name is Kristen Kimmel. Born and raised in Ste. Genevieve, I’ve always had a love for the beauty of the outdoors. During my hikes, runs, bike rides, etc., I always found myself snapping pictures with my iPhone to share with the social media world. Recognizing my love for photographing the earth’s natural beauty (and my need for a “real camera”), my boyfriend recently gave me a Canon Rebel T3i for a birthday gift. Now, I take twice as many pictures…..one with my phone and another with my camera! Professionally, I’ve spent years in law enforcement investigating everything from homicides and arson to child abuse and theft. I now serve on an elite security team at Anheuser-Busch where I’ve also held positions in human resources and participated on the rescue team, running team, cycling team and Dragon Boat team. As you can imagine, the photos I’ve had to take during the course of my career proved to be a far cry from beautiful. Being able to see through different eyes, away from the job, is a constant reminder of all the wonderful things the world has to offer if you just take a moment to see what’s in front of you. For extracurricular activities, I love outdoor adventures such as hiking, canoeing, swimming, adventure racing, running, cycling, whitewater rafting, and the list goes on. I also love playing flute, piccolo and saxophone. Often, during long runs, I annoy my running partner by stopping to get a quick shot of the sunrise.... and of course, I always have my gun on my hip wherever I go! Random fact: I once traveled through several countries in Europe performing on flute and piccolo. I’ve saved the best part for last: I have a beautiful daughter and wonderful boyfriend with two sons who have all embraced my love for photography…..although I’m quite the rookie. They know we will not travel from point A to point B without stopping to get a photo of something my eyes have captured along the way. My Boyfriend Mark Ziegler, who was also captured in this photo, took me to Hickory Canyons off Sprott Road in mid-January when we had a break from freezing temps. His goal was to catch a glimpse of the frozen water from the falls. He chose a day when the temps were warming which made for a wonderful hike and breathtaking scenery.
CONTESTANT #1: Kate
Well honestly, I do not have a good reason that really demonstrates why we deserve this extra special treat. There are so many atrocities going on throughout the world, it’s hard to write why we’d deserve this. But here’s why I’d like it: I’m a toddler mommy and I rarely think anything sounds as fun as hanging out with him. When I read about this contest though, I thought “oh I think I could do that!” Especially since baby #2 is coming along this summer!
CONTESTANT #2: Donna
At the age of 65, things are just not where they used to be. That includes body parts, car keys, last season,s clothes, and my favorite book. I could sure use a make over to help put things back in order!!! If I can only remember....
CONTESTANT #3: Amanda
I suppose I could rank as pretty much pitiful, considering as I am currently typing my sad story, my husband is informing me he will not participate, and I will have to persuade my best friend to do this with me. I am totally fine with that, considering we are both lame and rarely do anything to pamper ourselves. I am a mother of three fantastic and energy draining boys whose lives revolve around mud, trucks, fishing, and hunting. I consider a lukewarm bath with tiny fingers under the door saying, “Mom can I have a snack?” as being the only spa I’ll ever see. As much as I would love to be the most deserving of the prize, I wouldn’t trade a moment of my crazy, busy life......Wait, yes I could for at least one day to myself!
CONTESTANT #4: Erin
My husband, Michael ,and I have been married for almost eight years. We have four beautiful children and I’m a stay-at-home mother. Over the past few years the focus has gone off of our marriage and on to our children. We rarely have any time (or extra money) to spend on our selves and connect with each other. I would love for just one evening to be able to connect with Michael and have a conversation that doesn’t revolve around diapers and the electric bill. I want to be looked at like I am beautiful and not just a mother covered in baby spit up. I want to enjoy the company of my husband and hold his hand. I would love to rekindle our love for each other.
CONTESTANT #5: Wilma
As I was sitting in the bathroom, I picked up one of our magazines, as I usually do, and began to read. This time I picked up the 573 Magazine, which I love. I came across this article about the 573 Makeover contest, and I said to myself, “Self, you need this, you really need this.” All my life, I have been told by my friends, that I needed a complete makeover. What were they trying to tell me, that I needed help? My daughter would always say, “Mom, you have wore your hair like this all your life, get a change done,” I would say OK, but it was a passing ok, because I knew in my heart that I could never do it, never really could afford it, and in my heart I always was afraid to try something different to my hair or to my clothing style. I met one of my friends from high school two weeks ago. I wasn’t sure who she was at first, but she knew me right off the bat. She said, You haven’t changed a bit. Everything about you is the same. Wow!, I need a makeover!
CONTESTANT #6: Abby
Why should I win this contest? I’m a college student with a crazy family and I’ve already managed to pull out most of my hair. If I win this makeover, hopefully they could try to put some of it back up there. Stress has become my middle name and getting pampered at a spa would literally SAVE MY LIFE. So help a sista out! Not only could you be saving my life, you could potentially be saving another person’s life by making sure they don’t run away in terror from seeing me walk down the street. Sounds like a win, win to me, vote for Abby!!
CONTESTANT #7: Misty
My name is Misty and am a 39 years old mother of three great kids! I am desperately need a makeover and pampering because all I do is run, run, run!! My kids keep me busy with basketball and cheerleading! One huge thing I have accomplished this past year is losing 75 pounds! A makeover is just what this little gal needs! Please. Please. Please choose me!!!
Do you like history? Personally, I love looking at old photos and old things. When I look at old photos I can’t help but wonder what the people in the photo did, thought and felt. Did they lead happy lives? Did they have similar thoughts? Many of us are under the illusion we will live forever, but that’s just not the case. Time stops for no one. When I look at old photos or think about the people who lived before, it reminds me that life is short and that I should spend my time wisely.
Recently we were invited to stay at the Southern Hotel in Ste. Genevieve. We’ve done stories at the Southern Hotel in the past, but never had an opportunity to actually stay there overnight. I can tell you without a doubt the entire experience was wonderful.
The Southern Hotel, now a bed and breakfast, is one part history museum and one part bed and breakfast. Mike Hankins, the current owner and innkeeper, tells us that what eventually became The Southern Hotel was built by Francois Valle II in 1790 as a private residence. He officiated as commandant reporting first to the Spanish governor, then to King Louis of France and finally to Napolean after the revolution of 1789. Francois Valle, at the time of the Louisiana Purchase, was the highest ranking official in the upper Louisiana Territory. He built his home on what was to become the crossroads of two of the greatest highways west of the Mississippi, the Grand Royale or Kingshighway, which ran through St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau, and many other towns through the south and the Plank Road, which ran from the Mississippi to Old Mines and Meramec State Park. After Francois Valle’s death in1804, his widow sold the properties to a German named Hinsken in March of 1805.
Hinsken immediately turned it into a hotel and it operated as such through several different owners. The hotel was purchased in the late 1850’s by Joseph Vorst who named it The Southern Hotel. The Southern Hotel remained in the Vorst family as a hotel until September of 1950 at which time it was transformed into apartments. It was then it also received its first indoor plumbing. In 1964, Vorst’s granddaughter sold it to another German family who continued to operate the apartments into the early 1980’s. Mike and his late wife, Barbara, found the long neglected building in 1985, purchased it the following year, and spent 9 months gutting, updating, and transforming it with all the modern amenities and restoring The Southern Hotel back to its former glory as the largest, oldest brick building west of the Mississippi in North America. The building is the longest continually operated lodging in the United States, west of the .
