Missouri Life February/March 2011

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[ 77 EVENTS

F E S T I VA L S

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5 DINING DELIGHTS ]

THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY

MAPLE DELICIOUS

I’ll have this piece!

bake with syrup from your own backyard!

TOP 10 TOWNS

We crunched th numbers — you me ay be surprised!

SKEPTICAL GUY GOES TO THE SPA THE GREENEST BUILDING IN THE STATE ORCHID OASIS ...

3 EXOTIC ESCAPES

FEBRUARY 2011 | $4.50 (Display until Mar. 31)

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Contents FEBRUARY/MARCH 2011

departments>

Mid-Missouri Treasures

[24] CHANCE ENCOUNTERS

[8] MISSOURI MEMO

Union Covered Bridge, a Civil War battlefield, iron dinosaurs, and

12 incredible years and 3 dubious distinctions

more around Centralia.

[10] LETTERS The Amish (again), tense headlines, and more

[15] ZEST FOR LIFE A new visitor center, Mark Twain music, secondhand treasures, and books (page 20), including a William Woods mystery and black history here

[59] MUSINGS Ron Marr, contemplatimg creativity and peanuts

[66] DINING DELIGHTS A Paris-style bistro in Kansas City, bohemian barbecue in Springfield, local harvest in St. Louis, rustic French in Ste. Genevieve, and homey in Wesphalia

[68] WINE How ours compete with California’s

featured>

[71] ALL AROUND MISSOURI

[22] MADE IN MISSOURI

Our listing of 77 events and festivals

Discover products made right here at home: organic dog food at Jackson, Cherry Mash candy at St. Joseph, spicy beef jerky from Labadie, replica light bulbs for restorations at Houston, and TUMS at St.Louis.

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[30] WINTER OASIS Three orchid gardens at Kingsville, St. Louis, and Springfield wake up winter with their beautiful blooms.

[36] AT THE SPA: BOXERS OR BRIEFS? A couple's day at a Sedalia spa, told from the questioning perspective of a man, is relaxing and romantic.

[44] TOP 10 TOWNS We crunched all kinds of numbers, analyzed, and interviewed to find these 10 top towns.

[56] THIS BUILDING LIVES ...

One of two buildings in the world that is certified as “living" lives in Eureka. Find out what makes it alive.

ANDREW BARTON

[82] MISSOURIANA Fun Trivia

[60] MAPLE DELICIOUS: SHOW ME SYRUP Surprise! Missouri makes maple syrup too! Go to a festival, get great recipes, including the yummy cake on the cover, and get the step-by-step instructions to tap your own tree. Taste the real difference!

Content by Location 22 49 67

65, 15

24 48 15 47 50 82 65 56, 66, 67 48 49 31, 23 22 61 66 51 20 22, 51 23 35,66 65 47 20 15 65 34

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on the web>

MORE RECIPES, EVENTS, AND CONTESTS

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THE SPIR IT OF DISCOV ERY 515 East Morgan Street, Boonville, MO 65233 660-882-9898 • info@missourilife.com

Publisher Greg Wood Editor in Chief Danita Allen Wood Executive Office Manager Amy Stapleton EDITORIAL & ART Creative Director Andrew Barton Graphic Designer & Assistant Editor Sarah Herrera Graphic Designer Thomas Sullivan Calendar Editor Amy Stapleton Assistant Editors Sarah Alban, Lauren Hughes, Melissa Williams Columnists Doug Frost, Ron W. Marr, John Robinson Contributing Writers and Editors Amanda J. Barke, Wes Duplantier, Kathy Gangwisch, Lisa Waterman Gray, Nic Halverson, Barbara Gibbs Ostmann, Bryan T. Rankins, Sr., Stephanie Smith, Jim Winnerman, Callina Wood Contributing Photographer Nick Agro

Welcome to Mexico, Missouri.

Celebrating 175th birthday!

Mexico is a perfect combination of small town charm and urban style. Artsy boutiques and cultural offerings give Mexico a sophisticated air, but with a family-friendly attitude. Come visit us today!

MARKETING Senior Account Manager Josh Snoddy, 800-492-2593, ext. 112 or Josh.Snoddy@MissouriLife.com Senior Marketing Representatives Central: Sherry Broyles, 660-473-6448 or Sherry.Broyles@MissouriLife.com Southwest: Todd Hege, 417-576-5247 or Todd.Hege@MissouriLife.com St. Louis: David Barnett, 314-910-2889 or David.Barnett@MissouriLife.com DIGITAL MEDIA MissouriLife.com, Missouri Lifelines & Missouri eLife Editor Sarah Herrera

Upcoming Events MAY • Young At Arts Festival JUNE • Miss Missouri • Prairie Pine Quilt Show Mexico Young Farmers Annual Truck & Tractor Pull

TO SUBSCRIBE OR GIVE A GIFT AND MORE Use your credit card and visit MissouriLife.com or call 877-570-9898, or mail a check for $19.99 (special offer for 6 issues) to: Missouri Life, 515 East Morgan Street, Boonville, MO 65233-1252.

Change address: Visit mol.magserv.com/scc.php and enter e-mail address or your label information to access your account, or send both old and new addresses to us.

Expiration Date: Find it at the top right of your mailing label.

OTHER INFORMATION Custom Publishing: For your special publications, call 800-492-2593, ext. 106 or email Greg.Wood@missourilife.com.

Back Issues: Order from web site, call, or send check for $7.50.

1-800-581-2765 www.mexico-chamber.org • www.mexicomissouri.net info@mexico-chamber.org [6] MissouriLife

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Charles Kolarik/POPULOUS

April through October ENJOY A GUIDED TOUR through the Budweiser Clydesdales’ state-of-the-art breeding facility located in the rolling hills of Boonville, Missouri. This incredible facility is home to more than 100 Budweiser Clydesdales, ranging from foals to stallions.

Be sure to bring a camera to capture the grace and beauty of the Budweiser Clydesdales as they move freely in their natural environment and provide once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities.

Guided tours are offered by reservation only. Please visit www.warmspringsranch.com or call 1-888-WS-CLYDE (1-888-972-5933)

for more information.

[7] February Š 2010 2011 Anheusr-Busch, Inc. St. Louis, MO

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Memo

MISSOURI

LOOKING BACK, DUBIOUS AND FORWARD DISTINCTIONS THE ISSUE YOU ARE READING marks 12 years of publishing Missouri Life for me and Danita. This got me thinking about the past 12 years.

While we watched the events of 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and soaring unemployment, we continued to explore our state while dealing with our own small issues: a move, changes in personnel, and the inevitable computer crashes.

But while the major world events and minor Missouri Life events swirled around us, we have drawn closer to the things in life that really matter: our faith, our family, and our friends, including our Missouri Life family of friends.

We also try to find understanding for these world-changing events. And in some GREG WOOD, small way, I think our magazine helps us PUBLISHER do that because we connect you to the things that make life in Missouri better. Perhaps the most important hallmark of Missouri Life is that we find the positive in our state. > So, when I look back at these past 12 years I think about some of the great stories and photography we’ve brought into your home.

But, even more than that, I think about all the wonderful people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting from all walks of life, from all over the state. One of the most memorable people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting was one of Missouri’s all-time best baseball players. He was the founder of the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City, and I still have the baseball he signed for me. He died not long after that but he truly made the world a better place. He gave electrifying inspirational speeches, and I was fortunate to catch one of them at a banquet in Harrisonville.

It has been through meeting so many of you, our loyal readers, that I have heard so many wonderful stories and tidbits, and many of them have eventually wound up in print. In fact, in this very issue are several examples, such as the National Fish Hatchery at Neosho (page 15) and the Two Jerks beef jerky from Labadie (page 22). to tell. I > That is why I know know all I have to do is go out and talk to a Missouri Life subscriber, and I’ll hear about some event or someone doing something unusual—another story for us.

I also have seen a very strong connection between reading and traveling. We started Missouri Life because of that connection. We personally wanted to explore our state and share what we find. So in our own small way, we hope that reading Missouri Life will give you a new and fresh perspective on your life and on our state, and maybe even the world around you!

Buck O'Neil,

we'll never run out of stories

IN ABOUT A ONE-WEEK PERIOD

toward the end of 2010, I became aware of these three Missouri rankings: and > St. Louis and Kansas City show up as respectively, of the most dangerous cities in America, behind only Memphis, Tennessee. A Forbes magazine blog reported the ranking, which used FBI data on the number of violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2009 and Department of Transportation data on traffic fatalities per 100,000 residents in 2008. in the nation > Missouri is in food insecurity. Food insecurity is based on a U.S. Department of Agriculture survey and means someone in a household ate less food because they didn’t have enough money or other acDANITA ALLEN WOOD, EDITOR ceptable resources for food. Stealing or scavenging dumpsters is not acceptable; asking family for help is. Survey questions ranged from the milder: “We worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more,” to the severe, “Did you ever not eat for a whole day because there wasn’t enough money for food?” of the American Council > Missouri was also on the for an Energy Efficient Economy’s scorecard. Missouri is number 43 on the list, based on energy efficiency policy in six areas: utility and public benefits programs and policies; transportation policies; building energy codes; combined heat and power; state government initiatives; and appliance efficiency standards. > Especially with Valentine’s Day around the corner, while we’re thinking of love on a more intimate scale, it hit me that there really is Love your neighbor.

Love your neighbor by driving carefully and with full attention to the road—and not texting! Love your neighbor by helping those in need so that young people don’t turn to crime. Love your needy neighbor by giving gifts of food staples and supporting food banks.

Love your neighbor by … okay, I don’t know how to improve energy efficiency by loving your neighbor. But I’m less worried about that one anyway. In the same week, a Washington University building at Eureka was recognized as one of only two in the world that has a net-zero environmental impact and can generate as much energy as it uses in a year. (See story on page 56.) Perhaps improving technology will help us out with this one.

There are obvious ways we can each help with all of these dubious distinctions. Maybe, as we seek chocolates, dinner reservations, shows, getaways, and more for those we love, we can give a little love to our neighbors too.

number two

three,

number

number six

bottom 10

one simple solution:

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Marshall Intriguing

M I S S O U R I

Pennytown’s

Rich History

In the heartland of the nation with some of the richest farmland in the world, Marshall is home to folks who believe hospitality is their calling. Come visit soon and explore what we have to offer. We can’t wait to see you!

Visit these local sites: Friends of Pennytown Historic Site

Tour the last original structure still standing at the Pennytown Site, the Freewill Baptist Church. www.pennytownchurch.com ..... 816.373.3616

Jim the Wonder Dog Park

This beautiful garden pays tribute to Marshall’s most famous canine citizen, an extraordinary Llewellyn Setter named Jim. www.jimthewonderdog.com ...... 660.886.8191

Aviation Museum

Martin Community Center

The ideal location for any event - Holds up to 650 people. www.nicholasbeazley.org .......... 660.886.2630

Nicholas-Beazley Aviation Museum

Featuring antique airplanes & displays from Marshall historic aviation school and factory. www.nicholasbeazley.org .......... 660.886.2630

Saline County Fairgrounds

Home to the Saline County Fair, the Farm Toy Show, Missouri State Corn Husking Championships and the Missouri Valley College collegiate rodeo.

Highway 65 .................................. 660.886.2225

Upcoming Events

Excitement

Marshall Bow Hunters Snow Shoot - February 27 Indian Foothills Park.

Women In Agriculture - March 11 8th Annual Regional Conference. Martin Community Center. To register call 660.886.6908 or visit www.womeninag.net Marshall Bow Hunters 3-D Shoot - April 3 Indian Foothills Park. Call 660.886.2714 or visit www.marshallbowhunters.com

Area Events [9] February 2011

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FEBRUARY 2011

LETTERS from all over You write them. We print them.

MISLEADING HEADLINE While applauding your article on Governor Nixon and his wife (October 2010), I feel the title was misleading as your article states he has only been to 61 out of 85. Perhaps the title should have been “Governor’s Quest to Visit Every State Park” or something in that order and a possible follow up later about the Governor finishing his quest. I think there are too many half-truths concerning political figures.

Many people in the state have visited all the state parks and historical sites several times.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. We are on our third round of completing the 85 park

Gov. Jay Nixon at Montauk State Park

and historical areas in our great state.

— JoAnn Portell, Cadet We are tense with regret because our use of the

Catholics, etc., if a family were of that faith and

SWEET SWOOSH OF WINDMILLS

simple present tense [Our Governor Visits Every

mistreated their animals. We are all individuals,

I just finished reading the story by John Robinson,

Park] rather than a present progressive or continu-

people making choices, some good, some bad.

“Inspiration Amid Loess” (December 2010) and

ous tense [is visiting] or the future tense [will visit]

… The Amish by far in our area do the opposite

caused you to think we meant past tense [visited].

regarding their animals as those observed by the

I had the privilege to attend a weekend at

But it’s our fault, not the governor’s. Gov. Jay Nixon

writer. They depend upon their animals for their

Conception Abbey with my oldest grandson last

visited the last of the 85 state park and historical

livelihood and by far take care of their animals as

fall. After walking back to my room after evening

sites in November 2010. —Editor

the Bible instructs. …

prayers, the sweet, calm, swoosh of the windmills

everyday because of where I work. I took the

put a finishing touch on a God-filled day. Peace.

— Sandie Hahn, Galena

NOT OUR AMISH!

luxury of asking several of my Amish “buddies”

Thank you for the great article regarding the

their feelings regarding the mistreatment of the

Amish in Jamesport. Being the wife of Jim Smith,

animals mentioned in the letter. My friends were

READING FOR THE BLIND

the tour guide for Step Back in Time Tours in

appalled, and want it to be known that the mis-

Minds Eye Information Service is a reading ser-

Jamesport, and a subscriber to Missouri Life

treatment of those animals in the Parkville area

vice for the blind serving the St. Louis area. We

already, I read with interest the letters in the

are the exception rather than the rule.

provide free closed-circuit radios and access to

October issue commenting on the Amish.

— Lanita Sconce Smith, Jamesport

One writer expressed that the Amish in the

our password-protected website to people who are blind or physically disabled so that they can

writer’s area were ‘cruel’ to their animals and

SEND US A LETTER

wrote “the way they treat their horses is unforgivable.” Her comment that “they [the horses] are never washed, allowed to rest adequately or

hear volunteers reading from magazines, newspapers, books, and more. … I’d like to ask that you consider donating Minds Eye a subscription to Missouri Life. … When we asked them what

fed well” was a generalization that all Amish do

Email:

kinds of materials they’d like to hear, they’ve

this. … One cannot make a generalization about

Fax:

asked for more magazines about the state.

a whole group of people because the people who

Address:

— Marjorie Williams, Executive Director

are Amish in her area are not humane to their an-

Belleville, Illinois

imals. That is an individual’s choice, not a whole

We’re happy to donate a subscription,

group of people’s belief. One would not make the

and readers who would like to help may

same generalization about Baptists, Methodists,

visit www.mindseye-radio.org. —Editor

REBECCA SMITH; COURTESY WILLIAM C. FARMER, ATCHISON COUNTY MAIL

I serve the Amish and non-Amish in Jamesport

about the windmills that some complain about.

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Boonville

Discover the Treasures of Boonville

The First Battle of Boonville

More than 100 Clydesdales

Civil War Re-enactment 150th Commemoration

Enjoy a guided tour through the Budweiser Clydesdales state-ofthe-art breeding facility located in the rolling hills of Boonville.

This incredible facility is home to more than 100 Clydesdales.

Guided group tours will begin again in April of 2011.

Join us for this historic re-enactment June 17th, 18th and 19th 2011 at the Dr. Avery Farm, the original site of the Civil War battle.

For more information call, 660-537-4000 or 660-621-2105

Big Muddy Folk Festival

April 1st & 2nd, 2011 friendsofhistoricboonville.org [12] MissouriLife

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Downtown Boonville Whether you’re tasting wine at Cooper’s Oak Winery, strolling through the art gallery, or attending a performance at Thespian Hall, Downtown Boonville offers a welcoming mix of shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences.

All this in an inviting, historic setting that provides a great time for family and friends.

Boonville is an ideal weekend getaway. Escape the city and have big fun in this small town. With over 450 hotel and B & B rooms, Boonville offers many lodging options from budget to luxury.

Take A Walk or Bike the Katy Trail Whether you’re new to two-wheeled transportation or a seasoned cyclist, the Katy Trail offers fun and fitness for everyone, and Boonville’s Trail Head is one of the best places to enjoy it.

Stop in at Boonville’s historic Katy Depot to learn all about what Boonville has to offer.

he fd

200 Years of Missouri History Await Your Arrival.

Win a Boonville Weekend Getaway goboonville.com 660-882-2721

Embrace the historic past of the region by taking a self-guided tour through Boonville and Cooper County. Beautiful plantation homes, an old country store, historic churches, and colorful quilt barns are less than a gas tank away. Or enjoy a walking tour around Boonville. A few highlights of the walking tour include the Old Jail and Hanging Barn, the Walt Williams birthplace home, and beautiful views of the Missouri River. Maps are available online, or at the Chamber/Tourism office.

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$50 off $450 retail

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Monday - Friday: 7:30 am [14] - 5 MissouriLife pm • Closed Saturday and Sunday 014 ML0211.indd 14

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Zest FOR LIFE

second-hand perfection DALE ROHMAN, “America’s Flower Man,” has now opened The Second-Hand Rose in New Town at St. Charles. Dale, who grew up in the St. Louis area and raised his children in Missouri, has been a regular guest on HGTV, the Discovery Channel, and the DIY Network and has made appearances on NBC’s Today Show and Later Today

OLD MEETS NEW

as well as CNN’s morning news program. He has

THE NEOSHO NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY, the nation’s oldest

comforting as possible. He also wants people to

operating federal fish hatchery, has unveiled a new visitor center. It sports state-of-the-art energy efficient technology yet maintains the original building’s stately Victorian-era design and the original stone raceways built by the Work Progress Administration. Only two of the 69 national hatcheries have a visitor’s center; the other is in Kentucky.

More than 100,000 visitors a year are expected to tour the new center, but the facility is still a research and production hatchery. The hatchery has produced more than 130 species of fish since its creation in 1888, including fresh-, cold-, and warm-water fish. Today, the facility primarily produces 100,000 rainbow trout annually to restock Lake Taneycomo.

The pallid sturgeon is the main research target, and the sturgeons raised here are released in the Missouri River in several states. Research is also beginning on mussels, especially mud puppies, which are endangered in Iowa and of concern here.

Youngsters can catch trout out of the spring-fed holding ponds at the annual Fishing Derby, on the first Friday in June.

The new visitor center has many interactive exhibits and displays, including one for kids where they can put their heads into a glass bubble inside the aquarium.

know that second-hand really means stunning

www.fws.gov/Midwest/Fisheries/library/neosho-friends-group.pdf • 417-451-055

displays that feature antique lace doilies and

also written several books.

