Travels with Tish Girlfriends’ Getaway Guide

Midwest Airlines and PayPal have teamed up to help you get away to your favorite destination with an extra $50 in your pocket. It’s too good to pass up this summer. Midwest has no blackout dates, either. That’s $50 off per ticket on your reservation. So if 4 of you fly, you’ll save $200! Like I said — too good to pass up! You’ll need to purchase your tickets online and use the special promo code. Get that promo code here and get away for a few days with your friends.

It’s not out of the question — you can still fly for the July 4th holiday at great faresl Midwest Airlines is trying to keep flying affordable. Check out Midwest Airlines special offer for this weekend’s holiday. Fares are as low as $218 roundtrip.

Double Savings

Plus — and only on Midewest Airlines — you can save an additional $50 if you purchase tickets with PayPal!

Don’t pass this up! Book now and get your holiday trip going!

Independence Day Special - 20% Off at eBags.com from July 4th through July 6th

Most folks know that Kansas City is famous for its barbecue. Lots of BBQ restaurants around the city and beyond. Last time there, I tried Arthur Bryant’s pork. It was disappointing. But then many of you wrote in to give me tips on better BBQ and where to find it. I took one of those suggestions.

Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue.
We really liked Jack Stack’s. There are several around town, but we went to the one at the Freight House near the Crossroads Art District. First of all, the atmosphere there was much nicer than the last BBQ place we visited — though that’s not always a sign of great dining. A bit more upscale and the food was served neatly. (As opposed to sloppy sandwiches dripping all over and falling apart.) I ordered the “Sliced Meat Lunch,” selecting barbecued pork and beef, along with cole slaw and potato salad sides. All were very good. Tasty sauce. The slices of meat were neatly laid on the plate. My friend had the ribs and loved them, too.

Lunch plates were in the $8-$12 range. They also offered sandwiches, and a variety of sides.

We’d recommend Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue, but are anxious to try yet another of your many recommendations on our next trip.

NOTE:
The Jack Stack Web site notes that it is the “Highest Rated BBQ” in the country by the Zagat’s Survey of America’s Best Restaurants. I can believe it.

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On my 4th trip to Kansas City, I’m still amazed at how much I have not yet explored. My focus this time was on visiting the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. I had heard it had a fine collection and a brand new wing that opened this spring. (In fact, Midwest Airlines is one of the museum sponsors and offers a discount for travel to Kansas City to see it. Just book your ticket online at Midwest Airlines and use promo code CMZ8005 to save 10% on airfare to Kansas City.)

An Impressive Art Collection.
My benchmark for a great art collection is the Art Institute of Chicago. I grew up visiting that art museum and am always blown away by its grandeur. Well, the Nelson-Atkins is no slouch — I was blown away by its grandeur and the impressive depth of its art collection. One of the first galleries I entered had several major sculptures, including Auguste Rodin’s Adam. In its expansive outdoor sculpture garden, I would discover yet another Rodin, The Thinker. Not a copy or imitation, but one of Rodin’s actual bronze castings. Rodin himself had supervised this casting before he died.

Ancient to Modern Art
I was amazed at the breadth of the Nelson-Atkins collection. Ancient arts included massive Egyptian limestone works, terra-cotta Greek vases of superb quality, and even more massive Italian marble statuary. The museum even has a reconstructed 14th Century medieval cloister from an Augustinian monastery.

Some of the prominent artists include Gaugin, Degas, Joan Miro, Kandinsky, Picasso, Renoir, Manet, Monet, Pisarro, El Greco, della Robbia, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec, Rembrandt, van Gogh, Rubens, Gainsborough, Georgia O’Keefe, Winslow Homer and William Merritt Chase. Lautrec’s original and quite famous can-can girl, Jane Avril, is on display — I recognized it because it is so often reproduced as a vintage French poster. The Baroque period paintings were enormous, perhaps 10-12 feet high. The detail was extraordinary and the fabric painted on the canvas was vibrant and seemed real enough to touch.

