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 ....

the week in between

when we came back from our three week trip to South America and now- was of course busy...that is why I have barely scratched the surface of the trip blogging-

but meanwhile here is where we were and what we did-

HA HA HA - I got four new tires and one new wheel for my car- after heading out on Monday morning and finding I had a flat tire- that took three days! aaaaccckkk!

but anyway- we still had Phil's car so we managed...

on Wednesday we went to a CG event at Chef's Station in Evanston- really great meal - a small group so we had mixed reviews of the company but we did get to see Judy (who we like a lot!) and Kathy who we had met before at the Cyrano's dinner and Paul (who we had met a Tallgrass) - Paul has two chickens now- LOL- so he has stopped eating eggs because he feels guilty about eating "the girls" babies even though he KNOWS they won't become chicks- LOL.... don't know if I would be the same but can say right now I can't take care of chickens no matter how much fun they are or how "cute" they are.... Judy just came back from Turkey and had great things to report about her trip.

 

 

I had the crab cakes and risotto and Phil had the crab cakes and the lamb- food was excellent- we will definitely return - probably when we can finally coordinate dates with some of Phil's folkie friends in Evanston.

then the following night - Thursday - we went to Northlight Theater to see their latest production - the last for the year series...Stella and Lou- excellent production by the same group that did "Outgoing Tide" a couple of years back-  a three person cast that each held their own in a touching production about the shortness of the time we have here and the connections that can enrich our lives...

then on Friday morning we went to St Louis to visit Phil's mom and spend time with two of his brothers.  we had some excellent meals and we got to see his mother's new place in the retirement apartment that she moved into late last year...it is wonderful and very very fancy! a dress for dinner place (Phil would never follow those rules - LOL)

the first night we went to Sidney Street Café- in the Benton Park neighborhood and had a superb meal with fabulous service!

 then on Saturday we went to the Soulard Market area and had the number one BBQ in not just the city - I think in the US according to some one- I don't remember the source- but I will say it was an excellent place with an unbelievable crowd that they handled with grace and ease!

above the door stop and below the t-shirts for sale...

the menu-

from there we trekked through Soulard Market- a gem of an old time city market - not unlike the West Side Market in Cleveland - fun time- entertainment and lettuce and pig "snoots"-

 

 

and my favorite market photo- yes we have them all but please be sure to visit our PET shop outside (aaaacccckkkk!) - lower right hand corner of the window....

(detail)

 

so having walked a whole block after lunch we decided to reward ourselves with Ted Drewes' frozen custard - an institution on Route 66 since the 1920s...

I had the Johnny Rabbit, the boys had Cardinal Sins and Sue had the blueberry concrete- all super but mine was the winning flavor of cherry (very cherry) and chip!

we managed to make two stops here in the 48 hours we were in STL- one on the way out of town - so Phil wouldn't feel deprived of his "fix"...LOL

our dinner that evening was at Five Bistro - a farm to table place located on the famous "hill" - the old Italian neighborhood in STL-  the limited menu reflects the freshness of the meat and produce they are provided by their farmers and is different every day as a result of working with what is brought to them by the purveyors.

the late night menu at Five Bistro:

so about now you are probably thinking we couldn't eat another thing but you would be wrong as we still have two meals to go in our - what was actually closer to 60 hours in STL...

the Sunday lunch was delicious burgers at Blueberry Hill in U City - and then dinner was Italian nearer to Sue's home at Charlie Gitto's from the Hill-

we made the Ted Drewes stop on the way out of town and headed home- arriving around 2 AM... soon I will be back to the trip- I promise! Only two social engagements this week and two appointments - AND I have already completed my consulting work this morning - so free to get back to photos and blogging---