The Kansas City Vlog - Shopping Small for Valentine's Day

20230214 Vlogging Kansas City Shop Small For Valentines

Doing everything last minute -- meaning right after work on my way home, I stop by Christopher Elbow's Chocolatiers and stand in the Valentine Line with all the other last minute-ers.  I went down to the "apocalyptic" west bottoms to look over the selection at Hammerpress.  Speaking about the Kansas City apocalypse (no I am not referencing Kansas City's post valentine's red day parade) KC is no stranger to the genre.  I am told that part of the set for this movie was then then ruins of the old St. Joseph Hospital which had been demolished and was a pile of rubble then.

20230130 to 20230205 Boorish Slice of Life

The week of Groundhog day played out like the movie "Groundhog Day."  Unfortunately, what kept repeating was violence, shootings and homicides.  It was also grindingly cold this week.  The first homicide for Moanday was 55th and Cleveland in KCMO.  I needed cawfeee the next morning on the Jefferson Highway in Happy Rock.  Tuesday brought more sadness in Spring Hill, Kansas.  It is becoming a theme that we see more than we can show out of respect.  After all the driving, I stopped for drive through.  Coffee is not about coffee, it is about human contact.  The Westport wagon at the shopping center there looks like it has been in a crash.  All I can get out of brief web search is that it is a conestoga wagon.  I don't know if it is a replica, which I imagine it is, or if it is an antique.  All I know is that it looks like it is falling apart.  Tuesday even brought me kvetching yet again about the cold and having a steamer.  As I said, coffee shops are not about coffee so much as they are about human contact.  Many people don't visit coffeehouses for two reasons -- 1.  They feel they need to drink coffee and they don't like coffee and 2.  Many coffeehouses forget that their main service is not coffee but human contact.  Wednesday morning first thing is homicide number two for me for the week.  It is sad that we resort to keeping a grim score like this.  Here is a map for keeping track....  Here is a website which takes a more personal approach to tracking gun violence...  The morning got re-arranged for a lot of people by a big crash on I-70.  Long days tend to lead to bad habits.  I am making a habit to show long drawn out booring video of crossing the Broadway Bridge in the waning days of its existence.  Groundhog Day brings a pete and repeat homicide at Gregory and Askew.  I hate when people pass from the world and their isn't even a decent picture of them.  Then there was a house fire that killed a pet.  Union Station has an interesting display on the history of RPO, I discovered while covering other news, including the origins of GEHA, of GEHA Field fame.  I love me some donuts from 

Cafe Cà Phê

.  Friday, groundhog week continues.  This time with a homicide near Swope Park.  Then, in Westport, at our favorite parking lot....  Again, the theme, things we see but cannot show.  I wonder how many first responders have to seek help after the many things they see.  It is very sad to see someone cut down so young.  Friday morning is becoming a ritual of haystacks.   When we are rarely early to something I love to explore the local googie and this.  I, admittedly, am trying to run a campaign to rename the dog park at the corner of the Jefferson Highway and the Jefferson Highway into the Jefferson Highway Dog Park.  I feel that would bring some much needed attention to the Jefferson Highway.  We love our Vietnamese....  The kids are signed up to become altar servers.  It is too bad we were a day early,  We finally did make it on time.  I needed to get my bozo ears lopped off.  While waiting for the real time to go to altar server lessons, we visit Westport Coffeehouse.  The Mrs. thinks this is the most family friendly coffee shop in town and love the atmosphere.  The nice weather brought and excuse to walk around Westport and lament the recent spates of bad news here.  There is too much to do when the weather is nice.  I don't know why we ended the day with buffet.....

