A “Charm”ing place to shop

Posted: October 26, 2012

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I love “junk”. I really do. Nothing gets me more excited than going on a treasure hunt for amazing vintage items. Items that have been left on the curb for the trash, items pulled out of an old barn or dusty attic and particularly items being sold out of a garage or estate. Treasure hunting is my favorite activity. Imagine how excited I was when I learned I had an opportunity to sell some of the vintage goodies I’ve found in a new store!

Charm opened on September 20, 2012 and is located at 612 E. 135th Street in Martin City. Like many other vintage stores in the Kansas City area, they are only open one weekend a month – the third Thursday, Friday and Saturday – in an effort not to compete with the growing vintage district in the West Bottoms (read my blog on antiquing in the West Bottoms here). To find the store just look for a big white farmhouse with a turquoise door. You really can’t miss it! Nestled inside you will find the kinds of items that make grown women swoon.

Imagine rooms dripping with beautiful chandeliers illuminating the most beautifully painted vintage furniture and scattered with all kinds of goodies from perfectly aged silver and ironstone to handcrafted items made with love. There’s a vintage candy cart in the kitchen overflowing with the most delicious homemade treats for sale by the talented team behind Sweet Love. And don’t forget to check out the pink vintage refrigerator! Yes I said pink!! Every turn of the corner brings new eye candy and dreams of possibilities for your home or yourself.

Find wonderful jewelry and accessories for sale from the fabulous Bling It Boutique and many new and vintage items to choose from courtesy of Gilded Lily, The French Maker Vintage Boutique (you can also find her at her store in Overland Park at 97th Street & Metcalf Avenue) and Accessories by Allison. There’s an amazing painter, Erin Ummel of Studio 162, who will custom paint any furniture piece you might have sitting around at home and lots of one-of-a-kind items from Re-New, Eclectic Relics and Creative Spin Furnishings. Find handcrafted artwork from Raspberry Prairie and Cynthia Hudson Art and unique pieces from Lily Cole Designs and Saw Dust Designs. My personal booth, which I share with a friend, is called Cricket & Dee (named after my dogs!) and we specialize in painted furniture, antiques and vintage collectibles.

When the weather is nice, Charm offers an outdoor flea market and during the cold months stay warm with complimentary hot apple cider. Be sure to join us on Thursday evening for the best selection of items and for wine and assorted treats! There’s even a photography studio inside for the very talented Brook Rigdon Photography. The Charm family wants to make your shopping experience as fun as possible and keep you coming back with new and exciting things to offer. Please stop by and let us dazzle you!

The vintage craze isn’t confined to just the West Bottoms and Martin City, however. If you find yourself in Downtown Overland Park and need a vintage fix, be sure to stop by TLC Thrifty Boutique. They are located at 8025 Santa Fe Drive and are open daily Tuesday-Saturday. Another great spot is Encore, located at 11006 Johnson Drive in Shawnee. There are more and more vintage stores popping up all the time so grab your girlfriends and go on a treasure hunt!

~Krista

Justus Drugstore

Posted: August 24, 2012

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Justus DrugstoreFor my birthday a few weeks ago, my husband asked me how I wanted to celebrate. The first thing that came to my mind was a fancy dinner. When it comes to fancy dinners, the only place in Kansas City I want to go is Justus Drugstore. If you’ve never been, you need to plan a trip now!

Located in Smithville not far from the airport, Justus Drugstore is the best restaurant in KC. Of course, this is just my opinion. Here’s what I love about it. First of all, this is one of the finest examples of farm-to-table dining experiences anywhere. Every ingredient used is either grown on-site or brought in from local resources. Justus maintains his own garden at the restaurant and uses fresh ingredients in everything he makes from the cheese to the cocktails. You can taste the quality and freshness in every bite.

