If you regret missing it, (and if you weren’t there, you should regret it) you have another chance. Chris Aytes (of Chris Aytes & the Good Ambition) has scheduled a winter edition of LOUDsoftLOUD for Friday, February 17, downstairs at the Kansan Grill, 705 S Kansas Avenue, beginning at 8p.

According to Chris, “The goal is to feature the local and regional music talent, and also the venues where these performances can take place. Topeka has all the makings for a great music scene.”

The line-up for LOUDsoftLOUD winter includes Jeff Toda, Joey Desch, Aaron Lee Martin (Wichita), Valenteen Green, Interior Sea, and Chris Aytes & the Good Ambition.

The cover charge for this all-ages show is $5, with a discount for high school and college students with their school identification.

[Story by Rio Cervantes-Reed | Original image submitted by Chris Aytes]

[Story by Kevin Reed | Image submitted ]

There was one big obstacle with the building: the interior. From October 1 until November 16 (opening day), Frankie and Abigail, with the help of numerous friends, gutted the building and made it brand new. The atmosphere is clean and inviting, a drastic change from pre-Abigail days. Four layers of tint were removed from the outside windows, allowing passer-bys to see all the work that has been done. Everything seen and unseen inside the building has been replaced. Even the wall in the women’s bathroom was moved to accommodate women larger than a size 0. (Gone are the days when your hip grazed the wall while doing your business.) The pool tables and cues are brand new, and pool leagues will start soon. The mirrors behind the bar might seem new, but they are one of the only remaining items not replaced. However, it did take hours to clean, and Frankie had the mirrors etched with beer names and Abigail’s logo.

Frankie and Abigail have many plans for the future as well. They hope to add on a smoker’s patio in the front of the building before summer, and would like to add a window by the kitchen to grill by the side of the building. Josh Vowell and The Rumble have an open jam on Sunday nights, and karaoke is on Wednesdays. Stay tuned for improvements and events, as Frankie and Abigail are striving to provide a great place for people to hang out. Join them for their grand opening on January 28.

The bar has a kitchen big enough for Frankie and Abigail to cook good, fresh American comfort food. “If we can do fresh, we’re doing fresh. Our chicken tenders are hand-breaded, hand-seasoned,” Frankie said. The fresh food doesn’t stop with the chicken tenders, either. The pork tenderloins have their own seasoning, and Frankie worked on the hamburger seasoning for over a year before getting the taste he wanted. The menu is still in the trial stage, and Abigail’s plans to offer new foods on a regular basis to get a feel for what the customers want.

The effort that has been put into Abigail’s is well worth it. Take a seat at one of the brand new booths, and let the bartender bring you a menu and take your order. Frankie and Abigail are striving for a neighborhood feel with great food, great service, and great atmosphere, and every bit of work they have done so far is pointing right at success.

[Story by Larissa Keller | Photography by EJ Drake | January 2012]

This Ensemble will present traditional Chinese music in a celebration of the 2012 Chinese New Year.  Founded in 1999 by a group of citizens who are originally from China and living in the Greater Kansas City area, the group is made up of both  professionally trained musicians and amateurs. They use traditional Chinese music instruments to play traditional and folk music from China. The group has been performing for communities in Kansas City and its neighboring areas including St. Louis, Des Moines, and Columbia, Mo. 

For information, call 785-670-1051 or visit chinesemusickc.com.

Whether you are watching the game from your sofa or at a sports bar, the right kind of food and beverage can make it a more pleasurable experience. The Horizon Red Ale, India Pale Ale and Extra Pale Ale from Summit Brewery of St. Paul, Minnesota, all add a nice touch to traditional appetizers and main courses.

Since the Midwest is known for our barbeque, I recommend Summit’s Extra Pale Ale for those who like to tear into a slab of ribs. The light bronze color and caramel finish provide a nice balance to spicy rib sauce, or a sweet complement to honey-tinged sauces. The earthy hop bite and juice citrus contributed to the Extra Pale Ale’s Gold medal win at the 2010 World Beer Cup, and a silver medal win at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival.

Summit’s India Pale Ale is the beer of preference for your chicken wings, potato skins and fried pickles. The spicy herbal hops and slight caramel sweetness of the IPA is also due an introduction to your platter of nachos, or if you dare, chicken satay.

