Things You Remember About St. Louis (St. Charles, Hazelwood: living, law, arena)

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by RickMG

I love it, sounds almost like we were the same person, with a few exceptions. I never heard of the Ritz, I took the Delmar/McKnight bus to the Varsity or Tivoli. Didn't have a grandmother in Wellston, but did take the streetcar from the loop to downtown once, after that we took the bus.

Remember Bruno's Batcave? I used to dial KXOK's phone number, all but the last number, and then the last number when Johnny would say to call to win. I won so many albums. There was a 'one a week' limit, but I used all my relatives names. Johnny would go, "is that you Rick".

Velvet Freeze & butterscotch ripple...hmmm.

I went to the Parkmoor at Big Bend and Clayton every Sunday. Best hot dogs & onion rings. Sat in booths with juke boxes at the table. I almost forgot about that Parkmoor at Kingshighway and Cote Brilliant. Tucked back off the road, great memory.

Used to go to all those drive-ins, we lived just a mile or two from the Holiday. My dad was a drive-in nut.

Our phone number was Wydown 3-5866 and business was a Jefferson prefix.

What fun this thread is.

Ya just had to go and say the words "Velvet Freeze" didnt ya???? What I wouldnt give for a bite!

[kshe95girl]

I so agree with Rick about how much fun this thread is! Stuff I did, stuff I remember my Daddy talking about....-sigh- I so miss STL!

[ShadowCaver]

Rick and kshe95girl, this is indeed great thread!

Here be just a couple of videos put together by KETC, more found in YouTube:

YouTube - KETC | Living St. Louis | Ozark Airlines

YouTube - KETC | Living St. Louis | Memories of St. Louis

Discovered this some time ago, quite detailed history of St Louis, w/ many resources:
History's Time Portal to Old St. Louis

Have a couple signed pen/ink style sketches, courtesy of my wonderful mom, done by Richard E Long "Saint Louis Memories", matted & framed on wall in den and office. Very to look at the various sites, let imagination run w/ the history of the places and peoples... Just talked w/ mom - she got these at Deck The Walls, in case anyone was interested. Will take a photo and d/l here if anyone wants to see 'em - let me know.

[Ilikegoodcigars]

The thing I will remember about St Louis if I move, is just how BAD Imo's pizza is.

Other than that, watching the kids slide down Art Hill in the winter time, Ted Drewes, Black Thorn Pizza, Schlafly's beer (so much better than Anhueser-Blech), First time I went to the top of the arch and was disappointed because the windows are too small. I also like the architecture of many of the gingerbread style houses in South City.

[storey13]

Here is my list, but keep in mind that I never actually lived in STL, but visited there many many times and had friends to lived there. Most of my memories are from 1994 to 1999.

Going to my first concert (Pointfest 95)
Going to every ska music show during the great ska boom of the mid 90's at places like The Galaxy, The Side Door, and the Hi-Point, and every once in a while, Mississippi Nights.
Watching the Blues beat the Red Wings in OT for my first hockey game back in the early 90's.
Going to the Parkmoor of of Clayton Rd.(I think?) to get a shake and cheeseburger. Man they had great shakes.
Going to Llywelyn's Pub in the Central West End to get some delicious fresh chips and to drink my favorite brew on tap (Woodpecker's Cider).
Eating at Rossino's (We would always order the cheese toasted ravioli for a starter).
Ted Drewes, but actually I enjoyed Crown Candy Kitchen more.
Hanging out at the South County Denny's after a ska show.
Riding on the Metrolink just for fun (I'm a bit of a light rail fanatic).
Getting White Castle's to go from the one on Vandeventer and then taking them to my friend's place in the CWE.
Playing on stage in front of hundreds of people at the Galaxy during a ska festival (I think it was called Son of Skaorama).
Watching movies at a Wehrenberg theater and always getting a kick out the the Wehrenberg theme music before the movie started.
Enjoying the very comfortable seats at the Tivoli theater.
Going to Vintage Vinyl to get the latest ska cd's.
After buying these CD's, heading over to Fitz's to get a cold Cream Soda.
Riding the Screaming Eagle a dozen times in a row a couple of times each year.
Sharing an extra large IMO's bacon pizza with my best friend (There would be nothing left).
Discovering the wonderful grapefruit soda called Ting at a restaurant called Duff's(go there for brunch!) in the CWE. Then buying it buy the case at La Tropicana Market near Chippewa St.
Going to Blues and Cardinal's games regularly.
Finally, my favorite memories are my newest ones where I come back to STL to visit with my family to share some of these experiences with them. We only were able to eat at Rossino's once before it was shut down, and they were never able to experience the Parkmoor.

Finally a couple of unfortunate experiences from STL was watching the Arena be demolished in person, and having all my cd's(about 200) being stolen out of my car during a ska show.

[RickMG]

Originally Posted by storey13

After buying these CD's, heading over to Fitz's to get a cold Cream Soda.

Great list, but man it made me realize how old I am. I lived around the corner from the original Fitz's on the South side of Clayton Road just east of Brentwood. I went to McMorrow School until 2nd grade and my older brother and I would walk to Fitz's everyday for lunch as it was just down an alley from the school. I-170 wasn't there yet. 1955-57. I always had the hot dog which was a large natural casing dog, grilled open faced and served on a toasted hamburger bun. They were the best. They had big barrels for their root beer just as Carl's Drive-In still has (on Manchester West of Brentwood). They tore Fitz's down many years later, but we went there all the time until then. They had curb service and a row of stools to sit on inside. Many years after they closed, someone bought the recipie and started bottling the root beer and then opened the restaurant in the Loop.

[Beautiful Flower]

Oh St. Louis St. Louis! What I remeber most is cruising through forest and O' fallen Park. Sitting around chatting with friends in the park while everyone blasted their radios. After the park we would go to Kingshighway by the white castle lot and just park or cruise up and down the street doing absolutely nothing. I also remeber going skating at saints ( well of course not everyone skated)! lol! You just walked around to show off your outfit's. The Animal House! And lets not forget, the chinese food from North Oaks which is still my all time favorite whenever I come back home. Along with Imos, Pantera's Pizza and Lee's Chxn & White Castle! Hey you cant get White Castle's everywhere! St louis, St louis! It was great being a teenager in St louis. Its funny how time flies!

* Oh yes, Penny Candy, Northland shopping center which is now just beautiful, Halls Ferry Movie theatre on sundays! The drive in movie theatre by River Roads, River Roads which is no longer standing, the bumpop truck that used to circle the neighborhoods.

Ok I am done!

[JaySTLouis]

LOL....Skating at Saints and the White Castle at Natural Bridge & Kingshighway. Good times indeed.

[BabetteInSTL2]

Does anyone remember Helen's Pizza on Grand Avenue? What a pizza! My family still talks about how good their pizzas were. Baked on cornmeal and delicious. Anybody got the recipe?

Also, Louigi's pizza on Arsenal and I think Old Watson Road? The pizzas were square and really good.

My mom talks about the tamales they sold down on broadway. Anyone know that recipe?

[BabetteInSTL2]

Originally Posted by timelesschild

Blueberry Hill!

And Talayna's Restaurant at Skinker and Forest Park Parkway... I loved that place...

Talaynas Pizza is on DeBaliviere now. Very, very good.