If your Labor Day to Missouri don't inclue sumo wrestling, then you're probably headed to the 40th Annual Bluegrass Pickin' Time. (Hard to believe that it's already been 40 years!) About 130 miles outside of St. Louis, the small town of Dixon is definitely ready for this year's fun.
Things kick off on Wednesday evening before the holiday weekend with a fish fry, and you're even encouraged to bring a dish to share. Starting Thursday night, the festival will start kickin' with the Bluegrass Pickin' Time Band. After that, things start around lunchtime every day and don't stop until about 10 pm.
In addition to all the music, there will be craft vendors scattered about the park and even a quilt show. [Ed.: Now *that's* Midwestern.] Instrument workshops will also be held so you can get some tips and tricks from the pros to improve your own bluegrass skills. Tickets for the full four days will run you just $35.
When you think about hotbeds of Japanese-American culture, St. Louis probably doesn't spring to mind. But it should, because the Gateway City is home to one of the largest Japanese gardens in America, the 14-acre expanse at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
And every Labor Day weekend for the last 32 years, the garden has hosted one of the premier Japanese festivals in the US.
The three-day Missouri Botanical Garden Japanese Festival, August 30-September 1, features a wide array of Japanese cultural activities, including martial arts demos, Zen enlightenment workshops and everybody's favorite, sumo wrestling. Ten bucks gets you admission to everything.
Still need something to do this weekend? Get to St. Louis pronto--and don't worry about packing anything, since the World Naked Bicycle Ride starts at 9 pm Saturday. The 10-mile ride starts in Tower Grove Park and proceeds to Atomic Cowboy on Manchester, where there will no doubt be lots of slippery nipples.
Race organizer Mariah Pittman says the event doesn't have a thing to do with sex:
There are more ways to transport yourself than a car. This is about getting people to think oil dependency.
That said, the cops will still roll through to make sure riders aren't completely naked. After all, it's the Midwest--not Miami.
Everyone has seen the Gateway Arch, at least in pictures, but few realize that it's part of the larger Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Designed by Saarinen, the structure raises 630 feet above the ground and is also 630 feet wide at its base. Besides being instantly recognizable, it's also the largest memorial in the United States.
Although Saarinen passed away four years before the arch was completed, it stands today as probably his most famous achievement. After his death, designer Richard Bowser incorporated a tram to take guests to the top of the arch, something that Saarinen felt was important to add. We're glad he did: Without the unique elevators, the only option to get to the top would be 1,000-plus stairs.
So that's what Midwest Airlines is doing with those extra planes! Senator Barack Obama was flying to Charlotte, North Carolina when his chartered MD-80 diverted to St. Louis.
Turns out the safety slide in tail of the aircraft deployed in flight and gave pilots some trouble steering. (Guess someone forgot to cross-check!) The plane landed at Lambert International without further incident.
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee took the in-air drama in stride:
Anytime a pilot says that something's not working the way its supposed to, then, you know, you make sure you tighten your seat belt. Everything seemed under control, the pilots knew what they were doing.
We already have a soft spot for MCI (aka KCI) in Kansas City because the airport's had free WiFi for ages. But now we have another reason to love it: a commercial starring a chimp.
Honestly, this little fella does everything right when it comes to air travel. He books his flight online and checks in from home before heading to the airport. Before heading out the door, he checks his flight status on MCI's website. (He also could've Googled it.)
We usually like taking public transportation to the airport, but our traveling chimp does live in Kansas City--not exactly the world's foremost subway city. But we do like that he's only toting a single, small suitcase. As Peter Greenberg says, "There are two kinds of bags: carry-on and lost."
We've told you where to ice skate in New York and in LA, but that hardly helps when you're stuck visiting the relatives in the Midwest this holiday season. Fortunately, St. Louis' Forest Park--also home to the zoo and science center--has one of the country's largest outdoor ice rinks.
While beginners are more than welcome, you'll also see a good amount of talent at Steinberg Rink. Speed skaters love the large surface, and athletes with local connections have appeared in every winter Olympics since 1968. If you still need a little practice before you go to the Games, admission to the ice is 6 bucks and skate rentals are $2.50.
One more thing: Locals say Steinberg is one of the most romantic spots in the city, and it'll be open late for lovers on Christmas Eve. But don't swoon too soon if your date asks you to a post-skate dinner at Lucas Park Grille.
Earlier this fall, we told you about Hermann, Missouri, the little German village in the middle of flyover country. Sure they have a wicked Oktoberfest, but what about beer drinking when festivals aren't in session? That's when Tin Mill Brewing Company has you covered.
When we stopped in, the tasting room had four brews on tap, ranging from easy drinking Maibock to serious teeth-grinding Dopplebock. All of 'em were quite good, and the sampler gets you four tastes for four bucks. If you're ready to commit, they also have beer by the half tankard, full tankard or growler.
Beyond the tasting room, you'll find a self-guided tour of the operation. Signage explains all the tanks and hoses, as well as the brewing process. On our visit, Pilsner was afoot along with another tank of Dopplebock--just in time to replenish the dent we made in the brewery's supply.
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by kjb
