Snow in the Springtime

Ever since I was a young lad I have heard people discuss this Midwestern city’s propensity towards extreme fluctuation in weather patterns, using the aforementioned quote in the title as a colloquial shorthand for this phenomena.  Like most Midwestern cities St. Louis is indeed to rapid temperature changes which often result in pressure changes - in the summer this brings in strong thunderstorms, and in the winter a sunny day could be the precursor to cold-air snowstorms (as seen in this photograph of snow fall on a sunny spring day).  Of course I still find it curious that people in the metro area like to treat this as a local phenomenon rather than a regional in their particular attempt to describe such everyday life as part of “St. Louis Weather”…

Celebrating the way you chose and want to is only one of the ways to honor the freedoms laid out in the declaration of independence.  Where you will celebrate is a means of becoming a community, and respecting our shared history.

Just as legendary announcer Harry Caray demonstrates in this commercial for Budweiser beer, eternal rivals St. Louis and Chicago continue to carry out their feud by poaching their best talent.  Looks like former baseball Cardinals owner Anheuser-Busch isn’t above pandering to Cubs fans, who also borrowed Cardinals talent off the field and in their bars.

As for the relocation, I was refering to the aforementioned talent and advertising dollars.

Of course the flooding along the Mississippi has kept river city St. Louis in the national news for the last couple of weeks, but only our friends at Wonkette have the courage to ask the tough questions.  Following the breach of the levee in Lincoln County, we still need to know “why do muskrat’s hate America?”  Patriots should watch their exclusive video coverage from their inner den.

All jokes aside, communities close to Saint Louis need your help cleaning up the damage from this year’s flood.  As people litteraly try to put their lives together, please try to find a volunteering opportunity in your area this weekend.

One of the perks on living in the Midwest are the farmer’s markets, the often overlooked advantages of fresh, environmentally sustainable food within anyone’s budget.  And while I used to think everyone knew about the historic treasures like Soulard Market, like so many places in the big small town of Saint Louis, our farmer’s markets go without mentioning from those among us (including this writer) who take such places for granted.  So if you’re looking to save some green or save some money this harvest season, here are a few favorite farm-fresh grocers worth your consumption:

• Tower Grove Farmers’ Market will keep you in season and in budget.  With local events (and music) and local prepared food on top of the produce, a visit every Saturday from 8:30 am until 12:30 pm inside this crown-jewel of St. Louis Parks will yield not just crops but a new experience with every visit.  And if you can’t make it this weekend be sure to check out close-by Local Harvest Grocery, who have recently expanded their Saturday hours and selection for your everyday market if you’re in the neighborhood.
• Soulard Market is better known, has the largest selection, and is probably the most scenic venue for local produce (and some trucked in).  It’s open weekdays from 8am-5pm, although a visit on Saturday mornings between 6am-5pm is a popular visit for locals and tourists alike (bring a camera).  They accept food stamps (so you know it’s affordable), but you’ll want to bring cash if you like to haggle for the freshest prices for the fresh food.
• North City Farmers’ Market is new (fresh by another name), but blossoming in it’s second year.  Located in Crown Square (near the old 14th Street Mall) across from local legend Crown Candy, this newest fixture in a classic locale is set to restore historic business models in a setting where historic places are being restored.  Naturally the newest part is the food, which is worth a visit alone.
• Kirkwood Farmers’ Market is also open for business 6 days a week, and features a mix of local and seasonal produce.  Located in downtown Kirkwood along the rail lines, it could easily fit into your day trip this weekend without hitting hog country.
• In South County you ought to know about Sappington Farmers Market already.  Although it looks on the outside like a modern supermarket, it’s actually small family farmers owned and operated store. And they’ll have the rest of your shopping list in the store as well, 7 days a week!
• In North County the Ferguson Farmer Market has you covered.  It should be open from 8am-noon with everything fresh and in your budget.  Try it out this year.
• Every Wednesday from 4-7pm there is farmers’ market in Maplewood in the parking lot of the Schlafly Bottleworks.  We hear there’s entertainment, local artists, and crafts from local sources alongside the produce from the ground up.  And maybe even a few lessons on how to gros thing in your own backyard.
• In West County a farmers’ market has closed, and another one is opening in Wildwood.  Your best bet is to stick with the old market at Gilberg’s Perrenial Farms off Highway T, as in try out local produce.
• But if your looking for something even more fresh, why not pick your own produce at Eckerts Orchard in Illinois.  We have the details in a post from last harvest season, but you’ll want to write your own story with a visit this summer.

