Vox Magazine October 2020 Issue

FILMS TO FACE YOUR FEARS PAGE 9

ODD MISSOURI STAYCATIONS PAGE 14

IT’S PIZZA! FOR BREAKFAST! PAGE 26

COVID-FRIENDLY HALLOWEEN PAGE 27

OCTOBER 2020 • THE VOICE OF COLUMBIA

our virtual

reality Millions have taken to streaming platforms like Zoom, Twitch and Discord to remain together while apart. PAGE 18

YOU ARE THE GENERATION THAT WILL BE STEPPING FOOT ON MARS. TIERA FLETCHER

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS ENGINEER, BOEING

GIRLS IN STEM BECOME WOMEN WHO CHANGE THE WORLD. LEARN MORE @SHECANSTEM ON INSTAGRAM

FROM THE EDITOR

LOCALLY SOURCED

O

nce when I was in elementary school, I was eating at Shakespeare’s with my cousins. I was grabbing plates for my whole family from the plates/cutlery/ parmesan cheese/pinkish-red towel station.

(If you’ve been to Shakespeare’s, you know.)

The task was seemingly simple, but not for me. I ended up dropping 12 or so plates against the concrete floor, and I can still hear the clash. It silenced the restaurant, a seemingly impossible thing to do at a crowded pizzeria with brick walls, for probably five seconds, but it felt like forever.

Also, if you’ve ever thought those white plastic plates look indestructible — withstanding toddlers, drunken students downtown and 45 years of pizza-ing — I’m here to say you’re wrong. Almost all of them broke. I didn’t know what to do. I stared at the plates until my cousin came to help me pick them up. We put them (or the pieces of them) into the little square dish return and grabbed 12 new plates.

Another time, not long after, I called Shakespeare’s to order a pizza for my family, who should have decided what they wanted ahead of time but didn’t. The phone call was so disastrous that it ended in “Nevermind, bye!” My

E DI T OR I N CHI E F SARAH EVERETT DE PUT Y E DI T OR JARED GENDRON M AN AGI N G E DI T OR CIANNA MORALES

family still makes fun of that call to this day.

For the record, I also have less embarrassing, mostly fond memories at Shakespeare’s, from preschool field trips to eating the little dough they toss to elementary school kids to daring my friends to eat it in high school.

What strikes me about our October issue is how many of my favorite spots, many of which bring about waves of nostalgia, found their way onto the pages of this issue: Shakespeare’s (p. 24), Café B (also p. 24), Pizza Tree (p. 26), the public library (p. 8), Shryocks corn maze (p. 28) and others. I hope you’ll recognize some of your old favorites in this issue and learn something new about them.

We also have a feature in this issue that encourages a trip (or at least a scroll through Airbnb) just beyond Columbia, to places such as Rocheport, Green Ridge and Linn, and more specifically, places such as School House Bed and Breakfast, The Silos at Prairie Vale and Where Pigs Fly Farm (p. 14).

Vox loves local people and places. We want to hear from you, and we so appreciate how hard our favorite spots all around Columbia are working to stay in business and keep customers safe. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Hang in there, Columbia.

SARAH EVERETT Editor in Chief

Behind the issue Solace and Olivia Palisano are like all of us: They had exciting plans for 2020 that were sullied by the pandemic. When the couple tested positive for COVID-19 days before their wedding, they decided to get married on Zoom. Like other streaming platforms, Zoom is booming, adding more users in the first two months of 2020 than in all of 2019. Twitch and Discord have exploded, too, with Twitch increasing its number of users by 50% since 2019. It’s a virtual reality world. – Christina Long Correction: A story in the September issue incorrectly stated the release date for Wonder Woman 1984.

The release date for the movie has been delayed to Dec. 25.

Photography by Derek Rieke and courtesy of Olivia Palisano

DI GI TAL M AN A G ING E D IT O R GABY MORERA DI NÚBILA ON L I N E E DI T OR GRACE COOPER ART DI R E CT OR S HOPE JOHNSON, MADISON WISSE PHOT O E DI T OR COURTNEY PERRETT M ULT I M E DI A E DI T O R SAM MOSHER AS S I S TAN T E D IT O RS CULT UR E JESSE BAALMAN, CLAUDIA KHAW, SADIE LEA E AT + DR I N K HANNAH BRITTON, MADELYN ODEN CI T Y L I F E CHRISTINA LONG, EMMY LUCAS, ALEXANDRA SHARP CON T R I B UT I N G W R I T E RS ANTHONY ASHE, ANGELINA EDWARDS, REID GLENN, EVAN MUSIL, MCKENNA NEFF, ANNASOFIA SCHEVE, VICTORIA TRAMPLER, EMMA VEIDT, MARISA WHITAKER DI GI TAL E DI T OR S ELIZABETH BENSON, ALLISON BROWN, MIKAYLA EASLEY, GRACE GLANDER, FRANCESCA HECKER, ASHLEY JONES, TYLER MESSNER, LAUREN POLANSKI, LAUREN TRONSTAD M ULT I M E DI A E DI T O RS REID BAYLISS, NOAH CRIDER, ABBY ORF E DI T OR I AL DI R E CT O R HEATHER LAMB DI GI TAL DI R E CT OR SARA SHIPLEY HILES E XE CUT I V E E DI T O R JENNIFER ROWE OF F I CE M AN AGE R KIM TOWNLAIN

Vox Magazine

@VoxMag

@VoxMagazine

@VoxMagazine

ADVERTISING 882- 5714 CIRCULATION 882- 5700 EDITORIAL 884- 6432 vox@mi s s o u ri . e d u CALENDAR send to vox@m i s s o u ri . e d u o r submi t vi a onl i ne form a t v o x m a g a zi n e . c o m TO RECEIVE VOX IN YOUR INBOX sign up for email newsletter at voxmagazine.com OC TOB E R 2020 V O L U M E 2 2 , IS S U E 8 PUB L I S HE D BY T H E COL UM B I A M IS S O U RIA N 320 L E E H IL L S H A L L COL UM B I A , M O 6 5 2 1 1

MAGAZINE Cover Design: Hope Johnson Cover Photography: Samantha Waigand/Archive and courtesy of Pat Friedrichsen and Terrence Walker

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS IN THE LOOP 05

Raise a glass to Oktober The 210-year-old German festival is here. This year is at a distance.

07

Paperwork 101 Vox sorts through frequently asked questions about international student visas.

CULTURE 09

Frightening films help us face real-life fears

14

Seasonal scary-tale endings can be cathartic in a COVID-19 world.

11

FEATURES

Dive into 11 social justice podcasts about topics from racial equality to animal rights.

14

Press play on activism

Rare bnbs Grain silos, school houses and even a pig paradise — all available for Missouri staycations.

BY REID GLENN

12

Classical. Cool?

Columbian and NPR host Scott Yoo brings Vivaldi and more to your TV.

09

EAT + DRINK

Double the caffeine for Shortwave Owner Munir Mohammad spills the (coffee) beans on the coffee shop’s new Ninth Street location.

CITY LIFE

23

Do Uber Eats and Grubhub live on your home screen? Find out what goes on behind the scenes of food delivery.

Connections in the time of COVID With social distancing, streaming has become a common way to see family and friends, go to work and even attend weddings.

BY VICTORIA TRAMPLER AND MADELYN ODEN

21

All about the delivery

18

27

24

Keeping the ‘treat’ in a socially distant Halloween Vox has four pandemic-friendly activities for the spookiest time of the year.

24

29

What happens when a restaurant employee contracts COVID-19?

In a global pandemic, students with preexisting conditions struggle to stay safe.

Serving up safety

No room for compromise

26

Three (round) meals a day Start off your day with Pizza Tree’s breakfast pizza and Goldie’s bagels.

4

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

30

Sporting support 30

Masks are becoming a fashion — and even political — statement.

Photography courtesy of Shortwave Coffee and Kelly Durante and illustrations by Hope Johnson and Madison Wisse

JUST HOW DO STUDENT VISAS WORK? P. 7

WHAT’S NEW AND TRENDING P. 8

Raise a glass to Oktober There are still ways to enjoy the classic German fest even though much is canceled.

BY ANTHONY ASHE Oktoberfest originated in 1810 as a celebration of Bavarian culture. Wars, financial troubles and epidemics have canceled or subdued past Oktoberfest celebrations, and COVID-19 is responsible this time around.

But similar to past years, the 200-year-old tradition lives on through celebrations both at home and around the state.

Local German establishments The Heidelberg and Günter Hans have beer (or “bier”) offerings throughout October.

Photography courtesy of Unsplash, Camacho Coffee and Missouri International Student Council

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

5

IN TH E LOOP FESTIVALS

FOOD AND EVENTS The Heidelberg’s German wurst plate comes with sauerkraut, spicy mustard and hot German potato salad.

