three exclusive restaurants.
café eau, the poolside dining and cocktail experience at the chase.
café eau ALIVE Volume 15 Issue 3_IFC IBC.indd 1
the tenderloin room
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Experience Augmented Reality
Use your phone to explore this magazine and unlock bonus content.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.� - Marcel Proust
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Publisher’s Note A FEW DAYS AGO, I had lunch with a friend who has been working on how to tell the story of St.
Louis. We talked about our world-class museums, treasured city parks and incredible architecture. The conversation then turned to our diverse neighborhoods, each with their own unique personality and vibrant arts scene with talented folks doing interesting work. We acknowledged our low cost of living and accessible resources, which are so important for entrepreneurs and makers alike. And we talked about that energy, that feeling of “almost there” that keeps us striving for what’s next. But that’s only part of our story. About a month ago, I saw an artist talk by Andréa Stanislav, a Freund Teaching fellow, about her current exhibit now showing at SLAM. In this body of work, Stanislav explores St. Louis’ natural and social histories starting at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Using a drone, she flies over historic sites to create an immersive experience with her work. The drone video moves through visuals of the Cahokia Mounds, a reminder of the decline of an empire, and the Old Des Peres Presbyterian Church, one of the oldest churches west of the Mississippi River, where dozens of slaves were buried (many whose graves were left unmarked), to a desolate playground in North St. Louis. Stanislav uses mirrored sculpture, a four-screen multichannel video, digital printing on mirrors and taxidermied animals to immerse us in an experience that gives us a different way of viewing our environment. When I spoke with the artist, I learned that while creating this body of work, she has fallen in love with St. Louis. She has developed a meaningful relationship with the region by spending time getting to know both our angels and our demons. In memoir writing, you’re taught not to shy away from telling the parts of your story that you’re ashamed of. “We want to understand all of you,” one of my teachers said in a class, “your triumphs and your failures.” This made me wonder: What would it be like if we didn’t shy away from the moments in history that we are ashamed of and instead were willing to confront and learn from the complexities that stem from the rise and fall of empires? What if we thought of St. Louis as the city where anything can happen—art, creation, startups, progress, rebellion and change? To me, St. Louis is human. She is beautiful and flawed. While I am deeply saddened by some of her failures, I am proud of her achievements. As I continue my lifelong discovery of this city, I prefer to know her for who she truly is so that my love for her can be as rich and deep as she.
Love,
Elizabeth Tucker @eliz_tucker
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8825 LADUE ROAD • BYRDSTYLE.COM • 314.721.0766
Photo by Attilio D’Agostino.
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meet the team ALIVE Media Group Co-founders Elizabeth Tucker Kelly Hamilton Attilio D’Agostino Editor Rachel Brandt Managing Editor Kelsey Waananen
Co-founder/Director of Content Jennifer Dulin Wiley
Contact 2200 Gravois Ave., #201 St. Louis, MO 63104-2848 Tel: 314.446.4059 Fax: 314.446.4052 Sales: 314.446.4056 ALIVEmag.com
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General Inquiries info@ALIVEmag.com
A Dangerous Profession: Brand + Content Studio
Entrepreneur Quarterly
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Editor & Community Manager Mary Mack
Editorial Advisor Jennifer Dulin Wiley Copy Editor Brendan Beirne Creative Director Amanda Dampf Junior Art Director Lexi Sesti Senior Account Executive Susie Jensen Account Executive Devon Crouse Account Manager Micaela Hasenmueller Sales Consultant Brigid Pritchard Business Manager Molly Fontana Office Manager Laura Runde
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Contribute ALIVE accepts freelance art, photo and story submissions. For more information please email contribute@ALIVEmag.com.
Senior Accounts/Project Manager Alicia Underwood Marketing Manager Laura Heying Interns Summer Albarcha, Natalie Boesch, Taylor Conran, Kathryn Croney, Nia Darden, Daniel Darkside, Chelsey Farris, Ashley Ferguson, Jennifer Fetcho, Bryant Finerson, Jeremy Gatzert, Alex Isbell, Courtney Kluge, Klara Kobylinski, Paige Whitehead
Printed in Canada by Hemlock Printers at their Carbon Neutral printing facility using vegetable-based inks and FSC®-approved paper containing recycled fibers. ALIVE, Volume 15, Issue 3 (Periodical #025092) is published by ALIVE Media Group, L.L.C., 2200 Gravois Ave., #201 St. Louis, MO 63104-2848. Periodicals Postage paid at St. Louis, MO, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ALIVE, 2200 Gravois Ave. #201 St. Louis, MO 63104-2848. © 2016 ALIVE Media Group, LLC.
Cover & Publisher’s Note photos Attilio D’Agostino
Executive Assistant Jennifer Elliott
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Photo by Attilio D’Agostino.
A gathering place that nurtures women through fashion and inspired events. THEVAULTBYWCE.COM
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Letter from the Editor THERE’S A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE
that instructs the meditator to walk slowly and deliberately, placing one foot in front of the other, heel to toe. You’re directed to act as if your feet are kissing the ground, and take note of what each step feels like. It can be infuriating and, at the same time, exhilarating. The challenge of being so present in a moment is intense. Imagine if everywhere you explored, every voyage you took, was approached with the same attention to detail. Years ago, as I walked through the ruins of a Cistercian monastery near the Rock of Cashel in Ireland, my breath caught in my chest as a cool breeze blew up my back and I shivered as I felt the weight of history in that historic place. I moved through the castle noticing every stone, imagining the masons in 1269 laying each rock and wiping the sweat from their eyes. Days later, and minutes after my plane touched down at LaGuardia, I hustled through the airport, ducked into a yellow cab, breathed in the driver’s secondhand smoke and craned my neck out the window as New York City flashed by. There’s not always a chance for reflection and reverie. In this issue, we recognize the excitement travel can bring and juxtapose that with the quiet discovery that can happen when one explores with an open mind. Writer Sarah Kendzior and photographer Attilio D’Agostino met Nashville through the eyes
of Libby Callaway (page 48). On a contemplative tour of Callaway’s top spots, Kendzior unpacked the intimate details of Nashville’s creative class and the revitalization of the city’s entrepreneurial identity. Pair that with a striking photo essay from D’Agostino and you’ll never see Music City in the same way again. Buckle up with cocktail connoisseur Matt Sorrell for a rambling weekend on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (page 62). At more than a few joints built off the beaten path, he samples, discovers a bit about himself and gives new meaning to Mark Twain’s quote, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” Take a deep breath as we turn the page on fashion, and present silhouettes ripe for adventure in “Shape-Shifter” (page 30). Then meditate a moment as we fly from the Midwest to the Middle Kingdom, with a striking photo essay from Jennifer Silverberg. Her moody China series evokes a gamut of emotions (page 22). Finally, don’t forget to save some time on your voyage for writer Deborah Taffa’s intimate recounting of a time in her life when wanderlust ran parallel with romance like flesh and blood (page 20). So pack this magazine into your new favorite bag (page 16) and prepare for your next voyage of discovery. Open your eyes, put one foot deliberately in front of the other and go.
Love,
Rachel Brandt @TheRachelBrandt
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Enjoy an elevated shopping experience at BLUSH’s new luxurious space in downtown Kirkwood.
SHOPBLUSHBOUTIQUE.COM Photo by Attilio D’Agostino.
