BBQ, BBQ, BBQ. Jack Stack Smokehouse is more of a high end BBQ spot (I know that doesn't make sense but that's what it feels like) and delicious. Arthur Bryant's is a good, order through bullet proof glass, cash only (might have changed) BBQ place right by the Negro League Hall of Fame and Gates is a local chain that is affordable and has a dynamite burnt ends (the KC specialty of BBQ) sandwich. Probably hard to find a bad BBQ place there, but other than Mexican food (which I always found better in KCK than KCMO for whatever reason) I wouldn't recommend much else. When my best friend lived here, he tried local pizza places that all sucked so hard that he eventually had to make Pizza Hut his go-to, which is downright scary to a native Chicagoan.
Even worse - if you're stuck on the Kansas side of the border, that state hasn't ratified the 21st amendment (repealing alcohol prohibition). I can't think of a scarier version of hell than the state of Kansas, honestly.
One of our traditions on this race around America adventure is to order the "best" local pizza the night after the race. Louisville holds the record for the absolute worst so far and I had tried a lot of bourbon before eating it. Still terrible. Best, non-Chicago style (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan) has been Colorado. They had a surprisingly good super flat pizza at a local place in Littleton/Lakewood. On the flip side, it'll be interesting to put KC's best bbq up against Feast and Doc Crow's in Louisville.
Our pre-race tradition (wife and I met @ the 2009 Chicago Marathon and plan a few vacations a year around races) is to have pizza or tacos, because those two are generally 'safe' pre-race options. We have the 'or' in specifically because KC showed me that you can't trust every city to have edible pizza, and tacos are harder to screw up than almost any other food out there. Strangely (for me at least- I thought they'd have great tacos), Arizona was the only place we stayed where both the pizza and the tacos were garbage. Be interested to hear your thoughts on KC BBQ - I haven't had Louisville yet, but between St. Louis, Memphis, Atlanta and KC, KC is the only place I've found that I enjoy as much as Texas BBQ, which I have to say is best because I'm married to a Texan (but also because it's goddmn delicious).
Wow, you found BOTH trees that still exist in Scotland. Well done, sir! You have earned yourself a Scotch (or three).
I'm back from KC and should probably cross-post the following in the depression thread: The presence for SKC in the area is amazing. I saw posters, street art, jerseys and hats everywhere. Their team bar, No Other Pub, is awesome. On Saturday night it was busy and lively, with a decent crowd watching the game even though they were at home (they also, somehow figured out how to get the Fire on a TV for me). The bar is right in the middle of the Power and Light bar and restaurant district. It forms the upper level of a multi-story, multi-bar complex that surrounds a city block. The interior of the block is an amazing, small, live-music venue with over-looking balconies. Inside the bar itself, there were free darts, pool, shuffleboard, and beer pong in addition to paid bowling, golf simulators and classic arcade/pinball. We ended up there both Saturday night for the party atmosphere as well as Sunday night, after barbeque, for a laid-back drink and darts. They really have an embarrassment of riches and we're stuck with Hauptman.
The post-race Pizza from Mama Leone's was surprisingly good for a New York style. I had low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised. It was easily better that the best from Louisville. The bbq was a much tougher comparison. I asked about 10 local people which place was the best and we ended up at Q39 in midtown. Obviously the burnt ends, KC's specialty, were amazing. The other stuff gets a little more complicated. Doc Crow's in Louisville was definitely a little more high-end then Q39. That's not necessarily a good thing for BBQ, in my book. Q39 focused much more on sides and their award winning sauce, where Doc Crow's in Louisville focused completely on the meat. When it comes down to it, they're kinda hard to compare, but both equally delicious.
I was just looking at google maps for suggestions on places to go. Apparently there is a green acres Indiana. I wonder if that is worth $3 a gallon of gas?
Don't know how far North you're going, but if possible, you shouldn't miss Skye. It's probably the best area to hike in Scotland and may be the most beautiful. Being up in the Hebrides means there is a lot fewer tourists, especially outside of Summer. Eilean Donan Castle is on the way and my vote for the most beautiful castle in Scotland. The best restaurant in Scotland is also on Skye: The Three Chimneys (although, if memory serves, you're a vegetarian. Not sure about the options there). Skye is one of my top 5 places in the world. Damn, I need to go back.