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.

On Reading Extremely Loud

The novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is much like the film. The book is written by Jonathan Safran Foer, and it is written in ergodic form. This is a style designed to pulling the reader into the emotion of the character on the page. The layout of the novel also resembles a scrap book of the main character Oskar Schell.

The story line is much the same as the film. A young boy, Oskar, loses his father in the 9/11 attacks, and he is on a journey to solve the last puzzle he believes his father has left for him. The story follows Oskar on his search, complete with a web of the intertwined characters he meets along the way.

The novel is complete with one aspect the film leaves out. There is a back story of the relationship between Oskar’s grandmother and grandfather, including how they met, how Oskar’s father was conceived, and why Oskar’s grandfather left. Although this story is left out of film, it is hinted at by both characters on the screen. So, even though there is no outright spoken history of their relationship, the complexities between the two are still implied.

Overall, I would have to suggest seeing the film before reading the novel. I spoke to a few different people who have read, or attempted to read the novel first; they claimed to have felt lost throughout their attempt. They also said they experienced a sense of confusion due to the haphazard layout of the novel. I can understand why they would feel this way. However, seeing the film first, then reading the novel, gave me a good idea of the flow of the story. I found myself having “ah-ha” moments or saying “ooohhhh!” while reading through the text. I’m not disappointed in the film, but I believe I would have been if I were to have read the novel first due to all that was left out. However, seeing the film first, I can see why they left out what they did.

In The Presence of The Iron Lady

Bewilderment, empathy, sorrow, these are all emotions one will feel after watching Phyllida Lloyd’s The Iron Lady. However, these are not emotions that were felt by Maryl Streep’s character, Margaret Thatcher. Streep portrayed a cold, hard woman who was not interested in the lives of her nation’s people, but in the future betterment of her nation as a whole. Thatcher opened doors for women in Britain that had never been opened before, yet she was never interested in how far she could go as a woman, but how far she could go as a politician. In one of the first scenes, when a young woman is thanking Thatcher for all that she has done, Thatcher replies back, “It used to be about trying to do something, not it is about trying to be someone.”

Screen Writer, Abi Morgan riddled the movie with flashback scenes that leave the audience with a sense of confusion at many points, uncertain how this scene of that scene are going to fit into the film later on. The faster snap flash backs are more unnecessary than anything else, and they play with the timing and lineation of the movie in ways that may be difficult to determine. However, I have to hand it to Lloyd. She was able to confuse the audience member just as much as Streep’s character is throughout the film.

The film flips back and forth between a current day Thatcher and her need to make difficult personal decisions and her younger years when she had to make difficult political decisions. It reveals the home life Thatcher had to give up in order to make a change in her nation, and the time she lost with her children and her husband. It covers the condemnation she experience when she made decisions during times of recession and times of war. It covers the love her nation felt for her when she was rallying and running for Parliament and Prime Minister, as well as the physical changes she had to undergo in order to be taken seriously among her peers. The film also covers her difficulty with her husband’s death as well as her recovery after multiple mild strokes. It’s a classic tale of turning nothing into something and the sacrifices that must be made in order to achieve one’s goals.

Lloyd was able to play with the speed and overlapping lines in one particular scene that truly gave the viewer a sense of what was going through Thatcher’s mind. After she visits the neurologist, she has a constant run of flashbacks while present day people try to talk to her. The chaos within the scene is a demonstration of what must be going on within Thatcher’s mind. There is a sense of anxiety and urgency felt within you that makes you want to run screaming from the room; and I’m sure Thatcher felt the same way when she was plagued with her confusion and hallucinations as side effects of her grief and her current health.

In film, one of the hardest things to execute can be portraying a real life character. There isn’t much room to move creatively goes, and historical accuracy is always important. Streep pulls off a remarkable likeness to Thatcher as does the rest of the cast in their portrayal of those in Thatcher’s life. Margret Thatcher in her younger years was portrayed by Alexandra Roach. This is Roach’s first full-length silver-screen flick and she was a perfect pick for the role. She had an essence of meekness and frailty about her that made her aggressive, educated voice more shocking than it would have been from someone with more assertive features. Her overall performance was well executed and kept a likeness to Streep’s version of Thatcher.

A common theme throughout the film was terrorism-- an act of terrorism had recently been committed at the beginning of the film, Thatcher also experience acts of terrorism against herself as well as her colleagues during her time in Parliament. These acts of terrorism were parallels of what Thatcher was feeling within herself. Throughout the film, everyone around her is telling her how she should live her life; she has lost all control of her life, much like those involved in the attacks. She was taking suggestions from her daughter to see the doctor or from the house help to organize her schedule as seizure of her rights to take care of herself.

Overall, The Iron Lady wasn’t horrible, but it left something to be desired as far as organization goes. Thatcher’s story is remarkable, and even if someone doesn’t agree with her politics, it’s still noteworthy what she did for Britain and its relationship with Ronald Reagan and the United States. This is true regardless of how heartless or merciless Thatcher may come off.

Decorate Your Cake and Eat It Too

Cupcakes, that is. The Park Central Greene County Library hosted a “How-To Decorate Cupcakes” course as part of their “How-To” class series, which they hold once a month. These are free classes that start at seven p.m. and are open to the public.  Friday, Feb 17, cupcake artist Lindsay Arnold showed fellow Springfield residents simple ways to dress up a yummy dessert.

Starting out, Ms. Arnold addressed the class, explaining everything from the proper way to fill a cupcake to what types of food coloring to use when baking and preparing frosting. (Gel food coloring, found at Hobby Lobby and Michaels.) She was also full of fun facts about these yummy treats. For instance, cupcakes do not need to be sweet. There are such things as a maple syrup bacon cupcake, as well as a white chocolate wasabi cupcake. Also, Arnold is an advocate of not baking from scratch. I must say, I agree with her. Why waste most of your time buying and prepping ingredients for something that is already prepared for the average consumer, plus, mixes mean less mess. Arnold also suggested using Martha Stewart's cupcake decorating ideas, but using mixes in place of Stewart’s made from scratch recipes.

Arnold went on to demonstrate to the class how to use a pastry bag to pipe icing on to a cupcake “just like milking a cow”. She proceeded to explain how to make simple decorations using things such as pre-prepared fondant decorations cut into fun shapes (snowflakes, stars, dinosaurs) colored on with food coloring pens. (No worries, these pens are kosher; it says so on the label.)

After about a 20 minute lecture on how to decorate cupcakes and the different ways to dress up flavors, using fruit preserves and extracts, Arnold left us with one piece of advice. “Practice, practice, practice, you’ll get it down.” Finally, the patrons of the class were allowed to decorate their own cupcakes.  This was the fun part. Everyone from small children to elderly ladies were up on stage piling buttercream icing onto their personal cakes. The smiles were endless as the crowd indulged themselves in the delectable sweetness of a beloved dessert. My favorite was the yellow cupcake with the strawberry buttercream icing, topped with sprinkles, of course. Let us eat cake!

This experience was fun, free and for all ages. I highly recommend looking into what else the Park Central Library has to offer.