Talk, eat breakfast, change the world
| This meal is all about peace, not peas |
Deb McLaren wants to change the world or, at least, talk about changing the world. McLaren, who sells fresh fruit to local restaurants from Fieldstone, her father’s orchard in Overbrook, Kansas, recently returned from a trip to San Francisco where she hung out at the Peace Cafe, the meeting place at the Red Victorian Peace Center that Sami Sunchild runs at 1665 Haight Street. McLaren became so charmed by the Cafe’s weekly “Peaceful World Conversations,” she’s decided to start a Kansas City version.
“It’s something that takes place every Sunday at the Red Vic,” McLaren said, “and brings together a group of diverse people talking about the experiences that matter in their own communities and in the world. There are rules about the discussion, though. No religion and no politics. It’s all designed to give people a chance to look at our similarities and differences in a respectful, friendly atmosphere.”
Last Sunday, McLaren invited a dozen friends, from different walks of life, to join her for Sunday breakfast — and peaceful world conversations — at You Say Tomato at 28th and Holmes, which was great as far as morning cuisine goes, McLaren says, but too noisy for serious conversations about world peace. McLaren’s looking for a new Sunday venue for her next gathering, which she hopes to launch next week. McLaren is hoping to add a few new talkers to the next meal; if you’re interested, she can be reached at dmclaren@kc.rr.com.
