It's going to be another great weekend in Kansas City!
Oktober Fest Lots of food, fun, and BEER! Check it out Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Crown Center and Union Station.
Powell Gardens - "Amazing Mazes" and scarecrows. Check out Powell Gardens this weekend!
The Budweiser Clydesdales will be appearing 5pm Friday at Village West. 2 p.m. Saturday at the Woodlands Racetrack. 11:30a.m. Sunday at the Kansas Speedway on Sunday.
The Farmer's Markets in the area will be open this weekend. The season is winding down, so be sure to check them out for great produce and other good stuff while you can!
There's an interesting thread going on over at KCTalk discussing the credibility of local TV news stations.
Remember when you COULD believe what you saw on the news? Or was it ALWAYS more for entertainment than edification? Growing up, we felt if it was on TV, it HAD to be true. I wonder exactly when that changed? Probably in the 60's, when it seemed EVERYTHING changed.
What do you think? Do you have a local TV news station that you trust more than the others? All I can say is that I usually switch on 41 in the mornings, to catch the traffic. But I don't really trust that either. :)
Remember how "The Man Show" always ended with "Girls Jumping On Trampolines"? Well, on Thursday, 9/28, you'll have your chance to see this phenomenon right here in Kansas City!
From the Capital Imrovements Management Office's website:
Kansas Citians are invited to bounce into one of the region's newest public art installations next week.
Artist Chris Doyle will hold a series of videotaping sessions for his "Moons" multimedia installation starting Sept. 28. The $1.3 million "Moons" installation, which will be placed as a permanent attraction at the downtown Sprint Center, will feature landscaping, water and moon-shaped LED video screens on which the artist proposes to feature Kansas Citians "flying."
During the videotaping sessions, participants will leap on a trampoline for approximately three minutes. This footage will be used to create the images of "flying" Kansas Citians looping across the screens daily.
"This is a unique way for Kansas Citians to immortalize themselves through art," said Porter Arneill, director of the Municipal Art Commission in the Capital Improvements Management Office. "These images will be in place for years and will add a sense of whimsy and dynamism to downtown."
The taping sessions will be Sept. 28 from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Kansas City Art Institute campus, 4414 Warwick Blvd.; Sept. 29 from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Ilus W. Davis Park, north of 11th Street between Oak and Locust streets; and Sept. 30 from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Kansas City Zoo, 6800 Zoo Drive. All of these events are free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Sean Demory, communications specialist in the Capital Improvements Management Office, at (816) 513-0059 or Sean_Demory@kcmo.org.
Girls jumping on trampolines=ART Whodathunkit?
Thanks to BlogKC for the .... uh.... tip on this one!
It's going to be another great weekend in Kansas City!
Fall is in full swing now. There's some color coming into the trees, the temperature is cool, and there are lots of things to be doing. Here are some things going on in KC:
Shawnee Great Grillers Blues & Barbeque Ahhhhh, what can beat the blues and barbeque. In addition to some of the best barbeque in the Midwest, there will be activities for the whole community to enjoy. This event will be hapenning both Friday night and Saturday. Check it out!
There'll be wine tastings at Gomer's in Lee's Summit Friday evening from 5pm to 8pm and at Vino100. If you want to learn about wines, this is the way to do it!
Be sure to watch the fireworks Friday night, after the Royals game!
You might want to check out BB's Blues Cruise Classic Auto Show! ... 2-6pm on Sunday at BB's Lawnside BBQ.
Powell Gardens will be hosting their live plant sale. You can find all kinds of great buys for the garden on Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday noon-5pm.
The Walk for Diabetes comes to Coorporate Woods Saturday. Check-in at 7:30AM with the walk starting at 9am. Diabetes is a terrible disease, and this event is one great way of supporting the search for the cure!
The Farmer's Markets in the area will be open this weekend. The season is winding down, so be sure to check them out for great produce and other good stuff while you can!
I was trying to put a couple of clips of the Blue Angels at last weekends airshow on here for you to enjoy. YouTube, which usually posts clips to my blogs right away, just wouldn't cooperate. I tried several times, but nothing ever showed up.
This morning, I see a BUNCH of my attempts DID finally work, so now we're swamped with video clips here. Ooooops.... I'll get them thinned out to just a couple later on today.
