June 2020
D T HE CA N O Y L E L B WHEN THE NOVEL
C O R O N A V I R U S S TA R T E D T O S P R E A D , S T. L O U I S A N S S T E P P E D U P T O H E L P. P. 48
JUNE 2020 STLMAG.COM
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W AY S T O L I V E H E A LT H I E R N O W AT- H O M E W O R K O U T S , E X P E R T A D V I C E & I N S P I R AT I O N
S H E WA S E LO I S E H O W K AY T H O M P S O N W E N T F R O M S T. L O U I S T O T H E P L A Z A I N N E W Y O R K
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FEATURES
48
VOLUME 26 / ISSUE 6
Beyond the Call
When the novel coronavirus started to spread, these St. Louisans stepped up to help. By Cheryl Baehr, George Mahe, Jarrett Medlin, Melissa Meinzer, Liz Miller, Mike Miller, Laura Miserez, Nicholas Phillips, Kelly Siempelkamp, Samantha Stevenson, and Amanda Woytus
➝ Kaleidoscope Craft Brew Coffee serves patrons at the Restaurant Rally fundraiser, hosted by City Foundry STL.
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Photography by Marcus Stabenow
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Be Well
She Was Eloise
By Anna Beck, Jen Roberts, Kelly Siempelkamp, and Samantha Stevenson
By Jeannette Cooperman
Advice on staying active and keeping a healthy mindset, from St. Louisans who know Artists Ed Gabel and Ian Brown of Brobel Design— the team behind myriad Time magazine covers—illustrated this month’s cover, created by art director Emily Cramsey.
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Kay Thompson grew up Kitty Fink in St. Louis, but she wrote herself into the charming 6-year-old tyrant of The Plaza in New York.
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D E PA R TM E N T S
VOLUME 26 / ISSUE 6
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From the Editor
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TASTE
On the Board Boardwalk Waffles
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Where’s the Beef ? A dozen St. Louis butcher shops offering that perfect cut of meat for barbecue season
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13 Test Case
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By the Numbers COVID-19 in St. Louis City
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As the Humane Society of Missouri celebrates 150 years, its president looks back.
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In the Details South City resident Nate Lucena is often asked about his style. “It’s definitely not minimal,” he says.
Good Call Pet Projects
ELEMENTS
Look to this local brand for eco-friendly at-home products.
How to excel at Zoom 18
Is the walk-up window here to stay for St. Louis restaurants?
All Natural
Addressing COVID-19 and inequality in the African-American community 15
Rear Window
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45 Reasons to Toast
ANGLES
Learn to make your own beer or wine with kits. 46
RHYTHM
Meat of the Matter Led by Matt Sherman, Kern Meat Co. spearheads consumer-direct sales and a massive expansion.
St. Louis Sage
88 21 The Long Take She’s the oldest incarcerated woman in Missouri. A new documentary asks: Why is she still locked up? 24
Tune Up Local artists share playlist must-haves.
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33 Diego Abente
Candid Camera
A conversation with Casa de Salud’s executive director
A photographer finds meaning during quarantine. 27
Read This Now Rodham, by Curtis Sittenfeld
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A New Canvas Artist Cbabi Bayoc conveys the power of connection while adapting to the times.
stlmag.com June 2020
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PRESENTED BY
HOMETOWN CHAMPIONS Do you know someone who is making a difference in your community? Honor them and their positive impact in your area by nominating them as a Hometown Champion, presented by Together Credit Union. The winners and their achievements will be recognized in St. Louis Magazine and on stlmag.com.
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VISIT STLMAG.COM/HOMETOWNCHAMPIONS TO MAKE A NOMINATION.
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BROUGHT TO YOU BY
VOLUME 26 / ISSUE 6
EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Jarrett Medlin Deputy Editor Amanda Woytus Senior Editor Nicholas Phillips Dining Editor George Mahe Associate Editor Samantha Stevenson Contributing Writers & Editors Kerry Bailey, Cheryl Baehr, Anna Beck, Jeannette Cooperman, Holly Fann, Melissa Meinzer, Liz Miller, Mike Miller, Laura Miserez, Jen Roberts, Iain Shaw, Scott Thomas Intern Kelly Siempelkamp
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription rate is $19.95 for 12 issues of St. Louis Magazine, six issues of Design STL, and two issues of St. Louis Family. Call 314-918-3000 to place an order or to inform us of a change of address. For corporate and group subscription rates, contact Teresa Foss at 314-918-3030. ONLINE CALENDAR Call 314-918-3000, or email Amanda Woytus at awoytus@stlmag.com. (Please include “Online Calendar” in the subject line.) Or submit events at stlmag.com/events/submit.html.
ART & PRODUCTION Design Director Tom White Art Director Emily Cramsey Sales & Marketing Designer Monica Lazalier Production Coordinator Kylie Green Staff Photographer Kevin A. Roberts Contributing Artists Brobel Design, R.J. Hartbeck, Matt Marcinkowski, Chris Philpot, Britt Spencer Stylist Ana Dattilo ADVERTISING Director of Digital Sales Chad Beck Account Executives Jill Gubin, Brian Haupt, Carrie Mayer, Kim Moore, Liz Schaefer, Susan Tormala Sales & Marketing Coordinator Elaine Krull Digital Advertising Coordinator Blake Hunt EVENTS Director of Special Events Jawana Reid CIRCULATION Circulation Manager Dede Dierkes Circulation Coordinator Teresa Foss Newsstand Consultant Joe Luca
MINGLE To inquire about event photos, email Emily Cramsey at ecramsey@stlmag.com. (Please include “Mingle” in the subject line.) LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send letters to jmedlin@stlmag.com.
Who’s helped you during the pandemic? “My grandmas. I call them both every day to check in. Without fail, they each ask if I need anything before I can ask them.” —Samantha Stevenson, associate editor “The blues trio that set up on a front porch and, unannounced, starting playing for my neighborhood in South City.” —Nicholas Phillips, senior editor
MARKETING AND EVENTS For information about special events, contact Jawana Reid at 314-918-3026 or jreid@stlmag.com. ADVERTISING To place an ad, contact Elaine Krull at 314-918-3002 or ekrull@stlmag.com. DISTRIBUTION Call Dede Dierkes at 314-918-3006. Subscription Rates: $19.95 for one year. Call for foreign subscription rates. Frequency: Monthly. Single Copies in Office: $5.46. Back Issues: $7.50 by mail (prepaid). Copyright 2020 by St. Louis Magazine LLC. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts may be submitted but must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. ©2020 by St. Louis Magazine. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1600 S. Brentwood, Suite 550 St. Louis, MO 63144 314-918-3000 | Fax 314-918-3099 stlmag.com
“Elmo.” —Kevin A. Roberts, staff photographer
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FROM THE EDITOR
VOLUME 26 / ISSUE 6
Feeding a Need Writer Liz Miller, who wrote about Rex Hale and others helping feed St. Louis (p. 58), has served as managing editor of the Riverfront Times. Visit stlmag .com for more stories on civic-minded efforts.
Zoom Boom
IT WAS AROUND 7 on a Friday morning when David Cook
stopped in at his local grocery store. The president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655, he wanted to thank the store’s employees before going in to the office. As he checked out, one of the workers pulled him aside. “I gave up my vacation to come in here because I thought it was the right thing to do,” she said, starting to cry. She told Cook that as she was working at the front of the store recently, a customer had berated her because an employee with allergies had coughed. “It’s disconcerting to me that somebody can conduct themselves that way,” Cook says, “when these workers are putting the common good in front of their safety.” Most patrons’ attitudes have shifted in recent months, though, Cook adds. “Reality is setting in, and shoppers are much more appreciative,” he said in mid-April. “It will be interesting to see how the world looks at workers like this in the future. It’s not only the grocery workers; think about the maintenance and janitorial workers in hospitals. Without them, society does not continue.” It’s a keen observation, one reflected in a recent Vox article. “The reality is that essential workers in the midst of the coronavirus crisis are fast food workers, social workers, cleaners, retail associates, transit workers, home health aides, and even those who provide support for victims of domestic violence,” notes reporter Emily Stewart. Women account for an outsized share of essential jobs, according to a recent analysis by The New York Times, which found that one in three jobs held by women has been des-
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Illustrator Chris Philpot has created works for the likes of Esquire, The Atlantic, and Wired. This month’s assignment: showing how to video-chat like a pro (p. 16).
Looking Out for Kids For this issue, writer Cheryl Baehr, a restaurant critic for the Riverfront Times, spoke with pastry wizard Tai Davis, who’s helping provide lunches to area children after schools temporarily closed (p. 60).
ignated essential. “Nonwhite women are more likely to be doing essential jobs than anyone else,” the Times noted. “The work they do has often been underpaid and undervalued— an unseen labor force that keeps the country running and takes care of those most in need, whether or not there is a pandemic.” At the same time, the Economic Policy Institute has found that high numbers of AfricanAmerican and Hispanic workers are not able to telecommute because of the nature of their jobs. “Unfortunately, this pandemic disproportionately affects those least able to shoulder it,” says Deb Dubin, president and CEO of Gateway Center for Giving. “So we’re paying attention to issues around equity as we look at not only the immediate situation but the long-term recovery.” The sentiment’s echoed by Dr. Alex Garza, incident commander of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force. Speaking with deputy editor Amanda Woytus (p. 13), Garza acknowledges that there have to be “more broad community societal changes” to address socioeconomic inequalities that are exacerbated by the pandemic. “That’s a much bigger task than anything that we do with health care.” And though many of the people highlighted in this issue’s cover story (p. 48) are working to address those gaps, both now and in the future, myriad St. Louisans on the front lines of the crisis tackle daunting obstacles every day for relatively little pay or recognition. “It will be interesting to see how society views this entire workforce,” says Cook. “I hope people remember how important they really are.”
Follow Along @stlmag @stlmag @stlouismag
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S P EC IA L P R O M OT IO N
Shop Colonial Marketplace Enter to win a $250 shopping spree!
We are dreaming about summer must-haves at Colonial Marketplace, the most vibrant shopping destination in St. Louis (both physical and online) for unique boutiques, great eats, and best-in-class services. With more than 20 retail destinations—from Blown Away Blow Dry Bar to Celsius Cryotherapy to Ivy Hill—you really can have it all, only at Colonial Marketplace. Visit stlmag.com to enter Colonial Marketplace’s summer shopping spree!
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Byrd Designer Consignment Boutique Gucci “Lilibeth” espadrille wedges, new in box ($495) byrdstyle.com
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Dimvaloo Tie-dye crop and Adidas by Stella McCartney shoes dimvaloo.com
Dominic Michael Salon Absolut Repair, gold quinoa +protein collection ($120 VALUE, $75 FOR TRIO) dmsalon.com
Blown Away Blow Dry Bar Julie Mollo clutch ($35), Amika Detangling Spray ($25), Plumping Rinse ($38), Amika Dry Shampoo ($10), Caviar Replenishing Moisture Conditioner ($34), headbands ($15) blownawaystl.com
The Normal Brand Bear stripe performance polo ($78), seamed performance quarter-zip ($68), and coral circle cap ($30) thenormalbrand.com Cassie’s Fragrance Boutique and Scent Bar Lampe Berger lamp ($66) cassiesscents.com
Splash Summer and vacay must-haves! Lspace bikini (TOP: $88; BOTTOM $99), Tkees flip-flops ($50), and Quay sunglasses ($55) splashtribe.com
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GATEWAY
TEST CASE TOPIC
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Addressing COVID-19 and inequality in the AfricanAmerican community
BY AMANDA WOYTUS
Photography by Matt Marcinkowski
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ANGELA CLABON, CEO of CareSTL Health, lists
the stats: Ninety-two percent of her patients are African-American. Fifty percent have hypertension, diabetes, obesity, or asthma. Thirty percent are homeless. There’s a shortage of providers at the four clinics, in North St. Louis, which serve the uninsured and underinsured.“And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit,” Clabon says, “and none of those things disappeared.” June 2020 stlmag.com
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Angela Clabon, CEO of CareSTL Health
NO ONE LEFT BEHIND
When the novel coronavirus began to spread throughout St. Louis, in March, a pattern Where to appeared: The first 12 people to die of COVIDGet Tested 19 in the city were all African-American. Patients CareSTL Health is with underlying conditions—including asthma, testing for COVID-19 at diabetes, lung disease, kidney disease, and obethree sites: 5471 Martin Luther King, 2425 N. sity—are at greater risk for severe COVID-19. Whittier, and 5541 Some of those conditions also disproportionRiverview. Testing is by ately affect the African-American community. appointment only. Call 314-367-5820 for more Data gathered 2014–2016 in St. Louis showed, information. for example, that African-Americans were hospitalized for asthma at a rate of 30 cases for every 10,000 people; among white St. Louisans, it was more like five. Now, as the number of cases and deaths continue to tick upward, care providers across St. Louis are trying to keep COVID-19 from further affecting already vulnerable populations. Clabon is desperately trying to secure tests for her patients. Coronavirus easily spreads from person to person in respiratory droplets or on surfaces on which the virus is present. People can be infected for 14 days without showing symptoms. That’s why testing and then quarantining people with the virus is crucial
FYI For more about COVID-19 and CareSTL Health, visit carestlhealth.org.
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in stopping its spread. Clabon shares a story from a CareSTL Health board member, who lost two brothers to COVID19. They’d contracted the virus at a Bible study. The study group had 25 members; 10 caught the virus, and four were in the man’s family. “Those numbers are real,” Clabon says. “That’s what we’re seeing.” Initially CareSTL Health was supposed to receive 5,000 test kits, but they were redirected. “I went to the governor,” Clabon says. “They were willing to help us—and then their supplies got redirected.” The third week of April, Clabon finally received 1,000 kits. She had been trying to secure them since mid-March. The other obstacle that Clabon is facing is obtaining personal protective equipment for her staff. Initially, she says, they were struggling just to get thermometers. CareSTL Health began with two COVID-19 testing sites, but a member of Clabon’s staff tested positive for the virus, causing her to temporarily shut down one site, test employees, and disinfect. As things stood in April, they had enough PPE to make it through two more weeks. Photography by Matt Marcinkowski
5/4/20 9:21 AM
TOPIC A BY AMANDA WOYTUS
“I’m fighting for a community that deserves to receive testing during this pandemic, that needs to be tested,” Clabon says. “I’m trying to make sure that in the midst of this, we’re not left behind.” PREVENTION IN NORTH COUNTY
COVID-19, says Dr. Moyosore Onifade, an internal medicine/primary care physician at Christian Hospital, in North County, “is very effective at exploiting our societal weaknesses.” Talking with patients about an illness, Onifade breaks down what’s unchangeable, what can be changed, and what an emergency is. Factors that patients typically can’t change are race, sex, and genetic predisposition. “With COVID...what we’re finding is that the patients who are the most critically ill are those that we have recognized as vulnerable in our communities—so, the elderly, individuals who have chronic health conditions such as underlying heart disease, diabetes, underlying lung disease,” Onifade says. “Some of those conditions are prevalent in our African-American population.” But though a patient might not be able to change his or her inherited risk of
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hypertension, access to affordable health care and medications are items Onifade would put in the category of changeable. It’s about identifying those challenges within the community and putting programs in place to fix them. The emergency, Onifade says, is what patients can do about COVID-19 now. That’s prevention. “We’re telling people to stay in, but not everyone can,” Onifade says. “I make a point of asking, ‘What do you do when you come home from work? Do you putz around the house, or do you go straight to the shower and clean up?’ And that’s a conversation that is helpful and insightful.” “I think people are smart,” Onifade adds. “They know how to take the information and apply it to this situation, and as physicians, we can add to that knowledge. Knowledge empowers.” DOING BETTER
Dr. Alex Garza envisions a St. Louis that can better weather a pandemic. Garza, chief medical officer for SSM Health, was named incident commander of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force in early April. “I tell a lot of people that I work with in health care that it’s really about defect management,” he says, “because there are other things that are impacting the Dr. Moyosore health of an individual, and Onifade that’s your living situation: how much money you make, what your social environment is like.” So how do we move forward? People like to focus on stockpiling personal protective equipment, he says, “but the other part is How do you build resilience in the community? The way to do that is to ensure that there aren’t inequalities in the community, because then you don’t have these disproportionately affected groups that drive a lot of the mortality. If everything was more equitable, we could face the pandemic from a better place.” For now, Clabon says: “We pray.”
BY THE NUMBERS
COVID-19 IN ST. LOUIS CITY
710
African-American St. Louisans with COVID-19
250
White St. Louisans with COVID-19
60–69
Age range with the highest number of COVID-19 cases (209)
535
The number of women with COVID-19. (Men were slightly under at 518.)
97
Largest number of COVID-19 cases by ZIP code (63113)
33.8
Percentage of St. Louisans who live below the poverty line in the ZIP code with the greatest number of COVID-19 cases SOURCE: City of St. Louis
Department of Health. Numbers reported are accurate as of press time.
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WARNING: GRAPHIC BY AMANDA WOYTUS
Good Call
How to excel at Zoom
WE’RE DREAMING OF life post–social distancing, but even then, the new normal might be more virtual
than ever. In a recent Fast Company story, tech execs, VCs, and analysts were asked what COVID-19 would change. Among their answers: Working from home is here to stay—which could mean many more Zoom calls in our future. Luckily, Chris Denman of Mid Coast Media, which hosts events and produces podcasts, has some tips and tricks for how to not bomb video calls, whether it’s your Monday-morning all-staff or a fun happy hour with friends. Each Thursday on Facebook, Denman hosts the We Are Live Virtual Happy Hour with STL Barkeep’s Matt Longueville and Pat Gioia. The latter two show viewers how to make inventive cocktails like the one below; Denman interviews such guests as Tony Cavalero of HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones; and artists like The River Kittens play a few songs. One thing to keep in mind for video calls, Denman says: “You can get a lot of stuff done virtually, but there will be unforeseen hiccups.” Here are some of his dos, don’ts, and dream guests.
