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[2olives]

Welcome to my overview of the beautiful state of Missouri!

Missouri’s two largest cities, in no particular order, are St. Louis and Kansas City. Springfield is the state’s third largest city. I was raised in the center these three cities in a small town called Lebanon. After going to college and working in Kansas City and then Springfield, I finally settled down in Kansas City, where I have lived and worked for about six years.

Kansas City:
Since this is where I live, work, and play, Kansas City will be the focus of my fist installment to Missouri FAQ. However, read on for other interesting recommendations within Missouri and Kansas, which I will continue to update each week!

One of the questions I hear most often when I travel is, “Where are you from?” I’ve noticed that many people don’t realize that Kansas City, the Kansas City, is located in Missouri. There is such a place as Kansas City, Kansas. Part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, Kansas City, Kansas has recently enjoyed a real upturn in terms of development (the Kansas Speedway, Nebraska Furniture Mart, and the Legends Mall have brought great economic growth to the area), but just like you wouldn’t call Miami, Missouri simply “Miami,” this city is known as “Kansas City, Kansas.” Now, for those of you who are familiar with Kansas City, I want to clarify that I am in no way participating in that great division (State Line Road) that prompts such political debate in our area. My favorite places and recommendations span Missouri and Kansas.

The Kansas City metro actually encompasses suburbs situated on both sides of the state line between Kansas (Overland Park, Prairie Village, and Olathe, for example) and Missouri (Independence, Lee’s Summit, and Blue Springs, to name a few). Additionally, the Metro is divided by the Missouri River. Examples of Northern suburbs include North Kansas City, Parkville, Riverside, and Liberty.

Transportation:

Primarily a region dominated by driving, Kansas City is really just beginning to look into promoting public transportation for visitors. Though the information available online is not as well-organized and user friendly as the mass transit systems in places like San Diego or Denver, there is a current bus system in place in Kansas City. You can find basic information, routes, schedules, fares, and maps at the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority website. (kcata.org). I am very happy to report that Kansas City’s City Counsel and Mayor are currently preparing a light rail plan, to be decided in 2008.
Taxis are sparse. Hailing a cab in Kansas City may only be possible at the airport. On the other hand, there are many taxis available with a simple call. In fact, you’ll find that every bar, restaurant, and hotel will be glad to summons a cab at your request.

Kansas City International Airport – MCI

Located approximately 22 miles north of downtown is the Kansas City International Airport where you can get fly nonstop to and from 71 cities throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. KCI’s website, flykci.com will answer your most pressing questions and features one of the best compilations of KC area websites I’ve seen at flykci.com/CityGuide/CityGuide/Index.htm.

There are all manner of options for getting from the airport to your destination, from rental cars and shuttles, Metro buses, or taxis. Taxi fares from KCI to downtown Kansas City average $35-40 one way. The fares are determined as follows: The meter-based rate of fare shall be $2.20 initial drop fee; $1.70 per mile, waiting time/traffic delay time based on each 15 seconds or fraction thereof $0.17 and an additional charge of $0.50 per trip for each passenger over two passengers.


Weather:

Weather in Kansas City and all of Missouri is erratic. You might run into 55 degrees (F) for a high temperature on one January afternoon only to find wind chills in the single digits the very next day. This sort of extreme exists year-round. For that reason, the best packing advice I can give you is to dress in layers. City averages look very similar to this great graph by, of all unlikely places, the BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT001270

Storms can pop up at any time, in any month. Have an umbrella or rain jacket handy and available at all times. One of my very favorite things about living here and throughout Missouri is the spectacular lightening and thunderstorms that occur mostly in the spring and summer. There is nothing like sitting on the front porch watching a storm blow in. This may also be a good time to mention two of the very few downsides to living in Missouri – humidity and tornadoes. High humidity can make an otherwise pleasant, 80 degree day insufferable. You’ll find that the vast majority of public spaces (restaurants, hotels, and shops) as well as many residents have air conditioning and use it from May through September. Missouri ranks 8th in the frequency of tornadoes compared to all other states in the US. Most communities are equipped with a signal system, usually sirens, which sound in only two situations, 1) when a tornado has been spotted or 2) when the sirens are being tested (the first Tuesday of every month in Kansas City). Tornados aren’t so prevalent that I believe you should worry about them a great deal, but you should know a few very basic safety precautions:

• The safest places to be in a tornado are basements or interior spaces with no windows located on the first floor and away from windows.
• Trailers and mobile homes are not safe shelters in a tornado. In fact they offer no real shelter at all.
• Always get out of your vehicle – laying in a ditch is safer than being in a car.

You can find out more by visiting this website: www.americanfamilysafety.com/emergency-preparedness/tornado-safety.html.
Now on to more pleasant things…

Events and Attractions:

The Kansas City area is known worldwide for many things – Jazz, BBQ, the Conservatory of Music, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas City Royals, Country Club Plaza, the American Royal, and being the home of Harry Truman, just to name a few. One of the most amazing facts I have found that very few people outside this area seem to know is that Kansas City, known as “The City of Fountains” ranks second in the world in the number of fountains in the city. Only Rome, Italy, has more. Some of the fountains here are 300 years old! (www.kcfountains.org/) If you’re a photographer, Kansas City offers a special opportunity to observe and photograph these unique fountains in all areas of the Metro, from the Plaza (my favorite fountain, Pomona, is located here) to Kauffman Stadium.

Art is a major part of the Kansas City experience, as you might guess from the sheer number of art festivals on the list of events below. In addition, you should make an effort to visit the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (www.nelson-atkins.org/). Amazingly, admission is free for all, excluding special exhibits. In the summertime, you can spend hours relaxing on the lawn in front of the museum with the famous (and enormous) shuttlecocks, bring a picnic, sunbathe, take some photos, and wander the sculpture garden. If you crave a more dynamic art scene, check out the Crossroads District where everyday urban hipsters, craft divas, and the truly creative chat over lattes while they knit. First Fridays (of each month) there is an evening art walk through the district. Read more at www.visitkc.com/visitor_info/art_premium.cfm?ID=34170. I should tell you, though – I personally prefer the vibrancy of the Crossroads neighborhood during the day. Check out Lulu’s Noodle Shop, a personal favorite! (www.lulusnoodles.com)

In the warmer month, Kansas City comes alive with events and festivals. If you like to pick up souvenirs, especially works by local artists, try the art festivals. Our cultural festivals are dynamic, offering some of the best bands, food, drink, and people watching you’ll find. Every year I compile a calendar of upcoming events to be sure that I don’t miss my favorites while planning vacations. On my calendar for 2008, you’ll find:

Mar 14-16: RENT at the Music Hall www.ticketmaster.com/venue/49167
Mar 15: Brookside St. Patrick’s Parade www.brooksidekc.org/st-pats-parade.html
Apr 8: Kansas City Royals Home Opener kansascity.royals.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=kc
Apr ??: Parkville Midwest Brewer’s Festival www.parkvillechamber.com/Calendar/
May 2-4: Brookside Art Fair www.brooksidekc.org/art-fair.html
May 9-11: Fiesta KC at Crown Center www.crowncenter.com/Event/Event.asp
May 30-Jun 1 OR June 6-8: KC Pride Fest www.kansascitygaypride.org/l.htm
Jun 6-8: Festa Italiana at Zona Rosa www.unico-kc.org/
Jun 13-15: Rhythm & Ribs www.kcrhythmandribs.com/
Jun 13-15: Scottish Highland Games www.kcscottishgames.org/
Jul 4-5: KC Riverfest & Brewfest www.kcriverfest.com/
Jul 19-20: Art Westport www.artwestport.net/
Aug 15-17: Ethnic Enrichment Fest www.kcmo.org/parks.nsf/web/EthnicEnrichmentFestival
Aug 29-31: Irish Festival kcirishfest.com/
Sep 12-14: Zona Rosa Art Festiva www.zonarosa.com/eventscalendar.cfm
Sep 19-21: Plaza Art Fair www.countryclubplaza.com/plaza.aspxpgID=913
Sep 26-28: KC Oktoberfest www.downtownkc.org/oktoberfest.aspx?pgID=1022
Oct 4-5: Weston Apple Festival www.westonmo.com/entertainment/calendar.html
Oct 10-12: Weston Irish Festival www.westonirish.com/
Dec 5: Parkville Christmas on the River www.parkvillechamber.com/Calendar/


This list is literally from my calendar, my preferences. There are so many events in Kansas City that I could never list them all. The following websites can really help you (and me) nail down what will be going on in the Kansas City metro at any given time:

Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association: www.visitkc.com/
Kansas City Conventions: webfusion.kcmo.org/ColdFusionApps/convention/calsearch.cfm
The Pitch (KC’s version of the Village Voice) www.pitch.com/
Kansas City Star: www.kansascity.com/
Kansas City Government (great info, trust me): www.kcmo.org/kcmo.nsf/web/visitors?opendocument

Shopping:

These days it seems very trendy to build outdoor entertainment districts for shopping, dining, and playing, but Kansas City boasts the original, Country Club Plaza. Other fun shopping and entertainment districts include Zona Rosa and Westport. But if you are craving a more authentically Kansas City experience, I would steer clear of those three and head to my favorites – Brookside and River Market.

Brookside is located on 63rd Street between Wornall and Main. Though a small area, you’ll find shops, bars, and restaurants sure to pique your curiosity and delight. I’m a big fan of Sharp's 63rd St. Grill for breakfast. The New Dime Store offers an old world experience, from creaking slanted floors to piles of inventory you’d never expect to find deep within this tiny storefront. Stuff, a gift and home décor store, is literally stuffed with handmade fine art, whimsical gifts, and one of a kind treasures that will make you wonder why you ever put down the glue gun! Check out the business association website for more info: www.brooksidekc.org/index.html

River Market (/www.kansascityrivermarket.com/) is the home of the weekend Farmer’s Market, surrounded by several dining establishments unique to the Kansas City area. You’ll find a particularly good happy hour at Bo Lings, a great place for watching the game while you eat pizza at Minsky’s, and one of Kansas City’s local breweries, River Market Brewing Co. And don’t pass up the opportunity to try the precious (and delicious) cupcakes and chocolates at Baby Cakes. There isn’t a lot of shopping to be found in River Market, but the few choices available are among the best opportunities in Kansas City. No one should miss Planters Seed-Feed-Spices. Part old time hardware store, urban gardener’s dream, and specialty spice shop – this is the place to pick up a bottle of real vanilla and some spice mixes for your next party. The jalapeño dip in sour cream beats everything! River Market is also the place to visit any number of authentic ethnic grocers. Look for the Italian Gourmet Grocery, Alhabashi Mart, and Hung Vuong Market.

