# Ask me anything about St. Louis **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 30, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258 "2011-04-30T04:52:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Whoo69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Whoo69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whoo69)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/101 "2011-05-26T12:52:06Z")
To be totally honest, though, I’d probably move to at least one of a dozen cities in mind if I had the money and transportation in a heartbeat (including NYC, LA, Chicago). I’ve always wanted to take a trip to Tokyo, too. I went to Mizzou for 4 years, and Columbia was also pretty _sweet_. I might move back there when I get the money. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/102 "2011-05-26T14:21:08Z")
> [@Whoo69](#): > > Trying to get back to Chesterfield from a faraway city in St. Louis County or a little farther away in Missouri is also fucking irritating as hell. You gotta go through I-270 (wish I had known that before I had to ask for directions that one night I got lost) and then I-64 or some bullshit. I wrote it down on a piece of paper. It’s weird as hell. If you go through the OTHER interstate that claims to lead you into St. Louis County, it lists many St. Louis towns, BUT IT DOESN’T LIST CHESTERFIELD or Ballwin! Somehow it skips over them, starts going into Illinois, and if you don’t go through 270 earlier to get to places like Ballwin and Manchester, you gotta do it all over again. What a dumb fucking system. You’ve lived here all your life and don’t understand where 270 goes? You’re 16. There are plenty of ways to get around that don’t take 270 – you just have to know which streets connect, which does require good directions or knowledge of the area. No highway goes through Ballwin or Manchester; if you want to get there, you take Manchester (i.e., 100). If you’re on a highway and want to get to Ballwin or Manchester, you need to get off, and head for 141 or something. If your mind is blown by bad driving, stay out of St. Charles County; it’s like a car free-for-all. And, for that matter, move someplace away from Manchester-Ellisville – Manchester Rd. is the Platonic Ideal of bad traffic planning. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/103 "2011-05-26T18:49:15Z")
> [@Whoo69](#): > > SDC is more for people who are into historical STL and old-time shit rather than roller coasters, water slides and other traditional amusement park stuff. …what? Silver Dollar City has nothing to do with “historical STL”. It’s more than 4 hours away. > [@](#): > > I don’t really understand why the local news oftentimes gets statements from the mayor of the CITY regarding various incidents and events, instead of the county mayor, unless the City AND County for some reason only have ONE mayor total. All I’d ever heard on the local news regarding “St. Louis mayor” was Francis Slay. Wow. Just…wow. You sure got your money’s worth at Mizzou. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/104 "2011-05-26T21:33:25Z")
> [@Whoo69](#): > > Missouri’s road system is a fucking mess. I’ve only been driving a month, and already it pisses me off! It’s only recently that I discovered that “MO-100” (when referred to on places like Mapquest) doesn’t actually refer to a highway or freeway BUT THE MAIN ROAD OF MANCHESTER! It’s just another name for Manchester Road! WTF. Why keep the MO-100 bullshit on Google Maps and Mapquest, you dumbasses? WE ALL KNOW IT AS MANCHESTER! > [@Whoo69](#): > > I don’t really understand why the local news oftentimes gets statements from the mayor of the CITY regarding various incidents and events, instead of the county mayor, unless the City AND County for some reason only have ONE mayor total. All I’d ever heard on the local news regarding “St. Louis mayor” was Francis Slay. For the benefit of **Whoo** and non-native posters. Highway 100 is a route that runs from the Mississippi River west to the state capitol. It goes over several streets, including Choteau and Manchester Ave. in the city, and Manchester Road in the county. However, west of Wildwood, Highway 100 splits off from Manchester Road. They’re the same road in Manchester, yes, but not everywhere. There is no ‘mayor’ of the County. The city isn’t part of the county, and the county has 91 separate cities, each with their own mayor, as well as a County Executive for parts of the county that aren’t in any city. Having someone from St. Louis County comment on something that’s happening in St. Louis City makes no more sense than having someone from Jefferson County comment on it. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/105 "2011-05-26T21:54:49Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > There is no ‘mayor’ of the County. The city isn’t part of the county, and the county has 91 separate cities, each with their own mayor, as well as a County Executive for parts of the county that aren’t in any city. Having someone from St. Louis County comment on something that’s happening in St. Louis City makes no more sense than having someone from Jefferson County comment on it. Interestingly though, the airport, while located in the County, is actually owned and operated by the City, which is why Francis Slay was making public comments after the Good Friday tornado. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/106 "2011-05-27T03:02:33Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > Interestingly though, the airport, while located in the County, is actually owned and operated by the City, which is why Francis Slay was making public comments after the Good Friday tornado. I’m not sure about this at all, but I think the airport may technically actually be “in” St. Louis – it has a St. Louis mailing address, anyway. [http://www.lambert-stlouis.com/flystl/contacts/default.aspx](http://www.lambert-stlouis.com/flystl/contacts/default.