Riverfront Times November 28, 2018 by Riverfront Times

NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2018 I VOLUME 42 I NUMBER 48

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“ I think that each of these women are at different stages of being a black woman in their life, and I have been through all of them. The middle one is the youngest of them all, right? When you think everything is yours. Then the next one [left] is like, ‘Oh, hmm.’ And that one’s the one [right] that’s seen so much pain and suffering. You can see it in the line of her jaw. I feel like I’m kind of all of those women.”

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NEWS He Terrorized Many Women. Yet His Parole Date Already Looms Written by

DOYLE MURPHY

obert Merkle, who turned the slimmest of connections with local women into campaigns of sustained terror, is scheduled for a parole hearing in January. The 49-year-old south St. Louis County man was sentenced just last month to three years in prison for his second and third felonies, but with credit for time served since his arrest in February, he will have the opportunity to make his first request for early release a little more than a week into the new year. On paper, Merkle was sentenced to a dozen years of hard time — a trio of three-year terms on felony harassment charges and three more one-year terms for misdemeanor counts. But on the recommendation of the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office, Judge Rex Burlison decreed that the sentences for Merkle’s five St. Louis cases would be served concurrently — meaning, simultaneously — with a previous conviction and three-year sentence in Jefferson County. Now women targeted by Merkle’s threats and harassment fear he’ll come after them again — and they say weaknesses and failures of the justice system have put them in danger. “The man threatened to rape me,” says Angela, one of the women whom Merkle terrorized. (The RFT is only using first names at the victims’ request.) She and Merkle were strangers. In August 2017, he came to a discussion group she attends at Dressel’s Public House in the Central West End, and though they barely exchanged a sentence, he then began stalking her through

Rebecca (left) and Angela were two of the women threatened by Robert Merkle. | COURTESY CASEY OTTO Meetup.com, the platform used to organize the group. When she skipped a subsequent meeting, he sent her messages saying he was disappointed because he had planned to rape her that night “completely without your consent or desire,” explaining, “I much prefer it when women are extremely unwilling to perform sex acts with me.” It was part of a pattern. Merkle trawled for women online and in real life. Brief interactions — sometimes as tenuous as sitting near a woman and learning her name — fueled obsessions that quickly escalated to him sending horrifying messages, usually describing his desire to be sexually violent with them. He often used aliases, calling himself James or David, which made identifying him more difficult. A former IT worker, he tracked down personal details about his victims and their families that the women had not shared with him. Rebecca knew him only as Rob. They met through a dating site and went out once in February 2017. She says the evening was unremarkable and Merkle seemed normal enough in person. Then he began texting her. He was aggressive, eventually prompting her to tell him to leave her alone. Over the next 24 hours, he sent more than 30 messages, switching numbers and growing furious.

“I’m your conscience,” he texted. “I’ve come here to kick ass and chew bubble gum, and I’m all out of bubble gum. You do the math.” Given that many of the women had only brief interactions with Merkle and knew little about him, they initially struggled to get police to act. But Angela was able to push an investigation with the help of friends, one a St. Louis cop and another a computer wiz who worked back through Merkle’s various social media profiles to link him to multiple instances of abuse. The case eventually was assigned to St. Louis Police Detective Martin Garcia. Angela and Rebecca say he took them seriously, kept them informed and actively went after Merkle. They cite his work as one of the few bright spots in what has become a long-running nightmare. Almost every other interaction with the justice system has been frustrating at best. One example Angela cites was her failed attempt to get a restraining order in November 2017. Merkle had continued to pursue her through Meetup.com. He could look at her profile and see which groups she attended, giving him times and locations he might find her. He had also started harassing Angela’s friend, whom he briefly sat next to at the discussion group. After a vile and disturbing message to the friend using his actual

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name, Merkle quickly claimed he had been hacked and deleted his profile. But he soon returned to the site under aliases and asked the leader of the discussion group to readmit him. On November 15, 2017, Merkle posed as “David” and RSVPed to an event scheduled for that night at Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood, one Angela had also RSVPed to attend. In a panic, Angela rushed from work to file the paperwork for a restraining order. She managed to submit the forms just before the deadline to have them reviewed that day, but her application was rejected without explanation. She also spoke to another detective who advised her to call police if Merkle showed up. Angela was frightened about possibly seeing her harasser in person, but going to Schlafly also seemed like the only way to draw him out and get law enforcement to act. Her boss accompanied her and they alerted friends and the bartender, who also kept watch through the nerve-wracking evening. Merkle never showed. Angela learned later that St. Louis police, based on some of the complaints, had put out a “wanted” on him — asking other officers to take him into custody if he was spotted. Kirkwood police intercepted him that evening shortly before the event. Angela wonders if he had been on his way to make good on his threats. Knowing that Merkle had also harassed her friend, Angela posted on Facebook to see if there were other victims. She also did a pair of TV news interviews. Her hunch was right. More women came forward, contacting her and the police. Angela and Rebecca say they’ve learned at least eighteen women spoke with police, although some were too frightened to go further and only six of the cases led to charges. One of the women who saw Angela on the news was a Jefferson County woman who had been harassed by Merkle since 2016 after rejecting his advances on a dating site. She had been having trouble getting police to pay attention, but Angela helped connect her to St. Louis investigators and reporters. That helped get the case moving, and Merkle was

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MERKLE

Continued from pg 9

charged in February in Jefferson County. In June, he pleaded guilty to felony harassment in that case. The Jefferson County judge described his behavior as “despicable” and sentenced him to three years. Heartened by the judge’s strong condemnation, Angela assumed more time would follow in the St. Louis cases. That didn’t happen. Instead, she says, she had to repeatedly call the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office to keep tabs on the cases. Even then she felt like she was mostly in the dark. She says she knew little about the criminal justice system and was left flailing as she tried to figure out how best to protect herself. For example, she had assumed someone might tell her what to expect in her grand-jury testimony and which parts of her story might be important. A significant factor in determining whether harassment is a misdemeanor or felony depends on how much a victim is harmed, but Angela was under the impression that the most important part was that Merkle was a stranger. She says she went into the grand jury blind, and the man who tormented her for months was indicted on a misdemeanor — not the felony she was hoping for. Susan Ryan, a spokeswoman for the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office, says prosecutors pursued Angela’s case as a felony. They can’t be blamed, she says, for the grand jury’s decision to treat it as a misdemeanor. But Angela says during her testimony, a prosecutor asked her just one question — whether she went to work after Merkle’s threats. She said yes. If the impression was that she had shrugged off the threats, she says that could have been cleared up by followup questions. She never got to explain that she felt safer at her job than she did when she was alone at home. Grand jurors never heard that she’d sobbed in her employer’s bathroom and was so frightened, she could barely work. Instead, she was thanked for her testimony and sent on her way. Angela asked Assistant Circuit Attorney Richard Vannoy to take the case back to the grand jury to try again for a felony. Such a move isn’t common, but prosecutors have done it in the past. It didn’t happen in her case. Ryan defends prosecutors’ work on the case, noting that Vannoy

could have handed Angela’s case off to a misdemeanor prosecutor, but he kept it himself because he felt he could be a better advocate. Rebecca, too, was unhappy with Vannoy and the Circuit Attorney’s Office. She was a late addition to the cases against Merkle. She had reported his harassing texts to police back in February 2017, but it wasn’t until Angela went public with her story months later that she learned her harasser’s full identity. Charges in her case were filed in October, just as Angela’s case and three others were going to trial. Vannoy told her that her case would proceed later, but she decided to show up to court anyway to familiarize herself with the process. To her surprise, her case was called along with the others. Right then and there, Merkle pleaded guilty. She was asked on the spot if she would like to make a statement to the judge. Thoughtful and measured, Rebecca would have liked time to consider what had happened and write out her response. She spoke, pausing at times to gather her thoughts, about the danger she felt and how she shook in front of her computer screen. She recalled how Merkle coyly dangled the name of her father to show her that he was gathering information about her. Yet in the end, Rebecca and Angela say their statements and those of other victims ended up feeling like little more than a pro forma step in the proceedings. While they were personally agonizing to make, it felt as if the lawyers and judge just “ticked the boxes and filed the paperwork,” Angela says. After they were finished speaking, Vannoy recommended threeyear sentences on the felonies to be served concurrently with the Jefferson County case. It was a conclusion that had been in the works for months, even before Rebecca’s case was charged. Merkle’s attorney, Mark Hammer, told Judge Burlison they had discussed the deal with St. Louis prosecutors before his client pleaded in the Jefferson County case. “This recommendation was originally discussed when he [Merkle] entered his plea on the Jefferson County case, and it was part of his decision-making process there as well,” Hammer told the judge. Burlison accepted Merkle’s guilty pleas and imposed the sentence recommended by prosecutors. It gave the serial harasser more convictions on his record, but no extra time in prison. For

Victims shared Merkle’s many social media profile photos as a warning.

Women targeted by Merkle’s threats and harassment fear he’ll come after them again — and they say failures of the justice system have put them in danger. his part, Merkle said he had “every intention” of moving in with his parents in Illinois and living peacefully when he was released from prison. Angela and Rebecca left court not even sure what had happened. “Concurrently” is not a term that gets much use outside of courtrooms. When they learned he would serve zero additional time, they were furious. “It really was a slap in the face,” Angela says. Prosecutors saw it differently. Ryan points out Merkle had a clean record, with no history of violence, and that victims were allowed an opportunity to be heard. “This man got a serious sentence,” Ryan says. “This judge handled it, to me, with the utmost respect for victims.” She concedes Rebecca was given no warning her case would be called, but she says that was at Burlison’s request and there was little prosecutors could do about

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it. Ideas of justice often vary, Ryan adds, and the staff of the Circuit Attorney’s Office does its best to work with victims. Rebecca questioned Vannoy by email following the sentencing, asking why her case was lumped in with the others. She and Angela had hoped if it was considered at a later date as originally planned, a judge would see Merkle now had a serious criminal record and impose a harsher sentence. Instead, they felt what he’d done to her was lost in the batch of cases. The response hardly made them feel better. “Things were set up the way they were to be the most convenient for all the parties involve[d],” Vannoy responded in an email to Rebecca. “That includes the Judge, the defendant, his lawyer, the court reporter, the guards, the sheriff’s department, the victims and officials at the Missouri Department of Corrections.” Rebecca bristled at the mention of convenience. She also thought it was telling to see victims listed second to last, just before prison officials. Given the opportunity to consider what she thinks about that, she types out a response. “I believe justice should be put as a priority above the court’s convenience,” she writes. “Therefore, if one victim tells the state attorney to wait to press charges regarding the most recent felony accusation that has come forward, that request should be strongly considered and pursued. That request should not be discarded considering ‘convenience.’” Now Angela and Rebecca are in the familiar position of searching for more women harassed by Merkle and encouraging them to come forward. They’re preparing for his January 8 parole hearing, terrified of what might happen if they cannot make the parole board understand their feelings about the case. For all they know, Merkle could still have all their information saved somewhere and be ready to begin another onslaught. Only victims in the felony case were invited to attend the parole hearing, but Rebecca is allowed to bring a support person. She has chosen Angela to come with her. They are hoping others who can go to the hearing will, and that any others harassed by Merkle will write letters or contact police if they haven’t already. They believe there is a good chance others have received the same kind of messages and threats. And if there is one thing they have learned from this experience, it is that they have to be there for each other. n

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GIRL NEXT DOOR

Downtown businesses want her to move along. But for 22-year-old Jazmin, the streets of St. Louis are home

BY DOYLE MURPHY

azmin exhales a cloud of shimmering breath and looks over the new autumn world in front of her. Leaves on the trees have begun to color; the air is crisp. “I’m trying to get a little breakfast money, but these motherfuckers ain’t shit,” she says.

