So THIS Happened...

Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle

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“So THIS Happened…” is the podcast version of catching up with your most unfiltered friend over wine. Each week, Jen and Rachel dive into personal mishaps, past memories, local happenings, weird habits, and whatever else pops up — including the occasional celebrity headline we just have to talk about. It’s casual, it’s chaotic, and it’s all real.

1d ago · Video

Episode 63 : Turn Your Burner Down

Send us Fan Mail Chef Audra Bell of NICHE, the National Institute for Culinary and Hospitality Education at WSU Tech, joins Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle on So THIS Happened, the Wichita podcast for real talk and local culture. Her hands-on evening cooking classes in downtown Wichita are open to anyone. No application, no culinary background, nothing to prove. Recorded inside the brand-new WSU Tech Multimedia Studio, this episode covers the five French mother sauces, the knife mistakes Chef Audra spots in the first ten minutes of every class, and the one kitchen tip that would save most failed dinners: turn your burner down. 🎲 THIS OR THAT: KITCHEN EDITION Fresh blood in the This or That chair! A few highlights: - Follow the recipe or wing it? Chef Audra: "Recipes are suggestions." (Baking is a different story.) - Sweet or savory? Savory all around. Chef Audra measures with her heart, Jen brought up buffalo sauce and Chiefs game-day chili, and Rachel would rather have a glass of wine for dessert. - Cooking for a crowd or for one? The chef feeds everyone, including the random teenagers at the door. Rachel champions girl dinner (pickled okra, goat cheese, Project Runway). - Cooking show binge or in-person class? Chef Audra can't watch without critiquing ("there's no way that cooked in 45 minutes"), but Nailed It gets a pass. 🏛️ INSIDE NICHE: CULINARY SCHOOL BOOT CAMP NICHE lives in the historic Henry's building at 124 S. Broadway in downtown Wichita, with a student-run restaurant, a food hall and a coffee spot. The public classes run like a culinary school boot camp: you get an apron, tie your hair back, set up your station and learn the how and why behind every step, just like the full-time students do. Chef Audra also talked about "chaos management": staying calm when your skillet is literally on fire, and why the skills you learn in a kitchen carry over into the rest of your life. Plus, the husband-and-wife class that turned into marriage counseling. 😂 🔥 CHEF AUDRA'S HOT TIP "Eight times out of 10, on the stovetop, a dish fails because their burner's too hot. Just turn it down." Your knob has 10 settings. Use them. 🥄 THE FIVE MOTHER SAUCES, DEMYSTIFIED Master these five bases and you can make almost anything: - Béchamel: your white sauce, the start of mac and cheese and white gravy - Tomato: we all know this one - Espagnole: not tomato! A rich brown sauce, think brown gravy - Hollandaise: egg tempering and all the butter - Velouté: "a white sauce and a brown sauce had a baby" (another chef would kill her for saying that) If you only learn one, make it béchamel. Biscuits and gravy, mac and cheese, lasagna: "there's 100,000 different ways you can spin it." The class dish that surprises people most is the humble vinaigrette. Four pantry ingredients, impossible to mess up, and "champagne vinaigrette" sounds very fancy. 🥂 🔪 KNIFE SKILLS: JUST ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO BE DANGEROUS The first thing Chef Audra notices in any class is how people hold a knife. Grip it with your knuckles wrapped and your thumb in the groove, no finger on top of the blade, and definitely no choking up on it like a bat. (Yes, there's a red Sharpie involved.) Her advice if you only take one class this fall: start with Knife Skills. "That's half the reason people won't cook." Once you know how to hold a knife and which one to use, cooking stops feeling intimidating. And you still cook and eat a full dish in class. 