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Whoo69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Whoo69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whoo69)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/107 "2011-05-27T06:16:15Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > …what? Silver Dollar City has nothing to do with “historical STL”. It’s more than 4 hours away. > Wow. > > Just…wow. You sure got your money’s worth at Mizzou. :dubious: Haha, very funny. To be honest, though, I never watched the local news with much enthusiasm. I’m kind of a ‘suburban hermit’, as it were. Half of the news, esp. local, is dumb shit that affects hardly anyone except those involved (like a murder), and the rest is mostly comprised of info about various events going on in the area. It’s a waste of a good half-hour, if you ask me. I mean, honestly, who gives a shit who got murdered?? We know that the cops or whoever are already going to inform the victims’ families (and other relevant people close to them), so it’s obviously not a way for relatives to get informed. So what’s the point? All it more often than not seems to do do is instill more paranoia about “crime being everywhere.” The few times that I did pay attention to announcements relevant to “St. Louis” or the phrase mentioned, I only noticed Mayor Slay mentioned, but I never understood why local news for the whole area of St. Louis (not just the city) bothered to fucking mention stuff happening in the city so often. I guess if you know people there or go there often, that’s relevant, but for folks like me who don’t really give 2 shits about STL City, so what Until I got a car and started driving (just recently), I didn’t get out much on my free time. I like to stay inside, play video games, research shit online and so on. I’m pretty introverted, so hanging out’s or going out’s not my ideal means of fun. Yes, I should’ve “historic Missouri.” My bad. I guess I was typing that all a bit too quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Whoo69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Whoo69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whoo69)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/108 "2011-05-27T06:32:37Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > You’ve lived here all your life and don’t understand where 270 goes? You’re 16. There are plenty of ways to get around that don’t take 270 – you just have to know which streets connect, which does require good directions or knowledge of the area. > > No highway goes through Ballwin or Manchester; if you want to get there, you take Manchester (i.e., 100). If you’re on a highway and want to get to Ballwin or Manchester, you need to get off, and head for 141 or something. > > If your mind is blown by bad driving, stay out of St. Charles County; it’s like a car free-for-all. And, for that matter, move someplace away from Manchester-Ellisville – Manchester Rd. is the Platonic Ideal of bad traffic planning. Hey, it’s not like I’m staying in this area by choice, dude. ☹ I just don’t have the money right now, but once I get a much higher-paying job and have saved up, I’m definitely moving out. Count on it. Btw, who’s the moron who put a roundabout right outside an exit ramp on one of those highways?? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Whoo69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Whoo69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whoo69)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/109 "2011-05-27T06:35:03Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > I’m not sure about this at all, but I think the airport may technically actually be “in” St. Louis – it has a St. Louis mailing address, anyway. [http://www.lambert-stlouis.com/flystl/contacts/default.aspx](http://www.lambert-stlouis.com/flystl/contacts/default.aspx) They are right about Lambert Airport being very underutilized and kind of “rundown” and empty for a large-area airport. I’ve been in airports in something like 4 or 5 other major cities thus far, and all of them by far have much better-looking facilities and choices. It’s really a shame. ---
**Author:** ![Whoo69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Whoo69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whoo69)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/110 "2011-05-27T06:40:41Z")
Btw, don’t knock St. Louis-style pizza. That shit is the bomb! Imo’s and Cecil Whittaker’s are pretty fucking awesome, not to say that other chains like Pizza Hut and Dominos are no good. It’s just a good balance of pizza selection in this area, if you ask me. If I were in an area where the pizzas were all the same, I might go crazy. Plus, CW has a pretty good fucking deal on Customer Appreciation Days (2 Large’s for just 4 bucks each; with a 2-liter, it only costs me about 15 bucks WITH TIP). As far as I can tell, no other pizza chain in the area has a better deal than that or can even match it. Toasted Ravioli is fucking amazing, too! I can’t really vouch for Ted Drewe’s since I’ve only had it once (at a school function or something of that nature during my high school years), and that was plain vanilla. The logo really turns me off, and their commercials are so fucking annoying, to be quite honest. I don’t even think there is a Ted Drewe’s for at least 10 or 20 miles! I certainly have never seen one nearby. Butter cake’s OK (the few times I’ve had it, if memory serves), but I didn’t think it was anything special. I could be wrong, though, since I haven’t had it in ages. ---
