Prost!

Hello, Saturday! Heaven came in the form of Oktoberfest in gorgeous Hermann, Missouri today... 

CLOSED: 911 Palomino Path sold FAST!

 An extra special Stone Soup Cottage thank you... 

...to my incredible Sellers on closing day!  

Gorgeous Palomino Path closed escrow today and I am so grateful to the F family for their friendship and business.❤️ High five and corks popped for an above list sale on the 1st week of showings!🍾🏡🎉

Lovely house, wonderful Sellers, and an incredibly lucky Carrie to have the opportunity to represent both. Thank you for your trust, faith, and friendship, F duo!

In St. Louis and contemplating a move?  The market is still groovin'. Let's connect! 

Date Night at Flora Borealis at the Missouri Botanical Garden

The 2018 Flora Borealis experience at the Missouri Botanical Garden was magical, marvelous, and enchanting... 

Follow it by a trip to Ted Drewes and call it the perfect date night, St. Louis! ✨ Don't miss it, friends. It runs through August 26th.

Learn more and buy tickets here: 
http://events.missouribotanicalgarden.org/flora

Summer Date Night Perfection in St. Louis

We strolled around and enjoyed gorgeous Forest Park in bloom this evening...

... before  taking in The Wiz at The Muny!

Sweet Summer in St. Louis! 💗

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home in Cottleville, circa 1845, and is named after the old connector road of St. Charles and Cottleville that was originally made of timber planks!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: Nathaniel Reid Bakery in Kirkwood

St. Louis Hidden Gem Alert!  There is nothing more special...

 ... than a delicate little treat from Nathaniel Reid Bakery in Kirkwood.  Scrumptious as it is pretty! This particular itty-bitty bursts in your mouth with lemon and raspberry, topped with a white chocolate flower. ❤️ 

If you have never been, St. Louis... hurry, hurry, hurry! Our family favorite? Their deliciously perfect chocolate croissants.

Nitty Gritty:

#11243 Manchester Rd
Kirkwood, MO 63122
(314) 858-1019

Web: http://www.nrbakery.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanielreidbakery/

See my other local hidden gems HERE.

St. Louis Hidden Gem: The London Tea Room

The start of a perfect Sunday in St. Louis?

High tea at the London Tea Room in Tower Grove South with a group of friends!  The space is warm and charming, the table and setting is pretty-as-a-picture, and the treats and tea are delectable!  Seeking a special surprise for your honey?  This is it if they are a tea lover!

Afternoon tea is $29.50 plus tax and gratuity.  Each person receives:

One (1) Pot of tea, chosen by you from our fine selection
One (1) Cucumber sandwich with cream cheese, dill, and chives on white bread
One (1) Smoked salmon sandwich with lemon butter on honey wheat bread
One (1) Mini croissant filled with our delicious Chicken Waldorf Salad
One (1) English scone, with Devonshire clotted cream and strawberry jam
Delicate pastries, selection varies seasonally

All served on fine china.

Note: Large groups like ours required a reservation. A 20% service fee is charged to parties of 8 or more.

NITTY GRITTY...

The London Tea Room
#3128 Morganford
St. Louis, MO 63116
Just south of Tower Grove Park
314.241.6556

Open 9-5 every day of the week

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

See my other "Hidden Gems" HERE.

Just For Fun: Winter Date Night in Forest Park

I dare to say that there is nothing more magical...

... than an evening at Steinberg under the stars.  Bonfire, hot cocoa, and a Forest Park icy adventure makes for the perfect date night with my hubby!  If you have never visited Steinberg, I beg you to do so.  It is a charming and magical winter oasis under the shadow and big city lights of the Central West End.

Hours:
The 2016/17 Skating season runs November 12 - Feb 23rd

Sunday-Thursday 10am-9pm
Friday-Saturday 10am-Midnight
Extended Holiday hours—10am-Midnight (Nov 23-26, Dec 16 through Jan 7)

Price:
All ages skate admission is $7.
$6 for skate rental. You may bring your own skates.
CASH ONLY!

Location:
400 Jefferson Drive 
St. Louis, MO 63110 
In the SE corner of Forest Park near the Planetarium

Contact:
(314) 367-Rink or (314) 361-0613

WEB: http://www.steinbergskatingrink.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Steinberg-Skating-Rink-288743437895145/

Hidden Gem: A dinner at Claverach Farm in Eureka

A few weeks ago, Steve and I enjoyed our 1st (of many) experiences at Claverach Farm, located just west of St. Louis.  As I stay fairly in tune with local "foodie" resources, Feast and Sauce Magazines, I have known about Claverach's notoriously amazing farm-to-table barn dinners for some time.  It just so happens that Steve and I chose to reserve our first farm experience on one of the most lovely Midwest evenings we have experienced this Spring thus far.

 

As far as Claverach goes, locals either RAVE about it or don't even know that it exists.  Dinner in a "100 year old refurbished barn on 300 acres in the rugged Ozark Hills" initially spoke to me, though the experience is so much more than that.   It's funny, as typically when I partake in something phenomenal in our city (and take a gaggle of photos with the intention to blog it)... I cannot wait to get it on screen and press "publish".  These photos, however, have been sitting in my draft folder for 2 weeks.

 

Blogging about a Claverach dinner almost feels like kissing and telling.

 

The fact is, Claverach touched me in a way that few local places have.  It is such an incredibly intimate experience that you truly feel lucky to have even been able to partake.  It is a place where animals roam free.  A place where you can taste the earth, love, and artistry in the food.  A place where you can sense and share the passion of the talented people that make it all happen.  For a few short lovely hours, Mama Nature and the Claverach staff wrap their arms around you and hold you tight,  heightening each and every one of your senses with the food, aura, and space of the farm itself. 

 

There is a beautiful marriage between sophistication and simplicity on that farm, and a partnership between humans and nature that touched both of us in a profound way. For a few short hours every weekend, they truly bring out the best in one another- humans and nature- at Claverach Farm.  The meal is a perfect symphony of sights, smells, sounds, and flavors- the direct result of the perfect harmony that the staff has made with the grounds of the farm itself.  Simply, magic is happening on that farm.  Magic. 

 

There are numerous reviews online (like THIS) that give a terrific overview of what you can expect.  I, myself, have chosen with my personal overview of the experience to just allow my photos to do the talking...