07.19.2023

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Today’s Forecast

40º | Rain/snow mix | 98% chance of rain |
Sunrise: 7:37 a.m. | Sunset: 5:12 p.m.

☕ Being a barista at Café Cà Phê

Drink Up: Uncovering the life of a barista with the Café Cà Phê team

Handcrafted with love by a Café Cà Phê barista. | Photo by KCtoday

One could recognize an iconic Café Cà Phê latte anywhere — but what about the people who make them? We sat down with three of the Vietnamese-owned shop’s baristas to chat about life behind the counter, their favorite drinks, and their side hustles + passion projects. Cheers.

Enter: Kaitlin Opermeyer, Ashley Ellerman, and Erika Sakata.

Tell us about your barista journey

“I moved to Kansas City a few years ago and met them because I’m an illustrator and have been doing pop-ups around town. I was popping up with Café Cà Phê all summer last year before the brick-and-mortar, which is how I met Jackie [owner] and everyone who works here. I came on opening day and saw how busy it was and asked ‘Do you need another barista?’ I started that day,” Kaitlyn told us.

What is your view of the relationship between Kansas City and Café Cà Phê?

“I feel like the Asian community didn’t have a hub in the Kansas City area in a long time, especially when I was in high school and middle school here. I feel like Café Cà Phê has created something for the Asian community here that didn’t exist before. It’s a welcoming ground for everyone to feel safe in their alternative life, whatever that is,” Erika shared.

What’s your favorite drink to make? What about your favorite to sip?

“My favorite drink is a Saigon, I am actually drinking it right now. My favorite drink to make is probably the Paris By Night. I really like doing latte art and it has chocolate syrup in it, as well as espresso, so it’s a bit more fun,” Ashley said.

Support their side hustles

Events

Wednesday, July 19

Garment District Grooves | Wednesday, July 19 | 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | 8th Street and Broadway Boulevard, Kansas City, MO | Free entry | Grab a bite and listen to live bands.
Touch-a-truck | Wednesday, July 19 | 5-6:30 p.m. | Shawnee Town 1929 Museum, 11501 W. 57th St., Shawnee, KS | Free | Bring the whole family out to climb into vehicles of all sizes across the City of Shawnee.

Thursday, July 20

Healthy Eating and Lifestyles Webinar | Thursday, July 20 | 12-1 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Doctors share recommendations for parents on eating healthy on a budget and what to do when your child is a picky eater.
Girls’ Night Out! | Thursday, July 20 | 6:30-9 p.m. | The Culinary Center of Kansas City, 7920 Santa Fe Dr., Overland Park, KS | $75 | Leesa Yates will lead this hands-on cookie decorating party.

Friday, July 21

Horror Book Club | Friday, July 21 | 7 p.m. | ReRoll Tavern, 2368 Armor Rd., North Kansas City, MO | Free | Discuss “The Girl With All The Gifts” and forge new friendships while enjoying food and drinks.
Local Laughs | Friday, July 21 | 8-9:30 p.m. | 600 Shawnee St., Leavenworth, KS | Free | Get your giggle on at this local comedy show.

Saturday, July 22

Boozy Book Fair | Saturday, July 22 | 5-9 p.m. | Redux Society, 215 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, MO | Free entry | Enjoy a night of literary delights and adult beverages, featuring local book stores and vendors.
DaBaby and Gucci Mane | Saturday, July 22 | 8 p.m. | T-Mobile Center | $75-$250 | Listen to GRAMMY Award nominee DaBaby and trap music pioneer Gucci Mane in the heart of downtown KC.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Community

Your ultimate guide to Kansas City has arrived

Fall in love with the city even more with our Ultimate City Guide. | Graphic by 6AM City

We all know that Kansas City is a special place with a never-ending supply of things to do, see, and experience. That got us thinking — we already spend our days helping you get the most out of our city. So what if we curated a collection of guides that will be updated and available anytime to help you navigate all our great city has to offer?

That’s just what we’ve done. Say hello to KCtoday’s City Guide, your ultimate digital destination for the best ways to get out there and learn about the city you love.

We’ve broken the guides into three categories:

LIVE — Schools, neighborhoods, and unwritten rules of the city
WORK — Top industries, startups, and great spots to work outside
PLAY — Parks, festivals, hikes, and date nights

That just scratches the surface. We’ve got guides to local Airbnb and Vrbo rentals, navigating the airport, volunteer opportunities around town, and even where you and your pooch can grab a drink together.

