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Advanced, adaptive, adventurous. The road to the future might not even be a road. Why not travel in comfort, with confidence, and the competence to meet every new mile with a can-do attitude. That’s the aptitude of the EQE SUV. More than thoughtful, it can anticipate needs and desires. Beyond futuristic, it can make better use of your time, and make your time using it better. See the EQE today at Aristocrat Motors or Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City.
9400 West 65th St | Merriam, KS 913.677.3300 | aristocratmotors.com
13851 Madison Avenue | Kansas City, MO 816.943.7000 | mbofkc.com Members of the Soave Automotive Group
PRESIDENT’S LETTER by MARION BATTAGLIA
Thank You For Your Patience. "Many things have changed in the last few years. The one thing that will not change is our commitment to you."
The automotive industry has been through a very tumultuous few years, starting with the uncertainty of the pandemic, followed by a shortage of parts that led directly to a shortage of vehicles. Through all of those events, you, our friends and our customers, have been patient and understanding. You stayed with us when you were at the end of your lease, and we didn’t have a new vehicle to replace your current vehicle. Many of you purchased your vehicle at the end of the lease. When parts shortages became prevalent, you stayed with us and showed understanding as we waited for parts to repair your vehicle. These shortages have persisted, and you have still remained patient. Many things have changed in the last few years. The one thing that will not change is our commitment to you. Please know that we will do all we can to continue to earn your trust. I appreciate and value your loyalty to us. Thank you and I wish you and your families a safe and joyous holiday season.
Marion Battaglia, President
2 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | FALL/WINTER 2023
CROWN CENTER, LEVEL | 274. 816-274-3222 CROWN CENTER, LE V EL 3 • 3816. 3222 MON – SAT: 10 AM – 6 PM SUN: NOON – 5 PM
AVA I L A B L E NNOW O W AT AVAILABLE AT
EDITOR'S LETTER by ROBERT HELLWEG
A Kansas City Treasure. The auto group, and in particular Porsche Kansas City, partnered with the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra to help open the new Symphony season. It was a reflection on the close ties our auto group has with Kansas City, and it was a compliment to be asked to assist them in their celebration. For Porsche, we were able to combine it with the “opening” of the new Porsche Cayenne for 2024. It was the combination of two great performing brands that both have gained worldwide acclaim. This event also marked the beginning of the grand finale of Musical Director Michael Stern’s leadership of Kansas City’s orchestra. Porsche Kansas City was honored to be a part of this momentous event. The growth of the symphony’s stature corresponded with Michael’s arrival. I was fortunate to meet him at the Central Exchange as he toured the city after being named musical director. Those 20-plus years ago, I remember the excitement and expectation that surrounded his selection. I think I speak for the entire city when I say that Michael didn’t disappoint and over-shot those expectations. Michael Stern has my personal thanks for a much quieter success story in which he has been a driving force, Harmony Project KC. This musical program, aimed at bringing music, mentoring, and providing free orchestral music education to the youth in the historic northeast district of Kansas City, Missouri, neighborhood, has had Michael Stern as a champion since its inception. Serving a neighborhood with over 25 languages spoken, cultural differences, and challenges, music has become the universal language. The “Project” has helped the children gain college entrance, improve grades, and in communication, in addition to strengthening the community through improving the health and well-being of the children. Michael has worked closely and tirelessly with the Project’s founder, Laura Shultz, the Northeast Community Center’s executive director, Kyla Pitts-Zevin, and the Project’s staff, supplemented by Symphony musicians to help leave a lasting imprint on our community. Michael has been a gift to our community as well as making the Kansas City Symphony a world-class organization.
Robert Hellweg
4 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | FALL/WINTER 2023
SOAVE AUTOMOTIVE GROUP MARION BATTAGLIA President KEVIN KILLILEA Vice President ANGIE LEWITZKE Controller CHUCK DAVIS Service and Parts Director KRIS NIELSEN Director of Sales and Manufacturer Relations/ General Manager Aristocrat Motors Topeka ROBERT HELLWEG Marketing Director LARRY MILLER Inventory Director LINDSEY BENEFIELD Internet Manager FERNANDO RICCI Finance & Insurance Director DAVID HUGHES General Manager Aristocrat Lee's Summit JORDAN SCHLOTZHAUER Human Relations Manager NEW VEHICLE SALES MANAGERS DAVID ANDREWS Aristocrat Mercedes-Benz KIRK WILLMS Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City CHUCK OBRIEN Porsche Kansas City JOE LEMBERGER Alfa Romeo and Maserati JOE SIRNA Jaguar-Land Rover RILEY HARMON Aristocrat Motors Topeka PRE-OWNED MANAGERS JK CORNELIUS Aristocrat Motors ROSS STRADA Mercedes-Benz Kansas City MIKE REID Mercedes-Benz Kansas City DAVID FISER Aristocrat Lee's Summit SERVICE MANAGERS CHARLES FRIEDMAN Aristocrat Mercedes-Benz |
Maserati | Alfa Romeo RODNEY PARKER Porsche Kansas City KEVIN SMELL Jaguar-Land Rover of Merriam ISAAC NICHOLS Aristocrat Motors Topeka JOHN DOOLITTLE Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City PARTS MANAGERS BILL WELLS Aristocrat Motors DAVID BARNES Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City JOE LAWHEAD Jaguar-Land Rover of Merriam KIP NASH Aristocrat Motors Topeka
ROBERT HELLWEG Editor | 913.677.7414 KATHRYN CREEL Creative Director MARCI LINN Copyeditor ALLYSON ELLIS Sales Director | 913.634.3838 AMANI SKALACKI Fashion Director ALISON BARNES MARTIN Fashion Photographer TODAY KANSAS CITY is a quarterly publication by Soave Automotive Group – home of Aristocrat Motors, MercedesBenz of Kansas City, BMW of Topeka, and VW of Topeka. Address: 9400 W 65th St, Merriam, KS 66203, 913.677.3300, aristocratmotors.com. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the publisher.
FALL/WINTER 2023
Features
10 FOOD
45 JEWELRY
Ornaments.
photos by Alison Barnes Martin styling by Amani Skalacki
6 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | FALL/WINTER 2023
16 AUTOMOTIVE
On the Road to Modern Italian Comfort.
A Compact SUV Showcases Hybrid Technology.
by Emily & Stewart Lane
by Tom Strongman
51
56
RESTORATIONS
McPherson College Auto Restoration Students Score Big.
by Tom Strongman
NONPROFIT
Midwest Animal ResQ.
by Matt Lancaster
22 FASHION
Wrappings.
photos by Alison Barnes Martin styling by Amani Skalacki
60 KC ORIGINALS
32 TRAVEL
Meet Me In St. Louis for Arts, Eats, and Adventures.
38 INTERIOR DESIGN
Pretty Is As Pretty Does.
by Patricia O'Dell
by Patrick Mulvihill
67 HEALTH
73 INTERVIEW
A Kansas City Success Story.
How's Your Stress Level?
Living the Legacy.
by Anne Kniggendorf
by Dr. Linda Moore
by Joel Nichols
FALL/WINTER 2023 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | 7
Exceptional Service, POWERFUL NETWORK “Every home has a story... It’s our job to tell that story in the most captivating way possible.” –Trent My mission has always been to elevate the selling experience and deliver exceptional results for my clients. It’s my job as your Realtor to make sure every detail is taken care of seamlessly & professionally we think of the details so you don’t have to! Here are a few things we do for every listing: • Complementary whole-home staging • Free deep-cleaning before listing • Custom marketing plan • Extraordinary imagery/videography • Elegant print materials/digital media campaigns It would be an honor to speak with you and tell you more about how we’ve been awarded the #1 Small Team in KS by REAL TRENDS 2021–2022. Warmest Regards,
Trent Gallagher
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Trent Gallagher, Founding Partner, REALM® Global Member M 913.439.7846 | O 913.382.6711 | trent.gallagher@compass.com | trent-gallagher.com 4403 W 119th St, Leawood KS 66209
REALM is an invitation-only collaboration of the industry’s top agents that provides us a powerful network,Proprietary Technology resource to better serve our clients and provide national exposure. realm-global.com/about
Active as of November 4, 2022 | Trent Gallagher is a licensed real estate agent affiliated with Compass Realty Group, a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions. Compass Realty Group offices 913.382.6711 | 816.280.2773.