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12 16
In This Issue 48
12 Music | The Texas Room 14 Food | Ben Grupe 16 Style | Fresh Crop
22
20 Personal Essay| Travel 22 Photo Essay | Middle Kingdom 30 Fashion | Shape-Shifter 40 Partners | Community Leaders 48 Voyage | Nashville 62 Road Trip | Kentucky
14
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68 Guide | Summer Arts + Culture
30
80 Interview | Carrie Houk
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contributors Tell us about your favorite Midwest discovery. Attilio D’Agostino
Amy De La Hunt
Ben Grupe
Photographer
Writer
Chef
“The corn harvest begins in late summer, churning fine earth and stalk dust into the sky where trillions of tiny particles meet the sinking rays of the sun, turning everything they touch a golden amber. The ephemeral glow blooms in early September, rich and warm, only to fade cool and thin on December mornings.” corridor40.com
“The fascinating waterways surprised me. From the little streams in the Ozarks to the huge rivers like the Missouri and Mississippi, there is so much natural beauty along their banks. But you can cruise the bigger ones too, and towboat crews live on them for weeks at a time. I had no idea!”
“The most interesting place that I have discovered in the Midwest recently is Urban Harvest STL. For those not familiar, Urban Harvest STL is a community-based agricultural rooftop farm located in Downtown STL. The urban farm provides healthy and sustainably grown food for the community and local food pantries.” bengrupe.com
Sarah Kendzior
Matt Kile
Rob Levy
Writer
Photographer
Writer
“Ha Ha Tonka State Park is the most interesting place I’ve found. In 1905, a wealthy businessman built an elaborate castle on a cliff. In 1942, it burned to the ground. A stone façade remains, overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks. It holds beauty, tragedy and a reminder of how fortune fades.” sarahkendzior.com
“Honestly, St. Louis is one of the most interesting places I have been in the Midwest. What I like is the ability to move quickly from urban to wild and back again. It gives me the opportunity to continuously go on small adventures and make discoveries.” mattkile-photographer.com
“I would say Chicago simply because for the four decades I’ve been going there, it’s grown with me, serving as my elixir for melancholy and my constant friend. It remains an ever-changing playground of food, art, music, theatre, film, architecture and a revolving bastion of diverse neighborhoods ripe for exploration.”
Carly Martin
Kat Reynolds
Jennifer Silverberg
Illustrator
Photographer
Photographer
“I went to Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan a week after moving from NYC to Chicago last summer. Having lived in Manhattan for five years, it was insanely humbling to see nothing but blue water for miles while standing on top of a massive sand dune.” theclementinestudio.com
“Through travel, I learned what I was most afraid of, how to be alone and what it truly means to be resourceful. It’s hard to put a price tag to that. It can be hard and frustrating at times, but that is where growth begins. You don’t know what you can handle until you travel to find it.” theunsuspended.com
Matt Sorrell
Deborah Taffa
Writer
Writer
“Last fall I started doing some trail running and discovered some of the fantastic parks in the St. Louis area. There’s nothing quite like running through the woods at Castlewood or the Chubb Trail and communing with nature. Plus, it’s free—all you have to do is get moving!” mattsorrell.com
“We do a 50-mile float trip on the Current River every summer: jumping off cliffs, camping on islands, freshwater springs bubbling beneath our canoes. It’s a unique place, because in 1964 the river was federally protected by voters who rejected dams in favor of a national park. A Missouri gem!”
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“There’s this little organic farm that’s also a B&B in Michigan. There are a few small towns nearby, a small micro-brewery and easy access to wooded areas for hiking, Lake Michigan beaches and vistas, small antique shops, and farm stands—this place feeds my soul.” jennifersilverberg.com
Interested in contributing? ALIVE accepts freelance art, photo and story submissions. For more information, please email contribute@ALIVEmag.com.
4/21/16 2:32 PM
LADUE CHESTERFIELD
Keep your fashion forward. DMSALON.COM
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Travel Issue 3 Texas Room.indd 1
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The New American Sound The Texas Room offers cultural unity and musical liberation in St. Louis. BY ROB LEVY + PHOTOS BY MATT KILE
For new Americans coming to St. Louis, the experience of making music is both a healing force and an opportunity for integration and social exchange via a series of musical alliances dubbed The Texas Room. Organized by Louis Wall, this project incorporates a mélange of sounds (Arabic hip-hop, Nepalese pop, Latino choral music) comprised of more than 50 artists from 15 nations into a celebration of musical harmony and cultural exploration. The Texas Room’s origin story is the embodiment of collaboration, diversity and understanding between local, immigrant and refugee musicians. The idea, which took two years to germinate, culminated in February’s release of “Non-Fiction,” a collection of artistically significant music stimulating a dialog that reaches across social borders. By offering artists from all over the world this opportunity to “record their truth” at Native Sound Recordings, Wall says he feels enriched. “I benefited from this project more than anyone, in that I was able to get a wider perspec-
tive on the St. Louis scene. I learned a lot about myself and my own culture through exploring others,” he says. If it means a lot to him, he also knows just how impactful these recordings are to the artists themselves. “Any time you are able to put your own story to the page, there’s a catharsis that goes on there,” Wall says. “You can take these old songs and these old stories and you can sing them and play them, and I think there’s a strong cultural grounding when you’re able to connect with your heritage while celebrating your new place and your new environment. I definitely felt that.” Wall also notes that the tumultuous lives of those with whom he cut sessions for the record have been filled with hope, faith and deliverance. He cites the story of close friend Khaled Alrahal. An Iraqi singer who fled the oppression he experienced in Baghdad, Alrahal and his family ended up in Syria before the civil war. But that was short-lived. Soon, things in Syria took a turn for the worse, and Alrahal
brought his family to St. Louis. Wall says, “He’s a little bit older but he had this prolific career in the ’90s. He’s someone I like working with because he’s got such a great perspective and his story is so interesting and he’s a great singer.” For immigrant St. Louisans, the success of The Texas Room has magnified the idea of music as a universal language. As Wall notes, even though these musicians don’t speak a common language, the creative process has been the same. “Everyone’s got their own flavor, their own culture and their own style. It truly becomes just interesting people in a room having a great musical conversation,” he says. Artistically, The Texas Room is an achievement built on acceptance, mutual understanding and the blood, sweat and tears of multinational and multicultural artists. Read more about Louis Wall and The Texas Room at ALIVEmag.com.
VOLUME 15 // ISSUE 3
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Lyonnaise Salad A culinary Olympian’s nod to his world travels. RECIPE BY BEN GRUPE + PHOTO BY MATT KILE
Ben Grupe, a St. Louis native, has seen his fair share of the world—from Luxembourg to France to Germany—since joining the American Culinary Federations’s Culinary Team USA. Now team captain of what is actually the Olympics of food, Grupe travels across the nation and abroad to practice his craft, find inspiration and connect with the best culinary minds to create dishes that
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redefine our understanding of modern cuisine. We asked Grupe to dig deep into his travel log to find a recipe that exemplifies his style of cooking. He chose Lyon, France, where deeply rooted traditions of cuisine represent the basic building blocks of gastronomy that have shaped the way we prepare and consume food today.
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Braised Bacon
Warm Bacon Vin
1 pound smoked slab bacon
4 slices bacon
2 whole peeled shallots, cut in quarters
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced small
4 whole peeled garlic cloves, smashed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 carrot, sliced
1 small shallot, minced
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
4 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 bay leaves
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
2 cups olive oil
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
fresh thyme
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
kosher salt black pepper
Preparation: 1. Pan-sear bacon on all sides, then remove from pan. 2. Heat stock to a boil. 3. Lightly caramelize the garlic, shallots and carrots. 4. Add fresh thyme and seared bacon; cover with stock and maple syrup. 5. Place buttered parchment on top, then foil to seal. 6. Place into 350-degree oven and braise for about 2.5 hours or until tender. 7. Remove bacon, strain liquid into a saucepot and reduce to a glaze. 8. This product is very versatile—slice the bacon 1/4-inch thick, brush with the glaze, sprinkle turbinado sugar over top and place under broiler to render. Note: Use a blowtorch if a broiler is not available.
