Hello Springtime?

Springtime!

I love how appreciated springtime is in places that have hard winters- for the past past three days Kansas City has been such a party-Tuesday night I walked to Country Club Plaza, Wednesday night was rose wine on Sabines gorgeous porch, and tonight a happy hour (and then some) with co-workers at Cafe Trio.   CNN says warm weather is here to stay- I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Dusk over Country Club Plaza

Cafe Trio

March Lady dinner

A special edition of Lady dinner- a wine tasting class at Cellar Rat! While I (obviously) love eating and drinking deliciously, I am pretty unschooled about wine. This two hour class really helped. For example- I learned that I like Riesling and Merlot! I was just drinking the wrong (read: cheap) ones before. I'm looking forward to a summer of Riesling discovery. 

Sabine, the other Lady in Lady dinner has more photos and a great description of the evening here.

Some other valuable information we picked up- the iconic American Restaurant now has both a bar menu and a happy hour. April Lady dinner, anyone?

The setup

We took many notes- this was after tasting 3 white wines- wheee!

Hello, again

I lasted posted on February 18th. On February 20th we moved into our new apartment and it was smooth and easy- the weather was great, Matt got all the furniture moved by noon, and by 8 pm that night we were exhaustedly eating Middle Eastern food and watching Friends With Benefits (it was really funny! A great movie for when you don't want to think very much). 

The next day, however, I woke up with a Terrible Awful Cold. I don't think I've been so sick since I was very little. I was sick for ten days and then Matt got it. Awful. We both recovered just in time for Matt to leave to begin training for his deployment. He'll be gone for two months but at least he'll still be in America...

In the brief couple of days that we both were better, we did manage to have some fun. Notably, dinner at Sabines house and and very strange, but funny and oddly romantic dinner at the Kansas City landmark Savoy Grill (Savoy, I love you for cocktails but your dining room and service need a spiffing up!). We said goodbye (for now) over brunch at Westport Cafe and now I'm on my own for the next bit. 

I miss Matt already but I'm trying to stay on the bright side of being on my own- doing whatever I want to. Yesterday this meant mooning over one of my favorite 80's movies and this morning it meant community yoga class at Maya Yoga. 

Our Kansas City museum

In the afternoon I walked over to the Nelson-Atkins Museum for a concert by the chamber music group eighth blackbird. It was wonderful- and free! One thing I thought of on my way in- so often we enter concert halls and museums from the bottom or the side because of where the parking lot is located. The experience is so much more impressive when you enter where the designers intended. 

Some other small weekend things:

My boss gave me some delicious soup in this mason jar- I'm returning it with a batch of savory cookies. Some past gifts from my boss- homemade pate and various mustards and pickles. He's the best. 

I brought some more cookies to a gathering at a friends house- her grandmother recently gave her a haul of vintage jewelry, so she invited some of us over to share the bounty. I scored an amazing cuff and an Indian-inspired necklace. 

Cleveland tidbits

Two events happening in the near and nearer future in Cleveland, the city where it all began. This blog, anyway. 

Firstly, on February 27 Please  is hosting a pop-up dinner at SOHO Kitchen & Bar in Ohio City. This dinner is almost sold out, but it's going to be a monthly event so keep an eye out for the next one. 

Ryan Santos, who runs Please was one-half the host for the Dinner With Strangers series in Cleveland. I was dying to attend one of these dinners when I lived in Cleveland. Lo and behold when Sabine and I became friends, I found that her brother-in-law works for Please. What a small world! This dinner is almost sold out but it's going to be a monthly event so keep an eye out for the next one. 

Nextly, on April 7- Girl Talk at the Cleveland Public Hall! The Cleveland Public Hall is a wonderful and grossly underused venue in Cleveland. It will be an absolutely wonderful place to see the pure unfettered joy that is Girl Talk live. As far as I know, this was just announced so there should be tickets available. 

Girl Talk, last time he was in Cleveland- this was a really great show:

Hearting

Image via

Valentines Day can be an awful drag, akin to New Years Eve. So many expectations! Valentines Day can also be a wonderful day to appreciate all the love in your life. I went with the latter this year, beginning a week early to send Valentines to close friends and family.

image via

What to do on Valentines Day in Kansas City? Dinner out can be awfully crowded. We opted for burgers and tater tots at Town Topic, then a stroll to Screenland Crossroads where Amelie was showing. $60 gets you two tickets, a bottle of wine, popcorn, and a box of Christopher Elbow chocolates. We ran into friends at the movie and went for a nightcap afterward. I can't think of a better Valentines Day. 

Valentines Day would not be complete without some little trinkets. From Matt:

A merit badge from  Hammerpress, my favorite shop in Kansas City.

A bear, conveying the depths of his affections.  

February Lady dinner

Even more Ladies this time and we ate at one of my favorite places in the city, Westport Cafe. For whatever reason moules frites looked good to all of us, and so we had those along with cocktails and wine and delicious berries in mascarpone for dessert. 

moules all around

While we were there, we couldn't help but notice the high number of great-looking people in the bar. We asked the waiter what the occasion was and it turns out, the owner of Westport Cafe has opened an Italian restaurant right next door- The Boot.  Sabine and I made a reservation right then and there so we'll be double-dating there this Saturday night. I'll take that opportunity (or any, really) to wear my brand-new Lanvin shift that I picked up for a SONG at the Halls end of season sale earlier that day. It was a very good Wednesday.

*I'll mention here that I'm extremely happy to say that beginning the week after next Westport Cafe will be our new local spot because we are MOVING to the lovely Westport neighborhood. Our new place is a darling and newly renovated mid-century building- I can't wait to document it with another house tour once we are all moved in. 

Leisurely Stroll 2/7/2012

What a nice surprise at the corner of 20th and Baltimore. Guerilla bird homes!