In the afternoon I visited Har-B-Q at a home on the south side of Olathe, Kansas. It is a backyard BBQ on steroids. This was the 8th year and there were 11 teams competing at barbecuing, and lots of partying going on. I wasn't there 5 minutes before someone insisted on giving me a drink.

The annual party is open to the public and free. The awards presentation and serious partying begins in the early evening and I hope my schedule permits me to return in the evening next year.

Supper was at Shogun Sushi and Japanese Steakhouse in Lenexa, Kansas. I sat at the sushi bar and sampled unagi (fresh water eel), spider roll (soft shell crab, avocado & cucumber), shrimp tempura roll (tempura shrimp, crab, avocado & cucumber), and dancing eel roll (toasted eel, avocado, cucumber, cream cheese, japonnaise & caviar).  All were good, but the shrimp tempura roll ($6.95) was my favorite. Shogun may be the best of the inexpensive sushi places in the KC metro area.

Har-B-Q
 

Shogun Sushi and Japanese Steakhouse

My first meal was at Skies, the revolving restaurant on the 41st floor of the Hyatt. It is reasonable for an upscale restaurant and our memberships in the convention entitled us to a 15% discount. I had prime rib and Linda had bacon wrapped veal. We split a very chocolate dessert.

Other meals were at Street Car Named Desire in Crown Center, Genghis Khan Mongolian BBQ (with a party of 24), Lydia's Kansas City, and Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbeque (with a party of 7). Genghis Khan is a favorite of some of my out town friends and does a good job with large groups. 

Lydia's and Jack Stack are in adjoining freight houses, across the railroad tracks from Union Station.

Lydia's was my favorite meal of the weekend. The decor and service were impeccable. I particularly liked the art glass chandeliers and the beautiful garden courtyard.

We were there for Sunday brunch, where for a fixed price of $22 you get an antipasti table, a choice of about 15 entrees and a dessert table. Everything was very good. My entree was the Pasta Tasting Trio, which changes daily but is a selection of three pasta dishes. A server periodically comes by with a pan of one of the pastas and you may have as much of each one as you wish. My favorite was a bow tie pasta with lamb that was divine.

Kansas City skyline as seen from our table at Skies
 
 
 

Lydia's dinning room

My chicken salad sandwich was large and good, though a tad pricey at $7.15 with just a small bag of potato chips.

Of course, the lady waiting on us proceeded to get my order wrong. Twice. But the ribs and sausage were good and no one complained about my recommending the 75 year old BBQ restaurant.

From there, we drove to the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, to finally visit the reopened National World War One Museum. The WW1 museum was as good as it as been billed, and an hour and a half flew by. I would have liked to have stayed twice as long, but we were there primarily for the benefit of a teenager receiving extra credit in European history, and I was tagging along at her sufferance.

In the evening, Linda and I went to the the third game of the new season at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at the Legends in Kansas City, Kansas. The  Kansas City T-Bones are in their 5th season, and were the 2008 Northern League Champions. There are 6 teams in this independent league which was founded in 1993 as a way for players who had been cast aside by a major league organization to continue their careers. 

There are a lot of nice things to say about going to a game at this modest ballpark. Parking is free and we had to walk less than 100 yards to the stadium entrance. On Mondays, they even pay you to park at the games!

The stadium is much smaller and has fewer food options than a major league baseball stadium, but it is still a fun location. There is green space beyond the outfield, where people can sit on blankets and let their children play around them. Beyond that, we could see people playing basketball. There were contests and activities every time the teams switched between batting and the field.

We had the best seats in the house for $16. Literally the best seats, we had the first two seats on the aisle, behind the home dugout. At the T-Bones they still let you put your feet up and and set food on the dugout. We could watch the play and players, so much more than we did the night before at the Kansas City Royals, and the players (and umpires) could hear us when we shouted.