Preparation: 1. In a pan, render the bacon until crisp (remove and reserve fat). 2. Add the onions, garlic, and shallots and cook until tender without getting any color on them. 3. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Next, add the sugars and cook for 1 minute. 5. Deglaze with the vinegar and add the thyme sprigs. 6. Reduce the vinegar by 25 percent, remove the thyme sprigs and place in blender with the Dijon mustard. 7. Emulsify in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. 8. Taste and reserve. Note: If there is any extra bacon fat, replace with the olive oil by equal parts.
Poached Egg 4 fresh large eggs, room temp 4 cups water 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar sea salt black pepper
Additional Ingredients:
4 slices country-style bread (approx. 1/2 inch) olive oil as needed 1 garlic clove Maldon salt, as needed seasonal greens, as needed
chives, shaved as needed
Preparation: 1. Bring the water and vinegar to a boil. 2. In a swirling motion, stir the pot to create a whirlpool. This prevents the eggs from sticking to each other. 3. Gently crack the eggs one by one into the water. 4. Reduce heat to a slow simmer. Poach eggs util the whites are completely set, approximately 5 minutes. 5. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and serve. 6. Finish with sea salt, fresh milled black pepper and shaved chives.
ASSEMBLY 1. Toast the bread, rub with the garlic clove and brush with olive oil and season with sea salt. 2. Place the glazed, warm bacon on the sliced bread. 3. Toss the greens in the warm bacon vinaigrette and place on the bacon and bread. 4. Nestle the poached egg on top of the greens. 5. Finish with sea salt, fresh milled black pepper and shaved chives.
Note: Eggs may be poached in advance. When reheating, gently warm in low simmering water.
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Fresh Crop Grow your collection of hobos, satchels and totes. STYLED BY SARAH STALLMANN + PHOTOS BY ATTILIO D’AGOSTINO
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Left: Rebecca Minkoff bag available at Neiman Marcus, Plaza Frontenac, 314.567.9811. Right: Gucci “Soho” bag available at The Vault, Brentwood, 314.736.6511.
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Left: Prada shopper available at Neiman Marcus, Plaza Frontenac, 314.567.9811. Right: Louis Vuitton “Summit Drive” bag available at The Vault, Brentwood, 314.736.6511.
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On Choosing Luxembourg A personal account of romance and kinship spanning two continents. BY DEBORAH TAFFA + ILLUSTRATED BY CARLY MARTIN OF CLEMENTINE STUDIO
Several months after turning 21, I boarded an Iceland Air flight for Luxembourg with my equally young and newlywed husband, Simone. It was September 1990, and Simone’s grandfather, Marcello, had sent us money with a panicked letter, instructing us to buy tickets and fly into Milano as soon as possible. We’d plotted to save half the cash by taking a bus from my parent’s house in the Four Corners region of New Mexico to the East Coast, where we caught a cheap flight to Luxembourg via Iceland. Once in Luxembourg, we planned to take a crosstown shuttle to the central train station and ride the rails to northern Italy. We were masters of budget travel, Simone and I, determined to live as modern nomads and defy every last one of our parent’s stodgy concerns. Working odd jobs, we’d been saving money for an overland trip to Central America when Marcello caught wind of our plans. Simone said the money his nonno sent was a way to divert us, a ploy to bring him home from his six-month American excursion and to get a glimpse of me, the new wife. According to Simone, there’d be pressure for us to settle down, go back to college, and reexamine our motives. My own parents weren’t so controlling and had a major advantage over Simone’s: They had been given the chance to meet him
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and to spend time with him over a threemonth period while I piddled away my time during my third and final semester at UNM in Albuquerque. If they were disappointed when we called after a brief stint picking cherries in Washington state to say we’d been married, it was mostly because they were sorry to have missed the party. Simone’s family, on the other hand, couldn’t imagine me. I remember Simone calling his parents from a phone booth in Utah, two weeks after we’d told mine. By this time, we’d quit picking cherries and were on the road again. I had kept asking Simone when he was going to call his parents and tell them. We finally found the phone booth and called them collect. Cramped behind the folding glass door, I heard his mother’s soprano voice shift from lyrical syllables to a howl. Simone held the phone away from his ear. After he spoke to his father, he hung up and claimed the conversation had gone “quite well.” Despite obvious signs, I couldn’t envision the extent of his parents’ disapproval, or their intense fear that they were losing their eldest son. All I knew was that Simone kept saying, “No, no, we shouldn’t go to Italy, while I said, “Yes, yes, we should.” We could raise our travel money while working in Italy, I reasoned, and we could amend
our future plans by going to Asia or Africa instead of South America. Once the idea of accepting Nonno Marcello’s offer entered my mind, all I could focus on was Italy. How could I claim to know Simone, I reasoned, when I’d never met his family or seen his home? He spoke incessantly about the woods around his house in Pianbosco, about mushroom hunting for his mother’s saffron-spiced risotto, about gathering chestnuts to roast over the fireplace in his basement. He loved the Italian countryside, the glacial lakes, and the pre-Alps so intensely—I could see it in his expression when he described them—and it seemed I could never really know what made his heart beat unless I experienced them too. I was jealous that Simone knew my parents and the landscape of my childhood while I could only imagine his. He had driven with my family to the flea market in Shiprock, eaten honey on thick-toasted fry bread. He had hiked up Embudo Canyon and into the Organ Mountains, where the mournful wail of coyotes scared and startled him, despite my assurances that they would never come near the campfire. He had been to my home reservation where he shook hands with 30-odd relatives. He had borne the teasing and the name-calling—“Columbus!”—while smiling graciously, his hand rested lightly
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on my shoulder as if to say, “Love, we’re with a homemade “J” tattoo). I thought in love, and there’s nothing anyone can of all the fun I’d had, playing along the shoreline with my sisters, and all the say about it.” difficult moments of my less-thanIt was my turn to have that experience, perfect childhood flitted away. and in the end it was the money, I think, that proved the best argument available Simone, already in tune with the fact to me in terms of coercing him to accept that frowns have a tendency to escalate, Nonno Marcello’s offer. It would change stroked my head and gathered my braids. nothing except our next continent of “You want me to redo them?” I nodded travel, and it would speed up the process yes. He grabbed my daypack from the train’s overhead rack, took the brush of saving. from the side zipper, and started to comb. Thus, we were headed to Luxembourg. After a few minutes he asked, “What are We were exhausted after traveling days you thinking about?” across the U.S. to catch our flight out of Baltimore, and Simone fell asleep. My voice broke as I said, “We bought I fiddled with the horse-hair bolo tie one-way tickets.” The feeling of finality my father had asked a Navajo friend was overwhelming, and as we neared to bead for him as a wedding gift, and Stazione Garibaldi in Milano, he had remembered the two of them joking the to remind me that I was the one who night before we left. We were standing fought to come to Italy. Why was I so in the front yard of my childhood glum? I couldn’t say. I’d never been the home. Dad pointed to the grandpa- homesick type, yet suddenly it felt like sized cottonwood that jammed our I was betraying my family. I mourned windshield wipers every fall with a mess the traditions I was leaving behind, an unusual thing since I was always very of crunchy leaves. progressive. When my Native friends “If my daughter gets hurt, that’s where played powwow tunes, I put on David I’ll hang you,” he said. The three of us Bowie. I claimed to thrive on change. giggled at the joke, but I noted his concern and the fact that nearly all of my elders were sending me off with a mixture of happiness and agitation. Why? I didn’t foresee the difficulties of a multicultural marriage. I didn’t consider how it would feel if the child I had raised ran off and married a stranger, or how it would feel if that stranger was from a foreign breed. My curiosity to keep having adventures with Simone outweighed any reticence.
