Locals Only, St. Louis
We asked local St. Louis filmmaker Aaron Phillips to create a ‘Locals Only‘ video for his hometown. This mini-documentary gets to know the ‘Gateway to the West’ through a local lens.
We are pleased to present the first of our ‘Locals Only’ video series. Enjoy the video above and be sure to check out Aaron’s local St. Louis insight below.
Name: Aaron Phillips
Place you live: St. Louis, Missouri
Can you sum up St. Louis? St. Louis is a smaller city, but huge on culture and community. There are so many interesting and fun things to do in St. Louis. There is always some type of festival happening all the time. St. Louis has some great history and anyone who lives here would love to tell you about it, we’re proud of our city.
Tell us about the video you created: The video I made is a showcase of St. Louis and all the great things it has to offer. A lot of people overlook St. Louis, but it is a great city and a great place to live and work. I wanted to show some of the lesser known places around the city, and all the cool neighborhoods that you can explore.
Occupation? Full-time college student/aspiring filmmaker and coffee connoisseur.
Preoccupation? Short films, storytelling, and any documentary I can find.
What is your perfect day in St Louis? My perfect day would consist of grabbing some coffee from Rise and taking a walk around Forest Park. Then a nice walk around the zoo or checking out some exhibits at the history museum would fill up the afternoon before meeting up with some friends for a coffee tasting and a movie.
What is the best thing about St Louis? One of the best things about St. Louis is that most of the big things to do around the city are free. You can experience the zoo, the art, science, and history museum all for free, including Forest Park and a lot of other things around the city, all without spending any money.
What is the worst? The amount of construction happening at any point in time is obscene. Stay off the highways and take the side streets, and you’ll be fine, and it will make your trip a lot more interesting.
What would be surprising about St. Louis to an outsider? I think most people would be surprised by the amount of things to do outside of downtown. Unlike many cities, St. Louis offers more in the neighborhoods.
If St. Louis was a person or character who would it be? St. Louis would be Stan Musial, a Cardinals baseball player during the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. He was a great baseball player, and an even better person, willing to help any body he met, and really loved St. Louis and the community. Just like Stan, St. Louis is a smaller city with a lot of focus on community and loving your neighbor. (Not to mention our city’s love for baseball.)
Who are your favorite filmmakers right now? As always, Wes Anderson. Also, Casey Neistat, and a couple of filmmakers under the name Gnarly Bay.
City:
St Louis
Best place to eat:
Southtown Pub. It’s a great spot to get some killer BBQ and they have a huge patio out back to hang out and enjoy the afternoon.
Best place to drink:
The Heavy Anchor is a great place to get something to drink, and hang out for some great music every night of the week.
Best place to shop:
The Delmar Loop has a lot of really great places to pick up anything, and everything you would ever need. From resale to high end, I guarantee you can find what you’re looking for on the loop.
Local Tip:
Don’t stay downtown, break out into the neighborhoods, that’s where you are going to find the real culture and hidden gems.
For the visitor:
If you come to St. Louis, you have to check out a museum and tour a local brewery. St. Louis is home to some great macro and craft breweries, and most will let you in to take a look around. St. Louis is so rich with history and culture, so make sure you check some of it out before you leave.