You're invited!

...to First Friday's "Firster Thursday" hosted by Chipotle Mexican Grill at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center from 6pm-8pm on Aug 6th! — with Emmett Merrill at Leedy-Voulkos Art Center.

You and a guest are invited to a reception at the Leedy-Voulkos Arts Center on Thursday, September 6 (tonight!) from 6 to 8 pm at 2012 Baltimore, Kansas City, Missouri 64108.

You'll enjoy the opening celebration of Emmett Merrill's exhibition entitled "Drought Cultivation" celebrating the rural heartland with carnitas tostadas and Patron Margaritas provided by Chipotle.

Top 10 Labor Day Weekend Events

Stolen, wholesale, from the Visit KC.com website:

With everything going on in KC this Labor Day weekend, you'll need the
extra day to fit it all in. Check out these 10 fun and affordable ideas:

KC IRISH FEST • Go green and celebrate KC's deep Irish roots at Crown Center.

KC RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL • Say huzzah to seven weekends of 16th-century fun.

KC WATERPARKS • Enjoy one last, splashy weekend at Schlitterbahn and Oceans of Fun.

TITANIC EXHIBITION • Honor the ships 100th anniversary with Union Station’s tribute. FINAL DAYS

SPORTING KANSAS CITY • Watch the US Open Cup champs take on Toronto at Livestrong Sporting Park.

HAUNTED HOUSES • Scream season returns to the Haunted House Capital of the World.

FIRST FRIDAY • Head to the Crossroads Arts District for a huge outdoor art walk. Free.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS • Watch the boys in blue take on the Minnesota Twins. Save on tickets.

POWELL GARDENS • Explore Fairy Houses & Forts, an enchanting garden adventure. SAVE on tickets.

SANTA-CALI-GON DAYS • Hit the trails for one of the nation's largest free festivals.

Huge arts weekend coming up

Yes sir, this should be a big arts weekend here in town this week.

For starters, it should be one of the biggest, if not the biggest First Fridays in the Crossroads District downtown for a few reasons.

The weather is supposed to be perfect or near-perfect with temperatures in the 70's. That alone will get a lot of people out.

Then, there's the fact that this is Pride weekend and there is a block party planned. That will be on the streets on McGee in between 10th and 12th Street. You can find out more about that here: http://www.gaypridekc.com/index_main.php.

Additionally, as if that isn't enough, there is a Zombie Walk For Hunger fundraiser through the District that same evening, just to add some fun to it all, along with a good cause.

Next up for the weekend is the annual Prairie Village Art Fair.

Again, great weather, open streets, lots of art and friends mingling. It should be very successful.

Then, Friday and Saturday there's something called Dancefestopia going on down at the Richard L. Berkeley Riverfront Park.

You can get tickets for it here: http://www.myticketspot.com/ResultsGeneral.aspx?stype=0&kwds=Dancefestopia

As if that isn't enough, Saturday, there is a grand opening of the Arts Asylum, a 32,000 square foot performing and visual arts center containing 22 studio spaces and a performance hall sanctuary. It's a former church at 9th and Harrison Streets (exact address: 1000 E. 9th). It begins at 7:30 pm. For more information, go here: www.theartsasylum.org.

There is a Festa Italiana at Zona Rosa that runs all 3 days, up North. For events, to to www.unicokc.org.

Finally, at least here--as if that isn't enough--there is the Ric Rac Roundup Craft Fair this Sunday in Westport in the parking lot of 300 Westport. That is just East of the old Corner Restaurant, right on the corner of Broadway and Westport. There are to be 27 vendors with arts, crafts and, of course, food.

So there you are, at least a small bit of what's going on this weekend in Kansas City on what promises to be a very comfortable, beautiful one, to boot.

Go, enjoy!

Have a great weekend, y'all.

Big weekend for the city

Yes sir, there are a great deal of things going on in Kansas City this weekend.

First up is one of the year's best First Friday in the Crossroads because it's not blistering hot or freezing cold right now. That should be a terrific turnout.

Second is the Brookside Art Fair.

Next up is Cinco de Mayo so every Mexican restaurant in the area will also be packing them in.

Finally--it's a short list, if even a full weekend--"The Avengers" movie opens. I expect it will be packed, for those interested.

So, whatever you're doing this weekend, y'all, have a great time. Let's be careful out there.

Tonight--in the Crossroads

Make your plans now. A great time should be had by all.

Leedy-Voulkos Gallery named one of top 25, nationwide

Our own Leedy-Voulkos Art Center was named one of the best 25 galleries in the nation by American Art Awards. Not only that, but they are, with this ranking, also the best in Missouri, by their estimation: “Not only have they been in the business 27 years, their focus is developing artists, which is not really what DTR does. We like to expose our artists to an assortment of galleries with different priorities. And just look at Leedy’s hanging art, sculpture and gallery space. I mean, it rivals any gallery in New York or London.” So, next time the first of the month comes up, maybe you should get down to that First Fridays in the Crossroads and check it out. Links: http://www.highlighthollywood.com/2012/03/05/american-art-awards-names-best-galleries-in-colorado-massachusetts-missouri-nevada-and-wyoming-highlight-hollywood-world-exclusive/; http://www.leedy-voulkos.com/

First Friday is going to be HUGE this week, folks

See you there, ya'll.

