St. Louis?

[DJ W.R.]

What do you guys think of St. Louis as a place to live, study, and play in? Everybody that I have talked to has given me a pretty negative review of it...but maybe that's just 'cause they were comparing it to California.

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[Atlas]

I live about 15 minutes outside of St. Louis. I love this city myself. I can imagine how Californians may view St. Louis in a lesser light. I mean the weather is pretty extreme here. It's hot, it's cold, it's windy, it's rainy. There is no middle region when talking about St. Louis weather. There is no such thing as Spring and Fall here because you get either Summer or Winter. The variety of activities can't be beat! I mean, unless you're into surfing, you can do just about everything in St. Louis that you did in California. The sports teams are top notch and the city rallies behind them really well. Also, the cost of living is really low compared to other major metropolitan areas. St. Louis is world renowned for "The Hill", an area exclusively of 4 if not 5 star quality italian restaurants...mmm...yummy! There are also world-renowned museums like the St. Louis Science Center, Art Museum, History Museum, etc. Ted Drews frozen custard! That's a must visit when you come to town! Up until recently, you could be driving down highway 40 or 270 and see Mark McGwire making the commute to and from baseball games! Everybody in town knows which car is his! lol. The same goes for Blues and Rams player. St. Louis LOVES...NO...ADORES their sports teams. You can catch some great sports action if that's what you're into. Plus, the shopping is awesome. I'm sure it's not as regal as say Beverly Hills, but Plaza Frontenac is tops if you want to spend lots of dough. The St. Louis Galleria is my favorite place to shop. Reason being is you never know who you'll run into! Their motto is "Where the best stores put their best store!". This is true. There aresome awe some stores in that place. The city is not a very complicated place to get around either. Once you learn your way around, it'll be a snap. Nothing like NY or LA as far as commuting goes. I could go on and on, but my fingers hurt. I'll be happy to answer more specific questions if you have them.

Peace. Good luck!

Atlas

 

[Hopkins2010]

Yeah if you are comparing it to San Fran, LA, San Diego as well as the big east coast cities then St. Louis doesnt stack up very well.

However, thats true for any other city thats not on the east/west coast as well.

In truth, there are only about 10 or so cities that compare favorably with the east/west coast meccas. So although its true that St. Louis doesnt get a lot of props when you compare it to that group, that doesnt mean its a crappy city to live in either.

 

[dirkdiggler]

I really like St. Louis and I applied to SLU, it is A very small "Big" city with plenty to do. It is clean town and with plenty to do downtown by the river. It is almost like a mini chicago and I would not living there myself if I get in.

 

[Atlas]

For my 400th post, I'd just like to say that with a name like Dirk Diggler, you'll fit right in here in St. Louis, MO!!!! 🙂

 

[DJ W.R.]

Thanks for the replies! I think you're definitely right when it comes to the comparison issue. Sacramento, where I currently live now, also can't be compared fairly to some of the larger cities in CA. I'll be able to check out St. Louis out in person when I go there for interviews next week...

 

[USeF]

Originally posted by dirkdiggler:
•I really like St. Louis and I applied to SLU, it is A very small "Big" city with plenty to do. It is clean town and with plenty to do downtown by the river. It is almost like a mini chicago and I would not living there myself if I get in.•••

I heard almost this same description when I asked about Pittsburgh. Of course, I stated that I had recently been in Chicago. Pittsburgh did fell cleaner and no body was honking, so defintely not a N.Y. (from what I 'hear')

what do you guys think?

 

[Sonya]

I grew up in San Fran suburbs. Now i go to college in St. Louis.

It's cool here (no weather comment meant by that 😉 , I like it here. The can be very unpredictable compared to california, but I think it's more tame than many other places. It doesn't snow THAT much compared to places like massachusets. heck, this year (strange weather year), it hasn't started snowing, or hailing, or getting below 40 deg.

I think, it's more"interesting" weather wise. I mean, in california, the closest you get to snow is a weee bit of hail every four years.

It's a rather boring city though. It's VERY suburban. when i went to st. louis city for the first time ( I mean, down town area), I was really suprised. It's nothing like you'd expect for a big city (not like San fransisco, or chicago, or new york). Now, i do like sub urban areas for every day life, but in downtown? come on, there's got to be excitment somewhere. (union station is okay, but really, is that the best we can get).

This is the view of me, my brother and friends.

