Good times and surprises

The weekend in Kansas City was so much fun! 

Glenda picked me up at the airport -- what a treat to see her waiting at the exit door!  KCI airport is nothing like Orlando's.  Each gate (or 3) has its own security at point of embarkation, so there was no problem for Glenda meeting my arrival. 

Thanks to her daughter and a map from the Web, we easily found the Hilton President Hotel in the city.  The hotel is recently refurbished to its 1916 glory after being closed for about 25 years!  Below is the lobby.

After depositing our luggage, Glenda and I headed out to find a place for lunch.  In the next block we discovered the entertainment center, with dozens of restaurants and clubs.  An open square in the center was setting up for a concert.  We grabbed a quick burger and then headed for the Sprint Center, the arena where the bullriding would take place.  That was just another block away. 

The weather cooperated with temperatures in the low 70s and a cool breeze.  We roamed the street where the PBR sponsors had their semis parked and vendors enticed spectators with drawings for free products (didn't win a thing; Glenda really wanted the riding lawn mower for her husband).  We later discovered some clothing shops and had fun seeing what the younger generation in KC is wearing. 

That evening I wanted to indulge in some Kansas steak (far different.... and better.... than Florida beef) so we looked for a steakhouse.  Not far from the hotel was The Chop House.  I knew they would have steak.  We entered and asked for our table.  The first thing the hostess said was, "May I check your coat for you?"  I knew at that point this was not a Longhorn or similar eatery.  The waiters were dressed formally in ties and green jackets; we were definitely underdressed.  

One look at the menu and I knew steak was out of the question.  The choices started at 8 ounces for about $33 and went up to 40 ounces.  Glenda and I ordered starters, a side vegetable dish, a glass of wine and dessert.  Our bill totaled $100 with tip.  It was an enjoyable experience but that crashed my daily budget!

Sunday was full of surprises.  When we left the hotel for lunch, I was nearly knocked down by the wind.  Apparently it was blowing at about 70 mph and took all our strength to remain upright until we turned the corner between buildings.   Thank goodness the day was warm.  As we walked, at every intersection, the wall of wind would nearly blow us down so we quickly crossed to the quasi-shelter of buildings.

A restaurant called Fran's seemed popular and the menu (which we were able to read outside the entrance this time) agreeable.  The surprise this time was that the interior was much like a 50s diner.  We felt right at home.

Afterward we headed for the arena, still under assault by the wind, and hurried inside.  I have been to a lot of arenas and theaters but this was the first time I recall having to walk through a scanner (like the airport's) as well as having my bag checked.

As we tried to locate our section, we discovered some of the cowboys signing autographs at their sponsors' booths.  We picked the shorter lines to stand in and I came away with a few autographs and photos (this one shows Cord McCoy signing his autograph.  Some of you may recognize Cord from The Amazing Race where he competed with his brother.)



We finally found our seats, which were in the second row!  I had thought the arena had a section of seats in front of us, meaning we would actually be five or six rows higher, but we were almost on the dirt.  In fact, I could look a bull in the eye as he lumbered past us (after a buckoff).  Below is a photo of the arena before the bullriding started, and another of the fireworks that introduce the day's event:

            

When we left the arena a few hours later, we encountered another big surprise.  We walked into an inferno!  That afternoon, the temperature had climbed to 91 degrees.  There was still a strong breeze although not like the morning, but this was a 20-degree increase from Saturday at a time of year where 70 is a surprise.

We headed for a place to stay cool and relax before dinner.  A brewery restaurant was our choice.  A cocktail, crab & artichoke dip and later a sandwich were the perfect ending to a fun day.

But there would be another surprise that night.  The midwest, especially Kansas and Missouri, was hit with a severe storm that included 60-70 mph winds, rain and hail (the size of eggs in some places), thunder and lightning.  And all of that preceded a cold front that dropped the temperature overnight into the 40s!