Ain't technology great? *grin*
Meantime, hope you get a kick out of the videos while they're all on here!
This coming weekend, September 22, 23, and 24, will see the 75th presentation of a Kansas City tradition, the Plaza Art Fair. More than 300,000 are expected to show up to view the work of 230 artists from 36 states, making this one of the top 5 art shows in the country.
The fair will cover over 9 blocks in the Country Club Plaza, featuring various mediums including ceramics, digital art, fiber, glass, graphics and printmaking, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, pastels, photography, sculpture and wood. The visual arts won't be the only delights awaiting the art lovers. Works of culinary, musical, and interactive art will also entice art fair attendees with wonderful food, magnificent music and interactive art experiences for all ages. Surely all will find something of interest and enchantment.
The 2006 Plaza Art Fair showcase artist is Dana Forrester of Independence, MO. You motorheads will really love Dana's art! He's got a special feel for hotrodding, bringing a certain nostalgic touch to the paintings he does. Be sure to check out his website, where you may even want to order some of his work for your own art collection!
There is no admission cost for the Plaza Art Fair. This is a wonderful autumn event in Kansas City. You won't want to miss out on it!
Plaza Art Fair hours: Friday, September 22nd 5 pm to 10 pm Saturday, September 23rd 10 am to 10 pm Sunday, September 24th 11 am to 5 pm
My first memory of the Blue Angels was a television show back in the early 60's. I was a small boy, well, young at least. Every week, on Sunday night, we'd watch for a half hour as our heroes flew their planes. I don't remember anything about the show, other than that I couldn't miss it. I was fascinated by the planes, as were thousands of others.
Through the years, I'd see the Blue Angels on TV, in the magazines, and later, on the internet. I've maintained my fascination with flying, but never gotten the opportunity to see the Angels. I did see the Air Forces Thunderbirds, twice, but it just wasn't the same as seeing my childhood heroes.
Well, this weekend the Blue Angels were in Kansas City at the airshow. And while I didn't make it to the show, I DID finally get to see the Blue Angels fly. Last Friday afternoon, while at work downtown, I suddenly heard the rumble of low flying aircraft. I heard someone say, "Look! There they are!" and realized that the Blue Angels were practicing their performance, and flying right over and around downtown. I hurried out to the top level of the parking garage, where about 20 others were gathered to watch. Looking around, I could see people on tops of other buildings, watching the sky. Suddenly, I heard the roar of jets again, looked up, and there was the familiar diamond pattern of the Blue Angels.
I spent a wonderful 20 or 30 minutes, watching these guys fly around KC. It brought back a flood of memories... of the old black & white TV show, of dreams of flying, of other things from my childhood. It was also quite interesting to watch the other people watching the flying. Everyone had a smile on their face as they peered towards the heavens. It was GREAT!
My thanks to the Blue Angels for a memorable Friday afternoon in Kansas City.
"Hump Day", as many of us have called it for years and years. We're going into the downhill part of the work week, and none too soon! I hope your week is going as well as mine has been.
I'll be making a tour of the local blogs later today, and adding some links and comments here.
Deb's Diner is one of those places that makes you feel like you've stepped back in time at least 30 years. The locals great each other with a heartily shouted "Good morning!" from across the room as someoen they know walks in. The place is small, seating maybe 50 people.
The decore was early 70's, with an attempt at a hamburger motif in the wall hangings and decorations. The place was clean, and "well lived in". The air handlers are pretty good, but if you have a problem with cigarrette smoke, this might not be your kind of place. Deb's is definately a smoking establishment.
Breakfast on Saturday was pretty good. The eggs were cooked as requested, with the "over easy" ones being just a bit on the runny side. It was nice to have the additon of rye in the toast selection. My favorite, biscuits and gravy, were decent, but not exceptional. The bacon was done just about perfectly. The milk was good and cold, something I really appreciate. Coffee ..... well I don't think I'd go there for the coffee.
I thought the prices were pretty reasonable. Sorry, I don't remember the exact prices now. Heck, I've SLEPT since I ate there! The servings were quite fililng, for sure.
All in all, I'd recomend Deb's, for breakfast at least. I'll have to get back by there sometime to try out a sandwich or dinner.
Deb's Diner 4600 NW Gateway Dr Riverside, MO 64150 (816) 587-2710
I've just launched another website and blog, HealthKC.net.