👩‍🍳 OPEN TO ANYONE. SERIOUSLY. Chef Audra has taught 12-year-olds alongside their parents and an 80-something guest who was "chopping circles around everybody." Skill levels get paired up, from home cooks to people who "use their oven to store sweaters." The twist: no recipes during class. Everything is prepped mise en place style, the whole room cooks at the same pace by sight, smell and sound, and you get the recipes at the end to take home. 📅 UPCOMING CLASSES AT NICHE Thursdays, 6:30–8:30 PM | 124 S. Broadway, downtown Wichita - Knife Skills ($80): Thursday, October 15 and Thursday, November 19 - Culinary Foundations: Kitchen Mastery & Modern Sauces ($85): Thursday, November 5 Register at gettrained.wsutech.edu. No application, just pick a date. Seasonal classes run through December, with pies, French pastry and a holiday beef Wellington. 👯 PLANNING A GROUP NIGHT? NICHE also builds custom classes for girls' nights, date nights, coworker outings or a houseful of visiting family, from chicken fingers and mac and cheese all the way to beef Wellington and duchess potatoes. Reach out to NICHE with your dates, ideas and budget, and they'll build a class around your group. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to the ShockStarter studio + sponsors 02:00 This or That: Kitchen Edition 13:50 Walking into NICHE 16:30 Chaos management in a teaching kitchen 19:20 The marriage counseling cooking class 21:00 Why Chef Audra teaches 22:00 Hot tip: turn your burner down 23:15 What she notices in the first 10 minutes 25:15 The five mother sauces 27:20 Why vinaigrette surprises everyone 29:10 The one sauce to master: béchamel 30:50 Knife grip mistakes 34:05 Who takes these classes 36:00 Why there are no recipes in class 39:15 Girls' nights, date nights and control freaks 41:45 What changes from start to finish 43:40 How to sign up + group classes 47:15 Upcoming class dates 49:45 Wrap-up + sponsor thanks 🎙️ THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS Episode Sponsor: This episode was brought to you by ShockStarter, WSU Tech's student-powered creative agency. This episode was recorded and edited by their student team at the WSU Tech Multimedia Studio at WSU Tech South, a fully equipped production space with broadcast-grade microphones, professional lighting, video cameras and real soundproofing. It's available to rent by the hour, half day or full day, with rates starting at $60 an hour. Check availability: studentmarketing@wsutech.edu Sip Squad Sponsors: Vu Events @vueventplanning (it had to be Vu! 🥂), Colour Thairapy @colour_thairapy and Backspace Media @backspacemedia.ict. We love them, and we love that they love the Sip Squad. 📣 BEFORE YOU GO - Save the date: Sip Squad Session, Monday, November 30, 6:30 PM at Bubbles Champagne Bar, featuring Jovana & Tony of Vu Events - Merch is live: Uncorked & Slightly Unhinged and Pairs Well with Champagne & Caviar Bumps (10% of profits benefit Ballet Wichita 🩰): bonfire.com/champagne-amp-caviar-bumps 📲 FOLLOW ALONG Chef Audra Bell: @_audrab_ NICHE: @nichekansas WSU Tech: @wsutech ShockStarter: @shockstarter_ Vu Events: @vueventplanning Colour Thairapy: @colour_thairapy Backspace Media: @backspacemedia.ict So THIS Happened: @sothishappened_podcast So THIS Happened is Wichita's podcast for real talk, local culture, and the occasional Taylor Swift spiral. Hosted by Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle. New episodes drop weekly — find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Support the show
Oct 1 · Video

