Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery

Happy Pi Day! I actually don't like math. I'm terrible at it! But I really, really like pie! So if I can use March 14th, or 3.14, as an excuse to eat lots of pie, I'm all for it!

In honor of 3.14, I thought I'd share an adventure to the home of some famous, Oprah approved pie.

The Blue Owl is located in Historic Kimmswick.The town hosts a couple festivals during the year, but all year you can enjoy some Blue Owl goodness. Just check the hours before you go because they're only open during the middle of the day. They serve homemade-style food. I recommend the White Chicken Chilli. They are most known though for what comes out of their bakery.

The Levee High Carmel Peacon Apple Pie has been featured on the Today Show, The Oprah Magazine and The Food Network. It really looks amazing! The crust tastes amazing, too! The inside is just okay, in my opinion, but the best part of any pie is the crust anyway.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

This and That

My kids are on spring break this week. This makes me very excited because it means it's finally spring and we're going to have fun! I'm not such a fan of winter. I want one good snowman making snowfall, then I'm ready to get back to fun which usually involves parks, the zoo, and warm weather. We've made our snowmen...

and now it's time to blog about some odds and ends from this winter so we can once again have some warm Saint Louis fun!
We did go to The Loop for the Ice Carnival back in January as mentioned in my last post. The Loop always reminds me that I am not young or chic anymore, though I was probably never chic. I am a mom of three young kids, which I'd much rather be anyway. I do plan on making a trip to The Loop with my young, chic sisters, but unless I'm taking my kids to eat at Fitz's, there's no point in taking them there, Ice Carnival or not.

Speaking of Fitz's, most of the businesses had ice sculptures on display.

The kids enjoyed watching a block of ice turn into Peter Pan.

There was some entertainment on the streets.

The Ice Slides were a big hit.

The kids could also collect chocolate coins.

It wasn't a bad trip to The Loop, just one that's easier with one kid or older kids. We still had some fun though.

In eating news, Casey and I checked out Bogart's Smokehouse after seeing it on St. Louis Magazine's best new restaurant list. I think I would love that magazine, but for now I'm just reading it in doctor offices. Located in Soulard, it's set up and tastes a lot like Pappy's (I think the chef is from Pappy's). We still like Pappy's better, but it was fun and worth the trip.

Casey and I also went to the Iron Barley, made famous by Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, with Casey's parents and grandmother.

I'll just call this place interesting, though my husband's family really liked it.
Here's a picture of my Monte Criso hotdog as featured on TV. Though I don't need to have it again, I now think all hotdogs should be served with strawberry preserves.

Friday, January 13, 2012

The Jewel Box and The Saint Louis Art Musuem

We had a snow day in St. Louis yesterday and the kids are still out of school for it today (don't get too excited, you can still see the top of the grass through the snow). I remember my little sister praying every night for it to snow and for school to be cancelled (it's a lot harder to have school cancelled just because of snow where I grew up). Actually, she's now in college and I'm sure she still prays for snow days. Anyways, it was not my best mommy/snow day yesterday. I've been sick this week, my house needed cleaned, and I decided I don't like snow. I use to like snow. Now it just means no school, wet clothes and boots everywhere, icy roads and then dirty roads. However, I have an adventure to blog about from our wonderful Christmas break. Unlike yesterday, the weather was beautiful, everyone was in a good mood, and my kids were as close to angels as you could get. It really was one of those days that I thought, "This is just such a nice, fun day."

Our family really likes the Saint Louis Art Museum, but haven't been for a few years. The Museum does family activities on Sundays, but that day doesn't work for us, so I was excited to see they were doing some extended family activities during the week between Christmas and New Years. Casey was off work, but hunting, so Nanny joined us for our visit.

Since we were at Forest Park, we decided to stop by The Jewel Box first to see the poinsettias.

To be honest, I was expecting more poinsettias, but it was still nice. It cost a dollar a person for those over the age of five (it's free a couple mornings a week). Though I don't know if I'll ever go again, I don't feel bad for paying $3 for the one time I did go.

Maybe because there isn't a lot to do inside the Jewel Box, the kids agreed to pose for an absurd amount of pictures.



