Everything's Up to Date in Kansas City

Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote "Everything's up to date in Kansas City" for "Oklahoma!" In the years since that musical was produced, it is still up to date!

I'm here for the National Educational Telecommunications Association meeting. My days are spent in sessions -- all useful and interesting. It's a good learning conference.

In addition to the break-out sessions, we also get current information on the state of the system, from such respected industry leaders as Patricia Harrison of Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Paula Kerger of PBS.

We also had a breakfast during which we watched Amy Goodman present "Democracy Now" live.

And then, there are the evenings. The first night we had a reception at Lidia's (as in public TV's Lidia) restaurant. Lots of people were crammed into the tent for the reception (and good treats) including Hari Sreenivasan of "PBS NewsHour" and CPB's Jennifer Lawson.

There was entertainment, too.

The walk over, through Union Station was as fun as the reception. Kansas City has an elevated indoor walkway that snakes through various areas, making it safe and warm to get from spot to spot.

The interior of the building was amazing!

The second evening's activity was a reception at the American Jazz Museum, which included a tour.

Dennis Winslett was our guide -- and it was all the more meaningful and fun because of the musical interludes he included to emphasize certain points.

It's a terrific museum with lots of interactive exhibits, film, and displays.

The design is terrific, as is the flow. It's well worth the stop for the Kansas City traveler.

And while you're there, stop in the Blue Room at the museum. Rated one of the best jazz attractions in Kansas City (and for a city known for jazz, that's saying something), it really rocks!

The museum is adjacent to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. One of my heroes is John "Buck" O'Neil, whom -- if you saw Ken Burns' film "Baseball" -- was a remarkable narrator with his own story.

There was a special display honoring him.

Across from the museums is the Gem Theatre -- stop by there for some terrific jazz performances.

And then, it was home to gear up for another day of learning and fun.

But it will be tough to beat this evening! (Although I can tell you, my free day, Friday, will -- Looking forward to meeting fellow blogger Beth of Gathering Dust for lunch! Can't wait!)

Till then, it's music in my head as I drift off into fuzzy dreamland!

NOTE: If you enjoy biography of a sort, or books on Paris, or Hemingway, visit Chopsticks and Strings for a look at "The Paris Wife."

Jammin' at Hippie Jack's

There are three things I always enjoy about attending conferences...meeting colleagues I rarely see and those I've never met; learning tons about things relevant to my work and the wonderful hospitality of the conference and the stations who host receptions, hospitality suites and exhibits.

For example, I got to see Joan Lence and Kathie Stull who represent nearly a dozen how-to shows that air on public television (including "Cloth, Paper, Scissors" publisher Pokey Bolton's "Quilting Arts"). I've known Joan for years; Kathie is from the Cleveland area, where their programs are taped. To do list: Call Kathie when I head to visit family and see if they are taping or we can have a tour! (Coming this fall -- remember Matt and Shari from HGTV? They have a new show coming to PBS stations through NETA beginning in October!)

Kathleen Unwin (left) and Dru Sefton (right) are from Current, one of our industry papers. Dru had brownies by her table -- to die for!

I was told I won a painting by this fellow -- Roger Bansemer, who with his wife Sarah will have a new travel/painting show. However, I wasn't "present to win." Alas... (but I had a good reason -- that's another post!)

It's being with colleagues -- Tim Zeko produces our series BackStage Pass, which is now in national distribution by NETA. If it is in your area or you come across it in your TV Guide, let me know -- we're trying to make a station list. Next to Tim is Susi Elkins, our content and engagement manager. Susi was one of the many who had flight/connection problems due to the storm that slammed the east. We were glad to finally see her!

And then there are the parties. WCTE, a station in Cookville, TN invited us to taping of their music series, "Jammin' at Hippie Jacks." (That's Becky Magura, Cookville's GM, with Hippie Jack as they welcomed us to the Tennessee State Museum.)

I'll show you some photos from this little gem of wonder in a different post. Here's a preview from their quilt collection.

Then the show began. Hippie Jack welcomed us from the stage at the museum.

He was followed by a performance from Todd Snider. He was fun, funny, insightful. It was a good show.

It was a very relaxed taping experience with folks enjoying food and beverages during the recording, able to get up and move if needed. Made for one of the more enjoyable concert experiences I've ever had.

Back to bed to look forward to the final conference day -- and meeting a friend I've known a long while!

Nashville Cats!

