June 2019 | St. Louis Magazine

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CATCH A SOCCER GAME / KAYAK THE RIVER / STARGAZE IN FOREST PARK p.62 PLUS

FAIRS & FESTIVALS AND

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

June 2019

THE BAKED BEAR

15 WAYS TO BURN OFF THIS CONE p.77

CAN TWO MIDWESTERNERS SAVE SAUDI ARABIA'S HORSES? p.90

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Our All-Star lineup of triplets is growing. And so is the rest of our team.

Families rely on the expertise of the Missouri Baptist Childbirth Center team throughout their pregnancy journey. Since each experience is unique, our team of high-risk specialists is expanding. Together, we are now providing care to more families in our community. To learn more visit MissouriBaptist.org/Triplets

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FEATURES

jun19

VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 6

62 Summer in the City Whether you’re looking to unwind or get moving, options abound. By Jeannette Cooperman, Amanda E. Doyle, Jarrett Medlin, Elizabeth Rund, and Amanda Woytus

➝ One of our most iconic summertime traditions: Fair Saint Louis under the Arch

CATCH A SOCCER GAME / KAYAK THE RIVER / STARGAZE IN FOREST PARK p.62 PLUS

FAIRS & FESTIVALS AND

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

June 2019

P.

THE BAKED BEAR

15 WAYS TO BURN OFF THIS CONE p.77

CAN TWO MIDWESTERNERS SAVE SAUDI ARABIA'S HORSES? p.90

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To capture the essence of summer for this month’s cover, staff photographer Kevin A. Roberts shot a colorful triple-scoop cone from The Baked Bear, styled by Freezer Burn Inc.’s Brian Preston-Campbell.

Photography by Zach Dalin

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P.

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Be Well

All the King’s Horses

By Jeannette Cooperman, George Mahe, Elizabeth Rund, Samantha Stevenson, and Emily Wasserman

By Jeannette Cooperman

Expert advice on fitn ss, nutrition, and healthy living

Two trainers in southern Illinois are bringing back the glorious desert-bred Arabian horse.

June 2019 stlmag.com

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D E PA R TM E N T S

VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 6

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From the Editor

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TASTE

51 Prime Time The Wood Shack’s Soulard Primer

G AT E WAY

52 Putting Down Roots Another heavy hitter joins Maplewood’s dining scene.

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Tough Row Sam Page takes the helm of a government in transition.

16 Steve Stenger’s Saga 3 things to know about the indictment 18 Square Deal St. Louis is closer than ever to a Major League Soccer team. Behold, plans for a (not-Imo’s inspired) stadium. 20 Girl Talk What do you get when you mix Fresh Air with Terry Gross and Amy Schumer? Meet Cliterally Speaking the Podcast.

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31 E

ELEMENTS

Give It a Twirl Patterned midi skirts are all the rage this summer.

34 Modern Master With Gulush Threads, Kristen Gula is bringing hand embroidery into the 21st century. 36 Party Pics Dada Ball & Bash, A Mighty Night

A

ANGLES

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Cat’s Meow Rob Connoley’s modern interpretation of Ozark cuisine

54 Summer Sippin’ Three favorite local beers to enjoy this summer 56 Pop In The Baileys’ bubbly-themed restaurant and bar was introduced like no other.

RHYTHM

58 Hot Spots Bulrush, Quattro Trattoria, Café Coeur, and more 59 Ins, Outs & Almosts Cobalt, Craft, La Bamba, and other new eateries 60 Frankly Speaking Frank and Eva Imo play the divide and conquer card and are winning the restaurant game.

23

Redemption Story

Terence Blanchard brings Fire Shut Up in My Bones to life in opera.

26 Top 10 Carrie Underwood, Queer Eye’s Tan France, Shawn Mendes, and more 28 Painting by Numbers Jessica Hitchcock left finance for something more. 29 See This Now The Muny struts into its second century with the regional premiere of Kinky Boots.

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St. Louis Sage

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41

At the Fulcrum

A conversation with Adrienne Davis

44 Global Support The St. Louis International Spouses Meetup Group is breaking down barriers. 48 One Mississippi, Two Mississippi A look back at 1969’s Mississippi Music Festival

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ribe SubscW !

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jun19

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 6

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Jarrett Medlin Deputy Editor Amanda Woytus Staff Writer Jeannette Cooperman Dining Editor George Mahe Associate Editor Samantha Stevenson Digital Media Manager Steph Zimmerman Contributing Writers Amanda E. Doyle, Robert W. Duffy, Holly Fann, Dave Lowry, Megan Mertz, Jen Roberts, Stefene Russell, Mike Sweeney, Emily Wasserman Intern Elizabeth Rund ART & PRODUCTION Design Director Tom White Art Director Emily Cramsey Sales & Marketing Designer Monica Lazalier Production Manager Dave Brickey Staff Photographer Kevin A. Roberts Contributing Photographers & Illustrators David Anderson, Diane Anderson, Noah MacMillan, Matt Marcinkowski, Jennifer Silverberg, Britt Spencer Stylists Ana Dattilo, Brian Preston-Campbell ADVERTISING Account Executives Chad Beck, Jill Gubin, Brian Haupt, Carrie Mayer, Kim Moore, Liz Schaefer, Dani Toney Sales & Marketing Coordinator Elaine Hoffmann Digital Advertising Coordinator Blake Hunt MARKETING Director of Special Events Jawana Reid CIRCULATION Circulation Manager Dede Dierkes Circulation Coordinator Teresa Foss BUSINESS Business Manager Carol Struebig

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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. MINGLE To inquire about event photos, email Emily Cramsey at ecramsey@stlmag.com. (Please include “Mingle” in the subject line.)

What are you most looking forward to this summer? “Strolling through the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market—a great place to catch up with friends and see some cute dogs.” —Steph Zimmerman, digital media manager “Taking the kids hiking at Shaw Nature Reserve.” —Tom White, design director “Hearing Tonina Saputo perform at the Missouri Botanical Garden this month.” —Jarrett Medlin, editor-in-chief

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send letters to jmedlin@stlmag.com. 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 Hoffmann at 314-918-3002 or ehoffmann@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 2019 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. ©2019 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

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FROM THE EDITOR

VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 6

Local Flavor A St. Louis native, illustrator Noah MacMillan’s clients include City Museum, Schlafly, and Shake Shack, among others. For this month’s cover feature (p. 62), he brings to life some other beloved summertime destinations.

Love Bites MAYBE IT’S THOSE Sterling K. Brown commercials. Maybe it

was Kennedy Holmes’ rousing performance with Jennifer Hudson. Or maybe it’s because of the obsession with meeting in St. Louis on Broad City’s finale. (Ilana Glazer is, after all, coming to The Pageant this month.) Whatever the reason, St. Louis seems to be having a moment. Suddenly we’re getting more ink and airtime than usual, with everyone weighing in about our essentials. Forbes and Food & Wine recently toasted our evolving culinary scene, highlighting Imo’s and Eat-Rite Diner, Vicia and Tony’s. Vogue assembled an aesthete’s road map, noting such stylish spots as projects + gallery and Bar Les Frères. (Impressed, the fashion bible went on to profile restaurateur Zoë Robinson.) And this April, The New York Times’ “36 Hours In” series returned to the Lou, just a year after the NYT published a budget-friendly tour of the city. Last time the popular NYT series covered STL, it called out Mud House, SweetArt, The Royale, and the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum. This time, it mostly stuck to the central corridor and more famous institutions (with a few welcome exceptions, including Renegade Tours and Balkan Treat Box). Others quickly weighed in about what the Times had missed. Readers, Reddit posters, and local media showed appreciation for the limelight—and shared other recs. “There’s not a thing on this list to do after 10 p.m., much less anything the Chamber of Commerce couldn’t have told you about,” the Riverfront Times observed, suggesting additional hidden gems more suitable for late-night fun: Side Project Cellar and St. Liborius Church, Improv Shop and Oaked.

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stlmag.com June 2019

While photographing Arabian horses (p. 90), Kevin A. Roberts discovered that, like his 8-month-old son, colts like to bite things. “It’s not like the bites were painful; more so playful,” he said. “A teething infant, though, that hurts.”

The Pitch Author Amanda E. Doyle took a break from promoting her new book, St. Louis Sound, to write about more local faves (p. 62).

NYT commenters noted the article’s lack of barbecue and the symphony, the Loop and Lafayette Square, Jazz St. Louis and the World Chess Hall of Fame, Bellefontaine Cemetery and the Basilica, Crown Candy and Ted Drewes. Reddit posters listed myriad other microbreweries—and applauded “the part about how it didn’t mention stupid things like T-rav, Ted Drewes, Imo’s, and which high school you attended.” Ted Drewes and Imo’s aside, we welcomed the national coverage and, more so, the ardent suggestions from so many people who care so deeply about our city. The truth is you can’t possibly squeeze all of the metro area’s noteworthy destinations—under-theradar or otherwise—into 36 hours. This month, we offer up a few more itineraries, memorable ways to spend the summer (p. 62). The feature’s by no means exhaustive—it’s just one more way to encourage St. Louisans and out-of-towners alike to explore the region. You might rediscover the familiar spots: Learn about Forest Park’s past, or visit Tom Huck’s Evil Prints before taking in a ballgame. You might crave an outdoor adventure: Paddleboard at Simpson Lake, or take a Jet Ski out on the river. You might prefer a low-key day with the kiddos: Order Mickey-shaped pancakes at Allin’s Diner in St. Charles, or catch fireflies at the Butterfly House. Otherwise, consider putting a premium on relaxation: Sip a Perennial ale at Chandler Hill, or meditate at a Buddhist retreat. Whatever your mood, we have options to get you started. You’ll even find Ted Drewes—or, if you prefer, The Baked Bear.

Follow Along @stlmag @stlmag @stlouismag

Photography by Tom Lampe

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When it comes to your

heart,

a second opinion could mean a second chance.

St. Luke’s Hospital Cardiothoracic Surgeons Jeremy Leidenfrost, MD, Ronald Leidenfrost, MD, Michael Ryan Reidy, MD

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a heart condition that deserves a second look or you need a cardiologist, the heart specialists at

St. Luke’s Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute can help. St. Luke’s Hospital is the only hospital in Missouri to be recognized as one of the 2019 America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery™ by Healthgrades®.

To schedule an initial consultation or to get a second opinion on your current heart condition diagnosis, visit stlukes-stl.com/SecondOpinion or call

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314-205-6801.

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Is your

heart skipping a beat? It could be more serious than you think.

St. Luke’s Hospital Electrophysiologists Jonas Cooper, MD, MPH, FACC, Stephen Pieper, MD, FHRS, and J. Mauricio Sanchez, MD, FHRS

If your heart beats too quickly or with an irregular pattern, you

atrial fibrillation. The team of top-tier electrophysiologists at the St. Luke’s Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute offers a wealth of experience and the most advanced may have a heart rhythm disorder commonly known as

techniques available to diagnose and treat atrial fibrillation and

stroke prevention, heart rhythm and rate control and symptom reduction.

achieve outstanding patient outcomes - including

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TOO

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MUCH

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THE BIGGEST HEIST IN THE HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS STARTED OUT A SLICK CAPER—AND FELL INTO COMEDY.

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AUGUST 2018 STLMAG.COM

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY

AGNEW, SARAH KLOEPPLE, DAVE LOWRY, GEORGE MAHE, SARAH C. TRUCKEY, AND EMILY WASSERMANN KEVIN A. ROBERTS

Photography by John Smith

STLMAG.COM AUGUST 2018

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AUGUST 2018

BY JENNY

TA

MONEY

H OT

BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN INZANA

THE BEST DOUGHNUTS IN ST. LOUIS

PHOTOGRAPHy By

Eric NEwby kicks ass in the hard-hitting sport of wheelchair rugby.

S T Y T R E AT S

& FRESH

By

william powell brian sirimaturos

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ANTONIO & KIRVEN DOUTHIT-BOYD

T H E

After meeting and marrying while dancing with the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the couple recently moved here to become co-artistic directors at COCA. Outside the studio, each plays off the other’s style. “I definitely sometimes pull from his closet,” says Kirven.

STYLE PERSPECTIVE: “Being involved in such a body-conscious profession really makes

you think about the way you put things together,” Kirven says. “I love a good fit.”

DESIGNERS: “I’m like the mutt of fashion—I don’t have one designer that I like more,”

Antonio says. “I love every shoe that Christian Louboutin makes,” says Kirven.

GO-TO ITEMS: “I’m definitely a T-shirt–and–jeans kind of guy,” says Antonio. Kirven, on

the other hand, says, “Anytime I wear a button-down shirt, I always button it to the top.”

C U R E Conversion therapy never had much success changing teenagers’ sexual orientation. The real change is the revelation— and condemnation—of the therapy itself. Chimpanzees tore Andrew Oberle apart. With help from an army of family, friends, and doCtors at saint louis university hospital, he put himself baCk together. by williAm POwell

By Jeannette Co operman

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAY FRAM

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By

Jeanne tte Cooperman

After building a superhero’s résumé,

K e i th e s te r s B L AC K

Cornell M B L ACK

mALe Ag e : 1 8 H e i g H t: 6' 1" W e i g H t: 1 6 0 L B H A i r: B L AC K

Eric Greitens is ready to save Missouri—and maybe then the nation.

c K ay

mALe Age : 2 0 H e igH t: 6' 2 " W e igH t: 1 5 0 L B H A ir : B L ACK

e y e s : B roW n

e y e s : Br oW n

Is eyewItness IdentIfIcatIon enough when all the other evIdence poInts to someone else—and the jury never hears It?

By Jeannette Cooperman

But as a politician, will he fly? ILLUSTRATION BY CranioDsgn

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AWARDS OVER THE PAST DECADE

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S Q UA R E D E A L p.18 G I R L TA L K p.20 METRO M A K E OV E R p.20

GATEWAY

TOUGH ROW TOPIC

A

I T WA S A T E N S E night in the St.

Sam Page takes the helm of a government in transition.

BY AMANDA WOYTUS

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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Louis County Council chambers.¶ Just nine hours after an unsealed 44-page federal indictment revealed that County Executive Steve Stenger was being charged with mail fraud, theft of honest services, and bribery—and his abrupt resignation—the County Council convened an emergency meeting to fill the post. June 2019 stlmag.com

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G AT E WAY

TOPIC A

asks for them to be dimmed. He doesn’t have all the answers, he says, but he has a place to start: reviewing the county’s contracts— even ones that weren’t questioned in the indictment—and setting up a process to prevent elected officials from making government decisions in exchange for campaign money. “We will try and set up as many barriers to that as possible,” he says, “and I hope to have some policy initiatives in the next couple of weeks.” Another issue that Page believes deserves immediate attention: shoring up the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and the county Port Authority. “One of my first actions will be to replace the membership of the board of the Economic Partnership and request they move forward in search for new leadership In packed chambers, Council Vice to rebuild that organization. It’s a Chair Hazel Erby expressed what critical component of economic many in the crowd were feeling: development and job creation in Page’s Résumé that the meeting was called in St. Louis County,” he says. Before Page was haste and that it was unfair that At press time, Page wouldn’t elected to the council in the public wasn’t allowed to comcomment on Better Together’s 2014, he served in the Missouri House of Repment. Those were the auspices— plan because he had yet to meet resentatives and ran for after five ayes, one no (Erby), and with the Municipal League of lieutenant governor. some outbursts from the audiMetro St. Louis and St. Louis ence (“See you in court, Page!” Mayor Lyda Krewson. In general, he’s opposed to changes in county governonetime county executive candidate Paul Berry III yelled before storming out)—under ment not decided on by voters here, a common which Council Chairman Sam Page, a Democrat, critique. Collaboration between the city and assumed his role as interim county executive. county is a conversation that needs to be hapPage, an anesthesiologist who’s taking a leave pening, he adds, but “it needs to be driven by of absence, will serve until the November 2020 St. Louis County voters and voters in the city.” election. He now must navigate Better Together’s As for the party factions that could form now proposed city-county merger, work with a County that Stenger is no longer in office? “I think all Council that could divide along party lines, and council members, even if they disagree, will sit help revive a St. Louis Economic Development down and listen to the other person’s position Partnership and St. Louis County Port Authority in a respectful manner,” Page says. going through their own troubled transitions—all It’s a daunting task, a promotion that likely while trying to win back the public’s trust. comes with a pay cut—and the risk of failure. “Godspeed!” a member of the public called Why would Page want it? A conversation with out before the special meeting was adjourned. his wife persuaded him. “She said, ‘The county Less than 24 hours later, Page sits in a confer- is a mess, and you know more about it than anyence room on the ninth floor of Clayton’s Lawone. You should go and try to help them fix it.’” rence K. Roos County Government Building. It’s hot, the air is still, and the lights are so bright, he Interim St. Louis County Executive Sam Page

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FAST FACTS

STENGER’S SAGA 3 T H I N GS TO K N OW A B O UT H I S I N D I C TME N T A N D G UI LT Y PL E A

1. According to the indictment, Stenger solicited and accepted campaign money from John Rallo, owner of Cardinal Creative Insurance Group, in exchange for “favorable official action.” On May 3, Stenger pleaded guilty and admitted to helping Rallo and other donors win county contracts. One contract was worth $100,000; another, $453,000. 2. The indictment stated that Stenger directed Sheila Sweeney, ousted CEO of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and executive director of the Port Authority, to award a land sale contract to one of Rallo’s companies. The bid, for properties in Wellston, was for less than the county spent on the land. 3. Prosecutors will not seek further charges against Stenger. He will be sentenced on August 9 and could face three to four years in prison. Visit stlmag.com for more.

Photography by Paul Nordmann

5/6/19 3:59 PM


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G AT E WAY

WARNING: GRAPHIC BY AMANDA WOYTUS

Square Deal St. Louis is closer than ever to a Major League Soccer team. Behold, plans for a (not-Imo’sinspired) stadium.

The stadium’s look and feel were crafted by local architecture firm HOK and, on its recommendation, Minneapolis’ Julie Snow, co-founder of Snow Kreilich Architects, who specializes in urban design. “The female piece was very important to us,” Kindle Betz says. If St. Louis is successful in its bid, this MLS team will be the first one majority-owned by women.

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The stadium is designed to seat 22,500 to 25,500. (For comparison, Busch Stadium holds 45,538.) The field will sit 40 feet below street level, cementing a footprint in the space west of Union Station. Each seat will be, at most, 120 feet from the field—and the closest will be 20 feet from the sidelines. “When we say there’s not a bad seat in the house, there’s not a bad seat in the house,” says Kindle Betz.

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ONLY 28 TEAMS, only 28 teams, only 28 teams… For months, that’s been the refrain

from Major League Soccer, the pro soccer league that was planning to expand from 24 teams to 28, with Sacramento, California, and St. Louis the two major contenders for the final slot. ¶ Carolyn Kindle Betz, president of the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, is the Taylor family member spearheading the bid to get St. Louis an MLS team. When she got the news in April that MLS is planning to expand to 30 teams, virtually guaranteeing a spot, she was shocked—and then really excited. ¶ “We didn’t think they were going to come out after their meeting with anything decided,” she says, “and certainly not ‘OK, now we’re going to go to 30 teams.’” ¶ And though it doesn’t guarantee a team for St. Louis, it makes the recent release of the ownership’s plans for the all-but-certain stadium even more exciting.

The proposed lightweight translucent plastic canopy over the stands is multipurpose: It’ll protect fans from bad weather and, because light can pass through it, aid visibility while allowing grass on the field to grow. Plus, it’ll trap noise in the stadium. “[We want to make sure] there’s that really loud, vibrant atmosphere,” Kindle Betz says.

Surrounding the stadium will be retail stores, restaurants, and outdoor areas for hanging out. There are also plans for an area of pop-up shops.

After the release of the stadium renderings, Imo’s Pizza tweeted, “The Square Beyond Compare Stadium? Sure sounds nice. Let’s bring the #mls to #stl!” So was the sports arena’s design influenced by St. Louis’ famous slice? Nah, says Kindle Betz, but “I did like one of the comments: the second Square Beyond Compare.”

Rendering courtesy of HOK

5/6/19 12:23 PM


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G AT E WAY

IN SIGHT BY AMANDA WOYTUS

Girl Talk

What do you get when you mix Fresh Air and Amy Schumer? Meet Cliterally Speaking the Podcast. FROM LEFT:

Dougherty and Lane

IT STARTED WITH A glass of wine at Frazer’s. “The

conversation was just all over the place,” says Cliterally Speaking the Podcast’s Michelle Dougherty. “Insightful and honest…” Dougherty’s co-host, Emily Trista Lane, jumps in: “Almost painfully so because there were just tears of laughter. We were talking about what it’s like to be women in their forties and fifties.”

Dougherty continues: “Dating in St. Louis, getting divorced, kids, body changes. And I said, ‘This stuff needs to be a podcast.’” Et voilà, Cliterally Speaking was born. Each week, the hosts pop open a bottle of wine and have an honest conversation with a woman— mostly locals but sometimes not—from Shock City Studios. A little window into Dougherty and Lane’s tribe, the episodes reveal the passions, struggles, and insights of interesting women doing interesting things. Take the pilot episode, in which the two talk with Mich Hancock, CEO of 100th Monkey Media and co-founder of TEDxGatewayArch, about friendships and her experience adopting a child with sociopathy. Or Lane’s birthday episode—No. 8 from Season 1—in which the pair dissects consent. “There’s the obvious ‘No means no,’ but then there’s all these other times when maybe you’ve been pressured into having sex, and somehow that’s considered OK?” Lane says. “We really dive into all of those layers. That’s a conversation that needs to be happening more.” With Dougherty and Lane as our guides, it’s the most interesting conversation we’ve had over a glass of wine in a while. cliterally speakingpodcast.com.

METRO MAKEOVER

TAKING THE METROLINK? YOU MIGHT NOTICE SOME CHANGES IN KEEPING WITH A RECENT SECURITY STUDY’S RECOMMENDATIONS. HERE, TAULBY ROACH, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BI-STATE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, EXPLAINS.

STEP ONE IN MAKING the Metro safer: adding more security officers to ride the light rail and outfitting

them in high-visible uniforms. This idea is modeled after Atlanta’s MARTA system, whose director started requiring safety officers to wear high-vis uniforms. “She didn’t add a single person; however, the visibility had changed,” Roach says. “Of course, the customer service aspect changed—people felt not only safe but also comfortable.” The MetroLink Unit of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police now includes 40 Metro public safety officers, 130 contracted security and fare enforcement personnel, and 68 police officers and deputies. They’ll be doing more fare checks, so don’t be surprised if one stops you. About 99 percent of riders have valid fares, Roach says, but this gives the officers an opportunity to engage with patrons. “We want to say, ‘Good morning! How’s your ride?’ ‘How are you doing today?’” Roach says. “Hopefully that’s something folks over the summer will see more of.”

