Stories for May 2011

Know your roll: A guide to making sushi at home

Tips on ingredients, preparation and technique to make sushi at home.

Water, baby: Pool classes now recommended for even younger ages

The American Academy of Pediatrics last year recommended children as young as 1 year old take swimming lessons. The previous recommendation was 4 years old.

Behind the Lens: The importance of P.A.T.

For a seasoned photographer, position, anticipation and timing play a big part in any photograph.

Interview: Joe Heyen and Anthony Ladesich

The men behind "Cowtown Ballroom...Sweet Jesus!" talk about bringing their documentary to Lawrence, community radio and supporting the arts in Kansas.

Garden Calendar: Master Gardeners tour offer tips for aspiring green thumbs

Next weekend, the Douglas County Extension Master Gardeners are sponsoring a tour of six private gardens to showcase sound gardening practices and good plant selections for the Lawrence area.

Downtown is go-to place for making art

Children and their parents spent a few hours downtown Friday night painting and decorating cars of the real and cardboard cutout varieties as part of the pre-parade festivities for the 2011 Art Tougeau Parade.

Critter Care: Protect your pets from wild animals

Every year we hear stories from other states about bears and deer who, having lost their natural habitats, start wandering into towns, causing panic and damage as they try to find enough food to survive. We’re witness to the same thing here in Lawrence, only on a smaller scale.

Final Friday Preview: The 1109 Gallery presents 'Portals' and 'String Theory'

The people behind the 1109 Gallery's two new exhibits are marrying the earth-born fantastical with science.

Lawrence promoters prepare summer Stimpac

Local music showcase features 13 local bands for $3.

Local documentary honors Florence, Kansas

When Stephen Lerner visited a bed and breakfast outside Florence, he became fascinated with the efforts to revive the flood-ravaged town. His film, "Florence, Kansas" documents the efforts of many to do so.

Style Scout: Kevin Shutts

Tell us a secret: Secrets don't make friends.

Interview: Pat Bourchier

As a street artist in Melbourne, Australia, Pat Bourchier has worked with the likes of Logan Hicks, HaHa and Above, becoming well known in his home and New Zealand. Now, as he travels across the country, he's settled in Lawrence before moving on to his next destination before eventually heading to Europe to do it all over again. He sat down with me to talk about his process, the advantages of public art and learning about team rivalries in the states the hard way.

'Kung Fu Panda 2' has local ties

Lawrence's Hamilton Lewis has graduated from Ringling College Art and Design, has been nominated for a Student Academy Award and at 24 is a rough layout artist for DreamWorks.

Style Scout Ginny Williams

How would you describe your style? There’s really no method to the madness, I just buy what I like.

Slashers get recut in Horror Remix

Adam Jeffers is convinced that what Lawrence needs — whether the town knows it or not — are regular, free screenings of cheesy '80s horror flicks remixed and edited down to their basest essentials and shown in a bar.

Locally born Joplin relief

In the wake of Sunday's tornado that tore through Joplin, Mo., that killed a confirmed 122 people, in addition to leaving many more homeless, a handful of local relief efforts have sprung to aid the survivors.

Final Friday preview: Jodi Brown: 'No Jacket Required'

Kansas City artist Jodi Brown has long been a critical observer of popular culture. Throughout her career, her work has served as a means for her to highlight the ridiculousness present in everyday life that people often overlook.

Final Friday preview: 'Wonder Fair Presents: Face Space Tees'

The folks at Wonder Fair, 803 1/2 Mass., are keeping our summer-apparel needs in mind with their newest event, giving Final Friday-goers a chance to express their creativity and add to their wardrobes at the same time.

Final Friday preview: Jonathan D. Metzger: 'Recent Works on Paper'

Primarily a printmaker specializing in intaglio prints (a process that involves etching designs onto a printing plate, applying ink and then running it through a printing press with paper), Metzger says he began dabbling in other media when he moved to Lawrence, and this exhibition reflects that.

Advanced cassette: Lawrence label embraces DIY

There’s a new music label in town, and they’re called Whatever Forever Tapes.

Final Friday preview: David Van Hee: 'The Masks of David Van Hee'

David Van Hee began making his mask art more than 30 years ago. And he’s still going strong.

Indian food on the run: Curry in a Hurry moves up Mass. St. and into a full-on operation

Mexican food has Taco Bell. American food has McDonald’s. Italian food has Fazoli’s.

Three Moves for show off season: Veteran makes career out of efficient fitness

Zach Hertzel has the type of schedule that can wipe out anybody.

Cell phones for teens present new advantages — and problems

Every few minutes, Kelsey Potts’ cell phone vibrates with either a direct message or a notification from her Facebook account, or a forwarded chain text

Pinto Stampede: For car’s 40th anniversary, proud owners will travel I-70, visit Speedway

The Pinto celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Garden Calendar: Like all things, majestic landscaping takes time

The extensive gardens and water featured in John and Judy Burch’s yard are a prime example of what happens when you put vision, patience and hard work together.

Behind the lens: Cameras for the clumsy photographer

These sturdy cameras will survive even the clumsiest photographers.

Faith Forum: What advice would you give graduates on starting their new lives?

Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel and the Rev. Valerie Miller-Coleman answer.

