During this rather boring time of year (unless the Chiefs keep winning!)….we haveKC Restaurant Week to break the monotony! This is the time to check out some eateries you haven’t been to before…and there are so many to choose from. Over 180 restaurants are participating in this year’s event!
Kansas City Restaurant Week is happening January 14-22, 2022. A portion of the earnings will be donated to the Guadalupe Centers–KC’s largest Hispanic association, providing education, health care and other social services in our area for over 100 years now. Reservations fill up fast, especially on weekends, so make your plans now if you plan to dine in. Some places are offering delivery and carry out options.
Below is a list of the participating restaurants in Brookside and Waldo. The fixed lunch price is $15; dinner price is $35 or $45. Not all of the special menus are posted yet–check the website or the KCRW app for updates.
Aixois French Restaurant * Charlie Hoopers * Michael Forbes * Red Door Grill
Boru Asian Eatery * Lews Grill and Bar * South of Summit Taqueria * Summit Grill* The Well * Waldo Pizza.
Note that most of the restaurants are locally owned..and we know how much local businesses have suffered during the COVID pandemic. Thank you for supporting our locally owned restaurants and please tip generously!!!
Yes, friends, there is another new locally owned shop in Waldo to tell you about today…and it’s quite unique! Called Green Utopia, it is Kansas City’s “zero waste” shop, selling useful gifts and household goods using recycled materials. This is the place to stop by if you need last minute gifts or stocking stuffers—so many great ideas here!
Green Utopia in Waldo
Owner Gabriella Sanders started her shop in a vintage camper, parked at places like the Crossroads on First Fridays and other lots around town. Then the pandemic hit, and she decided to take some time to reassess and find a small retail space. “ I just had this crazy idea to create a store based on zero waste.” She chose Waldo in part because she has family nearby that can help watch her son. Green Utopia opened in November, tucked away in a small space at 329 B E Gregory, behind Governor Stumpy’s. Sanders is committed to a zero waste lifestyle – she says the Lees Summit and Blue Springs landfills are already out of space-and we can all make relatively easy changes to our daily habits to end up throwing less in the trashcan. “Just change one habit”, says Gabriella, “and soon it will become second nature to reduce your personal everyday waste.”
I was amazed at all the unique, clever items for sale in Green Utopia: earrings made from plastic found in the ocean; washable fabric sandwich bags; shampoo and conditioner bars (rather than liquid in a plastic bottle); tote bags made from yoga mats; wall clocks made from albums; coffee and tea “socks” ; biodegradable scrub pads and natural tooth powder…everything has a green component. There’s stuff for the kids and dogs too. She also resells some vintage items: tins, napkins, handkerchiefs. Gabriella will also rent you a “party box” of dishes and flatware to save on paper items that just get thrown away after the meal. If you are looking for a knowledgeable speaker on how begin a greener lifestyle for your business or club—Sanders does that too.
Gabriella Sanders
Green Utopia can be challenging to find due to it’s tucked away location—she has some signage coming but for now, the best way to reach her shop is driving (or walking) just south of Gregory and Oak; on the west side of Oak you’ll see a driveway to the parking area just past Gregory. Turn west into the lot and you’ll see Green Utopia on the right. Hours are 11am-6pm Tuesday through Friday and Saturdays 10am-5pm. Stop in soon—you’re come out with something useful for yourself or a friend!
Today I’m writing to tell you about a new business in Waldo that appeals to people of all ages; it’s a place everyone can enjoy and feel welcome; it’s a spot where you can spend the afternoon just having fun with an art project or learning a new skill…it is Create Space KC at 209 E Gregory, just a few steps east of McLain’s Bakery.
Create Space KC is the invention of Meghan Throckmorton, an art teacher at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Meghan says she “daydreamed about something like this for a long time. I wanted a place the community could use; where people could come together and interact in person, putting away the screens for a while. I also talked to many neighbors about they wanted to see in a place like this.”
