383 Days in KC
Our time in Kansas City, MO has come to an end. Our stay in KC started off quite rocky (and viral), and in some aspects remained the same because we never moved and stayed in the same home as we were in when I wrote my blog post. Despite the start, we did make amazing friendships, had some lovely neighbors, and built a community that we will always cherish and keep in touch with. While there we developed some favorites and found a rhythm here that made our time here delightful. Since we have already moved to our new “home”, I am reminiscing on our last year in KC, and some of our favorite experiences and places broken down by categories.
Experiences in Kansas City and the surrounding suburbs are everywhere you look. KC is a city that boasts for their sports teams, outdoor life is plentiful, arts thrive, and there are plenty of things to do. Some of my favorite experiences in Kansas City have been, Pedal Hopper Tour, where you ride a multi person bicycle (that also has a motor) around to 3 different bars. The fun is on the bike and the bars are just extra. Black Card Tattoo Collective is near and dear to my heart. I went there to have my Mom’s handwriting tattooed on me after her cancer diagnosis and met Nick Wheeler. Things escalated quickly, and I was back in his chair for 35 hours of him tattooing my back piece, which ultimately won an award at a local tattoo convention. Wildflower School This is the school that we enrolled Audrey in, and I wish we could uplift the entire school (selfishly) and bring it with us. I could rave for hours about the school philosophy and the teachers, but I will keep it simple and say they are amazing and sorely missed. Pumpkin Patch Weston Red Barn Farm was unlike anything I had experienced, it was picturesque and a perfect fall day including spiced cider, a tractor ride, and all the farm animals one could desire. BBQ is also going under experiences because it is truly remarkable how many BBQ establishments thrive in KC. BBQ here is a way of life, people rave over some and avoid others. The menus take time to get used to and once you find what you enjoy to order, you can do so at various restaurants and compare them. My favorite became Q39, where the brisket and burnt ends were my go-to and my cabinets always had a bottle of their famous sauce. Lastly, is English Landing Park where I would spend hours with my kiddos having picnics, walking the trails, playing on the playgrounds, or tossing stones into the water.
The next few categories I am breaking down by top 5 because it’s hard to narrow it down any smaller. Kansas City (and surrounding suburbs) have so many amazing restaurants, bars, live music venues, parks, and family friendly activities. I was constantly out and about trying to discover new places and rating them in my mind for this top five list.
Top 5 Places to go:
The KC Zoo
The River Market
BarK
Jowler Creek
Downtown Parkville
Bars
The Phoenix
Green Lady Lounge
Tom Pendergast
Crossroads Hotel
Call sign
Restaurants:
Q39 BBQ
Parkville Coffee
Farina
Cascones Italian Restaurant
Chicken N Pickle
Kansas City, Missouri left an impression on our family. We certainly miss some aspects of the city and are grateful to have had time there, we are also happy to have moved on to our next location in Virginia. We struggled to find our rhythm in Missouri, more so than other moves our family has made; but once we did it was a bit challenging to leave. With each move, we try to take away mostly positive experiences and think back of how each location we live in helps our family to grow in different ways. Kansas City will always hold a special place for the first place Audrey went to school, where Maxwell started walking, where our family stood up for something we believe strongly in and stood our ground against hatred, and where I ate the best BBQ of my life and will forever miss burnt ends and adorable coffee shops.