IN Kansas City November 2025

THE KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA HOLIDAY HOMES TOUR

For your holidays and year-round, when you love where you live, it shows.

Your holiday home should reflect your beautiful style — warm and welcoming, bold and bright, serene and sophisticated, or sparkling with color. When you love where you live, it shows.

Before family, friends, and festivities fill your rooms with laughter, make sure your favorite spaces reflect your personality and spirit of celebration.

Explore our expansive Leawood gallery, filled with exquisite, hand-crafted furniture ready for your immediate consideration. We’re here to help you create the comfortable, inviting, holiday and yearround settings you’ve always imagined.

November Savings Include:

• 50% OFF Bernhardt Interiors

• 45% OFF Lexington

• 30% OFF Nourison Rugs

• In-stock and Custom Orders through Dec. 1st

Plus, a rare 10% OFF American Leather

Event Chair Co-Chairs Amy Embry, Katie McCune, and Carrie McLiney

Annual Luncheon | DEC. 5TH

| 11:00 A.M.

Purchase your tickets in advance for the prix-fixe luncheon at Aixois with your friends and family. Get all the event and sponsor details at cpckc.org/holidaysincrestwood

Be sure to admire and bid on the amazing Gingerbread Houses located in each of the shops. All were created by local pastry chefs.

• THURSDAY kicks off the weekend of festivities with cocktails, live music, shopping and of course Santa! 5pm–8pm

• FRIDAY AND SATURDAY bring Santa back to the block each day with a horse drawn sled for that perfect holiday photo.

10% of sales from each shop benefit Child Protection Center.

Make this a year of giving back to those in need and have a fun time doing it as you check off your holiday list.

• Live the Titanic story—from its creation to collision and aftermath

• Walk through dramatic, life-sized, Titanic room recreations

• Discover over 200 artifacts related to Titanic’s short life

• Relive the final, tragic moments from aboard a lifeboat

• Explore Titanic’s final resting place in a virtual submersible

DRESS TO IMPRESS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Wrap It Up

Aren’t all holiday sentiments built on the memories of our childhood? I can still (just faintly) recall that intense tingling frisson of excitement that led up to Christmastime. It was years between months then—an agonizingly slow march from Halloween to Thanksgiving to—finally—the Day We Were All Waiting For.

Who slept the night before? Who crept down the stairs at the break of dawn to see what Santa brought? What would you give to experience that wondrous mix of elation and expectation and exhilaration now?

Santa didn’t wrap presents at our house. (Maybe that’s why I worship at the altar of the inventor of gift bags.) So the very first thing I saw was the new Flexible Flyer sled, or one year, a malt shop (complete with everything but the ice cream, and you know the contents were ravaged by the end of the day), or what might be my very favorite of all—a tea set, complete with dainty tea cups and saucers, a teapot, creamer, and sugar bowl—everything needed to entertain in style.

Later, at Grandpa and Grandma’s house, it was time to open the wrapped gifts—covered in shiny paper decorated with reindeer, candy canes, Santas, ornaments, and bows— sometimes all on the same package. It seemed whatever was inside, even the red-and-white plaid underpants from Great Aunt Gustie (this is for real, folks!), was made more palatable by the thrill of tearing into the paper.

To prepare you for your own gift shopping, we’ve compiled an extensive list of talented local makers and the holiday makers’ markets happening both this month and in December. Turn to page 70 and get wrapping.

There are plenty of pretty packages on display under the trees in our 2024 Kappa Homes Tour feature beginning on page 74. And those trees! Lucky were the kiddos who dashed down the stairs Christmas morning last year in those homes. A veritable confection of trees, dripping with ornaments, tinsel, swags, and both new and much-loved family heirlooms. There’s much to inspire your holiday décor this year.

And as for those exquisitely wrapped gifts? I’m pretty sure not one of them contained a pair of red-and-white plaid underpants.

Correction: In the October IN Kansas City issue, on page 78, an incorrect website for Black Oak Construction was listed. The correct website is blackoakkc.com

Vol. 8 | No. 11

NOVEMBER 2025

Editor In Chief Zim Loy

Digital Editor Evan Pagano

Art Director Alice Govert Bryan

Contributing Writers

Susan Cannon, Judith Fertig, Merrily Jackson, Cindy Hoedel, Damian Lair, Liz Schroeder, Jenny Vergara

Contributing Photographers

Amante Domingo, Ashley Elwell, Don Ipock, Kenny Johnson, Aaron Leimkuehler, Colin MacMillan, Keith Oshiro, Emmalee Rathsam

Publisher Michelle Jolles

Media Director Brittany Coale

Senior Media Consultants

Katie Delzer, Nicole Kube, Krista Markley, Josie Rawlings

Newsstand Consultant

Joe J. Luca, JK Associates 816-213-4101, jkassoc.net

Editorial Questions: zloy@inkansascity.com

Advertising Questions: bcoale@inkansascity.com

Distribution Questions: mjolles@inkansascity.com

Magazine Subscriptions:

Mail: IN Kansas City Subscriptions PO Box 292374, Kettering, OH 45429 Phone 888-881-5861 Email: SUBS@inkansascity.com

Subscribe Online: inkansascity.com/subscribe

| inkansascity.com

Subscriptions are $19.95

INKANSASCITY.COM

ENTER TO WIN

Deck the Halls! Need to refresh your holiday party wardrobe? Just in time, Halls in Crown Center is giving one IN Kansas City reader a $200 gift card. Enter to win by November 30 at inkansascity.com/the-magazine/enter-to-win. Best of luck!

Bookoo books.

Mills Record Company has a wicked book selection, Prospero’s Books has three mesmerizing floors, and Under the Cover is the first bookstore dedicated to romance novels in KC—and that’s just the first few chapters. We thumb through Kansas City’s best bookstores at inkansascity.com

A golden ticket.

After the release of its delectable Dubai-style chocolates earlier this year, we grew a little obsessed with local icon Russell Stover and its pursuit of chocolate glory. We took an exclusive tour of their Innovation Kitchen, and we tell all on inkansascity.com

Mural mania.

Did you hear the cans rattling? The second SpraySeeMO mural festival of the year took place last month, tagging a staggering number of walls across Kansas City with world-class art. Find a gallery of our favorite works at inkansascity.com

This Month IN KC November

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE

by Evan Pagano

Crown Center Ice Terrace

Opening Night

November 7

Crown Center crowncenter.com/ iceterrace

Memories on ice. Want to slip into some skates and fall on your butt for a night? You can do that—plus sip coffee and hot chocolate—for free on opening night at the Crown Center Ice Terrace. After that, entry is $10 for ages four and up, and skate rental is $6. Season passes are $140 and get you unlimited entry until the season ends in March.

Oddities & Curiosities Expo

November 15–16

Kansas City Convention Center odditiesandcuriositiesexpo.com

Get weird. If you’re resisting the onset of holiday traditions, you’re in luck: a caravan of oddities unloads into Bartle Hall at the Kansas City Convention Center during the two-day Oddities & Curiosities Expo. You’ll see vendors vending almost anything: We’re talking taxidermy, bones, horror-movie regalia, and other things we can’t possibly predict.

American Royal World Series of Barbecue

November 7–8

Kansas Speedway americanroyal.com/events/world-series-of-barbecue

Taste the best. We talk a lot about atmosphere—the feeling of the season —and we’re hard-pressed to find a more atmospheric place than the center of Kansas Speedway during the American Royal World Series of Barbecue. You’ll see hundreds of the world’s best pitmasters at work, cooking up barbecue and throwing a delectable haze into the sky over KCK. On Pit Road, expect games, live music, and barbecue vendors aplenty. Single-day tickets start at $17.33 for adults and $9.05 for kids.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Holiday

Reflections

Starts November 21 Union Station unionstation.org/event/holiday-reflections

An icon aglow. Union Station’s Grand Hall will be decked out in lights once again this year. Santa’s sleigh, singing penguins, a new gingerbread village, the classic holiday-themed model trains—it’s a heck of a sight. Add the adults-only after-party, Tinsel & ‘Tinis, on five select nights, and Holiday Reflections is a factory for holiday memories.

For Kansas City’s most comprehensive calendar of events, go to inkansascity.com/events

DOES YOUR KITCHEN OR BATH SAY “WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK?”

Most of us need a bracing cup of coffee before we face the morning onslaught of the daily news cycle. World events that happen far away seem up close and personal on our TV and cell phone screens.

More than ever, our homes need to help us deal with this. They need to be our havens, retreats from the busyness and stress of everyday life. A place where we can feel nurtured, bolstered, and supported.

By Judith Fertig Photos by Randy Van

Does your kitchen or primary bath—the two rooms we frequent the most throughout the day—offer this kind of we’vegot-your-back? If your kitchen is stuck in 1992 or your cluttered primary bath cannot keep up—as in not enough electrical outlets and hidden storage—then it’s time for a change.

Updating these rooms can help you in more ways than one. There is the customized comfort factor, of course. Tailoring a kitchen to the way you cook or a spa bathroom to your daily rituals takes some stress out of your life. But a quality remodel will also provide a great return on invest-

ment (about 70 percent), according to Bankrate.com.

“We’re looking at what home can be in a whole new way,” says Karin Ross. The designer, owner of Karin Ross Designs, has created custom kitchens, baths, wine bars, and other spaces for Kansas City homeowners wanting that special something. “Luxury is different for every person. When I come to a potential client’s home—before anyone has paid me anything—I look at what they want to change. And I also look at how they want to live. Only after that visit can I come up with a plan that is tailored to them.”

“My advice to my clients is to work with a designer to make rooms live the way you want them to,” says Ross. “In the kitchen, you might want a coffee station or a wine bar, specialty storage for platters or linens if you entertain a lot. In the primary bath, you might love a deep, freestanding tub to soak in while you watch a favorite program on a flatscreen TV that doubles as a mirror. You might want a sit-down make-up station. Your partner might prefer a large shower with multiple jets and hand-held sprayers. You both might want the luxury of a heated floor or towel rack in the winter.”

START YOUR PROJECT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER

Whatever is on your wish list, start now to make it happen. “Prices are not going down in the foreseeable future,” says Ross. “To make the best investment in your home, the smart thing is to start your remodeling projects now. You can still get everything you ever wanted in a bath or a kitchen, but to get this done at the best price, you need to schedule now.”

INVEST WHERE IT COUNTS

Keeping a classic look and investing in good quality pay off, now and in the long run. “A kitchen or bath remodel should last for 15 to 20 years,” says Ross. “And after that, if it is done right, you should only need a few replacements to keep it functioning well and looking great.” Perhaps different hardware on the cabinetry or changing out a light fixture. “The basic design, if it is done right, will be timeless and in keeping with your home.”

The process starts with an extensive questionnaire for clients and an on-site visit. “We get to know our clients and their home first, then present them with several design options and solutions

after I have done all the research,” says Ross.

Working with a kitchen and bath designer can save time and money, not to mention stress. “We try everything we install before we put it in a client’s home,” says Ross. “We try it in our home or in our showroom. That way, there are no surprises.”

There are no surprises, either, during the installation. Karin Ross Designs keeps products in stock, so no waiting. And Nick Ross, Karin’s husband, does the installation work with his team. “Our clients know we will take care of it all,” she says.

“You’ve worked hard and made many sacrifices for your home. Now it’s time to enjoy your custom kitchen or your spa bath retreat,” says Ross. And feel like a new you.

by Merrily Jackson mjackson@inkansascity.com

The Lazy Host’s Thanksgiving Shortcuts

Igrew up in a big family where Thanksgiving meant folding chairs, a rowdy kids’ table in the “breakfast room,” and my sainted mother orchestrating a turkey dinner for 15 to 20 as if it were no big deal. For years, I followed in her footsteps, hosting holiday feasts for my husband’s family, featuring stamina-challenging, overly ambitious menus.

These days, I’m more likely to show up with a side dish and a bottle of wine than a roasting pan. And honestly, I’ve learned a thing or two from the sidelines. Chief among them: the best hosts aren’t necessarily the ones who make everything from scratch. They’re the ones who make it look easy. So, in honor of all the mere mortals out there preparing for the big day, here are a few Thanksgiving shortcuts that don’t feel like cheating.

Buy the bird, don’t bond with it. There is no shame in ordering your turkey pre-brined, pre-trussed, or even pre-cooked. (Yes, I said it.) Most

local markets—Fareway Meat Market in KCMO is a fan fave—are better at this than we usually think. The secret is to make your own gravy. Nothing lends a store-bought bird more credibility than a rich, glossy gravy made from scratch. (Email me for my make-ahead turkey gravy recipe and Thanksgiving side dishes.)

Carefully chosen store-bought sides are your BFFs. Make one “showoff” side dish, something you genuinely enjoy making. Then outsource the rest with offerings brought by guests, or those that are store-bought, but selected to avoid that icky preservative aftertaste. Skip anything vacuumsealed or with a long expiration date. Instead, shop the deli counter or local markets where the food looks homemade and, frankly, like it might actually go bad someday. Say what you will about Whole Foods, but their Thanksgiving sides are preservative-free.

