Come to Kansas City

Southern Living, Oct 2002 by Austin, Farrah

Savor the flavor of this Missouri town for a weekend.

To matter where you live in the South, autumn is the time to visit Kansas City. Not too hot, not too cold, but just right for weekend travelers wanting to enjoy all this town has to offer. Packed with fountains, jazz music, dining, and shops galore, Kansas City serves up big-city attractions yet retains a certain small-town charm. Follow our weekend guide to see much of the city's best.

Friday

Drop off your bags at the Hyatt Regency or The Westin Crown Center Hotel. The rooms are moderately priced (rates start at $89 and $109 respectively), and both are close to downtown destinations. For reservations call the Hyatt Regency at (816) 421-1234 or The Westin at (816) 474-4400. For less expensive lodging, try the Fairfield Inn by Marriott on Main Street. Rates start at $59; (816) 931-5700.

Get familiar with the city's pulse at the Crown Center. It offers more than 70 places to shop and eat. A family destination, it was the brainchild of Hallmark's founder, Joyce C. Hall, who wanted to revitalize the decaying urban area downtown. The result is a state-of-the-art entertainment, shopping, and lodging complex.

Start your exploration of the Crown Center at the Crayola Cafe, where the food is just as colorful as the decor. Try the Asian Noodle Sesame Chicken Salad ($8.95). It's light, lovely, and delicious. Next door to the cafe stands the Crayola Store. There you can purchase a container of the top 50 crayons voted on by Americans ($8.50). Each one comes wrapped in gold with its name and ranking number.

Next, tour a repository of sentiment at Hallmark Visitors Center in the Crown. Want to know how the folks at Hallmark come up with a card for every occasion? Well, they're happy to tell their secrets. Explore the essence of their creativity in a six-minute multimedia presentation as artists, writers, and photographers discuss where they get their ideas and inspirations.

Dinner awaits at the original Hereford House downtown. Voted as one of America's top 10 steak houses, it's the best place in the city to sample a steak. You'll forget all your worries when they put a succulent K. C. strip (16 ounces, $25.95) and loaded baked potato in front of you. 11.

Saturday

Fill up on the Benne (eggs Benedict, $5.50), as they call them, at the Corner Restaurant in Westport (located five minutes from the Crown Center). It's where the locals eat and greet. Then start the day at the City Market, a farmers market just north of downtown. Even if you don't buy anything, it's a good way to see the area.

One of the best places in the Midwest to shop is Kansas City's Country Club Plaza. Much like an outdoor museum full of Spanish architecture and intricate statues, The Plaza was the nation's first suburban shopping district.

If you're looking to explore the unique styles of K. C., head to Brookside. It's not too far from The Plaza and is located in a neighborhood full of one-of-a-kind shops. Wander into the World's Window for jewelry and clothing from around the globe. The area offers a slew of stores, including Bella Napoli, an Italian grocery and deli, and The Dime Store, a good oldfashioned five-and-dime with wooden floors that's been in the area for 60 years. For an upbeat, funky find, venture into Stuff, where they sell pottery and handmade items from more than 70 local artists.

When hunger pangs hit, ward them off at Webster's downtown. This former 1800s schoolhouse offers home furnishings, antiques, and design stores on the first level. For lunch try the chef's special, ranging from pasta to fresh fish ($8-$14). Be mindful that Webster's stops serving food at 2:30, though the bar stays open until 6 p.m.

Calm the shopping spell with a trip to the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District. Home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum, this place affords the chance to steal a look at baseball great Jackie Robinson and float to the tunes of Louis Armstrong.

Across the street lies the historic Gem Theater, which was originally constructed as a movie theater for African Americans in the mid-1900s. Today, music and performance groups play in the Gem's state-of-the-art facility. Enjoy their annual concert series, "Jammin' at the Gem," which starts October 31 and features a celebration of The Delta blues.

For dinner, head back to The Plaza's Fedora. The Italian flair and food will have you singing "Besseme Mucho" to the one you love. Later that night, keep the beat going at the Blue Room in the Jazz District. By day the Blue Room functions as an American Jazz Museum exhibit and by night transforms into a jumping joint where contemporary Kansas City artists perform ($5 per person Friday and Saturday). By the end of the evening, you'll feel anything but blue after downing their signature Blue Room Martini ($5.25).

Sunday

Before leaving to go home, grab a bite at Gates and Sons Bar-B-Q, a Kansas City institution. It's not unusual to see lines out the door at this family-owned operation-a fun place to end a memorable weekend. FARRAH AUSTIN