Most creative St. Louis area retail bathroom goes to...

Blooming Daisy Marketplace, by far! How fun is this bicycle vessel sink? ❤️

Hidden Gem: Plank Road Pizza and Blooming Daisy Marketplace in Cottleville

It has been far too long since my last Hidden Gem post!  A quick lunch hour run out to Cottleville to pick up Steve's race packet for the Missouri Cowbell run a couple of weeks ago...

... was the perfect excuse to enjoy a Friday lunch in the sunshine with my hubby!  My friends and coworkers have been buzzing about Plank Road Pizza... 

...so I figured it was the perfect lunch destination as they are known for their cute patio in the historic downtown area. In fact, Plank Road Pizza sits in the oldest home in Cottleville, circa 1845, and is named after the old connector road of St. Charles and Cottleville that was originally made of timber planks!  

While hello, you ARE on CDN and the City and you know that I was curious about the history of the building, HERE is the listing from when the owner purchased the property. I appreciate that they reintroduced reclaimed elements BACK in to the space so it now oozes historic charm from inside to out...

Particularly the patio, which was pure perfection on a 70's and sunny St. Louis day...

All of the hand-tossed artisan pizzas are named after streets in the St Charles and Cottleville area and are delicious!

The charming patio alone would prompt a revisit from us, though the food is the reason that we will return. Choose a sunny day and just go!  You won't be sorry. 

In fact,  choose a not-so-sunny day as the interior is just as charming as the exterior!  Warm, inviting, and cozy.  Interior photo below compliments of the Riverfront Times... 

When you visit Plank, I also urge you to walk just behind the restaurant and pop your head in to the Blooming Daisy Marketplace.  A tandem visit to these two gems is a perfect afternoon, in my opinion...

This 1910 farm house turned wonderfully eclectic boutique, dedicated strictly to providing booth space to local artisans, oozes charm (and goodies)!  NOTE: Check out the photos of this old listing before you visit as you will be SHOCKED that it is the same structure.  The space is amazing now!

Blooming Daisy carries everything from clothing and jewelry to home decor, personalized monogrammed items, and antiques.  You rarely see the same item twice as the vendors  continuously rotate their seasonal stock, making it a terrific gift destination. They also host monthly pop-up markets where they invite DOZENS of local vendors to fill their lawn and sell their newest goods!  If you enjoy shopping Etsy, Crafted In St. Louis on FB, or Joy's Collective... you will ADORE Blooming Daisy!  Parent Tip: bring the kiddies along, as they are encouraged and allowed to feed the goats in the back acreage.  Yes, I said goats.

Want a glimpse of what is in stock? Their Instagram is updated regularly with their latest and greatest items.  They are a must-follow for me!

NITTY GRITTY:

Plank Road Pizza
5212 Highway N
Cottleville, MO 63304
WEB: http://www.plankroadpizza.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/PlankRoadPizza
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blooming Daisy Marketplace
5541 Chestnut St
Cottleville, MO 63304
WEB: https://squareup.com/store/blooming-daisy-marketplace
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bloomingdaisymarketplace/

See more of my local Hidden Gems HERE!

Hidden Gem: Pottery Barn Outlet

While it was a temporary pop-up store with strange hours for several months, Pottery Barn has officially opened up a permanent outlet store in town, St. Louis...

They carry Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn Kids, and PB Teen items at a healthy discount. If in need of a home refresher or a housewarming gift, I highly recommend checking it out. 

A teeny tiny peek at what they have to offer via my recent visit...

The Nitty Gritty:

Pottery Barn Outlet- St. Louis

Address: 788 Gravois Bluffs Blvd, Fenton, MO 63026
Hours: Open today · 10AM–9PM
Phone: (636) 326-6456
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PotteryBarnOutletFenton/ 

See my other St. Louis Hidden Gems HERE.

Hidden Gem: Gateway Online Auctions and Overstock Outlet

Just a quick hop west of the Missouri River, near the Family Arena and Historic Downtown St. Charles...

... sits a retail hidden gem that most locals know nothing about.  In fact, I almost hate to share this one as it means less great deals for me. 😉 Ha!  

An industry friend who is a professional stager told me about Gateway and I was astounded when I visited! I found a 10k+ sq ft warehouse filled to the BRIM with overstock from Wayfair, Amazon, and local big box stores. All items are 50% off the manufacturer price.  In fact, most items at Gateway are currently for sale on these sites for DOUBLE the price.  The owner, who is super friendly and helpful, told me that he receives several truckloads, 2-4 per week. The contents vary from truck to truck. 

