Vacation

Well, I’m back. My vacation of about 8 days was eventful, fun, relaxing, eye-opening, and worthwhile. I went to St. Louis and Sikeston. It was good to get away. Here are some exciting things I did with my family that I think you should do too if you ever make it to St. Louis and want to venture into areas other than the river front:

• Forest Park - Everyone who’s ever been to St. Louis more than once knows about Forest Park. Most people have no idea, though, how much it has to offer. We went all over Forest Park last weekend, and I was shocked at how large it is and how much stuff there is to see and participate in. We saw great show at the Muny and were really impressed with the Art Museum and Missouri History Museum. And of course, spend some time at the zoo. Map.
• The Delmar Loop – West of the city, this area is rich with activity and college kids. Definitely check out Blueberry Hill, which is owned by Chuck Berry, Fitz root beer brewery, and Vintage Vinyl. There are also some nice clubs, shops, restaurants, etc. Map. Website.
• Lafayette Square - This was probably the biggest delight of my trip. This is a fairly newly renovated area with a killer park and some mouth watering apartments. There are lots of cool shops and cafes to browse through. The coolest is definitely Bailey’s Chocolate Bar. Don’t ever go to St. Louis again without stopping here for a drink and some cake. Also, drive around Lafayette Square and just look at the old neighborhoods. Map. Website.
• Anheuser-Busch Brewery – Everyone knows about it, but surprisingly, not that many people have been there that I know. It’s a huge, old complex. The buildings alone are great to gawk at, giving you the nostalgic feeling that only industrial America can give. The simple tour is free and really interesting. It takes about an hour, and everyone gets two free 11 ounce samples of beer at the end. You can also take the Beermaster’s tour for $25. I haven’t done that one yet. Map. Website.
• City Museum – Walking into the City Museum is like stepping onto a set of a Guillermo del Toro children’s movie. They basically took anything they could find in a junkyard and glued it to the walls and said, “Climb on this.” It’s amazing. Take your kids, but don’t expect to ever see them again, because they can literally crawl through any wall in this huge old building for 5 stories. The people that created this live on the top floor, I heard. They must be the most creative people in town. Map. Website.
• Eat – We ate a lot. Two notables were Companion and the Schlafly Taproom. Companion is a little cafe in Clayton that bakes fresh bread and some incredible egg casseroles. You have to eat there. Schlafly is a microbrewery with a couple restaurants. My friend Campbell said the one called “Bottleworks” has a great sardine sandwich. I hope to try it next time. The sticky toffee pudding, however, changed my life. It’s the best thing that’s ever touched my lips. If you have even one ounce of respect for me as a food guy, drive to St. Louis tonight and eat some. They also have great root beer.
• Drive - Then if you have time, take a drive down Interstate 55 south from St. Louis. It’s beautiful – rolling hills, trees, pastures, vineyards, the whole bit. If you get all the way to Sikeston, MO, eat at the original Lambert’s.