What do You Love About Where You Live?

I could go on and on about this, as anyone who has visited my website knows, St. Louis history is one of the reasons for my love affair with this city. Another reason is, like so many other Rust Belt cities, St. Louis fell on hard times in the 90s and early 2000s. But the pride in this city is unbelievable. There are numerous things I could complain about, but I would rather focus on the beauty. People come together so often to do more than the limited resources of this city should allow them to. Instead of accepting defeat, this city sees everything as a challenge and is determined to make lemonade, as it were. In the spirit of so many explorers, from Lewis and Clark to Henri Chatillon and more, who left St. Louis full of determination to explore new frontiers, the city refuses to die. There's a pluckiness that is inspiring. And with people like our very own Jack Dorsey leading the way, there's a burgeoning tech scene and boom of entrepreneurship.

Oh, and the Cardinals. I'm baseball obsessed and this is a great place to be if you are. Just don't bring up football. That's a sore subject.

As far as some of my favorite places (outside of the stadium), it has to begin with Forest Park. It was built in part for the 1904 World's Fair, with the 1904 Olympic Games taking place at adjacent Washington University in St. Louis. They build beautiful homes for diplomats that are still there to this day. Currently it houses an art museum that houses works from some of the masters, a zoo that is ranked as one of the best in the country, and a history museum that I love to visit (all three are free, too!), in addition to acres of trails, fields, woods, pavilions, and all the recreational sporting opportunities you could want.



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Also, I've heard that St. Louis has the most breweries per capita in the United States. Additionally, St. Louis Brewing Co., which makes Schlafly beer, is the second largest independent brewery behind Sam Adams.

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Oh, and the City Museum is a great "museum," too. It is a weird, surreal experience, with both adults and children crawling through tunnels and mazes to explore something that could be best described as if Don DeLillo wrote Alice in Wonderland and had Antoni Gaudí bring it to life.


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Additionally, there's a sculpture park that has giant, mammoth installations. And speaking "sculptures," currently the Jefferson Expansion Memorial Park, which houses the Arch, is being massively renovated in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Eero Saarinen's most famous one.

And finally, for a dude like me who loves food, there are several restaurants run by Gerard Craft, the James Beard Award winner for the Midwest's best chef. We also have our own style of pizza and ribs, plus toasted ravioli and St. Paul sandwiches, for the less refined. Plus, St. Louis has the highest population of Bosnians due to sheltering many refugees during the 90s, so there are really cool Eastern European spots, a large German and Dutch population, and a growing Hispanic population that means we have SoCal, TexMex and cuisines from across the entire Spanish-speaking world. There was a Cuban place a half block from me that closed due to the owner having health issues, but another one of my favorite joints, a Honduran place, is moving in there.

Overall, despite limited means and an infrastructure that needs serious revamping, St. Louis is a cultural melting pot reminiscent of the days of westward expansion, with a surprisingly robust selection of culture and diversions. Not to sound like I'm on the tourism board, but it's a great place to visit that is only a short drive from the gorgeous Ozark Mountains, rivers and lakes nestled in picturesque settings.

Basically, I love this city.

hawns you should be an honorary ambassador for the City of St. Louis - those pictures are stunning. Between you and Freddy i may have to rethink my life and my professed dislike of large cities. I am putting St. Louis on my list of places to visit. I passed through briefly a number of years ago when I worked for Mobil. Flew to St. Louis and drove to Cape Girardeau for an emergency response exercise. I didn't have the time to see those sights however. I love to hear stories of cities and communities persevering and overcoming adversity as it highlights the best of human behaviours and activities and taps a deep pool of energy - nothing like standing up to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and shouting "is that all you got!!"

Thank you,

"I grew up in southwestern Ontario in a very small farming town, which happens to be the tomato capital of Canada, called Leamington..."

Celestino,

Thank you for the Ketchup.

Where would the world be without it?

