Erin Murphy Creative

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The following clips were published in KC Magazine, KC Business and Good Health KC. 

Hot Spots

A seat in The Bar at The American Restaurant (200 E. 25th St.) offers more than upscale eats and drinks. Four corner columns of bent oak reach toward one another across the ceiling, where lowlights weave through the fanned, scalloped wood. Oak and brass railings encircle patterned red carpet, red leather chairs and candlelit tables that showcase the timeless interior design. 

In 1974, architect Warren Platner created the interior with the owner of the restaurant in mind, J.C. Hall, founder of Hallmark Cards. “It occurred to me that since our client was in the greeting card business, we should treat the space in a very decorative way, like a huge lace Valentine,” Platner says.

The upstairs lounge area and bar at The American sits a half level up from the formal dining room. Seating at the bar, high-top tables or lounge overlooks the downtown skyline and Crown Center courtyard. In November and December, the window balcony is the perfect spot to take in the 7,200 white lights on the Mayor’s Christmas Tree. In January 2012, a separate bar menu was created so patrons could access the creative recipes and renowned desserts of the James Beard award-winner Executive Chef Debbie Gold. The menu includes small bites such as the Fontina Val d’Aosta truffle toast ($10), a lightly grilled house bread covered in truffle cheese, black trumpet mushrooms and black truffle relish. The charcuterie platters combine three ($16) or five ($24) St. Andre, Manchego, Musser’s cheddar, Fontina Val d’Aosta and Queso de Valdeón cheeses to split among coworkers after work.

Bar supervisor Matt Vincent finds The Bar a perfect choice for on-the-go Kansas City visitors and natives, offering a more relaxed, intimate dining experience. “If you have theater tickets and are not able to sit down for a formal dining experience,” Vincent says, “or you just got off the plane and want to grab a bite before you check into your hotel, The Bar provides a quicker dining experience while still receiving a quality menu and drink selection.”

Now: East bottoms look up

A once thriving urban entertainment center turned depleted industrialized ghost town, Kansas City’s East Bottoms district has run the gamut from profitable machine to desolate wasteland in the past hundred years. Initially developed by the Heim brothers, who built a brewery, streetcar line, telephone exchange, amusement park, theater, beer garden and more, the East Bottoms was the most popular working class entertainment venue in Kansas City. Electric lighting was still a novelty, and the illuminated streets drew workers and their families to the area in the evenings. Today, it is hard to imagine the East Bottoms as an entertainment center. Run-down residential neighborhoods create a bleak backdrop against abandoned warehouses and freight train yards. But it might be too soon to consider this the permanent fate of Kansas City’s East Bottoms. 

U.S. Engineering recently acquired a 78,000-square-foot building that served as a former warehouse at 4134 Front Street, which is expected to be completed this fall. Once occupied, the engineering firm will start a sheet metal manufacturing and prefabricating operation, creating 80 jobs in the process. Previously, the company was forced to hire subcontractors to do any sheet-metal fabrication work, but this manufacturing facility has given the company a cost-advantage angle to bring work in-house. The opening of an industrial plant alongside the creation of 80 new jobs in the East Bottoms anticipates even more daily foot-traffic in the downtown district. 

Apart from 9-to-5 business operations, Miles Massen, part owner of recently opened butcher shop The Local Pig in the East Bottoms, doesn’t find their geographical location slowing down any business since they’ve opened. “Foot traffic has been running rampant since we opened the doors,” Massen says. “Almost all of the buildings down here are in full production and require three different shifts per day.” Massen also attributes Knucklehead’s, a premier rock, blues and country concert venue, to spearheading a revitalizing movement in the East Bottoms. “It has been cool to be neighbors with them and see their influence in the area,” he says. “They have helped expand business, and their customers keep coming back.” Combine the industrial development from U.S. Engineering with live entertainment, blues concert music, food, drinks and regular paying patrons, and it’s possible the East Bottoms are looking up. 

FUCHSIA INFUSION

Whether it’s a lunch date with girlfriends or an impromptu shopping spree on the Country Club Plaza, summer reigns as the ultimate on-the-go time of year. Jumpstart any outfit with a fuchsia clutch that combines a feminine graphic interior with a rustic, Italian-leather exterior. Available at Trapp and Company (4110 Main St.), the Hobo Gypsy clutch ($228) enables easy access to cell phones, wallets and lipsticks with its magnetic closure pull tabs and spacious inside. Designed for the on-trend woman, Hobo’s versatile design and practical features make spontaneity look polished and planned. 

A HEART-HEALTHY TREAT 

Savory Addictions gourmet nuts (starting at $15) spin heart health in a tasty fashion. Easy to grab on your way out the door, a handful a day of these blended nuts can reduce the risk of developing blood clots and improve the lining of your arteries. The red and white wine mixes pair especially well with their namesake libations, also proven to support heart health. A blend of cashews, almonds, pecans, Brazils and macadamias smoked over a fire with seasoned herbs and spices creates a savory flavor that munchers find irresistible. Visit savoryaddictions.com to order or to view the 13 local retailers, including Cellar Rat and We B Nuts and Stuff (9437 Mission Road, Leawood).