Grow your own herbs and more in the Chesterfield community garden.

Even if you live in an apartment, you can still have a garden plot.  You can grow your own produce, herbs and more in the Chesterfield Community Garden.Food that is home grown tastes a lot better than what you buy in the grocery store.  There is an application of $30.00 for each plot and they are allotted by the Chesterfield Parks and Recreation Department.  There are 45 plots, which are raised beds that are 4 feet wide by 8 feet long.   You will be amazed at how much you can grow in this space. There is fencing around the 45 plots to deter pests.  There are also plenty of water hook ups to keep your plot watered.

This community garden is located within Eberwein Park. Having a plot in a community garden is a way to get to know others living the Chesterfield area.

Photo credit: chesterfield.mo.us

Be sure to use sunscreen when relaxing by the pool!

The area near our apartments in Chesterfield, MO is definitely heating up as the temperature climbs and with that rise in temperature comes a need to cool down. The Westmont at Chesterfieldpool is an excellent way to relax and beat the heat but sometimes all that sun can come with a hefty price tag. If you do not want to risk looking like a lobster, or worse…damage your skin permanently, you need to protect your skin.Always wear sunscreen! This is incredibly important and the sunscreen must shield you from UVA and UVB rays. The local Walgreens has a wide assortment of sunscreens. You need to choose one that is a minimum of 30 SPF. If you have any questions…talk to the pharmacist on duty.

Just as you shield your skin with sunscreen, it can use some extra protection as well. Try to use a coverup or hat to protect you when you are not swimming. The Chesterfield Mall has many stores where you can purchase swimsuit coverups and hats, and you can still look fashionable at the pool.

These two small tips can really protect your skin from the damaging rays out by the pool. Don’t risk your health needlessly…guard your skin always!

Is there a more perfect scenario for exploring Downtown St. Louis?

Yesterday, I took advantage of Mother Nature and branched out of Chesterfield. It isn’t often that I wander off in to the big city, especially by myself, but yesterday, it just felt right.

If you know me, you know I am all about the bargains and the uniqueness of a “passed” down item. I love thrift stores, antiques, secondhand stores, resale stores, whatever you want to call it. One persons “junk” is another person’s treasure. To me, that’s what Cherokee Street is, a treasure.

The infamous Cherokee Street, or as the locals like to call it, Antique Row is a staple in St. Louis.
I have wanted to visit this place since I moved to St. Louis almost a year ago, but never found the time. With my husband away on Army Duties, I couldn’t think of a better time than the present.

So on Tuesday, I grabbed my reusable bags (I’m a hippie at heart and I want to save the planet), knowing that I would be purchasing SOMETHING and jumped in my Jeep for the trek to downtown St. Louis.

Upon arriving, I found it very easy to park, keep in mind, it’s Tuesday. Walking up and down the street, I was taken aback by the amount of Antique stores there were. I mean, I understand its Antique Row, but sheesh, a person could get lost in all these stores. My ultimate plan was to start at one end and work my way to the other, I’m glad I made a plan because jumping around store to store would have made the trip less enjoyable.

I found everything from outdoor furniture, to old Beatles Records. It was a blast rummaging through all the items. I was not only impressed with the antiques, but with the history as well. On every block, there was a plaque that described a piece of history. It was humbling to see what went on way back when. In comparison to what we deal with now, well…there really is no comparison.

While on my self-guided, mini-tour of Cherokee, I discovered a new interior trend. If anyone has Pintrest, they will understand. Apparently using an old door for a headboard is the “new thing”. The store, The Purple Cow” had a barn full of doors, just for people who were in the market for a headboard. I can dig it.

All in all, Cherokee Street is an awesome part of St. Louis, whether you are looking to shop or looking for history, you will find both in this lovely area.

Bring plenty of money and an open-mind. See where your imagination and your creativity can take you on Cherokee Street.

Pet Name: Tess
Breed: Welsh Corgi
Age: Young
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Get plenty of H2O when you're outside exercising.