Mickey

Mickey Oberman you heard that Heinz recently cancelled their contracts with all the tomato growers in the Leamington and Aylmer area. I'm not sure where they're sourcing their tomatoes now but French's stepped in and saved the tomato growers from certain hardship. Next time you're in the grocery store leave the Heinz ketchup on the shelf and buy the French's.

Lovely photos, Freddy! I would love to visit, one day.  

hawns you should be an honorary ambassador for the City of St. Louis - those pictures are stunning.  Between you and Freddy i may have to rethink my life and my professed dislike of large cities.  I am putting St. Louis on my list of places to visit.  I passed through briefly a number of years ago when I worked for Mobil. Flew to St. Louis and drove to Cape Girardeau for an emergency response exercise.  I didn't have the time to see those sights however.  I love to hear stories of cities and communities persevering and overcoming adversity as it highlights the best of human behaviours and activities and taps a deep pool of energy - nothing like standing up to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and shouting "is that all you got!!"  

Thank you,

Marko, when I moved from Toledo to San Diego in 1975, I drove.  Being a Brooklyn boy, born and reared, I never took to driving as something to like and, to this day, it remains nothing more than occasional transportation.  When moving, all I wanted to do was get to the West Coast.  However, on the second day, my drive took me on a freeway that went through downtown St. Louis.  Obviously, I could see the Arch in the distance.  In one of the very few spontaneous moments in my life, I took the first exit after seeing the Arch, drove through unfamiliar streets to get as close to it as I could, and was in awe.  I never got out of my car, found the entrance back onto the freeway, and continued on my way.  However, I have never forgotten that experience and have wanted to get back to St. Louis ever since.  I have seen photos of the Botanical Gardens and would love to go.  hawns photos of the museums now makes it even more appealing.  

As steeleshaves and ShadowsDad have shown, very rural areas also have their draw for some while cities, with their buzz attract others.  There is absolutely no wrong here, just a desire to go out and discover.

Marko, when I moved from Toledo to San Diego in 1975, I drove.  Being a Brooklyn boy, born and reared, I never took to driving as something to like and, to this day, it remains nothing more than occasional transportation.  When moving, all I wanted to do was get to the West Coast.  However, on the second day, my drive took me on a freeway that went through downtown St. Louis.  Obviously, I could see the Arch in the distance.  In one of the very few spontaneous moments in my life, I took the first exit after seeing the Arch, drove through unfamiliar streets to get as close to it as I could, and was in awe.  I never got out of my car, found the entrance back onto the freeway, and continued on my way.  However, I have never forgotten that experience and have wanted to get back to St. Louis ever since.  I have seen photos of the Botanical Gardens and would love to go.  hawns photos of the museums now makes it even more appealing.  

As a proud STL resident, I love that story! The Saint Louis Art Museum had an exhibit about mid-century modern design in celebration of the Gateway Arch's 50th birthday, and to find out how close it was to never having existed was terrifying.

Also, I can't believe I forgot the Botanical Gardens and the adjacent Tower Grove Park, which is like stepping into a Victorian era park (and my favorite place to see foliage in the fall). Especially considering it's in my neighborhood!

Funny story, a company that I worked for a few years ago moved to San Diego. I considered it for a second, then realized it was just too nice for me. I prefer red bricks, grime and grit. Definitely on my to-visit list, however. Especially after your pictures!

Oh, and the City Museum is a great "museum," too. It is a weird, surreal experience, with both adults and children crawling through tunnels and mazes to explore something that could be best described as if Don DeLillo wrote Alice in Wonderland and had Antoni Gaudí bring it to life.

And finally, for a dude like me who loves food...

Basically, I love this city.

+1 on the City Museum - my kids loved it.

What - no mention of Pappy's Smoke House? Love that place!

Lovely photos, Freddy! I would love to visit, one day.  

