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Published Jan/Feb 2006 | ||||||
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Favorite spots and up-and-coming attractions make this Midwestern city more updated than ever.
By Cynthia Kagan Frohlichstein |
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 s soon as someone mentions Kansas City, the chorus “Everything's up-to-date in Kansas City” starts singing in my head. The city couldn’t have a more continuously timely theme. It’s a community that opens itself up to constant changes and improvements without deserting past achievements. Memory lane blends into the future.Small and sophisticated Thirty years ago, long before travel sophisticates discovered trendy boutique hotels, the award-winning Raphael Hotel (AAA three diamonds) opened at 325 Ward Parkway near Country Club Plaza. The independent hoteliers converted a 1927 apartment building into a modern hotel keeping the vintage, classic charm and character. It was an immediate success and remains a favorite for discriminating travelers who appreciate intimacy and graciousness. Enjoy culinary adventures in the intimate Raphael Restaurant where Executive Chef Peter Hahn lures food connoisseurs with rotating “new American” menus and themed four-course prix fixe menus with optional wine pairings. It’s a perfect atmosphere for a romantic evening. Plaza pleasures Shopping areas come and go but the Spanish-themed Country Club Plaza remains a perennial favorite. Designed as America’s first shopping center, the area reigns as a virtual outdoor museum filled with statuary, fountains and murals. Stop by Plaza Customer Service (4745 Central) to pick up a complimentary map for a walking art tour. Like most places in the world, shopping and dining venues have become homogenized, but the inimitable Halls Plaza still prevails as an upscale destination for fashion and home accessories. Visit the longtime favorite and locally owned Tivol’s for distinctive jewelry creations. Tiny stores like Hemline, 310 Fashions and Perfect Scents help maintain the area’s old flavor. Flavor is what the Plaza’s all about. Top restaurant franchisers like Brio Tuscan Grill, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Cheesecake Factory and McCormick and Schmick’s, along with old standbys like Plaza III, are among the dining choices. At the Crossroads Visit the tasteful but sometimes kitschy, burgeoning historical Crossroads District. Everything about the area’s showpiece, Webster House (1644 Wyandotte St.), won my affection. The restored Romanesque Revival-style schoolhouse with its winning restaurant and beautifully appointed galleries takes first place as my new favorite K.C. destination. Antique enthusiasts will wallow in the overflowing array of 18th- and 19th-century European, American and Asian fine arts, furniture and accessories. In Webster’s Restaurant, Executive Chef Tim Johnson creates tempting regional cuisine from the freshest ingredients. The menu changes daily. Choose to dine in the handsome New York City-style Library Bar, the warm Red Room or the sunny Market Room. Each area offers a different backdrop. Reservations are a must. Other appealing places in Crossroads to browse and buy include Studio Dan Meiners (1700 Wyandotte St.), which features innovative fresh flower arrangements, home décor and personal gifts. At kitschy Birdie’s (116 W. 18th St.), seductive “urban lingerie” is shown off in clever displays. Aesthetica (1817 Wyandotte St.) presents uncommon gifts and home accessories. Many Crossroads venues are closed on Monday. Thoroughly Modern Kemper Boutique hotels. Boutique museums. KC offers both. The wonderfully open, airy Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (4420 Warwick Blvd.) provides an intimate setting to display the best of modern and contemporary artists. The Kemper just recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, so it might be considered the new kid on the block. This “kid” is a knockout from the time you approach the sleek exterior with its manicured lawns dotted with whimsical sculptures. A dazzling atrium leading to the galleries showcases artistic works. The permanent collection gifted by Bebe and Crosby Kemper through the Kemper Foundation includes works by renowned contemporary masters from around the world. Executive Chef Jennifer Maloney at the museum’s Café Sebastienne creates an American Contemporary menu that is a work of art. Maloney frequently changes menus so they benefit from fresh seasonal offerings. On the horizon Downtown Kansas City this year will open the first phase of an entertainment district that will be known as the Power and Light District, slated for unveiling in late 2006. Retail and entertainment venues will comprise the initial phase, with office and residential space planned for the future. Tax giant H&R Block will move its world headquarters to the new district, its building to be located between Main and Walnut streets. On the eastern edge of this new district will be the 18,500-seat Sprint Center, a multi-purpose arena located between 13th and 15th streets. The Sprint Center is due to open next year. The long-awaited expansion of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art–the Bloch Building–also is set to open to the public in 2007. The $200 million expansion gives the museum a third more exhibit space. Visit Kansas City again and again if you want to keep up-to-date with this greater-than-ever metropolis. Cynthia Kagan Frohlichstein is a contributor from St. Louis, Mo. |
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