hello, mr. rabbit

lindsey louise. 25 years of age, resides in kansas city mo, vegetarian, photographer, social worker, designer.http://www.lindseypeknik.com

[hellomrrabbit]

book share: what i'm reading in march 2020

Hello and wow… it has been a moment.

I’m still here. And I’m still reading! Well, not as much as 2018 or 2019. I reduced my 2020 yearly reading goal down from 200 books to 100.. and I am already behind 2 books. We’ll see.

I am picking up the pace with reading this month. March is a huge variety of texts for me. I am reading poetry, YA, graphics, etc. The weather is getting nicer, and while you may think one would read more in the winter, I actually read more when it’s nice outside. My favorite thing right when I get off work when it’s warm is to take a blanket and a drink to a park near my house and grab the book I am reading. I honestly stay until sundown sometimes.

Here is everything I am reading in March.

American Royals by Katerine Mcgee. A world with an American royal family? This new YA series follows different story lines of the royal family, filled with drama, politics... from what I have read people say it reads like Gossip Girl. This is the first in the series. I reserved this on audio-book and I am excited to read it this month!

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell. Simon and Baz are back! And I have been waiting to read this follow up to Carry On. Carry On was the fan fic that Cath was writing in Fangirl… following along?! You don’t have to read Fangirl to follow with the Simon and Baz books though, just think a more fun (and gay) Harry Potter.

The Book of Ichigo Ichie by Hector Garcia. If you know me, you know I am really not the biggest fan of self-help books. Actually, I usually can't stand them. I see this as more of a cultural book though, then self-help. Ichigo Ichie is the art of making the most of every moment, and really focusing on being present and remembering you only live these moments.. once. I have enjoyed this book so much so far, and I am excited to finish up the final chapter I am on!

Snapdragon by Kat Leyh. This graphic novel follows Snap, a young adult who believes there is a witch in town. Snap meets Jacks, a loner elderly women who sells roadkill skeletons online. Together, Snaps and Jacks learn a lot about friendship, love, being yourself, and magic.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord. I checked this out from the library because I have heard amazing things. This is another YA contemporary romance that will probably be captured by Netflix for a movie soon. There are Pepper and Jack, who get into a Twitter war over a grilled cheese recipe and it goes viral. Somehow these two also fall in love? Whatever is it, I am excited and it sounds cute.

The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O’Neil. MY FAVORITE GRAPHIC NOVEL EVER HAS A SECOND BOOK! This is our favorite characters all grown up with their tea dragons! Seriously, just read this. If you haven't read the first one, read book. You will transcend into the void of happiness and tranquility.

Empty Bottle Full of Stories by R.H. Sin and Robert Drake. These are two very popular poets I have not read much of. Many people say their work is very inspiring, fresh, and impactful. We'll see!

Emergency Contact by Mary Choi. I started this YA contemporary awhile ago, but I never finished it. I will this month! This novel is about a girl named Penny who heads to her first year of college. She meets Sam, who works at a cafe and also lives there. Both are striving to do creative things with their lives, both feeling stuck where they are at. They end up swapping numbers and communicating via text, without being in person.

Hot House by Karyna Mcglynn. I do not read modern poetry often. Which I realized was odd. I decided to read two new poetry collections this month, this text being one of them. I picked this out because I heard about McGlynn's use of psyche, lush imagery, and violent fantasies.

[hellomrrabbit]

transitioning to zero waste: first thoughts

I always I was doing “pretty well” when it came to reusing and recycling. I buy second hand a lot, I don’t use straws, I have a reusable water bottle, I don’t eat meat/much dairy, I recycle at home… I thought the things I already do were “good enough”. I have even had co-workers, friends, or family praise me for how environmentally conscious I am, and I would feel so uncomfortable when they do. The truth is, I am really not.

Of course I am probably better than some individuals who don’t recycle at home, who eat a lot of fast food/meat products, or who liter. What I am saying is that somehow I have made an image around me saying that “Hello, I care about the Earth, like a lot!” without putting forth extra effort to be able to really say that. Which is why I am saying here today! I am transitioning into a zero waste lifestyle… or I am going to try my hardest.

After watching countless Youtube videos, documentaries about the Earth literally dying, and those sad pictures of animals around liter I have decided this is a good switch for me. It will be hard, but I really think it won’t be as dramatically hard as some perceive it to be. I will be transitioning over the next month. I have already started shopping zero waste, which let me tell you.. that was eyeopening. But, I’ll save that for a later post.

Below is a picture of a few lists I made in my journal earlier this week when I decided to make the switch.

