Wrapping up 2013…

Now that the Tigers have wrapped up their 2013 home football season, the time has come to bid our readers farewell until next summer. We’ve so enjoyed sharing what makes Columbia so fantastic during football season (and during the rest of the year) and hope that you’ve found new restaurants, traditions and more reasons to love Columbia.

During the off-season, we hope you’ll join us on our every day blog, Gotta Go CoMo. This blog keeps you updated on all things Columbia throughout the year. We’d love to see you there.

Until next season, there’s just one thing to say.

Go Tigers!

Mizzou Homecoming: It’s the Little Things

Homecoming is a big deal in Columbia, MO. We were surprised and excited yesterday when Buzzfeed posted ‘39 Things That Make You Want To Come Home To Columbia, MO.‘ The list highlighted some of the great things that make a visit to our city during Homecoming extra special. In addition to the 39 from this list, here are a few more experiences sure to make your Homecoming weekend memorable.

-Walk through The District to see all the painted windows. During Homecoming, downtown turns black and gold when student organizations paint the front windows of businesses. Paintings go up Thursday and stay through Homecoming weekend.

-Get to the game on Saturday early enough to watch the teams warm up. Then get into the spirit when Marching Mizzou comes out on the field for the pre-game show.

-It will be a little chilly this weekend for Homecoming, but that won’t stop lines from being out the door at Sparky’s Homemade Ice Cream. Home to two dozen, small-batch flavors that can range from vanilla to wasabi, it’s a vital stop on every Columbia visit.

-Love high fives? Head over to the pedestrian bridge that goes over Providence Road for Tiger Walk. Two hours before kickoff, the team and coaches walk over the bridge from the training facility to the stadium and fans line their route to see their favorite player and show their support.

-Take a short stroll on one of Columbia’s trails. We have over 40 miles of trails and the fall colors are becoming more stunning every day. Plus it’s a great way to escape the bustle of Homecoming.

-Last, but certainly not least, be a proud Missouri fan: Arrive early, Wear Gold, Be Loud, Stay Late. See you at the game!

Get Social On Game Day

One of the easiest ways to stay in the know about Tiger Game Day is via social media. You can get updates on players, coaches and play-by-play info if you decide that tailgating is more fun than heading into the stadium. Here are some great Twitter accounts to follow:

Local Information:

@ColumbiaMOCVB – The Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau

@the_district – The District, Columbia’s downtown area

@GoColumbiaMO – The City of Columbia

Press Coverage:

@DavidCMorrison – Covers Mizzou for the Columbia Daily Tribune

@CoMoSports – Updates from the Columbia Missourian

@Dave_Matter – Covers Mizzou for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

@TerezPaylor – Covers Mizzou for the Kansas City Star

@FSMidwest

@SECSportsUpdate

Mizzou Accounts:

@MUTigersdotcom

@MIZLive

@MIzzouAP

@MizzouNetwork

Players and Coaches:

Full List Here

@MizzouFootball – Mizzou Head Coach Gary Pinkel

@MU_Coach_Jones – Running Backs Coach Brian Jones

@MIZ_MAUK7_ZOU – Quarterback Matty Mauk

@HokedEm89 – Defensive Lineman Matt Hoch

@GainesTrain_31 – Defensive Back EJ Gaines

@I_AM_HJOSEY20 – Tailback Henry Josey

@Corbin1313 – Quarterback Corbin Berkstresser

@DorialGB5 – Wide Receiver Dorial Green-Beckham

@JFrankTank1 – Quarterback James Franklin

@JustinBritt68 – Offensive Lineman Justin Britt

Planning Your Game Day – A Timeline

There’s so much going on during a Tiger Game Day, it can be tough to plan everything. You have tailgates to visit, tshirts to buy and then there’s the game! Need a little help deciding when to be where? Here’s a game day timeline to assist:

Times based on a 1:00 p.m. kickoff

8:00 AM All Donor Parking Lots Open 
Tiger Team Store Opens (Memorial Stadium)

9:00 AM Mizzou Ticket Office Opens (Memorial Stadium & Mizzou Arena)

10:00 AM Mizzou Experience in Hearnes Fieldhouse Opens

10:45 AM Tiger Walk with Team, Spirit Squads & Band in Lot C/Founder’s Lot

11:00 AM Press Box opens for Suite/Tiger Lounge Ticket Holders

11:30 AM Gates Open

12:00 PM Spirit Squads & Band perform at Mizzou Experience

12:15 PM Spirit Squads & Band Parade with Truman’s Fire Truck
(visit MizzouGameday.com for parade route)

12:47 PM Marching Mizzou Performance on Faurot Field

12:51 PM National Anthem

1:02 PM Visiting Team takes the field

1:03 PM Mizzou takes the field

1:07 PM Kick-off

Go Tigers!

Getting Around On Game Day

One of the first parts of your game day experience is getting to the stadium, tailgate or restaurant where you’ll start your day! Columbia is easy to navigate and most places take 15 minutes to less to get to, but there are plenty of ways to make it easier to get your game day off to a great start!

