by "Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
Published 06/16/2017 at 18:38
by "Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
Published 06/16/2017 at 18:38
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STARS: 3
Just a couple of the latest:
Made in Japan? That’s gotta be old. Living in STL, the former home of TWA, that particular model has a little extra local relevance.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
06/16/2017 at 18:41, STARS: 1
That TWA van is awesome.
"fintail" (fintail)
06/16/2017 at 18:44, STARS: 0
TWA van is cool, most likely 60s era, T.T. is “Takatoku”.
"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
06/16/2017 at 18:52, STARS: 0
Last year this set of 12 sold for $408, so does that make my TWA worth $34? Probably not, since I would assume that there is a premium for a pack of 12 with the display box...
"My X-type is too a real Jaguar" (TomSlick)
06/16/2017 at 18:55, STARS: 0
That TWA van is near mint. Impressive.found one on Ebay in Argentina
"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
06/16/2017 at 18:55, STARS: 1
Being an aviation nerd, I will buy just about anything with an airline or aircraft manufacturer’s name name on it when I stumble across it at the Goodwill Outlet. Lots of Boeing and TWA stuff to be found here in STL.
"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
06/16/2017 at 18:58, STARS: 0
Cool - thanks for that link!
Whilst looking at that page I stumbled across a cool looking toy bus that I might just have to bid on: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Yonezawa-Made-in-Japan-Tin-Friction-Car-Truck-Sight-Seeing-Bus-RARE/352077938737?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D888007%26algo%3DDISC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41376%26meid%3D1c5678ff20224440a8abd4685dba19bc%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D382104030815
"$kaycog" (skaycog)
06/16/2017 at 19:00, STARS: 0
Great finds!
"My X-type is too a real Jaguar" (TomSlick)
06/16/2017 at 19:01, STARS: 0
I never find cool stuff like that at my Thrift Shops, It’s all broken plastic toys from the early 2000s
"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
06/16/2017 at 19:07, STARS: 0
There’s plenty of that kind of stuff as well. And you have to keep in mind that I’m buying at the Outlet store, where all of the unsold or unsaleable stuff ends up in giant bins to be sold by the pound. The fact that I’m finding killer stuff like this in amazing condition in this location makes these finds even more surprising.
"My X-type is too a real Jaguar" (TomSlick)
06/16/2017 at 19:21, STARS: 0
That may explain the TWA Van doesn’t meet modern safety standards so not sold in the store.
"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
06/16/2017 at 19:34, STARS: 0
Sharp metal edges and lead paint? Those are problems?
I dunno - do you honestly think they pay too much attention to those kinds of things at the retail stores? I once found a nice safety box for protecting home documents at one store that proudly advertised its asbestos lining...
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
06/16/2017 at 20:26, STARS: 0
St. Louis you say? We’re spending a day and a half in STL next month. Planning on the Arch, City Museum, Lewis & Clarke stuff, and a good dinner. Do you have any recommendations on stuff to do or eat? We’ve got three boys, aged 11, 11 and 14.
"fintail" (fintail)
06/16/2017 at 21:18, STARS: 0
Actually maybe not far off, if it is in good condition. The TWA link will add value.
"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
06/30/2017 at 18:20, STARS: 0
Well, if you want good food recommendations, go to the fat guy, right? Well, here ya go...
With boys that age you’ll probably want pizza at least once, right? I’ve lived here for about 5 years now so I’m not one to insist that the local favorite foods are the greatest things ever; St. Louis style pizza is one of those things that I just haven’t fallen in love with. Imo’s is the local purveyor of that style, something that’s been described as Velveeta on a giant cracker. It uses a very strong local process cheese called Provel that is best avoided if you happen to like cheese. The best pizza I’ve had in town is from a place called PW Pizza, over on Chouteau, just south of downtown. Probably some of the best pizza I’ve had anywhere, and I’ve been to NY and Chicago amongst other places known for good pies. Fried chicken is another thing that’s all over the place around here. There’s a place near me called Hodak’s that’s supposed to be the spot in STL for chicken, but I have to disagree - it really isn’t all that great. Porter’s, down in Maplewood, has the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. Part of our Christmas party at work was catered by Porter’s, and I’ve been going back ever since.
