Friendship Village has partnered with EmpowerMe Wellness, which provides residents access to therapy, pharmacy, diagnostic and nurse practitioner services—all without ever having to leave the community.
The program is part of Friendship Village’s ongoing mission to keep their seniors well and independent for as long as possible by working with other industry thought leaders and technology providers
EmpowerMe’s fully integrated approach isn’t just increasing convenience and improving access to health services—it ’s reshaping the relationship that residents have with their community. After all, not having to find transportation just to visit with a care provider, pick up a prescription or attend an activity session means Friendship Village’s seniors can stay focused on living life how they want to live it, with fewer interruptions and tiresome distractions “My only regret about moving to Friendship Village is that I didn’t do it about three years sooner,” says resident Robert B “Having the physical therapy department right here in the Village meant I was able to get rid of my walker without ever having to go outside the facility ”
Robert ’s success story is just one of many that have already come out of the partnership. By remaining open to incorporating the latest technology solutions and specialized support from programs like EmpowerMe Wellness, there’s little doubt that current and future Friendship Village residents will only find it easier to live healthier, more fulfilled lives
To learn more about the innovative ways Friend ship Village keeps senio rs well and indep enden t longe r, visit Friend shipVillage STL.com or call Chesterfie ld at (636) 898 8500 or S unset Hills at (314) 270-7700.
PUBLISHER
Caso
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Emily Adams | eadams@laduenews.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Andrea Smith | asmith@laduenews.com
DIGITAL EDITOR & STAFF WRITER
Amanda Dahl | adahl@laduenews.com
COPY EDITOR & STAFF WRITER
Bryan A. Hollerbach | bhollerbach@laduenews.com
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Emily Standlee | estandlee@laduenews.com
CONTRIBUTING
Drew Gieseke, Alecia Humphreys, Brittany Nay, Sheila Oliveri, Courtney Perrett, Pat Raven, Nancy Robinson, Amar Shere, Mabel Suen
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Kevin Hart | khart@stlpostmedia.com
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ldevlieger@laduenews.com
Diane Anderson, Christina Kling-Garrett, Jon Gitchoff,
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Langford | mlangford@laduenews.com
Our Promise: You will be cared for by attentive, experienced individuals who are committed to your personal well being.
At McKnight Place Extended Care we provide individualized skilled nursing care in an elegant , residential style. Our staff of medically trained professionals is available around the clock to provide you or your loved one with the highest level of service. Our community serves individuals who need long-term skilled nursing care or short term recovery assistance after hospitalization. *We accept Medicare Part A for skill ed nursing rehab services
In this edition of Ladue News, reporters are shining a light on several complex discussions of racial identity and inequity currently taking place in the metro area.
Read first about how Ymani Wince is working to make literature about the Black experience accessible through her new bookstore, The Noir Bookshop. Digital editor and staff writer Amanda Dahl talks to Wince about what motivated her to pursue this mission and why Noir’s services are needed in St. Louis, particularly in a time and area where book bans are more prevalent. Flip to Page 18 to learn more.
Next, The Luminary’s new exhibition, titled “nwl” for “nice white ladies,” aims to take a closer look at the role white people play in upholding or dismantling white privilege and white supremacy. Starting on Page 52, contributing reporter Courtney Perrett delves into how artist Kelly Kristin Jones worked with Stephanie Koch, The Luminary’s interim executive director, and Simon Wu, the co-curator and program manager of The Racial Imaginary Institute, to amplify this conversation.
For the betterment of the metro area, The Noir Bookshop and The Luminary now serve as spaces where anyone can examine and reconsider their place in conversations about race and learn to move forward in a productive, respectful way.
Visit laduenews.com to learn about more ways local residents are moving the metro area forward in positive directions.
Stay curious,
Andrea Smith, Managing Editor
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enhance your feed with home, style and community news by liking and following Ladue News on Facebook.
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the Hellbender is staging a cautious comeback in Missouri through a proactive conservation effort. Visit laduenews.com to read how the Saint Louis Zoo and the Missouri Department of conservation have returned to an Ozark waterway the 10,000th zoo-raised member of this amphibian on the brink of extinction. Photo courtesy of the Missouri Department of conservation.
Keep up with our latest stories and updates by following @LadueNews on twitter.
Pine Drive (Kirkwood)
Westminster Place (St. Louis)
Gannon Avenue (U. City)
Colmar Drive (Clayton)
Rosalie Avenue (Brentwood)
E. Jackson Road (Webster
Avenue (U. City)
Avenue (Glendale)
Accomac Street (St. Louis)
711 La Bonne Parkway (Manchester) $329,900
621 Watkins Glen Drive (St. Charles) $329,000
917 N. Hanley Road (U. City) $325,000
23 Manhattan Mews (St. Louis) $319,000
7206 Geneva Manor Ct. (Oakville) $299,900
900 S. Hanley Road #15D (Clayton) $295,000
7219 Geneva Manor (Oakville) $285,000
315 W. Glendale Road (Webster) $274,900
3235 Country Hollow Drive (St. Louis) $259,900
816 S. Hanley Road #6B (Clayton) $258,000
8804 Comanche Court (Olivette) $249,900
965 Greeley Avenue (Webster) $225,000
1013 Justice Court (Florissant) $199,900
6 May Valley Lane (Fenton) $194,900
5516 Dewey Avenue (St. Louis) $181,500
2311 Hickory Street #A (St. Louis) $149,900
706 Oak Avenue (Valley Park) $42,500
1. 428 Edgewood Drive
• Clayton
NEW LISTING! You’ll fall in love with this absolutely adorable Wydown Forest home with charming curb appeal and spacious and open floorplan! As you enter the front door, the beautiful staircase and arched doorways draw you in, along with the fabulous wood floors throughout most of the home! $699,900
2. 8121 Colmar Drive • Clayton
Inviting 2000+ sq. ft. brick ranch home with wonderful curb appeal, situated on a quiet street in the award-winning Clayton School District. With great interior flow and abundant natural light from its southern exposure and plentiful windows, this home offers the perfect space for living and entertaining. $489,900
3. 900 S. Hanley Road #15D • Clayton
NEW LISTING! This wonderful condo has over 2,000 SF boasting 3 large bedrooms and 3 full baths. The views are incredible from every room of this spacious corner unit on one of the upper levels. Enjoy easy living in walkable Clayton. $295,000
4. 808 Twin Pine Drive
• Kirkwood
Inside you’ll find a gracious entry foyer with a coffered ceiling, opening to both the formal living room and dining room. Directly through the entry is an inviting family room with a brick fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and French doors leading to a deck overlooking the level yard. $549,900
5. 917 N. Hanley Road
• U. City
NEW LISTING! A well-designed open floor plan provides desired flow throughout the main level and presents itself as a relaxed atmosphere ideal for quiet nights at home or entertaining friends/family $325,000
6. 1602 Tradd Court
• Chesterfield
OPEN SUNDAY 1-3! Charming Chesterfield Hill is the idyllic setting for this beautiful colonial nestled on a cul-de-sac with lush plantings and flower filled gardens. Once inside the palette is soft, warm, and consistent. The kitchen in the heart of the flow, features rich Thomasville cabinetry, custom backsplash, stainless, granite and overlooks the delightful, screened porch. $584,900
7. 23 Manhattan Mews • St. Louis
This condo has been updated with hardwood floors on the main level and is in move-in condition. The eat-in kitchen features custom cabinets, granite counters, stainless GE Profile appliances and hardwood floors. $319,000
8. 7102 Stanford Avenue
• U. City
Centrally located in a popular neighborhood near restaurants, shopping, highways, schools, and downtown Clayton, this charming colonial is large with four upstairs bedrooms, separate living and dining rooms, a breakfast room, a bright sunroom, and a partially finished lower level. $399,000
Imet some of the agents who worked at Laura McCarthy and came to meet the management team of Susie Moloney and Mary Weinstock. I did not need to go anywhere else because it was a perfect fit.
