Manhattan Magazine by Sunflower Publishing

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Vol. 11 | No. I

anhattan agazine

editor’s note

I’ve always wanted to produce an art issue. Many major magazines include

this type of issue in their editorial calendar. It’s a chance to celebrate local and international artists by highlighting their work and sharing their stories. But I had yet to seriously chart out an actual issue devoted to art. Then again, I never thought about the possibilities of it accidentally happening—like it did this spring. As we know, art comes in many forms: a canvas painting, jewelry, music, winemaking, architecture and even a copper truck—to name a few. So as we began production of this season’s magazine, I actually watched my Art Issue unfold. While orchestrating the details, I began to feel like an artist myself watching the masterpiece come alive. Maybe I should have suspected our spring issue would occur this way after discovering Elliott Pujol, his beautiful creations and his magnificent home. He and his wife, Barbara, designed the home so they could highlight their own art and the many pieces they’ve acquired. Complementing the works inside is the architecture of the home, exquisitely done by Stanley J. Koehn; his skill paired with the Pujols’ expressive personalities create a melodic fusion of artistry.

Spring 2009

My second clue about the direction of the magazine should have been obvious when we met a few of the town’s original artists. Knowing that young minds would make for an interesting read, we interviewed five of Manhattan High School’s young artists. Varied in their mediums, these adolescents found art to be their creative outlet early on. And based on their plans, it will take them into college and beyond. We then met artisans who are specializing in handmade crafts and sharing them with the world on Etsy. These three women found plenty of reason to share their pieces and quickly benefitted from joining this marketplace of art. We even found some understated artists, including jazz guitarist Wayne Goins. Following a lifelong dream, the accomplished artist now calls Manhattan and Kansas State University home. We also sampled the delicious art of Russ Loub and the Little Apple Brewing Co. For our Chef’s Table feature, Loub shares his culinary past and offers tips for kitchen crusaders. We also touch on the art of winemaking in Sonoma County, California—or, better yet, the art of vacationing in Sonoma. So with that I present a Manhattan Magazine first: an Art Issue. The ever-inspiring stories, geared toward art, are sure to help you welcome spring with a blank canvas and encourage you to use this colorful season to make your own masterpiece.

Publisher/Art Director Darby Oppold Editor Katy Ibsen Copy Editor Susie Fagan

Advertising Account Executive Dave Lewis (785) 537-5151 Ad Designers Shelly Kemph Tamra Rolf Photographers Alan Honey Tim Sigle Jonathan Swinton Contributing Writers Robin Farrell Edmunds Gloria Gale Kristin Hodges Kristin Kemerling Olivia Blanco Mullins Faryle Scott Lou Ann Thomas Manager Bert Hull Marketing Assistant Faryle Scott Subscriptions $20 (plus tax) for a one-year subscription to Manhattan Magazine. For subscription information, please contact: Christopher J. Bell 609 New Hampshire St., P.O. Box 888 Lawrence, KS 66044 (800) 578-8748 | Fax (785) 843-1922 Or e-mail comments to manhattanmagazine@sunflowerpub.com Manhattan Magazine is a publication of Sunflower Publishing, a division of The World Company. www.sunflowerpub.com

Katy, Editor

manhattan magazine

t.o.c. Spring 2009

1 | Editor's note 49 | Q & A 64 | Calendar of events

manhattan living

4 | Bringing the museum home The residence of two artists mimics their creative style 8 | What’s old is new on Houston Street One family keeps a historic home alive, filling it with nostalgic mementos 12 | The Chef’s Table Russ Loub of Little Apple Brewing Co. blends talent and family in the kitchen

manhattan businesses 22 | The real burger king Happy customers keep Vista Drive In popular

health & fitness

Features

44 | Helping hands in Haiti A team of Manhattan medical volunteers makes a difference

18 | Manhattan’s veggie tale LaLa’s Heirloom Produce makes a market out of the garden

26 | In store: Acme Gift These creative owners share their business secrets and disclose their favorite items

46 | The scenic route Biking Across Kansas attracts all types of cyclists

50 | Manhattan’s own alternative dads Fathers who break the mold share their unique stories

local profiles

for the family

34 | Corralling country music The creators of Country Stampede take us behind the scenes and in the community

get away

30 | Local artists make it for Etsy Three Manhattan residents use an online marketplace to sell their art

38 | Planting the Seed How a native grass blend was rediscovered for Grand Mere

58 | The young artists These creative teenagers are making their medium at Manhattan High School

62 | Liquid gold rush Here’s a toast to the gracious lifestyle and spirited varietals of California’s Russian River Valley

40 | Dreaming of jazz Wayne Goins uses his guitar and musical knowledge to inspire his jazz career On the cover Wayne Goins and his famous guitar have created a lifetime of jazz music.

manhattan magazine

| manhattan living

Bringing the museum home

| Story by Olivia Blanco Mullins

The residence of two artists mimics their creative style

Elliott and Barbara Pujol have designed their home to mimic a museum, perfectly displaying their varied artworks.

| Photography by Alan Honey

manhattan magazine

he artistic creations of Elliott and Barbara Pujol belong in a museum. So when it came time to build their central Manhattan home, the Pujols thought they too might belong in one. “We told [architect Stanley J. Koehn], ‘Think small museum,’ and it was a breakthrough,” explains Elliott, professor of metalsmithing at Kansas State University’s Art Department. Koehn understood what the couple wanted and designed a livable home that also showcases the Pujols’ art collection. “They have a lot of their own art to display, but also other artists’,” says Koehn, who helped them create a place to show it off. The Pujols found the lot accidentally during one of Elliott’s nightly walks. It was an awkward lot on an incline with barely enough room for a house. And while their children are grown—Elliott has three and Barbara one—they still needed extra rooms where Barbara could work on her jewelry. To top it off, the Pujols wanted a modern house, but Koehn was used to building woodsy Craftsman-style homes. It was a challenge, they all agree, but the three of them saw beyond the space constraints and style differences.

| manhattan living

Elliott’s Copper Truck was on display at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art at Kansas State University before being placed in their backyard. They whimsically decorate the truck according to holidays and seasons. Photos provided by the Pujols. BELOW Light beams into the Pujol’s home highlighting bits of color and accents of art.

Today it serves as the couple’s whimsical touch, not only because it’s life-size, but also because they choose to decorate it with the change of season.

backyard. Two guest bedrooms, one of them filled with fabric for Barbara’s quilting hobby, and a bathroom complete the lower floor. A circular staircase off the entrance leads to the upper space where they do most of their living. There is a master suite, an open kitchen, a small dining area and a living room where a museum-esque design comes to life. A large fabric art piece, a looming painting and vessels of different sizes tell the story of the couple, their friends and their favorite artists. The white walls and white-stained oak floors are perfect for showcasing Elliott’s favorite material—copper. However, one of Elliott’s most popular creations—Copper Truck—is found in their backyard. The artistic vehicle was on exhibit at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum in 2008. Today it serves as the couple’s whimsical touch, not only because it’s life-size, but also because they choose to decorate it with the change of season. “We put Christmas trees for Christmas and copper hearts [another of his pieces] for Valentine’s Day,” says Elliott. “We’ve also filled it with flowers,” adds Barbara. The garden happens to be where the Pujols, especially Elliott, spend much of their time. He loves to garden and spends hours every year landscaping their front yard or grilling on the deck. After several dinners and discussions, they decided to build an angular two-story structure peppered with windows that integrate natural light and a magnificent view of Hunter’s Island south of Manhattan.

A home for enjoyment At night the home is striking, even from a distance. Soft light coming through the windows seems to invite visitors. A step down from Barbara’s studio is the walkout basement, where she can look out into the beautiful

Changing light The house is homey even though it lacks traditional details such as window moldings or treatments. Many have questioned their decision to leave the windows uncovered, but they say the height of the house gives them enough privacy. “I have all kinds of curtains,” Barbara teases. “I have green curtains, and florals in the spring.” The windows, sans curtains, are an essential part of the home. Sunlight streams in at different angles and strengthens throughout the day and with the changing seasons. In the winter the south-facing windows let the warm

manhattan magazine

manhattan living |

TOP The strategically designed house sits atop a hill in central Manhattan. The Pujols have a beautiful view of the city and Hunter’s Island south of town. Photo provided by the Pujols. bottom One of Elliott’s copper pieces.

sunlight in, allowing them to rely on their tight thermal envelope instead of the heater. “During the summer the sun is filtered through the tree leaves,” explains Koehn. “They don’t get direct light.” The changing light and how it illuminates the house entertains Barbara and Elliott. “We still get surprises. It is really interesting; no day is the same ever,” she says. After 13 years the Pujols still enjoy their house as much as they did on the day they began designing it, says Barbara. “I never thought I would love a house this much.”

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| manhattan living

What’s old is new on Houston Street

| Story by Kristin Hodges

One family keeps a historic home alive, filling it with nostalgic mementos

Kim and Dick Smith have lovingly restored their 1880s home to its original form. Inside they have decorated with antiques and family heirlooms.

| Photography by Alan Honey

manhattan magazine

or more than 120 years, the stately stone house on Houston Street has witnessed a number of transitions. It’s seen the rise and fall of a booming street. It’s seen natural disasters. And it’s seen the results of economic development. During its life, the house has sheltered four families, but time, people and nature haven’t disturbed its old bones, and it has maintained most of its original form. “It just bothers me to see houses falling apart and abandoned when there was so much work that went into building them,” homeowner Kim Smith says. Prior to purchasing the home, Kim and her husband, Dick, raised their children in a suburban neighborhood in Leavenworth, though they had talked about building a home closer to their parents in Manhattan. However, their plans changed when their oldest daughter Elizabeth, now a preservation architect, saw the house on Houston Street for sale during her time at Kansas State University. The Smiths acquired the limestone house in 2000, and all three of their children ruled the roost while

| manhattan living

LEFT Kim proudly displays a chair of her great-grandfather’s that at one time sat in the Kansas House of Representatives. RIGHT The Smiths say they have enjoyed suiting the house to their lifestyle while saving and restoring the vintage structure.

they attended K-State. Dick and Kim moved into the house in 2003. “I’ve enjoyed living in the house, but [Kim’s] the one with the passion,” says Dick. “These old houses are not good investments. You have to do it because you want to, because you’re not going to be making money off it.” They have worked with local preservation contractor Mel Borst, of Borst Restoration, for eight years to renovate the home. Their projects include structural repairs after termite damage and reuse of materials, like stone salvaged from a local demolished house. “It is a lot of work—more than we imagined,” Dick says. In 2005, the Manhattan/Riley County Preservation Alliance recognized the Smiths’ work by giving them a Maintenance and Preservation Award. The Smiths give credit to the three families who lived in the home before them. “Everybody that has lived in this house has lived in it to keep it alive,” says Kim. The living room is filled with antique furniture acquired from the Smiths’ extended families, such as Kim’s great-grandmother’s rocking chair and a piano from another great-grandmother. “Once we moved into the house, everybody kept giving us family antiques because they said they had the same flavor as the house,” Kim said.

