🎆 July 4th Camping Weekend at Council Grove

Happy 4 of July!

We went camping once again this year for the July 4th holiday weekend. The weather was great, and we were at one of our favorite spots—Council Grove Lake. It’s a fun place where we’ve rented a boat in the past, but this year we weren’t able to get one since we booked the site too late. Still, the campsite was wonderful—tucked along the dam with plenty of space and areas for our dogs to roam.

Erin and Carrie headed out a few days early, and Greg and I joined them on Thursday night. I actually made a quick trip out on Tuesday night to drop off a carload of supplies before heading back to Topeka. Erin and Carrie had great weather for their first night, with the temperature dropping to a cool 61 degrees. Carrie told me she got a little chilly that evening.

It was nice pulling into our campsite Thursday night to find everything already set up. Erin and Carrie had decorated with American flags and lights, and the tents were ready to go. Greg and I unloaded a few things from the car, and we were all set for the night. We picked up Pizza Hut for dinner since the town is only about 5–10 minutes away—another reason we love this site.

 

 

 

  

🌊 July 4th by the Water

Oliver in his Wagon

There had been a lot of rain in the weeks leading up to our trip, so the lake was flooded in some areas, and the main beach was closed. We found a nice little spot with shade where we could get down to the water and spent the 4th of July there. Charley and Oliver loved splashing around and staying cool by our sides. We think the area used to be an old campsite, so wading out was a bit tricky with hidden stumps and debris. Still, we set up our chairs in the water, dipped our feet in, and had a great day.

Steak and Potatoes for Dinner

After a relaxing day by the water, we returned to camp for our July 4th dinner: steaks, mashed potatoes, and green beans. So good! We stayed up late by the campfire, listening to music, enjoying drinks, and soaking in the night. Our friends Taylor and Rachael stopped by for a visit, which was a nice surprise.

🎇 Fireworks & Furry Friends

We were a bit caught off guard by how loud the fireworks were at our site. Fireworks aren’t allowed in the campground, but we were just on the edge of town, and there were plenty of booms and flashes. Oliver wasn’t happy about it, so I took him to the car, turned on the AC and the Royals game to help drown out the noise. That helped, and thankfully the fireworks ended by 10:30, so we could enjoy the rest of the evening.

☕ Saturday in Town

At the Brewery

On Saturday, we spent some time in Council Grove. We visited a great coffee shop that Erin and Carrie had been going to daily. Later, we hung out at Riverbank Brewing, which has been open for three years now. The beer and other drinks were great. We set up on the patio with both dogs, fans running at full blast, and had a relaxing afternoon.

🍗 Guests & Goodbyes

That evening, we had two more guests—Joan and Eddie—who came to see our campsite and brought Kentucky Fried Chicken for dinner. It was so thoughtful of them, and we had a lovely evening. After they left, we gathered around the campfire for our final night and enjoyed each other’s company.

🚗 Heading Home

Packed Car with Stuff on Top Too

Sunday, we packed up and headed back to Topeka. Our car had been acting up since July 4th, struggling to start. Thankfully, it kept working, but I wasn’t sure how long it would last. Turns out it was a bad battery cell, which I got replaced after taking it to the shop on Tuesday. All fixed now and ready for more adventures!

🌦️ A Rainy Lesson

Overall, we had a fantastic time. The rain held off, the weather was nice (even if a bit hot during the day), and we were able to bring both dogs. Oh! I almost forgot—Carrie and I got caught in a rainstorm early Friday morning without the rainfly on our tent. We had to scramble at 5:30 a.m. to get it on. Lesson learned! Everything got damp, but we aired it out and it dried nicely throughout the day.

Until next time—have a great week and happy camping! 🏕️

A Weekend of Coffee, Hammocks, and Celebrations: Our Fun-Filled Adventures

Coffee and Breakfast

What a great weekend! Saturday morning found Carrie and me at Circle Coffee for a late breakfast and coffee. I had not been to Circle Coffee in a few months, so it was good to be back. We sat on the patio to enjoy the beautiful morning. After coffee, we headed to the hardware store to get some things. We needed to repair the hammock so that we could get it working and ready for the spring weather. We also needed to pick up some items to hang pictures in my office at work. It was a productive morning for us, which was good.