By now I am sure you are wondering, “What about pizza?” Mmmmm, pizza… Mmmmm, beer… The Horizon Red Ale, “Brewed with Exceptional American Hops,” as the label boasts, has a deep amber hue and intense apricot, pine and grapefruit notes that holds up to the red tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and the pile-up of spicy pepperoni and any added peperoncini or jalapenos.

I hope you can take some of my recommendations as a starting point for discovery into the line of brews by Summit Brewing Co. While your team pines for that coveted ring, you can always choose how to toast their effort. Cheers!

[Kevin Reed | Jan 15, 2012 | photo provided by Summit Brewing Company]

Leading off the music will be Two Blue, the Solo-Duo entrant to the IBC made up of  Josh Vowell and Justin Shelton (read the seveneightfive 5Q: Two Blue article by Tommy Anderson by clicking here).

The Nick Hern Band, the Band entrant to the IBC will round out the evening. Members of the band include Nick Hern, Mike Hern, Rod Peterson and Rick Bruner.

“Nick is an insanely talented guitarist at the forefront of the new generation of young players. He’s the real deal.” – Hamilton Loomis

The Topeka Blues Society will be taking membership applications and renewals during the event as well. Benefits of membership include a subscription to their newsletter, and the joy of helping to keep the the Blues alive in Topeka!

Women’s Health Issues Depicted in Unique Fashion Art Exhibit and Theatrical Performances Offer Strength, Support

The Waiting Room: Lost and Found, an interactive installation examining women’s health, opens Friday, January 13 at the Alice C. Sabatini Gallery at the Topeka Shawnee County Public Library.

The entire project is the result of collaboration by Marguerite Perret, Bruce Scherting, Stephanie Lanter and Robin Lasser, with artists and communities nationally. Artists will be on hand to answer questions during the opening reception from 5:30-8:30pm. Occurring throughout the opening reception will also be the ambient performance, Measuring Time in the Waiting Room, directed by Sharon Sullivan.

Visitors can also enjoy Tick Tock, an original one-act play by Marcia Cebulska, which follows a group of women in a medical waiting room as they move from solitary anxious boredom to exuberant song and dance. Performances are scheduled for Friday, January 13 at 6:00pm and 7:00pm and Saturday, January 4 at 11:30am.

An artists’ talk on January 14 at 3:00pm will provide another opportunity to discuss the project and corollary book, A Waiting Room of Her Own, with editor Sarah Smarsh.

In the exhibit, visitors will view distinct sculptural chairs that serve as symbols for a particular health issue, from bulimia to domestic violence.

“The artwork will spark a dialogue about and compassion for individuals affected by disease or by domestic violence,” said Sherry Best, Sabatini Gallery director. “Each chair has a story to listen to either from a patient’s or caregiver’s perspective – sometimes both. Expect to spend some time with the exhibit or plan return visits because there is so much to see and hear.”

Visitors are invited to sit adjacent to each sculptural chair on a ‘blank,’ unaltered chair, where they can listen to recorded interview excerpts and sound compositions that provide intimate and expanded perspectives for each health issue. Visitors will also have the opportunity to interact with the Gut Reaction Chair by describing their most guilty food indulgences by writing them on bakery papers and candy wrappers.

Interactive elements inside the installation include the Waking Wall in which visitors can leave messages describing experiences with domestic violence and/or supplies for families residing at the local women’s shelter. A collection of Milagros/ex-votos created by artists and community members will be on view in the library rotunda. Contributors to the display include Washburn students across disciplines and professional artists.

A Milagros Workshop organized by Marguerite Perret and Stephanie Lanter will be held Saturday, February 27 at 3pm in Marvin Auditorium. Participants will have the opportunity to create one or more Milagros, or exvotos, to keep or contribute to the project. Milagros means “miracle” in Spanish.

The exhibit ends March 16. For more information about this project, visit The Waiting Room website  or the Library’s exhibition webpage.  And, get updates on The Waiting Room Facebook page.

Principle installation artists are project leader Marguerite Perret, mixed media installation artist, designer, and associate professor of art and design at Washburn University, Topeka; Bruce Scherting, director of exhibits at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute Natural History Museum, Lawrence; Stephanie Lanter, ceramic and fiber sculptor, writer and instructor, Emporia State University; and Robin Lasser, installation artist, photographer, & sound artist, art professor at San Jose State University, Oakland, CA.