Günter Hans offers traditional German mettwurst served on a pretzel bun with European crisps.

(Safe) events to visit The traditional town of Hermann, Missouri, is home to some of the richest German experiences in the state. In addition to Oktoberfest, Hermann also hosts other festivals that celebrate the town’s heritage such as Wurstfest, a weekend dedicated to sausage-making.

Oktoberfest, Hermann’s most popular celebration, attracted as many as 30,000

visitors a day in previous years. Tammy Bruckerhoff, Hermann’s tourism director, says this year’s October events will be spaced throughout town and at businesses outside city limits. “You will see some visitors in shops, some in museums, some in restaurants and some enjoying music on a patio at a winery, brewery or distillery,” she says. “There’s lots of outdoor spaces to enjoy and social distance.”

Free live music on Saturdays and Sundays in Hermann in October at Hermannof Winery, Adam Puchta Winery, Copper Mule Distillery and Lost Creek Vineyard.

Food to eat at home Over 7 million liters of beer were consumed at last year’s Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, so it’s safe to say that one of the easiest ways to engage in this seasonal tradition is to get some beer. In Columbia, Günter Hans offers growlers, a four-pint jug of beer, throughout October. If you’re looking for a more modest amount, The Heidelberg serves German beer on tap throughout the month.

If food is what interests you, there are a few Oktoberfest staples that you can easily get at the grocery store or take togo. Würstl, or sausages, are prepared in a variety of ways, and bretzel, or pretzel, is traditionally a popular complement to beer. (Who would’ve guessed?) The Heidelberg has a German wurst plate that features bratwurst and knackwurst from Swiss Meat in Hermann.

You might not be able to travel far this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a memorable Oktoberfest. All you need is good company, good food and probably a fair amount of beer.

II SHOULD PROBABLY SHOULD PROBABLY GET GET AA RIDE RIDE HOME. HOME. BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING

BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING 6

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

Photography courtesy of Unsplash

I N T HE LO O P FAQ Missouri International Student Council members and volunteers marched in the 2019 homecoming parade.

There are more than 1,200 international students currently enrolled at MU.

How long does it take?

Sending and receiving documents can take several months, but it depends on the country. It took Gomez at least a month, with online forms taking five hours to fill out. Wu waited one month for an appointment and three months to receive the visa.

Paperwork 101 Hours of application materials, a nerve-wracking interview and hundreds of dollars are all part of the process for international students to enroll and apply for visas.

BY EVAN MUSIL

T

ransitioning into college life is a stressful experience, but attending a college in another country is even more intimidating. On top of being accepted into a university, international students have to apply for a visa to enter the United States.

There were more than 1 million international students in the U.S. in 2019, according to the Institute of International Education. At MU, 1,260 international students are enrolled this year, says David Currey, director of international student and scholar services at the MU International Center.

In July, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced it would not allow international students with online-only classes to stay in the U.S. The decision was later reversed, but visas are not being given to new online-only students, according to a news release from ICE. Some students’ visa appointments were delayed until October, which forced them to push back their admissions to spring 2021. About 300 international students usually come to MU each fall, but there were only about 100 students enrolled this year, Currey says.

What does it take to become an international student in the U.S.? Vox sorted out some common questions about the visa process.

How does the application process begin?

Students apply to their colleges first, and the colleges look at factors such as financial support, academic qualifications and English proficiency. Once accepted, the school registers the applicant in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which holds information for the Department of Homeland Security. The school sends the student a document called Form I-20, which confirms the student’s eligibility to study in the U.S. The student then takes the form to an appointment at the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy in his or her country.

Genoveva Gomez, a senior at Columbia College studying psychology, did her consulate meeting in her hometown of Guayaquil, Ecuador. “It’s very nerve-wracking,” Gomez says. She says she was worried her visa would be rejected or that the process would be unpleasant.

Candice Wu, a senior at MU studying communication, says an agency helped her with her visa process.

Photography courtesy of Missouri International Student Council

TERMS TO KNOW Visa: A document that gives the owner official approval to enter and remain in a foreign country for a certain amount of time.

F category visa: Also known as a student visa, this is the type of visa international students must apply for, according to the Bureau of Consular Affairs.

M category visa: A student visa for those enrolling in vocational or technical programs such as flight school, mechanical classes or cosmetology.

Form I-20: A document proving that an international student is legally enrolled in a program of study in the U.S.

What is the cost?

Students pay $350 to enroll in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System and $160 for the visa application fee, Currey says. An MU application to enroll costs $65. This total of $575 doesn’t include the costs of traveling to a consulate and later to the U.S. What other requirements are there?

Interviews at the nearest consulate are mandatory for every visa applicant. Questions about the student’s college, family, finances and reasons for studying abroad are common.

Gomez’s interview process consisted of basic questions about her college and her identity. Wu says she was nervous about being rejected during her interview at the former U.S. consulate in Chengdu, China. She was asked about why she wanted to study in the U.S. and what she liked about the country.

How do universities help in the process?

International centers guide students through the paperwork and help them prepare to travel. “We try to help them navigate the nuances of a very complex set of rules, regulations and limitations to get the most out of their status,” Currey says.

However, the process still relies on a lot of individual effort, Gomez says, despite the assistance of Columbia College International Center. “It’s a lot of bureaucracy,” she says. “(The college) does what they can.”

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

7

IN TH E LOOP VOX PICKS

Vox Picks for

Watch…

OCTOBER Each month, Vox curates a list of can’t-miss shops, eats, reads and experiences. We find the new, trending or underrated to help you enjoy the best our city has to offer.

BY CHRISTINA LONG

Visit…

Camacho Coffee’s new roasterie in southwest Columbia at Copperstone Plaza (near Addison’s South). The company has been operating in a shared commercial kitchen space with B&B Bagel Company but will upgrade to a larger location with room for customers to sample its air-roasted, ethically sourced coffee blends like Colombia Bold or Madagascar Vanilla. Owners Jesse Walters and Megan Meier-Walters say the opening date is still in the works (as of Sept. 25), but they plan to be open bright and early, so you can get your coffee as soon as 6 a.m. Follow @camachocoffee on Instagram and its Facebook page for updates on the opening.

4009 Frontgate Drive, Mon.–Sat., Open at 6 a.m., 260-3520

Remember…

Unpregnant, a new dramedy that begins its story in a fictionalized version of Columbia. The film came to HBO Max in September. It follows a Missouri teenager, Veronica, played by Haley Lu Richardson, as she learns she is pregnant and can’t get an abortion in her home state.

She and her frenemy Bailey, played by Barbie Ferreira, take a road trip to Albuquerque for the procedure, and high jinks ensue.

Streaming on HBO Max (with subscription)

The late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Sept.

18. Pick up a book like Notorious RBG

by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik from Skylark Bookshop to read about RBG’s contributions in the court. Or, watch the documentary RBG or the based-on-a-true-story movie On the Basis of Sex for a glimpse inside the life and career of Ginsburg.

RBG available for streaming on Hulu or Amazon Prime (with subscription); On the Basis of Sex available for streaming on Amazon Prime (with subscription); Skylark Bookshop, 22 S. Ninth St., Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 777-6990

Learn…

About candidates in the upcoming election at your local Columbia Public Library’s election forums. In three separate events, attendees will hear from candidates for state Senate, House, County Commissioner, Sheriff and Circuit Judge. The events, co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters, will be held via Zoom.

Senate and House, Oct. 6, 7–8:30 p.m.; County Commissioner, Oct. 13, 7–8 p.m.; Sheriff and Circuit Judge, Oct. 14, 7–8 p.m., Visit events.dbrl.org to register

8

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

Photography by Katelyn Metzger/Archive and courtesy of Camacho Coffee

ACTIVE LISTENING P. 11

COLUMBIA’S OWN PBS HOST P. 12

Frightening films can help us face real-life fears COVID-19 might be scary, but horror movies offer an escape — and resolution.

BY ANGELINA EDWARDS Lots of people watch scary movies in October, but this Halloween season is different.

After months of living in a chaotic world, some might be asking themselves: Isn’t real life scary enough?

Illustrations by Hope Johnson and courtesy of rawpixel.com and PBS

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

9

CULTURE MOVIES

Believe it or not, “quar-horror” is a real thing. These quarantine-themed movies, filmed during the pandemic, play on our fears related to it. They depict anything from creepy Zoom calls to prolonged isolation and project these anxieties onto the screen.

While revenue for all movie genres is significantly lower this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, the performances of some earlier releases are promising.

The New Mutants, released on Aug. 28, still grossed over $7 million on opening weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. Clearly some people still have an appetite for horror, but what keeps bringing them back?