Welcome to Garnish Theater! The right garnish will give your storebought sides a confidence boost. Scoop mashed potatoes into your own serving bowl, drizzle a bit of olive oil, and sprinkle freshly chopped chives or parsley on top. Reheat roasted vegetables on a sheet pan so they crisp back up, give them a squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavors, then present them on a platter with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and some shaved Parmesan. Bakery rolls look delicious when brushed with melted butter then sprinkled with sea salt or herbs and arranged in a linen-lined basket.

Delegate like a CEO. When someone asks, “What can I bring?” don’t say, “Oh, just yourself.” That’s amateur hour. Assign with precision: a specific side dish, wine, extra ice, a pie. Guests want jobs. It makes them feel useful and engaged.

The pre-dinner cocktail rule. Never skimp on the beverages for guests, but from experience I recommend you don’t start drinking until dinner hits the table. Trust me. Nothing derails a meal like a tipsy turkey carver. Keep guests happy with something festive but simple, like a Cranberry Bourbon Spritz, just bourbon, cranberry juice, and a splash of ginger beer over ice. Garnish with an orange peel if you’re feeling fancy.

And finally, remember why you’re together. It’s so easy, in all the commotion, to overlook this part. Have a plan, even if it’s only in your head, for how you will, once you’ve sat down to dinner, observe that it’s Thanksgiving. It can be serious, it can be funny or lighthearted, it just can’t be an afterthought.

Entertaining IN KC

FEAST-WORTHY FINDS

SWEET FINISH

A great-looking pedestal cake stand turns any pie into a showstopper. You can find the Annieglass Roman Antique square cake plate at Terrasi Living on the Country Club Plaza.

WHINE-FREE WINE

MEMORY MAKER

Set out a mini photo printer and let guests capture the day. Assign someone to snap a quick photo of each guest, then print them as instant place cards.

An electric wine opener and aerator combo makes you look polished and prepared. No cork drama, no wrist strain. Can’t guarantee no hangover.

BREADWINNER

A terra-cotta bread warmer tucked inside a breadbasket keeps rolls perfectly toasty and looks nicer than aluminum foil. Even store-bought carbs feel homemade. Terracotta bread warmer available at Homesong Market in the Crestwood Shops. C R E S T W O

Entertaining IN KC

KC CREAMED SPINACH CASSEROLE

THIS RECIPE is adapted from the excellent (yet, sadly, out-of-print) Kansas Christmas Cookbook by Karen Adler and Jane Guthrie, a gem of Mid western culinary wisdom that deserves a reprint. Their version inspired this creamy, comforting side dish that feels right at home on a Thanksgiving table, especially when you need something rich and green that isn’t a salad.

2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

11/2 cups water

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup half-and-half

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spinach in water over medium heat until thawed. Add butter, and when melted, sprinkle flour over spinach and blend in. Let simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer mixture to a bowl. Add half-andhalf and eggs, stir to blend, and then add Romano cheese and blend. Pour mix ture into a buttered 9-by-13-inch casserole or baking dish. Top with Gruyere cheese and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Entertaining IN KC

ASK MERRILY

Find answers to all your entertaining questions.

Q: How do I gracefully handle guests who arrive too early?

A: Hand them a drink and a small job. Guests feel better when they’re useful, and you’ll feel better when they’re not staring at you while you’re still in your slippers. Have them light candles, arrange crackers, chop garnishes, or supervise the ice bucket.

Q: What’s an easy way to make my home feel festive for Thanksgiving?

A: Lighting, scent, and music do the heavy lifting. Dim the overheads, light a few unscented candles, and simmer a pot of water with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and citrus slices an hour before guests arrive. Then cue up a playlist that feels warm, familiar, and cross-generational.

Q: How do I keep conversation civil in a year when everyone has opinions?

A: Set the tone early: gratitude, not debate. A few well-timed compliments (“This gravy! This sweater!”) can redirect even the most combative uncle. And when in doubt, talk about pets or sports. Both are relatively safe zones.

Do you have a question about entertaining? Email it to mjackson@inkansascity.com

BUCKLE UP. IT’S GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL RIDE.

NUMEROUS MODELS | ENDLESS OPTIONS | ONE UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE

Our Man IN KC

by Damian Lair dlair@inkansascity.com

Riff and Repeat

One of the most fun parties to attend (and dress for) is the annual gala—ArtSmash—for the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

This year’s iteration, cochaired by Keisha Jordan and Paige Marley, with honorary chair Mathias Pintscher, the music director at the Kansas City Symphony, was fittingly envisioned around music. “RIFF/EVOLVE: Where Music Meets Fashion” was a pitch-perfect theme for the moment. With the symphony’s star conductor and composer lending his support, the gala also marked the winding down of Stan Douglas’s multidisciplinary Metronome. Douglas’s exhibit explores the intersection of technology, image-making, music, and collective memory through the mediums of film and photography. The exhibit’s featured work is a six-hour single-channel video projection loop, Luanda-Kinshasa (2013), which imagines a historic jam session at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio, creating a utopian musical space where different nationalities come together.

The gala’s dress code was “where rhythm meets the runway,” and per usual, guests came to impress. Going back many decades, if not centuries, music and fashion have always gone hand in hand. Think: Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz, Lady Gaga, Pharrell Williams, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Rihanna…. You can’t picture them without imagining what they’re wearing. Music and fashion are inextricably linked. I opted for a louche velour suit in a moody paisley pattern. It was something I could envision myself having worn to one of Halston’s Studio 54 after-parties. I imagined myself slung across one of his extra-deep sofas, chatting until sunrise. Fashion is a fantasy, right?

And what would fashion be without a good photo shoot? Cue the ever-talented Jeff Evrard. In one of the museum’s side galleries, Jeff created a photo set with all the right rockstar props. Bulky speakers, corded microphones, keyboards, etc. While in line for a shot of my own, I marveled as the images were contemporaneously displayed on a big screen for all those waiting to see. How did he make even the most ordinary of us look so… cool? Case in point: my feature photo here.

ceived in collaboration with the Monterrey-based artist during the development of her site-specific installation in the atrium. The Thursday night dinner menu currently celebrates the Metronome exhibit, reflecting themes of cultural exchange, historical layering, and improvisation. Oil on Linen is a true gem in the Kemper’s crown.

OVERHEARD

“The life meltdown is being broadcast, realtime, for all to see.”

Who was out all night, thinking it was a Friday, only to realize it was actually Thursday? HOT GOSSIP:

Following champagne and conversation in the museum atrium, guests made their way to a large outdoor tent. Live music surrounded, and a divine buffet dinner was served. It was prepared by the chef Ted Habiger and his restaurant at the museum, Oil on Linen (open for brunch and lunch, Wednesday–Sunday, and dinner on Thursdays). I enjoyed dinner there recently, and I’m still raving about it. In harmony with the museum’s exhibition calendar, the restaurant’s menu evolves to create connections to the art on display. For instance, you’ll presently find a Lucía Vidales quesadilla, a dish con-

Part of the beauty of attending a party at an art museum is being able to disappear for a quick dose of culture. Another exhibit worth noting is Andrea Carlson: Shimmer on Horizons ( on display through February 15). It considers how landscapes are shaped by history, relationships, and power. The artworks imagine places that are “everywhere and nowhere,” visualizing these shifting yet ever-present dynamics. Carlson, an Indigenous Ojibwe artist, draws inspiration from the landscapes of her ancestral homeland on the Grand Portage Band in northern Minnesota. The works also reflect on how land carries memories of colonial expansion and violence, as well as Indigenous presence and resistance.

Following dinner (and my own quiet reflection), we danced! The interior glass-ceilinged courtyard was alive with DJ Joe (Joseph Straws) spinning beats. Beneath us, a dance floor of infinity mirrors subtly evoked a (pulsating) Yayoi Kusama room. I slipped in and out of dancing to grab some bite-sized desserts. OK, I also snuck away to the Momma Flo’s food truck parked under the porte-cochère, serving up fried chicken and fish sandwiches. They were perfect for sopping up the seriously incredible basil tequila cocktails I enjoyed on repeat throughout the night. Another year; another great party. All for ensuring the museum remains free for everyone. Bravo!

SPOTTED: Bebe & Graham Hunt, Mary Kemper Wolf & Gary Wolf, Christy & Bill Gautreaux, Jessica May & Karen Bala, Jessica Hong, Ann Baum, Karen & Jack Holland, Sharon & John Hoffman, Erica Crenshaw, Ursula Terrasi, Ada Koch, Linda & Topper Johntz, Susie & Tom Corbin,

Our Man IN KC

Helen Wewers, Ellen & Jamie Copaken, Lynn & Lance Carlton, Rachel Sexton & Brian King, Linda Lighton, Edith & Benny Lee, Kim Klein, Andy Wolff, Chadwick Brooks, Katherine Holland, Jess Blubaugh, Anne Hickok, Loretta & Tom Mentzer, Michele Hamlet-Weith, Anna Petrow & Patrick Mulvihill, Mark Allen Alford, Jr., Lorece Chanelle, T’Sey-Haye Preaster, Brooklyn Moore, Josh Dampf, Scott Albers, Matt Sears

A TASTE OF LEAWOOD

A RECURRING mid-autumn trip annually precludes me from attending a handful of KC events that are simultaneously scheduled. One of those is A Taste of Leawood, hosted by the Leawood Chamber. A change to my travel schedule this year meant I was finally able to experience.

A friend and I met at Park Place in Leawood for an evening of dining, imbibing, and jiving under the stars. Streets were closed and filled with revelers enjoying gorgeous weather and each other’s company. Food tents featuring area restaurants lined the buzzing streets. The “taste” options were overwhelming—in the best way possible. I had some fantastic Impossible mini tacos from Jinya Ramen Bar, smoked ham salad and chips from Brobeck’s BBQ (seriously incredible and oddly reminded me of the world-famous fish dip from Islamorada Fish Company), a pulled pork sandwich and bread pudding from Sullivan’s Steakhouse, excellent pad thai from Tuk Tuk Thai, a shrimp laab wrap (plucked from a stunning display) at Aqua Penny’s, a blueberry donut from Duck Donuts, and goat-cheese ice cream from Betty Rae’s. Woof!

Regrettably, this “top hits” survey doesn’t even cover a quarter of the restaurants participating. While strolling, I sipped on some ranch water and caught bits of the live music on the lawn performed by The Ragged Heirs. We also slipped into Outta the Blue for their VIP tropical (blue) cocktail and popped up to the Bamboo Penny’s rooftop patio for a slice of the after-party.

This enduring event is one that people talk about year after year, and I can finally see why.

SPOTTED: Stephanie & Bryan Meyer, Lee Page, Melanie & Skip Miller, Josh Heller, Penny & Doug Mufuka, Barbara Reed, Monty Spradling, Michael Werner, Greg Hewitt

TOWER NIGHTS

ANOTHER event I miss annually—but was able to finally get to this year—was Night at the Tower, the signature fundraising event for the National WWI Museum and Memorial. As its name subtly suggests, it happens to be the one evening of the year one can visit the museum’s iconic tower at night to experience unmatched views of the city (which I enthusiastically did).

It was a fantastic evening of dining, cocktails, live music, and entertainment—bound by the history and culture preserved within the (recently revitalized) museum’s walls. The event also includes the unique experience of roaming the museum galleries and its collections privately, after hours. Oh, and an after-party under the stars.

As the museum approaches its 2026 centennial, it’s worth remem-

bering that this unique place is more than a memorial. It is a living legacy that represents courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of community that came together nearly 100 years ago to build something extraordinary.

“Ew. Who would tick off every brand they’re wearing in a social media post?! Weird and gross.”

In Kansas City, 441 men and women never came home. The community mourned, then in their sorrow, they chose to act. From school children to steel workers, over 83,000 Kansas Citians gave what they could. Together they raised what is now the equivalent of $46 million in just ten days. They imagined a gathering place to bring people together in peace and share the lessons of sacrifice, sorrow, courage, and resilience. They promised to remember, but also to inspire the future.

Ninety-nine years later, the mission of the only nationally designated World War I museum and memorial in the U.S. still matters—for Kansas City, the nation, and the global community. It is a mission to protect freedom and democracy by keeping and telling the stories of the first world war, providing lessons of the last century that continue to shape the century ahead.

It is also worth noting that nearly a century later, the private nonprofit still relies entirely on donations for its operations and upkeep. Congratulations to this year’s event chairs Mary Jane Judy & Jeff Blaesing and honorary chairs Angela & Neal Sharma for their dedication to seeing that this place will continue to teach and inspire in the century ahead.

ATLAS9

I HAVE BEEN very eagerly awaiting the opening of Atlas9. Thus, I was thrilled to attend a special evening to experience this new concept ahead of its opening.

