Travelrific® Travel Journal
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Spinach Capital Hosts Festival
By Linda Tancs
Popeye, the fictional sailor of comic strip and other media fame, certainly made spinach look cool when he sang “I’m strong to the finich cause I eats me spinach.” The folks in Lenexa, Kansas would no doubt agree with that sentiment. Part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the city once dubbed the “spinach capital of the world” pays homage to this super green with a super-sized salad and a recipe contest. This year’s Spinach Festival takes place on 10 September from 9 to 5 at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park. Not into greens, you say? No worries. The annual event is equal parts art, crafts and antiques, from stained glass to puzzle boxes to copper tree art.
Life on the Farm
By Linda Tancs
Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas depicts a bygone era. The 12-acre property, designed to depict a turn-of-the-century family farm, has almost 200 animals, vegetable and flower gardens, a one-room schoolhouse and more. Re-named in 1985 in honor of a police officer killed in the line of duty, the aim of the farmstead is to preserve the traditions of the Kansas family farm, a way of life fast disappearing. Children can enjoy the experience of bottle feeding baby goats, milking a cow and taking a horse drawn wagon ride through the woods. The facility opens for the season on 1 April. Reservations are accepted for parties and tours.
Getting Back Into Dodge
By Linda Tancs
The Old West town of Dodge City, Kansas inevitably evokes images of saloons and shootouts. The violent history underlying the early settlement of Boot Hill, in particular, can be imagined while strolling through the old cemetery and its memorials to cowboys both known and unknown. Given its legendary past, it’s easy to understand why the denizens of the day would be eager to get out of Dodge. Today all that gore gives way to gaming with Boot Hill’s casino and resort, the first state-owned and operated gambling hall in Kansas. Phase 1 of the project now offers 580 slot machines and thirteen table games including such standards as blackjack, craps, roulette and poker. Phase 2 of the resort, slated for a December 2011 opening, will feature a hotel, day spa, two more restaurants and lounges, and more game space to lose–er, donate–your cash. A veritable hodgepodge to get you back into Dodge.
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The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