And of course look for a produce stand along your drive down Highway 61, or any other local road, as your summer moves along a detour through the intersection of your life and Saint Louis.

(Thanks to Jo and Ann Pollack of St. Louis Eats and Drinks for the tips in this story)

Last year 61revised.com jump started your summer with a mixtape.  Once again, for our loyal readers, we’ve decided to make a new “Summer in the City” mixtape.  Take a listen for yourself:
http://citysummer.muxtape.com/

You’ll notice that we only finished the A-side of our mixtape this year.  We want your help finishing the mixtape, so send in your suggestions (preferably with accompanying mp3s) to hwy61revised@gmail.com or to our last.fm group.  If you do, we’ll enter you in a drawing to win a hard copy of the mixtape.  We’ll make another post to congratulate the winners and link you again once the mixtape is finished.
Otherwise, feel free to use our A-side as the start to your own mixtape, and come back for the final copy of tracks that’ll help you get into the grove of high-humidity and charcoal smoke that we call summer in the city (of St. Louis).

Now in bottles! Michelob, the great amecian beer.  From the great american brewer, Anheuser-Busch…

Looks like buyout Saint Louis’ most famous brewery isn’t news so much as recently reported news; see this video posted over 1 year ago for evidence. Those interested in learning more already have sources, and those still concerned have constructed another avenue of information. Otherwise, feel free to leave your own comment here (in place of our own comments).

Although the closure of the Hi-Pointe Theater has limited the options for great independent film in St. Louis, there are still plenty of great theaters and screenings of film to look forward to this summer. From the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase in July and the return of the Midnight Reel to the return of Frontyard Features in your own neighborhood and the Webster Film Series continung, there should be plenty more Film Geek Weekends to come. Here’s a preview of films this weekend:

• So far we have yet to find anyone who would dare defy the appeal of Frontyard Features, who is expanding their operation this summer statewide including their own new film series in an act of “Defiance“. It all begins with that aforementioned film this Tuesday June 3rd at 9pm, and continues with the support of Cinema Saint Louis every other Tuesday night in June and July. The screenings will take place on the parking lot outside the Schlafly Tap Room, although the events will surely be BYOB for those that dare defy the appeal inside the brew pub.
• Care for an encore performance from Frontyard? The performers of Rocky Horror Picture Show seem to relish every encore screening, and they’ll get another chance this weekend. On the lake stage outside Union Station on Friday June 6th around dusk (9pm?), you can expect people living out their dreams, just as fans of this cult film have for the past 30+ years. You can leave your wallet at home for this free show, although you will require an open mind for the uninitiated.
• Instead of taking a camping trip to the humid backwoods of Missouri and Illinois, why not enjoy your campfire stories of the Ozarks like “Shotgun Stories” from inside the comfort of the air-conditioned Winifred Moore Auditorium.  This film about a feud between brothers ought to get your mind of your own feuds since you moved back in with your folks, as part of the Webster Film Series and will run Friday-Sunday June 6-8th at 8pm.  And though like camping there will be a fee to grab your own grounds, students can still get in for $4 (free for Webster University students).
• (Insert a Caddyshack joke here.)  If you have picked out one such line, you’re probably interested in seeing a screening of the film this weekend.  As part of the Midnight Brew & View series at the Moolah Theater & Lounge catch this flick on Friday and Saturday June 6-7th at what other time but midnight.  For $6 it’s cheaper than a day on the course, and if you bring your boss to this flick you won’t have to fake your losing game or contend with turf destroying varmints.

If you’re alright, we’ll let you know about more screenings this summer as we learn about them.  Until next Film Geek weekend (Fin).

