Born and Bread Every sandwich has a story to tell. From Chicago’s Italian beefs to NYC bodegas’ chopped cheese sandwiches, what was once considered just a workin’ man’s meal has since become a calling card—an emblem of a region or city subculture. So we’re spotlighting a few of the more delicious and unique sandwiches that… Continue reading Born and Bread: Here are 11 sandwiches that take you around the country and the world
By Ryan Reed Quaintly tucked away in the Fairway Shops, Rainy Day Books has survived and thrived on community and relationships for half a century, weathering the highs and lows of being a retail bookseller – like big box stores, e-readers and Amazon home delivery. Having celebrated its 50th anniversary on November 4th, Rainy Day… Continue reading Rainy Day Books celebrates 50 years
The Country Club Plaza lights have illuminated KC’s iconic shopping district for 100 years, with the lighting ceremony growing from an unofficial gathering to a city-wide party. According to historians at Kansas City Public Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections, “On December 25, 1925, a string of Christmas lights hung over the doorway of the Mill… Continue reading More than 200,000 jewel-colored bulbs will blanket the Country Club Plaza this holiday season—but how did it begin?
Here are thirteen things to do in KC this Thanksgiving weekend, November 27—30 including Country Club Plaza Lighting Ceremony, The Nutcracker and Rec Deck the Halls.
As the holiday season settles over Kansas City, there’s a renewed desire for meaningful moments, local pride, and gifts that tell a story. Few places embody that spirit more authentically than Holladay Distillery, Missouri’s oldest distillery dedicated to producing time-honored, high-quality bourbon from grain to glass. Located just up the road in historic Weston, Holladay… Continue reading Elevate Your Holiday Celebration with A Taste of Missouri History
Nate Evans had no idea his artwork would be featured on ESPN in an episode of The Kingdom. The docuseries follows the Chiefs through their 2024 season as they attempt to win their third consecutive Superbowl victory. “My phone was blowing up,” Evans says. “People were telling me that someone in the show was wearing… Continue reading The Kingdom comes for KC artist and musician Nate Evans
A few hundred people packed a standing-room-only meeting at Unity Temple on the Plaza Monday night to hear details about the district’s proposed $1.4 billion redevelopment. The Gillion Property Group, the Country Club Plaza’s new owner, is seeking to add taller buildings, new office space, and more outdoor areas as part of a major overhaul… Continue reading A few hundred people came to listen to Plaza developers
I can’t think of an international cuisine I nudge people to explore more than Indian and South Asian food. I don’t blame the masses, or Midwesterners, for sticking with the familiar. You really can’t go wrong with tikka masala or butter chicken, the tried and true picks that most are familiar with. Plenty of metro… Continue reading Our Food Editor’s Favorite Indian & South Asian Dishes In KC
A low concrete wall split down the middle. It’s not quite a bench, and not quite a barrier—which is exactly the point. For seven years now, sculptor Jill Downen’s Architectural Folly from a Future Place has lived in Swope Park, just steps from General Swope’s Greek-Doric mausoleum. Originally commissioned for Kansas City’s citywide arts initiative… Continue reading This Swope Park art piece is part wall, part bench and part invitation to rethink the boundaries around us
At Glenwood Ridge Elementary in Basehor, Kansas, two fifth graders are thinking big—world-saving big. Meet Warren Heck and Jase Oxandale, best friends, tinkerers and newly minted inventors. Their idea? Harness the endless rhythm of the ocean to power a cleaner planet. “We made a water energizer,” Heck says, proudly describing the two-by-two-and-a-half-foot prototype they built… Continue reading Two Kansas fifth graders are making a splash with their invention to capture the ocean’s energy