“He took my hand as he told me he couldn’t wait to show me the Duomo in Milan.”
My nerves didn’t awaken until we landed in Luxembourg, transferred from bus to train, and jostled through the French countryside. Night fell. The fields and homes outside the window faded, and the glass turned into a mirror. Suddenly there I was with two braids, next to an unshaven boy who I had known for less than a year. The ground between my He said we’d take his motorcycle to childhood and future yawned open. Lake Como, and visit all the museums I was headed toward a life that had I wanted. He said I would love Italy’s taken on a serious element of mystery artwork. He knew exactly what to say. and suddenly my resolve waned. I But if Simone knew what to say, he thought about my father coming home didn’t know that Europe had detonated after work. I remembered him fishing, an ugly bomb in me, a small sliver of his eyes darting side to side, scanning irritation that came from comparing his the surface of the water for a ripple of lineage to mine. movement. I could see the thick ball at the center of his top lip, the meatiness I couldn’t express any of this back then, of his steak-size earlobes (the right one and even now it’s complicated. Yes, I
missed my parents and felt frightened to meet his. Yes, I was afraid to lose my traditions. And yes, I felt that his people’s achievements were, in some ways, bigger than my own. I wanted to blame someone, and it scared me. Was I gracious enough to love him? Was I generous enough to appreciate his culture like he had mine? “Our cultures are so much alike,” Simone said when I continued to pout. He explained that Italy was a museum culture focused on the past. He said he’d studied ancient Rome ad nauseam in school. We opened the door and stepped into the foggy Milan night. “No one expects me to speak in dialect or wear Renaissance clothes every day of my life,” he said. “Don’t you know you’re allowed to be free, too?” I wish I could say I never resented Simone for this too-simple comparison. He was encouraging me, and I needed his support to move out in the world. All these years later I know that love is often a desire for what is missing, and that leaving my homeland made me love it even more. I followed Simone into Stazione Garibaldi where we realized his parents must have gone to Stazione Centrale. We took the subway to Stazione Centrale while they drove their car to Stazione Garibaldi. Without cell phones, the four of us circled around missing each other for an hour. As Simone and I went back and forth between the two train stations, all I could think about was a premonition I had as a fifth grader. Our teacher said we had to pick a country in Europe for an annotated report, and she read down the class roster, asking each student to claim their country. I had my world geography book open to the page with the map of Europe, and my finger trained on the stylish boot kicking Sicily out to sea. I was in the clear until the teacher called on the girl who sat in front of me. When the teacher wrote her name on the board alongside Italy, I deflated. “What now?” I thought. Thankfully, it came quickly as I only had a nanosecond to think. “Luxembourg,” I whispered. It was tiny, and I’d never heard of it before, but it jumped off the page. I covered the X with my finger and repeated, my voice louder and clearer the second time. “I choose Luxembourg,” I said.
VOLUME 15 // ISSUE 3
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Middle Kingdom A photo essay by Jennifer Silverberg Words by Amy De La Hunt
ANYONE who has picked up a local food magazine has seen the culinary world through Jennifer Silverberg’s eyes. Her food, farm and lifestyle photographs capture the labors of love of countless chefs and restaurant professionals. She knows her subjects well, and it shows. Though her photographs largely capture life here in the Midwest, her passions and pursuits have taken her all over the world. In 2014, the International Photography Hall of Fame invited Silverberg and a group of 10 working photographers to Beijing and Nanjing, China, to practice their craft. Once there, Silverberg felt stuck. She says, “I didn’t know which side of my photographic identity I wanted to be emphasizing.” But while figuring out how to make art within the confines of a group trip, inspiration struck. Read more about Jennifer Silverberg’s China trip online at ALIVEmag.com.
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“Couple at Sun Yat Sen memorial”
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“Wendy on the Wall. Nanjing.”
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“Forbidden City”
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“In China. A great Wall”
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Above: “Drying” Right: “China Doll”
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Shape Shifter Cool silhouettes craft an easy palette ripe for adventure.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ATTILIO D’AGOSTINO Stylist: Fashion Editor Sarah Stallmann Model: Selena Johnson for NY Model Management Hair: Valerie Brown Makeup: Sharday Johnson Assistants: Bryant Finerson, Kathryn Croney, Alec Wallis
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Previous: Kora Rae dress available at The Vault, Brentwood, 314.736.6511. Chiffon pants, stylist’s own. Dr. Scholl’s “View” lace-up shoes available at drschollsshoes.com. Left: Rag & Bone “Sheridan” top available at Neiman Marcus, Plaza Frontenac, 314.567.9811. Bomber jacket available at H&M, multiple locations. Metal choker available at ScholarShop, Clayton, 314.725.3456. Crystal necklace, stylist’s own. Right: Wai Ming wrap top and pants available at waimingstudio. com. Dr. Scholl’s “Sienna” slip-on available at drschollsshoes.com.
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Left: Wai Ming wrap top and pants available at waimingstudio.com. Dr. Scholl’s “Sienna” slip-on available at drschollsshoes.com. Right: Bomber jacket available at H&M, multiple locations. Samantha Pleet denim available at living-collective.com.
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(left) Theory linen wrap dress available at Neiman Marcus, 314.567.9811. Dr. Scholl’s “View” lace-up shoes available at drschollsshoes.com. Necklace available at ScholarShop, Clayton, 314.725.3456. Chiffon pants, stylist’s own. (right) Blanket scarf, stylist’s own.
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Left: Rag & Bone button-down tunic available at Neiman Marcus, Plaza Frontenac, 314.567.9811. Alice and Olivia jeans available at Neiman Marcus, Plaza Frontenac, 314.567.9811. Dr. Scholl’s “View” lace-up shoes available at drschollsshoes.com. Right: Alice and Olivia striped slip dress available at The Vault, Brentwood, 314.736.6511. Dr. Scholl’s “View” lace-up shoes available at drschollsshoes.com.
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We have hand-selected a group of brands and organizations that share our vision to innovate, raise awareness for the creative community and celebrate quality goods and experiences. In the next several pages, we’d like to introduce a handful of our featured partners and show you why we believe that they are moving our community forward. Together, we plan to make a difference.
After reading through the inspiring stories in this section, head to ALIVEmag.com to engage with more of our partners’ compelling narratives.
#ALIVEnext
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Photo courtesy of projects+gallery.
projects+gallery St. Louis’ access to the ethereal this summer. European artist Stéphane Margolis, who has been working with Barrett Barrera for the past year, brings his tongue-in-cheek commentary to projects + gallery this summer for his first solo show in the US June 3-July 23. In the Central West End space, Dorte Probstein and Susan Barrett will create an eerie backdrop to highlight both his petrified sculptures—a dying method made popular in 19th century France—as well as his photos and a video installation. Margolis’ otherworldly pieces are never what you think, and often reference both flora and fauna—a nod to his childhood in the horticulturally rich South of France. A sculpture that takes on the
semblance of a duck is really two vases, fused together and made heavy as stone through the calcification process and embellished with a prickly pear and deep blue “feathers.” Though this work and most other compositions bear humorous names like “Mutant Seaweed and Leper Pumpkin,” his work reflects on the fragility of our planet, and its declining condition. Margolis will arrive one week prior to the opening of his show to help Probstein and Barrera arrange charcoal-covered halos among his work to recreate his staged photographs, as well as lending his green thumb to the planters in front of the gallery.
projects-gallery.com
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Top photo courtesy of St. Louis Union Station. Bottom photos by Attilio D’Agostino.