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“Trent is the best realtor in KC! He helped our family purchase a second home in the KC area and was so knowledgeable about every neighborhood we considered. His ability to negotiate in a very tight market helped us get exactly what we were looking for. Trent always made time for us to get in and see homes that had just hit the market. His response time to our many texts and emails and requests was unbeatable. It’s such an advantage to work with Trent!” - Michelle T
M 913.439.7846 | O 913.382.6711 | trent.gallagher@compass.com | trent-gallagher.com 4403 W 119th St, Leawood KS 66209
FOOD words by EMILY & STEWART LANE | photos by ANNA PETROW
On the Road to Modern Italian Comfort. Emily Lane: My relationship with Stewart started with food. We had met working on a nonprofit culinary event, and on our first date he made me this incredible deconstructed s’more dessert with amaretto peaches and a homemade raspberry marshmallow. I had absolutely no shame in devouring the whole thing, and clearly he didn’t mind. Creative, innovative, and exceedingly delicious food has always been central to our little family. And for this particular culinary adventure for the magazine, we made it a true family affair and brought our daughters with us. The four of us loaded up in our car and headed down K-10 to Lawrence, which is a drive I could do in my sleep. As a 2008 graduate (also a NCAA Championship year) any excuse I get to visit Lawrence, I take. Without question, 715 is always worth the short drive from Kansas City. Located on Mass Street, the Italianinspired menu is endlessly varied and always evolving based on the chefs' preferences. It’s evident this approach has worked for them as they are approaching an impressive 15 years of business. Stewart Lane: As Emily mentioned, the menu at 715 shifts regularly with the seasons, with a core contingent of items staying consistent, so there is always something exciting and creative to experience. Our little girls were starting to get a bit antsy watching plates of crispy fries, breads, and pastas pass us by so we satiated them, and ourselves, with some small bites. For the adults, chorizo-stuffed dates dressed with a fruity sweet and savory romesco sauce with manchego cheese and toasted focaccia crisps, as well as the saku tuna carpaccio with sicilian tomatoes, black garlic molasses, balsamic aioli, and crumbled kettle-fried chips were satisfying starters. The dates were tender
and sweet with a spicy punch of chorizo balanced with the fire-roasted peppers, nuts, and vinegar of the romesco. The carpaccio reminded me of a tuna puttanesca reduced to its base elemental flavors and enhanced with the crisp of the puffy potato chips. Each bite was a rapid shifting experience of sharp acids, soft fruity olives, sweet tomatoes, and tender delicate tuna. The girls dove into a mountain of crispy seasoned fries with dips of truffle cream, garlic aioli, and ketchup. Catharine, our two-and-a-half year old, proclaimed the truffle cream was “her dip.” EL: Of course, we had to explore the cocktail menu, which, like the food menu, is also ever-changing. I tried a refreshing mojito with mint from their garden, and later enjoyed a glass of white wine that our server recommended. The reserve wine list at 715 is expansive and comprehensive, but they’ve also made a point of having a very accessible wine list, as well. You’re certain to find something that’s to your taste and price point. SL: I’ve loved seeing tomatoes make their way into beverage menus this season and 715 delivered on their tomato-tail creation. The “Tomato Tomahto” cocktail was a mixture of red-pepper-infused gin, sherry, tomato water, italian bitters, and lemon, rimmed with chili and dehydrated tomato salt. The flavors were floral, sweet, and vibrant, yet robust with a hint of salt and chili that makes a tomato pop. EL: The atmosphere at 715 far exceeds what someone would expect from a college town. It’s an intimate space with warm woods, exposed stone walls, an open kitchen, and the most charming choices of tableware. I love the eclectic feel of the mismatched plates and have always been enamored with the constructed wall of Mountain Valley Spring Water glass bottles that separate the bar from the dining tables. Our daughters proved that nothing is too precious here. And that’s a good thing when you’re aiming to make patrons feel comfortable. SL: We continued our meal with the arugula salad with poached pears, manchego, candy-striped beets, and toasted almonds, dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. Pepper and spice from the arugula are tamed by the earthly tones of the beets and nectar of the poached pear. Even though I was enjoying the salad, the next course was my main reason for the journey. Handmade pastas are the backbone of 715 and the kitchen did not disappoint on this dish. The fresh spinach and kale pasta was filled with tender sweet corn and salty ricotta, glazed in a marsala
12 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | FALL/WINTER 2023
4050 INDIAN CREEK PKWY OVERLAND PARK, KS 66207
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chili-butter sauce and tossed with soy beans, toasted hazelnuts, and succulent rock shrimp. The corn was bright and sweet, playing the perfect backdrop to the rock shrimp accented by the marsala wine with hints of chili. The roasted hazelnuts added a textural foil and earthy savoriness, making every bite dynamic and exciting. And while this pasta special might not be on the menu when you visit, there are plenty of options, all of which are equally of the highest caliber.
were enhanced as the drippings from the steak blended with the bouquet of chimichurri sauce and savory mushrooms. Each bite showed the chef’s skill in creating the perfect seared crust with exceptional temperature control for a consistent doneness throughout SL: theThe steak. Spanish Octopus was a must try for me. Octopus
EL: Ever since watching The Sound of Music, Evie, our five-yearold, has been obsessed with schnitzel and noodles… you could say it is one of her “favorite things.” So naturally, we had to order the pork schnitzel. Served with creamy spaetzle, sauerkraut, sauteed kale, and finished with an apple mostarda, it’s an elevation on the traditional dish. The apple mostarda provided little pops of a vinegary sweetness against the richness of the spaetzle with the perfect crunch of the fried pork. And I should note, these portions are impressive. You’re not going to be left hungry after a meal at 715.
can be very difficult to work with, but in the right hands, EL: Despite being completely the request of our incredible flavors can be created.full, Theat Blu Hwy chefs did not eldest, we ordered the key lime macaroon tart as a dessert to share. Endisappoint. Crispy outside skin with tender, juicy meat laid hanced with a walnutEnglish crème,peas, tahitian vanilla chantilly, and crispy on a bed of mashed crunchy sweet hazelnuts, coconut, it provided flavor lemon and a welcome sweet spicy Fresno chilies,layers and aofsimple vinaigrette werebite. All desserts in-house, and youThe canEnglish tell thepeas difference. crafted are withmade knowledgeable hands. were After our family adventure, we took time to walk up and the perfect textural and flavor complement to the bold oc- down Mass Street forand a bit heading home, and I attempted to topus, chilies, tartbefore vinaigrette. teach the girls the Rock Chalk chant. I found myself reflecting on howEL: fast years seem pass. What aholds, humbling reminder Sothe whatever planstoyour summer we hope you it is to take the time to do the things you love. Make the drive, take the add a visit to Blu Hwy to your list, and take a journey through trip, visit the without restaurant, bring kids. Make the memories. You’ll their menu leaving thethe city limits. only have happy ones from 715.
SL: Emily and the girls love a good steak, so that was a necessary selection, as well, and 715 presented a perfectly cooked teres major steak with smoked gouda potato puree, an unctuous roasted garlic jus with a spicy and herbaceous chimichurri sauce with sauteed mushrooms. Cheesy, andfabrics silky smooth, Warm woods, worn leather, and rich, textured span thethe bar,potatoes
Blu Hwy, located in the South Plaza area at 5070 Main 715, located at 715 Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, is Street in Kansas City, is open Monday through Friday Kansas, for open from 3:00hour, to 9:00 Tuesday and Wednesday, and from lunch, happy and p.m. dinner, and Saturday and Sunday 3:00 to 10:00 p.m. hour, Thursday through Saturday. They and are closed for brunch, happy and dinner. More information Sunday and can Monday. For at reservations reservations be found BluHwy.com.and to see the current menu, visit 715mass.com.
dining room, and outdoor patio at Blu Hwy.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Emily andTHE Stewart Lane are Kansas City natives who have an affection for hospitality. ABOUT AUTHORS Stewart, a former executive makes career in business and Emily and Stewart Lane arechef, Kansas Cityhis natives who have andevelopment affection for hospitality. loves to cook for friends and family; Emily is communications strategist with anfor arts Stewart, a former executive chef, makes hisa career with SMG and loves to cook friends background. Along with their daughters, Evie and Catharine, they live a life filled with and family, and Emily is a marketing communications manager with an arts background. food, culture, anddaughters, creativity. Evie and Catharine, they live a life filled with food, culture, Along with their and creativity.
14 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | FALL/WINTER 2023 20 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | SUMMER 2022
THE POSSIBILITIES ARE Y OU RS TO DEFIN E.
Schedule a showroom appointment at Roth Living to curate your custom, luxury Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove appliance suite.
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AUTOMOTIVE words and photos by TOM STRONGMAN
ALFA ROMEO TONALE
A Compact SUV Showcases Hybrid Technology.
