There’s something really special about Tom’s Town from the moment you walk inside. The atmosphere is of a glamorous and intimate speakeasy. The staff is personable and downright fun.
The place not only distills vodka, gin and bourbon but offers a fun bar area downstairs and restaurant and tasting room upstairs.
Two gentlemen, who have been friends since childhood, founded Tom’s Town in 2015. They named the place after the infamous Kansas City political boss of the 1920s and 1930s – Tom Pendergast who famously ignored every federal Prohibition law. When confronted about his disregard of federal laws, he responded that the people were thirsty. One of the founders, Steve, is actually related to the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted Pendergast. The other founder, David, is the grandson of a rival Prohibition-era bootlegger. Once could say that it was destiny that brought them to start Tom’s Town.
The building is a three-story building that dates back to the early 1900s and has been used as an automobile carriage, a candy factory and even a weekly newspaper. The current owners have done a beautiful job updating the building yet keeping the nostalgia feeling alive. Tom Pendergast led the “Goats” faction in Kansas City (as opposed to the “Rabbits”) so the decor includes a Goat head over the fireplace as well as goat-motif tee-shirts for sale.
It strikes me that it’s a very popular destination. We were there on a Tuesday night and the place was pleasantly full. I can only imagine how packed it is on a Friday or Saturday night. We booked our tour reservations online in advance – I highly recommend this. None of their spirits are sold outside of Missouri. So, you either buy there or order online and have items shipped. Plus, some limited edition items, such as the Garden Party gin are only available at either Town or local retailers or online pickup orders. We live in California so, naturally, we had to buy a bottle of the Garden Party Gin while there. It is great on its own, with a splash of soda or with a bit of lemonade.
Exterior Wall & Mural Downstairs Bar & Lounge Windows Peering Into the Distillery Soaking Up the Atmosphere Bar MenuTom’s Town Embraces HalloweenEnjoying the Halloween Decorations The Distillery On Our Distillery Tour The Distillery Tour Spirits Flight Tasting Spirits Flight Impressive Setup Enjoying Our Spirits Tasting In Front of the Famous GOAT
A trip highlight from our recent visit to Kansas City MO was our Viator tour with Kris. The tour is called Outlaws & Legends Tour of Kansas City and it is a winner.
We met at the City Market and then walked around the River Market part of Kansas City for approximately two hours. Our guide talked about the old police station dating back to 1852, the lingering effects of the Civil War, Jesse and Frank James (products of dissatisfaction from the Cilvil War) and their brutality as well the infamous Tom Pendergast and the Kansas City mafia.
Next, we stopped in front of the restaurant Car No. 551 which is currently a charming part of town. Back in the 1970s, it was the site of the violent River Quay War – a local mafia turf war that ended badly for the mafia after much destruction via pipe bombs.
The walk through the historic garment district was especially fascinating. We learned about Nell Donnelly Reed who founded the Nellie Don brand of ladies clothing in 1919. By 1931, her company was generating over $3,500,000 in annual sales and had over 1,000 employees. She was such a dominant player in Kansas City that in 1931, she and her chauffeur were kidnapped at gunpoint and held for ransom. The search for Nell became a media sensation. Interestingly, the local mafia, not the police, found Nell and brought her home to safety.
The part of our walk dedicated to Tom Pendergast, infamous Kansas City Boss, was so interesting that I bought his biography while visiting the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum. While other U.S. cities were filled with bread lines and soup kitchens, Kansas City was economically booming during the Great Depression. In fact, the city was called the Paris of the Plains. The Majestic Steakhouse building started out as Fitzpatrick’s Saloon. The first floor was a bar with a brothel on the second floor and Jim Fitzpatrick’s personal residence on the top floor. The entire operation was backed by Tom Pendergast who kept office space for political meetings at the building. When asked why he didn’t obey federal Prohibition laws, he replied that the people are thirsty.
The tour ended in front of the New York Life building where Harry Truman worked at the Union Bank. During WWI, Harry became friends with Tom’s nephew Jim Pendergast. Jim and his father recruited Harry to run as a county judge and Tom Pendergast subsequently backed his run as a U.S. Senator. Tom Pendergast eventually served federal prison time for tax evasion and his political power ended. At his funeral, Vice President-elect Truman, against the advice of his political handlers, attended Tom’s funeral and said that Tom was always his friend.