Marko, when I moved from Toledo to San Diego in 1975, I drove.  Being a Brooklyn boy, born and reared, I never took to driving as something to like and, to this day, it remains nothing more than occasional transportation.  When moving, all I wanted to do was get to the West Coast.  However, on the second day, my drive took me on a freeway that went through downtown St. Louis.  Obviously, I could see the Arch in the distance.  In one of the very few spontaneous moments in my life, I took the first exit after seeing the Arch, drove through unfamiliar streets to get as close to it as I could, and was in awe.  I never got out of my car, found the entrance back onto the freeway, and continued on my way.  However, I have never forgotten that experience and have wanted to get back to St. Louis ever since.  I have seen photos of the Botanical Gardens and would love to go.  hawns photos of the museums now makes it even more appealing.  

As a proud STL resident, I love that story! The Saint Louis Art Museum had an exhibit about mid-century modern design in celebration of the Gateway Arch's 50th birthday, and to find out how close it was to never having existed was terrifying.

Also, I can't believe I forgot the Botanical Gardens and the adjacent Tower Grove Park, which is like stepping into a Victorian era park (and my favorite place to see foliage in the fall). Especially considering it's in my neighborhood!

Funny story, a company that I worked for a few years ago moved to San Diego. I considered it for a second, then realized it was just too nice for me. I prefer red bricks, grime and grit. Definitely on my to-visit list, however. Especially after your pictures!

One of these days we shall each have to give the other the grand tour of our respective cities.

Oh, and the City Museum is a great "museum," too. It is a weird, surreal experience, with both adults and children crawling through tunnels and mazes to explore something that could be best described as if Don DeLillo wrote Alice in Wonderland and had Antoni Gaudí bring it to life.

And finally, for a dude like me who loves food...

Basically, I love this city.

+1 on the City Museum - my kids loved it.

What - no mention of Pappy's Smoke House? Love that place!

Ha, well, I love Pappy's but hate the wait. There's a place close to where I live called Adam's Smokehouse that I'd highly recommend. The guy who owns it comes from the Pappy's/Bogart's lineage, and it is every bit as good as the Pappy's/Bogart's BBQ if you ask me...and even if you didn't ask me :p

Oh, and the City Museum is a great "museum," too. It is a weird, surreal experience, with both adults and children crawling through tunnels and mazes to explore something that could be best described as if Don DeLillo wrote Alice in Wonderland and had Antoni Gaudí bring it to life.

And finally, for a dude like me who loves food...

Basically, I love this city.

+1 on the City Museum - my kids loved it.

What - no mention of Pappy's Smoke House?  Love that place!

Ha, well, I love Pappy's but hate the wait. There's a place close to where I live called Adam's Smokehouse that I'd highly recommend. The guy who owns it comes from the Pappy's/Bogart's lineage, and it is every bit as good as the Pappy's/Bogart's BBQ if you ask me...and even if you didn't ask me :p

I love BBQ and need to try the St. Louis style before I die.

Also interesting that the designer of the Arch is named Saarinen, that was one of my best friend's name growing up. He died in 1976 in a tragic mountaineering accident during senior year in high school.

Freddy, you are very brave, indeed.
Okay, I am a chicken. Have you ever seen a chicken fly?

I have never heard of the Canoe restaurant. But Toronto has over 7,000 restaurants with food choices from all over the world and wonderful people and their languages and accents and customs from all over.

I do love this place. There is a street named after my late son, Paul.  Paul Oberman Walk.
A Belvedere is being built  around their large property, by an architect's association, that will also bear his name.

So my life  and my family's are  happily tied into this place. There is so much to attract here from the classiest hotels to rough, natural wilderness and every possible and imaginable  thing in between.

Mickey Oberman please forgive me if this is too personal, but I google searched your son's name.  You must be a very proud father to have such a son and I am sorry he was taken too soon.  Paul was roughly my age and accomplished so much, I did not know him but after reading what has been written by those who did I can see that he was a wonderful person, passionate and devoted to his family and his community.  People like him are inspirations to us all.  My condolences to you and your family.
Mark