The 42nd Annual Kansas City St. Patricks Day Parade

Mar 17, 2014 from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm in Midtown Kansas City– Broadway from Linwood to 43rd Street Kansas City , MO. The Parade has become Kansas City’s largest single-day civic event, as well as one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parades in the nation. Tens of thousands of onlookers line the streets to see the hundreds of Irish floats, Bands, Families, Organizations, Business entries and others celebrate the Feast Day of St. Patrick and our Irish Heritage.

Free things to do in Kansas City

For travelers on a shoestring budget, Kansas City offers many free adventures. The following list provides 33 free activities that offer something for everyone. Donations are accepted at some locations.

1. 1827 Log Courthouse. Once the only courthouse west of St. Charles, Mo., it later served as a mercantile operation, home and gathering place for the early Mormon settlers.
2. Board of Trade Visitors Gallery. Observe the fast-paced world of trading.
3. Boulevard Brewing Company. Tour the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest. Make your reservations online.
4. Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center. A tribute to the city's early African-American pioneers.
5. Children's Peace Pavilion. Hands-on museum focusing on world peace.
6. The City Market. Saturday and Sunday mornings bring one of the largest farmers markets in the Midwest.
7. Crown Center. There's always something going on at this entertainment center. Check out the free outdoor movies and concerts during the summer months.
8. Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead. A great place to see and feed an array of barnyard friends and other animals native to the area. (Free Mon.-Thu.; $2 on weekends)
9. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's Money Museum. Learn about the nation’s financial system through interactive exhibits.
10. First Fridays. This 40-gallery art crawl in the Crossroads Arts District has quickly become a local and regional favorite, drawing thousands the First Friday of every month.
11. Frontier Army Museum. Focuses on Fort Leavenworth's role in westward expansion.
12. Hallmark Visitors Center. Catch a behind-the-scenes peek at one of the world's largest greeting card companies.
13. Harley-Davidson Vehicle and Powertrain Operations. Tour the facility to see how hogs are made.
14. Haskell Indian Nations University Cultural Center & Museum. Preserves the vast history of Haskell's evolution from boarding school to university.
15. Johnson County Museum of History. See what has lured people to the suburbs for the past 175 years.
16. Kaleidoscope. From the minds behind Hallmark, a free creative workshop for kids aged 5 to 12.
17. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. This new $413 million architectural marvel offers free self-guided, hour-long tours several times each month. Sign up online.
18. Kauffman Memorial Garden. Showcases sculptures, fountains and colorful beds of exotic plants.
19. Kansas City Zoo. Free admission for KCMO residents in October and November with proof of residency.
20. Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. With the famous contemporary pieces it houses, this museum is a city gem.
21. Lakeside Nature Center. Learn about the natural world around us through live native-animal exhibits and workshops.
22. Lanesfield School Historic Site. Practice your penmanship or cipher math problems on a slate with a costumed schoolteacher in a school built in 1869.
23. Legends Outlets. Take a self-guided audio tour of the entertainment district’s tribute to more than 80 legendary Kansans.
24. Legler Barn Museum. Built in 1864, this museum stands as one of the few remaining limestone barns.
25. Liberty Jail. Historic site for both Clay County and the LDS Church due to the five months Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, spent here.
26. Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary. Experience nature preservation through trails and the Nature Center.
27. Mormon Visitors Center. Learn about the key role the Mormons played in the early and tempestuous history of Independence, Mo.
28. National Archives at Kansas City. Research family trees, browse special exhibits, replicate famous signatures or view rare documents from around the region.
29. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Enjoy of the finest general art museums in the country.
30. Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. Featuring major exhibitions of renowned artists, the Nerman is the only contemporary art museum in Kansas.
31. Penguin Park. This fun and playful park has everything from a 26-foot kangaroo slide to a 23-foot penguin to play inside.
32. The Roasterie. Tour the Roasterie and find out about their cupping, roasting and blending processes that create the KC-based air-roasted coffee.
33. Shoal Creek Living History Museum. A village of more than 20 authentic 19th-century buildings dating from 1807 to 1885.

Cited  from VisitKC.com

German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars


 

Prep Time: 25minutes
Cook Time: 59 minutes
Yeild: 24 Bars (about 2 inch squares)

Ingredients

3 cups pecan halves
1&3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup cold butter, cubed
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1&1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 large eggs
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sweeted flaked coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Arrange pecans in a single layer of a shallow baking pan and bake 8-10 minutes until lightly toasted. Stir halfway through baking.

Line bottom and sides of a 9''X13" baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on two short sides. Grease foil.

Whisk together flour, confections' sugar and cocoa. Add cold butter and combine with a pastry blender* until mixture resembles corn meal. Press mixture into bottom and about 3/4-inch up sides of prepared pan.

Bake crust  for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and immedialy sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over crust. Allow to cool on a wire rack at least 30 minutes.

