Winter 2009
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manhattan magazine
A Flint Hills palazzo Parents as Teachers is the new classroom Meet Manhattan’s young entrepreneurs Aged to perfection: Lohman Family Estate
$3.00
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Vol. 1 | No. IV
anhattan agazine
editor’s note
This winter, I discovered something special that might help keep us warm. In a
time when economic woes and rising prices plague even the wealthiest among us, there’s something to be said for being young and “makin’ it.” As we worked on our winter issue during the start of the chilly season and bountiful holidays, I began to see an emerging theme in our sources and stories. They were mostly young. My first reaction was, yippee—it’s good to see fellow Young Professionals who are trying to make it work in these uncertain times. My next reaction was, “Way to go, Manhattan.” Although this great Midwestern city is often known as a peaceful prospect for retirees, more 20- and 30-somethings are making it a place to begin. As we discovered and interviewed four entrepreneurs under the age of 30, it was surprising how some never left Manhattan, like Dave and Allison Karnowski of Scaly Dave’s Herp Shack, and how some returned fashionably early, like
Winter 2009
Evan and Andrea Grier of Harry’s restaurant. These young guns began making their own business, on their own terms, in their own Manhattan. Meanwhile, Jenny Glenn, charmed chef at Bluestem Bistro, is brewing up menu options day after day. The young chef went from barista to decision maker thanks to her talent and bona fide bites, like her pesto pizza, in a short time, making her a prime candidate for our Chef’s Table feature. A few good men are serving the area by taking on the hair and barber industry. We spoke with Ralph Diaz of Gaia Salon who left K.C. for Manhattan so he could return to his roots and clientele. And for Terry Tekay Mitchell and Romez Mays, students at Crum’s Beauty College, making the decision to become stylists and learning the trade in Manhattan will serve them well through out their careers (wherever they may go). As for the boyish Wamego filmmaker who grew up in Manhattan, Steve Balderson can’t imagine making movies anywhere else. To him, fostering his career amid the prairies of Kansas is peace of mind compared with a frenetic Hollywood. And a tip of the hat to a few young mothers who are blogging about their new families to keep loved ones informed, even if the loved ones don’t know what a blog is. There are plenty more to speak of in Manhattan who are building their careers and families during the prime of their lives. Reading the stories of these individuals made me feel especially warm and optimistic this season, and I hope you feel the same.
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 Anne Dinsdale Alan Honey Jonathan Swinton Contributing Writers Abigail Crouse Katherine Dinsdale Robin Farrell Edmunds Leslie Hanson Kristin Hodges Kristin Kemerling Olivia Blanco Mullins Tashion C. Reeves Faryle Scott Alecia Stuchlik 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
Katy, Editor Manhattan Magazine is a publication of Sunflower Publishing, a division of The World Company. www.sunflowerpub.com
manhattan magazine
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t.o.c. Winter 2009
1 | Editor's note 65 | Q & A 80 | Calendar of events
manhattan living
4 | Living in the berm Designs for conservation combined with humorous décor make for an exclusive space 8 | The chef’s table Jenny Glenn uses her creative recipes to make meals at Bluestem Bistro 12 | Any given Sunday Which sports bar will you pick to watch the next big game?
manhattan businesses
24 | Riding the auction wave Purple Wave bids for success online and the old-fashioned way 28 | Bigger than a basket Eastside and Westside Markets make memories, one gift basket at a time 32 | Manhattan’s young entrepreneurs Three businesses thrive with owners under 30
local profiles
36 | Steve Balderson on making movies This Wamego director keeps filmmaking local 40 | Sharing a glass of wine The Lohman family ventures into the world of winemaking 44 | Quilting for comfort Women’s Health Group stitches its own decor
health & fitness
Features
52 | The men’s style Hair shapers of Manhattan reflect on their profession
18 | Flint Hills palazzo This remarkable home is cozy in its stately nature
54 | 10 needles at a time Afraid of acupuncture? One writer shares her experience with this alternative medicine
66 | The parent class Manhattan’s Parents as Teachers is serving families and children
for the family
72 | Blogging about the family Manhattan moms find a better way to stay connected 74 | Reinventing the sleepover Try these alternatives for your child’s next slumber party
get away
78 | European vacation A mother-daughter duo travel abroad together
48 | The breakfast club A few Manhattan residents find reason to gather in the mornings On the cover A view of the opulent breakfast nook inside Suzanne Bennett and Tom Place’s Flint Hills home.
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manhattan magazine
| manhattan living
Living in the berm
| Story by Kristin Hodges
Designs for conservation combined with humorous décor make for an exclusive space
| Photography by Jonathan Swinton
S
itting on a hillside surrounded by 10 acres of native grass is a simple home drenched in sun and surrounded by large oak and redbud trees. This solar earth-berm home depends on the sun’s continuous rising and setting for its energy, and so do its owners, David and Mindy Weaver. The Weavers are not architects or engineers, but they prove to be conservation enthusiasts through their self-designed energy-efficient home. The unusual structure and its playful decor make the Weaver home truly one-of-a-kind. “We like to laugh,” says Mindy. “Everything here is playful and fun. It’s like the color scheme: It’s going to be comfortable and casual and homey, but it’s not plain.”
The great-room Small details abound in the carefully planned two-story home, where aesthetic value meets stylish design. Entering the tiny foyer and descending steps, it’s evident that items are strategically placed to put you at ease; a trickling fountain and the earth-tone walls are all part of the calming aura.
David and Mindy Weaver have enjoyed their innovative berm home since the mid-’80s. In addition to a unique design and homey details, the home is energy-efficient.
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manhattan magazine
| manhattan living
LEFT The living room greets visitors with many whimsical decorations, such as stained-glass windows. RIGHT The home is a place to relax, and with details such as a fountain, David and Mindy are right at home.
David, vice president of real estate and investments and CIO of the Kansas State University Foundation, designed the house to prove that earth-berm homes do not have to be dark and dreary with little resell value. He was determined to create a home that would not only save money and energy but also be attractive. “Back in the ’70s, I was an avid reader of Mother Earth News,” David says. “I just studied [energy-efficient homes], and then in the early ’80s I decided, ‘I have to do this.’” A vast space with high ceilings and no separating walls greets guests. The only division in the living space is an 8-inch-thick concrete wall surrounded by limestone that separates the living room and kitchen. Additional limestone and concrete are used in the house to help moderate the home’s temperature by absorbing and releasing heat from the sun. Mindy says the limestone was a compromise that she and her husband made for the house. “It makes it comfortable. It’s a casual house. It’s not formal in any way. People here relax,” she says. The décor, much of it custom-made, highlights the Weavers’ sense of humor, such as a rock wall topped with little metal figurines climbing their way up the stone. Mindy says many of the home’s aspects are a little whimsical so that “you’re not just sitting in a box.” Sliding glass windows in the den and dining room offer a view of the sunroom. Originally planned as David’s greenhouse, the sunroom now resembles more of an indoor patio. With its large windows and
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“There are so many things you can do either energy conservation-wise or in design that have more than one function.” – Mindy Weaver
low-lying location, the sunroom serves as a temperature moderator through convection currents. “Physics is a wonderful thing,” says David. “You don’t have to pay for it; you just have to let it work.”
Family cooking The kitchen is Mindy’s area. “David built a prototype for the house, and then we started thinking about our dream house,” she says. “We designed the house basically in a weekend. When we moved in here, I knew where everything went.” The plans created a functional and organized kitchen. The white customdesigned cabinets were designed with purpose. There is an area designated for baking with the oven and appropriate cookware; another area accommodates the stovetop and coffee. A special pullout drawer holds spices. “I like to cook—that’s my hobby. And when you have four kids, they like to eat a lot,” says Mindy, explaining that her children often brought friends to the house to enjoy her cooking when they were younger.
manhattan magazine
manhattan living | TOP After all the kids were through college, the Weavers added a spa and gym featuring a television, current pool and hot tub. middle The media room serves as a memory book with trinkets, pictures and toys from David and Mindy’s youth. bottom The functional kitchen is a popular hangout where the family has enjoyed many meals together.
The special rooms Near the entrance, a hallway leads to the family’s media room that was converted in 2002 from an old playroom. High walls are filled with memorabilia of David and Mindy’s families. The saloontheme room not only has an entertainment center, popcorn machine and bar, but its walls are covered in conversation-starters. Mindy, who is originally from Los Angeles, says her city girl artifacts are placed next to David’s farm boy collections from his childhood in Junction City. Family photographs dating to the 1800s adorn one wall. Another showcases an arrowhead collection belonging to David’s father and another displays framed photos of the four Weaver children, now adults. Beyond the great-room and media room is the trombe wall David designed to help heat the south-facing bedrooms. Concrete lines the outer walls of the rooms and double-paned glass sits between the walls and the home’s exterior. The sun shines through the glass, warms the wall and heats the bedrooms. The wall also retains heat throughout the day.
Master escape The master suite, found on the second floor, includes a bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub and reading nook overlooking the first level. The suite leads to the spa, an addition made three years ago that Mindy has been looking forward to since the house was built in 1988. The addition was in the home’s original design, but the Weavers knew at the time that financially they would have to wait. “Everybody’s out of college and we get a raise,” Mindy jokes. The addition includes a loft with a pool table and stairs leading down into a workout area with a flat-screen television, a hot tub and current pool. The addition has a door looking as if it is from a castle that opens to a private wine cellar.
Making it energy-efficient The home’s structure keeps the utility bills low at an average of $125 a month. And with the couple’s interest in the environment combined with their many hobbies, like traveling and cooking, the energy-efficient house fits their style.
“It does not have to be an appendage and something ugly,” says Mindy, who is a property manager. “There are so many things you can do either energy conservation-wise or in design that have more than one function.” The home has two active solar systems for domestic hot water and heating. There is also a modification of the wood-burning Russian stove system for extremely cold, cloudy weather. “We are both very ecologically minded,” Mindy says. “And we don’t like to waste money on utilities when we can waste it on fun stuff instead.” The largest payoffs of their berm home are the unexpected pleasantries. “On a fairly starry night, you can walk through this house and never turn on a light,” says David.
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| manhattan living
The chef’s table
| Story by Lou Ann Thomas
This is our second installment of the chef ’s table series, featuring area chefs in their own environment.
Jenny Glenn uses her creative recipes to make meals at Bluestem Bistro
Jenny Glenn, Bluestem Bistro chef, is known for her chicken pesto pizza, one of her many original creations.
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| Photography by Alan Honey
manhattan magazine
J
enny Glenn has been on a crash course of on-thejob-training since becoming chef at Bluestem Bistro in May. The move from barista to chef was one Glenn had to contemplate. “I loved interacting with the regulars as a barista and wasn’t sure I wanted to give that up to move into the kitchen,” she says. But when owner Kevin Pierce pointed out that being chef would allow her more opportunities to create menu items, Glenn decided to give it a try. “When I started, I realized I could be creative when I’m cooking. I love creating things that people enjoy,” says the Kansas State University graduate and Overland Park native who has worked in restaurants since she was 16. Yet it wasn’t until Glenn was a student at K-State that she began cooking more and entertaining at home. However, the move to chef at Bluestem Bistro created new expectations for her.
| manhattan living
LEFT Glenn likes to experiment as a chef; she creates delicious menus featuring a variety of dips, sandwiches, confections and bistro fare. RIGHT Glenn loves to entertain family and friends; including, Jennifer Stewart, left, Noah Stewart, Micha Stewart, Gail Nutter and Jason Nutter. And she will admit that she often spends the weekend in her own kitchen cooking up a storm.
“When I started, I realized I could be creative when I’m cooking. I love creating things that people enjoy.” – Jenny Glenn
Glenn says, “There’s some pressure to do well, and I feel the pressure to create that ‘ooh and aah’ reaction from customers.”
