Bender men traditionally don’t cook. Well, to be more accurate, when we cook, we make a significant mess and we don’t clean. My late grandfather taught me to cook a single dish: potato pancakes. The recipe is not complicated, nor is the preparation, but the taste is rich with the memories of watching him at the stove in his Chicago…
I could tell, from my apartment a block away, that John Frey’s Christmas decor was worth a closer look. The light emanating from my Hyde Park neighbor didn’t fit the traditional Santa-and-his-reindeer or Jesus-in-the-manger kind of set-up. Nope, Frey’s holiday cheer is packaged inside some old washing machines — bathed in red and green paint, draped with holiday lights and…
One could easily argue that the previous two National Lampoon Vacation movies were just leading up to National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. One could also easily argue that this is Chevy Chase’s last good movie. After this came Nothing But Trouble (worth a damn only for the inclusion of Digital Underground) and Memoirs of An Invisible Man. *shudder* However, in terms…
No official word from the Raytown police — I have a call into their public information officer — but KSHB Channel 41 is reporting that a man was beaten to death and found dead in a driveway in Raytown Monday morning. View Larger Map Around 8 a.m., officers found the man, described as middle-aged and white, with blunt force head…
At this time of year, you can’t just go to a regular old concert. That wouldn’t be festive. But maybe you’re not into Christmas carols and nativity scenes. Maybe you’d rather headbang to the devil’s music while wearing a Santa hat. That sounds about right for the “Holiday Bash” happening at Riot Room tonight. At least, I can’t imagine the…
BY ELGIN SMITH Well, it’s that time of year again. Yep, that certain time when you start noticing Christmas trees, candy canes, visions of sugarplams and the like. While I’m generally not opposed to traditional Christmas kitsch, there is one part of Christmas that I dread: the music. Aside from Vince Guaraldi’s music from the Charlie Brown Christmas TV special,…
I didn’t catch the finale of The Amazing Race — or any of this season — but openly gay brothers from Liberty Sam and Dan McMillen — SPOILER!!! — finished second. ere they are saying they feel satisfied with the experience … except for the whole not winning $1 million part. Yeah, must suck. If you missed last night’s show…
One of the kindest, most gracious and talented members of Kansas City’s restaurant community died last week after a short, but brave battle against pancreatic cancer: Rano Paul Papini. Although Rano is best-known for his long tenure as the featured pianist at the American Restaurant, he began his restaurant career as a waiter at the original Bristol Restaurant on the Country…
The massive free health clinic movement inspired by MSNBC’s fuming Keith Olbermann, TV doc Mehmet Oz and the unconscionable fact of 47 million uninsured Americans comes to Kansas City this week. On Wednesday and Thursday, Bartle Hall becomes the fourth site of a giant event put on by the National Association of Free Clinics. The organization’s first such event, on…
When Stretch takes the stage at the Midland for the Guy Fieri Roadshow tonight (tickets are still available), it will be as the guest chef who is ready to demonstrate that local cuisine rocks as hard as the headliner. “The difference between rock and roll bands and us is that rock n’ roll bands don’t do a show every night,”…
It’s been a while since we’ve had occasion to blog about our hometown thundercats the Republic Tigers. So thanks to Sam Billen for whippin’ out the accordin and banjo and doing this beautiful, otherworldly bluegrass (spacegrass?) cover of “Made Concrete.” MP3: Sam Billen, “Made Concrete” (Republic Tigers cover) The former frontman of the Billions recently released a solo album titled…
On Friday, Patricio Briseno Jr. was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years for killing Ricardo Zamora. A Wyandotte County jury found Briseno, 18, guilty of first-degree murder in October. Briseno was convicted of fatally shooting Zamora in the head on his 14th birthday near near Pearson Elementary School in Kansas City, Kansas, on…
British celebrity cookbook author, television host, and vision of loveliness Nigella Lawson is a frequent guest on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” where you can usually hear Steve Inskeep fawning over her food. Of course, said food comes under fire for the massive amounts of butter and bacon which Lawson uses. That is, of course, why everything she makes seems to sound…
Now, you’ve more than likely seen ads, fliers, or Facebook messages regarding the various holiday art fairs around Kansas City and Lawrence. However, we imagine that you, the hip, now, up-to-date Wayward Blog reader is looking for something a little more interesting than the usual potholders and iron-on t-shirts. Oh, and the ability to knock back a drink would be…
%{}% Spin Pizza promises more wine tasting events in 2010. In the former spot of the Farm to Market Cafe in downtown Overland Park, the Red Bench Cafe serves soup. . A review of Shiner Holiday Cheer — sounds like you might want to ask Santa for this seasonal beer. Sapporo is brewing a limited-edition, small batch run of space…
You’re up-to-date on your rent. You haven’t done anything wrong. So why should you be kicked out on the street just because your landlord fell behind on the mortgage? According toGregg Lombardi, the Executive Director of Legal Aid of Western Missouri, almost one in every four foreclosures in Kansas City is on a rental property. A new law requires lenders…
Its steel bones in place, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is beginning to show Kansas City what a $413-million concert hall looks like. The above photo, taken Friday afternoon, shows workers erecting a stainless steel exterior that will be visible from Broadway. The view should be even more striking in summer, when the sun makes a higher arc….
A year into his tenure as executive director, Greg Baker wants to move the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum beyond Kansas City icon Buck O’Neil’s shadow. That’s not making long-time supporters of the museum happy. Baker told The Kansas City Star that they need to phase down O’Neil to move forward. You know what will save 18th and Vine? A six-figure…
If you’re the sort of person who’s more into bong rips than egg nog, we’ve got your song. From Lee “Sratch” Perry’s most recent (and Grammy-nominated, no less) album Repentance comes the track “Santa Claus.” We’re going to be up front and honest about this. It’s pretty much certain that aside from mentions of ice and snow, and Perry singing…