TIP #3
Turn off all the other wireless devices in your house— you’ll get a better connection.
TIP #2
Keep your camera at eye level. Raise your computer with some books if you need to.
TIP #4
Bust out the Ethernet cable. If you can get a hardwired internet connection, do it.
This refreshing libation from Pat Gioia of STL Barkeep is made with an ingredient you probably have in your backyard: the common wild violet. Makes one cocktail
TIP #1
Make sure your light source is in front of you, not behind you, so you aren’t backlit.
What’s the magic number of attendees?
How do you talk without interrupting people?
Zoom backgrounds: Fun, or cheesy?
“The novelty of having 10 family members and friends on the screen wears off quickly if people talk over each other,” Denman says. “If you’re dealing with, we’ll say, civilians, you’re gonna have one person trying to dominate and be funny. Let’s stick with four for the perfect number.”
“If you can learn anything from improv, it’s: Listen,” Denman says. “Try and be aware of ‘Is what I’m saying relevant and interesting?’ That’s a big thing, being mindful.”
“Younger people have been enjoying goofy things online for a decade now, and people who scoffed at it are seeing ‘Oh, it’s fun,’” Denman says. “I don’t necessarily need to see the eight-year-old photos of your family in the background. I would rather see fake palm trees and you acting like a fool.”
Kids and pets crashing the party: Annoying, or delightful? “What’s the rule for America’s Funniest Home Videos?” Denman asks. “It’s hilarious. The flip side of that is when you’re on meeting 12 and there’s a yippy dog in the background—then we’re going to step in and say, ‘OK, Cheryl…’”
FYI Watch We Are Live’s Virtual Happy Hour, 4 p.m. Thursdays at facebook.com/weareliveradio.
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VIOLET VODKA COCKTAIL
Three happy hour dream guests: “I think Michael Jordan drinking cocktails would be a sight to see,” Denman says. “[The late] Phil Hartman. And we need some tunes, so give me Dolly Parton. She can play music and tell stories.”
INGREDIENTS 1 cup wild violets, stems removed, plus violets for serving 1 cup TILL vodka ½ oz. St-Germain ½ oz. turbinado simple syrup 1 oz. grapefruit juice ¼ oz. lemon juice, plus lemon twist for serving Ice for shaking and serving INSTRUCTIONS In a medium glass, combine the 1 cup of flowers and vodka, muddle, and let steep for six hours. Strain the infused vodka. In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, combine 1 oz. violet vodka and the St-Germain, simple syrup, grapefruit juice, and lemon juice. Shake, strain into an ice-filled rocks glass, and garnish with violets and a lemon twist.
Illustration by Chris Philpot
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INSIDE INFO BY JEN ROBERTS
ON THE EVOLUTION OF HSMO: In the late
1800s, we started working with law enforcement to hold abusers accountable. We took them to court. We added veterinary care in the early 1920s and were the first to offer rabies vaccinations. People think of the Humane Society as being synonymous with dogs and cats, but that didn’t start until the 1920s. ON HOW THE CORONAVIRUS HAS AFFECTED THE WORK: Since the start of the crisis, we
have focused our efforts on finding loving, caring permanent homes for the animals in our care. HSMO’s introduction of curbside adoptions enhanced these efforts significantly. ON HELPING WORKHORSES IN THE 1870S:
Rescuing animals in distress has been a vital part of the Humane Society’s mission since its 1870 beginning. This photo is from the early 1930s.
Pet Projects
As the Humane Society of Missouri celebrates 150 years, its president looks back. WHEN THE HUMANE Society of Missouri was founded, 150 years ago, its main
focus was preventing cruelty to local workhorses. Those animals played a critical role in the transportation of commercial goods from the river and rail to their respective destinations. The central goal of protecting animals from abuse hasn’t changed since then, says President Kathy Warnick, though over the years it’s been expanded to include dogs, cats, farm animals, and, at one point, even children. Today, HSMO offers pet adoption, spay/neuter services, and humane education programs. And even through the COVID-19 crisis, it’s committed to placing animals in forever homes. Here, Warnick looks back at how the work has evolved since the organization’s founding, in 1870.
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Many of the horses were beaten and starved. Our first ambulance was a horse ambulance that would take animals that were malnourished or injured to recuperate. We also provided buckets to drivers so they could give their horses water and grain. We established fountains throughout St. Louis City so the horses could have a stationary location to hydrate. ON ONE OF THE RESCUE’S SUCCESS STORIES:
We rescued a sheltie from a puppy mill that had wire-bottom crates. This dog’s leg got caught in the wire, and she was in enough pain that she chewed off her own leg. We rescued her and took her immediately into surgery to properly amputate the leg. I ended up fostering her. I named her Tippi, and before long, she was motoring around on three legs. ON WHAT’S HARDEST ABOUT THE JOB: The emotional toll is one of the biggest challenges, but we’re grateful to have resources to bring to the table and see the transformation of animals after they are given veterinary care and socialization. ON HER BIGGEST SOURCE OF PRIDE: Help-
ing eradicate pet overpopulation. We recently completed our 400,000th spay/ neuter surgery. By our estimation, we have prevented the death of over a billion unwanted animals.
Visit stlmag.com for more with Warnick.
stlmag.com June January 2020 2020
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Photography courtesy of Humane Society of Photography byMissouri Kevin A.archives Roberts
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PRESENTED BY
Do you know an incredible kid? Whether it’s a youngster who’s overcome a daunting obstacle, launched an entrepreneurial endeavor, or reached an impressive milestone, we want to hear about it. VISIT STLMAG.COM/INCREDIBLEKIDS TO NOMINATE AN INSPIRING CHILD. June 2020 stlmag.com
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RHYTHM
PRELUDE
THE LONG TAKE
She’s the oldest incarcerated woman in Missouri. A new documentary asks: Why is she still locked up? BY AMANDA WOYTUS
Photography by Aisha Sultan
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June 2020 stlmag.com
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RHYTHM PRELUDE
CHARACTER STUDY Meet the subjects of 33 and Counting. PATTY PREWITT
From left: Jane Watkins, Patty Prewitt, and Zach Van Benthusen
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F YOU BELIEVE Patty Prewitt, the worst
things that can happen to a person have happened to her. That’s how Aisha Sultan, a St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist and documentary filmmaker, describes the subject in her latest, 33 and Counting. Prewitt, a mother of five and grandmother of 13, was convicted of the 1984 murder of her husband, Bill Prewitt, in rural Holden, Missouri. She is now, at age 70, the oldest incarcerated woman in Missouri, nearly 34 years into a life sentence at the Women’s Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center, in Vandalia. Sultan describes Prewitt as a model inmate. Yet she won’t be eligible for parole until 2036, when she will be 86 years old. She maintains her innocence—but she may be running out of time. As correctional facilities in Illinois have released mothers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in vulnerable prison populations, Prewitt and Sultan are hoping that Governor Mike Parson will act on her clemency petition. As 33 and Counting depicts, more than 30 years ago the Prewitts went out to dinner with friends. Prewitt says Bill went up to check on the kids and then off to bed. She allegedly followed but was awakened when an intruder shot a sleeping Bill in the head with a rifle. He then raped her. Police say it was Prewitt who shot Bill, but there
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You can watch 33 and Counting on YouTube.
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were no witnesses or DNA tests. People close to the case describe how Prewitt, who had affairs, was punished, essentially, for adultery. Women have become the fastest-growing segment of the incarcerated population, with more than 230,000 women and girls imprisoned across the country. More than 80 percent are mothers. Sultan wanted to show how this creates generational trauma in families. “[The Prewitt children] lost their father, and then their mother goes away for life,” she says. “Those children are human beings. Those children are victims of the crime.” The documentary builds to a scene in which Prewitt’s eldest child, Jane Watkins, and her son, Zach Van Benthusen, travel to Vandalia to visit Prewitt. Prison Performing Arts, one of the organizations Prewitt has been involved with while incarcerated, is staging a production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Prewitt appears, dressed in an Elizabethaninspired costume: a feathered hat, a sash mimicking a doublet. As the inmates act out the Bard’s work about a great storm and an island of castaways, Sultan presents the accounts of Prewitt’s former inmates: Prewitt encouraged them to get associate’s degrees. She celebrated with them when they were released on parole. She was the mother they’d never had—even though she had five children of her own.
Patty and Bill Prewitt were married for 15 years, raising five children on 40 acres just outside Holden. Both were involved in the life of the town, with Patty serving as president of the Chamber of Commerce. After Bill’s murder, Patty refused a plea deal and has always maintained her innocence. “Would I lie and say that I killed my husband so that I could go home to [my children]?” she asks in the documentary. “Oh, that is the hardest question ever. And I really cannot imagine doing that.” JANE WATKINS
Watkins has been going to visit her mother in prison once a month for more than 30 years. She has a room in her home near Kansas City prepared for the day Prewitt is released. “Occasionally I’ll think, She’s going to die [in prison]. Then I just shut it down, like, Nope, that’s not the ending we’re going to have. We’re going to have a happy ending.” ZACH VAN BENTHUSEN
Prewitt’s oldest grandchild, Van Benthusen has never known his grandmother outside prison. “I have a lot of personal struggles watching my mother suffer so much pain,” he says. “It’s completely defined my life.” In one scene, he looks through old family photos, some with his grandmother in the prison visiting room. “It’s not that I’m not proud of her and that I don’t love her, but these,” he says, as the camera pans to photos of visits with Prewitt, “are so surreal.”
Photography by Aisha Sultan
4/29/20 4:51 PM
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MUSIC BY AMANDA WOYTUS
TUNE UP LOCAL ARTISTS SHARE P L AY L I S T M U S T- H AV E S .
You’ve expanded your French vocabulary, baked dozens of sourdough loaves, and maxed out on Yoga With Adriene. What’s next? Find something new to listen to, guided by tastemakers in the know: St. Louis’ musicians. Here are the artists and albums they turned to in order to make social distancing a little less lonely.
1.
“I’ve been listening to a lot of Gov’t Mule, specifically their 2017 release Revolution Come...Revolution Go,” says Jeremiah Johnson. “Really, anything with Warren Haynes is excellent.”
Pat Monad’s happy hour sessions, and the Nick Pence and Ethan Leinwand, The Southwest Watson Sweethearts, and Brian Curran livestreams,” says Tom Coriell of Redheaded Strangers.
2.
“I’d recommend Hearts of Space, a radio program dedicated to electronic and ambient music,” says Charles Shipman of Three Merry Widows. “I used to listen to it on KSMU on Saturday nights back in the ’80s, and I happened to stumble across it again recently. They’re still putting out weekly episodes after all this time. It’s soothing but also musically inspiring.”
3.
“I’ve been really digging the Facebook Live concerts from local musicians, specifically Cree and Cheryl Rider on Friday nights,
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4.
“Right before the self-isolation began, I had been turned on to German band Bohren & der Club of Gore,” says Danny Hommes of Three Merry Widows. “It’s darkly calming for me. In our family room, my daughter, Dakota, manages the turntable. She’s been playing everything from The Ventures to Jeff Tweedy to Elvis Costello to movie soundtracks. She’s got a great ear.”
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9.
“We’re quarantined with a 1-and-a-half-year-old, so we’ve been taking this time to help her refine her musical tastes,” say Megan Rooney and Jeffrey Albert of Spectator. “We’re happy to find she can really get down with some Bob Marley. As for after bedtime: Walter Martin. We can’t say enough about his new record, The World at Night, and especially the track ‘The Soldier.’ It made us both burst out crying the first time we heard it.” 6.
“I recorded a cover of ‘Julia,’ from the Beatles’ White Album, for the St. Louis Arts and Music Fund, launched by Ben Majchrzak of Native Sound,” says Joe Taylor of Kid Scientist. “That whole album was fun to revisit, but that song in particular just spoke to me a way it never has before. I listened to that one a couple of dozen times, trying to decode its strange and catchy vulnerability. Another is Jeff Buckley’s cover of ‘Hallelujah.’ Because so much of his music was released posthumously and is from live performances, it’s very intimate and provides a feeling that’s been missing while there aren’t any concerts happening.”
7.
“I got to see Yola at Brandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend in Mexico this past January, before everything got crazy,” says Devon Cahill. “Her set was on the beach, and when her song ‘Lonely the Night’ kicked into the chorus, her voice rang out over the ocean. That’s a memory I savor.”
8.
“Several of us in the band listen to KDHX’s Saturdayafternoon lineup and appreciate Jeff Corbin (host of The Back Country) for playing local bands so often,” says Maureen Sullivan of Redheaded Strangers. “I’ve been enjoying Wax Lyrical also. Caron’s cheerful mix is relaxing and fun.”
“My first choice is the Gene Davis record Lovin’ & Hurtin’, and my favorite track is ‘It May Be Tonight,’” says Ryan Koenig of The Southwest Watson Sweethearts. “This record is what I call cry time: sad country songs with desperate, sometimes almostpathetic stories and themes. My second choice is Little Joe & the Latinaires. He helped develop a blend of music that most people now think of as norteño, but he also has elements of conjunto, being from Texas, along with soul, funk, and psychedelia. This combination helped create what now is often called banda. These are records to get happy to.”
10.
“Lately I’ve been listening to a range of music—but there’s always heavy doses of jazz,” says guitarist/composer Dan Rubright. “Keith Jarrett, Miles Davis, Pat Metheny, and Sonny Rollins, as well as lesser-known musicians like Mathias Eich and others on the ECM label. I find myself hungry for anything that has a lot of heart, like solo guitar music with some Southern flavors à la Bill Frisell.”
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June 2020 stlmag.com
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S T UQD&I O RHYTHM A
Clockwise from left: Al Willoughby, a mechanic at Froesel Tire; filmmaker Jon Michael Ryan; Rickey Weeks, a mechanic at Froesel Tire
CANDID CAMERA
A photographer finds meaning during quarantine. BY AMANDA WOYTUS
MAN WEARING a beanie leans from a window of his brick two-story, his face stoic. Another, with curly white hair, snuggles a dog with locks to match. A family of four works on a puzzle at their dining room table, the warm glow of a chandelier above them. When COVID-19 began to spread across St. Louis and stay-at-home orders were enacted, local commercial photographer Lou Bopp knew he wanted to document what was happening. Bopp, who’s been shooting for 30 years, decided to start a series of portraits of St. Louisans at home. Numbered and captioned simply “portraits of mandated isolation” on Instagram, the photos are shot through the windows of friends, family,
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and neighbors. Bopp dons a mask and is careful to stay at least 10 feet from anyone while shooting. Even with this social distancing, he says, he’s spending more time now with family and friends than before the quarantine. “When things are normal, I’m traveling and working a lot, and I never see anybody,” Bopp says, “and when I am home, I’m kind of a homebody. In the last couple
of weeks, with the number of people whom I’ve shot, I’ve seen more friends and family and neighbors than I have in years.” He’s also using the project as a way to spend time with his 11-year-old daughter, Rose, who is learning to edit. Bopp doesn’t give his subjects much notice. The first portrait in the series is a friend, the photographer Michael Eastman. Bopp issued a 10-minute warning that he was coming by to take his portrait. “I don’t want people to get made up,” he explains. “I don’t want them to do much to themselves or the house. I don’t even want them to clean the windows. I like the smudges of pollen. I like the textures of the screens and the reflections.” Bopp spends just five to 10 minutes with each subject, but that’s part of the challenge: to create a meaningful image under pressure, to not overthink it. It’s the surprises that pop up in the photos that have made the project creatively fulfilling. Take an image of David Lazaroff, of the band Brothers Lazaroff. Banjo slung over his shoulder, Lazaroff leans against his storm door. The bottom half of the glass reflects tree branches. “I just thought that was beautiful,” Bopp says. “It looks like he’s rooted in his life.”
To see more of Bopp's quarantine series, visit his Instagram at instagram.com/loubopp.
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Photography by Lou Bopp
4/29/20 4:51 PM
Read This Now RODHAM, BY CURTIS SITTENFELD
There’s a scene in Curtis Sittenfeld’s newest novel, Rodham, in which the protagonist, Hillary Rodham, learns that her boyfriend, Bill Clinton, has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman. As they lie in bed in the dark, he says to her: “You shouldn’t marry me. You should leave. I’ll drag you down.” She leaves. Until that point, Sittenfeld, the New York Times bestselling author of novels Prep, American Wife, and Sisterland, has remained pretty faithful to Hillary Clinton’s biography. Her Hillary is a graduate of Wellesley College, the first student to give a commencement speech, covered by Life magazine. She is a Yale Law School graduate who’s worked with children and volunteered in legal services. At Yale, she met Bill, a young man from Arkansas with equal parts charisma and ambition. But after that, Rodham, out May 19, imagines what might have happened had they not married. This isn’t the first time Sittenfeld, who left St. Louis for Minneapolis in 2018, has imagined the inner world of a first lady. Alice Blackwell, the titular character in American Wife who becomes disillusioned with the policies of her president husband, is modeled after Laura Bush. Nor is it the first time Sittenfeld has written about what it might be like to be Hillary Clinton. Rodham began as a 2016 short story for Esquire. In “The Nominee,” Sittenfeld’s narrator recounts varied interactions with a woman reporter. But whereas “The Nominee” is focused on one aspect of the Clinton campaign— how journalists asked HRC questions they’d never ask a male candidate— Rodham looks at her entire career. What changes for Hillary post-Bill is as thought-provoking as what, because of sex and gender, cannot be changed. —A.W.
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Photography27 by Anne Taussig RHYTHM_0620.indd
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ELEMENTS
DRY SHAMPOO
Dharma + Dwell’s powder dry shampoo, $14.