Day Trips:

Three of my very favorite daytrips are Weston, Missouri; Hermann, Missouri; and Lawrence, Kansas. For now, I’m going to direct you to my travel blog, www.travelpod.com/members/2olives to check out my reports on Weston and Hermann. I’ll write more in the future about what opportunities await you outside Kansas City’s limits. There is just so much to tell you!

Can’t wait to hear what you have to say or ask about Kansas City, the states of Missouri and Kansas, or anything else. Please drop me a note anytime.

Sincerely,

Heather

[starlagurl]

Nice, thanks Heather! That is really awesome. Have you ever been to Branson, Missouri? I went there once with my grandparents, they love that country music.

[2olives]

Nice, thanks Heather! That is really awesome. Have you ever been to Branson, Missouri? I went there once with my grandparents, they love that country music.

Thanks for your encouragement, Louise!


I have actually been to Branson many, many times. Branson isn’t a bad place as long as you steer clear of the main Strip, with its constant bumper to bumper traffic. Though it isn’t the sort of vacation Kelly and I usually take, it comes up in conversation as a possible weekend away once in a while (despite the country music, hee hee) because of a couple of other attractions. There are some really great outlet malls in Branson that make it easy to justify a day or two spent shopping and relaxing. I am also a sucker for Silver Dollar City. If you’ve never been, it is a 1880’s Ozark Mountain Town themed adventure park, along the lines of Six Flags or Disney, but with such a rustic charm and authentic feel (no plastic or neon colors here, folks) that people have been making it a part of annual vacations since it opened in the 60’s. I haven’t been to Branson in a few years, so anyone thinking about going should do their research, but two of the best parts of SDC are the Craft Festival and International Festival. I literally find myself turning in circles, trying to decide what to see while I’m there at those times. And if you don’t make one of the special festivals, traditional craftsmen are a daily attraction. You can see glass blowers, basket weavers, and many more resident craftspeople. Of course there are thrill rides – try Fire in the Hole, a classic! And, I should disclose that my Aunt Janice was a performer at SDC for years, as part of the Hatfield/MaCoy street performers and also as Madame Vivien LaFey at the Saloon. IMHO, the Saloon show is one you shouldn’t miss. As you might imagine, I spent many summers at SDC as a kid because of the free passes Janice received as an employee.

Bottom line on Branson, it is a MEGA tourist trap. But the lake is nice, SDC is great, and the shopping is excellent!

[starlagurl]

Yeah, total tourist trap, but also fun in a cheesy kinda way, I guess.

I have been to Silver Dollar City, but I found it lacking in the crazy psycho insane ride department. There were none of the loops or weirdo rollercoasters, that I love so much.

Has it changed since 1998?

[2olives]

Yeah, total tourist trap, but also fun in a cheesy kinda way, I guess.

I have been to Silver Dollar City, but I found it lacking in the crazy psycho insane ride department. There were none of the loops or weirdo rollercoasters, that I love so much.

Has it changed since 1998?

I think the last time I was at SDC was about 2001, so it has been a while. I had the same complaint about the rides, because I love rollercoasters and thrill rides. (As an aside, thinking of our Disney World discussion, that is another gripe I have about it. ;-) As I recall, SDC was well aware of this problem and began building bigger, faster rides the year after I moved to Kansas City (2002). Thunderation was the ride they began with on that path. I just checked their site and found this article from 6/1/05 that makes it sounds as if SDC finally built a true thrill ride:

"PowderKeg, the park's new $10 million explosive launch coaster, launching riders from 0-53 mph in 2.8 seconds. Recently profiled as a top ten ride for thrill-seekers in the Wall Street Journal and named the Best Family Thrill Coaster on the Planet by Thrillride.com, PowderKeg combines the breathtaking launch experience with spiraling turns, negative gravitational or "G" forces and "floater" hills, while designed to accommodate kids 42 inches tall, the height of an average 5 or 6 year old." (http://www.bransonsilverdollarcity.com/press-room/archived_releases.aspx?id=99)

Makes me want to go back and see what the park is like these days.

Heather

[2olives]

St. Louis, Missouri, USA

I’ll be the first to tell you that I am not an expert when it comes to St. Louis. However, when I take a trip anywhere, I do exhaustive research that I compile into a trip book. It just so happens that I am leaving Kansas City early on Saturday morning to spend a few days in St. Louis, and I think the information I have gathered via the internet may help you, too. I should warn you, this is not meant to be a comprehensive overview, rather, some detailed information about my areas on concern. When I can find them, I'll cite the sources. Also, there are some really good maps out there that I'll upload and share with you as well. Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions!

Heather

Some useful websites:
St. Louis Visitor's Guide: stlouis.missouri.org/tourism
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: www.stltoday.com
Downtown St. Louis: www.downtownstl.org
St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission: www.explorestlouis.com/cvc/index.asp
St. Louis Event Calendar: www.art-stl.com/artszipper/index.cfm?referer=artszipper%2Ecom
St. Louis Zoo: www.stlzoo.org
St. Louis Coupons: www.townplannerstl.com/savings/index.html AND www.familyattractionscard.com/MO/STL/StlAttractionOffers.html
Free Wifi Access in St. Louis: www.auscillate.com/wireless/stlouis
Gay and Lesbian Visitors Guide to St. Louis: www.gaystlouis.com
St. Louis Regional Transit: www.metrostlouis.org

____________________________________________________________________________

Central West End Neighborhood

A little New York, a little European and totally St. Louis, the Central West End (CWE) is St. Louis' most cosmopolitan neighborhood. Long known as an affluent residential area and once the most fashionable place in the city to shop, today it is an architectural treasure and a hub of culinary delights - an exhilarating mix of stunning 19th century mansions on elegant, tree-lined private streets; modern apartment buildings; exciting restaurants; colorful outdoor cafes and intriguing shops and galleries. Best visited on foot, this vibrant neighborhood has been described as an eclectic place where tradition meets the avant-garde, and diversity rules.

The CWE stretches from midtown's western edge to the city's western border and includes Forest Park, the third largest urban park in the country with its outstanding array of free cultural institutions, and the stunning Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis (the New Cathedral) which houses the largest collection of mosaics in the world.

The CWE's commercial district is mainly along Euclid and stretches from Forest Park to Delmar. Restaurants are primarily clustered in the Euclid/McPherson area, the Euclid/Laclede area and in Maryland Plaza. The Central West End's delightful outdoor cafes are the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee or an iced tea (invented in St. Louis during the 1904 World's Fair) and indulge in some people watching. Unusual, elaborate turn-of-the-century lamp posts and cobblestone streets add to the atmosphere of this neighborhood which first grew in popularity with the coming of the 1904 World's Fair which was held in nearby Forest Park.

At the neighborhood's western border is Washington University and St. Louis University is near its eastern border.

LOCATION: The Central West End is just four miles west of downtown and adjacent to Forest Park. It is bounded by I-64/40, Skinker, Delmar and Vandeventer.

ADDRESS: Central West End Association, 403 N. Euclid, St. Louis, MO 63108

PHONE NUMBER: 314-367-2220

WEB SITE: http://stlouis.missouri.org/cwe and www.centralwestend.org

GETTING THERE: From downtown St. Louis, take I-64/40 west to the Kingshighway North exit. Turn right onto Kingshighway and follow it to Lindell. Turn right on Lindell and follow it to Euclid. Turn right or left on Euclid depending on which part of the neighborhood you want to visit.

METROLINK: The Central West End has two MetroLink light rail stops. The Forest Park stop is on DeBaliviere near the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park about a mile west of the main business area. The Central West End station is just east of Euclid near Barnes Hospital Plaza and Audubon. From there it is a short walk north to the shops and restaurants along Euclid.

BEST KNOWN FOR: The Central West End is known for its exciting array of shops, galleries and restaurants, its proximity to Forest Park and the architecture of the mansions on its private streets. It is home to the Barnes-Jewish Hospital complex and the Washington University Medical School. The CWE also borders Forest Park with its major cultural institution and is the home of the "New Cathedral," (formally known as the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis) a magnificent Romanesque cathedral with an unusual Byzantine interior.

WHAT'S NEW:

* The Central West End is full of construction activity with several projects scheduled to come online. A new Marriott Hotel is being built at Euclid and Forest Park Parkway with a three-building "residential village" going in across the street.

* Barnes-Jewish Hospital is spending more than $1 billion to expand and upgrade its medical campus. In an effort to consolidate its outpatient services together, the hospital opened its new Siteman Cancer Center and its Wellness Center in the Central West End recently. It has also opened a new emergency room replacing its old one. New additions and renovations have also been made to Children's Hospital.

* The Washington University campus on the CWE's western border continues to grow eastward with new buildings and parking garages being built in the Central West End, and on the main campus, new buildings for the engineering school are being added, and the art and architecture schools are being extended at Skinker and Forsyth.

* A new MetroLink station at Forest Park Parkway and Skinker is scheduled to open in 2005.

* In early 2000, a new parking garage with a public library branch on the main floor opened at Euclid and Lindell, and the Chase Park Plaza Hotel was rehabbed and opened the year before with 251 luxurious suites, movie theatres, restaurants and a new conference center which opened in mid-2002.

* The Central West End offers a variety of shops, restaurants and galleries mainly along the Euclid corridor.

* The Chase-Park Plaza, for many years the major hotel in the Central West End, was built in the 1920s as two separate buildings. The Chase, built in 1922 and the Park Plaza Hotel, built in 1929, were two of St. Louis' premier hotels. The two hotels were combined into one in 1961 and within a few years, the Chase-Park Plaza was a major convention hotel hosting thousands of conventioneers each year and employing more than 1,000 people. A favorite nightspot in the hotel, the Chase Club, offered the best of national entertainers. But in 1989, losing out to downtown hotels, the Chase closed and the Park Plaza was turned into offices and luxury apartments. The Chase-Park Plaza underwent extensive renovations and was reopened as a hotel in 2000.

