Cake spotting

Over the river.

The Missouri River that is. To St. Charles County, Colin and Andrew's neighborhood.

Colin and Andrew

First stop, the Lewis and Clark Boathouse. As we pulled into the parking lot, Colin called with excitement in his voice, "Hey Grandma, I see the cake and I see your car."

The Stl250 cake is a tribute to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The bottom layer has, as Andrew would call them, "bird eyes." There were areas of blue, for the river and green, for the land. The map had the northern states with the path of the expedition. We followed the path with our finger and when we got towards then end at Washington state, Colin knew it was named after the president.

We did a little exploring around the boathouse. Colin read a rebus story about how people founded the land. Andrew ran down a boat landing to the river, there were lots of bridges to see. Then we walked through the Never Dying Garden.

The next few cakes on our list were not to be found by us today. I don't know if they were hiding inside buildings but it was a nice winter thaw day so finding a place to park wasn't meant to be.

The last cake was at Ft. Zumwalt Park. It's a nice little ride around Lake Whetsel. The cake sits in front of the Darius Heald House where tours are through appointment only. Off to side, stands the stone chimney from Zumwalts Fort, which is now being rebuilt.

The cake has recognizable pictures of these buildings, the lake and playground painted all around it. Strands of Christmas lights are on the top of the cake.

Could this be because every year the park has their Celebration of Lights, where you can drive around the park to view the holiday light display?

Cake artist
Lewis & Clark Boathouse - Ashli England
Ft. Zumwalt Park - Leah Pruitt

Four and five down 245 to go.

Cake-thedral

First church.

Christ Church Cathedral is the oldest Episcopal parish west of the Mississippi River.

It is an example of Gothic architecture, with a belfry tower flanked by gargoyles.

I can hear the bells sound off every weekday at 12:10p.m. They were cast by the same German foundry that did the bells for the German Pavilion at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.  The largest bell weighs 5,732 pounds, making it the biggest in the state of Missouri.

Free tours are available. Inside you can view the church's most impressive feature, behind the altar are intricate carved screens called reredos made of stone from France.

Their STL250 cake is painted with a stained glass design and on top of the layers there are colorful, metallic confetti that are glued down.

Cake artist - Mark Swain

Three down 247 to go.

Reno-CAKE-tion

Stir up the Campbell's

 

The Campbell House Museum has been going through renovation and restoration since Robert Campbell bought it in 1854. Upon his years of living in the house Campbell:

• enlarged the back of the house for a larger kitchen, dining room, and more bedrooms
• combined the two front parlors into one large space
• added a three-story bay window on the east side
• added three extra rooms on the third floor
• enclosed the porch
• created the Morning Room

Campbell also bought the lot to the east of his property and added the carriage house and then a latticed summer house. During the summer months, I've seen them seting up tables, chairs and decorations as if there was going to be a wedding in the garden. If not a wedding some fancy event.

 

Brick wall of the Campbell House Museum

In the late 20th century a set of pictures, taken through­out the house in 1885, was founded. The pictures were then used for the restoration project, bringing the house back into the 19th century that includes original Campbell possessions such as furniture, fixtures, paintings, and objects.

On the outside. all of the facades are of finished and painted brick, except for the one facing west.

 

Is this why their STL250 cake is done with a brick pattern?

Cake artist - Nicholas Nihira

 

Two down 248 to go!

I am not amuse(um)

That's what the Queen says.

I just found out that "A social media application to be unveiled soon will share facts about each location, give cake hunters a chance to share a comment or a picture and allow “check ins” for a sweepstakes featuring great St. Louis prizes." from the stl250 website. I am on their email list so maybe I'll be notified when it will take effect.

Today I thought I would go to some local places that are on the list. The closest location near me is the Ferguson Depot. It's where the Norfolk-Southern freight line can roll past the Whistle Stop as many as 20 times a day. I didn't see any trains go by nor did I see any cake.

Next nearest location, the Chain of Rocks Bridge. That place looked like no one has been there since the last eagle, that was last month. Ugh!

I will say the weather hasn't been the greatest for the roll out of these cakes. And after re-reading the stl250 website I see, "Installation of all of the Cakes is underway - visit back often for an update on which cakes have been installed and are ready for a visit!" In the past 2 days I have visited their website very often and I think they sneak information on there after I leave it.

After feeling a bit disappointed, we decided to go down to the Missouri History Museum. They were having a 3 day birthday celebration with activities for the whole family. The exhibit, which runs through next year, is 250/250; 50 People, 50 Places, 50 Images, 50 Moments, and 50 Objects was free.

As we circled the museum looking for a parking space, we saw no cake. We asked several staff/volunteers where the cake was, only to be directed to a table with cake, cupcakes to decorate. No one knew anything about the cake. We walked through the exhibit, grabbed a free soda and decided to leave, again unfulfilling a goal for the third time of the day.



Rich in front of the Weiner Mobile

When we exited the building, our eyes widen, our hearts were filled with excitement as we saw the Oscar Mayer Weiner Mobile! No more cake thoughts in our head, just the weiner mobile. We took pictures, got some souvenirs that included postcards and the hot dog whistle.

We headed back to the car, trudging through the ice covered sidewalk, thinking the day wasn't a total loss, we saw the Weiner Mobile. We circled the museum one last time, and then...there it was just being delivered, the CAKE.

Rich pulled up in front of the cake. I jumped out of the car to take pictures. As I was taking pictures lots of families were passing by. No one turning a head to look at the cake. I was standing there yelling inside my head, PEOPLE HERE IS THE CAKE, LOOK AT THE CAKE.

At least the day wasn't a total lost.

Cake artist - Thomas Sleet

One down 249 to go.

Bicenquinquagenary

Happy Birthday!!

It’s not my birthday, It’s St. Louis, MO bicenquinquagenary birthday.

Bicenquinquagenary what year is that?

Well "bicen" means 200 years and quinquagenary is 50 years. So that makes St. Louis 250 years old.

Lots of activities and events are planned though out the whole year. I am focusing on one that should take me until the end of the year. The STL250 organization came up with this cool idea to have 250 4ft. tall, fiber glass birthday cakes displayed in and around the city. I’m on a search for all 250. I won’t find them all in one day, I may not search for weeks at a time but I will find them all.

As a matter of fact, I found one already. It’s located at 1301 Olive St. in front of the St. Louis Public Library. A place I just happen to work at.

The skies were charcoal grey, it was a dreary downtown day. The little children braved the cold as they gathered round to sing the Happy Birthday song. They wore birthday hats and play instruments. I am sure they were confused as to who’s birthday it was and had their sights set on having a piece of the BIG, GIGANIC cake. But when the song was over they were hurried back inside and were given a mini cupcake. ~Yum yum!

After the crowd dispersed I was circling the cake to find the QR code. I thought each cake was supposed to have one. When you scanned the QR code it’s supposed to give you information about the place it sits in front of and give you a clue to find the next one.

And since I couldn't find the QR code, do you think the Library may have gotten the wrong cake? After all it says "Shakespear Festival 'N Forest Park".