St. Louis Show/Sale Jan. 31st - Feb 1st

[Sirius]

Is anyone going to this show? Robin?

I am making plans now to attend. I have never been to the Mo. Botanical Gardens, so this is a first for me. I even lived in St. Louis for a year and never went! Crazy, I know.

From the Botanical Gardens website:

Jan. 30
Members’ Event: Orchid Show Preview Evening. An exclusive members-only evening viewing of the 2009 Orchid Show, “Henry’s Garden.” Members can also preview the Greater St. Louis Orchid Society plant show and sale. . 5 to 8 p.m. Ridgway Visitor Center. Free for Garden members. (314) 577-5118.

Jan. 31 through Feb. 1
Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis show and sale. New cultivars and old favorites are shown and sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Beaumont Room, Ridgway Visitor Center. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Included with Garden admission or membership.

 

[streetmorrisart]

MBG? I wouldn't be caught dead there!!

Oh wait, I only go about once a week--the last time it was 7 degrees F! It's a great deal really--you pay for your individual membership and then have a beautiful, "free" place for you and a friend to go for a walk in all year. We looked at a house across the street, but decided to keep renting because we're still essentially nomads. It's only about three miles from here though, so that's nice.

Now that I'm finished babbling, yes, of course I'll be there. I'm 99% certain I'm putting some art in the exhibit area this time too.

You will love it. This is about the time of year we visited the gardens for the first time while job shopping. The Linnaean House is the jewel through February or so because of the camellias...unless, of course, it snows--the Japanese garden will be the star then.

 

[Sirius]

I was thinking about buying a membership so I could get into the preview night. I'd like to come up, stay a night in a hotel and have dinner with any midwest board members who might be interested.

 

[streetmorrisart]

Do you have any old favorite restaurants here?...

We don't go out a ton, but, when we do, it's quite often to O'Connell's--the pub closest to MBG in fact: http://www.saucemagazine.com/oconnells/ It's not good-for-you cuisine, but it tastes very homemade and is reasonably-priced. For fine dining, you probably can't beat Harvest: http://www.harveststlouis.com/ . We've only been there once; it was a recruiting dinner for Jerry with the department paying--really good though. I've always been of the opinion that you go for good but inexpensive or else incredible when you can--the middle of the road stuff is too often disappointing, especially chains. (Maybe it's because we aren't chefs, but like to cook and do it quite well?)

I really wouldn't care too much about members' preview night if it weren't for my love of night-fragrant plants. It's the only chance you get to sniff the angraecoids, brassavolas, rhyncholaelias etc.--plus, said plants are most beautiful in "moonlight".

 

[Heather]

Well, look what the cat dragged back in....nice to see you John.

 

[Sirius]

O'Connells sounds good. I don't distinctly remember any restaurants from St. Louis. I am developing a severe case of CRS (Can't Remember ****) as I get older, and moving as much as we have these last few years, everything is starting to blur together.

Shoot me a p.m. Robin, if you know of any clean hotels in the area.

 

[jblanford]

Hey John!! something to think about, membership to a place like MBG. can get you in all kinds zoos, gardens, and some museums, all over the country. I find membership to one of these a good deal, just like belonging to the AOS. Jim.

 

[streetmorrisart]

I may as well share. I'm a tad bit embarrassed by the trophy--I'd have liked more people in my class to bring it; the "winner" was something I'd have been proud to show anywhere, but still. My big prize from this weekend though is an undescribed Angraecum. It's much smaller and more compact than scottianum, but not filicornu. I asked Erich Michel beforehand what sort of unusual angraecoids he had for me and he absolutely made my day with this one. Also shown is an Aerangis luteo-alba var. rhodosticta (can't believe I didn't already have one), a Neostylis Lou Sneary 'Bluebird', mainly because my husband liked it a lot and it wasn't remotely expensive, Diaphananthe millarii and a previously bloomed, parched and on clearance in the gift shop Paph. wardii of Windy Hill origin that I felt really bad for; it's got another growth on it and I can't imagine it'll be bad.

John, I'm sorry we missed you. Next time. You need to get some use out of that membership--spring at the gardens is glorious and they've got some really fine terrestrials back in the woodland section...and you may even see a fox there.

 

[Heather]

Where're the paintings, sweetie? I want to see your winners!

 

[streetmorrisart]

You've seen them all, Heather! The surreal moment was realizing there were no slipper-inspired pieces...usually they dominate my exhibits, but availability dictated changing it up a bit and what I do have didn't compliment my others at all. All the inspirations were night-fragrant, greens and whites, twilight colors... My other great loves aside from paphs.