Wichitan’s pride, curiosity come through in ‘100 Things to Do in Wichita Before You Die’

Although she’s a Wichita native, Vanessa Whiteside likes to treat outings in her hometown as if she were on a trip to an out-of-town destination: looking for new things, asking her server what they like to eat from the menu, talking to business owners and more.

Whiteside’s curious nature and her unabashed pride in the city come through in her “100 Things to Do in Wichita Before You Die” book, which will be released May 15. The book is being published by St. Louis-based Reedy Press, which last fall released the “100 Things to Do in Kansas Before You Die” book.

She wasn’t always that Wichita-centric, the 46-year-old Whiteside admits in the book’s preface. As a teen she wanted to move away, which she did while getting a journalism degree at The University of Kansas in Lawrence and then working for a few years in Colorado. But she returned and “didn’t just fall in love with Wichita, I fell head over heels for it,” she said in the preface.

Before writing the book, which in another interview she called a love letter to her hometown, Whiteside had already been sharing some of her favorite places in Wichita through some stories she wrote as part of The Wichita Eagle’s dining panel several years ago and through her travel blog and Facebook page, One Delightful Life.

Relying heavily on her own experiences and her innate curiosity, Whiteside has compiled a list of what she feels reflects Wichita at its best to include in the book, which features the Beachner Grain Elevator mural on the cover. The mural is the largest in the world painted by a single artist.

“I feel like the places and experiences in the book represent the heart of our city. If you remove those places from our city, it would be a completely different city,” Whiteside said.” So I felt pretty good about the ones I put in there. I think when I went out and did more research, and I was talking to restaurant owners or a waitress or a docent at a museum or a vendor or whomever, I felt like, ‘yeah, they’re validating your instincts of what to put in the book.’”

Having lived in north, west and east Wichita, she also tried to ensure she included locations and things to do in all four quadrants of the city.

Reedy Press’ “100 Things” books are divided into five categories: food and drink, music and entertainment, sports and recreation, culture and history, and shopping and fashion.

In such a food-centric town as Wichita, the book lists 28 places for gastronomical adventures, including such well-established favorites as NuWay and Old Mill Tasty Shop to more current options of Peace, Love and Pie, and the Belmont. Jenny Dawn Cellars, Wichita’s urban winery that was among the “100 Things to Do in Kansas Before You Die” listings, is included in Whiteside’s book as well.

In listing options, Whiteside often mixes longtime institutions with newer ventures, by including places like Watermark Books, Hatman Jack’s, Nifty Nut House and Grate Fill. Major museums and attractions all get a listing, but Whiteside has included some lesser-known information that readers might not be aware of — like an immersive experience available in the old air traffic control tower at Wichita’s original municipal airport that is now the Kansas Aviation Museum.

The music and entertainment section includes events such as trick-or-treating in College Hill or going to the longtime Wagonmasters Downtown Chili Cookoff, where Whiteside was once crowned Miss Chili Cookoff Queen.

It happened when she was 5 years old and her mother, who was part of a cookoff team, jokingly put an apron and sombrero on her and had her walk the runway with the adult women competing for the crown, sash, a ride in a white convertible and several free margaritas.

“I clearly couldn’t drink those, but I did ride around in the convertible and I was encouraged to throw jalapenos at the crowd,” Whiteside said.

“100 Things” authors tend to include fun facts, don’t-miss tips or callouts to similar businesses or venues. In her book, Whiteside notes that the bathroom of one Wichita restaurant (no spoiler is being given) features tiles from a bank John Dillinger robbed. Tips include where to find a stellar outdoor photoshoot spot at Great Plains Nature Center and how to efficiently schedule tee times at any Wichita golf course.

The book also has suggested themed itineraries and things to do seasonally.

Whiteside is optimistic that anyone from a longtime native to a weeklong visitor to a transplant will find something that will capture their curiosity, just like Wichita has captured hers.

As part of her marketing for the book, Whiteside has set up a Facebook page, facebook.com/100ThingsWichita, where she’s continued writing about Wichita attractions and provides some expanded information or updates about the places in her book. On a recent rainy afternoon, for example, she visited The Spice Merchant, which is No. 99 in the book, and posted about its tea shop, which wasn’t mentioned in the book.

The $17 book will be available wherever books are sold, according to Reedy Press. Several retail locations and gift shops in places mentioned in the book will also carry the book, Whiteside said.

The book will be available to purchase at the dozen or so book signings Whiteside has scheduled starting June 11 and running through August. Her June 15 signing at the Pizza Hut Museum will coincide with the anniversary of when the first Pizza Hut opened. The museum on the Wichita State campus is housed in the original Pizza Hut building that was relocated to the campus,

Whiteside is hoping those who attend her book signings will share some tips and ideas about their favorite places in Wichita.

“Come support a local author so I can write more about our awesome city,” said Whiteside, who already is compiling ideas for a possible follow-up book.

For a listing of the book signings, visit facebook.com/100ThingsWichita/events.

This story was originally published May 15, 2022 at 3:27 AM.