The agents and the staff are just the best!
Full-time professionals who I consider to be the “mover and shakers” of the real estate business.
I was on the Kirkwood Landmarks Commission for 9 years and it just ended last year I volunteer for our church and serve Sunday breakfast in city churches.
The hidden gem of my neighborhood is the Lindgate Swim Club, started by Scott Bakula’s mother who lived in the neighborhood. It is a true treasure with a swim team, family events (like movie night), ping pong table, big screen, pizza nights, and grills are available. Kids of all ages get to know each other all summer, families socialize, and have great fun. We expanded membership a few years, but there is still a waiting list!
Explorea traditional form of fiber arts still being practiced today at the Saint Louis Art Museum The museum ’ s current exhibition, “Global Threads: The Art and Fashion of Indian Chintz,” will take patrons on a journey through several centuries, tracking the widespread market for this stunning and intricate fashion
Chintz is a specific textile created by dyes and mordants both painted and block printed directly onto fabric with a spectrum of vibrant colors that could stand the test of time. Perfected in India, the technique quickly fascinated the world, and trade boomed throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
“The exhibit is about a kind of fabric that was very popular for a long time and then became exported and highly desired,” explains Philip Hu, curator of Asian art. “Our show will depict a global tour starting in Egypt and then going to Sri Lanka, Iran, Indonesia and then to Thailand and Japan.”
The largest of these galleries showcases the chintz that survives in Europe, as well as many of the textiles that were exported from England and France to the American colonies
made by M. Kailasham; Sari with the Scene of Crossing the Ganges River from the Epic Poem the Ramayana, 2018; cotton, painted mordants and dyes; Royal Ontario Museum, made possible with the generous support of the Textiles Research and Acquisitions Endowment Fund ROM2019.60.1; © Royal Ontario Museum, photo: Paul Eekhoff
“It was especially popular in Europe because they didn’t have this technology,” says Genny Cortinovis, the Andrew W Mellon Foundation Assistant Curator of Decorative Art and Design, adding that the Industrial Revolution in Europe and later the United States did allow for them to catch up, with a much stronger focus on the mechanical processing rather than the hand-painted or printed Indian chintz
The exhibition was loaned to the Saint Louis Art Museum from the Royal Ontario Museum, and one of the changes made to it has been a larger emphasis on the consequences of global trade.
“We’ll have a section acknowledging the consequences of the factory-made imitations, the acceleration of the growth of the transatlantic slave trade and on the environment,” Cortinovis says.
“Global Threads” wraps up by taking the audience back to India today, where the traditional art of making chintz is still being taught and practiced.
“We’ll have a number of pieces from current designers in India who have taken up this technique,” Hu says. “There’s a strong movement to do things in a sustainable manner. ”
Hu adds that chintz is specifically about the process, not the particular look, and that there is a wide variety of styles of clothing on display. There will also be a room with the raw materials needed to create chintz on display, as well as videos of people working on chintz today.
“We go into depth on how they’re made and the complex and fascinating process, ” says Cortinovis. “ You can really appreciate the craftsmanship and the creativity.”
Whether you ’ re interested in Indian history culture, historical fashion or a unique look at global trade, “Global Threads” is an exhibition that has something for everyone.
Saint Louis Art Museum, One Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis, 314-721-0072, slam.org
Woman’s Short Jacket (kassakijntje) with Flowers and Phoenixes, 18th century; Indian, for the Dutch market; cotton, painted mordants and resist; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada (962.107.2) 2022.121; © Royal Ontario Museum,
Photo: Brian Boyle
Man’s Lower Wrapped Garment (Phaa Nung/ Phaa Lai Khain Thong), c.1780‐1820, later application of gold leaf in Thailand; Indian for Thai market; cotton, painted mordants and resist; Royal Ontario Museum ROM2016.42.1; © Royal Ontario Museum,
Wall or Bed Hanging (palampore) with Japanese-inspired Imagery (detail), 1725–1750; Indian, for the European, probably Dutch, market; cotton, painted mordants, resist, and dyes; textile: 14 feet 9 15/16 inches x 110 1/4 inches; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada (963.13) 2022.126; © Royal Ontario Museum,
Photo: Tina Weltz2
YCE LANE, Ladue. $4,950,000
TIRRILL FARMS ROAD, Ladue. $4,250,000
CABIN COU RT, Ladue $3,995,000
COUNTRYSI DE LANE, Frontenac. $3,750,000
HAMPTONS LANE, Town
AVENUE
Country. $1,950,000
$1,799,000
CWE $1,285,000
$1,245,000
LANE, St.
BOUL
Country.
St.
City.
RYZE Adventure Park in Maryland Heights is the metro area’s newest ultimate urban outdoor adventure that promises fun for the whole family.
“The concept is something that this area has never seen before,” says Drew Cusumano, RYZE Adventure Park’s general manager. “It’s a four-story adventure tower full of all sorts of different bridges and obstacles that people can come and try out and climb on.”
Specifically, there are 110 different obstacles at various difficulty levels, ranging from easy to daredevil difficult.
“We have everything from a bike up on a balance beam to a 200-foot zip line that goes away from the tower and comes back in to one of our most adrenaline-rushed elements, which is our free fall platform,” Cusumano says. “Up on the fourth floor, you take a step off the plank, and you have a brief free fall before the device lowers you down to the ground slowly.”
Although some of these obstacles might seem daunting for some, Cusumano says there is
something for everyone – including the option to walk up the stairs to skip climbing components and enjoy an observation deck with tables and chairs.
“Every adrenaline junkie gets their fix, but every nervous novice of climbing gets to experience something, too,” Cusumano adds. “It’s tough to find somebody that doesn’t have a good time up there.”
Beyond the adventure tower, RYZE also has an 18-hole mini golf course, yard games and a little ninja course for those ages 4 to 7.
“When we have people come in, we want to make sure that the fun, the memories and the recreation that we’re able to give them is something that’s going to (a) make them remember their experience and (b) we want to push them to be better in whatever facet that is for them,” Cusumano says. “For a lot of people, they come in and say, ‘Hey, this is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this. I’m terrified of heights. I don’t know how I’m going to do this.’