Carrie helped hang pictures in my office that I moved into back in December. I had not had a chance to hang any pictures and wanted Carrie to help with the process. I also took the opportunity of a Saturday in the office to clean out two boxes that I had not cleaned out since moving into my new office. It looks much better now.

After finishing up the hanging of pictures and putting things away at my office, we headed home. Carrie and Oliver spent some time in the hammock after we got it hung up and working properly. Oliver gets so excited when either one of us heads out to the hammock.

Saturday night, Carrie wanted to go to Free State in Lawrence, so we headed there around five for dinner. We had not been to Free State in a long time, so it was good to have dinner and some delicious Free State beer. Carrie picked Free State for her birthday celebration. Good pick! We enjoyed a few Cyclist beers and a wonderful meal. We picked up Erin and Greg on our way to Lawrence and met Joan and Eddie there for dinner. After dinner, Erin, Greg, Carrie, and I went out in Lawrence and had a good time. It was busy in Lawrence. We finished the evening at John Brown Underground, which Carrie and I had been to previously, but Erin and Greg had not. Fun spot with interesting drinks.

A good Sunday so far with me riding this morning on Peloton, and after the bike ride, I mowed the lawn for the first time this year. It was good because I was able to talk to the neighbors to the east and south of us, as we had not seen each other in a few months with all the cold and nasty weather. It was good to be able to catch up with both.

Oliver in his Bed

I leave you with a photo of Oliver in our backyard that Carrie took earlier this week when I was on my way back to Topeka after being out of town. He loves his bed and he loves hanging out in the backyard, especially if Carrie or I can be out there with him. If we go inside, he wants inside and then wants to go right back out to the backyard. It is a vicious cycle of in and out with him and our backyard.

Have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week.

Austin Escapades: A Thrilling Weekend of Food, Fun, and Friends

Flight from KC to Austin

On January 31, Carrie and I headed to the airport for Austin, TX. Carrie and Corrie had tickets for Justin Timberlake on Monday night, so we decided to make a trip of it. We planned to meet Corrie (from Houston) and Javier (from Dallas). Javier and I planned to hang out Monday night and visit some beer spots while Corrie and Carrie attended the concert.

We rented a house for the trip and had a great time. We ate at wonderful spots and had drinks at some good places too. I'll share some of the spots we visited with recommendations if you find yourself in Austin.

Crawfish for Lunch

After Mexican food on Friday night to start the trip, we went for a late lunch at Shoal Creek Saloon, where we had crawfish. It had been a long time since I had crawfish, and it did not disappoint. Corrie had to remind me how to eat crawfish, and we made quick work of 2 lbs. We spent a few hours here enjoying the food and beverages. Corrie mentioned that her brother, Curt, and sister-in-law, Leah, met and worked at Shoal Creek Saloon, which was cool to hear. It was a good spot with good drinks and a fun environment.

Other food enjoyed at Shoal Creek Saloon included Jambalaya, which was fantastic, and a family platter that included soft shell crab. It was my first time having soft shell crab, and I loved it!

Selfie in front of The Garage

Saturday night found us at The Garage, a unique cocktail bar that Javier had found and made reservations for. The Garage is located in an actual parking garage. A good-sized bar with seats around the bar and edges made for a unique experience. It was a little chilly in The Garage because it was, in fact, a garage for parking cars. It was really cool, though. We had a great time trying different drinks and people-watching.

That night, we went back to the house and enjoyed the evening drinking wine and eating snacks. We kept it simple after being out most of the day.

Sunday found us at Jacoby's Restaurant and Mercantile, which was an excellent find by Carrie, I believe. Once again, this place had excellent drinks and food. I had chicken fried steak and waffles. So good! I couldn't finish it all, but we also had some appetizers. Before we left, we got some strawberry cake to take home. As our trip was coming to an end on Tuesday night, Carrie mentioned this was one of her favorite spots of the whole trip. It was really good, and I highly recommend a visit to Jacoby's Restaurant and Mercantile.

