Most Thursday nights in St. Louis are spent watching "The Office" and eagerly anticipating the weekend nights out on the town, but now we have a new Thursday night ritual to look forward to; Retro Clash at Dantes. Brought to you by Rose Mortem and Ashton Nyte, of Intervention Arts, Retro Clash is a retro club night for those of us who are going to be ill if we have to hear that "Hey Mickey" song ever again. This is not your typical 80s party. Instead, Retro Clash is a dangerous and glittering smash-up of 1970s and 1980s glam, new wave, dark wave, rock and psychedelic melodies, peppered with modern acts inspired by the retro gods.

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.

Generic cereal without milk for breakfast, Ramen noodles for lunch and hot dog surprise, yet again, for dinner: it's official, you're broke. Even if your financial situation hasn't hit "Ramen noodle-status", you probably want to be conservative with your cash in this dire economy. You may be a bit depressed over your bank account, but you can't afford to go out and cheer yourself up, so you spiral into a deeper funk; a seemingly vicious circle. Well, never fear! St. Louis and the surrounding counties are chock full of free and very cheap things to do for fun. Most native St. Louisans, and even most visitors, know about free entertainment staples such as the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Science Center and the St. Louis Art Museum, but our fair city has much more gratis to give.

Like a cocktail swilling butterfly emerging from a beer battered cocoon, AM Lounge has been reborn from rBar. The transformation took place late this summer, when the cool Grove neighborhood bar and grill rBar was closed down and remodeled by a few of the owners. We made the trek down to the corner of Chouteau and Sarah, (and drove around looking for a parking spot for a half an hour before deciding to entrust our baby to the seedy guy in the pay lot) to see what possible improvements could have been made to a bar that was already so awesome.

It was a Labor Day weekend full of sweaty intoxication under the Pageant's marquee in the Delmar Loop, where music enthusiasts gathered for the first East Loop Block Party.  Teenagers, moms, babies, socialites, hipsters, urban fashionistas and reggae enthusiasts all mingled and grooved to the twenty-six or so bands that took to the stage on Saturday and Sunday. Organized by Holly Renshaw and Anna Zachritz of the Pageant, the event was meant to raise awareness about the shops and restaurants recently opened on the sparsely trafficked east side of the Delmar Loop, between Skinker and Des Peres Avenue.

Every third Tuesday of the month something wicked this way comes in the form of Hex, a goth and industrial club night held in the secret attic above Mekong, otherwise known as the Upstairs Lounge. Hosted by DJ Salem and DJ Rosa, Hex is a night that aims to throw something a little darker into Upstairs Lounge's regular rotation of techno, hip-hop, reggae, house, retro and indie nights. No cover, no dress-code and no pulse required, Hex, nearly a year old, is quickly joining the ranks of Rapture and Requiem at Dante's as a place to be seen in the goth, industrial and black metal communities. Should you decide to venture forth into the cold embrace of Hex, this is what awaits you:

A few decades ago, the Delmar Loop was where you were more likely to go for a sack of crack than a latte, but, luckily, much has changed. True, the area has lost a bit of its underground subculture edge in recent times, but it's still a haven of social diversity.

 

Hungry for more great date ideas, are we? Yes, of course, there's more than just a few hot numbers in that little Blackberry of yours, isn't there? We understand, variety is the spice of life, after all! Allow us to help set your lover's loins aflame with a few more local date spot suggestions:

News flash, ladies and gentlemen; the traditional date night at the movies to see the latest romantic comedy starring Kate Hudson, followed by dinner at Red Lobster, just doesn't cut it anymore. As if it ever did, shame on you! The jaded young adults of Generations X and Y expect a little more thought, creativity and excitement when it comes to the dating scene. You'd better deliver the goods, or get relegated to the dreaded “super good friends” category. Don't get your panties or boxers in a bunch just yet, we've compiled a list of local St. Louis places, perfect for every type of big night out. So whether you're already committed, or just wanna “hit it and quit it”, you've got options.