Out and About in Kansas City

Where we live, where we go, and what we do there: Places mentioned or implied in The Proviso, Stay, We Were Gods, Lion’s Share, 1520 Main, and Twenty-Dollar Rag, and marked on the map.

NOTES:

  • Galleries are sorted south to north (with a couple of exceptions).
  • “South Kansas City” encompasses everything south of the Missouri River, but most especially everything south of the Country Club Plaza, and most especially especially everything south of the I-435 loop.
  • There is a city called North Kansas City, so we can’t say “north Kansas City” and be understood properly the way we can say “south Kansas City.” We say “Kansas City North” or “the Northland” instead.1
  • I did use an AI art generator for some of the images because they’re only in my head. For instance, there is an office building at 47th and Belleview, where I set Sebastian’s office building-cum-residence, but it’s a 1980s glass and dark granite extravaganza, which is not his thing.
  • Hover for description.
  • This page is always a work in progress.

SOUTH OF THE RIVER

JACOB L. LOOSE PARK and Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden

The park between the Kenards’ Countryside neighborhood and the LaMontagnes’ Sunset Hill neighborhood and Finn Marston’s Ward Parkway mansion (formerly the Hilliard mansion)

5100 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64112

Loose Park bridge in the fall © Mike Day
Loose Park lawn
Loose Park pond
Loose Park bridge in the fall
Loose Park pond path
Loose Park pond fountain
Loose Park bridge
Smith Municipal Rose Garden Center
Smith Municipal Rose Garden
Smith Municipal Rose Garden
Smith Municipal Rose Garden
Smith Municipal Rose Garden
Smith Municipal Rose Garden
Smith Municipal Rose Garden
Smith Municipal Rose Garden
Smith Municipal Rose Garden
Bryce and Giselle Kenard home
Étienne and Tess LaMontagne home
Finn Marston mansion facing east
Finn Marston mansion facing north

THE COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA

4706 Broadway
Kansas City, MO 64112

SPRING, SUMMER, FALL

THE COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA shopping district in Kansas City, Missouri. The entire complex was built to replicate old Sevilla, Spain. This tower, called LA GIRALDA is an exact one-quarter-size replica of the one in Sevilla.
TIVOL JEWELERS
THE PLAZA shops
BOY AND FROG
NEPTUNE
POMONA
COURTYARD HOTEL
THE PLAZA shops
THE PLAZA shops
BRUSH CREEK: It was said Boss Tom Pendergast had people buried in the bottom of Brush Creek, but when it was rehabbed in the late 1990s, no bodies were found. So they say …
MILL CREEK PARK FOUNTAIN
THE PLAZA shops
BRUSH CREEK
ALLEN MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN
WILD BOAR OF FLORENCE. Rub its nose for luck!
SEVILLE LIGHT FOUNTAIN
BRUSH CREEK
THE TRIANGLE BUILDING
DIANA, in front of the falls at the Intercontinental Hotel
MILL CREEK PARK FOUNTAIN
COURT OF PENGUINS FOUNTAIN
BRUSH CREEK
THE PLAZA in the spring is beautiful.
THE PLAZA
THE PLAZA in the fall is also beautiful.
THE PLAZA
MERMAID FOUNTAIN
WEST PLAZA: This is the corner where I set Sebastian’s home, but this is not the building. This 1980s granite and glass extravaganza is not his style. I plan to turn to AI to get an accurate model.
47TH & BROADWAY: The Barnes & Noble where Giselle was working after her bookstore burned down, and one night, two hitmen came after her at closing time. They didn’t live to regret it.
PLAZA III STEAKHOUSE: After Bryce’s and Giselle’s come-to-Jesus meeting in the Kauffman Garden parking lot, Giselle drove straight here. It’s not far to her and Sebastian’s home.
BLOCH CANCER SURVIVORS PARK: The end of an unexpectedly perfect weekend ended not so perfectly when Bryce informed Giselle he can’t have children and everything imploded for both of them.
BLOCH CANCER SURVIVORS PARK
BLOCH CANCER SURVIVORS PARK
THE RAPHAEL HOTEL: Justice needed a makeover, whether she wanted one or not, but Giselle made sure to make it good.
THE CLASSIC CUP: Tess LaMontagne frequents this little outdoor café on Saturdays to be alone and decompress. Kelly attempted to arrange for Étienne to meet her there, but serendipity got in the way.
THE CLASSIC CUP

CHRISTMAS, “THE PLAZA LIGHTS”

THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS
THE PLAZA LIGHTS

NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART

4525 Oak Street
Kansas City, MO 64111

EXTERIOR

NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART, Kansas City, Missouri, classical Beaux-Arts (1933)
NELSON-ATKINS
NELSON-ATKINS
NELSON-ATKINS © Eric Bowers
HENRY W. & MARION H. BLOCH GALLERY OF ART addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (2007)
NELSON-ATKINS and BLOCH addition
BLOCH addition
BLOCH addition
BLOCH addition
SHUTTLECOCK, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen (1994)
SHUTTLECOCK, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen (1994)
SHUTTLECOCK, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen (1994)
Special exhibition, THE FOUR SEASONS (AFTER ARCIMBOLDO), Philip Haas (2012)
GLASS LABYRINTH, Robert Morris (1994)
GLASS LABYRINTH, Robert Morris (1994)
Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park, THE THINKER, Auguste Rodin (1880)
Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park, STANDING FIGURES (THIRTY FIGURES), Magdalena Abakanowicz (1998)
Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park, FERMENT, Roxy Paine (2011)
Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park, UNTITLED, Henry Spencer Moore (1979)
Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park, SHEEP PIECE, Henry Spencer Moore (1972)

INTERIOR

THE PROVISO: Kirkwood Hall at Christmas, Fen’s exploratory senatorial fundraiser, where Giselle and Sebastian wander around annoying Fen.
THE PROVISO: Kirkwood Hall, where Ford’s masterpiece GODDESS AND HER LOVER hangs.
THE PROVISO: Kirkwood Hall, where Ford’s masterpiece GODDESS AND HER LOVER hangs.
THE PROVISO and LION’S SHARE: Rozzelle Court, where people mingle and eat at Fen’s fundraiser, Eric’s gubernatorial fundraiser, and Giselle’s and Bryce’s “wedding.”
THE PROVISO and LION’S SHARE: Rozzelle Court, where people mingle and eat at Fen’s fundraiser, Eric’s gubernatorial fundraiser, and Giselle’s and Bryce’s “wedding.”
THE PROVISO and LION’S SHARE: Rozzelle Court, where people mingle and eat at Fen’s fundraiser, Eric’s gubernatorial fundraiser, and Giselle’s and Bryce’s “wedding.”
THE PROVISO and LION’S SHARE: Rozzelle Court, where people mingle and eat at Fen’s fundraiser, Eric’s gubernatorial fundraiser, and Giselle’s and Bryce’s “wedding.”
THE PROVISO: Sculpture Hall, which Giselle leads Bryce through on her way to the Chinese temple room.
THE PROVISO: At the top of the staircase from Sculpture Hall, down which Giselle leads Bryce up to the Chinese temple room. (That is not Giselle.)
THE PROVISO: At the bottom of the Sculpture Hall staircase , where Giselle makes the turn to lead Bryce up to the Chinese temple room.
THE PROVISO: Staircase up to the European exhibits, where Giselle leads Bryce up to the Chinese temple room.
THE PROVISO: The Chinese Temple Gallery
THE PROVISO: The Chinese Temple Gallery
GUANYIN OF THE SOUTHERN SEA against THE ASSEMBLY OF TEJAPRABHA | THE PROVISO: The bodhisattva before which Giselle meditates—before Bryce undresses her in front of it.
GUANYIN OF THE SOUTHERN SEA | THE PROVISO: The bodhisattva before which Giselle meditates—before Bryce undresses her in front of it.
THE PROVISO: A Barcelona ottoman. There really isn’t one in front of the bodhisattva, but hey, I write fiction.
LION’S SHARE: Kirkwood Hall, at Eric’s gubernatorial campaign dinner, where Finn realizes just how badly he messed up with Blythe.
LION’S SHARE: The Bloch addition ramp from the garage entry, at the coat check, where Blythe extols Finn’s virtues to Finn.
LION’S SHARE: The staircase up from the Bloch addition entrance and coat check, where Blythe extols Finn’s virtues to Finn.
LION’S SHARE: Kirkwood Hall, Giselle’s and Bryce’s 10th anniversary renewal of vows, when Blythe and Finn writhe in agony about not being able to get married (even though they could). There are A LOT more people here.