Oasis Texas Brewing Company

Sunday afternoon/evening found us at Oasis Texas Brewing Company on the Colorado River. Good beer and incredible views. We enjoyed watching the sun go down and seeing the beautiful views while drinking good drinks. The Oasis Texas Brewing Company was a cool spot with beautiful views of the river and, of course, the sun going down. A lot of seating with various bars and places to eat made for a fun place to watch the setting sun.

We did manage to get some culture while we were in Austin by visiting The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, which Carrie had been wanting to visit. We toured the museum for a few hours and made it to all of the floors. I am so glad we were able to tour the LBJ museum. His presidency was overshadowed by the Vietnam War. He did so many great things for the country, but the war took away from his legacy.

Empty Bottles From Trip

We had a great time with our visit to Austin, Texas. A fun town with a bit of crazy traffic, but we had a wonderful time. Thanks to Corrie for driving us around for much of the time. We usually try to snap a picture of the empty bottles at the end of our trips with Corrie, and we made it through a few bottles. Some really good wine that Corrie brought with her on the trip, which was great!

I realized I did not post any pictures of Justin Timberlake. Well, I will leave that for Carrie to provide. Carrie did say it was a fun concert and they had great seats. I am good with missing the concert and instead touring around Austin with Javier, drinking good beer.

A Day in Kansas City: Art, Culture, and a Delicious Dinner

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

On Saturday, we took a trip to Kansas City to spend the day. We stopped at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, which I hadn't visited since grade school. We had a wonderful time exploring the exhibits and taking in the sights. We barely scratched the surface in the couple of hours we spent there, and we didn't even make it to the second floor! One of my favorite pieces we saw was Chance Meeting, a sculpture depicting three individuals who unexpectedly encounter each other on the city street.

The view from the steps of the museum facing the lawn is stunning. No longer covered in snow, the lawn now showcases the famous Shuttlecocks sculptures. I've driven past the museum countless times, so it was refreshing to see the view from a different perspective. Since it wasn't a cold day on Saturday, we were able to step outside and cool down after walking around indoors.

Following our cultural immersion at the museum, we had reservations at The Campground at 5:15 PM. We had dined at The Campground almost a year ago by chance. We were in the Stockyards District last year and stumbled upon The Campground, where we enjoyed a drink. We knew we wanted to return for a meal, and Saturday was the perfect opportunity. The drinks are fantastic, and we thoroughly enjoyed the appetizers and main courses. The Brussels sprouts were exceptional! For my main course, I had the Arctic Char, which was also delicious. I also sampled the Double Smashburger, which was equally impressive.

Quivering Forest Drink

One of the drinks I had was the Quivering Forest, a delightful concoction of Black Currant Mezcal, Smoked Paprika, Campari, and Lime. I highly recommend it. The Campground regularly updates its menu, and we unfortunately missed out on a pork dinner they had recently featured on their FaceBook page. We had a fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed the drinks, appetizers, and main course.

It was a fun day of cultural enrichment and culinary exploration in Kansas City.

Capitol City Charm: A Des Moines Weekend

Trip to Des Moines, Iowa

We left for Des Moines, Iowa on Friday morning. We dropped Oliver off where he would stay through Sunday and we were on the road by 7:30. We drove to Des Moines with Erin and Greg and then met up with Laura and Jason where we had lunch and stayed at a Airbnb. We had a great time! We toured the capitol, went to antique place, did a lot of walking, and then we ate and drank a few different places. So much fun! Carrie and I were so tired when we got back home that we both took long naps Sunday afternoon into the evening and likely going to bed early this evening.

State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa

We met Laura and Jason at El Bait Shop and then we headed to the capitol to look around. Carrie and I had been there before (back in 2016), but we wanted to show the others the beautiful capitol in Iowa. The clear blue skies made the capitol stand out against the dark blue background. It was fun going through and seeing the different areas of the capitol. We toured all the floors we could access which was cool. We decided doing a guided tour and looked around on our own which is what Carrie and I did back in 2016 when we toured their capitol.

Drinks at Speak Easy

Oysters on the Half Shell

Group Selfie

We finished the weekend Saturday night at a speak easy. A few of us had a wild night on Friday, so it was low key on Saturday night. The drinks were good and we had a good time hanging out together. We are already looking forward to our next trip back to Des Moines, Iowa and talked about going earlier in the season. We lucked out with the weather for our trip as it was sunny while we were there. A random rain shower moved through on Saturday late afternoon, but that was about it.