Link:  http://www.nbcactionnews.com/subindex/weather/forecast/7_day_forecast

The latest and greatest--KC in the NYT this Sunday

This is always cool--as I said, our very own Kansas City highlighted in the travel section of The New York Times this Sunday.

How cool is that?

And the thing is, it's online right now. Check it out:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/travel/16hours.html

To further heighten its coolness factor, they're saying in the article what I've said here a few times and that is, wait until next year, when the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts opens.

There will be no holding us back, then.


Have a great weekend, everyone.

First Friday last evening

 

In case you missed First Friday last evening in the Crossroads District. This guy was a lot of fun. (Nothing you maybe haven't seen before but still, live, it was fun).

Predictably, a great deal of people showed and it was great fun.

Get over to the Nelson for the new Egyptian Gallery, too, if you can, this weekend. Great stuff.

In it, you can learn about:

--the origin of prayer and prayers (eat! eat!)

--the original source for the phrase "the evil eye"

and a whole lot more.

Have a great weekend, y'all.

Big and busy weekend for KC

Yeah, if you can't have fun and/or learn something this weekend in Kansas City, you have serious problems.

Tonight, it's "First Friday" , of course, in the Crossroads District, downtown.

This should really be a "rip snorter", for lots of reasons, mainly having to do with the fact that it's supposed to turn sunny this afternoon and, while cool, it's perfect for going around down there. It will be great for seeing all the art, artists and performances, before it gets Summer hot and humid.

You won't want to miss that, likely.

Be forewarned, though--hundreds or thousands of us are going to be going down there so parking will be looney. Here's a thought--either take "The Max" bus from further in the city, down Main Street and zip in easily or park outside the area a bit and walk in. That's the only thing that will make sense.

Secondly, the new Egyptian Gallery at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art opens tonight.

Yowza.

I've been waiting for this all winter. It should be a stunner. (Again, big crowds. If you don't like them, wait a week and it will improve). Also, this is a ticketed event, understandably, so don't think you're getting in free. Just sayin'.

And then Sunday is Mother's Day--but you knew that, right?

If you're taking Mom out for dinner, you'd better already have your reservation or some secret plan to get yourself out of your jam.

That's only three things but those right there, along with everything else we have to do--right?--will fill up the weekend quickly and nicely.

Have a great weekend, y'all.

What's happening in Kansas City right now

For starters, it's cold, naturally, since it's January. It's been bitter cold. And then there has been the ice and/or snow, at times.

And yet--secondly--the shootings and killings continue.

What the heck?

Aren't the killings and shootings supposed to stop in this cold, dark time of the year?

You would think so.

They used to.

They should, still, too.

But check it out --last night, according to Alonzo Washington and his local blog, there were 6 people shot in the metropolitan area last night.

That's insane.

And though last year was bad in this city, for murders, we're at 8 killings right now, compared to 6 at this time last year. (Thanks to Ernest Evans for this information).

I, along with other bloggers, have been writing about this time and again.

Somehow, we need to solve this problem, as a city. We need to get a handle on this.

Really, if we can have 6 people shot on a Saturday night in January, how many will it be in June, July and August, when temperatures are so much higher?

Then, third, for what's going on in town, I went to The Kansas City Star's website just now (mid-morning Sunday) and do you think anything is there about these shootings and murders in town last night?

I searched a few pages and found nothing. Nada.

So the local newspaper isn't even covering this.

That's stunning.

Finally, then, for events of the city, it's been reported that cars are getting broken into in the Crossroads District, downtown. It's happened, apparently, at least twice.

It happens--and has been happening--frequently, right on the Plaza. I know it happens all too frequently on the East side of the Plaza, over by the Board of Trade, at minimum. So it's occuring in some of the most prized real estate in town, as well as downtown, at minimum. (Admittedly, I don't know how you stop this kind of quick, stupid "smash and grab" crime but you have to think something's got to be done.)

If the Mayor or City Council or other leaders in town think this city is in control, it seems they're mistaken.

Possibly badly mistaken.
_________________________

Mid-day update: at 1:30 pm today, Sunday, I see the Star has updated their online page and there are 2 stories about the shootings. Hoo-rah.

Terrific, even important, art exhibits in town right now

 

It turns out, this is really quite an art weekend for Kansas City.

Last evening was "1st Friday" in the Crossroads area, of course and while that's behind us, two exhibits are available right now, very different from one another, that are "can't miss" exhibits.

The Kemper Gallery of Contemporary Art has an exhibit of pieces by Wyeth family members--N.C., Andrew, James and Henriette--that is a knockout. Thanks to the Kemper family, of course, for both the gallery itself and now for several of these artworks, you can enjoy quite a range of talent and style.

Then, at Union Station, you can see a terrific display of Andy Warhol originals.

They're being shown as part of a Bank of America sponsorship and tour of the country. It's inexpensive, at only $12.00 per person and it doesn't take 2 or 3 hours to see.

I would recommend you go down at 2 or 3 in the afternoon, though. When we arrived, at about 1:30 pm, we had to pay $5.00 to park. My immediate, knee-jerk reaction was to dislike it. But then I got to thinking about supporting Union Station and this type touring exhibit and I thought it made sense and was fair. However, when we came back to the car an hour later, the barricades and money-takers were gone. It made no sense. We were back to feeling taken advantage of again. Oh, well.

One last note, I've put some pictures up from Union Station and our tour at my photography blog: www.kcphotogblog.blogspot.com.

Have a great weekend, y'all.