Episode 62 : A Place Where the Misfits Fit

Send us Fan Mail So THIS Happened is Wichita's podcast for real talk, local culture, and the occasional Taylor Swift spiral — and this week, hosts Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle traded their usual couch for a live audience at the B-29 DOC Hangar in Wichita, Kansas, for a special episode behind the curtain of Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show Wichita. Joining them: Jesse Bourque, Ryan Schafer, and Brent McNulty, the team bringing Rocky Horror Wichita to life this October — plus a surprise appearance from cast member Justin Noel Hall. This wasn't just an episode — it was a full Sip Squad takeover, recorded live in front of a crowd, with a lot of wine, a lot of laughs, and a genuine love letter to Tim Curry along the way. 🍷 This or That: Backstage Edition Before diving into the good stuff, the group played a few rounds of This or That, Rocky Horror style — and the answers said a lot about who's who on this production. - Opening night jitters or closing night nostalgia? Brent and Jesse both landed on closing night nostalgia; Ryan and Rachel went with opening night energy - Start from scratch or revive something beloved? A near-unanimous vote for reviving something beloved — with Rocky Horror as the obvious exception to Brent's usual "give me a blank slate" instinct - Behind-the-scenes chaos or front-of-house polish? Everyone on this stage is, by their own admission, a chaos lover — "chaos is my love language," according to Brent 📖 Jesse Bourque: The Origin Story Jesse Bourque is the person at the center of how Rocky Horror Wichita came to be. His Rocky Horror origin story starts at the Crown Uptown Theatre, where he saw his first production as a very confused Rocky Horror virgin (his words). What followed was years of costume contests, a viewing on Broadway, and a realization in 2026 that no one in Wichita was producing the show that year. So he called Brent McNulty. Brent's response? "Do you have the rights?" Jesse didn't yet — but that conversation is what got Rocky Horror Wichita moving. (He also may have forgotten to mention the commitment to his now-wife Annika for a few weeks. She found out, got on board anyway, and has since designed the entire Rocky Horror Wichita digital presence by hand — no AI involved.) Jesse's advice for first-timers going into the show: don't take yourself too seriously, dress in costume, get the after-party ticket, and remember you have exactly one job for the night — have a good time. 🎬 Ryan Schafer: The Director's Vision Ryan Schafer is directing this production — and he's played Brad himself, twice, at the Crown Uptown. That performer's-eye view is shaping how he directs now, from the comedy to the show's more heartfelt, unexpectedly sincere moments in the second act. Ryan's vision for the show: sexy, grungy, campy, funny, and welcoming — a space where people can be their truest selves without judgment. And this year's production carries an extra layer of meaning: it's a love letter to Tim Curry, whose performance made Rocky Horror what it is, following his passing this year. 🏗️ Brent McNulty: Turning a Hangar into a Theater Brent McNulty is running tech and production — which means turning the B-29 DOC Hangar (built to house a bomber, not a Broadway-style production) into a full immersive theater experience, complete with atmospheric lighting, cocktails, food, and a live band with zero prerecorded music or AI involved. Brent's also thinking long-term: this isn't a one-off. The goal is for the B-29 DOC Hangar to become the permanent home of Rocky Horror Wichita, growing bigger and bolder every year. Asked whether the show's motto — "Don't Dream It, Be It" — lands differently for him on the production side, Brent didn't hesitate: this has genuinely been a dream come true, and a chance to bring live theater into a hangar built to educate people about aviation history. 🎉 Surprise Guest: Justin Noel Hall Partway through the episode, cast member Justin Noel Hall — who plays Rocky himself — got pulled up for an impromptu chat. This is his first musical theater role (he's usually a musician in the pit), and he has Jesse Bourque to thank (or blame) for talking him into auditioning. His audition included a dance call cold-reading the Time Warp choreography with almost no prep. He survived. He's thriving. He plans to keep the gold shorts. 🎟️ Tickets, Dates & How to Go - Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show Wichita runs seven performances over six nights this October at the B-29 DOC Hangar - Snag 15% off Tier 1 and Tier 2 opening night tickets when you use code SPOOKYSIPSQUAD at checkout - A special midnight show is happening on Halloween night — perfect for parents who want to trick-or-treat first, then come see the show - The after-party "Haunted Hangar" dance party with the cast is happening October 30th - Blue Moon Catering is providing food, so guests can grab dinner, a drink, and a show all in one night Tickets and full show info: rockyhorrorwichita.com 📣 Before You Go - This episode was recorded live at the B-29 DOC Hangar in Wichita, Kansas — thank you to everyone who came out - Merch is live — Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged & Messy is My Polished (10% of profits go to Ballet Wichita) - Want to be a guest on the pod? We're always open — reach out! This episode is proudly sponsored by Vu Events ("It had to be Vu!"), Colour Thairapy, and Backspace Media. Thank you for making nights like this possible. So THIS Happened is Wichita's podcast for real talk, local culture, and the occasional Taylor Swift spiral. Hosted by Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle. New episodes drop weekly — find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Support the show
Sep 24 · Video