Beware of shuttle drivers who see the digital sign that says "Freezing conditions. Be careful of ice on road" and speeds up.

That was how I was welcomed to Nashville, attending the NETA meeting -- education from the group that really does a fabulous job of training, distributing programs and really making me be better in my work.

For five days, Rick has been giving Mr. Gyps his pets and loves and food while I'm gone. This is the south. Why it has snow all over is beyond me, but the whole south is somewhat socked in. At least there were no flight delays and all is well.

Nashville is pretty nippy -- the pansies are struggling.

Even the lions at the hotel entrance are dressed for the occasion! Truly Nashville cats!

The first highlight was Roasted Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese lasagna at The Tin Angel. To die for.

Took a morning walk through part of the Vanderbilt campus, which is across from our hotel. It's beautiful -- like the pretty part of MSU's campus. (We go from the sublime to the ridiculous in our architecture!).

Loved the graceful, solid lines of this building.

And this view.

There's a good amount of snow here, and I loved the holly berries.

Some interesting campus sculpture -- some obviously designed by trained artists...

Others from would-be sculptors!

Gotta love the sunglass eyeballs and the fork in the head!

Our afternoon sessions were, for the most part, large but interesting. An evening reception provided opportunities for reconnecting with old friends (and wonderful shrimp with roasted corn and butternnut squash served over grits. The secret to the grits, the server told me, is to make them with milk or cream; not diet food, but oh, so creamy!)

More to come!

Las Vegas, NETA and a New Year!

Happy New Year!

That was the message in the glitzy Vegas hotels, as they prepared for the Year of the Tiger. After all the meetings were over, my friend Maryanne and I headed out to do a little shopping, eat a great dinner and catch some beauty.

But first, a wrap of the NETA meeting.

I went to a number of sessions on social media and heard some of the PBS folk talk about things like the next new big thing -- mobile, live-streaming, hand-held television signals (as if we don't get enough of it in our daily lives!)

And I was able to hear the inspiring Paula Kerger, president of PBS, speak.

Fresh from the PBS press tour in LA a few days before, she shared news that Bill Moyers and NOW were leaving the schedule but being replaced by a new show called "Need to Know," which she described as falling between the timely nighly news of "PBS NewsHour" and the more in-depth reporting on "Frontline."

And, she said Patrick Stewart wowed them at the press tour as he spoke about the two Shakespearean plays he'll be in for "Great Performances" next season -- the title role of "Macbeth" and Claudius in "Hamlet." I feel very proud that PBS can bring this caliber of performance to students in high school who may never get to see a Shakespearean play live (or, a good one, at least) into the home and classroom.

She also talked budget in the system (not good, but is it anywhere) and about the power of the education programming for children. Her speech was indeed worth hearing.

But, back to the bright lights and big city. Our hotel was WAY out there, so we took the shuttle in and walked about past some of the hotels. Here are a few of the sights along the way.

At Treasure Island, this sea sprite (catch the octopus in her hair) on one of the pirate ships...

Another of the pirate ships...

Overlooking the canal at the Venetian...

... and a peek at the Venetian tower...

We didn't have a lot of time, so we decided to spend it in the Venetian, with its Canal Shops and great restaurants. And, it's simply beautiful. This trio was playing in the "square."

The square itself is framed by shops, and the ceiling painted to look like the sky, and beautifully lit.

The canal runs through the building, and tourists can take gondola rides. I snapped a photo of these three gondoliers standing about and looking rather bored -- when I went to get another, they noticed me and came to life.

As you would expect, the window displays were pretty elaborate.

And what do you think that shoe is constructed from? Look closely!

It's made from hangers! And this one, celebrating Happy New Decade, made great use of pecans!

We ate at a marvelous restaurant called Woo, one of -- if not the only -- family owned and operated restaurants on the strip. We shared appetizers, salad, plum sake to die for and this unbelievable frangipane cake with pressed almonds, served with raspberry sorbet. The restaurant was lovely -- spare and elegant. (This phot was near the restroom; we were at a tall table.)

Then back into that lobby again. The thing about Vegas anywhere is that it is pure excess. Some is over the top. Some it totally gorgeous.

This fell into the gorgeous category.

And the tiger was magnificent.

I was rather fond of this beast, and couldn't resist overshooting!

Can we get a little closer?

I couldn't help but be in awe of these wonderful lanterns.

And the coin motif was great!

It almost made coming home with a 103 temperature worth it! Happy New Year -- again!