An amazing party When she’s not in the kitchen, Glenn loves to host parties and special events. She organized an “Amazing Race of Manhattan” party for 20 people that involved running all over town to find clues, much like the popular reality television series. At the conclusion, guests were treated to homemade pizzas and Amazing Race reruns back at Glenn’s house. “I love entertaining, playing games and planning parties,” says Glenn, who tries to do as much of the cooking ahead of time as possible. “That helps relieve the stress, frees you up to enjoy your own party, and things like chicken salad, dips and pasta salads can be easily made the night before,” she says. However, if you still have tasks to do when the guests arrive, she suggests involving them in the preparations. “It makes them feel a part of it, and you can make it a fun, social time in the kitchen,” she says. Glenn will likely prepare more food than she thinks is necessary. “It is better to have leftovers than to run out and have people go home hungry,” she says. If you are serving a variety of foods, she suggests cutting or creating the items smaller than normal. It will encourage people to try more things and enjoy the variety.
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The best aids Glenn’s favorite tool in her home kitchen is the Kitchen Aid mixer, which she uses to make pizza dough and cookie batter and do number of other tasks. “I love it. It makes my life so much easier. I use it for everything,” she says. She also says having a set of quality sharp knives is a great help. They should be professionally sharpened to maintain the most consistent and sleekest edge.
Weekend multitasking During the week Glenn doesn’t have extra time to cook at home, but when the weekends roll around she likes to make up for that by cooking up a storm. “I try to have as many things going as I can manage at one time,” she says. She will often take a few minutes before beginning a cooking project to think through all the steps and determine how she might multitask. For example, while the chicken breasts are cooking and the mushrooms are sautéing for her Chicken Pesto Pizza (see recipe, page 11), she mixes and rolls the dough. Cooking lets her creativity shine. One example is her Chicken Pesto Pizza topping, which also can be used in a wrap or sandwich. And her creativity extends to the presentation of the food.
manhattan magazine
manhattan living |
Jenny Glenn’s Signature “Lots of colors in food make it look more fun. When I put out a plate of food and people say it looks so amazing that they don’t want to eat it, I say, ‘Yea,’ but I still want them to eat it,” she says.
Looking good One technique to make things like pizza crusts, bierocks and other breads look good is to brush the dough with an egg mixed with water before putting it into the oven, Glenn says. This will create a shine and makes the cooked crust look even more appetizing. “The more I cook for people, the more I love it. There’s something about food that brings people together,” Glenn says.
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Spinach Jalapeño Cheese Dip (“This is such an easy recipe, and so many people ask me for the recipe whenever I serve it.”)
1 cup half and half 16 ounces pepper jack cheese 1 8-ounce package cream cheese 1 small can Rotel tomatoes and chilies 8 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained ¼ cup jalapenos 1 tablespoon jalapeno juice from can of jalapenos Melt the first three ingredients in a pot on the stove. Add the Rotel tomatoes, spinach, jalapenos and 1 tablespoon juice. Add another can of tomatoes if you prefer a thinner dip. Keep warm while serving.
Crust:
Jenny Glenn’s
Chicken Pesto Pizza Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add honey and olive oil. Add salt and flour and knead to make dough. When using wheat flour, it’s not necessary to let the dough rise. But if you want a thicker crust, cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise for 10 to 15 minutes. Roll out dough as chicken breasts are cooking and mushrooms are sautéing. Spread pesto on rolled dough, add other toppings and top with mozzarella cheese and red pepper flakes. Place pizza in oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is done.
1 tablespoon yeast 1 cup warm water 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 2½ cups wheat flour Topping:
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped Pesto to cover crust Sautéed mushrooms 2 tomatoes, chopped or thinly sliced Frozen spinach, thawed and drained Chopped onion Mozzarella cheese Red pepper flakes to taste
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| manhattan living
Any given Sunday
| Story by Abigail Crouse
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t’s game time and you are about to watch the Wildcats, but not from the stands and not from your home. So where do you go? Here’s a look at some options for Kansas State University fans.
Purple Pig
Which sports bar will you pick to watch the next big game?
Keith Eyestone, owner of the Purple Pig, keeps his bar concentrated on sports, but the jukebox is still a popular item.
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| Photography by Alan Honey
manhattan magazine
Keith Eyestone has been in the Manhattan bar business since 1980. With his knowledge, he’s developed a straightforward approach to the sports bar. When the Purple Pig opened in 1996, it was just south of downtown Manhattan on Houston Street. It was known for its atmosphere and off-the-beaten-path location. Since 2003, the Pig has resided in its current location on Moro Street, keeping the great Purple Pig ambiance in Aggieville. “We don’t do live music, dance or karaoke,” says Eyestone. “We concentrate on sports. Especially K-State sports.” As you glance around the Pig, K-State becomes a theme. The bar is a tribute to Wildcat athletics, with memorabilia, photos and autographs everywhere. Fans can watch sports on the Pig’s 14 televisions, and there
| manhattan living
are several halftime distractions: a legendary jukebox, pool table, darts and a variety of video games. Hungry fans can order the popular bison burger, which comes straight from brother Rick’s bison ranch near Junction City. The jumbo wings are also a favorite, along with the B.O.B., a basket of bacon served with Texas toast and dipping sauce. Most popular drink Long Island Iced Tea or the Dirty Shirley Busiest time 10:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Most famous customer Bob Stoops, University of Oklahoma head football coach Claim to fame Bison burger or the jukebox
Purple Pig
1119 Moro St. (785) 539-7444 www.purplepigbar.com
“We don’t do live music, dance or karaoke. We concentrate on sports. Especially K-State sports.” – Keith Eyestone
General manager Mike Phillips has watched Kite’s grow into a Manhattan staple, especially for K-State sports.
Kite’s at Heritage Commons (other locations in Aggieville)
Just east of Manhattan on U.S. Highway 24 sits a sanctuary for sports fans looking to escape the hustle and bustle of bars near campus. “We offer a great smoke-free alternative to fighting the Aggieville crowds,” says Mike Phillips, general manager of Kite’s at Heritage Commons. “We definitely see a more grown-up crowd at this location.” Kite’s also operates at its original Aggieville site. Help yourself to some popcorn, found just inside the door, and take note of the walls that appear as a collective scrapbook on K-State’s sports history. Images of celebrated athletes, memorable games, pep rallies and bonfires are sure to take any K-State fan for a walk down memory lane. If history isn’t your interest, there are plenty of current sports memories available on the 40 high-definition televisions throughout the restaurant—even in the restrooms. As for the menu, it’s not your typical sports bar fare. Fresh salads, hand-breaded mozzarella sticks and sandwiches made with fresh-baked ciabatta bread are a sampling of what you can find at Kite’s. “We offer a lot of choices, but I would say we are best known for our burgers,” says Phillips. “You can add just about anything you want to your burger—anything like bacon and mushrooms, to peanut butter or a fried egg.” Kite’s also offers outdoor seating, 16 beers on tap and live music.
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“You can add just about anything you want to your burger—anything like bacon and mushrooms, to peanut butter or a fried egg.” – Mike Phillips
Most popular drink Hand-shaken margaritas Busiest time Evenings Most famous customer Will Ferrell (Aggieville location) Claim to fame Burgers and K-State theme decor
Kite’s Grille and Bar at Heritage Commons 8200 S. Port Drive (785) 537-7500 www.kiteslive.com
manhattan magazine
| manhattan living
Willie’s Sports Bar and Grill and The Pub at Willie’s From the outside, it suggests it is a normal sports bar. But inside, Willie’s Sports Bar and Grill and The Pub at Willie’s offer sports fans two distinct experiences. In 2001, Willie’s opened off Seth Child Road. At the time it was one of the only sports bar options on the west side of town. “When it opened up, there wasn’t much out here,” says Josh Hall, owner. “It was before Target, Home Depot, everything.” Willie’s offers all things sports and 25 televisions carry any game a fan could want. “If it is being played, we’ll get it,” says Hall. The establishment is a restaurant first and a bar second, and its employees take great pride in the food. “The Southwest wrap is really popular and our burgers have been voted some of the best in Manhattan. People also really like the wings and the fried pickles,” says Hall. Hall owns Willie’s with partner DJ Bruce. In 2007 the pair decided to expand their sports bar with some Irish ambiance. In December of that year, The Pub at Willie’s opened just down the stairs. In addition to sports, The Pub offers more than 100 beers and traditional Irish, English and German dishes like corned beef and cabbage, bierocks and bangers and mash. “The Pub is a little more upscale,” says Hall. “We wanted to have two distinctly different concepts in the same place, and offer something different from anything else in town.” Most popular drink Import draft selection Busiest time Dinner Most famous customer Frank White, former Royals player, and Bill Murray’s brother Claim to fame Southwest wrap, burger and sports
Willie’s Sports Bar and Grill and The Pub at Willie’s 307 S. Seth Child Road (785) 539-6746
LEFT Ashley Conkwright serves two famous burgers at Willie’s Sports Bar and Grill. The locale also features an Irish pub on the bottom level. bottom right A bird’s-eye view of Tubby’s Sports Bar shows off memorabilia. After hours the Aggieville bar and restaurant becomes one of Manhattan’s popular dance clubs.
Tubby’s Sports Bar “We are the place that has a little something for everybody,” says Pat Atchity, general manager of Tubby’s Sports Bar in Aggieville. With nearly 20 plasma televisions inside and a 300-inch projection television on the outdoor patio, Tubby’s gives sports fans another place to catch the game in the heart of Aggieville. Tubby’s menu offers bar food that’s comforting and perfect when watching a game, like the enormous plate of loaded nachos. The Rocky Mountain oysters are popular, but the burgers are tops. “Our burgers are our signature,” says Atchity. “There are lots of unusual varieties. There is a guac burger and yee-haw burger, or lots of different toppings so people can build their own.” Around 8:30 every night, Tubby’s transforms from a sports bar into one of the most popular dance clubs in Aggieville. “At night, lots of people come to dance,” says Atchity. “But we still offer the sports bar, too.”
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Most popular drink Big beer Busiest time Evenings, Friday and Saturday Most famous customer Matthew McConaughey Claim to fame Frozen big boy mugs
Tubby’s Sports Bar
1127 Moro St. (785) 587-8707 www.tubbyssportsbar.com manhattan magazine
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Orthodontist
Specializing in Braces for Children & Adults
Mark C. Tindall, DDS, MS www.tindallortho.com Manhattan
1133 College Ave. Bld. D
(785) 537-0136
Junction City
505 N. Washington
(785) 238-8151
flint hills palazzo This remarkable home is cozy in its stately nature
Story by Olivia Blanco Mullins Photography by Alan Honey
The luxurious yet rustic kitchen of Suzanne Bennett and Tom Place’s Manhattan home is a dream come true for Suzanne, who loves to cook.
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atop one of our famous Flint Hills sits what some describe as a Tuscan villa. But considering it has 10,000 square feet of living space surrounded by 35 acres of land, palazzo seems a more appropriate term to describe the home of Suzanne Bennett and Thomas Place.
The master bathroom features gorgeous granite paired with simple details. The bathroom includes a four-showerhead shower and large bath for soaking after a long day.
The house is set on a large piece of prairie land. A 360-degree view from the house makes for spectacular scenes of the Flint Hills.
Unique pieces adorn a long corridor in the home. Suzanne and Tom acquired many of the items while traveling the world as doctors in the Army.
On this chilly afternoon, Bennett, an ob/gyn with Women’s Health Group in Manhattan, is casually cooking several things at once. In her picture-perfect kitchen there are barbecue ribs for dinner in one oven and a piecrust in another. On the big, rustic wooden table lay ingredients for her latest creation: goat cheese-stuffed dates.
Despite the opulence of thick granite countertops,
moving to Manhattan in 1998 that the perfect piece of
custom-made wood cabinets, a butler’s pantry and a six-
land became available. They quickly bought it, but the
burner gas range, this kitchen—and this home—have a
house took five years to design and construct.
warm, feeling. Bennett and Place, who both were Army
doctors, have lived in Germany, Kentucky and Michi-
says Bennett, whose passion for her home and its design
gan, among other places. She approached this home as
is evident. She knows details about every piece of art
her dream come true.
in the house and remembers fondly where she acquired
them, such as the life-size 17th century Italian sculpture
Place describes it a bit differently. “I understood that
“I’d build it again in a second. It was so much fun,”
Suzy wanted a unified theme here. But what we love is the
of St. Nicholas that welcomes guests in the foyer.
luxury that we allowed ourselves, that we have a nice home
to come home to,” says Place. “Living in the country, the
2000. I saw him and I had to have him. I decided to build
living space, the privacy—that is what was important.”
around him with an Italian monastery look,” she says.