Episode 61 : Fair Words

Send us Fan Mail Episode 61 Show Notes — Fair Words Featuring Katy Munden Hays of Alegria Fair — recorded live at GROW Plant Bar So THIS Happened, Wichita's podcast for real talk and local culture, welcomed Katy Munden Hays of Alegria Fair to the mic for a live Sip Squad Session at GROW Plant Bar in downtown Wichita. Hosted by Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle, this episode covers Katy's rebrand — bringing her fair trade business and her cause-marketing, ethical storytelling work together under one name — and what it looks like to build a more intentional life right here in Wichita, Kansas. LIVE AT GROW: A SIP SQUAD SESSION This one was recorded live in front of a Sip Squad audience at GROW Plant Bar's beautiful lounge space in downtown Wichita. Big thanks to everyone who came out to sip, cheer, and be part of the conversation in person — and to everyone tuning in from home. MEET KATY MUNDEN HAYS OF ALEGRIA FAIR Katy Munden Hays has spent the last year rebranding, bringing her fair trade business and her marketing-for-good work together under one name: Alegria Fair — Global Goods + Cause Marketing. Here's what that means: - Fair trade global goods: ethically sourced home goods and gifts, including pieces made from upcycled sari fabric, sold through regular pop-ups and market booths around Wichita - Marketing, branding, and content writing for nonprofits and good causes - Ethical Storytelling Labs — teaching trauma-informed, dignity-centered storytelling to nonprofits and organizations around Wichita - Marketing for Good, a conference she hosted in April bringing together people doing similar work in the community - Event planning including the Women Empowered Market (March) and a Nonprofit Party in the spring On the personal side, Katy talked about what intentional living looks like day to day — purposeful spending, food choices, getting outside, and biking with her husband Rob on Wichita's trails and new Douglas Avenue bike lanes. FAIR WORDS: THE BIG IDEA The episode's title comes straight from the conversation: fair trade means people are treated and paid fairly — so Katy believes we owe people fair words too. That's the thread connecting her fair trade work and her push for ethical, dignity-centered storytelling in Wichita's nonprofit and cause-marketing spaces. WHERE TO FIND ALEGRIA FAIR Instagram & Facebook: @alegriafair Katy's personal account: @katymundenhays Website: https://www.createalegria.com/ Old Town Farm and Art Market — Saturdays, 8:00 AM–1:00 PM (10:00 AM–1:00 PM in November & December) Paramount Marketplace — Franklin & Woodlawn The Workroom — Ballroom Collective (upstairs) Alternative Gift Market — November 14 JOIN US FOR THE NEXT SIP SQUAD SESSION! Sip Squad Sessions: Featuring Jovana & Tony of Vu Events Bubbles Champagne Bar | November 30 | 6:30 PM | Free — just show up! Come sip with us! Our next Sip Squad Session heads to Bubbles Champagne Bar to sit down with Jovana and Tony of Vu Events, our longtime Sip Squad sponsor. Wichita, mark your calendars. THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS This episode's Sip Squad Session was brought to you by Vu Events (it had to be Vu!), Colour Thairapy Salon, and Backspace Media — with a huge thank-you to GROW Plant Bar for hosting us in downtown Wichita. So THIS Happened is Wichita's podcast for real talk, local culture, and the occasional Taylor Swift spiral. Hosted by Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle. New episodes drop weekly — find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Support the show
Sep 17 · Video

Episode 60 : Say Yes to Yourself First

Send us Fan Mail So THIS Happened is Wichita's podcast for real talk, real stories, and the occasional glass of wine — and this week Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle sat down with Kelly, owner of Bridely Boutique, a bridal boutique in Wichita, Kansas, built on one simple idea: buying your wedding dress should feel like an experience, not a transaction. 💍 Meet Kelly of Bridely Boutique After more than 30 years working in MRI and X-ray, Kelly took the leap and opened Bridely Boutique five years ago. Today it's one of Wichita's most beloved bridal boutiques, tucked into the historic Dockum Building at the corner of Douglas and Hillside — and it's picked up a Best of Wichita win nearly every year it's been open. ✨ The Leap Kelly spent months quietly researching the bridal industry before she told a single soul — not her husband, not her best friends, not her kids. What started as an idea she couldn't shake turned into a full business plan, a spreadsheet of every dress line in town, and eventually, the leap itself. She talks candidly about what it actually took to trust that instinct and go all in on an industry she'd never worked in. 👗 Say Yes to Yourself First The heart of this episode is the philosophy Kelly built Bridely around: the bride's opinion comes first. Literally — there are no mirrors in her dressing rooms, so a bride sees her own reaction to a dress before anyone else's opinion can shape it. Kelly, Jen, and Rachel dig into how that one small design choice changed everything about the shopping experience, and why 'how does this dress make you feel?' is the only question that really matters. 🥂 This or That Highlights Champagne while you shop, or besties-only opinions? Kelly's answer: champagne, every time (no liquor license required — mimosas beforehand work too) Classic and timeless, or trend of the moment? Kelly's a little bit of both — and yes, the basque waist is having a major moment right now Big group opinions or a tight, trusted circle? Kelly's take on managing dress-shopping entourages, big feelings, and second looks. 💼 Five Years, Real Talk Five years of hiring, inventory, and marketing have taught Kelly a lot about herself as a business owner — including the hardest lesson of all: kindness is not the same thing as weakness. She and the hosts get into the mistakes that felt awful in the moment (looking at you, two identical dresses from two different companies), the ones that turned into blessings, and why summers — not what you'd think — are actually the hardest season in bridal. 📣 Before You Go Find Bridely Boutique at bridelybrides.com or @bridelyboutique on Instagram and Facebook — 3200 East Douglas Avenue, at the corner of Douglas and Hillside in Wichita, Kansas Merch is live — Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged & Messy Is My Polished (10% of profits go to Ballet Wichita) This episode is brought to you by Vu Events (it had to be Vu!), Colour Thairapy, and Backspace Media — go show them some love Follow and subscribe on Spotify and YouTube so you never miss an episode So THIS happened. 🥂 So THIS Happened is Wichita's podcast for real talk, local culture, and the occasional Taylor Swift spiral. Hosted by Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle. New episodes drop weekly — find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Support the show
Sep 10 · Video

