A sampler platter from Slap’s BBQ. Gay Jones Special to The Star Eater, a food news and dining guide website, has published “The 14 Best Barbecue Joints in Kansas City.” While there are the mainstays — such as Gates Bar-B-Q, Q39, Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que and LC’s Bar-B-Q — there are some new names that are just starting to get such national attention.

The Gourmet Market, later known as Spagio, is shown in a 1980s era photograph. The deli/restaurant is regarded as instrumental in the revival of the successful commercial strip along Grandview Avenue. Grandview Avenue between 1st and 5th avenues is regarded as one of the most popular dining and shopping areas in Columbus, but it was ignored for many years.

Gracie Wilhelm pours salsa into a container for the St. John's Mexican Fiesta as her daughter, Heather Wilhelm, assists. The women were among several people who spent hours each day this week preparing the food for the popular fiesta, slated for Saturday at St. John Catholic School, 1234 Kentucky St.

Cameron Gerber/News Tribune Animal Medical Center owner Dr. Greg Boyer poses beside a photo of the original owner, Dr. Ernest Burgess, at the hospital. Many things have changed throughout Animal Medical Center's history -- its name, its owners and even the makeup of the road it sits on -- but its dedication to clients and their pets has not.

City Beautiful advocates hoped new parks and tree-lined throughfares like Paseo Boulevard would provide residents with an easy escape from urban industry and congestion. Courtesy of Kansas City Public Library Interest in Kansas City’s Swope Park continues to percolate as the weather warms and in the wake of a recent What’s Your KCQ? look at the history of the 1,805-acre expanse of green space.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — High grocery prices are making local families dread going to the grocery store. "It's crazy right now," said Kansas City resident Lisa Williams. Williams said the current prices of some food items mean her family is making some changes. "We're not making a lot of steak these days, we're sticking with chicken," Williams said.