In summary, the tour really gave us a great understanding of Kansas City’s history and architecture.
The Beginning of Our Tour Produce Stand at the City Marketplace City Marketplace The Arabia Steamship Museum Back Alley of City Marketplace Back Alley of City Marketplace This Park Was the Old Police Station Site of the Old Police Station River Market AreaPacific House Hotel Where Jesse & Frank James Hung Out. Also, Union Army Headquarters During the Civil War Regional Union Army Headquarters During Civil War & Where The James Brothers Later Hung Out As OutlawsOld Streetcar Converted To a RestaurantFully Restored 1947 StreetcarFun Diner in Kansas City Outdoor Dining at Car No. 551Murals Are Popular in Kansas City Historic River Market Area of KCHistoric River Market Area of KCLewis & Clark MuralColorful Lewis & Clark MuralBuilt in 1910 – Located in Historic River Market Area of KCAnother MuralKansas City Skyline Kansas City Skyline Kansas City Skyline Old Garment District Built in 1867, It’s the Second Oldest Building in the Kansas City Area. It Is in the Garment District.Close-Up – Built in 1867 and the Second Oldest Building in KC.Originally the Kansas City Journal Building Where Harry Truman Worked The Kansas City Journal Building Was the Tallest Building in Kansas City Opened Scamps Alley Section of 8th Street Scamps Alley Honoring Jazz Musicians The ScampsHistoric Garment District The Descent of Civilization Memorial Location Is Where KC BBQ Began The Descent of Civilization Memorial Front Door of the Majestic Historic Garment District Originally the James Fitzpatrick Saloon Building in 1911Close – Up of The Majestic Which Is Now a Top Steakhouse Landmark Tried to KC Corrupt Political MachinesParking Structure for the Kansas City Library Parking Structure for the Kansas City Library Parking Structure for the Kansas City Public Library Parking Structure for the Kansas City Library Parking Structure for the Kansas Library Parking Structure for the Kansas City Library Parking Structure & Kansas City Library Opened As a Bank in 1906 & Now Kansas City Library New York Life Building & First KC Skyscraper Harry Truman Worked in This Building From 1905-1906Close Up of New York Life Building Truman Earned $75 Per Hour at the Union National BankNew York Life Building Another View of the New York Life Building Now Owned By the Catholic Church Fun Downtown Bakery Public Tram System – Free to All
One of my favorite adventures during our recent visit to Missouri was our trip to Hannibal – home to both Mark Twain and the Unsinkable Molly Brown. I knew that Mark Twain, whose real name is Samuel Clemens, hailed from Hannibal. However, I have always associated Molly Brown with Denver Colorado. Margaret Tobin Brown was born in Hannibal and lived there until she was 18. She ended her days a very prosperous woman but she started her life in extreme poverty. By the age of thirteen, she had already dropped out of school to work as a tobacco leaf stripper at the local tobacco factory in Hannibal. Her childhood home is small and humble. It does have a great display of artifacts and newspaper articles related to her survival of the Titanic’s sinking. I especially enjoyed seeing the first, second and third class China dishes from the Titanic.
We started our morning at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home Museum where we bought tickets that included several buildings including Huckleberry Finn’s House, Becky Thatcher’s house and Grant’s pharmacy. Mark Twain’s real name was Samuel Clemens. In Twain’s day, it was fashionable for writers to take on a pen name. At one point, Clemens worked on steamships and Mark Twain was a nautical term for a safe river depth…literally two fathoms or 12 feet. In real life, Becky Thatcher was his lifelong friend Laura Hawkins. Huck Finn was based on his childhood friend Tom Blankenship.
While in Hannibal, we also took an hour-long cruise on the Mark Twain riverboat along the Mississippi. I read about it online and booked our tickets in advance. It was perfect for a quick overview of the Mississippi River and surrounding area. The crew was cheerful and the captain was really entertaining. The ship’s interior could have used a little freshening up in my opinion. We were fortunate enough to visit in the off season so the boat was not crowded. The only negative is that the Mississippi had a number of invasive silver and bighead carp floating dead on the surface. The extreme heat is causing low oxygen levels which, in turn, is killing the carp.