“Once we moved into the house, everybody kept giving us family antiques because they said they had the same flavor as the house.” – Kim Smith

In a similar fashion, antique photos and paintings from Dick and Kim’s great-great-grandparents adorn the walls. The only modern traces in the room are a few pictures of the Smiths and a cordless telephone. Though several rooms in the house have antique details, Dick insists they are not antiques shoppers; instead, they fill their home with items based on appeal. “He always said he didn’t want to live in a museum,” adds Kim. “We don’t want to compromise our comfort.” The antique décor continues in the dining room with the chair from Kim’s great-grandfather that once sat in the Kansas House of Representatives. Kim also uses greens and purples from the living room’s color scheme here. “I tried to keep the color flowing through the house,” Kim says. A door from the dining room leads to an outdoor wraparound porch, where previous owners created a downstairs bathroom. However, because the Smiths wanted to restore the house to its original state, they removed the bathroom and repaired the porch. In the kitchen they did a complete remodel with the exception of the cabinetry. “If you look closely, you can see it was beat up pretty bad in places, but we decided to keep it that way to retain the character,” Dick says. The only addition the Smiths made to the house is the back door entry attached to the kitchen that includes a bathroom and laundry area. With

manhattan magazine

manhattan living |

the help of Borst, they carefully planned the addition to look like as thought it was part of the original house. Because Houston Street lies in a historic district and the Smiths’ home is being considered for the National Register of Historic Places, there were some restrictions to the addition. “It was a lot of work to make the back entrance identical,” Dick says. But it seems well worth the trouble, as the Smiths won another Maintenance and Preservation Award in 2006 for the addition. Along the skinny wooden staircase at the house’s entrance, K-State Agriculture College postcards from 1890 to 1950 line the wall. The family has a long history with K-State, which is where Dick and Kim met, and that’s reflected in memorabilia throughout the house. Their children are fifth-generation Wildcats, and Kim’s grandfather played on the 1916 football team. Upstairs are the home’s three bedrooms and original bathroom, which was another complete remodel. “We were fortunate enough that this house had closets because the older homes commonly used armoires,” Kim says. The two guest rooms are filled with more antique furniture and quilts handcrafted by Kim, her grandmother, Dick’s grandmother and one of Kim’s daughters. The Smiths also have given detailed attention to the outdoors; Dick rebuilt the home’s garage and Kim landscaped the yard. She inherited the joy for gardening from her mother. In June their garden will be featured on the Master Gardener Tour. But a favorite place is actually on their front porch swing—a spot where they can enjoy outdoor living and appreciate the

manhattan magazine

true nature of their neighborhood. “When these houses were built, you visited your neighbors and everyone was always on their front porches,” Kim says. “We like traditional living.” The Smiths enjoy being surrounded by other older homes and living in the center of a historic district. Though the process of restoration has been long, they’ve enjoyed it. “This house wasn’t anything special in its day or now,” Dick says. “But that suits us just fine.”

TOP The kitchen was updated except for the cabinetry, which still shows signs of the past. BELOW The master bedroom is filled with light from the wide bay of windows. Kim was also thankful the old house had plenty of closet space, which is not common in older homes.

| manhattan living

The Chef’s Table

| Story by Lou Ann Thomas

This is our third installment of the Chef ’s Table series, a multiple part story featuring area chefs in their own environment.

Russ Loub of Little Apple Brewing Co. blends talent and family in the kitchen

Little Apple Brewing Co. owner Russ Loub, dining here with wife Kelly, has found his culinary personality while operating the popular Manhattan restaurant.

| Photography by Alan Honey

manhattan magazine

sk any chef and restaurant owner what they like to cook at home, and most admit they just don’t have the time. Russ Loub, chef, owner and general manager of Little Apple Brewing Co., is no different. Russ, however, has justification for not cooking. The Loubs’ home was hit by the tornado that ripped through the western side of Manhattan last June. Afterward the structure remained, but it had blown-out windows, serious roof damage and other problems. Soon after cleaning up, they were able to begin rebuilding. “We are just now returning to some kind of normalcy,” Kelly Loub, Russ’s wife, says. “Ever since June we’ve been eating a lot of meals at the restaurant.” Before those summer winds blew through the house, Russ remembers he did a lot of cooking for the family. “Both Kelly and I enjoy cooking at home. We

| manhattan living

LEFT One of Loub’s favorite dinner dishes is Italian sausage over polenta. RIGHT Loub swears by the use of Le Creuset cookware, noting it’s well worth the investment.

have five sons, three of whom are still at home, and the other two still come over to eat,” he says with a laugh. It works well for the Loubs, who love family time around a good meal. “We always want our kids to have good food at home and to have an appreciation for good food,” Russ says. “My mom was a great cook. Every night we had a full, home-cooked meal on the table. She is inspiration for me. Home cooking for families is a dying tradition.”

The beginning Russ, who was born on Long Island, has been involved in the restaurant business since he was a dishwasher at age 13. Since then he’s worked at restaurants in Michigan, Kansas and Kansas City, and attended culinary school at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. While visiting family in Manhattan, Russ heard of a restaurant for sale downtown. He wound up buying Rick’s Café, which he ran for more than three years, until Manhattan Town Center displaced it. Russ then became chef at Café Allegro in midtown Kansas City, Missouri, before returning to Manhattan as general manager and executive chef of the Manhattan Country Club. When the opportunity to buy Little Apple Brewing Co. opened, Russ was ready for a change.

“Both Kelly and I enjoy cooking at home. We have five sons, three of whom are still at home, and the other two still come over to eat.” – Russ Loub

Balancing act Running a restaurant is more than a full-time job, and being its chef too can mean those home-cooked family meals suffer. Not in the Loubs’ household, though. Russ and Kelly have learned some tricks about balancing work and family while still offering good, fresh, home-cooked food for both. The Loubs shop several times a week so they have the freshest ingredients. When their schedules get too busy, they turn to simpler one- or twopot meals. “We do a lot of stews and casseroles and try to plan meals at home that are generally easy to prepare, with little cleanup. When it’s warm, we grill outside … a lot,” says Russ. Russ often has a break at the restaurant during the afternoon and uses that time to shop and do prep work for the evening meal at home. “There are a lot of things—like marinating meat, prepping vegetables, putting together sauces—that you can do during the day, or even in the morning, to make it quicker and easier to get the meal finished in the evening,” he says.

Worldly tastes Russ enjoys cooking and exploring different ethnic cuisines. “I’ll exhaust a culture’s cuisine and then start on a new one,” he says.

manhattan magazine

manhattan living | Recently Russ was on a trend of preparing authentic Mexican and South American foods. Then he tried Asian foods for a while, including Vietnamese, Thai and Korean dishes. Lately he’s been interested in exploring Italian and Spanish foods.

Best investment For home cooks, Russ suggests investing in high-quality cookware. “There is nothing better than quality pots and pans to help you get a good product. It all comes down to the vessel in which you cook,” he says. At home, Russ prefers Le Creuset enameled, cast iron cookware, which he’s used for more than 20 years. “It’s the best investment you can make by far. But you don’t have to buy a lot of it all at once,” he says. “Buy a piece or two, and then add to it over the years. It will help you control the heat, it’s easy to clean and it lasts forever.” His favorite, and most versatile, piece is his Dutch oven. “I love it and cook everything in it.”

Recipe Russ Loub’s Polenta and Italian Sausage

Italian Sausage 1 pound Italian sausage links, raw (sweet or hot—Russ prefers hot)

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 green bell pepper, sliced 1 medium onion, sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced ¼ cup red wine ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon dried basil 1 bay leaf 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1. Lightly brown sausages on all sides in olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Remove from pan. 2. Add green pepper and onion slices and garlic. Cook 4-5 minutes until vegetables soften. 3. Add red wine and let liquid reduce briefly. Add spices and tomatoes; return sausages to pan with sauce. 4. Simmer over medium heat 20-30 minutes. Check and adjust seasonings to preferred taste. Serve sausages over polenta.

Polenta 3 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup polenta ½ cup butter ½ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated 1. Bring water and salt to a boil over medium-high heat in a heavy saucepan. 2. Gradually add polenta in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. 3. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Whisk polenta every few minutes to prevent sticking. 4. Remove polenta from heat and whisk in cheese and butter. 5. Pour polenta into 2-quart glass baking dish and let sit until ready, about 15 minutes.

manhattan magazine

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veggietale

LaLaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heirloom Produce makes a market out of the garden Story by Olivia Blanco Mullins / Photography by Jonathan Swinton

o r i Levin grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania, where she helped her mother and grandmother can fruits and vegetables. Years later, on a homestead outside Manhattan, Levin is still canning. But now she’s using the fruits that grow in her own garden.

LaLa’s Heirloom Produce has been Levin’s passion and business since 2005. After the first year at her family’s new home, she realized the beautiful orchard gracing the backyard was more than just a pretty addition to the 11-acre garden. “I didn’t intend to start the business. I was overwhelmed with all the cherries, peaches, apples the first year,” she says. The orchard begins at the driveway, where in the late summer delicious sour cherries can be picked. At the home are several varieties of old-fashioned apple, pear and peach trees and other garden plants. “After that first year with all the tomatoes, I thought about selling at farmers’ markets … do something with the surplus.” Levin wanted space for gardening but never expected the amount of food this garden would bear. But there is plenty thanks to the previous owners, who were plant pathologists at Kansas State University. They planted and carefully labeled dozens of varieties of productive plants.

