Kansas City Star: The Kansas City Star Magazine

Flint Hills farm rides a rabbit revival

Thu, 24 May 2012 05:00 CDT

In the heart of Kansas cattle country, a small family farm is producing the most sought-after meat rabbits in the nation.

Myrtle Beach, S.C., adds attractions and spruces up old favorites

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:00 CDT

Free falling from a 60-foot tower, slipping down an oceanfront zip line or fighting through a curve in a car once driven by a NASCAR great are among the new attractions that will greet visitors during a new beach season in Myrtle Beach, S.C. There are also improvements to one of the area's most popular piers and, for a change of pace, a yearlong celebration marking the local art museum's 15th anniversary.

Last chance to enter our annual photo contest

Sat, 10 May 2008 22:15 CDT

Several years ago I was traveling through the Missouri Ozarks when I came across a 100-year-old grist mill near Eminence. It was a rustic structure perched on the edge of a turquoise spring.

THE RULES

Sat, 10 May 2008 22:15 CDT

The Kansas City Star's Travel Photo Contest is open to amateur photographers of any age who are residents of Missouri or Kansas.

Design Notebook | Global textiles are casual and worldly

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:00 CDT

If there is one trend that I am loving, it is the use of global prints in textiles for the home, fashion and art.

Star Magazine interview | Hilda Fuentes, CEO of Samuel Rodgers Health Center

Wed, 23 May 2012 11:00 CDT

Q Who was Samuel Rodgers?

Love Story | They overcame distance and doubts

Fri, 18 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Mary Maxwell walked into math class and noticed a really cute guy. It was 1998 and Mary, then 20, was taking a summer course at the University of Kansas. She wanted to meet this guy, but he left class early every day.

Last Bite | Balsamic Grilled Hangar Steak

Thu, 24 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Balsamic Grilled Hangar Steak

Journey into O'Keeffe's world

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:00 CDT

Georgia O'Keeffe could handle the inhospitable conditions of the American Southwest, with its intense sun and rugged terrain.

Now Trending | Hot under the collar

Mon, 21 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Better button up. Current fashions are clean and conservative thanks to a collar craze inspired by celebrities such as Alexa Chung and designers such as Louis Vuitton.

The Scout | Fun accents for your home

Thu, 17 May 2012 06:00 CDT

This 14-by-9-inch USA-made platter is ringed with images of Kansas City landmarks.

Design Notebook | Invite spring into your home

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:00 CDT

Warm weather is here, and summer is fast approaching. It is the perfect time to take advantage of some easy tips that will bring a little life back in your home, a little "spring" to your step.

Money Manners | Should groom's parents get stuck paying for extras?

Fri, 11 May 2012 08:00 CDT

DEAR JEANNE & LEONARD: Our son is marrying a girl whose family has more money than ours. What should we offer to contribute to the cost of the wedding? The bride-to-be's parents gave "Courtney" and "Kyle" a $30,000 budget, but Courtney has gone over it.

Love Story | They found happiness for the second time

Fri, 11 May 2012 08:00 CDT

"I know someone you might want to go out with," a friend told Rosemary Wayne. It was fall of 1992, and Rosemary, then 53, had been a widow for a year and a half. She'd dated only one person, and it hadn't worked out. Her friend described Joe Gittemeier, a 50-year-old widower who was looking for someone to spend time with.

Love Story | He won the 'girl in the pink bathrobe'

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Can you find a date for my friend Chad?" a dormmate asked Stacy Sweazy. It was January 1988 at Kansas State University. Stacy was in her pink bathrobe, getting ready for an evening out herself, but she roamed the dorm and found a girl who wanted to go out with Chad.

Love Story | Dancing was their first step

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:00 CDT

Johnny Rowlands was no dancer. He had reluctantly agreed to take part in the "Dancing With the Stars" fundraiser for Cristo Rey Kansas City high school, and now he had to take dancing lessons. It was February 2008, and Johnny, then 56, was nervous as he walked into the dance studio. But Angee Engle, the studio manager and his instructor and partner, instantly put him at ease.