Mississippi
The building itself has seen little change since it was first constructed. Today, the saloon is a dining room, the slave quarters are an art gallery, and the lookout booth stands empty, where once slave children stood watching for steamboat smokestacks to appear. They then would alert the Innkeeper of approaching travelers in need of entertainment and a comfortable night stay. The hotel had a pool hall, the first west of the Mississippi, and there were gambling rooms; I’m pretty sure there were many other goings on there too. Its most notable guest is none other than William Clark. Quite a feather in their hat.
Each of nine bedrooms has its own theme and bathtub. Eight with ball and claw foot tubs. A soak in a claw foot tub built for two is a perfect setting to relax or to wonder about all the people who stayed here in the past. Actually, two of the rooms have the old painted tubs parked in the middle of the room. How fun is that?
Cathy cooked us a wonderful breakfast of Caramel French toast, sausages, fresh fruit, blackberry muffins, coffee, milk and fresh orange juice. All made from scratch.... and served in the Victorian styled dining room.
Cathy and Mike were married in 2008 only 17 days after their first date. A match made in B & B heaven. “Every year in July I would travel to Mexico on a mission trip to help build houses for those less fortunate. In 2008 my granddaughter, Ashley, who was eleven, had her heart set on going with me, but after some unexpected expenses, I had to cancel the trip. So we decided we would have our “Mema and Me” trip, just closer to home. I made a reservation to stay at the Southern Hotel, never expecting the degree to which my life was about to change. When we stepped up to the front porch and Mike opened the door to greet us, I fell in love with him before he said hello.” Spend any time around Cathy and Mike and you’ll see they have a wonderful working relationship and a happy marriage. “It’s a lot of work keeping this big boat afloat,” Mike told me as Cathy and he were cleaning the front music room. “It takes us two full days to clean and dust the room from top to bottom. Just getting the oversized curtains down and washed for the year is a job in and of itself. For more of the story including Cathy’s recipe for Baked Blueberry French Toast and many more photos, visit www.573mag.com. To book a stay: southernhotelbb.com
We at the 573 Magazine are always interested in helping people pursue their passions, and we love to help the arts in any way we can. We have been interviewing artists for the upcoming series of art shows we are hosting beginning March 11, 2015. The Incubate Your Passion series is designed to help local visual artists who are off-the-grid doing their own thing—and their own thing is good. The shows will be held inside the incubation/co-working facility of Workspace located in downtown Farmington. Each opening will showcase a new, talented artist who is trying to launch his or her career. Not only will we hold an opening for the artist, we will also feature him or her in the magazine for their first published piece. Painters, photographers, sculptors...will have a new muse on their side-the 573 Magazine. So let’s meet our first artist.
name is Noelle Wagner -Facebook @ Vanilla Assassin Collage. I’m a multi-tiered transplant to Flat River (Park Hills), originally from St. Louis. Some of my occupations include: seamstress, clothing designer, costumer, photo stylist, farm dweller, produce gardener, mother of two, and collage artist. I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer, forever surrounded by the wonders of nature as well as artistic and interesting people. Art fills my world; art being anything that makes ordinary places or things livelier and more colorful, reflective of thoughts or emotions. Collage is my favorite way of expressing myself. I was snipping and gluing before I even knew there was a name for what I was doing.
Inspiration for my collages come from friends, feelings, nature (especially birds), song lyrics, and poetry. However, often times I sit down with an idea or theme, and that quickly becomes second to the way shapes, colors, and patterns are forming. I no longer use cutting tools; I rip and tear only things I find. I occasionally photocopy a friend’s face to use, but I don’t download images off the Internet. I’ve made complete collages before using only the scraps, leftovers if you will, off of the floor. The tools of my trade are black poster board, glue sticks, and anything made of paper. I also turn the paper while I work, working on it from all directions. It’s a pretty quick process; I don’t think I’ve ever put more than 2-3 hours into one. I see it as a productive meditation. While my fingers are busy tearing and gluing, my mind can be a million miles away. As Thomas Merton says, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same.” There are no mistakes either; it always turns out as it was supposed to. Having said that, there are certainly ones I like more than others, and others that go directly to the bottom of the stack.
Collage,
by definition, stems from the French word ‘coller,’ to glue. It’s a technique of an art production, where the artwork is made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. It’s kind of like recycling. Actually, what I do is considered photo collage—a collage made from photographs, or parts of photographs. We will be holding an opening for Noelle Wagner on Wednesday evening, March 11. Noelle will have several original works on display. Come out and support the arts. Sip some wine, nibble on snacks and greet the artist. Open and free to all.
The court’s decision was based on its interpretation that the prefatory clause (a well-regulated Militia) stemmed from the Anti-Federalists’ concern that the federal government would disarm the people in order to disable the citizens’ militia, enabling a politicized standing army or a select militia to rule. Does anyone want that? It’s hard not to worry about bad guys with guns. With business and home invasions on the rise, what are the good guys supposed to do? Do you simply rely on the kindness of a nothing-to-lose criminal invading your home, there only to do harm to you and your family? Do you hope you can call the police in time to save your life? What are we supposed to do? A few years ago we were confronted by this very question. At the time we had an employee dealing with a nasty personal relationship with an ex. One day the ex called me on the phone and demanded that I fire the employee otherwise he was going to “…come into our business, take care of us all and then himself.” He said he had nothing left to live for. Ok, but I did. We contacted the police and got the standard response of “This is just hear-say. The perp denied it. We can’t do anything until something happens.”—which only made things worse. The next few months were a nightmare.
Life is a journey and good or bad we all have the right to protect ourselves from the bad guys. Trying to decide if the 2nd Amendment is a good thing is like trying to close the argument on the chicken and the egg. Is there any way to get rid of all the guns in the world? Is there any way to get the guns away from the bad guys? Realistically, the only thing we can really do is take the guns away from the good guys. I’m not the smartest tool in the shed, but wouldn’t that make it easier for the bad guys to do whatever they want forcing us into a police state? Recently we got an exclusive interview with an interesting young woman who is passionate about the 2nd Amendment— outspoken actually. Without further ado meet Dana Loesch; mother, wife, daughter, national radio host, national television host, writer and defender of the 2nd Amendment. (I warn you in advance, Dana is feisty, pulls no punches and tells it like she sees it.)
urrently promoting her new book, Hands off my Gun, Dana Loesch, hosts an awardwinning, nationally syndicated daily radio show, The Dana Show: The Conservative Alternative from Dallas, Texas where she also hosts “Dana” on The Blaze television network. Dana appears regularly on Fox News, ABC, CNN, among others, and has guest cohosted “The View.” She describes herself as a “conservatarian.” A conservative-libertaerian and, like I said, she can be feisty as all getout. She grew up in a family of blue-collar Southern Baptists and Southern Democrats, scattered across Wayne, Iron and Jefferson counties in eastern Missouri. It wasn’t until she met a conservative punk rocker, now her husband, and 911 that she realized she was backing the wrong team. Soon Dana transformed her new take on life from home schooling mom blogger to political provocateur and this all happening in St. Louis’ liberal social-media world. Even Dana still finds it all a bit bewildering. Dana’s original brand of young, punk-rock, conservative irreverence has found a fastgrowing audience in multiple mediums. Dana is listed on Talkers Magazine‘s top 100 “heavy hitters” and was named Missouri’s #1 Radio Personality in 2014. A former awardwinning newspaper columnist (and notable blogger since 2001), Dana was ranked as one of the top 16 most powerful mothers online by Neilsen. The 2012 winner of Accuracy In Media’s Grassroots Journalism award and the inaugural Breitbart Spirit Award, Dana was one of the original Breitbart editors selected to head BigJournalism.com and helped break the Anthony Weiner scandal before departing in 2012. Her book on gun control, Hands Off My Gun, hit the shelves in October 2014. You can learn more about Dana at: danaloeschradio.com.