So what exactly is Create Space KC? It’s a versatile, open space of 1500 sf, where Meghan and other local teachers host workshops in art, dance, yoga, gift-making and music. Meghan stresses it’s not school, it’s recreation: parents and kids can take a painting class together or drop in an ‘open studio’ to create their own projects. There’s yoga for all ages (even “goodnight yoga”), plus ballroom dancing, juggling and ukulele classes. Meghan wants to add even more options. One of the unique things about Create Space KC is that outside clubs can rent the space for get togethers and to teach classes; for example, there’s a photography club that gathers at the space and offers a class; same with ballroom dancing. Prices are very reasonable; averaging around $15 per session. Meghan encourages teachers and club leaders to contact her to discuss details of what they can offer for the monthly calendar of events. She’s actively looking for people who would like to come in and teach other special skills.
Create Space KC also has winter break and snow day camps for area kids; parents can register for a morning or afternoon session or several sessions in the same week. Meghan also rents the space for private parties, holding up to 30 people or so.
Check out the Create Space KC website for more details or just drop in sometime as you are walking by! This is a very creative and useful addition to our neighborhood, especially during the colder winter months when you are longing to get out and do something different with the family. Thank you for supporting our locally owned businesses!
This is the time of year when many people focus on gift giving…and often think “where can I buy something that’s a little out of the ordinary?”. For many shoppers, the answer could be World’s Window in Brookside.
I wanted to write a blog about Worlds Window because this is one of the oldest, locally owned stores in the Brookside shops, serving our neighborhood for the past 23 years! Stopping by the shop recently, I chatted with owner Jan Buerge. She explained how World’s Window came to be.
Before Brookside, World’s Window was located in Westport—the shop started off in a small stall off Pennsylvania. When Westport started focusing on bars and eateries, Jan and her husband decided to move the store to Brookside—close to their home. They focus on “folk art and fine design”, says Jan. “We like to sell interesting, well made things, from companies that commit to Fair Trade principles.”. Jan values talking directly to many of her suppliers and artisans based around the world.
Of course like so many other retailers, World’s Window has been affected by the COVID pandemic. The shop was closed for several weeks, and Jan quickly pivoted to online sales. One unique way she kept sales going via the web was by publishing a newsletter every day, with the theme Around the World in 80 Days. Jan wrote about individual vendors and told their very personal stories. “The resilience and creativity of the human spirit is amazing” she explained, regarding how her contacts throughout the world were dealing with the pandemic and yet kept going. You can read the 80 days of stories at the World’s Window website.
Jan hopes to resurrect her annual Rose Brooks “Flipping Favorites” fundraiser next year, where shop patrons bring in gently used clothing to donate to Rose Brooks, in exchange for a discount coupon for the store. Throughout the holidays, you can still donate to Rose Brooks (a domestic violence emergency shelter) when shopping in the store by donating $5 through a “dip jar” as your purchases are festively wrapped for the season. “Of course you can dip your credit card in the jar as many times as you would like”, says Jan. “What a great way to share in celebrating this Season of Joy”.
There are just so many fun things to explore in this store: you’ll find comfortable and festive clothing, colorful scarves, stocking stuffers, candles, jewelry and even jeans! There’s all kinds of folk art, candles, ZUM products, socks and gloves, tree ornaments and a large section of children’s items in the back of the store.
World’s Window is sure to have something unique and special for that hard to buy for person—and for yourself! Stop in the shop at 332 W 63rd St; hours are 10-6 Monday through Saturday and 12-5 on Sunday.
The core shopping area of Brookside offers many restaurant choices: Italian, American, Mexican, sushi, burgers, etc for lunch and dinner. What’s missing? A full service breakfast spot: welcome HomeGrown Kansas City Brookside, recently opened at 338 W 63rd St, in the former Avenues Bistro.
Manager Mark Androes says this location is the fourth one for the small chain; the other three are in Wichita. Owners Jon and Lauren Rolph have a specific mission for all of their eateries: Cultivate Kindness. They believe “ifwe help each other start the day right, we’re certain we will also awaken a chain of positive acts that cultivate kindness throughout our community.” The Rolphs specifically wanted to be in the Brookside area and be part of our neighborhood. Mark says “when people come in and are greeted with genuine kindness, we think it will spread to other neighbors and through the city”.
