Keeping up with the Kiddos: STL 250 Cake Quest

There are several cakes scattered around West County. It took us a few trips to see them all.

DAY 1

Our destination for our first trip was the Museum of Transportation. On the way, we stopped by the Manchester City Hall to see their cake too.

Manchester City Hall is located in the Lyceum Building constructed in 1894. Throughout the years, this building has been used as a tin shop, a grocery, an ice cream and soda parlor, a hardware store, an upholstery shop, a post office, a stable and a theater. In 1979, the Lyceum was purchased by the City of Manchester for use as its City Hall.

We didn't make it in time to visit the Creation Station at the Museum of Transportation. But there was still plenty to do.

To find the cake, you need to take the tram up the hill. There are two buildings - the first is the Automobile Center. I don't know what the second building is called but it's on the porch right in front.

The Museum of Transportation houses what has been recognized as one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the world. The Museum was founded in 1944 by a group of citizens who had acquired the mule-drawn streetcar "Bellefontaine" and opened to the public in 1946.

Here are some upcoming events at the Museum of Transportation that you may be interested in:

Model Train Show
Sunday, August 24 @ 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

The Oldsmobile Fun Show
Sunday, September 28 @ 11:00 am to 3:30 pm

Go By Train! and the Brass and Nickel Car Show
Saturday, September 27 @ 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Trick or Track (ages 10 and under)
Saturday, October 18 @ 11:00 am to 3:00 pm

Check the Creation Station website for holiday activities.

DAY 2

We stopped by the AKC Museum of the Dog in Queeny Park before heading to the playground.

The Museum of The Dog, located in Queeny Park, is the only art museum in the world dedicated to European and American paintings, sculptures, porcelains, drawings and items of dog from the 17th century to today. Among the galleries are those featuring the St. Louis County K-9 units and Hall of Fame, The Dogs of War and Sled Dogs of Alaska.

This was the girls first visit to the playground at Queeny Park.

There weren't many other kids at the park as you can see from my pictures. I'm guessing that the rock surface is a deterrent. I have to admit that the girls were constantly emptying their shoes and everyone was covered in dust/dirt from the rocks by the time we were done playing. But the girls had a great time and took home a big rock collection!

DAY 3

Our destination for Day 3 was Laumeier Sculpture Park. On our way we stopped at The Lodge at Des Peres to see their cake.

The cake was moved to its current location at The Lodge at Des Peres (I'm not sure why) from it's previous location at Des Peres City Hall. The present Des Peres City Hall, built in 1936, was once the Lutheran Orphan Home. Three previous buildings were erected on the same site to accommodate the constantly increasing number of children. The city of Des Peres purchased the building in 1973 and converted it into City Hall.

Indoor pool at The Lodge at Des Peres - I am torturing my kids by only allowing them to look at pools this summer ;)

We drove to the Frank Lloyd Wright House next.

This house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was completed in 1955 for Russell and Ruth Kraus. It is one of five buildings designed by Wright in Missouri. The house sits on 10.5 acres in the Sugar Creek Valley of Kirkwood. It is noted for its architectural integrity and original Wright-designed furnishings.

Finally! We made it to Laumeier Sculpture Park!

It was hard to get the girls to sit still long enough to take this picture. They just wanted to run and play! Here's a better picture of the cake. It's very creatively decorated with objects found in the park!