$20 goes a long way

There will be many posts soon, but for now, check out my other baby

www.stltoday.com/blogs

Click on $20:Code Red

Hats Off

My love affair with this city is more involved than
just place. It's about the people I know, what we do,
and how we do it. It's the long conversations we have
late at night, the things we create, and the ideas we
tirelessly try to bring to life.

This weekend marks a small milestone, albeit an
important one. Over a year ago, Steve Smith came to me
and said he wanted to start a restaurant. There was a
small buzz. I'd hear conversations at Mangia late at
night, read bits in the gossip column of the
newspaper, and offerings of opinions would come my
way. There were naysayers and difficulties, meetings
that lasted way too long, and television cameras in
our faces. But still, there was a vision.

What we got turned out even better.

This coming Saturday, May 6th, we are celebrating the
Royale's first year in business. What started out as a
place where you could bring your grandmother for
lunch, your date for dinner, and your friends for
cocktails has turned into much more. Sure, the drinks
are fresh and innovative, some classic tales of days
past. The records spin at night, the bartenders trade
quips and insight; outside the fountain bubbles as the
tents sway and the grill sends up smoke signals.

The Royale has come together as more than just a
restaurant. It's a place where we have seen scores of
people come together to watch political addresses,
where books clubs meet while sipping wine, where
community leaders organize and teachers discuss the
state of education, where washers are thrown, and
where small revolutions begin their neighborhood
whispers. It has also become my home and my family--
not in the sense of that which you can't escape, but
in the way that it is constant, there for you to
return to when you need laughter and insight the most.


Come celebrate all this with us this weekend. On
Saturday, May 6th, we are holding our Second Annual
Derby Party, though this year it is officially the
Royale Derby Speakeasy. Mint juleps will be cold and
strong as the heat of spring stirs the building.
Jessica Butler will be outside on the patio singing
her jazz stylings and playing with her band. DJ's will
spin classic tunes inside and out. Our new chef, Tony
Beno-Holden, has whipped up a variety of food specials
that celebrate the South, the Derby, and the era of
Prohibition, not to mention officially opening the
full grill menu up for business. The race will kick
off around 4:30 for horse fans. There will be hats
worn and fancy dress, and the party will last long
into the night. And for lovers of the drink, Tim
O'Connell will be on hand, in town special from DC, to
hold court.

Thanks for the great year, hopefully the first of
many. Speak easy. Dress sharp.


WHAT: Royale Anniversary Party/ Derby Speakeasy Bash
WHEN: Saturday, May 6 2pm-close
WHERE: Royale Food and Spirits, 3132 S. Kingshighway
DRESS: sharp

Highway Sounds

My friend Richard Newman wrote a beautiful poem once called "Highway Sounds" about living in Soulard. Richard is the editor in chief of River Styx Literary Magazine where I was also an editor (before the days of teaching). I was just sitting outside watching traffic on 40, the way those cars whipped and whizzed past. As a kid, I always liked being in cars, especially watching the yellow lines zoom by. I sat there just now thinking. Thinking about where all those cars are going, where they came from.

And I decided something.

Since I never have time to do much of anything before midnight, and because I work about 100 hours a week and have no energy, as soon as school is out, I am designating one day each week for myself. When I first moved to St. Louis, I used to go out every Monday and see a different part of the city. I'd explore a neighborhood or eat somewhere or browse a row of shops. I'd hit museums and bookstores and coffeeshops. But somewhere along the way, my free time dwindled and I felt like I had seen a lot. On Sex and the City, I heard a character talk about having a "date with the city". Friends of mine used to go out for Tourist Tuesdays, and I liked the idea.

So, coming soon, each week I am going to go out and do something in the city. And no, I'm not just going to go to MoKaBe's (or Blackthorn, or Mangia, or the Royale). I might hit some oldies but goodies, see how the 'Lou has changed over the years. And yep, I might just skip. And definitely, I will blog.

There are some great sites out there about STL, and some great blogs (the Lowlife Guide, The ACC, Steve Smith's blog come to mind), but we need even more documentation about what we see in our city. Since I've been blogging on stltoday.com, the way I have been communicating things has changed a little, or rather perhaps, my point has. I want people to go out, to see the things we see, and to love them as we do. So that's what I am going to write about, and that's what you'll get.

Maybe soon some of those cars will be coming to St. Louis, not leaving it so fast. Maybe some people will want to come here for vacation. This is not the kind of place you come to for luxury, but I often like 3 or 4 days in a new city, especially one I can drive to, and this is a great destination for people looking for something cheap, fun, and different-- and if they want beer and baseball, they just might find the place that spins along that axis.