Dale wants his new shop to be as warm and

treasures. The Second-Hand Rose follows the inspiration that the greatest pieces were “once loved, still cherished.” Dale seeks to preserve exceptional items in new ways, combining beautiful classics with newer items, such as antique, hand-painted china with modern coffee cups, to create his characteristic eclectic style.

The unique shop offers antiques, furniture, handmade quilts, wall décor, home accessories, books, florals, glass, pet items, and decorations for special occasions and holidays—all selected with his discerning eye. Valentine’s Day brings hearts of all shapes, sizes, and kinds, including heart-shaped cookies, lollipops, and fabric sachets, and special decorated Valentine boxes.

Mostly, he says the shop “will feature a lot of love, not just for couples, but also for children and

COURTESY OF LARRY JAMES AND DALE ROHMAN; GREG WOOD

Mark Twain in Words & Music

our four-legged friends.” —Melissa Williams www.thesecond-handrose.com • 636-724-7673

A STAR-STUDDED CAST of bluegrass and country musicians, including Brad Paisley, Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, Allison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, and Rhonda Vincent lend their voices to a project of The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal. Along with Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Carl Jackson, the museum is releasing Mark Twain: Words and Music, a CD paying tribute to Twain’s life-story in spoken word and song. Clint Eastwood, Garrison Keillor, and Jimmy Buffet will narrate.

Brainchild of museum executive director Cindy Lovell, a passionate, lifelong fan of both bluegrass and all things Twain, the project first started taking shape five years ago, when she began planning for the 100th anniversary of Twain's death in 2010.

Cindy pitched the idea to her childhood-friend, Carl Jackson. “I was very intrigued,” he says. “It’s so inspirational to read Twain’s words and then write songs around them.” —Nic Halverson www.marktwainmuseum.org • 573-221-9010

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

by Joe McCune

J

oel Heller wants to tell you something.

About art and community. About idea becoming vision becoming reality, an organic thing, breathing and alive. About days and nights spent behind a camera, in an editing room, in a screening room. Most of all, Joel wants to tell you about how images on film have power, the power to inspire, the power to tell the truth — the power to bring together like-minded people in celebration of what’s possible.

He wants to tell you about the eighth annual True/False Film Fest running March 3 to 6 at several venues in and around downtown Columbia:

“They elevate films from just something you watch to an event.”

Joel is the writer and producer of the documentary Winnebago Man, which was released in about 100 theaters in summer 2010. He was a second assistant editor for The Life of David Gale, a 2003 film that starred Kevin Spacey. He is involved in all aspects of filmmaking.

So, you know Joel knows what he’s talking about.

“They put the focus on creating a community,” Joel says of True/False co-founders Paul Sturtz and David Wilson. “… It’s about focusing on, ‘How do you create four or five days every year that combine people in exciting ways?’ ” Paul and David have answered that question the previous seven years, mixing their documentary film festival with art and music to create a fan and industry favorite. And if ticket sales are any indication, patrons believe in what True/ False is all about. More than three months before this year’s festival, the total allotment of the all-access $500 Super Circle passes — 34 — were sold out, David says. But there are still plenty of opportunities for festival-goers to see movies, of course.

And to participate in the fun of the

festival. Local and national bands, such as They Might Be Giants, have played in conjunction with True/False in recent years. And the local artist community is intimately involved in building sets and creating artistic elements and film bumpers — shorts shown before movies run — that enhance parties and other events surrounding the T/F festival, David says.

A NEW TREE FOR FORREST Columbians such as Michael Marcum will display their work. Michael is back for a sixth year with a new tree to add to the previous five assembled at the film venue Forrest Theater at the Tiger Ballroom.

Previous trees have combined metal, wire, and other items such as coffee cans, Michael says.

“It’s good for the community,” Michael says of True/False, “and it brings out the best in Columbia.”

That camaraderie remains a driving force behind the True/False Film Fest. Without it, the festival wouldn’t be the same, wouldn’t be what it is and has become.

“The sense of community is talked about all the time,” David says between bites of a pastry and sips of coffee at Uprise Bakery, which shares a downtown Columbia building with the Ragtag Cinema. “We’ve always thought about serving two audiences. One is a sort of relatively small audience of people in the international documentary community.

Most filmmakers are kind of off on their own, in the trenches, making their movies, and they surface every year or two years and play festivals and then go back to the trenches.

“The other audience, a much bigger audience by numbers, is our local audience, the people in Columbia and beyond. They come to True/False and get their world expanded and their minds blown and feel part of a global community.”

As soon as the 2010 True/False festival wrapped up, David was off to Austin’s

South by Southwest to meet with other documentary festival organizers and check out the films shown there. Since then, he says, he has gone to at least eight other festivals last fall, including the International Documentary Film Festival

Out of 700 to 800 films reviewed, only 35 will make the cut.

Amsterdam (IDFA) along with ones in Sheffield, England; Camden, Maine; and Morelia, Mexico. Documentaries from those venues and others, such as the Sundance Film Festival in Colorado, are considered for True/False along with director or producer submissions.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

“We like the density, the compactness, the intensity of the moment in the weekend.�

THE RATING SCALE David, Paul and another 10 or so screeners work throughout the fall and into December and January to create the film lineup, which is locked in by Feb. 1. Most volunteer screeners will watch at least 50 films, and others, such as Hank Ottinger, watch upwards of 100.

Hank, a retired Westminster College professor, taught classes on film for 25 years and is in his second year as a T/F reviewer. He watched 104 documentaries the first year and surpassed it for the 2011 edition, rating each on a 0.0 to 10.0 scale and writing short

A whirlwind weekend filled with art, music and great film.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

reviews about them. Anything below a 7, Hank says, won’t be seen at True/False.

Out of 700 to 800 films reviewed, only 35 will make the cut. Lots of great documentaries aren’t right for True/False, David says.

“We like work that is more narrative, more character-driven, more cinematic,” he says. “Those are things we’re looking for. We’re looking for craft and storytelling.

We don’t program based on topic — ever.

We don’t really care what the film’s about.

If you can make a great film about how you couldn’t find your wallet this morning, we’ll show it.”

That focus on craft and storytelling ultimately leads to the festival, which “has a sort of transforming effect on the city for a few days,” Hank says.

That transformation revolves around documentaries shown at The Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts,The Blue Note, the two-screen Ragtag Cinema, Forrest theater, Stephens College’s Macklanburg Playhouse and Windsor Auditorium, and a new venue, The Globe Theater at First Presbyterian Church.

The addition of another venue shows how True/False has become a destination for filmmakers and filmgoers alike while retaining its small-city charm — home grown but world wise.

A smaller festival brings an intimacy you can’t find at industry behemoths Sundance, IDFA, or the Toronto International Film Festival, Joel says.

From a few thousand people its first year, to 9,000 to 10,000 attendees last year, True/False has become more than just Columbia’s festival. But keeping it intimate is a goal the festival co-founders want to retain even while its industry footprint grows every year.

“We’re really committed to it being an event of a certain size,” David says.

“We’re not taking steps to making it bigger than that. Sure, we could get more attendance if we were to become a weeklong festival, but we’re not interested in that, really. We like the density, the compactness, the intensity of the moment in the weekend.”

TRUE VISION John Pierson has helped produce first works by filmmakers Spike Lee, Kevin Smith, Michael Moore, and Richard Linklater. He wrote the book Spike, Mike, Slackers, & Dykes: A Guided Tour Across a Decade of American Independent Cinema. He long ago made his bones in the industry, so these days he teaches film at the University of Texas, Austin. Oh, and his wife, Janet, is the producer of the South by Southwest Film Festival and Conference. Although his duties at SXSW keep him from attending True/False these days, John still admires the festival from afar.

“I’m a huge fan and supporter from the early days,” he says from his home in Austin. What he sees as bloated excess in festivals such as Sundance, which gives out prizes in a dizzying array of categories — nearly 30 in all — is noticeably absent in True/False, he says.

The only award T/F gives, The True Vision Award, is presented to a filmmaker or filmmakers whose work shows dedication to the creative advancement of nonfiction filmmaking.

“The great thing about True/False is that it’s non-competitive,” John says. “I’m old-school. I hate prizes. Let the people make their own choice on what they like and don’t like.”

And after seven successful years, now going on eight, filmmakers and filmgoers alike have resoundingly declared that they like — heck, maybe love — the True/False Film Fest.

So, David is asked, what does he see for the future? Just how long can True/ False last?

“Eight,” he says, “is for infinity, right?”

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Silver Circle Pass ($300)

• Admission for one person to festival films from Thursday through Sunday.

• Admission to all T/F field trips and parties, including the Filmmaker Fete, Reality Bites, @ction, and secret soirees; the Jubilee and the Saturday morning Weird Wake Up (both with a reserved ticket) • Ability to reserve tickets online 48 hours before Lux passholders and 96 hours before Simple passholders.

• Walk-up privileges at the Missouri Theatre, Blue Note and Windsor; preferred access via the Q at other venues • One of our coveted True/False festival swag bags

• Early announcements of festival happenings and film selection news throughout the year

Lux Pass ($145)

• Admission for one person to festival films from Thursday through Sunday • Admission to special events and parties, including Reality Bites and the Friday night @ction party; the Jubilee and the Saturday morning Weird Wake Up (both with a reserved ticket) • Ability to reserve tickets online 48 hours before Simple passholders

• Admission to any film without a ticket (via the Q) on a space-available basis The Lux Pass does not include admission to the Filmmaker Fete.

The Jubilee ($25)

Having reached the ripe old age of eight, True/False is ready to kick off the Fest with a fancy-pants gala. Put on your tux, bear suit, little black dress, or funkiest get-up while you masquerade with the rest of the muckety-mucks at the Missouri Theatre (we hope!). Catch the first screening of the fest, kick up your heels at a post-movie concert, and partake of the plentiful libations.

One ticket to the Jubilee is included with each Super Circle, Silver Circle, and Lux pass.

Additional Jubilee tickets may be purchased at the time of purchase of a Super, Silver, or Lux pass. (Simple passes are not eligible to purchase Jubilee tickets online). Remaining tickets to the Jubilee will be available for purchase at the Box Office starting Thursday, March 3. Simple passholders will not be able to Q for admission to the Jubilee.

Simple Pass ($60)

• Ability to reserve up to ten tickets online for films from Friday - Sunday before the box office opens to the public • Admission to any film without a ticket (via the Q) on a space-available basis • New for 2011: gain admission to Thursday night films for free via the Q, with the exception of the Jubilee at the Missouri Theater.

Online reservation for Thursday night films is not included.

• Admission to the Friday night @ction party for $10

The Simple Pass does not include the ability to reserve tickets online for Thursday films nor admission to special events or parties.

Gateway Packet ($30)

• This pass grants you the ability to make online reservations to three screenings (one ticket per person per screening). You’ll get to select your films from a list compiled by our programmers especially for the Gateway.

• Not only do you get to reserve tickets before the box office opens to the general public, you’ll also be able to pick up your tickets during a “Gateway and Passholder Only” pick-up period.

Q

• Arrive 60 minutes before show time and claim a number and you will have a chance to buy a ticket for the show.

truefalse.org (573)442-TRUE

5 South Ninth St. Columbia, MO 65201

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ML

Zest FOR LIFE

UNDER THE COVERS Find these books at bookstores or at www.amazon.com unless otherwise noted.

Cat of the Century

By Rita Mae Brown, Bantam Books, 216 pages, $26, hardcover, fiction Rita Mae Brown, well known for Rubyfruit Jungle, Six of One, Loose Lips, and many other books, locates her latest novel at William Woods University at Fulton. She lives in Virginia and writes frequently about the horse country there, but this time, she brings her animal sleuths in the latest of her Sneaky Pie Brown series to Missouri to celebrate Tally Urquhat’s one hundreth birthday. Tally is a fictional character, but several real William Woods people become part of the mystery, including Dr. Jahnae Barnett, president of the university; Gayle Lampe, equestrian instructor; and Kenda Shindler, Dr. Barnett’s assistant.

Right away, the animal sleuths sniff out trouble. A corgi, a tiger cat, and a rotund gray cat discover murder, money mismanagement, canes with swords hidden inside, pottery filled with an unknown substance, a 40-year-old unsolved murder, and plenty of intrigue to keep you wondering what can happen next.

Rita became friends with instructor Gayle Lampe in the 1980s through horses, and later, Rita was invited to speak at a William Woods commencement. Rita accepted, and now the school is featured in her book. But Sneaky Pie, Rita’s coauthor cat, will tell you it was her idea to write a novel based at William Woods. —Amy Stapleton

By Laura L. Valenti, Infinity Publishing (self-published), 161 pages, $12.95, softcover, historical fiction The author, a resident of Bennett Springs for more than 30 years, tells how it became one of Missouri’s early state parks in this novel that mixes historical people in the region with fictional characters, moonshine, romance, and conflict.

Letters to Eliza

By Jan Kirsch, self-published, 81 pages, $10.95, softcover, nonfiction The author began letters to her granddaughter upon learning she had cancer. Her first book, Winter Body, Summer Soul, was pure poetry in her story of her battle with ovarian cancer. This book also uses vignettes of one to three pages to tell poignant comingof-age stories. The author now has three grandchildren as she continues her battle with cancer.

Two books document the history of blacks in Missouri.

White Man’s Heaven, the Lynching and Expulsion of Blacks in the Southern Ozarks, 1894-1909

By Kimberly Harper, University of Arkansas Press, 256 pages, 32 photographs, index, $34.95, hardcover, nonfiction This fascinating and horrifying history of post-Civil War violence toward blacks centers on Monett, Pierce City, Joplin, Springfield, and also Harrison, Arkansas, and draws on court records, newspaper articles, penitentiary records, letters, and diaries.

African Americans in Mid-Missouri

By Rose M. Nolen, The History Press, 105 pages, 37 photographs or illustrations, $34.95, softcover, nonfiction The author documents remarkable African Americans from Columbia and Sedalia.

ANDREW BARTON

The Heart of the Spring

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HEAVY-DUTY,

SNOW-EATING

MACHINES. HAL HEIDENREICH

Greenleaf Mowing Spokane, WA

®

Visit throwmoresnow.com or call 620-345-8621 for more information.

HE GRASSHOPPER COMPANY © 2010 [21] TFebruary 2011

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Made

IN MISSOURI

Jackson

BY MELISSA WILLIAMS

GOING TO THE DOGS ORGANIC DOG FOOD was homemade by Victoria McDowell for her dogs about eight years ago as an alternative to commercial dog food. Then, in 2005, Miss Autumn’s Barkery was born, named after her dogs, Missy and Autumn, and located in Jackson. Her pet food options are all organic and natural, but the taste is gourmet. Whole vegetables and meaty chunks are visible in the thick stock, which pets and pet parents both appreciate.

As a pet-friendly and earth-friendly company, Victoria promises that no fillers, added growth hormones, antibiotic-fed protein sources, or artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors can be found in any of her products. Her canine food options include turkey and brown rice, turkey and sweet potato, and buffalo and brown rice.

Miss Autumn’s Barkery claims to be the only company in the world that offers custom diets for dogs. Clients can request special meals made to the exact dietary requirements that their pooches need, as prescribed by their veterinarian.

For treats, the Barkery’s organic chicken flavor and parsley dog treats come in large and small dog varieties. Victoria is also planning a line of beef and turkey jerky treats. The food and treats can be found at Schnucks grocery stores and online through their website.www.missautumnsbarkery.com • 1-866-703-6433

Labadie

Very Cherry

IN 1876, Dr. George Washington Chase of

Eat Like A Jerk

St. Joseph opened a produce business to help make

THE CHIEF JERK,

Don Self,

has no problem calling himself that, and his

ends meet for his family. His eldest son, Ernest, convinced Dr. Chase to open a can-

business partner and friend, Dale Prichard, is the “Work Jerk.”

dy factory on the second floor of their shop, an idea that worked so well the family

But their official job descriptions are Operations Manager and Production Manager

soon focused entirely on the popular chocolate and peanut candies. Then, in 1918,

at A Couple o’ Jerks. Don first began making his own jerky more than 25 years ago in Texas,

Chase created Cherry Mash, chopped peanuts in a chocolate coating over a cherry

where he claims he “fell in love with pepper.”

fondant center, made with real maraschino cherries. Chase Candy has sold more

St. Louis for a job as a utility consultant. After

A few years later, in 1989, Don moved to numerous attempts by friends and family to

than 500 different kinds of candy, but Cherry Mash is the company’s best seller, in

convince him to try selling the product, Don finally presented his taste-tested and time-

both original and bite sizes. It is still made in St. Joseph, and in 2005, the company

approved jerky to the public.

built a new custom-designed plant. www.cherrymash.com • 1-800-786-1625

selling handmade beef jerky since 2008, and

Now, the two friends have been making and

COURTESY OF MISS AUTUMN’S BARKERY AND A COUPLE O’ JERKS; ANDREW BARTON

Winfield

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Dale Prichard, left, and Don Self

COURTESY OF LEWIS-HOWE COMPANY; COURTESY OF OLD LIGHT BULB SHOP

even though they’re new to the business, their Original Spicy recipe won first place in the 2010 international Scovie awards, the world’s leading recognition for the best flavors in hot and spicy foods.

The Jerks use only high-quality beef to ensure the best flavor and texture. Don and Dale are confident of their product, too, and challenge customers to “just try us once. Then go back to your old brand ... if you can!”

The “Jerkery” is located in Labadie, west of St. Louis, and is open for visitors—just call before you come. Their three flavors, Original Spicy, Mild(er), and Wimpy (aka Teriyaki) are

THE BATTERIES THAT SAVED APOLLO 13 WERE MADE IN JOPLIN.

Saint Louis

TUM TUM TUM TUM TUMS! AMERICA’S most popular stomach-soothing product is the result of a helpful husband’s concern for his wife. St. Louis pharmacist Jim Howe developed the gentle, fast-acting remedy in 1928 to help cure his wife’s occasional indigestion, especially while traveling overseas. Word spread about Howe’s great-tasting tablet that provided quick relief from heartburn and stomach pain, and soon fellow ship passengers were begging for the miracle product.

In 1930, the Lewis-Howe Company began commercial production of TUMS at their current location in downtown St. Louis, across from Busch Stadium. Eighty years later, an estimated 95 percent of all Tums products are produced there, though the parent company, GlaxoSmithKline, is based in London. www.tums.com

Houston

This Little Light

THE OLD LIGHT BULB SHOP, six miles south of Houston on Highway 63, is where John and Linda Casey manufacture replica carbon-filament bulbs. These bulbs are similar to the kind Thomas Edison spent so much of his life developing. Attaching the filament to the stem is tedious and time consuming. Still, having that inventor’s spirit can pay off, as John and Linda’s vintage-style bulbs have appeared in several movies, including Casper , the Batman movies, and The Green Mile. But mostly, they sell accurate bulbs for

available on their website, and through local

historic home restoration.

grocery stores. www.acoupleojerks.com

www.oldlightbulbshop.com

• 888-896-5375.