16 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | FALL/WINTER 2023
FALL/WINTER 2023 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | 17
Alfa Romeos are four-wheeled expressions of Italian automotive passion. From the triangular trefoil grille that recalls famous Alfas of the past to the intricate alloy wheels and bulging fender flares, Alfa says its compact Tonale SUV is “part of a radical revolution that looks ahead to a new era of electrification and connectivity.” The message is simple: “Drive me.” Most Alfas these days are sedans and SUVs, with the exception of the stunning MC 20 two-seater, but all have sports car in their DNA. The 2024 Tonale, named after one of Italy’s highest mountain passes, takes automotive passion in a new direction because it is a plug-in hybrid, delivering up to 30 miles of purely electric power, a distance that covers the vast majority of city jaunts for the average driver. Alfa press materials say the powertrain’s electrification “serves the brand with the mission of reinventing sportiness for the 21st century.” There are three trim levels – Sprint, Ti, and Veloce – with prices that start at $42,995 for the Sprint, $46,155 for the Ti, and $50,195 for the Veloce. I drove a Veloce with a sticker price of $58,990. A 90-kW electric motor drives the rear axle in electric-only mode but also pairs with the gasoline engine for all-wheel drive. Electricity is stored in a 15.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that can be charged at home in about two and half hours on a 240-volt connection. Total power output of engine and motor is 285 horsepower, enough for spritely acceleration to 60 miles per hour in less than six seconds. Regenerative braking sends electricity back to the battery. Once the battery has been depleted, the gasoline engine is the primary drive. Acceleration is smooth, with nearly seamless transitions between gas and electric power. A knob on the console enables the driver to select one of three drive modes: Dual-power/Dynamic, Normal, and Advanced Efficiency. In Normal mode the engine occasionally feels as if the transmission is searching for the right gear for the situation, but in Dual-power/Dynamic mode it snaps through the gears with a nice exhaust note. The suspension also tightens up in Dynamic mode. Advanced Efficiency is quiet and smooth because the drive is electric. The Tonale’s interior is stylishly contemporary with two LCD screens, a 12.3-inch driver’s gauge cluster screen and a 10.25-inch center touchscreen for controlling many of the vehicle’s infotainment functions. The front bucket seats have good lateral and lumbar support and offer a wide range of adjustment. Alfa Romeo has chosen its most advanced Uconnect 5 system for in-car technology, and it delivers content and customization quickly. Customers can create a unique home screen with frequently used features that they access with a with a single touch, much like a smartphone, or they can monitor the hybrid’s efficiency through pages of the central screen. Alfa points out that Uconnect 5 also brings Amazon Alexa into the Tonale, giving occupants the ability to interact with Alexa from home to car and car to home. Alexa can play music, podcasts, and audiobooks or add items to a to-do list. Uconnect connects wirelessly to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The infotainment system can store up to five user profiles that contain preferences for music and vehicle operation. Each driver’s profile also contains seat position, mirror placement, and temperature preference. Switching between user profiles can be handled by a single touch.
FALL/WINTER 2023 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | 19
fine-tune the aerodynamics and arrive at a chassis that has a car, with functionality and visibility paramount.” The central tunnel is clad with carbon fiber and only carries the switches curb weight of just over 3,300 pounds. The carbon-fiber chassis makes use of underbody aerody- that are necessary. Maserati and Sabelt collaborated on the design and crenamics that help keep the top of the car sleek and sensuwheel contains astructural Start/Stop button along with The gauge package is housed in two large binnacles that mimof thesteering MC20 seats. A composite shell, equipped al with rounded contours that echo classic design. The nose ation The fingertip controls for things such as cruise control, audio, and ic the look of old-school dials. Selecting different drive modes contains a grille that is recognizably Maserati complete with with power adjustments and lumbar system, represents the eshands-free telephone. The center console has large cupholders changes the gauge display. A gas gauge sits at the bottom of sence of the MC20 project: sportiveness at a high quality and the Trident emblem. and a place for wirelessly charging cell phones. theUpward-opening left-side dial, while the right-side dial has a similar level. “butterfly” doors pivot forward to soreadout the performance Tonale is available Level the 2 autonomous that how manycan miles electric use are available, a fea- TheThe MC20’s Sonus faber audiowith embodies translation ofdriving, drivershows and passenger getofinto the cabin with a minimum meaning the car has adaptive cruise control, centering, ture that I thought was most thoughtful. brands of interference. The cabin is understated, and driver focused. its name, “handmade sound” that illustrates how bothlane and traffic jam assist that automatically adjusts the speed and Throughout the cabin, the use of leather with aluminum acThe interior shapes are simple, with few sharp corners and desire to pair innovative technologies and skillful craftsmanpath of the vehicle. Automatic emergency braking that also decents creates a sporty environment that befits the youthful nathe upholstery and interior materials are black to prevent re- ship. tects pedestrians or cyclists, driver attention assist that warns ture of the its intended customers.Plus, The Tonale is Alfa’s Committing the MC20 to production is a bold statement flections oncar theand steep sloping windscreen. black lends the driver if they become drowsy, blind spot detection and rear smallest crossover vehicle, yet the cabin does not feel small or a feeling of understated elegance. There are two LCD screens from Maserati about how it sees itself, both today and in the cross-path detection for backing up, and a 360-degree cramped. Adults have decent rear-seat legroom, and the back in the instrument panel, one in front of the driver for gauges future when an all-electric version will be available. That for-camera. standard warranty for four years or 50,000 seat foldsindown for hauling items. The large tailgate makesward The vision is necessary for a iscompany that has such a miles, long while and one the center abovelarge the console. Maserati emphasizhybrid system has an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty. loading easy. storied history. es that “everything is laid out just like the cockpit of a racing andthe
ABOUT ABOUTTHE THEAUTHOR AUTHOR // PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHER Tom Strongman Tom Strongman has has aa degree degree in in photojournalism photojournalism from from the the University University of of Missouri Missouri and and was was formerly the director of photography and then the automotive editor of The Kansas formerly the director of photography and then the automotive editor of The Kansas City City Star. Star. Tom, Tom, aa member member of of the the Missouri Missouri Press Press Association Association Photojournalism Photojournalism Hall Hall of of Fame, Fame, has has written about and photographed cars for more than three decades. written about and photographed cars for more than three decades.
20 FALL/WINTER 26 || TODAY TODAY KANSAS KANSAS CITY CITY || SUMMER 2022 2023
FASHION photos ALISON BARNES MARTIN | fashion director AMANI SKALACKI creative director KATHRYN CREEL makeup CARO BENITEZ, Caro Benitez Makeup Studio hair styling KRISTEN PATTERSON, KristenAtArtistry model CAMERON of Voices & attire HALLS | Jewelry MAZZARESE | sunglasses EYE STYLE
Wrappings.
attire HALLS
LEAD BY EXAMPLE
The definition of luxury travel. Range Rover always leads by example, with breathtaking modernity. Range Rover has a rich bloodline of pioneering innovation and continues to rewrite the rule book for precision and quality. Purchace by the end of 2023 to take advantage of section 179 tax deduction benefit. Land Rover Kansas City 9400 W. 65th Street, Merriam, KS 913 677 3300 landroverkansascity.com © 2023 Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC
TRAVEL words by PATRICK MULVIHILL | photos by ANNA PETROW
Are we arch enemies or friendly neighbors? Kansas Citians should give St. Louis’ art scene a chance with this comprehensive itinerary. Kansas City and St. Louis have long had an adversarial relationship in the way that two competing metro areas often do. Whether we’re arguing about the 1985 World Series, a recently forged MLS rivalry, or, heaven help us, which city has better barbecue, Missouri’s two biggest cities – connected by a common state government, 366 miles of river, or around 240 miles along Interstate 70 – have long gone toe to toe. As a native St. Louisan who has called Kansas City home for nearly a decade, I can attest that this superfluous competitiveness overshadows how much the two cities have in common. The KC and STL metro areas are both home to vastly underrated food scenes, bustling urban centers, and distinctively infectious civic prides that fuel the flames of both cities’ burgeoning yet long-established art scenes. In every corner our city, the impact of Kansas City’s artists – from the 137-year-old Kansas City Art Institute to magisterial fountains of our boulevards to the avant-garde murals throughout the
32 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | FALL/WINTER 2023
Crossroads – informs who we are, where we come from, and where we’re headed. Much like the Paris of the Plains, the Gateway to West has long been defined by its artists – George Caleb Bingham’s paintings of flatboatmen on the St. Louis riverfront are as synonymous with our nation’s progress, as are Thomas Hart Benton’s murals depicting the immenseness of America’s westward expansion. Through this lens, let’s look at St. Louis not as an adversary but as a friendly neighbor within whose confines we might be able to learn a bit more about our own city. HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS. Before packing the car and heading east to take in the Gateway to the West, book your room at the newly opened 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis. Kansas City’s art lovers are likely familiar with the 21c brand: the hotel group, which was founded in 2006 by two contemporary art collectors and preservationists, already had seven locations in Louisville, Cincinnati, Bentonville, Durham, Lexington, Chicago,
Meet Me In St. Louis for Arts, Eats, and Adventures.
