Edition: St. Louis Attractions
Celebrity Concierge: Bill Chott
Author: Beth Custer
Actor and comedian Bill Chott is a native St. Louisian with numerous TV and film roles to his credit. His TV work includes roles on Saturday Night Live, CSI, and Monk, and he currently appears on Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place; in films, he's starred in The Ringer, and appeared in Dude, Where's My Car? and Dancing at the Blue Iguana. In St. Louis, Bill runs The Improv Trick, where he teaches improvisational comedy to everyone from absolute beginners to seasoned actors. Bill sat down with me to talk about the places he would visit during an ideal day in the city.
7 A.M. First of all, you need good music to enjoy an ideal day. The soundtrack to a perfect day in St. Louis is KDHX radio. It's a non-commercial station where you'll hear everything from hip hop to bluegrass to cultural programs. If you want to know more about the St. Louis music scene, you can get a real feel for it here.
8 A.M. I like the edgy part of St. Louis, the part that might challenge people's ideas about our culture, our neighborhoods, and what's interesting to do here. If it were a Sunday morning, I would definately attend the polka mass at St. Stanislaus church. Perhaps attending church on a Sunday isn't the edgiest thing to do, but attending a polka mass is!
9 A.M. Next I'd hit The City Diner for breakfast. I like the "Southsider," a breakfast special with potatoes, sausage gravy, and biscuits. Or, I might go to Uncle Bill's Pancake House. It is one of my favorite places, plus my family has a history there -- when my parents were dating they would go there after a night out, and I did the same thing when I was dating.
NOON For lunch, Paladora Pizza & More has a great St. Louis- style pizza-- it's thin, a little sweet, and has lots of provel cheese. Be sure to try their delicious deep-fried pretzels.Chimichanga's is good too-- they have giant margaritas and great food at great prices.
1 P.M. The Missouri Botanical Garden is a place everyone should see. The nearby Tower Grove Park has old Victorian pavilions left over from the 1904 World's Fair--it's a beautiful place to walk.
3 P.M. It's fun just to walk around the Loop. On an ideal day I'd shop at Vintage Vinyl, a cool record store, then grab a cup of coffee at Meshuggah Coffee House and sit outside and people-watch.
4 P.M. The Mad Art Gallery is an amazing art deco-style gallery housed in the former Third District Police Station. It's a great venue where national acts perform, and all kinds of great local events occur there too: film screenings, concerts, and art openings.
6 P.M. For dinner I love Mangia. All their ingredients are very fresh, and they have the best buffet in town. Their bar is open till 3 A.M., so it's also a great place to end a late night.
7 P.M. I highly recommend a fun improv class or a show at The Improv Trick. Call for a schedule, or check us out at www.theimprovtrick.com.