Mark Androes, HomeGrown Manager
HomeGrown has a cozy, warm vibe and everyone I encountered during my visit was sincerely friendly. It’s a spacious restaurant—seating 140—with counter spots too. Large windows frame the corner building, inviting passers-by inside. But let’s get to the food: HomeGrown makes most everything onsite and uses local purveyors like Shatto Milk, Farm to Market breads and Scavuzzo meats. They even make their own granola and raspberry jam. Some of their best sellers include the avocado toast, biscuits and gravy, salsa verde pork and egg, and lemon pop tarts. HomeGrown is open for lunch as well—serving salads and sandwiches.
A couple of other things to mention: HomeGrown also has Family Packs you can pre order: sammies, egg bakes, pancakes and scrambles—perfect when family and friends come by for a Chiefs viewing party or the holidays. On busy weekends when there tends to be a wait—you can hop on Yelp, put your name on the list, and know when to come in. I also wanted to mention a unique way they spread kindness is through their kids’ menu: children color on the paper and write greetings to a friend or relative; then drop it in the mailbox on the way out. HomeGrown mails the messages! Try HomeGrown soon for a tasty breakfast or lunch. The restaurant is open seven days a week, from 6:30am-2:30pm, at the corner of 63rd St and Wornall.
Being a homeowner isn’t for everyone…many people prefer the “lock and go” convenience of an apartment or condo. However, there are very few apartment/condo complexes in Waldo. That recently changed as Waldo now offers a brand new apartment building, located in the heart of our neighborhood. 222 Waldo Flats recently opened at 222 W 75th St, just steps away from the lively 75th and Wornall intersection, and I stopped by recently to take a look.
Andrew Ganahl and Diane Botwin
Upon entering the spacious lobby, featuring a colorful, commissioned textile art piece, I was greeted by co- owners Diane Botwin and Andrew Ganahl. You may have heard of Diane—she owns several commercial properties in Waldo; Andrew is originally from California, now lives in Kansas City and has developed two apartment projects in the Crossroads. Partnering with Slaggie Architects, they have created sleek, modern, yet very comfortable flats. Studios, one bedroom and two bedroom units are available. Each comes with all the necessary appliances, including washer/dryer, and most have balconies. There is a secured package room and bike room; parking is available for an extra fee; pets are OK and the building is wired for Google Fiber. Littlefield Eye Associates has commercial space on the first floor, and there is another smaller spot available for retail or service business.
What impressed me about these apartments are the extra details: not all are exactly alike. Some have darker cabinets; some have traditional white. There are high end finishes, including tiled showers, quartz counters and large windows (that open!) to bring in plenty of natural light and fresh air. Even the smaller studio apartments “live” like a one bedroom unit. Monthly rent starts at $1025.
Of course, one of the best features of this building is the location. As Diane said, “Our amenity is Waldo. Waldo has its own personality and our building fits in. We have a great group of multigenerational tenants; it’s very inviting to young and old.” Andrew continued: “We wanted to be in an area where people could walk to everything”. Within a few steps of the front door: pharmacy, grocery, library, several restaurants, coffee shop, bike shop, hardware store, bars and convenient bus stop.Everything Waldo is right here!
If you are interested in touring Waldo Flats, you can request an appointment or find more information on their website.
Waldo is known for it’s small specialty shops, restaurants and services. Now thee is anotherunique new place just opened you should know about…Marco Polo Selections. It’s a wine tasting room and event space at 336 W 75th St, a few steps away from the new West Waldo 222 Flats.
I stopped in recently and spoke with co owners Emily Maher and Nate Riley, who have been friends since high school. Emily has been raising a family and ran a personal organizing business; Nate has extensive experience working with restaurant suppliers and wine distributors. One day Nate called Emily saying “I have an idea…..” and Marco Polo Selections was born.
Their tagline is “rare times, rare wines”—and that phrase works on so many levels! The pandemic has reworked the way we think, play and travel—every moment of a “normal” life is a gift so don’t waste it! Explore new places, new foods, new wines..and this is a shop where you can get wines you can’t get anywhere else in the city. Started as an online liquor store, Marco Polo Selections features all “old world wines”, as Nate explained, from small family run vineyards in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Argentina. Wine flights of four varieties are $25, and most bottles range in price from $13-$25. The space is small, intimate yet casual and very friendly. “There’s no pretense or intimidation here” said Nathan. “It’s a big old world out there and we want to help people enjoy it”.