The T-Bones didn't do very well against the Winnipeg Golden Eyes. The T-bones opening pitcher gave up 7 runs in the 1st inning (a 3 run homer & a grand slam home run) and 4 more runs in the 2nd inning before being replaced. The T-bones settled down after that, but were down 13-3 when we left at the end of the 8th inning. The announced attendance was 3,764.

Since 2008, CommunityAmerica Ballpark is also the home of Major League Soccer's Kansas City Wizards.

Kansas City, Missouri skyline from the Liberty Memorial
 
 

Kansas City T-Bones during the national anthem

My favorite self propelled entries included a shark, dragon and giant fish. While the motored art included Tirezilla, a flying saucer, the two unit "Don't worry - be happy," a car decorated entirely with mud and a folk art masterpiece from Wisconsin named Claire.

Art Tougeau is a lot of fun - a grassroots art festival on wheels. I've already placed it on my calendar for 2010.

Following the parade, I had lunch at the Thai House in Lawrence.

My appetizer of hot basil wings ($6.95), was large wing thirds, fried conventionally with a sauce that was too hot to use enough to give the wings a lot of flavor.

But the pork Pad Thai (soft rice noodles with meat stir fried with mild spices and topped with crushed peanuts - $9.95) was some of the best I have ever had. Very good flavor and wonderful strips of pork.

In the evening, we visited the newly remodeled Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. There really is a lot of other things for people uninterested in the watching the Royals play baseball to do But the park is not as beautiful as it used to be and the new "exciting" food choices left me unimpressed.

Sadly, the Royals lost to the Orioles.

Tirezilla

Thai House

A kosher hot dog was OK, nothing special. Linda liked her teriyaki chicken sandwich, but the corned beef on my sandwich was bland - nowhere near as flavorful as the pastrami I had on my first visit. Overall, my impression on this visit was closer to any other Subway restaurant, but without cheese of $5 foot longs.

In the evening, I drove to the Great Mall of the Great Plains in Olathe, Kansas to visit the Traditions Fire Company and Museum which opened a few weeks ago. But the one room museum was closed due to the inclement weather.

It was too dark to take photos, but I could see the contents of the museum through the windows. It doesn't look like it would have taken more than a few minutes to tour. There is a 1955 American Lafrance Ladder Truck and just a handful of other items on exhibit.

The food was OK for the setting, but I liked the better seats and service more than the food. The price is only $5 more and you get a $5 credit toward the food & drink. The fish and chips were average. The peanut pie ala mode wasn't nearly as good as it sounds. I think the best way to do the Fork and Screen may be to order soda & popcorn and enjoy having the refills brought to your seat.

They also have some theaters with a "suite" option which includes assigned seating for $10, with a $10 credit toward the food.

Following the movie, I updated the page devoted to the Brown Mansion in Coffeyville, adding the new higher admission prices. There was only a dollar increase for adults. But the price for children 7 - 12 years old tripled from $1 to $3.

The Burger Joint as only 3 tables and some stools at a counter that looks like it might be home made. The specialize in 1/3 pound, hand formed burgers in single, double or triple size. I had a double cheese burger, chili and a hand dipped chocolate shake.

The service was friendly, but inconsistent. Kind of like eating in the home of a careless friend.

The homemade chili was soupy and had a lot of beans - good, but not great. Which is how I would describe the burgers. Good, but not something I would make a special point of having.

The shake was the best part. While it was being made, I was even asked if I wanted it to have normal chocolate or lots of chocolate. I voted for lots.

I was going to finally try one of Stroud's desserts, but the server never asked if I wanted anything more and brought the check.

Added a new page devoted to the Richard H. Schmidt Museum of Natural History at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas.

The first stop of the day was at the Richard H. Schmidt Museum of Natural History on the campus of Emporia State University. The museum occupies part of the hallway and a large room in the basement of Breukelman Science Hall.

