Road Trip to Kansas City

Eric and I have been wanting to go and visit Kansas City for a couple of years now... probably originally getting the idea because one of our favorite Celtic rock bands, The Elders, is based out of there.  Well, we finally got a good excuse to go visit in the form of a wedding invitation from Ali and Greg, a great couple we met back in 2011 when we traveled to Ireland with the Elders for the second time.

With their wedding date set for the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, Eric and I set out for a super long weekend (at least that's how I'm viewing it!) to Kansas City last Wednesday.  We got into town early enough to join the happy couple at a nearby bar where their wedding band, Bob Walkenhorst and Guests, plays almost every week.  It was great to hang out with them over great live music, yummy food, and local beer for a while.  It was a fabulous start to our KC adventures!

The next couple of days were a blur of trying lots of local beer (check out Eric's blog, JABlog for the details especially for all things beer-related), eating yummy barbecue, and wandering around various parts of KC.  We even took a little side trip over to Lawrence, Kansas along the way where there were lots of cute shops and, of course, a couple of brew pubs!

The wedding was wonderful and sweet (and a little geeky considering the bride walked down the aisle to music from Star Wars and the newlyweds recessed out to the theme song from Indian Jones!) and it was very special to be included in Ali and Greg's special day.  We wish all the best to our friends as they start this next chapter of their lives together!

Here are some photo highlights:

Waiting for it to be time to get Boulevard tour tickets.  Thanks to the nice group from Des Moines for the tip on which brew pub to stop at on the way home...and for taking our picture!

We walked down to Danny Edwards Boulevard BBQ to eat before our tour.

Outside of Boulevard Brewing.

Nearing the end of the tour at Boulevard.

Sculpture Garden at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Sj and Eric at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Our dinner location thanks to the recommendation of Dane at Boulevard.  Highlight of the meal: beef tongue tacos!  Dessert doughnuts with tres leches sauce was amazing too! 

Wasn't my drink pretty in pink?

Eric and Sarajo all dressed up for Greg and Ali's wedding reception at the Loose Mansion.

Delicious BBQ at Oklahoma Joe's (the original gas station location).  We waited in line for 1.5 hours!

Exile Brewing was a great brew pub in downtown Des Moines.  Worth a stop if you're going through there.

One of my personal highlights will get its own post.  Here's a hint:  it actually has to do with jewelry making!

Overall, our trip to Kansas City was a great little get away that I think we both needed.  We enjoyed our explorations of KC and would happily go visit again!