• 417-962-3882

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KING OF THE

Road

Chance ENCOUNTERS Cruising around Centralia BY JOHN ROBINSON

THE CONGRESSMAN

survived. Headed north out of Columbia on the old stagecoach line that extended from Jefferson City to Paris, he had nearly reached Centralia when robbers stopped his progress.

The robbers, a band of bushwhackers, would have murdered at least two passengers, had they known the true identity of Boone County Sheriff James Waugh and Congressman James S. Rollins. But even as the congressman and sheriff were lying about their true identities, they were saved by the bell, or more precisely, the whistle.

Stagecoach robberies and farmhouse raids were sidebar windfalls for this gang. Their real purpose focused on wreaking guerilla mayhem on Union forces. Bloody Bill Anderson relished disrupting the railroads that fed a steady stream of Union soldiers to the area. So when the robbers heard the whistle signaling an approaching train, they galloped to Centralia to intercept it. What followed is a Civil War story so dramatic that it begs for a movie script.

I followed the route of the robbed representative, now called Route B, toward Centralia. My Pontiac melded into the queue and we drove north. This ribbon of road brings a steady stream of oncoming commuters headed to work in Columbia’s factories and schools, hospitals, and insurance companies.

The heavy traffic along Route B has brought change to its way stations. Hallsville just got a stoplight. It’s a rite of passage for small communities when they install their

first stop ’n’ go signal and graduate to the gridlock of modern electronic gadgets.

Idling at the stoplight, I recalled my first visit to Centralia. As a student in a career pursuit now defined by Mad Men, I enrolled in a journalism course called “Ad Campaigns.”

While other student teams built balloony promotions for Worlds of Fun, my advertising team tackled the industrial-strength challenge of promoting the 125 Kv Connector.

Unless you’re intimate with a utility truck, there’s no reason you’d know about the 125 Kv Connector, or its maker, the A.B. Chance Company of Centralia. They don’t advertise on TV. You don’t buy their products at Spiffy Mart. But you depend on them. In the corporate world, Chance was swallowed by a company called Hubbell Power Systems.

But the Chance factory still makes connectors for America’s electric grid. They’ve made ’em since shortly after Albert Bishop Chance founded the company back in 1912. Thanks to such heavy gauge electric connectors, small towns can erect pretty stoplights.

It was nearly 40 years ago when our student team was invited to the inner sanctum of A.B. Chance. There, I learned a valuable lesson. As a fledgling presenter with split ends that hadn’t felt shears for four years, I entered a roomful of crew cuts. This was during the turmoil of the early ’70s, when long hair caused Communism, and crew cuts caused conservatism. Despite appearances, Chance bought our idea.

Looks can be deceiving.

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ANDREW BARTON

Union Covered Bridge is a state historic site and one of only four remaining in Missouri. Some lower clapboards were removed to allow recent floodwater to pass through more easily.

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KING OF THE

Road From left: The 23-acre Battle of Centralia site has been preserved. The Chatol House reflects International and Moderne styles. The A.B. Chance Company has anchored Centralia since 1912.

Nobody knows Missouri like John Robinson.

the next one.

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ANDREW BARTON

Even though the Chance factory and distribution depot sprawl along the confluence of three railroads—the Gateway Western, the Norfolk & Southern and the Columbia Terminal Railroad, called COLT—Centralia is much more than a company town. Away from the industry, Centralia looks like a thousand other comfortable rural communities. Modest homes sit behind the giant oaks and maples that line broad, sleepy streets, some paved with curbs and sidewalks, some not.

Centralia is a city well-managed, by most accounts, and comfortable. Pleasant smalltown chatter rises among the patrons in the fast food restaurants along Highway 22. At Rio Grand Mexican Restaurant, conversations center on the town’s football team, perennial contestants for state champs in a category for schools with less than a thousand students.

The town still exudes much of its character by chance. On Sneed Street stands the Albert Bishop Chance house and gardens. This Queen Anne-style beauty is a history museum, on the National Register of Historic Places. The gardens feature stone arches, gates and grottoes—and 400 varieties of roses. Joining that estate on the National Register is nearby Chatol, built for F. Gano Chance, A.B.’s son.

Designed in a blend of Moderne and International styles, Chatol is a blend of two family names: Chance, of course, and Mrs. Chance’s maiden name, Toalson.

Approaching downtown, I passed a vacant lot on a street corner that offers a clear view

Bloody Bill Anderson & Jesse James came to town and executed 24 unarmed soldiers. of an old brick building off the town square.

The building is unremarkable, similar to a thousand others of its early twentieth century vintage. But it wears a unique tattoo on its flank. The Prairie Queen mural on the side wall shows highlights of the town’s history, including the old railroad station that was the scene of a slaughter.

On September 27, 1864, Bloody Bill Anderson’s guerilla gang, including a young recruit named Jesse James, came to town to disrupt the North Missouri Railroad, a supply route for the Union. Many gang members wore blue uniforms, disguised as Union troops.

The bushwhackers intercepted a train carrying furloughed Union soldiers as the engineer rolled up to a blockade at the rail station.

Anderson’s men boarded the train and robbed civilians of their watches and jewelry, then forced the unarmed soldiers and passengers off the train. They made the engineer set the train’s throttle at full speed, sending the empty train hurtling down the tracks to

crash a few miles out of town. The marauders ordered the soldiers to strip down, and 24 unarmed federals, on furlough after months of fighting, were executed in what became known as the Centralia Massacre. Anderson was just warming up to the carnage.

The highways leading out of Centralia quickly lead to rural farmland and forests, just as they did during the Civil War. In a field off Route Z, things are peaceful now, punctuated only by the occasional train whistle from the three modern railroads that intersect in town. But in the hours following the massacre, with black smoke pluming into the clear sky, Union Major Andrew Vern Emen Johnston, known to his troops as Ave, got wind of the massacre. Enraged, he led 155 mounted soldiers into town. On the outskirts, three bushwhackers thumbed their noses at Johnson and his men, enticing the pursuing Union cavalry into a bloody box ambush in a farm field. They killed 123 federals, and according to accounts, Jesse James fired the shot that killed their commander. It took 142 years to mark this spot with a monument.

That monument happened by chance.

Jack Chance. Jack’s slight frame and thinning hair betray his retirement stage of life.

I don’t know if he’s retired. Not even sure what his job is or was, but I know his passion. With his family’s local fame and fortune, Jack Chance could accomplish anything he wanted. What he wanted was a commemoration of this battle, on the very field where it

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KING OF THE

Road

your

FIND WAY!

happened. He has allies, including a pair of influential writers who buy their ink by the barrel as publisher and editor of the Columbia Daily Tribune. I stood with Jack on the day the monument was dedicated. We moved to the edge of the open field surrounded on three sides by woods and joined a thousand onlookers as the first reenactors of the Battle of Centralia demonstrated what happened here five generations ago.

Now the site is marked, and as long as Jack Chance is watching, I feel confident that the battlefield will remain preserved. The Centralia battlefield is a too-rare exception among the scores of unmarked Civil War battle sites in this state. Missouri saw more battles than any other state except Virginia and Tennessee, but many of the skirmishes were small and haven’t been appropriately marked. I thanked Jack Chance for his dedication, waved to the reenactors in blue and gray, and drove north.

Not 10 minutes out of town, I was well into the countryside again. Along my travels, I’ve seen all kinds of yard decorations, some cluttery, some trashy, some of it art. The latter is on display on Route T, where Larry Vennard shows off his ironclad animals. A self-described construction gypsy who’s lived in 43 states, Larry now lives among his lifelike iron sculptures, welded into dinosaurs and birds and bugs and critters. Unlike real fauna, these ferrous critters will stand the test of time.

Union Covered Bridge survives, off the beaten path, one of four remaining covered

819

(to Union Covered Bridge)

M

D

M

15

151

E C

22

15

63 (to Columbia)

70

T

Centralia 22 124 Mexico Hallsville

B

54

bridges in Missouri that share the same oxymoronic fate: they lead nowhere. Their rivers dried up. Or their roads changed course as the march toward civilization took another route. Having served their time underfoot, they retired to the highest rank in the bridge family: destinations.

Union Covered Bridge stands as graceful and elegant as the oaks from which it was sliced. A dozen generations of young lovers have courted through its belly, making dreams, popping proposals.

And carving graffiti. Seriously, I think someone transcribed a phone book across the mighty span’s oaken shoulders. Names and numbers. Hearts and arrows. And dates.

Like a big wooden wedding register. No matter: the carvings are superficial wounds in the skin of the oaks, long since drained of their blood. The structure remains unbowed.

Out of habit, I picked up an armload of beer cans and Styrofoam cups, plastic lids, and other trash I’d spied on the grounds and wandered around looking for a receptacle. A lone driver pulled into the parking lot. His car wasn’t official, but he had a formidable antenna on top, the kind used by deputies and their helpers. “Whattaya doin’?” the driver leaned over to ask through the passenger window.

“Lookin’ for a trash can.”

“Gone. Vandals threw it in the river.”

“Vandals.” I spat, as I dropped my trash in a neat pile next to a sign describing the covered bridge. He climbed out of his car. I stuck out my hand and introduced myself.

He shook my hand. “Darwin Marshall,” he replied, from under his U.S. Army Veteran ball cap. He explained that he stops by to check on this old relic just about every time he passes. That’s almost every day. He travels to Paris, a dozen miles north, to get a big city daily newspaper. “Can’t get one in Centralia.” I think he just likes to get out and drive.

Darwin has lived all over the United States working as a first-class engineer for radio and television stations. But a few years back, he retired to Centralia. “County mountie says I oughta come by when I’m passin’ through, check things out.”

I’m glad somebody’s watching the old span’s back, especially somebody with a radio. I thanked Darwin and drove north toward Paris.

It’s an old stagecoach route a congressman once traveled, so I’ve been told.

ANDREW BARTON

Part of the pleasure

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From left: The Elk Fork of the Salt River flows away from Union Covered Bridge.The Prairie Queen mural highlights area history, and the train crossing is near the site of the Centralia Massacre.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! The Centralia Historical Society Museum

The Prairie Queen mural

Rio Grand Mexican restaurant

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1

Orchids at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis inspire an exotic Mayan theme this year.

COURTESY OF MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN

3 warm orchid Gardens give a hint of paradise in the cold of winter

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Winter

3

Oasis

by Sarah Alban

2

1) Wilsonara 2) Orchids amongst verdant tropical foliage 3) Cymbidium Tom Thumb ‘Caliope’

If you crave warmth, sunshine, and the spring blossoms that can never come soon enough to help you cope with the final weeks of winter, visit the annual orchid show at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.

Inside the gardens, a lavish jungle winds around paths covered in fog—a scene constructed by the garden’s floral display team of staff and volunteers. You can take a walk through time as well as the jungle, because this year’s theme is “Flora Maya.”

A floral team from St. Louis, led by show organizer Pat Scace, wanted to foreshadow the coming of 2012, the year the Mayan calendar predicts a worldwide apocalypse.

If that conjures images of the Hollywood blockbuster movie entitled 2012, which features the Mayan prediction and the world selfdestructing in a scene of chaotic mayhem, don’t worry—the orchid show is not that scary.

Mayan-themed mannequins dot the jungle, almost hiding among the orchids because of their verdant, moss-covered skin. They wear heavy headdresses made out of bold botanical materials: bright orange flowers; long, slotted leaves; and dried berries.

Their headdresses, designed by members of the American Institute of Floral Designers, are artistic interpretations of botanical garments Mayan men and women wore during ceremonies.

Orchids account for at least 10 percent of all flowering plants.

The garden’s greenhouse collection includes more than 2,500 orchid species and 8,000 orchid plants.

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Escape exotic

1

into & let the of Nature melt the icy blues

Beauty away Winter the

2 3

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4

Missouri Botanical Garden The orchid show begins January 29 and runs through March 27. Hours are from 9 am to 3 pm on weekdays and to 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, with last admission an hour before closing. Cost is $5 plus general admission ($8 per adult; $4 per St. Louis City/County resident; free for children ages 12 and under).

Garden members enter free. www.mobot.org • 314-577-5100

1) Epidendrum ibaguense 2) Mayan Headdress 3) Grodskes Gold 4) Trichocentrum spendidum; also, a child stays engaged by using an “I Spy” activity guide to spot special orchids and other intriguing items.

5) Bromeliad guzmania

Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Gargen

5

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1 2 3

Powell Gardens

Courtesy of Powell Gardens; courtesy of missouri botanical garden

Powell Gardens’ winter and early spring events offer the promised “road trip for your soul.”

Enjoy the icy landscapes and watch up to 200 species of birds from the warm comfort of the conservatory for Feather Your Nest: Home Décor Inspiration. Cozy seating areas, custom-designed by local designers, offer creative décor ideas using seasonal plants and flowers. This exhibit is open January 15 through March 6.

The exotic beauty of Powell Gardens’ orchid collection, complemented by colorful begonias, offers a bright background for the fanciful exhibit, Enchanted Garden: Orchids, Begonias, and Fairy Houses. The event runs from March 12 through April 24, and an orchid sale by Bird’s Botanicals as well as various drop-in classes are also planned.

Outside, snowdrops and crocus begin blooming in February. Hike on the miles of nature trails to enjoy the last of winter’s wonderland.

Attend any of the All About Birds events offered throughout February and March.

—Melissa Williams

www.powellgardens.org • 816-697-2600

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SpringfieldGreene County Botanical Center Enjoy the beauty and restorative powers of nature at the newly opened SpringfieldGreene County Botanical Center. The park’s 114 acres are the perfect setting for a relaxing escape from gloomy winter days.

From January 25 to March 3, Master Gardener training classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 pm. The 12 classes will be presented by University of Missouri Extension and will offer both education and fun as they turn novice gardeners into experts.

On February 12, the Center will host the Tablescapes Demo and Tea, where guests can learn creative ideas for decorating their tables for a festive Valentine’s Day party, as well as proper etiquette at formal events.

Then in March, the Center will host the Springfield Orchid Society’s Orchid Show and Sale. This show is free to the public and will feature numerous orchid vendors with orchids for sale. The event runs from March 18 to 20, and details can be found online at www.springfieldorchidsociety.org.

4 5

—Melissa Williams

www.botanicalcenter.org • 417-891-1515

See

Gardens Fanciful Birds Blooms enchanted

Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Gargen

&

,

fairy houses, beautiful

1) Cedar Waxwing 2) Phaius Tankervilliae 3) Laelia Santa Barbara 4) Female Cardinal 5) Phalaenopsis Hybrid

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1/5/11 8:24 PM

BOXERS or BRIEFS

A couple’s day at the spa raises so many questions How about a day at the spa?

What exactly do you do at a day spa?

I asked Sarah this, and she tried to explain as we drove to Sedalia, but her words didn’t really sink in. The question stuck with me, mile after mile, even making me slightly nervous. The closest idea I had of a day spa were television commercials of people—women, to be exact—being massaged by muscular men while relaxing on a soft table in a steamy room with gentle music playing.

Men generally like to do things that other men do: Baseball. NASCAR. Rock and roll with lots of drums. Powerful gardening tools.

Where are all the men in my images of spas?

I asked myself this, but before I could think of anything to tell myself, we had arrived at the place where I would get answers. Nestled in the Thompson Hills Shopping Center in the western part of Sedalia was the spa, Bodyworks Day Spa. So do I say that I want “the couple’s package,” just like I ask my barber to clean up the sideburns and the back, my usual cut?

Wes Duplantier and Sarah Alban

©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; NICK AGRO

There are some questions that men are fairly certain they’ll never ask, either of themselves or others.

We never ask ourselves what kind of underwear we’re wearing or if it’s appropriate for others to see. As long as we’re wearing good pants, we believe, no one will care whether we’ve chosen boxers or briefs this morning.

We never ask ourselves what kind of soap we use. If it makes us smell better than we did when we started, what does it matter?

We most certainly never ask whether we can get a facial if we have a beard and mustache.

That is, until we’re getting one.

I have now asked all of these questions.

In fact, I got to ask them all in one day when my girlfriend, Sarah, suggested we take a day off to visit Bodyworks Day Spa in Sedalia and indulge in a couple’s package together. I eventually went along with it, but the first thought that popped into my mind was a question:

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©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; NICK AGRO

BY WES DUPLANTIER

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Fortunately, Sarah had taken care of the reservations. Unfortunately, for me at least, the front room had lots of floral patterns on the walls and makeup on display. And candles.

And a floral scent that was actually quite pleasant except that it brought all those questions about the manliness of this adventure brimming up to the surface again.

Was this really a good idea?

Is today jockey shorts day?

Opposite: (clockwise from top) Private Jacuzzi tubs warm our couple before their massages begin. Massage therapists serve wine during the treatment.

Here, our writer sips his while awaiting his facial.

He wonders, “Could my beard be a problem?”

Find out what he learned on the next page.

As we prepared for our treatments together, Sarah and I were escorted back to a room where we settled into waiting with a warm neck pillow and cup of hot tea. Both were quite soothing and enjoyable.

Pam Vaught, owner of Bodyworks, came back to greet us for our day at the spa and reassured me about whether the day would be more like the front floral room or the neutral colors of the back.

“My brother is always saying we should have an entrance from the back for the men,” she said, laughing.

Sarah and I then prepped for the first part of the day: a scrub to replenish the skin using salts, crushed rose petals, and a bit of massage oils. And this is where the underwear question came up.

“Today is a jockey shorts day,” I said to Sarah after thinking a moment. Usually when I choose between boxers or briefs in the morning, that’s the last time I think about it. Not today.

But it turns out, I could choose to keep underwear on or off. Since this massage works the entire body, including hips and glutes, I chose to have just the towel for the massage.

We laid down on tables facing each other as candles flickered gently in the corners of our connected rooms and enjoyed the scrub, though it was a different sensation than I had expected: coarse, like rocks being rubbed through the skin, but also

cleansing. As I thought about how my skin felt renewed—all those dead cells scrubbed off—we got up and redressed, heading for a bath to complete the cleaning process.

Walking through the hall to the bath, another question came to me that I hadn’t asked in a long while.

When was the last time I took a bath?

The last time I took a bath was when I was seven. One night my parents had turned on the shower instead of drawing a bath, and that was that. Bath times were bygone.

And when I was a child, none of the baths had ever involved bath salts.

I remembered that as I climbed out of the soft robe and set my water glass on the tub’s edge, easing into the warm water. I settled in and sipped the water, tapping the Jacuzzi button on the side of the tub to start the flow of relaxing jets around me from several different angles.