HAIR SPRAY
Dharma + Dwell’s botanical hair spray made with essential oils, $14.
TRENDING
All Natural
CANDLE
Dharma + Dwell’s “Girl, lets talk trash” phthalate- and paraffinfree 100 percent soy candle, $14.
Dharma + Dwell’s containers and bottles are reusable. Refill them or bring in your own to purchase product by the ounce. Find out how at dharmaanddwell.com.
Look to this local brand for eco-friendly essentials. BY ANA DATTILO
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
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ELEMENTS VOYEUR
1. Pants “They’re ladies’ pants from Old Navy from about seven years ago. I wear them sparingly, but every time I do, it tends to be a big hit.” 2. Rug “It’s one of my prized possessions. I connected with this woman on Craigslist who curates antiques. That rug is Persian; I think she said from the 1830s. It has really cool botanical elements and periwinkle blue horseheads woven into the corners. When I picked it up, she told me the horsehead motifs are how you can date it.”
Follow Lucena on Instagram @nato81.
3. Framed beetle “My mom and I vacationed a few years ago in New Orleans together. For some reason she was fixated on buying me a souvenir from our trip; she wanted to be the one to buy it. We went into an antiques/resale shop in the French Quarter. I guess there’s a local person who gets these bugs. It’s a species of beetle that’s really beautiful and is native to somewhere in Africa.”
In the Details
South City resident Nate Lucena is often asked about his style. “It’s definitely not minimal,” he says.
4. Plate “My grandfather was a pipeline welder and was also in the military. He spent some time in India and Burma. He brought back that tray at some point, probably in the 1940s or 1950s. My grandparents always had it in their house when I was growing up. My grandma gave it to me when I moved into my first apartment.” 5. Artwork “I got it at a silent auction for an organization my friends volunteer with. It’s a print of a collage from local artist Carol Corey. It’s a brain and nervous system on a solid background.” —SAMANTHA STEVENSON
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Photography by R.J. Hartbeck
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ANGLES
Q&A
DIEGO ABENTE A conversation with Casa de Salud’s executive director BY NICHOLAS PHILLIPS
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
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ANGLES Q&A BY NICHOLAS PHILLIPS
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MAGINE BEING IN a foreign country when a pandemic breaks out.
Travel is restricted. You have no insurance coverage there, nor do you speak the language or understand the health care system. Maybe you need a doctor, or just guidance. What’s your move? Recent immigrants to the St. Louis area may be facing just this quandary right now. One place willing to help them, regardless of their citizenship status, is Casa de Salud. Located at Chouteau and Compton, the clinic aims to ensure that new arrivals to the area—particularly those facing cultural, linguistic, or financial barriers—have access to primary care, mental health services, and assistance navigating the system. The COVID-19 crisis, however, has forced Casa to adapt, says its new executive director, Diego Abente. In late March, Casa canceled in-person visits and pivoted to telehealth and teletherapy. How’s that going? We didn’t miss a beat. The number of people seeking our services has increased, so we’re ramping up the supply curve to meet the demand curve. Our biggest challenge has been the tech: We didn’t own the HIPAA-compliant version of [the videoconferencing app] Zoom; that’s quite costly. We also didn’t have the tech to send faxes through cell phones. That was a big hurdle. So we’ve sought support and funders to help us purchase those licenses so that we can do more in-depth clinical appointments. What are you hearing from your patients and clients? In the first couple weeks after the recommendations to stay at home and limit human contact, folks were really, really on edge. A lot was done in English only, and I understand the limitations, but it’s a lesson to be learned. We did a lot of translating and transmitting information. We also called our client and patient base. Folks are coming to us saying, “I feel anxious about calling the hotline; can you help walk me through it?” That’s great, because that person wouldn’t have called otherwise. The symptoms of COVID are similar to [those of] the cold or normal flu, so it’s critical for people to know whether they have [COVID] so they can keep others safe. Given that Casa relies entirely on private donations, has the economic crisis affected your funding? We had planned our annual gala for May 9; it is one of
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“OUR RESPONSE TO COVID AS A COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE AGILE, SO KEEPING YOUR MIND OPEN IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT.”
our bigger fundraising events, so the timing of COVID was extremely challenging. We’ve pivoted that in-person celebration to a fundraising campaign, and we’ve seen a really good response to that. I’m saying to funders that today’s need is important but tomorrow’s need may be different. Our response to COVID as a community needs to be agile, so keeping your mind open is going to be really important. How has COVID changed your life? I grew up greeting people by giving them two kisses. It’s a reflex for many of us, and changing that behavior takes a conversation about what the consequences are. Hispanics from Paraguay are folks that really like to find the fun in life, so what I’ve tried to do is make it enjoyable and temporarily funny, so maybe we’ll do an air kiss or a funny dance so you can still feel like there’s a close interaction. So your family has roots in Paraguay? My parents came as asylees in 1979. When my dad was in college, he was in a group of young folks who were advocating for a democratic regime, and because of his involvement, he was tortured and imprisoned and released. At one point, he and my mom were threatened, so it became clear we couldn’t stay in Paraguay. The U.S. opened its arms to my family, and it’s really changed our trajectory. I’ve been able to shape my life in a way that feels like I’m giving back. What do you most want people to know? Inasmuch as people feel like they’re in our target population, I would highly recommend they call Casa and get themselves set up to receive teletherapy and telehealth. All of us will be dealing with these issues. Some of us have the means; some don’t. I don’t want anybody in our community to feel like they don’t have the means. At stlmag.com: Learn how the staff at Casa de Salud is coping and more.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
5/4/20 10:30 AM
A PREVIEW OF THE DAY ’S TOP STORIE S
St. Louis Magazine’s daily newsletter, The Current, provides a quick look at the top stories from stlmag.com. Find out what’s happening this weekend, discover the region’s newest restaurants, and dig into the latest in-depth stories.
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June 2020 stlmag.com
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ANGLES
A NEW CANVAS
Artist Cbabi Bayoc conveys the power of connection while adapting to the times. 36
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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts, Benjamin Lowder
4/30/20 10:27 AM
NOTEBOOK BY NICHOLAS PHILLIPS
C
BABI BAYOC HAS been paint-
ing hands: thick, abstract sets of fingers that twist and reach and, in some cases, connect. “Our touch and our connection to one another is what’s huge and what makes us who we are,” Bayoc says through a face mask April 11, standing in the Cherokee Street Gallery. He’s surrounded only by his works on display. Nobody will attend his show that evening or watch in person as he touches up a painting. Rather, he and the gallery’s owner, Ben Lowder, are livestreaming it on Facebook and Instagram. As an event format,
it’s a first for Bayoc, a full-time artist whose work had been popping up all over the St. Louis area when the COVID-19 crisis hit. Now, he’s adapting. One innovation is this livestream, which will help him sell seven pieces. Before it’s over, an audience member posts a query to Bayoc in real time: Has he painted anything with surgical masks in it? No, he explains into the camera. In the era of social distancing, incessant handwashing, the don’t-touch-your-face dictum, and lots of family time, he’s been focused on hands and what they mean. Lowder, the de facto cameraman at the event, later reflects: “You could definitely see what was on his mind and what he was thinking about—or missing.” Bayoc’s own hands are huge—so big that when the artist was growing up as a tall kid in O’Fallon, Illinois, folks assumed that he’d focus on basketball. Instead, he became consumed with visual art and majored in it at Grambling State University, in Louisiana. At that time, he still went by his given name, Clifford Miskell Jr., but was signing his art C-Baby. One day in Swahili class, he noticed a name that began with “Cb” and from there came up with the acronym Cbabi (pronounced “kuh-BOB-ee,” it stands for “Creative Black Artist Battling Ignorance”). Not long after returning to St. Louis, in the mid-’90s, he met Reine Tart, whom he married. They chose a different acronym for their common last name, Bayoc: “Blessed African Youth of Creativity.” They now have three children; Reine is the proprietor of SweetArt, a vegan-friendly bakeshop and café in the Shaw neighborhood. Early in Cbabi’s career, he worked as a caricature artist at Six Flags; then he became a regular illustrator for the magazine Rap Pages. Music has long been an inspiration for Bayoc and, sometimes, a marketing opportunity. One of his chalk drawings figured prominently in the video for the 1997 R&B single, “Otherside of the Game,” by Erykah Badu. Prince bought many of his works and in 2001 used one of them as the cover art for his album The Rainbow Children. Bayoc made his first major foray into online art sales in 2012, when he launched “365 Days of Dad,” a series in which he started and finished a new painting almost every day, each one a “positive image of black “The After Party” by Cbabi Bayoc fatherhood.” He priced them June 2020 stlmag.com
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ANGLES NOTEBOOK BY NICHOLAS PHILLIPS
affordably and advertised them on Facebook, offering to do some on commission. Orders flowed in, he recalls: “It was bananas.” Until recently, a big chunk of his time was spent at schools in such area districts as Webster Groves, Rockwood, and Cahokia but even as far away as South Bend, Indiana. Contracted in most cases by parent-teacher organizations, he would work with students to paint murals on school property, then explain how he carved out his professional niche. “I work for myself,” he told the sixth-graders at a middle school in Cahokia in January, clad in camo pants and a gray hoodie. “I wear what I want; I tattoo my neck, my face; and I can do whatever I want. But it comes along with responsibility.” Don’t accept substandard work from yourself, he exhorted them, even if nobody’s watching. “You can’t blame anybody if you’re not doing your best. You know when you’re halfdoing something.” (Bayoc himself has taken to wearing blue workman’s coveralls with the sleeves ripped off while painting at his studio on South Jefferson. “It keeps me in work mode,” he says.”) When schools shuttered because of the pandemic, he used the spare time to finish up some sizable corporate commissions. One is a mural of more than 60 large panels that will cover a former bank at Cass and 13th, just north of downtown; another is a set of murals that will greet visitors to the soon-to-be-completed SSM Health facility at Grand and Chouteau. Both of these projects have been sped along by Bayoc’s growing interest in spray paint and graffiti art. (Another manifestation of that interest: a giant depiction of a braided dad with a baby strapped to his chest that Bayoc added to the floodwall during Paint Louis in 2019.) Lowder had scheduled a show of Bayoc’s work for April 11 at Cherokee Street Gallery, but the stay-at-home order scotched it. Rather than sit idle, Lowder made a move that few other private galleries in St. Louis have made: He purchased a specialized camera, tripod, and software that enabled him to set up a virtual gallery for the show. Anyone with an internet connection can now browse the space online and click on individual works to view the titles and prices. “This was definitely not the reason I opened a gallery,” says Lowder, who has shown his own work in Los Angeles and Miami but lives in rural Illinois. “It was built around face-to-face interactions and making community. A digital version of it is less satisfying, but you have to evolve with a changing environment.” Lowder says Bayoc’s work will remain up through May in the hopes that the gallery can reopen and art-enthusiasts can attend a closing
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“OUR TOUCH AND CONNECTION TO ONE ANOTHER IS WHAT MAKES US WHO WE ARE.” reception. “There is no replacement for seeing things in person,” he says. Meanwhile, Bayoc is keeping busy. He has grown intrigued of late by shots of men’s couture on Instagram. On a sunny morning in April, he went outside and painted a besuited gentleman on a wooden board that covers an alleyway on Jefferson at Pestalozzi. He says that he’s still doing some murals on private property, plus commissioned portraits that he can ship anywhere in the world. But his mind and his brush keep meandering back to those abstract hands and fingers. He hasn’t painted his last one yet. Says Bayoc: “I think I might find my ‘Guernica’ in there.”
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
4/30/20 10:27 AM
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WHERE’S THE BEEF? p.42 REAR WIND OW p.44 K E R N M E AT C O M PA N Y p.46
TASTE
THE DISH
On the Board Boardwalk Waffles might just be the perfect culinary concept. Working out of a 550-squarefoot storefront in Maplewood, owner Eric Moore sandwiches the New Jersey boardwalk–style Belgian waffles of his youth with generous scoops of ice cream, then douses them with a double-shake of powdered sugar, and presents a fresh, made-to-order sweet treat in about two minutes. To date, the enterprise has produced a slew of off-site catering events, a food truck, two new locations in South County (coming later this year), and a move up the street to a space that’s quadruple the size of the flagship. (At this writing, staffers were offering the creations for carryout, curbside pickup, or delivery.) The new digs, at the corner of Sutton and Manchester, have been emblazoned with 3-D LED marquee signage and a counter faced with colorful backlit panels, filled with 20 flavors of ice cream, including the boldly colored Cookie Monster, and liquor-infused shakes, the latest weapon in Boardwalk’s endless arsenal. —GEORGE MAHE
Photography by Carmen Troesser
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TASTE
Tk
Where’s the Beef ? A dozen St. Louis butcher shops offering that perfect cut of meat for barbecue season
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DECADES BEFORE LARGE grocery stores dotted the
city, St. Louis was home to the independent neighborhood butcher shop. Today, many of those oldschool shops have expanded to offer groceries, catering, and delis. A crop of new-school butcher shops have opened, with nods to the classics and a focus on locally sourced pasture-raised meats. Restaurants now sell the same quality cuts and sides that they serve in their dining rooms, and even meat wholesalers have begun selling hardto-find cuts to the public. There have never been so many places to find friendly service and quality cuts of meat. —HOLLY FANN
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ON THE GRILL
Baumann’s Fine Meats The Brentwood shop serves arguably the best tasso and fresh corned beef around. The signature spice rubs and blends are the only adornment needed for delicious chops and steaks. BEAST Butcher & Block This is the place for sourcing competition-grade heritage Duroc pork for your home grill or smoker, as well as housemade bacon and Buttonwood chicken and eggs. Pick up some smoked brisket, pork steaks, spare ribs, or smoked turkey to munch on while cooking. Bolyard’s Meat and Provisions All of the pork, beef, chicken, and lamb that Bolyard’s sells is grazed on sweet Midwest pasture. Want a 2-inch-thick pork porterhouse chop? Just ask. A smoker next to the shop provides excellent smoked pork shoulders, hams, and birds to take home or enjoy on one of the weekly sandwich specials. The Block The glass case at the entrance of the restaurant displays the selection of steaks, chops, bacon, and house-made sausages, as well as braunschweiger and a signature condiment, bacon jam. Customers can even request a whole or half hog. The same meats are available for pickup at sister restaurant 58hundred. Citizen Kane’s Market Place Offering far more than steak seasoning and steaks cut to the same specifications served in the restaurant, the market offers classic signature sides, dressings, sauces, and desserts, as well as non-menu items—more than enough to re-create the classic Kane’s experience. G&W Sausage and Meats Known for having “the best wursts in St. Louis,” this 55-year-old South City mainstay turns out 20 varieties of brats, knocks, and bocks, plus hot links, andouille, chorizo, Polish and summer sausage, and its signature flank steak jerky, a must-buy indulgence. (At press time, G&W was still offering its namesake freebie: a can of Busch beer.)
Kenrick’s Meats & Catering The great-grandfather of St. Louis butcher shops, Kenrick’s, in South County, is the place for not only great steaks, sausages, sides, deli meat, and fried chicken but also pizza and readyto-heat prepared foods. It’s also a great place to enjoy some freshly fried chicken and one of the specialty pizzas. And if you want to serve a whole roast hog at your next event, Kenrick’s has you covered. Kern Meat Company For the first time in its almost 70-year history, Kern Meat Company is selling directly to the public (see p. 46). Hardto-source cuts such as heritage pork ribs are sold online for curbside pickup at the Cherokee Street location. Pan-Asia Supermarket A large selection of halal meats and one of the best selections of offal in town are on offer. Paper-thin brisket for Korean barbecue and soups is always available. Paul’s Market The historic Ferguson shop is a fullservice butcher shop and mini–grocery store selling fresh produce, deli meat and sides, smokehouse barbecue, craft beer, local coffee, and more. St. Louis Halal Meat, Grocery, and Foods Seeing need for a halal butcher shop and market in their Overland neighborhood, the owners of this full-service butcher shop and grocer opened a tiny six-seat restaurant called Babba’s in the same space. The warm and gracious owner has a habit for slipping you a halal krispie treat when you check out.
HOT TIPS
GRILLIN’ FOOLS’ PITMASTER SHARES TIPS FOR NEWBIES AND EXPERIENCED GRILLERS.
1. Stop guessing when the meat is done. Invest in an instant-read thermometer and use it. Many of the newest grills come with these thermometers built in, and wired and wireless thermometers can be used on any old grill. 2. When grilling burgers, the first flip is always the hardest to judge. Try to flip too early, and half the burger will end up stuck to the grill. Wait too long, and the meat will burn. When the meat has sufficiently browned, it will release from the grill grate. Simple as that. 3. Marinate or brine to take your cooking to the next level. What’s the difference? Marinating is soaking meat in some sort of flavorful juice. Add some salt to the liquid to make it a brine and marvel at the delicious result.
–SCOTT THOMAS
Truffles Butchery Located next to Truffles restaurant, this boutique butcher shop is a great onestop shop for charcuterie, wine, premade sides and seafood, and steaks and chops. If you’re unsure of how to prepare a cut of meat or fresh fillet of fish, it’s likely the butcher you’re speaking with is also an accomplished chef and is willing to share tips for preparation.