Episode 59 : Cool Girls Have Cool Jobs

Send us Fan Mail So THIS Happened is Wichita's podcast for real talk, local culture, and the occasional Taylor Swift spiral — and this week hosts Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle are back in the Wichita studio for the first time in Season 2 with an episode that starts silly and ends up somewhere real. It's a just-us episode built around a theme they're calling “The Leap” — and a Trend Decoder comeback that turns into one of the most personal conversations this Wichita podcast has had all season. 🎲 Trend Decoder Is Back! A fan-favorite segment returns from retirement: Jen feeds Rachel current Instagram/TikTok trends cold, and Rachel guesses what they actually mean before the reveal. “And for the lady…” — Rachel nails it on the first try (pampering, luscious experiences, treat-yourself energy) for a perfect score “Cool girls have cool jobs” — sends Rachel into an unforgettable teenage flashback involving a Domino's visor, an oversized T-shirt, and a pizza delivery to an ex-boyfriend's house that did not go smoothly. Bonus points awarded (a first!) for the tangent alone. 💼 The Leap Here's the real news: Jen involuntarily left the job she'd held for the last couple of years — and, in the same stretch, relaunched her own company, Backspace Media. Backspace Media isn't new. Jen originally launched it in 2016 as a solo Wichita social media agency, with early clients that included a block car service and pre-launch social media support for Jenny Dawn Sellers' now-beloved urban winery and tasting room. She even ran a weekly Facebook Live show, Backspace Live Happy Hour, out of the back of the Hopping Gnome. The original run wound down when Jen went back to a stable 9-to-5 during her divorce — a story she says is common for women business owners who lose benefits tied to a spouse. Now she's building it back, on her own terms, with real clients already on the books. Jen and Rachel get honest about what it actually feels like to lose the security of a steady paycheck — the fear of perception, the pull toward “stability” that's really just cultural conditioning, and why alignment (not just a paycheck) matters more than either of them expected. A huge piece of what's carried Jen through the last month: community. Shoutout to Sophii Jones and Marissa of Jupiter House, Hannah Crickman, Sherieka, and Jovana Vu of Vu Events for some of the most motivating conversations of the year. Also featured: Amy of Elijah's Baby Bucket List, who challenged Jen to pitch a brand every single day and now checks in weekly asking how many rejections she racked up — tough love, Wichita-style. 💇 Hair Dates 👉 Colour Thairapy Jen and Rachel both have appointments with Jennifer Short of Colour Thairapy this Friday — expect content. And the timing is perfect, because the very next day is Tea Fest at Napster with their friend Nicola, just across the street from the salon. 🍷 Small Sip: VinZant Wines A quick shoutout to VinZant Wines' rosé, picked up during a recent Bubbles run — filed away as an early, very cute idea for a future Valentine's Day gift. 🤝 The First (Almost) Disagreement A very low-stakes moment of confusion over the date of Rocky Horror on the Rocks becomes this week's proof that Jen and Rachel really can survive anything — spoiler, it did not, in fact, ruin the friendship. 🎶 Hits Different: “Ruin the Friendship” — Taylor Swift This week's pick is “Ruin the Friendship” from Life of a Showgirl — a song Rachel initially refused to even look up once she heard the title (“No, I won't do it”). Turns out it's not about them. Rachel's honest take: acoustic or full version, it's one of her least favorites on a pure listen — no shade, just not her vibe alone in the car. The conversation goes deeper from there: what it means to miss a moment with someone, the tension of loving someone who's already someone else's, and a real-life parallel from Jen's own middle school years. The song's actual backstory carries more weight than either of them expected going in — a story about loss, timing, and things left unsaid that reframes the whole episode's theme. The takeaway they land on: always answer the question. Do it anyway. Which, as it turns out, is exactly what Jen's been doing all along. 📣 Before You Go Merch is live — Messy Is My Polished & Pairs Well with Champagne and Caviar Bumps (10% of profits go to Ballet Wichita) Sip Squad Session — September 21 at GROW, featuring Katy Munden Hayes of Alegria Rocky Horror on the Rocks — September 27 at B-29 Doc Hangar, in partnership with Rocky Horror Wichita. Tickets on Eventbrite, ~$23 This episode is proudly supported by our Sip Squad sponsors: Vu Events, Colour Thairapy, and Backspace Media — we love you guys Follow and subscribe — Spotify & YouTube, so you never miss a moment So THIS Happened is Wichita's podcast for real talk, local culture, and the occasional Taylor Swift spiral. Hosted by Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle. New episodes drop weekly — find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Support the show
Sep 3 · Video