Olive Mitchell, a self-made artist at just 14 years old, has already had a lifetime of scary medical emergencies in her battle against blood cancer, but she refuses to let her ailment define her. It was Christmas 2021 when her mother, Lauren, noticed some odd bruising on her daughter. Follow-up testing showed Mitcell had low… Continue reading A young cancer survivor stuns the local soccer world with her artistic talent
Lee’s Summit’s most prominent shopping destination, Summit Fair Lifestyle Center, was just acquired by a group of investors. Located at the intersection of Interstate 470 and 50 Highway at Chipman Road, the major shopping center was acquired by a Block & Company, Inc., along with other investors. Block & Company’s Zachary Albrecht and David M. Block, President of Block… Continue reading Summit Fair has new owners
Moonstone, a new restaurant and cocktail lounge along the Berkley Riverfront, wants to shoot you to the moon. Friday, November 21 marks its opening. With a cosmic, otherworldly aesthetic, the bar is leaning fully into its celestial theme, whether it’s a cocktail named Footprint or the bar’s space age design. Moonstone comes from the team behind… Continue reading Moonstone, A Cosmic New Cocktail Lounge, Lands On The Berkley Riverfront
Step inside some of Kansas City’s most stylish bars and restaurants—Bar Medici, Vita’s Place, Monarch Bar, Verdigris or Acre—and you’re likely to spot a large painting simply signed “Janesko.” The canvas might be a blur of sweeping blues, suggesting a seascape, or a burst of wispy bold colors reminiscent of a Rothko. Either way, these… Continue reading Jennifer Janesko’s paintings hang in some of KC’s best restaurants, but her work reaches even further
Step into a classroom in Lee’s Summit or walk the hallways of a KCK school and the issues are similar: Educators say they are still playing pandemic catch-up. The story of public education in the metro is one of slow recovery and uneven progress. While the 30-plus public school districts in the greater Kansas City… Continue reading What the numbers tell us about KC’s schools
Here are ten things to do in KC this weekend, November 20—23 including Samara Joy, Rob Riggle and A Christmas Carol.
Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room, one of Kansas City’s top fine dining restaurants, is closing. The Crossroads restaurants, which has been in business for nearly nine years, made the announcement on social media. The post states that New Year’s Eve will be Corvino‘s final night of service. A letter, written by Christina Corvino and… Continue reading Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room Is Closing
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and if you’d rather leave the baking to the pros, Kansas City has plenty of options. From restaurant-driven classics to small-batch bakery favorites, these four local spots are offering standout pies for pick-up this holiday season. Rye (10551 Mission Rd., Leawood, KS, 4646 Mill Creek Pkwy., KCMO, ryekc.com) Rye… Continue reading Gobble these up: 4 top spots to get your Thanksgiving pies
A Kansas City company is bringing craftsmanship to the kitchen with restaurant-quality butcher blocks and cutting boards. Based in Mission, Gauntt Board Company is a supplier for barbeque restaurants across the city like Q39, Char Bar and Gates. “The business started completely out of a hobbyist type of mindset,” says Tim Gauntt, the owner of… Continue reading Gauntt Board Company Crafts Restaurant-Quality Cutting Boards
For decades, the American Royal, one of the world’s largest barbecue competitions, was held in the West Bottoms before shifting to Arrowhead Stadium and then the Kansas Speedway, where it remains today. But now, Vernon McClanahan, a longtime American Royal competitor and certified judge, is bringing barbecue back to the neighborhood where it all began. … Continue reading A new barbecue competition and festival is headed to the west bottoms. Here’s what we know.