The Museum was supposed to be open until noon, but was locked up. Fortunately I had been informed that the ESU police could be called to unlock the room. The campus police unlocked the room and were courteous, while making it clear that they shouldn't have to do it.

I was quite impressed with the collection in the Schmidt Museum which displays 600 taxidermy mounts of Kansas birds, mammals, reptiles, and fish. The collection was mounted by Richard H. Schmidt who was a biologist and taxidermist at Emporia State University. Over half of the display cases are filled with birds and this would be a great place for someone wanting to learn to identify the birds of Kansas.

Before leaving the building, I revisited the Johnston Geology Museum located on the first floor of the building. Although this museum isn't as large, the detailed, interesting descriptions of the geologic and fossil exhibits could keep me there for hours.

But I had miles to go before I would sleep and continued through Emporia to La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, which was recommended to me by Kansas Explorer Larry Hornbaker. My favorite parts of the meal were the chile con queso and refried beans.

I drove west on Highway 50, to see what the waterfall in the spillway from Kahola Lake reservoir looked like after the heavy rains. There was a lot of flooding near the highway and as I approached the turn off to drive back to the lake, all of the other county roads were blocked by flood waters.

As I started photographing the three level waterfall, the sun finally peaked through the clouds. The total drop is about 55 feet along about 100 yards. The upper falls are the closest to each other and rather unusual. The water dropping from the first falls passes under boulders, almost disappearing entirely.

While I was returning to the car, I was met by Kahola Park security The officer was friendly, but explained that permission must be obtained from the homeowners' association before visiting the falls.

Returning to Highway 50, I drove to Cottonwood Falls. The Cottonwood River was out of its banks and nearly up to the bottom of the 1914 Arch Bridge. So much water was flowing over the Cottonwood River Dam, that it couldn't even be seen.

One of my favorite Kansas Waterfalls is just west of Cottonwood Falls in the spillway from Chase State Fishing Lake and I wanted to revisit it during high water plus refresh my memories for an article I am writing for Kansas Traveler magazine this week.

I could hear the roar of the falls as soon as I got out of the car a third of a mile away. Arriving at the falls, it appears that several times more water was flowing than on my previous visit. Though so much of the beauty of this waterfall is the setting, that I actually prefer it during the normal spring flow.

On the way back toward Olathe, I made two more stops.

The first was in Hartford, where I had reserved almond croissants at the European Bakeshop. I actually arrived too late (they close at 3PM on Saturday) but a note on the door directed me to the bar next door where the pastries had been left.

The last stop was in Ottawa, where i checked on the water conservation dam on the Maris des Cynes River at the edge of town. It had been recommended to me by Travis Shinkle. So much water was flowing, that it really wasn't that attractive. Fishermen at the site, said that the flow was being cut from some of the Kansas reservoirs and the flow would be dramatically reduced by the following day.

Supper was at Brobecks Barbeque, where I had two appetizers smoky hot wings and the ham salad dip. The wings were tiny. Most of their flavor came from the smoking with some hot sauce added after the cooking.

The smoked ham salad was good. When I previously tried it, it came with crackers. THis time the serving was bigger and it also came with freshly cooked potato chips. Really quite a large, nice appetizer for $4.50. 

Johnston Geology Museum

La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant

Kahola Lake waterfall

Cottonwood River bridge
 

Chase Lake Falls
 
 
 
 
 

Smoked ham salad

If you know anyone that might appreciate it, please pass it along.

For lunch, I visited the new Cafe Augusta in Lenexa, Kansas. A new page devoted to Cafe Augusta was posted tonight.

Cafe Augusta

Updated the review of the Renaissance Cafe with new photos and details.

The first person that I met was Larry Hornbaker, whose Travels Notes has a lot in common with this blog. We had never met before, but I liked him immediately and look forward to getting to know him at other events around the state.

