As per usual when I visit a city, there are several things about the visit that I’d like to tell you about, but they don’t constitute a full blog post. What I wind up doing is sort of a mash up of these little things in one post. So here’s some tidbits about Kansas City.
Book lover that I am, I’ve wanted to see the mural on the Kansas City Public Library for years. The whole wall is a row of gigantic books. How cool is that? So Dear Husband and I made a point of stopping by there. Sadly, we had no time to visit the interior, and that nearly killed me, but finally, finally I got to see the mural!
What I was expecting to see was what I’ve pretty much seen in every online image of this mural. Something like this:
Instead, what we saw was this:
But in fairness, a lot of iconic tourist views are not what you expect when you finally see them with your own eyes. But there was an unexpected plus side as well. I never knew that the stairway up to the library parking garage also looked like a stack of books. That was fun.
And we of course got to examine all the books close up. They were amazing in their detail, and they were faithful to the editions in question, too. We were so charmed by this mural that we even drove past it during our night drive.
Dear Husband and I love driving around at night to explore a city. There’s less traffic, fewer people, and the night lighting can magically transform an edifice. Here are some additional photos we took during our night drive.
Another thing we did was drive past the Bott House. It was designed by my favorite architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. I do love art deco with its bold, geometric designs. It’s my favorite architectural style.
The Bott House is a private residence, so you can’t go in. I’m sure the owners and their neighbors get sick and tired of people driving slowly past and taking pictures, but how could anyone resist? I mean, isn’t this amazing?
I almost wish I didn’t just Google “Bott House interior”, because the images are so stunning that I’m tempted to go back there and press my nose against the windows. I suspect that wouldn’t end well, though. (If you see a GoFundMe campaign to raise bail for me, you’ll know why.) The house’s official website states that it still has all the original Frank Lloyd Wright furniture, too.
One last thing. Anyone who goes to Kansas City and doesn’t try their signature barbeque is a fool! This city is known for it, and there are plenty of BBQ joints to choose from. We met some of our family at Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque, and it was an unforgettable experience. The company, of course, was wonderful, the smoked meat was mouthwatering, and I loved the sauce. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.
I was really impressed that Barack Obama had visited the place while he was still president. But that made my nephew (Hi, Ryan!), who is a longtime KC resident, laugh. He said that Obama pretty much visited every Kansas City barbeque, so as not to play favorites. Apparently, it’s much more notable in these parts if Obama hasn’t been to your BBQ establishment. I certainly can’t blame him for making the rounds, though. Barbeque is one of the many things that makes this city worthwhile!
Watch this space for blogs about the next city we visited: Chicago!
Are you wondering what to bring to Thanksgiving dinner? How about my book, Notes on Gratitude? Place your orders now! (Or any other time, since we’re on the subject.) And… thanks!
The View from a Drawbridge 