SOULARD
Market Grill - 728 Lafayette Ave
Being one of the few (only?) smoke-free places in Soulard, this restaurant has mass appeal.  However, after one month, there are already poor Yelp reviews and some recent twitterings have left me wondering if this place will last.  I hope they can work out the kinks and get their act together before the neighborhood writes them off completely.

International Tap House – 1714 9th St.
The second International Tap House is set to open on June 11th in Soulard.  They won’t serve food or Budweiser, but you will be able to find plenty of flavorful beers, 500 to be exact.  Check out this write up in St. Louis Magazine for more info.

SHAW
Mama Josephine’s – 4000 Shaw Blvd.
This locally owned restaurant plans to serve up some great home cooked meals for a reasonable price.  They’ve been working hard to open Mama’s sometime this month, so keep your eyes peeled.  Until then, take a sneak peek at their menu.  Nothing’s over $8.99!  Angus burger with sauteed onions for $5.49… Meatloaf and two sides for $5.49!?  Whew, I’m really looking forward to visiting as soon as they open!

SOUTH GRAND
Mojo Tapas – 3117 South Grand
Another March opening is the Mojo Tapas Restaurant and Bar on South Grand.  The owner is a native Missourian and chef and has cooked in quite a few popular St. Louis restaurants.  I’ll be interested to see how he reinvents the space and what he does with the kitchen.  The location’s track record isn’t so hot, Erato and Parkside Lounge both closed, so they need to impress us quickly to win over the support of this neighborhood.  The menu will focus on international tapas and a full bar.

LINDENWOOD
Farmhaus - 3257 Ivanhoe
I haven’t heard much about this place except for the fact that it’s opening in early spring.  The owner previously owned Erato Wine Bar, so it should be interesting to see what he does with this new venture.  Read more here.

I’ve also heard some rumblings about a few other places around town, but nothing concrete.  If you have any tips or feedback, please leave a comment.

Also, if you haven’t checked out Groupon yet, you should.  They post daily deals ranging from HVAC repair, to local bars, to hair salons.  Today’s deal is only $5!  You get $15 worth of Mexican food and drinks at El Borracho.

photo by Sam Catchesides

I wanted to use this post to mention a few city pet shops that we love and support.  Four Muddy Paws, located in Lafayette Square, and Pets in the City, located in Soulard, are both great resources when you want to find something unique for your pet.  They carry all-natural organic pet foods, treats, toys, leashes, and other supplies. They also offer self wash and grooming.

I’ve always been a big believer in human grade dog food, so we can’t buy our brand (Innova EVO) at PetSmart or any other large retailer, they just don’t carry it. That being the case, I make frequent trips to both FMP and PitC. The staff at both places is super friendly and they’re always willing to lend their advice. I would rather visit them over PetSmart any day.

Four Muddy Paws offers two things that stand out in my mind and get me to come back over and over again.

ONE
I work Monday through Friday.  Four Muddy Paws is open until 7PM on the week days (8PM on Friday). So I don’t have to worry about running out of dog food.  They also offer delivery, although I haven’t tried that yet since we live super close.

TWO
I have two 70lbs dogs and they eat a lot of food. Their food isn’t expensive either. We’re spending about $110/month on dog food and it’s nice that Four Muddy Paws has a way to relieve some of the expense. As a member of their WAG Club customer appreciation program, our 11th bag of food is FREE! At $55/bag (for something I have to buy anyway), that’s pretty great.

Pets in the City is such a welcoming and unique pet shop located in Soulard. They have all the high end dog food labels you can’t find at PetSmart, plus some really cool collars and treats (they also have Molly Mutt duvets, which I reviewed on Yelp)  We have two low maintenance dogs (Boxer and Doberman) but I still bring them to Pets in the City to trim their nails since it’s only $5 and is a lot quicker and less stressful than doing it at home.

They also have events on their patio or upstairs to benefit local rescue organizations. We regularly run into members of the St. Louis Boxer Rescue while shopping for our pups.  Zack was able to help out at a Boxer Rescue event because we were introduced to someone there.

I whole heartedly recommend both Four Muddy Paws and Pets in the City.  Check out either one of these stores for high-end pet products in a welcoming, unpretentious atmosphere.

Do you have pets?  Where do you buy their food, treats, and other pet supplies?

I hope everyone had fun this weekend and didn’t get in to too much trouble.  Do you have any good stories from Mardi Gras?

First, I’ve been a fan for a long time.  I got into it back in 2006 when my coworker Deathica Steele joined the league.  Two, a lot of the women live in the city and they have demos, events, and promotions all over the city.  And three, over the next month, I’ll be lacing up my own skates at an attempt to be a roller girl.

But first, let me tell you about the St. Louis Auto Show last weekend.  We ended up going on Sunday to avoid most of the crowd.  My main gripe about events held downtown is that they charge you an arm and a leg for parking.  We had to pay $9 for parking, then another $18 ($9/person) for entry into the Auto Show.