Financial and other essential support for this project is through private donations, the artists and partners, Washburn University, the Center for Kansas Studies, The Washburn University Department of English, the Mabee Library, The National Endowment for the Arts, the Kansas Arts Commission, the University of Saint Catherine, The Ragdale Foundation, The Salina Art Center, and The Topeka YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment.

The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library is a 21st-century, landmark library, and features the Alice C. Sabatini Art Gallery, the Millennium Café, Chandler Booktique, meeting rooms, and free computer and Internet access and training. Gallery hours are the same as library hours: Mon. through Fri. 9 am to 9 pm, Sat. 9 am to 6 pm and Sunday 12 pm to 9 pm.

[Submitted by Lisa Coble-Krings, Communications Editor, Topeka-Shawnee Co. Public Library]

2011 North Topeka Boulevard | 785-233-5888
Hours: Open daily, 11:00am-9:30pm
Accepting Visa, Master Card and Discover

I first noticed Ling’s Cafe in Sutton Plaza while seeking out Maj-R-Thrift, a thrift shop recommended by seveneightfive staffer Erin Wynkoop.  For all the lunching and reporting Loretta does, she finds it very inexpensive to shop at such places for new clothing for her yo-yo’ing sizes. Anyway, back to the point. Ling’s is located just to the north and a little back of Maj-R-Thrift, but their large signage makes them hard to miss. The windows are all mirrored, so other than a lit neon-style sign reading, Open: Japanese/Chinese Food with their phone and fax machine numbers, I would have thought they were closed, as no activity inside could be seen. Upon entering I was surprised by the small seating area. There are about 6-8 tables seating 2-4 people and three booths along one wall. The restaurant was 1/3 full. It is very clean, and the overhead music, Chinese pop ballads, is amusing and sweet. My dining companion and I approached the counter and perused a paper menu while awaiting service. A young lady appeared quickly showed us to a booth.

Looking at the regular plastic-sleeved menus I  looked for a sushi option. Even though the signage didn’t state sushi, I was optimistic that Japanese food options might include such. My companion was hoping for tempura. Unfortunately, the only Japanese food items to be found were miso soup and teriyaki vegetable, teriyaki chicken, teriyaki steak, teriyaki shrimp, teriyaki scallops… you get the picture.

Cafe Sample Appetizer

I  ordered the Cafe Sample (for 2, $6.99), a sampling of their appetizer offerings, including egg roll, spring roll, crab rangoon, chicken on a stick and fried chicken wing, mostly to buy time for checking out the rest of the menu before making a decision. The Lunch Special menu is available Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and includes a spring roll and fried rice. Prices start at $4.29 and top out at $5.99. I decided on the chicken with hot garlic sauce, and my friend ordered the vegetable lo mein, each $4.99. The server was happy to let my companion substitute white rice for the fried rice.

I thought the wait for our appetizer was a bit long, so I continued looking over the paper menu I had carried to my seat. The top of the menu stated, “Grand Opening.” There was also the lettering, M.S.G., with the internationally-known circle and slash mark. This pleased me as monosodium glutamate triggers symptoms for me as it does for many others: headache and/or upset stomach. Loretta just didn’t need to feel like that for kicking off the weekend.

The appetizer appeared and being hungry little caterpillars, my companion and I reached for the crab rangoons. I cut mine in half and poured some of the accompanying sweet & sour sauce over it before shoving it in my mouth. Now Loretta has to tell you she is a bit biased when it comes to crab rangoon. Loretta spends a bit of time at College Hill Tavern where the CR is a menu favorite. The Tav’s smaller CR with chunks of crab (or krab? who cares?), and their spicy red sauce just tastes better than CR offerings at any Chinese restaurant in town.

I moved on to the spring roll. Loretta is not a huge spring roll fan, but her companion is and was very pleased. Loretta does however love her egg rolls. Perhaps because it’s a fried food item? I cut it in half and took a bite without any hot mustard (which is available by asking), and was instantly please. It tasted very fresh, so fresh, that it just had to be. Next up was the chicken on the stick which was very tasty and tender. My last appetizer item, the fried chicken wing, had a crispy coating which was seasoned to perfection, and the meat also very tender, very juicy.