St. Louis Union Station The city’s beloved Downtown destination. Early this year, St. Louis Union Station announced that big changes are afoot, including the addition of ambitious light shows, Ferris wheels, gondolas and train car cafes. Slowly, what St. Louisans once considered a hotel for out-oftowners is becoming a destination for locals. Always a stunning architectural marvel, Grand Hall’s new look has created an ambiance that is unmatched in the city. Where else can you enjoy happy hour amid precise gold leaf detailing, mosaics, stained glass windows and sweeping archways? In that same stunning space, Executive Chef Russel Cunningham serves up an upscale menu—from slow-roasted pork belly to oysters Rockefeller.
On top of these renovations, the hall now sports a tech-savvy new look. Technomedia, an award-winning collaborator with entertainment companies like Cirque du Soleil, created a high-definition visual experience exclusive to Grand Hall. The first-of-its-kind projection light show, displayed on Grand Hall’s 65-foot tall ceilings, tells 10-plus stories throughout the evening, including a history of Union Station narrated by John Goodman. Through cutting-edge innovation and renovation, Union Station continues to establish itself as a destination for locals and tourists alike. Though the outdoor improvements are currently in development, the Grand Hall experience is ready to offer up amazement.
stlouisunionstation.com
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Photo courtesy of The Cheshire.
Take your next getaway in the heart of the city. CHESHIRESTL.COM
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Photos by Attilio D’Agostino.
Overlook Farm A welcoming Missouri getaway. An idyllic oasis set on the banks of the Mississippi River, Overlook Farm has more than earned its reputation for being an exemplary estate. Here, the farmers work tirelessly in the fields, 26 hoop houses and 5 greenhouses, to provide Nathalie’s in the Central West End and the onsite restaurant, The Courtyard, with organic ingredients. But the chefs, farmers and staff are also proving just how diverse life on a farm can be. On the 327-acre grounds, Proprietor Nathalie Pettus has cultivated a stunning atmosphere that draws inspiration from the region’s heritage. The four inns on the property offer an ideal location for groups or couples to get back to nature, and two of the four structures date back to
the 1800s, lending to an authentic experience in the country. On site, fine dining couldn’t be any fresher. The Courtyard serves up the season’s newest offerings—from wood-fired pizza and eggplant Parmesan to fruit hand pies. During these warm spring and summer months, slowly savor an organic and sustainably grown wine next to an open fire pit, or cozy up to the serene waterfall over brunch. Located an hour and a half from the city, Overlook Farm is a destination that’s in reach even for just a weekend. With the restaurant opening in late April, now’s the perfect time to make the voyage.
overlookfarmmo.com
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Photo courtesy of 4 Hands Brewing Co.
CITY WIDE AMERICAN PALE ALE is an opportunity for 4 Hands Brewing Co. to make a mark on the St. Louis community by donating a percentage of proceeds to local non-profit organizations. The scope of our mission has always included more than just brewing beer. We strive to be a positive force in the St. Louis community.
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For every four-pack sold this year, we will donate 50 cents to our partner organizations. Through this effort, we hope to empower our consumers while giving back. The 2016 recipients are Cherokee Street/ Love Bank Park, Grace Hill, Great Rivers Greenway and International Institute St. Louis.
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A Place Where We Can Be Ourselves A discovery of Nashville’s creative revolution with Libby Callaway.
BY SARAH KENDZIOR + PHOTOS BY ATTILIO D’AGOSTINO
In 2004, Libby Callaway had it all, including a job as a fashion columnist for the New York Post that let her travel the world and put her at the forefront of trends in style. But she was not happy. “I had a moment of divine intervention,” she recalls over brunch at Margot Café & Bar, a popular restaurant in East Nashville. “My career was great. I was blowing up. But I wasn’t satisfied. One day I was like, ‘Oh my God, I don’t have to do this.’ So I left.”
entrepreneurs who have migrated to the Southern city since the late 1990s. Known for its country music and honky-tonk scene, Nashville may strike one as an unlikely destination for a creative renaissance that can seem (and sometimes is) straight out of Brooklyn. But the city’s affordability and laid-back pace have allowed Nashville artists to find what they lacked in the costly cities of the coasts: friendship and freedom.
Callaway headed to Nashville—part of a wave of artists, writers, stylists and other creative
“In New York, I felt like a commodity,” says Callaway, a Tennessee native whose moth-
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er, an interior designer and antique dealer, raised her to appreciate art and style. “Here, I can create my own job, and it’s an unbelievably collaborative community, with so much pride. Nashville didn’t realize how cool it was. Nashvillians thought because we weren’t New York or LA that we weren’t special. But that’s exactly what makes us special.” Since moving to Nashville in 2004, Callaway has worked in a variety of fields: as a journalist, a creative consultant, a retailer of vintage clothes and a blogger for her culture and style
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Mas Tacos Por Favor
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website, The Callaway Report. Nashville’s long-thriving music scene opened the door for creatives from other professions, she says, leading to an arts scene no longer defined by Opry aspirations. Callaway’s own home reflects the Nashville aesthetic with a colorful and eclectic mix of high and low-brow. Vintage designer goods are displayed near a mix of high-end and discount furniture—some of it purchased, Callaway says with a laugh, from TJ Maxx. Nashville style is resolutely unpretentious. When it winks at its southern surroundings, as it did in a vintage shop we later visited called “High Class Hillbilly,” it does so with affection. Callaway lives in East Nashville, the mecca for the city’s artistic transplants. Like many urban neighborhoods experiencing rapid economic transformation, East Nashville’s streets are lined with upscale boutiques and restaurants as well as the trappings of poverty. A new upscale restaurant, Bar Luca, sits across the street from a dollar store and a Goodwill; signs for “hot yoga” mix with signs for payday loans. The contrast can be jarring, and Callaway and other East Nashville creatives worry that the pace of investment and accompanying gentrification may be too fast: in the last two years, the value of Callaway’s own home has doubled. But while local artists are wary at the rapid change, they are also grateful for the opportunities the city has presented them—opportunities they hope will be available for all Nashville residents, and not a sequestered elite. “The public space affects us all,” says Bryce McCloud, who runs a print studio, Isle of Printing, which plans to add a store to sell its goods to the public in early summer. “I believe art has the power to change the world in a positive way. We try to bridge the divide between people who go to football games and people who go to museums. Art should be a democratic experience.” McCloud, who hails from nearby Hendersonville, Tennessee, moved to Nashville 20 years ago for its low rent—$250 for a 3,000-squarefoot studio at the time—and welcoming artistic community. “Everybody wanted to see each other do well, and that’s still true,” he says. At the time, he was a pioneer in a nascent art scene, and his influence remains on display in the many boutiques and stores that carry his prints and products. Like many Nashville artists, McCloud’s work combines innovation and conservation. He notes that Nashville has long been a leader in print design, whether of 19th-century bibles
or 20th-century country music scores, and he sees his work as part of that tradition. His immense workshop is full of hand-cranked antique letter presses and cutting-edge laser printers, which he uses to create products for local businesses and art for public consumption, often with a political message—like paper paratroopers he released into the sky with balloons as commentary on the Iraq War, or portraits commissioned of notable city residents. He encourages all Nashville residents to join him in his artistic adventures. “People from different walks of life want to have the same experiences,” McCloud notes. “They want to be useful, to be creative, to have fun. We like bringing other people into the process. It’s like an army or a monastery—we leave our individual selves behind and work on these large public art projects together. It’s an icebreaker.” Like Callaway, McCloud is excited by Nashville’s exploding arts scene, but also worried that younger artists may not be able to pave their own way. “How do you maintain interesting little businesses?” he wonders. “I came here because it was affordable to experiment. But companies are buying properties for $1 million, raising rent. High profit and low risk does not lead to experimentation. You have to have water in the stream to give life, but a f lood that washes away everything is dangerous.” The tension between Nashville’s corporations and artistic entrepreneurs is illustrated by the nearby 404 Hotel, an intimate five-room boutique property in the Gulch neighborhood next to a future high-rise flanked by construction cranes. 404 Hotel is popular with discerning travelers looking for a taste of low-key luxury but is also a favorite of country music stars—sometimes whole bands crash there— and bachelorette parties. Like other Nashville entrepreneurs, 404 Hotel Manager April Taylor, who hails from Alabama, takes pains to preserve the local flavor. “Nashvillians are very proud—that’s true of Tennessee in general,” she says. “Our goal is to embrace the old, bring it into the new with a twist, and keep the history.” 404’s rooms feature beds made from Nashville wood, and staircases that lead into a separate upstairs quarters, ideal lodging for families or small groups, are made with Nashville iron. Unlike her towering neighbor, Taylor does not intend to expand the 404 property, prioritizing keeping the hotel comfortable, intimate and unique. “We have a rapidly growing city, which is wonderful, but also a bit of a burden,” she explains. “That’s the price of progress.”