Last Bite | Dip into some squash with Zucchini Hummus

Fri, 18 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Local chef Amber Shea Crawley's cookbook "Practically Raw" demonstrates how raw foods can be tasty and easy to prepare. "For this light hummus, the mild taste of the zucchini all but disappears behind the assertive flavor of sesame seed" from the tahini, Crawley says.

Last Bite | These brownies have a surprise ingredient

Fri, 11 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Using black beans in a dessert is unconventional, but these gluten-free vegan brownies from Jamie Milks, owner and recipe developer at Everyday Organic, are a tempting treat for people with (or without) dietary concerns.

Last Bite | Light and bright seafood ceviche

Thu, 03 May 2012 08:00 CDT

This seafood ceviche from chef Vasilio Dios (aka Chef Tito) of Latin Bistro in Gladstone is ideal for a light meal in warm weather. Acidity from the lime and tomato "cooks" the seafood and infuses it with zesty flavor.

Travel Troubleshooter | Car renters beware of insurance scam

Sat, 12 May 2012 05:00 CDT

Q. My wife rented a car at the Orlando airport from Budget recently. Even though she said she did not want or need the extra loss-damage waiver insurance, she was informed that her car insurance was "invalid" and that to rent the car she needed Florida insurance.

Steamboat cruises return to the Mississippi River

Sat, 12 May 2012 05:00 CDT

The churning red paddlewheel propels the pearl-white steamboat along the wide Mississippi River like a slow-moving time machine through a slice of Americana that harks back to Mark Twain and the history, culture and commerce of the 19th century. With the relaunching of a vessel called the American Queen, steamboat travel has returned to the Mississippi and Ohio rivers for the first time since 2008.

Travel Troubleshooter | If you can't say anything good ...

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Tom and Terri Dorow didn't like their recent vacation rental in Scottsdale, Ariz.

In Louisville, five flavorful blocks

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:00 CDT

One glance at the roster of 40 bourbons on the menu at Harvest, and you know you're in Louisville.

Travel Troubleshooter | Victim of a star-crossed reservation

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:00 CDT

Q. I recently booked a hotel in Prague through Expedia. While perusing the hotels online, I saw an advertisement for an unpublished rate hotel. I clicked the advertisement and was presented with three four-star hotels from which to choose.

Now Trending | Think short and bright

Mon, 14 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Colored jeans are cropped for spring and summer.

Now Trending | Curve-hugging dresses

Mon, 07 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Short, tight dresses often scare women, but they shouldn't. This season, fashion designers ran with the bandage dress craze started by Herve Leger to offer options that snuggle the female silhouette in all the right places.

Now Trending | Pockets are a top pick

Tue, 01 May 2012 13:00 CDT

Current fashions may have Corduroy the stuffed bear green-eyed with pocket envy. Whether hidden or worn outward as a whimsical addition to closet staples, pockets are becoming fundamental, as well as functional, in the fashion world.

The Scout | Gracious (outdoor) living

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:00 CDT

A mix of new and antique objects to enhance your backyard and patio.

Sweet somethings for Mother's Day

Thu, 03 May 2012 08:00 CDT

The Roasterie 1.5-ounce chocolate bars made with Andre's chocolate and Roasterie Super Tuscan espresso, in milk or dark chocolate, are a sweet indulgence.

The Scout | Kitchen helpers

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:00 CDT

New products for the sink, the fridge and your water bottle.

Design Notebook | Wallpaper can stretch beyond walls

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:00 CDT

It seems that wallpaper has been around forever, or at least for 2,000 years, dating back to when the Chinese started to hang decorated rice paper on their walls. Since then, wallpaper has been popular, reflecting designs and patterns that change to suit the fashion of the times.

Design Notebook | Patio love

Wed, 02 May 2012 16:00 CDT

This West Plaza patio is so inviting that I spent a few lovely minutes here enjoying the outdoors while waiting for the photographer.

Design Notebook | Mix of fabrics satisfies all in mother-in-law suite

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:00 CDT

You may never get your mother-in-law out of this suite. I collaborated with homeowner Mollie Kelly on her MIL suite. We focused on a key fabric and bravely mixed patterns to craft a lighthearted palette.

