This is truly creepy....
Project Milo
You know what's even cooler? Real people!
Friday, June 05, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Un-thin
You've probably heard a lot about the flap surrounding KFC's Oprah-enabled free meal coupons to promote their new grilled chicken.
I find it hilarious that the domain they chose to publicize the coupon offer (and the new grilled line) is www.unthinkfc.com. Of course, their take on that is "un-think what you thought about KFC."
I guess no one in their marketing department realized it also says "un-thin KFC." Hrm...
I find it hilarious that the domain they chose to publicize the coupon offer (and the new grilled line) is www.unthinkfc.com. Of course, their take on that is "un-think what you thought about KFC."
I guess no one in their marketing department realized it also says "un-thin KFC." Hrm...
Monday, April 13, 2009
My Inner Geek Rejoices
Okay, this is awesome. Segway is teaming up with GM to make a new all-electric two-person urban transport device that makes all my gadget geekiness giggle with gratuitous glee. It's got six wheels - two small ones just for safety in the back (they don't touch the pavement unless you run the battery clear dead and then lean back), two small ones in the front that it rests on when parked, and two larger main wheels that it runs around on, automatically balancing on these two wheels Segway-style.
It's strictly for urban commuters - the 35-mph top speed limits it for use on major roads. And the version they're showing around right now has absolutely zero aesthetic appeal. It's not cute OR cool-looking OR impressive-looking OR even ugly enough to inspire a sort of backward affection. It depends on sheer geek appeal. They call it the PUMA in a futile attempt to make it seem tougher somehow. But it runs for 35 miles before needing a recharge, and that's plenty for almost anyone who commutes on urban streets. They're also promising a low energy impact to accomplish that recharge. If they make it reasonably rain-proof and sell it for less than, say, 10 grand or so, I think they'll have a serious seller on their hands.
The jury is, of course, still out on the wisdom of picking up your date in this thing.
It's strictly for urban commuters - the 35-mph top speed limits it for use on major roads. And the version they're showing around right now has absolutely zero aesthetic appeal. It's not cute OR cool-looking OR impressive-looking OR even ugly enough to inspire a sort of backward affection. It depends on sheer geek appeal. They call it the PUMA in a futile attempt to make it seem tougher somehow. But it runs for 35 miles before needing a recharge, and that's plenty for almost anyone who commutes on urban streets. They're also promising a low energy impact to accomplish that recharge. If they make it reasonably rain-proof and sell it for less than, say, 10 grand or so, I think they'll have a serious seller on their hands.
The jury is, of course, still out on the wisdom of picking up your date in this thing.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
True love = exorbitant over-spending!
It's been a month, so here's a brief thought for you in the middle of Holy Week that has nothing whatever to do with Holy Week. (This week around here being an insanely busy one if you're employed where I am.) Enjoy Holy Week, never lose sight of the victory won by Jesus' sacrifice, and worship with abandon this Sunday.
The rest of this post will be a rant on something much less sacred.
De Beers, the dominant worldwide diamond supplier, created a masterful marketing campaign some time in the twentieth century (early 1900's or just after the Second World War, depending on which source you believe) that said the proper amount to spend on an engagement ring is two months' wages. Since then, most people have accepted this figure as the proper one.
Some of you will shout me down as a cheapskate and say I must not love my wife very much, but you'd be wrong. About the loving my wife thing, that is. Almost five years in, my marriage is better than yours. Sorry, it's a fact.
I am admittedly a bit of a thrifty person, but those who know me best will tell you that one of my love languages is gifts, and I've been known to save up my lunch money and surprise my wife with something awesome and a bit expensive from time to time.
But before De Beers created the aforementioned marketing campaign, engagement rings with diamonds were much less common than they are today. Only the very rich could afford diamond rings until the discovery of the Kimberley African diamonds in the late nineteenth century, which led to greater supply and lower prices. Until the early twentieth century many engagement rings were plain, or had other precious stones, if they were used at all. During the Great Depression the sale of diamonds dropped drastically, and after the Second World War De Beers began heavily marketing the slogan "Diamonds are Forever," and promoting the idea of two-to-three-months' salary being the proper amount to spend on an engagement ring.
There's an interesting art project here that explores this idea. This it was that got me thinking on this topic and produced this rant.
I think all this is pure malarkey. The idea that a minimum-wage-earning worker struggling to make ends meet should spend in the neighborhood of $2000 for an engagement ring makes my blood almost boil. That is fiscal irresponsibility. Such a ring will almost certainly have to be financed over time, and it's a terrible idea to carry a debt like that into a marriage. I know some of you will probably disagree violently with me on this, but there it is. Besides that, consider the implications of having such a man's fiancee/wife toting around a two-thousand-dollar bauble on her finger in what is most likely a low-income neighborhood.