As a result, Levin decided that selling the fresh produce and canning the surplus was the best way to use the food her wealthy garden produced.

A full-time job

In 2004 Levin, her husband Steve, co-owner of Varney’s Bookstores, and their two children, Ethan, 11, and Amy, 13, moved into their new home with the garden. At the time she was teaching at K-State and Ethan was entering his first year of school. To top it off, the couple decided to remodel part of their home. “I thought, ‘How much longer are the kids going to want me to be part of their school life?’” she says. Levin decided to quit her K-State job and dedicate herself to her family and her gardens. “That was four years ago, and it has been the best [decision]. My days are incredibly full—it is a full-time job just maintaining the garden,” says Levin. Of the 11-acre garden, only 1 acre is in production. Levin grows 20 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, plus herbs like garlic, basil, sage and lemon thyme. There are also trees that bear apples, pears, Asian pears, sour cherries, plums and apricots, and for this fall she is planting a pumpkin patch. She also grows onions and fingerling potatoes. “We have a little bit of everything,” she explains. Levin does most of the work, although her husband and children help. During the busy summer months when it is challenging for one person to pick everything that is ripe, she hires a helper 10 hours a week. From the start Levin knew what she was doing. However, Steve, a native of Manhattan whose family has been in the bookstore business for generations, had a learning curve. “He has learned so much,” jokes Levin. Of course, she has learned a thing or two as well while poring over seed catalogs every fall and choosing rare heirloom varieties of vegetables. Levin also picks heritage varieties of birds for her flock of chickens, turkeys and guineas. This in turn provides her costumers with delicious farm-fresh eggs.

Eating local and creating community

Whatever ripens first—usually strawberries and rhubarb—Levin cans and uses the fruit for jam. She makes sour cherry jelly, blackberry and peach jams, as well as pear and apple butters in the fall. “It fills the home with this amazing aroma,” she says of making jellies. Levin’s preserves can be found through her website and at retail locations, such as Bluestem Bistro in Aggieville. With the garden’s bounty, Levin is trying to live a locavore lifestyle with ingredients grown or produced in the Manhattan area. Between her farm and food available through K-State’s agricultural departments, she is able to give her family a more sustainable menu every day. As summer nears, Levin is getting ready for a fun but busy growing season. Customers can come anytime by appointment and during the harvest seasons for U-Pick days. “We are ready around the Fourth of July,” she says. “Kids come and they end up running around.” See what’s fresh and sign up for a weekly newsletter at www.lalasheirloomproduce.com.

Lori Levin in the garden.

Sour Cherry Preserves 4 cups chopped, pitted sour cherries 1 cup water 4 cups granulated sugar (organic can be used) Combine cherries and water in a large stainless-steel or enamel saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add sugar, return to a full rolling boil and boil rapidly, uncovered, until the mixture will form a gel (see “For the gel” below), about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Ladle into sterilized jars or plastic freezer containers, apply lids and store in the refrigerator or freezer. For the gel. During cooking, test for gel formation by periodically dipping a cool metal spoon into the hot fruit and immediately lifting the spoon so the mixture runs off. At first the drops will be light and syrupy. When the drops become very thick and two drops run together before dropping off, the mixture will form a gel on cooling and no further cooking is needed.

| manhattan businesses

| Story by Kristin Hodges

| Photography by Alan Honey

The real burger king

ich Penner orders the same thing at Vista Drive In every weekday for lunch, and sometimes on the weekends. He enjoys not having to think about what to eat on any given day, and typically Penner doesn’t even have to order. Most Vista employees know exactly what he wants as soon as they see him walk through the door. “We actually have a ‘Rich Meal’ button on the computer,” says Brad Streeter, co-owner of Vista. Reciting the meal from memory, he says “it’s a Vistaburger with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato and cheese, a pineapple sundae and a glass of milk. And that’s what he always gets.” “Now about eight years ago, [Penner] added tomato to the sandwich, and about 10 to 15 years before that, he switched from a butterscotch to a pineapple sundae,” jokes Streeter.

Happy customers keep Vista Drive In popular

“With any business, you need to have good service and good products, and, in our case, food at a fair price. If you treat the customers right, you’ll see them return to you more often.” – Karen Streeter

Of course, this sort of knowledge isn’t common of all fast-food restaurant owners, but Streeter has been a part of Vista since it opened when he was 14. As Streeter says, many businesses have opened and closed in Manhattan in the past 40-plus years, but Vista has seen continuous success.

A novelty Karen and Brad Streeter maintain the legacy of Manhattan’s Vista Drive In as owners. Brad’s father started the popular diner and drive-in and today the Streeters continue to serve a great burger.

Vista Drive In 1911 Tuttle Creek Blvd. (785) 537-0100 www.vistadrivein.com

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| manhattan businesses

A neon orange Vista sign stands above Tuttle Creek Boulevard, and drive-up ordering stations greet returning customers.

Donna Davis, of Wamego, began eating at Vista shortly after its opening while she was a student at Kansas State University. She remembers the lines of cars parked outside the establishment on late nights when it was known as “the place to go.” Penner, who is an assistant textbook manager such as retired farmers who meet for coffee. Later in the day, people eat at Varney’s, likes the relaxing atmosphere of Vista, lunch during a break from work. Families congregate in the evenings, though he says it wasn’t always that way. After the and throughout the day students are in the mix. restaurant opened, it was more of a teenage hang Many customers have a monthly, weekly or daily tradition of eating out. While he was a student at K-State, Penner says at Vista. For Linda Bottom of Wamego, Vista has become a weekly stop. he often went on “Vista runs” to get food in the eveShe first came to Vista in the ’70s as an employee taking customers’ nings with other students from the residence halls. orders. She remains loyal to the store, especially for its brownie a la Vista was “sort of a novelty” due to lack of other fastmode and, of course, the Vistaburger. food options in Manhattan. “I don’t get hamburgers any other place,” she says. “It has to be a According to Streeter, the crowds would mostly Vista hamburger.” gather Friday and Saturday nights; the only problem was that while some of the youths would spend monCreating relationships ey, most wouldn’t. Because the store and parking lot Streeter’s parents, Charles and Martha, created Vista Drive would get overcrowded, an off-duty police officer was In. Years later, Streeter and his wife, Karen, bought the family busihired to keep people from loitering. ness because, as he jokes, of the family’s three children, he was the “We’d have the dining room full of wall-to-wall peoone who didn’t know how to say no. ple,” says Streeter. “Those years were a real challenge. At Besides enjoying the food, customers like Davis and Bottimes we actually had to close down, clear the parking tom continue to dine at Vista because they have become friends lot and then open back up.” with the Streeter family. It was about 1980 when the crowds disappeared as After almost 45 years of business, the orange- and brownAggieville gained popularity and other fast-food restaucolored restaurant has changed little. A neon orange Vista sign rants opened. He says that kind of overwhelming popularstands above Tuttle Creek Boulevard, and drive-up ordering staity never lasts for an establishment as new places open. tions greet returning customers. Relying on word-of-mouth to entice Manhattan residents and visitors, the Streeter family has created a steady following for its business. Still a favorite “With any business, you need to have good service and Although Vista’s intense youth following decreased, the good products, and, in our case, food at a fair price,” Karen restaurant has kept faithful customers throughout the years. says. “If you treat the customers right, you’ll see them return Streeter says today’s clientele changes depending on to you more often.” the time of day. Mornings typically bring in the regulars,

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Beautifying your neighborhood one yard at a time.

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| Story by Faryle Scott

| Photography by Tim Sigle

In store: Acme Gift These creative owners share their business secrets and disclose their favorite items

hat started as just an idea more than10 years ago has flourished into Manhattanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quirkiest gift and floral shop. Acme Gift offers a modern twist on the traditional gift shop with sarcastic greeting cards, unusual books, unique jewelry and knickknacks to satisfy any amusement seeker. Owners David Sauter and Diane Meredith have a passion for Acme Gift. A friendship that started several years ago over their shared love for business is what brought them to today. Partners in business for six years, a couple for eight years and now parents to daughter Mila, they enjoy filling the store with a good laugh. When asked about their favorite items in the shop, Sauter and Meredith compile a list of quirky gifts for the young and the young at heart. See popular items found at Acme Gift on page 28.

Partners in business for six years, a couple for eight years and now parents to daughter Mila, they enjoy filling the store with a good laugh.

Acme Gift 1227 Moro St.

(785) 539-8899 Acme Gift shop owners Diane Meredith and David Sauter, with their daughter Mila, are proud of the quirky gift shop they have created in Aggieville.

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Acme Gift’s eccentric inventory 1. After late nights spent brainstorming and researching, Acme was born in 2003. Meredith and Sauter make regular trips to market in New York to pick up items like the classic sock monkey ($19). “Who doesn’t want a sock monkey?” asks Meredith.

2. Old-fashioned bike horns ($4) are just one of the many classic items for sale at Acme, where happy and helpful customer service is top of the list for the employees, who are predominately college students.

3. These little guys are popular with children and adults alike. People love the mini ninjas ($0.50) and buy them by the handful.

4. The functional little peanut erasers ($0.40) are a personal favorite of Meredith’s. “They are random and cute,” she says, making them perfect for correcting a child’s homework mistake or serving as a desk companion for any office dweller.

5. One of their best sellers is the “Ski Kansas” T-shirt ($18.50) manufactured across Moro Street at another of Meredith and Sauter’s stores, Thread, the popular design-yourown T-shirt shop.

6. The expressions people get when they open the door to an inflatable moose head ($20) are “priceless,” according to Meredith. “We deliver not only flowers but gifts as well, and have had the privilege of delivering [the moose] on occasion.”

7. Kansas-made all-natural Chicken Poop Lip Junk ($3) is “some of the best [lip balm] ever,” explains Meredith. It’s made from soy, sweet orange, lavender and beeswax.

