Celebrate the graduate in your life with a special gift from the Village at Briarcliff. With a variety of unique shops, you’ll be sure to discover the perfect present to honor your grad’s success. Read on for a list of great gift ideas for your favorite high school or college graduate.
KC Computer Support: Tech Gift
We live in a digital age, and laptops are the perfect gift to help your recent grad as they start a new job or move on to other educational endeavors. A quality laptop from KC Computer Support will be a vital tool for your grad’s future.
Design in the City | Finishings for Her: Professional Wardrobe
The days of hoodies and sweatpants in class are over. Prepare your grad for the real world and give them the gift of stylish, professional attire. Explore Design in the City or Finishings for Her for the latest fashions and a variety of perfect accents, including: handbags, shoes, statement jewelry and more.
Nell Hill’s: Home Décor
With a graduation comes a lot of new changes for a graduate, including a new place to live. Help make your grad’s new space feel like home with gorgeous home furnishings from Nell Hill’s. Choose from beautiful furniture, wall décor, lighting and other home accents.
The Spa at Briarcliff: Massage
The graduate in your life survived finals and is due for a moment of relaxation. Pamper him or her with a massage at the Spa at Briarcliff. A massage therapist will custom tailor your grad’s rejuvenating experience to reduce tension and sooth sore muscles.
Made in KC: Hometown Gift
Help your grad remember their hometown wherever they go with a present created right here in KC. All merchandise at Made in KC is curated from over 50 local creators and makers in the Kansas City area. Choose from a variety of Kansas City-themed gifts, including: mugs, tees, wall art, coasters and more.
Wondering how to mix up your Mother’s Day routine this year? Visit the Village at Briarcliff to treat her right! Read on for some fun ways to celebrate Mother’s Day at your Village:
Spa Day
Where to Go: Rajeunir Medical Spa, The Spa at Briarcliff
Pamper your mom with a special day of relaxation. A massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, or body treatment will leave her relaxed, refreshed, and rejuvenated. She deserves to look and feel her best.
Shopping Trip
Where to Go: Design in The City, Finishings for Her, The Foot Spot, Made in KC, Nell Hill’s
Don’t know exactly what to get your mom? Take her on a shopping trip! Treat mom to her choice of fashionable items, including: clothing, purses, jewelry and more! You will find the perfect gift and spend quality time together.
Bon Appetit
Where to Go: Jose Peppers, PhillyTime, Piropos, Trezo Mare
Celebrate mom by taking her out for a delicious brunch, lunch or dinner. She will enjoy the variety of restaurants at the Village. From peppercorn beef filets to chicken enchiladas, your Mom will sure be delighted with the great menu selections.
Get Moving
Where to Go: 9Round, Foundation Fitness
If you’re looking for something unique to do with your mom this Mother’s Day, head to the gym. Working out together is a fun way to bond and encourage one another to get healthy. Then after a great workout, reward your hard work!
Sip and Paint
Where to Go: Pinot’s Palette
Get creative and treat mom to a fun afternoon of painting. She can select a special Mother’s Day painting to recreate and leave with her own hand-painted masterpiece. Together you can paint, drink and unleash your inner artists.
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In conjunction with Briarcliff Development, The Village at Briarcliff will be selling t-shirts to support Feed Northland Kids. Each shirt cost $20.00 and will go directly to the Feed Northland Kids organization. The t-shirts are being sold at select Village at Briarcliff merchants or you can click the link below to order online.
With the victory of the 2015 World Series and the new season underway, the Kansas City Royals’ pride isn’t going anywhere. Made in KC knows how to show off this loyalty right, giving Royals fans everywhere something to cheer about.
Made in KC is the ultimate boutique at the Village at Briarcliff that helps fans celebrate the Boys in Blue from head to toe. From Royals socks to shirts to onesies and everything in between, all merchandise is curated from over fifty local creators and makers in the Kansas City area.
These local artists create a sense of unity among Royals fans, and foster a shared commitment to Kansas City as a community. The Made in KC creators not only produce pieces Royals fans connect to emotionally, but fashionable items that are go-to pieces in their wardrobes.
