Kansas City Anyone?

Is anyone here from the Kansas City area, or know it well enough to have a chat about it? There is a possibility of my husband's job taking us there and I know nothing about it really, other than it is sort of two cities in one. I have a brother that lives an hour away (so that's good)... but other than that I know nothing. There is still only about a 50/50 chance we'll be in KC, but well - I lika da research. So go on - - - tell me what you know!

Hi there,

I live in downtown Kansas City, Missouri and work in Overland Park, Kansas. I've been here for almost 4 years now, moved here from St. Louis for a job. Anything that you'd like to know, feel free to ask away.

FYI - although there's a Kansas City, Missouri and a Kansas City, Kansas no one here (at least that I know) would ever think of these places as two cities in one.  The Missouri KC is what most people think of when they talk about Kansas City.

Tanisha

I grew up in St. Louis but visited KC several times...other than loathing all their sports teams (it's a St. Louis thing) it's a nice city.  So I'm happy to help as well.

There is some stunning scenery in that area, btw.  Hubby said MO reminded him of England a bit (and England reminded me of MO a bit), so maybe your hubby won't feel too far from home.

(PS Tanis-what high school did you go to?  )

Saf,

Ah, the quintessential St. Louis question. I didn't go to high school in St. Louis. I was an Illinois (E. St. Louis, Cahokia, etc) kid until 17 and then we moved to South County just before I went off to college. For high school I went to a residential high school up near Chicago called IMSA for kids way too into math and science who wanted to flee their home schools. I enjoy the blank stares I get when I tell people that, it throws their whole pigeonholing scheme out of whack. BTW, which one did you go to?

Tanisha

Ah, Cahokia.  My school never made the field trip to the mounds, but we spent enough time reading about the things!   

I went to Parkway South.  Yes, I'm a West County brat.

I wish they'd had one of those IMSA schools for kids into history-I liked my school OK, but was always desperate to go to boarding school.  Was it as much fun as it always seemed it would be?

And there are days when I'd kill someone for an Imo's pizza.

As with anything, going to a boarding school had its ups and downs. I was grateful for the opportunity and the chance to be away from home (plus being able to hang out in Chicago on a regular basis). The school had only been open for a year when I went so it was cool being involved in creating traditions and doing all sorts of stupid stuff that kids there still talk about today (never give smart kids with too much free time access to chemicals, computers and other high tech equipment ).

It did kinda screw up my college experience though. I had already gone through all the late night philosophical conversations and the separation anxiety so it wasn't that much fun going through it again with my fellow college freshmen.

Am I a bad St. Louisan for not liking Imo's Pizza? There's one here in KC but I've never gone there.

Thanks guys! We still don't know if we'll be in KC, Missouri - we're getting an offer from the place this week and will be making the decision soon! I don't want to get my hopes up too high - but I'm glad it sounds at least OK.

Marlespo,I lived in Omaha,Nebraska..which isn't to far away. We would go to Kansas City on weekends or I would go there with my work.  Had to take my son to "Worlds of Fun" and a Royals baseball game...when he was smaller.
A British friend of ours recommended a British Store located at Lawrence,Kansas. If you move there and your Husband gets homesick for Britain...foods...whatever.

http://www.britsusa.com/about.php

The only thing I don't like about that part of USA is tornado season.

Thanks for that link bluerose - that made my hubby quite happy. And as much as I try to convince him otherwise, David is excited about being  in Tornado country! It's almost like he doesn't believe they exist and might be a little fun.  One proper tornado warning and I bet he changes his tune... 

Am I a bad St. Louisan for not liking Imo's Pizza? There's one here in KC but I've never gone there.

Yes.

 

All St. Louisans MUST adore Imo's pizza.  I think it's a county law.

Good point about boarding school, I never thought of that.

And Sara, tornado season is nothing to worry about.  You hear the siren, you open your windows a crack, you go into your basement, and fifteen minutes later you can come up again.  What you want to do is look for a house in a valley or on the lee side of a hill.  Then you're perfectly safe (and your odds of suffering tornado damage are incredibly slim anyway.)
I'll give you the big scientific explanation of why, if you like, but the above is all you really need to know.

I'd much rather go through tornado season than have a hurricane hit.  Nowhere to hide froma hurricane.  Hate hurricanes.

I just found a few websites for KC Missouri and the downtown looks really cool from what I can see - but I'm mainly looking at the shopping and hotels.

Downtown KC does look cool but like most American downtowns, it's dead after 5 pm when most of the worker bees flee back to the suburbs. There are a few lively spots here and there but you have better luck with the nightlife around the Westport area. For shopping in these parts there's almost nothing finer than the Country Club Plaza. The mayor considers the Plaza to be downtown but with the bulk of it around 47th Street, I find that to be pushing it just a wee bit. I used to live on the Plaza as well but it doesn't mean that I could exactly afford to live the Plaza lifestyle. 

Saf, you are right about tornado season being nothing to worry about up to a point. The tornado season of May 2003 was pretty bad, with a lot of destruction striking a few cities in the greater metropolitan area. Here are few news stories: http://www.kctv.com/Global/category.asp?C=41153. This year was much quieter.

Yep - the Country Club Plaza is one of the websites I visited! I've got a brother living in Warrensburg MO, and we are (tentatively, as we still don't know if this is the job we're taking!) thinking of living East of KC. I'll have a car so it's no biggie to not be in the thick of things, I just want something family friendly...

Yes.

 

All St. Louisans MUST adore Imo's pizza.  I think it's a county law.

Good point about boarding school, I never thought of that.

And Sara, tornado season is nothing to worry about.  You hear the siren, you open your windows a crack, you go into your basement, and fifteen minutes later you can come up again.  What you want to do is look for a house in a valley or on the lee side of a hill.  Then you're perfectly safe (and your odds of suffering tornado damage are incredibly slim anyway.)
I'll give you the big scientific explanation of why, if you like, but the above is all you really need to know.

I'd much rather go through tornado season than have a hurricane hit.  Nowhere to hide froma hurricane.  Hate hurricanes.

Oh,Imo's pizza is good. Even if I'm not from St.Louis. Think I am jealous of you going to Kansas City. There are some malls to do shopping after 5:00PM..when the downtown shuts. If you like to gamble..there is a casino. Like their airport to. Have flown in there a time or two. 
Think Overland Park, Kansas would be a nice place to live. Have stayed there many times.

WELL - - - -
it looks like living in KC, MO might be in the cards again - we'll know by this Thursday!

My brother lives in Warrensburg, SE of KC.

If we go - we'd be looking at living in Independence or Blue Springs - - - can anyone talk to me about these places?