Photography by golubovy / amenic181 / iStock / Getty Images Plus / via Getty Images
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Rear Window
Is the walk-up window here to stay for St. Louis restaurants? BY IAIN SHAW
S MANY RESTAURANTS have pivoted during the coronavirus crisis, street-side walk-up windows have provided an avenue for some to keep business ticking—and we could see more of the format in the future. In April, several weeks after Niche Food Group closed all its restaurants, Pastaria reopened for pickup after adding a walk-up window. “It was totally in reaction to the virus and to figure out what the best way was to get food for people,” says owner Gerard Craft, who anticipates its playing a key role for the Clayton restaurant in the short term, even as dining rooms begin to reopen. Moving forward, walk-up windows are only likely to become more common if they serve a purpose beyond their current utilitarian value. Where the format has succeeded—in Seattle, notably, but also in places such as Washington, D.C.; Cincinnati; and Chicago—walk-up windows have often carved out distinct identities.They might attract patrons different than the dine-in audience for the same restaurant. The menu at the window might offer an affordable sampling to tempt first-time customers back for a full meal. They might just be fun places to spend an hour with some street food and drinks. Chef Rick Lewis, who co-owns Grace Meat + Three alongside his wife, Elisa, recently added a second walk-up window concept, Grace Backyard BBQ. “I think restaurants that Elisa and I do in the future will have a walk-up window or a drivethru,” Lewis says.
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He also predicts increasing demand for fresh carryout meals to prepare at home. “People don’t want to cook anymore,” Lewis says. Grace is offering more take-and-bake items: “This [pandemic] has forced people to do some cooking at home, but those who don’t enjoy cooking can go to a restaurant or go online and get a prepared meal that they just need to put in the oven.” Adam Tilford, co-owner of Mission Taco Joint, which has a walk-up window at its Delmar Loop location, says he thinks the concept will gradually become more common. “Not just windows, but I think you’re going to start seeing more specific takeout areas of restaurants,” he says. Mission’s new Kirkwood location, for instance, is slated to include a designated takeout area. Tom Niemeier of SPACE Architecture + Design (whose clients include Grace and Mission) says his firm has received calls from a number of restaurant owners asking how they can make customers feel more comfortable returning to their restaurants, which would include installing walk-up windows. Niemeier cautions that many current restaurant designs are not suited to retrofitting for such a model, and each location must be handled on a case-by-case basis. “It might be a little early to suggest this is going to become a standard,” Niemeier says, “but I imagine it will become more commonplace." Grace Chicken + Fish's walk-up window
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
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Open for takeout, delivery, and curbside!
WHAT'S BREWING
Reasons to Toast
Learn to make your own beer or wine with kits.
WHEN ST. LOUIS County’s stay-at-home
order went into effect, in March, Steampunk Brew Works and Homebrew Supply in Chesterfield had to close its taproom. Under the terms of the order, however, Steampunk could continue operating its long-running homebrew supply store. Owner Dave Deaton bought St. Louis Wine & Beermaking in 2006 and launched the Steampunk brewery in 2017. The two operations were unified under the Steampunk name in 2019. A number of the store’s customers—the proprietors of Earthbound, Bluewood, Alpha, and 2nd Shift among them— learned the ropes at Steampunk before going on to open their own breweries. There’s no reason for beginners to feel confused or intimidated by home brewing, Deaton says: “Beer-making isn’t any more complicated than making a stew.” Steampunk’s home brewing kits include all of the equipment and ingredients you need to get started, apart Photography by aaron007 / iStock / Getty Images Plus / via Getty Images
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from the water. The kits take up around 2 by 4 feet of floor space when in use, and Deaton says they can be stored in a closet, basement, or even just a corner of a room. Current styles of kits include amber ale, IPA, porter, and German wheat beer. Patience is a virtue in brewing; beer requires a little bit of aging before the flavors develop. “Usually 30 days to 60 days,” Deaton says, “but a lot of beers need about three or four months before they really come into their own.” And if you’re not a beer drinker or want to live out fantasies of a trip to Bordeaux, Steampunk offers wine-making kits, each yielding 6 gallons and available in 15 flavors of red and white. If you think that means crushing grapes with your bare feet in the bathtub, you’re wrong. The grapes are adjusted for acidity and sweetness and converted to a juice concentrate. As Deaton says, “The hard part is already done.” —I.S. June 2020 stlmag.com
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boss’ daughter.” My father-in-law has his M.B.D. as well; Kern has been a family business since its inception 72 years ago. Did having two advanced degrees in history help in the meat business? A lot more than people might think. I’m a trained researcher and like to immerse myself in things—so everything from historical archives to meat and safety specs. My second field is in American political development, which helped me find patterns in history and later on in markets for products. My background also helped me develop a very detailed HACCP [hazard analysis and critical control points] plan for Kern, for example, which has paid dividends, especially recently. People joke that I’m the most educated meathead in St. Louis.
Meat of the Matter
Led by Matt Sherman, Kern Meat Co. spearheads consumer-direct sales and a massive expansion.
Y
OU DON’T SEE a lot of manag-
ers in general wearing bow ties, let alone meat-company managers—and we’d bet the ranch that Matt Sherman, general manager of Kern Meat Company, is the only bow tie–wearing guy in the business with a master’s and a Ph.D. in American history, credentials that, surprisingly, have helped him pilot “the smallest biggest food service company in St. Louis.” —G.M.
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Visit stlmag.com to learn the difference between New Zealand and Colorado lamb.
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How did you end up in the meat business? When my wife received her Ph.D. in medieval history and I got one in American history, the job market was not good for either one of us. There were two jobs in her field and 13 in mine—in the entire US. So my father-in-law approached me and asked if I had an interest in taking over the family business. My mother-inlaw jokes that I have three degrees: an MA, a Ph.D., and an M.B.D.—“married
Have there been any game-changing moments at Kern, like say, when free-range chickens or grass-fed beef came along? Adding Certified Hereford Beef to our portfolio in 2008, and having them as a partner, was important for us. We’ve done cutting after cutting [blind tasting of like products], and it outperforms time after time, so it became our flagship program. And Kern only pulls from two plants, which helps with quality and consistency, compared with Certified Angus Beef, which has, like, 30 packing houses across North America. That said, Kern does carry Angus beef. Our Black Canyon Angus offers great genetics and excellent marbling scores. We also carry Mishima Reserve American Wagyu, a cross of Black Angus and Japanese Wagyu bulls. That product is exclusive in the Midwest, where we are master distributors. It’s arguably the best steak I’ve ever had in my life, but it’s not cheap. On middle meats—the tenderloins, ribeyes, short loins, strip loins—it costs about three times as much. What other exclusives does Kern offer? Joyce Farms is exclusive in this region. They’re vertically integrated and raise two kinds of birds, an American Cornish Cross and a Poulet Rouge, a slow-growing heritage breed from France that’s Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
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HOT SEAT
“PEOPLE JOKE THAT I’M THE MOST EDUCATED MEATHEAD IN ST. LOUIS.”
worth $3 more per pound. Prasino, Café Osage, and The Tenderloin Room carry it, and Edera [coming soon to the CWE]. In America’s quest for speed and efficiency, we’ve bred the flavor out of chicken. Again, genetics matter, and we as consumers have forgotten what that means when it comes to chicken. Joyce Farms has not. What’s the story on Brewer’s Crafted Pork, another item exclusive to Kern? Vito Racanelli became a friend after buying from us for his restaurants for so many years. He’d worked for Anheuser-Busch for years developing different food products and reasoned that if hogs were fed malted barley, the meat would taste like beer. He tested his theory, without us involved, and was successful but realized he needed a meat expert to take it to the next level, which is where we came in. We developed the program, set up a pasture program, and picked out a contract farmer, and now we carry the products. It’s the first branded program that Kern has vertically integrated. So where does Kern buy malted barley? From the same companies that supply it to breweries. It’s not spent grain, so it is more expensive than other animal feeds. It has a broader nutrient profile, the hogs love it, and you can taste a difference. But since the hogs are pastured, the malted barley acts like the body of the beer and the pasture acts like the spice of the beer. You can taste the depth of the pork through the malted barley in the fat, and then the other flavors—
the spice of the turnips, the acorns, the random produce, whatever it’s foraged for—come out in the meat. What’s the optimum time to age a steak? The industry standard is 21 days for a wet-aged steak, but a few years ago, based on research and sheer force tests [measures tenderness in beef] that we conducted, we experimented with longer times. At 28 to 35 days, something magical happens, and beef tastes great. That range has been our standard ever since, and others have followed suit. Are there any secrets in the beef-grading process? Most people don’t know that within the main [USDA] grades—Prime, Choice, and Select—there are grades within the grade, based on a marbling score: two for Prime, three for Choice, and two for Select. Who does Kern sell to in St. Louis? We pretty much deal with all the country clubs in town. Then there are long-term clients like Tony’s and Dominic’s, the Four Seasons, Smokehouse Market and Annie Gunn’s, and Truffles Butchery, as well as newer clients like Carmine’s, Balkan Treat Box, and indo. That’s just a few of the locals. We also have 13 distributors that pick up every day and send it out to eight other states. We have a pretty big footprint in the Midwest. Your facility must comply with rigorous USDA inspections. Might some of those standards apply to restaurants in the post-COVID era? Definitely. Diners now
want to be put at ease before they go to a restaurant, as well they should. The successful restaurants of tomorrow will have a comprehensive list of reassuring procedures in place. Was it the coronavirus crisis that caused Kern to begin selling direct to the public? Partly. We’ve always gotten calls asking if we sell direct to the public…so there was increasing demand. I could sell meat all day long, and Kern could pocket all the money, but for me there had to be more. I wanted it to matter, so we decided to donate 10 percent of those retail sales to the Gateway Resilience Fund, which directly benefits local restaurants and small businesses. How does the direct-order process work? Customers order online—they can order two steaks or a hundred—then pick them up curbside at our plant on Cherokee Street. So if you want a certain steak at a certain weight, fine, that’s what we do. Yesterday, a guy ordered one of everything that we sell; I’m not sure why. Does Kern have a plan for 2020 and beyond? We’ve been wanting to expand for some time now, and that will finally happen this year. Our new facility, in Bridgeton, will be the largest meatprocessing facility in the metro area, with new efficiencies aided by new technology. What we crank out of our existing 5,000-square-foot building on a daily basis is amazing. People were calling us the smallest biggest food service company in St. Louis. The new building is over four times as large, so we may lose that moniker. No matter: We’re poised for some serious growth. What’s a little-known fact about Kern? What started as a family business is still one, and there are families within families. Our foreman has been with us for 40 years, his dad was the foreman before him, and his grandson is now working here, too, so you have a third-generation family working at a third-generation company. We’re all very proud of that.
June 2020 stlmag.com
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BY CHERYL BAEHR, GEORGE MAHE, JARRETT MEDLIN, MELISSA MEINZER, LIZ MILLER, MIKE MILLER, LAURA MISEREZ, NICHOLAS PHILLIPS, KELLY SIEMPELKAMP, SAMANTHA STEVENSON, AND AMANDA WOYTUS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS | ILLUSTRATION BY BROBEL DESIGN
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WHEN THE NOVEL C O R O N AV I R U S S TA R T E D T O S P R E A D , T H E S E S T. L O U I S A N S S T E P P E D U P T O H E L P.
ONLINE Visit stlmag.com for more stories about St. Louisans helping others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then look for an in-depth feature on health care workers in the August issue.
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BEYOND THE CALL
HELPING THE HOMELESS POPULATION Patrick Anderson, the women’s night program manager at St. Patrick Center, is worried about his clients. “The homeless population is an at-risk population,” he says. “I don’t think there’s anything that they’re not at risk for. Health issues, substance use, experiencing violence—everything goes up when you’re homeless. When you add in the pandemic, the impact on the homeless community is much greater than [for] folks who are housed, because they don’t have access to taking a shower or washing their hands.” The center used to serve 300 during lunch; since switching to a to-go sack lunch, it serves just 100 a day. “Clearly, folks aren’t getting some basic needs,” he says. Anderson’s night program serves 20 women dinner at the Shamrock Club. They then spend the night at the center, the only group to do so, normally. Now, he’s turned that program into a 24-hour service, trying to provide clients with necessities so they have no reason to leave the center. That includes food and access to showers and laundry. “We are trying to avoid, at all costs, discharging someone to the street,” he says. So far, they’ve been successful. Clients have left to stay with relatives and friends, not to stay on the streets. St. Patrick staff members—some from different programs—have picked up hours to help fill shifts. “It’s totally outside their purview and what they signed up for,” Anderson says. “That just shows the dedication to the clients. That’s why we’re all here.”
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TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS As president and CEO of the St. Louis Regional Business Council, Kathy Osborn sees many local companies and organizations hurting. She sees the layoffs and furloughs, the shuttered doors and uncertainty in the business community. But despite all the uncertainty, she also sees hope. “It’s a very, very painful experience,” Osborn says, “but at the same time, those same companies want to be as generous as they can.” She’s helping a consortium of local businesses to address the area’s most pressing needs—food, housing, utility relief, mental health services—and to reach out to vulnerable populations. The consortium has also worked to procure upward of 20,000 protective masks to distribute to nonprofits working on the front lines of the crisis. “This will not be an easy situation to resolve,” Osborn says, “but we are resilient people, and St. Louis is a very generous community.”
GIVING SPIRITS
Responding to one of the most pressing needs during the pandemic, several area breweries and distilleries shifted production from beer and booze to hand sanitizer. It was a logical pivot for someone like 4 HANDS BREWING CO. owner Kevin Lemp; most of the ingredients (alcohol, distilled water, hydrogen peroxide) were already on hand. All that was needed was glycerin or aloe. To date, 4 Hands, which also operates 1220 Artisan Spirits distillery, has produced thousands of gallons of its 4 Hands for Hands Cleaner. At STILL 630 DISTILLERY, owner David Weglarz continues to produce and hand-deliver gallons of donated sanitizer to area hospitals. SQUARE ONE BREWERY & DISTILLERY initially produced some sanitizer for giveaway, but those efforts have been stymied because of a national shortage of the sanitizer’s main ingredient, neutral grain spirits. Wellston-based SWITCHGRASS SPIRITS, a worker-owned distillery that uses mostly local ingredients and products, has collaborated with another local company, BEE NATURALS, to produce and distribute free hand sanitizer to senior centers, food banks, and first responders. And industry giant ANHEUSERBUSCH, well known for sending cans of drinking water around the world in times of need, is using its supply and logistics network to produce 8-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer, working with the American Red Cross and other nonprofits to distribute them where they’re needed most.
A TIMELY RELEASE Social distancing may not feel like a luxury, but consider those who don’t always have the option: inmates. A crowded prison or jail is an ideal breeding ground for aggressive pathogens such as coronavirus. This grim truth led state public defender Mary Fox and 34 other individuals and groups to send a letter on March 26 to the Missouri Supreme Court, asking for the statewide release of a variety of inmates, including those convicted of or awaiting trial on certain low-level, nonviolent, and probationrelated offenses. The chief justice responded on March 30, reminding the lower court judges of their ability under recently changed rules to order such releases. Fox credits multiple jurisdictions in the St. Louis area for considering the issue on a caseby-case basis. She hopes the scrutiny continues even after the pandemic. “Way too many people are held when they haven’t been convicted of anything,” says Fox.
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TO THE RESCUE
INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS Nearly every day in February brought a new horror story to volunteers at the Chinese Education and Culture Center in St. Louis. As they led a fundraising drive to supply hospitals in Wuhan, China, with ventilators and medical supplies, they heard eyewitness accounts from the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak. There were stories of underequipped hospitals, a health care system under severe strain, and, worst of all, doctors and nurses who’d gotten sick because they didn’t have the necessary personal protective equipment. For the volunteers, those frightening tales illustrated just how bad things could get once the virus reached the U.S. “Personally, I felt that we were not getting ahead of this thing and we were going to get our butts kicked,” says Min Liu, a volunteer outreach director for the center, “so we thought, OK, what can we do?” In March, they leaned on their connections in China to procure thousands of hospital-grade surgical masks, then partnered with the Chinese Service Center of St. Louis to donate them to BJC HealthCare, SSM Health, and Mercy, along with other agencies. They also delivered masks to first responders. “We’re playing a very small but important role,” Liu says. “Hopefully, we can remind people how vulnerable our health care system actually is.”
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After two St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers who contracted COVID-19 were hospitalized, BACKSTOPPERS provided $10,000 each for medical bills and expenses. Likewise, the ST. LOUIS POLICE FOUNDATION donated $1,000 each to three city officers on ventilators, in addition to providing $300,000 in personal protective equipment and feeding 4,500 first responders a meal per week from area restaurants through mid-May. After providing temporary housing for health care providers, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY opened its doors to firefighters and police officers from St. Louis, Clayton, and University City. THE CARE COLLECTIVE provided free mental health sessions to frontline workers. And in addition to donating meals, local restaurants showed their support in more creative ways; HAMBURGER MARY’S, for instance, raised more than $1,000 from a virtual drag show, with funds used to purchase gift cards to local restaurants for first responders.
BUILDING A FOUNDATION In March, The St. Louis Community Foundation began bringing together those who are able to give and those in need during the coronavirus crisis. “We’re committed to this region,” says Amelia Bond, president and CEO of the St. Louis Community Foundation. The foundation established two grant funds, the COVID19 Regional Response Fund and the Gateway Resilience Fund, to aid area workers, businesses, and nonprofits. The former—created by a coalition of local foundations, businesses, and donors—was designed to quickly send aid to nonprofits whose work is directly affected by the pandemic, such as those addressing senior services, food insecurity, and childcare, among others. The latter was established after Andrew “Roo” Yawitz, owner of The Gramophone, approached the foundation about establishing a relief fund for area restaurants, bars, music venues, and retail shops. As of this writing, that fund has raised $639,771 for 862 workers and businesses. “I hate the reason, but I am incredibly happy that we’ve been able to establish this fund and get different community partners behind it,” Yawitz says.
