Shawnee come in at #17 on CNN/Money’s “Best Small Cities”

If you’re a Shawnee, KS resident, give yourself a pat on the back!  Why?  Because Shawnee was just ranked as #17 on CNN/Money Magazine’s list of the Best Places to Live in 2010!  How great is that?  Here is what the magazine had to say about our city…

Taking a walk through Shawnee Town is like walking back through time to the city’s roots as a farming center. The annual Old Shawnee Days celebration commemorates its western heritage with a carnival, a parade, food vendors and arts and crafts.  Shawnee also has a modern side: It’s within commuting distance of jobs in Kansas City, and Bayer HealthCare and other businesses are right in town.  There’s plenty of shopping, restaurants, an indoor family entertainment center, and more than 560 acres of parkland.

Of course there are other reasons that Shawnee rankes so high on the list.  According to CNN/Money, compared to the rest of the Top 100, Shawnee’s…

• median family income ($93,289) is higher than average
• sales tax (only 5.3%) is lower than average
• job growth from 2000-2009 (26.7%) was higher than average

Shawnee’s statistics for air quality, crime and commute times were also better than average.  More of a reason to make a prime location like Hampton Woods Apartments your home.

(Photo Credit: City of Shawnee)

The Great American Family Campout at Shawnee Mission Park

Living at Hampton Woods apartments gets you used to having the good life right at your fingertips.  Swimming pools, vaulted ceilings, WiFi access, tennis courts, covered parking…who would want to give all of that up?  Not many.  But sometimes it’s important to reconnect with nature too.  You know – get outdoors and sit by a campfire.  I think that it’s especially important for kids.  Every child should have some great outdoors experiences to look back on.

So how about registering for The Great American Family Campout at Shawnee Mission Park.  It takes place July 31 – August 1 and it promises to be a lot of fun for all those who attend.  Just think, you’ll get to sleep under the stars in one of the most beautiful parks in Johnson County and the metro Kansas City area.

In addition to spending a night under the stars in Shawnee Mission Park, you will receive passes for admittance to Shawnee Mission Park Beach and Pedal Boat Rental.  Also, you will receive tickets to The Theatre in the Park’s production of “Cinderella“.  And as a special bonus, you will receive early admittance to each show.

For more information and to register for the campout, visit the event website or contact Rob Knaussman via e-mail at Info@jcprd.com.  You can also reach him by phone at (913) 236-1250.

 

Where to watch fireworks on the Fourth of July

 Their 4th of July events kick off at 4:00 p.m. and run throughout the eveing.  The fireworks show starts at 9:30 p.m.  There’s a free concert and my favorite part…funnel cakes!  This will be one of the biggest displays in the metro KC area. 

 KC Riverfest (Berkley Riverfront Park between the Broadway and Paseo bridges) 

This annual event is like the “supershow” of metro area fireworks displays.  Events start on July 3rd and culminate on the 4th with fireworks at 10:05 p.m.  The fireworks are even choreographed to live music.  There are also different events for the kids.  , but great entertainment and things to do for the whole family.  Cost is $6 ($5 if you buy the ticket online) and kids under 12 are free. 

Surely one of those two options will work for you.  Whatever you decide to do, enjoy your weekend!

Shakespeare in the Park

Do we have any drama fans living here?  A great tradition in the Kansas City area is the annual Heart of America Shakespeare Festival at Southmoreland Park (in the  Country Club Plaza Area at 47th & Oak Streets, Kansas City, Mo.) that takes place each summer.  The official 2010 opening is tomorrow night, Friday, June 18 at 6:30 p.m.  But don’t worry, if you can’t make it Friday, they will be performing every evening (except for Monday) through July 3 at 8:00 p.m.

This season, they will be doing Shakespeare’s “King Richard III”.  Are you familiar with the story?  Its central character is of course the short lived king whose breif reign and decisive defeat in the Wars of the Roses presumably ended the Middle Ages.

If you’re into history or drama, or are just looking for something different to do with the kids, it could be a lot of fun!  Best part, it’s free of charge!  Check out their website for more details.

Kick off summer with some Kansas City arts

Summer is right around the corner.  That means its time to get out and explore the great city of Kansas City and see what’s really good with this town.  There’s definitely something for everyone, from sports (well…the Royals are technically still a sports team, aren’t they?  I’m a Mets fan…WHAT!) to music, to BBQ and everything in between.