How much was Cindy's engagement ring, you ask? None of your business. But it was certainly less than one sixth of my annual salary. And we're not still paying for it. Is this an indicator that my love for her is somehow lacking? I will fight anyone (despite my total ineptitude in hand-to-hand combat) who suggests such a thing. I love that lady more than the highest poetry, prose, music, and art allow me to express. I desperately want to be the best husband Cindy Carlson Purtle could ever have. And with God's help, I will be.
Oh, and she said yes. Eat that, De Beers.
You may now criticize me mercilessly.
[Note: I know it's fashionable to criticize De Beers for exploiting workers and fostering "conflict diamonds," but they really seem to have turned the corner in the past two decades and are now doing much more responsible commerce in Africa than many other large corporations who do business on that continent. See this article for more on that.]
The rest of this post will be a rant on something much less sacred.
De Beers, the dominant worldwide diamond supplier, created a masterful marketing campaign some time in the twentieth century (early 1900's or just after the Second World War, depending on which source you believe) that said the proper amount to spend on an engagement ring is two months' wages. Since then, most people have accepted this figure as the proper one.
Some of you will shout me down as a cheapskate and say I must not love my wife very much, but you'd be wrong. About the loving my wife thing, that is. Almost five years in, my marriage is better than yours. Sorry, it's a fact.
I am admittedly a bit of a thrifty person, but those who know me best will tell you that one of my love languages is gifts, and I've been known to save up my lunch money and surprise my wife with something awesome and a bit expensive from time to time.
But before De Beers created the aforementioned marketing campaign, engagement rings with diamonds were much less common than they are today. Only the very rich could afford diamond rings until the discovery of the Kimberley African diamonds in the late nineteenth century, which led to greater supply and lower prices. Until the early twentieth century many engagement rings were plain, or had other precious stones, if they were used at all. During the Great Depression the sale of diamonds dropped drastically, and after the Second World War De Beers began heavily marketing the slogan "Diamonds are Forever," and promoting the idea of two-to-three-months' salary being the proper amount to spend on an engagement ring.
There's an interesting art project here that explores this idea. This it was that got me thinking on this topic and produced this rant.
I think all this is pure malarkey. The idea that a minimum-wage-earning worker struggling to make ends meet should spend in the neighborhood of $2000 for an engagement ring makes my blood almost boil. That is fiscal irresponsibility. Such a ring will almost certainly have to be financed over time, and it's a terrible idea to carry a debt like that into a marriage. I know some of you will probably disagree violently with me on this, but there it is. Besides that, consider the implications of having such a man's fiancee/wife toting around a two-thousand-dollar bauble on her finger in what is most likely a low-income neighborhood.
How much was Cindy's engagement ring, you ask? None of your business. But it was certainly less than one sixth of my annual salary. And we're not still paying for it. Is this an indicator that my love for her is somehow lacking? I will fight anyone (despite my total ineptitude in hand-to-hand combat) who suggests such a thing. I love that lady more than the highest poetry, prose, music, and art allow me to express. I desperately want to be the best husband Cindy Carlson Purtle could ever have. And with God's help, I will be.
Oh, and she said yes. Eat that, De Beers.
You may now criticize me mercilessly.
[Note: I know it's fashionable to criticize De Beers for exploiting workers and fostering "conflict diamonds," but they really seem to have turned the corner in the past two decades and are now doing much more responsible commerce in Africa than many other large corporations who do business on that continent. See this article for more on that.]
Friday, March 06, 2009
Snowy Insanity... and a Raccoon
Last Friday, our friend Candace Fortney, who is a track coach and an avid backpacker and marathoner, called to see if we wanted to go camping that night. The forecast said the overnight low would be in the twenties, and there would be snow. So of course we excitedly agreed. (I excitedly agreed. Cindy more just sighed.) We have good gear - our tents, sleeping bags, inflatable sleeping pads, etc. are quality stuff. We dressed in our Merino wool base layers (Merino or good wicking synthetic base layers are essential for cold-weather camping/hiking - cotton is the worst) and hit the woods.
We set up camp in Stockton Lake State Park, after determining that at this frigid time of year, there is no one staffing the place where you pay your fee for camping.
We originally set up in a designated campsite with just a few trees between us and the lake. But after we had the tents up, Candace discovered that there was a raccoon lying on the ground a few feet away from one of our tents, apparently having some sort of seizure. I watched it for a while, and even tossed a couple of twigs at it to see if it would respond. It didn't seem to react at all to a flashlight or to the twigs. I didn't know if it was rabid, dying, or just insane, but I've seen enough dumb comedy movies involving the outdoors to know that a crazy raccoon can do bad things to tent fabric. So we pulled up the stakes and moved about a hundred feet away.