REMAINING UNITED In normal times, the United Way of Greater St. Louis could expect to receive an average of 425 calls per week on its 2-1-1 hotline, which connects people to basic services such as childcare and counseling. Once the coronavirus crisis reached a boiling point, in early March, the number of calls skyrocketed to 7,000 over a three-day period. “We’ve been in this, helping to respond since Day 1 for our regional area,” says Michelle Tucker, president and CEO of United Way of Greater St. Louis. Not only has the 2-1-1 service functioned as a lifeline for those in urgent need of services such as food security, shelter resources, and counseling, but the United Way is also working to reduce strain imposed by bills that have suddenly become harder to pay. It’s partnered with utility companies Ameren and Spire to help customers who might be struggling with payments, offering credits and assistance to bring down the cost. In early April, the United Way also awarded grants totaling $205,000 to 11 local nonprofits. “We’re acting as an adviser and a supporter and just showing up in every way that we can to work together and respond to what the community is challenged by,” Tucker says.
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BEYOND THE CALL
CARING FOR CAREGIVERS Shortly before the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States began to rise, Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer realized that childcare was going to be an issue, particularly for health care workers. But Bentzen-Mercer, executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Mercy, also knew that it’s scary to leave your kids with a stranger. A colleague noted that with schools closing, there might be teens and college students willing to help, and if they were a relative of an employee within the Mercy system, coworkers might feel more comfortable leaving children in their care. They launched a closed Facebook group, Care for the Caregiver, for Mercy workers who needed childcare and those willing to volunteer to connect. Within two hours, they had more than 1,000 members. Caregivers work for a modest $3 per hour to cover gas and expenses—but some do it for free. “We’ve had young adults who were offered money and they graciously turned it down,” BentzenMercer says. “They want to give back to the community. I feel like we’re not only helping our caregivers and our coworkers deal with a real need so they can do their important work but we’re also giving these young people a real opportunity to make a difference.” The father of an 18-year-old with autism, for instance, needed someone to be there for his child while he worked; he found a match through Care for the Caregiver.
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DIAPERS & DIGNIT Y The St. Louis Area Diaper Bank typically distributes 200,000 diapers a month to families in need, but because of the coronavirus crisis, the organization now anticipates distributing closer to 500,000 diapers per month. “Thousands of families who have never experienced this kind of need are experiencing it now,” says Jessica Adams, founder of the bank, the only one in the city. To help meet that need, the organization is distributing 25 free emergency diapers for each family with a child present in a drive-thru service at St. Louis County Library’s four participating locations. Through Adams’ other organization, the St. Louis Alliance for Period Supplies, which works to end period poverty in the area, the locations are also providing period kits to those who need them. “Our mission is really to alleviate that stress that comes with not having access to the diapers that you need and to help strengthen the lives of families by making sure that we have this product that is essential for basic health and dignity,” Adams says. With libraries closed during the pandemic, Adams says the organization wanted to revamp their operations, so they teamed up with the library and Operation Food Search to make sure that diapers would be available once a week when food from Operation Food Search is also being distributed to families. “I think the most powerful takeaway for all of us on the team who have been doing the distributions is that this is clearly a need that causes great shame and fear in the people who are experiencing it,” Adams says. “We just want everyone to know that if you’re feeling that way, don’t. A lot of people are in the same boat, and we’re here for you.”
RESCUING PETS
Alfonzo, a caramel-brown mutt with fox-like features, is one of the success stories at GATEWAY PET GUARDIANS. When the group realized that it needed to shut down its shelter operations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it put out the call to animal lovers to foster its strays and spend the stay-at-home period with a new friend. “We had hundreds of applications come in,” says Jill Henke, Gateway Pet Guardians’ development director. “Within the first week, we placed 55 pets. Now it’s over 100. We have a waiting list of people wanting to foster. It’s nice to be in a position to have a waiting list.” Alfonzo was one of the dogs that went out to foster—until the 9-year-old girl in his new family fell in love with him. Then he became a permanent addition. At STRAY RESCUE OF ST. LOUIS, executive director Cassady Caldwell knew that as soon as restaurants and other businesses started closing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, there would be a huge need for free pet supplies among people who’d lost their jobs. It’s better for the pet and the owner that the animal remain in the home, Caldwell reasoned, “especially when, if they’ve lost their job, they don’t want to have to lose their animal.” She picked up the phone and placed calls to her network of donors. “Before I knew it, I had hundreds of bags of food being delivered,” Caldwell says. Soon, the rescue was able to pivot and reopen as a pet food pantry that will stay in operation even after COVID-19. “The community stepped up,” she says. “They always step up.”
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FINDING A NICHE The same week that The North City Food Hub received its license to operate from the St. Louis Department of Health, the first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 was announced in St. Louis County. Founded by Gibron Jones of HOSCO Foods, the food hub is part of what will become the North City Food Cooperative, comprising commercial kitchen space for chefs and eventually a grocery store. In early March, Jones invited local chefs into its kitchen to cook for the community. Those chefs ended up mostly being from Niche Food Group, chef Gerard Craft’s restaurant group, which shut down all of its restaurants temporarily during the pandemic. Wearing face masks and gloves, with hand sanitizer stations nearby and hourly handwashing breaks, the Niche team cooked lasagna, made sandwiches, and prepared other nourishing meals for students of St. Louis Public Schools and low-income senior citizens in area nursing homes. “When you have multiple organizations coming together to fulfill a need, I just think it’s beautiful,” Jones says. “It really speaks to what our city is: When something serious happens, people come together and rise to the occasion.”
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PROVIDING CARE For Laura Weaver, COVID-19 is unchartered water. “It’s the first major crisis that I’ve worked through,” she says. “It’s the first major crisis that nurses who have been nursing for 30 years have worked through.” The nurse manager in the emergency department at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital describes how her staff of 90 nurses, ER technicians, and paramedics have changed the way they care for patients: As soon as someone walks through the door, a nurse asks if he or she has a fever, shortness of breath, or flu-like symptoms, which might indicate COVID-19. If they do, they’re taken to a separate triage area. A tent set up outside the emergency department waits just in case the hospital becomes overwhelmed. Hospitalized patients are also no longer allowed visitors, meaning the nurses are the only physical support system they can rely on. It’s a lot to handle, especially with the sacrifices emergency department staff are making at home, too. Some have made alternative living arrangements to reduce the risk of passing along the coronavirus to their loved ones. But others don’t have that option. “I have a paramedic who works nights and is coming home, showering, and then getting the kids up and starting school,” Weaver says.
WORKING TOWARD EQUIT Y Schools are feeding students who can no longer come to their buildings. Libraries are distributing diapers and Wi-Fi hot spots. Doctors are venturing into encampments to care of unhoused people and educate them on staying safe. Jason Purnell, associate professor at The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and director of Health Equity Works, is leading a response team of more than 40 area nonprofits, optimizing efforts at providing basic resources in five counties during the pandemic. “There’s a need to share learning, to share resources, to coordinate as much as possible,” Purnell says. Pulling together disparate organizations with varying areas of expertise and experience is an ever-changing task, he explains. The team works to identify the most urgent needs, avoid duplicating efforts among those in the fight, and serve the whole region. “This virus does not respect the artificial boundaries that we’ve set up between subdivisions or jurisdictions,” Purnell says. “The virus doesn’t stop at Skinker; it doesn’t stop because the Mississippi or Missouri River is there.” The task is monumental, and Purnell is effusive in praising the organizations, individuals, and staff who support the efforts. “We need to pull together in real time to solve real issues,” he says.
RESTAURANT RALLIES In March, three restaurant partners rallied to raise money for those affected while feeding people in need. Sugarfire Smoke House and Hi-Pointe Drive-In co-owners Mike Johnson and Charlie Downs, working alongside Chicken Out business partner Ben Hillman, dished out 500 sandwiches and soup from a mobile trailer on the Sugarfire Olivette lot, using a pay-what-you-can model. The next weekend, the trio moved to The Boathouse in Forest Park. The events raised $20,000 for the Gateway Resilience Fund. “St. Louis has always been good to us,” says Johnson, “so we want to do good for St. Louis.” A few weeks later, guests received curbside food paired with a drive-thru peek at City Foundry STL. That day, developer Steve Smith matched the first $25,000 in donations.
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TAKING STOCK During the pandemic, the grocery industry’s role as an essential service has become abundantly clear. “We can’t survive without this group of workers,” says David Cook, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655. Many of those workers are clocking more hours than ever, despite being “frightened beyond words,” he says. “Every one of these workers is coming in contact with a minimum of 1,000 people in the public every day they go to work.” Yet the area’s three major local grocers— Schnucks, Dierbergs, and Straub’s—had the best attendance in recent memory for scheduled shifts, he says. “People were committed to coming in and serving the public.” The union’s been working closely with area grocers to look out for those workers, with Dierbergs and Straub’s offering $2 more per hour and Schnucks giving full-time employees a $500 bonus. The union also worked to waive co-pays for coronavirus testing, maintain pay for those who get sick, and expand access to telemedicine at no out-ofpocket expense. “We have really worked collaboratively,” Cook says. “Truly, everybody’s interest is how we can serve the public.”
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FEEDING A NEED In the days after COVID-19 hit the St. Louis region, chef Rex Hale grew concerned about how the pandemic would hurt those who are already the most vulnerable in our community: the home- and food-insecure. Feeling a call to help, Hale has been preparing food out of STL Foodworks, the commercial kitchen in the Central West End owned by Christy and Charlie Schlafly of Ford Hotel Supply, since early March. Most of the food is distributed through STL Foodworks, and the facility is receiving staggering volumes of donated meat, produce, dairy products, and shelf-stable items from farmers and food producers across the region. American Pasture Pork, for example, has donated $750,000 of meat so far; Cisco has offered up $80,000 in product. Smaller operations, including Rain Crow Ranch, Double Star Farms and The Mill at Janie’s Farm, are contributing as well. Hale is working with such food pantries as Operation Food Search and shelters, including Peter & Paul Community Services, plus a slew of charities and churches, cooking alongside a team of volunteers six or seven days a week to make it happen. “When you get to do what you love to do, it’s not even work,” Hale says. “And who doesn’t need food? We all gotta eat, right? It’s real simple.”
SERVING THE UNDERSERVED ArchCity Defenders launched a petition calling for public health policies that accommodate the working poor, unhoused, and disabled, among others. It also teamed up with WEPOWER and the Clark-Fox Family Foundation to build an online resource page. In partnership with St. Louis American and Action STL, ArchCity set up stlcovidhub.org, a website that lets you sign petitions and monitor which demands have been met. Lastly, the nonprofit filed litigation aimed at releasing pretrial detainees. “In this moment of all moments,” says ArchCity’s executive director Blake Strode, “it’s critical that no one be unlawfully detained because they can’t afford bail.”
PROMOTING HEALTH As they watched the COVID19 pandemic gradually encroach upon the state, officials at the Missouri Foundation for Health knew that they needed to react quickly. Their usual focus on promoting health, especially for those with the fewest resources, put them in a unique position to help tackle issues prompted by the coronavirus crisis. “We know that this pandemic affects virtually everybody,” says Bob Hughes, the foundation’s president and CEO. “We’re not sure how devastating it’s going to be, but we already know it has significant consequences both directly and indirectly on long-term economic and mental health issues, so we’ve been diving into it as much as we can.” The foundation immediately pledged $15 million to COVID-19– related health and infection control efforts across the state, with an initial $7 million going to federally qualified health centers and community mental health centers across Missouri. The foundation also partnered with the St. Louis Regional Chamber and area food banks, including the St. Louis Area Foodbank and Operation Food Search, to bolster the area’s food safety net. “There’s been a tremendous amount of cooperation with organizations who are willing to help each other and find new ways to solve problems in very practical ways, very quickly,” Hughes says.
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MAKING MASKS After seeing a Facebook post about Seattle hospitals’ calling for makers to create masks for the medical community, Project Runway alumnus and Saint Louis Fashion Fund designer-in-residence Michael Drummond wondered, Is it true? Is that what it’s come to? He did a little research and realized that as a designer, he had a lot of material, so he started a Facebook group for anyone who wanted to join him in creating masks for local medical personnel. More than 300 people joined in about two days. “It was very obvious that there was a movement and people wanted to help,” says Drummond. Now he and a team of seamstresses, designers, and patternmakers, dubbed STL Makers Unite for Medical Masks, are cutting and sewing masks in their homes. After trial and error, Drummond consulted with St. Luke’s Hospital anesthesiologist Dr. Kumiko T. Shimoda on a prototype. “I wanted to make sure that this is something that can be usable, because the road to hell is paved with good intentions,” Drummond says. “The last thing you want to do is inundate hospitals with boxes and boxes of things they can’t use.” Carr Textile donated fabric to the initiative and Michelle Trulaske, a Fund supporter, gave $70,000, allowing Drummond to pay the workers wages. The masks, made from a cotton blend with a water- and stain-repellent finish on the shell and lined with a sport fabric, reduces the number of particles reaching the wearer’s respiratory tract. The goal: 14,000 masks in 45 days. “I’m really proud of everyone that’s working on this initiative,” he says. “People are really coming together—not just this team but people in general. It’s a weird feeling to be separated, but it feels like such a sense of community.”
ARTIST RELIEF
“We all know the financial reality of being an artist,” says Jeremy Goldmeier. “People talk about the gig economy like it’s a new thing. That’s the life of an artist.” Goldmeier, along with his husband, Kyle Kratky, and their friend Jessica Pautler, founded the ST. LOUIS COVID-19 ARTIST RELIEF FUND on March 14 after seeing friends and colleagues lose much of their livelihoods as social distancing led to the cancellation of event after event. All three have worked in some facet of the arts in St. Louis, so their personal networks were hit hard. A similar fund in pandemic hotbed Seattle inspired them. So far, St. Louis has been eager to give—by early April, the trio had raised close to $9,000, in $5 dribs and $350 drabs. To apply for a grant, artists undertake a two-tiered application process. First, they complete a questionnaire about their work, event cancellations, and financial need. Then the trio triage the requests, giving priority to the most urgent cases. They’re mostly funding in the $150 to $500 range. “There are folks who are supporting themselves and helping support a family,” Goldmeier says. “Artists help drive not just our local culture but also our local economy.” Two other arts organizations are helping those in need. THE REGIONAL ARTS COMMISSION is accepting applications for $500 and $1,000 grants. THE LUMINARY, meanwhile, is asking a thought-provoking question: How do you envision the future if you can’t survive the present? In that spirit, it’s partnering with the Andy Warhol Foundation to give out $60,000 in $1,000 grants to artists and arts organizers whose work has been affected by the pandemic.
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LOOKING OUT FOR STUDENTS Remote learning is great, but not if you don’t have internet—or a full belly. The St. Louis Public Schools Foundation has stepped in to help fill some of the gaps for SLPS students who have to stay away during the pandemic. Jane Donahue, president and CEO of the SLPS Foundation, says she works with an incredible array of heroes. “I know I’m working with a group of people who are trying do to well by students, but we are working in a system that’s got a lot of potholes,” Donahue says. Of the 21,000 students served by the district, Donahue says, about 80 percent are living in poverty, with many depending on school meals. Forty percent didn’t have devices needed for online learning. “The pandemic has really shone a bright light on the inequities that exist, specifically around food security and the digital divide,” she says. The foundation has assisted in getting tablets, Wi-Fi hot spots, and meals to students and their families. It’s also been recognizing staff excellence in the form of SLPS Foundation All-Stars, nominated by their peers for excellence in supporting students. It’s not an easy time, Donahue allows, but, she says: “This is a time of grace and patience.”
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BEYOND THE CALL
FEEDING FAMILIES Tai Davis did not set out to create a movement when he started boxing up lunches for kids this past March. He just knew there was a need, and he had the time and the skills to fill it. A few weeks and more than a thousand meal kits later, it was clear that the rising star chef ’s program for feeding hungry kids, St. Louis Boxed Lunches, has become a lifeline for families struggling to figure out where their next meal will come from in the absence of school lunches. As someone who participated in Missouri’s Free and Reduced Program when he was growing up, Davis understands what it is like to count on school as a source of nourishment. When he heard that public schools were closing in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, his thoughts immediately turned to those who would be losing this vital food source and how he could help. Reaching out through social media, Davis assembled a small team of volunteers and collected donations from local food vendors that have allowed him to create meal kits for hungry families in the St. Louis metro area. Each kit, containing provisions for five days’ worth of meals, is available at two hubs, Old North Provisions in North City and Local Harvest in South City. Davis and his team will also deliver them to households in need—whatever it takes to make sure he’s feeding people as well as he can.
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LOOKING OUT FOR NEIGHBORS “What is happening with the populations who shouldn’t be leaving their houses?” That’s the question that Dessa Somerside posed to a Facebook group of moms in Maplewood and Richmond Heights in mid-March. The group had been talking about how to help kids who would no longer be eating lunch at school because of the pandemic, and Somerside wanted to gauge interest in setting up ways to help the most vulnerable people in the neighborhood. The result is MapleGOOD, a group of around 300 volunteers, mostly women ages 35–44, who deliver groceries and medicine to people who shouldn’t be leaving their houses. Somerside says many of the calls have been from people who can’t afford groceries and medicine because they’re out of work. MapleGOOD has used some of its donations to buy those items and has referred people to food pantries and other resources in the area. In one instance, it helped a woman afford a six-week supply of medicine that she needed to tide her over until her doctor’s office reopens. The group is also connecting people to organizations and services in the region that can provide help longer term. “This is an example of what people can do in their own neighborhoods,” Somerside says. “This took a day to organize. Anybody can do it— reach out to a neighbor. It doesn’t have to be a huge operation.”
SURROUND SOUND After seeing his friends’ music gigs evaporate, Native Sound recording studio co-owner Ben Majchrak created the St. Louis Arts and Music Fund. He started with a Facebook message to about 150 people, and the idea took off. “There was this massive outpouring of support,” he says. “I think in the first two days we had almost 2,000 shares of the page.” Once there was $5,000 in the kitty, he started handing out grants on a first-come, first-served basis, most at the maximum level of $250. Beyond the online donations, the fund is raising cash in some novel ways. Musicians have played a few virtual concerts for free while welcoming donations. Majchrak says he’s thrilled to have people pitching in from all sides. “My hope,” he says, “is that after we get out of it and everyone starts to recover, we’re able to continue this sense of community.”
