When I first learned I was moving to Kansas City and told my friends I was moving to Kansas City, these images came to my mind (and I'm pretty sure to some of theirs):
Those top pictures, I think, are rather pretty and serene.
While I appreciate wide, open spaces and unspoiled views of nature and would be open to "living off the land" (given that there's a Target within reasonable driving distance), and while there are fields and farms outside the city that produce needed crops and resources...
this is Kansas City:
Big city folk may not find it to be the boomingest metropolis (humbly 29th on the list of large urban cities in America), but I have come to respect it as the hidden Midwestern gem that it is. There is plenty to do here for the part homebody/part adventurer like me.
It's not so big and crowded that the traffic is unbearable, and it has a decent amount of local attractions. The downtown is walkable, and the people are friendly.
I grew up outside of Atlanta and have found that, with any city, there are parts you are happy to show visitors and parts that you tend to avoid. Since my target audience today is prospective tourists, this post is dedicated to talking up Kansas City and temporarily ignoring the crime, meth problem, and poor public educational system (I don't mean to minimize those issues; it's just not what this post is about today).
So let's get on with it, shall we?
Ten fun facts I have learned about Kansas City:
- It's the largest city in Missouri.
- It is on the Missouri/Kansas border, thus both states claim Kansas City as their own. (And if I'm intuiting correctly, there seems to be a bit of a rivalry between the KS side and the MO side.)
The Missouri River runs through it - the same fateful river that Lewis and Clark traveled to explore the western frontier back in the 1800s.
  |
| statue commemorating that dynamic duo, Lewis and Clark |
- It has one of the most affordable housing markets in the country and is home to a little over 2 million people.
- With over 200 fountains, second in number only to Rome, Kansas City is nicknamed "The City of Fountains." WHO KNEW?? Click here if you're interested in seeing the Kansas City fountains website. Here's a sampling:
The first time I walked by this one, I said out loud to Matt,
"Now is that really appropriate?"
 |
| my personal favorite fountain |
- KC has over 100 art galleries. And on the First Friday of every month, there is a 40 gallery art crawl in the Crossroads District with street performers and food and drink samples at funky local shops. This event is affectionately known by locals as "First Fridays."
- Kansas City was selected as one of America's Best Downtowns by Forbes Magazine. (And again, who knew???)
- Though some may argue with this, it's considered the BBQ capital of the world with more BBQ joints per capita than any other city in the nation.
 |
| Standing in line for good bbq at Oklahoma Joe's |
We made the mistake of going to this iconic BBQ place for the first time during the MLB All-star Game, which was held in KC the summer we moved there. We waited in line for 1 hour and 45 minutes. About 30 minutes into it, we considered leaving. I'm glad we didn't. It's a rite of passage to wait in the Oklahoma Joe's line. And when I started to feel bad about our spot in line, a quick glance back at all the people behind us cured my outlook...
|
|
|
The jam session originated in Kansas City - Jazz musicians would gather after their gigs and play together into the wee hours of the morning.
This summer, we took Matt's sister and her husband to the historic Phoenix jazz lounge to see what it was like. I was pleasantly impressed by the level of talent we heard.
At one point, a lady went up to the stage to sing. I mistook her for an overeager crowd member who just wanted to seize the mic, and thought to myself, "Oh no, this is going to be a trainwreck..."
But then, she opened her mouth and started singing Ella Fitzgerald's "Savoy" And she was spot-on. Jazzy, smooth, pitch perfect. Impressive! I judged her too quickly.
10. In 1910, Joyce Hall began selling postcards out of a shoebox in KC. Today,his company has grown to the world’s largest greeting-cards maker, Hallmark Cards. Hallmark's Headquarters are in KC.
________________________________________________________________________________
So who wants to come and visit? :)
You can stay at our humble apartment and hear the sirens going by. Just kidding. But seriously, you will probably hear sirens at some point. And yet, we love our apartment. And we would love to have you in it.
Here are some summer guests we have enjoyed:
 |
| The Goodlins |
 |
| The Daggetts |
 |
| The Spahns |
If you visit, we might tootle around Zona Rosa shopping mall...
 |
| tootling with the Goodlins |
Or play Dutch Blitz at home ....
 |
| Beware, things can get intense. |
Or go the City Market....
 |
| Checking out the City Market with Tom and Cindy |
Or take you to our favorite Thai restaurant...
 |
| At Lulu's with Eric and Jill |
Aside:
Matt's sister Jill is married to his college best friend Eric, which makes hanging out with them extra special. To get a taste of Eric's personality, I've included a little picture that explains more than I can write.
 |
| Our brother-in-law Eric (left) and his brother being themselves |
That's all she wrote!
The first time I walked by this one, I said out loud to Matt,"Now is that really appropriate?"
The jam session originated in Kansas City - Jazz musicians would gather after their gigs and play together into the wee hours of the morning.This summer, we took Matt's sister and her husband to the historic Phoenix jazz lounge to see what it was like. I was pleasantly impressed by the level of talent we heard.At one point, a lady went up to the stage to sing. I mistook her for an overeager crowd member who just wanted to seize the mic, and thought to myself, "Oh no, this is going to be a trainwreck..."But then, she opened her mouth and started singing Ella Fitzgerald's "Savoy" And she was spot-on. Jazzy, smooth, pitch perfect. Impressive! I judged her too quickly.
No comments:
Post a Comment