“We got him at an antique market in Dallas in
The great-room rug holds another story as blue-
A labor of love
prints were changed to accommodate the floor cover-
Bennett and Place wanted a home where they
ing. “It was too big for the room. It needed to be 3 feet
could spend the rest of their lives. It wasn’t long after
bigger,” explains Bennett of the deep red and rich blue
rug. “I loved the colors; I thought it would be easy to decorate with.”
The antiques market became a source for
furniture and other décor as well as inspiration. After two trips she had created an eclectic collection of European religious art, including Russian icons, Italian sculptures and Spanish paintings.
A comfortable space
The master suite commences with two jamb
statues from an Italian church embedded in two big wooden doors. Their bedroom to the left features a double-sided fireplace with a reading room on the other side.
The bathroom has a bathtub plus a four-
showerhead shower. An exercise room, pool and hot tub are found in adjacent rooms. “Everything we need is here. We close the doors and we step into a separate world,” says Bennett.
Bennett’s favorite space is the breakfast nook
in the kitchen, where she enjoys family meals with her two children, Michael and Stacy, who attend
Suzanne found this Italian sculpture of St. Nicholas at an antiques market in Dallas. It served as inspiration for the home’s “monastery” design.
Kansas State University.
The house is perfect for events. Because the couple are greatly involved in the community, they have hosted their share of
fundraising dinners. The deck has room for a sit-down dinner for 150. They also can host dinners in their formal dining room, where they have entertained their children and their friends. Bennett says, “We’ve had at least two prom dinners here.”
The children’s bedrooms and one for guests are on the second floor. Each has a private bathroom. An Asian-inspired
meditation room in the tower offers a 360-degree view of the area surrounding the house. The basement has two additional guest rooms, an antique pool table, a second kitchen and a home theater with 11 leather chairs and a 106-inch flat-screen TV.
Bennett and Place are aware of how grand
Bennett says they may at some point arrange the house so her
their home is and don’t take it for granted.
parents or in-laws or both can move in, and they’ve also thought
They have thought of every detail to make the
of turning the home into a bed-and-breakfast. But for now they
home what it is. But even when the home looks
simply enjoy living in the home they built together.
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perfect, there is always work to do, especially on the gardens, where they both tend to their vegetables and herbs. The living room and dining room have played host to many functions, including dinner parties and prom dinners.
| manhattan businesses
| Story by Faryle Scott
Riding the auction wave Purple Wave bids for success online and the old-fashioned way
| Photography by Jonathan Swinton
w
hile many may think the days of shouting auctioneers and paddle-jumping bidders are long gone, Purple Wave Inc. of Manhattan is just getting started. Purple Wave began in September 2000 with an after-hours sporting goods auction at Longhorns Saloon in Manhattan. Since then Purple Wave has doubled its auction business each year while offering industrial equipment, motor vehicles, real estate and personal property through live and internet auctions. Aaron McKee, founder and Chief Visionary Officer, began the Manhattan-based company with two other employees and has expanded it from a traditional auction company to an online service providing local and international customers with merchandise. “We’ve been able to sell some pretty important assets for people,” explains McKee. McKee currently lives in Wamego but attended Kansas State University and Missouri Auction School before embarking on the business.
“What distinguishes Purple Wave from eBay, e-commerce or other do-it-yourself online marketplaces is that our focus is on the relationships between buyers and sellers.” – Amy Shaneyfelt, marketing manager Auction model
Founder and president Aaron McKee, along with his wife Suzy, stand in front of the new Purple Wave auction building. The online and live auction business is growing leaps and bounds after getting its start in Manhattan.
Purple Wave 825 Levee Drive (785) 537-7653 www.purplewave.com
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The auction style is what McKee calls “click-andmortar,” offering live auctions in Manhattan while also serving the internet community. “There is a blend between the physical locations and the online world,” says McKee. Some Purple Wave auctions are online only and others are a combination of live and online bids. In
Mercy Regional Health Center proudly introduces the opening of The Heart Institute. Dr. William Freund and Dr. Priyantha Ranaweera
look forward to performing interventional procedures within Mercy Regional’s state-of-the-art catheterization laboratory.
1823 COLLEGE AVE • 785.776.3322 • WWW.MERCYREGIONAL.ORG
| manhattan businesses
Ron Clark, auctioneer, hosts one of Purple Wave’s many local auctions.
“We actually put together a video story where maybe the seller tells part of his story about why he is having an auction or what’s special about the items he is selling.” – Aaron McKee, founder addition, Manhattan-based auctions are public, Videos include conversations with the sellers and images of their merallowing anyone to participate. chandise plus music, creating a mini-movie. While the novelty of the fast-talking auction Purple Wave has created an online community through its website eer and paddles is still in effect at Purple Wave, and social networks like Facebook and YouTube. The website alone about 80 percent of its auction purchases are done receives more than 70,000 hits per month and viewers spend an averonline. Even during a live auction, internet bidders age of more than 12 minutes viewing an item. Large pictures of each participate by way of a Purple Wave stand-in. Prior item, such as a 1955 Buick Special or a cabin in Bridgeport, California, to the start of a live auction, the online bidder placare displayed with details. es a maximum bid. During the live auction a Purple “What distinguishes Purple Wave from eBay, e-commerce Wave stand-in acts as the online bidder, placing bids or other do-it-yourself online marketplaces is that our focus is on for the item, either winning it or bowing out when the relationships between buyers and sellers. We take the time to the maximum bid is reached. research our buyers and sellers in order to make the perfect match,” In the last couple of years Purple Wave has seen says Amy Shaneyfelt, Purple Wave marketing manager. a rapid expansion of physical auction sites and online auctions in Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Nevada, CaliforA new age nia, Oklahoma and Texas. In October 2008, Purple Wave opened the doors to its new “Right now about 70 percent of our operation hap21,000-square-foot facility on the east side of Manhattan. The pens in Manhattan,” says McKee. “We’ve got a good cusbuilding houses company offices and a larger space for live auctomer base here.” tions as well as the catering kitchen for Cox Brothers BBQ. The building serves as a space where people can enjoy the auction process or rent space for their own events. The personal touch “It was humbling,” McKee says of the more than 300 peo “Most of the time we are working an event for someple who showed up for the company’s ribbon cutting. “I never one for a reason, and a lot of times it’s important for the would have believed that that many people would have come buyers to know the story around it,” says McKee. “We actuto support us in what we are doing.” ally put together a video story where maybe the seller tells Purple Wave leaders plan to continue their ingenuity by part of his story about why he is having an auction or what’s offering more opportunities for online bidding and easier, special about the items he is selling.” more user-friendly auctions in the new facility.
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| manhattan businesses
| Story by Tashion C. Reeves
| Photography by Alan Honey
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Bigger than a basket Eastside and Westside Markets make memories, one gift basket at a time
he whirlwind holidays are over, but occasions arise and you still need a gift. A Manhattan original with Kansas flair is a good way to celebrate the spirit of giving. Wish lists aside, gifts with a Sunflower State touch can say more than thank you, congratulations or best wishes. Manhattan’s Eastside and Westside Markets are just the destinations for gift baskets and packages that overflow with Kansas hospitality. Whether they’re delivered for a special occasion or an everyday event, these original gift baskets or boxes take on a life of their own—and with a reasonable price tag. Filled with fruit, trinkets, art or Kansasgrown treats, they show a proud tradition while sharing delectable one-of-a-kind treasures.
“I put together a gift-worthy basket, and I’m honored that people trust me to represent them.” – Terry Olson No one knows this better than Terry Olson, owner of the two area stores. She has lived in Manhattan since the age of 5. Since 1976, Olson and her family have successfully captured a concept of giving by mixing original ideas with their family’s passion. “As children, my family had a large garden. We would travel door-to-door while our Saint Bernard pulled a cart filled with tomatoes,” says Olson. “That experience introduced me to the idea of selling a great product to people in the community.” Her products are rooted in that attitude. The notable Kansas collection gift baskets originated in the form of holiday baskets, which took on new trends and became available year-round. “We ship over 1,000 packages, especially for Fort Riley families,” says Olson. “It helps people take a little of Kansas with them regardless of where they are located.”
Eastside Market
Westside Market
219 E. Poyntz Ave.
521 Richards Drive
(785) 776-8111 (785) 776-9331 www.eastsideandwestsidemarkets.com
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Terry Olson, owner of Eastside and Westside Markets in Manhattan, has created a line of specialty gift baskets. The hobby stems from her childhood garden, and today the gift baskets are in high demand.
Monday @ 11 The Drive (replay) Tuesday @ 11 Home & Away–tours of local homes, gardens and inns. Wednesday @ 11 Jayni’s Kitchen (replay) cooking with local flavor. Thursday @ 11 River City Weekly–culture, personalities and politics. Friday @ 11 Jayni’s Kitchen (new episode).
| manhattan businesses
Customers are encouraged to bring in their own contents to add to their basket’s individual personality. “We’ve even had people bring a loaf of home-baked bread to add to their baskets,” she says. “Customers really have fun with the choices that are available,” says Olson, who touts the baskets as a great way to welcome visitors or entertain lasting friends. She also supplies several local businesses with these unique gift ideas. “I put together a gift-worthy basket, and I’m honored that people trust me to represent them,” she says. Most baskets are geared for local customers, but boxes can be shipped anywhere in the U.S. They include Kansas products that follow several themes:
Say cheese with famous Alma Cheese. Nestled in the beautiful Flint Hills, this creamery is dedicated to building high-quality, all-natural cheeses by hand. The Simplicity Gift Box features mild cheddar Alma Cheese, Usinger’s summer sausage, Sunny Seed Drops, 2B Apiaries Honey and Jack’s Snacks.
Attention all Kansas State University fans. Celebrate big games by opening a tailgate box filled with Schlaegel’s purple and white popcorn, white cheese, Wildcat grape jelly and Wildcat shortbread cookies, all surrounded by shredded purple paper. This purple gift screams “Go K-State!” And don’t forget the boxes can be shipped to other loyal fans.
It’s grape to be choosy. Ask for a Choosy Fruit Box filled with 10 pounds of assorted fresh and tasty fruit. Bite into navel oranges, grapefruit, juicy pears and delicious apples ripe and ready to enjoy any time of the year.
Hungry for flapjacks? Try Mason Marketing Co.’s Kansas Seal Multi-Grain Pancake and Waffle Mix combining wheat, oat and corn flour. The mix is packaged in a drawstring bag printed with the colorful Kansas state seal. The bag features recipes for pancakes and waffles, and the mix can be used to make funnel cakes, pumpkin bread and brownies.
To be or not to be with 2B Apiaries Honey. Made right here in Manhattan, this honey is a delicious Kansas treat known for its light taste.
Or bring Elsie Grace’s mix into your kitchen with soup mixes featuring Old Fashioned Vegetable, Grandma’s Chicken Noodle or even a White Chili mix, all made in Frankfort, a small town northwest of Manhattan.
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Still need help finding an original gift basket idea? Try the custom Manhattan Magazine gift basket dedicated to hometown traditions. Olson suggests the basket should include an oversize mug with pictures she’s taken of Manhattan landmarks like Johnny Kaw, Anderson Hall or the Flint Hills. Also inside would be some 2B Apiaries Honey, custommade ornaments of Wareham Theatre and KS Hill, some fruit for color, pieces of upscale pottery and—no surprise here—anything that says “K-State.”
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| manhattan businesses
| Story by Abigail Crouse
Manhattan’s young entrepreneurs
ll small-business owners deserve credit for the commitment they make to themselves and their businesses. But when young, under-30 minds come together, it’s an entrepreneurial feat, and Manhattan is the stage for several of them.