As I grow older (or “more mature” as I like to say) and I mellow out, I’m getting more into the arts scene.  I’m thinking about checking out the Downtown KCK June Fest – a free arts festival downtown on Minnesota Avenue between Sixth and Eighth streets.  It kicks off this Friday, June 11, from 4 to 9 p.m.

There is also the Second Friday Art Walk that brings together several downtown art galleries with live music, food, a car show (yesssss) and street performers. You can call 913-387-6074 for more up to date info on those events.

So besides loafing around here all month, how do you plan to kick off your summer?

Old Shawnee Days Kicks-off Thursday!

The official kick-off to summer has arrived, folks!  Old Shawnee Days starts Thursday night (June 3-6) at Shawnee Town (11600 Johnson Drive) so get ready for some good family fun! There will be music all weekend features both nationally known recording artists and great local bands, entertainment for both adults and kids, crafts and vendors, the carnival and parade, games and contests, and much more.

By the way, are you interested in winning a $150 gift certificate to Price Chopper?  All you have to do is bake a delicous pie!

The festival hours are as follows:

• Thursday, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Carnival, Concert, and Food booths only)
• Friday, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Saturday, 10:00 a.m. parade, festival 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m .
• Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Are you ready for some BBQ?

I looove BBQ! Chances are that you do to.  So I’m wagering that you’re probably already planning to hit up the Great American Barbecue Festival this weekend at Capitol Federal Park at Sandstone in Bonner Springs. Competitions on Saturday will include the Open, where contestants will cook meats ranging from beef to pork butt, side dish, dessert and a rib eating competition. The festival also includes food vendors, free samples, a carnival for youths and cooking demonstrations. The people’s choice sampling tent will also be open. Saturday’s festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is $10.

Robin Hood opens this weekend. Check out the trailer!

What better role model could you ask for than Robin Hood – a kind-hearted rebel with no regard for the system.  But seriously, Robin Hood was one of my favorite stories as a kid so I’m kind of excited to see the new movie when it drops this weekend (May 14).  And Russel Crowe is a beast on film.  He has impressed me with every movie I’ve seen him in (have you seen A Beautiful Mind…great film).

Here is the movie description per Yahoo.com…

Upon returning to his northern English village after years away fighting in the Crusades, Sir Robin Longstride learns that, in his absence, the Sheriff of Nottingham has inflicted misery on the masses by dramatically increasing taxes and abusing his power. Armed with his military intelligence and some astonishing archery skills, Robin attempts to restore peace to his homeland. In addition to battling on behalf of the peasants, Robin also fights for the heart of the recently widowed Lady Marian.

Need to find showtimes?  I’ve got you covered.  Here are links to the closest theatres to Hampton Woods.  Enjoy!

Westglen 18, Phoenix Theatres Legends Stadium 14, Cinemark Merriam

Give yourself a career makeover

With the unemployment rate across the nation still sky high, many of us are just happy that we’re working. But that doesn’t mean that we need to put advancing our careers on the back burner either. If you’re working hard and have shown that your ready for the next level of responsibility, you shouldn’t hesitate to make the moves necessary to show that you have what it takes.

I came across this article on Yahoo.com that gives great tips on how to move up the career ladder. Here’s one of the tips:

Long before you even ask for a promotion, observe the kind of job you want, figure out what it takes to do the job well, and work toward that, advises Sandra Naiman, the author of “The High Achiever’s Secret Codebook: The Unwritten Rules for Success at Work.” “When appropriate, take on the tasks of the job you’re aiming for. But be careful not to step on any professional toes,” she says.

If you think you can use the rest of the 9 Tips for Getting a Promotion, follow the link and check it out in its entirety. And if you have any good career advancement tips of your own, please leave a comment and share. Good luck!

Pearl Jam coming to Sprint Center on May 3

Hey Hampton Woods, I just found out that Pearl Jam is coming to the Sprint Center on Monday, May 3 as part of their 2010 US world tour.  Are you a fan?  I last went to a Pearl Jam concert some years ago back in college and they give a tremendous stage show!  Since 1990, the band has sold more than 30 million records in the US.  Band of Horses will be the opening act.

If you’re interested, you can always get tickets through the Sprint Center (1407 Grand Blvd., Kansas City) or ticketmaster, or you can do like me and comb through craigslist for a good deal.

See you there…maybe!

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