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FAMILY BUSINESS 3 Q UE S T I O N S F O R L A R RY A N D JA S O N M A L A S H O C K, T H E FAT H E R-S O N T E A M BEH I N D T H E N E W C B D CO MPA NY C B D W O R X

Why CBD? LARRY: I have severe osteoarthritis and pseudogout in my entire body. I took a CBD pill, and about 20 minutes later, I had no pain. JASON: In 2013, I was in a pretty gnarly o -road vehicle accident and severed my left arm at the elbow. They put me back together, but the doctors got me wildly addicted to Oxycontin. The only things that could help me were more Oxycontin or marijuana. Biggest misconception about CBD? JASON: Go ahead, Dad. LARRY: That it gets you high. JASON: That’s it—boom. It cannot get you high. It’s not even that it does not. It cannot. LARRY: Well, it can if you add THC to it. JASON: Lemonade cannot get me drunk unless I put a shitload of vodka in there. People get super nervous that they’re going to fail drug tests, that they’re going to get fi ed from work. Once you explain to them that there are two separate compounds and no psychoactive e ects, they take it and they love it. Favorite product? JASON: Gummies. For whatever reason, candy makes everything better. cbdworx.com. Photography by Emily T. Lane, courtesy of Metro Transit, CBD Worx

5/6/19 12:23 PM


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RHYTHM

PRELUDE

REDEMPTION STORY Terence Blanchard brings Fire Shut Up in My Bones to life in opera. BY ROBERT W. DUFFY

Photography by Henry Adebonojo

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RHYTHM PRELUDE

Kasi Lemmons

F

INE ART COMES to us in a frame, on a

pedestal, or onstage, but truly great art, genuinely affecting art, transcends these and settles in the soul. Of his new opera, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, celebrated trumpeter/composer Terence Blanchard says that although common threads run through its tapestry, what matters is the afterburn—the enduring effect of the art on the viewer or listener after the lights come up and the mullingover commences. “The story goes way beyond the opera,” Blanchard says, “and there is a common theme— that is, what we do to each other.” Fire, based on a 2014 memoir by New York Times columnist and commentator Charles M. Blow, is being given its world premiere this month by two St. Louis organizations, Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Jazz St. Louis. It joins a luminous string of works of exacting social and emotional consequence mounted by Opera Theatre

in its recent history, the fifth in a searing, sometimes controversial series of operas called “New Works, Bold Voices.” Preceding Fire is Champion (2013), by Blanchard and Michael Cristofer. The new work conjoins three influential African-American artists. In addition to Blanchard and Blow, there’s St. Louis native Kasi Lemmons, whose libretto takes Blow’s book and installs it in a complex human minefield, a contemporary jeremiad. Set in the realistic, metaphorical, and mythical Gibsland, Louisiana, Blow’s hometown, the memoir is a reckoning with the writer’s memories of childhood and young manhood; his relationship with his steel magnolia mother; and the sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, inflicted on him by a relative, that both affected and afflicted him. Upon his achieving a certain maturity, there is his psychodynamic working through, as if Blow were traveling a cracked and patched two-lane road leading from what seems like nowhere to nowhere but finally to a place of accommodation and redemption, found in part by becoming a father. The literary reference of the title is found in the 20th chapter of the book of Jeremiah, called the “weeping prophet,” whose lamentations have been expressed in a literary form, the jeremiad. In Verse 9, Jeremiah complains to the Lord about the Lord’s treatment of him. He promises not to speak of him again. But he cannot hold fast, because the fire—the roiling rage—shut up in the emotional marrow of his bones cannot be contained. Such was Blow’s contemporary situation—without the whining. Although many issues and subjects are onstage in this opera, Blanchard says, one that gets more than its share of public attention is homosexuality. It’s not overlooked or plastered over, but isn't the central theme or most pressing issue, either. There is much, much more, Blanchard says: strong common threads that bind all of us together or, untied, separate us.

FYI The world premiere of Fire Shut Up in My Bones begins at 8 p.m. June 15. For information on tickets for this and other performances, visit opera-stl.org.

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CURTAINRAISER Three more opera works not to be missed this season The Marriage of Figaro An opera buffa, this Mozart masterwork is a sequel to The Barber of Seville. Good-natured Figaro wants to marry Susanna—but she’s also the Count’s object of a ection. To get down the aisle, the two will have to thwart the powerful man’s plans. May 25 & 31; June 6, 8, 12, 16, 19 & 29. Rigoletto In Verdi’s three-act opera based on a Victor Hugo play, the Duke has eyes for Gilda, the daughter of Rigoletto, the court jester. When the Duke abandons Gilda, Rigoletto swears vengeance, but an innocent will be caught in the crossfi e. So Young Park, whose voice the Los Angeles Times called “stunning” and The New York Times described as “dead accurate,” plays Gilda. June 1, 5, 14, 20, 22, 26 & 30. The Coronation of Poppea Before there was Netflix’s House of Cards, there was Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea. Poppea, Emperor Nero’s mistress, longs to be empress and is willing to do anything to make it happen in this opera that’s been described as “sexy, bloodthirsty, and unapologetic.” June 9, 13, 15, 22, 26 & 28.

Photography by Simon Frederick

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RHYTHM AGENDA

Jun 10 THINGS TO DO

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

The Burney Sisters, country artists Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, and indie-rockers Superchunk. June 5–8. Off Broadway, twangfest.com. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle meet and change the world in this comedy about feminism, art, and activism. But will anyone make it out alive? The Revolutionists promises to end in “song and scaffold.” June 27–July 14. The Marcelle, kranzberg artsfoundation.org.

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In its 33rd season, Circus Flora is investigating a mystery in…Aisle 6 of a grocery store. It’s an unlikely place to find “an ancient and powerful substance,” but that’s what makes The Caper in Aisle 6 intriguing. June 6–30. The Big Top, circus flora.org.

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Perhaps the best-loved celebration of Americana around, Twangfest this year offers, among other acts, Craig Finn + The Uptown Controllers (Finn’s best known as the frontman of The Hold Steady), folkrock singer James McMurtry, local group

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Jazz vocalists Denzal Sinclaire and Dee Daniels transform into a father-daughter pair with the help of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for their tribute Unforgettable: Nat and Natalie. June 9. Powell Hall, slso.org.

It’s the 40th anniversary of Pride St. Louis (and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City), and PrideFest returns to downtown. Mark your calendar for the pièce de résistance: the parade, which kicks off at noon Sunday. June 29 & 30. Soldiers Memorial Park, pridestl.org.

concerts, spokenword performances, and kid-friendly activities for the Loop Arts Fest. June 22. The Delmar Loop, visitthe loop.com.

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He’s the confident, stylish Brit who taught America to French tuck on Netflix’s reboot of Queer Eye, and now Tan France is coming to St. Louis to read from his new memoir about identity and coming of age, Naturally Tan. France, who grew up gay in a Muslim family, is the first openly gay Muslim man to appear on Western television. June 8. St. Louis County Library Headquarters, slcl.org.

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Shawn Mendes got his inauspicious start on Vine. But sometimes the internet works out, hence Mendes’ 80-plus-date tour and takeover as most beloved Canadian pop idol. The “Lost in Japan” singer brings his piercing vocals and “Scars to Your Beautiful” singer Alessia Cara to St. Louis. June 30. Enterprise Center, enterprisecenter.com.

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More than 20,000 visitors will browse contemporary and classical fine craft works by 100-plus artists from across the country at this year’s Webster Arts Fair. June 7–9. Bompart & Lockwood, Webster Groves, websterartsfair.com.

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In celebration of the start of summer, the Loop is transformed for three days with galleries,

The Queen of Country has come a long way from her 2005 American Idol win. There was her single “Inside Your Heaven,” the only country song to debut at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. And her seven Grammys. Now Carrie Underwood brings her Cry Pretty Tour 360, in support of her sixth studio album, here with openers Maddie & Tae and Runaway June. June 18. Enterprise Center, enterprisecenter.com.

Photography by Dede Doering, Josiah VanDien

5/6/19 12:50 PM


POP OUT & ENJOY SOME MUSIC Jungle Boogie Concert Series presented by Mid America Chevy Dealers, Friday Nights, 5–8 p.m.

AN ICONIC SPRING FESTIVAL

This summer, happy hour arrives at the Zoo every Friday night with drink specials and free live music. And don’t miss Prairie Farms Dairy Summer Zoo Weekends, where we’re open Saturday and Sunday evenings until 7 p.m. all summer long. May 31: Funky Butt Brass Band June 7: Griffin and the Gargoyles June 14: Hazard to Ya Booty June 21: NO CONCERT June 28: Charles Skeet Rodgers July 5: Midnight Piano Band July 12: Cree Rider Family Band July 19: Zydeco Crawdaddys July 26: The LustreLights August 2: Soulard Blues Band August 9: The Durty Kellys August 16: Three Pedros August 23: Miss Jubilee August 30: Ticket to the Beatles

WORLD-CLASS MUSIC & DRAMA

stlzoo.org

ZOO-19309_Jungle Boogie_St. Louis Magazine_3.4x4.6.indd 1

2019 FESTIVAL SEASON MAY 25 – JUNE 30 4/9/19 2:59 PM

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A PREVIEW OF THE DAY ’S TOP STORIE S

St. Louis Magazine recently launched a daily newsletter, The Current, providing a quick look at the top stories from stlmag.com. Find out what’s

RIGOLETTO Giuseppe Verdi THE CORONATION OF POPPEA Claudio Monteverdi WORLD PREMIERE

FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES Terence Blanchard & Kasi Lemmons

happening this weekend, discover the region’s newest restaurants, and dig into the latest in-depth stories.

Sign up for The Current STLMAG.COM/NEWSLETTERS

CENTER STAGE A Young Artist Showcase ExperienceOpera.org (314) 961-0644

TICKETS START AT JUST $25.

Season Subscriptions Still Available!

June 2019 stlmag.com

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S T UQD&I O RHYTHM A

GALLERY GOODS A sampling of Hitchcock’s vibrant and colorful works

PAINT BY NUMBERS

Jessica Hitchcock left fi ance for something more.

Audrey “I started painting animals because I enjoy the little personalities that shine through in each piece,” Hitchcock says. Paintings like this one help her hone the skills she uses in pet portraits.

BY SAMANTHA STEVENSON

W

HEN JESSICA HITCHCOCK was the

director of finance and human resources at arts nonprofit Craft Alliance, she’d often wake up at 4:30 a.m. to put on white overalls and grab a paintbrush. On lunch breaks, she’d pick up prints, pack and ship them, then run back to work until 5 p.m.— just to head home and paint until she fell asleep. Her husband, noting how much energy she already spent on her side business, asked whether there was any way she could create art full time. The daughter of a painter, Hitchcock knew in high school that she was a gifted artist but instead followed her love of accounting and business into a career in finance. Naturally, she told her husband she’d crunch the numbers. “I heard about people making it full time, and I thought, ‘People can really do this? I need to do research,’” Hitchcock recalls. Craft Alliance was the job she’d dreamed of in college, allowing her to combine her passions for business and art, but she yearned for the next chapter. “I felt like I was losing opportunities by not painting,” Hitchcock says. “Other people realized my potential, but I don’t think I realized it myself.” Then, last FYI Find Hitchcock’s artwork and upcoming pop-ups at jessicahitchcock.org.

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November, she gave Craft Alliance her notice. By February, she’d launched her full-time art career. Today, Hitchcock’s schedule is 60 percent business, 40 percent making art. She paints live at events (which she likes for the interaction), does her fair share of commissions (pet portraits can be the most stressful, she says), was published in the U.K.’s House and Garden after the magazine found her on Instagram, and enters open art calls (which landed her art in an Iowa hotel). As for the pieces themselves, Hitchcock can’t help but paint in vibrant pinks and teals (“My studio’s a little dark, and that’s part of why my paintings are so bright”), working off her own instinctual color theory. Once, at a live painting event, a guest congratulated her on finishing a painting as the artist took a step back. No, there’s still something missing, she replied—“Your eyes know what they want to see.” Her pieces, which lean abstract, are always created as part of a collection. “When I’m really moved to paint something, I don’t want to do just a one-off,” she says. “There’s still more in me that needs to come out.”

Date Night Hitchcock likes to release a flo al collection each spring. Noticing that she uses teal and shades of pink heavily, she “decided to create a piece with one dramatic solid color filling the background and incorporating di erent shades of its complement to break it up and add detail to the space.”

Beauty's on the Inside Hitchcock’s 2019 Jukebox Collection is di erent than her previous work. “It is whimsical, more outlined, and contains colorful shapes throughout each piece,” she says. “The name was a way of reassuring myself to create what inspires me on the inside without worrying about others’ reactions to it.” —S.S.

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

5/6/19 12:51 PM


See This Now K I N K Y B O OT S

Open June 1! • Free Admission

PRESENTED BY THE

“Two-and-a-half feet of irresistible tubular sex” is the star of The Muny’s latest production, Kinky Boots. The musical, making its regional debut, combines Cyndi Lauper’s music, Harvey Fierstein’s book, and Rusty Mowery’s choreography (Jerry Mitchell’s in the original production). It was praised for the way in which it brought gender fluidity and drag culture to the mainstream when it debuted on Broadway in 2013. “It’s a show that moves in a different way, giving this profound sense of amazing energy to the audience that just shoots through them,” says Mike Isaacson, artistic director and executive producer at The Muny. The plot centers on Charlie Price (Graham Scott Fleming), who has inherited his family’s failing shoe factory in England, and Lola (J. Harrison Ghee), a cabaret-singing drag queen who inspires Charlie to abandon the factory’s brogues for something ... different: high-heeled thigh-high boots in cherry red, which, Isaacson admits with a laugh, “are brutal.” The local cast traveled to New York City for boot fittings to ensure that all of the dancers could perform the choreography safely. The rest of the costumes follow the original Broadway design, too. But don’t assume that this show is a re-creation of the New York version. Isaacson hints that because Mitchell’s a Webster University alumnus, the St. Louis show has a few changes. —S.S.

Ed & H. Pillsbury Foundation

A poet, a pilot, a president, and a painter. Rediscover a Mexican masterpiece.

Forest Park • mohistory.org

SUBSCRIBE NOW! TO SEE THE CRÈME DE LA CRÈME OF THE CITY IN OUR ANNUAL A-LIST ISSUE

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE AT STLMAG.COM/SUBSCRIBE OR CALL 314-918-3000 SUBSCRIBE BY MAY 31, 2019 TO RECEIVE THE A-LIST ISSUE

Kinky Boots runs June 19–25 at The Muny in Forest Park, muny.org. June 2019 stlmag.com

RHYTHM_0619.indd Photography29 by Anne Taussig

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MODERN MASTER p.34 MINGLE p.36

ELEMENTS

TRENDING

Give It a Twirl

Patterned midi skirts are all the rage this summer. BY ANA DATTILO

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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ELEMENTS TRENDING

1

A. Yellow crop top, $14.99. H&M. Flying Tomato floral midi, $75. Koho. Jeffrey Campbell Kaelan flat raffia slide, $85. Blush Boutique. Berlin green wooden clutch, $40. Koho. B. Vintage Maise crop top in turquoise, $98. Blush Boutique. Free People Normani leopard-print bias midi, $98. Blush Boutique. Handmade beaded bag, $48. Blush Boutique. Taste heel, $52. Koho. C. Topshop mustard Tilda camisole top, $35. Nordstrom. Stella & Ruby chain-link collar, $48. Nordstrom. Free People Normani bias midi in Magic Smoke, $98. Blush Boutique. Audrey studded wedge espadrille, $42. Koho. D. Minkpink low-tide off-shoulder top, $78. Blush Boutique. Cuba hat, $28. Koho. The DeDe printed midi, $149. Fauxgerty. Crevo Neva mule bootie, $88. Blush Boutique. —A.D.

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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St. Louis

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ELEMENTS

STYLE PROFILE

Modern Master

With Gulush Threads, Kristen Gula is bringing hand embroidery into the 21st century.

A

S KRISTEN GULA leans over

her embroidery hoop, colorful flowers—from anemones to zinnias—sprout from the tip of her needle. Gula is the creator behind Gulush Threads, a modern hand embroidery company that she runs from her studio in Swansea, Illinois. After taking up the art form as a hobby in 2013, she now creates custom and ready-made products, travels across the country teaching embroidery workshops, and runs a YouTube channel on the topic. —MEGAN MERTZ

How did you get started? With losing my job as a copy editor, something bad became something positive. What I do is considered a modern take on hand embroidery. Instead of using 200 stitches to do 200 different things, I focus on a small library of stitches— like, 10, max—to do all of my embroidery work. The idea is to create more with less and paint with thread. Instead of trying to find a stitch for everything, you look at it like a coloring book, and you fill it in with thread. It’s more freeform—there aren’t a lot of rules. I go with the flow.

See Gula’s work at gulush.com or during Maplewood’s Let Them Eat Art, July 12.

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What made you decide to turn a hobby into a business? Back in 2013, there were only a few other people doing embroidery the way I was doing it, so I got a following really quickly. I decided to open an Etsy shop. A year later, I was looking at 70 orders per month. Describe your process. I’m naturally a planner, so when I’m going to work on a piece, I will spend time drawing it on my iPad and figuring out the colors. Recently, I’ve been not as controlling with that by not planning any colors. I have different jars that have random bits of thread separated by color. If I know something is going to be green, I’ll just pick a random green out of the jar and stitch with it. I’ve made some really fun pieces that are super colorful and unique. Each one is different.

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

4/30/19 2:47 PM


Foundation for the Future

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G R O W G R E AT N E S S

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ELEMENTS MINGLE

David and Stefanie Kirkland, Chloé Risto, Kevin Byerley Laura and Brian Matlock Mary Ann and Andy Srenco Antonio and Kirven Douthit-Boyd

Jake and Leslie Reby, Sherry and Gary Wolff

Brandon Gray, Arvan Chan

Misa Jeffereis, Alex Elmestad, Ann Haubrich

Jan and Rand Goldstein

Greg Lukeman, Tracy Lutke, Justin Scarbrough

SPOTLIGHT

Contemporary Art Museum’s Dada Ball & Bash

John and Alison Ferring

ON MARCH 2, the Palladium filled with art lovers clad in eccen-

tric costumes for the Dada Ball & Bash. This year’s outerspace theme took its inspiration from the spring exhibition “Christine Corday: Relative Points.” The eye-catching event raises funds for Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.

Alexis Cossé and Erik Karanik Dada Ball & Bash co-chairs “Being transplants and now calling St. Louis home, we found CAM where we fit in. We had our wedding reception here.”

A Mighty Night Gala 2019 THE MIGHTY OAKES Heart Foun-

dation’s event, March 9 at The Ritz-Carlton, featured cocktails, dinner, an auction, dancing, and live entertainment. The black-tie party celebrated the organization’s past seven years. Proceeds benefited the fund’s mission of helping families affected by congenital heart defects “financially, emotionally, and in ways unique to their needs.”

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Kim and Kevin Buie

Craig Cwiklowski, Becky Ortyl, Trisha Cwiklowski

Photography by David Anderson, Diane Anderson

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5/6/19 1:14 PM


S P EC IA L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

S P EC IA L A DV E R T I S I NG S EC T I O N

LOOK FORWARD TO A FULL CALENDAR THIS SEASON!

These destinations, events, and activities provide fun for the entire family.

TRAVEL PLANNER

HOLIDAY INN CLUB VACATIONS TIMBER CREEK RESORT  The best time of year to be at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Timber Creek is this summer! The outdoor pool is open through Labor Day and offers daily activities and poolside services from the snack bar. The annual Fourth of July event will take place the weekend of June 29 with games, music, food, and prizes. Guests at the resort can enjoy a free round of golf at their five-hole par-three executive course or a friendly competition at the charming 18-hole mini-golf course. The resort also offers a 40-acre lake stocked with fish for the family angler. A boat launch and boat rentals are available for guests to use on the lake. There’s no shortage of fun in the sun at Timber Creek Resort! H O L I D AY I N N C L U B V A C AT I O N S . C O M / T I M B E R C R E E K 866-765-2661

 SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS Celebrate 10 years of "History Comes Alive" this summer in Springfield Illinois. Step into 19th-century America with live performances, storytelling, and moving ceremonies from Abraham Lincoln and a huge cast of historical reenactors. It’s a trip to the past you won’t want to miss. The 2019 season will be the best ever with activities happening seven days a week—most all are free. A complete schedule is available at visitspringfieldillinois. om. Relax and make your summer “legendary” when you visit Springfield, Illinois VISITSPRINGFIELDILLINOIS.COM | 217-789-2360

573 CHALK ART FESTIVAL IN STE. GENEVIEVE  The 573 Chalk Art Festival on June 29 has entertainment, food, and art. Most importantly, it is free for all to attend. The festival features street and sidewalk chalk art of all kinds. Watch professional artists create amazing images, while amateurs and art enthusiasts of all ages use the pavement of Ste. Genevieve’s Main Street as their canvas for wonderful works of fleeting art. Kids draw for free! There will be live music, prizes, street performers, and art exhibits. The 573 Chalk festival is presented by Ste. Genevieve Tourism, the Ste. Genevieve Art Guild, and 573 Magazine. Free and open to the public, small fee for artists. EVENT INFO: 573CHALKFESTIVAL.COM LO D G I N G , D I N I N G , & T R AV E L I N F O : V I S I T S T EG E N .CO M

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S P EC IA L A DVE R T I S I NG S EC T I O N

CAPE GIRARDEAU  If you crave the taste of luxury, a sense of community, and a little adventure, visit Cape Girardeau this summer. From panoramic views of the Mississippi to a historic downtown area vibrating with the energy of dozens of restaurants and boutiques, new delights wait along every path in Cape. Imagine cozily sitting on the bank of the Mississippi with your favorite artisan-roasted coffee in hand—or hiking along a secluded trail surrounded by red and golden leaves gliding from a canopy of trees overhead—or relaxing beside stunning vineyards at a winery, sipping local flavors and enjoying quiet onversation with someone special. From unique shops to fantastic dining to a vibrant nightlife, so much adventure fits into one town. Come see or yourself. V I S I TC A P E .CO M | 5 7 3 - 3 3 5 - 1 6 3 1

 AAA TRAVEL Two-thirds of leisure travelers are planning to vacation this summer, according to a recent AAA survey, with Florida, England, and Italy topping the list of summer destinations. To help travelers reach their destinations economically and without hassle, AAA Travel agents have the expertise to ensure clients have a smooth experience. Plus, AAA has special partnerships with cruise lines and tour operators with access to discounts and benefits. “Travelers often do research online, but it’s best to book through a AAA agent who knows the destinations and oftentimes has traveled there,” says Jan Borje, vice president of AAA Travel. “Our knowledgeable agents can help you save time and money, so you can focus on making vacation memories that will last long past summer.” To find a AAA ravel office, call 866-222-7587 or visit AAA.com. AAA.COM | 866-222-7587

SAINT LOUIS ZOO  This summer, kick off your weekends at the Saint Louis Zoo. On Friday nights, May 24 through August 30, enjoy free concerts from 5 to 8 p.m. at Jungle Boogie, presented by Mid America Chevy Dealers. Just bring a comfortable lawn chair, relax, and enjoy the summer nights. New this year, the Zoo is offering happy hour drink specials at Jungle Boogie, with discounted pricing on select beer, cider, wine, and margaritas. Other beverages and food are available for purchase. And all summer long, Fridays through Sundays, the Zoo is open until 7 p.m. for Prairie Farms Dairy Summer Zoo Weekends. Make the Zoo a top destination for you and your family this summer! 314-781-0900 | STLZOO.ORG/JUNGLEBOOGIE

FOR MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES AND INTERESTS THIS SUMMER, VISIT

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stlmag.com/family.