“Being able to walk somebody through getting up onto the tower and seeing them push themselves to new limits and do stuff they never thought they’d be able to do is, for us, why we do what we do. It’s far more than just running
a business for us. We truly want people to experience something they never have before and leave feeling like they added a little notch to their belt in what they’re able to do.” ln
RYZE Adventure Park, 12420 Grace Church Road, Maryland Heights, 314-886-7993, ryzeadventure.com
—Ken Alexander and Jerr y Calcaterra
“We moved for all the modern conveniences.”
InAugust, the Foundation for Strengthening Families unveiled its plan to completely overhaul St. Louis’ West End neighborhood with the construction of a multibuilding, multimillion-dollar project.
Dubbed the Show Me Family Zone, the effort will introduce programming and other services that are designed not only to rebuild the area but also to reimagine it for the families who call that neighborhood home.
“Our position is that education is the great equalizer,” says Cortaiga Collins, the foundation’s executive director. “We started developing the neighborhood to improve the quality of life for the families that live there.”
The Show Me Family Zone marks the culmination of nearly 10 years of work and patience. Leaders at the foundation purchased the property at Page and Hodiamont in 2014 after noticing that buildings were either being razed or vacated in the neighborhood.
Families in the West End were perplexed at its dilapidation, Collins says. The vacant buildings were invitations for crime, so Collins’ team decided that, instead of leaving them empty, they’d bring something positive into the neighborhood.
“The area needed to be developed for the families,” Collins adds. “They deserved a neighborhood that’s rich in opportunities.”
Collins says the foundation surveyed residents to better understand what they wanted and needed in their community. This kind of buy-in is essential with neighborhood reconstruction project, she notes. Without it, she explains, current residents too often feel pushed
and priced out when development takes place.
Designed by the midtown St. Louis architectural firm JEMA, the Show Me Family Zone is funded by donations, bank financing and grants from government and private entities. Collins says the project was inspired by the success of New York’s Harlem Children’s Zone and North Carolina’s Durham Children’s Initiative.
Development is divided into phases: Projects in Phase I include establishing the area’s first all-male early childhood center – a $1 million project to address the unique needs of boys from low-income homes. Sixty students are already enrolled, and the center has a waiting list of more than 100 children.
Other projects include an adult day care center, where aging residents can socialize and receive care. Collins expects this offering to open by Thanksgiving.
“We wanted to provide care for people all the
way up to retirement age and provide respite for the caretakers, as well,” Collins says.
The Show Me Family Zone will also include a $1.2 million before- and after-school program, an evening care program for families who work nontraditional hours, a community center, recreation spaces, residential housing and a space to address food insecurity. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by January 2024.
Collins and her team believe the West End will be restored and revitalized for the residents who call it home: “I’m envisioning this project – when fully realized – will be at the center of creating stronger families that are going to build stronger governments, stronger school systems, and attracting more families to the St. Louis area.” ln
Foundation for Strengthening Families, 5990 Page Ave., St. Louis, 314-477-5166, foundationforstrengtheningfamilies.org
I’m envisioning this project – when fully realized –will be at the center of creating stronger families that are going to build stronger governments, stronger school systems, and attracting more families to the St. Louis area.
CORTAIGA COLLINS , FOUNDATION FOR STRENGTHENING FAMILIES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
I’vebeen vegan for about 10 years now, and I’ve never felt better about my health. As a heart doctor who is passionate about disease prevention and evidence-based nutrition, I adhere to a plant-based diet mainly to optimize my heart and overall health.
A plant-based diet has many different definitions and diets that it encompasses, including vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and flexitarian. Generally, such a diet consists of minimally processed fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and either excludes or minimizes red meat, poultry and dairy products.
The benefits depend largely on the specific foods consumed. There are many highly and ultraprocessed foods that may be considered plant-based but are not considered healthy due to the amount of fat, sodium, sugar and additives they may contain.
Although I follow a vegan diet for health and ethical reasons, the diet I recommend the most is
the Mediterranean diet. This diet focuses on diet quality rather than a single nutrient group. This dietary pattern emphasizes consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fish and healthy fats like olive oil. Studies have shown that plant-based diets, specifically the Mediterranean diet, have been associated with the best heart health benefits.
In general, we know from numerous research studies that following a minimally processed, plantbased diet lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, dementia and certain cancers. These dietary patterns can also help reduce risk factors in preventing development of heart disease, such as hyperlipidemia and hypertension, and can also reduce future cardiovascular events in people who already have heart disease.
And you don’t need to be 100 percent committed to a plant-based diet to reap the health benefits. Guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and American Cancer Society generally recommend plant-predominant diets filled with fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and plant protein, plus limiting saturated fat and red meat.
After four years of medical school and six years as a physician, I would say the majority of patients I’ve seen in the hospital arrive with some type of preventable illness or complication from a chronic condition, which can often be managed with lifestyle modifications, in addition to medications. Eating better and maintaining a healthful diet form just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to optimizing health.
There are many reasons to transition to a plant-based or plant-predominant diet. No matter which diet you choose to follow, the most important thing to do is find your “why.” Once you find a compelling reason that matters most to you, the transition becomes easier, meaningful and sustainable. ln
Dr. Amar Shere is a Cardiology Fellow at St. Louis University Hospital-SSM Health who has a passion for educating about the prevention of heart disease. As a dancer and group exercise instructor, he encourages people to move more for their heart. Follow Shere on TikTok, @tikheartdoc, for more healthy-living tips.
Although Black-owned independent bookstores have existed for generations, today, shockingly few indie bookselling companies are owned by Black entrepreneurs. Enter The Noir Bookshop, a new independent bookstore and educational resource that has opened on Cherokee Street in south St. Louis.
“Black booksellers make up less than 6 percent of the independent bookselling industry, along with less than 150 Black-owned bookstores nationwide,” says owner Ymani Wince, citing a statistic confirmed by the Oprah Daily website.
Earlier this year, Wince launched an investment campaign through GoFundMe to open a concept bookstore devoted to the Black experience in America
“The books, guests, events and more cater to Blackness,” Wince details. “I was not exposed to Black literature until my college years. I wanted to put Black books in the community any way I could.”
She signed the lease in March and hosted the shop’s grand opening in June, according to the GoFundMe page. As of Oct. 19, the online campaign has crowdfunded $17,345 of its $18,000 goal, which was set to cover startup costs and ensure the shop functions at its full capacity.
The concept extended to honoring her heritage by re-creating the ambience of her grandparents’ home within the shop. Wince’s intrinsic love for literature first stemmed from her grandmother, who taught her how to read.
“Before opening TNB, I had already cultivated relationships with people on Cherokee Street,” Wince says. “It’s what let me know this was the neighborhood I wanted to be a part of. I say that Cherokee Street is [like] Sesame Street and it really feels that way It’s been rewarding to get to know my customers on a personal basis and to stock the store with items I know they will enjoy”
Wince aims to engage the community through offering a curated collection of Black and persons of color-focused literature, with items created by diverse local and global makers, according to the bookshop’s website, as well as through educational programming and events.