STOCK PHOTO
and Kansas City before the St. Louis hotel opened its doors in August 2023. Located in the heart of Downtown St. Louis, the newest 21c fixture is located in a 10-story Renaissance Revival-style building, which is now home to 173 rooms, a contemporary art museum, two restaurants, and a 10,000-square-foot athletic club and wellness center. The 21c team worked with Kansas City-based interior design firm Hufft to reimagine the nearly 100-year-old building, which was home to the Downtown YMCA until 2017. The 21c St. Louis now boasts two must-visit eateries, including Good Press, a coffee shop and restaurant that’s perfect for an early morning fueling or a mid-afternoon pitstop. However, the real star of 21c’s culinary show is Idol Wolf, an Iberian-inspired tapas restaurant that’ll make even the pickiest of eaters agree that food can, in fact, be art. Idol Wolf’s menu honors Spain’s rich culinary traditions while drawing from new cooking methods and the rich farmland surrounding St. Louis to let simple, local ingredients shine. If possible,
bring a group to dinner so you can try a bit of everything in true tapas fashion – from chorizo-roasted hen of the woods mushrooms to the show-stopping seafood paella, the variety and depth of this menu are as remarkable as they are comforting. Don’t sleep on the cocktail and dessert menus, and consider a nightcap at the adjoining bar to mingle with the locals. A GUIDE TO GALLERIES. Of course, you’re not visiting St. Louis to stay in one building – as beautiful as the hotel may be. Luckily, some of the city’s most impressive museums, galleries, theaters, and public art installations are well within striking distance of the 21c St. Louis Hotel. Originally founded in 1879, the St. Louis Art Museum has called the 1904 World’s Fair’s Palace of Fine Arts home for more than a century. Located in the heart of the 1,300-acre Forest Park, long considered one of the nation’s greatest urban public parks, the museum contains more than 34,000 objects spanning 5,000 years. These include the famed central panel of Claude Monet’s 42-foot
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21c Museum Hotel
Agapanthus “Water Lilies” triptych, an impressive number of Kansas Citian George Caleb Bingham paintings, and the world’s largest collection of works of art by German post-war artist Max Beckmann. And, importantly, much like Kansas City’s Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, admission is free. Just one block west of Forest Park lies the oldest art museum west of the Mississippi. The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, located on the campus of Washington University within the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, is defined by its polished stainless-steel facade and sculpture garden and contains four galleries with pieces spanning from Egyptian and Greek antiquities to a permanent modern collection, featuring work by Jackson Pollock, Theo van Doesburg, and Robert Rauschenberg. Between Forest Park and Downtown (and immediately north of Saint Louis University), you’ll find the Grand Center neighborhood. Recently named “America’s most exciting emerging arts district” by Forbes magazine, the area is defined by a vibrant area offering everything from storied galleries and theaters to community arts centers, music venues, and literary organizations working to foster the next generation of creative thinkers. The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis and the nextdoor Pulitzer Arts Foundation are both home to an impressive array of collections and exhibits. Just two blocks south, the Saint Louis University
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Museum of Art’s permanent collection includes artists such as Chuck Close, Robert Motherwell, Kiki Smith, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. In addition to these, the nearby Walls Off Washington is a neighborhood collection of 20 murals by renowned local, national, and international artists. ART TAKES CENTER STAGE IN ST. LOUIS. Of course, art is not limited to its physical form, and St. Louis, long known for its impact on blues, country, bluegrass, ragtime, hip-hop, and, yes, even jazz, is home to dozens of music venues, concert halls, and theaters that alone are worth the trek. After all, music legends Chuck Berry, Tina Turner, Scott Joplin, Donny Hathaway, Michael McDonald, Miles Davis, and Nelly have all called St. Louis home. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, for instance, is the second oldest symphony in the country, preceded only by the New York Philharmonic. While its principal venue, Grand Center’s Powell Hall, is currently undergoing a $100 million revitalization, the symphony still has a full slate of concerts scheduled around the city. Across the street from Powell Hall, the “Fabulous” Fox Theatre was once the second-largest theater in the country, and continues to host Broadway shows as well as touring musicians and comics nearly a century after it first opened its doors.
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Forest Park is home to America’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theater, the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre. Known locally as “The Muny,” the 11,000-seat theater first opened its gates in 1917, it and even has 1,500 free seats available on a first-come, first-served basis during its scheduled summer plays and musicals. While every gallery, theater, and venue listed above might lend itself to “losing yourself” in art, the monumental task of interacting with so much might seem like a tall order. If you need a break from the immenseness of it all, consider getting lost inside the immersive City Museum, a repurposed warehouse just north of the 21c, where visitors of all ages are encouraged to interact with this surrealistic adult-friendly playground. From a sculpture of a giant whale that welcomes you inside to a rooftop ferris wheel, this eccentric enigma of a space must be seen to be believed. Explore mile upon mile of tile mosaics, take a trip down one of more than 30 slides, grab a cocktail at its in-museum bar, and visit Art City, where you can try your own hand at creating your own gallery-level masterpiece.
If nothing else, art exists to evoke a shared human experience. While there’s no universally agreed upon definition of what art actually is, it’s undoubtedly the most powerful form of communication we collectively have. Hearing a new song for the first time, taking in a painting you’ve never seen before, reading the work of a new poet, even tasting a dish you’ve never tried before can help us learn more about what we have in common with one another than where our differences may lie. In the same respect, travel is the best education. Reading about a place pales in comparison to spending a weekend interacting with its people. Looking at Henri Matisse’s “Bathers with a Turtle” on a screen has nothing on stepping up close to the real thing and being enveloped by the size, scope, color, and texture of the painting. Art must be seen to be truly experienced. So pack your bags, fill up your tank, and head east toward the Gateway to the West to take in the best galleries you can find – at least on that side of the state. Again, it’s not a competition.
A performance at the Muny.
ABOUT THE WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Anna Petrow and Patrick Mulvihill call Kansas City home, but they have been known to find themselves off the beaten path. Born and raised in Kansas City, Anna is a culinary and lifestyle photographer with a knack for letting her camera lens guide her travels. Patrick is a writer, an enthusiastic travel companion, and a proud St. Louis native who uses each new trip as an excuse to eat five meals a day.
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INTERIOR DESIGN by PATRICIA O'DELL | photos by ANNA PETROW
Pretty Is As Pretty Does. Sustainability in decoration is not as aesthetically gruesome as it may sound. While the term may conger mental images of utilitarian furniture and fabrics devoid of decoration, life, and animation, nothing could be further from the truth. The best tactic to obtain some balance is to consider the adage – reduce, reuse, recycle. One of the best approaches to ensuring sustainable choices is to stick to classic shapes in upholstery. These can be classically modern – your wing chair can be mid-20th century rather than mid-18th century – just make sure they are of a livable scale and comfortable. If that’s the case, your children will someday be drawing straws rather than calling Good Will. Along these lines, kiln-dried hardwoods are important for a solid frame. These woods, including alder, maple, teak, and walnut, usually last longer and provide better shape as they hold the frame together. In addition, eight-way hand-tied springs will keep cushions firmly in place. These types of construction may cost more, but they are also more likely to hold up longer. And yes, tastes do change over the years, but it’s likely that reupholstering a well-made frame will be less expensive than buying a new piece, and gentler to the environment. Which brings us – literally – to stores that carry antique and vintage furniture and accessories. Kansas City is lucky to have a wide range of options when it comes to the antique and vintage market. For true antiques, Charlecote Antiques, George, and Pear Tree Design and Antiques in Crestwood Shops are great places to start, as are Christopher Filley and M. Sudermann Interior Design at 45th and State Line. These stalwarts have educated eyes and a dedication to good quality, refined shapes, and the ability to spot a quirky piece that will bring life to any room. Even if your children don’t want them, someone’s will. If you’re interested in bringing in older furniture but aren’t ready to make an investment, the furniture malls around town have a variety of styles and eras available. The rule here is to know you may have to shift through a lot more product. Urban Mining Vintage Market is one of my favorites. Owned by Susan Hartnett and Heather London, Urban Mining is in an old brick building off Gillham Road in Kansas City, Mo. Open the first weekend of every month, they have a large selection of vendors who have a range of aesthetics. But the best part is, it’s fun. Not overly large, not overly crowded, the building houses vendors who have unique styles but who are committed to vintage. It’s full and
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engaging but not overwhelming. And chances are, if it’s a place that you like, you’ll see someone you know. Other group vendor locations include, River Market Antiques, the West Bottoms, Glenwood Antique Mall, and a Fabulous Find. Whether you are buying old or new, you may need fabric for the upholstery. Some fabric production – particularly cotton – can be environmentally taxing. But organic cotton is grown using methods and materials designed to be low impact, including seeds that are not modified or chemically treated. Farmers are not permitted to use pesticides or fertilizers. Organic linen and hemp adhere to the same standards. While the promise of the durability of polyester and nylon might be appealing, they are non-biodegradable and are unsustainable. In addition, they may not have a “good hand,” which is a term that designers use to refer to the feel of the fabric.
