Gus' Pretzels

http://www.guspretzels.com/

I was driving through south St. Louis today and what should I see but a Gus' Pretzel man!  I've been thinking about this:  if I would be sorry to see a business close I should be a part of helping it thrive.  I would be really sad to drive through St. Louis and never see a Gus' Pretzel man again. 

So I bought a bag of pretzels.  I didn't really need to eat  *all* those yummy rods of goodness by my self, so I was on my way to see the Trulls and that family of many boys was happy to help me.

Foundation Grounds Coffee House

www.foundationgrounds.com

Denise is a brilliant director who inspires students to become brilliant actors.  She has already started thinking about a summer production. It is cool to be with Denise when she is making plans; her ideas seem to come forth like jonquils in spring. We wanted to meet to put some solid foundational ground under these theoretical ideas. Where to go? I know! Maplewood's Foundation Grounds Coffee Shop seemed in keeping with our goal.

Denise ordered a cup of hot cocoa and I had a cup of hot chai.

 

We sat in chairs of varying pattern and color

which seem to whisper,"It is OK to be different. Be pleased with who you are."

 ...As Mr. Rogers taught us: everyone is special in their own way.

Foundation Grounds offers a variety of breakfast and lunch choices but we chose a light snack from their bakery items.

It isn't as if Denise's theatrical creativity needs help, but the artistry surrounding us couldn't hurt.

The next time you need a place to dream and scheme about exciting plans

 

or if you just yearn for a good cup of coffee, for goodness' sake don't go to those overused national chains.  Discover uniqueness by going to the local coffee shop close to home,

or make the short drive to Maplewood and enjoy one of our favorite places.

John Do-nut Company

314-241-3360

Hours: midnight til 1:00pm

(Isn't that clever? Sell donuts
while making them...fresh and
warm...mm-mmm)
Closed Sundays

I was talking with my new friend Joe who works at the Hi-Pointe.
 I don't know Joe very well, but I'm learning about some of his interests.
He likes donuts and he likes to bike.  

 On the night of the full moon he and many of his friends take a long moonlight ride all over St. Louis.
It is their custom to pause at a favorite bar to refresh before the ride home.  On this particular night their favorite spot was closed.

In need of an alternative, they decided to get donuts.

"Did you go to Johnny's?" I guessed. 

 And I was right.

Bill, Will, Micha and I had investigated "John Donut Company" a few weeks ago with a thorough sampling of their many varieties.    

You are going to love this place!

Almost in the shadow of the Arch is this little shop of donuts.

Those of you who have followed this blog know I can approach sentimental romanticism when it comes to our small business heroes.
 Johnny doesn't have time for sentimentality.
  
He has been making donuts and breads since he was a boy. He knows it is just hard work, with long hot hours, often requiring a second job to simply make ends meet.  When he's not here, he's baking at a local hospital, making it possible for us to enjoy the hidden treasure behind these doors.

When you visit John's you must allow time to savor the atmosphere.

There are 

all sorts 

of sassy signs on the walls,

 some murals,

and Superman is

everywhere, 

he's everywhere.

So how did the superman collection begin?

Aw, there's a story.  John comes from a family of St. Louis bakers.  At one point his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pearey, moved to Metropolis, Illinois to be near some of their family. They opened a little bakery.

Here is a picture of them in front of their pastry shop.

 I'm not sure how these things evolve.  Something about coming from Metropolis,
the home of Superman, 

has inspired John's adoring customers to bring him all things Superman related.
It's a way to say thanks to John for making such delicious treats.

Now that you've taken in the surroundings and enjoyed the local color,

let's get serious.

Whether you have them with milk or juice

or coffee or tea,

the real reason you've come is:

 donuts!!

Oh,

and 

they are

oh,

so

good!

'nuf said!!!

John interrupted his breakfast of oatmeal to tell me a little bit of his story, growing up in north St. Louis as the son of hard working bakers and becoming a baker himself.  He told of truckers who kept knocking on the shop door at 2:00 O'clock in the morning while he was baking, pleading for donuts until he finally changed his hours to accommodate them and about the time in the army when he stayed up all night making pastries for tomorrow's visiting dignitary, Spiro Agnew. 