Evan and Andrea Grier: Harry’s
Three businesses thrive with owners under 30
Similar paths led 29-year-olds Evan and Andrea Grier into partnership, both in marriage and in business. When the couple met as students at Kansas State University, they were studying hotel and restaurant management and involved in many of the same activities. After graduation, they both took positions with the same hospitality company, LodgeWorks in San Francisco. “The group we worked for was based in Wichita and actually started the Residence Inn,” says Andrea. “So we spent some time around a very entrepreneurial group, and although we were in different environments, we were learning the same basic things about running a business.” After getting married and spending a few years on the West Coast, Evan and Andrea began to look for business opportunities in the Midwest. “We were planning to start our own business, and the opportunity to buy Harry’s came up,” says Andrea of the downtown restaurant at 418 Poyntz Ave. In August 2006, they purchased the restaurant with two silent partners. “It was all timing,” says Andrea. “The most important thing for the previous owners was that we were the right fit. They had to get to know us before they decided to hand over the reins.” Since taking over one of Manhattan’s established restaurants, the couple have focused on making equipment improvements and look forward to expanding the operation. “Being young business owners provides the opportunity for every challenge to be a new learning experience. Our [desire to learn] allows us to look at our business from different angles,” says Evan. “We lean on the expertise of those around us because we know we do not have all the answers.” Whatever they do, Evan and Andrea will be working on it together. “Our basic values are the same, which is very important,” says Andrea. “We have always done the same things, and we just work very well together.”
“Being young business owners provides the opportunity for every challenge to be a new learning experience. Our [desire to learn] allows us to look at our business from different angles.” – Evan Grier
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| Photography by Jonathan Swinton
manhattan magazine
Evan and Andrea Grier own and operate Harry’s restaurant downtown. With backgrounds in hospitality, the young couple knew they always wanted their own establishment in Manhattan.
manhattan businesses |
Dave and Allison Karnowski: Scaly Dave’s Herp Shack July 2003 was a big month for Dave and Allison Karnowski. They opened Scaly Dave’s Herp Shack, 1126 Laramie St., and got married—all within a week. “Yeah, we’re still waiting on that honeymoon,” says Allison with a laugh. Dave saw the potential in the reptile market when he was pursuing his biology degree at K-State and working at another pet shop in Manhattan. Upon graduation he decided to open Scaly Dave’s, a full-line pet store that specializes in all things reptile. Since opening the store, they have worked tirelessly on building their business. “It’s never been less than 16 hours a day,” says Dave. “When you have your own business, you are always working unless you are sleeping. And in that case, you are probably dreaming about it.” The couple agree that although their business is a successful one, it is always a struggle. “You just try to hold on to what you have and build on that,” says Dave. Although the couple plan to keep the store indefinitely, the future of the family isn’t completely focused on the retail business. Allison is pursuing an engineering degree while Dave is developing a reptile-breeding business, and Knox, the couple’s first son, turns 1 at the end of January.
The brains, beauty and youth behind Scaly Dave’s Herp Shack are Allison, son Knox and Dave Karnowski. The young couple opened the unique business after attending K-State and getting married.
Brandon Berry, Brian Berry, Shannon Collins: Kathouse Lounge
High school buddies, from left, Brandon Berry, Brian Berry and Shannon Collins always shared the dream of owning a business together. Today they run the swanky Kathouse Lounge in Aggieville.
Since the Berry brothers, Brandon, 27, and Brian, 29, were in junior high together in Scott City, they have been friends with Shannon Collins, 25. And for almost as long, they have talked about starting a business together. Today they co-own Kathouse Lounge, 1111 Moro St. “It had been a dream of ours,” says Brian. “We all worked in bars for a long time, and we all had the same idea: a place for an older crowd to feel comfortable that was a change of scenery from the same old Aggieville.” They each enjoy live music and comedy, keeping specific details in mind while looking for a space. “When we walked in [the Kathouse location], we knew this was it,” says Shannon. “The setup is perfect for live entertainment, and that was really important to us.” For each of these young owners, Kathouse isn’t just a job but a home away from home. “It’s not like the daily grind. We never keep track of the hours we are here, because we are always here, working on the dream that we accomplished,” says Brian. Partnering with friends has worked out well for the Kathouse owners, but they always try to keep things in perspective and plan to open more businesses in the future. “One of the greatest advantages that we have is that we trust each other. This will allow us to be in more than one place at a time, and run businesses in many locations,” says Brian.
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| manhattan businesses Kale Becker: Hibachi Hut and Texas Star restaurants
Until his last semester at K-State, Kale Becker, 27, planned to pursue a career in golf course management. “I didn’t count on owning my own business. I thought I would be in charge of food and beverage or general management of a country club,” says Kale. Kale Becker may be young, but he was savvy enough to know that the Hibachi Hut and Texas Star restaurants were a worthwhile investment.
In 2003, he began looking for an investment opportunity with his parents, who are both retired educators. By using a financial adviser to place some feelers for them, the trio came upon Hibachi Hut and Texas Star restaurants, 608 N. 12th St., although they weren’t for sale at the time. One year after starting to look for an investment, Kale became a co-owner of one of Manhattan’s oldest and most unique restaurants. Hibachi Hut was established in 1959 and specializes in Cajun and Creole food, with a bit of German influence. In the early 1980s the Tex-Mex restaurant Texas Star was added to the existing building. Kale works hard to keep with the traditions of the restaurants, careful to honor their history. “Hibachi Hut will never change,” he says. “Trust me, I hate wood paneling as much as the next guy, but it works well back here. It’s part of the charm.” At only 23, he took over the restaurant and faced plenty of questions from community members and other business owners. “It took a little more, a little longer, to build that respect that might come easier for someone older,” says Kale, who thinks things have worked out just fine. “I like this community, how everyone reaches out and helps one another. It’s nice to be part of that and have a business that is part of that.” As for his country club career, it isn’t going to happen any time soon. Small-business ownership has been the best choice for Kale. “It’s great to know, for the most part, you are in charge of your own destiny,” he says. “And it is comforting to know you’ve got something for the future.”
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| local profiles
| Story by Lou Ann Thomas
Steve Balderson on making movies This Wamego director keeps filmmaking local Steve Balderson, an independent film director who lives in Wamego, works with a small crew on the Flint Hills during the filming of his critically acclaimed feature film, Firecracker. Photo courtesy Steve Balderson
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Maybe it’s his always present, slightly mischievous smile or the twinkle in his eyes that suggest there is more to Steve Balderson than seen from the outside. And a quick conversation or viewing of his films confirms just that. The Wamego native and Manhattan High School graduate has received numerous awards and accolades as an independent filmmaker. He could have gone to Hollywood, but instead the 33-year-old chooses to remain in Kansas, making movies practically in his backyard. “I love living here,” Steve says of Wamego, a town east of Manhattan with about 4,000 residents. “People on the coasts can’t understand that, but it’s quiet and
manhattan magazine
| Photography by Jonathan Swinton
peaceful here. That allows me to do what I need to do to be productive.” Today Steve is assuredly productive as one of cinema’s daring independent filmmakers. He’s succeeded even though his elementary teachers thought he had a learning disorder. “When I was in the first grade my teachers told my parents I couldn’t read,” Steve says. However, his father, Clark, knew Steve could because the two of them would read together every night. “He was actually reading and taking in the information, but he was turning it into visual images,” says Clark. “Steve uses pictures to interpret the world and make sense of it.” As a child Steve struggled to answer questions with words, but he could draw accurate pictures of the answers. In a sense, these pictures became the beginning of Steve’s moviemaking journey. By age 10 he was churning out a movie a year using an old video camera that belonged to his grandfather, Willard Steve. Willard spent decades chronicling his family and life in Wamego on film.
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| local profiles
“I love living here. People on the coasts can’t understand that, but it’s quiet and peaceful here. That allows me to do what I need to do to be productive.” – Steve Balderson
Every week Bitomsky would give Steve a stack of Alfred Hitchcock movies to study. After Steve watched the films, the two would discuss and dissect them. So it only follows that Steve’s filmmaking techniques now are often compared to Hitchcock’s.
There’s no place like home Steve’s office in Wamego features a collection of art, movie posters and Kansas paraphernalia. He grew up in Manhattan and has always had a knack for filmmaking.
“It never occurred to me to not make movies. I made movies starring my sister Brooke and my brother Scott when I was 5 or 6,” says Steve. “It seemed natural to make movies because Willard always had a camera.”
The big screen As a teenager Steve continued this hobby and at 16 started thinking about the big screen. “Julie Haynes went to the guys at the Wareham Theatre and talked them into allowing me to have a movie premiere there. I honestly believe this was the boost that allowed me to be who I am today,” says Steve. “We did that a few times and all the films were horrible, but we didn’t care. We loved the lights, getting all dressed up and having our own premiere.” At the time Haynes owned Harry’s restaurant in Manhattan’s Wareham building and offered catering services to the theater in exchange for Steve’s use of it. She encouraged the young filmmaker because he was so creative and had a strong work ethic. “I really liked his enthusiasm about what he was doing. He was so dedicated to the work. You don’t often see a young person so passionate and also willing to put in the time to succeed,” Haynes says. Meanwhile Steve continued his education in crafting film. Because of his poor attendance and lack of interest, Steve is amazed he graduated from Manhattan High School in December 1992, a semester early. He was then accepted to California Institute of the Arts, where he directed six full-length digital movies and wound up in an independent study with the dean of the film and video school, Hartmut Bitomsky.
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When April 23, 1996, dawned, Steve woke up and the film script of Pep Squad, his satire and prediction on school violence, came to his mind so rapidly that he immediately began writing. “I kept looking forward to that date and kept wondering whose birthday it was or why it felt like such an important day,” he says. Three days later he finished writing and knew it was time to return to Kansas. “I had another year left at Cal Arts, but I knew I had to come back to Kansas. I just had to get out and do it,” Steve says. Upon his return Steve asked his father for help in making Pep Squad. Clark agreed, but established that they would have to go about it in a businesslike manner and create a plan. The film was shot in the Wamego and Manhattan areas in 1997, resulting in Steve’s first feature-length production. “The next thing we knew we were in France at Cannes [International Film Festival] in May 1998. But by the time it was officially released, Columbine [school shooting] had happened and no one would touch Pep Squad,” Steve says. Nonetheless, the debut also helped launch Dikenga, Steve’s Wamego-based production company. Steve moved on to his next project, Firecracker, which was released in 2005 to sold-out theaters and revered by critics. Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert named Firecracker as brilliant, and Aftertaste magazine has called Steve “a storyteller who has a nascent finger on the pulse of contemporary cinema.” Meanwhile Steve was working on his documentary, Wamego: Making Movies Anywhere. He chronicles the making of Firecracker, which stars Academy Award nominee Karen Black and appeared at Raindance in 2004. It netted Steve the KAN Film Festival Independent Filmmaker Award the same year. His repertoire continues with films that often push one’s comfort level but make viewers wonder what’s to come. Steve’s latest film, Watch Out, is based on Joseph Suglia’s novel by the same title. It was shot in March and April 2008 in Wamego and the one-minute trailer hit YouTube in June, gaining more than 23,000 views within 11 days. As Steve suggests, people love or hate Watch Out. It was nominated for best film at the 2008 Raindance Film Festival, garnering a lot of attention but no award. “Making movies has become a compulsion. It’s the only place I feel at home,” says Steve. “I know I’m a good visual storyteller. It’s all I can really do, so I feel confident doing it, which is good, because a lack of self-confidence can distract people from their dreams.”
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| local profiles
| Story by Olivia Blanco Mullins
| Photography by Alan Honey
Sharing a glass of wine The Lohman family ventures into the world of winemaking The Lohman family, from left, Chad, Campbell, Cooper and mom Christine, has created another family business– only it’s in Napa. After discovering Crushpad winemaking, the Lohmans developed their own wine and label, Lohman Family Estate.
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For some, the idea of family winemaking evokes images of sprawling grape fields or a large California estate rather than the Kansas prairie. The Lohmans, however, have perfected a combination of the two by guiding the art of winemaking in California from the comfort of the family’s home in Manhattan. The Lohmans don’t spend hours tending vines or foot-crushing grapes. Instead, Chad Lohman chooses
manhattan magazine
the kinds of grapes he wants for his wine and the California vineyard from which they come. He monitors the winemaking process and tastes the wine while it ages. He and wife Christine choose the bottle shape, design the labels and make the wine thanks to Crushpad, a San Francisco-based winemaking service that allows people around the world to make wine despite the biggest challenges: funding and farming. “You can be as hands-on or hands-off as you want. You can participate in the harvest. You can be there every day or every week,” explains Chad. He learned about Crushpad from a customer and has traveled to California several times to check on his wine.
| local profiles
The Lohman Family Estate wine can be found at Nespors Wine and Spirits 1338 Westloop Place (785) 539-9441 son who makes wine barrels. Daughter Campbell, 2, is named after a winery, as was Colgin, their firstborn and only boy, who passed away in 2001.
