Finding breakfast in downtown St. Louis proved to be difficult (per parking attendant, “There is nothing to eat downtown! Take 40 West!”), so we took off for The Loop, close by St. Louis University (which we must have driven past 8,000,003 times). After subjecting enough hunger pains and mild annoyances for NOTHING being open, save for every waking church in the city (apparently they don’t “brunch” afterward??), we call a former SLU student to point us in the direction of an eatery… shit, a STARBUCKS, anything?! A short phone call of directions later, we enjoyed a fulfilling breakfast at… a pizza place? Weird, I know, but I at least had some French toast.
After the fill-up, we went for a stroll down the Walk of Fame also in the loop district and gazed at the Hollywood-esque stars at/in/near/around Blueberry Hill. Yes, where I found my thrill… but because… MAKE ROOM for Michael McDonald’s star on the pavement. Don’t hate; you too wish you were a former member of the Doobie Brothers!
After trolling about for a few hours, we stop in Blue Springs, MO for our own re-creation of The Worlds Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Easily done – from one side of the street to the other. A local man yelled out his t
ruck, “Are you looking for the parade?” while we attempted to find the “start” plaque underneath all the snow the Midwest had seen a week earlier. Here’s the end point plaque:
Then it was another search for food in Independence, MO – Home of Truman… and the Puppetry Arts Institute. We were early for our appointment – and making awesome driving time – but Diane Houk, the executive director and her assistant (darn, I wish I could remember his name) came by and opened up her place for a private tour. She features many puppet collections – including the famous Hazzelle in the world of puppets – as well many from her personal collection from her travels around the world. We initially found her location through a 2004 Rand McNally Atlas – the institute was awarded by the publication of places to see around the country that year. I have never met someone so passionate about their work – all interest spurred from disappointment as a child not being able to attend a Hazzelle workshop/puppet show. She now houses many of Hazzelle’s best personal collector’s pieces. And we left with our own hand-painted finger puppet. I now want to be a puppeteer.
Kansas City, MO
AWESOME hotel at Marriot Courtyard. By far, this was the cleanest hotel in which I have ever stayed. All the employees were beyond helpful and friendly. The lobby was decorated lovely for the holidays, with warm fires and cozy living room seating area (and a giant flat screen). It’s located at the rear of Country Club Plaza – an outdoor lifestyle shopping/etc center modeled after the likes of Crocker Park and Legacy Village. We had yet another awesome Mexican meal at Baja 600. The waiter had a good chuckle upon hearing our NYE plans, only to come back moments later to apologize saying a couple coworkers corrected him, telling of how much fun they had in Manhattan. The Plaza had really cute Spanish-type architecture (and no ATMs easily recognizable) and during the holidays, have horse-drawn sleighs and carriages to take you around the 5 or 6 streets. This particular pain-in-the-ass-in-heels-and-cold center is definitely larger (or maybe more spread out) than the ones in Cleveland.
We grabbed a cab back at our hotel to Martini Corner – woah, there’s a Velvet Dog — and the bars were all dead for a Sunday. We headed across the street to Tower Tavern to partake in “Scumbag Sundays,” laugh at a couple drunk chicks and make a few new friends — JO and New York Chick and maybe 4 or 5 guys over Root Beer liquor and Beer shots (old school PBRs optional). Holy hell, these were good! Jo loved my sweater so much – and I never felt it particularly suited me well – that I handed it over to her when we tabbed out. I passed along my email address and truly hope she keeps in touch and sends me the group pictures from this night out. For yet another night, I was camera-retarded. We requested to have the Cabaraoke for our ride home from the corner, but had no luck. Seriously, this cab has strobe lights blinking and music blasting, with a moving screen showing words to the songs on the exterior of the cab with what people are singing inside. Hilarious.
Unfortunately, we woke up too hung over to see the giant shuttle cocks at the art museum grounds or the giant meat cleaver in downtown Topeka.
