Skip To The 'Lou

Craft Brew versus the (old) Home Brew: Local Beer Debates at the Maryland House

2009-10-07T17:01:00.003-05:00

Schlafly or Anheuser-Busch? This is a question many people debate. They debate it on the holiest of all beer holidays (in my book), Memorial Day, when deciding what to buy and bring to their awesome friend's BBQ. (For the record, we always end up with way more Schlafly than AB.) People debate this, sometimes in a very aggressive manner, when they walk into your bar and you don't carry AB (the Royale, the Bleeding Deacon). And the debate continues as people drink.

For me, I'm not sure there's much left to say. The case was closed a long time ago, and the nails were slammed into the coffin when InBev bought AB. But if you're still unsure which side of the fence to get drunk on, then maybe you should step out to the Maryland House in the CWE tonight. As part of owner, Kevin Brennan's, crazy world order, the first Wednesday of each month is a verbal smackdown. Sometimes arguing the inane, and often cheering the local, these short debates go round and round with the audience deciding the winner. On tap tonight: Schlafly vs. AB.

There will be Schlafly samples outside in the CWE beginning at 7pm. It's rumoured that Tom Schlafly himself is showing up to do the honors of argument. One way or the other, whether you have a preference or just love beer, this is one not to miss. (And if you don't know the Maryland House, don't go looking for a sign. It's the red door just past Brennan's on Maryland in the CWE.)

Debate to kick off between 9-9:15. I'd suggest heading up there earlier. These things have a tendency to get crowded and more than a little rowdy. And hey, one way or the other, no matter what you like to drink, just make sure it's local as often as it's not. Keep the beer jobs here, St. Louis.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 AT 9 PM
BRENNAN'S MARYLAND HOUSE, CENTRAL WEST END
NO COVER-- Just buy a good beer.

Music, music, music: Morgan Ford in Motion, Big Muddy Records, and Maid Rite

2009-10-02T14:24:00.003-05:00

Festival overload continues into October with a bevy of events rolling out this weekend. Just checking my inbox seems to ensure that there is a festival for every last person in the city this weekend. My bet, however, is the Morgan Ford in Motion festival. This baby's popping out on Saturday, October 3, with music beginning at Noon and going until 8:30 PM. (location: Morgan Ford and Juniata)

The Funky Butt Brass Band will be there, so will Steve Ewing and local favorite Javier Mendoza. And if you've never heard the Funky Butt Brass Band, go do it. They're on at 2:30, which is the perfect time. Fit in some lunch beforehand at Local Harvest, listen to some music, and then grab a beer at the Amsterdam.

Morgan Ford in Motion will have local artists and booths with local organizations. SCOSAG has some fun crafts and events for the family (or the budding artist contained within you). The entertainment's free, but there will be food and beer if you need more sustenance. (I heard no coolers allowed, so I'm passing that on.)

If you need more fun in your weekend and want something to do tonight (Friday), hit up the last of the Schlafly Cask IPA at the Good Pie (6pm) on Olive. Reportedly, it's pretty damn delicious. After some slices, head on over to the Jefferson Underground Rooftop Party (across from the Way Out) sponsored by local label Big Muddy Records. For $10 (BYOB), starting at 8 PM, you get to hear some great music from 6 bands, including 7 Shot Screamers, Pokey LaFarge, the Monads, and Alley Ghost. Or, if the chill outside isn't your thing, laze on over to the Tap Room to catch Maid Rite at 9 PM (FREE).

It's a good weekend to be in the 'Lou.

Dear St. Louis, This Week Your Media Rocks!

2009-10-01T12:14:00.003-05:00

Some times you just have to say thank you. In recent years, I have been a constant complainer about STL media and a big advocate of our smaller and more independent media channels. Today is no exception, and so I feel it necessary to give a shout out to a few of my favorites this week.

Matt Thenhaus' beer blog for the RFT

I am fortunate enough to know a lot of beer geeks, but none with the sheer depth of knowledge or charm of Matt Thenhaus... and the boy can write. I first met Matt years ago when he was my customer, and I learned then to always offer him a glass with his beer. Over the years, I have served Matt, worked with him, written with him, and I have certainly shared many beers with him. Beer is like pure joy for him, and he simply wants to share it. I've been wanting Matt to have a more public forum for his geekdom for the past several years. A talent like his can't be held down, but must be shared for the greater good. So, thank you RFT, for making that happen. Now, every Wednesday you can read Matt's beer column on the RFT Gut Check blog. He'll tell you about things he likes, things he doesn't, what you should know, and what you might like to drink. Undoubtedly, along the way you'll learn things you didn't know, get excited about beers you've never heard of, and re-think those you might have passed up. Matt is the quintessential professional and the go-to guy for a lot of this town's beer questions. Now you get to enjoy him too.

(Also check out his sometimes-updated beer musings here.)

I HEART Thomas Crone's Silver Tray on KDHX

Each week I find myself in the car around lunchtime on Friday, shuffling between two things, feeling rushed... and then I turn on the radio and Thomas Crone makes it all okay. I have been looking for a reason to gush about Silver Tray for the last few weeks (not that I need a reason, it just didn't fit into my other blog love letters). There's something about Thomas' radio show on KDHX that just makes me happy. It's like it's permanently 1992, and not in the Kurt Cobain-grunge-I-want-to-kill-myself way that I can't stand, but in a glorious way that's evocative of my youth. The music he plays (which is not all from 1992) makes me think of when I first discovered music on MTV's 120 Minutes or by listening to college radio stations when I was down in Denver. Back then (in 1992), I lived in the mountains, far from the maddening crowd, and record stores did not happen. I felt lucky to have radio. But I would write down the tunes I liked and my brother would come home from college and ferry me to the record store for my fix. Back then, music meant something to me. It was like fuel, helping me decide who I wanted to be, and often pushing me faster as I learned sick tricks and stunts on my snowboard. It was when Sonic Youth and the Pixies ruled my heart (and they kinda still do). But listening to Thomas' show is like that. It's like he plays whatever I need and my mood just melts into the song. It's my kind of show, and it makes me happy.

Congrats also to Cat Pick, whose KDHX show Emotional Rescue was just voted the Best Rock Radio show in STL by the RFT Reader's Choice. Check out Cat's show on Monday mornings on 88.1 FM or online at kdhx.org. For Thomas, tune in on Fridays from Noon-2pm (and then stay for Bob's Scratchy Records right after). KDHX also streams all their shows for two full weeks after the original air date, so listen online.

And finally, thank you St. Louis American for writing about news that matters AND makes me happy.

I rolled onto the STL American website this morning to see what was happening in the world, and I was so happy to see this story about a local fourth grader publishing her third book. So often, we only see the failures of city schools and not the great things that also happen. A student at Oak Hill Elementary School on the south side, this girl learned to read early and then began writing. her quotes illustrate how intelligent and talented she is. Having taught in SLPS for many years, I love hearing about the kids who get it right, because so many of them do and are constantly overshadowed by the negative press the schools get. If you need a book for a child you love, check out what she's written. How much cooler to buy a book for a child that another local kid has written. And if you have a child, take a cue from this young girl and encourage your own kids to write their own books.

It's a good day in local media, and for that, I must give thanks.

Route 66 Festival on Saturday, Oct. 3

2009-09-28T15:21:00.002-05:00

There are two things I LOVE: Autumn and roadside America. Toss these two together and add in a great bike ride, and it's pretty much my idea of a perfect weekend. This Saturday, Oct. 3 is the Route 66 Festival on the Chain of Rocks bridge. The festival has events happening on both sides of the bridge, with music going on all day in Missouri, and a beer garden in Illinois. In between, on the Chain of Rocks bridge, there will be a classic car showcase.

I don't know what it is about the roadside, but I feel very much like I grew up in a car, stopping at roadside fish shacks and custard stands. Many of my earliest memories were gathered while looking through a car window, watching the highway lines zip by. And it's still in me. I love the wanderlust, the joy and sense of fun and abandon with which we take to the road. And i've always love Route 66. It's a unifying facet of America, quite literally. The imagery harkens back to a quieter time-- when it was all about using the road to connect us to each other, instead of escaping.

I think that's why this festival sounds so fun. Music, food, classic cars and beer. The mother road, the river, families, and stories. And it all happens where a great bike path happens to intersect the whole thing. There is limited parking if you want to be one of those people and drive. But why not hop on your bike downtown at the Arch and ride up the Riverfront Trail to the Chain of Rocks. Or start on the North side and ride a little ways down to the bridge. You'll get scenery and exercise, and it'll give you license to drink all that beer.

Route 66 Festival- Saturday Oct. 3, 11 AM- 6 PM
at the Chain of Rocks Bridge (FREE)

Chain of Rocks Bridge Historical Info.

Riverfront Trail info (with links to maps, parking, etc.)

Mamacita's Music Fest

2009-09-25T14:23:00.001-05:00

Just got this in my inbox and thought I'd pass it on.
For more info on the tasty vittles at Mamacita's, check out this St Louis Magazine article.

Local Chefs + Creativity + Competition = South City Iron Chef

2009-09-25T12:27:00.002-05:00

If you want to check out some of the more interesting characters in the STL culinary arts scene, go to the South City Iron Chef event this weekend. In its third installment, wunderkind chef Clara Moore (formerly of Mangia Italiano, now of Local Harvest) has helped organize a killer event, with a slightly different take on the original South City battles.

This year, chefs will compete with layman partners in teams of two, battling it out round after round. Included in the line-up are chef Chris Bork and local rocker Sunyatta Marshall for the laymen.

The event is for charity, with all proceeds going to local bi-state small farms, including Prairie Grass Farms and Biver Farms. The event goes from Noon-6pm on Sunday, Sept. 27 with three rounds of slicing, dicing, and cooking going on in Dick Pointer's backyard at 3333 Demenil (directly across the street from the historic and haunted Lemp Mansion).

VIP tickets are available ranging from $30-$50, allowing you to sit front and center at the judge's table and eat what the judge's eat (yum!). Rounds include everything from canned food to local and mystery ingredient challenges. DJ's will be on the scene to keep the atmosphere hoppin' and local food and drinks will be on sale. There's also a homebrew competition where you can sample local homebrews and vote for your favorite.

I went to the first South City Iron Chef a couple years back and it was one of the more interesting and fun days I've spent on the South side. This one is sure to deliver with its line-up of pros and amateurs, music and food-- and there's always an interesting crowd gathered to support the local food movement and celebrate the artistry of the South side. Come with an empty stomach and a willingness to try great local food.

For more info, email calm314@gmail.com

SOUTH CITY IRON CHEF
Sunday, Sept. 27 from Noon-6PM (3 rounds with DJ's, food, and drink; all proceeds go to charity)
3333 DeMenil (in the backyard; directly across from historic Lemp Mansion)

FREE screening of Daniel Bowers' film GUS at the History Museum Thursday Night

2009-09-24T14:12:00.002-05:00

Nothing to do tonight? Check out Gus, filmmaker Dan Bowers 2003 documentary about Gus Torresgrossa, a local business owner in Washington Avenue's Garment District. Gus is a character in every way, and Bowers' film serves not only to illuminate its characters, but to tell the story of St Louis as Washington Street changed from a business district to a neighborhood of upscale lofts and clubs.

You might know Dan Bowers' other film, A. (Anonymous), a pretty hilarious mockumentary about an addict support group. Gus shares that same love of individual quirks and an eye for the everyday turned into a story.

This is what the RFT had to say about the film when it first premiered in 2003,

"Take one ageless, earthy, generous-to-a-fault Italian-American owner; one diminutive, chain-smoking, costume-wearing roughneck employee (that would be Jimmy Doyle); and the neighborhood kids and young rappers who buy their gear (and occasionally perform) at Gus's Washington Avenue location, and you get a unique subject."

The film runs 23 minutes and admission is free. Stop by the History Museum and learn a little something about your city.

FREE Gus screening at the Missouri History Museum
7pm Thurs, Sept 24, Lee Auditorium

McKee Plans for the Northside Explained

2009-09-24T13:55:00.002-05:00

No doubt you've heard talk of the McKee development plans for North Saint Louis. Last night, the St Louis TIF Committee voted unanimously to approve McKee's TIF request and send the plan to the Board of Aldermen for negotiation. There's a lot at stake in this deal. On the one side, there's McKee promising jobs, housing, and a revitalization of the North Side. On there other side, there is doubt that McKee will deliver on promises, concerns over eminent domain, and questions about how McKee's plans will affect the almost 9000 residents who currently live in the proposed area of the North Side.

To learn more about McKee's proposal and hear concerns of the neighborhood, check out St Louis Public Radio's coverage. They explain what a TIF is, how it works in this deal, give a history of the neighborhood, and speak to several area residents and business owners about how this plan might affect the North Side. There's audio, video, and photos as well.

To get a more historical and architectural perspective on how this will affect the city, check out local preservationist Michael Allen's blog the Ecology of Absence. Michael's also got an Op-Ed in the Saint Louis American, critiquing McKee's development plan.

What do you think? Is this going to help Saint Louis or sink us further?

Never Be Mean

2009-09-23T00:39:00.001-05:00

On a blue sky day, the first of autumn, I’ve just returned from a funeral honoring a man I did not know. The funeral was for my friend’s father. And despite my never having met the deceased, I feel like I learned a lot about him today. It seems he had a lot to teach.

Richard Miller, a police officer who served the City for 30 years and was a decorated war veteran, died at 81 with his family by his side. Listening to the stories that his son, Tony, told-- Richard Miller was definitely a man with a lot of wisdom, a lot of experience, and a lot of lessons to share-- assuming we’re all smart enough to listen.

As Tony eulogized his father, he spoke of certain tattoos that his dad had-- one with his own name, Richard, on his arm; another of a skull and crossbones on his hand. The latter tattoo was one he and his buddy got together when they were teenagers, 15 or 16, just before going off to fight in the war. Tony spoke of his father’s service-- as a veteran, as a police officer. And when Tony followed in his footsteps and decided to become an officer himself, he told us he asked his dad for advice. Richard Miller’s answer was simply, “Never be mean to people.”

When you think of a lifetime of public service, of having seen war abroad and hard times at home, of living through hate and change, and a million different forces colliding together, you expect that advice might be about how to be safe, how to stay safe. But Richard Miller’s advice was not about safety, it was about how to keep peace. And it was about how to help build a better world, one where ultimately we don’t have some of the dangers, the hatred, and the violence we now see so regularly.

Today I sat there in that funeral parlor, listening as Tony spoke about his father, and I kept thinking about that simple sentence of advice, “Never be mean to people.”

Judging by the stories today and the outpouring of love, I assume Richard Miller was a man who followed his own advice and was never mean to people. It was clear that he had a rich life filled with the admiration and respect of those who knew him.

But this is what I do know: so often the true mark of a man is not what he does, but what he encourages others to do. I did not know Richard Miller personally, but I do know his son, Tony. Whenever I think about all the terrible things that happen in this city-- about crime and violence and murders-- I think of Tony. I picture him working the case and it makes me feel better. I’ve never seen him lose his cool or change his voice, or be anything less than attentive. There’s a sense that he really cares, not because it’s his job, but because people matter to him. It seems to me that’s what a life of service really means-- not just fixing the problems, but listening to how they started, and helping the people involved. So while I don’t know the effect of Richard Miller’s actions on the rest of the world, I certainly see them in his son, and as a city, we’re lucky to have benefitted from their service.

Such a simple idea, Never be mean. But what a difference it could make. And as I sat there, I thought of all the other people who serve us daily, whom we also never get to meet. I might not get the chance to thank them all in person, but I can try to heed Richard Miller’s advice to his son all those years ago. Despite not knowing Richard Miller when I walked in today, I left feeling the loss of this man, and felt privileged to have experienced his impact.

Rest in peace.

Saint Louis, why are we hiding?

2009-09-22T14:31:00.003-05:00

What does it take to retain and attract creative individuals in our fair city?

This is the topic of a panel discussion Wednesday 9/23 at Left Bank Books (downtown location, 7pm). The discussion, moderated by the Saint Louis American’s Chris King, includes panelists from Trailnet, Metropolis, and Wash U, as well as local community organizer Galen Gandolfi and STL alderman Antonio French. That’s a pretty decent place to start for a question that keeps plaguing our city.

This is not a new discussion thread. Cities all over the country have been discussing this heavily in the past decade, especially since Richard Florida’s ideas of the creative class began to spread when his book was published in 2002. In many ways, the idea of retaining and attracting creatives is a city’s recipe for success, just as failure to do so seems to result in a city’s demise.

I wonder if it’s truly that simple. I love that we’re talking about it, and that we keep talking about it. I hear variations on this theme discussed in conference rooms at non-profits, in schools, in coffeeshops, and in bars late at night. How can we innovate, change, and provide inspiration for ourselves and others? How can we lead the way? These are wonderful questions, and they are questions we should keep examining.

As a Big Question though, does this miss the mark? It seems to me before we can retain or attract other creative individuals to STL, we need to better identify the creative individuals we already have.

Years ago, I remember having this conversation with several people late at night sitting around a table full of Guinness at Mangia. There were artists, musicians, writers, a police officer, and myself. We examined it the creative question from every angle. How do we compete with other cities? How do we demonstrate the value of we have to offer (and I don’t mean just financially)? How do we get others to recognize all the great things we have going on in Saint Louis? Around and around, we all spoke, citing examples of other cities we’d lived in, places we traveled, things we read. That night, and in many other night’s conversations since, it always seems to circle back to the same conclusion: we do awesome things in Saint Louis; we just don’t talk about it.

Whether it’s modesty or lack of self-confidence, a who-gives-a-shit attitude or just a superior work ethic, we all keep plugging away with seemingly little need to discuss our work and our ideas. Maybe it’s because everything happens in bars that we think it doesn’t deserve credit. (And, at times it’s because everything happens in bars and we forget it even happened.) Sometimes I think we are just all so used to the conversation that we forget that something special is happening.

Ask any creative type in Saint Louis to name a few players, say 5 people they think contribute to the creative landscape of this city. Regardless of age, occupation, race, class, or neighborhood, I guarantee you there will be a lot of overlap. Now, take those names you heard mentioned and go ask a policy maker, a newscaster, or a business person if they know the creatives mentioned. You might get a couple, but most likely, never the twain shall meet. Or, try the experiment a different way-- Google the names of the individuals who keep coming up. You might find reference to them here and there, but it’s unlikely that you’ll get a true sense of them, unless perhaps someone has a great website to promote professional endeavors.

My point is, we all know who the creatives are-- we know where to find them and how to use them, but no one else does. We all live somewhat underground, conducting our lives in similar circles and not really worrying too much about the outside world. It appears as if nothing worthy is occurring or as if we claim no room to initiate others into our ranks. And with that attitude, it might be tough to retain other creatives who’ve not yet found the circle, and equally tough to attract people from other cities who don’t even know Saint Louis has anything more than an arch and a now foreign-owned brewery.

So, I love that we’re asking this question, but I wish we’d also talk more about how to identify the wealth we already have.

And hey, Next American City, thanks for hosting the event, but I wish it was a bit cheaper. You’re shutting out some of the very people you want in this conversation. Times are hard; $15 is a lot, even for great ideas. Still, I’ve no doubt it’ll be a great conversation. (see post script at bottom)

WHAT: St. Louis Livable City: What it takes to retain and attract creative individuals
(a panel discussion moderated by Chris King)
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 PM
WHERE: DOWNTOWN Left Bank Books (301 N. 10th; at 10th/Locust)
PRICE: $15** (includes subscription to Next American City and food); free to Next American City subscribers

For more info:
http://americancity.org/urbanexus/stlouis

**Post Script: Just saw a post from Chris King stating that no one would be turned away from the event for not having the $15. (Awesome and thank you.) Now, you have no excuse; go to the discussion.

Thanks, Schlafly

2009-09-17T16:20:00.003-05:00

Beer + Community = Schlafly (FUN!)
I'm fortunate enough to travel a lot. And I like beer. Every time I go somewhere, I'm struck by how fortunate we are in Saint Louis. Not only do we have a thriving beer culture and many small breweries, but we have one bigger brewery that also helps take care of its own. Nope, I'm not talking about AB. Thanks, Schlafly.

For years, I've worked in the bar industry and in local arts education. Seemingly, these seem like two different things entirely, yet every successful business knows that everything is connected more intimately than it might first appear. For years working in the bar business, I've seen Schlafly support all kinds of events-- from kicking in a case of beer for a small private fundraiser to providing sponsorship for events at local restaurants. Unlike many other craft breweries, Schlafly has always been larger than its walls. We find it not just in taverns and bars, but anywhere something important is happening in the community. The next time you're at a non-profit fundraiser, look around. You'll likely see some Schlafly banners. Or watch the Schlafly bike team zoom by and join as they promote healthier lifestyles, alternative commuting, and just plain fun. You'll catch Schlafly beer at Mad Art events, at other local galleries, and at trivia nights around the city. Hell, I'm surprised they don't sponsor garage sales. (--They don't, do they?) We even have Schlafly in our biggest pass time, baseball-- and I love drinking big, tall glasses of Pale Ale instead of a light carbonated lager.

It's not just outside events that Schlafly supports-- they consistently give their own space to the community. When I worked at KDHX, Schlafly helped us out a lot by providing sponsorship and support, but also by providing space for events like the 48 Hour Film Project and other educational series. At the Bottleworks, they show free movies and have awesome lecture series. There's even a Farmer's Market every Wednesday, another testament to their commitment to sustainable food (as if their B'worx garden wasn't cool enough). Lone ranger, Brett Underwood, arranges the best music acts locally and regionally to perform weekends at the Tap Room-- most of which are free (with the others maxing out at a few bucks). This past weekend the Bottleworks hosted Art Outside, a gorgeous little air fair with jewelry, textiles, artwork, and music.

Point is, in other cities, breweries are not doing this. Sure, you'd be hard-pressed to go into any sporting arena and not find some local brewery signage. Maybe some other microbreweries are supporting an odd event here or there (and for that, I applaud them and encourage them to continue), but I have yet to see another brewery the size of Schlafly support their home town on the scale that we experience.

Like New Belgium Brewery before them, Schlafly takes their core values of community, appreciation for the arts, education, and environmentalism and uses them to the advantage of our whole city. When I think back over the past decade, every cool event I've been at, Schlafly was there as a sponsor. And the great thing is, you don't always know it. It's not always about the banner and making themselves known-- they just do what they think is right. And thankfully, they make great beer in the process.

So, on the eve of Hop in the City, thanks Schlafly. And thanks also to all your great employees who help you make it possible.

HOP in the CITY, Saturday, Sept. 19
Noon-5 PM @ the Tap Room
Tickets $35 at the door
(entry entitles you to taste the over 40 varieties of Schlafly brewed in the past year, plus entertainment)

Back in the Saddle, Saint Louis

2009-08-31T12:55:00.002-05:00

Where have I been, you ask. It's been months and months of me neglecting my blogging duties. I know, I know...

Sigh.

I have been busy-- this could be an excuse, or it could be true. I was busy teaching podcasting and video to SLPS students. I was busy working for KDHX Community Media. I was busy helping loads of laid-off Saint Louisans prepare resumes. And then when I wasn't busy anymore, I skipped town.

And even now, I'm writing from Asheville. But, an important date has come and gone this past month during my Eastern American adventures. It's been ten years since I first moved to Saint Louis. And the whole thing has me thinking. Always being a fan of lists, I thought perhaps I'd thrown down some STL lists to mark the occasion, starting with my all-time favorite places in STL (even though some have also departed the streets of our fair city).

THE PARKMOOR (RIP)
Even though we were only able to cohabitate for few months, the Parkmoor has always been one of my favorite STL places. I used to go there with friends whenever I visited Saint Louis, long before I moved here. It was the feeling I loved-- that timeless feeling of dark wood and plants, of looking out as the rest of the world passed. There is something about a good diner or cafe that makes me feel like millions of small important moments have happened where I sit, and this is something that I love. I always feel like I am being let in on some kind of secret, even if I am not entirely able to articulate it all. The world seems slower, invariably a waitress will call you "hon", you eat some food-- probably the wrong kind of meal for the time of day-- and you move slowly back out into the world.

Every time I see that Walgreen's on the corner, I'm bitter. But at least I knew the Parkmoor and we had the chance to be friends.

THE CITY MUSEUM
Anyone who reads this blog or who knows me might be aware of the fact that the City Museum came to me as an epiphany one day early in the decade. I loved Saint Louis, but had never really found my kin here. Still searching for what I would do and where I would belong, I felt like it wasn't going to happen-- even after 2 or 3 years of trying to live here. And then I met Bradley and the path of my life seemed to change, at least personally. I began to make friends and find the conversations I'd been seeking. Professionally, however, it still wasn't clicking. I felt stuck and at a constant loss. But one little day at the City Museum changed all that.

