NEIGHBORHOOD - STRAWBERRY HILL FOREVER

WITH ARTIST LAEDAN GALICIA, AKA DINKC, AS YOUR GUIDE, EXPLORE THE COFFEE SHOPS, DIVE BARS AND DIVERSE EATS OF THIS HISTORIC POCKET OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

- LAEDAN GALICIA

In a part of Kansas City, Kansas, where wild strawberries once grew and Croatian flags still fly, Laedan Galicia brings a new perspective. The son of Mexican parents, Galicia grew up on 6th Street, the commercial artery of an 1800s neighborhood known as Strawberry Hill. After working stints in New York and Denver, Galicia recently returned home with his wife and daughter-and moved into the house where he was raised. "Strawberry Hill has always carried a special place in my heart," he says.

Hilly but walkable, the area has a comfortable vibe. Churches founded by Croats, Slovaks and Irish anchor every corner, and century-old, look-alike houses line up wall-to-wall along streets.

Last summer, Galicia-who signs his artwork DINKC-opened a studio of the same name on 6th Street, where he sells skullthemed Day of the Dead artwork and merchandise, paints murals, and hosts workshops. He's also involved in the neighborhood's Third Friday Art Walk, which happens May through October.