Hey there, native St. Louisan. Think you’ve done it all? Seen it all? You’ve petted a Clydesdale, been “beaked” by Fredbird, and scarfed a concrete at Ted Drewes, pancakes at Goody-Goody, and the slinger at the Eat-Rite Diner?
Amanda Doyle begs to differ. The journalist and author of 2011’s fun Finally: A Locally Produced Guidebook to St. Louis by and for St. Louisans has produced a new volume. Her100 Things to Do in St. Louis Before You Die offers, as she puts it in the book’s intro, “a rounded St. Louis education, a great start on piecing together the puzzle of this magnificent city, [and] an appreciation for what we have.”
Doyle’s new book not only reminds us of some of the gems in the crown we may take for granted, but of other dusty jewels that we may have managed to ignore all along.
How many of these selected classic and not-so-classic destinations spotlighted in the book have you visited? Have you ever…
- Sledded Art Hill?
- Grooved to live music at BB’s Jazz, Blues, and Soups?
- Explored Bellefontaine and Calvary cemeteries?
- Rocked to Chuck Berry live at Blueberry Hill?
- Enjoyed the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Best of Missouri Market and its cow-milking photo-op?
- Taken the official tour of Busch Stadium, with stops at the Cardinals dugout and a radio broadcast booth?
- Inhaled a slinger at the Eat-Rite diner?
- Picked apples at Eckert’s?
- Attended Festival of Nations?
- Eaten the chiles rellenos at St. Cecilia Parish on a Friday during Lent?
- Had a goat chew on your clothes at the petting zoo at Grant’s Farm?
- Cruised the Great River Road in Alton and Grafton, Ill.?
- Toured the Griot Museum of Black History's wax museum?
- Eaten at Gus’ Pretzels?
- Gotten down at the Central West End Halloween party?
- Been to the Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden?
- Partied at the surreal Joe’s Café?
- Kept your cool at the Loop Ice Carnival?
- Ogled the wildlife at Lone Elk Park?
- Been to—or even heard of—the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame?
- Driven in to the Skyview Drive-In?
- Gawked at semi-pro wrestling at the South Broadway Athletic Club?
- Ridden the mini-sized “Wabash Frisco and Pacific Railroad” ?
- Stepped into the Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park?
- Laughed at the Penguin Parade in winter at the St. Louis Zoo?
Surely you haven’t visited every one of these attractions in our city. Everyone has some unchecked items in his and her bucket list.
Let’s get crackin’!
Amanda Doyle discusses and signs 100 Things to Do in St. Louis Before You Die at 7 p.m., Monday, May 20, at Left Bank Books, 399 N. Euclid, 314-367-6731, left-bank.com.
