UndergroundSTL, Vol I

Ok, occasionally I'll be posting these nuggets when I come across some signs that we live in a Real City and not a Big Suburb. Thanks to the sexy, talented, smart, nimble, bruised Betha W. for letting me temporarily steal her idea.

So, have you have been to Cheokee St lately? Not saying you need to purchase a beat up typewriter or other knickknacks, but there are a lot of cool digs that way. Starting with the Mexican food joints - La Vallesana, Garundo's and where we ate - Taquiera Bronco. If you have ever been to Mexico, this is the kind of food that instantly transports you back there.

As you eat the small tortilla tacos with hot beef, pork, cilantro, onions, etc and the 1 Liter Mexican size Coke bottles, you can close your eyes and remember standing on a back street somewhere in front of a small taquiera stand, a purple turtle squatting next to you speaking in tongues - note: don't try the brown acid in Mexico.

Further West on Cherokee is a new print shop, All-Along Press, 3155 Cherokee. Very neat-o spot that has the feel of some college kids playing around with new found printing equipment. A bicycle in the window powers one Rube Goldberg-y print contraption. The items for sale are good fun - a dead bird cartoon printed on a hand bound notebook? an RIP Easy E memorial tote bag? Check and check.

Finally, the wine bar "33" in Lafayette Square is a swell way to the end the evening. The clientele and vibe vary widely from night to night.
Some impressions:
- Glass bubbles hanging from ceiling in a sparsely decorated shotgun space.
- Local Lafayette resident reading a Powerpoint presentation on her laptop one late afternoon on the Neo-Conservatives role in a post-9/11 Middle East.
- a few pretentious couples getting their annual drink in the Big City before heading to the Michael Buble show at Savvis.
- The owner, Jake, humbly giving a breakdown comparison between his Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc to a lawyer and his wife.
- A wine menu that dedicates a paragraph or so of entertaining reading for each of the dozen or so current 'by the glass' offerings. So entertaining, in fact, that patrons frequently lift said menus. To what end, I can't imagine (Honey, re-read me the part about the Gruyere paired with Cabernet. That shit is hysterical.)
- Typically, the patrons are a good mix of people you like with people you can make fun of - what more can you ask for.