Ft. Leavenworth, KS and Kansas City, MO

I had the assignment of teaching a 10 day class at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. It was really my first visit to the Mid-West, other than driving through on I-80. I didn't see either prison (military or federal) during my time there. But I did spend a lot of time on Post (I learned the hard way not to call an Army installation a "Base") getting my car searched and parking very far away from the training facility.

While I was training in Kansas, I ended up staying in the northern part of Kansas City, MO. It took me about a half an hour to drive to Ft. Leavenworth and it was a great drive. There was no traffic and the drive took me through some lovely farmland. Plus I didn’t have to stay in Leavenworth, where the hotels were a bit sketchier than in Kansas City. Everyday I passed these amazing farm houses. I couldn’t believe how big they were. I also wasn’t freaked out by the farms, which is a sign of real growth. I think I handled the farms with such grace because the land was hilly. Long stretches of flat land freaks me out. I don't know why, but I think it is because I grew up surrounded by hills. I just don't trust those flat horizons.

I don’t think I have ever met so many nice people as I did in Missouri and Kansas. Everywhere I went people were kind, friendly, and helpful. More impressive than the friendliness was the sincerity behind it all. I really felt that everyone wanted me to have a nice day.

Unfortunately, most of my time in Kansas City it rained but I did get a few nice evenings to see the sights. One of the first nights I drove into the city and went to the Savoy Grill. It is a restaurant founded in 1903 and is the oldest restaurant in Kansas City. I love the décor, as it is every early 20th Century. The murals on the walls are original and date back to 1903. While the Savoy Grill specializes in seafood (the lobsters are HUGE) I had a tenderloin steak in mushroom sauce that was fantastic. Although the place is a bit pricy, it was totally worth it for the great food and cool atmosphere.

I used one of the local Kansas City independent newspapers, Pitch, to find good places to eat. Since I love potstickers I decided to try a place called Po’s Dumpling Bar. Po’s is located in the hippie section of Kansas City, right next to the alternative bookstores, incense markets, and vintage clothing shops. I didn’t love Po’s as much as I hoped I would. The pork buns were some of the best I have ever had, but the potstickers and lo mein were not great. The potstickers looked more like Chinese crepes than the more traditional dumpling. The lo mein had way too much garlic. The car smelled for days of garlic from just the ride home. Afterwards I found yet another Half Price Books (I look in every place I visit) and I spent a good amount of time shopping for books I don’t need.

In Kansas City there is an area called the Zona Rosa that has a lot of shopping and restaurants. I decided to go to Abuelo’s Mexican Food Embassy. While I don’t think the food stood out from any other chain restaurant Mexican food, the guacamole and the service were excellent.

On my last day in Kansas City I took a side trip to Liberty, MO. In Liberty is a historical site for the church where Joseph Smith was illegally incarcerated for about 5 months. I generally avoid studying religious history, but I figured I was in the area. It turned out to be a nice hour long tour that was interactive.

After the tour I headed back into Kansas City to go to Arthur Bryant’s BBQ. According Pitch it is the best BBQ in the area. I love pulled pork and theirs was moist and well smoked. I decided to also try the brisket, but I don’t like brisket as much because it generally is a bit dry. Arthur Byrant’s is visited by a lot of celebrities. There were pictures of Sally Fields, Stephen Spielberg, John Lithgow and I just missed John McCain and Sarah Palin by a week. I will say that I didn’t care for the house barbecue sauce as it had a lot of vinegar. I preferred the Hot and Sweet because I like sweeter barbecue sauce.

While I was glad to get home after 10 days of work, I had a good time in Missouri/Kansas. I would love to go back and eat more food.

Next Trip – Chisinau, Moldova