When I left for the airport Monday morning (this  time on a shuttle bus as Glenda had already left to drive home to Grain Valley, Missouri), the temperature had climbed to about 50.  And the wind made it worse.  But at least I knew I was headed for Orlando and warmth. 

So it was a crazy, fun weekend made more so by the time spent with Glenda.  Will I do it again?  Definitely.... just not next year.  I still have one more trip planned this year, and that is to Las Vegas with my daughter for two days of the PBR World Finals in October. 

More about that later.

On my way to KC

:Everything's up to date in Kansas City" or so the song stated in the musical "Oklahoma."  I'll find that out tomorrow when I fly to Kansas City!   I'm excited to be going and especially spending a couple of days with my sister-in-law Glenda and attending the bullriding event.  Glenda will be picking me up at the airport and driving to the hotel, where we will share a room for the weekend. 

Glenda has found out that the 3-block stretch between the hotel and arena is filled with shops and restaurants, so we will have a great time exploring! 

My only regret is that the weather is still cold there.  It might get into the 70s on Sunday, but we will be at the arena for the PBR final round from noon to nearly 5.  By that time the warmer temperatures will be dropping.  Nighttime temps are in the 50s.

So..... I will be wearing my winter clothes once again. 

I'll report more when I return.

Kansas City here I come (next year)

Over the past six months since my last post, I have been soul-searching about another trip.  Several possibilities have popped up, from a road trip to visit my cousin in Philadelphia to a dance weekend in November in Tampa and one in December in Indiana.  Finances played a major role in canceling those thoughts.  My two-month kitchen renovation took nearly all my budget (i.e., savings).  I decided on the higher road -- not getting into more debt.

That said, another possibility crossed my desk that is exciting and do-able.  It's a PBR event in Kansas City, Mo., April 2-3.  Six months would get my savings back in shape and ready to go if I could get good prices on travel and hotel.

I wrote my sister-in-law who lives near Kansas City to invite her to join me and she said yes.  She likes the PBR too. 

Getting the tickets was the first task.  Opening day for ticket sales was Oct. 1 and, as I expected, neither the Web site nor the phone was working.  I've had that happen before. The phone lines were so busy I was on hold "forever," and a recording kept saying I'd have better luck on the Web site.  Not true.  The link wasn't working.  I tried repeatedly over several hours with the same lack of response.  Discouraging isn't a forceful enough emotion to describe how I felt.

I was ready to call my sister-in-law the next morning with the disappointing news but thought I would give it one more try.  Amazingly, the Web site worked!  I was able to reserve two seats in a good location close to the action.

Then came the next task -- booking my flights.  I had searched the day before and found AirTran to have reasonable prices for nonstop flights both ways.  I used Expedia because of my experience with them and was able to get the flights I wanted.

Finally, I had to find a hotel, preferably close to the Sprint Center where the bullriding will take place.  I did find one near the Crown Center, which is somewhat near the Sprint Center, and I made my reservation for two nights.  My sister-in-law will join me for the first night (Saturday) and enjoy dinner and the sights.  Our tickets are for the final round on Sunday.  I'll be returning on Monday. 

I've wanted to spend more time with my sister-in-law (and no husbands) over the years and this will be a lot of fun. 

I wonder what the weather will be like in Kansas City the first part of April?!

Best of the best

Saturday was the best day dancing.  I didn't quit until about 4:30 p.m. when my leg gave out.... not to mention my feet were pretty sore.

After a bit of rest I went to dinner and was invited to join Kathy Brown, a dancer/choreographer from Tampa, and her friend Freddie.  It was nice to have the time to chat and get caught up.  Line dance newsletter maven Carol joined us too.  A nice start to a fantastic evening that ended, for me, with the show.  The line dance instructors are an amazing lot, whose talents extend from the obvious dancing to comedy and showmanship.  This year, the Marathon was graced with a performance by country singer David Bradley.  He sang his new single, "Soak It Up,"  while a dozen or more dancers performed a line dance choreographed for the song by Mary Beal. 

