Deck the Halls in the CWE

Hey St. Louis...  

The holiday Window Walk in the Central West End is a fabulous way to get in the holiday spirit and celebrate the season safely in 2020. Decorated holiday windows as far as the eye can see! Barrett Barrera Projects knocked it out of the park this year with Window I spy and Santa selfies for the kids. 

Learn more about the fabulous Central West End Scene window walk here: https://cwescene.com/.../window-walk-in-the-central-west.../

Fall Lawn Care "Do's and Don'ts" for the Midwest

Now that Fall is officially here, it's time to pay special attention outside to get your yard prepped for Winter. One of the most difficult aspects of being a novice home gardener is learning the rules of the what and when, as one little mistake can result in the loss of plants.  We have learned a lot from trial and error over 23 years of home ownership, which I have shared here on the blog from time to time.

As things get a tad more spooky around here, and we shift our own focus outside this week at Casa de Nenonen, I figured it is a great time to share my do's and don'ts for Fall. Let's face it, this is a busy time of year and daylight time is limited with the shorter days.  Focus your energy on what you can and should do now, and leave the Fall "don'ts" for when the warm weather returns to the Midwest.
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Do's

Do aerate, fertilize, and seed your lawn.
As temperatures drop, grasses put their energy into developing roots. If you only aerate, fertilize, and seed your lawn ONCE during the year, Autumn is the time to do it in the

Midwest! It is your best shot at a lush yard throughout the rest of the year.

Steve and I actually hire a lawn service for our Fall care and it is WELL worth the money spent, approximately $175 for their Fall package. If you have bare patches in your lawn from dog play, as WE do, this is also a terrific time to request they overseed.
Tip: Learn from our mistake- it is easy to burn your lawn with fertilizer so apply with caution.

Do divide perennials.
It'a time to divide your perennials, particularly if they've become so crowded that they bloom less. This is also a fantastic time to split a large clump into smaller clumps to plant elsewhere. Generally, in Fall you can divide perennials that bloom in Spring or early Summer.

Do mow like crazy
Leaving leaves on the grass over winter can actually hinder Spring growth. Keep the lawn as clean as possible before the 1st snow. That is what teenagers are fabulous for, at least in our house where they appreciate a little more spending money. 

Do corrective pruning.
After the leaves fall from trees and bushes, branches that are broken or scrape against the house are easier to spot and get to. Make the cut where they meet a larger branch or the trunk. Reminder not to leave a stub, as it won't heal and leaves the plant vulnerable to disease.

Do plant.
Fall is the only time to plant spring-flowering bulbs! Sink the tulips, daffodils, and crocus NOW. You can plant bulbs until the ground is too frozen to dig. Fall is also a solid time to plant trees, shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses. Although you can plant them until the ground is frozen, their chances for survival improve if you plant in early fall, giving them more time to develop roots. Remember to water generously if we don't have a rainy Fall.

Do control weeds.
Perennial lawn weeds such as dandelions and violets get their second wind once the weather cools and ironically are most susceptible to attack during this time. In our current house, we have been successful in keeping weeds at bay but fought a continuous violet infestation at our last house. Wage war NOW! If you pay special attention to your weeds in the Fall, they will be less of a burden in the Spring.

Do protect from deer
Got deer? Particularly if you live West of I-270 in St. Louis, I guarantee that you have had a tree trunk annihilated by the Fall scraping of the antlers. Bucks do this seasonally every year- we know this. Buy corrugated tubes and protect your young tree trunks. Just do it.

Don'ts

Don't shear spring flowering shrubs.
Shaping or lopping off length of Spring-flowering shrubs during the Fall removes the buds

that produce next year's flowers. YOU WILL REGRET THIS MISTAKE COME SPRING, I ASSURE YOU FROM EXPERIENCE. If you must control their size, cut off the longest branches at their base - you'll make them more compact and still enjoy flowers next spring.

Don't fertilize trees and shrubs.
Fertilizing stimulates tender new growth that won't have time to toughen up before winter. If your woody plants need fertilizer, wait until the Spring.

Don't cut back ornamental grasses and attractive perennials.
Wait until Spring growth starts before cutting back ornamental grasses and perennials that look decent in winter. Not only do they give you a little something to look at during the cold months, but their stems trap leaves and snow around the base of the plant, which protects the roots from freezing.

5 St. Louis Weekend Happenings - Labor Day 2019

Labor Day Weekend 2019 is almost here, and what's not to love? It's a chance to slow down and appreciate our "laborers". The kids are off of school, most adults have the long weekend to play, and it is the last "hurrah" before we charge into the cooler weather and slower pace of Fall.

Labor Day Weekend, particularly in St Louis, is always full of amazing family-friendly activities. If you want to get out, hit the city, and do something other than enjoy the last weekend of pool season... the possibilities are endless.

Need help planning your long holiday weekend? Besides a busy game weekend for the Cardinals versus the Reds and Giants, the Great Godfrey Corn Maze, and extended hours at the St. Louis Zoo, below are 5 of my favorite St. Louis Labor Day 2019 activities...

