St. Louis Style

Imagining a 2010 St. Louis in 1910

Are St. Louisians Not Friendly to New Residents?

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!

Medart's

I am not old enough to have gone to Medart's, though I remember my parents talking about it.  Well this is a ramble of a lot of thoughts....I love Mad Men and am catching up from the beginning.  Things were different in the 50's and 60's....food at restaurants was simpler....steak, shrimp, salads, oysters.  I found this old recipe book (published in 1954) at an estate sale and the only St. Louis place in it was Medart's. For you youngsters or non-St. Louis natives, Medart's is now the Cheshire Inn on Clayton Rd.

Lady Gaga

I so rarely go to a concert, though last night I saw Lady Gaga at The Fox.  She was fabulous.  The dancing was extravagant, the crowd dynamic....and the speakers were loud.  My ears are still ringing this morning.  Lady Gaga is a real talent who will just get better and better.  I just hope she keeps coming to see her fans in St. Louis!

 

Old Sign- CWE

I love this old sign on the Northern side of the CWE.  It reminds you of the carriage trade.

Jerry Berger is Back!

Last week when I was at the VP Ball, I ran into Jerry Berger. He slipped me a card with a website on it. I don't know where I have been, though Jerry has his own gossip website now. For those of you who used to run to the paper, Globe and then the Post, you now can just log on! Click here for his SITE.

How Many Million $+ Houses Sold In St. Louis in 2009?

You can see from the figures below that 2009 was a particularly bad year for the sale of high dollar houses in the St. Louis area.  The top house sold was in Ladue for $7.5 million.  It did come with 36 acres!

  Year # Sold

2002	113
2003	120
2004	138
2005	194
2006	196
2007	221
2008	172
2009	102

Sugarloaf Mound Bought By the Osage Nation

This may be old news, though I just read on the Landmarks Association blog that the Sugarloaf Mound has been bought by the Osage Nation. No, it will not become a casino site. My reporting skills are not too keen today, though I think this mound is in South St. Louis between 55 and the river....maybe off Broadway.  I know you can see it from the highway.

Kakao Chocolate

Looking for a fun and tasty gift for someone this Holiday Season.  Make a trip to Kakao Chocolate located at 2301 S. Jefferson.  If you just can't do the city, I also saw some of their delicacies at The Mockingbird Market on Olive at Price.

New Straub's Clarkson/Clayton Rds

I have always loved my Straub's in the CWE and Clayton.  It is easy to get in and out,the people are friendly and yummy samples are all over! I was out visiting a new listing in Wildwood over the weekend and had to pop into Straub's new store. It was huge, glamorous and a little empty of shoppers.

 

 

 

 

They have a bar in the store where you can grab a beer!