In case you’ve been hibernating early, Atlas9 is an “interactive narrative experience” set inside a fictitious ’90s movie theater that’s been experiencing some strange activity ever since a well-intentioned movie projector experiment went awry. Since the accident, portions of the screened films have somehow escaped the big screen, exploding into real life. The (fictional) government agency charged with controlling aberrations of divergent energies then encased the theater to contain the paranormal activity and high energy levels. With the site secure, the government is seeking help from adventurous outsiders to uncover what happened.

Volunteer agents are tasked with finding and scanning (via RFID wristbands) dozens of “anomalies” throughout the theater complex as they work to solve the mystery and locate the theater’s missing manager. Along the way, they’ll find nine movies that have sprung to life across roughly 30 themed rooms.

Live performers (from Quixotic) are also part of the immersive experience, with agents encountering movie characters along their quest. These culminate in larger performances in both the art deco jazz club as well as the 240-seat theater, where there are aerial acts and live shows.

Completing the ’90s-nostalgia wrap-around experience is Splice Bros. Pizza (open to the public without a ticket). Dining there made me feel like I’d been dropped into a combination of Stranger Things and the hometown Pizza Hut I frequented in my childhood. I went with the burnt ends pizza option but was extremely intrigued by the Isabella,

with pancetta, strawberry, goat cheese, mozzarella, and pesto. This 45,000-square-foot, $26 million dream is filled with thoughtful detail and truly a stunner. It’s adventurous, mysterious, and surreal. While I’ve not been to one of the Meow Wolf locations in Denver, Las Vegas, or Dallas, I’ve heard the comparison so many times that I feel compelled to mention here, should that description resonate. And for the full experience, I’d suggest allowing roughly two hours and limit the size of your group, which can hinder the ability to discover (sort of like visiting a museum where everyone is interested in different things). Check it out!

SPOTTED: George Guastello, Michael Tritt, Eric Coomes, Angie Jeffries, Alan Carr, Dolly Wood, Lisa Lala & Robert Harris, Will Gregory, Joey Mendez, Buck Wimberly, Josue Montes, Abraham Colone

NO DAY BUT TODAY

I CAN VIVIDLY RECALL the first time I saw RENT. I was 20 years old and visiting London while studying abroad in Italy. I’d heard of the musical, but had no inkling what it was about. I went simply because it was the show to see at the time.

People (particularly inside the arts community) talk a lot about how art can be transformative. It can encourage exploration, reveal understanding, and enhance communication and creativity. Without any doubt, I can say that very memorable experience, so many years ago, changed me in larger ways than I could describe here. I left the theater a different person.

All these feelings and memories came flooding back as I went to opening night of Jonathan Larson’s acclaimed musical, RENT, presented by Music Theater Heritage (MTH) at their Crown Center theater.

How to say this delicately? After so many years, with so much emotional stock put into its transformative power, and having experienced it in London’s heralded West End, I feared disappointment. This wouldn’t— couldn’t—stand up to that high-end production or my own hype.

It lived up. Every bit.

I was moved. My accompanying friends would attest to the same. We all cried.

Congratulations to all those involved—especially the cast. Malik Hughes killed it as the kind-hearted Tom Collins, Taylor Jennings nailed Maureen, and Stephonne Singleton embodied the complicated spirit of Angel. Maurissa, Jazlyn Epps, Brietta Goodman, Sheldon Mba, Jackie Nguyen, Austin Ragusin, Melvin Thampy, Brian Vaughn, and Shelly Verden all brought the depth and heart that allowed this production to shine in a way I imagine would have made Jonathan Larson proud.

I regret to inform that this show will have just closed its month-long run by the time you read this. The good news, however, is that MTH has a lot on its schedule for the upcoming 2026 season, including The Fantasticks, Moby Dick: a Sea Shanty, Brigadoon, The Wiz, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Matilda The Musical. Full season or individual tickets are available. Check one out. Fill yourself with joy, laughter, or maybe tears. And…

Measure your life in love.

A spectacular, contemporary venue with transformable reception spaces and a magnificent courtyard. 1900bldg.com (913) 730–1905

Modern-American cuisine from award-winning Chef Linda Duerr. Chef Duerr and team present elegant fare and carefully curated menus for a variety of special occasions. therestaurantat1900.com (913) 730–1900

Building

So, KC—where do you want to go? XO

HOW DIAMOND BANC WORKS (FOR YOU)

When Kansas Citians have a financial need, Diamond Banc of Kansas City is there—and it has options. That’s the simple version, of course, but that’s how Diamond Banc likes it.

Here’s a closer look. At their private office on the Country Club Plaza, a longtime jewelry professional meets with you, asks about your financial goals, and evaluates your pieces to determine the best plan. They could purchase your items outright, shop them to their vast network of buyers to maximize your return, or hold them as collateral for a loan with generous terms.

We spoke with Sicily Von Overfelt, the director of Diamond Banc of Kansas City, about how the process works. But first…

WHAT IS DIAMOND BANC OF KANSAS CITY?

Diamond Banc of Kansas City is a Missouri-based jewelry buyer and lender. They assess and provide funds in exchange for diamonds and Rolexes, gold chains and other precious metals—whether through direct purchase, seller agent services, or jewelry equity loans.

Diamond Banc’s sister company has sold fine jewelry since the

19th century. This gives Overfelt generations of expertise and an extensive network of industry partners to sell or lend on yours.

“My clients really enjoy that we are experts in the field,” says Overfelt. “We don’t buy power tools or lawn mowers, so we are able to focus solely on maximizing the return on jewelry.”

It works with a variety of valuables—from a broken chain to gold coins and bullion—and accepts them from a variety of people. Overfelt has met families sorting through inherited jewelry, curious jewelry owners who don’t know their piece’s value, and small business owners looking to secure loans with the gold in their safe.

Every interaction, she says, is guided by discretion, care, and a genuine desire to help people move forward.

STEP 1: ASSESS YOUR JEWELRY

The process starts with an assessment at the Plaza office. Overfelt examines your items, explains your options, and provides a clear, market-based evaluation—no cost or obligation.

“Clients have a private consultation with us, we review their items and any documentation they may have, and then we explain

where the market is,” she says. “We show them real-time market data so they understand where our numbers are coming from. We want clients to feel great about it and send us their neighbors and family members to assist whenever they need something.’”

“It really is that white-glove retail experience that you expect at a high-end jewelry store, but we have a purchasing service without having to do it out on the sales floor in front of everybody. It’s not very romantic to sell a ring next to a young couple getting engaged.”

STEP 2: CHOOSE A SERVICE

It’s during this meeting that Overfelt learns your goals. Maybe you’re hoping to reclaim a cherished piece after a short-term loan. Maybe you’re ready to sell.

Overfelt, who helped found Kansas City’s Diamond Banc branch 15 years ago, says there are three main services she offers:

• Direct Purchase: You bring in your jewelry, they assess it transparently using real market data, and you leave with funds. Simple, immediate, and useful for products that don’t carry sentimental value

• Jewelry Equity Loans: These are 30-day loans based only on your item’s assessed value. You can make monthly interest payments until you’re ready to repay the loan and reclaim the item. Best for those who want to keep their items in the long run

• Seller Agent Services: Over 10 to 20 business days, Diamond

Sicily Von Overfelt is a GIA graduate gemologist with over 14 years of experience in the jewelry industry and 10+ years with Diamond Banc. She began her jewelry career in retail sales, where she gained a vast knowledge of many designer brands. Sicily is the Director of Diamond Banc in Kansas City, authenticating and purchasing pre-owned luxury designer jewelry, diamonds, and watches from the public. Visit Sicily at her office conveniently located on the Country Club Plaza

Banc markets your pieces to a network of more than 50,000 verified buyers, ranging from wholesalers to private collectors. Best for clients willing to wait for a potentially higher return—often 20 to 30 percent higher.

For every service, Overfelt works to ensure clients receive proper assessed values and, for jewelry equity loans, excellent rates and every opportunity to reclaim their jewelry.

“Almost every client gets their items back, because if that’s their end goal, that’s my end goal,” she says. “And if it’s not sentimental, don’t pay interest on it, just sell it. I really try to align myself with their interests as much as humanly possible and help them make the right decision.”

STEP 3: GET YOUR MONEY

From there, it’s straightforward. If it’s a direct purchase or a jewelry equity loan, you leave with same day funds. With jewelry equity loans, you’ll make monthly interest payments until you’re ready to repay and reclaim your piece. If you opt for the seller agent service, you’ll receive a potentially higher payout within 10–20 business days.

To schedule an in-person or by-mail value assessment, visit diamondbanc.com/mo/kansas-city.

435 Nichols Rd., Suite 200 Kansas City, MO 64112

816.597.5773 FOR AN APPOINTMENT

email sicily@diamondbanc.com

by Judith Fertig

Gary Neal Johnson

ACTOR ANSWERS FOUR QUESTIONS

photo by Don Ipock

Bravo! to Gary Neal Johnson as he takes a final curtain call as Ebenezer Scrooge in Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s classic A Christmas Carol this year. No more insomnia caused by visits from any ghosts, past, present, or to come. No more Charles Dickens. Just the freedom to take on smaller projects with less of a time commitment, and perhaps a more contemporary wardrobe.

For the past 24 years, Johnson has spent the holiday season, from late November through New Year’s Eve, dressed up as a choleric and miserly 19th-century gentleman, including a tasseled stocking cap for nightwear and a top hat for going out. Scrooge is perhaps his most recognizable character, but Johnson’s long career in Kansas City includes playing Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, King Lear, Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, Angus Tuck in Tuck Everlasting, Julius Caesar, and Harry S. Truman.

Although Johnson thought he wanted to go into broadcast journalism after graduating from the University of Missouri in the 1970s, he realized quickly that being a reporter wasn’t for him. The graduate theater program at UMKC helped push him in that direction. And although he has been tempted to pursue the bright lights of bigger theatrical cities, for Johnson, there is no place like home.

For tickets to A Christmas Carol, visit kcrep.org.

INKC: Over the past 24 years, how have you finessed

Arts & Culture IN KC

the role of Ebenezer Scrooge so that it remains fresh to you and your audience? What tricks are up an actor’s sleeve?

Gary Neal Johnson: As stage actors, repetition is built into the mechanics of what we do, and resetting each night for a fresh and invested launch into the business at hand is simply what we do. In the specific case of playing a character for 25 years, as I’ve been lucky enough to do with Ebenezer Scrooge, nothing really changes that dynamic. Show up the next night, rested and refreshed, don the costume, clear your head, take a breath, and on with the show! It is the new audience that keeps the production alive, or “fresh,” if you will. The actors’ job and joy is having both the strong desire and the personal pride to tell the story as best they can to a fresh, nightly gathering that is eager to receive it. And repeat it as many times as they let us!

INKC: How do you get into a character? What is your starting point?

GNJ: For me, step one in creating a new character starts by achieving a true understanding of the author’s intent. Reading and reading and re-reading the script increasingly peels back layers and reveals clues to solve the mystery of each character. This is a vital process. As a clear picture begins to form, I begin looking for an interesting aspect to build on—be it a distinctive vocality, or a gait, or an internal tic of some kind, that takes me out of myself and makes the character “him” and not me. Ideally, it’s these actor choices that can make characters compelling, all the while serving the playwright’s intent.

Then, throw that into the pot of other characters and see how it goes!

INKC: You have been a working actor for all your adult years in Kansas City, which is no mean feat. What advice do you have for other creative people trying to make a living doing what they love?

GNJ: I’m not sure what I would say to those hoping to make a living in the arts. It’s quite possible to be very good at what you do and still not make a living—a hard reality. Be an avid student of your chosen field. Observe and study with skilled professionals. Work hard. Cultivate relationships. Define your own markers for success. Let growth— in yourself and your skills—be your number one goal. The market will give you an idea of the practical feasibility of your prospects. Broaden your market, if need be. And be ready for whatever luck may come your way—and pray that it does.

INKC: Now that you’re in Life’s Fourth Quarter as a creative person, what do you look forward to? Anything on your bucket list?

GNJ: As far as a “bucket list” goes, I’d have to create a new one for the next stage of my professional life, and I haven’t done that yet. I’m open to good, small roles in good shows, but no big roles no matter how good. I’ve played all the roles on my list, all the old men I can think of, with many delightful surprises along the way. That’s all the result of crazy good luck and timing. There may be more surprises. Who knows?

Arts & Culture IN KC

by Judith Fertig

PAINTED WORLDS AT THE NELSON

FROM NOVEMBER 1 through February 8, a new exhibit at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is sure to wow. On loan from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, over 250 amazing objects spanning 3,000 years are part of the special Painted Worlds: Color and Culture in Mesoamerican Art Painted Worlds explores the relationships between color, the cosmos, and creation—both divine and artistic—in the region comprising much of modern-day Mexico and Central America.

Through the manipulation of color and natural materials, past and contemporary Mesoamerican artists map the cosmos and honor the sacred cycles of life and death. The works on display include glittering mosaics, intricate textiles, and a rarely seen book of divination that predates Spanish colonization.

