Last week, the Platte County CVB hosted Andreia Popescu and Anca Badescu who are part of a Group Study Exchange through Rotary International. They are part of a group of five professionals who are visiting Missouri for a month (five Kansas City metro professionals are also visiting Romania and the Republic of Moldova for a month). The two groups hope to learn new business practices they can take back to their respective cities & colleagues.

While in Kansas City, Andreia and Anca’s group visited the Steamboat Arabia and City Market area on the first day. Day two had the group visiting individual businesses and organizations. Andreia’s family owns a hotel in Romania and she is the Tourism Manager. After a tour of our offices and a quick overview of what we do, Andreia had one request – “can we go shopping?”!

Never wanting to disappoint a visitor to Platte County, we said “of course”! Those two simple words brought out the phone and a call to Anca who was visiting Platte County High School. A few phone calls later, we were making our way to Zona Rosa with both Andreia and Anca. After a lunch a Bravo’s, the ladies hit the Zona Rosa sidewalks for some serious power shopping. Not even a problem with their international Visa could slow them down – they were determined to find must have items for their families, and a few for themselves.

Upon returning to our office, the ladies showed off their purchases and pulled out their itinerary for the remaining few days in Kansas City. With Zona Rosa checked off, they targeted their sights on the Country Club Plaza where their host families were taking them the following weekend. Not wanting to miss any must-see shopping areas, questions were quickly asked about The Legends in Kansas City, Kansas. Transportation was soon arranged to take them over the state line.

From last report, Andreia and Anca had a very successful shopping trip to The Legends and had also managed to visit the Independence Center during their scheduled trip to the Independence area. A lunch presentation in Weston also allowed some time to peruse the shops on Main Street in that historic town.

Their wish list included the Crossroads Arts District plus Crown Center in addition to Oak Park Mall. These ladies didn’t want to waste a minute of shopping time. Their response was “we can shop til we drop because we have a 25-hour flight home to rest!”

Thoroughly enjoyed meeting Andreia and Anca – they are great international ambassadors to promote shopping in the Kansas City area!

~Jennifer

Jennifer Goering is the Executive Director for the Platte County CVB.

These blocks measure 8×8’ squares and are designs chosen by each of the participating landowners.  The landowner pays to participate in this self-guided tour perfect for any Sunday drive.  A brochure plotting out the locations with a brief history and synopsis of the crop production are included on the printed material.  The information can also be found on the Franklin County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s website at www.visitottawakansas.com under “things to do.”

The project can be found in other states such as Iowa and Washington but the Ottawa & Franklin County quilt block tour project is the first organized effort in Kansas!  The blocks are chosen by the landowner and painted by local quilt shop owner Chris Campbell of Chris’ Quilt Shop and a graphic artist friend of hers.  The blocks have sported images of sunflowers (of course) as well as Palomino horses, apples, pumpkins, trees, breast cancer awareness, wedding bells, abstract designs, and produce!  The list seems endless and the project is still open for more people to participate in.

This isn’t the only self driving tour you can find in Ottawa & Franklin County, we also have a series on the four corner historical tours, the historically marked homes and cemeteries.  All of these can be found online at the CVB’s website and at the Visitor Information Center located at 2011 East Logan in Ottawa Kansas.  Stop by and see us for a cup of joe and more information than you can imagine!

~Amber
Amber Wood is the Marketing Director for the Franklin County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

 - You’ll never know what you will see in the Wacky Parade that starts at 10:00 a.m. on Oak Street. Decorating my bicycle and riding it in the parade would be a delight.  And my dog, Poncho, could run alongside me and then try out for the “Wacky Pet Tricks.”

- How many of us have ever played a game of marbles outside on the ground?  I never did, but it sure looks like fun and does require some skill in shooting your opponent’s marbles.

- And what kid doesn’t like to get dirty?  Crawling on your knees through a straw tunnel or climbing on a mountain made of straw leaves a few dirty marks on the jeans and a lot of smiles on faces.