[hellomrrabbit]

favorite reads of 2018

    Seeing as we have almost been in 2019 for a whole month, I thought it was about time to post my BEST books of 2018 (you know, before we continued too far into the year). I made this list while I was on winter break, but never sat down to write up a blog post about it. Finally, after some times of trying to even, I am sitting down to write this! Woo!

Last year was a HUGE year for me with reading. Not as big as in 2017 when I rediscovered my love for all things graphic and YA again, but I read a ton more than I have in a long time. Reading has always been a big part of my life, but when I was in my undergrad, I pretty much only  had time to read required text for my classes.  During that time I was also really into non-fiction,  which is awesome, but I hardly read any new fiction.  The last two years I felt like I was catching up on about four years of fiction releases!  

  Since I’ve pretty much met my goal of reading about 200 novels/graphic novels this year,  I don’t really know what kind of gold to set for myself this year.   I think I’m going to keep it about the same, but this year I am going to try to venture into different genres that I normally don’t partake in.  That means fantasy, science fiction,  and Middle-Grade.  It’s not that I don’t enjoy fantasy or science fiction, but a lot of what I have been reading is realistic fiction. I also hardly ever read anything geared towards middle school students or younger, and I feel like I should learn more about that age group and their literature. 

[hellomrrabbit]

weekend trip: omaha, nebraska

As you have probably seen (err, read!), I visit Omaha, Nebraska about once or twice a year. It is such a short drive from Kansas City and is full of interesting things to do. It is a little less than a three hour drive from Kansas City (I know, like what?! So short.) and could even make for a great day trip. Omaha is also especially beautiful in the fall.

This time I revisited many places I have been to before, but also explored a few new places. I went to my favorite bakery in Omaha, a clothing store I love called Hello Holiday, and browsed through the Old Market. These are things I usually do every time I go, but they don’t seem to get old!

I found this diner, Harold’s Koffee Shop, that was highly rated and had an extremely cute and colorful mural across the street (so obviously it was a must to-go!) that we went to on Saturday morning. I think I had the best hash-browns of my life there, and Brad claims he had the best pancake of his life. We found an old Irish bar in the Old Market for an afternoon drink, which turned out to be he cutest bar ever. The bar had a “library” room and it was picture perfect. In between these things we went to a few comic book stores, used bookstores, ate Mexican food, and did some shopping.

As always, I have mapped out my weekend for you! Use the Google Map below to see where I stopped over the weekend.

[hellomrrabbit]

daytrip: eureka springs, arkansas

This year was my second fall weekend trip to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Eureka Springs is a very historical, cute, and possibly haunted small town just past the Missouri state line. This is a perfect weekend getaway from Kansas City, ranging at just about 3 ½ hours away. There are so many bed and breakfasts, historical hotels, and carriage houses in the downtown area. For the second year though, my family and me have been staying in a cabin near Holiday Island. The cabin is full of bear decor and that makes it somewhat charming to me.

While as you can see on the map, my trip did not include many “stops” like they normally do. Instead, we spent a lot of our time (again, like last year) walking around the historical downtown Eureka Springs. I included a few of the shops we went into, where we had lunch and drinks, and a few other stops on the way. But, most of our time was spent at the cabin, where we grilled dinner, played games, and drink pumpkin coffee ale. Like last year, it was a great fall weekend.

[hellomrrabbit]

early horror study: six films for your october evenings

I love horror. I love classic horror. But what I love more is early horror, and when I mean early horror, I mean silent horror films. One of my favorite things to do in the fall is to watch a silent film, light a lot of pumpkin scented candles, cover up in a warm blanket, and drink a pumpkin ale. This ritual just means that it is fall for me.

I have shared a post in the past about this, but now I will be providing a wider list (which attached videos for most) of the oldest horror films known to us. Join me for this little silent adventure, and watch these films this season!

The House of the Devil, 1896.

Directed by Georges Melies, we are presented with a main character who conjures up different supernatural beings from a magical cauldron. The music choice paired with this film is why I choose this one to share. This was produced in France. Running in at about three minutes, this can been debated to be the first horror film ever.

The Haunted Curiosity Shop, 1901.

A British short horror film directed by Walter R. Booth, shows us an older man who works as antique dealer of oddities. Odd and various things appear in his shop, out of a chest. We are presented with tricks and spooky figures for the run time of two minutes. Perfect for a quick watch. The link I have provided does not have any musical elements added to this.

La Mansion Ensorcelee, 1908.

This film I came across from Horror Movie Project. This film is based on travelers coming up to a house in a forest, which is haunted. Unexpected and unexplained things frighten and tease them, ending with a giant demon-like creature having them for lunch (or another meal, or just because). Coming in at six minutes, this is an easy early horror film to watch anytime!