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So, when it comes to product, how do INTERIOR DESIGN you know if it’s sustainable? Obviously with vintage and antique furniture, there’s a patina that provides the proof. Fortunately, for new products, there are labels that provide confirmation. NonGMO Project Verified, Fair Trade Certified, USDA organic, Environmental Working Group (EWG) Verified, B-Corp, and Cradle to Cradle are few marks that will identify sustainable manufacturing. Being committed to environmental sustainability does not necessarily mean tossing everything that does not fall within this parameter and starting over. Indeed, you’d simply be creating more waste. But as you replace – that worn rug, the chair that no one will sit in, or the wonky lamp – take a moment to consider its replacement and take the opportunity to buy better. EDITOR'S NOTE This is the grand finale for our incredible Design writer, Patricia O’Dell. Patricia has been so essential to the form and growth of Today Kansas City. I reached out to her to join the magazine’s writing collective and had to wait a bit for her to arrange time in her schedule to join us; however, since she has, the content and the beauty of the magazine has been enhanced. Patricia’s time is now being divided a bit differently as she has become more involved in tending to two of Kansas City’s great new restaurants, Earl’s Premier and Bacaro Primo, which she and her husband, Todd Schulte, and his business partner Cory Dannehl, own. We wish her the very best future, and we will carry on the tradition of her rich design content.
“I think I was experimenting on myself, which is better than experimenting with clients,” she says. “But in the last few years, I’ve changed out the rug to something simpler and replaced the pillows with ones that have texture rather than color.” She says the change has delivered a new sense of calm in the room. “Maybe, in my case, with raising children and working all day, what I want to come home to is something that’s relaxing, welcoming, and peaceful.” In addition to the calming effect, Schmidt thinks neutral backgrounds provide a lot of flexibility, as well. “We have a client whose whole house is neutral, but she has a very colorful art collection and accessories that she changes in different seasons. A neutral background allows her to add personality on a whim without a big commitment. I’d rather the artwork and other textures attract attention rather than the palette of the room itself,” Schmidt says. While the neutrals of decades past might have led homeowners to forbid red wine in the living room, Schmidt notes that today’s textiles offer wearability even in rooms that withstand a lot of use and traffic. “When it comes to lighter-colored materials, we use a lot of natural materials like wool, which repels and cleans very well. When my children were young, we had a light-colored wool sofa, and I had it cleaned once and never had an issue. It just repelled stains.” Schmidt also appreciates the evolution of outdoor fabrics that have a soft hand. “They’re not the plastic-y, scratchy material of the past,” she notes. If there is any “bling” in Schmidt’s rooms it usually appears in light fixtures or the texture of tile. “Someone might not think of tile around a fireplace that is neutral and matte as ‘bling,’, but it has a nice, chiseled stone face to it. You may notice the simplicity of a room, but the artwork, light fixtures, accents – such as the pillows – and the objects on the tables add a lot of interest.”
ABOUTTHE THEAUTHOR AUTHOR ABOUT Patricia O’Dell O’Dell started started the the lifestyle lifestyle blog blog “Mrs. “Mrs. Blandings” Blandings” in in 2007. 2007. Her Her curiosity curiosityled led her herto to write about Patricia designers, business owners, andowners, industryand leaders. She’s been published Architectural write aboutartists, designers, artists, business industry leaders. She’s beeninpublished in Digest, Elle Decor, Chicago Tribune, Flower magazine, Kansas City Spaces, and The Kansas City Star, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Chicago Tribune, Flower magazine, Kansas City Spaces, and as well as archdigest.com and The Kansas City Star, aselledecor.com. well as archdigest.com and elledecor.com.
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RESTORATIONS words and photos by TOM STRONGMAN A large contingent of supporters, friends, and alumni were on hand at Pebble Beach.
McPherson College Auto Restoration Students Score Big. When you think about a handful of students from a small college in central Kansas challenging some of the best automotive restoration shops in the world and taking second place in the Postwar Luxury class at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours de Elegance, images of David and Goliath come to mind. The Aug. 20 event took place on the 18th Green of the Pebble Beach Golf Links. Pebble Beach is to classic automobiles what the Oscars are to movies. In an interview with the Hagerty Insurance newsletter, Michael Schneider, president of McPherson College, said, “Many
car collectors dream of just competing at Pebble Beach their entire lives. This is 10 years in the making, with students, alumni, and faculty pouring their heart and soul into this restoration project of the Mercedes-Benz to make this vision a reality. This accomplishment puts our students on par with the professionals of automotive restoration.” The rock with which the students smote the giants of the restoration industry was a 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet. McPherson College has the only four-year auto restoration course in the United States. The program offers four-year bachelor’s
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(Above) The 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet restored by McPherson College students took second place in the Postwar Luxury class. (Right) The smiles say it all. From left, in the back: Wyatt Miceli, Colby Marshall, and Matthew Kroeker. Brian Martin is driving. Also in the car, Victoria Bruno
degrees, and not just about working on cars. Course work includes general education classes as well as technical classes in paint, sheet metal, upholstery, engines, chassis, and woodworking. This, however, is the first time the students have entered a car in the prestigious show that was completely and totally their own work. The school bought this 1953 Mercedes Benz from Richard and Mary Hopeman in 2016, and thus began a seven-year project to completely dismantle the car down to the last nut and bolt and rebuild it to perfection. The school has benefited from mentorship from the Mercedes-Benz classic restoration shop in California, Art’s Star Classics, two scholarships from Jay Leno, and help from other shops, such as Paul Russell. “Much like art historians who clean and repair the works of the Renaissance era, the young men and women at McPherson College are doing it with automobiles, recreating abilities and techniques long forgotten, and they’ll make a good living doing it,” said Leno in a statement earlier this year. One of the key tasks with a project whose completion spans several classes of students is getting new students up to speed and keeping the project on schedule, a responsibility that fell to Brian Martin as project coordinator. His job was to wrangle the different disciplines and students to get the project completed. “It was a complete frame-off, top-to-bottom restoration by students. We planned for it to become the cornerstone of our program and an example of the skills our students develop while they are here,” Martin said. Over the course of the project
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fine-tune the aerodynamics and arrive at a chassis that has a car, with functionality and visibility paramount.” The central tunnel is clad with carbon fiber and only carries the switches curb weight of just over 3,300 pounds. The carbon-fiber chassis makes use of underbody aerody- that are necessary. Maserati and Sabelt collaborated on the design and crenamics that help keep the top of the car sleek and sensuStudents completelycontours dismantled and rebuiltecho the carclassic bolt by bolt, a job that took al with rounded that design. The15,000 nosehours.ation of the MC20 seats. A composite structural shell, equipped contains a grille that is recognizably Maserati complete with with power adjustments and lumbar system, represents the essence of the MC20 project: sportiveness at a high quality and the Trident emblem. upgrades as many as 200 students had somepivot role, but aboutto45 performance level.and programs throughout the campus. The McPherson Upward-opening “butterfly” doors forward sowere the actively College Boardfaber of Trustees also voted to name the involved. Completion took roughly 15,000 hours. The MC20’s Sonus audio embodies theunanimously translation of driver and passenger can get into the cabin with a minimum McPherson College endowment afterhow two both late alumni McPherson College, liberal arts school of focused. 800 students its loname, “handmade sound” that illustrates brands and profesof interference. The cabin aissmall understated, and driver sors at McPherson College, Drs. John Ward and John Burkholder. cated in McPherson Kansas, recently received an anonymous enThe interior shapes are simple, with few sharp corners and desire to pair innovative technologies and skillful craftsmanIf you’re not in a position to dedicate four years to schooling, dowment that could, along with matching gifts, eventually reach the upholstery and interior materials are black to prevent re- ship. McPherson also has weeklong summer courses for people $1.5 billion, one of the largest endowments gifts ever to a small Committing the MC20 to production is a bold statement who want flections on the steep sloping windscreen. Plus, black lends to brush up onhow skillsitor learn newboth ones.today You can school. endowment has been named after formerfrom pro- Maserati about sees itself, andget in more the details at a feeling of The understated elegance. There are two LCDtwo screens mcpherson.edu/programs/auto-restoration/ fessors parentheses name insert here and will be used for several in the instrument panel, one in front of the driver for gauges future when an all-electric version will be available. That forand one in the center above the console. Maserati emphasiz- ward vision is necessary for a company that has such a long es that “everything is laid out just like the cockpit of a racing and storied history.
ABOUT ABOUTTHE THEAUTHOR AUTHOR // PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHER Tom Strongman has a degree Tom Strongman has a degree in in photojournalism photojournalism from from the the University University of of Missouri Missouri and and was was formerly the director of photography and then the automotive editor of The Kansas formerly the director of photography and then the automotive editor of The Kansas City City Star. Star. Tom, Tom, aa member member of of the the Missouri Missouri Press Press Association Association Photojournalism Photojournalism Hall Hall of of Fame, Fame, has has written about and photographed cars for more than three decades. written about and photographed cars for more than three decades.