HIGHLIGHTS:

* The Central West End is also home to Karl Bissinger's French Confections, a company that produces fine chocolates. The family's first store was opened in the 1600s in Paris where Bissinger confections were prized by Louis XIV and Napoleon. Some years ago the company moved to St. Louis.

* City engineer Julius Pitzman planned two of St. Louis' private places - Portland Place and Westmoreland Place - in the late 1880s as the area's first private streets, an exclusive residential area for St. Louis' elite.

* Washington Terrace and Kingsbury Place were developed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Both private streets have elegant entries. Harvey Ellis designed the clock tower at the Union entrance to Washington Terrace, and leading architect Thomas P. Barnett designed the beaux-arts entrance from the same street to Kingsbury Place.

* Hortense Place, between Pershing and McPherson Avenues, was named for the daughter of Jacob Goldman, a Jewish manufacturer who created the private place in 1900 after he was prohibited from moving into Portland and Westmoreland Places because of his religion.

* Lenox Place, also between Pershing and McPherson Avenues, was developed in 1903, and the homes were owned by many of the children of the original homeowners in Westmoreland and Portland Places.

* The Washington University Medical Center along Kingshighway Boulevard from Forest Park Avenue to I-64/40 has been an anchor of the Central West End for many decades. During World War I, the Medical School and St. Louis Children's Hospital moved to the Central West End from other locations, and Barnes Hospital opened there as well. In the late 1920s, Jewish Hospital moved to the complex from its previous location at Delmar and Union Boulevards. During the 1970s, the Washington University Medical Center decided to remain at its Central West End location instead of moving to St. Louis County. In the early 1990s, Barnes and Jewish Hospitals merged and in recent years the new Barnes-Jewish and Children's Hospitals have expanded greatly. Barnes-Jewish and several of its specialties regularly make U. S. News & World Report's list of top medical facilities in the country.

* The churches of the Central West End are also noted for their fascinating architecture. "Holy Corners," at the intersection of Kingshighway, Washington, McPherson and Westminster was so dubbed because of the number of churches and temples located there. They include St. John's Methodist Church on Washington designed by noted architect Theodore Link who also designed St. Louis' Union Station; the former Second Baptist Church on McPherson; the former Temple Israel, also on McPherson, and First Church of Christ, built in 1904 for the first Christian Science congregation west of the Mississippi. Also here is Tuscan Temple, built in 1907-8 on Westminster Place for Tuscan Lodge No. 360 A.F. & A.

* Other historic churches in the CWE include Trinity Episcopal Church at Euclid and Washington, built in 1910, and Second Presbyterian Church at Westminster and Taylor. Second Presbyterian, organized in 1838, relocated to the CWE at the turn of the last century after being in two other locations. The main sanctuary in the Romanesque Revival church at its present location was also designed by Link.

* The Byzantine and Romanesque Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis with its 227-foot green dome is the crowning jewel of the Central West End. The Cathedral's origins go back to 1896 when Archbishop John Kain purchased the site at Newstead and Lindell with the idea of moving the congregation of what is now known as the Old Cathedral to the Central West End. A new parish was organized, but construction of the building did not begin until 1907. Barnett, Haynes and Barnett, a noted architectural firm, did the design. The cathedral was completed in 1914 although installation of the Cathedral's mosaic collection, considered the largest in the world, continued into the 1980s.

* Central Reform Temple, at southwest corner of Kingshighway and Waterman, a building constructed in 2001, is the first new Jewish temple built in the city in 50 years. It was built with money raised by congregation members who were committed to staying in the Central West End.

* Several famous people have called the Central West End home. Playwright Tennessee Williams lived in an apartment in the 4600 block of Westminster Place and it is said that the time his family spent living there inspired him to write The Glass Menagerie. Writer Kate Chopin, best known for the early feminist work "The Awakening," lived at 4297 McPherson Avenue. Writer William Burroughs owned a house in the 4600 block of Pershing Place, poet T. S. Eliot's family lived at 4446 Westminster Place (Eliot's grandfather founded Washington University) and writer Vachel Lindsay is said to have courted poet Sara Teasdale in the house on Kingsbury Place where she lived with her family.

* Pharmaceutical manufacturer Albert Bond Lambert, a pioneering pilot and backer of Charles Lindbergh in his famous trans-Atlantic flight, lived on Hortense Place. His name lives on at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

* The founders of A. G. Edwards and Ralston Purina lived on Kingsbury Place.

* Dwight Davis, donor and founder of the Davis Cup, lived on Portland Place.

HISTORY: As the city increased in population during the mid to late 1800s, wealthy neighborhoods clustered around Chouteau's Pond, Lucas Place, Lafayette Park and Vandeventer Place. But the affluent soon sought to move themselves away from the noise, pollution and other urban problems the Industrial Age brought. They found the answer to their problems in the city's final western border, what we now call the Central West End. Turning the area into an upper class enclave did not take long.

"Where We Live, A Guide To St. Louis Communities," published by the Missouri Historical Society, says that as early as 1885 real estate ads touted the area east of Forest Park as land that "never depreciates" because of its location close to the park, major streetcar lines and adjacent wealthy neighborhoods. So wealthy entrepreneurs built palatial homes on a new group of private streets, which included Portland, Westmoreland, Westminster, Kingsbury, Hortense and Lenox Places, Washington Terrace and Pershing Avenue.

To protect their lifestyle, restrictive covenants were enacted and annual fees assessed to cover private maintenance of the private streets. The landowners even sought to control their surrounding environment. Since there were no zoning codes at the time, they bought an adjacent railroad yard on which to build luxury apartments and hotels to prevent the railroad from building above ground tracks nearby or locating related industries in the area. The development of Washington University and the coming of the World's Fair in 1904 helped turn the area into prime real estate.

But by World War I, things were changing. The advent of streetcars and commuter railroads brought people of more modest means to the area and soon smaller, single-family homes and apartment buildings fringed the neighborhood. Still, the Central West End remained a middle class neighborhood into the 1950s.

But change continued. The neighborhood suffered the effects of the Great Depression and World War II and soon began a downward slide. A deadly tornado struck the Central West End in February of 1959, hastening flight to the suburbs.

As the wealthy continued its flight to suburbia, the Central West End evolved into what some called the Greenwich Village of St. Louis -- a place filled with artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, coffee houses, bistros, nightclubs, art galleries, theatres, antique shops and boutiques.

Playing on St. Louis's riverboat and gaslight era, the area around Olive and Boyle was dubbed Gaslight Square, and by 1959 was becoming known as an entertainment district. Soon it was attracting the best of avante garde entertainers as well as visitors from around the world.

During its heyday entertainers such as Lenny Bruce, the Smothers Brothers, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Miles Davis, Jack Kerouac, Alan Ginsberg and Woody Allen performed in Gaslight Square as did a little-known 18-year-old singer named Barbra Streisand. Others who performed there included Chuck Berry, Johnny Johnson, Mike Nichols and Elaine May, the Allman Brothers, Phyllis Diller, Ike and Tina Turner, Singleton Palmer and Oliver Sain. But as the beatniks and bohemians gave way to hippies and flower children, the area further fell into decline, and before long, both Gaslight Square and the Central West End had seen better days.

But in the 1970s came a resurgence of interest in the area as entrepreneurs saw opportunity in this neighborhood steeped with history. As rehabbers discovered the Central West End and new businesses opened, the area experienced a rebirth. By the 1980s, property values had climbed to 10 times what they had been just a few years earlier, and the Central West End emerged what it is today - a vibrant, lively area known for its restaurants, shops and galleries.

In 1974, a portion of the CWE was designated as a historic district, one of several in St. Louis created to maintain the historic architecture and heritage of the neighborhood. Today the Central West End is an economically and racially diverse environment where people of all types mingle, live, work and visit.

FESTIVALS AND OTHER EVENTS: The annual Central West End House and Garden tour, a self-guided walking tour of premiere homes along the streets of the Central West End, is held each May, the Central West End Art Fair & Taste, a juried art show, live bands and samplings from neighborhood restaurants is held each June. Each Labor Day weekend, the Central West End goes Greek at the annual St. Nicholas Church's Greek Festival featuring Greek foods, live music and crafts.

Glow in the Park, a fundraiser for the Central West End Association and Forest Park, is held the night before the Great Forest Park Balloon race each September. The CWE celebrates the Saturday before Halloween with a dog costume parade and that Sunday with a children's costume parade. Plans are also underway to hold a holiday walk in December.

A new CWE Business Association is planning to revive the "adults only" Halloween street party on Halloween night, 2003.

DINING: The Central West End is noted for its exciting array of diverse restaurants. The restaurants are primarily clustered in the Euclid/McPherson area, the Euclid/Laclede area and in Maryland Plaza.

SHOPPING: The Central West End is filled with interesting shops, antique stores and art galleries.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Within Forest Park are four of St. Louis' leading cultural institutions - the world famous Saint Louis Zoo, the Missouri History Museum, the Science Center and the Saint Louis Art Museum. Also located in the Central West End is the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, also known as the New Cathedral, with the largest collection of mosaic art in the world.

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Fran Levy, Executive Director, Central West End Association, 314-367-2220, cwea@birch.net

(http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006020808557)

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Good to know

Downtown Community Improvment District (CID) employees are dressed in gold and black, and are happy to provide directions or lead you to your destination.

(www.downtownstl.org/Walking_650.aspx)

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Bus and Light Rail FAQs

MetroBus fare is purchased aboard MetroBus; exact cash fare is required. In addition, you may present a valid Pass or Multi-Use Transfer.

Current Passes or validated Tickets are required on MetroLink. Possession of a Pass or Ticket may not be sufficient to ride MetroLink. Passengers who board without possessing a valid Pass or Ticket may be issued a citation and be required to pay a court-imposed fine. To validate your Pass or Ticket, use a Red Validating Machine located at each MetroLink platform. Simply insert your Pass or Ticket into the slot at the top of the red post.

