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    ‘Don’t Get Shot!’ A One-Night Trip To St. Louis

    by Dewan Gibson May 19, 2019
    written by Dewan Gibson
    Giant blue eye sculpture in Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis

    I touched the “freeways off” icon on Waze and took the street route from Cathy’s Kitchen in Ferguson, Missouri to Downtown St. Louis. I passed Leroy’s Barbershop. Its large lot was filled with cars that contrasted the abandoned spaces nearby.  

    I continued the six-mile cruise down Natural Bridge Avenue. Even the street litter looked old and faded. A sickly man scarfed down Chinese food outside a takeout. A 20-something white man, shirtless, carried a tree branch while eating its leaves. There was a youngish black woman crossing the street with two kids. She looked stressed to the point of disinterest. Her boy, about 12, wore imitation Vans that had seen better days with their previous owner. I felt for him. When I was his age kids would flip my shirt collar to see the brand. “Oh, you wearin’ Hilfiger?” they’d ask with a laugh, knowing full well it was whatever my mom had picked from the JCPenney catalog. 

    The family made the way across the street and toward a row of crumbled-in-half homes. Maybe there was a new development farther down the street. Probably not. 

    Like America’s other murder capitals–Baltimore, New Orleans, Cleveland, Detroit–St. Louis is segregated and has some poverty-stricken neighborhoods that gain most of the media’s attention. So the cities aren’t exactly high on anyone’s list of vacation destinations. As my coworker, a resident of inner-city St. Louis, told me before I went to explore, “Don’t get shot!” My dad said the same.

    But there’s a lot to do in St. Louis, and a portion of the city has been revitalized. 

    One of my favorite spots was City Museum. It’s an old downtown warehouse that’s been artistically remodeled into a huge climbing playground for adults and kids. If you’re afraid of heights or tight spaces, the venue is not for you. But if you’re like me and enjoy having nervous sweats and bubble guts while climbing high above ground in an outdoor metal tunnel, City Museum is well worth the $17 admission. There was also a 10 story slide (I was too long and kept getting stuck) and a five story slide (much more fast and fun). 

    Outdoor above ground climbing trail at City Museum in St. Louis

    My next stop was Laumeier Sculpture Park. It was a bit out the way but also calm and quiet. There were plenty of sculptures, including a huge eye ball and giant deer. I ran into a real deer while walking through the park’s woods. It gave me the same startled look as a white couple I saw moments before. 

    giant blue eyeball as seen in laumeier sculpture park in st. louis
    Giant deer sculpture at Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis
    Real deer in woods near Laumeier Sculpture Park

    There were plenty of walkable neighborhoods in and around St. Louis. The first I wandered around was The Loop.  It’s supposedly a happenin’ place, but it was early afternoon so the only people around were employees having lunch, a street musician who laughed at me for being unable to find the crosswalk button, and a college girl wearing short-shorts and bright pink construction boots. Crazy story: She said hi. Wild. Anyway, I spent much of my time eating a bowl of poke and looking for interesting album covers in Vintage Vinyl.

    Album cover hanging on wall at Vintage Vinyl store in St. Louis

    The next walkable neighborhood I checked out was Central West End. It’s a monied area with local shops and high-end bars adjacent to columned homes protected by gated streets. I walked the streets for about an hour and people watched. I knew if I stopped for a drink it would turn into three. And I was not trying to drive buzzed and end up in St. Louis City Justice Center. Man, have you ever seen Locked Up In St. Louis on the Nat Geo channel?

    Gated streets  protecting columned homes in Central West End St. Louis

    My one-night trip to St. Louis ended with a walk down Cherokee Street. It’s a Latino area that’s being colonized. I only spent a short time there, but I reckon its claim to fame is having two taco/ice cream restaurants on the same street. There was also some street art and quite a few characters hanging out.

    Restaurant on Cherokee Street in St. Louis that sells tacos and ice cream
    ATM with street art on it, Cherokee Street St. Louis

    My hotel was right near the Gateway Arch. I snapped some pictures before bed using the Night Sight feature on my Pixel 2. The next day I returned home without being a victim of gun violence. The same cannot be said for the 19 people who were shot the weekend before I arrived.

    -Dewan Gibson

    May 19, 2019
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  • Taking A Parenting Break With A Short Solo Trip To San Diego

    by Dewan Gibson April 24, 2019
    by Dewan Gibson April 24, 2019

    I love my family. I also like them most of the time. We travel often and laugh a lot and live a comfortable life. But we’re not immune to stressors.…

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  • What To Do When Your Kids Are In A Viral Video (Hint: Make That Money!)

    by Dewan Gibson March 14, 2019
    by Dewan Gibson March 14, 2019

    If you’re one of the few lucky people who follow this blog, you may remember when I wrote of my disgust with Christmas: “Kids should be told that Santa’s fake, and…

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  • Insomnia, Anxiety, And/Or Recently Bust Your Ass While Snow Surfing? CBD Oil May Help

    by Dewan Gibson February 10, 2019
    by Dewan Gibson February 10, 2019

    I’ve had a few recent medical issues: 1) I bruised my tailbone while snow surfing, which is a sport I made up. You stand while sledding with your kids and…

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  • A Road Trip To D.C. With Two Words In Mind: “Free” and “Kid-Friendly”

    by Dewan Gibson February 5, 2019
    by Dewan Gibson February 5, 2019

    Recent weather has Ohio feeling like Iceland, though without the stunning scenery and far fewer kind, curious white folks. I’ve been looking for a temporary escape. Florida sounded nice. But…

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  • A Few Life Changes After (Almost) Quitting Alcohol

    by Dewan Gibson January 24, 2019
    by Dewan Gibson January 24, 2019

    I didn’t start drinking until I was 21. Unfortunately I made up for lost time in the 18 years that followed. Until recently, I drank every night. Usually a couple-few…

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  • Buying Another Car From Hertz Car Sales

    by Dewan Gibson January 8, 2019
    by Dewan Gibson January 8, 2019

    Update, June 2020 I bought another automobile from Hertz Car Sales, this time a jazz blue 2019 Chrysler Pacifica minivan/bus for the kids to ruin in comfort. Due to media…

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  • It’s Worth Going To Art Basel, Even If You ‘Ain’t Go No Money For No Million Dollar Painting’

    by Dewan Gibson December 10, 2018
    by Dewan Gibson December 10, 2018

    Art Basel Miami first came to my attention when Diddy went down there to hit on barely legals and purchase a painting for $20 million. Coincidentally, this was around the…

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  • The Long-Term Effects Of Being A Stay-At-Home Dad

    by Dewan Gibson December 6, 2018
    by Dewan Gibson December 6, 2018

    My wife and I accidentally created three good looking human beings. To atone for bringing them into this harsh world, which appears to be on the downside of its 4.5…

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  • Some Of The Things To See At The World’s Largest Children’s Museum (In Indianapolis Of All Places)

    by Dewan Gibson November 25, 2018
    by Dewan Gibson November 25, 2018

    At close to 500,000 square feet, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is the world’s largest of its kind. It may also be the most expensive. The cost of admission varies…

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  • Exploring New Orleans A Bit Off-The-Beaten (Bourbon Street) Path

    by Dewan Gibson November 6, 2018
    by Dewan Gibson November 6, 2018

    I visited New Orleans for the first time five years ago and immediately knew Bourbon Street was not for me. Perhaps watching hours of Girls Gone Wild infomercials had ruined…

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Rappers pass 40 and start giving great financial advice: "Seen you rappers apply for the stimulus, living a lie but… https://t.co/hg7HNqux7Q

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