Soulard

The Space Between

This space between buildings in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis is interesting to me both because of the ivy covering the building on the left and the way the building on the right juts out on the lower level.

Oktoberfest 2025

Time to look back at all of the Oktoberfests we attended this year! I had a great time wearing my favorite Rare Dirndls various places and celebrating my heritage!

First Chickadee and I went to Grant’s Farm in mid-September. This was a first (or at least the first time in a long time) for us. We were there pretty early, so we didn’t get to see the entertainment, but we did share a pretzel and it was top-tier…super buttery and one of the best we had!

Next was Belleville Oktoberfest, which is always something of a disappointment to me…the pretzels weren’t even very good! But it was an excuse to wear a dirndl and walk down Main Street.

Third was my favorite local Oktoberfest in St. Charles, MO. The music and dancing were amazing and the pretzels were delicious! Plus, it seems like the most authentic one in our area (says the woman who has never been to Munich…).

We always celebrate Oktoberfest at home. I made our standard German feast of schnitzel and spaetzle and red cabbage, with Black Forest cherry torte for dessert (not to mention fondue with pretzels, pickles, and brats for lunch), and not to brag, but the pretzels at our establishment are pretty good, too!

For the second year, we went to Soulard’s Oktoberfest, and I have to say, I really love this (relatively) small event! The pretzels were only so-so, but the cheese sauce was excellent, and the brass band was one of our favorites!

I was worried we weren’t going to make it to Zootoberfest at the St. Louis Zoo, but we managed to get there on the final day. As always, the pretzels are the best in the region (and the beer cheese they serve with them is outstanding), and I got to hear a polka band, complete with accordion!

This was a really fun season of festing…I’ll leave you with Brasshaufen Brass Band (a group we enjoyed both in St. Charles and Soulard) doing one of my favorite Oktoberfest numbers. Prost!

Oktoberfest 2024

It’s time for a look back at all of the Oktoberfest fun we’ve enjoyed over the last month or so!

We started close to home toward the end of September, with Belleville Oktoberfest, which begins even before the big celebration in Munich. It’s not my favorite Oktoberfest, but it’s easy to attend, and I love any reason to wear a dirndl!

Next up was my favorite area Oktoberfest, in St. Charles, MO. This year’s event was interesting because it was super muddy, but still a lot of fun, with music, dancing, food, and shopping.

We went back to Zootoberfest at the St. Louis Zoo…they still have the best pretzels!

New to us this year was Soulard’s Oktoberfest in St. Louis. There was more good music with the added bonus of a stroll through the Soulard Market.

And finally, our family Oktoberfest, once all of the other area celebrations had wrapped up. We started with an Oktoberfest Eve meal of brats and sauerkraut, plus German tater tots inspired by the ones we tried in Soulard, and apple strudel made by Ladybug for dessert.

Of course I had to put together one more look featuring Rare Dirndl, and it was also a bit of a Disney Bound, as a nod to the Disney Princess with my favorite fashion sense, Rapunzel!

We made pretzels, and instead of fondue, I made Obatzda, a German cheese spread that’s great on the pretzels.

For dinner we had all of my German favorites…Schweineschnitzel, spaetzle, and rotkohl….all homemade, too!

Every good holiday deserves a special drink…I made an apple pie mocktail with apple cider, caramel syrup, cinnamon, and ginger beer. It tasted like fall in a glass, and I even learned how to make an apple fan for a garnish!

And for dessert, one of our family’s all-time favorites–Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte!

I’m kind of sad that Oktoberfest season is over already…it’s become something I really look forward to every year!

Chickadee Thursday

Today we had our first indoor field trip since before the beginning of the pandemic! We toured pretty much the only place I feel comfortable being inside with the yet-to-be-vaccinated Chickadee, a place we already go every week…our church!

Lucky for me, our church is a historic location, and in the lead-up to Reformation Day, I thought it would be fun to look at local church history, so it was the perfect place to start. Chickadee had a great time, and we all learned a lot!

Sartorial Saturday–French Market

I can’t remember the last time I was as excited about a print as I am about the French Market Bella skirt designed by Hope Morrison for Pinup Girl Clothing! It has carrots, garlic, and fish on it!

Actually, this is about more than just the skirt, because I really wanted to recreate the whole look that Pinup Girl Clothing featured. So while I had a typical stack of Splendette duchess bangles and an Erstilder brooch, the necklace is also from PUG…it’s absolutely gorgeous!

I also paired it with a navy hat and belt from Pinup Girl:

I love a hat!

Here’s a few bonus pictures taken outside of the Soulard Market in St. Louis…it’s (possibly) the oldest market west of the Mississippi River, and located in a historically French neighborhood…it’s the perfect setting for the skirt, don’t you think?

My one disappointment with this outfit is that I couldn’t get the Chérie ribbon peasant top to work for me. I ordered it at the same time as the skirt, and while it was my usual PUG size, I couldn’t even get it on, and by the time my order arrived, it had sold out in the next size up, so I couldn’t try a replacement. My original vision for the look might not have come together, but I do think this Unique Vintage Frenchie top is a good stand-in, and I still love the overall look!