Tucked away in the heart of the Ozarks just over two hours from Kansas City, Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri, has been reimagined as a must-see holiday destination. Now through Jan. 4, guests can experience Sea of Lights Enchanted Christmas — the aquarium’s first-ever indoor holiday light event,… Continue reading Add This Must-See Ozarks Holiday Event to Your List
For Tom Jacobs, the journey back to the metro is full circle. A Shawnee Mission North High School graduate and University of Kansas alum, Jacobs has spent decades shaping college athletics from the boardrooms of the NCAA, the Atlantic 10 Conference and the U.S. Tennis Association. Now, as CEO and executive director of the College… Continue reading The new head of the College Baseball Hall of Fame is swinging for history in Overland Park
Across the metro lessons pause several times a year for something that at one time was unthinkable—an active shooter drill. It’s an unsettling ritual for what educators hope will never occur, yet it’s become as routine as the tornado and fire drills that once defined school safety. From Overland Park to North Kansas City, schools… Continue reading How Kansas City Schools Are Preparing for the Unthinkable
Sitting right next door to one of KC’s best seafood spots, Earl’s Premier, is its newish sister concept, Earl’s Provisions. With the same nautical charm as its sibling, this quaint Brookside spot opened in July, just weeks after owners Todd Schulte and Corey Dannehl also debuted a Mexican seafood spot, Sea Capitán. The coastal-themed “market… Continue reading Earl’s Provisions: Brookside’s One-Stop Shop for Comfort Eats & Holiday Feasts
Held at Union Station, KidsTLC’s Benefit25: Wonder raised more than $430,000 for youth mental health programs, including $30,000 from a sold-out car raffle. Guests were wowed by live illusions, interactive fun, gourmet food and an electric after-party with DJ Ashton Martin. KidsTLC is a nonprofit organization providing mental and behavioral support for kids and families.… Continue reading Union Station Becomes a “Wonderland”
Mo’ Pie quickly became a local favorite when it launched in 2020. It’s no secret why the pie pop-up has been such a hit: Mo’ Pie’s owner Curt Lafferty worked as an executive for Tippin’s Pies for nearly twenty years. Now, after five years of popping up at farmers markets throughout the metro, Lafferty has… Continue reading Mo’ Pie Is Opening a Storefront in Leawood
Vivien Jennings first opened Rainy Day Books on November 4th, 1975. Since then, the quaint little shop has grown to be a pillar in the nation’s independent book scene.
Kansas City is buzzing with soccer. Between next summer’s FIFA World Cup matches, the powerhouse Kansas City Current, and Sporting KC’s ongoing struggle to regain its old form, it’s easy to overlook another team quietly building something special on the south edge of the Country Club Plaza—the UMKC Roos. The UMKC men’s soccer team is… Continue reading UMKC’s Men’s soccer heads to the Conference Championship in Denver this weekend
Here are eleven things to do in KC this weekend, November 13—16 including Katy Guillen and The Drive, Puppets a Glow-Go and Madame Butterfly.
“… ball is loose at the 12-yard line, recovered by Northwest Missouri State, and THEY WIN IT!” Former footballer Brandon Simpson can’t help but smile when reminiscing about his college team’s winning play. “It was the greatest game ever played,” he says. Simpson didn’t hear ESPN’s Dave Barnett call of the 1999 NCAA Division II… Continue reading A footballer’s unconventional path to barbecue
Hundreds of Chiefs fans lined up at Blind Box BBQ last Thursday for a chance to meet Chiefs’ wide receiver Rashee Rice. Rice announced a partnership with Blind Box back in July and the pair recently introduced the HE4VYWEIGHT Plate, a soul-food inspired dish that pays homage to Rice’s roots. Along with ribs and burnt… Continue reading We Caught Up With Rashee Rice at His Packed Blind Box BBQ Meet-and-Greet
In September, jazz pianist Ryan Marquez was driving from St. Louis to Kansas City, eagerly awaiting a family outing to watch Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience with the Kansas City Symphony. The tickets were a belated birthday present from his parents. While at a gas station along I-70, the musician received an unexpected call from… Continue reading Pianist Ryan Marquez landed the gig of a lifetime with Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience
Made in KC co-founder Tyler Enders led a group of investors to purchase Rainy Day Books from original owner Vivien Jennings in 2023. Since then, they have developed a 16-person leadership team to oversee the care and administration of the independent Fairway, Kansas, bookseller. Enders’ work with Made in KC focuses on strengthening the Kansas… Continue reading Tyler Enders, Rainy Day Books’ New Face, Talks About the Importance Of Community