- Then, the one and only Pinky Ball Run is held at high noon.  For just $2.00, you can sponsor a numbered Pinky Ball and hope that when 5,000 Pinky balls are dumped, your lucky number will make it first through the mouse hole at the end of the street.  It is crazy seeing that many balls bouncing, rolling and winding down Oak Street to the end!  The Pinky Run is a great fundraiser for  local groups because one-half of the proceeds are donated to a local charity or organization of choice.  This year, it happens to be the Bonner Springs High School Band Boosters. 

- The day’s activities finish off with a cake walk around the water garden in Centennial Park.

I can’t wait to see kids experiencing sack races, bubbles, hop scotch, stilt performers, jugglers, magicians, balloon artists, face painters, yoyo’s and much more.  Just for Marble Day, it would be great to be a kid again!  For a schedule of events, marble tournament registration and more information, visit www.marbleday.com.

~Marcia
Marcia (Ashford) Harrington, CEcD, is the Community and Economic Development Director and Convention and Tourism Director for the City of Bonner Springs.

I’ve been fortunate to take numerous girls trips over the years. I know I’m a better wife, mom and employee when I return because I’ve had five glorious days on the beaches of Mexico….or, maybe I’ve just had five glorious hours scrapbooking with friends a few blocks away. No matter the distance or time away, the point is to get away.

Kansas City offers numerous options for the ladies to reconnect, refresh and recharge. If going global isn’t in the budget or schedule, maybe planning an overnight girl’s trip at a local hotel with lots of fun activities throughout the day can be all you need to reap the benefits. From spa pampering to shopping sprees, grab your girls and get the heck outta Dodge.

Here’s a sample weekend itinerary that you can customize any way you like:
Day One — Saturday

• Lunch at the much-admired Webster House, located in Kansas City’s historic Crossroads District.
• Host a handbag party at 1154 Lill Studio on the Plaza and then browse around the shops and grab a cup of coffee at Latte Land.
• Check-in to a comfy and amenity rich hotel perfectly suited for girlfriend getaways (many offer packages) – take a little power nap and then get ready for more outings –don’t forget to bring your favorite pampering supplies (shampoo that doesn’t have Cinderella on the label, soap that doesn’t smell like bubble gum— only scrumptious, luxurious items that you cherish, but never have time to enjoy).
• Head up north to Jowler Creek Winery in Platte City for wine tastings (11-5 on Saturdays and Sundays) – don’t forget the camera!
• Dine in Argentinean style at Piropos located in Briarcliff Village overlooking the bluffs of the Missouri River and the Kansas City skyline.
• Designate a driver (or hire one) and head out to a live music venue or chic night club for cocktails and convo or get your boot scoot on with a fun country line dance lesson at a local honky tonk.
• Retire back to the serenity of your hotel knowing you’re not responsible for family waffle making in the morning….drift off to a blissful, uninterrupted night of much-needed sleep.

Day Two – Sunday (half- day)

• If hotel breakfast is not your idea of “GG” worthy, check-out the Santa Fe Café on 87th & Switzer in Overland Park. This little family owned place has a great menu, cinnamon rolls to die for and hearty portions… with a nice, affordable price.
• Enjoy the great outdoors (and calorie burn that cinnamon roll) with a walk around Merriam’s Antioch Park. Enjoy the scenery of the beautiful lake and wooded surroundings. Stop at the Memorial Rose Garden for some quiet time or to sneak in a few yoga poses.
• Escape the reminder that your “GG” is coming to an end by savoring a massage and pedicure package at any of Kansas City’s premier day spa locations.
• Sip the “GG Martini” accompanied by sweets from Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolate as you toast to a fantastic weekend of girl time, relaxation and guilt-free me time. Vow to hit repeat next year. One little glass of celebratory GG juice won’t hurt anyone; let it be the ending custom of your (hopefully) annual GG tradition.

Girlfriend’s Getaway Martini
1.5 oz vanilla or cake vodka
1.5 oz cranberry juice
1 oz sparkling champagne
Rim glass with sprinkles; combine first three ingredients in shaker half-filled with ice; shake well and strain into glass; top with champagne, drop in a cherry or strawberry for garnish. Enjoy!