My massage therapist, Kellie, had said bath salts would help the skin by cleaning out the pores that had just been opened with the coarse scrub. Perhaps they would, but I also noticed the bath was better than any I had ever taken at home. The water was softer, gentler, and lulled away any last anxieties I had about this adventure.

After a few moments, I lay back against the tub’s edge again and closed my eyes, marveling for a moment at this moment of utter relaxation. There were all kinds of things I didn’t have to ask myself as I absorbed the warm water around me and listened to the soothing oriental music and whale sounds flowing from speakers above me.

I didn’t have to ask if I was happy, because I was. I didn’t have to ask myself if Sarah was having a good time, because I knew she must be, in her own private bath.

I didn’t have to ask whether this was a manly thing to do, because any man would envy

SARAH ALBAN; CLOSE UP OF FACE: NICK AGRO

BOXERS or BRIEFS

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SARAH ALBAN; CLOSE UP OF FACE: NICK AGRO

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the degree to which I was able to unwind, just sitting in this pleasant water.

When the knock came on the door that it was time to go to the next part of this luxurious package, I had only one question in mind:

It gets better than this?

It does, actually, get better.

Better even than that bath was the warm pad Kellie now laid across my spine, soothing my back, several minutes later as part of the massage that is the centerpiece of the couple’s spa package. Again in the joined room facing each other by the light of the flickering candles, we could watch as the other enjoyed a massage that thoroughly worked and relaxed every muscle in the back and body. In contrast to the rough motion of the initial salt scrub, this massage was just the smooth action of Kellie’s hands.

What makes a really good back massage?

From top: Couples trade clothes for comfy, fluffy robes in a private dressing room. Facialcare products await the writer’s beard. During treatment, lockers hold private possessions, and the robes have deep pockets for the key. Lavish decorations contribute to the feeling of pampered royalty.

It began with a neck massage then came up from the shoulders through the hair on the back of my head, then worked down across my arms and legs and then up again from the soles of my feet, through the hips and leg muscles and to my spine again where I could feel the warm pad settle as I exhaled deeply.

I got an occasional glance at Sarah enjoying the same treatment, but most of the time, my eyes were peacefully closed, enjoying the sensations coursing through my limbs. Kellie said she was massaging with an apricot-scented oil, though other scents were available, such as cherry or apple.

In most contexts, these scents might seem feminine, but this was different. I didn’t mind the apricot oil at all. By this time, nobody, man or woman, would have cared too much about the scents, only the skill of this massage.

Finally, I put the robe on again, and an already fully dressed Sarah came back and told me what the final part of the day’s package would be.

“Now it’s time for your facial,” she said with a smile.

Could my beard be a problem?

Men like their beards.

In fact, ask any guy. He’s probably grown a beard at least once in his life. We all do it. We associate it with manly things, like lumberjacking.

We enjoy our beards, so we don’t often question them. And when I mentally pictured a facial, I remembered images in commercials of women with no facial hair.

But here came Denise, to give me a facial.

“Can you do a facial on someone with a beard?” I asked as I lay back on the table under a small bluish light.

“Of course,” Denise said. And that’s just what she did.

The gentle massaging of various creams and the steam and vacuum cleaning of the pores were not only cleansing for skin that hadn’t seen any kind of consistent treatment since high school, they were also quite relaxing, adding to the effects of the massage and the wine. When it was time to go and I changed back into my day clothes, I felt something new in addition to being relaxed: I felt quite healthy, that I had actually put time into taking care of my body, something most guys don’t do, and I also felt energized.

Again in my jeans and sweater, I slipped on my loafers and reflected for a moment on the day’s events. I took a calm, deep breath and smiled. I was really glad Sarah had been with me. Getting the treatments as a couple had not only been romantic, but also reassuring.

Why had I ever been nervous?

SARAH ALBAN; NICK AGRO

BOXERS or BRIEFS

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GUYS, IT’S A GREAT GIFT! There are three big days each year that men have to get right: Valentine’s Day, her birthday, and Christmas. So good guys usually put quite a bit of planning into making their special someone happy for those days.

Coming out of the dressing room feeling very refreshed and relaxed, I thought to myself that this might be a nice gift to give the other way—my treat to Sarah, perhaps making for a romantic Valentine’s Day surprise. I asked Pam if the spa is usually booked up around that time.

“That’s pretty much all we do,” she told me. “We have two couples’ rooms for each appointment slot. We’re usually booked out a couple of weeks in advance, but we also have gift certificates you can give someone for a package at a later date, if you can’t get in on that day.”

Romantic Spa Getaways in Your Region BRANSON Tranquility Couple’s Retreat $175, one hour Aspire Medical Spa, LLC www.aspiremedicalspa.com/ massage.php • 417-336-2150

LAKE OZARK Couple’s Massage $180, 50 minutes Spa Shiki www.spashiki.com/bodywork/massage 573-365-8108

COLUMBIA Couple’s Twin Trees; Couple’s Ivy and Vine $125 - $150, 50 to 60 minutes Greenway Massage Team www.greenwaymassageteam.com/ ourtreatments.html 573-449-4929

POPLAR BLUFF Couple’s Deluxe $150, one hour The Spa of Poplar Bluff www.thespaofpoplarbluff.com/ packages.html • 573-785-2772

DES PERES Bride and Groom Retreat $660, 4 3/4 hours Pure Harmony Spa www.pureharmonyspa.com 314-822-9907 EXCELSIOR SPRINGS Classic Back Massage for Two $120, 25 minutes The Elms Resort & Spa www.elmsresort.com 816-630-5500 JOPLIN Couple’s Massage $120, one hour Therapeutic Massage www.massageinjoplin.com/ couples-massage.html 417-782-0844

SARAH ALBAN; NICK AGRO

KANSAS CITY Couple’s Massage $80-$145, one to two hours Plaza West Massage & Day Spa www.plazawestmassage.com/ services.asp • 816-531-5780 Couples $175 or $235, one or 1 1/2 hours Shine Spa www.shinespakc.com/menu.php 816-531-8600

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SEDALIA Wine and Rose Petals Treatment $200, two hours Bodyworks Day Spa www.bodyworksdayspa.net/weddings 660-827-2452 SPRINGFIELD Date Night call for details Seasons Medical Spa www.seasonsmedicalspa.com/ packages.php • 417-882-1133 Couple’s Retreat $270, two hours Nu Essence Spa www.nuessencespa.com/Services/ packages.html • 417-881-7771 ST. LOUIS Massage or Facial for Two in the same room call for details Oxygen Spa Salon www.oxygenspasalon.com 636-825-7501 WEBSTER GROVES Couple’s Getaway daylong; call for details Vitality Unlimited Spa vitalityunlimitedspa.com/wp/category/ spa-packages/ 314-968-1808

1/7/11 12:10 PM

PROMOADVERTISEMENT

Awaken to Fulton’s rich history with exciting sights and sounds all wrapped up in the warmth of small-town charm, with brick streets, elegant architecture, and 67 buildings on the historic register.

Unwind at two of Missouri’s top 10 Inns, the historic Loganberry Inn where Margaret Thatcher stayed or Romancing the Past B&B in the historic Jameson home.

Connect to our history at the newly renovated National Churchill Museum.

This four-million-dollar museum inside a priceless piece of architecture will give you a look back at living history.

Immerse yourself in the arts and music at Kemper Center for the Arts or Westminster gallery.

Marvel at the impressive collection of 84 historic automobiles displayed in Hollywood-style sets for their era at the new Backer Auto World Museum.

Sample some distinctive Missouri wines and a creative bistro menu at Summit Lake Winery.

Savor scrumptious dining at one of our great restaurants, like Beks, for a unique blend of old and new where Internet and espresso meet 1902 architecture.

Capture a sense of local history at the Historical Society Museum, or pay your respects at the Missouri Firefighters Memorial.

The National Churchill Museum features interactive displays that engage and educate visitors of all ages.

Smile at the offbeat collection at Crane’s Museum in Williamsburg, and before you head out, stop by Marlene’s Restaurant. A pulled-pork sandwich and warm slice of pie will leave you grinning.

For knock-your-socks-off beautiful watercolors, check out the National exhibition in April and May.

Revisit the 1930s by sharing a shake made with locally made premium ice cream at Sault’s authentic soda fountain.

Backer Auto World Museum displays an impressive collection of 84 historic automobiles in Hollywood-style sets.

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ADVERTISEMENT

Wonderful breakfasts and romantic accommodations await you at Loganberry Inn B&B.

Calendar of Events Celebration Romance Basket

Loganberry Inn Bed and Breakfast Free with any 2-night stay Jan.-March www.loganberryinn.com 573-642-9229

William Woods Theater Production “Fuddy Meers” Feb. 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26 at 8  Dulany Auditorium William Woods University Campus Fulton www.thewoods.edu/arts 573-592-4281

Hazel Kinder’s Lighthouse Theater Shows every Saturday, March to Dec. Full schedule online www.lighthousetheater.com hazelkinder@yahoo.com 573-474-4040

Cox Gallery Art Exhibits

William Woods University Campus Fulton For schedule of exhibits, visit www.williamwoods.edu 573-592-4245

Crane’s 4,000-square-foot museum is a one-of-akind viewing experience featuring rural Missouri history dating back to the 1800s.

Watercolor Missouri National Beks, in historic downtown, features local seasonal fare for lunch or dinner and an extensive beer selection and hand-selected wine list.

National watercolor competition & show March 25- May 18 National Winston Churchill Museum 501 Westminster, Fulton www.mowsart.com 573-592-5369

For your next getaway or family vacation, visit Fulton and Callaway County.

For more information and calendar of events, visit www.visitfulton.com or call 573-642-3055.

Savor a Brown Cow at Sault’s authentic soda fountain.

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10 Show-Me

They are towns with old-fashioned main streets that sweep a mile long or with quaint familiar downtowns where everyone knows the corner barber. They are towns known for their pristine riverfronts and park pavilions where residents come to stroll, bike, or enjoy the outdoors. But they are also all about progress: They are towns that have been built up, where revitalization is a key word, and where new people and businesses add a special dimension to the community. They are towns with intimate settings, pleasurable amenities, and most of all, people who love them.

ŠISTOCKPHOTO.COM

S N W O T 0 1 P O T M I S S O U R I 'S

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HOW WE CHOSE THE TOWNS: Towns are out, urban clusters in. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an area with 2,500 to 50,000 people is called an urban cluster. Our towns are within that population range, according to the latest official census estimates available, from either 2005 or 2006, depending on the town. Updates from the 2010 census for towns have not been released.

Not to be confused with their rural and more urban counterparts, urban clusters consist of small towns, medium-sized towns, and big towns. Some of those that made our Top 10 list sit on the outskirts of a major metropolitan area, and most have ample parks, trails, and strong family-friendly atmospheres.

Before they could even be considered a contender, the 183 Missouri towns that met our population criteria had to past muster in three categories using education, crime, and employment statistics.

We considered these essential qualities—ones people consider of primary importance when looking for an ideal place to settle. While a family of four might consider quality education opportunities to be a deal breaker (or maker), a 20-something graduate planning to enter the job market might prefer looking at unemployment statistics.

We chose the top 30 towns using those statistics and then proceeded to evaluate them with a second round of measurements.

This second round included more subjective measures of a town’s quality of life. We looked at several things: ▪ Amenities available to residents, such as access to a nearby hospital, bookstores, restaurants, public libraries, movie theaters, performing arts, parks, trails, and religious denominations.

▪ Town infrastructure and attributes, including recycling programs, use of green energy, sales tax level, household income, and air quality.

We had to make judgment calls. We attempted to look at towns from the perspective of a potential home buyer, our rationale being that higher sales taxes might mean more and better public services, and more diverse religious makeup likely meant a more culturally diverse town, with the potential to meet a buyer’s spiritual preference.

So for example: the higher the sales tax, the higher ranking we gave the town; the more religious denominations represented, the more points awarded. We are fully aware that whether a higher sales tax is a good or bad thing depends on your point of view. Some consumers and especially an entrepreneur planning to start a business might view a higher sales tax as a hindrance, but again, we made judgment calls.

The second round measured the towns’ performance on a 10-point scale for every item we evaluated. This way, a town with 15 restaurants and two libraries compared proportionally to a town with 200 restaurants and no libraries.

In the end, we came up with the towns listed here.

Many of us feel certain we live in a top town, and even if it didn’t make this list of 10, yours might still be. Your own list might have much different criteria. Perhaps you refuse to move somewhere unless it has a huge public swimming pool or a choice of private clubs to join.

Maybe, even, your top criteria is “close to Mom.” (Hey, it’s possible.)

We expect disagreement and welcome your feedback. Tell us why your town should have been on our list!

One thing we think we can agree on: There’s no place like home, so long as it’s in Missouri.

For a more in-depth look and the full rankings, please visit www.missourilife.com.

HOT S P A N S E V I T C A SELE Unemployment Rate 8.4%: Property Crime: 7.41% Violent Crime: .53% Diversity (% non-white): 8.6%

No. 2: Chesterfield

Unemployment Rate: 6.4% Property Crime: 1.97% Violent Crime: .06% Diversity (% non-white): 8.7%

No. 7: Clayton

Betsthe of est B

Unemployment Rate: 4.9% Property Crime: 2.39% Violent Crime: .14% Diversity (% nonwhite): 15.1%

No. 8: Creve Coeur

Unemployment Rate: 5.5% Property Crime: 2.02% Violent Crime: .08% Diversity (% non-white): 11.2%

No. 3: Jefferson City

No. 5: Kirkwood

No. 9: Jackson

No. 4: Washington

No. 6: Liberty

No. 10: Farmington

Unemployment Rate: 6.8% Property Crime: 3.75% Violent Crime: .6% Diversity (% non-white): 18.5%

Unemployment Rate: 5.9% Property Crime: 3.47% Violent Crime: .17% Diversity (% non-white): 2.2%

Unemployment Rate: 6.7% Property Crime: 2.95% Violent Crime: .12% Diversity (% non-white): 9.2%

Unemployment Rate: 7.7% Property Crime: 2.11% Violent Crime: .14% Diversity (% non-white): 6.2%

Unemployment Rate: 6.1% Property Crime: 3.4% Violent Crime: .18% Diversity (% non-white): 3.4%

Unemployment Rate: 10.2% Property Crime: 4.2% Violent Crime: .3% Diversity (% non-white): 10.3%

NOTLEY HAWKINS; COURTESY OF CHESTERFIELD

No. 1: Joplin

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Chesterfield Big City Fun with Small-Town Safety Population: 46,635

Paul Manno’s Italian restaurant is located a mile from the childhood home where his parents still live. “That’s the cool thing about it,” he says of the frozen-in-time town of Chesterfield. Sure, streets have widened, and a shopping center may have popped up in an area that used to be a cornfield, but the basic sentiments have remained. “It’s that small-town feel, you know,” he says referring to the family-friendly neighborhood. “It’s kind of like a privilege to live in this area.”

A bedroom community for working people with a traditionally upper-middle class demographic, Chesterfield was originally considered to be St. Louis, just with a different zip code. Since then, the town that Paul credits as being safe has expanded west, gotten its own name, and captured the duality of local finds in sprawling suburban landscapes with concentrated big box shops.

To say the city of Chesterfield has grown into its own is an understatement. Since flooding in ’93 destroyed the downtown area, the city has made major improvements that surpass levee and storm drain improvements.

Chesterfield boasts the longest strip mall in America, in an area known as Chesterfield Valley, which was under floodwater in the (cont. on pg. 52)

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A place like Instant Karma probably wouldn’t have made it in Joplin just a few years ago. With an eclectic East Coast feel, the villageinspired shop serves up gourmet hotdogs, with a whole set of veggie options. Local artwork and earthy tones give it a gallery-like feel, one that lends itself to the community.

Jason Miller, who opened the shop with his wife about six months ago, is optimistic, if somewhat cautious, about the revitalization on Main. Past attempts have failed, though this time things seem different. “They hired a new city manager, Mark Roar, who really kind of took things over,” Miller says. “I think people are starting to change their perception of what’s down here.”

Change is the word in Joplin, where it’s all about coming in on the ground floor. Sprawling streets that stretch for miles used to house office spaces and building vacancies. But times have changed.

Among the occasional “For Sale” sign that’s visible from a darkened window are retail stores and restaurants that have slowly trickled in. Joplin’s downtown area has taken on a city-like feel. Repaved streets, repaired sidewalks, and upgraded lighting have all been a part of the revamping process.

The town is at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 71, from Kansas City to New Orleans, and Interstate 44, from St. Louis to Oklahoma City, and the old Route 66 that goes from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Influx from those who trek in to work or shop from surrounding areas in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma make it feel like a bigger city. City officials estimate the population triples to roughly 155,000 during the day. (cont. on pg. 52)

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WASHINGTON Supportive of Kids

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On the wall of Mark Wessel’s office hangs a picture. It’s relatively small and framed. In it, two hogs sit in a blue pickup. Right between them is a newspaper cutout of Mark’s face. His name is written underneath. “See, he draws a picture of my truck and he finds me in the paper and he puts me in the truck with two pigs,” says the President of the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce, explaining the picture that was drawn by a local kid.

“And he sends this thing that says, ‘Bid on my hog.’ ” A plate of cookies sits on a counter in the hallway. These are also offerings other kids have given to encourage a bid at the Town and Country Fair, where businesses can back a pig, a steer, or any other farm animal raised by contestants.

“It’s amazing,” Mark adds, smiling. “They’re becoming quite the salesmen.”

Originally from the St. Louis area, Mark visited Washington 30 years ago to escape the busy city. He found it to be a neat town: a pristine riverfront that rivals that of the capital, an Amtrak that runs alongside, proximity to the metro area, and friendly people. Shortly after, he and his wife packed up and moved.

“I’ve talked to many people who live out here who’ve told me that they drew a 50-mile circle around St. Louis and started shopping,” he says. “They wind up in Washington.” (cont. on pg. 52)

This page: Notley Hawkins; courtesy of Kirkwood; shane Immelt

A 25-mile drive is nothing when it comes to taste.

“You can’t buy three gallons of ice cream just anywhere,” says Eldon resident Wendell Schmidt, who regularly makes the trip to Central Dairy Ice Cream. The shop under the famous red and white striped awning features 58 flavors.

Inside the shop, worn wooden benches act as history markers for the landmark building that Jefferson City visitors can’t seem to resist, or at least sample. “These benches have been here since, well, I think somebody said the early ’50s they built these benches,” says eight-year employee Charlene Heckerman, who remembers coming into Central during her high school days.

As Kim Beal will tell you, Jefferson City’s all about that downhome family feel. A florist at Busch’s for the past nine years, Kim was raised in Jeff City and moved back to the capital right after college. Kim now works at the flower shop she visited as a child, the same shop that used to prune the Governor’s rose gardens.

