentation as the 2017 Beach Author, a program made possible by the Ross and Marianna Beach Foundation and sponsored by the Lawrence Public Library in partnership with the University of Kansas Libraries. The October 10 event at Liberty Hall event is free and open to the public.

bookmarks STORY BY Julie Tollefson PHOTOGRAPHY BY Sarah Reeves

MARY O’CONNELL For Lawrence author Mary O’Connell, Emily Brontë’s classic 1847 novel, Wuthering Heights, is the complete package, from its beautifully constructed narrative to its precise sentences. “It’s a love story. It’s a ghost story. It’s beautiful writing. It’s complicated narration,” she says. “Her sentences are like jewel boxes, they’re so perfect.” For the young heroine in O’Connell’s new novel, Dear Reader (Flatiron Books, 2017), Brontë’s book is the magical key that guides her on an impossible mission when literature and life collide. High school student Flannery Fields believes it’s better to read about experiences than to live them. She’s thrilled when her AP English class reads Wuthering Heights, her favorite book, and her teacher’s description of the work resonates with her: “Every single thing you need to know about life can be found in the pages of this book … Depression and heartache and joy and love and loss? Integrating the dark and the light, the calm and the storm? Ladies! It’s all there.” But then her instructor, Caitlin Sweeney, disappears without explanation, and Flannery discovers clues in Sweeney’s copy of Wuthering Heights, magically transformed into a disturbing real-time diary that recounts the teacher’s misadventures after she abandons her classroom responsibilities. “For Flannery, the excitement of life is in literature until she takes her own bold move in real life,” O’Connell says. “That’s what I think maybe is the message for people who love to read—that the world can be magic too, the real world.” Though the story takes place in New York City over the course of a day, Kansas makes cameo appearances. Sweeney, through her diary entries, remembers her old home state, especially the Flint Hills (“that’s our ocean or moors,” says O’Connell) as an idyllic place, and Kansas is often in her thoughts. O’Connell is now at work on two new projects, a novel set in Ireland in the 1980s and a nonfiction collection of linked essays exploring the seven sacraments.

Three award-winning authors return with new books

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“I was tired of stories always being about young people problems—coming of age, coming into power, falling in love. I find those things matter much less to me now. And yet I still have problems, I still have challenges, I still have things that I aspire to and fear and will fight for and will find myself fixated on just as a 19-year-old does.” - KIJ JOHNSON

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KIJ JOHNSON The premise is straightforward: A female college student runs off with an attractive man. Her actions endanger the very existence of the college unless her professor can find her and convince her to return. But The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe (Tor.com, 2016) by Lawrence author Kij Johnson is far from straightforward. Named one of National Public Radio’s “Best Books of 2016” and finalist for a number of best novella awards, including the Hugo and Nebula, the story takes H.P. Lovecraft’s Dreamlands world and adds strong, powerful women lacking in the landscape envisioned by the early-20th-century sci-fi author. “He just didn’t put any females into any of his stories,” Johnson says of Lovecraft. “He lingers endlessly in descriptions of nature, and he lingers endlessly in his racist descriptions of various people on the quest of the original work, but he doesn’t even mention women.” In contrast, women are central to Johnson’s work. Vellitt Boe is a 55-year-old college professor with a colorful past and a pragmatic approach to her quest: “It’s what I do: teach women not to be fools,” she tells a colleague as she prepares to track down the young runaway. “I was tired of stories always being about young people problems—coming of age, coming into power, falling in love. I find those things matter much less to me now,” says Johnson, who is in her 50s as well. “And yet I still have problems, I still have challenges, I still have things that I aspire to and fear and will fight for and will find myself fixated on just as a 19-year-old does.” And so she gave Vellitt Boe the ability to do things people often believe women, especially older women, can’t do. “I wanted to reflect that there are a lot of people in their 50s who are not grandparents essentially staying home watching television,” she says. Johnson, associate director of the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction and assistant professor at the University of Kansas, adds a female twist to another classic in her new novel out this month. The River Bank (Small Beer Press, 2017), described as a sequel for grownups to Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows, introduces two female animals—young mole Beryl and Rabbit—to the world created in Grahame’s 1908 tale of Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger, and, Johnson says, “It turns out everything goes wrong.”

BECKY MANDELBAUM Bad Kansas, Becky Mandelbaum’s collection of short fiction, explores love and loss, loyalty and complacency through the stories of people shaped by the unique forces of Kansas geography, politics and culture. “In some ways, the title is a misnomer,” Mandelbaum says. “The collection isn’t about how Kansas itself is ‘bad,’ but instead attempts to reveal the stranger, more complicated side of Kansas and the people who live here. There’s something odd (in the best sense possible) about Kansans.” Location and dislocation are twin themes for the characters who populate Bad Kansas, winner of the 2016 Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. “They’re on the verge of moving on or falling back into the past, packing up their apartments or running back to an old flame,” Mandelbaum says. In most of the stories, Kansas is an almost physical force upsetting the balance in her characters’ lives. “It either pulls people apart or pushes them together,” she says. “In my experience, Kansas is a complicated place for people, especially younger people, who aren’t sure what the world looks like yet.” Bad Kansas will be published this fall by the University of Georgia Press. Mandelbaum grew up in Wichita and graduated from the University of Kansas in 2013, the same year she won the Langston Hughes Creative Writing Award for fiction, sponsored by the Lawrence Arts Center and The Raven Book Store. Since then, she’s held jobs in Washington and Colorado, where she currently lives, but continues to write about Kansas. “Kansas will always be my first home and therefore my true home,” she says. Sometimes, when she’s homesick, she listens to audio clips of thunderstorms. Mandelbaum’s current project, which she began during her time at KU, takes place on an animal sanctuary in western Kansas. “I owe so much to the teachers and fellow writers I worked with at KU,” she says. “It feels right that the book I’m working on now has its roots in Kansas, that it started in a classroom in Wescoe Hall.”

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All-Around Artists STORY BY Darin M. White PHOTOGRAPHY BY Brian Goodman

Successful artists have a niche, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect them to stay there

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ost successful artists have a niche—something they are known for, something that identifies them to the public. A niche makes for good marketing and furthers a career, but it rarely defines the artist. I think what defines most successful artists is that they are generally all-around creative types. They tend to have multiple interests and delight in exploring many themes, many ways of creating something, and many ideas behind their creations. Though a particular artist may be known in galleries for one particular type of art, chances are that he or she is also creating entirely different works of art back at the studio. Here are three successful, mid-career Lawrence artists who have earned a reputation creating one type of work, but who are expanding their repertoire into new techniques and processes.

LIZA MACKINNON

Liza MacKinnon has many identities in the community. Many people know her as one of Lawrence Public Library’s team of Known for: crackerjack librarians, some people know her as Greeting cards and a bookmaking instructor at the Lawrence Arts bookmaking Center, others know her as a paperwork artist who sells and shows through Phoenix Gallery, Also does: Paper and many others know MacKinnon as a creator sculptures of greeting cards. This multi-talented artist says she was greatly influenced in her youth by the work of Leonardo Da Vinci and by the black-andwhite engravings of Albrecht Dürer, both reflected in elements of her paperwork as well as in her printmaking. MacKinnon has created works in monoprinting (a single original print by painting on glass that is not able to be duplicated) and intaglio etchings (a line is drawn onto a metal plate that is etched by chemicals wherever the line is drawn, the plate is inked, and paper pressed into the recessed line).

“[A work of art is successful] when it resonates with a wholeness, when I have done everything I can for the work.”

OPPOSITE Liza MacKinnon’s paper and mixed media work includes Heart Number Three. ABOVE MacKinnon’s works include, from top, numerous handmade greeting cards, mixed-media paper such as this mono print with a skull image and this paper cake made from tax return forms.

“Art is like an itch, an idea that needs to be explored,” says MacKinnon in describing her diverse interests. Regardless of the material she explores, a work is successful, according to MacKinnon, “when it resonates with a wholeness, when I have done everything I can for the work.” This is an approach that leads to creations layered in textures and meanings, such as her newest foray into sculptures from paper related directly to the sculpture’s theme. For example, MacKinnon took pages from a Shakespeare folio to create a costume-drama dress in minute detail and embellishment while building layers upon layers. Another work is a cake with slices made from United States government tax forms. A paper spatula props up one of the cake slices, as if to cue in your mind the famous, apocryphal Marie Antoinette quote.

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KARL RAMBERG

Karl Ramberg comes from a clan of artists who have been creating works in Lawrence for decades. Known for: Stone Though he went to school in Boston, carving at the Berklee School of Music, Ramberg found himself connecting Also does: Drum back to Kansas as his sister, Laura, paintings and prints began to encourage him in stone carving by providing equipment and supplies. Eventually, he was working as a stone mason, laying paths, walls, stairs and more. Following his artistic mentor, the legendary Elden Tefft, who brought back the technique of “lost-wax bronze casting,” Ramberg wants to bring back stone carving into the vocabulary of architectural and community elements. He has been teaching stone-carving workshops for a number of years (at first alongside Tefft) and more recently with the Maker Space as well as through the University of Kansas and other community forums.

“Every stroke is a prayer.” Along the way, Ramberg has also explored stone printing. This process has a rather young and limited tradition. Ramberg says he likes the idea of working with such a new medium as it “feels like exploration.” But Ramberg does not always create with stone. He has done bronze casting and woodworking and has tapped his formal training in music by singing and playing the piano, guitar and glockenspiel. Ramberg’s recent visual work is about providing a visual representation of sound. Ramberg calls these works “rhythmic drawings” or “drum paintings.” He creates them by setting up a canvas as a tight drum skin and playing on it with drumsticks dipped in paint. Each creation is different, determined by the music that is drummed onto the canvas. Ramberg describes the resulting painting as “a way to see the music” or “trained synesthesia,” the concept of experiencing one sense through another. “I’m seeing what I am hearing, and hearing what I am seeing, training my brain to see differently,” explains Ramberg. Whatever type of work he creates, Ramberg describes his art as a spiritual practice. “Every stroke,” he says—whether it is with a brush, a chisel or a drumstick—“is a prayer.”

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OPPOSITE LEFT Karl Ramberg’s latest work include “drum paintings” created by applying paint to drumsticks and then playing a rhythm with the sticks over a stretched canvas. OPPOSITE RIGHT Ramberg’s stone printing techniques tap into his background as a stone mason, creating prints with a rugged, lapidary aesthetic.

TIM O’BRIEN

Tim O’Brien has earned a reputation in Lawrence for his patient, thoughtful guidance of many students in his Known for: letterpress class through the Lawrence Letterpress Arts Center. That’s where I first met him as well, during a symposium of an art Also does: he describes as providing a “pragmatic Wood carving enjoyment,” with its hands-on, tactile creative process. By its very nature, letterpress work focuses on the concept of language as beauty. This echoes O’Brien’s earlier work as a student of Latin and Greek and then as a language instructor. It also directly connects to some of O’Brien’s newer interests, sculpture and carving. The deep embossing that is left in the heavy paper creates a play of light and shadow and gives a three dimensionality to the paper.