I've always been interested in nutrition, alternative health practices, and other topics in the wellness field. I have to admit that as I get older, and my health is not what I want it to be, this interest grows stronger. HealthKC.net will be my place to keep note of things I learn on my journey back to vibrant health, and a channel to share these things with you all.
There are already over 2000 articles online on several topics, such as weightloss, diabetes, wrinkle reduction, nutrition, and more. It is my goal to make this one of the largest online repositories of wellness information in the Midwest. I will be adding information to the site constantly. So if you don't find exactly what you need today, be sure to check back later, as things will grow.
Once you discover the value HealthKC.net can have to your life, please spread the word to others. And I'd love to hear from you on things of interest that I might want to include in the future.
Check out HealthKC.net. I'm sure you'll find it of interest!
Looks like we're in for another beautiful weekend in Kansas City! The weather has been just about perfect the last several days. It's going to be a good time to get out and enjoy some stuff!
This is Red Friday in KC! Be sure to wear your Chiefs red as you check out the various events supporting the Chiefs in their home opener against the Bengals.
It's Applefest time at Grinter Place in Kansas City, Kansas. This annual festival focuses on historic Grinter House and celebrates 19th Century arts and crafts. There'll be lots of activities for the kids, country music, arts and crafts booths, a car show, plus lots of food and beverages. Hours this Saturday are 9AM to 6PM. Grinter Place is located at 1420 South 78th Street in KCK. Admission is $5 for adults, $1 for kids 8-14, with kids under 8 getting in free.
Saturday will also bring the 2nd annual Crossroads Music Fest. This "family friendly" event will showcase 13 bands on 2 stages, with lots of food and beverage, activities for the kids, etc. The festival runs from 3PM to midnight Saturday in Grinder's Sculpture Park at 18th & Locust. More details here.
The 27th Annual Westport Art Fair takes place this weekend. This show of only Kansas City Artists is open from 5pm to 9pm Friday, 10am to 9pm Saturday, and 11am to 5pm Sunday. More details available here.
The KC Ren Fest will be going strong this weekend. Though it runs through mid-October, don't let it slip by you! This weekend is "Passionate Plunders". Wear an American flag to show your patriotism and It's buy ticket one-get-one free at the gate!
The Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus will be at Kemper Arena thru September 10th. What a treat to see! Details here.
The Zona Rosa Summer Concert Series presents The Croitans Saturday from 6pm to 9pm, and The Silvertones Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. There will also be a caricaturist in the Children's Park Sunday from 1pm to 4pm.
It's time for the monarch migration. This years sightings should be some of the most plentiful in recent years, according to an article in Kansas City Infozine. The butterflies migrate from ther Canadian summer home to their winter habitat in Mexico each year. We should begin seeing them right now, with the peak of the migration expected to be through here around September 23rd. Seeing the monarchs each year is one of my favorite fall things.
In a discussion with my brother, who is in town this week from Ohio, and my cousins yesterday, it came to light that they had not read the recent announcement from Mattel:
Mattel recently announced the release of limited edition Barbie dolls for the Midwest market:
Leawood Barbie: This princess Barbie is only sold at Town Center Mall. She comes with an assortment of Kate Spade handbags, a Lexus SUV, a longhaired foreign lap-dog named Honey, and a cookie-cutter dream house with a lawn service. Available with or without tummy tuck and face-lift. Workaholic ex-husband Ken comes with a Porsche.
Overland Park Barbie: This modern-day homemaker Barbie is available with Ford Windstar mini-van and matching gym suit. She gets lost easily and has no full-time occupation or secondary education. Traffic-jamming cell phone sold separately. Can swear in English and Spanish. Available at Target.
Independence Barbie: This recently paroled Barbie comes with a 9mm handgun, bowie knife, a '78 El Camino with dark tinted windows, and a meth lab kit. This model is only available after dark and can only be bought with cash, preferably small bills, unless you are a cop, then we don't know what you are talking about.
There are many more Barbies available, from all parts of Kansas City. The full post is on the General Blather blog, and is hillarious! Thanks, Heather!
