Kansas City, Missouri 2012 - Day 3

Us in some cornfield in Iowa - there's a whole lotta corn in Iowa

Chad ran in the 90 degree heat this morning.  I chose to not participate in such ridiculous nonsense.  Once he was back in the room and showered, we drove to The Plaza for brunch at Zocalo.  Our waiter was named Chip, an adorable 28 year old who was the most polite waiter in town.  I had crab cakes benedict, Chad had huevos rancheros con carne.  In English, that means: huevoes rancheros con meat.  We were also served tomatillo salsa garnished with radishes and cucumber.  It was a great start to our day. 



We went to Mill Creek Park to see the JC Nichols fountain.  There were only a few other visitors there: a hobo who was washing his clothes, socks, and shoes in the fountain and laying them out to dry in the sun, an interesting fellow who was wading through the fountain plucking up all the wishes and dreams of little children who now will never see them come true, and another gentlemen who was either napping on a bench, or who died there last night—I was too scared to check for a pulse.  Thankfully, none of them made it into the picture Chad took.

JC Nichols Fountain (a.k.a Laundromat and ATM for hobos)

By 1:00 we were in the car driving north for a 3 hour road trip to Omaha, Nebraska.  It was about 104 degrees today and we thought it was the perfect way to stay out of the heat and explore the Midwest.  We talked about music, listened to music, and then as we approached Omaha, we realized we had no idea what we were going to do once we got there, so I started researching and planning.  We drove through Iowa, into Nebraska, and the drive was lovely.  For 3 hours, all we saw were hundreds of corn and soybean fields, lush green trees, and shreds of blown out tires every 40 yards on both sides of the freeway.  That was freaky.  Anyway, we got to Omaha and here’s what we did:

We went straight to Warren Buffet’s house.  I have decided to stop explaining why we do what we do and go where we go, because sometimes we don’t even know ourselves.    

Warren Buffet's house in Omaha.  Surpringly small for someone worth almost $50 billion

We drove through downtown Omaha to the Bob Kerrey pedestrian bridge, which was built in 2008.  It’s a footbridge over the Missouri River that links Nebraska and Iowa.  We walked across it until we came to the line that divides the 2 states.  I don’t know why, but I really get a kick out of standing in 2 states at once. We enjoyed the view of the city, and the muddy-brown water that is the Missouri River, and then before we started to melt, we walked back.

Us in Nebraska with Iowa behind us

This is like, my new favorite thing to do

For dinner, we drove to a neighborhood called Old Market.  Chad  smartly re-named it Hipster-rama; it’s a much more suitable name.  The area is occupied by historic brick buildings, the sidewalks are covered and flowerboxes line the tops, and the streets are paved with brick.  It’s filled with ultra-hip shops and restaurants.  Little did I know we were about to eat at a place that is now the most excellent restaurant of my life.  It’s called Ahmad’s Persian Cuisine, and it’s nestled between Mister Toad’s Library & Pub, and Havana Cigar Lounge.  We walked into the tiny, beautifully decorated restaurant where 8 small tables sat covered with gorgeous fabrics that I wanted to take home and hang on my walls.  Murals (painted by Ahmad himself, who was in the kitchen cooking) hung on the blue walls.  The waiter was welcoming, and I just felt so comfortable and Iranian.  Just like my Iranian friend Kelli from Iran.  I probably should say Persian, but that reminds me of these gross cats my grandma used to have.

I'm tempted to say it's worth flying back to eat here

Baba ganoush - in all it's glory

The whole dining experience was amazing.  We started with baba ganoush and lavash bread, then had salad with homemade yogurt vinaigrette.  The portions were small enough that we were still hungry for the Tehran chicken and gormeh sabzi.  To top it off, I was served Turkish coffee in a demitasse cup… I haven’t tasted food like that anywhere else.  Ahmad came out and said hello to each dinner guest.  I guess he’s known for that; making everyone feel like they are eating in his home.  Every person that came in chatted with him like they were old friends.  I read that Ahmad fled Iran when the Shah fell, I wish I had read that before we ate there, I probably could’ve talked his ear off… Like I’m doing now, sorry—I could just talk about this forever.  Olympia doesn’t have a single restaurant that can even compare to Ahmad's.  Omaha is lucky to have this guy. 

It was now after 7:30, and we had a 3 hour drive back to Kansas City.  As we drove, we watched the sun set behind us.  It rivaled some that I’ve seen on the west coast.  Really.  It surprised me, too. 

Back in Missouri, we pulled off the freeway, drove for miles down an old farm road, and parked in front of a hair-raisingly creepy barn.  It was pitch-black and we were hoping for a star show like the one we got in Utah last month.  Instead, I almost peed my pants from terror.  We were surrounded by cornfields and I couldn’t shake images from Children of the Corn that terrified me as a young girl.  Chad got out of the car to shoot some photos and I sat there completely petrified, wanting my mommy.  A bug flew in the window, hit my arm, and I screamed at a decibel worthy of a visit from a Guinness record adjudicator. I was glad when we got back on the road, but it took me a long time to mellow out. 

We made it back to the hotel at 11:00. We will get an early start tomorrow and enjoy our last day in Kansas City.  I’m pretty sure the children of the corn won’t kill me while I sleep, but just in case, I'm keeping the light on.  And the hotel bible under my pillow. 

“Somebody pinch me
'cause I can't believe I'm here
This is something' that I've dreamed of all my life
Dreamed of all my life...
Omaha, Nebraska!  Ohmaha, Nebraska!"

- Bowling For Soup

-Chad and Rach