The Avenging Conscience, 1914.

This film is more of a horror drama than others I have posted. This film is based on Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart and Annabel Lee. We start with a young man falling in love, but being prevented from pursuing a courtship with her. The young man ends up killing the man who prevents him from marrying, being haunted by visions of him, and hides the body in a wall. He ends up seeing the ghost of the man, and loses his grip on reality. For fans of Poe and psychological thrillers.

Der Golem, 1915.

Der Golem, or The Golem, was produced in the early 1900's based on a version of the golem legend. This piece takes place in 16th century Prague. The golem statue is brought to life, then falls in love with an antique dealer's wife. The golem goes on a murderous rampage, leaving the town's people in horror and unease.

Rapsodia Satanica, 1917.

Or, Satan's Rhapsody is my favorite silent film and possibly one of my favorite films of all time. I discovered this film five years ago from Tumblr, and every Halloween I give it another watch (or two). I have linked to my favorite share of this film above. This is a tale of an older women who makes a pack with devil to be eternally youthful. She meets two brothers to fall deeply in love with her. One threatens to kill himself if she does not love him, which she chooses the other brother and plays a part in his death. Although our main character plans to marry, the devil turns her into an old women again, never getting to play out her romance.

[hellomrrabbit]

the mile high city

    I go to Colorado more frequently than I probably travel anywhere else. I really enjoy it, not only because I love to go just about anywhere (I mean, have you read about the day trips I go on?!), but because it really does feel so different then where I live. There is so much… nature. And everyone likes nature there. Everyone wears Tevas, athletic clothes at all times of the day, has a dog, goes on hikes, bikes places, and probably eats vegan some of the time. It’s really not like that in Kansas City. Oh, and of course I love the excitement I get when I see the mountains in the background. It still gets me every time.

    When I am in Colorado I feel a lot more relaxed with what I am wearing. Most of the time I’ll go on a hike in the morning and not change all day. That means wearing my Tevas, a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and a backpack for the rest of the day. This is very unlike me. But, not unlike the Colorado me.

    My sister and I decided to head to Colorado for an extended weekend (four days total) when the college I work had a week break for the students. Since I would hardly have work to do since no one would be here, I decided to take an extra day off and take a little vacation.

    I-70 isn’t as bad of a drive as I used to think it was. It’s about 8 hours to where my aunt and uncle live, a little outside of downtown Denver, and it seems to go by pretty quickly. We download podcasts about cults, make playlists, and make stops along the way. This time we stopped at the Garden of Eden in Lucas, Kansas. It’s about the halfway point between Kansas City and Denver. I have always wanted to go, and it did not disappoint! The lawn was filled with figures from the bible, flowers, and even the body of the man who built it (yes, you get to see inside where the man is buried, and his body). It’s only about a twenty minute drive off the highway.

    We went to Boulder Beer Co. the first night we made it into town. I have a new favorite beer, Princess Yum Yum, so I was excited to have that on tap. The next day we had planned to go into downtown Denver. I haven’t spent that much time in Denver, because normally I go into Boulder or up into the mountains, so this was something I was looking forward to. We took the train into Denver and stopped first to get coffee and pastries from the Market at Larimer Square. We split an eclair and a spinach pastry. It was amazing.

    After that we headed to Uniqlo in the mall area for some shopping, since we don’t have one in Kansas City. For lunch, we ate chicken and waffles and a bbq tofu wrap from City O City, a vegan restaurant I was recommended by many people to try. The rest of the day we spent exploring various shops until we stopped for a quick happy hour cocktail by the train station. There was so much to do that I didn’t get to, I will definitely want explore more.

    That night we decided to go back into the city, after having dinner with family, to go to Milk. I had heard so much about this bar that I was very excited to go. We had a lot of fun dancing, paying only a $5 cover for three dance floors and cheap drinks, and then eating at a 24/7 Greek diner at the early hours of the morning.

    Saturday we went to Boulder, which is somewhere I feel like I know so well. The farmer’s market in Boulder is always great, so we walked around while we waited for our table at the Boulder Tea Market, along with an art museum that is free on Saturdays. After lunch we shopped around the Pearl Street Mall and went to a few thrift stores in town. To end our day in Boulder, we drive up to Flagstaff Mountain. The view is great, as it always is.

    I have included a detailed map of everywhere (almost! I did not include the thrift stores because I can't remember their names) I went in Colorado during the few days. As always, let me know if you follow this map the next time you are in the area, or if you have suggestions for the next time I go! 

