FLIP + CHING

Thoughts on Working in Kansas City

Posted on October 9, 2016 by Ching under Life, Relationship.

It’s hard being away from home. Luckily, we are pros at it now. Last year I was spending four days a week in Topeka. I got a short reprieve over the summer, which was nice, but then it started back up again in September. This time I’m spending four days a week in Kansas City.

Between you and me, Kansas City is a step up from Topeka so I’m not complaining. Plus, even though four days of my work week are spent away from my home base, it usually only means three nights away from home.

I do miss Brian and the girls, though. Thank heavens for FaceTime!

Of course, it’s not the same as being there and hugging and holding my babies and being able to share in the day to day activities. But I have a confession to make…

I actually LOVE working in Kansas City.

Perhaps the biggest contributing factor is the walkability of their downtown area. It’s not a secret that I hate driving. When I’m in Wichita, I have to drive to work everyday. It was nice when Brian and I were able to carpool but that stopped two years ago. Yes, I have to drive three hours to get to Kansas City but, once I’m there, I don’t have to see my car again until have to drive back to Wichita.

I can walk to work each day. (The hotel where I stay is about a four-minute walk.)
I can walk to the grocery store, if I need something.
I can walk to the gym, conveniently located across from the office.

I can walk to Power & Light for nightlife, free concerts, and a plethora of dining options.
I can walk to the nail salon and even get my nails done over lunch if I so desire.
I can walk to get good coffee. And I don’t mean Starbucks, though there is also a Starbucks across from the office.
I can walk to play trivia or ping pong. (I found some ping pong tables in the park across the street from my hotel. I bought a ping pong set from Amazon a few weeks ago. Now I just need to find someone to play with.)

I just cannot get over how I can walk to EVERYTHING and I am loving it!

I also love the downtown views. Here’s a better picture…

The workspace we were given is located on the 17th floor of the tallest building in downtown Kansas City and the view is spectacular. But that isn’t even the top floor, mind you. I can’t imagine what the views are like on the 40th floor on up.

There are downsides, of course. Quite a few, actually. I will not list them all. For the time being, I’m enjoying my time working in Kansas City while it lasts.

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Wine Night at Allison’s

Posted on October 8, 2016 by Ching under Events, Food and Drink.

These are pictures from wine night at Allison’s a few weeks ago. Check out the view from her apartment. I’m just a tad bit envious.

You can see the Sprint Center from her living room.

And KC LIVE! The proximity to the stage is probably not the greatest on concert nights but the view sure looks amazing.

Here’s the view from her bedroom.

This is Rahima, consultant extraordinaire…

And our jolly band of misfits…

Allison was a fabulous host. Even if she did make Andrew bring his own barstool down from his apartment one floor above. LOL. Don’t worry. They have an elevator.

Since Allison fed us that evening, this was our contribution.

It’s zebra cake consisting of layers of white, cream filling, and chocolate cake infused with Kahlúa. Gotta love Cosentino’s!

We got a brief tour of the building afterwards.

Here’s a quick selfie of me and our wonderful host, Allison.

This is the movie room.

The movie room also has a pool table in it.

Just one floor above is a very nice common area.

When you step outside, there’s a very nice rooftop patio.

And an amazing pool that’s lit up at night.

They also have some green space with fake grass.

The space is perfect for yard games like bag toss.

They actually have a branded set.

Here’s what the high-rise apartment complex looks like from the street.

The Onelife gym is conveniently located next door. Check out the video on the One Light web site to get a sense of what it’s like to live here. Brian and I saw this video and were like, “Wow!” Not bad. Not bad at all.

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Trivia Night at the Flying Saucer

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Ching under Food and Drink, Things to Do.

I forgot to share with you guys that I got to experience trivia at the Flying Saucer for the first time. I was there a couple of weeks ago with some people from work. Rahima reserved a table for us.

Even though I suck at trivia, I find it quite enjoyable. We started out really well, earning second place after the first round and then dropping to fourth after the second round. We had some crappy rounds where we got zero points. I actually didn’t think we would finish well but, apparently, no one else knew the answers to the questions we missed because ended up taking second place for the evening.

