Monday, December 20, 2010

The Plaza Lights

I'm home now, but on my last evening in Kansas City, we swung through the Country Club Plaza to see their famous Christmas lights. I always considered the Plaza to be an oasis in the Midwest. Growing up, my aunt and uncle lived in a large home on the hill directly above the Plaza, 5115 Sunset Drive to be exact, and we ate our Thanksgiving dinner there watching the Christmas lights switch on Thanksgiving Eve. (I'm actually amazed that address is still on file in my brain.)

Lots of fun childhood memories revolved around shopping with my aunt on the Country Club Plaza. Designed in 1922 by developer J.C. Nichols and based on the architecture of Seville, Spain, the Plaza was the first shopping center in the world built for customers arriving by automobile.

I apologize for once again taking photos from inside a moving car, but after all, I"m from Arizona and there's no way I was walking around out in that frigid Midwest cold snap! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

















7 comments:

jeanie said...

OMG Beck!!!! Gorgeous!

Ann said...

Very pretty! Do they give carriage rides in the Cinderella coach?

Life's a Beach! said...

Thanks Jeanie! Ann, they do give rides in the coaches year-round. They're lit up at Christmas.

drgeo111 said...

Glimpsing your photos I think I spotted the Cheesecake Factory! It sounds like your old homestead was near the Rolls Royce dealership--very fancy!

Life's a Beach! said...

drgeo, I bet you did spot a Cheesecake Factory! I remember when it opened down on the Plaza, years before we got one in Bellevue, Washington. When Craig and I lived in Kansas City, our house was in Prairie Village,just blocks away from Mission Hills. But it was definitely a 'close but no cigar' situation. HA! Those were fun years when my aunt lived in the house on the hill.

Life's a Beach! said...

P.S. drgeo, I'm betting you've been on the Plaza and have insider information about that Cheesecake Factory!

Linda said...

WOW!!! I esp love the photo of Cinderella's carriage, and the last photo with the rosette on the bldg!

Linda