We then enjoyed a relaxing lunch in the local Irish pub followed by a quick trip to the local ice cream shop to try the local treat of huckleberry ice cream – delicious. It was in the mid 90s and very humid so the place was filled with people from one of two large cruise ships docked in Hannibal. According to one of the museum docents, Hannibal has a population of 18,000 but gets between 55,000 and 60,000 visitors per month. I can see why Hannibal is a popular destination. The town is a charming step back in time.
On the Way From Independence to Hannibal Mark Twain Interpretive Center Exhibit from the Mark Twain Boyhood Interpretive Center Exhibit from the Mark Twain Interpretive Center Mark Twain Interpretive Center Mark Twain Interpretive Center Model of a Town Sculpture Never Built The Real “Injun Joe”Signage Adjacent to Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home Huckleberry Finn’s HomePlaque for the Huck Finn HouseInterior of Huck Finn’s House Interior of Huck Finn’s HouseOutside Huck Finn’s House Overview Sign of the Museum & Its BuildingsTwain’s Boyhood HomeTwain’s Boyhood HomeCourtyard at Twain’s Boyhood HomeTwain’s Boyhood HomeTwain’s Boyhood HomeTwain’s Boyhood HomeExterior of the Becky Thatcher Building – Laura Hawkins in Real LifeBecky Thatcher’s HomeClothing of the EraThe Homes of Sawyer, Fin & Thatcher Grant’s Pharmacy Entrance to Grant’s Pharmacy Grant’s Pharmacy Downtown Hannibal This is the Safety Wall In the Event the Mississippi Floods Railroad Tracks in Hannibal One of the Large Cruise Ships That Stops In Hannibal Mississippi River The Mark Twain ShipThe Mississippi River The Mississippi River Onboard the Mark Twain The Lighthouse of Hannibal On Board the Mark TwainThe Mississippi River The Mississippi River Enjoying Our Mississippi River Cruise The Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Heritage Cruise Ship Along the Mississippi River The Mississippi River On Our Mississippi River Cruise The Top of the Mark Twain Riverboat The Mississippi ArtThe Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Mississippi River The Mississippi River Huckleberry Ice Cream Becky’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor Becky’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor Becky’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor Fun Downtown Building PlaqueMolly Brown’s Childhood Home Molly Brown’s Childhood Home Molly Brown Molly Brown’s Childhood Home Molly Brown’s Childhood Home First-Class Passenger China on the Titanic Second-Class Passenger China on the Titanic Third-Class Passenger Dishes on the Titanic Molly Brown Newspaper Clipping Molly Brown’s List of Lost Items on the Titanic for the Insurance Company Stages of Deterioration of Molly Brown’s HomeIrish PubIrish Pub Menu Dead Carp in the Mississippi River Ticket from the Mark Twain Museum
Recently, my husband and I spent five days exploring Missouri. The historic sights were a lot of fun but so was the regional food.
A friend of ours, who previously lived in Kansas City, strongly recommended Winstead’s – a diner that goes back to 1940. Besides recommending the burgers, he told us that we had to try the cherry limeade drinks. Wow – what a fantastic beverage…especially on a very hot day. It is probably the best limeade I have enjoyed in a long time. The dollop of lime sherbet on top is a nice touch.
We had heard so much about Tom’s Town Distillery and our visit did not disappoint. We took the tour which includes the distillery flight tasting – vodka, gin and several bourbons. The place is located in the Crossroads section of Kansas City. It is the first legal distillery in the city since Prohibition. The downstairs area includes a beautiful lounge and bar where you can order an assortment of cocktails and fun food. The place has an exciting speakeasy feel. It is named after the infamous Tom Pendergast who ran Kansas City politics between 1925 and 1939. When asked about bypassing prohibition laws, he famously responded that the people are thirsty.
There are many terrific options for Kansas City BBQ. We chose Jack Stack’s at the Freight House. The restaurant dates back to 1957 and has 6 locations in the Kansas City area. The food was fantastic and plentiful. A local Uber driver insisted that we order the burnt beef tips, cheesy corn and beans with brisket. His recommendations were spot on. My brother-in-law ordered the lamb ribs and said that they were delicious. My husband loved his pork ribs, too.