Labor Day Parade
September 2nd at 9AM

Thousands of local union members will march through downtown St. Louis for the annual Labor Day Parade. An awesome way to kick off the weekend and show your pride /support our local workers.  There will be local bands, drill teams, and a ton of action!

The parade begins at 15th and Olive. It then makes its way down Tucker Street, past St. Louis City Hall and west on Market Street to 15th Street.  Food and celebration follows at Chestnut and Market!

More info: http://www.stlclc.org/2019-labor-day-parade-information/


The Japanese Festival at the Botanical Garden
August 31- September 2

Each Labor Day weekend, the Missouri Botanical Garden hosts one of the largest and oldest Japanese Festivals in North America. In addition to taking in the beauty of the Botanical Gardens, visitors can enjoy Japanese music, art, dance, food, and entertainment including Origami demonstrations, a traditional tea ceremony, and live Sumo wrestling.

Tickets to the festival are $16 for adults, $8 for members,  and $5 for non- member children and and free for children Garden members.

More info: http://events.missouribotanicalgarden.org/Japanese_Festival

St. Louis Greek Festival in the Central West End

August 30-September 2 
Corner of Forest Park and Kingshighway

If you love authentic Greek food, and who doesn't, than a visit to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church is in order for you this weekend for their 102nd Annual festival. Enjoy music, dancing and some of the best Greek food you'll find anywhere. Be sure to utilize the free parking in the BJC Parking Garage.

More Info: http://www.opastl.com/

Big Muddy Blues Festival on Laclede's Landing
August 31, 2pm-11pm

The 24th Annual Big Muddy Blues Festival is a free, outdoor music festival featuring local and nationally known Blues artists that hosts over 30,000 people annually. 50+ musicians perform on three outdoor stages set up throughout the cobble stoned streets of the Landing, 3 indoor stages, and two events at the National Blues Museum featuring tributes to Albert King and Tommy Bankhead. Dozens of local restaurants provide food and drink, and the music is the best around! Amazing way to support our local talent.

More info: http://bigmuddybluesfestival.com

Fall Art Fair at Queeny Park
August 30-September 1

$5.00 admission

Friday:  5pm - 9pm
Saturday: 10am - 6pm.
Sunday: 11am - 4pm.

All within the climate-controlled comfort of the Greensfelder Recreation Center, and with more than 130 juried artists from 20+ states... the Art Fair at Queeny Park is one of the most reputable, longest-running art fairs in the bi-state region.

More info: http://www.artfairatqueenypark.com/ 

Event flyer with a $1 coupon for admission: 
https://www.artfairatqueenypark.com/coupon.html

Snuck away to Innsbrook...

The final "back to school" countdown has started here in Casa de Nenonen, as our oldest prepares for his Junior year in college and our youngest ventures in to his Senior year in high school.  As a final "shebang", we slipped out in to the wilderness for a few days where the WiFi was spotty, but the memories were plentiful!   

A teeny-tiny peek at the fun...

Late evening visit to Lone Elk Park!

We have visited Lone Elk for years to see the animals, but have never gone by in the summer just before sunset...

This is the time to go, friends! Last night we got insanely close to well over a dozen elk, buffalo, turkey, deer, and even had pesky raccoons begging at our car for food. It was quite a spectacle!

What is Lone Elk Park? Learn more HERE at my previous post.  Magical!

The Chicago Skyline by boat...

Excuse me while my Realtor heart pitter-patters❤️...

After a day of touring Loyola University and DePaul University with our youngest, we took a spectacular sunset architectural boat tour of Chicago. The only thing better than the cityscape by foot, is by water!

If in Chicago, I HIGHLY recommend an evening tour of the city with Seadog Cruises.  It was not only informative, but a lovely ride on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River!

On a personal note, I feel like we just finished this emotional process with my oldest.  I can't believe that my baby's turn is up...

Sigh. 

Here he is. 17, at the fabulous Chicago Shedd Aquarium, 6 weeks from his Senior year.

A Realtor's perspective on college tours...

Our baby will be a Senior this coming school year, so we are in the midst of crazy "College Tour Summer".  Today we toured the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS.  Gotta love the dichotomy of the professor curb appeal, versus the student...

Oh dear.  College.

😳🙄🤣

Spring has Sprung: A May Checklist For Homeowners

Due to cooler temperatures and an incredible amount of rain, St. Louis has been slow to switch focus to our outdoor living spaces.  It has been a busy week here in Casa de Nenonen as we too play catch-up and continue to slowly prepare our yard for warmer weather between bouts of rain.  Parallel to that, we have had a rotating door of contractors visiting this week to do everything from power wash the exterior to aerate and fertilize the lawn.  

While I take a lot of pleasure in the planting and garden aspect of the process (my herb starters-hurray!)...

