Comment from Carol Re "your views on St Louis"

Just finished reading your web page about St Louis...and not really sure that your description of St Louis is accurate. I have lived there all of my life and no one I have ever met has ever referred to U-City as the next Greenwich Village or a So-Ho wannabe. U-City is just U-City home of Wash U and Fontbonne.

St Louis has a lot of wonderful restaurants perhaps your friends should have taken you down to the Hill to get some wonderful Italian food. Besides eating there are plenty of things to do and to visit. For the record...St Louis pizza is awesome. You should have tried the pizza before you said anything negative. St. Louis pizza has a very thin crust...but we like it that way!

Our Art & History Museum, Zoo both located in Forest Park are FREE...Bet you can't say that about many local Art Museums and Zoo's...free to visit works of art every day a year and not pay a dime. We have world class sports, universities, symphonies, gardens and many other attributes you failed to list. Do you have anything positive to say at all.

I guess if you wanted to see the city, perhaps you should have done a little less reading and found the real St. Louis yourself. Oh and the reason for the lawns is that the businesses were torn down and the City wanted to keep some natural areas for people to congregate in. There are a few outdoor malls that they hold events in like Kiener Plaza,

There are many more areas to visit that you missed...The Science Center, The Planetarium, The New and Old Cathedral(The New Cathedral houses that largest collection of Mosaics in the World), Union Station, Laumeir Sculpture Park, Powell Hall and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, St Louis Blues and Jazz music, and the list goes on and on.

By the way the grassy area in front of the Old Courthouse that you have pictured on your web page (the view from the arch) is called Kiener Plaza...it is not a lawn. It was created as a park for the citizens and there are many functions held on "the lawn" as you identify it. They have sport rally's, races, music and lots of other events are held there. In fact the Old Courthouse is where the "Dred Scott" case was held. Lots of National History there. St Louis has many parks and the people of St Louis love them. In fact in many of the city parks they have free concerts in the parks on the weekends and on Monday nights. In Tower Grove Park, Francis Park and Carondelet Park to name a few.

I am sure St Louis was not your cup of tea. But if least if you are going to write about it...get the facts straight and from a person who has the facts.

Well I am glad St Louis does not measure up to San Francisco, NY or any of the other larger cities...because then it just wouldn't be home.

I wrote back promising to make some corrections and clarifications, and pointing out some things I liked about St Louis. (The Mississippi River, the MOCRA, seeing the temple of Moolah in the evening light.) She wrote back:

The local's just call University City...U-City or the "Loop" I think people have a hard time describing U-City as it is different...:)

I would never call San Francisco "Frisco", as we get the same sort of thing with "St . Lou."...Ack!

I had mentioned, in regard to the "Central West End is like SoHo" attitude, that maybe it was something said among transplants. I pointed out that the people most likely to say "Don't call it Frisco!" weren't from around here.

Italian Food on the hill....If your friends want really good Italian Food...tell them to go to Charlie Gitto's House of Pasta and there is Cunnetto's House of Pasta. I had really good Carbonarasomewhere and I can't remember where. The local "Pasta House" Chain of Italian restaurants is sort of like Olive Garden with a provel cheese twist...I can see where some people would not like the overall provel cheese factor. At "Schnucks" and all the grocery stores you can get provel cheese that is put through a grinder to create a rope effect. People love this cheese on everything, you can find this cheese in all of the deli cases at the stores. It is used as a main staple in Italian Salads in STL. Just go to the deli counter-they will give ya a free sample. But really there are a lot of reasonable local restaurants that have decent food...Just remembered a few Italian places... Mama Campisi's House of Spaghetti and Zia's.

Pizza, if you like thick crusts...St Louis is not the place and like I said earlier...I could see where this would disappoint people. My entire family loves St Louis Pizza and there are a lot of us.

I will tell you a secret, I have relocated to Florida and I miss St. Louis pizza the most of all. I lived in STL for 33 years... and I miss my family.

I had asked for clarification of:

I guess what I meant is experience it more first hand instead of relying on a travel book. I bought a guide for New Orleans two years ago and it was not up to date and the recommendations, well they make you wonder. I just ask the locals at every shop and place I visit -"What is it about your city that I should experience before I leave?"....and many times I get great leads...things that are off the beaten path so to speak.

Thanks for liking St Louis...I am not the official Cheerleader for the city or anything...I know St Louis has its problems just like any major city...but we try. But it makes me happy to know you enjoyed your stay...:)

You have to go to Ted Drewes while you are in town...the best frozen custard in all the land...Ever have a concrete? It is this really thick frozen custard ice cream...they can actually turn it over and no ice cream will fall out. The place is on Chippewa and open all year round, they also have a place on S. Grand. You have to get a Flying Dutchman...for more info... www.teddrewes.com

I love the Botanical Gardens-one of my fav places to visit. On Sunday's they usually have some sort of classical ensemble that plays...tickets are free via the local npr/classical station.

Oh and Mexican Food...St Louis has nothing like they have out west...We have the chain Mexican restaurants...but two local restaurants are Hacienda on Manchester in Rock Hill and Casa Gallardo(many locations) are all local in nature. Hacienda has a wonderful dessert called "empenadas"<sp> and they are tiny pies filled with strawberries and cream cheese...really tasty!. The best place for Mexican food that I have found has been in Phoenix/Scottsdale AZ...great stuff....had a white chocolate tamale...it was so nice.

Didn't mean to sound offensive in my earlier letter...I welcomed your views... but just enjoy St. Louis so much as it will always be home...and I miss it.

I have never been to San Francisco....But it is on my list! Can you give me some tips?

Comment from Carol 2002 Mar 11