For the interview and photos we were invited to Dallas and the Mercury One Studios where they produce all The Blaze programs, both TV & radio. The place was simply amazing–way cooler than what you would expect from a news organization. Glenn Beck and his gang certainly have good taste and a good sense of presentation. No matter what your politics are, you have to give credit where credit is due. I am experienced at photographing celebrities– most shoots are good, some not so good, all have obstacles to overcome, so I was a bit taken aback by how kind and generous Dana and her family were during the shoot. Dana and her husband, along with their two boys met us at the studio, introduced themselves and, without missing a beat, began to help us carry our equipment into the studio. While Dana was getting ready for the photos, I was able to spend time with her husband, Chris. Chris and Dana have been together since college and have been business and life partners ever since. Today, Chris is the guy behind the curtain who enables Dana to have a mega career and family at the same time. He’s her business manager, security and all around guy Friday. And he was incredibly helpful during the shoot. As you will see, we had a very ambitious shoot planned and a big story to tell. To Dana, Chris and the boys, we want to say thanks for making this story come to life. And I bet, no matter who you are and what your politics are, it would be hard not to like Dana once you met her in person.
573: Tell us how you got into radio. I studied print journalism and dropped a radio production class in college because I couldn’t imagine a world where I’d be required to edit reel-to-reels, which was still taught in the early part of this century. I blogged professionally for a number of years before turning that into a weekly feature column for our daily newspaper, and I did a little television. This led to regular guest appearances on my flagship, hometown station’s (KFTK in St. Louis) morning show. The paper had quite a progressive editorial board and when my conservatism began to seep through a bit too much, it made them uncomfortable. That’s when the station invited me to do a Sunday night show and it exploded from there. I moved from Sunday nights to weeknights and from that into my current day part. It was baptism by fire. I thought they were insane to offer me such a job but they knew something that took me a bit to discover: I was good at talking for hours into a microphone. Now I’m nationally syndicated. 573: Tell us about your hubby and wife work team. I have no one to whom I can compare him. He has his work and he also manages what I do behind the scenes. When I’m on the road he makes sure that I eat. I can get very hyper focused and it’s hard for me to pull away if I’m in the field somewhere or at an event. When it comes to homework help, we divide and conquer: I handle history, geography, and English and he’s all over algebra and science. Chris is a fabulous father and a man of God. He’s sort of like the center of my tornado. When I’m done getting whipped about (or doing the whipping) by the winds, he is the strong, calm presence in which I find peace. Also, he has an amazing backside. #BreakTheInternetChrisLoesch 573: Some people are intimidated by a strong woman. Can you comment on the subject? Society has nearly ruined the definition of “strength.” You’re “strong” and “brave” if you’re Lena Dunham showing your Michelin rolls on TV but not if you’re Ayaan Hirsi Ali speaking out on the oppression of women under Islamic jurisprudence. No, then you get your honorary doctorate withdrawn. Men and women are both intimidated by strong women. I receive the nastiest, most vitriolic correspondence, if you could call it that, from progressive men and women. I could never envision saying things so nasty just because someone had a different means to the same end I held. Opposing the President’s health care policies or criticizing QE3 makes one a “s_ _ _,” apparently. Several years ago I began taking the hateful comments that people sent me and dramatically reading them on my radio show in a sponsored, onair segment called “Mailbag of Hate.” To date, it’s one of my most popular segments. From the money I’ve earned I’ve purchased a frozen margarita machine, a Mossberg shotgun, and a compound bow. It’s awesome. Strength comes from true empowerment, none of which involves entitlement. Politics, at one point, was a boys’ club. Feminism changed this, but outlived its usefulness and has devolved into The Matriarchy, to where simply complimenting on Sofia Vegara’s obviously great figure onstage at an awards show is considered “sexist.” Third wave feminism is a joke and not a measurement of a woman’s strength. We have more choices than men. We can manipulate men. Men may be the hunter gatherers, but women are predators. When I hear American modern feminist writers lament the weakness of their lot, I roll my eyes. You get “free” birth control, subsidized abortions, the benefit of the doubt, the custody of the kids, no one is forcing you under a burka or mutilating your genitals, so get some perspective.
573: Tell us about you and your family. My family gives me respite. I talk to my mother multiple times a week. She’s the Missouri version of Julia Sugarbaker. My extended family is from southern Missouri and the Ozark region, some of the most beautiful countryside in the US. We moved to Dallas over a year ago so I could work for The Blaze network in addition to radio. We’re not very high maintenance people. I’m a homebody. My perfect night is grilling meat while the kids play outdoors and then later watching a “COPS” marathon. We go to church and the shooting range as a family. My oldest is getting involved with competitive shooting. We have family Minecraft nights. Living away from the beltway is a blessing. I’ll visit and see the beautiful architecture and stroll the museums when I’m in town, but I need wide open sky. As for me, I’m neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I began calling myself a “Conservatarian” a few years ago because that seemed the best fit. More often than not I vote Republican, though there are times I’ve voted for Libertarian candidates because they’ve been the more conservative choice on the ballot. Whoever has the strongest platform of staying out of my business, letting me do me and my neighbor do them, gets my vote. I like metal, rock, and outlaw country. I own at skeeball and buy black t-shirts from Madewell in bulk. I could BS you and tell you that my favorite food is duck confit but no, it’s Kraft Macaroni and Cheese on cheat days. I eat a strict paleo diet and lift weights four times a week. It’s an epic way of getting out of my system whatever the FCC won’t let me say on radio. When I was younger I buzzed my head, pierced my nose, and my grandmother said I looked like a lesbian. My husband and I married very young (I was 21 yearsold) and now we’re grownups with a mortgage, a gun room, and two amazing sons.
573: Tell us about your new book. I got mad one day after hearing a hoplophobe use magazine and clip interchangeably for the one frillionth time and began writing. Meanwhile a few publishers contacted me and asked, “Are you writing a book? Are you interested in writing a book? Would you submit it to us,” and my research took on new life. I wrote this book because after a few years of threats by completely peaceful and tolerant people who are across the aisle from me politically, security folks and law enforcement with whom we spoke told me to buy a handgun and get my Conceal Carry. This created a dilemma: I grew up with rifles and can handle them just fine, but up until that point, I’d never fired a handgun. So to the range I went. We took a concealed course and tactical training. These practiced skills gave me the confidence I needed to feel secure — true empowerment. I’ve always appreciated the Second Amendment but when you have to rely on it for your personal security, it makes that appreciation all the more intense. This is why I take it as a personal offense, those proposals to disarm me and render me a defenseless statistic. It’s an affront, an infringement upon my liberty. Unlike Mike Bloomberg’s professional lobbyist group, I don’t have the luxury of outsourcing my gun to hired security. Look, I Groupon. I’ll carry my own gun, thanks. This is why I wrote this book. It’s the ultimate fisking of every gun control argument made. It’s not wonky. It’s conversational, humorous, and loaded with information from the history of the Second Amendment, its racist roots, how it’s the real war on women, criminal statistics, to the criminal backgrounds of the anti-gun lobby. 573: Why is the 2nd so important to all of us even if we don’t even own a gun? It’s the teeth of all the other rights we enjoy. Jefferson is quoted as saying, “The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” You don’t have to live by a gun to die by a gun. A criminal having access to an illegal market that can never be eliminated no matter what laws are passed should not determine the rights of us who abide by laws. 573: In addition to the Dana Radio & TV Shows you have other offerings like guest speaking...fill us in. I have my nationally syndicated radio show, The Dana Show, which airs M-F in 65 or so markets across the country, plus I do a one hour television show on The Blaze TV which airs 6pmET. I do speak, mainly on Second Amendment issues, grassroots activism, and modern feminism. I still enjoy going into the field with a camera and hot mic and getting elected officials on record when they least expect it.