Family and hard work
The Lohman’s, who also own Nespors Wine and Spirits in Manhattan, sell their wine locally at their store and at select stores in Wichita.
Chad is involved with the winemaking as much as he can be while he runs the family business, Nespors Wine and Spirits in Manhattan. Christine says Chad is especially involved in the process of choosing the character of the wine, its profile, age and depth. “That was his hands-on. He knew a lot of the terminology but had never put it to work,” says Christine, who admittedly had to be sold on the idea of a winemaking business because, as most spouses of entrepreneurs, she thought this was yet another great but speculative idea of Chad’s. Now, as president and owner of Lohman Family Estate, she is almost as passionate about wine as her husband.
A passion for wine Chad has long enjoyed wine. He began working at Nespors in 1993 and after college took a job as a wine vendor. He enjoyed the business so much that in 1998 he returned to Nespors and became a partner. Two years later he and Christine bought out the other partner and became the sole proprietors. Even before Nespors was the family business, Christine knew Chad had a passion for wine. “When we met, we talked about what we would do if we won the lottery. He said he would buy a winery and hire his friends to work there,” says Christine. Chad, a connoisseur of sorts, has traveled to Europe and visited Old World wineries. He possibly has tasted more wines than anyone in Manhattan. Yet his love for wine goes beyond the business: Their children are all named after wine. Cooper, their 6-year-old daughter, is named after a per-
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More than a year ago Chad and Christine toured the Crushpad facility in San Francisco. They enjoyed the opportunity to be part of the process and not just the custom labeling service. They started making wine right away and in February 2008 their first wine, the Lohman Family Estate 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, was dedicated to their oldest daughter. In September 2008 it became available for purchase. The end result is a smooth, easy-to-drink wine that has sold well at Nespors and the three Wichita stores carrying it. They are aware they must excel with the next wines they produce. “The first one is a novelty,” says Christine. “Now we have to perfect it. We want people to like it not because they know us but because it tastes good.” Several wines are already in the makings, including a 2008 Viognier, which will be ready in the spring of 2009 and dedicated to Christine. Additionally, two 2007 Cabernets will be available in the coming years. Each wine will honor a family member. The back label will feature a story about them and the wine. The Lohmans want to keep the wine business family-oriented without seeming amateur. The Lohmans may be new at making wine, but their label suggests otherwise. Taken from a painting by Terry Swafford that hung in a friend’s house, they knew it was right. “We thought it would be great for the label,” says Chad, who recognizes that not everyone likes the image of the smiling lady with two big red wine glasses on her hands. The business is about more than labels, though. In keeping balance with everything in their lives, the Lohmans do hope to become more involved with the winemaking, which is their plan for 2009. “I want to work a harvest even though it will be at a busy time at the store [late summer]. It is hard not to know exactly when [the harvest] is going to be,” says Chad. They also plan to submit their wine to Wine Spectator magazine to be rated “by a real unbiased person,” says Christine. While the idea of owning a winery still seems appealing to Chad, he doesn’t appreciate Kansas’s grapes for wine; and his family, which comes first, is staying in the Midwest.
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| local profiles
| Story by Robin Farrell Edmunds
Quilting for comfort Women’s Health Group stitches its own decor The staff and doctors at the Women’s Health Group, PA, think of themselves as one big happy family, so it’s no wonder their medical office extends this homelike atmosphere to the patients they serve. The cozy ambience is reflected in the numerous quilts donning the walls throughout their Manhattan practice. “The quilt motif is intentional,” says Jim Parker, administrator of the Women’s Health Group, which has six physicians who specialize in health services for women, particularly obstetrics and gynecology. The medical group, which also consists of a nurse practitioner, sonographer and a staff of about 30 to 35, has offices on the west side of Manhattan. The group’s philosophy on the patient experience has always been
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| Photography by Jonathan Swinton
the antithesis of the traditional institutionalized waiting and exam rooms. As a result, the reception area has several sofas, a fireplace, soft piped-in music and a large, beautiful quilt hanging above the check-in desk. The space is sort of a testament to the doctors’ dedication. Most of the quilts hanging in the business office, exam rooms and hallways were made by some of the doctors and staff members. Dr. Bonnie Catterson started it all when she became interested in quilting (with a sewing machine) after visiting a sister-in-law in Arizona. At the time the practice was set to move to a new location and would need décor. Catterson, who’s now been quilting for about 15 years, decided quilts would be a comforting way to decorate the offices. “It’s homey and warm,” she says. Parker, who enjoys the quilts, also saw that the hobby proved to be a good way for Catterson and the other doctors to relax from their busy work schedules.
Group quilting This enthusiasm for all things quilted quickly spread to the staff. A recent endeavor included doc-
| local profiles
Cooking and Quilting Photographs of nine of the quilts on display at the Women’s Health Group are included in a cookbook of favorite recipes the staff recently compiled, Cooking and Quilting: Compliments of the Women’s Health Group, PA. Kristie Dressman, nurse manager, was in charge of collecting about 300 recipes and getting the books printed. Copies are available for $10 each, with proceeds going to Life Choice Ministries and Homecare & Hospice Inc. For more information or to order, contact Dressman at (785) 776-1400.
tors, nurses and staff members—about 20 in all—decorating individual quilt squares for a larger piece that Catterson crafted. Kelli Potter, Catterson’s nurse of four and a half years, took part in creating a square. “It was easy,” says Potter, who is a first-time quilter. “We worked on them three to four times at Dr. Catterson’s house.” Any reaming work on individual squares was done in their spare time. Because the quilt’s theme was under the sea, each participant received a fish pattern and chose the material and any embellishments for the square. Potter made a purple and green fish with beads for accent. “It’s a smaller project that everybody can be a part of and show a little bit of their artistic style,” says Catterson. The finished project will hang on a wall and have a bit of an “aquarium effect.” “It was fun to pick out which fish went with which person,” says Parker, who found it interesting trying to match co-workers’ personalities with the quilted squares.
Endless quilts No one has taken time to count the wall hangings displayed throughout the building, but most are found in two or three pods occupied by four doctors. “The quilts also cut down on sound—they muffle noise,” says Parker, who notes that can be comforting to patients. A whimsical quilt hangs in a small room used for welcoming new obstetric patients. It includes cartoon animals like a koala bear, a turtle, a floppy-eared bunny and several giraffes. Two other wall hangings are in the nearby office of Kristie Dressman, nurse manager: One is
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manhattan magazine
LEFT From left, Dr. Bonnie Catterson, Kelli Potter and Kristie Dressman stand in front of one of the many quilts at the Women’s Health Group offices. Catterson brought the idea of quilts to the practice to add a comfortable and homey feel for patients. above Administrator Jim Parker was quick to jump on board with the quilted décor. His favorite quilt, pictured here, is found right by his office.
a small patriotic quilt she made herself; the other was a gift from Catterson on Nurse’s Day a few years back in celebration of working together for 12 years. Parker’s favorite is a large quilt mosaic that appears 3-D in spots and covers the wall outside his office at the end of a long corridor. Each quilt in the collection lends a personal touch to the practice, even if the patients don’t realize just how sentimental these quilts really are. As Parker notes, “We’re much more of a home.”
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| local profiles
| Story by Robin Farrell Edmunds
The breakfast club A few Manhattan residents find reason to gather in the mornings It’s morning in Manhattan, and all over town people are waking up to greet a new day. Many are at home, but there are those who trek to local eateries to meet with like-minded souls before heading out for the day.
A la café Dave Speaks is the official table holder for the 10 or so men who meet Monday through Friday at Panera Bread. He arrives around 6 a.m. when the bakery and cafe open and holds court until 7:30 a.m. when they all eventually disperse. Within 45 minutes, most of the others, including Tim Ryan, brothers Bill and Bob
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manhattan magazine
| Photography by Jonathan Swinton
Stevens, Keith Ratzloff and Max Urick (who brings the daily USA Today), have arrived. They sit in the same seats, at the same tables, every day, talking and sharing good-natured jokes. “We’re the Wal-Mart greeters for Panera,” acknowledges Bill Stevens, as he turns to say hello to another entering customer. He’s ordered a cinnamon scone that he plans to take with him when he leaves to open Cash Lumber and Hardware, the business he and Bob run together. Speaks, who works with Landmark Real Estate, says the group used to meet in Aggieville but found this location a better fit because it is closer to where most of them live. And what do they discuss? “It’s a little like group therapy,” says Speaks. “It’s a come-and-go party,” says Ryan, a local attorney, as three more of their cohorts arrive and Bill exits. “Kind of like a virus,” chimes in Ratzloff, who is vice president for special projects at Kansas State University. They don’t talk politics, but they do discuss city issues, according to Urick, retired K-State athletic
| local profiles
below Bob Stevens, Karl Dean, Robert Bramhall, Dave Speaks, Bill Stevens and Ron Tacha gather in the mornings at Panera Bread. RIGHT Bernice Brighton, Maurine Hebrank and Tina Seymour gather weekly at Clarion Hotel’s Plum Tree Restaurant.
They sit in the same seats, at the same tables, every day, talking and sharing goodnatured jokes. director. “And Max’s trees,” says Speaks while sipping his café blend. Turns out, Urick recently planted new trees after the June 11 tornado damaged many in his yard. By 7:30 a.m. their seats are empty and the day has officially begun. “It’s a positive way to start the morning,” adds Urick, holding his hot tea.
Vista gathering On the east side of town, another breakfast group makes its way into Vista Drive In on Tuttle Creek Boulevard. “We’re here as soon as they open, rain or shine or snow,” says Larry Leuthold of the 7 a.m. group. He’s one of about a dozen retirees who have met here every weekday morning for the past 15 years, sitting in their usual spots near the back wall of the main dining area. “It’s a good way to start the day off,” says Charles Kearby, who typically has toast with his coffee but orders pancakes and eggs because he “needs the energy today.” He’s planning to begin setting up his large Christmas light display. “The food is good and the prices are reasonable,” agrees Leuthold, who had just finished his biscuits. Meanwhile, Robert Hetzler gobbles his sausage biscuit. Mervin “Ole” Norman is just having coffee. “[Norman’s] a cheapskate,” jokes Hetzler. They discuss sports, the ongoing south side development and whatever’s in the news for about 45 minutes to an hour. Hetzler leaves first; he must tend to his wife, who’s not well, while the other men talk about their plans for the day. Norman goes for his second cup of joe. Soon he’s picking up wife Peggy and meeting other couples for their regular 8 a.m. coffee at Dillons.
Coffee for the ladies Men don’t get to have all the fun. A group of Riley County women get together every Tuesday at 9 a.m. They began meeting 20 years ago as a support group for a member whose husband was ill. Their connection: They are retired schoolteachers, and almost all of them taught at Lee Elementary School at one time or another. A recent get-together at the Clarion Hotel’s Plum Tree Restaurant included Pat Ekart, Bernice Brighton, Tina Seymour, Maurine Hebrank and Irma Fallon.
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Seymour shows a photo of her 3-year-old granddaughter, Emma. Brighton shares a newspaper clipping of her 33-year-old granddaughter’s recent accomplishment and they pass around a get-well card to sign for another colleague in the hospital. “They usually bring us the coffee pot,” says Ekart, referring to the morning beverage that the ladies drink until they break for the day around 10:30 a.m. The group originally met every six months to support Brighton during her husband’s illness but soon upped it to weekly get-togethers. Because they’ve known each other so long, “we don’t have to start from scratch,” says Hebrank, a former school nurse. And with their busy lives of volunteering for Hospice, the Bloodmobile, the Manhattan Arts Center, church, the senior center and other charities, sometimes only one member may appear at 9 a.m. But, according to Fallon, “if one shows up, it’s still church.” Every fourth Tuesday, they change locations and go to the mall because of the free rolls offered by a local bank. Why? “Because we’re retired,” laughs Brighton.