The 22-year-old stands at the exit of the McDonald’s drive-through near North Tucker Boulevard, wrapped in a stained white comforter. Her curly hair is tucked inside the hood of a brown sweatshirt. She slept the night before on a slab of sidewalk about fifteen yards from where she is now posted up, begging customers for the balance of their Sausage McMuffin bills. “Spare some change?” she calls out to passing cars. “Anything’s a blessing.” She prefers to let the men pass. They are more likely to ask about her gender and, if they learn she is a transgender woman, proposition her.

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“They be on that creep shit,” she says. “I’m homeless. I’m asking you for help. I’m not going to suck your dick for no money.” In the nearly two years since Jaz arrived on a bus from Wisconsin, she has learned to navigate the dangerous, petty and occasionally hilarious ecosystem of downtown St. Louis. She has been cussed out, threatened and attacked. A year ago, she spent more than two weeks in jail after a sidewalk brawl with a tech-company owner who later explained that he’d lost his temper in part because lingering homeless people are bad for business.

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Continued on pg 14

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Jazmin hoped life would improve when she moved to St. Louis. | THEO WELLING

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GIRL NEXT DOOR Continued from pg 12

Jaz says, “He called me a punkass bitch, a cunt. That cunt word, that really pissed me off.” Outside the McDonald’s, a middle-aged employee wearing a spotless white shirt, black slacks and black sunglasses hustles around the parking lot with a broom and dustbin. As he moves, he looks in Jaz’s direction repeatedly. She eyes the man coldly before jumping into a story about a fight between a couple of women the night before. One apparently threatened to “slap the piss” out of the other, but it was the response that delights Jaz. “She said, ‘Well, get to slapping, bitch, because I ain’t got to pee,’” Jaz says, laughing loudly at the comeback. “Get to slapping, bitch!” She loves the ridiculousness of it. Fierce and funny, she keeps up a running commentary on the characters and bizarre interactions that pass before her each day. It is late October, and the wind is sharp. The weather is getting colder. Along with her comforter, Jaz has a thin pink blanket. The blankets, a couple of cheap lighters and a few toiletries crammed inside a small backpack are everything she owns. Winter is on her mind. Last year was frighteningly cold, and the city-owned shelter on the other side of McDonald’s, Biddle Housing Opportunities Shelter, had to turn people away on the worst nights. When a police officer who works with homeless people rolls out of the drive-through, Jaz questions her about rumors she’s heard that shelters would not be adding extra cots for overflow this winter. The officer assures her the city is finalizing plans. “They’re still working on funding,” the cop says. Jaz nods but does not seem convinced. She returns her attention to panhandling as the officer drives on. Around 9 a.m., a sympathetic drive-through customer hands over a few singles. That brings Jaz’s holdings to $8, which is enough. She slides her backpack over her shoulders, re-wraps the comforter around her and heads south into the heart of the city.

Jaz, shown in 2016, used to regularly post selfies on Facebook. | COURTESY JAZMIN knew in elementary school that she identified as a girl and did not realize others would find it strange until she was bullied by classmates. Never one to back down, in high school she posted selfies on Facebook with her makeup and hair done, mugging for the camera as she documented “transformation Wednesdays.” She says she spent large blocks of her teen years in and out of foster homes after quarreling with her mother and stepfather. She dropped out of high school after the eleventh grade. In her telling, she ended up homeless in the Milwaukee area after a cousin learned of her gender transition and put her out. It was some bad advice that brought her to St. Louis. Courvoisier had previously been shot and called a social services hotline in hopes of applying for disability benefits, Jaz says. The staffer suggested Missouri might be an easier place to get approved.

That did not turn out to be true. “I thought as my life went on it was going to get better,” Jaz says. “Hell, nah.” Two years after they arrived, she and Courvoisier are both on the streets, often split up and fighting, hustling whatever money they can. In late October, she says their on-again, off-again relationship is currently off because he is erratic and abusive. “We talk about getting back together, but he’s still doing the same stupid shit,” she says. She later describes a recent run-in at one of the parks near City Hall: “He attacked me yesterday in this park with a stick. He cracked me in the back of my leg, and he tried to hit me in the back of my head.” (By November, they had reconciled, she says.) As she walks south on Tucker, she stops to chat — with a security guard minding the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s parking lot, with a young man in a torn hoodie scan-

az moved in late 2016 or early 2017 to St. Louis with her thenboyfriend, a 43-year-old excon who goes by Courvoisier. She says she had known him since she was young. She grew up in a big, blended family in the small working-class towns north of Milwaukee. She says she

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Jaz keeps an eye on the McDonald’s drive-through after sleeping across the street. | DOYLE MURPHY

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ning trash cans for anything useful, with a woman on her way to work. “Girl, it is too cold out for that skirt,” Jaz hollers. “I don’t give a fuck,” the woman says, laughing as she slows down to give her a quick hug. Jaz shouts across intersections to others who, like her, carry backpacks and blankets as they canvass the same sidewalks and parks every three or four hours. It can feel like everyone in the neighborhood is carrying on one long, rambling conversation, all but invisible to the attorneys and public employees hustling with diverted eyes to the nearby courthouses or government buildings. There is comfort in the familiarity but also a sense of being penned in. When things go bad, it seems inescapable.

hirteen months ago, Jaz got into a street fight. It started when she stopped along North Tucker to fix her hair in the reflection of a window of the Globe Building. She says a security guard wanted to run her off but eventually agreed that she could stay five or ten minutes to finish up. The former headquarters of the defunct newspaper has been transformed into high-tech office space for entrepreneurs attracted to its powerful internet infrastructure and unique architecture. But it has also struggled to reassure potential tenants that their employees, clients and customers will be safe downtown. The building’s promotional videos emphasize security features such as an underground parking garage that lets workers go from their cars to their offices without setting foot on the street. Longtime tenant Gerry Claunch, who runs the software company GDC Integration Inc., is one of the building’s biggest boosters. In a deposition, the 67-year-old told attorneys he saw the security guard that afternoon, October 3, 2017, trying to persuade Jaz to leave. He thought the guard wasn’t being forceful enough. (Claunch declined to comment to the RFT.) That was a problem for him. Recruiters have told him that prospective employees have looked elsewhere because they felt unsafe around the building, he says. So Claunch walked past Jaz and the guard, then doubled back. “I just wanted to reinforce and try to help [the guard] get that person to move along, because it’s an image that that building just can’t have,” he would later explain in the deposition.

An unlocked Lime scooter gives Jaz a few minutes of joy. | DOYLE MURPHY

GIRL NEXT DOOR Continued from pg 14

There is surveillance video of the ensuing confrontation. Claunch, stocky with white hair and glasses, is seen shouting back and forth with Jaz. As she moves to his right, he steps in front of her and continues shouting. There is no sound, but the exchange is clearly heated. Claunch would later say he couldn’t remember exactly what was said, other than that he probably used a wide range of profanities. “I have a plethora,” he said. “I’m probably king of the hill when it comes to vulgarities and profanities.” Claunch keeps screaming, in fact, until Jaz clocks him on the left side of his head. She later told a detective she thought he was getting ready to spit in her face. The video is still recording as the blow sends Claunch’s glasses flying. He turns and comes at Jaz, but she shoves him away. The guard steps in the middle, and the fight seems all but over. Jaz picks up her blanket and starts to head off. But as she tries to walk around Claunch, he grabs at her left arm. It was not a great idea. In one smooth motion, Jaz pivots to her left while simultaneously whipping her right arm around like a belt. This time, she knocks Claunch to the ground, looking over her shoulder at him as he topples to sidewalk behind her. Even then, the aging businessman rallies for one more round.

Jaz is already up the block, but the video shows her dropping her blankets and balling her fists when she spots Claunch coming. He lunges head first, arms outstretched. Jaz scrambles backward and pops him on the top of the head. By now, others have come out of the building and they move in to separate the two. A burly maintenance man bear hugs Claunch from behind and walks him back down the block while Jaz heads off into the distance. All she wanted, she says, was five minutes to fix her hair.

ine days after the fight, police found Jaz in a park and arrested her for fourth-degree assault. A detective told her she might be out of jail that night or maybe the next day, but she spent more than two weeks in the city’s Medium Security Facility, better known as the Workhouse, because she had no hope of paying the $1,500 bail. In the workhouse, she was jailed with men. She is used to being hassled by men, but at least when she is downtown she can usually get away. In jail, there was nowhere to go. “I’d have to put myself in a corner to keep them from grabbing me,” she says. The first two or three nights, she didn’t sleep, she says. Fortunately for her, she already had an attorney, Andrew Cook of ArchCity Defenders, who had previously defended her against city citations. He picked up the new case.

Cook was eventually able to get her released on her promise to show up for court. The assault charge was a misdemeanor, making it the kind of low-priority case that can languish for months in the court system. Cook says if he hadn’t been actively looking for Jaz, she might still be in the Workhouse. The circuit attorney’s case turned out to be pretty weak. Cook wonders why anyone pressed it at all, except for the opportunity to push out a person whom downtown cops and business owners considered a nuisance. “Nobody seemed that interested in what happened,” Cook says. “It seemed like a coordinated effort to get rid of someone.” Police reports showed the investigation began not with the department, but a security firm, Asymmetric Solutions. The firm works for Downtown STL Inc., an influential nonprofit that uses a property tax to boost business, attract tourists and deter crime. In Asymmetric, it basically has a shadow police force at its disposal. The security firm employs off-duty cops to patrol and conduct investigations. Although they’re working for a paying client, they enjoy the full authority provided to cops. In a statement, the St. Louis police described Asymmetric as an “approved secondary employer” with the ability to hire city cops to use their training and power as police officers: “As such, there is an overlap as an officer will still conduct his/her duties in accordance to the policies and proce-

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dures of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department while working police-related secondary.” Often, it is hard to tell where one role ends and the other begins. Such was the case with Jaz’s situation. A sergeant working a shift for Asymmetric identified her from still frames of the surveillance video provided by Downtown STL, according to police reports. When the sergeant learned the police department had not assigned a detective, he asked one who was also working a shift for Asymmetric, Detective Joseph Morrell, to take it over. Morrell tracked down Jaz, interrogated her at the police station and applied for the charge. Even after she was released from the Workhouse, the charge remained. Jaz says she lived in constant fear she could be arrested again at any time as the case dragged for months. One reason for the delay: Cook tried to get prosecutors to turn over the surveillance tape. In the end, they provided only a clip, one that omits the first part of the interaction where Claunch walked up the block and returned to get in Jaz’s face. No one ever explained who had given it to Downtown STL to pass on to Asymmetric. Downtown STL’s security director declined to comment. Asymmetric, the Circuit Attorney’s Office and management for the Globe Building all failed to respond to requests for comment. The case finally went to trial in September. Cook argued Jaz had acted in self-defense against a man who tried to intimidate, threaten and harass her into going away. Jurors agreed, finding her not guilty after just 84 minutes. Before Jaz left the courthouse, an alternate juror stopped her. The woman had a gift — a makeup compact so Jaz wouldn’t have to do her hair in an office building’s windows.

az has an eye for cars. As she walks along the city streets, she comments on the makes and models of vehicles rolling past. “That’s the new Impala,” she says as a long, dark sedan cruises by. “That’s cute.” In another world, the 22-year-old would be finishing college about now, maybe starting a career. Her dream car is a Chrysler 300 “with the SRT” or a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta — “I don’t know why.” But she does not see a future that includes any of this. Instead, she wonders if she will survive the winter. “The way things are going, I think I’m