Book bans have increased across the country in recent years, with about 100 books banned in schools in the metro area and a new state law in place that could lead to more being removed from area schools. Many of these books cover diverse content, including stories about persons of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities, according to the American Library Association. Bookstores, libraries and some community organizations are standing against censorship by ss to many of these materials.
“TNB will always be a place of free-flowing ideas,” Wince says of her own bookshop. “I’ve read many banned books, and as the list grows, I’ ll keep reading and supporting them. I personally believe in literature and free speech, and I think that if I continue to offer banned books to my audience, it’s helping in the long run.
“I also like TNB to function like a library. There’s something for everyone, whether it’s free or doesn’t leave the store, or it may be a rare signed copy of a vintage book. Books are meant to be shared, and it’s my goal to make that happen ”
Among events that The Noir Bookshop will host this fall and winter are monthly movie nights and story times. In addition, Wince makes appearances at high schools and universities as a speaker on literacy
“I am launching the ‘I Can’ series,” Wince also promises. “It will be a series of discussions from members of the community that will expose Noir’s audience to careers and interests that Black and brown people are underrepresented in. My goal is to meet people exactly where they are, and to make resources and literacy accessible.”
Follow along on social media at instagram.com/thenoirbookshop for the most current events calendar from Wince.
The Noir Bookshop, 2317 Cherokee St., St. Louis, noirbookshop.com
Ymani Wince
If you are always open to meeting new people, exchanging ideas and sharing enthusiasm – if you keep your eyes, ears and minds open, this can be the best time of your life.RESIDENT JOHN LESSER
Whether you ’ re planning to spend your retired years taking up a new hobby or taking it easy, you should have all the amenities to do as you wish. The Gatesworth provides residents with the ability to make their own choices and customize their experiences around how they want to live their retirement lifestyle.
Resident John Lesser has always been active in the St. Louis arts community, with degrees in art history and a career both in teaching and in curating art, as well as a passion for opera and cinema. Since he moved into the community in 2010, The Gatesworth has allowed him both to continue pursuing his interests and in the case of his expansive opera-poster collection to display mementos of them
“I’ve given tours and love talking about my ‘ paper children,’” Lesser says. “I also love researching them and collecting contemporary as well as vintage or antique posters. My oldest dates from 1845 and my newest from 2022.”
From devoting several hours a week to painting in the Art Center and exploring the community’s vast selection of movies, to taking trips to opera performances, Lesser adds that he is never bored with all the different available entertainment and activities
“I have also participated in many of the ‘Questers’ programs, ” he says, referring to The Gatesworth’s discussion series that covers a variety of subjects. Lesser has led several of these groups on subjects like drinking songs, comparisons of singers, and dives into particular themes and motifs in opera.
“In these presentations, I am always assisted by staff members; programming, concierge and administrative, who handle the technical details with knowledge and enthusiasm,” Lesser says. He also enjoys attending the lectures and special events, saying it’s the only time he finds himself sitting still.
For residents T.V. and Erladean Mattingly, The Gatesworth is an excellent
place to keep social in their retired life.
“I enjoy meeting people I love reading and making new friends,” T.V. Mattingly says.
St. Louis natives, the Mattinglys returned six months ago from 17 years retired in Florida, in order to be closer to their children and other relatives. Their son, a Ladue resident, recommended The Gatesworth, and after a lunch with owner David Smith, they were fully won over. “We were left in awe, ” T.V. Mattingly comments.
Erladean Mattingly enjoys going on golf outings and is part of a coloring class at The Gatesworth, while T.V. Mattingly praises the lectures as well as the music and entertainment put together by resident program director Kathy Davis.
“Kathy does a great job,” he says. “The activities and services really stand out. The staff here really care, and they get to know each resident.”
T.V Mattingly also notes how the residents themselves contribute to an overall positive atmosphere at The Gatesworth and how even little things like residents regularly playing the grand piano make the experience that much better
“ You’ve got to make every day what you want it to be,” T.V Mattingly says. “It’s not how many years you live it’s how you live your life. My wife and I try to be positive, and it’s easy to do that at The Gatesworth It fits what we like and fits who we are. ”
Lesser concludes that the best part of retirement is continuing to engage with others, something The Gatesworth makes easy. “If you are always open to meeting new people, exchanging ideas and sharing enthusiasm if you keep your eyes, ears and minds open, this can be the best time of your life.”
The Gatesworth, One McKnight Place, St. Louis, 314-993-0111, thegatesworth.com
1185 N. Price Road, 314-692-0020, accucare.com
Jacque Phillips rN, bSN, and her daughter Dana Phillips Moulton rN, bSN, have a shared mission with Accucare, now a family-owned business: to give clients and their families peace of mind by providing the highest-quality care with compassion, integrity and dedication. In clients’ own homes. On their own terms.
Des Peres, St. Charles, Tesson Heights, 314-648-8863, cedarhurstliving.com
From cedarhurst senior living comes the chef-inspired crafted by cedarhurst culinary program. Designed to delight the eye, tickle taste buds and fuel bodies, and offering menu choices that are good for hearts, brains and special diets –crafted by cedarhurst is truly food that gives foodies something to talk about.
One McKnight Place, 314-993-0111, thegatesworth.com
By Maggie Petersthe Gatesworth’s three distinct restaurant-style dining areas offer a wide range of cuisine and make every dining experience worth savoring. All menus are designed by the Gatesworth’s executive chef, along with his sous-chefs and cooks. each dish is created with the best ingredients and freshest produce, meat and fish available.
15201 Olive Blvd., 636-898-8500, friendshipvillagestl.com
At Friendship Village, the top priority is keeping residents well and independent longer. recent expansions of both of Friendship Village’s metro area campuses, partnerships with leading technology providers and exciting wellness programs make Friendship Village better positioned than ever to help seniors live more engaged, active and fulfilling lives.
St. Louis County and St. Charles, 314-718-0101, hereathomehealthcare.com
the need for quality home care is increasing exponentially. Here at Home Healthcare is a locally owned business founded on the promise of providing people with the option to age in place at home or with family while getting the quality, compassionate care they need. Here at Home is also available for immediate care.
3 McKnight Place, 314-993-3333, mcknightplace.com
At McKnight Place Assisted Living & Memory Care, you can enjoy a life rich in quality care, genuine friendships and fun activities. Its community is designed to provide the warm, comfortable feeling of home in a safe and secure environment with beautifully landscaped gardens. Its offers all-inclusive rates that are simple, predictable and worry-free.
2 McKnight Place, 314-993-2221, mcknightplace.com
McKnight Place Extended Care’s experienced and attentive staff are committed to each resident’s personal well-being every hour of every day. The community serves individuals who need short-term recovery assistance after hospitalization or long-term skilled nursing care. It focuses on building close relationships with residents and their loved ones to create personalized care plans.