~Karen

Karen Crane is the Director of the Merriam Visitors Bureau.

My husband made the trip to Weston with me as he needed some serious assistance from The Celtic Ranch store. It seems he forgot his mother’s birthday and was in the dog house! After speaking with store owner, Terry Kast, she steered him in the right direction – the jewelry counter! He’s now back in his mom’s good graces after she received the beautiful silver earrings made in Ireland. Terry is always happy to play personal shopper!

On our way back to Platte City we drove by Snow Creek to check out their snow making progress. Considering it was raining, there was not much snow to be had. However, their 60 snow making machines are capable of making 12” of man-made snow in 24 hours (all that is needed is temps at 20 degrees or below). The snow has begun to fly, literally, today and the machines have been hard at work!!

Snow Creek’s tentative opening day is Saturday, Dec. 17^th. From the beginner to the casual weekend skier to the expert snow boarder, Snow Creek offers all levels the best snowy terrain in the Midwest. There’s a 300 foot vertical drop and the various trails are 30% beginner, 60% intermediate, 5% advanced, and 5% terrain park. There’s also 2 triple chairlifts, 1 double chairlift and 3 rope tows.

Twenty years ago I went to Keystone, Colorado on my honeymoon for my first skiing experience. I can tell you that as I slid down the mountain (not on my skis), I was thinking of a nice beach with warm sand, not cold snow. At Snow Creek, I prefer the Tornado Alley Tube Park. It’s 700 feet long and has 5 tube lanes. A nice conveyor lift takes you back up to the top after you navigate your tube down the mountain.

If I dare brave the mountain again on skis, Snow Creek offers PSIA certified instructors who give ski & snowboard lessons. There’s even a special “Snow Monsters at Snow Creek” group lesson for skiing and snow boarding for children ages 5-12.

Snow Creek’s website, www.skisnowcreek.com, has information, photos, webcam, and maps. You can also call 816-640-2200. David Grenier, the owner, is happy to answer any questions!

My husband and kids can’t wait to hit the slopes this month. Me – I’m off to Cozumel, Mexico tomorrow for that trip to the beach that turned into a “ski adventure”. Think I won’t mind dusting sand off my feet instead of snow off my boots!

~Jennifer

Jennifer Goering is the Executive Director for the Platte County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Two ladies’ teas are offered each year, one in the spring and one in the fall.  I attended the ladies’ tea on November 5^th.  We enjoyed several kinds of teas and also delicious cookies and pastries.  At each tea there is always a craft project. We painted and decorated light bulbs to make really cute and unique snowmen.  We also had a decoupage project and we created beautiful hand fans. As a special bonus the Shoal Creek Living History Museum Ladies Organization entertained us with a fashion show of clothing from the Civil War era.  We saw three styles of clothing, work/everyday dresses, walking/visiting dresses, and fancy ball gowns.  After watching the fashion show and seeing how many layers of clothing the ladies wore at that time, it made me appreciate our simpler styles of today. During the Civil War era a lady actually needed help from another person just to get dressed.

I am looking to forward to attending the next tea in the spring.

~Jennifer

Jennifer Hardesty is the Coordinator for Clay County Tourism.

We have a love of music in our home – listening to it, not playing. Room to room, anytime of day, there is some kind of buzz coming from speakers at the Crane residence. I was surprised to hear the word violin come from her mouth because I assumed she would join a drum line and bang on the loudest thing she could find for hours at a time. I have to say though, I’m pleasantly surprised by her choice and truly hope she becomes a beautifully experienced string player.