This post is probably a bit exaggerated (it's not that desolate, but i think it still lacks for being a big city). I personally don't need a downtown half as much as hiking trails, a ski resort and a lake. but, there isn't much of that either.

and the living is soooooooooooooo much cheaper than even the crappy suburbs near San Fransisco.
The Hill is nice. except, my personal taste is NOT st. louis style pizza, i like thick crust and chicago pizza. and i'm not a fan of five star italian restaurants (I don't like too fancy). I'm not much into sports, so, i'll just trust atlas on all of that. 🙂
We DO have a ski resort within 30 min to an hour from St. Louis. (hidden valley). but it's EXTREMELY small, and mostly artificial snow.
There's no sierras, crowded with 20 ski resorts in a 30 mile radius, there's no yosemite, with beatiful trails, there's no lakes or bay (of a reasonable size) to go sailing in.

It's very small for being a big city. I live next to washington university, and go to school there. I do NOT at ALL feel like i am five miles from a big city (even though I am). I feel like i'm tucked away in the suburbs. I guess, on the whole that's good... since it avoid the inconveiniance of big cities.

If you're talking about St. Louis area:
East St. Louis (a city in illinois side) is bad area. but a little further east: collinsville, troy, granite city, bellview (sp?), are nice SMALL ( i mean REALLY small) cities with CHEAP rent, and withing reasonable commuting distance. they are in illinois, not missouri. that could be good or bad for you (less tax).

West st. louis county is also cheaper than st. louis city, but not as cheap as out east. It's nicer area. Ladue city is plush. creve couer is nice.

On the whole, despite all my comment, i like it here. but i guess i live a pretty boring busy life. but, when are friend come from ohio... there's nothing to show in this place. There's no place interesting to go with friends over the break.

 

[Hopkins2010]

How would you compare St. Louis to places like Seattle, Pittsburgh, Cleveland?

I think its better to base a comparison on cities like those instead of putting it up against San Fran, NYC, Chicago, etc because NONE of the cities listed above (including St. Louis) can hold a candle to those.

Of the possible locations I've looked at (Hanover NH, Nashville TN, Pittsburgh PA, Charlottesville VA, New Orleans LA) I'd say St. Louis ranked #2 behind New Orleans. But I'm going back to Pittsburgh for a second look weekend so maybe that would cause me to change my mind.

 

[Original]

St. LUNATICS baby! hmmm... I was there last week and I thought it pales in comparism to Birmingham! Yep you heard right: BIRMINGHAM, AL. believe it or not. I go to school in Birmingham and I've lived here for 4 years. Anyway I wasn't digging the frozen custard idea one bit EWW! frozen custard? 😕 And there are no clubs in town. The whole idea there is to go to a bar and chill out, talk and have a few drinks. What impressed me the most was the cost of living in St. Lunatics. It is extremely cheap. This one MSTP guy was paying $162 for a nice 2 bedroom 2 bath utilities included. His room-mate was paying the same thing. The students admitted that the city had to grow on them; but it did, which is definitely a good thing.

 

[MacGyver]

Original, I hope you are being sarcastic. St. Louis aint all that but its certainly better than anything Durham or Birmingham have to offer.

 

[Original]

Hey MacGuyver I'll bet $50 you have never been to Birmingham before. 🙂

 

[Doctor Wyldstyle]

I love St. Louis. It's a great small "big" city. Maybe I'm an optimist, because I see alot of things positive about in the next few years. You want to talk suburbs? I'm from Los Angeles and I've lived all over the area all my life and its basically a mosaic of smaller cities. I've grew up in the plush suburbs right over from Beverly Hills to the ghetto part of Hollywood, trust me, GHETTO. I've been just about everywhere in southern california and done just about what you could do. So making the transition to St. Louis was an adjustment.

Some of the things that I don't miss from LA that I don't get here are graffitti, smog, and the interesting thing is there are less homeless people. I think strangers are a little more friendlier too, IMHO. St. Louis definitely has some history and character. I'm a fan of historic buildings/architecture and I can tell you there are many out here. Quite a few that are being restored. They've committed an impressive effort and monetary funds toward building downtown and the city in general. Like LA, people had fled to the suburbs, but I think the city is making a comeback, so say's their plan by 2004. Another thing, in many ways that I don't miss, is the over franchising in LA. You have more homegrown stuff in St. Louis, although you will have to look for ethnic food. In LA, you don't have to look, you turn the corner and there it is.