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| health & fitness
Manhattan alone offers more than 40 establishments for a haircut, color or trim. But for some, finding a male stylist or barber carries more weight than your run-of-the-mill snip and save. Manhattan Magazine offers a look into the lives of a few male barbers and hairstylists in the area to gain insight on the work they do and the services they offer.
A salon image Ralph Diaz, owner of Gaia Salon in downtown Manhattan, never intended to become a hairstylist, but it has turned into a 28-year love affair. Fashion was actually his first love, so 10 years after graduating
| Story by Alecia Stuchlik
| Photography by Alan Honey
high school he attended Kansas State University to study fashion design. Today he draws inspiration from his passion when thinking about design and styling. When he opened Gaia Salon in 1999, it was the realization of a personal dream. “I had a goal that by the time I turned 40 I wanted to be done with school and have my own place, and I did them both that year,” he says. A self-described people person, Diaz finds the interaction with clients and colleagues an appealing aspect of his profession. Stylists at Gaia attend shows every year in cities like New York and Minneapolis to remain up-to-date on hair trends.
Back in Manhattan, Diaz uses these lessons while also learning from his female colleagues. “They pick it up differently than I might pick it up. So I might see them doing the same thing, but they’ve got a new twist to it,” he says. Diaz built a clientele while he was still a student at K-State by talking with people and passing out business cards on campus. His approach worked so well that after he left to spend six years in Kansas City, he returned to Manhattan to a welcoming clientele and opened Gaia. What Diaz loves most is cutting hair. “It’s molding shapes and creating textures. You can change an image with the simplest things.”
The barber’s chair Kevin Capper, 43, runs a barbershop inside Aggie Hair Shapers, an establishment that is committed to giving men the quality haircuts and customer service they deserve. Capper, who was trained at Old Town Barber and Beauty College in Wichita, came to barbering relatively late in life and started only seven years ago. “Basically, I wanted to develop a skill or a job no one could take away from me, where I could go anywhere in the country and wanted to do something that worked with people,” he says. Encouraged by a barber friend, he found his niche cutting hair. Capper sees men of all types in his barbershop and stresses an approach to hair cutting that
The men’s style Hair shapers of Manhattan reflect on their profession 52
manhattan magazine
Ralph Diaz, owner of Gaia Salon downtown, has made hairstyling his passion. With his own salon and a loyal clientele, he enjoys the chance to style people’s hair with the simplest of changes.
health & fitness | left Kevin Capper, who works at Aggie Hair Shapers, enjoys being a barber and having a skill he can use anywhere. RIGHT Terry Tekay Mitchell, who is finishing his training at Crum’s Beauty College, works on Amy Bracks. He hopes to one day open his own ethnic barbershop.
He truly enjoys cutting hair and appreciates how it’s a profession that enables him to work for himself. Mays says cutting hair is “naturally an art form. Take a canvas and make it look like what they want it to look like, and you’ve got satisfied customers.” As for Mitchell, he plans to open an ethnic barbershop in Manhattan after finishing at Crum’s. “There are many barbershops here, but not one specifically for cutting ethnic hair,” he says. The most satisfying thing about cutting hair for Mitchell is the look on people’s faces after a cut. Mitchell adds, “It’s just a good feeling to help someone, to know that you’ve done something for somebody, and it’s meant something to them.”
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is anything but one size fits all. As a result, customer service ranks high on his list. He says it is the best way to build clientele beyond word of mouth. “You might be able to find a good haircut anywhere in town, but if they don’t know how to treat you right, why should you come back?” asks Capper. As for the people Capper serves, “I love having a conversation with someone who sits in your chair. … It’s a great way to become involved with people.”
“You might be able to find a good haircut anywhere in town, but if they don’t know how to treat you right, why should you come back?” - Kevin Capper
Barbers versus Hairstylists If your hair is threatening to morph into a mullet, you may find yourself courting the idea of a haircut. Manhattan Magazine offers guidance on the difference between salons and barbershops. Both offer equally good haircuts but provide a different experience and involve different training. bar·ber [bahr-ber]: A person whose occupation it is to cut and dress the hair of customers, especially for men, and to shave or trim the beard. Barber school focuses more on hair cutting rather than styling. When barbers leave school, they have detailed experience in cutting hair opposed to a stylist who is trained in cosmology and learns a variety of techniques. Kevin Capper says, “Historically, barbers were surgeons, dentists and whatever else the town may have needed. Now, we concentrate just on styling and cutting hair.” hair.styl·ist [hair-stahy-list] A hair stylist specializes in the styling of hair, including cutting, chemical services—such as relaxers, perms, color as well as restorative treatments—and different types of style. At a salon, customers can expect treatment beyond just cutting hair. A stylist typically washes and shampoos a client’s hair instead of just cutting it. “If you get a cosmetology license, you’re licensed to do more than barbering,” says Terry Tekay Mitchell, such as coloring and styling hair.
Love of the job Terry Tekay Mitchell, 26, and Romez Mays, 31, are students at Crum’s Beauty College in Manhattan. Their decision to be trained in cutting hair was inspired by a desire to have jobs they love that are centered on helping people. Although they enjoy cutting hair the most, their training at Crum’s provides them with skills in an array of services beyond cutting hair. Opened in 1956, Crum’s offers students a top-of-the-line program that prepares them for a successful career in the styling industry. Several of Mays’ family members have been barbers. “It’s genetics, I guess. It’s hit and miss, and I got hit with it,” he says.
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| health & fitness
I have seen an acupuncture needle before, but this time is different. Kristine Springer, a doctor of chiropractic and practicing acupuncturist, is about to place 10 of these needles in my body. I’m worried. Let me explain. I’ve experienced some pain in my right shoulder for about a year. It comes and goes, but at times it hurts so much I feel a tingling in my fingers, as if my hand goes numb. Springer claims she can help … so I give her a try. Springer, who has worked at the Alternative Healthcare Center in Manhattan for nine years, treats all kinds of pains through acupuncture.
| Story by Olivia Blanco Mullins
| Photography by Jonathan Swinton
We begin with some simple questions: Am I right-handed? Yes. Do I spend a lot of time in front of the computer? Yes. And so on. I lie facedown on a bed while Springer runs some tests, which reveal that my alignment is off. She proceeds to balance my body by “shooting” a chiropractic impulse instrument into certain bones along my spine that, she explains, lends 30 pounds of force per square inch. It feels a little weird, but she says my body will better accept the acupuncture once I am balanced. Acupuncture uses your body’s energy, known as qi (pronounced “chee”), to self-heal. If your body is misaligned, the
10 needles at a time Afraid of acupuncture? One writer shares her experience with this alternative medicine 54
manhattan magazine
energy won’t flow smoothly. I know about qi—I take herbal supplements and visit a homeopathic doctor—but I am still not a fan of needles. The needles are disposable and come wrapped in packets of five, so everything is sanitary. Without further notice Springer begins introducing the needles in my shoulder area. I feel a little tingling that’s not as bad as I thought it would feel. I express this but then … “That one hurt!” I exclaim. She says some needles do hurt, and how much they hurt depends on the person. During the acupuncture I don’t feel regular pain, but a pain I associate with the plucking of a thick hair or the kind that remains after a burn. I feel it down my right arm, but as the seconds pass the pain turns into a release and I begin to feel relaxed. With 10 needles in my right shoulder, except for one that is in my right thumb, I lie resting. Springer says she always places the needles perpendicular into the body, but one’s qi can move the needles into the position it needs for healing. Sometimes the body will even push them out when they are done working. I can’t help but marvel at my own energy, and I am told that one of my needles—I suspect the one that hurt—has turned almost 180 degrees within my skin. Springer slightly twists the needles within my body to redirect the qi. Ouch: There is the same needle and the same shoot-
health & fitness |
ing pain, but it’s softer this time and followed by the same release and relaxation. Once I am done Springer gently removes the needles, a process that rarely can cause someone to bleed. However, for those truly uncomfortable with needles, Springer shows me an alternative. It’s a modern form of electro-acupuncture that stimulates energy points through microcurrents. According to Springer, many people prefer this kind of modern acupuncture because of the widespread fear of needles. I am relaxed and can’t immediately tell a difference in my shoulder pain, but I feel well. Springer says it can take two days to feel the effects of the treatment. My shoulder bothers me the first day after, yet the pain is a little different and begins to spread thinly within my body. I am aware acupuncture is not a one-session miracle medicine, but on the second day after the treatment my shoulder feels brand-new and still does. I would do it again. Yet patients must consider that few health insurance plans will cover this type of medicine. Even with the vivid thought of 10 needles in my body, I liked the traditional acupuncture best. After fixing a few misconceptions, I know the needles aren’t that bad after all.
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During the acupuncture I don’t feel regular pain, but a pain I associate with the plucking of a thick hair or the kind that remains after a burn. top Kristine Springer, a doctor of Chiropractic, offers acupuncture at Alternative Healthcare Center. bottom An alternative to traditional acupuncture with needles is a new form of electro-acupuncture.
Acupuncture Myths Acupuncture is not sanitary. A reputable acupuncturist in the U.S. will rub the area to be treated with alcohol and use packaged, single-use, sterile needles. Acupuncture is a fad. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine. It originated more than 2,000 years ago and has spread to other countries, first in Asia, now in the rest of the world. Acupuncture is a treatment for pain. While traditional acupuncture helps manage pain, it also is used to treat other health problems, including high blood pressure and infertility.
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q&a
You could say Becky Blake is something of a civic steward for the state of Kansas. As director of the Travel and Tourism division, her work sends her to the far-reaching corners of the state for a real taste of the Midwest. The Manhattan resident moved up through the ranks until she was offered a chance to oversee all Kansas attractions. “In 1978 I was introduced to the [Manhattan] Chamber of Commerce and found my niche,” says Blake. “My 27-year career at the chamber was extremely rewarding, and I’m honored to have been in a position that afforded me an opportunity to help develop and promote my hometown.” Living in Manhattan and commuting to Topeka for the sake of the state might seem a lot to many, but not to Blake. “The people that I work with in the tourism industry across Kansas are so dedicated and passionate,” she says. “I enjoy and appreciate the relationships I have established.”
with
Becky Blake Kansas Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism division director
Interview conducted, condensed and edited by Katy Ibsen.
Tell us a little about yourself. I’m a fourth-generation Kansan whose ancestors came to Kansas in 1854 and settled on Cedar Creek, north of Manhattan. I’ve had the great fortune to live in Manhattan my entire life and to raise my family here. How did you become director of the Kansas Travel and Tourism division? As director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau in Manhattan, I had the opportunity to work on many tourism projects at the state level. In addition to serving as chairperson of the Council on Travel and Tourism, I became very involved in the Flint Hills tourism initiative. I was offered this position when the former director resigned in 2005. What do you enjoy most about the position? I enjoy the challenge of working to develop and sell a destination that is not “top of mind” with consumers. I also find it rewarding to work in an industry that provides revenue and jobs for communities and helps transform and sustain our rural areas and small towns.
Where is your favorite destination in Kansas? The Flint Hills region is extra special. This endless sea of tallgrass prairie and the heritage of the region provide unique and authentic experiences not to be found anywhere else. I am proud of all the great work that has been accomplished within the region in the past few years. This part of our state has tremendous potential to become a top destination in the U.S. Where is your favorite destination outside of Kansas? I love the Colorado Rockies—in the summer. How is Kansas planning to market itself in 2009? We plan to expand our reach with television advertising, going beyond our traditional drive markets into the Chicago, Minneapolis and St. Louis markets with an eight-week campaign in the spring. We will also run ads in several magazines and newspaper inserts in the Midwest and do radio promotions in Kansas City, Tulsa and Omaha.
manhattan magazine
As travelers increase web usage to research and book travel, we are placing a higher emphasis on online presence and to our e-marketing initiatives. Promoting Kansas outdoor opportunities will be a priority next year. Plans include a new Outdoor Guide, promotion at outdoor sports shows and a new public relations effort. What’s a little-knownmisconception that travelers have about Kansas? Kansas is often referred to as being flat as a pancake. Travelers who take the time to get off the beaten path and explore our state often tell us how impressed they are with our beauty, diverse array of attractions, authentic experiences and the friendly people of Kansas. If you had to pick one, which would it be and why: bed-and-breakfast destination, camping lakeside, old-fashioned parades or Main Street shopping? I would have to choose Main Street shopping. Kansas has so many great original shopping districts. and I love to explore the shops in search of unique local treasures.
