With vaccines being distributed across the country, it seems like there will be an end to the coronavirus pandemic. And for that, we have to thank, in part, a Missouri man. Dr. David Curiel and his team at Washington University in St. Louis have been researching mRNA vaccines since 1995. He’s been called the “father”… Continue reading The ‘father’ of the Covid vaccine is in Missouri—and he’s working on something even better
The noughties are back, baby. While artisan cupcakes, flip phones and Von Dutch trucker hats remain consigned to oblivion, Juicy Couture trackies and bubble tea are shooting up like GameStop stock. On the Plaza, new bubble tea shop Bruú Café is taking the trending beverage up a level. Owner Bay Vanithbuncha’s stylish shop makes fresh… Continue reading Bruu Cafe’s creme brulee bubble milk tea takes it up a level
Renowned musician Taylor Swift gave fans, or “Swifties,” the inside scoop on her reinvented self with two spark-filled albums in the latter half of 2020. Swift, having created a first dance-perfect sound with her most recent folk-style albums Folklore and Evermore, wiggled her way into households with slow, mystical jams like “Willow”, “Champagne Problems” and… Continue reading This Taylor Swift-themed wedding staged by a KC event planner is everything
\Patricia Mitchell calls herself a serial entrepreneur: Her expansive portfolio of businesses includes a live theater production company, a youth activewear line, children’s books and an eyewear collection. Since Mitchell is a business owner herself, she wanted her next venture to highlight other Black business owners and entrepreneurs. So she canvassed All Black Everything, a… Continue reading Local entrepreneur launches magazine to spotlight Black business owners
At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, I remember reading somewhere—maybe Foreign Affairs magazine, maybe a Dril tweet, it all blends together now—that the most likely outcome of this cataclysmic event wasn’t the emergence of new trends but the acceleration of existing ones.In the beer scene, at least, that’s exactly what happened. Canned New England-style… Continue reading Sandhills Brewing’s Junco is now among the city’s elite hazies
Tina’s inspiration for her home came from two things: rocks and horses. “I have a thing where I look for heart rocks,” she says. “This place is essentially a rock. I mean, we had to dynamite this place in, which resulted in millions of rocks. I kept finding heart rocks, and I knew it meant… Continue reading How Laura McCroskey translated a homeowner’s rustic lifestyle into modern-dappled design
Alvin Brooks has seen it all. The eighty-eight-year-old Civil Rights activist has been dedicated to the community for decades, including a decade-long stint on city council and a mayoral run in 2007. In his new autobiography, Binding Us Together, Brooks shares stories of his time as a cop in the fifties, his tenure as the… Continue reading In his new memoir, local activist Alvin Brooks reviews his decades of civil rights fights
The coronavirus pandemic has made things tough for restaurants—follow capacity caps and social distancing mandates have hit, along with economic uncertainty and some diners who don’t go out. Mission’s Business District has announced plans to help draw attention and customers to city with its first-ever restaurant week, happening in early March. March 1st -7th! See… Continue reading Mission hosts first-ever Restaurant Week to help aid local restaurants during the pandemic
Betty Rae’s Ice Cream announced this morning that they will reopen this spring under new ownership. Kansas City, we are beyond excited and humbled to announce the reopening of Betty Rae’s this spring under new ownership…. Posted by Betty Rae’s Ice Cream on Monday, February 22, 2021 “Kansas City, we are beyond excited and humbled to… Continue reading Betty Rae’s Ice Cream set to reopen under new ownership after controversy
Kansas City restaurants are about to look very different—at least from how they have for the past year. With covid cases have plummeted in the city—there were 2,000 cases per week in late November, and just 282 last week—the mayor has elected to lift many of the restrictions placed on restaurants and gatherings. “I thank… Continue reading With covid cases plummeting, Mayor Lucas lifts many restaurant restrictions
With dine-in eating and limited capacities affecting the food industry, restaurants have found other creative ways to get food into the mouths of Kansas Citians. One way is ghost kitchens, or delivery- and carryout-only food operations that typically work out of existing restaurant kitchens. Ghost kitchens are the next big thing, and here are five… Continue reading Ghost kitchens are the next big thing—here are 5 to try
March madness is here—in more ways than one. Although many St. Patrick’s Day events have been canceled for another year, there are still a few things to do this month, from virtual webinars to comedy shows. March 3, 7 pm The Beatles in Missouri No, Paul and Ringo are not reuniting here, but this library… Continue reading March 2021 KC events roundup
It’s no secret that Troost has long been a dividing line in Kansas City, with racial covenants and banking practices prohibiting Black citizens from owning property to the avenue’s west. On the street itself, there’s a tight-knit community. Armando Vasquez and Michael Hastings wanted to be part of it by opening Anchor Island Coffee at… Continue reading A high-profile Midtown coffee shop’s relocation to Troost sparks debate
Popping Soup The Parlor food hall is getting a new noodle spot, though your time to try it is limited. Keeyoung Kim, the owner of Sura Eats, has started a noodle-fueled spin-off pop-up project featuring dishes like Korean-style ramyun soup and chicken kalguksu, which Kim says some call the Korean version of chicken and noodle… Continue reading Here’s what’s new in Kansas City food and drink in March 2021
Liz Scarpino is one for puns. The seamstress was born with a brachial plexus injury, where the nerves that connect her arm to her spine were pulled from their roots, leading to paralysis in her right arm. Everything she does in her shop is one-handed, which is how she came up with her business name,… Continue reading Blossoming Kearney seamstress-designer Liz Scarpino shares her favorite fashion trends and KC memories
It’s been forty-six years since the last reel spun to a stop at the old Aztec Theater on the main drag in Shawnee. You’d never know it from the enthusiasm around the recent reopening. Even before a deal was struck, people were packing meetings to show support for the revival of the long-dormant venue, which… Continue reading After 46 years, the old Aztec Theater in Shawnee is back open
Whether it’s due to a nasty tornado outside or simply too many people stuck at home while social distancing, our beloved pets often become scared. Regardless of dogs and cats’ breeds, ages and sizes, they may become easily frightened. Perhaps Marley will spend hours shaking behind your bed, while Fionna refuses to leave her cage.… Continue reading 2 Simple Tricks to Keep Pets Calm & Cool
In December, Kansas City lost one of the buildings on the National Register of Historic Places with the demolition of the old Board of Education building on McGee. Local architect Edward W. Tanner designed the building, which opened in 1960, in a mid-century modern style that was inspired by the iconic Mies van der Rohe.… Continue reading Historic Kansas City buildings are being demolished—can we do more to save them?