We then headed to the Art Museum to do a scavenger hunt. The museum was hosting one for kids, but I think you could come up with something on your own anytime and it would go over well. Though I was a little worried about my kids in an art museum, they were really good. They loved the scavenger hunt, the mummies, the guns, the swords and the armor. They might even have looked at a few pictures.
I didn't take any pictures inside, oops! I didn't know you were allowed to until we were done. This first picture reminds me that the museum has had a special exhibit of Monet's Water Lilies that I regret not taking advantage of. Admission into the art museum is always fee. Special exhibits do cost, but they are free on Fridays.



It was a fun trip!

I know I need to not complain about the weather or the snow we are having now. It is January! Tomorrow we are hopefully headed to the  Ice Carnival on The Loop. It probably needs to be cold so the ice sculptures don't melt, though I'm hoping we don't freeze. That will be another post.

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Best of Saint Louis Adventures 2011

Exploring Saint Louis has been one of the most fun things we have done as a family. I'm so glad we've been able to experience all these different places. I just wanted to share a few of my favorite things we did this year. There are so many, it's hard to choose.

Kids Vote for Best Adventure

Best Place We Ate

Best New Holiday Traditions



Best Museum

Best of Forest Park
Everything! I have renewed appreciation for this place!


Shakespeare Festival in the Park is now a must every year!

Best Treat
We had some awesome desserts at Crown Candy and Ted Drewes, but I'm going to go with
Actually, I just prefer a bottle. I don't even like soda, but this could become an addiction.

Best Must See At Least Once

Best Team, Best Fans, Best City
You can't be a true Saint Louisian without being a Cardinals fan! 

The fun's not over, either. A few more things for the list...Alton, Ice Carnival, festival in Kimmswick, downtown, to name just a few.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Way of Lights

We did this great Christmas Activity three weeks ago, but things have been so busy since then, I haven't had time to blog about it. I have to at least blog about it before Christmas though. So even though I should be cleaning my house and getting ready for one awesome Christmas Eve dinner (and it better be awesome because I just spent A LOT of money on tenderloin), I'm going to throw some pictures in this blog post and wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows' Way of Lights is very popular in the St. Louis area. Why we had never gone, I don't know. They provide a free drive though Christmas light display centered on Christ's birth with over a million lights and a beautiful manger scene. My camera did not take beautiful  pictures of the manger scene though, so you'll have to settle for a Wise Men.



They also host several free Christmas activities. The kids enjoyed a puppet show, making a craft and checking out Christmas trees with storybook themes.


They also do camel rides and a laser show for a fee.

If you've never been, it's worth the drive over. Activities will be going on though January 1st. 

Monday, November 28, 2011

Christmas at Historic Main in St. Charles

Let the Christmas festivities begin!
I love Old Main Street in St. Charles! We use to go there on a regular basis, then we had children. Strollers and kids who touch everything aren't a good match for the shops on Historic Main Street. However, their Christmas activities lured us back. Though we didn't take them into any of the stores, the kids had a blast.

Historic Main Street in St. Charles allows you to stroll down the brick lined street hosting speciality shops and restaurants housed in building from 200 years ago.

During the holiday season, Historic Main hosts Christmas Traditions.  An "old-fashioned Christmas with storybook characters, Victorian Carolers, and Santas from around the world." Characters from Christmas pasts, stories and legends roam the streets, greet you in character and pass out character cards (similar to a baseball card) for the children to collect. Here is Hailey with a few of her cards at the beginning of our adventure (she ended up with about 25 out of 33).

Brenton receiving a card from the Ice Queen.

The kids with the Civil War Santa.

A visit with Santa Lucia.

All the characters do a small parade in the afternoon and a short show. I don't think either one is really necessary to attend. The parade is short and you have to be right next to the show to hear it, but the kids had fun with their cousins anyway. It might be a good place to finish collecting cards though.

We also saw roasted chestnuts (who knew they weren't just part of a song?)

and heard the carolers perform.

There are plenty of treats available to purchase...cookies, hot chocolate and icecream (and the weather was nice enough that people were actually eating icecream). We got our treats from the English Shop since Dad's grandmother is from England and he has a soft spot for Cadbury candy.

Historic Main is right next to the Missouri river with a nice trail and grassy area. The weather was beautiful the day after Thanksgiving, so we spent some time down by the river playing with our cousins as well.



Dad slept through this part. He did all the crazy hour Black Fridays shopping so he's forgiven.

The kids loved meeting all the characters and collecting the cards. The Santas, Tiny Tim and Clara from The Nutcrackers were some of their favorites. I think we'll definitely try to go again next year.