The Birds are Coming Home!

Alright, St. Louis, tomorrow is the day you have been waiting for.  After months of treacherously cold weather and snow, spring will officially arrive tomorrow.

"But, wait!" you say, "Didn't spring officially arrive 10 days ago?  And even so, this crazy St. Louis weather doesn't have me convinced that it really is spring." 

Tomorrow, I assure you, SPRING is here.  You don't need the weatherman or the calendar because as any true St. Louisian can tell you...the new season is upon us.

CARDINAL BASEBALL SEASON!

There is no man that rounds the bases of kindness, passion and creativity quite like Tom "the Cardinals Hatman" Lange.  His hat creations are phenomenal while his smile and kindness are infectious. 



I've had the privilege of knowing Tom and his wife, Anna, since my days of serving them enchiladas and margaritas...and they have remained long time friends.  They are two of the most generous, loving, free-spirited, (sometimes a little crazy) people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.  Tom's love for his family, friends and, of course, the game is as true as the Cardinal Red you will see him sporting every chance he gets.

In honor of this St. Louis tradition, break out those BBQ grills and coolers, and raise a glass to Tom and the St. Louis Cardinals!

Hats off to the beginning of a fantastic new season!


Go Cards!

A Big Top Event

The circus is leaving town and what an UNBELIEVABLE show it was!  For the 69th consecutive year, the Moolah Shine Circus hosted eight performances over the weekend to crowds topping seven thousand.  From the tigers to the human cannonball, kids of all ages were mesmerized by the magic of the show.

In addition to the perfoming acts in the big top, interactive circus activities were offered for a nominal fee.  Kids could ride a pony or an elephant, have their picture taken with a ginormous snake, get their faces painted and jump out all of their cirucs energy in the bounce houses.

All proceeds from the circus benefit the Shriners Hospital.

If you missed out on an amazing weekend at the circus, be sure to make plans to attend next year.  You can find all the info you need at http://www.stlshrinecircus.com/.

Let the Shenanigans Begin!

Calling all  Lads, Lasses, and Wanna-be Irish-folk!  St. Patrick's Day is only one week away.  And St. Louis has all the festivities to celebrate!

This Saturday, the annual  St. Patrick's Day Parade kicks off with a 5-mile run through the streets of downtown and midtown St. Louis.  The run begins at 9am and is one of the largest events of it's kind with over 12,000 participants. 

Irish Village in Kiener Plaza will also open at 9am providing food, beverages, live entertainment and much more! 

The official Parade begins at noon...rain or shine!  The St. Patrick's Day parade is one of the top in the country, so you don't want to miss out.

On St. Patrick's Day (March 17th), the Ancient Order of Hibernians host their 27th parade in Dogtown.  Although it's floats are less flashy than the Downtown Parade, it's participants are more authentic.  Irish families have been gathering for years to celebrate their heritage and the awesomeness of this event can only be explained by being there.

The Parade will start at noon at the intersection of Tamm and Oakland.  If you want a spot on the parade route, get there early!  Local businesses, schools and churches participate in this event, so you can expect to find an abundance of Irish delectables like corned beef and Guinness.

Participants in the parade are family and friends of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and know how to do Irish.  Costumes and authentic Irish kilts will make their annual appearance.  Make sure to wear your St. Paddy's Day best...and have a designated driver!

For all the information on both parades, click on the links above.

Irish Blessings to you All!

Grab Your Party Hats and Beads....... It's MARDI GRAS!

Spring is in the air around St. Louis!  And what better way to kick off the season then with one of the nation's most popular Mardi Gras celebrations. You don't have to travel to New Orleans to get in on this Fat Tuesday fun.  The City of Soulard has been hosting a Monster Mardi Gras Event since the 1980's, and this year promises to be more of the same fun on a larger scale.

Mardi Gras 2011 kicked off last Saturday with the family friendly Beggin' Pet Parade.  The events continue this weekend through Fat Tuesday.  On March 5th, head down to Soulard early to find the perfect spot for the River City Casino Grande Parade.  Starting at 11am at Busch Stadium and ending at Anheuser-Busch Brewery, the parade is the main attraction.  After the parade, stick around for the city's largest party of the year (although you may want to leave the kiddos at home for this part).  Just like any good Mardi Gras party, beads are a hot commodity, and you'll have to see for yourself the extremes people will bare to get those trinkets around their necks! 

The weather forecast for the weekend calls for cooler temps and a chance of rain .  But anyone who knows St. Louis  knows the ever changing temperatures.  The hottest party of the event (and the best way to ensure your fun regardless of the weather) is at the Bud Light Party Tent.  These HUGE tents are temperature controlled and home to the most popular party of the festival accommodating up to 2000 Mardi Gras-ers.  Make sure to purchase your ticket if you haven't already because this is guaranteed to be the spot you'll want to be.  Included with admission to the tent is an authentic Cajun-Creole Buffet and Open Bar PLUS Port-a-Potties reserved ONLY for ticket holders (this alone is worth the price to admission)! 

For all the other event details and a full map of the parade route visit the official St. Louis Mardi Gras Site.

Veteran Mardi Gras goers please give us your tips and suggestions in the comments below.  Be sure to come back after the party and tell us your stories!  This Mardi Gras is sure to be one memorable occasion!