[hellomrrabbit]

book share: what i'm reading in august, 2018

    August, wow. I can't believe it's August, where did my summer go? Honestly it's fine, this summer has been way too hot and I am ready for chilly mornings and fallen leaves. Mainly, I am ready to wake up in the morning and read a nice book outside on my porch, ideally wrapped in a warm blanket while wearing knit socks. Ah! But that won't come for at least another month or so. 

    While I am over here waiting for cooler days, here is what I am reading during our last month of summer. It's a big mixture this month, like normal though. I checked out a handful of graphic novels from the library, most are pretty new, but some are older (10+ years). I am also excited to be reading The Hate U Give, which I also checked out on audio book from the library, before the Netflix movie comes out. After that is finished, I will also be reading Fangirl on audio book. I have two horror-themed books this month: The Grip of It (fictional story about a haunted house) and The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals (non-fiction about true crime). 

As always, let me know if you read any from my list. We can discuss! 

 (Please click on the cover of each book to read more.) 

[hellomrrabbit]

book share: graphic novels, july 2018

    I really never thought much about graphic novels until I started library school. I had read some graphic novels when I was younger (Scott Pilgrim, etc) but I never considered myself a huge fan. Now., I can’t get enough of them. I am constantly amazed how much illustration does for a story. I love them!

    Being an English student means that you don’t read for fun. I never read anything that wasn’t at least 50 years old for three years. Three years! That’s a long time. At the end of my school career, reading wasn’t really fun for me anymore, it was work. It was very time consuming to read these difficult and often over 150 year old pieces that I was required write extensive papers over.

    When I graduated, I knew I needed a change of habit. I started working my first real job and was often stressed and tired after work. I started reading new non-fiction, which was new for me. Then, I moved to reading collections of story stories, that were recently published as well. I was still hesitate about new fiction though.

    A little over a year later, I quit my full-time job and went to graduate school full-time. I started working in a high school library, which gave me the excuse (and reason) to start reading current fiction. Not only current fiction but also (gasp!) young adult literature and graphic novels.

    I used to nag hard on young adult literature. I mean, in ways I still do. There is a formula to create the essential young adult novel, and most of the literature follows it. But, one thing I never harped on was that these texts are great for… well, young adults, teens, pre-teens. While these texts are great for the audience they are geared toward, I had always been confused why there was such a high reading fan-base beyond teens. Well…. Maybe not every adult wants to read To The Lighthouse or The Sound and the Fury. Maybe they want something that is more of a coming of age novel? I mean, we're still all growing. Thanks Harry Potter for helping adults see the value in young adult fiction.

    Without further ado, I wanted to share some of my favorite graphic novels I have read recently. If you follow my Instagram, most likely you have already seen these choices and heard me talk about them! I will try to keep these recent, and “more unknown” (doubtful still, but I will try) to the typical reader. Let me know your thoughts on picks! I hope to make this a new series, with new graphic novel suggestions every few months.

[hellomrrabbit]

darling, 2015

    My husband found Darling on Netflix earlier this week, when he was looking for a new horror film to watch. Already by seeing the black and white photo of a girl screaming with flipped out hair and cat eyes, I was drawn in. After watching the trailer, I was sure it was destiny that brought me and this movie together. Stylized, highly 1960's eerie horror films are my favorite kind of films ever.

    Our doe-eyed main character starts the film out by meeting with the Madame of the house she will be watching over. She begins by exploring the house, which is so heavily light in contrast with her dark dress. She starts hearing noises and whispers in the house, tries to go into a door that is locked. While out grocery shopping, a man on the street returns an inverted cross necklace to Darling, which she found in the dresser at the house. She believes she knows the man... or is she slowly... losing it?!

    We begin to notice that the whole film seemed to be composed of instant flashbacks, or possible visions of the future. They are a split second, cutting in with flashing lights and terrified looks from the main character, Darling. It's really unsettling to watch, but you don't want to stop either.

    The film is beautiful. It would have never had the same effect shot in color, or even high contrast black and white. The viewer will probably feel uncomfortable and on edge for most/all of the film. There are brief moments when you feel like you can relax, like when the main character was getting ready and lounge music was playing, but then immediately that welcoming feeling is gone and cut in with shrieking violins and eerie noises. I love a film that can pull that welcome feeling away so quickly.

    This film dives much further than creepy whispers and flashing lights, but also psychological  trauma. It’s one of those films where the viewer wonders: were the monsters real, or was it all in their head? And usually, it’s both. I would highly recommend giving Darling a watch, let me know how you like it! 