Anyways, dude, I wish I can bring my snow board down but there aren't any slopes that are good enough to compare to the decent ones in LA, at least what I have been told! Also, the bars are cool, but LA clubs/bars are hard to beat..in general for many cities. For me, coming to St. Louis was cool. It was a change after being in southern cali all my life. I actually like the 4 seasons here. AND, I can say that Fall here was beautiful and nice for the most part, as do they say Spring which is nice too...these are the times you will be in school most. Overall, St. Louis is laid back. Man, one of the best things that I love about it? Traffic...compared to what I used to drive at home, there isn't any on the highway I take to class!

If you do visit, have a friend take you to some of the major places to visit. It's a nice city. Size wise, its seems the same to me as San Diego or bigger, but I be mistaken so someone correct me if I'm wrong.

wyldstyle2000
MS1
St. Louis

 

[Atlas]

I have to agree with mostly what sonya and original are talking about!! THe St. Lunatics are da bomb!!!! They ARE St. Louis!! Sonya is pretty much on "kiel". I would like to correct some of Sonya's claims although some of them were all meant in good taste. I must disagree that West St. Louis county is CHEAPER than the city. In West St. Louis County, you'll find Ladue, Town and Country, Chesterfield, etc. Homes in those towns are well in the millions! A acquaintence of mine, an opthalmologist, lives right behind Plaza Frontenac (in the city of Frontenac) and his house must run close to a mil! No joke. The farther West you go, the more pricey the homes and taxes get. Also, you mentioned "Belview"..the town's actual name is Belleville. I live like 10 minutes away from there. I live in O'Fallon. Ever hear of it? Also, I must comment about the weather. THe current weather we are experiencing is way out of the norm! By mid december, we usually have a good couple inches of snow on the ground...if not a whole foot! East St. Louis is not the worst town on the East side. I know people from "East St." and they're really cool. Towns to watch out for a Washington Park, Brooklyn (IL), Madison, Sauget, Cahokia, and parts of East St. Anthing near the river valley is pretty much a rough spot, but you'll survive if you go down there. There's lots of lighting due to all the strip clubs...BTW the East side strip joints are favorite hangouts for visiting NHL teams. Wash U is kinda nestled away in the center of town. It helps that Forest Park, the second largest city park in the country...only behind central park in NYC, is nearby the muffle alot of the traffic noise. Let's not forget to mention another cultural hotspot. My man Nelly's hometown! U-CITY!! If you are in the vicinity of the Wash U campus (undergrad not med school), make sure you drop by the U-City "loop". There are tons of neat things to do down there. You can eat a variety of foods and literally buy ANYTHING! I mean from sex toys to illegal drugs! So, I mean ANYTHING literally!! It's a fun place nonetheless. Also, check out the landing. If you're over 21, this is a great place to get your party on! It's right on the riverfront with the skyline looming behind you. It's an awesome place to party. Tons of clubs, bars, and restaurants. If you have time, eat at the Spaghetti factory. Good eats there. You can walk down and take a tour of the arch. Hop in your car, drive down I-44 and tour the Budweiser facilities! Man...if you've never seen how beer is made...this is quite an awesome sight! I can rant and rave about St. Louis all I want. The fact of the matter is you need to visit and do stuff while you're here. Most people don't know where to go or what to do when they get here. There really is more to meets the eye! Somebody earlier mention about Union Station being all there is. Well...if you're into sports, like me, you'd appreciate the fact that visiting sports teams stay at the Hyatt Regency at Union Station. Just a littel FYI. So, you never know, the Saturday night before a Rams home game, head down to Union Station and see if you can pick out the pro football players in the crowd! It's really cool to mingles with sports celebrities. OH yeah...St. Louis has the COOLEST pro athletes! I swear! They are all super-generous with their time and money. They sign autographs like mad and even will carry on a conversation. I don't know if it gets any better than Kurt Warner. That's all I have to say! That guy is the coolest. Really cool guy considering all the hype he puts up with on a daily basis. St. Louis is, indeed, a very laid-back town. You should lay back too and soak it all in!

 

[Atlas]

Damn! looking back at my post, I made way too many errors to correct. Please ignore my spelling and grammar errors, especially since it's like 1 am St. Louis time. I'm done with school, so I'm staying up way past my bedtime! lol. Just recognize that my typing my contain a few errors. Deal with it!

 

[Original]

Hey Atlas:
After reading your post, I'm going to have to eat my words about Birmingham being better than The Lou. While I was up there, all they told me was that there is a place called Ted Drews where I can go hang out with friends and lick blobs of frozen custard 😀

 

[HPSP]

Short but sweet advice. If you cant get Atlas to be your tour guide, be sure to pick up a copy of the "Riverfront Times". It is a very good guide for whats hapnin in STL.