605 Coeur de Ville Drive, 314-542-2500, parcprovence.com
Parc Provence offers its residents and their families exceptional care for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease through dedicated, person-centered support. From its multitalented nursing staff to its medical directors, leading authorities on gerontology and dementia at Washington University in St. Louis, Parc Provence provides unrivaled memory care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
2821 N. Ballas Road, Suite C-10, 314-942-9411, peartreehomecare.com
Pear Tree Home Care can give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing your loved ones have the best care available. Its caregivers are available for an afternoon or for round-the-clock care – whatever you need. Let your aging loved ones stay at home and live the way they want.
By Nancy Robinson
Exuberant florals in deep pinks and blues pair nicely with a demure slipper chair.
According to the Sasha Nicholas website, royalty has dined on and delighted in Herend pieces. Shown is the Indian basket pattern, available in the full range of dishwashersafe dinnerware. Herend dinnerware patterns have yet to be discontinued, so additional and/or replacement pieces should always be available. (sashanicholas.com)
Designed for century Furniture, charlotte Moss’ charleston slipper chair is the perfect solid coordinate for floral furnishings and accessories. Moss says her signature chair was designed to flank a fireplace, furnish a feminine boudoir or be pulled together for an intimate chat anywhere in the house. (threefrenchhens.com)
Levtex presents the Montecito cotton bedding collection, bursting with colorful florals on a crisp white ground. the full/ queen set includes one quilt and two standard shams; also available are twin and king sizes. (neimanmarcus.com)
K. Hall Studio’s cruelty-free, Americanmade, all-natural ingredients are tested in-house to ensure quality control. The company first launched in the metro area with handcrafted fragrances and personal care goods based on the homeopathic recipes of one of its founders, Kelley Barr, and now maintains four brands: Barr-Co., K. Hall Designs, Simpatico and U.S. Apothecary.
New product releases for 2022, including fall/ winter and the approaching holiday season, include travel-ready hand salves, extra-longburning candles and “treat-yourself” items for the bath and shower. Some of K. Hall’s most recent product releases are designed with gift-giving in mind, including smaller bath salt bags, which can be gifted individually or as a self-curated sampler set.
“Bath salts are something that everybody’s always excited about,” assistant creative director AJ Thouvenot says. “Everyone loves to relax. They’re all made with botanical extracts and organic ingredients to create a relaxing experience, [with] the added benefit that it is known to relieve stress and certain joint pain.”
The Simpatico line has released 64-ounce jars of its popular Hobnail candles. “It is a 164hour candle, [has] three wicks and comes in a decorative jar,” Thouvenot says. “So it works as a centerpiece. I just think that would be great for people to bring in at the holiday time.”
Thouvenot says that customers have expressed excitement about the expansion of sugar-based body scrubs from the Barr Co. line to the signature Hall Designs line, which will be available in fanfavorite scents. Hand salves in every fragrance have been introduced to the U.S. Apothecary line, made in sizes that are easy to carry and offer skin protection for the wintertime.
A personal favorite for Thouvenot from the 2022 lineup includes the shower steamer. When placed at the base of the shower, where it can be indirectly sprayed by water, the product
releases scent through a fragrant steam, adding a luxurious feel to one’s otherwise ordinary routine.
“I love the idea of a bath bomb, but I don’t take baths very frequently,” Thouvenot says. “Something like this lets me have a kind of experience while [in the] shower, which is easier for me [and] something that I think is really fun.”
Additional releases include two limited-edition holiday barrel candles and holiday fragrances for the Pura Smart Home fragrance diffuser, which is
also sold through K. Hall Studio.
Look for announcements on K. Hall’s social media channels about its upcoming semiannual warehouse sale in November, during which shoppers can collect discontinued products and take advantage of exclusive offers. ln
K. Hall Studio, K. Hall Designs, 8416 Manchester Road, Brentwood; K. Hall Designs, 9831 Clayton Road, Ladue; 314-963-3293, khallstudio.com
Autumn can be spectacular if you pay attention to your plant foliage palette. Red-hued trees, shrubs and vines bring visual excitement to your landscape and add pizazz to any garden vista.
Trees for a bright red fall canopy include dogwoods, black gum, oaks and maples. The dogwoods and black gum both offer rich cardinal-red leaves. Dogwoods add extra punch by sporting red berries, too. Although colors vary by the year and are affected by temperature and rainfall, both pin oak and white oak regularly deliver a deep scarlet red.
The maples with excellent color include Red Sunset, Autumn Blaze, October Glory, Fall Fiesta and Flame. The smaller Japanese maples can be stunning eye-poppers. with the classic Bloodgood and Crimson Queen providing superb spring red in addition to brilliant fall color. Suminagashi, Emperor One, Osakazuki and the demure, weeping Red Dragon all can yield jaw-dropping reds and scarlets. A visit to the Japanese Garden at the Missouri Botanical Garden can give you even more ideas about the drama of fall color.
One of the best fall red shrubs is the native staghorn sumac and its horticultural selection the
cutleaf form Laciniata. They provide predictably excellent color on the roadside or in your garden. First to color, they are already gone by now. I have the related fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) as a ground cover in shade, but many people mistake it for poison ivy, so use it where you can protect it. Smokebush fall color is best on the green version, as the maroon cultivar just slips away without saying goodbye.
My woodland garden shows off scarlet leaves with oakleaf hydrangeas. The rich, deep red foliage is nicely complemented by tawny dried flower heads. I leave mine on all winter for added interest. Many of the viburnums give a grand autumn show, including the American cranberry bush (Viburnum trilobum) and the Korean spice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii). They give other seasonal interest with the ripe red fruits on the cranberry bush and deliciously fragrant flowers on the spice viburnum.
Vertical surfaces may also be decked in scarlet. The native vines Virginia creeper
and poison ivy both yield spectacular vermillion color.
Yes, some gardeners intentionally grow poison ivy just for that fall color pop! Itches and all. More sedate is the exotic Boston ivy, known best for clinging to the brickwork of Ivy League colleges.
To use any of these vines, though, be aware that they require a bit of maintenance to be encouraged to behave well.
Red-leaved plants to avoid include burning bush (Euonymus) and heavenly bamboo (Nandina), as they are known to be invasive. The straight species of Japanese barberry can also escape – although the brilliant Crimson Pigmy barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘Atropurpurea Nana’ ), with many fewer fruits, behaves better.
Talking about all these beautiful red foliage plants should put you in the mood for the fire-engine red of holly berries and poinsettia for the holidays, which are just around the corner.
By Brittany Nay | Photos courtesy of J&J Design Team
ForJenna Siebert, every space must have its own special feel.
“ When I come into a certain place, I can just see the [design] vision from how the space feels,” she elaborates.
That allows the lead designer of J&J Design Team, which she owns with her husband, Jason, to dream up the perfect design for each of their company ’ s rental properties.
Five years ago, the owners of “Cupcake Wars”winning custom bakery The Sweet Divine started their rental business as a side hustle with one unique, boutique-designed space in a building in St. Louis’ historic Soulard neighborhood called the Gold Door Loft. The passion project became so successful that it recently multiplied into a dozen properties, with five more in the works for the coming year
Siebert helms J&J’s interior design, styling and host duties, while her husband, a bricklayer foreman, helps part time with the spaces ’ build-outs, design and hosting. Their 17-year-old daughter, Kenzie, assists with jobs like supply stocking and furniture assembly. And now that the rental company is thriving, Siebert’s husband plans to soon commit to full-time work with the family, she says.