The next day we spent the morning in the Market Place section of Kansas City. My brother-in-law recommended Pigwich for lunch. It was a great recommendation. My husband and I both ordered the BBQ Pork Brisket sandwiches. They were delicious and so different from any BBQ that I have had in the past. I couldn’t get over how reasonably priced the food was versus at the equivalent in our home state of California.
We spent two nights in Independence Missouri and discovered the Courthouse Exchange while walking around. What a great find! It is an old underground pub that has been in existence since 1899. The food was delicious and the cocktails, made using Polly’s Pop, were amazing. We even tried a local favorite item in Missouri – the fried mushrooms and they were really good.
Speaking of Polly’s Pop, what a delightful find. It was a family-owned business that started in Independence Missouri back in 1923. The brand was a favorite of Harry Truman. Unfortunately, the company went out of business in 1967. In 2016, a local company brought the soda back. It comes in a variety of flavors including strawberry – which my husband and I both loved. Don’t make the mistake we did and assume that you can buy Polly’s Pop at their store location in town. An employee quickly directed us to several options for purchasing Polly’s Pop. We chose Gilbert Whitney & Company – a fun kitchen equipment and gourmet food store located across the street from the County Courthouse.
The soda comes in classic glass bottles using 1940-era equipment that the owners restored. The soda is made with 100% cane sugar as well as locally-sourced flavors. In addition, Polly’s Pop makes a fantastic BBQ sauces called Polly-Q – including a Root Beer soda version. The store let us sample the BBQ sauce and I was hooked. I can’t wait to try it on some ribs.
While visiting Hannibal, we quickly learned that it’s all about huckleberries. We tried huckleberry ice cream at the local ice cream parlor called Becky’s Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor. It was delicious. I also bought a huckleberry chocolate bar at the Mark Twain house gift shop. It was very good – extra sweet from the huckleberries.
Our final food adventure was at the Kansas City International Airport where we tried the pulled brisket nachos at Meat Rushmore’s. The nachos were really tasty. The restaurant has multiple Meat Rushmore BBQ sauce bottles on its tables so that you can find the right one for you.
Finally, be sure to allow a few extra minutes at the airport for some shopping. The airport has an impressive store that sells a large variety of local BBQ sauces to take home – including the famous Gates sauces.
Cherry Limeade from Winstead’sA Single Winstead – the Dinner Serves Double and Triple Ones, TooWinstead’s Tater TotsDistiller’s Flight At Tom’s TownRibs & Burnt Beef Tips At Jack Stack’sPulled Pork & Burnt Beef Tips At Jack Stack’sBrisket Sandwich At PigwichCourthouse Exchange Boozy Root Beer FloatCourthouse Exchange’s Cherry Cream Soda CocktailCourthouse Exchange Fried Mushrooms Courthouse Exchange Mac ‘N’ Cheese with Pulled Pork & Green Onions Courthouse Exchange Chicken-Fried-Chicken Huckleberry Ice Cream in Hannibal MOFamous Polly’s Pop of Independence MOPulled Beef Brisket Nachos At the Kansas City International Airport – Meat Rushmore BBQLocal Chocolate from Hannibal The Pigwich At the City Market Section of Kansas City
If you have not already visited Independence Missouri, I highly recommend a quick trip. It is a charming little town. My husband and I recently spent most of a week exploring Kansas City Missouri and the surrounding areas. For us, visiting Bess and Harry Truman’s home in Independence was a trip highlight.
Tours are conducted by the National Park Service and are limited to 8 people. The combined tour of the Truman and Nolan houses (Nolan is across the street) is free. Even better – there are no plexiglass walls or velvet ropes. Visitors are allowed to walk throughout the downstairs area with a few key restrictions: no touching, no leaning and no photo taking. Hence, I have no interior photos of Bess and Harry’s beautiful home. According to our ranger, an early tourist actually stole the bar of soap at the kitchen sink as a souvenir. Hence, the rangers are very strict about the no-touching rule.