If you were to ask Arlene Ladegaard what makes her stand out from other interior designers, she would probably point to her knowledge of recognizing and utilizing scale in a space. The longtime designer and owner of Design Connection, Inc. can thank her residence in Europe for that—after living in Los Angeles post-college, she and… Continue reading Local designer Arlene Ladegaard shares illusion-worthy tricks for opening up a space
Overland Park Native Erica Mandy was tired of being a talking head. The former broadcast journalist, who now lives in Los Angeles, worked in broadcast news for ten years, reciting scripted headlines that she felt were alarmist and unfair. In 2017, she shifted gears to start her own current events podcast, The NewsWorthy. The quick-hitting… Continue reading How a news anchor from KC created a nationally-recognized podcast with over 10 million downloads
Every December, designers wait with bated breath for the next year’s Pantone Color of the Year to arrive. Last year’s dependable blue hue symbolized trust, a trait we didn’t know we really needed until 2020 threw a few curveballs. In 2021, we’ve been blessed with not one but two shades: 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and 13-0647… Continue reading Accessorize in style with Pantone’s Colors of the Year
Although once extirpated from the state, the black bear population in Missouri is now “rapidly” increasing, according to Laura Conlee, a furbearer biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation. That means Missouri might see its first-ever regulated bear hunting season next fall—and that people throughout the state could encounter the creatures. “We really need to… Continue reading Black bears are on the rise in Missouri—here’s what you need to know
We spent the past few months driving the metro area, block-by-block, to curate this selection of the coolest homes in Kansas City, from a modern Fairway ranch to a historically-designed build in Olathe. Why We Love It: This Italianate masterpiece in Olathe captures the familiar form of a local icon that remains in ruins.… Continue reading 9 of the coolest homes in Kansas City
Whether your child is into sports, nature, art or culture, summer time in Kansas City is the perfect time to explore special interests. Summer camps throughout the city offer a variety of opportunities for kids to find their voice, dabble in the arts, seek adventure or engage in active play with new friends. Barstow –… Continue reading Kansas City summer camps 2021
“In the 80s I had come back to KC from college at Langston University in Oklahoma and got my first job at KMBC, Channel 9. I was always working at night, doing music. I was always putting bands together and trying to do songwriting. “I wrote these two songs, ‘The Promise’ and ‘I Found What… Continue reading How a single from a Kansas City soul artist became a surprise hit in Europe
Whether you’re looking for a romantic night with that special someone or just want something fun to do in the spirit of Valentine’s day, here are 10 bars and restaurants to visit around Kansas City. Make it a V-Day for the books with a very special 4-course tasting menu from husband-wife pair, Exec Chef Johnny… Continue reading 10 Kansas City bars and restaurants with special Valentine’s Day menus
For Kansas City Chiefs fans, the emotional connection runs deeper than football. Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner is a prime example of that. Faulkner has her own news show covering political topics called The Faulkner Focus and she’s also co-anchor of Outnumbered, a daytime news and talk show she co-hosts with Emily Compagno. Her Kansas City roots… Continue reading Get to know Harris Faulkner, Fox News anchor and Kansas City Chiefs fandom member
Elvis is everywhere in the visitor’s center for Holladay Distillery. Ceramic decanters bearing the King’s likeness neatly line the built-in shelves of the old brick farmhouse, constructed by a Weston family who grew burley tobacco in the fields out front and made whiskey in a bourbon distillery around back. It’s been forty years since the… Continue reading After 30 years idle, an ancient distillery is primed to put Missouri on the bourbon map
A box of chocolates is more than a sweet treat—the amount of thought and creativity that goes into each one of the luscious morsels is often extreme. A brand new Kansas City chocolate maker’s efforts caught the eye of The Washington Post. Writer G. Daniela Galarza compiled a list of notable chocolate makers after trying… Continue reading A local chocolate maker was featured in the Washington Post (and it’s not the one you think)
For a week in January, I had the unique experience of living in Kansas City as an outsider. As has been mentioned in this space, I am an Ohio native and a diehard fan of the Cleveland Browns. I’ve lived all over and usually brought my adopted town some good luck—I’ve cheered on local teams… Continue reading For a week in January, I had the unique experience of living in Kansas City as an outsider
