What should George Clooney do while he’s in town?

George Clooney
As we brainstormed this idea in the newsroom, my colleague Amanda St. Amand had a quick answer: George Clooney should visit her house! Put aside the fact that Mandy is married. She’d be happy to send him a MapQuest link to her abode.
But with the hunky movie star coming to town to film Up in the Air, we thought it would be fun to recommend stuff Clooney should be sure to do while he’s in the area. Crews were supposed to start setting up yesterday and production could be going on for about five months.
No idea yet how long Clooney will be in the ‘hood. But let’s assume it’ll be for a few months, on-and-off. Besides the Arch and the brewery tour (which I shared with my brother’s family over Christmas), what else would you recommend?
Oh, and one last thing: If you think this is a dumb topic, keep your thoughts to yourself and go over here, where I’m sure you can find a nice discussion about Iraq, or the banking crisis.


Kurt is the director of social media for the Post-Dispatch, where he has worked since August 2002. He's been a journalist since 1982, covering municipal government, courts, education and two hurricanes as a reporter before becoming an editor.
1. Breakfast at First Watch on Lindbergh, then hitch a ride to the History Museum. Spend a few hours taking in the exhibits.
2. Take a walk around Forest Park, stop at the Jewel Box and smell the flowers.
3. Take the Kingshighway bus to Kingshighway and Southwest, walk a few blocks to Shaw’s Garden. Wander around the Garden until lunch.
4. Take a taxi to 14th and St. Louis Avenue. Enjoy a Heart Stoppin’ BLT and Crown’s. Try to drink 5 milkshakes in 20 minutes.
Stagger out of Crown’s and admire the newly restored architecture of the 14th Street shopping district.
5. Walk up to North Florissant and take the Natural Bridge bus to Broadway and Washington. Walk a few blocks to the Arch. Admire the most beautiful structure ever built by human’s. Take a ride to the top.
6. Stroll along the riverfront. Wonder why nothing is going on there.
7. Take a taxi to Union Station and take a Segway Tour.
8. Make friends with a few locals and take them to dinner at Rigazzi’s. (I’ll gladly volunteer to be the local)
9. Walk off dinner, in Tower Grove Park.
10. Hire a limo to the Fox and catch a live show.
11. Take a taxi back to the Ritz and fall asleep in silk sheets.
I think he should leave and send Colin Farrell to take his place.
It would be more fun, and the movie would probably be better, too.
I think George should put on a bluegrass concert at the new downtown casino, and afterwards, rob its vault with high-tech gadgetry, and give some of the cash to the Cardinals so they can go out and hire some much needed pitching. Maybe the Cards be willing to spend someone else’s money since they don’t want to part with theirs.
If George is coming looking like the photo on the index page of Stltoday,(not this page) he better get a shave,or some policewomen will pick him up for vagrancy. No telling what happens then.
I was moderately impressed when I saw him in Oh,Brother,(only movie I’ve ever seen of his) but when I found out he lip-synched for Dan Tyminski, my opinion went down. IMO, he’s only about a 6 on the hunky scale, though he does have attractive eyes.
I have no idea (nor do I really care) what Mr. Clooney likes to do for fun, so it’s hard to make recommendations. Being dragged around to every village landmark doesn’t seem like much fun to me. A nice cruise on the Mississippi, including a water tour of the confluence, would at least get him away from the designing women around here. If he needs some suggestions where to go to relax where no one cares who you are, I have some nearby suggestions for retreats. Movie making is grueling work; most people don’t want to leave the set to look for more excitement.
If he’s here in late February he should check out Soulard Mardi Gras.
George needs to finally come out of the closet. He should do it while on the Delmar Loop for that matter…
I’ll play tour guide for a night and we won’t have too much travelling to do. First stop, Broadway Oyster Bar for several dozen Oysters (raw, Rockefeller, Bienville and some shooters) with Abita chasers. Next stop, Beale on Broadway for an acoustic set and a few pints of Guinness. Finally, stroll across the street to BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups for a kickin’ blues show and some wings and whatever beverage sounds tasty.
I think a given for him to see is Forest Park and The Zoo, oh and the Science Center, Crown Candy is a MUST, The City Museum at night, when the bar is open, and maybe listen to Jake’s Leg at the Broadway Oyster bar, and end the evening with a trip to Courtesy Diner. Perhaps a stroll down Delmar in the Loop.
Then a nice place for him to visit for both the kids and the nurses (and administration staff, too!) would be Ranken Jordan Pediatric Speciality Hospital, a 100% not-for-profit pediatric hospital in Maryland Heights. Plus they are hosting an annual fundraiser dinner/auction at the Kemp Auto Museum in Chesterfield on January 31st! So he’d get amazing vehicles to see, a great meal, open premium bar and all for a great cause!
Come to SLU fo sho!
He should support the local arts at the Saugtet Ballet