Many
of our regional parks are noted for wintertime birdwatching. At Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, you can find yourself at the highest point in Missouri. It seems the birds like it there. Elephant Rocks State Park has over 131 acres that have been designated as a Missouri Natural Area to be protected from further development. Johnson’s Shut-ins State Park has been noted as a bird watcher’s paradise, and Alley Springs is considered a hot-spot because of its large representation of species. In these parks, as well as in our natural areas, you can look in the brushy areas (with berries, nuts or other food) for songbirds and finches or scout the open fields that attract birds of prey hunting for rodents. Rivers and streams will also bring in all those birds that rely on marine plants and animals as a food source such as gulls, ducks and geese. Even though the parks, in winter, can be a bird watcher’s playground, they can also be dangerous. The number one rule of wintertime birding is to be safe. Melissa Mayntz, birding/wild bird expert, suggests in the Audubon website to be sure and dress in layers, stay in safe areas, and know the weather before you go. If you are not quite the type to plunge bravely into the cold temperatures, then you might want take the birding advice of Barb Brueggeman, Web Editor for the Missouri Division of Tourism. She suggests birding from your car. What can be better than pursuing your pastime with a warm thermos of cocoa? Finally, if you were meant for warmer weather and the thought of a park in wintertime leaves you chilly, then bird watch from your own home. Bird feeders in the wintertime provide color and entertainment. Beginners can start by counting the different species of birds and then by learning to identify the bird species. Be sure to put out a supply of fresh water if all around is frozen. Recently, we met up with a couple at Alley Spring State Park who are cuckoo for photographing birds. We asked them to show us a few tricks of photographing birds. Meet Alma and Dee Curry—bird nuts.
573: Tell about yourselves. Alma – I was the youngest of 10 kids, grew up in the country and learned to love nature at a young age. I had polio at age three which left me with a permanent limp, but did not prevent me from doing anything I set my mind to do. We have one daughter and two granddaughters. Dee – I was raised on a dairy farm. I retired in 2008 after a fourth hip replacement. During recovery from the fourth replacement, setting out in our yard swing, I found an interest in bird watching. We decided to put out a bird feeder and that was the start. 573: Alma, when did you first get interested in birds? I took photos all my life but wanted to advance to a better quality of photos. Having lots of spare time, I began noticing all the different birds that were showing up at different times of the year and learned about migration. We searched each different bird we saw and learned what they eat and what their migration season was. We began putting out the right food to attract each kind of bird at their season to migrate and found it lured them into the yard. We also started a flower garden where we had our feeders and planted the type of flowers that also lured in certain species, especially hummingbirds and goldfinches, as well as plants to lure butterflies. We also planted a hedge as we learned it was necessary to have something the birds could hide in when in danger from things like cats and hawks. Backyard shooting is considerable fun and can be relaxing at the same time. If you’re an early riser, you can take a cup of coffee out to sip, or if you are a late riser, a glass of tea or coke while waiting on the early birds. Filling your bird feeders in the late afternoon will provide for the early birds. This can be doves, blue jays, cardinals, sparrows, and others depending on the season. 573: What are some tips for getting good shots? The most important thing for bird photography is patience, patience, patience. You have to sit quietly and wait, sometimes for a long time, before just the right bird shows up. They have to learn you are not going to harm them before they will come close. Also, learn to anticipate the movement of the birds. You will find they are pretty consistent in their movements. A zoom lens, of course, helps to get closer photos. Make sure you are focused before snapping that shot. It’s hard to not hurry when you see that eagle sitting in a tree in front of you.
ecently we learned of an interesting facility just south of Farmington and aptly named Asymmetric Solutions. Headquartered on 1800 secluded acres, Asymmetric Solutions is a global reach, private special operations company providing a full spectrum of defense training and security. They are staffed by a group of combat experienced special operations veterans who know their stuff. They train civilian, police and military personal. The “round table” at Asymmetric Solutions USA is run by a Green Beret, Navy SEALs, State Department employees, and Government Contractors. For the civilian, they offer gun safety, conceal carry, corporate team building and many other courses. They offer customized Military and Law Enforcement courses like combat marksmanship, urban combat, hostage rescue, high risk vehicle stop, explosive beaching, sniper, tactical driving, wilderness survival, surveillance and medical training. Members of their security staff have provided protective services to heads of state, ambassadors, Fortune 100 Executives, and well known personalities in the high threat environments of Baghdad and Karachi to the low threat venues of Middle America. Their product development division provides research, development, testing and evaluation services to US and allied manufacturers of individual soldier systems with the help of physicians, physiologist, psychologist, engineers, and industrial designers—all very hands on.
We contacted the group to get an interview and they set us up with their Chief Civilian Instructor, former Green Beret, Grady Powell. And it just turns out that Grady also does a reality show. Grady represents the Military on National Geographic Channel’s Ultimate Survival Alaska. Ultimate Survival Alaska focuses on survivalist men and women who are dropped off in the Alaskan wilderness where they compete with each other in various wilderness races. The survivalists are dropped off by aircraft in the Alaskan wilderness where they compete in races through Alaska’s unpredictable weather, barren landscapes, and hostile predators, given nothing but a few pounds of rice and meat. It is the only REAL survival show going. Real life or death situations facing cold, hunger and the wild. So we headed out to Asymmetric to meet up with Grady for a photo shoot and video.
y name is Grady Powell. I was born and raised in St. Louis. I moved around a bit, but always found my way back to Missouri. I tried to enlist in the Army after high school, but my father (also a Green Beret) convinced me to go the ROTC route. I accepted a scholarship to Mizzou with the ROTC... that didn’t work out for me. I dropped the scholarship in my sophomore year and enlisted in the army.
