Over the weekend I had a lovely breakfast with a native St. Louis couple who just got back from living in Seattle. They said they experienced what is called the "Seattle Freeze". It is documented that local Seattlers are not overly friendly to newcomers. In fact if you move into town and ask another couple over to dinner, it is considered odd and too overly friendly...stalkerish!
Well tonight I met a nice man who moved to St. Louis with his family from San Diego. He has been here three years and still says it is hard meeting friends and "breaking-into" this town. I have heard this comment often.
Why is St. Louis like this? I think it mostly stems from being a town that is not very transient. Kids go to school locally...instead of boarding schools like the East Coast. People stay here. We are a small- big town. People move around in their general areas....Central West County, West County, Kirkwood/Webster, South County...St. Charles......this make us a city of smaller communities. If you end up living here long enough, you end up knowing a lot of people. I think people in St. Louis just decide that they have enough friends.
So the next time you meet someone who has moved to St. Louis from out of town, make a special effort to include them at your next party or have them over for dinner. And don't slip and ask them where they went to high school....or college....or where they work (you know in Europe it is considered tacky to ask someone what they do)...ask them about their favorite place to visit...or something else that will tell you what is really inside the person.
And now for my advice to newcomers...first of all....use me as your realtor....I will be your first friend!
OK...now more advice....start having babies...moms love moms...you can always talk about drool or what high school the kids will go to....live in a social neighborhood...like the CWE, Soulard or a popular family neighborhood...take a cooking class at something like the Kitchen Conservatory...volunteer at a charity like Food Outreach....find a book club...hang out at coffee shops on Sunday morning....join your neighborhood group....create a garden in your front yard and work in it all weekend....join a volleyball league...sign up for classes at the Art Museum/Botanical Garden/Contemporary Museum....find a wine tasting group....join a biking or running group...eat at the bar at a restaurant and talk to the people next to you...join a gym and do the group classes...I could keep going.....you know what I mean....get out!
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