Psst… Hey you, mister, I have a secret for you. What if I told you that for 50 cents a week, you could make your woman feel like the queen of Sheba? For four bits, your wife will parade through her office or PTO meeting and make the girls who got a dozen roses and a formulaic greeting card feel like schlubs. Here’s the secret….
Buy a stamp.
Wait, what? You heard me! Buy a stamp. There’s a little more to it than that, but not much. The art of the love …

For me, like most who grew up in southcentral Kansas, Winfield has always just been… there. It had the necessities (Dillons, Walmart, JC Penney), and apart from that and the drug store, I never gave it a second look. However, now that I have returned to the area as an adult, I am seeing it with different eyes. Now I can recognize the beauty, the character, and… well, the things that are, quite frankly, out of place in this rural area.
Winfield is ranked #56 in the top 100 Small Towns …

Picture it: you are sitting at a tiny table surrounded by lots of other tiny tables with tiny candles and tiny vases with fake carnations in them. Couples holding hands, drinking white zinfandel and whispering sweet nothings to each other from across the table abound. You my friend, have entered the dreaded Valentine’s Day celebration zone.
Going out for Valentine’s Day can be so overrated. There is so much pressure to have a super-fantastic romantic time that you end up eating an overpriced, subpar meal and having an argument about why …

Every week, we feature a few adorable, adoptable pets from the Kansas Humane Society and dare you to resist their cute lil’ faces. Want to bring one of these loveable cats or dogs home with you? Visit KHS from 11 am – 6:30 pm Monday through Saturday and 1 – 5 pm Sunday. Have a happy adoption story to tell? Email us at editors@verbict.com and we might feature you in an upcoming post.

Sierra Rose, an 8-month old Siberian Husky Mix, has experience living with children and other pets and she’s …

Candy hearts and boxes of chocolate have lined the shelves of Target for months, previews for Dear John play every commercial break and your friends in relationships have started talking about their plans. Whether you love the holiday or loathe it, Valentine’s Day is here, people.
This year, I find myself single. Again. Regardless of my relationship status, I happen to love the holiday. I’ve had my fair share of romantic Valentine’s Days spent coupled up, but I’ve also spent plenty single – so many, in fact, that I consider myself …

I’m just not a morning person. If I had my way, my day would start around a civilized time, say, 10 a.m., instead of the horrible 6 a.m. I’m forced to endure to have little things like a job. Well, life can force me to get up early, but it can’t force me to eat early.
Breakfast has never and will never be my favorite meal of the day (unless I’m having it for dinner). Instead, I’m a big fan of brunch and eateries that cater to brunch-y folk like me. …

One of the first things I did when I moved in with my then boyfriend, now husband, was hang pictures. Having things on the walls helps make a house a home.
I studied art and architecture in college and worked in a museum writing descriptions of and handling work by some of my favorite famous dead artists. The primary takeaway from my education and my experience is this: surround yourself with pieces you love.
It doesn’t matter where you find art, how important it is, how much it costs or if other …

Last week, I laid out my plan to eat my way through Wichita chef Tanya Tandoc’s personal favorite places to eat in town – my own version of Julie & Julia. I won’t be tressing any chickens, though. Just eating them, perhaps.
When a friend invited me to lunch with her at Saigon, I jumped at the chance, knowing that it was also on Tanya’s list of where to dine in Wichita. On the way, she prepped me by saying, “People don’t go there for the atmosphere. It’s all about the …

I guess I should start with a disclaimer. I’m a Finn’s guy. I’ve been going to Finn’s for the better part of a decade. I danced with and kissed my now-wife for the first time at Finn’s. I’ve celebrated and grieved at Finn’s. Greg, the head man, and Jason, his steadfast employee, are great bartenders and hosts and are counted among my friends. So the idea of going on a Thursday  to hang out and take a look at their signature drinks struck me as a fine way to kill …

Most of us don’t have time to get sick. Taking time away from work and family responsibilities isn’t an option for many. And while Groundhog Day may tell us winter is on the way out, being a target for both seasonal and non-seasonal illnesses never lets up.
Everyone knows that getting sick sucks. Worse, everyone knows that paying for getting sick sucks. Yes, there are assistance programs out there, but many of them seem to be open to only a certain income bracket or only available to single-parent families or individuals …

We’re almost done with our tutorials, kids, and I hope that my wisdom has helped you expand your options for pursuing libations (and potential lovers). We’ve explored the cougar-laden jungles of the Yuppie Bar (Fox and Hounders, unite!) and the rowdy recesses of the Sports Bar (with excellent timing, if I do say so myself). And now, the pièce de résistance, The Dive Bar.
Do not underestimate these local watering holes. They are safe havens for those desperately in need of a drink, a date, or a discreet …

I started the day last Tuesday with the intent of hitting a local breakfast spot for two purposes: for one, I have a column past-due for which I need to write about a hole-in-the-wall restaurant; for two, what superstition I have tells me that starting out the first day of the semester with an enjoyable and hearty breakfast has got to put me on proper footing.
My footing was lost, so to speak, in finding that footing when my partner for the outing informed me at 7:30 a.m. that said local …

Today is a momentous holiday. It celebrates a good friend of ours who has never failed to give us an interesting night out, a quirky bit of gossip, a fun alternative to a mainstream idea, or seriously crazy weather. January 29, in short, is Kansas Day.
Back in 1861, when the land that is now our beloved home was known as “Bleeding Kansas” for its violent massacres and disputes, the Unites States officially declared Kansas a free state of the Union. Being the land of abolitionist extremist John Brown and an …

Calling all mixologists! The Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland are in search of a signature drink to serve at Cocktails and Cookies, a fundraiser to be held March 4 at the Wichita Hyatt.
Win yourself a ticket (a $75 value) by inventing an adult beverage that would pair well with a Girl Scout cookie-based dessert. Think Caramel deLites, Lemonades, Peanut Butter Patties, or the ever-popular Thin Mints.
The drink will be served alongside cookie-based desserts made by notable local chefs. Your only rule: The beverage must be green in color.
You can leave …

Every week, we feature a few adorable, adoptable pets from the Kansas Humane Society and dare you to resist their cute lil’ faces. Want to bring one of these loveable cats or dogs home with you? Visit KHS from 11 am – 6:30 pm Monday through Saturday and 1 – 5 pm Sunday. Have a happy adoption story to tell? Email us at editors@verbict.com and we might feature you in an upcoming post.

Freckles, a 2-year-old Pointer Mix, is a playful guy who is looking for someone to take him on …