The Auto Show had some pretty cool cars and events, but I had a hard time justifying the $27 spent just to get in the door.  We should have taken advantage of the Friday and Saturday discounts.

While we were there, we saw the ARRG demo bout.  They cut everything in half – the track was smaller, there were less skaters in play, and each jam was a minute.  The demo gave you a taste of roller derby, but if you really want to see some action, come to the next bout (there’s one this Saturday).  I’m so impressed with the skill these women have on skates.

So that brings it back to me.  I’m trying out to be a member of the Arch Rival Roller Girls league.  It may sound nutty, but I’ve been wanting to do this for a while and the timing is right.  I was an athlete all through high school and college (Division I), so I miss being part of a team and the camaraderie that goes along with it.  I’m not an expert on skates (hell, I just learned crossovers two weeks ago), but I have the desire to learn and a mean competitive streak.  Not only am I looking forward to learning and playing a new sport, but also meeting and socializing with some kickass women.

Wish me luck over the next few months, I’m sure to have a lot of bumps and bruises along the way!

These were our costumes:

All I had to find was a flannel shirt (which I bought at Walmart) and then the rest was easy.  I drew the tattoo on my chest with eyeliner and black face paint, then cut up my 80’s wig from Halloween into a mullet.  I dyed the bottom of the mullet in a bowl of water mixed with black face paint.

As for Zack’s costume, we found the shirt at Target and used white fabric paint and a stencil to add the words “I Brought Sexy Back.”  Then he used my black business coat, cut off an old pair of jeans, and added a cell phone clip.  His hair is actually what I cut off of my wig to make the mullet!

There weren’t too many people dressed up (maybe 10-15), but there were plenty of people at Tin Can, which made for a pretty interesting time.  Most people spent the night staring at us or asking why we were dressed up.  Some of the costumes were really good, I recognized them immediately when I walked in!  Check out the “Born to Kill” one below.

At the end of the night, JEFF GALLOW, THE BEST BARTENDER EVER*, made the announcement who won.  Zack and I ended up taking 2^nd place.  Woohoo!  In our prize bag was a Bumpit, a pair of rip-off Crocs, and a bottle of Easy Cheez!  Some of the other prizes were a snuggie, car freshener, and a bible coloring book.

I’ve done my best below to match the costume with the actual customer picture.  If I made a mistake or don’t have yours, please let me know in the comment section.

*restrictions apply

He won.  He took it to another level by wearing a dress and fake boobs.  Would have been better if he found a red fur coat and fake gap teeth.

I’m not sure who these guys were, but the one on the right said he was Allison from Intervention.  Funny, but wrong party (even though she probably buys her duster at Walmart).

And look! There was even someone dressed up like me!

Thanks to Tin Can and Eric and Laurie for putting this party together.  I can’t wait for the next one!

Last Saturday was the Poker Pub Crawl on the Morgan Ford strip.  It was $10 to play, you got seven cards, and had to make the best (or worst) five card poker hand.  The highest and lowest hand of the night received a percentage of the buy-in.

We arrived at Colorado Bob’s around 2pm and it was a ghost town.  It was disappointing because our expectations were high from previous Morgan Ford pub crawls.  By 3pm it was time to walk down to Tower Pub and we had about 15 people in our crew.  The lack of people meant it was more likely that Zack or I would win, but the buy-in was also significantly less.  I’m not sure if the small turnout was due to the man who was shot to death the Thursday before, the pub crawl on the Landing, or something else.  Every Morgan Ford event I’ve been to in the past year has been an absolute blast and I suggest you come check it out for yourself soon!  Keep up to date on their Facebook page.

After a few bars, my poker hand was starting to shape up as the lowest hand.  Then I paired up my 6.  Then I got a Queen.  That’s okay, so I’d just discard the Queen and the 6, right?  Well my next was a 4.  That means I had two pair (6 & 4) with a Queen kicker.  One more card left, I draw another 6…. FULL HOUSE.  Discard the 3 and the Queen and I have a full house, 6’s over 4’s.  That’s not a terrible high number, but hey, it’s a full house right? I thought I was in the running for highest hand when I find out someone has FOUR SEVENS…can you believe that?

Needless to say, she won.  Eight high was the lowest hand (Zack had Jack high).  We had a great time at our neighborhood bars and enjoyed getting out of our usual routine (although we did go to Tin Can) and meet some of our great South City advocates.

Looking forward to the next event!

photo by banspy on Flickr

The atmosphere was cute and somewhat cheesy, which I guess matches their logo.  The servers and the bartender all dressed in firefighter blue uniforms and  the decor reminded me of an Applebees or TGI Friday’s.  However, there were some unique items, like the old fireman hats above the bar.

