A few decades ago, the Delmar Loop was where you were more likely to go for a sack of crack than a latte, but, luckily, much has changed. True, the area has lost a bit of its underground subculture edge in recent times, but it's still a haven of social diversity.

Located in University City along a half-dozen block long stretch of Delmar, the Loop is home to various independently owned music venues, restaurants, clubs, bars and specialty shops. It's also home to the St. Louis Walk of Fame, meaning you can see gold stars inlaid in the sidewalk that bears the names of such illustrious stars as (hold on to your panties, ladies) MICHAEL MCDONALD!

While there are too many places in the Loop to mention here, this should serve as a brief overview of some of the most famous and/or interesting ones. Please add your own favorites!

Restaurants, Clubs and Bars: Get your grub, swerve and drink on!

609: This part restaurant, part club is housed in a large brick building artfully covered in graffiti. Don't let the intentionally gritty exterior fool you, inside you'll find a hip-upscale pan-Asian restaurant and a club full of beautiful people dancing to hip-hop, dance, trance, reggae and Top 40.

Twisted Olive: As the name implies, this is a martini bar. What you may not know is that it's also a sake bar. Oooh, I get the twist now! Nothing will mess you up faster than sake, and you'll look chic drinking it, too (before you pass out). Twisted Olive is more laid-back than most martini bars and the crowd is usually people in their very early twenties grooving to retro jams from the early 1990s.

Blueberry Hill : This probably the most famous restaurant in the Loop. From the 1950s style décor, to the fact that this is Chuck Berry's premiere venue of choice in the STL, nothing epitomizes old school cool like Blueberry Hill. The menu is simple burgers, sandwiches and diner fare. There's a separate room for darts and smoking, which is a popular choice for 21st birthday parties. The bar is always packed, so expect a wait on weekends.

Cicero's : Delicious and affordable Italian food in a hippie meets soul meets rock atmosphere. The specialty pizzas, served by pierced and dreadlocked wait staff, are highly recommended. The beer samplers are a cheap way to try something new, the wine list is decent and the prices are reasonable. Cicero's also offers entertainment almost every night of the week in their venue space; everything from karaoke and local acts to circus sideshows.

Music Venues: Man cannot live by iPod alone.

The Pageant : This relatively new mid to large capacity concert space is the best option for popular touring acts that want the crowd to be able to see their faces. It's clean, it's safe, the drink selections are impressive and it has a balcony, for the older folks that just want to sit down and enjoy the show. The venue also has an attached bar/club, called the Halo Bar, where you can hob -nob with other cool kids before and after the show. Suite 100, the adjacent store, operates as band merchandise central during shows but is open regularly to sell you books, coffee, rock-star gear and to host the occasional art exhibit.

The Duck Room: This intimate venue underneath Blueberry Hill feels and looks like the basement that it is. Though by no means flashy, this is where bands like The Decemberists play before they go on to become major players in the music biz. Your close proximity to the band increases your chances of meeting them either before or after the show, so make sure to bring a CD or T-shirt for them to sign. I would suggest getting there early to snag a seat upfront, otherwise local non-celebrity Beatle Bob could show up and block your view with his erratic dancing.

Any Street Corner: That's not the name of a venue, that's just where you'll find hippie drum circles, old sax players and aspiring young acoustic singer/songwriter types. If you dig what you hear, you'll usually find an open guitar case or bucket that you can throw a dollar into. So, in your own little way, you're an important patron of the arts.

Shops: They close as fast as they open. These two have stood the test of time.

Vintage Vinyl: One of the last record shops in St. Louis, Vintage Vinyl is like our own version of Hi Fidelity or Empire Records. It's the quintessential movie stereotype, the DIY signage, the jaded, "cooler-than-thou" employees, the underground selections and the decidedly anti-corporate sentiment. They also sell CDs, which are dinosaurs already. Here's a tip, if it's goth, industrial or dark wave music you're after, you have to look on the ground, under one of the fixtures. I won't tell you which one, happy hunting!

Sunshine Daydream: This is where you want to go if you listen to jam bands, wear sandals in winter or want to rid your room of that gym sock smell. You can tell that you're getting close to the shop by the intense smell of patchouli and incense assaulting your senses. Here you can buy hemp jewelry, tie-dye shirts and pipes for tobacco use only. If you ever need a hacky sack or some candles for your aunt's birthday, this shop is a great choice.

Now share your Loop hotspots!