Enjoying a revitalization of its historic districts and downtown and comprised of many distinct neighborhoods, St. Louis offers residents – both singles and families alike -- urban professionalism combined with the ease of Midwest living. And for potential residency applicants, St. Louis has a lot to offer.
Washington University Medical Center is located in the Central West End. Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine are located on this campus, with the completion of the new Shriners Hospital for Children expected in 2011. These facilities sit adjacent to Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the nation at 1,300 acres. The park is the home to many venues that feature free St. Louis Art Museum, Science Center, Zoo, Jewel Box, Missouri History Museum and the St Louis Municipal Theater (The Muny). The park also is the hub for many outdoor activities and includes a 7 ½ mile bike-run-skate path, rugby and cricket fields, an outdoor skating rink and a public golf course. The bike-run-skate paths have traditionally been a favorite of residents and fellows enjoy incorporating outdoor physical/sporting activity into their daily routines.
St. Louis’ restaurants offer diners an eclectic mix of options ranging from the elegance of fine dining at Tony’s and The Gardens at Malmaison to the savory quirkiness of The Iron Barley, The Pitted Olive and Sweetie Pie’s. With new and innovative bistros opening on a regular basis, the city’s residents can choose from nearly any type of cuisine or dining experience. Resident favorites include Eleven Eleven Mississippi, Liluma, Pho Grand, Blackthorn Pub and Pizza, Sidney Street Café, Franco, Niche, BARcelona and the King and I Thai Cuisine.
From the jazz on the riverfront to the blues and zydeco rifs of Soulard to the hip-hop sounds heard coming from the music studios of Washington Avenue, St Louis offers live music fans a little something for everyone. Opportunities to experience the performing arts abound – from performances by the world-class St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Black Repertory Theater to large-scale Broadway musical productions staged at the lavish and historic Fox Theater to the performances by Dance St Louis.
St Louis also is the home to many art galleries as well as the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis and the St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM). SLAM enjoys a comprehensive collection of all major artistic periods and movements, with particularly extensive collections of Oceanic and pre-Columbian art, ancient Chinese bronzes and 20th century German art.