RETAIL SUPPORT
After stores closed their doors to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, four business owners banded together. #314TOGETHER, launched by Route’s Christina Weaver, consultant Meg Smidt, Red Lettered Goods’ Megan Rohall, and Hello Juice & Smoothie’s Jordan Bauer encourages local business owners to use the hashtag and a corresponding Facebook group to share how they’re trying to connect with customers during the COVID-19 crisis. At press time, the Facebook group had more than 12,000 members. Other retail spaces are finding ways to give back as well. RF HOME CO. BY RESCUED FURNISHINGS has served as a donation drop-off site for hospitals and nursing homes. In April, FASHION GROUP INTERNATIONAL–ST. LOUIS and the SAINT LOUIS FASHION FUND launched the #314Fashion movement to raise awareness of St. Louis’ hurting fashion industry and sold T-shirts with 50 percent of the proceeds going to the Gateway Resilience Fund.
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WORKING TOWARD A TREATMENT At the end of February, Arturo Casadevall of Johns Hopkins approached Washington University School of Medicine’s Dr. Jeffrey Henderson with a century-old idea, used during the flu pandemic of 1918: the isolation and transfusion of antibodies from the blood of people who’ve recovered from COVID-19 into those who are ill. “The big advantage here is, we could use this quickly,” he says. Michael Joyner of the Mayo Clinic joined the effort, and the experts and their institutions began encouraging consideration of the practice nationwide. At the end of March, the FDA announced that it had approved the investigational use of plasma to treat COVID-19 patients. “Once we got over that barrier, the next big job is to generate a supply of plasma,” Henderson says. “That requires public involvement, people who are fortunate enough to have recovered from the infection to then turn around and donate their plasma.” At press time, Henderson and a team at Washington University were talking with experts across the nation as they worked to make it possible for people to donate and conduct clinical trials. “The willingness of people who’ve recovered to donate is really a lovely gesture,” Henderson says. “I’ve heard a lot more positive responses, a lot more willingness to do that than I anticipated.” He adds that it’s a “stopgap measure until a vaccine becomes available or until we identify a drug that is useful.”
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KEEPING THE WATER FLOWING Wash your hands. It may seem like a straightforward mandate during a pandemic, repeated on kids’ shows, hospital PSAs, nearly everywhere you turn. But for millions of Americans, access to water isn’t always a given. A survey from Food & Water Watch found that the water was shut off for an estimated 15 million people in 2016. So in mid-March, when Ramiz Hakim and his colleagues at North Star Insurance Advisors, learned that the city of Troy, Missouri, was preparing to do its routine monthly disconnections for unpaid bills, just as COVID19 was beginning to affect the region, the company decided to pay those bills. (The city later decided to temporarily suspend water disconnections for unpaid bills.) When word got out that North Star had covered the bills, the company received an outpouring of gratitude. “Our core values dictate that we are one team and one family,” says Hakim, who notes the gratitude should be directed toward his colleagues, who care so deeply about the community—for instance, the single mother who puts in extra hours to ensure that customers’ needs are met. “We have not laid off one person,” he adds, “and we are still hiring.”
MEDICAL MATTERS He’s planned for pandemics. When Dr. Alex Garza was the chief medical officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it was his job to consider scenarios like the novel coronavirus. He led the country’s response to H1N1. It’s a career that would set most people’s nerves on edge, but luckily for St. Louis, he’s not scared. Garza, now chief medical officer for SSM Health, has taken on a second job: incident commander for the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force. Launched by St. Louis’ four major health care systems—BJC HealthCare, Mercy, SSM Health, and St. Luke’s Hospital—the task force allows hospitals to coordinate. Every afternoon, Garza leads a briefing, streamed live on Facebook, in which he presents— calmly—the number of people at those partner hospitals who have COVID-19, the number of ICU patients with the virus, and the number of those patients on ventilators. He recently delivered good news: St. Louis discharged 1,034 COVID-19 patients from area hospitals, and the virus’ reproduction factor—the number of people each COVID19 patient infects—is thought to be very low. “It’s a direct reflection of the outstanding work and heroic commitment of thousands of health care workers in the region,” he says. “It’s also the result of our collective efforts.”
GIVING BACK Boston Celtics star and St. Louis native Jayson Tatum has donated and delivered food to more than 500 area seniors through his Jayson Tatum Foundation. In early April, Tatum and another St. Louis native, the Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal, partnered with Feeding America and Lineage Logistics to donate $250,000 each to Boston- and St. Louis– area food banks. “I always try to do what I can—in any way, shape, or form—to help out St. Louis,” says Tatum, “because St. Louis means the world to me.” Food insecurity is a major issue, and it’s even worse right now, he says: “People are told to stay in their house, not able to go to work, feeling the stress of bills and worrying about having enough money to get through this time. Food is essential. We’re trying to take a burden off people as much as we can.”
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Advice on staying active and keeping a healthy mindset, from St. Louisans who know
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BE WELL / JUNE 2020
HOME BODY “Getting in a workout” takes on a new meaning as instructors start teaching online. BY KELLY SIEMPELKAMP
SHRED415
PLNK STL
TITLE BOXING CLUB
Look to this group-training gym’s Instagram for free 15-minute workouts to try on your own. Instructors are also leading longer livestreamed sessions for members. Expect to sweat—this studio’s focus is strength training and cardio. If you need that extra oomph, stream Shred415’s playlist on Spotify. shred415.com.
This fitness hot spot combines strength, endurance, cardio, balance, and flexibility training into a 50-minute total-body session taught on Megaformer machines. Though locations are closed, you can still break a sweat without the machines by following tutorials on PLNK’s Instagram. All you need is something slippery for your feet, such as sliders, socks, a towel, or paper plates, and a yoga mat, resistant band, and a pair of weights. Press play and follow along. plnkfitness.com.
This boxing and kickboxing gym is offering daily livestreamed classes on its Facebook and Instagram pages. The classes are free and can be accessed anytime. Sessions consist of cardio, shadow boxing, and core workouts. No equipment is necessary. Each location will offer its own system and schedule for posting the virtual workouts. title boxingclub.com.
SHARK FITNESS
CROSSFIT ST. LOUIS
At press time, the boot camp was livestreaming four training classes throughout the week. It’s quite the change for the program, whose members normally train outside, regardless of weather, March–December. Inside, the live classes require little to no equipment, and if you can’t make one, catch the videos when they’re posted later in the day. sharkfitness.net.
The personal training gym has tried to keep members motivated during isolation by issuing a challenge: Post videos of your workouts to the gym’s Facebook page. Fitness buffs can also read instructors’ blog posts, meal plans, and motivational posts. On Thursdays, reward your hard work with a virtual happy hour. crossfitstl.com, facebook.com/cross fitstlouis.
SHANTI YOGA
After you finish Zooming for work, use the conference call service for a quick yoga session. Shanti Yoga is streaming four Zoom classes per day. Those who register for a class will receive an email with the link 15 to 30 minutes before it starts. For $88 per month, you get unlimited access to virtual classes. Non-members can join one for $17 or choose one of Shanti’s class packages. shantiyogastl.com.
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MAKING IT WORK Local fitness experts share their must-haves for the home gym.
SILVER LININGS Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a mental health expert offers tools to ease the mind. BY JEN ROBERTS
Even if you have not contracted the coronavirus, the resulting crisis has provided plenty to worry about: loneliness, event cancellations, business closures, and unemployment. A recent national poll released by the American Psychiatric Association found that 48 percent of Americans were anxious about the possibility of getting COVID-19, with 40 percent of those polled worried about becoming seriously ill or dying after being infected. Gary Morse is the vice president of research and development at Places for People, a local mental health service. “If we can refocus on the positive and what gives us a sense of meaning and purpose in life during this difficult time, we will not only cope but we will [also] take these things to another level and turn what’s difficult into something that can be positive and meaningful,” he says. He offers these tips for managing stress. AWARENESS: It’s important to identify
not only the external situations that are causing the stress but also your internal feelings. “This is where we can run into emotional problems, if we don’t acknowledge what we’re feeling,” says Morse. ACCEPTANCE: You don’t have to like it,
but accepting that the feelings you are experiencing are normal for the situation is helpful. “I think there’s a deeper truth that we can get to, and that is, we cannot Photography by John Smith
control everything in life,” says Morse. “It’s one of those existential truths that we usually don’t like to admit or accept, but it’s a reality of being human.” CONTROL: There are still things we
have a say in. What can you do to minimize that stress? If reading the news is causing you to fret, limit your exposure. We can also get in the habit of making healthy coping strategies such as resting, eating well, and practicing deep breathing. CONNECTION: Reframe the term “social
distancing” to “physical distancing.” “It’s critically important to stay socially connected. You might have to be more proactive and creative, but thankfully we live in an age where there are a lot of tools to help us connect,” Morse says. C O M P A S S I O N : “We’re all in this together. We’re all experiencing the same threat of the virus,” says Morse. Practice compassion by checking on neighbors or reaching out to friends. GRATITUDE: “Stress can put us in a nar-
row, negative perspective, so it’s useful to pull back and think about what you feel grateful for in life,” Morse says. See whether you can identify something different each day and write it down. He suggests: “The pandemic doesn’t rob us of the opportunity to find joy in our lives.”
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As we distance, we’re doing everything from our homes— including working out. Whether that means finding a corner of the basement or finally using neglected dumbbells, local exercise gurus assure us: You can still get a good workout in at home. Here’s how they get it done. –K.S.
Cari Allen FOUNDER, STUDIO 3 STL AND CORE 3 FITNESS
What’s in her gym: “I love to have some resistance bands, because they’re super versatile. If you can have them and a set of lighter weights and heavier weights, that’s really all you need.” On staying motivated: “Schedule that time and have a friend to check in with or find a group that will support you and banter back and forth with—those are the critical pieces.”
Katie Helbig MARKETING DIRECTOR, BIG RIVER RUNNING COMPANY
Her go-tos: “Aside from a good pair of running shoes, my other tools are a foam roller and R8 roller for recovery. I do have a treadmill, but, luckily, runners can still run outside.” Pro tip: “[Sharing] running journals on social media are nice checks and balances of ‘I did it, I wrote about it, it’s posted for people to read.’”
Joanna Haydon SPIN INSTRUCTOR, CYCLEBAR 314
What she’s using: “I have bands I got off Amazon for $15. I also have 5-, 10-, and 15-pound weights, so nothing too expansive, just those three sets.” On staying active: “I encourage my friends who don’t own bikes to listen to the class and just get out and move. As long as you’re getting your heart rate up, that’s what matters.” January 2018 stlmag.com
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HOMETOWN OLYMPIAN One of the world’s best hammer throwers proves that being an elite athlete requires more than just killer arms. BY SAMANTHA STEVENSON
“Wait, isn’t that for the unathletic kids?”
DeAnna Price, then a Troy Buchanan High School freshman, remembers asking her brother’s friend. Price had joined the track-and-field team to beat her mother’s 800-meter record. But the friend insisted that the all-state softball player should be a thrower. Unconvinced, she wound the discus back and launched it more than 20 meters (68 feet). She ended up going to the Missouri high school championships that year. Fast forward to July 2019, at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championship, where Price, then 26, won the hammerthrowing event by launching the steel ball 78.24 meters, breaking the U.S. record. That September, at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, she became the first American to ever medal in the event internationally. Right now she’s the fourth best women’s thrower in history. You’d never know that the day before the USA Track & Field event, Price was suffering hip spasms, an ongoing issue that caused her to go from throwing 77 meters to struggling to make 65. She considered ending her season early: “I hit a pretty hard mental block. It wasn’t an injury that was, like, ‘Ow, this hurts.’ I couldn’t turn—it felt like I had a harness on my hips, two handles on my hamstrings, and someone was pulling me back. I couldn’t figure out what was happening,” she says. “I was so scared.” Luckily, a functional movement doctor
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with a magic touch whom Price flew to the Des Moines event helped her regain enough mobility to make that recordbreaking throw. Over the years, a dislocated shoulder, broken arm, and torn knee ligament have tested Price, but she can accept those injuries. “If I got hurt, there was a reason why, because I wasn’t doing something right,” she says. “It was like my body’s own punishment, telling me, ‘OK, you’re not doing this correctly. What do you have to do now?’ I want to be better.” It’s a mindset she credits to her competitive athletic family. “I started playing softball, gosh, right out the womb,” Price jokes. Word has it her great-grandmother was one of the first women to play on a baseball team, and her father even proposed to her mother on a softball field. Among her favorite memories is a tradition she and her father enjoyed: stopping at a gas station in Old Monroe to pick up Chester’s Chicken gizzards and Sun Drop before discus practice. Throughout high school, Price practiced throwing—in addition to softball, basketball, and volleyball—with coach Gary Cooper, the father of that friend of her brother. At their first practice, she knocked herself in the forehead with the 8.8-pound hammer’s handle. “I just dropped it and said, ‘Listen, I’m going to go to college for softball. I don’t want to do this. I can’t even throw this thing,’” she recalls. Then softball was taken out of the Olympics, and despite receiving recruit-
D e ANNA PRICE CELEBRATES WINNING THE GOLD MEDAL FOR THE UNITED STATES IN THE WOMEN’S HAMMER THROW AT THE WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS. THE COMPETITION TOOK PLACE IN DOHA, QATAR, IN SEPTEMBER 2019.
ing pitches from the likes of UCLA and Princeton, she took a partial scholarship for hammer throwing to Southern Illinois University–Carbondale so she could be close to home. Her freshman year, she competed in the 2012 World Junior Championships, in Barcelona. By time she graduated, she was just the fifth woman in NCAA history to win back-toback hammer throw titles. She’s now a volunteer assistant coach at SIUC, alongside her now-husband, J.C. Lambert. Lambert became the university’s assistant throwing coach—walking away from his own athletic career—when Price was a senior. Four years into their relationship, Lambert guided Price to eighth place at the 2016 Rio Olympics. “He was training for the Olympics as well,” she says. “He gave up his Olympic dreams to make mine a reality.” Having a coach as a husband, Price says, means “I don’t get away with much at all. From the morning when I wake up, it’s ‘Did you take your vitamins? How much water have you been drinking?’ We try to do 100 abs to 200 abs a night so I have a tight core, because that ball is heavy… The weight is about the weight of
Photography by John Smith stlmag.com January 2018 PHOTOGRAPHY BY MA-K / E+ / VIA GETTY IMAGES, ANKE WAELISCHMILLER/SVEN SIMON/PICTURE-ALLIANCE/DPA/AP IMAGES, AP PHOTO/DAVID J. PHILLIP
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BERRY ALMOND SMOOTHIE A sweet recipe that’s as tasty as it is healthy BY ANNA BECK
Fruits and veggies just taste better in a bright, cold smoothie. Even though many of our favorite frozen drink spots are temporarily closed, you can make refreshing summertime beverages right at home. This particular blend is packed with nutrients. I make a large batch so I can enjoy some right away and refrigerate the rest in a Mason jar for the next morning. Just remember: If you do save some for later, be sure to shake it up before drinking. (To ensure that you have the bananas at hand when you need them, chop ripe bananas and store them in the freezer ahead of time.) Makes one smoothie INGREDIENTS
a cast-iron skillet. It wants to drag you out of the circle. You have to throw this thing in basically a 7-foot-diameter ring with two door openings—all within 30 seconds,” she says slowly, as if processing just how difficult it sounds. “But it’s fun!” With training facilities closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple installed equipment in their Carbondale home’s garage. Practices consist of drill work, right-arm throws, and arm turns. But it’s not just about the muscle—Price needs the right mindset. “I might be exhausted at practice with cones lined up as markers. [Lambert] will come up to me and say, ‘OK, third round at the Olympic Games, Anita [Włodarczyk] is ahead of you. Gwen [Berry] is ahead of you. Wang Zheng is ahead. You’re sitting in fourth or fifth
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place right now. You have to beat that cone if you want to be in medal contention,’” Price says. “That way, we know we’re mentally ready for those situations. Then it just becomes second nature: ‘OK, game on. Let’s go.’” This sport “takes a lot of patience. It’s doing that extra 5 percent,” she says. “There are three questions I ask myself every morning: Who do I do it for? What’s the purpose? Why? And the answers change every day.” Look at photographs of Price after winning gold in Qatar, an American flag draped over her back, and you’ll see the questions scribbled in Sharpie on her forearm. “As long as I can answer those three questions, I know that I’m doing the right thing,” she says. This spring, a doctor finally diagnosed her hip problem: a partial labral tear. Given the long healing time for such an injury, she was going to be competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics hurt. With Tokyo postponed, she’ll be able to revisit fixing the injury that nearly got to her. “I wasn’t done,” says Price, “and I’m still not done.” For now, she trains.
2 cups almond milk or other non-dairy milk of choice 3 handfuls kale or spinach leaves 2 frozen bananas 1 ½ cup frozen blackberries, blueberries, or mixed berries 2 tablespoons chia seeds 30 to 35 raw almonds (or about 2 tablespoons natural almond butter) Handful of ice Berries, chia seeds, sliced banana, mint, or chopped almonds for topping, optional INSTRUCTIONS
In a high-powered blender, blend the ingredients until no chunks remain (2 to 3 minutes, depending on the power of the blender). Pour the mixture into a glass, and top with berries, chia seeds, sliced banana, mint, or chopped almonds if desired. Now all that’s left to do is relax.