Episode 58 : Cultivate Wichita

Send us Fan Mail Cultivating Wichita So THIS Happened — Wichita's local culture and personal growth podcast, hosted by Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle — traded wine glasses for teacups this episode. Recorded live at Mulberry Gallery inside Revolutsia (the shipping-container creative hub on Central Ave), Jen and Rachel sat down with Naquela of Planted Tea Shop, a Wichita-based tea and herbal education business, to talk tea culture, community, and how to build a life around slowing down. 🍵 Meet Naquela of Planted Tea Shop Naquela moved back to Wichita from Thailand about five and a half years ago looking for a place to sit with a good cup of tea and get some work done — and couldn't find one. So she built it herself, starting with blending her own herbs and sharing them with curious friends. What started as pop-ups grew into educational workshops, a clinical herbalism education, and now Tea Fest — her biggest event yet. 🎲 This or That: Tea & Herbal Ritual Edition Herbally and tea-themed for the first time ever on the show. A few highlights: Loose leaf vs. tea bag — loose leaf won in a landslide (fewer chemicals, more surface area, and it's just prettier)Morning ritual vs. afternoon wind-down — Naquela leans morning, with something that has "a little bit of perk" in itHot brew vs. cold brew — depends entirely on the herb: roots need heat, mucilaginous herbs like slippery elm need coldJen may have been quietly outed as a bag-tea girl. We're not naming names. (We're naming names.) 🌱 Building Tea & Herbal Knowledge in Wichita Naquela's mission has always been education first — not just selling tea, but teaching people what it actually does. Her favorite surprising fact: lavender isn't just for aromatherapy, it's a genuine pain reliever, especially for cramps. Her biggest myth-buster for beginners: you don't need a 10-herb blend to get started. Pick one herb, learn how it makes you feel, and build from there. 🫖 Communi-Tea, Not Just Customers Naquela's newsletter is called Communi-tea (yes, the pun is fully intended), and it's where she shares behind-the-scenes stories — like the stack of herbal books passed down from her grandfather. It's part of a bigger philosophy: tea education as something shared and passed down, not gatekept. She remembers regulars by name and by what they came in looking for — real community, not just transactions. 🔥 Workshops & Fire Cider Season Naquela's next workshop is a Fire Cider make-and-take — an herbal oxymel of roots, herbs, and vegetables infused in vinegar over several weeks, perfect for immune support heading into cold season. Sessions are September 13 and October 3 at Old Espresso To GoGo, across from Naftzger Park at St. Francis and Douglas. Everything's provided — just show up. Register on her website or social media. 🍃 Tea Fest — Saturday, September 12 Free and open to the whole community, 11 AM–3 PM at Naftzger Park. What to expect: ~25 vendors — tea and herbal makers on one side, wellness and artisan makers on the otherA community art installation, "Leaves of Wichita" — paint a leaf and leave some encouragement for the cityA kids' painting station, live music at 1 PM, and food trucksFirst 50 visitors to the Planted Tea Shop booth get a Tea Fest passport — collect stamps around the park for a shot at prizesPresented with support from Downtown Wichita, the Wichita Area Arts Council, and Festive ICT. 🥕 Old Town Farm & Art Market This is Naquela's first season as a vendor at the Old Town Farm and Art Market — Saturdays, 8 AM to noon, in Old Town Square. She calls it one of the most wholesome small-business communities she's found in Wichita, and yes, she leaves with something every single week. 🌿 Easy Ways to Start Naquela's advice for anyone intimidated by tea or herbs: don't overthink it. Pick one moment in your day — a morning routine, a wind-down before bed — and build one simple ritual around it. Start with a single herb before you jump into a blend, so you actually know what's working for you. 📣 Before You Go Find Naquela and Planted Tea Shop on Instagram and Facebook @plantedteashop, or at plantedteashop.comCatch Naquela's blends in person at Mulberry Gallery and at Sunflower Cafe and Collective on the west sideMark your calendar for Tea Fest — Saturday, September 12, 11 AM–3 PM, free to the communityThank you to Mulberry Gallery at Revolutsia for hosting us this episodeWant to be a guest on the pod? We're always open — reach out! So THIS Happened is a lifestyle and personal growth podcast hosted by Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle, based in Wichita, Kansas. Each episode explores the moments, people, and ideas that shape how we live — from local Wichita stories to conversations about identity, community, and becoming. New episodes drop weekly. Find us everywhere you listen. Our podcast is proudly sponsored by Vu Events, Colour Thairapy and Backspace Media. Support the show
Aug 27 · Video

