The Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City

The Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in Kansas, City, Missouri takes an elegant approach to showcasing its collection. We skipped the Impressionists exhibit in favor of the American Indian, Modern and Contemporary, the Chinese and Japanese art and the Photography collections.  Here is a glimpse of what they have to offer.

First Friday in Kansas City

Kansas City has a vibrant art and music scene, with many fine murals and a good combination of traditional and imaginative architecture. Although we didn’t find the perfect barbecue, we had a few good meals and listened to a rockin’ zydeco band, Blue Orleans at BB’s Lawnside and Bar B Que. I didn’t bring my camera to the club but the joint was jumping and I would certainly go back again. We stayed at the Raphael Hotel, a grand dame from the 1920’s and enjoyed walking around the Crossroads before going out to the Power and Light district downtown for First Friday. There were a few too many cartoon character sculptures for my taste but all in all, good times. So for now, Goodbye to Kansas City, New York City here we come.

Kansas City Market

I had a good feeling about Kansas City before we flew in for a long weekend of fun. Starting our adventure in the City Market among a robust offering of fabulous, cheap vegetables was a good thing. Our dining overall was spotty but all the vegetables I had were vigorous and flavorful, locally grown and really fresh. Next time, we will head for Oklahoma Joe’s right away to get our barbecue fix. This is a pretty town that shows a lot of support for the arts, architecture and music. For now, enjoy the vivid colors of spring’s bounty.