I'd been there before several times, but the day Steve Smith brought backyard boxing to the City Museum on a sunny March day, I knew I was home. Here were my people-- not just the people I knew, but my vision of the city I wanted to live in. There were bands and belly dancers, fire eaters and ring girls. People drinking, kids running, dogs lazily stretching skyward. Schlafly a-flowin' as the city's most interesting writers and small business owners came out to battle each other in the ring. Bradley fought our friend Keith Savage that day in a relatively bloody fight, but as I continued to watch the fights and listen to the spectators, I knew STL was where I wanted to be, and I've been here ever since.

These days, the 8 story spiral slide isn't bad either, and is often enough reason for me to hit up the City Museum.
THE FRONT ROOM AT McGURKS
I know what you're thinking, "How the hell did this make it onto her list?" Little fact about me: I spent 6 years working at McGurks. I lived at Russell and Compton when I first moved to STL, and one week later, I got a job working 2 miles down the street at the corner of Russell and 12th, John D. McGurks Irish Pub. It was different back then-- still crowded and full of drunken college students on the weekends, but the weeknights belonged to the band, the regulars, and the staff. I spent several years sitting at that front bar or one of the high tops, listening to musicians who were flown in from Ireland play their tunes. I learned their names, learned the songs, and learned a lot about Ireland in the process. I also made a lot of friends. On a Tuesday or Wednesday night, just past 11pm, that front room would empty out leaving only those who actually cared about the music. The drink would flow, and sometimes the conversations. Going back, even now, it always has the power to feel like going home. It amazes me that in such a large place as McGurks that there are still moments of authenticity, and I have no doubt there always will be. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder, or go out a little past your bedtime.

Hoffman Lachance Fine Art
Few people remember HL Fine Art before it moved to Maplewood, but in my head it will always be in that little two story white brick building on Forsyth, down the street from the Barbizon Modeling Agency. I had just met the HL crew right before they opened-- back in the day when good things could still happen for me at Mangia after midnight. As pints of Guinness made their way around the table and the Good Griefs played, several of us sat around smoking cigarettes and talking about art in Saint Louis, where we though this city was headed, where we hoped it could go. Those first few shows at HL were exciting to me. Always a fan of art, I have never been a fan of art galleries. I find them closed off from the public, unapproachable, and to be honest, a bit snooty and pretentious. Maybe it's just because I like to look when it's quiet, think about it, and then discuss it all later when I have a better feel for what remains. HL was different though. From the beginning they were looking for emerging artists-- people who were exciting and provocative, people who were skilled technically as well as conceptually. They mixed up classical painters with pop art, mixed media and sculpture, art student drawings with regional masters. I loved the air of the whole thing. I loved going there. And I loved the conversations we'd all have out on that small front porch as we spilled outside into the heat and lighters were exchanged for cigarettes. I met great people those years HL was in Clayton. I still go to a show every now and then, but in my heart, it feels different. That gallery on Forsyth felt like the beginning of something and, empirically, it seems it was the beginning. Maybe I'm the one who changed, but when I think of my favorite places in STL, invariably I think of possibility, and the old HL always comes to mind. It's right behind my eyes like those late-night conversations as we all envisioned STL, resting but not too far from reality.

Why all the fuss with MGT's proposal to close 29 SLPS facilities?

2009-02-11T19:04:00.003-06:00

Over the past couple of weeks, if you've been listening hard enough or in the right places, you've likely heard a lot of angry whispers or confused discussions about MGT's proposal to close over 29 St Louis Public School facilities and move several other schools. I've attended both the public forums, and greatly appreciated the chance to speak to the Special Appointed Board before a decision gets made. You can too. Public comments, proposals and recommendations are still being accepted online until the end of the day on Thursday, Feb. 12.

SLPS website
The public comment section and a PDF summary and copy of the report on the left side of the page.

I've spent a lot of time breaking this down to others over the past week and I thought I'd do the same here. Whether you have children in SLPS schools or not, this is still an issue that concerns everyone living in St Louis City. The fact is that SLPS has to cut millions of dollars from their budget from years of mismanagement and poor funding. And enrollment is down for several reasons-- charter schools, people sends their kids to private schools, parents moving families from the city for better schools, lack of accreditation and funding. But, the schools we are talking about-- over 29 being closed and several others moved-- those schools are in your neighborhood. This decision will be made and it will affect all city residents, so you should know what's on the line and then make your voice heard.

Why does this matter if I don't have kids in SLPS?
The decision to close these schools will affect whole neighborhoods and areas. The presumption is that SLPS enrollment will continue to decline based on some of the above reasons. This presents two issues for us to think about:

One, as proposed whole neighborhoods will not have schools. For example, there is an entire ward on the north side (the 4th) that will no longer have schools within it (2 have closed, 4 are slated). What does this signal to members of that community? New houses are being built there, but the children who move into those homes will have to go to school in another neighborhood. This poses many problems, not the least of which is it says that there is no future for children in that neighborhood. They must go somewhere else. Residents will also go somewhere else eventually, as will businesses, etc. Schools have long been the anchor of any community; without one, what does that say. Furthermore, we end up with empty, derelict buildings. If an area is already depressed, do we want more huge empty buildings? Our neighborhoods will soon have them, it seems.

Two, the report by the consulting firm MGT assumes that SLPS enrollment will continue to decline. Rather than close buildings and sink money into assuming we can't do a better job and running away with our tail between our legs, why don't we do as we ask of our students and think more critically and creatively? $625,000 was spent on this report by MGT. The report only talks about the suitability of buildings, not about the schools, their academic merits, or the needs of the students within each school. Why don't we spend the same amount of money (or why didn't we spend our money that way in the first place) to see what schools could withstand a move, or which ones are not performing due to facility constraints? And then, let's spend our energy thinking about how to build better schools and raise enrollment. Better schools doesn't have to mean new buildings. Yes, facilities need to be updated and safe, but building better schools is about the students, not just the space.

Many people want to send their kids to SLPS and will, if we can fix the problem. If we build it, they will come. We need to focus our energy in the right direction. Yes, some schools will close, but we need to be careful about which ones. This study includes no information on community impact.

What are some of the problems with the report itself?
Other people spoke more eloquently than I about the inaccuracies and problems within MGT's report. I'll highlight some of those for you.

Building Capacities: Many current schools were quoted as having much higher capacities than they do. So, it was proposed that the populations of some schools be moved to another building that can only serve half as many students. This came up time and time again. It is not clear where all the students will go, because as proposed, there simply would not be enough room for the many thousands of students SLPS does have.

Comparable Facilities Not Offered: In the case of several magnet schools, comparable facilities were not offered and not all the moves included renovations to the proposed buildings to accommodate the magnet programs. This is the case with Gateway IT, which would be moved to a new facility that would not be able to house its aviation program (Yes, SLPS has one!), nor offer the same amount of science or tech classrooms needed to support its award winning programs and students (a Gateway student was named a National Merit scholar this week). Also, there is a move proposed for McKinley Classical which does not take into account the school enrollment numbers, nor the types of facilities needed. The school would be moving to a smaller auditorium, a school without dance classrooms, and less space available for other academic needs. 4 eMints schools are also being closed.

This proposal cuts special needs day programs.
Gallaudet School on Grand would be closed, with those students moving to another school. Gallaudet is a school for hearing disabled students and it is one of the only public institutions available for deaf students. This means that current students would be moved to a facility that is not devoted to the teaching of deaf students, which would sorely impact their education. Moreover, if parents still wanted a comparable education for their kids, they must send them to a private institution, which is not an option for many parents.

Nottingham, a school that teaches special needs students workforce readiness is to be combined with students at Southwest, where Central VPA currently is. This plan will close the only high school for special needs students and essentially mandate that all are mainstreamed. This is an issue for several reasons, not the least of which is the physical and emotional safety of those students. The proposed replacement location also only has one elevator, making it difficult for students to access their classes. All of these students also have IEP's, which would require a person to assist them in school, likely making the cost higher in the long run.

Missing the Big Picture
Under this plan, all three Big Picture schools would be closed, with no replacement program available. The Big Picture schools are part of a national movement to provide individualized learning at alternative schools. What does that mean? In the case of the Big Picture High School at Kottmeyer, it means students come there who are kicked out of the other schools. They come there going downhill fast. But individualized attention, internship programs, and self-directed learning turns these students around. These are kids who often do not have to be in school. They could drop out, but they don't. They come to school, and they get it together, and it seems to be working. There are some who would say that these kids don't matter, and I'd argue that these kids do. They are the ones will be resilient enough to keep looking for solutions, to keep working when everyone shuts the door on them. And we're doing it to by closing this school. It's their last chance, and we're not giving them anywhere else to go.

In other words, the case for ESOL
What's ESOL? A fancy way of saying English Language Learners, ESOL students are concentrated on the south side at the moment. This plan calls for the closing of several south side elementary schools and one new facility being built. At one of the schools to be closed, 23 languages are spoken by students. Many barely speak English. When these kids are moved to a school that has many other students and not as many specialists, how will that affect their education? When their parents are asked to leave the neighborhood and go into other places that might not understand their needs, how will that affect education?

In short, there's some problems.
The SAB has been awesome about listening to the public. Last week, 2 public forums were held, one at Roosevelt High School and one at Vashon. At both, over 100 people spoke on record. The SAB listened to each comment and welcomed as many people to speak as wanted to. They stressed that a decision has not been made. They will have to close schools, but I don't think that number has to be 29.

My chief concern about MGT's report is that it's a report on buildings, not on schools. We cannot make decisions that will affect whole communities-- communities of learners, neighborhoods, special interest schools, special needs students, and those that we might be able to attract again in the future without looking very carefully at the consequences of these closings and school moves. Yes, it would get the budget where it needs to go, but not the students. We are here to serve these kids, to offer a future, and to provide learned citizens for our city. We need to do better.

There are many problems with this report-- in its accuracy, in its assumptions, and in its mission. I have provided a sampling of some of the big issues, but not enough of an understanding. But this matters. Your opinion matters. Please look at the information and leave a comment.

Possible solutions

-Enrollment is low in grade schools. By bulking up early childhood education, we can begin to provide a strong foundation academically for children, and we can offer an education that is comparable in quality to private schools and other districts.

-Do not mess with schools that work. Many of the magnet and special needs schools were out in force-- students, parents, teachers, principals. If a school is at capacity and has a waiting list and students' academics are excellent and needs are being met, why would we want to change that? So many things don't work, let's leave the things that do alone.

-Make sure that neighborhoods can educate their own. Many of these schools slated for closure or a move have special populations that can not simply be moved or re-created. This is the case for magnet schools, and for some neighborhood schools, like Mann on the south side. Also, this plan will leave only one high school on the south side, Roosevelt, which is slated to add hundreds of students and will already be overcrowded. As new people move to the city, where will their kids go? Allow for growth?

-Close some schools strategically, and allow for un-used floors of other schools to be used on community development. Many non-profits deliver services to the students and families of these schools. Many SLPS schools have been turned very successfully into CEC's or Community Education Centers, and now the strength of those schools helps back the community and its residents. Great examples of this are Jefferson (just north of downtown) and Hamilton (CWE). Allowing non-profit service providers to rent space in un-used parts of schools makes delivery of social and educational programs, after-school programs, and adult evening education easier. It also provides incoming rent, strengthens community ties, and provides opportunities for whole-family learning and community exchange.

This might not fix everything, but there are things we can do. If this plan goes through as proposed, it's tantamount to the killing of whole communities and results in the slow death of our public school system if we assume saving these schools is a lost cause. I've taught in two schools that were closed, the last one for four years. If we think this doesn't affect the community negatively, then we have learned nothing from our past decisions.

Public Forums on SLPS School Closings

2009-02-04T20:47:00.002-06:00

I just got back from the first public forum on MGT's recommendations for St Louis Public School's facility closings. I left 2 hours and 35 minutes in, after 53 speakers had been heard. Over thirty were still waiting to speak when I left. Students from 6th grade on up spoke, parents, teachers, community members, aldermen. This is important, folks. They are proposing closings or cancellation of programs to over 29 schools. I'll go through my notes and give the highlights of the comments, but Gateway, Big Picture, and McKinley turned out the crowds.

Many of the schools affected are magnet schools with great reputations. Many will be moved to schools that cannot offer the same programs, so it's not just that buildings are closing, it's that whole programs will be lost. We struggle so much with education, I don't see how we can afford to shut down the few programs that do work and that have proven successful. In other cases, it's special needs schools that will be lost-- or whole neighborhoods closed down. How is there even a neighborhood left if there is no school within the community? In the 4th ward, ALL the schools are on the list (and 2 were closed last year).

There's one more forum, and even if you don't have kids in SLPS, you still have a vested interest. This plan will change our city, and not in a good way. We will lose what few educational resources we have. Go to Vashon Saturday morning at 10am. Or submit a comment online to SLPS.

Two highlights of the night for me:

1.) The first student to speak was an eloquent eighth grader who stated, "We're not dollar signs; we're students striving for knwoledge."

2.) Later, a student from Big Picture (an alternative school selected for closure with no new facility offered) reading a poem about the second chance he got at Big Picture: the student, a 16 year old young man who just fathered a baby girl, broke down in the middle of reading.

These students, all of them, were eloquent as they powerfully advocated for their schools, their communities, and their right to a future in the schools they have grown to love. There are so many people who think the city doesn't produce intelligent kids, or that it's the exception and not the rule. After 6 years of working in SLPS schools, I see them succeed every day. It's a shame that with all they have to fight to be successful, they now also have to fight their schools closing.

Go to Vashon Saturday. I'll be there, standing in line, waiting to be heard.

SLPS to hear public comments about school closings

2009-02-04T16:16:00.002-06:00

Tonight at Roosevelt High School (6pm) and Saturday morning at Vashon High School, there are forums for the public to comment on recent plans to close over 2 dozen schools within St Louis City.

SLPS info on forums

SLPS school management facilities report (on SLPS website)

The school where I taught for four years on the North side was closed in August. Several other schools where I currently work with kids are on this list. I'm headed to the meeting tonight. If you want to understand the choices being made, and if you have a vested interest in our community being educated, this is a good place to start.

Take that, Miami!

2009-01-24T16:06:00.002-06:00

Remember when St. Louis was the fattest city? (We were also the most dangerous and the happiest, so figure that out.) A new study by Men's Health ranks Miami the fattest city, and St Louis as the #16 Fittest City. That's fit, as in healthy, not fat. Hurrah! So keep hitting the park and riding your bike to work. We're coming up in the world.

Read the list here.

I want to see this.

2009-01-23T23:04:00.001-06:00

Playing at the Science Center Omnimax.

On the Road to the Inauguration

2009-01-18T19:16:00.002-06:00

Check out Rob Thurman, Lori White, Steve Smith, and others from the St. Louis as they travel to DC for Obama's Inauguration. Videos of the trip out, commentary by the travelers, and lots of Tweets have been posted. To get the latest video-blogs by Smith and interviews of folks from St Louis in DC, check out the St Louis Beacon.

For other information on great events occurring in STL this week, check out the St Louis Activist Hub on Facebook (click here).

For MLK Day events and other political goings-on and celebrations this week, check out MoveOn.org STL events list, week of Jan. 19.

Lots to celebrate, lots to learn. Talk to your neighbors and each other. See what this week means to those around you, and share your perceptions. I'm excited. It's going to be a great week.

Misc and Sundry...

2009-01-15T23:37:00.003-06:00

1. I have been completely overwhelmed at work the last couple of weeks, and am starting to teach all my new media classes this week. So... it'll likely be another week before I can devote much time to good blogging. Bear with me.

2. [edited for irrelevance]

3. Birthday coming, so as usual, I have a list of all the fun things I want to do in STL this next year. Will be posting it soon. I'm also accepting suggestions for fun.

4. I'm returning to my old post (kind of) at the Royale for one day. I'm hosting the Inauguration Day Celebration on Tuesday. So, if you have the day off of work like we do, come on down and join us for some political poetry, an Obama Haiku competition (because it's me and I'm a nerd), some awesome music, $2.50 Missouri drafts, and lots of fun.

5. So I've been doing these resume seminars every other week in response to our crappy economy. The awesome thing is we've had great turnout. There aren't many places where someone can go for free advice. My email inboxes have also been flooded, and while it's difficult to respond to resumes over email, it's still better than nothing. Point is, most people have the same issues. I am considering a series of posts on resume writing. Is this helpful? If so, send me some questions and I'll pull it all together.

Sorry for the houskeeping-type list. Sometimes, it's how the brain works best.

Tim's Chrome Bar

2009-01-12T20:38:00.004-06:00

I was just thinking about where I should have my Monday night drink, and a connection struck in my head: Tim's Chrome Bar. For whatever reason, I have found myself talking about this southside oldie-but-goodie a few times in the past couple weeks. Today, as I devoured my burrito at El Burrito Loco, I mentioned it again and then drove home that way just to see it shining there, across from the Bevo.

Tim's Chrome Bar is not necessarily the place to go for a killer beer, but it is great if you like people. I first went in there a few years ago when I was reviewing it, and it's stayed on my list for a while. Located at Gravois and Morgan Ford, the Chrome Bar is in an awesome part of town. The clientele is diverse in every way. On the edge of Little Bosnia on the southside, the customers tend more towards middle age in and unassuming way. Despite the rhinestone studded martini glasses on the back bar, there aren't a lot of fancy martinis here. Some karaoke, some cover bands on the weekends, long hair and Miller Lites. There's a dance floor where people dance to Guns n' Roses and Toby Keith country.

Flanking the dance floor/ stage are mirrors and then lit glass covered in the silhouettes of voluptuous women, a la the mud flaps on the back of a truck. The bar staff has always been awesome and friendly. Rail drinks hover around a couple of bucks, making a double-fisted round of a bourbon, a beer, and a tip run about $6.

It's really just a great southside bar, and well worth it. And if you're lookin' for a little dinner on the way, hit up Primo on Morgan Ford, just north of Chippewa. Not a lot of English, but a whole lot of great food, excellent service, and very well priced. Exceptional food really-- choose your dish and then pick your meat, including brains and tongue, if memory serves-- always a sign of deliciousness.

Tim's Chrome Bar
4736 Gravois Ave
St Louis, MO 63116
(314) 353-8138

Primo Taqueria
3642 Morganford Rd
St. Louis, MO 63116

El Burrito Loco
3611 Bates St
St Louis, MO 63116
(314) 457-8600

(BTW, the Loco has $1.99 margs from 3-6pm on Monday and Tuesday. Go.)

Resume Clinic at Royale Tuesday, Jan. 13 from 2-5pm

2009-01-11T14:03:00.003-06:00

If you missed the Resume Clinic that Steve Smith and I ran at the Royale on Dec. 29, you still have another chance to come on down and get some free resume advice. Whether you have an old resume you want to update, or need a new one to attract better employment, bring it to the Royale with your questions. We had a great turn out last time, and from that we learned that we need to ask people to reserve a slot so we can get to everyone in a timely manner. Below is the invite as Steve wrote it, as well as a link to a video about the previous clinic. If you have questions or want to reserve a spot, call the Royale at 314.772.3600.

RESUME CLINIC ANNOUNCEMENT
The Royale continues the Resume Clinic again this Tuesday the 13th of January from 2-5pm with Allison Trombley, who has helped over 200 people to build better resumes. If you currently have a resume, bring it along; if you don't, come with information about your previous employment. Clinic will contain general information as well as 15 minute one-on-one advice sessions. Start the new year with new prospects, and work on it all while drinking a beer and slurping some soup. Come and sign in for a consultation, or email back to reserve a time.

Everyone coming in for the resume clinic or joining in the topic of conversation will receive a free Missouri brewed beer- just see me when you get here. This week's topic at the bar will address to the layoffs in the news business. Just as the beer business, the news business is also dear to my heart. I worked for the Post-Dispatch for years as a street corner newsboy(check out the wall of Newsboy photos in the bar.) I am saddened to see the layoffs in the news departments that give NEWSpapers their name. The industry is changing, and those working in the business are trying to adjust, so the topic of discussion will be Saint Louis news gathering/analysis/investigation, and how this much needed profession can continue in this changing world.

KSDK story/ video on the last clinic. This was picked up on CNN, as well as local ABC affiliates all over the nation, and in a number of online sources.

South Side Vs. CWE

2009-01-06T10:57:00.003-06:00

It's a City Smackdown, and I plan on sitting front row. Wednesday, Jan. 7 Brennan's in the Central West End is hosting a debate: Which is Better? South City or the Central West End? In the end, the audience votes for the winner.

This is no ordinary debate. Despite having two very intelligent men arguing the finer points (Kevin Brennan for the CWE and Steve Smith for the South Side), I don't think we will be seeing Lincoln-Douglas style debate. (And if you know me, you understand my relief...) For several years, 1 Wednesday a month, Kevin Brennan has been running these debates where people ponder the virtues of Ketchup Vs. Mustard, and other age-old rivalries. The back-and-forth is clever, intelligent, always funny, and generally lively. I've known both Brennan and Smith for years, and I am not sure who has the edge on this one. I know the South Side rocks, but we'll have to see how it gets argued.

Hit up Brennan's on Wed. night to see all it all happens and use your voice to settle the argument: South Side or Central West End?

Brennan's (near Euclid and Maryland)
Wednesday Debate: 8pm Jan. 7, 2008
4659 Maryland Ave, St Louis - (314) 361-9444

Dogtown Allstars, Books, Chess, Holgas, and Polka

2009-01-04T15:03:00.003-06:00

I've been under a rock the last few weeks, so maybe I am the last to know about these two cool events. It's entirely possible. But were you to still be out in the cold, then this might interest you (or serve as a reminder of the coolness you don't want to miss).

Monday, Jan. 5, 7-8:30pm at the Central Library Branch (downtown)
Not So Quiet Concert Series Featuring the Dogtown Allstars

Ha-zizzle! I finally get to see these cats. I've been trying and missing the Dogtown Allstars their past few shows, but I shall put an end to that tomorrow. This event is free, and it's at the library, which is awesome on so many levels. And, since it's on a Monday, there are two bonuses: 1.) I get to go. 2.) The library also sponsors chess games on Monday nights. So, if you're a super geek like me who thinks chess is awesome, you can swing on down, hear some tunes and then play mind games. And you don't even have to play evil mind games-- just chess.

Friday, Jan. 9, 5:30-7:30 at RAC
(U City Loop, on Delmar east of Skinker)
Holga Polka Invitational
Here's the deal: 42 local artists (and some other folks, including local writers) were asked to take pictures with Holga cameras. I have become a big fan of these things since seeing some of the gorgeous work that is produced from such a simple machine. And I am always a sucker for images of our fair city, especially those captured by its inhabitants. And... there's polka. You may not know this about me, but in fifth grade when I played the clarinet, I loved playing polkas. It was the closest to feeling like a rock star that I ever came. So, between the photos and the polka that will be on display (and free) for your eyes and ears on Friday, I am feeling very excited. Should be good.

Holga Polka Info
SLPS Library Events
Dogtown Allstars

French to run for 21st Ward Alderman

2009-01-02T13:06:00.002-06:00

Power to the people. I woke up this morning to check my Twitter updates and saw that Antonio French, Mr. PubDef himself, is running for 21st Ward Alderman. The 21st Ward is mostly north of Natural Bridge, west of Vandeventer, and east of Shreve up to 70. That includes the west side of Fairgrounds Park, the area around Red Bones Den, and lots of other neighborhoods. Having taught on the northside for several years, these are the wards that need great leadership-- not great politicians, but great people. I am excited to see Mr. French's dedication and hope we can all help get him elected.

Check out his announcement. And then while you're at it, stay and read a little on PubDef if you're not familiar. Some of the best local education coverage and politics. You'll see why I am so excited.

Free Resume Writing Clinic

2008-12-29T00:44:00.003-06:00

Okay my friends, I am giving a free resume writing clinic at the Royale from Noon-4pm on Monday, December 29. We're in tough times and many of us have been laid off, or are looking to go back to work, or switch industries, or just plain seeking a better deal. We should all have a current and stellar resume on hand. Swing by the Royale (3132 S. Kingshighway) on Monday at noon for a Resume Clinic, free and open to the public. This is in conjunction with the owner, Steve Smith, offering free pints of Missouri microbrews to laid-off AB workers. Additionally, there are specials on Schlafly products and soups-- yummy and affordable for all. So swing on down to the Southside and work on your resume. I have worked on over 200 resumes in the past few years and have a pretty great track record. Bring your current resume, your questions, and a desire to talk about the current beer industry in STL.

Hope to see you there.

Fox 2 News Story on Resume Clinic (You can still come even if not in the brewing industry.)