Episode 57 : Do It Scared

Send us Fan Mail This week's Sip Squad Session brings So THIS Happened — Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle's Wichita podcast for real talk, local culture, and the occasional Taylor Swift spiral — live to Tor Brewing for a night with Sophii Jones, founder of Jupiter House Marketing right here in Wichita, Kansas. It's a story about a promise made at 24, a decade of learning marketing the hard way, and what it actually takes to do the scary thing anyway. 🍻 Live at Tor Brewing The Sip Squad Session crowd packed into Tor Brewing for this one, and it did not disappoint. Merch was up for grabs all night — $10 badges reading "pairs well with champagne and caviar bumps" made by Happy Camper Hat Company (find them upstairs in the Ballroom Collective at The Workroom, thank you Kari!), plus gorgeous $15 silk scrunchies designed by Stella Hankins of Bella Bonita Designs. Huge thanks to Tor Brewing for hosting us, and to Tony Vu — aka DJ Panda — for running the show's audio and hype duties live. 🎲 This or That: Fandom Meets Real Life Sophii jumped right into This or That with the crowd, and a few highlights: Capsule wardrobe over cosplay closet — though she'll always love the chaos of a closet full of costumesDream collab: a toss-up between Taylor Swift and Pokémon (with a serious soft spot for the Kansas City Chiefs' marketing team too)Say yes to the chaos, then organize it before you execute — or as the Sip Squad already knows it: messy is our polish🪐 Do It Scared: Sophii Jones' Ten-Year Promise At 24, Sophii made herself a promise: pursue professional cosplay first, then build a marketing business by 35. Wichita's cosplay and content creation scene barely existed in 2014, so she taught herself marketing from scratch — audience building, community, brand voice — and fell in love with the craft along the way. That self-taught foundation carried her into nearly five years as Marketing Director for Misty Mountain Gaming, where her role kept expanding into product development, international manufacturing, and full business growth — including bringing the brand home to Wichita and collaborating with local creators. Then, in the same stretch of time, her marriage ended and she left Misty Mountain unexpectedly. Sophii calls herself "a blind leaper," and she leaned into that identity here too — describing the decade-old promise to herself as something that had simply been waiting to be unburied in the rubble. After years of traveling two to four weekends a month, landing back in Wichita gave her something travel never could: stillness, family, and the clarity to finally honor that promise. That promise became Jupiter House Marketing — named for the planet of expansion, wisdom, and financial abundance. Sophii built the name and the business around that symbolism on purpose: a daily reminder that marketing, done well, is about psychology, culture, and genuine human connection, not just tactics. 📣 What's Next for the Sip Squad A ticketed live collab event for the local production of Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show is coming the last weekend of October at Doc's Hangar, presented with Vu Events and Douglas Production Group — more details dropping soonThe next Sip Squad Session lands at GROW on September 21 at 6:30 PM, featuring Katy Munden Hays of AlegriaUpcoming guests on the show: Niquela of Planted Tea Shop and Kelly of Bridely Boutique🥂 Before You Go Merch is live — Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged, and Pairs Well with Champagne & Caviar Bumps (10% of profits go to Ballet Wichita)Follow Sophii and Jupiter House Marketing on Facebook and Instagram, and find her personally at @sophiijayyyFollow along and never miss an episode — Spotify, YouTube, wherever you listen A huge thank you to our Season 2 partners for making nights like this one possible: Vu Events (it had to be Vu!), Colour Thairapy, and Backspace Media — Jen's own marketing company, putting her money where her mouth is this season. So THIS Happened is a lifestyle and personal growth podcast hosted by Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle, based in Wichita, Kansas. Each episode explores the moments, people, and ideas that shape how we live — from local Wichita stories to conversations about identity, community, and becoming. New episodes drop weekly. Find us everywhere you listen. Support the show
Aug 20 · Video