All Metro fare types can be purchased at MetroRide Transit Store corner of 7th and Washington, Downtown St. Louis. In addition, several Metro fare types can be purchased at select vendor locations, or at Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) conveniently located at each MetroLink station.

Multi-Use Transfer
To make traveling on Metro more convenient, Metro has implemented a Multi-Use Transfer designed to better meet passenger needs. This is helpful if you need to make multiple stops or even to go back and forth. It is valid for Metro System travel - - on both MetroBus and MetroLink - - in any direction for two hours, all for one fair price!

One-Day Pass
Metro offers a One-Day Pass valid for travel on a specific date, beginning at midnight to midnight. If the One-Day Pass is bought from a ticket vending machine, it is pre-stamped at midnight of the date of purchase; if purchased on-line or from MetroRide, the customer can determine the date of use by scratching the specific date. Scratching more than one date invalidates the pass.

(http://www.metrostlouis.org/GettingStarted/FAQs/FareFAQs.asp)


**How can I learn the best way to use Metro to reach my destination?

If you are not familiar with the MetroBus or MetroLink system, you can call Metro’s Transit Information Group for assistance at 314-231-2345 from Missouri or 618-271-2345 from Illinois. Transit Information is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. A Customer Service Representative will assist you in finding the correct route for you. (The best times to call are 10-3, Tuesday through Thursday, to avoid longer wait times.) You can also e-mail transitinformation@metrostlouis.org.

**How can I learn about Metro routes when Transit Information is closed?

You can use Metro’s new TripFinder software at tripfinder.metrostlouis.org. You can also review timetables and locate bus stops through the same software. If you want us to mail a printed timetable, you can leave your name and address on our voicemail system at 314.982.1521.

**Does Metro have any locations where I can purchase tickets & passes in person or over the phone using cash, check, credit or debit card?

Yes, there are two MetroRide locations – 7th & Washington, the southeast corner of America's Center, 314-982-1495 and 232 S. Meramec Ave., 2nd Level of the Clayton MetroBus Transfer Center and Clayton MetroLink Station, 314-982-1574. Both MetroRide locations are open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

**I’ve heard about a free-fare zone. Where is it and how does it work?

Metro operates a Ride-Free-Zone between the Arch-Laclede’s Landing Station and Union Station between 11:30-1:30, Monday-Friday. This means you may ride between those Stations during that time without paying a fare. However, you must complete your trip by 1:30 p.m. or buy a fare to complete the trip even though you are traveling within the Zone.

(http://www.metrostlouis.org/GettingStarted/FAQs/FAQs.asp)

[2olives]

Parkville, Missouri, USA

Less than a daytrip away from Kansas City is one of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel "10 Coolest Small Towns." (September 2007) The author, Katie Van Luchene, had this to say about Parkville, "A little bit hip and a little bit homey, (this) up-and-coming town guarantees a fun detour on your next road trip. You'll be browsing the local real estate pages before you know it."

Read on, read on...
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Parkville, MO

Population: 4,059
Nearest City: Kansas City, MO, 10 miles

As Jennifer Stanton is telling how she ditched her corporate job in 2003 to open Wines by Jennifer in a circa-1903 house, the Park University clock tower chimes: "That's my mantra to remind me to slow down and enjoy life," she says (405 Main St., 816/505-9463, winesbyjennifer.com). On Wednesday's Diva Night at Jeff and Lynn Anderson's River Rock Reserve, ladies enjoy fun stuff like free neck massages with their River Bottom cocktails; by day, the space reverts to a café (6325 Lewis St., 816/505-3663, riverrockcoffee.com). "We're just 10 minutes from downtown Kansas City," says Jeff, "but I feel like any minute someone's going to ask me to help with a barn raising." Didier Combe, the proprietor of Café des Amis, thinks Parkville is like a village in his native France: "After the last dinner is served, we often sit on the deck with friends and guests" (112½ Main St., 816/587-6767, cafedesamiskc.com, rack of lamb $26). Over at The Power Plant Restaurant and Brewery, Angelo Gangai gives his beers historical monikers like Southbound Nut Brown, named after the trains that roll past (2 Main St., 816/746-5051, powerplantbrews.com). One caramely ale, Steamboat Stout, makes a dandy float when poured over vanilla gelato from The Sweet Guy (10 Main St., 816/505-2788, thesweetguy.com). At Bentley Guitar Studios, Mark Bentley has been teaching folks--and now their kids--guitar for nearly a decade (122 S. Main St., 816/746-9772, bentleyguitars.com). The Saturday jam sessions here have become so popular, they've taken over the sidewalk.
(http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2007/08/06/AR2007080600793.html)

[2olives]

FREE wifi

I just ran across this website that lists FREE wifi hotspots by city, a very useful resources for traveling. Here are the links for Missouri link and Kansas link.

In the Kansas City area, my favorites include Muddy's (a coffee dive) on 51st Street and the Kansas City Library Central, Northeast (my hood), and Plaza branches.

Enjoy!

Heather

[starlagurl]

That's nice, bookmarking that one! A lot of times public libraries will have free wifi, and you can usually tell the librarians that you are from out of town and they will help you out with a temporary password or something. So keep that in mind when you are looking for wifi next time.

[2olives]

Hiking in Kansas City

This is information I have compiled over the last few years that may interest you, too. MS Word documents with same info attached.

Enjoy!

Heather
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Take A Hike, Kansas City!
by Paul Lamble
Kansas City nature lovers can choose from a variety of hiking trails.
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For a healthy and inexpensive way to enjoy the natural world, look no farther than your neighborhood conservation area. There's plenty of fun afoot when you hike nature trails in the Kansas City area.
Hiking is for everyone in the family. You can go as fast as you want, as far as you want, whenever you want and with whomever you want. But whatever your hiking ambitions, keep in mind a few common sense points before you set out on the trail.
First consideration goes to essential gear. Dress comfortably and for the weather. Sensible shoes are a must. Boots that provide ankle support and good traction make sense. A hat will help keep you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
Since ticks, chiggers and poison ivy are common throughout Missouri, consider wearing long pants and long sleeves. At the least, protect your skin with insect repellent and keep a sharp eye out for the distinctive three leaves of poison ivy.
Along with the essentials, bring along a canteen of drinking water.
It will provide welcome relief any time of the year, especially if you are hiking with children. A map of the trail will help you appreciate it more and let you gauge your progress. Maps are available at local Conservation Department offices and at some of the larger areas. You might also want to bring along a compass.
Binoculars and a pocket magnifier let you peer into the natural world. Guidebooks about flora and fauna will deepen your appreciation (and give you a chance to pause if you are feeling a little winded). Don't forget a lightweight but sturdy hiking stick. It's like having a best friend along when you hike.
Enjoying the trail carries a responsibility. Hiker's etiquette is just as important as any other item you bring along. Consider yourself a guest in nature's house and act accordingly.
First of all, stay on the trail. Not only will this help preserve the natural beauty for your next visit, but it will keep you from getting lost or hurt. Hiking off the trail can also contribute to erosion.
Don't leave anything behind. Drop gum wrappers in your pocket, not on the trail. Recycle the soda can when you get home, rather than tossing it into the woods. You might even consider bringing along a small trash bag and having the kids help clean up the trail as they go.
Don't take anything with you either. Native plants, flowers and small animals all have their roles in the natural cycle. By carrying them away, you not only break the cycle, but you break the law. In fact, if you found it along the trail, consider leaving your hiking stick at the trailhead for the next hiker.
Kansas Citians are fortunate to have a good selection of hiking trails at nearby conservation areas. Here's a sampling.
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James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area
Driving Directions
James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area is 1 mile east of Lee's Summit on Ranson Road and 1.5 miles south of Highway 50.
Map: http://mdc.mo.gov/documents/area_brochures/5501map.pdf
Brochure: http://mdc.mo.gov/documents/area_brochures/5501map.pdf
The Shawnee Trace Nature Trail is tucked in the back of this 2,456-acre wildlife area. This loop trail begins and ends at the Bodarc Lake dam.
The Shawnee Trace Trail, which gets its name from an American Indian trail that passed nearby, is actually made of three interconnected, unpaved trails. All of the hiking is easy, which makes this a good family adventure.
The Big Creek Loop covers one mile along the east branch of Big Creek on the way out and then passes along a ridge on the way back. When you cross the creek, look for horsetail (scouring rush) growing in the rich soil.
The .75-mile Glade Loop runs along the top of the hill. As the name suggests, the soil is rocky and includes several treeless areas. Look for prickly pear and an old homestead along here.
The mile-long Habitat Loop crosses the creek on a swaying wooden foot bridge. Though the area is thickly forested now, a massive sycamore pops up along the trail and shows that the area was mostly open within this century. Have the kids join hands and try to reach around the trunk. It's a great break in the hiking and an opportunity to teach about trees and history.
Before leaving the area, be sure to stop in the office, which has wildlife displays, a touch table, several aquariums of native fish and turtles, vending machines and staffers who love to make conversation.
James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area is on Ranson Road, south of Highway 50 and just east of Lee's Summit in southeast Jackson County.
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Burr Oak Woods
1401 NW Park Road
Blue Springs, MO 64015
Telephone (816) 228-3766
Building Hours: Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and NOON to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The building is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Area Hours: Area is open to vehicles from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily during Daylight Savings Time and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time. The area is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Directions: Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center is located one mile north of I-70 on Hwy 7, then one mile west on Park Road.
Nature Center Map: http://www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/cnc/burroak/bldg_map.html

