Guido's Restaurant, St. Louis, "The Hill"

This family-owned-and-operated restaurant combines Italian and Spanish cuisines. They offer a nice variety of entrees including steaks, chicken, fish, pastas, tapas, sandwiches, and pizza. Sangria by the glass or by the pitcher!

The house salad dressing is an olive oil base, not sweet, but not vinegary - warm and light. The Caesar salad is also a good choice. And you can't go wrong with the cheese-garlic bread.

I usually order pasta, and I've found the sauces to be rich and well-seasoned, and the pasta cooked properly - not mushy.

There's something on the menu for everybody, and the prices are very reasonable. Casual fine dining with a family atmosphere.

Mound City Nut Company

This little shop in University City is on Olive, just east of Hanley. I'd driven past it a hundred times, but today was my first time to stop and check it out. My mother wanted pecans and walnuts for her holiday baking, and anything I can do to help that process along... well, let's just say it's a priority.

They're more expensive than the grocery store, but you know what they say, sometimes you get what you pay for.

They have a wide variety of nuts, candies, and gift packages. There are also chocolate goodies behind the counter that you can purchase by the pound. Chocolate covered apricots (which we were given a sample of), nut clusters, and Heavenly Hash (didn't think anybody made that anymore). On top of the counter was a very impressive milk chocolate bar weighing in at ten pounds. That could be a very wise $85 investment, don't you think?