5/1/19 1:23 PM


MARK YOUR CALENDAR! ST. LOUIS MAGAZINE’S 2019 SIGNATURE EVENTS

BE WELL STL BOOT CAMP June 29 | Westminster Christian Academy Presented by Missouri Baptist Medical Center, the 4th annual Be Well STL Boot Camp will feature an array of workout classes, inspiring speakers, and a buzzing marketplace.

A-LIST PARTY July 11 | The Sheldon SLM’s annual A-List Party celebrates the top of the town— dining, shopping, culture, and more. Mix, mingle, and dance while enjoying food samples, creative cocktails, and more from some of the region’s best spots.

PUMPKIN WARS: CHEFS VS. SURGEONS October 20 | Interior Design Center of St. Louis Surgeons and chefs go head to head to carve the most imaginative pumpkins. Their one-of-a-kind creations will be auctioned off o benefit St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN EVENT SPONSOR? Call 314-918-3002 or email ehoffmann@stlmag com for details.

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GLOBAL SUPPORT P. 4 4 ONE MISSISSIPPI, T WO M I S S I S S I P P I P. 4 8

ANGLES

Q&A

ADRIENNE DAVIS

At the Fulcrum BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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ANGLES Q&A

A

DRIENNE DAVIS KNOWS what it means to be mentored. At Yale

University, she studied under author/scholar/activist bell hooks, Cornell West came to her senior club to talk about black liberation theology, and she heard Toni Morrison read from “a draft of something called Beloved.” Intellectual work might look solitary, but it needs collaboration and support to thrive. That’s exactly what Davis, as executive director, wants Washington University’s new Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity to provide—for all of St. Louis. Over the past five years, Wash. U. has attracted many rising stars who study these issues. Was there a top-down mandate ? No. There was a diversity mandate, but that was separate from hiring all these folks, some of whom are not minorities. A lot of people are especially interested in the research opportunities that are raised by St. Louis, which has been essentially the heartbeat of the nation’s racial conscience for the last century and a half: The Missouri Compromise. Dred Scott. Shelley v. Kraemer. Ferguson. These scholars are trying to actively interrupt and disrupt the disparities that were baked in by segregation. I’m eager to see what new insights come out of this center. What would it look like if Wash. U. could begin to set the terms of the scholarly dialogue and policy-making about race and disparities in the urban core? Does it work better to suppress bigotry, or let it bubble into sight? That depends on what comes next. If we tackle these problems, then I would say it was a good thing. Ferguson is a great example. Municipal court suppression was clandestine. Now we have reform. But if what’s happening now becomes the new normal, then we will have to come to terms with the fact that we are in a period of extreme racial retrenchment that is not unlike post-Reconstruction, which was about dismantling all the gains and going backward. We sure aren’t post-racial. A speaker on campus said that this is the best time to be a person of color in the U.S. I thought, “No, I think it probably might have been better to be Hispanic five years ago than today, when you’re being racially profiled and put in cages at the southwest border.” We can’t subscribe to the progress

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“THE MORAL ARC OF THE UNIVERSE ONLY BENDS TOWARD JUSTICE BECAUSE WE LEAN ON IT.”

narrative, in which history is inevitably becoming better. The moral arc of the universe only bends toward justice because we lean on it. What made you care? I was born in ’65, and that may have been the moment of peak racial optimism in the country. Thinking people had all condemned segregation. The more liberal people thought racial justice was possible, and the more radical people thought racial liberation was possible. The poignancy of the last 50 years, which is basically my lifetime, has been this mounting fear that racial supremacy is hard-baked into America. What was life like for you while growing up? My mother was kind of a housewife activist. When we bought our house in Silver Spring, Maryland, we were the first black family on the block, and white neighbors came to us and said, “We really need you to buy here. We don’t want to be all white anymore.” That doesn’t happen anymore. What causes bigotry? Learned bias and privilege and insecurity. We are seeing the radical decline of economic possibility for white men, [who] are victims of this system alongside the rest of us. One of the big successes of racism was to pit white working-class people against people of color. When the communists tried to get working-class rural whites and blacks to see their common interests, they were driven out of town. But they had this profound insight that it’s all about the economics. We have to fix the economics to be able to fix the racism. Then you’ll need to focus on the 2020 elections? I’m really hopeful that the center will be putting out some top-notch analysis. It’s a heavy lift, but if we don’t do that, we’re at a point where what’s going on may become the new normal. Online: At stlmag.com, Davis talks about exit interviews, bogus rhetoric, and the title “Mx.”

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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ANGLES NOTEBOOK BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

I

GLOBAL SUPPORT

The St. Louis International Spouses Meetup Group welcomes newcomers and breaks down cultural barriers. 44

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T’S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S

Day, and one by one, women from Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico, Italy, and Iran climb the stairs to the top floor of Russell’s on Macklind. They’re part of the St. Louis International Spouses Meetup Group, and they’re celebrating with relief at having found one another. “Six weeks I am here,” announces Kerstin Kloppenburg. “We are from Bayer,” Monsanto’s new owner. “I like it, yes, but I am a little overwhelmed with all the school things—every day my twins come back with papers and papers and papers. So many activities!” The others nod, smile sympathetically. As they order lunch, they chat about how different St. Louis is from the city they Googled, supposedly rife with crime and danger. Neda Mashayekhi, who’s studying graphic design, raves about the culture, the arts, and this group itself: “I was feeling so separated from society. Now I feel like I’m part of something like a family, a big one.” The group was founded three years ago by Susan Gobbo, a Brazilian physical therapist who gave up her career “for love,” and her friend Danielle do Olival, also from Brazil. Gobbo threw herself into volunteer work and study and, for one of her classes, wrote a paper on “trailing spouses” and how lonely culture shock can be. It wasn’t just her—and it mattered. One report notes that 65 percent of failing expat assignments were the result of the spouse or partner’s dissatisfaction with the new location. The St. Louis Mosaic Project, which works to bring talented immigrants to St. Louis, agreed to sponsor the Meetup group, which has since grown to 303 members from 55 countries, the women (trailing husbands may be included in the future) all highly educated and speaking two to five languages. And in November 2017, Annie Schlafly started a mentoring program that dovetails nicely, pairing women with volunteer mentors. “Yesterday, I met a designer who is from France,” Mashayekhi says happily. She runs an international Photography by Matt Marcinkowski

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June 2019 stlmag.com

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ANGLES NOTEBOOK BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

book club for the group; there’s also a chefs’ club. Members teach about their own cultures and learn the quirks of this one. “In Brazil, you never talk to your boss,” says Gobbo. “Here, I went to Dot Foods and the woman I was meeting said, ‘Do you want to meet the CEO?’ Unbelievable. I never met the mayor of my little town, and here I meet the mayor of St. Louis!” (Lyda Krewson throws a reception for the group every year.) But there’s so much to learn. Gobbo calls Schlafly regularly: “I’m invited for Thanksgiving— do I bring food or flowers?” “For a wedding, can I wear a flowery dress?” Job hunting is even more daunting: After enforced idleness, a trailing spouse’s work experience looks spotty. Schlafly’s also come to realize how often “employers see a long last name and toss the résumé.” “Here, it’s about networking,” adds Gobbo. “In my country, you don’t have to try as hard. And we only volunteer if we are experts in something. When people say, ‘Why aren’t you doing volunteer work?’ it’s because we are afraid to make a mistake.” Sherley Moran and Marlene Galdamez arrive at Russell’s together. They’ve become good friends, and that has made all the difference. When Moran came here from Mexico City, in May 2018, she was happy about her engagement but miserable in every other way: “It was, like, 100 degrees outside with 90 percent of humidity. In Mexico City it’s never colder than 60 or warmer than 85. And I couldn’t drive: They gave me a probationary license, but when we went back for the permanent one, they were talking to each other like I wasn’t even there, saying, ‘Who gave her this? She shouldn’t have this.’” Her green card didn’t arrive until late October. But Moran, an extrovert who exudes happiness even when she’s complaining, found the International Spouses on Meetup and made it to a meeting. When she asked, “Where can I find ceviche?” a woman from Brazil said, “I’m going tomorrow with some friends. Want to come?” And when Moran met Galdamez, the two immediately started speaking Spanish to each other, relieved not to have to think before every word. Moran began biking from her University City home to have coffee with Galdamez in Clayton. “Before I found the group, my fiancé was worried for me,” Galdamez recalls. Born in El Salvador, she’d moved to Milan at 19. Coming to St. Louis meant leaving “my job—I’d just finished culinary school—and my friends. I read about St. Louis and got so anxious, I couldn’t eat. I went to the pharmacist and said, ‘I need something. I don’t know what. Just give me something.’” Once here, she fell in love with her fiancé’s family and her new Clayton neighborhood—but friends were harder to find. Her fiancé had hoped

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“IN BRAZIL, YOU NEVER MEET YOUR BOSS. HERE, I WENT TO DOT FOODS AND THE WOMAN SAID, ‘DO YOU WANT TO MEET THE CEO?’” she’d enjoy his colleagues’ spouses, but she did not want to force herself on them. “You are always going to be the plusone,” remarks Moran. “I also think it’s cultural. Hispanic cultures invest time in friendships. We can have a four-hour lunch and have fun and talk. Here, when it’s 1:30 they say, ‘OK, see you next time.’ It’s always ‘What’s next?’” The women’s partners are relieved at the change in them. “Now I can say, ‘Husband, I am not coming today, because I am doing this,’” says Moran. “It’s relieving for him, too.” It means they’ll be able to stay.

Photography by Matt Marcinkowski

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ANGLES SNAPSHOT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, 1 HAIRPIN, EDWARDSVILLE

One Mississippi, Two Mississippi Fifty summers ago, it felt as if the Earth had tilted on its axis: Bowie sang about Major Tom and real astronauts took a picture of the planet from space. Above the newspaper fold, people saw photos of muddy hippies at Woodstock with huge pupils and no shirts. They saw news of war and more war. It was the year The Beatles played for the last time. It was the year after King Crimson created progrock and Led Zeppelin created metal. In the summer of ’69, something else momentous happened: the Mississippi Music Festival. The organizers went to Barnum & Bailey’s winter quarters and hired a crew of elderly seamstresses to sew a real circus tent. They persuaded architect Gyo Obata to design geometric flags for the festival g ounds and a ticket booth to match. Then they booked like the generation gap didn’t exist. These nuns crunching their way across the gravel in sensible heels probably bought tickets to see Walter Susskind conduct the St. Louis Symphony—but who knows? It was 1969. Bob Dylan came out of his post–motorcycle crash retirement to play the first festival The Who played the next year. You can always find a bridg . —STEFENE RUSSELL 48

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Photography by Mac Mizuki, courtesy of the Missouri History Museum

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E L M WO O D p.52 BULRUSH p.54 P O P S PA R K L I N G B A R & R E S TA U R A N T p.56

TASTE

THE DISH

Prime Time Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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“A really good medium-rare steak sandwich is hard to find,” says Chris Delgado, owner of The Wood Shack. He’s describing the Soulard Primer, the sandwich shop’s biggest seller. Delgado starts with a certified Angus boneless rib roast, rubbed with salt, pepper, and a little turbinado sugar. The chef ’s signature move is combining hardwoods—in this case, hickory and mulberry—to create layers of smoky flavor. The prime is sliced to order, placed on Companion’s Peacemaker roll, and topped with caramelized onion, arugula tossed in sherry vin, and blue cheese crumbles. What really sets it apart, though, are the bone marrow aioli and “debris” dipping sauce, a lusty jus intensified by bits of beef and ham left behind at the meat slicer. And though many folks are content with a side of smoke-kissed potato salad, real pros mix a little debris gravy into their mac and cheese. We say go pro. —GEORGE MAHE June 2019 stlmag.com

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TASTE

MAIN COURSE

Putting Down Roots Another heavy hitter joins Maplewood’s dining scene. BY DAVE LOWRY

Glistening plump oysters are arranged on a bed of sea salt, then coal roasted. On our visit, they were delicate Hangtowns, a Puget Sound hybrid: sweet and buttery, with a tang of smoke. face into it, trans- Cucumbers sound ordinary; marinated forming meal prep with jalapeño, lime, and cilantro, they are crunchy, amazing. Similarly, peanuts go into a multicourse floor show. from the pedestrian to the memorable The bar is longer with the addition of Turkish marash chili than the wait with- powder and a touch of lemongrass. The out reservations, but iconic Tiffany’s Original Diner, across it’s situated so as not the street, should learn the prestidigito intrude into the tation that Elmwood works with twicedining area. fried potatoes, giving them a crispy extePunchy Plantation rior and pillowy interior, then slapping dark rum and a High them with a lively crimson harissa. The West double rye are potatoes exemplify the best of the place: among the ingredi- a simple concept given just the right zip ents in the impres- to make it special. sive list of cocktails. Elmwood has what might be the They pair nicely with most inventive presentation of mussels “shareables,” those in town: A bowlful of luscious chubby shellfish, harvested from Maine’s Casco appetizer portions Bay, are fragrant with Szechuan spiced renamed to make APLEWOOD HAS BECOME for oil and cilantro. They’re dumped over dinner seem like jolly noshing with restaurants what Denver friends. Elmwood goes down the wella helping of shoestring potatoes. is for dispensaries: You traveled road of small plates but does The oil filters down into the potatoes, can’t walk along Manches- a stylish job of it and cannily includes imbuing them with a warm, aromatic ter or Sutton without hitting an alluring some larger plates as well. flavor. You’ll find yourself scraping the dining establishment. last of those string spuds from Elmwood Now Elmwood’s joined the party, the platter. 2704 Sutton Sumac, thyme, salt: Exotic bringing with it a contemporary 314-261-4708 elmwoodstl.com cool, with black walls, a concrete floor, za’atar adds much to a dish Dinner Tue–Sat polished wood tables, beautifully of gnocchetti sardi, Sardinglazed ceramics (created and signed by ia’s classic pasta. Tight little the chef/co-owner’s uncle), and a kitchen ridged shells are tossed with behind glass. The best seats in the place chopped eggplant, tomato sauce, and mozzarella. Alone, THE BOTTOM LINE The hip hangout is busy for good reason: coal-roasted seafood, pasta, and cocktails, all done to perfection. it’s a light dinner; matched Clear Creek Oysters atop a mount of salt: two raw with lime granita, chive, and mint, two coal roasted with nam jim

M

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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with Elmwood’s grilled pork steak, it’s a perfect sharing pairing. Surprisingly, most local Italian joints don’t feature this excellent pasta; here, it’s done exceedingly well. Another pasta, mafalda, is a cross between lasagna noodles and fettucine. The frilled ribbons are glossed with a “Bolognese” sauce of grilled vegetables that are tangy, fresh, and earthy—but if they’re going to call it Bolognese, they should add some meat. The Elmwood Burger is a tower o’ beef, gussied up with fiery Korean red pepper gochujang sauce, bacon, American cheese, and pickles. The star, though, is clearly the coal-grilled black bass. The entire fish is perfectly cooked and split open. The flaky white flesh is salty with the taste of the ocean. Do not pass on the desserts, which constantly change. Decadent: a puck of dulce de leche–type cake covered in chocolate. Restrained but tasty: a creamy rice pudding. Inventive: a coalroasted apple with house-churned ice cream. (You’ve no doubt noticed the repetition of “coal” here. Good. Elmwood has a lump charcoal–burning grill and the only coal-fired oven in the state, both wise selections.) Boutique winemakers populate a thoughtful list, which meanders into equally thoughtful zero-, low-, and fullproof cocktails. If beer’s your choice, think CBD: cans, bottles, draft. I’m not joking about the necessity of reservations. Even on a weeknight, the place is packed. Complaints about the low lighting are a trifle exaggerated; more annoying are tables too small for more than two diners. Leaves that pull up make for more space, yet extending them means literally being an elbow’s length from other tables. If the menu’s set up to make dinner a collection of small plates, there needs to be someplace to put them all. Maplewood’s set a high bar for eateries. In the short time it’s been open, Elmwood has met the challenge—and it’s going to make the choice of where to dine even tougher.

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June 2019 stlmag.com

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FIRST BITE

Cat’s Meow

Rob Connoley’s modern interpretation of Ozark cuisine SUMMER SIPPIN’

T H R E E FAV O R I T E LOCAL BEERS TO E N J OY T H I S S U M M E R

4 Hands Brewing Co.’s Lemon Impressions 4 Hands is always shaking it up, and this new beer is definitely something different. Starting with a Belgian yeast, 4 Hands builds layers with lactose to add body and a touch of sweetness—along with lemon to give the recipe some zip. And to really set it apart with a creamy body and head, the brewery uses a nitrogen gas blend.

BRIDGETON NATIVE ROB CONNOLEY is living proof

that doing one’s homework pays off. The selftaught chef became interested in foraging while growing up in the Missouri Ozarks. He foraged out of necessity for his New Mexico restaurant, Curious Kumquat, earning a James Beard semifinalist nod for Best Chef: Southwest in the process. A foraging-inspired cookbook followed, along with a desire to return to his hometown to open (surprise!) a foraging-focused restaurant. Connoley doubled down by researching late–19th-century Ozark cookbooks, which resulted in a menu and restaurant unlike any other in the city. Bulrush (another name for a cattail) offers two separate dining experiences: entrée-sized à la carte dishes in the 24-seat bar and a seven-course tasting menu in a pri-

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Turkey roulade with mushroom granola, carrot puree, and foraged bluebell blossoms

vate room partially obscured by wooden verticals meant to evoke an Ozark forest. A run of “kindergarten art that turned out beautiful” leads to the main attraction, an open kitchen surrounded by two brackets of black leather seats. To understand Connoley’s vision, imagine a layer of bean miso purée, head cheese, collards, and carrot chow-chow inside a teepee of sorghum crisps, served in an artistic bowl atop a Tibetan bowl pad. The seven-course experience is $100 (inclusive of tax, tip, and likely the “chef ’s young acorn miso with acorn croquant dark chocolates”). Yet another surprise: Connoley is a chocolatier. —G.M.

Narrow Gauge Brewing Company’s Meersalz Meersalz is the German word for sea salt—appropriate for this traditional German-style Gose. (Gose beer was originally created in the mining town of Goslar, deep in the heart of Lower Saxony, where the river running through the town had a slight salinity.) Narrow Gauge plays with the slight tartness and subtle saltiness by adding raspberries to make it especially decadent. Six Mile Bridge’s Blood Orange Wit Few beers are more refreshing than a Belgian Witbier on a hot summer day, and here the oldschool beer, customarily brewed with coriander and bitter orange peel, is turned on its head: Six Mile swaps out the bitter for a sweeter, more floral blood orange. The aroma of freshly ground coriander and citrus will keep you coming back for more. —MIKE SWEENEY

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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TASTE

SECOND HELPING

Pop In

The Baileys’ bubbly-themed restaurant and bar was introduced like no other. BY HOLLY FANN

P

OP, THE SPARKLING wine bar

and restaurant in the former L’Acadiane space debuted in anything but the usual style. During a media night in January, Dave and Kara Bailey literally unveiled Pop in the middle of a dinner service. This included scraping L’Acadiane’s name from the window, switching out the art, and having the staff change uniforms. After the dramatic reveal, he shared his hope that Pop would be a place to celebrate not only special occasions but everyday ones as well. Pop is split between two rooms decorated with Warhol-esque floral wallpaper in shades of coral and gold. Bubblemotif paintings in gilt frames line the walls. In the front room, a dark wood bar stretches across one side of the narrow space, and a long banquette and bistro as the aforementioned savory crackers. The cheese board, with Scallops gougères and the popovers, work with beet three cheddars, could benefit tables line the other. hache and Pop is, first and foremost, about better accompanying entrées from a bit more variety. lattice chips bubbles. The sparkling wine and Cham- than as starters. The rustic dishes outshine pagne list is extensive, with options A nest of tender potatoes the more deliberate composed from France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. peeks out from the red gravy blanket- ones. The carbonnade, a beef stew America is represented, as are Australia, ing the poutine. The dish is finished cooked in beer and cider, has a rich Chile, and South Africa. Also on the list: with meaty lardons and melted cheddar. depth. It’s served over tagliatelle and a Japanese sparkling sake, fizzy ciders, Piercing the golden yolk of the salt-cured finished with a garlicky gremolata. and carbonated cocktails. egg nestled atop the flap steak Crisp potatoes rest atop scallops with The dining menu is full of tartare gilds the meat. The tendeep golden-brown edges, the result der beef almost melts in your of a patient proper sear. The paillard inviting comfort foods (poutine, cheesy gougères, carbonmouth. Pickled shallots puncchicken breast, a perfume of preserved nade) and ritzier offerings (cavtuate each bite. lemon and finished with a sage jus and iar, duck crostini, octopus). A Three boards include a trabeurre blanc, imparted layers of flavor. pert wasabi–and–ras el hanout ditional charcuterie board of And a tender squash hash made for a popcorn is a novel starter. The POP capicola, Genoa salami, and delicate side. Missouri paddlefish caviar with 1915 Park duck. The seafood board comWhatever your mood when you walk crème fraîche, egg yolk, and 314-241-8100 prises a shrimp terrine, salmon in the door, the bubbly wines, relaxed popstlouis.com lox, and cured sturgeon, served dining, and sparkling atmosphere may vinegar chips is a clever pre- Dinner Wed–Sun sentation. Other dishes, such with horseradish cream and dill just inspire an impromptu fête. THE BOTTOM LINE Make any day special with exceptional sparkling wines and creative food pairings in this chic space.

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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4. Fox Fire Somying Fox crosses cultures in the Delmar Loop, offering both Asian and American dishes. Pho, pad thai, and fried rice share menu space with spaghetti, pork chops, and an Asian-spiced cheeseburger. 6679 Delmar.

5. Jilly’s Cupcakes & Café  Chef Brian Hale re-energizes Jilly’s lunch/ brunch program, which had been idle for almost a year. Several menu favorites have returned, along with such additions as jumbo lump crab salad and a Cotswold cheese– stuffed brisket burger patty melt. 8509 Delmar.