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Above: Bryce McCloud’s Isle of Printing Right: Little Octopus
While many of Nashville’s new enterprises are affordable—vintage shop High Class Hillbilly, for example, carries a number of items in the $30-50 range—others specialize in high-end design. One East Nashville boutique is Too Son, which offers hand-sewn designer items. Its co-owner, David Perry, hails from England but worked in fashion in Los Angeles for a decade before making the move to Nashville two years ago. “I love the sense of community here,” he explains. “When people ask you, ‘What do you do for a living?’ it doesn’t mean, ‘What can you do for me?’ When people offer to help you, they mean it.” Perry’s designs carry a touch of his native land—Brixham, the fishing village where he grew up, is the brand name on some of his clothing—while emphasizing a minimalist aesthetic. Most of his clothing is made in Los Angeles, but he is contemplating bring-
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ing the factories to Nashville in the hopes of contributing to a regional revitalization in manufacturing. Nashville’s culinary scene also highlights the city’s broadening cultural scope and move away from southern staples. New restaurants in East Nashville range from Little Octopus—an upscale tapas restaurant whose walls are lined with local art—to Mas Tacos Por Favor, an unassuming shack-like structure that serves cheap and authentic Mexican fare and sweet Cuban coffee. The barista at Mas Tacos notes the restaurant is something of a novelty in Nashville, long a stronghold for Tex-Mex, and is a sign of the city’s increased ethnic diversity. As we followed Callaway to and from her favorite Nashville haunts, other Nashville artists and entrepreneurs greeted her excitedly and told her of their latest projects. Some, like
Callaway, are native to Tennessee, but many hail from coastal cities whose lack of affordability held back their dreams. In Nashville, they found the culture and community they were craving, and Callaway is optimistic that even in the face of rapid development, Nashville’s creative class will continue to thrive. “We’ve probably peaked in terms of exposure, and that’s a good thing,” says Callaway. “This is a young scene. We want to stay inclusive. I don’t want the homogenization that I saw in New York when I was back there last. We don’t want people to be starving artists; we want them to make a living doing what they want. Momentum is still building, and we are building with it. Nashville is a place where we can be ourselves.” Read more about Libby Callaway’s favorite spots in Music City online at ALIVEmag.com.
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Above: 404 Hotel Left: Libby Callaway and friends at Bar Luca
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Above: Libby Callaway Left: Little Octopus
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Above + Right: Two Son
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Left: On the streets of East Nashville. Right: Calloway at High Class Hillbilly.
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One More Nip & Make it Strong A rambling ride through Kentucky bourbon country. BY MATT SORRELL + PHOTOS BY MATT KILE
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A
s a “spirits pro” of sorts, one place that I’ve been wanting—nay needing—to explore for some time is Kentucky’s bourbon country, where 95 percent of all bourbon whiskey is made. This is an important pilgrimage for spirits aficionados. Bourbon is America’s native spirit after all, officially recognized as such by Congress in 1964. There are more barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky right now than there are people in the state. Even if you’re not a whiskey fan, there’s plenty of history to soak up, and the distillery tours are fascinating whether you intend to indulge in some of that good Kentucky corn or not.
heavy-handed trendy design. Instead it just feels like a good ol’ neighborhood joint, with classic country on the turntable behind the bar, good food and a fine selection of cocktails (Beth’s pick: the HonkyTonk Angel), bourbons, tequilas and mezcals.
I’m ashamed to admit it took me so long to make my way down and bask in the glory of bourbon’s birthplace, so I was determined to make up for it and then some with a quick weekend jaunt to the Bluegrass State.
Next stop: Garage Bar in the East Market District, another place recommended by STL friends and Louisville locals alike. Located in a reclaimed garage space, it’s famous for wood-fired pizza and housecured meats, along with the requisite impressive bourbon list, including one of my personal go-tos: Old Grand Dad 114. Beth indulged in a pint of Shotgun Wedding from Country Boy Brewing, a tasty brown ale we encountered several times during the trip. We’d already stuffed ourselves by the time we arrived, but once we saw The Ham Bar on the menu, a sampler of four wildly divergent artisanal hams, we had to make room.
On the Road
Day 2
In the old days, I would have provisioned myself for the road with cigarettes and Mountain Dew. Nowadays, it’s a bag of Skinny Pop and a travel cup of herbal tea. My wife, Beth, and I headed down Highway 64, which is basically a straight four-hour shot right into Louisville via Illinois and Indiana. The landscape along this route ranges from gently rolling hills to farmers’ fields to several stretches that are reminiscent of Southern marshlands. Billboards, outlet malls and mega truck stops mar the scene. It’s a good road for putting the car on cruise, picking a meditative playlist and getting a little bit contemplative. We rolled through Louisville and headed south to Clermont, home of the Jim Beam American Stillhouse. One of the big boys of the bourbon world, JB has been around in one form or another for almost two centuries. The rambling campus here shows just how big a business bourbon has become, and how important Beam is in the grand scheme of things (there’s more bourbon aging here than anywhere else in the country). The distillery tour hits all of the basics of whiskey production and you get to be up close and personal with the fermenters and the still, as well as taste some of the good stuff straight from the barrel. The tasting following the tour allows for two samples from the entire Beam line. My pair included an experimental beta whiskey that’s currently going through trials. We opted to stay in Bardstown, about 40 miles outside of Louisville, which bills itself as the trailhead of the Bourbon Trail. It still has that small town feel, replete with a quaint downtown area, and rooms can be had on the cheap. After checking into the motel, we headed back into Louisville to check out the local scene. Bartender friends have been talking up The Silver Dollar to me for a while, so a visit there was imperative. The place doesn’t have a
We headed over to Lawrenceburg, about 40 minutes from Bardstown, to check out the operations of some more personal favorites: Wild Turkey and Four Roses. We didn’t make the tour at Wild Turkey, but we did peruse the visitors’ center and take in the beautiful view of the Kentucky River out back and the old railroad trestle that spans it. Just down the road, Four Roses is quite the contrast to the more industrial distilleries around. With its fermenting tanks made of cypress, you won’t find much stainless steel here. The main buildings, built in the California Mission style, are painted a deep saffron and streaked with the black “whiskey fungus” that tends to darken the areas surrounding any distillery. We lucked out and got the premium tasting at the end of the tour, which included a couple of tasty small-batch variations that warmed us up from the inside out, a feeling known, according to our tour guide, as a “Kentucky hug.” Back in Bardstown, we just made it to the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History before it closed. The museum is built around the collection that its namesake, a former spirits distributor and one-time owner of Barton Distillery, accrued over the course of his career. At the risk of sounding hackneyed, it’s a little bit like stepping back in time here. This historic building feels like a cross between a church basement and Grandma’s parlor and is full of vintage bottles, many unopened (No tastings – I asked), and plenty of other spirited accoutrement, like prohibitionist Carrie Nation’s hatchet. There’s also a treasure trove of vintage whiskey advertising on display, giving a rare look at many brands that are only memories now. We decided to stick around Bardstown for dinner at the Old Talbott Tavern. This historic building dates from the 1700s and has operated as a tavern ever
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Page 62 and above: Large fermenters at Four Roses Distillery.
