ARTichokes - Leawood, KS

In Kansas City and its suburbs like Leawood, a gallery is never very hard to find. But a gallery dedicated to the promotion of local artists that also engages the community in creating art is unique. That is what makes ARTichokes so special. ARTichokes defines itself by its three purposes: (1) to promote fine art in south Kansas City, (2) to engage the general public in the creative process through classes, demonstrations, and group paintings, and (3) to generate sales of artwork and exposure for local artists.

The gallery changes every three months, offering new pieces by local artists. There are jewelry, ceramics, paintings, sculpture - a wide variety mediums. Recently, I was able to see wire tree sculptures by Kathy Horniman. She used copper wire to create truly stunning representations of trees and I was particularly impressed by her ability to capture nature in motion; in one piece I could really sense the wind blowing through the branches even though the sculpture itself was static.

In the past, ARTichokes has also featured the work of one of my favorite local artists, Kari Heybrock. I first became aware of Heybrock as a freelance writer when I wrote about her lampworking and glass beadmaking for a local publication. I saw her work on display and was genuinely impressed, but I became even more so when I learned about her apprenticeship on an island after helping her teacher rebuild the studio after a hurricane. That is what ARTichokes really offers - great artwork by inspiring artists.

But ARTichokes is not just a gallery, it is also an opportunity for the community to really engage in the artistic process. In addition to offering classes for children and adults, ARTichokes also has group paintings. In the last two years, ARTichokes has directed over 150 group paintings for various occasions. They supply the studio, supplies and art coach for groups to create their own memorable work of art. Families, co-workers, and friends all come in groups to create an enduring piece to encapsulate their group dynamic. A few years ago, I created a group painting with some co-workers (though not at ARTichokes) and can tell you that it is really an amazing experience and every time I see the painting, I still get a warm feeling remembering what it was like to work alongside those amazing people. Whether you live in the Kansas City area or are just passing through, I really can't recommend a group painting activity enough. Besides, what better way to remember the experience of your roadtrip than a work of art you created with your traveling companions?

Total Time Traveled: 20 minutes

Total Distance Traveled: 6 miles

Soundtrack: "Teenage Dream" Katy Perry

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Room 39 Restaurant - Leawood, KS

Whenever I am near Leawood, I always try to have at least one meal at Room 39. Room 39 is seasonal American food, which means that the menu is constantly changing to accommodate what ingredients are currently in season.

Chefs and co-owners, Ted Habiger and Andy Sloan, say they "believe the best tasting food comes from local farmers who use sustainable harvesting and growing practices ensuring the land is better off than before." It is a noble mission with some tasty results. A constantly changing menu does have some disadvantages. It means that if you particularly loved a dish in the fall, you won't be able to go back and enjoy it again in the spring. But that is easily outweighed by the fun of a new daily menu. Every day at Room 39 is a new experience.

On a recent trip to visit family in Eastern Kansas, I went to Room 39 for lunch with my mother and friend Mona. All three of us were immediately captivated by one particular item on the menu - the gnocchi. It was house made potato gnocchi with bacon, onions, mushrooms, brussels sprouts, and grana padano. Every thing about it was perfect. The gnocchi were like soft little clouds that melted in your mouth and the flavors were all perfectly combined. The bacon and mushrooms gave the dish a smokey, earthy flavor that really resonated with the perfectly cooked brussels sprouts. And I love brussels sprouts - they were cooked all the way through so they were rich and soft, but not so overdone at to be mushy. And the chef had gotten a perfect sear on the outside of each sprout, something I struggle to do in my own kitchen. Finally, the sweetness of the onions and the cheese created a well-rounded dishes with flavors that complimented each other, but one ingredient never over-powered the other. It was a delicious dish and also well plated - there was just enough to be satisfying but not so much piled in the bowl to be overwhelming. I am always impressed when a restaurant manages to know just the right portion to serve.

But one trip to Room 39 is never enough for me, especially when the menu changes daily. So the next day I went back to Room 39 for lunch with my friend John. I was happy to see not all of the menu had changed in 24 hours. One or two dishes were gone and had been replaced by others and of course the soups had changed, but I was glad to know that overall a daily menu does not mean "blink and you'll miss it." This time, I opted for the quiche and salad. The quiche was everything it should be - fluffy and eggy with crunchy bits of bacon and a flaky crust that can be cut with a fork (I hate when you need a knife to saw through a dried out, overcooked quiche crust). The herb salad was fresh with a nice vinaigrette that gave the salad some acidity. They also added some fresh beet which gave it a slight sweetness, but still refreshing.

But the best part of lunch at Room 39 is the dessert. I always order the Affogato - vanilla ice cream with espresso. The vanilla ice cream is delicious by itself (I suspect it is Vanilla Bean by Haagen Dazs) but the espresso just melts it into that perfect combination of sweet and bitter, hot and cold, and gives the perfect ending to a great meal.

This joins other food blog articles posted in Wanderfood Wednesdays on Wanderlust and Lipstick. Check them out!

Total Time Traveled: 20 minutes
Total Distance Traveled: 6 miles
Soundtrack: "Teenage Dream" Katy Perry (What? My mom got me the album!)

Town Center Figures - Leawood, Kansas

When passing through Leawood, most people stop in Town Center. It is the center of town for restaurants and shopping. But as you go to browse the shops and grab a wonderful

meal, you will also notice brightly colored metal sculptures. There is nothing on the sculptures to suggest their names, the artist who created them, or even what they are made of. They are just there, brightly colored like Easter eggs,

There is an artist, bright pink standing before an empty easel while holding a pallet and paint brush. Stereotypically, he is of course wearing a painters smock with a beret and a rather absurd mustache. Elsewhere, there is a bright blue sculpture of a figure holding an umbrella. The gender is ambiguous, descending the stairs in a trench coat with an open umbrella. In another part of the parking lot, there is a pink figure again, this one in motion riding a skateboard. His arms are splayed out as he balances, forming odd angles - like squares and rectangles mashed together to convey a shape that we can't really see, it is motions and angles made solid in metal.

I have scoured the internet in search of answers, even going through archives of Leawood press releases trying to find out who designed the figures or even when they were placed in Town Center. I first saw them in 2008 when I moved to the area and ended up working in Town Center in both retail and food service. I wish I could say I enjoyed my time working there - but I didn't. At all. Of course, that's a story for another time. However if you are passing through Leawood and would like some time to wander and shop, then Town Center is definitely a place to do. And the whimsical sculptures, unnamed and undefined, add both color and curiosity to the experience.

Total Travel Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes

Total Travel Distance: 80 miles

Soundtrack: "Dirty King" The Cliks