August 2017

Photos by L.G. Patterson On May 30, Inside Columbia partnered with Columbia Culinary Tours for a special guided walking tour of some of Columbia’s finest eateries. The tour was sponsored by the Missouri Beef Industry Council, and nearly…

Allison Marshall and Zach Kurzejeski of Kansas City plan to wed on September 3, 2017, at the Hawthorne House in Kansas City. Allison is 2011 graduate of Rock Bridge High School and earned her undergraduate degree in accounting from the…

photography by Pete Jackson The dying words of the 39-year-old veteran on my MRI table were, “I just wish I’d bought a boat.” I’d never been sailing before, but ignorance has never stopped me from jumping in head first. I knew myself well…

With “Mongolian Interior: An Expatriate Experience,” a collection of creative nonfiction stories, Lori Younker has joined Columbia’s growing list of published authors. As an educator specializing in Teaching English as a Second Language…

This is a bright vibrant side or lunch mainstay for celebrating the abundance of the summer season. This tasty panzanella recipe is a fantastic way to use all those delicious peaches and tomatoes — and it’s even better when there’s some…

There won’t be any shortage of fun and excitement over the weekend leading up to the total solar eclipse happening this month. Cosmo Park will be the site of a whole host of events, including a free Totality Music Fest, a 5K run, a bike…

Albert Einstein once said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” Jeffrey Ferguson, a doctor of anthropology at the University of Missouri, could say the same, although the pottery he creates in his backyard studio…

This month, explore your inspiration and commit. Nightstands around Columbia are filled with titles featured at this year’s Unbound Book Festival… Readers are working through their stacks, devouring the words of authors who inspired them in…

Some moments break us. Some moments define us. Some moments set us free. Join us as we celebrate some extraordinary mid-Missourians who have unique and inspiring stories to share. …

The 2017 winner of the best barbecue sauce in the world is right here in Columbia. Jay Curry, creator of Spicewine Blue Collar Barbecue Sauce, got top honors out of 606 entries from 43 states and 13 countries. What did it feel like to win?…

Haley Schwarz says the hardest part of running a 100-mile ultra-marathon race is the mental challenge. “I can push my body to the max for a 4-hour marathon, but for long-distance running it’s more about the stamina,” she said. “I’m…

A lot went wrong for John Abbott on June 19, 2016. But a lot went right, too. He and his father-in-law were sightseeing in a 1942 Texan T-6 airplane, flying above a farm on the Osage River near Henley, Missouri, when the plane’s engines…

Gene Patterson of Jefferson City knows what it’s like to roll with the big ones. When he gets behind the wheel of a 12,000-pound, 10-foot tall, 1,000-horsepower truck, “It’s all about freedom,” he said. Bigfoot trucks sit on tires that are…

Leslie Bradshaw-Dingell comes from a family of racers, so it’s no wonder she drove in her first powder puff derby at the age of 15 and went on to build her first car soon afterward. It was a Ford Torino and she won first place. “I never…

On February 19, 2017, the Missouri women’s basketball team was up against sixth-ranked South Carolina to clinch a spot among the SEC’s top four. The teams were evenly matched, trading leads throughout the game. With 1:24 left in the game,…

There’s no denying that brunch is a popular favorite, but you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home to enjoy a delicious spread with family and friends. Enjoy this weekend luxury every day and bring brunch home with premium…

For most of us, our county fairs happen in the summer. But in our house, they’re year around affairs. You see, my husband, Bob, spends all winter and spring testing recipes for cookies, so that he can win baking competitions. So far, he’s…

Photos by L.G. Patterson After 86 years of experiencing life, most of those spent as a Ph.D. entomologist, Richard has developed an extensive understanding of monarch butterflies and a commitment to making a place for them in the world. At…

“I’m either really stupid or I’m really smart,” she says. Her name is Becky. She’s one of several retired women of a certain age at the table. “My life was planned. Now it just happens.” Women who decided, for reasons of their own, it…

A couple months ago, I started dating a man I met at a local coffee shop. The problem is my family and friends do not really like him, especially my daughters. Everyone thinks I am too accepting of his behavior because I haven’t dated much…