Royale Food and Spirits
3132 S. Kingshighway
St Louis, MO 63139
314-772-3600

Resume Writing Clinic
December 29, Noon-4pm
Beer and Soup Specials
One-on-one appointments, time permitting

Dapper Dan's to close

2008-12-27T20:16:00.003-06:00

Tonight (Saturday) is the final night for Dapper Dan's. Got the email from Steve this morning and scurried on home a little early so I could swing by and pay my respects. So many great STL establishments have shuttered their doors for the last time this past year or 18 months. Makes patronizing the great ones that much more important.

I'm sure I'll write more about Dapper Dan's in the coming days, but if you get a chance, swing by tonight. Totally worth the trip. Tucker and Washington, downtown, (on the east side of Tucker).

Bill McClellan's column from the STL Post on Dapper Dan's

Don Beasley Says You Should Listen To This

2008-12-19T11:45:00.003-06:00

So, a few weeks back, I trolled my talented and knowledgeable friends for some recommendations on local music. Don Beasley responded from Kansas City with a fantastic list, which I will re-post below just as he sent it. Now, I always feel it's important to get a sense of who's doing the recommending in order to decide whether or not I want to take their advice. So for those of you who don't know, Don is a musician (St. Louis projects included Corbeta Corbata and Nerve Parade). Though he tends to traffic in punk rock, Don's musical taste is wide and varied, as evidenced by all the awesome mix tapes he used to make for me consisting mostly of soul, jazz, and old-school blues and funk. Sure, he threw in the occasional Pixies song, but that was more for my edification. In addition to ripping up the stage, Mr. Beasley is also a crazy talented artist and a really good haiku writer. He's a little obsessed with Elvis. And, my favorite part is he always wears all black (excepting the occasional punk rock shirt) with his pants legs rolled up just enough to reveal white socks. Those eccentricities might not seem to add up, but they've always proven to contribute to someone whose taste I trust, so here's what he thinks you should be listening to (and buying) this holiday season. All of the below CD's, except In Media Res, can be found locally at Vintage Vinyl or Euclid Records. The other's a little more difficult, but you like a challenge.

The List, dispatched from KC

Hello hello!

I have over 700 copies of the first Corbeta Corbata album that anyone anywhere can use as stocking stuffers. I mean with the price of coal nowadays...

The Bert Dax x-mas comps he puts out usually have great songs. As lame as it might sound one of the best local cd's i listened to was the 52nd City Sound Issue they put out. The Eric hall recordings are quite amazing and that's on there! but here's a list of my favorite St. Louis albums:

Chuck Berry - The Great 28 (watch the movie Hail Hail Rock and Roll)

Ike and Tina Turner - The Great Sounds of... (Any greatest hits will do)

Bunnygrunt - Karen Haters Club (now on 10inch record... impress your friends with that.)

Humanoids - Are Born (great catchy songs... makes you move)

Pokey LaFarge - Beat, Move and Shake (in fact check out Big Muddy Records. all St. Louis old tyme kinda roots blues get down and dirty kinda good fun thumpin' and bumpin' dancing on graves with a bottle of bad ideas, broken guitars and that heylordymamamamagetupand go kinda stuff... Praise the lard!)

In Medias Res - s/t (the best band to ever sit on there thumbs)

Nineteen - Tearing Me Apart (Kinda sounds like Rancid but a lot more tough and no ska parts! ANd a plus of getting that cd is you get 95% of everything they ever put out. it's quite an undertaking to get through but anything worth it usually is! Could be one of the best punk bands ever to come outta st. louis... well a punk band i wasn't in anway!)

Another good present would be to take someone to see The Livers. 4 members preformed by two. Want to know how it works... go see them! ANd force Irine Allen... or Green to put out an album and then give that to people! I hope this helps out a little bit. Well for x-mas im making a mixdisc boxed set for people. a 4 cd set to show people what i listen to and from early in life up to now.

Duty now for the future,

Don Beasley

RFT info on Bert Dax Christmas shows

E-cycling

2008-12-16T18:09:00.004-06:00

For the last few months, I have been declaring that TV is dead... mostly because mine is. I recently was the recipient of my parents' old TV, so my broken down old picture tube (which also weighs about 100 pounds) will no longer act as artwork in my home, taking up room. I threw out a request for places to recycle on Facebook and Twitter and got quite a few leads. After doing some homework on the situation, I am going with DCAL in Webster. It was recommended as a good place to e-cycle, and frankly, it's close and cheap. In case any of you are in a similar boat, here's the info.

DCAL Services (Electronics/Housewares Recycling

Thanks to all those who sent me suggestions.

Metro Area Electronic Recycling Info

Gentleman Auction House This Weekend

2008-12-15T23:04:00.003-06:00

For those of you who are in the know, or those that might be looking, (or ones like me who are slow to get there...) Gentleman Auction House, recommended herein as a great local band by Misters Crone and Underwood, is playing at Off Broadway this Friday, December 19. Tickets are $8 at the door, and I am sure they will have CD's for sale if any of you still need to pick up a gift. They're playing an Xmas show with the Hibernauts. Target Market, and Cold Bear Scout.

Off Broadway

Looking just a little bit ahead, and something to mark on your calendars is Bunnygrunt on Dec. 27th at the Tap Room and the Invisibles at Mangia on New Year's Eve, a gig which I committed to seeing last April or May when it was announced. Rumor has it there will be the old puppet show stylings of Jaxon and his partner in crime, a throwback that was slightly before my arrival on the south side, but which I am very much looking forward to ringing in the new year with.

Live Music at Schlafly
Mangia Live Bands

STL Holiday Guide: For the St. Louis Lover

2008-12-15T14:37:00.002-06:00

Stunning Photos of STL
I’ll be damned if these photos aren’t the most beautiful things ever. I have long admired Hilary’s photos from afar on flickr, but then the other day I discovered I could have one of my very own. Her Helgaroid photos are my favorite, the colors brilliant and alive, and she has a knack for pulling the life out of a place that we might otherwise just drive by, unnoticed. Prints are available on Etsy.com, ranging around $35-40, plus shipping.

If a book’s more your thing, check out the following titles:

St. Louis Then and Now by Elizabeth McNulty.
This book has gorgeous photos of what St Louis used to be, and what it looks like now. It’s available at most every local bookstore, as well as the chains and online at Amazon.

Portraits Along the River by Thomas Crone, with photographs by Bob Reuter.
In full disclosure, my company published this book, so I am a bit biased. That being said, working on this book introduced me to the talent and genius of Crone and Reuter. The book features interviews with 50 people who work and live in the City of St Louis. There are jobs you might not have known existed, coupled with the subjects’ own words and Reuter’s stunning photos, this book presents a pretty lively illustration of who lives in STL. Available at Left Bank Books, as well as all local chain stores.

The William and Joseph Press

Or, for those of you who like to wear your St Louis, you might dig.

STL Style
I’m a fan of the South City, Old North St. Louis, Grand, and St. Louis Original shirts.

Also, could I please have one of these?
STL Style does KDHX shirts, and while I like them all, I am a really big fan of the light blue one. (Women’s large or XL, please.)

If jewelry’s more your thing, I found some cool STL themed pieces on Etsy.

STL Arch Pendant

Fleur de lis Pendant

Bleeding Deacon Grand Opening

2008-12-12T22:45:00.004-06:00

Okay, campers and kids, the Bleeding Deacon is having its "official" Grand Opening Saturday, December 13 at 6pm. There will be tasty snacks (free spread for a while), even tastier beverages, and fun for all. This joint has been open for a few weeks, so the "official" part kind of cracks me up, though I get it. But it does indicate usually that most of the kinks are worked out (not that i've noticed any) and the crowd will start to diversify a bit. That being said, I hope I can attend for the "grand"ness of it all. And, for the fact that Mike and Todd have a lot of tasty beer in their joint, some of which I have not had in a long time. I counted last time I was there, and if memory serves, there were well over 20 bottles-- good stuff, and the kind of beer that not every bar has. Food prices are good, service has been friendly and deft, and there's a big chalkboard that I think is just waiting for my haikus. (Apparently right now it's occupied by Chef Jaxon Noon's art...) Anyway, if you haven't been, it's well worth the trip. And if you go earlier in the day, Simple Pleasures is open next door. So you can shop for adult items and lingerie and then just mosey over for a bite and a beer. Hurrah!

The Bleeding Deacon Public House
4123 Chippewa (just west of Gravois, across from the QT-- parking lot directly to the east of building)

STL Holiday Gifts: Media

2008-12-12T09:39:00.003-06:00

For those who like movies and books, STL has some relatively under-the-radar gems.

LoFi STL
If you’re really cool, you know about LoFi St Louis. On Bill Streeter's site, a collection of video podcasts, you can find out more about everything St Louis-- and this is the stuff you might not know otherwise (but should). Bill Streeter rocks, as does LoFi. You can sport a LoFi shirt by heading down to the Royale (3132 S. Kingshighway) and plunking down some cash ($15, I think?) and they will give you a red shirt with the LoFi logo.

The Films of Dan Bowers
While at the Royale, you can also pick up a copy of Gus, Daniel Bowers’ homage to individualism in our fair city. This feature documentary takes a look at Gus, owner of Gus’ fashions (formerly down on Tucker and Washington), and a right character he is. I met Dan years ago when he shot our first 48HFP for us, and he’s one of the kindest, most talented people I’ve known. Case in point (in terms of his talent), is his improv film A: Anonymous, which features local improv geniuses Sarah Jones, Ray Brewer, and George Malich, amongst others. A is the story of a bunch of dysfunctional folks with peculiar addictions (tight pants, wearing wrestling masks, passing out at inappropriate times) and how they all come together.

A is well worth a watch (or a few). A sold out in town, but it is available at several places (Amazon) online.
Trailer for Gus (set to one of my favorite Jive Turkey tracks)
Trailer for A: Anonymous

Coming soon: gift ideas for local books, cook t-shirts, and more music (more recommendations from Don Beasley and Brett Underwood).

STL Holiday Gifts: Music

2008-12-10T11:20:00.002-06:00

Part Two: Local Music Recommendations

If jazz is more your thing, local sax player and singer Jessica Butler (of Linn, the Ralph Butler Band, and a lot of previous super-cool projects in jazz and ska) recommends Jesse Gannon’s The Truth. There’s some swingy piano that’s pretty cool. In a slightly different direction, Jessica also recommends the Earthworms, for some funky white boy old school hip-hop (member Matt Fournier was formerly of the band Jive Turkey, which used to make me very happy). Both their CD’s are available at Vintage Vinyl.

The Truth
Earthworms

Last year, quite a few people I know received Jon Hardy and the Public’s CD. Jon’s CD’s are a little harder to find. They are available at shows, or through him if you know him. Otherwise, you gotta hit iTunes and download. Still local, still cool.

Jon Hardy and the Public

Brett Underwood recommends the band Wooden Kites. Their folksy/indie mix makes me want to throw this in the CD player and read books while curled on the couch in the rain. I am particularly fond of the track "Suicide Weather"; despite the morbid name, it's actually quite bouncy, reminiscent of classic country lyrics filled with longing. (Thus, the connection to rain for me.) Their album is called The Orchard and is available at Amazon, or locally at Vintage Vinyl.

Wooden Kites on MySpace

STL Holiday Gifts: Music

2008-12-09T16:42:00.003-06:00

Part One, in which the reader (you) gets insights into the best music St. Louis has to offer. Made in St. Louis, so try to buy in St. Louis. Today's recommendations are courtesy of Thomas Crone, Brett Underwood, and Don Beasley.

The local music recommendations have been rolling into my inbox, and I am excited. So, if any of you need to find me a gift this holiday season, take note. I was trying to figure out how to organize all these great suggestions, and then it occurred to me that pretty much everyone has varied taste in music, so I am just gonna hit you with what people passed along to me.

Gentleman Auction House
Quite a few folks, including KDHX spinner Thomas Crone and Brett Underwood, formerly of the No Show, are digging Gentleman Auction House, which Crone cites as pleasing pop that’s a pretty good bet for anyone on your holiday list.

Listen to them here. They are releasing a Christmas album on Emergency Umbrella Records. They also have other releases and all are available at Euclid Records
.

On a tangential note, while looking into some stuff I thought was cool for these posts, I stumbled upon the work of graphic artist and designer John Vogl. Unfortunately, his work is not in stores at the moment, and his new site is under construction. That being said, when his stuff is available, I want this. And you might be wondering why I am bringing John into this discussion of music, well... While looking at his work, I also discovered that he did some album covers for Gentleman Auction House and other local bands. So, he’s doubly cool. Check out his stuff here.

Another local music hero, Eric Hall, is also on a few people’s list, including Don Beasley (formerly of punk band Corbeta Corbata and recent STL ex-pat to be dispatched to KC). Eric Hall has long done some really cool things with sound, dating back to eerie recordings he used to do with friends in Dunaway Books on S. Grand.

For more on Eric and his Echolocation Recordings, have a look here. Underwood forwarded the following info: "Eric Hall and Echolocation Recordings continue to release CDs of various electro-acoustic material. All are available at Vintage Vinyl and Apop Records."

Part Two: Forthcoming recs from Jessica Butler on jazz, more local rock and punk, as well as other STL media that should be please the folks you love. (Hint: there will be sex in a book title, rock n' roll is implied in design, and some products can be purchased at bars.)

STL Holiday Guide: Music, a Kickoff

2008-12-09T10:51:00.007-06:00

I've spent the majority of my adult life chained behind a bar on weekends, which has prevented me from becoming the musical genius that runs in my bloodlines. When I go see shows in St Louis, I always enjoy myself, but I usually only know about them because it's a friend's band, or because I am dating one of the musicians. Luckily, I have friends who run the gamut from jazz bands to funk, punk to rock, and a little americana thrown in for good measure.

This past weekend I stepped out to go hear The Funky Butt Brass Band and Gumbohead at the Gramophone in the Grove. Typically, I fear the Grove, as I am skeptical of any neighborhood that invents a name for itself. But the Gramophone might have changed my opinion. I did have some mild panic upon arrival because I was alone and it was crowded, but as the crowd thinned, I grew into the place.

Basically two old storefronts, there's a beautiful long bar on one side (with laminate countertops on the back bar, which I can forgive because I know it's prudent)... and a huge stage along the other side. The middle ground is all open space. Amen. The Gramophone carried a lot of beer-- easily 20 bottles or so, at decent prices, and five or so on draft. They had wines, and the regular selection of spirits, and service was quick and pretty good. The sound was good, the bands didn't seem squeezed onto the stage, and everyone seemed to have a great time. The best part for me-- and this might have been because of the specific bands playing-- was that the average age was easily 30-something. Thank you. It was a chill crowd having a good time. And I vowed to be more open minded about future dealings in the Grove. And the horns from the Funky Butt Brass Band were pretty hot.

So all this got me thinking about the various things that STL has to offer, and how limited I am in my knowledge of some of it. So I went to people who know way more than me. I plumbed my friends, ex-boyfriends, and former co-workers who are in bands or in-the-know for their suggestions of local music. I figured with the holidays, some of you folks might be looking for cool local gifts. Plus, in these economic times, we might as well keep our hard-earned money in our own fair city. I still have recommendations coming into my inbox, but look for suggestions this week from jazz artist Jessica Butler, Corbeta Corbata's Don Beasley, and KDHX's Silver Tray host Thomas Crone.

And if you have suggestions, add 'em here. That's how we get things done.

Gramophone

Thanks

2008-12-06T20:54:00.002-06:00

So, thanks to all the people following this blog (even though many of you do it anonymously). I just got a read on the number of my "followers", despite the public three that show up below. I appreciate it. And a big ole thanks to those who have links to my site up on theirs. I've got some fun stuff I'm hoping to post in the next couple of weeks, like local Christmas presents, some great new blogs, and a few musings on bars (new ones, and probably not in South City either... take that!).

In the meantime, why don't you check out my friend Matt's new(ish) blog. Matt's a huge beer guy. He lives and breathes this stuff, and he knows everything... or just about. At least all things St. Louis beer. If you have any questions, put 'em in a comment, and I'm willing to bet he'll answer you. Thank god, no more Prohibition.

Check out Sacred Beer.

And, in an unrelated note, thanks to the St Louis Beacon. You're restoring my faith in STL journalism. What a shame that the only good stuff is online or at the STL American.

St Louis Beacon

Go Forth and Drink

2008-12-05T17:07:00.002-06:00

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. So, you could sit at home on a cold night and eat cereal like they did when there was no liquor sold, you can catch a whiff of some gin from the bath tub, or you can hit your local watering hole to celebrate.

THE LOOP
Word on the street is that the Sharon Jones show at the Pageant is the hot ticket for tonight. If you're in the Loop, head on down to Riddles for a quick bevvy. I've always enjoyed how completely laid back Riddles is, and they have a nice, big beer and wine selection.

SOUTH CITY
If spirits are more your thing, hit up the Royale for a cocktail from one of STL's 28 wards (I'm a big fan of the Clifton Heights (Makers, sweet vermouth, and fresh pineapple juice-- get it on the rocks) or have a Sazarec).

NORTH CITY
If you're looking for something a little different, Red Bones and Luckett's in North City are cool. Red Bones is just north of Fairgrounds Park (Vandeventer and Kossuth-- expect stiff, tall drinks with little mixers) or Luckett's on Delmar (just a few blocks east of Euclid, on the south side of the street). The owners of both are awesome.

LATE EVENING
And, if you're out later and still looking for a tasty beverage, hit up Friendly's on the South Side (intersection of Roger and Potomac, between Tower Grove and the Gravois/Chippewa area). Friendly's does a reverse happy hour, so drinks get cheaper as it gets closer to closing. After 10pm, Schlaflt products drop to $2.50, rail drinks are under two bucks, and other domestic beer prices drop rapidly. Outside, they usually have fires and heaters, and they just opened a huge pool table area next door.

Go forth, drink, and be merry, but get someone sober to drive.

New 52nd City Blog

2008-12-03T16:02:00.003-06:00

Apparently for 52nd City, print is dead. This makes me sad because it was a fine publication, and while I regularly keep saying that television is dead (mostly because mine is), I still love print. I love holding things in my hand, being able to feel the words as they come off the page. While I do watch all my media online, I don't really read online publications; it's just never worked for me. I get the blurbs and the quick info, but I still subscribe to over 15 magazines. Like I said, I like holding things in my hand.

All that being said, the new 52nd City blog is way prettier than the old one, and infinitely more readable in its format. So, check it out here. If you don't know what 52nd City is, then this is a great way to find out. And just for good balance, go buy something in print made or written locally-- a book, a zine, a chapbook of poems, a literary journal.

52nd City Blog

Grace Basement at the Tap Room

2008-11-21T13:33:00.002-06:00

So my old pal Kevin Buckley just sent me an invite to a show he's playing at the Tap Room this weekend. And as usual, I'm gonna have to miss something cool. So I thought I'd tell you about it. Buckley is a pretty talent musician who's been involved in all kinds of music. I first met him many years ago when he was playing the fiddle at McGurks (which he still does). Then I grew to love him in Palookaville, and Grace Basement seems the next project which I am set to admire. With some Americana whimsy that seems relevant, Grace Basement is smooth and draws you in. Check out some audio clips from their songs here.

Also playing (and fantastic) is Bad Folk with the lovely Tim Rakel at the helm, and Bridgeton Air Defense. Show starts at 8pm on Saturday, November 22, free and open to the public. And rumour has it they have the Christmas Ale now if you're into that sort of thing.

Tap Room Live Music

Autumn, on Olive

2008-11-19T23:58:00.003-06:00

Certain streets just work their way behind my eyes-- something I see that rests there, making its way into a poem or story that I never write. Instead, I do drive-bys, like continual longing, the story changing as I change. Occasionally the streets themselves change, and part of me is happy when they find a certain new life, cracked and sick old buildings rising up like a phoenix. For many years, I have known every inch of St. Louis Avenue, driving from the school where I taught, west of Union... slowly winding my way past the homes that then turn more grand, but nonetheless forgotten. On a warm day, on some blocks, people sit on porches, cigarettes being smoked, some laughing, some just watching. I like thinking about what once was, what could be again.

Olive has become this for me, and as I drive down to KDHX TV, moving east to west like the pioneers between Grand and Euclid, it's interesting to see what I notice. I have long been roaming the city streets, taking photos of brightly colored peeling paint, of buildings with their sides ripped out, the inside bleeding down in splintered boards and piles of rubbish. I like what remains when everything else is stripped away, that imagining, and the words that meet the image in my head.

Yesterday, I went out to take photos, but missed the light I was hoping for. Still, just as the streets seemed like a missed opportunity, I turned around and the light was burning out of a building, coming up from inside. I thought of a phrase my friend Sarah used to say, "the fire within". My hands were freezing, and the light changed within a few minutes, but it's nice to know that even when only the shell remains, something can still rise up, changing the way everything looks.

Some Like It Wet: A St Louis Weekend

2008-11-14T23:13:00.002-06:00

The truth is: while you are out enjoying yourselves this weekend, I will be at home wrapped in layers of sweaters, sitting in my kitchen, writing a business report. Don't feel too badly, weekends are still a bit of a novelty for me after years of working through them. But there's something about a rainy weekend that is like license to curl up by the fire and read, or to bake bread (which I did last weekend), or to sit around with friends and drink beer all afternoon on a grey day. Even though they are predicting snow flurries, I'm not buying it. So, if I wasn't tied to a keyboard this weekend, here's what I'd be doing. And I think it's pretty much the perfect rainy, grey weekend plan.

Saturday Morning: Bundle up and hit Soulard Market. Whenever it is rainy or it turns cold, there are nowhere near as many people there. You can buy a bunch of great produce and spend the weekend making soup or baking veggie lasagna. And, even though it's all In-Bev now, there's always been something about AB in the rain-- that huddling of brick buildings and the red Budwesier sign rising from the fog and clouds. And, they sell Gus' pretzels at the market. Hot damn! (And if for some reason they don't anymore, just drag yourself the few blocks south to Pestalozzi and go get one.)

Lunch: When finished at the market, hop on over to Benton Park and hit Blues City Deli. I am a huge fan of the Benton Park Po'Boy. The owner is awesome and always in his pork pie hat. On Saturday afternoons, they have music from 1-3pm, and even though the space is small, it's totally worth being a little cramped. Plus, people are always cool and shove over to share their tables. If it's not completely crappy outside, it's a pretty walk around the neighborhood, especially down to Senate.

If you're feeling slightly more radical (it is November after all), there's a protest against California's Prop 8, which banned gay marriage (nothing like giving folks a right and then taking it away...). Protest is down at the Old Courthouse downtown, around 1000 people expected, and starts at 11am last I heard. If you missed Barack when he was at the Arch, this might redeem you.

Saturday Night: For some reason, I've been thinking a lot about the Newstead Tower Public House down on Manchester in the Grove. (And for the record, I hate calling it the Grove, but a lot of people don't know where I am talking about if I say Forest Park Southeast.) Anyway, on a cold autumn night, the Newstead has some tasty drinks and pretty great food. I am a big fan of the fish and chips, even though it's slightly deconstructed from the usual version. Last time I was there, I had a craft beer, a salad, and fish and chips and think I paid a little over $20 with a big tip. So go, you'll like it.

Sunday: I love, love, love starting my Sundays with a walk in the park-- which for me means Tower Grove. While heading through the park, ferry your little self on up to the Royale (S. Kingshighway at Arsenal if you don't know). They have a killer brunch, get a Bloody Mary and read the NY Times. I am a huge fan of the Royale on Sundays because it feeds my stomach and my periodical fetish without me having to do too much work. They even have board games.

Sunday afternoon: Rumor has it (and I have this on good authority) that Mangia is starting to show European art house films in their basement bar on Sundays. 1pm I think. I don't know what they're showing, but I think Carson Minnow might have something to do with the whole shebang, so I am guessing it should be pretty good. And pretty chill. It's what you want to do anyway, curl up in a dark room and have art wash over you (or entertain, whatev). And drink a beer while it happens. I'm a huge fan of the Red Seal at Mangia-- like Sierra Nevada but with a red seal on the label.

Go forth and have the fun. especially since I can't.

The Bleeding Deacon

2008-11-11T09:14:00.002-06:00

Okay, South Side bar fans... the Bleeding Deacon is finally open. Located down on the north side of Chippewa (at Gravois, across from the QT) lies the Bleeding Deacon Public House. The building was once home to Marin's (and next to Simple Pleasures, one of my favorite building sides). It's an inauspicious little place, tucked into the side of the road-- one I've been passing for years with little attention. Inside, it's rather dark, with booths and high bar tables, big chalkboards (just waiting for me to write haikus), and a gorgeous bar with mirror glass that reads with the pub's name.