Place eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat lightly. Add brown sugar, corn syrup and melted butter. Whisk together until smooth. Stir in coconut and pecans. Pour evenly over partially baked crust.

Bake 28-34 minutes, or until edges are golden and filing has set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Then, refridgerate for an hour.

Using foil overhang, lift bars from pan and place on cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into bars.

Notes

*You can also mix crust ingredients in a food processor, but I prefer mixing this way.

Recipe adopted from Southern Living September 2012

Preparing for Winter Weather

Winter Weather Conditions and Actions

 

As Winter approaches, it is necessary to avoid many of the problems associated with this type of weather, please take the following precautions.

To reduce the risk of freezing pipes:

1.     Leave the heat on 24 hours a day at a temperature setting of no less than 60 degrees.      Please do not turn your heat off if you leave your apartment home for any amount of time
     

2.      Keep all windows closed. Be sure to leave the cabinet doors under the kitchen and bathroom sink open to allow heat to get to the plumbing.  When temperatures are dangerously low, please allow ALL faucets (sinks, tubs, and showers) in the apartment to drip 24 hours a day to at the rate of 6-8 drops per minute.  This includes both cold and hot water. The faucets should be allowed to drip while you are in the apartment as well as while you are out.

3.     Leave all drains open. Including lavatories, sinks, and bathtubs.

 

4.     Notify management IMMEDIATELY if you notice any leaks.  As authorized in your lease,  management may enter your apartment to check for leaks and/or damages

 

Damages to your own property:

If the pipes in or around your dwelling should freeze and break, there could be substantial water damage to the apartment, your personal property and your neighbor’s property as well. You could be liable for such damages if you have negligently failed to take proper precautions. The casualty insurance on the apartment owner’s building dose not cover the personal belongings of other people within dwelling. You are encouraged to obtain renter’s insurance to cover unexpected damage to your personal belongings resulting from fire, water and similar hazards.

Ice Surfaces:

Please remember to be careful of ice and snow on steps, sidewalks and parking areas. Management will make a reasonable effort to apply de-icing materials to common walkways; however, we cannot guarantee the surface areas will be ice-free so be extra careful when walking during and after winter weather (snow, Ice, Etc).

Thank you for your prompt and continuous cooperation regarding this matter.

By:  Josh Coleman (Service Director)

 

Holiday Lighting

 

 

With the Holidays fast approaching, don’t forget to take time out of your busy schedule for the 84th Annual KCP&L Plaza Lighting Ceremony, Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 28th, 2013 from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm.

Make A Wish Foundation

Make-A-Wish is the world's largest wish-granting organization and stands as one of the most recognized and most trusted charities in America. Our reputation is the result of a more than 30-year commitment to granting amazing and unique wishes that change lives for wish kids, their families, and everyone else involved in the experience - more than 220,000 wishes since 1980 and around 14,000 last year alone. That's a wish granted, on average, every 38 minutes. And every wish impacts dozens, sometimes hundreds of people, forever.

Our Wish child, Matthew, has been battling complex heart defects since birth. Heart defects are problems with the heart’s structure that are present at birth. There are many types of heart defects. They range from simple defects with no symptoms to complex defects with severe, life-threatening symptoms. 

Matthew has a smile that can light up a room. He is very excited about his upcoming trip to Disney World. He chose this wish because he hopes to meet Mickey Mouse and see some of his other Disney favorites like Goofy. While at home relaxing, Matthew likes to watch some of his favorite movies like “Monster’s Inc.” or television shows like “Jake and the Never land Pirates.” In his spare time he likes to swim and play computer games. Matthew enjoys spending time with his family camping and going on nature walks.

 

 

We are partnering with Make-A-Wish to support Matthew’s wish and kids like Matthew by granting them their one true wish. Please stop by the office and pick up a donation star between November 16th and December 15th. We are greatful for any amount that is given to help Matthew's wish come true.

Harvesters Community Food Network

Harvesters - The Community Food Network. Hunger in America is a challenge. Harvesters is part of the solution.

We are currently taking donatations at our office and to reach a goal of 352 canned goods and non-perishable items. One item would be great, but if you bring in 5 items you will be enterred into our drawing for a free holiday decorated cake.

Many Ways to Volunteer

Volunteers bring their hearts and hands to their work at Harvesters. This work is vital to our common mission of alleviating hunger in our community. Harvesters simply could not do the work we do without volunteer support. Hours spent by volunteers sorting food, assisting at special events or providing professional services translate into the work of approximately 86 full-time employees per year. Just one hour or afternoon of your time can make a difference! Take a look at the volunteer opportunities at our Kansas City and Topeka facilities to see what upcoming events might appeal to you. Let us know if you'd like to help by submitting a volunteer interest form. PLEASE NOTE: Volunteers must be at least six years old to serve at Harvesters. Volunteers must wear closed toe shoes. Harvesters' facilities are 100% smoke free. Smoking will not be permitted anywhere on our premises. Thank you for your cooperation.