Real Eyes

The Golden Age of Board Gaming – A Niche Hobby Becomes Mainstream Since its development in the 1970s, pen and paper tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons have inspired people to create their own stories. Pens, paper, dice, and a little creative energy are all that is needed to play through hours of adventures. However, for many years, the hobby was since as niche, the territory of nerds and social outcasts. In the 1980s in particular, Dungeons and Dragons amassed a great deal of negative press that spawned from “Satanic Panic” – the notion that the game was promoting Satanism and witchcraft. For decades, being a tabletop gamer was almost seen as a source of shame, something to hide or risk being ridiculed over. Although the stigma did reduce over the years, the hobby itself maintained a limited audience. However, in recent years, the hobby has seen a massive amount of growth, entering the mainstream. Perhaps as a result of nostalgia, or a desire for a more social gaming exp...

Haunted Kansas City: The Ghosts That Roam Our Town Like any city with a storied history, Kansas City is home to many local legends and odd happenings. Stories of hauntings span the entirety of the city, and the surrounding area. From Independence’s Lady in Gray on Nolan Road to Freeman’s Gravity Hill, strange rumors are abound. The nearby Stull Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas is even said to be one of the seven entrances to hell, and the devil has been said to appear there twice a year. The rumor was so well known that it drew in large crowds, who caused a great deal of chaos on their own. Several other buildings have claimed to host otherworldly tenants, including the Folly Theatre, Union Station, the John Wornall house, and the Alexander Majors Home. Many of the local schools in the area seem to have their own resident ghost, as well. The Epperson House at the University of Missouri-Kansas City has its own ghost following, with the building being dubbed one of the top five ha...

Kansas City Embraces the Performing Arts               When many people hear the word “theatre,” they may think of the glitz and glam of a Broadway show, or of New York City or Chicago in particular. However, there are many cities around the country with thriving theatre scenes, including Kansas City. From the cutting edge shows of The Unicorn, to the major commercial shows of Starlight Theatre, and even a dinner theatre in the New Theatre, Kansas City has a great deal of variety to offer to those interested in the performing arts. In addition to this, there are several well-regarded theatre programs in the area, such as Avila’s own theatre program, University of Missouri – Kansas City, Johnson County Community College, and Rockhurst University.               Kansas City has had a thriving theatre scene for quite some time, with the oldest theatre be...

  A Celebration of Local Art For art enthusiasts in Kansas City, the first Friday of each month is a day to look forward to. The aptly named First Fridays is an event where art galleries in the Crossroads district open their doors to the general public, joined by a variety of performers, vendors, and other creative individuals. First Fridays spans all of the Crossroads district, which is centered at 19 th Street and Baltimore Avenue, with the entire event spanning some twenty blocks around the neighborhood. First Fridays is an event that occurs in many cities, with tens of thousands of people flocking to cities like Redmond, Virginia and Spokane, Washington. One of the oldest First Fridays is held in Boston’s SoWa Arts District, which has ranked as one of the best art districts in the country. Kansas City, in its own right, is quite a center of art, opening 70 shops and galleries at its First Fridays. It ranks as one of the largest free art crawls in the nation. Truly, Kans...

Kate Spade, now known as Kate valentine, brings a Midwest sensibility to her fashion designs For regulars of Kansas City, St. Teresa’s academy is a well-known site – located on Main Street, the school is familiar to those who frequent Loose Park. It is one of the oldest schools in Kansas City and was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the very same that founded Avila. However, what some people may not know is that the school was once home to world-famous designer Kate Spade. Formerly known as Kate Brosnahan and currently going by the name Kate Valentine (a homage to her newest accessory line), Kate graduated from St. Teresa’s Academy and later attended the University of Kansas. Although Kate launched her brand from New York, she’s retained a presence in the city. A Kate Spade store has been on the Plaza since 2011 and Kate herself used to frequently hold parties at Halls to raise money for the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City. Kat...

Janelle Monae may be globetrotting superstar, but she has her roots in Kansas City               Janelle Monae is an award-winning R&B artist, owner of the record label Wondaland Arts Society, and actress in award winning films such as Hidden Figures and Moonlight. Monae is well known for her presence in the Afrofuturism movement, which reimagines the African tradition in the framework of science fiction. However, despite becoming an immense success, Monae has humble routes. She was born in Kansas City, Kansas, Dorothy Gale from the Wizard of Oz becoming a childhood source of inspiration. Monae attended F.L. Schlagle High School before being awarded a scholarship to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Her mother was a janitor and her father a truck driver for Deffenbaugh. Although Janelle moved on from Kansas City to escape poverty, she has roots here – family members, friends, and even ...