since, save for a short time in the late 1990s when there was a fire and it was closed for repairs. Beth and I hit up their version of the iconic hot brown (our first, by the way), a Kentucky specialty with turkey, ham, bacon and tomatoes covered in a cheesy Mornay sauce. The Old Talbott is reportedly the oldest bourbon bar in the country and haunted as well; the most notable ghost on premises is reportedly that of famed outlaw Jesse James. The only spirit I encountered, though, was whiskey (cue rimshot ... ).
Day 3
There are two distilleries in the immediate Bardstown area, and they couldn’t be more different. Barton 1792 Distillery is reminiscent of how distilleries used to be in the days before the current bourbon boom hit. There’s no high-tech visitors’ center with interactive displays here, but the tour offers an intimate look at the inner workings of the distillery, which has been around since 1879. We got there first thing in the morning and enjoyed a quiet tasting experience. Stella, our tour guide, also offered us samples of Barton’s two flagship whiskies—Very Old Barton and 1792—and gave us some good pointers on what else to see in town. Heaven Hill Distilleries, just a few miles away, is home to the state-of-the-art Bourbon Heritage Center, a sprawling combo of gift shops and an interactive bourbon history experience. The Heaven Hill tour spends a lot of time in one of the campus’ rickhouses, where barrels are aged, and gives
visitors an appreciation of just how important the barrel is to the finished product. While the surroundings might be cutting-edge, the hospitality here is pure Old South. Our guide was a gracious Southern dame who discussed the history of Old Fitzgerald with us while we nipped on some Larceny, which shares the same mashbill. On a side note, apparently I’m also the spitting image of her parish priest, in both looks and drinking habits. On the way out of town, we ended our Kentucky experience with lunch at Mammy’s Kitchen (thanks to Stella for the recommendation!), a Southern home cooking icon in Bardstown and the only place I know of where you can get a fried bologna sandwich and a pour of Pappy Van Winkle. My budget only allowed me some Old Forester, but the bologna was stellar.
Homeward Bound
It was a whirlwind tour for sure: five distilleries, 830 miles and untold drams of whiskey in just over two days. We packed a lot of experiences into that short time frame, and we really just scratched the surface of what bourbon country has to offer: top-notch food and drink establishments, rich history and the friendliest of people, not to mention an abundance of fine whiskey. Sounds like a return trip is in order ... See more scenes from the trail online at ALIVEmag.com.
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Garage Bar interior.
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The Highlands neighborhood in Louisville.
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The three main ingredients in Jim Beam’s mash bill.
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Arts + Culture Guide Events and activities at the confluence of fashion, food and entertainment in St. Louis.
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MAY 14-15
MAY 20
JIM BRICKMAN MAY 22
MUSIC OF
JUNE 4
We put the element of FUN into science! slsc.org
When you imagine, the most common reaction is “fun.” Enjoy a film at our OMNIMAX® Theater, gaze under the stars at the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, and dig deeper with over 700 interactive exhibits. General admission is always free.
MUSIC OF
with MICHAEL
CAVANAUGH JUNE 12
JUNE 10
MUSIC OF
LIVE AND LET DIE A Symphonic Tribute to the Music of PAUL McCARTNEY
JUNE 24
JUNE 17
JUNE 19
314-534-1700 stlsymphony.org
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BILLY JOEL
GROUPS SAVE! 314-286-4155
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Photo of “The Glass Menagerie” by ProPhotoSTL.com, courtesy of Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis.
CALENDAR
Ballroom meeting rates start at $500 including in-house AV. For more info, contact Stephanie Sadler at ssadler@peabodyoperahouse.com Photo by Todd Morgan
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GREAT RIVERS BIENNIAL
May 6-Aug. 7 • Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis CAM honors local artists with this special exhibit designed to strengthen support for the arts in St. Louis. Winners of the Great Rivers Biennial award receive $20,000 and establish connections with visiting critics, curators and dealers.
ST. LOUIS MICROFEST
May 6-7 • Forest Park This two-day beer tasting festival features live music, a silent auction and live brewer demonstrations. Proceeds benefit Lift For Life Gym, an organization committed to providing a safe afterschool environment for at-risk youth.
Photo of Nanette Boileau, “Dakota Territory” (still), 2015. HD video, color, sound. Courtesy of the artist and Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS FESTIVAL ST. LOUIS May 11-15 • Multiple locations This celebration of America’s foremost playwright offers a variety of events, from theatrical productions to movies, art exhibitions, readings, discussions, music and more.
GYPSY CARAVAN
TWANGFEST
WHITAKER MUSIC FESTIVAL
ST. LOUIS BREWERS GUILD HERITAGE FESTIVAL
May 30 • The Family Arena The Gypsy Caravan, put on by the St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association, is one of the largest antique, craft and vintage flea markets in the Midwest. With more than 400 vendor booths, shoppers are bound to find something that catches their eye.
June 1-Aug. 3 • Missouri Botanical Garden This open-air music festival invites visitors to bring their own picnic fare and enjoy live music under the stars. Funded by the Whitaker Foundation, this concert series is intended to support St. Louis arts, parks and community.
June 8-11 • Off Broadway Twangfest is an annual festival designed to promote the tradition and culture of Americana music. Musicians from all over the country treat music-lovers to four days of incredible and vibrant performances.
June 11 • Riverfront This event showcases more than 100 styles of beer from 40-plus St. Louis-based breweries. Guests can sample the different beers as well as enjoying live music, shopping and food.
JANE LYNCH
TOUR DE MUSEUM
June 4 • Multiple locations Riders complete a fun, art-filled scavenger hunt, biking to some of St. Louis’s premier art museums. View the exhibits, solve riddles and win prizes!
June 14 • The Sheldon Enjoy an evening of musical comedy by Emmy- and Golden Globe-winner Jane Lynch. Special guests Kate Flannery (“The Office”) and Tim Davis (“Glee” and “American Idol”) will also be present.
Discover other events we’ve got on our radar at ALIVEmag.com.
PARKS FOOD TRUCK FEST
May 12-Sept. 13 • Multiple locations The St. Louis Food Truck Association asks locals to come hungry to enjoy delicious treats and live music from a different band every night.
JENNY MURPHY AND MARTIN BRIEF AT FORT GONDO
May 28-June 25 • Fort Gondo Jenny Murphy is the founder and executive director of Perennial, a non-profit that attempts to transform discarded items in order to promote sustainability. Martin Brief explores how language and information influence culture. Both artists will have their most recent projects featured at Fort Gondo.
THURSDAY, MAY 5
FRIDAY, MAY 6
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
FRIDAY, JUNE 3
THURSDAY, JULY 7
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27
organ
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Peabody Opera House Ad Alive Magazine, MAY 2016 Issue, 1/3 pg. spread 4/20/16 1:12 PM 16.5 in x 3.4167 in with bleeds (.125 on sides and bottom)
“Culture is the arts elevated to a set of beliefs.” - Thomas Wolfe
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Ellipsis Apr 15–Jul 2, 2016 Galleries are free and open Wed–Sat, 10am–5pm; Thu & Fri until 8pm.