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finna to wind up dead.” After leaving the Workhouse, she says she could not take the stress and started smoking crack. She has since weened herself off it but still spends her days cycling from panhandling to buying and smoking marijuana or, often, K2. “It’s stronger and gets you high longer,” she says. It also keeps her chained to downtown, where she can almost always find a dealer within walking distance of the McDonald’s. It is an exhausting existence but not totally devoid of fun. Jaz cracks jokes and talks trash with a revolving cast of characters who are searching the same sidewalks and parks. “Where’d you get that car?” she shouts to a friend hanging out of the window of a shining hatchback. “Crackhead Rental,” he says, making it sound like a competitor to Enterprise or Hertz. This has Jaz cackling. Grinning slyly, the driver continues. “No, seriously. Crackhead wanted some crack, so he let me use his car for the day. Crackhead Rental.” Jaz is still laughing as she walks up the block. Suddenly, she goes quiet and steps back against the side of Christ Church Cathedral. Courvoisier, her occasional boyfriend, is coming up the block. He marches past, and then whirls on her. “You said some sneaky shit!” he shouts. “I didn’t say anything to you,” Jaz tells him. Drawn by the shouting, a security guard and a friend of Jaz’s step out onto a far corner. Courvoisier has noticed an RFT reporter standing nearby but continues berating Jaz. “I don’t give a fuck who you’re standing with,” he says. “Courvoisier, leave me the fuck alone,” Jaz pleads. He is within a few feet of her. Slim, with his hair in short dreads, he has his shoulders squared toward her, but finally turns. “Fuck you,” he says. “I’ll do whatever I want to you when I’m ready.” As soon as he has moved on, Jaz goes the opposite direction. “You see what I have to go through,” she says once he is out of earshot. She lives with a baseline of stress, and the confrontation with Courvoisier sets her anxiety throbbing. For the next twenty minutes, she searches for someone to sell her K2, finally buying three joints for less than $2 a piece. She finds a spot at the base of an American Legion monument and smokes them, one after another. She quickly calms, dropping into a state between awake

Jaz pleads her case to St. Louis police officers Ally Kubel (left) and Rosa Rojas while McDonald’s employee Kendall Bush listens. | DOYLE MURPHY and asleep. Her voice is drowsy, and when she talks, it is as if she is describing a dream. Even if life was bad in Wisconsin, there were good times with her grandma and mother, she says — times when she lived in a home and drove a car. She says she wishes she could buy some clothes or “watch a movie by myself.” “I miss being able to have my hair done, my makeup, my nails done.” For a moment, it seems as though she has fallen asleep, but then she stirs. “It’s not Missouri,” she says. “It’s misery.”

az has eaten only a thin sandwich a friend gave her earlier in the day, and she now has zero dollars. Still a little drowsy, she begins digging through trash cans. She finds a Styrofoam takeout container and picks through what was probably an order of wings. “Nothing but a piece of celery,” she says, tossing it away. She looks around dully for another can, but then her face lights up. “I might have found me a scooter!” she says, yanking one of the Lime ride-share models off the pavement to see if the glowing lights mean the rental is still active. “Yup.” She hops aboard and lets out an honest-to-God squeal as she takes off into a parking lot. She rides in big, looping arcs, smiling like a lit-

tle kid. Onto 14th Street she goes, whizzing around cars. Her white comforter drifts out behind her like a cape as she flies down the road. In the middle of Washington Avenue, she kicks out one leg and leans into a big curve, carving a complete circle around the intersection as drivers stuck in traffic stare. After hours of trudging block after block on foot, Jaz delights in this rare freedom of speed. She rides the scooter all the way back to McDonald’s.

woman motions Jaz to her car window and hands over a dollar. “That kicked it off,” Jaz says as if cutting the ribbon on a new business. “My gates are open.” There have been plenty of people in the McDonald’s drive-through on this day, but they have been slow to give. Jaz has a few regulars, most of whom have not been through. Or maybe she missed them. She positions herself strategically, so she will be directly in the line of sight when drive-through customers check for traffic. But the patience of McDonald’s management is wearing thin. The guy in the spotless white shirt and dark sunglasses emerges again and walks with determination toward Jaz. She knows what’s coming. “You know I’m not finna to leave,” she says before he can even speak. “I’ve been sitting here all morning.”

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“I’m just telling you what’s going to happen to you,” the man says. “I’m telling you what’s going to happen to you,” she replies. Another employee has come outside. If the cops have not already been summoned, they will be soon. “McDonald doesn’t want you here,” the man says before going back inside. Jaz is seething as she watches him go. “He walks around here in all those fancy-ass clothes,” she says, her voice rising. “You’re a security guard.” Jaz works the drive-through customers for a while longer. She figures a sergeant she has gotten to know or maybe the officer she spoke to earlier about winter overflow at the shelters will respond. But when the police SUV pulls up, she does not recognize either of the cops. A young officer, little more than a year out of the academy, asks what’s going on. “I was sitting here ...” Jaz begins. “On their property,” the officer interjects. It was actually the sidewalk, but Jaz can see how this will go. She continues to protest: “The manager never said anything to me.” The officer cuts her off, “Could you shut up?” The McDonald’s employee in the white shirt says that if Jaz would just move across the street, everything would be fine: “As

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A surveillance camera recorded Gerry Claunch and Jaz fighting in October 2017. | SCREEN SHOT long as he sits over there, there’s no problem.” If Jaz hears him use the male pronoun, she is too busy pleading her case to complain. The officers are ready to wrap it up. “Just don’t sit on their property — problem solved.” Jaz sullenly wanders back across the street to another sidewalk. She is no longer in the drivers’ sightline, and she can already see them pretending not to see her. She waits around a few more minutes, but she is too angry to just sit here, pleading sweetly with strangers for a dollar. She gathers her things and heads out.

few days after the run-in at the drive-through, Jaz’s spot is empty. She has walked off somewhere into the city, but the McDonald’s employee in the sunglasses is still here. He canvasses the parking lot, broom in hand. His name is Kendall Bush, and he does a little cleaning, a little security, whatever is needed. “I’m like the X Man around here,” the 55-year-old says. Bush says he has some empathy for Jaz. It is not easy on the streets, and most people are closer to landing in her position than they think. At the same time, he says she is responsible for herself. “Unfortunately, in this culture, if you don’t help yourself, no one is going to help you out,” he says. Bush has worked at McDonald’s for about a year. The restaurant owner spotted him walking across the parking lot one day and asked if he wanted a job. Bush applied the same day. He was living at Biddle House at the time, working on about three years of homelessness. He says he’d partied too hard and developed a nasty substance abuse problem. It eventually landed him in prison. “Luckily for me, before I fell off,

I had a college degree,” he says. Unlike Jaz, the roughness of his life now feels like an interlude, rather than a progression begun in childhood. He has moved out of Biddle House and now lives in an apartment across the river in Belleville. He is saving up for a car. Keeping homeless people from panhandling customers in the parking lot is just part of the job, he says. “If I don’t do what I’m instructed to do. I’m out of a job, too.”

az prays in the mornings and most nights, if she remembers. “I pray to be safe,” she says. “I pray to be warm and dry.” She is not particularly religious, but she believes there is a god somewhere. “All the shit I’ve been through in my life? There’s got to be for me to be alive — got to be.” At times, it is indeed as if she is being cast about on the whims of forces beyond her control. Comedies and tragedies fall into her path at unexpected moments. Each passing car, each new journey through downtown has the possibility of shifting her fortune. Listen long enough to her beseeching the drivers and her pleading begins to sound like its own prayer. “Spare some change?” she says. “Anything’s a blessing.” And every so often, it reaches someone. During one of her long hours next to the McDonald’s drive-through, two women in a silver sedan pull over to drop $2 into her palm. “Here you go, boo,” one of them says. Behind them, another driver is growing impatient. “Sorry,” Jaz says, waving to the woman in the second car. Two little dogs appear at the window and bark furiously. It cracks Jaz up. “Those dogs were mad as hell.” n

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CALENDAR

BY PAUL FRISWOLD

THURSDAY 11/29 A Divine Sequel In David Javerbaum’s comic play An Act of God, the deity has returned to humanity in the form of a human man well known for his oddball charm in order to reveal his ten new commandments. The play was inspired by Javerbaum’s Twitter account, @TheTweetOfGod, which delivers regular updates from the Man Upstairs. In the play, God goes to the theater (“it’s where the Jews are”), not only to deliver the new revelation but also to take us mildly to task for misinterpreting his earlier work. It’s a role that hinges on an empathetic actor who can strike the right balance of charm and parental disapproval, and for the New Jewish Theatre’s production, the genial Alan Knoll dons the robe and sneakers. An Act of God is performed at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday (November 29 to December 16) in the Wool Studio Theatre at the Jewish Community Center (2 Millstone Campus Drive; www.newjewishtheatre.org). Tickets are $42 to $45.

FRIDAY 11/30 Print the Legend Abstract art is a term that includes a wide variety of media: monochromatic color fields, hard-edged abstraction and its flat colors, and the sharply defined edges and optical illusions inherent in opart’s geometric forms. What links all of these styles together is that they are divorced from the traditional representation of physical objects. For its new exhibition Printing Abstraction, the Saint Louis Art Museum draws from its own holdings of abstract art created by printmakers. The show is something of an expansion of the museum’s ongoing main exhibition, Graphic Revolution: American Prints 1960 to Now, in that it offers more examples of the printmakers’ art and the key role it’s played in the promulgation of abstract art. Printing Abstraction is on display from Tuesday

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We triple-dog dare you to see A Christmas Story. | PATRICK LANHAM through Sunday (November 30 to March 31) in galleries 234 and 235 of the Saint Louis Art Museum (1 Fine Arts Drive; www.slam.org). Admission is free.

Put a Word In In Nina Raine’s play Tribes, Billy is the odd man out in his own family because he was born deaf. His family are all great talkers, with his father, Christopher, a writer of “argumentative books,” the loudest of all. They shout, bicker, insult and jostle for place at the table and in general, while Billy hears none of it. Instead, he reads lips from his position on the sidelines and butts in when he can. Billy’s feeling of being on the outside starts to change when he meets Sylvia. Born hearing to to deaf parents, she learned sign language as a necessity; now she’s losing her hearing and is terrified of the encroaching silence Billy has lived with all his life. The more time Billy spends with Sylvia, the more he realizes it’s high time his family adapt to his world rather than the other way around. St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents Tribes at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday (November 30 to December 16) at the Gaslight Theatre (358 North Boyle Avenue; www.stlas.org). Tickets

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2018

Soylent Green was made for people. | METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER are $30 to $35.

It’s Too Much St. Louis’ Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre company ends every one of its gloriously cheap and howlingly funny plays with a free gift for one lucky audience member. This year, the company subverts that tradition entirely with

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its Holiday Extravaganza. The group will perform rapid-fire adaptations of the beloved Rankin/ Bass Productions stop-motion Christmas specials Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Year Without a Santa Claus, which is essentially a gift to every person who goes. A live-action Heat Miser and Snow Miser singing their ultra-catchy songs? Come on! In the spirit of the holiday and the Rudolph special, the company asks that you bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to the Misfit Toy Drive. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday (November 30 through December 2) and then at 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday (December 5 to 8), and tickets are $10 to $15. It all takes place at the Regional Arts Commission (6128 Delmar Boulevard; www.stlshakespeare.org).

SATURDAY 12/01 Muny-ficence Charis, the St. Louis Women’s Chorus, opens its 26th year with a tip of the collective cap to the Muny. Its new show, Meet Me in St. Louis, celebrates the Broadway musicals that have made it to the Muny’s

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 5

TUESDAY 12/04 Cirque du Yule There’s a lot going on in A Magical Cirque Christmas. Combining illusionists, the mindbending acrobatics of cirque performers and Christmas music, the show is a superabundance of entertainment on one stage. Even more impressive is the fact that you only have one night to see it — it’s literally a blink-and-you-miss-it evening of blink-and-you-miss-it performances. A Magical Cirque Christmas takes place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 4, at the Fox Theatre (527 North Grand Boulevard; www.fabulousfox.com). Tickets are $39.50 to $125.