Just opened Monday night, the Bleeding Deacon serves all kinds of food-- sandwiches and salads now ($7-9) with burgers and entrees forthcoming. The kitchen it headed up by the venerable Jaxon Noon, and the professionalism is evident. Full bar, lots of great bottled beers (including Sierra Nevada for me), a killer staff, and a nice garden just waiting for warm weather. I know partners Todd Pruit and Mike McLaughlin from my days at the Royale (Mike and I were behind the bar together several days a week for a couple of years)-- and the industry experience looks like it has translated well. Opening night hosted a bevy of South Siders and industry workers.

Maybe, in part, it's because I know the crew... but something about walking into the Bleeding Deacon felt awful cozy, like going home. My friend James looked at me at one point and made a comment about how we might have found our new regular spot-- a place once occupied in both of our hearts by the Blackthorn, but now vacant for many years. I love dark bars, and there was something last night about ducking in out of the cold, the traffic moving by on Chippewa, food rolling out of the kitchen, Poison on the jukebox (not necessarily representative of all that was heard)... but I liked it. I'll be back soon.

Rock the Vote

2008-11-02T13:01:00.002-06:00

At the moment, I am going on 3 hours of sleep and sitting in the Phoenix airport. At the last minute, I was asked to attend a conference in San Francisco. So I hurried downtown Saturday morning to the Board of Elections building to vote. No line, no fuss, super easy. In a way, it made me sort of sad. I love elections and have been looking forward to this one for a long time (like 8 years). I actually like waiting in line to vote because I love thinking about how seriously people take it. This year I even took off on Tuesday so I could watch the activities all day.

As usual, in the hurried process of voting (and expecting I'd have a few more days), I had to do some last minute research. Below are links I found helpful.

League of Women Voter's General Election Guide(You don't need to be a woman to find this relevant.) Candidate positions, statements, track records, and information on proponents/opposition to legislation.

If you're a City resident and having trouble thinking about the Judge Retention, this is a good site. Missouri Bar Judicial ReviewTake it with a grain of salt, but it;s more info than you had.

And finally, if you live in the County, Prop M is super important. Check out the info here

Go Vote.

I Heart Madison County Bike Trails

2008-10-28T09:41:00.003-05:00

View from Horseshoe Lake into Downtown STL, the Arch in the distance
Horseshoe Lake is along the Schoolhouse Trail in Madison County, IL

View of the river, from Pere Marquette State Park
Vadalebene Bike Trail, Madison County, IL

Inspired by my drive up the Great River Road last week, I set out on Sunday afternoon for a little bike ride. (The operative word there was little.) For the last couple of weeks, I've had my head in books about the 19th century working on an essay. Once freed from Civil War life, I realized I was woefully in need of some exercise. Sunday was gorgeous and we set off only to be plagued by a bad tire on my bike (which was also in desperate need of a good tune-up and lube). My bike squeaked so loudly for hours that eventually I was told it sounded like crickets or crazy birds. I hadn't ridden in a few weeks, and so our initial thought of 15 or 20 miles sounded great. But as that ride stretched on and on into 35 miles, I was killing myself in the worst way. I have the stamina, but my hip was just angry, and eventually I think people might have been able to walk faster than I rode. There were other debacles along the way, and yet in the end, it was a great ride.

I usually hit trails in Missouri, so it was awesome to go five minutes across the river and have a huge network of trails available. Pretty much everything in Madison County connects. There are maps along the way, restrooms, water, and some gorgeous scenery (as well as some more bland parts that include the backs of houses). We parked at the south end of Horseshoe Lake and rode to the sound of gunshots, which we later connected to men in camouflage getting ready to take their boat out for the day. There were little black snakes, praying Mantis, and huge grasshoppers along the way. We passed the lake and cornfields, rode through some woods, and by parks. We took the Schoolhouse Trail, which is 16 miles one way, and connects to a bunch of other trails in Madison to form a big loop. But there again, everything connects.

Next up, when it's not a weekend, I am hitting the Vadalabene Bike Trail from Alton to Pere Marquette, or the North end of the Riverfront Trail over the Chain of Rocks. But next time, I'll make sure I'm in slightly better shape and my bike is happy.

Check out all the trails at Madison County Trail/Transit
There are links with distances, parking info., and maps with loops.

Baseball and Falling Leaves

2008-10-24T15:19:00.002-05:00

I originally posted this in 2006, but I have been thinking of baseball all week in the back of my head, so here it is again. Only now, we're not in the Series, so we have to love the game from afar.
____________________________

The Glory of the Game

Man, I love baseball. I don't love it in the wearing-red kind of way (which is obvious if you know me). I don't love it in the I-always-go-to-games way. I don't love it in the I-really-know-about-it way. I just love the game, pure and simple.

I love baseball because it reminds me of my mom. Growing up, my mom would sit in front of the TV-- I could see it flicker in the dark from the street when I came in from playing-- and she would watch the Pirates by herself, hooting and hollering at the TV. I love it because my mom used to take the train in Florida when she was a kid with my grandfather, travelling to see Spring Training. I love it because I never saw my first game until I was 22, and I was with my mom 2 weeks after I had moved to St. Louis, on a humid September night in the old Busch. The Arch was there and flags were waving, Mark McGuire still played, and when that anthem was played, it was like everyone in the stadium was suddenly the same-- all in one place, and it was amazing.

I love baseball because it seems American in the best possible way. I remember watching the first game that was played after 9/11, and thinking maybe it would all be okay.

I love baseball because it's egalitarian. You know the rules, and the rules are simple and fair. Generally, calls are straightforward. Everyone gets their chance to score and defend. You take turns. There's no contact, no pushing or shoving or manhandling of one player by another-- not like basketball or football. Baseball is a team sport made up of individuals, each having very specific jobs and territories-- but they need to work together, in rhythm.

I love the tradition of baseball. I love that kids play it all over, in different versions. A stick, a ball, some land. It's still meant for families, and there's none of the glamour or glitz or bling that some other professional sports have adopted.

I love baseball because it makes me wonder if life is really about talent, or if it's just about burying our nerves and having confidence. It's a series of decisions and a guessing game at the same time, almost like rocks-paper-scissors, where you are not so much thinking of what you want to do, but rather what your opponent might think. You have to out-think and then react, but still, you never know.

I love baseball because I am amazed at what can happen in the few short seconds between hitting the ball and running to the base. So much can change in that distance, and yet the runner must simply run, not worrying about where everyone else is. They must follow their own path once they set the field in motion. I love how everything can change in that quick flash as we barrel and careen towards our targets. And part of me loves the idea that you can steal bases, the thrill of having nerve and the fact that if you succeed, you are not punished.

Maybe I just like the metaphor. But if that's the case, I like it because it's a metaphor I know intuitively. It doesn't need to be overthought or even articulated. We all get it. We know it. And we understand. It's like knowing the secrets of death and then forgetting, but it doesn't matter because you are too busy living. Baseball might mean more, but ultimately, all that matters, is it's one hell of a game to watch. And we live in a great city right now to watch it.

I love October. Go Cards!

U.S. Schools Closing on Election Day

2008-10-19T12:20:00.006-05:00

I used to wear flags...

Election Day was like a holiday in my house growing up--something anticipated and treated with reverence. It was not, however, a day off of school. Voting and civic duty was a big part of my parents' lives as I grew up, but they never talked about what they believed or who they would vote for. So my brother and I grew up in this almost apolitical civic-minded household, which, in hindsight, is probably the best thing I could have asked for. Election months were a time charged with thought and research, but never with opinions, so that I grew up discussing politics and asking questions, but never being told what to believe as true or right. In those pre-internet days, we tended to live somewhere far in the distance of others: in the mountains, in cornfields, in towns of 300 people if we were lucky. And my parents would always pull all the newspaper articles for the weeks before the election, reading up on each of the candidates and issues. The night before the election, after dinner, my mom and dad would sit down with the sample ballot from the newspaper and discuss with one another whom they would vote for.

I loved election days at school, all those adults coming and going, looking furrowed and serious, popping into the booths and the swoosh of the curtain as they pulled the lever. In Colorado, even when the snow would come crashing down and school would let out early because of weather (I remember this in junior high, especially), people would still come in, dust the huge flakes off of their shoulders, and vote. It made me want to be an adult, and it made me realize how people come together. Even when they do not believe the same thing, they still come together to participate in the same act. I loved voting and would wear my flag pin on election day. I was a bit of a dork, but so was everyone else. When we studied voter apathy in junior high, no one in my class could understand why people wouldn't vote. This was in the time of Desert Storm and we all thought being heard was vital. Perhaps at 14, you better understand not having a voice, and you don't take the opportunity for granted.

In the last Presidential Election, I was teaching creative writing one day a week at a south side elementary school. It was an awesomely diverse school- a pretty even mixture of Bosnian, Vietnamese, black, and white kids. I came into the classroom at 8am just as the bell rang, the day after the election. Walking into that 5th grade classroom was to understand the depth of impact Bush's second term would have. As the students were looking at a big map filled with red and blue states on the projector, crayons out to color the map, they whispered amongst themselves. And then, there was crying. They, at 11, wanted anything but Bush. One student asked me, "Why doesn't Bush care about poor people?" Those kids took the election seriously. Many were first generation Americans, and they were mad they didn't get a chance to vote or be heard. Others seemed to understand the implication of the election in a more personal way; the results meant their lives would not become easier anytime soon. If you had asked those kids anything about the political process, they knew the answer. They were vested, and the election affected them.

In the NY Times this morning, there was an article about schools closing on election day due to safety concerns. I often work in city schools and am quite used to the several steps of safety precautions, from metal detectors to cameras and several ID checks-- all practices which I understand. The concern is that using schools as polling places puts kids in jeopardy, and so many schools are keeping kids at home this November 4. I have several problems with this.

1. I have been in many schools with good safety practices over the past several years. I have been there on polling days. Typically, voters poll in the gym or an ancillary area that is separate from the main building, leaving no admittance for kids in, or for adults into the rest of the school. These types of polling places are usually very well patrolled and monitored. So if the concern is abduction, or strangers being admitted, this has been addressed for many years.

2. If a district is concerned about polling safety and kids, move the polling location. I vote in a nursing home. In other communities, I have voted in community centers and fire stations. There are other options in location.

3. My real concern is that this is a racially charged issue. Though it's not being stated, I fear that people are not concerned about simple post-9/11 and Columbine safety as they say, but that they are concerned that schools might be targeted because of the racial implications of this election.

It makes me heartsick that so many kids will miss the chance to see adults turn up and vote. That on such an important day in history, many of our nation's kids will be sitting at home like it is a holiday, not paying attention to the events that will affect them. By keeping kids out of school on election day, we are missing one of our best chances to show our nation's youth how civic duty works, to discuss the rights and responsibilities of being an American citizen. Those kids will miss out, but as a nation, we will lose even more.

Here's the article in the NY Times Education- Sunday Section

Other articles: Times-Herald op-ed (GA), Palm Beach parent (FLA), Illinois article, and a slew of other articles on Google

Museum of Beer

2008-10-17T12:29:00.002-05:00

Last weekend, after spending my afternoon on the sidewalks of Manchester and McCausland (not hookin' or hustling-- filming), I was hot and tired. James was with me, and he suggested a quick nosh somewhere. Enter Pat's Bar and Grill down on Oakland and Tamm. I was too tired to have a beer, but it was really nice to sit in a neighborhood bar in the middle of a Saturday afternoon and see a few patrons laughing over their beers at the bar and families gathered over chicken in booths. For some reason, it seemed like the perfect thing to do and the perfect place to be. (Monday-Friday from 4-6, they also have half-price appetizers if you're looking for something to do tonight.) Since I enjoyed it so, I now recommend it to those of you who find yourselves out on a fine fall Saturday afternoon. Yummy food, especially the chicken fingers and fries-- not greasy, super-tasty breading.

And before you head there, check out one of the current exhibits at the History Museum. Kettle to Kegis an exhibit chronicling the beer industry in our fair city, specifically from 1809-1909.

Heck, make a day out of it. Some people pick apples in the fall, others are more given to hops. After learning about the past, head on over to the Bottleworks to see about the present. Schlafly gives tours at the Bottleworks in Maplewood on Saturdays from Noon-6pm, every hour on the hour and on Sundays at Noon, 2pm, and 4pm. Have one of their Presidential Beers while you're at it. Schlafly online

Get outside, and then have a drink. That's what Fall's for.

It's Not Chrismakkah Yet

2008-10-17T12:23:00.003-05:00

I'll be frank. I think this continual Christmas music thing on the radio in October in BS. It makes me angry for a variety of reasons, but mostly, it's a waste of everyone's time, and I am pretty sure just a big publicity gimmick so they get press. The radio station (which shall remain unnamed since I refuse to give them specific press-- just turn your dial, you'll find it all conspicuous and Christmas-y)-- anyway the station is changing formats after Christmas, so apparently, they're just ditching their audience now and expect us all to believe that there really is a market for All-Christmas-Music-All-The-Time in freaking mid-October. It was 85 degrees and sunny last weekend. I was sweating my ass off while I worked outside.

I'll end my rant here. It's not a station I listened to anyway, I'm just tired of reading about it everywhere (so yep, I'm making you read about it... I realize the irony.) The notion just makes me angry. I don't need any more commercialism in my life. Add to that: ploys, marketing manipulation, or gimmicks. Argggg...

Free Things To Do in the 'Lou

2008-10-14T11:15:00.003-05:00

So, I don't know what's going on with me lately, but it's like I am reverting to a teenager again while at the same time feeling really old. I was aghast last night that I heard someone do the Pixies during karaoke (if you're wondering, the song was from Doolittle, which also seemed a bit obvious). I have been taking a class at KDHX in the CWE, and just like the nerd I used to be, I'm excited to do homework. I am writing an essay about a novel for a freelance gig, and I love doing that. I especially love the research, god help me. Last year I was obsessed with Jane Austen, this year might be the American Renaissance again (as it refers to literature, not the cultural period of the same name).

Anyway, apparently, I like learning and I like learning for free. So here are some cool opportunities I dug up.

FREE PRINTMAKING WORKSHOP with Evil Prints, Sat. Nov. 1, from 1-4pm
Having just found out about this, I looked up Evil Prints which has been operating since 1995. The owner, Tom Huck, is a pretty badass printmaker, a talent I totally admire. It's really cool to see a bunch of almost tattoo-inspired themes shine through in such an old-world medium. The shop also runs fee-based DIY Screenprinting classes and other multi-week courses. To register for this free workshop, you need to email evilbarker@rocketmail.com to reserve a spot. Check out more info here.
(And by the way, there are tons of Dia de los Muertos things going on around town on Sat., Nov. 1. Printmaking is a great way to connect the dots between different cultures and times on that day.)

THIRD MONDAY PHOTO SECTION MEETING, Mon. Oct 20 (7:30-10pm)
The St. Louis Artists' Guild Photo Section will look at your work. Yep, for real. At these meetings, anyone can contact Jim Trotter beforehand (colorimage@hotmail.com) and they'll show your work at the beginning of the meeting. 10 photos or less. This is a great place to start if you are beginning photography and want some feedback and tips. For more info, click here. The Artists' Guild also has a lot of other free workshops (or some very cheap, just the cost of supplies)-- including a Fantasy Figure Drawing class ($5) where you can draw glorious females dressed like warriors and such, which sounds like a dream for some RPGers.

ST. LOUIS ART MUSEUM MYTH WORKSHOPS, Sunday, Oct. 19 (1-4pm, in the Sculpture Hall)
Got a family? Or just looking for some learning that's slightly more relaxed? The St. Louis Art Museum is presenting a family Understanding Myth series throughout the month of October. On the 26th, the topic will focus on Magic and Myth. Other weeks, themes will vary. Additionally, there is also a free 30 min. family tour of the art museum, which is a great first step if you haven't brought your kids in lately (or if you're babysitting a niece or nephew). There's also hands-on art activities that will center around myths. So if you don't remember the difference between Zeus and Artemis, or the significance of Persephone and Hades, then check it out. Slam.org

Fun Things I Might Miss This Weekend

2008-10-10T14:14:00.002-05:00

So, as usual, there are about 8,ooo cool things going on this weekend. Something happens in October and this town just lights up with awesome possibilities. Last weekend, I was out of town and of course there were a lot of great things that I missed (like Bob Reuter and Sunyatta Marshall playing an Obama benefit at the Royale). So, despite my being super tired this weekend, here's a list of things I am contemplating... (You should, too.)

FRIDAY
-Paint By the Numbers at Mad Art
Kids, adults, crazy kooks alike-- everyone loves Paint by the Numbers. Anyone can do it, skill or no skill, taste or no taste. You can even be subversive and paint outside the lines, or use crazy colors. I saw the canvases from last year and they were pretty cool. The best thing is, it benefits SCOSAG, which serves children (and adults) from all over St. Louis by providing studio space and art instruction. The event is 7-11pm, costs $10 ($5 for kids), and has a cash bar. 314.865.0060 for info.

SATURDAY
-Walk a neighborhood. I have some footage I have to shoot in Franz Park (part of Dogtown if you don't know), where I am currently obsessed with the used car lots. My other location is the North part of the CWE, also a current obsession. I am particularly fond of Olive (between Boyle and Euclid)-- gorgeous buildings that I am planning on photographing this weekend.

-John Waters at Laumeier Sculpture Park, Opening Reception 6-8pm
Arguably amongst the best of cult filmmakers, John Waters is going to be in town. I have seen most of his films (Pink Flamingo is playing the midnight show at the Tivoli this weekend), but he is in town to promote his artwork. Laumeier is hosting an exhibit (on display thru Jan.) of his sculptures and photos. He'll be at the reception though... genius in our midsts, folks. And it's free.

-Rob Levy of KDHX's Juxtaposition (Wed. nights, 8pm on KDHX) spins at the Royale (10pm-close)- no cover
Okay, so I particularly heart Rob because he always plays me Pixies songs galore, and he's just really kind. If you want to hear some great Indie music (his sets feel like college to me, but it depends when you went to college), Rob's your man. The Royale's at 3132 S. Kingshighway and they've currently got the Schlafly HefeBIden and Baracktoberfest beers on draft, which is kind of fun.

SATURDAY/SUNDAY
-Artica
This outdoor site-based art project has been absent for a couple of years, I think. It used to be held by the Riverfront trail, down by the river, a great industrial area for provocative and interesting art. This year, the event is rolling down on the Arch Grounds, by the river. Activities abound for kids, and Sunday holds a boat parade (of boats made by people-- Yay!). Free and open to the public.

-Coming Out Stories (Sat at 8pm, Sunday at 3pm- Missouri History Museum)
As part of National Coming Out Day, the Uppity Theatre Company presents "Coming Out Stories". Here's the idea: the audience tells their own "coming out" stories (of all kinds) and improv actors present a show on the spot. One, this seems like an awesome idea and something great for the community. Two, improv is very difficult and the folks who do it are super-good. (George Malich of "A: Anonymous" and other local films will be onstage, as well many other great local improv artists.) And Three, this is part of Newline Theatre's St. Louis Political Theatre Festival, which seems very-needed in terms of dialogue and thought provocation.

KDHX Pledge Drive

2008-10-03T14:11:00.003-05:00

It's a beautiful autumn Friday afternoon and I just pledged to KDHX online. Right now, I'm listening to Bob's Scratchy Records, which is waking me up. KDHX is membership supported, and they only ask for money twice a year. Your membership will not only make you feel all warm and fuzzy, but it also keeps great, independentradio programming on the air. KDHX is one of very few true community radio stations left in the US. All volunteers; no commercials. And they need our help to stay alive.

Give 'em a call. Pledge some money. 314.664.3688 or pledge online at KDHX.org

In addition to awesome music (and there's all kind of music), you can also stream media online (2 weeks of each show avail. online), and are eligible to take free basic audio and basic video classes at KDHX. So, there you have it. Where else does $50 keep a great organization alive, contribute to cool people playing cooler music, and get you some great education (taught by exceedingly knowledgeable professionals. Even if you don't live in STL, you still have access to great media, made available by our community, and made possible by your donations.

Go, on. Pledge. You know you want to. Keep community media alive.

VP Debates Tonight at Wash U

2008-10-02T10:22:00.002-05:00

3100 journalists in town. The only Vice Presidential debates during this race. At a time when the VP nominee is arguably more critical than ever (though I'd argue that it's always critical).

Tonight at 8pm, Washington University hosts the VP debates.(Incidentally, Wash U has hosted more presidential debates than any other university in the country.) But, here we are. Palin. Biden. In town. I feel like we should get ready for a rumble. When I was lying in bed thinking about the debates this morning, I began wondering what kind of questions I would want to ask them both, if given the opportunity.

For me, when I think of the current state of our country, and how it is fixed-- it's not just about policy and execution, but it's about delivering the kind of leadership necessary to bring about a change in cultural values that will help guide policy and public support of that policy. For many years, most of my life even, I feel we have been politicking to symptoms. Quick fixes to prove we can do something in office. I'd rather see a strategic plan, something that takes time, but has direction and meaning. I'd like to rally behind my leaders again. I'd like to feel like I am being lead.

I think we've seen the beginning of the tipping point on some of this. The environment is a good example. We are by no means close to solving the issue, but a few years ago it was only on people's radar as an issue, not as a serious concern, or something intimate to their everyday lives. And then, that began to shift. I'm waiting for education to tip and become something that matters. And health care.

So, I guess, from the VP nominees, I'd like to know, not only what they plan on doing, but what cultural shifts they think are necessary for the public to understand what's at stake and support them. I would like to see that they have some understanding that the political system does not just exist in a vacuum.

My guess is they will speak in circular fashion, as we are so fond of these days, and little will be unearthed, and that no true dialogue will exist. But like all other things political, I'll watch, hoping I am proven wrong.

VP Debates, Live Tonight, 8pm CST

Vote

2008-09-29T17:52:00.005-05:00

Last year for Christmas, I got a Bedazzler. I crafted some lightning blots onto my aprons, but the biggest test came right before Super Tuesday, when I bedazzled the word "VOTE" in rhinestones across my chest. Unfortunately, the bar was so crowded that evening that several rhinestones escaped and I occasionally became tangled in others. But, the point is, we need to do whatever we can to get people to vote and raise awareness.

Last week, I was leaving a class in the Central West End when I met a man named Richard. He had been in the paper that morning, and he proudly showed me his picture and the caption that told about him registering voters. Richard is homeless and we talked for quite some time about why people don't vote. I taught community college for many years and we talked a lot about voter apathy in my classroom. I shared with Richard some of what I had heard back then from non-voters. He told me about some of the folks he'd encountered and why he thought it was so important. Richard said that he was 46 before he was registered to vote. His parents hadn't voted and no one ever told him how easy it could be. We talked about the importance of having a voice, even a dissenting voice that might not want to vote for anything or anyone on the ballot. No matter, cast it blank. But vote.

Missouri residents have one more week to register to vote. Registration will close on Wed., Oct. 8. You can find the form here, print it out and mail it in. I also know that they have been registering folks down at the Obama headquarters in the CWE. Or, drag yourself on down to the Royale for a pint of beer while you register (3132 S. Kingshighway). You can also head to any public library, DMV, or Social Services office to register. Ask everyone you know, and bring someone in to register if it's their first time. In recent elections, we see over and over that every vote does count. Cast your ballot. Make your thoughts matter; make your voice heard. Too many people once weren't able.

Dr. Kelvin Adams, Our New Superintendent

2008-09-27T14:15:00.003-05:00

On Thursday night, the SAB named Dr. Kelvin Adams of New Orleans the new St Louis Public Schools Superintendent. I have been thinking of this ever since.

Here's what we know:

-He is second in charge of the Recovery School District in New Orleans (12,500 students; STL has 28,000).
-He is a former teacher and principal.
-He worked in STL (SLPS Human Resources) in 2006-07.
-He was slated to be successor of Valles (the NOLA superintendent).
-He was the only candidate of the final 3 to have any STL connection or experience, making one wonder if that was such important criteria why he was the only one in 3-- just sayin'.

Criticisms:

-They say he has no experience. That being said, his professional career is almost entirely in education.
-Most people are weary, cynical, and pessimistic. He is #8 in 5 years. The district is unaccredited and run by the state. Not great odds for someone walking in.
-Many in NOLA seem to think he is running to an "easier" job before showing his ineptitude. Though I am not sure STL is easier (see above point).
-He supports charter schools. As does Mayor Slay. And charter schools are a hot topic. They take students out of public schools in big numbers, but the jury is still out on where they fit into the STl "solution". Personally, his affinity for charter schools makes me think this is a big part why he got the job... not so much to clean our schools up, as to possibly funnel kids through a separate system. But, I don't know the other candidates' stances.

Positives (Possibly):

-The STL teachers' union supported him (out of the 3, but still, it's a good start).
-He seems to have a following in NOLA. So, to hear a lot of folks say positive things and consider his departure a loss is positive for us.
-He has worked in a wrecked and ravaged school district. Starting from scratch in many ways and trying to stabilize communities. We are not recovering from a disaster, but our schools do not look much better, and our neighborhoods are suffering in many of the same ways (poverty, drugs, violence, extreme lack of community resources and programs for families).