Vegetable Lo Mein

When our entrees arrived, I was no longer thinking about how long it took to get our apps, completely forgot my disappointment about the lack of sushi and tempura. I asked our server about the freshness of the egg rolls and spring rolls. She confirmed that they are made fresh daily, from the chopping/slicing of the veggies, the cooking and cutting of the pork for the egg rolls, and wrapping them, then frying or cooking them upon order. Noting the, “Grand Opening,” on the paper menu, she stated they had been open for about seven months.

Chicken in hot garlic sauce

The entrees were wonderful. My companion was pleased with her vegetable lo mein, particularly with the done-ness of the broccoli and the abundance of sliced mushrooms. I found my chicken with hot garlic sauce to be pleasing to the Goldilocks in me, not too spicy, no where near bland, just right. I was also happy with the vegetables again! My dish included a nice even blend of baby corn, broccoli florets, carrot ribbons, button mushrooms, green peppers, and more. Not being a green pepper fan, Loretta was not overwhelmed by the one pepper she doesn’t like, and it was easy to eat around the big green chunks.

Ling’s Cafe seems to be a little known secret. Although there was a steady stream of customers, dining in and carrying out, the tables were never full, and there was the one server the entire time handling everything quite well.

Time [from entering to exiting]: 40-50 minutes. A day worker can easily arrive, eat, and leave over the lunch hour.
Cost per person: Lunches as mentioned above. Dinner entrees range from $5.99 to $14.99.
Stomach report: Good-sized portions. You can definitely fill up your belly.
Leftovers: Yes, both my companion and I are set for when the traditional, “You’ll be hungry again soon,” Chinese food curse (or blessing?) hits.
Is there a return visit in order: Yes.
Seen + Noted items: The Family Dinner Special is only $14.99 and includes your family’s choice of two entrees, steamed rice and two egg rolls. This can easily feed 4-6 people.
If I could change one thing or had a suggestion: Add more Japanese offerings, or remove the teriyaki dishes and keep the focus on  Chinese dishes. And continue with the freshness! This is one thing that could set Ling’s Cafe apart from the other Chinese restaurants in Topeka.

[ December 2011 | photos by Loretta ]

The following article by Tony Davis originally appeared in the October 15, 2011 issue of seveneightfive magazine. Since then, a Kickstarter project has been set up to raise funds for the Highland Park HS Scots Theatre group to go to (fittingly) Scotland, to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. We encourage you to visit their Kickstarter webpage by clicking here, and help them reach their goal. You can also call 785.274.6119, or email Scott Kickhaefer to make a donation.

For those in Topeka who are looking to enjoy a good comedy or tragedy, or maybe something a little more off-beat, most immediately think of the Topeka Civic Theatre and Academy or the Topeka Performing Arts Center. To be sure, these fine establishments are bright focal points in the community, and with the Jayhawk Theatre progressing in all current renovations, no doubt there are some big things coming for the Topeka stages.

What many local patrons of the arts seem to have forgotten is that there are several other venues for actors to display some serious talent, and one of these places is the stage at Highland Park High School.

To some, the thought of high school theatre evokes visions of poorly delivered lines from plays so classic that they have become a bit cliché. To the Highland Park Scots Theatre, nothing could be further from the truth. Scott Kickhaefer, a language arts teacher at Highland Park and resident “Drama King”, loves to point out that his students cannot only deliver lines and convey emotion with the best of them, but are willing to put everything, even their own personal lives, out for everyone to see.

“It’s like they have no fear, like they feel like they have nothing to lose out there,” Kickhaefer says, managing to look both bewildered and proud at the same time. “To most people, getting up in front of a crowd would scare them silly, but not these kids.”

Kickhaefer points to the wall where dozens of playbills plaster almost every available inch. “We have done almost every kind of play out there.” Which, as he explains, can be tough on a public school budget, especially as funding for the arts in schools is becoming more and more scarce. “I would love to do ‘Hairspray’ when it comes out, I mean, that’s us! We have the school for it if anybody does, but to do it, and do it right, takes money.”