According to a 2020 study by the University of Turku in Finland, horror can stimulate excitement in our brains.

Brain activity increases in regions used for emotional processing and decision-making during the viewing experience. Scary movies cause our brains to anticipate action and prepare a response to threats, a combination that amplifies excitement.

10

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

Ramsay Wise, an instructor in the Film Studies Program at MU, says scary movies, including those about the pandemic, can help us confront our fears about real life. “There’s something cathartic about it because we all live with certain levels of fear and anxieties about things,” Wise says. “Sometimes it’s fun to confront those in a controlled, fictional way.”

It’s not just quar-horror films that allow us to face our fears. Ted Rogers, film programmer at Ragtag Cinema, says most horror films allow us to confront a fear and then find resolution at the end of the movie. Regardless of the subject matter, the genre offers a form of release for moviegoers across the country.

As the anti-racism movement gains momentum, many Americans have been encouraged to confront uncomfortable topics. The genre can help us reflect on timely issues of privilege, police brutality and violence. Horror movies that address racism are a way to observe our own feelings about prejudice and discrimi-

FLICK PICKS Three new horror films are peak 2020 scary mood.

Antebellum A Black author fights to escape her new reality after waking up on a Civil Warera plantation.

Prime Video, YouTube TV, iTunes Host Horror ensues when a group hires a medium to hold a seance via Zoom.

Shudder The Invisible Man This reimagining of H. G. Wells’ classic story finds a woman who believes her abusive boyfriend is stalking her despite his death by suicide.

HBO Max, Prime Video, iTunes

nation. Rogers points to Jordan Peele’s Get Out as an example that can help us confront these difficult subjects.

As a whole, the horror genre has become increasingly popular in recent years, with 2017 being the highest-grossing year for horror films of all time. According to the Morning Consult, a market research company in Washington, D.C., the genre boasted over $1 billion in sales at the North American box office in 2017.

Scary movies admittedly aren’t for everyone. If you are brave enough to venture into the world of horror during this already-anxious Halloween season, the medium of film may help you conquer your fears.

“The pandemic is not just going to be vanquished by the main character, but in a horror film, it is,” Rogers says. “It feels really good to have a clear enemy and to have a clear monster that we can put all of our fears into and then overcome. It’s a really safe space to confront things that make us uncomfortable.”

C U LT U RE PODCASTS

Press play on activism Whether you’re a political junkie or interested in a new topic, check out these 11 social justice podcasts.

BY ANNASOFIA SCHEVE

G

one are the days when activism meant only in-person organizing.

From online fundraisers to Twitter petitions, technology has broadened the scope of advocacy, allowing more people to become involved in issues they’re passionate about.

Whether they cover climate change, Black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) or election politics, podcasts have become a go-to platform to dive deeper into social change and to reach large audiences.

According to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans 12 and older who have listened to a podcast jumped to 51% in 2019, up from 33% in 2015.

Amelia Hruby, creator and host of the podcast Fifty Feminist States, says podcasts have become prevalent because anyone with a smartphone can make one. “I see podcasting as a really rich medium for activists, and I think they use it that way because, to me, podcasting is still a deeply DIY platform,” Hruby says.

Creating a podcast isn’t exactly simple, especially if you’re on the road. Fifty Feminist States features feminists from across the U.S., and Hruby, who is based in Chicago, personally travels to the different states to interview them.

(Because of COVID-19, Hruby is now working from home.) After each road trip, Hruby edits the interviews and her voiceover together, designs images and markets each episode.

“I think podcasting just harnesses the power of the human voice,” Hruby says. “Podcasts are literally about amplifying things. So I think that if podcasts are going to be, or can be, a form of activism right now, they need to really be focused on that amplification piece and on whose stories are being amplified.”

Ready to dive into the podcast activism world? Here are some of our top podcast picks based on what interests you most.

Illustrations by Madison Wisse

int roduc ing ac t ivism Pod Save the People DeRay Mckesson, organizer and activist, delves into overlooked news stories with his guests, who are social justice experts and leaders.

Climate Change for Beginners Want to keep educating yourself despite a hectic schedule? Ciarán O’Carroll, an Irish scientist and environmental activist, answers climate change questions in five-minute episodes.

Fifty Feminist States Take a cross-country road trip through your headphones and hear feminists from each state talk about their work, including pit stops close to mid-Missouri with S.E. Nash, a Kansas City artist and educator, and Alyson Thompson, a St. Louis activist and writer.

ampl ifying b ipo c Code Switch From NPR, Code Switch uses rich storytelling to explore how race and the modern world intertwine.

All My Relations Matika Wilbur of the Swinomish and Tulalip people and Adrienne Keene of the Cherokee Nation explore Native American relationships to the land, their ancestors and one another.

You Don’t Say Right here from KBIA, You Don’t Say fosters conversations about Columbia’s African American history as part of the CoMo200 bicentennial celebrations.

pr o m ot i n g b o dy posi t i v it y The Obvious Question MU alumna Madi Lawson, also known as the real-life Wheelchair Barbie, goes beyond the “obvious questions” about living with a disability. She discusses everything from relationships to fashion.

The Body Protest The Body Protest covers all things body image and self-love from scientific and emotional perspectives.

God is Grey Host Brenda Marie Davies explores human rights and other ethical issues while advocating for “intellectual, sex-positive (and) science-affirming Christianity.”

di vi n g i n to poli ti cs a n d la w The Animal Law Podcast Tiger King mania got you interested in animal rights? Mariann Sullivan, Columbia Law School professor and activist, dives into recent developments in animal law.

The Science of Politics If you want to get down to the facts and data behind current American politics, The Science of Politics discusses political researchers’ findings on big issues today, from the effects of protesting during elections to how climate policy can be successful.

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

11

CULTURE MUSIC

Classical. Cool?

Meet Scott Yoo, renowned conductor, violinist and host of the PBS documentary miniseries Now Hear This.

BY CLAUDIA KHAW

S

ince he was a teenager, Scott Yoo has been almost restlessly performing in concert halls around the world. He started playing the violin at age 3 and became serious about the craft at age 8. When he was 11, he played with an orchestra for the first time in Seoul, South Korea, with the Korean Broadcasting System Symphony. It has been go, go, go, until the world halted due to the pandemic.

Although his international performance schedule remains busy, his physical presence has remained in Columbia, where he lives with his wife and associate professor of flute at MU, Alice Dade.

“It’s been great,” Dade says of life with her husband since the pandemic. “This is the most I’ve seen him since we got married in 2014 … it’s been awesome.”

Simply put, Yoo is a conductor and a violinist. A musician. But as Dade describes him, “He’s like an onion. He’s got so many layers.”

Yoo is the chief conductor and artistic director of the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra. He’s the music direc-

tor at Festival Mozaic, a music festival in central coastal California. One of his newer titles is host and executive producer of Now Hear This, a miniseries about classical music presented

by Great Performances on PBS. The show’s second season began Sept. 18.

Vox sat down with Yoo to see how he’s made the world — and TV — his stage.

Well, what is Now Hear This about?

I’ll start at the beginning. I played a concert four years ago. The day before the concert, I gave a talk on the composer Brahms. It was a lot of work to put the talk together, but only seven people came to that event. I was disappointed. The next day, after the concert, someone came up to me and said, “Hey, I really like your concert.” I said thank you. Then, he said, “But I really like what you did yesterday.” He said he was Harry Lynch, and he was a producer from PBS and that we should make a TV series together. Originally, the idea was to take that lecture I did and film 20 or 25 of them. We kept talking about

NOW HEAR THIS PBS, Sept. 18Oct. 2 with the last episode in development, scheduled to air in 2021.

The second season of Now Hear This, hosted by Scott Yoo, premiered in September.

It is a four-part documentary miniseries that introduces classical music into the home.

it, and then he asked me, “What’s your goal for the show?”

I said it would be great if we could replicate the success of Young People’s Concerts, a series of concerts that were televised, from 50 years ago. He told me if I wanted to do that, the show as it was would be too narrow. The types of shows that are the most appealing on PBS are shows like Antiques Roadshow and all the cooking shows that incorporate culture and travel, like Anthony Bourdain’s. We decided to do a show that had those elements, but rather than cooking, it was music. We showed PBS the pilot, and they loved it. And now we’re already working on season three.

The ultimate goal of Now Hear This is to get more people to put classical music on their smartphones. It’s simple. They don’t have to listen to it all the time but just put one thing on.

If they play that one track of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” or a Schubert song, or a Mozart piano concerto … we’ve won. I feel like we’ve won, music has won, and humanity has won.

How can someone start listening to classical music?

