One of my favorite places to go, because I always end up finding something amazing there, is a general store in St. Louis called, Winslow’s Home. The store is named after the painter who lived and worked in Maine. Through the Portland Art Museum you can arrange a tour of the home and the studio – I recommend it. http://www.portlandmuseum.org/homer
But Winslow’s Home is a special place because of the owner, Ann Sheehan Lipton. Because of her careful eye and taste, every piece in the store is well curated. You’ll find a spoon that is just perfect and a serving set that you wished you had for years. And the best way enjoy the store is to order food first and then to browse.
The beef brisket sandwich is one of the best I’ve ever had and the beet salad is amazing.
She raises most of the vegetable and the eggs on a farm in Augusta, Missouri which is only an hour away from downtown St. Louis. Everything is amazingly fresh and incredibly flavorful. Go there and spend a day… http://www.winslowshome.com
Paul Ha
Paul Ha is the Director of the MIT List Visual Arts Center and lives in Brookline, MA.