Second, everything served in the restaurant is made on-site. This means the crackers, the bread, the ice cream, the cheese and everything in between. Your meals are made-to-order and a typical dining experience takes around three hours to complete. No one is rushing you to eat and leave. They want you to enjoy the experience and take the time to savor your food and enjoy the act of sharing a meal.

Third, can I just say “Amuse Bouche?” Literally meaning “mouth amuser” in French, an Amuse Bouche is a one-bite hors d’oeuvre served at the beginning of the meal. This is a complimentary appetizer to set the tone of your dining experience. I have been to Justus Drugstore two times now, and I can vividly recall each of these little teasers. Our most recent one was a small piece of fried Bass served with a fresh jalapeno slice, some greens and a gelatin made of ginger and soy. The flavors and textures danced in my mouth in a wave of delicious flavor that cannot be accurately described with mere words. I think I asked the waitress if I could just have a whole plate of them.

Fourth, the details. Every meal is meticulously thought out and inspired. Everything on your plate has a reason for being there. I recently had a wild greens salad at Justus with watermelon, fried goat cheese, cucumber, nuts and a myriad of other delectable ingredients. Each ingredient on the plate complimented each other perfectly. My only problem was how to craft each forkful so that I tasted each flavor in every bite! My entrée that followed (Majinola American Kobe Rib Eye) had just the right balance of meat to sauce to greens featuring perfectly seared beef and little pillows of handmade pasta filled with pennycress. I’m salivating just thinking about it.

Lastly, the cocktail menu alone is a reason to go. Hailed as one of the best mixologists in the area, Chris Conaster, has created a stand out drink menu with house-made ingredients and spirits infused with herbs right from the restaurant’s garden.  It’s not uncommon to find him out foraging in the wild to find just the right touch to complement his concoctions. Be warned, though, he’s moving to Portland soon so this may be one of your last chances to try one of his tasty libations.

Justus Drugstore is a gem of the Kansas City dining scene. I can’t give enough compliments or reasons why you should go. Just trust me and get yourself there. You can thank me later!

~Krista

Schlitterbahn: An adventure in our backyard

Posted: August 6, 2012

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I recently had an adventure right in our backyard!  Well, almost, just 15 minutes from Overland Park.  I am talking about Schlitterbahn Waterpark.  Schlitterbahn Waterpark has so much fun to offer.  Whether you are a free spirited toddler, a fun-loving teen, or a fearless adult, you will enjoy something at Schlitterbahn.  They have waterslides, tube rides, lazy rivers, wave pools, rapids and much more.

While at first-glance the ticket prices seem a little steep, there are many other options available to make it a more affordable family-fun day – be sure to check online promotions or the combo packs.  Also, the rate includes some items that are not typically included at other waterparks or amusement parks – free parking, free tubes, free lifejackets and picnics are welcome inside the Park!  That’s right you can bring in your own food and drinks.  Now mind you, you cannot bring in your own alcoholic beverages, but they do have a swim up bar available for those fearless adults!

Schlitterbahn Kansas CityThe park area is very spread out, with most of the rides either side of park, with the “Kristal River” in between them.  Be ready to walk or float a long distance from one side of the park to the other.  The river and waterways connect to make a big circle around the park.  The rides are fun and some are daring and just a little bit scary. My daughter’s favorite ride was the “Twister.”   The “Twister” is one of three attractions on top of “Tornado Alley.”  She really like the “Cyclone” as well.   She felt that the mat rides were the most fun in general.  I really enjoyed the beach.  It is small but a little more relaxing than any other place in the park!    The “Lazy River” was anything but lazy, since many of the rides feed into the river the pace is faster than what you would expect while floating.

There are plenty of picnic areas available and you can stake out your claim if you arrival early enough.  There are also many food options available in the park to choose from.

All in all, we really enjoyed our time at Schlitterbahn Waterpark Kansas City and plan to make a family day of it at least once each summer.  I am glad Schlitterbahn is a new addition to the Kansas City Metro attractions.  I look forward to exploring it again as it grows and more rides and attractions are added.

~Mindy

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