Living in Kansas City
Lifestyle
Go ahead. Relax, put your feet up and take a deep breath. Yes, that’s how fresh air is SUPPOSED to smell! Visitors from the East or West Coast often comment that the Kansas City area is an undiscovered jewel. It’s all about quality of life. In fact CNN Money (a web service of CNN; Fortune and Money Magazines), selected nearby suburb Overland Park, Kansas as one of the top 10 places to live in America!
Schools
The Blue Valley School District in which SOR is situated, is the only district in the nation with more than 20,000 students to progress in accordance with the “No Child Left Behind Act” for 10 consecutive years.
Speaking of great schools, Kansas City is surrounded by three major universities – the University of Kansas, the University of Missouri and Kansas State University. The local University of Missouri – Kansas City campus offers in-state tuition rates for residents of both Missouri and Kansas.
Things To Do
In the Kansas City area, there’s no shortage of events, restaurants, sports, music, museums – you name it. Here are just a few of the attractions that make Kansas City a very special place:
Kansas City BBQ – If you love barbeque, welcome to taste bud heaven. The KC area is home to more than 100 barbecue restaurants and hosts barbeque cooking competitions throughout the summer.
Jazz District – Centered at the corner of 18th and Vine, more than $30 million in civic investment has helped revive this historic area of jazz clubs, restaurants and museums, including the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Kauffman Performing Arts Center – This stunning addition to the Kansas City skyline was designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. Opening in September, 2011, it joins the Lincoln and Kennedy Centers as one of the few artistic venues featuring two distinct performance halls.
Crossroads Arts District – What was once a drab collection of century-old warehouses downtown has been transformed into a vibrant center of boutiques, local restaurants, studios and art galleries. On the first Friday of every month, businesses stay open late to host the strolling crowds.
Nelson-Atkins Museum – Famed for the giant shuttlecocks that grace the grounds, the Nelson-Atkins museum is internationally recognized as one of the finest museums in the world. Its 33,500 objects are available for visitors to view every day, free of charge.
Power & Light District – Anchored by the 18,000-seat Sprint Center, the Power & Light District features 50 bars, shops and entertainment venues encompassing a 9-block neighborhood.
The Plaza – The Plaza is considered by many to be the first shopping center in the U.S. Reflecting the architecture of its sister city, Seville, Spain, The Plaza area defines the term “upscale shopping.” Each year during the Thanksgiving weekend, more than 200,000 people gather to watch 80 miles of multi-colored lights illuminate this 15-block area.
KC Sports Scene – Aside from the three major universities that surround the Kansas City area, there are plenty of professional sports to go around. The Kansas City Royals play at Kauffman Stadium, which played host to the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The NFL Chiefs play at the newly renovated Arrowhead Stadium. There’s a 72,000-seat NASCAR track just 15 miles west of downtown. Sporting Kansas City plays in a brand new state-of-the-art soccer facility located about a mile from the NASCAR track. If you find the relaxed atmosphere of minor league sports more appealing, check out the Kansas City T-Bones and the Missouri Mavericks, who play baseball and hockey, respectively.
Caution: It’s Addicting
You’ve probably seen the map of “the New Yorker’s view of the United States,” where skyscrapers reign in the Northeast, Miami Beach is to the south and Hollywood is on the other coast. In between there’s nothing but cornfields. But Kansas City will surprise you with its sophistication, diversity and quality of life. An executive of KC’s largest ad agency likes to tell the story of how he came for an event and never left. George Brett, the Royals hall-of-fame third baseman is a Californian but lives in KC year round because he wanted his kids to grow up here. So beware. Once you discover Kansas City, you too may never leave.