I don't know where I am weighing in on this. Obviously, SLPS is near and dear to my heart. The school where I taught for many years was closed last year, and I have seen how badly we need strong leadership and change. My concern is that no one has stuck around long enough to give us direction, even though some might have had great ideas. Dr. Adams has a three year contract, and I am hoping he fulfills it, giving these kids a chance to see what education should be, and a new chance for their future. We'll see. We'll see.

To read more, check out this New Orleans site for a hometown view of what they are giving (up) to STL.
NOLA.com

Notes on Fun

2008-09-25T00:11:00.002-05:00

As a kid, I moved around a lot. Each time we hit a new city, my mom would pack us up for the day and make us go out and explore. We went to museums and neighborhoods, restaurants and shops (and always found the best libraries). On Sundays, we would get loaded into the car alongside picnic supplies and off we went on a day trip in some direction to see some thing somewhere. Point it, it never mattered what we saw, it was that we saw things, period.

There's something to be said for being a tourist in your own town. 9 years ago when I first moved to STL, I had Mondays off-- a sad day to explore when all the museums are closed. So... I hit the streets on foot. This weekend, I had an old friend in town and we set off on Fun.

Now, I have a lot of thoughts about the perfect weekend, and being a fan of the 80's children's book series Choose Your Own Adventure, I made a Flow Chart of Fun. Dependent on the weather, time of day, and the user's mood, I laid out the best STL has to offer. And hopefully in coming weeks, I'll share some of those selections. In the meantime, think of this like the Cliff Notes to Adventure.

A LATE SEPTEMBER WEEKEND'S GREATEST HITS

The Light Project
Having just popped back into town after a summer chasing horses and avoiding bears out west, this Pulitzer Foundation Art Installation was off my radar. Catching up on local blogs, I caught pictures of the church on Spring and had to go see it. The piece is called Chorus and it's one of the most stunning things I have ever seen. Lights donated from St. Louisans re-create the roofline of a burned church. On Saturday night when I was there, I listened as the onlookers searched for their lights and talked about it with others. The Pulitzer has a Flickr site and pics of the lamp donors with their lamps are up.

Check out the installation in the 600 block of Spring, just north of Washington.
Chorus
Lamps on Flickr

An 8 Story Slide
I've missed the City Museum. I've been there for events in recent years, but it's been a long time since I played. A few hours this weekend fixed that. The $12 admission was worth it for the slide alone. I know, I know... there are lots of slides. But I am talking about theslide. Spelunk through the dark of the caves (the newer set, not the old ones) and you'll end up in an atrium with a lot of staircases (and old slides for goods coming out of the warehouse). Get your workout by running up ten flights of stairs so you can wait at the top for your turn to twist down the 8 story slide that corkscrews back to the 2nd floor. (And a small tip: lean sideways from the waist, you'll go way faster.)

City Museum Caves

And When Hungry...
As usual, STL food did not disappoint. I ate 8 meals out over four days and it all made me happy. As usual, Crown Candy kept me happy. It was oldies but goodies for me. I hit up the Tap Room to check out their new menu which I'd heard about from some friends who work there. Pretty damn good. The service was good. I loved the lamb sandwich and the bangers. And though I didn't stay because I was tired, The Helium Tapes had their CD release party later that evening... Proving every time I have been to the Tap Room lately there has been a great band.

On my radar for me to try something new: The West End Pub and Grill at Boyle and Lindell. I just heard about this today from a KDHX employee who was asking about Thomas Crone's Gaslight Square book. I checked them out online and the menu looks pretty good. Nice pricing. The pear salad has me wanting at the moment.

Coming soon: The best neighborhoods to explore with guests

and... Why you should make sure county residents vote if you want to keep riding the bus

Volunteer for KDHX

2008-09-17T15:22:00.002-05:00

KDHX has its fall membership pledge drive coming up. You can volunteer to man the phones and help a great organization stay great. Volunteer slots run in two hour periods, and excellent food is donated four times a day from local area restaurants.

The pledge drive runs Oct. 2-12, volunteers needed from 5am-Midnight daily.

Contact Korinne at kfischer@kdhx.org to volunteer, or call KDHX.

KDHX Online

Take a look at their website for their new show schedule, online video, a calendar of events, streaming audio, and more. Help out an organization that helps us. KDHX Community Media needs its community.

Oh TV, I've come home...

2008-09-12T20:33:00.002-05:00

Now that I am back from the heart of the mountains-- land of bike rides that only go uphill, land of no cell phone reception and hundreds of miles without services or people-- I am left thinking about what it all means. The city. The frontier. As I drove south, the colors diluted from those deep Crayola colors, the sky a royal blue, to earthy pastels. The rain came and the humidity made me remember my hair really wants to be curly. There were billboards again, and then people, and then city hum, city noise. The city barking and wailing all through the night. It never quite seems totally dark, and I have to remember to lock my doors again. I have no schedule, but unlike in Montana, the pace here makes me think I must stay busy, and I struggle to assign myself things to think about, things to do.

The truth is, I only want to watch TV.

But somehow in my absence this summer, Highway 40 seems no further along and everything in my house seems to have broken. Stuck in modern times with no modern conveniences is not the way to get reacquainted with the hustle. No TV, no DVD player, no dishwasher, a dripping sink and faucet that continually runs. But, I do have a new computer, and with that, have finally entered the 2000’s.

I can watch TV online. Oh, technology, I do love you. (Secretly.)

I’ve been thinking a lot about popular culture lately, and it seems increasingly obvious to me that popular culture these days is not just entertainment, but rather entertainment technology. MySpace and YouTube are not just a part of the zeitgeist anymore, they are verbs, passtimes, careers, obsessions. It’s about the iPhone’s and iPod’s and Wi’s and other small things that fit in our pockets or make us think that we are more than mere humans.

It’s taken years for me to even want to keep my cell phone turned on. Maybe in a few more, I will actually answer the damn thing. I do enjoy the texting. It feels less intrusive and can happen on my own timeframe. I no longer email for fun-- only to impart information. And for communication, I have turned back to real letters. (Yep, they still deliver mail-- real physical pieces of paper with words meant for you to read.) A funny symptom of no longer working in bars, I actually have evenings free and have begun to want to say yes when people invite me out. Just like in the old days, I started catching up with friends in person, without the limitations of a conversation lasting the length of time it takes me to make their drink.

But all these things aside, and negating the fact that I just started (and we’ll see how it goes) Twitter-ing, I still love technology. I get sad when I don’t have the internet. I am a Look-It-Up-aholic, addicted to Google, researching things that simply catch my fancy. And now... watching TV whenever I want-- even without a TV or cable. It’s like my own personal pop culture servant, my own free Tivo. If only I could watch True Blood online... Damn you, HBO.

So, in my aggressive TV Online Watching, I have discovered a few things about the state of our current popular culture. I thought I’d share.

1. In the past decade we have accepted gays and lesbians on our television. Now, we have moved even farther. Transgender reality stars abound! And I am super excited. Hurrah for the CW’s America’s Next Top Model and VH1’s I Want To Work For Diddy.

The fashion world has long accepted and loved the gays and transgendered, but we are not just living in the world of RuPaul anymore. The transgender lifestyle is not just about showmanship or ostentation. It is not a lark, but a serious decision which many people face. On ANTM, we are not seeing a transgender on the sidelines, but as a contestant in the spotlight, and in the first episode, a contender. This is obviously challenging many of the other wannabe models’ prejudices and attitudes, but it also serves to challenge America’s notions of beauty, of femininity, and of gender constructs in the first place. So many models are employed for their thin androgynous beauty, this seems to push the same envelope and tease out the relationships between sex and gender, appearance and fact, “understood” beauty and beauty articulated.

On I Want to Work For Diddy, we see a show transgressing again-- this time a transgender in the business world. Women suffered for many years to gain footing in the business world, and we know that too often it is not about performance or professionalism, but it is about staying with the safe and staid, reinforcing a status quo. We are judged not for what we can do, but for who others think we might be. In business, if you do not fit the mold, you are immediately suspect and must work twice as hard to even be considered. It’s interesting watching this play out on television, but the fact that two mainstream icons (Tyra Banks and Diddy) and mainstream network TV are taking on the subject means there is progress. I think it’s telling that it happens to be two successful black people who are willing to challenge America’s notions of beauty and success. I’m sure both Banks and Combs dealt with Otherness and marginalization enough to write volumes, and I love that they are giving these new recruits a shot.

2. My mother and I have gotten into MTV’s From G’s to Gents (and I am not ashamed). When dissecting the attitudes of these gentlemen, I was telling my mom I like the show because I see so many people I know within it. I taught community college for years and I saw so many young men who were trying to educate themselves and create better circumstances for themselves and their families. So often, we get bogged down in circumstance, and again, public expectation doesn’t allow us to move forward, regardless of our own capability. In every G, there is a gent. Sometimes it’s just buried. I have always loved the grills and the braids, the badassness and the drive. If there’s one thing a G knows, it’s how to keep going, how to drive forward-- even though sometimes that forward momentum and direction creates more problems. I once knew a man who changed his name legally to Pretty Tony New Millenium. I’ve known former (and probably current) crack dealers, a murderer, felons, men with eight kids by six moms, men who con-- and every one of them, once I knew them long enough and they let their guard down, showed me a wonderful person underneath. Makes you think sometimes we’re all facades... Some people just need to cling to theirs more for survival than others. Anyway, I’m diggin’ the show, and I am totally rooting for Shotta and Creepa, but I think Shotta has it in the bag.

3. And then there’s LC. Not having had cable for the past 12 years, I have been able to avoid the past several years of Lauren Conrad Mania-- to a point. I certainly follow the zeitgeist enough to know who she is, but I filed her with Paris Hilton and other celeb-u-nots whom do not deserve the airtime or idolatry they get. But, a rainy day in Montana and a fall off my bike had me temporarily sidelined and drinking beer during a Laguna Beach Marathon. (Curses, MTV, for these strategically timed marathons on rainy weekends!!) In a particular episode when Lo was left out of a camping trip to Catalina because there would be boys there overnight, I thought, “Wow, these kids actually have parents who parent.” Not what I expected. I mean, there was the usual sex and drinking (though it all seemed a bit implied), but still, they seemed like real kids-- aside from the sun and beach and slightly larger incomes. I was in. Crap.

And so, then came The Hills. And while it is certainly more trumped up, and I still ignore Heidi and Spencer much as I did before (though now I leave the room when they are onscreen), there are still elements of real life. Of love and friendship, of navigating people and fame and rumors, of dealing with betrayal and gossip. I realize my own life has been a little more dramatic than I’d like in recent months, but I felt like what I was seeing was as totally foreign as I had expected. It’s kind of a guilty pleasure, but wowzers, I do love it, so help me.

Due to the writer’s strike last year, there is very little new TV to look forward to, though I am eagerly awaiting Joss Whedon’s new show, Dollhouse. (Meanwhile, I have been loving Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog on hulu.com...Thanks for the rec.) And Fox’s Fringe was pretty great the other night, even though I was worried about an X Files redux.

So that’s it, it seems we are living in a world of (sur)reality TV and sci-fi. And it’s interesting, because I don’t know which one is more far-fetched anymore, or what’s farther from real reality. But trying to decipher those boundaries feels a little bit like the distance between myself in the mountains and myself in the city. The truth is out there. Hopefully people will tune in and watch.

Where Have I Been?

2008-08-01T15:04:00.004-05:00

Okay, so it's been a long time... So long, in fact, that I am now 2500 miles away. Don't worry; it's just for the summer. And hopefully when I return, I will have all kinds of new insight into what makes the STL so killer. Until then, read about my current (mis)adventures on my new blog Frontier Dispatch.

Here's a preview, in pictures:

Hiking in Arches National Park, Utah

A geyser pool at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Riding my bike on the Route of the Hiawatha from Montana to Idaho (through lots of pitch-black tunnels and over trestles)

The trials and tribulations of a night at the rodeo, Columbia Falls, Montana

Hiking the Danny On Trail, Big Mountain, Montana (view of Whitefish and Whitefish Lake)

The year of singing wildly

2008-01-06T16:04:00.000-06:00

So here’s how it goes… I just got back from running in the park in January on a day when it was in the seventies. Oh, global warming. I’m listening to the new Bruce Springsteen (which is really good, by the way), as the birds chirp and sing out in my backyard. My house is marginally clean, Christmas decorations taken down, trash out, dishes done (and put away). It’s like I am a whole new person. Truth is, I just had a day off, finally. So I bought some new music (also the soundtrack to Once, the new Kanye West and Jay-Z, as well as Amy Winehouse and Bruce—It’s been a bitch having an old computer and not being able to download the newest version of iTunes—I’d curse Apple if I didn’t love Macs so very much). My point in all this is, I’m taking stock. The beginning of the year will do that.

For one, I cannot promise I will write much. I hate it when writing is just one more thing I have to do. It’s dumb, and frankly, counter-productive. If I don’t have anything to communicate, then I shouldn’t have to. And if I don’t have the time to do it properly, my words full of the love or loathing, then what’s the point? So, I am officially announcing the end of my other blog, Down, Out, and Hip in St. Louis. Like all younger siblings, it has the potential to be better than it’s older sister, but I just don’t have the time. So all my valuable (and sometimes not so…) thoughts will now be here. And… as I have been getting back to my roots and writing a shitload about culture lately, you might be in for some small surprises along the way—some not so STL inspired writings.

Oh, and expect some lists. I was just looking over my list of 30 things I wanted to do this past year in STL. I only managed, like, seven. Maybe 5. One of which occurred recently—I finally went iceskating at Forest Park, and it was totally worth it. It felt like winter, and had that continuity that only activities you have known since your youth can have. It had been about 20 years, but I was happy I went. It was a great $8.50 and I am looking forward to popping in on random lunch hours to skate over the winter.

Also, I managed the following:

-a trip to Luckett’s Lounge
-a trip to Peveley to see the stock car races (it’s not summer unless I go, and this year, it took me until almost October to get off of work and get there)
-lunch at the Blue Owl
-a bratzel at Gus’s (eaten while on the hill, watching traffic on the interstate)

That might actually be it, but in fairness, I was out of the country for a few weeks missing some events. And then I only had, like, six days (literally) off between May and October, so not much happened there.

I’m compiling my list for this year, though it’ll be much shorter. I am shooting for one new thing a month. If you want to compile your own list, drop me a comment and we can compare notes.

And for the record, the same weekend I went iceskating, I also managed to eat dinner on Cherokee, hit the Hideaway, drink beers at Riley’s and have a killer sandwich at Blues City Deli—not a bad weekend in all, and each I strongly recommend. Thus far, 2008 is looking pretty good. Maybe it’s because “eight’ rhymes with “great”. We’ll see.

Shhhhh... it's a secret.

2007-11-06T18:44:00.000-06:00

I am so excited. I just got tickets to go see the Post Secret vs. Found Magazine Charity tour, which is hitting Mad Art in Soulard next week. I have never been to a Found event, though I have always heard that they are pretty cool. And I have high hopes, but mostly, I am super excited to see Frank and hear him speak.

Postsecret.com is a Sunday ritual for me. I usually wake up and check the secrets before I even pee, shower, or make tea. If you don't know what Post Secret is, just go check out the site. And then after you have, buy tickets for the event (buying online tics at SmartTix for this event was the easiest thing I have ever done online-- about time). Yay!!! Now I want to do a little dance.

Look at the secrets.

Post Secret/Found Tour
Mad Art Gallery
12th St in Soulard (right across from AB)
8pm, Tues. Nov. 13
Tickets are $15 ($16.50 online)

Rest In Peace

2007-10-28T22:54:00.000-05:00

Last week, a good man, and someone whom I particularly admired, lost his fight to cancer. Dr. Tom Amlung, a retired veterinarian and former college professor, passed away on Monday, October 22. As I kept thinking of him over the weekend, I remembered that years ago I had written an essay about Tom and his wife, Carol-- it was dated 2003. Perhaps if you read it, you'll recognize the character of Tom Amlung. Simply put, he was honest and kind, and he'd call it like he saw it.

Rest in Peace

Obituary of Dr. Tom Amlung

_______________________________________________

It is Thursday night, one of the only times I look forward to going to work. It is not because I have only four more shifts until a day off, though that does occur to me. Rather, it is because of the Amlungs.

When people ask me if I like my job, the answer varies by the day, dependent on how tired I am, how many problems I have recently encountered, and how organized the restaurant is running. But if people ask me why I like my job, the answer is always the same: the customers. Of course, this is also why so many people hate it.

But there are those ones, those regulars whom you think of even years after you have quit. they are the ones who have not only let you into their lives, but made you a part of their lives. And with each, the reason varies.

The first job I ever worked was at a Steak n’ Shake in Bloomington, Illinois. There, it was a man named Ralph. He came in each night at five, sat at table 1-1 by the door and ordered the same thing, what we called a “Ralph Special”: a steakburger with no bun, a plate of tomatoes sliced, and cottage cheese. Ralph was older, his family grown and gone, his wife dead for five years when I met him. He had little money, could not drive, and few hobbies. He was a little grumpy and complained each day of whatever he might be reading about in the newspaper. He tipped somewhat appallingly, but when he liked you, he really liked you. And Ralph learned to like me, something that happened at the exact same time I had to stop asking him what he wanted to eat. He would walk in, and I would order his food, and in the few minutes I saved, I would sit with him and we would talk. It was never much-- how I was doing in school, an atrocity that had befallen him that week, how the university football team was doing. It was never much, but it became important to me.

Being a waitress means being anonymous. It is like when someone commits a crime and everyone present identifies them differently, each description bearing no commonalities. Being a waitress is like that: no one see you, and no one hears you. You mostly move unnoticed, and usually speak with little consequence. If asked, few people would even remember you being there at all.

But sometimes in restaurants, like in life, there are those people who see you. And not only do they see you, but they are hooked; they’re fascinated; they’re in. And you come alive. You become a person when before you were just a job. You are no longer performing or simply reacting, but you are participating. And it’s wonderful.

They need you for different reasons. Some, like Ralph, need you because they have no one else, because they need to speak to someone in order to remember that they are still present, that they still have something to say. Some need you to be their confidante, the people who give them advice, perspective, or hold their secrets. And some need you to be their friend, or their family, and treat you accordingly: baking you cookies occasionally, bringing you their extra tickets for the baseball game, giving you a card at Christmas, asking you how your vacation was, or offering help with your resume.

And you need them to remember that you are more than a fast-moving robot, more than a job description, a complaint or a good tip. You need them to remember that you have thoughts and feelings, and things to say. You need them to remember that you are interesting and passionate and motivated. You need them to remember that you have something to offer, something other than another glass of beer.

And that’s why Thursday nights, I wait for five o’clock. I wait for Mr. and Mrs. Amlung to open the door and walk in. Mr. Amlung, a retired veterinarian who now teaches, ambles in, all of his weight supported by his cane. Mrs. Amlung follows behind, smiling, her new haircut making her look younger, young enough that I can imagine what she might have looked like when they met. They see me and smile, and then wave as they walk to their table. They, like a waitress, are also creatures of habit, and their Thursday night ritual is somewhat routine. They come regardless of weather-- six inches of snow, an ice storm, wind or heat. She has a Harp while he drinks a Bass (two to her one), and then they order. They are not interested in specials and usually pick within the same two or three items, though he always asks for extra raw onion, chopped and put on top of anything he has. When she has her second beer, he has a Beamish, and then they sit and talk. Often, between my visits, they make lists and speak earnestly, planning for different things.

We speak of my parents, and over time, they have come to be like a second set, though in a less intimate manner. And we speak of their children, Mrs. Amlung often smiling and saying she hopes her kids speak of her as I speak of my mother (which I imagine they must). They ask me about my endeavors, and I ask about their conferences, vacations, their politics, their hopes.

And then we say good night at 6:45, and I am left waiting for another week to feel so alive. But when people ask me why I do it, why I keep waiting tables, even though I could do other things, I think of them, and all the others I have gathered throughout the years. I think, in other jobs, I would not know the Amlungs, and even if it’s just for a brief period of one shift, in other jobs, I would not feel this alive.

Down By The River

2007-10-26T14:34:00.000-05:00

We should all be so lucky that when we go, we are remembered fondly. What’s more is not to just be remembered fondly, but to have carved a place in our community, our state’s rich history, and the memory of all those whom we have touched. I did not know Bob Dyer, a “songteller” from Boonville, MO who passed away last spring, but as I sat at Duff’s earlier this week, listening to his friends and family sing his songs, read his poems, and tell stories about him—I felt as if he were surely breathing that same air in the room where I sat. Rarely have I ever seen so much life as people remember someone who has passed. It was touching, genuine, and it opened my eyes to what great impact we are all capable of.

As I sat there listening to the folk ballads—the stories of Missouri’s pioneers and native inhabitants, tales of river boatin’ and adventure—my foot tapping along with the music, the catchy chorus of each song getting stuck in my head, I thought “this is life”. It seemed to me that the point of it all is as much about what we do and how we live as it is about what we leave behind. Those were songs to hold onto and poems to sink into, and it felt like a part of Missouri’s rich tapestry that I had never really felt interested in or tapped into, and all of a sudden, it was making my foot move.

I didn’t know Bob Dyer before that night. I had never met him, and to be honest, I didn’t know too much about him. But I left there feeling like I had missed out; I wished I had known him. It seems to me his version of the Renaissance Man is dying out, and it’s a breed that I want to see last. His blending of folklore, history, song, and music—it was fantastical and larger than life. It was exciting and real in a very dimensional way, and it is something that I think we are beginning to lose. As the world changes and places continue to be erased, I wonder if we will still have people like Bob Dyer—champions of the story. We need it. It’s wonderful to hear a version of your state and feel like you are somehow a part of a story that’s bigger than just what you see.

As I sat at Duff’;s during the tribute, a lot of thoughts were running through my head. The one that repeated over and over? When I die, I should be so lucky if this many people care about what I lived for.

To learn more about Bob Dyer, take a look at his short biography posted on the website of his record company, Big Canoe.

Big Canoe Records

cinema verite, rain, and the Famous Bar

2007-10-17T18:26:00.000-05:00

The rain is still coming down and the wind is alternately whining and screaming through the gangway at my house. I spent the afternoon at home napping, wrapped up in a blanket on the couch, watching the big drops fold sideways into the screen on my windows. And I read a book. It seemed like luxury, and after meetings and work all morning, it was all I wanted to do. As I was lying there, thinking, I was trying to put into words why I like the rain so much.

As people, we fall into two categories: those who like the grey and the rain, and those who only want sunshine. Naturally, I am suspicious of the sunshine variety and wonder mostly why it is that they cannot cope with the ups and downs and spontaneity of life. Of course, perhaps I just like the rain because it begs you to slow down, to turn off the television and be alone and quiet. Maybe I just like it because somehow every time it rains, it seems exactly like the rain somewhere else at some other time, and I am whipped back through a memory, to a place. And then, the obvious-- I spent six years living in Central Illinois and 2 in England with nary a spot of sunshine except in the strictest confines of August heat. For a good quarter of my life, I had to learn to love the weather or completely miss the day. I learned to love the weather.

I’d get all cozied up in warm clothes, a coat, and boots, grab the umbrella (mine has a poem handwritten in the top-- a gift from an old friend), and out I’d go. In Illinois, I’d drive or run; In England, I’d walk through the muck of the fields, in the fog... or swap my boots for heels and window shop in the city centre, the smell of roasting chestnuts permeating the damp air. Sometimes there would be a movie, and usually I’d make a big pot of soup at the end of the day, but always I’d go to the pub.

Here, I have never established much of a rainy routine. The skies open up less often and I am usually content to take the day as a hint that I should slow down, rest, take stock of the world, or maybe just watch it a little more closely than usual. This morning, I was in U. City for a meeting, and I planned on window shopping the grey noon away, strolling up the street to Subterranean Books (my favorite), and then visiting some folks in the Loop. But the rain angrily switched to a downpour, and I found myself in the dimly lit interior of a restaurant eating lunch on the South Side and laughing with friends.

Very rarely these days do I leave the comfort of my warm house when it’s raining and I have an afternoon free--- which is rare unto itself-- but as I sat there reading, I kept thinking of the Famous Bar. The same thought I always have when it rains and I think of slinking into pubs for a quick cuppa or a Guinness in the cold of my younger days, and then the Famous pushes itself right behind my eyes until I cannot ignore it. Perhaps it’s because it’s just there, like a little pocket on Chippewa which everything else continues to happen around. The cars still splash in the water outside, people still walk the street. But there’s more to it. The Famous is anything but a dive. It impresses me as classy without pretention, mature without being matronly, comfortable without being dowdy. It is a place to be seen and to be quiet, one where people are as likely read the paper in the afternoon as they are to play an almost rowdy game of pool. It is not a sad bar, but it is my favorite place to go for an afternoon nip. Just enough of the sky peeks through so you know what time it is, but not enough to make you think you need to be doing something else. The drinks are well priced and range from my beer moods to the tasty Manhattans of my more cosmopolitan days. The bartenders are friendly, and moreover, know when to let you have a rainy day and when you need a bit of sunshine.