There are four trails at Burr Oak Woods and an outstanding nature center. Every hiking ability and interest will be satisfied by a visit here.
Start with the best. The Bethany Falls Trail is the showcase trail for all of Kansas City. Though only 1.3 miles, it offers some challenging hiking, so wear sensible shoes. You start with a gentle climb through a lowland forest, where you'll pass the foundations of settlers' cabins. The trail gets its name from the outcropping of Bethany Falls limestone it passes over, under and through. Bring your camera for some interesting shots. Markers along the trail identify history and topography.
The longest trail here is the 1.5-mile Wildlife Habitat Trail. This loop trail takes you through various habitat and scenery. You'll pass through uplands and bottomlands, over creeks, past ponds and glades and along more Bethany Falls limestone. Some of the inclines are moderately steep. A shortcut trail along the bubbling creek shaves half a mile off the hike.
Two trails near the nature center offer hiking opportunities for those who prefer pavement. To the west of the building is the Missouri Tree Trail. This .8-mile, paved loop trail includes a photoblind, a bridge across a pond and a deck that overlooks a glade. The Discovery Trail immediately behind the building is also a paved loop trail, but it has some steep inclines. Look for a short spur off the trail that crosses a creek. Even on the hottest days, you'll enjoy an appreciable drop in temperature here.
Burr Oak Woods is on Park Road, west of Highway 7, just north of Blue Springs in Jackson County.
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Maple Woods Natural History Area
The vigorous development of northern Kansas City surrounds the 39 wild acres of this little park. A clearly defined, mile-long loop trail takes hikers through a dense forested area filled with bird song. Maple Woods is the largest remaining stand of virgin maple trees west of the Mississippi. How surprising that such an unspoiled area is located right in the middle of suburbia!
The trailhead is beside a parking lot on 76th Street. You begin your hike by crossing a wooden bridge, and then you are faced with a choice. You can take the steep trail to the right or the more moderate one to the left. Each is an end of the same trail, so whichever you choose will eventually bring you back to the trailhead.
Along the way you'll pass a couple of short spurs you can take to explore further into the dense forest. Don't be surprised, though, to spot the houses of new subdivisions peeking through the trees when the trail takes you close to the perimeter of the area.
A short cutoff trail halves the distance of your hike, but since the entire trail is only a mile long, you might choose the cutoff so you can make a figure-8 hike.
Expect some moderately steep¿g and some serious mud in wet weather. Be sure to bring along your tree guide.
Maple Woods Natural History Area is within the city of Gladstone in northern Kansas City. It is on 76th Street, west of Antioch Road in Clay County.
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Bluffwoods Conservation Area
For a fun day-trip, make the drive to Bluffwoods Conservation Area. The two hiking trails here offer a moderate challenge to the hiker.
The Lone Pine Trail is the longer of the two. Its overall length depends on the various spurs you might take. The trailhead is in the bottomland, near an old cemetery. Go to the left and you quickly begin a moderately steep ascent as the trail mounts and follows a ridge. On the way up, you'll hike along an old road that has been worn nearly 10 feet below the surrounding ground in some areas.
Along the ridge you'll find persimmons galore in season and dozens of varieties of wildflowers. Once you reach the ridge, make sure to take the spur to the north. Not only will you see the massive, gnarled pine that names this trail, but you'll reach a bluff with a dizzying view of miles of open bottomland.
On your return, you can choose the loop trail back to your car or a second spur that takes you along a creek and another old road. If you go this way, though, you must retrace your steps to get back to the trailhead.
The Forest Nature Trail is in another part of the area, running from and to a picnic shelter. The trail is gently sloped and allows a pleasant, short hike through both forest and grassland.
Bluffwoods Conservation Area is nine miles south of St. Joseph on Highway 59 near the town of Halls in Buchanan County.
See you on the trail!
Writer Paul Lamble lives in the Kansas City metro area.



Blue and Gray Park
Total Land Area: 1,733 acres
Location: 7 miles south of I-70 on Buckner-Tarsney Road

Nestled in the oak/hickory hardwood timbers of eastern Jackson County, Blue and Gray Park is popular with horseback riders, hikers and cross-country skiers for its beautiful terrain. Because of the great interest in horseback riding at Blue and Gray Park, a parking lot with pull-through capability for large trailers, 2 shelter houses (Bergen Shelter and Hammond Rd. Shelter), 6 picnic tables, and (pit) toilets. The natural setting of the area offers a great opportunity to study wildlife and enjoy the wilderness. There are also facilities for primitive, organized group camping.
The Fee for overnight horse camping on Brown Road is $90.00 a night.
A permit is required to use the Horse Trails: Please call 816-503-4805 for permit reservations. You can purchase a permit at the Administration offices 22807 Woods Chapel Road, Blue Springs MO 64015.
Youth Organized Camping is allowed please call 816-503-4805 for pricing on youth organized camping.

Lone Jack Civil War Trail
Extended Nature Trail
(The section running through the park being 2 miles one way. Originates at Missouri Town 1855 in Fleming Park, follows county roads and runs through Blue and Gray Reserve) 15 miles
for entire trail

Blue River Parkway
Total Land Area: 2,400 acres
Location: Bordering Big Blue River from Swope Park south to the southern end of the County.
This multi-faceted parkland has many amenities including several miles of multi-use trails popular for mountain biking. Radio Controlled Model Airplane Fields, Balloon Ports, Softball Fields, Fishing Ponds, Hiking Trails, Horse Riding Area, Picnic Area, Polo Fields, Soccer Fields, and Shelter Houses.

Blue River Parkway Trail
 Kenneth Road to Red Bridge Road 4.5 miles one way
Blue River Glades Trail
 80th Street and Blue River Road 3.0 mile loop



Fleming Park
Total Land Area: 7,809 acres
Total Lake Area: 1,690 acres
Location: 2-miles East of I-470/291 on Woods Chapel Road
Online Reservations
Fleming Park, covering over 7,800 acres of recreational parkland, is located approximately 15 minutes from Kansas City. Originally named Lake Jacomo, the park was renamed Fleming Park in honor of Judge Harry M. Fleming who helped guide the development of Lake Jacomo during the 1950s. This park encompasses Blue Springs Lake and Lake Jacomo and is the largest of the Jackson County Parks, having over 1,300,000 visitors a year.
This park complex contains a large number of recreational features including:
 Lake Jacomo
 Blue Springs Lake
 Full-Service Marinas (2)
 Public Campgrounds (2)
 Picnic Shelters
 Corporate Shelter
 Boat Ramps
 Fishing Dock
 Disabled Fishing Dock
 Fishing Pond
 Blue Springs Beach
 Drysail Trailer Storage
 Hiking and Nature Trails
 Fleming Meeting Hall
 Park Administrative Complex
 Ranger Station
Additional features located in the southern part of Fleming Park/Lake Jacomo region include:
 Native Hoofed Animal Enclosure
 Kemper Outdoor Education Center
 Missouri Town 1855
 Franke Soccer Fields (4)
 Radio Controlled Model Airplane Field

Blue Springs Lake
Location: Fleming Park
Blue Springs Multipurpose Trail
 Starts at flagpole on Liggett Rd. to Woods Chapel Rd. around the east side of the lake.
 A 2-mile, Class I trail along Liggett Rd. and a Class II lane on Woods Chapel Rd. shoulder completes a 5 mile loop of this trail 3 mile, one way
Fishing Trail
 Blue Springs Lake from Shelter D to Woods Chapel Road 1.4 miles one way
Lake Jacomo
Location: Fleming Park

Rock Ledges Nature Trail

Shelter #14
1.5 mile loop
Pa-Huska Nature Trail

Sailboat Cove
1.2 mile loop
Clermont Nature Trail

Missouri Town 1855
(admission fee required)
1 mile loop
Prickly Pear Cactus Glade Nature Trail

Colbern and Beach Road
1 mile loop
Tcha-To-Ga Nature Trail

Across from the Hoofed Animal Enclosure
1.2 mile loop
Mun-Ni-Pus-Kee Nature Trail

Around the Hoofed Animal Enclosure
1.5 mile loop
Nature Trail

Kemper Outdoor Education Center
1 mile one way
Larry Mattenon Memorial Nature Trail

Old White Road to Colbern Road
1.7 miles one way


Landahl Park

Total Land Area: 1,397 acres
Location: 2 miles East of MO 7 on Truman Road

On February 21, 1988, The Lake City Park Reserve was renamed William L. Landahl Park Reserve in honor of former Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department Director William L. Landahl.

Landahl Park is popular with mountain bikers. The park includes many miles of trails designated for mountain biking for people of all levels and skills. Other activities include horseback riding trails, 5 soccer fields, softball field, picnic shelter, 40 picnic tables, primitive group camping, hiking and cross country skiing in the winter. Restrooms are located within the park.

In 1981, the Missouri Department of Conservation opened a Shooting Range for target shooting and outdoor education. The Conservation Department operates the Range to provide a safe practice area for hunters and marksmen.

Landahl Park Reserve
Location: Landahl Park

Mountain Bike Trails
For various levels of skill, Argo Road
18.5 miles is single track trail built by our Jackson County Parks and Recreation volunteers
2.5 miles are double access roads.
21 miles
Tchong-Tas-Sab-Bee Nature Trail

Truman Road Shelter
1.2 and 3.6 mile loop
Wasingsabba Nature Trail

Argo Road Shelter
1.1 and 3.5 mile loop



Little Blue Trace

Total Land Area: 1,856 acres
Location: Bordering Little Blue River from Longview Lake north to Blue Mills Road

In 1985, Jackson County Parks and Recreation completed the purchase of Little Blue Trace Nature Preserve. A ten-mile hiking and bicycle trail, highlights the park. Other recreation facilities, along this trail system, include 4 shelters, 30 picnic tables, softball field and 3 soccer fields.

Little Blue Trace
Location: Little Blue Trace

Map: Download Map

Little Blue Trace Trail

Little Blue Parkway north to Blue Mills Road Shelter
(entrance access at Blue Mills Rd., Ripley Junction, Bundschu Rd., M-78 shelter just west of Hwy 7 and Necessary Rd. at R.D. Mize Rd.)
11 miles one way
Rock surface



Longview Lake Park

Total Land Area: 4,852 acres
Total Lake Area: 930 acres
Location: I-470 and Raytown Rd (exit 4) - turn south 1 mile
Map: Download PDF

Online Reservations


Longview Lake Park is a part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Little Blue River Project for flood control, recreation and other water resource development. Opened to the public in 1986, Longview Lake Park records over 1,000,000 visitors annually. This park complex contains a large number of recreational features including:

Longview Lake
Full-Service Marina
Public Campground
Fred Arbanas Golf Course
Christmas In The Park
Picnic Shelters (14)
Corporate Picnic Shelters (2)
Multi-lane Boat Ramps (2)
Disabled Fishing Docks (2)
Fishing Ponds
Longview Lake Beach
Family Picnic Area
Four-Mile Nature Trail
Six-Mile Bicycle Trail
Frank White, Jr. Softball Complex
Radio Control Model Airplane Field
Horse Park
Primitive Organized Camping
Dog Training Area
Balloon Port
Corps of Engineer's Office

Longview Lake
Location: Longview Lake Park

Asphalt Surface Trail

O'Donnell Park to Longview Shelter #14
6 miles one way

Nature Trail

Organized Youth Campground Area South of Highgrove Road
(park on shoulder of Highgrove Road, walk in)
1.2 or 3 mile loop




Monkey Mountain

Total Land Area: 855 acres
Location: East of Grain Valley on old Highway 40

This area is currently a conservation project designed to increase wildlife habitat, re-establish turf and practice soil revitalization. The Department has introduced trails at the park for use by hikers and horseback riders. Two picnic tables are present.