Last winter, I attended my first-ever roller derby bout at KCK’s Memorial Hall. With a cold domestic beer in hand and the raucous crowd as background music, I watched in awe as the Kansas City Roller Warriors pushed, shoved and skated their way to a nearly 200-point lead against Northwest Arkansas’ Natural State. Did I… Continue reading Inside Kansas City’s fast, fierce and fearless roller derby league, where community, confidence and chaos collide
When the Independence School District switched to a four-day school week in 2023, it became the first and only large district in the Kansas City metro—and one of the biggest in the country—to make the leap. While some embraced it, others raised objections from the outset, specifically parents. The shortened schedule soon became entangled in… Continue reading Four Days On, Three Days Off
Exciting news for lovers of the Waldo eatery Hemma Hemma. Chef and owner Ashley Bare is opening a second location, this time with a retro diner flair. Hemma Hemma Dinette is expected to open in February 2026 inside the Lightwell building in the former Strang Chef Collective space (1100 Main St., KCMO). Tiffany Ruzicka of… Continue reading Hemma Hemma Is Opening A Second Location, Diner-Style
In 2023, I wrote about the new sushi wave rolling through Kansas City. Around that time, the Plaza’s Kura Sushi started delivering sushi on a conveyor belt, Sushi Kodawari marked KC’s first true omakase restaurant, and the excellent Kata Nori opened its hand roll bar. But two years later, it’s clear that our chefs are… Continue reading With the opening of Akoya Omakase and Anjin, Kansas City’s Japanese dining scene is raw, refined and heating up the metro
Here are ten things to do in KC this weekend, November 6—9 including Thundergong, The Kansas City Current Quarterfinal Match and Tower Con.
We all know that John Sherman owns the Royals. We know that Clark Hunt owns the Chiefs. We also know that a group led by Brittany and Patrick Mahomes owns the NWSL’s Kansas City Current. Or do they? Granted, those rich folks write the checks. But the real owners of a team don’t sit in… Continue reading Local band director Carrie Epperson leads KC Current’s drumline
One of KC’s newest cocktail lounges, The Brass Monkey, isn’t exactly a speakeasy, but it sure feels like one. There’s a trail of playing cards scattered on the sidewalk outside that leads to a red door on Admiral Boulevard. Head down a stairwell, flip a hidden switch and wait for a staff member to grant… Continue reading How a Deck of Cards Rules Your Drink Order At This Speakeasy‐Style Lounge
As the federal government remains shut down, the future of those with SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is uncertain. The recent news comes from an article published today from The Washington Post, stating that the current administration has decided to “release enough funds to pay for half of November’s SNAP benefits, following a court… Continue reading A Guide to KC Restaurants feeding the Community During the SNAP Crisis
When the sun sets and the holidays begin to glow; there’s one place where the spirit of Christmas shines a little differently. Imagine twinkling lights winding through forests; wildlife silhouetted against starry skies, and the rare chance to drive a private golf cart through a cave decked in holiday wonder. It’s where nature meets the… Continue reading 5 Reasons to Visit Nature at Night at Top of the Rock this Holiday Season
The Country Club Plaza is on the cusp of a groundbreaking transformation—literally. Kansas City council members recently approved a zoning amendment that allows for a 275-foot-tall, 18- to 20-story building to fill the large vacant lot (4720 Jefferson St., KCMO) on the west side of the Plaza. The unanimous vote more than doubled the existing… Continue reading How a height-limit amendment could reshape the Plaza skyline
Jason Sudeikis is coming home and bringing a few friends for a charity bash In 2005, Kansas City musician Billy Brimblecom Jr. lost his leg to cancer. Soon after, the drummer faced another uphill battle: fighting with his health insurance company to cover a prosthetic limb. This is a reality many amputees face, according to… Continue reading The best things to do in KC this month: November 2025
Gram & Dun Heads North Gram & Dun, one of the Plaza’s most noted restaurants, is opening a second location inside the Argosy Casino & Hotel (777 N.W. Argosy Casino Parkway, Riverside). Set to debut in January 2026, Gram & Dun Argosy will seat 250 guests and feature private dining rooms and a large outdoor… Continue reading What’s new in Kansas City food and drink: November 2025