KEMPER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

4420 Warwick Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64111

KEMPER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, designed by Gunnar Birkerts (1994)
CRYING GIANT, Tom Otterness (2002)
SPIDER, Louise Bourgeois (1997)
KEMPER MUSEUM
KEMPER MUSEUM
KEMPER MUSEUM Atrium. THE PROVISO: Where RAPE OF A VIRGIN by Ford is unveiled and Sebastian falls in love. TWENTY-DOLLAR RAG: Where Vachel finds out whom he's being paid to be arm candy, and promptly takes her shopping for a decent dress.
KEMPER MUSEUM Atrium. THE PROVISO and TWENTY-DOLLAR RAG: Where RAPE OF A VIRGIN by Ford is unveiled and Sebastian falls in love. TWENTY-DOLLAR RAG: Where Vachel finds out whom he's being paid to be arm candy, and promptly takes her shopping for a decent dress.
KEMPER MUSEUM. THE PROVISO: These walls were hung with Ford masterpieces.
KEMPER MUSEUM. THE PROVISO: These walls were hung with Ford masterpieces.
KEMPER MUSEUM. THE PROVISO: These walls were hung with Ford masterpieces.
KEMPER MUSEUM. THE PROVISO: These walls were hung with Ford masterpieces.
KEMPER MUSEUM

EWING AND MURIEL KAUFFMAN MEMORIAL GARDEN

4800 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110

THEIS PARK, the view from the top of the Nelson-Atkins gallery. Note the Nelson-Atkins Gallery.
THEIS PARK: VOLKER fountains across Brush Creek
THEIS PARK, where Knox encourages Giselle to talk to Bryce and either get closure or get on the rollercoaster.
THEIS PARK path into Kauffman Garden parking lot (with two children my husband and I made)
KAUFFMAN GARDEN parking entrance, the place Giselle and Bryce finally started working out their issues.
KAUFFMAN GARDEN parking spots where Giselle and Bryce finally started working out their issues
KAUFFMAN GARDEN path into Theis Park
EWING AND MURIEL KAUFFMAN MEMORIAL GARDEN entrance
KAUFFMAN GARDEN entrance
KAUFFMAN GARDEN
KAUFFMAN GARDEN (and a little girl my husband and I made)
KAUFFMAN GARDEN
KAUFFMAN GARDEN
KAUFFMAN GARDEN
KAUFFMAN GARDEN
KAUFFMAN GARDEN
KAUFFMAN GARDEN
KAUFFMAN GARDEN
THEIS PARK, as seen from inside Kauffman Garden
THEIS PARK, as seen from inside Kauffman Garden

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT KANSAS CITY
BLOCH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
SCHOOL OF LAW

Volker Campus
5115 Oak Street
Kansas City, MO 64112

Bloch School of Business
5108 Cherry Street, Suite 102
Kansas City, MO 64110

School of Law
500 East 52nd Street
Kansas City, MO 64110

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT KANSAS CITY. THE PROVISO: Giselle earned her PhD in 18th-century British literature and Justice earned her BS in economics.
UMKC Swinney Center
UMKC Epperson House
UMKC Miller-Nichols Library
UMKC Miller-Nichols Library
UMKC Katz Hall
UMKC Fine Arts Building
UMKC Royall Hall
UMKC Haag Hall
UMKC Cherry Hall
UMKC Cherry Hall
UMKC Flarsheim Hall
UMKC Atterbury Student Success Center and Pierson Auditorium
UMKC Scofield Hall
UMKC Scofield Hall
UMKC Cockefaire Hall
UMKC Bloch School of Business Management. THE PROVISO: Eilis earned her MBA here.
UMKC Bloch School of Business Management. THE PROVISO: Eilis earned her MBA here.
UMKC Bloch School of Business Management. THE PROVISO: Eilis earned her MBA here.
UMKC School of Law THE PROVISO: Giselle is on the 5-year plan and is on year 3 when Justice begins. Then … Knox happens to Justice on her third day.
UMKC School of Law THE PROVISO: Giselle is on the 5-year plan and is on year 3 when Justice begins. Then … Knox happens to Justice on her third day.
UMKC School of Law THE PROVISO: Giselle is on the 5-year plan and is on year 3 when Justice begins. Then … Knox happens to Justice on her third day.
UMKC Linda Hall Library of Science
UMKC Linda Hall Library of Science

MIDTOWN, HYDE PARK

no images were found

CROWN CENTER
UNION STATION
LIBERTY MEMORIAL

Crown Center Hotel and Shopping
2425 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64112

Union Station
30 West Pershing Road
Kansas City, MO 64108

Liberty Memorial
2 Memorial Drive
Kansas City, MO 64108

no images were found

DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY

City Hall
414 East 12th Street
Kansas City, MO 64106

no images were found

RIVER MARKET

3rd Street and Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64105

no images were found

NORTH OF THE RIVER

“Chouteau” [Platte] Woods is a tiny little municipality in the middle of Platte County. These little pockets of municipalities are all over the Kansas City metro area. Generally, we are aware of them and refer to them properly just to orient ourselves on the map as to where something is. However, we also expand those pockets in our references to others. Eilis lives in Platte Woods proper. However, Knox, who lives on the other side of I-29, two miles as the crow flies, does not. His address is Kansas City. That said, if someone who knows the area weirdly referenced Knox as living in Platte Woods, it would be understood with a little further clarification.

