EDITOR’S RANT

REALITY SHOW DOESN’T SHOW OUR BEST SIDE — Admittedly I am not a big fan of reality shows on TV like any belonging to the “Housewife” franchise or “The Bachelor.” OK, I do watch a little “Dancing with the Stars” and occasionally the Kardashians. My curiosity was peaked last week when I saw a JTA article about a new show on Bravo, “Princesses: Long Island” and I had to check it out. All five “stars” of the show are single Jewish women in their mid to late 20s who live on Long Island, N.Y. These women made me cringe. One — Ashley — was proud to call herself Jewish, American and a princess. That description is generally not complimentary. In my opinion they all acted despicably, including one girl’s mother, at one time or another during the one-hour show. Of course it is produced by Jewish people as well. In this case, and others, I often believe we are our own worst enemy!

JEWISH FOOD WRITER TO APPEAR HERE — Food and cooking writer Mark Bittman will be the keynote speaker for the Urban Grown Farms and Gardens Tour hosted by Cultivate Kansas City. He will deliver his keynote speech, “The Future of Food,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at Unity Temple on the Plaza. Bittman, whose “Minimalist” column ran in the Dining section of the New York Times for more than 13 years, is a Times Opinion columnist, the lead food writer for the Times Magazine, a columnist for the Times Dining section and regular appears on the “Today” show. His books include the bestselling “How to Cook Everything” and the groundbreaking “Food Matters,” which explores the crucial connections among food, health, and the environment, and provides tangible guidance for Americans rethinking their diets. To learn more or to purchase tickets, visit www.cultivatekc.org.

2013 ART OF THE CAR CONCOURS — Fans of sleek design and classic vehicles will enjoy the best of both worlds Sunday, June 23, when the Seventh Annual Art of the Car Concours® is held on the picturesque lawn of the Kansas City Art Institute. More than 200 rare and special-interest vehicles from around the world — including cars, trucks, race cars and motorcycles — will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds from the show will benefit scholarships at the four-year school of art and design, which was founded in 1885 and just graduated its largest-ever senior class.

For several years, Barbara Krug and her late husband, Sandy, displayed a crowd-favorite 1938 MGTA Tickford Coup, one of perhaps only 350 ever made, at the request of Marshall Miller, event founder and chairman.

“This is the quality that visitors can expect to see,” Barbara Krug said. “It’s a one-of-a-kind show, with cars from all over the United States and Europe, owned by collectors who are well-known and passionate about their cars. It’s rare to see such variety and quality in one place,” she continued.

The show will feature more than 30 exhibitors, as selected by event attendees and created by KCAI students, alumni and sponsors.

A special opportunity for youths ageSeparately, a special Saturday event will feature Stirling Moss, the most famous racecar driver of his era. From 1948 to 1962, he won 212 of the 529 races he entered, including 16 Formula One Grand Prix races.

Tickets for the Sunday Concours are $12 online or $15 at the gate. Children 10 and under are admitted free. Free parking with complementary shuttle service is available at the new UMKC parking garage at 50th and Oak Streets, and paid parking is available at the Nelson-Atkins garage adjacent to the Concours grounds. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit www.artoftheconcours.com.