The reason why pop music is so catchy and popular — and this is not an insult or a compliment — is that first of all, pop songs are very short. They’re four minutes, five minutes. Secondly, the material repeats over and over and over. The chorus of a Britney Spears song might repeat 15 times in four minutes, so by the time you hear a song once, you might actually already remember the tune. Whereas, a Mahler symphony can last over an hour, and nothing repeats.

The human brain needs repetition to sort of remember. With repetition, classical music is the kind of thing that rewards you more and more, the more you listen to it.

It’s much more vertical than horizontal. If you’re willing to invest a little bit of time, if it means just putting one piece of classical music on your playlist … those pieces of music stand up to repetition in a way that I think other music doesn’t.

Is classical music dying?

It’s true, and it’s not true. I would say classical music isn’t necessarily dying,

12

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

Photography courtesy of PBS

C U LT U RE MUSIC

but it’s changing. The way people are listening to music today has changed.

People aren’t watching TV anymore for broadcast. They’re streaming on Netflix and listening to radio on Spotify … there are all of these platforms that are so difficult to understand, so it’s hard to quantify how much music people actually consume. I’d agree that audience numbers are declining slowly, but I think the Now Hear This project is one effort to stem that tide. But, it’s not happening everywhere. There are places where classical music is actually taking off, such as in South Korea and the Far East in general. In Europe, classical music is still extremely strong.

And I think this generation that’s coming up is a pretty special generation. I see lots of creativity and lots of skill in that generation. I tell every young person that I encounter that this is your time now. You should really do something and change the world. I see good things in Generation Z. I’m very hopeful.

2

Do you have any tips for people who are starting out with classical music?

I have some blog posts on PBS.org, and I list things to listen to for certain composers. I just did one on Beethoven, so people can definitely look for that.

Classical music can be intimidating.

It’s like saying you want to get into Shake-

Convenient Locations

Scott Yoo (above center) has a recommended listening list that includes Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach, according to his PBS blog posts.

speare. The corpus of work is just so huge.

Each play is so monumental. So, how do you begin? But I will say this: if you hate something, that’s valid. If you love something, that’s valid. If you’re indifferent to it, that’s valid. I think people are worried about having the wrong opinion like, “If I don’t like this, there must be something wrong with me.” No. There’s nothing wrong with you. That’s absolutely a valid point. Peoples’ opinions are very personal, and everyone’s opinions matter.

That being said, if you’re a novice to classical music and want to start off with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony — that’s a great place to start. Everyone knows how it goes, but that’s Beethoven at the height of his power. If you like that, if you get that, if you understand the drama in that piece of music, then you get classical music. It’s not above you. For me, the real tragedy is when people feel, “I can’t understand that,” or “I don’t have that kind of intellect.” That’s baloney.

Anybody can understand that. Just give yourself a chance.

is now

Check-in Online at NextCare.com Photography courtesy of PBS NCUC_Missourian Half Page Rebrand AD - 0920.indd 1

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020 13 9/2/2020 10:39:01 AM

14 VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 14

Photography by Photographer Name

FROM SILOS TO SCHOOLHOUSES, THESE THREE RENOVATED VACATION RENTALS MEAN YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR TO EXPERIENCE A NEW KIND OF STAY. WRITTEN BY REID GLENN & ILLUSTRATIONS BY MADISON WISSE

A

bout half an hour from Columbia, in Fayette, a red brick house gained attention this summer from outlets such as TMZ and USA Today. The two-bedroom, 1.5-bath Airbnb went viral in August for its special feature: a jail attached to the kitchen.

In 1894, then-sheriff George C. Crigler was the first to move into the house. The county jail at the time, which had nine cells and a 15-person occupancy, was built connected to the sheriff’s residence. A new county jail was opened in 2004, but the old building remains.

For several years, the jail house was available to rent for $115 per night through Airbnb, but the odd listing was recently sold and taken off the online hospitality marketplace. Still, the obscure rental opportunity got us thinking: what other out-of-the-box lodgings does mid-Missouri have to offer?

If you’ve got cabin fever and are looking for an in-state getaway, we’ve got three unusual abodes for you. An added bonus? Airbnbs, because of their privacy and level of cleaning, are often safer than hotels during the pandemic.

Photography by Photographer Name

15

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 15

SCHOOL HOUSE BED AND BREAKFAST Where: Rocheport Price: Rates vary by room from $199/night to $259/night Why stay: Complimentary breakfast, patio, gazebo, close to the Katy Trail and Les Bourgeois Winery Website: schoolhousebb.com

Located just half an hour from downtown Columbia, this school-turned-lodge offers a quaint getaway to the Missouri River city of Rocheport. There are 11 rooms available for booking, each one with a school-themed name.

The schoolhouse, which opened circa 1914, is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was once a four-room school for first through 12th grades. The building was used as an elementary school until 1972, when the Rocheport school district merged with the New Franklin school district. After 15 months of renovation, the School House Bed & Breakfast first opened in April 1988.

One available room in the B&B, the Schoolmaster room, includes one of the original school chalkboards. Other rooms feature skylights, gabled ceilings and dormers, according to the B&B’s website.

Co-owner Andy Hickman says Rocheport is special. With its location just two blocks from the Katy Trail and a little over a mile from Les Bourgeois Vineyards, Hickman says School House B&B is perfect for a fall retreat or a just a pit stop along the trail. Hickman also mentions the shops, restaurants and architecture as reasons to visit the town.

Rocheport was settled in the 1820s and reached its peak population in 1876.

The Rocheport Historic District, approximately 177 acres, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. On the original nomination map, 91 historic resources were identified, including the schoolhouse.

“The whole downtown area is on the National Historic Register,” Hickman says. “The entire downtown and architecture that’s here, a lot of it is pre-Civil War. Rocheport is kind of a magical place.”

Even with renovations, School House B&B’s rooms maintain an old-fashioned feel.

Illustration by Madison Wisse and photography courtesy of Alex Sharp, 16 VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 16 Andy Hickman, Wendy Needy and Cindy Brenneke

At Where Pigs Fly Farm, you can spend the night in the only pig museum in the U.S. — then feed a real pig.

Photography by Photographer Name

THE SILOS AT PRAIRIE VALE Where: Green Ridge Price: Li’l Silo on the Prairie – $106/night; Farm Punk Silo – $110/night

Why stay: Fishing equipment available, bikes for rent, sleep in a silo Website: thesilosatprairievale.com

Silos usually house grain for feeding livestock, but for a night or two, the Silos at Prairie Vale can house you and your travel companions.

Located on a former dairy and grain

WHERE PIGS FLY FARM Where: Linn Price: Stay in one of four rooms starting at $40/night or $150/week. Or, visit the pig museum for the day for $5 for adults or $3 for children under 12.

Why stay: Frolic with free-range animals, see 43,000 items of pig memorabilia Website: wherepigsflyfarm.com

Nobody knows when pigs might fly, but we do know where. Linn, Missouri, is home to the only pig memorabilia museum in America and the second-largest one in the world.

Where Pigs Fly Farm is a historic attraction that is now home to hundreds of rescued animals. Sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, alpacas, horses, mules, donkeys, chickens, dogs and turkeys all live on the farm.

Don’t go if you’re unwilling to explore or get a little dirty because most spaces, including barns and sheds, are open to the public. Owner Cindy Brenneke says

Photography by Photographer Name

farm 12 miles outside of Sedalia, the silos offer a picturesque view of the plains and farms of west-central Missouri.

One silo-turned-apartment was originally built as extra living space for one of owner Wendy Needy’s daughters. Now, two silos are open to show travelers a slow day on the farm.

When the farm downsized to 14 acres, Needy no longer needed all the silos to operate. Despite the reduction, the farm is far from a shadow of its former self. The original dairy barn remains, and

hanging out with the animals, especially in the mornings and evenings, is the best part of life on the farm.

The limestone house, which was built in the late 1800s, has four rooms available for overnight stays and is perfect for families or couples, so long as you like animals. Playing with the animals is encouraged and, if you ask, you may be able to feed them as well.

But beware: Rumor has it the spirits of the Iven family, the original owners of the house, still dwell at the farm. On Oct. 17, St. Louis company Monster Paranormal will host “spirit box sessions” and “investigations” of the property, where guests can get the full spooky experience.

The 62.7-acre farm is fully operational with a milk barn and livestock barn. Brenneke says farming is the primary function of Where Pigs Fly, and the revenue brought in by the B&B helps alleviate the costs of rescuing animals.

chickens, goats, miniature donkeys, cows, friendly barn cats and an ornery sheep still roam the property. A fully stocked fishing pond is located just outside the silo, and fishing rods are available upon request. Bicycles are also available for rent if you want to cruise the nearby Katy Trail. Needy says she keeps a guidebook handy and is ready to help find a local activity for any type of traveler.

