#142: Cherokee Business District

The Cherokee Station Business Association includes over 50 independently owned and operated businesses over seven blocks on Cherokee Street. Dating back to late 19th century, this was the place where people would do many things such as shopping, dining, among others. There was (and still is) always something for everyone here. This has always been a place for the arts, as art centers and small live entertainment venues are here. St. Louis' 'largest Cinco de Mayo party' is thrown in the Cherokee district as well.

For those curious about the complete and detailed history of the Cherokee-Lemp district, there is a virtual walking tour available. Several signs are found in the neighborhood, all over the historical buildings.

This statue was made by Bill Christman (who painted the Chuck-a-Burger cake)

3401 South Jefferson, ST. LOUIS, MO, 63118
Cake artist: Sophia Dalpaiz-Brown

The cake was sold on 1/1/2015 for $575 in the biddingforgood auction.

#141: Luvy Duvy's Cafe/Benton Park

 *PUBLIC VOTE WINNER*

For a while I was questioning why would a place like this get a cake. After all, there are several restaurants and cafes that stand out. Surely Luvy Duvy's has SOMETHING to offer, right? Well, I came to the conclusion that because this has become a fixture of the Benton Park neighborhood, plus this was probably the sole cake that pays tribute to that. That's just what I came up with anyway.

I didn't go in here to eat since I had already eaten at the Anheuser-Busch beer garden/restaurant that day, but I did check out the outside of the place, like the patio. Plus I checked their website. Turns out they are open only during mornings through mid-afternoon (kinda like the Blue Owl). The only day it is open past 4pm is Friday when they close at 9. But what makes the restaurant of course is the food. They do seem to have a satisfactory full menu, as well as a drink menu. And it looks like, judging by their website, they really do care about their customers and regulars. If you buy a shirt and take it on vacation with you, they'll post a picture of you on their website! (But you gotta be wearing it...)

The cake, which spotlights the Benton Park area:

Right side of the cake

UPDATE (8/24/2016): On March 7, 2015, it was announced on Luvy Duvy's Facebook page that they would close their doors, which they eventually did on 3/29. It is now Lilly's Music and Social House. The cake is still sitting outside the building.


Luvy Duvy's Cafe on FB
Official website

2321 Arsenal Ave., ST. LOUIS, MO, 63118
Cake artist: Phil Jarvis  (he also decorated the Lemp Mansion cake)

#140: Venice Cafe

Yes....this is the only cake that is missing a slice! And how fitting is it to be located at the Venice Cafe?! Here's a place that is not afraid of being different. Located within a walk of the A/B brewery in the Benton Park/Soulard neighborhood, is this bar that's been given any kind of name. Call it weird, surprising, fun, whatever...besides the decor that's sure to give any passersby/guests attention, its sure to bring a smile to anyone's face. The place, at one time, served food. But as of November 2014, they no longer do. They've got Happy Hour specials though!

The doors eagerly await you.

I took plenty of pictures. Wish I can post them all on this page, but I don't want it to overload! But here's some more including the patio and front area...

I took a lot of interior shots too. Here's one of them....

Let's take a look at the cake. I later found out after getting this cake that it was one of the rules for the cake artists NOT to cut a slice out of it. The Screwed Artist Collective group did it anyway, and I'm curious as to see how they actually 'cut it out'. There are a few offbeat places in St. Louis that got a cake, but most agree - Venice Cafe deserved it. I'd like to know how the whole 'brain thing' happened and why. Here's some of the different angles:

The left and front corner of the cake

Back side of the cake, or should I say, the innocent and unsuspecting?

Left side of the cake

Top of the cake (to give it a Pac-Man look)

NOTE:  About 2-3 weeks after getting pictures of the place and the cake, the Venice Cafe closed temporarily after a burglary occurred (July 2014).

Venice Cafe on FB
Official website

1903 Pestalozzi Ave., ST. LOUIS, MO, 63118
Artist: Screwed Artist Collective

UPDATE (8/24/2016): The cake is still there. The inside part that was cut out has deteriorated in time, since it is believed people have stepped inside it. 

#139: Anheuser-Busch Brewery

Where do I start here? For real. I guess I can say this is one of St. Louis' beloved icons. There are many things that come to mind when outsiders talk about St. Louis: the baseball, the way we talk, and the brewery. Anheuser-Busch that is! Sure, there are other brew cities, most notably Milwaukee. But since the brands that Anheuser-Busch own continue to thrive, it is the most popular of them all. And its right here in south St. Louis!

Before I talk about the history behind the legendary brewery, I'll first get into what Anheuser-Busch owns, and what the company and the family have owned in the past:
1. Budweiser
2. Busch
3. Michelob
4. Shock Top
5. Rolling Rock
6. Land Shark
7. Natural

There are several spin-offs from the brands mentioned above. For a more detailed list, check out the Wikipedia page for brands owned by Anheuser-Busch.

The 'Busch' name and the brand commonly pop up around the city, sometimes if they are sponsored something, or if they owned it. Either way, it's always nice to know what one empire can do. For instance, Busch Stadium. Or outside of St. Louis, Busch Gardens in Florida. There is a building at SLU named for Busch, and in the zoo, as for other parts of St. Louis.

It started out as a modest place called Bavarian Brewery, which started near the Carondelet area (now South Broadway). Bavarian Brewery was started by German-American brewer George Schneider in 1852. Nearly a decade later, the brewery faced financial issues as it was sold to various people. By 1860, it was sold to William D'Oench and Eberhard Anheuser. D'Oench would sell his share in 1869 after being a silent partner. It would go to Adolphus Busch, who married Anheuser's daughter, and worked for the company and became its secretary. The company was named the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association in 1879. After Anheuser's death in 1880, Busch took over the company and began to market it to the fullest. Busch was the first American brewer to use pasteurization in order to keep the liquor fresh. He also utilized most of the technology at that time, including the bottling and refrigeration process.