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Ranjana Ojha and her son, Nirab Dahal, attend a Parents as Teachers playgroup together in Manhattan.
story by Leslie Hanson
photography by Alan Honey
the pa r en t
class
M a n h a t t a n’s P a r e n t s a s Te a c h e r s is serving families and children
“I wish we would have known about Parents as Teachers sooner. I don’t think enough parents take advantage of this.” - Kelli Burba
Bill Scott plays with a toy train during a playgroup. The Parents as Teachers program is offered through the Manhattan-Ogden school district providing support to parents during their child’s early-development years.
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n a recent morning, Kelli Burba and her husband, Kip, of Manhattan, and their 2-year-old son Kaisen visit their first Saturday morning playgroup with Parents as Teachers. Kaisen is unsure about this and communi-
cates his distress as he buries his face in mommy’s lap. As his parents encourage him to explore the open space
decorated in bright primary colors with all kinds of new and different toys, his tears suddenly vanish.
“I wish we would have known about Parents as Teachers sooner. I don’t think enough parents take advantage of this,”
says Kelli Burba.
Tara Hawks moved to Manhattan a year ago when her daughter, Kaylee, was a month old. Always trying to plan, she immediately began searching for playgroups and discovered Parents as Teachers when Kaylee was 4 months old. Now that
her daughter is 20 months old, Hawks is grateful that she met and connected with moms of other toddlers.
Many parents of young children need the assurance that their toddler’s physical and cognitive development are normal.
Parents as Teachers, commonly known as PAT, is an award-winning early childhood education program that gives parents
just that. Operated locally through the Manhattan-Ogden school district, PAT is based on the premise that children learn more during their preschool years than any other time in life and parents fill a vital role as their child’s first teachers.
A young Kaisen, left, and dad Kip Burba, play with blocks. Kaisen was shy at first but now he enjoys the playgroup.
PAT atmosphere
Tiffany Teel, a Manhattan resident of almost eight years,
and her 20-month-old son Connor attend a PAT playgroup
where a giggling Kaisen delights in stacking blocks and racing
around the room with a tiny plastic cart while Connor is enamored with a green and yellow tractor. The children are taking part
in parallel play, when toddlers play side-by-side but don’t inter-
act. According to research and PAT educator Melanie Heath, this type of play is normal in healthy children up to about age 3.
For more than 20 years, Cathy Flinchbaugh has served as
PAT coordinator. She welcomes any parent with a child under the age of 5 who lives in the Manhattan-Ogden school district to participate.
“We happen to get a lot of young parents on low income, but
need for this program isn’t necessarily based on income or educational level. It’s based on family circumstances,” says Flinch-
Parents as Teachers Learn more about Parents as Teachers at www.usd383.org/Programs/ParentsasTeachers.aspx
Aundrea shows her mom, Courtney Lloyd, how a toy works. Parents as Teachers interact with the children during these weekly gatherings.
baugh. “A lot of our [families] are moms whose husbands are in the military and deployed. Those moms definitely benefit from our support.” The program serves about 350 families, including more than 400 children, from several cultures.
Support visits
There are three primary services: monthly playgroups, home visits and the resource library. There are nine PAT
Heath visits with 60 families, including the Hawks and Teel families. She makes about 12 visits a week and offers
educators with degrees in child development, including Heath, who make home visits.
support and encouragement and helps address any concerns. Heath brings toys appropriate to the child’s age level not only to play with but also to assess the child’s cognitive and physical development. Because the child is the focus, parents and educators sit on the floor to be on the child’s level.
“We are not there to tell parents how to raise their child. It’s our job to tell parents that if they choose a certain parent-
ing style, here are the things you should be aware of,” Flinchbaugh says. “Parents don’t always know what is appropriate for a child at any given age. That’s OK. PAT can teach them and provide that support.”
Noticing a difference
Heath has developed special attachments to the parents she
helps. “It usually takes about three visits to establish a rapport with the parents. After a while it hardly feels like a job anymore.
It’s like visiting a friend,” says Heath. “What I love most about
doing this is the exposure to so many different cultures through this program. So we are constantly learning. I feel like I gain more than the parents do.”
Hawks appreciates Heath’s advice on the little things, such
as language development. “She’s also given me lots of advice on feeding, like when to start Kaylee on solid foods and what to feed her,” says Hawks.
Teel recalls how Heath helped Connor learn to name parts
of the body. “He had a hard time with it for a while, but we kept working with him. And now when we point to our nose, he can say the word,” Teel says.
Heath firmly believes a parent’s role in raising a child is
important. A parent serves as a designer, a consultant and an authority figure, she says. “Learning is a lifelong journey. By
getting parents involved early, they stay involved throughout the child’s life,” says Heath.
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Various toys entertain Maica Bratawidjaja during a playgroup. Parents as Teachers also make in-home visits to track a child’s progress.
| for the family
| Story by Kristin Kemerling
| Photography by Jonathan Swinton
Blogging about the family
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atch out: Tech-savvy moms are using the internet to their advantage. They shop online, e-mail family, send photos, connect with old friends through social networks and even blog. For three stay-at-home Manhattan moms, these blogs have become online diaries and columns. While keeping distant readers up-to-date, their mini-websites are filled with personal entries that include pictures, links, music and home videos of their families.
A means of coping Sara Rogness began blogging when her husband, Chris, was deployed to Iraq last year from Fort Riley. “I found that for me blogging was a great way to cope with Chris being gone,” she says. “It gave me one more creative thing to do while he was gone.” Because the couple’s parents and other relatives live far away, she decided blogging was the easiest way to keep in touch with everyone.
top Sara Rogness, a blogging mom, uses her online journal to keep family, including her husband while he was deployed overseas, updated. MIDDLE The Rarick family, from left, Carter, Molly, mom Jodi, baby Naomi and dad Tim, moved to Manhattan so Tim could pursue his master’s and doctoral degrees. Jodi uses her blog as a way to keep in touch with distant family. BOTTOM Anne Anderson uses blogging to relax from the duties of running her family, which includes, from left, Isaac, Anne, husband Mike and Will. She enjoys scrapbooking and journaling, which makes blogging a great hobby.
Manhattan moms find a better way to stay connected
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“I found that for me blogging was a great way to cope with Chris being gone.”
and doctorate at Kansas State University. Jodi decided to use blogging as a creative outlet while Tim was busy with school. She loves to include posts about the happenings of their kids Carter, 5, Molly, 2, and newborn girl Naomi. “The biggest reason we do our blog is to keep the grandmas informed. They like to see pictures,” she says. “I like to write about the funny things my kids do or fun things we do as a family. My mom always calls me when I post something funny on there.” Since Naomi was born, Jodi spends about two hours every couple of weeks writing entries. “I enjoy writing. I like to write about my kids, of course, and fun things we do as a family.” Jodi was always interested in blogging but never knew how to get started. “I realized it was so easy to do,” she says. “I basically just looked at other blogs to get ideas of different features available.” Jodi uses special features on he blog like a site meter, which allows her to check how many people view her blog, where readers live and what site referred them to the blog. “We’ve had people from China and India who have looked at our blog,” Jodi says. “I don’t know what they’re doing on my blog, but it’s a cool thing to see.”
– Sara Rogness
“It was the lazy way out. I found it was easier to write and post pictures on my blog than to send pictures and e-mails and to make phone calls to everyone all the time,” says Sara. “[Blogging] feels like you just e-mailed everyone you were supposed to e-mail. If they don’t know what’s going on in your life, then it’s their fault.” Sara tries to post entries about three times a week and devotes about an hour per entry. “When we moved, I went for about two and a half weeks without a single blog. Chris started to get on me, and others were asking, ‘Why aren’t you blogging?’” she says. “I get called out on it if I go too long.” Sara likes to post about what she and sons Auden, 5, and Mathias “Matti,” 3, have done as a family. “I like to write about activities we have done and local attractions in the area, so friends in the area may be interested in going to the same place,” she says. Sara claims that a good blog is created by someone who enjoys what he or she is writing about and uses a good voice and pictures. “You have to be willing to drag a camera around everywhere you go and feel like a big giant tourist,” she says, laughing. While Chris was in Iraq, Sara’s blog served as the perfect link home. “He was always disappointed because there were not more pictures of me,” she laughs. “I told him, ‘I’m always behind the camera.’”
Keeping families and friends updated Manhattan mom Jodi Rarick started blogging to keep her friends and immediate family in the loop on what was going on in their lives. They moved to Kansas from Utah so husband Tim could pursue his master’s degree
Stress reliever With the constant everyday duties of laundry, dishes, cooking, being a wife and a mother, Anne Anderson of Manhattan finds blogging serves as a nice stress reliever. She likes to sit down once a week and write about what is going on in the life of her family, which includes husband Mike and two kids: Will, 5, and Isaac, 3. “I usually spend a couple hours a week blogging. It’s nice just to sit down, write and let your thoughts come out,” says Anne. She, like many bloggers, uses it to keep in touch with distant family and friends. “I originally thought that blogging would be a big waste of time,” she says. “I changed my mind when a friend e-mailed me her blog.” Blogging has allowed Anne to combine two of her favorite hobbies: scrapbooking and journaling. She downloads free scrapbooklike backgrounds to her blog for color and visual activity. At the end of each year, she plans to print the blog and make a family scrapbook out of it. This way she will have a hard-copy version as well. It’s important for Anne to celebrate her family. She says, “Blogging is an easy and fun way to keep track of the little moments that happen that you don’t want to miss out on.”
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| for the family
| Story by Kristin Kemerling
| Photography by Alan Honey
Reinventing the sleepover
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hen the kids want to have a sleepover, the traditional activities of playing Truth or Dare, making popcorn, watching scary R-rated movies and staying up all night probably come to mind. However, reinventing the sleepover can actually turn an ordinary Saturday into a spectacular Saturday. Or make another birthday the most memorable with one of these themed slumber parties. Either way, it’s sure to be an unforgettable night of fun.
A baking sleepover Is your daughter a little Martha Stewart who loves to bake cookies, brownies or cupcakes? Then we recommend a baking sleepover. Seventh-grader Elizabeth Logback of Manhattan hosted a “Come Bake Up Some Birthday Fun” party in November for three of her closest friends. To get started (beyond asking your child to narrow the guest list), send baking-themed invitations to a few of their friends a couple weeks ahead of time. In the invitation, ask each of the partygoers to bring her favorite recipe to the party. Once the big night arrives and guests settle in, have each one decorate her own apron for a night full of baking. Plain white aprons and fabric
MIDDLE From left, Kaci Cink, Emily Andrews, Donna Logback, Pilar Dritz and Elizabeth Logback work on a recipe at Elizabeth’s “Come Bake Up Some Birthday Fun” slumber party. BOTTOM Pilar and Elizabeth decorate their aprons before they begin baking.
Try these alternatives for your child’s next slumber party
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paint can be found at a local crafts store. Remind them of fun phrases to use on the aprons like “Kiss the cook” or “What’s cookin’ good lookin’?” While the aprons are drying, have the bakers sit down for a recipe exchange. Together they must agree on a recipe to make that night. (Be sure you have all ingredients on hand before the party.) By now, the aprons should be dry and the partygoers will be ready to roll out the dough for their first baking experience. Put on some fun tunes and let them bake up a storm. They’ll have a great time spending the rest of the evening baking their favorite recipes—and, with luck, avoiding any food fights. Elizabeth included a twist to her baking party. With her love of animals, she and her friends also baked dog treats to give to the Riley County Humane Society. Add your own twist to the bakea-thon by making cookies for a retirement community or other organization. Not only do the kids enjoy baking, but it teaches them how to share. Once the little Betty Crockers rise the next morning, party favors are ready to go. They will have their decorated aprons to wear for future cooking endeavors, as well as yummy treats to take home and new recipes to try.