Great time and Des Moines was good to us once again. I look forward to going back in the future.

From Coffee to Cocktails: A Bookish Day Out

We had a fun time a week ago Saturday where Erin, Carrie, and I decided to try out a new coffee spot in Topeka called Higher Grounds. We took our books and hung out for a few hours reading, drinking coffee, and eating delicious food. We had a great time and even saw some of our neighbors from down the street that we spoke to for a few minutes. I believe the staff said Higher Grounds had been open for about a month. It is located on Topeka Blvd near the corner of 21 St. Food was delicious and coffee was too.

Reading and Drinks at The Spot

Following coffee and breakfast at Higher Grounds, we decided to stop by The Spot to continue reading and enjoy some adult beverages. We ended up meeting up Greg, Eddie, and Joan where we continued conversation and played card games. What a fun morning and afternoon.

I am trying to up my reading game as I have fallen behind my goal for the year. According to Goodreads, I am six books behind schedule of my 25 books for the year. The past few weeks, or months, I have not read as much as I had intended. I have read everyday, but often times I am reading as I am going to bed and only a page or two before falling asleep. I went out last week to find some "short" books that I can read quickly, but I am finding even those "short" books take me a while to read.

I am hoping to get some reading in today on a Sunday afternoon. No Royals playing today, so it would be a good day to catch up on my reading. 

Have a great rest of your weekend and a wonderful week! Until next time...

Seven Course Meal Prepared by Our Friend Laura with Pictures and Descriptions... So Good!

Table is Set and Ready for Dinner

Our friends Laura and Jason invited us over for a fancy dinner. We received an invitation for the event a few weeks ago and we were looking forward to it as the date approached. On Saturday, April 13, we picked up Greg and Erin to head to Laura and Jason's house for dinner. A wonderful evening was had by all and here are some of the pictures of the night of what we ate. 

Laura did all the cooking and Jason ran up and down the stairs to get items from the basement. Laura had the table set for us as we arrived and made us a fancy cocktail to start the night.

Menu for the Night

No pictures of the chef or others at the event, but I did manage to take pictures of the menu and each of the dishes. We had an enjoyable evening while Laura was cooking and preparing each dish for us. She had Jason serve the dish and made sure to direct him on how to have the dish facing when served. So fun and we had some good laughs and stories as we enjoyed the evening.

Now to start getting into the courses of the night. We had wine served with the courses with white wine to start and then transitioned to red wine as we arrived at the meat dish.

Jalapeno Popper Deviled Egg

Amuse Bouche which was a blue cheese walnut apricot. Then we had the appetizer (picture to the left) which was Jalapeno Popper Deviled Egg and it was perfect! I ate the whole thing at once which I think was the best move to get all the flavors together.  I realized that I did not get a picture of the Amuse Bouche as I just ate it and then I started taking pictures of the food. I tell you, the Amuse Bouche was a good way to start with the food.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Next was the Creamy Broccoli Soup. I am not a big fan of broccoli, but this was really good. I told Carrie that I could eat broccoli all the time if we had it as soup like this dish. Delicious! 

Laura told us when she makes the soup everything from the broccoli goes into the pot. The stocks are left on the top until finally those are worked into the soup. Yes, we might need to have Carrie get this recipe from Laura so we can make this at home.

Next was the Spring Pea, Prosciutto and Burrata. Once again, a wonderful dish for the multi course meal. 

Seared Halibut with Lemon Basil Risotto

Next was the fish dish which was a Seared Halibut with Lemon Basil Risotto. The seasoning on the fish was excellent. Erin, who does not like seafood, tried this dish and she liked this dish too. I think this is the first time I have ever seen Erin eat anything from the sea. Halibut is a good selection to have Erin enjoy as it is not fishy and this was cooked perfectly with the meat flaking off with the Lemon Basil Risotto and a bite of fish, oh my goodness, it was so good!

After fish, we had the second to last dish of the night. So, it was time to change up the wine in our glasses. We moved to a red to go along with the beef.