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2. Quattro Trattoria + Pizzeria  The former Clark Street Grill, inside the Westin St. Louis, wisely takes advantage of its next-door proximity to Busch Stadium by offering fast, affordable, reasonably portioned high-quality Italian fare and beverage carts for tableside Bellinis and Negronis. 811 Spruce.

3. Café Coeur  This Japanese-Italian restaurant is also kosher. Cross-cultural items (okonomiyaki pizza, arancini onigiri) abound, but there are cuisine-specific dishes (panzanella, donburi, sushi) as well. 10477 Old Olive.

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts, courtesy of Quattro Trattoria + Pizzeria, Café Coeur

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2019

2020

7-SHOW SEASON TICKET PACKAGE ON SALE NOW

INS, OUTS & ALMOSTS AS OF A LATE-APRIL PRESS DATE

Brazie’s Ristorante 3073 Watson, April 20 Scape 48 Maryland Plaza, April 21

OPENINGS

Café Coeur 10477 Old Olive, April 1 Quattro Trattoria + Pizzeria (Clark Street Grill) 811 Spruce, April 4 Hi-Pointe Drive-In (Porano Pasta) 634 Washington, April 11 Fried (Red Oak Biscuits) 1330 Washington, April 12 West End Grill & Pub 354 N. Boyle, April 12

La Bamba (Mango) 1101 Lucas, early May

Prime 55 Restaurant & Lounge (Vietnam Style) 6100 Delmar, mid-May Hangar Kitchen & Bar (The Slider House) 9528 Manchester, May

Nudo House 6105-A Delmar, early June

The Bellwether (Element) 1419 Carroll, June

Salt + Smoke (Little Hills Winery) 501 S. Main, St. Charles, April 18

Beffa’s Bar and Restaurant 2700 Olive, July

Craft (Big Bear Grill) 16524 Manchester, early May

MARCH 17-29, 2020

The Last Kitchen & Bar 1501 Washington, early June

Bulrush 3307 Washington, April 18

Cobalt Smoke & Sea (Gas House Grill) 12643 Olive, early May

JANUARY 15-26, 2020

Utah Station 1956 Utah, May

BEAST Butcher & Block 4156 Manchester, June

Bemiston Cocktail Club (Extra Brut) 16 S. Bemiston, early May

OC TOBER 1-13, 2019

iNDO (Good Fortune) 1641 Tower Grove, May

Fox Fire Restaurant & Bar (Público) 6679 Delmar, April 15

COMING SOON

OCTOBER 22 - NOVEMBER 3, 2019

AO&Co. 1641 Tower Grove, mid-May

TM© 1981 RUG LTD

CLOSINGS

FEB. 25 - MAR. 8, 2020

APRIL 7-19, 2020

MAY 5 - JUNE 7, 2020

Specials for SWAP 0NE and Priority Purchase

Orzo Mediterranean Grill 11625 Olive, July Little Fox (The Purple Martin) 2800 Shenandoah, early summer Diego’s (Momos) 630 North & South, summer Tempus 4370 Manchester, late summer

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE n STOMP JERSEY BOYS n CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE RENT 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR n RIVERDANCE FabulousFox.com/Subscribe • 314-535-1700 • Fox Box Office

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38 and owns two stores. Another son, Lou, manages one of our stores. It’s what the family’s always done. And we have two stores in South County. Eva, how did you get started? EI: I have an electrical engineering degree from Wash. U., and my first job was at Anheuser-Busch, where my fellow engineers told me that I could make more money in the pizza business. I trained and worked at Imo’s for a year when I became interested in finding a computerized [point-of-sale] system for Imo’s, which they didn’t have at the time. I had been married to Frank for 10 years, and we’d never had a store but soon did.… We installed the first Imo’s computer system in 1992 at our store, and almost immediately our sales increased by $500 per week, because it reduced human error… The word got out quickly, and all of a sudden I became the Imo’s computer gal, installing more than 60 systems.

Frankly Speaking

Frank and Eva Imo play the divide and conquer card and are winning the restaurant game.

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ACED WITH A LONGSTANDING

vacancy next to their Imo’s Pizza store in “L.A.” (Lower Arnold), Eva Imo told her husband, Frank, “We have to do something,” as in we have to do something. “A Starbucks, a doughnut shop, anything.” The result was the popular Smokee Mo’s, Frank’s barbecue joint that plays off the family name. A second location, literally a big barn, opens in Manchester in June. —G.M.

How old were you when Imo’s got started? FI: I was there when my parents opened the original store at Shaw and Thurman. EI: Well, yeah, but you were 3. FI: My dad involved all the kids almost immediately, but I was 10 before my first scheduled shift, rolling dough. Your son just opened Imo’s 100th location. EI: I think he was in kindergarten when we first got Frank Jr. involved. He’s now

How much did you already know about the barbecue business? FI: A lot but not enough, so we took [barbecue guru] Myron Mixon’s cooking course—how to smoke, rub, and serve barbecue. I was most interested in the way he injects whole hogs with apple juice, salt, different vinegars, and sugars. Talk about Smokee Mo’s tagline? FI: There was a family member who would end conversations with “and so on and so forth.” Then the whole family started saying it. When I was putting up the Smokee Mo’s sign, I added it because it fit, since you never know what’s coming out of our kitchen on any given day. How’s your barbecue different? FI: It’s traditional barbecue with an Italian twist to the sides and sandwiches. The garlic cheese bread has fresh garlic and cheese in it—Provel cheese, of course. We have marinated and charbroiled grilled zucchini with lemon and garlic, mac and cheese with Provel. I make my own salciccia.

ONLINE Visit stlmag.com to learn about Frank Imo’s barbecue guru.

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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What’s the story behind the Mangia Bene? FI: The first week we opened, a drunk guy came in and noticed the words “Mangia bene”—which means “Eat well”—on our chalkboard, so he proceeds to order “that moonja beanie sandwich.” There was no such thing, but he claimed he’d had it before, so instead of arguing with the guy, I put a half pound of brisket on garlic cheese bread with a squeeze of Mo’s white barbecue [sauce] and served it to him. The Mangia Bene became our best-selling sandwich. If I ever see that guy again, I’ll buy him a beer. How did you discover the new location? EI: It’s hard not to like Manchester in West County, but none of the buildings we found were exactly right. I told Frank he should just build his own barbecue barn. Barns are super hot as event and reception venues, because the atmosphere is naturally relaxed and fun.

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MAY 3 – Sept. 2 | 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM EVERYONE RIDES FREE ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS!

RUNS EVERY 15-30 MINUTES DURING THE WEEK — and — EVERY 15 MINUTES ON WEEKENDS.

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Why buy a prefabricated barn? FI: Our barn is exactly what I think a barbecue place should look like in 2019. We were able to tour a building—a wedding reception venue—which was identical to the one we bought. They assemble the buildings there, tag the components, disassemble them, load it all up, and ship it. Ours came in on six tractor-trailers. Is anything new on the menu? FI: Some friends and I raise Wagyu cattle, which will soon appear as smoked Wagyu brats and Wagyu burgers. EI: We’re also adding a Skinny Hillbilly menu with entrées and sides, including vegetarian and vegan items, plus a burger that’s not a burger. No spoilers here, but I bet people will drive 50 minutes just to see what we’re doing. Who came up with the name Smokee Mo’s? FI: I asked my mom if I could use the Imo name for my barbecue place, and she said no. So I came up with Smokee Mo’s. How did your mom react? FI: I believe she said, “Frankie, you’re killing me.”

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WHETH

SHOW A N I E K A ING, T IONS GALORTEUS. V O M T E R G HAVE OPT AND AMANDA WOY N O D N I W UN PPING, YOU LIZABETH RUND, NOAH MACMILLA O T G N I K OO OR GO SHO , JARRETT MEDLIN, E ILLUSTRATIONS BY L E R ’ U O ER Y . DOYLE BY JEAN

OPERMA NETTE CO

N, AMAN

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IF YOU GO ON A SUNDAY...

PARK PLACE There’s so much going on in St. Louis’ own version of Central Park, you can pick and choose all summer long. At least once, though, go without an agenda, and use the interactive map at forestparkmap.org. You’ll discover details of Forest Park you never knew, a few yards from wherever you’re standing. And if you want to find a secluded, less familiar part of the park, look on the east side: Picnic at Murphy Lake, tucked in near the southeast corner of Lindell and Kingshighway. Walk the Prairie Boardwalk north of Steinberg Skating Rink—cross that elegant Victorian footbridge, built in 1885 at the streetcar entrance—then play chess on one of the stone tables. IF YOU’RE FREE ON A THURSDAY, TRY THIS FULL-DAY ITINERARY:

Start with a THEN & NOW TOUR of the park at 9:30 a.m. (Grab breakfast at KINGSIDE DINER first.) Register the evening before at forestparkforever .org/forestparkforevertours. If you’d rather bike, take 90 minutes to see the park’s highlights—from the site of the hippodrome used for Victorian carriage races to the spectacular new

flowerbeds atop Art Hill. You’ll find your guide, Chris Gerli of City Cycling Tours, outside the Dennis and Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center. Cool off on a boulder at FLEGEL FALLS , near the park’s Skinker entrance. The cascades were designed to mimic the original World’s Fair cascades on Art Hill. Then head over to the ZOO and relax with a hot dog as the seals amuse you. If you’re up for a hike but you’ve done Kennedy Forest, try the SUCCESSIONAL FOREST , smack in the middle of the park, next to the Jewel Box. Once manicured parkland, it’s been left to evolve as nature intended for three decades now. End your day with a two-hour sunset picnic on a pedal boat. You’ll launch from the BOATHOUSE , which has new gas torches and tables by Spire.

Start with brunch at the SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM’S PANORAMA . Don’t miss Modern Madonna, the terra-cotta sculpture by John Storrs that recently went on display. The sculpture has the clean lines and machine-like precision of the Art Deco era yet conveys, in its purity, a tenderness. If you haven’t seen T H R E A D S , head next to the MISSOURI HISTORY MUSEUM . Project Runway designers and students used the textile collection—which includes Katherine Dunham’s dance costumes and Charles Lindbergh’s flight suit—for inspiration. Grab a bite at CA F É ST. L O U I S before traveling back 2,000 years to POMPEII as it was when Mount Vesuvius erupted. The Saint Louis Science Center has pristine artifacts on loan from the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli, along with body casts made from the impressions left in the ash. In the exhibit’s small theater, you’ll feel the rumbling, smoky eruption. In the Omnimax, catch the companion film, Volcanoes: The Fires of Creation. End your evening at THE MUNY . Assemble a group of 15 and take a free backstage tour, winding up on the fabulous new stage. Celebrate your 15 seconds of fame with a box supper in the courtyard before the show. Afterward, catch the actors streaming from the stage gate (east side of the theater, near the café). Then head to the CHASE CLUB . The Muny puts its actors up at the hotel, so you can sip a Summer in the City and stargaze a little longer.

FESTIVALS & FAIRS FAIR SAINT LOUIS If you ask us, fireworks are best viewed from under the Arch while you listen to live music. Expect rock climbing, fair food, and the aforementioned music and fireworks. July 4–6. Gateway Arch National Park, fairsaintlouis.org.

LET THEM EAT ART The Bastille Day celebration has it all: live art demonstrations, music, street performers, and so much more in downtown Maplewood. July 12. 6–11 p.m. Downtown Maplewood, cityofmaplewood.com.

Photography courtesy of Forest Park Forever, Chandler Hill Vineyards

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WEEKEND ROAD TRIP NEW ATTRACTIONS IN EVERY DIRECTION

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Though Hamilton doesn’t return to the Fox until next May, you can take a trip up I-55 to see the acclaimed musical at Chicago’s CIBC Theatre. Afterward, truly immerse yourself at the new Hamilton: The Exhibition at Northerly Island. Show creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and actors Phillipa Soo (Eliza Schuyler) and Chris Jackson (George Washington) narrate. Yale historian Joanne Freeman and Harvard historian Annette Gordon-Reed served as consultants to ensure historic accuracy. Creative director David Korins, the show’s scenic designer, stages key moments in Hamilton’s life across 18 rooms filled with installations, sculptures, interactive exhibits, and artifacts. Experience a re-creation of the St. Croix trading post where Hamilton worked as a youth and the infamous Jersey hilltop where he was shot.

WINE COUNTRY We may not need to convince you that Missouri wine country is beautiful and easily accessible, but ponder this as you sip: The 15 square miles that encompass Augusta were the first officially designated as an American viticultural area. (Napa Valley was so named the following year.) What that means for you is some serious wine cred and plenty of fun to be had between tastings. Start a Sunday fun day off right with the affordable buffet brunch— accompanied by wine (of course), a Bloody Mary, or a beer from the new Perennial Artisan Ales tasting room—at CHANDLER HILL VINEYARDS . Next, pick up a two-wheeler from KATY BIKE RENTAL and pedal the pleasant 7 miles of Katy Trail between Defiance and Augusta. The bike shop

SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL Visit Forest Park’s Shakespeare Glen to take in one of the Bard’s earliest comedies, Love’s Labour’s Lost, unconventionally humorous and wholly delightful. May 31–June 23. Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park, sfstl.com.

has an outpost on the trail in each town. Saunter a short way up Main Stre et from the Augusta Trail Head to M O U N T P L E A S A N T ESTATES , the perfect spot for a late-afternoon glass of the award-winning Norton red, made from Missouri’s official state grape. Live music’s a frequent weekend offering. Turn back toward Defiance and one of the six rustic cabins (or one of the 43 campsites, with a nearby shower house) at KLONDIKE PARK , where you can dream about your trail travels under the stars, next to a scenic stretch of the Missouri River.

WHITAKER MUSIC FESTIVAL The Missouri Botanical Garden presents its popular concerts at 7 p.m. each Wednesday through August. Bring a blanket and settle in for a music-filled evening in the garden. 44344 Shaw, missouribotanicalgarden.org.

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WEEKEND ROAD TRIP NEW ATTRACTIONS IN EVERY DIRECTION S

Nestled amid the Ozark forest and stretching over a series of ponds, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art perpetually draws inspiration from nature—and, this summer, it doubles down. Nature’s Nation: American Art and Environment, through September 9, explores our relationship with Mother Earth, “from colonial beliefs about the divine in nature to artists’ advocacy for national parks to the emergence of environmental activism.” Outside, in the North Forest, colorful sculptures punctuate the forest backdrop. Color Field, June 1–September 30, explores “the impact color has on our lives,” with Sam Falls’ interactive sculptures and Spencer Finch’s billboard-size grid gleaned from repeated viewings of The Wizard of Oz. Before you leave, be sure to take a stroll to the BachmanWilson House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the father of organic architecture.

GET MOVING Looking to enjoy the Great Outdoors— and take in a soccer game before MLS (hopefully) comes to town? Head for the southwest corner of the county. Before setting out, fuel up at YOLKLORE in Crestwood. Try the Mary B.E.A.R. (that’s Brie, egg, arugula, and pickled red onion, all nestled on a ciabatta bun), or just go big and have the signature chocolate cake for breakfast. After you’re sufficiently sated, hit the trail. EMMENEGGER NATURE PARK spans 93 acres, showcasing a spectacular array of local tree and bird species along a stretch of the Meramec River. Bring your pup—leashed dogs are welcome. If lake life is more your thing, try your hand (and feet, and quads, and core)

at stand-up paddleboarding on Valley Park’s SIMPSON LAKE . SUP St. Louis outfits you with everything you’ll need, including patient instructors. Once you’ve let your inner athlete out to play, take a breather and watch some other folks sweat. Grab a bite from the Celtic-inspired menu at the LLEWELYN’S PUB location in Webster Groves, where you can get on the SAINT LOUIS FOOTBALL CLUB special. For home matches throughout the 2019 season, $10 will get you a general admission ticket to the match, a drink voucher, and a trolley ride to and from the soccer park. With the team’s ascent to the USL’s conference quarterfinals last year, a night at the game is a memorable experience.

FESTIVALS & FAIRS PRIDEFEST More than 300,000 attended last year. Along with the parade Sunday, there’ll be performances, music, and food. This year’s theme is “Millions of Moments.” The fest is free, but a $5 donation is appreciated. June 29 & 30. Downtown St. Louis, pridestl.org.

Illustration by Noah MacMillan, Photography courtesy of Pridefest, The Gateway Arch Park Foundation, St. Louis Cardinals

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DOWNTOWN DELIGHTS If it seems that downtown has been under construction of some kind or another for years, well, you’re not wrong. All those cranes and rerouted roads are paying off in a renewed front door to our town. Don’t wait for out-of-towners to jolt your routine. Go ahead and plan your own downtown walkabout. Start with breakfast at BLONDIE’S . We’re fans of the basket of popovers and spreads (strawberry butter is a don’t-miss), along with a St. Germain cocktail. Afterward, take in the expansive story of blues music at the NATIONAL BLUES MUSEUM . An absolute requirement: creating your own blues song by following the digital terminals throughout the galleries, then emailing yourself the finished tune. The reimagined MUSEUM AT THE GATEWAY ARCH tells a whole new story about a beloved part of our history and skyline. If you don’t have the time, inclination, or physical ability to take a tram to the top, check out the keystone exhibit in the ticket lobby. There, a replica of the last piece of the Arch to be placed includes authentic windows, the original red aviation safety light from the top, and live video screens showing

the view from 630 feet up. Headed to Busch Stadium to cheer on the Redbirds? Skip the hot dog and try the new BUDWEISER BURGER BAR offerings, including a Provel and T-rav–topped Taste of the Hill burger. After all that rah-rah civic boosterism, maybe you’re ready for something a little more subversive: Tom Huck’s EVIL PRINTS is just the tonic. Huck’s eye-popping woodcut prints include a fair amount of Ozark Gothic subject matter, often profane and just as often hilarious. Huck’s studio, where you can

ST. LOUIS FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE Local filmmakers and films with ties to the city will be celebrated with screenings and awards. See docs, shorts, and feature films and go behind the scenes with Q&As. July 12–14 & 19–21. Brown Hall, Wash. U., cinemastlouis.org.

see the process and buy the product, is open most afternoons. When the sun starts to set, make your way back to the refurbished K I E N E R P L A Z A , which has been resurfaced, landscaped, and lit. Kids and grownups will enjoy the new playgrounds and pop-jet fountains. If you’re lucky, it might be a night when the SkateLyfe rollerskating crew shows off its moves. Finally, enjoy a nightcap at FORM SKYBAR , atop the new Hotel Saint Louis. Order a refreshing Missouri Mule, and toast to a beautiful day in the city.

FESTIVAL OF THE LITTLE HILLS More than 300 vendors from near and far gather in St. Charles to showcase handmade clothing, soap, art, food, and more. August 16–18. St. Charles, festivalofthelittlehills.com.

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FAMILY FUN Looking for some family fun you haven’t done to death? Get a first glimpse of T H E M AG I C H O U S E @ MADE . Opening June 7 at 5127 Delmar, the interactive workshop allows families to explore art, design, makerspaces, and entrepreneurial projects in well-equipped workshops. It marks the first permanent satellite location of the popular children’s museum. Reserve a bay at TOPGOLF and let your junior duffers try their swings in fun high-tech games. The crowdpleasing food and drink (including, get this, filling-injectable doughnut holes) can rack up quite a tab, so keep costs low by going on half-price Tuesdays. Golf equipment is included in the cost. On June 21, be awed by nature’s own living lanterns at THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE’S FIREFLY FESTIVAL. Enjoy hands-on activities, a flashlight tour of the conservatory, and a walk outside with entomologists to see the real thing. Blaze through THIRD FRIDAY AT THIRD DEGREE GLASS FACTORY ,

starting at 6 p.m. on the third Friday of each month. There’s live music and dancing, captivating demos of glassblowing and flame-working, food trucks/vendors, and even workshops (first-come, first-served) to create glass jewelry, nightlights, magnets, and more. Take on Town Square at St. Charles’ new PLAY STREET MUSEUM, designed for kids 8 and under (though older sibs can come along for free). The kidscaled experiential museum houses a play restaurant and farm, blocks, dinos, some ooey-gooey stuff, art supplies, science experiments, and more. Connect with the food you eat and the natural systems on which it all rests at the SAINT LOUIS SCIENCE CENTER’S GROW EXHIBIT . Agriculture and chemistry and biology and ecology all play into the cool hands-on exhibits…but there’s also a new Mud Pie Kitchen, if that’s where your kids will be most at home. Be sure to take a stroll through the tech-enabled aquaponics (fish plus farming in a sustainable loop) greenhouse, too.

WEEKEND ROAD TRIP NEW ATTRACTIONS IN EVERY DIRECTION E

As with Lake of the Ozarks (p. 73), Margaritaville is also making its way to Nashville: Slated to open in the SoBro area this fall, the tropicaltheme 12-story hotel will offer a rooftop pool and FINS Beach Bar. But if you really want to make waves, head to the new SoundWaves at Gaylord Opryland. Spanning 4 acres, the water-andmusic–themed facility boasts 111,000 square feet of indoor fun and 106,000 square feet of outdoor water attractions. Many of the music-inspired rides incorporate speakers and LED lighting: There are Stage Dive body slides, a Record Launch tubing bowl, the Rapid Remix rafting tube, the Crowd Surfer simulated surfing area, a Beat Drop near-vertical tunnel and looping waterslide, a high-speed Bass Drop open-flume body ride… You’ll also find the classic water park staples, including rapid and lazy rivers, a kids’ pool, and a wave pool—with a giant LED movie screen, of course.

FESTIVALS & FAIRS FESTIVAL OF NATIONS Last year, the celebration of global crafts, food, music, and other performances drew over 125,000. More than 100 local cultural organizations will be represented at this perennial favorite. August 24 & 25. Tower Grove Park, festivalofnationsstl.org.

Photography courtesy of Saint Louis Science Center, Festival of Nations, Illustration by Noah MacMillan

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RIVER ADVENTURE At sunrise, park at PERE MARQUETTE STATE PARK lodge and hike the Hickory Trail at least as far as the scenic road. See who’s first to sight an indigo bunting (look at the forest edge) or yellow-billed cuckoo (head east on the road to the first overlook—they prefer hills). Eat breakfast at the lodge— you’ve earned the red velvet pancakes, with cheesecake and whipped cream, named for French explorer Médard Chouart de Grosseilliers. Play a little Brobdingnagian chess until your meal settles, and then head to the stable, choose your steed, and spend an hour trail riding. It’s then time for a pick-me-up: a hunk of cheesecake fudge at GRAFTON FUDGE & ICE CREAM . At the GRAFTON HARBOR MARINA, rent a kayak or splurge on Jet Skis. If

you’re with a group of 10 or fewer, split the $195 rental for two hours on a nice easy pontoon boat. The marina sits at the zero mile marker on the Illinois River, where the Illinois empties into the Mississippi. Head north on the Illinois—it’s calmer, with less debris— and dock at one of the little islands for a swim. Once you’re back on shore, walk to BEASLEY FISH for catfish fritters and onion rings. If it’s the last weekend of the month, shop the Riverside Flea Market at THE LOADING DOCK . If not, sit down a cold beer and listen for the boat-builders’ ghosts; you’re standing where the builders crafted boats used in World War I and Vietnam. Looking to learn more about the Mighty Mississippi? Head south to The NATIONAL GREAT RIVERS MUSEUM in

DELMAR LOOP WEEK The Delmar Loop celebrates summer with an entire week of festivities, beginning with the Juneteenth Celebration and culminating with the Loop Arts Fest. June 15–22. visittheloop.com.

