The hubs and I spent the weekend in Kansas City with our daughter; it’s been a few years since we’ve been in KC for any length of time and I thought I’d share some of what we did. One of our awesome followers, Kerry Ann, commented on {this} post where I mentioned that I’d shipped Annabelle off to Kansas City so she could spend the summer at the Kansas City Ballet’s summer program. She’s from KC, so I asked her for some recommendations and she was spot on (thanks, girl!!).
| tote bag | necklace | top (similar) | jeans | flip flops | watch | sunnies
{all sources listed at the end of post}
I did manage to get everything, including my laptop, into my weekender bag. #forthewin
We spent a busy day at the Plaza on Saturday; Annabelle’s dorm is within walking distance so she’s been spending a fair amount of time there even during the week.
Kaldi’s Coffee was one of our first stops for an iced coffee, because it was a million degrees outside.
We did some window shopping and a bit of actual shopping since there are so many great sales this weekend for the 4th of July, and my husband was looking for a high quality navy blazer. (We found a good possibility but he hasn’t committed yet)
We also let him visit the Tesla showroom; there were dozens of men in there, playing with the cars (and enjoying the air conditioning!).
We also took a quick trip up north to visit Nell Hill’s; it’s an absolute must if you’re ever in Kansas City. It’s been about five years since my last visit and they’re in a new (bigger) location since then. If you’re not familiar, it’s pretty much the best home store in the world, with a mix of vintage and new, inexpensive and super-fancy.
(If you can’t get to the store, Mary Carol’s books are also amazing; check them out HERE)
I almost pulled the trigger on these blue and white dog bowls for Harley for obvious reasons, but restrained myself at the last minute.
I also managed to talk Annabelle out of a giant resin bird. She thinks we’ll regret that later, but I told her we can always go back.
Kerry Ann asked me to write about what I bought at Nell Hill’s, but I only walked away with gifts (for my friend, Danielle, who’s taking care of my flowers for a few weeks, and for Ashly, since it was her birthday last week), so I can’t share those or I’d spoil the surprises. I’m sure I’ll be back, though; I need a few hours instead of a few minutes next time!
Annabelle had evening plans with the ballerinas, so we dropped her back at her dorm and went to our hotel. As a side note, we stayed at the Embassy Suites in the Country Club Plaza and I definitely would not recommend it. Chris is a gold Honors member and stays in Hilton properties all the time; this one was not up to their usual standards. We’ll try a boutique hotel next time and I’ll definitely let you know which one we choose.
The good news is that things started looking up when we headed out for pre-dinner drinks at The Monarch.
They start you off with a little tasting drink while you study the extensive cocktail menu. This was a mix of whiskey, coffee, and absinthe, and a few other magic ingredients. I usually can’t tolerate whiskey but I did like this.
I ordered a Pisco Sour (we discovered Pisco the last time Chris traveled to Chile and Peru and brought back a bottle) and he had a Louisiana Purchase.
Perhaps the strange look in my eyes is thanks to the absinthe?
| my shirt | my jeans | bracelet | Chris’s shirt |
My shirt is under $18 and I love it; here’s another angle:
We could have easily stayed at The Monarch for another round, but we had dinner reservations at 9pm at Gram & Dun. We were still pretty full from a late lunch but ordered a charcuterie platter and hummus and both were delicious (thanks again, Kerry Ann!!).
Sunday consisted of an early movie with Annabelle, lunch (we wanted to try Black Dirt but they were closed between 2-4pm so we ate at old reliable PF Chang’s), a trip to Trader Joe’s to stock up on supplies, and the drive back home.
You can tell we’re tired, but it was such a fun weekend!
| my shirt | my sandals | my jeans | Chris’s shirt |
If you have any suggestions to share for our next visit to Kansas City, I’d love it if you’d leave them in the comments below–thanks!
The Raphael on the Plaza is supposed to be a nice place to stay. They have a bar or restaurant called Chaz on the Plaza and on Sunday they have a jazz brunch. The Nelson Atkins is one of my favorite place. Q 39 is a really good barbecue place close to K U Med Center. We live in Lawrence and there’s a lot to do here too.