The money and time-management of the other projects?  Yeah, not-so-fun.  That being said, I have learned over 20+ years of home ownership that being proactive in the Spring almost always reduces an enormous amount of headache in the Summer and Fall.  I will also note that my weekend showings served as a terrific reminder (aka a serious kick-in-the-pants) to get started as 5 of the 11 properties that I showed in the rain this weekend had wet basements.  ALL FIVE OF THEM HAD GUTTERS OVERFLOWING WITH LEAVES.  Not a coincidence, friends. Read more about preventing water in your home HERE.

As we get periodic breaks in the rain, place your focus here Homeowners:

Clean Home Exterior:               

_ Clear all gutters, downspouts, and exterior drains of debris

_ Clean siding (TIP: if you have this professionally done like we do every other year, generously spray your plants with the hose right before the power washers arrive to protect your landscape from absorbing the chemicals.)

_ Decks and Porches: Clean, make repairs,stain

_ Patios: Clean and repair as needed

_ Windows and Screens: Clean and make repairs

Landscape:

_ Rake Leaves

_ Aerate, fertilize, and seed lawn

_ Prune shrubs (tip for pruning grasses HERE)

_ Remove weeds

_ Mulch garden beds 

Miscellaneous:

_ Check Sprinkler system

_ Schedule termite and pest inspection

_ Service your mower, have blades sharpened 

_ Check fences and gates

_ Seal driveway

_ Test outdoor lighting 

_ Inspect concrete for patching needs

_ Inspect brick for tuck pointing needs

_ Check roof for damage

_ Repair peeling paint 

_ Stain or reseal exterior wood 

Hello, Friday.🌸

The 2019 St. Louis Muny Show Schedule ANNOUNCED!

The St. Louis Muny, aka the oldest outdoor theater in the US, just announced their 2019 Summer lineup, #StLouis...

...and all I can say is YES, YES, YES!! ❤️  Fun fact:  During their 101st season, the Muny will be the VERY first theater in the U.S. to produce the Tony, Olivier and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical Kinky Boots!  Too fun.

New subscriptions will go on sale in March 2019, and single tickets will be available beginning May 2019.  More information can be found at https://muny.org/.

A long weekend in Innsbrook...

We grabbed an AirBnb and slipped outside of the city limits to a cozy little a-frame chalet in Innsbrook for a few days of summer “fun in the sun”, before the boys go back to school.  A quick peek at the fun...

If you have never been to Innsbrook and seek a little nature refuge, sites like AirBnb offer terrific weekend getaways without the commitment of buying in the gated community.  From  dozens of hiking trails, beaches, and lakes to plentiful community amenities like a pool, gym, golf course, and a restaurant... Innsbrook is the ultimate area HIDDEN GEM for nature lovers.

A weekend in Hannibal, Missouri...

The Missouri State Wrestling Districts for my son's team took us to one of my favorite sleepy ol' river towns last weekend...

Charming Hannibal, it has been too long! From the gorgeous river view to the lovely late 19th century architecture... a peek at the fun:

St. Louis Hidden Gem: Capitalist Pig BBQ

Steve and I went out for an innocent lunch and ended up in the slammer 👀... 

Please send bail money, or at least extra napkins! Ha Ha.  

I love and adore a repurposed space, and Capitalist Pig doesn't disappoint.  The 3rd District Police Station, across the street from the Anheuser Busch World HQ, opened up in 1937 and served the 16 surrounding neighborhoods until it was decommissioned in the 1990's.... 

This 19,000 sqft building was eventually purchased by retired Police Officer, Ron Buechele, and transformed in to a restaurant, art gallery, event space, and private residential space.

Enter Capitalist Pig BBQ, where the aesthetic is as cool as the locally-sourced cuisine is tasty.  ...

They haven't done much to alter the space, which honestly, is what I appreciated the most. Most of the building is as it was, including the abundance of marble known as "St. Genevieve Golden Vein". This ootlitic limestone was only produced from Saint Genevieve, Missouri quarries in the early 1900's and is known worldwide for its quality and beauty...

You place your order at (what once-was) the sergeant's desk, encased by marble...

Steve and I chose to dine in the short term holding cells. This is where prisoners were held while being processed...

I am not going to lie, having never been to jail myself (I swear), I found lunch in the minty green jail cell quite amusing...

And quite delicious...

If you have never ventured to Capitalist Pig, I highly recommend it!  From the Pork Belly BLT (I think the best BLT I have ever eaten) and the ribs to the huge corn muffins, homemade pickles, mac and cheese, and beans... it was a fun and phenomenal foodie adventure in a VERY cool architectural space.

From jail intake to discharge, it was pure awesome.  St.Louis- do yourself a HUGE favor and check them out!  ❤️

NITTY GRITTY:

The Capitalist Pig

#2727 South 12th (Across from visitor parking at Anheuser Busch)

St. Louis, MO 63118

Open: Wed-Sun, 11-3pm

Web: https://www.capitalistpigbbq.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCapitalistPig
Twitter:https://twitter.com/CapitalistPig

 See my other St. Louis Hidden Gems HERE.