“Useful things should be beautiful.” From his home north of Lawrence (see this story on page 52), O’Brien carves architectural elements and furniture from reclaimed wood he mills. His carvings include round ball shapes of many sizes that sometimes find their way into the architecture of the space. Often, O’Brien will go into his shop, pick up a piece of wood and decide if it will become part of what he is working on. Sometimes, he will add a soft layer from sheep hides harvested from his farm. This is done most often when he creates a tuffet—yes, the furniture from the Little Miss Muffet rhyme. O’Brien believes that “useful things should be beautiful” and describes his ideal work as “a blurring between craft and art. It’s not just slapping on detail.” He notes that these ideas are not original and can be traced to many philosophers, poets, artists and designers such as William Morris. O’Brien defines success in a project if it functions in its intended way, whether that is a crafted message in letterpress, a detail for a home or, as he modestly describes them, “yet another tuffet.”

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TOP Tim O’Brien’s prints often include themes of nature and literature. CENTER Though he works as an instructor and artist, O’Brien also performs with local bluegrass groups. BOTTOM O’Brien’s woodcarvings include tuffets, the padded stools of nursery-rhyme fame.

screen / with Eric Melin STORY BY Eric Melin ILLUSTRATIONS BY Lana Grove

Neosho Falls A strong pairing of opposites propels the start of a promising film project

FROM LEFT Eric Hyde, Eric Melin and Loron Hays.

AS A MOVIE CRITIC, I OFTEN USE COMPARISONS TO DESCRIBE CERTAIN QUALITIES IN FILMS, PARTIALLY AS A KIND OF SHORTHAND, AND PARTIALLY TO KEEP THE LONG HISTORY OF CINEMA ALIVE. About halfway through my interview with Lawrence-based filmmakers Eric Hyde and Loron Hays, the weirdest comparison hits me. Clean-cut Hyde and his tattooed, scruffy pal Hays are like role-switched versions of Roger Ebert and Russ Meyer— the team responsible for the 1970s Beyond the Valley of the Dolls—one of the greatest B-movies of all time (and currently residing in The Criterion Collection). Hyde resembles Ebert, the high-falutin’ film journo who wanted more out of movies, and Meyer, like Hays, is an exploitation film impresario. Ironically, in the 1970s pairing, the schlockmeister had higher aspirations for his film, while the snooty movie critic was just excited at the prospect of writing a trashy script. It’s not clear if Hyde and Hays will follow that pattern, but their combined chemistry echoes the Meyer-Ebert team and promises great results for their ongoing film, Neosho Falls. Hyde and Hays share some similarities in their background. For the last three years, Hyde had been a paraeducator while Hays started as a gifted facilitator for Lawrence High School and is now teaching at Centennial Adult Education Center. The pair met after Hays’ wife told him about Hyde’s 2016 short, From Ashes to Immortality, which just played in August at the San Antonio Film Festival. Hays reviewed Ashes for the website Frank’s Reel Reviews and was impressed not only by the subtle way the film plays with genre but also by its heartfelt authenticity. He then started talking with the filmmaker. “I thought this guy’s story

was interesting—that he’s making these movies but doesn’t have the training, and it’s beautiful what he does,” Hays says. “I thought it would be cool to see if he was interested in the kind of movies I’m interested in. I think I’m a little bit more B-movie obsessed than he is, but the spirit is the same.” Hyde never went to college-level film school, but his grandfather Wilbur Hess was a longtime photographer for the Lawrence Journal-World, so he can appreciate a well-framed shot. Hyde developed a fascination with movies during a long recovery period following a life-threatening injury from a bike-car crash when he was eight. He was soon making VHS shorts, and he advanced to more ambitious projects during the years he took film classes at Lawrence High School, graduating in 2004. It was 10 years of various jobs and big life changes before Hyde tackled From Ashes to Immortality, an emotional film with fantastical elements. Hyde co-wrote the film with local actor and former Not So Late Show host Mike Anderson, who also starred in it alongside national actors Blake Robbins and Wes Studi. Hays grew up in Winfield, where he also made VHS films on a camcorder. Having family in California meant he was back and forth a lot, trying to make connections in Los Angeles, and eventually going to Wichita State and Southwestern College for film and writing. After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, he put filmmaking on the back burner and followed the health insurance, spending the next 14 years teaching adjunct at Winfield High and across Texas, among other places. His wife’s pregnancy facilitated another move. “My wife wanted our son to be closer to his grandparents,” says Hays, “and I told her the only place I’d move to if I went back to Kansas would be Lawrence.” When Hays met Hyde, he recognized a kindred spirit and told him about an idea he had for a TV series with science-fiction elements: Two families in small-town Kansas encounter a group of mysterious men and find themselves in the path of an extra-terrestrial visitor. A script for the pilot was workshopped with Anderson and lead actor George

Dean, who both worked on From Ashes to Immortality. Once they scouted locations and settled on the neighboring towns of Neosho Falls and Piqua—best known as birthplace of Buster Keaton and for having a population of around 100—as the setting, Neosho Falls really started to gel as a project. “Both towns are desolate, mysterious— they look really cool,” says Hyde. Location footage was shot in Piqua and Neosho Falls, but the almost entirely local crew—which features award-winning cinematographer Jeremy Osbern and is almost identical to the one that produced Ashes—spent most of their time filming in Lawrence’s Flamingo Club, just off Highway 32, and in Linwood. Rather than film the pilot, Hyde and Hays have devised a one-off short that introduces a compressed storyline. It is around 10 minutes long (a good length for film festivals) and leaves the audience wanting more. “I can’t afford to film everything I want to film, so I’m basically filming a shorter version of it—the climax of the television pilot script; revamping it to give it more of a beginning and an end,” says Hyde. “It’s going to be an action/sci-fithriller type thing.” If the short is a success, the duo is hoping that the resulting attention will help raise the money needed to bring the story to a full season with many narrative levels. If a character is a minor character in the first story, for example, they could be the lead character in the next episode, and so on. Neosho Falls is full of many colorful characters. Speaking of characters, when I mention the Ebert/Meyer comparison, Hyde laughs at the thought that their project would be anything like Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Hays gets it immediately, but wants to assure his partner that there will be more than drugs, booze, and broads in Neosho Falls. He makes his own film comparison, pointing to Clint Eastwood. “Look at Eastwood: for the longest time he was making B-movies with really good actors and cinematographers. But they are still B-movies,” he says. “If you look at our script, you see that B-movie aspect in there. It’s all there. But in Eric’s hands, it’s not going to be campy. It’s going to be really intense.”

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Atomic Blonde

About two-thirds of the way through the Charlize Theron-led retro-styled action thriller Atomic Blonde, the film’s centerpiece arrives.

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load Buy th Down eB luray

Any documentary filmmaker worth their weight in cinéma vérité will tell you that you never know the story you’re going to tell until you’re right in the middle of it. That’s exactly what happened to playwright/actor/ cyclist Bryan Fogel while he was directing his first-person doping exposé Icarus, which premiered at Sundance in January and is available now on Netflix. It is a movie that accidentally became an inside account of a story with much larger—and scarier—implications. From the outset, Fogel is fueled by anger towards Lance Armstrong and other high-profile athletes who have sullied their names and their sports by using performance-enhancing drugs. He enlists Grigory Rodchenkov—a Russian lab director hired to ensure his country’s athletes are clean—to devise a doping program that would allow Fogel to pass undetected into a long-distance bike race in the Alps. Gradually it’s revealed that what makes Rodchenkov so good at avoiding detection is that his actual job is to do quite the opposite. The background Fogel provides here is useful as the story spirals out of control, but what’s even more useful is the fondness that develops between Fogel and Rodchenkov, who is portrayed as a smiley, dogloving regular guy, even as he’s under investigation by the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA). It’s a fascinating turn when Fogel becomes loyal to a guy who is key to what he is trying to expose; Rodchenkov, who has become a whistleblower, has the power to upend not only the present but also the past medal-placement of so many Olympic sports. Fogel wisely pivots his documentary because he’s in the enviable position of holding innumerable pieces of evidence to support the accusations of a Russian state-run doping conspiracy. Meanwhile, Icarus also straddles the line as a human-interest tale of a man trying to do the right thing. When the storyteller becomes part of the story (as filmmaker Laura Poitras did in the Oscar-winning Edward Snowden doc Citizenfour), it’s up to the storyteller to give the audience the same sense of drama they experienced as it unfolded. Through news footage, you-are-there conversations with a candid Rodchenkov, and his own sense of unease at the danger of the situation, Fogel gives Icarus the urgency it needs. On the surface, Icarus is about a sports scandal that you likely heard about more than a year ago. What you may not remember is exactly how deep the revelations went—and what was done (or not done) about them. The answer to those questions, especially in the context of our current president’s growing Russian scandal, are downright chilling. All of this makes Icarus a frighteningly relevant movie that may go a long way toward explaining the danger of any state propaganda machine, whether it targets medals or more.

Stream fre e p It’s an unbelievably energetic Ski Re fight sequence, expertly choreographed and stitched together to look like it was shot in one take. It begins with easy-totrack gunplay in a Berlin apartment building— bullets zinging, missing, and sometimes landing with deadly consequences—every injury felt. As MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton (Theron) singlehandedly fends off a Russian-German gang of macho thugs, the fighting becomes more intense. It transitions into hand-to-hand combat. This highly skilled, tough-as-nails female agent is more than holding her own vs. her male counterparts—she’s besting them. But it’s taking a toll. Her face is bruised, she’s wincing in pain, limping, doubled over, catching her breath. To be fair, the baddies are too, but what audiences are not used to in an action scene this admirably staged (besides people visibly getting tired and missing as much as they hit) is a realistic portrayal of what fighting does to a person. In this case, a woman. Is it problematic? Maybe, but it’s also thrilling to see Theron kick some ass in a gritty way without all the fantasy-world fetishizing and seemingly invincible histrionics that usually come with a modern-day female action hero (see Kate Beckinsale in the Underworld franchise, for example). The sequence eventually ends in a gripping car chase with both Lorraine and her lumbering charge (Eddie Marsan) bleeding profusely. As a special agent, Lorraine has always been fighting for her life, but this fight just raised the stakes by putting another person’s life on the line and nearly sinking her already faltering mission. Why did I spend 70 percent of the review talking about this scene? Because unfortunately, it is the one bright spot in an otherwise dull, impossibly contrived spy thriller that’s dressed up with a pulsing 80s synth-pop soundtrack and a darkly lit neon setting. The historical context of the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall, a metaphor of peace and goodwill between former enemies, is obviously intended to play against the concurrent narrative of the cynical, ever-shifting loyalties of spies. Nice concept, but it doesn’t work. The film’s director, David Leitch, is a former stunt coordinator who made his reputation with the lean, mean John Wick series. There’s something to be said for Wick’s straightforward narrative within a picture entirely populated by bodies in motion. Atomic Blonde’s script, adapted from a graphic novel, is too clever for its own good, with twists that are obvious from the get-go, and a whole lot of misplaced sympathy that its characters never earn. Simply put, it’s a miss. But, oh boy, that one sequence. It’s so good it may go down in the history books. nt