Alton. Exhibits touch on water management, wildlife, and river history and lore. You can also take a 45-minute tour of the MELVIN PRICE LOCKS AND DAM , which control water flow and barge traffic on the river. It’s all free, and you’re sure to see pelicans, bald eagles, gulls, turtles, and other wildlife, depending on the season. If you’re a little tired after all that roaming along the river, that’s OK: You won’t need to get out of your car the rest of the evening. Cruise southeast along the Mississippi to Wood River and dine at KING LOUIE’S DRIVE-IN , family owned and operated for 35 years. A carhop will bring you a King Louie for $3.75, but we recommend the Lion Tamer—jalapeño, onion rings, spicy mayo, and pepper jack cheese— for $4.25. (We do not recommend the King of the Jungle Challenge, which requires you to consume 2 pounds of burger, loaded potato planks, and a 32-ounce soda in 30 minutes. But if you’re fool enough to try it, at least make sure your soda is King Louie’s homemade root beer.) Now drive south to Belleville, where your fun will reach a climax at the SKYVIEW DRIVE-IN . Don’t dawdle—on Saturday nights the place fills up fast. As this icon of American culture turns 70 this summer, catch a double feature. The decades may have wiped out all the other drive-ins, but they’ve only improved this one: It was rebuilt, better, after a tornado in 1955; a second screen was added, after storms in the ’80s, and then a third. Alas, the Skyview is no longer painted Bloomer Pink, the custom carnation-bright hue that the drive-in, part of the Bloomer family’s chain of theaters, once wore. The neon sign’s still there, though, its swordfishnosed rocket ship blasting right into the heavens.

ST. LOU FRINGE See art and artists uncensored and free to connect. This festival is intended to “create an experience that truly satiates the needs of both artists and audiences.” August 13–18. Grand Center Arts District, stlouisfringe.com.

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SHOP & STROLL Start your day in old St. Charles with breakfast at ALLIN’S DINER . Since 2005, husband and wife Dave and Vicki Allin have co-owned the small-ish wood-paneled space, which looks like your grandma’s rec room if your grandma’s rec room served short stacks of the lightest buttermilk pancakes you’d ever tasted. Those come with two eggs any way and bacon (crispy or medium) or sausage (links or patties) in Allin’s Big Breakfast. Allin’s also serves a mean slinger—hash browns topped with ground beef, eggs, Dave’s chili, cheddar, and onions—and a house omelet spiced up with andouille sausage. For the kiddos, there are Mickey Mouse pancakes. Because you’ve just consumed a week’s worth of calories in one breakfast, GET MOVING by walking the

length of Main Street. Park on the south end and pop into Vintage Rose, where you’ll find an enviable collection of milk glass, and continue north until you hit the mother lode, JOYS COLLECTIVE MARKET . What started as one shop, Joys by Austin Warren Design, has spilled over into a much larger store out back where more than 50 designers, makers, and artisans now stock booths for the curious to comb through. Inside, find delicate handmade trinket boxes and whimsical animal figurine planters dusted with 22K gold by Chelsea Wilkins of Scavenge + Bloom. Or hand-poured candles made with soy from American farms in scents as comforting as lemon sugar cookies at 320 Sycamore Candle Co.’s booth. Or an arrangement of air plants and succulents, tucked into a hanging glass

vase, from LoKey Designs. In the market for an easy, breezy summer dress? FR & CO. is the place to get it—as well as a good spot for hostess gifts, housewares, and out-of-the-box stationery. By now, the large patio at BIKE STOP CAFÉ is calling your name. If you’ve planned ahead, you’ll also be picking up your rental bikes to explore the 200-plus miles of the Katy Trail. But the spot serves vegan queso (made with cashews), a stuffed avocado, and a riff on a cucumber sandwich called the Community Garden—cream cheese on wheat bread with cuke, tomato, avocado, greens, and balsamic vinaigrette. Another lunch option: a new location of SALT + SMOKE recently took over what used to be the Little Hills Winery, where owner Tom Schmidt is excited about the huge brick-paved beer garden, dotted with fire pits and water features. As with its other locations, the barbecue-and-whiskey joint serves a carnivore’s greatest hits of indulgences: pulled pork, Trashed Ribs, beef fat fries, fried jalapeño-and-cheddar bologna... Balance that fried bologna with some culture by swinging by the FOUNDRY ART CENTRE to catch “Putting It Together 2: The Art of Assembling” (May 31–July 19). This free juried show of assemblage and collage explores the different ways in which 2-D and 3-D materials can be combined to create something more interesting than their individual elements. Still stuffed but in need of a drink? BELLA VINO it is. The wine spot offers flights—the white features an Albariño plus two Chardonnay blends for $22— and a good selection of by-the-glass pours. But dig a little deeper for this hidden gem on the menu: the Ramona, $9, a culty grapefruit wine spritzer drink, made with Zibibbo grapes from Sicily, that’s favored by such stars as Rihanna and Kanye West. (And if you’re peckish, the food is divine.)

FESTIVALS & FAIRS CHESTERFIELD WINE & JAZZ FESTIVAL Grammy award winners Dave Weckl and Eric Marienthal perform at Chesterfield’s celebration of wine and contemporary jazz. June 15. Chesterfield Amphitheater, chesterfield.mo.us.

THE GATEWAY FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA New music director/conductor Darwin Aquino leads the orchestra in four summer concerts: July 14, 18, 21, and 28. (The July 18 concert will be performed at Chesterfield Amphitheater.) 560 Music Center, gatewayfestivalorchestra.org.

Illustration by Noah MacMillan Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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FROZEN DELIGHTS

WHAT ’S YOUR FAVORITE SUMMERTIME TREAT?

MEX

LA VALLESANA’S PALETAS

MEXICAN OR AMERICAN?

OLD

YES

OLD-SCHOOL OR NEW-SCHOOL?

DO YOU WANT A BITE TO EAT WITH THAT?

SNOW FACTORY’S SPATULA UJIKINTOKI

NEW

NOVEL METHOD OR NOVEL PAIRING?

METHOD

SCIENCE OR SPATULA?

PAIRING

ADULT

SCIENCE

TED DREWES’ ST. LOUIS CLASSIC

USA

CONE OR CUP?

NO

CROWN CANDY KITCHEN’S CHOCOLATE BANANA MALT

STL

ICES PLAIN & FANCY’S BUTTER PECAN

CONE

CUP

ST. LOUIS– OR SPRINGFIELDSTYLE?

ADULT OR KIDDO?

DINNER OR DRINKS?

HOW HUNGRY ARE YOU?

NOT VERY

SPRINGFIELD

KIDDO

DINNER

DRINKS

FOUNTAIN ON LOCUST’S WORLD’S SMALLEST ICE CREAM CONE

ANDY’S TURTLE SUNDAE

TACO & ICE CREAM JOINT’S VASO LOCO

SERENDIPITY’S SPIRITED SHAKES

COOKIE

CAKE

WAFFLE

THE BAKED BEAR’S ICE CREAM & COOKIES

CLEMENTINE’S LAVA LOVE

BOARDWALK WAFFLES’ SALTED CARAMEL

VERY

COOKIE, CAKE, OR WAFFLE?

CARL’S DRIVE IN’S RONNIE’S ROCKY MOUNTAIN

JUNE 2019

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SERENITY NOW One of the region’s best-kept serenity secrets sprawls across 76 acres in Augusta. The MID-AMERICA BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION is a monastery that also offers a free Sunday service

followed by a free vegetarian meal. Begin at 10 a.m. with a sitting meditation, followed by a walking meditation around a giant Buddha statue overlooking the field, a dharma talk (a sermon by a monastic teacher), and chanting (in English, truly beginner), which wraps at 11:45 a.m. for lunch

in the Blue Lotus House. Afterward, participants are allowed to explore the grounds. The property is a little bit of paradise, says the guide, Venerable Kongyan. On a tour, she notes that the monastery’s residents have designed and constructed most of the buildings,

FESTIVALS & FAIRS MUSIC ON MAIN On the third Wednesday of each month through September, catch free performances 5–7:30 p.m. in downtown St. Charles. 100 N. Main, discoverstcharles.com.

PARTIES ON THE PLAZA Westport Plaza’s popular concert series is back with Dirty Muggs on June 20, Dr. Zhivegas on July 18, and Anthony Gomes on August 15. Music starts at 5:30 p.m. Westport Plaza, westportstl.com.

Photography by Jennifer Silverberg

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even laying the wide stone path around the Buddha by hand. MABA grows its own vegetables—lettuce, carrots, potatoes, squash, an herb garden—in outdoor plots and a greenhouse the Buddhists have constructed themselves. There are peach, plum, and persimmon trees. Two chunky German shepherds, Mitta (“friend”) and Sati (“mindfulness”)—named so the residents always remember those virtues when calling for them—add life to the surroundings. MABA also hosts a series of retreats for those who are more advanced in their meditation practice. On June 22, seek out the summer solstice mini-retreat. Participants will meditate in silence 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m., then listen to a talk until 4 p.m. If you’re on the fence, let this insider tip sit with you: MABA’s neighbor owns Montelle Winery. The Buddhists may not drink, Venerable Kongyan says, smiling, but that doesn’t stop them from walking laypeople who participate in retreats down the road to their friend’s winery. Listen, no one said that self-care can’t be delicious. On May 4, the outdoor FERGUSON FARMERS’ MARKET opens in its new location at the Plaza at 501. Each Saturday through October 26, come out for a quick breakfast (handpressed juice from The Raw Juicery, plus a made-to-order pancake, a new addition this year) or lunch (a Salvadoran pupusa from the also new Deli-

cias Latinas). Afterward, browse alpaca wool items by fan favorite Alpacas of Troy. On select Friday nights, the market hosts a concert series, now in its 10th year, at the new location. After a morning at the farmers’ market, hop on the Ferguson Trolley and take a ride to EARTHDANCE FARMS , where you can surrender your stress and dig in the dirt. Visitors are welcome at the farm anytime—for a private tour or to volunteer in the fields, harvesting produce or weeding—as long as they let EarthDance know in advance. Every Saturday at 11 a.m. through October, EarthDance offers free farm tours that highlight how it provides organic produce to the farmers’ market, Local Harvest, farm-to-table restaurants such as Vicia, and community programs. “We like to call them tasting tours,” says Heather Durawski, who works for EarthDance’s Organic Farm School. “We’ll pull a tomato off the vine, which is great, because a lot of people haven’t seen that.” If your interest in farming runs deeper, sign up for the part-time farm and garden apprenticeship, where you’ll learn how to grow from seed to market. Not ready to pull the trigger on the apprenticeship program? You can still attend the Tuesday classes. For example, a local herbalist might walk you through the property’s herb garden to pick green things for a medicinal tincture. June is a sleepy month for the farm, Durawski says—a bonus for those seeking quiet. (“I hear constantly from our junior farm crew members; they’re, like, ‘This is the most peaceful place I’ve ever been,’” Durawski says.) One exception: the summer solstice event, June 21, when the farm hosts a community potluck. But the lull won’t last long this year: Starting in the fall, EarthDance is piloting a farm stand at the front of the property so community members can get their produce roadside.

JUNGLE BOOGIE Enjoy an array of local talent on the zoo’s Schnuck Family Plaza. The free concerts are held at 5 p.m. every Friday. May 24–August 30. 1 Government, Forest Park, stlzoo.org.

WEEKEND ROAD TRIP NEW ATTRACTIONS IN EVERY DIRECTION W

What happens when a resort gets past 55 and starts looking for a more easygoing lifestyle? Well, like so many others, it draws inspiration from Jimmy Buffett. After decades as a hunting lodge–themed retreat, Tan-Tar-A recently underwent a two-year transformation into the seaside-flavored Margaritaville Lake Resort. The renovated 494-room resort fully embraces the theme, with a host of Parrothead-inspired entertainment options: LandShark Bar & Grill (a 280-seat restaurant decorated to match the label of the popular lager, with a pool and swim-up bar), Jolly Mon Indoor Waterpark (featuring 600 feet of waterslides, a lazy river, and a 21-seat whirlpool), Port of Indecision Marina (with pontoon boats, ski boats, WaveRunners, paddleboards, and tube rentals), and the Fin City arcade and bowling. Situated by the lake, it’s where Buffett might drop anchor if he weren’t on the coast.

ECKERT’S SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Spend Friday and Saturday summer evenings listening to music as varied as the farm-fresh snacks. Through July 6. 951 S. Green Mount, Belleville, Illinois, eckerts.com.

JUNE 2019

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THE ULTIMATE HEALTH, FITNESS, AND WELLNESS EVENT

SATURDAY, JUNE 29 / 8 A.M.–1 P.M. WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PURCHASE TICKETS, VISIT STLMAG.COM/BEWELLSTL OR CALL 314-918-3026. JOIN THE CONVERSATION ONLINE AT #BEWELLSTL

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YOUR GUIDE TO GETTING FIT By Jeannette Cooperman, George Mahe, Elizabeth Rund, Samantha Stevenson, and Emily Wasserman

Photography by John Smith

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An Excellent

Adventure Running’s monotonous. Add a few more sports, a teammate, gorgeous woods and river, and the chance of getting lost in the wilderness. BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

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Does it make you feel like an Amazon afterward?” asked Aubrey Byron. The other woman cocked her head. “Yeah.” Byron, a freelance writer who grew up canoeing on the Black River, smiled. “That’s what I want.” Adventure racing is more than canoeing. More than running in the woods. More than mountain biking. It’s a day of all three (and some races add whitewater rafting, high ropes, or rappelling off a water tower), plus the added challenge of navigating without GPS. Shortly before the race, you’re given a paper “topo map” of the terrain and the checkpoints you’ll have to find, using an oldfashioned compass and your brain. Byron arm-twisted a friend, Olivia Cooper, to join her this past December, and they entered their team, The Monthly Cycle, in the Castlewood 8-Hour Adventure Race, run every year by the Alpine Shop. Race director Emily Korsch offered prep advice: “Because the sport is based on performing well in unpredictable terrain, literally anything can be molded into AR training: Carrying heavy Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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grocery bags to the far end of a parking lot. Carrying your kids in a backpack for a hike.” Granted, they’d also have to practice “the nitty-gritty of AR: climbing hills, running in wet shoes, carrying your bike over obstacles.” Korsch says “either running or biking to work is a great way to sneak extra training time into a weekday.” If you just groaned at the thought, she suggests leaving your car at work one evening, biking home, biking in the next day, driving home. “Plus you have to carry a pack with your work clothes, shower supplies, and computer, so you are naturally training for carrying a pack with mandatory AR gear”—which includes first-aid supplies, a headlamp, whistle, emergency blanket, puffer jacket, and so on. “Most of it’s for your safety,” Byron concedes, “but you get dropped points if you don’t have these things.” You also have to schlep your mountain bike in your canoe, she adds, which is “awkward, and there are balance considerations.” Forget fancy rope knots; she and Cooper used zip ties and carried a pocketknife. Unlike the veterans who ran at top speed straight into dense woods, The Monthly Cycle duo were hiking and laughing—but Byron does wish they’d trained a little harder, especially for steep hills. Her most useful tip? “Having snacks, honestly. I thought maybe there’d be a pause between disciplines. We ended up eating in the canoe, stuffing in granola bars.” She felt good about the biggest challenge, though: orienteering. “We went to Greensfelder ahead of time and just tried to know where we were on the trail. Then we said, ‘Let’s see if we can get to this creek.’” Then they learned that the St. Louis Orienteering Club offers more structured practice sessions and lessons, plus maps to permanent courses at Carondelet Park and Rockwoods Reservation. Now, Byron and Cooper are hooked. “It’s like a triathlon in the woods,” Byron says, “and I just always want to be in the woods. Plus it’s five straight hours of activity—with a lot of teamwork, especially three hours in when you haven’t eaten—and you’re navigating, self-reliant. It just feels good.” Kind of…Amazonian.

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IN IT TOGETHER Push through these high-intensity workouts with friends. BY SAMANTHA STEVENSON

FASTER FITNESS

TRAINING FOR WARRIORS

IRON TRIBE FITNESS

“Can you do it on your own? Sure,” says owner Marshall Ray, “but it’s so much more fun in a group environment. You want to push yourself harder.” At the Brentwood workout facility, participants lift barbells, swing battle ropes, and do burpees during 45-minute classes. Offering up to eight classes a day, Faster Fitness features customizable programs with a coach, bi-weekly body-fat checks, and an app to track nutrition accountability. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously,” notes Ray. “If someone said, ‘Hey, I just want to work out,’ we might say, ‘Right on.’ We’re going to support them and give them all of the coaching they want.” 1432 Strassner.

Train like an MMA fighter using a strength-and-conditioning system founded in martial arts. “Where some programs might just focus on cardio or strength, we do both,” says owner Zach Bruce. Originally used to train elite fighters, the workout’s been adapted for the general population. Workouts alternate between cardio and lifting days. “It’s a results-based system,” says Bruce, noting that each member has an accountability coach. The real accountability, however, comes from working out in a group. “The benefit is being in a group of people on the same mission,” says Bruce. “We’re all here for results.” 284 East.

At Iron Tribe, all workouts have four components: cardio (running, jump rope, biking), strength building (throwing medicine balls, lifting barbells, moving sandbags), bodyweight workouts (gymnastic moves, push-ups, pull-ups), and yoga. There are typically 12 to 16 people in the 45-minute classes. Owner Steven Baum believes that the group setting is key. “You’ve got this support group to help motivate you and keep you coming back,” he says. “It’s the social aspect that keeps them coming. No one wants to be last in a group setting—they don’t want to look like they’re not working hard—so everybody works a little bit harder.” 1336 Strassner.

More Ways to Get Moving

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Working up a sweat is often a matter of finding the workout that most appeals to you: Pilates or yoga, barre or boxing, cycling or dancing, rowing or surfing… Can’t pick just one? Many facilities offer a menu of options. Rather work out while staying in? There are even services that bring personal training and equipment to your home, customizing the workout to your fitness level. Sample the myriad options at SLM’s Be Well STL Bootcamp. Sponsored by Missouri Baptist Medical Center, the wellness event is slated for June 29 at Westminster Christian Academy. stlmag.com/bewellstl. Photography courtesy of Faster Fitness

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Press

Run

KMOV reporter Alexis Zotos shares her must-have snacks, gym routine, and what’s she itching to try next. BY SAMANTHA STEVENSON

FAVORITE WORKOUT “I love rowing. I think it’s a good allbody workout, and it’s low-impact. If you do it properly, you’re using a ton of your core and legs. You can get a good full-body and leg workout with the rower.” WORKOUT REGIMEN “I used to use ClassPass, which I loved. It gave me the opportunity to try a ton of classes around St. Louis, but now I mostly just go to Fitness Formula in the Central West End. It’s a full-body circuit workout, so it really kicks my butt. Ideally, I go four or five times a week, but three is my every-week goal. I try to toss in some spinning classes here and there, and when I can sneak in a yoga class, I like to.” FITNESS BUCKET LIST “I want to try aerial yoga. I also want to get into Pilates, because I do a lot of cardio and weightlifting, but I don’t do as much of that core strengthening. I think it would be a good challenge.” GO-TO HEALTHY SNACK “I’m a big celery-and-hummus, celery–and–peanut butter kind of person. I bring edamame and pistachios to work a lot. As a reporter, I could be stuck who knows where for who knows how long, and there is nothing worse than a hungry reporter.”

Her job as a broadcast journalist on KMOV’s 10 p.m. newscast means that reporter Alexis Zotos has mornings free for workout classes. With her wedding coming up in August, she’s eager to stay active and aims for at least three gym sessions a week, even while recovering from a recent knee injury. Over time, she’s realized that working out is beneficial for more than just her physical fitness: “I feel less like I am doing this just to be fit and more that this is a part of my routine. It’s that hour of the day that I can just put my cell phone down and really devote time to me.” Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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SECRET TO FITNESS SUCCESS “Find a friend or a co-worker to work out with. I feel like that accountability and having someone else is key. It makes it enjoyable, because there’s a little bit of that social aspect, but there’s also having that partner to make sure you guys both get there in the morning.”

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Leave It All

on the Mat Stretch and relax with these local yoga studios, groups, and more. BY ELIZABETH RUND Yoga Buzz Strike your poses in some of St. Louis’ most scenic spots. Yoga Buzz holds classes all over the region, including such storied venues as the Anheuser-Busch brewery, the Arch, and City Museum. Classes are often paired with other activities: beer tastings, cooking classes, or even playing with cats. yogabuzz.org. Yoga Hikes STL April through November, unwind and reconnect with nature during an hour-long yoga class in the great outdoors. Yoga Hikes STL is intended to get participants “out in nature and outside a room with four walls,” says founder Sheila Dugopolski. “You’re out seeing the birds and wildlife and getting fresh air.” 12251 Natural Bridge, 314-732-2211, yogahikesstl.net. Pure Hot Yoga St. Louis was home to hot yoga before it became a nationwide craze. Open since 2003, Pure Hot Yoga offers 60- and 90-minute classes in a room kept hotter than 100 degrees. Why so hot? Hot yoga has a range of health benefits. 6630 Clayton , 314-644-2226, yogastlouis.com. Yoga Trapeze St. Louis Unlock your inner acrobat with trapeze yoga. Stretching while suspended in midair might seem daunting, but

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it’s a fun way to relieve back pressure and create more body movement. “The trapeze allows for inversion,” explains owner/instructor Arielle Abramzik Travelstead, “and you have more room to stretch.” 3965 Park, 314-2011211, yogatrapezestl.com. Yoga in DeMun Yoga asana practice and Zen meditation are taught in a studio in the DeMun neighborhood. Founder/instructor Christy Lin not only teaches students how to practice yoga but also guides them on a journey of body and spirit. Classes encourage both stretching and “strengthening the muscle of attention,” says Lin. “We are here for a pause in everyday life.” 6348 S. Rosebury, 314-365-4469, yogaindemun.com. Green Finned Hippy Farms Located near Pocahontas, Illinois, this farm offers the best yoga partners: goats. The four-legged yogis are “specialty trained therapy goats that have a love for spending time with people,” explains farm owner Alicia Davis. Classes are designed to put participants in the goats’ environment. Goat yoga is available spring through fall, but spring is the best time to see baby goats. 256 Hickory, Pocahontas, 618-669-2897, greenfinnedhippy.com.