You can cap off an evening on the farm with a bonfire, and on a clear night, you can even sit and stargaze.

The Silos at Prairie Vale sit on what once was a sprawling grain and dairy farm. But don’t worry ­— there are still plenty of animals.

17

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 17

Zoom, Twitch and Discord put the “social” in social distancing.

Olivia Williams and Solace Palisano got engaged in early April and began planning their wedding for the fall. On Sept. 9, their already-delayed plans took a major detour. Solace and Olivia were both sent home from work because they showed symptoms of COVID-19. “We were 10 days away from our scheduled wedding,” Solace says.

Then came a suggestion from a family member that was out of the ordinary but perhaps not for the times. Why not use Zoom, like Solace had used for classes at Missouri State University?

18

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

Photography by Photographer Name

“I knew Zoom had a good reputation for good connections for groups,” Solace says. He and Olivia decided to move up their wedding from Sept. 19 to Sept. 13, thinking if they were going to be quarantined together, they might as well be quarantined and married, “almost like a little honeymoon that we hadn’t planned,” Solace says.

Once the now-Palisanos decided on a Zoom ceremony, things moved quickly. The pastor was able to gather his materials, and the couple was joined online by both their parents and the pastor.

Not unlike a usual wedding, Solace’s and Olivia’s mothers cried during the ceremony.

When it came time for the pastor to say “kiss the bride,” the pastor’s screen completely froze showing the huge grin on his face. Olivia’s mom chimed in and said, “just kiss her,” Solace recalls. “So we went ahead and kissed.

And then immediately after we kissed, his feed came back in, and so we had a second kiss.”

But, one thing was missing for Olivia: “not being able to hug my dad,” she says. The couple plans to have an in-person ceremony in October, but in September, being able to get married was what mattered most.

“It was all about the marriage and not about the wedding,” Solace says.

“And so that was why we decided to just go for it.”

Zoom is perhaps the most wellknown virtual meeting space in the era of COVID-19. The app — you’ll know it on your tablet, phone, or laptop from its blue icon with the white video camera logo — was created in 2011, and it’s one of the pandemic’s success stories. The company, adding more users in the first two months of 2020 than in all of 2019, has boomed during the past seven months. While the app had 10 million accounts at the end of 2019, Zoom now has around 300 million daily meeting participants.

One of its chief competitors, Microsoft Teams, averages 75 million daily active users.

Zoom is most known for its functionality for work meetings, for its interface that allows

a user to view multiple meeting participants 8.6 million followers. His net worth, taking on the screen in small squares, Brady Bunchinto account Twitch subscribers and donors, style, for features such as muting and unYouTube revenue, sponsors and tournament muting (and forgetting to mute or unmute) revenue, is between $4 and $6 million, acand for screen sharing. But the pandemic cording to The Loadout website. has shown us its uses extend beyond meeting Twitch carved itself a niche in the gamwith colleagues, students and even extended ing community because viewers can interact family or long lost friends; it encompasses with and be entertained by the personalities everything from college parties to funerals behind the camera. Viewers communicate to baby showers and, of course, weddings. with the streamer through a chat system and While Zoom is seeing new uses and even pay them via “bits,” which they can dramatic growth, gaming outlets convert to real money (Think such as Twitch and Discord of it as fan mail but with a have grown as well. Each monetary value behind of them are reaching it.). One “bit” is worth “We both found out we more of their target 1 cent. Streamers were both (COVID-19) audiences and finding can enable text-tonew ones. speech messages positive, and we were on their donations, 10 days away from our further encouraging scheduled wedding.” streamer-viewer interactions. Streamers ­– Solace Palisano, Twitch, owned by Amaalso receive a pormarried via Zoom zon, started as a platform tion of their viewers’ for people to stream footmonthly subscription fees age of their everyday lives. In a from Twitch.

In a 2019 study on Twitch 2014 interview, Twitch founder Justin Kan explained he hatched the streaming, Clemson University researcher idea for an online streaming Evan Lybrand says Twitch “streams often service that “livecasted” mimicked the style of saloons in which payour life, according to trons would gather to talk amongst themselves a Business Insider arwhile some form of entertainment occurred ticle. This had the separately and simultaneously.” concept of a realiTo describe what the platform looks like to ty show. The site’s those who aren’t part of Twitch’s 15 million daily initial name was active users: on screen is a livefeed of the streamjustin.tv, and it er playing a game and providing commentary on launched in 2007. what he or she is doing. This could be the gamer As video and audio playing an online match of a multiplayer video recording became game, for example. The chat updates in real more accessible at time on the side of the screen for the streamer and all watching to communicate. home, the platform became more well-known for Arabella McEntire, who previously played video game livestreaming. on the varsity Mizzou Esports Overwatch team, Today, Twitch’s most well-known user says she picked up a lot of her gaming skills is 29-year old, Tyler Blevins, known by his by watching others play on Twitch. “I startstream name Ninja, a Fortnite player with over ed actually studying how to be better — as 15.6 million followers. In August 2019, Ninja much as you can study a game — watching left the company for Mixer, Microsoft’s now videos, watching Twitch streamers play the defunct streaming service, but after nearly a game that were really good.” From there, she year away, in a multiyear, multi-million dolcontinued to improve her technical skills until lar deal, he signed with Twitch again. His she grabbed the attention of Esports General popularity makes Twitch money. Next in the Manager Kevin Reape. She became the first line of Twitch stars is Turner “Tfue” Tenney, signed member of the Mizzou Esports team who livestreams his Fortnite gameplay to over in its inaugural year.

Photography by Jeremy Johnson/Archive and Emmalee Reed/Archive and courtesy of Olivia Palisano

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

19

Esports is a multibillion-dollar industry. Newzoo, a company that provides game market insight and analytics to its customers, forecasts the global gamers’ market will generate $159.3 billion in revenue in 2020. With more people staying home, interest in gaming has increased. More than 6 million streamers join Twitch each month. This year has given the platform a huge boost, with viewers consuming 11 billion hours of content, a 50% increase from 2019. On average, there are over 80,000 channels streaming at any given moment.

And the coverage has widened as well.

Twitch creators have expanded from video game content to titles such as “Trying a Halo/Spotlight Eye Makeup Look!!” and “Twice Baked: Vegan Mozzarella Sticks” and sharing live streams of Black Lives Matter protests. (On the reverse side of this same coin, platforms such as Twitch and Discord have also hosted their fair share of hate speech comments and channels.) These streams of everyday life, known as “IRL” streams, have taken off as popular ways for streamers to interact with audiences. Streamers engage in “real talk” with their viewers, discussing subjects that arise in the chat.

Locally, the platform now features movie streaming and board game gatherings. Earlier this year, Ragtag Cinema turned to Twitch to connect with customers while its doors were closed. The movie house hosted two-screen virtual events, with a pre-show party hosted on the Twitch channel, RAGTAGfilm. Viewers would acquire the movie on their own through Netflix or elsewhere while having Twitch pulled up on a different device for a pre-show party. Ragtag then used a countdown, so all viewers pressed “play” at the same time.

The streaming service also enabled Ragtag to feature special guests, providing commentary for the film as everyone virtually joined in for a night at the movies. There was a live Q&A after the show.

Ragtag also hosted Twitch screenings for Nettle Pointe Soap Opera, which was written and

20

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

produced in Columbia. Viewers could head to Twitch to watch the film and participate in a virtual Q&A with the filmmaker, Sasha Goodnow. While Ragtag has resumed limited in-person operations since early June, Twitch allowed Ragtag to host events for its customers. Grady Harrington, Ragtag’s box office manager, says he doesn’t know if Ragtag will continue to use Twitch. “I imagine it could be used for maybe virtual Q&As,” he says.

Nat Graham, owner of local gaming store Magelings Games, turned to Twitch to connect with customers while socially distanced.

“It does help us move product. Our sales have been very hurt by the pandemic. But it also fosters community,” Graham says. He hosts live unboxings of booster packs for the Magic the Gathering card game.

“The best part of it is the gathering,” Graham says. He makes sure to leave time for casual conversation before and after the auction to let all the viewers connect with one another.

That same goal of connectivity led to Graham creating a Discord server in March.

school is back in session, it’s still an option for his students. “The district views it as a game software,” he says.

Graham says he thought if it worked for his students, then it could work for his Magelings customers too. Thus, the Magelings’ Discord server was born. He says he likes that Discord allows the creation of several channels, which he made based on his customers’ interests. “I created it with the intent of having this remote area for the different communities to go to and interact in a more centralized location,” he says. There’s a place for fans of Magic, as well as one for people who enjoy Dungeons and Dragons.