Ready to get to know your city even better? Check out the link below. And if there’s a guide you’d love to see, send us a suggestion because this list of guides will just keep growing.

Oh, and one more thing. For all you marketing folks out there, we have one exclusive sponsorship available. We will feature your brand next to everywhere the guides appear in the newsletter, website, and social media. It’s an opportunity that won’t last long, so drop us a line.

Start exploring now

News Notes

Announced

Arena football is officially returning to Kansas City. Enter: KC Goats. The Goats will play at Municipal Auditorium and the season will begin in June 2024. Arena league teams will play on a 50-yard field with no huddles or play clock. (KSHB)

Opening

Free lunch alert. Nick the Greek is opening its second metro location this Thursday, July 20 — at 8807 State Line Rd., KCMO. Patrons can get a free bite on the opening day from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Kansas City Star)

Kansas Citian

Gotta catch ‘em all. Avery Vehlewald, a 7-year-old boy from Overland Park, won the Pokémon North American International Championship. Avery will journey to Yokohama, Japan next month to go for the world title. (KSHB)

Ranked

KCMO on the map. Kansas City, MO is the most desired city by renters according to RentCafe. Apartment listings in the 816 (and runner-up Overland Park) saw the most engagement this month. This was measured via favorite picks, personalized search, and overall high listing views.

Sports

Former Blue Valley North athletic star Noah Barber is now a Kansas City Royal. The team signed Barber to a post-draft free agent contract. Fun fact: He was originally recruited to play for the University of Kansas football team. (Blue Valley Post)

Try This

Life in plastic, it’s fantastic. Some of Barbie’s belongings are officially on display at Union Station’s Extreme Screen Lobby. The artifacts range from the 1960s to 1980s and will be on display leading up to the movie premiere on Friday, July 21.

Fact or Fiction

Younger women under the age of 40 with a family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or radiation in the chest area should get a mammogram on the calendar. See the answer.*

Environment

Did you know that warm weather also means we’re in the most active part of the ozone season? Like a weather forecast, SkyCast provides the air quality conditions expected for the next day and issues an Ozone Alert when an unhealthy amount of ground-level ozone pollution is anticipated. Sign up for SkyCast to start receiving daily alerts at 4 p.m.*

Drink

Start sipping with Somerset Ridge

Drink Up Month: Sip on local wine with Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery

Left to right: Editor Bella, Managing Editor Travis, and co-owner Cindy Reynolds. | Photo by KCtoday

It’s wine time. Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery (29725 Somerset Rd., Paola, KS) creates a variety of wines right here in Kansas soil. Editor Bella chatted with owner Cindy Reynolds to learn more about the winery’s history + connection to Kansas City.

Quick — give us your elevator pitch

“We grow grapes, make wine, and distribute throughout the Midwest. One of our key tenets is to honor the Earth using sustainable growing practices, which for us means no insecticides and no synthetic fertilizers.”

What do you want customers to experience when they are at Somerset?

“Customers usually learn about us by coming to the winery, doing a tasting, and walking the vines. We want them to leave having had a memorable adventure and sense of pride for what our KC soil and talent can produce.”

Ready to come see it for yourself? Join the KCtoday team at Somerset Ridge this Saturday, July 22 from 1 to 5 p.m. for live music, wine, and a food truck.

See Cindy's favorite sip

Shop

Shop

Make sure your child’s wardrobe is upgraded this school year with Ducks & Drakes, a clothing company with tall kids at the heart of its designs.

Active

Contemplating an e-bike purchase? Upway — the No. 1 certified e-bike provider — sells top-quality electric bikes up to 60% cheaper than retail.

Eat

Slice and serve your favorite meats + cheeses on this sleek yet durable maple wood cutting board. Bonus: It’s preconditioned with beeswax, linseed, and lemon oil.

Travel

Don’t get stuck paying those pesky airline fees with a bag that exceeds the weight limit. Use this portable luggage scale to save time + money.

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The Wrap

City Editor Bella Rainey poses on a rooftop overlooking Kansas City, KCtoday.

Today’s edition by:
Bella

From the editor

I truly could not be more excited for the Barbie movie. I’ll be at Screenland Armour Theater this weekend to watch the premiere.

Where do you like to enjoy a movie day? Let me know.

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