Painted Worlds traces a color-coded journey through the story of creation from birth to maturity. Along the way, learning stations and multimedia experiences teach the sciences of color-making, interpret dialogues between Western and Indigenous practices, map the Mesoamerican idea of the cosmos, and report on what new international scientific research reveals about Indigenous knowledge and traditions.

This exhibit requires a ticket. nelson-atkins.org

Arts & Culture IN KC

by Judith Fertig

THE GOLDEN RENAISSANCE AND STILE ANTICO

AND NOW for something completely different. If you can name all of Henry VIII’s wives and have watched every episode of Wolf Hall on PBS (or read Hilary Mantel’s three novels on which the series was based), this could be the music for you—as rich, colorful, and vibrant as a Tudor crown.

On the afternoon of November 16 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, with the support of Kansas City’s Friends of Chamber Music, the British vocal ensemble Stile Antico makes a stop on their world tour celebrating Renaissance music. Two styles of music emerge—the motet (sacred themes sung in Latin) and the madrigal (real life themes sung in the vernacular).

Stile Antico specializes in polyphonic (two or more simultaneous melodies) music composed prior to the 18th century. Working without a conductor, its 12 members have thrilled audiences on four continents with “a cappella heaven,” as one critic described it. Alex Ross of The New Yorker raved, “Perhaps the most ravishing sound I heard this year.”

For tickets, visit chambermusic.org

MATTHIAS CONDUCTS MAHLER WITH THE KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY

DURING THE COOLER MONTHS, the Kansas City Symphony heats up with a new season of classical music conducted by Matthias Pintscher, the musical director. From November 21 through 23, Pintscher leads the Kansas City Symphony through Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 7

Mahler (1860-1911), an Austro-Bohemian composer and conductor credited with bridging 19th-century Romanticism with 20th-century Modernism, had his work banned by the Nazis during World War II because of his Jewish heritage. After 1945, his compositions were rediscovered. Today, his work is some of the most performed throughout the world.

From the drama and intensity of the Symphony No. 7’s first movement, through the “night music” and shadows of the three middle movements, to the bright daylight of the finale, Mahler’s music will take you on an emotional journey like no other.

For tickets, visit kcsymphony.org

BLUEPRINT

OF EXCELLENCE IN KANSAS CITY REAL ES TAT E

Uniquely Built For This

Lynne’s path to real estate wasn’t traditional, but it was effective. Raised on a farm, she understands land in a way most agents don’t. “A lot of people don’t know what an acre looks like. I do.” Her time as a 4-H extension agent built strong local ties, and her work leading community organizations sharpened her skills to network, lead, and problem-solve.

Not Just a Cheerleader

A strong broker doesn’t just support you; they challenge you in the right ways. Lynne’s longstanding relationship with her broker is grounded in trust and mutual respect. He’s willing to give honest feedback, even when it’s not what she wants to hear. “I don’t like everybody agreeing with me all the time.”

The Power of Process

Early on, Lynne committed to building consistent systems, and she’s stuck with them for more than a decade. Her proven weekly routines help her stay connected and continue to build rock-solid relationships. Structure is what keeps her momentum going, no matter the market.

Follow the Leader

Feeling supported makes all the difference. At ReeceNichols, leadership is visible, approachable, and communicative. That has propelled her to the most productive years of her career. “I get more support here than I ever did before.”

Lynne doesn’t have to navigate complex deals alone. With in-house legal support just a phone call away, she has expert help when it matters most. That kind of protection gives her and her clients real peace of mind.

MCI has 50+ nonstop flights throughout North America.

Fill out this crossword to see where you can skip stops on your next adventure.

ACROSS

2. This city is the leading producer of avocados in the U.S.

5. The hometown of Beyonce, Simone Biles and Howard Hughes.

7. This city’s nickname is also the title of a 2016 Best Picture nominee.

9. Home to the world’s largest bat colony — and the Alamo.

DOWN

1. This city is known for being wonderfully weird.

3. Surprisingly, not the state’s capital.

4. Known as “The Smithsonian of the South.”

6. Levi’s jeans were invented here, for Gold Rush miners.

8. This city’s airport is larger than the entirety of Manhattan, NYC.

SCAN TO VIEW 50+ NONSTOP ROUTES

by Judith Fertig

Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Expert Help for High-Risk Pregnancies

A CONVERSATION WITH ERICKA DOMALAKES, BOARD-CERTIFIED OBGYN AND MATERNALFETAL MEDICINE PHYSICIAN

hen chronic medical conditions, complications from the current pregnancy, or fetal abnormalities occur while a mother is still carrying an unborn child, the specialist involved is called a maternal-fetal medicine physi-

cian, or perinatologist. These specialists work alongside a patient’s primary obstetrician to care for both the mother and the fetus throughout pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

Ericka Domalakes, board-certified OBGYN and maternal-fetal medicine physician with AdventHealth Medical Group Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Shawnee Mission, explains more.

What is a maternal fetal medicine doctor? What does he or she do?

A maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) doctor is an obstetrician who specializes in managing high-risk pregnancies. These physicians have additional training beyond standard obstetrics and are experts in diagnosing and treating complications that may arise in pregnancy for both the mother and the developing baby. MFM doctors use advanced tools, such as high-resolution ultrasounds, genetic testing, and fetal monitoring to detect issues early.

What might be some of the indications that a pregnancy might be high risk? How soon should an expectant mother see this kind of specialist?

A pregnancy may be considered high-risk for various reasons, including the mother’s age (over 35), preexisting medical conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, multiple gestations (twins or more), or complications that develop during pregnancy, like preeclampsia or fetal growth restrictions.

What are the benefits for the mother and baby if high-risk issues are addressed early?

Maternal-fetal medicine doctors often work closely with other specialists to ensure the best possible outcomes, providing care plans tailored to individual medical needs throughout the pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

In many cases, referral to an MFM doctor should happen as early as possible—ideally in the first trimester—if risk factors are known. Early intervention allows for close monitoring, timely treatment, and better management of any developing concerns. When high-risk issues are addressed early, it significantly improves outcomes for both mother and baby by preventing complications, supporting healthy fetal development, and ensuring a safer delivery process.

At AdventHealth’s Birth Center, maternal-fetal medicine doctors provide expert, compassionate care for mothers, babies, and families facing high-risk pregnancies. AdventHealthKC.com/BirthCenter

healthier heart

Thanksgiving Weekend Guests

WHEN FAMILY AND FRIENDS DESCEND FOR THE WEEKEND, MAKE THEM AS COZY AS POSSIBLE

Thoughtful touches make guests comfortable when you’re hosting for the long holiday weekend. Stock up on these for the bath and bedrooms.

by Susan Cannon

1) Provide this incredibly soft Alta reversible blanket, $125, from Terrasi Living on the Country Club Plaza, in case the chilly weather comes.

2) Add a nice touch to the guest bath by using local ceramist The Object Enthusiast’s wheel-thrown speckled stoneware tumblers as toothbrush and toothpaste holders, $45 each at theobjectenthusiast.com

3) Having a soft rug for the bedside is always a good idea. Torin sheepskin rug in bisque, $199, at Pottery Barn in Leawood Town Center.

4) Quench their middle-of-the-night thirst with a lovely bedside carafe and glass set hand-blown in India, by Acacia Creations , $44, on etsy.com

5) They may just want to take their breakfast back to bed, so this Burma rattan serving tray, $120, from Blair & Blythe in Westwood would work perfectly.

HAVE SOME MANNERS

NEVER SHOW UP EMPTY HANDED

THE HOLIDAY SEASON brings lots of hosting and even more invitations to celebrate at friends’ homes. Admittedly, the easy solution when bestowing a gift is the usual bottle of wine or flowers. But it’s nice to break the habit and gift something a little different. Vibrant objects for the home can be a fun way to go.

Sweet Enough book by Alison Roman, $35, at Duet in the Crossroads.

Selection of Saipua soaps, handmade at The Farm at World’s End, $22 each, at Asiatica in Westwood.

Bella four-inch dipping bowls, $12 each, at urbAna in the Prairie Village Shops.

Paraphrase perfume incense cones in Saffron & Oud, $38, Dear Society the Crossroads.

Assorted Warhol Everyday pens, $10 each, at Jorjy Brookside Shops.

• What theater to see

• The latest fashion trends

• Exquisite homes and gardens

• Restaurant reviews

• What’s new and who’s who

by Susan Cannon

Pattern Play

BACKDROP HAS RELEASED A NEW WALLPAPER COLLECTION JUST IN TIME TO REFRESH YOUR HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Perhaps just the thing to add spark to Thanksgiving this year is to enliven your dining room with a new wallcovering that has a playful personality

In 2018, Natalie and Caleb Ebel launched Backdrop, a modern collection of eco-friendly premium paints, because they were frustrated with what they found on the market. In 2021, Backdrop was acquired by Schumacher, and the brand took off, reaching a new demographic for the company.

As an artist, Natalie has creatively led the way ever since, with a foray into wallcoverings in 2022. She had been given rare access to explore the Schumacher legendary archives—whose century-spanning

legacy includes iconic collaborators and clients, including Elsa Schiaparelli, Edith Wharton, Saul Steinberg, Cecil Beaton, and Paul Poiret. She discovered several historic designs with a light-hearted spirit that resonated with Backdrop’s sensibility. Today, enter Natalie’s latest––the Archive by Backdrop collection of graphically patterned, whimsical designs. “This collection was born out of a desire to see the archive of a 130-year-old textile house in a new light, adding modern touches with that signature Backdrop twist that are fun, whimsical, yet very livable in today’s home,” Natalie says.

Available to purchase through backdrophome.com and interior designers, via the Kansas City Schumacher showroom.

HOLIDAY BAR ESSENTIALS

NO MATTER WHAT THE DRINK, BE PREPARED TO MAN THE BAR FOR THE HOLIDAYS

WHETHER IT’S A COCKTAIL, a mocktail, or your tried-and-true glass of wine, the fun begins when guests arrive.

If you don’t own a bar cart, the Naomi bar cart in burl wood is timeless. Burl wood became popular in the 1920s during the Art Deco era, and peaked again in the ’70s. Available through Noble Workroom, $1,498, on nobledesigns.com.

Another classic is the vintage 1950s teak Dansk ice bucket, 19-inches tall, $250, available at Modern Love in Midtown.

These enameled stainless-steel cocktail spoons are unique finds, $10 each, at Gilbert Whitney & Co. Independence Square.

Modern Optic Glassware comes in sets of four: Dou ble Old-Fashioned glasses, $80, and Highball glasses, $88, at Williams Sonoma in Leawood Town Center Plaza.

For the folks who prefer low or no alcohol, find great drink recipes in Mocktails: A Collection of No-Proof Cocktails, $23, at Anthropologie on the Country Club Plaza.

And for after the naps, post-Thanksgiving dinner, when a bonfire feels just right, check out Campfire Cocktails Recipe Book, $20, at World Market locations.

It’s the Season of

Stunning winter white porcelain leaves and a shimmering gold finish makes our Audra chandelier a perfect choice for your home this Holiday Season.

You’ll find this beauty and hundreds of lighting options, to SEE, TOUCH and TAKE HOME today at Rensen House of Lights!

Holidays Together

Holiday Season Premiere

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22 (ALL DAY)

Begin your holiday shopping and family traditions with all the sights, sounds & beauty Park Place brings!

11AM : Arrival of Santa (& The Grinch - The Ice)

11AM - 4PM : Photos with Santa 11AM - 3PM : Skate with The Grinch 2PM - 4PM : Strolling Dickens Carolers 11AM - 10PM : Skating at The Ice

Shop Small Saturday

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29 (ALL DAY)

Enjoy in-store specials, festive tastings, and holiday cheer! Shop small while strolling with Santa, The Grinch , and Dickens Carolers!

10AM : Shops open and ice skating begins 11AM - 6PM : Photos with Santa 11AM - 3PM : Shop with The Grinch 2PM - 6PM : Strolling Dickens Carolers

Strolling Santa Saturdays

EVERY SATURDAY UNTIL CHRISTMAS (11AM - 4PM)

Take photos with Santa and special guests as they bring joy to Park Place every Saturday until Christmas!

Great Santa Run/Walk 5k

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14 (8AM)

Dress festive and start the day strong with a great run/walk through Leawood, all while supporting Operation Breakthrough! Open to all big Santas and Lil’ Elves, alike. KCSantaRun.com to register!

Visit ParkPlaceLeawood.com for more details.

Park Place is located on the northeast corner of Nall Avenue & 117th St., just north of AMC 20 Theatre.

Jason Aaron IN CONVERSATION WITH

words by Cindy Hoedel photo by Colin MaCMillan

He’s been called the biggest name in modern comics, and for the last 25 years, Jason Aaron has called Kansas City home. Writing stories for top Marvel titles such as Thor, Avengers, Wolverine, Ghost Rider, and Star Wars and creating critically acclaimed indie works, such as Scalped and Southern Bastards, Aaron, 52, is at the peak of his creative powers. He wrote the bestselling launch of 2024, a revamp of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, for the 40th anniversary of the iconic IDW brand.