8. The Rosie the Riveter bookends ($30) featuring the iconic symbol from World War II are heavy and great looking.

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Acme Gift’s eccentric inventory 9. Marshmallow Fluff ($1.50) has become Acme’s unofficial mascot. It stirs up memories of simpler times with its fun, retro packaging. When employees get a little hungry, they pop open one of the containers to make peanut butter and Marshmallow Fluff sandwiches. “We love fluffer-nutter sandwiches,” says Meredith.

10. It’s a bit ironic to fill a big tooth candy jar ($12) with cavity-causing sugary snacks, but these are just the kind of things Sauter and Meredith wanted for their shop. “Originally conceived as more of an antiqueish concept, my interests and aesthetic eventually moved in more of a modern, funky, fun direction,” says Meredith.

11. The book What’s Your Poo Telling You? ($9.95) is surprisingly a popular item. During the holiday season last year, Acme sold more than a hundred copies of this witty illustrated book.

12. The XL beer glass ($12.50) holds five beers at one time.

13. Gerbera daisies (prices vary) are the cornerstone of Acme’s business. “We sell thousands and thousands each year, and its personality really sums things up,” says Meredith. Acme has a relaxed, natural and inexpensive approach to flowers. Along with daisies, Acme offers a plethora of in-season floral arrangements, from sunflowers to bamboo and other exotic flowers.

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| local profiles

| Story by Faryle Scott

Local artists make it for Etsy

Livie Bennett Etsy shop: Quiltchick’s Shop

Three Manhattan residents use an online marketplace to sell their art Livie Bennett creates custom baby bibs with natural fiber textiles.

| Photography by Alan Honey

Are you looking for a crochet dishtowel? Maybe a letterpress set of thank-you notes? Or a one-of-akind painting to place above your mantel? All of these plus thousands of other distinct, handmade pieces are available from the online marketplace Etsy. The community of DIY-crafters and artists began in 2005 as a way for people to sell and purchase original items. It has since spread worldwide, providing a place for amateurs, as well as professionals, to showcase and sell their work. The products found on Etsy. com range from small knickknacks by part-time hobbyists to labor-intensive pieces from skilled artisans. Manhattan Magazine spoke with three local Etsy shop owners who pour their creativity into their projects—and businesses. manhattan magazine

Livie Bennett credits her mother for her start in handcrafting and the desire to learn new skills. “She taught me that if you want to learn a new craft, the best place to start is the public library,” she says. “Most crafts that I do now I’ve learned by myself from books.” Bennett has been on Etsy for a little more than a year and has found her niche in making bright, playful baby bibs. Her Quiltchick inspiration comes from just about everywhere, but especially her two daughters: Solvie, 3, and Myla, 1. “Sewing is my creative outlet,” she says. “It gives me visual proof that I’ve accomplished something with my day.” Bennett explains that she can’t just make something. It has to be useful in some way, so all of her projects have come about because she needed an item. Bennett jokes that her daughters have a lifetime supply of bibs and flannel pajama bottoms thanks to her “innate frugality.”

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A Quiltchick

Baha Beauties

Sushipot

www.aquiltchick.etsy.com

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Bennett works mostly with natural fiber textiles. “I am flat out addicted to cotton flannels and quilting fabrics,” she says. She avoids using anything synthetic so that when her work has outlasted its usefulness, it can easily be recycled.

Beth Hanna Etsy shop: Baha Beauties Beth Hanna finds herself back in Manhattan with her husband, George, and children Cody, 14, and Shelby, 13, after living in Colorado for several years. She graduated from Kansas State University in the late ’80s and now, almost 20 years later, is back as a full-time student studying metalsmithing and jewelry. When she’s not in the classroom, she is raising her children and running her Etsy shop, Baha Beauties. Hanna’s father introduced her to glasswork when he took her to a demonstration at Moon Marble Co. in Bonner Springs. “I was hooked,” she says. “The fire, the colorful glass, the endless possibilities.” In July 2008, Hanna joined Etsy to sell handmade marbles, glass beads and pendants as well as prints of her pointillism work. Having crafted for as long as she can remember, she describes her pieces as colorful, whimsical and detailed. “I have been selling prints of my pointillism pieces for over 10 years; glass beads, glass sculptural pieces and jewelry for about a year now,” she explains. While Hanna has sold items online for a few years, she has been able to broaden her customer base thanks to Etsy. “I have customers and visitors from France, India, United Kingdom, Belgium, Russia, Australia, Italy, Germany, Netherlands and Canada,” says Hanna. “Maybe it’s silly, but I think it’s really cool to have your work being bought by people all over the globe.”

Beth Hanna has found her inner artist while making glass jewelry.

Suzanna Scott fuses unique trinkets into art.

Suzanna Scott Etsy shop: Sushipot Art Objects Suzanna Scott stumbled across Etsy in late 2006 while searching the internet for a job that would allow her to spend more time with daughter Elizabeth, 4. “It began initially as a way to earn money from home while my daughter was an infant,” says Scott. “I met my initial goals early on and just kept making new ones.” Scott has worked the past 11 years as a professional artist, but she recently developed her mixed-media and collage style art, which she sells on her Etsy shop, Sushipot. She uses recycled items such as buttons, old books and rusty junk to create one-of-a-kind pieces. “My inspiration comes from all things old, chipped, cracked, worn, dusty, used, found, buried, designed, loved, intricate, aged and transfigured,” she says. For Scott, the best part of Etsy is the opportunities that have been presented through the site. “The ability to network with other artistic entrepreneurs is invaluable,” she explains. Sushipot is a full-time job for Scott, who says that during the holiday season she may put in a 60-hour week. “I just had my 2,700th sale on the site.” But the honest artist adds, “I always end up spending a portion of my income on the site every month. It’s very addictive.”

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| local profiles

| Story by Lou Ann Thomas

| Photography by Tim Sigle

Corralling country music The creators of Country Stampede take us behind the scenes and in the community The folks behind the Country Stampede festival include, from left, Chris Rouse, Courtney Smith, Adrienne Hayes and Wayne Rouse. The little group puts on a big show and works year-round on the popular country music festival.

The Country Stampede is a homegrown event, but not in the way many think. When thousands of country music fans converge on Tuttle Creek State Park for the 2009 music festival, few will realize it all starts in an office suite in Manhattan. Featuring some of the biggest names in country music, the stampede is in its 14th year. Headliners in 2009 include Tim McGrawâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;who also performed at

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the first Country Stampedeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Dierks Bentley, Sawyer Brown, Blake Shelton, Kellie Pickler, Phil Vassar and Julianne Hough from Dancing with the Stars fame.

Creating a following Wayne Rouse, president and general manager of Country Stampede, started the event in 1996. Rouse, who lived in Hays at the time, had traveled the nation for on-site production of country music acts. A friend who was working at Country Thunder, a music festival in Wisconsin, called him and encouraged him to attend the gathering.

Northeast Kansas news from a team you can trust!

Matt Miller

Ben Bauman Marshanna Hester

Chief Meteorologist Anchor/reporter

Anchor/reporter

Nic Hoch Sports Reporter

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Learn more about the 2009 Country Stampede at www.countrystampede.com.

come from all of those states. We’ve even had people come from Australia and England,” he says. Once the event begins, Chris spends most of his time in the background helping his father with details so things run smoothly.

Boasting backup

“I got there as Tim McGraw was going on stage and I knew immediately I needed to do this in Kansas,” Rouse says. After exploring several sites across the state, Rouse chose Tuttle Creek State Park. “A friend of mine in Nashville told me that Manhattan was a great location for country music. The Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau immediately began helping us network in the community, and everyone was very open and friendly,” says Rouse. The first year Country Stampede drew around 35,000 people. By 2008 that number increased to 155,000 people. “We have a good reputation among country music people, and the entertainers enjoy themselves here. The state park is a great place to hold the event, and we have a good relationship with them,” Rouse says.

Adrienne Hayes serves as operations manager and her mother, Doris Arnold, joined the team in March as human resources and volunteer coordinator. “This is definitely a family affair,” Hayes says. “We’ve been a part of Manhattan since the beginning, and we don’t plan on going anywhere.” More than 1,100 paid assistants help pull off the event. These jobs range from helping with parking to cleaning up. “We have quite a few volunteers who do it because they simply enjoy being a part of the event. Some have been with us since the beginning,” Rouse says. Some of the sponsors also have been a part of Country Stampede since its inception. Affiliated Foods Midwest has been a major sponsor from the start, as have Pepsi, Miller Lite, Holiday Inn and the Manhattan CVB. “Without their support, we obviously wouldn’t be able to survive,” Rouse says. Ongoing challenges for the Country Stampede staff are the ever-increasing cost of talent and the weather. In 2008 Charlie Daniels’ performance was called off when the on-site meteorologist determined there was lightning in the area. “Of course we still had to pay Charlie even though he wasn’t able to perform. But the next morning Charlie’s agent called and said Charlie felt bad about not getting to play for his fans,” says Rouse. Daniels played Saturday in Chicago and wanted to return for a free performance Sunday at the Stampede. Rouse thinks this kind of response from the musicians is in part due to the genuine crowd support at the Country Stampede. “It’s just a great atmosphere. It’s a great place to be even if you aren’t a country music fan,” he says.

Like father, like son

Year-round planning

In 2001, Rouse moved to Manhattan; his son Chris joined him in 2004. Wayne focuses on talent, logistics and overall organization while Chris handles the marketing tasks. As direct marketing and electronic marketing manager for Country Stampede, Chris manages the website, which provides news, maps and information about lodging, tickets and camping. “It really has everything on it that you’ll need to know if you are planning on coming to the Stampede,” Chris says. Chris is also in charge of making sure 55,000 posters for the event get up in locations throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri and Iowa. “That’s an important piece of our promotion since people

Months before the 2009 Country Stampede, Rouse and his staff are already working to book acts for 2010. “We’re here all year,” Hayes says. “We’re an active part of this community and donate tickets to community groups and give back to our community in many other ways.” For Rouse, the best part of keeping the Country Stampede in Manhattan is the feeling of enhancing the community. “Quality of life issues are really important to me, and in a small way I like to think we’re contributing to the quality of life for the people here.”

2008 Country Stampede crowd. Photo by Anne Dinsdale.

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The Stampede in style Are you going to rub shoulders with this year’s hottest country music stars? Then you better look the part. Manhattan’s Short-Go Pro Shop helped Manhattan Magazine find the trendiest, sexiest, roughest attire that will make a statement this year at Country Stampede.