The most important component in building a better vacation rental is a special design, Siebert notes. “I love mixing old with new vintage with modern [furnishings],” she explains, adding that she creates a design board with the styling elements she envisions for each property, which she likens to
she explains. “ We make sure before we have a guest come in, it has to feel good when they walk in, they say, ‘I’m in love.’”
Siebert styles a number of spaces with romantic, boho-chic accents to appeal to J&J’s niche market the bridal industry as several of the business’ properties are connected to wedding venues. Nevertheless, the team also believes in the value of
standing inside her own art project. “I don’t want other [places] to have what I have that’s what makes [the properties] special.”
Whether your guests are holding their wedding weekend, bachelorette party, corporate retreat or family vacation in St. Louis, Siebert says another secret to a successful rental property is satisfying renters. “ When someone ’ s looking to open up a space, take into account where your place is located, who you are catering to, and make it special for them,”
offering various properties geared toward families, business professionals and a variety of uses. “ We like to have unique places that do speak to so many people,” Siebert explains.
Among their upcoming properties are Missouri vacation retreats in Innsbrook and Branson, as well as an old farmhouse rehab in Crestwood and two more historic Soulard spaces. This variety gives Siebert opportunities to play with different design aesthetics: “I am sourcing furniture for a treehouse cabin in Innsbrook and having a blast,” she details. “ We’re also on the hunt for a cool beach rental that will be geared towards large families to gather and will be decked out with beach supplies and water toys.”
Siebert says she loves creating uniquely personalized spaces where people are going to “make happy memories.”
“ When groups of people come into St. Louis together for conferences or a wedding weekend, they stay in larger places that sleep multiple people,” Siebert continues. “It’s a great bonding time, and they say, ‘Oh, my gosh, we could have never done this in a hotel!’”
J&J’s rental spaces are currently available to book online via jandjdesignteam.com, Airbnb and VRBO. Hosting these “feel-good spaces ” is rewarding, Siebert notes.
“ We’re creating that happiness … and sharing that with all the people who come stay with us, ” she says. “This is my dream job it doesn’t even feel like work.”
J&J Design Team, St. Louis, info@jandjdesignteam.com, instagram.com/jandjdesignteam
WE MAKE SURE BEFORE WE HAVE A GUEST COME IN, IT HA S TO FEEL GOOD – WHEN THE Y WALK IN, THE Y SAY, ‘I’M IN LOVE.’JENNA SIEBERT
13360 Clayton Road, Suite 103, 314-548-5100, thediamondbarstl.com
These long and elegant floating-diamond earrings are the perfect addition to any wedding dress or rehearsal dinner outfit. They give off an intense sparkle with every step. Available only at The Diamond Bar.
12460 Olive Blvd., 314-878-6203, genovesejewelers.com
Be ready to shine on your big day with these 14-karat yellow gold open-marquise-shape drop earrings. Alternating small and larger clusters of diamonds at 2.95 carat total weight, these stunning earrings will make the perfect accessory to your celebration.
chase-park-plaza-royal-sonesta-st-louis
2249 Woodson Road, St. Louis, 314-606-9520, championshipcatering.com
Crown Valley
23589 State Route WW, Ste. Genevieve, 866-207-9463, crowncountry.com
The Diamond Bar
13360 Clayton Road, Suite 103, Town and Country, 314-548-5100, thediamondbarstl.com
Fete Photobooth 618-541-1383, jake@fetebooth.com
17151 Chesterfield Airport Rd, Chesterfield; 10357 Manchester Rd, Kirkwood; 4570 Mid Rivers Mall Dr, St. Peters; 12856 Tesson Ferry Rd, St. Louis; 4249 Watson Rd, St. Louis, 636-728-3333, firstcommunity.com
Genovese Jewelers
12460 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur 314-878-6203 genovesejewelers.com
705 Olive Street, St. Louis, 314-612-4928, hotelsaintlouis.com
InVita
333 S. Kirkwood Road, Suite 103, Kirkwood, 314-207-3545, invitahealthandwellness.com
Innsbrook
596 Aspen Way Drive, Innsbrook, 636-928-3366 ex. 9884, innsbrook-resort.com/weddings/staff
JAC
264 Lamp and Lantern Village, Town & Country 636-220-2366, jacdesigns.shop
Kenrick’s
4324 Weber Road, St. Louis, 314-631-2440, kenricks.com
Mahler
4915 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, 314-361-4411, mahlerballroom.com
Mia
Chesterfield Towne Center Chesterfield, 636-778-3433, miagracebridal.com
Patty
412 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314-621-9598, pattylongcatering.com
Rebecca Haas
314-255-4872, https://www.facebook.com/haas.studios
Sasha Nicholas 9752 Clayton Road, St. Louis, 314-997-5854, sashanicholas.com
Savvi Formalwear
6185 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis; 1483 St Louis Galleria St, St. Louis; 79 S County Center Way, St. Louis; 19 W County Center Dr #1031, St. Louis; 222 St Clair Square, Fairview Heights; 1314 Mid Rivers Mall, St Peters, savviformalwear.com
The Sweet Divine 1801 S. 9th Street, St. Louis, 314-669-9339, thesweetdivine.com
Tailored Gents Custom Clothiers 8001 Clayton Road, St. Louis, 314-527-0944 tailoredgents.com
Ultimate Bride 1115 S. Big Bend Blvd, St. Louis, 314-961-9997, theultimatebride.com
BY BLANCA
Mark and Neil Gellman
The Gellman Team eXp Realty 314-336-1991, thegellmanteam.com, 17Balcon.com
This exquisite home sits on 1.61 acres in the balcon Estates Subdivision and features an open floor plan designed for today’s living and entertaining. Highlights include the formal living room with floor-to-ceiling windows, the luxury main-floor master retreat and impressive outdoor living.
Helen Costello
Laura McCarthy Real Estate
314-651-7792 (direct), 314-725-5100 (office), lauramccarthy.com
The thoughtful design allows for ease of living with an updated kitchen and first-floor primary bedroom, walk-in closet and bath. Multiple living spaces surrounded with walls of windows preview the magnificent 1.4-acre lot with private, lush landscaping.
Nancy Percy
Laura McCarthy Real Estate
314-578-3342 (direct), 314-725-5100 (office), lauramccarthy.com
Centrally located in the heart of Frontenac, one-level living welcomes you from a lovely front patio into the spacious living area. Access the private brick patio and sparkling custom in-ground pool from the living room and kitchen. Perfect for entertaining family and friends.
Keith R. Manzer & Christopher M. Klages
Gladys Manion Real Estate
314-609-3155 (Manzer), 314-445-8220 (Klages), manzerklages.com
This impeccably maintained home close to the Washington University Medical Complex features significant architectural details including the updated kitchen and bathrooms. The exterior gardens and patio are charming and come complete with a koi pond.
