Once upon a time in September, I stayed with Amber and her husband Matt in Kansas City for three weeks. Once upon a time right now, I wrote up a few final Kansas City memories.
(I apologise in advance for the scattered nature of my writing in this post. Lisa and I were out until 3am last night/this morning at a shadow cast screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show [hilarious!], and today I attended an International Festival of Authors event. Me = tired in my mindhead.)
1. New Theatre Restaurant
I was thrilled to be invited by Amber’s utterly lovely parents to attend their regular dinner theatre adventure (with Amber too, of course) at the New Theatre Restaurant. After being served a vibrant salad appetizer and partaking in an extravagant buffet spread with options as diverse as cauliflower cheddar gratin, baked polenta with marscapone cheese, steak, chicken cacciatore, buttered baby carrots, buttered green beans, black bean salsa, and breaded fish, we laughed and laughed our way through Social Security, a play headlined by I Dream of Jeannie herself, Barbara Eden.
To add extra smiles to the night, intermission saw the arrival of an apple cobbler and a chocolate cobbler, the latter of which was like a chocolate fondant with a molten middle, topped with crunchy toffee and almonds. (You all know how I feel about toffee and nuts.) Thank you, Cheryl and Ken, for allowing me to be your guest for the night. It meant so much to me.
2. The Mystery Train Dinner Theatre
What’s better than one dinner theatre adventure? Two dinner theatre adventures! To thank Amber and Matt for hosting me in their gorgeous abode, I bought us tickets to The Mystery Train for my final night in Kansas City.
The Mystery Train is an interactive murder mystery wherein, at the close of each scene, meals are served while the cast/suspects wander amongst the guests spreading gossip, answering questions (bribery helped) and, sometimes, trying to cover their tracks. It was rather fun and, as a bonus, our vegetarian meal was surprisingly delicious. Corn and wonton chips with black bean dip, spring green salad with hazelnut vinaigrette, penne pasta with a roasted vegetable tomato sauce, and a brownie tart to finish.
3. Assorted Snapshots of Deliciousness Unrelated to Any Dinner Theatre
Sweet rich creamy mango lassi at Korma Sutra. See also: red onion attempting to flee for its life from my plate.
More Ghenghis Khan self-created stir-fry shenanigans! Loved that place.
This photo was taken right before I spilled some of my deeply-roasted-lovely Parisi coffee directly onto my white shirt. It took me half an hour to notice I’d been walking around with coffee on my shirt. What can I say? I’m clearly the cool kid everyone wants to emulate.
4. Cozy Night the First, aka Raw Vegan Sushi and Kimchi Night
Do you know what is super fun? Making raw vegan sushi filled with jicama-parsnip-sunflower-seed rice in the company of Amber and Hillary (we also made normal vegetarian sushi and inari pockets).
Homemade kimchi is also awesome, particularly when eaten atop vibrant green things. Yay healthful snacks!
5. Cozy Night the Best, aka Hello There Brad Pitt
Freshly-popped popcorn with melted Earth Balance, chilli flakes, and nutritional yeast.
Soulsister.
Interview with the Vampire, for the first time.
Newly-bought sweet-smoky incense, curlicues of smoke spiraling up into the air.
Laughter, whispers, smiling, together.
Miss you, Amber.
Kimchi, greens and nooch? Looks perfecto!
It’s weird to see a plate with steak on your blog.
AND I can’t believe you hadn’t seen Interview with the Vampire until recently! Shock! Horror! Better late than never I suppose
1. Yep, knew you’d like that.
2. Sometimes you just go with the flow.
3. All my life, I have responded to Tom Cruise’s face with revulsion and an extra side of shudder. Even back with he was with Nicole Kidman and was somewhat hiding the crazy. Ergo I have long avoided any movie with him in it.
I must admit, when I was pregnant, the BEST tasting thing ever was a medium rare steak.
My level of loathing for Tom Cruise and his smug face is through the roof and then some. Ew he honestly makes me vomit in my mouth a little, so I totally understand your premise there. Never watch Eyes Wide Shut.