Visit Made in KC to see how you can support and celebrate your favorite city and its baseball team for the world to see. Let’s Go, Royals!
Spring is the season of fresh starts and new beginnings, so what better time to declutter your closet for a refreshed wardrobe? Plus, a cleaner closet means more room for the latest fashions from the Village at Briarcliff. Ahead are some easy steps to help you move fashion-forward with your spring cleaning.
1. Prep
Before you touch your closet, make sure to start with a stress-free environment. A clean room creates a workspace ideal for organization and decision-making. To make the purge more fun, turn up the music. Music always makes tasks more enjoyable and can actually help you get done faster.
2. Evaluate
Carefully remove items from your closet and divide them into categories (i.e. shirts, pants, etc.). Viewing the items laid out and separated into categories allows you to see the surplus, or even what you’re lacking, in your wardrobe.
3. Decide
Now that you see what you’re working with, it’s time to get real. If you haven’t worn any of these pieces in a year–there’s a reason. Don’t let history repeat itself. It’s time to let go. If you’re stuck, invite a friend over who will be honest with you and help you with your decision.
4. Dispose
Once you’ve said your goodbyes, organize your unwanted items into three categories: donate, sell and recycle. It’s easier to let go of your clothing when you know someone else will be able to use it. And in some cases, you may even be able to get a few bucks in return! If the garments aren’t usable, textile recycling centers will recycle and reuse your clothing.
5. Reward
Now take a step back and admire your hard work. You’ve simplified, donated, earned and bettered the environment. Now go treat yourself at the Village at Briarcliff!
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With over 13 years of experience, Top Cleaners is Briarcliff’s premiere dry cleaning, alteration and tailoring provider. Top Cleaners was established by Judy Hwang and Kyu Hwan Hwang in May 2003, in Parkville, Missouri. In March 2015, the Hwangs opened a second location at the Village at Briarcliff.
“Briarcliff possesses a beautiful scenery and atmosphere and makes it convenient for people to receive services for their clothing.” – Judy Hwang, Owner
Top Cleaners provides Briarcliff’s customers with high-quality clothing and fabric cleaning services. Each garment receives unique, special care. Top Cleaners guarantees proper cleaning, and, If necessary, provides simple repairs or alterations to achieve the perfect fit. In addition to your wardrobe favorites, Top Cleaners also provides rug and leather cleaning. Each cleaned, repaired, or altered piece is carefully placed in express bags for easy management. If you are unable to pick-up your items, Top Cleaners offers delivery services as well.
Top Cleaners prides themselves in providing great service to all of their clients. Their customers’ satisfaction is most important, and is shown by their top-level attention and care.
Call (816) 541-4416 to learn about Top Cleaners’ discounts today!
Comments Off on Get Spring Break Ready at Your Village
Can you believe spring break is almost here? Some of us may be planning to binge-watch Netflix for an entire week, but for those of us heading to a tropical paradise–we need to get down to some serious beauty business.
As we emerge from the dark winter months and step into the sunshine, we can hide our unkept selves no longer. Luckily, the Village at Briarcliff is here to rescue your winter-parched hair and skin, leaving you refreshed, rejuvenated and ready for spring break.
Eclektica Salon will save your hair from the harsh winter winds and dry indoor heat. A trim styled uniquely for you will bring your hair back to life. They can even add sunny highlights to bring out your bright side! Keep your locks fresh and conditioned through spring break with one of Eclektica’s conditioning treatments formulated specifically for your hair type. Make an appointment today at eclekticasalon.com.
Strengthen winter-weary nails with a manicure and pedicure at The Spa at Briarcliff. Each treatment includes an aromatic soak, exfoliation scrub, mask, hot towels, nail filing, cuticle care, callus removal, moisturizing massage and your choice of polish–the perfect accessory to any outfit. Visit thespaatbriarcliff.com to learn how you can get your hands and feet beach-ready today.