“This has been here since the 1890s,” she says while gathering strips of red and white decorative ribbon. “When you get the longevity of a business like that, it’s like home.” While she’s lived in other places, those locations were temporary placeholders. “As my kids grow up, they say, ‘I want to grow up and see the world but I want to come home to Jeff City,’ ” Kim says.

Sharon Strickland also came home. Raised on a dairy farm in what she refers to as the blink-of-the-eye town of Russellville, Sharon traveled after getting her college degree. Thirtyfour years later, she made it home to the Midwest. While family might have brought her back, change made her stay. “Even since I’ve come back there seems to have been a mini-explosion of the arts and galleries, theater,” Sharon says while standing in The Art Bazaar, a local artist cooperative that supports everything from blown glass and acrylics to sculpture. A movie club where residents screen and discuss films three times a month and art gallery crawls every so often are other examples. (cont. on pg. 52)

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KIRKWOOD The First Planned Suburb Population: 26,936

The visitors’ journal at the historic Kirkwood Train Station is a written log of people’s experiences. It’s half-full, lined, and sits on a wooden podium at the station’s entrance, near a photography display. Among the comments praising the exhibit is a single sentence written in a child’s handwriting that captures the reason for it all: “I love trains -Kalem.”

Sending out 45 freight trains a day and four Amtraks that travel to Kansas City and Chicago, the station is often rented for birthdays and other parties and has been a stronghold in the community since the 1850s. Station volunteer Bill Burckhalter says the town emanates around the station. “We hear a lot of people say, ‘My grandpa used to buy me ice cream, and we’d come sit down here and watch trains,’ ” he says.

But the focal point of the downtown business district extends beyond the boxcars. “So many people walk, they ride their bike, so many businesses welcome dogs in,” Bill says.

Kirkwood has the biggest recycling center in the area, a seasonal

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farmers’ market, and a good mix of ages. But the biggest draw is the community spirit. While less than familiar with adjoining businesses in their other two locations, the owners of Cotton and Clay, a home furnishing business, have found Kirkwood’s West Argonne Drive welcoming. “Businesses here say, ‘We’ve been waiting for you; thanks for coming in,’ ” says David Schreiner, who opened the shop with his wife.

Margy McKelvie has lived in places like Manchester, Ballwin, and nearby Chesterfield. To her, Kirkwood has a stronger sense of identity due to the close proximity and strength of the downtown area.

“You can live a mile or so out of the town center and still feel like you’re walking to a community,” she says.

Nineteen years ago, when Martha Durbin and her (cont. on pg. 52)

LIBERTY The Friendliness Factor Population: 29,581

In his workshop filled with barrels, buckets, and water churns, Doug Bratcher saws. At age 20, he moved to Liberty to learn how to fly and work for the airlines. But the company’s bankruptcy led him down a different path, one that has him crafting furnishings for Silver Dollar City, the popular theme park in Branson. He also builds authentic-looking pieces for plays.

When Doug thinks of Liberty, though, he doesn’t think of period furniture. He thinks about the name. “Well, Liberty means freedom, and we have Independence close,” he says referring to another Kansas City suburb.

“That’s why the people named it that way back when—freedom from what they had been in. It makes you want to raise the flag and jump up and down, I guess,” he says, laughing.

Another resident, Sandy Williams, was drawn to Liberty by the resemblance to her hometown of Bethany, 80 miles north. Sandy came to Liberty 43 years ago. To her, the small comfortable com-

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munity has a big but small city feel. And “comfortable” may be the key word, as is friendliness.

Taking the number 29 spot on Money magazine’s 2009 Best Places to Live list, Liberty is noted for friendliness. Just ask Starr Evans. She moved to the area when her daughter was a highschool sophomore. Being new to the area, her daughter worried about fitting in. “They were so unbelievable in trying to make her feel welcome, to make sure she had someone to sit with at lunch, and I remember thinking ‘High school? That is awesome.’ ” Along with a friendly demeanor, Liberty’s schools were also noted for their MAP scores. Among the elementary and secondary schools listed were Liberty High and Alexander Doniphan Elementary.

While the neighborhood has grown from the days of when it was a farming community and drew kids from Excelsior Springs, many still feel it’s home, even when they’re miles away.

Standing in the down- (cont. on pg. 54)

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Clayton

Thinks Globally but Walks Locally Population: 16,061

Max Protzel can count generations of customers. Children, grandchildren, greatgrands, and even some great-greats have become patrons of the store their parents once supported. Known for both its 55-year-old corned-beef recipe and generations of customers, Protzel’s Deli has been located on Wydown Street in the heart of Clayton’s downtown district since 1954. October 2, 1954, to be exact.

Three of Protzel’s five employees are family, and the other two are just as close. Black and white photographs of bar mitzvahs and gatherings line the shop’s walls while servings of corn beef and potato salad are displayed behind the glass deli casing. On weekends, Max’s parents come in to help out.

Longevity of the businesses in the area speaks to the bonds that exist among residents and owners. “The shoe repair man that is next to Manhattan Café has been there 79 years, and there’s a cleaners at the end of the block here, they’ve been here 55 years,” Max says.

Clayton is a fair city that shows a general concern for the community, he says. “They listen to their residents. They listen to their business owners, and they really try and do things that benefit them.”

#

“Clayton does a good job of attracting businesses,” Max also says. Among the industries the town has attracted are footwear company Brown Shoe and Olin Corporation, a copper alloy producer.

During the recession, Jim Scherl’s business has suffered. His 14-year-old gym has experienced a downward slump.

Still, Jim won’t leave the town he’s called home for the past 25 years. He considers it to be a little, big city. “If you’re going to live in St. Louis,” he says, “this is the best place to live.” The housing market isn’t cheap, but some condos are slowly making it more affordable. And, as Jim explains, the benefits come back to the residents. “That’s why the taxes on property are pretty high, because they keep it nice,” he says of the town where a $500,000 price tag has a $6,150 annual property tax.

The town is a mixed bag of specialty boutique shops and cafes, high rises, condos and single family houses. It’s a place where older buildings and homes sit alongside chain stores and booming franchises, a place where everything seems to coexist and take on the same classic feel. “It reminds me of Europe (cont. on pg. 54)

7

Creve Coeur Outdoor Paradise Close to Everything Sailboats skimmed the deep blue water beyond the lush patches of grass that lined the lake last summer. A paved trail surrounds the area, providing space for joggers and bikers alike while picnic tables invite residents to spend a day at Creve Coeur’s Lake Memorial Park. In fact, it’s a draw strong enough to lead some to relocate.

Scenic views and the outdoors are what drew podiatrist Jason Denton to the area.

While the general St. Louis area is known for its greenery, Creve Coeur has its own edge: proximity. For the recently relocated doctor, Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park is within a couple of miles from his practice. “Whenever I get a chance, I go down there,” he says. “My fiancée does a

#

8

lot of kayaking.” The clean neighborhood with seven parks and four trails is an escape from the daily hustle and bustle of the city.

“I have a bike, so if I want I could bike to work. It’s real convenient,” he says. “I’m used to having to do a lot of traveling or being stuck in traffic forever, so this is nice.”

Whether you need a store, restaurant, bowling alley, movie theatre, or a late-night pharmacy, Creve Coeur’s got it. You’re also not far away from anything in downtown St. Louis. “It’s only a 15 minute drive,” says resident Cory Grewe, who has lived in the area since 2009. “Any of the sporting events are only 15 minutes away. There’s West Port, where you’ve got a huge comedy club, and the casinos are close by.” All that, and you still get to come home to a quiet, bedroom community.

But the community has grown. The oldest standing liquor store in the area, 905, took a turn as a pet store, but then was torn down to build a big new Walgreens. The shopping center on Olive was leveled, and the small-town feel Laura Fox remembers is changing. But with change comes progress. “There’s (cont. on pg. 54)

Courtesy of Clayton and Creve Coeur; Michael schlueter; courtesy of jackson

Population: 16,975

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Show -Me 10

PICKLE CREEK NEAR FARMINGTON

10

#

FARMINGTON Country Town with Accoutrements Population: 15,176

JACKSON The Most Trails and Parks Population: 12,982

Nothing stood outside the Jackson County Courthouse in December 2009. Sure, it was adorned with a flag, and there may have even been snow. But the nativity scene was missing.

Ronnie Maxwell, a financial service consultant at the The Bank of Missouri, smiles as he tells how last year, the peeling, paint chipping and general wear and tear of the 40-year-old structure prevented its setup. That didn’t sit well with the community.

“They ended up getting a bunch of phone calls, the city did,” Ronnie says. “People were asking ‘Why’d you take the nativity scene down?

How come it’s not up? Can we get a new one?’ ” But with a $15,000 price tag for a set like they had, it wasn’t that simple. “So the chamber contacted the ministers here in town, the ministerial alliance, and they agreed to try and raise the money to get it,” he says. Ronnie’s wife began organizing a 5K charity run, but before anyone could sign up, the donations poured in. A local cabinetmaker volunteered to build the whole nativity so that only the figures had to be purchased. “That just kind of goes to show what they’ll do for each other, for everybody,” he says. “Because Jackson doesn’t have a lot of industry, it’s kind of a little secret.”

But it’s not top secret. Jackson was ranked Number 59 in Money magazine’s 2009 Best Places To Live list, and it’s (cont. on pg. 54)

#

9

With it’s small-town and rural roots and its close proximity— about one hour’s drive—to the big-city bustle of St. Louis, Farmington offers a Mayberry-ish country-town experience complete with all the accoutrements of modern city life. The historic downtown district coexists peacefully with the explosion of growth along Highway 67 as it winds through town.

Farmington’s recent growth is impressive: a 39% increase in population from 2000 to 2008. The amazing part is that the town leaders have managed to keep a firm focus on quality of life and basic down-home values while welcoming new businesses, embracing change and courting new industries, and simultaneously expanding infrastructure, educational opportunities, and parks and recreation.

“I’m prejudiced because I was born and raised here,” says J.O. Swink, Jr., D.V.M., a veterinarian who works at the Farmington Livestock Market, “but I wouldn’t trade places with anybody.”

After high school, he left to attend college, serve in the U.S. Army and work in St. Clair and Union. He and his wife, Mabel, and their three children returned to Farmington in 1981 and have stayed put since. Their children, now grown and on their own, have stayed in the area, too.

“I’ll love it until the day I die. It’s my home,” says J.O. “I’m fortunate to have been able to come back home.” He credits the town’s government for always being progressive and looking toward the future. “It never was a backwards, hick town.”

J.O.’s wife, Mabel, agrees. “Farmington likes to promote itself as the town of tradition and progress, and it really is,” she says. Mabel believes Farmington is ideal for raising a family or as a place to retire. “There is just about anything you want here, from the arts to recreation, parks. The historic (cont. on pg. 54)

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Show -Me 10

JOPLIN(cont.)

CHESTERFIELD (cont.)

This draw helps the town make steady improvements. The library has extended programming for children, teens, and adults.

The city’s downtown association keeps restoration at the forefront.

On Third Thursdays, which are held about six months out of the year, the downtown takes on a fair-like atmosphere with art walks, street performers, and food specials.

Also growing are the amenities for residents. Erik Bartlett, who moved back to Joplin after college, suggests running on one of Joplin’s 15 trails, both paved and gravel. “They did a revitalization in the ’70s and pretty much flattened all the buildings, and now they’re going back to take that coverage off and go back to the old historic view of what the town used to look like. It just adds a whole lot more character.”

Angela Horner originally moved from her native Southern California to Arizona to trade life in the L.A. Basin for a slower pace, but she soon found Missouri to be a better fit. While it took a while to adjust, Angela says that in her 15 years in the area, she’s fallen in love with the small-town charm and the friendliness of the people.

“Everybody knows everybody,” she says. “They’re not transient, and so people that I met 15 years ago I still know. I’ve never had anything like that before in my life.”

past decade but has roared back. Chesterfield has more than 500 restaurants and parks, like Faust, that offer free summer concerts.

While the largest municipality in western St. Louis County might rival big city fun, it remains true to small-town safety, a feature that’s become a major selling point. Literally. “You always hear people saying when they’re selling houses that it’s great because you have the school right there and it’s a safe neighborhood,” says Target employee Erica Thompson. This combination has convinced Erica to stay, even though a standard two bedroom house may cost $270,000.

“My fiancé and I are still looking at apartments, and the apartments run a bit steep,” she says. “But I want to stay out in this area.”

WASHINGTON(cont.)

Debbie Boley raised her kids in Washington. “We’ve expanded,” Debbie says. “We have shops on the highways and an honest-togoodness big hotel.”

The clean town with neat lawns is one where residents take pride in their property, and it’s rare to find anything run down. As one resident puts it, it has big town things without big town crime. The town is within five miles of St. John’s Mercy Hospital.

Hannah Schweissguth goes to St. Francis Borgia, one of the local high schools. People pour in to watch and cheer every home game, and stands are packed with supporters rallying behind their team.

“We’re just really spirited, like with everything,” she says.

While they stand firmly behind their future, with more than 500 buildings on the national historical registry, the town of Washington is also noted for its past.

“I know a lot of small towns have their little quirky hominess to them that makes them special and unique,” 19-year-old native Brianne Boland says. “But I think—I don’t know—I think ours just has a whole step above everyone else.”

JEFFERSON CITY(cont.)

“There seem to be diverse things going on and people coming in bringing new ideas to the town,” she adds.

About 284,000 visitors tour the capitol annually, lending the town a cosmopolitan feel. With both a Thai restaurant on East High Street and a sushi bar on Missouri Boulevard, Jeff City is also growing in diversity like never before. It offers 58 places of worship for three different religious beliefs, including the Buddhist temple on Dunklin Street, which Sharon says people travel far to attend. “Even going to a swimming class at the Y, I see people from countries halfway around the world there in class with me,” she says.

For some, like used-car-lot owner Douglas Fear, it’s even simpler than that. “The majority of houses in Jeff City are brick,” Douglas says, motioning with his hands. Sometimes a strong foundation is the most important thing. How fitting for the town named after our country’s third president.

KIRKWOOD (cont.) husband were in the market for a place to open James Durbin Jewelry Designs, Kirkwood caught their eye. “As soon as he was out on the sidewalk looking, somebody came up and said ‘Oh, are you looking at the neighborhood?’ ” she says. “There’s a huge sense of community here that, if anything, has grown over the years.”

And that’s how it was planned. Kirkwood was the first suburb outside St. Louis. Plans began in 1849 after a big fire and an outbreak of cholera in St. Louis. The first lots were sold in 1853 when the railroad reached the area, and Kirkwood still thrives today.

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The place for families.

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Show -Me 10

LIBERTY(cont.)

CLAYTON(cont.)

town boutique store Coming Home, Dessie Earle says she’s always felt a sense of belonging, even when she lived in St. Louis. Dessie, whose daughter resides in Liberty, liked what she saw in her visits throughout the years.

“I came over here, and I really felt sort of like I was coming home,” she says. “Half the stuff in my house I bought at little shops and antique places around here and carried them back to St. Louis.

Then when I moved, everything moved back here.”

more,” says Inga Bosnjak, a local business owner and now resident who moved from her native Yugoslavia to Clayton 25 years ago.

With everything in walking distance and a bike lane that runs all the way through Forest Park, it’s easy to put driving a gas-guzzler on hold. “You can walk to the drugstore, walk to a park or government office, or Washington University’s down there and you have schools. And then all the schools for the city of Clayton, they’re all walkable,” Inga says.

Lauren Downing, a student at Washington University, credits Clayton as providing an escape from campus within walking distance. She comes for a nice dinner or grabs brown-bagged Chipotle with friends.

Street signs boast the slogan “Think globally, walk locally,” and 10 parks and two trails are a major draw.

CREVE COEUR (cont.) a lot of great places you can go restaurant-wise,” says Laura, referring to how Creve Coeur has grown since it was just farmland and Dierbergs.

Today, Creve Coeur is home to a bookstore, 66 restaurants, and two movie theaters. Laura also appreciates the camaraderie among shops. Store owners and staff know each other. She has worked at Sally Beauty Supply for the past 17 years and has seen people come and go but says she’s fortunate for her current location near two other shops, Nail Art and Hair Saloon. “We know all of them, and they know us.”

FARMINGTON (cont.) downtown is beautiful; the buildings have been preserved and are occupied. It’s still a country town, where people are friendly. Yet it has lots to attract young families.”

Among the town’s many attractions are the Farmington Community Civic Center, a sports and fitness complex that houses a pool and gymnasium and offers exercise classes, sports leagues, and swimming lessons; the city’s Bikeway Trail System, a 7.75 mile main route with several spurs and loops; Al’s Place, considered the best biking hostel along the TransAmerica Trail; the Farmington Skate Park, the largest outdoor concrete skate park in southeast Missouri; eight city parks; and several nearby state parks, natural areas, and historical sites. Farmington is also on the western edge of Ste. Genevieve wine country and its Route du Vin. Add to all this affordable housing options and a low cost of living, and it’s easy to see why Farmington is growing so fast. As Mayor Stuart “Mit” Landrum says in the community profile report, “Farmington is a town to come home to.” —Contributed by Barbara Gibbs Ostmann

JACKSON (cont.) renowned park system was noted. With 22 trails and 20 parks, Jackson had higher numbers in that category than any city on our list.

Commuters from outlying areas can often make Jackson feel larger than it’s live-in population. Aside from nearby Cape Girardeau, barber Michael May says Jackson is the only town in the area with a centralized downtown area. Downtown business owners know each other, and the chamber has helped to ensure that. “You know, there are a lot of new people that come in here to get their hair cut that work for Proctor and Gamble, one of the factories that moved from another place,” Michael says. “They all seem to really, really like the area and enjoy it once they get here.”

Some have traveled many miles to live in this county-seat town.

Lisa Walker mentions her father, who left Hawaii, where he was a hospital president, to move to Jackson. “Everyone’s like ‘Why did you move from Hawaii to Missouri?’ ” she says with a laugh. “And my dad was like, ‘It was easy. I wanted to be near the grandkids and be a part of their lives.’ ” The area’s lack of crime and non-materialistic nature adds to the family-first mentality, she thinks.

“There have been times when I totally forget to bring our flag in and things that we have outside, and it’s never touched,” Lisa says.

“My dad moved like 30 times because his dad was in the service,” says Gina Raffety, whose family owns The Cash-Book Journal, a newspaper that’s been in Jackson since 1870. “My grandma liked it and said, ‘Well, you can move, but we’re staying,’ ” Gina adds. “She still lives in the same house over on Farmington Street.”