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Midwest Animal ResQ. Erin Morse moved to Kansas City from Los Angeles in 2009. She’d never had a pet – back in California, there simply wasn’t space. Once settled in, she paid a visit to a local animal rescue, where she met Jelly Bean. Jelly Bean was a “homely” chihuahua, according to Morse. “She must have been eight or nine years old then,” she remembers with a laugh, “and missing most of her teeth, overweight, not housetrained, just wanted nothing to do with me. She had no idea how to be a dog.” Jelly Bean had been in the rescue for a long time, and her foster caregiver didn’t expect anyone to adopt the dog. “There was something about her,” Morse recalls. “I could see just this enormous sadness and emptiness in her eyes. I’m somebody who likes a challenge, and I knew she needed help. I spent about two minutes there and said, ‘Yep. I’ll take her.’” It took Jelly Bean a year to learn to trust Morse, but little by little, she learned to be a dog again. “She had associated people with
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everything terrifying and horrible,” Morse says. The most rewarding experiences for Erin were seeing Jelly Bean lay in a dog bed for the first time, and the first sigh when she truly relaxed. It was then that she began her work in animal welfare and rescue. Morse decided, “I want to do this over and over again – I want other people to experience what I’m experiencing.” Morse came from a career in customer service and found the process of adopting a rescue animal counterintuitive. It was difficult for people who had not previously owned a pet, and though she had heard about how many homeless pets there were in Missouri, it proved far too difficult to adopt one. Additionally, Morse was determined to address the issue of animal welfare in a state rife with “puppy mills,” or forced breeding facilities for pets. According to Morse, “six or seven out of every 10 dogs in the country are from Missouri, because they don’t have the same protections here as in other states – they’re considered livestock.”
Morse began fostering a few older animals from local puppy mills, while continuing to work her day job. Her work resonated with the Kansas City community, and year after year the demand doubled. When the volume of rescue animals became too much to handle out of her home, she turned her attention to a very local problem. “Raytown really needed help with its stray animals,” Morse says. “They had a high euthanasia rate.” She found a vacant 7-Eleven station with a collapsed roof, and through the help of neighbors and local contractors turned it into a holding facility. “It took a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and begging. We had to call in a lot of favors. But we put together a plan to save the strays, convinced the Board of Aldermen, and decreased euthanasia in Raytown by 86 percent within the first 60 days.” That plan? Morse did her research and showed that it would cost the same to distribute the rabies vaccine amongst the stray population as it would to euthanize them.
Midwest Animal ResQ now employs seven staff members (Erin herself went unpaid for most of the rescue’s existence), and it is on track to see 2,000 animals this year. But she and the animals need the community’s help. “Our length of stay is increasing – it’s symptomatic of an unprecedented national animal welfare crisis. The amount of stray animals has doubled and the requests for intake have increased, but so has the length of stay, because people just aren’t adopting as much and it’s creating a bottleneck.” Erin cites several possible causes for this “perfect storm” facing her rescue mission. Housing instability in Kansas City is a main factor – there are not enough rental properties available, and those that are either don’t allow pets or have a “crazy high pet fee.” Additionally, access to affordable veterinary care and low-cost spay/neuter services are scarce. The pet market itself has become saturated in recent years – many homes already have a pet, or more than one.
“Our length of stay is increasing – it’s symptomatic of an unprecedented national animal welfare crisis. The amount of stray animals has doubled and the requests for intake have increased, but so has the length of stay, because people just aren’t adopting as much and it’s creating a bottleneck.”
So what’s one to do, short of finding an abandoned 7-Eleven and fostering hundreds of rescue animals? “Keep identification on your pet. Close to 90 percent of strays don’t have current identification. Most shelters will give you a collar – take a sharpie and write your name and number on it. Get a tag, if you can.” Morse also recommends contacting your veterinarian or a shelter to ensure that your pet’s microchip information is up-to-date and contacting a local shelter for low-cost
options to spay and neuter. By reducing the amount of lost pets and strays, rescues like Midwest Animal ResQ stand a chance at finding homes for the animals they already have. In the meantime, Morse’s organization is “very actively” looking for another location in the Kansas City metro area – the amount of animals they’ve saved and are looking to foster has outgrown their Raytown location. In the meantime, they’ll continue their mission of “completing families, one tail at a time.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Though originally from a small town outside of Kansas City, Kansas, Matt Lancaster lives in Lawrence with his wife, son, dog, and cats, where he works as a program director for the University of Kansas School of Business.
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KC ORIGINALS words by ANNE KNIGGENDORF
A Kansas City Success Story. Abstract artist and jewelry designer Brady Legler says that his current living situation sometimes feels like a Saturday Night Live skit. The 34 year-old grew up around Kansas City with a gay mom and a gay dad – both former runway models – and now the three of them live only a few miles apart, all in a row. “Oh, my God, you have to knock or call or something,” he says, thinking of the situation over coffee on a sunny fall morning in downtown Kansas City. “I’m coming from 15 years in New York City and so it’s kind of funny. They just walk right in.” Legler, who works in colorful abstract paintings as well as jewelry he crafts with the exacting attention of an engineer, returned to Kansas City early in the pandemic. He lived in the New York City neighborhood where some of the first cases of COVID-19 were identified – then came down with it himself. Coming home ended up feeling like a good move, so, though he’s kept his place in New York, he now also has a place in Leawood, Kansas, near his parents.
His family and his hometown have had a tremendous influence on his work. In 2010, just before graduating from Parsons the New School for Design in New York City, he landed a Q&A in The New York Times, in which he talked about getting his start in jewelry design at 19 by retooling his grandmother’s necklaces. At 21 years old, he began selling his creations in Halls department store and stores in New York City. Legler says his grandmother, who’d been a model in the 1940s, was effortlessly stylish. “She would always say that you don’t need to have money to have style. She would always say that you only wear leather shoes. You buy one dress, or you have one suit; you change your accessories.” He internalized her lessons in simplicity and clean lines and has designed accordingly. Tivol has carried Legler’s work for years, and Samsung outfitted models in his rings and earrings for prominent ads in GQ and Vogue; his pieces glinted in the sun on German actress
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Diane Kruger in French fashion magazine Grazia; and ELLE Canada featured various models and actress Elizabeth Olsen wearing his work. Even though his family identifies as “very Italian,” it seems to be just as much their Kansas City identity that grounds Legler and informs his decisions. “There is something about Kansas City that is unique, special,” he says. I don’t know if there’s, like, a humbleness factor or something like that, that comes into play.” He thinks for a minute then says, “Maybe it’s just that the people I looked up to were always very humble and kind of soft spoken and didn’t have to say much to say a lot. Then I got to New York, and everyone was so loud.” His splashy abstract art has gotten nearly as much attention,
62 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | FALL/WINTER 2023
showing up in Modern Magazine, Elle Décor, KC Magazine, and Spaces KC. Legler says the style differences between his paintings and his jewelry help him strike a balance. “It’s color that does it for me,” he says of his works in acrylic, which he recently began transferring onto textiles. “I could paint us sitting here right now, but I enjoy looking at just splashes of color instead of certain shapes. With the jewelry, I can get exact … and with the art, I can be as free as I want. It’s good for me.” In each case, he uses a lot of blue. “I haven’t left the house without blue on me since I was 13 years old. I don’t think, subconsciously, I could leave the house without it,” he says. Another family story. When Legler was in middle school, his father battled a rare form of thyroid cancer. He won, and Legler says he’s now one of
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MEAN MULE POMEGRANATE GIN FIZZ Makes 1 cocktail
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2 oz Mean Mule Agave Gin 1 ½ oz POM 100% pomegranate juice ½ oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice ¾ oz simple syrup 1 egg white 1 oz soda water Garnish with rosemary sprig Instructions: Combine gin, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and an egg white in a cocktail shaker and shake like you mean it for 15 seconds (no ice). Then add ice and shake like you really, really mean it for 30 seconds until cold. Strain the drink into a glass and gently top with soda water as the egg white rises to the top. Then add the rosemary sprig garnish.
