KANSAS CITY LIGHTS--PART II

As I said in Kansas City Part I, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and we've come to Kansas City, Missouri to celebrate Jen!  Missouri is the “show me” state, so off we go to see what it can show in terms of celebrations!  First stop—a dinner celebration.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant is delightfully different and full of spirit and energy.  As we walk in, we are greeted by bright lights, a smart décor, wine barrels and wine bottles, and places to taste and nibble.  People are at all the stations, tasting wine, buying the most scrumptious looking desserts, checking out some fantastic wine accessories, and making the place lively and gay.

Upstairs in a balcony setting so one can look down at the bustle is the dimly lighted restaurant, surprisingly quiet and peaceful.  It’s just the place for a relaxed dinner and good conversation.  Rising up in certain areas from the floor below are stacks of wine barrels reminding us of where we are and of some of the loveliness we will enjoy.

Our table for six is by a window overlooking the beautiful, lighted city.  For the holidays, three areas of Kansas City outline its buildings in lights, and it’s a great sight.  It’s impossible not to be impressed.  Below us, bundled up people walk the streets, sometimes waiting for a horse-drawn carriage to pass in front of them, sometimes stopping to peer into decorated shop windows.  Everything about the evening is primed to induce smiles.

We begin our dinners with wine flights—a tasting of four lovely wines brought up on wooden holders and served to us on long paper coasters.  Each glass sits in a circle, the description of the contents written below.  I like that because it’s such a great game to try to find the different tastes—the components of the wine which are subtle but evident if one tastes diligently enough. Mine is a red flight:  Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Each one is lovely, and it is always fun to taste and talk and compare.  Accompanying the flights is a platter of cheeses, spreads, and flatbreads.  Totally great way to begin a great dining experience.

Dinner is superbly done and presented, but I’ll share the photo of what was written on Jen’s special dessert.  Lovely.  And each couple shared a dessert.  How could we resist on this special night?  Sweets on a sweet night.

But the night isn’t over with dinner!  Out among the other folks enjoying the crisp winter night, we decide to take one of those carriage rides.  Not necessarily on my bucket list, but the truth is that except for one time in Charleston, South Carolina when I spoke at a conference and took a carriage ride with a friend, I’ve never done this—not even a romantic ride through Central Park.  Never done it with Rob.  Here I am with five people I love—all together. So this is pretty special, and all six of us ride through that holiday city, that lighted city, that very happy city, and laugh and take photos and enjoy making another memory together.

What a lovely way to spend an evening!