Sleepover safari at Sunset Zoo Wouldn’t any child think it was fun to share a night with the animals at the zoo? Consider a safari sleepover at Sunset Zoo. For more than a decade, Manhattan’s own Sunset Zoo has been hosting these popular slumber parties. While it’s fun for the kids, mom loves it even more for the effortless planning because the zoo takes care of everything. Gina Brisby, Sunset Zoo education assistant, explains that the zoo provides snacks, setup, entertainment and cleanup. All guests have to bring is sleeping gear and a sense of adventure. Your group of animal lovers will enjoy a special behind-the-scenes animal program, a night hike around the zoo, movie, snacks, an opportunity to make animal enrichment for the zoo animals and a continental breakfast. They also will have their own trained Sunset Zoo program assistant guiding them everywhere during the sleepover. “The Sunset Zoo Slumber Safari is a great alternative to the traditional sleepover party,” says Brisby. “The zoo comes to life at sunset, so we are able to showcase the animals in a totally different light. Many of our animals are nocturnal and are much more active at night.”
During their Sunset Zoo Slumber Safari, program assistant Krista Eible, left, leads Madison Moore and Haylee Lubrano around the zoo.
There is no reason to be worried about weather conditions either. During warmer months, the zoo can set up tents so partygoers can sleep outdoors with the peacocks roaming about. Sleeping arrangements during colder months are moved to the Ballard Gallery, where partygoers can see the indoor chimpanzee and monkey. This is a unique experience for any safari seeker. The kids enjoy exploring and taking a flashlight tour of the zoo, and likely will be thrilled and amazed at the nighttime side of nature.
The Slumber Safari Birthday Party at Sunset Zoo costs $20 per child with a $40 setup fee to cover supplies. There is a minimum of five guests, and one adult is admitted free per every five children. Learn more and make reservations by contacting Sunset Zoo’s Education Department at (785) 587-2737.
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| for the family
The great campout Turn off the TV and enjoy a sleepover outdoors with a camping adventure. This sleepover is ideal for your little men who love the backyard. They’ll spend the evening with friends eating s’mores, telling ghost stories and looking at the stars. To get started, send invitations a few weeks before the campout. Consider a video invitation sent via e-mail. It’s an inexpensive way to invite people and announce the party. A month prior, prepare the video. Dressed in his best outdoor flannel, your boy can hold a gooey marshmallow, graham cracker and chocolate treat in front of the tent. Have him look into the camera with his biggest smile and say, “Come join me for s’more fun.” Have him continue by listing the time and location. Partygoers will love getting this invitation through e-mail and the birthday boy will enjoy being the star of his own video. For fun activities, plan to have the boys catch lightning bugs in old Mason jars or have a nature scavenger hunt. Once it gets dark, let the boys take a flashlight into the tent and tell lines from a scary story, taking turns with the flashlight and book. Another great opportunity is to introduce a space theme. If someone has a telescope, the partygoers can make believe they are astronomers. Have the boys look at the stars and find constellations. Give them a piece of paper and star stickers and let them map out their own constellation and tell their own legend about it. Later they can transform the tent into a spaceship and fly off to sleep. For party favors, send each of the guests home with a bug catcher, a mini flashlight, star stickers or mini binoculars. Most of these inexpensive items can be purchased at a dollar store. A night under the stars with his closest buddies will be one to remember.
Once it gets dark, let the kids take a flashlight into the tent and tell lines from a scary story, taking turns with the flashlight and book.
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| get away
| Story by Katherine Dinsdale
| Photography by Anne Dinsdale
Katherine and Anne Dinsdale stayed at the little Zurich hotel called Berggasthaus Aescher during their motherdaughter European vacation.
A mother-daughter duo travel abroad together
European vacation
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ife barrels breakneck. But, let me tell you, when opportunity calls—using our Friends and Family Plan that I continue to bankroll—I have sense enough to carpe diem pronto. Here’s how my most excellent adventure with my daughter, Anne, came to pass. It was a Tuesday: (Ring tone, theme from Mission Impossible.) Mom: “Hi. So. Anne. What are you doing this summer between graduation, beginning your new job and graduate school?” (Several days’ pause.) Anne: “Hi. So. Mom. I’d like to go somewhere but I really don’t have friends who can travel right now. Would you want to go?” (Several milliseconds pause.) Mom: “Heck yeah, Anne. I mean, I better think … I mean … you betcha. I’m in. Where to, babycakes?” The ground rules for our trip were pretty simple: We’d get along. We’d mostly go dutch. We’d not check any bags. We’d take no electronic hair implements. And we’d have a blast.
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get away | BELOW The Dinsdale girls, Anne, left, and Katherine, made sure they were having fun on their trip of a lifetime.
We eventually settled on a two-week loop that began and ended in Zurich with stops in the Swiss countryside, Austria and Germany. In case you and yours would like to go and do likewise, Anne and I offer some lessons learned en route: Go bold. Neither Anne nor I had ever planned and executed a trip abroad. I was a bit intimidated at the prospect, not to mention the math challenges of currency exchange and rail travel charts. It would have been easy to book an all-inclusive silly sheep sort of tour: “Get on the bus. Get off the bus. Take a photo here. Baaaaa.” No way—not us gadabouts. We didn’t want to plan anything tame. I surfed the internet, investigating every adventure I could find, and still am amazed that I could fire an e-mail to folks at a little Swiss guesthouse that clings to the sheer rock face of an alp and receive a cheery and welcoming come-hither reply. The next thing we knew we’d taken a couple of Ambien, jetted across the Atlantic, rode a train east from Zurich and taken a funicular up a mountain. From there we pulled our rolling suitcases down a fairly steep gravel path and through a damp and dimly lit cave to our little hotel, Berggasthaus Aescher. There was nothing in our room but a comfy mattress and a thick duvet. No soap, towels or shower either. Need we say more? Need we need more? We ate a delicious platter of Swiss comfort food—shredded potatoes and cheese—and lis-
tened to the country folk from the surrounding hills yodel until late in the night. We spent the next day hiking through the most glorious countryside, listening to a cacophony of sheep, goat and cowbells, delighting in an amazing alpine meadow of creamy yellow, purple and white wildflowers. We’d heard that many residents of the little farmhouses offered homemade cheese for sale. We walked along a path that led to a ramshackle place with goats out front. There we met Irwin. The young man was happy to welcome Anne (and her mother) into a small pine-paneled dining room. With limited English he told us about getting this summer job from—of course—an ad on the internet. “I am so happy here. Milking goats. Washing cheese,” he exclaims. We were charmed. Our hike back to our guesthouse involved a narrow path with a fence to one side and a sharp—as in cliff—alpine to the other. I was a bit afraid of the large cow that blocked our path and tried to slither past alongside the fence. Both Anne and the cow are still telling stories of the scene that ensued when it was discovered that the fence was, shall we say, electric. My progress along the path accelerated abruptly. Ditch the shoulds. Our next stop was Salzburg. While we really did enjoy The Sound of Music tour and I would like to learn more about Mozart, the memories I’ll cherish from Salzburg began about the time I noticed my daughter intently photographing a sewer drain. “See the ‘R’?” she asked breathlessly. Then, in another moment, she spied a window grate: “And look, there’s an ‘S.’” And so the sophisticated Dinsdale women spent the rest of their once-in-alifetime day in Salzburg working on “A Salzburg ABC.” So much for the “shoulds” that I nearly let hijack our fun. Take joy. We ended our trip visiting a dear friend and his family near Lake Constance. Stefan was an exchange student at the University of Kansas in the mid-’90s and was in his early 20s when we last saw him. Seeing Stefan older and wiser, I again got a sense of how quickly life spins. We munched hot pretzels and squealed with his 2-year-old daughter, Ella, as she felt the spray of Rheinfall. And then we came home. Anne was at work by noon the next day. Our moments together were golden. And the memories are indeed priceless.
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Jan-March 09
e v e n t s
January
Sunset Zoo Free Kids Month Bundle up, get
outdoors and see how the zoo animals spend their January. Zoo opens at noon. Adult tickets are $4, children 3-12 are $2 and children under 2 and Friends of Sunset Zoo are free. For more information, call (785) 587-2737. www.sunsetzoo.com.
January 12
and assumed personas unwraps in this stage production by the New York-based Aquila Theatre Company. McCain Auditorium at Kansas State University. Tickets range from $25 to $30. Performance begins at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, contact the box office at (785) 532-6428. www.kstate.edu/mccain/.
February 27
Little Apple Brigade Lunch Bunch Join military spouses and community members for a chance to network and make new friends. Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. at CoCo Bolos, 1227 Bluemont Ave. Reservations required. (785) 776-8829.
January 22 Nunsense
McCain Performance Series presents the hit musical comedy celebrating its 25th anniversary with the national tour starring Sally Struthers. This will be a delightful, zany evening featuring tap and ballet dancing, an audience quiz and comedic surprises. McCain Auditorium at Kansas State University. Tickets range from $35 to $49. Performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Contact the box office at (785) 532-6428. www.k-state. edu/mccain/.
February 1
Flint Hills Bridal Show Featuring 60
booths of wedding professionals and the area’s most talked-about style show. Admission is free and preregistration is encouraged. Event starts at noon at the Courtyard Marriott, Junction City. For more information, call (785) 539-7111. www.flinthillsbridalshow. com.
Tenth Annual Casino Night Auction and Fundraiser Boys and Girls Club of Manhattan’s Mardi Grasthemed event features a fun-filled evening with live and silent auctions, casino-style gaming, music, heavy hors d’oeuvres and select beverages. Event begins at 7 p.m. at the Kansas State University Alumni Center. Tickets are $50 in advance, $60 at the door. (785) 539-1947. www. bgclubmanhattan.com/.
February 27March 29
The American Soldier: A Photographic Tribute to Soldiers and Marines The courage and drama of U.S. servicemen and women in action are captured in 116 pictures including some dating back to the Civil War. Display features photos taken from the earliest use of photographic apparatus to today’s digital cameras. Kansas State University’s Beach Museum. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday; 10 a.m8 p.m. Thursday, noon5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Mondays and holidays. Free admission. (785) 532-7718. www.k-state. edu/bma/.
March 8
Gaelic Storm Enjoy
February 20
Aquila Theatre Company: Comedy of Errors McCain Per-
formance Series presents Shakespeare’s classic comedy Much Ado About Nothing. A tale of mistaken identity
at 7:30 p.m. Contact the box office at (785) 532-6428. www.k-state. edu/mccain/.
March 13-15
Grease The Columbian Theatre presents the classic musical about working-class kids in their senior year of school with rock ’n’ roll beats and hot rods. Buffet dinner begins at 6 p.m. and show starts at 7:30 p.m. ThursdaySaturday. Buffet opens at 12:30 p.m. and show starts at 2 p.m. Sunday. Dinner and musical adult tickets are $37.25 and children’s tickets are $20.75. Musical tickets only are $20 for adults and $10 for children. Additional dates include March 19-22 and 26-29. Columbian Theatre, 521 Lincoln Ave., Wamego. (785) 456-2029. www. columbiantheatre.com.
March 14
Children’s Theatre: Paul Mesner Puppets presents The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by A. Wolf Manhattan
Arts Center presents Jon Scieszka’s adaptation of his popular book to the stage. A. Wolf has a chance to tell his side of the story. He only wanted a cup of sugar. Hear the real story of the big bad wolf. 4 p.m. Adult tickets are $10 and tickets for children 12 and under are $5. (785) 537-4420. www.manhattanarts.org/.
March 28
Sunset Zoo Community Appreciation and Dino Day Free admission for all guests in honor of Community Appreciation Day. Learn about prehistoric creatures during the Dino Day celebration. For more information, call (785) 587-2737. www.sunsetzoo.com.
this dynamic stage show featuring rousing vocals, energetic dance tunes, Celtic ballads and infectious humor. McCain Auditorium at Kansas State University. Tickets range from $25 to $29. Performance begins
All events are subject to change. E-mail your upcoming events for the calendar to manhattanmagazine@sunflowerpub.com