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Fresh

Fitness From rowing to climbing, new workout options abound. BY SAMANTHA STEVENSON

CycleBar

PLNK STL

Climb So iLL

Row House

Party meets pedaling at the indoor cycling gym’s three area locations. The workouts come with a high-energy soundtrack of everything from Justin Bieber to Skrillex. At the same time, the workouts are low-impact. “We get a lot of people who are runners who can’t run anymore,” says Nafisa Bangura, manager of the franchise’s newest area location, in Richmond Heights. During the 45-minute classes, you get a solid cardio workout without wear and tear on your joints. “And because you cycle to the beat,” says Bangura, “you get a good high-intensity workout as well.” cyclebar.com.

Using the celebrity-beloved Lagree Method, PLNK instructors teach high-intensity, lowimpact workouts on Megaformer machines in small classes or one-on-one sessions. “It’s all about alignment, but in different postures, but on a machine that adds intensity,” says owner Brooke Meek. “We incorporate flexibility and balance in every workout to work multiple muscles under constant tension. It’s really unlike anything else.” Adding to its original location (1560 S. Lindbergh), the hands-on fitness studio opened a second location in the Central West End (4643 Lindell) last September, and a Chesterfield location’s on the horizon. plnkstl.com.

Want to take your workout to new heights? Scale the 55-foot-tall wall at this rockclimbing gym to build your endurance, core, and grip strength. “You’re utilizing pretty much every muscle group but in a more fun, sort of programmed way,” says co-owner David Chancellor. Filled with brightly colored walls, climbing trails, classes, and more, Climb So iLL’s first location is in a former power plant near Lafayette Square (1419 Carroll). This summer, it’s expanding to St. Charles, opening in the Steel Shop building (650 N. Main Center), near the riverfront. climbsoill .com; stcharles.climbsoill.com.

The national rowing franchise is opening six locations across the region; the first is coming to South County later this summer. Gym-goers are put on low-impact rowing machines, with water in the background, mirrors in the front, and dimming lights as a coach leads. “You feel kind of like you’re in a rowboat,” says co-franchisee Pam Wilke, who’ll operate three locations. “Everybody’s stroking at the same time, and you’re getting out of it what you’re putting into it. Anyone—across fitness levels—can really get a great workout and feel like they’re part of a team.” therowhouse.com.

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts, courtesy of PLNK STL, Climb So iLL, Row House

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BLAZING SKILLETS

Caryn Dugan shares advice on healthy cooking. BY GEORGE MAHE

Just over a decade ago, Caryn Dugan began the transition from “Lean Cuisine queen” and lover of Spam to plant-based diet advocate, preaching her gospel of “a plant on every plate” in cooking classes and seminars and on local TV morning shows. She partnered with Forks Over Knives to create the first Forks Over Knives community and support program, and her website (stlveggirl.com) includes info on Culinary Rx, her online cooking and nutrition program. Here, Dugan offers her favorite summer recipe and some helpful cooking tips.

Cooking Tips 1. A “dry sauté” not only reduces the fat, calories, and cholesterol in a dish but also condenses the flavors. Fats and oils coat the ingredients and your taste buds, creating a flavor absorption barrier.

Plant-Based Paella Serves 4 1/2 ellow onion, chopped 1/2ed bell pepper, chopped 1 poblano pepper, chopped 1/2 bunch of asp agus (rough ends cut off and remaining stalks chopped in half-inch pieces) 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup vegetable broth 1 cup fresh Chinese shiitake mushrooms (or other), destemmed and roughly chopped 3 piquillo peppers, chopped 1/2 cup ooked artichoke hearts, chopped 1/4 cup een olives with pimientos, halved 1 cup San Marzano tomatoes, roughly chopped, including leftover juice from can 1 1/2easpoons smoked paprika 1/4easpoon freshly ground black pepper Pinch of saffron 1 pound riced cauliflower 1/2 cup een peas Italian parsley to garnish (optional)

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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add the onion, bell pepper, poblano pepper, and asparagus to a preheated, oven-safe 15-inch skillet. Dry-sauté, beginning with high heat for 4 minutes. Bring heat down to medium-high and stir often. When the onion becomes translucent, add the garlic and continue to stir. If the vegetables begin to stick, add a tablespoon or so of broth to deglaze. After about 1 minute, add the mushrooms, piquillos, artichokes, olives, tomatoes and juice, paprika, ground black pepper, and saffron. Stir well. Add the riced cauliflower and mix well again. Add 1/4 cup of the broth, stir, and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, checking every 5 minutes or so to add more broth if it evaporates (but only if it looks dry). In the last 5 minutes, add the peas, lightly stir, and place back in oven. Garnish with parsley and serve from hot skillet.

2. Using what’s called the “hack and hold” method, mince the garlic first and allow it to sit out for at least 15 minutes. This allows the potent cancer-fighter allicin to form. 3. Using cancer-fighting cruciferous vegetables— for example, cauliflower rice—instead of rice also reduces calories by a significant amount. Eat them every day. 4. Frozen vegetables are great for your health and pocketbook. Their nutrient density remains intact because they’re frozen at peak freshness—and stocking up is inexpensive.

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Treats Healthy summer snacks BY EMILY WASSERMAN

Confluence Kombucha’s Coconut Yogurt The tangy treat is also used as an ingredient in PuraVegan’s (307 Belt) açaí bowl. 4507 Manchester. Foundation Grounds’ Kisses The bite-size treats are vegan and made with coconut, so you won’t feel guilty eating more than one. 7298 Manchester. Fred and Ricky’s Creamy Chocolate Pudding The pudding doesn’t include dairy—and it’s gluten- and nut-free. fredricky.com. Hank’s Cheesecakes’ Sugar-Free Cheesecake Sweetened with all-natural SweetR sweetener, the low-carb dessert options include blueberry, chocolate, lemon, and raspberry. 1063 S. Big Bend. Revel Kitchen’s Chia Seed Pudding Bowl The gluten-free side is available in small or large portions. eatrevel kitchen.com. Seedz Café’s Sweetz The vegan café in DeMun offers (natch) plant-based desserts: Cheezecake, brownies, and oatmeal doughnuts. 6344 S. Rosebury. SweetArt’s Vegan Cupcakes Among the rotating menu of vegan and gluten-free goodies: cherry amaretto and chocolate snowball. 2203 S. 39th. SymBowl’s Green & Sticky Enjoy the smoothie—a mix of kale, cucumber, celery, spinach, apple, and agave—on Wednesdays for $5. 11215 Manchester. Whisk’s Vegan Thumbprint Cookies Pair the Cherokee Street bakery’s pint-size cookies with a cup of Big Heart Tea. 2201 Cherokee. Winslow’s Home’s Vegan Cookies The vegan breakfast cookies are made with oats and dried fruit. 7213 Delmar.

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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THE DESERT-BRED ARABIAN HORSE WAS KEPT PURE

BY THE BEDOUINS FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

WESTERNERS MUDDLED THE BLOODLINE, AND THE

SAUDIS LET THE POPULATION DWINDLE. NOW, TWO

TRAINERS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS ARE HELPING

BRING BACK THIS GLORIOUS HORSE.

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BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

ALL THE KING’S HORSES

91 JUNE

2019 | STLMAG.COM

Photography by John Smith

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SARAH SANDERS TAKES THE CHESTNUT STALLION AROUND THE RIDING ARENA.

Yielding to almost imperceptible pressure of her leg against his side, he trots across the ring, left legs crossing over the right as he moves sideways and forward at once. Then she brings ibn Jalam’s head to the right and presses lightly with her right leg, and he steps to the left. “It’s physics,” she calls over her shoulder. “My weight shifting and me looking at where I want to go is what helps tell him how to move.” A visitor, Hussain Abulfaraj, nods, watching intently as Sanders, with no apparent word or gesture, brings the horse from a gallop to an abrupt halt. Both hands are raised high above her head. Her body stays with his, no jolt, no recoil. Abulfaraj smiles. He was born in Ames, Iowa, where his parents were university professors, and he’s just finished a Ph.D. in classical Arabic poetry at Indiana University. Soon he’ll take a position on the faculty of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. But he’s intensely interested in the purebred horses of Bedouin descent. DB ibn Jalam, like Abulfaraj, is of Saudi ancestry, but he lives on a 300-acre farm near Freeburg, Illinois. The “DB” indicates that he is a desert-bred Arabian; “ibn Jalam” means that he is the son of Jalam. But it’s ibn Jalam’s great-grandfather who started this story. That horse, along with many of his stablemates, were brought to this country from Saudi Arabia in the 1950s. Their

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AT LEFT: Rodger Davis, owner of The Riding Center, near Freeburg, Illinois. A trainer and instructor, he’s focused his life on the underappreciated Saudi desertbred Arabian horse, a line kept pure by the Bedouin for thousands of years. BOTTOM: Sarah Sanders, a trainer and instructor, manages his barn and is starting a horse rescue there.

travel papers were authorized by King Abdulaziz ibn Saud himself. Had DNA testing existed, it would have revealed a straight line from the expats to the Bedouin horses that galloped across the desert before King Solomon was born. Today, there are more horses from ibn Jalam’s family bloodline in the States than there are in Saudi Arabia—but Abulfaraj wants to bring the line back in its ancestral land. “Our wealth is our oil wells,” he says, “but our treasure is our horses.” And so he has searched stable after stable, visiting 40 or so facilities claiming to have desert-bred Arabians, and he’s checked their DNA. He’s found no bloodlines this pure. | | |

against the arena gate, a thumb hooked in a jean pocket as he watches the demo. Lean and cowboy tough, he has electric blue eyes that have squinted at horizons most people never see. When Abulfaraj explains his mission, Davis’ mind reels: Could this be his dream come true? After spending 40 years breeding these very special horses, will he see somebody finally acknowledging and appreciating them? They aren’t Thoroughbreds; they aren’t even what most people call Arabians. They’re a breed unto themselves. And their number is dwindling. After the ride, one of Davis’ stable hands leads ibn Jalam back to his stall. “If I accidentally shift my Continued on p. 140 RODGER DAVIS LEANS

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

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2019

AWARDS PARTY

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S T. L O U I S M A G A Z I N E I N V I T E S Y O U T O

A RED CARPET AFFAIR Our annual A-List Party celebrates the top of the town— restaurants, culture, shopping, media, and more— as chosen by readers and editors.

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THE SHELDON VISIT STLMAG.COM/ALIST OR CALL 314.918.3026 TO PURCHASE TICKETS.

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FAC EBO OK @stlmag @designstl @stlfamily

T WIT T ER @stlmag @stlmag_dining @designstl

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Faces O F S T. LO U I S

1 9 0 2 E U N J

S P ECI A L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

St. Louis is home to many thriving businesses. These local companies, organizations, and individuals are making an impact in our great region— and beyond—each day. Meet the people behind some of those businesses: the Faces of St. Louis.

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The Face of COMPLEX DIVORCE & CUSTODY LITIGATION Hais, Hais & Goldberger Hais, Hais & Goldberger is a full-service family law firm with an impressive 40-year history in the areas of divorce and custody litigation. Since launching the firm in 1979, founder Susan M. Hais has represented many of St. Louis’ most prominent citizens and has been personally responsible for the establishment of an impressive array of legal precedents in the areas of divorce law and child custody. Before joining the firm, Samuel J. Hais was a judge of the 21st Judicial Circuit, St. Louis County, where he was a founding member and judge of the Family Court of St. Louis County for many years. Samuel and Susan have both written and lectured extensively in the area of family law. Clients count on Hais, Hais & Goldberger for its reputation of providing in-depth client services, meticulous case preparation, and complete litigation management. 222 S. Central Avenue, Ste. 600 St. Louis, MO 63105 314-862-1300 hhg-law.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Samuel J Hais, Susan M. Hais

THE CHOICE OF A LAWYER IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION AND SHOULD NOT BE BASED SOLEY UPON ADVERTISEMENTS.

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S P ECI A L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

The Face of 25 YEARS Ameristar Casino Resort Spa Ameristar has been a part of the St. Charles and St. Louis community for 25 years. Since opening their doors in 1994, the casino has evolved from a small riverboat to the largest casino in Missouri. They are now recognized as the No. 1 tourist attraction in the state, hosting 5.5 million visitors each year. Ameristar has expanded in just about every area of their business. In 2007, the largest of the expansion projects was completed with the grand opening of their all-suite four-diamond hotel, featuring 400 spacious rooms, a new parking structure, a roof top pool oasis, and an award-winning, full-service day spa. The towering new structures were designed with the same unmistakable architectural style that make historic St. Charles so unique. What truly brings Ameristar to life are the fantastic team members and the outstanding guest service that they provide every day. Guests’ satisfaction has always come first and that is what drives the amazing experiences at Ameristar on a daily basis. That standard of excellence has endeared Ameristar to the community for 25 years and will continue to do so for many years to come.

1 Ameristar Boulevard St. Charles, MO 63301 636-949-7777 ameristarstcharles.com

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SPECIAL ADV ER TI S I N G S ECTI ON

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SPECIAL ADV ER TI S I N G S ECTI ON

The Face of INTERIOR DESIGN Interior Design Center of St. Louis Spanning 100,000 square feet, the Interior Design Center of St. Louis encompasses a collection of individual showrooms and design firms offering a vast range of resources including furniture, fabric, flooring, tile, appliances, plumbing fixtu es, home automation, audio-visual, kitchen, bath, outdoor living, commercial offic environments, and design services. IDC offers thousands of products to source and shop—all from established local businesses representing renowned manufacturers. While the selection of products, brands, and working displays are impressive, the Center’s unmatched level of personal service and commitment to quality make it a go-to for consumers and industry professionals alike. Whether you’re building a new home or redecorating a room, this destination should be part of your planning process. The IDC’s line up of showrooms includes KDR Designer Showrooms, AUTCOhome Appliances, Walbrandt Technologies, Floor Source, Premier Plumbing Studio, Working Spaces, and Beck/Allen Cabinetry. Design firms include Amy Studebaker Design, JCR Design Group, Johnson Design, Marcia Moore Design, and Yours By Design.

KDR Designer Showrooms, AUTCOhome Appliances, Walbrandt Technologies, Floor Source, Premier Plumbing Studio, Working Spaces, Beck/ Allen Cabinetry, Amy Studebaker Design, JCR Design Group, Johnson Design, Marcia Moore Design, and Yours By Design 11610–11660 Page Service Drive St. Louis, MO 63146 314-983-0218 idcstl.com

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The Face of WEALTH MANAGEMENT Moneta Moneta was recently ranked No. 4 in the nation among independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) by Barron’s for its combination of quality and scale. Moneta provides a full spectrum of financial planning services to individuals, families, and companies, empowering them to navigate life’s path and protect what they cherish. The firm’s longstanding legacy is putting clients first in every decision they make— a core value that they believe has been integral to their growth trajectory. Today with more than $20 billion in Assets Under Management (AUM) and 300-plus employees, they are able to deliver a level of service to their clients that only an independent, 100 percent employee-owned company can offe . 100 S. Brentwood Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63105 314-726-2300 monetagroup.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Eric Kittner, Managing Partner and Chairman; Keith Bowles, President and Chief Operating Officer

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O F S T. LO U I S

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 priv te, 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.

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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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S P ECI A L A DVESRPTEC IS IN ECETR IO IA G L ASDV TN IS IN G S EC T IO N

The Face of COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Sansone Group Founded in 1957 by Anthony F. Sansone Sr., Sansone Group is a nationally recognized, St. Louisbased real estate firm specializing in property management, brokerage, acquisitions, and development of industrial, retail, office and multifamily properties. Today, Anthony Sr. is joined by four of his sons with integral roles in growing the business. As a privately owned company in a fast-paced industry, one of Sansone Group’s key advantages has always been its ability to remain versatile and continue to evolve. Sansone Group’s Executive Committee (featured) is comprised of Sansone Group Principals and key associates in leadership positions throughout the organization. These leaders identify and implement strategic opportunities and initiatives to help direct the continued success of Sansone Group. Their work is one of the many reasons Sansone Group is able to keep a competitive edge in the commercial real estate sector.

120 S. Central Avenue, Ste. 500 St. Louis, MO 63105 314-727-6664 sansonegroup.com PICTURED, FRONT ROW FROM LEFT: Nicholas Sansone, James Sansone, Douglas Sansone SECOND ROW: Dawn Owens, Emily Rhodus, Grant Mechlin, Sharon Litteken THIRD ROW: Angie Ritz, Joe Gan, Tom Bajardi, Scott Savacool BACK ROW: Tim Cherre, Brandon Wappelhorst, Mark Kornfeld NOT PICTURED: Tim Sansone, Samantha Gauch

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O F S T. LO U I S

S P EC IA L A DV E R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

The Face of HOME FINANCING American Eagle Credit Union Selecting the right financing for a home is as important as choosing the right home. After all, a home is likely the largest purchase most will ever make. And whether it’s buying a new home or refinancing a cur ent one, St. Louis turns to American Eagle Credit Union first AECU’s professional mortgage loan officers in-house underwriting team, and in-house servicing team provide the personalized service you’d expect of a neighborhood friend throughout the entire home financing p ocess—from application, to closing, and beyond. As St. Louisans’ home town, home loan provider, AECU has a loan for every buyer: conventional and jumbo loans, first-time homebuyer and FHA loans, fi ed and adjustable rates, as well as a variety of no-PMI, no-closing-cost, and no-point options. The entire mortgage process is handled in-house, from underwriting to servicing, and everything in between. Opening doors and fulfilling dreams—it’s what American Eagle Credit Union does every day.

423 Lynch Street St. Louis, MO 63118 314-771-7700 877- 269-4179 ameaglecu.org PICTURED: Team Members from AECU’s Mortgage Lending, Underwriting, Processing, and Servicing Groups.

AMERICAN EAGLE 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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S P ECI A L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

The Face of HEATING & COOLING Bart Inman Air Heating & Cooling Bart Inman Air Heating and Cooling is the most trusted St. Louis heating and cooling company. As a full-service heating and air conditioning company serving St. Louis and the Metro East, Bart Inman Air offers a complete range of residential services including repairs, maintenance, sales, and installation for all makes and models of heating and cooling systems. The technicians at Bart Inman Air are all trained and certified professionals that will treat you and your home with courtesy and respect. If you are looking for an affordable solution to making your home environment more comfortable, have the job done right the first time with Bart Inman Ai .

4545 Telegraph Road St. Louis, MO 63129 314-293-2600 inmanair.com PICTURED: Bart Inman

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The Face of EYELID SURGERY John B. Holds, M.D. | Adam G. Buchanan, M.D. Drs. John B. Holds and Adam G. Buchanan have more than 50 years of combined experience in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the eyelids, tear ducts, and orbits. Dr. Holds has been in private practice for more than 22 years and is frequently invited to lecture at national and international meetings, as well as being an author in the field f aesthetic facial treatments. Dr. Buchanan joined the practice in July, after retiring from the Army, where he taught ophthalmic plastic surgery in the ophthalmology residency program at Madigan Army Medical Center in Fort Lewis, Washington. Dr. Buchanan also offers appointments t their new office in t. Peters. Along with aesthetic nurse Krista Stoll, RN, BSN, CANS, the practice provides application of Botox® cosmetic and dermal fillers, including the Juvéderm® collection of fillers, Radiesse®, the Restylane® family of fillers, and Sculptra® Aesthetic. Additional aesthetic services provided by Ms. Stoll include micro-needling, platelet-rich plasma treatments, microdermabrasion, medicalgrade chemical peels, and skin care consultation.

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12990 Manchester Road Stes. 101 & 102 Des Peres, MO 63131 300 St. Peters Centre Boulevard St. Peters, MO 63376 314-567-3567 eyelidmd.com medispastlouis.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: John B. Holds, M.D.; Adam G. Buchanan, M.D.

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The Face of ENGAGEMENT RINGS Genovese Jewelers Genovese Jewelers is proud to have served the St. Louis area for more than 36 years. What makes Genovese Jewelers stand out amongst other jewelers in St. Louis and across the country? It’s simple: Genovese Jewelers is a true custom jeweler. With 14 bench jewelers and CAD designers, they combine retailing and manufacturing to a degree not found anywhere in the Midwest. By controlling material and labor costs, they can manufacture beautiful, higher quality jewelry at a lower price than what most jewelers are importing from overseas. Genovese Jewelers is incredibly proud to be manufacturing jewelry not just in the USA, but right here in St. Louis. Watch the custom jewelry-making process on the Genovese Jewelers website. Looking for some inspiration? Follow Genovese Jewelers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

12460 Olive Boulevard Creve Coeur, MO 63141 314-878-6203 genovesejewelers.com PICTURED, CENTER (in glasses): Joe Genovese, President, with the Genovese Jewelers staff

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O F S T. LO U I S

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The Face of CRIMINAL DEFENSE Joseph M. Harvath | The JMH Law Firm Joe Harvath of The JMH Law Firm provides passionate and aggressive criminal representation at reasonable rates for people charged with felonies, misdemeanors, and traffic ffenses. A St. Louis native, Joe represents clients across the region. A previous career as a financia auditor equipped him with the focus needed to recognize small details that could change the outcome of a case. He understands that every client matters, and he prides himself on his personalized approach to criminal representation. The individualized attention he gives his clients has led to Joe being named one of the Top 10 Attorneys for Client Satisfaction in Missouri by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys and one of the Top 40 Criminal Trial Lawyers Under the Age of 40 by The National Trial Lawyers. If you find yourself facing a criminal charge or traffi violation, do not hesitate. Call The JMH Law Firm or visit jmhlawfirm.com for a f ee consultation.

St. Louis County Office: 8821 Manchester Road Brentwood, MO 63144 St. Charles Office: 223 N. Main Street, Ste. 1 St. Charles, MO 63301 314-827-6222 jmhlawfirm.com PICTURED: Joseph M. Harvath

THE CHOICE OF A LAWYER IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION AND SHOULD NOT BE BASED SOLEY UPON ADVERTISEMENTS.

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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 31 years. His son, Dr. Andrew, has been practicing alongside him for the past five. Together, they provide individuals and families with high-quality, affordabl 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.

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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The Face of MOHS SURGERY Laser & Dermatologic Surgery Center Mohs micrographic surgery achieves up to a 99 percent skin cancer cure rate. The Laser & Dermatologic Surgery Center is headed by George Hruza, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon, and adjunct professor of dermatology at Saint Louis University. Included on the Best DoctorsÂŽ list for 20 years, he has written more than 150 scientific articles and four laser surgery textbooks. Dr. Hruza is the current president of the American Academy of Dermatology, president-elect of the Missouri State Medical Association, past president of the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Association and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, as well as the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. Dr. Hruza and his staff have served St. Louis patients for 30-plus years, treating more than 34,000 skin cancers. The Laser & Dermatologic Surgery Center is a premier center for Mohs surgery, laser procedures, and cosmetic dermatology in the St. Louis area.

