WOO HOO Kansas City!

Over spring break this year, some friends of mine and I took a little trip to Kansas City. While we were up there, we stopped by a few different places, including the Kansas City Zoo, as well as the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. Both of these places were lots of fun, and I would recommend a trip to either any time you may have a chance.

The Kansas City Zoo is located at 6800 Zoo Drive in Swope Park. It's simple to find, even if you don't know Kansas City that well. The admission prices are a bit steep, but the entertainment is worth it. There is a plethora of animals to be seen, and most of them are willing to get up close and personal. This includes the kangaroos they let roam the land free. Also, there are rides available to patrons at an additional price, such as a boat, train or lift, to take you around (or over) all of the fun exhibits.

Check out their website for all the details!

Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art is also worth a visit. The museum is located in Overland Park Kansas City; and interestingly enough, it is also located in Johnson County Community College. That's right, in a community college. The best part, admission is free! There were multiple different exhibits to view, including a video room to watch video art. There was a whole floor designated to impressionism, and multiple other exhibits, including sculpture and photography. I'm not about to say I know the first thing about contemporary art, regardless of how interesting I may find it, so it was really nice that there were workers at the museum around every corner to explain how to look at certain pieces or answer any questions you may have. And, when all is said and done, you can stop by the gift shop to take a little art home with you. Who doesn't like that?


Hours and Address along with current exhibits are located on their website.

Bruno's Downtown Italian Restaurant

Bruno’s Restaurant is a little Italian spot in downtown Springfield. However, it’s not like the chain places commonly seen in the Midwest. Between the ambiance and the homemade food, it brings a better Italian dining experience to the tables of Springfield.

Customers are greeted promptly upon entering Bruno’s establishment by the friendly staff. I was lucky enough to dine there during a slow time in the evening, so there was no waiting. We were seated immediately and given water while we decided what we wanted to order. The server was knowledgeable about the array of specials offered, and anything she didn’t know about particular dishes, she found out promptly and relayed the information back to us.

The lighting was nice and the staff was on top of adjusting the window shades so we weren’t blinded by the setting sun. The decorum was simple and not overdone or too commercial. There weren’t a ton of extra menus on the table; and the walls were lined with little twinkle lights to give off a soft glow and make the room look bigger than it really was. There were a lot of tables crowded in close together, so I can imagine if one were to go during busier times, it would feel like it was nothing but wall to wall people, with no sense of intimacy.

Also, everything dish on the menu is written in Italian, so telling the server what you want to order may be a little more difficult. Luckily there are descriptions of each dish under their names, so you can just read off the description if your Italian is a little rusty.

The meals are served with complimentary bread and an olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixture. Although the oil vinegar mixture was a bit tart, it was still full of flavor and not too filling, so plenty of room left for the entrees to come.

Unfortunately, all soups or salads are an extra cost with an entrée, and they aren’t cheap. Patrons are looking at paying an extra four dollars or more for this accompaniment to their meal. I didn’t try any of these, wanting to make sure I had room for dessert later, but I hear the minestrone soup is delicious.

Pasta dishes are the way to go when choosing an entrée. I had the Fettuccine con Pollo alla Romana, which is a dish of fettuccine noodles with chicken in a white wine reduction sauce. There were sweet onions and peppers sautéed and mixed in that added a little zing to ever bite. There are also classic pasta dishes to choose from, including spaghetti and gnocchi.

A little interesting fact about the menu is there are no dessert options. The restaurant changes the options regularly. All the desserts are made from scratch daily, so no worries about getting a piece of cake that tastes like a freezer. All the desserts cost $6, which is a reasonable price for the giant serving you get. I recommend getting the tiramisu, layers of lady fingers soaked in espresso and sweet whipped cream sprinkled with cocoa powder. This is a delicious after dinner treat accompanied with a fresh cup of coffee.

Throughout the meal, we were attended to regularly, except for a small amount of time after we finished our entrees, when our server disappeared. We went without refills on our drinks and had to wait a while to order our desserts. Once she came back though, the service picked back up.

Over all I would say the dining experience was worth it. I recommend this for everything from a nice dinner out to a good place for a business meeting. It’s professional, intimate, and can even be a little romantic when with the right company.