It’s no illusion; A Magical Cirque Christmas is here. | COURTESY OF A MAGICAL CIRQUE CHRISTMAS stage, from 42nd Street to Spamalot, but it also honors Broadway as a safe place for members of the LGBTQ community and the plays that prominently feature LGBTQ characters. From Rent to Fun Home, and all the way around to Aida, Charis will sing the songs that make musical theater and the Muny great. Meet Me in St. Louis is performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday (November 30 and December 1) at the Missouri History Museum (Lindell Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue; www. charischorus.org). Tickets are $13 to $20.

Symphony, led by conductor John Storgårds, performs Bruckner’s Ninth for the first time in almost 30 years at 10:30 a.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday (November 30 and December 1) at Powell Hall (517 North Grand Boulevard; www.slso.org). Yes, that’s a Friday morning concert on the 30th, so don’t sleep in; if you miss this, it may be decades before you hear Bruckner’s Ninth in Powell Hall

Mighty Fine No. 9 Anton Bruckner’s monumental Symphony No. 9 is dedicated to God. The composer labored over it for nine years at the end of his life. By the time he could see the finish line, Bruckner was too weakened to finish the score, leaving only three of the four intended movements completed. But what movements those three are; Bruckner conjures an enormous volume of sound to praise his chosen subject and uses swaths of silence and dissonance in what was at the time an unprecedented manner. Even in its incomplete state it was clear that something new had happened in music. The St. Louis

John Storgårds conducts Bruckner’s Ninth. | HEIKKI TUULI

again. Tickets are $25 to $88.

SUNDAY 12/02 It’s a Major Award The evergreen holiday film A Christmas Story is based on the stories of the great Jean Shepherd, who mined childhood nostalgia and memories of his own family to tell an honest tale about the true meaning of Christmas from a child’s point of view. It’s Ralphie Parker’s fervent dream that he wake up to a Red Rider BB gun on Christmas morning, but his parents are against it. So Ralphie tries to work the system to get his wish, first by writing the most beautiful essay about air rifles his teacher has ever read, and then by placing an order with Santa Claus. In between his schemes, Ralphie has to deal with his oddball family (why won’t his kid brother just eat?), his friends and the neighborhood bully, Scut Farkus (he has yellow eyes!). The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis gives us all a gift with Philip Grecian’s stage adaptation of A Christmas Story. Performances are Tuesday through Sunday (November 30 to December 23) at the Loretto-Hilton Center (130 Edgar Road; www.repstl. org). Tickets are $24 to $97.

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WEDNESDAY 12/05 An Odd, Familiar Flavor In the year 2022, the world is a slightly different place. Overpopulation and ecological damage have resulted in a shocking increase in homelessness and joblessness, and food is scarce. Fortunately, the Soylent Corporation has just released a new product that is both more nutritious and palatable than the older Soylent Red and Soylent Yellow. The new Soylent Green is even now being distributed as part of the free ration system. When detective Frank Thorn (Charlton Heston) is assigned to investigate the murder of a wealthy industrialist, he unwittingly follows a trail that will lead him to the secret ingredient in the Soylent Corporation’s new product. The 1973 film Soylent Green is an essential part of pop culture, thanks to Heston’s final, shouted lines. Those last words are the original spoiler, and they never fail to get a laugh when you test out a new recipe that tastes terrible. The Strange Brew film series presents Soylent Green at 8 p.m. Wednesday, December 5, at Urban Chestnut Grove Brewery (4465 Manchester Avenue; www. webster.edu/film-series). Tickets are $5. n

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CAFE [REVIEW]

Grandma Knew Best Cozy and delicious, Anthony’s Italian Eats pays tribute to Gianino family Sunday suppers — and winningly expands its empire Written by

CHERYL BAEHR Anthony’s Italian Eats 7641 Wydown Boulevard, Clayton; 314-721-3233. Mon.-Sun. 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

t was time for Anthony Gianino to get his own place. Growing up in the restaurant business, toiling away at his family’s many properties, he’d seen them named after just about everyone. Bill Gianino’s and Billy G’s are his dad’s namesakes; Frankie Gianino’s and Frankie G’s are named for his grandfather. Even his longtime friend and business partner Joey Barczewski got his very own brand with the popular Joey B’s family of restaurants. Not Anthony. Though he’d been an instrumental part of every restaurant in the Gianino portfolio, he never had one that bore his name — until this past March. That’s when he and Barczewski opened the doors to Anthony’s Italian Eats, a restaurant, takeout spot and deli that pays homage to the Sunday suppers they used to eat at the home of Gianino’s grandmother. The old-country traditions Gianino’s grandmother upheld during those weekly dinners animate every corner of Anthony’s Italian Eats. And it’s not just because her presence is there literally in the form of black-and-white family photographs that decorate the space. The tiny room, formerly Manhattan Express, has been transformed into a charming restaurant evocative of the combination bodega/cafe you might stumble into on a side street in Rome. It’s casual, but elegant touches abound throughout, including an

Anthony’s giant Muffuletta Round is large enough to feed two or even three people. | MABEL SUEN impressive green-and-gold glass chandelier that hangs over the dining space, a gilded tin ceiling and gray textured wallpaper. The moment you walk inside, the place fills you with warmth, both from the soft lighting that dances off the large street-facing windows and the intoxicating smells of garlic and pizza crust wafting out of the kitchen. The restaurant’s small, but thoughtful, selection of wine — served in small tumblers rather than stemware, of course — underscores that feeling. You’d want to linger if you didn’t feel bad about taking up one of the few tables. Indeed, though the restaurant’s high ceiling gives the illusion of space, the dining room can accommodate only about ten people. Additional real estate comes via the Wydown-facing patio. It also has the feel of a grandmother’s loving touch; cozy fleece blankets are draped over every chair so customers can enjoy al fresco dining even in chillier temperatures. Those blankets may wrap your body in warmth, but the food at Anthony’s Italian Eats warms the soul. The pizza- and sandwich-focused menu draws heavily upon Gianino’s grandmother’s recipes, executed by chef and general manager Tessa LaPlant. These include best-in-class meatballs, tender rounds of herb and garlic-

flecked beef that are as large as mandarin oranges. Sweet, chunky red sauce smothers the meatballs, and luscious dollops of ricotta melt over the top. You can order them on their own as an appetizer, or have them stuffed into a nearly foot-long crusty hoagie roll with molten provolone cheese. It’s the gold standard of meatball Parmesan sandwiches. Anthony’s also offers a bruschetta appetizer, which presents balsamic-marinated tomatoes and onions as a topping for thin wafers of crispy bread. Unlike most variations of the dish, here the piquant tomato-onion concoction is served on the side, making for an Italian version of chips and salsa. This prevents the thin crostini from becoming mushy, and has the added bonus of allowing you to pile on as much of the mouthwatering tomatoes and onions as you can fit on the bread — that is, if you’re able to resist simply eating it out of the serving bowl with a spoon. The house salad offers the familiar comfort of a St. Louis-style sweet Italian version, but it’s done with much more finesse than you might be used to with this form. In place of the ubiquitous iceberg lettuce, Anthony’s uses spring mix as the base, then piles on tomatoes, sliced green olives, mushrooms and herb-flecked croutons. The dressing is indeed sweet, but

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it is balanced with the tartness of vinegar. A sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese finishes the plate — a step up from Provel, indeed. If the Parmigiano Reggiano finish is not enough for you, Anthony’s serves a variation called the “Tuscan.” Here, the additions of artichokes, smoky provolone and luscious slices of Volpi prosciutto turn a simple salad into a worthy meal — especially when paired with a cup of the restaurant’s white bean soup. Soups change regularly, so there’s no guarantee you’ll be treated to this steaming bowl of comfort, but if you see it, order it. Flawlessly cooked white beans bob in a luxurious, ham-infused broth with fresh herbs. One can only hope it will become a permanent addition to the menu. There is just one pasta dish, cannelloni, but you won’t want for more after eating these excellent tubes stuffed with braised beef and cheese. Digging in, I could practically picture Gianino and Barczewski devouring one after another in Grandma’s kitchen. Who could blame them? The fact that they are sold by the piece may tempt you to do the same. Anthony’s Italian Eats considers itself as much a deli as a restaurant — hence the shelves stocked with imported Italian grocery items. Like any good Italian deli, this means a thoughtful sandwich selection with staples including the “Muffuletta Round,” a heaping stack of pistachio mortadella, prosciutto, salami, ham, pepperoni, provolone and mozzarella. Spicy Sicilian olive salad cuts through the fatty meat with enough briny heat to make its presence known, but not so much as to set your mouth on fire. A warm bread round studded with sesame seeds wraps its wonderful contents in a soft pillow. That pillow is king-sized; be forewarned that this massive sandwich could feed two, if not three, people. Anyone who tries to take it down on their own should be required to sign a waiver. The “Old Fashion” is Anthony’s version of a club sandwich, with ham, turkey, roast beef and cheddar piled atop crusty Italian bread. The condiments are simple — crisp lettuce, sliced tomatoes, pickles, white onion and yellow mustard — but that’s exactly what you want on this quintessential

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ANTHONY’S ITALIAN EATS Continued from pg 27

deli offering. It’s flawless. Even a simple vegetarian caprese sub is hearty at Anthony’s Italian Eats. Pleasantly chewy ciabatta bread is brushed with olive oil, then layered several times over with thick slices of fresh mozzarella; both the bread and cheese soak up the juice from heirloom tomatoes and balsamic glaze, infusing every bite with brightness. Fresh basil, sea salt and cracked pepper are all you need to garnish this beautiful sandwich. As good as the sandwich offerings are, the restaurant is equally a pizzeria — and once you taste the pizzas, you might be tempted to think these are its calling card. Anthony’s calls its crust “Grandma style,” referencing the secret recipe perfected by Gianino’s grandmother. It has the chew, shape and taste of New York style, but a touch of crispy cracker thinness popularized by St. Louisstyle pies. (In case you’re wondering how far they take the St. Louis stylings, Anthony’s uses mozzarella by default, but lets you sub in Provel if you’re hometown loyal.) The crust is a pale golden color

with a pleasant yeasty zing. Most impressive, it’s fairly sturdy, even at the interior, which allows it to hold up to the generous portion of toppings given to most pies here. This is best exemplified by the “Vegetariana,” which is covered in a garden’s worth of artichokes, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, olives, green peppers, onions and fresh basil. The pizza is perfectly cooked so that the veggies are searing hot and softened, yet not to the point of losing their crunchy texture. Every last inch of this pie is covered in vegetables, and they are so evenly dispersed, you get a bit of everything in each bite. The margherita is an approximation of the classic Neapolitan dish, not a literal version. This must be emphasized, for if you expect the old-country classic, you will be disappointed. However, if you surrender to the restaurant’s new-world version, you will delight in the simplicity of a yeasty crust, brushed with olive oil and blanketed in cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil. The ovens here are not wood-fired and cannot put forth the famous Neapolitan speckled crust, but they do warm the tomatoes to the point that they pop and soften the mozzarella so that it becomes a luxurious canvas. It won’t

replace the original, but it offers a nice homage. In addition to classic red-sauce pizzas, Anthony’s offers a handful of “white” pies, also based on recipes from Gianino’s grandmother. Garlic and fontina cheese are folded into heavy cream, forming a velvety sauce that serves as an ideal base for the “Prosciutto and Arugula Bianca.” In addition to the white sauce, dollops of fresh ricotta cheese sit atop the crust; they soften and infuse the fontina and heavy cream, forming an even more decadent glaze. Cherry tomatoes are placed on top before the pizza goes into the oven; thin slices of prosciutto the color of rose petals and arugula dressed in olive oil are added when it comes out. Thank you, Anthony’s Italian Eats, for not destroying this delicate meat in the oven. I’d say this is the restaurant’s best pizza, but I was so taken by its simpler version, the “Pizza Bianca,” that I have to give it top honors instead. Here, there are no toppings — just crust, white sauce, some basil and a few chile flakes for heat — but the simplicity is dazzling. It’s like a pizza version of garlic cheese bread, if garlic cheese bread were served at the most elegant of restaurants.