Well-Designed Galleries
I felt that each gallery was beautifully designed with color and layout to really highlight the artwork. Wall colors were dramatic, galleries were spacious. A very enriching environment. And the building itself is a work of art with marble staircases and columns. The newly-opened Bloch Building, in contrast, is ultra modern and houses the very modern works of art. The outdoor sculpture garden is magnificent and a pleasure to stroll through.

TIPS:

1) Nelson-Atkins Museum is just 3 blocks from the very chic Country Club Plaza shopping district. Lots of hotels and restaurants.
2) Admission is free to the museum, but the parking garage charges $5.
3) Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is also a block or so away from both the Nelson-Atkins and the Country Club Plaza.

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Do you need a reason to get away with your friends for a couple of days to Minneapolis?

1. The kids are back in school. Celebrate.
2. Hunting season starts soon. (You’ll probably have to keep the home fires burning over those many weekends!)
3. Christmas is coming. (Shop early; get the best deals now.)
4. You just need a break! (So take one!)

6 Gals Can Splurge on a Budget in Minneapolis
With 6, you qualify for a Midwest Airlines group airfare rate — and that rate has been lowered to $153 roundtrip from Milwaukee or Kansas City. I just checked random fall dates for hotels in Bloomington near Mall of America and downtown hotels. Nice hotels range from $89-$139/night — accommodating 4 per room. Put 3 in a room and that’s $30-$46/person. (So maybe you should ask 2 more gals to join you for your getaway! That would be just $25-$35 per person.)

No Rental Car Needed.
Minneapolis visitors are blessed with a new Light Rail system that is fast, clean, efficient and very economical. Take it from the airport terminal to the Mall of America and surrounding hotels or all the way downtown to Nicollet Mall and the Metrodome. Just $1.50.

What You Can Do in Minneapolis

• Shopping. Beside the Mall of America and downtown’s Nicollet Mall, you can cab it over to 50th & France in Edina for specialty shopping/dining with a French influence.
• Theatre at The Guthrie. Fall performances include Jane Eyre, The Pillowman, The Home Place, Pen. Plus the Royal Shakespeare Company will perform King Lear and Chekhov’s The Seagull.
• Art Exhibits. Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Weisman Art Museum (on U of Minn. campus), Rosalux Art Gallery. Admission is free to all except the Walker, which offers Thursday evenings and 1st Saturdays free.
• Sports. Minneapolis is a sports lovers delight, featuring pro teams for football, basketball, hockey, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, women’s basketball and women’s football. Go Team!

Pick a Date & Break Loose.
Pick a date this fall to just break loose for a day or two in Minneapolis.

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Lou Probasco of Kansas City writes–

“Just returned from an evening on the Plaza. We stayed at the beautitiful Intercontinental, f/ka/ Fairmont, f/k/a Ritz, f/k/a Alameda. It is in the most perfect location right on edge of Brush Creek and the Plaza.

Most importantly be sure and book a concierge level room, where in the beautiful lounge overlooking the Plaza you can visit, read, play cards, and enjoy breakfast, light lunch, heavy hor d’oerves and complimentary drinks, evening liquers and sweets. Plus the services of the concierge, all for only about $50 more per room. Perfect spot for girlfriends. If you visit during the holiday season, you will have the most spectacular views of the holiday lights decorating the Plaza.

It was the cover article of National Georgraphic Traveler a number of years ago and is superb. Growing up in KC area, the Plaza was “the place” to have those wonderful girlfriends lunches. Mother and her two girlfriends,imparted all their wisdom at the 3 hour lunches where the tips were as much as the meal.

As we had daughters, they played under the table and now they are off in their own careers. Hopefully the advice we learned from our moms, on how to handle life and husbands, keeps us sane in our busy life today and helps us pass it on to our equally as busy daughters.”

Thanks, Lou. You’ve added a special warmth and charm to the prospect of spending some time in Kansas City, especially at the Plaza. From my posts, you know I thought it was a terrific place. I hope you’ll add additional comments about other special places in KC!

In fact, I hope other readers take your lead and add their thoughts about special places they’ve visited. These kind of genuine comments are what really make a travel blog work well. Thanks again. – tish