I didn’t go to the Famous Bar today, but I did think about it all afternoon, as I often do. I don’t know what it is about that place; I am nowhere even close to being a regular, but it pulls and works at me. I think part of it is when it rains, life begins to feel very cinematic. I watch myself as if I am narrating my own close-up. And in my movie, the Famous Bar is always where my character goes when it rains. That’s how the scene opens, a shot of an inauspicious bar on Chippewa, barely recognizable as a watering hole except for a couple of Schlafly neon signs, the cars whizzing by, whipping up water in a fantail, and then the woman at the bar, watching the rain and thinking. She knows, somehow, something new will come next, but even as she waits, you can tell she’s someone who would still jump in a puddle just because it’s there. Even at thirty, sometimes the rain’s there to make you have fun.

The Famous Bar
5213 Chippewa St, St Louis - (314) 832-2211
(opens at 3pm each day; open Sundays now, too-- yay!)

weekends are for...

2007-10-11T12:03:00.000-05:00

There have been changes in my world.

1.) I decided I didn't have much of a life anymore, so...
2.) I am trying to learn to knit (and do origami, but my head works better towards knitting).
3.) I decided I have worked weekends my entire professional life and cannot do it anymore.
4.) I have been running, biking, or rollerblading (more than usual, at least).
5.) and I have been doing a lot of things I always tell others to do, but never have the time myself.
(This list includes going to BBQ's, seeing the stockcar races in Peveley, looking at the balloons a few
weeks ago, going to crafts fairs and art shows, and having drinks in the afternoons. I even clipped
my hedges. Hmmm, the things one can do with a day off.)
6.) Oh, and I took a new PT position working on a really cool arts/culture program the city schools.

In that spirit, I am going to give you a round-up of time-sensitive and great things going down this weekend (most of which I will even be attending).

SAT., Oct. 13

Metropolis STL presents the Art Walks. The East Architecture Walk leaves the Old Courthouse at 10am and returns at Noon. These walks have a great reputation, and they're free. Led by people who know what they're talking about, you can enjoy some sun on a nice autumn day, as well as get some exercise. Then have some crepes or hit the market in Soulard.

Later... Saturday night

From 7-11pm, the PHD Gallery on Cherokee hosts the opening of "Hand to Hand", an exhibition of collage work. Here's the thing, the two artists have been mailing work back and forth to one another for three years, from coast to coast and have never met. Earlier this week, I met the owner of the gallery who invited me and got me all excited about this, so I looked up his place online. Cherokee has long been a really cool area. Lately, more and more artists and arts endeavors are taking root in the neighborhood, which can either be great or signal the end of the area's organic period. My vote, however, is the more diversity and the more different types of businesses, the better the neighborhood. Should be an interesting show for a relatively new gallery. Worth checking out, for sure.

And on SUNDAY, Oct. 14

Join Chef Clara Moore and a bunch of cool foodies for the Southside Iron Chef, to be held at the corner of Lemp and Crittendon, beginning at Noon and going until 6pm. There are three bouts (12:30, 2:30, and 4:30). The first bout pitches young chefs Mary Eden and Mike S. from the Royale (on S. Kingshighway) against one another. Mary and Mike are both known around the Royale for their fresh and inventive specials, so I am really excited to see what they do. Chef Clara Moore herself will be up for a title in the final bout at 4:30. VIP tics are available for closer seats, and the money entitles you to some tasty portions of what the chefs cook up. All proceeds to benefit the STL Food Bank.

So, there you go. All events free and open to the public, and I can almost guarantee how cool each will be. Also, for you craft-ys, the artist deadline for inclusion in the Rock n' Roll Craftshow is Oct. 21. Check their website for more details.

For more info.:

PHD Gallery
2300 Cherokee
314-664-6644
www.phdstl.com
regular hours Thursday-Sun. from Noon-4pm

Metropolis
www.mstl.org

Southside Iron Chef
Sunday, Oct. 14
3000 Lemp
call 497-1661 for more info.

Denial Ain't Just a River in Africa

2007-10-03T23:08:00.001-05:00

Let's start with a three-parter:

1.) How many countries are in Africa?
2.) Can you name more than four?
3.) How many languages are spoken there?

Africa is a continent large and diverse, and most of us know absolutely nothing about it. There is, of course, the recent celebrity-driven tendency to go there and support charitable causes (or perhaps have your baby... or adopt a baby). There is Bono and other celebrity-driven charities to highlight the continent's struggle with HIV and AIDS, amongst other diseases. There is famine and war, and diamonds. There is a long river and pyramids and a huge, hot dessert. There are safaris and big waterfalls in Zambia, apartheid, and Oprah. We know only the soundbites of Africa, quick images and headlines. few of us consider it in the ways that we should. Many would settle for us consiering it at all.

Now you can.

This weekend, join UMSL's Center For International Studies at the Africa World Documentary Film Festival at the Tivoli. There are three days of great documentaries about Africa-- about its people and its struggles, its heroes and its triumphs, its wars and its religions, its languages and cultures. Africa is not one place, but this film festival is a great place for us all to start to understand.

Tickets are $10 for a session (most are three hours and include 4 films), or $35 all day.

MY PICK: Friday, Oct. 5, 2:00-5:00pm
Highlights of this session include "As Old As My Tongue", which challenges our expectations and perceptions of stardom, age, and Muslim women. Also included, "The Professor", about the once-President of Liberia who now lives in NYC.

Film Festival Schedule and Info

Oh, and there are 46 countries (more if you count the island nations) and as many as 2000 languages (many rapidly disappearing).

See For Yourself

2007-09-26T18:49:00.001-05:00

I always think about the renaissance of St. Louis, and somewhere along the way, I forgot about my own. I don’t think it’s one of those things you can plan-- a renaissance. We never know the exact moment something new will occur or be born. Revival is a process, a continuation like our lives, an evolution like our city. Renaissance makes us think of a rebirth, and though I think we know when things need to change, most of us realize it late, after some kind of change has already begun.

That’s what happened with me.

Last January, on New Year’s Day, sitting at my dining table surrounded by friends, I gave up struggle, and I tried to rid myself of my need for recognition. Struggle, which I had once mistakenly found poetic, and which I took almost as part of my work ethic, seemed easy enough to give up. For me, it was an attempt to rid myself of my own martyrdom, of which I wasn’t the least bit proud, but found myself continually aware. The need for recognition went hand in hand with that sense of martyrdom, like my own odd way of being Superwoman.

Recognition is just validation. And I’d spent years seeking it, and for years watched it go to everyone around me, which, frankly, only increased that terrible sense of being lost. I thought later of when I’d had the most successes in my life, and how those successes always seemed undeserved, almost too easy or irrelevant in some way-- obsolete. Then, I couldn’t have cared less. If recognition is not the goal, then it is hardly an end. There was a time when I did things because they felt necessary, when my decisions and my thoughts and my actions came from a place of passion and urgency. The things I did, and did well, had their own intrinsic rewards, and I had always done them first and foremost for myself; others be damned.

And I began thinking of that, and then of leadership and service. I try to give my students the tools and the opportunities to be leaders in their lives. We focus on these ideas, a big part of that being to follow your own compass, to be motivated from your own core, to silence out all the misdirections and mistakes that are screaming at you. What I didn’t realize for a long time was that my need for recognition had become akin to my need for others. approval. And my hopes for getting St. Louis noticed was more a desire of validation-- like, “Hey, look at me! I’m a part of something great!” Obviously, this is not a good thing. It was not who I wanted to be or what I wanted to work for anymore.

The truth is, we see cities the way we see ourselves. The streets, the buildings, the brick and the muddy river; the people we encounter, the ideas we applaud, the failures we cry over-- they’re all just parables, ways to see ourselves. We project and magnify and create and reflect ourselves onto this living, breathing body of a city. That’s why we love some places and why others leave us empty and flat. Places we love make us see new things in ourselves, like waking up to something new over and over. We understand and identify. We feel these places, literally. We feel them in our heart; we allow them to wash over us and move into us and fill us up.

This is how I feel about St. Louis; this is how I love it. There are days when I have my doubts, much like there are days I doubt myself. There are times when I think we will not recover, times when I am embarrassed by our decisions and actions and speak defensively. There are times when I want to send everyone in the country a letter telling them I know the secret, and the secret is this city. For better or worse, this is my city. It is where I feel alive, and where I chose to live. Every day I still choose it.

I spent the summer thinking about what comes next, but I realized what that really means is, what comes next for me. I can only make this city better by making it feel right for me. It’s like education: I cannot teach something if I don’t know what the desired outcome is. I cannot change something if I can’t name what I want to change. Surprisingly, I’ve come to this decision: screw St. Louis. This isn’t about a city, it’s about me. I don’t care if other people love or hate this place; I care only that it continues to be a place where I want to be. It’s about living and doing the things I love, which hopefully are aligned with creating a better city, but it can’t only be about that. I don’t know what that outcome is, nor do I know how to achieve it alone. But I do know how to do the things I love. So I’ll do what I am good at.

From now on, I’m going back to how I got here-- following my gut, pissing off some folks along the way, being outspoken, and burning the bridges that are about to fall down regardless. This city will be what it is, and it will likely be that way with or without me. Maybe I can affect some kind of change in my little pocket of brick and trees, but I can’t do anything if I’m not doing it for the right reason. I don’t know how this city can reflect growth in my eyes if I can’t even grow myself. So, for now, I’m done worrying about St. Louis’ renaissance. It will come or it won’t (and truthfully, I think it’s long been here anyway). I’m just going to keep working on seeing the city I love, and hopefully along the way I’ll remember to keep looking at myself. The good things usually find us-- all we have to do is recognize them when they appear.

Look for new posts about great things and great people each Wednesday night. See the city for what it is, and the city will begin to see you.

In My Own Revolution

2007-07-14T16:24:00.000-05:00

Yeah... I'm waiting too. Trying to figure out my next role in the revolution. I have some ideas, but need a little more time, then I'll be back.

Until then, I'd suggest staying tuned to LoFi St. Louis. I think it might be my new answer to waking up each day.

Find it here.

Route 19, along the roadside, and the Skyview

2007-05-09T23:09:00.000-05:00

Isn't it always the case that just when you're in a hurry, somehow you end up missing where you're supposed to go. I realized about twenty minutes too late I had turned onto the wrong road. In my haste and hurry to escape traffic and road construction, I had simply turned left, thinking I was one place, when in reality, I was in another.

Random mistake or luck of the draw-- either way, I ended up driving one of the most beautiful, uninterrupted stretched of highway I have seen in years: Route 19, just N. of 44. Straight as a rail running north and south, the road fell and rose, dipping and ascending its hills of green, green farmland. Pastures and fields. Farmhouses worn with years of love and usage, rather than neglected and forgotten. The clouds were th3e perfect shade of grey and deep blue-- dark colours, like a teenager's anger rising and then receding, forgotten and faded.

Just when I thought I was through marvelling at my mistake, just before I turned off onto 44 at Cuba, there it was: a drive-in. Still in use, an old lady with grey hair mowing the lawn that surrounded it. A little research showed me that theatre opened in 1954, and it's still running. So my haphazard waylay meant I got to put a new theatre on my list.

I am a movie theatre junkie who oddly, doesn't like movie theatres. I find going to the movies to be a deeply personaly experience, and highly intimate. Most of the time, these days, movies aren't worth the trouble. But when one is good, it's tough to have those lights go up and get jolted back into the harsh light of day with a bunch of strangers picking popcorn off of their laps and kids running up the aisles. That's why when I go, I go alone, but mostly I just don't go.

And yet, there's a magic to movie theatrea: a hocus pocus and a razzle dazzle. There's charm and a certain sincerity about the important of fantasty and escape in our everyday lives. I spent much of college researching movie theatres and writing papers tracing the economic and cultural development of towns and cities based on their theatres. But it wasn't until I was 25 that I got to go to a drive-in.

There were once over 4000 drive-ins in the US; now they number in the low hundreds, and many are no longer functioning. Missouri still sports 13 drive-ins, but even closer than any of those is the Skyview Drive-in. Located just across the river in Belleville, the Skyview is open and raring to go. At $8.50 a person, the Skyview shows to double-features a night, and is currently open Fri-Sun.

It's one of those things that will make you feel the magic of America. Those times when you used to sit outside, maybe the hum of a radio or music far off in the distance, the sweat rolling down your legs in the sticky heat of summer, kids laughing and running. The drive-in might still be one of those things that is roughly the same as it was when our parents were growing up. Sure there are changes, but I bet it still makes you feel the same...

And these days, anything that can slow time down-- in fact, anything that seems timeless-- is worth all the money in the world. The Skyview costs less than a ten.

SkyView Drive-In

The Toilet Doesn't Flush The Way You Think It Does

2007-04-30T17:01:00.000-05:00

So, there's that old myth about the toilets flushing counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere. The Aussies don't call it counter-clockwise though, they refer to things that move opposite the way a clock does as "anti-clockwise", and regardless, it's not true anyhow. I thought of this myth one day after I'd been there for about a week. I'd noticed plenty of things in the land Down Under, but I hadn't paid attention to the way the water moved down the pipes. What I did notice was that everywhere I went, all over Australia-- from big cities to small towns of 30 people, from rest areas with no doors to public toilets in city centres, from big fancy hotels to the hostels I stayed in, every single toilet I encountered (save one, in Hobart) had two buttons to flush. One flushed with full water; the other was a half-flush. Suction, in general, also seemed much better. I was stunned though. Such a simple thing to conserve water-- something Aussies are very passionate about-- and it was everywhere, wholesale, proving to me how easy to is to enact change. And for the record, when I did my duty the next time and did watch how the toilet flushed, it looked exactly the same as it does at home in the States (except of course, I used the half-flush button).

Australia seems the earth-mother hippie cool kid that everyone respects enough to obey its taunts, and actually be shamed if they don't conform. And it will taunt you for many things which the average American never even flinches at, nonetheless thinks about with any real sense of environmental responsibility. For one, Most stores will not give you a plastic carrier bag. Larger chains might even charge you if you ask for one to hold your groceries. The majority of people buy green (literally, they're colored green) canvas bags for between $1-2AU and use them for everything. The totes were so stylish and used for so many things, I was actually quite sad I didn't get one while I was there (I usually used my backpack for purchases, much as I had done when I used to live in the UK).

Australia has been suffering a severe draught-- not just in the Outback and more remote regions, but in big cities to the South as well. In Melbourne, you could only water certain types of plants, and only certain days of the week for certain hours (though there was some grace time allowed the elderly, which seemed oddly sweet, despite it putting them out in terrible heat). I know many places enact watering restrictions (my parents used to live in the desert), but I have never known of an American city that had special units driving around to fine people they found watering when they were not supposed to.

There were commercials on TV about taking shorter showers and recycling products. Public transportation and bikes were everywhere. Without being obnoxious, signs or facts about the environment were everywhere. In Tasmania, where I spent a considerable amount of time, locals were most concerned about sustainable agriculture and keeping habitats intact for native species. Everywhere the message is the same: conserve, choose wisely, think about the consequences of your actions. And these messages are so engrained in Aussie culture that I was astounded. Simple things.

Simple things, and yet we never seem to do them. It just made me think how possible change is, and how easily we can become a city that cares about the environment and emonstrates that without being holier-than-thou and shoving granola down others' throats (although incidentally, the Tasmanian yoghurt and granola I had was very good)...

Down Under Odyssey, Part I

2007-04-10T00:16:00.000-05:00

When one travels for three weeks,it's easy to forget things, and coming home this past week has been a long series of remembering. I returned to some changes at work, a slightly dirty house, not being able to find where I had stashed files when I "cleaned" before I left, and consistently losing my keys. I had three huge stacks of mail, over 1200 emails, and a pile of messages on my phones. There was a large stack of magazines waiting for me to love them, and then over easter, my dad brought me about thirty more.

Reading US News and World Reports from last week, "Making America Better"-- which, by the way, was a great issue to read coming off of travels where I did nothing but compare America to other nations-- I read an article about campaign financing, and the remembered again... I had completely forgot. Gone was the American election and the early cowardice and the mud-slinging and the eight thousand candidates vying for press and acknowledgement. Poof. I did think about local STL elections, but not that. There were other things too. I read and read and was amazed at what I had completely forgotten. I felt lighter and it was great. Like that desire I get sometimes to move because it seems the only way my house will get organized or the only way I will ever finish things enough or not feel too guilty to just move on.

And yet, all I did, the whole time I was gone was think about America... and about my place within it. It's funny the conversations you have and where they take place. The most enlightening discussion I had was when I shared a taxi with an Australian in Melbourne. We discussed taxes, development of the arts, and voting. We discussed lessons in school, civics, and how we are socialized into government. There were questions flying about civic duty.

Or perhaps more telling, when someone heard me speak, and it seemed to be usually a quiet old gentleman wearing a sun hat and leaning on his walking stick, I would be asked where I was from. Funny thing, most assumed I was Canadian. Ten or twelve people, which made me laugh. When I lived in England in the late nineties and 2000, I often told people I was Canadian because it was easier than dealing with the political embarassment my country was thrusting upon me during Clinton's impeachment hearings and then later during the 2000 election. But this time, the Australians thought me to be Canadian for two overwhelming reasons: men thought so because I was undemanding, quiet, and polite. Apparently they deal with brash Americans who feel entitlement a bit too often. Women and people my age thought I was Canadian because very few Americans travel alone, especially women as it turns out.

One way or the other, there's nothing like getting lost in another country to find yourself and figure out a thing or two about where you live. There will be more postings on my great Down Under Odyssey, but for now, I have three things to say:

1.) If you ever get the chance to go to Tasmania, do so. I don't care who you are or how much you've traveled or what you like, you will feel at home there, and you will love it.

2.) The outback, specifically Coober Pedy, an opal mining town, is both crazy and wonderful. Being there was like living in a sci-fi movie, and yet the town is ingenius and provocative, and in many ways a model for better quality of life.

3.) I took over 700 pictures,so it's taking a while to post them. They're not going up chronologically, but my four days in the Outback (around 100 photos) are posted on my flickr account. More to follow within the next week or so.

And lastly, if you haven't traveled in a while, do it. Just go. Stop making excuses. Even if you just get in yolur car\for the afternoon or take the bus somewhere without a destination. In my favorite poem, there's a line I had always neglected until this year, "Your adventures are like safe houses." I got tired of being so safe. Maybe you are too.

Down Under

2007-03-19T16:09:00.000-05:00

So... as you've noticed, there has been a hiatus, though no such stoppage of the renaissance. I will continue (I promise) regular posting in April.

Go see The Help

2007-02-16T15:42:00.000-06:00

Sick of Mardi Gras... Check out what I'm doing Saturday night on my Down, Out, and Hip site. Link to the right.

Coming soon...

2007-02-12T15:09:00.000-06:00

I have not abandoned writing... Work is simply kicking my ass right now. Shortly (as in, hopefully tomorrow), I will post. I have writings forthcoming on:

- STL superheroes
- teaching kids to write
- Arts update
- and new posts to Down, Out and Hip about the MoBar, El Maguey, Riley's, and playing pool on the cheap

Stay tuned... and sorry for the lax posting.

30 in the year of thirty

2007-01-27T13:58:00.000-06:00

I know it's been a while, but in honor of my recent ascent into a new decade, I decided to make a list of 30 things I want to make sure I do this year in St. Louis. Somehow, the normal STL things seem to always escape me, creep up on me, or I just take them for granted and pass on them, assuming they will always be around. But no more! So, I made a list.

The following list appears in no certain order. Many of the things are things that I have done, and some surprisingly are things I've never managed (like Mardi Gras or St. Pat's... I used to work in Soulard). Regardless, I'm hoping to hit all 30.

1. Drive go-karts at the I-70 indoor speedway
(note: I went to do this last weekend and found it slightly disappointing. For go-karts that can go so fast, they gave you a track with curves where, seemingly, they can't. I wanted speed and it was not what I was looking for.)
2. visit Luckett's Lounge
3. take a tour of the Fox Theatre
4. see the Mardi Gras parade
5. go to the St. Pat's Parade in Dogtown
6. be downtown for the opening day of the Cards (or for Cards/Cubs if working opening day)
7. climb around MonstroCity at the City Museum
8. eat at the Blue Owl in Kimmswick (ok, technically not in STL, but my mom really wants to go there, so it made the list)
9. spend a whole day at Dapper Dan's
10. drink at the Geyer Inn
11. ride the Metrolink all day
12. find the greatest nachos in town
13. see Chuck Berry live (it just seems like I should)
14. rent a boat in Forest Park (ditto-- I have no desire, but it seems almost requisite for a resident)
15. go iceskating in Forest Park
16. skate at the Skate King again
17. drink beers by the river
18. ride the whole Riverfront Trail
19. run a 5K race in STL
20. have a bratzel at Gus' Pretzels
21. go to the Muny (yep, never been... Why do they start the season so late? It's sooooo hot then.)
22. have a picnic during Shakespeare in the Park (one of my favorite nights, though I usually daydream instead)
23. watch Pridefest (the fire trucks with the big American flag spanned between them is, oddly, my favorite)
24. eat food at the stands during the Festival of Nations
25. go to hip-hop night at the Halo and eat hot dogs out front (done, last weekend)
26. visit Shady Jack's
27. watch the sunrise over the river
28. be at Soulard Market at sunrise to watch the bustle
29. go to the Gypsy Caravan (despite heat or rain)
30. finish taking photos of all the STL neighborhoods

Contenders in surrounding areas:

-return to the Peveley dirt stockcar races
-go to Cahokia
-go to Gateway
-visit the dogtrack
-return to Pere Marquette and the River Road in October

Handwritten Fears (in the 20th Ward)

2007-01-10T17:48:00.000-06:00

All signs were seen at the flowershop on the corner of Cherokee and Compton in the 20th Ward, home of the aldermanic race between Galen Gandolfi and Craig Schmid.

For those of you in the Gandolfi camp, check out his fundraiser held this Friday evening (Jan. 12) at the Typo Cafe/Tin Ceiling (also on the corner of Compton and Cherokee--across the street from these signs).

Gandolfi 2007 Fundraiser
Bands of the 20th banding together:

Walkie Talkie USA
The Adversary Workers
Bad Folk
The Beating
Bravo Company
Bloodletters

Friday, January 12 at Typo/Tin Ceiling

Doors at 7:00
Bands at 8:00

And check out the Typo; I hear Tim Rakel's done a fine, fine job.

South Grand: Check Out the Red and Black

2007-01-05T15:10:00.000-06:00

South Grand seems to be ringing in 2007 with a much higher profile, and I, for one, am ecstatic. This afternoon, on my way home from lunch at Mangia, I saw a red and black jacket ahead of me on the sidewalk. "South Grand Guides". I ran to catch up with the poor guy because I was so excited.

Apparently this week marked the beginning of the South Grand Guides, which will be patrolling the South Grand area as an offshoot of the CID Guides downtown. These friendly folks are there to answer questions, give recommendations, act as secondary public safety officers ( escorting S. Grand patrons and workers, reporting problems, etc.). The man I spoke with today is also a CID Guide downtown, so he's used to the drill, and even better, he himself lives on S. Grand.

I don't know of any other neighborhoods that have rolled out these guides, but again, if S. Grand just got them, perhaps this is part of a larger city initiative. One way or the other, in my eyes, those red and black jackets make S. Grand officially a destination for people who don't live around here, and they sure as heck make it a little safer and more pleasant for those of us who do.

If you see one (and you will), stop and say hi. They like to talk and like to help. I am pretty damn excited.

walk through the 20th ward

2006-12-20T17:24:00.000-06:00

In the much publicized debate over the aldermanic race of the 20th Ward (Cherokee Street) between Galen Gandolfi of Radio Cherokee and the incumbant, Craig Schmid, many issues seem to be getting lost in the hustle. I keep thinking about these, but the other night I set them aside. I was driving a friend home in the wee hours of the morning, and we sat in the car talking. Restless, I decided I needed a walk, and so walk we did. In the cold, in the middle of the night, we set off down the west side of Cherokee. It was impossible not to notice all the Gandolfi yard signs and signs in the windows. It was impossible, too, not to notice the handwritten signs in the flower shop on the corner of Comptom, the owners writing about how certain people were trying to ignore and legalize prostitution, their claim against Gandolfi and in support of Schmid. What I noticed most though, at that quiet time of night, in the 45 minutes we walked through the neighborhood, was how many buildings sat empty or run down. I couldn't help but notice that Cherokee was like a ghost town. I often see people walking home late at night, and friends who live around there mention anecdotes about the prostitution, and I see officers rolling through in their squad cars every ten minutes or so like clockwork. But what remains is a neighborhood that seems half-used.