Residents of the apartments in Chesterfield, MO are getting back in shape after the winter season. It is important that you know some safety tips before you start your summer exercise program. This will not only ensure your safety but help you to achieve your weight loss goals as well. Here are a few safety tips for summer exercise:

• Drink plenty of water - During the hot, humid days of summer, your body will lose a lot of water over the course of an hour. Sports drinks may also help, but try to dilute them with water first so that the body can quickly absorb the water.
• Change your workout time - Rather than working out in the heat of the day, change your schedule time to a time when the temperature has cooled down some.
• Walking – Try walking instead of more strenuous exercise. This will help you  to keep in shape without overheating your body.
• Apply sunscreen – If you happen to be working out outside, make sure that you apply sunscreen to shield you from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Sunscreen should be reapplied every 30 minutes and make sure to use waterproof sunscreen if you are swimming.

These simple, yet effective summer exercise tips will help to keep you safe and get into shape.

Photo credit: sxc.hu

Source: Yelp
Name: Pulse
Location: 1644 Clarkson Rd Chesterfield, MO 63017
Reviews: 1

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

More Reviews
This store truly offers something for every shopper, from those who are looking to test the waters of a new trend to fashionistas with an eye toward a large…Read More…

Pulse

Source: Yelp
Name: Platos Closet
Location: 1674 Clarkson Rd. Chesterfield, MO 63017
Reviews: 6

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

More Reviews
This place is great but check out the Plato’s Closet stores in St. Peters and Florissant as well.Read More…

I made my consignment store loop last week and this Plato’s Closet was the last stop. Having only been to the Kirkwood location, I wasn’t sure what to…Read More…

Not a bad place. Good clothes selection, helpful employees, lots of shoes. The only negative I can see is that the clothes are too jammed in because there’s…Read More…

Platos Closet

Source: Yelp
Name: Target
Location: 40 Thf Blvd Chesterfield, MO 63005
Reviews: 3

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

More Reviews
This review is for the Pharmacy ladies, who rock!!!!
I recently had to switch from Walgreens because of the whole Express Scripts drama. I have been blown…Read More…

Super clean store. Great selections and clothing line has gotten national attention. I do find it interesting that stores in the Valley are higher than…Read More…

Get just about anything here. Great sales. Friendly staff. Had to return a few things and with a receipt, it’s a smooth process.

Friend’s baby shower . . ….Read More…

Target

Experience many different varieties of beer at iTap.

If you’re looking for a place with a huge selection of beer to choose from but you don’t feel like venturing out far from your Westmont at Chesterfield apartment, International Tap House is the place for you. iTap, as it’s called, is located at 161 Long Road, Chesterfield, MO 63005, which is less than four miles from our Westmont apartment community.

At iTap there are about 480 different bottled beers from about 25 different countries around the world. There are also close to 40 beers on tap, many of which change with the seasons. If you want weekly specials, iTap is the place to go. Here are a few:

• Mondays – Half off half the taps from 8 pm to close.
• Tuesdays – Local Brewery Night: $3 Missouri drafts and bottles from 8 pm to close.
• Thursday – Bottle Night for iTap Passport holders. If you hold an iTap passport (a book that you get stamped each time you drink a new beer) you get $1 off 12 oz bottles, $2 off 22 oz bottles, and $3 off 750 ml bottles.

Not only are we active in social media, but we encourage our residents to connect and participate as well! Here are just a few of our platforms:

• Facebook — We regularly post photos and updates about the community as well as information on any community-wide contests that we run. For example, our pool opens this Saturday, April 14 and we want everyone to know, so we posted it on Facebook!
• Twitter — Be sure to follow us for all the latest on local trends, events, dining and more!
• Pinterest — This is the newest addition to our social media family. We’ve created boards for apartment decorating ideas, quick and yummy recipes, and the latest style trends so that you can browse and repin at your leisure!

-Picture This-
You are walking into a store, you are greeted by the sound of a sales associate welcoming you and asking you if you need any assistance, you see the beautiful displays that creatively show all of the new items in the store, the feeling of happiness overcomes you, knowing that you are going to leave with a bag full of goodies!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those of you that think that this place is a major retailer like Macy’s, Dillard’s, or JC Penney’s, you’re mistaken.
The store I am actually referring to is a consignment shop.
Don’t be alarmed by the word “consignment”. It simply means, shipped to a dealer who pays only for what is sold and who may return what is unsold. That’s a pretty non-threating definition if I do say so myself.

Consignment shops are fastly becoming the new “it” places to shop for two reasons:
1. You can get quality clothing for 50-75% off the original retail price.
2. The economy…for lack of a better word, sucks. No one can spend $75 dollars on a pair of jeans, when gas is $4.00 a gallon.

So now that we have had our economics lesson, you must be wondering, “Where does one find a consignment shop in St. Louis?”

