As I wrote yesterday about our adventure in Kansas City, we were fortunate enough to visit the city during First Friday in The Crossroads area. What a funky place and what a funkier night!
First Fridays are obviously the first Friday of every month from 6:00-10:00 p.m. when the galleries and many other businesses in this area stay open and showcase art and artists. We started early at Mary’s, a great diner/bar. We both ate burgers but I was also eyeing The Med, a falafel pattie in a pita with cucumber and mint. Next visit, I guess. Our waitress was a great tour guide as well. She put us on to the Christopher Elbow experience. She also mentioned Peregrine Honig’s shop. (Anyone else a fan of Work of Art on Bravo?) I jotted down directions and we headed that way.
I had no idea what to expect and was excited that we would see her art work. I was totally surprised when we walked into Birdies (her shop) and we were confronted with lots of expensive lingerie. I was quietly browsing the great items that she offers (while my husband lounged about) when Peregrine herself breezed in, told me that I was wearing the wrong size bra, whisked me off to a dressing room, and rushed a swimsuit, four or five bras and four or five panties at me. She is really sweet and she definitely knows her stuff—she told me she can tell your bra size from looking at your wrist. Although we didn’t buy any lingerie there (it was a bit pricey for me but it was quality), my husband did purchase eat.shop kansas city, a book that I think will be indispensable to us on our upcoming trips there (or trips to any city–see the website.)
Then, it was almost time for the galleries to open and the craziness to begin. Some galleries were so packed that we felt like cattle being moved through a shoot. So, we typically stayed in the streets and observed artists, eccentrics, musicians, jugglers, astronomers, fashionistas, Flamenco dancers, and speed sketchers. It was a great time but on the next visit we will find a couple of bar stools somewhere, stake our claim, and head out into the streets around 8:30. By then, it seemed like the crowds had thinned—so, the strollers were gone, the women with sensible shoes and Vera Bradley bags were disappearing, and the really interesting people were about.
Around 9:30, we ended up at The Freight House. We had already eaten at Jack Stack on a previous visit so we were lucky enough to grab the last table in the bar at Grunauer. After being out in the heat since almost 7:00, we really appreciated the cold beer here. It was packed as well.
I would not have been aware of all the galleries (especially those in the back alleys of The Crossroads) if it had not been for First Friday. I have some favorites that we will visit on our next trip—perhaps when it is not quite so crowded.