With the jewelry, I can get exact … and with the art, I can be as free as I want. It’s good for me.”
botanicals in about 100 combinations before they found make persimmon jelly,” Meg says. forward, theorganization Evanses plan needed to add another agricultural Legler says the younger people involved, a recipe. only six survivors of that type in the world – and holds a record for Moving to their growing and he was business: glad to step up. their own agave. They’ve purWhat they on does include juniper – for legal pur- element enduring the landed most radiation. in Arizona and willback plantinto this coming As40 heacres continues to settle Kansas December, City, he plans to poses – but had alsobeen whitegiven peppercorn, lemon zest, His father 90 days cardamom, to live and was open to ev-chased Jeff says, it’llwith be nearly years before they’llas behe able volunteer more local seven schools and hospitals, did back coriander, and, A mostly persimmon. ery suggestion. familystrikingly, friend urged him to try visualizing a heal-though, andalso distillready their crop. East. He’s to start doing gallery shows, which, so far, an enormous persimmon tree on our property,” ing“We bluehad during his treatments, and a family obsession began. to harvest the goal from. is to be a single-estate manufacturer. “Evhe’ssays shied away Meg says about herexperience childhood home near Hermann, Missouri. That challenging not only impacted Legler’s art but Meg of the processhas of being single important. So, in my Word of mouth “gotten meestate to thisisamazing place She says they bring in want elements fromfamilies their farm has helped him wanted connect to with, and to help, goingery part estate means to I’m bottle, it is for all on life,” Legler says,from “butdirt now ready theus.” rest of the world to and heritage and eventimes. experimented with cornhusks and single through similarly trying it takes will ready be theto first large-scale agave farm in [my off, art],theirs and I’m kind of get into the game with the other things grew all around them. chairs for the 2023 Kan- If see He and his that parents served as honorary United guys.” States, which sounds not only like great bragging “Persimmon just really came out with something sas City Hospice & Palliative Care fundraiser, Sunday that Nightwe Live.the bigger loved and have good memories around. Grandma used to rights for Mean Mule, but for Kansas City.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anne Kniggendorf is a staff writer/editor at the Kansas City Public Library. She's the author of Secret Kansas City and Kansas City Scavenger, and a freelance writer for various local and national publications. Visit her website: annekniggendorf.com.
64 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | SUMMER 72 FALL/WINTER 2022 2023
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Q: What is the most rewarding part of your career? A: Partnering with people to fulfill their goals. We provide the tools and
resources needed so each of our clients can have a customized plan in place. The largest asset people have is their time, and we strive to make their life more efficient so they sleep better at night.
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Q: When is an individual or family ready to engage Mariner Wealth Advisors? A: People always ask what an ideal client is, and it always goes back to “people who need our help and people who want our help.” Our clients’ two biggest concerns are:
1. If I don’t wake up tomorrow, is my planning for my loved ones buttoned up? 2. Making sure wealth and wealth preservation have a positive impact on the next generation.
Q: What do you like doing in your spare time? A: Outside of work, I enjoy giving back to the community through organizations like Shatterproof and Coaches vs. Cancer. I also have a passion for golf and teach golf fundamentals training classes.
Start a Conversation With Kevin: 913-428-3729 OR kevin.ward@marinerwealthadvisors.com Mariner Wealth Advisors (“MWA”) is an SEC registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in the State of Kansas. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. For additional information about MWA, including fees and services, please contact MWA or refer to the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). Please read the disclosure statement carefully before you invest or send money. There is no assurance that any investment or planning strategy will be successful. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.
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HEALTH by DR. LINDA MOORE
How's Your Stress Level?
FALL/WINTER 2023 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | 67
Instead of pushing through that first sign – a headache, muscle pains or spasms, intense thoughts and feelings, even worry about being worried, the things to try are – stop, focus, breathe and ask what’s going on?
Stress is normal – consequently the question to explore is how much is too much? And how do you determine that? How do you measure your stress – the level of intensity, the source, and, equally important, how do you manage stress? Are there truly effective ways to manage stress? Yes. Exercise, meditation, quality down time, focused reflection, and, finally, talking openly with someone you trust and are comfortable being open with. For many people the choice is to minimize the seriousness of stress if not ignoring it altogether. Consider the consequences of ignoring stress. It’s similar to the effort to ignore a small child wanting your attention. When pestering, crying, even yelling produces no response, many children up the ante by breaking something, perhaps throwing a more intense tantrum. Your body’s (system) equivalent is to escalate or develop more serious symptoms. Consider that you actually have an “early warning system.” Most of us have a familiar symptom – even a voice in our heads that tries hard to say, “slow down and pay attention!” When ignored, symptoms often grow more intense or escalate. So when we instead pay attention to first signs it opens awareness for how to cope effectively. The perhaps obvious point: Instead of pushing through that first sign – a headache, muscle pains or spasms, intense thoughts and feelings, even worry about being worried, the things to try are – stop, focus, breathe and ask what’s going on?
68 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | FALL/WINTER 2023
Slow down from your regular pace – reflect on what’s happening. Maybe even take some quick notes. Check physical and emotional symptoms as well as the thoughts circling around in your head, and consider who might be the easiest person for you to talk to about what you’re experiencing. For many people letting others know our true feelings in daunting . . . and the concern about talking and sharing what you feel shuts many people down. For far too many people, sharing feelings is a sign of weakness. The reality: it’s the opposite! We are displaying genuine strength when we speak openly about who we are and what we are feeling and the nature of true struggles. TO GET A JUMP-START ON REFLECTING AND UNDERSTANDING STRESS. CONSIDER GRABBING A PEN AND NOTEPAD AND ANSWERING SOME QUESTIONS: How do you know when you are stressed? Do you get a physical sign or symptom, a challenging or troubling thought? A powerful even scary set of feelings? Write about anything you are aware of. Do any of your signs or symptoms make you uncomfortable, even worried about what’s wrong with me? Who is one person you might feel comfortable talking to about your stress, your more worrisome thoughts? If there is no one in your circle of family or friends you feel comfortable talking to, have you been stressed enough that you’ve considered talking to your doctor – or a mental health professional? If yes, take some steps in that direction by identifying your professional resources.
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spiritualtravels.info retreatfinder.com prayereleven.org timbercreekretreat.org Thoughts not expressed out loud often take on an unrealistic and powerful energy, sometimes unrealistic fear. You may confirm doing exactly what you are doing is great; Imagine time away where reflection is the primary objective – with a journal and pen close by for recording thoughts and you may reflect on new things, options for going forward, and feelings. Writing with pen on paper creates a valuable or something right in between. It’s simply finding your own resense of direction. if prepared you discover all youon need is you to need symptoms are, you areAnd more to reflect what connection the brain. IDENTIFYING However, if you better with a newed IF YOU HAVEtoDIFFICULTY ORfeel LABELING stare toat do.the water, mountains, or woods and rest somewhere laptop, go forCONSIDER it. SYMPTOMS, THESE. the comfort of your does home,not owncreate it. Meditation reflecting on paper enoughcan clarifying For a simple start, a first step you’ve never tried meditaEmotional symptoms: worry andifapprehension; general emotion-other Ifthan affirm weconsider are on the rightto path. Or, it member can openorhearts, information, talking a family friend or coltion, is simple breathing exercises. The mostto simple, andsadness, you simply al tension; agitation and anxiety that is hard manage; eyes,And to something new,feel slightly new, or consider dramatically league. if that doesn’t comfortable, options… a might try it crying now, just as an the following exer- orminds, depression, easily andexperiment, frequently; is excessive self criticism Meditation, allows whatever to surface. therapist is my firstretreating, suggestion; however, you can also consider a cise: Breathe in to the count four, hold your breath thefeel-different. discounting your thoughts and of feelings; irritability, anger, to even Meditation healing. Far too many have minister oralso yourhelps familywith doctor. The most important thingexis to see if count seven and release very slowly low to the oforeight … ings of of rage; helplessness, hopelessness, self count esteem self worth. loss during difficult time andgoing both on. emoyou cantragic ease yourself intothis talking about what’s release through pursed lips, like preparing to whistle. Behavioral signs: difficulty acting on decisions; poor Repeat concentra-perienced and physical healing is needed. Understanding what not expressed out loud often take on an unrealistic and this four times. do it again. take a minute pay at- tionalThoughts tion; poor time Then management; a And frantic pace; loss oftoproductivity; think, feel, want,sometimes and need isunrealistic importantfear. to determine what energy, Exposing thoughts and tention to how youby feel. being unavailable not answering calls or responding to messag-youpowerful areeither both desirable and more you reflect, feelings, on paper or bypossible. talking toThe someone, often takes some range from simple breathing exercis- changes es;Meditation changes intechniques eating or drinking habits; general negativity. and write and about what you think and feel, the more level. of the negativity concern down to a more manageable esFinally like thissome to silent repetition a mantra (a word or phrase) in tona-meditate, symptoms areof often regarded as “spiritual” achieve. The challenge is to make these two diffiIt’s you’ll exposing thoughts and feelings fresh air! They lose both enerlistening to guided instructionsafor deepofrelaxation and resting ture – a void, or an emptiness, feeling being ungrounded, root-clarity cultgy years a positive andhave negative power.outcome when and where possible. the mind. less, disconnected. And, finally, addictions and compulsions. MyRemember personal easy getaway is Timber Creek, a quite elegant stress is normal. It’s a sign to stop, take a breath, exTo what end? When the mind is allowed to truly quiet retreat center drive from Kansas TheIt’swebsite, amine whatan youhour are doing, thinking, and City. feeling. intent is to get down … especially when applied after term, persistent TO ANALYZE EVEN MORE, REFLECT ON long WHERE YOU ARE options across the and to your attention, allowhas youinformation to examinefor what you are doing, stress …FEELING feelingsTHE andMOST thoughts emerge that are truly helpful timbercreekretreat.org, WHEN STRESS. Mydirection, wish is forwhen you toneeded. take good care of yourself, recog- when change It becomes unmanageable to ofAtuswork? as we where we’ve been, where country. At each home? In contemplate a social setting? Commuting to work? past two years have been challenge that we are we the neglect necessary focus on a well-being. So take a breath, we are now, and even where we trying want to relax venture forward today Traveling? Maybe when on vacation? Once nizing tryingsome to accurately evaluate. notes, and talk to someone when you can. andisolate in the where future.you are when stressed and what your specific still take you
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Linda Moore has been in practice in the Kansas City area for over 25 years and is a published author on personal and family issues.
