12 jayplay.
thursday, august 28, 2003
KANSAS CITY A guide to the best that our neighbor to the east has to offer
story by becky rogers, illustrations by lindsev riechers.
Zipping up K-10 highway at speeds just slow enough not to get you stopped by the DeSoto Police,you can almost hear it in the background.
"Kansas City, Kansas City here I come." It has always been the place for students to go shopping for brands that can't be found in Lawrence, but it holds much more than that. Kansas City has a special flavor not found in most metropolises. From the mouth-watering barbecue and open-air markets, to the crack of a bat at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City is alive with things to do and places to see.
"We are large enough to have world class cultural amenities and major league sports with clubs like the Chiefs and Royals," says Leigh Elmore, editor of Kansas City Magazine. "But we are small enough to know your neighbors and do things with them. We are a friendlier city than some cities east of us," she says.
If you only go to Kansas City for the malls,you ought to think about making a detour to visit some of the city's other attractions.
ART
"Kansas City has a thriving cultural arts scene," Elmore says. "You can go to a different play every night of the month without seeing a repeat performance."
With more than 80 art galleries and 40 museums, as well as live theater, Kansas City is a mecca of the arts.
One of the top art galleries in the country, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art,4525 Oak St.,has an extensive European and
American art collection.
American art collection but is most well known for its Asian art collection. It is easy on your budget, too. Admission is free everyday, but try to schedule a stop on Friday when the Ford Motor Company foots the bill to special exhibitions and events. The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.;
Friday,10 a.m.to 9 p.m.;Saturday,10 a.m.to 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, 4420 Warwick Blvd., is just up the road and caters to the growing contemporary art scene. The museum houses paintings by such artists as Jackson Pollock, Georgia O'Keeffe and Jasper Johns. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Another good place to find art is in the Crossroads District near I-35 and Truman Road on the first Friday of the month. On these days from 7 p.m.to 9 p.m., 45 art galleries in this area keep their doors open for people to peruse their collections. And nothing goes better with fine art than fine cuisine. The Crossroads district has some wonderful restaurants that can top off a nice evening.
Elmore, a frequent visitor at First Fridays, says it is one of his favorite things to do in Kansas City along with dining at Lydia's Italian Restaurant, 101 W.22 St., which is in the area. "Thousands converge on this area of town," he says.
SHOP & DINE
mall. Voted the best place to relax besides home by readers of Kansas City Magazine, The Country Club Plaza is hands down One of the best spots to shop or eat. It has
the distinction of being the first non-enclosed shopping district in the nation. Its architecture is based on the look of Seville, Spain, and is dotted with European sculpture and art
pean sculpture and art works. The Plaza also features some of the fountains that Kansas City is famous for. It showcases more than 180 stores. Some are brand-name stores,
such as Victoria's Secret, 445 Nichols Road, and a fourlevel Barnes & Noble, 420 W. 47 St., but many are local retailers, such as Panache Chocolatier, 418 Nichols
Tom Tivol, president of Tivol Jewelry and KU alumnus, loves having his store located in the shopping district environment. "Just pause to look at the art, architecture and fountains," he says. "They are beautiful things to see and very atypical of a mall. There is a huge combination of different types of stores and the best restaurants."
Road, and Tivol Jewelry, 220 Nichols Road.