Aaron also has a new hit series for Image Comics called Bug Wars, and he is currently writing Absolute Superman for DC Comics. In addition, he pens a weekly newsletter, Beard Missives at jasonaaron. substack.com, that combines industry news with updates on his current work and behind-the-scenes insights into his creative process and personal life.

Aaron was born in Jasper, Alabama, in the Appalachian foothills, and raised in nearby rural Shelby County. After graduating from Shelby County High School, Aaron earned a bachelor’s in English from University of Alabama-Birmingham.

IN Kansas City spoke with Aaron recently from his home in Mission, where he lives with his partner and their combined four children, about how he got his first break (which sounds like a comic book plot twist), the culture inside powerhouse publishers Marvel and DC, and why Aaron chooses to call Kansas City home.

How were the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic books different from the cartoon?

I discovered the Turtles through the comics. That was 40 years ago now, I would have been 11 or 12. I was big into comics and Turtles was unusual in that it was black and white, and it was oversized and independently published by a couple of dudes in their basement. It had a rougher, grittier look to it. I equate it to if you were living in London in 1978 and heard the Sex Pistols for the first time. There was something that felt very raw and punk rock about it. And it was very much influenced by all the stuff I was into at the time.

Like what?

Eighties action movies, especially the martial arts films, and Frank Miller comics, like Daredevil. So the books were really speaking to me. I was a little too old to be interested in the cartoon. My interest in the characters was cemented before the cartoons or toys or films.

Was there one of the four characters that you identified with more than the others?

No. Working on the book this last year, everybody always wants to ask me who my favorite Turtle is because everyone who is a fan of those characters has their own personal favorite. I never really have. Certainly, when I was working on the book, I wanted to be equally invested in all of them, and I felt like I was. It was easy because they are very different.

It’s unusual that as a 10-year-old kid you didn’t gravitate toward one of them. Most comics have three or four characters who are different personality types, and most kids identify with one more than the others.

Sure. Yeah. Maybe because my love of Bruce Lee and martial arts movies also led me to start taking karate lessons at that time, and I was studying Yoshukai karate, and I was learning katas with the nunchucks and with the scythe and with the bo. I never made it far enough to practice with a samurai sword. I love nunchucks; I’ve written nunchucks into numerous books I’ve worked on. But I really enjoyed the scythe, it’s a very elegant weapon. So I was learning three of the four weapons, and I was also very enamored with samurai movies.

How did you approach what seems like a really daunting task—taking the Turtles out of their teenage years and into adulthood?

On the one hand, I think everything I’ve done in comics can feel daunting. Getting to write Thor, getting to write Spider-Man, getting to write Superman—these are characters that have been in continuous publication for 60, 70, with Superman 90 years—yeah, that can be daunting. How do you take all that history, distill it, and do something that honors

those stories that came before but also tell a story that feels new and fresh that we haven’t seen a million times?

With Turtles it felt pretty simple to me to go back to what appealed to me about that original book—the feel, the tone, the look, the grittiness—but do a modern take on that. Turtles wasn’t on my list of titles I wanted to do. It never crossed my mind that that would come along, but when it did, I realized this was the perfect point in time for me to do this.

Why?

I’d been exclusive to Marvel Comics for about 15, 16 years, and I didn’t renew my exclusive so that I would have the chance to, you know, work at DC Comics for the first time and be able to take whatever phone call would come my way. And Turtles was one of the first calls that came in.

How is writing for classic comic series different from writing independent comics?

There are big differences, business-wise. But from a storytelling standpoint, there’s no difference whether I’m writing Thor or if I’m making up a character myself. I guess the difference would be, if you’re working

with a Marvel character or a DC character, you have this rich backlog of stories and mythologies that you get to pick and choose from. Whereas, for example, I’m working on Bug Wars for Image right now, and that’s just me and everything that exists has to come out of my head.

What is the culture like inside the bigger companies?

Even at Marvel and DC, it still feels like a small group of people in one room that are putting those books together. I’m not getting notes from Bob Iger [CEO of Disney, which owns Marvel].

Were there any indications when you were growing up that you would end up becoming a hugely successful comic book writer?

The desire was certainly there.

A lot of 10-year-olds would have the desire. Why did it happen for you?

That’s a big question to answer. I think the things that I did right along the way were: I read voraciously. I loved to read comics, but I read a lot of stuff outside of comics. I went to college and got an English degree and took a lot of literature classes and a lot of creative writing classes. I fell in love with the act of writing to the point it became part of who I am. This is how I communicate what’s important to me and what I feel to the rest of the world. I was always kind of a shy, quiet kid. I could struggle with how to communicate with the words that came out of my face but when I sat down in front of a blank piece of paper, I could say anything.

What is the best part of your job?

Writing to me has always felt like a very selfish pursuit. I just sit down and do stuff that makes me happy. I get to work on these characters that I’ve been a fan of since I was a kid, and I get to send that story off into the ether and it gets drawn and brought to life by some of the greatest artists on the face of the earth, and I get a check and I get to pay my light bill, and I get invited to comic book conventions all over the world and see that thing I made on the shelf and meet people who read those stories and were emotionally affected by them.

I fell in love with writing at a very early age, and even though I was 30 before I was ever able to make a dime off of writing, I was writing at every step along the way.

What was the break that got you into writing comics?

I won a Marvel talent search contest in 2001. It was this weird, random contest that Marvel had never done before, and they haven’t done it since.

Whoa.

Yeah. Even though I had said I wanted to write comics since I was a kid, I had absolutely no idea how to go about doing that. In those days, it was a lot harder. I grew up in a small town in rural Alabama with nobody around that worked in that field. You pretty much had to live in New York in those days.

I think one thing that I figured out is, the hard part is being good enough. Breaking in is hard, getting someone’s attention is hard, getting your stuff in front of publishers is hard. But people figure out how

to do those things all the time. Just being good enough is the hardest part. So I think it served me that I was always my hardest critic, and I was just always focused on: write, write, write, write, write. That’s how you get better, and then when the opportunity comes, you’re really ready to step up to bat.

How was the contest structured?

It was conducted at San Diego Comic-Con and Wizard World Chicago. Wizard World was a convention I’d been to a couple of times, so I drove to Chicago with a one-page typed synopsis of a 10-page Wolverine story. I dropped it on a pile of submissions and promptly forgot about it. A month later I was at work and got a voice mail from an editor at Marvel to call them back. That story, which was my first script I’d ever written, was published. So I thought, “OK, next stop: comic book superstardom.” And then it was kind of five years of working and pitching before I had anything else to show for it.

What was the second break, five years later?

I did a Vietnam War book for Vertigo, the mature readers imprint at DC Comics. It was part war story, part horror story. It was inspired by my cousin, Gustav Hasford, who wrote The Short-Timers, which Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket was based on. I was able to get that series, The Other Side, published in 2006 from a blind submission.

What are the unglamorous parts of what seems like a fantasy job, writing comics?

You’re mostly sitting in a room by yourself. You’re self-employed. Being a contract employee has its own concerns—how do you get health insurance? There’s no paid time off. How do you balance deadlines and your work schedule? Nobody who wants to write comics grows up thinking, “I want to be a small business owner,” but that’s what you’re going to do.

You’ve lived in Kansas City almost half your life. Why did you pick it, and do you still like it?

I love it here. I moved here out of the blue. I knew one person here, my sister. It was just a desire to move away to a new place where I didn’t know anybody.

That’s pretty brave.

It’s exactly that. It’s the boldness and the freedom of that time when you’re young and you can just uproot and go somewhere and just figure out who you are.

When I initially moved here, I had no idea if I would like it, if I would stay. This is where my son was born. I’ve met so many people who are in my industry in Kansas City. There’s a great community here of comic book creators. A lot of great artists come through here because of the Kansas City Art Institute. So I don’t foresee moving. I love traveling and comics have afforded me the ability to travel. I get invited to shows all over the world. And one of the best things about Kansas City, at least flying domestically, is, it’s a three-hour flight to anywhere. And I’m glad we’ve got a new airport.

Interview condensed and minimally edited for clarity.

words by Jenny Vergara

Just Like Mom Made

WHERE TO FIND HOME-COOKING CLASSICS IN KANSAS

CITY

Thanksgiving might be the high holy day of comfort food—a one-day, calorie-laden celebration where we roast, baste, bake, and mash our way toward family tradition. But let’s be honest: the craving for comfort doesn’t start and stop with a single Thursday in November. If anything, the annual turkey-and-gravy marathon is just a reminder of something we already know deep down—that we seek warmth and familiarity on our plates all season long.

Comfort food is deeply personal. It’s the mac and cheese bubbling under a breadcrumb crust that tastes like childhood, the stew simmering slowly on the stove that smells like home, the steaming bowl of noodles that soothes the soul after a long day. It’s less about trends and technique and more about memory—about where we come from and who we are. In a city as richly layered as Kansas City, comfort food is not one-size-fits-all. It’s a diverse, delicious tapestry woven from the stories of immigrants and entrepreneurs, families and farmers, chefs and grandmothers.

For some, comfort comes wrapped in a warm flour tortilla, filled with carnitas that melt at the touch of a fork. For others, it’s the silky

depth of pho broth that’s been tended to for hours, or a plate of collard greens and fried chicken that reminds them of Sunday supper. It’s the sizzling clay pot of bibimbap served with a bright gochujang kick, or the pillowy dumplings bobbing in a bowl of matzo ball soup. The dishes that ground us might look and taste different, but they all speak the same language of nourishment and nostalgia and love.

As the weather cools and the days shorten, we tend to gravitate toward those familiar flavors, but they’re waiting for us all year long at restaurants across Kansas City. These are the places we retreat to when the world feels heavy, where the first bite feels like a hug. They’re mom-and-pop shops and chef-driven kitchens, beloved diners and cozy neighborhood joints. And they remind us that comfort food isn’t just about indulgence, it’s about connection: to our roots, to our communities, and to one another.

So, this November, as you gather around the Thanksgiving table for a single day of comfort and gratitude, consider extending the celebration. Step outside the familiar and explore the flavors that bring comfort to others. Because in Kansas City, comfort food isn’t bound by borders or traditions, it’s a global conversation happening one plate at a time.

HI-DIVE LOUNGE |

hidivelounge.com

A hospitality industry favorite for a reason, Hi-Dive Lounge, located on 39th Street, is a neighborhood pub that offers cold brews, tasty food, and friendly service. Order your favorite canned beer while you check out the comforting menu that features a bacon double smash burger, a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, and gouda mac ‘n’ cheese with ham and peas. My pick would be their “made-like-mom” meatloaf with mashed potatoes, brown gravy, and green beans with bacon. Owner Grant Naugle, who also owns Tower Tavern, has a knack for creating casual bars perfect for grabbing a beer, watching the game, or enjoying an affordable meal that tastes like home.

RED KITCHEN KC |

instagram.com/redkitchenkc

When the chef and owner of Red Kitchen KC, Alejandra de la Fuente, left the Lenexa Public Market in 2023 to open her own restaurant in downtown Overland Park, she brought her work ethic along with recipes for her delicious scratch-made Mexican breakfast burritos, chilaquiles, and lunch platters. Open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m Monday and Wednesday–Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays, she’s up early to make sure that her fans feel the love in every bite

POT PIE | kcpotpie.com

For 22 years, Pot Pie has carved out its own cozy little corner of the culinary scene in Kansas City by staying true to the things it has always done well at dinner time—steamed mussels, “the” pan-roasted chicken, and of course, potpie. From the classic chalkboard menu to the tiny dining room and bar, you’ll enjoy comfort food by candlelight.

VIETNAM CAFE | vietnamcafekc.com

After nearly 30 years in Columbus Park, owners Ngoc Le and Minh Hoang are pleased to still be the place that so many turn to for steaming hot bowls of fragrant and flavorful pho and bun vermicelli noodles that deliver comfort in every slurp. With a second Vietnam Cafe opening in south Overland Park next year,they’ll have a tasty noodle bowl to comfort and cure what ails you no matter where you live.

NIECIE’S RESTAURANT | nieciesrestaurant.com

Located at 64th Street and Troost Avenue, Niecie’s has been a soul-food institution for 40 years. Owner Denise Ward dreamed of opening a restaurant to highlight the recipes she learned from her mother. Order from a classic menu that features home-style meals,including fried chicken,smothered pork chops,country-fried steaks,or meatloaf, all served with two sides and a dinner roll or cornbread. It tastes just like Sunday supper.

