Just For Fun: An early morning at Queeny Park

Our new rescue pup, Willow, would like to thank St. Louis County Parks for their recent installation of doggie drinking fountains, even though she isn't quite sure how to use them yet.

St. Louis County Tax Tip- review your 2015 reassessment!

Heads up, St. Louis‬ County Homeowners!

Tax talk is no fun, though tis the season!  If you have not yet been notified... 2015 property reassessments have been recently released by the St. Louis County Department of Revenue. The County Assessor is required by Missouri state law to reestablish the fair market value of all real property as of January 1 of every odd year. The reassessed value is then applied to the tax rates.   How does this personally affect you?  It is highly likely that your property taxes will either go up or down depending on your fluctuation.

To review your latest valuation, visit http://revenue.stlouisco.com/ias/  and search for your property by owner name or address search.  Do you feel like your new valuation is unfair or unjustified?  You may APPEAL!  To appeal your valuation online, visit  http://revenue.stlouisco.com/AssessmentAppeal/OnlineAppeal/OnlineAsmtAppeal.aspx for more information.

2014 US News & World Report's Best High School List

Each year, US News & World Report releases their Best Public High Schools In The Nation list ranked by state.  The 2014 report is hot off the presses and has everyone buzzing.

The U.S. News rankings include data of more than 19,400 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Schools were awarded gold, silver, or bronze medals based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college.  Their full methodology can be found HERE.

Per Missouri, 8 out of the 10 "Best High Schools" ranked in the state are in the St. Louis area...

 

Other Missouri statistics...

 

In addition, Missouri is home to two schools awarded gold medals (Metro and Clayton in the St. Louis area)- only 2.8% of the schools in the nation are awarded this, representing the top 500 schools based on performance on state exit exams and highest college readiness. 13 Missouri High Schools were awarded silver medals (Marquette, Lafayette, Parkway West, Parkway South, Lindbergh, McKinley, Oakville, and Valley Park included in the St. Louis area), only given to 8.6% of eligible schools in the country and 126 were given bronze medals.

 

While locals often mock the popularity of the age old St. Louis question "Where did you go to high school?"... the question remains pertinent here due to our well-established and deeply-rooted public school system.  School District not only affects the quality of education here in St. Louis, but it is also directly correlated to property value in many areas of the Metro, as well.  While I do not  fully agree with all aspects of this list, as many of our local highly- reputable school districts sit lower in the rankings for one reason or another even with impeccable "College Readiness" scores and small class ratios...  the report is interesting and worth a share.

 

See all Missouri Rankings HERE.  See the FULL report and rankings in ALL states HERE.

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

Free St. Louis Concert Calendar for 2011

It is that season again, St. Louis! Summer concert series have begun. They are free, family-friendly, and a wonderful way to enjoy good music under the stars. Every summer, the local Bikesafe's Blog is kind enough to compile a list of free Summer concerts by date in the St. Louis area. While it may not include every free local concert, it comes pretty darn close!

Hence, if you find your evening free... grab the kiddies, a blanket, a bottle of wine, and enjoy!

My friend, Karen Goodman over at Arch City Homes, also creates a phenomenal list every summer. She sections them out by location. Check her list out HERE. Fantastic resources for free family fun all summer long!

Where did you go to highschool?

That's right......on new stands now is St. Louis Magazine's annual report on local public and private schools, including their student/teacher ratios, annual student expenditures, tuition, average SAT scores, and more

The St. Louis obsession with the "Where did you go to high school" question often leaves city transplants bewildered?! The fact of the matter is, St. Louis County is incredibly unique in the way that district quality, reputation, stigma, and standards vary dramatically from zip code to zip code. I will go so far as to say that right behind centrality, property value is not only correlated with but directly based on school district in St. Louis county.Anyhoo, if in the market to buy a home in the county or just plain curious... look for the March issue of St. Louis mag!

#55 Broadview Drive - Clayton...

I have always loved the Claverach Park subdivision in Clayton, as it's conveniently located near Big Bend and Clayton and is just a couple of blocks of Oak Knoll Park. This 84 year old 1.5 story stucco bungalow is currently being offered by Coldwell Banker Gundaker for $615,000. It has been on the market for 184 days. The original asking price was $800,000. It has undergone ELEVEN price reductions, and has been at the current price since 10/21. This is an amazing Buyer opportunity in one of the best public school districts in the state.

The property boasts 3 bedrooms, 4 baths, gorgeous woodwork, a private and wooded lot, a number of updates, and approved architectural plans for a 2 story expansion with a 3 car garage and new luxury Master Suite... For more information about this property or to request a showing, please email me at cdnandthecity@charter.net or call the CBG listing office at 314-993-8000.

Calling all in St. Louis County...

... don't forget to vote today!!

There are two VERY important propositions on the ballot and your vote counts!