The Gateway to the West

"Well I'm going down the Mississippi River,
Yes I am, yes I am..."

I didn't go down the Mississippi River, but I did want to include some kind of fun song lyrics because it was a big deal to see the river!

I got into St. Louis around 2:30 on Wednesday and Dre's mom immediately fed me leftover brats and coffee... this is the moment when I decided I love the Midwest! Haha. Dre and her friends took me to walk around downtown and see the Arch and the river, and then Mr. and Mrs. Bachmann took us all to see the Cardinals play the Mariners! The Cards lost (it was close at the end though!) and then we went to Ted Drewe's and a cool little bowling and pool bar - apparently I am thoroughly Saint-Louised now.

Thursday we went to Grant's Farm and it was SO GREAT!! I saw zebras and yaks and buffalo (nom!) and camels and horses and I fed baby goats! Dre also fed baby goats but she had kind of a hard time - there were like 20 goats climbing over each other to get a bite of her skirt. Too bad I didn't get any pictures. Haha. We had a great dinner with Dre's parents and grandparents, and then headed out for a goodbye shindig for Dre! Ladies' night - all you can drink rails and drafts for $5. I wish DC had specials like that! (although not anywhere I work... haha)

Friday was a big deal because I had a life-changing epiphany. Dre's friends took us to Sweet Art, a "from-scratch bakery and art studio" serving local, organic, vegan and vegetarian food. Of course my first reaction to going to a place like this was to assume it was hippie B.S. BUT!!!! After having a grilled cheese - roasted garlic - broccoli - avocado sandwich on home made bread and an amazing cookies and cream cupcake.... my mind has totally been changed. It was SO SO SO GOOD and I will no longer immediately dismiss this whole local/organic/vegan movement as, well, hippie B.S. I mean it still definitely is, but it also produces some damn good food. Summary - 15 thumbs up for Sweet Art.

We left St. Louis around 4:15 and made it to Nashville around 9:30 after stopping at my first useless tourist trap of the trip. Tune in next time to see what it was and to hear all about Music City!

Yours in Wandering,
Katie