Green was their favorite color so there’s plenty of green – including the lower kitchen walls as well as the last car they purchased 6 months prior to Harry’s death. I should add that the ceiling and upper walls in the kitchen are covered in a red, white and blue check-patterned wallpaper chosen personally by Harry. It is definitely a tad intense.
They were both frugal people. Bess’s father committed suicide due to financial difficulties and Harry and his entire family struggled during the depression. Consequently, the kitchen stove, with a faulty igniter, has a box of matches on top of it. They refused to purchase a new stove. The kitchen linoleum has multiple large rips in it. Again, they opted to not replace the flooring.
The couple’s favorite room was a spacious screened-in porch and that is how our tour entered the home. Privacy became an issue for the couple upon their return to Independence post presidency. Consequently, an entire section of the porch screen is covered by grape vines.
The parameter of the home has a black wrought iron gate surrounding the home and yard that was installed in 1949. Prior to its installation, the Secret Service actually caught someone trying to rip off a board from the house as a souvenir. Another agent caught a woman digging up some of Bess Truman’s prized white tulips. When the agent confronted her, she told him that Bess would not mind.
Bess Truman’s First Lady portrait hangs in the living room. Apparently, it took eleven years for the White House personnel to notice it was missing. Lady Bird Johnson personally called to request that Bess return the portrait. Bess refused and the artist was commissioned to paint a copy for the White House. Another duplicate was then created for the President Truman Library & Museum.
During their post-presidency years, many world leaders and former U.S. Presidents visited them at the house on North Delaware Street – from Lyndon B Johnson and Jimmy Carter to Billy Graham.
Harry died in 1972 at the age of 88. He died in a nearby hospital. Bess outlived him by 10 years and died in the ground floor bedroom adjacent to the living room. She was 97. She was the longest living First Lady. They are both buried at the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum.
The much more modest Noland Home directly across the house was owned by Harry’s Aunt and Uncle and their two daughters. His two cousins, Nellie and Ethel, remained in the house their entire lives. The entire Noland family was very close with the Trumans. The tour starts at the Noland house and ends across the street at Bess and Harry’s home. On the other side of the Truman house, adjacent to the garage, sits two smaller homes. During the Trumans lifetime, Bess’s two brothers lived in them. One house is now office space for the Truman Home and the other is housing for the park rangers.
I hope you enjoy your visit as much as we did ours.
The Noland HomeInterior of the Noland HomeNoland Home Noland HomeGreat Truman Quote at the Noland Home Noland Home InteriorTruman QuoteNoland HomeThe Trumans on Their Wedding DayBess Truman’s First Lady Portrait Front Entrance at the Noland Home Noland HomeDisplay at the Noland Home Front Porch at the Noland Home 219 N Delaware Street Bess & Harry Truman’s House 219 N Delaware Street House Across the Street – Used by the Secret Service Bess & Harry’s Garage and Final Green CarClose-Up of the Garage Adjacent House Where Bess Truman’s Brother ResidedHome of Bess Truman’s Brother Home Where the Park Ranger Assigned to Bess & Harry’s House ResidesHarry Truman’s Childhood Home
The Harry S Truman Library & Museum has been on my bucket list for a long time. This is the year I finally made it to Independence Missouri to visit the library. It is one of the oldest federal presidential libraries; Truman broke ground for the library in 1955. The oldest one is Franklin D. Roosevelt’s library with Truman’s coming in as the second oldest and Dwight D. Eisenhower’s the third oldest.
The property was completely renovated to the tune of thirty million dollars in 2021. I heard several other visitors comment that it looks completely different since their last trip to the library. It is smaller than the Ronald Reagan library but impressive. The only disappointment was not being able to walk the grounds due to an extensive thirteen million dollar renovation involving the removal of plants, etc. Both Bess and Harry Truman are buried at the library and access to their graves is temporarily blocked.
The museum has added a number of interactive displays and gives visitors the opportunity to express their opinion regarding Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb. It also provides testimony from Japanese citizens who survived the bombings.
I especially enjoyed the display of Truman’s cars as well as his courtship of Bess Wallace. Truman only met with President Roosevelt twice during the first 83 days of his fourth term as president. The library shows a very moving film of FDR’s funeral and Truman’s interaction with Eleanor Roosevelt. Truman’s early days of presidency include film clips of him inspecting the bomb damage in Berlin post WWII as well as his meeting with world leaders at the Potsdam Conference.