The recruiter offered me an “SF baby” slot as an 18x (Special Forces Recruit), but knowing what it meant to be a Green Beret, I respectfully declined and took the MOS as an 11C (Infantry Mortarman). Within the first two months of training, I was approached by the SF Liaison at Fort Benning two times with the same request: my aptitude, physical abilities, leadership, and shooting were exceptional, and they wanted me to give the Special Forces a shot. After some deliberation and a pep talk from my father, I decided not to squander the opportunity and signed the line. By some miracle, I graduated the course as a Green Beret and was stationed with 10th SFG at Ft Carson, CO. From there, my team deployed to Iraq and Africa, after which, I decided to take my chance as a civilian.
fter getting out of the Army, I decided to go backpacking through Europe to decompress. I spent some time as a “fun coordinator” at a hostel in Lisbon, Portugal, where I met some amazing people and made some unreal memories. While living outside Stuttgart, Germany, I was called by an Army Career Counselor I had met my last day in service telling me he was asked for an ex-Green Beret for a reality TV show... I said, “No way buddy, but thank you.” He then replied with, “You told me you never leave a door unopened.” And so began my chapter in the entertainment world, starting with NBC’s Stars Earn Stripes, where I worked alongside American legend, Chris Kyle. Most recently, I have been working with National Geographic. This is my second time there, and we had an ABSOLUTE BLAST! We end up battling the weather, each other, bears, hunger, pain, and the unforgiving terrain that AK has to dish out.
symmetric Solutions USA is a Tier One Tactical Training Facility where we train civilians, law enforcement, and military personnel in all things tactical. We set ourselves apart from the rest with the instructors we employ. Our 1,800 acre facility has full dynamic flat ranges, a precision rifle range, and a 14,000 square foot ballistic shoot house where we teach you how to win any potential fight using not only your firearm, but the most important asset we have, our minds. The course we attended was the Basics Of Tactical Shooting with a handgun. This 8 hour course is designed to take what you learned in a basic concealed carry class to a safe level. During the course, Grady makes it clear that his BTS is nothing like a conceal carry course where they give you the right to carry, but not the skill set to safely carry. His course is designed to make you effective with your weapon in a real world scenario–kinda like the fundamentals of gunfighting. The course starts with 3.5 hours in classroom where the instructors covered the fundamental basics of gun safety, grip, body posture, drawing from a hoster, and target discrimination... After lunch it’s out to the shooting range for live fire. There, students put what they learned to the test shooting more than 200 rounds. The cost of the course is $290.
During the course I met people from St. Louis, Chicago, and a couple from Cape. The class of 18 was about 50% men and 50% women. Nothing like you’d expect if you listened to the media—no crazies or conspiracy wackos. They all seemed like everyday, educated middle-class people wanting control over their own self protection. We spoke with Drew and Sierra McWilson to get their take on the course.
e are Drew and Sierra McWilson. Drew is in Nursing School at Southeast Hospital College of Nursing and will graduate in May with his RN. Sierra has a BS in Biomedical Sciences and works as a Technical Supervisor at BioKyowa, Inc. We were both born and raised in Jackson. We’ve been shooting for a few years on our own before we found out about training at Asymmetric Solutions. The Basics of Tactical Shooting course covered the basics of how to handle a handgun. We went over basic safety practices, proper body positioning, and how to draw a gun safely and efficiently, proper body mechanics, and a how be a defensive shooter. We learned how to turn and draw, how to fire when walking, how to identify and eliminate a threat. Overall, the course helped us to build a strong basis for our future gun handling. Grady and Lamar significantly increased our confidence and familiarity with pistols. We found Asymmetric Solutions through watching Grady Powell and Jared Ogden on Ultimate Survival Alaska on NatGeo. In September of last year, they had a September 11 memorial event, where we first visited Asymmetric Solutions and met several of the instructors, all of whom were very friendly and welcoming. We then signed up for the Basics of Tactical shooting course. Where else could we train with members of the Special operations community? We hope to train with them more in the future.
573: What do you think about the new movie American Sniper?
I think Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper did an exceptional job in representing my friend, Chris Kyle. Having talked to Taya Kyle and friends of Chris, none had a single complaint about the film. To me the reason the film American Sniper is getting so much attention, why it is so popular, is not because of the film itself but what the film represents. Despite what the media says about the wars and those soldiers who fight them, I find that most all of us have some sort of deep-seeded national pride. The men and women, like Chris Kyle, exemplify what that really is. This movie was not about the fighting; it was not about the blood or explosions. American Sniper is about the struggle, the internal battle that soldiers go through in times of war. There is an uncontrollable need and drive to protect. It is not about wanting to shoot some far-off bad guy. It’s about protecting your family, not only your blood but your national family. Chris had to make the choice to pull the trigger so many more times than we will ever know. And every time he does, he gives a little bit of himself. But sitting with him, talking about his adventures and his battles, I came to find that he was not troubled so much by the lives he ended, but by the American lives that could not be saved. And that to me is the Chris Kyle that I will never forget. He was a lover, one heck of a fighter, and a great American. RIP Legend 2.2.13.
573: What’s next?
I’m in talks with a few production companies at the moment working on multiple projects that should be coming to fruition here pretty soon. This new chapter in my life has been one for the books. As I always say, “You only get one chance to write your story; it had better be one worth reading.” I can’t wait to sit around the fire with my grandchildren so I can share with them the story that I am fortunate to call my life.
Recently we were given an award from the Southeast Missouri Arts Council. It was completely unexpected and we never in a million years would have thought our support of the arts would gain us recognition for doing what we love— helping people with a passion for something. To all the people of the Southeast Missouri Arts Council, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Please know we are humbled by your gracious award and it will always be proudly displayed on our office wall and in our heart. It just goes to show you that we really do create our own reality with our thoughts. Whether it’s conscious or not, we bring things, people, and experiences to our lives with our way of thinking. As Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” Dream big. When we visualize something we really want, whether it is something we want to accomplish, own or be, we have a much better chance of success. Imagine yourself having already accomplished the goal or think back to a time when you had a similar success. It has been proven that imagining something is close to actually doing it. If your thoughts and feelings are on the same level as what you want, you will raise your emotional bar and expand your imagination. Make a gratitude list. It will open your heart to give gratitude for the beautiful life that you have received and that list will bring more good things to you. It will allow your unconscious mind to take on what you are capable of doing. Look for the positive parts and always follow that path. Your life will be full of smiling, sweetness, happiness, and inspiration and you will be attracted to other similar like people.
Be patient with yourself. If your dreams do not come true immediately, then just keep believing and sending out positive thoughts and feelings. It may not be clear to you exactly how you will achieve your goal but it does help to remember beginning is half the battle. If you keep working towards progress (not perfection), then this time next year, things will look much different. Remember: enjoy your gift. Surround yourself with the luxury of having a reward when you do receive it. Enjoy it. Make it part of your life, nurture it, and let it grow. You deserve it. So get out there and enjoy your life and expect it to be good. We’ll be rooting for you. D. Smugala -publisher
I was driving one day and on the radio played Lee Ann Womack’s song, I Hope You Dance. I’d heard this song before, but never really paid that much attention to what it was saying. When I really listened to the words, I knew immediately I had found my life theme song. While I had been living the theme for years, I hadn’t had a song to accompany it until it played on the right day. I Hope You Dance became my favorite cool-down song for my Zumba classes. And whether my class members wanted it or not, they got to hear me singing to the music – sometimes quite loudly. Once, I printed out the lyrics and added some funky clip art of dancers all over the page, and I gave it to my participants. One of my dedicated dancers told me a few weeks later that she framed the lyrics I had given her and hung it in her bedroom so she would read it regularly. It warmed my heart to know that someone else would be embracing the song. Another woman told me she really didn’t want to get dressed for class one day. She was just feeling “blah” and didn’t think she could handle the exertion. Then she remembered the song and decided she would not sit it out – she would dance! So she did, and she thanked me for giving her the energy to face the day.
