St. Louis has more than its share of charming places in which to throw down a blanket and enjoy lunch. But for our wine and cheese, none compares to Laumeier Sculpture Park. Nestled off Watson Road in the wedge between Interstates 44 and 270, this bucolic cultural gem is the perfect place to set down your basket and chow down al fresco. That's because no other public space permits you to enjoy your repast in the shade of giant-scale artworks. But don't just up and leave when you're done eating. Just as there's more to the digestive process than ingestion, there's more to Laumeier than the handful of sculptures within 100 feet of the parking lot. With guided tours, art camps for kids, summer movie and live-music nights, art fairs, lectures and temporary exhibits that feature the work of internationally known artists and emerging talent alike, Laumeier will welcome you for lunch and make you want to stay for dinner. Nearly 100 acres of woods and wide-open spaces and home to more than 80 sculptures — some of which could probably be seen from outer space with a telescope — Laumeier is more like a small national park, yet many St. Louisans probably don't even know it exists. The park is open from 8 a.m. till a half-hour past sunset every day except Christmas and New Year's.