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Showcase SHOW-ME

THIS BUILDING LIVES ... and it may be greener than you

BY SARAH ALBAN

shine on its roof. Rain-catching pipes on the walls of its structure guide runoff from off the grid into underground filters, where ultraviolet light zaps biological gunk into nothing. A deck wraps around its backyard, and three walls made of sprawling glass windows can each lift, as a garage door slides into the ceiling, to convert a classroom inside into an indoor-outdoor room that students can enjoy when the weather is nice.

It’s hard to look at the Tyson Living Learning Center without thinking its engineers were trying to camouflage it into the woods. Even its white-pocked timber was harvested within two miles.

Located in rural Eureka, twenty miles southwest of St. Louis, the Center is part of a gated satellite campus for biological research at Washington University in St. Louis. It is one of two buildings in the world that are certifiably “living.”

From left: Photovoltaic solar panels help heat and power the Tyson Living Learning Center.

Chairs at the Center are made from recycled car batteries and belts. Water drains off the roof into pipes that send the water into the canisters for sterilization.

“Living” means the Center makes all its own energy. In 2006, an organization devoted to environmentally responsible buildings called Cascadia Green Building Council initiated a global challenge to build net-zero-impact buildings. They called it a “Living Building Challenge.” That was about the time the staff at WUSTL was deciding the fate of that plot of land earmarked for research in Eureka.

WUSTL decided to build a totally self-sustaining structure, as part of its overall plans to build an environmentally conscious campus.

Construction began several years ago, but the 2009-2010 year was the first year the Center proved it could operate with a net-zero impact.

Its method is not mad, but it is unconventional.

HUMAN WASTE NOT WASTED In a locked concrete cellar beneath the Center, below its male and female bathrooms, a machine named Clivus digests human waste.

Clivus is a Scandinavian composting system hooked up to waterless, flush-less toilets above. Live red worms and bacteria inside Cli-

SARAH ALBAN

BLUE SOLAR GRIDS

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vus digest the waste that falls through two big pipes in the ceiling.

Despite piles of sewage inside, Clivus smells like nothing; Clivus smells like freshness if freshness had a sanitary, abstract smell. You can stare straight into the waste and smell the nothing.

Clivus contributes to the center by making fertilizer for gardens.

DRINKABLE GUTTER WATER Metal pipes and canisters hang on a wall opposite Clivus, winding out of the cellar, through the ground, into an underground storage cistern, up the walls of the Center, to the roof.

This is the Center’s filtration system.

Each of the canisters beside Clivus perform an increasing level of filtration. The rainwater starts by funneling through micro-filters to sift larger particles from the liquid. Carbon filters cancel out pollutants, and then a blue UV light sterilizes biological gunk. You could drink what’s left.

Up to 3,000 gallons of clean water—more than the Center ever needs—flows into an underground storage tank.

Yet another tank holds used water. Even this water gets treated, so the Center isn’t releasing potential pollutants into the environment when it sprinkles the water on its gardens.

plus energy to the utility company when sunlight is good. Then the Center can take back what it needs—up to that amount—in dark times. At the end of the year, the Center has created as much energy as it uses, reaching the net-zero goal.

Maintenance technician Tim Derton keeps the Center running on just these few elements.

“Sun, electricity, water, and then a little bit of poop,” Tim says.

“That’s it.”

For more information or to visit, call 314-935-8430

A GLOBAL CALL TO BUILD GREEN

SARAH ALBAN

ENERGY ON RESERVE Solar panels dominate the Center’s look. They hang like massive plaques off the rooftop and spring up like blue-leafed trees in the yard. They shine, the whole time converting sunlight into energy so that the computers inside juice up when you push the button.

The panels work by clonking single electrons off light particles and channeling these into a current, which becomes the building’s electricity. This fuels everything—outlets, lights, heating, and cooling—whatever the student and professional researchers inside need.

Some days, the Center makes more electricity than its occupants use. Others, the sun doesn’t shine so generously. Because of the sun’s variability, the Center has contracted with Ameren to donate its sur-

Two buildings have met the standards so far: • •

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Musings ON MISSOURI

INSPIRATION ~and~ PEANUTS

BY RON W. MARR

ANDREW BARTON

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

inspiration and creativity is the difference between George Washington Carver and the unknown artist who drew the anthropomorphic “Mr. Peanut.” It was a creative soul indeed who illustrated the iconic Planter’s logo with a top hat, monocle, cane, spats, and white gloves, but I wouldn’t call the effort “inspired.” It was witty, amusing, memorable and, for some of us, a wee bit disturbing.

For the record, I also find Mr. Potato Head and the smirking Quaker on the oatmeal box to be the stuff of particularly heinous nightmares. Human/vegetable hybrids are a bit too The Island of Dr. Moreau for my psyche. The Quaker is really not germane to this discussion. Suffice to say that he reminds me of Cotton Mather, witch-burner extraordinaire and king of Puritan-era fire and brimstone sermons.

Moreover, the Quaker winked at me when I was four.

But I digress. Creativity is little more than elaborating on the ideas of others, adding subtle nuance and touches. These additions and improvements, though often beautiful, are not fashioned of the same fabric comprising bolts from the blue. Inspiration, on the other hand, is where George Washington Carver comes into play.

So many of Carver’s thoughts were imbued with the intangible substance of inspiration. He was born a slave near Diamond Grove, now known simply as Diamond, Missouri, and over the course of his life presented the world with countless discoveries. There were 300 derivative products created from peanuts, 118 from sweet potatoes. He was overcome with novel ideas and gave virtually all away for free. It’s a little known fact that GWC was also an accomplished musician and artist. He was a humanitarian of the first order.

But, here’s the deal. By his own admission, George Washington Carver had no choice but to create. Forces beyond his comprehension inspired him. When he tried to explain the source of his revelations he was mocked by the scientific community. That august body largely believed all innovations and discoveries come strictly from the mind and ability of

man. Carver’s own words, as recorded in his New York Times obituary of January 6, 1943, disputes the standard scientific method: “My discoveries come like a direct revelation from God. The idea and the method of working out a new product come all together. In half an hour after the idea was revealed to me, I produced the yolk of an egg from the Puerto Rican sweet potato.”

I’ve read similar statements from writers, those who say they experience physical illness if they don’t write. The best ones say they are not creating so much as trying to type fast enough to record the words mysteriously appearing in their thoughts. I’ve heard the same from sculptors, who see figures in a piece of raw wood or marble. Their motivation is to remove the chunks and pieces that conceal the art underneath.

Frankly, I don’t know that I’ve ever been inspired. I’m sometimes mildly creative, sardonic, or half-witty, but never have I felt an all-encompassing drive to put down words. I enjoy doing it, but I am not compelled to do it.

I’ve never written a single thing for myself. I never did it as a kid; I don’t do it now. I write because I like it, because I’m somewhat decent at it, because to me it comes as easy as breathing. It also has provided me with a means of making a living, more or less, for about 30 years.

Nevertheless, I rarely have outside inspiration for ideas. I’m merely creative, or at least I like to think such is the case. Luckily, I’m okay with hanging with the likes of Mr. Peanut’s creator. We are all given different gifts. For the most harmonious results, we appreciate those gifts for what they are. We don’t wish for more. We don’t engage in envy. We just take what we are given and do what we can.

A person can create, but they cannot create inspiration. Once again, the boy born a slave in Diamond might have explained it best: “When I was young, I said to God, ‘God, tell me the mystery of the universe.’ God answered, ‘That knowledge is for me alone.’ So I said, ‘God, tell me the mystery of the peanut.’ Then God said, ‘Well, RON MARR George, that’s more nearly your size.’ ”

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SHOW-ME

Flavor

SHOW ME THE

Syrup!

A February 5th festival shows us how to tap maple trees BY MELISSA WILLIAMS

COURTESY OF MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION

THE FREEZING AND THAWING process that begins in February is often the cause of sneezing, sniffles, and other seasonal sufferings. But, these early, changing temperatures have a sweeter side too, because they actually give Missouri a head start to one of the least known harvest seasons here: that of sugar maple sap.

Anna-Lisa Tucker, a naturalist at Rockwoods Reservation located at Wildwood, in western St. Louis County, says Missouri’s location allows us to hit the sap collection sweet spot about a month earlier than states to the east of the Mississippi, including the northeastern states more commonly known for maple syrup.

That prime temperature range occurs when temps climb above 32 degrees Fahrenheit during the day but fall back below the freezing point at night. Anna-Lisa notes that this pattern typically lasts for about six weeks.

“At that point, the sap changes consistency as the tree uses all its reserved sugar, the leaves open, and it begins to make new sugar for the next year.”

To make the most of this sweet season, the staff at Rockwoods Reservation hosts the Maple Sugar Festival every February to teach guests how to harvest sap and make their own 100 percent real ma-

ple sugar products. This year, the festival is February 5th.

Kevin McCarthy, Missouri Department of Conservation’s Naturalist Program Supervisor for both the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area and Rockwoods Reservation, explains that despite the threatening temperatures, the event is held in early February rather than later in the month so that people have time to go home and tap their own trees, putting what they have learned into practice. And, he observes, the cold doesn’t seem to bother guests.

On better weather days, the staff expects close to 800 participants, but even during the coldest temperatures, the festival has attracted about 200 guests.

Now in its 13th year, the festival inspires hundreds of visitors to bundle up in coats, boots, and hats to come watch raw maple sap turn into syrup and sugar right before their eyes. Plus, they learn how to harvest the sap and make the products at home if they have maple trees, a benefit for those who prefer real over imitation. In stores, real maple syrup can cost $40 or $50 per gallon.

The high cost is related to the time-consuming labor involved with both the harvesting and boiling of the sap into syrup, plus the cost of transporting the syrup since most of it is not produced here.

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ML

SHOW-ME

Flavor

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN MAPLE SYRUP Fresh, warm pancakes topped with melted butter and drizzled with sweet maple syrup are always a treat, but imagine how much sweeter that syrup would taste if it had been harvested and boiled down into syrup from your own maple tree. Described here, as explained by Anna-Lisa Tucker of Rockwoods Reservation, the process is surprisingly simple and easy to do, even in your own backyard.

1. Select a tree. Sugar maple trees found in a grove in the woods are called a sugar bush, or you can tap the one or two you might have in your backyard. A sugar maple will be pinkish tan in color, with a bark that is furrowed, irregular, and can run in long vertical strips. To protect the tree, don’t tap trees less than 10 inches diameter.

2. Harvest the sap. Carefully drill a hole the width of the spile (the spout) no more than two inches deep, and insert it securely. Spiles are available online through many real maple syrup providers. Hang the bucket from the spile’s hook and let gravity and nature do the rest.

3. Monitor the flow. Sap flow depends on the degree of temperature changes. A small difference might create only a few drops each day. However, with a larger difference, say 27 degrees overnight but 40 degrees and sunny in the daytime, you could need to change the bucket two to three times a day.

4. Start boiling. Forty gallons of sap make just one gallon of syrup, so the water boiled off during this process could peel wallpaper off kitchen walls and leave mold inside the house. Boil outside, preferably over a wood fire.

5. Watch the temps. A candy thermometer is vital to the boiling process because the required temperatures are so specific. Sap is considered syrup at 219 degrees Fahrenheit, no matter the color or consistency. For granulated sugar, the temperature needs to reach at least 251 degrees.

Enjoy! At this point, maple sugar can be used in place of sugar to give various dishes a maple makeover. Try some of the recipes on page 64.

And of course, enjoy the syrup on pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, or with other combinations for that traditional and genuine maple taste.

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Grades of Syrup Grade A Light Amber: The lightest of all maple syrups, with a delicate mild flavor.

Empty Control Jar

Grade A Medium Amber: Somewhat darker, with a stronger maple taste.

Grade A Light Amber

Grade A Dark Amber: Usually has a caramel tone and a stronger flavored syrup.

Grade A Dark Amber

Grade A Medium Amber

However, maple syrup made in Missouri is the same as maple syrup from Vermont. The reason the Northeast is more often associated with the homemade treat comes from the much greater quantity of sugar maple trees in those states.

Each tree produces approximately five to 15 gallons of sap. However, Anna-Lisa explains that “sap consists of only about three percent sugar,” which means if you have just one tree, after boiling the water out, you would likely end up with around a half gallon of syrup. That amount is enough for a family to use, but certainly not enough to bottle and sell.

Natural maple syrup will not look like imitation syrup, much to the surprise of many first-time sugar farmers. The actual coloration depends on how early in the season the sap is harvested. A general rule of thumb is that sap from early in the season is lighter colored because it has fewer impurities.

Real maple syrup is divided into five main categories based on color and taste. Missouri follows the USDA standards for determining ratings: Grade A Light Amber, Grade A Medium Amber, Grade A Dark Amber, and Grade B for reprocessing. Each grade has a slightly different flavor, as a result of the colonists’ original attempts to match their maple sugar and syrup to the cane sugar they had been familiar with in England.

In later years, corn syrup began to be used as a sweetener and replaced the maple in maple syrup. Most store-bought imitation brands have no maple content in them at all, not even one percent.

Anna-Lisa is quick to point out that though many people enjoy

Grade B: Has a very caramel tone and is notably stronger in flavor.

Grade B

imitation maple syrup on pancakes and waffles, few have actually ever tasted real maple flavor. There will be a taste difference. This is why the taste-testing part of the day is so important and popular.

She also encourages people to make sure they try all the different grades since those are all different as well.

Whether or not they intend to take notes and try the process for themselves at home, visitors to the festival can watch all of the different steps to making maple syrup and sugar, from tapping the tree to tasting the treats.

If the weather is exceptionally cold and snowy, visitors are likely to be rewarded with a treat that dates back to the pioneers. Readers of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books will recall a maple sugar candy made by dropping the boiling sap onto fresh snow so it can harden into a maple candy.

Workers at Rockwoods call this sweet treat “sugar on snow candy,” and though the pliability of the candy will vary depending on how hot the sap is heated, they recommend heating to 231 degrees. Heating it less will give the candy more of a taffy texture, while cooking it longer will make it more brittle. Either way, eating maple candy will inspire images of a long ago way of life.

The festival is fun, but the staff has a serious goal. “We want to show people that conservation works, using our natural resources, not harming our environment. This is conservation at its best,” Kevin says. Plus, it’s a great way to get people outside and forge family traditions, even in the wintertime.

COURTESY OF MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION

“... using our natural resources, not harming our environment.

This is conservation at its best.”

mdc.mo.gov/regions/st-louis • 636-458-2236

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—MissouriLife —

Ginger-Maple Steak with Napa Cabbage & Grilled Onions National Beef Association and The Beef Checkoff

Ingredients >

2 boneless beef top loin (strip) steaks, cut 1-inch thick (about 10 ounces each) ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 large red onion, cut into ½-inch thick slices 4 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage

DRESSING: ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce 1⁄3 cup pure maple syrup ¼ cup lemon juice 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 ½ teaspoon fresh garlic, minced 1 ½ teaspoon chilegarlic paste

Directions >

1. Whisk marinade ingredients in medium bowl. Place beef steaks and ½ cup marinade in food-safe plastic bag; turn steaks to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes to 2 hours.

Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for dressing.

2. Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Sprinkle steaks with pepper.

Place steaks in center of grill over medium, ash-covered coals; arrange onion around steaks. Grill steaks, uncovered, 15 to 18 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Grill onions 15 to 20 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally.

3. Carve steaks into slices. Cut onion slices into quarters. Toss cabbage, onion, and 2 tablespoons reserved dressing in large bowl. Arrange beef on cabbage mixture.

Drizzle with some of the remaining dressing and also serve on the side. Serves 8

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—MissouriLife —

—MissouriLife —

Maple-Pecan Cake

Signature Granola Cereal

from Teresa Cardin from Mansfield

Hermann Hill Bed and Breakfast

in Cooking for 2 (cake shown on cover)

Ingredients >

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup butter, melted 3 tablespoons maple syrup 1/4 teaspoon vanilla 1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped, toasted

Ingredients >

GLAZED PECANS: 3 tablespoons light corn syrup 1/3 cup pecan halves

6 cups cornflakes 4 cups branflakes 2 cups quick oats 1 1/2 cup shredded wheat, crushed 1 cup brown sugar

FROSTING: 3 ounces cream cheese, softened 3 tablespoons butter, softened 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions >

1. Mix all dry ingredients EXCEPT cinnamon and raisins together in a large mixing bowl.

2. Whisk all wet ingredients plus cinnamon together in a small bowl.

3. Pour wet ingredients onto dry ingredients and stir until whole mixture is wet.

4. Bake on cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 350°, stirring every 5 minutes.

5. Let cool, then add raisins after baking.

Serves 15, 1 ¹/₂ cups each

Directions >

Courtesy of National Beef Association and The Beef Checkoff; ANDREW BARTON

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, butter, syrup, and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in pecans.

2. Pour into two 6-inch round baking pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

3. In a small saucepan, bring corn syrup to a boil.

Cook and stir for one minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in pecan halves until coated. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

4. For frosting, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and syrup until smooth. Beat in confectioners’ sugar. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with second layer; frost top and sides of cake.

Garnish with glazed pecans. Store in refrigerator.

Serves 6

1 1/2 cups Craisins (dried cranberries) 1 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup hot water 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 cup raisins

—MissouriLife —

Blueberry Utopia Garth Mansion B&B, Hannibal

Ingredients >

—MissouriLife —

Pumpkin Soup with Cinnamon Croutons Candlestick Inn, Branson

in Restaurant Recipes of the Ozarks

Ingredients >

Soup: 4 cups heavy cream ¼ cup honey ½ cup maple syrup 1 pinch of cloves, ground 1 cup canned pumpkin ½ cup brown sugar 1 pinch cinnamon

6 slices white bread, crusts removed 2 cups blueberries 8 ounces cream cheese 1/3 cup maple syrup ½ loaf French bread, sliced

10 eggs, slightly beaten 2 cups milk SAUCE: 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup water 1 cup blueberries

Directions > Croutons: 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 pinch cinnamon 1 tablespoon

brown sugar 5 pieces white bread

Directions >

1. Bring all soup ingredients to a boil over medium heat. Simmer until soup thickens.

2. For croutons, melt butter and mix with syrup, cinnamon, and sugar.

3. Toss cut bread in mixture and bake in 350° oven about 10 minutes until crisp.

Serves 4

1. Place white bread into the bottom of a buttered 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with berries.

2. In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with the syrup. Warm slightly in the microwave to pouring consistency. Drizzle over bread and blueberries. Top with the French bread.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs with milk and pour the egg mixture over the breads. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. Bake uncovered at 350° for 30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil and bake 20 minutes more.

For the sauce: 1. Mix the sugar and the cornstarch in a small pan. Add water.

2. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for about three minutes until thick.

