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The holiday season is here! And if it's the holidays then shopping is high on everyone's to-do list. What kind of shopper are you? Are you someone who prides herself/himself for thoughtful, handpicked gifts for your friends and family? Or do you go for gift cards? If you see yourself in the first group, then I have some good news for you! Every family has a foodie, and food and beverage gifts that are also local to Kansas City, KS is a win-win for sure! I decided to round up some unique items for the food-lover in your life.   

When people think about Kansas City, the first thing that comes to mind is BBQ - and for good reason! Kansas City is home to some of the world’s tastiest bbq spots. Sweet and saucy is the name of the KC bbq game, but that doesn’t stop local joints from coming up with their own tangy, smoky, or spicy spin on flavors, meats, and wood smoked treats. 

With no real ethnic majority (about 30% white, 30% Hispanic, 30% African-American and 10% of various growing ethnicities) Kansas City, KS owns up to its reputation of being a true melting pot of a destination. From our roots, Kansas CIty, KS has welcomed diverse cultures and ethnic groups who settled here. As you explore the city you’ll find each neighborhood unveils a new story of the people who have come to call it home.

Coffee. One of the great loves of my life. A warm comfort to ease me from a sleepy fog into a productive afternoon; a necessary component of my “real world” functioning. I’ve never met a cup I didn’t like, but I must say I am partial to supporting local business. So I recently combined two of my favorite things, coffee and exploring the city, and set out to “hop some shops” around Kansas City, Kansas. 

If someone asked me a few years ago for a great place to go for coffee I probably would suggest somewhere other than Kansas City, KS. Sure - there were a couple Starbucks locations, gas stations and other franchise spots to help cure the afternoon lull, but a quaint, quiet spot to read or chat with a friend? You’d probably be better off searching elsewhere in KC. However, if you were to ask me today, my answer would be entirely different. It seems as if recently local coffee shops and cafes have been popping up all about my beloved KCK. 

Winter in the Midwest can be a mixed bag of surprises. The old saying about Kansas is that if you don’t like the weather just wait five minutes and it will change. While it may not be that drastic, we can experience a wide variety of temperatures in one week. After a couple of months of these fluctuations, we were ready for a break, but wanted to stay close to the hometown. No problem with that, since there are plenty of places to escape to right here in Kansas City, Kansas.

When I heard about Jarocho’s Pescados y Mariscos (Jarocho’s), I immediately put the restaurant on my long “restaurants to try” list. Everyone I know that has been to Jarocho’s raves about the delicious seafood and it was even rated the best seafood restaurant by Feast Magazine in 2017. Exquisitely plated Veracruz inspired seafood right in Kansas City, KS? I knew I needed to move this restaurant up in priority, and I was curious: could Jarocho’s really live up to its hype? 

We all know Kansas City is the Barbecue capital of the world. Some people would say Texas, others might say Memphis, but they’d be wrong. Kansas City is King. However, I also believe KC is Earth’s sauce capital. This town has so many different bbq joints each with their own unique flavor, that uniqueness comes from the sauce. Some are spicy, some sweet, some sauce is so hot it will make you rethink your entire life. Whatever type you like; Kansas City has it, and it's good. 

Barbecue and tacos are without a doubt the first types of cuisine outsiders think of first when they hear Kansas City, KS. However it’s a local secret that delicious, piping-hot pizza is never too far from reach. October is National Pizza Month! In Kansas City, KS you’ll find plenty of spots to grab your slice of the pie. 

Do you like to exercise? Do you like to eat? I like to do both so I thought I'd check out the Armourdale Hike & Bike Route (exercise) and El Pollo Rey (eating). Those two activities alone take up roughly eighty percent of my day, but it's time well spent. So put on your exercise shorts and your eating bib and do as I do, or don't, but you definitely should.