Monkey Mountain Reserve
Location: Monkey Mountain

Mar-Chark-Ita-Toon-Hah Nature Trail

Old U.S. Highway 40
3.5 mile loop

Monkey Mountain Horse Trail
R.D. Mize Road
3.0 mile loop


River Bluff

Total Land Area: 232 acres
Location: On the bluffs overlooking La Benite Park at M-291 and the Missouri River

The park contains a section of the Lewis and Clark Trail.
River Bluff Reserve
Location: River Bluff

River Bluff Nature Trail

Courtney Road
2.4 mile loop

Truman Sportrs Complex
Location: Truman Sports Museum

Arrowhead Trail

Raytown Road just West of Blue Ridge Cutoff
3.5 mile loop

[2olives]

Attention cycling enthusiasts! The Tour of Missouri has set the state on fire with enthusiam for getting out those bikes and riding. Here is a recent article about the event, followed by some great links:

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More cities along for the ride
Kathleen Nelson. St. Louis Post - Dispatch. St. Louis, Mo.: Jan 31, 2008. pg. B.5

The Tour of Missouri has built on its success by expanding its reach. The 2008 race will last an extra day, and a dozen cities will host a stage start or finish in the seven-stage race, Sept. 8-14.

The race will start in St. Joseph, travel south through Kansas City, Clinton, Springfield and Branson, turn northeast to Lebanon, Rolla, St. James and Jefferson City, then finish with stages through Hermann, St. Charles and St. Louis. The inaugural version lasted six days and had nine host cities.

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder noted Wednesday that the Tour of Missouri left such a favorable impression with cyclists and the sport's governing bodies "that they awarded us another day, allowing us to get to more towns. A few less towns will be angry at me this year."

Twenty cities submitted bids to host this year.

The race also was a hit with the large crowds along the route. Gov. Matt Blunt quoted the results of research from the University of Missouri School of Business, which found that 367,000 people lined the roads to watch the 600-mile race and that the event generated $26.2 million in economic impact.

"We wanted figures on the conservative end," Blunt said, "but the numbers were even better than we anticipated."

The race attracted a worldwide audience on the Internet and television, including more than 487 million website hits and viewers from 73 countries who watched live streaming coverage.

"When you've got folks from 73 countries watching this in real time, you have a whole lot of people who have never heard of Missouri," Kinder said. "But they have now."

To spread the wealth for this year, the tour organizers added four new host cities: St. Joseph, Rolla, St. James and Hermann. Not returning is Columbia, which is booked solid that week.

Other features remain similar to last year. Kansas City again will host the finish of the first stage. Stage 2 again starts in Clinton and ends in Springfield. Branson will host a Stage 3 time trial. St. Charles again will host the end of the last road stage.

And the race again will close in St. Louis, on a circuit course through the city. City operations manager Ron Smith said he hoped the route could be "moved closer to the riverfront" and that turnout could approach 100,000. Because of Cardinals and Rams games last year, more than 50,000 lined the circuit, which started at Union Station, headed west through Forest Park and circled back to the western edge of downtown. The Cardinals will be out of town on the day of the race; the Rams' schedule will be released in the spring.

The specific roads that the riders will travel, as well as the teams in the race, will be announced in June. Last year's field had 15 national and international teams of eight riders each. Among the riders were 2007 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador and U.S. road champion Levi Leipheimer, who both rode for the Discovery Channel Cycling Team but now are with Astana. The winner of the inaugural Tour of Missouri was George Hincapie, who rode with Discovery but has moved to High Road Sports.

Chris Aronhalt of Medalist Sports, the management company for the Tours of Missouri, California and Georgia, said his "best guess" was that Hincapie and Leipheimer would be here, since Astana and High Road had inquired about competing in this year's race, "and we hope they'll bring some hardware to the Tour of Missouri," perhaps a medal from the Beijing Olympics.

Aronhalt said he had received requests from "six or seven" Pro Tour teams, which enter the elite races in Europe, including the Tour de France. Last year, two Pro Tour teams competed in Missouri, Discovery and Saunier Duval.

"Now, we have a bit of supply-and-demand challenge," he said. "They all want to come here."

________________________________________________________________________________


Missouri Bicycle Federation http://mobikefed.org/
Steephill TV Bike Travelogue http://www.steephill.tv/tour-of-missouri/
Tour of Missouri Official Site http://www.tourofmissouri.com/
Bike the Katy Trail (one of my faves!) http://www.bikekatytrail.com/

[2olives]

I love Kansas City. I really, really do. However, especially between January and April, I get a little stir crazy and just need to get out of town. I found this great article aimed at all Missourians looking for a quick, unusual getaway. And who wouldn't want to check out the treehouse? Enjoy!

Heather

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20 GREAT WEEKEND GETAWAYS Looking to get out of town? Here are the favorite short trips of travel writer Tom Uhlenbrock. Quiet retreats can be found in a variety of places - even treehouses.
TOM UHLENBROCK. St. Louis Post - Dispatch. St. Louis, Mo.: Jan 20, 2008. pg. T.4

New Haven Levee House B&B
Where: In New Haven, off Highway 100, 50 miles west of St. Louis.

The Unique: Situated between Hermann and Washington in Missouri Wine Country, this charming little 1876 cottage, as its name implies, sits on the levee in New Haven with views of the Missouri River from its rooms. Inside is a queen-size canopy bed, period antiques, a full kitchen and a gas grill. Rbller Winery is just across the highway.

Prices: $150 a night.

Contacts: 1-636-239-6190 and leveehouse.com

Heaven on Earth B&B

Where: Near Augusta, 50 miles west of St. Louis

The Unique: This B&B consists of two cabins, the Ranch House and Cowboy Cabin, across from each other in a wooded setting. The bedrooms have a queen-size bed and a Jacuzzi tub next to the fireplace. (Private bathrooms will accommodate the modest.) The site is near wineries, the Katy Trail and restaurants in Washington.

Prices: Monday through Thursday, $165 a night, and $195 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and $350 for two consecutive nights. Includes hot breakfast delivered to your cabin.

Contacts: 1-636-433-2511 and heavenonearth.ws

The Rock Castle at Blue Springs Ranch

Where: Near Bourbon, 65 miles southwest of St. Louis, off Interstate 44

The Unique: The Rock Castle is the ultimate for larger groups. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Meramec River Valley, the lodge-like building has a full kitchen, gas fireplace, six bedrooms on the upper level and two additional bedrooms and a party room on the lower level. Outside you'll find a fire ring and stone steps leading to a private gravel bar below. Floating available.

Prices: Varies according to the number of individuals and bedrooms reserved.

Contacts: 1-800-333-8007 and bluespringsranchresort.com

Woodmere Cabin

Where: Off Highway 19, just south of Interstate 70, near Big Spring, 85 miles west of St. Louis

The Unique: This tiny cabin at the end of a wooded lane looks like Grandpa's fishing cabin, decorated by Grandma in country antiques. There are hiking trails on the 23 acres and a screened porch looks out on a fishing lake. (Catch and release only. No license required.) Owners Joan and Pete Treis live next door and recently added a red barn that also has an artist's retreat in the loft. Hermann is 15 minutes south.

Prices: Both the cabin and loft rent for $135 a night, per couple.

Contacts: 1-573-252-4136 and woodmerecabin.members.ktis.net

The Clubhouse at Wildwood Springs Lodge

Where: Off Highway 19 north of Steelville, 90 miles from St. Louis

The Unique: The lodge was built in the 1920s and is known for its "living room concerts" each fall. The Clubhouse is nestled on a wooded bluff nearby at the end of a gravel road. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a wood fireplace, a full kitchen, stained glass windows, gleaming wood floors and a screened porch looking down on the Meramec River.

Prices: $325 a night on non-concert nights.

Contacts: 1-573-775-2400 and wildwoodspringslodge.com

Fair Winds Cabins

Where: Spread out on 100 acres off Highway 49 near Cherryville, about 100 miles from St. Louis

The Unique: Owner Judy Bell has five cabins, all with fireplaces, jetted tubs and full kitchens, decorated in country chic. Outside are barbecue grills and porches. You can hike through the woods and wade in Dry Creek, when it has water.

Prices: $119 for one bedroom, $150 for two.

Contacts: 1-573-743-6200 and fairwindscabins.com

Wilderness Lodge

Where: On the Black River at Lesterville, 110 miles south of St. Louis

The Unique: The lodge has a variety of cabins on a wooded hillside leading down to the river. Jack's Cabin was built in 1910 and has mellowed with age. Three bedrooms are off a central living room, and the screened porch has another bed if you want to hear the owls.

Prices: $74 a person, including dinner and breakfast in the dining hall; $35 for kids 1-12.

Contacts: 1-888-969-9129 and wildernesslodgeresortltd.com

Garth Woodside Mansion

Where: In Hannibal, 117 miles north of St. Louis

The Unique: Garth is rated Missouri's top B&B, with antique-filled rooms in the Victorian estate, and now has three detached cottages - Woodside View, Woodside Trail and the top-of-the-line Dowager House. The elegant cottages are nestled in the woods with fireplaces and private decks with huge hot tubs.

Prices: Rooms in the mansion are $139-$225. Woodside View and Trail cottages are $279 a night. Dowager House, with two fireplaces and a loft, is $395.