[hellomrrabbit]

daytrip: sedalia, missouri

    For most, Sedalia is known as the home of the Missouri State Fair. This happens annually (in August, I believe?), although I have never been. Don't get me wrong, I love fairs and deep-fried anything, but the Missouri State Fair just sounds a little... too country for me. I remember a had a chance to go a couple years ago with a few friends who were camping there, but I backed out because it sounded way too hot for that. Maybe some year I'll go, but maybe not. Anyways, there is more (a little, joking!) to Sedalia than the fair. 

    My day trip to Seldlia actually started off because I wanted to go these two thrift stores in Jefferson City that I really enjoyed. I remember going there a few years ago and finding tons of leather shoes. I wanted to go back to see if I could find some amazing pieces again. Realizing that Jefferson City is about 2.5 hours away, I opted for somewhere else that is closer that had great thrift stores: Seldlia, Missouri. Seldlia is about 1.5 hours away from Kansas City, which sounded a lot better.  I have included a map of all the places I stopped at in Central Missouri last Friday. Try your own Seldlia Day Tip! 

    Being me, I spent a good hour a couple days before going researching what to do in Seldlia. I have been there many times, but I wanted to make a day trip out of this. First, I looked up thrift stores. I found over five places that sounded like I would score some great pieces. Five! That's a lot of thrift stores. Unfortunately I found out while in Seldlia that all but one were no longer open anymore. The Salvation Army downtown was the only one still up and running that I could find. I was a little disappointed by this fact, but I also found a vintage store downtown that had a massive collection of vintage clothing for decent prices. 

    Also being me, I wanted to check out the local old-fashion donut shops. I love old-fashion bakeries of any kind, especially old school donut bakeries. Sedalia did not disappoint. We decided to stop at Yummy's Donut and Papa Jake's, but there is also Best Donut located in town. Yummy's was almost all sold out by the time we got there. It is located downtown in what looks like an old Chinese restaurant. Then we went straight over to Papa Jake's, which is outside of downtown. They had the most amazing strawberry and glazed donut with cream-cheese icing called a "Yum Yum". I would highly recommend getting two of those. 

    You should definitely spend some time walking around the downtown area. The historic Sedalia Trust Building is a sight to see! Also Hotel Bothwell and their old-fashion neon sign is a must see. I would love to stay there someday, I wonder how it looks in the rooms?! We spent about an hour walking around downtown, then decided to go to the art museum I had found. The Daum Museum of Contemporary Art was a hidden gem. I was nervous that the collection would be small and mediocre, but I really enjoyed my time here! The museum on the State Fair Community College campus and is free admission. I would recommend allowing up to an hour here. 

    For lunch, because breakfast/snack was donuts, we stopped at the Mighty Melt Sandwich and Spud. This cafe is like something out of the late 90's. The decor looked like an old-fashion soup and salad buffet, it was great. They make their bread in house and have giant baked potatoes. They also serve salads, soups, pizza, and sandwiches. 

    While I have called Sedalia a day trip, I only stayed until a little after lunch until we decided to head back. The closing of the thrift stores is really what shortened my trip. But as always with day trips, and going to "non-desnations, desnations", they are what you make of them! 

    Again, I love to hear stories of people traveling to the places I have suggested. Please drop me a line if you decide to venture out to the home of the Missouri State Fair! 

[hellomrrabbit]

the nancy drew cookbook: clues to good cooking

    To be honest, I didn't know this even existed until I was in Omaha at Jackson Booksellers and my sister showed me the cookbook she found. This was hidden away in the cookbook section, and I would have never found it personally; I don't really look through cookbooks when I am at used bookstores. I am so glad my sister did though, and that is how I ended up with a copy of the 1973 Nancy Drew Cookbook: Clues to Good Cooking. 

    The cookbook is full of themed entrees, desserts, drinks, etc. themed around holidays and seasons. Being from the 1970's and a children's recipe book, the recipes are pretty... simple. Most of the recipes call for only four or five ingredients. Most of the desserts require gelatin and molds, and most of the entrees are full of various meats and seafood. So, that's kind of out of my cooking habits! 

    Knowing this, I was a little skeptical if I should buy the cookbook (but that only lasted a few seconds, I mean it's Nancy Drew of course I needed it!) and if I would really make any of the recipes included. I went through a few weeks after purchasing the book and pinned all the recipes I thought I could make. I wanted to share these on this blog, recording them and having an ongoing series to new recipes from the book, but I have decided to spice up the recipes a little bit. I'll be posting about the original recipe, but also adding some modern twists, and vegetarian twists. I think this will be a great summer project, and I am excited to share when I make my first recipe! 