If you want BBQ, there’s a small local chain out here called Sugarfire Smokehouse. There’s even one downtown right next to the Metrolink station. Good stuff. I’ve never had a bad meal in all the years I’ve been going there. There may be other good BBQ joints around, but some of them have lines so long I couldn’t go on my lunch break, even on weekends. Pappy’s has good reviews, but I’ve never been able to get in. Bandana’s is a local chain that is good, albeit not Sugarfire good...
I haven’t tried any of the Bosnian places, and I don’t know if the kids would like such stuff. I have a favorite Afghani place in The Grove, but that also might be a little too esoteric for the younger ones. There is a nice Nicaraguan place a block or two from my place called Fritanga that’s quite tasty. And there’s an asian fusion place a few blocks from there called Lona’s Little Eats that is a favorite. Their specialty is wraps - you pick your filling, wrapper and sauce and they whip it all together. If you want Korean, there’s a fast food Korean/Mexican chain call Kim Cheese, but for a sit down Korean meal you can’t beat Asian Kitchen on Olive. When the menu says that a meal comes with over a dozen side dishes they are not kidding. I have the photos to prove it.
South Grand Blvd, from Arsenal to Cherokee has a ton of different restaurants with every type of food imaginable. If you like Vietnamese, there’s an inexpensive whole-in-the-wall a little further south of there called Truc Lam. It’s not in the nicest neighborhood (although it is on a major street) and the decor is seriously dated (‘70s wood paneling anyone?), but the food is quite good. I had my Christmas dinner there last year - a bowl of Pho, spicy pork bahn mi, and some spring rolls. Yum.
There’s an area called The Hill that has a lot of great Italian places, sit down as well as smaller sandwich joints. A favorite of mine, call Gioia’s Deli, recently won a James Beard award, and that award was well deserved. There’s another sandwich place a couple of blocks from my home in McKinley Heights, in Benton Park, called Blues City Deli. Incredible. Must try. If it’s hot dogs you’re after, there’s a great small chain owned by a local singer from the band The Urge called Steve’s Hot Dogs. His original location is in The Hill, but he’s got a few more around town. For a nice sit down steak dinner, Tucker’s place, another local chain, is amongst my favorites. I go to the location in Soulard; it’s close to home and just south of downtown.
If you want Mexican, I found a nice place, but it’s a bit far from downtown. Although Cherokee Street has a bunch of Mexican joints, I haven’t been bowled over by the style of the Mexican food here in the Midwest. It’s more Tex-Mex with a little Midwest bland/fried thrown in. Pass. I’m from Southern California, and I know Mexican food. I finally found a place called Taqueria Durango, and it felt like I was back home again. The trick is to look at the menu and see if they serve the stuff that most gringos won’t eat - cheek, tripe, tongue, brain, intestines, etc. If they have that stuff on the menu then they’re authentic, and that’s where the local Mexican community goes to eat. I tried them a few times just to be sure, and then told them that I was so happy to find authentic Mexican in STL, and that I hadn’t had any since leaving SoCal. The owner then told me that they moved out here from SoCal, and suddently it all made perfect sense to me.
And one thing I’ve discovered living out here is that foreign words, like street names, have their own unique Midwest pronunciations. Chouteau is pronounced like ‘show-toe’, Gravois like ‘Gravoyz’ or ‘Gravoy’, Spoede is ‘Spaydee’, New Madrid is ‘New MADrid’, etc. If you speak a foreign language or three, or know which European places these cities and towns were named after, it’s quite painful to hear, and even more painful to say.