A visit to Gateway Online Auctions is the ultimate trendy home item scavenger hunt.  Each visit, you never know what you will find!  If you just bought a new home or seek a little home decor spruce, Gateway is a must-visit. 

Happy shopping!

TIPS: 

1) In my opinion, the name is somewhat deceptive as while they do run some online auctions for smaller items, this is in fact a retail location. Everything is marked with a price and you carry it out that day.

2) Ask to utilize the new computer data base to browse/search their inventory!  I walked around first and then searched the database second.  Super helpful, particularly when shopping for a specific item like I was.

NITTY GRITTY:

1735 S. River Rd.
St. Charles, MO 63304
Open Monday- Saturday from 9am-5pm

Web: http://www.gatewayonlineauctions.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gatewayonlineauctions

See my other St. Louis Hidden Gems HERE.

A trip to Fellenz Antiques in the Central West End

This AM, I introduced a client of mine to my favorite architectural graveyard in the city... 

If you have an older home that has lost original architectural elements over the years...  reintroduce some historic charm via Fellenz Antiques in the Central West End. While I would obviously prefer to see lovely 100 year old architectural goodies in their original HOMES, Fellenz is an excellent resource for old home lovers and owners!

Visit them at:
Fellenz Antiques
439 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108
(314) 367-0214

See my other St. Louis Hidden Gems HERE.

Win an IKEA home makeover in St. Louis!

Hey St. Louis Homeowners...

I heard through the grapevine that the brand spanking new IKEA St. Louis seeks a space to makeover in our city! Need some styling and sprucing? Apply here:  https://www.hometourseries.com/video-submission  Submissions are due by December 27th.

Want to see what they do?  Watch the latest episode here...

4 Fun St. Louis Memorial Day Weekend 2015 Happenings!

Shakespeare Festival: 
Antony And Cleopatra in Forest Park

Nothing says "Summer in St. Louis" like Shakespeare under the stars in gorgeous Forest Park.  Grab a blanket, picnic basket, and the family for a free evening of fun.  Marking 15 years of free, outdoor Shakespearian performances, the Shakespeare Festival's production this year is based on a classic ancient romance, "Antony and Cleopatra."

05.22.15 – 06.14.15
Free, Nightly at 8 PM, except Tuesdays

Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park
5715 Elizabeth Ave
St. Louis MO,

http://www.sfstl.com/in-the-park/antony-and-cleopatra-2015/


2015 St. Louis County Greek Fest in Town and Country

Whether you're of Greek decent or just love ethnic cuisine, the Greek Fest is a lively environment destination in which you can experience the Greek community's deeply rooted traditions, heritage, and delicious cuisine!

5.22.15 - 5.25.15
Friday-Sunday: 11:00 AM-9:00 PM
Monday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM

1755 Des Peres Road

http://stlouisgreekfest.com/


Lantern Festival: Magic Reimagined at the Missouri Botanical Gardens

What is more beautiful than our Garden at night?  Our garden lit up by brilliant COLOR! Celebrating the Garden's ongoing botanical research in China, 22 all-new sets crafted from silk and steel will once again offer visitors from around the world the opportunity to experience an event rarely staged outside of Asia

5.23.15 - 8.23.15
6-10pm

$22 adults
$11 members
$10 children (ages 3-12)
$5 members' children

Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/things-to-do/events/special-exhibitions/lantern-festival.aspx


43rd Annual Gypsy Caravan at the Family Arena

Junkers, antiquers, and Pinterest fans... welcome to heaven!!  The St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association presents the 43rd annual Gypsy Caravan, one of the largest antique, craft and flea markets in the Midwest. Proceeds support the STL Symphony and Education Concerts that reach and inspire upward of 40,000 students from 1,000 area schools each season.

Monday, 5.25.15
Early Bird (7:00-9:00 AM): $20
General (9:00 AM-5:00 PM): $10
Free at all times for children under age 13.
Peek and Purchase (Sunday, May 24, 2015 5:00-7:00 PM): $30
Exclusive opportunity to shop vendor booths before the general public; includes Early Bird admission on Monday

Discounted admission wristbands* available for purchase at Dierbergs Markets through May 25.