The video and mic features allow for distanced gaming, which has even enabled Magelings’ local community to grow internationally.

The gaming store has more than 165 members on its Discord server, including those in Columbia as well as Texas and even England. “I think we’ve reached more of our extended family this way,” Graham says.

Because Columbia is a college town, a lot of his regulars have moved away over the years. Discord has helped him reconnect with some of them.

One of Graham’s regulars who moved to Texas recently participated in a Discord is a video and messagsix-week Magic tournament ing app and website similar entirely online. “They “It’s important to to an organized messagwouldn’t have been be social, so finding ing system like Slack. It able to do that before,” started in 2015 with its Graham says. those outlets are primary focus on gamEven if you important and to ing. It has expanded don’t currently play connect with people with a 2020 rebranding any board games or card games and that it’s “your place to as best as possible.” talk,” regardless of injust have an interest, – Nat Graham, owner of terest. Discord reports it Graham says you’re still welcome to join has about 100 million active Magelings Games their Discord. “You can monthly users, comparable to Slack. What sets Discord apart is start building those relationits ability to create custom “servers,” ships now for when you can get available only to users with an invite link. Once back together and play those games,” he says. users join a server, they can talk to others with Until then, “our doors are always open virmessages or video chat. Discord has over 750 tually,” Graham says. “We’re here for the comverified servers, the biggest being Fortnite with munity. That’s really our big thing. If we can over 180,000 members. do that and keep the lights on, we’re winning.”

Graham originally learned about DisPeople often use the phrase social distanccord from his students at the Columbia Area ing, Graham says, but we should really be sayCareer Center and Hickman High School, ing physical distancing. It’s still important to where he teaches computer science. He used connect with one another in any way, shape the messaging app during school closures, or form. so his students could ask him questions after Services like Zoom, Twitch and Discord hours and also talk to one another. Now that allow us to do just that.

Photography by Emmalee Reed/Archive

DING-DONG DINNER DASH P. 23

WHEN COVID’S IN THE KITCHEN P. 24

Double the caffeine for Shortwave The closing of one coffee shop creates an opportunity for another.

BY MCKENNA NEFF

The original Shortwave Coffee was opened in 2014 by Dale and Laura Bassham. In 2018, Munir Mohammad and his siblings took over the business.

Photography by Margo Wagner and courtesy of Shortwave Coffee and illustrations by Madison Wisse and courtesy of rawpixel.com

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

21

E AT & DRINK SHORTWAVE

to know that they can expect the same high quality crafted drinks and concepts at either location,” he writes.

Shortwave’s new location will offer a larger space and more varied menu.

After six years of serving craft coffee tucked away in Alley A, Shortwave Coffee is expanding to the corner of Ninth and Cherry streets with the second location scheduled to open in early October. The new shop will introduce a fresh flavor, focusing on bakery and food selections.

What happened to Kaldi’s?

Kaldi’s Coffee on Ninth Street was a go-to for caffeine, conversation and Wi-Fi. After about 12 years as a downtown mainstay, it closed in March due to uncertainty about COVID-19 and how long it would be affecting the community, says co-owner Tricia Zimmer Ferguson.

Is the Alley A location going away?

No. Shortwave Coffee’s original shop will continue operating alongside the new location. Visitors to this unconventional space are drawn in by its low ceilings, dim lighting and homey feel.

“There is a pretty good atmosphere in the place,” says Roberto Nunez, a frequent customer and an MU graduate student. “The fact that it’s somewhat underground makes it kind of cozy.”

Mohammad says his shop is more than its location. “We think it’s important for customers, both new and loyal,

Why expand?

Mohammad fostered a friendship with his landlord, John Ott, at the Alley A location. So when Kaldi’s vacated Ott’s space on Ninth and Cherry, he notified Mohammad, and Mohammad took the leap.

“We had been planning and exploring opportunities to do this on a slightly different schedule,” Mohammad writes.

“But when you have a chance to showcase what you do best and expand, you take it.”

Shortwave’s logo was created

by Laura Mazuch Bassham, the original co-owner.

It reflects the idea that coffee can bring people together and get them on the same wavelength, Bassham says.

“Thus the radio tower ‘transmitting’ a coffee bean was born,” she writes in an email to Vox.

What can we expect from the bigger Shortwave space?

“Obviously, the new location on Ninth Street will offer a lot more space and a diversity of menu options that just weren’t practical at our original location in Alley A,” Mohammad writes. Shortwave will keep it classic with the drinks while keeping it fresh with the food, offering breakfast, lunch and catering options in the new space.

How did Shortwave get here?

Dale and Laura Bassham opened Shortwave Coffee’s original shop in 2014.

When Bassham was considering moving out of state in late 2017, he invited Munir Mohammad and his siblings, who also own Boone Olive Oil Co., to take over the business in 2018. “We were both passionate about our craft and boutique businesses, so it was the perfect relay to keep the business going strong,” Mohammad writes in an email to Vox. Mohammad had been a loyal Shortwave customer, and he says the shop changed his outlook on coffee. What he previously viewed as fuel to get through the day turned into a soothing ritual.

22

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

Photography courtesy of Shortwave Coffee

E AT & DRI N K RESTAURANTS

Grubhub partnered with more new restaurants in the first half of 2020 than it did during all of 2019.

All about the delivery

Pro-tip: Check your inbox for any emails from delivery apps that may include promo codes.

Once everyone’s finally agreed on where to eat, use our guide to choose a way to get it to your door.

BY VIVIAN KOLKS

GrubHub Originally designed as a way to eliminate paper menus, Grubhub switched gears to delivery in 2015 and now offers service to 19 million users in 4,000 cities. In Columbia, Grubhub’s restaurant listing includes well over 80 local restaurants.

Delivery fee: Each restaurant sets its own delivery fee, which is usually under $7.

Speed: Expect to wait 30 to 40 minutes for a lunch order and 45 minutes to one hour for dinner.

Menu highlights: Grubhub delivers from Columbia’s Las Margaritas, Wise Guy’s Pizza and Flat Branch Pub & Brewing, as well as from chains such as Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Arby’s.

S

ince March we’ve redefined what it means to eat “out.” Even as most restaurants have reopened for dine-in, delivery services also have expanded to keep customers connected to their favorite menu items.

From February to April, restaurant management company Upserve noted a 169% increase in the number of restaurants that use online ordering and an 840% increase in weekly sales from online orders.

In the first half of 2020, Grubhub partnered with more new restaurants than it did during all of 2019, Jenna DeMarco, a representative of the company, told Vox. This means it now connects customers to more than 200,000 businesses across the country.

Nourish Café & Market co-owner Kalle Lemone was already a longtime partner with delivery services Uber Eats and Delivery.com when she added her restaurant to DoorDash in July. Lemone says she has noticed an uptick in delivery orders in the past seven months.

Columbia coffee mainstay Lakota Coffee Company signed up for Grubhub about a year ago, says Andrew DuCharme, general manager and part owner. The coffee shop currently only uses Grubhub services.

Have you ever opened your go-to delivery service app only to find your favorite restaurant isn’t on it? For some restaurants such as Nourish, choosing the delivery system relies on technological capability. Uber Eats and Delivery.com allow restaurants to receive orders directly to their existing point-of-sale system, but some other delivery services such as DoorDash require separate tablets to process orders.

The downside is splitting the revenue with delivery apps. The amount they take varies, Lemone says, but it’s usually 20 to 25%. “It’s not a money maker but rather a way to get people in that don’t feel comfortable dining in,” she says.

DuCharme holds a similar perspective. “Logistically, I love it because I don’t have to get a delivery driver and pay for gas or insurance on the car.” But the apps do take a chunk of the profit.

Although deliveries for Lakota Coffee have gone up “tenfold,” DuCharme says, Grubhub takes 35% of each sale. Lakota doesn’t do deliveries itself, but it launched its own app in August where customers can order online and pick up their items in person.

Sometimes, delivery is simply the safest option. Grubhub, Uber Eats and DoorDash offer contactless delivery. But before you order using a random delivery app, make sure you’re getting the best option by considering these criteria.

Illustrations by Madison Wisse and courtesy of rawpixel.com

Uber Eats The company has seen up to a 30% increase in customer usage since March despite the overall decrease in Uber rides. The service’s listing supports about 15 local Columbia restaurants.

Delivery fee: Ranges anywhere from free delivery to over $6, based on your location and driver availability. Some restaurants offer free delivery if you order over a certain amount. Orders under $10 are subject to a small order fee.

Speed: Usually 45 to 55 minutes.

Menu highlights: Choose from local favorites such as Chim’s Thai Kitchen, Nourish Café and Seoul Taco. National names include Starbucks, Mod Pizza and Five Guys.