[hellomrrabbit]

life, october 1989 (volume 12, issue 11) "101 things worth saving"

    I love finding and reading these past LIFE Magazines from my library's archive. I was going through the late 1980's issues and came across the October 1989 issue containing an article about things worth saving.I was very interested, being a history and “nostalgia” lover, so I sat down to read it one afternoon. I started highlighting the sidebars, with items that the writers felt America should keep and hold onto. I felt like these lists were very relevant and similar to lists I would often write myself, about things I want do the “old fashion way”, or something like that.

    Nostalgia, American childhood, "yesteryear", things everyone longs to keep close and save. The question that this piece does pose those is what should we really be holding onto? What should America let go, and what should we keep? What should we bring back that is already lost? This was published in the late 1980’s, but this is still very (mostly) relevant today. Some items I had no idea what they were, others I still love and enjoy today.

    I choose to share this because, essentially, this article is very me and what I mainly have always blogged about. I have blogged about vintage clothes, going to soda fountains, exploring small rural towns and eating at their diners, listening to old music on jukeboxes at bars, picnics, small bookstores, etc. So, I am starting off my personal blog with this piece, and a few thoughts about everything listed below each page.

[hellomrrabbit]

day trip: marceline & chillicothe, missouri

    I got the idea to go to Marceline, Missouri when I told my husband that I wanted to plan a day trip during my spring break. He sent me the link to Walt Disney’s hometown, which I blogged earlier about Disney here, and suggested I go visit it. My mom is an avid Disney fan as well, so we both decided to go the Friday of my spring break. Disney lived on a farm here when he was a young boy, and drew much inspiration from the town as an adult. This is an easy, fun, and extremely random (as you will see, we also visited the "Home of Sliced Bread") day trip, that I think anyone would have a fun and quirky day. I have included a map at the end of my post with all the locations I visited. If you're near by, or planning a trip to Kansas City, give these a visit! 

    It’s a little over a  two hour drive from Kansas City to Marceline. The town is small, quiet, and the inspiration for Main Street USA in Disney World and Disneyland. We parked across from a reflection pond downtown, which is also right by the museum (it’s small, the whole area is about a few blocks!) It was very cloudy and gloomy that day, so no pond reflections! It was still very neat though, including a little bridge that goes across the pond. Across from the pond is also a Carnegie library. Unfortunately, it is only open Monday through Friday, so I did not get to venture inside and explore. I now must make plans to go to a Carnegie library close by. I have found there are locations in St. Joe, Missouri; Lyndon, Kansas; and Springfield, Missouri that I would like to check out.

    The Walt Disney Hometown Museum is in an old train station, which also features historical information and artifacts about trains. The museum far exceeded my expectations. Featured in the two-story museum, there are photographs of Walt and his brother Roy during their later visits of Marceline, personal letters between family members, original Mickey Mouse dolls, an actual Midget Autopia car, special movie footage of Walt in Marceline, and much more. Upstairs was probably my favorite, which featured a whole collection of miniatures inspired by Disneyland. There were rides (the teacups!), the Haunted Mansion, Main Street USA, and other featured attractions. A fan of Disney’s created these and donated them to the museum, how neat!

    After leaving the museum, we spent about an hour or so inside, we decided to go walk around Main Street USA… well, main street in Marceline. Many of the shops were closed for lunch, but we were able to visit one, an antique store that also doubles as a Marceline visitor center. A vintage Disney fan/collector would have a hayday here.

    Since it was lunchtime, we could have ate at a local diner that is located on Mainstreet, but because I am a vegetarian and didn’t want to just eat potatoes and a house salad, we decided to leave Marceline and head to Chillicothe to eat and explore. But, we decided to go see the covered bridge that we saw a sign for on our drive to the museum. Covered Bridges are a rare sight, especially in Missouri. This bridge was about a ¼ mile walk back on a trail (you can park at the trailhead) and is only used by individuals walking through this trial. In the spring and fall, this bridge would be perfect. In the winter, it feels eerie and creepy. It would be a great time and place to film a cheesy easily-produced horror film.

    On the way to Marceline, we saw a sign for “Chillicothe, Home of Sliced Bread” on the highway. 1. “Home of Sliced Bread”? Interesting, humorous, and I need to know more. 2. I have never been to Chillicothe, but after a quick Google when we passed the sign, I realized there were lots of small-town murals and a donut bakery I wanted to check out. We decided that after the museum we would go back to see what the town of sliced bread had to offer.