Truman lived close to twenty years post-presidency and the museum does a great job at detailing his life back in Independence. The library has film footage of his daughter Margaret Truman’s wedding in Independence as well as of a then Senator John F. Kennedy visiting the library in 1959 while campaigning for the presidential election.
Hanging Out with Harry at the Front Entrance Front Entrance of the Truman Library Front Entrance Front Entrance Harry S Truman During WWIBess & Harry’s Wedding Bess Truman’s Wedding ShoesTruman As a Senator of MOGreat Eleanor Roosevelt Quote When Vice President Truman Became President Overnight, He Faced Numerous Challenges Post WWII Challenges Truman Tackled Civil Rights Truman Campaign Button Truman Campaign The Press Called the Election Results Incorrectly Post-Presidency and Back in Independence The Trumans Back in Independence MOThe Gardens Are Under Construction The Trumans Stayed at Blair House Until Eleanor Moved Out of the White House Post FDR’s Death One of Truman’s Favorite Florida Shirts Truman White House China Bess Truman Was Thrifty & Repeated Her Clothing Truman’s Oval Office Enjoying the Oval Office Oval Office Fireplace Truman’s DeskModel of Harry & Bess Truman House in Independence MOTruman Carriage from His YyTruman Automobile Another Truman AutomooPresidential Limousine Having Fun at the Library Downtown Independence Courthouse Downtown Independence Courthouse Side View of Courthouse Longtime Restaurant Across the Street from the Courthouse Restaurant Weekly Specials My Husband at the Courthouse Exchange Interior of the Courthouse Exchange Beverage Menu at the Courthouse Exchange Cocktails Made with the Local Soda PopCocktails Made with the Local Soda PopMissouri Popular Dish – Fried Mushrooms The Local Mac’n’Cheese with Pulled Pork Chicken-Fried Chicken Restaurant Interior Restaurant Stained Glass Window Front View of Courthouse Courthouse & Statue of Harry S Truman Courthouse Front View Statue Vlose-UpTruman’s First JobThe Famous Clinton’s Ice Cream Parlor Mural in Independence MOThe Nolan House The Truman House In Front of the Truman House on North Delaware – Independence MO
As I write this, I am humming Fats Domino’s hit Going to Kansas City. We flew in three days ago and so far I am impressed. The new airport is spectacular and everywhere we go the people are so incredibly friendly. At the car rental booth where they conduct the final inspection of paperwork and identification, the employee asked me to wait a few minutes so that she could write a list of places not to miss while in town. Talk about friendly service!
There’s so much to see and we have packed in a lot. We started with the iconic Union train station which is the second largest train station in the country. During WWII, it was the busiest in the nation. It fell into disrepair and was abandoned for 13 years. Fortunately, the states of Kansas and Missouri split the $250,000,000 cost and restored the building. It’s so beautiful. Each of the chandeliers, original, is solid iron and weighs 3,500 pounds.
Next, we took a fun trolley bus ride around the city. The tour was 90 minutes long and the guide gave us a fantastic overview of Kansas City. We saw everything from the WWI Memorial to the Federal Reserve Building to Country Club Plaza (filled with beautiful Spanish-style architecture) and the original TWA headquarters built by Howard Hugh’s. The city was known as the City of Fountains and now I know why. With over 200 fountains, only Rome surpasses Kansas in the number of fountains.
My husband is friends with the famous crime writer James Ellroy who lived in Kansas City for a few years. He recommended that we go to Winstead’s for lunch. Wow! His recommendation was so appreciated. This diner has been around since 1940 and is famous for its cherry limeade drinks and steak burgers. Our lunch did not disappoint. The prices are insanely reasonable, too.
We then visited the Arabia Steamboat Museum which is such a powerful story. The artifacts recovered by five local men in 1988 are jaw dropping.
We ended our day with a visit to Tom’s Town Distillery – named after the infamous Tom Pendergast. The place has a wonderful bar and restaurant, too. The place is located in the oldest part of town and the interior has the atmosphere of a speakeasy. The staff is utterly charming. We loved our tour – especially the flight of spirits towards the end of the tour.