He is a humble man, not thinking himself great, but as I watched his loyal customers come and go throughout the morning, the camaraderie they all share, their affection and loyalty to this place and its owner....

I think I now know why they bring him Superman keepsakes.

Sappington Farmer's Market

sappingtonfarmersmarket.com

Dining at St. Louis' many excellent restaurants is surely a delight, but for us, most meals are about buying groceries at the market and bringing those groceries home to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The St. Louis local grocery possibilities are abundant.  And since food is such a necessary part of everyone's budget we can really make a difference by finding a local alternative for our purchases of this life sustaining commodity.

I had been shopping at Sappington Farmer's Market a few months before this official adventure began in March.

I liked it immediately on every level: practically, philosophically, and nostalgically.

Practically speaking Sappington Market works.

They are known for their produce;

you will find variety, 

low prices, and 

many locally grown fruits 

and vegetables.

Because Sappington Market is a small full-service grocery store, 

they also have 

 dairy products,

a plentiful assortment of groceries

and

canned goods.

Because it is small I can be in and out in 45 minutes. Because this little market has every basic food item (plus paper products, toiletries, and  cleaning supplies), 

 I can get everything I need in one stop.

Because of their great specials and case prices,

 Sappington Market truly is an economical choice.

Put all that together and you've got practicality !

Philosophically, I like that the store is owned by farmers; I trust their interest in protecting the small farmer.  This seems important, since this whole food thing originates with farmers and we would be pretty much lost without them.

On the shelves of Sappington Market you will find many products produced right here in Missouri and Illinois.

Like cheeses from local dairies,

potato chips made and coffee roasted here in St. Louis,

wine and jellies from our own grapes and berries,

and Purly's cookies made by some nice ladies in their church kitchen.

And

the clerks are all really friendly, and I think that is because the store is founded on great principles, philosophically speaking.

Why

Nostalgically, 

you may wonder.

Because they have a model train chugging around and I love seeing the children gaze at it,  and remember when other children marveled at other trains.

The scenes of rural life remind me of the hardworking farmers in my hometown, 

like these good men waiting outside the Newton County courthouse during their weekly trip to the town square.

A visit to Sappington Farmer's market is like a visit to times past, and I feel for a moment like I'm back in Neosho shopping with my mom at McClintock's IGA.

Bob's Seafood Inc.

314-993-4844

Isabel is having outpatient therapy sessions at Ranken Jordan, a Pediatric Specialty Hospital.  Occasionally I get to be one of the ones who drive her there. (Perhaps the Ranken Jordan story is one to explore sometime, this hospital has patients from all over the world and it was originated right here in St. Louis in 1941 by Mary Ranken Jordan and her husband. The hospital's tradition of skill and compassion is inspirational.)

The trek from Maplewood to Maryland Heights isn't a common one for me so it provides great research possibilities.

I've been thinking we need to eat more fish.

 

Since Bob's Seafood is on my route (on Olive just east of I-170) this seems the perfect time to begin. 

The folks at Bob's do a great job of de-mystifying seafood to my little mid-western mind.

I know fish should be a regular part of a healthy diet, but I admit I'm confused and overwhelmed by it all.  And many of my efforts have been less than tasty.

On my last visit to Bob's Seafood Alli was making bouillabaisse and I was shopping for her.  I was meticulously following directions for just the right amount of just the right seafood.  The wonderful lady behind the counter encouraged me to relax, have a good time.  She explained it in a way this Missouri farm girl could understand: boil some bones, put in a little meat and some vegetables. The name may be fancy and hard to spell but basically it is just soup!  So I went home with a bunch of fish bones and some random fish, and Alli made some perfectly memorable fish stew.

Truly, it was amazing.  That was my first hint that "fresh" makes all the difference.

We've been eating outside a lot lately, what else can you do on a perfect fall day?  We've done all the traditional mid western grill stuff: brats, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken and pork chops. But today I would be driving by Bob's Seafood so why not try fish? They suggested a good and economical fish for cooking over an open fire, not too delicate so it would stay together.  I don't remember the name but they said it tastes like Grouper for less than half the price.

I'm not sure what Grouper tastes like but this couldn't have been more delicious. And everyone loved it! It was quick and easy and yummy. 

With another seafood success I'm thinking Bob's may be the reason. I'm eager to go back  and try again.