Personally, I have lived through some fairly devastating experiences, including the death of a child. My life, however, isn’t all that different from anyone else’s. Everyone has catastrophic events that shape us as we travel down life’s path. I have learned over time that each person’s experiences can truly only be understood by that person. It’s all about perspective – what may seem insurmountable to one may be trivial to another, unless we are in that person’s skin, we won’t really know the depth of feelings involved. Each of us has our own abilities to cope with life. Some people need time to grasp happiness and purpose again when bad things happen. Being around others trying to self improve can help you to overcome things quicker, that’s what I love about Zumba. Zumba can help you feel more a part of something and less alone. Even when I am not in the mood to face the world, I can honestly say that after I turn on my music and start to Zumba, just moving my feet and sharing the moment with the people in the room puts a smile on my face, even long after the class ends. There’s a lot to be said for adding dance to one’s life. The next time you have the choice to dance, I hope you dance. I’m a licensed Zumba instructor at the Farmington Civic Center, but there are numerous Zumba classes offered throughout the 573. To find a class near you, simply go to www.zumba.com and click on Find a Class. Type in your zip code, and you will have a list of fun classes where you can dance! (No prior dance experience required.)
To me, it seems like a selfie is actually two levels of narcissism (and please let me know if I’m wrong here). First of all, you’re posting your picture on a social media site. This, by itself, seems like a ME thing to do—is it not? But, then trying to get as many people as possible to see the post, is this not taking egos and lack of self-esteem to a whole other level? Isn’t posting countless selfies kinda like spending an evening with someone as they blather on about themselves for hours never even taking the time to ask you how your soup was? Is that cool? I’m just asking questions. Here’s a look at of some of the more interesting selfies (and with a few more questions): The driving my carie I love these—pictures of people smiling while driving down the highway with their full attention where it shouldn’t be—on themselves. Do us all a favor and don’t take pictures of yourself as you drive. I don’t want to be the guy killed by someone sharing their unbelievable selfie to Instagram while driving.
As an editor of 573, I ask a lot of questions and do
a lot of listening. I have also been making images for many years. I say MAKING images instead of taking images. There is a big difference. Making a photograph consists of making a plan, making decisions and then making an image. Taking pictures is just that: you take what’s there. But with the advent of the social media and the selfie, the idea of taking and making seem to somehow be on some bizzare technological and somewhat narcissistic train wreck. Now bear with me here-—it gets better. Millennials may find this hard to believe, but it really wasn’t too long ago, in a land that time forgot, the self-portrait was reserved for artists and photographers who were exploring themselves. It was always considered kind of narcissistic. How does that compare with the modern-day selfie? Can a person take too many selfies — or not enough? Some researchers are saying that your selfies could be damaging your friendships, relationships with co-workers and family, and most importantly, your relationship with your SELF-ie. I’m fine with selfies, but mine always come out too strange to post. I don’t have the stomach to stare at myself that long—unless of course I take my glasses off.
The I’m drunkie Getting drunk generally means that you should not be taking pictures of yourself anywhere. While it may feel like a good idea to let all your friends know how stupid drunk you are via a messy bathroom mirror selfie, it’s something you may regret in the morning. And have a little pride: no sex act selfies or clothing malfunctionies either—you will regret that later on in life. The I love my dogie What is it with some people and their dog selfies? They dress them up. They make them do stupid tricks. They kiss them full tongued. Yikes. It is bad enough they’re lying around taking hundreds of pics of themselves. Why drag a poor, defenseless animal into the mix?
The I work outie If you have to take pictures of yourself while working out, please don’t add tags like #lookatmyfat. We all know you are only wanting us to say that you look great. Get over yourself and get back to your workout, please. FYI: A photo taken from two feet above your head, angled straight down at your body doesn’t make anyone look good. The duckie lips The kissy face? Really? Why are you pushing those lips out? It looks ridiculous. All I can think about when I see a duckie is how many duckies did you take to get the perfect dumb look on your face? You’re not a top model. It’s time to lose the pouting lips. Do models even do that? And if you have to use a bunch of filter apps to make your picture look good, you might want to start over. Too many filters and retouching make you look very desperate. We all know you are not a glamorous super model or movie star so why try to look or act like one? Just be yourself, dude. The standing in front of someone overweight or dressed inappropriately, or doing something you generally shouldn’t be doing, or doing something illegal to take a selfie is rude to the fourth power. And if you get a pile of likes for your ignorant selfie, you are probably friends with a pile of idiots to boot. The I’m on the beachie Yep, we all love pics from the beach. Taking selfies of yourself having fun on the beach…hiking trails…playing ball…climbing a mountain…touring a new town…taking a float trip…sky diving…antiquing… working outside… spelunking…picnicking…jogging… scuba diving…or any other activity where you are moving is good, right? I’m just asking.
You know the 573 Magazine loves to find people with a passion for something. In a time of a zillion entertainment choices and a gazillion opportunities, so few of us actually find time to pursue a dream. The reasons are many—the economy, peer pressure, lack of funding, lack of education—the list for not doing something is endless. Now consider this: we are living in the only place on the planet where we can actually be dirt poor one day and a millionaire the next so… why aren’t YOU pursuing your dream? Any dream will do. You just have to get up one day and decide to make it happen. If you don’t believe me, just ask anyone who has come to this country because of all the opportunities. Rich or poor, black or white, male or female… we all have the exact same opportunity to make the life we want, and we all have the ability to make ourselves happy. Recently we met a guy with an idea for a series of illustrated books for children. Actually, it was a series of medical books that help children understand the body. It was a very cool idea, but the only problem was he wasn’t an illustrator. Yet, like all people with a dream, he just decided he was going to get his books written, illustrated, and published. And that’s exactly what he did. And in pursuing his dream, he was able to help a talented young illustrator pursue hers. Yeah, this is right up our alley. Meet the ever positive Dr. Paul Moniz and his illustrator 17-year-old Alicia Boyer.
Dr. Paul Moniz I have been a family doctor for 17 years and absolutely love it! I am so blessed to be able to care for so many people. I am thankful for our practice at Midwest Health Group, my great business partner and the greatest staff a businessman could ask for. Most importantly, I am so blessed to be surrounded by three wonderful, beautiful women: my wife Stephanie and my daughters Lindsey and Jenna. I think a lot of my positive spirit stems from my parents. My father was Portuguese and though very stern, there was never a question of his love. In addition, he instilled values in me and my brothers: do what’s Right, have Respect, and be Responsible for your actions. I call them the 3 R’s. My mom, likewise, is a wonderful woman. She, like me, was born in Bermuda and as such I was always surrounded by lush green tropical plants, pink sand and turquoise clear water. In fact, our home in Bermuda is pink with green shutters! My mom raised us with love and was always the epitome of positivity. I remember her always singing, even when she would wake us up! One of my favorite phrases from her is “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” The idea for the books, The World Inside Us, came, as cliché as it may sound, in a dream. As a physician it is so difficult to correct problems after they occur, especially poor lifestyle habits. In addition there is such a void in medical education among people in general. I feel we know so much about the world outside, but so little about the world inside. I thought that by creating engaging characters, a wonderful children’s book series could be created that is funny, colorful and educational. The primary characters, Professor Ann Attamaee (anatomy) and “Fizzy” OLLA-G (physiology) take kids on an engaging journey through different disease processes and parts of the human body. Young people, especially toddlers, are virtual information sponges. Think about it; they have to learn an entire culture, language, colors, numbers, everything, with no frame of reference or past experience to correlate. They truly are the “tabula rasa” or blank slate. By teaching health concepts early we can hopefully prevent disease and also foster understanding of difficult illnesses that we may eventually encounter. I have no talent for illustration. I know “good” when I see it, but I knew the illustration part of my big plan was certainly my Achilles’ heel of sorts. I would have to solve that problem before I could get my books made. I first met Alicia at my office while treating her grandmother. She was sitting quietly in the corner playing on her phone. I remember asking her if she was playing “Flappy Bird” which was a popular game at the time. At that point her grandmother chimed in and said, “No, Dr. Paul. She is an artist.” I had already written the first manuscript about digestion and needed an illustrator. I had Alicia read the manuscript and provide some concept art; her character vision was virtually identical to mine! She has made the book fantastic to look at. Our next book is called Kickin’ Ash! and is about smoking and what it does to the body. It is brilliantly illustrated and introduces a great villain, Ash. He is so easy to dislike and hopefully both young and old alike will gain a fresh understanding of the dangers of smoking. Future books will include Allergies (a reader request!), The Body of Bones, and the Dementia Dimension.