Knox lives in the very large subdivision called The Coves, just south of Barry Road. When I wrote The Proviso, there was a little unnamed street at the back of it with three houses that sat on about three acres each. I expanded that a little so that Knox lived on ten acres with a barn. That wasn’t far off. Now, it’s been developed into the same mid-upscale tract housing everywhere else has been, which disappoints me.

Further north is Tiffany Springs, which is not a municipality. It’s an area of office parks, car dealerships, hotels, and a convention center, as it’s near the airport. This is where HR Prerogatives is. In any case, I’ve consolidated that section of the northland into one Platte Woods gallery.

“CHOUTEAU” [PLATTE] WOODS

Platte Woods City Hall
6750 NW Tower Drive
Platte Woods MO 64151

no images were found

“CHOUTEAU” [PLATTE] COUNTY and “RIVER GLEN” [DEARBORN]

Platte County Courthouse
415 Third Street
Platte City, MO 64079

Dearborn City Hall
100 Short Street
Dearborn, MO 64439

no images were found

While we don’t differentiate the east and west sides of the Northland, there is a vast chasm between Platte Woods to the west (almost to Kansas), and Liberty, to the east, which is the northeastern-most corner of the metro. Liberty is where the Lion’s Share characters started out and visited occasionally.

LIBERTY

11 North Gallatin
Liberty, MO 64068

no images were found

EAST SIDE

There is some debate as to the exact definition of “the East Side,” as some people want to lump some of the Northeast neighborhoods with it, and some want to include parts far more southern. I always thought I grew up on the East Side (and thus, Sebastian and Giselle), but apparently, my neighborhood, Sheffield, is considered to be in Northeast. Who knew.

ELMWOOD CEMETERY

4900 East Truman Rd
Kansas City, MO 64127

no images were found

OF INTEREST

FOOD

Classic Cup
301 West 47th Street
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 753-1840

Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue
1727 Brooklyn Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64127
(816) 231-1123

Peter May’s House of Kielbasa
1654 Bristol Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64126
(816) 231-9850

Plaza III: The Steakhouse
4749 Pennsylvania
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 753-0000

Tasso’s Greek Restaurant
8411 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64114
(816) 363-4776

Strawberry Hill Baking Company (povitica)
801 N Meadowbrook Drive
Olathe, KS 66062
(800) 631-1002

Gates Barbecue Midtown
3205 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 753-0828

Manny’s Mexican Restaurant
207 Southwest Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 474-7696

Kelly’s Westport Inn
500 Westport Road
Kansas City, MO, 64111
(816) 561-5800

SHOPPING

Planter’s Seed & Spice Company
513 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816) 842-3651

Tivol
220 Nichols Road
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 531-5800

Halls Kansas City
Crown Center, 3rd Floor
2405 Grand Boulevard, Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 274-3222

Sojourn Spa
Cascade Hotel
4600 Wornall Road, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 282-2320

______________________________

1.   To annoy me, my husband, who is originally from southern California calls everything south of Gladstone “Downtown.” He also says things like “the I-35.” He’s been here 23 years. He knows better. He also has regrettable taste in barbecue sauces. I don’t feel he can be blamed for this.

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2 thoughts on “Out and About in Kansas City”

  • Tina Black
    October 9, 2016 at 3:47 pm
    Permalink

    Proviso is my favorite so far, especially Giselle and Bryce.

    Yes, I knew she was visiting the Kwan Yin in the Nelson — I’ve been there myself.

    A followup to my favorites in Proviso would be welcome.

    By contrast, the pirates are tough going — not enough subtext.

    Reply
    • MoriahPost author
      October 11, 2016 at 11:44 am
      Permalink

      Not quite sure what you mean by there’s not enough subtext in the pirates, but to me, that’s just a simple love story. Not a whole lot of philosophy going on.

      Reply

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