There are varying opinions on the amount of enjoyment one can get from visiting a localized history museum. Some shy away from them, believing that they are dull and boring. Others, like ourselves, find that there are a multitude of personal stories just waiting to be uncovered. In Paola, Kansas we visited the Miami County […]
Why We Enjoy Places Like Miami County Historical Museum Read More »
These days many places are downsizing, but it seems to be the exact opposite for sporting goods stores. Each major chain is trying to one up the competition, and this creates the perfect opportunity for families to beat the bad weather for the day. We recently visited one of the Scheels stores to see what unique
Most Kansans have heard the name of John Brown. This iconic legend was a hero to some and a villain to others. Although he was not born in the state, many of his most notable actions occurred there. During our Miami County Road Trip, we stopped at the John Brown Museum to learn more about
Whenever we post an article about Kansas City BBQ we receive lots of feedback. Talking barbecue in KC is like discussing pizza joints in Chicago or Philly steak sandwiches in Philadelphia. While it seems that everyone has a different opinion on their favorite, the one thing we can agree on is that Kansas City is
A day trip to Osawatomie, Kansas was less than an hour drive from Kansas City, but landed us in a different era. This itinerary was designed to showcase a variety of historic sites in Miami County. The Osawatomie Museum Complex, located in the downtown, was one of our stops. This locally oriented twin museum tells
What We Learned At The Osawatomie Museum Complex Read More »
We are trying to figure out what it is about gas stations and BBQ in Kansas City. We all know about the nationally recognized joint that recently dropped Oklahoma from its name. There is another place that sits on the side of the highway a little farther west in KCK. Well now we found one
Filling Station BBQ – Another KC Gas Station BBQ Joint Read More »
Rewind a couple of years, and we made a visit to The Basha Cuisine with our daughter. She has always been an adventurous soul when it comes to testing various cuisines. This may be the reason we have been so willing to expand our palettes, by visiting the unique restaurants that can be found tucked
A few weeks before our visit to Prairiefire, we had been in Manhattan, Kansas. While there, I noticed a restaurant named Coco Bolos and wondered what type of food they served. Our travels that day didn’t allow me to check, but when planning our visit to this Overland Park neighborhood we got a second chance.
Our visit to You Say Tomato was proof that you should never judge a restaurant by its exterior. We were looking for a breakfast spot close to Crown Center, and being situated at 2801 Holmes made it quite convenient. This place was suggested by some readers, and we have found these tips to be quite
It is nice to know that Kansas City has a lot of attraction options that can be enjoyed during any weather. On a cold winter day we made a visit to Sea Life at Crown Center. This marine adventure zone offers visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of oceans, rivers, and lakes.
Who’s Viewing Who? A Visit To Sea Life Kansas City Read More »
Stepping into Danny Edwards Blvd Barbecue feels like finding a hidden gem in the heart of Kansas City. Tucked into a modest space, at 2900 Southwest Blvd, they’ve has been serving up smoky goodness for decades. With walls lined with memorabilia, it’s clear this isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a Kansas City institution. We arrived
Our outing with the grandkids, to Union Station, included a surprise for them. They knew about Science City, which had them all pumped up, but we also would be visiting the Gottlieb Planetarium. This 150 seat theater is housed in the lower level of Union Station, and offers daily shows with a variety of topics.
Spending the winter months hunkered down in Kansas City may not be the most tropical of destinations. It does offer us a chance to build up a backlog of topics for articles about our hometown. Fortunately, if we run out of ideas, we can simply ask our readers, and get a ton of great suggestions.
