Friday = Gluttony

The Panino Fresco minus olive salad at Blue's City Deli

I worked out today.  I will start with that.  I am starting with that, because the rest of my day hasn't been, nor will be quite as healthy.  It is 9000 degrees still in St. Louis.  It is so hot you immediately sweat when walking outside.  I don't really mind this, but it doesn't allow me to spend as much time outdoors as I like.

Regardless, I started the morning with a work out.  I then proceeded to start my working day, which consists of creating and disseminating any number of mindless excel spreadsheets.  Around 10:30 AM, I started to feel like I was starving.  As such, I started to think about what fabulous food creation or deli/restaurant I could partake of for lunch.  I set my sights on Blue's City Deli (http://www.bluescitydeli.com/).

I love Blue's City, not just because I can walk there in about 2 mins from my house, but because they have FABULOUS fresh sandwiches, it is pretty inexpensive (think under $6 for most sandwiches) and the owner, Vinny, couldn't be a nicer guy.  The sandwich I was craving is called the Panino Fresco which they describe as:
"Fresh Mozzarella, Provolone, our Homemade Olive Salad.(may contain small olive pits)
Dressed with Tomato, Onion and Italian Vinegar Oil, on a toasted muffelata"
I get my sans the olive salad, because, despite my love for olives, I find it to be a bit much.  The photo above  is the sandwich.  Note the MOUND of mozzarella.  I usually find my self tearing out about 3/4s of the mozzarella on the sandwich to get my perfect provolone to tomato to mozzarella ratio.  Pair that with an iced tea and some Zapp's Voodoo potato chips and it was a mighty nice lunch. 

After lunch I resume the work day.  I am excited for the workday to end because I am going with some friends to one of my favorite haunts, Fast Eddie's (http://www.fasteddiesbonair.com/fr_home.cfm)  I don't go here very often, because Alton, IL is kind of a trek from St. Louis, however; I look forward to every trip I take there.  Fast Eddie's is a low key, often crowded place with a lively atmosphere (think your favorite local bar with live music on a MUCH larger scale).  The thing I love most about it, is of course, THE FOOD.
First, they have all you can eat popcorn.  I know this is a ploy to get patrons to drink more beer.  I am fine with this.
Second, they have AMAZING peel and eat shrimp with a spicy (horseradish) and fresh cocktail sauce.  Third, they have meat on a stick.  Enough said. 


We left later than planned due to a 'work crisis' which means a last minute spreadsheet needs to be created or the world will end.  We arrived there around 6:30 PM.  It was of course crazy busy, but we were lucky to immediately find a four top.  We proceeded to gorge ourselves on popcorn.  Our friends have never been there as they are new to the LOU, so we promptly bought some shrimp.  I was pleased to see that they enjoyed the shrimp as much as I do, which of course validates my position as goddess of food.  We then ate pork kabobs, the Big Elwood (steak and green peppers), chicken wings and fries.  Just a light healthy meal.  It was seriously yummy.  I now have my Fast Eddie's fix for the next few months.  We then decided to do a nightcap at the Grizzly Bear  (www.greatgrizzlybearsoulard.com.  The GB is a great place.  It looks like a hole from the outside, and kind of also once you are inside, but they have an amazing patio outback where they show Cards games from a projector onto a big screen.  Plus the outside is secluded and pretty quiet.  You almost don't feel like you are in the city.  It was hotter than Hades outside, we hung out inside.

After a couple beers, I felt like punishing the group by taking them to sing karaoke.  Our karaoke locale of choice is The Filling Station in Benton Park (1924 Pestalozzi Street  St. Louis, MO 63118)   It is for two main reasons, one, the people watching is AMAZING and two, we can walk home.  The only downside to the place is you can still smoke inside.  That wouldn't be so bad, except the majority of the people there do smoke and smoke A LOT.  Regardless, we endure.  After embarrassing myself considerably, we left and Iwent home for the evening.  It was a fabulous evening.