There was a fire ring nearby, and I got a fire going. I knew it would be a challenge with the damp weather, but we had some dry logs and I used a Strike-A-Fire jumbo match thingy to get it going, and it burned cheerfully and willingly. That was good, because I didn't bring any lighter fluid or other accellerant. The fact that the snow hadn't started yet probably helped.
We ate lots of carbs in the form of S'mores, granola bars, and peanut butter, and then went to bed. Our sleeping bags were warm enough with all the layering and other stuff we did.
The rub, however, was that I had to get up TWICE in the night to answer nature's call, which causes several problems. The first problem is that when you're warm in your sleeping bag, it is downright miserable to get out in the cold again. You have to put on your freezing boots (Get On Your Boots - U2's new album - check it out. "Let me in the sound..."), and enough other layers of ice-cold clothing to keep you alive in the elements. Then, you have to actually get out of the tent into whatever those elements are doing to try to kill you. Finally, you have to risk the possibility that you will be attacked, um, (ahem), mid-stream, as it were, by an insane raccoon or other servant of Sauron; and this precisely at the least advantageous moment for you to flee or defend yourself. But both times, I successfully accomplished my purpose, and then was rewarded with that heavenly feeling of snuggling back down into the warmth of my sleeping bag.
About two inches of snow fell during the night. Snow has the effect of quieting everything: the tree branches are more muffled when the wind blows and the dead leaves on the ground don't rustle. There's just the occasional swishing sound when the snow on the top of the tent gets enough accumulation that there's a clump that slides off, pulled by its own weight and nudged by the wind. Usually all this combines for ideal sleeping conditions. On this occasion, however, the first such swish woke me up with a start, imagining the raccoon, with red eyes and four-inch fangs, beginning his assault. As soon as I was fully awake, I realized what the actual cause of the sound was, but the adrenaline kept me alert for half an hour or so. Cindy was sleeping like a log, which was a small victory because it's very hard for her to get warm in a tent. This time she was toasty.
The snow had turned everything spectacular by the time we got up in the morning.
A park ranger in an SUV drove within view once, but didn't stop. About half an hour later he came back, this time with a small girl in the back seat staring at us wide-eyed. I wondered if he went by the first time and then went back to his cabin, where he commented on the crazy people camping in the snow, and then the little girl said, "I wanna see!"
I went over and checked on the raccoon. He was still there, and the only movement I could see was his breathing. I asked Travis Bland (one of the great authorities of our time on Ozark wildlife) about it later and he said that it's common for raccoons to get canine distemper, a virus that effects breathing and nerve function.
Also, I discovered that the door to the pit toilet was actually unlocked, despite the website's claim that all facilities were locked until some time in March. Our nighttime fears of a ring-tailed attack could have been abated, but by the time I figured it out we were ready to leave.
We packed up our stuff, and after we got everything loaded in the car, we drove to The Powderhorn Restaurant for epic-sized pancakes. Never had one, you say? You should.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Patriotic Over-Spending
Those clever writers at woot.com come through once again with insightful social commentary, this time on how profligate spending is somehow "patriotic."
http://www.woot.com/Blog/ViewEntry.aspx?Id=7539
http://www.woot.com/Blog/ViewEntry.aspx?Id=7539
Monday, February 02, 2009
Jim's Guide to Kansas City
I wrote this in response to a couple in our church who spent some vacation time in Kansas City. They're from Wisconsin and don't really know Kansas City at all. I figured I might as well post it here.
Clarification: this post is written mostly for the benefit of Kansas City outsiders who, like us, live on a budget, but have managed to scrape together funds for a "splurge" weekend in KC. Your budget may allow you to stay at the Hotel Phillips for a month. If so, this is not your guide to KC. I've included a few chain places on this list (sorry Chris), even though I support local flava whenever possible.
Here's a rundown on some of our favorites in Kansas City.
PLACES TO EAT
Downtown:
The Majestic Steakhouse ($15-30) – Steaks, pasta, and seafood. The atmosphere is old-town Kansas City class. The building was a speakeasy during prohibition, among other things. On the weekends, the Bram Wijnands Trio performs at dinnertime (Bram is one of my all-time favorite jazz pianists). Ask to sit downstairs where you can see the band.
http://www.kansascitymenus.com/majesticsteakhouse/
http://tinyurl.com/c9ym4k
The Hereford House ($20-40) - One of the great steakhouses. A Kansas City classic. I've heard it much maligned recently, but I still support it. I've only been able to afford it a few times, but every time my steak was a memorable experience (in a good way). Thanks to bigBADbobby for reminding me to include a few steakhouses!