Icarus

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hometown

heroes STORY BY Lorraine Cannistra

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY Torren Thomas

DIANE SANDERS (WITH ALAN SANDERS) Diane Sanders, a retired medical technologist, enjoys gardening and reading. She also spends time with her church and in numerous clubs and would love to get back on her bike sometime soon. But she is not free on Thursday afternoons around lunchtime. Sanders sets aside this time, as she has for the past 40 years, to deliver food for Meals on Wheels. Her involvement with the nonprofit organization that delivers warm and nutritious meals to people—often seniors—at home, began with a personal connection. Her mother-in-law, who had diabetes, began receiving meals through the program shortly after Sanders moved to Lawrence. “Meals on Wheels filled the bill and was a big help,” recalls Sanders. “And I thought that if she was getting that service, at least I can drive for them.” So she took a route and has stayed with it for four decades, forming long, strong connections with many of the people she meets. “The people on my route have become my friends. I listen to their problems, and I can tell them mine,” says Sanders. “I even get to give people dog food if they need it for their pets. By driving I have met many people that I never would have known otherwise.” Kim Curliss, the director of the Lawrence-region Meals on Wheels, says Sanders’ warmth and no-nonsense dedication to her route represent how she is the “epitome of the perfect Meals on Wheels volunteer” for an organization that depends on volunteer service. “We never worry that she won’t be here for her clients,” says Curliss. “We know she will show up every Thursday with a smile, kind word, witty comment or funny story. Her wit and sense of humor are appreciated by all her clients. While delivering a meal is key, as important—if not more important—is bringing a smile and friendly visit to those that might not otherwise have visitors.” Another signature Sanders approach is making the delivery a family affair. When her two sons and her nephews were younger, they would accompany her on deliveries. When they were in college, they became back-up drivers. Last Thanksgiving, when he was in town, her nephew delivered some meals with his kids. These days, Sanders’ husband of 59 years, Alan, who retired as a pathologist from Lawrence Memorial Hospital, accompanies her … alongside the couple’s beloved ten-year-old schnauzer, Zoe. When Alan had some medical problems a few years ago, the staff at Meals on Wheels held the route for Sanders, and she resumed driving once he got well. After all, Sanders says, the organization needs drivers. “Meals on Wheels always needs volunteers,” Sanders said, “either to take a route or to be a substitute. You would think it would be the winter when we are most short-handed. But in the summer, when lots of people go on vacation, we need help then as well. If you volunteer and you have something come up, it’s okay. You don’t need to find someone who will fill in for you; Meals on Wheels will take care of that. And when the weather gets cold, Meals on Wheels gives all the clients two or three meals that they can freeze, in case the drivers don’t want to get out in bad weather. We have some people who work full time and volunteer. They drive on their lunch hour.” And for Sanders, driving the routes is a perfect lunch-hour routine. “It’s a very good volunteer program and it’s not heavy work,” she says. “I like to help.”

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JERRY TOTTEN Many people in Lawrence recognize Jerry Totten as the postman who used to hand-deliver mail through Downtown Lawrence. Now, Totten is retired after more than 43 years with the postal system, but for the past three years he has continued a regular route of another sort, driving a refrigerated food truck for Just Food, a nonprofit food bank that serves Douglas County. At least two days each week, Totten takes the truck to pick up food donations from grocery stores, restaurants and other Lawrence locations. On average, he loads between 1,200 and 2,000 pounds of food on each day’s run. He then returns that collection to the warehouse where he unloads the truck. It is physical work that also requires planning and time management so that the perishable food items don’t spoil. And not everyone can drive a big, bulky truck that resembles, well, a mail truck. Elizabeth Keever, the executive director of Just Food, says Totten’s efforts have helped the organization expand its mission of providing food to more than 8,000 people per month. Totten says his commitment to volunteering and getting food to people who need it came from being raised in a family that taught him “spending time helping others would be rewarding to myself” and from his experience working with Stamp Out Hunger, the annual nationwide food drive through the National Association of Letter Carriers. “Here in Lawrence, we got close to bringing in 20,000 pounds of food from that first food drive. When I retired, it seemed like a natural fit to volunteer at Just Food. I had a lot of time on my hands, and I wanted to contribute to the community rather than sit at home watching TV all day.” Sometimes, Totten is physically exhausted at the end of his shift. But his effort is worth it. “The best part of volunteering is the good feeling I get from helping people in need. I also like meeting the other volunteers at the warehouse, and all the activities that are involved,” Totten says. “My favorite times are when we do community events that deal directly with the public, at places like the Granada when the price of admission to a concert or something is a can of food.” Just Food has a variety of programs beyond filling immediate food needs. And Totten says he is inspired by the organization’s ability to help people return to self-sufficiency. “There are cooking classes here, and we encourage people to garden. The idea of our service is to help people, and let them progress to where they can help the next group of people in need. Right now, we are providing a needed service to a lot of people, and anything the community could give in terms of donations or time would be appreciated.” And if you do volunteer, Jerry Totten and his refrigerated truck will be there to greet you. “Come on over,” Totten says. “We need you. If you are feeling negative about anything in your life, come here and you will start feeling a lot more positive, with what you see and what you do. I encourage people to find some niche in their lives and make the world better for the people around them.”

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rock chalk matriarch

Nearly fifty years ago, a strong farm girl from Missouri led the creation of the University of Kansas womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sports program

STORY BY Becky Bridson

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Emily Steele

n Lawrence and throughout Jayhawk Nation, Marlene Mawson is known as the “Mother of KU Women’s Athletics” for almost singlehandedly transforming the Title IX academic mandate for equal educational opportunities into the foundation of the University of Kansas women’s intercollegiate sports program, leading numerous teams to title wins and working as a KU professor and administrator for 22 years. And this illustrative career began with chores. Farm chores, specifically. Growing up on a family farm in Archie, a town on the south edge of Cass County, Missouri, during WW II shortages, Mawson and her six sisters inherited all the work. “I did the farm chores like all the other girls,” says Mawson. “We didn’t have any brothers, so it was, ‘You girls get out there!’ I didn’t realize at that time before the fitness craze came along that lifting hay bales, chasing down the cows and running after the school bus was a daily fitness program.” Although she did have some inklings. One of these came during band practice. “When we didn’t have a single boy who could keep a cadence with the bass drum, I said, ‘I can do it,’” says Mawson. “I carried that bass drum in the marching band, and I loved it so much. It made me right in the middle and the loudest one there. I was strong enough to carry it. If I could carry bales of hay, I could carry that drum.” When she wasn’t playing music, Mawson and her sisters played softball without gloves and used a bat a great uncle had whittled out of a balsam wood limb. The ball was a gift her older sister gave her on her eighth birthday. Her parents more often than not somehow managed to stretch $100 from October to the end of the year for a family of nine. “We learned that you only ask for things that you absolutely needed,” says Mawson. “You didn’t ask for anything else. We made our own toys.” A young Mawson made a swing and even nailed a makeshift wire basketball rim over the garage at the standard 10-foot height. It was only the first of many ladders she would climb in her life. Mawson says much of the early encouragement came from her father, who died

from a cerebral hemorrhage at age 70. Mawson was just 15 at the time of this devastating and sudden loss. “I adored my father, and I followed him any place outside that he wanted to go and helped him do whatever he had to do,” says Mawson. “He used to say, ‘The best thing that I can give you all is not money but an education because nobody’ll ever take a degree from you.’” Mawson and all of her sisters took their dad’s advice and went to college, but the influence of their father’s teachings resonated perhaps most deeply with Mawson who graduated from Central Missouri State University (now University of Central Missouri) in 1962 and then University of Colorado in 1966. In 1968, Mawson was hired by the University of Kansas to oversee the creation of a women’s sports program four years before the groundbreaking Title IX decision that mandated equal education opportunities for men and women and led to the creation of women’s sport leagues across the nation. “When I came here, and they said you’re going to start the women’s athletics programs, I thought, ‘Wow, I wonder where we start because nothing exists.’” Prior to Mawson’s arrival at KU, female athletes weren’t allowed to practice or compete in another notable edifice—Allen Fieldhouse. She started envisioning change while creating a tradition of success in coaching the women’s volleyball, field hockey, softball and basketball squads. In 1971, her women’s basketball team reached the second National Collegiate Invitational Championship. By 1973, Mawson’s work allowed the women’s program to take its place in the holiest of KU basketball places, the Allen Fieldhouse court. Mawson achieved all of this while being a living example to her student-athletes in terms of the importance of education by earning her PhD in physical education. At the time, the University of Illinois, the University of Oregon and Stanford were the only three institutions that offered a PhD in this field. Mawson felt Illinois too closely resembled the Midwest that she already knew (and, notes Mawson, “it would

“When I came here, and they said you’re going to start the women’s athletics programs, I thought, ‘Wow, I wonder where we start because nothing exists.’” –Marlene Mawson

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have been as hot as Kansas”), and Stanford was too expensive. But Oregon waived out-of-state tuition for the KU coach, so Mawson packed her car, took a year’s unpaid leave of absence and set out for the Northwest. Though she was already an accomplished coach at this point, the trip to Oregon was the first time Mawson had been so far from home. “I suppose I could have been like, ‘Oh, I don’t think I want to do that,’” says Mawson. “Everything was a challenge. I was too naïve to be fearful.” Looking back, Mawson describes her time in Oregon as one of the most rewarding experiences of her life. Sadly, her mother passed away shortly before Mawson finished her degree. As a grief-stricken graduate student, Mawson felt defeated and confused. With support and encouragement from her sisters, especially her twin, Darlene, Mawson overcame the tremendous loss and sadness to return to Oregon with just two weeks until graduation and just enough time to complete her degree. She holed herself up in the house of a professor who was away on vacation and did what she did best—worked hard to chase down and catch her dream. “All I did was type all day,” says Mawson. “That was when I had a manual typewriter and seven carbons.” Her adviser referred to her as the “phantom writer” because she never saw Mawson. The young coach-scholar would get up, write, await her adviser’s editorial corrections and then write again. Mawson then scheduled orals, passed those, then scheduled her dissertation presentation, passed it, hired a professional to retype the entire masterpiece, bound said masterpiece, awaited final approval, gained final approval and saw her adviser sign off on the degree on the morning of graduation. Two of Mawson’s sisters, Eleah and Darlene, proudly attended graduation day August 3, 1973, just weeks after their mother’s passing. Decades later, the sisters continue to gather. Since 2000, the siblings have gathered for one week each year at a designated destination. At 77,

Mawson, the youngest of the surviving four, now helps her older sisters, aged 85, 87, 90 and 93, navigate the trip. But then putting forth an extra effort to organize and manage in unchartered territory comes naturally to her. “When I was growing up, the girls couldn’t catch; they couldn’t throw,” says Mawson. “They’d much rather argue than play. I got so exasperated I’d go and slip over and play with the boys. I did that quite often. By the time I was in seventh or eighth grade, I was as good as any of the boys in the class. The boys had a nice diamond that had base areas that didn’t have grass on them. The girls’ was just on all this lumpy grass. One of the reasons I played softball as a freshman in high school is because I was the only girl on the team who could throw it from third to first without it bouncing. That was the skill level at the time.” There were still tremendous barriers when Mawson arrived at KU and was creating the women’s sports programs. She says many female athletes (or unrealized athletes) at that time had been discouraged earlier in their lives from being athletic and pressured to “act like a girl.” Now, Mawson is proud to see a culture where the youngest of girls know they can compete at a professional level. On a local level, Mawson sees the evolution and turbulence of the past somewhat dissipate in the reality of symbolic edifices like Arrocha Ballpark, the women’s softball field at Rock Chalk Park. “I walk out there, and I thought, ‘You know, this wasn’t just built for something else,’” says Mawson. “‘This was built only for women’s athletics,’ and it just takes my breath away.” And while this entirely different reality has taken many decades to achieve, it is only some 70 miles from the spot where Mawson and her sisters would do their chores and then choose how they would spend their evenings. For Mawson, it was the same thrill of sports that would challenge and reward her throughout her life. “Darlene always wanted to stay in and help my mother in the kitchen,” says Mawson. “But I tell you, anytime I could get out that back door, I was gone.”