As you switch out your winter coat for a teeny bikini, Rajeunir Medical Spa’s IPL Hair Removal procedure will help rid you of your exposed and unwanted hair. IPL Hair Removal makes the elimination of unwanted hair quick, gentle and long-lasting. This month, take advantage of $50 off any treatment at Rajeunir Medical Spa–just in time for spring break. Details at rmedspa.com.
At Pinot’s Palette, anyone can be an artist. Just ask the wine–or whatever drink you plan to bring.
Since August 2015, Pinot’s Palette has been the upscale destination at Briarcliff Village where you can paint, drink and have fun. No matter your age or experience level, Pinot’s Palette brings out the creative artist in you.
As you sip on your favorite beverage, Pinot’s Palette’s team of talented artists take you step-by-step through a canvas painting, helping you create your own masterpiece in just a few hours.
Pinot’s Palette makes any occasion unique and memorable. The studio has two rooms available for events. The Plaza Room is an intimate venue that seats up to 16 painters, and the Main Studio can accommodate up to 48 painters. Pinot’s Palette hosts a variety of events, such as: corporate team builders, birthday parties, bachelorette parties, kids’ parties, Girl Scout parties or anniversaries.
“We’ve had several great experiences…we held our fundraiser last October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” says owner, Elizabeth Nelson. “Customers personalized their paintings with loved ones who had passed from breast cancer. It was moving and very special.”
Pinot’s Palette is locally owned and committed to giving back to the community. Since its opening, Pinot’s Palette has held several fundraisers benefitting: Make a Wish, Pianos on Parade, Unleashed Pet Rescue and the KU Breast Cancer Prevention Center. Pinot’s Palette continues to “Paint it Forward” and make a difference in Kansas City.
February 14th, the day of love. What could possibly be a better representation of love than a naked flying baby? Anything. Show your valentine how much you love them this year by planning a beautiful night together. There are so many ways to show you love someone, whether it’s been 50 years or just a few months, romance is always appreciated. What’s the best Valentine’s date you’ve ever had?
Here’s a little secret, gentlemen: Most women don’t need the biggest teddy bear in the store or the biggest arrangement of roses or even the biggest box of chocolates – however those are appreciated and icing on the cake. Honestly, we end up eating the entire box of chocolate except for those coconut ones None of that is what makes the best Valentine’s Day date. It’s being with our partner. Something simple like dinner by candle light from her favorite restaurant that you went to once. A single or bouquet of her favorite flowers, in her favorite color. We aren’t difficult when it comes to our hearts.
Women want to know they matter and are special to someone who’s special to them. Pay attention to her throughout the year and learn the little things about her. It makes Valentine’s, her birthday, Christmas, and anniversaries so much easier. Do whatever she wants for the day and night without any complaining. Do something with her like paint beautiful works of art while sipping on wine at Pinot’s Palette. Make her a gift, there is something about hand-made gifts that mean the most to women. Another great gift would be a day at the Spa at Briarcliff. Take her to get beautiful home decor at Nell Hill’s. Pamper her all day and then deliver a quiet night at home. Make it a little cooler in the house and get an extra soft blanket to share.
Ladies, guys aren’t hard to please on Valentine’s day either. Buy him his favorite Kansas City team gear made locally from Made in KC. The store is full of fan apparel he’ll love to wear. Don’t have a Kansas City sports fan? Not to worry, Made in KC has a lot of fun, locally made items like graphic t-shirts and sweatshirts. They have coasters and socks, hats and much more. Guys carry a lot of stress, whether they admit it or not, a day at the Spa at Briarcliff would be a great gift. Get a couples massage and help ease his nerves. Plus, it’s a nice thing to do as a couple: relax.
There is a lot to do on Valentine’s day and while each relationship is different, just like each valentine is unique, here are some ideas about a fun intimate date. Be safe and smart, love is in the air and at the Village at Briarcliff. It’s your village.
*Put up a sheet against the wall and rent or buy a projector. Pop some popcorn, light a few candles, lay pillows on the floor with a single soft blanket (encourages closeness). Watch his/her favorite movie, even if you don’t like it.
