Kansas City weekend scores with baseball charity, food trucks and India
When Lisa learned about the Kansas City Royals and the city of KC working together in developing the world’s longest first pitch for the baseball season opener Sunday, we decided we had to be there to see it. The “Relay for the Way” project – which was to deliver the first pitch ball to Kauffman Stadium 10 miles from the starting point at Union Station – included a game of catch. The route featured 2,500 people, each donating $30 for the opportunity to play catch along the way.
About $100,000 was raised for the Urban Youth Academy, which will be operated in the 18th and Vine District – near the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The Royals staff and players are supportive of the project, with additional donations coming from the team, as well as players Salvador Perez and Alex Gordon.
It was cool being a few feet from Royals great George Brett. He, along with other former players, team officials and city leaders, participated in the relay.
Since the event started about 9 a.m., we decided to check out more of what was going on in The City of Fountains that day.
Since it was brunch time, we thought it would be nice to grab a bite to eat. But, not just anywhere. Nope. Lisa loves her some food trucks. So, off we went to The Roasterie coffee shop – for a vanilla latte (the place has some of the best coffee you will ever drink).
Then, the food trucks rolled in to The Roasterie’s parking lot for a Food Truck Brunch. Four in total – Plantain District, Jazzy B’s, Booyah and the Funnel Truck. KC’ photo trailer was there, offering free pics.
We decided to be like the chefs on some our favorite cooking shows and sample dishes. We went with the combo plate from Booyah (curry chicken, pork and summer sausage fried rice.) Plantain District’s selection was the Cubano sandwich. We ordered brisket tacos and the armadilla eggs (bacon-wrapped jalapenos) from Jazzy’s.
My favorite was the combo plate from Booyah, which is an Asian fusion food truck. Lisa preferred the brisket taco as her favorite. We agreed with the Cubano being a close third. They were all really good, so it was tough to make a solid decision. However, I am inclined toward Asian food, so the combo plate scored with me.
The armadilla egg had a unique taste with its cream cheese (sweet). I expected more a typical cream cheese taste. Not complaining. The jalapeno was good, but not as spicy as I expected. I enjoyed the glazed bacon wrap. Overall, it was a good side item.
We grabbed some blue and white kettle corn. The corn’s blue color supports April’s Autism Month. We had some later at home while watching the Kansas City Royals-New York Mets game on ESPN. The Royals won the season opener 4-3.
Kansas City has so much to offer residents and visitors. Once we finished with the food trucks’ sampling, we headed to the Nelson-Atkins Museum. The museum was hosting its fourth annual “Passport to India.” Guests were treated to traditional East Indian dancing, music, art, food and a fashion show. The outfits performers were beautiful.
The museum is also sharing the “Four Seasons” until April 17th. The art – by Phillip Haas – consists of 3-dimensional interpretations of the work by Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo. The Renaissance portraits are given a contemporary look with 15-foot sculptures. The exhibition is located at the museum’s sculpture park.
The sculpture garden itself is a work of art – “Fertile” is a 56-foot tall metal tree that shines brightly in the sunlight.
A new labyrinth entertains visitors as they walk through a maze. It opened last year, I believe.
The green space at the museum is available for people to enjoy themselves. We saw people flying kites, sitting on blankets reading, laying in the sun. The space even hosted a large yoga session as part of the “Passport to India” festivities.
As we finished up this visit of our favorite Midwest cities, it was time to head back to Omaha. As we are apt to do, we ventured off the interstate near St. Joseph to visit King City, Missouri. Why take a 30-minute one-way detour? To check out the world’s largest gas pump.
The Big Pump stands about 20 feet tall. It was actually part of an old gas station from the 1930s. It’s located near the Alternative Energy Center, along with two giant wind turbine blades. A living history town is located in the area, as well.
Boy, what started as a weekend for one or two items really exploded into a major weekend of sightseeing and off-the-beaten-path attractions. As always, we had a blast and enjoyed the weekend.
We recommend checking out the outlying communities of larger cities, as you never know what you’ll see. Scan local daily and weekly newspapers, as well websites for possibilities to add to your trip.