66 | | TODAY TODAYKANSAS KANSASCITY CITY | | FALL/WINTER SUMMER 20222023 70
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Concerts are held in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
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CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL Thursday & Friday, Dec. 14-15 at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
BLAINE KRAUSS, vocalist ALLEGRO CHOIRS OF KANSAS CITY, CHRISTY ELSNER, founder and director KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY CHORUS, CHARLES BRUFFY, chorus director Festive fun for your family! Kansas City’s grandest holiday concert returns as the Symphony and Symphony Chorus present unique musical arrangements of cherished Christmas carols, songs of the season, plus exciting guest vocalists for a healthy dose of Christmas cheer. Enjoy an early visit from Santa and a fun holiday sing-a-long! Tickets start at $35 for adults and $25 for children.
Kansas City Symphony Holiday Tradition
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
Friday & Saturday, Dec. 1-2 at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. ROBERTO KALB, guest conductor KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY CHORUS CHARLES BRUFFY, chorus director Witness one of the Kansas City Symphony’s most beloved holiday traditions! Featuring the Kansas City Symphony Chorus and some of America’s most accomplished soloists, Handel’s Messiah includes the iconic “Hallelujah Chorus” and sweeping solos portraying one of the greatest stories ever told. Handel’s glorious choral masterpiece will bring hope and joy to your Christmas season. Tickets from $30 for adults and $20 for children.
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THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS Thursday & Friday, Dec. 21-22 at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24 at 1:30 p.m. JASON SEBER, guest conductor See one of Tim Burton’s most celebrated films like never before! The film will be projected on a giant screen in Helzberg Hall with dialogue, singing and effects, accompanied by Danny Elfman’s darkly charming score played live by your Kansas City Symphony. Tickets from $40 for adults and $25 for children. Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts. © Disney. All rights reserved. MPAA Rating: PG
Holiday concerts are supported by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund.
Tickets are a great holiday gift idea!
JOURNEY HOME STARRING JOYCE DIDONATO
Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 at 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024 2 p.m. MICHAEL STERN, conductor JOYCE DIDONATO, mezzo-soprano A dazzling concert filled with inventive and poetic works, plus Kansas City native and international star Joyce DiDonato’s luminous voice. Audiences will be charmed by Strauss’ infectious Overture to Die Fledermaus. Tickets from $29.
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INTERVIEW by JOEL NICHOLS
Living the Legacy. His name sounds like music. Lonnie McFadden. With a career that spans six decades, this singer, dancer, and trumpet-player continues to make KC swing from the stage of his own nightspot: Lonnie’s Reno Club in the Ambassador Hotel downtown. Your father, the legendary dancer Jimmy McFadden, put you and your brother, Ronald, on the stage at the Hotel Muehlebach when you were six years old. Now, you stand on a stage and see his picture looking back at you. Opening night it hit me: I play at a club that carries my name. Named after a place that my father played in the ’30s. Even though my father played there, he couldn’t walk in the front door. How far God has brought things. I have no anger. I have gratitude because I know these things for a fact. I didn’t read these things in books. I heard my father. I heard Jay McShann. I heard Count Basie.
FALL/WINTER 2023 | TODAY KANSAS CITY | 73
How did you combine that musical heritage with your own generation’s beat? I do live the legacy. I was always around it. But I was also a product of my generation. Everybody around me is listening to James Brown and Marvin Gaye. The Temptations, and on the television I’m seeing The Beatles. Ronald and I completely quit tap dancing when we got in high school. When I was 16, I quit high school and I went on the road with a band. Kansas City was so segregated we couldn’t even play on the Plaza. When the band broke up, I was lost. Ronald had been getting his tap dance chops back so we started tap dancing again. Ronald suggested we go back to where we started over at the Muehlebach. So, we put an act together. Sing. Tap dance. Play. Tell jokes. The McFadden brothers.
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You mentioned the fact that your dad couldn’t walk through the front door of the places he performed. That was another legacy you had to face. In my teenage years and early 20s, I never made it across 75th and Metcalf without the police stopping me. That’s the honest truth. There’s no exaggerating. I’m not talking about sometime. I’m talking about every time. I’m a glass half full kind of guy. It’s not that I don’t realize the racism, the bigotry, but what I also realize is all the opportunity. I do know the Kansas City I grew up in, but I also know that the rules are changing. What’s a typical day like for an entertainer like you? I’m glad you asked that because I think people think all musicians
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INTERVIEW
wake up at noon, have some coffee, light a joint. Get to the gig at the last minute. I’m about to dispel the heck out of that. I wake up around 8 a.m. Shower. Coffee. By 10:00 my brain is actually working and I am in my basement starting with the boring things that every trumpet player does: ‘bwaah… bwahh.’ I try to put in two to three hours every day on the trumpet. That’s my goal. And I put in two hours, four days a week as a tap dancer. The great Charlie Parker said you learn the instrument. You learn the music. Then, you forget all that junk and play. That’s the way I approach it. You’ve got to learn it and then forget it so you can have the emotion come through. So you can just be you. I always visit with every guest in the place. That’s not work. It’s fun. I like to talk to people about Kansas City jazz, about Charlie Parker, about my dad, about what I do. Earlier this year, your brother, Ronald, passed away. I lost the only dance partner I’ve ever had. Ronald’s input with the McFadden brothers was the visual. I was the music guy. He was the dance. All of the things thatMuseum people play in What role does thedance American Jazz still ask me he was the brains keeping thisabout, important music alive? behind it. This But, is I think I’ve institution. got my daughter, Chloe, a hybrid We’ve got theon museum element for boardvisitors to do a toand Ronald over thethe hol-history; but we also daily totribute come in learn about idays.aWe’ll do ‘Mr. some-and we’ve got the have working jazzBojangles.’ club in theThat’s Blue Room, thing Theater I’ve never done the without Ronald. Gem across street. We shepherd them into an exMaybewhere it’s optimistic on my butthe effects of being perience they can really see part, and feel I would like to think that Ronald, and my in a live environment. mother and father put so much into I’ve always been who at the intersection of arts education, of me, are looking down and saying, ‘Not nonprofit business, and of culture. I livebad.’ in this matrix. It really I think they’re thinking that forplay sure.hard No doubt allows me to work hard and at the same time. I love aboutI it. what do and, you know, our staff loves what we all do. It’s a work of passion.
You started here as the pandemic was really taking hold. That must have presented special challenges right from the start. There was an opportunity even during the pandemic. It makes me think of the seasons. We need the winter because there are things happening beneath the soil. Things being seeded that will burst when the spring comes. I think that happened with the pandemic. There was a lot of opportunity to grow, to incubate. In fact, we opened up our Jazz Incubator for the musician community, which had a tough time in the pandemic, a space for them to come in, play, learn, and get resources. It has been a quarter of century since the American Jazz Museum opened its doors. I know you have so much planned starting with the “In The Yard” celebration the weekend before the August 29th birthday of Charlie Parker. Then, in September, a beautiful new exhibit honoring 25 years at 18th and Vine. But, you are always looking forward, to the next 25. It’s important for us to continue to anchor the neighborhood. Our community depends on that. This was a vision that was started 25 years ago but it’s got to grow. It’s got to grow in a way that’s authentic and genuine. I think it’s really a wonderful opportunity. People need to come here and really understand the roots of this town. What’s in the soil. What’s in the sidewalks. Appreciate the authentic and genuine culture that contributed to much of Kansas City history. Eighteenth and Vine. The American Jazz Museum. It’s the heartbeat of the city.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joel Nichols has been interviewing fascinating people from Kansas City and around the nation for 35 years. Today, he does freelance work for a number of area organizations, as well as emcee events in our town. Please, visit Joel Nichols Communications, online.
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