As of last weekend, our big summer garden was (mostly) planted. Outside the garden’s fenced borders, tiny fruits are just forming on the berry bushes and the asparagus are ready to transition to summer ferns. In front of the cottage, the peas are filling their pods and the strawberries, only threatening to ripen.
With the garden edibles happily taking root, we saw a chance to get away for a few days. Last Sunday morning we pulled out of our drive and headed west with camping gear piled in the back of our Subaru. Other than a quick jaunt to Paducah, it was our first post-Covid trip and it felt oddly weird to leave the farm and venture forth — to points considered, but not confirmed.
Without a firm plan, and no reservations, we headed to St. Louis, MO, and ended up doing a loop as far west as Tallgrass National Preserve in Kansas, as far north as Omaha, NE, back thru Kansas City, MO, and then back home, via Owensboro — stopping for Old Hickory BBQ mutton and burgoo.
The trip was welcome getaway. To jog my future memory, here are the highlights:
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| Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO |
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| Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (near Cottonwood Falls, KS) |
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| Nebraska State Capitol, Lincoln, NE |
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| Platt River State Park, NE |
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| The National World War I Museum and Memorial, Kansas City, MO |
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| The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO |
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| Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO |
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| Kauffman Memorial Garden, Kansas City, MO |
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| The Antler Room, Kansas City, MO (photo from restaurant's website) |
A few more notes for the record...
1. While in Kansas City, we stayed at the boutique hotel: The Raphael. It was conveniently located, our room was lovely, parking was convenient and the staff was delightful.
2. In Lincoln, we had dinner at the locally-owned Green Gateau, just around the corner from the Marriott Hotel where we stayed. We especially liked the craft beer: Zipline Copper Alt, a hybrid style between an ale and lager. The next day, we found some in Omaha and purchased a case to bring home!
3. On our last night, we dined at The Antler Room, an intimate restaurant and bar offering elegant small plates. We sat at the bar and requested that the bartender select our dinner options. Each offering was amazing. Ranks as one of my all-time favorite restaurant meals!
4. One last recommendation: After picking up BBQ at Old Hickory in Owensboro, we stopped at Niko's Bakery & Cafe for a selection of breads, biscotti, and desserts. Oh how I wish Shelbyville had such a fine bakery! Very European!