A family heirloom on four wheels

It used to be a staple of the Art Tougeau parade and has been owned by three families and connects multiple generations. Now this custom Volkswagen Beetle returns to the parade, driven by its maker's grandson.

Local musicians prepare to 'Spring Into Summer'

Despite the less-than-sunny weather, organizers behind the Spring Into Summer festival are preparing the fifth annual local music showcase for Saturday.

Style Scout: Tom Linder

What are your least favorite fashion trends? Fake glasses with bright, oversized frames, old shoes and whatever it’s called when girls shave half of their heads.

You graduated. Now what?

Going from the protective bubble of the college world into the real world definitely requires some adjustment.

Style Scout: Jordie Broadbend

People say I look like: Lady Gaga (Why?! I have no idea!).

Interview: Hot Lixx Hulahan

Air guitar legend gives some friendly advice to some of the Lawrence performers and mocks a few names in the process.

Grape stomp: Eudora's BlueJacket Crossing Vineyard and Winery takes home a gold medal at an international wine competition

A gold medal is vernacular in any competition for the best of the best — even if you're talking about wine.

Toxic beauty: Clean up your cosmetics and personal products stockpile

Pop over to the medicine cabinet and pull out a bottle of lotion. Look at the ingredients. See any that you recognize, or are they ingredients that seem like they should be on the recipe for an atomic bomb?

Behind the Lens: The largest accessory

For many photographers, the largest piece of equipment in their sizable arsenal is on four wheels.

Faith Forum: Do Animals Go to Heaven?

Judy Carman and Charles Gruber respond.

Garden Calendar: Gardening for good

Les Conder is using his 10,000 square-foot vegetable garden for Just Food.

Lawrence breweries prepare for American Craft Beer Week

Free State Brewery and 23rd Street Brewery have partnered to celebrate American Craft Beer Week.

Style Scout: Molly Kretze

Tell us a secret:I can go at least three months without doing laundry and never wear the same thing twice.

Summer-ize yourself

Get yourself summer-ready in no time at all.

Style Scout: Kumar Shrestha

Do you have any fashion influences? Growing up, my uncle was my fashion influence — all of the ’80s fashions. Now I just wear what I’m comfortable in.

Interview: Wanda Jackson

The Queen of Rockabilly spoke from her home in Oklahoma City about her tour, working with White and her fascination with he new rockabilly movement.

Local crunch: Granolas with Lawrence connections chew up the landscape

If Lawrence had an official “Breakfast of Champions” it might well be the treat with a thousand faces: granola.

Remnant Rehab: Sew up your shopping bag needs

I decided a reusable, vinyl-lined bag would suit my grocery-shopping needs and be easy to clean.

Tips to cook for 2 (or just 1)

Possibly more daunting than cooking for a cattle-call 10-person dinner? Cooking for a family of one. Or one and a baby. Or two adults.

Sky sight: Schwegler School students participate in unique project celebrating Kansas’ birthday

From the ground, it looks like random clumps of dirt, prairie grass and school kids in colored T-shirts. Only artist Daniel Dancer, suspended by a crane up in the air, is able to see the whole picture.

Young Bikram yoga champion giving demos in Lawrence

When Baltimore native Griffin Peddicord was in middle school, he was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The diagnosis came after a long search for the cause of his pain.

Garden Calendar: Maximizing production space

More aspiring farmers are starting out with horticultural crops and finding unique solutions to the challenges of start-up.

Boomer Girl Diary: Roman Holiday

Cathy and her husband took a trip to Italy, complete with special guest stars the pope and the travel expert whose books helped them prepare for the trip.

Style destination: South Beach

Caitlin Donnelly braves the shores of Miami's South Beach to return this report on beach fashion.

Faith Forum: What mother-child relationship in the Bible stands out most besides the relationship of Jesus and Mary?

The Rev. Mary Newberg Gale and the Rev. Paul Taylor answer.

Moms who rock!

Bands with Lawrence connections have mothers who know how to bring the noise.

LOLA prepares its spring show

Just in time for Mother's Day, the Ladies of Lawrence Arts collective roll out their spring show with pieces from nine local artisans.

Style Scout: Donna Steinman

What are your current favorite fashion trends? I love blue jeans, fun accessories and bright colors in the spring and summer.

Style Scout: Michael Skaggs

Do you have any fashion influences? My country background and cowboy roots. I rock the big belt buckle every now and then.

Short film festival long on local talent

It is time once again for Lawrence residents to discover what an amazing talent pool of filmmakers reside right here in town.

Margarita madness: It isn't crazy to suggest that you can have the perfect Cinco de Mayo drink at home

No matter your heritage, it seems nearly everyone loves a good margarita. And there’s no better day to end up with rock salt on your lips than May 5, the celebratory holiday marking the Mexican victory over the French at the battle at Puebla in 1862.

River City Jules: Mom's love knows no boundaries

Above all, enjoy a Mother’s Day that fulfills your every fantasy.

KU group organizes dinner, fashion show with a cruelty-free catwalk

This Cinco de Mayo, one KU student-run organization will be celebrating Mexico’s independence in style. Compassion for All Animals will host KU’s first Cruelty-Free Fashion Show.