Red Wine Braised Beef

Pictured to the right is the Red Wine Braised Beef with Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes. The sauce with the meat and potatoes was crazy good. Jason said he likes the sauce so much that he could put it in a cup and drink it. Yes, it was that good and I completely agree with Jason that I could drink it straight.

We sipped on wine as Laura prepared the last dish of the night. Chatting and telling stories, and one or two of us finishing off others dishes, or drinks, that had not finished their dish yet. We were all getting full but had to make room for the final dish of the dessert.

Salted Caramel Butterscotch Pot de Creme

Yum! Yum! Yum! Perfect end to the evening of dishes. The Salted Caramel Butterscotch Pot de Creme was excellent. The sea salt on the top went well with the caramel and butterscotch. At this point, I was feeling rather full, but I wanted to make sure I made it through my own dish. I think there were some that were not finished, but I knew if I ate those too, I would be miserable.

Thank you so much to Laura for cooking for us. What a treat! Thank you to Jason for running trips to the basement and for sampling all of the dishes prior to the big night. Sounds like that was tough to do, but someone has to do the sampling and suggestions.  Thank you both for opening your home to us to enjoy a wonderful evening.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a fantastic week.

Day Off of Work, Trip to Kansas City, Shopping, Food, and Fun

Lunch Friday at Ponak's

I took a half day on Thursday so that I could go to my brother-in-laws, Greg, house to watch the Royals Opening Day baseball game. My father-in-law, Eddie, joined us as has been the tradition the past few years. The Royals lost 5 - 1, but he had a great time. Greg does hotdogs, wraps them in foil, and we enjoy those while watching the game. 

On Friday, I had the whole day off as I thought we might go camping but we ended up running errands in Kansas City. I was in need of new work shoes, so we went to Nordstrom Rack and Dillards to shop for shoes. I ended up with two pairs of shoes with one for work and a pair to wear on weekends or when I need a little more dress than a pair of tennis shoes. I also got two new sports coats to add to my collection, so it was a big day for me shopping. Carrie laughs because I rarely buy anything for myself and I kept saying how big of a day it was for me spending a lot on two pairs of shoes and two sports coats. 

We had fun doing our shopping and had already planned to head to Ponak's for a late lunch. I still cannot believe we just heard about this place recently. This was our third or fourth time to go to Ponak's and it was just as good as the first time. I had fajitas this time which were excellent. The guac and margaritas are really good! I highly recommend a visit to Ponak's.

Saturday turned out to a chill day for us as we did not do a whole lot. I guess we were tired from all the running around we did on Friday. I did manage to watch NCAA basketball Thursday, Friday, part of the games Saturday night. Saturday afternoon, I watched the Royals lose again. In two games, we have scored a total of two runs. Hoping to turn things around for the Sunday game this afternoon to at least get more than one run... maybe even win the game. 

For NCAA games today, more games I do not care who wins. I know I do not want UConn to win even though I have them picked in two of my brackets. It is hard to believe the NCAA basketball time is coming to an end. Baseball has started and PGA is underway. Good times!

Until next time, have a great week! Happy Easter!

Valentine's Day Dinner at Soliloquy was a Fun Experience

Menu from Soliloquy

Valentine's Day had Carrie and I at Soliloquy for a fancy Valentine's Day dinner and drinks. We had a fun time. Carrie saw the announcement about the event on FaceBook and had sent it to me a week or two ahead of Valentine's Day. It looked good and different, so I booked reservations. The menu was already set along with drinks to accompany the meal. The picture to the right is the menu from Soliloquy on Valentine's Day. I believe I heard this was the second time Soliloquy had done this for Valentine's Day. It was fun!

When we arrived, we walked in and did not even give our name, but they seated us. Carrie and I laughed as we were not sure how they knew who we were, so we asked the waitress and she told us that she just knew. There were only a certain number of guests as the 6:30 pm seating sold out, so she knew we were one of the couples.

Fluer de Lavende Drink

Some of my favorite items from the menu included the zucchini salad. The first drink we had which was Fluer de Lavande. The Wellington took the show. It was amazing! I had never had a Beef Wellington before and it lived up to the hype. I have seen it done in movies and even cooking shows, but I had never had it before. the flaky crust with the perfectly cooked prime tenderloin was delicious. To finish the night I had the Irish coffee which was a take on the original recipe which was also very good.