For the cowgirl: Big Star Jeans, $136.00

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Short-Go Pro Shop

100 Manhattan Town Center, Suite 210, Manhattan

(785) 776-7467

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| local profiles

| Story by Robin Farrell Edmunds

Planting the seed How a native grass blend was rediscovered for Grand Mere Photo courtesy Mary Vanier.

As a recreational golfer, Jerry Petty often played a round or two at Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan. While golfing on the course, he noticed the grasses of the surrounding terrain were mismatched. Petty continued to make mental note of this discrepancy. At the time Petty was director of public works for the city of Manhattan—a job he held for 28 years. In 2002, he began working for a private civil engineering firm in the area and was offered the job of project director at Grand Mere Development in late 2004. With that move, he gained the opportunity to fix the mixed-up grass he noticed a couple years earlier.

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| Photography by Jonathan Swinton

As Manhattan’s only master-planned golf course and residential community, Grand Mere covers more than 1,000 acres on the northwest edge of town. The land has been in the Vanier family for generations, so it’s fitting the development name—the French word for grandmother—honors the family’s matriarch. Kansas State University developed Colbert Hills Golf Course, which opened in 2000. “Grand Mere was conceived and centered around Colbert Hills Golf Course,” says Petty, who first came to the area to attend K-State as an undergraduate in civil engineering. Petty explains a key component to Grand Mere is the idea that the area’s native grass would be disturbed as little as possible during the development of the property so it would remain a natural area. In fact, the grass on the Grand Mere property had never been touched— other than being grazed, plowed for hay or restrengthened in a controlled burn—until building began. The tallgrass pasture is a large part of the appeal of living in this planned community, according to Petty. The development includes residential neighborhoods, the golf course, some businesses and soon the first Riley County Hospice House.

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What’s your seed? Cory LeMay is a go-to guy when it comes to knowing A view of the Grand Mere landscape reminds Jerry Petty of his search to plant a natural grass blend in the area.

what might look best on your lawn. His company, Howe Landscaping Inc., is responsible for the terrain at Grand Mere Development. In business for more than 25 years, LeMay offers advice on what ornamental grass might work for your own yard. All of the following take full sun, and with the exception of Maiden grass they are perennials. According to LeMay, “They’ll get to 75 percent of their height the first year.” The dwarf fountain grass variety can be seen inside the landscape islands at Grand Mere Development.

Dwarf fountain grass: about 2 feet by 2 feet

While paying close attention to the development and surrounding natural area, Petty realized “there didn’t seem to be consistency in the grass that had been put back and replanted.” The grasses grew back visibly different over various parts of the property. So when Petty became project director, he decided to do something about it. Petty asked the landscape companies working on Grand Mere projects how they obtained the grass seed for replanting after developing parts of the property. He soon discovered that although the companies asked for “native grass seed” from their seed company sources, it was usually anybody’s educated guess as to what the mix actually contained. “Aha—there’s the problem,” he says. He contacted Star Seed Co., of Osborne, which sent an employee with experience and interest in native grasses to Grand Mere. “[The expert] wandered around for about half a day walking the native, undisturbed areas and taking photos and measurements to determine the mixture of plants that existed,” says Petty. The final result is an exact match to the original native grass mixture on the property. It’s comprised of five kinds of grasses and five wildflowers, including black-eyed Susan. After the research, the seed combination officially was named the Grand Mere Mix, which is used exclusively at Grand Mere and Colbert Hills. Petty’s crews have since replanted areas that didn’t match because it still bothered him. Residents and commercial property owners also are asked to use the mix when planting. It’s one way for Petty to ensure the future of Grand Mere is as authentic and natural as the land’s past. “I share the Grand Mere vision of what [the development] is going to look like when it’s done,” says Petty. “Life among the landscape.”

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Prairie dropseed grass: about 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide

‘Karl Forester’ grass: about 5 feet tall by 2 feet wide

Maiden grass: about 3 to 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide (if planted in shadier spot) or about 5 feet tall by 4 feet wide (if in sunny area)

Pampas grass: up to about 10 feet tall by 7 feet wide

| local profiles

| Story by Lou Ann Thomas

Dreaming of jazz Wayne Goins uses his guitar and musical knowledge to inspire his jazz career

Wayne Goins, musician, professor, husband and father, has based his life on playing jazz. An accomplished musician around the world, Goins learned his musical aspirations from his father while growing up on the south side of Chicago.

The story of world-renowned jazz guitarist Wayne Goins is in many ways a story about the American dream. It’s the account of a poor kid, the middle of 11 siblings, who grew up on the south side of Chicago with aspirations that might have seemed unreachable—to play jazz guitar. Goins, however, kept his passion alive. And with the help of mentors and teachers, he turned his dream into a reality. It was this inspiration and his love of music that took him from the Windy City to the Flint Hills of Kansas.

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| Photography by Alan Honey

In the city Jazz always had been the dream. It helped that he grew up in a home where music was ever-present. His father, William Earl Goins, a singer and blues harmonica player, was part of the Chicago blues scene in the late ’4 0s. He saw to it that his young son would receive a toy guitar every Christmas. At age 10, Goins’ uncle, John Lewis Goins, gave him his first real electric guitar. “That changed my life,” he says. At the time, Goins was learning a wide range of music. He played in several bands during high school and had no idea his next mentor would be the director of one of these bands. Goins attended Lindblom Technical High School on the south side of Chicago, but there was no jazz band. Instead he took a bus across town to Paul Robeson High School and played with its jazz band daily. One day George Page, the band director at Paul Robeson, called Goins at home to tell him a representative from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff was visiting the school and looking for scholarship recipients.

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For more information about Wayne Goins and his music, visit www.waynegoins.com.

Wayne Goins, keyboardist Bill Wingfield and bassist Kelly McCarty perform throughout Manhattan. Their jazz music keeps local listeners swaying to the rhythm.

“I went right over and played Touchdown by Bob James for them. They offered me a full-ride scholarship on the spot,” he says. It was an accomplishment for Goins, as scholarships were rare for students from his neighborhood. Goins spent two years in Pine Bluff but transferred to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he found another inspiring guide, London Branch. Goins met Branch shortly after his father’s death; Branch took the young musician under his wing. “London was an amazing musician who played trumpet, piano and bass. He had mastered both classical and jazz and was an incredible influence on my life,” Goins says. After Goins completed a B.S. in music education, Branch offered him the opportunity to work toward a master’s degree in music education. “I was the first person in my family to get a college degree and now I was going to get a master’s degree? Wow! I was elated,” Goins says. With his master’s degree, Goins returned to Chicago to teach fifthgrade students at St. Cyril Catholic School for two years. He later taught at a Quaker Friends school in Boston. “Those kids were great and I had so much fun teaching them, but I really wanted to become a college professor,” Goins says.

Musical achievements For Goins, who was rapidly achieving his dreams, the time had come to see the world and record an album. “I knew I needed to go out and find a way to do those things, so I moved to Atlanta,” he says.

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Within months Goins was teaching at Morehouse College and Emory University. In his spare time he began recording with Ichiban Records and eventually had 20 albums to his name. He performed in Germany, Holland, Italy and Switzerland, among other countries. Yet he still desired more. “I wanted to get to the next level, so I needed to get my Ph.D.,” says Goins. He accepted a graduate assistantship at Florida State University, where he studied with Clifford Madsen, whom Goins considers the godfather of music research. With a great deal of research knowledge from Madsen, Goins now uses this background to write books, articles and columns on jazz. He also lectures in the field of music education and presents his work across the country and throughout Europe. In 1998, Goins completed his Ph.D. in music education. His next move would take him far from his urban roots, to Kansas State University. Frank Tracz, director of bands at K-State, recruited Goins to be a Wildcat. He immediately fell for the university and happily accepted the position as professor of music and jazz director.

Making it last Goins was introduced to another force of inspiration at K-State. It was love at first sight in 2001 when Goins first laid eyes on his now wife Deborah at the campus post office. She is the “backbone of everything I’ve done since the day I married her,” he says. After a number of invitations, Deborah attended a faculty concert where Goins played. “That was the first time I ever heard him perform. He was incredible. You never forget the first time you hear him play,” she says. “He uses his guitar like it is his voice. You feel as though you are listening to a very soulful singer singing from his heart.” Now Deborah also acts as Goins’ manager. Today Goins maintains his own recording company, Little Apple Records. He enjoys a life filled with his dreams of teaching and playing. “So many people believed in me and gave me so many gifts. All they ever asked was that I pass them on,” Goins says. “I feel an obligation to do my best and live my best because all those people are still with me.”

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| health & fitness

| Story by Olivia Blanco Mullins

On a dirt road, 13 miles from Port-auPrince, is one of Haiti’s top 10 hospitals. It is a small clinic with two operating rooms, but thanks to local doctors, nurses and other volunteers, it has everything needed to perform successful surgeries. “It is just about as good as an operating room in Manhattan,” says Diane Cable, an operating room nurse. Eight years ago she took a group of local medical professionals on a humanitarian trip to the Double Harvest Clinic in Haiti and hasn’t stopped going since. “My parents were missionaries [in Haiti],” explains Cable. Because of her parents’ aid work, she was born and raised

| Photography couresty of Amy Pruss/Little Light Box Photography

in Male, Africa. Her dad had asked her to bring her medical friends to Haiti to assist with medical care in his mission, but she told him that it was futile without an operating room. She remembers, “He had [an OR] built, attached to a new clinic. He told me our job was to find equipment.” Cable’s parents have since retired. At the time, Cable was the director of nursing surgery at the Manhattan Surgical Center. By drawing on her connections in the medical field, she was able to get the equipment the clinic needed. Mercy Regional Health Center has donated 90 percent of the clinic’s furniture. Other Manhattan medical groups,

Helping hands in Haiti A team of Manhattan medical volunteers makes a difference 44

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businesses and individuals have provided everything from hospital beds to automated blood pressure measures to gauze. Cable is grateful for the generosity Manhattan residents have shown over the years, including the 44-foot container volunteers filled in 2008 with all kinds of community donations.

