Kansas City !

StoryCorps visits Kansas City

StoryCorps visits Kansas City

Every Friday morning I get excited when StoryCorps comes on Morning Edition on NPR. For those of you who are not familiar, StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit who's mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve stories. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived over 30,000 interviews!

Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind! I was thrilled to find out that their mobile sound booth (that cute little trailer up there) was parked here in Kansas City, September 9-October 3, 2010. It's a partnership with our local NPR station KCUR and sponsored by Mid-Continent Public Library.

The Booth is located at 6301 Brookside Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri 64113. On the corner of W 63rd St. in the Brookside neighborhood. If you're a Kansas City local please check it out and consider recording your personal story.

Here's tons of info on this exciting project, & I just found out some of the stories have been turned into animated shorts. !

Oklahoma Joe's

Oklahoma Joe's BBQ from Evan Scherr on Vimeo.

Nice video I found about Oklahoma Joe's. Probably one of the best BBQ places in Kansas City *In my opinion*. I love getting the Z Man sandwich. Mmm!
Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Summer Veggies

image source: civileats

I'm really enjoying summer in Kansas City, (despite the heat) - one reason is the fact that a lot of summer veggies are in season! I've been going to the River Market on the weekends to check out the local produce and, just a couple month's ago I was introduced to a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program at work.

Basically this CSA consists of a group of Hallmarkers who pledged at the beginning of the season to support a farm operation (ours is Good Natured Family Farms). For a very small weekly fee (about $20) I get a bag of great local grown vegetables, fruit, dairy, and meat. My pick up day is every wednesday, and this is "What's in the Bag" for today:

• All Natural Beef Patties - Mountain View, Missouri
• Farmhouse Cheese, Mild Cheddar or Pepper Jack - Durham, Kansas
• Sweet Corn - Columbus, Nebraska
• Peaches - Campbell, Missouri
• Onions - Rich Hill, Missouri
• Bell Peppers - Rich Hill, Missouri
• Tomatoes - Rich Hill, Missouri

The CSA season runs through the early fall, and the produce changes up every week depending on what's ready for harvest. I always look forward to the email of what's in the bag for next week, it's such a nice surprise !

If you are a member of a local CSA program, tell me what's in the bag for you this week?

Quixotic

Quixotic is a local Kansas City collaboration of musicians, dancers, aerialists and designers. They presented its summer show, Paix Reveuse, at the Madrid Theatre this past weekend. The show was a mesh of engaging sights and sounds.

I went to last year's show and I must say Quixotic is similar to Cirque du Soleil. The production, dancers and musicians of any Quixotic are always phenomenal!

photos from INK magazine

it's color week at Hallmark

Today is the final color week presentation.

I had the pleasure of meeting Erin Olson, author of the popular design blog House of Turquoise.


The blog is an outlet where she shares her passion for the color turquoise and beautiful interiors.

Erin expanded on her love of color when she created Decor By Color, a network of 11 blogs that link consumers with places to purchase home decor and other products, sorted mostly by hue. What started as a hobby in 2003 became an obsession which turned into a full-time dream job.

A reception featuring goodies and drinks - all in turquoise - followed her presentation. Cupcake made by Hallmarker Laura!

YUM!!!

it's color week at Hallmark

Today's presenter was paper artist, Matthew Sporzynski.


Matthew Sporzynski got his start with Estee Lauder creating intricate paper and cardboard versions of luxury accessories. He is most well known for his paper constructions that appear in every issue of Real Simple magazine.


It was really cool to hear him talk about millionaires contacting him to design their personal Valentine's and party invitations.

it's color week at Hallmark

A cool thing about working at Hallmark is that we get cool people to come and speak.

This week at Hallmark it's color week. There are presentations on the 2011 color forecast and the week is filled with colorful speakers.

Today it was fine artist, Tim Biskup, long recognized for his complex color and design theories.


It was neat to learn about his struggles of how he became an artist.

Speaking of artist are you watching Work of Art on BRAVO? It's an awesome reality show about artists that premiered last Wednesday.


Kansas City's own Peregrine Honig, owner of local lingerie store Birdies and co-producer of last week's West 18th Street fashion show, is a contestant. She does wonderful illustrative work. And she hasen't gotten kicked off yet!


More about Peregrine here from INK magazine.

Christopher Elbow's Glacé Ice Cream Shop Opens

Glacé

It's no surprise I love chocolate, especially anything Christopher Elbow makes. So I was thrilled to find out that finally his ice cream shop is opening today! It's located south of the Country Club Plaza, on 4960 Main st.

Just like expected, his ice cream and sorbet flavors are similar to some of his chocolates, and I bet they will change with the seasons. He's done a few preview weekends where you could buy ice cream at his shop in the Crossroads by the pint. I sampled the Fleur De Sel Caramel and it was pretty much amazing.

Here are the ones I want to try:

• Caramelized Banana
• Basil Lime Sorbet
• Peanut Butter & Jelly (mmm?!)
• Rosemary Caramel
• Pineapple Cilantro Sorbet
• Venezuelan Spiced Chocolate
• Strawberry Balsamic

Check out the website for the other flavors. Happy Memorial Day Weekend !