If You’re Driving

There are a couple of options for parking on game day. If you’re meeting up with friends or family down in The District, there are plenty of spaces and garages to meet your needs. From The District, it’s an easy walk through campus to get to Memorial Stadium.

There are also on campus options for parking. Seven garages and a variety of other lots are open and provide and fun place to tailgate and a faster walk to the game.

Let Someone Else Do the Driving!

One of the easiest ways to get from points across Columbia to Memorial Stadium on game day is the Spirit Bus! Routes run from downtown as well as many local hotels. Check the site for schedules for each game so you know when they’ll pick you up!

Columbia is also home to a variety of taxi services. You can have them take you from the hotel and they will also pick you up in The District after the game at one of the designated taxi stands.

Columbia is a fantastic place to enjoy tailgating, a football game and post-game celebrations. Don’t forget to plan your transportation for before and after the game for a complete game day experience!

What’s New in 2013!

Now that the Mizzou Tigers are entering their second year in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), things are more busy than ever! One of the biggest things you’ll notice when visiting Columbia this football season is the renovations currently underway at Memorial Stadium!

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Here’s a list of the plans for expansion and renovation:

• East Side expansion: Addition of an upper bowl with over 5,000 general admission seats and a club level with over 1,000 club seats, as well as associated amenities including restrooms, concessions, back-of-house kitchen and club lounges. Additionally, circulation space will be added on the main concourse. Anticipated completion for the 2015 season.
• West Side press box renovation: Move the existing press functions up to level 6 and enclose. Upgrade level 5 to include new premium seating options. Update the amenities in the existing premium spaces. Anticipated completion for the 2013 season.
• North concourse: Move the Rock M and berm closer to the North end zone to provide improved game-day experience for fans, while expanding north concourse for improved spacing. Anticipated completion for the 2013 season.
• Miscellaneous structural repairs throughout stadium. Anticipated completion for the 2013 season.

As you can see, many of these improvements have already been completed in anticipation of the 2013 football season. The Rock M hill has been shifted down to create a larger concourse, the west tower renovations are complete and the towers that will support the east side bowl renovation are already going up.

These football improvements are part of an athletics overhaul that will include updates to University Field, Taylor Stadium, the Mizzou Tennis Complex and more. As always, it’s a great time to be a Tiger!

Columbia: How Do I Get There?

If you’re from out of town, and especially if you’ve never headed to Columbia before, this post is for you! Sure you have your tickets, but now you have to make your travel plans. So just how do you get here? We’re glad you asked.

By Land

Columbia is conveniently located right in the center of Missouri. We’re an easy two-hour drive from either St. Louis or Kansas City and the stadium is easily accessible from both Interstate 70 and Highway 63. If you’re flying into St. Louis or Kansas City, it’s easy to rent a car and make the trip! Then, bam….you’re in Tiger country.

In the Air

Columbia Regional Airport is located a fast 10 miles south and has American Airlines service through both Dallas-Fort Worth and Chicago. Every day it gets easier to fly right into Columbia and get your weekend started!

Of course, you can also fly into St. Louis or Kansas City, both of which are home to international airports. If you’d rather not have to navigate Columbia, MO-X Shuttle will take you from the gate straight to your hotel. These easy options make getting to Columbia a breeze!

By Sea

Ok, so you can’t really get here on the water. But if you want to learn how to navigate the sea of people (see what we did there?) on game day, check back next week for our post on getting around once you’ve arrived. See you then!

Until Next Season…

Now that the Tigers have wrapped up their 2012 football season, the time has come to bid our readers farewell until next summer. We’ve so enjoyed sharing what makes Columbia so fantastic during football season (and during the rest of the year) and hope that you’ve found new restaurants, traditions and more reasons to love Columbia.

During the off-season, we hope you’ll join us on our every day blog, Gotta Go CoMo. This blog keeps you updated on all things Columbia throughout the year. We’d love to see you there.

Until next season, there’s just one thing to say.

Go Tigers!

The Columbia Experience – Amazing Art

Just because you love football doesn’t mean you can’t love art, right? Right. And when you visit Columbia, plenty of can’t miss art experiences await you! Whether you enjoy taking in the works of historical artists or discovering new talent, Columbia has plenty of options for the art lover in you. Here are some highlights:

Museums

Those who appreciate the past are sure to enjoy these two great sites on the University of Missouri campus. Each place showcases an array of both permanent and rotating exhibits to explore during your visit.

–Museum of Art & Archaeology

A sketch by Picasso at the Museum of Art and Archaeology.

The collection at the Museum of Art and Archaeology is comprehensive, containing objects from a wide range of cultures. The collection of Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern art works and artifacts is especially strong, and there are significant holdings from ancient Egypt and Byzantium. The Museum also has important holdings in European and American art from the fifteenth century to the present, including a Samuel H. Kress Study Collection of European paintings.