No visit to Kansas City is complete without some KC BBQ and Jack Stack’s delivered. The restaurant is famous for its beef and pork burnt ends as well as its cheesy corn and baked beans oozing with brisket and sweetness. The portions are so enormous that I had to pass on the restaurant’s famous carrot cake.
Awaiting Our Flight Into KCThe New Kansas City Airport Is Beautiful!WWI Memorial Union StationMy Husband The Two of Us In Front of Union Station The Interior of Union Station The Ceiling of Union Station Union Station Union Station Union Station The Restaurant Is a Tribute to The Fred Harvey Restaurants Union Station Union Station CafeUnion Station CafeUnion Station Funny Train Station Sign Union Station Union Station Union Station Mural Union Station Union Station Mural Trolley Bus Tour Interior of Trolley Bus Kansas City Kansas City Negro Baseball Mural Western Auto Building – Now Luxury CondominiumsOne of the Many Fountains of Kansas City The Country Club Plaza Train Dishes on Display Train Dishes at Union Station Union Station DishUnion Station DisplaysUnion Station Restoration Union Station Restoration Old Photo of Kansas City Union StationWWI Memorial Federal Reserve Federal Reserve Federal Reserve Federal Reserve Federal Reserve Federal Reserve Gold Brick at the Federal Reserve Federal Reserve Wall of 40 Million Wall of 40 Million Winstead’s DinerWinstead’s DinerWinstead’sCherry Limeade Steak Burger Tater Tots Old Photos of Winstead’sWinstead’sThe Arabia Steamship Museum The Arabia Steamship Museum The Arabia The Arabia The Arabia The Arabia Exterior of Tom’s Town Tom’s TownTom’s TownTom’s Town Tom’s Town Tom’s Town Tom’s Town Tom’s Town Jack StacksJack StacksJack StacksJack Stacks
Today, my husband and I both had a day off with no appointments or obligations. Woohoo! We opted to hit the road for a small road trip. First, on my list was a visit to a local fruit and vegetable stand. We recently stopped buying any produce from supermarkets. Locally-grown produce tastes better and lasts longer. The recent produce recalls gave me further incentive to purchase selectively. We took 76 highway going east and found a produce stand that appealed to us. We bought a variety of fruits and vegetables – including plums, avocados and sweet potatoes.
Next, back in the car for more fun. We took the back roads to Bates Nuts Farm in Valley Center. I love this store! It’s a family-owned business that has been around since 1921. I bought all my favorites from raspberry-lemonade flavored candy corn to dried peaches and pears. It was my husband’s first time in the store. He practically ran to the back of the store to sample an assortment of homemade fudge. His favorite was the dark chocolate walnut fudge. My favorite was red velvet. We compromised; we bought both flavors…along with the snickers flavor.
The scenery was inspiring and we managed to avoid any traffic. I call that a great day!
Quiet Stretch On 76An Unassuming Vegetable StandRoadside StaiJohn Checks Out Plums and GrapesGreat Selection The Front of Bates Nut FarmBates Nut Farm Front Porch At BatesGreat Halloween Decorations More Halloween Decorations Bates Sells Everything Bates Store for Nuts, Dried Fruit, Chocolate, Etc.Interior of Bates FarmWhy Buy Normal Candy Corn?Homemade Fudge!This Is 1.5 Pounds of Delight!
Recently, my husband and I checked out the newly opened An’s Gate D5 in downtown Oceanside – across the street from the pier.
Previously, I had read glowing reviews about An’s Dry Cleaning in San Diego. So, I have been eagerly awaiting the opening of the Oceanside location . What a remarkable ice cream product – beats almost anything else I have tasted when it comes to ice cream or gelato.
Each An’s location has a different fun theme. The Oceanside branch is housed in the famous Top Gun House and even has an exact replica of Tom Cruise’s motorcycle from the movie Top Gun. The entire interior has an aviation terminal theme with all of the gelato flavors having the names of destinations. We sat outside on the porch and enjoyed beautiful views of the ocean and pier as we ate our gelato.