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stlmag.com * June 2020
She was
by
Jeannette Cooperman illus tr at ion
by
Britt Spencer
Kay Thompson k grew up Kitty Fin she in St. Louis, but to wrote herself in yearthe charming 6e old tyrant of Th rk. Plaza in New Yo
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“I am Eloise. I am six.” Those are the first words of the first book by Kay Thompson. A simple enough declaration, but once you’ve met Eloise, you can hear the tone beneath it: all that childish imperiousness and determined energy. And, above all, the sense of fun that drew readers to both the character and her author. Eloise was subtitled A Book for Precocious Grown-ups; Thompson wasn’t the least bit fond of kids and had no intention of writing for them. Yet kids adored the book, precisely because it refused to placate or preach. Sophisticated and gleefully self-indulgent, it arched an eyebrow at the world. Three books followed in quick succession, taking Eloise to Moscow and Paris and letting her make holiday mischief at The Plaza. But when the fifth book was complete, Thompson maddened everyone around her by refusing to sign off. Instead, she withdrew the licenses for everything (movies, merchandise, reprints) but the original book. Decades later, after her death, the franchise exploded with Eloise reissues, collections, special editions, audiobooks, shows, documentaries, events, and swag. Demand has yet to abate. Today’s kids are well used to being ignored by over-busy parents; they commandeer credit cards and monitor the adults’ martinis. Eloise’s worldliness, loneliness, and self-invention grow more recognizable every decade. The character we understand less well is Thompson herself.
THE LAUNCH Catherine Louise Fink, called Kitty by all, was born on November 9, 1909. Her father, Leo Fink, had come to the States from Austria. A jeweler and occasional pawnbroker (Kitty never mentioned that part), he still spoke broken English with a Yiddish accent. Kitty’s mother had been waiting tables at a coffee shop when they fell in love.
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In a year Which
Shall be Nameless
In east St. Louis
This vunderkind,
This enfant prodique,
The second of four children, Kitty went to Soldan High School, where she threw herself into every possible extracurricular activity. She sang and acted in operettas, and moonlighted as a pianist for the St. Louis Symphony. Disdaining study, she graduated 209th in a class of 214. At Washington University, she focused on sorority life—and didn’t graduate at all. As kids, Kay and her brother had hung out a bit with another future author, Tennessee Williams—whom they called Tom—and his sister Rose. The Williamses lived on Westminster Place, the Finks just blocks away at 17 Parkland Place. Vincent Price was two years younger and lived a few miles west on Forsyth, but Kitty would strike up an acquaintance with him—and with another St. Louis native, Agnes Moorehead—in adulthood. By then, Thompson was, as one friend put it, “very New York.” Music had bought her passage. As a teenager, she’d set out to lower her voice so she could horrify her father by becoming a throaty blues singer. It worked. She left home for Hollywood, changed her name immediately, and found work singing on radio. Soon she was coaching smoky cabaret voices from Judy Garland and Lena Horne, too. She infused Rita Hayworth with confidence, created a nightclub act for Marlene Dietrich, taught Carrie Fisher to sing, and told Lucille Ball to not even try, just to “vocalize” with a rhythmic beat. Charged with talent and eccentricity and the extra energy of a young woman who’s been told she’s plain, so she’ll have
This miracle, lyrical,
Slightly hysterical
Gal Was Born.
~FROM “THE PASSION ACCORDING TO ST. KATE, OPUS 19, #46” BY ROGER EDENS, REPRINTED IN KAY THOMPSON: FROM FUNNY FACE TO ELOISE
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stlmag.com * June 2020
FROM FAR LEFT: Kay Thompson, Fred Astaire, and Audrey Hepburn in a publicity photo from the Paramount Pictures 1957 film Funny Face. Thompson is shown holding dolls of her character Eloise in October 1958. The cover of Eloise. A publicity photo from the premiere of the television program The Dick Powell Show. Standing, from left, Ronald Reagan, Nick Adams, Lloyd Bridges, Mickey Rooney, Edgar Bergen, Jack Carson, Ralph Bellamy, Kay Thompson, Dean Jones. Seated, from left, Carolyn Jones and Dick Powell.
to try harder, Thompson developed style, charisma, and quite a following. She married a trombonist but only stuck it out two years. In 1947, just divorced from her second husband, she took Andy Williams under her wing—and into her bed, according to Williams’ 2009 memoir. (He was 19, half her age, but they reportedly enjoyed a clandestine relationship for years, until he fell in love with Claudine Longet.) Thompson created a nightclub act with Williams and his brothers and, according to her biographer, Sam Irvin, she earned more money at cabaret than anyone had ever made before, sailing past $1 million. She was singing, writing music, choreographing, turning simple songs into production numbers. Continued on p. 86 Photography courtesy of AP PHOTO
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S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T I O N
Faces
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Thank you, local leaders and business owners. Now more than ever, we appreciate you for your dedication to our community. In this section, meet the individuals behind the local companies and organizations that help make our region such a wonderful place to live.
NOTE: PHOTOS IN THIS SECTION WERE SUPPLIED FROM AN EARLIER DATE OR PHOTOGRAPHED FROM A SAFE DISTANCE.
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of PEACE OF MIND AccuCare Home Health Care of St. Louis AccuCare Home Health Care of St. Louis, locally RN-owned and RN-managed, is dedicated to providing seniors with the finest private, in-home health care. In their homes. On their terms. Treating their clients as they would care for their own family is the driving force that allows AccuCare Home Health Care of St Louis to provide exceptional care. In addition to assisting with essential everyday needs, their caregivers can transport clients to appointments, perform light housekeeping, give respite care to families, and much more. Jacque and her team make themselves accessible to clients by phone or email 24/7. Celebrating 25 years of Caring! Dignity. Respect. Peace of Mind.
10131 Old Olive Street Road St. Louis, MO 63141 314-692-0020 accucare.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Loretta JacksonNettles, CNA; Dawn Hammack, client; Founder Jacque Phillips, RN, BSN
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T I S I NG S EC T I O N
The Face of DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY St. Charles County Dermatologic Surgery St. Charles County Dermatologic Surgery is St. Charles’ leader in dermatologic surgery. Having served more than 20,000 patients since beginning dermatological surgery in 2001, Dr. Stacey Tull is among the very few dedicated Mohs surgeons in the area. Dr. Tull and her practice also offer specialty skin surgery and more than 30 cosmetic dermatology treatments, including advanced procedures and top-of-the-line products. St. Charles County Dermatologic Surgery is committed to treating every patient like they are family while delivering the very best dermatologic surgical care.
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1493 Cottleville Parkway Cottleville, MO 63376 636-317-DERM (3376) sccdermsurgery.com PICTURED: Stacey Tull, M.D., M.P.H.
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of HOME FINANCING Together Credit Union—Your Hometown, Home Loan ProviderTM “We were planning our wedding when we found this perfect house. The team at Together Credit Union could tell we were rookies, but they made us feel smart and confident we could do this— and we did!” recall Molly and Kyle, Together Credit Union members and first-time homeowners. Selecting the right financing for a home is as important as choosing the right home. Together Credit Union’s professional mortgage loan officers, in-house underwriting team, and in-house servicing team provide the personalized service you expect throughout the entire financing process—from application to closing, and beyond. As St. Louisans’ hometown, home loan provider, Together Credit Union offers loans for every buyer—conventional and jumbo loans, first-time homebuyer and FHA loans, fixed and adjustable rates, as well as a variety of no-PMI, no-closing-cost, and no-point options. As a result, Together Credit Union was named a 2019 Best Credit Union in Missouri by Forbes Magazine. Opening doors and fulfilling dreams—it’s what Together Credit Union does every day.
423 Lynch Street St. Louis, MO 63118 314-771-7700 877-269-4179 togethercu.org PICTURED: Molly and Kyle, Together Credit Union members and first-time homeowners
TOGETHER CREDIT UNION DOES BUSINESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEDERAL FAIR HOUSING LAW AND THE EQUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT. NMLS# 401252. ALL LOANS SUBJECT TO APPROVAL; MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY REQUIRED.
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of MODERN FAMILY DENTISTRY Kemlage Family Dentistry The practice of Drs. Thomas and Andrew Kemlage blends the familiar comfort of a traditional family dental center with modern technology found at the most high-tech dental offices. Through an array of preventative, diagnostic, and treatment services, the team at Kemlage Family Dentistry provides patients with comprehensive care. Dr. Tom has been serving patients for the past 32 years. His son, Dr. Andrew, has been practicing alongside him for the past six. Together, they provide individuals and families with high-quality, affordable services, including dental implants; single-appointment crowns; cosmetic dentistry; full-mouth rehabilitation; orthodontics, including clear aligners; and snoring/sleep apnea treatment. Drs. Tom and Andrew accomplish this using the most advanced equipment available in the field, such as 3-D radiographs, computer-designed surgical guides for implants, CEREC for porcelain crowns and veneers, unique cavity-detecting cameras, relaxing nitrous oxide gas, digital impressions, and more. The supreme quality, innovation, convenience, and affordability provided at Kemlage Family Dentistry truly place them at the top. Their family looks forward to serving yours.
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1576 Smizer Station Road Fenton, MO 63026 636-225-1777 kemlagefamilydentistry.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Thomas F. Kemlage, DDS; Andrew T. Kemlage, DDS
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of FUN, INSPIRING & UNIQUE BRIDAL GOWNS Mia Grace Bridal This fun and inspiring little shop was a vision conceived by a team of women passionate about providing a fresh approach to the St. Louis bridal experience. They believe brides are shopping for more than just a dress; they are looking for an intimate, individualized experience in fun and comfortable surroundings. Their philosophy is simple: to help you look your most beautiful, retain your individuality, and be totally confident in your choice. The ambiance is laid-back and relaxed, the perfect environment in which to choose a wedding dress. It’s about dedication to the details and exceeding expectations. Their collection of dresses includes classic, timeless designs; vintage-inspired glamour; freestyle bohemian; romantic; whimsical; and modern. If you are looking for an experience that celebrates you, your day and your unique style, visit Mia Grace Bridal. It’s what you imagined shopping for your wedding dress would be.
108 Chesterfield Towne Center Chesterfield, MO 63005 636-778-3434 miagracebridal.com info@miagracebridal.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Madison Smith, general manager; Vicky Smith, owner
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of HEALTHY SMILES Lisa J. McDonald D.M.D. and Associates Dr. Lisa J. McDonald and associates believe that a healthy body starts with a healthy smile. Research continues to show that oral bacteria and disease is connected to heart disease, inflammatory disease, and brain health. In order to help their patients live the most healthy life possible, the doctors work diligently to stay up to date on the current advances in dentistry and bring this level of care into the practice. Each patient can be assured that they will receive a thorough exam looking at the gums, teeth, tissues, and airway. The doctors are trained to provide high-quality care and offer dental fillings and crown work, implants, dentures, periodontal (gum) procedures, root canals, InvisalignÂŽ, TMD treatment, and sleep apnea treatment. They take the time needed to treat each patient and their individual needs and ensure that all care is completed in a kind and compassionate manner.
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7247 Delmar Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63130 314-727-1319 dentalhealthandwellness.net PICTURED: Lisa J. McDonald, D.M.D.
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA TREATMENT Movahed OMS Dr. Reza Movahed is a practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeon serving the Greater St. Louis region and patients worldwide. After receiving his Doctorate in Dental Medicine, he completed prestigious intern and residency programs, and a fellowship specializing in TMJ and corrective jaw surgery to manage dentofacial deformities and obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious and life-threatening condition. Undiagnosed OSA could result in heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and more. Dr. Movahed’s approach to OSA significantly opens the upper airway. In turn, this surgery results in a restored quality of life by eliminating detrimental health problems associated with obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Movahed has a great appreciation for cutting-edge technological advancements in the specialty and developing work flows for virtual surgery, adding a high value of precision to wexecuting treatment. He is also implementing the use of robotic surgery into his advanced approach to obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Movahed lectures worldwide and stays involved in research to advance the outcome of treatments.
1585 Woodlake Drive, Ste. 208 Chesterfield, MO 63017 314-878-6725 movahedoms.com PICTURED: Reza Movahed, D.M.D.
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of PEST CONTROL Rottler Pest Solutions Since 1956, Rottler Pest Solutions has been St. Louis’ choice for superior pest control. Rottler’s reputation is due in part to its investment in environmentally proven technologies, its diverse group of committed, dependable team members, and their involvement in the community. Rottler is the official pest control company of the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues, a sponsor of the Metro St. Louis Heart Walk, and is trusted by prominent St. Louis commercial organizations. From Rottler’s Quality Pro designation to pre-appointment confirmations, customers can always expect their experience to be comfortable and worry-free. Founded by Fred Rottler, the third-generation company employs more than 200 people in nine locations. Fred’s sons, Mike and Gary, and grandson, Daniel, are committed to Rottler’s familyoriented, personal service approach. Known for a steadfast commitment to exceeding customer expectations, Rottler offers a full range of services that address homeowners’ needs including residential and commercial pest control, attic insulation, wildlife, and bed bug services.
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Corporate Headquarters: 2690 Masterson Avenue St. Louis, MO 63114 314-426-6100 rottler.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Gary Rottler, Michael Rottler, Daniel Rottler
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of CARDIAC SURGERY St. Luke’s Heart & Vascular Institute St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield is the only hospital in Missouri named one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery™ by Healthgrades® two years in a row (2019–2020). The honor places St. Luke’s among the top 50 U.S. hospitals for superior results in coronary artery bypass grafting procedures and heart valve surgery. They are also proud to be in alliance with Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, ranked No. 1 in the nation for heart care since 1995 by U.S. News & World Report. St. Luke’s heart specialists benefit from the most advanced technologies and innovations available from Cleveland Clinic’s renowned research and protocols. Patients benefit from the collaborative alliance and the availability of world-class heart care close to home.
232 S. Woods Mill Road Chesterfield, MO 63017 314-205-6801 stlukes-stl.com/hearthealth PICTURED, FROM LEFT: St. Luke’s Hospital Cardiothoracic Surgeons Ronald Leidenfrost, M.D.; Jeremy Leidenfrost, M.D.; Michael Ryan Reidy, M.D.
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of LIGHTING Metro Lighting Metro Lighting offers an unbeatable selection of lighting, ceiling fans, home furnishings, and accessories at six family-operated lighting centers throughout St. Louis. Unlike most other lighting retailers, Metro Lighting guarantees their pricing, even against the internet and big-box stores. Additionally, they stand behind top-quality products by offering their own warranty—on top of the manufacturer’s warranty—on any lighting purchase. Their goal is to provide a positive customer experience from beginning to end. An environmentally conscious company, Metro Lighting is an eight-time national ENERGY STAR Award winner. Customers can find in their inventory a number of ENERGY STAR products, the latest in LED, and other energy-saving devices. Metro Lighting maintains a high level of community involvement, employing more than 150 St. Louisans, as well as participating in and supporting numerous charities and schools. When you shop for lighting or home décor, consider Metro Lighting, where you’ll get the guaranteed best price while supporting a local business.
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Call or go online for a detailed list of locations. 314-963-8330 metrolightingcenters.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Bill Frisella, President; Barb Moynihan, Executive Vice President; Brett Vollrath, C.F.O.
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of CIVIL LITIGATION Rynearson, Suess, Schnurbusch & Champion L.L.C. The attorneys of Rynearson, Suess, Schnurbusch & Champion L.L.C. provide outstanding litigation service from offices located in St. Louis and Edwardsville. With exceptional experience and skill, RSS&C’s litigators are highly respected by other members of the Bar, as reflected by peer-review ratings in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers™, Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers®, and Avvo. Its partners have been listed among St. Louis’ Best Lawyers® and The Best Lawyers in America and tout long resumés of success stories, including awards for most defense verdicts and largest defense verdicts in Missouri. The firm handles a broad spectrum of litigation, representing businesses, insurance companies, governmental entities, and individuals.
THE CHOICE OF A LAWYER IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION AND SHOULD NOT BE BASED SOLEY UPON ADVERTISEMENTS.
500 N. Broadway, Ste. 1550 St. Louis, MO 63102 314-421-4430 107 South Pointe Drive Edwardsville, IL 62025 618-659-0588 rssclaw.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Debbie Champion, Jeff Suess, John Kemppainen, Scott Bjorseth, Sam Rynearson, Ellen Brooke
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC TI O N
The Face of JUSTICE FOR THE INJURED Gretchen Myers Gretchen Myers is a nationally recognized trial lawyer who’s passionate about seeking justice for her injured clients. She believes in protecting her community by sending a message in the courtroom that safety and people’s lives matter. Now more than ever, with the COVID-19 outbreak in our community, she stands with all of you. Focusing on major car and trucking collisions, catastrophic injury, brain injury and death cases, Myers consistently gets results—results that put her in the top 1 percent in the nation based upon her inclusion in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®, and annually land her on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Lawyers and Best Law Firm lists. In a male-dominated field, she cuts a wide swath as the first woman to be elected President of Missouri’s statewide trial lawyer association and the first woman chosen to be President-Elect of APITLA, a national organization dedicated to reducing truckingrelated injuries and deaths. She is also the first and only woman on the 5 Star Truck Accident Preferred list of attorneys (limited to five attorneys per state). Her work for people in need is a cause—not a business. If you are injured and you want justice, Gretchen Myers is the face you want representing you.
The Law Offices of Gretchen Myers, P.C. 222 S. Central Avenue, Ste. 675 St. Louis, MO 63105 314-621-5454 gmyerslaw.com PICTURED: Gretchen Myers
THE CHOICE OF A LAWYER IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION AND SHOULD NOT BE BASED SOLEY UPON ADVERTISEMENTS.
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of FAMILY LAW Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, PC Caring, responsive, and realistic advice. Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal clients expect it, and Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal attorneys deliver it. When you call or email them, you can expect a prompt response. When a critical issue arises, they will advise you honestly and directly. If your case can be settled, they will apply their many years of experience to getting you the best possible outcome. If it has to be tried, they have some of the most battle-tested lawyers in Missouri at your disposal. With 13 attorneys who work exclusively in family law, and another 18 lawyers with diverse areas of knowledge including business, estate planning, tax, real estate, disability law, and immigration, they can find the right lawyer for your individual needs. Call and find out how Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal can make a difference in your life.
