FAQ

And now the questions....

How long will the cakes be out?

It is said that they will be out until December 31, 2014. But who knows, they may be at those places longer. I'm not sure if there are any written rules about how long they can be out, but for the cake-hunters they have time to explore the places until that certain date.

How long have they been out?

The cakes were put out at various times throughout 2014. Starting in, I believe, February, the cakes have been placed little by little. As I write this, in mid-August 2014, all 250 cakes have been placed, but there are some 'leftovers'....

Why are there cakes in far-away places like Warrenton? Carlyle? Greenville? What do they have to do with St. Louis?

This is a question that was raised several times on the Cakeway to the West Facebook group by many members. From my understanding, the stl250 organization wanted to include all 15 counties in the St. Louis region. Most of the outlying counties (like Warren County, MO and Clinton County, IL) have one cake that represents it. Enjoy the drive.

Why doesn't (a particular location inserted here) have a cake?

From what I've been told, several places were asked to have a cake. Some have rejected one (ex. Fast Eddie's Bon Air). Ted Drewes almost didn't accept theirs because they believed there would be no room for it. Gus' Pretzels reportedly was intended to have one, but didn't.. I've heard two different reasons: 1) they didn't have room and 2) they didn't turn in the forms on time. I'm not sure what to believe, but it is what is I guess. The STL250 organization did their best to make sure all the important places in the St. Louis region were represented. 

Do the cakes show detail about the area they are placed in?

Most of them do. There are some instances where cakes were placed at the wrong location, and some that were put there at last minute. Example: the cake at Gateway Harley-Davidson was originally supposed to go to Fast Eddie's Bon Air. But to also be fair, some of the artists were not told ahead of time where their decorated cake was going, while some were notified in advance. That might be the reason why you'll see a Tower Grove-themed cake at the Eugene Field House. Some of them, including the 'cow cake' at the Bonhomme church, have a general stl250/St. Louis theme. I'm still questioning the one at the Ketchup Bottle!

What were the rules for the artists doing the cakes?

I dunno...but, according to someone in the FB group the artists had to follow a lot of parameters - including these few: they had to spend at least 20 hours per cake; they were not allowed to cut the cake (unfollowed by one); do not attach anything to make it 3-D (unfollowed by some); and to not make them site-specific unless the location has specifically have "signed" the contract (there were several that changed from the original list of 250 and there was at least one that was site specific and had to be repainted).
  
So what's the deal with the Busch Stadium cake? Why isn't it there anymore?

In late August 2014, the Busch Stadium cake was mysteriously removed with no explanation to its patrons and cake-hunters. Turns out it was an unfortunate misunderstanding between two parties: Busch Stadium and the cake's artist, Katherine Nelson. It is also unfortunate that the cake will no longer be on display outside the stadium, as some cake-hunters were never able to get it before it was taken away. The stl250 organization does appreciate Busch Stadium for taking part in this celebration with a cake.

Have there ever been any vandalism issues on the cakes?

Yes, unfortunately. As in vandalism, I'm talking about graffiti and damaging parts of the cake. The most notable one is the cake that was at the Original Imo's location. Apparently someone had taken the candle off and spray-painted the top of the cake. (It was removed for repairs as of October 2014) I've also seen graffiti on the Blueberry Hill and Centennial Greenway/KATY Trail cakes. Some people have no respect.
 
Is it possible to get 250 cakes in one day?

In my humble opinion....no. Do the math - in a 24-hour period of time, one would have to average 8-10 minutes per cake. Sure, there are some that are very close to each other (think the Delmar Loop cakes) but then you have those that are very far out there (Meramec Caverns, Hardin, Carlyle...). It certainly hasn't been tried yet. I never say never, and I don't doubt anyone. There was a cake-hunter who was able to get all of the Illinois cakes in one day (name unknown at the moment). My advice is: take your time and enjoy the journey.

What will happen to the cakes once this is over?

The places get to keep them. The tour guide at the Scott Joplin House told me they will keep it on display inside the museum and probably showcase it on special occasions, such as Scott's birthday. I've also heard some of the places will sell them, or auction them off. We shall see what happens.

Questions directed toward me...

Why are you doing this?

This is pretty much for fun. I think its a great way to learn more about your city. As said in the statement, there are several places I did not know that even existed. There are also some places I have never visited (that I've always wanted to) and those that I have never been to since I was little. I'm proud of the fact that there are thousands of locals who share my passion of visiting these places, and enjoying the part-art exhibit/history lesson/scavenger hunt. And on top of that, it keeps me busy and entertained, and less boring!

What is your favorite cake?

Tell you the truth, I really don't have a particular one. However, I do have a favorite 'genre' and that's the pop-culture like ones. I always believed St. Louis has so much to offer America and the rest of the world. I also believe St. Louis doesn't get looked at for what it has contributed to popular culture. Take the Sumner High School cake, which lists its famous alumni. But I also really like music, and the St. Louis Arena cake spotlighted the old concerts there really well. Plus, Blueberry Hill, St. Louis Walk of Fame, Chuck-a-Burger, and others.

Who took these pictures?

All of the photos on this blog were taken by me in 2014, unless otherwise noted. I have included some older photos from my collection that were related to the place, which are also noted.

And your sources?

The information I have compiled on each page is from the link(s) I provided on the bottom of the pages, such as their official website, Facebook/Twitter page and Wikipedia. I have also collected brochures from most of the cake locations as well, and some of the information comes from them too. In some cases, I have provided related articles that are recommendable.

How many cakes have you gotten in one day?

In all honesty, I don't know offhand. There were days where I was able to get at least 20-30, while taking long walks and drives around the area. 

Would you think any other city would do something like this?

Apparently, according to FB group posts, the cities of Chicago and Louisville are doing something similar. Louisville has these 'horses' at its most-notable places (the city is mostly famous for its derbies). I can picture Kansas City and Nashville doing it, since they both have a nice fair share of historic and interesting places. I'm not sure if it would work in Los Angeles and New York City.