http://tinyurl.com/b26dme
http://www.herefordhouse.com
The Peachtree Restaurant ($10-20) – In the Power and Light District next to the Sprint Center Arena (the Power and Light District has lots of other places to eat, plus a sweetastic-looking bowling alley, but we don't have good info on them yet). “Soul food with elegance.” Fried chicken, catfish, cornbread, collard greens, sweet tea, and peach cobbler. The original location off Eastwood Trafficway is one of my dad's all-time favorite places to eat.
http://tinyurl.com/bhbvo6
Arthur Bryant's Barbecue ($5-10) – Near the 18th and Vine jazz district. Bryant's is still neck-and-neck with Gates & Sons for the title of The Classic Kansas City Barbecue Place. I slightly prefer Bryant's, although if you're buying a bottle of sauce for your own purposes, go with Gates.
http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/
http://tinyurl.com/dgqg3q
The Happy Gillis Cafe ($3-12) - Just off the northeast corner of the Downtown loop. A really cool little cafe with yummy breakfast sandwiches and pastries, plus the best soups and sandwiches anywhere for lunchtime.
http://www.happysoupeater.com/happy_gillis.php
The Skies ($30-50 for dinner, but we just go for dessert, which is $6-10) – The rotating restaurant high atop the Hyatt Regency hotel by Crown Center. Awesome view that rotates all the way around slowly, so you see the whole thing in about an hour. Go at sunset or later.
www.hyattkc.com/skies/
Pancho's ($3-7) – Awesome, epic, huge, authentic gut-busting burritos. Open all night so you can make your heartburn worse. I've spent a large percentage of my restaurant dollars here. Get the carne asada burrito and experience true felicidad.
http://tinyurl.com/aarv9d
Town Topic ($3-7) - One of those classic 24-hour diners that kept blue-collar Americans alive through the best and worst of the twentieth century. The burgers are the famous part, and I love them in all their greasy goodness.
Southwest Boulevard/ Crossroads Arts District:
Lulu's Thai Noodles ($8-20) – Cool little Thai place on Southwest Boulevard. Good atmosphere and great food. If you like really spicy curry, order theirs and prepare to have your mouth on fire for hours. Most menu items can be made milder, though.
www.lulusnoodles.com
http://tinyurl.com/dgujh5
Manny's Mexican Restaurant ($7-15) – Authentic Mex with a real south-of-the-border atmosphere. If you can't find Manny's, just keep going down Southwest Boulevard and eat at any of the dozen or more Mexican places. They're all good.
www.mannyskc.com
http://tinyurl.com/cvphd2
Dagwood's Cafe ($4-10) - Another classic diner. Dagwood's pancakes take my prize for best-in-city, and their burgers are hard to beat. Also try the biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls, and breakfast sandwiches on Texas toast. Open for breakfast and lunch only.
http://tinyurl.com/b4xbkm
The Plaza/Westport:
- The Country Club Plaza (mentioned above) is a short drive south of downtown Kansas City. It's the classic romantic place to hang out in KC. Upscale shopping and dining, with the look of the Mercado in Seville, Spain. It's probably most famous for its fountains and for the Plaza Lights (during the Christmas season). You can take a gondola ride on Brush Creek, but I recommend saving that idea for the warmer months.
The Cheesecake Factory – hard to go wrong here, but I recommend just getting your dessert here. It does have the best-looking interior and exterior of any CF location I've seen, though.
The Classic Cup Cafe ($8-45, depending on when you go) – Probably my vote for best romantic place for couples in Kansas City. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but upscale and a bit spendy (especially dinner).
http://tinyurl.com/cbhcvh
http://www.classiccup.com
PF Chang's China Bistro ($7-25) – Surprisingly good Chinese place, and laid-back atmosphere, just across from the JC Nichols Fountain (the huge one with the rearing horses and such).
http://tinyurl.com/c6olcp
O'Dowd's Little Dublin ($10-20) – Irish pub with my favorite shepherd's pie ever.
http://tinyurl.com/cfc55j
Andre's Confiserie Suisse ($5-15) – A Swiss chocolatier that also serves lunch. You can go for awesome pastries and coffee for breakfast, or get lunch for around $13 per person, which includes drink and super-nice dessert.
http://tinyurl.com/dlz3pk
http://www.andreschocolates.com
Winstead's ($4-12) - A 50's-themed burgers-and-ice-cream joint and a Kansas City tradition. Their food is good, but the highlight is the Skyscraper Soda, an enormous ice cream soda that you need a buddy (or two or three) to finish.
http://tinyurl.com/d3janx
D'Bronx Pizza ($6-10 approx. per person) - Very very good New-York-style pizza. The original (and by far the coolest) location is in Westport. Other locations on the bottom floor of Crown Center, on Metcalf in Overland Park, and now on Johnson Drive in Mission.
