A Californian's View of KC

I've been in Kansas City for about 3 months now, and though I'm still a far cry from calling KC home, I've come to appreciate this city quite a bit for a few different reasons. There's a quirkiness to the city and an honesty to the people that I've come to appreciate. There's a steadiness to the pace of life here in KC that contrasts the hustle and bustle of LA that I'm accustomed to. There's also some great food in the city. And though there are a lot of great things about Kansas City, there are some not-so-great things too.

Honest People, Quirky City

If I had to come up with a slogan for Kansas City, that'd be it. One of the things that I truly appreciate about Kansas City is the sense of genuineness (is that a word?) that surrounds my interactions with people. It's the small things. It's the eye-contact and smile and the friendly nod. It's the stranger making small talk in line and the neighbor's daily greeting. It's...honest people. Even if it's just for a quick minute, KC-ians make me feel seen.

It's not just the people though. The city itself is a really cool place. I use the word "quirky" because KC is just that, "unusual in an attractive or interesting way" (the all-knowledgeable Cambridge Dictionary). There's the Plaza which is a bougie shopping center full of high-end stores and restaurants, Westport - the go to spot for clubs and bars, the River Market if you're looking for the farmers market or world cuisine, the Power and Light District aka the night's bright lights (think parties and concerts), or Brookside if you're in the mood for some 1920's quaint and cute vibes. These are just some of the places in KC that I've been to, and I'm so excited to keep exploring what KC has to offer.

It's a Steady Life

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Missouri has a total population of approximately 6 million. Los Angeles County alone has a total of approximately 10 million. And while Kansas City is the largest city in Missouri with a population of 480,000, KC is dwarfed by LA's population of nearly 4 million. I'm accustomed to LA, to the hustle and bustle of a city teeming with too many people who have too many things to do. So, moving to Missouri, I was worried that I would be bored. However, as it turns out, I've come to enjoy the slower pace of life here in the Midwest.

In LA, the culture is one of hurry and of rush. Working full-time as a teacher while completing an online graduate program, I'm busier than I ever was during my undergraduate career. However, I don't feel nearly as stressed. It's strange and I don't quite have my thumb on it yet. But I'm looking forward to reflecting more about this phenomena and developing my thoughts and when they are more coherent than they are now, to share them with you all.

The Joy of Great Food

Home to a major railroad line of the cattle industry, Kansas City boasts a historically top-notch barbecue scene. I had heard rumors and whispers of Midwestern bbq and I had pretty high expectations. Let me tell you. I was not disappointed. The first night I had some KC bbq, I was amazed and a honestly a bit peeved that I had gone 21 years without this amazing experience in my life. There are so many great restaurants here in KC and I'm probably more excited to try them than I should be, but I don't really care. It's pretty dang good.

Now, there are a ton of other great food opportunities here in KC, and it'd take me much longer than this one blog post to detail them, so I'll stop with one more. Surprisingly, the coffee scene here in KC is pretty great. There are a ton of really cool coffee shops with great grinds and brews. The thing that really sells me on the KC coffee scene is the variety of shops. There are some that seem really high-end and bougie while others are really down to earth and homey. It's really exciting to visit and explore different shops and ambiances.

Some of the Cons

And finally, we come to the end of this post. I'll end with this: every city has it's ups and downs. KC is no exception. Above, you read about a few of the things that I think are great about Kansas City. Here, I'll simply list two of the main things that I've seen in KC that cause my heart to ache.

• KC is historically a very divided city. Split economically and racially along a street called Troost, KC still very much harbors the evidence of historical systems of racism and economic inequity.

• The educational inequities in KC are heartbreaking. I'll dedicate a blog post specifically to this in the near future.

Overall, I've come to really enjoy KC. The people, the city culture, and the food all make for a pretty unique city. I'm glad to be here and I'm excited to become more deeply integrated with the city and with it's people.

Fondly,

J