Stephanie Oliver and Jeff Perkins Dielmann Sotheby’s International Realty
314-332-6992 (Oliver), 208-854-9100 (Perkins), 314-725-0009 (office), sothebysrealty.com
A main residence, a guest cottage and an art studio nestle on the nearly !-acre lot, canopied by trees from the nature preserve behind. Energy Star certified for its design elements, this home is both a private retreat and a statement for smart, sustainable living! $3.75 million
Cindy Handy
Janet McAfee Real Estate
314-489-3546, cindy.handy@janetmcafee.com
“I represented the buyer for the quintessential Town and Country home,” says Janet McAfee agent Cindy Handy. “From its manicured English gardens to the chef’s kitchen, dual offices and all-brick exterior, it is the perfect fit for this family. They are enjoying getting to know the friendly neighborhoods and parks of Town and Country.”
On Sept. 16, the Humane Society of Missouri hosted its annual Glow in the Park dinner during the Balloon Glow as part of the Great Forest Park Balloon Race weekend.
With dinner, guests were treated to Champagne, other drinks, a prime view of the balloons in Forest Park’s Emerson Central Fields and auction items such as paintings from the Humane Society’s rescue horse, Twister. Funds raised from the dinner will support the Human Society’s Animal Cruelty Fund, which helps animals find a second chance at a happier life.
Visit LADUENEWS.COM to see more fabulous photos from this event!
The Humane Society’s Balloon Glow dinner helps support the organization’s mission of rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming severely abused and neglected animals in Missouri. We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended this magnificent, colorful and breathtaking event.
KATHY WARNICK HSMO PRESIDENT
Photos and story by Christina Kling-Garrett
Recent Ladue Schools and Ladue Education Foundation and Alumni Association events honored the current year’s 29 Distinguished Alumni finalists, who stood out among more than 90 nominations by demonstrating extraordinary accomplishment and leadership in their fields as well as commitment to their communities. A reception for the finalists took place at the home of alumna Katy Zachritz Mullins, where guests noshed on food by chef Ashok Nageswaran and listened to the sounds of Lehde’s Night, a quintet featuring Ladue High School students. This was followed by a ceremony in the Ladue Horton Watkins High School auditorium, a tour of the recently renovated LHWHS and small-group meetings with students, in which the honorees shared information and advice. The festivities concluded with Distinguished Alumni recognition – and an LHWHS Rams win – at the home football game against Parkway North.
Visit LADUENEWS.COM to see more fabulous photos from this event!
To celebrate Ladue Horton Watkins High School’s 70th anniversary, the Ladue Education Foundation and Alumni Association and Ladue Schools recognized a new class of 29 Distinguished Alumni on Thursday, Sept. 22, and Friday, Sept. 23.
On Sept. 22, guests gathered at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis in Clayton for the ALSAC Salon event celebrating special supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Many friends of the hospital attended as guests and showed their support of St. Jude and its mission to defeat childhood cancer. Several speakers made remarks and played videos as food and drinks were served.
Visit LADUENEWS.COM to see more fabulous photos from this event!
Anything I can do to contribute to St. Jude and support their mission, I will do because I just cannot imagine having to carry the weight of a sick child [along with] all the things that come along with it. This is just a wonderful cause. And I think anyone, whether a young mom or not, probably feels the same way, but it’s especially meaningful to me.
KATE MARISCHEN GALA CHAIROn Sept. 23, the Danforth Center Young Friends hosted its annual Party With the Plants fundraiser at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in Olivette. The culmination of the 2022 Danforth Center Grow Challenge – a weeklong fundraising campaign – the evening featured cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Guests also enjoyed music by bluegrass band One Way Traffic. Funds raised by Young Friends will help create STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) educational programs at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center, as well as for other regional education outreach efforts. Young Friend Steering Committee executives and event co-chairs were chair Davey Oetting, vice-chair Matt Plummer, vice-chair Erin Jones and chair emeritus Logan O’Connor
Visit LADUENEWS.COM to see more fabulous photos from this event!
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Chaifetz Arena, 314-577-5605, glennon.org
Join SSM Health cardinal Glennon children’s Foundation for the Glennon LIVe celebration on April 29! It’s an exclusive concert featuring top performers, all to benefit the children’s Fund at SSM Health cardinal Glennon children’s Hospital!
By Maggie Peters
Nayak Plastic Surgery 607 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 314-991-5438, shopnayakplasticsurgery.com
Get the best prices of the year on your favorite products and services, online all day on Nov. 4. Mark your calendar – this is a once-a-year special on botox, JUVÉDerM and more. Go online to learn more!
Day debuted this summer in University City with a concise menu of allyou-can-eat beef and pork hot pot served with the diner’s choice of two specialty house broths.
The restaurant comes from husband-and-wife duo Victor and Moon Jang of Wudon BBQ Korean Restaurant, a popular Creve Coeur eatery that has served the metro area since 2016.
The couple also brought BOBQ to the Delmar Loop in 2019. That Korean barbecue rice bowl eatery is now co-owned by the Jangs’ friend Sang Lee, who also serves as the general manager of Shabu Day. The couple also partners in Chicken Seven, a Korean fried chicken restaurant in St. Louis’ Carondelet neighborhood that opened in July 2021. With their latest entry, the experienced restaurateurs bring one of their favorite shared mealtime formats to a casual setting for all to enjoy.
“We love shabu shabu and would get it anytime we traveled to a bigger city,” Moon Jang says. “At home, we make a lot of shabu shabu with all our favorite things. These are all our recipes, influenced by Korean and Japanese flavors.”
Shabu Day fills the space previously occupied by Tang Palace, imbuing the dining areas with a homey personality highlighted by framed original artwork and a mural with a striking red floral motif – all created by Moon Jang herself. Shabu Day also features K-pop videos that play in the background and plenty of tables with built-in burners to keep the atmosphere fun and interactive.
From the all-you-can-eat menu, guests start by selecting two of three broths to be served side by side: sukiyaki broth made with a blend of soy sauce and cooking sake for a rich, deep and savory flavor; beef broth made with beef short ribs; or a house spicy broth flavored with chiles.
Then guests select their choice of two of five meats: prime brisket, premium beef, premium beef sirloin, premium pork and premium pork tenderloin. Victor Jang, who handles meat preparation, says he looks for high-quality meats with generous marbling, and he slices each cut extremely thinly to create the perfect tender bite that cooks after only a few seconds in the bubbling broth.
Each hot pot comes with a tray of vegetables, such as bok choy, napa cabbage, wood ear mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms, as well as ramen noodles, fish balls and dumplings. Side orders of jumbo shrimp are also available for an upcharge. Each table comes with three dipping sauces; the house spicy sauce with a garlicky Sriracha base is Victor Jang’s favorite, while Moon Jang’s go-to is the sauce made with ponzu. A sukiyaki sauce is the third option.
