Shopping While Vacationing

On our January trip to Hilton Head, we picked up some fun cocktail napkins.

If you read my blog very often, you know hubby and I enjoy our "cocktails".  Specifically we enjoy our Martini's.  I make a really good one, by the way; always better then what you get when you order out.  They don't have or don't take the time to properly chill the martini glasses, which is a key component of a really good martini. 

Since we were there in January, you can see a Christmas flare to our fun cocktail napkins.  Hubby likes a Gin Martini, shaken not stirred and I prefer a Vodka Martini.  Most of the time I like a Lemon-Drop Martini, but am also partial to a Dirty Martini with nice olives stuffed with blue cheese.

While vacationing, one should purchase souvenirs that reflect the fun of the trip and make you smile.  We smile every time we use our fun cocktail napkins........even if they are "out of season".

Cafe Osage in St. Louis

 Doesn't this plate make you want to pick up a fork?  Mixed grain pancakes with bananas foster type compote.  It was absolutely yummy.  Darling Daughter and I had a fantastic brunch at Cafe Osage in the Central West End in St. Louis. 

 Now that most interesting thing is...when you first walk in, you're in a nursery.  See seeds!

 A nice gift shop, both of garden and non garden related items.  During warm months you can dine outside on their patio among the beautiful plantings.

 Shop before or after you dine, there's plenty to pick from.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner is served. I highly recommend Cafe Osage and hope to return.

Brunch at SqWires in St. Louis

 I love a good Bloody Mary.  This was a very good one.  Actually it's a Bloody Mary Bar.  You get a carafe of Bloody Mary already mixed with Vodka, and add whatever your heart desires.  They had lemon, lime, celery, horseradish, pickles, olives, blue cheese squares, hot peppers, and more.  I went with banana peppers, pickles, olives, and celery and horseradish in mine.  It was yummy.  I refilled several times and still had mix left in my carafe.  You'll see the carafe further down in pictures.

 My Darling Daughter is partial to Mimosa's, which is also an option as they have a Mimosa Bar  with lots of choices of fruit and goodies to add to your drink.

 

 The environment is very comfortable.  Check out the piano player under all the neat antique radios.  They have entertainment for Happy Hours on both Friday and Sat nights, as well as Sunday morning brunch.  Brunch starts at 10 am.

 

 Decorations are interesting, flowers, and unusual arrangements like this one in the window by our table with pussy willows and purple thistles.  Notice my carafe of Bloddy Mary's?  Our table was a bit crowded so I placed it on the window ledge.

 

To give you an idea what it looks like, look up...see pulleys and coils?   Okay, so you're probably wondering where I am, what this place was.  This is SqWires located in historic Lafayette Square in St. Louis.  1415 South 18th Street, St. Louis, Missouri  63104.  Lafayette Square is a short 3 minute cab ride from downtown St. Louis and is the oldest Historic District in St. Louis.  400 Victorian homes have been restored in this area.  There's a 30 acres park, Lafayette Square Park which is the oldest park west of The Mississippi!  Impressive and very interesting area.  SqWires has outside eating during warm weather and a banquet area.  They have an extensive wine list (50) along with an impressive choice of beers.  The restaurant serves local fare and won The Open Table Diner Choice Award in 2012.

 Brunch was fabulous.  I had beef brisket hash with eggs and would most definitely order that again.  The menu is varied offering something for everyone.

 

My Darling Daughter had an egg sandwich with fresh goodies oozing out.  She would also re-order this item.

I mentioned coils and pulley's above...historically this building was part of a wire factory that encompassed the whole block.  The area now has 80 businesses and residential lofts.  

I highly recommend having brunch here, and exploring the area.  In June and December there is a tour of homes which I would love to do, if I happened to be in St. Louis then.

**This awesome brunch with my Darling Daughter was only part of our wonderful "Girls Wkend"

HandleBar in The Grove St. Louis

There's a story behind the animal prints and me climbing up on this rather large bike sculpture, (HERE), but for now let me tell you about Handle Bar.

The bike sculpture is outside the bar, and once inside you understand why.  Bikes also hang from the walls and ceiling,

It's a friendly, neighborhood establishment located in The Grove in St. Louis on Manchester Avenue (4127)

Where it's not uncommon to see people really relaxing, playing games or cards.

Born in Moscow, Tatyana immigrated in 1999.  She was homesick for her native land, but soon fell in love with the city of St. Louis and moved there in 2005.  She rode her bike through all the parks, The Riverfront, and interesting neighborhoods St. Louis has to offer and realized she could truly commute on her bike, not something possible in Moscow.  She was free to pick a destination, hop on her bike and just pedal.  She opened HandleBar in 2010 at the Old ChurchKey Bar5 location to share her interest in healthy food with a bit of a Russian influence (unusual for bars), local beers, local artists, and bikes.  Bikes as art, bikes to sell, bikes to ride. 

The Grove..seems to be a newly named neighborhood area in St. Louis.  Manchester Road, parts there off are part of Historic Route 66.  St. Alopysius Church was vacant for years, demolished and some of the brick and other items were used in the building/rehab of ChurchKey, now HandleBar.

**I'm reminded of a saying, Get your kicks on Route 66.......and you still can.

Stop in, enjoy a brew, play a game and enjoy!