If you were to look up the term "hipster" in a dictionary, the definition might include a map of South Grand, the hipster's primary habitat. Located in South St. Louis City, on Grand south of Arsenal, lies the area locals commonly refer to as "South Grand". Although somewhat fairly stereotyped as an entertainment district teeming with Mopeds, indie/mod/punk kids, kinkiness, cooler than thou clubs, dirty bathrooms, art school drop-outs and extreme liberals, South Grand is so much more than that one-dimensional image.

Something that sets this place apart from other St. Louis entertainment areas, such as Delmar, Washington Avenue, the Landing and the Central West End, is that South Grand feels like a real St. Louis city neighborhood. People not only work and play here, but live here; some for generations. The historic brownstone houses and apartments that surround South Grand are inhabited by residents of diverse nationalities, classes, races, ages and sexual orientations. What makes this place so alluring is that it isn't a squeaky clean, carefully planned or homogenized entertainment district. The many international restaurants, boutiques and bars are independently owned and operated; what they lack in sophistication they more than make up for with charm and authenticity. Here are some highlights:

Eats:

City Diner: We're all pretty familiar with the stale old fake 1950s diner Steak n' Shake routine (we get it, checkerboard floor = nostalgia. Yawn.). While it's true that City Diner goes for that 50s kitsch, they do it with such tongue-in-cheek nonchalance, you don't even mind the cheesiness. This is the place to come to either eat before you go out so that you don't get wasted, or where you go after you're already wasted to try and sober up. They do serve beer if you want to just stay at the City Diner and get wasted, but because this isn't really a bar and you can get cheaper drinks a bazillion other places within stumbling distance, you'd be advised to look elsewhere for serious drinking. The menu serves not only the typical diner fare (cheeseburgers and fries), but also some fancier sandwiches and entrees. The Cuban sandwich with Mojo sauce is delicious and filling and breakfast is always available. The servers are usually really nice and laid-back, but waiting at the front of an empty restaurant for hostess to seat you can be quite annoying when you're starving. Movie star posters of Marilyn Monroe and the like adorn the walls and space age light fixtures cast a nifty blue light over your $6.00 burger, causing you to wonder what a nostalgic early 2000s era restaurant might look like sixty years from now.

Cafe Natasha's Kabob International: Persian food is known for its sensual aromatics and exotic, yet delicate flavors. The Basmati rice with saffron is ridiculously yummy; it beats a crummy old box of Uncle Ben's any day. Falafel is something that more and more Midwesterners are becoming familiar with, but you haven't experienced falafel until you've had the golden fried chickpea deliciousness at Natasha's. The cafe also offers traditional gyros, vegetarian options and so many dips and spreads that you could happily make a meal out of them alone. The lunch menu is very affordable and the entrees (get the lamb!) are priced between $9 to $19. Though the interior of the restaurant is a casual shabby chic, the prime seating at Natasha's is the patio, which is hoppin' in warm weather and a perfect place to people watch (just don't stare or you may get punched).

Drinks:

Mangia: Technically, Mangia could also be listed with the Eats, since they are an Italian restaurant, but honestly, the food, although decent, is not what makes this place worth mentioning. Mangia is also a bar, more specifically the bar that everyone on South Grand flocks to when the other bars close. The beverage list is impressive and the prices are pretty good, neither of which matters when you're trying to squeeze in among the beautiful bohemians for one last drink at the end of the night. The graffiti type mural that stretches along the far wall is entrancing; after a few shots you can't pull your eyes away, looking for Waldo, sure you'll find him any minute! A pair of owl statues gracing the windows cast giant owl shadows upon the empty picture frames when lights flash by outside. This is quite unsettling until you finally discover the statues because you know you've had a few drinks, but you don't want to admit that you're seeing things.

The Jade Room: This bar is just that, a room. Located in the back of Mekong restaurant and beneath the illustrious club, the Upstairs Lounge, the Jade Room is the perfect hole-in-the wall hide-away bar. Dim lighting, green walls and ceiling, red booths, mysterious pipes and black computer screens give this narrow space a Bladerunner meets The Shining meets Lost Highway feeling. Not just for WiFi, this place is an honest to goodness Internet cafe (well, bar, rather) with actual computers. Though this is a cool idea, you can't comfortably fit more than three people to a booth without having a giant Dell in your face, but they do have a few regular tables, as well. Beer prices here aren't as cheap as they should be, but you can order a Schlafly, if your lucky. The bartenders are usually very cool and some excellent music can be heard via amplified game system. If you come here before 10pm, especially on a week night, you'll probably have this place all to yourself. Same goes for all of South Grand bars, actually, so if you want company don't go out before 10pm.

CBGB: Not for the faint of heart, this underground dive bar is a punk kid's wet dream! Cheap, cheap drinks (PBR is the definitive South grand hipster beer), and stiff pours, though nothing top shelf. This is where you can visit the dirtiest toilet in America, in the men's room, and the ladies room features two commodes sans privacy (hope you two are close!). Yes, this smoke laden gutter bar is not for the squeamish, but that doesn't mean it isn't without its charms. Feel free to deface the walls, or to play old school pinball, or to scream along with your favorite Clash song with your friends. Go outside to the patio and dance on the tables; nobody will bat an eyelash here. CBGB is all about raucous good times, good friends, making new friends and meeting other hot people that don't care what society thinks.

These are just a few of the dozens of hot spots that South Grand has to offer. Please feel free to share your favorites!