Exploring Abandoned Castles

Yesterday, my new pal Celeste showed me the Vine Street Workhouse. This building, which looks like an abandoned limestone castle, was built as a jail in 1897. It's been abandoned since the early '70's, and has since become a relatively benign, high-traffic hangout for graffiti artists, local kids, and curious eyes. While we were there, we ran into a young, high-heeled couple on a date, as well as a suburban mom who learned about the place from her kids. As one might imagine, she wasn't too happy to know her sons were spending time there, but the space itself seemed very lived-in and (dare I say it?) "safe."

When non-locals ask me about Kansas City, these are the vignettes I want to share: the unexpected, the accidental, the strange. Days like yesterday help me uncover the true depth of my attachment to this place, to its streets and its spirit. Though my worldview is still narrow, I have yet to find a place as quietly alive as K.C. The air here carries an electricity I can't describe, one that belongs to both the people who breathe it and the space which contains it.

When I leave, I imagine I'll miss this city quite a bit.

Boxers, fire, vodka, and the Sponge