I’m so glad someone understands. I’ve had so many people try to convince me that, despite everything, he’s still a great actor, but they seem to miss the fundamental point: I can’t stomach his face. However, I did enjoy Interview with the Vampire, so I guess I can sometimes do the stomaching.
You know he made a good Lestat, though! Don’t deny it
Ack I never got to finish The Vampire Lestat though!
Love that last photo. Sounds and looks like the perfect night in!
You can see Amber lighting the incense just at the right edge
I didn’t notice that before! Nice little flame action going on.
You light up every scene
Your sushi looks delicious and far more professional than mine. I attribute that to you having a chef to help you out
I am also intrigued by this concept of dinner theatre. I think I’m missing out – I have never experienced such a delight. I’m so glad you got to experience it multiple times, and that you got good food to round it out.
Wow, thanks for that vote of confidence. “Your sushi looks so good! You must have had someone else do it for you!”
My own self-esteem couldn’t cope with the alternative
Well, your self-esteem can skyrocket now. Amber and Hillary totally rolled all the sushi.
I have never been to a dinner theatre! We have one in ATL that’s a murder mystery dinner… you’ve inspired me to actually look into it.
It’s definitely worth looking into, but here’s my advice: if you do it, make sure you’re prepared to really throw yourself into it. It’s not as much fun if you sit back and don’t get involved
But…but…this CAN’T be your last Kansas City post! Please say it isn’t so!
This makes me miss you all the more terribly. I’d give anything to be in Toronto enjoying some fun times with you and Lisa. (As long I could bring a good coat.) So, when are you coming back?
I wish it wasn’t! But I’m mostly down to the photos that aren’t for public consumption
I wish you could be here too; it’s getting very, very cold, and we could take in the fresh air together when life feels a bit scary and overwhelming. (P.S. Except don’t come right now because, well, hurricane.
STAY SAFE!
What a trip you’ve having – how are you not the size of a house?
….or even a tent???
Perhaps I’m like the Weasleys’ tent in Harry Potter.
Chomp chomp chomp I would catch that sneaky red onion!
Barbara Eden looks good, although her cheek appears mysteriously shaped.
I don’t want to snark on someone’s choices, no matter how much I personally disagree with them, but yes, there did appear to have been a lot of mysterious shaping.
love the look of that sushi!
A dinner theatre? That is spectacular
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
A murder mystery dinner!? Sounds so fun!! Love murder mystery themes, love the theatre and of course, love dinner. ps. made your pumpkin oatmeal for brek this morning,was delish:)
Oh hurrah! Thank you for letting me know
And yes, it was a fun night!
I love murder mysteries! And even better is when the food is actually good with them!
We both know that if you held such a night as this, it would blow the one I attended out of the water
I just love theatre/dinner nights. There should be more of them. How wonderful to see Barbara live on stage. I was just thinking of her yesterday as Alfie asked, ‘What’s a genie’. And I had to explain it to him and so told him about one of my favourite TV shows from my childhood. I wondered what Barbara was doing these days. Glad to hear she’s still performing xx
*gasp* You explained a genie via I Dream of Jeannie instead of Aladdin? Oh no!
I Dream of Jeannie was a bit before my time, but I do remember sometimes catching episodes of it and Bewitched after school 
Sweet post
raw sushi? What is this crazy rice you speak of? I haven’t’ seen Interview with he Vampire either. I think I should.
Heidi xo
You know how cauliflower rice is delicious, made from raw cauliflower (or sauteed, with flavourings)? By using parsnip, jicama, sunflower seeds, rice wine vinegar, and a little cane sugar, you can make incredible raw sushi rice
P.S. I still like Disney more
genius, truly! & yeah, Disney fo life!
Heidi xo
sorry about the fo…
It’s lovely to go out, isn’t it? But, often the best and most memorable times are simple, cosy nights at home with friends and/or family!
how exciting to see barbara eden in a play and the mystery on the train sounds fun too – lots of good food but my heart goes out to the chocolate cobbler (and your coffee spill explains why I avoid wearing white if possible)
But I thought you don’t drink coffee? Therefore you should be able to wear white all the time!
oh there are so many other drinks and foods I can spill down my front – anything with tomato always looks fluro
What a wonderful trip you’re having, great friends, cool food and fun.