Hey, Maggie–
We almost went to Chaz on Sunday afternoon when Black Dirt was closed, so I’ll be sure to put that at the top of my list for next time. I don’t think I realized that you were in Lawrence and I agree that we need to visit there, too. I’m going to need at least another month to get it all done–and bigger pants when I’m finished! 😉 Thanks so much for all the great tips!
Nell Hills is a favorite store of mine. I visited her Atchison store many times when visiting my in-laws. Shopping-wise, check out Brookside and Crestwood . We have many great Restaurants. Joe’s KC (formerly Oklahoma Joe’s) is a barbecue favorite. The original location is also near KU Med. I recommend Rye Leawood and Tavern at Mission Farms also. If you are in the mood for a burger, we really enjoy BRGR. They have several locations; I have only been to the Corinth Square location in Prairie Village. I recently had a girlfriend’s lunch at Cafe Europa in Crestwood. My “green” salad was delicious and the Lemon Cake was to die for!
I second Maggie’s comment on Lawrence. i went to KU, as did my sons. Lawrence has a great downtown for shopping and dining. There a terrific museums at the university. And one can’t forget James Naismith’s original rules of basketball at the DeBruce Center, adjacent to Allen Field House!
Tracy–what an amazing list–thank you so much! I’ve added all of your suggestions to my master list on my phone and can’t wait for our next visit. We went to Oklahoma Joe’s back when my in-laws lived in KC (I think it was literally in a gas station if I’m remembering right!) and it was amazing. I am going to need bigger pants before I head back to NC!
I will put Lawrence on my list; thanks for the heads up. There’s so much to do out here!
Best place for a drink is Manifesto, underneath the Rieger Hotel. You’ll need to text ahead if you want to get in. Restaurants to try include Garozzos (downtown), Bluestem, Farmhouse for brunch, lots of options on 39th, Extra Virgin, and LaBodega for tapas. It has been a while since I lived in KC but these are perennial favorites. Oh and you didn’t list a single BBQ visit!
Robin–this is awesome–thank you so much! I’ve added all of these to my list (I am going to have to eat non-stop for the next few weekends!). I should have mentioned that my in-laws used to live here so we’ve done the BBQ thing many times–Oklahoma Joe’s is one of our favorites. Don’t worry, I didn’t miss out on that important cultural experience! 😉
Sounds like a lovely weekend. I had no idea Nell’s Hill had a store!!!! I love her books and have several of them. The food and drinks all sound delicious as well.
Yes, the store was first, I believe. It used to be in Atcheson, KS, but with all of her (Mary Carol’s) success, they have a HUGE new store in KC. If you head out west ever, it needs to be at the top of your sightseeing list, but leave space in your car!
Sounds like a great weekend getaway. Love Nells Hill.
Don’t we all?! I’m amazed I made it out with just a small bag.
I can’t believe how much your daughter looks like you since she has gotten older. Beautiful!!
Glad you guys had fun.
My hubs and I just got back from Kure Beach NC.
Have a great 4th of July.
Oh, Kure Beach–how wonderful! My son asked if we could please get to the beach in August, before he heads off to college, so I’ll definitely need to make that happen. Annabelle just got her braces off a few weeks ago and I think she looks so much older now–thanks so much for the lovely compliment!
I love the white top in your cover photo! Would you please double check the link for me?
Thank you! I wear it all the time and love it! I added “similar” to the link; this one is from TJ Maxx about two months ago, but it’s not currently on their website. It’s Cynthia Rowley and 100% linen if that helps in your searching. I did spend quite a bit of time trying to track down the exact one online but no luck so far.
We’ve done a girls weekend the last two years in kc and we stay at the Sheraton suites. We’ve never had any issues and the rooms are all suites.
Thanks so much, Annaliza! I’ll put the Sheraton on my list for our next visit. How fun to do a girls’ weekend in KC–it’s such a fun town!
It really is! And the plaza has a great selection of shops, perfect for a girls getaway. There’s a cool store near Anthro that sells infused liqueurs, I can’t remember the name off the top of my head. I also love Nell’s Hills.