Who knew that Mr. Magoo’s favorite beer was made in the Saint Louis area? It might just explain why he’s always getting lost. In these retouched ads for Stag beer it’s clear they’re made from recycled cartoon spots. Yet with the new dubbing and the stenciled in Stag beer logo, these ads almost resemble more modern video mashups. In any case, it’s another creative local phenomenon for Hair of the Dog Mondays.

If you thought, as did I, that regional pizza chain Little Caesars had left Saint Louis for good in the late 1990s it’s time to think again. Although I found out they never really left, the opening of a new store in the Southtown neighborhood is only the beginning of a major expansion of the chain back into the local market. My childhood is still filled with as many visits to their parlors as Imo’s or any other pizza restaurant.

Just a few feet away from that newest store opening is a new, local pizza place opening named Joe Bush’s Pizza & Pub. I can’t wait to read the reviews from either new pizza parlors, joining other local favorites of ours. If you’ve visited either place since they’ve opened, we’d be interested in hearing your impressions, no matter how cheesy, in the weeks to come…

Backstory:

During the day, I work for a non-profit organization called The Open Space Council that works for land and water conservation in the St. Louis area. One of our biggest projects is Operation Clean Stream, a volunteer stewardship program that has gotten thousands and thousands of volunteers to clean up the Meramec River for the last 41 years. Pretty amazing. Well, we just produced a documentary called Meramec River: Miracles and Milestones documenting the success of this cleanup project in restoring the Meramec from a dumping ground back into a beautiful river.

What this means to you:

Tonight, we are showing our film at the Schlafly Tap Room at 7:00pm. The documentary is about half an hour long, and following the film we will have live music from local alt-country / folk bands Auset and Rough Shop. We are asking for a $5.00 cover charge, which will include one free beer and snacks. Proceeds will go to continued conservation work on the Meramec River. And if you have ever floated on the river (and chances are you have) then you can surely give a little back!

Does anyone know the purpose served by these yellow posts erected around the city of Saint Louis?  You’ve probably noticed these 5 foot high pieces of infrastructure posted around street corners throughout the city, as I have.  And yet despite my research into it over the last year, I have yet to discover the purpose of these urban posts in any literature online or off.

Do they serve some sort of emergency warning infrastructure, or do they stand as a legacy to an early fire department system the community developed?  Although I am not sure the answer is on Wikipedia, WikiLou, or anywhere on the internet, I’m sure the purpose served has got to be interesting.  And if you know, I’m sure our readers would be interested.

(I have many more photos of these posts around town if anyone else is interested in this local phenomenon)

You might have wondered why updates have been so slow in April and May.  In the last month 61Revised.com contributors Matthew Hurst and Chris Maue have graduated from college, joining fellow Webster University graduate (and  61revised.com contributor) Gabe Bullard and Maryville University graduate Amy Butz in our endeavors post-graduate world.  Like many current students we got a little caught up in finals, but we hope to continue contributing to our community as we had the summer before.

Things have changed much over the year that this blog was created; for one Highway 61 is becoming 61revised.com in a short time.  But we hope that along with our readers we can continue contributing to the local dialog in accordance with our original mission.  As ever we are dedicated to discovering the Saint Louis metro community (on both sides of the river), often discovering the area for the first time, and passing along the latest cultural ongoings so that we know what’s going on.

We hope to contribute to a community online and off, giving the hat tip to those among us who do the same, so that the media community in Saint Louis has a direct means to bring up the relevant stories that might not be provided through a single source alone.  And so as we join the working community around Saint Louis, we hope to continue our own contribution to that landscape along the Highway 61 corridor whilst we discover it along with you for the same ride.  Thanks for your support; we’ll keep writing on 61revised.com as long as you keep reading and writing.

The Edward A Doisy Research Center on Grand is an inspiring triumph of modern architecture and a testament to the hope of medical researchers as the newest addition to SLU’s medical school.

But in my mind that building resembles the Leonardo Tower from the Clerks animated series:

Not to mention that the Quick-er Stop reminds me of the giant Amoco sign…