    Boji Stone Cafe, Coffee House & Bookstore had vegetarian options, so our first stop was there to eat for lunch. Sorry Boji Stone Cafe, you are not really a bookstore, but you do have great cheesecake (they make it in house, I had strawberry rhubarb!) and wraps for lunch. I was looking forward to going to the donut bakery after lunch, but they were closed for the day. We parked downtown in front of the cafe, which is close to all the murals for a short walking tour. Seriously, we couldn’t even count how many murals were in the downtown area. I wanted to find a loaf of sliced bread from the town of sliced bread, but we had no luck. Hopefully next time (if there is a next time!) they will have a loaf of sliced bread for sale, labeled with “Home of Sliced Bread”, that I can purchase and take a photo with next to the mural.

[hellomrrabbit]

vaile mansion christmas installation

    The Vaile Mansion was built in 1881, for the Vailes to reside in. It was, of course, the nicest and most expensive home in the area. The mansion is one of the best examples of the Second Empire architecture style in the United States.  The Gothic mansion has 31 rooms and three floors, which the third floor is not allowed during tours. It is said to be haunted. During the holiday season, the mansion will fully undergo a Christmas installation, done by the Vaile Victorian Society and other sponsors. 

    I love having traditions. I really love holiday traditions, especially Christmas traditions. Visiting the Vaile Mansion during the Christmas season is something I do every year with my mom, I believe we are three or four years in counting now, and I look forward to it starting when autumn hits. Every year the decor is different, different themes, different garments showcased throughout the rooms, and different color schemes. 

    The Vaile Mansion Christmas tours start after Thanksgiving and stop a few days before Christmas. Go this year, or the next. Start a new tradition, with an old home and a tour. 

[hellomrrabbit]

overcoming post-vacation/late summer depression

Coming home is hard. Even just from a twelve day trip to Colorado. Even when you come back to a new schedule, no stab;e job to go back to, and grad school starting. I always felt like Kansas City is a city you live in. Like... you live here but you're constantly wanting to go out of. Day trips, weekend adventures, month long pilgrimages, etc. it's a city where we are slowly becoming something more, but for those who have been citizens for quite awhile, it's not necessarily enough. 

I just came back from Colorado. It was beautiful; you can just stare at the mountains and realize how small your dot of home is. I went to new small mining towns daily, hiked, watched the rain fall multiple times a day, and thought about what it would be like to stay here a little bit longer. As soon as I got home, of course everything was the same. I cleaned up my house (cats, knocking things over of course), washed my clothes, and sat on my porch. I thought about my week, the tea I bought, and how even though everything is changing it's still saying exactly the same.

Kansas City always seem the same to me. You may say, "every place is the same when you come home", well... yes. Maybe it's also a mixture of the late summer air, the want of fall, and the end of this season. Summer depression is real and everywhere, I talk about the dread of August every summer. These are some ways that I kicked the post vacation depression/late summer, either currently or in the past.

1. Smoke cigarettes or cigars at 1am in the morning on your friend's patio, watch the cars drive by on Main Street and listen to the sirens. Don't think about how dry your throat will be in the morning. Opt for a juice from Unbakery and Juicery the morning after, then do yoga in your living room. You won't even feel bad about it.

2. Stay until close at Green Lady Lounge and make your Uber stop at Winstead's order a strawberry milkshake with tots, take photos in the booth and send them to your friends who are missing out. Leave your server a note.

3. Pack a picnic to take by the Missouri River, but stop as well at Nature's Own and buy almond milk ice cream sandwiches and rose lemonade. Take everything down to the river front, sit on a comfy quilt, bring an interesting read, and watch the currant (and maybe count how many stray cats you see too).

4. At least once a month take a day trip/weekend trip to a small town you've never been to, just close your eyes and point on the map, or type in a random zip code on Airbnb. you can make this very cheap by saving on gas and going short distances. choose to cut out one of the following: eating out while on your day trip (bring granola, a water bottle, easy sandwiches), paying money to get into attractions (find ALL the free things), or purchasing anything (I love thrifting in other cities).  

5. Stay clear of crowded parks and instead head to the lawn of Union Hill Cemetery, or Elmwood Cemetery for picnics or walks.

6. Buy a season pass to Oceans of Fun, pack your own beer for the parking lot, count all the bad tattoos you come across, end up spending too much at the swim up bar, decide you need to chill out for awhile and go a week later.

7. Walk to the library instead of drive (plaza library for me), look at books on extreme treehouses or herbal remedies, reserve a study room for no reason, smile at people. Get an iced tea from the library coffee shop for you walk home.

8. Move more slowly; make your list for the farmer's market before you go and make it very detailed (what kind of chard? what color of carrots?), organize your winter coats by fabrics, make your own bread for the week, decide the rest of the books you will read this year.