THE CHOICE OF A LAWYER IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION AND SHOULD NOT BE BASED SOLEY UPON ADVERTISEMENTS.
165 N. Meramec Avenue Ste. 110, St. Louis, MO 63105 314-727-2266 1001 Boardwalk Springs Place Ste. 111 , O’Fallon, MO 63368 636-443-2050 pcblawfirm.com PICTURED, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT: Alan Freed, Kathryn Dudley, Alisse Camazine, Susan Block, Amy Hogenson, Amy Johnson; BACK ROW: Allison Schreiber Lee, Samantha Jones, Tim Schlesinger, Bruce Friedman, Lisa Moore, Lauren Gearhart, Eleanore Palozola
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC TI O N
The Face of COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Intelica CRE Intelica Commercial Real Estate Company is a fullservice, St. Louis-based consulting firm that provides commercial real estate advisory services. Their three principals, Dan Dokovic, Dan Merlo, and Gary Parker, along with more than 30 seasoned staff, are intimately involved in each transaction. By strategically utilizing the experience and knowledge of their entire team, Intelica positions themselves to provide results-driven brokerage services, more effective and accessible management practices, and innovative and client-specific strategic advisory services to owners, investors, and users of commercial real estate throughout the St. Louis area. By understanding their clients’ industries, Intelica helps enhance the performance of clients’ real estate assets and set new standards of excellence. Celebrating their 10-year anniversary this year, Intelica is a loyal St. Louis company committed to helping their city flourish.
600 Emerson Road, Ste. 210 Creve Coeur, MO 63141 314-270-5991 intelicacre.com PICTURED: Dan Dokovic, Co-Founder and Principal of Intelica CRE
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
The Face of GROWTH Bamboo Equity Partners Bamboo Equity Partners is a St.Louis-based commercial real estate private equity firm. The firm invests in their community by taking tired and underutilized properties, channeling some creativity, and, with an entrepreneurial spirit, reimagining the space to make an impact. They hope that by creating efficient, attractive spaces for people to work and connect in, they will better lives. Another benefit of investing in local properties is the investment in the local economy. Local contractors work on the projects, local public services benefit from the increased tax revenue, and the local community gets to enjoy the end results. Over Bamboo’s almost decade of experience, the firm has successfully managed 30-plus projects, touching more than 2 million square feet in St. Louis and returning healthy profits to investors. Generally, they use homegrown artists, such as Jennifer Hayes and Grace McCammond, in their properties to brighten up the spaces and give more exposure to St. Louis talent.
600 Emerson Road, Ste. 210 Creve Coeur, MO 63141 314-744-8998 bambooequity.com PICTURED: Alice C. Benner, Principal and Managing Director of Bamboo Equity Partners
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FACES OF ST. LOUIS
S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N
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She Was Eloise Continued from p. 67
“It’s no exaggeration to say that Kay Thompson changed the face of American popular music in the 20th century,” singer and music historian Michael Feinstein told the Los Angeles Times in 2010. “She started to do these complex vocal arrangements combining jazz, blues, and pop music with classic influences in a way that no one had done before.” She also acted—most famously as the fabulous and formidable fashion editor in Funny Face, upstaging Audrey Hepburn. But because Thompson wasn’t conventionally pretty, she wound up working more behind the scenes—which stung. She pumped up the personality instead, dressing with dramatic flair (hot-pink zebra-print pants, turbans). She also underwent multiple nose jobs (one source counted five). Without the first one, at 18, she remained convinced that she never would have gotten her first real job, singing part time with a band. It had been her first experience of financial independence and her first taste of fame. THE BIRTH OF ELOISE
Blazingly talented, Thompson did just about everything but write—at least, until friends begged her to capture her impish alter ego, Eloise, on paper. Legend has it that Thompson had invented Eloise when, late for a rehearsal, she drove across a golf course, screeched into the parking lot, and tore inside. Someone asked her who she thought she was, showing up late, and she replied in a highpitched voice, “I am Eloise, and I’m 6.” In truth, she’d been Eloise at least since her teens. In Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise, Irvin writes that she even had an imaginary friend named Eloise as a child. By the time she was a counselor at Minne-Wonka Girls’ Summer Camp, Finky, as she was then known by her peers, was warning the younger girls, “You better do what I say, or you’ll have to answer to me—Eloise!” In adulthood, Eloise could be counted
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on to emerge whenever Thompson needed forgiveness or permission. Irvin quotes Edith Head’s description of Thompson making demands at Paramount Studios “in the squeaky voice of a little girl shot with arsenic.” He also quotes Tiffany’s director of design; “Kay had the mind of a grasshopper. Whenever she got exasperated with me, she’d go into her Eloise voice and say, ‘Well, goodbye! I’m going to play in traffic!’” Not everyone was amused by the fiction, but those who were urged Thompson to capture Eloise on paper. A fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar even introduced Thompson to a young illustrator named Hilary Knight. After watching Thompson’s nightclub act at The Plaza, he drew her a Christmas card that showed Eloise riding on Santa’s sack as his sleigh glided among the stars. Knight’s impression of Eloise had been inspired by a drawing his artist mother once made of a little girl in striped socks. Thompson smiled when she opened the envelope. He’d gotten it right. And so began the famous collaboration. Instant hits, the books soon floated on a sea of Eloise bonnets, Eloise toys, Eloise doll clothes, Eloise emergency kits. Room 934 at The Plaza became The Eloise Room, decorated in perfect imitation of the book, and little girls could order from an Eloise menu or visit the Eloise ice cream shop or host an Eloise tea party. Often, Knight watched Thompson “veer back and forth between Kay and Eloise.” When Francis Ford Coppola called, hoping to include Eloise in his New York Stories, “she would answer either as Eloise or as Kay Thompson,” Knight later told Renée Montagne on National Public Radio. The conversation lasted hours, and when Thompson finally made it clear that she was saying no, Coppola replied wearily, “All right. Good night to both of you.” The similarities were, after all, striking. Not so much in appearance—Eloise had dirty-blonde flyaway hair, and she lacked the skinniness of her creator, who reportedly subsisted mainly on Fig Newtons and Coca-Cola. (She found the red can chic.) Thompson was 5-foot-5, but so lean and angular, she reportedly looked 5-7; she referred to herself as “a tall drink of water” and heightened the effect by wearing pants (shocking at the time) that she had designed herself. Kay Thomp-
son’s Fancy Pants were sold at Saks Fifth Avenue. Alas, they would not have suited Eloise, who was not tall at all and wore an oft-untucked white puff-sleeved blouse and a pleated black skirt that tended to slip beneath her little potbelly. What the two shared was a love of mischief, a rebellious spirit, a need for attention and excitement, and an utter indifference to convention. They indulged their own cravings. They kept their nerve and confidence up at all times. “She is not yet pretty,” Thompson wrote of Eloise, “but she is already a Person.” Readers soon learned that Eloise’s mother was 30, had a charge at Bergdorf ’s, and knew Coco Chanel personally. In a rough draft, Thompson wrote, “I overheard Mabel, the afternoon maid, saying that mother was a nymphomaniac”—but that observation didn’t make it to press. Readers did discover, however, that Eloise’s mother traveled with a lawyer who liked martinis; as for Eloise, she liked grass. (Later, more cautious editors replaced “grass” with “dandelions.”) Eloise kept a bottle of gin in her bedroom. (Her author preferred vitamin B-12 injections that were, according to Irvin, mostly speed. A newspaper exposé later outed the good doctor’s prescribing habits.) Eloise poured water down the mail chute and ordered a single raisin from room service for her turtle, Skipperdee. When a hotel door was open, she’d walk in: “I pretend I am an orphan and sometimes I limp and look sort of sad, and they give me a piece of melon or something.” In Paris, she turned a bidet into Skipperdee’s “own private swimming pool.” Back in New York, she burst into The Plaza’s Rendezvous Room and interrupted a couple canoodling (and it was somehow obvious that they were married to other people). When she visited Moscow, her worldliness turned political: “They give you your key,” she reported. “Here’s who else they give it to—everybody.” “I admire Eloise enormously,” said Groucho Marx, “and I am very happy that I am not her father.” THE TANTRUM
If Eloise was a handful, just imagine her creator. In 1960, the portrait Knight painted of Eloise, which had hung in The Plaza for years, disappeared. Princess Grace of Monaco was crushed; she’d brought the
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royal children to see it. Walter Cronkite announced the kidnapping on the evening news. When the painting failed to materialize, Knight did another, this one Neoclassical. Eloise struck a George Washington pose, with Skipperdee and Weenie (her pug, who looked like a cat) at her feet. Two years later, Knight received an anonymous phone call telling him he could find the portrait in a trash can in uptown Manhattan. It had been torn from its frame and slashed across the knees. He winced and threw it in the back of a closet. But according to Tablet, an online Jewish magazine, “in 1993, Thompson idly mentioned to a reporter that she’d found the painting in the trash. It was probably a coincidence that she’d been furious at Knight because critics had praised the art in Eloise in Moscow and panned the text.” The collaboration did continue, with Knight flying several times to Rome to work with Thompson on a fifth Eloise book. In July 1964, Ursula Nordstrom, who was in charge of children’s books at Harper & Row, bought the front cover of Publishers’ Weekly to announce Eloise Takes a Bawth. But when Thompson saw Knight’s final sketches, she said she didn’t like them—then went incommunicado. In November, Nordstrom wrote to Thompson: “I wonder if I’m dead and don’t realize it, and that’s why you can’t get in touch with me.” After pulling the plug on the bawth, Thompson took back all licensing rights for Eloise the character and all publishing rights for the last three books. Only the original Eloise, which she felt was the best, would remain in print. She stayed in Rome, renting a palazzo at the foot of the Spanish Steps, riding a Vespa, and feeding her pug lime-green Chuckles. When he died of diabetes, Thompson, devastated, came home. Knight remained as gracious as humanly possible, sending flowers and little drawings on her birthdays (unacknowledged) and valiantly ignoring the fact that she’d deprived him of substantial royalties his work could have earned. His exasperation didn’t surface until years later, when he drew a parody of his own Eloise cover for Vanity Fair. In this version, Thompson was on the cover. Having kicked the chair from beneath the little girl, she’s scrawling, “I am Eloise” in lipstick on the vanity mirror.
THE LATER YEARS
In 1950, society photographer Cecil Beaton tried, hard, to analyze Thompson’s charisma: “The facts about her are that she sings and prances in cabaret between Los Angeles and Istanbul; that she is skeletal, hatchet-faced, blonde and American; that she wears tight, tapering slacks and moves like a mountain goat. The proper language in which to review her is not English at all but Esperanto. Or possibly Morse code.” She was, like Eloise, her own creation. And she became, noted critic Emily Nussbaum, “a kind of skeleton key to midcentury Broadway and Hollywood.” Then it all changed. In 1973, Thompson was evicted from The Plaza—no more Eloise books, no more free rent for a difficult guest. She threw herself into music, film, and theater, staged a fashion show at the Palace of Versailles. Her eccentricities multiplied; in short, she grew squirrelly. Friends pronounced her a control freak. Granted, this wasn’t new: Irvin recalls her fury with Paramount Studios when Audrey Hepburn got to wear Givenchy and she did not. Thompson also feuded with Fred Astaire, according to Irvin, and the coolly gracious Hepburn said only, “Yes, well, ’tis a bit of a strain.” Now, Thompson was growing steadily (or, rather, unsteadily) more erratic. “Not to take anything away from her talent,” Feinstein said, “but she was crazy.” Still, she never lost her spirit. In 1988, Donald Trump bought The Plaza, and the following year, he wanted to use Eloise to promote the hotel. Thompson said no. By the ’90s, she’d grown reclusive. She was living with her beloved goddaughter, Liza Minnelli, and going out less. When she did emerge, she was often clad entirely in black, her head wrapped—and was infuriated by comparisons to Isak Dinesen. Minnelli cared for Thompson until her death, in July 1998. She was 88, though no one knew it at the time; she’d lied about her age or refused to disclose it for years. In 2003, her star was added to the St. Louis Walk of Fame. POSTHUMOUS PUBLICATIONS
Thompson bequeathed her estate— including all licensing rights—to her sister Blanche. Suddenly the way was clear to publish all her books, make audiobooks (Bernadette Peters narrated three), sell Eloise lip gloss and Eloise purses. In 2006, an animated children’s TV series
premiered, and one episode drew on the time Thompson spent on the set of Funny Face to send Eloise to Hollywood. First, of course, Eloise Takes a Bawth was rescued. (The cover bore a note, “additional plumbing by Mart Crowley.”) More posthumous books followed, some illustrated by Knight, others just inspired by the original series. Simon & Schuster did Ready to Read books that had Eloise skating, visiting the zoo, going to a ball game, giving advice, sending kisses—but without Thompson and Knight, the books are a bit…ordinary. The originals, however, retain their power. A keyword search for “oooooooooo” is guaranteed to pull up articles about Eloise, scads of clever reporters skibbling, swiggling, and skiddering over Eloise. In 2017, Lena Dunham—who has a winged and haloed Eloise tattooed on her lower back—released a documentary about Hilary Knight, the man who best knew the sharp edges and sadness beneath Thompson’s gaiety. You can find that sadness in the books if you look for it. “Everyone knew we were going, but no one cried,” Eloise says, leaving for Paris. “So if no one remembers me/and no presents I can find/I’ll know I don’t deserve them/It doesn’t matter/I don’t mind,” she announces at Christmastime. Her mother is rarely around; Nanny is the closest thing to a loving and companionable adult presence. When she watches the fights, Eloise orders her pilsners—and sometimes Johnnie Walker Black, straight up. “And charge it, please.” Thompson insisted that Eloise’s charisma lay in her personality. “She is a free spirit living in an enchanted world,” Thompson told the Associated Press. “She has so much to do and never enough time.” But as Marjorie Ingall noted in Tablet, the dark side of Eloise was just as compelling: “Children understand greed, sorrow, rage, and mania more than we know.” Like her creator, Eloise bundled contradictions, with pain and delight, nerve and exuberance each taking its turn. “No birds and bees for Eloise,” Thompson once wrote as a song lyric. “So young, so bright, and so shy, and so shy, and so delightful, so frightful, she really had a house that was a home. The Persian Room, diversion room, perversion room. So on your knees for Eloise. The beautiful queen called Eloise.” ■ June 2020 stlmag.com
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S T. LO U I S SAG E
ZOOLOGY
What’s with the castle wall in Fairground Park? I
F YOU STAND in the southeast
corner of Fairground Park, near Grand and Natural Bridge, you can’t miss it: an ornate fortress wall, thick with brick and stone, segmented by four crenellated turrets. It’s the only structure left from St. Louis’ first zoo—and it once housed bears. In 1856, the land that’s now the park became the site of a sprawling Agricultural and Mechanical Fair, held annually. The fairgrounds eventually included exhibition halls; a three-story “gallinarium” (chicken palace) for showing off poultry; a half-mile horse racing track and grandstand; and an amphitheater that could hold tens of thousands of spectators. When the Civil War erupted, the Union Army converted that amphitheater into a hospital. The fairgrounds as a whole, plus an adjacent property, became the Benton Barracks; thousands of soldiers, and even some refugee slaves, passed through. After the war, the annual fair resumed, and the organizers decided to assemble a zoo. They built several structures in 1876, including the fortress wall. It was near the entrance and deep enough to hold bear pits. Within a decade, the zoo had added llamas, antelopes, tapirs, kangaroos, and a water hog, but the bears were the main attraction. Admission was 25 cents for adults, 10 cents for children.
FEATURED CREATURES ANIMALS ON EXHIBIT AT THE FAIRGROUND ZOO
ZEBU COW
BULL CAMEL
BUFFALO
LEOPARD
KANGAROO
LLAMA
Yet the zoo struggled financially. In 1891, the animals went to public auction. The Ringling Brothers and some private citizens bought specimens, but many others were snatched up by the city, which was planning a new zoo for Forest Park. The city managed to acquire, among other animals, a herd of elk, a Zebu cow, and a bull camel named Clint. The last two were escorted through the streets to their new home; the more skittish animals made the short journey in wooden crates. The fairgrounds zoo had always been a rambunctious place; one groundskeeper was gored by a buffalo and saw his clothes ripped by a leopard. But the dismantling was particularly chaotic. An old lioness named Kate refused to enter her crate and had to be subdued with ropes. Pat the panther screamed after being lured into a box with a piece of meat and locked inside. The black wolf somehow escaped, triggering a 5-mile chase. It’s less clear from press reports what happened to the bears, but their enclosure endures. The city bought the land and christened Fairground Park in 1909. There was talk of converting the bear pits into a “comfort station” or even handball courts. Instead, they’ve been sealed up and now serve as storage space for the parks department. Perhaps it’s just as well; even in 1919, officials at the zoo in Forest Park acknowledged that bears deserve habitats, not pits.
ANTELOPE
ST. LOUIS MAGAZINE, VOL. 26, ISSUE 6 (ISSN 1090-5723) is published monthly by St. Louis Magazine LLC, 1600 S. Brentwood, Suite 550, St. Louis, MO 63144. Change of address: Please send new address and old address label and allow 6 to 8 weeks for change. Send all remittances and requests to St. Louis Magazine, Circulation Department, 1600 S. Brentwood, Suite 550, St. Louis, MO 63144. Periodicals postage paid at St. Louis, MO, and additional mailing office. Postmaster: Send address changes to St. Louis Magazine, 1600 S. Brentwood, Suite 550, St. Louis, MO 63144.
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