STROUD’S OAK RIDGE MANOR | stroudsrestaurant.com

For more than 90 years, Stroud’s Oak Ridge Manor has been serving family-style chicken dinners in Kansas City’s Northland out of an 1829 log cabin and farmhouse. Stroud’s menu offers comforting pan-fried chicken that comes with your choice of lettuce salad or homemade chicken soup, a selection of potatoes, green beans, chicken gravy, and a basket of homemade cinnamon rolls. While it also serves steaks, panfried pork chops, fish, and a solid cheeseburger, it’s the pan-fried chicken that’s made Stroud’s famous.

ABC CAFE | abccafeks.com

A beloved spot in Overland Park known for its real-deal dim sum, noodle soups, and Cantonese classics, ABC Cafe’s lazy Susan spins with comfort-food favorites. Owners Derrick and Joanne Lam have made this tiny restaurant a destination for those who flock there for barbecue pork buns, scallion pancakes, and Siu Mai dumplings.

EL POLLO REY

This humble Kansas City, Kansas, institution on Kansas Avenue is serving up comfort food in its simplest, most satisfying form— wood-grilled whole or half chickens, tortillas, salsa, and rice and beans. The owners, father and son duo Jose and Francisco Quintana,

developed the secret marinade and cooking process for making the chickens so tender and juicy.

THE RUSSELL | therussellonmain.com

The chef Amante Domingo’s popular Midtown lunch spot, The Russell, is known for its stylish dining room and wood-fired American comfort food—think meaty sandwiches, hearty salads, and grilled entrées. Here’s a tip: it’s not on the menu, but it’s available by request and it’s comfort personified—the half wood-grilled chicken with whipped potatoes and grilled veggies. And do not skip dessert.

THE CORNER CAFE | thecornercafe.com

For 42 years, The Corner Cafe has been slinging home-cooked breakfast, lunch, and diner-style dinners from its corner in Riverside. Now with three locations, owner Jason Rule invites guests to enjoy the hearty breakfast platters along with their famous cinnamon rolls. For dinner, you’ll find chicken-fried steak, fried catfish, pot roast, and turkey and dressing served with comforting sides.

DIXON’S FAMOUS CHILI PARLOR | dixonsfamouschili.com

A favorite of President Harry S. Truman’s before, during, and after his presidency, Dixon’s Famous Chili Parlor is the longest-run -

ning, family-owned restaurant in the metro, and is located on East Highway 40 in Independence. The red-and-white chili parlor still serves big comforting bowls of chili that you can get just the way you like it—juicy, with natural meat juices; soupy, with bean broth; or dry, just the cooked ground beef with your choice of toppings and seasonings. The restaurant has stayed in the family. Vergne Dixon’s great-niece, Terri Totta-Smith, proudly ran it before handing the reins to her son, Stephen Steffes.

CHEWOLOGY | chewologykc.com

For four years, Katie Liu-Sung has continued to evolve her Taiwanese street-food menu at Chewology in Westport, introducing Kansas City to her culture and the comforting cuisine of hand-made dumplings, bao buns, Dan Dan noodles, and dishes like Typhoon shelter crab and crispy rice. She also hosts Stray Kat dinners where she crafts coursed meals that delve deeper into the dishes of her childhood.

KC DÖNER | kcdoner.square.site

As the newest vendor inside the Lenexa Public Market, Sami Jenedi works alongside his mother, Nesrin Jenedi, to bring Mediterranean cuisine with a strong Turkish influence to the people at KC Döner. Wrap your hands around their German-style döner, a sandwich that

features shaved beef and lamb stuffed into a pillowy soft pita topped with a fresh-dressed salad, or the Turkish döner wrap that’s rolled in a flatbread. End your meal with a Turkish coffee and cream-filled pistachio baklava.

THE GO TO | instagram.com/thegoto_eats

After cooking at many local restaurants in Kansas City, the chef Brett DeHart decided he wanted to open his own place, something a little closer to his home in Louisburg, Kansas. He was lucky to secure a repurposed gas station in downtown Louisburg, and after a renovation, it’s become a popular spot for both locals and those visiting Louisburg Cider Mill. Diners enjoy his scratch-made, fermented dough pizzas and juicy smash burgers made from ground in-house beef and beef-tallow cooked French fries.

HEMMA HEMMA | hemmahemma.com

When owner Ashley Bare opened Hemma Hemma in Waldo, it was after years of cooking for clients in their homes. Now she’s inviting people to visit her culinary home for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The newly expanded lunch and dinner menu offers comfort with every dish, from soup and salads to enchiladas, the hot honey salmon bowl, Yoshoku beef curry sandwiches, and a killer fried-chicken sandwich.

words by Liz Schroeder

A Handmade Holiday

CELEBRATE WITH GIFTS FROM LOCAL MAKERS

No doubt about it, Kansas City is an arts town. With world-class museums, theater, ballet, and music, it’s perplexing how anyone could consider us anything else. But behind our established artistic institutions, and no less influential, are hundreds of creatives, a community of makers and crafters who have built this city into a destination for burgeoning artistic talent.

The tradition of artisanship is alive and well, and many of our local

makers are true masters of their craft, creating functional and beautiful objects made with intention. Buying local isn’t only about supporting your neighbor’s neighbor, it influences the fabric of Kansas City, allowing our cultural landscape to remain a vibrant and art-centric hub.

Each of these makers represent hard work, talent, and a passion brought to life. Saying something is made with love might be a cliché, but it’s difficult not to feel it from our arts community. Spread the love this season with a piece from one of our favorites.

Kansas City Holiday Markets Are Thriving

DELIVERING

KC Local Holiday Market

November 8

@ Thompson Barn in Lenexa kclocalcraftfair.com

Thompson Barn in Lenexa hosts this one-day-only small business market with over 55 local vendors, treats, and raffle giveaways in an impossibly adorable rustic location.

WEARABLES

JULIE REED |

Julie Reed wears many hats, but it’s her jewelry that catches our eye. It’s easy to see her passion for vintage textiles and Victorian crafts come through in her designs, and her laser-cut jewelry mixes media to blend the past with the present. Unique textile brooches and intricate crochet creations combine classic art with modern fashion, sure to bring a touch of elegance to the table.

COKI BIJOUX | cokibijoux.com

Kansas City and Paris collide inside Coki Bijoux, a boutique run by Coki Reardon and Karen Burton. Reardon’s timeless aesthetic is inspired by her time apprenticing in Paris under “bijoutier” Thierry de Bourqueney, learning the arts of wax modeling and metal work. Though her style has evolved to feature more organic, earthy elements, her work remains eclectic and glamorous, influenced by French designers and created with precision.

PAULINA OTERO | shoppaulinaotero.com

Paulina Otero’s work is a not-so-hidden gem of Kansas City. Both a jeweler and textile artist, Otero’s wearable art draws inspiration from her childhood in Mexico. Her tufted wall hangings made a huge splash in KC’s art scene, and she brings the same sense of play to her jewelry line. She often uses bright colors and experimental textures to create abstract, culturally inspired statement jewelry and maximalist accessories that make anyone stand out in a crowd.

KC Holiday Boutique

November 20–23

@ Overland Park Convention Center kcholidayboutique.com

Over 300 vendors from across the country will flock to the Overland Park Convention Center this fall, offering easy one-stop shopping from local and national makers surrounded by workshops and holiday entertainment to kickstart the holiday season.

Lenexa’s Holiday Farmers Market

AFTER ANOTHER STUDIOS | shopafteranother.com

A perpetual creative, Alyissa Johnson likes to turn heads. Her aesthetic is eye-catching and curated, with a clear love of color. There is a playful joy in her designs, from fluorescent leopard earrings to quirky bag charms. She often uses polymer clay and even collected materials, which coincides with her nature-inspired jewelry collections and second venture selling vintage clothing, Amphora Vintage.

November 22 and December 20

@ Lenexa City Hall lenexa.com

The spirit of giving is alive and well in Lenexa with high-quality craftsmanship from two dozen local vendors. Find good cheer and delicious food, drinks, and other treats—all locally raised, grown, and made.

Hallmark Christmas Experience

Weekends from November 28–December 21

@ Crown Center Square experiencehallmarkchristmas.com

Who doesn’t love a Hallmark Christmas?

The festivities to end all festivities include tasty treats, light shows, a card-sending station, and (of course) a well-stocked artisanal holiday market every weekend.

TREATS

BOOTLEG BOURBON BALLS | bootlegbourbonballs.com

Lisa Fitch is a former women’s-health nurse practitioner turned bourbon-ball maker, and she’s darn good at it. Her bourbon balls sprung from a traditional family recipe, and she ties her own history with Kansas City’s Prohibition era with her “naughty chocolates.” Using craft spirits from Kansas City, she partners with local distilleries to create some seriously sweet treats. No one succeeds alone, and she often credits the hard work of her tight-knit team. We love to see (and support) it.

JONNY BAKES | jonnybakeskc.com

Jon Szajnuk is a staple at the Brookside Farmers Market. His breads sell out fast—usually moving more than a hundred loaves in little over an hour. Luckily, you can also find his breads online throughout the week. A true local business, Szajnuk began baking out of his home using regionally grown, stone-milled, organic grains. His best-selling bread is the Country Loaf and, for only nine dollars, it might just be the best, most delicious deal in town.

MYTHOS SAUCE CO. | mythossauceco.com

Want to learn something new from your smallbatch hot sauce? Mythos Sauce Co. owner Zach Mason created a line of sauces inspired by his love of mythology. While the Loki sauce remains the mildest of the collection, the honor of hottest sauce goes to Persephone, Mistress of the Underworld, a deft combination of pomegranate juice and ghost peppers. Thor taps in at a measly four out of five, but no less tasty.

Indoorsy: A Weekend Market

November 28–29 – Black Friday & Small Business Saturday

December 20–21 – The Weekend Before Christmas @ Zona Rosa zonarosa.com

Zona Rosa is being transformed into a rotating shopping experience one weekend each month, starting with the Black Friday & Small Business Saturday sale and followed by The Weekend Before Christmas—your opportunity to finish your last-minute shopping in style.

HOME DÉCOR & MORE

LEAF & SKY | leafandsky.com

Design meets conservation at Leaf & Sky, a shop all about native plants and pollinators. Founded by Dee Roof and her husband, Paul, the shop encourages connections with our local ecosystems through artisan, eco-friendly goods, including feeders, houses and havens for bats, bees, butterflies, and birds. Throw in a smartly designed cotton tea towel, and we’re sold.

KC Gift Small Black Business Market

November 29 @ KC G.I.F.T. Business Center kansascitygift.org

Celebrate local and black-owned businesses this year! KC G.I.F.T.’s community-building event is filled with unique gifts and special surprises from local artisans, including jewelry, home décor, candles, and clothing.

The 15th Annual Holiday Swing

November 29-30 @ The Alexander Majors Barn and Grounds

December 20-21 @ The Guild in The Crossroads thestrawberryswing.com

Artists, makers, and merry-making—one weekend could never be enough to honor 15 years of Strawberry Swing holiday magic! Celebrate the handmade movement with KC’s favorite makers’ market in two locations over two weekends.

STUDIO 31 GLASS |

studioplay31.com

Stained-glass artist Ursula Tizon is a lifelong maker but began her journey with stained glass only four years ago, although you wouldn’t know it to look at it. A funky mix of patterns keeps her work accessible to everyone, though her HoneyComb Clusters are a crowd pleaser. Her joyful style is already radiating through local spots, and while you can buy her designs through her online store, it’s worth a trip down to the West Bottoms Plant Company or First Fridays at Bella Patina to see her works shine in person.

HIGH NOON POTTERY

| highnoonpottery.com

Ashton Bethel, a self-taught potter who quit her job as a music educator to start her own business, has a mantra—“no boring pots.” And boy, does she deliver. Her fun and risk-taking pottery feels free and expressive, and her mugs and trays make a perfect gift for anyone needing a conversation starter or looking to up their home accessories game.

THE OBJECT ENTHUSIAST

| theobjectenthusiast.com

AMPERSAND DESIGN STUDIO ampersanddesignstudio.com

Bold, bright, and beautiful. Ampersand Design Studio was cofounded by Carrie Kiefer and Morgan Georgie, two longtime friends who left Hallmark to strike out on their own. The design duo now has three local spots filled with everything from paper goods to pillows, shirts, kitchen accessories, and original art. The vibe is impeccable: colorful and contemporary prints that will brighten things up all winter long.

The Object Enthusiast is aptly named for Emily Reinhardt. Name any object, and she can likely make it by hand. A ceramic artist with a “modern, unfussy aesthetic,” Reinhardt’s pieces feel simultaneously cozy and chic, embracing slight imperfections as additions to functional beauty. Her ceramics studio shares a space with Duet, a beloved Crossroads home shop she co-founded in 2020.

Merry Market

Weekends from November 29–December 21

@ Historic City Market Square kcrivermarket.com/event/ merry-market

With a rotating list of vendors each weekend, this open-air market is the perfect place to find handcrafted holiday gifts, explore seasonal selections from local farmers, and enjoy the holiday atmosphere.

