Visiting the Top of the Arch

It took twenty months of living five minutes from the  Arch, but we finally made it to the top!

Beautiful walk up to the Arch.  With the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Arch approaching, they've recently held a design company to completely redo the grounds of the Arch.

It was a beautiful fall day when we visited.

See the little black spots on each side?  Those are the windows on the viewing deck.

This is a really neat museum in the base of the Arch.  I wish that we had had more time to visit it. 

These panels were my favorite part.  The went around the entire museum.  They took a passage from the Lewis and Clark journals and then matched it to a photo of what they were describing.  It was a chance to take their journey with them.

There was a small section on the expansion of the Cardinals to St. Louis making them the first baseball team west of the Mississippi.

Historians conduct classes throughout the day in this museum.  While we were there, an American Indian expert was giving a demonstration on their musical instruments.

Finally, it was time for our journey to the top!  Each capsule holds five people.  You are given a number and then line up on the appropriate step.  We rode up in capsule number six.

Tony's picture from the top.

My picture from the top.  Tony had issues with stepping up and leaning over.  He preferred to just stand there and look.  All in all, I was very impressed with how well that Tony handled his trip to the top given his issues with height.  I do have a picture of him on the ride up, but I'll be nice and not share it.

The Old Courthouse

Busch Stadium

Looking straight down from the top.  You can see the old Catholic Cathedral in the photo.  It was the first Catholic Cathedral west of the Mississippi.  As beautiful as it is, it has nothing on the new Basilica.

Most don't realize this, but the Arch is actually a square.  Despite appearances to the contrary, it's 530ft tall and 530ft wide.

View of the Mississippi River from the top.

We took a ride on one of the Steamboats after we completed our trip to the top of the Arch.

The viewing deck

The space capsule that takes you to the top.  Even my head was hitting the curved part of the ceiling in it!  Tony had to bend over a little bit.  I can't imagine someone super tall fitting into it!



Happy Halloween!

It only made sense that Tony would dress as King Bratwurst in light of recent events.  Sugar was his little Prince Bratwurst!  Tony was even awarded second place in his office Halloween costume contest. 

As always, we decorated for the holiday.  One of my requirements for our next house is that it is decorating friendly.  While I love this house, it isn't great for holiday decorations.

Painting Class - Where I Learn That I Still Have Zero Artistic Talent

You know all of that artistic ability that my Mom and my Aunt have?  It skipped a generation because I have zero.

Recently, Groupon ran a deal for a painting class.  Bring your own alcohol, we supply the rest type of a place.  So, I bought two of them and Tony and I scheduled a time to attend the class.  I was expecting it to be like all of the others that I've seen advertised in South Louisiana where everyone paints the same picture.  This one is a little different.  They pick a theme and put up 50 or so inspiration photos and you paint whatever you want within that theme.  I was just expecting to pick out paint colors!

The beginning of my masterpiece.

The beginning of Tony's masterpiece.  He didn't use one of the inspiration photos.  Instead, he borrowed my phone and pulled up a picture of Jackson Square.

See what I meant about my lack of artistic ability?  I just don't understand how paints mixed together or how to make different strokes with the brushes.  Also, I'm more of a color within the lines type of person.  The whole mixing of colors thing is too out of the box for me!

Tony's completed masterpiece. 

He made fun of mine, so I told him that his horses looked like dogs.  Tony also knows me well.  He brought glitter to add to our skies to make "stars."  Everyone in the class including the instructors loved the inclusion of glitter!

My completed masterpiece.  I'd like to take full credit, but I simply can't.  Mine was awful.  Seriously, by far the worst in the class.  Sarah the Instructor took pity on me and "helped" me fix it.  So, the only reason why this is even halfway decent is because of her assistance.  Thank you!

We took pictures of some of the others in our class, but I won't post them out of embarrassment.  Seriously, there were some super talented people in our class. 

My Apple Pecan Cake

You should probably sit down before you read anymore of this blog.  The recipe above?  Yes, that one.  I baked it!  No, seriously.  I really did.  And the world didn't even end.

 

After I picked so many Granny Smith apples, I needed to do something with them.  I decided to use a recipe book that my in-laws had gotten us years ago and bake this apple pecan cake.  I even peeled the apples!  Tony wouldn't let me chop them up though.  Something about not wanting to go to the hospital after I chopped off a finger or two.  It was probably best that he did it.

The finished product!  

We had some batter left over, so we made a few muffin size

cakes as well.  You can't really tell by the picture, but all of them are in the design of a rose thanks to the pretty mold that I found 

stashed away in our cabinets.