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heaven

Jill Elmers lives and works her dream from her farmhouse just outside of Lawrence

hen Jill Elmers moved to a home on the northeast tip of Lawrence, she more importantly moved onto the land and into the dream that went with it. For more than two decades before that, Elmers had worked as a full-time engineer with an acoustical firm. Gradually, she began to realize that her life needed a change. Though she wanted to quit her job, the firm suggested she take a summer break to sort things out. Her idea of a break was to dive head-first into a bucket-list dream: farming. “I’ve always wanted to grow my own food, so I contacted Wakarusa Valley Farm and asked for a job for the summer,” Elmers recalls. By the end of that summer, Elmers was hooked. She cut back her hours at the firm and devoted her remaining hours to growing food. She started leasing land to farm, and after a few years, bought her own farm from John Craft. “I did the dual thing for a long time—30 hours at the engineering job and then the rest of my time here,” says Elmers. Eventually, she knew she had to choose between her former career and her new love. She chose farming, working on the land and living in the old farmhouse.

The home came with several modifications, some from before Elmers arrived. Craft had already gutted the original farmhouse down to its studs and had rebuilt it to incorporate a passive-solar design, with radiant heat on the ground-floor, and a wood-burning stove to heat the upper levels. The multitude of windows in the multi-level vernacular home gives Elmers a 360-degree view of her farm. “I can hibernate in this house in the wintertime and I feel like I’m outside,” she says. Inside the house, Elmers cooks her farm-fresh food on an antique Chambers stove from the 1940s and serves the food on square friendship table in the dining room. In 2015, Elmers had a screened-in porch added to the house, which acts as a sort of living room, which the house didn’t have. “Everything in here is fairly simple, which I like,” says Elmers. That simple home life allows Elmers to spend much of her time in the three-and-a-half acres of her farm, which she named Moon on the Meadow. Elmers uses a combination of open plots and greenhouses to keep busy throughout the year, allowing her to cultivate both warm weather crops and cool weather crops. Using these techniques, the farm is able to produce lettuces,

LM STORY BY Amber Fraley

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Mike Yoder

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kales and spinach through the winter, and warm-weather crops such as tomatoes until Thanksgiving. “Once we go below ten hours of sunlight every day—which for us happens from mid-November to the first week of February, everything comes to a screeching halt in terms of growing. But if you have [the crop] established already, you can continue to pick from it, and once the sun comes back in the spring, it starts growing again,” says Elmers. And when the growing season begins, Elmers is extremely busy. “Everything is harvested and planted by hand,” says Elmers. The farm mulches with hay and straw, and warms the soil with landscape fabric; no plastic. Almost everything the farm grows is planted from seed. In addition to lettuce, kale and spinach, the farm produces nearly forty kinds of vegetables, asparagus, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, onions, garlic, shallots, kohlrabi, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet peas, snow peas, beets, asparagus, arugulas, radishes and ten different varieties of potatoes. Elmers is able to fund the farm by selling her produce in a variety of ways. Moon on the Meadow is part of the multi-farm Common Harvest CSA, which she helped to create. She also has contracts with the Merc grocery coop, several local restaurants and even the public school system.

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When things start to get tedious, Elmers is able to make her new life more challenging. Two years ago, she decided to start growing and selling cut flowers, and so far, business is blooming. The farm now grows 45 to 50 different varieties of flowers and can provide bouquets as early as March. Elmers sells the flowers at farmers markets and to local restaurants and businesses, and she provides arrangements for special events. While Elmers loves growing the flowers, Kim Anspach does the arranging and design. “That’s amazing to watch that happen,” Elmers says. Elmers has even waded into the row-crop side of farming. She, with farmers Tom and Jenny Buller, co-own 34 acres beyond her farm where they’re cultivating heirloom Turkey Red Wheat in order to provide locally sourced flour. “We’re trying to bring that back because it’s on the slow food list as going extinct,” says Elmers. Because it is so much taller than modern wheat, Turkey Red Wheat is only harvestable with an antique combine. “One of my goals is to prove that small farmers like us can make a living, and I am making a living here. I’m not driving a Cadillac, by any means, but I am supporting myself. This is the best job anyone could ever want. I love it. I love being outside every day. I love walking around my fields or sitting in the hammock and watching the sunset and the sunrise. It’s a great part of being here.”

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a classic

homestead story

STORY BY Mary R. Gage

Sometimes puttering is all it takes to lead to the good life

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Mike Yoder

ong before Tim and Jenny O’Brien built a rustic, beautiful cottage and home, they were observing the seven acres of rolling hills north of Lawrence in southern Jefferson County that would hold their sustainable homestead. “We started puttering on the land in 2005,” says Tim, “planting trees and getting a sense of the place. We’d come out and visit and think about where we’d want to have a house, where the natural curves in the topography were, and how the sun moved across the land.” As they studied where to situate a home on their land, Tim helped two friends build sustainable straw-bale-style dwellings. It was invaluable experience for a man who had grown up in the suburbs, studied Greek and Latin and was on an academic path. But even the classics, in particular Virgil’s exploration of the pastoral life, had always been nudging Tim to explore an agrarian future. “In high school I read Virgil’s Georgics and sort of fell in love with farming,” he says. “That idea grew over time, and then traveling and seeing beautiful old European farms and the idea that living on the land was a beautiful thing. It wasn’t all toil and drudgery; there was this poetry to it, and that stuck.”

“We’d come out and visit and think about where we’d want to have a house, where the natural curves in the topography were, and how the sun moved across the land.” –Tim O’Brien But it took time. At first the O’Briens were living in Portland, and only when they moved to Lawrence in the mid 1990s was Tim able to transition from teaching high school German to stay-athome parenting, raising chickens, gardening and carpentry, all the while learning to build houses. He began teaching letterpress at the Lawrence Arts Center in 2001 and became part of a musical group called Kind Soul. Jenny, a ceramicist who also has had a home business designing and manufacturing jewelry, now works in the RideshareKC program at Mid-America Regional Council. She claims she’s not much of an outdoor girl. “But I did grow up helping my mother put up the fruits of a substantial garden,” she says. And while Tim grows the food, “I mostly do the canning, freezing, preserving and help with the butchering.” Together, the couple put all of their skills into all stages of building their home, starting with the guest cottage. The straw-bale constructed cottage was built first in order to serve as a practice house to refine techniques for the building of the main house. In preparation, they’d harvested trees on Jenny’s grandparents’ farm in southeast Kansas near Fall River, to foster what they describe as “that whole feeling of family-emotional connection.” One wall of the cottage was built with traditionally produced rectangular straw bales and double lath construction. The other three walls, also double lath construction, were filled with loose straw coated in clay slip, an ancient building technique producing highly efficient insulation. The lath was then covered in plaster, which for the cottage, was made of a crushed limestone substance known as “pit fines” from a nearby quarry, and mixed with cow manure.

Both the cottage and the main house combine straw-bale walls with a woodwork frame.

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The O’Briens’ home is built into a hill, but provides plenty of natural light.

“It’s wonderful plaster material,” says Tim, “it sets up like concrete.” But what about, well, the smell? He assures it goes away quickly, “within a day.” The floor is also made of a cow manure concoction, but it is mixed with sand and a bit of chopped straw, and then finished with linseed oil. Tim got the recipe out of a book, and he says that it’s “super durable.” The O’Briens finished their guest cottage in 2007, and then took three more years to work on their 1,000 square-foot main house. An earth-contact or earth-shelter home, it’s built into the hillside with three sides partially below grade and the front of the house exposed, facing south. It uses the constant natural temperature of the earth and sunlight to reduce or eliminate energy costs. The walls were constructed with insulated concrete block forms and plastered with a mixture of lime and recycled telephone books. The O’Briens mixed various iron oxide pigments into the plaster to give the wall some color variation. The rafters and beautiful large posts used in the house also have a family connection. “Jenny’s father salvaged that wood from a warehouse in Kansas City in the 70s,” says Tim. “They’re Southern yellow pine, probably old growth, 150-year-old great wood that you could never purchase again, or it would be very expensive.” Solar panels on top of the nearby shop provide most of their electricity. Some days they make twice what they use, and the O’Briens are able to sell the surplus back to their provider to receive a discount on the monthly bill. And rather than being hooked up to the rural water district, they rely on rainwater collected from a 4,000-gallon capacity cistern. The water goes through five filtration systems and is heated by an on-demand, or “tankless,” water heater. “The house is a blend of the old and the new,” says Tim, “modern, industrial things like concrete and solar panels used in concert with an older way of design, and older, traditional materials.” Reflecting that point, Tim carved in wood throughout the house a branch motif and a Greek phrase that translates loosely to “be connected to life and love and you will be fruitful.” And there’s another saying from the Victorian-era poet John Ruskin that Tim returns to when he ponders the path he and Jenny have taken to build and live in their homestead. “He has the quote about living in a way that involves your head, your heart, and your hands. It means your intellect, and your body, specifically your hands, and your spiritual being are all working in concert to make your life. So to build your own house fulfills those requirements. It seemed like everything we’d done was leading up to live how we live and strive to live using head, hands and heart.”

LIFE AT THE O’BRIENS’ 54

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The O’Briens might live on a relatively isolated patch of land, but they don’t live alone. Their five acres of pasture at any one time sustain 8 or 9 sheep, 12 to 20 egg-laying chickens, and some 50 broiler hens brought in for what the O’Briens call “grasshopper season.” All the animals graze on the pasture and are moved each day, so no mowing is required. Most years, there’s enough stockpiled grass to get through the winter without buying hay. The animals provide the O’Briens with meat and eggs to supplement the garden production of sweet potatoes, white potatoes, tomatoes, peas, broccoli, and cabbage. Apple and fruit trees, including forty new jujube trees, round out the bounty.