Location…………………………………………	416 South Ave Springfield, MO 65806
Phone……………………………………………	(417) 866-0007
Hours……………………………………………	11a.m.-10p.m. M-Th, 11a.m.-11p.m. F-Sa, Closed Sun
Take Reservations………………………………	Yes
Price-Appetizer ………………………………...	$4-$11
Price-Entrée……………………………………..	$11-$18
Price-Dessert……………………………………	$6

Stumbling across Il Volo

I was killing time and flipping through the channels on TV today, and I came across something that blew me away. PBS was airing a concert that took place at the Detroit Opera House on December seventh of last year. The featured performance was a band named Il Volo.

Il Volo consists of three teenage tenor Italian boys. They have already taken over Europe and they are making their way across the United States. These boys have talent that is very rarely seen, especially being so young.

The members are Piero Barone (17) Ignazio Boschetto (16) and Gianluca Ginoble (16). They were discovered on an Italian television talent show, and have taken off since then. They sing everything from classic operatic to American classics such as “Smile”.

There really are no words to describe the immaculate power of their voices. When collaborative they have an overwhelming power to be able to move their audience emotionally and physically. Their voices are crystal clear, on tone, and they each add individual personality to each piece they sing. Even if you aren’t into Italian music, you can’t help but be floored by the control they have over their voices as well as their disciplined registers.

However, you don’t have to take my word for it. See for yourself.

mmmmm, coffee coffee coffee

Anymore, walking down the aisles at the grocery store, trying to choose coffee is ridiculous. There are so many different brands out there, each with a variety of flavors, some costing upwards of $10.00 for a 12 ounce bag. But is spending the extra money really worth it?

I spent some time over the weekend comparing two different coffees, seeking which one really is more consumer and coffee drinker friendly. Seeing as coffee is practically pumping through my veins on a regular basis, I wanted to know how to get more bang for my buck.

 

I compared Dunkin’ Donuts Original Blend with Folgers House Blend coffee, two coffees I drink on a regular basis. Between them, I paid attention to price, texture, aroma, flavor and strength. I used the same amount of water and the same amount of coffee with each brew in order to control the trials.

Starting with price, I have to say, although I enjoy the Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, it’s hard to spend ten dollars on a 12 ounce bag. Folgers is most definitely more friendly to my bank account at its five dollars for a ten ounce container. Regardless, I had to know if being frugal was really worth it.

When making the coffee, I noticed the Dunkin’ Donuts was ground much more finely than the Folgers. Also, the Dunkin’ Donuts had a richer color. Folgers seemed to still have pieces of the bean shell in the grounds, which may cause issues during the brewing process.

I also noticed the Dunkin’ Donuts coffee had a more pleasant aroma. Just smelling the coffee gave me a jolt. I like my coffee strong, so this was very pleasing to me. The Folgers had a more bitter aroma to it, which was odd, since it’s a medium roast coffee; typically, the darker the roast the more bitter the smell.

The Dunkin’ Donuts coffee had a deep flavor. It was robust, but not overpowering. Folgers, however, tasted more watered down. In order to get the heavier flavor I enjoy, I needed to add more coffee to the filter before I brewed. However, the Folgers did have a more pleasant aftertaste, with a hint of cinnamon.

Now, the most important part: strength. To anyone who drinks coffee on a regular basis, this is crucial when selecting a brand. I prefer my coffee strong, but not so strong I’m going to shake out of my clothes after only one cup. Dunkin’ Donuts hit the nail on the head with this one. After only one cup I could feel the zing of energy, I was alert and the coffee was effective. Folgers, however, left something to be desired. The only way to get it close to an equivalency with Dunkin’ Donuts would be to eat the grounds straight. It was weak, and not worth the damage to my kidneys to attempt to drink as much as I would need to get the end result I would like.

In the end, I would pick the Dunkin’ Donuts. Although it can be almost double the price, there are two more ounces per purchase and less coffee used in the brewing process. Folgers may be half the price, but you have to use twice as much to get a descent end result. Looks like it’s Dunkin’ Donuts for this coffee connoisseur from now on.