*Make their favorite meal served with their favorite beverage and share their favorite dessert.
*Deck out the house in candles and petals and place a bow on a new puppy. Best Valentine’s gift…might be a personal choice.
*Pick out a dress or suit for the special night out and your dinner reservations at Trezo Mare or Piropo’s. Leave them a handwritten note with the least amount of information as to not spoil the surprise. Leave a single flower laying on the card on the selected clothes.
*Go bowling and have ice cream. Go to a bar/arcade and have fun being care-free.
*Do something they mentioned would be fun but never thought they would have time for; it shows you were listening and you made their wish come true.
*Don’t propose. It seems like a good idea but it’s a cliche, do it the 15th!
*Watch the season premiere of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. British comedian with good points and little tact. Perfect for TV!
*Get creative. They like/love you for you so just do what is true to who they fell for, it’ll be nice to fall all over again.
*Favorite* Recreate the first date, the first time you saw them, where you first knew you were in love, or when you first met. This is incredibly sweet and romantic. You’ll rule Valentine’s Day.
Just be together and be happy to love and be loved every day. Happy Valentine’s Day!
February is a big month for relationships. However, the rivalry is at it’s highest for two teams and their fans. That’s right, it’s Super Bowl 50! Being from Kansas City, it would have been amazing to see the Chiefs play in another Super Bowl because it would mean Kansas City would have been part of the first and 50th Super Bowls. Oh well, just like the Royals, we have unfinished business in the post-season.
For all of you not interested in football, this is a big deal to football fanatics. I’m talking about the tailgaters, rain or shine, hot or cold, home or away fans and the fans who never miss a game all season. Football is a part of the United States as much as eating cheeseburgers and chicken wings; which are great foods to serve during a Super Bowl party. The food is always great (although unhealthy most of the time) and the drinks are cold, this is the party of the year–second to New Year’s Eve. GreenAcres Market offers great food that is definitely delicious and healthy alternatives to traditional Super Bowl snacks.
What to expect when you’re invited to the party:
Lots of food! Delicious dishes!
Cold beer and soda. Lately, outside temperatures are more sufficient to freeze those drinks quickly and keep them cold all night.
Music variety. The party starts before the game does so get there early and have a jam session!
Football pools/betting and wages. It’s not gambling, it’s just making a wager about certain aspects of the game to happen and if you guess the most correct then you win money or bragging rights.
Lots of shouting. The game gets intense and so do the viewers, so be prepared to hear some choice words and loud noises.
The commercials can be a lot of entertainment during the game, but the last few years only a handful of commercials are outstanding and awesome. Budweiser clydesdale horses and puppy. Awe! One of the questions on a standard Super Bowl pool is what will the first commercial after kickoff be? Car. Alcohol. Soda (Pepsi). or Food. Some ask if there will be an animal or half naked lady in the commercial.
Half-time performance: who are the special appearances going to be? Is it entertaining or did “left shark” steal the show again? This year Coldplay is the main performer, after taking a long break from music, returning, first to the American Music Awards and now the biggest stage of all. Coldplay’s biggest hits are Paradise, Fix You, Viva La Vida, The Scientist, and Princess of China (with Rihanna). Likely to make an appearance will be by Rihanna to perform their song together. Prepare yourselves for gorillas instead of sharks as backup dancers this year. For reference, watch Coldplay’s performance on the AMA’s this year.
Not all the fun is just watching television, belly up to the food table for quite the delicious spread. If you are on a diet, do not have a single cheat (not a fan of‘cheat’ so let’s call it ‘pleasure’) day between now and game day because you’ll want that day to be the best pleasure day. Seven layered bean dip, meatballs, chili-typically more than one, sweets, chips, you name it I’m sure you could find it.
Don’t worry about researching the two teams, here’s a quick look of the two teams fighting for the championship title and ring. Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers go head-to-head with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos February 7, 2016 at 5:30 pm on CBS. This will Carolina’s second trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history, whereas Denver will be playing in their 8th in franchise history. The game is said to be “old school vs new school.”
