New Dunkin Donuts Causes Different Kind of Hunger

I've read several great posts about the awesomeness of DD coming to sojoco......more signs of why life is better in the Golden Ghetto....or that this is such a big deal shows how absolutely lame it is. It might be possible that folks in Johnson County haven't had a carb in years by the way everyone flocked to the Grand Opening this morning.

Today's official grand opening was complete mayhem. Poor Hardee's next door had their parking lot full of people walking over to DD as well as the now closed People's Bank building. Traffic was jammed and Overland Park police were directing traffic.

Was all this for donut and a cup of coffee? Well maybe but I think it is possible that SOJOCO'ers are actually so hungry for something else. A winner. It is a little lame that the closest thing we have to a winner in professional sports in this town hasn't played in about 20 some odd years. George Brett was making an appearance for the Grand Opening. I know there was a charity play but it is telling that I've had to explain to my children why this old(er) guy is a big deal cause anyone younger than about 35 doesn't know there ever was a day in the sun for the Royals and at least drinking age to remember a day we pretend was the glory days for Chiefs. I say pretend because there wasn't even a Super Bowl appearance during those Marty days.

Does anyone else find it sad that this town doesn't have anyone else to put on a ridiculous pedestal? Jeez.......we all love George Brett but don't you think even he is getting a little tired of being the King of KC?

Deanna Rose Proposes Fees

From Saturday's Neighborhood section of the Kansas City Star so I know it is a little old but I saved the article because I wanted to comment on it..........Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead is considering modest entrance fees.

Brad Cooper reported that business is too good at the iconic free mommy and child place in sojoco and they need to slow it down.

I remember even going to the park when I was a young little whipper snapper. Of course back then it was in the middle of no where. Now it is right around the corner from where I live. My kids have enjoyed it very much. My kid loves fishing in that pond. Can you imagine how many times each of those fish has been caught???

You can read the article here so I won't go into detail on their proposal but I'll give them credit in these hard financial times of looking at the issue and actually coming up with solutions that didn't immediately seek a massive expansion of the facility with accompanying tax increases. Yeah for brains!!!! This is solid work by Overland Park..........perhaps further evidence they should be allowed to annex whom ever they damn well want..........could we interest them in KCMO?

Understanding when people go most and projecting that with the recent completion of the massive and beautiful First Church of Soccer Complex and the accompanying tournaments etc that will come will explode peak time visits is even more is important in getting this right. Many of those are moms (possibly named Juanita, or Sue, or Buffy) with younger children just looking to fill time while an older sibling plays the usual 6 games on a Saturday.

Their plan seems to accomplish all needs. Keeping it available and free to school groups, free during the week only charging Friday to Sunday when they are most busy. I think many benevolent JOCO people who visit already donate more than the $2 they are proposing but this will get us a little cash from the low rent people from the rest of the metro area.

Interesting to read that our little JOCO attraction rivals attendance at Union Station and the Kansas City Zoo with much less space. Hmmmmm........maybe there is a lesson there? They reported 459,000 visitors last year. Over 260,000 of those were on Friday to Sunday. Shit, we don't even have Polar Bear exhibit planned.

Why is it called Deanna Rose? Nice back story but also telling of how safe our little part of the world really remains. For more information on the Farmstead you can click here.

Why McLatte is wrong.

I remember when they were test marketing this stuff and I simply said I don't trust it because with McDonalds you really don't have any effing idea what is really in it. I'm ranting about McDon't-alds......ahem.....so called McCafe.....coffee bar and those people they call Baristas that push the buttons on the machine.

I remember when they were giving free lattes just to get you to try it. I'm going through the drive through and Juanita says not would you like to try a free latte but here is your free latte as I rolled down my window. I said, "No, thanks......I don't want one" to which she replied, "It is free, take it".

I again politely rebuffed her most generous offer like a twenty something college hottie being asked by a zit faced high schooler to the prom but she said....."please, I'm really suppose to get everyone to take one of these". So, being the benevolent sojoco'er that I am I take it and what the hell......I'll taste it and maybe be pleasantly surprised. WRONG. Horrible. Thin. Watery. Sweet. Artificial. Bad. How can espresso and milk get screwed up?

Fast forward to this weekend. My mother AWESOMELY arrives at my son's game to what is going to be a horribly boring hour and a half (I am a JOCO parent who can actually admit this and that I'd rather be someplace, almost anyplace else) with a fistful of McSomething or anothers. She starts handing them out. Do these look like actual coffee drinks or something created in an evil McDonald's lab in Oak Brook, Illinois????

"Here", she says, "I got you guys Iced Lattes".

Like I said to the little drive through gal, "No, thanks", holding up my cup of bourbon carefully hidden in an insulated cup....."brought something to drink". Nothing like a Sunday afternoon half pint of Maker's Mark, right?

She hands them out and explains how she'd never had an iced latte before but wow, she liked these. It looks like barely dirty milk. I take a taste. So sweet.

I tell her, "You've still never had an iced latte". WTF.

Calling that an iced latte is like saying Andre Cold Duck is real champagne. Not only is it wrong but it a disservice to real coffee. Yes, like a wine snob I am a coffee snob. Deal. I thought most JOCO people were too. Maybe not.

I'm digressing but I have two standard Starbucks orders depending on the weather, time of day, and my mood.

First, a Venti skinny latte with an extra shot. Translation for Wyandotte County: The biggest cup you have latte made with skim milk and 3 shots of espresso. 4 shots if you get it iced.

Second: Very simple pleasure. Venti Iced Coffee leave a little room at the top. Translation (against as service to the Wyandotte people reading): Biggest cup they have filled with ice and regular coffee that was brewed double strong and previously cooled to room temperature and then put in the fridge. Then...not filled all the way full so milk can be added. I do this because I want such a scant little drizzle of skim milk added that almost anybody else would put too much. Friends the coffee must be made ahead and cooled. I went to an upstart little coffee shop in Olathe where the cute lady looked at me with a funny look and proceeded to pour hot coffee over a cup of ice......coffee foul.

Seriously McDon't-alds.....what IS in it? That crap is as fake a Joan Rivers face. As fake as Dennis Moore's Blue Dog Democrat membership card. As fake as the telephone number I gave to an old high school classmate I saw this weekend. Do you have to ruin every thing that is good and pure in this world for your own evil purposes? You know what? I guess if keeps other people fatter than me it only makes me look better by comparison, eh? And as a bonus, if it keeps the Starbucks line a little shorter.....all the better. BO. NUS. Further, if you can't order it the way you want it with what you want in it then it is of no use as far as coffee drinks go........NO....McDon't-alds girl....I don't care what your name tag says.....you are not a Barista! Just two weeks ago you were promoted to fries and before that you were wiping child puke and shit off the chairs and booths. Week three on the job doesn't make you a Barista.

Enjoy.