St Louis Girl at Heart

I've lived in St. Louis all of my life except for college and the summer I spent in Italy. I've been very lucky and have had the opportunity to travel all over the United States and many places in Europe, but nothing says home like St. Louis. Yes, St Louis is land-locked, we have crazy humidity in the summer and our football team sucks, but in my opinion, St Louis is the best city in the world!

We are lucky enough to enjoy Gus' Pretzels or Ted Drewes after a Cardinals game, Forest Park is a true gem smacked in the middle of the city, the Cardinals, the Arch, all kinds of cool, eclectic neighborhoods (Soulard, Kirkwood, Webster, Dogtown, Lafayette Square, The Hill) with fun shops and restaurants and you can't forget about the Magic House!

I have three faves of St. Louis -- The Hill, Forest Park and the Cardinals! I love all of them pretty equally and are the "top three" things to do when in the 'Lou.

The Hill (www.thehillstl.com) -- for those who haven't been lucky enough to visit St. Louis, The Hill should be one of the first stops you make. In just a few blocks, you can transport yourself to a little piece of Italy. The best way to see the neighborhood is by walking and stopping along the way to the Italian markets (DiGregorio's is the best). You can even stop for gelato at Gelato di Rosi, light a prayer candle at St. Ambrose or play a quick game of bocce at Milo's all in one afternoon. In the evening, grab dinner at one of the delightful and well-known restaurants on The Hill. By far, LoRusso's Cucina is my favorite and just a few blocks off The Hill. The food is amazing! A few other notable places to dine are Gian-Tony's and Cunetto's!

After a fun day/night on The Hill, be sure to make a stop at Forest Park. Larger than Central Park and home of the 1904 World's Fair, it's packed full of SO many wonderful ways to waste time on a beautiful day. You can golf, visit the Art Museum, History Museum, go ice skating, enjoy the zoo or simply enjoy a picnic on Art Hill.

My favorite spot in all of FP is at the Grand Basin. The Grand Basin is a popular wedding photo spot and captures the beauty of the entire park. It's easy to lose your self in Forest Park on a beautiful day plus, people watching is always a plus :)

Lastly, but definitly  not least is one of the things St. Louis is most known for -- the 10 times World Series Champions, the St. Louis Cardinals! Yes, a few years ago we had to say goodbye to the old Busch Stadium and going to a game isn't the same, but St Louis will ALWAYS love the Cardinals regardless of where they play! We've been lucky to have some amazing players on the team - Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith, Bob Gibson, Albert Pujols and my favorite, Jim Edmonds, just to name a few! Fans go crazy when the Cards play and we are not a city that has "fair weathered fans." We are committed to our team in good times and even when we suck ('09 season).

The best place to be on a warm, sunny day is at a Cardinals game enjoying an ice cold Bud Light plus a Cards win tops off the day. Last summer, I was lucky enough to volunteer at the All-Star Game. Even though I didn't meet a hot baseball player to marry, it was pretty exciting to be a part of history. If anyone ever wonders to get me for a birthday or Christmas present, I'll take season tickets!

Whenever you're in St. Louis, let me know and I'll be more than happy to share a little piece of why I love the city with you...Ciao!!!!!