The majority of the time Crystal and I travel by ourselves. Recently, we took a day to do some exploring in Kansas City, and were joined by our grandkids, as well as a close friend of the family. Our destination was Union Station, and one of the most anticipated stops was at Science City. It
Like many couples, we are always on the lookout for restaurants to add to our list for special occasions. We enjoy a good steakhouse, and have a small list we fall back on, when a birthday or anniversary arrives. Finding a new one that rises to the top of the list is a rare feat,
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When we are preparing for a day of exploring, we like to start with a solid meal, that must include coffee. While we enjoy a good eggs and meat meal as much as anyone, we also like to test out new dishes when
This year we decided to make Bonner Springs our Shop Small Saturday destination. This was planned as research for our final article of 2017 for Visit KCK. We arrived before the shops opened, which gave us the opportunity to check out Third Space Coffee located at 226 Oak Street. We had to park a couple
Third Space Coffee – Bonner Springs Knows Coffee Read More »
We have visited Pegah’s Family Restaurant in the past, but it was only for breakfast. While these have been good, we never seemed to have our camera on hand when we visited. It was high time we rectified this oversight, and decided to make a lunch stop during a day of exploring. They have four locations,
Like most couples, we have our list of favorites. While we love trying new places, at times we tend to gravitate back to our tried and true picks. When it comes to a nice Happy Hour, one of our tops is found at the Hereford House at 17244 Midland Drive, in Shawnee. An added bonus
When we find a restaurant that adds live music to the mix, we know it will be popular. Jazz Louisiana Kitchen certainly falls into this category. What started just over 25 years ago, has grown to include six locations in four states. We dropped by their KCK location, which is found on the west end
One big advantage to living in Kansas City is the wide range of cuisines available throughout the metro. It seems that no matter which area you are in you can find a good selection of restaurants. Some of the “local chains” have locations scattered around the city, so we can enjoy our favorites wherever we
When we pass the Grinter House, in Kansas City, Kansas, I try to imagine the life of the Grinters. Being one of the first homes in the area, they surely faced long periods of isolation. Built around 1857, it served as the home for Moses and Anna Grinter. A trail nearby led to the Kaw
We are honored to have so many of you follow us on our journeys, and enjoy all of the interaction we have with people. While traveling can be exhilarating, we try to have just as much fun when we are at home in Kansas City. There are so many options to enjoy in our city,
For as long as they have been around, surprisingly we had never visited Spin Neapolitan Pizza restaurant. During a bout of shopping, hunger overtook us, and we stopped by their location at 14230 W. 119th Street in Olathe, Kansas. What we discovered at this locally originated pizzeria has created a couple of new fans of
Like many, Crystal and I are coffee lovers. When we heard that a new shop opened on the east end of Kansas City, Kansas we were eager to try it out. We stopped by Splitlog Coffee, at 548 Central Avenue, to check out their digs. Our timing was perfect, as we had the pleasure of a bright,
Splitlog Coffee Helps The East Side OF KCK Get Caffeinated Read More »
Labor Day weekend is the unofficial start of Fall, which means tons of festivals. Santa-Cali-Gon Days celebrates the extended weekend with entertainment, local vendors, and live music. This multi-day event takes place on the square in historic Independence, Missouri. While limiting this list to just ten things is difficult, these are the most popular reasons
10 Reasons To Head To Santa-Cali-Gon Days Every Year Read More »
When we received an invitation to the Worlds of Fun 2017 RIP Party we knew we would be in for a howling good time. The party was designed to celebrate the new season of the Halloween Haunt, which is their annual Fall festival. Living in Kansas City offers a chance to experience all four seasons, but it
One of the cool things about Powell Gardens is that just about every visit gives the opportunity to see something new. Botanical gardens change by the season, which make them a special place to savor. Another bonus is that they are most often an affordable entertainment option. We want to thank Powell Gardens for their hospitality.
The 39th Street corridor, near State Line, is filled with interesting restaurants and shops. One of our favorites is Friends Sushi & Bento Place at 1808 W. 39th St. in Kansas City, Mo. Less than a block from KU Hospital, it has a solid following of residents from around the metro. Almost Hidden Gem Friends Sushi
Hidden Treasures at Friends Sushi and Bento Place Read More »
It’s safe to say that most people in Kansas City have heard of the Kansas City Renaissance Festival . (Many just call it KC RenFest) Since it began in 1977, it would also be fair to say that most have either attended or knows someone who has. We have been quite aware of it, since it’s
Our children are fully grown, so we now have the pleasure of enjoying kid’s appropriate attractions with our grand-kids. Recently, we took them to Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead located at 13800 Switzer, in Overland Park, Kansas. Crystal has had the pleasure of visiting this unique site in the past, but this would be my first
We recently were invited by Travel Kansas and Visit KCK to participate in our first Instameet. Yeah, we had never heard of it before, either. A little Google searching, and we discovered that it is an event designed to showcase the sights and attractions of a specific region or area. Hmm, sounded very interesting. Now
When the name Hodge Park is mentioned in Kansas City, many only think of the golf course. Did you realize this is also home to the Shoal Creek Living History Museum? For years we had overlooked this unique attraction. We made up for this by spending the first Saturday in July with them. First Impression
The First Friday Artwalk has become an extremely popular event in the Kansas City metro. We went in July, and even though the temperature was hovering in the 90’s, it didn’t slow down the foot traffic. We like to arrive toward the beginning of the event, as it is a little easier to find parking.