My name is Alicia Boyer and I was born and raised in Farmington Missouri. I’m 17 years old and I’m a high school junior. I love to draw, and I always have. I think I got the passion when I started watching the anime show, Sailor Moon, every time I went to my grandma’s house. I was absolutely infatuated with it. I always thought, “I wish I could draw like that.” People ask me, “How did you learn to draw? Did you take classes?” And I tell them no, I didn’t take any classes. I just kept drawing and I progressed at it. And when they say, “I wish I could draw,” I tell them straight, “You can’t become a good illustrator in ten minutes. It certainly DID NOT take me 10 minutes! It took me eight years to get where I am now, and I’m still learning about things.” Once I started working with Dr. Moniz, it hit me that little kids watch cartoons like Mickey Mouse and Bubble Guppies. I decided to mix what American cartoons look like with Japanese cartoons (anime). The characters in The World Inside Us is a great example of this. Professor Ann has big shoes and gloves kind of like Mickey Mouse, but her big eyes and hair are more on the anime side. Working with Dr. Moniz is absolutely amazing! He certainly has made things easier for me to get closer to what I want to do for a career, and I greatly appreciate that. It’s made me come out of my shell. I’m more confident about the world around me. In the future, I hope to go to an art school or college and get a degree in fine arts. I hope that I can move and travel overseas and meet new people and broaden my horizons in other cultures.
‘
Audubon’s of Ste. Genevieve opened on December 10, 2014, after a lengthy period of plans, permits, and construction. Using a picture of the building taken in 1908 as inspiration, the owners brought the exterior of the building back to its roots. The main floor of the building has been converted to include a renovated kitchen with a brick hearth oven, dining and bar areas, and private dining space for parties. The second phase will convert the basement to additional space for private parties. Future plans also include creating a consignment mercantile on the second floor. The restaurant is named for the famous American ornithologist, John James Audubon, who spent time in Ste. Genevieve in the early 1800’s and owned a merchant’s shop with his business partner, Ferdinand Rozier. Fenwick’s Bar is a part of the restaurant and is named after another important resident of Ste. Genevieve from the same time period. Dr. Walter Fenwick came to Ste. Genevieve to help treat smallpox in the 1790’s. Unfortunately, the good doctor was drawn into his brother’s quarrel with a local attorney and was killed in a duel in 1811.
The historical aspect of the building does not overshadow the fine dining experience of Audubon’s. The establishment is committed to supporting the community as a “farm to table” restaurant by purchasing their food supplies from local farmers. Beef, cheese, and wine are some items that are already sourced from local producers, and the goal is to have 80% of the food supply purchased locally by the spring.
The general manager, Bradon Parsons, has extensive restaurant and bartender experience and is devoted to giving patrons a pleasant atmosphere for dining and a substantial list of fine wines from which to choose. The kitchen is run by two local men who grew up in Ste. Genevieve and take great pride in the dishes they serve to guests. Chef Andy Gegg was trained at L’Ecole Culinaire in St. Louis and has worked at numerous restaurants in Missouri. Sous-chef Alex Naeger attended cooking school in Florida and worked at restaurants all over the world before returning to Missouri. The menu at Audubon’s will not disappoint. The most difficult task will be deciding which dish to order, as they all sound absolutely delicious. Many of the items pay homage to the history of Ste. Genevieve and the people who lived there.
In addition to the standard fare of steak, chicken, pork, fish, and seafood dishes, you’ll find the local favorite, liver dumplings, as well as German schnitzel and spaetzle, Bloomsdale goat cheese, and locally made sausages. Homemade desserts include cheesecakes, bread pudding, crème brulee, and chocolate torte. Plan your visit for a Saturday evening and chances are you’ll be able to enjoy some live entertainment while you dine. Since opening in December, the restaurant has seen steady crowds and business continues to grow at an amazing rate. Reservations are recommended if you visit on Friday or Saturday evening as it gets very busy. Business is booming at Audubon’s of Ste. Genevieve making it very difficult for Bradon, Andy, and Alex to find time to take a day off – but they wouldn’t have it any other way. This is their passion and they take great pride in their work.
nyone can run around with a camera, snap pics and come up with some pretty good shots that document their world. But to make (not just take) truly good images, you have to start with an outcome in mind. Factors like composition, lighting, resolution, and software can take years to master. Never insult a good artist by saying they TAKE pictures when they MAKE photographs. Meet Tim Vollink, maker of hybrid imagery. We met up with Tim at work.
Please tell us about yourself. I have been making pictures for a long time, thanks mostly to my dad who got me interested in photography at a young age. In the time of film we used to develop our own prints in a makeshift darkroom in our house. I owe a lot of my talents to him. When I was shooting film it was hard for me to afford shooting a lot of pictures, so when the first Canon Rebel came out, it really jumpstarted my interest in photography again. With my degree in art at Southeast Missouri State University, I took many photography classes and several on digital artwork. This was eye-opening to what you can accomplish in creating an image. Tell us about your photography. My images tend to border on the line between photography and digital art. I love texture and vintage images. With 2D art it is hard to get a 3D effect, so to solve this dilemma I started taking pictures of every interesting texture I saw. I have now created a large database of almost 5,000 textures and vintage backgrounds. I bring these textures into Photoshop and layer over my photography, sometimes up to 10-15 layers, to create the effect I want and my unique take on what I photographed. I’m always looking at the possibilities of what I can do to bring across my vision of what I see. I still adhere strictly to the principles of a good photograph, because you cannot start with a bad photo and enhance it on the computer. Some images I don’t edit but most I do, and I know there are many that say this is not true photography. I don’t argue. I do bring to their attention the fact that, before the advent of digital technology, most photographers still edited their images in a darkroom to enhance their photographs. When taking a photograph you are capturing a moment in time, the beauty you see, and your unique view of the world. I just tend to take mine a step further and bring in more elements of my active imagination. Tell us about your shows. I currently have a show in Poplar Bluff, through the month of February, at the Margaret Harwell Art Museum. I had a show last year at Yoga East in Cape Girardeau and have had many in downtown Cape when I was in college. These days I mostly take pictures for my own personal enjoyment because it is what I love to do. It is hard with my full time job to take time to promote my work. What is the most important thing with regards to making a great image? So many things factor into making a great image. It all starts with the camera. It is good to know your camera inside and out, know its limitations, and realize it is just a tool for capturing light. There are many guidelines that you can follow, probably too many to get into here. Remember they are only guidelines. It is good to learn them first because at times they need to be broken. There are no restrictions on what you can imagine or dream, which makes the possibilities endless. Take thousands of pictures and learn from your mistakes (which are not really mistakes if they make you a better photographer). Most of all, photography and art should be fun. Do what you love and love what you do.
