KC,THE DOORWAY TO ALL DIRECTIONS...

THE SKYLINE OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI has changed tremendously during the past two decades. It all began in the late 80s with urban renewal. While outlying areas were being razed, the downtown reaped some of the excess energies and built some really fine high-rise buildings of note. Though some might feel that the sight of industry in front of the skyline is not a great picture, it is proof that Kansas City is using all of the cement it can manufacture. And everyone in Kansas City knows that cement has a long history of progress in Kansas City and the Kansas City governments that were once run by the iron hand of one particular mayor in the 1930s through the late 1940s.

KANSAS CITY RESTAURANTS HAVE LONG BEEN ONE REASON FOR CONVENTIONS RETURNING TIME AND AGAIN. ASK ANYONE WHO HAS HAD A KC STEAK...and they will tell you they hope their next convention will be held downtown near the legendary restaurants like the Hereford House. When it comes to shopping, Kansas City has more shoe stores than any city of the same size with the exception of

THE TRAFFIC IN KANSAS CITY IS A BREEZE...not at all like the traffic jams one finds in St.Louis and Atlanta. Here, a light rain has made the streets appear like they have been shined and polished. Nevertheless, Kansas City is a clean and litter-free city. Anyone arrested for being a literbug is given directions out of the city limits after paying a fine.

ALTHOUGH KANSAS CITY ISN'T FAMOUS...for a furniture industry like some of the cities in the Carolinas, there are more rug sales in Kansas City than most metropolitan areas of the same size. There are eleven counties in the so-called Kansas City Metro area. Buses run in almost every direction, making Lawrence, Kansas, home of Kansas University, the terminal westward location. Buses frequently run as far east as Columbia, Missouri, home of Missouri University. Many Kansas Citians possess degrees from either of the universities and play important roles in local industry and government. There are those that boast that Kansas City is one of the smartest metro areas in the United States.

WHILE NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES AND OTHER METRO AREAS frequently find parking a problem, parking is rarely difficult in Kansas City. There are more VWs in Kansas City than any other city except Mexico City. Berlin also has many VWs, but most are older and kept garaged.

LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF AMERICA, cell phones connect easily without a lot of interference from geographical barriers. The Rockies are almost six-hundred miles west and the largest city nearest Kansas City is St.Louis. It's a fact that if you are from Missouri, you either love Kansas City and simply tolerate St.Louis or vice-versa. The only time the two cities were closer than they are now is back in the 80s when the Royals beat the Cardinals in the I-70 Series.

THERE'S A LOT OF ENERGY IN KANSAS CITY. STEAM IS STILL THE BEST WAY TO HEAT THE DOWNTOWN...even the streets are warmed by steam.

Those fortunate enough to live in the lofts of downtown Kansas City located around Broadway and Fifth Street get a bonus perk; the smell of Folgers brewing all night makes waking up in KC Okay. In the photo above, THE FOLGERS COMPANY IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.

THIS IS THE PLACE FOR DRINKING BEER AND MEETING PEOPLE WHO ENJOY THE GLOW OF NEON...especially after the sun goes down.

THE DOORWAY TO A WORLD OF CORN...and various other grains. The elevators must be monitored closely and often to prevent rodents from entering the food supply. And there's the danger of combustion, a condition that has caused a few elevators to implode. To solve these two problems, Kansas City has put the wrecking ball to more than a few grain elevators during the past two decades. Anyone who has seen the choice finish on the razed bricks would want them for use in patio and home construction.
ONCE THE DOORWAY...to the West, Kansas City is now the doorway to all directions. One thing about Kansas City, the heart of America, its doorways are open to all. Kansas City is sometimes considered a city one passes through on the way to the West Coast, or a city one must pass through on the way to Atlanta or Orlando, a city that's tolerated because it's on the map. Detouring around the city is an option, but there's the chance of getting lost in the country. Hey, the traffic in Kansas City is a breeze, not at all like St.Louis or Atlanta.