“Before opening, we weren’t sure how people in St. Louis were going to respond,” Moon Jang says. “I think people are going to love shabu shabu as much as we do.” ln
Shabu Day, 8237 Olive Blvd., University City, 314-755-1075, instagram.com/shabu.day
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By Alecia Humphreys
Mercantile Co. in St. Louis’ historic Shaw neighborhood has been transformed into a small but stunning exhibition called “The Tiny Art Show.”
“The best ideas are often born out of limitations,” says Lauren Thorp, Bonboni Mercantile Co. owner. “While I would love to host a large-scale art show, that’s just not feasible in our space. Bonboni is a tiny shop, at about 500 square feet. So – tiny shop, tiny art show!”
The show, which Thorp believes to be the first of its kind in St. Louis, will specifically showcase more than 200 works of art – all of which are scaled down to the size of a 3½- by 2-inch business card.
“I was really nervous about sending this project out into the world,” Thorp says. “I had no idea what the reception to the idea would be, but I was pretty overwhelmed when the applications started pouring in. After evaluating all of the submissions, we accepted about 56 artists, which was more than double my initial goal of 25 participating artists.”
The 250-plus submissions included wondrous works in a multitude of media, including oil paint, flat sculptural work,
polymer clay and stained glass.
“I am astonished at the diversity of mediums and styles we are seeing in the submissions,” Thorp adds. “There will be something for everyone in terms of style and color.”
All pieces produced are priced at $75 each.
“We curated art from incredibly talented artists and wholeheartedly believe art is valuable and improves our lives when we are around it,” Thorp says. “When you purchase an original piece of art, you are not just paying for what you can see and hold in your hand. You are paying for years of education and training, hundreds of hours of practice, too many failures to count, the materials that go into their works and raw talent. I hope that more people, especially younger generations, will expand (or even start) their art collections through access to art at The Tiny Art Show.”
Those interested can view and purchase the featured artwork at Bonboni on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. 3 p.m. now through Nov. 4. ln
Bonboni Mercantile Co., 2246 Klemm St., St. Louis, 314-472-3457, bonbonistl.com
Reading aloud with your child builds a strong foundation for family bonding, sparking conversations and enhancing early learning. Appealing visually and aurally to children, picture books engage young minds in higher-order thinking processes, building early math and science skills while they enjoy quality time with you.
This month, Ready Readers suggests two books to get little brains turning and learning: “The Little Red Hen” by writer Mary Finch and illustrator Kate Slater “The Little Red Fort” by writer Brenda Maier and illustrator Sonia Sánchez.
Most adults are familiar with traditional tales like “The Little Red Hen.” Versions of the story feature the titular character and a trio of friendly but lazy farm friends. Finch follows suit but also offers valuable vocabulary regarding plants, and her Hen offers playmates a second chance to make good choices. Slater’s collage technique employs photos, cut-and-pasted paper characters
and heavy visual texture to bring clearer meaning to unfamiliar scenes.
“The Little Red Fort,” inspired by the traditional red hen tale, sees Maier swap siblings for farm animals, with protagonist Ruby leading the way. Her brothers take on the naysayer roles as they observe their sister conceive an idea, draw plans, gather materials and tools, and build the play fort of her dreams. Sánchez’s images combine traditional paper and other media with computer graphics to produce a modern but familiar picture story.
But where are the math and science? Adults can lead children to discover concepts within the story itself: Science lives in the different types of animals (human and otherwise) portrayed, the growing process from seed to wheat, the building process from concept to completed structure, and the combining and heating of ingredients to create food. Math comes into play by way of counting
characters or objects, by way of Ruby’s planning while creating her fort and by way of measuring and following the included recipe to make bread at home. ln
Ready Readers brings stories to life for our community’s most vulnerable children. Visit readyreaders.org to learn how you yourself can bring the magic and power of books to metro area children.
Armed with a stack of large photographic prints, a roll of blue tape and a pair of old, ragged climbing shoes, artist Kelly Kristin Jones describes a typical morning of covering historic monuments in public parks across the Midwest.
In rigorous episodes of performance art designed to question and critique the violence and power that such monuments represent, Jones climbs and covers these structures in ways that undo their visual presence and make room for something else. And when she’s done covering them, she makes photographs.
“I decided not only to use photography and making images as a way to question this, but as a white woman with a camera, I needed to use my body,” Jones says, explaining that with the privilege of her race and gender, she can create public displays of avant-garde art to call into question structures that embody white supremacy in America.
Starting in early October, Jones’ work leads this conversation as the centerpiece in a local exhibition dedicated to inspiring discourse around white peoples’ responsibility in dismantling whiteness. Born out of conversations on the role of whiteness in society and culture between The Luminary ’ s interim executive director, Stephanie Koch, and Simon Wu, the co-curator and program manager of The Racial Imaginary Institute in Detroit, the exhibition, “nwl,” which stands for “nice white ladies,” will show a range of Jones’ work with hopes of broadening the conversation.
This exhibition in St. Louis’ Benton Park West neighborhood, which opened earlier this month and runs through Dec. 10, will feature multiples of Jones’ collections as work pivotal in engaging viewers in confronting white fragility, navigating privilege and participating actively in the process of deconstructing whiteness.
“It was important, both for Stephanie and for this exhibit, that The Luminary be a place that could speak to many different audiences at different levels,” Wu says.
He explained that he hopes the exhibition epitomizes a safe space where people feel comfortable enough to engage with feelings of vulnerability or to challenge their beliefs or misconceptions.
As a white woman, Jones feels a conviction to use her privilege to start conversations that address white fragility
“ We often like to think of white supremacy as this masculine expression, but it’s just as likely to wear heels, and I wanted to pick at that this activation of terror as a white women ’ s soft power, ” Jones says, explaining that much of her exhibition will feature work that calls into question the role of women like herself in furthering supremacy
The Luminary ’ s exhibition will also feature a wall of photographs that compare the postures and body language of archived pictures of white women posing with statues to the problematic monuments themselves.
“I zero in on these women ’ s posture and hands and match them to the ways some contested monuments are portrayed,” she says. “There are some unnerving similarities between posing and posturing.”
Jones submits that much of the signaling of whiteness comes through in the neoclassical Greco-Roman style of architecture a design style in which many of the monuments were built. In experiencing the exhibition, Jones recommends that patrons start at the back of Gallery A, where a line of five works depicts historical monuments and documentation of those performances using big color photographs.
The second wall, which Jones says cuts to the heart of the show, involves a section of Gallery B that is painted a dark onyx color, on top of which sit pairings of hands one from a monument that is paired with a found photograph of a white woman ’ s hand.
“That really speaks to the role that white women have played in creating this master narrative that is this history of the United States,” Jones adds. “ White women were so instrumental in getting these monuments installed ” She continues by explaining that white women raised money and fought to get such monuments erected all over the country
Jones hopes to use her work as a platform to inspire uncomfortable conversations. “There’s a little bit of push and pull that I hope is part of the show,” she says. “And we ’ re going to have some programming so we can come together as a Midwestern community and talk about this stuff.”
The Luminary, 2701 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314-773-1533,
I decided not only to use photography and making images as a way to ques tion this, but as a white woman with a c amera, I needed to use my body.”
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