Marci Penner, Executive Director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation and author of Kansas Guidebook for explorers, led the meeting, introducing some of the long time Explorers and the people that had worked so hard to put on the Kansas Sampler Festival. There was a major presentation by costumed performers from Leavenworth, which will host the 2010 and 2011 Sampler Festivals.

The meeting was over before 10AM, and we dispersed to participate in the second day of the festival. I visited every tent devoted to Kansas communities, counties, regions, and attractions, putting the brochures from each tent into the same bag so they would be organized by region.

I stopped by the Kansas Sampler Foundation tent to pick up this year's pin - one devoted to eating in Kansas. None of the new 2009 Kansas Explorers shirts seemed right for me, so guess I will have to get along with the two I already have.

Just outside the tent, I ran into Marci, but this was busy day for her and we only had time to exchange a few words. Earlier in the day I waved at Assistant Director WenDee LaPlant during the Explorer's meeting, but I never saw her again.

At mid-day I left Concordia and started retracing my way home, stopping again briefly in Abilene and then in Junction City where I intended to have lunch at Stacy's Restaurant which located in another old Valentine Diner. 

But after photographing the exterior of the classic building, when I entered the dining room, it was filled with cigarette smoke. I searched for a table or booth away from the smoke, but the three vacant tables were each next to people that had lit cigarettes. I knew I wouldn't enjoy the meal if I stayed and quietly left. Even that brief time in the restaurant left my clothes smelling smoky for hours.

So I decided to take extra time and go to lunch at another 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine finalist - Hibachi Hut in Manhattan, Kansas. I had liked Hibachi Hut when I visited it in 2008.

This time I had a fried oyster po boy with fries, and Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie. I don't believe the oysters were fresh, but enjoyed the rest of the meal. The service was very good.

I like the food and and atmosphere at Hibachi Hut. Its is a good restaurant and one I will someday visit again, but I don't really see it as a "Wonder of Kansas."

The drive home was uneventful.

In the evening, I joined Linda and Lyle at Old Shawnee Pizza in Shawnee. We split Buffalo chicken wings and a meat pizza. The wings tasted like something I could take out of the freezer and pop in the oven, but the pizza was quite good. It was rolled thin, with a high crust around the sides. The flavor was good and there were plenty of toppings.

Old Shawnee Pizza is kind of celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The location and name have both changed over the years, but the the owner has operated a pizza restaurant in Shawnee for 40 years.

Marci Penner leading the Kansas Explorers in the secret greeting
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hibachi Hut
 
 
 
 
 

Old Shawnee Pizza

I started the day with almost nothing planned, but still had a lot of fun and discovered several new places. Driving straight to Abilene, my first stop was to photograph a 1949 Valentine diner which serves as Rock Liquor Store. I was disappointed to learn that it had been largely expanded in 2008 and the original building can barely be seen today.

Next I took fresh "green" photos of a couple of attractions I had previously visited in winter - the Lebold Mansion and Bow Studio & Gallery.

On my way to the Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum, I saw that Old Abilene Town Western Museum has reopened and a Fast Draw competition was taking place. Few of the buildings in Old Abilene Town are open at this time, but a large gift shop and the Hitching Post Restaurant are open daily. At first glance the gift shop didn't look very interesting, but I discovered it has arts and crafts by many Kansans for sale.

The Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad Association has recently purchased the depot on the grounds of Old Abilene Town and are operating short excursion train rides from the tracks located across the street. I wasn't there at the right time for a train ride, but was going to tour the museum. However the lights wouldn't come on in the museum and I will have to save that for another trip.

I discovered something at the Eisenhower complex that I had never seen before, a 1960s solar collector. The 4,000 square feet flat plate system is used to provide the Eisenhower Presidential Museum with hot water, heat the building, and provide heat for humidity control. It provides about 910,000,000 BTU's of energy a year. That is the equivalent to 6,500 gallons of heating oil.

