Tony and Charlie.

I like food. And I like tradition. As a born and raised St. Louis girl it only made sense that I add a St. Louis landmark restaurant to the list. Two recommendations were made: Charlie Gittos and Tony’s. Last July, I officially added Charlie Gitto’s to the list…HOWEVER…my uncle’s birthday is in March, and as fate would have it he wanted to celebrate at Tony’s downtown. For those of you who don’t know, Charlie Gittos and Tony’s are very different. CG’s is casual Italian dining, while Tony’s has won awards (nationally and locally) for excellent food, service, and ambiance. When you think "Tony’s" think fine dining. So, in March, I made the decision to upgrade this particular list item. After all, it is my list and I can do whatever I want with it.

Here’s what I liked. 1. Since I originally planned to visit Charlie Gittos, the whole experience was unexpected; I appreciate a little surprise every now and then. 2. I went with family. I like my family. They’re fun. 3. Even though my aunt Kathy wasn’t there, she was in spirit. Why? Well, I had foie gras as an appetizer and when Kathy and I had lunch at the Museum of Modern Art in Feb. she ordered the foie gras, I tried it, and it was delish. :) The foie gras at Tony’s was equally delicious. In case you’re wondering, foie gras is liver. Normally, I don’t like liver. And I’m no foie gras expert, but foie gras is the liver of a duck or goose. I guess their livers are better than a calf’s because I could order calf liver, smothered in gravy, with a side of mashed potatoes at an old-persons cafeteria for $5, while a tiny sampling of foie gras tastes significantly better yet is also significantly more expensive. Truth be told, I think I just like to say “foie gras”.  Anyway…food, wine, service, company, etc. was great and I’m glad I felt compelled to alter my list mid year.

Interestingly enough, I did end up going to Charlie Gittos a few weeks later. My friend Dana invited me to a Cardinals game and we stopped off at Charlie Gittos for lunch before the game. Had I known we’d have lunch at CG’s…I would’ve brought my camera.

Oh, and despite the fact that “Restaurants” is a silly little category I managed to come away with a tiny little “take away”…maybe it was just a good reminder. Few things in life are set in stone, so why not be flexible and open to change? …even if it’s something as simple as changing your bucket list item at the last minute.