Published Sep 20, 2017

32 Photos That Prove St. Louis Is The Most Beautiful City In The Country

St. Louis is a historic city with a rich architectural heritage and numerous beautiful landmarks and parks.

Published Sep 20, 2017

Written by

Laura Burks Overstreet

State Pride

Published Feb 28, 2018

9 Undeniable Habits That No St. Louisan Can Ever Unlearn

Published Feb 28, 2018

Written by

Nikki Rhoades

St. Louisans share their hometown, but they also share a few unusual habits. Life in St. Louis has provided unknowing locals with an unusual set of behaviors that is unique to the region. Are you a St. Louisan? See how many of these unshakable habits you have adopted:

1. Wear shorts and short sleeves once it reaches 40 degrees.

Okay, so not all St. Louisans do this, but enough have adopted this unusual behavior for locals to take notice. Once St. Louis winter subsides, many locals begin to dress as if a bit of sunshine and a windless 40-degree day is as warm as a day on the beach. Some locals try to compensate for the lingering chill by wearing an oversized sweatshirt with their shorts.

2. Many a St. Louisan get practically rabid during baseball season...

3. ...And then we transfer that over-the-top energy to rooting for the Blues.

4. You call people "hoosiers..."

It has nothing to do with a place of origin and everything to do with your lifestyle and our general impression of it.

5. In St. Louis speak, vowels are not what they seem.

We have an unusual habit of turning the letter "O" into an "A" in our daily speech. We use farks and drive on farty four, though not usually at the same time.

6. Oh, and we call Interstate 64 by its state route name.

I-64? Oh, you mean Route 44.

7. We frequently ask where you went to high school and firmly believe that it matters.

High school shapes your adult life, right? Us St. Louisans have to get an idea of who we're dealing with.

8. You keep your snow boots handy all year long.

I'd rather be safe and warm than sorry. You never know when snow is going to visit St. Louis.

9. We don't lose our heads when someone bumps into us... we just offer an apologetic "ope."

So this habit may exist all over the Midwest, but St. Louisans do it with a certain pizazz.

Life in St. Louis is a dream, but the locals are a bit quirky. Not in a bad way — St. Louisans are actually some of the best people you'll ever meet — but we're certainly a breed all our own. What would you add to our list?

Love the zaniness of The Gateway City? Just wait until you visit its most spectacularly bizarre attractions.

State Pride

Published Feb 19, 2018

10 Things You Quickly Learn When You Move To St. Louis

St. Louis is a unique city with distinct local habits and cultural quirks that newcomers quickly learn to adapt to.

Published Feb 19, 2018

Written by

Nikki Rhoades

St. Louis is a unique city, and its splendor certainly isn't lost on locals. We love our charming community, but it has imparted us with some unusual habits. Every day in the city is an adventure, but it is particularly adventurous if you're a transplant that moved into the culture of this community.

1. It's rude to laugh every time a St. Louisan says "farty." A silent snicker is totally acceptable, though.

Sure, it's funny, but you have to adapt quickly because you'll hear this accent everywhere. You'll often hear about traffic on "Interstate Farty Four." You may even wish to adopt this pronunciation yourself, just for "farts" and giggles.

2. If you speak French, you probably don't speak St. Louisan French.

Our vernacular and dialect here in STL are incredibly unique. Our French may sound odd to those unfamiliar with the area, but don't be dismayed. We still throw one of the most epic Mardi Gras celebrations in the country.

3. Locals have a love affair with Provel cheese.

St. Louisans love to put Provel cheese on everything. We use it to garnish our pizzas and subtly accent the flavors of our subs. It's a delicacy here. You may not love it at first, but you'll learn to.

4. "Don't like the weather? Wait five minutes."

You'll hear this quite a bit here in the Midwest. Our weather patterns are incredible, and you can absolutely experience all four seasons throughout a single week (or a single day).

5. You'll get used to wearing sandals and snow boots in the same week.

Even though the weather is kind of nuts here in The Gateway City, you'll adapt. You may even learn to keep your winter coat handy all year round... just in case.

6. East St. Louis is not the same thing as St. Louis.

Locals can be pretty boisterous about our neighbor across the river, and they're adamant about distinguishing themselves. If you take a trip into East St. Louis, you'll probably notice that the city does, indeed, have a different atmosphere.

7. The city may look urban and industrial, but it hides some breathtaking natural wonders.

Forest Park is a whimsical escape from reality, no matter the season. In the summer, this verdant and aptly-named natural space has beauty that's worthy of Claude Monet's artistic attention.

8. St. Louisans really care about where you went to high school.

"Which high school did you go to?" and other similar questions are commonplace in a typical meeting with any new person in STL.

9. Halloween is more about giggles than ghouls in St. Louis.

Grownups expect costumed kids to tell them a joke before they can get a treat! It's tradition around here.

10. Our diet here in St. Louis is... different.

Locals may eat fresh produce from Soulard's Farmers Market and gourmet toasted ravioli in the same day. We have an incredible selection of food here, and some unusual popular dishes as a result. If you're an adventurous eater, you'll blossom in our city.

St. Louis is a unique place, but we wouldn't want to call anywhere else our home. What did you quickly learn when you first moved to St. Louis? Share your stories in the comments below!

Love the unusual nature of the city? You'll adore these unusual destinations around St. Louis.

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9 Undeniable Habits That No St. Louisan Can Ever Unlearn

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