You see the mastery of Grandma’s cooking when it stands on its own and shines as brightly as it does in this magnificent sauce. The “Pizza Bianca” is so haunting you won’t want anything to follow it — except, yes, the cannoli. Crispy shells, fresh from the Hill, are stuffed in-house with sweetened ricotta, and pistachios are added to the edges. Though Anthony’s must share credit with the bakery that makes the shells, this still gets my designation as the best cannoli in town. The shell is crisp, flaky and has an almost savory nutty flavor to it, and the filling is cloud-like and bright. It’s a terrific version of this classic dessert. You can’t help but think of Gianino’s grandmother stuffing those shells for Sunday supper while her hungry grandson and his friend stand ready to devour every morsel. As with those cannoli — and those meatballs, and that white sauce — her presence is felt everywhere at Anthony’s Italian Eats. The restaurant may be Gianino’s namesake, but this is Grandma’s place at heart.

Anthony’s Italian Eats Meatballs ............................................$10.99 ”Muffuletta Round” (whole) .................... $16 ”Pizza Bianca” (small) ........................$16.99

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SHORT ORDERS [SIDE DISH]

All the Bar’s a Stage for Grand Tavern Newbie Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

eredith Barry might not be in the restaurant industry were it not for her father, a native New Yorker from a family of Italian immigrants who was raised to value hard work. He applied that ethic to his many restaurant jobs — and he made sure he instilled it in his children. “He put us to work,” Barry laughs, recalling the odd jobs her father would make her do when she was a kid. “He would make us paint the walls of the restaurants, make chicken fingers, serve daiquiris out of an Island Oasis to the kids we went to school with. It was like Molly Ringwald in Sixteen Candles — so embarrassing, but he showed us how to survive in the world. I appreciate that.” Barry, who recently relocated to St. Louis from Chicago to become co-beverage director at Grand Tavern by David Burke (626 North Grand Boulevard, 314-405-3399), is no stranger to moving for work. Her father’s jobs kept the family on the move when she was growing up, with stints living everywhere from Greenville, South Carolina, to Boston. Through it all, the restaurant business was a constant. Barry found herself gravitating to the industry as well, not only because it was what her father did, but because she began to enjoy it. She opted to study theater and theology in college, but while that path might seem quite removed from the restaurant business, upon reflection, Barry realizes they appealed to the same side of her personality. “They both are about understanding humans,” Barry explains. “The history of cocktails

Meredith Barry heard the siren call of theater before landing in St. Louis. | JEN WEST and spirits is the history of human beings. The more you learn about that, the more you can take care of someone in front of you and make their night more enjoyable.” Barry continued to work in the restaurant business, mostly behind the bar, while she was in school. She also had a brief stint working for Nickelodeon as a parade-float coordinator and eventually was a stage manager for its traveling freak show. They were random, even odd, gigs, but that was part of the appeal. “I’m creative, but I’m also prac-

tical. I like to coordinate things,” Barry says. “Plus, the jobs were something weird and different, so I thought, ‘Sure, I’ll go for it.’” Freak shows and parade floats may have been in her theater wheelhouse, but Barry could not help but feel that her true calling was in restaurants. After moving to Chicago, she decided to jump back into the industry full time, applying at the flagship location of Hamburger Mary’s. Landing the gig felt like a dream come true. “I was obsessed. I had to be there,” Barry says. “It was the

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place that taught me that this is what I belonged doing. I was able to take a weight off my shoulders and be myself.” Barry worked at Hamburger Mary’s for five years, working her way up from hosting and serving to bartending and eventually management. The restaurant appealed to both her knack for the industry and her theatrical side, and she relished the environment. However, as she began to get more into cocktails, she found herself drawn to more upscale concepts where she could put her creative energy into concocting drinks and developing cocktail menus. As she got more experience, she caught the eye of prominent industry professionals, including the folks at E Squared Hospitality, who persuaded her to move to St. Louis and help them open Grand Tavern by David Burke. As the recently opened restaurant’s self-described “cocktails and culture person,” Barry is responsible for running the bar and developing drink offerings. The scene could not feel like a better fit; located in the middle of the vibrant Grand Center arts district, Grand Tavern allows Barry to bask in the neighborhood’s theatrical vibe. Her cocktail menu even includes nods to the scene. She says she feels like a part of the theater community, even if her art isn’t what you see at the Fox Theater. “I get to cook on a stage,” Barry says of bartending. “I get to create and taste, and when I put something in front of you and see how elated you are, it’s an experience that is immediately satisfying. When it comes down to it, bartending is a theatrical show. This is my stage, and I like to dance.” Barry took a break from the bar — and exploring her new city — to share her initial impressions of the St. Louis food-and-beverage scene, why you will never find her in an office job, and the one food that gets her every time. What is one thing people don’t know about you that you wish they did? My hair color is natural. Everyone always asks me about it! What daily ritual is non-negotiable for you? Take a spin around the block

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MEREDITH BARRY Continued from pg 29

with my dog, Bo, for a cup of coffee. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? I’m really scared of heights, so I wish I could fly — that would allow me to know that I’m in control of it and conquer my fear. What is the most positive trend in food, beer, wine or cocktails that you’ve noticed in St. Louis over the past year? As someone who recently moved here from Chicago, I still have a lot to explore, but I’ve noticed that my fellow bartenders are taking classics and amping them up using culinary aspects in cocktails. It’s cool to see the blending of cocktails and culinary, and I’m excited to be a part of the movement in that direction. What is one thing missing or that you’d like to see in the local food-and-beverage scene? There definitely seems to be an opportunity for great non-alcoholic cocktails. I don’t think that someone should be robbed of the bar experience just because they don’t drink alcohol, so I’m excited to play around with more N/A cocktails. I think St. Louis

is already moving in this direction, but there’s an opportunity to think of a cocktail as an art piece. Bartenders are honing their knife and garnish skills to make cocktails that look beautiful, taste delicious and make sense. Who is your St. Louis food or drink crush? I’m still getting to know the people behind the bar, but I’ve had really great experiences at Yellowbelly and Taste. Who’s the one person to watch right now in the St. Louis food-andbeverage scene? Drew Lucido, who just recently joined our team from Taste. I’ve been really blown away with his ideas, and I’m really excited to see what he brings to our program. Which ingredient is most representative of your personality? I’d have to say Campari. It’s sweet, but also a little bitter and complicated. With that said, it’s even better when mixed with other ingredients. If someone asked you to describe the current state of St. Louis’ foodand-beverage climate, what would you say? I have a unique perspective as an outsider coming in, but I think there’s a real opportunity for people to move here and offer more.

“The history of cocktails and spirits is the history of human beings.” I don’t think that St. Louis gets enough props, and I’ve been really thrilled with the excitement around cocktails from our guests. Everyone is asking for the cocktail list, and I think that’s telling of where things are going. Guests want a cocktail, and they want something different and personal for their own taste. I’m excited to give them that. If you were not tending bar, what would you be doing? I would probably be doing some sort of trade with my hands. I could never do an office job. I enjoy any sort of craftsman work. I laid my own brick patio in my backyard and have done some woodworking making benches. Name an ingredient never allowed behind your bar. Pre-made sour mix. I only use

fresh juices. What is your after-work hangout? I moved to the Grove, so I love the Gramophone. They serve food late, and it’s so nice to have that close to my house. I got off really late last night and was able to get a portobello mushroom sandwich and a beer at the bar. It was perfect, and they also introduced me to St. Louis’ Red Hot Riplets, which I loved. What’s your edible or quaffable guilty pleasure? I love doughnuts and ice cream. I have no willpower when it comes to that. My dog likes to walk by Vincent Van Doughnut, which gets me every time. They have an old-fashioned cake doughnut that they make with sour cream and serve with a vanilla glaze. It’s so simple and so delicious. What would be your last meal on earth? I’d like to start off with an Aperol Spritz and then move to a negroni and then great Italian wines. I’d keep with the Italian theme with the food. I’m a vegetarian, but I’d go out in style with a huge spread of Italian olives, meats and cheeses. I’d want everything from soppressata to finocchiona, hard Parmesan to a really stinky delicious taleggio. n

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[BARS]

Johnny’s West Brings Soulard Magic to the County

and features weekly performances by local band the Well Hungarians. Along with the aforementioned live music three nights a week, a DJ plays most Thursday nights to keep the party going. (A full event calendar can be found on Johnny’s website and Facebook page.) The food at Johnny’s has always been a standout, and those decades-old family recipes have also made the move out west, including the signature wings and many of the Cajun dishes, like gumbo and red beans and rice. There is a lot of talk about who in

Johnny’s West boasts more than 40 flatscreens. | SPENCER PERNIKOFF

Continued on pg 34

Written by

ELLEN PRINZI

hen longtime restaurateur Johnny Daus III closed his beloved Johnny’s in Soulard a little over a year ago, his plan was to ride off into the proverbial sunset. He hoped to enjoy a slower pace with his toddler son, Johnny Daus IV, after working and owning restaurants since he was twenty years old. Those plans have been more than slighter altered with the opening of Johnny’s West (12068 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights; 314-736-5646) this month. “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in,” said Daus, in an obvious reference to The Godfather Part III. “A friend called me up and really wanted to start a restaurant out west. The plan was to use my name and my recipes and bring the success of the original Johnny’s to Maryland Heights.” Indeed, much has stayed consistent at the new Johnny’s, despite the change in zip codes. The waitresses are still scantily clad, the service is friendly and the Cajuninspired menu turns out top-notch bar food in a low-key environment. The main difference in the new Johnny’s, which is housed in the old Dorsett Inn Bar location, is the massive upgrade in square footage. The floor plan is largely the same, except the back room now houses a second bar, and the pool tables and games are gone. The interior is now virtually covered in TVs, with more than 40 flatscreens decorating the space. The stage from the Dorsett Inn days is still intact and plays host to live bands on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. Johnny’s West is open for both lunch and dinner service and packs in a happy-hour crowd during the week. Every Wednesday is ladies night from 5 p.m. to close

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[FIRST LOOK]

Dao Tien Keeps It Real Downtown Written by

TOM HELLAUER

rowing up in Kansas, Sunny Dinh, co-owner of downtown’s new Dao Tien (820 Olive Street, 314-4058868), ate almost exclusively Vietnamese food. His family rarely ate out. Beyond that, the previous three generations in his family made their living preparing traditional Vietnamese cuisine. His great grandmother and grandmother both opened noodle restaurants in Vietnam, with the former doing so in Hanoi during the Vietnam War. That family heritage is something Dinh takes pride in. “Just to open up any type of business [in Vietnam] is very difficult,” he says. “My mom was able to transfer what she learned from my grandma over here.” After immigrating to the U.S., the family opened a restaurant in Salina, Kansas, called the Saigon Cafe. In the mid-2000s, Dinh, his mother Diane Bui and the rest of the family moved to the St. Louis area. In October 2011, Bui would open the first Dao Tien, in University City. Almost exactly seven years later, the most recent adaptation of Dao Tien opened in what used to be a Sansai Japanese Grill on the corner of Ninth and Olive streets downtown. As at the family’s noodle shop in Vietnam, its restaurant in Kansas and the original Dao Tien, authentic Vietnamese cuisine is on the menu. Traditionalists frequently compliment Dao Tien’s pho. It’s the product of an arduous process that begins when the chefs take around 100 pounds of beef and boil it over an eight-hour period in a massive pot. Three hours into the process, spices and herbs are thrown into the mix. Rice noodles, chives, onion, freshly picked basil and more make the final cut before it’s brought to patrons in steaming bowls.

