Happy Friday, Omaha. In today’s edition: A turbulent year for eateries, Santa’s workshop, a Jane Austen tea party, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

A turbulent year for eateries: Nebraska’s dining scene saw major 2025 closures tied to immigration raids, rising costs, and construction, with beloved spots like Modern Love, Nebraska Brewing Company, and Pizzeria Davlo shutting their doors — see the closures and openings.

Reliability through winter storms: Omaha’s streetcar project details winter operations, from heated pantographs and switch heaters to sweep trains and city plowing, including running cars every 15 to 20 minutes during ice storms — get the winter operations details.

Open house and office hours: Omaha’s streetcar project enters mainline construction beginning January 2026. Crews will work in 2,000-foot sections with one traffic lane open, aiming to limit disruptions while installing tracks and electrical systems — get the timeline and impacts.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Experience Mannheim Steamroller’s Christmas magic
• Run the Candy Cane Course 5k/12k
• Stroll through Zoolightful’s glowing wonderland
• Meet giant garden trolls promoting sustainability
• Join Mo Willems’ holiday musical party
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%
• A tiny hearing aid is taking the US by storm

🫶 We got your back

Locals seek access answers: Starting Dec. 15, Military Ave. east of 72nd will close in both directions for about six months for culvert work and resurfacing, worrying nearby residents and Tiger Tom’s. Public Works says the bar will be reachable from the west, a temporary road will serve the apartments, and detours run via 60th/72nd to Ames. See detours and access details.

Downtown renaissance takes shape: After two years vacant, the 1897 Bella Vida building in downtown Elkhorn is getting new life: owner Chuck Olson is preserving the structure and carving out two restaurants. La Vida Nova will open downstairs in May, while an unnamed fine-dining spot with a chef’s tasting menu debuts upstairs a couple months later. Read the full story.

Greener good hair days: Zero-waste practices, a stylist-matching quiz, and a color lab with 500+ shades make the “new hair, who this” thing feel easy. At Trios Salon, settle into a private shampoo lounge for some serious de-stress, then step out with color and cut that look distinctly you.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy for regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify who you are and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🎤 John Morgan @ Funny Bone Omaha | Friday (12/12) at 7:00pm – Nothing beats a night where your cheeks hurt from laughing, and John Morgan delivers. The Ragin Cajun brings Southern charm, reality-based bits, and gloriously unhinged takes on marriage and makeup. Grab your two-item minimum, bring an ID, and settle in early.

🎷 Emmaline @ Holland Center for the Performing Arts | Friday (12/12) at 7:30pm – Ready to trade mall carols for the real thing? Emmaline is back at the Holland Music Club for one night only, serving a retro, jazz-soaked holiday set that swings. Her last show sold out, so grab a seat, sip something festive, and feel seasonal.

This weekend

🛒 Christmas Store @ Abide Omaha | Saturday (12/13) at 9:00am – Holiday shopping you can feel good about. With over 300 local families and nearly 1,000 kids registered, the need is big, the shelves need filling. Volunteer, donate toys, and enjoy a feel-good errand that pairs nicely with coffee, and your sensible shoes.

🎅 Santa’s Workshop @ Rathskeller Bier Haus | Saturday (12/13) at 1:00pm – Rathskeller is leaning hard into Cozy Alpine Christmas, with twinkling lights, German carols, and staff in elf ears pouring Glühwein while you snag photos with Santa, decorate cookies, and pen a wish. Bring a toy or canned good, feel virtuous, then brace for Krampus.

🍵 Jane Austen Tea Party @ Presbyterian Church of the Master | Saturday (12/13) at 2:00pm – Break out your best teacup and join a cozy Jane Austen Tea Party, celebrating her 250th with proper brews, treats, and scandal-free gossip. Expect a little Regency charm, and conversation that would make even Mr. Darcy crack a smile. Bonnets optional, manners required.

🎄 Polymer Clay Ornaments @ Lauritzen Gardens | Sunday (12/14) at 10:00am – If you love cute, crafty things in tiny form, this is your moment. Decorate two petite clay ornaments with help from Skyler and a whole buffet of ready-made designs. It’s a relaxed hands-on class where even total beginners walk out feeling like artisan elves.

💍 Sterling Silver Stacking Rings Workshop @ Tranquil Sky Jewelry | Sunday (12/14) at 1:00pm – Ready to play with fire in a socially acceptable way? Learn beginner silversmithing while making three sterling stacking rings at Hot Shops Art Center, all materials included. Bring your mom, your best friend, or your independent streak, and pre-register, because Omaha loves a headcount.

🎙️ Second Sunday Talks: The History of Christmas @ Metropolitan Community College | Sunday (12/14) at 2:00pm – Settle in at Union Station for a stroll through Omaha’s holiday history with Dr. Kyle Chattleton from the Durham Museum. From the giant tree to those model trains, learn how the magic started, why it stuck, and what to retell at dinner. No carols required.

Next week

👹 Thomas Dambo’s TROLLS: Save the Humans @ Lauritzen Gardens | Monday (12/15) at 9:00am – Take a breather and stroll the garden with six colossal trolls, crafted from reclaimed wood and here to gently judge our recycling habits. Hunt them along the paths, swap screen time for tree time, and make it a membership thing if you want repeat encounters.

✨ Women with Voices 4th Anniversary Party @ Hotel Indigo Omaha | M (12/15) at 5:30pm – Celebrate four years of bold voices, big dreams, and the community that makes it all possible. With festive bites, cocktails, and a special appearance by Miss Omaha 2026, Maria Cade, this night is all about ending the year inspired. Come ready to shine and swap stories with women who lift each other higher.

🐞 A Tribute to the Beatles @ Orpheum Theater | Monday (12/15) at 7:30pm – Come together for RAIN’s Beatles Christmas tribute, where holiday favorites mix with Liverpool legends. Expect sleigh bells, harmonies, and a crowd that actually knows the words, which is refreshing. It’s festive, nostalgic, and the rare seasonal mashup that won’t make your eye twitch.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/12 Beast Eagle @ Whiskey Roadhouse – 9:30 pm
• 12/13 Murder Mystery Dinner Show @ DoubleTree Omaha Southwest – 6 pm
• 12/15 A Tribute to the Beatles @ Orpheum Theater – 7:30 pm
• 12/18 A Magical Cirque Christmas @ Orpheum Theater – 7 pm
• 12/19 Josh Wolf @ Funny Bone – 7 pm
• 12/19 Casey Chesnutt @ Buck’s – 10 pm
• 12/20 A Tribute to Adele @ Rose Theater – 6:30 pm
• 12/21 Mannheim Steamroller Christmas @ Omaha Performing Arts – 2 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Omaha edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Eric Carraher (Meraki Realty Group)

Open concept ranch with more than 3,200 square feet of modern upgrades and sunlight. A covered front patio leads to a fireplace-warmed living room and an eat-in kitchen with a big island and pantry. Three main-level bedrooms plus a laundry drop zone. The primary suite goes spa mode with whirlpool tub, oversized closet, and a smart pass-through to laundry.

Walkout lower level stacks on a family room, fourth bedroom, 3/4 bath, wet bar, exercise room with sauna, and serious storage. Corner lot, privacy iron fencing, lush landscaping, and a large covered back deck. Pre-inspected.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →