Diversity Rules Magazine

3 Diversity Rules Magazine September 2019 Joey Amato is the publisher of Pride Journeys, the premier source for LGBT travel. Joey publishes des na on reviews in addi on to lifestyle content that is both insigh ul and engaging to LGBT readers. Joey has spent the majority of his career dedicated to the LGBT community, having contrib- uted to numerous publica ons around North America. In ad- di on, he owns Agency33 Public Rela ons, a full-service firm spe- cializing in LGBT outreach. The last me I was in St. Louis I was s ll in my 20s, and I had the en- ergy to party all night. A er many shameless social media posts and ten years later, I had the opportuni- ty to revisit The Lou with a friend of mine from Indianapolis. St. Louis is more or less centrally located, so it is easy to travel to from almost any- where in North America. This makes St. Louis a fantas c des na on for a long weekend getaway. There is a variety and abundance of places to ex- plore in St. Louis. So, immediately a er checking into the beau ful Chase Park Plaza Royal Sonesta Hotel, we walked to the Saint Louis Science Center. This is just one of many a rac ons located in Forest Park, an area larger than New York's Central Park. During our visit, the Science Center was displaying a rive ng Pompeii exhibi on. Guests had the opportunity to relive the catastroph- ic erup on of Mount Vesuvius, and the rediscovery of the Roman city of Pompeii which contained more than 150 authen- c ar facts and engaging interac ve ex- hibits. Upon entering the exhibi on, we had the chance to see the variety of tools, jewel- ry and other ar facts from the region in- cluding; mosaics and frescoes, gladiator helmets, armor, and weapons that were frozen in me. Most memorable though were the casts of Mount Vesuvius' vic- ms and animals. The experience ends with a mind-blowing 4D video of the minutes lead- ing up to the disastrous erup on. Just a short walk from the Science Center is the Saint Louis Art Museum, one of the largest collec ons of fine art in the Midwest. Housed in a building remi- niscent of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the museum featured the unparalleled works of masters including Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, François Girardon and Henri Ma sse. It is almost impossible to tour the museum in one af- ternoon, so if you are a true art enthusiast, I would dedicate an en re day to visit the space. While there, be sure to swing by Georgia O'Keeffe's "Dark Abstrac on." I personally have never seen this work in person, and it is truly breathtaking. For an upscale, yet casual dining experience, head to Cinder House, located on the 8th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel. The restaurant boasts wonder- ful views of Gateway Arch, and the food did not dis- appoint. We began our meal with a freshly baked order of Dia's Cheese Bread which was paired nicely with prosciu o and gingered vegetables. Follow St. Louis - Con't on page 7 Pride Journeys St. Louis, MO By Joey Amato

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