Second Fridays Rides Again

The August Second Fridays was another fine time in downtown Excelsior Springs, complete with painting classes, screen printing, excellent eats and live tunes. Lots of folks strolled the streets, soaking up the ever-growing Second Fridays excitement.

Kathleen and the Gallery Off Broadway hosted another night of the always-a-good-time Corkscrews and Canvases class. The attendees sipped some vino while painting an appropriate take on a wine bottle and glass. By the way, love some of the latest art on display from two of my favorite Wild Women: Kathleen's inspired tributes to the ocean and Molly's way-cool retro art. Down the street, Stacy Cahalan saw a steady stream of admirers taking in her sleek and happy little hotspot, Blue Raddish Studios (pictured above left). I missed her grand opening due to being under the weather and needless to say, I totally dug the vibe that Stacy has lovingly created in this crafty art co-op. She makes the absolute most of her smallish space with loads of fun items and art pieces provided by several resident artists. In the back room, Tommy's screen printing class was in full swing and the K-Man stepped up and created one of his own T-shirts. We stopped by Pyper's Pretty's in the building with the cool Coca-Cola wall and then had dinner at Ventana Gourmet Grill. We loved our refreshing summer cocktails created by Wendy, as well as our Italian Butter appetizer (hearty bread with melted butter and fresh Parmesan) and nightly special; a Southwestern-encrusted tilapia with black beans and tomatoes.

The Hall of Waters echoed with the sounds of Sons of Brazil; moved inside due to threatening weather. The Merc also hosted a classical guitarist to entertain the constant parade of diners and shoppers they enjoyed throughout the evening. As always, it is most excellent to see downtown Excelsior Springs rocking with business.