 

[SMW]

Originally posted by Original:
•And there are no clubs in town.•••

There are clubs in "the Loop" area near the Wash U. campus. Can't be too bereft of clubs -- Nelly's from there. 😛

And Forest Park, right next to the main campus, is an awesome place to run (or play golf, or visit the art museum). 🙂

 

[Atlas]

HSPS,
Me?!?!...as a tour guide?!! Gosh! Thanks! 🙂 It helps to talk to someone who's literally grown up in the city and has spent most of his life there. I never thought I would make much of a tour guide, but I guess I know the city better than I thought!

Original,
St. Louis has tons of things to do. Youjust have to know where to look. Fun things aren't always obvious like in NYC or LA. You can go to the Fox theater to catch a world-renowned musical (I'm not sure what's playing now.) THe Fox is just down Grand Ave., right down the road from SLU. It's an awesome place. I've never been to Birmingham, so I don't know what they have to offer down there in terms of attractions. I know that St. Louis has plenty to do as soon as you figure out where stuff is located. One or two days in a city as large as St. Louis doesn't do it justice. Ted Drews is far from the only attraction in St. Louis. In fact, I've never been there!!! Can you believe it? I see commercials for the place and have talked to many people who have gone there. It's really a once-in-a-lifetime place....you only need to go once! lol. I mean, go and say you've been there. That's what most of St. Louis does I think. They go once, eat, and brag how they've been there! It's kinda funny because it's just a custard shop! lol Anyways...I'm rambling. U city is a "hot" place. It comes alive at night, especially on the weekends. The riverfront also comes alive on the weekends. Someone said earlier that downtown is slow. That is true for the most part. Although, I've been downtown once before when a Rams Football game and the NSYNC concert let out and I thought I was in times square, NYC!!! It was nuts! So, you'll get some nights where downtown is buzzing. It usually buzzes when something magical is going to happen at Busch stadium, where the Cardinals play. Like when McGwire was going for 70 homeruns, downtown was crazy on game days! I don't know...it's a conspiracy. So, to summarize, there is plenty to do here if that's what you're worried about. As far as medical education, the city is great as well. A number of local hospitals were listed in the top 100 of USNEWs and World Report. Barnes-Jewish and SLU being the front runners. Both places are excellent teaching facilities and you'd be very fortunate to have the opportunity to go there for school or post-graduate training. Anything else I can help you with? I'll be around if you need me.

 

[Original]

Wow! sounds cool. You really know that city from the inside out. Yeah I agree that you should be made a spokesperson or tour guide for STL 😉 . In any case I'll know tomorrow whether or not I'll get a chance to live in St. Lunatics, MO. If I get the good nod tomorrow, then you'll have to show me around during 2nd scope weekend.

 

[Atlas]

Sure thing. 🙂

 

[Sonya]

In response to atlas's post.

I knew i would spell bellville completely incorrect... i'm never gonna get it straight. 😀 yeah, i probablly been to O Fallon. I used to live in collinsville. Yeah, ladue and town and country are REAL expensive. But, those are the only cities out west. other cities in west st. louis are cheaper than city.

I been to the loop. Let's just say my idea of fun isn't mainstream, so take my post mostly for it's fact, not interpretation. And it does not have a wide variety of food compared to bay area california. (I been spoiled by cali 😀 )
I live near the undergrad campus.

Oh, and the business $ 162 for a two bedroom, is REALLY cheap. most places in st. louis are more expensive than that.

and, i'm not 21 yet, or into the clubs and bars much.

 

[Atlas]

Sonya,

Did you graduate from Collinsville high? I had no idea you're from this area. I thought you merely went to school in ST. Louis and were originally from California for some reason. O'Fallon is next door to Fairview Heights where the St. Clair Square mall is located. Anybody that's been on I64 east of ST. Louis knows about the mall! It's the only mall in the metro east. I agree, my idea of fun isn't mainstream or going to clubs either. I, too, am not yet 21, so I can't legally get in anywhere on the landing, but from what I've been told by my colleagues...it's quite a Hoot! lol Partying isn't really my strong suit. I did way too much partying in high school, so it could be out of my system for my college days! And, I also agree that $162 is kinda low for St. Louis. $162-maybe with a roommate! Most decent housing starts @ $400. Hope that helps all potential St. Lunatics.