From sunrise to sunset Since 2001 Cable has taken 10 groups of individuals from Manhattan to Haiti. She doesn’t schedule when she is going; instead, once a group forms she starts planning the trip. The most recent were in early February and December. Two years ago, the pace slowed when Cable was diagnosed with cancer. But soon after recovering, she was planning the next trip. Each person pays their own expenses, around $675 each, which includes airfare, food and other needs during their six-day stay. They stay at the living quarters above the clinic. In the spring of 2008, when Haiti was going through a violent political upheaval, many people canceled their plans to travel with the group. Cable went with a group of six, the smallest ever. She notes the ideal group is 18, composed of at least one surgeon, one anesthesiologist and three nurses as well as support staff, such as cooks. About nine local physicians have been to Haiti with Cable since 2001. Some bring their

health & fitness | top right Mike and Amy Pruss at the clinic. middle right Hannah Saville, the daughter of Manhattan general surgeon Lance Saville, with a newborn. bottom right Hannah takes pictures with the children in a schoolyard. She is a sophomore at Manhattan High School.

spouses; others bring their college-age children for a fresh take on reality. “They work from sunup to sundown; it is an amazing team,” says Amy Pruss, who traveled to Haiti in December 2008 with her husband, Mike, a nurse anesthetist at Anesthesia Associates in Manhattan. Amy, who is trained as a scrub nurse, is now a photographer and documented the trip. The Double Harvest Clinic, which is part of a larger Christian missionary compound in Haiti by the same name, has a local doctor and nurses year-round. The local physician, Dr. Edmond Elysee, treats patients every day and makes appointments for those who need surgery. When the volunteer team arrives, the patients are ready. “Sometimes we arrive at midnight and we are operating by 7 a.m.,” says Cable. In one trip they can see about 120 cases, which can keep the doctors and nurses busy from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

As much as you can The trips give the group a level of camaraderie that’s difficult to replicate anywhere

else. They work hard during the day, and at night—without TV or other forms of modern entertainment—they tend to form strong bonds. They go tarantula hunting, and in some cases someone’s underwear has been put in the freezer for a couple of hours. It is all in good spirits, as the friendships they form are unparalleled. However, working among such poverty and need can be hard on even the strongest people. “One day, I just broke down,” says Pruss. “There are lines [outside the clinic]. [The patients] wait all day; they camp out overnight. Where is the cutoff?” It is hard to make the choice to stop taking patients at a certain time, they say, but they know that what they do is helpful. Cable remembers patients coming in with advanced breast cancer or ruptured appendixes. “If it wasn’t for us, a couple of patients would have died.” Cable calls the support of the community “an amazing outpouring of love.” “This is a dream I always had: being a missionary nurse,” she says. “I am doing it in bits and pieces.”

See more and help out

Amy Pruss will be exhibiting 22 large-format pictures of the December 2008 trip on June 1, 2009, at Radina’s Coffeehouse & Roastery (616 N. Manhattan Ave.). Proceeds from the event will benefit the Double Harvest Clinic.

Diane Cable, Aaron Spalding, who lives at the compound, and Dr. Edmond Elysee, who takes care of Double Harvest Clinic, take time to get a good laugh.

Diane Cable’s February 2009 Journal Sunday - Uncertainty and fatigue. Monday - With the start of the first day of surgeries, confusion and excitement. Tuesday - Routine and confident (things are running smoothly). Wednesday - Restlessness (tired but can’t stop the flow of adrenaline). Thursday - Overwhelming and total exhaustion (the toll of the many patients and the sadness of not being able to help all that we see). Friday - Bittersweet. We are seeing an end in sight although we know that there will be those patients that we will not able to get to or help. We know that the following day we will leave Haiti and will be able to catch up on much-needed rest even on the flights home. Saturday - Tired but stronger physically, spiritually and emotionally. manhattan magazine

| health & fitness

Look out this spring for cycling Wildcats, who are gearing up for the grueling Biking Across Kansas (BAK). BAK is an eight-day, 450-mile cycling adventure that crosses the state. The 35th annual event takes place the second week of June, and this year begins in Syracuse and ends in Louisburg. During the event, cyclists ride an average of 60 miles a day. After a long ride, they eat, rest, shower and sleep, usually in a gymnasium, in one of the featured communities. So how did a few riders from Kansas State University come to find their passion for BAK? Learn from them how hard, or easy, the event can be.

| Story by Kristin Kemerling

| Photography by Jonathan Swinton

Cycling to stay fit Six years ago, a group of K-State faculty members convinced Tim Lindemuth, editor of K-Stater alumni magazine, to participate in his first BAK. “When I got started, I was apprehensive because I didn’t know if I could do 500 miles,” Lindemuth says. “The guys I biked with were very encouraging and kept saying, ‘If you can bike 40 miles, then you can bike across Kansas.’” As training began, Lindemuth would meet these encouragers in Aggieville to go cycling for about 12 miles before heading to work.

Now preparing for his seventh BAK, Lindemuth has created a regular training system. He starts his weight training during the winter, when he works with a trainer at Pro Fitness in Aggieville once a week. This involves an upper body and lower body workout to strengthen his legs for hills. “If you just do a good workout for those … muscle groups, it makes your legs stronger so that you can attack the hills better,” he says. Lindemuth also drinks plenty of protein shakes during training. When he is cycling, he adds carbohydrates to his diet for quick energy. As a result of his hard work, Lindemuth has learned that cycling and weight training slow the debilitating effects of aging. “You know, we spend a lifetime working and saving for retirement. Why not also be concerned about controlling weight, eating right and exercising to enjoy that time of our life? That takes a commitment,” he says. “I hope cycling will be part of my activities long after I’ve retired.”

Father-and-son duo Andy Barkley, K-State agricultural economics professor, and his 17-year-old son Charlie are BAK addicts. Each year they block out the week on their calendars and anticipate the route map posting on BAK’s website. They’ve participated in BAK for the last three years and have

The scenic route Cyclist Tim Lindemuth prepares to ride in his seventh Biking Across Kansas. He discovered the beneficial effects of cycling and swears by the change it’s made in his health.

Biking Across Kansas attracts all types of cyclists 46

manhattan magazine

health & fitness |

enjoyed getting to know one another better each time. “We are definitely closer from having done the BAK. Any time you set a challenging, shared goal and work toward it, you are likely to become closer,” says Barkley. “The BAK week is fairly intense. The riders are together 24/7, so that brings you closer as well.” The duo usually train together on the weekends, building from rides of 10 to 20 miles to a 30- to 40-miler closer to the event. “We only do a few training rides each year,” says Charlie Barkley. “If we can complete these rides without too much pain involved, then we are probably ready for the BAK itself,” adds Barkley. “Of course, the more you train, the less your rear end hurts on the ride.” This year, yet again, they are looking forward to seeing the beauty of Kansas from their bicycles. “Kansas is a beautiful state, and much of that beauty is missed when in the car on the interstate,” says Barkley. “The beauty of the Great Plains is more obvious on a bicycle, with new friends from across the state to help you interpret the experience.”

14 fabulous years Fourteen years ago retired Manhattan teacher Linda Law wanted to try BAK, so she convinced a friend to join her. Today, Law still loves cycling in the BAK and has convinced her husband, Dennis, dean of K-State College of Architecture, Planning and Design, to ride with her. “Sometimes you just really want to do something, but it takes you a while to work up to doing it in your head,” she says. During the winter months Law runs, does yoga and lifts weights to keep in shape for the BAK. She and Dennis start cycling four weeks before the event. They cycle around Manhattan by Hunter’s Island and sometimes even go as far as Clay Center and Wamego. “We like to go to Wamego and eat pancakes at the Friendly Cooker and come back. It takes all morning. We start out about 7 and get home around 1,” Law says. “Getting up early and getting started is real important to me because I’m a morning person.” It’s recommended for a cyclist to be able to bike 10 miles in an hour if they are going to participate in the BAK, but it’s not a race. “If it were a race, then I probably wouldn’t be going because my top speed is 10 to 12 miles per hour,” she says. “Since I’ve started riding with my husband, I get in a little earlier. He’s faster. He goes about 17 miles per hour, but he sticks with me.” Law and her bike Daisy Mae are anxious to participate this June in their 14th BAK with hundreds of other riders. “It’s just so beautiful and so much fun. You meet new people every year,” Law says. “It’s nice to be able to be that tired at the end of the day and sleep that well with 700 people in a room.”

manhattan magazine

right Linda Law began riding 14 years ago. Today she and her husband participate in Biking Across Kansas, enjoying the event and meeting those who participate.

See the route, learn the rules and sign up at www.bak.org. This year’s ride is June 6-13.

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q&a

Wyatt Thompson, Kansas State Sports Network play-by-play announcer, considers himself one of the fortunate ones. “There are only so many people that get to do this for a living at this BCS level. I know I’m lucky,” he says. Many consider the Kansas native, who took a brief hiatus in Colorado, to be an honorary Wildcat. Thompson began his radio career with smaller schools in Kansas and a stint in Colorado. After returning to Manhattan, he began covering Kansas State University sports in 2002. Since then he has felt blessed to be a part of the program. As he notes, “The truth is, I’ve been a K-State fan my whole life, growing up so close.”

with

Wyatt Thompson Kansas State Sports Network announcer

Interview conducted, condensed and edited by Katy Ibsen.