**Author:** ![Whoo69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Whoo69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whoo69)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/111 "2011-05-27T06:59:47Z")
I will admit that our grocery stores seem to be pretty high-quality (main ones being Schnucks, Dierbergs and Shop N Save). When I was back in Ellisville until about 12 or 13, Mom always went to Shop N Save, but I always thought the local one looked very shitty (especially on the inside) and badly set up. Luckily, though, they seem to have really gotten their act together since then. I’ve always kinda liked Schnucks best, especially because they appear to be the largest of the three chains (store size-wise, that is) and have the most amenities, if memory serves. Dierbergs is, as you can imagine, kind of in the middle of those two extremes. It’s got what you need, but the stores are usually kind of small. We have a good amount of Walmarts and Sam’s Clubs, if you’re into those, in the area. The malls usually are OK but nothing too exciting (unless you’re into health, beauty, jewelry, fashion or clothes and love to shop for those), although I always had a soft spot for Northwest Plaza. Sadly, though, that place apparently is closed for good. ☹ If you’re someone like me who just likes to go to malls for the food court and entertainment venues and doesn’t really give a shit about that other crap, they’re kind of a waste. But I guess that’s the story of malls everywhere, eh? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/112 "2011-05-27T07:54:34Z")
Are Cubs fans putting their lives in their hands if they go to Busch Stadium? I’ve heard it said Red Sox fans are putting their lives in their hands in Yankee Stadium. (could be more a function of the Bronx neighborhood) ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/113 "2011-05-27T09:07:37Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > I’m not sure about this at all, but I think the airport may technically actually be “in” St. Louis – it has a St. Louis mailing address, anyway. [http://www.lambert-stlouis.com/flystl/contacts/default.aspx](http://www.lambert-stlouis.com/flystl/contacts/default.aspx) It’s entirely surrounded by the County. As far as the mailing address goes, most of the County uses St. Louis as their mailing address anyway. Some have no choice as they are in unincorporated areas so they have no municipality to list, but most people use St. Louis even if they are in another city. I live in Overland but everything is still addressed to me as “St. Louis”. ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/114 "2011-05-27T13:07:48Z")
I’ve lived here for 11 years now. I love St Louis, but the pizza is really bad. I am not a fan of toasted raviloi either. The malls here are just like the malls everywhere else. Pho Long on Olive in Olivette, just past Bob’s Seafood, is very good. We do have an awesome concert venue here, The Pageant in the Loop was ranked 3rd best in the country and 4th in the world of top concert venues that hold about 2,000. SHows there still feel almost intimate. My sixteen year-old son and I have had a great time everytime we see a show there. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/115 "2011-05-27T13:37:10Z")
> [@Whoo69](#): > > Btw, who’s the moron who put a roundabout right outside an exit ramp on one of those highways?? :smack: MoDOT. It’s a test; if successful, they’ll be putting in more. I suspect it’ll be as successful as the test of variable speed limits on I270… You grew up in St. Louis and all you know about Ted Drewe’s is you’ve “never seen one nearby”? With this and your other general cluelessness about St. Louis, if you’re a suburban hermit then it’s one of those hermits who lock themselves into a box forever and are fed through a little window. Or a stylite, or something. Honestly: Get Out And Do Something. For a start, eat someplace that isn’t a chain. Get out of your comfort zone. cripes. > [@etv78](#): > > Are Cubs fans putting their lives in their hands if they go to Busch Stadium? I’ve heard it said Red Sox fans are putting their lives in their hands in Yankee Stadium. (could be more a function of the Bronx neighborhood) Nah. They’ll be _annoyed_, but not to death. Unless their feelings are easily hurt, or something, I guess. I’ve gone to games with Cubs fans, and all they endured was nonstop comments from the sloppy drunks nearby. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/116 "2011-05-27T16:13:13Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > As far as the mailing address goes, most of the County uses St. Louis as their mailing address anyway. Some have no choice as they are in unincorporated areas so they have no municipality to list, but most people use St. Louis even if they are in another city. I live in Overland but everything is still addressed to me as “St. Louis”. I did not know that. I know people from the suburbs often refer to themselves as being from St. Louis, but I figured the mail would be more official. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/117 "2011-05-27T16:45:02Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > It’s entirely surrounded by the County. > > As far as the mailing address goes, most of the County uses St. Louis as their mailing address anyway. Some have no choice as they are in unincorporated areas so they have no municipality to list, but most people use St. Louis even if they are in another city. I live in Overland but everything is still addressed to me as “St. Louis”. The Zip Code thing is really confusing, even if you know how it works. Everything in 631xx is technically “St. Louis” whether it’s the city, Overland, an unincorporated area or whatever. If you live in a town with its own post office branch (like Overland) you can “officially” have it addressed to your town. Except if that town name is already used by another town with a post office. (The PO wouldn’t name the 63124 area “Ladue” because there was already a LaDue in Henry County.) What the PO hates is mail addressed to places like “St. John” – which is in 63114, but not part of Overland, or that area between Ashby and Lindbergh that doesn’t have a name at all. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/118 "2011-05-27T18:14:36Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Artistic license. I haven’t run in to anyone who pronounces it that way except in a joking style. > > Now if you want to get an argument started, ask about “Missouree” or “Missouruh”. 🙂 I’d rather hear someone say Missouruh than pronouncing a sundae as a sunduh. That hurts my head. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258.md?page=5)