This place is not just a cheap gimmick. Upon reaching the front counter, the staff suggests that you cleanse your palette with an orange sorbet followed by a sample of each flavor. I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed the vegan grapefruit-strawberry sorbet. Each flavor is unique and incredibly rich. The gelato is made fresh daily. After our taste testing experience, my husband and I both opted for waffle cones. I am a big fan of the Del Mar and Ho Chi Minh flavors. Even the cones were freshly made and delicious.
Currently, An’s Gelato has five locations within San Diego County:
An’s Dry Cleaning – North Park
An’s Hatmakers – Del Mar
An’s Electronic Repair – Ocean Beach
An’s Athletic Field Services – Petco Park
An’s Gate D5 – Oceanside
For the past two consecutive years, USA Today has named An’s Gelato the number one gelato in the country. The place is definitely worth a visit.
Front Exterior of the Top Gun House Interior Seating Ice Cream To GoThe Line Signage To Create a Boarding Gate Atmosphere The Menu of Ice Cream Flavors Enjoying the Experience Our Gate Agent Giving Us Tastings The Vohemar Honey, Butter & CornbreadOptions Including Killer Waffle ConesWe Both Went With Waffle ConesWhat An Amazing Experience!The Husband Enjoying His Cone Sitting In Front Visitors Love Photo Opportunities with Maverick’s MotorcycleReplica of the Top Gun MotorcycleFront Porch at the Top Gun HouseStanding in Front Top Gun House Top Gun House Plaque Adjacent to Maverick’s Bike The Top Gun Motorcycle
No trip to the San Diego area is complete without a visit to the Birch Aquarium. It is part of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UCSD. While Birch is smaller than the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, it is still impressive.
Birch Aquarium is more research-oriented with an incredible team of people to answer your questions. I wondered out loud what an unusual item was and a staff member immediately came over. She explained that I was looking at a bowl of shark eggs and gave me helpful background regarding the eggs and their particular shapes. Later, someone else saw my husband and me staring at a large display of colorful fish swimming around coral. The staff member approached us to tell us about UCSD’s extensive coral research. He explained the relationship between the polyps and algae that make up coral. The brilliant colors of coral come from algae. He even pointed out a turf war going on between different corals within the tank. Throughout our visit, multiple staff members continued to offer answers for any questions we might have.
Naturally, the penguins stole our hearts. Warning – they do smell. We saw signage that they poop, on average, 145 times a day. After getting a few whiffs, I have no doubt regarding that factoid. John and I were surprised by how close we were able to get to some of the penguins who demonstrated pretty outgoing personalities.
For those with families , the aquarium offers organized activities for young children as well as an entire wing with displays geared towards them.
We did not eat at the aquarium but there is a very lovely outdoor cafe for those who choose to do so.
Finally, I do recommend purchasing tickets in advance online. If you buy your tickets at the aquarium, you pay more.
The Legacy Sculpture From 2996The Legacy Sculpture By Randy PuckettThe Legacy Sculpture At The Entrance Restaurant in Front of the Aquarium Front Entrance of the Aquarium The Best View In Town My Husband Enjoying the View Again, Enjoying the View Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial PierMore Inspiration The La Jolla Coastline Soaking Ip the ViewsTide Pool Close-UpTide Pool Close-upTide Pool Overlooking La Jolla Shoreline Tide Pool Closeup With a Lobster Starfish Tide spoolOutdoor Tide Pool Beautiful Deep Blue Water Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial PierOutdoor Opportunity to Tour Sea LifeShark Eggs Jellyfish Inside – Touring the Aquarium Sea Anemone Sea Anemone Sea Anemone Starfish Lounging Starfish Lobster Tiny Jellyfish Lobster Garibaldi Sea Slug Large Cluster of Tiny Fish Frog FishDangerous LionfishSpectacular Live Coral Blue Tang With Coral Coral Gets Its Colors from Algae More Living Coral Amazing Collection of Living Coral Lobby AreaRamp From the Interior to the Tide Pool AreaFast-Moving SeahorseSea dragon More Sea Dragons Comfy Sitting Area Within the Aquarium The Perfect Chairs to Enjoy the View The View Never Gets Old The Penguins Are Adorable Penguin Close-UpThe Penguin Pool