How would you describe the spirited relationship of Kansas State University and the community of Manhattan? I would tell you that it’s an incredible place. I’ve said many times that I think our fans have as much passion as anyone in the country. They live and die and breathe purple and K-State. I think that’s the best part about it. They just love their Wildcats no matter what, and they’re passionate fans. There’s no doubt about it. What is your wildest Powercat memory? The 2003 Big 12 Championship against Oklahoma. We were given almost no chance to win that game. That was really a fun team to watch. There were a lot of guys that ended up being really talented players and, in some cases, pro players. That was probably the neatest moment, because we were such an underdog and we just beat them so bad. To win 35-7 in that kind of situation was so amazing. I think the other part of it was how the K-State Nation fell for Coach Snyder and just how long he had worked to corral a champion-

ship. It was just an amazing night; it really was. How did you come into your own on the radio? I have to be honest: I kind of stumbled into it, really. I grew up on a farm north of Solomon. My dad had been in the agricultural business basically all his life. I kind of had a sense that that’s what I wanted to do, but when I got to college my roommate was studying radio and television. I kind of just backed into it, to be honest with you. I’ve always been a big sports person and I think I kind of got into it because I just love the games and being around the coaches. … I guess the short answer is, I’ve been lucky. I was young, inexperienced, dumb— whatever you want to call it. I just kind of found my way to it. How do you get ready for announcing a game? Like the players, do you have any pregame rituals? At this level you get a great deal of information on coaches, players, teams with media guides and press releases from the schools and the Big manhattan magazine

12. I spend a lot of time going through those things. [I] try to spend some time with the coaches, talking a little bit about the opponent and what they expect and our approach and trying to play that particular opponent. In football it’s kind of a day-to-day thing where you map out: This is what you do on Sunday, this is what you do on Monday and all the way through. Any hilarious moments from when you were on the air? The craziest thing that’s happen to me lately [is] not necessarily hilarious. When we played at Texas, one of their players was running for a lost ball and came up over and landed in the press area between Stan [Weber] and I. That doesn’t happen very often. If you had a “bucket list,” what is something you still want to accomplish? I would say maybe do a Final Four game in basketball. Maybe win another championship in football. As I get older, I realize how special they are. They’re hard; it takes a lot to win a championship at this level.

Manhattan’s own alternative DADS Fathers who break the mold share their unique stories

or the prototypical family, Dad goes off to work from 9 to 5. After a day at the office, he comes home to dinner with the family, plays with the kids and helps get them ready for bed. However, that scenario is far from the case for four Manhattan fathers who have managed to put a spin on their role as “dad” with their unique and diverse lifestyles.

Story by Kristin Kemerling P h o t o g r aph y b y A l a n H o n e y

Mr. Mom

Craig Graves was a wine salesman before he and his wife, Karen, a family doctor with a Manhattan practice, agreed he should stay at home. For him, being a stay-at-home dad to their 4-year-old daughter Meredith and 2-year-old son William seemed like the best decision. “It’s just better for our family to have one of us home,” Craig says. He considers staying at home and caring for the kids to be a full-time job. He tries to fill the day with lots of projects, such as maintaining their big garden, cooking meals and cleaning the house. “My personality is a little more cut out for the domestic stuff,” Craig says. “When my wife was in her residency and working 18 hours a day, I had to do all the cooking and had to take care of the house then, so I got used to it.” The only stipulation Craig had when he agreed to stay at home was that he could do whatever he wanted on his wife’s day off. So he hunts, fishes or combines those with his love of cooking. Dinner is his favorite part of the day. “We eat a lot of wild game in our family,” he says. Typically they make pheasant soft tacos, goose stir-fry or duck lettuce roll-ups—depending on what daddy brought home from the hunt—combined with vegetables from their garden. “I can say that I have a really cool life going on,” he reflects. “The only things that can frustrate me are ponytails. I’m completely clueless about my daughter’s hair.”

“It’s a lot of work, but I absolutely love it.” – lieutenant kur t moldrup

Father of 11

A full house is an understatement for Riley County Police Lieutenant Kurt Moldrup. He and his wife, Sue, have 11 children and four grandchildren, including the latest who was born in March. “My youngest child is younger than one of my grandchildren,” Kurt says. “You kind of don’t realize you’re a grandpa because you’re also a dad with eight children still at home.” Kurt carries a cheat sheet in his wallet to help him remember all 11 birthdays of the children: Jessica, 23; Justin, 22; Joshua, 21; Jamie, 19; Jenna, 17; Jordyn, 15; Jacob, 13; Joel, 12; Jackson, 6; Jeremy, 4; and Jace, 1. “It’s a lot of work, but I absolutely love it,” Kurt says. “It’s very hard [and] expensive, but doable. We enjoy it.” Not only is one big family a lot to take care of, but Sue also has homeschooled the kids for more than 18 years. “They all have learned to work independently and are selfmotivated, which is an advantage of homeschooling,” Kurt says. “They have good work ethic, do chores around the house and help teach each other.” Kurt notes that while the kids have their ups and downs, they have enjoyed growing up in a big family and would choose to be homeschooled if they had the choice to do it all over again. Even after having 11 kids, the Moldrups might have more. “We just like kids and firmly believe they are a blessing. And why not have all the blessings you can have?” he says.

“I have been doing a lot of Crock Pot meals lately.” – keith lowe

Taking care of the home front

Keith Lowe’s wife, Dessiaray, left for Iraq last October. Since then, Keith has taken over the responsibilities of raising their kids, KeShun, 12, and Keith, 17, while staying in touch with their daughter Dominque, 19, who lives in Arkansas, and working full time as a heavy truck driver. Keith’s schedule varies from day to day. He might start at 6 a.m. to transport soldiers’ bags and equipment to the airport; on other days, he drives a bus full of soldiers to Fort Riley. “The biggest problem for me, more or less, is that it’s one person trying to get everything done,” Keith says. “You just find yourself running out of time. There is just a lot of stuff you need to do.” Keith recognizes the workload as an only parent and says time is his biggest issue. “Just getting off work and getting [the kids] to where they need to be is hard.” The effortless duties can outweigh the tough ones. Fortunately for Keith, he hasn’t had a problem creating family meals because he was a cook in the Army before getting out in 1993. “Normally, I try to cook them something at night, so they can warm it up, or I’ll leave something they could easily fix,” he says. “I have been doing a lot of Crock Pot meals lately.” Dessiaray’s yearlong deployment with the Army has gone pretty quickly. “We usually chat through the cell phone or through Messenger. The kids get to talk to her when she’s online at night, so that helps too,” he says.

“The one thing working early gives me the advantage of is I’m able to pick Cody up from preschool.” – corey dean

Disc jockey daddy

Corey Dean, father of 4-year-old Cody, gets up every morning at 4:30 a.m., drives from Wamego to the K-Rock radio station in Manhattan and runs his morning show. He is on air from 6 to 10 a.m. and typically finishes the day at the station around 3:30 or 4 p.m. “The one thing working early gives me the advantage of is I’m able to pick Cody up from preschool,” Corey says. Beyond the daily grind, Corey is busy during the fall with Kansas State University football. He travels to all the away games and helps engineer and produce Powercat Game Day. During the off-season, Corey and wife Kim take a lot of weekend trips with their little dude. “We travel whenever we get a chance. We take the weekends to see different grandparents. We do the tour of Kansas regularly when we’re not in football season,” he says. It works well for Corey because Cody likes to go to K-State basketball and baseball games with his dad. Cody also likes to help restore and work on their hot rod and loves to listen to music and wear his KISS ball cap. “He knows who KISS is because I have a bunch of KISS stuff up all over the house,” Corey says. “I think that’s cool because he thinks they look like superheroes, which is the whole point of KISS.”

| for the family

| Story by Robin Farrell Edmunds

The young artists

ive Manhattan High School students have moved on from the crayons and craft kits of their childhoods to cutting-edge artistic pursuits. Sonda Copeland, head of the MHS visual arts department, introduces Manhattan Magazine to five outstanding students who’ve shown talent in the field of art. They’re homegrown kids, raised in Manhattan and educated at local schools since kindergarten. Plenty of things may have inspired their creative sides, and they let us in on their artistic awakenings.

Art stains Hannah Pauls, 17, is taking her eighth art class at MHS. She has enjoyed art since she can remember and recalls playing in her basement with her Busy Box, creating pieces out of such odds and ends as empty toilet paper tubes. Today her specialties include stained glass and handmade jewelry. “My mom even wears them,” says Pauls of her many colorful pendants. On this day she accessorizes with a pendant necklace and bracelet of her own design. Her mother, Kathy, is even more taken with what her daughter calls “jewelry for your home.”

These creative teenagers are making their medium at Manhattan High School 58

TOP Hannah Pauls creates colorful stained-glass pieces. MIDDLE Joe Fuertes was first interested in photography but is now more of an amateur filmmaker. BOTTOM Leah Clark is a young potter who finds inspiration in a number of things.

manhattan magazine

| Photography by Alan Honey

for the family |

A stained-glass square made last fall is on display in the family’s kitchen. The piece Pauls currently is working on is a 5-foot by 7-inch creation depicting the sky, progressing through rain, sun, sunset and night. Pauls plans to major in zoo science at Wichita’s Friends University. She hopes to put her artistic talent to work commercially in a zoo’s education department.

Video wizard Joe Fuertes, 17, still remembers a third-grade art project when he made his “own pastel version of still life of fake fruit in a basket.” His interests turned toward photography when he received a camera in sixth grade. “I liked taking pictures of nature and of things that caught my eye,” says Fuertes. He soon was making 30-second videos using the other buttons he’d discovered on his camera. By his sophomore year, an entrepreneurial spirit awakened; he began Fuertes Films Inc. and began recording weddings, birthday parties and other events on video. Fuertes also creates highlight videos of the MHS football and soccer teams during competition. His most recent video endeavor was MHS Football 2008: Behold the Battle. Fuertes enjoys taking shots that have attitude. He experiments with angles, shadows and extreme closeups. His technical work is evident; his last video took 50 to 60 hours to edit. But between attending school and working part time, Fuertes Films Inc. is on hold for a while. Next fall he’ll be a freshman at Kansas State University. Later he plans to move to the West Coast and attend the University of Southern California at Los Angeles. He has an eye on film and video production or computer engineering with an emphasis on software.

Potter’s spin Leah Clark, 18, says she’s been coloring since birth on paper and walls, but today her expertise is in clay and ceramics. Among her creations is a small pot with a lid and a uniquely shaped vase. The delicate, perfectly shaped pot is one of the first items she made when she began learning on the pottery wheel. There’s also a tall colorful vase she calls her “flower holder,” as there is just enough room for a single tall-stemmed flower or maybe two in its depths via a tiny slot barely visible to the naked

TOP Danielle McCulley is eager for the summer season, leading her to draw this sunny scene. BOTTOM Hillary Hendricks has varied art interests. Her bust of Abraham Lincoln was recognized by the ManhattanOgden Public Schools Foundation.

eye. Its unique design is all her own, although Clark says she enjoys searching the internet for inspiration. While taking five art classes during high school, she has found she especially enjoys those requiring a more hands-on approach. She’d like to be a teacher and will major in elementary education at Bethel College in Newton, which awarded her a scholarship.