After the big announcement, I knew instantly where to go and who to call! From school districts as far west as Hays and east to Columbia and Jefferson City, K.C. Strings outfits numerous school orchestras, so leasing a violin from them was a no-brainer. But, K.C. Strings does more than craft and sell string instruments – they deliver on service and hospitality. They “get it”. Every person that walks through their hand-crafted wood doors will quickly discover that big things can happen in small places. We may not have a beach resort, theme parks and costumed characters in Merriam, but we do have unique and amazing treasures like K.C. Strings and the skilled, helpful people that work there. From the hanging rows of beautiful instruments to the sounds of a cello playing in the background, the shop is an attraction all its own. It’s a frequent occurrence for me to get an email from someone who “had no idea” how great this little shop is. We’re not trying to keep this place a secret, so I encourage you to stop by sometime just to take a look around.

But wait, there’s more. Besides creating instruments, sales, service, repairs, lessons, tours and performances, K.C. Strings is also a big supporter of “community” because they remember what it’s like to come from humble beginnings. Just recently, it didn’t take long for them to respond to the needs of Joplin, Missouri after the devastating tornado in May tore apart schools – and all of the instruments for the musical programs. Within weeks, a local volunteer put together a donation for area businesses to contribute instruments, and of course, K.C. Strings rose to the occasion, sending 44 string instruments to Joplin so budding musicians can continue to play. As I write this article, they are putting together another round of instruments for delivery!

Partnering with K.C. Strings has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my work and since leasing a new violin, I’m even more convinced that this treasure in my downtown is one not to miss! Located just north of Johnson Drive at 5826 Merriam Drive, K.C. Strings is open Monday-Saturday, 11:00am-7:00pm. Come on by and check them out – K.C. Strings, Together We Create!

~Karen

Karen Crane is the Director of the Merriam Visitors Bureau.

Located in Strawberry Hill, this unassuming little building might be easily ignored if you don’t know what awaits you once you walk through the door.  The atmosphere is cozy and intimate and my husband and I knew we were in for a treat as soon as we sat down and were promptly greeted by the friendly staff.  We were quickly provided with drinks and bread to enjoy while we studied the menu. Felitza’s offers many options, so we spent a lot of time trying to choose. We decided to start with the toasted ravioli, and we were glad we did. The order was definitely enough to share, and it was cooked to perfection.

We decided on different versions of the chicken spiedini as our entrée, and were not disappointed.   The chicken was tender and flavorful, and was accompanied by a side of pasta and marinara.  Each entrée comes with a salad, and ours was crisp, cold and topped with a delicious house dressing.  Sadly, I was so full by the end of the meal that I didn’t have any room for dessert.  Next time I’ll plan better!

Felitza’s offers the best of two dining experiences- a casual, relaxing atmosphere, but a menu that you would find at some of the most exclusive restaurants.   You can enjoy pasta, seafood, or steak-all at reasonable prices.  Since I had so much trouble choosing just one thing from the menu, you can trust that I will be going back soon to try some others.  I suggest that you check out this little jewel of Kansas City, Kansas as well.  I’ll see you there!

~Dottie

Dottie is a Special Correspondent for the Kansas City Kansas Convention & Visitors Bureau.

When I lived in Kansas City, I used to look for small towns with charm to venture to on weekends. I wanted to step right into those Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post Covers. How I longed for antique shops with unique finds, local restaurants with friendly staff and apple orchards in secluded farm like settings. And, that’s what I found in Ottawa, Kansas!

Not only are there 10 antique shops to choose from and many local restaurants, but the fall feeling can be found everywhere. They have an orchard, Pome on the Range Orchard & Winery in Williamsburg, that has you-pick apples, a wagon will take you out to the orchard where you will be delivered right to the produce. The trees aren’t very tall so even the little kids can pick them right off the trees themselves! Inside the store you can sample their wines. They have apples, peaches, elderberry and lots of other fruit wines they produce themselves.

I found the kids really liked going to Peckham’s Pumpkin Patch in Rantoul. Here they could have a lot of fun starting in October. There’s a tractor that will pull your wagon down to the pumpkin patch, but there’s also a hay bale maze, duck shoot, tube slides and so much for the kids to do. It was fun for the kids and fun to see the smiles on their faces.