DoorDash Now in more than 4,000 U.S. cities, DoorDash also serves Australia and Canada. There are 102 restaurants on its Columbia listing.

Delivery fee: Set by the restaurant; can be anywhere from free to $8.

Speed: Most places boast a 30-minute wait or less.

Menu highlights: Popular local chains such as Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Bubblecup Tea Zone and Smallcakes are available, but if you’re craving fast food, DoorDash delivers from a variety of chains including Wingstop, McDonald’s and Chipotle.

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

23

E AT & DRINK COVID-19

Serving up safety Inconvenience seems inevitable during a pandemic, but restaurants in particular have a lot to juggle when an employee tests positive.

BY MARISA WHITAKER

W

ith more than 4,400 positive cases of COVID-19 in Boone County since March, many in Columbia are familiar with the cycle of quarantining and testing. But what happens at a restaurant when an employee or close contact tests positive?

Protecting customers and employees The Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department has a set of guidelines that all businesses, including restaurants, must follow in order to stay open and minimize the spread of the virus. It does not require businesses shut down if an employee tests positive for COVID-19.

24

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

How restaurants respond to a positive test varies by the situation and the business owner.

For instance, on July 7, Shakespeare’s South temporarily closed when an employee tested positive. All affected staff were tested, and the store reopened July 12 when there were enough staff with negative results to continue operations, says manager Kurt Mirtsching in an email interview with Vox. Later in July, when there was another positive case at the restaurant, the Health Department allowed Shakespeare’s to stay open because it had been following the city’s safety regulations and guidelines. Employees who

Cayleb Lawrence works at Shakespeare’s behind a plexiglass barrier, which is recommended but not required, by the Health Department.

had been in contact with the person who tested positive made the decision to quarantine. “We could’ve only sent home the positive case,” Mirtsching says. “Yet we agreed as a team to further quarantine those exposed and anyone else who felt uncomfortable.”

Photography by Margo Wagner

E AT & DRI N K COVID-19

If the majority of a staff is identified as close contacts to a known case, there may not be enough employees to keep the restaurant open during the quarantine period, and this can be an issue at some places.

Café Berlin closed for two weeks from Aug. 27 to Sept. 11 after an em-

This table at Shakespeare’s is one of only four in this area of the dining room. The tables are spaced in compliance with distancing guidelines.

ployee was exposed to COVID-19 outside of the restaurant setting. The employee tested positive for COVID-19 two days later, and all staff who had been in contact quarantined for two weeks and got tested before reopening.

“It all happened pretty fast,” says Sarah Dolasky, the front of house manager. “None of us really thought that we would be closed for two weeks, but it’s not worth risking.”

The Health Department recommends only close contacts be tested between seven to nine days after contact with someone known to have COVID-19. Businesses are not required to have other employees tested. Additionally, the department does not notify the public about a positive case at a business unless contact tracing is not possible, guidelines were not followed or the risk of exposure is high.

We’re all in this together Another issue for restaurant owners is retaining employees.

Dolasky says more than half of the Café Berlin staff quit in March for a variety of pandemic-related reasons.

At the downtown Shakespeare’s, many employees are college students who left Columbia in March when classes went remote. This left the Shakespeare’s team short-staffed at different times throughout the summer.

The different safety measures that have been implemented since March might negatively affect business, but the priority of local health leaders is to slow the spread of the virus. Doing so would enable the Health Department to lessen restrictions, says director Stephanie Browning in a September release.

Mirtsching acknowledges that it’s difficult for officials to make decisions for everybody. “There’s an awful lot of very smart people in positions of leadership that are making agonizing decisions pertaining to a lot of different things,” he says. “The information they have is imperfect, but it’s the best they’ve got.”

The figure Now Exhibiting:

Gallery Hours: TuesdaySaturday, 12-4 PM 207 S 9th St

Photography by Margo Wagner

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

25

E AT & DRINK BREAKFAST

Three (round) meals a day Pizza Tree and Goldie’s Bagels team up to put a fresh spin on breakfast.

BY GRACE GLANDER

P

izza Tree is known for a menu of unusual combinations, and now it can add breakfast to that list.

The restaurant began offering breakfast pizza along with bagels and coffee from Goldie’s Bagels.

Goldie’s Bagels is run by co-owners Sarah Medcalf and Amanda Rainey, who is married to Pizza Tree owner John Gilbreth. Goldie’s Bagels opened in August as a pop-up shop that operated out of Pizza Tree on Mondays. They were selling out each week, so Rainey and Gilbreth decided to combine forces and serve breakfast items Tuesdays through Sundays.

Gilbreth says he had been wanting to do breakfast for a while, and with closing time requirements due to COVID-19, Piz-

26

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

za Tree is not serving late nights anymore.

“It made sense to add something new, and John makes this really amazing breakfast pizza,” Rainey says. “So, we thought we could combine the bagels and the breakfast pizza and get some coffee going and that it would be a hit.”

Gilbreth says they are starting slow, which is an opportunity to train staff and learn how to integrate this new process into their existing operation.

“There have been some challenges but overall, I’d say it’s been a success,” he says.

He says that the addition will also help Goldie’s Bagels become better known so that once it gets its own space, people will be ready to go there.

“We took the first two weeks to iron

The Pizza Tree and Goldie’s Bagels partnership means you’ll find standard morning selections like such as sesame and everything bagels alongside unique bagel sandwiches or breakfast pizzas such as tater tot, bacon and egg (above right).

PIZZA TREE/ GOLDIE’S 909 Cherry St. Breakfast: Tues.–Sat., 7–11 a.m. Pizza: Tues.–Sun., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Follow @goldiesbagels on Instagram for bagel updates and Monday popups.

out our kinks and figure out our workflow and hire a couple of people,” Rainey says. “We’re ready to start getting going on the marketing side of things.”

Rainey says she did not want to be overzealous in the beginning in case the restaurant got overwhelmed. Because the team is taking it slow, the options are limited, and there is not an expansive regular menu yet.

“We’re just trying to play our strengths right, like a small menu of features that we’re selling every day,” Gilbreth says. “They’re all good, and it’s easy for us to get ready for it right now on top of bagel production and coffee production.”

Gilbreth says he hopes to cater breakfast for offices someday and looks forward to rolling out a menu of eight breakfast items to choose from — but the husband-wife duo agrees that the bacon tater tot pizza is their favorite.

“I love the bagels, but we did this breakfast pizza with tater tots and bacon and scallions, and it’s so good,” Rainey says.

Photography courtesy of Goldie’s Bagels and Pizza Tree

WHEN AT-RISK MEETS COVID-19 P. 29

STATEMENT-MAKING MASKS P. 30

Keeping the ‘treat’ in a socially distant Halloween The real monster to look out for on Oct. 31 is COVID-19.

BY CAITLIN KING In September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidance on celebrating Halloween. The CDC noted traditional trick-or-treating as a “higher risk activity” that should be avoided. It also shared safe alternatives that include carving pumpkins with household members, decorating your home or having a virtual Halloween costume contest.

Jackie Peterson decorates a gourd at Karma Care’s gourddecorating event.

Photography by Jessi Dodge/Archive and Grace Noteboom and courtesy of Kelly Durante

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

27

CITY LIFE EVENTS

Many places — and parents of would-be trick-or-treaters — are still figuring out what to do this Halloween.

Fear Fest has confirmed that it will operate under new safety precautions, but these are still in the works as of Sept. 25, and The District is looking into alternatives for its Halloweenie event.

Vox compiled a list of COVID-friendly Halloween activities that make the threat of the virus a little less scary this year.

Shryocks Callaway Farms Shryocks, a family-owned farm in Columbia, will offer a Super Bowl-themed corn maze, a pumpkin patch and campfires this year. Previous years’ attractions like the Big Red Barn, the gumball coaster and hayrides are not available this October.

Shryocks’ COVID-19 policies can be found on its website.

Fri. and Sat., 9 a.m. to noon, Sun., noon to 6 p.m., open until Nov. 1, 2927 County Road 253 Drive-in Movies in the Park The city of Columbia and MissouriCare, a

ing lot of the library. The event is an outdoor drive-thru with displays of pumpkins carved by local artists of all ages, says Mitzi St. John, the public relations manager for Daniel Boone Regional Library. The event will have “additional spooky surprises” and people dressed up as the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus, according to its website.

Oct. 23, 7-8 p.m.,100 W. Broadway

health plan company, are coming together to present a drive-in showing of the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas at Cosmopolitan Park. Moviegoers must wear a mask if they leave their cars.

Oct. 3, 7:15-9:30 p.m., 1615 Business Loop 70 W., preregistration required, 874-7460 Jack O’Lantern Jamboree Columbia Public Library will host Jack O’Lantern Jamboree in the south park-

Mannequins sit on a bench — not socially distant — in a yard decorated for Halloween.