Kappa Holiday Homes Tour

Holiday Boutique

Open to the public on December 3-4

Open to ticket holders on December 2 @ Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse kappahomestour.com

The Holiday Boutique is taking over a new location this year with a large selection of classic and creative holiday gifts. Find inspiration on the Holiday Homes Tour, then snag some specialty décor to bring home.

Westport Christmas Market

December 13 @ Westport westportkcmo.com

Back for its third year, the Westport Christmas Market transforms historic Westport into a winter wonderland. Sing your favorite holiday classics while exploring local crafters. Catch Santa and Buddy the Elf if you can!

We Need a Little Christmas, Right This Very Minute

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2024 KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA HOLIDAY HOMES TOUR

THE MUSIC we play during the holidays comes from many different centuries and genres, from ancient hymns and traditional carols to pop, jazz, rock, and Broadway show tunes, from O Holy Night to Jingle Bell Rock . Likewise, the Kansas City floral designers for the Kappa Homes Tour took their inspiration from celebrations old and new, greenery fresh and faux, baubles cherished and store-bought. And for a curtain call, all houses on the tour come together to Wish You a Merry Christmas

About the Tour

Since 1951, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Holiday Homes Tour has transported Kansas Citians with visions of seasonal splendor. This year, from December 4 through 5, Kansas City’s top floral designers will, once again, show us how to make our own homes merry and bright. kappahomestour.com

I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Elvis might have bemoaned a “blue, blue Christmas,” but Mark and Sue Carlson happily welcome their two grown sons with holiday-hued blue and white. Designer Heather Coones of Botanica Flower Studio kept the Hamptons-style home in Leawood fresh and fun, using a mix of fresh and faux greenery, family heirlooms, and seasonal flowers. A swag on the living room mantel sports several kinds of fresh greenery, magnolia leaves, and ornaments. The family’s collection of nutcrackers march on bookshelves and tables.

In the dining room with its rotunda windows, Coones used faux greenery on the chandelier with fresh white amaryllis and anemones on the table. In the breakfast room, paper honeycombed trees and ornaments keep it light and airy. Estately provided the table settings in each room. botanicakc.com

DECK THE HALLS

In Prairie Village, Emily Zastrow decked the halls of the modern traditional home she shares with her husband, Mark, in classic red, gold, and green. “I’d rather decorate for Christmas than any other time of the year,” she says, “and our three daughters look forward to it.” Zastrow uses a mix of fresh and faux greenery, deploying the fresh for the scent and tradition along with the faux for easy cleanup and storage.

“I like to layer with different elements,” she says, such as the golden ornaments, red velvet ribbons, and glittery pinecones on the Christmas tree in the living room. In the dining room, her collection of Christmas village houses—arranged on snowy batting—always expands with a new house every year. On the dining table, metallic reindeer hold arrangements of viburnum berries, white hydrangea, lilies, roses, and greenery. Small vases hold colorful anemones and ranunculus.

FLET IT SNOW

or the Loose Park home of Timothy and Heather Pluard, designer Craig Sole murmured his favorite mantra: “Too much is never enough.” The colonial home’s former sleeping porch, now an extension of the living room, features wreaths bedecked with a flurry of glittery snowflakes—wooden, metal, plastic—that come alive at night when the wreaths light up. Likewise, crystal trees, lit from within, play up the holiday magic on the tartan-covered table laden with arrangements of piano roses and peonies.

On the kitchen island, a chocolate Santa in a gilded urn peeks out from a bed of greenery, white orchids, and hydrangea. Red amaryllis, vintage glass garlands, and greenery pop out of a glass vase, while the table features arrangements of white proteas, David Austin piano roses, and tall-stemmed Star of Bethlehem. Like the snowflake wreaths, the Christmas tree focuses on one motif—the pinecone—in felt, wood, and glass. craigsoledesigns.com

WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEW YEAR’S EVE?

For a modern home just off Ward Parkway, Kenneth Sherman of Trapp and Company focused on the champagne toast of the holiday season—New Year’s Eve—with a black, white, and silver theme. The atrium, visible from the living room, takes its cue from the room’s contemporary area rug and looks like “a big courtyard of pickup sticks,” says Sherman, crafted from pool noodles wrapped in black ribbon. Black urns are topped with inflatable mylar orbs that bubble up in unexpected places all over the house.

On the dining-room buffet, a chorus line of double white amaryllis in silvery cylindrical vases high kick to the table where rectangular mirrored boxes of black-and-white “panda” anemones take center stage. It’s theater. It’s fun. And it’s a great way to say farewell to the old year and bring in the new. trappandcompany.com

Design meets flexibility and elegance with the Forte Wall Custom Hood. Whether you’re looking for powerful ventilation or a custom design finish, the Forte delivers on both.

Discover the possibilities. zephyronline.com

in omanceR

Fall in love all over again in Liberty, MO. It’s your backdrop for bourbon tastings, DIY dates, and vineyard sunsets.

You know what they say: couples who explore together, stay together. Whether you’re savoring smooth bourbon at Blush Farms Cork + Board, indulging your artistic side at Be Creative, or escaping to the rolling hills of Belvoir Winery & Inn, you’re sure to fall in love all over again in Liberty, MO.

Your perfect date is waiting in Liberty. Learn more at www.visitlibertymo.com/datenight

by Jenny Vergara

Reservation for One 1587 PRIME

It was impossible to miss the splashy mid-September debut of 1587 Prime, the contemporary steakhouse tucked into the lower level of the Loews Kansas City Hotel. A collaboration between Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and global hospitality group Noble 33, the restaurant has been one of the city’s most buzzed-about openings of 2025, and for good reason.

The promise was irresistible—hometown pride, deep pockets, and a team with serious culinary ambitions. In a city where steak is a birthright and even boasts its own cut, expectations were high that 1587 Prime might redefine what a Kansas City steakhouse could be. What diners get is a polished, luxurious experience that hits many of the

right notes, with just a few that need fine tuning.

1587 Prime’s soft opening became a talking point before the restaurant even officially launched, thanks to reports of eye-popping tabs. The reason: guests were asked to “cooperate in adhering to our dining formula,” meaning they were encouraged to order across all eight sections of the menu, such as crustacean and raw, soup and salad, and for the table—steaks, seafood, and dessert.

Following the server’s lead meant sampling a little of everything, which quickly drove up checks. My comped dinner for two easily hit $500, though the approach was less about price and more about pressure-testing the kitchen and front-of-house teams under realistic conditions, while simultaneously getting tongues wagging all over town.

Pricewise, 1587 Prime lands squarely in line with its peers. A six-ounce Missouri-sourced prime petite filet runs $59, comparable to other high-end Kansas City steakhouses, though more casual spots like Jess & Jim’s or chains like Texas Roadhouse still undercut that price by more than half.

The restaurant also takes a firm stance on attire. Per the website, “business casual or dressy evening wear” is expected, though Chiefs gear is welcome on game days. Ballcaps, flip-flops, sweatpants, and other casualwear are out, though complimentary 1587 Prime polos are offered for those who arrive underdressed.

Though it’s named for Mahomes and Kelce’s jersey numbers, 1587 Prime is no kitschy sports bar. The football references are there, but they’re woven in with subtlety and style. Green velvet and leather banquettes edged with a creamy stripe nod to the gridiron, while maroon marble floor inlays resemble footballs, and brass yard-line markings frame the host stand. Even the entrance, a dark corridor leading into the dining room, evokes the tunnel run before kickoff.

Plates are emblazoned with a nod to KC Wolf, the Chiefs mascot, and lighting fixtures incorporate the Xs and Os of a playbook. These details, combined with warm wood, polished brass, and dramatic lighting, create a space that feels opulent without ever tipping into theme-park territory.

The restaurant is divided into two main levels. Downstairs, guests find a cocktail bar, wine storage, a live-music stage, and a cleverly concealed 13-foot screen hidden behind wood paneling—ready for game-day viewing. Upstairs, the open kitchen

Flavor IN KC

hums alongside a main dining room and a private space with a discreet entrance. Floor-to-ceiling windows are draped in gauzy curtains, muting downtown views to focus attention inward.

The one misstep? The music. A playlist heavy on 1950s and ’60s tracks—later explained as a nod to songs sampled in modern hits— felt mismatched with the room’s youthful energy and luxe contemporary aesthetic. A more varied soundtrack would better suit the space and not feel so generationally specific.

The beverage director for Noble 33, Juan Carlos Santana, has crafted a bar program that’s both elegant and playful, with execution overseen locally by veteran bartender and bar manager Arturo Vera-Felicie. One highlight is the martini cart, rolled tableside. Order it your way, or order it “our(their) way” for a terrific martini made with Ketel One vodka, Bombay Sapphire gin, roasted fennel, fino sherry, and Italicus—a fragrant bergamot-infused aperitivo that adds citrusy depth.

The cocktail list includes inventive spirit-free options and a “Players” section with drinks inspired by Mahomes, Brittany Mahomes, Kelce, and Taylor Swift. The Swift-inspired Alchemy—clarified citrus vodka, dry curaçao, aronia berry, cranberry, strawberry, lime, and oolong tea—is finished with a tableside pyrotechnic flourish: a steelwool fire show that briefly turns heads across the room as it burns.

The wine program is among the most ambitious in the city, curated by Noble 33’s sommelier team with guidance from local sommelier Megan Downes of Vintage ’78. Her pairings for me were a bright, unoaked white for seafood and a structured Cabernet Franc for steak. Both pairings showcased her talent and the depth of the cellar.

Dinner begins with warm, buttered yeast rolls, followed by raw starters, such as hamachi crudo with white ponzu, chili-garlic crisp, and scallions; and tuna tartare layered over avocado with truffle ponzu and Calabrian chili oil. Presentation was polished and precise without

the fussiness. The flavors were clean and straightforward.

From the shared appetizers, the A5 Tajima wagyu arrives sliced and topped with whisky-barrel-aged soy air—an unnecessary flourish on meat already bursting with rich, umami intensity. Jumbo lump crabcakes are another standout. It was generously packed, delicately crisped, and paired with a spot of tartar sauce and blistered tomato relish.

The main event, of course, is steak. The eight-ounce Snake River Farms wagyu filet delivers exactly what one expects from a premium cut—melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and deep, beefy richness elevated further by a vibrant chimichurri sauce paired with it. The fatty richness of the steak needs the tang of the vinegar in the chimichurri to balance it out.

For the seafood course, diver scallops were recommended and came to the table sautéed to a golden brown, accented with toasted pine nuts and a delicious ancho-chili beurre blanc brightened by a hit of lemon. With only three scallops to a plate, sides were definitely needed to round out the meal.

Sides included pan-roasted broccolini with chili crisp, truffle fries, and the now-infamous Mahomes ketchup flight. Despite the hype, and a press release touting its made-from-scratch status, the ketchup appears to be dressed-up Heinz, enhanced with chili and truffle oil, a Mahomes favorite.

Everything is competently cooked and thoughtfully plated. And yet, something is missing. The food is polished but predictable, with few surprises or risks. For a project with this level of investment and star power,

the menu feels safe, leaning heavily on familiar steakhouse tropes.

Executive chef Ryan Arnold leads a talented local kitchen team, and the technical execution reflects their experience. But the menu rarely strays beyond the standard script. Kansas City diners will likely applaud the straightforward mix of prime and wagyu steaks, seafood, and classic sides, but more adventurous eaters may long for bolder, more creative culinary statements.

The dessert program, supplied by local favorite McLain’s Bakery, mirrors the menu’s safe but satisfying approach. Offerings include a classic carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, an imposingly tall chocolate layer cake, a New York-style cheesecake, and a homemade apple pie. All are comforting and delicious.

There is much to admire about 1587 Prime. Its striking design, polished service, standout beverage program, and flawless technical execution. It is, without question, a premium steakhouse experience— the kind of place perfect for special occasions, client dinners, or even upscale game-day celebrations.

But for a project with this much hype, ambition, and hometown star power, it feels like a missed opportunity to push Kansas City’s steakhouse scene forward. 1587 Prime plays it safe, and plays it well, but leaves one wondering what might have been if it had taken a few more risks. 1587 Prime may not rewrite the playbook, but it does deliver a winning game plan, and for many Kansas Citians and those just passing through, that might be just enough to count as a total touchdown. 1587prime.com

by Jenny Vergara photo by Alex Rhoades

In Your Cocktail THE BRASS MONKEY LOUNGE

Loaded with lore and brimming with intention, The Brass Monkey is Kansas City’s newest cocktail bar— and from the moment you step through its unassuming courtyard, scattered with vintage playing cards like breadcrumbs to another world, you know you’re in for something unique.

Tucked beneath a century-old red-brick building at 307 Admiral Boulevard, The Brass Monkey is the first chapter of a much larger sto-

ry dreamed up by owners and business partners Dan Scott and Mark Denton. The pair recently acquired the long-abandoned property and decided to open the basement bar first. The rest of the building is slated to become The Riff, a 22room boutique hotel with a musical theme, in 2027.