Well YOU”RE IN LUCK! I have done the research and the browsing for you! I narrowed my search down to 3 of the best consignment shops in the St. Louis area, in my opinion. Before I blow your mind with some fantastic finds, there are a few things to remember before starting your consignment search.
-Be open-minded. This is not going to be a department store, with 15 different sizes and colors of each item. Very rarely will you find ANYTHING that is similar. This is what makes consignment shops so unique.
-The items are usually “gently worn”. They are not going to be wrapped up in plastic or ironed and may sometimes have a few imperfections. It’s no big deal; just realize that the item you are viewing has a story, a past, and possibly a future with you!
-The Shops-
Potentials- a non-profit organization that offers upscale items such as furniture, home furnishings, designer and department store labels for men, women and teens. I feel like I could visit this store every day. I can’t say how many times I have been in here, bought a unique item and repeatedly been complimented on what I was wearing. The clothing that I have purchased from Potentials clothing still remains some of the most unique pieces that hang in my closet.
Potentials is a non-profit organization. All proceeds go to Youth in Need, a regional non-profit that serves more than 11,000 children, teens and families each year with crisis intervention, prevention and recovery programs.
Do I really need to give you one more reason to visit this store?  Didn’t think so.
Potentials is located at 12392 Olive Blvd. Creve Coeur, MO 63141 www.potentialsresale.org

[RE]FRESH: A FASHION COALITION- I think what most drew me to this shop was that they catered to the younger generation, teens, twenties, and the young at heart. Since I am a girl in my early twenties, I appreciate being able to enter a consignment shop and find stylish shorts that have previously come from Banana Republic, instead of the culottes my grandma would wear. If you are on a tight budget, and need retail therapy, this is your store! You can get so much for so little money. Best of all, every dollar you spend at [RE]FRESH supports the work of Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition.
[RE]FRESH is located at 1710 South Brentwood Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63144 www.refreshstl.org

Rung Boutique-This consignment store caught my eye via Facebook. I was browsing for thrift stores in St. Louis and ran across this adorable boutique. I have always been fascinated by the idea of boutiques, the displays, and the fashion forward attire and accessories, Rung is no exception. Their visual merchandising is outstanding. While I was clicking through their photos on Facebook, I was blown away by how everything was organized and displayed. I literally threw some clothes on and drove to the store that day!  A boutique filled with consigned clothes! That’s my kind of place! Since I am required to wear professional clothes to work, I was impressed by the amount of professional clothing they offered. All of the proceeds go to Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis.
Rung is located at 9739 Manchester Rd. Glendale, MO. 63122 www.shoprung.org

So the next time you want to take a day trip to one of the 900 malls located in St. Louis, don’t. Give one of these consignment shops a try.
-Save some money and your time, shop consigned-

How to Make Cheese Gougères

Let me walk you through the experience of eating a fresh gougère. It’s surprisingly light as you pick it up, almost insubstantial and still hot from the oven. The crispy shell crunches as you pull it open, releasing a puff of savory steam. Then you hit the middle: soft, eggy, and indecently cheesy. Two bites and it’s gone. You’re going to want to make a batch of these soon, trust me. More

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Hello there, Rhubarb! 10 of Our Favorite Baking Recipes

You know it’s really spring when rhubarb is in the markets. That’s about the time I begin roasting it to eat with yogurt and ice cream, making crumbles and crisps, and folding it into every cake and muffin batter I can think of. More

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A 6×16-Foot Galley Kitchen: The Custom Tricks That Make It Work Small Kitchen Inspiration

This year’s small, cool kitchens are inspiring because of what many of them don’t have—namely, a big budget for custom renovations and details. That’s my lot as well, so I’m usually on the lookout for clever, budget, and renter-friendly kitchen solutions. But sometimes you want a little out-of-your-budget eye candy— you know, to pin to your “When I Pay Off My School Loans” board. This galley kitchen may be small, but the custom details make it more appealing and efficient than kitchens twice its size. More

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Salted or Unsalted Butter: Which One? Reader Survey

I used to keep only unsalted butter in my house because I was under the impression that it was fresher and that if I needed salt, I could always add it. But lately I’ve been appreciating salted butter, especially for spreading on toast. I’m not sure why this tastes better than unsalted butter with a little sprinkling of salt but it does and now I keep both kinds in my freezer. How about you?

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