http://www.dbronxkc.com/
Blanc Burgers and Bottles ($8-20) - Possibly the best burger I've ever eaten, although I'm willing to accept arguments from anyone willing to buy me a burger at Westport Flea Market or 5 Guys Burgers and Fries. But you do pay for it. They use seriously premium ingredients to make seriously premium burgers. The Kobe burger is excellent, but spendy. Also, they serve fries (and you can get truffle fries for an upcharge) in little shopping carts that sit on the table. And the atmosphere is very cool. The "Bottles" part is that they have tons of bottled drinks. Most are alcoholic, but they have a very wide selection of non-alcoholic bottled sodas and other interesting bottled drinks. Also, the milkshakes are made with Shatto milk and Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard. I invented my own milkshake made with Shatto Root-Beer-Flavored Milk (which is awesome) and vanilla custard. WIN. They have recently moved from Westport to the Plaza, and have a second location in Leawood on Mission Road just north of I-435. Don't look for a Mission Road exit, though - there ain't one. Take Roe or State Line and use 103rd to get there. It's between 103rd and the highway bridge on Mission Road.
http://www.blancburgers.com/
Jerusalem Cafe ($6-15) - A middle-eastern restaurant with two Westport locations. Things like beef and lamb kabobs, falafel, baba ganoush, hummus, pita sandwiches, gyros, etc. For the price, you get a ton of food. We usually share the big complete meal for two that costs around $20, and there's enough to take some home and feed us another complete meal later!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jerusalem-cafe-kansas-city
Other Locations:
Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue ($4-10) – The best barbecue in the world. I know you're going to try to argue, but stop. It's simply the best. These guys won the American Royal Barbecue competition several times in the nineties, and then decided, hey, why not open a restaurant? Get the pulled pork sandwich. They have the world's best fries, too. It's in a gas station, so don't let that throw you. (There's a classier-looking location now in Olathe, but go to the original.)
http://tinyurl.com/cwkjc5
Waldo Pizza ($6-20) – Good pizza, with good crust. If you're feeling the need for good basic pizza, this is your place. Or if you want to get some crazy pizza, this is also your place. One of my favorites is pizza with barbecue sauce instead of marinara sauce, topped with chicken and maraschino cherries. No, seriously. Or you can get things like pine nuts and artichoke hearts on your pizza. No, seriously.
http://tinyurl.com/bnchhk
Tatsu's ($15-35) – Possibly Cindy's favorite restaurant. French cuisine that doesn't leave you hungry when you're finished. It's kind of buried in a residential neighborhood, which can make you feel like you've taken a wrong turn somewhere when you're trying to find the place.
http://tinyurl.com/auhosn
Coffee:
The Roasterie Cafe – Has recently emerged as one of my favorites, and is now battling Toto's (RIP) for the top slot. They roast their own, and they know their stuff. Classy place, too. If you're a coffee purist, try one of their Clover coffees or the siphon-brewed coffee. Ask them about it – it's hard to explain.
http://tinyurl.com/bhuqyf
Toto's – CLOSED NOW! ALAS! RIP Toto's... you were my introduction to fine coffees, and my hometown pride. Long my favorite coffee shop (but see above), just a great little place.
http://tinyurl.com/b8kgnm
Homer's – Good coffee, and free live music on weekends. The cinnamon rolls, scones, and tiramisu are pretty great too. In the fall, they have a hot caramel cider that Cindy and her friend Maggie refer to as "liquid autumn."
http://tinyurl.com/banqzc
Benetti's – Excellent little place in Raytown, which is a recent discovery for me. They do great latte art and know how to make a traditional Italian cappuccino.
http://benettiscoffee.com/
LIVE MUSIC
The Blue Room – in the 18th and Vine Jazz District. Some of the best jazz players in the world come through this club, which is a smoke-free dedicated jazz venue attached to the Jazz Museum. Some nights are free, others have a cover charge attached. Check the calendar.
http://tinyurl.com/675yjq
The Majestic Steakhouse and other restaurants with live music are mentioned above.
The Music Hall – The place to see major touring shows, at least until the new Performing Arts Center is completed.
http://tinyurl.com/cvmbpv
The Sprint Center – The new downtown arena. Concerts from Bon Jovi to Trans-Siberian Orchestra to Coldplay. Lots of special sports events, too, and the NCAA Basketball Experience is attached. Check the calendar.
www.sprintcenter.com
The Main Street Cafe – Christian coffeehouse venue with reliably good indie/underground Christian music from The Almost to Bradley Hathaway to Derek Webb to Waterdeep.
www.mainstreetcafe.org
CULTURE
First Fridays – The Crossroads Arts District, just southwest of downtown KC, has an open gallery night on the first friday night of every month. There are street performers and lots of things to see.
http://kansascity.about.com/od/thearts/p/FirstFriday.htm
Union Station – the old train station, now refurbished and gorgeous. Houses a science museum, theaters, and traveling exhibitions.