Our prize for second place was a $30 gift certificate. We talked about using it for our next trivia night but we’re going to wait until Kelsey is finished with her diet before we go again. We were all bummed that she couldn’t join us that night.

Oh, in reference to the team name… Andrew was the one who came up with that. It has nothing to with our company. I joked that the phrase was perfect for PwC and their face-melting fees but they said they actually got the saying from one of their previous clients. They wouldn’t tell me which company it was, though.

Here are some pictures of our food. We just shared a bunch of appetizers. I didn’t take pictures of everything.

I really like the Flying Saucer. For one, it’s located conveniently close to work. I like that they offer trivia night, which is something fun to do after hours. And, I also like that they have good, reasonably priced food. I have only been there twice (once for lunch and once for trivia night) but both visits were great. I can’t wait to bring Brian. They have this prosciutto pizza that is super yummy. And, prosciutto and pizza are two things that Brian loves.

I will definitely be back, and with reinforcements!

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Onelife KC

Posted on October 1, 2016 by Ching under Life, Zumba.

I found an amazing gym across from the office (next to the grocery store) a couple of weeks ago. Here are some pictures that I took during a brief tour.

I was a bit worried about finding a suitable gym with group exercise classes. We get really spoiled here in Wichita because we have the best YMCA facilities in the entire nation. Our YMCA facilities are ten times better than most health clubs. And we have fantastic workout classes.

I went and checked out Onelife on a Monday so I could get a tour and also check out the Zumba class. The class was just okay. Definitely not like the ones we have here in Wichita. We are so spoiled because we have the best of everything here.

The facility itself was fabulous, though. I loved the modern look and feel and all the equipment looked brand new. I’m not sure how long the gym has been operational but, from the looks of it, they haven’t been open a long time because everything still looks shiny and new. Either that or they take really immaculate care of their facility. The Zumba class might not have sold me (I’ve never been a fan of the 45-minute Zumba class and that’s what they have on Mondays) but the gym itself and the friendly staff blew me away. Plus, the proximity to the office (across the street) was just icing on the cake.

Of course, I couldn’t justify paying $45-55 a month for a gym membership that I could only use three days a week (if that). I think if there was an hour-long Zumba class everyday that I could hit, then it would probably be worthwhile. At $5 per class, three times a week, four weeks a month that comes out to $60 so I could rationalize it. It wouldn’t be worth it without the classes because the Marriott downtown has pretty well-equipped gym. I could always just work out there if I just need treadmills and weights and such.

However, I’m the kind of person who finds opportunity where there are challenges and obstacles. So guess what I did the very next day. I worked on my Zumba resume before bed. We had a work dinner that night and I actually didn’t get back to the hotel until almost ten o’clock. Then I worked on my resume for a couple of hours while Brian and I video chatted.

Brian was like, “It’s almost midnight, baby. Go to bed.” But I couldn’t go to bed until my resume and cover letter were just right.

This is the product of my effort. I figured if I get a Zumba gig out of this, great. I’ll actually get to do the kind of workout I want to do, which isn’t currently available to me on the days I need it. If not, no big deal. I’m a big girl and can handle rejection.

It sounds like there’s not a great demand for Zumba right now at their gym but I’ve always had an “if you build it, they will come” mentality about things. I’m convinced the demand isn’t there for the type of Zumba class that isn’t currently offered which doesn’t have “party-like” atmosphere like the ones offered here in Wichita. The music selection is quite different as well so the experience is totally different. It’s had to convey that it words though so I’m trying to set up a demo class so group exercise director there can experience the difference. It’s a lot like the sunsets in the Flint Hills. Words cannot describe it. It just has to be experienced.

So anyway, this is probably not the most brilliant idea I’ve had in a while (because, you know, I’m full of brilliant ideas – LOL) but sometimes you just have to follow your gut. Wish me luck!

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8th Annual Haus of Brews

Posted on October 1, 2016 by Ching under Life.

It was a stormy, rainy evening but we managed to make the best of it. Those of us who braved the rain managed to have a great time. Thanks to everyone who came to support the Andover Rotary Club. See you all again next year!