Sunday, June 17, 2012

K.C. Bound + A Mind Blowing Pit Stop

So as I mentioned in yesterday's book review, I wanted the chance to tell you all about my very awesome weekend. It sure seems like I have been having a lot of those lately doesn't it? Well rest assured, this is probably the last for awhile: I am more than ready to just sit around on my bed all weekend knitting and designing sock patterns.

My dad has this whole coming week (starting yesterday) off from work, and whenever he gets that we always try to go somewhere, even if just for the weekend, because he isn't as tired.  Well this year we decided on a simple weekend getaway to Kansas City (which is about 3-4 hours from home for them). We haven't been to K.C. just to go in quite a while, so it was kinda nice. I discovered a lot of places I want to go  to again when I am NOT with my family.

Although I was very resistant on going at all -- I'm 21 and wanted to just stay in Manhattan this weekend, since I haven't had that in awhile -- I am really glad I did. One of my conditions for going though was that we go through Lawrence, KS on the way and stop and the Yarn Barn, a shop I have heard a lot about but have not had a chance to visit. Lets just say I am going back a lot more often after yesterday! Take a look for yourself. (Sorry for the crappy photos, I didn't want to look obvious in my photo taking so I used my phone).

Sock Yarn! It was so hard not to buy any! I have so much in my stash already though!

Lot and lots of undyed yarn, once again tempting!

Spindles!!! I like mine from Wicked Stitch better (and it's cheaper). Some of these had sheep painted on them though!

This shop is a one stop spot for everything from spinning (Fiber and wheels!) to knitting/crochet (a massive selection of yarn) to weaving (almost half the store is weaving). In the end I walked out with this gorgeous 50/50 roving of merino and tencel and the pattern for a Milanese Wrap, which I cannot wait to make! 

I already can't wait to spin this!
Wildflower doesn't sell this yarn, so I will prob be back when I decide to knit it!

So after the epic pit stop, we were K.C. bound, where we checked in to an overly nice (and priced..for us) motel and then hit up a place I read about online, The Well, for dinner! This was one of those local bars that also is kid friendly (before 10 pm) and the food was amazing! They also have a roof top patio to eat on (we got there too late to get that though). I would highly recommend it to anyone who ever goes through K.C., for as I said, the food was amazing! I also discovered an American brand of hard cider, Crispin, that I LOVED (ever since Scotland I have been in desperate search of hard cider).

Today brought on a few fun activities as well. We drove around a bit by Crown Center, where I saw the children's hospital I went to as a new born for 10 day surgery (so glad I survived!)

Crown center itself is so pretty with all of it's fountains. It's also shopping heaven with many unique shops, included the Gato's Boutique (aka cat lover heaven!). 


I wish I wasn't broke!

Nothing we wanted to do opened until noon, so we killed some time here as well as downtown at lunch before hitting up the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Although I had no desire to go to either, overall I really did enjoy visiting these stops, both were very interactive and loaded with lots of information and artifacts.

Jazz and Baseball lovers, this is a must!

Here comes the part I enjoyed! The Kansas City Sculpture Park (next to the Nelson Atkins)! I have been to the gallery before, but not the outdoor park. In case you haven't seen these, the museum (and K.C.) is known for the 4 giant shuttlecocks that are a part of this park.  Why shuttlecocks? Because the commissioned artist when they first decided to create the park said that it looked like a bat mitten court from above and the museum looked like the net. Very cool right? It's kind of a tradition to get a picture in front, so I got 3! 

My favorite!

Another cool aspect of this garden is that they also have works by many other famous artists, many that I talked about last semester in my 20 C. Art History Class. I always love going to galleries and seeing art by people I studies, it makes them seem more legit. 

Seated Woman by Henry Moore 1958-59

Ferment, by Roxy Paine 2011 -- This was just added last spring!

By that point we were all hot and tired, so we got in the car and made our way home. For a 2 day weekend, it was a very productive and eventful one. I am really glad I decided to go! 

I hope everyone else had a great weekend and Father's Day! Talk to you all again soon.

~Lisa

P.S. I think I am going to start replying to comments, so if you want to see my responses, feel free to check back and/or subscribe to them via email.

Sasha got tired waiting on the mice (photo courtesy a photo text from my sister)




17 comments:

  1. Wow!! What an awesome weekend! It's so funny that you mentioned the Yarn Barn, because I just got a catalog in the mail from them last week. I don't know how you resisted all that gorgeous sock yarn! :) So glad you had such a wonderful time!

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    1. Yarn barn is really cool. My aunt gets their catalogs too, but the shop is so much better than a catalog.

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  2. A yarn barn and a cat boutique!!! Pure bliss! Glad that you enjoyed yourself...a girl should always make time for fun with her Mum & Dad ;)

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  3. What an action packed weekend. I'm going to make a special effort to get away for a weekend this summer- and find a fabulous yarn store I can get lost in!

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    1. You should! I would have gotten even more lost if i wasn't with my parents, but it was fun none the less.

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  4. Such a fun vacation! I'm so glad that you enjoyed yourself! I'm definitely going to have to go take a look at the Yarn Barn spindles if I ever end up going back, thanks for looking for me! Also, when you went to the Sculpture Park, did you go to the awesome exhibit at Nelson Atkins about the World Fair? I think it is funny that we both went to the same place a couple of weeks apart!

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    1. All we did was the sculpture park. My dad isn't an art person and also didn't want to spend any more money at that point. But the world's fair thing looked really cool.

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  5. Looks like so much fun!! Makes me want to go yarn shopping seeing all those beautiful yarn colors. :)

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    1. Yea, if I had the money I'd just buy the shop!

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  6. Sounds like it was a blast! Such gorgeous yarn pictures. Also, that huge birdie is amazing!

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    1. The Birdies are so cool, I think is just a very unique piece of art.

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  7. I used to have relatives in KC, and I always enjoyed visiting. There is a great World War I museum, if memory serves.

    If I went, I'd have to avoid the Yarn Barn. I don't think I could go there without buying any yarn!

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    1. We parked by that on our way to crown center, it had a lot of stairs leading to it. And yes, it was so hard to not buy yarn!

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  8. Love, love, love this post about your weekend. I've never been to Kansas (I know, I'm such an east coast gal) but when I do....

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    1. There is so much to do. Most of this was in the MO part though. But still, KS is full of lots of random and fun things to do, not to mention amazing yarn shops!

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  9. This looks like a great weekend getaway! I love your conditional stop at YarnBarn! I always make sure I map out the fiber in/around any city I travel to! I'm not sure I would have had your restraint with all that sock yarn!

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