www.unionstation.org
American Heartland Theatre – Live plays. Good ones.
http://www.ahtkc.com/
The New Theatre Restaurant – Dinner theatre. Good dinner theatre.
http://www.newtheatre.com/home.html
Crown Center – Shopping, dining, ice skating – attached to the world headquarters of Hallmark Cards.
www.crowncenter.com
River Market – The downtown farmer's market with restaurants and the Steamboat Arabia Museum attached. Walk around and find crazy stuff to buy. Free samples all over the place on Saturdays.
http://www.kansascityrivermarket.com/
MUSEUMS
Nelson Atkins Art Gallery – One of the world's premiere art galleries. Ancient to modern art from all over the world. Free, except for special exhibitions. Also, their Rozzelle Court Restaurant is a very romantic place. Ahh, memories...
http://www.nelson-atkins.org/
National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial – This is a really cool place if you're into history. Also, the tower has great views from the top. Go and just hang around outside for free, or pay to see the museum.
http://www.theworldwar.org
Kauffman Garden – A small but memorable memorial botanical garden open to the public. Within walking distance of the Nelson Atkins gallery.
http://www.powellgardens.org/default.asp?page=KauffmanMap
Powell Gardens – Botanical garden.
http://www.powellgardens.org/
PLACE TO STAY
The Raphael Hotel - ($120-200/night) - This is our favorite KC hotel. It's across Brush Creek from The Plaza, and just had a major renovation. Very romantic, if a bit spendy.
www.raphaelkc.com
This is all just scratching the surface. There are movie theaters (including IMAX), shopping malls, the Royals and Chiefs, and lots more places to eat and hang out. Have fun!
Clarification: this post is written mostly for the benefit of Kansas City outsiders who, like us, live on a budget, but have managed to scrape together funds for a "splurge" weekend in KC. Your budget may allow you to stay at the Hotel Phillips for a month. If so, this is not your guide to KC. I've included a few chain places on this list (sorry Chris), even though I support local flava whenever possible.
Here's a rundown on some of our favorites in Kansas City.
PLACES TO EAT
Downtown:
The Majestic Steakhouse ($15-30) – Steaks, pasta, and seafood. The atmosphere is old-town Kansas City class. The building was a speakeasy during prohibition, among other things. On the weekends, the Bram Wijnands Trio performs at dinnertime (Bram is one of my all-time favorite jazz pianists). Ask to sit downstairs where you can see the band.
http://www.kansascitymenus.com/majesticsteakhouse/
http://tinyurl.com/c9ym4k
The Hereford House ($20-40) - One of the great steakhouses. A Kansas City classic. I've heard it much maligned recently, but I still support it. I've only been able to afford it a few times, but every time my steak was a memorable experience (in a good way). Thanks to bigBADbobby for reminding me to include a few steakhouses!
http://tinyurl.com/b26dme
http://www.herefordhouse.com
The Peachtree Restaurant ($10-20) – In the Power and Light District next to the Sprint Center Arena (the Power and Light District has lots of other places to eat, plus a sweetastic-looking bowling alley, but we don't have good info on them yet). “Soul food with elegance.” Fried chicken, catfish, cornbread, collard greens, sweet tea, and peach cobbler. The original location off Eastwood Trafficway is one of my dad's all-time favorite places to eat.
http://tinyurl.com/bhbvo6
Arthur Bryant's Barbecue ($5-10) – Near the 18th and Vine jazz district. Bryant's is still neck-and-neck with Gates & Sons for the title of The Classic Kansas City Barbecue Place. I slightly prefer Bryant's, although if you're buying a bottle of sauce for your own purposes, go with Gates.
http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/
http://tinyurl.com/dgqg3q
The Happy Gillis Cafe ($3-12) - Just off the northeast corner of the Downtown loop. A really cool little cafe with yummy breakfast sandwiches and pastries, plus the best soups and sandwiches anywhere for lunchtime.
http://www.happysoupeater.com/happy_gillis.php
The Skies ($30-50 for dinner, but we just go for dessert, which is $6-10) – The rotating restaurant high atop the Hyatt Regency hotel by Crown Center. Awesome view that rotates all the way around slowly, so you see the whole thing in about an hour. Go at sunset or later.
www.hyattkc.com/skies/
Pancho's ($3-7) – Awesome, epic, huge, authentic gut-busting burritos. Open all night so you can make your heartburn worse. I've spent a large percentage of my restaurant dollars here. Get the carne asada burrito and experience true felicidad.
http://tinyurl.com/aarv9d
Town Topic ($3-7) - One of those classic 24-hour diners that kept blue-collar Americans alive through the best and worst of the twentieth century. The burgers are the famous part, and I love them in all their greasy goodness.
