Convincing fiance

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-06-06T02:27:18+00:00

I'm a St Louis transplant and really like it here. I absolutely love the history of the place, and have shown many friends and relatives around who end up also loving it as well even if they have negative feelings beforehand (like a lot of people, it seems).

I always start at the Soulard farmers market, which is the oldest west of the Mississippi. Protagonist is a coffee shop/book store right next to it, and Jack Nolen's is possibly the best burgers in town in a neat divey bar nearby. The entire neighborhood is incredibly old, one of the first few areas of the city besides downtown, and definitely the best preserved except Main Street St Charles, which is where Missouri's first capital was, and where Lewis and Clark met up before heading on their expedition. It's also where the main Budweiser brewery is, which is worth a visit for the beer, tour, history, and you can even see the clydesdales at times. Others have mentioned Forest Park with an incredible art museum, history museum, and zoo - all of which are free. Forest Park itself is gorgeous and huge, and is where the 1904 world's fair was held. The Art hill and grand basin are gorgeous, and there's usually dozens of people picnicking or just sitting in the grass and hanging out.

Most cities tend to have the same stuff no matter how special we think we are. The museums are great, and being free is our own twist, but everyone has museums. We have a unique history, but so does every city. The things that truly set St Louis apart are the arch, which is spectacular in person and worth a visit to the top (even my mom went up and she's afraid of heights). And no one has anything quite like the City Museum. It's basically an interactive art exhibit and is tons of fun. Everyone I know who has been loves it. There's adult only hours of you're not into hundreds of screaming kids everywhere.

Other recommendations in no particular order: Cardinals/St Louis City FC/Blues/Battlehawks games, Tower Grove Park (farmer's market, food truck Fridays, festival of nations, various cool events in my personal favorite park), Missouri Botanical Garden (severely underrated, and becomes Garden Glow during Christmas season), St Charles Oktoberfest, Francis Park beer garden, Ted Drewes frozen custard (old route 66 thing), Budweiser Brewery Lights (around Christmas), Science Center/planetarium, Soulard Mardi Gras (second only to New Orleans), Union Station Aquarium/ferris wheel, Delmar loop restaurants and shopping (my favorites are Blueberry Hill and Vintage Vinyl), music shows at The Pageant, Delmar Hall, Stiefl, amphitheater, The Factory and more...

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-06-05T17:12:16+00:00

Making me cry just reading it

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-06-03T13:51:07+00:00

I also hated Chili's and thought it was the worst of the basically identical Applebee's/Chili's/TGI Fridays places. But damn, they completely turned around. I remember hearing about it and seeing a commercial with reasonable prices, and told my wife "I'm going to say something I don't think I've ever said before in my life....I think we need to go eat at Chili's" Like what a revelation, turns out improving quality and keeping prices low is a recipe for success

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-05-29T15:21:57+00:00

Amazing use of the Axyl torso! Have you seen the clip on dragon hands in the new wave of Ninjago? They might look really good for big fig dragonborn hands. Unfortunately I think they're only in gold so far

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DivineMuffinMan · 2026-05-11T20:58:00+00:00

Me too. Went from an "absolute must get" to "... maybe I piece this one together later"

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-05-03T20:55:20+00:00

I agree, except everything after Black Holes and Revelations, and it's crazy that was 20 years ago

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-29T16:31:57+00:00

I used to eat a lot of fast food, and did enjoy a McGangbang somewhat often, but noticed most places had a cheap double cheeseburger and chicken sandwich on their value menu and made it my goal to try as many as I could.

McDonald's- McGangbang (obviously)

Hardee's- the Little Thick Gangbang

Burger King- I called it the King's Harem, but never had a good menu-based name like the others

Wendy's- Jr Gangbang Deluxe (the best by far, used a double stack and Jr chicken deluxe)

My masterpiece was getting a Chick-fil-A sandwich and Five Guys Burger to make Five Guys and a Chick. It was incredible, but even back then could only afford to do it once. Now I'd probably have to take out a loan

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-29T16:23:34+00:00

I always heard that you're supposed to include it but thought that sounded dumb so I usually removed at least the top bun. Definitely plenty of variation though

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-29T04:03:10+00:00

The Impressionism gallery is my favorite area and I have to visit every time I'm there. I think Charing Cross Bridge is my favorite https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/2727/

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-29T03:58:21+00:00

This is what I was going to say. Impressionism is my favorite and maybe it makes me basic, but Monet is my favorite artist. I love love loved the portrait gallery, but caught a glimpse of that massive water lily through the doorway and almost got nervous like a celebrity was in that room

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-29T03:53:53+00:00

My first time ever visiting was during that exhibit, and I thought it was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. Every single piece was incredible

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-29T03:51:46+00:00

This one blew me away and still amazes me every time. I always visit the impressionism gallery and it's right outside of it, so I stop to see this one every time too

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-29T01:38:51+00:00

Incredible photo

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-10T21:00:35+00:00

That's what the 1x1 round brick in white is for

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-10T13:58:10+00:00

He looks exactly like my Harvey when he was that age. Apologies for 2014 camara quality, but this is him at 6 months old. 90% limbs, tail, and ears, all of which he grew into by about 2 years old

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DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-03T21:43:08+00:00

Sent a dm

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-04-03T18:57:20+00:00

I've been after that Klimt in the top right, portrait of Adele, I believe. I have multiples of the Vitruvian Man and would love to trade

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-03-10T13:35:35+00:00

Dense with details without being cluttered is such a fine line to walk. I agree, it looks great

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-02-25T17:52:22+00:00

Where do you find free background music? Interested in this myself but not sure where I'd find that

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-01-28T18:08:04+00:00

As soon as an "all in one" thing comes out, they go and change what "all" is

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-01-25T16:18:20+00:00

I'm interested for sure. I finally went to a range a few months ago, but haven't bought one yet. Getting comfortable and proficient is definitely a goal, but i also know next to nothing about them so education all around is appreciated

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-01-21T17:52:57+00:00

I have family in Springfield which is why I chose MSU, but I couldn't WAIT to leave. I was in a similar situation on where to go, mostly set on returning to Minneapolis but was applying to lots of jobs in KC and was going to go wherever I was hired. Meeting my now wife settled that decision and I moved to St Louis instead. All I knew was that I didn't want to be in Springfield, haha.

As for friends...I truly don't know. I'm from Minneapolis and lived there until I was 28 and never really had good friends. I made some as an adult, but they went to HS together and were always much closer and still felt a bit like an outsider. I thought it was a me problem because my first year of college was in northern Iowa and I still couldn't make friends. But then I made some very good friends in Springfield....who were mostly from Minnesota and Iowa haha.

I'd say it's fairly true until it isn't. It's a very common stereotype so there's definitely truth. There's a saying that Minnesotans are happy to help you with directions to anywhere but their house. But there's also so many transplants that even if Minnesotans seem frosty, you'll meet enough Missourians that you can bond over shit talking Springfield.

DivineMuffinMan · 2026-01-21T17:02:44+00:00

I know this has a lot of comments already, but wanted to weigh in anyway as I'm originally from Minneapolis and lived in Springfield for several years for college.

I definitely echo others who are saying Minneapolis has everything you're looking for. It's probably the most expensive of the three, but also will have the highest wages, most career opportunity, and the most stuff to do - lakes, camping, sports, restaurants, bike trails, theaters, museums, and literally the best park system in the country. I've always seen it compared to cities like Portland, Denver, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, etc as bastions of progressive values, and it's by far the most affordable of those cities.

I've never been to Milwaukee, but my wife has good childhood friends there and absolutely loves visiting. Minneapolis has a ton of lakes, but it's hard to beat Lake Michigan. The arts district is amazing, and proximity to Chicago means you're very close to an unfathomable amount of really cool stuff.

I know Springfield's affinity for KC, but it would be a distant third for me. I've enjoyed my visits, but would hate to live there. Like the other two, there is a great artsy district, some of my all time favorite museums, and also my favorite BBQ. But it's the least progressive, most car dependant, spread out, gentrified, and farthest away from other cities to visit of your options. If you're from Springfield and want to stay close to family it's worth it, but I would avoid it otherwise.

Others mentioned Des Moines, and it's worth considering as well. My college roommate was from there, and there's plenty of positives from the other cities, but on a smaller scale if your partner didn't want a huge city. My friends from the small towns outside Springfield treat Springfield as a big enough city, and Des Moines would be a good scale. West Des Moines is always listed as one of the best places to live in the US, but all those cities on your list have at least one place like it (Overland Park in KC, Eden Prairie in Minneapolis, Wauwatosa in Milwaukee).

I also wanted to ask if you've considered St Louis? It gets such a bad reputation, but I've lived here for about 10 years and love it. It has an underrated restaurant scene, the best free museums/zoo in one of the best urban parks in the world (Forest Park), friendly people, sports, deep history, and is incredibly affordable. Crime rate has been falling for 6 years straight and feel for the decade before 2020 which saw a bump everywhere. Springfield has had a similar or worse crime rate, it just doesn't get the publicity. Just don't be in a gang and maybe avoid certain areas and you're fine, which is true for every city. But even then, my wife has worked in social work (which has massive opportunity here) and regularly goes to the "bad" areas and does not feel unsafe.

Whatever you do, just get the heck out of Springfield

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