Sunday, September 23, 2012

The Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City Is A World-Class Museum With A Home Town Feel

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The Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City
Not many things take me by surprise, but my recent visit to The Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City did just that.

When I decided to check out the museum, I pictured myself entering a small building filled with a boring collection of old, dusty toys and a few miniatures for viewing. 

I could not have been more wrong.  This facility is a world-class museum filled with more fascinating items than I could ever begin to describe.

First of all, the massive collection of priceless toys and miniatures is housed in the gorgeous 38-room Tureman Mansion, which was designed by architect John McKechnie and completed in 1911 for prominent Kansas City physician Dr. Herbert Tureman and his family.

Entering the Toy and Miniature Museum
The home sits majestically back from the street atop a hill on the western edge of the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) campus and has its own interesting history.

Nell Donnelly, wealthy owner of the Donnelly Garment Factory, and her husband were leasing the mansion in 1931 after Dr. Tureman passed away. 

On December 16 of that year, Donnelly and her chauffeur, George Blair, were kidnapped at gunpoint from the driveway of the home and held for ransom in Bonner Springs.  To everyone’s relief, both were rescued two days later with the help of James A. Reed, a local politician and attorney, and John Lazia, a Kansas City mob boss.

In 1966, UMKC became the owner of the Tureman Mansion when Marie Tureman passed away and left the home to the university. 

A View of Tureman Mansion From The Street
The Toy and Miniature Museum moved into the building in 1982 and has since expanded twice to its current size of 33,000 square feet.

The museum was created by Mary Harris Francis and Barbara Marshall.  Both women were avid collectors, but Francis liked collecting antique dollhouses while Marshall enjoyed miniatures. 

Eventually, their individual collections grew so large that they were urged to open a museum.  In 1979, they formed a not-for-profit foundation and the Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City was born.

Francis and Marshall also had assistance from Jerry Smith, who was a Kansas City Buick dealer before his retirement, and a passionate toy collector himself.  Many of his priceless toys and commercial pieces are also displayed within the museum’s walls.

When you enter the building, you are greeted by a docent.  This is nice because you get an idea of what you will be seeing and learn details about some of the museum’s oldest, most interesting, and most unusual pieces.

The toy collection, which spans the first and second floors of the mansion, includes one-of-a-kind antique dollhouses, mechanical toys, teddy bears, board games, child-sized kitchen and home appliances, furniture, foreign toys, specialized collections and much more.

The largest dollhouse in the museum, known as the Coleman House, stands nine feet tall and seven feet wide.  It originally belonged to the prominent Coleman family from Lebanon, Pennsylvania and appears to have had gas lighting and running water at one time. 

Georgiana is the oldest doll in the museum and dates back to the 1750s.  She is made of wood, has glass eyes, and even sports a wig made from human hair. 

As you walk from gallery to gallery, you slowly realize how many items are actually in the museum’s inventory.  There are collections of cars, trains, planes, circus toys and patriotic items, which include George and Martha Washington dolls along with a number of Uncle Sam collectibles. 

There is a room devoted to numerous Noah’s Arks with animals, a collection of toy soldiers, cowboys and Indians, jungle animals, tea sets, fire memorabilia, paper dolls, banks, churches – including a lovely wood church made by a German cabinet maker, a large grouping of Star Wars dolls and figures, which was the most successful movie-related toy line ever, and the list goes on.

Additionally, the museum houses one of the largest marble collections in the world.  An entire space is devoted to marble art, marble games, marble jewelry, marble contraptions, and drawers full of marbles of all sizes and designs for visitors to examine.

And if you are a Barbie fan, the museum has a special Barbie exhibit running through 2012.  In this gallery, you are able to view the very first Barbie and everything else Barbie you can imagine, including a Barbie dictionary, records, jewelry, purses, puzzles, and even Barbie dolls wearing gowns created by famous designers Vera Wang and Bob Mackie.

I learned a lot about Barbie by walking through this exhibit.  For example, did you know that Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, that her hometown is Willows, Wisconsin, that she is the oldest of seven siblings, and that she has had more than eighty careers since she was created in 1959?

In fact, Barbie has been such a sensation over the years that the Mattel Toy Company has used more than 105 million yards of fabric creating Barbie fashions, which makes them one of the largest apparel manufacturers in the world.

After you finish looking at all the toys in the museum, it is time to check out all the fascinating miniatures displayed on the first floor.

There are miniature homes complete with everything that you would find in a full-sized house.  There are tiny instruments, books, jewelry, cameras, clocks, needlepoint pieces, paintings, animals and everything else you can imagine.