Southwest Boulevard/ Crossroads Arts District:
Lulu's Thai Noodles ($8-20) – Cool little Thai place on Southwest Boulevard. Good atmosphere and great food. If you like really spicy curry, order theirs and prepare to have your mouth on fire for hours. Most menu items can be made milder, though.
www.lulusnoodles.com
http://tinyurl.com/dgujh5
Manny's Mexican Restaurant ($7-15) – Authentic Mex with a real south-of-the-border atmosphere. If you can't find Manny's, just keep going down Southwest Boulevard and eat at any of the dozen or more Mexican places. They're all good.
www.mannyskc.com
http://tinyurl.com/cvphd2
Dagwood's Cafe ($4-10) - Another classic diner. Dagwood's pancakes take my prize for best-in-city, and their burgers are hard to beat. Also try the biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls, and breakfast sandwiches on Texas toast. Open for breakfast and lunch only.
http://tinyurl.com/b4xbkm
The Plaza/Westport:
- The Country Club Plaza (mentioned above) is a short drive south of downtown Kansas City. It's the classic romantic place to hang out in KC. Upscale shopping and dining, with the look of the Mercado in Seville, Spain. It's probably most famous for its fountains and for the Plaza Lights (during the Christmas season). You can take a gondola ride on Brush Creek, but I recommend saving that idea for the warmer months.
The Cheesecake Factory – hard to go wrong here, but I recommend just getting your dessert here. It does have the best-looking interior and exterior of any CF location I've seen, though.
The Classic Cup Cafe ($8-45, depending on when you go) – Probably my vote for best romantic place for couples in Kansas City. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but upscale and a bit spendy (especially dinner).
http://tinyurl.com/cbhcvh
http://www.classiccup.com
PF Chang's China Bistro ($7-25) – Surprisingly good Chinese place, and laid-back atmosphere, just across from the JC Nichols Fountain (the huge one with the rearing horses and such).
http://tinyurl.com/c6olcp
O'Dowd's Little Dublin ($10-20) – Irish pub with my favorite shepherd's pie ever.
http://tinyurl.com/cfc55j
Andre's Confiserie Suisse ($5-15) – A Swiss chocolatier that also serves lunch. You can go for awesome pastries and coffee for breakfast, or get lunch for around $13 per person, which includes drink and super-nice dessert.
http://tinyurl.com/dlz3pk
http://www.andreschocolates.com
Winstead's ($4-12) - A 50's-themed burgers-and-ice-cream joint and a Kansas City tradition. Their food is good, but the highlight is the Skyscraper Soda, an enormous ice cream soda that you need a buddy (or two or three) to finish.
http://tinyurl.com/d3janx
D'Bronx Pizza ($6-10 approx. per person) - Very very good New-York-style pizza. The original (and by far the coolest) location is in Westport. Other locations on the bottom floor of Crown Center, on Metcalf in Overland Park, and now on Johnson Drive in Mission.
http://www.dbronxkc.com/
Blanc Burgers and Bottles ($8-20) - Possibly the best burger I've ever eaten, although I'm willing to accept arguments from anyone willing to buy me a burger at Westport Flea Market or 5 Guys Burgers and Fries. But you do pay for it. They use seriously premium ingredients to make seriously premium burgers. The Kobe burger is excellent, but spendy. Also, they serve fries (and you can get truffle fries for an upcharge) in little shopping carts that sit on the table. And the atmosphere is very cool. The "Bottles" part is that they have tons of bottled drinks. Most are alcoholic, but they have a very wide selection of non-alcoholic bottled sodas and other interesting bottled drinks. Also, the milkshakes are made with Shatto milk and Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard. I invented my own milkshake made with Shatto Root-Beer-Flavored Milk (which is awesome) and vanilla custard. WIN. They have recently moved from Westport to the Plaza, and have a second location in Leawood on Mission Road just north of I-435. Don't look for a Mission Road exit, though - there ain't one. Take Roe or State Line and use 103rd to get there. It's between 103rd and the highway bridge on Mission Road.
http://www.blancburgers.com/
Jerusalem Cafe ($6-15) - A middle-eastern restaurant with two Westport locations. Things like beef and lamb kabobs, falafel, baba ganoush, hummus, pita sandwiches, gyros, etc. For the price, you get a ton of food. We usually share the big complete meal for two that costs around $20, and there's enough to take some home and feed us another complete meal later!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jerusalem-cafe-kansas-city
Other Locations:
Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue ($4-10) – The best barbecue in the world. I know you're going to try to argue, but stop. It's simply the best. These guys won the American Royal Barbecue competition several times in the nineties, and then decided, hey, why not open a restaurant? Get the pulled pork sandwich. They have the world's best fries, too. It's in a gas station, so don't let that throw you. (There's a classier-looking location now in Olathe, but go to the original.)
