St. Louis is not as renowned for it’s nightlife as the likes of Vegas or New York, but one scene that is strong and growing even more cellar, I mean stellar, is the wine bar trend. Who knows if this is an actual trend, and if St. Louis St. Louis is behind or ahead of it, but one thing is for sure, if you know a thing or two about wine, or simply like to imbibe with friends, St. Louis offers some truly great vino-focused establishments. Forget pub-crawls . . . take yourself on wine bar-crawl through the Gateway City, complete with yummy cheeses and delectable small plates.
A second-story walk up in the Central West End’s charming Maryland Plaza, Maryland House at Brennan’s (4659A Maryland Avenue, 314-361-9444) is a gem of a watering-hole. With Brennan’s wine and cigar shop below, and a subterranean speakeasy on the lower level, Maryland House is the perfect place to lounge with friends over a bottle of red wine. Just try to avoid talking about how cool this place is.
At Sasha’s Wine Bar on DeMun in Clayton and the new Sasha’s on Shaw in South City, you will get the quintessential wine bar experience. If you’re looking for a place to while away a beautiful St. Louis afternoon or evening (and they are abundant this time of year), either location offers superb outdoor seating.
At Robust in Webster Groves, sample wine flights or choose wines by the glass or bottle all according to their ”Robust Factor,” Robust’s own handy format, based on body style, meant to help you navigate their vast wine list. Whether you enjoy your wine with “Bubbles,” ”Soft Hearted” or “Sweet and Sticky,” Robust’s selection, paired with their award-winning small plates, is beyond any scale of measurement.
Tags: Brennan's, Robust, Sasha's on Shaw, St. Louis Nightlife, Wine & Spirits
They may not soar 630 feet into the Midwestern sky or serve as a gateway to anything, but the two dozen scultpures in downtown St. Louis’ brand spanking new City Garden are certainly giving Mr. Saarinen’s masterpiece a run for its money.
At 10th & Market, in the heart of downtown St. Louis, this privately-funded urban sculpture garden spans two city blocks and, in addition to sculptures like Jime Dine’s welcoming Pinocchio or Laura Ford’s eerily intriguing Bird, the City Garden boasts a sublime new restaurant and water features, in which kids can don their swimsuits and frolick busted-open-fire-hydrant-style.
Free and open to the public this new St. Louis attraction has recently drawn the attention of The New York Times and other national media outlets. If you find yourself downtown or really nowhere near it for that matter, a detour to the City Garden is an absolute necessity. Kids are even allowed, nay, encouraged to climb on many of the works of art. For more information, visit the City Garden Website.
Tags: City Garden, Downtown St. Louis, Family Friendly, Fine Art, On a Budget, Outdoor, St. Louis Entertainment & Attractions
With the Mighty Mississippi and the muddy Missouri snaking throughout the greater St. Louis area, you’re not likely to find many aquatic creatures more exotic than a snapping turtle or a bluegill inhabiting these parts. However, from now until September 30, 2009, the Saint Louis Zoo is hosting Stingrays at Caribbean Cove, where zoogoers of all ages can watch, touch and possibly even feed over thirty exotic and graceful stingrays as they swim through a 17,000-gallon saltwater pool, complete with a waterfall and a lush surrounding landscape.
The 28 cownose rays and four southern stingrays that make up this unique exhibit are related to sharks and skates. They have a flat body, long pointed fins and a long, whip-like tail. These stingrays are entirely harmless, as their stingers have been painlessly trimmed back and their teeth are up inside their mouth.
Admission to the Zoo is free as always, but tickets to this exhibit are $3, children under two are free and, for early birds, entrance to the exhibit is free the first hour the zoo is open. Click here for Zoo hours.
Trekking through the vast Saint Louis Zoo always works up an appetite, so if you have a hankering for some poolside grub, stop by stingray-adjacent Ray’s Grill, where they serve up Jamaican jerk chicken, terriyaki pork kabobs, island burgers, margaritas, daiquiris, real fruit smoothies and more.
Tags: St. Louis Attractions, St. Louis Zoo