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Posts tagged ‘union station’

Feb 19

Restaurants Reimagined: 7 Local Eateries with Charming Backstories

The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange

  • The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange is a former prohibition-era hotel now serving farm-to-table fare.

    The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange is a former prohibition-era hotel now serving farm-to-table fare.

    Then: Opened in 1915 by the son of whiskey distributor Jacob Rieger, the property was known as a “travelers’” hotel, welcoming railroad workers and traveling salesmen.

  • Now: There’s no longer room at the inn, but visitors will find a hopping restaurant serving farm-to-table fare in the Crossroads Arts District. It also houses Manifesto, a modern speakeasy, in the basement.
  • Taste: Chef Howard Hanna has a passion for the pig. Any pork dish is sure to be outstanding.
  • History Connection: Classic cocktails and the original black-and-white tile floor hark back to days gone by, as does the restored mural on the brick exterior. Just as the turn-of-the-century ad for Reiger whiskey suggests, everything inside is “O! So Good.” Read more

Dec 3

Shop in Style Around Kansas City This Holiday Season

Of course, we don’t want you to shop until you drop, but it’s truly possible with the distinct shopping districts available in Kansas City. The city’s shopping areas offer fashion’s favorite labels, fun and funky gifts, high style and affordable prices.  But what sets Kansas City apart as a shopping destination is the experience each district creates for the visitor, making finding the perfect gift fun for everyone! Whatever your tastes, we have it all in Kansas City.

Downtown Kansas City

The Crossroads Arts District for unique stocking stuffers like handmade stationery from Hammerpress or artisanal chocolates  from Christopher Elbow. In the Power & Light District, look to Envolve for chic women’s styles or shop eight stores in one at The Garment District—a hip fashion collective with a bar nestled inside.

A little further north of downtown and straight out of the mind of Dr. Seuss, City Market transforms itself for Whoville Holidays, a yuletide celebration featuring The Grinch, art activities and a Cindy Lou Who look-alike contest.

After a long afternoon shopping the avenues of downtown KC, it’s time for a light meal. Venture off the beaten path to the Westside area. Popular picks range from small plates at Power and Light District_040_AALill’s on 17th and savory crepes at Chez Elle, to farm-to-table fare at The Westside Local.

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Nov 19

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A Cup of Joe and a Holiday Cocktail in Kansas City

As the weather cools in Kansas City, thoughts of the Crown Center Ice Terrace, Kansas City’s only public outdoor skating rink, begin to enter our minds as way to embrace Midwest winters. The Country Club Plaza is also a favorite destination throughout the year, but perhaps most so in the evenings between Thanksgiving and mid-January when the miles and miles of holiday lights outline the Spanish architecture. Nothing beats an evening horse-drawn carriage ride on the Plaza, snuggled under the blankets, followed by a warm nightcap at any of the Plaza’s great restaurants and coffee bars.

But where else can you discover a hot cup of Joe or even better a seasonal festive adult beverage? Whether you prefer an artisan swirl in your espresso or an artisan twist in your cocktail, we’ve got several places to your warm the core and take an edge off the day.

A LOCAL CUP OF JOE:

“Fast, friendly service and a great menu. The liquid sunshine and breakfast burrito are amazing” (Britt S. on Yelp! http://ow.ly/fimf0) – Coffee Girls in Waldo

The Filling Station

“Love this place as a work spot. You can usually find an outlet, the light is wonderful, the food and coffee are consistently great and really reasonably priced.  Bonus points: the staff has pretty good music taste and it’s always at a reasonable volume” (Meli I. on Yelp! http://ow.ly/fimNW) – Filling Station on 2980 McGee

“Scooters is very affordable, they have a large selection of beverages and light fare, are centrally-located downtown, and friendly staff makes this a great coffee spot” (Jose C. on Yelp! http://ow.ly/finl4) – Scooters Coffee Read more

Oct 2

2012 American Royal: The World Series of Barbecue and You

The words “Kansas City” and “barbecue” are synonymous and chances are if you are passionate about either a strongly formed opinion of either will follow. Grilled, roasted, braised, fried or broiled, sauce or no sauce, the 2012 American Royal World Series of Barbecue is the event you’ve been waiting for all year and it’s finally here.

This weekend is an opportunity to gather with 70,000 of your closest carnivore friends as you are invited to observe and inhale the culinary mastery of the 500 teams competing to be crowned maestro of the meats.

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May 7

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See Missouri by Train

The only remaining dome car in Amtrak service.

My son loves trains. Model trains, Thomas the train, freight trains, passenger trains – He loves them all. So I recently surprised him by taking him for a ride on a real train, the Missouri River Runner. Amtrak services KC and recently had the only remaining “Great Dome” rail car available for service between St. Louis to Kansas City.

Since this is the first time in many, many years that the historic dome car has been in KC – I knew that the kids and I had to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Our excitement grows as we wait to board the train. My son can’t keep still, he is so excited. As the train enters the station, they can’t contain themselves. I’m pretty excited too! It’s been years since I rode the train.

Finally the train comes to a complete stop and we wait our turn as riders deboard. Now it’s our turn! We board the train and make our way to the dome car which is the last rail car. It was funny to watch the kids try and keep their balance while the train was moving  80 mph!  As I giggled at them, I lost my balance and  fell into a man’s lap. Luckily he was nonchalant and unruffled by my clumsiness. We decided to go to the upper level, which was a good choice.  With windows on all sides and overhead, the  panoramic views of the Missouri countryside were lovely.

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Nov 10

"America I AM Our Foundation" Gallery, Photo by Carol H. Feeley

American I Am

If you’re like me, you know the basic facts related to the African-American experience in America. But upon seeing the new exhibit at Union Station—America I Am—I came away realizing that I hadn’t given a lot of thought to how those events impacted the people who lived them, let alone how they helped shape our country.

Tavis Smiley

I was fortunate to join a media preview hosted by Tavis Smiley, the PBS journalist, author and philanthropist who helped develop the traveling exhibit. Smiley wanted to chronicle the imprint that African Americans have had on American life. To do so, he recruited one of the top exhibition companies (the same company that did King Tut) as well as a remarkable collection of artifacts. Make no mistake; this is quite possibly the most impressive collection of African-American history ever brought together in one place. Read more

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