One of the unique features of Marco Polo Selections is you are welcome to bring in your own food: grab some take out from nearby Jovito’s or Waldo Pizza; or have Uber Eats bring you a meal. You can take your time tasting various wines while enjoying dinner! There’s really no other place like this in Kansas City. You can also book Marco Polo Selections for a private event, and they have access to the shaded outdoor courtyard in the back for extra space. Currently the hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 4pm-8pm. Nate explained they were very busy several weeks ago when the mask mandate was dropped and we all thought most of the population would be vaccinated by summer’s end. Now that the mask mandate is back in place, traffic has dropped off some. Still, this is a new, locally owned business and the buzz is spreading. It has a totally different vibe from your usual Waldo bar—a place where you can taste and learn about different wines, have a conversation without shouting and enjoy yourself chatting with friends.
Next time you are looking for something a little different to do–make a visit to Marco Polo Selections at 336 W 75th St. Catch them on Instagram at marcopoloselections.
Last week I was driving along Holmes and noticed a sign for the Waldo Farmers Market. I remember a few years back when the market was operated on 79th St just east of Wornall. Now it’s at 7850 Holmes..so I pulled in to take a look.
There were just a couple of vendors there but I wanted to write about it anyway. If you don’t want a crowded atmosphere, this is it! One table was set up with prepared home made pork dumplings and vegetarian Malaysian style noodles–an easy dinner to go! The other table was full of fresh garlic, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, corn and a few other vegetables and plants. The vendor here was Fresh From The Field in Independence.
So if you aren’t sure what to make for dinner tonight night…stop by the Waldo Farmers Market for a ready to eat meal or…get inspired! I’m thinking of fat BLT sandwiches with the fresh tomatoes! The market opens at 3pm on Wednesdays.
It’s time for the annual Brookside Sidewalk Sale, happening this weekend July 8-10, 2021! Hours are 10am-6pm each day; stroll around Brookside checking out the various sales and special deals. Don’t forget to plan a stop for a beverage or meal as well!
You can also take advantage of the Shred Event on Saturday, starting at 8am until the trucks are full. Limit two boxes; drop off is in the parking lot behind Jalepeno’s next to the tennis courts.
Thank you for supporting our locally owned Brookside shops, restaurants and services!
Just about every week I find myself craving Mexican food…especially in the warmer summer months. Do you feel the same? We have several local options in the Brookside/Waldo area, so why drive into a generic chain for the taco fix? Support Local!
Taco Cacao opened several weeks ago at 7927 Wornall. This is a taco and burrito food truck. Readers, usually I contact the owner/manager to get some background information for the blog–but the contact I had for Taco Cacao did not return my call. So this blog is just the basics…
The food is hot and inexpensive. There are all kinds of taco and burrito combinations, vegetarian included, and all items are to go. Beverages include Coke, Sprite and Jarritto Mexican Soda. There is a picnic table next to the truck–however it’s pretty noisy with all the Wornall traffic whizzing by. I saw several customers eating in their parked cars! Other options include purchasing “family packs” and three salsas by the pound! When I stopped in, it was around 2:30 in the afternoon and for a snack, I ordered a black bean/rice taco topped with guacamole. By the time I got back to my office about ten minutes away–the food was still hot, wrapped tightly in foil inside the styrofoam box. Fresh guac!! The man I spoke with was friendly and service oriented. I’ll be making this a regular stop for a quick lunch or dinner!
This photo above is actually on the building just behind the truck. I was wondering if the food for the truck is cooked inside? But as I was not able to speak with a manager, it’s a mystery–along with why the logo is a pig in a taco??
TacoCacao is located at 7927 Wornall, that’s on east side of Wornall, on the corner next to 79th Terrace. It’s actually easier to park on 79th Terrace and walk up the street to order. The food truck is open Monday – Saturday 11-3 and 5-8; Sundays 11-3. You can order online as well. Thank you for supporting small business in Waldo!
Inside Brookside (And Waldo) 