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1001 Chesterfield Parkway E. Ste. 101, Chesterfield, MO 63017 314-878-3839 lasersurgeryusa.com PICTURED: George Hruza, M.D.; and staff

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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. She holds corporations accountable when they choose to conduct themselves in a way that causes mayhem and misery. Focusing on major car and trucking collisions, catastrophic injury and death cases, victims of poor health care, and victims of sexual harassment, Myers 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 consistently land her on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Lawyers and Best Law Firm lists. In a male-dominated field, she cut a wide swath as the first woman elected president of Missouri’s plaintiff’s personal injury lawyers and the first woman trial lawyer chosen nationally for the advisory board of APITLA, an organization dedicated to reducing trucking-related injuries and deaths. This year, she was chosen as the organization’s President-Elect. 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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The Face of HEALTHY SMILES Lisa J. McDonald D.M.D. and Associates Dr. Lisa J. McDonald, Dr. Suveetha K. Mikkili, and Dr. Kelly S. O’Shaughnessy believe that a healthy body starts with a healthy smile. Research continues to show that oral bacteria and disease is connected to heart disease, inflamm tory 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. Patients 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 fi lings and crown work, implants, dentures, periodontal (gum) procedures, root canals, Invisalign®, 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, FROM LEFT: Kelly S. O’Shaughnessy, D.D.S.; Lisa J. McDonald, D.M.D.; Suveetha K. Mikkili, D.M.D.

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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.

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, CFO

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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 executing 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.

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1585 Woodlake Drive, Ste. 208 Chesterfield, MO 63017 314-878-6725 movahedoms.com PICTURED: Reza Movahed, D.M.D.

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The Face of HOME RESTORATION Period Restoration Period Restoration is a family-owned St. Louis firm that preserves and restores traditional homes to serve the way people live today. Faithful to the past, they emphasize handcrafted quality in every detail. Embracing the present, they integrate new technologies and amenities where appropriate. Period Restoration was founded to answer the desire for a beautiful, heirloom-quality home. From the beginning, they have sought to preserve the spirit of traditional homes through appropriate materials and exacting craft techniques. Equally, they build new structures with the goal of creating unique contemporary homes that will be cherished for decades. Period Restoration takes pride in the dozens of handsome homes restored and the solid relationships built along the way as they work with craftspeople and vendors to ensure exceptional execution on every project

7417 Delmar, Unit A St. Louis, MO 63130 314-704-5146 periodrestorationco.com PICTURED: Randy Renner, Jr.

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The Face of PEST CONTROL Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions Since 1956, Rottler Pest & Lawn 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 officia 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, lawn care, 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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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 office 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 S. Champion, Jeffrey K. Suess, John P. Kemppainen, Scott D. Bjorseth, Sam P. Rynearson, Ellen J. Brooke.

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The Face of CARDIAC SURGERY St. Luke’s Heart & Vascular Institute St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield has been named one of the 2019 America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery™ by Healthgrades®. St. Luke’s is the only hospital in Missouri to achieve this distinction. 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 Institute, ranked No. 1 in the nation for heart care since 1995 by U.S. News & World Report. Patients treated by St. Luke’s heart specialists benefit from the most advanced technologies and innovations available and 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.

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232 S. Woods Mill Road Chesterfield, MO 63017 314-205-6801 stlukes-stl.com ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL CARDIOTHORACIC SURGEONS PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Michael Ryan Reidy, M.D.; Ronald Leidenfrost, M.D.; Jeremy Leidenfrost, M.D.

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The Face of URGENT CARE Total Access Urgent Care Dr. Matt Bruckel, emergency medicine physician, founded Total Access Urgent Care (TAUC®) in 2008 on the brink of the world’s worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Many believed an independent urgent care would fail when competing with the mighty hospitals. Dr. Bruckel was fueled by the belief that the emergency medicine system was broken. In the ER, patients receive life-saving treatments, but are devasted by unpredictable financial burden, long waits, and impersonal care. Driven by its mission to create fast, friendly, and affordable health care in every community, TAUC has earned its ranking as the highest-rated health care team in St. Louis. In under one hour, 85 percent of patients are treated and discharged with medications in hand. Teams at TAUC perform EKGs, x-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds, all at an eighth of the cost of the ER. TAUC proudly serves the community 365 days per year. Simply walk in or check in online at TAUC.com.

27 Locations Open 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Extended Hours at Webster Groves (6 a.m.–10 p.m.) tauc.com 314-961-2255 PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Troy Dinkel, M.D. (C.O.O.); Mollie Spire, D.O. (Medical Director); Matt Bruckel, M.D. (Founder, resident, C.E.O.)

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The Face of VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS Veterans Business Resource Center When military men and women leave the armed services, finding a job is difficult. So, they decide to start their own business. They have the celebrated discipline, work ethic, and ambition that military training instills. What they lack is basic business knowledge, such as getting funding and how to market their company. The Veterans Business Resource Center is a nonprofit organization that helps veterans and their immediate families start a business or expand an existing company. The VBRC’s counseling and training are free of charge and provided by experienced entrepreneur-veterans. No question or challenge is too large for the VBRC staff to help veterans and family members tackle. With 15 years of experience counseling veteran-entrepreneurs, the VBRC knows its business. To help the organization assist the next generation of veterans, the nonprofit’ Forward 15 initiative is seeking financial support from companies and ex-military members. Visit the website to learn more about the VBRC’s services or to donate. Your support helps veterans and their families strengthen the economy of St. Louis and the nation.

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911 Washington Avenue, Ste. 705 St. Louis, MO 63101 314-531-8387 vetbiz.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT, FRONT ROW: J. Frank, Board Chair, RSM Federal; D. Craven, President, VBRC; D. Chaffin, Sr. Business Consultant; M. Peterson, Administrative Dir.; SECOND ROW: G. Lee, A+ Aging Advantage; J. Zarbock, Freedom Fitness; T. Smith, Patriot Commercial Cleaning; THIRD ROW: B. Holder, Huffman Security; guest; A. Smoller, Precision Classic Car Restoration; FOURTH ROW: F. Totten, F2 Garage Door Solutions; T. Bryant, Renew Life Properties; G. Penton, Styles Clothing; BACK ROW: G. Davis, volunteer

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The Face of DERMATOLOGY West County Dermatology Not all clinics are created equal. And when it comes to the health and overall appearance of your skin, you want the expertise of board-certified dermatologists, like those at West County Dermatology. The clinic offers surgical and nonsurgical dermatological treatments and expert care to adults and children for everything from acne and alopecia to psoriasis and skin cancer. The providers specialize in surgical removal of benign and cancerous skin lesions; laser treatment of psoriasis; allergy patch testing for evaluation of contact dermatitis; and miraDry®, the non-surgical treatment for excessive sweating. The proven cosmetic procedures include laser hair reduction, laser treatment for facial veins, BOTOX®, and dermal fillers for wrinkles. West County Dermatology’s board-certified dermatologists Wayne A. Breer, M.D.; Pooja Dorward, M.D.; Alicia Miller, M.D.; Daniel S. Ring, M.D.; and certifi d nurse practitioner Gina Indelicato have a combined 70-plus years of experience practicing general and medical dermatology. Each has received training at Washington University in St. Louis. Additionally, Dr. Breer is board-certifie in dermatopathology.

1001 Chesterfield Parkway E. Ste. 201 Chesterfield, MO 63017 636-532-2422 westcoderm.com PICTURED, BACK ROW, FROM LEFT: Wayne A. Breer, M.D.; Alicia Miller, M.D.; Daniel S. Ring, M.D. FRONT ROW: Pooja Dorward, M.D.; Gina Indelicato, Certified Nurse Practitioner

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The Face of INSURANCE & RISK MANAGEMENT POWERS Insurance & Risk Management POWERS Insurance is one of the largest family-owned agencies in St. Louis and strives to be on the front end of risks that could impact their clients. POWERS believe their goal is to help guide businesses and accomplished individuals in these spaces by crafting programs that are unique to their specific needs In 2019, the company announced the launch of a new Emerging Risks Division, which POWERS says formally acknowledges its commitment to becoming a key resource in protecting risk in fiv core emerging industries. For personal lines insurance, private client risk advisor Meaghan Dowd will help craft an individualized coverage solution for clients. For commercial lines, risk management advisor Chris Sullivan specializes in tailored solutions for the restaurant and cannabis industries. Luke Wittenberg helps advise small business owners as they grow. Pierce and JD Powers drive the agency forward, encouraging innovative and sound risk-management approaches.

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6825 Clayton Avenue, Ste. 200 St. Louis, MO 63139 314-725-1414 powersinsurance.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Luke Wittenberg, Commercial Insurance Advisor; Meaghan Dowd, Personal Risk Advisor; JD Powers, President; Chris Sullivan, Commercial Risk Management Advisor

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The Face of BASEBALL MEDICINE George A. Paletta Jr., M.D., M.B.A. Experience and results count. For more than 23 years, Dr. George Paletta has cared for baseball players of all levels from Major League to Little League. Highly respected throughout Major League Baseball, Dr. Paletta serves as Head Team Orthopedic Surgeon for the St. Louis Cardinals. Over the past two decades, his patients have gone on to win MVP, Cy Young, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, and Comeback Player of the Year awards. He strives to get every player back to the field as safely and quickly as possible. He is known across the country as a pioneer in primary repair of the UCL as an alternative to Tommy John surgery and other innovative techniques. Dr. Paletta will provide you with the same Major League treatment for your knee, shoulder, elbow, and other baseball injuries as for the Cardinals. Choose the name in baseball medicine that the pros trust to get them back in the game.

The Orthopedic Center of St. Louis 14825 N. Outer Forty Road Ste. 200, Chesterfield, MO 63017 314-392-5045 toc-stl.com PICTURED: George A. Paletta Jr., M.D., M.B.A.

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The Face of LUXURY REAL ESTATE Keith R. Manzer & Associates Celebrating 36 years of real estate success with more than 6,000 closed transactions, Keith R. Manzer continues to demonstrate over and over again that he is one of St. Louis’ most accomplished luxury real estate professionals. While he maintains numerous record-breaking sales, he focuses on serving all his clients, both old and new. From $100,000 to $10 million, he consistently delivers with his unique approach to selling properties, while quietly working with some of St. Louis’ most prominent families. Achieving gross sales of more than $49 million in his best year to date, Manzer is a six-time Five Star Service award recipient, consistently ranks as a top agent in his office and is a life member of the Missouri Association of Realtors Multi-Million Dollar Club. Manzer gives back to the community on multiple levels. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Craft Alliance Center of Art + Design and founded the Brian S. Voorhees Scholarship Fund, which is closest to his heart, benefiting the Crafting-A-Future program for underserved children in memory of his partner.

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Keith R. Manzer & Associates Laura McCarthy Real Estate 29 The Boulevard Richmond Heights, MO 63117 314-609-3155 keithrmanzer.com PICTURED: Keith R. Manzer

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The Face of PEDIATRIC NEUROSURGERY St. Louis Children’s Hospital Dr. David Limbrick is the neurosurgeon-in-chief at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the T. S. Park, M.D. chair in neurosurgery at Washington University School of Medicine. He treats pediatric brain tumors, hydrocephalus, and brain and spine abnormalities like Chiari malformation. As co-director of the pediatric neuro-oncology program, Dr. Limbrick works closely with pediatric oncologists, neurologists, radiologists, pathologists, and radiation-oncologists. This multidisciplinary team offers cutting-edge and minimally invasive treatments for brain tumors, including laser ablation, proton beam radiotherapy, and intraoperative imaging personalized to each patient’s needs. But his leadership isn’t limited to removing the tumor or correcting the abnormality. He shares every family’s goal of helping their child return to school, nurturing friendships, and participating in schoolwork and activities. Dr. Limbrick is the face of pediatric neurosurgery because he is a Guardian of Childhood.

1 Children’s Place St. Louis, MO 63101 314-454-6000 stlouischildrens.org PICTURED: David Limbrick Jr., M.D., Ph.D, Neurosurgeon-in-Chief, St. Louis Children’s Hospital; T. S. Park, M.D. Chair in Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine

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The Face of FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE The Institute of Natural Health Functional medicine is an individualized medical approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Rather than match a medication with a disease, functional medicine identifies why you have the p oblem in the first place The Institute of Natural Health utilizes state-of-the-art testing to identify the root cause of your health concerns. Symptoms and/or diseases are an alarm that something is wrong. They may be a result of gut dysfunction, inflamm tion, hormonal imbalance, toxic metal/chemical exposure, hidden infections/parasites, stress, or various other causes. The Institute of Natural Health then employs cutting-edge treatments such as IV nutrition, Ozone therapy, EDTA therapy, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, cryotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and more to help you return to—and then remain in—optimal health. This is done using as little prescription medication as possible. Contact The Institute of Natural Health to take control of your health and return to optimal wellness.

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University Tower 1034 S. Brentwood Boulevard Ste. 415, St. Louis, MO 63117 314-293-8123 theinstituteofnaturalhealth.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Nick Bodi, M.S., F.N.P.-C; TJ Williams, D.C., Ph.D; Mecca T. McDonald, M.D.

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The Face of SURVIVOR FASHION WEEK Ola Hawatmeh | Ola Style As the founder of Survivor Fashion Week and a survivor herself, Ola Hawatmeh empowers women and helps them boost their self-esteem in fashion shows showcasing her clothing line, Ola Style. “I use teen models who are struggling, either with self-esteem issues, cancer treatments, or other health issues,” says Hawatmeh. “I give them runway lessons and put them in fashion shows to help boost their spirits. I’d rather make a positive diffe ence in someone’s life than sell a dress. To me, the definition of success is being able to use the gifts you have to change people’s lives.” “I’ve become close to a quite a few kids with cancer,” she continues. “I’ve spent time at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital visiting with them. I’m always inspired by the positive energy and patience of their moms.” Hawatmeh is excited to continue with Survivor Fashion Week in October 2019 and will be creating pink and white dresses to be modeled by breast cancer survivors.

olastyle.net PICTURED: Ola Hawatmeh

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The Face of LUXURY KITCHENS Anne Marie Design Studio, LLC What is luxury? We know it when we see, touch, and feel it. It exudes elegant sophistication without being too stuffy. Anne Marie Boedges, President and Designer of Anne Marie Design Studio, LLC, takes a down-to-earth approach when she and her team embark on a new kitchen or bath design. Each space needs to capture the client’s personality and lifestyle. The goal is for the client to feel anything is achievable. Anne’s unique attention to detail distinguishes her work from the rest. Anne has been helping clients fall in love with their homes all over the St. Louis area since 2001. She obtained her BFA in Interior Design from Maryville University. She previously taught the NKBA Bath Design Certific tion Course at St. Louis Community College. Visit the new Anne Marie Design Studio boutique showroom to experience for yourself.

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17014 New College Avenue Ste. E, Grover, MO 63040 636-821-3395 annemariestudio.com PICTURED: Owner Anne Marie Boedges with her children, Owen and Olivia

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The Face of SPORTS MEDICINE George A. Paletta Jr., M.D., M.B.A. Dr. George Paletta is a nationally recognized leader and innovator in Orthopedic Sports Medicine. Dr. Paletta is the orthopedic surgeon of choice for many of St. Louis’ top professional and amateur athletes. He shapes the future of sports medicine by pioneering new surgical techniques such as primary repair of the ulnar collateral ligament, meniscal stabilization, and ACL reconstruction in the pediatric athlete. He lectures nationally and internationally on a wide range of sports medicine topics. His patients include athletes of all types—from pros to high school and college athletes to weekend warriors and recreational stars. Athletes demand the superior outcomes that Dr. Paletta consistently delivers. He served as Team Physician for the St. Louis Rams from 1998 to 2003 and as Head Team Orthopedic Surgeon for the Cardinals for most years from 1998 to present. He is the leading sports medicine orthopedic surgeon in St. Louis. When you want the best, look for experience that money can’t buy.

The Orthopedic Center of St. Louis 14825 N. Outer Forty Road Ste. 200 Chesterfield, MO 63017 314-392-5045 toc-stl.com PICTURED: George A. Paletta Jr., M.D., M.B.A.

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The Face of GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS Peters Heating & Air Conditioning: A WaterFurnace Installer Peters Heating & Air Conditioning started in 1955 as a modest tin shop in Quincy, Illinois. The company has since become one of the premier heating and air conditioning companies in the Midwest. Peters is the largest dealer and installer of WaterFurnace geothermal systems in the entire nation. These systems use the free, renewable energy found in your own back yard, so you can reduce your carbon footprint and utility bills at the same time. Geothermal systems help homeowners save up to 70 percent on heating, cooling, and hot water costs. The entire Peters team takes great pride in their work, and each team member shares the commitment that began with the company’s founders: to offer the best in design, craftsmanship, and customer service.

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Eight locations throughout Missouri and Illinois 636-462-5161 petersheatingandair.com PICTURED: Chris Peters, St. Louis area manager

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The Face of NON-SURGICAL COSMETIC TREATMENTS St. Louis Cosmetic Surgery & Medical Spa Most people share a desire to look their best, but in today’s fast-paced environment, it can be hard to find time to maintain your appearance. That’s where non-surgical cosmetic treatments come in. The nurses at St. Louis Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Spa are highly trained in non-invasive methods that can fix fine lines and wrinkles or enhance lips in no tim As we age, we lose volume in our face, creating sagging and a gaunt appearance. Dermal filler can add back fullness and smooth out wrinkles. BOTOX®, also used to soften wrinkles, often can be done in 30 minutes. No downtime is associated with either method. Other treatments include intense pulsed light (IPL), which can quickly fade brown spots on patients with sun-damaged skin, and Thermage®, a non-surgical way to tighten skin on the face using radiofrequency energy. For many women, the combination of BOTOX®, fillers, and IPL can create a dramatic change without the need for surgery.

17300 N. Outer 40 Road Ste. 300, Chesterfield, MO 63005 636-530-6161 stlcosmeticsurgery.com PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Erin Clouser, RN, BSN; Linsday Benoist, RN, BSN; Kim Goretzke, RN, BSN; Sue Mahler, RN; Debbie Roesch, RN, FA

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The Face of DOING THE MOST GOOD The Salvation Army Midland Division The Salvation Army St. Louis region is Doing the Most Good® year after year as an increasing number of individuals seek help with the basic necessities of life. You’ll find The Salvation Army involved with both adults and children, in moments of everyday compassion, and in disaster response. Serving Missouri and Southern Illinois, The Salvation Army Midland Division owes its strength of service not only to the diversific tion of its programs, but more importantly, to thousands of volunteers from all walks of life who share the same passion to serve. Their time and commitment enhance the Salvation Army’s effectiveness at meeting needs in our community. The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

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1130 Hampton Avenue St. Louis, MO 63139 314-646-3000 stlsalvationarmy.org THE SALVATION ARMY ST. LOUIS REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD PICTURED, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT: Roy Anderson, Chairman Communications & Marketing; Lt. Col. Dan Jennings, Divisional Commander; Kay Bradley, Chair Advisory Board; Major Phil Aho, General Secretary; James F. Hoffmeister, Chairman Civic Board; John Wuest, Advisory Board Member SECOND ROW: Martin Rueter, Salvation Army Midland Director Emergency Disaster Services; Yukti Malhotra, Olin Board Fellow; Mike Sommer, St. Charles Advisory Council Chair BACK ROW: Jason Acklin, The Salvation Army Ferguson Community Empowerment Center Director of Operations; Chi Yee, Olin Board Fellow

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The Face of HAND & PERIPHERAL NERVE SURGERY Robert Hagan, M.D. | Neuropax Clinic Dr. Robert Hagan is a board-certified plastic surgeon and is fellowship-trained in hand surgery and microsurgery/peripheral nerve surgery. His extensive training has given him a more comprehensive understanding of peripheral nerve and general hand/upper extremity disorders. He is known nationally and internationally as an innovative contributor to the field of peripheral nerve surgery and has been invited to give numerous lectures, including Harvard Grand Rounds. He has served on the executive committee for the American Society of Peripheral Nerve Surgery, is the editor of the ASPN newsletter, and is a founder of the Migraine Surgery Council. Dr. Hagan is recognized as a leader in performing nerve surgery, including nerve decompressions (i.e. carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel), migraine headaches, neurogenic thoracic outlet, joint denervation, painful neuromas, chronic groin pain, and nerve trauma. Dr. Hagan’s advice: Be sure to have a nerve specialist perform your peripheral nerve surgery.

12855 N. Outer 40 Drive Ste. 380, St. Louis, MO 63141 neuropaxclinic.com Office: 314-434-7784 Workers’ Compensation Hotline: 314-434-3600 PICTURED: Robert Hagan, M.D.

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BY JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

ALL THE KING’S HORSES

THE DESERT-BRED ARABIAN HORSE WAS KEPT PURE

BY THE BEDOUINS FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

WESTERNERS MUDDLED THE BLOODLINE, AND THE

SAUDIS LET THE POPULATION DWINDLE. NOW, TWO

TRAINERS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS ARE HELPING

BRING BACK THIS GLORIOUS HORSE.

91 JUNE

2019 | STLMAG.COM

Photography by John Smith

All the King’s Horses Continued from p. 95

weight a little or breathe hard, he knows it and responds,” she says, so in love with the horse that she’s bursting with revelations Davis knows all too well. “I’ll feel him getting ready to do a maneuver when I’m just thinking about asking for it.” Davis nods. “It’s weird how they know what you want. They had to, so their master would stay alive in battle. And this guy’s interesting: all business, with a little scaredy-cat thrown in. That’s what makes him quick.” Sanders walks up, and they compare examples until Davis stops to ask one of the kids working for him why he’s on two feet, not four: “This is a riding center.” Davis loses patience fast with the polished young products of riding schools who land on their bottoms in the dust the first day because they haven’t logged enough time on horseback to stick. “Over the years,” he resumes, his voice quietening as he watches ibn Jalam, “this horse taught me how to be the best rider I could be, ’cause I had to reach up to his level of sensitivity and lightness. He and another stallion taught me how to have a softer touch, a little feel, if you will.” He grins. “We think we’re training them, but the horses tell us what they need. I used to be in such a big hurry to learn everything at once, but it takes—” He breaks off. “Decades,” Sanders suggests. He shakes his head. “Generations.” LITTLE RODGER’S EYES ARE CLOSED,

his cheeks flushed with the untroubled sleep of a 5-year-old. A handful of pebbles hits his window, startling him awake. On the grass in front of the downtown St. Louis apartment building stands his grandfather, a cowboy who used to ride in the Calgary Stampede. Tied to the trunk of the nearest tree is a Shetland pony. “Grandson, get down here,” the old man yells. “I’m gonna teach you to ride.” Rodger yanks off his pajamas, grabbing for pants. He already knows it’s the best day of his life.