Numerous events and changes have taken place from that time. During Prohibition (the 1920s to the Great Depression), the company, while dealing with a blow, began to sell non-alcoholic beverages. One of them is known as Bevo. The biggest change to date would happen in 2008, when Anheuser-Busch was sold to a Belgian-Brazilian brewing company called InBev (short for Belgian company Interbrew and Brazilian company Ambev, which merged in 2004). Much to the dismay of just about everyone in St. Louis, including its employees, fans, even Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, the merger happened and the St. Louis company became the North American branch for the newly-named Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Still, the Anheuser-Busch name continues to be iconic, and it still gives St. Louis the rightful name as a 'brew city'.

A view of the Anheuser-Busch brewery from Compton Hill water tower

And now......the cake! What one would expect, has Anheuser-Busch all over it. In such a great celebratory way, that is. Ian Greenlee and Julie Krovicka had the right idea.

Back side of the cake

Left side of the cake

Left side of the cake

Top of the cake

The cake sold for $1,505 (highest bid for a cake through the biddingforgood.com auction!). According to Julie Krovicka (one of the artists), the men driving the beer truck on the cake was an inside joke, as the guy on the right is supposed to be a depiction of her husband, which was painted by her son Ian!

Anheuser-Busch on FB
Anheuser-Busch Wikipedia link
Official website

1200 Lynch Street, ST. LOUIS, MO, 63118
Cake artists: Ian Greenlee and Julie Krovicka

#138: Lyon Park/United States Arsenal

I parked my truck right behind the park and in front of the well-secured United States Arsenal so I can do my own walking, scenic tour of the southern part of Soulard. This was my first stop.

Monument dedication to Nathaniel Lyon at the park

Unfortunately I didn't find very much to take pictures of, except for the Anheuser-Busch brewery next door. Here are some facts about Lyon Park:

• Named for Nathaniel Lyon, who was the first Union general to die during the Civil War (1861).
• Park consists of two ball diamonds, walking trails, and statues. Not surprisingly, they are mostly used by Anheuser-Busch employees.
• Lyon Park is 10.92 acres.
• The park was dedicated in 1869, under the condition from the government that they build a monument dedicated to Lyon. The monument was eventually dedicated in 1874.
• There is also a monument with Gen. Lyon on horseback at the northwest corner of the park.

The United States Arsenal, while historic, is still being used as a U.S. Air Force facility. It is used for mapping purposes. Unfortunately, it is restricted. Some of the buildings that were used during the Civil War still exist. 

Top of the cake

Right side of the cake

Back side of the cake

Left side of the cake

Wikipedia link
Official website from St. Louis' Parks website

3100 South Broadway, ST. LOUIS, MO, 63118
Cake artist: Rich Brooks

The cake was sold on 1/1/2015 for $480. It is however, still in public view, and as of 8/24/2016, it is located at Crown Square, temporarily. 

#137: Shrine of St. Joseph

Seriously, behind bars? The photo makes it look like the cake is in jail. But...at least I was able to get a frontal shot of it. And after climbing over the ledge many times, I was able to get Ozzie on top of it. I guess I'll have to respect the church's decision to put it there. Of all places, I haven't heard that many fellow cake-hunters complain about the cake's position. 

Frontal part of the building

And now, the facts:

• Part of the city's Columbus Square neighborhood, which is right at downtown.
• Built in 1843, this shrine was recently refurbished in recent years.
• Founded by the Jesuits to help serve the German-Americans that migrated to the Columbus Square area. It was blessed in 1844. 
• The church has survived near-demolition, most recently in 1979, as the place was decaying.
• Masses are held there, as well as tours (see website for details)
• Seats more than 600 people.

 

Right side of the cake

Right and back side of the cake

Wikipedia link
Official website

1220 South 11th Street, ST. LOUIS, MO, 63106
Cake artist: Moira Smith

The cake was sold on 1/1/2015 for $805 in the biddingforgood auction. 

#136: Le Grange de Terre (Big Mound) Memorial

What can I say here....another cake with a great view!

There's a part of me that thinks of this as a side advertisement for the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge. But as we know, that wasn't the case. Le Grange de Terre, or Big Mound Memorial, just happened to be located right where the bridge and I-70 sits now. Luckily though, they moved it and it just looks great that way. But still...

• Le Grange de Terre is French for 'Earth Barn'
• It was also called 'Le Butte de Terre', or French for 'The Mound of Earth'
• The mound was a popular historic site in old St. Louis until 1869, when it was completely cut down. 
• The mound stood approx. 30 feet high, extended about 150 feet, and had extended to 13-15 feet wide.
• The dirt and brick from the mound was used for paving the St. Louis city streets.
• The only surviving mound in St. Louis is Sugarloaf Mound, which is located south of downtown.

Also, a bit of confusion exists as two different cakes have been placed here at different times. The first, which was the Ameristar cake was later moved to its proper location and it was replaced with a cake that was originally placed at the Audubon Center near West Alton. They had requested it to be moved, for various reasons. See the cake artist details below

Great view, eh?

Hey wait, what does it say on the rock?

"THIS BOULDER STANDS NEAR THE SITE OF THE GREAT INDIAN MOUND, LEVELED ABOUT 1870, WHICH GAVE THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS THE NAME "MOUND CITY"
-Placed by the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Missouri-1929"

1700 North Broadway, ST. LOUIS, MO, 63102
Cake artist: Erik Thompson

The cake was sold on 1/1/2015 for $505 in the biddingforgood auction.