Calls Are Only a Quarter

This phone booth in the Westport Coffee House is a working phone booth. You have to buy a 25-cent token at the counter and you can only talk for 3 minutes but you can make a call.

Three Trails West

Cindy and I took a walking tour of Westport by the Historic Kansas City Foundation. This map of the Santa Fe Trail, Oregon Trail and California Trail is in Pioneer Park at Broadway and Westport Road. The tour was partly to counter redevelopment that could threaten the area's historic character.

A Step Above the Plaza

Rodney Thompson discussed his documentary "A Step Above the Plaza: Celebrating Westport's African American Community" last night at the Nelson-Atkins Museum. The film was shown as part of African American History Month. The questions and answers that followed were almost more interesting than the film. Apparently the area was created to give Blacks who were working in the homes and businesses in Westport and the Plaza a place to live. Most of the area has since been purchased by St. Luke's Hospital and razed.

Croquet, Anyone?

The Char Bar in Westport has a croquet lawn in its beer garden. Fun to see people playing. They also have a bocce court and ping pong. It was a great night to sit around the firepit, too. Oh, and the food was outstanding.