20230123 to 20230129 Boorish Slice of Life

This time of year weather tends to dominate our lives as it is too damn cold!  In other news, police often have to chase suspects in the northland.  This time a robbery at gunpoint prompted a car chase and manhunt.  The suspects did not get far.  Firearms including an ar-15 were found as well.  I always take the time to take advantage of a railZEN moment.  Again, did I mention the weather?  For some reason, it is all a certain sports team all the time.  Yay sportsteam!  Life goes on and it is time for a steamer at Broadway Cafe.  You don't always have to drink coffee when you need to get your sleep.  Snow is expected mid-week.  On Wednesday -- SNOW!  Let's appreciate the beauty.  However, as a result of the snow a vehicle got stuck under a semi and was dragged about 8 miles before the semi driver knew something was wrong.  The driver of the car survived the incident.  When it is cold, it is time for a hot drink.  The snow disappeared fast but the cold didn't.  Cold, theoretically should keep the crime down.  I ponder that as I drive a quiet Westport and check out the problem spots -- ahem -- parking lots!  There is something going on at the Truman Sports Complex.  Steamers and hot chocolate are on order at the local coffee shops.  Did I mention it's cold?  Things happen in Grandview too.  When there are towns and enclaves in our metro area, I try to show them some love and attention.  Westport is not always so quiet.  Witness an arrest close to the witching hour (02:30 - 03:30) when bad things tend to happen.  I'm noticing that red lights are becoming more of a suggestion these days.  Especially during the witching hour when we need to get to Quiktrip bad!  There is something going on at the Truman Sports Complex.  There is a coffeehouse in the Columbus Park area I seem to like.  Ol change!  Oh the mundane!  On the way to getting a haystack, I do a penny tour of Rosedale and the Kansas branch of the Jefferson Highway in the area.  And on Saturday, I rested as Sunday was quite busy with Sinag Tala being asked to participate in the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at the Nelson Art Gallery.

Snow Day

Today, much of Kansas City took a snow day.....

A gorgeous snow day like today reminds me of one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands....

Every year at Christmas time this song is usually performed by the New Standards...

Dan Wilson shared an anniversary of a career highlight...

It wasn't a perfect snow day, there was a bad crash that included some horrific details...

And lastly, here a drive lapse of the day....

20230116 to 20230122 Boorish Slice of Life

The week begins with a house fire that may or may not have been started by squatters starting a fire to keep warm.  Two dogs died in the fire, sadly.  Liveshots are at Arrowhead, which will be the norm for a while.  Tuesday brings us to a police chase in Parkville which did not end up with the bad guys getting away to the safety of KCK.  Tuesday evening brought a steamer at Broadway Cafe.  Wednesday YAY!  We tested the Atom X-cast with the TVU and it worked!  Wednesday we went to Unk's in Lee's Summit.  Thursday we had a little bit of winter weather.  That was a Stormtracker day for me.  The snow did not amount to much, though.  Friday, someone tried to set fire to the Denny's bathroom on Front street.  Then there was a northeast apartment fire, then Union Station to talk about the Chiefs, and then another northeast apartment fire - but this one was abandoned and burned spetacularly.  Instead of taking care of my responsibilities, I got haystacks to go at Town Topic.  Saturday brought some errands where I am trying to compile schtuff for the Chinese New Year at the Nelson.  Snow was falling again on this day.  I did do at least one responsible thing on this day as the Mrs. and kids were sick with a cold.  The snow kept coming overnight and actually accumulated by morning.  Sunday brought church, with the scaffolding still in the church, then vittles at Pegas, and dance practice.

20230109 to 20230115 Boorish Slice of Life

Atom X-cast is supposed to solve all my problems. Uh huh huh....  When I got it it gave me nothing but purple video and stress.  Oh, what to do but have cawfeeeee....  Somebody there is really into their coffee art.  There was a church in Overland Park.  It is now going to become a boutique hotel.  Kettermans Park in the Ruskin area has had some bad luck of late.  I documented more bad luck for them as their concession building burned.  I have a diarrheatribe about how the Kansas City, Kansas police department never seems to be able to catch the high speed car chases coming across the state line into their city.  It seems all car chases end in KCK with the perpetrators getting away.  I drown my sorrows at Anchor Island.  Hey, Hey!  I got the Atom X-cast to work after contacting customer support and getting the firmware to work.  Thursday brought us some snow -- most people missed it unless they were up at three a.m.  I was up at that time covering a triple shooting in the Blue Summit area.  Friday brought a crash at I-35 and 635 and a house fire where the owner ran inside the house to save her pets.  I had brekkus Friday morning at Town Topic.  I love their coffee.  Saturday brought errand, a visit to the truck stop in Oak Grove and more cawfeee....  There is remodeling going on at our church.  We have our dance lessons and dinner at Vietnam Cafe amidst fears of resurgent Beerfluenza.

The Night Shift Livestream Friday 20230113

 It didn’t really get interesting until closer to the witching hour when there was a crash at I-35 and 635 I couldn’t really access.  Then there was a house fire in the northland that was interesting because a himeowner ran back inside her house to save her pets.  All got out ok, including the pets.  I stop by Town Topic on Baltimore to get some haystacks to go on the way home.