The building itself dates back to the early 1900s and was, for decades, home to a vitamin company founded by V. Earl Irons Sr. His real-life career inspired the mythic backbone of The Brass Monkey. According to the bar’s lore, Irons was a globe-trotting seeker of rare remedies—a man devoted to healing both the body and the spirit. On one such journey, he is said to have discovered a mysterious brass monkey idol that protected him from harm. When he returned home, legend has it, he buried the talisman beneath 301 Admiral Boulevard to ensure continued luck and protection.

This imaginative backstory isn’t just marketing fluff, it’s woven into nearly every element of the experience. The team, led by the operations director, Bodhi Farnow, plans to possibly introduce interactive puzzles throughout the space, each unlocking deeper layers of the story and inspiring future cocktail creations.

Inside, The Brass Monkey feels like the living room of a curious Victorian apothecarist. The 50-seat lounge glows with soft light and is filled with antique furniture, ornate curiosities, and walls lined with vintage treasures. Cozy two-top tables hug one wall, while plush seating areas invite larger groups to linger. A handful of coveted seats line the bar itself—the perfect perch to watch the bartenders at work—and three communal drink rails down the center of the room encourage conversation among strangers.

But the true heart of The Brass Monkey is its cocktail program. Under the leadership of bar manager and head bartender Kelsey Kennedy, the menu reads like a compendium of elixirs and potions. House-made syrups, spice-infused spirits, and botanical shrubs nod to Irons’s leg-

endary expeditions, while inventive non-alcoholic options, a thoughtful wine list, and classic cocktails round out the offerings. There is also a snack tray of pre-packaged international goodies that you can purchase for $2 to pair with your drink of choice.

For the adventurous, there’s the “Alchemist Experience,” a chooseyour-own-adventure approach to cocktailing. Guests draw two cards from a deck supplied by a server, each suit representing a flavor profile—spades are bitter, hearts sweet, clubs designate herbal or spiced, and diamonds bright and citrusy. From those clues, the bartender crafts a bespoke drink, tailored just for you.

One standout on the regular menu is the Armor of Aphrodite, a glamorous potion of yuzu vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, sloe gin, and strawberry–pink peppercorn syrup. (Note: Pink peppercorn is related to cashews, so those with nut allergies should steer clear.)

“This drink is designed to be a glamour spell,” Kennedy explains. “All our drinks at Brass Monkey are potions meant for specific outcomes. This one is about transforming how you see yourself—and how the world sees you. It’s beauty and confidence, love and grace, all in a glass.”

Kennedy suggests serving it at home in your fanciest coupe—the one that turns a Tuesday night into a celebration. Because at The Brass Monkey, a well-made drink isn’t just a drink. It’s a story, a spell, a ritual—and maybe even a cure for what ails you. brassmonkeylounge.com

Armor of Aphrodite

1.5 ounces Oka yuzu vodka

.5 ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur

.25 ounce Hayman's sloe gin

.5 ounce lemon juice

.75 ounce strawberry pink peppercorn syrup*

1 ounce egg white

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake first without ice. Quick and fast; just about five shakes. Then add ice and shake for ten to 15 seconds, straining the cocktail into a coupe glass. Add freshly grated pink peppercorn on top and serve.

*PINK PEPPERCORN SYRUP

34 ounces water

34 ounces white sugar

.5 ounce lemon juice

6-8 strawberries, sliced

¼ cup pink peppercorns

4 dried amaranth bulbs

Let all ingredients simmer until sugar is dissolved. Do not allow it to boil. Simmer until the strawberries have lost their color. Stir often to help break up strawberries and get a nice pink color. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and let cool before storing or using.

by Jenny Vergara

NEAT

TWO LONGTIME FRIENDS, Benjamin Augustine Davalos and Sam Johnston, are finally ready to make their shared dream a reality. This winter, the pair will open Neat, a new cocktail bar that will be taking over the former Savoy Tea space in Lenexa City Center. The concept, years in the making, began to take shape in February when the duo partnered with Amit Bhakta, the chief financial and marketing officer, and Samir Shura, co-founder and CEO, to bring their vision to life. They plan to open the doors by the end of the year or early 2026. The name Neat is a nod to the classic bartending term for a spirit served simply and undiluted, but it also reflects the team’s philosophy: drinks—and service—executed with restraint, intention, and purpose. Davalos, the creative director of beverage and hospitality, and Johnston, the director of beverage and operations, want Neat to focus on clean flavors, thoughtful technique, and genuine connection rather than flashy gimmicks. Guests can expect a menu of handcrafted classic cocktails, rotating seasonal creations, a curated selection of zero-proof drinks, and a small lineup of bar snacks—all served with the same refined simplicity the name promises.

Luminar y Walk

by Jenny Vergara

MORNING ROUNDS

BAKING WAS ALWAYS something that Andrea Rainey, a local nurse at Children’s Mercy Hospital, found relaxing, while the results brought praise and smiles from family and friends. Now, she’s eager to feed the people of Kansas City and has opened Morning Rounds, her own bakery in the Crossroads named after her early shift at the hospital. Her bakery, located at 217 W. 19th Street, is a long narrow space with the kitchen in the back, where you can see Rainey bustling around and mixing up goodies like vanilla bean cake, cinnamon biscuits, salted chocolate-chip cookies, frosted sugar cookies, chocolate croissants, and rosemary brown butter shortbread. She also serves coffee drinks from her full espresso bar. The spot features a small but pretty seating area with amazing terrazzo floors, big picture windows, shelves full of colorful cake stands, and outside, bright blue tables and chairs. Rainey picked the spot because of its vibrant location in the Crossroads and its proximity to local hospitals where she hopes to be a bright spot for everyone, especially healthcare providers on their way to their

MULCH ADO

Give your garden a standing ovation

fall. From colorful planted pots and beds (Chiefs-colored mums optional) to bed cleanup to flowering bulbs, we

every detail so your garden is ready for its spring encore. Call us today and we’ll take care of everything, from design to installation to maintenance.

Give your garden a standing ovation this fall. From colorful planted pots and beds (Chiefs-colored mums optional) to bed cleanup to flowering bulbs, we handle every detail so your garden is ready for its spring encore. Call us today and we’ll take care of everything, from design to installation to maintenance.

by Jenny Vergara

MAS CANTINA

WHEN RULBER DE LA TORRE opened the first Mi Ranchito in Olathe in 2004, his goal was simple—serve approachable, family-friendly Mexican food in a welcoming setting. Two decades later, his family operates seven Mi Ranchito locations across Johnson County and beyond—and De La Torre is ready to take his next step. This time, he’s thinking smaller, more personal, and more refined. His new concept, Rulber’s Restaurant Mas Cantina, will spotlight grilled meats and fresh vegetables in signature recipes that lean into the depth and nuance of Mexican cuisine, paired with a handcrafted cocktail program. The menu will be more curated, designed to showcase thoughtful technique and bold, layered flavors. Set to open in early 2026 in Prairie Village’s Meadowbrook Shopping Center, Mas Cantina will occupy nearly 5,000 square feet at 5358 W. 95th Street, in the space formerly home to Another Broken Egg Cafe. For De La Torre, the new restaurant represents the next chapter in a culinary story that began with family recipes and continues with a more elevated take on Mexican dining.

Raven Halfmoon: Ride or Die Nov. 14, 2025–Apr. 19, 2026

Lucía Vidales: Figure it Out Sep. 20, 2025–Jan. 11, 2026

Andrea Carlson: Shimmer on Horizons Aug. 29, 2025–Feb. 15, 2026 The Atrium Project: 10 Years, 10 Stories Nov. 7, 2025–Apr. 19, 2026

2025 KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA HOLIDAY HOMES TOUR

VIP Tuesday, December 2, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM Wednesday, December 3, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Thursday, December 4, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

General admission tickets purchased in advance are $40. One ticket gets you into all four homes. Tickets are also available for purchase during Tour hours for $45 at each of the featured homes and at the Holiday Boutique.

Cocktails & Candlelight VIP Event | Tuesday, December 2

Tickets are $125, which includes drink tickets, hors d’oeuvres, and exclusive early access to the homes and Holiday Boutique.

Holiday Boutique | Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse | 9101 Nall Ave, Prairie Village, KS

Faces IN KC

Clairvaux 5-Year Anniversary Fashion Experience

ON OCTOBER 2, Clairvaux celebrated its fifth anniversary in signature style with an unforgettable afternoon at The Guild KC, honoring both fashion and community in support of Rose Brooks. Guests enjoyed handcrafted cocktails and seasonal small bites from The Russell while DJ Sheppa set the tone with a vibrant mix of music. For more photos, go to inkansascity.com/photos.

Faces IN KC

ArtSmash Gala: Riff + Evolve

ON OCTOBER 4 at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, guests celebrated an unforgettable night where melody, beats, dance, and fashion collided. Support of ArtSmash keeps the Kemper Museum open and free to all. For more photos, go to inkansascity.com/photos.

Charlotte Street Foundation’s Gala: Mix & Max Art Prom

ON OCTOBER 18 at the Charlotte Street campus, guests enjoyed a night of maximalist mischief, dancing, and over-the-top art. From photo ops to karaoke, contraband cocktails to cafeteria feasts, this was not your average school dance. For more photos, go to inkansascity.com/photos.

Thank you for another successful Luncheon hosted by The Committee of 100!

We are proud to share that this year’s C100 Luncheon raised more than $400,000 in support of the NelsonAtkins Museum of Art’s mission to remain free and accessible to all.

Featured speaker Ellie Cullman and partner Sarah Ramsey captivated the audience with insights from four decades at the helm of Cullman & Kravis, one of the nation’s most celebrated design firms.

The C100 Board extends heartfelt thanks to Co-Chairs Cathy Schultz, Mindy Wilson, and Jamie Berg, Honorary Chair Kim Aliber, Benefactor and Patron Party Hosts Tennille and Jason Adkins. We are deeply grateful to our donors, committee chairs, members, and museum staff for their commitment and generosity which made this remarkable luncheon possible.

Together, we are expanding access to art and fostering a deeper understanding of history, culture, and humanity. Thank you.

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026

The Committee of 100 (C100) is a group of dedicated volunteers who plan signature fundraising events in support of free access to art for our community. To learn more about membership, visit nelson-atkins.org/c100, or contact us at 816.751.1278.

BLUHAWKHOLIDAY EVENTS

My Essentials IN KC

Janet’s essentials...

LOCAL LUNCH: As a pescatarian, my alltime favorite lunch spot is Sang Sang Asian Express. I love authentic Vietnamese food and have followed Sang Sang from their Westport location to Shawnee. Once a week, I have tamarind soup, Vietnamese spring rolls, or tofu salad.

CAN’T-MISS EVENT: I always go to the Brookside Art Annual. I love seeing the variety of regional artists and their work.

JANET CURRAN

ANIMAL LOVER. AUTHOR. PHILANTHROPIST.

Jby Evan Pagano

anet Curran’s love of people and animals is intertwined. Over a decade ago, Curran helped found SASSY, a Great Plains SPCA program that matched seniors with pets and senior pets with people. In 2017, she started two nonprofits, one in KC and one in Colorado. The Colorado nonprofit is Antoine’s Fund, which provides care and fulfillment for disabled animals, and she wrote a children’s book, Antoine’s Tale, about the resilient dog that inspired it. The Kansas City nonprofit is the consignment clothing boutique Do Good Co., which donates all proceeds to the animal shelter Wayside Waifs and the kids charity KidsTLC.

People and animals are just as intertwined in Curran’s personal life. She’s the “matriarch of a family of 17,” she says. “Including four dogs and seven granddogs!” When she’s not working, she’s painting or writing another Antoine book, doing projects with her grandchildren or taking her dogs for a ride. She sips her morning coffee with whoever drops by, “human or canine.”

Curran is a born-and-raised Kansas Citian. She’s watched the city grow “physically and culturally into an energetic metropolis alive with activity.”

“I love the diversity and pride that comes with living in Kansas City,” she says. “I remember growing up with the Dime Store in Brookside and wearing patent Mary Janes and gloves to shop on the Plaza as a child.”

To learn more about Curran’s work in Kansas City, head to dogoodkc.org.

SHOPPING GROUNDS: My shopping go-to is GEORGE a lifestyle store

They have such an artful eye for collectibles, wonderful clothing, and home goods.

DECADENT DINNERS: For a special evening, Oil on Linen with the chef Ted Habiger is a favorite. He creates culinary works of art in the Kemper Museum. For a casual evening, Earl’s Premier is my go-to. Best peel-and-eat shrimp ever!

HIDDEN GEM:

I don’t mean to be biased, but Do Good Co. is a spot that not enough people know about. I love our sustainable, customembroidered boyfriend jackets made from men’s blazers.

PERFECT PASTIME:

My dogs love to ride in the car with all the windows down. It really doesn’t matter where we go, as long as they have wind in their hair.

JAMES

7221 W 80th St.

Overland Park, KS newtonjames.com