36 Hours in Kansas City, Missouri

Image Source: NYT

Check out this wonderful article in the New York Times: 36 Hours in Kanasas City. It includes Travel guides for Places to Eat, Things to Do, and Where to Stay.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/travel/16hours.html

hoops&yoyo Fan Store Now Open!

www.hoopsandyoyofanstore.com

Your favorite bunny and cat now have their very own fan store with gifts for a limited time only! Get your exclusive hoops&yoyo tote bags, beach towels, and a limited edition travel poster. This is the only place and the only time you can get these gifts, so don't miss it! I love these guys!

Fresher than Fresh needs a "kickstart"

We've featured Lindsay L. and her Fresher than Fresh Snow Cones on cre-a-tiv-i-ty in the past so my moral compass is telling me it's ok to pass along her newest link. Please help keep this unique gem going in Kansas City and watch a cute little video too!

The LOVE Stamp

If the new Love stamp issued by the United States Postal Service looks familiar, it's because it should. It's based off of Hallmark's best selling card in history.

On Thursday, April 22, the official unveiling and first-day cancellation event for the 2010 Love stamp took place at the National World War I Museum near Hallmark's Kansas City headquarters. Dave Hall, president - Hallmark North America and Gene Maienschein, son of the original pansy card artist Dorothy Maienschein, offered comments during the event.

Read more about it and watch a video of the unveiling here.

celebrating Earth Day at Hallmark

We're celebrating Earth Day this week at Hallmark!


There will be representatives with information on how to recycle and save energy.

And not only is the 22nd Earth Day... it's also Take Your Kids to Work Day! There will be samples from local food farmers and kids can plant an heirloom tomato plant with seeds and instructions to take home.

Uhmmm... I don't have a kid to bring to work but I want an heirloom tomato kit!

What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day?

West 18th Street Fashion Show

I'm so excited to announce that the Tenth Anniversary Celebration of the West 18th Street Fashion Show, A Decadent Summer, will be held at dusk on Saturday, June 12th.

I've been every year since I've been living in Kansas City and I love it each time. This will be my 5th show to see.

The show takes place in on West 18th Street in Kansas City, between the cross-streets of Wyandotte and Baltimore.

As the anniversary event it's going to be more elaborate, over-the-top affair than ever! The show will feature eighteen collections from a select group of local and national designers.

The Art of the Crown

At the beginning of the year there was an art show in one of our galleries called "Art of the Crown" it helped kick off Hallmark's centennial year (we blogged about it here a little bit). Hallmark artists created 250 uniquely diverse works of art, all starting with the same white resin crown (á la Kidrobot). Jeanee, Josh and I have crowns in the show!

Read more at the Centennial Blog.

Disney Princesses on Ice

Being a designer in the Licensing department the Disney Princesses and I have become BFFs! And guess what?!? They are in Kansas City starting this Friday with Disney on Ice Presents Princess Wishes!


Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine and Mulan all make their wishes come true in this collection of celebrated tales wonderfully told through artistic skating and acrobatics.

With the help of the magical pixie Tinker Belle, the Disney Princesses’ embark on an adventure to find their heart’s fondest wish. Ariel dreams of a life above the sea; Mulan finds her inner strength; Jasmine discovers a whole new world; and Snow White finds her true love. Cinderella, Belle and Sleeping Beauty also find happiness in this beautifully imagined new ice show.

Hmmm... maybe Princess Tiana will get in on the action next year!

Show Times at the Sprint Center:
March 19th : 7:00 pm
March 20th : 7:00 pm
March 21st : 10:30 am and 7:00 pm
March 22nd : 11:00 am, 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm
March 23rd : 2:00 pm

Hallmark Channel Branding

Design firm Imaginary Forces just finished up the 2010 Network Branding for Hallmark Channel (The website got a facelift too).

Here is what they said about the concept:

"The new branding for the Hallmark Channel emphasizes the Network’s goal of “celebrating life’s moments.” Taking the design for the new branding a step further, we celebrated the brand itself. Using an embossed 3D logo, the design physically explores the ins and outs of the logo, and highlights the content of the network with changing color schemes and subtle cues to the programming it surrounds."

It is very very cool! Check out the video on their site.

Big 12

Not going to lie and say I follow many college sports events, but I keep hearing about the Big 12 Conference coming to Kansas City this week. The Women's and Men's Basketball championships start tomorrow March 10th-14th. Kansas City is expecting to have tons of visitors for the games and the Visit KC website has a wonderful site devoted to just that.

Things To Do
Where To Eat
Places to Stay
Where to Park
Getting Around

Sourdough Bread

Every Tuesday of this year the Centennial Committee has been posting a video giving us a glimpse into Hallmark's history. I enjoyed this one a lot- one of our bakers tells the story of the sourdough bread recipe J.C. Hall brought back from San Francisco in the 1960s. Enjoy!


Watch other Crown Minutes on the Hallmark Youtube page