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the slow-travel appeal of

Mackinac Island Travel writer Susan Kraus explores a northern island of horses, fudge and absolute relaxation

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY Susan Kraus

hadn’t been on a bicycle for many, many years, which makes no sense as I loved to bike when younger (as in 40 years ago), and a bicycle was my main form of transportation until graduate school. But here I am, with the front wheel of my bicycle wobbling as I push off with my foot. The handlebars wiggle back and forth as I try to find balance. Fortunately, it’s a level road, so once moving, I’m not about to brake. It’s the perfect pace for Mackinac. THE MACKINAC APPEAL Mackinac Island is a small island overlooking NAME Lake Huron and the Straits of Mackinac (which link Lake Huron to Lake Michigan). Buried in Mackinac Island is across the Straits of Mackinac snow and ice in winter, this is a seasonal island, from Mackinaw City. It is often said that the name open May to October. Year-round residents had a convoluted evolution, beginning with the number under 700, but that swells in summer to Chippewa name for Land of the Great Turtle or about 15,000 tourists on many days. Less than Great Mud Turtle. That interpretation, though four square miles, this heavily wooded and hilly still commonly told, was rejected by Andrew J. island is about 80 percent state park. Blackbird, a historian and Ottawa leader, in his 1887 But it is not just natural beauty, the scent book History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of evergreens or the crisp lake air that draw of Michigan (available online at various sites, people back. including nanations.com). Blackbird says the word What pulls at the heart is the quiet, slower is the name for a tribe, two members of whom fled pace, the clip-clop of horses’ hooves and the to the area after their people were almost entirely distinct absence of other noises. Since cars annihilated by the Senecas. The name was adapted were banned on Mackinac Island in 1898, the by the French to Michilimackinac, but with the final main modes of transportation are horse-drawn “ac” pronounced as “aw.” The British heard the carriages and bikes. It is unique, a world apart. “aw” sound, which informed their future spelling. Every April brings the arrival, by ferry, of horses Michilimackinac was shortened to Mackinac (about (500–700 in total.) Horses are the island’s taxi 1780), and Mackinaw City at the northern tip of service (no Uber here). They also provide carriage the Michigan mainland was incorporated (along tours, or can be rented by the hour to explore with the “aw” ending) in 1857. Today, all spellings the island. In the middle of the night, horses are pronounced “mack-in-awe,” which sometimes haul massive loads of food and supplies from takes a conscious effort for new visitors. ferry docks to the many hotels and restaurants. If a local buys a sofa across the straits, it will be delivered to their home by ferry and horses. And so, the Mackinac traffic operates on different rules. Horses have the right of way over pedestrians and cyclists. While there are ample saddle horses to rent, the mainstay on Mackinac are draft horses, mighty Percherons, Belgians and Clydesdales. Visitors walking downtown are taken back in time as streets fill with horse-drawn carriages and cyclists (if you can ignore the teenagers fixated on their cell phones).

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DOWNTOWN MACKINAC Fittingly enough, Downtown Mackinac Island is a horseshoe-shaped layout of restaurants, hotels and B&B’s, with galleries, antiques, upscale boutiques, a book store and multiple souvenir shops. It’s a place with very few chain stores (there’s a Starbucks, for example), but very many independent fudge shops. In peak season, about 10,000 pounds of fudge are made in and leave Mackinac daily, and 10 tons of Michigan sugar arrive by boat each week. The locals’ nickname for tourists is “Fudgies,” and since tourists have been eagerly consuming confections since 1887, the name fits. Downtown also offers an ample selection of older hotels and B&Bs. But be sure to research in advance as rates vary (and bargains can be found). The same can be said of restaurants. A wonderful lunch at the Jockey Club (the outdoor café at the stately Grand Hotel) or assorted waterfront venues costs about the same as a crowded tourist restaurant downtown. The CVB’s Inside Mackinac guide is a great starting place for lodging, dining and shopping options. WHAT YOU DON’T DO Even at peak season, Mackinac offers a vacation retreat in the best sense. I felt my blood pressure drop on Mackinac Island. I lounged by the Grand Hotel’s serpentine pool (named after Esther Williams because her 1947 movie This Time for Keeps was filmed here). I tossed bocce balls on the green, spent an afternoon on a horse-drawn history tour and indulged in High Tea (with finger sandwiches, sweets and champagne). I walked some (OK, a couple) of the 60-plus miles of twisting trails in the state park. I visited the fort and other attractions, walking to all of them. I paid my respects one morning in the Post Cemetery, where I was surrounded by the graves of British and American soldiers from the War of 1812. I watched red-sky sunsets from a rocking chair on the hotel porch. But it wasn’t so much what I did do as what I did not do. I did not get in a car. I did not eat hastily. I turned off my cell phone. I did check email, but only once a day. (OK, twice a day.) I sat doing nothing, book lying in my lap. And I biked. I pedaled the 8-mile perimeter of the island one day … and came back the next morning to do it again. It was glorious. I found my balance.

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ISLAND

AT T R AC T I O N S

HISTORIC FORT MACKINAC: Built in 1780, with 14 original buildings inside the fort walls, this is a living history mecca: reenactments; bugles, fife and drums; costumed interpreters; demonstrations; Victorian children’s games and more. Eat at the Fort Mackinac Tea Room, under a yellow umbrella at a table on the back deck for one of the best views on the island. In season, the admission fee extends to include five historic downtown mansions. CAPTURED SPIRITS: Portraits of Native Americans dating from 1820, along with other cultural items. Free admission. GRAND HOTEL HORSE STABLE AND CARRIAGE MUSEUM: A stroll from the fort, with 20 antique carriages and the Grand Hotel’s very special horses in a stable so lovely you’ll want to sleep there. Free admission. RICHARD AND JANE MANOOGIAN MACKINAC ART MUSEUM: Three levels of historic to current work that features the state park. Free to anyone staying on-island. IMAGES OF FAITH MUSEUM: Shows settlement of Mackinac through immigrant groups and the religious history of the island. Located in Ste. Anne Church; free admission. MACKINAC EQUESTRIAN MUSEUM: A photo exhibit that highlights horse history and culture on the island. Free admission. STUART HOUSE: 1817 headquarters of John Jacob Astor’s fur trading company. Admission by donation. BUTTERFLY (AND INSECT) HOUSE AND BUTTERFLY CONSERVATORY: One small island and yet two distinct butterfly exhibits. Admission fees. HAUNTS OF MACKINAC: custom guided history tour of the mysterious, haunted and legendary. For kids, the Haunted Theatre will elicit some screams.

THE

GRANDEST HOTEL

Mackinac Island would not exist as it does but for the Grand Hotel. Built in 1887 by 400 carpenters in only 3 months, it was both isolated and very, very grand. At the time, visitors arrived by railroad and then ferry or lake steamer. Its iconic front porch, lined with white rocking chairs, massive white pillars and signature red geraniums, leads to 393 rooms, each with a one-of-a-kind design and a splash of the riotous colors that also mark the expansive lobbies and dining rooms. Rates include meals, with multiple dining choices. The Grand’s traditions are also historic. After 6 pm, there is a dress code for all guests in the dining room (where 5-course dinners are served by tuxedo-clad wait staff and the background music is live) and communal areas: men in jackets and ties; women in dresses or dressy pants/outfits; children “dressy” as well. Coming down the elevator and into the massive lobby my first evening, I felt as if I’d stumbled into a wedding. It’s rare to see little boys in vests and bowties and every girl in a frilly dress. More fun was listening to the nightly music (a very accomplished and versatile 8–9 piece band) and watching dads dancing with young daughters, grandmothers with adolescent grandsons. Until that moment, I didn’t know I missed the waltz and cha-cha. The elegance that has long disappeared from cruise ships remains ensconced at The Grand. While rack rates in high season are pricey, there are often online specials.

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62 33 ICONIC LAWRENCE DISHES Our choices for the dishes that define Lawrenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s palate

77 LAWRENCE ONLINE A virtual Lawrence exists, but behind all the emojis and texts are real Lawrencians talking directly with us

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iconiclawrencedishes

STORY BY Paula Naughtin PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jason Dailey and Doug Stremel

Every city has—or should have— standout dishes that represent the community’s taste, agricultural strengths and heritage. In Lawrence, these dishes are a combination of the region’s strong ties to deep-rooted local farms, a large base of savvy diners with adventurous palates, and the carbfilled delish clunkers that come to the rescue after a long night out.

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From the thousands of choices available in Lawrence, we have assembled this list to represent the city’s culinary strengths and time-tested preferences. There are, of course, many other beloved dishes and new treats that will be regarded as Lawrence classics in a few years. But we believe these dishes, or some variation of them, will continue to be ordered, savored and remembered for many years to come. Here are our picks for 33 iconic Lawrence dishes.

Brussels Sprouts Merchants Pub & Plate

Even sprouts-haters love these. Sliced, fried, and dressed with dried apricots, garlic chili mustard, and cashews, they are great as a side dish or as a snack while sitting at the bar sipping a cocktail.

no 2 Biscuits & Gravy Wheatfields

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Selecting WheatFields for the biscuits and gravy may seem a little odd. After all, the restaurant/bakery has been named one of the nation’s 10 best artisan bakeries by USA Today—just one of its many honors. And the breads, baked in a wood-fired oven, are all stellar, from the simple baguette made of just flour, salt, water and yeast, to the specialty breads like challah and brioche. And it is probably that very bread-baking excellence that sets WheatFields’ biscuits and gravy apart. For many Lawrence aficionados, this biscuits and gravy is the breakfast for champions.

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o3 n Pork Specials Spinach Fettuccini Alfredo La Tropicana

with English Peas

This North Lawrence restaurant cooks up its pork slowly and then features the dish in a range of specials such as the cochinita pibil served in soft corn tortillas, or pork shoulder cooked in a guajillo or mulato pepper sauce. Both come with a side of boiled pinto beans, topped with spicy marinated onions if you ask— and be sure to ask.

genovese

Genovese continues to delight with sophisticated, pleasing northern Italian cuisine such as the poached eggs over marscapone soft polenta with tomato sauce, but some dishes have come to define the restaurant and shape the city’s taste for authentic Italian. One of these is the fresh spinach fettuccini alfredo that has had diners spinning their forks since the restaurant opened 10 years ago.

Limestone Pizza Kitchen

warmbeetsalad

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Limestone has won the devotion of many diners with its pizzas, cooked in a wood-burning oven and emerging with a blistered crust that goes so well with the housemade mozzarella and the basil oil. But co-owner and executive chef Rick Martin says his restaurant’s warm beet salad may be the best summary of the restaurant and his cooking philosophy—using local ingredients to create a dish so memorable that it had to stay on the regular menu.

Java Break o6 n Cereal Bar Let’s be honest, the staff that serves selections from the cereal bar at this all-night coffee dive will pour from exactly the same Lucky Charms box and the same jug of milk that anyone else could at home. But nobody else has the same hip attitude and chilled 2 a.m. vibe, and that’s why Lawrence loves late-night JB.

Charcuterie Board Hank Charcuterie

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The art of charcuterie—butchering, curing, and preserving—is all present in this offering from Hank. Items on the board vary; the selection depends on what meat has come into the kitchen that week. If a whole pig has been delivered, for example, says chef-owner Vaughn Good, “We use everything.” That means pork in all forms—tasso ham, housemade sausages, smoked meats, terrines and pâtés will be featured. House-made pickles accompany the meats, and they are exceptional in their own right.

Cauliflower Soup

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715

Cauliflower soup isn’t often regarded as a crave-worthy dish. But 715’s cauliflower soup is indeed the soup of dreams. Its base is cauliflower, but the cauliflower doesn’t overwhelm, it just adds a little edge of zing to the smooth, rich puree, like a sassy potato soup. Warming, creamy, drizzled with olive oil, it’s the perfect starter or a light dinner on its own.

Johnny’s North Munchers indiapalace no11 Garlic and Onion Nan Pizza no 9 Cream Cheese Donuts Munchers, it seems, has been around since Amos created Lawrence, and its top item has been and continues to be the cream cheese donut. Divinely delicious. Amen.