Tiramisu

As we finished our meal and they brought out the the Irish coffee and final dessert, we were discussing if we would do this again next year if offered. We enjoyed the experience. Some of the food was different, but we enjoy trying different things and experiencing new things. I think we would do it again. 

We paid for our reservation a week or so ahead as I had mentioned. When they dropped off a card, I thought it was the bill. It was sealed with wax. When I opened the envelope, it had the menu inside. No bill, so everything was done and paid for including the tip for our table service. It was nice as we left and had enjoyed a new experience.

Carrie and I had a fun night out experiencing something different. Food prepared in different styles along with drinks. It as a fun night and so glad I was able to spend it with my Valentine. Love you so much Carrie!

Have a great week and I will talk with you next time.

"9 to 5 The Musical", Solilquy Bar, Preparing for KBBF, and Summary of Prior Week

Sleepy Oliver

It was a busy week for me with a conference I attended in Kansas City Monday - Wednesday. I made the decision to drive in each day instead of getting a hotel room in Kansas City for the conference. Made for long days the first part of this week, but it was a good conference with good connections being made. Tuesday night when I got home from the conference, Oliver was very sleepy and plopped down in his bed to do some serious sleeping. I decided to head to bed early that night too and went to bed at 9:30.

The rest of the week flew by and was catch up for me at work after attending the conference. Short week next week for me as I will be taking personal leave to head to Helena, AR for the King Biscuit Blues Festival. I leave Wednesday and then back the following Sunday. Looking forward to another KBBF and seeing everyone at the festival. Carrie was planning to go but decided she would not make it this year. Javier will be there and we will work the main stage at the KBBF.

Saturday night, Carrie and I went to see 9 to 5 The Musical at Topeka Civic Theater. We had a fun time joining Greg and Erin for the play. Prior to the play, we met at The Pennant for a quick dinner and drinks before heading to the play. It was a fun evening. The musical was good and it was the first play we had been to in a while. It was good to be back at Topeka Civic Theater.

Drink at Solilquy Bar

Following the play, Carrie and I decided to stop by Soliloquy Bar where we sat on the patio and had a few drinks. One of the drinks I ordered came out and was lit on fire. Another drink Carrie and I shared had liquid nitrogen that cooled down the glass, they then threw out the nitrogen which was cool to see the nitrogen hit on the ground. Our server was one of the owners, so we chatted with him for a bit and talked about the cool places to get drinks in Topeka and Lawrence.

On the Patio at Solilquy Bar

Beautiful evening Saturday night to sit on the patio which was nice. The patio was busy when we arrived around 10:30 and then by the time I took the picture to the left, it had cleared out. The owner told us that they have a soft close of midnight which was something Carrie and I were wondering about as we sat on the patio listening to music and how the neighbors next door react to the traffic, music, etc.

It is now Sunday as I finish up this update and I am sitting here watching football. Both of my fantasy football teams are not off to very good starts. Hoping to get two wins this week with my two teams and bounce back. Also out there are my fantasy baseball teams which are not doing well either. Still, it is fun to follow players and make changes to try and win each week.

That is about all for today. Have a great week and I will talk to you next time.

Anniversary weekend in Lawrence, KS celebrating 21 years of marrige with eating, drinking, and having fun in Lawrence

Free State Patio

Carrie and I are celebrating our 21 wedding anniversary on September 21. We decided to celebrate early by getting a room at the Eldridge in Lawrence, KS. We picked this weekend to celebrate based on KU football being away and Washburn playing at home on Saturday, September 23 this was the best selection for our celebration.

Selfie on Free State Patio

We stayed two nights coming in on Friday afternoon. We have had a wonderful time eating and drinking up and down Mass Street. Friday night we decided to play it by ear and see where the night took us. We started off a Free State Brewery where we sat on the patio where we could enjoy the true spirit of drinking beer on the patio. 

Bar at 715

Following our time on the patio, we made our way to 715 for a drink or a few drinks. We hung out at 715 for a while before we headed to The Mad Greek which has been a favorite of ours for years. 

