St Louis, MO
A few months ago, a bunch of us went out to dinner during a conference that was being held here in Atlanta. One of my workmates' friends was in town for the meeting and we got to talking about places worth seeing in the States. Being born and raised in St. Louis, he enthusiastically recommended it. So, when trying to figure out how best to fill the vacuum between Christmas and New Year, I decided to venture slightly northwest and visit this lovely city.
Being located halfway between Chicago and Memphis, St. Louis successfully straddles the bustling pace of the north with the manners of the south. Located on its waterfront, along the Mississippi River, is the huge Gateway Arch, constructed entirely of stainless steel, constructed in 1965. Located in a bunker immediately beneath it, is a small museum, as well as the location of the tram that takes you up to the very top of the arch. The swaying sensation you experience upon reaching the top (after a 4-5 minute ride) is not your imagination, and the views of the downtown area on one side, and the waterfront on the other, are worth the feeling of unsteadiness.
Located south of the downtown area is the enormous Missouri Botanical Garden, with sprawling grounds and one of the biggest Japanese gardens in the country. Unfortunately, I probably picked the wrong time of year to visit, with most trees bare and the skies overcast. I can only imagine how beautiful the gardens would be in the spring. Still, even though I'm no green thumb, the indoor conservatories are stunning, such as Linneus House, and the huge Climatron, which is quite literally like being in an indoor rainforest. For such a huge expanse of land, and even though there are many other visitors around you, there's still a strange air of peacefulness surrounding the place.
Another attraction that was highly recommended to me was a tour of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, home of Budweiser beer. If you ever find yourself in St. Louis, and even if you're not an alcohol drinker, this free tour is definitely worthwhile - although it pays to go in good weather - our group got drenched during a sprint between buildings, forcing some people to actually abandon the tour. Even from outside the gates of the plant, there's a strange smell hanging in the air - reminiscent of mouse chow - most likely a mixture of rice, yeast, hops and the other goodies that go into Budweiser beer.
Another fun thing to see while in St. Louis - especially if you think of yourself as a big kid, and if you don't mind being surrounded by many noisy smaller ones - is the quirky City Museum. Walking through it, I felt like I was in a glorified junkyard, with most of the stuff on show looking as though it had been rescued from pawn shops or thrift stores - ranging from glass volumetric flasks to giant underpants. Though I must admit that the top floor, devoted to vintage, secondhand clothing (most of it for sale), did send me right back to Sydney Road's Episode. With Bryan Ferry playing in the background.
Bailey's Chocolate Bar, down the street from where I was staying, is easily any chocaholic's dream, offering desserts, wines and all things chocolate. Indoors, with its red walls and dim lighting conjures up the atmosphere of a boudoir, but this atmosphere doesn't quite gel with the austerity of the staff. You certainly don't leave with an empty belly though. Further down the street is the much friendlier and comfortable Square One Brewery, serving up monster burgers and a good selection of beers.
The great thing about being in a country the size of the U.S. is that you don't have to travel very far to experience completely different places, in terms of scenery and attitude. Whether you go from east to west coast, or just an hour by car or plane, you're bound to be exposed to something new.
Being located halfway between Chicago and Memphis, St. Louis successfully straddles the bustling pace of the north with the manners of the south. Located on its waterfront, along the Mississippi River, is the huge Gateway Arch, constructed entirely of stainless steel, constructed in 1965. Located in a bunker immediately beneath it, is a small museum, as well as the location of the tram that takes you up to the very top of the arch. The swaying sensation you experience upon reaching the top (after a 4-5 minute ride) is not your imagination, and the views of the downtown area on one side, and the waterfront on the other, are worth the feeling of unsteadiness.
Located south of the downtown area is the enormous Missouri Botanical Garden, with sprawling grounds and one of the biggest Japanese gardens in the country. Unfortunately, I probably picked the wrong time of year to visit, with most trees bare and the skies overcast. I can only imagine how beautiful the gardens would be in the spring. Still, even though I'm no green thumb, the indoor conservatories are stunning, such as Linneus House, and the huge Climatron, which is quite literally like being in an indoor rainforest. For such a huge expanse of land, and even though there are many other visitors around you, there's still a strange air of peacefulness surrounding the place.
Another attraction that was highly recommended to me was a tour of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, home of Budweiser beer. If you ever find yourself in St. Louis, and even if you're not an alcohol drinker, this free tour is definitely worthwhile - although it pays to go in good weather - our group got drenched during a sprint between buildings, forcing some people to actually abandon the tour. Even from outside the gates of the plant, there's a strange smell hanging in the air - reminiscent of mouse chow - most likely a mixture of rice, yeast, hops and the other goodies that go into Budweiser beer.
Another fun thing to see while in St. Louis - especially if you think of yourself as a big kid, and if you don't mind being surrounded by many noisy smaller ones - is the quirky City Museum. Walking through it, I felt like I was in a glorified junkyard, with most of the stuff on show looking as though it had been rescued from pawn shops or thrift stores - ranging from glass volumetric flasks to giant underpants. Though I must admit that the top floor, devoted to vintage, secondhand clothing (most of it for sale), did send me right back to Sydney Road's Episode. With Bryan Ferry playing in the background.
Bailey's Chocolate Bar, down the street from where I was staying, is easily any chocaholic's dream, offering desserts, wines and all things chocolate. Indoors, with its red walls and dim lighting conjures up the atmosphere of a boudoir, but this atmosphere doesn't quite gel with the austerity of the staff. You certainly don't leave with an empty belly though. Further down the street is the much friendlier and comfortable Square One Brewery, serving up monster burgers and a good selection of beers.
The great thing about being in a country the size of the U.S. is that you don't have to travel very far to experience completely different places, in terms of scenery and attitude. Whether you go from east to west coast, or just an hour by car or plane, you're bound to be exposed to something new.
posted by yossarian | 10:13 AM
2 Comments:
For some reason St Louis makes me think of Tom Waits.
Wow the structure of the Gateway Arch is imposing and the view is worth the rickety ride to the top- though I'm glad I wasn't doing it! :)
You can say with confidence that you've been to the Budweiser factory- That reminds me of the Simpsons and makes me wonder why I've never bothered to take the Carlton Brewery tour- will reserve it for next time you're down!
I like Bailey's Chocolate Bar too- looks like some speakeasy from the 20's providing illicit goods!
That garden still looks great even in winter! Hehe. Like M's I thought of the Simpsons episode when you mentioned the brewery tour...
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