Sure, Johnny’s has expanded across the river and into the greater Lawrence region on a reputation for beer and burgers. But locals go for the bar’s original pizza. Pair it with a live broadcast of a Jayhawks basketball game, or not—the flavor is still a city favorite.

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tortellinicordonbleu

Basil Leaf

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Sausage Global Café Biscuits o n 13

Green Chile Posole

Basil Leaf chef-owner Brad Walters often changes his menu seasonally, but his tortellini cordon bleu is always on it. It was there at the beginning, when Basil Leaf occupied part of the Miller Mart/ Phillips 66 gas station on 6th Street; it was there after the restaurant’s move to the space at Ninth and Indiana that housed Joe’s Donuts. And if its fans have their way, it will always be there. The dish incorporates the standard ingredients of chicken cordon bleu (ham, cheese, and chicken), but the ham is flecked through the sauce, the cheese is in the tortellini, and the chicken, a tender panko-crusted filet, tops them all.

The Korean food at Café O is always delicious; the décor, complete with ruffled curtains, is cozy; and the attentive owner makes every diner feel welcome. It’s like eating at your grandmother’s, if your grandmother is the best cook of Korean dishes ever. And here, the soon tofu is a favorite. Served in a very hot stone bowl, the soup features a spicy broth, silken tofu, veggies such as zucchini and onions and is served with a side of rice. The large portion and the heat—both temperature and spice—make eating the soon tofu a leisurely and delicious process.

Yes, this kitchen’s butter chicken is delicious; its vindaloo dishes sing with spice; its curries and korma and paneer offerings bring in the customers. But sometimes small details prove the quality of a kitchen, and India Palace’s garlic and onion nan represents the kitchen’s prowess, able to stand alone or serve as a conveyor for chutneys, raita or entrees.

Global tweaks this Southwest favorite, adding the green chiles that the café is known for instead of the traditional red peppers. The essential ingredient, though, is still hominy, and the puffed chewy corn kernels add their distinctive taste to the vegetarian broth, veggies and spices. You can order this dish along with the traditional Venezuelan arepas, corn cakes filled with a variety of options such as cheese or avocados or chorizo. It’s corn in many forms, and all delicious.

Soon Tofu Café O

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Flory Food stand at Lawrence Farmer’s Market

The smell of sausage sizzling on Don & Kathy Flory’s grills drifts through the Lawrence Farmers Market on Saturday mornings from April to November. For many, this is the smell of the market. Tucked in a biscuit, wrapped in foil, these biscuits are the perfect food to eat while strolling through the market stands.

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Texas Burrito

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Bill Self Pasta 23rd Street Brewery

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Border Bandido has been in business more than 45 years with three generations of Lawrence diners turning to them for burritos, nachos, tacos and other specialties. The kitchen’s Texas burrito can be ordered with all meat or all beans or a combination of the two. Top it with queso, jalapeños, extra cheese, enchilada sauce and dig in. It’s a filling, inexpensive, pre-localvore Lawrence mainstay.

23rd Street Brewery is, of course, known for its brews. Like many of the menu items, the beer names hark back to KU: Bitter Professor, Crimson Phog, Wave the Wheat and Rock Chalk Raspberry Wheat. The pub-centric food has plenty of the usual burgers, wings, and nachos. The homemade pub chips are fabulous, as is the roasted garlic sauce served with them. But the Bill Self pasta has it all with fabulous baked mac and cheese, buffalo chicken tenders and the obligatory Rock Chalk reference.

Cheddar Ale Soup Pork Tamales Free State Brewery There’s a reason this soup is on every Lawrence food list. It’s creamy perfection with a slight sour tang from the Alma cheddar and Free State’s Ad Astra Ale. It works as a meal, or you can get just a cup and leave room for other Free State favorites. Cheddar ale soup has been on the menu since the beginning more than 30 years ago—it’s a timeless classic that always pleases.

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st.john’sfiesta

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Tamale lovers have one weekend a year to get these tamales during the annual St. John’s Mexican Fiesta in June. For nearly 40 years now, a crew of volunteers has been making the pork-stuffed tamales and other Mexican food staples served during the musical and dancing performances.

Nagoya Japanese Cuisine Avocado Bomb o 68

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Beautiful food in a beautiful setting—that is all represented by Nagoya’s avocado bomb, featuring—of course—avocado, with crab, mango and hot sauce. But the gorgeous presentation does not mean there are any compromises with taste. Even this kitchen’s simpler dishes, like the aged tofu—crispy on the outside and meltingly soft on the inside— are spectacular.

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no18 Braised Lamb Shanks

aladdincafé Braised lamb shanks aren’t always on the menu at Aladdin Café, but don’t despair, there are plenty of other options for both meat and non-meat eaters. In addition to the gyros, best in town per aficionados, there are other specials from this halal kitchen, such as roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce, falafel, and shawarma taouk.

Hakata Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen House-made broths, including the pork broth in this signature dish, provide the base for bowls brimming with toothsome noodles, pork belly, prawns, chickenâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;even Spam (in the Hawaii Style Saimin). Customization is encouraged. Some add an egg, fresh veggies, or extra spice to taste, but the basic recipe makes it all possible.

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Ramen Bowls

Fried Chicken Sandwich on a Sweet Potato Roll

A kitchen with a reputation for pie, rainbowcolored donuts, cake and more, Ladybird offers diner classics with a spin. And all of this comes together with the chicken sandwich, a buttermilk battered and boneless fried chicken that is barely contained by its sweet potato yeast bun topped with corn relish to add a bit of spice and bite.

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Ladybird Diner

Coffeehouse Dishes

Coffee shops are meant to be about coffee, right? Of course, but in the past five years three Lawrence coffee shops have created menus of freshly made dishes on equal standing with their coffee—both developed, prepared, and served with care and thought.

Decade, Cider Toast

Alchemy Coffee and Bake House, Pies

Lewis Wigen-Toccalino opened Decade three years ago in East Lawrence and has since earned a reputation for taste and detail. For example, his iced coffee is served with coffee ice cubes, so the flavor is never diluted. In addition to coffee, Lewis serves lunch and brunch items, including breakfast sandwiches neatly wrapped in brown paper and tied with string, stellar cocktails and small bites, and the deceptively simple cider toast served with compound butters.

Alchemy started in 2013 with a focus on coffee; owners Benjamin Farmer and Joni Alexander added their inhouse baked goods in 2014. Coffee is still a main attraction, and the business is known for its deep-flavored coldbrew coffee and its cold infusions. But the kitchen cannot be overlooked. Biscuit sandwiches with eggs and homemade jam are prepared on demand in the tiny kitchen. The cinnamon sugar-dredged butterscotch chip donuts are worth a drive of many miles. And then there are the pies … a specialty available by slice or as whole.

1900 Barker Bakery-Café, Everything Croissant Brothers Taylor and Reagan Petrehn are equal partners at 1900 Barker, as are their specialties—baked goods and coffee, respectively. Taylor recently received a James Beard nomination for his baking, no surprise to the customers lining up for his bread and pastries. Breads include smoked cheese, apple/raisin/ walnut, seeded or non-seeded utility bread. The carefully concocted beverages include hand-whisked matcha, bottled lattes and perfect cups of coffee. One winter special, the Chauncey, incorporates elements from both Petrehns. It is a house-made smoked honey marshmallow, artfully pierced by a twig, perched on the edge of a chocolate graham-cracker cup containing rosemary and bourbon eggnog with espresso. Throughout the year, croissants are always an exceptional choice. The croissant dough is the basis for sweet treats—chocolate croissants, morning buns fragrant with cinnamon and orange, frangipani pastries with almond filling (sprinkled with sugar and sliced almonds), cheese Danish with in-season local fruit. The ham and cheese everything croissant (and that includes Hank Charcuterie’s tasso ham) is swoon-worthy.

Singapore Noodles no27 zenzero

Thai Siam

padseaewe no 24 The wide noodles in Thai Siam’s pad sea ewe aren’t just ladled with a sauce, they seem to be infused with its salty, soy, umami flavor. The protein—chicken, pork, shrimp or tofu—is permeated with the sauce as well. There’s also broccoli and baby bok choi in the dish, but they’ve been added later and add a bright vegetable flavor to the bowl. Diners can see the dish is made right in front of them in the open kitchen.

Veggie Pizza no 25 Rudy’s

Yes, you can get ridiculously large slices and exceptionally cheap prices during the restaurant’s packed happy hours, but Rudy’s has always been more about taste and innovation than discount sizes. Heck, Rudy’s was serving up superfood kale on za before the word “kale” was even broached in polite society. And that’s the approach that has earned Rudy’s the city’s trust and admiration.

Kansas Roll

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Wa features several non-sushi options like teriyaki, katsu, noodle soups and more, but its sushi menu is a perfected combination of traditional rolls as well as the locally inspired Jayhawk, Lawrence, and KU rolls. The Kansas roll features both shrimp tempura and cooked shrimp, crab and avocado and is served with flames.

Singapore Noodles, with its Thai and Chinese elements, is the embodiment of the pan-Asian flavors that infuse all of Zen Zero’s menu. Rice noodles anchor the dish and combine with egg and an array of vegetables—always at the perfect level of crispness. The generous serving arrives steaming and fragrant with curry, ginger, garlic, cilantro. Diners can also add meat, shrimp, or tofu to the bowl.

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Chef’s Selection Café Beautiful There is no one fixed dish in a Café Beautiful dinner, and that is precisely the point. Chef Mel creates a multi-course dinner based on what is in stock, her judgment and the food preferences of her patrons for a particular evening.

Chestnut Soup with Marsala Mushrooms

The Cajun Corndog

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Terrebonne Po’ Boys

Birria o n 29 mexquisito

Terrebonne Po’ Boys has become a local favorite thanks to its excellent execution of authentic Louisiana bayou dishes. A lot of that can be owed to their titular po’ boy sandwiches as well as their fantastic Creole gumbo, but look a little further down their menu and you’ll find their Cajun corndog. A delicacy that is about as subtle as Zydeco, the Cajun corndog is a smoked andouille sausage dipped in the kitchen’s hush puppy batter and deep fried, served with Creole honey mustard. As a side, try some of their excellent Cajun-seasoned fries, but just make sure you’ve made arrangements to have a dolly carry you back home afterward.

Downtown Lawrence has more than its share of Mexican and Latin-American food options, but when it comes to pork, the birria at Mexquisito is unbeatable. The perfectly seasoned pork simmered in its own juices is served alongside house rice and beans and all of the fixings to make your own taco or burrito. This is authentic, stick-to-your-ribs Mexican cuisine at its finest.

Local Mushroom Ravioli

J. Wilson’s

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Featuring local mushrooms and goat cheese with sunflower and basil pesto, this dish is a delightful Kansas taste for the long-standing west-side restaurant with a new name.

chestnutcharlie

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This dish is somewhat an exception in our list because it is not served in a restaurant but rather during cooking demonstrations by Charlie Novogradac, a revered, pioneer local-grown specialty crops farmer. It is a dish that represents the possibilities for local food and gourmet dishes.

Burger Stand

Not only did this restaurant almost singlehandedly elevate hamburgers to poshfood status in Lawrence, Burger Stand also bestowed sophisticated foodie status on french fries with selections such as this and a delightful range of gourmet sauces.

