Cheesecake and Corinthian Columns

Week Two of the Cheesecake Challenge update: Fresh Banana Cream! My niece Angela swears it is the best one so I decided to make it my second piece. Warning - you must like bananas to enjoy this cheesecake because it is quite banana flavored. I like bananas so I enjoyed it. I did a little research on the history of banana cream desserts and found out that while cream pies have been around since medieval times - bananas only entered the picture in the 1880's due to improved transportation and aggressive marketers. But when they got here they took the American market by storm! Banana pudding, pie, bread, bananas everywhere. And side note - National Banana Cream Pie Day just happened - March 2!!! I hope you enjoyed some that day.

Two layers - banana cream on top, classic cheesecake on a crumb crust underneath. Yumm!

We were blessed with another great weather weekend here in KC! 70 degrees in early March - seriously??? Friday night I met up with my running friends for Happy Hour at Avenue Bistro in Brookside to celebrate Harriett's promotion - Yeah Harriett!!! If you live in or near KC and haven't been there it is wonderful and quite reasonable especially if you can get there for Happy Hour. And on a Friday you should make sure and always make Happy Hour!!! We had a great time and no shortage of laughing.

I have been wanting to visit the Kansas City Museum at Corinthian Hall - also known as the R.A. Long Home. It is located in the historic northeast neighborhood in Kansas City and was build as their private residence in 1908. It is a 3 acre site that includes a carriage house and stable with a spectacular view overlooking the downtown skyline. It was designed by Henry F. Hoit in the Beaux-Arts style and is 35,000 square feet. It was a private residence until Mr Long died in 1934 and was donated to the city in 1939 by his two daughters. It opened as a museum in 1940.

Four stories and a basement. 6 Corinthian Columns in front giving it the name Corinthian Hall.

The view to downtown!

The home sits across from a park where they could ride their horses and take carriage rides on scenic Cliff Drive.

When the home was donated many of the interior furnishings were sold at an auction and it was used to display various displays and historic memorabilia. In the past few years a major renovation is being funded by the city to take it back to it's origins and recreate the fantastic gorgeous home that it was. You can take a tour and see how things are coming together and that's what we did! They have been able to recover many of the original furnishings and with photographs will be recreating what will not be original - but keeping it as close as possible. Here are pictures of the amazing spectacular stained glass the home has in abundance.

Stained glass and one amazing mantle from the library.

It's going to take millions of dollars and years to get it back but totally worth it in my opinion. The first floor will be the official reception area for the mayor and also be rented out for weddings and special events. The upstairs will be the museum displays. I plan on going back a number of times to see how it is progressing!

And then finished the afternoon outside at Aixois having wine and small plates! In March!!!

Today went to see an interesting movie. Who doesn't love Maggie Smith?? In honor of the Downton Abbey final episode EVER got a little Maggie early in the day too! It was quirky but good and mostly a true story.

For me this says it all!

Thanks for reading and being a part of my journey!