Instead, the Scots find other plays which are more economical to produce. One such play was The Me Nobody Knows, an Off-Broadway musical from the 1970’s by Gary William Friedman and Will Holt. It is a series of narratives from the perspectives of underprivileged children in New York, taken from their own writings. Despite its critical acclaim, the play just wasn’t enough for Kickhaefer and his Scots.

“These are compelling stories,” says Kickhaefer, “ but I thought, ‘We have kids here with their own stories, let’s make this more Topeka.’”

By adapting the stories, the Scots told a different set of stories in their version of Me, and the stories were of some of the very same student portraying them.

This kind of creativity and passion has not gone unnoticed. The Scots have standing invitations from the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) groups in the region to perform another original Scots production at their meetings to provoke discussion among members and leadership.

Additionally, the Scots have come to the attention of the real Scots. In August of 2012, Highland Park thespians will be performing a new original play as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, in Scotland, a huge rally of performers and the arts. From over 2300 high school theatre groups nominated throughout North America, only 51 groups were chosen to be invited to perform, and the Scots were among that select group.

“It’s an honor to be invited by the AHSTF (American High School Theatre Festival) to perform,” says Kickhaefer, “we would only be the second school from the state of Kansas to ever attend.”

This trip could be life-changing for the students involved, especially since some of them have never even left the state of Kansas. Traveling to the United Kingdom, the students would get to stay in dormitories with other young actors from many countries spanning the globe, and even get to participate in a workshop at the Royal Shakespeare Company, possibly the most famous classical theatre company in the world. But, this opportunity doesn’t come cheap.

“The AHSTF takes care of everything for us, and they are really trying to help us out, but it will still cost around $6,000 per student to fund the trip.” The grimace on Kickhaefer’s face as he relates the daunting costs is one everyone has seen in these tough economic times. “We’re only a little behind our goal right now, but we need community support to make this happen for these students.”

Topeka has the honor of being home to internationally recognized talent, and with that comes a responsibility. These 18 passionate students and their self-titled “live-in teacher” can be wonderful ambassadors of our community and fulfill the legacy of brilliant actors and actresses at Highland Park for the past decade and beyond. They don’t need a hand-out, they need a hand-up; a little help to seize the opportunity of a lifetime.

So, Topeka, do you have a spare dollar?

[ story by Tony Davis | photos by EJ Drake | EJ Drake Photography ]

The following interview by Tommy Anderson originally appeared in the December 1, 2011 issue of seveneightfive magazine. With the upcoming International Blues Festival, held January 31 through February 4 in Memphis, we wanted to share this with you and encourage you to root for Two Blue, who will perform in the solo/duo category.

Two Blue, a side project of “Josh Vowell & the Rumble” is comprised of frontman Josh Vowell and harp extraordinaire Justin Shelton. The duo joined together to perform in the Topeka Blues Society competition, where the finalists compete at the International Blues Competition in Memphis. Josh and Justin will travel there in February.

1Q: If you could add any musician to your duo, who would it be?
Justin: Go online and look up the most ridiculously crazy Cajun box drummer, and that’s who I would add.
Josh: Cool sexy chick singer with a good defined voice like Samantha Fish, Bessie Smith, or Aretha Franklin.

2Q: What makes your band unique?
Josh: We were able to grow up with our generation’s music and take it back to the blues. We’ve combined the new-aged ideology of our generation with the blues ideology of the late 19th century.
Justin: We both have back grounds in heavy metal and I think that brings a lot, rhythmically, to the table.

3Q: What are the advantages/disadvantages of being a duo as opposed to a full-sized band?
Josh: There’s no rhythm section so it requires us to be on our toes but you don’t have to set up all the chords, drums, and extra instruments.
Justin: A duo doesn’t have the variety that a full sized band would have but it’s still fresh and produces a butterfly effect on the stomach.

4Q: What is the most palm-head-worthy moment of the duo’s musical career?
Justin: Showing up in Kansas City to perform and realizing all of the harmonicas have been left at home.

5Q: What bands or musicians have inspired or influenced your music?
Justin: John Nemeth, Sonny Boy Williamson, Sean Costello, and Tab Benoit.
Josh: Son House, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Sean Costello.

Bonus question: What is your biggest message to the public?
Two Blue: Get out and support live music. There are too many forms of entertainment that are taking away from the majesty that is music.

[ story by Tommy Anderson| photo by Colin McMillan | Nathan Ham Photography ]