 

[Original]

Oops I guess I didn't make it clear in my post. What I meant was that their place costs $324 so they split the rent and each have to pay $162. Yeah I know exactly what Atlas is talking about. I am 21 and I've rarely been clubbing since I turned legal; however, the couple of years before I turned 21 I used to go out almost every weekend. I probably wouldn't have the time and will to party while in med school; but it would be nice to know that there are people out there having fun, and that I could if I chose to 🙂

 

[Original]

Hey Atlas:

I found out this afternoon that I've been accepted to WashU St. Lunatics, MO. Yeah! I'll give you a shout when next I'm in town.

 

[SMW]

Way to go, Original!! Very awesome!!!!! 😀 😀 Did the news come in their Christmas card? 😉 (I realize it was probably in a phone call 🙂 )

 

[Sonya]

Originally posted by Atlas:
•Sonya,

Did you graduate from Collinsville high? I had no idea you're from this area. I thought you merely went to school in ST. Louis and were originally from California for some reason. O'Fallon is next door to Fairview Heights where the St. Clair Square mall is located. Anybody that's been on I64 east of ST. Louis knows about the mall! It's the only mall in the metro east. I agree, my idea of fun isn't mainstream or going to clubs either. I, too, am not yet 21, so I can't legally get in anywhere on the landing, but from what I've been told by my colleagues...it's quite a Hoot! lol Partying isn't really my strong suit. I did way too much partying in high school, so it could be out of my system for my college days! And, I also agree that $162 is kinda low for St. Louis. $162-maybe with a roommate! Most decent housing starts @ $400. Hope that helps all potential St. Lunatics.•••

No, we moved to St. Louis from california. But, my whole family came with me to st. louis when I started university here. so, places big enough for all of us were to expensive in teh city. so we lived in creve couer my first year. and then we got to know the area, so we moved second year to collinville b/c it was cheaper and illinois residency offered advatages. ANd from those places i'd commute to st. louis for school. and then third year (now), we moved to st. louis b/c my brother went off for medschool, so we could live in a smaller place near campus.

i did go to collinville high for driver's ed, so I know the place.

oh... a height about colliville... a HUGE ketchup bottle statue (few hundred feet tall???). what for, i have no idea.

 

[Original]

Originally posted by SMW:
•Way to go, Original!! Very awesome!!!!! 😀 😀 Did the news come in their Christmas card? 😉 (I realize it was probably in a phone call 🙂 )•••

SMW:
Thanks! The news came in both an email and a phone call. I am still thrilled out of my senses.

 

[Atlas]

Origicnal,

Holy smack dude! That's great! I have a feeling we're gonna be tight! Wash U is my dream school. You're very fortunate. So it looks like you're coming to the land of the lunatics! I'd be "stoked" out of my mind. I'd go out tonight and live it up if I were you!! WASH U!!!!!


P.S. Mind tell ing me what your stats were? (more specifically your MCAT breakdown)

 

[Atlas]

Ah...the world's LARGEST ketchup bottle! It stands in the heart of Collinsville because the company headquaters (I forgot the name) is located in Collinsville. Creve Couer is a nice area. Lots of athletes stay there in luxury apartments and condos. How do I know? They go to the same Denny' and TGI Friday's restaurants I eat at (on Olive Blvd.) when I visit my sister. When driving on Olive Blvd., you see them pulling in and out of these fancy apartment complexes all the time in their pimped out cadillac trucks. It's pretty neat. I saw the Cardinal's Jim Edmonds in a red Ferrari, but that's another story for another time and place.

Hey Original,
My mom goes to Barnes-Jewish hospital for all of her treatments. It's good to know I've got a "buddy" from SDN going there (Wash U)! That's great! It's an amazing place! Maybe we'll bump into each other because I'm usually there with her when she goes to see her "team" of doctors. Anyways...way to go my brotha!! 🙂

 

[Original]

Originally posted by Atlas:
•Origicnal,

Holy smack dude! That's great! I have a feeling we're gonna be tight! Wash U is my dream school. You're very fortunate. So it looks like you're coming to the land of the lunatics! I'd be "stoked" out of my mind. I'd go out tonight and live it up if I were you!! WASH U!!!!!


P.S. Mind tell ing me what your stats were? (more specifically your MCAT breakdown)•••

Hey Atlas my stats are as follows:

33 MCAT; 3.8 GPA; M.S in mathematics; 2 yrs neuroscience research; tons of extracurriculars.

I'm so happy that I got in there. Are you applying this cycle?