terminal_velocity - Wow! Thanks for your very generous offer!! Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it out there today. I'm still finishing things up here at work, and by the time I get out it will be too late.
As for my impressions of KC...
Downtown is definately dead once the day folks leave. It won't be for long - the entire area I'm staying in (13th street) is being or already has been raised to build the new "Entertainment District". Their plans are pretty impressive. It will surround the new Sprint Arena (or whatever it's called).
There are PLENTY of great restaraunts here. I had a real nice dinner last night at an Italian place near downtown, but the name escapes me for the moment. Arthur Bryants Monday night was killer. Tonight I had planned on hitting the Pierpont's at Union Station, but a co-worker that lives here pointed out that the Hereford House is the same company, same food (exactly), much cheaper and much closer, so Hereford it is!
Cabela's ROCKS!
No shortage of hot womenz here. I have no idea of the snob factor though. Don't care really, I already have one.
Downtown is a BITCH to drive around with all the construction going on.
I decided to do a comparison of here vs home yesterday since I got out early, and was directed to just drive all the way down Troost Ave to see the ugliness. I drove all the way from downtown to the southern end. All I can say is you guys don't ever want to see Baltimore level nasty. Yours is relatively tame, although obviously dangerous just the same. Maybe that wasn't really a "bad" area, I don't know. It was the worst I've seen here though and I drove around quite a bit yesterday.
Folks here (and most places I've been) are generally a LOT more friendly than northeasterners. Keep it that way!! Every body I've met has been great! Wish I could have met up with some folks from the board though.
Duke_Nukem - I've been eating lunch every day at a little bar next to the Justice building, at 13th and Locust. Food's decent, price is right, and it's really my only lunch option due to time available and location next to the AT&T building. If you're free tomorrow and want to do lunch,
I'll buy! Let me know and we can trade cell #'s.
I'm going to hold off on "night life" activities. Nothing close enough to the hotel worth going to and I'm not about to go very far just to drink some brews, especially with no designated driver available. Besides, drinking alone sucks.
Overall, seems like a pretty nice city to me (as cities go). I'll always be a country boy though!