Courtesy Gates BBQ Like the rest of the city, we at The Pitch know that Kansas City-style barbecue is, without a doubt, the best in the world. No one quite does it like us, and the Barbecue Hall of Fame recognized that. Ollie Gates, owner of Gates Bar-B-Q and the man responsible for growing the Gates restaurants and legacy into…
Kansas City Public Library In June, the Kansas City Public Library announced a new staff position: the Wikipedian in Residence, or WiR. Miranda Pratt is filling the post for the inaugural year-long tenure—they are the first WiR paid by a public library in the U.S. Pratt’s job is multifaceted and community-facing. One of their primary responsibilities has been to…
Clothz Minded Since 2010, Nicole Ortega has been running her sustainable collection boutique in the heart of Westport. The thoughtfully curated store is all second-hand, picked by Ortega herself. Whether it’s highly discounted designer goods or affordable closet staples, shoppers can score incredible deals here. The best part about the store is Ortega’s drive and commitment to giving each customer…
Fountain Haus design. // Courtesy BRP After sitting vacant for nearly 15 months, there are now signs of life at the shuttered HopCat in Westport. Earlier this week it was announced Fountain Haus would be setting up shop at the mammoth venue located on the corner of Broadway and Westport Road. Slated to partially open in early 2022, Fountain Haus…
Fisher loves morning playgroups and tennis balls. // Courtesy KCPP We teamed up with KC Pet Project to host a weekly “Creature Feature” on loveable and adoptable pets here in the KC Metro. Two previous featured pets, Cinnamon Spice and Oliver, were recently adopted! This week, KCPP is introducing Fisher, a 2-year-old pit bull, and Jade, a 7-year-old domestic shorthair. Both…
On Saturday, November 27, Kansas City alt-rockers Frogpond made their triumphant return to the stage. Playing to a sold-out crowd at the Record Bar, the newly-reconfigured four-piece played a set of classic hits and tunes from their just-released new album, TimeThief. The jangle-pop of the Creepy Jingles opened. Our photographer Chris Ortiz (Insta: @fastboyent) was there to document it all. Frogpond setlist…
The food selection at The Black Pantry.// Photo by Savannah Hawley The Black Pantry opened the doors to its first brick-and-mortar location April 8 of this year. The space, located on Martini Corner, is filled to the brim with goods from Black artisans and business owners. Beyond great products, The Black Pantry is about uplifting and supporting the Black community…
Production photo from the musical. // Courtesy Jewish Community Center Move over, sugar plums, because latkes, sufganiyot, and gelt are taking their turn on center stage this holiday season. The Land of Sweets is switching to the Land of Nosh as the Jewish Community Center hosts its very own production of The Jewish Nutcracker Dec. 12. The production will feature…
The Do Good Foundation will host their third annual Christmas Tree Lighting—known as The Soul of Santa—in the Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District. The event will take place December 3 at 6 p.m. A second tree lighting display will also be set up with the expansion to The Shops on Blue Parkway, December 10 at 6 p.m. Lalah Hathaway…
Ska Brrewing’s Bill Graham (left), Dave Thibodeau (center), and Matt Vincent (right). // Photo courtesy Ska Brewing Durango, Colorado’s Ska Brewing is obviously a beer company that takes inspiration from music. It’s right there in the name. Ever since the company was founded in 1995 by Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau, the music for which the brewery is named has…
O-Town having a fun chill time. // Courtesy O-Town Brace yourselves, Kansas City. Thanks to a rift in the time-space continuum, there’s an upcoming concert that combines two things Kansas Citians love: sweatah weathah and the nostalgia of boy bands. On Friday, December 3, worlds will collide as the 17th Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party featuring O-Town, LFO, Ryan Cabrera,…
Kurtis Blow. // Photo by Cheryl Mann Kurtis Blow was the first rapper signed to a major label when he ended up on Mercury Records in 1979, releasing “Christmas Rappin’.” In the intervening years, his hits “The Breaks,” “Basketball,” and “If I Ruled the World” have become iconic, and Blow has become something of a spokesman for classic hip-hop history….