Joint inspiration Danielle McCulley, 17, and Hillary Hendricks, 17, are both juniors and lifelong friends who’ve known each other since the second grade at Marlatt Elementary School. McCulley, currently enrolled in Drawing and Painting III, can’t remember a time when she wasn’t drawing. “I like bright things and happy scenes, not depressing ones,” she says of her style. This attitude is apparent in her finished creations. Her final project in sophomore year depicted a colorful beach scene bathed in brightness. “It was me getting excited for summer,” she explains. The piece also won first place in its division during the Riley County 4-H Fair in 2008. She plans to attend K-State for general classes, then travel and ultimately attend the Art Institute of Chicago.

manhattan magazine

| for the family

Hendricks dabbles in ceramics and photography. Her most recent work is a small cast she made of Abraham Lincoln’s head. She shows her eye for detail with her dead-on reproduction of an illustration of the 16th president that was the basis for the cast. She also takes photographs though mildly laments she hasn’t had the opportunity to do things in this area as much as she’d like. Hendricks would love to consider art as a career but is still exploring her options. Both she and McCulley placed first in their divisions in the Early Expressions Art Exhibition and auction in February, sponsored by the Manhattan-Ogden Public Schools Foundation, which received nearly 700 submissions from students in kindergarten through 12th grade. McCulley’s winning piece was a pastel and pen still life of a pumpkin; Hendricks won in the 3-D category for her bust of Lincoln.

They’re homegrown kids, raised in Manhattan and educated at local schools since kindergarten. Plenty of things may have inspired their creative sides, and they let us in on their artistic awakenings.

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| get away

| Story by Gloria Gale

| Photography courtesy of Geiger & Associates

TOP One winery’s vineyard leads visitors into the underground tasting room. BOTTOM The popular and quaint Honor Mansion is a Resort Inn in Sonoma County.

Here’s a toast to the gracious lifestyle and spirited varietals of California’s Russian River Valley

Liquid gold rush

f heaven is in the details, then I found heaven in Sonoma County. Known worldwide for its Russian River Wine Road, this California county— encompassing the Dry Creek, Russian River and Alexander grape-growing regions— is home to more than 140 wineries that produce vintages with universal reputation. Filled with heady anticipation, I knew this trip was going to be special. Though Sonoma is only about an hour’s drive north of San Francisco along California’s northwest coast, the big, steep city fades rapidly and is replaced with a hillside of vineyards. Blessed with distinctively rich soil and microclimates, the region was forged in the early 19th century by Russian fur trappers who were soon followed by Italian and French immigrants. Each group instilled its venerable winemaking tradition with strong-willed devotion. In other words, there’s always been a definite passion when it comes to art of the vine.

manhattan magazine

get away |

Roads less traveled I settle in for a three-day journey at the luxurious 1883 Italianate aptly named Honor Mansion, in the charming hamlet of Healdsburg, California. This once-upon-a-time luxury bed-and-breakfast has been transformed into a premier Resort Inn, offering the luxuries of a quaint inn and intriguing outdoor activities. With only 13 rooms, including a cottage and four suites, nothing—and I mean nothing—is left idling. They’ve imparted a high standard of service, luxury and privacy, which are welcomed in today’s often no-frills marketplace. After a daily gourmet buffet breakfast at Honor Mansion, my adventure begins. Visiting Sonoma before spring allows for mending and reassessing along the wine road. Winemakers are forever busy with their alchemy, but the tasting rooms are quiet and unhurried. It’s fascinating to meet owners who are so bound with the business of producing wine that the line between family and work blur—they never quite escape their blessed inheritance. Few seem to mind, though. In fact, Clay Mauritson, who abdicated his own Mauritson Vineyards for a while, eventually re-entered the fold after realizing the joy involved with his family’s boutique wine business. Likewise, Jason Passalacqua reconstituted himself at the helm of Passalacqua Winery, where handcrafting Chardonnay and Zinfandel, among other distinctive varietals, reflects pride in his Dry Creek heritage. With the opportunity to also visit Bella, Seghesio and Porter Creek, I soak up the individualized creativity for discriminating palates.

Homegrown spirit Given the opportunity to sip, swirl and savor is truly a pleasure, as is matching heady wine tastings with a heavenly cache of California-style dining.

Zin, a downtown Healdsburg favorite restaurant and wine bar, sits in a 120-year-old timber-frame building that oozes élan. Veteran restaurateurs guide this charming storefront bistro. Tonight, the evening is evenly paced, upbeat and comfortably relaxing as the owner and servers expertly, and efficiently, balance selections from the seasonal menu. Wines paired with dishes run the gamut from a blue-plate special (a filling platter of ribs and fries) to a luxurious chicken dish accompanied by beer-battered fried green beans. The next night is an anticipated visit to Syrah, a showcase of “Cal-French Sonoma.” After a crab cake appetizer and a curried wild rice entrée, diners understand why the chef and his restaurant have garnered such praise. It’s evident why so many tout Sonoma as a chef’s playground; ingredients are fresh, organically grown and made with the “slow food” concept in mind. Between dinners, I lunch at Bovolo, another slow foodadherent pizzeria/gelateria where I whet my appetite on a soggy afternoon. Award-winning Costeaux French Bakery gets a visit on another. If given one last wish, it would be for a bowl of Costeaux’s to-die-for French onion soup. Not before, however, a dinner at Willi’s Wine Bar, proving that a classic roadhouse is one of the best ways to experience California casual. The small-plate menu is entertaining and tasty; the atmosphere cozy and comforting. It’s an excellent place to finish an already over-the-top Sonoma experience. Save room for the restaurant’s version of s’mores. A hot pot of chocolate, creamy marshmallow, coconut and downy beignets are all you need to close the evening with a treat. Sonoma makes for a fascinating and delicious journey: wine, beautiful countryside, exceptional food and heavenly digs. It’s all here.

TOP LEFT The chef at Syrah prepares a menu inspired by the “slow food” method. BOTTOM LEFT The wine bar at Zin Restaurant is a popular attraction for visitors and locals.

For more details on the accommodations, wineries and restaurants of the Russian River Valley region, visit the following sites. Honor Mansion www.honormansion.com Zin Restaurant and Wine Bar www.zinrestaurant.com Bovolo Restaurant www.bovolorestaurant.com Costeaux French Bakery www.costeaux.com Willi’s Wine Bar www.williswinebar.net/ Additional information on the Russian River Valley wine region www.rrvw.org

manhattan magazine

April-June 09

e v e n t s

April 3

Hale Library Concert Series Violinist Jenny Lee Cochran Vaughn and pianist William Wingfield perform in Kansas State University’s Hale Library Concert Series. All proceeds support the Concert Series Fund. 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. (785) 532-7447.

April 3-4

19th Annual Junior League Next to New Sale Find excellent prices on slightly used and new merchandise including children’s clothing, household goods, furniture, seasonal décor, toys, sporting goods, books and baked goods. Proceeds will benefit literacy projects throughout Riley and Geary counties. Pottorf Hall in CiCo Park. 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-noon Saturday. (785) 539-1505.

April 3-11

Easter Bunny arrival

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The Easter Bunny will be available for photos at the Manhattan Town Center. (785) 539-3500. www. manhattantowncenter. com.

April 24

Diavolo McCain Auditorium presents Diavolo, a group of dancers, acrobats, gymnasts, actors and athletes. They take movement, athleticism and risk to the extreme in creating surreal, almost cinematic experiences with their dramatic sets and structures. Tickets range from $29 to $34. 7:30 p.m. Contact the box office at (785) 532-6428. www.k-state.edu/mccain.

April 24-26, April 30-May 3 I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change Presented by

the Manhattan Arts Center, this musical is about everything you have ever secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives and in-laws but were afraid to admit. Presented in a series of vignettes. 8 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults and $7 for children. (785) 537-4420. www.manhattanarts.org.

May 2

Mercy Wild Run

April 11

Art for the Earth Join the second annual silent auction to benefit the Friends of the Flint Hills Discovery Center. Regional artists provide a variety of pieces, including paintings, photography, jewelry and sculpture. Manhattan Country Club, 6:30 p.m. (785) 539-2622. www.artfortheearth.com.

Sunset Zoo presents a 10K, 5K and kids run. Adults $4, children $2. Run begins at 9:30 a.m. (785) 587-2737. www.sunsetzoo.com.

May 8-10, 15-17 and 22-24 Steel Magnolias

The Columbian Theatre presents the tale of a close-knit circle of friends coming together at a Louisiana beauty parlor. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Adults $18, children $9. 521 Lincoln Ave., Wamego. (785) 456-2029. www. columbiantheatre.com.

May 11

Little Apple Brigade Lunch Bunch Join

military spouses and community members at McAlister’s Deli for a relaxed lunch environment with a chance to network and make new friends. 11:30 a.m. RSVP at (785) 776-8829.

June 14

Friends of Konza Prairie Wildflower Walk Join the Friends of

Konza Prairie and Konza Environmental Educations Program for a guided two-mile hike through Butterfly Hill Trail, an area generally not open to the public. 6:30 p.m. Prices to be announced. For more information, call (785) 587-0441.

June 19-20

Manhattan Juneteenth Festival Enjoy a parade, games, food, crafts and educational programs at City Park Pavilion. Free admission. Activities begin at 7 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday with a parade at 10 a.m. Saturday. (785) 776- 0244.

June 19-20

Stars of the Prairie Quilt Show Enjoy

the beautiful display of quilts made by local women. Noon-6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Adults $3. First Presbyterian Church Family Life Center, 801 Leavenworth St. (785) 539-8713.

June 25-28

Country Stampede Annual outdoor country music and camping festival at Tuttle Creek Lake State Park. This year’s lineup includes Phil Vassar, Dierks Bentley and Tim McGraw. Tickets can be purchased online or by phone. (785) 539-2222. www. countrystampede.com.

All events are subject to change. E-mail your upcoming events for the calendar to manhattanmagazine@sunflowerpub.com