Everything Is Like a Dream in Kansas City...

I've spent the last three weeks in Kansas City.  My in-laws went over to Germany to see my niece (their first grand child), and I stayed at their house to watch their three dogs and two cats.  I spent the day seeing the sights and listening to my father-in-law expound upon the history of the town.  We weren't able to cram everything into today's agenda - the day was jam packed as it is, but I think I was able to see enough to have a starting point for my next visit.

Our first stop was the city market.  Saturday is the farmer's market day, and there were vegetables of all kinds.  I was actually a little sad that I was leaving for Tennessee tomorrow.  Had I been staying in town, I would have loaded up on veggies for the grill.

View of the Missouri River from the Town of Kansas site.

After shopping, we walked town to the site of the Town of Kansas.  The original settlement has long since disappeared (because the railroad tore it down for tracks), but there were enough signs to get a feel for what it must have looked like.

After our shopping, we headed to Arthur Bryant's BBQ (http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/index.htm).  I love to try the iconic restaurants when I go to a new place and Arthur Bryant's fits this bill perfectly.  You know that the food is going to be amazing when there is a line out of the door.  We waited for our turn, and finally it was our turn at the window to order.  The cook was very focused on his job, and I was more than a little intimidated to ask for my "burnt-end sandwich", but I was finally able to squeak out my order.  It was worth the gruffness of the cook, because the food was the best BBQ I had ever tried.  The order size was huge, and I worried that they would have to roll me out of the restaurant.  It is apparent why there are so many famous people on the walls - no one can resist this food.

 View of the restaurant - notice the line out the door.  

The best BBQ sandwich and fries I've ever had!

Wart Hogs and BBQ

The in-laws came out to visit us in Tempe from Kansas City, MO.  They have been here a few days and we have kept them busy hiking South Mountain (http://phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locations/south/index.html), photo ops at Canyon Lake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canyon_Lake_(Arizona), walks around Papago Park (http://www.tempe.gov/parks/parks/papago.htm).  Today we decided on keeping with the walking theme...to take them to the zoo.  We really enjoy the Phoenix Zoo because you seem to be able to get closer to the animals than in other zoos that we have been to.  Today the zoo was a ,well, zoo.  With kids being out of school, it seemed to be national take your screaming brat to the zoo day...we still enjoyed seeing all the animals especially the prairie dogs...I swear that I could watch them all day.

I did see an ad for the New Year's Party at the zoo, and the hubby and I are thinking about drinking in the new year with all the animals.

His parents are going home tomorrow, so we decided to go to Old Town Scottsdale to have dinner.  I love the Sugar Bowl and have noticed Earls BBQ located behind their building, but we had never eaten there.  We decided to give it a try, and I am really glad we did.  I had the pulled pork sandwich and boy did they give a lot of meat with that sandwich.  I loaded it down with their signature hot and spicy sauce and went to town.  I'm writing this several hours later, and I am still comfortably stuffed from their very large portions.  You know that a BBQ place is good when my BBQ snob of a husband likes it - he's from KCMO and fancies himself a BBQ expert.