one of the coolest parts of my trip to saint louis is that we actually got a chance to be tourists and explore a bit of the city. usually when i travel for work, i just go from airport to hotel to events and then back again without ever really getting to see the city that i traveled to. so of course, i was pretty excited to that we had our very own tour about town hosted by the new startup app muzio. i had never been to the midwest before, and it was certainly a nice welcome. there is so much beautiful old architecture and plenty of city pride. i certainly hope i get a chance to go back!

sights

saint louis art museum – this was a totally unexpected surprise on our trip. nestled in an expansive park built for the world’s fair in 1922, this stunning art museum has free admission and a very extensive collection of german expressionist paintings! i don’t talk much about art on my blog, but let me just tell you, it was a very special treat for me, even if we were only there for a short time!

cathedral basilica of saint louis – this historic basilica was built from 1907 to 1914 and contains the world’s largest mosaic installation, which took a better part of a century to complete.

and elusive shot of me to prove that i was actually there! little known fact: i’m actually extremely camera shy and don’t tend to enjoy getting my picture taken. i usually dodge the camera unless it’s for an outfit shoot, and even then i have to pump myself up a little to get the job done. don’t ask me how i got into blogging… haha! wearing an asos smock dress, family affairs farrah shirt, j.w. hulme mini legacy bag, and a six month baby bump!

saint louis central public library – the central library was constructed in 1912 and was formerly occupied by the exposition and music hall before being recently renovated and returned to it’s full glory. it’s exactly the type of place where i could easily see myself spending hours poring over books and tiptoeing around looking for pretty new spaces to admire.

gateway arch – a trip to saint louis just isn’t complete without a visit to the iconic gateway arch. it is the largest arch in the world and was constructed between 1963 and 1965 as a monument to the westward expansion of the united states. the structure is clad in stainless steel and you can actually go inside and ride a tram to the top where there is an observation deck. i know that sounds mildly terrifying, but i was really looking forward to going inside! unfortunately, it was closed due to the recent government shutdown…

saint louis citygarden – our last stop on the tour brought us to the citygarden, an urban park and sculptural garden in the middle of downtown saint louis. it was the perfect spot to sit and admire the city after a long day.

hotel, restaurants, and shopping

the cheshire – we were lucky enough to stay at the very charming cheshire hotel during our trip, and i couldn’t be happier that we did! i knew it was going to be a great stay the moment i saw the giant mounted bear looming ominously over the campy hotel lobby filled with 18th century antiques. they have novelty suites like the james bond room, romeo and juliet, and brideshead revisited. exactly the type of place i love to stay in when traveling away from home!

the restaurant and basso – both restaurants are located on the hotel grounds with basso serving as a basement pub with a delicious selection of italian pastas and pizzas, while the restaurant serves up a seasonal menu of fresh foods from local farms.

winslow’s home – this was probably my favorite meal of the trip. partly because it was ravenously eaten after a very long day. it’s actually a little general store with a bit of a country kitchen vibe, but don’t let that deter you. they have a really wonderful selection of farm to table food that was so warm and delicious that it almost felt like i was eating thanksgiving dinner.

central table – i ate my last meal in saint louis at this a spacious and modern restaurant before eating an entire bag of sour candies at the airport. i ordered the baked eggs and potatoes that stuck to my ribs and held me over for the rest of the day.

retro 101/cherry bomb vintage – on my very last day in saint louis, i finally got a bit of free time and hopped in a cab with julie to see if we could find a few vintage shops. we’d heard about the cherokee antique row filled with vintage boutiques and antique shops, but we had also heard that not many places were open on sundays… it was a gamble, but we were able to stop in at this awesome shop before rushing off to the airport, and i’m so glad we did. i know it was only a teeny tiny glimpse at the vintage that saint louis has to offer, but if it was any indication, then i can only imagine what the rest is like! this place was packed to the brim with real authentic vintage pieces at pretty damn affordable prices. now i want to go back for the sole purpose of vintage shopping!

a special thanks to alive magazine, the saint louis convention and visitors commission, and all of these lovely places for accommodating me on my trip!