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Duck Fat Fries

Lingering Taste

The restaurant business is notoriously cruel and competitive for chefs and owners. Competition, excessive hours and plain bad luck take out even some of the best kitchens. And when they leave, their best dishes often disappear with them. Here is our list of 13 Lawrence dishes we have lost, but whose taste we still recall. How many do you remember?

Legion of Burgers Various locations

Cheese Ravioli (or any pasta) with red sauce – Tredo’s

Avocado and Cream Cheese Sandwich – Casbah Café

Ask a long-time Lawrencian about a lost burger, and you can get a list of names, including burgers from the Star Bar, Moore Burgers, Vista Burgers, Bucky’s and more …

Tredo’s had cozy wooden booths with tall backs—you had to walk through both levels and peer into the booths to see if you knew anyone there. Its red sauce would have made an Italian nonna proud. It was served on a variety of amazing pasta, like cheese lasagna and cheese ravioli, tender and filled with clouds of ricotta.

The original Casbah Café had U-shaped counters with stools. It had some diner classics, but also introduced Lawrence diners to new dishes. The avocado and cream cheese sandwich was one of them, as was tempura-fried veggies and eggs Florentine.

Salad Bar – Cornucopia Cornucopia occupied the building that now houses the VFW, across from Massachusetts Street Dillons. Salad bars were just coming into fashion, but visiting Cornucopia’s was revelatory with its homemade salad dressings, composed salads—all of it fresh, much of it local, just a total smorgasbord of deliciousness.

The Douglas County pie is only one of the Paradise dishes mourned by Lawrencians. Breakfast enchiladas, Friday Fish Night specials, raspberry grits and other original creations sustained a lot of Lawrence with warm hospitality and delicious food for many years. Fortunately, however, this pie is occasionally available at the Global Café.

Wacky Cake – Tin Pan Alley

Donuts – Joe’s Donuts

Glen Sohl opened Tin Pan Alley after he sold Cornucopia. One of the mostremembered dishes was Wacky Cake, a moist chocolate delight that was said to originate during the Depression.

It wasn’t just the hot glazed donuts that fueled thousands of college students and townies through the years. Joe’s also made one of the best and cheapest egg salad sandwiches you could find. A complete meal—egg salad sandwich, a donut, with maybe a cinnamon crispie to round it out—could be bought for around 3 bucks.

Hot and Sour Soup – Toots Toots McEniry’s eponymous restaurant occupied a storefront in the strip mall at 23rd and Iowa streets 30-some years ago. Although it was open just over a year, people still come up to her to rave about the food, including chicken adobo. The menu reflected Toots’ Filipino culture, and her giant bowl of hot and sour soup redefined the Chinese classic. It was the essential comfort food with a zing.

Chicken Piccata Fifi’s (Nabil’s) Fifi Paden took over her brother Nabil’s restaurant in the early 1980s. In addition to the elegant, sophisticated food that came out of her kitchen, she also trained a number of chefs who went on to work and found other restaurants. One cook remembers the trout, usually served with its head still attached. “Some squeamish customers would ask for it headless and I would take the heads and make them into finger puppets to entertain the wait staff when they came into the kitchen.”

Asparagus Soup Campus Hideaway Campus Hideaway was indeed hidden on the north side of South Park. Lawrence natives remember it as a fancy kind of hipster place for the KU crowd, with cool wine bottle candleholders. Chef Bruce Scoular took over the space and moved the menu from pizza and pasta to a more varied fare, including a creamy asparagus soup that is remembered fondly. Another favorite was ice cream made fresh on Wednesdays with the labor of customers who would turn the crank of the ice cream maker.

Smoked Ribs Don’s Steak House Of course Don’s Steak House was known for steaks. But when people talk about the smoked ribs, their voices get quieter, slower … “smoked ribs,” they would muse, “Don’s Steak House smoked ribs.” Don’s also had the most fabulous cream gravy that you could ladle over everything.

Wings – Mojo’s Long before chicken wings (and other parts) invaded Lawrence, there was Mojo’s. Tucked in the space that now houses Terrabonne Po’ Boys, the restaurant specialized in wings but also offered other sandwiches, including a vegetarian MaryAnn cucumber. Sauces were rated for heat level and included Phat Elvis, Whiskey-a-Go-Go, and Code Red.

Douglas County Pie Paradise Diner

Peaches and Cream Squeezer’s Palace Before there were juice bars and smoothies, there was Squeezer’s Palace. Diners could order a watermelon filled with fruit, make up their own combination of juices and dairy, or order one of the standards. Peaches and cream was just that, cold, slushy, and so good that avoiding the painful brain freeze was difficult. The building it was in also housed the original Yellow Sub and Norwegian Wood, a tiny food store with bottled milk, gourmet cheese, and other goodies. It was razed, 75 along with the fabled Crossing bar, to make way for the Oread hotel.

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Two Generations

Two Locations

47 Years Experience

Candles Handmade On site sinCe 1970 www.waxmancandles.com

Lawrence, KS

Chicago, IL

l a w r e n c e

o n li n e

A virtual Lawrence exists, but behind all the emojis and texts are real Lawrencians talking directly with us STORY BY Amber Fraley

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jason Dailey

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awrencians tend to be a creative, humorous, well-informed people and this applies to online life as well. If you want to add a bit more local to your online footprint, here are a few Lawrence individuals and institutions with online personas that we think are worth following. F*ck You, I’m From Kansas

Four years ago, mostly on a lark, three local friends, Will Averill, Jacqueline Gruneau and Sara Mathews created a Facebook page with the aim of elevating their home state. Today it has over 100 thousand followers, mostly due to the group’s entertaining mix of Kansas news, jokes and photographs. Followers can expect to see one to three posts per day of Kansas-themed content. Followers provide many of the photographs that the site posts, and Averill says that the photography resonates strongly with Kansas soldiers stationed abroad and followers who are ex-Kansans living elsewhere. The page mostly stays away from political subjects, and, despite the name, tries to keep the content family friendly. “It’s definitely got some snark and a few dirty words, but those are few and far between,” says Averill. “I wouldn’t be ashamed for either of my grandmothers to look at it were they still alive.”

From and Inspired By Nick Spacek hosts conversations on film soundtracks with guests from Lawrence and across the nation.

Lawrence Public Library

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Heather Kearns, marketing coordinator for the Lawrence Public Library, makes most of the posts to the library’s Facebook page, though there are other employees who post under her guidance. Kearns tries to keep to a schedule of posting

four times a day, seven days per week. Followers can expect to see Public Library events notices, staff info, vetted news, Lawrence events outside the library, and of course, book recommendations. “It’s a healthy mix of education, entertainment, and shouting from the rooftops how much we love this town,” says Kearns.

Lawrence Police Department Officer Drew Fennelly had thought carefully about what the voice of a Twitter account for the Lawrence Police Department would convey before he pitched the idea to his superiors. He wanted it to be responsible and informative, yet engaging. After months of consideration, the Twitter account went live on December 31, 2015. Fennelly soon found that while Twitter is a great platform for disseminating department news, it was the humorous tweets that got the most feedback from followers. “We want it to be reflective of the department’s desire to reach out and engage with the community,” says Fennelly, “but we want people to know that police officers are human too.” Followers can also participate in LKPD tweet-alongs. For the tweet-alongs, Fennelly dresses in plain clothes while riding with an officer on his regular beat and live-tweets what happens. Though Fennelly was a beat cop himself for five years, he says the tweet-alongs give him a different, third-person experience to share with followers. The LKPD Twitter account has gotten its “voice” down so well, it’s garnered national attention. Tweets by the

department have been mentioned on ESPN and Comedy Central. They’ve also been mentioned on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show. “To be in the position where our department is receiving national attention for things that aren’t bad news—that’s huge for any police department.” The voice behind Larryville Life likes to keep an “anonymous critical perspective” of life in Lawrence. Followers can expect humorous tweets about what’s happening in Lawrence, with a satirical edge, on subjects ranging from campus carry to the recent glut of fried chicken franchises. Larryville Life also livetweets from local cultural events, such as the Free State Fest, and re-tweets local accounts in order to “hopefully provide a fairly wellcurated sense of what’s happening in Lawrence on any given day.” This is the one account to follow to know the who, what, when and where of the city. (You already know the “why.”)

Similar Lawrence Accounts eXplore Lawrence (Twitter) – Staff of Unmistakably Lawrence (the Lawrence CVB) curate the official lowdown on events and happenings of the city. Downtown Lawrence (Twitter) – The latest on events in the heart of Lawrence. On This Day: A Daily Look at Lawrence History (Facebook) – Former Lawrence Journal-World staffer Sarah St. John tells us what happened in Lawrence on any given day, but 50, 75 and 100 years previous.

Jeremiah Tolbert Tolbert is a local website developer and science fiction/ fantasy writer who is on a computer all day. As a result, he provides a steady Twitter diet of 15 to 20 original tweets a day,

Why Tweet? Larryville Life, one of the city’s leading social media accounts, makes a case for its favorite platform It’s a typical weekday in Lawrence. Love Garden is regaling us with tales of the most recent escape attempts of crafty shop-cat Stuffing. Ladybird Diner’s Meg is touting weekly specials served with an occasional acidtongued comment on Kansas politics. Members of PBR Book Club banter about the month’s selection. And it’s all happening virtually, on Twitter. Those who’ve yet to take the Twitter plunge seem to view the platform as an overwhelming scrawl of disconnected info. And it can be that, especially if you follow a lot of accounts and attempt to keep full tabs on your timeline. However, it’s also possible to use Twitter in a surprisingly local fashion, as a way of zeroing in on some of the best and brightest members of the community in a conversational, fast-paced, and often humorous fashion. My approach has always been to use Twitter’s “list” function, where I maintain a well-curated selection of local businesses and individual accounts that feels a bit like entering the hive-mind of Lawrence. By clicking on this list of locals, I’m able to shut out everything except the tweets from this group. I won’t be seeing a tweet from the president unless one of these locals retweet him.

la w r e n cia n: A n o ny m o u s Kitty platfor m: Tw itt er acc o u nt: L arry ville Life in 3 w or ds: W hat’s Hap p e nin g L a w r e n c e

Choosing to remain an anonymous kitty, the Lawrencian behind the popular Larryville Life Twitter account posts observations about daily life in Lawrence as well as updates on happenings and events around the city.

