wrote:

> On Friday, June 4, 2021 at 8:41:15 PM UTC-5, GM wrote:
> > On Friday, June 4, 2021 at 6:28:18 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> > > On Friday, June 4, 2021 at 4:55:18 PM UTC-5, Hank Rogers wrote:
> > > > Bryan Simmons wrote:
> > > > > On Friday, June 4, 2021 at 1:38:51 PM UTC-5, Mike Duffy wrote:
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >> To finish off vaguely on topic for food, my wife & I have started to have
> > > > >> vague ideas of moving at some time in the future.
> > > > >>
> > > > > My wife and I have definite plans to get out of StL as soon as we can
> > > > > retire. July and August are stupid hot, and November through March
> > > > > is cold. What'd be nice would be Puerto Rico November through
> > > > > March, and Georgia April through October, and I mean the Tbilisi
> > > > > Georgia, rather than the Atlanta one.
> > > > >>
> > > > > --Bryan
> > > > >
> > > > Yep, you should try to get the hell out. St louis is already same
> > > > as detroit. A lovely city 70 years ago, but that's gone.
> > > >
> > > Oh, there are lots of things that I like about StL, but I hate uncomfortable
> > > temperatures. It's nice here in May and late April, and absolutely lovely in
> > > September and early October.
> > >
> > > If you think that StL is dived out, you're mistaken. Crime is concentrated in
> > > certain areas. We have a world class zoo, symphony and botanical garden,
> > > all of which are very affordable. The zoo is free. Anyone who has never
> > > come here on vacation is missing a gem, and I suspect that you are among
> > > those who've never visited.
> > I spent a lot of time in STL in the 90's, visiting friends who lived there at the time. A quick zip down on Amtrak from Chicago...
> >
> > Always had a good time, plenty to see. Cheap and good eats, and a great year - round farmer's market...my friends lived in Soulard, it's very similar in parts to New Orleans, old brick architecture...
> > > Then there's the proximity to the Ozarks. This has been a lovely place to live,
> > > but I want to retire to somewhere where the weather is decent year-round.
> > Took some nice trips out west of STL, the wine town of Hermann is fun, area was originally settled by Germans, lovely country...
> > >
> > > I would be happy to give pointers on vacationing here to anyone--without
> > > prejudice about how I feel about the person--especially since I'd do it on the
> > > newsgroup, so it would be there for anyone. Another nice place to visit is
> > > Chicago, specifically because of the museums. It's a lot pricier, but anyone
> > > who has never been to the Art Institute doesn't know what they're missing.
> > > Kansas City has a great art museum too. CHI/STL/KCY are not flyover, but
> > > destinations easily accessible by Amtrak. A couple thousand dollars can
> > > buy a lot of neat experiences in America's heartland.
> > Don't bother with Chicago, it's become even *more* of a ghetto shit hole...even the formerly nice areas, e.g. Michigan Avenue, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lakeview/Wrigleyville, etc. are VERY DANGEROUS war zones. I'll never step foot downtown again, I want to keep it in my memory as a great and thriving place, which it once was...
> >
> We go there for exactly one reason.
> https://www.artic.edu/
> My wife adores art museums, and I adore her. Lots of great mama y papa
> burrito joints all over town too. We drive up and stay in Willowbrook, then
> take the pink line from 54th&McCormick. We're back out in the suburbs
> before nightfall.


Yeah, the Art Institute is great, just before the pandemic started I bought a membership so I could visit a lot..."oh well"...

I love the Chicago Symphony, too, Symphony Hall is just down the way from the Art Institute...

All that is now, unfortunately, "gone with the wind", but I'll have the great memories...

--
GM