It’s time again for the 3 day long festivities of local music, food, entertainment, vendors, service providers, and artists. The US Bank sponsored Taste of Saint Louis begins October 2nd and carries on through the 4th  at Soldier’s Memorial. Come down town to this seasonal event for some tasty ribs, beer and other local cuisine while watching some of the most entertaining bands in the area compete in the Bud Light Tasty Band Competition. Entry is free, just bring cash for grub, booze, and some to donate to the Taste For Wishes (a partner in the Make-A-Wish foundation). Good food, good entertainment, and good giving - all in 1 place!

Schlafly is known for its great beer and for its two hotspots here in St. Louis: The Tap Room (down town) and The Bottleworks (Maplewood).  Each brewpub serves great food, excellent in quality, taste and price, and each brewpub offers private parties and events.  This spring and summer, head to the Schlafly Bottleworks for some fun events and some tasty beer. 

  

 

The best thing about Soulard, other than the Mardi-Gras parade, is the Farmer's Market. Cheap, healthy, fresh, and plentiful, who could ask for more? As a frequent shopper, I advise that you go on the last two weekends of the month as it does not appear to be as busy as the beginning of the month.

 

 

Phil's BBQ- Located on Gravois in South County, this popular restaurant is always filled. Maybe it's the pig decorations or the service, but my money is on the food quality. The owners of Phil's are Italian and know how to make a mean spaghetti; my advice: order spaghetti as your side to your rib eye or pulled pork and you will not be disappointed.  They could have a larger selection of beers, but beggars can't be choosers - they practically let you eat a feast fit for a King on a peasant's salary. The one thing I notice about Phil's that makes it stand out is that the barb-b-que seems to be a tad vinegary tasting which adds a nice zing. If you are looking for a tangy bbq and awesome spaghetti, Phil's is your kind of place.

Amy Grant and Vince Gill want to help spread the holiday cheer this Christmas season, and they are arriving just in time, December 19th at the Scottrade Center.

Still trying to think of something to do this New Years Eve? If so, you may be interested in heading over to Dantes Nightclub, located in the heart of St. Louis.

 

If you want something that offers a little bit of everything, the upcoming Kaleidoscope event in St. Louis will be perfect for you.

 This New Years Eve, why not spend your night in Grand Center for First St. Louis and have one of the best nights of your life, partying with friends and family while ringing in the new year.

This is much more than a grand party, it is an artful event that will satisfy even the most particular tastes. 

Today I happened to venture on a place not so fabulous for dining; its more like a potential death wish. The Galleria's own Johnny Rocket's was a joke. The servers looked high and didn't know what they were doing. Technically they weren't even servers, they stayed behind their wall the whole time, I guess I should call them cashiers. Hmm...funny that they are even called that because I was able to walk away without my debit card even being charged. Don't get me wrong, I love getting things for free, its just the fact that they had no clue what they were doing that just astonishes me! Where it normally takes a mall food court meal around 3 minutes to be served, ours took 24 minutes! The food itself was kind of pathetic, I wasn't even sure my friend's cheeseburger had cheese on it. I think it was like melted tan colored plastic...hopefully she doesn't die.

Mmm..beer....

One of my newer favorite dinner hang outs is Schlafly Bottleworks in South County. I'm not much a beer drinker most nights, but I love the Hefeweizen and the Pilsner. If you are not a huge beer guzzler, try the Hefeweizen; if you are a Miller kind of guy/gal, go for the Pilsner. The drink glasses are large, filling and satisfying. The prices aren't bad either! If you like pizzas, you can order your own style mini pizza - and  bison, goat cheese and bbq are options! I personally like the BLT with olive oil instead of globs of mayo.  The servers are nice, the food comes up quick! Never a complaint from me. If you are looking for more of an intimate setting, go to the Schlafly Tap Room. It has a larger area for pool or darts and has 2 bars as opposed to the Bottlework's single bar. However, the menu at the Tap Room varies from that of Bottleworks. You cannot order the BLT or mini pizza at the Tap Room. My two favorite dinners a the Tap Room are the Corned Beef Sandwich and the Beer Battered Cod & Fries. Again, never a disappointment at this location either. Their food is always fresh and tasty!

Now we all know St. Louis is famous for its toasted raviolis, however, I must warn others about the the Pasta House located in Afton. The first and only time I ventured there nearly resulted in me upchucking my delightfully tasty lasagna. The service was slow and our waitress tried to short us of our complimentary rolls and butter. However, the worst part came towards the end. My boyfriend likes to collect all the utensils and plates and place them into one, neat pile for the server. He noticed a knife on the windowsill and as he picked it up we noticed a large swarm of ants covering both the knife and a fork, also on the windowsill. This meant those dirty utensils were sitting there for at least a day. I almost became sick at the table. The manager tried to resolve the issue by grabbing at the ants and trying to carry them away in a napkin - dropping ants on the table and floor as he went. While I understand he was in a panic, you'd think a manager might react a tad different. I felt bad for him, but I felt worse physically. He tried to make it up to us by giving us free dessert, but after that I wasn't hungry for the remainder of the day. I'm not sure if that is a common happening there or not, but beware of this restaurant's window sills!

If you are looking for a nice patio dining experience, the Corner Pub & Grill on Big Bend is the place for you! While your date may not enjoy the increasingly chilly weather, the Corner Pub & Grill has several heat lamps sure to keep you both warm and toasty. The prices are low enough of to satisfy you as well! I went with a small group and all of us enjoyed what we ordered: the burgers were cooked perfectly to our orders (medium rare and medium well) and the fried pickles were practically right out of the fryer. If you are sports fan and must watch your football, fear not, there are large flat screens inside the restaurant, however, seating is a bit harder to come by as the indoor section is not as roomy as the patio. Either way, look forward to pleasant and cheap evening without sacrificing taste or service.