9. Wake up early on Saturdays, go to Pirate's Bone or One More Cup (get sprinkles on your cup!), make a to-do list for your day, call your best friend, you probably won't do all the items on the list (but that's ok, at least you have them in your mind). Chat with the person sitting next to you. Get a shot of espresso as you leave.

10. Buy yourself flowers weekly, if you can't afford it bring a pair of clippers to the rich part of town and cut a few tulips for yourself. (kidding.. or?) 

11. Reorganize your rental: hit up one of my favorite thrift stops, St. Vincent de Paul's or City Thrift Outlet (seriously the CHEAPEST places). Buy sheets or a table cloth, make your own dyes using red onion skins or your left over coffee grounds or turmeric powder. Buy a bunch of glass jars and finally organize your bulk dry goods. Buy curtains and make your bedroom more dreamy. Make curtains from fabric you find there. 

12. Go to the Nelson. Seriously, when is going to the Nelson not a good idea? Look at your favorite collection, find a new piece you enjoy, draw inspiration from it. Go home and write or use watercolors or whatever you like to do.

[hellomrrabbit]

old city postcards

Who knows what you will find when antiquing in Warsaw, Missouri. I went to stay on my friend's grandparent's lake house for the weekend in the middle of Missouri, so naturally we spent a lot of the weekend browsing through all the antique stores we would see on the side of the country roads. Luckily, we stopped at the store where we found a little photo album with a few Kansas City postcards (we bought them all, I have six of my own). These are slightly harder to come by back in Kansas City, and when you do they are far more expensive than they were in Warsaw.

Postcards have been a staple since the early 1900's to showcase a place where one is visiting on vacation, showing a friend a place they might like to go to, or simply saying "hello" to a far away friend. They can also be used as advertisements, war propaganda, and collecting. They also show history and areas of landmarks. Postcards began taking popularity in the late 1800's, they were a quick and easy way to relay communication to one another. The first government issued postcard was sent in the 1870's.

There are two periods of postcards I believe these Kansas City cards fall in. First and the older of the two, is the White Border period. From 1915-1930 postcards were printed with the name of the photo in the white border around the frame, and now instilled a divided back for writing/addressing. The second period that is featured here is the Linen Period from 1930-1945. In 1930 printers allowed the postcards to look like they were being printed on linen, instead of simply paper.

One of the most iconic architectural marvels in Kansas City is of course the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. This was built on the Oak Estate, owned originally William Rockhill Nelson, in 1933. This is one of the largest art museums in the United States and houses over 30,000 pieces of art. The museum sits on 20 acres of land.

Unfortunately, there is no date listed anywhere on this postcard. But as you can see, there are no iconic shuttlecocks seen on the lawn (nor any sculptures from the sculpture garden). The sculpture garden was installed in 1972. Also, as you can read on the back of the postcard, the museum at this time is called "William Rockhill Nelson Gallery and Atkins Museum of Fine Art", which stayed that way until 1983.

The public library this postcard is referencing the "Main Library" located at 9th and Locust. This located opened in 1897, which contained two stories of reference rooms, lecture halls, and galleries. In 1960, the Main Library moved to 12th and McGee. Now, the 9th and Locust building is used as an office building (I believe, please correct if wrong).

The Hotel President, formerly President Hotel, is one of the most historical hotels in Kansas City. It was built in 1926, then closed in 1980 to reopen in 2005 with a renovation. In 1928, the hotel held the National Republican Convention. The Drum Room, the hotel's lounge, held entertainers like Frank Sinatra.

Kansas City Union Station opened in 1914, which replaced the Union Depot in the West Bottoms. This new station was part of the City Beauitful movement, and the grand hall pictured was meant to represent status. Union Station was also named the second largest station in the country when it opened. The station closed in 1985 as an operational station, but reopened in 2002. Today, the station is filled with exhibits, eateries, a theater, and other attractions as well.

Grace Episcopal Church, which is now called the Grace and Holy Trinity Catholic Church, is located on 13th and Washington in downtown. In Quality Hill, it was established in 1870. It is a Transitional Norman Gothic style and has since been renovated many times up until 2004.

The Robert E Lee Hotel was constructed in 1925, and was demolished in 1954. There are no remains left of this hotel, and it is now where the Crown Plaza stands. This hotel was popular because it was right across from the Kansas City Municipal Auditorium. The building was only 29 years old when the ninth story collapsed.

I was excited to get my hands on these, and do some research on the various buildings that are featured. I am not sure what I am going to do with these postcards now, my most current idea has been to frame them and display them somewhere in my house.