Tomahawk Creek Greenway: A Place Made for Us

Posted: April 19, 2012

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The spring of the year!  What a glorious time.  And, for those of us who live in Johnson County, KS, the spring of 2012 has been simply fabulous!  So fabulous, that if we do not pause and experience it in some sense of solitude and serenity, it will quickly dissipate into the tablets of our memories.  The question then becomes, do we have the internal discipline to carve out some time to enjoy this priceless gift of nature?  Do we make the commitment to devote purposeful time, either with family and friends, or even by one’s self to get outside for exercise, education, meditation, relaxation, friendly bonding or all of the above?

I have made such a commitment several times in the past three weeks.  My most recent staycation hike was just minutes from my home on the Tomahawk Creek Greenway.  I entered the hiking/biking trail system just north of 127th Street and Nall in Overland Park.  It was a beautiful crisp morning encased in a perfectly blue and cloudless sky.  To choose a southerly route or northerly trip was the most difficult task.  On this day I chose to saunter north.  And, I can guarantee that I would have had a most similar glorious experience had I chosen the southern option.  While human sighting was limited at this time and place, it was most gratifying to observe facial expressions of peace and happiness, just like mine, as we met on the trail.  When I purposefully paused several times along the greenway, I could not help but be most grateful for nature’s concert of splendid sounds.  And, if my pause was lengthy and quiet enough, I was quickly entertained by a variety of nature’s creatures.  What a wonderful gift!  What a rewarding experience!  I am pleased that I remembered to take pen and paper along as the magic of thought flowed abundantly through my imagination (an imagination by the way, which is quite limited in the hurriedness of a normal work day). I was reminded several times, on this morning, of the great lines of Edgar A. Guest (1881-1959):

God Made This Day for Me
“…This is jes’ my style o’ weather – sunshine floodin’ all the place,
An’ the breezes from the eastward blowin’ gently on my face;
An’ the woods chock full o’ singin’ till you’d think birds never had
A single care to fret ‘em or a grief to make ‘em sad.
Oh, I settle down contented in the shadow of a tree,
An’ tell myself right proudly that the day was made for me…”

Well, the days and this place are made for us.  If only we would slow down our hectic pace from time to time and simply enjoy it.  We have come to believe that vacations away from home are for all the items I mentioned in my opening lines.  However, they are right in our own back yards for us to find.  A staycation in Johnson County you might question.  However, try it once and I am certain you will repeat the experience on our many miles of hiking/biking trails.  Learn more these opportunities on our hiking/biking webpage or the Johnson County Park & Recreation District. And remember, the days are made for you.

~Jerry

Planning your next road trip through Kansas

Posted: April 12, 2012

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Overland Park offers plenty of entertainment options. Whether you enjoy a matinee at The New Theatre Restaurant, pet goats at Deanna Rose Farmstead, or explore the changing kaleidoscope of creativity at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, there’s something for every age and interest. Add hundreds of restaurants and shops, and you’ve got a great environment to explore and enjoy.

But what if you want to take a day trip, or a side trip off of the highway, while traveling across Kansas? How do you know where to go? Here are a few ideas:

• Near Topeka, check out Paxico, known as the Antiques Capital of Kansas, or enjoy a decadent slice of the coconut cream pie named America’s Best Slice, by Good Morning America, at Sommerset Hall Café in Dover. In town, call for a tour of more than a dozen stained glass church windows designed by Tiffany, at First Presbyterian Church.

• In Kansas’s northwest corner, drive through our state’s miniature Grand Canyon – Arikaree Breaks. Most of this amazing terrain lies in Kansas, with portions extending into Nebraska and Colorado. There are lots of gravel and dirt roads, so driving a car with good ground clearance is important.

• Visit Sweden without the plane fare when you visit Lindsborg, located in north central Kansas. Grab a sandwich in the restaurant that Mikhail Gorbachev visited, see the first U.S. location for an Anatoly Karpov chess school, and savor Swedish pancakes or a smörgas sandwich. 

• Kansas offers dozens of festivals. Operating in Independence for more than a week each fall, since 1919, the state’s largest annual festival is Neewollah (Halloween, spelled backwards). The 10-day Kansas State Fair has taken place each September, in Hutchinson, since 1913. And Wichita’s biggest annual party – Riverfest – offers nine days of music, entertainment, crafts and much more, every June, as it has since the 1970s.

For more great destinations and events check out my book, An Explorer’s Guide: Kansas. It’s available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and in Downtown Overland Park at The Tasteful Olive or The Complete Traveler.

~Lisa Waterman Gray
Lisa is a veteran freelance writer with more than 3,000 published articles, news stories and reviews. Her areas of expertise include travel, food and restaurant, human interest, health and business writing.

Smokalicious: Culinary Center of Kansas City’s MBQI Certificate

Posted: April 7, 2012

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One more class down and only two left to achieve my MBQI Certificate (Midwest Barbeque Institute).  This is a program that is offered through the Culinary Center of Kansas City in downtown Overland Park.  It is a great program for both the beginner and the competitive smoker/griller. 

The class I just completed was the Brisket Class and the first time I have had Andy as an instructor.  This class was just as amazing and helpful as the others.  Not only do you learn how to cook the brisket a variety of ways, but you are also instructed on how to buy a brisket, and most importantly how to trim and cut the whole brisket.  Andy was even able to convert me to a pellet smoker, which I am still saving to purchase. 

I have also signed up for my final two classes and as previously mention I should be able to obtain my certificate by the end of June.  My next class in May, which is National BBQ month (more to come on that topic later), is Trends in BBQ: “Smoke Infusion” Grilling.  Doesn’t that sound cool? During class we will learn to cook and sample Mango Stuffed Chicken and Marinated Tri Tip Roast.  My final class is the all day barbequing class.  This class instructs you specifically on how to use your own specific equipment/smoker on items such as ribs, pork butt, etc.  Now that is hands on plus I should have my new pellet smoker by then. 

Now, enough about me and a little more about the Culinary Center and its MBQI Classes.  I thought I knew a lot about grilling and smoking, but come to find out I did not.  I have taken 6 classes so far for example:  Smoking 101, Grilling 101, Booze and BBQ, Brisket Class, Ribs Class and will be taking the Trends in BBQ and the all day class with my own smoker.  There is also a class specifically for ladies only and a Gills on Grills Class.  Finally the instructors are, outstanding, Chef Richard McPeake, Bruce Campbell and Andy G are the instructors I have had during my two years of classes.  These guys have competed on all levels and do an excellent job with explaining and demonstrating every step in the grilling/smoking process.  I am looking forward to my future class with Shannon Kimball.

If you are interested in barbequing, smoking or the Midwest Barbeque Institute then check out the Culinary Center of Kansas City or stop by the “Festival of Smoke” on Saturday May 12 in downtown Overland Park.  Or even better check out this Burnt End Chili Recipe.  Smokalicious!

~Kelly

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