For events, you might want to check out the Saint Louis Science Center, just south of Forest Park (the James McDonnell planetarium [yes, that James McDonnell] is actually in Forest Park, on the other side of I64, connected by a tunnel under the freeway). Like most of the museums in this town, admission is free, one of the best things about living here. I’ve heard Forest Park is one of the top parks in the country, but I still haven’t been there in all of the years I’ve lived here. I have friends that live next to Tower Grove park, so I spend a lot of time over there. Oh, and TG park is right next to the Botanical Garden, if that’s something of interest to you.
When you’re downtown, you might want to check out the central library. They recently completed a multi-year restoration and the place is stunning . There’s a place called the Nuclear Waste Adventure Trail and Museum that I’ve been meaning to visit. Cahokia Mounds, over in Illinois, is another place people have been telling me to go see. It’s full of Native American ruins and artifacts, but I don’t know if it’s something that the kids would enjoy. It sounds like you’ve got a good list of attractions to see already that are quite kid friendly. I’ll let you know if I think of anything else...
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
06/30/2017 at 18:26, STARS: 1
Wow, thanks for such a lengthy reply! I don’t have time to digest it right now (did you see what I did there?), but I emailed it to my wife and I will check it out later. Really, thanks. That was above and beyond. Cheers.
"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
06/30/2017 at 18:39, STARS: 1
No problem. Perhaps you’ll have to come back for a longer visit sometime? We might even be able to make it a mini Oppo meetup with a few of the locals...
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
06/30/2017 at 19:00, STARS: 1
Sounds like a plan!
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
07/01/2017 at 12:40, STARS: 0
You mentioned Tex-Mex in your reply, and I’m certainly not going to drive from Texas to Missouri for enchiladas. That said, is there a particular sort of foot that you would consider to be distinctly St. Louisan?
"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
07/01/2017 at 14:07, STARS: 0
There are a few items that are considered distinctly St Louisan, commented on here with an outsider’s perspective. Locals will probably not agree with much of what I say, but that’s the typical bias from wanting what you are familiar with, not necessarily what is good...
1) St Louis style pizza - the aforementioned Imo’s, amongst others. Although a local favorite, I still stick by my recommendation to avoid it.
2) Ted Drewes Frozen Custard - delicious and a local landmark. Go to the location on Chippewa - it’s in a better neighborhood than the other one on Grand.
3) St Paul Sandwich - Egg Foo Young on Wonder Bread. Tried it for the novelty. You can safely pass on this one.
4) Gooey Butter Cake - more of a snack than a dessert. Very rich. I like it, but I’ve never purchased any, just had some at parties and office events.
5) Toasted Ravioli - take perfectly good ravioli, bread it and fry it. Interesting, but I prefer just to order Buffalo wings as an appetizer. I don’t think I’ve been anywhere that has done toasted rav correctly - there’s always some portion that’s overcooked and hard as a rock. Give me plain ol’ ravioli, sprinkled with olive oil, salt and pepper - no sauce needed.
6) St Louis BBQ - OK, I guess. I’ll occasionally pick up some St Louis style ribs over at Costco, but I haven’t really sought out this variety elsewhere. I prefer my BBQ smoky and cooked so it’s fall-off-the-bone tender; St. Louis style seems to be about the quick cooking. The stuff at Sugarfire is great, but I don’t think that’s really in the local style. Pork Steaks are a nice quick thing to throw on the grill.
7) Gerber Sandwich - it has that Provel crap on it, so I never bothered to try one.
8) Slinger - a hot mess that I like to order on occasion. Probably a good hangover remedy. Eggs, hash browns, a hamburger patty smothered in chili, topped with cheese and onions.
9) Red Hot Riplets - potato chips with a very spicy BBQ flavor. I like spicy, but this is almost too much. A small bag is plenty.
Being in Texas you probably have plenty of good Mexican joints near you. I didn’t know where you were from, so I listed it as a place to get real Mexican in case you hadn’t tried the authentic stuff. At least here in STL they don’t pronounce taco as tack-o, like might be hear further north in the Midwest.
Given your rather short stay, can I assume that you’re in town for a performance?
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
07/01/2017 at 15:00, STARS: 0
Family trip. Passing through on the way to Chicago. We’ll have one full day in STL.