You may already know that I reside in the ‘burbs, or, perhaps more succinctly, the middle of nowhere. But what you might not know is that it hasn’t always been this way. I lived in Wichita for many years, and bought my first home in the booming metropolis of Derby, Kansas. And though I do love my rural life, sometimes I miss the relatively urban existence I once lived. I think that Derby is a very happy medium; it is outside the “big city”, but still …

“Don’t you know I’m still standing better than I ever did. Lookin’ like a true survivor, feelin’ like a little kid.” – Bernie Taupin via Elton John
She wasn’t sure about all the words, but then again “Roy Cohn, Jaun Peron, Toscanini, Dancron” isn’t the catchiest lyric. Sarah Kallail improvised what she didn’t know from “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” dancing and singing in unison (kinda) with her friends while Billy Joel pounded a piano and chanted random cultural references 100-yards below.
It was pretty much what the girls had pictured when they …

Last week, I wrote a post lamenting the loss of Red Mesa Grill and their excellent white cheese dip. Reader Josh left a particularly eloquent comment on this article, simply stating, “Super strong margaritas + great queso – huge bill = Los Cocos!” Coincidentally, I already had dinner plans at Los Cocos (1335 N. Tyler Rd.) for Sunday, and I was excited to put Josh’s proclamation to the test. The restaurant did not disappoint.
We started our evening at the bar, where I ordered a margarita the size of my head …

I’m not a fashion guy at all.  Put me in boots, jeans and a T-shirt and I’m a pretty happy guy.  But what you go to the gym in, or hit the road in, is super important. Here are a few general guidelines.
Shoes
Get the right shoe for the job.  If you don’t plan on jogging/running too much, then a standard pair of cross trainers are going to do great things for you.  However, if you want to punish the pavement a little bit, get good running shoes.  Your knees, hips, …

Hello, my name is Stephanie, and I’m a recovering hair product snob.
There, I said it. I’ve been hooked on high-end hair products since I was 17. Before that, my idea of splurging on “good” shampoo was to buy Pantene or Aussie at the supermarket instead of Suave. I’m not kidding; I went from Suave to Aveda on one sunny afternoon in a salon on Douglas, and I never went back.
Well, maybe that’s not entirely true. My income hasn’t always been able to match my appetite, so I’ve been willing to …

Basil, mint, peanuts, limes, lemongrass, chiles, cilantro – these are a few of my favorite things. They are also elements that play a starring role in Thai cuisine. Elements of Thai cuisine include a blend of salty, sweet, sour, bitter and spicy-hot, all of which create an amazing dining experience. Thai food is more than just spring rolls and pad thai, not that there is anything wrong with these delights. Thai cuisine is quite inventive and offers a range of flavors with textural variety. Soups, salads with papaya, and curry …

One of the most challenging jobs as a parent is managing spring break for their children. A blessing and a curse, spring break can give your family a lifetime of fun memories and tradition or be a horror show of annoying, whining children. Here are fun ideas to save your sanity this year.
YMCA Camp – Are you a working parent? Check out the YMCA’s School Day Out programs. You don’t have to be a member to take advantage of the camp-like activities for kids, including field trips, games, arts and …

Men, it’s getting to be that time again: swimsuit season. Naturally, this doesn’t instill the kind of fear that it does in women, but it still requires some planning on your part. Before you go out and buy the first pair of trunks you can find with some beer logo on it, consider this: it’s just as important for you to find something that complements you and your style as it is for women.
First, consider the length of the suit. Unless you’re a competitive swimmer, I’m sure you don’t want …

I was seven years old at a Melvern Lake campground under the dam. Storms had hit earlier in the evening and seemed to intensify overhead. We sat in our fifth wheel camper and listened to hail plink off the roof. The weatherman looked nervous on TV, so we headed to the shelter. At the campground, it was a brown brick structure that housed the showers, washer and dryers, and was the storm shelter if all hell broke loose.
The shelter was full but we squeezed in. …

Even though I took a short hiatus from trying to make my way around Tanya Tandoc’s favorite Wichita restaurants, I’m back on the horse again and decided for something light this week.
Watermark Books & Cafe, 4701 E. Douglas, is apparently a Wichita institution that I have never experienced to its full potential. Up until researching for this post, I had set foot in Watermark only once. I blame this on my boyfriend. We all have our “places” where we each love to go and feel that it’s our home away …

I am, like many people, a proud member of the Wichita YMCA.  And like a lot of those people, I don’t use that membership nearly as much as I should.
So, here I am, 6’5″, 350 lbs. and needing to drop some weight in a hurry.  According to my good doctor, all of the hobgoblins of being fat are banging at my door,  High blood pressure, diabetes, and heart attacks – OH MY.  But seriously, I am the proud and loving dad of two beautiful girls and I have a wife …

While movie stars are posing for the paparazzi at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, you can be mingling with Wichita’s local celebrities – Bonnie Bing, Anita Cochran and Wink Hartman, just to name a few.
verb [ICT] is excited to be giving away TWO pairs of tickets to A Night on the Red Carpet, a benefit for Episcopal Social Services at Venture House THIS SUNDAY, March 7th at 6:30 pm at The Grand Chapel (828 N. Broadway).
Enjoy walking the red carpet, live music, hors d’ oeuvres, wine and beer …

That store where they always have your size in your new favorite pair of shoes. The restaurant where they cook your steak just right. The bar where they always know your name. These are the things we love about our favorite local businesses. But what do you do when these places close? This feature is designed to spotlight some of those options.
Red Mesa Grill (Formerly located at 756 N. Tyler and 127 W. Highway 54)
White cheese dip. This is what I think of when I remember Red Mesa Grill. My …

I knew about the Kansas Underground Salt Museum in Hutchinson, but never really had much interest in checking it out… until I found out we could wear hard hats and ride in a trolley. I was sold! So, last week I went with my friend Mel to see what this museum was all about. I left pleasantly surprised.
Upon arriving at the Salt Museum, we were told the next tour was leaving in two minutes. That meant we had 120 seconds to purchase our tickets and get in and out of …

For this article, verb writers Bailey Ketterman and Jana Curl both explored the best places in Wichita to deck out your home. Each of them had some great suggestions. Read on!
Bailey:
For home furnishings, Abode Home (1330 E. Douglas) has an expansive selection of furniture for every room of the home.  Their design services also allow the somewhat choice-challenged, like myself, to make appropriate decisions regarding the pieces to select and the placement of your purchases.  As a bonus, the store is very involved in improving ICT, from sponsoring BARKitecture for …