Earlier, at Old Abilene Town, I had picked up a business card from the Wooly Works Alpaca Ranch, and called the owner to ask permission to photograph the farm. Linda Ellison was out of town, but gave me permission, so I headed to the farm on Old Highway 40 on the east side of town.

The alpaca have wonderful expressive faces. Many of them appeared to have huge smiles - almost like clown faces. I also stumbled across a barn cat with a nest of 6 kittens.

Then lunch at Abilene's finalist for the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine, the Brookville Hotel. The family style chicken dinner was good, as always, but not quite as good as I expect from a restaurant that serves only one meal. Several Kansas restaurants serve fried chicken that is as good or better, while also serving a full menu of other good things.

I liked every side dish except the coleslaw, which had so much sugar that it was like a dessert.

The Brookville Hotel may be the perfect highway restaurant. It is a couple of blocks north of the main Abilene exit, and since they serve the same meal to everyone, the food is ready quickly.

Continuing west on I-70, my next stop was Solomon where I photographed the two lovely old churches that make up Solomon Yoked Parish. First Presbyterian Church and Solomon United Methodist Church are yoked, sharing one pastor who leads worship at one church for four months, followed by four months at the other church. The Methodist church building was dedicated in 1884 and the Presbyterian church was completed in 1923.

On to Salina where I stopped first at the Cozy Inn (another 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine finalist) and had just two White Castle sized burgers. Cozy Inn is another one dish restaurant has been cooking only hamburgers with grilled onions since 1922.

The Salina Art Center was unexplainably closed when I first tried to visit it last year, but it was open today. I had a nice conversation with the volunteer staffing the front desk. She is a recent Salina resident, who moved to Kansas to be closer to her grandchildren.

The Salina Art Center has three galleries and each one is presently devoted to a temporary exhibit by a different artist: Barry Anderson, Robert Bubp, and Carrie Scang.

While at the Art Center, I found an old brochure with a walking tour of the community of Brookville, Kansas. The weather was sprinkling and threatening to rain, but I decided to chance it and drove west to Brookville.

Brookville, Kansas feels a bit like a ghost town. There are still people living in town, but the streets are dirt, many building ae empty and the occupied buildings at scattered 3 or 4 to a block. I photographed every building on the tour, starting with the original Brookville Hotel which has been relocated to Abilene

Returning to Salina, I checked into the Days Inn before driving south to Assaria, Kansas to have supper at the Renaissance Cafe. This was my third visit to the restaurant which serves fine, reasonably priced Italian food in a unique, relaxed setting.

Tonight I had proscuitto wrapped chicken with gorgonzola garlic sauce followed by dark chocolate bread pudding served with bourbon vanilla sauce.

I'd love to dine at Renaissance Cafe every time I was in the area, but the need to visit other restaurants for this website means that I must limit myself to one visit a year. Come quickly, 2010!

Fast Draw competition
 
 
 
 

Solar Collector
 

Alpacas

Brookville Hotel
 
 

Solomon UMC
 
 
 

Salina Art Center
 
 
 
 
 

Original Brookville Hotel
 

dark chocolate bread pudding
 

I first discovered Pusan Diner in Junction City several years ago. The tiny Korean Restaurant has a lot of charm and I fell in love with it instantly. On this visit, my favorite item was the beef fried rice The beef bulgogi (Korean BBQ) was still good, but not as flavorful as I remember.

The better meal on this visit was at Korean Garden. Little has changed at Korean Garden since I first visited it in January of 2008. There was one service error, they served my stir fried octopus instead of the stir fried squid that I ordered. But it was very good and would have been more expensive than the dish I ordered, so couldn't complain. My favorite side dishes were the cucumber kim chee and sautéed mushrooms.

When leaving, I had a nice chat with the Junction City family at the next table. They had noticed my taking pictures and asked about it. They are regulars at Korean Garden who usually get the bulgogi, but I think they may get a little more adventurous in the future.

Dinner at Korean Garden in Junction City, Kansas