Friday, February 1, 2008

February Theme Day: When People Think Of St. Louis, They Think Of...

What comes to mind when someone mentions St. Louis? The Arch, of course, the baseball Cardinals for Americans, and all around the world, Budweiser. Those zillion beer ads you've seen on TV end with a deep voice saying in such a friendly way, "Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, Missouri." Once, when I was in Argentina, someone identified me as an American (pretty damn easy) and asked me where I was from. "Soy de San Luis, en el centro del pais, al Rio Mississipi," I said in my halting Spanish. That didn't help much. Then I tried, “Es la ciudad de Budweiser, la officina principal de Anheuser-Busch.” “O, si,” he replied. “Yo entiendio. Me gusta Budweiser mucho.”

It’s St. Louis’ international vocabulary.

OH, BY THE WAY, perhaps to mark theme day with my St. Louis icons, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's web site has a little feature about my blog today. It gives a plug to CDPB and our friends' blogs in Buenos Aires and Singapore.

The movie Meet Me In St. Louis didn't enter my mind when I created this post. It's not prominent in our local consciousness. Since several of you mentioned it, here's a clip of Judy Garland singing the famous song in the movie:




Check these CDPB blogs, which are revealing the face they show to the world today:

Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Terrell (TX), USA - Terrell (TX), USA

TOMORROW: What could I possibly do to top today's response? How about this theme: You'd look pissed off, too, if you had to spend your day walking across ice covered with bird poop.

33 comments:

edwin s said...

wasssssuuuppppp?

thanks to the photos you sent me last year, I only can think of the Arch. don't ever think of Bud. I'm partial to a good German Hefeweisen :)

Sally said...

Well, there you are! I never knew Budweiser was from St Louis.

And not knowing very much about baseball outside the Dodgers, Mets, and red Sox, apart from the Arch I always think of "Meet me in St Louis..." and Judy Garland, a film which was no doubt filmed on a sound stage in LA, and nowhere near St Louis.

brian stout said...

Great photo!! that's what i think of when i think of st louis. i spent a lot of time in st louis growing up (webster groves mostly)...i think of the clydesdales too...

brian stout said...

i have to add one more thing - my brother visited me years ago from poplar bluff missouri. we went to a bar in downtown dallas, and he tried to order a Busch Beer... the barternder acted like he had never heard of it. But if you go into nearly any pub in st louis you can get it on draught.

CaBaCuRl said...

My only St Louis experience is the movie "Meet Me In St Louis" which I watched over Christmas! ( Sad, hey!)Have dropped in to your blog via Sally...glad i came.

R&R said...

I was sure you were going to go off-mainstream, like the west end or something. But you captured the theme well. Particularly timely with Super Bowl approaching and everyone waiting for the Bud Light ads.

Unknown said...

Nice combination of iconic images...

Port Angeles Daily Photo

Olivier said...

beau montage pour présenter ta ville. moi j'en garde surtout la grande arche. Bon Weekend et que les Giants gagnent

Beautiful collage to present your city. I keep myself especially the great arch. Good Weekend and the Giants win

Nathalie H.D. said...

Obviously your Budweiser ads haven't reached Europe. I thought Budweiser was a German beer.

To me St Louis is just associated with the Mississipi river!

Ham said...

Great pic, grat ads, shame about the beer ;-) (and Nathalie, there is a European Budweiser beer - NOT to be confused)

Sally said...

You are cordially invited to return to Sydney for a reconsideration of the Opera House and its place in people's thoughts!

http://www.sydneynearlydailyphot.blogspot.com/

Cheltenhamdailyphoto said...

I think of my blogfriend Soosha.

Anonymous said...

I think of the arch and of a blog friend as well :) I didn't know Bud was from St Louis either - but then I'm not a lager drinker (I avoid the European Bud as well!).

Bob Crowe said...

Thank you all! I posted this before I went to bed last night and was shocked by the number of comments by this morning. I never thought of the song Meet Me In St. Louis." I'll try to find an mp3 of it and add it later this morning.

By the way, I think Budweiser and most American mass market beer is awful. Fortunately, there has been an explosion of small breweries in this countries.

Halcyon said...

Hee! I love the montage of all things St Louisian. And the story is pretty funny too. Good choice for the theme day!

Daniel Chérouvrier said...

So the Buds come from you.
Happy to know.
There is always an European beer with quite the same name.

Jen said...

I was very interested to see what you picked for St. Louis. You usually go off the mainstream for theme day, but this is good. How can you go wrong with the Arch, Bud and Cards. When we were in China, there was someone from St. Louis in our hotel as they were opening an AB plant in the town we were in. I do believe AB is prob what most think about when they think St. Louis.

Jilly said...

I didn't know Budweiser came from St. Louis but I love the crazy animal ads they do. Nice one.

Felicia said...

I saw your photo collage on the portal and it made me laugh. The Bud in the midst of all is the best.

Southern Heart said...

You captured all of my thoughts, in one great collage! (DH is from Kirkwood, so we enjoy visiting your blog very much).

Susan said...

Well done - you hit the nail on the head with this one! Happy Theme Day!

kuanyin333 said...

I never knew that Budweiser is from St. Louis! Interesting info you posted here. Congrats on your mention in the newspaper and Happy Theme Day!

Chuck Pefley said...

I think of riverboats, Mark Twain and the Mississippi. Yes, the Arch, of course. I try not to think about baseball or Bud. -:) Well executed illustration!

Kim said...

We bow to you, oh most creative one, for this excellent post for our theme day. You are a whiz at Shopping things in and this is perfect! And yes, Meet Me in St. Louis comes to mind for me after the arch but before the Cardinals and Clydesdales, so thanks for the clip! One of my fave old Christmas songs comes from that movie.

Your photos are always inspiring. That reminds me, what lens did you use for the recent pelican shot? Thanks,
-Kim
Seattle Daily Photo

Rob said...

I'll be dogged if i know what a hoochie koochie Judy was singing about. I'll leave that one to those more in the know.

St. Louis is baseball, beerm and the gateway to the west. I suppose you heard the news that our Minnesota Twins traded Santana to the Mets for...get this, prospects! We're all realing about this. I'm seeing red. heck, I might as well jump ship and join the Cards this year.

but I'll leave the Bud to you in favor of my Grain Belt. ;)

Neva said...

totally thought of the ARCH... Budweiser...not so much but now I will.Congrats on the nod about your blog....all I have gotten is residents unhappy about my blogging our small community.....seems they are worried about too much exposure...sigh.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

I wasn't around January 1, and forgot all about Feb 1.

I used to live very close to a Budweiser Factory in Baldwinsville, NY (Radisson). Very distinctive smell.

Cool shot.

Annie said...

Very cool collage.

I didn't watch the clip, I can just sing it from Memory!

Joy said...

That's really cool! I didn't know about Budweiser. But I did know about the arch.

And I'm jealous you've been to Argentina already.

joy
A Pinay In England
The Goddess In You
Norwich Daily Photo

Meg said...

Good one!

Kate said...

I didn't get around much on Theme Day but I still want to visit and send my regards. Great choice!! Me gusto Budweiser tambien!

Denton said...

Very good theme day post. Congratulations on your feature in the newspaper.

Ming the Merciless said...

FYI, St. Louis was featured somewhat prominently in the recently movie, Sex & the City.

One of the characters was Louise from St. Louis who loves Louis Vuitton, and there was a mention of the movie, Meet Me in St. Louis, starring Judy Garland.

The rest of the movie was about (what else) SEX and THE CITY/NYC. :-)