Chilling On A Hot Evening At First Friday Artwalk Read More »
It hasn’t been that many years ago, since our daughter first introduced us to Thai cuisine. A recent visit to downtown Overland Park gave us a perfect opportunity to test our Lemongrass Thai, which is located at 7316 W. 80th Street. First Impressions of Lemongrass Thai When we first entered, we were less than impressed. The
We find no fault with people who are proud of their home town. We are both from Wyandotte County, which is lovingly referred to as being a “Dotte”. Traveling has just made us appreciate our local life even more, and we are always happy to spend a day around “Our” town. Up Early in Western
Our visit to Yard House at the Legends Shopping Center was timed to take advantage of two things; Happy Hour specials, and their shady patio. Enjoying a Happy Hour in Village West is something that wasn’t available a few years ago. These days it is becoming a little more common, and we hope its popularity grows.
It seems like just about any Friday we can find a special event in the metro. Overland Park has it’s Local Life 3rd Friday, which is held in the old downtown area around Santa Fe Drive. The majority of the businesses involved can be found between 79th St. and 81st St. Makings Of A Street
Our visit to the Turn 2 restaurant, in Hollywood Casino, showed us that sometimes the hidden gems are right under our noses. Not only does this place have some delicious dishes, but the views of the track at Kansas Speedway are unparalleled by any restaurant in the city. We want to thank Turn 2 Restaurant for
We discovered last weekend, that sitting in a vineyard on a hot evening helps lower the temperature a few degrees. The occasion was the Summertime Music Series at Holyfield Winery. We have mentioned this Basehor small batch vintner previously, and even written an article about them. Jazzing up The Vineyard Holyfield Winery runs the summer series
We have made many trips to the historic Independence Square. On a lot of those visits we stopped in to Clinton’s Soda Fountain for a sweet break. Clinton’s sits squarely on the corner of Main Street and Maple, and offers a great vantage point for people watching. Harry’s Home Away From Home Clinton’s building has the honor
Harry Truman’s First Job Wasn’t At Clinton’s, but It was still Sweet Read More »
A visit to UpDog felt appropriate considering we were in Harry Truman’s hometown. After a few hours of exploring, we had built up an appetite, but we were in need of a quick meal, as we still had lots more to see and do. Hot Dogs – America’s Meal It was a quiet day on the
Downtown Independence Square is easily walk-able, but a ride with Pioneer Trails Adventures is a great way to get a new perspective. We have visited this historic locale on many occasions, but never like this time. We had just completed a tour of the old jail, and now we were ready to experience a trail ride. A
Not too long ago, Sheridan’s (You know the custard people) launched Unforked. You may notice we rarely feature any restaurants that belong to a chain. Oh sometimes we may include one, if it stands out in some particular way. After quite a few people starting suggesting we visit Unforked, we finally decided it was time
For the past 15 years, Union Station has hosted Celebration at the Station. This annual event occurs on Memorial Day weekend, and honors those who have and are putting themselves in harms way to protect our freedoms. This year was especially significant, as they recognized the 100th anniversary of the United States entry into World
We love a good Happy Hour, and are always searching for new places. A visit to Paulo and Bill, located at 16501 Midland Drive in Shawnee, was an opportunity to check out their specialty menu. We hadn’t been to this location in quite some time, so we were eager to see what changes had taken place.
Los Alamos Market y Cocina sits in the middle of the Westside area in Kansas City, Missouri. Located at 1667 Summit Street, it is within walking distance of downtown or the Crossroads District. Since 2001, Los Alamos Market has occupied this corner. Nearby residents and visitors enjoy a variety of locally owned restaurants and shops.
Kansas City, Kansas has the distinction of being known as “The Melting Pot of the Midwest”. A visit to the Strawberry Hill Museum, at 720 North 4th Street, showcases the contribution that Slavic nations have had on our growing city. The area was originally named Splitlog Hill after the wealthy mill owner, Mathias Splitlog. He parceled out the land
Pierpont’s Restaurant is a premier seafood and steak house located in Kansas City’s Union Station. A visit to this restaurant is like a step back in time to when the station was built in 1914. The architecture is awe-inspiring, and there are many hidden gems tucked inside. The expectations for a dinner at this type of establishment are
Tao Tao Chinese Restaurant has a long history of serving downtown Kansas City, Kansas. This shop, at 1300 Minnesota Avenue, has been dishing up popular menu items since 1970. Some customers have been frequenting this location since they opened. Others have just recently stumbled upon the heaping mounds of fresh Chinese food that they dish
Get More Bang For Your Buck at Tao Tao Chinese Restaurant Read More »
© Copyright 2017-2025 Our Changing Lives All Rights Reserved