Maybe
it’s time to take a different road. One that takes you to places outside the mold you have created for yourself. Maybe it’s time to let a new melody play. One that can cleanse your mind and lift your spirit. One which will free your soul so you can become the person you are dying to be, instead of a person waiting to die. It’s right about now that old familiar song starts playing in your head. I can’t change, I can’t change, I can’t change, I can’t change no, no, no, no, no... You can change your situation in life. There is so much right in front of you. Opportunities are spread out all around us just waiting for us to stop mourning and simply lift ourselves from that sunken sofa and get what we want.
You want a new job? You want to get back to school? You want to lose 50 pounds? You want a new car? You want a vacation? You want to turn your hobby into a business? You can achieve anything in this country, but you have to turn your television off, stop wasting all your time on Facebook and start moving again. And when the negativity ballet in your head starts up with all the reasons why you can’t do it, just smile and do it anyway. Get up. Get out there. You can do it. Keep telling yourself you can do it.
Soon a new tune will begin playing in your head.
CONTESTANT #1: Angela
I separated from my husband in August 2014 and thought this marriage was over. I stopped taking care of myself and just went into depression mode. About a week before Christmas, we contacted each other and started talking—neither of us wanted a divorce. I still didn’t have the drive to take care of me. However, we have made progress and are on the road to healing our marriage. I’m wanting a new start with what I look like and how I feel about myself.
CONTESTANT #2: Katie
I would like to enter this for my Mom. She is a hard worker and is always there for me. When I moved out of state for college, she picked up a second job to help out with extra expenses due to my school loans. I know I could never repay her for this or for all the other trivial and amazing things she does for me and our family, but I think it would make her feel super special and loved since our family doesn’t always show it. Also, over the last two years she has lost her dad (my grandpa) and her brother (my uncle). I had never seen her so broken by something. But even in this tragedy, she is able to overcome it and be there for me and my brothers and my dad, as well as the rest of the family. She is my rock and deserves to have a day of pampering.
CONTESTANT #3: Emily
I don’t want to say I don’t feel pretty or I don’t love myself, because I do. But lately I have been in the habit of loving others more than myself. I have a two- yearold son whom I adore, and he makes my whole world better, but he takes up a lot of my time. I’m married to a wonderful husband, but he has struggled with a math class for a long time, and these past three weeks have been nothing but helping him with math and essays and anything else school-related. I am stressed and am depleted and I don’t feel right spending tons of money on myself, since we could use it for something else like diapers or save for my husband’s masters degree he would like to start next fall. Sometimes I forget I’m important too, so this day would help remind me.
CONTESTANT #4: Valerie
A chainsaw and a shovel; these items played a huge part in the beginning of our story. Kevin and I met four years ago on a blind date set up by a mutual and very persistent friend! It was terribly romantic. He called and asked me to take a drive with him to get his chainsaw from his brother! Having survived breast cancer, my priorities had changed. Kevin was recovering from heart surgery and wanted a less stressful life. A month later, it was Kevin’s birthday and I was going to take him out to dinner to celebrate. My quarter mile driveway had washed out from heavy rains and I told him we would have to cancel our plans. A few hours later, he called telling me he was at the end of my driveway with a shovel and we would be able to celebrate his birthday! Last March he surprised me and proposed while we watched the sunset at the Grand Canyon. We are getting married in May. When we met we were trying to regain our health and not looking for a relationship. Today we are very healthy and feel blessed to be enjoying life together.
CONTESTANT #5: Salena
I am a stay-at-home mother of three and have been happily married for 11 years to my wonderful husband, Curtis. I would love to win this contest. Who wouldn’t? Lol. I’ve never entered a contest like this before, maybe this will be my lucky day. Winning would be kind of special for me and my husband. We’ve still never had that honeymoon, but we talk about going one day when the kids are older. With me being home all the time taking care of everyone, I rarely take the time to do more than shower, pull my hair up and throw on the beloved sweat pants and t-shirt for the day. I would much rather spend my money on cute clothes for the kids than myself. I’m not saying I’m any more deserving than any other mother, wife or woman to win this contest, it would just be nice and so much fun to play dress up and be pampered for the day. Thank you for considering us for your giveaway.
...
the long time proprietor of the well regarded Bistro Saffron and recently minted Pho 8, has hit another culinary home run with her latest restaurant concept. The opening of CIAO ristorante + enoteca not only marks an accomplishment for her personally, but also for the skilled team she has assembled for this latest enterprise. Fine restaurants do not happen overnight. The concept for CIAO was no exception, beginning nearly two years ago. A prime location, authentic Italian menu, top notch kitchen and front of the house staff had to be considered and acquired. Not a task for the faint of heart. Su knows a key ingredient for a successful restaurant is to build a stable kitchen team. Su knew precisely the person to make her chef. That position fell to Mary Job. Mary not only knows her way around the kitchen but grounds the CIAO team as she has worked with Su for over 20 years! She also wanted to provide CIAO guests with the freshest bread and a great dessert selection. This task went to Pastry Chef Terre Chriss. Terre has been pastry cheffing in Cape for years and has always been known for her creative and delicious breads and pastries. And we can’t forget the glue that has held Su’s team together for the last 11 years, her assistant, Bryan Suntrup. Su met the final leg of the team, Gabriele Ruggieri, a few months later. Gabriele, a native of Palermo, Sicily, had recently moved to Cape Girardeau and was anxious to put his culinary, management and wine skills to work. Su quickly added him as chef and manager. And why not? His first childhood memories are of his being in the kitchen at the side of his grandmother, MaMa Rita, after Sunday morning Mass. This early passion for food led Gabriele to travel the world. He has worked with chefs and hotel managers in London, Sydney, Miami, Istanbul, Milan and Phuket and many others between. This gives Gabriele an international flair not found in a Cape Girardeau maître d’.
CIAO sources their products locally as well as globally. They offer imported and house made products and take pride in the charcuterie and cheese offerings. CIAO uses a combination of fresh and imported pastas in their dishes as well as top of the line San Marzano tomatoes in the red sauces. The result is a menu that features stunning antipasti; the Carpaccio of Beef and Tuscan Pate are excellent. A beautiful insalata course. Genuine primi piatti; the Gnocchi Sorrentina and Fettuccine Bolognese are splendid! A standout secondi piatti; the roasted Cornish hen and lamb shank are marvelous! A few additions like MaMa Rita’s meatballs, truffled mushrooms and polenta round out a meal. The desserts are not to be missed. The tiramisu is as brilliant as it is authentic.
Gabrielle has studied wine extensively so it is no wonder that the wine list at CIAO is as well curated as the cuisine. It features about 40 wines, all Italian of course, representing most of the major regions and their distinctive grapes. Bottle prices range from $32 for a Verdicchio or Chianti to a 2008 Brunello at $280. There is also a concise and reasonably priced by the glass program. The only exception to the Italian-only list is in the Champagne category where a Laurent Perrier Brut tops the class.
Gabriele has always wanted to have a slice of the American dream even though he has happily lived and worked around the world. While working at an Italian restaurant in Epcot Walt Disney he met a girl named Casey. She happened to be at the restaurant that night celebrating her sister’s bachelorette party. The curious part is that Casey is from Cape Girardeau. But the fairy tale gets even better. The story goes that it was Casey who asked Gabriele for a date‌ and they were married 53 days later! Welcome to Cape Girardeau and welcome to CIAO