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Dao Tien offers Vietnamese classics such as the “Bird’s Nest” with beef. | TOM HELLAUER The result of this protracted method is a flavorful, rich broth that warms the soul. Another traditional favorite, the gà, or chicken, can be served as a soup, over a pan-fried noodle “Bird’s Nest,” in a sizzling clay pot and more. But Dao Tien also wants to appeal to

JOHNNY’S WEST Continued from pg 33

town makes the best toasted ravioli, and if the ravioli at Johnny’s aren’t in the conversation, it would be a mistake. They are hand-breaded daily and packed full of ground sirloin and Angus beef. “We don’t use ground beef, period. Even our burgers are a mix of brisket, Angus and sirloin,” Daus says. The menu has been an evolving labor of love for the past 30 years, and Daus’

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those who may not have acquired tastes for tradition. “We accommodate to our customers,” Dinh says. Among the appetizers, cánh gà chiên (Vietnamese-inspired buffalo wings), eggrolls and crab Rangoon slightly deviate from more traditional recipes, although hints of Vietnam

newest creation, “Voodoo Shrimp,” or jumbo shrimp tossed in a Cajun cream sauce, is sure to be a house favorite. Johnny’s is largely a beer-and-ashot kind of place, although it does serve a signature cocktail made with Effen blood-orange vodka and lemonade. The full bar also serves up a variety of martinis, but at press time, the drink menu was not complete. The beer selection is predominantly InBev products, but with a few local craft favorites from O’Fallon Brewery and Urban

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can still be found in each and among other menu items. The coffee, for example, is half French coffee and half Vietnamese coffee. It drips slowly through a French press before it is ready to be poured over ice. The result is a smooth, refreshing pick-me-up on par with any barista-made concoction in town. Dao Tien hopes to expand its beverage options when its liquor license is approved, hopefully later this month, Dinh says. He plans a series of alcoholic boba drinks, which, he says, “will be a big hit.” You may know boba best from bubble-tea stands in malls and around town, but alcoholic variations have been catching on elsewhere in the U.S. Other Asian whiskeys and beers are being looked at, too, which could make Dao Tien and its newly constructed bar a nightlife destination. Above all else, Dao Tien offers a tightknit, community atmosphere. Bui greets customers by name and shares genuine conversations with them. Other regulars recognize each other and press one another for updates on work and life. The name Dao Tien has a double meaning to Bui and Dinh. In Vietnamese, it translates to “a peach from heaven,” but it’s also a combination of family members’ names (Dinh’s sister, for one, is named Tien). “I can tell my mom is very proud that I am actually taking up what she teaches me, and what her Grandma taught her,” Dinh says. n

Chestnut. The move west may have taken Johnny Daus out of an early retirement, but one thing’s for sure: The same spirit that made Johnny’s in Soulard a success for so many years has found new life in Maryland Heights. Ellen Prinzi is our bar and nightlife writer; she likes strong drinks and has strong opinions. You can catch more of her writing via Olio City, a city guide app she started last year.

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wednesday november 28 9:45 pm Urban Chestnut Presents

the voodoo players

tribute to john hartford friday november 30 10 pm

arkansauce the mighty pines duo with special guests

saturday december 1 10 pm

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wednesday december 5 9:45 pm Urban Chestnut Presents

the voodoo players tribute to phish

friday december 7 10 pm

alex ruwe band with special guests the morels

saturday december 8 10 pm

kim massie

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MUSIC & CULTURE

[HOMESPUN]

Winds of Change Todd Anderson’s From a Cloud project brings a new approach to bedroom pop Written by

CHRISTIAN SCHAEFFER

ocal music fans have had no trouble finding Todd Anderson on stages around town, either as a guitar player in synth-pop band the Vanilla Beans or more recently as Shady Bug’s bass player. But where his role in those bands was vital but not designed to draw too much focus, Anderson has also been making his own dreamy brand of bedroom pop over the past ten years. For the bulk of that time, he performed and recorded under the name I Could Sleep in the Clouds, but this summer he released a four-song EP under the name From a Cloud. “I felt like changing the name would make me branch out and try something new,” Anderson says. That “something new” includes a tear-down approach to his composition and instrumentation, which usually begins on guitar. For the self-titled EP and quasi-debut of From a Cloud, Anderson eschews the guitar almost entirely, letting laptop beats and mild synths prop up his gentle, sleepy delivery. From a Cloud’s debut EP was just released this summer, but already Anderson, with the help of his friends, has added to the group’s canon. On the Live from Bird Cloud album, Anderson resurrects eleven songs from his time performing as I Could Sleep in the Clouds and performs them with simple, sometimes ethereal instrumentation. In much the same way that Will Oldham often records and re-records his songbook under subtly different guises, Anderson allows himself one backward glance at his old project. Anderson says that a few of the

For his latest EP, Todd Anderson employed a tear-down approach to his solo music — scrapping even its name. | VIA THE ARTIST songs on the live recording date back almost ten years. In a broader sense, Bird Cloud serves as a compendium of Anderson’s songs from his solo project’s first incarnation. “I used the ones that I sensed people were more interested in,” he says. “I could move on and at least I have it documented in my life, even if no one listens to it.” And while the recording sessions were done in one day with minimal overdubbing, Anderson and his band — John Hams on drums, Kaleb Kirby on electric piano and Aaron O’Neill on bass — treat the songs with delicate arrangements that frame Anderson’s soft vocals and articulate nylon string guitar. Some of those older songs on the Bird Cloud recordings have an appropriately nostalgic streak to them — young love, fresh heartbreak and the warm embrace of true friendships all get their due. But with a ten-year backlog of songs newly exorcised, Anderson looks forward to writing, recording and releasing new material “I’ve been trying to figure out how to be creative without being sad,” the newly married Anderson says. “I love sad songs, but

“I love the guitar, but I went to school for jazz guitar, and they rubbed me the wrong way on what I need to be doing with the instrument.” it seems like it’s much easier to find creativity when something is weighing on you. I am trying to figure out how to use being in a good space.” Part of the change in approach is attended by Anderson’s change in instrumentation. A music teacher by day, he has fluency across all of the major rock & roll implements and leans more heavily on keys and drum machines on his solo recordings.

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“I love the guitar, but I went to school at Webster for jazz guitar, and they rubbed me the wrong way on what I need to be doing with the instrument,” he says, describing music school as having a “cookie cutter” mentality of its goal for graduates. Anderson says that rather than being a jazz-performance major who could, say, internalize bebop phrasing, he changed his focus to a more broad degree in music. And even though many of the bands he has played in, including his own projects, operate on a twee mentality that prizes simplicity of form as a conduit to purity of expression, Anderson remains fascinated by the mechanics of music and its effects on the listener. “I was just more interested in chords and how things work,” he says. “I don’t really care about soloing and stuff; as far as chords and chord progressions, I use as much of that as I can, but I don’t want people to hear it and think I went to music school.” “I am still blown away by people who can play C and F and make it sound like something I haven’t heard before,” he continues. “That’s my favorite thing about it.” n

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2018

RIVERFRONT TIMES

[PREVIEW]

Got Your Goat Les Gruff and the Billy Goat keep it country with new self-titled record Written by

THOMAS CRONE

rogress can be measured in so many different ways. While memorable dates and events usually have a positive connotation to them, they don’t have to. For the St. Louis-based Americana/alt-country band Les Gruff and the Billy Goat, a moment of profound change came with a last-second opening gig for Whitey Morgan at Off Broadway. The band’s members had been looking for a different date and instead were offered a slot that weekend. They took the gig. They played. And in a unique moment of musical reinvention/inspiration, they became a different band by not being at their absolute best. “It came about because I was reaching out to Steve Pohlman about a gig,” songwriter and guitarist Billy Croghan remembers, laughing about one interaction that night in particular. “There was one old guy — and I think he’s a fan now — but at the time he was not having it. It was probably the last gig that we weren’t prepared for.” These days, Les Gruff and the Billy Goat keeps a relatively sparse concert schedule in St. Louis, preferring to perform in meaningful headlining sets or opening slots that help advance the cause. That’s not to suggest the group’s not busy. Instead, it works a touring corridor that’s heavy on long highway drives, with frequent trips through Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. And, as much as anything, its members get together for practice with a Swiss precision. Every Sunday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays the band rehearses, with one night skewing towards new material, the other all about tightening up what’s already on the setlist. Initially a solo project, then something of a duo with fellow guitarist/vocalist Tony Compton, the group eventually grew into the current six-man lineup that includes bassist David Roach, fiddler Sean Kamery, guitarist Nigel

RIVERFRONT TIMES

“I usually say it’s country, roots rock, Americana,” frontman Billy Croghan says. “One of those phrases usually hits.” | VIA THE BAND Solomon and drummer Ed Daugs. “Once I started getting good musicians, I had to work my tail off, too,” Croghan says. “When Nigel joined as our lead guitarist, we started talking about his practice outline. He’s a freaking wizard, and I knew I wasn’t doing nearly enough. I knew that I had to work my butt off to get better.” With a lineup fully gelled, Les Gruff and the Billy Goat has been able to work at a faster pace than others might. Of course, the songs would have to be there, no matter the eventual lineup and its talents. And Croghan (who writes about three-quarters of the material) and Compton (who pens the balance of their cuts) have those. They cite an influence list with names including Waylon Jennings, John Prine, Ray Charles, Old Crow Medicine Show and Bill Monroe, and write/record the kind of no-nonsense material that appeals to fans of multiple subgenres of country. When he meets folks who ask about his music, he offers some options. “I usually say it’s country, roots rock, Americana,” Croghan says. “One of those phrases usually hits. It’s stuff you can relate to, and that’s what I try to get across.” The band recorded its self-titled third album, coming out in December, in a single weekend session at St. Louis’ Native Sound Studio. After all types of recording sessions in the group’s past, the idea of a day of tracking followed by a second day to overdub was

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super appealing to its members, who’d used those weekly 90-minute rehearsal sessions to perfect a hit-record-and-rip-’em approach to the album. Croghan says he enjoys leaving the production to the pros. In the case of this newest release, that meant leaving things in the capable hands of recording engineer Patrick Crecelius. As a songwriter, singer and guitarist, Croghan is not interested in fulfilling any additional duties in the recording studio. “It feels more like somebody else is in charge when they’re pushing the buttons,” he explains. “We’re not there to drink, to party. We’re there to get work done. We’ve recorded an album in a basement and just didn’t like how it came out. With this one, we anticipated how it would sound. We’re a little older, which puts life into focus. And I particularly like Native Sound. Whatever it is about the space, it just feels homey.” Croghan expects to have the album on all streaming services on December 7, with the official release party at Off Broadway on December 8; the band will be sharing the stage with Elliott Pearson and the Passing Lane. Croghan alludes to some surprises that night, but declines to ruin the fun by being too specific about what might transpire onstage that evening. The vibe of a full room, though, is what he wants, and Croghan jokes that he’s “aggressively fliering” every single show at Off Broadway

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between now and gig night. He claims that it’s his favorite part of the process. “A lot of our growth was coming out of having a bad attitude,” he says. “‘Why is no one coming to my shows?’ Once we got over that and worked our butts off, it’s turned around. We’ve got a good number of musicians who enjoy working with us.” With album three, then, Croghan feels that Les Gruff and the Billy Goat is primed for something new, something better, something upbeat. They’ve hired a publicist. They know where not to park in Chicago. They have free places to sleep in some of their favorite gig cities. They’re collectively comfortable with a no-shorts-onstage rule. They can hang out for hours in a van and enjoy it. Most importantly, they can share their music with an audience that’s growing. “We feel prepared,” Croghan notes. “It’s honestly exciting to put out a record. We’ve got some really exciting stuff prepared and we’re going to take a slightly different approach from a traditional country/Americana show. You have folks like Hayes Carll who get up and present their songs in an honest way, and it’ll still be that, but we’re throwing in a little bit of theatrical shenanigans. “It’s our party,” he adds, “and we’ll make it fun if we want to.”

Les Gruff and the Billy Goat Release Show 8 p.m. Saturday, December 8. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue. $10. 314-498-6989.