But the best was saved for last as world line dance champion Brian Barakauskas performed his winning dance.  I've know Brian for years and he has been winning dance competitions for most of them (UCWDC Superstar World Champion in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2010).  It doesn't seem possible that he can be any better, but every time I see him dance, he is.   

I was nervous about my return flights on Sunday since I didn't know what I would have to do to get my Atlanta boarding pass.  My husband had offered some assurance on Saturday that I could easily get the pass from a Delta rep when I got to Atlanta.  It turned out better than that.

I had to get a seat assignment for the Raleigh flight and asked the woman at the counter if she could also get me the boarding pass for the connecting flight.  What lovely words to hear: "Of course."   So from that time on, my nerves were calm and the flights were uneventful.  In fact, they both landed early.

I'm glad to be home, though.  I'll spend the rest of the week find the step sheets for the dances I learned to give to my line dance instructor here.  I hope she'll agree to teach them.

My next trip might be a quick one to New Jersey in July to visit my aunt, who turns 92 that month.

Dancing's great, but not my return

I recovered overnight from the dancing on Friday and was ready to again today.  So far I've had four lessons on new dances.  My brain will never retain them all, but I hope my home instructor Kathy will be willing to teach them in our weekly class.

I have decided Michael Barr and Michele Burton are my favorite instructors, as well as choreographers, because they are so smooth in style.  If I could emulate even part of their style, I would be happy.  It feels so good to dance their dances, from "It's Amazing" to "Rumba Breeze."  I'll look for more of their dances later today.

I decided to check-in online for my flights home tomorrow.  I got the boarding pass for the Raleigh flight to Atlanta with no problem, but for some reason, I can't get the boarding pass out of Atlanta.  I don't know why.  That means I will have to go through check-in at the airport!  And I only have an hour between flights.  I'll keep trying to get through online today, but I'm not confident about a different result.  You'll find out tomorrow or Monday what happened.

Let the dancing begin

Getting to Raleigh, N.C., wasn't too difficult after all. We started, however, with a half-hour delay at the Melbourne Airport because the airline was waiting for weight confirmation that usually is reported on the computer -- the network was down, however.  Eventually a fax saved the day.  The pilot more than made up the time delay in flight, thank goodness.

It has been years since I have flown into the Atlanta airport but not much seems changed.  I still had to travel miles, on foot, escalator and train, to get to another concourse and the second flight of the trip.  I think the airport could declare itself a city, it is so big, except it doesn't have much of a stable population.

I arrived at the hotel with only time enough to check in and take one line-dance class.  As tired and sore as I was, I was glad for that.  A leisurely dinner and watching So You Think You Can Dance helped me relax.

This morning started out full of promise.  After a free breakfast, I joined the crowd in the ballroom to watch the dance instructors demonstrate the dances they would teach today.  That's a great way to learn which dances appeal to you.

My first class was not learning a dance but a technique class by Rob Glover who helped us learn how to move our bodies, from the head to the feet.  And he taught us a dozen or so warm-up exercises that we can do every day.

My first actual class was by Michael Barr, who is the smoothest dancer!  The dance was done to a boogie and is a lot of fun.  I can't wait to show it to my instructor at home.

It's time for lunch and more dancing this afternoon.  I have a new motto:  Forget work.... let's dance!

Counting down

It's hard to think about the trip on Thursday when the contractor is tearing apart my kitchen.  Trying to reorient the mind to our mini-kitchen is challenging.  The dining room table is piled high with dishes, glasses, cookware and spices, and a small corner space left for sandwich making and the like.  The refrigerator is next to the table and the microwave on the chest a few feet away. 

I received another change notice from the airline.  The second short flight out of Atlanta is not reserving seats ahead of time.  I hope I can walk fast enough after leaving the first plane to get to the terminal in enough time to pick my seat.  I only have about an hour between flights.  I knew there was a reason I hated flying into Atlanta to change planes. 

The next two days will be focused on wardrobe, for flying and for dancing, in one lightweight bag. 
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