Saturday morning we slept a little later than we were planning but we were out the door by 10 am. We went to 1900 Barker on Mass which is a coffee and breakfast spot. We out there for a while eating breakfast and enjoying coffee. It was a good spot and I would go back!

Art in the Park and Popcorn

Following breakfast, we walked to the park for Art in the Park where we wandered around and bought a lot of earrings (5 sets), so I think Carrie is set for a while. I tease, but happy she finds them at art shows. It was a good way to wish her a happy anniversary by finding earrings at Art in the Park.

As we were walking back to our hotel, we decided to stop into Louise's Bar Downtown where we stayed for a while watching Missouri beat Kansas State. Had a fun time at the bar and watching the people.

Picture from our Hotel Room

We had planned to have dinner Saturday night at 715 on their patio, but it was forecast to rain in the evening, so we decided to try a new spot for us. We went to Mass Street Fish House and Raw Bar. We enjoyed our time and had a good dinner. I would go back! I know it has been on Mass Street for a while, but it was the first time we had been there.

After dinner, we down to the Wine Dive for a drink or two and then over to Merchants Pub and Plate. We have eaten at both spots, so we just wanted to stop by for a drink and get ready for our reservations John Brown Underground. 

We had reservations at John Brown Underground for 10:45. Drinks were really good but I could not tell you their names. It was a fun spot and it did feel like I was in a speakeasy. We had great seats at the bar and they took good care of us.

Ramen Bowls for Lunch

Sunday morning we were moving a little slow and slept late. We at Ramen Bowls on Mass. Delicious and perfect for helping with a little bit of a hangover. 

We had a great time on our extended weekend in Lawrence. Oliver had a blast staying at my Mom's along with my sister Dina. We were all so tired when we got home that we all took naps and went to bed a little early.

So happy to spend our 21 anniversary in Lawrence and to spend it on Mass Street with the love of my life. Happy anniversary, Carrie! I cannot wait to see what we do next year.

Carrie and John attended Dwight Yoakam concert on June 22 in Kansas City with summary and pictures

Drinks Before Concert

I have mentioned a few times in past posts that Carrie and I are trying to do more concerts this year. We attended our second concert of the season on Thursday, June 22 by attending Dwight Yoakam. Overall, we had a great time attending the concert. Dwight Yoakam was really good and solid in his performance. The special guest opening for Dwight Yoakam was Aaron Lewis. I was not a fan of Aaron Lewis, so I could have done without hearing him on stage. 

The concert was at Azura Amphitheater which I had not been to in over 10 - 15 years. I actually do not recall the last time I went to a concert there, but it was a fun spot. They had the upper area, grass, closed for the concert, so only the lower section which is seating was open. A good variety of concessions with food, drinks, and even high end cocktails, so it was a fun night. Prior to the concert we did a little tailgating before heading into the concert. After hearing Aaron Lewis, we wish we would have stayed out in the parking lot longer to enjoy a few more drinks.

Carrie in the Shade

After we made it inside, we found a shady spot to hang out and relax. Sipping on drinks and we had a delicious hotdog from concessions. Dwight Yoakam went on stage around 9 or 9:30, so we had a long time waiting for the earlier acts to finish up and the main event to start. We believe Dwight Yoakam was waiting for the sun to go down fully as that's when he finally came out on stage. The concert started at 7 and then main act went on stage much later. We did not get home until about 12:30 that night.

I would go to another concert at Azura Amphitheater as it was a fun spot. It was our first country concert to attend in a long time, so we will have to evaluate and see if we will attend another one in the future. I have fond memories of Azura Amphitheater, formally Sandstone Amphitheater from back in the day, where I saw a number of concerts when I was in college. Fun to be back there and enjoy the outdoors while listening to live music.

Shot of Stage with Dwight Yoakam

At one point while getting drinks, I did snap a picture of the stage although I see I did not get a good picture of Dwight Yoakam as he was behind the post. There was a good crowd at the concert and we had a lot of fun watching people, enjoying the music, and enjoying being out and about together.

Until next time, have a great weekend and get out and hear some live music!