Meet Me In St. Louis

The population of St. Louis is somewhere around 3 million. It takes a lot of industry and plenty of culture to support a town this big in Missouri. Washington University is here, as is the AnheuserBusch Brewery (I55 and Arsenal St.), the world's largest collection of mosaic art (the Cathedral of St. Louis, 4431 Lindell Blvd.), Ulysses S. Grant's restored farm (10501 Gravois) and a worldclass zoo. And of course there's the Gateway Arch, which, at 630 feet, is the nation's tallest monument. Along the Mississippi River bank is the South Grand area, home to a series of terrific ethnic (especially Thai) restaurants. North of Grand is the city's small theatre district. The Fabulous Fox Theatre, a restored oldfashioned movie house, is often a stop for Broadway shows on tour. Powell Symphony Hall is home to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. The Sheldon Concert Hall (3648 Washington Ave.), the Grand Square Theatre (performance space for the St. Louis Black Repertory Company) and good weekend jazz can be found down on Grand. In South St. Louis you'll also find the Missouri Botanical Garden and Ted Drewes' Frozen Custard (6726 Chippewa), home of the best and most famous frozen custard anywhere. One point of pride: the "concrete," a shake so thick it will stay put even if you hold the cup upside down. Another venerable summer spot is Crown Candy (1401 St. Louis Ave.), a soda fountain featuring homemade ice cream and, well, candy. The Central West End neighborhood features gorgeous 19th Century row houses. The commercial part of the CWE, which runs along Euclid Ave. for about ten blocks, has a mix of bookstores, coffeehouses, restaurants, and galleries. Left Bank Books (399 N. Euclid) is a great stop for new and used tomes, plus there's a downstairs art exhibit. The Sunshine Inn (8 ½ S. Euclid) sells the best homemade bread ever. Head west and you'll be in Forest Park, one of the biggest municipal parks in the country (at about 1,370 acres). In 1874 local leaders decided they needed to create a space in which to entertain lowincome residents, so most of the park's attractions, including the zoo, the science center, the art museum and the history museum are free. The Muny, a massive outdoor theatre, is also in Forest Park. Tickets for summer productions sell for as little as $6.