`Outthere' after 35

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 00:00 CDT

Note: This story originally appeared Sunday, January 22, 2006

Ronnetta Parks; `I had to come out of my shell'

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 00:00 CDT

Note: This story originally appeared Sunday, December 4, 2005

Mini makeover - conclusion

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 00:00 CDT

Note: This story originally appeared Sunday, December 4, 2005

Architecture A-Z | 'F' is for Faultless Starch, Fidelity Security, 4646

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:00 CDT

Here's another entry in our elemental, alphabetical guide to Kansas City's built environment.

Architecture A-Z | 'D' is for 'demolition'

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:00 CDT

Here's another entry in our elemental, alphabetical guide to Kansas City's built environment. The feature appears here every other week or so. Find earlier entries in the series collected in "Architecture A to Z," published by Kansas City Star Books.

John Hall: A historian of bush league baseball

Fri, 18 May 2012 05:00 CDT

On the first night of July 1951, the Carthage Cubs shuffled onto rickety buses that would take them from Jaycee Park to the YMCA in Pittsburg, Kan. Their manager barked at them for losing both games of a doubleheader to the Pittsburg Browns.

Sisters on the Fly hit the road in vintage trailers

Thu, 10 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Sisters on the Fly, a national group of camping enthusiasts founded by two actual sisters who love fly-fishing in Montana, has three rules: No husbands. No pets. Be nice. The founding sisters, Maurrie Sussman and Becky Clarke, have seen their sorority of adventurers grow from a dozen in 1999 to about 1,700 active members today in all 50 states and Canada.

The Mag Interview | Bobbi Cummings cultivates peace and resilience

Wed, 09 May 2012 06:00 CDT

Bobbi Cummings of Lenexa is a master gardener. Cummings' mobility is sharply limited because of severe arthritis, so she designed her garden to be as accessible as possible both to work and relax in. Her garden is on the Johnson County Master Gardener Tour on May 18 and 19.

The making of Shatto's new Ice Cream Sammich

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Since 2003, when the first Shatto milk bottle appeared in a supermarket dairy case, the Osborn, Mo., company has expanded to producing butter, flavored cheese curds, farmstead artisan cheeses and premium ice cream. The logical next step? A re-interpreted gourmet ice cream sandwich. But it wasn't easy.

The Mag Interview | Brent Beasley has tips to soothe sore gardeners

Wed, 02 May 2012 06:00 CDT

Brent Beasley of Overland Park is an internist and medical director of the physician quality organization for St. Luke's Health System. Beasley, a native of Tulsa, Okla., attended Baylor University, then went to medical school at the University of Oklahoma and completed a fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University medical school.

The 1 percent isn't such an exclusive club after all

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:00 CDT

During the Occupy Wall Street protests, demonstrators loudly decried the "1 Percent" and the poor distribution of wealth in this country. Other Americans surely wished silently that they were 1 percenters, too. And millions are. Just not the kind who are pulling down more than $506,000 in cash income per annum. It's not such an exclusive club after all.

Good Neighbors | The case of the street-hogging grump

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Q.Q. I have a neighbor who lives across the street. He has approached a guest from my home twice and asked him not to park in front of his house.

Money Manners | Is she so stressed she can't write a check?

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:00 CDT

Q DEAR JEANNE & LEONARD: I lent $5,000, interest-free, to a friend who was opening a pizza parlor. For a while, "Karen" was paying me back $300 a month, but then the payments suddenly stopped. When I asked why, she said that the problem wasn't money but that she and her husband were having serious marital trouble. She said she was sorry -- she's just very upset and distracted these days.

The Mag Interview | Betty Saraczewsky-Kulenda leads the parade for Polish pride

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:00 CDT

Betty Saraczewsky-Kulenda of Kansas City, Kan., is grand marshal of this year's Polski Day Parade. The parade begins at noon Saturday at 18th and Central streets in Kansas City, Kan., and ends at All Saints (originally St. Joseph's) Catholic Church at Eighth and Vermont streets on Polish Hill.

Last Bite | A grown-up twist on a campfire classic

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:00 CDT

For this recipe, adapted from the new cookbook "The Gardener & the Grill" by local authors Karen Adler and Judith Fertig, the authors note that backyard garden strawberries are often smaller than store-bought, so you may need more.

