KANSAS: SUNFLOWER STATE
BY CLAY
LARROY
When you choose to travel, whether it is for business
or pleasure, it is important to plan your trip well before hand. Don't be
afraid to cash in your airline miles. Many travelers let their miles accumulate
and never bother using them. Reap the rewards of your traveling and spend the
miles you've earned! Miles have expiration dates, so be sure to use them before
they expire. Often you can use them on items other than travel, so check out
your options and get to spending. When
you want to plan a vacation contact me!
Look at the article below for a mesmerizing
viewpoint on Kansas.
Kansas City: Sights and Sounds
Kansas City is one of those old west cities that
everyone remembers from television shows and movies, but rarely is truly seen
for the great metropolitan area it has become since its founding in 1838 as the
Town of Kansas. Over the last 125 years KC has grown from a western cattle town
in to urban center known for its cultural contributions to music, cuisine and
sports.
Music:
Kansas City has played a large role in the
development of Jazz and Blues music over the years. While New Orleans may have
been the birthplace of Jazz, KC Jazz brought jazz to the rest of America. With
notable jazz legends as Count Basie, Charlie Parker and Lester Young calling KC
home, KC Jazz developed in to a style all its own.
KC Jazz can be distinguished from other style of
jazz in several ways.
·
Most notable is the extended soloing. Solos could
run for hours on end, sometimes lasting in to the early morning hours as
musicians tried to say something with their instrument rather than just show
off their technique.
·
Kansas City big bands also used head arrangements.
Rather than reading sheet music, the songs were arranged in the artist's heads
giving the music a much more spontaneous and free sound.
·
Another characteristic of Kansas City Jazz is the
riffs. Riffs are generally performed by entire band sections, are almost
entirely improvised and often are played in support of the soloist to add depth
to the music. One of the best examples of this is the great tune "Jumpin'
at the Woodside" by Count Basie.
Today you can hear great music played all over the
city, but you'll find most of it near "The Plaza" downtown.
Jazz isn't everything in KC, you can also find the
Lyric Opera of Kansas City, The Civic Opera Theater of Kansas City, the Kansas
City Ballet and rock groups like Puddle of Mud.
Cuisine:
With the second largest stockyards in the United
States, Chicago being the largest, there is no doubt that KC is a beef city.
They even have a cut named after the city, Kansas City Strip Steak which is
very similar to the New York Strip. But where KC really shines is in barbecue.
Every region has its own special take on BBQ, and
KC is no different. Starting in the early 1900s, Henry Perry led the way with a
slow smoked meat that is covered in a spicy sweet sauce when ready to serve. KC
takes its BBQ so seriously that there are more than 100 BBQ restaurants in the
area. Some of the more famous include Arthur Bryant's and Gates and Sons, both
of whom have ties back to the original Henry Perry.
One of the most commonly known sauces in the US is
KC Masterpiece, and it isn't just a name. KC Masterpiece is the final evolution
of K.C. Soul Style Barbecue Sauce created by Rich Davis. While not traditional
Kansas City style BBQ sauce with its sweeter and thicker flavor profile, it
definitely has its roots here.
And finally, you can't forget the latest craze to
come out of KC, the Bacon Explosion. Created by Jason Day and Aaron Chronister,
the Bacon Explosion is a football sized heart attack waiting to happen of bacon
wrapped in sausage wrapped in more bacon and covered in BBQ rubs and sauce.
Sports:
Kansas City is host to a long tradition of
professional sports teams. Currently KC is the home of the National Football
League's Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals from Major League
Baseball. In the past Kansas City served as the home for the National
Basketball Association's Kansas City Kings which has since moved to become the
Sacramento Kings.
Of historical note, the great Jackie Robinson, the
first black player in the modern era of Major League Baseball, got his start
playing in KC. Originally signed to the Negro League's Kansas City Monarchs in
1945, Jackie Robinson went on to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and broke the
color barrier that had existed in MLB since 1880. He went on to play a large
role in the civil rights movement.
KC continues to bring a wide variety of sporting
events to the people of the region with professional soccer, hockey and tennis
teams, and also plays host to the Big 12 college basketball and football
championship games. Most recently racing has come to KC in the form of Kansas
City Motor Speedway which hosts NASCAR and Indy Car Series events.
Shopping:
KC has revitalized much of the downtown area by
creating the County Club Plaza center, more commonly known as The Plaza.
Covering more than 15 city blocks, The Plaza is home to more than 150 shops and
stores, fine restaurants and entertainment venues.
When it comes to shopping, The Plaza has everything
you could want, from fine jewelry to the Apple Store and an amazing variety of
clothing stores. Restaurants include everything from burger joints to pizza and
fine dining. And to wrap it all up you can end the day with a show or a concert
at one of more than a dozen event hosts.
KC has moved on from its early days as a cattle
town to become one of the country’s largest and most diverse urban centers.
Every bit the equal of more well-known vacation locations such as Chicago and
Los Angeles, Kansas City is a large part of the heartland and always on the grow.
Steve Gerencser is a jeweler, artist, hot rodder,
marketer and writer who writes on a diverse collection of subjects and topics.
REFERENCE SITES:
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Steve_Gerencser/76668
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