Since a lot of the reviews commented on the poor service, we sat at the bar.  The less distance between us and a server the better, right?  Service was above average.  She poured us drinks right away, took our order, and the food was out quickly.  Things were looking great and I was happy to be proved wrong.  Then we started eating…

I ordered the Cajun Tilapia and Zack ordered the Meatloaf.  They both sounded awesome on the menu and were both one of the few “different” items.  The rest of the menu was typical bar/American fare – burgers, wraps, nachos, chicken fingers.  Even though the meatloaf was wrapped around pepperoni, roast beef and cheese, Zack and I both agreed that it was still very bland. It almost tasted like a calzone since you could only taste the pepperoni and cheese.  My tilapia was cooked perfectly, but it was no where near cajun.  It came with a dollop of cajun butter (that wasn’t spicy or flavorful) and obviously once frozen mixed veggies.  The tomato-artichoke orzo was the highlight of my dish.

I would suggest waiting for them to work the kinks out before visiting.  If we go back it will only be for breakfast or a wrap for lunch.

Check out the rest of the reviews on Yelp.

I can’t believe we’re almost half way into January and it’s one month until Mardi Gras!  I’m just counting the days until I can grill outside and wear a tank top.  Until then, it’s indoor activities for me.

I’ve been updating my Google Calendar with all the South City events that I can find.  This weekend, Fat Chance (a 311 Tribute) and Stadium Arcadium (a Red Hot Chili Peppers Tribute) are playing at Off Broadway.  Doors open at 8:30pm and the show starts at 9pm.  Admission is only $7 for 21+ and $10 for under 21.  I haven’t been to Off Broadway yet, and I like 311 and RHCP,  so this might be a good night to check it out.

On Saturday, Zack and I will be at the Morgan Ford Strip Progressive Poker Run.  It’s $10 to play and you get two cards at each of the five bars.  Then, you put together your best (or worst) 5-card hand.  Yes, there are prizes for both the highest AND lowest hands.  The two winners will split the cash from the buy-in.  Here’s the schedule, so look for me on foursquare!

2pm: Colorado Bob’s
3pm: Tower Pub
4pm: Amsterdam Tavern
5pm: Tin Can
6pm: Three Monkeys

The pub crawl can be joined at any time, but you must be present at Colorado Bob’s at 7pm to collect a prize.

There are a few events coming up before Mardi Gras that are worth checking out.

1/23 – ARRG Trivia Night – Immaculate Conception, 2934 Marshall Avenue, 63143
$25/seat. 10 seats per table. Beer, wine, soda and light snacks provided. Additional snacks are welcome. No outside alcohol. Cash prizes, silent auction, table decorating contest. RSVP.

1/28 – 31 – St. Louis Auto Show
Friday night ladies get $3 off the $9 adult admission price (plus look for coupons in the Post-Dispatch).  The amazing PaintJam artist Dan Dunn will be there at 8pm on Friday.  If you’re not familiar with him, definitely check out his YouTube channel.  Also, catch the ARRG skating on three of the days. More information here.

1/29 – People of Walmart Costume Party at Tin Can Morgan Ford
Dress up as your favorite customer from peopleofwalmart.com and bring in a copy of the picture from the website.  Then wait for the judging at midnight and collect your prize! ($3 cover) RSVP here.

What are you up to this weekend?  Have you started making Mardi Gras plans yet?

I’m thinking either Tower Grove Park or Forest Park, but it’s been way too chilly to scour the area for a little garden gnome.  It feels a little like geocaching without the GPS.

Speaking of which, my nephew and I did a little ‘caching during my vacation in Georgia.  It was a little chilly at times but we had a good time.  If you’ve never been geocaching and live in St. Louis city, I suggest you start with Tower Grove Park.  I’ve done about fifteen or so in St. Louis, mostly urban (not too far off the beaten path).  This spring/summer I’d like try out a few more difficult caches (or maybe hide one of my own).  Have you ever gone geocaching?  I’d be interested to see who else in St. Louis  takes part in this ongoing worldwide scavenger hunt.

As for celebrating the new year, I thought our plans were set, since every year we spend the evening at our friends’ house in Springfield, IL, but Zack asked last night if we could have people over at our house.  Sounds like a great plan but that means I need to plan and prepare very quickly.  I need ideas for snack food and a signature drink.  I also might hit up my lovely Twitter followers for tips on how to rearrange my living room (to fit our new TV) and what to do for seating in the basement.

What are your plans for New Year’s Eve?  Do you have a certain tradition or is every year different.  Are there any parties in South City that caught your eye this year?  Here are just a few of the neighborhood New Year’s Eve parties (the ones I have flyers for).

Also check out a full list of South City NYE events from The Riverfront Times or some budget-friendly options over at STL Meal Deals.

*header image from oskay on Flickr.