Photo by conscious design People are growing more aware of the need to be more environmentally conscious, and composting is one of the best ways to reduce individual food waste and harmful methane emissions. However, composting can be tricky and is tough for those without yards to accomplish. Enter one of the multiple composting services in Kansas City. The services…
Friends and readers, Some exciting news today: The Pitch has new ownership. When you pick up a copy of our December issue off newsstands—or if you’re a supporting member and got a digital copy in your inbox already—you’ll notice some changes to our masthead. Our publication has been around for 41 years, serving the people of this wonderful city. It hasn’t…
This week on the Streetwise podcast we discuss piracy self-deception, enjoy a reading of Emily Cox’s piece on romance author Elle Jackson, vibe to Taylor Lenz’s track “Boomerang,” and chat with musician Enrique Chi from Making Movies about their upcoming Kid A tribute show. For a glimpse at what that’s gonna look like, check out this video from their session with…
A photo from Refugee Day in July of this year The first family of Afghan refugees arrived in Kansas City September 17. Of the 1,200 families projected to make Missouri their new home, Kansas City resettlement agencies have offered to help up to 550 groups settle in the metro area, according to Mayor Lucas. The process of welcoming our new…
Courtesy Beth Pike The State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) spent much of 2021 spearheading a campaign to assemble a ton of data and information on anything and everything that has shaped the Show Me State into what it has become over the last two centuries. As part of the Missouri Bicentennial Project, the SHSMO partnered with organizations across the…
Philip Kennedy’s new book, The Bird: The Great Age of Avian Illustration, is a massive book. It’s the sort of thing which brings back memories of going to my grandparent’s house and pulling out their old National Geographic collections filled with maps and images, so big that I had to lay them down on the floor and hover above them….
Chef and author Judith Fertig. // Photo by Julia Shapiro If you’re a glutton for gluten, the next five weeks are your Super Bowl. We’re talking copious carb-loading. Bring on the rolls, pastries, buns, and other sundry items. Easy Bread. Local cookbook author (and all-around Renaissance woman) Judith Fertig feels your pain. From coffee cakes and croissants to bagels and…
The Home Alone pop-up at the Conductor Club. Photo by April Fleming Make your reservation now: The Home Alone pop-up bar at Pierpont’s will warm you up this season Holiday pop-up bars are now the standard every year. We can’t help ourselves: over-the-top tinsel and lights and theme cocktails and just something different are always okay, especially after the couple…
Eboni Fondren. // Courtesy KCJO Songstress Eboni Fondren is poised to bring the house down on Tuesday, December 7 when she fronts Hallelujah Holidays. The well-known singer will be performing at Helzberg Hall alongside the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra for a show that pays homage to the 1960s jazz landscape. (Think one part holiday swing, one part soul-jazz.) Fondren was…
Encanto. // Courtesy Disney The magical Madrigal family have enriched and protected the lives of citizens in their small Colombian mountain village for half a century. No one knows why the family’s legacy of special gifts began, but one day when everything seemed darkest for Abuela Alma (Maria Cecilia Botero), a candle burned brighter than ever. Now whenever a Madrigal…
We teamed up with KC Pet Project to host a weekly “Creature Feature” on loveable and adoptable pets here in the KC Metro. Last week, Mamba got adopted! This week, KCPP is introducing as 2 year-old dog named Oliver, and Tonja, a domestic shorthair cat. Oliver is a 2-year-old mixed breed dog. He resides at the Kansas City Campus for Animal…
Chef Jay at work. // Courtesy Jayaun Smith Chef Jayaun Smith is Kansas City’s food prodigy. At just 22, Smith became the first executive chef at Ruby Jean’s Juicery in 2017. In 2018, he was named Best Chef in our 2018 Best of KC. If you didn’t get the chance to try his food at Ruby Jean’s or as a…