Another reason September is a great time around Ottawa is the cool events – the likes of which I had never seen before. Before marrying my husband, I hadn’t given a whole lot of thought to tractors. But he very much wanted to take me to the Power of the Past Antique Engine & Tractor show. They’ve been hosting it now for 17 years and it’s obvious. They seem to know what they are doing! It’s a great way to show people how this antique farm machinery was used as they do many demonstrations such as hay bailing, rock crushing, threshing, and apple pressing. Last year they had over 500 antique tractors on display of all makes and models. Not only was it pretty neat to see all these old pieces of equipment up and running but they also had a lot of food, craft and flea market vendors there too. The fun went on for 3 days, and is always the second full weekend in September. It only cost $3 a person with kids under 12 for free. I’d have to say it was quite a value for all the fun.

The weekend right after this, the third full weekend in September is the Ol’ Marais River Run Car Show. I’d never been to a car show before and if you ever go to one, this one should be it. Like the tractor show, the car show is also held in Forest Park in Ottawa which is a great place because it is very full of trees which makes both of these events very shady and cool. The car show each year seems to bring in more and more classic cars, all 1972 and older. This year is their 25th anniversary and I hear they’ve got some pretty neat stuff in store, including fireworks! The public can get into the park to see the cars for free, and boy is the park full of classic cars and trucks. The cars are parked there on Saturday, which is the big day, and some on Sunday. For me the real treat is Saturday night. They close down Main Street in Ottawa and only the old cars cruise up and down the streets. Music from the 1960’s comes on and you would think you had stepped back in time with sidewalks full of people and the streets are busy with classic cars strutting their stuff. It’s certainly one of the more unique experiences I’ve had in my life and one I would suggest you try out!

If you’re looking for fall fun, you won’t be disappointed in Ottawa.

~Amber Wood

Amber is the Director of Marketing & Events for the Franklin County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

My task for the outing was to bring food and drinks for dinner after being out on the lake all day. Now, most anyone will tell you, I cook just enough so my family doesn’t starve. Not wanting anyone to go hungry because of my cooking, I went online and pulled up Zona Rosa’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que’s website (www.smokehousebbqs.com) and clicked online ordering. Within minutes, our meal was ordered and pick-up time confirmed. My “kitchen” would be preparing hickory smoked ribs & chicken, brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, cheesy corn, and double chocolate brownies (we were bringing all the makings for ‘smores but who can resist double chocolate brownies!).

With the food checked off my to-do list, I moved on the drink portion and called Colleen Gerke at Jowler Creek Winery (www.jowlercreek.com). Now, Colleen can pair up any food with the perfect wine – she’s a master! This is the wine maker that invites wine aficionados to her “Halloween Candy & Wine Pairing”! I read my menu to Colleen and she recommended the
Jowler Creek Norton, perfect for BBQ , and the Jowler Creek Nort, a great dessert wine to complement the brownies!

With the food and wine ready to go, we headed out to the campsites. Smithville Lake has several camping areas around the lake that can be rustic or have electric and water. Our group took two sites at Crows Creek and soon both campers were in place with two tents & an awning pitched. One word of caution, make sure you know how many vehicles are allowed. We were “slightly” over the limit when our entire group came off the lake for dinner.  The camping “drill sergeant” informed us we had to park the extra cars across the road. I think he needed a glass of wine to relax just a bit!

For those that don’t have a boat, the marina does offer rentals. There is nothing better then being out on the lake on a sunny summer day. Our collection of middle and high schoolers (plus parents) water skied, fished, tubed (sometimes three at a time), swam, and generally just relaxed on the beach or in the boat the entire afternoon. The more adventurous watched the kite surfers with envy!

Not to add insult to injury, I won’t mention who fell off the Sea-Doo while spotting the skiers; who couldn’t stay on the tube or crashed while skiing! It was a perfect “staycation” close to
home but gave everyone the feeling of getting away one last time before summer is officially over (i.e. the first day of school!).

Already looking forward to the next adventurous staycation!

~Jennifer Goering

Jennifer is the Executive Director of the Platte County Convention & Visitors Bureau.