OUT EVERY NIGHT

[CRITIC’S PICK]

Amanda Shires. | ELIZAVETA PORODINA

Amanda Shires 8 p.m. Thursday, November 29. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue. $20 to $35. 314-773-3363. The bigger, bolder, thornier rock sound may get the lede when considering Amanda Shires’ 2018 album To the Sunset, even though it’s the songwriting and the singing, ripened and dauntless, that seals the deal. That deal often goes bad, from the black humor of a Champagne toast as her flight nears tragedy (true story) to a vicious pirouette in a park-

THURSDAY 29

AARON GRIFFIN BLUES BAND: 7 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. AMANDA SHIRES: 8 p.m., $20-$35. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. ANN VOSKAMP & CHRISTY NOCKELS: 7 p.m., $15$50. Missouri Baptist University, 1 College Park Dr, Creve Coeur, 314-434-1115. BAD WIRES: Breath Fire 9 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. BASTILLE: w/ Lovely the Band 8 p.m., $45-$60. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. BROTHER FRANCIS AND THE SOULTONES: w/ Jr. Clooney, Two Cities One World 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337. HALESTORM: w/ In This Moment 7 p.m., $46.50. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-499-7600. KOO KOO KANGA ROO: w/ Kitty Kat Fan Club 6 p.m., $15. Blueberry Hill - The Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444. LOVE AND THEFT: 8 p.m., $20-$25. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. NATE LOWERY: 4 p.m., free. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565. ODDSOUL AND THE SOUND: w/ Tim Leavy Band, Meghan Yankowskas 9 p.m., $7. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. RICH MCDONOUGH & THE RHYTHM RENEGADES: 8 p.m., free. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565. TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET: w/ Argyle Goolsby,

ing lot as a lover tries to burn her (probably fictional, but who knows?). Shires brooks no fools, even when that fool is her own heart breaking. Her soprano is the opposite of icy; her Lubbock, Texas, twang warms the blade as it slides into the seams of every story and flashes with the brilliance of a songwriter who tells the truth, damn the consequences. He Who Must Not Be Named: Shires has no doubt wondered if a review would ever make it to the end without mentioning a certain notorious relationship. Hope this suffices. —Roy Kasten Nim Vind 8 p.m., $15-$18. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. TORREY CASEY & THE SOUTHSIDE HUSTLE: 10 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. VICTOR VILLARREAL: w/ Overnighter, Dragon Falcon 7:30 p.m., $7. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309.

FRIDAY 30

AL HOLLIDAY AND THE EAST SIDE RHYTHM BAND: 8 p.m., $10. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. ANTHONY GOMES: 8 p.m., $15-$18. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. BOB SEGER AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND: 7 p.m., TBA. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888. CANNIBAL CORPSE: w/ Hate Eternal, Harms Way 8 p.m., $25-$27.50. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. DAVID DEE & THE HOT TRACKS: 10 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. A DRAG QUEEN CHRISTMAS: 8 p.m., $43.50-$172. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. ERIC PREWITT BAND: 7 p.m., free. Hwy 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen, 34 S Old Orchard Ave, Webster Groves, 314-968-0061. ETHER: w/ Stone Eater, Devourist, Doom & Disco 7 p.m., $5. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. GARY ROBERT AND COMMUNITY: w/ Sunwyrm 9 p.m., $7. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave.,

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

[WEEKEND]

BEST BETS

Five sure-fire shows this week

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30 Zach Rhea Trio w/ Ex Salis, Sloopy McCoy, Ellen Cook, Mother Meat 9 p.m. El Lenador Bar & Grill, 3124 Cherokee Street. $5 to $7. 314-875-9955.

Drummer and composer Zach Rhea leads a collective of Louisiana-based musicians down winding trails of heady jazz, with plenty of forks in the path. There’s a buoyancy reminiscent of New Orleans jazz, but the moments of vertigo also align the band with New York avant-garde. The trio chews through melody like taffy, offering a set of laserfocused songs loosely glued together by improvisations, giving ample room for each player to stretch. Kicked off by local lounge mutants Mother Meat, the show’s lineup feels like a south-side variety hour, especially when its baked together by Jim McGowin’s projections.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 Lonnie Holley 8 p.m. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue. $10 to $20, 314-498-6989.

“I Woke Up in a Fucked Up America”

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[CRITIC’S PICK]

is both a song and a seminal line from Lonnie Holley’s MITH, which just dropped in September. Those words hit even harder when you know that they come from a sculptor whose work has been displayed in the White House Rose Garden, the United Nations and many museums throughout the United States. Holley’s history as a visual artist is well documented, but in recent years his musical career has really come to the forefront: 2013’s Keeping a Record of It also marked his start as a touring musician. With the release of MITH, 2018 has been a banner year for Holley, who comes to St. Louis mere months after supporting Animal Collective on a national tour.

The Smashing Pumpkins

Brother Francis & the Soultones. | VIA ARTIS BANDCAMP

7 p.m. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market Street. $35. 314-499-7600.

The Smashing Pumpkins really do incite the two poles of music fandom — fanboyism and Nickelback levels of disgust. Shiny and Oh So Bright dropped just weeks ago after a full year of teasing hints, including the announcement of legendary producer Rick Rubin’s involvement. The reaction has been, at least thus far, mixed. The album serves as a Rorschach test for lapsed Smashing Pumpkins fans: Those wanting to hear a return to form will recognize the tiny bits of past glory sprinkled Continued on pg 41

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Brother Francis & the Soultones 9 p.m. Thursday, November 29. The Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust Street. Free. 314-241-2337. St. Louis is more than blessed with a whole host of soul and R&B bands; thanks to that glut, it can occasionally be hard to stand out from the pack. And while the chops and in-the-pocket grooves of Brother Francis & the Soul-

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tones certainly aren’t the most airtight in town, the quartet’s big-hearted, harmony-laden and ever-so-jammy approach to the form offers a winning twist. The group released its debut EP this summer, a four-song set that lets Brother Francis himself slink and strut through an amalgam of blues, soul, power-pop and yacht rock. Locals Only: Fellow St. Louisans Jr. Clooney and Two Cities One World round out the bill. —Christian Schaeffer

[CRITIC’S PICK]

Seriously, the neck is bigger than those giant forearms. | VIA METAL BLADE RECORDS

Cannibal Corpse 8 p.m. Friday, November 30. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Boulevard. $25 to $27.50. 314-726-6161. If you’ve ever attended a Cannibal Corpse show, you know there is one element of the proceedings that stands out among all others: the sheer, breathtaking enormity of vocalist George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher’s gigantic neck. Earned through years of windmill headbanging to the sounds of his death-metal band’s pulverizing tunes, that neck is truly a spectacle to behold and honestly the star of the whole show. “If you really look at it, it’s bigger than the base of my head St. Louis, 314-352-5226. GENE JACKSON POWER PLAY BAND: 8 p.m., $3. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565. JAYDAY: A JAY-Z BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE JAM: w/ DJ Hood Bunny 9 p.m., $8-$12. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314-775-0775. JAZZ CELEBRATION CONCERT: 8 p.m., free. The 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave., University City, 314-421-3600. KENNY G: 8 p.m., $49-$99. Blanche M Touhill Performing Arts Center, 1 University Dr at Natural Bridge Road, Normandy, 314-516-4949. LEROY JODIE PIERSON: 7 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. MOTOR JAXON: w/ Accelerando, Thank You Jesus The Band 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337. NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS: w/ Albert Hammond Jr. 8 p.m., $25-$59. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-499-7600. PATTI & THE HITMEN: 9 p.m., free. 1860 Saloon, Game Room & Hardshell Cafe, 1860 S. Ninth St., St. Louis, 314-231-1860. PUNK ROCK FOR PET FOOD: w/ We’re a Happy Family, the Danged 7 p.m., $10. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. THE ST. LOUIS STEADY GRINDERS: 9 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090.

SATURDAY 1

A.L.I.: 9 p.m., free. Nightshift Bar & Grill, 3979 Mexico Road, St. Peters, 636-441-8300. ALL ROOSTERED UP: noon, free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. ELEGANCE AND ROMANCE: 2 p.m., $38. The 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave., University City, 314-421-3600. FINDING EMO: 9 p.m., $7. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226. GYMSHORTS: w/ Boreal Hills, Ex Oh Ex, Babe Lords 9 p.m., $5. CBGB, 3163 S. Grand Blvd.,

or where my ears are,” Fisher told Metal Hammer back in 2012. “A friend of mine once said, ‘You don’t have a head; you’re a neck with lips.’” Don’t miss your opportunity to see one of the most extreme necks in all of metal. Go to this show. More Large Men: Hate Eternal and Harm’s Way will open the night’s proceedings. Neither band contains any members particularly well known for their collar size, but Harm’s Way frontman James Pligge is definitely yakked as hell, looking like he could crush billiard balls to dust with his bare hands, so that’s pretty cool. Oh yeah, and they play music too, if that’s your thing. —Daniel Hill St. Louis. HERE COME THE MUMMIES: w/ Sun Stereo 8 p.m., $25-$27.50. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. KG ROBERTS: w/ Joe Taylor, Page 9, Hidden Hatred, Spiral Fix 7 p.m., $10-$15. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. KINGDOM BROTHERS: 8 p.m., $5. Hwy 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen, 34 S Old Orchard Ave, Webster Groves, 314-968-0061. LONNIE HOLLEY: 8 p.m., $10-$20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. LUXORA EP RELEASE SHOW: w/ Armenta, Scuzz & Cloy, Wolves But Wiser, Postal Modern 7 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. MARQUISE KNOX: 10 p.m., $8. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. THE MIDNIGHT HOUR: w/ Mathias and the Pirates 7 p.m., $22.50-$25. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. PAUL OAKENFOLD: 9 p.m., TBA. Ameristar Casino, 1 Ameristar Blvd., St. Charles, 636-949-7777. THE RED-HEADED STRANGERS ALBUM RELEASE SHOW: w/ Aught Naughts, LS XPRSS 9 p.m., TBA. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. SHARON BEAR & DOUG FOEHNER: 7 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. SILVERCREEK BLUEGRASS BAND: 9 p.m., free. The Frisco Barroom, 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314-455-1090. SMASHING PUMPKINS: 7 p.m., $35. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-499-7600. STANK THUNDER: w/ Hands and Feet 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337. STEVE MARTIN AND MARTIN SHORT: w/ I’m With Her, Jeff Babko 8 p.m., $60-$265. The Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314-534-1111. STUDEBAKER JOHN & THE HAWKS: 10 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway,

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OUT EVERY NIGHT Continued from pg 41 St. Louis, 314-436-5222. THUNDERHEAD: THE RUSH EXPERIENCE: 8 p.m., $12-$15. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. VINTAGE VIBE: 8 p.m., free. Debz Corner, 685 Big Bend Road, Ballwin, 636-394-0120. VOODOO BEATLES PERFORM REVOLVER: w/ Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players 9 p.m., $12-$15. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505.

SUNDAY 2

ADVENT VESPERS: 4 p.m., free. Second Presbyterian Church, 4501 Westminster Place, St. Louis, 314-367-0366. CRAFTER: w/ Subtleties, Tell Lies, Fight Back Mountain 7 p.m., $5. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis, 314-328-2309. ERIC LYSAUGHT: 6 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. GENESIS JAZZ PROJECT: 5 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. HERE COME THE MUMMIES: w/ Sun Stereo 7 p.m., $25-$27.50. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. JAZZ FOR THE HOLIDAYS: 3 p.m., free. Blanche M Touhill Performing Arts Center, 1 University Dr at Natural Bridge Road, Normandy, 314-516-4949. JUDY COLLINS: 7 p.m., $150. Espenschied Chapel, 317 County Road, Mascoutah, 618-566-7425. LOVE JONES “THE BAND”: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. MARK CHESNUTT & JOE DIFFIE: 7:30 p.m., $39.50$49.50. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. SHANA FALANA: w/ Essential Knots, David Beeman 7:30 p.m., $7. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. STLISTHEMOVEMENT: 7 p.m., $10. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. YO GOTTI: 8 p.m., $45-$65. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

MONDAY 3

BOTTOMS UP BLUES GANG: 6 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis,

BEST BETS

Continued from pg 41

throughout, and those looking for reasons to hate the record will find that, too. Regardless, you have to appreciate that a band this big prepped for its latest tour with a house show in LA.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 Shana Falana w/ David Beeman, Essential Knots 8 p.m. Foam Coffee and Beer, 3359 South Jefferson Avenue. $7. 314-772-2100.