Every day is a bit different on Lawrence Twitter, depending on what local stories are on the minds of citizens, but frequent users can begin to expect certain things. If it’s Tuesday evening, look for the #LawrenceCityComm hashtag as Twitter users watch and discuss the meeting, either livetweeting or watching the feed from home. On Saturdays, expect to see GIFs from Lawrence Public Library (they usually celebrate #Caturday with cat GIFs). If you’re lucky, Lawrence humorist Will Averill might unexpectedly pop up and start an interactive hashtag such as #LawrenceProblems, where users chime in throughout the day with examples such as “When you twist your ankle because your sidewalk pre-dates Quantrill’s Raid.” If you’re really lucky, you’ll be on Twitter when the hugely-popular Lawrence Police account does one of their infrequent “tweetalongs,” a full night’s account of an officer’s duties delivered with warmth and great humor. For me, Twitter puts the “social” in social media in a way that other platforms do not quite accomplish. On Facebook, we typically talk to our usual circle of “friends,” but on Twitter we find ourselves unexpectedly engaged in larger community interactions, much like spending a morning in the aforementioned town square. That’s why we created the summer event #Porchlandia that attempts to bring together some of the community’s most-prolific tweeters for a full day of tweeting from an East Lawrence porch. If you are using Twitter next summer, make sure to look for 79 the hashtag. Until then, @ me on Twitter and let’s talk Lawrence! fa17

la w r e n cia n:

Jason

platfor m: iTu n e s (an d m or e) acc o u nt: A.D.D. Po dc ast in 3 w or ds: Hipst ers o n Fir e

The A.D.D. podcast highlights life in Lawrence and national arts themes, with a hipster attitude brought by (from left) jasper, Marissa Marshall and Jason Barr.

Barr

If you’re looking for Lawrence’s most popular, but still underground podcast, look no further than the A.D.D. Podcast by artist Jason Barr. Co-hosted by Barr’s longtime friend jasper (who spells his name with lowercase “j”) with news segments from Marissa Marshall and sound effects by D.J. Drippy, the A.D.D. Podcast relies heavily on Lawrence’s art and music scene for its guests. Barr’s goal in creating the podcast was to shine a light on local arts and culture. Though he includes national guests and topics, he remains immersed in the local scene. “I think someone like me is plugged in enough to local arts and music and culture that people feel like they can trust me,” he says. The show has been around in one format or another for eight years, and in that time, Barr has scored more than a few nationally known music acts and celebrities, including actor Ethan Embry, comedian TJ Miller, and singersongwriter David Bazan, as guests. Listeners can expect a traditional-ish style radio show with a definite Lawrence vibe. Recently, Barr has altered his rule about no cursing, but he still tries to keep the show as familyfriendly as possible. He also wants the show to celebrate his guests, not tear them down. “My show is in no way a shock show. It’s not my job to embarrass people or be rude to my guests.” Barr leads the show in what he considers a hyper-realized caricature of himself while jasper plays the role of the traditional sidekick/foil to Barr’s big personality. Subscribe to the A.D.D. Podcast with Jason Barr on iTunes, Soundcloud or Stitcher Radio.

Similar Lawrence Accounts Screen Gab (SoundCloud) – Bianca Brown and “SJ” discuss current movie showings and other cultural happenings from a Lawrence perspective. Book Squad (SoundCloud) – Lawrence Public Library staffers Kate Gramlich and Polli Kenn discuss new book releases and Lawrence literary events.

along with several re-tweets. Followers can expect sardonic jokes about pop culture and politics, with a hefty dose of science fiction commentary and thoughts about writing. He also likes to comment on local goings-on. “Basically, I’m a huge nerd about photography, biology, politics and science fiction.”

Lee C. Eldridge Being a conservative political force in Lawrence can be lonely, but @LeeCEldridge advocates from the right of the aisle without a sense of siege or hostility.

Marilyn Naron Lawrence-based former chef and food illustrator at @mpnaron. She’ll make you hungry.

Maggie Allen Allen, a local performance poet, comedy writer and actor with a deep knowledge of cinema, has been tweeting for eight years. She describes her @HMSMaggie feed as a mix of “responding to other people’s tweets with glorious puns, which they mostly ignore,” self-deprecating observations and “shouting into the void.” She also makes observations that are downright hilarious, selfdeprecating or not.

Cody K. Charles The movement known as #BlackTwitter might have been one of the most powerful social media forces in 2016. Lawrence accounts that facilitated these discussions, such as @_CodyKeith_ represent the movement’s range of ideas, identities and the highly informed thought behind it. You can also read more of his work on the intersections of pop culture and identity at medium. com/reclaiming-anger.

Lawrence Twitter Trifecta If you’re looking for a special Lawrence-style Twitter treat, be sure to follow Love Garden Sounds, Rudy’s Pizzeria and Leeway Franks. The three businesses like to tweet to each other throughout the work day. And while there is some business

promotion, there is just as likely to be a running conversation on music, Lawrence history or the real and imaginary lives of shop pets, most notably the fluffy black-and-white longhair named Stuffing. Love Garden’s anonymous Twitterer says, “We never try to poke fun at each other in a negative way. Leeways is great because they are on Twitter most of the time so we know we can always get a response; same with Rudy’s. Also Rudy’s Photoshops pictures of Stuffing, and that’s just amazing.”

Know Your Foe and Throwback Thursday Brian Hanni is a KU alum and experienced sportscaster who recently finished his first year as the “Voice of the Jayhawks,” as the play-by-play commentator for football and men’s basketball team, taking over for the legendary Bob Davis. For those who’d like to hear in-depth analysis of games before they happen, or if you’ve ever wondered what some of your favorite KU athletes who have graduated are up to currently, Hanni also hosts two podcasts that can be heard at http://www2.kusports.com/ podcasts/ or on iTunes (search for KUsports.com). Hanni’s Know Your Foe podcast is designed to preview every KU football and men’s basketball opponent before the game. “We’ll discuss which opposing players to watch for, what styles of play they implement and which Jayhawks concern the opposition the most,” says Hanni. He also tries to mix in a bit of history about the opposing schools’ traditions and famous alumni. As the name suggests, Throwback Thursday is a weekly podcast that combines stories from days gone by with

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An academic instructor, PhD candidate and Pushcart Prize nominated writer, Rebekah Taussig posts images and comments about her daily life.

la w r e n cia n:

acc o u nt: w w w.inst agra m.c o m /sittin g _ pr etty/ in 3 words: Thought-provoking, candid fashion

Similar Lawrence Accounts Healthonwheels.wordpress.com — Regularly updated blog about daily life, accessibility issues, national health policy and more by Lawrence writer and wheelchair dancer Lorraine Cannistra

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Ta u s sig

platfor m: Inst agra m

Rebekah Taussig is currently earning her PhD in creative nonfiction and disability studies at the University of Kansas. When she’s not deep into academics—and sometimes when she is—Taussig also posts as the creative mind behind the Sitting Pretty Instagram account. This series of images chronicles her daily experiences as a woman in a wheelchair. It includes selfies as well as many photos taken by her partner. Taussig writes, “The story I’m telling is simple: my feed tracks the ordinary and particular highs, lows, and in-betweens of a body not typically represented in the cultural narratives around us.”

Rebekah

Kevin Wohler (Twitter) — Lawrence-based science fiction writer Kevin Wohler keeps readers apprised of his latest releases and thoughts on his website (kevinwohler.com), but his Twitter feed (@kevinwohler) is more Lawrence-centric with comments on accessibility issues

present-day analysis. “Once a week during football and basketball season we catch up with a prominent former Jayhawk,” says Hanni. “We’ll ask our guests to reminisce about their playing days, share some untold stories and get caught up on what they’re up to nowadays. We also typically ask them to assess the current team.” Past guests have included Mario Chalmers, Cole Aldrich, Bud Stallworth, Sherron Collins, Scot Pollard, Aaron Miles, Todd Reesing, John Hadl and Darrell Stuckey. Fans should also keep an ear out for even more podcasts from KUsports. com. “Next season we plan to roll out a weekly KU Football and KU Basketball podcast, which will be a longer-form conversation

with opportunities for fan interaction, hosted by myself and color analysts David Lawrence (football) and Greg Gurley (men’s basketball).

Lawrence Humane Society With the help of Humane Society staff and volunteers taking photos and video of all the cute and cuddly critters at the Humane Society, development and marketing director Meghan Scheibe has the pleasure of sharing those heartwarming, and often hilarious, moments on Instagram. “Our hope is that our Instagram videos and photos not only share the lifesaving work we’re doing thanks to the community’s support, but that they inspire our community to join us on our journey.”

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St John’s Oktoberfest

September 9-10 Experience one of the nation’s premier authentic Native art markets. Meet hundreds of artists and craftspeople with their art and enjoy free concerts and dances. For more information, go online at haskell.edu.

September 30 Polka music, beer and food (including homemade bierocks) to benefit programs at St. John’s the Evangelist Catholic Church, the traditional church home of the city’s German immigrant population. Event runs from 4-10 p.m.; for more information, go online at sjevangelist.com.

“Catch Me If You Can” September 15-October 1 Theatre Lawrence opens its season with this popular musical based on a cat-and-mouse chase of a criminal fraud. For ticket reservations and to see the full season lineup, go online at theatrelawrence.com.

Rev It Up! Hot Rod Hullabaloo September 30 Dozens of hot rods, rat rods, muscle cars and other motorized wonders with free musical concert in South Park. A charity event and Lawrence tradition. For more information, go online at revitupcarshow.com.

The Haskell Indian Art Market features authentic Native work such as these beaded wristbands. Photograph by Mark and Tree Mangan.

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September 30 The University of Kansas men’s and women’s basketball squads kick off their seasons with a night of sketches and skirmishes. One of the city’s annual traditions, with doors to Allen Fieldhouse opening for free admission at 6:30 p.m.

October 31 Downtown Lawrence merchants offer treats to costumed children in what has become the city’s biggest outdoor costume ball/promenade. For more information, go online at downtownlawrence.com.

Kaw Valley Farm Tour October 7-8 Tour the area’s working ranches, farms and vineyards for an entire weekend with an everybodyin-the-car price of $10. For more information, go online at kawvalleyfarmtour.org.

Oktoberfest October 14 This community beer garden features drinks and food from local merchants with musical concerts. Runs from 2-8 p.m. on the library lawn. For ticket prices and more information, go online at downtownlawrence.com.

Zombie Walk October 12 A community fundraiser for the Humane Society celebrates its 11th year by doing what it does best—gathering creatively costumed zombies for a shuffle down Massachusetts Street. For more information, look for Lawrence Zombie Walk on Facebook.

Meals On Wheels Benefit Auction October 27 Fundraiser and dinner for the local Meals on Wheels program. For more information, go online at lawrencemow.org.

KU Beats K-State Football October 28 We’re going to win this one. Jayhawks football team will take on and upset state rival in The Sunflower Showdown. The score might be close, but it would be rude to make the Wildcats travel and then stick them with a lopsided defeat. For ticket reservations, go online at kuathletics.com.

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Garrison Keillor November 5 Former Prairie Home Companion radio show host arrives in Lawrence for a solo stage performance. For more information and ticket reservations, go online at lied. ku.edu.

Harvest Feast November 17 Gourmet community holiday dinner at Abe and Jake’s Landing to raise funds for Just Food, the regional nonprofit food bank. For tickets and more information, go online at justfoodks.org.

Bizarre Bazaar November 24-25 Lawrence’s annual holiday of quirky hand-crafted arts also features musical performances and free entry. For more information, go online at bizbazart.blogspot.com

Downtown Lawrence Holiday Lighting Ceremony November 25 Eventually, we’ll get this right. Every year, Santa Claus crashes on top of Weaver’s Department store in Downtown Lawrence, the fire department rescues him and then the city turns on its holiday lights as we enjoy live musical performances. Perhaps this year we’ll have landing lights all set up for Santa Claus and avoid the rigmarole. Perhaps the old elf will update his GPS. Or perhaps some traditions are just too good to change. Find out more online downtownlawrence.com.

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