This poem, from the "They Pay to Kiss Your Feet" blog, put into words some of my feelings about the rapid coming of fall:
fortitude
She waits for autumn when the sky darkens earlier and the leaves ripen to shades of red and hues of gold. She waits for yards to be set on hot pink fire and for driveways to be cloaked in blood orange. For nights with breezes that cut deep. For a chill that is the reason wool coats exist- and goulashes and turtlenecks and mittens. Because autumn leads to winter and winter means snow white cold covering thick snow that makes even the darkest night brighter.
Thank you, Jessi!
It's going to be a beautiful day in Kansas City. I've got a much needed day off, and I'm going to work really hard at enjoying it! Hope you can do the same. ~BG
I've got some bits and pieces floating around in my mind this morning:
It's too bad about Steve Irwin. I thought he was kind of goofy, but dying in such a goofy way seems sad. Here's an interesting post about him on My Small Corner .
I wonder how Kansas City Chiefs fans will react to being named the SECOND best fans in the NFL ?
Tony's got a lot going on in his blog today. I don't always agree with him, but he does make me think about things. Maybe he will do the same for you. Check him out!
I'm off to a late start this morning. What is it about the cooler weather that makes me want to sleep in? Of course, it COULDN'T be the 6 tacos from Lobito's place that I had before going to bed! I'll post more about this place later.
Now it's back to work for most of us. But not me! I'm lucky?
I'm going to the dentist this morning, so I didn't have to do the "wake up and head out to work" thing. Not sure how lucky a dentist trip is, but it's got to be done. This one and one more in a week, and I'm back in good shape, tooth wise.
I go to Loos Dental out at 291 and 40 Hiway. I've been going here for about 10 years now, and Ive always been pretty pleased with them. I've seen several different dentists during that time, even Dr. Loos himself a time or two. There are always new dentists rotating through the office. They've all been good, a testament to the high standards of Dr. Loos, and I've been pleased with most all of them. My current dentist is Dr. Jacob Laudie, and I'm particularly happy with him so far. He takes the time to explain what's going on, and has been great in numbing me painlessly.
What do you think of your dentist? Anyone have a great dentist they'd like to tell the world about?
It's just hard to say a dentist is good, isn't it? Why is it we have such a fear of dentists? Well, maybe that's just a supposition on my part. Maybe you LIKE going to the dentist. Care to tell us about it?
It's always interesting to me when I go back and look at cartoons that I are older than me, and that I haven't seen since childhood. There were a LOT of things that I didn't catch back then, a lot of adult humor that went right over my head.
Betty Boop was always a favorite. What more can I say? It's KITTY!
It's Friday! The start of a long Labor Day weekend in Kansas City. There's a lot to get out there to see and do this weekend, as reported earlier. I'd like to get to the Irish Festival to hear the Elders this weekend, myself. How about you? Any big plans for this unofficial last weekend of summer? You know, I wonder when THAT designation is going to change? What with schools now starting back up in the middle of August, for many Kansas City folks, summer ended weeks ago. I won't be surprised to see some new holiday started up in early August to designate the end of summer vacation. It kind of takes the emphasis away from Labor Day. Things always change, don't they?
Well, here are some things that haven't changed.... at least not yet! I hope you enjoy these Friday fun facts about Kansas City!
Kansas City ranks second in the world in number of fountains erected in the city. Only Rome, Italy, has more. I've also read that KC is FIRST in the number of working fountains, but haven't been able to verify that claim.
Some of statues located in Kansas City's fountains are 300 years old.
Loose Park & Memorial, one of the most beautiful parks in the heart of Kansas City, located at 51st & Wornall Road, was donated by Mrs. Jacob Loose in memory of her husband, a millionaire who made his fortune selling biscuits at the Sunshine Biscuit Co. in the beginning of the 20th century.
The tallest flag in the Kansas City area stands 178 feet 6 1/4 inches above ground on the entrance to Swope Park. It was donated by Jacob Loose.
A marker at 63rd & Paseo designates the site of the decisive engagement of the Battle of Westport, the largest battle west of the Mississippi. This battle was fought October 21-23, 1864. Another Battle of Westport monument can be found in Loose Park.
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, B.G. Roberts grew up farming and raising livestock, mostly cattle, north of town. Deciding the smell of cow dung was not to his liking, he came back to KC, earning his livelyhood in high-tech fields for over 30 years. Now he's returned to the rural life, and loving it! A writer, a poet, and an entrepreneur, B.G. brings a unique depth and breadth of knowledge to the many topics he writes on.