What I found most interesting about the miniature area of the museum was the room lined with microscopes.  When you look into each of the microscopes, you are able to see miniature pieces that you can barely distinguish with your naked eye  - such as intricate designs created on the head of a straight pin. 

Also in the miniature section of the museum is a film showing how artists create their tiny pieces of art and a small display that shows you step by step how a miniature violin is created and pieced together.

Overall, there are so many items to look at in the Toy and Miniature museum that it is truly hard to take it all in at one time. 

You should know that if you leave before seeing everything, the museum allows you to return the same day with your paid admission receipt and reenter at no charge, which I actually recommend.

You can spend the morning enjoying the huge toy collection.  Then, take a break and head to one of the nearby yummy Plaza restaurants for lunch. 

After you have given your brain a break and made your stomach happy, return to the museum in the afternoon ready to absorb the magnificence of the miniature collection on display.

While in the museum, be sure to also check out the fireplaces and beautiful woodwork in several of the rooms.  This gives you an idea of how opulent the museum was when it was a private residence.

At the end of your day at the museum, if you are still wanting more, there is a fun gift shop to look through which contains toys, trinkets, jewelry, dolls and more for you to purchase.

A Giant Windup Bear on the Lawn of the Museum
Note that the Toy and Miniature Museum does not allow photos, a guide can be arranged for tour groups, it is not a good place to take young kids, and kids under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Ticket prices are $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and full-time students, $5 for children 5-12, and free for children under 5, museum members, and students, faculty and staff of UMKC.

The Toy and Miniature Museum is located at 5235 Oak and is open Wednesday – Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.  They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.





Monday, September 17, 2012

Unk's Burgers In Lee's Summit Is Serving Up Some Tasty Patties

A Traditional Unk Burger With Seasoned Fries
A flavorful burger, old-fashioned hospitality and reasonable prices are what I discovered when I recently visited Unk's Burgers in Lee's Summit.

I decided to try Unk's after I repeatedly kept hearing people say, "You've got to go there.  They have one of the best burgers in town," and for the most part, I agree with that statement.

Opened in November 2011 by Jesse "Unk" Mack, what makes the burgers different at this family-run establishment is onion and seasonings.  Unk's Burgers adds onion and a special seasoning mixture directly to their hamburger when they make the patties so that their unique taste is infused into the entire burger - not just added to the outside of the patty while it cooks.

That being said, onion haters do not fear.  They will make your hamburger without onion if you request it that way.  As for the seasoning, I really liked it, but if you are not a person who likes a heavily seasoned burger, Unk's Burgers might not be your favorite.

Serving It Up At Unk's Burgers
I also enjoyed the personal service I received as soon as I walked into the restaurant, which felt a little like walking into a basement rec room converted into an bright urban diner.  I was greeted warmly by one of Unk's family members who happily explained their menu and took my order.

When I was done eating, it was "Unk" himself who rang me up at the register.  He seemed genuinely interested in my dining experience there and what I had to say.  He also seemed appreciative of my business, and with a friendly smile, he welcomed me back to "his place" anytime.

As far as the menu, the selection was not huge, but it didn't need to be. They have their regular and double burgers along with a couple of specialty burgers which include the Sweet Auntie Burger, (topped with bread and butter pickles) and the Bodacious Baked Bean Burger (which drips with homemade turkey baked beans.)

Besides the regular toppings for your burger, they also have some more non-traditional choices like blue cheese, fried egg or fried pickles - if you feel adventurous.

Inside Unk's Burgers
Additionally, if you want to try something other than a traditional burger at Unk's you can order the turkey burger, chicken sandwich (grilled or fried), garden chicken salad or the juicy chicken tenders.

There are also a variety of side items to choose from including two kinds of fries (seasoned or sweet potato), and two kinds of onion rings (beer battered or peppercorn).  I tried the peppercorn onion rings, but they were a little bitter for my liking.

Most of the main entrees are priced from $4.79 - $5.99,  and the majority of the side items cost $2.79, so you could easily eat there for $10-$12.

I would recommend Unk's Burgers as a new place to try.  My personal favorite burger in Kansas City is still Hi-Boy's junior double cheeseburger, and in my opinion, Unk's burgers did not beat that, but Unk's was still pretty tasty and worth checking out if you happen to be in the Lee's Summit area.