Contacts: 1-888-427-8409 and garthmansion.com

The cabin at Meadow View Ranch

Where: Lebanon, 165 miles southwest of St. Louis, off Interstate 44

The Unique: The cabin sits in the middle of the 170-acre ranch and has one bedroom, a sleeping loft with two twin beds and a full kitchen. The covered front porch overlooks forests, ponds and pastures. Owner Heidi MacQueen runs a "horse motel," so horses and pets are welcome and guests can help feed the animals. The ranch is a short drive from the Niangua River and Bennett Spring State Park, a mecca for trout anglers.

Price: The cabin is $75 a night for one and $8 for each additional guest. Lodging is also available in cozy quarters in the barn.

Contacts: 1-417-533-8133 and meadowviewranch.com

Round Spring Retreat

Where: Off Highway 19, near Eminence, in the Missouri Ozarks, 166 miles from St. Louis

The Unique: This two-bedroom cabin with a kitchen and screened porch sits on a ridge with a view of the Current River far below. There's a gas grill and firepit out back, and a galaxy of stars at night. Owners Scott and Jodi Deffenbaugh have a house 400 feet away and built the cabin in 2002 to share their view and seclusion.

Price: Rates go from $70 a couple on a winter weekday, to $160 a night on a summer weekend, $15 for each additional guest and $20 for pets.

Contacts: 1-573-858-9225 and roundspringretreat.com

River Cabins at River's Edge Resort

Where: On the Jacks Fork River at Eminence, 177 miles from St. Louis

The Unique: The resort has gone upscale with two new River Cabins in a duplex separated by a breezeway. Each cabin has three bedrooms, a fireplace, kitchen, flat-screen TV in the living room and a deck overlooking a private gravel bar next to the sparkling Jacks Fork.

Prices: You can rent just the master bedroom, or unlock an entryway and add the two other bedrooms, and second bath. Nightly off-season rates for just the master bedroom are $179 on weekdays and $239 on weekends. Summer rates are $299 on weekdays, and $389 on weekends and holidays.

Contacts: 1-573-226-3233 and rivers-edge.com

The Treehouse at River of Life Farm

Where: Near Dora, in south-central Missouri, 207 miles from St. Louis

The Unique: The Treehouse is in the canopy on steel beams 20 feet high, with hickories jutting through the deck. You look down on the crystal clear North Fork of the White River, known for its wild trout. Featured are one bedroom, a full kitchen, a gas fireplace and three beds in the sleeping loft. Floats can end at your backstep.

Prices: The Treehouse is $209 a night for a couple, $25 for each additional adult. Next door is the Treetop Hideaway, a romantic cabin for couples, priced at $189 a night.

Contacts: 1-888-824-2398 and riveroflifefarm.com

Tara Point Inn & Cottages

Where: On the Great River Road at Grafton, 38 miles from St. Louis

The Unique: The inn sits on a bluff overlooking Grafton, with spectacular views of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers below. The main house has three guest rooms, and the private cottages are just behind. Each cottage has a front porch facing the river, perfect for morning coffee and evening cocktails. In winter, bald eagles pass at eye level.

Prices: Rooms in the main house are $168 Sunday through Thursday, $192 Friday and Saturday. Cottage suites are $180 and $216.

Contacts: 1-618-786-3555 and www.tarapoint.com

Harpole's Heartland Lodge

Where: Outside of Nebo, 86 miles north of St. Louis

The Unique: Gary Harpole built this secluded, luxury lodge to cater to hunters from October to December. But when it's not hunting season, the lodge is a great place to sit on the wraparound porch and see what shows up at the bird feeders. Also featured are hiking, horseback riding, hay rides, ATV rental, sporting clays and mountain bikes. Suites have king-size beds, gas fireplaces, Jacuzzi tubs and four-poster beds. Guests are asked to remove their shoes and pad around in socks on the gleaming oak floors.
Prices: A regular room is $178, and a luxury suite is $259, based on double occupancy, with meals and activities.

Contacts: 1-800-717-4868 and heartlandlodge.com

Davie School Inn

Where: Anna in Southern Illinois, 145 miles from St. Louis

The Unique: The classrooms in a three-story brick elementary school, built in 1910, have been converted into huge suites, each 850 square feet or more. Tiny desks sit near the blackboard, and physics, math and spelling textbooks line a cabinet. Bathrooms have Jacuzzi tubs and twin sinks.

Prices: Suites range from $100 to $125 Sunday through Thursday, and $125 to $150 Friday and Saturday. The cost includes a full breakfast served on dishes from a 1970s home economics class.

Contacts: 1-618-833-2377 and davieschoolinn.com

The Flagship at Rend Lake Resort

Where: On Rend Lake, south of Mount Vernon, 90 miles southeast of St. Louis

The Unique: The Flagship is the newest of three boatels built right on the water. The rooms have tubs for two, gas fireplaces and small balconies over the water for sunset watching. The resort is within Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park, which offers hiking, fishing, boating and bike riding. Often deserted in winter, the resort is usually full in summer.

Prices: The Flagship is $130 a night a couple. Cheaper lodging is available.

Contacts: 1-800-633-3341 and rendlakeresort.net

Lock and Dam 51 Homes

Where: Golconda, 164 miles from St. Louis, on the Ohio River in Southern Illinois

The Unique: Sitting on a hillside overlooking the river, these four cottages were built in 1928 for the lock keepers. They have been meticulously renovated and filled with period furniture - like Grandma's house, without Grandma. Two have three bedrooms, and two have one bedroom. The larger cottages have hot tubs on screened porches, looking down on the wide Ohio.

Prices: The three-bedroom units are $185 a night for four adults. The one-bedrooms are $100 for two. Children under 12 are free.

Contacts: 1-618-683-6702 and golcondalockmasterhomes.comWindy

Hill Acres Inn

Where: Cobden, 144 miles southeast of St. Louis

The Unique: Retired schoolteachers Bob and Carol Nebughr took a 150-year-old stone potato-drying house on their property and converted it into a charming cottage decorated with country collectibles. There's a fireplace, a full kitchen and a deck overlooking the woods. It's a short drive to the quaint town of Alto Pass and serves as a great base camp for exploring the Southern Illinois Wine Trail.

Prices: One bedroom is $75, and two bedrooms is $130.

Contacts: 1-618-893-4065 and windyhillacresinn.com

The Guest House at Walnut Grove Farm

Where: Outside of Knoxville, 209 miles north of St. Louis

The Unique: Built around 1900, the two-bedroom bungalow has a full kitchen, a swing on the porch and sits across the field from the classic barn on Walnut Grove Farm, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The barn is used for storing hay and machinery and for cattle, as well as for drying flowers and special events. Guests get a personalized experience on the historic farmstead.

Prices: $60 a night for a single, $80 for two, and $40 for each additional guest over the age of 10.

Contacts: 1-309-289-4770 and walnutgrovefarm.com

RiverWind Lodge at buffalo outdoor center

Where: In Ponca, Ark., near the Buffalo National River, 312 miles from St. Louis

The Unique: The lodge has four bedrooms, all with double queen beds and baths and four double beds in the sleeping loft. Outside is a covered firepit, an eight-person hot tub and a deck with an unbroken view of the Buffalo River Valley. Hidden below is the majestic Buffalo River, lined by towering bluffs.

Prices: The lodge is $929 a night for the first 20 guests, $15 for each additional guest. Buffalo Outdoor Center also has several other comfortable cabins, many with views, ranging from $139 to $279.

Contacts: 1-800-221-5514 and buffaloriver.com

[starlagurl]

I moved the last post to

http://www.travelpod.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6545

[2olives]

Kansas City: the Big 12 Tournament, the Power and Light District, the American Royal Fan Fest, and The Studio Restaurant and Bar


My partner, Kelly, and I have been dying to see the new downtown revitalization (the Power and Light District) across from the new Sprint Center to experience the bars, restaurants, and other growth in the past months. This Saturday seemed like a great time to try it and have the chance to participate in the wacko energy that is the Big 12 basketball tournament. So, at 10:00 am, 3/15/08, we left the car behind, boarded local bus #30, and headed for the party downtown.

It’s important to note the weather. It has been unseasonably cold in Kansas City. We should have high temperatures in the 50s this time of year, but we woke up to a layer of snow on everything, prompting us to bundle up in thermals, layers, coats, hats, and gloves. The 10:02 bus arrived a little late, fortunate for us because we arrived a little late at the bus stop. As we boarded, I was happy to see our local bus was clean and uncrowded. My only surprise was the man sitting across from me, silently drinking a can of Budweiser. We don’t live far from downtown so we arrived at 12th and Grand soon after. Our first order of business was to get some cash from the ATM. Before we left the house, I had googled Bank of America ATMs, so we were confident we’d be successful. However, the ATMs on our list were both locked inside the closed Bank of America building and useless to us. We were also surprised to see that the Starbucks across the street was closed. Note to visitors – it’s early yet. Downtown Kansas City is just waking up. Hopefully, BOA and Starbucks, as well as other downtown establishments, will soon begin to extend their hours into the weekend and evenings. As for us, we were well served by the nice folk at the deli inside the City Center Square Building. Inside we found a McDonalds, a Golf Shop, and a deli open and ready for business. The kind deli employees pointed us to a Bank of the Midwest ATM across the street.

We had a plan. First, we wanted to see how crowded the American Royal Fan Fest would be. The information we had promised beer, BBQ, and a warm place to watch the games. What we found was an inviting, if mostly empty tent set up on Barney Allis Plaza. Here we found the optimism that Kansas Citians must embrace to make the revitalization efforts bear fruit. The enormous tent housed a basketball court, a mechanical bull; many, many large flat screen TVs set up with clusters of tables and chairs, and a BBQ station with what I learned later was an incredible pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, and other usual fare. A full bar was located in the middle of the tent. The beer was reasonable, and they had Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat. The American Royal, despite the weather and the questionable draw of the new downtown amenities exhibited the optimism that KC so desperately needs – they even had t-shirts made up to sell for their event! We decided that the desolation was due to early morning cold and vowed to return to see more.