Fifty things every Kansas Citian should know

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:00 CDT

Baseball's All-Star Game will be played in Kansas City in July, and it's a big darn deal. The city has been spiffing up, and really, so should we all. A whole lot of out-of-towners are here this weekend for the NASCAR race, and we'll be seeing a lot more in July. You don't want to seem clueless, do you? We're here to the rescue.

Nevada Lee is a doctor who still makes house calls

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 06:00 CDT

Nevada Lee opened her first private medical practice in 1983 in Brookside, specializing in the needs of an age group that her med school counterparts showed little interest in serving: senior citizens. She now bases her practice in Raytown but travels just under 300 miles a week in her minivan, making roughly six to 12 house calls every day but Wednesday.

Below Kansas City's surface lie underworlds of fun

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:00 CST

Millions of square feet of cave storage and the annual 10K Groundhog Run aren't the only attractions beneath the streets of Kansas City. Here's the lowdown on below-the-ground diversions.

The 2010 food issue: 35 people, places and things that made us drool

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 22:15 CDT

Today, The Kansas City Star Magazine takes a look at our city through food. What are the flavors, aromas, tables, fields and farmers that make Kansas City a distinctive place for food lovers? We were searching for seduction of the culinary kind.

Cancer diagnosis brings two friends together for journey of a lifetime

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:15 CST

My first thought when I got up this morning was: I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to let a friend die. Just a few months ago, Lindy Elizondo and I were gazing out over the Grand Canyon. We were on the"trip of a lifetime," a 30-day rail pass from her New York and from my Kansas City to points west.

The Mag Interview | Dermadoctor opens KC store

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:15 CDT

Are you really a doctor? I am. I'm a dermatologist. I did my undergrad and med school at Ohio State and Medical College of Ohio and an internship in Detroit at Henry Ford Hospital and my dermatology residency at Medical College of Virginia. My husband and I settled here about 16 years ago.

Missouri and Kaw roll by mostly unnoticed, but river-lovers have a vision to change that

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:15 CDT

In Kansas City, we celebrate small water. We beam when suburban creeks get prettied up. We go all combatant if our fountains are threatened. Our big water -- our genesis -- we mostly ignore.

Nelson's Shuttlecocks at 15 years old: Many things to many people

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:15 CDT

In their short lives, the four Shuttlecocks on the Nelson lawn have sat pretty for brides, looked the other way as teens groped and stood strong as children climbed. To some people, the Shuttlecocks are an eyesore. To some sports fans, they're a curse. But the Shuttlecocks, which debuted 15 years ago this month, are an undeniable part of Kansas City's landscape.

From age 9 to 99, these people look forward to 2009

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:15 CST

When you're 8 going on 9, life is blissfully simple. Riding your bike. Watching "Winx Club" on TV Saturday mornings. Playing with your Hula Hoop.

Star photographers share their favorite published and unpublished shots

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 13:15 CST

Staff photographers captured images throughout the year, such as those of Parsons Dance members in an energetic performance of "Kind of Blue" in March at the Folly and the Bric-a-Brac Vintage Vagabond Variety Show for the Fringe Festival in July.

Megan Birdsall finds her voice and sings again

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:15 CST

Megan Birdsall has a cold. A knit cap covers her straight blondish-red hair. She's poking around near the piano at Jardine's looking for something, then sound-checks the microphone.

Check out the bathroom!

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:15 CDT

You might assume a trip to the restroom would be the least noteworthy experience of a night on the town.

Finding art in unexpected places

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:15 CDT

Finding great art in Kansas City is easy. The Nelson-Atkins, Kemper and Nerman museums are right around the corner. Galleries in the Crossroads and across the metropolitan area, as well as regional museums, reveal the breadth and depth of the arts here. But to be a great arts community, there must be surprises. And Kansas City has that, too.

Calisthenics and running draw hundreds to KU's Memorial Stadium in Lawrence

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:15 CDT

It's just minutes before 6 a.m., but hundreds of people are streaming quietly through Gate 30 of KU's Memorial Stadium in Lawrence.

The Mag Interview | Actress Jan Chapman gives voice to the past

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:00 CDT

Jan Chapman of Olathe is an actress. Chapman will portray author Willa Cather in a performance of "Meet the Past" with Kansas City Public Library Director R. Crosby Kemper III at 6:30 p.m. May 24 at the Central Library.