This will be short and sweet, just like our time in St. Louis, Missouri was. Paul found us an inexpensive room at the Westin. Not being a hotel chain type of traveler, my hopes were low. However, this hotel was absolutely wonderful (clean and spacious with a deep bathtub and cool art on the walls)…and check out the view we had from our window!
Busch Stadium from our Westin Window
We basically had time enough wander around town a bit, eat and sleep (the Cardinals had an away game, alas). Our wanderings led us to a tap house and wine bar named bridge. I ordered me a pear cider and we shared a cheese board. If you love cheese (and beer, and wine, and cider, and spirits), then you will be impressed with the selection here. I had to order the Sage Derby (Great Britain, Buttery with a slight herbiness) in honor of Paul, of course.
bridge tap house and wine bar
Before and after dinner, we hung out in Citygarden for a bit, which is a really cool urban oasis (aka park) in downtown St. Louis. The weather was nice and the park was packed with happy people. Wish every city had something like this…
Pinocchio at Citygarden
Citygarden fountain at night
Another thing that struck me about St. Louis was the architecture. This is one of the most impressive looking post offices I have come across…
St. Louis Post Office
Of course most people go directly to the Gateway Arch upon arrival in St. Louis and I am a bit bummed we didn’t make it there. If you have been, please tell us what you thought of it. I got a nice all-around vibe from St. Louis; the people were friendly, the food was good, and the bed was comfy…what more could a girl ask for while “just passing through”?
I have a thing for old post offices! Did you get to go inside this one?
I keep my post office box at a post office on South Broadway in Englewood, it’s really old with a cowboy type mural on the wall. It’s kind of cheesy, but it gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling.
The post office was closed by the time I discovered it…it looked so beautiful all lit up like that, though. I love the ones that have kept their original charm…murals on the wall, vintage ads for “limited edition” stamps gone by – lots of wood and marble and brass and maybe even beveled glass *sigh*. I get the warm fuzzies in certain types of buildings as well. Collinsville, CT used to have a wonderful old library *sighing again*…
It is high! Looks just like it does in pictures, (no discernable weight gain) and I wouldn’t go up in it for anything! 🙂
I suppose that means you won’t be going skydiving with your daughter anytime soon then, eh Peg?!?
If you would like to buy an old post office, we have one here in Old Tipton, TN for sale! The original boxes are still there and intact!
I may have to take a field trip, Peg. How lovely would Mountain Girl Organics products be, alongside antiquarian books (that’s Paul’s thing) and other green/repurposed items in an old post office? And think of all of those old boxes that could be used for lip balm, soaps, and fizzies storage! A girl can dream : )
My friend has this amazing piece just outside of her kitchen…it is a spice pantry made of old post-office boxes. It is sooo cool! I have seen old ones made into piggy banks, as well. The new metal boxes can’t possibly compete with the charm of the old wooden ones, in my opinion.
Outch!
Seems like your visit to Arkansas was not a happy experence! You may have found your way though Fort Smith where I have called home for 28 years. Moved here from Florida. I hope you give us another chance, the people of Arkansas are the best!
you are invited to plug in our house free of charge. Come on back and see us soon.
Larry
Hi Larry! Thank you for responding…I love to hear from people who can tell me more about an area we didn’t have time to explore properly. It wasn’t a terrible experience – just felt bad for all of those armadillos! I feel the same way about the deer in PA.
We don’t have an RV (yet)…I’m still working at convincing Paul on that one : ) Do you have one?? We will be in TN for the next six months and plan on doing a lot of exploring so I will make sure we give Arkansas more of a chance in the next few months…
V