Next, we headed east in 13th Street toward the new Power and Light District. We found many shells of shops and restaurants unopened, sidewalks torn up and surrounded by orange construction cones, and street corners overrun with ticket scalpers. It is too bad that the PLD wasn’t fully functional in time for the Big 12 basketball tournament. We ran across a Starbucks in the H&R Block Building - a godsend to the uncaffeinated. I also wandered a bit through the lobby, enchanted by the glass sculpture, the water features, and the light displays in the hallway. The H&R Block Building contains some of the coolest corporate art installations I’ve ever encountered. Do not miss it.

I have a brief aside, a rant if you will, to interject here. I have nothing per se against Starbucks and all of the other chains taking over the world. However, it pains me that visitors who do not wander outside of the power and light district might leave thinking that Vinino, Ted’s Montana Grill, and McFadden’s Sports Saloon are representative of Kansas City. Anyway…

We continued on to the part of PLD that begins immediately across the street from the Sprint Center, the men’s Big 12 tournament venue. This section of the PLD was open and ready for business. The street had been closed to through traffic. Entrance to the bars and restaurants was enclosed by event barriers and staff, establishing the area for outdoor beer vendors and their customers to frolic in the streets outside the bars and restaurants. You could enter the beer zone for free but a wristband was required to purchase the beer. I was irritated that they wouldn’t allow me to take my brand new venti Sumatra within the enclosed area. So Kelly and I sat on the ledge outside of the Sprint Center and did some people watching while I finished my coffee.

Inside the event barriers, beer tents lined the streets. There were a few people wandering around, but no one seemed to be ordering or drinking the beer. There were no other vendors available, and I thought that was very narrow-minded of the event planners. Nothing says festivity better than a mix of beer vendors, the smell of street food, and people enjoying the space instead of hurrying through it. And I was very struck by the lack of planning for the weather. We all knew it had been and would continue to be unseasonably cold, yet I didn’t see any patio heaters set up near the tables in front of the beer tents. Drinking cold beer in forty degree temperatures just isn’t my idea of fun. Maybe next year we could have a few food stalls, a coffee vendor, more variety in general, as well as an inclement weather plan?

Of course, after drinking my coffee so quickly, I needed to use the bathroom. There were a few porta-potties set up, but we were surrounded by interesting restaurants that seemed inviting with their contained warmth and indoor plumbing. I tried to use the facilities (plus order the beer sampler at Gordon Biersh), but the placed was packed. We couldn’t get near the bar or the bathrooms, so we left. I went back to use the porta-potties, but after looking into three of them and seeing that they all appeared to be coated in mud (on the inside, very gross), I decided to continue my search for indoor plumbing.

While wandering in search of warmth and facilities, we came across an area with an outdoor bar, patio seating, and a stage with the biggest TV I’ve ever seen (broadcasting ESPN, of course). This area did have patio heaters. However, everyone else had found this great hangout long before we arrived, so space was unavailable near the warmth. I later found out that is area is called the Kansas Live! Stage and the Living Room. It is an event courtyard, with a semi-dry open-air roof (huh?). Bottom line, it isn’t fully enclosed. The pillows on the outdoor living room furniture already looked dirty from the inclement weather during the tournament. Still, a very neat space. On the upper level is an assortment of club-like establishments. None of them were open, but we saw Howl at the Moon, a Professional Bull Riders sponsored knockoff of Coyote Ugly, and a club called Angel Rock Bar. You can get an idea of all the PLD establishments at the website: http://powerandlightdistrict.com/public/


We decided to head back to the American Royal tent. I assumed they would have facilities set up. We arrived to find signs pointing to the broken down bathrooms that are part of Municipal Auditorium, where the girls were playing the Big 12 tournament across the street. After that little adventure, I am ashamed that we forced the ladies to play in that facility. They should have been over at Sprint Center right along with the boys. I was also embarrassed to see how Kansas City has allowed our beautiful, historic entertainment venues and art spaces to crumble. The concrete steps as well as the patio spaces at Barney Allis Plaza are crumbling. Hopefully we will see some maintenance as downtown sees more money coming in.

The American Royal tent was still mostly empty, but I couldn’t tell you why. It was the perfect place to watch the games and be part of the Big 12 excitement without fighting the PLD crowd. The one downside to the tent was that the heating fans weren’t keeping the cold out very well. The upside for me in this situation was that I wasn’t driving, so a couple of generous rounds of Jim Beam seemed just the thing to keep warm. From what I remember now, it was just the thing to make me mighty friendly, too. Read on, read on…


After the Oklahoma/Texas game was over (about 4:00 pm), I was tired of freezing and ready to go. We missed our bus because we couldn’t find the correct bus stop. As we watched our bus fly by, Kelly pointed out a sign, the Studio Restaurant and Bar, and suggested that we spend the next 30 minutes waiting for the bus on a warm barstool.


The Studio is an authentic yet new Kansas City dive – an off the beaten path find. It’s one of those places that a tourist (or a local) will find authentic and warm, unlike the contrivances in the PLD. It’s just the sort of place Kelly and I would seek out while traveling.

There are two door leading into the Studio. Our first choice, the south door led into what appeared to be a very basic sit down restaurant with pool tables in the rear. There was no bar in sight. We must have appeared confused because people from the one occupied table began pointing at a hallway, saying, “the bar is in there.” Lucky for us, the regulars were taking good care of us. We later learned that there is a second door a little north of the one we used, that leads directly into the bar.

The bar was not crowded. We took a seat. The bartender greeted us with enthusiastic smiles while we ordered a couple of Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat beers and menus. Our bartender’s name, we discovered was Sharvest (pronounced Shar-vey). She brought us our beers, excellent pours for both of us. Hearing that we are from KC, she brought us the regular menu that included the history of the building and told us that the upstairs space, reserved for banquets, is very spooky. It’s clear that Sharvest is proud of the place.

The frequent diner’s punch card given to me by another Studio bartender, Tiffany, boasts “unique menu variety” and “scratch recipes.” I ordered the Studio Burrito with green sauce and it was spectacular. Since this day, I have been back to try the lunch special, a rotation of themed hotdogs that include the Snake Bite (with jalapeños and cheddar) and the Dogfather for $4.99. I’ve also sampled the happy hour specials. I’m not sure of the official hours, but appetizers are half price, and all domestics are $2.50. On Wednesdays you can order $0.75 tacos and a $5.99 Mexican plate. And, while doing my research I came across an insider tip you’ll really appreciate – though you won’t find it on the menu, you can order a bowl of chili (made from scratch, I’m told, and almost as good as Kelly’s) for super cheap. Pair that with the half price homemade chips and salsa and you have a budget feast for two.

The beers on tap are Stella, Guinness, Miller Lite, Boddingtons, Pabst BR, Fat Tire, Boulevard Pale Ale, Boulevard Irish Ale, Boulevard Wheat, Blue Moon, Bud, and Bud Light. Not too shabby for a local hole-in-the-wall.

Over the course of our nearly four hour layover, I got into conversations with several regulars - not at all typical of me. I met Matt, who I later found out also works at the Studio and just happened to be hanging out. We talked about everything – writing, singing, traveling, love, and anything else my pickled brain came up with. I was touched when he told me about the Saturday night music showcase from 4-9 pm in which a crazy talented 9-year-old would be singing. When this girl took the stage I was amazed at her powerful young voice singing “Proud Mary” while she played the guitar. Sharvest mentioned that the Studio hosts new bands of all genres weekly. I was excited to call my best friend whose husband plays in two bands. They live in Lebanon, Missouri, so finding gigs isn’t easy. I also found out that the Studio also hosts an open stage night with the house band every Tuesday. Finding the website for the Studio is nearly impossible, so I am recording it here for posterity: http://www.thestudiodowntown.com/.

I was sad to leave, but after spending nearly all of our remaining cash and coin playing Galaga on one of their many arcade machines (including Ms. Pacman) next to the bar, Kelly said it was time to go. We caught the bus home at 8th and Grand after having a “what can our useless mayor do to help you?” summit at the bus stop with Thomas and Kevin, who were both heading back to their homes under local bridges. Another guy at the bus stop asked if he could call me. It was an interesting day in Kansas City.

Conclusions: We have to take the bus more regularly – interesting and fulfilling conversations and people-watching. We must get back to the PLD when more of the shops and restaurants are open, best via bus since cheap $2 parking doesn’t begin until 6:00 pm on weekdays. Gotta put an extra set of thermals in my backpack next year. Gotta return to the Studio to see Matt, Tiffany, and Sharvest.

Long live KC - what a great day!!!

[starlagurl]

Ha awesome! I also highly recommend the bus to anybody.

There are always some very interesting characters sitting right beside you that you normally wouldn't talk to in "real life".

Glad to hear you finally got to see Kansas' new and improved CBD!

[dsouza]

hello
Missouri ! sounds good , next year i will also plan to go there

[2olives]

hello
Missouri ! sounds good , next year i will also plan to go there

Missouri certainly is a wonderful place for a vacation. It's not bad living, either. Let me know if you have any questions or need help. I check the forums almost every day. Or feel free to message me!

Heather

[starlagurl]

hello
Missouri ! sounds good , next year i will also plan to go there

Really? When? Maybe we can be travel buddies!

[chrispy87]

Thanks for information. I wanted to ask about tornadoes. I have seen what they can do. I feel like living in Missouri is like waiting for your death. You never know who`s house will be taken next and when.

Is it true that these things happen more reularly nowadays than 15- 20 years ago?

Thanks

[2olives]

Thanks for information. I wanted to ask about tornadoes. I have seen what they can do. I feel like living in Missouri is like waiting for your death. You never know who`s house will be taken next and when.

Is it true that these things happen more reularly nowadays than 15- 20 years ago?

Thanks

Well, I don't know about that...it may be true, but honestly I worry a whole lot more about being in a bad car wreck or my house burning down than being in a tornado. And if you take some basic precautions such as I posted earlier, you're probably going to be okay even if a tornado passes near you. Honestly, to me, the scariest thing about tornados are the WWII bombing raid sirens (I swear, the sirens make me think of some big brother, government dominence science fiction book from my youth) and the super intense weather tracking on local tv stations.

Hope this answers your questions.

Heather