it's like Wisconsin...

long long ago, in the movie Stripes, Bill Murray and Harold Ramis had a scene where their special military RV (stolen) was crossing into the then Soviet union at the Czechoslovakian border and one says to the other- "Czechoslovakia, it's like Wisconsin man, you're in you're out..."

well that is how our very quick trip to St. Louis went this week- with us heading down to visit family on Tuesday afternoon and returning very very late Thursday night after dinner with friends...

We had our first dinner with Phil's mom, Sue, his brother Sandy and nephew Jeff at The Crossings in Clayton. 

I had the above tasting menu with the soup (chilled pea soup) then the stracci pasta bolognese and then the trout with a side of morel mushrooms and the pot de creme mini dessert- all just right!

on our full day in STL we went down to the soulard market area for BBQ at Bogart's - I had the ribs and so did Sue and Phil had a combo with ribs and burnt ends - we all had more than enough food and got a box to take home leftovers-

then it was on to Ted Drewe's for frozen custard- an institution on Route 66- this place is hopping no matter the time of day or night and also no matter the weather-

that evening we had dinner with Sandy and Sue at Sydney Street Cafe- still full from lunch I ordered a series of appetizers - tuna crudo the asparagus and eggs and a trio of bites of several of the other appetizers including the excellent lobster turnover and veal dumpling (the crab cake was OK - but didn't wow me)

Phil ordered a deconstructed Snickers as dessert and loved it---

the next day I was stuffed from all the meals the prior one so I suggested salads for lunch at Pasta House - another STL institution- locations throughout the area-

my salad was the BIG salad- and was excellent- Phil had the Pasta House Special salad along with cannoli - below my salad and two below Phil's salad---

we spent the afternoon at Sue's and then met Barry & Ellen for a quick burger on the way out of town at Blueberry Hill-

the drive home was quick and we were back in Chicago by 1:10 AM- time enough for a decent night's sleep and catching up on details before we have a whirlwind week of theater and dining- 

tonight Remy Bumppo - "Travesties" (a Stoppard play) and then Sunday the Lookingglass production of "Title & Deed" and then Tuesday the Steppenwolf play featuring John Mahoney "The Herd" - along with three other nights of social plans before we head out of town for the rest of the month... so lots to see and do- 

Oh and I finished a good book while I was away- a fictional but historically based story of Marshall Field and the Gilded Age that is told from the point of view of his mistress Delia Spencer Caton Field. I enjoyed it very much- not a deep book but an interesting tale of Chicago from the night of the great fire through the early part of the 20th century...

ever onward! more later of course ....