Taking His Act on the Road (Literally)

Every town, large or small has inhabitants that can only be called characters. In smaller communities, they often stand out. For years in my town, we had a moped-riding character who definitely marched to his own drummer. Most around town referred to this man as Boulevard Bob, and almost everybody knew who you meant if you mentioned him. Now, we have a man that I have named the Parking Lot or the Van Drummer. This man seems to have a full drum kit in his van. He parks, opens the doors and windows and then plays along to the radio (or tape deck or whatever). The first time I encountered this, he was in the parking lot of Wal-Mart and I couldn’t figure out why I was hearing live drumming. I actually drove around until I found the source. The next time he was there, I posted a comment my Facebook page to see who else had experienced this. It turns out he’s entertained quite a few people. I’ve seen him a few other places around town, but mostly he parks at a specific and plays at Wal Mart. I’d love to know his story. Maybe I’ll see if the local news can track him down.

These are a few of my favorite things...

I've been jealous of Rachel Ray for a quite a few years now. Remember her show where she traveled and experienced the food of various locations? That should have been me. I work in travel and I love food. One of the best things about travelling is learning about a new place and experiencing things that the locals enjoy. And what better way to live like a local than to eat what they eat? In the past few years, I've had some great meals in various places. I've become one of those people who take pictures of their food. Here are few memorable eating experiences. Home state eats include Sweetie Pie's in St. Louis, Gates in KC and The Avery Cafe and Creperie in Springfield, Mo., where I had a shrimp and grits crepe. I had the Poutine Quebecois in Montreal, where they added scallops. I had shrimp and grits again (seeing a pattern?) at the Pink House in Savannah. Hungry yet?

The NEW Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church

I still attend the church where I was raised. I was christened there at five months. My church has an great story - founded in 1850, some of the original members were slaves. One man, Elijah Ramsey, was able to earn his freedom and eventually purchased a log cabin, which he gave to the church. In the early days, Quinn Chapel shared its space with the Baptist church and with Lincoln University of Missouri. In the 1950s, the state took the church's property to build a highway and Quinn moved to a new location, in a part of town known as The Foot, the city's historically black neighborhood. Fifty years later, the state came looking again. The church members were determined to stay in the neighborhood, and managed to move just one block away and build another edifice. We've incorporated the old with the new and brought the steeple, the front doors and the stained glass windows to the new church. In June, The NEW Quinn Chapel began serving Jefferson City and added new services, such as community dinners which are open to anyone in need. What a story.

Lincoln University's Soldier's Memorial Plaza

What a slacker I've been. I can't believe I haven't posted a thing in two years. Yes, I have done more than just get dressed everyday. Where to start? I'll begin with the Soldier's Memorial Plaza at Lincoln University of Missouri. It's not new, but it's impressive and I don't think it gets its due. In 1866, following the close of the American Civil War, the soldiers of the 62nd and 65th U.S. Colored Infantries pooled their salaries to start a school for the newly freed blacks in Missouri. Many of troops had learned to read and write once they joined the army, and they wanted others to have that same experience. These men pledged more than $5,000; some pledged an entire year's salary and Lincoln University was born. The plaza was dedicated about 5 years ago, but it is still stunning. I think it reminds all of us that it is important to care about more than yourself.