If Schmid doesn't want bars to open and is looking to set a precedent restricting the type of businesses in the neighborhood, it seems to reason that he is restricting the possibilities of the same place he is trying to protect. Cherokee is this amazing district, filled with diverse people and a huge helping of Mexican-American culture, in one of the few truly culturally vivid areas in our city. It is filled with families, and lately with an influx of younger people because of the cheaper rents (not to mention its accepting artistic vibe). Looking at those empty buildings as I walked, and then looking at the few businesses that weren't Mexican-American, I got a feel for Schmid's vision of the west side of the street. The businesses that aren't food or tiendas or arts oriented are all about rent-to-own, taxes, and paycheck loans. In a place where people are trying to create a community, the other businesses that do exist seem all about making sure that the people who live along there are temporary, their working class seemingly exploited. Schmid's fight over the liquor laws seems counter-productive, to progress, but also to the facts as they exist. Any neighborhood where people are visible, where businesses want to draw others in-- any place where there is foot traffic to retail and services, where certain spots act as an anchor bringing others in-- this is a good thing.

It sure was peaceful walking down those streets the other night, but peaceful in a shadowy way. I just kept thinking there should be more buildings closed for the night, instead of permanently closed up.

Creating Global Leaders

2006-12-15T04:22:00.000-06:00

This afternoon I went to see the Springboard to Learning International Dance Festival at the Botanical Gardens. I have wanted to go for years, but the lunchtime show was always an issue with work. I cut out of class a little early today and made it just in time for a packed house. There were 10 dances from 8 countries, and 10 schools were represented. It was fantastic, so much so that there were a few points that I was overwhelmed.

3rd through 8th graders performed in the hour-long show and it was truly stunning, even more so considering that eight of the ten groups had no formal dance training and had learned these fantastic routines in one hour each week during this semester. Many of the dances had students who acted as percussionists, blowing my mind with what they had learned. The highlights for me were the Colombian Dance, which will luckily be performed again at the end of the year at Bunch Middle School. The dancers were elegant, poised, and the movement (especially its sophistication and articulation) was amazing. the costumes were gorgeous. The African dance and music presented by Mark Twain Elem. School had everyone in the house clapping and moving, as the students beat their drums wearing shirts with Africa emblazened on them and the slogan "Born Again". The finale was a swing dance in the purest style. The talent of some of those kids was obvious, evident, and astounding... and I just kept looking at their faces. Some of them were living in those dances and just embodied the movement so naturally. There was such pride, and for many, a true passion.

As I watched kids of all races perform dances from countries that they likely had never heard of before this September, I kept thinking, "This is what it's all about." It was education at its finest: learning, passion, excitement, engagement, understanding, as if borders no longer existed. Those kids didn't care if they were the only African Americans to ever do an Irish jig, or if they would never see Guadalupe for themselves. They just danced, and it made me see proof that giving kids new experiences literally gives them the world.

Sadly, this performance only happens once a year, and likely, you have missed it. But watching it today, I was kept thinking if there is truly to be a renaissance in this city, it will be them to make it happen. It will be them to dissolve the divisions and bring everything together. And sometimes, as you watch things, there is a moment of grace, where you see what can happen. Today, I saw those kids from all over the city understand the world in a new way. Hopefully they will take with them some understanding of another culture, but if nothing else, they learned that people will watch them and listen to them and that each of them has a talent. It seems a lesson we can all learn; the possibilities are as big as we allow them to be.

Maybe I'm a sucker fo the symbolism, but there is nothing like watching people dance.

'Tis the Season: Plug for Educational Organizations

2006-12-13T16:03:00.000-06:00

Usually I like to imagine winter as if I am in a snowglobe, glittery flakes falling all around me, everything placed just so. But there's something to be said for this 65 degree weather as well. I have my tri-weekly weather conversations with the lovely bellringer at the Schnuck's on Arsenal. I hop through there a few times a week, and each time I stuff my change into the little red Salvation Army pot, I keep talking to this lady. We often have the same conversation when I come out again, but it dosn't matter. Her, "Oh, baby, ain't this weather something. They say it will be like this 'til Monday. MERRRRRRYYYYYY Christmas indeed! Yeah, baby!" was filled with such genuine warmth I could hear it over and over without tiring. Even last week, in the bitter freakin' cold, as everyone had heads tucked against the wind into hoods and scarves, she still rang that bell something fierce, smokin' her cigarette, and smiling and blessing all who passed. Every season I have favorite bellringers, and those are the places I will make sure I hit a few times a week. This year, she's my favorite. So if you need a red pot for your quarters and dimes, the Schnuck's on Arsenal is my suggestion.

There's been a lot of recent buzz about giving, as there is this time every year. In a recent report, John Stossel on ABC did a special on who gives and who doesn't. He seemed somehow shocked by the fact that the poor give more than the rich, though anyone who works in a restaurant knows that those who make less are always the quickest to give to others. In STL though, I see us give every week. In recent weeks, I have seen people come out in droves to support the STL Effort for AIDS with Dining Out For Life, and a recent benefit at the Royale to support Reporters Without Borders and an upcoming documentary film in Darfur showed me that we will continue to reach into our pockets and that a little at a time from a lot of people will go a long way. In St. Louis, we give to PBS and KDHX. We even have some great coporate donors in this city, continually making our museums and our zoo better (and always free). We, seem to be, without doubt, a giving city.

So, if you're looking for one more place to give, I have two suggestions that are near and dear to my heart. As you might know, I'm a teacher, and every day I teach, I wish I had more resources to give my kids, and that they had more to work with. We do well with what we have, but with education, you can never have too much funding. Each year in the fall, people, especially parents are reminded that not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to afford school supplies. We take for granted that kids will have pencils and erasers and notebooks, but many don't-- and where I work, most don't. So there are organizations like KIDSmart to make up the difference. Located in Bridgeton, KIDSmart is a virtual superstore for teachers at low-income schools. It's a warehouse full of donated school supplies where teachers can go shop and get the things their kids and their classrooms need. Over the years, I have organized supply drives bringing carloads of donations, and it's one place I can always find money for.

You can go to their KIDSmart website to donate money. Or, even better, through partnerships with over a hundred merchants, you can go to the KIDSmart site, click a link, and shop with their partners, where a portion of your purchase will be donated to the KIDSmart cause. A recent perusal turned up partnerships with iTunes, hotels and car rentals, Restoration Hardware, REI, Omaha Steaks, Old Navy, and 10% (!!!!) of purchases through Zappos.com going to the organization. So, buy some shoes, and let your purchases help an organization that needs it. In the middle of the year, people somehow forget that kids still need supplies.

Or, if you want your money to go more directly to education, especially in the public school system, Springboard to Learning is an organization that's very important to me (and in full disclosure, one which I am affiliated with...). Springboard to Learning furnishes the public schools with arts and cultural professionals who go into classrooms for a semester and share their knowledge and experiences. There are dance programs, math and science enrichment, cultures of other countries, music, art, storytelling, and writing programs. You ca check them out online, get more info. and donate money. $50 will give a Springboard specialist enough money for school supplies for 120 kids for their program, or will give that Springboard teacher the money they need to bring in ethnic foods or create projects with the kids. Springboard has been around, in the city schools, since 1968, and it's largely due to the support of the community that these amazing programs continue. (Trust me when I say this: Springboard is a program that works, and one that matters. It greatly widens the horizons of the kids it serves, and it seeks constantly to inspire and motivate them to be more curious about the big world that surrounds them.)

So if you feel some pennies jingling or have some loose change, these are places where even $5 or $10 can add up and make a huge difference. At this time of the year, I know everyone thinks about toys for kids and the basic home necessities for the 100 Neediest Cases-- both of which I support-- but I just wish more people remembered that helping kids have a great education is one of the best ways for them to not be on those charitable lists later in life. 'Tis the season. Thanks for any help you can give, and seriously, go see the bellringer on Arsenal. She might be one of the best parts of this season.

Notes on Weeks Past

2006-12-06T17:53:00.000-06:00

So I've been sick, and busy, and grumpy, and working... not all in that order. But you get the picture. Here are some quick notes on what I have done in the last week:

- bought not one, but two, Christmas trees at Ted Drewes (while eating ice cream... when it was still seventy degrees out)

- watched the first snow fall as I walked down my street in the middle of the night

- surveyed the wreckage of the ice storm in my neighborhood

- had drinks at O'Connell's, the Jade Room, Garavaglia's, and Tim's Chrome Bar (see post on Down, Out, and Hip)

- enjoyed, honestly enjoyed, drinking late at night at Mangia because the lack of power and the cold kept most out, but those who came were treated to the whole place lit by candlelight and quiet, except for the hum of voices

- attended Tavern Night at the Omega Center on the Northside, where I was flanked by my entourage of four men in suits, and treated to a feast of Imo's pizza, red hot chips and crackjack's while we drank beer, champagne, and caramel vodka. I wore a dress, laughed like I have not laughed in months, and was astounded by the lady singing with the Oliver Sain band.

- celebrated the repeal of prohibition, despite having a cold, at the Royale

Okay, and I worked. I guess my point to myself is that even in a normal week, when I feel like nothing great is going on and I am slightly uninspired, even then, this city still provides for me. If nothing else, in the middle of the storm, I was treated to a huge outpouring of community, some tasty cocktails, and a whole lot of laughter. Sometimes it's nice when things slow down just a little.

The moment things happen

2006-12-01T03:13:00.000-06:00

I am a little bit OCD. I like everything just so... snow without tracks, the silence of it falling, the quiet. It's like some sort of beginning. And I love the moment that things happen, the exact moment that they change. So often in life, we just see what has happened, too late. I like marking these things. It's why I love the very beginning of fall, those first leaves turning color, the first ones to fall. When I was a kid, I always noticed when things happened. I paid better attention, or had more time, or perhaps less patience. As an adult, I often miss it.

The first flurries fell today while I was on the Northside teaching. Like a child, I ran to the window and opened it, wanting to stick my head out, catching them on my tongue. But I was high up in a building, and instead settled on writing a quick haiku, then was vastly dissappointed when my next class got canceled and I couldn't watch the snow with the kids.

The rest of the day became an ice storm, a fairly violent one of sorts, leaving stoplights out and people without power. Then there was the rain. I listened to people tell me of coming and going, but then after work, as I was just about to leave, the snow started, big wet flakes-- those kinds of snowfall you only get in early winter or late spring, thick with possibility, and somehow thick with a certain sadness. Before I knew it, I was skipping to the window, coat on, ready to head out, so excited, but needing to mark the moment, to say to someone, this is the first snowfall this winter.

So I did, and then I drove home, not passing or seeing another car. All the tree limbs down on Arsenal, snapped like old white ghosts with the weight of the ice from earlier. I slid into my parking space, my car more sled than wheels, and then noticed a big tree down across my front lawn, covering my steps. But as I stepped out of my car, it was so quiet, only the faint sound of snow falling-- and it is always only the wet snow you can hear, like quiet sleigh bells. Yes, I'm romanticizing it, but it was a beginning moment, and sometimes, I need those. Sometimes I just need to say, I know when it started, and then I can literally, let the rest fall where it may.

Giving Thanks

2006-11-29T00:18:00.000-06:00

I had a customer the other night who was considering a permanent move to STL. I said I loved it here and he asked why. Over the course of the evening, I gave him my quick list of reasons. In the spirit of the holidays, I thought perhaps I'd recount what I am thankful for in this city. After all, it's why I stayed.

I'm thankful for:

- free museums, and museums worth going to
- the quality of the 2 museum-type places I have to pay for-- the City Museum and the Botanical Gardens.
- the fact that this city is one of the least pretentious places I have ever been. I casually refer to STL as a "beer and shorts" kind of town. See and be seen, St. louis, thankfully, is not.
- I am rarely stuck in traffic and can almost always find a parking place (except in the West End, which is one of the reasons why I rarely go there. It makes me angry.)
- everyone here loves baseball and it's not a fair-weather love, but a love deep and pure
- there are many major US cities within a four hour drive
- cost of living is cheap
- people do cool stuff (as in art, and music, and we have great events...)
- the diversity-- I love that while in line at the bank or at the grocery store I might hear six different languages and no one bats an eye.
- St Louisans tip well. Period.
- There're great parks.
- There's a strange history that stops every twenty or thirty years and then we re-invent ourselves in some way, while always remaining true to our roots. Think Gaslight Square. I'm still amazed that happened here.
- We appreciate old buildings, architecture, and things that are truly uniqie and beautiful.
- It will often be in the seventies way past when it should be. Case in point, the last week.
- You can buy your Christmas tree while eating Ted Drewes. (I did that yesterday.)
- There are people willing to live here and make things happen. Good things.

I'm sure the list could go on, but as a short list, rambled off in a couple of minutes, I am not sure what else people need. Coasts be damned. Who needs an ocean when you live in the heart of it all?

St. Louie Louie

2006-11-21T20:51:00.000-06:00

After a weekend out of town, it's always good to be back. I love going out west to Colorado, but there's a general lack of diversity in almost every way-- at least every way that I am used to STL being diverse. It makes it that much nicer to come home.

Lately, I am loving the St. Louie Louie forum, started by Kopper. I have participated in discussions about education, bars, events, and neighborhoods. I found out that St. Louis has its own wiki page (www.wikilou.com...), and there's chat on the forum about a Music Museum. The forum feels exactly like this town to me: comfortable, disparate, a lot of writing from innovative voices, sometimes irreverant, and there's also great news on what's going down and what's up in our heads. These are good things.And each day more people seem to be coming into the discussion, which can only make it better.

Check out the link to the right...

George, the martians, and Sylvia Plath

2006-11-15T23:23:00.000-06:00

Tonight, I braved the rain and the cold to go see the first performance of the Mad Art Radio Hour, and man, am I glad I did. All I can say is: go. And this isn't just some personal advertisement for them... The radio show tonight was the most fun I have had at an event in years. I laughed out loud. A lot. And if you know me, you know I have an often lacking sense of humour, but tonight, it was alive and well. And when I wasn't laughing, I would catch myself realizing I was smiling.

The set was fantastic, complete with APPLAUSE lights and and ON AIR light. The music rocked (Swing Set) and I still have some of the songs stuck in my head. The announcer and the voices were fantastic. George Malich might have been at his funniest, but then again, everyone cracked me up. The sound effects were perfect. Everything about it was enjoyable, and I felt transported back to some other time, so much attention was paid to details. It was creative and smart. I have a tough time listening to things, and I actually hate theatre even more, but this had me riveted. All I am going to say is the first play was about martians and art, and the second was about Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes (the intro song to that kicked ass). My absolute favorite though was the advertisements (Frazer's, Schlafly, the Royale).

Jaime Gartelos (one of the writers and the announcer) hit the mark on absolutely everything. If I weren't busy the next two performances, I would go again. It's hard for me to say how much fun I had. I'm just glad this is one of those things with more to come. Check it out; I promise it will be the best $5 you spend for a while (it was actually more fun than the batting cages, my $5 staple of fun comparison).

Mad Art Radio Hour at the Mad Art Gallery
Performances Thurs. 11/16 and Fri. 11/17, $5 (cash bar)

Note: the Friday performance will be taped and aired later on Brett Underwood's KDHX show, the No Show

STL Design Challenge

2006-11-14T14:16:00.000-06:00

My first look at the Arch was as a kid, speeding along the interstate, crossing the river, en route to Colorado. My mom woke me up to see the Gateway to the West. I was 11, tired after driving from the east coast, and I just wanted to get to the west, less interested in the gateway there. For my mom, it was different. Her first trip to St. Louis was in the late sixties, right after the Arch was erected. To her, it was still a marvel. It would take me longer to think about it in any real terms.

When I moved to England, the only thing people knew about St. Louis was

1.) it was somewhere in the middle of the country, far from anything of worth or interest
2.) the movie "Meet Me in Saint Louie"
3.) the Arch

Upon returning, I began to think more about it. I have always loved architecture, but what I love consists of the character of old buildings, the brick and stories that built them... and the creative problem solving of new architecture. The genius of Samual Mockbee and the Rural School, Fallingwater which I saw for the first time at 8 years old after begging my parents to take me there, the crazy dream-like structure of Gehry's Experience Music Project, the stunning design of the Oklahoma City Memorial with all its chairs. Lately though, I think not just of buildings, but of design.

A couple of weeks ago, I had one of those days where everything centered around design. I had just read a long article in Fast Company about design-centered business thinking. I had gone to Target in the morning (the mecca of egalitarian design), read Sarah's blog about her frenzied trip to Seattle's IKEA store, and then ended up talking with Toby after a work function about possible design innovations in schools and prisons. In a time where design is everywhere these days, dotted along DIY cable shows and imbedded in all marketing campaigns, I began to wonder, where was design in St. Louis? There are, without a doubt, beautiful places-- parks, buildings, neighborhoods. But moreover, I wondered where is the transcendant design within our city? Where are the places that are made so thoughtfully as to make us think and feel differently? Where are the places that make us comfortable, that are designed for our ease of usage? Where is good design in this city, not just aesthetically, but functionally? Do we have enough of it, or are we missing the mark?

Here are my first contemplations for some STL Design Awards. I am completely open to, and in fact, want, your comments.

LAUMEIER SCULPTURE PARK
This is green space that seemed to be designed with everyone and every purpose in mind. It's beautiful and provocative, accessible to all, free, with plenty of fields for frisbee or picnicking or reading, as well as paths. Every time I go there, I think about that place and this city differently.

THE CITY MUSEUM
Now, here's a space designed with the user in mind. It is constantly evolving and changing. When you walk through it, it's as if moving through a dream where you encounter the things you feel or want intuitively, not necessarily expecting them to be there in reality. It's like a peek into all our secrets and our subconscious, mapped out and delivered.

THE BOTANICAL GARDENS
Obvious, to some degree. But this place changes and flows, moving from one type of landscape to the next, almost seemlessly, from sun to shade, from inside to outside, from wide open spaces to small nooks of privacy. It can be packed, and you still feel amazed that you are in such a small corner of the city because it will take you so many hours to move through the grounds, with minimal disruption from other visitors.

TOWER GROVE PARK
For obvious reasons of proximity, I use TG Park more than FP, but I also think it is just big enough to contain what I need, while maintaining distinctive differences in its parts, and it's easily navigable by car or foot. After seven years living in this city, FP still confuses me and I get lost, no matter what I do.

BRENNAN"S Wine Bar and the Maryland House
This is my huge shout out to Kevin Brennan, who has a wicked sense of humour (despite my thinking he did not have one for years) and a keen sense of detail. Kevin puts a lot of thought into his space, thinking about beauty, comfort, design, product, and how his customers use the space. He thinks about how you want to feel and how you want to eat and drink so that you can just show up and enjoy yourself. When I started thinking about bars, his place immediately came into my mind. And the great thing: though he does put effort into it all, it's also intuitive to him. So his building seems natural and the experience there un-forced. He might have the most user-friendly establishment in STL, though I am sad that he took down the polaroids in the ground floor bathroom.

The ARCH
Obvious, yeah, yeah... But it looks different every single day, every time I walk by or drive past. It's reflective-- in every sense of the word, and that's why it's good design. Instead of taking a stance, it allows itself to be what the visitor sees and projects-- and that my friends, is good design. Oh yeah, and I guess it's some kind of architectural feat-- whatever...

SKIF International
Yep, I still always think of the Matrix when I think of their sweaters. But there is something fantastic about beautiful clothes that look so different from other things we can buy. And there's something great about the same sweater looking different on every person who wears it. Rather than giving you style, their products seem to blend into your own personal aesthetic in a fairly amazing way.

52nd CITY
It's pretty, people. And well-written. It's that simple.

So, I'm opening the floor. Where else do we have good design? What immediately comes to your mind? That's the stuff we need to talk about, and it's certainly something to celebrate.

Election De-Briefing

2006-11-09T18:03:00.000-06:00

Tuesday night just about killed me, not because of the anticipation, but because of the sheer volume of democratic voters out in the City-- celebrating, waiting, discussing, and oh-so proud of themselves for voting. The swarms of voters, campaigners, and judges hit the Royale Tuesday night for $2 and $3 beer and drink specials, and the city certainly got their drink on, with almost all Schlafly products running dry by the end of the night. There was loud applause and cheers running through the building with each development, and from where I was standing, the crowd cheered with the same enthuasiasm and loudness as they had a couple of weeks ago during the World Series. Politics suddenly seemed very rock n' roll and very sexy.

I went out yesterday afternoon, on 2.5 hours of sleep, to de-brief with some folks from work, and the word of the day at Mangia while we were coffee-ing and iced-tea-ing was very much "voting". I saw old women on the street talking about celebrating. Kids in my classroom this morning asked me if I was happy about McCaskill. The city ward turnouts, according to numbers posted at the ACC, ranged from 32%-the high 60's, which I thought was pretty damn great. As I walked through the streets yesterday, I just kept seeing all the signs that said "2006 Vote Democratic Team", and something seemed to work. Instead of being bombarded with names or campaign signs, the voting signs were a pleasant repreive, and seemingly much more efficient. One way or the other, our country is still reeling. Personally, the best part for me, was seeing how proud everyone was of voting. Instead of the whispers of voting, their were roars, text messages, and voicemails going out person to person on Tuesday. All election day, I was tuned into the ACC, which had great coverage and photos from their staff which was roaming the city. Big media has nothing on the smaller outlets when it comes to writing about politics in the city, so kudos to PubDef and the Arch City Chronicle for keeping us on the front lines and giving us the info. we wanted. This whole election felt different, and for the first time in my life, it felt like what it should be.

Here's to hoping we keep that feeling.

as the confetti flies

2006-11-08T02:29:00.000-06:00

It's completely late, after 2 am on Election Night. I will get maybe three hours sleep before hitting work int he morning, and I just got home from work now. But something has to be said. Tonight was like little else I have experiencd before. Some said they were surprised (happily so), but I was not. All day, I could feel it. There was an energy and an excitement, and a strange innocence to the voting-- a giddiness like we were all doing it for the first time. And for the first time, I saw people afterwards and they felt like what they did mattered. I don't care how you vote or if you win or lose, but we should all feel like that, every election-- like we matter.

It's a good thing. As is sleep. More tomorrow on the crazy returns bash from tonight.

Ahhh, change... that renaissance, it's a comin'!

Their eyes were watching STL

2006-11-07T15:50:00.000-06:00

So in recent weeks we have:

1.) won the World Series

2.) been "discovered" through somewhat fuzzy math to be the most dangerous city in the USA

3.) had a lot of national media attention because of the candidates and issues on our ballots

So, do me a favor. If you think all that hype about STL being the most dangerous city is crap, go vote. Here's how we show what dangerous can be: a city of informed voters barraging the polls because we are ready for change and tired of the status quo. Or here's how dangerous we might become: a city that is ignorant, lazy, and does nothing to improve its own fate.

You decide. Your vote counts. Make it matter.

Go Vote

2006-11-06T18:16:00.000-06:00

Last night I went to the Claire McCaskill rally in Forest Park at the World's Fair Pavillion, but like most people I know, I went to see Barack Obama. In a nation so cynical about politics and so beaten down by recent policy, he seems like the one shining beacon we have urging us forward.

I. Waiting.
It seemed like a great afternoon to hit a rally, a Sunday in autumn, leaves on the ground. There was hot chocolate and coffee, kids running and climbing on things and dogs barking and being lead around. Black, white, young, old, students, hipsters, families-- it seemed somehow like America should look. People were in suits and Sunday best, in jeans; old women rode up on bikes in helmets and the volunteers wore their standard uniform of fleece jackets with khaki pants (why is that standard garb?). Democracy was the agenda, and there was a strange fashion to that as well. The "democracy for sale" camp was selling shirts and buttons (with a portion of the proceeds going to the campaigns, though it felt more like souvenirs from a football game to me). There were people in stars and stripes top hats, and an unfortunate array of fleece stars and stripes scarves. I just watched the crowd as I waited, alone in the cold, the rally starting an hour and a half late. It was a big group, well over a thousand, and given that we all stood there in the cold and into the darkness, the crowd seemed a good number, and in good spirits. There was an optimism, but also a strange determination that felt more like confidence. This did not seem like the pie-in-the-sky democrats gathering that I have seen in other election years. This seemed like a group of people who thought something new was about to happen. It wasn't about promises, it seemed, but about commitment.

