Introduction “First in booze, first in shoes, and last in the American League.” Those last place Browns are long gone, as are the shoe factories, but we still have the booze and a National League baseball team that is a perennial contender. St. Louis, my hometown, is great place to live and full
Population (2010) 319,305 Introduction St. Louis, my hometown, is a city with a long and layered history. As residents of Flyover Country, we tend to make the national news only when something goes wrong. Sure, we have our problems, but so do plenty of other places. We are a big
If your budget is tight this year and your dream trip to Venice is on hold, now is a great time to hit the road to get reacquainted with the history and culture of the Mississippi Valley. And what could be more fun than visiting festivals along the river that mix history and culture with
Dylan's home; Hibbing, Minnesota Yes, I know that Hibbing (Minnesota) is not on the Mississippi River. For today's destination, though, we're going to take a short side trip (about 45 minutes from Grand Rapids, which IS on the Mississippi), so you can get to one of my favorite events: the singer/songwriter competition at
On a Saturday night in June, the parlor of the restored Grand Rapids (Minnesota) house where little Judy Garland (nee Frances Ethel Gumm) spent the first four years of her life is draped with nostalgia. The parlor, decorated with period furniture, an upright piano, and a small gaggle of old queens and divas, is an
A few random thoughts from the road: A big boat Fun Fact #1: Last week I visited a marina that, like many marinas along the Mississippi, is home to a lot of boats that have more bedrooms than your average suburban house. What I didn’t know is that most of those big boats