3716 Washington Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63108 pulitzerarts.org | @pulitzerarts Roman Ondák, Clockwork, 2014. Performance 10th Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju. Courtesy the artist and Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju.
“Take a vacation with God”
OFFERING IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY & RECOVERY RETREATS YEAR-ROUND IN SOUTH ST. LOUIS COUNTY White House Jesuit Retreat | www.whretreat.org | 314.416.6400
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Summer Arts Guide Discover inspiration in all its forms.
CAHOKIA MOUNDS
CHESTERFIELD AMPHITHEATER
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site preserves 2,200 acres of the largest prehistoric Indian site north of Mexico. The Interpretive Center brings Mississippian culture to life with a gallery, oriemtation and iPod tours. Yearround events include Kids Day, Archaeology Day and arts + crafts shows.
This summer, plan your Thursday evenings around the Chesterfield Amphitheater’s free Art & Orchestra music series. Programming features St. Louis Civic Orchestra, Genesis Jazz Project, South City Troubadors, Bach to the Future and a production of “James & The Giant Peach.”
cahokiamounds.org
chesterfieldamphitheater.com
CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM ST. LOUIS
CRAFT ALLIANCE CENTER OF ART + DESIGN
CAM presents the 2016 “Great Rivers Biennial” from May 6 to Aug. 14, featuring St. Louis artists Lyndon Barrois Jr., Nanette Boileau and Tate Foley. Also on view are Mark Bradford’s “Receive Calls on Your Cell Phone From Jail” and an immersive hanging garden by Nomad Studio.
The 2016 Artists-In-Residence Exhibition opens Friday, May 20 with a reception from 6-8pm, and remains on view through July 3. This exhibition will present the 2015-2016 Fiber, Clay and Metals Artists-inResidence, and their investigation of material, process and community.
camstl.org
craftalliance.org
FESTIVAL OF NATIONS
JAZZ ST. LOUIS
Join the International Institute in Tower Grove Park on Aug. 27-28 for St. Louis’ largest multicultural festival featuring four stages of ethnic dance and musical entertainment, arts, crafts and 40 food booths offering delights from around the world. The two-day, family-friendly event offers free admission.
The 2016 Jazz at the Bistro Summer Series features local favorites, inventive tributes and two piano greats in the same week! One is 12-yearold prodigy Joey Alexander, who plays with the sensitivity of a veteran. The other is 75-year-old legend Chick Corea, who is better than ever.
festivalofnationsstl.org
jazzstl.org FEATURED PARTNERS
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THE SHELDON THE PERFECT PLACE TO HOST YOUR EVENT
GET TO KNOW THE BARTENDER. LEAVE WORK EARLY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. START A “MARTINI MONDAY” TRADITION.
CELEBRATE SPRING BY JOINING US FOR HAPPY HOUR! MON-FRI, 4 PM to 6:30 PM
Call The Director of Events at 314.533.9900 or visit TheSheldon.org Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch • 314.259.3200 • 315 Chestnut St. Clayton • 314.783.9900 • Brentwood & Forsyth Reservations Recommended - Visit us online at: RuthsChrisStLouis.com
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Season Tickets On Sale Now! | Single Tickets Available May 28
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Summer Arts Guide Discover inspiration in all its forms.
MIDWEST SALUTE TO THE ARTS
THE MUNY
The 28th Midwest Salute to the Arts juried art show features 100 awardwinning artists from all over the country. The weekend-long event, held in Moody Park on Aug. 26-28, is family-friendly, free and open to the public. On Friday, catch Rogers and Nienhaus from 6-10pm.
Timeless classic “The Wizard of Oz” (June 13-22), two Muny premieres— “Young Frankenstein” (July 13-19) and world-wide megahit “Mamma Mia!” (July 21-28)—and the poignant love story “Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida” (Aug. 8-14) headline another magical summer under the stars at The Muny.
midwestsalute.com
muny.org
“Subway Riders;” Ralph Fasanella (1914–1997); New York City; 1950; Oil on canvas; 28 x 60 inches; Collection American Folk Art Museum, New York; Gift of Ralph and Eva Fasanella, 1995.8.1; Photo by Adam Reich
SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM
SHELDON CONCERT HALL & ART GALLERIES
“Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Museum,” opening June 19, explores art created by the self-taught within the context of the beliefs and experiences that compelled them to create. This enlightening exhibition expresses distinctive and unorthodox American creativity.
Enjoy the best in jazz, folk, classical, bluegrass, world music and more in The Sheldon Concert Hall’s perfect acoustics this summer! Subscriptions for The Sheldon’s exciting 2016-2017 season go on sale May 16 at 10 am. Choose from a pre-set series, or choose your own package.
slam.org
thesheldon.org
UNION AVENUE OPERA
WATER GARDENING SOCIETY
Union Avenue Opera’s 22nd festival season features Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado,” Puccini’s “Tosca” and Douglas J. Cuomo’s “Doubt” starring world renowned soprano Christine Brewer as Sister Aloysius. All performances are at 8pm. For tickets, call 314.361.2881.
The St. Louis Water Gardening Society will present its 16th annual water garden and pond tour, Pond-O-Rama, Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, from 9am-5pm. The 2016 tour will include 47 private gardens owned and maintained by Society members.
unionavenueopera.org
slwgs.org FEATURED PARTNERS
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Carrie Houk INTERVIEW
A dynamic woman reflects on her life in theater. BY KELSEY WAANANEN + PHOTO BY KAT REYNOLDS
Carrie Houk, an STL native whose career and passions have taken her across the country and back several times, is a woman with an unmatched drive. Throughout her career, Houk has had a hand in casting and coaching for movies, plays and even reality TV. Now in her newest role—one that still requires many hats—she’s single-handedly leading the charge to bring the first Tennessee Williams festival to St. Louis (May 11-15). How did you go from dramatic reenactments on TV to theater? I started in the theater—those are my roots. When I first moved back to St. Louis, there weren’t many theater companies, but I fell in love with the work that Upstream Theater was doing. I volunteered to cast and assistant direct, and they became my theatrical home. I still consider them close family. It wasn’t until coming back to STL that I realized how much I had missed theater, and I’ll never leave it now. When were you first interested in Tennessee Williams? Oh, since I was a child. When I was a kid, I didn’t read novels. I read plays. I read all of Shakespeare. I’d put these plays on in the carport for the neighborhood and I always loved Tennessee Williams.
When I was a young woman—I was in college at Webster, in the conservatory—I was dating an actor who was opening on Broadway in a production of “The Country Girl” with Maureen Stapleton and Jason Robards, and he invited me to opening night. It was during my spring break. I think I was only about 19 or 20 and I went to New York. I went to the play, and Tennessee Williams threw the opening night party and we got to sit at the table with the cast. He danced with me, and I’ll never forget it. Which piece is your favorite? I love “Night of the Iguana.” I always thought I would end up like Maxine—on the coast of Mexico, owning a resort and having 10 guests at a time, and drinking rum cocos. I still think that’s how I will end up. That’s my plan, it really is. Tell us about your travels. If I could live my life over again—and I’m not going to tell you I don’t love what I do, because I do. But If I lived my live over again, I think I’d be a travel writer. I love to travel. I’ve been to Italy. I’ve been to Mexico a lot—my whole life, since I was 12. I consider it my other home. And all over—I love it all. I never feel quite happy unless there’s a ticket in my cache.
Volume 15 // Issue 3
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three exclusive restaurants.
café eau, the poolside dining and cocktail experience at the chase.
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the tenderloin room
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