II. I ran into several people whom I work with, all more or less by coincidence, but it seemed to lend some credence to our business being rather political and indeed, rather democrat-centered. Steve walked around, hat and overcoat on, trying to figure out who was spinning the records, and trying to figure out a better person to program the music. Katie asked me if I had ever been to a Republican rally, as she wondered what those looked like in terms of diversity. Listening to the terrible music and waiting, we discussed the invariable merits of Rock the Vote.

III. I Want Charlie Dooley To Be My New Best Friend
The rally got under way with an all-star list of Missouri dems-- Jean Carnahan, Russ Carnahan, Maida Coleman, Charley Dooley... Several spoke, but then Charlie Dooley blew me away. Listening to him is like listening to the gospel in church. I find myself somewhat spellbound. His words had a richness, a realness, and a passion to them. He was not giving a speech, he was speaking, and it seemed a stark contrast to so many political functions. Last night was the second time in a week I have heard Charlie Dooley speak. (A week ago, I heard him speak at the STILL dinner, and his message was that we need to help our children get an education so they can come back and bring that knowledge back to their communities, and so they can help create jobs to continually retain our talented young minds in our city... Hooray for that message!). Last night, as County Exec. Dooley spoke, he was funny and real, telling us what a great lookin' audience we were, and then... some not so great looking. He told us it was okay though because the ugly votes count as much as the pretty votes. It was in that joke that he seemed to shine through. In politics, we are all equal, and we all count. He urged us to be counted, and I loved listening to him. It was the first time I wanted to live in the County, just so he could represent me.

III. Barack Obama Can Tell a Story
Claire McCaskill spoke, and despite the rally point being to support her, last night was really about change. Obama got straight to the point with a great phrase, saying it was time we "vanquished" the politics of fear in our country. It seemed like a Jedi word, and I commented to Steve perhaps the Force would be with us; Steve commented Obama was the next JFK. There is always an energy to Obama, but an honesty. He told stories of being tired, and then told stories of people continuing onward and moving forward. He gave us the narrative of America, beginning with something like, "Our nation began with a ragtag group of thirteen colonies who wanted to beat down the most powerful country in the world." Such a simple statement struck me. We all know where we came from, but we forget at times what we have accomplished. He continued his American tale telling the audience how we set out with these ideas to create a completely new government, how we had a vision. It's that kind of talk, those images of a common history, those reminders of how we are the same, of how we are unified-- it's those things that make me excited about where we might go next, about what American might become again in my lifetime.

Obama talked about the blight of slavery as our "original sin", and I have to say, it was the most amazing thing to see a nationally prominent politician, one who is so dynamic and respected, and one who is not white, stand at that podium and talk about our future.

People were there to support McCaskill. And they were there to get information out about the issues. They were there to remind us how important Missouri is in this election. But I couldn't help thinking we were also all there to support this man whom we would so like to see become the next President of the United States. We were there to support his ideas and take them up as our own when we go out and vote on Tuesday.

IV. So go vote. It's that simple. Just go vote. And make everyone else you know vote. Drive someone to the polls. Cover their shift if they are late to work. Let someone out early. Go vote. Talk about politics. And then see how much a single vote counts. Over and over in the last few years, we have seen that each vote counts. This election is no different. We may not be voting for a president, but we are voting for the people who will fight for us everyday, for those who will shape and create the laws that govern us. We are voting for the people who will either give us freedoms and responsibilities, or we are voting for those who will take those things away. We are still that same nation Obama spoke of; don't let the government take that away. The erosion of America has happened long enough. Vote.

For more information on local STL elections, candidates and issues, check out the Arch City Chronicle and Pub Def.

www.archcitychronicle.com (link at right)

www.pubdef.net

Day of the Dead Beats

2006-11-01T23:33:00.000-06:00

No, not dead beats, as in people who don't pay child support. Day of the Dead Beats, Brett Underwood's brilliant tribute to the Beat writers, which just happens to occur around the Day of the Dead every year.

This year's event is Thursday, Nov. 2 at the Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood, beginning at 8pm. Doors open at 7, and the event is free, though donations are kindly accepted. Reading this year will be a slew of local (and talented) poets including K. Curtis Lyle, Anne Haubrich, and Mr. Underwood himself, who usually finishes with a raucous rendention of Bukowski.

Now, truth be told, I hate the Beats, dislike Bukowski even more, and really don't enjoy poetry readings (despite having attended hundreds in my life), but this event remains to be fun. Despite it all, it's well worth going to. And, like the Beats, you can sit and drink the whole time you are listening... just liek heaven.

So go and get your Howl on.

And don't forget, Friday, Nov. 3, check out Caroline Huth's show at Mad Art in Soulard.

Fat and Dangerous

2006-10-30T23:18:00.000-06:00

Apparently, we are a fat and dangerous city. At least that's what studies and news outlets would like us to believe over the past few years. I'm waiting for someone to suggest that our city is so dangerous because we are so fat we can't run away from crime. Anyone who works in statistics knows that you can find data to support just about anything, but if you take a look at the recent study published by Morgan Quitno (of Kansas), you'll see conflicting information.

The survey (and accompanying article) report that STL is the most dangerous city amongst those with a population of 75,000 or more. What it does not say is that these results are within cities that have a population of less than 500,000 people, or that when studied, they only looked at the city crime stats, not the metro area (that whole county thing causing confusion--again). On rankings by population, it puts STL at #3 most dangerous. What we are also not told is that they look at the crimes then create their statistics based on our crime rates versus a national average. It does not clarify if that national average which they then use for their math is based on cities with similar populations, or American cities in general. So frankly, I'm not sure where that leaves us, except slightly confused.

I received an email from KDHX stating that STL is actually ranked 94 in the "Most Dangerous" category when compared to other cities. Again, math making a difference. So what's the hype? And how much of this do we believe?

Our city has crime, this we know. I beg you to find a place that does not have crime in America and then perhaps we can learn from that locale. Recent events have shown us that even insular communities have crime, violence and terribel tragedies (shootings in Bailey, CO and the Amish slayings come to mind). So, now we'll talk of danger and fear, and we'll get caught up in arguments of math and statistics. I wonder if we will have the discussions that we need to have, as a city, and as a country?
To be plain, that conversation exists mainly around: how do we change this?

There will be arguments and blame placed-- on the city, on the police, perhaps on the legal system and the prison system as well. We will look to issues of income and race, and of division. And then we will further divide ourselves doing complicated math. We will wonder who is not doing their job properly? We will wonder who is responsible. And the same people who are balking will take the issue no further.

Yep, there's crime. Welcome to the world, folks. I've been a victim myself, as have most people I know, and it ain't always pretty. Does that mean our city is going to hell, spinning out of control under the grip of criminals and violence? Does it mean we should move about differently under some new knowledge of fear? God, I hope not. Maybe if we spent as much time trying to find solutions as we do talking about the problem, things would start to change. Maybe if we put our money into programs that would give the city (and its inhabitants) options, things would start to change. Maybe if we had real discussions about race, about education, and about community-based projects, we would get somewhere.

So we're fat and we have crime. Move on. And then do something about it. I, for one, am totally open to comments.

Go to Mad Art, Nov. 3

2006-10-26T00:12:00.000-05:00

Caroline Huth is an artist whose work haunts me. Truth be told, she's also a friend, but I knew her work long before I knew her. I am a lover of Joseph Cornell, so the idea of the shadow box is extremely intrinsic to my love of art. I like the idea of found objects being used. I like the idea of the distance of once personal objects being juxtaposed with foreign things, and all of it existing just a little bit too far away from us, behind glass. Huth's artwork retains some of those same notions, while at the same time having a very distinct character of its own.

Huth often uses text in her assemblage work, and some of my favorites involve old scrabble boards. Her work is like pop noir art in my head, but with these quiet, almost ephemeral qualities. I can't explain why, but when I look at them, I like that she is a woman making the pieces, and they seem almost to provoke me more.

Regardless of my opinion, you should check out Caroline Huth for yourself, and lucky you... her work will be shown at Mad Art Gallery, a perfect spot for her, with an opening this coming Friday, Nov. 3. Huth will be showing with Janice Nesser, whom I do not know, but whose work seems equally engaging as she blends the art of quilting and patterns with photos and found objects. Huth's current work deals with the relationship of found objects, small spaces, and the mathematic balance in between.

Opening Reception, Friday, Nov. 3 from 6-11pm (cash bar)
Mad Art Gallery, 2727 S. 12th St. (in Soulard, across from AB, and damn it if it isn't a gorgeous venue)
Through Dec. 30

http://www.madart.com
http://www.carolinehuth.com

Down, Out and Hip

2006-10-25T00:05:00.000-05:00

All right, my bar blogs have found themselves temporarily without a home as our time at stltoday.com has come to an end. For that reason, I began my own home.

Check out the new blog. There will be quasi-regular features coming soon.

www.cheapstl.blogspot.com

And don't worry, I'll still keep the renaissance one alive.

Metrolink goes South

2006-10-23T20:42:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, Oct. 25 from 5-7pm at the Lift For Life Acad. on S. Broadway, there will be a Metrolink planning workshop. This workshop is for the Southside stops, so obviously, I'm interested. Presentation is at 5:30. It should be well worth the time.

Lift For Life Academy, cafeteria
Metrolink Workshop
1731 S. Broadway (in Soulard, near Russell)

Northside Workshop on Thurs., Oct. 28 from 5-7pm
3736 Natural Bridge, at the Fifth Missionary Baptist Church

I can't wait for our city to be more connected.

The Glory of the Game

2006-10-23T00:56:00.000-05:00

Man, I love baseball. I don't love it in the wearing-red kind of way (which is obvious if you know me). I don't love it in the I-always-go-to-games way. I don't love it in the I-really-know-about-it way. I just love the game, pure and simple.

I love baseball because it reminds me of my mom. Growing up, my mom would sit in front of the TV-- I could see it flicker in the dark from the street when I came in from playing-- and she would watch the Pirates by herself, hooting and hollering at the TV. I love it because my mom used to take the train in Florida when she was a kid with my grandfather, travelling to see Spring Training. I love it because I never saw my first game until I was 22, and I was with my mom 2 weeks after I had moved to St. Louis, on a humid September night in the old Busch. The Arch was there and flags were waving, Mark McGuire still played, and when that anthem was played, it was like everyone in the stadium was suddenly the same-- all in one place, and it was amazing.

I love baseball because it seems American in the best possible way. I remember watching the first game that was played after 9/11, and thinking maybe it would all be okay.

I love baseball because it's egalitarian. You know the rules, and the rules are simple and fair. Generally, calls are straightforward. Everyone gets their chance to score and defend. You take turns. There's no contact, no pushing or shoving or manhandling of one player by another-- not like basketball or football. Baseball is a team sport made up of individuals, each having very specific jobs and territories-- but they need to work together, in rhythm.

I love the tradition of baseball. I love that kids play it all over, in different versions. A stick, a ball, some land. It's still meant for families, and there's none of the glamour or glitz or bling that some other professional sports have adopted.

I love baseball because it makes me wonder if life is really about talent, or if it's just about burying our nerves and having confidence. It's a series of decisions and a guessing game at the same time, almost like rocks-paper-scissors, where you are not so much thinking of what you want to do, but rather what your opponent might think. You have to out-think and then react, but still, you never know.

I love baseball because I am amazed at what can happen in the few short seconds between hitting the ball and running to the base. So much can change in that distance, and yet the runner must simply run, not worrying about where everyone else is. They must follow their own path once they set the field in motion. I love how everything can change in that quick flash as we barrel and careen towards our targets. And part of me loves the idea that you can steal bases, the thrill of having nerve and the fact that if you succeed, you are not punished.

Maybe I just like the metaphor. But if that's the case, I like it because it's a metaphor I know intuitively. It doesn't need to be overthought or even articulated. We all get it. We know it. And we understand. It's like knowing the secrets of death and then forgetting, but it doesn't matter because you are too busy living. Baseball might mean more, but ultimately, all that matters, is it's one hell of a game to watch. And we live in a great city right now to watch it.

I love October. Go Cards!

Tower Grove Harvest Festival

2006-10-21T15:41:00.000-05:00

Today, Oct. 21, and Sunday, Oct. 22, the Tower Grove Farmers' Market is celebrating the end of its season with a big ol' colorful bang. There are tents up everywhere along the main drives (predominantly on the east side of the park, off the Grand entrance). There are folks selling wares and produce. There's a pumpkin patch and kids' activities, music and free tai chi lessons. Sunday there is bellydancing. It's a rollicking good TG event, the kind where there is as much to see and watch and there is to do. Teams are out playing kickball, softball, and football. The leaves are blazing orange and dropping. If you haven't been all season, this might be the most beautiful weekend in the park. Go. And when you're done, hit the Royale on Sunday for $5 Subcontinentals. When you don't want summer to be over, go have some juice and a bit of booze, listen to some records and remember what fun you had.

Tower Grove Festival
www.tgfestival.com

City Rewards, and no, I'm not talkin' about a credit card

2006-10-20T16:33:00.000-05:00

For those of you who think living in the city means an anonymous lifestyle, getting lost in the crowd, and ducking in and out of places unrecognized, you obviously don't live in St. Louis. We seem to have the biggest small town around. I was thinking about this today. It's not just that a huge amount of people live their whole lives here, or grow up here, leave and come back... If that were just the case, we would each only feel it in pockets of th city. But truth be told, most of us can go anywhere and run into someone we know. That amounts to the fact mainly, that though we might each live in our repspective neighborhoods, our city does not have the same boundaries that other might. We shop in other neighborhoods, drink in other villes, go to plays or art openings across town. In short, we travel for what we want, in the process making the whole city ours', not just one pocket. And we all do it, which is the great thing.

What that means is, we know our city, each of us, intuitively.

It's great that the RFT puts out its Best of St. Louis edition, but really, do we need some nationally owned corporate media outlet telling us what rocks in STL? Sometimes they hit the mark, but ultimately it seems they are trying to be too many things to many people all at once. When I look at their picks, more often than not, I can't figure out what they are thinking (though recent exceptions are the RFT highlighting Hoffman Lachance Fine Art and Bill Streeter, respectively). That's why I am always so happy when indpendent media honors independent people.

On Thursday, Nov. 9, from 7-9pm at Atomic Cowboy, those creative folks over at 52nd City will be honoring the Kickass Award Recipients. Want to talk about not corporate? When "kickass" is in the title, I think you know that they hit the mark and will be championing people who truly deserve the accolades. 52nd City will honor individuals and groups alike, both in the arts and in the social arena. Check out 52ndcity.com for more details.

Also on the horizon, Vigilant Communications and Dave Drebes' Arch City Chronicle are taking nominations for other folks who are out in the trenches working to make STL a better place. They will start to feature some of these people in the ACC. Go to archcitychronicle.com/arena to submit a nomination.

Part of the thing that makes this city so great is its people. I am freakin' thrilled that those who we all know when we're out on the street are finally getting some of the recognition they deserve. So go on... honor them. And along the way, think of something you can do yourself to help make STL kick some ass.

What I Learned on Vacation

2006-10-18T16:04:00.000-05:00

Okay kids, I am back in action. It's been a while, I know, but I needed some time. A week in Florida with the family, and then a week being sick in bed, and then the past few days to process all the things I thought. I thought to get back in the game I would tell you all what I learned on my (summer) vacation.

I joined my family in central Florida for a week. It was the first time we have all been together in the last ten years or so for more than a few days. Slightly overwhelming at first, I grew into the multigenerational thing we had going on. Moreover, the trip seemed a constant meditation in memory and a process of thinking about the future. Here's what I learned:

ONE.
Everyone needs a break at times, even me.

TWO.
Hyperreality is a really interesting place to think about reality. I think that's why I studied cultural theory for so long in grad school. There's nothing like the extremely themed and the surreal to make you look at what you overlook each day. (Read that as I had a couple of days at Disney World and a lot of thought of philosophy and Baudrillard.)

THREE.
Where we come from matters. I always say I am not from anywhere. Sometimes I answer I am from all over. It's the curse (or blessing) of having moved my whole life. I claim nothing and everything at once as my home. However, for all intents and purposes, I guess I might be from Florida. It certainly seemed like that while there. I was born there. My brother was born there. My parents were born there. The few folks who share my last name still reside there. Some part of those swamps, orange groves, lakes, and beaches remains in my blood. It is the first place I understood as a place, and the first place I had a sense of myself. Growing up in Florida in the seventies and early eighties was vastly different from the Florida of today. When I think of Florida, my mind naturally wanders to postcards of sandy beaches, desperate co-eds on spring break, and Disney. My Florida growing up was a world of hurricanes, pulling over on the side of the road to cut down sugar cane, and shooting at alligators in the lake of our suburban neighborhood. I remember the truly Floridian theme parks: Weeki Wachee, Cypress Gardens, Reptileworld, and Parrot Jungle-- the Florida of bathing beauties, Southern belles, and true wildlife. My Florida is closer to Ponce de Leon's dreams of the Fountain of Youth than Disney's dreams of Tomorrowland, and that has always been part of my personal mythology.

FOUR.
Neighborhoods mean something. They seem lost in many parts of Florida, especially central Florida. Neighborhoods there amount to status and real estate. In STL, we have real neighborhoods, and that is one of the greatest things about this city. Each neighborhood is distinct, and that helps to preserve our sense of place in STL, as well as our diversity. Imagine if Dogtown or the Hill, Soulard or Dutchtown got erased and became just about tax brackets, and not about history. We are lucky, and we need to remember that.

FIVE.
Chains and coroporate retail establishments erase place. Support small businesses and independently owned establishments and you are supporting originality, and helping to sustain a sense of place.

SIX.
Going away makes you see your home more clearly.

It was nice being in sunny, humid, hot, hyperreal Florida. But it is a place where no one lives, an empty place without its own personality. It exists on borrowed history and by recycling reality. And there is something to be said for that. It's a fine place to visit, but I like my home to have meaning-- and real meaning at that. Here, we are writing our own story. In too many other places, someone else is controlling the action.

I'm back in the game, folks. And I'm ready to kick myself in the ass and make something happen.

SEVEN.
Sometimes we all need some perspective. I just got mine.

Listing

2006-09-28T13:13:00.001-05:00

It's funny that things that are listing are about to tip over. I like the double entendre here. That these items are both getting ready to topple, and/or are reaching their tipping point. Fielder's choice on the following; though I am taking the literal of listing as a form, I choose to think that these are all things that others are about to realize, and the sooner, the better.

1.) This is the last week of our blog on stltoday.com
Sarah and I (and a host of our friends) have enjoyed hitting the dives we've always driven by and answering our own cusiosity about what else is out there in the world of bars. Let's not kid ourselves, we live in a bar, so if we can find places where we still want to be, that's a good sign. Check out my latest post, on Dapper Dan's downtown... and then check out Dapper Dan's.

www.stltoday.com/blogs (click on $20:Code Red at the top left corner of the page)

Moreover, get out, start exploring different parts of the city and find your own new haunts. Don't just take our word on it.

2.) Driving to the North side, yesterday and today, in haze and semi-darkness, I was once again struck by my favorite part of 44. Headed east towards downtown, just before you hit 70 west to bend around the city, there is that beautiful view of Soulard up ahead, the factory chimneys and church spires dominating the skyline... and then the Arch. There is nothing to make me love this city more each morning than hitting that bend, the red brick glistening in the late dawn. It reminds me where we come from, as a place, and where we are headed. Moving from our industrial and religious routes into some new frontier, and better yet, it's a frontier we are stil defining as a city.

3.) On the N. side, I took Natural Bridge east towards downtown the other day. Driving past burnt down and boarded up buildings, I was left with one image-- that of an old corner building made into a church. Above the door, where it once had more painted words, there was just one left: FAITH. That one word painted in black on that white building made me see it all differently-- that drive, that part of the city, and what we're all doing today. It seemed like a mission statement, or a request: hold on, we're coming back, the N. side in all its glory.

4.) That was echoed by my drive home from school today. I generally go up there via 44/70 and then circumnavigate my way through the city back to the south. Today, I took a straight course on Union towards the park. Passing Soldan High School, I delighted in seeing the high school marching band and its dancers completely closing off one whole block of a side street as their horns blared and bowed and young girls waved flags. For a school that can get a bad rap, it was great to see this music and dancing literally shutting down traffic and breathing life... and all those kids the ones doing it.

5.) On a more personal note, today I received several letters from my students as part of an activity in class. Previous to that though, a sixth grader walked in with a thank you letter for me she had made over the weekend. In the middle, in between what she has learned, it simply said, "Thank you for believing in me." Later, another student new to my room wrote me a note that said, "Thank you for choosing me to learn." For anyone out there who doesn't think kids are curious or that they want to learn, head on up to the N. side. I am constantly amazed at how bright my students are, how curious they are, and how much they want to think-- really think. Case in point, today, my fourth graders and I had an amazing conversation about Henry David Thoreau and how he thought about truth. They got it. The quote: "It takes two to speak the truth-- one to speak, and another to hear."

On that note, maybe when some of these things are noticed again, by others, instead of them listing, their tipping point will begin.

When we used to believe...

2006-09-23T15:50:00.000-05:00

I stood in front of my classroom the other day, all those eyes shining up at me, attentive and excited. It was beautiful. And as I jumped around the room, talking, asking questions, telling them all the things they would have a chance to try, and explaining that when they entered my room, they were writers, a question in me flickered. It was question that would later persist, repeating in my head.

I teach children to write. Not just the grammar and mechanics, or the thinking and structure, but I teach them that they have things to say. In my classroom, over and over, I try to show those kids that language is power, that everything important that is accomplished is accomplished by communication-- that the ability to understand and be understood is our highest purpose. That's what writers do. And write they can, in different ways, at different levels. But I have never heard one of them in years say, "I can't write." They just accept that they have a talent, and they work mightily, and diligently to uncover it.

As I was explaining that some things would come naturally and some would be hard work, that while one person might be great at haikus and another struggled, that they would each find what they loved, and they would each be great at some type of writing. I was using examples, trying to tell them what I was naturally better at, and what I had to work hard for, and the rewards that rested within each. I am a notoriously bad speller, yet somehow a great proofreader-- go figure. I cannot do math, but I can do calculus with ease in physics and chemistry. I have to figure out how things work, and I have to care, but there is nothing we cannot learn. As I spoke and asked questions, I said, "Who here is good at math?" and every little fourth grade hand shot up without hesitation. In later groups, with slightly older kids, when I asked similar questions, there was hesitation, some hands up right away, some staying folded in their laps.

I wondered the thing I have always wondered being a teacher: when do we stop saying we can do anything and start volunteering our weaknesses? When do we let our failures trick us into thinking goals are unattainable, and when do we start self-identifying with our talents or weaknesses as others have laid them out for us?

Think about it. There was a time when every one of us would draw. We would craft stories and make them up and delight in anyone who cared to listen. We would struggle for hours over a math problem because it felt so good when we solved it, like the whole world suddenly opened up for us alone and started to make sense. We would build things and imagine the world looking differently. We believed. In everything.

And we thought we were good at everything. Who knows: maybe we were.

But at some point, that fades away. We know more. We have more experiences. We start listening to others more than we listen to ourselves. Doubt creeps in. But I wonder, each day, how many more brilliant thinkers or dancers, artists or architects we might have if they weren't told somewhere along the way that they weren't the best at something. Since when does our prowess at eight years old or eleven determine the rest of our future? It's like some kind of sad brainwashing so that we can better deal with people. Janey becomes the writer, John the future doctor, little Neil who needs attention and causes fights the one likely to go to trade school or drop out altogether.

It saddens me. And it saddens me mostly because I had teachers who fell into two categories: those that told me I should write because I was good at it, but who didn't think I should do anything else, or like anything else; and those that told me I was good at nothing, that I lacked focus, that my excitement was too intense and I got bogged down in details of wanting to ask questions that were irrelevant. (And incidentally, I still have never met an irrelevant question, some that are oddly timed, like the other day when a sixth grader asked me in the middle of a vocabulary lesson, with all seriousness, if she could feed her pet rabbit carrot cake since there were carrots in it...). The few teachers, and I will name them here for the record, that were good were the ones who thought of me as a person foremost and a student second. I was not to be their project, but I have grown up to be their friend: Mr. Carlson (whom I still write to every year), Ms. Lipowitz, Mr. Toler, Mr. Holbrook, Mark Costello and Brigit Kelly. There, out of how many hundreds over 20 years and 12 schools, only 6 stand out as fantastic. Thank god for those six. They never once limited me to what I was good at, nor did they discourage me away from the things which I struggled with.

It was like my heart filled up to see every single fourth grader say they were good at everything, and then it sank to see the older kids so very hesitant, thinking of what others told them. If I've learned nothing else in life, I've learned that persistence and curiosity are what make us great. So I'm going to keep telling those kids they are writers, because when I look at them, I have no doubt that every one of them, if they want to, can be. And they will be great. And for right now, for this year at least, they will hear me saying over and over, "You write well. You have important things to say," and hopefully later, they will remember that.