Cam Newton is in his third year as Panthers’ quarterback. First round draft pick out of Auburn by Carolina, Newton looks to become a name amongst the elite to win a college national title and a Super Bowl. The list contains Joe Montana and Joe Namath, the only two to have ever accomplished such a feat. Panthers’ season started undefeated in the first 14 games of regular season, only having lost to the Atlanta Falcons by one touchdown. Newton is not the only threat on the Panther offense. Running back Jonathan Stewart has had more than 240 rushing attempts in the regular season going for nearly 1,000 yards. The second highest rusher by yards and attempts is Cam Newton. Newton’s ability to run and take hits other quarterbacks can’t makes him a major threat to Denver’s defense. Newton is a large quarterback standing at 6’5” and 250 lbs. Newton’s arm is strong and accurate, resulting in his longest completed pass of 74 yards. His favorite receiver is Greg Olsen. Olsen has 1,000 plus yards in regular season games and 7 touchdowns. Ted Ginn Jr. grabbed 10 touchdown receptions without having had a fumble this season.
Carolina has a strong defense, evident in their win against Arizona Cardinals in the National League Divisional Championship game. Leading the team in sacks, Kawann Short has 11 sacks during regular while teammate, Kurt Coleman has 7 interceptions. Thomas Davis has 4 forced fumbles helping the team’s total of 15 fumble recoveries. The single player with the highest total of points in the 2015 regular season is kicker Graham Gano with 30 field goals and 56 extra points.
Denver is the old in the discussion because of their leading man, Peyton Manning. Although Manning is back in the starting position, his backup quarterback has one more touchdowns, 11 less interceptions, and higher percentage of completed passes. Manning was sidelined for several weeks for a foot injury. Although the receivers don’t get the praise from the press, the Bronco’s have multiple “sure hands.” Demaryius Thomas has 6 touchdowns with 105 receptions for over 1,300 yards in the regular season. Tied with Thomas’s touchdown receptions is Emmanuel Sanders with76 reception totaling over 1,100 yards. Thomas and Sanders have had fumbles less than 3 in the regular season. With a strong offense comes an even stronger defense. Said to be the number one defense in the NFL, Denver relies heavily on Von Miller, Derek Wolfe, and DeMarcus Ware to stop the throws to not be a threat. Miller has a team high of 11 sacks while Ware has 7.5 sacks and Wolfe has 5.5 sacks. The secondary defense is led by Danny Trevathan, Brandon Marshall, and Chris Harris Jr.. Aqib Talib has 3 interceptions, while Shaquil Barrett has 5 forced fumbles.
Manning is a traditional pocket passer, meaning if Carolina can force him to run, he’s not as accurate. Manning is not a running quarterback and will take a sack before he tries to run the ball. He relies on his routine: snap, step back in the pocket, wait a few seconds for his receivers to get down field, and launch a pass on target. If Carolina is able to reach him before the couple seconds he needs to set and throw, Manning is more likely to throw interceptions or take sacks. Get to his feet and he’ll play safe, taking short passing instead of the long throws to avoid possible hits.
Newton, on the other hand, is a rushing quarterback. This allows him to run outside the pocket and get first downs, even in man coverage on his wide receivers. This makes Newton and the Panther’s offense a slightly larger threat to the Denver’s defense. This allows for pass option plays. Decieting the defensive line into a hand off run or a short pass in order for a clear field for Newton to run. The younger quarterbacks learn these option plays and that of “wildcat” plays to keep the defense guessing, making it harder to defend every play. Although Newton is a rushing quarterback, that does not mean he wouldn’t prefer to stand in the pocket and throw down field because he has the power and accuracy to make a slip in the secondary defense pay for a long yardage completion.
Who will win? Will old school Manning and the Denver Broncos beat the new school Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers? Will the rushing quarterback make a difference? Will experience exceed over young talent? Or will the collegiate champion show the old dog new tricks? Only time will tell but the game should be a fun and interesting contest…at least for the first few possessions. So, sit back and enjoy the time with friends, family and food.