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Years later, his grandfather trusts him on his own for the first time. Rodger rooks his friend Fred into helping him with his assignment: Saddle and ride a 3-year-old who hasn’t been handled much at all. The horse glares at them and snorts. The boys manage to rope him and throw him down on the dusty barn floor. Rodger wraps a blindfold over the liquid dark eyes, their pupils dilated with fear. After they tie three of the horse’s legs together to hobble him, all he can do is stand there while they heave a heavy saddle onto his back and cinch it. Rodger mounts him. The horse bucks a little but turns out to be a pretty easy ride. Afterward, Rodger swings himself out of the saddle with a little swagger. The horse moves away— limping. Only then does it sink in. “Y’know,” he tells Fred, “we hurt that horse.” Before, his grandpa had always been there, and he’d been more worried about Grandpa thinking he was “soft” than about anything the horse might be feeling. Now, though, he can’t forget that limp. AS A YOUNG MAN, RODGER DAVIS IS

drawn to the grit and power of endurance racing—and he’s constantly looking for a better horse. He meets an old lady, Jane Llewellyn Ott, who runs a horse farm in Hope, Arkansas. She’s famous for her “blue list,” the Blue Arabian Horse Catalog, a binder in which she keeps track of every horse she can confirm as descended from the original Bedouin stock. The Bedouins needed sound, intelligent animals that could thrive on very little food in a harsh hot desert, endure its cold nights, carry them long distances at lightning speed, remain calm in battle. So they bred with scrupulous care, using only the finest of their horses, and they kept the line pure, all the horses asil (their desert-bred lineage untainted) for thousands of years. The rest of the world did not. Three Arabians—the Byerley Turk, the Godolphin Arabian, and the Darley Arabian—are considered the fathers of the Thoroughbred breed. In turn, the Thoroughbred is a part of how the Quarter Horse came into being and the foundation of the Standardbred breed. Today, according to the Institute for the Desert Arabian Horse, fewer than 10 percent of registered Arabians worldwide descend exclusively

from the original Bedouin horse. Ott leads one of them from her stable for Davis to ride. “These horses are different,” she murmurs. “They react differently to you. They can run forever, but they do it in a controlled way. They’re not crazy, couldn’t be. They’re warhorses.” Beneath him, he feels strong muscles effortlessly pull together and glide apart. Perfectly balanced, the horse slides easily into a gallop, and they cross rough terrain as though they’re floating a few inches above it. This, thinks Davis, is a creature doing exactly what its body was shaped to do. When he finally signals that it’s time to head back, the horse turns—then stamps a hoof and turns back, wanting to keep going. For the first time, Davis is riding a horse he can’t wear out, a horse alive to everything around him, interested and intelligent, with strength and heart. He gives in and lets the horse gallop. This is why desert-breds are called “drinkers of the wind.” He comes back babbling about the amazing horse. “You can have him,” Ott says. She asks for no money. She’s counting on Davis to serve as a two-legged advertisement for the breed. THE KING WHO GAVE THESE HORSES

to the Americans was a man of fierce ambition and a keen strategist. At 26, Abdulaziz ibn Saud recaptured his family’s ancestral home of Riyadh; he later took the holy city of Mecca, then united the tribes of the Arabian peninsula, symbolically taking a wife from each tribe. Legend has it that once a woman had been with him, she never stopped loving him. In 1932, Saudi Arabia became a country, and Abdulaziz became its king. The main source of income was a thin stream of revenue from Muslim pilgrims on hajj to Mecca, and there was little by way of official government except the will of a charismatic king. Geologists had earlier decided that there was no oil on the peninsula, but Abdulaziz (usually referred to as ibn Saud in the West) was hoping that they were wrong. For a small concession, he granted an American mining engineer the right to explore. He was worried that the peninsula would turn out to be barren, but in 1932, backed by Standard Oil

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of California, the engineer’s team struck oil in Bahrain. Six years later, Dammam oil well No. 7 spurted even higher. They’d hit one of the largest sources of petroleum in the world. By 1943, the company had been renamed the Arabian American Oil Company, or ARAMCO (it is now Saudi Aramco), and the concession had been rewritten. As Davis heard the story, the Texans who came to drill oil wells were shown the king’s hospitality, and every month their representative, Sam Roach, was asked whether they were happy. At one of these meetings, Roach remarked that the men were OK but their wives and kids were bored and pining for their horses back home. When he showed up for the next month’s check-in, two boxcars filled with horses from the king’s stables had arrived. Those horses came home with their new American families in the 1950s. Other accounts suggest, less colorfully, that Roach had a friend who was close to the king, was given one of the king’s horses, and started a breeding program. Doesn’t really matter. Somehow, Roach was the conduit that brought the desertbred Arabian to the States. IT’S 1996. SARAH SANDERS IS 13,

hanging around The Riding Center as many hours as she can. Spirited, stubborn, and lithe, she rides every possible minute. But she’s so eager for results, Davis nicknames her Gorilla Hands. She doesn’t have feel yet. He understands; he had a hard time learning it himself. His dad, a World War II vet, avoided any hint of emotion or vulnerability. His grandpa only knew how to break a horse, spiritually if not physically. And when Rodger wound up at a school for wayward boys, a tough, pugilistic Irish priest tried to break him. He soon found a straight path, but it branched every time he got bored: teacher, real estate developer, Coast Guard captain, financial advisor… The only thing that never bored him was horses. After that first epiphany—We hurt that horse—he’d groped for another way, and the sensitive intelligence of the desert-breds helped him find it. Now he has to find a way to teach that feel to Sarah, because inside, she’s panicking: This is the only thing I love—what if I never figure it out?

Davis shows her how to loosen up, how to let her horse loosen up, how to listen: “Why are you pulling that horse around the turn? Lighten your hands.” No longer “tight and grabby,” she learns to communicate by yielding rather than tugging. Now it makes sense: A horse needs his head and neck to balance. If you’re dragging his head this way and that, he’s being pulled off balance and has to resist to some degree; if you teach him to respond to a release of pressure instead, he, too, can be more sensitive and responsive. She becomes a fine teacher, precisely because she’s not, as people assume by watching her, a natural. The knowledge has come hard, so she knows how to break it down, step by tiny step, analyze the mechanics of a horse’s movement and bring the rider in sync. Soon she’ll be demonstrating this to members of the Saudi royal family. ABULFARAJ ASKS SANDERS FOR

riding lessons. Then he buys two mares—who will travel to Jeddah pregnant—and a stallion, DB Mirath. One of the mares, DB Nazia, is hard for Davis to part with, but she’s stolen Abulfaraj’s heart; he even writes a poem about her. When the mares deliver two fillies, Davis and Sanders pore over the pictures. They’re the most perfect baby horses Davis has ever seen. He and Sanders coo over them like grandparents, pointing out limbs, angles, and proportions that predict a perfect conformation. Both are chestnut, the favorite color of the Saudi tribe, the royal family. “They said they were the best horses to ride into battle, because they were the color of blood,” Davis tells Sanders. “Bred to gray or bay, chestnut gets dominated—with the exception of Saudi chestnuts. They hold their own in the genetic battle for color. This is me, not science. This is me after 40 years of watching.” Next, Abulfaraj invites Davis and Sanders to come to Jeddah and help his family open a multimillion-dollar riding center. They make their first trip in March 2018. “Jeddah’s huge,” Davis whispers to Sanders, peering out the window as their plane lands. “I thought it was the size of Belleville!” They’re driven out of the city to the ranch owned by Abulfaraj’s uncle. This will be the site of the Ancient Arabians

riding center—as well as mini golf, fourwheelers, dirt bikes, and aquaponics. They talk about organizing trail rides into the desert and setting up a five-day endurance race they’d call The Prophet’s Trail, because the Prophet Mohammed himself is said to have traveled through this valley. As she and Davis help set up the center, Sanders gives riding lessons. What she’s really teaching, beneath the technique, is a way of thinking about the relationship with the horse—one that, oddly, bears a stronger resemblance to the ancient Bedouin ways than to those of the American West. The Bedouins, noted a Swiss traveler in the 1800s, never let a foal drop to the ground; they received it in their arms and handled it gently for several hours, washing and caressing it and stretching its delicate limbs. Horses would stroll into the women’s tents for relief from the heat and to be petted, fed dates, offered a drink of water. Today, some of the methods used in Saudi Arabia (and the rest of the world) can seem brutal by contrast, with their reliance on whips and force to convey a trainer’s intent. Sanders’ most eager pupils are a little family of Bedouin children, led by a 12-year-old boy who drives his four sisters to the riding center in a beat-up sedan. Other kids come. Then the head of the village shows up and asks, “Who are the riding teachers?” Davis gulps. Oh boy. Quickly, the man says, “I want to thank you. Our village is much quieter since you have taken control of the children.” Sanders smiles to herself, remembering how cops used to bring Davis boys who’d gotten in trouble. “I’ll introduce them to the hay barn,” Davis would say. “That’ll take the spunk out of them.” SHOWN INTO A BLACK WOOL BEDOUIN

tent on the Jeddah ranch, Sanders settles herself on a cushion on the ground. Davis isn’t sure his creaky knees will ease him down. Noticing his hesitation, one of their hosts swiftly brings him a chair. Arabic coffee, dates, and nuts are served, and every time Sanders sets down her small cup, it’s immediately refilled. Rude to say no, she reminds herself, afloat with all the liquid. Better just to accept and not drink the fifth cup. June 2019 stlmag.com

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Next comes mint tea in small glasses. A long while later, someone spreads a big plastic covering on the floor to keep the jewel-bright rugs clean, and they carry in a platter so big, Davis wonders whether his hosts have slaughtered a lamb in their honor. Later, he realizes, this dinner is pretty normal: a whole lamb or goat on a bed of about 20 pounds of rice, served family-style with salad and lentils and chickpeas. On the road the next day, they get stuck behind a stately procession of perhaps 100 camels, the baby dromedaries dragging their hooves at the back of the line. Camels have the right of way here. Like horses, they are sacred: Horses have kept people alive, but it’s the camels’ milk that’s kept the horses alive in the desert. Another day, Abulfaraj takes his guests to see the 800 or so Saudi desert-breds, all descended from King Abdulaziz’s stock, at Prince Turki’s stable, outside Riyadh. (Yes, they’re told, the country of Turkey was named for this prince’s tribe.) From the man he calls The Poet, Davis is learning more of his beloved horses’ history. Pre-Islamic and early Islamic poetry is woven with a bright thread of praise for the Bedouin horse, which was first partnered with humans 3,500 years ago: “Full of spirit is he—then, when thou has quieted him down, tractable, gentle of temper.” “He continues at full gallop when other horses are dragging their feet in the dust for weariness.” “Swift to attack, to flee, to turn, yet firm as a rock swept down by the torrent.” “He is quick and nimble when he makes his charge, unswerving.” “He surpasses the thunderbolt.” Davis thinks about the Bedouins leaping onto their horses’ backs—no saddle, no bridle, no spurs—and galloping across the desert. About the Saudis conquering the Silk Highway on these horses. About the Crusades, and how their unusually strong hearts and open lungs allowed these horses to outrace an attacking enemy—and then carry Islam to the rest of the world.

fits to young women of riding horseback (a longstanding taboo, lest it rupture the hymen, although, as Al-Gosaibi notes, women rode during the time of Mohammed); a yoga teacher (even though yoga was haram, forbidden, until very recently); and a vehement advocate for animal rights in a country that has few veterinarians and countless clowders of feral cats. (Mohammed treated cats so gently, and they are so admired for their ritual cleanliness, that Muslims are divided on the issue of spaying and neutering them; some believe that if a cat was meant to be a mother, it is her right, and spaying might contradict the will of Allah.) Al-Gosaibi is passionate, well-traveled, independent. She’s also, Sanders decides when they meet, a little lonely. The two women hit it off right away, and they make plans to set up a horse rescue at the new riding center, as well as a ladies’ equestrian team. Though Al-Gosaibi grew up with horses, she was never interested in Arabians: “They kind of had a bad reputation,” she explains. “Hot-blooded, difficult to train, and used for beauty competitions, which is not my favorite thing!” Sanders, Davis, and Abulfaraj give her a proper introduction to the breed—and change her mind. She also realizes why she was never drawn to the horses she knew as Arabians: “Those halter show horses are popular, but they’re not actually pure Arabians. They’re beautiful in their own way, with that delicate curved nose, but when something is manipulated for a certain purpose, it’s not the same.” She begins riding and working with the desert-breds. “They are horses from heaven,” she decides. “They’re incredible horses to communicate with, to have a relationship with—it’s one of those things you can’t describe; you have to experience it.” Now, meeting breeders, she sees “the shine in their eyes when they find out that you also know this secret! It’s important to bring this awareness back to the Arabian people, because this is our heritage.”

D I N I N G AWAY F R O M T H E M E N ,

Sanders meets many women who are interested in riding. One day, she Googles “lady Saudi trainers,” and up pops a press release about Dana AlGosaibi. She’s the Beryl Markham of Saudi Arabia: its first female horse trainer; a strong proponent of the bene-

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DAVIS TEACHES A SHOEING CLASS

while he’s in Jeddah, and students come, quite literally, from all over the kingdom. He’s learned to use wild mustangs, never shod, as his guide, “because what’s more perfect than a horse running free?” The angles on all

their hooves are 1 or 2 percent different, no more. Once he began to trim to those angles and mimic that rounded toe, his horses’ endurance improved immediately. The students are stunned. They’ve been learning by trial and error, and Davis winces when he realizes that they’re using horseshoes straight from the box, not shaping them to each individual foot. The barn manager, Mohammed Al Sharif, listens closely to the shoeing lessons, grateful “for letting desert Arabian horses [be] kept safe with people like Mr. Rodger and Sarah. Here in the kingdom, the government increases the prizes in the competitions just to encourage horse lovers to have Saudi desert bloodline. Pure Saudi desert-bred horses are in danger nowadays. Most of the owners here in the Arab peninsula neglect them. [People are] looking for the mixed blood for halter shows.” Davis’ jaw tightens. Show Arabians are bred for a “dished” face, concave, a feature the Bedouins never mentioned in their paeans to this horse’s beauty. “It actually cuts their breathing down,” Davis explains. “And their eyes are a little more bulged out, because people think that looks pretty, but in the desert they’d be blinded by the sun and sand. They’ve lost the thicker bone in the legs and the integrity of the hooves, which should be big and solid. The hoof line shrank, so it’s like crumbly fingernails. Also, they’ve lost their minds a little bit. Some of that is the training—some halter trainers use fear to get them to stand up. And they make their soles sensitive so that when they canter, they’ll pick their legs up high and it looks pretty.” He stoops to retrieve a bottle of hoof fungus remedy that’s fallen from his pocket. “In the desert,” he says, straightening, “the most important thing for a horse to have is strong hooves. American breeders have screwed up everything from German shepherds to horses to veil-tailed guppies—and it’s stupid, because if you just observe the natural world, you will see how it’s supposed to be.” SHARIF IS A SCHOOLTEACHER AS

well as a barn manager, and he invites the Americans to learn a little more about his country by driving four hours to the village where his relatives live. Peering

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out the windows, Sanders and Davis see nothing but desert, swirled by hot wind (115 degrees Fahrenheit) and studded with the occasional large rocks. Then, in the distance: mountains, a dramatic break in the long tan expanse of sand. They drive into the village. The front of the Sharif house is a featureless wall. All the hospitality and life and beauty are inside and in interior courtyards. Looking around as she removes her shoes, Sanders is reminded of geodes, ugly muddy rocks that sparkle inside with amethyst and ruby crystals. The big couch is sumptuous, and the usual Arabic coffee, dates, and nuts are brought on trays… As the conversation meanders, Davis sees how powerfully Sharif identifies with his tribe. He thinks, too, about how the Bedouins were persuaded to leave their nomadic “world without time” and live more prosaically in agricultural villages, granted a government stipend, profit from the oil wells, to encourage their settling down. “They are a tribal people,” Davis remarks later to Sanders, “who happen to be calmed down long enough to let the royal family pump oil.” He likes many aspects of this country: Crime is practically nonexistent. He’s assured that Sanders can walk down any street in Jeddah at 2 in the morning and no one will touch her. It’s religion that’s responsible, and it’s centered in the Quran, a book he expected to be “a military manual” but is surprised to find rather similar to the Bible. He’s not picking up the religious fanaticism he dreaded. As for the political system, “it’s whoever can swing the sword hardest and fastest, not who’s the biggest liar, like in this country.” He shrugs. “At least you know how the game is played.” The cultural differences would begin to chafe, were he to live here the rest of his life, but as a guest, he is made utterly welcome— and the horses transcend politics. OVER THE YEARS, DAVIS HAS BRED

about 100 Saudi desert-bred Arabians. At the moment, he has 25 in his stable, half of which he’s just boarding for other owners. The other half are breeding stock, pure as the Bedouins’ own. He wants to work with the King Abdulaziz Arabian Horses Center at Dirab, setting up a registry for desert-bred horses (using DNA to verify their purity). Then the riding center could serve as a

satellite for the registry, using horses bred at the Dirab facility—which has a stud farm of the king’s old stock, “purest of the pure”—for the ladies’ equestrian team. “All of their literature is about how to take care of a horse, not the history of how those horses came to be,” Davis murmurs to Sanders as he flips through pamphlets. “They need to tell the world who they are.” The two of them meet with the Saudi minister of agriculture. He seems interested—especially when they point out that the World Arabian Horse Organization is not focused exclusively on the Saudi desert-bred Arabian. “Ninety-nine percent of the Arabian horses in the world are not pure desertbreds,” Davis says. “The Saudi horses are. Their bloodline goes back 2,000 years, and we want to preserve it, not change it with show ring fads.” The minister leans forward, his expression changing from polite to resolute. “I want to inventory the tribal horses that are still here,” Davis continues eagerly, seeing the shift in mood. “All we need is a hair follicle, pulled out by the root, to test the DNA.” Now the minister nods, definitely interested. The people at the Dirab facility seem interested, too—even willing to ship semen back and forth, bolstering the genetic pool of desert-breds. Luckily, Abulfaraj, whose family is from Medina, knows not only the horses’ history but also the tribes who still breed them; his wife is a member of one of the biggest and most influential, the Shammar. Davis and Sanders also meet with a representative of Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, then president of the Saudi Federation for Community Sports and a champion of physical education for girls and athleticism for women. A few months after their last trip, the princess will be named the first female Saudi ambassador to the United States. ALL TOLD, DAVIS AND SANDERS SPENT

six months of 2018 in Saudi Arabia. Now Davis is cooling his heels, waiting for plans to come together. “They’ve come from the horse as the only mode of transportation to Maseratis and Ferraris, and they’ve done it in less

time than any other culture,” he remarks. The acceleration has left them “a little off balance. They don’t know if they should hustle and get things done or take their time and have another cup of tea.” “They pray five times a day, 20 or 30 minutes each time,” Sanders says. “Lunches go on for hours.” He nods. “They are better with their families than we are, and with friendliness and hospitality. They’re also eager to show the world their traditions—and the glory of their horses”—even as they build McDonald’s and put amusement parks inside air-conditioned malls and reopen movie theaters closed since 1983 and guzzle energy drinks and celebrate, for the first time this year, Valentine’s Day. The cities of Saudi Arabia are looking more and more Western, but the culture’s pace remains deliberate and indirect. So how are two eager Americans from Southern Illinois going to light a fire? “There’s plenty of dough, and we’ve been invited back,” says Davis. “If we get some backing, I can put it together in my sleep.” He’s trying to be patient, he adds with a sigh. “I was raised to make things happen now.” He and Sanders have promised to return to help Abulfaraj’s uncle train more staff and set up a riding curriculum. But they also want to set up that registry, establish the ladies’ equestrian team, and open the horse rescue. Abulfaraj is tired of desert-breds being “looked down upon by most of the breeders around the world” when in fact they “are indeed the most authentic Arabians. They excel in endurance, and they meet all the physical and conformational characteristics mentioned in classical Arabic poetry.” On their last trip, Davis looked at AlGosaibi, Sanders, and Abulfaraj—all still in their thirties, intelligent, dedicated to these horses—and saw the future he’d dreamed of: “These young people could bring this cultural treasure into the modern world like no one else could. The knowledge and love of The Poet, Dana’s cultural ties, Sarah, who grew up with these horses...” This is the start of something big, Davis is sure of it. The steady restoration of the population of Saudi desert-bred horses. The spread of a gentler way of relating to them. The continuation, in a new form, of a breeding program that began 1,000 years before Mohammed was born. ■ June 2019 stlmag.com

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S T. LO U I S SAG E

FORENSICS

Were St. Louis police the fi st in the U.S. to use fin erprinting? Y

OU’D NEVER KNOW it from

the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s own online history: It cites the 1904 World’s Fair as a policing challenge because it attracted gamblers, swindlers, pickpockets, and train robbers. What it doesn’t mention is that, besides all the buzz about the newfangled food, there was talk at the time of the new science of fingerprint identification. Our astute gendarmes paid attention, and in October 1904, the city police department became the first in the nation to set up a fingerprint bureau. Until then, police used something called the Bertillon system, taking precise measurements of various bones just as a tailor would to make a bespoke suit. That method crashed in 1903, when a man named William West was sentenced to the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas—where another William West who looked just like him was already serving time for murder. The two men—probably identical twins who’d been separated at birth—had the same bone measurements. But their fingerprints were different. Human beings always knew their fingertips were special. King Hammurabi used finger seals on contracts nearly 4,000 years ago in what’s now Iraq; the Chinese were inking fingers for contracts soon after. In the late 1700s, a German

PRINT PATTERNS PLAIN ARCH

TENTED ARCH

ULNAR LOOP

RADIAL LOOP

PLAIN WHORL

DOUBLE-LOOP WHORL

ACCIDENTAL WHORL

doctor remarked that fingerprints were never duplicated—but left it at that. Then Henry Faulds realized that bloody fingerprints could help solve a crime, and he forwarded his observations to Charles Darwin, who relayed them to a half-cousin, Sir Francis Galton. A statistician, psychologist, anthropologist, and explorer, Galton had a luminous intellect that cast a dark shadow: He coined the term “eugenics” because he believed in the concept, urging forced sterilization of those “afflicted by lunacy, feeblemindedness, habitual criminality, and pauperism,” all traits he believed were written on the body. When he focused on fingerprints, though, he very helpfully classified patterns in the friction ridges, dividing them into various types of arch, loop, and whorl. Galton corresponded with another Victorian Englishman, Sir Edward Henry, who established a system that made fingerprint ID practical for law enforcement. Henry brought his system to Scotland Yard in 1901. And when the British crown jewels traveled to the St. Louis World’s Fair, three years later, one of the Scotland Yard detectives he’d trained, John Ferrier, came along with a separate agenda: to convert Americans to the Henry system. On October 28, 1904, ours became the first police department in the U.S. to adopt it.

ST. LOUIS MAGAZINE, VOL. 25, 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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Illustration by Britt Spencer

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