*Early Bird: $17.50; General: $8.50; Peek and Purchase: $27.50

The Family Arena
2002 Arena Parkway
St. Charles MO, 63303

https://www.stlsymphony.org/gypsycaravan/

2015 Home Decor Trends- what is in and what is OUT!

According to style experts, 2015 guarantees a huge shift in home decor trends! The bold saturated accent colors atop matchy furniture, overused chevron prints, and solid accent walls are clearing the way for more classic touches in 2015 where natural elements will be king.

Expect to see gold fixtures, Mid-Century Modern touches, natural elements like cowhide, strategic bold wallpaper accents, and blue galore!

It is Tax Free Weekend in St. Louis! The details...

Here is a link of the cities NOT participating, including cities like Kirkwood, Webster, Clayton, and MORE.  Check the list out to maximize your savings, by avoiding local sales tax!

Hidden Gem: Stl STyLehouse on Cherokee

Another Hidden Gem alert, St. Louis!   

So the buzz, buzz, buzz has been prevalent for years and you literally can't go anywhere in the Lou without spotting one of their goodies.    While I have perused their website/FB page for a long time, I finally made my way down to the STyLehouse on Cherokee Street and couldn't wait to share!

Located downtown at #3159 Cherokee...

StL STyLehouse is a mecca of cool St. Louis pride-themed apparel and posters.

Their sayings/mottos/logos are smart, snarky, and frankly... brilliant for locals with a healthy sense of humor.  My relo clients always remark about how deeply rooted St. Louis is.  It is incredibly true!  Our city most definitely has his own unique set of customs and quirks- it is a St. Louis thing, you just don't understand.  This shop captures that perfectly.

So, how does it work?  While they have pre made items for sale in the store, you also have the option to customize.  You choose the shirt/item, you choose the logo, they print it on the spot!  It is that simple.  They have every style, size, and color imaginable.  Per logo, they have so many hysterical choices...

... it is incredibly difficult to choose just one?!

“My Way or Kingshighway”, "Get Your Thrills in St. Louis Hills", "Midtown- Ain't it Grand", "Where'd You Go To High School"... all perfectly St. Louis.

I left with a new Forest Park tee and another with our good ol' buddy Saint Louis (who sits at the top of Art Hill in front of the St. Louis Art Museum)...

... tagging area code "314". 

Brilliant.  Love it!

If you have a chance, make your way down to the shop.  If not, I encourage a visit to their website which is super easy to navigate and shop.

The Nitty...

STyLehouse
3159 Cherokee St.
St. Louis, MO 63118
Tel 1: (314) 494-7763
Tel 2: (314) 761-4469

Store Hours
Tue-Fri: 10am-5pm
Sat: 11am-5pm
Sun: 12pm-4pm
Online: 24/7

Web: http://stl-style.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/STyLehouseSTL
Twitter: http://stl-style.com/

Hidden Gem: Vom Fass

I love getting introduced to new places in St. Louis!    Friends/clients, Steve and Erin, kindly gifted me with empty bottles and a gift card to Vom Fass at their recent house closing. Having never ventured into a Vom Fass store before, I was excited to check it out!

In the heart of downtown Maplewood ...

At #7314 Manchester Road, sits...

Vom Fass is a European-inspired oil, vinegar, and spirits shop which allows its customers to sample the products before purchase...

The Kindergarten version...

The staff is not only knowledgeable, but incredibly friendly and helpful. They know their products well and guided us through the store with ease, introducing us to lovely new flavor combinations and possibilities. 

A peek of our visit...

We left Vom Fass with a bag full of goodies including 4 vinegars (pomegranate, apple, pear, and a high quality aged balsamic), 3 oils (lemon, pumpkin seed, and a good quality olive oil), a lovely cherry-infused vodka, and recipes to go with all. Thank you again, Smiths! =)

I highly recommend a visit to Vom Fass if you have never been. The tasting is fun, the staff is fantastic, and the product is second to none!  If you enjoy experimenting in the kitchen or are looking for a beautiful hostess gift, Vom Fass is the PERFECT destination.  Culinary adventure awaits!

THE NITTY:

VOM FASS- St. Louis
7314 Manchester Road
Maplewood MO, 63143
(314) 932-5262

Hours:
Monday - Saturday 10 AM - 7 PM
Sunday 11 AM - 5 PM

WEB:  http://www.vomfassusa.com/default.jsp
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vom-Fass-St-Louis/224200668888
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com@VomFassSTL