gblowfish
07-30-2006, 08:39 PM
Last Wed-Sat I was on a road trip with my wifey. She had teacher convention stuff going on, and I was doing biz schmooze in Branson on Thurs and Springfield on Friday.
I hadn't been to either town for probably eight years or so. I was very impressed with how much Springfield has grown.
First night (Wed) I was in a Holiday Inn Hotel on the fourth floor, opened the drapes and was able to watch the 9th inning of the Springfield Cards game out the hotel window. I could see everybody except the right fielder. Hammons Field is very nice, brand new, looks kind of like the T-Bones stadium only a little bigger. Spent Thurs/Fri night at the Hammons Center Hotel, looks like a big Embassy Suites: overpriced, pretentious, typical downtown convention hotel.
Thursday night I met Kathleen Turner at the art gallery. She was there helping promote an Andy Warhol exhibit that just opened. I was there with my wife and her teacher pals. Turner had people following her around like a pack of puppies, I just happened to round the corner and she was literally right there, whoa! I said "Hey, Kath..." or something like that. She said "Hi, thanks for coming to the show," or something like that...then she was off to schmooze the local art weenies. She was surrounded the whole night. I kinda felt sorry for her, she didn't get a break from the autograph hounds all night.
Had good eats in Springfield: Dinner at a place called "Fish" out south. Thursday night was ladies "martini's and manicure night." So guys who live in Springfield: go Fish Thursday night. Lots of drunk women getting their nails done. Easy pickins.
Friday ate at Rasta Grill in downtown Springfield. The downtown area was really nice, I guess that's Springfield's version of Westport. Saw an improv group called "Skinny Improv." Actually got dragged to it by my wife and her teacher friends. It was pretty lame, because it was a "PG" theater, which means the comics wouldn't curse, say anything politically incorrect or have any blue humor. So after about 90 minutes, it was not so funny. Glad to get outta there. Then in the park in the downtown square, the local Jesus college was having a concert. Chick was wailing out "Amazing Grace", which was actually pretty cool, but a block away the biker bar was wailing "Sweet Home Alabama." Buckle of the bible belt, no doubt about it.
Had breakfast on Saturday at "Ziggy's." Good breakfast, really cheap, then back home again to KC. Anyway, I really like Springfield. It's a good time and has nice folks there. Met a lot of my customers for the first time. Very laid back town. Branson was a little too bizzare..."Billy Graham meets Seigfried and Roy..."
I hadn't been to either town for probably eight years or so. I was very impressed with how much Springfield has grown.
First night (Wed) I was in a Holiday Inn Hotel on the fourth floor, opened the drapes and was able to watch the 9th inning of the Springfield Cards game out the hotel window. I could see everybody except the right fielder. Hammons Field is very nice, brand new, looks kind of like the T-Bones stadium only a little bigger. Spent Thurs/Fri night at the Hammons Center Hotel, looks like a big Embassy Suites: overpriced, pretentious, typical downtown convention hotel.
Thursday night I met Kathleen Turner at the art gallery. She was there helping promote an Andy Warhol exhibit that just opened. I was there with my wife and her teacher pals. Turner had people following her around like a pack of puppies, I just happened to round the corner and she was literally right there, whoa! I said "Hey, Kath..." or something like that. She said "Hi, thanks for coming to the show," or something like that...then she was off to schmooze the local art weenies. She was surrounded the whole night. I kinda felt sorry for her, she didn't get a break from the autograph hounds all night.
Had good eats in Springfield: Dinner at a place called "Fish" out south. Thursday night was ladies "martini's and manicure night." So guys who live in Springfield: go Fish Thursday night. Lots of drunk women getting their nails done. Easy pickins.
Friday ate at Rasta Grill in downtown Springfield. The downtown area was really nice, I guess that's Springfield's version of Westport. Saw an improv group called "Skinny Improv." Actually got dragged to it by my wife and her teacher friends. It was pretty lame, because it was a "PG" theater, which means the comics wouldn't curse, say anything politically incorrect or have any blue humor. So after about 90 minutes, it was not so funny. Glad to get outta there. Then in the park in the downtown square, the local Jesus college was having a concert. Chick was wailing out "Amazing Grace", which was actually pretty cool, but a block away the biker bar was wailing "Sweet Home Alabama." Buckle of the bible belt, no doubt about it.
Had breakfast on Saturday at "Ziggy's." Good breakfast, really cheap, then back home again to KC. Anyway, I really like Springfield. It's a good time and has nice folks there. Met a lot of my customers for the first time. Very laid back town. Branson was a little too bizzare..."Billy Graham meets Seigfried and Roy..."