Movies in the Park: Halloween Edition Rose Music Hall is hosting Movies in the Park: Halloween Edition, where a Halloween-themed outdoor movie will be shown each week for five weeks. The capacity is 150 people, and the event is for those 21 and over. The movies scheduled are Hocus Pocus, Friday the 13th, Ghostbusters, Scream and Rocky Horror Picture Show. This event comes after Rose Music Hall’s sister venue, The Blue Note, canceled its annual Halloween event, Brew ’n View.

Wednesdays, Sept. 30-Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m., 1013 Park Ave., $5, 874-1944

EVEN TEXTERS AND DRIVERS TEXTING AND DRIVING HATE TEXTERS AND DRIVERS. MAKES GOOD PEOPLE LOOK BAD. STOPTEXTSSTOPWRECKS.ORG STOPTEXTSSTOPWRECKS.ORG 28

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

Photography by Daniel Shular/Archive

C I T Y LI FE COVID-19

No room for compromise During a pandemic that can affect even those with strong immune systems, people who are immunocompromised are at a greater risk.

BY EMMA VEIDT

A

fter accidentally running the lawn mower over a patch of loose dirt, MU student Madeline Ewing spent two weeks coughing so hard her throat bled. She sleeps with her body elevated, and she uses an inhaler at least four times a day. She frequently gets bronchitis, she caught swine flu in 2009 and now, she is recovering from COVID-19.

Ewing is immunocompromised.

Her respiratory system is more sensitive to infections. She lives with asthma, damaged bronchial tubes and low lung capacity. Because Ewing is more vulnerable to viruses that attack the respiratory system, she has to pay extra attention to her health. “[Before COVID-19,] if someone was coughing next to me, I was wary of that and would usually try and put distance between us or even just ask them to move if I could,” she says.

“Now, with COVID, where you might not necessarily have symptoms, I don’t even know who to be wary of.”

Despite taking safety precautions, Ewing suffered a headache in July.

Then came chills, muscle aches and a mental fog so severe that she was slow to realize her symptoms warranted a COVID-19 test referral.

Within two days of having symptoms, Ewing tested positive for the coronavirus. Luckily, she began recovering in a few weeks. But three months later, she still feels weak and is unsure if she will experience lasting cardiovascular effects.

“Even if you do survive now, what does that mean down the line?” she asks. “That’s what I’m most concerned about, the heart stuff, because I already have crappy lungs.”

Photography by Grace Noteboom

Sam Loduca, an MU education student, was already following his own health routine after developing Crohn’s disease in high school. He keeps his hand sanitizer stash well-stocked, limits contact with others and wears a mask during strong flu seasons.

Loduca says he plans to be a high school biology teacher and says he believes everybody should be more science-literate. As someone with a compromised immune system, he feels “a mixture of disappointment and just a little short of being angry” when people refuse to follow health guidelines or wear a mask.

“I’m not sure if it’s a case where you’re willfully ignoring what you’ve seen or you actually don’t know,” he says.

Face coverings have been required in Columbia since July 10. Dr. Scott Henderson, assistant director of medical services at MU Hospital, wrote in an email to Vox that the safest community is one that assumes everybody is positive, focuses on contact tracing and practices strong isolation strategies.

Ewing says it’s a privilege to be carefree during the pandemic, and she

Despite staying indoors, wearing a mask and social distancing, Madeline Ewing contracted COVID-19.

When Sam Loduca sees students not wearing masks, he says his own health and safety is at risk.

takes it personally when people don’t wear masks. “I see so many people hanging out in groups, not wearing masks and acting like nothing’s happening,” she says. “The people who are doing that most likely have the health care access they need to recover well or the immune system to fight it.”

Even though Ewing is immunocompromised, she says she sees her privilege as a white woman. “You have a medical system that is set up to cater to your needs in a way that it doesn’t for any other skin color or ethnicity,” she says. A 2019 study by the American Association for the Advancement of Science affirms this. Specifically, it states Black Americans receive lower quality treatment than white Americans for the same ailments.

MU Health Care and Boone County Hospital offer drive-thru COVID-19 tests for anyone with a doctor’s referral.

Both Ewing and Loduca struggle with their health, regardless of the pandemic’s challenges. When people refuse to take safety precautions, it’s even harder for at-risk individuals to know who to trust. In today’s world, their lives are in everyone’s hands.

VOX MAGAZINE •OCTOBER 2020

29

CITY LIFE COMMUNITY

with the words “Black Lives Matter” in all caps underneath.

Shields, a Black woman, says she is part of the country’s population who is hurting.

Shields proudly sported her mask at Black Lives Matter protests in Columbia, and she also uses it as everyday wear. She says that even though the mask is just fabric, it represents something larger.

Find this mask at Viva Fashion Mart in either of its locations: Kansas City and Independence, Missouri.

Sporting support Masks don’t need to be just about safety. They are also an opportunity to make a statement, support a cause or show some spirit.

BY ALLISON BROWN

M

ask-wearing now goes beyond preventing the spread of COVID-19. Across the country, masks are being used to make statements in support of various movements, communities and businesses. Columbia residents have found new ways to express themselves and their beliefs through masks.

Encouraging school spirit Kelly Durante, who has a daughter, Gianna, at Rock Bridge High School, turned her daughter’s green-and-gold school T-shirts into masks to sport school spirit. Durante says she wanted to find a way to make mask-wearing exciting for those who might have been, or still are, afraid or anxious to go back to school.

“I think that putting the school’s identity on the masks makes it an exciting thing,” she says.

With the help of her daughter and college-age son, Zane, Kelly Durante made and sold masks to teachers and staff, who she says were her biggest customers.

30

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

Kelly Durante, with the help of her kids, made and sold rainbow-colored masks in support of the LGBTQ community as well as school spirit masks.

She donated the proceeds, which totaled over $2,000, to the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri.

Celebrating LGBTQ Pride Durante also made and sold masks in support of the LGBTQ community and to honor Pride Month. The money raised from masks in June was donated to Columbia’s The Center Project.

“Pride Month was rolling around, and I was thinking a lot about people who were staying at home and maybe not in the most supportive environment,” Durante says.

She says she did not want Pride Month to be “quarantined away.” “So I got my hands on some rainbow material and started making the masks,” she says.

Support for Black Lives Matter Initially, MU freshman Jayona Shields says she did not see masks as a way to make a statement, but once she came across a particular mask at Viva Fashion Mart, she says she knew she had to buy it.

The mask has big letters that read “BLM”

Honor and pride for veterans Paola Fernandez launched her Etsy shop, Guate Creations, to sell masks after realizing how many she had made for her family.

Although she sells masks with various patterns, her military-themed masks aim to be badges of pride and honor those who are serving or have served in the armed forces.

The project is personal for Fernandez, who served in the U.S. Navy for four years.

“I love the feeling I get by representing the military in these masks, and I know other veterans feel the same,” she writes in an email interview with Vox. Her customers are mostly veterans, and she says her job at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital has allowed her to expand her reach. Fernandez says sporting one’s military branch colors, even on a mask, comes with a sense of pride.

“For the wearer, they honor the branch that they served in, or maybe it’s a family member who didn’t serve but has another person in their family who served,” Fernandez writes.

Fernandez’s masks can be found at guatecreationsco.etsy.com for $10 each.

The military-themed masks that Paola Fernandez makes feature flags, dog tags and patriotic colors for veterans and supporters to show off pride and honor those who serve or have served.

Photography courtesy of Kelly Durante and Paola Fernandez

photo finish

Sequins and safety PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELIZABETH UNDERWOOD Football and the festivities that surround it look different this year, but the cheer is still here. Jefferson City High School’s dance team waits to take the football field in its home opener Sept. 4. Although the Jefferson City Jays football team lost that night to the Hannibal Pirates, the girls diligently wore masks when unable to remain 6 feet apart. “It’s really weird because we’re usually so close and all together,” senior Katrina Peter says. Although schools encouraged COVID-19 health and safety precautions, not everyone followed through. Rules and guidelines vary in different counties, but for Columbia Public Schools’ football games, general admissions are not allowed. Instead, athletes for both home and away teams are provided with player cards to give to guests, who can then purchase a ticket. Spectators have to wear masks or face coverings while entering and exiting the facility as well as when unable to social distance.

VOX MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2020

31

1 IN 3 ADULTS HAS PREDIABETES. COULD BE YOU, YOUR CO -PILOT, YOUR CO -PILOT’S CO-PILOT.

WITH EARLY DIAGNOSIS, PREDIABETES CAN BE REVERSED. TAKE THE RISK TEST. DoIHavePrediabetes.org