kcluvskc

Paris of the Plains

This is a post from my personal blog that I put together in October of 2010. I think some of you KC lovers my get a kick out of it. -kcluvskc

kellyisloudandtall:

Time: Sometime July 2004.

Scene: Hot muggy evening. Characters are standing outside of The Point on their ample patio, drinking Miller Lite.

Friend: “Hey, Kelly. How do you like living in Kansas City?”
Me: “It’s cool and all, but I’ll be moving in the next year or so.”

That EXACT interaction happened pretty much every other day for 2 years. I moved to Kansas City, Westport specifically, during the summer of 2003, and I was convinced that I didn’t want anything to do with it. I always thought that I was destined for somewhere else.

As fate would have it, I never went anywhere due to a commitment that I made, and with each year I stayed, I became more and more fond of the place I was calling home. Slowly the fountains made me smile instead of cringe. I began exploring all the little details that Kansas City hides. I started appreciating all the different neighborhoods and communities each with its own bars, restaurants, history, events, and activities. It’s true, I don’t really want to live anywhere else now. I LOVE being a part of and exploring Kansas City.

Its architecture, urban planning, and history has become a subject of interest and inspiration. Lucky for me, I have a job were I’m not strapped to one location/desk all day. Throughout the week I get to visit different businesses and offices. Sometimes my job will take me as far out as Lexington, MO or Topeka, KS, but most of the time, I am in the Downtown and Plaza areas. I often find myself feeling compelled to take pictures of the stuff I run into during the course of my day. The following collection of pictures is just that, images I’ve collected usually using my blackberry or iphone of Kansas City and the surrounding areas.