Unk's is located in the Summit Shopping Center at 240 NW Oldham Parkway.  Their phone number is 816.600.2277.  Their hours are:

Unk's Burgers In Lee's Summit

11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday


11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday


Closed on Sunday


Unks Burgers on Urbanspoon


Monday, September 10, 2012

Remembering Our Fallen Military Tribute Comes To Kansas City


Remembering Our Fallen Tribute
With September 11 looming on the horizon, I am reminded of the horror of what happened on that day eleven years ago.


I am also reminded of all the brave military men and women who have lost their lives since then.


It is my appreciation of these military personnel that made me drop by the Great Mall of the Great Plains in Olathe this weekend to view the "Remembering Our Fallen" display, which is a "tribute to those who have died as a result of wounds suffered in a war zone, while in uniform, since 9-11-2001."


This particular tribute focuses on fallen Kansas soldiers and Marines, but the "Remembering Our Fallen" organization does do tributes for fallen military from other states as well.


The display at The Great Mall is not large or fancy, but it is extremely touching. As I circled around it, 72 photos looked back at me. That's 72 faces who were sons, spouses, parents, brothers, and more - and who proudly gave their lives for us.


Also attached to many of the photos are personal notes from family members letting them know how much they are missed along with cards from complete strangers thanking these American heroes for their dedication and service.


Perhaps the tribute is particularly touching to me because my oldest son is a Marine veteran who served in Iraq, but I felt it necessary to visit this exhibit just as a way to say thank you to these special people and as a reminder that they may be fallen, but they are not forgotten.


If you would like to check it out for yourself, The "Remembering Our Fallen" tribute will be set up at the Great Mall of the Great Plains through September 12 and was put together by Patriotic Productions, an organization formed by Bill & Evonne Williams of Omaha, Nebraska - whose four sons have all served in the military.


If you would like to learn more about their organization, you can visit their website at rememberingourfallen.org






Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Why Does Best Regards Bakery Stand Out From Other Bakeries In Kansas City?


Goodies From Best Regards Bakery
According to co-owner Robert Duensing, a healthier approach to baking, making everything from scratch and using only the finest ingredients is what makes Best Regards Bakery one of the tastiest stops in Kansas City.

Located in Overland Park, KS, they must be doing something right because both their menu and their customer base continue to expand.

The operation was started 19 years ago by Robert's wife, Cherrie, as a corporate gift basket business, but in 2002, the bakery portion of the business was born when they started making their own chocolate chip cookies to include in their baskets.

Today, their delicious offerings include several varieties of big soft cookies, cupcakes, brownies, gourmet sweet breads, cakes, cinnamon rolls, artisan breads (on Fri. and Sat.), and more at their retail location.

Inside Best Regards Bakery
They have developed and use all of their own recipes and have created their own blend of chocolate.   And because of his unique and flavorful approach to baking, Robert has become known as "The Cookie Guy," a nickname given to him by radio personality Toby Tobin, who happens to be one of Robert's biggest fans.

For a small fee, Best Regards Bakery now even offers classes to the public which include "Healthy Baking With Premium Ingredients," "Artisan Bread and Wine Pairings,"  and "Dessert and Wine Pairings."

I recently attended the Healthy Baking class which focuses on the importance of quality ingredients  (ones that have not been processed and don't include tons of preservatives and additives) and how choosing the best ingredients make all the difference in flavor and texture.

Owners Robert and Cherrie Duensing
During the class, we sampled chocolate cake made with lesser quality ingredients.  Then we tasted the Best Regards chocolate cake, made with premium ingredients.  The difference was unbelievable, and needless to say, the Best Regards chocolate cake was one of the most delicious I have ever eaten - especially the frosting.

At the end of the class, each attendee also left with their own chocolate cake (not just a piece of cake) and the recipe so we could make it at home.

While I was there, I also sampled the French country bread, brownies, and key lime pie.  They were all excellent - bursting with flavor and melting in my mouth.

As far as price, Best Regards is not cheap.  But according to Robert, "People will not pay for mediocrity.  They will pay for quality."

The bakery is also set to begin serving sandwiches soon and possibly other new items in the future.

So, if you're looking for something a little different in a bakery and want to treat yourself, give Best Regards Bakery a try.  Your sweet tooth will thank you for it.

Best Regards Bakery is located at 6759 W. 119 St (just west of the Cheesecake Factory) and their phone number is (913) 782-1505.  Their hours are:

Best Regards Bakery

Monday 7:00 am to 5 pm
Tuesday 7:00 am to 5 pm
Wednesday 7:00 am to 5 pm
Thursday 7:00 am to 5 pm
Friday 7:00 am to 5 pm
Saturday 8:00 am to 2 pm
Sunday          closed




Best Regards Bakery on Urbanspoon