Episode 56 : Do it Lady, A Season 1 Throwback

Send us Fan Mail This week, life happened — Rachel was in a car accident and is resting up (she's okay, just needs some downtime), so Jen hopped on solo for a quick check-in before rewinding the clock to one of our earliest episodes for a nostalgic replay: Episode 7, from exactly a year ago. THE SOLO CHECK-IN - Rachel is resting up after a car accident last week — she's okay, just needs the recovery time. Sending her all the love, Sip Squad. - Backspace Media officially launched last Friday — Jen's marketing company is live! - Jen attended her first Ballet Wichita board meeting and got the scoop on the upcoming Sparkling Social, September 3rd at Goldfinch. - Nick officially moved into Kansas State this week — cue the tears. - Join us for our next Sip Squad Session at Tor Brewing, upstairs in the loft, featuring Sophie Jones of Jupiter House Marketing and PR — doors around 6:00, kickoff at 6:30. Free to attend, with our hype man Tony Vu (DJ Panda) on the ones and twos. THE THROWBACK: EPISODE 7 A favorite from the vault! This week's rerun brings back one of our most-loved episodes — full of chaos, heart, and a story you have to hear to believe. - The infamous toe story — a driveway, a chunk of toe, and a neighbor who really did not sign up for that. - Jen's brush with an influencer scam — a brand collab that seemed way too good to be true (because it was). - This or That: pickles vs. olives, extra ice vs. no ice, over vs. under, voice memo vs. long text, air dry vs. Dyson, candle vs. diffuser, binge vs. weekly, and morning person vs. "don't talk to me till 10." BEFORE YOU GO - Sip Squad Session — Sunday at Tor Brewing with Sophie Jones of Jupiter House Marketing and PR - Merch is live — Uncorked & Slightly Unhinged, plus Bella Bonita scrunchies and Happy Camper patches (Pairs Well with Champagne & Caviar Bumps line, 10% of profits to Ballet Wichita) - Got a question, guest idea, or local suggestion? Send it our way — DM us or email sothishappenedpodcast@gmail.com This episode is proudly sponsored by Vu Events — It had to be Vu! — along with our Season Partners, Colour Thairapy and Backspace Media. So THIS Happened is a lifestyle and personal growth podcast hosted by Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle, based in Wichita, Kansas. Each episode explores the moments, people, and ideas that shape how we live — from local Wichita stories to conversations about identity, community, and becoming. New episodes drop weekly. Find us everywhere you listen. Support the show

“So THIS Happened…” is the podcast version of catching up with your most unfiltered friend over wine. Each week, Jen and Rachel dive into personal mishaps, past memories, local happenings, weird habits, and whatever else pops up — including the occasional celebrity headline we just have to talk about. It’s casual, it’s chaotic, and it’s all real.

Creator

Jen Cole and Rachel Chappelle
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

63
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© 2026 So THIS Happened...
Show Website

So THIS Happened...