3. Add blueberries and cook until the berries pop and the syrup turns a little blue.

4. Drizzle this mixture over individual cut pieces of the casserole before you serve. Serves 12

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Saint Louis

LOCAL FOOD, GOOD FOOD THE LARGE SIGN in the window of the Local Harvest Café in the Tower Grove neigh-

www.localharvestgrocery.com • 314-772-8815

Springfield

The Perfect Compromise

COUPLES TORN between a rib shack and a touch of class in Springfield can

Ste. Genevieve

Grapevine Grill at Chaumette Winery WINE TASTING, spa treatments, elegant lodging, and special events are among the many reasons to visit Chaumette Winery.

But one of the most delicious reasons is the Grapevine Grill restaurant. Executive chef Adam Lambay works with local farmers and producers

choose Hemingway’s Blue Water Café located in Bass Pro Shops, with tasty treats

to create a menu that features the best of the region and the season.

such as alligator tail drizzled with sweet jalapeno sauce or barbecue ribs. Tribal

“Locally inspired rustic French” is how Lambay describes the menu, which also reflects Indian,

masks and a 30,000-gallon saltwater aquarium create a chic bohemian atmosphere

Asian, and Italian influences. His maternal grandmother came from Germany and his father came

for a quiet dinner date or entertaining clients. An elegant bronze mermaid overlooks

from India, so “I was fusion before fusion was cool,” he says with a laugh.

the circular buffet that offers pasta salads, meats, and soups. Beware of the melt-in-

He credits his formal culinary training at Sullivan College in Louisville, Kentucky, for instilling

your- mouth mashed potatoes and the diet-busting

the desire to work closely with local growers, but he is quick to add that, “I have learned as

Cast-Iron Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie topped

much on the job as I did at chef school, and I have learned as much from the local farmers as I have

with ice cream and caramel. —Amanda J. Barke

at both work and school.” He has been at Chaumette for three years. Before that, he

www.hemingwaysbluewatercafe.com • 417-891-5100

cooked at several St. Louis restaurants.

COURTESY OF LOCAL HARVEST CAFE, HEMINGWAY’S BLUE WATER CAFE, AND CHAUMETTE WINERY

borhood of St. Louis reads “Know Your Food,” and Chef Clara Moore does. She buys directly from more than 100 Missouri suppliers. “In the summer we strive to have as high as 80% of our menu feature food produced within 150 miles, and no less than 50% in the winter,” she says.

The café is the outgrowth of a successful sandwich counter in the Local Harvest Grocery which opened across the street in 2008 by owners Patrick Horine and Maddie Earnest. The objectives of both businesses are to offer the freshest possible food, to support local farmers and food artisans, and to reduce the use of fossil fuels needed to transport food.

Each Saturday, a $35 tasting menu features multiple courses the chef has purchased at farmers’ markets that morning. One Saturday, Missouri organic figs with black goat cheese were the appetizer. Crowder pea stew included corn and house-smoked bacon, and a heirloom tomato salad featured peaches, sprouts, and pan-seared trout. The seared kielbasa entrée consisted of fingerling potato salad and blackberry ketchup. Dessert was peaches and cream parfait.

The restaurant has won several awards from St. Louis media and is open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week and for dinner Tuesdays through Sundays. —Jim Winnerman

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beef, and rabbit. He sources local cheeses, vegetables, and fruits and also works with the winery’s horticulturist to grow herbs and produce for the restaurant.

Lambay is also responsible for the contents of the winery’s deli case, located in the tasting room, where you can purchase foods for your picnic on the winery grounds or to take home.

In addition to sampling his cooking at the Grapevine Grill, you can take classes from Lambay at the Kitchen Conservatory in Clayton, Kathy Gangwisch; Lisa Waterman Gray

Schnucks in St. Louis, and Chef’s Stop in Festus.

He is also working on a cookbook.

The Grapevine Grill’s winter hours are lunch from noon to 3 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

See MissouriLife.com for the Grapevine Grill’s recipe for Norton Vinaigrette.

—Barbara Gibbs Ostmann 573-747-1000 • www.chaumette.com

Missouri Life taStes the menus to find restaurants worth the trip

The grill’s menu changes seasonally, using locally raised pork, chicken, turkey, bison,

Westphalia

Homey comfort Near the Haupstrasse and Mairenstrasse intersection sits the Westphalia Inn Restaurant and the Tasting Room for Westphalia Vineyards. Street signs are still in German, as they were when the community was first established. The Inn, built in 1930 as a hotel, no longer offers lodging, but the antique decor provides the same homey experience. Generously proportioned appetizers are varied: Fresh-baked pizzas, artichoke and sun-dried tomato Cajun crab dip with tortilla chips, boneless chicken wings, cheesy French onion focaccia bread are just samples. The bread basket includes herb butter, fruit, sausage sticks, and cheeses. The entrees are country ham, fried chicken, and roast beef. The signature dessert is tasty peppermint ice cream.

The restaurant is open Fridays 5 to 8:30 pm, Saturdays 4:30 to 8:30 pm, and Sundays 11:30 to 6:30 pm. Reservations are not necessary but recommended.

—Kathy Gangwisch 573-455-2000 • www.westphaliainn.com

Kansas City

Paris-style Bistro

The black and white floor, tiled and brick walls, and red paint create cozy dining at Westport Bar & Grill. Brilliant green dill atop creamy roasted fennel soup made an enticing start. Entrees included dozens of perfectly cooked panseared bay scallops with truffled potato puree and steak frites with bearnaise sauce. Buttery mushrooms and salty, wilted spinach were alongside. For dessert, Blackberry Lemoncello topped delicious Meyer Lemon Pots de Crème. C’est bon!

—Lisa Waterman Gray 816-931-4740 • www.westportcafeandbar.com

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SHOUT IT FOR ELEVEN YEARS, I’ve orga-

DID YOU KNOW St. James Winery has won an international wine contest with its Norton? NOW YOU DO. S T . J AMES M ISSOURI 1.800.280.9463 www.stjameswinery.com

nized and managed the Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition. Its brief history: I created it in response to a request from the Virginia Wineries Association. They wanted something new and original in wine competitions and I believed that their wines were up to the task of being compared in a blind setting, by top flight judges, against wines from the rest of the United States.

It lasted a couple of years there until Virginia support disappeared, and the state of Missouri’s Grape and Wine Program stepped in and saved the day. We held the competition at MU’s campus culinary center for a couple of years, but then I moved it six years ago to Kansas City.

Volunteers from the wine community have been crucial to the Jefferson Cup’s existence as well. Not only do the Missouri Grape and Wine staff members go above and beyond, winery folks from Les Bourgeois, among others, tote boxes, wash thousands of glasses and generally run around like mad people for the three days of the competition.

Although we marshal forces from the local wine community as volunteers and even judges, we still rely mostly upon judges from outside the area: Wayne Belding MS, Colorado, who is Chairman Emeritus of the Court of Master Sommeliers; Laura dePasquale MS, Florida, one of the world’s few female Master Sommeliers; Ellen Landis, long-time Cali-

fornia wine competition judge; Bob Foster, of the California Grapevine; and Guy Stout MS, a Texas-based wine education specialist, among them.

Those palates aren’t predisposed to like the local wines, but it turns out that they do. Increasingly, wineries from this area win awards at the Jefferson Cup and this year’s competition was no exception: top awards went to Adam Puchta Winery, Holy-Field Winery, Bluejacket Crossing, Somerset Ridge, and the perennial winery of so many awards, Stone Hill Winery.

It’s a sign that non-vinifera grapes, such as Traminette, Norton and the like, the sorts of grapes our climate demands and that we focus upon for commercial-scale wines, can generate delicious wines and offer bold competition to wines from the more well-known vinifera grapes, the Chardonnays and Cabernets of the world. Yes, California grabbed its share of top honors at the Jefferson Cup 2010. It only seems reasonable with the head start and larger DOUG FROST scale that exists in that fertile state.

But Missouri and its grapes keep forging ahead. We are proud to shout it out loud.

SETH GARCIA; ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

BY DOUG FROST

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Vintage Charm

TTimeless imeless Beauty

Inn• dulge Yourself

FIND INN•CREDIBLE LODGING DEALS AT VISITHERMANN.COM Chocolate Wine Trail | Feb. 19-20 Wurstfest | March 26-27 Tour of Hermann | April 9-10 Shelbyfest | April 29-30 Norton Wine Trail | May 7-8 Maifest | May 21-22

800-932-8687 • WWW.VISITHERMANN.COM

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ALL AROUND

Missouri

Look for our staff's picks!

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2011

Featured Event >

HELLO DOLLY!

reds rian home and see hund cto Vi e th ur To > e nc de Feb. 19-21, Indepen ofessional ing your doll to the pr Br e. sal for d an y pla of dolls on dis tate. 10 AM-4 PM . Bingham-Waggoner Es ll) do r pe 5 ($ e sit on appraiser bwestate.org -$6. 816-461-3491, www. $3 n.

Su PM 1-4 n.; Mo d Sat. an

NORTHWEST KANSAS CITY AREA CHOCOLATE CRAWL Feb. 5, Lee’s Summit > Follow the balloons to the shops with chocolate treats and special sales.

Downtown. 10 AM-5 PM. Free. 816-246-6598, www.downtownls.org

UNDER THE SEA

Sarah’s Pick

Feb. 5-May 1, Kansas City > Visit a world of whimsical creatures, explore a sunken pirate ship with a treasure chest, visit a submarine and mermaid’s house, step into a whale’s mouth, ride a sea horse, and read aquatic children’s books. Crown Center. 10 AM-6 PM Mon., Wed. and Sat.; 10 AM-9 PM Thurs.-Fri.; noon-5 PM Sun. Free. 816-274-8444, www.crowncenter.com

SWEETHEART BALL Feb. 11, Kearney > Buffet, music, dancing, and silent auction. Annunciation Community Center. 6:30-11 PM. $25. 816-628-4229, www.kearneychamber.org

LOVE IN ART

Amy’s Pick

COURTESY OF INDEPENDENCE MISSOURI TOURISM

Feb. 12, Kansas City > Celebrate love in Europe with a self-guided tour of the museum’s romantic masterpieces and enjoy a threecourse dinner at Rozelle Court Restaurant.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. 6-9:30 PM. $60.

816-561-4000, www.nelson-atkins.org

TRIBUTE TO MOTOWN Danita’s Pick

Feb. 19, St. Joseph > Performance of the music of the Supremes, Temptations, and the Four Tops keep your toes tapping. Missouri Theatre. 8 PM. $24-$47. 816-279-1225, www.saintjosephperformingarts.org

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Visit MissouriLife.com for more events!

Feb. 26, Independence > Dinner and entertainment in a historic setting. BinghamWaggoner Estate. 5 PM. $45. Reservations.

816-461-3491, www.bwestate.org These listings are chosen by our editors and are not paid for by sponsors.

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ALL AROUND

ADULT SPELLING BEE Feb. 26, Marshall > Fundraiser for the Youth of Saline County. Each team has four people.

Live and silent auction and refreshments.

Knights of Columbus. $100 per team (free for spectators). 5 PM. 660-631-1550

NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS Feb. 28, Lexington > Grammy award-winning folk group. Wentworth Academy. 7:30 PM. $15$25. 913-341-8654, www.liveinlexington.org

ARTIFACT SHOW

Greg’s Pick

Mar. 5, Agency > Authentic Indian artifacts, identification, and appraisal. Community Center.

10 AM-4 PM. Donations accepted. 816-253-9301, www.stjomo.com

CHILI CHALLENGE Mar. 6, St. Joseph > Amateurs and professionals compete for the championship, live music, flea market, chili samples, and silent auction. Civic Arena. 11 AM-4 PM. $3.

816-364-3836, www.ucpnwmo.org

BUS STOP Mar. 8, Maryville > A lot happens in a single night when a bus load of passengers are

stranded. Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts. 7:30 PM. 660-562-1226, www.nwmissouri.edu/campusactivities/encoreseason.htm

GISELLE

Lauren’s Pick

Mar. 10-13, Kansas City > Ballet tells the story of innocence, betrayal, love, madness, and redemption. Lyric Theatre. 7:30 PM Thurs.Sat.; 2 PM Sat.-Sun. $25-$80. 888-968-2538, www.kcballet.org

EMERALD ISLE PARADE Mar. 12, Lee’s Summit > Floats, bands, and Pub Crawl. Downtown. 1 PM. Free (except special events). 816-246-6598, www.downtownls.org

WIZARD OF OZ TEA PARTY Mar. 26, Independence > Tasty tidbits, harp music, Dorothy, the witches, and fashions from the past. Vaile Mansion. 2-4 PM. $25. Reservations.

816-254-1415, www.vailemansion.org

ART, CRAFT, AND GIFT SHOW Mar. 26-27, Independence > Trendy, unique, handcrafted and retail art, crafts, and gifts for a variety of seasons. Independence Events Center. $5. 9 AM-6 PM Sat.; 11 AM-5 PM Sun.; 816-7957577, www.independenceeventscenter.com

SOUTHEAST EAGLE VIEWING

Amy’s Pick

Feb. 4 and 18, Salem > Presentation by park naturalist on the resident bald eagles and their active nests. Binocular stands are available Montauk State Park. 9-10 AM. Free. 573-548-2225, www. mostateparks.com/montauk.htm

FABULOUS MOTOWN REVUE Feb. 5, Farmington > R&B and soul hits from the Motown label of the 1960s and 70s. Centene Center. 7:30 PM. $5-$15. 573-756-0900, www.farmingtonciviccenter.com

APRÈS SKI: CSI ROLLA Feb. 5, Rolla > Murder mystery dinner theatre.

Ozark Actors Theatre. 6:30 PM. $45. 573-3649523, www.visitrolla.com

SAINT LOUIS SYMPHONY Feb. 6, Cape Girardeau > Performance with a broad musical repertoire. Bedell Performance Hall. 2:30 PM. $39-$45. 573-651-2265, www.semo.edu/rivercampus/

Civil War in Missouri

Written for novices and Civil War buffs alike, The Civil War’s First Blood: Misouri,1854-1861 takes you by the hand and walks you down back roads, with thorough reports on ALL the action here during the war, with 143 photos and illustrations of every major player. This 144-page, softcover, illustrated publication will be a great addition to any bookshelf.

$24.99

(plus tax, shipping and handling)

800-492-2593, ext. 102 MissouriLife.com [72] MissouriLife

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BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Feb. 13, Ste. Genevieve > Parlor games, 19thcentury entertainment, and refreshments. Felix Vallé House. Noon-4 PM. Free. 573-883-7102, www.visitstegen.com

FOURTH FRIDAY ART WALK Feb. 25 and Mar. 25, Ste. Genevieve > Visit more than 12 studios, galleries, and art spaces. Downtown. 6-9 PM. Free. 573-883-7097, www.visitstegen.com

SERENADE OF STRINGS Mar. 1, Cape Girardeau > All strings program with special guest harp soloist, Juliette Buchanan.

Bedell Performance Hall. 7:30 PM. 573-651-2265, www.semo.edu/rivercampus

Let’s go dancing! >

COURTESY OF BOB MUELLER

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE Mar. 12, Rolla > Third largest parade in the state with floats and bands. Downtown. 11 AM. Free. 573-364-3577, www.visitrolla.com

MOUNTAIN BICYCLE RACE Mar. 13, Park Hills > Races test skills and endurance. St. Joe State Park at the Pim DayUse Area. Free for spectators. 573-431-1069, www.mostateparks.com/stjoe.htm

KING’S BALL Feb. 5, Ste. Genevieve > A 250-year-old tradition starts with the selection of the Royal Court and a “Roi de Bal” is selected, guests are encouraged to dress in French Colonial costumes, participate in the singing of traditional French songs and music, and learn traditional dances. VFW Hall. 7 PM. $5-$10. 573-883-7097, www.visitstegen.com

g Mid s -Mi

i travelers to the wo sour rold .

Connecting mid-Missouri travelers to the world.

573-874-7508 www.flymidmo.com Free parking near the terminal.

Civil War re-enaCtment on June 17-19 2011 Boonville, mo

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111 N. Main, Liberty, MO 64068 • 816-781-9473 • Fax: 816-781-1470 www.jamescountry.com • jamescntry@aol.com

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SponSored by the Boonville Civil War Commemorative Commission and Boonville tourism Commission

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ALL AROUND

Josh”s Pick

DAVID HALEN AND FRIENDS

POLAR BEAR PLUNGE

Mar. 26, Farmington > Concert Master of the St. Louis Symphony brings his musician friends to the Parkland to perform a classical program that includes performances of a few old standards.

First Baptist Church. 7:30 PM. $10. 573-518-2125, www.mineralarea.edu

Feb. 12, Branson > Jump in the icy lake to raise money for Special Olympics. Table Rock Lake.

Noon registration; 2 PM plunge. Donations accepted ($50 minimum donation to plunge).

417-624-5505, somo.org/bransonplunge

AN ANCIENT ART

Greg’s Pick

Feb. 12, Joplin > Learn to fashion rocks into tools and weapons, see artifacts, and learn about laws concerning collecting artifacts.

Audubon Center. 2-3:30 PM. $5. 417-782-6287, www.wildcatglades.audubon.org

SOUTHWEST DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

SERTOMA CHILI COOK-OFF

Feb. 11-Mar. 5, Springfield > Hilarious musical set in the Riviera with two con men making a winner-take-all wager over the fortune of an American soap heiress.

Vandivort Center Theatre. 7:30 PM Fri.Sat.; 2 PM Sun. $16-$22. 888-452-0930, www.springfieldcontemporarytheatre.org

CHILIFEST

Feb. 22, Springfield > 18 guild members demonstrate a variety of quilting techniques including paper piecing, thread painting, bobbin work, and four types of appliqué. Village Shopping Center. 1-4 PM. $10-$15. 417-443-2363, www.ozarkpiecemakers.com

PLAN-IT GREEN Feb. 26-28, Joplin > Explore the balance between home building and the sustainable environment at this home show. Hammons Trade Center. 10 AM-8 PM Fri.-Sat.; 1-5 PM Sun. $4. 417-623-5205, www.hbabuilders.com

Feb. 18-19, Springfield > Eighty 10-member cooking teams compete, two stages of bands, and entertainment. Benefits the Boys and Girls Club. Expo Center. 11 AM-5 PM. $12-$15. 417-8631231, sertomachilicookoff.com

HOT TUNA BLUES

LAWN AND GARDEN SHOW

ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION AND PARADE

Feb. 18-20, Springfield > More than 100 exhibitors featuring products and services showcasing all of your lawn and garden needs.

Ozark Empire Fairgrounds E-Plex. 9 AM-6 PM Fri.-Sat.; 11 AM-5 PM Sun. $4. 417-833-2660, www.ozarkempirefair.com

Feb. 5, Shell Knob > Chili, soup, and desserts with proceeds benefitting the First Responders of the Shell Knob area. Community Building.

