City Scout: St. Louis

Indie bookstore opens, SLAM reopens, Mardi Gras time.

Bookstore/cafe opens in Benton Park

Spine Indie Bookstore & Cafe opened in the Benton Park neighborhood last month. Author Mark Pannebecker opened the bookstore hoping to bring writers and readers together in St. Louis. The bookstore hosts author readings.

There are plans in the works for discussion groups and podcasting, too. Mark’s book Fraternity of Fractures is set in St. Louis. Additionally, Mark is the founder of the St. Louis Indie Book Fair, which Spine will host this spring.

The bookstore is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Saint Louis Art Museum reopens

The Saint Louis Art Museum reopened February 1 after closing in early January in response to a surge of COVID cases among staff and the spread of the Omicron variant in the community.

The museum has safety measures in place, including requiring all staff and visitors to wear face masks and a COVID vaccine mandate among its team.

Steinberg Ice Rink season is coming to a close

If you haven’t yet made a visit to the Steinberg Ice Rink in Forest Park, you have until the end of February. Steinberg, the Midwest’s largest outdoor skating rink, is open every day, including holidays.

To provide room for social distancing on the ice, Steinberg is operating at a reduced capacity. Skaters should book ahead online, if possible. General admission is $10 and skate rentals are available.

Mardi Gras 2022 kicks off

It’s officially Mardi Gras season in the Soulard neighborhood. Events began in January and are spread out through February, including a cajun cook-off on February 12, a 5K on February 19, and the Purina pet parade on February 20.

The taste of Soulard—a self-guided tasting and bar crawl—will be February 19-20 this year. Pricing and further event details are available here.

SUBSCRIBE TO MISSOURI LIFE MAGAZINE. CLICK HERE.