http://tinyurl.com/cwkjc5
Waldo Pizza ($6-20) – Good pizza, with good crust. If you're feeling the need for good basic pizza, this is your place. Or if you want to get some crazy pizza, this is also your place. One of my favorites is pizza with barbecue sauce instead of marinara sauce, topped with chicken and maraschino cherries. No, seriously. Or you can get things like pine nuts and artichoke hearts on your pizza. No, seriously.
http://tinyurl.com/bnchhk
Tatsu's ($15-35) – Possibly Cindy's favorite restaurant. French cuisine that doesn't leave you hungry when you're finished. It's kind of buried in a residential neighborhood, which can make you feel like you've taken a wrong turn somewhere when you're trying to find the place.
http://tinyurl.com/auhosn
Coffee:
The Roasterie Cafe – Has recently emerged as one of my favorites, and is now battling Toto's (RIP) for the top slot. They roast their own, and they know their stuff. Classy place, too. If you're a coffee purist, try one of their Clover coffees or the siphon-brewed coffee. Ask them about it – it's hard to explain.
http://tinyurl.com/bhuqyf
Toto's – CLOSED NOW! ALAS! RIP Toto's... you were my introduction to fine coffees, and my hometown pride. Long my favorite coffee shop (but see above), just a great little place.
http://tinyurl.com/b8kgnm
Homer's – Good coffee, and free live music on weekends. The cinnamon rolls, scones, and tiramisu are pretty great too. In the fall, they have a hot caramel cider that Cindy and her friend Maggie refer to as "liquid autumn."
http://tinyurl.com/banqzc
Benetti's – Excellent little place in Raytown, which is a recent discovery for me. They do great latte art and know how to make a traditional Italian cappuccino.
http://benettiscoffee.com/
LIVE MUSIC
The Blue Room – in the 18th and Vine Jazz District. Some of the best jazz players in the world come through this club, which is a smoke-free dedicated jazz venue attached to the Jazz Museum. Some nights are free, others have a cover charge attached. Check the calendar.
http://tinyurl.com/675yjq
The Majestic Steakhouse and other restaurants with live music are mentioned above.
The Music Hall – The place to see major touring shows, at least until the new Performing Arts Center is completed.
http://tinyurl.com/cvmbpv
The Sprint Center – The new downtown arena. Concerts from Bon Jovi to Trans-Siberian Orchestra to Coldplay. Lots of special sports events, too, and the NCAA Basketball Experience is attached. Check the calendar.
www.sprintcenter.com
The Main Street Cafe – Christian coffeehouse venue with reliably good indie/underground Christian music from The Almost to Bradley Hathaway to Derek Webb to Waterdeep.
www.mainstreetcafe.org
CULTURE
First Fridays – The Crossroads Arts District, just southwest of downtown KC, has an open gallery night on the first friday night of every month. There are street performers and lots of things to see.
http://kansascity.about.com/od/thearts/p/FirstFriday.htm
Union Station – the old train station, now refurbished and gorgeous. Houses a science museum, theaters, and traveling exhibitions.
www.unionstation.org
American Heartland Theatre – Live plays. Good ones.
http://www.ahtkc.com/
The New Theatre Restaurant – Dinner theatre. Good dinner theatre.
http://www.newtheatre.com/home.html
Crown Center – Shopping, dining, ice skating – attached to the world headquarters of Hallmark Cards.
www.crowncenter.com
River Market – The downtown farmer's market with restaurants and the Steamboat Arabia Museum attached. Walk around and find crazy stuff to buy. Free samples all over the place on Saturdays.
http://www.kansascityrivermarket.com/
MUSEUMS
Nelson Atkins Art Gallery – One of the world's premiere art galleries. Ancient to modern art from all over the world. Free, except for special exhibitions. Also, their Rozzelle Court Restaurant is a very romantic place. Ahh, memories...
http://www.nelson-atkins.org/
National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial – This is a really cool place if you're into history. Also, the tower has great views from the top. Go and just hang around outside for free, or pay to see the museum.
http://www.theworldwar.org
Kauffman Garden – A small but memorable memorial botanical garden open to the public. Within walking distance of the Nelson Atkins gallery.
http://www.powellgardens.org/default.asp?page=KauffmanMap
Powell Gardens – Botanical garden.
http://www.powellgardens.org/
PLACE TO STAY
The Raphael Hotel - ($120-200/night) - This is our favorite KC hotel. It's across Brush Creek from The Plaza, and just had a major renovation. Very romantic, if a bit spendy.
www.raphaelkc.com
This is all just scratching the surface. There are movie theaters (including IMAX), shopping malls, the Royals and Chiefs, and lots more places to eat and hang out. Have fun!
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