4:30-7 PM. Free (except food). 417-858-3560, www.shellknob.com

QUILTER'S SCHOOLHOUSE

Mar. 3, Springfield > Blues, jazz, and bluegrass. Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. 7:30 PM. $16-$26. 888-2767849, www.hammonshall.com

Mar. 12, Springfield > Food booths, vendors, Irish Idol Contest, and parade. Followed by awards ceremony. Downtown and Park Central Square. 11 AM-4:30 PM. Free. 417-8487474, www.springfieldstpatsparade.org

TOUR SAYERSBROOK BISON RANCH Business Retreats • ultimate meeting environment • sportsman’s paradise • groups of 7 to 20 • five-star chef

75 scenic minutes south of St. Louis

Come experience something different!

Groups from 20 to 300 - clubs, schools, churches, and organizations

$50.00 Gift Certificate to use in our store when your group mentions this ad. Good through Dec. 31, 2010 (one coupon per group)

To order the healthiest of all food, visit www.americangourmet.net.

For more information visit www.sayersbrook.com or call 888-854-4449 or 573-438-4449.

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550

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Missouri

ALL AROUND

NATIONAL AG DAY

DISC GOLF ICE BOWL

Mar. 19, Springfield > Celebrate American agriculture. Rutledge-Wilson Farm Park. 10 AM4 PM. Free (except special events). 417-837-5949, www.parkboard.org

Feb. 5, Jefferson City > Gutsy disc golfers come together for fun and to collect food for the Samaritan Club. Joseph C. Miller Disc Golf Course at Binder Park. 10 AM tee time. Donation of nonperishable food items accepted. 573-619-3705, www.visitjeffersoncity.com

CHERRY BLOSSOM KITE FESTIVAL

Sarah’s pick

Mar. 26, Springfield > Fly your kite or build one and stroll the garden to see the first cherry blossoms of the season. Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden at Nathanael Greene Memorial Park. 11 AM-3 PM. Free (kite kit $3). 417-864-1341, www.peacethroughpeople.org

You gotta hear this! > STRINGFEVER Feb. 4, Nevada > Four world-class musicians play electric violins, viola, and cello and throw in a bit of beat-boxing for a truly unique experience. Center for the Arts at Cottey College. 8 PM. $6-$8. 417-667-8181, ext. 2186, www.cottey.edu

DEER CAMP: THE MUSICAL Feb. 11, Warrensburg > Good buddies, cold beer, songs, and a hunting shack make for hilarious male bonding. Hendricks Hall at University of Central Missouri. 7:30 PM. $15-$25.

660-543-8888, www.deercampmusical.com

HEART AND HOPE

CENTRAL CHOCOLATE, CHAMPAGNE, Amy’s Pick AND PASTRIES

Feb. 4-5, Columbia > Culinary event featuring three guest chefs, a chocolatier, and an advanced sommelier with a wine reception, demonstrations, and the annual ACF President’s dinner. University Club. 6-9 PM Fri.; 9 AM-6 PM Sat. $120-$8. 573-882-2433, chefdaniel.missouri.edu

Feb. 12, Sedalia > Bid on auction items: art, oneof-a-kind experiences, and other items. Benefits the Boys and Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri. MEC Building. 5-9 PM. $40. 877-242-9260, www.bgckids.com

ELLIS MARSALIS Feb. 13, Columbia > Premier pianist in modern jazz and one of New Orleans notable jazz educators and his quartet. Windsor Ball Room at Holiday Inn Select. 7 PM. $25-$35. 573-449-3001. www.wealwaysswing.org

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 2011 MSHSAA Schedule of Championships Date(s) Feb. 17-19 Feb. 18-19

Event 81st MSHSAA Wrestling Championships 35th MSHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving Championships

Location Mizzou Arena + City of St. Peters Rec-Plex

March 10-12 March 10-12 March 17-19 March 17-19

85th MSHSAA Boys Basketball Championships (Class 4, 5) 39th MSHSAA Girls Basketball Championships (Class 4, 5) 85th MSHSAA Boys Basketball Championships (Class 1, 2, 3) 39th MSHSAA Girls Basketball Championships (Class 1, 2, 3)

Mizzou Arena + Mizzou Arena + Mizzou Arena + Mizzou Arena +

April 15-16 April 28-30

60th MSHSAA Speech, Debate & Drama Championships 60th MSHSAA Music Festival

UMC campus, Rock Bridge & Hickman HS

May 6-7 May 16-17 May 20-21 May 20-21 May 26-28 May 27-28 May 27-28

16th MSHSAA Scholar Bowl Championships 72nd MSHSAA Boys Golf Championships 85th MSHSAA Boys Track & Field Championships (Class 1, 2) 38th MSHSAA Girls Track & Field Championships (Class 1, 2) 83rd MSHSAA Boys Tennis Championships 85th MSHSAA Boys Track & Field Championships (Class 3, 4) 38th MSHSAA Girls Track & Field Championships (Class 3, 4)

Univ. of Missouri-Columbia campus + various sites @ Dwight T. Reed Stadium # Dwight T. Reed Stadium #

June 1-2 June 3-4 June 3-4

62nd MSHSAA Baseball Championships (Class 1, 2) 62nd MSHSAA Baseball Championships (Class 3, 4) 27th MSHSAA Girls Soccer Championships (Class 1, 2, 3)

Meador Sports Park $ Meador Sports Park $ Anheuser-Busch Center %

Univ. of Missouri-Columbia campus +

Cooper Indoor/Outdoor Tennis Complex $

Dwight T. Reed Stadium # Dwight T. Reed Stadium #

Dates and sites are subject to change due to weather and other site considerations.

Please visit the MSHSAA website (www.mshsaa.org) for the latest information, tournament brackets, results and media information regarding the remaining 2011 MSHSAA Championships. (+) (#) (@)

($) (%)

Indicates facility on the campus of the University of Missouri, Columbia Indicates facility on the campus of Lincoln University, Jefferson City Class 1 - Sedalia Country Club, Sedalia; Class 2 - Rivercut Golf Course, Springfield; Class 3 - Silo Ridge Golf Course, Bolivar; Class 4 - Twin Oaks Country Club, Springfield.

Indicates facility in Springfield Indicates facility in Fenton

This ad brought to you by the Columbia Conventions and Visitors Bureau in support of the MSHSAA Championships held in Columbia.

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Missouri

ALL AROUND

CHRISTMAS BELLES Feb. 18-20 and 24-27, Jefferson City > Comedy dinner theatre featuring the Futrelle sisters, an out-of-control pageant, an ailing Santa, and a vengeful sheep. Shikles Auditorium. Doors at 6 PM Thurs.-Sat.; noon Sun. $30.

573-681-9012, www.capitalcityplayers.com

NEGROES FOR HIRE: A DOCUMENTARY Feb. 24, Jefferson City > Compelling first-hand accounts of the day-to-day existence of slaves and commentary by noted historians. Missouri State Archives at the Kirkpatrick State Information Center. 7-8 PM. Free. 660-526-5296, www.visitjeffersoncity.com

POLAR PLUNGE Feb. 25-26, Kaiser > Fundraiser for Special Olympics. Lake of the Ozarks State Park. 2 PM Fri.; 5 PM Sat. Donations accepted. 573-5482225, www.mostateparks.com/lakeozark.htm

HOME AND LIFESTYLES EXPO Feb. 25-27, Columbia > Products and services relating to homes, gardens, and sustainable living and lifestyles. Hearnes Center at University of Missouri. 2-8 PM Fri.; 10 AM8 PM Sat.; 10 AM-4 PM Sun. $5. 573-882-9554, www.muconf.missouri.edu/homeandlifestyle

Get out of your seat! > BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO Feb. 19, Jefferson City > Put on your dancing shoes to hear this hot zydeco band, called “one of the best party bands in America” by the New York Times. Richardson Fine Arts Center. 7:30 PM. $5-$15. 573-681-5041, www.lincolnu.edu/pages/3184.asp

Mar. 3-6, Columbia > Documentary and nonfiction films, panel discussions, and a “Reality Bites” culinary free-for-all. Throughout the District. Times vary. $25-$500. 573-442-8783, www.truefalse.org

DOUBT Mar. 3-6 and 10-13, Columbia > Contemporary drama set in 1964 at a Catholic elementary school. Columbia Entertainment Company Theatre. 7:30 PM Thurs.-Sat.; 2 PM Sun. $7-$10.

573-474-3699, www.cectheatre.org

49TH ANNUAL ICE SHOW Mar. 4-6, Jefferson City > Figure skating performances with solos, duets, and group numbers. Washington Park Ice Arena. 7 PM Fri.-Sat.; 2:30 PM Sun. $3-$5, 573-634-6482, www.visitjeffersoncity.com

FLESH, FELT, AND FIBER Mar. 4-24, Columbia > Exhibition showcases a variety of fibers arts and unique collaborations between two-dimensional and fiber artists. Davis Art Gallery at Stephens College.

10 AM-3 PM Mon.-Fri. Reception 4-6 PM Mar.4.

Free. 573-876-7233, www.stephens.edu/news/ stephensevents/finearts

INDOOR GARAGE SALE

ST. PATRICK’S DAY DANCE

Mar. 5, Linn Creek > Household goods, clothing for kids and adults, collectibles, and more.

Camden County Museum. 9 AM-4 PM. Free (lunch available for donation). 573-346-7191, www.camdencountymuseum.com

Mar. 13, Linn Creek > Lake Jazz Band performs big band-style dance music. Camden County Museum. 2-5 PM. $6. 573-346-7191, www.camdencountymuseum.com

WIZARD OF OZ

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL

Mar. 11, Columbia > Missoula Children’s Theatre recruits local children to create this classic story of Dorothy and the Wizard. Jesse Hall at University of Missouri. 6 and 8 PM. $12.

800-292-9136, www.concertseries.org

Mar. 20-22, Warrensburg > More than 40 children’s book authors do readings and sign and sell their books. University of Central Missouri. Times vary. $8-$15 ($25 author’s luncheon). 660-5434306, www.guides.library.ucmo.edu/clf

JIM STAFFORD

MACBETH

Mar. 11, Warrensburg. Combination of comedy and classical guitar performance.

Hendricks Hall. 7:30 PM. $20-$35. 660-5438888, www.jimstafford.com

Mar. 25, Jefferson City > William Shakespeare’s darkest tragedy. Langston Hughes Theatre.10 AM and 7:30 PM. $5-$15. 573-6815041, www.lincolnu.edu/pages/3184.asp

SHOW-ME CRAFTERS SHOW

PAKE MCENTIRE SHOW

Mar. 12-13, Sedalia > More than 90 crafters with handmade items. Missouri State Fairgrounds Agriculture Building. 9 AM-5 PM Sat.; 10 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 660-826-3167, www.visitsedaliamo.com

Mar. 26, Versailles > Singer and brother to Reba McEntire performs a high impact show with upcoming star Stephanie Ann. The Royal Theatre. 7 PM. $5-$10. 573-378-6226, www.theroyaltheatre.com

COURTESY OF CONCERTED EFFORTS

TRUE/FALSE FILM FESTIVAL

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Spa Guide

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Missouri

ALL AROUND

ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR Mar. 5-6, Oakville > 200 booths with handmade items. Oakville Senior High School. 9 AM4 PM Sat.; 10 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 314-416-1444, www.oakvilleband.com

IN A BIG WAREHOUSE TOUR Mar. 17, St. Louis > New Orleans-based, blue-suited rock band for kids brings the television series to life with special guests Nina and Warehouse Mouse. Fox Theatre. 6:30 PM. $25-$35. 314-534-1111, www.fabulousfox.com

FABRIC ADDICT’S PARADISE Mar. 19-20, St. Louis > Display of more than 300 quilts, appraisals, demonstrations, quilt raffle, vendors, and Gifts of Love raffle. Greensfelder Recreation Center in Queeny Park. 10 AM5 PM Sat.; 11 AM-4 PM Sun. $1-$7 (for both days).

314-973-5740, thimbleandthreadsstl.org

Wagon Ho! >

SPRING EXPO

JOURNEY WEST Mar. 26, Defiance > Learn first-hand what it took to prepare to travel westward and make stops at the general store, carpenter shop, and local tavern. Historic Daniel Boone Home and Boonesfield Village. 9 AM-5 PM. $6-$12. 636-798-2005, www.lindenwood.edu/boone

Mar. 26, Kirksville > Trade show with all types of businesses and prize drawings. NEMO Fairground Multipurpose Building. 8 AM-4 PM. $1. 660-6653766, www.kirksvillechamber.com

ANTIQUE SHOW AND SALE

NORTHEAST ST. LOUIS AREA CELTIC MUSIC SESSIONS Feb. 7 and 14, Hannibal > Traditional Irish and American jam sessions. Breadeaux Pizza. 7-9 PM. Free. 573-221-1500, www.visithannibal.com

9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL Feb. 8-20, St. Louis > Hilarious musical featuring Dolly Parton’s hit title song. Fox Theatre.

8 PM Tues.-Sat.; 2 PM Sat.-Sun. $24-$76. 314-5341111. www.fabulousfox.com

FIERY POOL: THE MAYA AND Lauren’s Pick THE MYTHIC SEA

Feb. 12-May 8, St. Louis > More than 90 works offering insight into the culture of the ancient Maya. St. Louis Art Museum at Forest Park. 10 AM5 PM Tues.-Sun. (9 PM Fri.). Free. 314-721-0072, www.slam.org

CRAFT AND GIFT SHOW Feb. 18-20, Bridgeton > More than 100 handmade and retail craft and gift booths. Machinist District 9 Building. 2-6 PM Fri.; 9 AM-5 PM Sat.; 10 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 636-240-5689, www.treasurechestshows.com

Feb. 18-Mar. 8, St. Louis > Events include a Cajun cook-off, pet parade, grand parade, Mardi Gras wine tasting, Weiner dog derby, and Fat Tuesday parade. Historic Soulard Neighborhood. Times vary. Free (except special events).

314-771-5110, www.stlmardigras.org

CHOCOLATE WINE TRAIL Feb. 19-20, Hermann > Taste creative chocolate and wine pairings at each stop and take home a souvenir wine glass. Seven local wineries. 10 AM-5 PM. Sat.; 11 AM-5 PM Sun. $30. Reservations. 800-932-8687, www.hermannwinetrail.com

HOME AND GARDEN SHOW Mar. 3-6, St. Louis > Showcasing lawn, garden, kitchen, bath, pool, spa, interior design, and building products. America’s Center and Edward Jones Dome. 10 AM-9 PM Thurs.Sat.; 10 AM-5 PM Sun. $4-$10. 314-342-5000, www.stlhomeshow.com

FARM TOY SHOW Mar. 5, Montgomery City > More than 60 tables of new and old toys including collectibles, farm toys, trucks, and banks to buy, sell, or trade. Montgomery County Fair Grounds. 9 AM-4 PM. $2. 573-564-2979, www.montgomerycountyoldthreshers.org

WURSTFEST

Amy’s Pick

Mar. 26-27, Hermann > Celebration of the art of German sausage making including samples and demonstrations. Stone Hill Winery, Hermannhof Winery, and City Park. 9 AM-5 PM Sat.; 10 AM4 PM Sun. Free ($6 sampling). 800-932-8687, www.visithermann.com

FREE LISTING & MORE EVENTS PLEASE NOTE:

COURTESY OF AMANDA CARROW

SOULARD MARDI GRAS

Mar. 26, Paris > Premium dealers from across the nation set up booths with a wide variety of antiques and collectibles Paris High School gym.

10 AM-3 PM. $3 (early bird admission $5). 660-3274994, www.mtlantiqueshowandsale.weebly.com

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APE GIRARDEAU CHave We Got A Story For You! Laugh, cry…

Storytellers tell tales you won’t soon forget.

Follow this tale to

CAPESTORYTELLING.COM A storytelling festival brings tellers and listeners of all ages together for one enchanting event. It’s the kind of quality entertainment you expect from an upscale theater setting — only at our annual festival, you’ll enjoy large shade trees, springtime weather and friendly faces on the banks of the Mississippi. Join us April 8-10 for the 4th Annual Cape Girardeau Storytelling Festival: Where the River Turns a Thousand Tales. An unforgettable weekend of memories to create and stories to share!

800·777·0068 VISITCAPE.COM & CAPESTORYTELLING.COM VISITCAPE

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Missouriana Trivia JUST FOR FUN

We've saved the best bits for last!

BY LAUREN HUGHES AND MELISSA WILLIAMS

We couldnthave said it better!

COLUMBIA is the nation’s 17TH MOST ROMANTIC CITY in 2010, based on romance-related products sold to residents in the area, such as romantic comedy DVDs and romance novels. (SOURCE: AMAZON.COM) Missouri boasts thirty-six varieties of NATIVE ORCHIDS, but if you see them in a state park, don’t touch! Missouri Revised Statute 577.073 calls for a YEAR IN

COUNTY JAIL AND/OR A FINE OF UP TO $1,000

for anyone caught removing or damaging flowers or plants from a state park.

–Ginger Rogers, who was born in Independence and spent her early years in Kansas City.

There are 222,645,161 SUGAR MAPLE TREES in Missouri, accounting for less than 1/40th of the nationwide count of 9,349,185,247. Still, if all those Missouri maples were tapped, they could produce approximately 111,322,580 gallons of maple syrup! (SOURCE: U.S. FOREST SERVICE)

Bet you didn’t know this!

THE 2010-2011 MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HIGHWAY MAP LISTS 1,508 CITIES AND TOWNS, WITH THE SMALLEST BEING GOSS, A TINY TOWN IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI WITH A POPULATION OF ONLY 1.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANDREW BARTON

“When two people love each other, they don’t look at each other; they look in the same direction.”

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a tradition at lake ozark since 1964 The Residences at the lodge

OUR NEWEST LUXURY ACCOMODATIONS

The Lodge has been a destination for family, groups and businesses for almost 50 years, and it’s still the destination of choice for many today. Where else could you find first-class golf on three different courses, the lake’s largest marina, nationally known Spa Shiki, BEST LARGE RESORT: THE LODGE OF FOUR SEASONS

GOLF RESORT AND SPA SHIKI

award-winning restaurants, well appointed and ample meeting space, beautiful surroundings including the Japanese Garden and much more. All the amenities you enjoy in one central location plus great service and value at the historic Lodge of Four Seasons.

BEST GOLF COURSE: THE COVE

A ROBERT TRENT JONES SIGNATURE COURSE

THE LODGE of FOUR SEASONS G O L F

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VOTED BY READERS OF THE 500,000 CIRCULATION AAA MIDWEST TRAVELER MAGAZINE

Horseshoe Bend Parkway | Four Seasons, MO | on The Lake of the Ozarks 8 0 0 -T H E - L A K E ( 8 4 3 - 5 2 5 3 ) | 5 7 3 - 3 6 5 - 3 0 0 0 | w w w. 4 s e a s o n s re s o r t. c o m [84] MissouriLife

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