New York’s Shana Falana comes at you from the bottom of a deep well, bellowing full-bodied vocals over a fuzzy blanket of riffs. There’s a certain magnetism to the veteran artist’s shady brand of pop that is instantly inclusive, and rarely obtuse. Shoegaze, goth and postpunk all pop up in her sinewy sound, but the influence here is more subtle, owing to Falana’s lyrics landing front and center. The dense songs are created solely by Falana and drummer Michael Amari, who carefully lay out dark

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314-621-8811. SOULARD BLUES BAND: 9 p.m., $5. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. THIRD SIGHT BAND: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. XIOMARA MASS: 7:30 p.m., free. The 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave., University City, 314-421-3600.

TUESDAY 4

ALLEN STONE: w/ Nick Waterhouse 8 p.m., $25$30. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. CURTIS IVERSON: 6 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. GRANT FARM BAND: 6 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. ST. LOUIS SOCIAL CLUB: 8:30 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. STEVE BAUER: 6 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811.

WEDNESDAY 5

BIG RICH MCDONOUGH & RHYTHM RENEGADES: 7 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. DAUGHTRY: 7 p.m., $59.50-$69.50. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. EAST SIDER REVIEW: 10 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. FRESH PRODUCE: THE BEAT BATTLE: first Wednesday of every month, 9 p.m., free. The Monocle, 4510 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-935-7003. ICKES & HENSLEY: w/ Jason Eady 8 p.m., $15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989. KRIS ALLEN: 8 p.m., $20-$70. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. PIERCE CRASK: 5 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. TAIYAMO DENKU: w/ Rec Riddles, Brief, DJ Johnny Bravo 9 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. VISTA KICKS: 8 p.m., $15. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. VOODOO PLAYERS TRIBUTE TO PHISH: 9:45 p.m., $8. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. n

and psychedelic compositions.

Yo Gotti

8 p.m. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard, University City. $45 to $65. 314-726-6161.

Between the full-on social media reset this past summer (deleting all Instagram posts back in August) and the posi-vibes he’s been pushing in recent months, rapper Yo Gotti has flipped the script on the seemingly constant sense of controversy surrounding him. Maybe this fresh focus will leak into a new record in 2019, but for now fans will drink up nearly two decades of music dating back to the mid ‘90s. And that’s no consolation prize, what with last year’s “Rake It Up” still in regular rotation, and well over 180 million views on YouTube alone. —Joseph Hess

Each week we bring you our picks for the best concerts of the weekend. To submit your show for consideration, visit riverfronttimes. com/stlouis/Events/AddEvent. All events subject to change; check with the venue for the most up-to-date information.

Holiday

Pops

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NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2018

RIVERFRONT TIMES

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2018

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SAVAGE LOVE Shake That Moody BY DAN SAVAGE I’m a 30-year-old, Asian American, hetero-flexible cis woman. I’m also newly diagnosed with bipolar II. I’m on medication—the doctor is trying to figure that out—but no talk therapy for right now, as my last therapist wasn’t great and I haven’t managed to find a new one. My question for you is regarding the relationship between bipolar and kink. One of the common symptoms of the manic stage of bipolar is “risky sex.” I equate risk with “likely to blow up one’s personal or professional life” and have always answered “no” to that question when asked by doctors. I’ve had the occasional hookup, but otherwise I’ve consistently had sex in the context of closed, monogamous relationships, i.e., the opposite of risky sex. However, it recently occurred to me that I’m fairly kinky (BDSM, role-play). Nothing I’d consider a varsity-level kink, but what do I know? I have out-there fantasies that are varsity level, but I’ve never done them. Am I just bipolar and kinky? Are the two related somehow? Should I be concerned that I’ll go into a manic state and start enacting (or trying to enact) some of the varsity-level fantasies in my head? Kinky And Bipolar P.S. I asked my doctor this via e-mail, but I haven’t heard back yet and have no idea how sex-positive he is. So I thought I’d get a second opinion. P.P.S. I’m currently manic enough that it’s hard for me to edit, so there may be weird/confusing shit in my letter. Sorry for that! “I’d like to congratulate KAB for seeking help and for the work she’s doing to get stable,” said Ellen Forney, author of Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice from My Bipolar Life, an award-winning self-help guide to maintaining stability, and the best-selling graphic memoir Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo & Me. “I’d also like to welcome KAB to BIPOLAR! Toot! Toot! Confetti!” The specific manic-stage symptom you’re concerned about —

engaging in super risky sex — is called “hypersexuality,” and it’s what happens when the extremely poor judgment match meets the supercharged libido gas. “But it’s only ‘hypersexuality’ when it gets in the way of a reasonably well-functioning life,” said Forney. “Picture masturbating all day instead of going to work, or having relationshipwrecking affairs or unprotected sex with strangers.” If your diagnosis is correct and you have bipolar II and not bipolar I, KAB, you may be less susceptible to out-of-control hypersexuality. “Strictly speaking, a bipolar II diagnosis means she cycles between ‘hypomania’ (mild mania) and depression,” said Forney, “so her highs aren’t going to be as acute as they would be for someone diagnosed with bipolar I, where hypersexuality can really get dangerous.” Forney warns that misdiagnoses are not uncommon where bipolar is concerned, so you might want to get your diagnosis confirmed. But your longstanding kinks all by themselves — varsity and otherwise — aren’t necessarily related to your condition, KAB, and so long as they’re safely expressed and explored, you aren’t doing anything unreasonably risky or wrong. “Kinky sex in itself doesn’t count as symptom-worthy risky sex — no matter what her doctor emails back,” said Forney. “Like for anyone else, there’s nothing necessarily wrong with feeling uninhibited enough to pursue varsity-level kinks, so long as they’re not putting her or anyone else in danger. Ultimately, KAB’s goal is to be stable enough to trust her judgment. For now, she might weigh the risks while she’s feeling stable, so she can make some levelheaded decisions about what might or might not be too risky.” Forney also recommends having a discussion with your partners and friends about what your limits are — a discussion you’ll want to have when you’re not horny or manic or both. “That way, her partners and friends can help her recognize if she’s crossing her own lines,” said Forney. “And realizing that she’s suddenly tempted to cross her own lines could be a signal to her that she’s getting hypomanic and

“Hypersexuality” is what happens when the extremely poor judgment match meets the supercharged libido gas. needs to take steps to stabilize — steps like getting better sleep, adjusting her meds and others I explore in Rock Steady!” P.S. If your doctor won’t answer your sex questions — or only gives you unhelpful, sex-negative, kinkshaming answers — find yourself a new doctor. P.P.S. There are letters I have to read three times before I can figure out what the fuck is going on. Your letter was as lucid as it was charming. P.P.P.S. Therapists across the country are recommending Rock Steady to their patients with mood disorders, and Forney won a Media Partner Award from the National Alliance for Mental Illness for her work on Rock Steady and Marbles. If you haven’t already, KAB, please pick up Forney’s books. You’ll benefit from her insights, her advice and her coping strategies. And thanks to Forney’s art and sense of humor, both books are a delight to read. I am 36 and female, and I’ve been with my current boyfriend for seven years. We were friends for four years before we started dating. He is very slow at making decisions and not a risk taker, and I am somewhat opposite. I think there are times when you have to take a leap of faith, and if it turns out it was a mistake, you learn and grow from it. We lived together on his family’s property the first six years after I moved to his hometown. He’s waiting in hopes that the property gets handed down to him. I don’t live my life in hopes that something will happen that’s out of my control, so I purchased my own home. He moved in. We have

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not split all costs in half because he said he needs to take care of the other home. It’s been six months, and I’m growing impatient for him to commit. We’ve had several conversations, and I’ve given him until the end of the year to decide if we should go our separate ways. I said if we are going to be together, we need to be a team and support each other. He was actually taken aback because he thought we were doing fine. One thing he said made me question it all. He said, “I feel that you’re supposed to know and have this feeling when you’re ready to move forward to be with a person forever.” I was so confused by that comment. My friends say it can’t only be me who wants this; he has to want it, too. Is it time for me to just move on? Mulling Over Very Emotional Options Now Move on, MOVEON, but keep an open mind. Seeing you move on may help your boyfriend realize he does want to be with you forever — it’ll help him “know” — and if you haven’t realized in the interim that you don’t want to be with him, you can move back in (and move on) together down the road. But unless inheriting the family property is a sure thing — a sure thing you’ll both benefit from in the long run — he needs to pay his fair share. No more freeloading. Why should I, a feminist, be okay with drag? How is it any different than blackface? Tough Question Drag can be sexist, TQ, but it doesn’t have to be. And when done right, it isn’t. Blackface is always racist. Drag celebrates the craft of hyperfeminine presentation. Drag demonstrates that so much of what we think of as “naturally” feminine is not just a social construct, but quite literally a construction. Drag has the power to explode sexism, to expose it, by complicating people’s preconceptions and misconceptions about what it means to be a woman. Blackface can only reinforce and amplify racism. In the Lovecast studios: Stormy Daniels!: savagelovecast.com. mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage on Twitter

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2018

RIVERFRONT TIMES

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2018

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NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2018

RIVERFRONT TIMES

HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS SPONSORED CONTENT

TRUST

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Although they just opened in March ‘18 they already have a strong following - due to the circle of cocktail enthusiasts that bar consultants Noah Prince-Goldberg & Rob Somerscales of the Artisan Well brought with them. Located in the Historic Building in the gorgeous Mississippi Valley Trust Company Building. They put together a fun, exciting and accessible cocktail menu featuring drinks from the “Just Light It On Fire” a boozy manhattan served on a seared cherrywood plank, to the “Kozy In Kaua’i” which is a spiced rum hot chocolate topped with Big O Ginger Liqueur whipped cream. The drinks are undoubtedly

among the best in the city, which is no surprise considering that you’ll ﬁnd cocktails created by these barmen in restaurants around the country. They work as the national recipe consultants for Constellation Brands, known for products from Robert Mondavi wines to High West whiskies. Before or after dinner Tu-Fri Trust is an ideal destination for couples and groups looking for a bar experience unlike any other. They’ve hinted that if someone is really into it, they do exclusive tastings and development with their small circle of enthusiasts. On Saturdays the cocktailers book the space for private functions.

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dec. 13 erin bode

holiday concert

jan. 12 jake’s leg dec. 19 denny laine feb. 2 sponge For a complete schedule...

wildeytheatre.com 618.307.1750

Happy Hour 3-7 M-F

$2 OFF Appetizers $12.50 Domestic Buckets During All Mizzou, Blues and Cardinals Games

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thurs - 1/2 off all pizzas

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1730 South 8th Street | Soulard

HAPPY HOUR @ BARCELONA M-F 3:30 – 6:30 •The ONLY place where you can get $12 Pitchers of SANGRIA in Town!!! •The BEST Calamari! •The BEST VIBE!

•The Usual stuff everybody else does!

314.863.9909 BARCELONATAPAS.COM 34N. CENTRAL AVE. ST. LOUIS, MO 63105

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2018

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HAPPY HOUR

MONDAY–THURSDAY 3–6 PM (ALL LOCATIONS) SUNDAY–THURSDAY 10 PM–CLOSE (DELMAR)

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314-293-3614 40 RONNIE’S PLAZA ST. LOUIS, MO 63126

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