–State Historical Society

The Society holds one of the largest collections of paintings by George Caleb Bingham, including, Order No. 11. The Thomas Hart Benton Collection contains the Year of Peril series, lithographs, and other works. Many other Missouri artists, both past and present, are well represented in the Society’s holdings.

The Society’s extensive editorial cartoon collection includes original drawings by Daniel Fitzpatrick, S. J. Ray, Bill Mauldin, Don Hesse, Tom Engelhardt, and others.

The Main Gallery and Corridor Galleries feature rotating exhibits, with selected paintings by George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton on permanent display.

Galleries

–Columbia Art League Gallery

Sherrie Kueckelhan ‘Canyon Blaze’ from the current exhibition.

The Columbia Art League Gallery is located on 9th Street and is adjoined to the historic Missouri Theatre. The CAL Gallery shows rotating exhibits throughout the year featuring local, regional and national artists. The current exhibit, ‘Give the Gift of Art’ is an annual showcase of Columbia’s wonderful, local artistic talent. CAL also offers classes, workshops and organizes the Art in the Park festival every spring.

–George Caleb Bingham Gallery

From the current “Works on Paper” exhibit by Ronaldo Estevez Jordan

The George Caleb Bingham gallery finds its home in the Fine Arts building on the University of Missouri campus. Rotating exhibits showcase the amazing work of MU students, faculty and other honored guest artists. Stop in to see emerging artistic talent and the artists who inspire them.

–PS: Gallery

Rural Structure 1 by Joel Sager

PS:Gallery is in the North Village Arts District in downtown Columbia and features rotating exhibits of local, regional and nation artists in all mediums. Their philosophy is that art should be inclusive not exclusive. Art shouldn’t be intimidating, but enjoyed by everyone. Come explore the gallery and let them teach you about the artists we carry and what makes them special. Whether browsing, buying or being inspired, all are welcome.

Take Home Some Art

Of course, the galleries above are outstanding places to buy beautiful art, but here are a few more stops where you can pick up something uniquely Columbia on your visit.

–Poppy

–Bluestem Missouri Crafts

–Artlandish Gallery

The Columbia Experience – Clever Cuisine

Columbia is home to over 200 restaurants, so it’s no surprise if you haven’t been able to hit them all if you’ve visited before. During your next trip, consider hitting up some of these local favorites you may have missed!

Cafe Berlin

Located in a completely remodeled gas station on the edge of The District, Cafe Berlin serves up local, delicious breakfast (all day!) and lunch items with unique twists.

The Starving Artist: Half biscuit topped with roasted potatoes, sauteed greens, two eggs your way, & our vegetarian chipotle gravy. Not a bad start to the day!

Nearly everything, from the mushrooms to the coffee to the breads, are sourced from local farmers and producers, so your food is incredibly fresh. Both the breakfast and lunch selections come with fantastic homemade sides and coffee is served up in mismatched mugs that add to the charm of the small hangout.

Our recommendation? The Apples & Sausage is a sweet and spicy start to your day. And if you add a pancake, it’s breakfast bliss.

Main Squeeze

The mission at Main Squeeze is simple: Eat good food. One of Columbia’s only vegetarian restaurants started as a juice bar and evolved into a bustling restaurant offering salads, wraps, soups, desserts, smoothies and daily specials.

Tofu tacos anyone?

Main Squeeze also is a great stop for meeting friends, enjoying the local art on the walls and seeing owner Leigh Lockhart’s smiling face. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike can always find something to satisfy on the menu.

A menu tip: Always always always get a smoothie (we like the Berry Berry Good). And if you walk in and the special is the Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito, get it. You’ll thank us later.

Teller’s

Teller’s may look like a super fancy spot when you walk by on Broadway, but inside the atmosphere is casual and intimate, with a menu to match. Appetizers are simple and delicious, while entrees include an option to build your own salad or you can dive into a beef tenderloin filet or bowl of pasta.

Art on the walls rotates often, making Teller’s Gallery and Bar a most appropriate name. They also have occasional musical performances in the dining room and the center of the restaurant is occupied by a large bar area, always busy during happy hour and throughout the evening.

Ready to order? The Coconut -Curried Braised Pork Wrap features melt in your mouth pork dressed with a cilantro-cucumber sauce. For a sweet finish, the Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce is a winner.

Bangkok Gardens

Have a taste for Thai? Hit up Bangkok Gardens. Open for over 10 years, Bangkok Gardens prepares fresh, authentic Thai food in a welcoming and warm setting.

A Thai tradition: Phat Thai.

The large menu features an array of traditional and unique Thai food. Once you’ve made your choice, you also get to pick your level of heat from 1 (Mild) to 5 (Volcanic), making your dish a custom treat.

Mouth watering? To start, order up some samosas, fried dumplings stuff with potatoes, peas, onions and curry. We also love the Peanut Sauce Phat Thai and the Demon Chicken (with loads of veggies and cashews).

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Now that we’ve made you sufficiently hungry, what’s your favorite place to dine in Columbia?