Walkin’ Around Checkin’ Stuff Out. #12
Man…what a trip. Roadtrip to be exact. Minneapolis to Kansas City, Kansas City to Hot Springs, Arkansas and back through Kansas City for a couple days before heading back to Minneapolis.
Hotel Kansas City.
We brought Davis along for the ride and he was great (for a 10 month old puppy). He loved “hoteling” and all the attention he got and we’re grateful for cool coffee shops that let dogs hangout.
Our plan of attack in any city is to get lost. Take turns we’re not supposed to take. Stay off freeways and take the slow way. If something catches our eye, we stop and turn around. Lots and lots of stopping and turning around.
If it looks seedy…we go. That’s where to find the scratch and the interesting stuff.
Old cities like Kansas City feel like time travel…there’s enough of the old stuff still around that it’s easy to get a sense of how things used to be.
Oh…and always look up. You never know what you’ll see.
Find The Seedy Stuff.
The Holiday Motel. Kansas City, MO.
No…we didn’t stay here.
Like we always say: stay in a great hotel and spend the day looking for the best dive bar you can find.
Gotta love a motel with no windows. I guess you don’t stay there for view.
Mt. Ida Motel. Mount Ida, AR
We didn’t stay here, either. This place looked straight out of a horror movie. Located in the mountains with not much else around. Just driving by this place gave me the creeps.
Hotel President. Kansas City, MO.
The Hotel President is not a seedy hotel by any means…although I doubt any presidents would stay there, but maybe they did at some point?
I love the neon sign on the backside of the building. Sadly The Drum Room was updated at some point and lost all of its charm and character. I’m sure an update made sense at the time, but they’d have been better off keeping it old and funky…that stuff always comes back around.
Always Find A Good Coffee Shop.
Coffee shops are a great way to get a vibe for the city. You get to see the people that are hanging out, working, talking, and making stuff.
Goat Hill Coffee. Kansas City, MO.
This was a killer little coffee shop in a cool Kansas City neighborhood…we were diggin’ the vibe of this place.
As opposed to Starbucks where people run in and run out (or sit for an hour in a drive-thru to basically order Dairy Queen), people in small coffee shops hang out and talk. It’s a great way to get the vibe of a city and suggestions for other places to check out.
We found a few other cool coffee shops in Kansas City…I’ll have those drawings ready next week. Stay Tuned.
There’s Good Stuff Everywhere…
…Even at Walmart.
It’s no secret I’m not a fan of big chains, but people are people and there’s good people to meet no matter where you are….sometimes you just need to stop and talk.
Walmart. Hot Springs, AR.
Allan was a greeter at Walmart…his hat said: “TIME TO SLEIGH”, so I had to stop and say hello.
He’s got a good look and I bet some good stories to go with it.
Alright…I gotta get back to work…more trip drawings next week. Coffee shops, buildings and whatever else I can crank out.
I’ll leave you with this photo of Davis. Let’s just say the dude is comfortable riding in the car:
So good! Love the process. Happy new year.
Decisions, decisions. The Holiday in Cambodia motel or The Mt. Ida stay somewhere else if you want to live motel. Love your adventures. Happy New Year!!